Digital Commons Network^™

Biophysical Properties Of Trophoblast Placental Plasma Membrane, Nelly-Raissa Setchie-Tchato

Theses - ALL

The lack of experimental research on a woman’s placenta due to ethical restrictions has led to little to no research on the biophysical changes at the molecular level that a woman undergoes during pregnancy. This research aims to understand biophysical changes in placental trophoblast cells that facilitate diffusion between maternal and fetal blood during the first and third trimesters. It is challenging to comprehend the function of the placental trophoblast lipid membrane in regulating molecular transport between the mother and placental trophoblast cells due to inadequate in vitro models. For this reason, we utilized recent findings on the lipid compositions …

Biophysical Properties Of Trophoblast Placental Plasma Membrane, Nelly-Raissa Setchie-Tchato

Theses - ALL

The lack of experimental research on a woman’s placenta due to ethical restrictions has led to little to no research on the biophysical changes at the molecular level that a woman undergoes during pregnancy. This research aims to understand biophysical changes in placental trophoblast cells that facilitate diffusion between maternal and fetal blood during the first and third trimesters. It is challenging to comprehend the function of the placental trophoblast lipid membrane in regulating molecular transport between the mother and placental trophoblast cells due to inadequate in vitro models. For this reason, we utilized recent findings on the lipid compositions …

Rounding With A Purpose: Reducing Falls In Geriatrics Residing In A Community Living Center, Ashley Wesson

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Falls among geriatrics continue to be a significant concern for healthcare organizations and one of the costliest healthcare problems attributed to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Falls rates in residential dwellings such as nursing homes and community living centers (CLCs) continue to rise despite fall prevention efforts.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was In geriatrics, age 65 or older, who reside in the Community Living Center (P), how does one-hour purposeful rounding (I), compared to rounding without structured set time intervals (C), affect fall reduction rates (O), within eight weeks (T)?

Evidence: In fifteen high-quality …

Self-Care: A Vital Practice To Improve Health Promoting Lifestyles Of A Novice Nurse Practitioner, Dawn M. Aycock, Susan E. Breslin, Debbie B. Noble Lanham, Traci Sims

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

As novice nurse practitioners (NPs) care for their patients, caring for themselves should be a priority. NP students should be equipped with self-care practices to develop health-promoting lifestyles, enhance personal and professional well-being, and endorse healthy lifestyles for their patients.

Opportunities From The Pandemic: Transforming Maternity Clinical Education To Hybrid Hospital And Remote Education Model, Marianne Allen, Geraldine M. Maurer

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Impacts of COVID-19 on clinical sites provided opportunities to change undergraduate clinical course structure from direct hospital/community clinical to hybrid model including small-group hospital clinical and faculty-facilitated remote clinical and replacement clinical. This hybrid model of clinical instruction successfully met course objectives and was positively received by students and faculty.

Creating A Partnership Using The Home To School Connection To Implement Relevant Instruction In The Classroom And Supporting The School To Home Connection To Create A Tier Two Intervention Tailored To Students’ Early Literacy Needs, Sara L. Arthurs

Masters Projects

A child’s first place of learning is within the home environment. Research has proven the importance of family involvement in developing children’s early literacy skills. Children have academic success when family members are involved and supportive of development. Early elementary students are expected to enter formal schooling already holding knowledge of foundational literacy skills. The home environment offers children the opportunity to learn and support later literacy success. However, there has been a disconnect between how family and schools partner which has impacted how families engage in their child’s educational experience. Schools and teachers should continue to partner with families …

‘Safe Couch, Safe House’ Program (Scshp): Reducing Exposure To Toxic Flame Retardants For Children In A Low-Income Public Housing At Hunters View, Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco., Aliza Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Since the 1970s, flame retardants have been used extensively in consumer goods, including furniture, textile, and electronics, to meet California’s flammability standards. (Gibson et al.,2019) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), once the most widely used flame retardants being used in consumer products, were phased out from use in manufacturing as evidence emerged about PBDEs persistence and toxicity. (Hoffman et al.,2017) PBDEs were replaced by Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs), which has proven to be a case of ‘regrettable substitution’ as exposure to OPFRs is ubiquitous and pervasive in humans due to their volatility and propensity to leach from products into the environment. …

Indigenous Water Rights: Navigating Sovereign Waters, Cynthia N. Pina

Master's Projects and Capstones

The issue of Native American water rights and the sovereignty of their land on reservations is gaining increasing prominence, making it the focal point of this thesis as an environmental justice concern. Native Americans face disproportionate public health challenges related to water accessibility, contamination, sanitation, outdated infrastructure, and other social determinants of health. The legal framework that governs the coexistence of Native Americans in the United States is rooted in a settler colonial perspective. Consequently, this has created a dependent relationship between Native Americans and the United States federal government. Despite the long-standing advocacy of Tribes for sovereignty since the …

Information Needs Of Children Having A Radiology Technique: Imaging Centers, Rahele Mehrabi, Fatemeh Sheikhshoaei, Vahid Changizi, Nastaran Poursalehi, Faride Pak, Mehrzad Mehdizadeh

Proceedings of the IATUL Conferences

Background: Nowadays, health care systems are seeking to find ways to promote self-care, patient empowerment and informed decision-making. Production of health information content is considered an important tool for improving the health literacy of patients. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the components of children's health information in radiology centers in order to explore information need of children. Materials and Methods: This qualitative exploratory case study was conducted on 71 people, 25 including 6-14 year-old children, 25 parents of 0-14 year-old children, and 23 staffs(radiology technicians and doctors) of Radiology Department at Children's Medical Center Hospital )Tehran, …

Acute Effects Of Different Set Configurations On Neuromuscular, Metabolic, And Perceptual Responses In Young Women, Francisco Dalton-Alves, Lígia Martins, Witalo Kassiano, Mário Simim, Alexandre I. A. Medeiros, Cláudio De O. Assumpção

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 974-986, 2023. We compared neuromuscular, metabolic, and perceptual responses between different resistance training configurations in young women. In a counterbalanced randomized order, 13 young women performed the following protocols in separate sessions (sets x repetitions): traditional (TRAD): 5x10, 90-s of rest interval between sets; more frequent and shorter total rest (FSR): 10x5, 30-s of rest interval between sets. The sessions were composed of leg press exercise with the same intensity. Force (maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]) and metabolic (lactate concentration) responses were measured pre- and post-resistance training sessions. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) …

Does Beta-Alanine Supplementation Potentiate Muscle Performance Following 6 Weeks Of Blood Flow Restriction Or Traditional Resistance Training?, Kassiana De Araujo Pessoa, Jason Michael Cholewa, Rayssa Sousa-Silva, Xia Zhi, Alessandro M. Zagatto, Antonio Herbert Lancha-Jr, Jakob D. Lauver, Fabricio Eduardo Rossi, Nelo Zanchi

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 999-1011, 2023. We aimed to compare the effects of beta-alanine on Traditional Resistance Training (TRAD) or Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFR). Methods: 19 subjects were randomly allocated to a Placebo (n = 10) or beta-alanine (n = 9) group. Subjects from both groups were trained unilaterally (unilateral arm curl) for six weeks, and each arm was trained using a different paradigm (BFR or TRAD). One repetition maximum (1RM) test measurements were performed before and after the strength training program. Work output was accessed as the total weight lifted (repetitions × weight lifted …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - August 3, 2023, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the August 3, 2023 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents include:

• Breast cancer specialist joins interdisciplinary clinical oncology faculty
• Faculty development to host grand rounds
• USA health marks opening of Baldwin County surgery center on Mapp family campus
• USA announces family medicine leadership change

Collaborative Care Connection: Improving Teamwork And Patient Safety With A Sustainable, Patient-Centered Bedside Hand-Off, Dina Flihan, Suzanne King, Carolyn Oates, Meghan Walter

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

In response to staff dissatisfaction and increasing patient falls, a standardized communication tool was devised and moved shift hand-offs to the bedside. Interprofessional collaboration has resulted in significantly decreased interruptions in vital transfer of information, improved staff perceptions of teamwork, and decreased number of patient falls.

Effects Of Dietary Phytoestrogens On Spermatogenesis And Male Reproductive Tract In Mice, Trenton A. Dalm

Masters Theses

Increases in infertility over the past 50 years are linked to environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). One type of EDC is phytoestrogens, commonly found in soy-based diets and foods such as cauliflower, tofu, and broccoli. Phytoestrogens may bind estrogen receptors and have positive or negative effects on receptor signaling. The developing male reproductive tract is potentially susceptible to endocrine disruptors leading to changes in adult reproductive function and possibly infertility. We hypothesized that dietary phytoestrogen exposure would have a dose dependent effect with the high diet yielding the lowest sperm count and worst performance compared to the medium …

Auricularia Auricula Polysaccharides Attenuate Obesity In Mice Through Gut Commensal Papillibacter Cinnamivorans, Xin Zong, Hao Zhang, Luoyi Zhu, Edward C. Deehan, Jie Fu, Yizhen Wang, Mingliang Jin

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Auricularia auricula is a well-known traditional edible and medical fungus with high nutritional and pharmacological values, as well as metabolic and immunoregulatory properties. Nondigestible fermentable polysaccharides are identified as primary bioactive constituents of Auricularia auricula extracts. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the effects of Auricularia auricula polysaccharides (AAP) on obesity and related metabolic endpoints, including the role of the gut microbiota, remain insufficiently understood.

Methods: The effects of AAP on obesity were assessed within high-fat diet (HFD)-based mice through obesity trait analysis and metabolomic profiling. To determine the mechanistic role of the gut microbiota in observed anti-obesogenic …

How Physical Activity Strategies Changed During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Maine And New Hampshire Schools, Alexandra Kerith Peary

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States by reducing students’ access to physical activity opportunities and promoting inactivity. The purpose of this study was to determine how the pandemic has shaped physical activity strategies in schools enrolled in the “Let’s Go!” obesity prevention program.

Safety And Efficacy Of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors In Patients With Cancer And Viral Hepatitis: The Md Anderson Cancer Center Experience, Mirella Nardo, Bulent Yilmaz, Blessie Elizabeth Nelson, Harrys A Torres, Lan Sun Wang, Bruno Palma Granwehr, Juhee Song, Hanna R F Dalla Pria, Van A Trinh, Isabella C Glitza Oliva, Sapna P Patel, Nizar M Tannir, Ahmed Omar Kaseb, Mehmet Altan, Sunyoung S Lee, Ethan Miller, Hao Zhang, Bettzy A Stephen, Aung Naing

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Despite the clinical benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), patients with a viral hepatitis have been excluded from clinical trials because of safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) in patients with viral hepatitis who received ICIs for cancer treatment.

Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective study in patients with cancer and concurrent hepatitis B or C, who had undergone treatment with ICI at MD Anderson Cancer Center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019.

Results: Of the 1076 patients screened, we identified 33 with concurrent hepatitis. …

The Purpose Of Education: Dewey And Maritain Re-Visited, Tony Shannon

International Journal for Business Education

This paper touches on the views of John Dewey and Jacques Maritain on the purpose of the process of formal education, particularly its social dimension in relation to the environment, which for Dewey means “those conditions that promote or hinder, stimulate or inhibit, the characteristic activities of a living being”. Dewey is concerned with communication and the conditions of growth of the child from every point of view. He was very opposed to those who see education as preparation for something else: he focused on what he saw as the existential needs of the student. Some of Dewey’s views are …

Piezo2 In Somatosensory Neurons Controls Gastrointestinal Transit, M Rocio Servin-Vences, Ruby M Lam, Alize Koolen, Yu Wang, Dimah N Saade, Meaghan Loud, Halil Kacmaz, Suzanne Frausto, Yunxiao Zhang, Arthur Beyder, Kara L Marshall, Carsten G Bönnemann, Alexander T Chesler, Ardem Patapoutian

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

The gastrointestinal tract is in a state of constant motion. These movements are tightly regulated by the presence of food and help digestion by mechanically breaking down and propelling gut content. Mechanical sensing in the gut is thought to be essential for regulating motility; however, the identity of the neuronal populations, the molecules involved, and the functional consequences of this sensation are unknown. Here, we show that humans lacking PIEZO2 exhibit impaired bowel sensation and motility. Piezo2 in mouse dorsal root, but not nodose ganglia is required to sense gut content, and this activity slows down food transit rates in …

Leveraging The Intersectionality Of Healthcare And Hospitality To Diversify Workforce Talent And Enhance Patient Experience, Sven Gierlinger, Nicole Giammarinaro, Mallory Tuomey, Leah Petrosino

Patient Experience Journal

As healthcare becomes more of a consumerism-based industry, organizations and leaders are embracing innovative approaches and models to drive patient choice and brand loyalty. Northwell Health, New York State’s largest comprehensive health system, has integrated hospitality as a core pillar within its dynamic patient experience strategy. This informative case report highlights Northwell’s pragmatic approach to designing, implementing, and sustaining an experiential internship program entitled, Hospitality in Healthcare Internship. The program has resulted in action-oriented patient experience performance improvement opportunities as well as create a robust pipeline of hospitality-minded talent into the organization.

Experience Framework

This article is associated with the …

Perceptive Responses And Familiar Staff Facilitate Meaningful Engagement Of Older Adults And Family/Care Partners In Long-Term Care Home Implementation Science Research During Covid-19, Marie-Lee Yous, Denise M. Connelly, Ruthie Zhuang, Melissa E. Hay, Anna Garnett, Lillian Hung, Nancy Snobelen, Harrison Gao, Ken Criferg, Cherie Furlan-Craievich, Shannon Snelgrove, Melissa Babcock, Jacqueline Ripley

Patient Experience Journal

A novel registered practical nurse-led video conferencing approach using PIECES^TM for team-based care planning was developed to engage family/care partners in the care of older adults. The objectives were to: (a) explore the experiences of older adults and family/care partners in collaborating in implementation science research in long-term care (LTC); (b) identify facilitators and barriers to engaging older adults and family/care partners in implementation science research; and (c) share recommendations to support the engagement of older adults and family/care partners in research. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Two older adults and two family/care partners from two Canadian LTC …

Accepting Educational Responsibility For Social Justice: Homeless Mothers’ And Children’S Need Of Education About Health And Nutrition, Smita Guha

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

The goal is to improve health and nutrition among new mothers and their children who were living in shelters. The mothers received workshops and booklets consisting of information, quick and healthy recipes, and learned how to prepare home-made meals with a low budget. The mothers realized nutritious foods are important for them and their children. They learned how to manage time to make nutritious food at the residence. Children regardless of their background, are our future and we need to pay attention to their needs now so that future problems could be prevented. The significance of this study is immense …

Toc

Journal of Vincentian Social Action

No abstract provided.

Sensing The Rhizosphere: Microbial Transcriptome Responses To Root Exudates And Redox-Active Metabolites, Ankita Bhattacharyya

Dissertations

The term “rhizosphere” describes the dynamic interface between plant roots and soil influenced by root exudates. It is a hotspot of microbial activity, plant-microbe, and microbe-microbe interactions. Distinct variations in bacterial diversity are thought to be driven by plant root exudates. However, the molecular details of these processes still remain unclear.

I addressed this gap by focusing on two strains, Pseudomonas synxantha 2-79 and Burkholderia lata 383, representing diverse groups of Gammaproteobacteria comprised of species with environmental, agricultural, and medical significance. In the first part of this project, we used a combination of metabolomics and RNA-seq to characterize transcriptome responses …

The Impact Of Soil Disturbance On Soil Bacterial Community Composition, Marie A. Rodriguez, Mark Peach, Timothy D. Trott

Research in Biology

Soil bacterial communities are an important part of terrestrial ecosystems due to their roles in biogeochemical cycling processes. Consequently, understanding how soil disturbance affects the soil bacterial diversity is vital to understanding the entire ecosystem. In this study we examined the effects of soil disturbance (by mining) on the soil bacterial community composition from three sites on Bauxite Ridge in Southeast Tennessee compared to three undisturbed sites in a nearby location. The soil bacterial community was analyzed by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing of total DNA extracted from the soil samples collected from each of the six sites. Characterization of the …

Examining The Different Soil Horizons Of White Oak Mountain, Tn And Their Effect On The Soil Microbial Community, Ji Won Moon, Timothy D. Trott

Research in Biology

Soil microorganisms participate in the diverse interaction within virtually all ecosystems, consequently affecting the associated human and animal population. Identifying how edaphic variables alter the functional and taxonomic diversity of the soil microbial community requires an examination of total microbial soil diversity and abundance. This research study examined the effect of soil depth and horizon on the soil microbial community composition of White Oak Mountain. The soil microbial community was characterized by 16S/18S/ITS rDNA amplicon sequencing of the DNA extract of six samples from the three major soil types identified: HcE, MoE, and uMvC. OTU clustering analysis and both alpha …

The Importance Of Addressing Sleep As An Occupation Within Assisted Living Communities, Brittany Kiattitananan, Kendra Orcutt, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton

Summer 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Around 40-70% of older adults have difficulty sleeping (Sheth & Thomas, 2019). This poster presents an occupation-based sleep intervention program developed for residents of an assisted living community and serves to inform OT practitioners on addressing sleep in their own practice.

Nurse Externships Promote Interprofessional Collaboration, Enhance Resiliency, And Foster Nurse Self-Advocacy, Emma R. Cawood, Madeline R. Mann, Lisa A. Ruth-Sahd

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Nursing externships augment the student's undergraduate clinical education and focus on reinforcing safe patient care. However, externships have the ability to do more than reinforce theoretical knowledge. When immersed in the clinical environment for 8 to 10 weeks, externships benefit students' knowledge of interprofessional collaboration, personal resilience, and self-advocacy.

Working From Home: Nurse Educators And Lifestyle Choices During The Pandemic, Karyn Boyar, Karla Rodriguez

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Two Nursing faculty from a large Northeastern university launched surveys to explore our colleague's lifestyle choices during the pandemic. We hoped to identify any gaps in health and lifestyle behaviors and to gauge faculty interest in attending webinars focused on improving overall diet and health during the pandemic.

Phf8-Glul Axis In Lipid Deposition And Tumor Growth Of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma., Song Peng, Ze Wang, Peng Tang, Shuo Wang, Yiqiang Huang, Qiubo Xie, Yapeng Wang, Xintao Tan, Tang Tang, Xuzhi Yan, Jing Xu, Weihua Lan, Luofu Wang, Dianzheng Zhang, Bin Wang, Tiejun Pan, Jun Qin, Jun Jiang, Qiuli Liu

PCOM Scholarly Works

For clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), lipid deposition plays important roles in the development, metastasis, and drug resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying lipid deposition in ccRCC remain largely unknown. By conducting an unbiased CRISPR-Cas9 screening, we identified the epigenetic regulator plant homeodomain finger protein 8 (PHF8) as an important regulator in ccRCC lipid deposition. Moreover, PHF8 is regulated by von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)/hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) axis and essential for VHL deficiency-induced lipid deposition. PHF8 transcriptionally up-regulates glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL), which promotes the lipid deposition and ccRCC progression. Mechanistically, by forming a complex with c-MYC, PHF8 up-regulates TEA domain transcription …