Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Microrna-1 Attenuates The Growth And Metastasis Of Small Cell Lung Cancer Through Cxcr4/Foxm1/Rrm2 Axis, Parvez Khan, Jawed A. Siddiqui, Prakash Kshirsagar Dr., Ramakanth Chirravuri Venkata, Shailendra K. Maurya, Tamara Mirzapoiazova, Naveenkumar Perumal, Sanjib Chaudhary, Ranjana K. Kanchan, Mahek Fatima, Md Arafat Khan, Asad Ur Rehman, Imayavaramban Lakshmanan, Sidharth Mahapatra, Geoffrey A. Talmon, Prakash Kulkarni, Apar Kishor Ganti, Maneesh Jain, Ravi Salgia, Surinder K. Batra, Mohd W. Nasser

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

BACKGROUND: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive lung cancer subtype that is associated with high recurrence and poor prognosis. Due to lack of potential drug targets, SCLC patients have few therapeutic options. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) provide an interesting repertoire of therapeutic molecules; however, the identification of miRNAs regulating SCLC growth and metastasis and their precise regulatory mechanisms are not well understood.

METHODS: To identify novel miRNAs regulating SCLC, we performed miRNA-sequencing from donor/patient serum samples and analyzed the bulk RNA-sequencing data from the tumors of SCLC patients. Further, we developed a nanotechnology-based, highly sensitive method to detect microRNA-1 (miR-1, …

The Association Of Lower Medication Adherence And Increased Medical Spending, Ryan A. Fuchs

Capstone

Medical prescribing is a common occurrence in daily clinical practice. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015-2016 45.8% of the U.S. population used prescription drugs in the past 30 days. (CDC, 2019) Although drug therapy can be effective in treating disease, full benefits are often not realized because many patients do not take their medications as prescribed. There is quite a bit of research out there about non-adherence to medication. Some studies focus on the financial impacts of non-adherence, but most of the studies examine the reasons for medication non-adherence. A gap exists in research about …

The Usability And Feasibility Of A Nursing Evidence-Based Comorbidity Educational Website For An Urban Mental Health Assertive Community Treatment (Act) Program, Andrea Brudigan, Laurie Sewell-Muller, Kokuvi Sena Tsogbevi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Objective: Serious mental illness (SMI) causes an increased risk for comorbidities like heart disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Many times, these comorbidities are due to side effects of antipsychotics and poor self-management from low insight and other symptoms of mental illness. This project aims to enhance client care enrolled in an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program by providing evidence-based resources tailored to clients with SMI, providing ACT team members with support to promote healthy behaviors in clients.

Methods: A website was developed that provides printable, easy-to-read, evidence-based resources that address physical comorbidities. The ACT team integrated these resources into …

An Enhanced Enrollment Process To Impact Appointment Compliance In The Hf-Optimize Clinic, Carolyn Coons, Teri Diederich, Kyana Holder

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background The HF-Optimize clinic showed improved utilization of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) along with improved clinical outcomes from 2018 to 2020. Appointment compliance was poor with only 44% of patients completing all HF-Optimize visits. Missed appointments led to worse health outcomes, fragmented care, and provider inefficiencies. Interventions to improve appointment compliance are vital to improving heart failure outcomes. Objective The purpose of this quality improvement project is to evaluate the impact that an enhanced enrollment process has on appointment compliance in a culturally diverse, adult population referred to the HF-Optimize clinic at Nebraska Medicine. Methods This prospective quality improvement project …

School-Based E-Cigarette Education Curriculum, “Team No Vaping”: Impact On Knowledge Of E-Cigarettes, Harm Perception, And Media Literacy Among Middle/High School Students, Niran Tamrakar

Capstone Experience

E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco products among middle/high school students. Youth e-cigarette use is at an epidemic level. While school-based vaping prevention programs exist, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of such programs. To address vaping prevention among this vulnerable population, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in collaboration with the Tobacco Education & Advocacy of the Midlands (TEAM) developed and implemented a school-based e-cigarette education curriculum, “TEAM No Vaping.” This study evaluated the impact of the “TEAM No Vaping” program on increasing the knowledge, harm perception, and susceptibility to e-cigarettes, and vaping media literacy for vaping prevention …

The Association Of Lower Medication Adherence And Increased Medical Spending, Ryan A. Fuchs

Capstone Experience

Medical prescribing is a common occurrence in daily clinical practice. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015-2016 45.8% of the U.S. population used prescription drugs in the past 30 days. (CDC, 2019) Although drug therapy can be effective in treating disease, full benefits are often not realized because many patients do not take their medications as prescribed. There is quite a bit of research out there about non-adherence to medication. Some studies focus on the financial impacts of non-adherence, but most of the studies examine the reasons for medication non-adherence. A gap exists in research about …

The Merit Of Inclusion: A Policy Review Examining The Convergence Of Special Education And Inclusions Policies With Compensatory Medicaid Policies In The Wake Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corbyn Baggett

Capstone Experience

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognized the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak as a global pandemic. This global issue compelled governments to announce careful virus containing policies in order to prevent further spread and control of the disease. Although it has been proven that measures like social isolation could aid in scaling the spread of illness, the resulting extended school closures that occurred in response to an increased number of COVID-19 outbreaks posed significant challenges for all students, but especially those students with special needs. The unpredictable nature of COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic …

Descriptive Epidemiology Of West Nile Virus In Nebraska, 2005-2021, Luke Murphy

Capstone Experience

Objectives: West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is naturally sustained in a Culex mosquito-bird-mosquito transmission cycle and can cause disease in birds, equines, and humans. Most human infections with WNV are asymptomatic; however, West Nile fever (WNF), or West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) can develop and be fatal in some circumstances. Between 2005 and 2021 there have been over 1,800 cumulative cases of WNV in Nebraska, which currently ranks as fourth in the United States for reported cases. WNV cases are a mandatory reportable disease in Nebraska through an electronic reporting system managed by the Nebraska Department …

Process Evaluation Of A Community Asset Mapping Protocol For Diabetes Prevention And Management, Andrea Peterson

Capstone Experience

Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are highly prevalent conditions with new diagnoses occurring each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022a). Type 2 DM negatively impacts many aspects of life, to include social, financial, cultural, and everyday living. Asset mapping is a useful tool to build upon existing resources to help community members identify and expand services based on understanding the interconnected systems that influence type 2 DM prevention, screening, education, and care management. An Asset Mapping Protocol was created and piloted through a rural community coalition in Nebraska. The protocol includes an activity for community stakeholders …

Identifying & Addressing Barriers To Child Care For Formerly Incarcerated Mothers, Joanne Bird

Capstone Experience

As women’s incarceration rates have risen significantly in recent decades, gender-specific programs are needed to meet the needs of formerly incarcerated mothers (FIM). Although child care can be difficult to access for many families, this marginalized population faces unique obstacles to accessing child care. In order for FIM to be employed and reintegrate, they must be able to access child care; however, FIM experience unique barriers to securing child care services. This policy brief aims to identify the special considerations FIM face, as well as to explore why existing programs are not meeting their specific needs. A literature review was …

Urban/Rural Disparities Of Thyroid Cancer Using The Integrated Cancer Repository For Cancer Research (Icare2), Sunita Regmi

Capstone Experience

Abstract:

Background and objective: Multiple studies have shown that the place of residence and the distance to travel from one's residence to nearby health care providers impact cancer diagnosis and treatment. The stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is paramount for cancer treatment and affects survival. Disparities in cancer treatment exist which affect the outcome disproportionately to certain segments of the population. To date, much of the focus has been on the racial and socioeconomic disparities in the management of thyroid cancer. The effect of geography and location (urban-rural status) on thyroid cancer stage diagnosis has …

A Systematic Literature Review On The Capability Of Sio₂-Np’S Exposure To Exacerbate Parkinson’S (Pd) Pathology And The Risk Factors For Biomedical Applications In Pd, Seth Abdallah

Capstone Experience

Silica Dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂-NP) have become increasingly ubiquitous in industry, which has stimulated research into the potential toxicity of these compounds. Recent studies have explored the association between amorphous silica nanoparticle exposure and the potential for neurotoxicity. Additionally, research has been conducted in the application of SiO₂-NP’s in theranostics and as drug directing agents , which based on current literature may be contraindicated for individuals with conditions such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) which is characterized by neuroinflammation. The following literature review will discuss evidence for silica dioxide nanoparticle exposure to induce neurotoxicity which may exacerbate neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. …

Evaluating How The Impacts Of Climate Change On Arizona's Water Supply Will Influence Public Health, Patricia Wrona

Capstone Experience

Over the last century, Arizona’s climate has increased more than 1.1 to 1.4 degrees Celsius or 2 to 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature in Arizona is expected to increase an additional 2.2°C to 2.8°C in the next 40 years. Climate change poses various health and environmental hazards for the residents of Arizona. One of the most significant impacts is on water supply. As temperatures continue to rise in the desert, the demand for water will increase while the water supply will reduce. A literature review and program evaluation were conducted to evaluate how the impacts of climate change on Arizona’s …

Environmental Cleaning Evaluation Project For Rural Tribal Health Center, Brad Strait

Capstone Experience

This Tribal health clinic is located on reservation land and serves a community of approximately 1,550 members located over 64,000 acres located in Nevada and California. The clinic offers general health practice and podiatry at its central clinic with satellite offices located off-reservation offering dentistry, optometry, and behavioral health. The clinic is operated by Tribal staff and partners with the Indian Health Service (IHS) for environmental survey on an annual basis for compliance with Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) standards. While this clinic only offers outpatient services, the disinfection and cleaning protocols are an important step in limiting …

The Risk Factors Of Long Covid In The Acute Covid And Solid Organ Transplant Retrospective Cohorts, Ahmed Nyandemoh

Capstone Experience

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients is associated with more severe outcomes than non-immunosuppressed hosts. The risk factors for developing the long COVID in acute COVID remain unknown, and the survival outcomes of long COVID in SOT patients remain understudied.

Methods: We developed several retrospective cohorts. This project included all patients identified with acute COVID in the National COVID Collaborative Cohort Registry from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022.

Patients with long COVID were compared to those without long COVID in the acute COVID cohorts. Similarly, we compared the patient demographic with long COVID …

Impact Of Coalition Building To Promote Maternal Infant Health Equity In The District Of Columbia, Maryland, And Virginia, Sydney J. Turner

Capstone Experience

The health of women and babies is critical to creating a healthy world. Stratified data shows the overwhelming rates at which Blacks are affected more than Whites. Literature has shown that leveraging partnerships and community engagement are critical components of decision-making and can positively impact the health of communities. Through a direct observational study, the Community Coalition Action Theory was used to analyze the current structure of the March of Dimes Maternal Infant Healthy Equity Coalition. The study aimed to identify strengths and gaps and subsequently provide recommendations to advance the coalition work and promote maternal and infant health equity …

Barriers To Healthcare Access For Refugees And Immigrants With Limited English Proficiency In Nebraska: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Mawada Mohammed

Capstone Experience

Refugees and immigrants in the United States from a multitude of backgrounds are impacted by limited English proficiency (LEP), resulting in a health disparity. LEP in vulnerable populations can create obstacles in healthcare. In healthcare settings LEP patients experience adverse health events such as longer hospital stays, negative drug reaction, and patient dissatisfaction (Berdahl & Kirby, 2019). The following project aims to identify barriers for refugees and immigrants with limited English proficiency (LEP) in primary healthcare settings in Nebraska. The project utilized a systematic literature review using peer-reviewed and gray literature. The research was conducted utilizing databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, Google …

Health Effects Of Neonicotinoids On An Agricultural Community, Jocelyn Rodriguez-Paar

Capstone Experience

Mead, Nebraska, a small United States agricultural community consisting of approximately 600 people, was accidentally exposed to high amounts of neonicotinoids when AltEn, an ethanol plant that used neonicotinoid coated corn and soybean seeds for biofuel, was discovered not disposing of the toxic byproduct safely. Coincidentally, there was also a leak in their wastewater system that also contaminated the nearby areas. Although neonicotinoids are not considered highly dangerous with low dose exposures, large dose exposures can cause symptoms similarly to nicotine poisonings, such as difficulty breathing, vomiting, nausea, hypertension, tachycardia, and lethargy (Imamura, T. et al., 2010). Neonicotinoid poisoning can …

From Zoom To The Clinic: Unique Student Challenges In Physical Therapy Clinical Education, Amy Both, Jaclyn Catherine Carson, Matthew B. Garber, Heather Marie Mack, Nicole M. Sleddens

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

While the abrupt shift in PT education (PTE) brought on by the pandemic created opportunities for educational innovation, it also brought relational separation and fragmented learning due to lockdowns, social distancing, face masks, and communication limited to virtual platforms. Academic programs increased use of virtual learning, rearranged curriculum, reduced lab and simulated learning time, and provided fewer, if any, opportunities for service learning and patient contact. Clinic sites paused clinic education experiences or hosted fewer students to maintain social distancing and limit disease exposure. As PTE returns to more typical curricular schedules and practices, it is important to be aware …

Developing A Rapid Assessment Program For Student Success In Clinical Education, Nicole M. Sleddens, Betsy J. Becker, Grace Johnson, Joseph F. Norman

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Successful management of the struggling student in the clinic relies heavily on the early identification of clinical performance deficits. CIs who directly observe student performance, actions and behaviors should aim for early and precise identification of difficulties, which should lead to initial discussions with the student. If the student's struggles require involvement from the educational institution, the CI should promptly contact and collaborate with the DCE. Early communication with the DCE is beneficial, as they can provide support for CIs overwhelmed by the difficulties that accompany working with a challenging student. The DCE provides guidance on determining the depth of …

Student Wellness During Curriculum Implementation Of A Lifestyle Medicine Approach Within The Social-Ecological Model: A Longitudinal Study, Betsy J. Becker, Anne Skinner, Tessa Wells, Kathleen G. Volkman, Nicole M. Sleddens, Teresa Cochran

Posters and Presentations: Physical Therapy

Purpose

The student-life experience is an ideal time to implement lifelong wellness behaviors needed for the professional role. The ongoing effects of the COVID pandemic have amplified the need for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) educational programs to train an emerging workforce that can, through personal wellness, withstand the stressors of personal and professional lives. The study purpose is to: a) evaluate the change in student wellness from matriculation to mid-program to completion after implementation of a curriculum based on a lifestyle medicine approach within the Social-Ecological Model, and b) compare student wellness between cohorts that matriculated before and during …

Effective Occupational Therapy Interventions To Decrease Picky Eating In Children: A Systematic Review, Savannah L. Jacobsen, Josie Cox, Alli Bos, Cherokee Ferguson, Stacey Smallfield, Molly Whitlow

Student Systematic Reviews: Occupational Therapy

PURPOSE: Picky eating is related to the lack of consumption in food variety by children when shown different foods (Wolstenholme et al., 2020). A 2015 study reported that almost half of children experience a period of picky eating at some point during early childhood, including almost 15% of children for whom picky eating does not resolve by age 6 (Cardona et al., 2015). The purpose of this systematic review is to identify interventions within the scope of occupational therapy that increase food acceptance in children under the age of seven years who demonstrate picky eating characteristics and who have no …

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Prevalence, Distribution, Exposure, And Human Health Risks Of Tire Microplastics And The Contribution Of Their Physicochemically Diverse Properties, Luke Glastad

Theses & Dissertations

The history of synthetic plastics dates back to their first uses in 1907, continues with their expansion through the middle of the century with a diverse array of new polymers, and are so omnipresent today that many label this age of Earth the Plasticene Era. Tire microplastics (TMPs) have been increasingly identified as one of the environment's most bountiful types of microplastics (MPs). TMPs mainly enter the environment as tire-wear particles (TWPs) and recycled tire crumb (RTC). TWPs, in particular, have a high degree of variability, which impacts their distribution, degradation, and risk for adverse human health effects. This review …

Agrichemicals (Nitrate And Atrazine) In Drinking Water And Adverse Health Outcomes In Children In Nebraska, Balkissa S. Ouattara

Theses & Dissertations

Objectives: This research was conducted to (1) determine the concentrations of atrazine, and nitrate, in Nebraska watersheds and counties; (2) calculate the incidence of pediatric cancers and prevalence of birth defects in Nebraska counties and watersheds, respectively; (3) assess the relationship between the contaminant levels and the incidence rate of pediatric cancers and birth defects prevalence.

Methods: Pediatric cancers and birth defects data were obtained from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Water quality data were collected and retrieved from the Water Quality Portal and the Nebraska Groundwater Quality Clearinghouse. Geospatial and statistical analyses were conducted at the …

Optimizing Antiretroviral Therapy With Modern Rifapentine Containing Tb Treatment, Anthony T. Podany

Theses & Dissertations

In the past decade there has been a multitude of phase 3 clinical trials targeting treatment shortening for tuberculosis (TB). The synthetic rifamycin derivative rifapentine (RPT) has been at the forefront of many of the treatment shortening approaches. RPT possesses greater potency and a longer pharmacokinetic (PK) half-life (t_1/2) as compared with the long used rifamycin, rifampin (RIF). For TB preventative treatment, a 3-month, once weekly regimen of RPT and isoniazid (INH; 3HP) was shown to be as effective as 9-months of daily INH therapy in the PREVENT TB trial. Similarly, a 4-week course of daily RPT and …

Disparities And Attitudes Toward Sars Cov2 Vaccine Among People With Disabilities, Ahmed A. Omar

Capstone Experience

The pandemic caused by SARSCOV2 that began in late 2019 posed a significant public health challenge for communities worldwide. The pandemic negatively impacted people's health, economy, and living conditions. Pharmaceutical companies worldwide have begun a race against time to invest in vaccine development to control and eliminate the worst outcomes of the COVID 19 associated disease. Scientific research resulted in several effective vaccines being developed and authorized for use in people (Salmeron Ríos S et al.).

Public health agencies like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prioritized high-risk populations for vaccination. This process is meant to accomplish the …

A Two-Part Satisfaction Evaluation Of The Recreational Therapy Department's Adult Respite And Habilitation Program At The Munroe-Meyer Institute, Hailey Humphrey

Capstone Experience

This project is a satisfaction evaluation of the Adult Night program offered to people 21+ with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) through the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Recreation Therapy Department. Historically, people with I/DD face health disparities that impact all areas of their lives. Recreation therapy for I/DD populations could address and minimize access to and quality of care gaps. Current research on recreation therapy programs lacks generalizability and evaluation of non-specific recreation therapy programs for people of any age with I/DD. This project intends to fill that research gap and provide the first evaluation data of the program for the organization. …

Analysis Of The Utilization Of Nebraska Medicine's Price Transparency Tool, Ingrid A. Olson

Capstone Experience

Healthcare costs have become a significant concern for patients, healthcare facilities, economists, and politicians within the United States. In an effort to understand and reduce health-related costs, price transparency laws were enacted at the beginning of 2021. Because of these new laws, hospitals must provide a price transparency tool for their patients. “Price transparency in healthcare makes pricing information more readily available, defines the value of services, and enables patients and other care purchasers to identify, compare, and choose providers that offer the desired level of value” (AAMC, 2022). However, research results on price transparency tools use and efficacy is …

Overlaps And Gaps Of Preterm Birth Programs In The Triangle Area Of North Carolina, Amber Bobbitt

Capstone Experience

Background: Preterm birth rates are a long-standing issue that has yet to be adequately addressed and prioritized. Nationally about 1 in every 10 infants are born prematurely in the United States. In the state of North Carolina, 1 in every 9 live births was preterm in the year 2020. The aim of the study was to determine the strategies organizations use in North Carolina to reduce preterm births in comparison to the CDC’s Five Strategy framework and to understand how the organizations address health equity and measure/evaluate the success of their initiatives.

Methods: Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with four …

Examining Mental Health Disparities In A Rural County: A Community Health Needs Assessment Analysis, Dustin M. Schulz

Capstone Experience

Over 20% of adults in the United States experience some form of mental illness each year. Those residing in rural areas can see increased prevalence of mental illness, and typically face disparities in access and availability of services for mental health. The goal of this project was to examine the impact of mental health in Woodford County, Illinois using data collected through the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process, with the intent of identifying areas of improvement that could be implemented at the local level. Analysis of the CHNA data was conducted using frequency analysis in SAS 9.4 through …