Digital Commons Network^™

A Qualitative Case Study: Learning, Teaching, And Using Social-Emotional Skills In A Post-Covid Era, Camille Louise Andrews

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to discover the influence that COVID-19 has had on teaching and learning social-emotional skills in grades K through 2 in a local public school in a central metropolitan area in the northeastern United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools worldwide were forced to shut down, providing online instruction using tablets and other media devices. Students and teachers suddenly became limited in how they socialized with each other. COVID-19 changed how teachers use social-emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom. The study included 10 participants. This study’s purpose was to answer the central research …

Dentistry For Individuals With Disabilities, H. Barry Waldman Dds, Mph, Phd, Steven P. Perlman Dds, Mscd

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Tuberculosis Infection By Interferon-Gamma Release Assay And Risk Factors Associated With Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Household Contacts Of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients In Roi Et Province, Thailand, Sakaren Lawong

Journal of Health Research

Background: Tuberculosis remains a major global public health challenge. This study determined the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) using the Interferon-Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) and identified associated risk factors among household contacts of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Roi Et Province.

Method: This cross-sectional analytic study included 334 pulmonary tuberculosis patients (index cases) and their 359 household contacts in Roi Et Province. The data was collected using screening and follow-up tools for TB patients and household contacts between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square or …

North Dakota’S New Health Initiative The Multi-Partner Health Collaborative, Krissie L. Mayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

North Dakota’s declining health outcomes and continued disparities demonstrate a need for a coordinated, multisector approach to statewide health improvement. This qualitative case study examined stakeholder perceptions of the initial effectiveness and potential sustainability of the Multi‑Partner Health Collaborative (MPHC) in advancing the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). Using systems theory (ST), the study explored how executive leadership, the steering committee, and goal groups function as interdependent subsystems whose alignment, communication, and feedback loops influence overall performance. Semi-structured interviews, analyzed thematically, reflected the patterns related to collaboration, SHIP implementation, barriers to effectiveness, and factors shaping long-term sustainability. Stakeholders generally viewed …

Progressive Facial Swelling And Airway Symptoms Revealing A Deep Neck Abscess With Atypical Microbiology, Drew Knight, Hakam Sulaiman, Arash Bakian, Ilya Fonarov

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Deep neck abscesses have become less common in the antibiotic era; yet, they still pose major risks of morbidity and mortality if not addressed appropriately. Their proximity to the upper respiratory tract and mediastinal structures further exacerbates this risk. We present the case of a 56-year-old man with a medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, who exhibited a two-month history of recurrent left-sided facial edema, pain, and dysphagia. Computed tomography imaging confirmed a substantial fluid collection extending from the submandibular region into the mid-cervical area, from which aspiration yielded 110 mL of purulent material. Cultures indicated Cutibacterium acnes, …

Corynebacterium Bacteremia In A High-Risk Host: A Diagnostic Dilemma Of Contamination Versus True Infective Endocarditis, Arman Manjikian, Christopher Aboujaoude, Nicole Rock, Don Pepito

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Corynebacterium species are often regarded as skin contaminants when isolated from clinical cultures. However, in select high-risk patients, these organisms can lead to significant infections, including infective endocarditis. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities, including end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis and an exposed tunneled central catheter, who developed Corynebacterium-associated native mitral valve endocarditis requiring surgical intervention. Despite prompt antimicrobial therapy and bioprosthetic valve replacement, her hospital course was complicated by heart block, empyema, and eventual cardiac arrest. This case highlights the importance of recognizing Corynebacterium as a potential pathogen in vulnerable patients …

Steroid-Responsive Encephalopathy Associated With Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Case Fulfilling Definite Graus Criteria, Stephanie Ammari, Nawras Ibrahim, Sravani Karuchola, Samir Ouais

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Steroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT), also known as Hashimoto encephalopathy, is a rare immune-mediated neurological syndrome with an incidence of 2.1 per 100,000 and a 4:1 female predominance. Neurological manifestations are independent of thyroid status, occurring in 30–40% of euthyroid patients, and include cognitive impairment, confusion, seizures, and psychiatric symptoms. Diagnosis is challenging in the elderly, where symptoms overlap with dementia or delirium, with only 51 reported cases in patients aged ≥65 years. We describe a 70-year-old woman with autoimmune hypothyroidism and levothyroxine nonadherence who presented with progressive weakness, melena, dyspnea, and altered mental status complicated by obstructive …

Piperacillin-Induced Immune Hemolytic Anemia Masked By Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease: A Case Report With Three Serial Exposures, Stephanie Ammari, Nawras Ibrahim, Khalid Mahmood

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) secondary to piperacillin has an estimated incidence of 0.01–0.10% [1,2]. In patients with intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD), chronic conjugated hyperbilirubinemia obscures typical hemolytic markers [3,4].

Case Presentation: A 27-year-old woman with traumatic short bowel syndrome requiring total parenteral nutrition for 6 months, IFALD (baseline total bilirubin 2.5 mg/dL), and chronic kidney disease experienced three piperacillin-tazobactam exposures over two months. First exposure (12 days): hemolysis developed after drug discontinuation (primary sensitization). Second exposure: severe hemolysis occurred within 3 days (anamnestic response) with hemoglobin declining to 5.8 g/dL, undetectable haptoglobin, elevated LDH, reticulocytosis, and strongly …

The Effect Of Empiric Initiation Of Treatment On Outcomes Among Patients Presenting With Extrapulmonary Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection In A Community Hospital Setting, Talha Awwal, Faisal Raja Kh, Hanya Awaba, Waseem Anwar, Jinma Ren, Muhammad Aamir Safdar, Saqib Walayat, John J. Farrell

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) accounts for ~20% of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections in Pakistan. Diagnostic delays are common and may worsen outcomes. We evaluated whether empiric treatment initiation improves outcomes among patients with EPTB at a large public hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. Methods: Retrospective cohort of consecutive EPTB cases at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (January–June 2016). Patients were categorized as clinically diagnosed (symptoms/radiology) or laboratory-supported (histology, microbiology, or biochemical tests). Standard Directly Observed Therapy Short-course (DOTS) based regimens were used. Outcomes were treatment success, failure, loss to follow-up, and mortality; groups were compared using chi-square testing. Results: Of 317 EPTB …

Prognostic Utility Of Delta -Procalcitonin And Modified Shock Index For Risk Stratification Of Sepsis In Acute Care Settings, Sanveer Singh, Neeraj Singla, Navneet Sharma, Mandip Bhatia, Saurabh C Sharda

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Risk stratification in sepsis remains challenging, and while several scoring systems exist, there is a need for simple tools that can reliably predict outcomes.

Aims: To study the role of Delta -Procalcitonin and Modified Shock Index (MSI) in predicting the severity of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS)like acute kidney injury, vasopressor requirement, need for mechanical ventilation, coagulopathy and 28 day mortality in sepsis

Methods: This prospective observational study recruited 122 patients with suspected sepsis. Delta- Procalcitonin was calculated by measuring the difference in procalcitonin values at the time of admission and after 48 hours. Modified Shock Index (MSI) is …

Improving Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates During Hospitalization Via Resident Education Intervention: A Hospital-Based Quality Improvement Project In A Teaching Community Hospital, Shun Nakahara, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Masaru Kurihara

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Pneumococcal vaccination coverage among eligible adults in Japan remains suboptimal. This gap may be partly attributable to insufficient physician and patient education, as well as limited coordination in delivery of preventive care. Therefore, we conducted a hospital-based quality improvement project combining resident education with system-level workflow modifications to enhance pneumococcal vaccination rates.

Methods: A single-center quality improvement study was conducted at a teaching community hospital in Japan, comparing outcomes between pre-intervention and intervention periods. The intervention included resident education, patient educational materials, integration of vaccination status into admission documentation, discharge checklists, and weekly reminders. The primary outcome was the …

Systematic Review Of Randomized Clinical Trials For The Treatment Of Long Covid Syndrome, Leonardo Tamariz, Dariel Rodriguez, Elizabeth Bast, Nancy Klimas, Morgan Pyne, Maricarmen Cruz-Jimenez, Diana Gomez Manjarrez, Ana Palacio

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: There is a critical need for interventions for long COVID. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review on the efficacy and safety of different interventions in patients with long COVID.

Methods: We searched the MEDLINE 1965 until August 2024. We included randomized clinical trials that reported a primary outcome. We evaluated the GRADE certainty of the effect measures.

Results: Our initial search yielded 2,606 potentially relevant studies. We include 43 randomized clinical trials that ultimately included 2,878 participants with long COVID. The GRADE criteria found all but one study had low certainty. Eight studies reported on the use …

Perceived Level Of Preparedness For A Terrorist Event Between State, Local And Tribal Law Enforcement Officers, Herbert Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this quantitative cross-sectional study, differences in perceived preparedness among state, local, and tribal law upon Kingdon’s multiple streams approach and Baumgartner and Jones’ punctuated equilibrium theory to explain administrative changes in law enforcement following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Data were collected from 53 full-time police officers across state, local and tribal agencies using a web-based survey instrument measuring enforcement officers in a northern border region were examined. Officers’ perceived preparedness to identify, prevent, and respond to future terrorist threats were evaluated. Whether perceived preparedness differed by agency type and whether officers with military experience or advanced homeland security …

Climate Anxiety And Nurses’ Awareness, Motivation, And Behaviors In Addressing Climate-Related Health Risks, Sarah Kaplan

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Climate anxiety, the emotional distress associated with awareness of climate change and its consequences, is an emerging mental health concern that may influence how nurses perceive and respond to climate-related health risks. Climate change is largely driven by emissions of greenhouse gases which radiate and absorb heat. Human-caused climate change is leading to higher average global temperatures and increasing risk to health through poor air quality, changes in vector borne diseases, extreme weather events, and exacerbation and development of physical and mental illnesses. This study contributes to nursing science by examining climate anxiety and climate related health practices among …

Pacific Rxtracts - July 2026, Pacific Rxtracts

Pacific RxTracts

Articles:

• Tribute: In Memory of Evan Le
• Redefining Influenza Prevention: Phase 3 Trial of an mRNA Influenza Vaccine
• Risk of Non-Vitamin K Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation
• Oral Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Risk: Expanding Its Role in High-Risk Patients
• Baxdrostat for Resistant Hypertension: The Bax24 Phase 3 Trial
• SGLT2 Inhibitors Shown to Normalize Blood Pressure in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
• Brolucizumab: A New Vision for Treating Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
• Mavacamten Comes of Age: FDA Expands Treatment Options for Adolescent Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
• Children and Adolescent CKD Management: New Evidence Supports RAAS Inhibitors as First-Line Therapy
• Comparing Survival Outcomes of CDK4/6 Inhibitors plus …

Engineering Fsh-Cer T Cells To Enhance Response To Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Nolan J. Beatty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer remains a significant cause of cancer-related mortality, with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) being the most common subtype. Despite advances in treatment, the 5-year survival rate for late-stage EOC remains low due to factors such as tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This study investigates the therapeutic potential of chimeric endocrine receptor (CER) T cells engineered to express follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a syngeneic mouse model of EOC expressing follicle stimulating hormone receptor (ID8-FSHR). We compared two different co-stimulatory domains—CD28ζ and 4-1BBζ—in FSH-CER T cells and found that FSH-CD28ζ CER T cells exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity, proliferation, …

Vda Governance Meeting 2011

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Improving Antimicrobial Stewardship In Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Management In Urgent Care Settings, Madison Haines, Gina Crudden

Group: Nebraska Methodist College

Problem: Acute otitis media (AOM) is a leading cause of pediatric antibiotic prescribing in urgent care (UC) settings. Despite guidelines recommending watchful waiting, inappropriate prescribing persists, contributing to increased antimicrobial resistance and healthcare costs. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance antimicrobial stewardship through provider education and clinical decision-making support tools.

Intervention: Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, the 30-day intervention was implemented across Midwestern UC centers. The intervention involved asynchronous provider education focused on evidence-based prescribing, watchful waiting strategies, and caregiver communication.

Measures: Primary outcomes included provider confidence in implementing watchful waiting and perceived adherence to clinical guidelines, measured via pre- …

The Incidence Of Some Intestinal Protozoa: Entamoeba Histolytica, Blastocystis Hominis And Giardia Lamblia Among Iraqi Individuals At Baghdad Province, Amani M. Jasim, Rabia A. Aboud, Mohamed Q. Al-Aybi

BioMed Visions Journal

This study investigates incidence of Entamoeba histolytica, Blastocystis hominis and Giardia lamblia at Baghdad province during during the months of 2024. Samples were collected from patients admitted Baghdad hospitals during a period of January to the end of December 2024 and examine by Macroscopic Examination by direct wet mounts and Concentration Methods using formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation or zinc sulfate flotation to concentrate ova/cysts analyzed .The findings indicate that no significant differences among study groups individuals infected with Entamoeba histolytica out of 222,133 individulas infected with Entamoeba histolytica (32%) females most frequently infected than males (27%).Giardia lambilia according to gender …

Evaluation The Attitudes Toward Prevention Of Communicable Diseases On Health Care Workers At Al-Sadr Hospital In Iraq's Najaf Governorate, Ahmed Ali Mohammed Alshamarti, Wisam Abdul Ameer Ali Farid, Atheer Kadhim Ibadi, Sabreen Ali Hassoni

BioMed Visions Journal

Background: Communicable diseases are responsible for a heavy burden on human health. Health workers were the front line in preventing these diseases. Wrong or positive attitudes of health workers can reflect negatively or positively on infection control efforts. The primary objective of study evaluating attitudes levels between health care workers towards transferable diseases. The secondary objective, assessing association with social-demographic characteristics of health workers. Materials and Methods: The data from Al-Sadr Hospital, by use a frequency study started from the 1^st of December 2021 to the 30^th of May in 2022. The sample from 384 health care workers …

Antimicrobial Susceptibility And Prevalence Of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae In Pediatric Patients In Karbala, Iraq: A Two-Year Retrospective Study, Hussein Abd Ali Mohammed Sadeq Al Her, Al-Shalah Al-Shalah, Saif A.J. Abdulrahman, Ekhlas Abdulameer Hameed Alazzawi, Noor Hussein Abdulrahman

Iraqi National Journal of Medicine

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major pediatric pathogen causing infections such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, and meningitis, with heightened risk in children due to immune immaturity and hospital exposure. Aim: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the prevalence and patterns of antibiotic resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from various clinical samples in pediatric cases at Karbala Children's Hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023. Methods: This retrospective study examined 68 pediatric K. pneumoniae infection cases at Karbala Children's Hospital in Iraq from 2022 to 2023. Clinical samples, patient demographics, and antibiotic susceptibility were …

Community Health Workers’ Experiences Distributing Harm Reduction Supplies During Covid-19 In The Barren River Area Development District, Angel Nichole Shoemake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community health workers (CHWs) distributing sterile injecting equipment help reduce infectious disease transmission among people who inject drugs; however, limited research exists regarding their experiences delivering harm reduction services during public health emergencies in rural areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore CHWs’ experiences and perceptions of health risks, operational barriers, and social influences affecting harm reduction service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Barren River Area Development District. The health belief model guided this study, emphasizing perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, benefits, and self-efficacy. Data were collected through semistructured Zoom interviews with eight purposively sampled CHWs …

Comparative Analysis Of Traditional And Deep Learning Time Series Architectures For Influenza A Infectious Disease Forecasting, Edmund Fosu Agyemang, Hansapani Rodrigo, Vincent Agbenyeavu

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Influenza A remains a major cause of respiratory mortality worldwide, motivating accurate forecasting to support timely preparedness and resource allocation. This study presents a comparative evaluation of two traditional seasonal time series baselines, ARIMA and Holt–Winters exponential smoothing (ETS), and six deep learning (DL) architectures (Simple RNN, LSTM, GRU, BiLSTM, BiGRU, and a Transformer) for forecasting monthly Influenza A case counts in the United States. Data from January 2009 to December 2023 were analyzed, using January 2009 to December 2022 for training and January 2023 to December 2023 for out-of-sample testing. Models were tuned using a validation split and assessed …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Cvid Reveals Pervasive Detrimental Noninfectious Manifestations, Robert B Lindell, Samir U Sayed, Jose S Campos Duran, Sydney A Sheetz, Apoorva Babu, Montana S Knight, Andrea A Mauracher, Ceire A Hay, Peyton E Conrey, Julie C Fitzgerald, Nadir Yehya, Stephen T Famularo, Teresa Arroyo, Richard Tustin, Hossein Fazelinia, Edward M Behrens, David T Teachey, Lisa R Forbes Satter, Alexandra F Freeman, Jenna Re Bergerson, Steven M Holland, Jennifer W Leiding, Scott L Weiss, Mark W Hall, Deanne M Taylor, Rui Feng, E John Wherry, Nuala J Meyer, Sarah E Henrickson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children, yet heterogeneous immune responses complicate the development of targeted therapies and the host immune factors driving sepsis pathobiology remain unclear.

METHODS

We integrated deep immune phenotyping, plasma proteomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and phosphoflow cytometry in a prospective cohort of 88 critically ill children to elucidate the mechanisms underlying immune heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Unsupervised clustering of plasma cytokines identified 3 immunologic subgroups, including a high-severity group (“Group C”) characterized by hypercytokinemia driven by IL-6 and IFN-γ. Group C exhibited distinct alterations in immune cell frequency and activation, with a …

Caldwell Open‑Hardware Oncology Research Platform (C‑Ohrp V1.0) A Modular, Non‑Clinical Testbed For Mrna Cancer Vaccine And Immunotherapy Delivery, Sensing, And Thermal Management, Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

Abstract

Recent evidence, including a 2026 review in The Lancet, confirms that mRNA vaccines are robustly effective against infectious diseases and show strong promise for cancer immunotherapy, particularly in melanoma and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, critical barriers remain: delivery to the right tissue, control of the treatment environment, and reproducible measurement of immune response and toxicity.

The Caldwell Open‑Hardware Oncology Research Platform (C‑OHRP v1.0) is a modular, non‑clinical research platform that integrates the most relevant elements of the Caldwell open‑hardware portfolio to improve the viability of mRNA cancer vaccine and immunotherapy programs. It does not claim to …

An Anthropological Lens Into Human Milk Mirnas: Roles In Evolution And Epigenetic Programming Of Infant Health, Samantha Wu, Erika Yu, Allison Oh, Chantal Rabay, Amy L. Non

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent an understudied bioactive component of human milk with an important epigenetic role in regulating infant gene expression. Most anthropological studies of human milk have focused on the evolutionary and biocultural significance of milk macronutrient content for infant development. This review will focus specifically on the value of studying milk miRNAs, a critical bioactive component of milk that may transmit cues to offspring about maternal environments. These cues could epigenetically program infant development and shape health trajectories throughout the life course. MiRNAs are short, single stranded, ribonucleic acids that serve as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression which can …

Bioactivity Of Chitosan Coated Nanoparticles Biosynthesized Using Yeast Against Hypervirulent Klebsiella Pneumoniae (Hvkp), Sura Alaa Suod, Huda Suhail Abid Al-Hayanni

Baghdad Science Journal

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are becoming one of the most pressing problems worldwide and are becoming difficult to treat; therefore, nanotechnology is a promising alternative technology. The current study aimed to biosynthesize chitosan Saccharomyces cerevisiae nanoparticles (ScNPs) and evaluate their antibacterial activity against hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (HvKp). Five K. pneumoniae isolates from different clinical sources were screened for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production and virulence tests. ScNPs were synthesized and characterized. The antibacterial activity of ScE and ScNPs was determined. The result showed that five bacterial isolates were confirmed as K. pneumoniae and displayed highly virulent and resistant capabilities, hence classifying them …

Prevalence Of Torovirus, Rotavirus, And Adenovirus Infection Among Iraqi Pediatric Patients With Gastroenteritis, Eman A. Mahmood, Nadira S. Mohamed, Safaa Al-Deen A. S. Al-Qaysi

Baghdad Science Journal

Gastroenteritis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children, particularly in developing countries. Rotavirus, adenovirus, and torovirus are among the common viral agents associated with pediatric gastroenteritis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of these viruses and to evaluate diagnostic methods for torovirus infection among Iraqi children. A total of 250 stool samples were collected from pediatric patients aged from 2 weeks to over 10 years who attended Children's Protection Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, between December 2023 and August 2024. The samples were screened for the presence of rotavirus, enteric adenovirus, and torovirus antigens using the Hemagglutination …

Barry Conservation Camp Family Guide, Andy Schafermeyer

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Nurses’ Knowledge And Practices Regarding Infection Prevention Measures In Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Marwa G. Abouheiba, Maha Adel Salem, Jean Bertin Mudenge

Nursing

Abstract: Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major global patient safety challenge, contributing substantially to morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, antimicrobial resistance, and increased healthcare costs. Patients admitted to cardiac intensive care units (ICUs) are particularly vulnerable because of their critical illness, frequent exposure to invasive devices, and complex cardiovascular interventions. Nurses play a pivotal role in preventing HAIs through the consistent implementation of evidence-based infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. Therefore, assessing both nurses' knowledge and their observed clinical practices is essential for identifying strengths, potential gaps, and opportunities for quality improvement. Aim: To assess nurses' knowledge and observed practices …