Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Ergonomics In Healthcare Through Environmental Adaptations, Johnny Nguyen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This research study explored the benefits of providing ergonomic education and training within the healthcare setting, targeting certified nursing assistants as the population. The researcher provided the participants with an educational presentation and an in-person 30-minute training session to assist with reducing self-perceived musculoskeletal pain and fatigue while also promoting increased job satisfaction and occupational performance. The study utilizes three outcome measurements including the REBA assessment, weekly Likert scale questionnaires, and workstation analyses. After completing the five-week study, the researcher found that both participants showed reduction in self-perceived musculoskeletal pain and fatigue, improvements in the understanding of ergonomics and implementation …

Hula As A Protective Factor That Improves The Quality Of Life To Those Who Dance In A Hula, Pepper T. Lum-Lung

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This research study investigated hula, the traditional dance of Native Hawaiians as an occupation that promotes health and wellness and improves quality of life. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain insight about reasons for dancing hula and if dancers’ viewpoints are a protective factor that promote quality of health for those living on the mainland (continental United States). This work was guided by the Native Hawaiian diaspora and culturally appropriate health and wellness interventions. Qualitative data regarding reasons for dancing hula and experiences with dancing hula revealed general themes: Developing a connection to the Hawaiian culture …

Errors Of Measurement For Blood Parameters And Physiological And Performance Measures After The Decay Of Short-Term Heat Acclimation, Andrew T. Garrett, Nancy J. Rehrer, Mark J. Patterson, Andrew J. Simpson, James D. Cotter

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Introduction: It is important to determine the accuracy of measurements relative to potential treatment effects, with time intervals between tests. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the error of measurement for blood parameters, physiological, and performance measures after the decay of short-term heat acclimation. Methods: Ten trained males (Mean±SD: age 28±7 y; body mass 74.6±4.4 kg; 4.26±0.37 L^.min^-1; peak power output (PPO) 329±42 W) completed an exercising heat stress test (HST) at baseline, 2^nd day after acclimation and then during decay at 1, 2, 3 and 5-6 wks. CoV (95% CI), SE …

2022-05-05 Faculty Senate On Webex, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting broadcast on WebEx from May 5, 2022.

Racial Disparities In Caesarean Delivery Among Nulliparous Women That Delivered At Term: Cross-Sectional Decomposition Analysis Of Nebraska Birth Records, Rebecca Slotkowski, C. Hanson, K. Samson, A. Anderson Berry, D. Su

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Access to medically indicated caesarean sections is an essential strategy for reducing maternal and infant mortality rates worldwide. However, overuse of medically unnecessary caesarean sections is associated with excess maternal-child morbidity. Previous studies suggest higher rates of caesarean section among women who identify as racial/ethnic minorities.

Significance of Problem: Despite national efforts to prioritize the reduction of medically unnecessary caesarean sections, caesareans rates in the United States have remained stable over the last decade. Women who identify as racial or ethnic minorities experience disproportionally higher rates of caesarean, even when controlling for demographic, behavioral, medical, and institutional level factors. …

Editorial: The Interplay Between Social Determinants Of Health And Cancer Related Health Disparities, Tung-Sung Tseng, Chien Ching Li, Alicia K. Matthews

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Extended Literature Review Exploring How Relational Cultural Therapy And Emotion Recognition Impact The Therapeutic Alliance, Prairie Boschulte

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

This research explores existing literature involving the role of Relational Cultural Therapy and emotion recognition on the therapeutic alliance. This exploration is accomplished through an extended literature review focusing specifically on emotion recognition, RCT, and the therapeutic alliance, with an additional focus on art therapy. The themes discussed center around emotional expression and recognition, rupture and repair in the therapeutic relationship, and connection, disconnection, and mutual empathy through a relational-cultural lens. Themes and patterns were identified within this area of study and how this field of research has developed over time. This study found support for therapist emotion recognition abilities …

Exploring Challenges And Triumphs Within The Transgender Community Through Comics-Based Research, Carly Caldwell

Art Therapy Counseling Final Research Projects

Transgender people are marginalized and pathologized within our society, which leaves transgender individuals vulnerable to numerous negative outcomes. The minority stress model describes the factors experienced by marginalized communities contribute to adverse outcomes (Meyer, 2015). Health care professionals are often not properly equipped to serve the needs of transgender individuals due to marginalization and pathologization. Used to challenge harmful stereotypes, as a form of cultural resistance, and to incite social change comic books and zines have been used as forms of expression for individuals with marginalized identities. Through the creation of a comic book, I aimed to educate others, encourage …

The Cowl - V. 86 N. 19 - May 5, 2022

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 86 No. 19 - May 5, 2022. 32 pages.

Probing Convergence In Orthogonal Conjugated Catalysis By T4 Lysozyme Utilizing Biophysical Characterization, William Turner

Master of Science in Chemical Sciences Theses

Conjugated polymers have become highly attractive as they afford unique material properties that make them promising for a wide range of applications, such as photovoltaics and drug delivery systems. However, these conjugated polymers require extensive synthetic steps involving hazardous organic solvents or metal-based catalysts yielding toxic waste streams. To remedy this, enzymes have emerged as a highly valuable alternative to synthesizing these polymers as they are able to be produced in environmentally benign conditions and have played a pivotal role in various biosynthetic strategies in recent years. Serving as model systems, lysozymes have been shown to polymerize 2-ethynylpyridine (2-EP) via …

Covid-19, Vaccination, And Heart Transplantation, Forest W. Arnold

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

The Colby Echo (2022-05-05), Colby College

The Colby Echo

Published by the students of Colby College since 1877, The Colby Echo is the weekly, editorially independent student-run newspaper of Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Published monthly, 1877-1886; semi-monthly; 1886-1897; and weekly during the academic year, 1898-present.

Dietary Score Associations With Markers Of Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Analysis Of A Middle- To Older-Aged Population, Seán R. Miller, Pilar Navarro, Janas M. Harrington, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Ivan J. Perry, Catherine M. Phillips

Faculty Publications

Purpose

To assess relationships between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean Diet (MD), Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII^®) and Energy-adjusted DII (E-DII™) scores and pro-inflammatory cytokines, adipocytokines, acute-phase response proteins, coagulation factors and white blood cells.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 1862 men and women aged 46–73 years, randomly selected from a large primary care centre in Ireland. DASH, MD, DII and E-DII scores were derived from validated food frequency questionnaires. Correlation and multivariate-adjusted linear regression analyses with correction for multiple testing were performed to examine dietary score relationships with biomarker concentrations.

Results

In fully …

2022-05-05 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate meeting minutes from May 5, 2022.

Documents From The May 5, 2022 Meeting Of The Associated Students Of The University Of Montana (Asum), University Of Montana--Missoula. Associated Students

Senate Meeting Agendas and Minutes, 2007-Present

Agenda and minutes from the May 5, 2022 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM).

Intraovarian, Isoform-Specific Transcriptional Roles Of Progesterone Receptor In Ovulation, Kirsten M Smith, Doan T Dinh, Lisa K Akison, Matilda Nicholls, Kylie R Dunning, Atsushi Morimoto, John P Lydon, Darryl L Russell, Rebecca L Robker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Progesterone receptor (PGR) activity is obligatory for mammalian ovulation; however, there is no established direct functional pathway explaining how progesterone receptor completely and specifically regulates oocyte release. This study examined the overarching cell- and isoform-specific effects of the PGR within each cellular compartment of the ovary, using mice null for the PGR (PRKO), as well as isoform-specific null mice. The PGR was expressed in ovarian granulosa and stromal cells and although PRKO ovaries showed no visible histological changes in preovulatory ovarian morphology, follicle rupture did not occur. Reciprocal ovarian transplant experiments established the necessity of ovarian PGR expression for ovulation. …

Novel Fold Of Rotavirus Glycan-Binding Domain Predicted By Alphafold2 And Determined By X-Ray Crystallography, Liya Hu, Wilhelm Salmen, Banumathi Sankaran, Yi Lasanajak, David F Smith, Sue E Crawford, Mary K Estes, B V Venkataram Prasad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The VP8* domain of spike protein VP4 in group A and C rotaviruses, which cause epidemic gastroenteritis in children, exhibits a conserved galectin-like fold for recognizing glycans during cell entry. In group B rotavirus, which causes significant diarrheal outbreaks in adults, the VP8* domain (VP8*B) surprisingly lacks sequence similarity with VP8* of group A or group C rotavirus. Here, by using the recently developed AlphaFold2 for ab initio structure prediction and validating the predicted model by determining a 1.3-Å crystal structure, we show that VP8*B exhibits a novel fold distinct from the galectin fold. This fold with a β-sheet clasping …

Polygenic Transcriptome Risk Scores For Copd And Lung Function Improve Cross-Ethnic Portability Of Prediction In The Nhlbi Topmed Program, Xiaowei Hu, Dandi Qiao, Wonji Kim, Matthew Moll, Pallavi P Balte, Leslie A Lange, Traci M Bartz, Rajesh Kumar, Xingnan Li, Bing Yu, Brian E Cade, Cecelia A Laurie, Tamar Sofer, Ingo Ruczinski, Deborah A Nickerson, Donna M Muzny, Ginger A Metcalf, Harshavardhan Doddapaneni, Stacy Gabriel, Namrata Gupta, Shannon Dugan-Perez, L Adrienne Cupples, Laura R Loehr, Deepti Jain, Jerome I Rotter, James G Wilson, Bruce M Psaty, Myriam Fornage, Alanna C Morrison, Ramachandran S Vasan, George Washko, Stephen S Rich, George T O'Connor, Eugene Bleecker, Robert C Kaplan, Ravi Kalhan, Susan Redline, Sina A Gharib, Deborah Meyers, Victor Ortega, Josée Dupuis, Stephanie J London, Tuuli Lappalainen, Elizabeth C Oelsner, Edwin K Silverman, R Graham Barr, Timothy A Thornton, Heather E Wheeler, Topmed Lung Working Group, Michael H Cho, Hae Kyung Im, Ani Manichaikul

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

While polygenic risk scores (PRSs) enable early identification of genetic risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), predictive performance is limited when the discovery and target populations are not well matched. Hypothesizing that the biological mechanisms of disease are shared across ancestry groups, we introduce a PrediXcan-derived polygenic transcriptome risk score (PTRS) to improve cross-ethnic portability of risk prediction. We constructed the PTRS using summary statistics from application of PrediXcan on large-scale GWASs of lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1] and its ratio to forced vital capacity [FEV1/FVC]) in the UK Biobank. We examined prediction performance and …

Open Lab Vs. Radiologic Students Final Practical Grades, Navdeep Kaur, Safraz Harun, Katie Tam, Robert O'Brien

Publications and Research

Open Lab provides the students of the Radiologic Technology & Medical Imaging Department the opportunity outside regular class time to practice communicating effectively in a health care setting, and grants the students the freedom to craft critical thinking skills in a radiologic environment. Our research aims to analyze the correlation between hourly time spent in Open Lab, and its contributing factor to a student's overall Radiographic Procedures grade. The amount of time spent in Open Lab can additionally contribute to a student's grasp of didactic concepts, and their integration into the clinical setting. Additional time spent in the laboratory can …

Vincristine Side Effects With Concomitant Fluconazole Use During Induction Chemotherapy In Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Caleb A. Cave, Reyna C. Ramirez, Robin High, James B. Ford, Chittalsinh M. Raulji, Jill C. Beck

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

As a mainstay of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), vincristine’s side effect profile is well known. Parallel administration of the antifungal fluconazole has been shown to interfere with the metabolism of vincristine, potentially resulting in increased side effects. We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine whether concomitant administration of vincristine and fluconazole during pediatric ALL therapy impacted side effects of vincristine, namely, hyponatremia and peripheral neuropathy. We also evaluated whether the incidence of opportunistic fungal infections was impacted by fluconazole prophylaxis. Medical charts of all pediatric ALL patients treated with induction chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center …

Impact Of The Filmarray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel On Clinical Practice In Pediatrics; A Multicentered Study, John Chatterton, Aleisha Nabower, Nathan Gollehon, Nathaniel Goodrich, Prabi Rajbhandari, Jaclyn Eisenberg, Kimberly Martin, Megan Woslager, Maheswari Ekambaran, Krow Ampofo, Elizabeth Lyden, Jessica Snowden

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background

The FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel (MEP) is a rapid multiplex assay that tests cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for 14 common central nervous system (CNS) pathogens, with results available in hours as opposed to days with the gold standard CSF culture. Current literature on the impact of MEP testing on length of stay (LOS) and antimicrobial use in pediatric patients is from only single site studies with variable results.

Hypothesis

MEP testing in pediatric patients would be associated with a decreased LOS, time on IV antibiotics, and time to narrowing antibiotics.

Design/Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of 5 sites. Inclusion criteria …

Assessing Body Fat In Pediatric Osteogenesis Imperfecta: A Preliminary Comparison Of Anthropometric Techniques, Arianna Dalamaggas, Megan Gillespie, Adriano Dellapolla, Kaeli Samson, Elizabeth Strudthoff, Vincent Eaton, Maegen Wallace

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder causing brittle bones, extremity deformities, short stature, and scoliosis, resulting in decreased physical function. Body Mass Index (BMI) is used as a proxy for body fat in the general population, however, it is particularly inaccurate measure to gauge body fat in OI patients due to skeletal deformities and short stature. There is a critical need to identify the anthropometric and body composition characteristics that contribute to important health outcomes and improve disease management in patients with OI. Current literature is lacking data on percent body fat (% BF) composition in patients …

Tocopherol Content Of Maternal Breast Milk And Impact On Neonatal Growth, Alyssa Freeman, Alex Hergenrader, Olivia Paetz, Sarah Sweeney, Lauren Wegner, Nicole Bender, Ridhi Chaudhary, Khadijjta Ali, Matthew Van Ormer, Maranda Thompson, Rebecca Slotkowski, Corrine K. Hanson, Melissa K. Thoene, Ann Anderson-Berry

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Vitamin E is a fat-soluble nutrient consisting of α-, β-, δ-, and γ-tocopherol isoforms that has established effects on neonatal growth in utero. Higher maternal plasma tocopherol concentrations in pregnancy are associated with increased neonatal weight, length, and head circumference percentiles at birth. However, less is known about the impacts of tocopherols on post-natal growth. Since many neonates consume maternal breast milk as their post-natal nutrient source, it is important to understand the tocopherol content of breast milk and associations with neonatal growth.

Significance of Problem: Although the tocopherols demonstrate positive associations with neonatal growth in utero, the role …

Evaluation Of Tocopherol Isoforms In Maternal Breast Milk And Their Relationship With Maternal Dietary Intake, Alyssa Freeman, Alex Hergenrader, Olivia Paetz, Sarah Sweeney, Lauren Wegner, Nicole Bender, Ridhi Chaudhary, Khadijjta Ali, Matthew Van Ormer, Maranda Thompson, Rebecca Slotkowski, Corrine K. Hanson, Melissa K. Thoene, Ann Anderson-Berry

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Vitamin E is an essential, fat-soluble nutrient with four isoforms: α-, β-, δ-, and γ-tocopherol. These isoforms differentially modulate inflammation and show variable associations with perinatal outcomes, such as preterm delivery and Apgar scores. However, little is known about the role of these isoforms on post-natal outcomes and their presence in maternal breast milk, a neonate’s ideal nutrition source.

Significance of Problem: To analyze the role of tocopherols on post-natal growth and inflammation, it is critical to first assess their presence in maternal breast milk. Relating these measures to maternal dietary intake can advance our understanding of breast milk …

Omega-3 And Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels In Placental Tissue And Association With Maternal Dietary Intake, Alexandra Hergenrader, Matthew Van Ormer, Maranda Thompson, Rebecca Slotkowski, Alyssa Freeman, Olivia Paetz, Sarah Sweeney, Lauren Wegner, Khadijjta Ali, Nicole Bender, Ridhi Chaudhary, Melissa K. Thoene, Corrine K. Hanson, Ann Anderson-Berry

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are precursors to lipid mediators that modulate inflammation throughout the body. Derivatives of n-3 PUFAs have anti-inflammatory properties and promote growth and neurodevelopment in the fetus. Conversely, n-6 PUFA metabolites exert pro-inflammatory effects and may contribute to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Studies have shown that maternal dietary intakes of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs are associated with their levels in maternal serum, but less is known about the association between PUFA intake and placental levels of these nutrients. A fetus must obtain essential PUFAs from their mother through the placenta, …

Assessing The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On Maternal And Cord Serum Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Levels, Alexandra Hergenrader, Matthew Van Ormer, Maranda Thompson, Rebecca Slotkowski, Alyssa Freeman, Olivia Paetz, Sarah Sweeney, Lauren Wegner, Khadijjta Ali, Nicole Bender, Ridhi Chaudhary, Melissa K. Thoene, Corrine K. Hanson, Ann Anderson-Berry

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) modulate inflammation throughout the lifespan and are essential in fetal growth and development. Previous studies have demonstrated that individuals with lower socioeconomic status (SES) may be at risk for low intake of n-3 PUFAs; however, no research has compared the concentrations of these nutrients present in maternal and cord serum between markers of SES.

Significance of Problem: Individuals with low serum levels of n-3 PUFAs may suffer from unfavorable birth and pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, it is important to identify populations who may have decreased serum levels of these nutrients in order to provide …

Health Care Access And Use Among Children & Adolescents With History Of Parental Incarceration — United States, 2019, Rohan Khazanchi, Nia Heard-Garris, Tyler N.A. Winkelman

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Children and adolescents exposed to parental incarceration (PI) have suboptimal health care access, utilization, and outcomes in adulthood. However, very little is known about health care access and use during childhood itself for children and adolescents exposed to PI.

Significance: The United States incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other country in the world, with stark spillover impacts on the lives of over 5 million children who have had an incarcerated parent.

Objective: Using the nationally representative 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Child Sample, we examined the relationship between PI and key measures …

Mechanism Of Cyclophosphamide-Induced Ovarian Follicle Loss In The Prepubertal Mouse, Yi Luan, Seok-Yeong Yu, Ibrahim F. Elesh, Rosemary Dong, Amirhossein Abazarikia, So-Youn Kim

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Cancer therapies cause serious side effects, affecting the quality of life for young cancer survivors. The ovary is affected by cancer therapies, causing premature ovarian insufficiency, leading to endocrine dysfunction, infertility, and ovarian aging. Thus, maintaining ovarian function against cancer treatment is an unmet need for female cancer patients. Cyclophosphamide (CPA), a common chemotherapeutic agent, forms DNA crosslinks to induce apoptosis in rapidly proliferating tumor cells. However, the underlying mechanism of the CPA-induced oocyte death in ovarian reserve remains unclear.

Experimental design: This study aims to investigate the mechanism of oocyte death in primordial follicles by generating …

Sap30, A Novel Oncogenic Transcription Factor In High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Clinical Significance And Role In Tumor-Progression, Survival, And Drug Resistance, Anup Pathania, Philip Prathipati, Nagendra K. Chaturvedi, Subash Gupta, Don W. Coulter, Kishore Challagundla

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Neuroblastoma is the most common devastating extracranial solid malignancy in children, accounting for 15% of childhood cancer-related mortality. Despite an intense treatment regimen, approximately 50% of children treated for high-risk neuroblastoma have more aggressive tumor relapse with less than 20% five-year overall survival. Amplification of the oncogene MYCN is associated with a high risk of relapse. However, only 25% of high-risk neuroblastomas are MYCN-amplified, indicating that the rest are driven by factors other than MYCN. Therefore, it is essential to identify novel driver transcription factors but not passenger genes that improve prediction efficacy of therapy response and association with high-risk, …

Exploring Nonlinearity In The Association Between Birth Defect Rates And Agrichemicals In Groundwater In An Agricultural State, Martha G. Rhoades, Debora L. Barnes-Josiah, Roy F. Spalding, Leslie M. Howard, Colleen E. Steele, Cheryl L. Beseler

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background: Agricultural practices over the last 70 years have led to increased agrichemical contamination in some drinking water supplies. Studies report an elevated risk of birth defects associated with exposure to nitrate or atrazine, but little is known about effects of co-exposure. This ecological study evaluated the relationship between the concomitant presence of nitrate and atrazine in Nebraska drinking water supplies and risk for birth defects.

Methods: County birth data were combined with water chemistry data retrieved from a state-sponsored agrichemical contaminant database. Segmented linear regression was used to examine associations between percentage of wells with nitrate and atrazine (separately …