Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Teaching Regarding Injury Appearance In Darker Pigmented Skin Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Tiffany Akiba

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: The skin is the largest organ of our body, and skin injury prevention begins with accurately inspecting skin. Current practices stress on looking for any signs of redness which often signify that the skin is possibly injured or compromised. However, darker skin tones do not appear red when injured. Assessing for redness is a practice that is suited better for lighter skin tones.

Purpose: Provide education to providers on current skin assessment practices of darker skin tones.

Methods: The IHI Model of Improvement was used for this project, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle was used to test for …

Functional Exploration Of Conserved Sequences In The Distal Face Of Angiotensinogen - Brief Report, Naofumi Amioka, Chia-Hua Wu, Hisashi Sawada, Sohei Ito, Alex C. Pettey, Congqing Wu, Jessica J. Moorleghen, Deborah A. Howatt, Gregory A. Graf, Craig W. Vander Kooi, Alan Daugherty, Hong S. Lu

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Angiotensinogen (AGT) is an essential component in the renin-angiotensin system. AGT has highly conserved sequences in the loop and β-sheet regions among species; however, their functions have not been studied.

METHODS: Adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) serotype 2/8 encoding mouse AGT with mutations of conserved sequences in the loop (AAV.loop-Mut), β-sheet (AAV.βsheet-Mut), or both regions (AAV.loop/βsheet-Mut) was injected into male hepatocyte-specific AGT-deficient (hepAGT−/− ) mice in an LDL (low-density lipoprotein) receptor–deficient background. AAV containing mouse wild-type AGT (AAV.mAGT) or a null vector (AAV.null) were used as controls. Two weeks after AAV administration, all mice were fed a western diet for …

Golden Hour: It Can't Wait!, Morgan Bauer Bsn, Rn, Natalie Grandinette Bsn, Rn, Anna Hambleton Bsn, Rn, Tessa Weber Bsn, Rn

Vizient/ AACN Nurse Residency Program™ EBP Projects

No abstract provided.

Functional Analysis Of Two Campoletis Sonorensis Ichnovirus Vinnexins In Drosophila Melanogaster, Peng Zhang

All Dissertations

Campoletis sonorensis Ichnovirus (CsIV) is produced by the ichneumonid parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis (the primary host). Female parasitoid wasps restrictedly replicate viruses in their ovaries and inject them into a larval lepidopteran (secondary host) during oviposition. This symbiotic virus of C. sonorensis is essential for successful parasitization. CsIV is characterized by having a large, segmented double-stranded DNA genome with a large number of genes, many of which are associated with one of five multigene families. The CsIV vinnexin gene family is one of them and has four members, including CsIV-vnxD and CsIV-vnxG. Vinnexins are homologues of insect Innexins, which form gap …

Don't Look Back And Spray! Risk Of Endoscope Adhesion With Hemospray Application In Retroflexion In A Pediatric Patient., Sarah T. Edwards, Diana G. Lerner, Moises Alatorre-Jimenez, Thomas M. Attard

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Although the vast majority of recognized pediatric upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) resolves spontaneously, gastrointestinal hemorrhage is the most common indication for urgent or emergent therapeutic endoscopy in pediatric practice. The application of hemostatic powders, including TC-325 (Hemospray, Cook Medical, Winston-Salem, NC, USA), has shown considerable impact on the control of acute bleeding, with the advantage of potentially covering an extensive area and requiring less technical expertise. We report a case of transient adherence of an esophagogastroduodenoscopy following Hemospray application in a 22-month-old with upper GIB. Our experience does not detract from the significant gains in the management of pediatric GIB …

Western Water Network: A Case Study In Water Network Formation, Travis Warziniak, Robert Heinse, Alexander Fernald, Michael Gaffney, Kristiana Hansen, Bret Hess, Lyla Houglum, Ginger Paige, Qin Zhang

Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education

Increased water scarcity and drought frequency are creating water management challenges for many communities in the western U.S. In response, the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors sponsored a virtual summit in August 2020 to develop a framework for identifying and addressing the most pressing water issues in the western United States (the West). Summit attendees were research scientists, university extension specialists and professionals, and federal/state agency representatives with knowledge and expertise of water management in the West. The summit elicited opinions from 54 experts on pressing water issues and possible methods for addressing them. A follow-on survey of …

The Future Of Public And Private Plant Breeding According To Plant Scientists, Lexie Burris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Plant breeding has been effective in addressing food insecurity by increasing agricultural yields and productivity. Historically, public plant breeding programs have long-term, integrated approaches to plant breeding research, germplasm enhancement, and variety development, but as funding is reduced the future is less certain as to areas of focus. This survey builds off those before it and asks the next logical question, if a divergence between private and public breeding is taking place, what aspects should each sector focus on? The impetus of this study was to ask opinions of plant breeders globally regarding the direction they believe the public and …

The Economic Effects Of Covid-19 On Smallholder Farmers In Kenya, Sarah Hope Brasche

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Like many Sub-Saharan African countries, the Kenyan economy heavily relies on agriculture. Agriculture in Kenya accounted for 50% of the total workforce in 2019 and 70% of the rural workforce. Though reliant on agriculture for employment and subsistence, Kenya has been historically impoverished and malnourished. Kenya has been experiencing an economic recession since 2018, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relatively speaking to other African countries, Kenya managed to escape the worst health effects of the pandemic, but the economic effects were substantial. This study analyzes survey responses from 1,059 Kenyan smallholder agricultural producers on the economic impacts they …

Understanding The Environmental And Genetic Influence On Fluctuating Asymmetry And Developmental Instability In Primates, Ashly N. Romero

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the impact of environmental factors on the development and perpetuation of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and sought to understand the role evolution may play in the FA exhibited in two primate populations: the free-ranging Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and the Southwest National Primate Research Center olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis). Demographic, ontogenetic, secular, external, and genetic factors were examined. Specifically, this dissertation investigated FA over all ontogenetic stages, across decades, between sexes, in association with ecological catastrophes, and with tooth pathology to try and tease apart factors that may influence FA and developmental instability. This dissertation …

Factors Affecting Food Security And Participation In Food Pantries In The U.S., Alexis Jade Skinner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Given the rise in food inflation, reduction of SNAP benefits, and the increased demand for food pantry participation, a more holistic understanding of potential barriers to obtaining assistance from non-Federally regulated food pantries is warranted. In May of 2022, 625 surveys were administered to low-income participants in the United States who participated in food collection from a food pantry in the previous month. Those participants were asked to select what information they were asked to provide during their visit, including home address, place of employment, Social Security card, driver’s license, household size, blood test, or others. Some forms of the …

An Overview Of Risk Factors For Neural Tube Defects And An Investigation Within South Carolina, Lucy Pulliam

All Dissertations

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital anomalies that affect both the morbidity and mortality of infants worldwide. Inadequate levels of the vitamin folate in women during early pregnancy have been shown to be a risk factor for NTDs. Recent efforts to ensure adequate folate intake in mothers have been helpful in reducing but not eliminating NTDs. This dissertation examines additional risk factors for NTDs as possible focus areas for decreasing NTD occurrence.

Chapter Two and Chapter Three are literature reviews conducted to explore select factors associated with an increased risk of NTDs and how these factors may affect folate availability …

Innovating The Communication Pedagogy: An Application Of Flipped Classroom Technique In Communication Education, Gamze Yilmaz

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

As students try to make sense of their college experience and the value of attaining a degree post-pandemic, educators are grappling with finding new methods to re-engage students in the classroom using a range of modalities. This case study explored student reactions to flipped classroom learning experiences, and possible relationship between the flipped classroom technique and academic performance in communication education. As a student-centric pedagogical method, the flipped classroom can offer a promising remedy for student disengagement, and the findings of this study provide supporting evidence for this conclusion. Students characterized flipped classroom as a very favorable learning experience as …

Wild Bee Utilization Of Engineered Pollinator Habitat In Eastern Nebraska Agroecosystems, Shianne Lindsay

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Habitat loss is a leading cause of biodiversity decline globally. Further, loss of natural and semi-natural habitat is a major factor contributing to declines in wild pollinator populations. Among intensive agroecosystems in the Midwestern United States, corn, soy, and small grain fields dominate the landscape and leave limited space available for forb-rich habitat that supports diverse pollinator assemblages to exist and thrive. There are numerous barriers and challenges to integrating pollinator habitat into such agroecosystems and quantitative assessments of impacts on pollinator communities are largely lacking. The establishment of high-quality pollinator habitat can provide both high flower abundance and species …

Cardiovascular Risk Factor Disparities In Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer Compared With The General Population, David H Noyd, Qi Liu, Yutaka Yasui, Eric J Chow, Smita Bhatia, Paul C Nathan, Andrew P Landstrom, Emily Tonorezos, Jacqueline Casillas, Amy Berkman, Kirsten K Ness, Daniel A Mulrooney, Wendy M Leisenring, Carrie R Howell, Jamie Shoag, Anne Kirchhoff, Rebecca M Howell, Todd M Gibson, Leah L Zullig, Gregory T Armstrong, Kevin C Oeffinger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether a history of childhood cancer modifies the established disparities in cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) observed in the general population.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine if disparities in CVRFs by race/ethnicity are similar among childhood cancer survivors compared with the general population.

METHODS: The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) is a retrospective cohort with a longitudinal follow-up of 24,084 5-year survivors diagnosed between 1970 and 1999. Multivariable piecewise exponential regression estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and ≥2 CVRFs by race/ethnicity. The CCSS sibling cohort and the National Health and Nutrition Examination …

A Field Assessment Of Residential Laundry To Landscape Greywater Quality In The San Francisco Bay Area, Sara Khosrowshahi Asl, Katherine Cushing, Rachel O'Malley, Alexandra Dahl, Afshin Rouhani, Sherry Bryan, Justin Burks

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Potable water scarcity is a global issue. Recent and ongoing droughts in the Western United States make residential water conservation crucial. Several water agencies have invested in conservation programs that educate residents on non-traditional water sources, such as laundry-to-landscape (L2L) greywater systems, which reuse washing machine water for outdoor irrigation. This study analyzed landscape vegetation and 21 greywater characteristics of 30 households with L2L systems in Santa Clara County, California. Greywater from most residential systems, even ones decades-old and unmaintained, had acceptable reuse values for major water quality parameters tested. Overall, 89% of fecal coliform counts fell within the acceptable …

Depression, Anxiety, And Estimated Cardiorespiratory Fitness In College Students, Christian Ison

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Depression and anxiety disorders are two common mental health conditions worldwide. College students are considered a high-risk population for the development of these conditions. Improved cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been shown to decrease depression and anxiety risk, symptoms, and severity but this relationship and the extent to which improved CRF can reduce these risks has yet to be examined in the college student population. Validated and reliable non-exercise estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) algorithms could be used to identify relationships and associations with depression and anxiety severity levels among college students. The purpose of this study was to assess eCRF and …

Seed Predation By Harvester Ants On Native Grasses And Forbs: Implications For Management In A Changing Landscape, Michaela Grossklaus

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Vegetation restoration efforts in the sagebrush steppe to date have yielded mixed results. Although many factors contribute to variation in restoration outcomes, seed predation by harvester ants may be an important yet overlooked source of seed loss. Using a selection of grass and forb seeds commonly seeded in local restoration projects, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate whether seed species and spatial arrangement (i.e., distance of seed patches from ant colonies and from each other) affected patterns of seed consumption by Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus. To further examine the ecological factors that may affect foraging by harvester …

From Flames To Forage: How Wildfire Affects Elk Behavior And Abundance, Megan M. Whetzel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) is an ecologically and culturally important wildlife species in the Intermountain West, but it is facing habitat changes caused by increasing fire activity. Wildfire frequency is projected to continue to change into the future, yet increases in annual area burned and increases in area burned at high severity may actually represent opportunities for some species. Large herbivores like elk may benefit from increased access to regenerating areas where forage abundance and quality are often elevated. Therefore, effective management of wildlife populations may depend on quantifying how large ungulates, like elk, alter …

Early Childhood Nutrition Education Implementation Evaluation And Planning: Learn, Grow, Eat & Go!, Alyssa L. Wessling

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The obesity rate among American children aged two to five years old is 12.7% (Centers for Disease Control, 2022), indicating a need for health interventions at this critical life stage. Nebraska Extension’s Nutrition Education Program has identified a need for direct education materials to reach Nebraskans in early childhood. Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! Early Childhood was identified as an appropriate curriculum to be tested in an early childhood intervention pilot. Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! Early Childhood is a newly developed program built upon the foundation of teaching children about healthful foods and physical activity through gardening. An early …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Candida Auris Laboratory Surveillance In Nebraska, Lissa M. Young

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Objectives: Candida auris is an emerging pathogenic yeast that was first identified in Japan in 2009 and detected in the United States in 2015. As of 2020, C. auris has been reported in cases throughout 41 countries, including the United States. The ability of this species of yeast to spread rapidly and survive for long periods of time on surfaces, the high mortality rate of those infected, and its multidrug resistant phenotype, have rendered it a urgent public health threat (the highest threat level) by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention beginning in 2019 (CDC, 2019). Since …

Operation Wasatch: Scenario Based Planning To Assess The Cold Weather Preparedness Of The National Disaster Medical System, Alison Matthews

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Background: The National Disaster Medical System has little experience with sustained mission operations under anything other than temperate environmental conditions. Extreme weather events increase the complexity of disaster response by presenting significant logistic, operational, and safety challenges. Identifying gaps and vulnerabilities in response capabilities can promote improved Disaster Medical Assistance Team preparedness.

Methods: This discussion based exercise utilized a scenario involving a 7.0 magnitude earthquake along the Wasatch Fault in winter. This exercise was conducted with members of the Wisconsin-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Team members provided oral and written feedback in response to exercise objectives and prompts. This feedback …

Impacts Of A Duf2207 Family Protein On Streptococcus Mutans Stress Tolerance Responses And Biofilm Formation, Xiaochang Huang, Camile G. Laird, Paul P. Riley, Zezhang Tom Wen

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Locus SMU.243 in Streptococcus mutans was annotated as a member of the DUF2207 family proteins highly conserved in all bacteria but with unknown function. To investigate its role in S. mutans physiology, a SMU.243-deficient mutant was constructed using allelic exchange mutagenesis, and the impacts of SMU.243 deletion on bacterial growth, stress tolerance response, and biofilm formation were analyzed. Compared to the wild-type UA159, S. mutans lacking SMU.243 displayed a reduced growth rate and a reduced overnight culture density (p < 0.01) when grown at low pH and in the presence of methyl viologen. Relative to the parent strain, the deficient mutant also had a reduced survival rate following incubation in a buffer of pH 2.8 (p < 0.01) and in a buffer containing hydrogen peroxide at 58 mM after 60 min (p < 0.001) and had a reduced capacity in biofilm formation especially in the presence of sucrose (p < 0.01). To study any ensuing functional/phenotypical links between SMU.243 and uppP, which is located immediately downstream of SMU.243 and encodes an undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase involved in recycling of carrier lipid undecaprenyl phosphate, a uppP deficient mutant was generated using allelic exchange mutagenesis. Unlike the SMU.243 mutant, deletion of uppP affected cell envelope biogenesis and caused major increases in susceptibility to bacitracin. In addition, two variant morphological mutants, one forming rough colonies and the other forming mucoid, smooth colonies, also emerged following the deletion of uppP. The results suggest that the SMU.243-encoded protein of the DUF2207 family in S. mutans plays an important role in stress tolerance response and biofilm formation, but unlike the downstream uppP, does not seem to be involved in cell envelope biogenesis, although the exact roles in S. mutans’ physiology awaits further investigation.

Examining The Lived Experiences Of Adult Learners In Practical Nursing Programs: A Qualitative Study, Amy Archey

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study is to fill a gap in the literature for the role of motivation in adult learners in post-secondary practical nursing programs. While literature exists on supporting traditional learners in nursing programs at the college and university levels, research lacked on the motivations, barriers, and support provided to adult learners in practical nursing programs. This study contributes to literature and fills that gap by exploring the lived experiences of these adult learners using the self-determination theory and hermeneutic phenomenology to explore these motivations, perceived barriers, and needed support. This was accomplished using semi-structured interviews with seven …

The Effects Of The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program On Community College Students’ Grade Point Average, Retention, And Graduation Rates, Rhonda Mouton

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to explore whether community college students who received benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outperformed those who did not receive SNAP benefits in terms of retention, grade point average (GPA), and graduation rate. The deidentified archival data collected from the College Tracker and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) systems from fall 2018 through spring 2022 included a total of 4,127 sample size of 3,277 continuing students, 312 freshmen, and 538 transfer students who were either SNAP or non-SNAP recipients.

The study's results for each null hypothesis were reported …

Evaluation Of Drought Tolerance In Usda Tomato Germplasm And Genome-Wide Association Study And Genomic Prediction Of Fusarium Wilt Resistance In Common Bean Core Collection, Kenani Edward Chiwina

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Drought stress and Fusarium wilt disease present significant challenges to plant growth and agricultural productivity, particularly affecting crops such as tomato and common beans. To address these issues, researchers have extensively evaluated germplasm collections under field and greenhouse conditions to identify genotypes with drought tolerance and disease resistance. This study aimed to achieve two objectives. Firstly, we conducted a phenotypic evaluation of drought tolerance in USDA tomato germplasm to identify drought-tolerant accessions for future breeding programs targeting enhanced drought tolerance in tomato cultivars. Secondly, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) on USDA common bean germplasm …

Investigation Into The Utility Of The Submaxillary Gland Androgen-Regulated Protein 3b (Smr3b) As A Normalizing Factor In Oral Fluid, Alejandro Ocampo

Student Theses

Oral fluid is a biological sample of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. This matrix is easy to obtain, it shows a low biohazard risk, and it reflects recent drug exposure. However, the interpretation of its quantitative values is limited, due to the high inter- and intraindividual variability. The investigation of normalization factors in this biological matrix may improve the interpretation value of oral fluid. This study investigated the potential of two signature peptides from the submaxillary gland androgen-regulated protein 3B (SMR3B) as normalization factors in oral fluid. SMR3B was digested in trypsin and the signature peptides SMR3B-1 and …

Antenatal Steroid As An Independent Risk Factor For Vitamin K2 Deficiency In Newborns: A Chinese Single-Center, Retrospective Study, Ling Liu, Chao-Hong Chen, Shi-Wen Rong, Shao-Zhu Lin, Na-Li Cai, Dang Ao

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To identified vitamin K2 deficiency rate and risk factors among newborns in China and assess the importance of high-risk maternal intakes of vitamin K2. Methods: This retrospective study was performed at the Neonatology Department, the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, China. Routinely collected mother-neonate hospitalization data from July 2020 to January 2021 were analyzed. In total, data from 200 neonates who had completed vitamin K2 tests were utilized to assess the prevalence of vitamin K2 deficiency and identify the potential risk factors. According to the vitamin K2 level, the neonates were divided into 2 groups: cases (vitamin K2 …

The Effects Of Low Volume High-Intensity Interval Training Vs. Moderate-Intensity Interval Training With Blood Flow Restriction On Body Composition, Hormone Concentration, And Arterial Elasticity In Overweight And Obese Male Adults, Alexis Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: This study compared the effects of HIIT and MIIT+BFR on the adaptations in body composition, salivary hormone concentration, peak oxygen uptake, anaerobic parameters, and arterial elasticity in young overweight and obese male adults.

RESULTS: There was a significant increase in total BMC (p<0.01), leg BMC (p<0.05), and trunk BMC (p<0.05) from baseline in response to HIIT. MIIT+BFR significantly increased LFM/TFM Ratio from baseline (p<0.01). HIIT significantly decreased AIx@75 (p<0.05) and CI (p<0.05). There was a significant increase in ISO 180o Away (p<0.05), Thor Begin. (p<0.01), and Thor Mid. (p<0.05) in response to HIIT. MIIT+BFR had a superior increase in Thor Mid. (p<0.05) and significantly increased ISO 180o Toward (p<0.01), VO2peak (p<0.05), and VO2peak:Time (p<0.05). In the last training session, HIIT significantly increased salivary leptin (p<0.05), but MIIT+BFR had a superior increase in salivary leptin (p<0.01) from pre- to post exercise.

CONCLUSION: HIIT significantly improved total BMC, leg BMC, trunk BMC, and AIx@75 but decreased CI from baseline. HIIT increased quad muscle strength, whereas MIIT+BFR increased hamstring muscle strength. HIIT and MIIT+BFR significantly increased peak torque in Thor Mid and salivary leptin. Only MIIT+BFR significantly improved VO2peak.

Effect Of Pre-Growth Conditions On Foodborne Pathogen Survival Kinetics In Fresh Produce, Avninder Kaur

Theses and Dissertations

World-wide consumption of fresh-cut produce has seen a dramatic increase over the past few decades. However, fresh-cut produce has been implicated in several illness outbreaks due to contamination with foodborne bacterial pathogens. Post-harvest contamination during handling and processing is considered rare but several influencing factors are often overlooked. Specifically, studies have reported the growth, survival, and death kinetics of foodborne bacterial pathogens such as E. coli O157: H7, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in different fresh and fresh-cut produce. The effect of various factors such as storage temperature, time, and relative humidity are widely explored. It is increasingly evident that microbial …

Strategy-Specific Differentiation In Response To Resources And Drivers Of Spring Migration Phenology In Rocky Mountain Elk, Storm Crews

Theses

Elk (Cervus canadensis) are known to exhibit high movement strategy diversity compared to other ungulate species. Most elk populations are migratory or partially migratory, presenting unique conservation and management challenges. For example, successful maintenance of multiple seasonal ranges and connectivity between them is necessary to conserve populations with migratory behaviors. Further study of the structure and maintenance of movement strategy diversity within partially migratory populations is needed to assist management and refine fundamental ecological theory. Improved understanding of the determinants of elk migratory timing is also important, with the dynamics of significant drivers likely to shift under future climate change …