Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Knowledge, Confidence, And Competency Among Icu Nurses Concerning The Benefits Of Using The Uk Ventilator Separation Protocol, Brittany Monroe

DNP Projects

Background: The trauma intensive care unit (ICU) at University of Kentucky (UK) Healthcare uses a ventilator separation protocol which provides specific guidelines on the successful weaning of patients from mechanical ventilation. However, many of the nurses are not aware of this protocol as formal education is not included in their orientation or training. This lack of knowledge can lead to risks such as increased patient morbidity, mortality, ICU length of stay, and healthcare-related costs. Research shows that using structured mechanical ventilator weaning tools in the ICU can shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation, which in turn, lowers these associated risks. …

The Effects Of An Educational Intervention On Nursing Knowledge Of Post-Operative Care Of Patients After Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy Surgery, Kelli Curry

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: Minimally invasive esophagectomy surgery is commonly performed by thoracic surgeons on patients with esophageal cancer. The post-operative care of these patients is meticulous and follows a protocol developed by the thoracic surgeons at the University of Kentucky. At UK Chandler Medical Center, concerns have been raised regarding nurses’ lack of education of the protocol, and therefore decreased implementation. Increasing nursing knowledge pertaining to this protocol by performing educational in-services periodically and standardizing and implementing formal education as part of nursing orientation will decrease the knowledge gap and improve patient outcomes and increase utilization of the post-operative protocol.

Purpose: …

Provider And Staff Education Surrounding Universal Hcv Screening And Linkage To Care In An Ambulatory Care Setting, Lauren Clifford

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: In the United States, it is estimated that there are more than 2 million cases of Hepatitis C (HCV), with over 66,000 new cases since 2020 However, an estimated 75% of those with HCV go undiagnosed and less than 35% receive treatment within a year of diagnosis. In 2018, UK Healthcare (UKHC) implemented a universal HCV screening method using a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) for anyone 18 and older who presented to the Emergency Department and had labs ordered. Patients who screened positive were then referred to outpatient clinics for HCV treatment. Approximately ten percent of positive patients …

Evaluation Of Nutritional Guidance From Providers For Patients With Type 2 Diabetes In A Primary Care Setting, Whitney Rice

DNP Projects

Background: Adherence to diet is a challenging part of managing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Guidelines recommend including a registered dietician and/or a diabetes educator. While this is the gold standard, there are barriers to implementation in primary care. The Starting the Conversation (STC) diet recall tool can aid primary care providers (PCPs) in providing brief nutrition counseling for patients with T2DM. Purpose: To evaluate the perceptions and practices of PCPs regarding dietary education and documentation for patients with T2DM after provider education and initiation of the STC tool. Methods: This was a quality improvement project using a quasi-experimental pretest …

An Educational Intervention To Improve Neonatal Icu Nurses’ Breastfeeding Support Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Breastfeeding Rates At Discharge, Sarah Money

DNP Projects

Background: The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby are known. It is recommended that all infants be exclusively breastfed until six months (Meek & Noble, 2022; North et al., 2021). Despite this, breastfeeding rates remain low, especially in medically fragile infants requiring care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (Rollins et al., 2016). Receipt of evidence-based breastfeeding support by healthcare providers has been shown to improve breastfeeding success; however, many healthcare providers report not being comfortable or knowledgeable enough to offer support consistently (Mulcahy et al., 2022; Rollins et al., 2016).

Purpose: This study aims …

The Effects Of Potassium Fertilization Regime On High Tunnel Tomato Production, Sapana Pandey

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

A two-year field experiment (2022-2023) was conducted at the University of Kentucky Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington, KY to study the effects of potassium (K2O) fertilization rates on tomato yield and ripening disorders in determinate and indeterminate varieties (‘BHN-589’ and ‘Big Beef’, respectively). In the first year, K2O rates representing the soil test result-based commercial recommendation (0 lbs/acre) and sequentially greater rates (150, 300, and 450 lbs K2O/acre) were applied. In the second year, K2O rates were increased based on lack of fruit quality response and were 0, 300, 600, and 900 lbs K2O/acre. Leaf tissue nutrients, tomato yield, and …

Surveys, Field Studies, And Laboratory Incubation Experiments To Improve Alfalfa Production In The Mid-South, William Fleming

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The objective of the alfalfa survey was to determine the role of soil fertility in the alfalfa yield plateau. Soil samples at depths of 10, 15, and 30 cm and tissue samples were collected from 114 alfalfa stands across Kentucky and surrounding states. Results indicate that soil fertility is likely contributing but not driving the alfalfa yield plateau. The main objective of the polyhalite incubation study is to determine if POLY4 was soluble enough to support potassium (K) and sulfur (S) for plant growth. The design of the study included four fertilizer treatments, three soil types, and four incubation times. …

Identifying Physiological, Morphological, And Genetic Drivers Of Key Intermediary Phenotypic Traits Associated With Stalk Lodging Resistance Within Genetically Diverse Maize Germplasm And Sorghum, Norbert Bokros

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Maize stalk lodging reduces grain yields due to the permanent breakage or deformation of stalk tissue before grain harvest. To reveal new insights into the complex problem of maize stalk lodging, this dissertation will examine three primary objectives. First, the direct, diurnal influence of turgor pressure will be shown to have only marginal effects on stalk bending strength, a key trait associated with stalk lodging resistance. Up to a dozen individual stalks, grown to physiological maturity within the same field, were tested using a DARLING testing device. In parallel, stalk turgor status as measured by leaf water potential and turgor …

Silicon Fertilization In Cool-Season Turfgrasses, Cheng Qian

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Previous studies of the benefits of silicon (Si) supplementation in turfgrass have yielded inconsistent results. This dissertation aimed to assess the benefits if Si supplementation in cool-season turfgrass under more well controlled conditions than many previous studies. The first study assessed the effect of Si supplementation on biomass production and Si accumulation of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) in buffered Hoagland’s media (pH 6) with four sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) treatments (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mM Si). The two species responded differently to Si supplementation in terms of biomass. Bentgrass biomass was …

Oaks Have A Lot Of Gall: The Intimate Interactions Of Oaks And Gall Wasps, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii

Faculty Journal Articles

This is a story about the interactions of oaks and herbivorous gall-inducing wasps. To set the stage, let’s first explore the diversity of oaks and oak gall wasps.

Application Of A Zinc-Borate Based Nanoparticle To Impede The Spread Of Huanglongbing, Carlos J. Flores

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Huanglongbing is a citrus disease devastating the worldwide citrus industry. It is caused by the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), and spread through the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). ACP vectors HLB as a host for CLas and spreads the bacteria through the saliva when feeding on citrus leaves. There is no cure for the disease, making preventative measures a top priority for the citrus industry. Previously used methods such as individual protective covers and insecticides have proven effective but costly to slow the spread of the disease. In this thesis, we report on the interactions of a novel zinc-borate spray-on …

ปัจจัยที่สัมพันธ์กับการเกิดค่าไอเอ็นอาร์ที่สูงเกินเป้าหมายในผู้ป่วยที่ได้ยาวาร์ฟารินที่มีภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเฉียบพลัน, รติยา รุ่งเรือง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ (1) ศึกษาปัจจัยที่สัมพันธ์กับการเกิดค่าไอเอ็นอาร์ที่สูงเกินเป้าหมายในผู้ป่วยที่รักษาด้วยวาร์ฟารินและเกิดภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเฉียบพลัน และ (2) เปรียบเทียบการเปลี่ยนแปลงของค่าไอเอ็นอาร์ขณะเกิดภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเฉียบพลัน เมื่อแบ่งกลุ่มตามค่าการบีบตัวของหัวใจห้องล่างซ้าย วิธีการวิจัยเชิงวิเคราะห์แบบย้อนหลังจากเหตุไปหาผลในผู้ป่วยที่ได้รับยาวาร์ฟารินที่แผนกผู้ป่วยใน เข้ารับรักษาด้วยภาวะหัวใจล้มเหลวเฉียบพลัน ระหว่าง 1 มกราคม พ.ศ. 2558 ถึง 30 กันยายน พ.ศ. 2566 วิเคราะห์ปัจจัยที่มีความสัมพันธ์กับการเกิดค่าไอเอ็นอาร์มากกว่า 4 ด้วยสถิติการถดถอยโลจิสติคพหุคูณ ที่ระดับนัยสำคัญทางสถิติที่ p

Identification Of A New Human Disease Gene For Dilated Cardiomyopathy (Dcm), Rutairat Wongong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Pathogenic BAG5 variants recently linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) prompt further investigation into phenotypic, mutational, and pathomechanistic aspects. We explored the clinical and molecular characteristics of DCM associated with BAG5 variants, uncovering the consistently severe manifestation of the disease and its impact on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. Analysis involved three siblings affected by DCM, along with their four unaffected siblings and consanguineous parents. Exome and Sanger sequencing identified a novel BAG5 variant, c.444_445delGA (p.Lys149AsnfsTer6), homozygous in affected siblings and heterozygous in parents and unaffected siblings. We generated heterozygous and homozygous Bag5 point mutant knock-in (KI) mice and evaluated …

A Market Strategy Analysis Of Doi Kham Company, Cholachai Sirisawat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This article is conceived with the objective of utilizing data from Doi Kham Food Products Company Limited as the focal point of research. It delves into market narratives and comprehensive market data, as well as the growth trajectory of the company in accordance with the royal initiatives of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX). His Majesty's aspirations aimed to alleviate the hardships faced by rural communities in the highlands of Northern Thailand, transitioning towards a company engaged in the production and procurement of agricultural products, supplying both domestic and international markets with stability and concurrent growth in agriculture. …

Effects Of An 8-Week Undulating Training Program On Firefighter Body Composition, Muscular Fitness, And Occupational Performance, Dylan R. Brown

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Firefighting is a high-risk occupation that requires a certain level of health and fitness to ensure optimal occupational performance. Improving body composition by reducing fat mass and increasing muscular strength and power are two great methods for improving performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how an 8-week undulating training program affects firefighter body composition, muscular strength/power, and occupational performance. METHODS: A total of 33 active male firefighters were recruited for this study. Prior to the start of the 8-week undulating program, all participants were pre-tested on several fitness variables including body composition, strength, …

Author Bios, Author Bios

Intertidal

No abstract provided.

Rice Buffer Stock Maintenance Post-Rice Tariffication Law (Ra11203): An Application Of A Partial Equilibrium Model For Buffer Stock Level Optimization, Mary Gillian Santos, Marites Tiongco, Arlene Inocencio, Caesar Cororaton

DLSU Business & Economics Review

The Rice Tariffication Law or RA 11203 was created for the purpose of achieving food security, lowering prices at the consumer level, and making the rice industry more competitive. The opening up of the domestic rice market led to the removal of the National Food Authority’s (NFA) licensing & regulatory powers which shifted their mandate solely on maintaining an optimal level of buffer stock primarily for emergency situations. To fulfill this mandate, the NFA must anticipate and account for emergencies & uncertain events in their current operations. This paper presents an application of a Partial Equilibrium Rice Model to determine …

Truth Bounties: A Market Solution To Fake News, Yonathan A. Arbel, Michael D. Gilbert

Articles

False information poses a threat to individuals, groups, and society. Many people struggle to judge the veracity of the information around them, whether that information travels through newspapers, talk radio, TV, or social media. Concerned with the spread of misinformation and harmful falsehoods, much of the policy, popular, and scholarly conversation today revolves around proposals to expand the regulation of individuals, platforms, and the media. While more regulation may seem inevitable, it faces constitutional and political hurdles. Furthermore, regulation can have undesirable side effects and be ripe for abuse by powerful actors, public and private.

This Article presents an alternative …

Effect Of The Lifestyle, Exercise, And Nutrition (Lean) Weight Loss Intervention On Anxiety Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Faiad Alam

Public Health Theses

Background: Lifestyle interventions can be an important tool in improving quality of life (QOL) among breast cancer survivors. Anxiety has been improved in some, but not all, exercise or lifestyle interventions that have investigated this component of QOL. Therefore, we sought to examine the impact of the 6-month Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) intervention vs. usual care on anxiety among women who completed treatment for breast cancer. Methods: A total of 151 breast cancer survivors participated in the LEAN study, and 116 participants were included in this secondary analysis. State anxiety was assessed via the state anxiety portion of the …

Bmi's Early Echo: Deciphering Adolescent Body Mass Indicator On Adulthood Breast Cancer, Tianyu Feng

Public Health Theses

This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) during adolescence and the risk of breast cancer in adulthood among a Chinese female population. We conducted a nested case-control study within a prospective cohort comprising 62,487 Chinese women aged 25-55 years. Adolescent BMI was retrospectively collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed as the primary exposure variable. Breast cancer incidence served as the primary outcome. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was employed to adjust for confounding variables, such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors, and adult BMI.Of the 9,163 participants eligible for analysis, 57 breast cancer cases were identified during …

Polypharmacy Is Associated With Biomarkers Of Cognitive Frailty In Older People With Hiv, Priya Kosana

Public Health Theses

Background: Little is known on the impact of taking multiple medications in older people with HIV (PWH), who have higher rates of medical comorbidities than HIV uninfected individuals. We assessed the prevalence and clinical impact of polypharmacy among a large, mixed gender cohort of PWH, and assessed for the relationship between polypharmacy and clinical and laboratory-based biomarkers of cognitive frailty.Methods: We used data from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) A5322 (HAILO) cohort of PWH aged 40 or older with plasma HIV RNA levels below 200 copies/µL from 2013 to 2014 study visits. We assessed the relationship between polypharmacy ( …

Effect Of A Weight-Loss Intervention On Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Among Breast Cancer Survivors In The Lifestyle, Exercise, And Nutrition (Lean) Study, Yiyi Li

Public Health Theses

Introduction: As the number of breast cancer survivors increases, ensuring quality of life during the survivorship period is important. Obesity may induce oxidative stress, which may be relevant mechanistically for adverse health outcomes among breast cancer survivors. Diet, exercise, and weight loss may mitigate oxidative stress, yet few lifestyle trials have investigated if these interventions have impacted oxidative stress. Therefore, we conducted a secondary analysis in a 6-month weight loss randomized controlled trial, the Lifestyle, Exercise, and Nutrition (LEAN) study, among breast cancer survivors with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 to evaluate the effect of the intervention …

Exploring The Use Of Mobile Health Application To Promote Self-Managment Of Cardiovascular Disease: A Study Of Age-Related Differences And Technology Adoption Among Chinese Patients, Yunan Mei

Public Health Theses

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality globally, particularly in China's aging population. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising avenue to address healthcare disparities and enhance CVD management among the elderly. This study aims to explore the acceptance of mHealth in improving self-management of CVD among older adults in China, focusing on its potential to mitigate accessibility and treatment challenges.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Xinhua Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Data were collected using an online Qualtrics questionnaire from 225 participants who met inclusion criteria including being Chinese speakers, diagnosed with …

Exploring The Connections Between The Arts And Mental Health In The Face Of Climate Change, Marla Joy Minkoff

Public Health Theses

Objective: This study aims to explore how engagement with art may shape emotions related to the climate crisis and expand the conception of art as a mechanism of public health practice.Background: Climate change impacts human health not only physically but also psychologically, manifesting in symptoms of climate emotions (e.g., ecological grief, eco-anxiety, eco-paralysis) that arise as a result of changes to the earth and our relationship to the natural world. These symptoms are among the pressing mental health effects of climate change. Methods: A qualitative approach utilizing the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews (N=10) with …

Exploring The Association Between The Supplemental Nutrition Program For Woman, Infants And Children (Wic) And Gestational Weight Gain, Oyinlola Obatolu

Public Health Theses

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has been an impactful federal public assistance program that has provided nutrition education and support to millions of low income women and children around the country. Despite its positive impact on perinatal and birth outcomes, the precise mechanisms between WIC and these outcomes remain unclear. Past studies have looked at the relationship between WIC and gestational weight gain (GWG), a potential mediator of the effect of WIC on birth outcomes, but they have mainly focused on city or state level data or Medicaid enrollees. This study aims to …

“Their Body, Their Choice. Your Body, Your Choice. Your Baby, Your Choice.”: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis Of Vaccine Access And Acceptance Among U.S. Pregnant People On Reddit, Sydney Marie Perlotto

Public Health Theses

Compared to the general population, pregnant people and newborns are at a higher risk of contracting infectious diseases and experiencing worse adverse outcomes. Vaccines delivered during pregnancy, known as prenatal vaccines, represent a critical yet underused form of preventive care for these populations in the United States. Increasing successful prenatal vaccination uptake requires a focus on both access and acceptance, which pregnant people may experience differently than non-pregnant people due to their unique physiological and social state. Given the evolution of vaccine hesitancy following the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the recent expansion of the U.S. prenatal immunization schedule, this study …

Greening And Mental Distress: Effect Modification By Housing Tenure, Saira Prasanth

Public Health Theses

Access to high-quality residential greenspace is associated with improved long-term health, particularly mental health. However, many interventions to promote “greening” or increased greenspace in urban areas have been shown through numerous qualitative studies to exacerbate environmental and health inequities, primarily through green gentrification. Our objective was to quantify the association between greenspace and mental distress in the U.S. as well as evaluate whether the association between greenspace and mental distress is modified by housing tenure. We hypothesized that increased greenspace was associated with reduced mental distress, and that this effect was more protective among homeowners than non-homeowners. Mental distress and …

Macronutrient Intake In Us Adults: Race, Gender, Age, Education, Ana Karina Raygoza Cortez

Public Health Theses

Background: The US has seen a consistent increase in obesity rates over the last sixty years across all racial and ethnic groups, with similar trends even among privileged groups. This study examines Macronutrient intake trends in US adults from 1999-2018 and their association with demographic factors: race ethnicity, age, gender, and education.

Methods: We conducted a serial cross-sectional analysis of US adults using 24-hour dietary recall data from 10 NHANES survey cycles (1999-2018). Piecewise regression models identified significant dietary pattern changes over time, by demographic groups. Statistical analysis was done in R and SAS utilizing NHANES sampling weights.

Results: Study …

The Synergistic Intersection Of Two Public Health Crises: Increased Risk Of Fatal Opioid Overdose Following Extreme Temperature Events, Anna Stouffer

Public Health Theses

Background: The opioid crisis and climate change are two severe public health crises. There may be a synergistic relationship between the two, as extreme temperatures events (both hot and cold) may alter behavior and cause physiological stress that makes fatal opioid overdose more likely. Methods: We analyze the association between fatal opioid overdose and extreme temperature exposure using a case-crossover design and a distributed lag non-linear model, which allows us to look at the odds of death 0-6 days after temperature exposure. We used death records from North Carolina and daily county-level temperature exposures. The analyses were conducted on data …

“I Don't Work For The Prison. I Don't Work For The Hospital Either. I’M Yours. Who Else Here Is Yours?” A Qualitative Analysis Of Facilitators And Barriers Of Launching Enhanced Perinatal Programs In Seven State Prisons, Karenna Thomas

Public Health Theses

The United States incarcerates women at the highest rate globally (Fair & Walmsley, 2022), while simultaneously failing to provide incarcerated individuals with adequate reproductive health care. Perinatal programs, including a combination of one-on-one and group prenatal and postpartum education, labor and birth support with a doula, separation support, and lactation care have been implemented as an alternative to standard care in around 21 states (Wilson et al., 2022). While the efficacy of these programs among incarcerated individuals has been established (Bard et al., 2016; Barkauskas et al., 2002; Schroeder & Bell, 2005; Shlafer et al., 2018; Shlafer, Saunders, Boraas, et …