Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pde4 Inhibition: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy In Liver Fibrosis., Mohamed Elnagdy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Liver fibrosis is accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins due to chronic liver injury. Chronic hepatic damage can occur due to multiple causes including, alcohol, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and chronic viral hepatitis. Liver fibrosis is a critical problem worldwide due to the extremely high incidence of alcohol associated liver damage and chronic viral hepatitis. Moreover, there is no FDA approved therapy for liver fibrosis. Activation and transdifferentiation of quiecent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to myofibroblasts (MFBs) is the main event contributing to liver fibrosis. This process involves two phases, the initiation and the perpetuation phases. Hepatocyte injury and inflammatory response …

Particulate Matter Exposure And Community-Acquired Pneumonia Mortality Among Hospitalized Adults With Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Incidence Study (Happi) Participants., Jack Anthony Pfeiffer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of air pollution as an agent of elevated morbidity and mortality has come under increasingly intense scrutiny in recent years. As the body of literature grows, so too does our understanding of how extensive the harm of such pollutants can be. Particulate matter (PM) particularly harmful due to its small size, ability to travel great distance while airborne, and capacity to infiltrate numerous bodily systems, often to the detriment of those exposed. Besides being associated with increased mortality risk in more heavily exposed populations, PM exposure has also been associated with complications in the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous …

Anxiety And Self-Efficacy Related To Learning Neuroanatomy In An Integrated Medical Curriculum., Jessica S. Bergden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical student anxiety towards learning neuroanatomy — neurophobia, a key obstacle in medical education, is influencing medical student success and potentially swaying medical students away from neurology careers. This is particularly concerning with condensed neuroanatomy instructional hours from curriculum integration and the concurrent shortage of neurologists, combined with the rising prevalence of neurological disease, and medical students choosing neurological specialties at lower rates. Neuroanatomy education is one factor described in the literature as contributing toneurophobia, yet specific ways in which neuroanatomy education could be improved have not yet been explained. In this present work, we demonstrate four specific domains, namely …

A New All-Natural Wound Treatment Gel Shows Strong Inhibitory Activity Against Staphylococcus Aureus And Other Wound Pathogens, Tasha K. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Skin related injuries are some of the most dangerous forms of wounds. In addition to treating the wound itself, health care providers must be cautious of microbial infections. In this study, we evaluate a novel all-natural antimicrobial gel compound (AMG) designed to kill planktonic bacteria, penetrate bacterial biofilms, and accelerate wound healing. In -vitro experiments demonstrate that AMG is effective in inhibiting planktonic growth and biofilm development of eight common pathogens. LIVE/DEAD staining and confocal microscopy reveal that planktonic growth and three-dimensional structure of biofilms were significantly reduced. Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was used to investigate a small …

Sarcopenia Screening By Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Rdns) In The United States (U.S.), Madison Marcom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sarcopenia is a disease of muscle wasting primarily seen in older adults. Although this term was first coined over three decades ago, there is a lack of consensus on a definition, screening criteria, and treatment protocol for sarcopenia. The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States (U.S.) screen for sarcopenia. Study participants were recruited through a randomized email list and included RDNs throughout the U.S. Respondents completed a survey questioning knowledge of sarcopenia, screening tools and company protocols in place, and the need and desire for sarcopenia education. Data revealed …

Identification Of Transcription Regulators Of The Algz/R Two-Components Regulatory System In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Kwasi Yeboah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that express a plethora of virulence components controlled through two-component regulatory systems that allow for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli. This study was aimed at identifying transcription regulators of algZ that encodes the histidine sensor kinase (AlgZ) of the AlgZR two-component regulatory system. To understand how the algZ gene is transcriptionally controlled, transposon mutagenesis was used to create a mutant library with varying algZ expression based on their b-Galactosidase activity. The gene PA3327 was identified as a potential regulator of algZ expression using arbitrary PCR. This gene encodes a probable non-ribosomal peptide synthetase …

How Nutrition Knowledge Of Coaches, Athletic Trainers, And Strength And Conditioning Specialists Translates To Their Athletes, Alexa Carbone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The basis of dietary habits is linked to an individuals’ nutrition knowledge; for collegiate athletes this is the difference between optimal performance and falling short. To understand how nutrition information is disseminated to student-athletes, this research surveyed the athletes themselves and their sports staff (coaches, athletic trainers, and strength and conditioning specialists) on their current knowledge. Sport staff and student-athletes at East Tennessee State University were given the opportunity to participate in a 52-question online survey that tested both their general and sports-related nutrition knowledge. While the study sample size did not allow for statistical analyses required to address all …

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Does Not Stimulate Amyloid-Beta Toxicity In A Ceanorhabditis Elegans Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Opeyemi F. Showemimo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is symptomized by amyloid-beta plaques in the brain and accounts for more than 65 percent of dementia cases. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency can result in similar cognitive impairment and roughly 15% of the elderly are vitamin B12 deficient. Vitamin B12 deficiency results in the accumulation of toxic methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a strong risk factor for AD. To test if vitamin B12 deficiency stimulates amyloid-beta toxicity, Caenorhabditis elegans expressing amyloid-beta in muscle were fed either vitamin B12-deficient OP50-1 or vitamin B12-rich HT115(DE3) E. coli bacteria. Increased amyloid-beta toxicity was found in worms fed the …

Exploring Online Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study For First-Year College Students, Leandrian J. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

American first-year college students are faced with mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, which can have a negative impact on their academic performance. Research shows that students who suffer from mental illness, such as anxiety and depression, fear their condition will be perceived negatively by their peers and professors. The literature also suggests that U.S. colleges and universities can be more proactive in offering students resources for their mental health concerns to decrease anxiety and depression. It appears that absent or limited mental health resources have failed to address rising cases of student mental illness, and more specifically, …

Assessing The Perceptions And Attitudes Of Burnout Syndrome In Nurse Practitioners In Primary Care Settings, Keisha D. Mckinsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The implications of workload and personal and patient-related burnout have been identified in numerous physicians’ studies. While burnout syndrome has become a subject of great interest for examining provider burnout to assess successful solutions, there is minimal research unique to nurse practitioners in primary care settings. This project was intended to determine the prevalence and effect of nurse practitioners’ burnout in primary care settings and make recommendations for improving nurse practitioners’ overall health and well-being. The key outcomes of concern for this project were, first, improvement in burnout scores on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory tool pre- and posteducational intervention, and …

Hemin Utilization In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479, John Lusby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhizobium leguminosarum is a Gram negative, motile, nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium. Due to the scarcity of iron in the soil bacteria have developed a wide range of iron scavenging systems. The two types of iron scavenging systems used are indirect and direct. In-silico analysis of the genome identified a unique direct iron scavenging system the Hmu operon. This system has been identified in other closely related rhizobium species and is believed to be involved in utilizing heme compounds as a sole source of iron. We have attempted to characterize the role of the Hmu operon in iron utilization by monitoring the …

Investigating The Association Between Adolescent Polysubstance Use, Crime, And Violence In The United States, Christian Nwabueze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The lifetime prevalence of alcohol in the United States is 8% and lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use is about 2-3%. Substance use is common among adolescents and polysubstance use is becoming a public health threat.

The prevalence of adolescent physical dating violence was 8.2%, the prevalence of adolescent sexual violence was also 8.2% while the prevalence of dual adolescent physical and sexual violence was 2.6%. Compared to those who used only single substances, adolescents who did not use any substance were 60% less likely (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.24 – 0.74) to experience physical dating violence, 50% …

Agreement Level Of Running Temporal Measurements, Kinetics, And Force-Time Curves Calculated From Inertial Measurement Units, Austin Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) and wearable sensors have enabled athlete monitoring and research to become more ecologically valid due to their small size and low cost. IMUs and accelerometers that are placed on the body close to the point of impact and that record at sufficiently high frequencies have demonstrated the highest validity when measuring temporal gait event moments such as ground contact time (GCT) and flight time (FT) as well as peak forces (PF) during upright running. While the use of IMUs has increased in the sport performance and athlete monitoring realm, the potential of the technology’s ability to …

“I Done Been Through Hell”: An Existential Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of Fathers Who Have Lost A Child, Dynisha Wigginson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rise in American pediatric death led to a shift in pediatric end-of-life care from focusing care only on the dying pediatric patient to include focus on the family. Most literature has focused only on mothers’ experiences or the combined experiences of mothers and fathers. Fathers’ experiences at their child’s end of life, as an individual phenomenon, is overlooked and ignored. Hence, significant knowledge gaps exist related to the repeated exclusion of fathers’ individual experiences. This study aimed to begin to fill this gap. Using the lens of Merleau-Ponty, this existential phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of …

Handling And Manipulation Of Water- And Air- Borne Biological Samples Using Liquid-Infused Surfaces, Daniel P. Regan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on novel materials to handling water- and airborne samples for biological threats analysis is in great demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Work conducted on a new field of material science, called liquid-infused surfaces, demonstrate strong potential for the handling and manipulation of biological samples. As a result of the field’s infancy, only a limited number of studies have explored how liquid-infused surfaces can apply droplet manipulation strategies to address real-world problems. Presented in this dissertation are two platforms that leverage liquid-infused surfaces to address the challenges associated with handling water- and airborne biological samples. When dealing with waterborne …

Toward Improving Understanding Of The Structure And Biophysics Of Glycosaminoglycans, Elizabeth K. Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are the linear carbohydrate components of proteoglycans (PGs) that mediate PG bioactivities, including signal transduction, tissue morphogenesis, and matrix assembly. To understand GAG function, it is important to understand GAG structure and biophysics at atomic resolution. This is a challenge for existing experimental and computational methods because GAGs are heterogeneous, conformationally complex, and polydisperse, containing up to 200 monosaccharides. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations come close to overcoming this challenge but are only feasible for short GAG polymers. To address this problem, we developed an algorithm that applies conformations from unbiased all-atom explicit-solvent MD simulations of short GAG polymers …

Experiences Of African American Veterans With Regards To Ethnicity, Mental Health, And Homelessness, Jeffrey Redmond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Having a secure and permanent home is an important foundational, psychological need because it influences the fulfillment of other aspects of a person’s life. Given the importance of shelter in the well-being of any individual, the problem of homelessness among veterans underscores the significance of ensuring that veterans have access to this basic human need. This phenomenological, qualitative study explored the lived experiences of African American homeless veterans regarding to ethnicity, housing, mental health, and being unhoused with the intent of understanding or identifying meaning in regards to these experiences. The overrepresentation of African American homeless veterans leads to the …

A Faith-Based Approach To Promote African American Healthy Heart Behaviors, Gwendolyn Gaston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 100 million American people have some form of cardiovascular disease. African American life expectancy is 3.4 years shorter than that of Caucasians, with an estimated 32% difference in cardiovascular disease mortality between Caucasian and African American men and a 43% difference between Caucasian and African American women. The purpose of this project was to utilize a faith-based approach in developing a heart-healthy program for addressing health disparities in an African American Baptist Church. The program focused on improving cardiovascular health literacy and addressing modifiable risk factors. The results of this project revealed that African Americans need interventions to …

Hospice Families Shared Experiences With Time-Of-Death Visits, Katherine S. Katzenberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The death of someone we love is a life-altering experience and may happen in a variety of settings. Hospice patients may die in their homes with their loved ones caring for them in their last moments of life. Families may receive a visit at the time of death from their hospice nurse. Few studies have been conducted looking at the lived experiences of home hospice families that have received a visit at the time of death from hospice. To better meet these families’ needs, the researcher conducted a study to explore and better understand their lived experiences. A qualitative phenomenological …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding Education In African American Women On Initiation And Duration Of Breastfeeding, Shalawn F. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of breastfeeding education in African American women on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Studies demonstrated that breastfeeding education by providers and a breastfeeding support network positively influenced breastfeeding initiation and continuation in African American women. Breastfeeding education containing information on the decreased risk of breast cancer in African American women may be an even greater motivator for breastfeeding. Participants for this project were African American women, ages 18–50, in their last trimester of pregnancy. The project was approved to be implemented at an urban clinic in …

Relationship Between Medical-Surgical Nurse Manager Age, Level Of Education, Gender, Tenure, And Staff Nurse Turnover, John B. Summers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical-surgical nursing unit nurse turnover rates of over 20% annually are consistently higher than other RN specialty turnover rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between medical-surgical nurses’ ages, levels of education, and turnover intentions. Ninety-one medical-surgical nurse managers (NMs) recruited from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex responded to the survey questionnaire. The study used inferential statistics. The result of the analyses showed a negative association between educational attainment and turnover rates; however, the relationship was insignificant, rs(91) = -.251, p = .016. The second set of hypotheses considered the relationship between NMs’ tenure and their …

Perceptions Of Migrant And Seasonal Head Start Parents About Childhood Vision Care Utilization, Felicia R. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of pediatric vision screening for very young children is not a new concept. However, not all children receive this valuable preventative intervention, or they do not receive an evaluation or examination to rule out or treat common visual refractive errors. This Doctor of Nursing Project sought to identify factors that impact a parent’s failure to follow up on recommendations for further evaluation or treatment following their child’s failed vision screening. The project utilized a phenomenological study to assess Migrant and Seasonal Head Start parents’ perceptions about their perceptions of the need for preventative vision screening and care. Three …

A Systematic Review Of Acuity-Based Staffing In Acute Healthcare Environments, Demitria Idella Stafford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing leadership is responsible for considering the equity of patient care assignments when providing nursing care. Nursing leadership is responsible for assuring the delivery of patient care assignments with the intent to offer nurses an unbiased, evenly distributed patient load. Effective distribution of patient care assignments ensures patients receive the safest, most efficient, and highest quality of care. The purpose of this project was to provide nursing leadership with an executive summary of a systematic review of evidence-based research on the structure and process of making patient care assignments, and it provided evidence on how those patient care assignments affect …

Std Prevention: An Educational Intervention For Exotic Dancers, Maria Delurdes Dehoyos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and prevention reported nearly 2.3 million STD cases diagnosed in 2017, and the number is continuing to rise. San Antonio, Texas, is ranked third in the state of Texas with the highest STD rates and leading in the state with congenital syphilis. There is an increased risk for contracting STDs working in the sex industry. There are little to no studies pertaining to any educational interventions offered to exotic dancers to increase personal knowledge on STDs. This research has focused on an educational intervention offered by a nurse practitioner to exotic dancers in two adults-only …

Program Evaluation Exploring Effectiveness Of Experiential Learning Activities On Transition To Practice In An Occupational Therapy Educational Program, Kari M. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods program evaluation sought to determine the current curriculum’s overall effectiveness in relation to student readiness for fieldwork. The use of teaching practices in this occupational therapy curriculum was evaluated to determine if they support a successful transition to professional practice. Qualitative data was collected through semistructured interviews to ascertain student satisfaction with the educational program, student readiness for fieldwork, and the student perception of the educational program’s mission. Semistructured interviews were also used to gain insight from fieldwork educators regarding student readiness for practice and the effect of the program mission on student performance. Quantitative data was …

Assessing Dairy Farm Employees Health, Leyby Stephany Guifarro Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Master thesis evaluates the impact of general health care and eating habits (Study 1), vision care (Study 2), and mental health status (Study 3) on Latino dairy farmworkers lifestyle and work performance in South Dakota. We hypothesized that the health status of dairy workers has a negative impact on the workers’ job performance. In study 1, data from a total of 70 participants were collected, using a face-to-face survey in Spanish, which allowed us to assess various topics and details related to employees’ daily routine tasks, eating habits, and general health status. Furthermore, recommendations to improve general health care …

Maternal Hpa Axis Function During Parenting Is Associated With Reduced Brain Activation To Infant Cry And More Intrusive Parenting Behavior, Andrew Erhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research indicated that maternal cortisol function and maternal brain response to infant stimuli are separately related to differences in parenting behavior. Evidence from animal models have demonstrated that chronically high cortisol concentration alters brain structure and function, suggesting that studying these two mechanisms together may further improve understanding of parental behavior in human mothers. First time mothers of infants aged 1-7 months old (M age = 3 months) were recruited to participate. Mother’s cortisol concentration was measured during a naturalistic interaction with their infant and their behavior was coded for maternal sensitivity and nonintrusiveness. In a separate session using …

The Place And Role Of Pharmacy Benefit Management (Pbm) Companies In Us Healthcare System, George Mattis Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On average, prescription drugs cost US consumers more than any other developed country in the world. US drug makers claim that intermediaries in the prescription drug supply chain, companies called pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), are forcing them to increase their drug prices. PBMs counter that the discounts they receive from drug makers are channeled to insurers. This thesis will examine the role that PBMs play in the prescription drug supply chain and determine what effect they have on drug prices. This thesis will utilize a comparative static model, Structure, Conduct, Performance (SCP) framework to analyze the pharmaceutical manufacturing and the …

Prevalence Of Hearing Loss In College Students In The United States: A Meta-Analysis, Ashley Barton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Hearing loss among college students, specifically noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), appears to be increasing. This may be particularly challenging for this population as college students are required to listen to lectures in classrooms that may have sub-optimal listening environments. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was (1) to examine the prevalence of hearing loss in college students and (2) to emphasize the importance of detecting hearing loss at 6,000 Hz.Method: A meta-analysis was conducted using the PRISMA model. The literature search yielded 8 studies (1,950 subjects) that tested hearing loss using an audiogram and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions …

Nmr-Based Characterization Of A Glucan Isolated From Ganoderma Lucidum, Alysia Gonzales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ganoderma lucidum is a polypore fungus commonly known as Lingzhi, Youngji or Reishi mushroom in East Asia. It is frequently marketed as an herbal supplement and often utilized as traditional Chinese medicine. Our research comprises the structural investigation of the principal polysaccharide from this fungus. After proper purification, the fungal glucan was subjected to multiple experiments of NMR spectroscopy, including 1D 1H and 13C, 2D; 1H-1H COSY, 1H-1H TOCSY, 1H-1H NOESY, 1H-13C HSQC, 1H-1H Phase Sensitive-TOCSY, and 1H-13C TOCSY-HSQC NMR spectra. Data has confirmed that this fungal polysaccharide contains residues of glucose (91.31%) as major, galactose (4.99%), and mannose (3.69%) …