Digital Commons Network^™

Interdisciplinary Integrative Oncology, Naomi L. Valles

InterProfessional Education Research and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Improving Home Health Nurses' Knowledge Of Heart Failure Self-Care Management, Nenette Hoffman

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Background: Heart failure results in life-altering and devastating illnesses, predominantly among older adults. Heart failure management is complex, and requires patients and their caregivers to actively monitor symptoms and sufficiently understand care management to maintain health-promoting behaviors. While home health nurses have the primary role as patient educators of their patients with heart failure, evidence from the literature indicates that nurses lack sufficient knowledge to fulfill this role.

Local Problem: Nurses’ inadequate knowledge of heart failure self-care management has been associated with insufficient patient education, the inability of patients to perform heart failure self-care management, worse clinical outcomes, and …

Revelations In The Blood: Determination Of Biomarkers And Analytes, Jeremiah Jamrom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Changes in body chemistry have long been utilized as a tool for medical diagnosis. Whether blood panel, toxin level, antigen testing or any of the myriad other tests performed annually, searching for molecules which confer health status is a long-established practice. These tests give physicians more information and allow them to make a more accurate diagnosis, from which appropriate treatment can stem. Awareness of, and the subsequent search for, biomarkers for disease states have grown substantially in the past years as analytical, biochemical, and instrumental techniques have become more precises and powerful. In an era of increasingly personalized medicine, novel …

Speciated Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry In Combination With Thor’S Hammer Metaspike Technology For The Assessment Of Low-Level Biomarkers For Human Health Evaluation, Ashley Ebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our research team has been focused on quantifying important biological analytes in human blood samples to delineate the biochemical processes underlying certain states of dysfunction and evaluate treatment efficacy. These efforts have been guided by laboratory measurements with the input of medical experts. Speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS) explained in detail in EPA Method 6800 has been successfully applied in the quantification of an important biomarker analyte for immune function and detoxification processes: glutathione. Past research has proven the molecule a biomarker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the form of the reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio, and literature has …

The Relationship Between Urban Green Space Perception And Use Within The Adolescent Population: A Focused Ethnography, Rachel Lyons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Greenspace is beneficial for improving adolescent mental health, yet we still do not understand the connection between the built environment and subjective mental wellbeing. We also lack understanding of how this population uses greenspace and how they feel when in it. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was threefold: to understand why adolescents use greenspace, to identify how they use greenspace, and to explore how they feel when they are in greenspace. Methods: participated in a focused ethnography that utilized auto photography for photo elicitation. Braun and Clark's (2006), six phases of thematic analysis were used to guide …

The Effect Of A Wellness Curriculum On First Semester Jmu Pa Students, Abigail Larson, Jeanine Aberbook

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Physician Assistant (PA) programs are rigorous graduate-level medical programs that achieve a Master’s degree but complete an equal number of credits as a Doctorate degree. They are notorious for triggering high levels of stress pre-matriculation as well as upon matriculation. While this is a well-known topic discussed between students and incoming students, it is an under-researched topic. As a result of the lack of research in physician assistant education regarding implementing a wellness curriculum and the desire to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms in first semester PA student, the faculty and students at James Madison University (JMU) implemented a …

The Use Of Autologous Prp Gel For The Treatment Of Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Erin Klein, Dominic E. Paoletti

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the efficacy of platelet rich-plasma (PRP) gel as a therapy for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Infections in patients with diabetes, especially diabetic foot ulcers, are challenging to treat due to neurovascular compromise. Searches were done in PubMed utilizing the terms “diabetic foot ulcer”, “platelet rich plasma” and “autologous”. In PubMed, the following limits and terms were used: randomized control trial (RCTs), sample size greater than 30 participants, foot ulcers, and English. A meta-analysis revealed three studies meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria: Li et al, Gude et al, and Ahmed et al. The …

A Stealth Health Approach To Dietary Fibre, P. Stephen Baenziger, Katherine Anna Frels, Steve Greenspan, Julie Jones, Alison Lovegrove, Devin J. Rose, Peter Shewry, Rod Wallace

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Average dietary fibre intakes have increased little in the past twenty years in many countries, including the USA¹ . Multi-million-dollar campaigns promoting fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other foods high in fibre have delivered only small changes in diets² , and consumers have not changed from traditional staples to whole-grain options³ . UK millers report that consumption of whole-wheat bread has actually declined over the past decade (P. Shewry, personal communication). In the US, white flour, which is lower in fibre than whole-wheat flour, accounts for nearly 40% of the fibre intake⁴ . We believe that …

Narrative Review: Food Image Use For Machine Learnings’ Function In Dietary Assessment And Real Time Nutrition Feedback And Education, Jason Fee

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Technology has played a key role in advancing the health and agriculture sectors to improve obesity rates, diseasecontrol, food waste, and overall health disparities. However, these health and lifestyle determinants continue to plague theUnited States population. While new technologies have been and are currently being developed to address these concerns, they may not be practical for the general population. Utilizing machine learning advancement in food recognition using smartphone technology may be a means to improve the dietary component of nutrition assessments while providing valuable nutrition feedback. This narrative review was conducted to assess the current state of the literature on …

The Impact Of Habitual Dietary Fat Intake On Postprandial Lipemia In Older Adults, Sophia A. Bollinger

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many older Americans experience elevated PPL due to a chronically high-fat diet and an inefficient ability to clear triglycerides (TG) from circulation. TG levels are typically measured in a fasted state; however, postprandial TG levels may be more strongly associated with CVD risk. This study grouped ten older adults into two dietary consumption fat categories and examined the response to an acute high-fat meal by measuring postprandial blood cholesterol, TG, and glucose (GLU) at baseline, 30-minutes post-meal, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 180 minutes, and 240 minutes. Participants …

De Novo Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease After Pancreatectomy: A Systematic Review, Parth Shah, Vanisha Patel, Motaz Ashkar

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: As operative techniques and mortality rates of pancreatectomy have improved, there has been a shift in focus to maintaining and improving the nutritional status of these patients as we continue to learn more about post-operative complications. Although pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiencies are known complications of pancreatectomy, increased longevity of these patients has also led to a higher incidence of

AIM: To identify and summarize patterns and risk factors of post-pancreatectomy

METHODS: We performed a database search on PubMed selecting papers published between 2001 and 2022 in the English language. PubMed was last accessed 1 June 2022.

RESULTS: Various …

Processing And Cryopreservation Of Human Ureter Tissues For Single-Cell And Spatial Transcriptomics Assays, Emily E Fink, Surbhi Sona, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Characterizing the cellular heterogeneity of human ureter tissues using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics provides a detailed atlas of cell types, signaling networks, and potential cell-cell cross talk underlying developmental and regenerative pathways. We describe an optimized protocol for generating, cryopreserving, and thawing single-cell suspensions from ureter tissues isolated post-cystectomy for scRNA-seq. In addition, we describe an optimized protocol for cryopreserving human ureter tissues for 10x Genomics Visium spatial gene expression platform. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Fink et al. (2022).

Implementation Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery For Adult Cervical Spine Fusion Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Ashley Darin-Messmer

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Spinal surgeries can lead to an increase in costs and complications for patients and hospital organizations. Complications following spine surgery have been identified in 16.4% to 80% of cases for spine surgeries. An Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol is a set of guidelines with the goal of improving surgical outcomes and improving a patient’s quality of life. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an ERAS protocol for adult cervical spine surgery patients at a tertiary care teaching center with the goal to reduce hospital length of stay and readmissions. Inclusion criteria included adult patients undergoing …

Assessment Of Caregiver Burden In A Memory Loss Clinic, Andrea Perkins

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Over 131,000 people in Illinois identify themselves as caregivers of someone with memory loss. The family caregiver may provide care including, but not limited to, assistance with activities of daily living, financial responsibilities, behavior management, and scheduling, and transportation to medical appointments. The care provided by the caregivers may lead to caregiver burden symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Purpose: Health care providers at a central Illinois memory clinic are not currently completing formal assessments of caregiver burden. This quality improvement project was done to determine if the current memory loss program services provide enough support …

Mitochondrial Autophagy In Ischemic Aged Livers, Jae-Sung Kim, William C Chapman, Yiing Lin

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) is a central catabolic event for mitochondrial quality control. Defective or insufficient mitophagy, thus, can result in mitochondrial dysfunction, and ultimately cell death. There is a strong causal relationship between ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and mitochondrial dysfunction following liver resection and transplantation. Compared to young patients, elderly patients poorly tolerate I/R injury. Accumulation of abnormal mitochondria after I/R is more prominent in aged livers than in young counterparts. This review highlights how altered autophagy is mechanistically involved in age-dependent hypersensitivity to reperfusion injury.

Returning To Life Activities After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation In Older Adults, Thuy T. Koll

Theses & Dissertations

The prevalence of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) among older adults with hematological malignancies has doubled over the last decade and continues to grow. HCT is an intense process that can impact functional status and health-related quality of life. The objective of this thesis is to describe the experience of returning to life activities after HCT in patients 60 years of age and older and the resources required to adapt and cope to limitations in physical, psychological, and cognitive function. Twenty English speaking adults 60 years and older with hematological malignancy three to twelve months post-HCT completed semi-structured interviews. Open-ended questions …

The State Of Oral Health In People With Disabilities And The Impact Of Family-Centered Care On The Oral Health Of Children With Special Health Care Needs, Bedant Chakraborty

Theses & Dissertations

Oral diseases are one of the most prevalent non-communicable, chronic diseases of the 21st century. Yet, dental diseases are generally neglected and are a top concern for policymakers globally. The burden of oral diseases disrupts routine activities that affect the overall quality of life, especially for those with special healthcare needs. Dental diseases have also been marked as the “silent epidemic” and are the leading secondary health condition that affects individuals with disabilities. Disabled people are less likely to receive timely and adequate dental care, which could be tied to poor oral health outcomes among them. This group of studies …

Understanding The Perceived Risk And Biopsychosocial Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On People Living With Hiv And Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Users In Nebraska: A Mixed Methods Approach, Titilola O. Labisi

Theses & Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted HIV care and prevention services. COVID-19 guidelines required physical and social distancing, resulting in movement restrictions and limited healthcare services. People living with HIV (PLWH) may be more vulnerable to the pandemic’s impact due to immune suppression and socioeconomic status than people without HIV. Consistent use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms, and regular sexually transmitted infection tests are critical strategies for HIV prevention. The pandemic’s impact on PLWH have not been thoroughly studied, and whether PLWH may be more impacted than PrEP users is inconclusive.

This research aimed to use an explanatory sequential mixed methods design …

The Link Between Fat Soluble Vitamin Deficiencies, Decreased Microbiota Diversity And Severity In Children With Sickle Cell Disease Followed In A Clinic In Omaha Nebraska, Chinenye R. Dike

Theses & Dissertations

Fat soluble vitamin (FSV) deficiencies are associated with worse pain in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). Data on the dietary and pancreatic function influence on fat soluble vitamin levels are limited. Additionally, individuals with SCD have gut dysbiosis but there are gaps in knowledge on the impact of this on severity. This thesis attempted to evaluate FSV prevalence and gut microbial profile in our cohort of children with SCD and compare this with matched healthy children and to ascertain if diet or pancreatic function affects these levels and see if these affects sickle cell severity.

Frailty Determination And Responsiveness In Left Ventricular Assist Devices, Sarah Schroeder

Theses & Dissertations

Frailty, the state of being vulnerable with susceptibility to decreased age-related physical reserve, is found in 56-79% of adults with end-stage HF receiving durable left ventricular assist device (dLVAD) therapy. Frailty increases risk of adverse events, including increased mortality in the dLVAD population, but less is known about depression, quality of life (QOL), cognition and frailty responsiveness. Therefore, we aimed to describe and compare frailty (5-Meter Walk Test, 5MWT), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9, PHQ-9), quality of life (EQ5D Visual Analog Scale, EQ-5D VAS) and cognition (Trailmaking B) from pre- to 12-months post-dLVAD We also compared demographics, clinical characteristics, and post-dLVAD …

Depression And Parenting: A Mixed Method Analysis Of Some Protective Factors For Depression Among African American Fathers Using A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach, Tatiana Tchouankam

Theses & Dissertations

In the United States (US), African American (AA) men often face oppression, discrimination, negative interactions with the justice system, and significant economic, neighborhood, and social hardships over their life course. These challenges increase the risk of chronic exposure to stressful events with negative mental health outcomes, such as depression. Most of the research on parenting and parental depression has focused on mothers based on the premise that women are more often primary caregivers for their children, especially during early childhood. However, a growing number of fathers take on childcare responsibilities. Despite dealing with different life stressors and negative circumstances, AA …

Structural And Biochemical Studies Of Three Enzymes Involved In Amino Acid Metabolism To Develop Novel Drugs, Yahani Pankaja Jayasinghe Arachchige

Theses & Dissertations

Intrinsic drug resistance in bacteria predates the clinical use of antibiotics. Additionally, heterogeneous metabolic states and the ability of many bacteria to form biofilms further enhances bacterial survival during infection and exacerbates treatment challenges. This necessitates the identification of novel drugs against new drug targets. These studies focus on the development of compounds targeting enzymes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Staphylococcus aureus that avoid intrinsic antibiotic defenses. The Mtb-encoded homoserine transacetylase enzyme (HTA) catalyzes the first step of the methionine biosynthesis pathway that produces methionine and S-adenosyl methionine. These compounds are shown to be essential for both dormant …

The Association Between Physical Pain, Depression, Anxiety, And Nervios Among Latinx Agricultural Workers, Iveth Cuellar Celallos

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physical pain, chronic pain, socio-cultural factors and mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and nervios among Latinx agricultural workers. Survey data were collected in Northern California (N = 104). The sample of Latinx agricultural workers consisted of 47 (45.2%) female and 57 (54.8%) male respondents. The average age of participants was 43.13 years (SD = 14.37). Over half of participants were married (60.6%). The majority of participants (95.2%) reported Mexico as their country of origin. Most (85.6%) participants reported currently working in agriculture. Two hierarchical multiple linear regressions …

The Last Ant, Emilio F. Iodice

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

No abstract provided.

Advance Care Planning In Faith Communities: A Quality Improvement Project, Lorie Hacker, Jan Gaddis, Jessica Grimm, Catherine Chung

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

This quality improvement project examined the impact of providing an advance care planning training tool to faith community nurses in the community setting on advance care planning knowledge, self-efficacy, and implementation of advance care planning outreach and advance directive completion. The pre- and post-intervention frequencies measure and paired-t test survey design resulted in clinically significant improvements in knowledge, and self-efficacy of advance care planning among faith community nurses. A fifty-fold increase was seen in advance care planning outreach activities among the group from pre- to post-intervention. The limitations of the project included small sample size and short implementation timing. However, …

Women, Bodies, And Medicine: The Tradition Of Drinking Jamu (Herbal Medicine) Among Indonesian Transmigrant Women, Theresia Pratiwi Elingsetyo Sanubari, Rosiana Eva Rayanti, Priskilla Sindi Arindita

Journal of International Women's Studies

Jamu (traditional herbal medicine of Indonesia) emerges from Javanese culture that is passed down through generations. The tradition was brought by Javanese transmigrants in Lampung, Indonesia. Social interaction between transmigrants and locals led to the cultural assimilation of Javanese culture within local culture. The combination of two cultures brings a different meaning to Jamu consumption among the transmigrants. This study aims to explore the significance of traditional medical practices in transmigrant communities. This research uses a descriptive, qualitative method with an ethnographic approach. Participants were three first-generation transmigrant, elderly women, who consume herbal medicine and live in Dwi Mulyo Village, …

Tabligh As A Form Of Information Sharing For Women: ‘Aisyiyah During The Covid-19 Pandemic In East Java, Tri Susantari, Yunus Abdul Halim, Adam Syarief Thamrin

Journal of International Women's Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has made everyone adapt in order to survive. The pandemic has an impact on all sectors of society, including religion, economy, health, and education. 'Aisyiyah is an organized women's Muslim group that helps the community in dealing with COVID-19. 'Aisyiyah uses tabligh as a form of information sharing to educate their cadres and the public regarding community problems in dealing with COVID-19. Through qualitative research methods, this study describes in detail how the model and impact of tabligh activities have been carried out by 'Aisyiyah during the pandemic. The results of the study show that tabligh regarding …

Strengthening Adolescent Reproductive Health As A Strategy To Diminish Maternal Mortality: A Case Study In Malang, Keppi Sukesi

Journal of International Women's Studies

The aims of this study are: (1) describing adolescent knowledge and understanding of reproductive health, (2) describing gender issues related to adolescent reproductive health, (3) describing delayed medical assistance due to socio-cultural aspects resulting in the death of the mother, and (4) strengthening adolescent awareness of reproductive health as a strategy to decrease maternal mortality. Based on a qualitative approach with a case study design, the research was conducted at Malang Regency using the snowball method, and a survey on adolescent understanding of reproduction was conducted in Singosari and Pujon. Results demonstrated that adolescent knowledge of reproductive health is relatively …

The Social Resilience Of Women In Coastal Villages Of East Java During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Emy Susanti, Tri Soesantari, Sutinah, Henny Rosalinda

Journal of International Women's Studies

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the living conditions of rural women in coastal areas of East Java became increasingly difficult. The aim of this study is to reveal the important roles of women and their social resilience to survive during the pandemic. This research was conducted in poor coastal villages in the province of East Java, namely: 1) Surabaya City with multicultural characteristics; 2) Situbondo Regency with Javanese–Madurese mixed cultural characteristics and 3) Tuban Regency with Javanese cultural characteristics. The subjects of this study were married women who have children. Data collection was conducted for 2 months (June-July 2021) using a …

Local Government Efforts In The Protection Of Women And Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Yanti Shantini, Elly Malihah, Siti Nurbayani

Journal of International Women's Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has changed most routines for the global population. Central and regional governments need to synergize policies to prevent further spread. Therefore, government and other agencies as well as other elements of the community are important factors in the implementation of working programs for disaster management. This study investigates the efforts of the local government and society in protecting women and children during the COVID-19 pandemic in West Java Province. In this case, the units involved include Development Planning Agency at Sub-National Level, Women's Empowerment, Child Protection and Family Planning Office, and …