Digital Commons Network^™

Environmental Ozone Exposure, Gestational Health, And The Lung-Placental Axis, Russell Hunter

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Adverse gestational outcomes of pregnancy are a globally occurring threat to fetomaternal health, with limited clinical prognostic and intervention strategies aside from premature labor induction. Epidemiological data shows strong correlations between gestational exposure to air pollution and the incidence of adverse gestational outcomes. The research presented here was designed to evaluate potential murine models of gestational exposure, as well as quantify maternal cardiovascular damage therein. These studies employ radiotelemetry, echocardiography, single cell RNA-sequencing, and untargeted lipidomic analyses in efforts to study these effects. Results implicate cardiovascular responses to mid-gestational ozone exposure as evidenced by decreased maternal cardiac output and increased …

Avoiding Burnout: Newsletters That Promote Special Education Teachers Well-Being, Kayler Knott

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

With the alarming rate of teachers leaving the educational field, there is a definitive shortage of people entering the field of special education. Educators need access to different tools and resources that will allow them to know about other things that can help limit or reduce the strain of things causing teacher burnout. By sending out these resources to educators and informing them of different tools they can use, we can help alleviate teacher burnout, keep more educators in the fields, and stop losing our young teachers just entering before they have even completed student teaching experiences. Each of these …

Implementation Of A Community Health Worker (Chw) Training Program To Improve Birth Outcomes, Emiko Maruri

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background

Those who have been affected by any adverse childhood experience (ACE) have an increased likelihood of poor birth outcomes. These include low infant birth weight, preterm delivery and can even lead to pregnancy loss.

Problem

Latina women have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as those most affected by ACEs. Further evidence supports those affected by 2 or more ACEs have poor birth outcomes.

Context

For this project, The Save the Children organization in partnership with the University of San Francisco Doctorate of Nursing Practice (USF DNP) students and Community Health Workers (CHWs) of the Central …

Implementation And Evaluation Of Abcdef Bundle In The Surgical Intensive Care Unit (Sicu): A Quality Improvement Project, Carrie Blasko

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Intensive Care Unit (ICU) delirium is highly prevalent in this patient population; however, it is a potentially avoidable hospital complication (Vasilevski et al., 2018). The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) has been used as a tool to measure delirium in the SICU since 2014 (AHN, 2023). The SICU clinicians deliberated if a better assessment and management bundle is available to better identify and manage delirium as a concerning volume of patients continue to experience ICU delirium even with the current delirium assessment tool in place. Upon reflection, SICU clinicians acknowledge a gap in nurses’ knowledge in connection with identifying signs, symptoms, …

Implementation Of A Self-Care Management Program Utilizing Telehealth In Adults With Hypertension, Diann Schmitt

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Hypertension (HTN) can lead to heart disease which is the leading cause of death in the United States for men, women, and most racial and ethnic groups. Evidence-based practice supports early recognition of available self-care management (SCM) modalities to impact hypertension improvement and medication adherence. Best practices for heart disease prevention and management include lifestyle modification, reducing out-of-pocket costs, self-management support and education, and self-measured blood pressure monitoring. Successful evidence-based approaches within literature have addressed the modalities and successful outcomes.

The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) is a quality standard of The Institute of Health Improvement (IHI) was used to conduct this project …

Community Health Worker Certification Program - Motivational Interview, Advocacy, Communication And Conflict Resolution, Stella Antony

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Rural residents have health disparities more than urban populations. The significant health inequities in the underprivileged population include a higher incidence of chronic diseases, lack of access to healthy foods, health care, health insurance, unhealthy eating habits, poor socioeconomic status, cultural and language barriers, and lack of health literacy. As locals, Community health workers (CHWs) meet these populations and can improve healthy lifestyle changes and advocate for their community.

Local Problem: The population in Fresno and Tulare County in Central Valley, California, is underprivileged, lacks access to proper health care, and has higher rates of health disparities, including chronic …

Investigation Of Zinc And Iron In Wildflower Honey, Savannah Simpson

Honors Theses

Honey acts as a valuable food source for both animals and humans. When found in contaminated environments, there is an increased likelihood that honey samples will have high metal concentrations. It has been discovered that honey concentrations in metals can be different based on location. This experiment aims to determine the amount of two valuable metals, zinc, and iron, in various honey sources. These metals can be important to the human body because they help boost immunity and allow the body to carry out the functions required for survival. However, if these elements are present in copious quantities, then it …

Protocol To Build A Drug-Testing Pipeline Using Large Populations Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Jay Deloriea, Cassandra Millet-Boureima, Chiara Gamberi

Biology

As a small animal that recapitulates many fundamental aspects of human disease, Drosophila lends itself to probing the biological activity of molecules and drug candidates. Here, we present a protocol to build a drug-testing pipeline in Drosophila. We describe steps for generating synchronous populations of Bicaudal C mutants by genetic crossing and wild-type fly culturing for controlled compound administration and exemplary phenotypic assays. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Millet-Boureima et al.,¹ Millet-Boureima et al.,² and Gamberi et al.³

The Normative Requirement For Shared Decision Making (Sdm) In Healthcare Ethics, Margaret Nornor-Quadjie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medicine and medical technology started to advance after World War II. During that period, the practice of medicine became technical. A lot began to happen in the biomedical world during the period after WWII that attracted comments, criticisms, and analyses from scholars. Perhaps, the 1947 Doctors’ Trial at the Nuremberg Tribunal and the Nuremberg Code may be said to be the defining moment for bioethics. These events eventually led to, in the United States, the passage of the National Research Act of 1974 that established the Institutional Review Board system and the National Commission for Protection of Human Subjects of …

The Effect Of Culture And Society On Postpartum Depression: Impacts Observed In India And America, Roma Agarwal

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Measuring Perceived Medical School Stress (Pmss) Scores Among Physician Assistant Students, Ashley Sharp, Anna Worthley

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Wellness curriculum was introduced at James Madison University’s PA program in 2019. The intervention is student-led by upperclassmen and is two-part, consisting of wellness seminars and peer group discussions with a heavy emphasis on wellbeing, stress reduction, coping strategies and burnout. The aim of seminars and student-led discussions have been to promote mental health awareness and mindfulness practices, so that students experience lower perceived stress and greater life satisfaction. Perceived stress has not been examined among physician assistant students using the Perceived Medical School Stress (PMSS) scale which measures students’ perception of stress over four areas: medical school curriculum and …

Leak Complications In Laparoscopic Vs Robotic Bariatric Surgery, Kristina Benton, Amy Heung

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

No abstract provided.

Utility Of Bariatric Surgery In The Remission Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Christine Ercoline, Alyssa Bower, Corinne Singh

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Objective: Assess whether bariatric surgery is more effective than lifestyle modification and medication in the long-term reduction of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose among obese adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: A PubMed search was performed utilizing the terms bariatric surgery, type 2 diabetes and remission. In PubMed the following limits and terms were used: published in the last 10 years, humans, full text, clinical trial, randomized control trial, and English. Results: An analysis of three randomized control trials (RCTs) supports bariatric surgery as a modality to induce the remission of type 2 …

Feasibility And Measurement Of Bedside Pumping In The Nicu: A Mixed Methods Study, Jessica Gomez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Abstract

Background: Supporting preterm infants with mother’s own milk (MOM) can improve health outcomes and decrease mortality.¹ Freshly pumped MOM, within four hours of expression, has the highest availability of bioactive components versus stored MOM. However, fresh milk is often not readily available due to the disconnected process of breastfeeding that occurs with preterm infants in the NICU. One convenient solution to improve access to fresh MOM is for the mother to pump at the infant's bedside. This intervention could improve the mother's pumping experience and provide the infant access to fresh MOM.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate …

Lifestyle Behaviors Before And After Diagnosis Of Type 2 Diabetes: Findings From The Nurses’ Health Studies, Amelia E. Roebuck

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Short- and long-term changes in diet or physical activity in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and factors associated with behavior change with adequate inclusion of relevant confounding and effect-modifying variables have been minimally explored. The objective of this research was to examine changes in diet and physical activity following a diagnosis of T2DM and identify sociodemographic, medical, psychosocial, and lifestyle factors associated with changes in dietary or physical activity behaviors. This dissertation utilized two prospective cohorts of U.S. female nurses participating in the Nurses’ Health Study (1976-2016) and Nurses’ Health Study II (1989-2017). Linear mixed effects modeling was …

Investigating And Targeting Iron Metabolism In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Klebsiella Pneumoniae, Zachary Scott

Theses & Dissertations

Antimicrobial resistance is an incredibly pressing issue in modern medicine. Because of that many researchers are pursuing just as many avenues for treatment of these pathogens. However, due to the nature of bacteria many of these methods are stop gaps and the bacteria can develop typically within years of their deployment. Therefore, more robust methods of treating infections of antimicrobial resistant bacteria that are difficult or impossible to develop resistance to are required. To produce this effect the treatment would need to target and alter or inhibit functions or structures essential to the bacteria that could not be altered, additionally …

Towards A Mode Of Action For The Anti-Schistosomal Aryl Hydantoins, Thomas Schulze

Theses & Dissertations

Schistosomiasis is a significant human disease caused by the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni. Praziquantel remains the only clinically used treatment, yet it is rapidly metabolized and only effective against the adult stage worm infection. Ro 13-3978 (AR02) is a potent antischistosomal compound with activity against multiple S. mansoni life stages; however, it manifests anti-androgenic activity. Additionally, the mechanism of action for worm clearance remains unknown. The structure of Ro 13-3979 was used to generate optimized derivatives, including AR102, that show increased potency towards worms, reduced off-target anti-androgen effects, and extended half-life thereby increasing the feasibility for a single-dose curative treatment. …

Clinicians As Researchers, Rolando T. Lazaro, Esmerita Rotor, Arvie C. Vitente, Catherine Joy T. Escuadra, Jocel M. Regino, Carmina L. Rafael

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

Gpr84-Mediated Signal Transduction Affects Metabolic Function By Promoting Brown Adipocyte Activity, Xue-Nan Sun, Yu A An, Vivian A Paschoal, Camila O De Souza, May-Yun Wang, Lavanya Vishvanath, Lorena Ma Bueno, Ayanna S Cobb, Joseph A Nieto Carrion, Madison E Ibe, Chao Li, Harrison A Kidd, Shiuhwei Chen, Wenhong Li, Rana K Gupta, Da Young Oh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The G protein-coupled receptor 84 (GPR84), a medium-chain fatty acid receptor, has garnered attention because of its potential involvement in a range of metabolic conditions. However, the precise mechanisms underlying this effect remain elusive. Our study has shed light on the pivotal role of GPR84, revealing its robust expression and functional significance within brown adipose tissue (BAT). Mice lacking GPR84 exhibited increased lipid accumulation in BAT, rendering them more susceptible to cold exposure and displaying reduced BAT activity compared with their WT counterparts. Our in vitro experiments with primary brown adipocytes from GPR84-KO mice revealed diminished expression of thermogenic genes …

Road To Recovery For Craniotomy Patients, Louisa Ustrzynski

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Complications from craniotomy surgery can range from 8-33%, leading to prolonged hospital stays, increased costs, increased risks for complications, and decreased satisfaction. An extensive literature was conducted highlighting Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol enhances patient outcomes by emphasizing education, early mobilization, pain management, and proper medication use before surgery. This quality improvement project focused on implementing preoperative and postoperative education in a tertiary hospital outpatient setting targeting adults undergoing craniotomy surgery. The process was implemented by a preoperative checklist and education materials to aid in educating patients on ERAS protocol to decrease the length of stay and increase patient …

“I Felt We Were Actually Learning Things, Then Applying Them” Students’ Perceptions Of A Service-Learning Course, Christina Gipson, Jessica A. Mutchler, Arshpreet Kaur Mallhi, Amanda Lambert

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Academic journals continue to produce articles that highlight record levels of student disengagement and lack of motivation. Faculty have been encouraged to use high impact, active learning strategies to increase student engagement and success (Patrick et al., 2016). One technique, service learning, allows students to become active learners through applying learned skills and theory from the classroom to community settings (Connolly, et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to highlight students’ perceptions and experiences through three semester-long service-learning courses where students provided a fitness and mindfulness program to local teachers to help them address stressors. Undergraduate sports management …

The Impact Of An Educational Cooking Class On Inflammatory Potential Of Diet In Cancer Survivors, Mariah K. Jackson

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer survivors face long-term effects from cancer treatments, with cognitive dysfunction being an important, yet understudied, consequence of cancer treatment. Inflammation is a proposed mechanism for impaired cognition status. As research demonstrates diet is associated with both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, diet may represent a novel strategy to mitigate cognitive decline in cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to 1) quantify the impact of an educational cooking class on inflammatory potential of diet (measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)) in cancer survivors and 2) determine the relationship between dietary changes and cognitive function in cancer survivors. Dietary …

Patient Education Improvement Initiative For Self-Management Of Congestive Heart Failure Among Senior Residents Of A Long-Term Care Facility, Abigail A. Abella, Brooke Sheck, Daniela Ramos, Ivy H. Nguyen, Mary Tran, Roshni Nagarajan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to use evidence-based practices to determine if personalized education on disease self-management would lead to improved treatment adherence in a residential facility. The target population consisted of four elderly female patients who had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF) and were struggling with the self-management of their disease. Contributing barriers to effective CHF self-management were determined using a root cause analysis, and included a lack of educational templates, declining cognitive ability of the residents, and no electronic health record (EHR). Using the Self-Determination theory, the interventions were implemented. Phase one was …

School Weigh-Ins Are Dreaded. They Also Don’T Work., Amanda G. Salazar

Capstones

Schools across the country have been screening their students for Body Mass Index for decades, based on the assumption that telling families about a student's weight would promote weight loss. Years of research has shown that BMI screenings don't actually have any impact on weight, but instead can be harmful to students' mental and emotional wellbeing. These harms can last for years into the future, in some cases. So, why are BMI screenings still such a common practice?https://schoolbmiscreenings.weebly.com/

Reducing Readmission Rates Within 30 Days Of Discharge By Increasing Frequency Of Calls By The East Bay Transitions Care Department, Rediet Abebe Gebremichael

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background: Within the organization, the estimated cost of readmissions is $10,107.00 per day. Managing readmission rates within the hospitals has been challenging due to multiple factors. Readmissions cause financial and emotional stress on patients and their families, along with the stresses experienced during hospitalization.

Problem: The yearly readmission goal for the Transitions Care Department is below 14% per month. In 2022 the Transitions Care Department has been above 14% for most of the year, averaging 17%. Hospital readmissions impose a substantial financial and resource burden on the healthcare system.

Interventions: Staff training will ensure their effectiveness in carrying out …

Maternal- Child Malnutrition In Nepal: A Policy Analysis, Garima Pokhrel

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Abstract

Background: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID 2021) data finds that in Nepal 17 percent of women between the ages of 15-49 and 30 percent of adolescent girls of age 15-19 years are underweight; and 36 percent of children under the age of 5 were stunted in Nepal in 2016.

Objective: To review Nepal’s current National Nutrition Policy and provide evidence-based recommendations to amend the policy in order to improve nutritional outcomes of the prenatal population and children under the age of 5 years.

Methods: Bardach’s Eightfold Path to Policy Analysis Methodology and the Sustainable Diet …

Implementing A Standard Work Process For Food Insecurity Screening, Referral, And Connection Tracking In A Safety-Net Clinic, Aisha Keplinger

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and referral programs are crucial to achieving health equity, fundamental to providing the best care, and are critical to the United States’ pursuit of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Triple Aim (Berwick et al., 2008). Employing the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, a systematic screening and referral program was implemented at a safety-net clinic to increase SDOH screening and referral rates, and to identify the number of patients who connect with community resources. The program was guided by the IHI Triple Aim framework and evaluated using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Six Aims of Healthcare Quality …

Evaluating Utilization And Outcomes For An Outpatient Oncology Urgent Care Center, Melody D. Noble

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Patients receiving cancer care in the outpatient setting may often require unscheduled, acute management of symptoms. An oncology urgent care clinic (UCC) was implemented to provide symptom management for these patients outside of the emergency department (ED) at an academic medical center. A program evaluation was performed to assess the impact of the UCC on ED utilization and patient outcomes. The project methodology is the Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis-Policy, Regulatory and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development (PRECEDE/PROCEED) method of program evaluation with additional evaluation of outcomes via the Institutes of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) triple …

Organic Dining Behaviour In British Restaurants, Lokman Dinc, Rong Huang

Plymouth Business School

The organic food market has experienced significant growth in recent decades all over the world. Within the context of the UK, a remarkable rise can be seen considering the recent popularisation of organic food products. With these trends in mind, the aim of this research is to develop better understanding of organic dining behaviour in British restaurants. To achieve this aim, this research used questionnaire technique and analyse the data using SEM.The key findings of the research confirmed that a range of factors, including advertisements through social media, knowledge, price, taste, quality, availability, and labelling, all significantly influence consumer intention …

Applications Of The Re-Aim Framework In Health Promotion, Emiliane L. Pereira

Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation applied a variety of methods under the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework and provided a valuable and relevant contribution to the field of the dissemination and implementation (D&I) science. In the first study, we applied the RE-AIM framework to evaluate interventions and summarize the literature on breastfeeding promotion programs on the Black population (Chapter 1). The study results provide meaningful findings by bridging the gap on the literature of reporting breastfeeding supporting services and resources available to ensure breastfeeding continuation, as well as the need for a better reporting on the individual-level and setting representativeness, …