Digital Commons Network^™

Mirna Regulation Of Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy, Maslyn Greene

All Dissertations

Muscle tissue is vital to animal survival and economically essential to livestock producers. Reduced muscle growth can occur from various reasons, including genetics, nutrition, and the pre and postnatal environment. Understanding the mechanisms behind muscle growth can aid in developing strategies to increase muscle mass. Several methods to increase muscle mass in livestock animals are currently being pursued, including nutrition, hormonal therapy, and genetic selection. One newly developing avenue is using miRNA technologies to change the expression of protein-coding genes. miRNA are a type of RNA that regulate over half of protein-coding gene expression. Here we evaluate muscle characteristics such …

A Mixed-Method Study On The Walkability Of Streets In Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods, Xiaowei Li

All Dissertations

The field of healthcare design is adopting planning and design principles from the Healthy Communities movement to connect hospitals to their adjacent communities. This research explores the impact of neighborhood and street design on the walkability of Hospital-Anchored Neighborhoods (HANs), a concept integrating hospitals and satellite services with their surrounding communities to enhance public health. Walkability, a crucial marker of healthy and vibrant communities, was investigated through a mixed-method study across three HANs. A comprehensive Walkability Framework with 17 built environment dimensions was developed from the literature to inform data collection utilizing GIS archival data, ethnographic observations, street audits, and …

In Vitro And In Vivo Diabetic Models For Assessment Of Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts, Juan Carlos Carrillo Garcia

All Dissertations

Diabetes has become one of the leading causes of lower-limb loss worldwide. Every 30 seconds, a person loses a limb due to diabetic-related vascular complications. About one-third of patients needing lower-limb bypass surgery have debilitated autologous vessels unsuitable for use, and no other good long-term options are available. These detrimental effects on the vasculature are caused mainly by the hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic conditions derived from diabetes. Under these conditions, an increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species leads to irreversible crosslinks of extracellular matrix proteins, accelerating vascular pathology through vascular stiffening, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, atherosclerosis, fibrosis, …

Hands-Only Cpr Education In Tarrant County, Courtnee C. Cross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to identify the impact of in-person, hands-only CPR education for community members on their confidence and ability in performing CPR. Bystander-initiated CPR is an important aspect in the survival and outcomes of those that experience a cardiac arrest in the community. The hands-only CPR method was developed to help increase bystander-initiated CPR and improve outcomes for those experiencing a cardiac arrest at home. This project was quasi-experimental, using pretest and posttest data. Community members took the Basic Resuscitation Skills Self-Efficacy Scale (BRS-SES) before and after the hands-only CPR education video to determine how the …

Injectable Immunomodulatory Strategies To Enhance Muscle Recovery Following Injury, Tai Huu Huynh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although skeletal muscle displays an astonishing regenerative capacity, injuries or diseases that resulted in bedridden or chronic muscle wasting can overwhelm this intrinsic feature of skeletal muscle and lead to functional deficit (range of motion and/or strength) and overall reduction in quality of life. Microenvironmental cues within injured skeletal muscle dictate regenerative and repair process which are tightly coordinated interplay among resident cells, cells recruitment and immune response following an assault in the muscle extracellular matrix (ECM). The successful regeneration of functional tissues requires both appropriate modulation of the inflammatory response, and activation of a variety of cell populations. Biomaterials …

Voces Perdidas: Latinx Dacamented College Students' Access To U.S. Healthcare, Alicia Delia Pola

All Dissertations

Objective. The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine the lived experiences of LatinX DACAmented college students and their perceptions of access to healthcare in the U.S. and purposefully share the stories told to enact social change. This study amplifies the voices of these college students and centers their lived experiences as worthy of being heard. Additionally, this study acknowledges the impacts of structural and systemic inequalities that have led to discriminatory legislation that consequently segregates healthcare services for undocumented immigrants. Method. This study used Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Social Determinant of Health (SDOH) model as analytic frameworks …

Association Between Fluoride Exposure And Blood Pressure, Man Hung, Amir Mohajeri, Teresa Vu, Hyma Moparthi, Martin S. Lipsky

Institute on Aging Publications

Objectives: This study investigated whether fluoride was associated with an increased prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) among adolescents in the United States. Methods: The study sample consisted of 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants aged 13–17 years. Independent-samples t-tests, Chi-square tests, and regression models were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 814 participants met the study criteria. The findings showed that the proportion of patients with high levels of water or plasma fluoride in the high BP group was higher than that in the normal BP group. However, after adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, neither …

Phytochemical Composition, Total Phenolic Content And Antioxidant Activity Of Anadara Granosa (Linnaeus, 1758) Collected From The East Coast Of South Sumatra, Indonesia, Rozirwan, Nanda, Redho Yoga Nugroho, Gusti Diansyah, Muhtadi, Fauziyah, Wike Ayu Eka Putri, Andi Agussalim

Baghdad Science Journal

Anadara granosa is a species of the class bivalve commonly found on the east coast of South Sumatra as a fishery commodity. This species has not been widely studied as a source of new bioactive compounds that have antioxidant abilities. This study aims to analyze the antioxidant ability of A. granosa against DPPH radicals and its phytochemical profile qualitatively. Samples were taken at the fishing port of Sungsang Village, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Furthermore, the samples were extracted using ethanol as a solvent and tested for antioxidants against DPPH radicals, total phenol analysis, and preliminary phytochemical test. Based on the antioxidant …

Using Microalga Coelastrella Sp. To Remove Some Nutrients From Wastewater Invitro, Muzhda Qasim Qader, Yahya Ahmed Shekha

Baghdad Science Journal

Microalgae have been increasingly used for wastewater treatment due to their capacity to assimilate nutrients. Samples of wastewater were taken from the Erbil wastewater channel near Dhahibha village in northern Iraq. The microalga Coelastrella sp. was used in three doses (0.2, 1, and 2g. l-1) in this experiment for 21 days, samples were periodically (every 3 days) analyzed for physicochemical parameters such as pH, EC, Phosphate, Nitrate, and BOD5, in addition to, Chlorophyll a concentration. Results showed that the highest dose 2g.l-1 was the most effective dose for removing nutrients, confirmed by significant differences (p≤0.05) between all doses. The highest …

Acting Locally: Vegetable Gardening In Southern Illinois, Aimee L. Trojnar

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the everyday practice of home and community vegetable gardening in a small southern Illinois city. The project engages with questions of how diverse elements of practice interact over time in the development of both gardens and gardeners, dwelling particularly on how the material agency of nonhumans contributes to what emerges. Combining a broad investigation of societal influences and constraints involved in gardening practices with a granular focus on material interactions in the garden, I consider the kinds of relationships individuals forge with the nonhuman environment in a modern, Western context and how they do so. Understanding such …

August 2023, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

August is the time to celebrate National Wellness month

• Prioritize your self-care -------- Go to the spa.
• Manage your stress ------------- You will feel happier.
• Promote healthy routines ----- Attend a fitness class.

The Effect Of Oral Nutrition Supplements And Appetite Stimulants On Weight Status Among Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review, Corey Hawes, Alison Gomes, Laura Byham-Gray, Stephanie Henderson

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to identify the use and impact of oral nutrition supplements (ONSs) and appetite stimulants on weight status among pediatric patients diagnosed with malignancy. We performed a literature search of trials using Medline PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and included all prospective studies except review articles and case-reports/series that assessed ONSs or appetite stimulants among patients (0-20 years old) diagnosed with a pediatric malignancy. Databases were searched through May 17, 2022. There were six trials included with three studies related to ONS and the remaining on …

Exploring Celiac Disease: A Case Analysis Of Multi-Systemic Symptoms And Effective Dietary Intervention In A Young Female, Mahmoud Ahmed, Vyshnavidevi Sunkara, Muhammad S Khan, Maryam Affaf, Mohammad Ahsan Anwaar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study presents the case of a 23-year-old woman diagnosed with celiac disease (CD), a condition triggered by an immune response to gluten, leading to inflammation in the small intestine. The patient manifested typical gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting, complemented by extra-intestinal signs such as fatigue and skin rashes. Diagnosis was corroborated through the presence of tTG-IgA antibodies and distinct histological changes in the duodenum. A notable finding was the patient's iron deficiency anemia, directly linked to the duodenal damage caused by CD. Effective management, encompassing a strict gluten-free diet and iron supplementation, resulted in marked improvement …

The Association Of Race And Ethnicity With Severe Maternal Morbidity Among Individuals Diagnosed With Hypertensive Disorders Of Pregnancy, Ashok Krishnaswami, Michael W Rich, Min Ji Kwak, Parag Goyal, Daniel E Forman, Abdulla A Damluji, Matthew Solomon, Jamal S Rana, Deborah M Kado, Michelle C Odden

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

AIMS: Randomized clinical trials of hypertension treatment intensity evaluate the effects on incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). Occurrences after a non-fatal index event have not been rigorously evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of intensive (<120 >mmHg) to standard (<140 >mmHg) blood pressure (BP) treatment with mortality mediated through a non-fatal MACE or non-fatal SAE in 9361 participants in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Logistic regression and causal mediation modelling to obtain direct and mediated effects of intensive BP treatment. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality …

Mindfulness Training To Reduce Perceived Stress Among Manufacturing Employees: An Evidence-Based Project, Ijeoma Okoro

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Stress, a state of emotional or physical tension, is experienced by individuals for various reasons. The American Psychological Association identifies money, work, and the economy as the most frequently cited sources of stress. Workers in manufacturing settings are particularly susceptible to increased levels of perceived stress due to the demanding nature of their work. To reduce stress levels, some manufacturing companies have begun implementing different interventions, including mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to implement a weekly 30-minute mindfulness training program over six weeks to reduce perceived stress levels among manufacturing employees at a company …

A Practice-Based Inquiry Into The Correlation Between Nursing Retention Rates And Resiliency, Kelly J. Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurses are the frontline in the security of the United States. Their wellbeing and retention in the workforce is of the utmost of importance. Nurses are leaving at increasing levels with just over 27% turnover rates across the nation in 2021. Organizations are experiencing increasing fiscal losses and the average loss for a nurse leaving is just over $46,000. The prioritization of nurses’ wellbeing and taking steps to address policy that promotes the sustainability of this very valuable workforce has the potential to pay high dividends for nurses individually, the security of the nation, and the good of the organization. …

Care Transition Assessment Redesign In The Acute Care Setting, Darla M. Johnston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a gap in case management professional practice with a lack of consistent, research-based transition evaluation (TE) tools available and used in practice. An evidence-based case management TE is necessary to develop a holistic and comprehensive discharge plan for hospitalized patients. Updating and implementing an evidence-based case management TE would positively impact the transition of care and promote improved health outcomes including a reduction in readmissions. This quality improvement project used a quantitative nonexperimental, interventional pretest-posttest design. Kirkpatrick’s multidimensional knowledge attitudes assessment (KAP) education evaluation model was used to assess (1) the influence an educational offering on evidence-based assessment …

Effects Of Supplemental Trace Minerals As Amino Acid Complexed Or Inorganic Sources For Beef Cattle From Receiving Through Finishing, Robin Ashley Cheek

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of experiments was to investigate the effects of inorganic or amino acid-complexed sources of trace minerals on health, gain performance, liver mineral concentrations, and carcass characteristics of beef heifers from receiving through finishing. To investigate the effects of inorganic or amino acid-complexed sources of trace minerals (zinc, copper, manganese, and cobalt) on performance and morbidity of beef heifers during the receiving period, crossbred beef heifer calves arriving on 3 delivery dates were used in a 42-day receiving trial. Treatments consisted of supplemental zinc (360 mg/d), copper (125 mg/d), manganese (200 mg/d), and cobalt (12 mg/d) from complexed (Availa-4, …

Examination Of A Measure To Assess Clients’ Perceptions Of The Client-Provider Relationship In Home Visiting Services, Bethelhem Belachew

Dissertations

Home visiting services are prevention-or intervention-based programs provided to caregivers during the prenatal period through the first few years of a child’s development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Engagement in services is documented to improve caregivers’ knowledge of child development and parenting practices (e.g., home safety, nutrition; Ammerman et al., 2006). Despite these benefits, programs are challenged with high levels of attrition (Gomby, Culross, & Behrman, 1999). One reliable predictor of client engagement in services is the client-provider relationship. However, measures that have been developed to assess the clients’ perception of their relationship with their home visitor relationship are limited (Girvin …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of A Dietitian In The Multi‐Disciplinary Team Within Primary Care: A Service Evaluation, Mary Hickson, Jenny Child, Avril Collinson

School of Health Professions

AbstractBackgroundExpanding the primary care workforce to alleviate general practitioner (GP) workload, improve access and improve quality of care is a current UK strategy. Evidence suggests dietitians can improve patient outcomes and make cost savings. The present study aimed to evaluate a dietitian working as an expert generalist and first contact practitioner (FCP) in a general practice multi‐disciplinary team (MDT) to provide appropriate care to patients and reduce GP workload.MethodsA dietitian was employed for 6 months at 0.6 full‐time equivalents in a group of general practices in Devon, UK. Data were collected on the referral source, patient satisfaction, health outcomes and …

Dental Care Utilization Among U.S. Children Participating In Early Head Start Programs, Ahlam Ibraheem Joufi

Health Services Research Dissertations

Early childhood caries (ECC) remains one of the most common preventable diseases among children under the age of 6 years. Several national stakeholders recommend establishing a continuous collaboration of individuals involved with receiving oral health services (dental home) and routine dental care for the child by 12 months. Despite this recommendation, disparities exist among young, low-income children in preventive dental service utilization. The Early Head Start (EHS) program serves low-income children aged 0-3 years and their families and promotes oral health practices and service utilization within the program. This study aims to examine predictors of dental care utilization among children …

The Lived Experiences Of 911 Dispatchers With Compassion Fatigue: An Interpretive Phenomenology, Angela Johnson

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

911 dispatchers are the “first” first responders in an emergency and play an intrinsic role in the public safety continuum. 911 dispatchers are exposed to daily and cumulative stress from the repeated empathic engagement of those they serve, and from shift work, staffing shortages, and inability to make mistakes. However, there is a dearth of peer reviewed literature on 911 dispatchers and compassion fatigue (CF). CF is described as the emotional and physical exhaustion experienced due to the constant exposure to the trauma of others. CF symptomology in 911 dispatchers has far reaching implications for not only the citizens …

Age-Related Differences In Motor Performance, Jessica Anne Prebor

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to study the age effects on average performance and variability of movement responses in children, young adults, and older adults across multiple motor tasks. Optimal motor performance is observed in healthy young adults with declines observed at either end of the lifespan. This pattern has been represented as a U-shaped/inverted U-shaped curve. Little is known about if this pattern persists in chewing dynamics. While chewing has been found to improve aspects of attention, a cognitive function, research is limited on the relationship between chewing and other motor tasks.

The first aim of this research …

Effects Of Physical Characteristics Of Placebos On Exercise Performance, Owen Sipes

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has shown that placebos can impact medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and depression as well as elicit analgesic effects and improvements in certain exercise performances. These placebo responses occur from a variety of alterations to the placebo itself or through verbal suggestion of how helpful the placebo will be. This study aimed to observe whether changing the color and quantity of capsules can induce improvements in both vertical jump and hand grip strength. This deceptive, parallel study consisted of 28 participants, with a mean age of 24.9 (±4.3) years old, that were randomly assigned to receive …

Affect, Mind-Body Factors, And Disordered And Intuitive Eating Behaviors: Examining Naturalistic Associations Among Young Women With Elevated Eating Disorder Symptoms, Kelly A. Romano

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Objective: The present study examined whether three mind-body factors—emotion dysregulation, interoceptive sensibility, and mindfulness—that are theorized to be implicated in the onset and maintenance of eating disorder (ED) pathology mediated (Aim 1) and moderated (Aim 2) within-person associations between affect and women with elevated ED symptoms’ disordered and intuitive eating behavior use. Method: Participants included 150 young women with elevated ED symptoms who completed a 10-day ecological momentary assessment protocol. To address Aim 1, multilevel structural equation models examined whether the mindbody factors (separately) mediated momentary associations between negative and positive affect, and women’s disordered (dietary restriction, loss of control …

Effects Of Chewing Time On Gastrointestinal Discomfort, Substrate Use, And Performance During Running, Thomas Geaney

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has shown that food particle size affects gastric processing. For example, food particles greater than 3 mm may delay gastric emptying under certain conditions. Delays in gastric emptying can be problematic during aerobic exercise, leading to nausea, bloating, fullness, and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. In some cases, symptoms can be severe enough to negatively affect athletic performance. This study investigated the effects of manipulating chewing duration of carbohydrate sports bars on GI discomfort, physiological responses, and performance during endurance running. This crossover study recruited 12 male runners (age: 36.4 ± 7.2 years, VO_2peak: 57.2 ± 4.7 …

Biocrude Production From Lignin In Hydrothermal Medium: Effect Of Rapid Heating And Short Residence Time, Kyoko Hirayama

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study aims to address knowledge gaps in the production of valuable products from waste streams generated during lignocellulosic biofuel production. The primary objective is to develop a process that converts lignin, a byproduct of bioethanol refineries, into a sustainable biolubricant.

The first chapter examines recent advancements in synthesizing biolubricants and investigates their scalability. It explores innovative materials, catalysts, chemical modification approaches, and additives that have emerged in the field. A particular hurdle is the oxidative stability of biolubricants derived from plant oils, which are prone to autooxidation due to their C=C bonds. To overcome this, the study aims to …

Symbiotic Bacteria, Immune-Like Sentinel Cells, And The Response To Pathogens In A Social Amoeba, Trey J. Scott, Tyler J. Larsen, Debra A. Brock, So Yeon Stacey Uhm, David C. Queller, Joan E. Strassmann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Some endosymbionts living within a host must modulate their hosts' immune systems in order to infect and persist. We studied the effect of a bacterial endosymbiont on a facultatively multicellular social amoeba host. Aggregates of the amoeba

Courage-Als: A Randomized, Double-Blind Phase 3 Study Designed To Improve Participant Experience And Increase The Probability Of Success, Jeremy M Shefner, Timothy M Miller, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Engaging Adolescents In Using Online Patient Portals, Bryan A Sisk, Alison L Antes, Christine Bereitschaft, Madi Enloe, Sunny Lin, Meghana Srinivas, Fabienne Bourgeois, James M Dubois

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Many health care systems offer adolescents access to health information through online patient portals, but few studies have explored how to engage adolescents in using and benefiting from online portals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how US children's hospitals have attempted to encourage adolescent portal use, barriers to engaging adolescents, and ideal future goals for engagement.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This qualitative study performed structured qualitative interviews with informatics administrators from children's hospitals across the US between February and July 2022. Informatics administrators were employed by US health care systems that managed a children's hospital with at least 50 dedicated pediatrics …