Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prevention Strategies And Mental Health In Vietnam, Edward Cohen

Faculty Publications

This paper addresses the current state of mental health services in Vietnam and provides recommendations for improving the care of people with mental illness. Vietnam’s mental health problems are as prevalent as anywhere else in the world. The country has recently begun an initiative to reform mental health care by improving community-based services for people with serious mental illness. However, mental illness has not been a part of public discourse in Vietnam. There is little recognition of prevalent common mental illnesses (such as depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse) and the care of people with serious mental illnesses relies on either …

Endocidal Regulation Of Secondary Metabolites In The Producing Organisms, Shiyou Li, Ping Wang, Wei Yuan, Zushang Su, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

Secondary metabolites are defined as organic compounds that are not directly involved in the normal growth, development, and reproduction of an organism. They are widely believed to be responsible for interactions between the producing organism and its environment, with the producer avoiding their toxicities. In our experiments, however, none of the randomly selected 44 species representing different groups of plants and insects can avoid autotoxicity by its endogenous metabolites once made available. We coined the term endocides (endogenous biocides) to describe such metabolites that can poison or inhibit the parent via induced biosynthesis or external applications. Dosage-dependent endocides can selectively …

Evaluating An Online Family Assessment Activity: A Focus On Diversity And Health Promotion, Paul Smith, Melissa Jones

Faculty Publications

This article describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a family assessment activity that was designed for a transition course in an RN-BSN program. The family assessment activity emphasized diversity and health promotion as key curricular concepts highlighted through the use of constructivist teaching strategies in the online classroom. The activity was developed and implemented by utilizing the Family Health Systems (FHS) approach to family assessment and Healthy People 2020 as a framework for family health promotion. The activity was evaluated through faculty observation and student feedback which is discussed in the article.

Service Learning Enhances Conceptual Learning In A Rn To Bsn Program, Henny Breen, Melissa Robinson

Faculty Publications

A qualitative study using transcript analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of service learning in enhancing conceptual learning in RN to BSN students. As part of their capstone course in an online program, students engaged in 64 hours of service learning in their local community. The transcripts of asynchronous discussions and journal entries formed the data for analysis. The findings illustrated that the student’s conceptual understanding was enhanced from the service learning experience. Further, the students demonstrated higher-level thinking by linking concepts that could be applied to nursing practice. Service learning reinforced the community-based philosophy of the School of …

Reliability And Concurrent Validity Of An Alternative Method Of Lateral Lumbar Range Of Motion In Athletes, Mark D. Hecimovich, Jeffrey J. Herbert

Faculty Publications

Background: Cricket bowling involves combined spinal movements of side bending and rotation and, consequently, injury to the low back is a common problem. Therefore the assessment of lumbar spine kinematics has become a routine component in preseason screening. This includes static measurement of lateral spinal flexion as asymmetrical range of motion may predispose an athlete to low back injury.

Objectives: This study examined intra-rater reliability and concurrent validity of the fingertip-to-floor distance test (FFD) when compared to a criterion range of motion measure.

Methods: Thirty-four junior-level cricket players aged 13‑16 years were recruited. Lumbar spine lateral flexion …

Clinically Relevant Behavioral Endpoints In A Recurrent Nitroglycerin Migraine Model In Rats, Kenneth J. Sufka, Stephanie M. Staszko, Ainslee P. Johnson, Morgan E. Davis, Rachel E. Davis, Todd A. Smitherman

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: This research sought to further validate the rat nitroglycerin (NTG) migraine model by comparing the effects of single versus recurrent NTG episodes on behavioral endpoints that mirror ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for migraine, and to determine if the altered behavioral endpoints are reduced after administration of sumatriptan. METHODS: Separate cohorts of rats were administered NTG (10 mg/kg/2 ml) or saline (Experiment 1: single injection; Experiment 2: repeated injections; Experiment 3: repeated injections with sumatriptan [0.0, 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg/ml] rescue. Behavioral endpoints were assessed 2 h after final NTG administration and included time in light/dark chambers for photophobia and activity, …

Comparing Methods For Assessing The English Grammatical Development Of Spanish-Speaking English Learners, Lisa A. Fitton Ph.D., Mary Claire Wofford, Kristina N. Bustamante, Natasha De Novi, Bibiana Nuñez, Carla L. Wood

Faculty Publications

Identifying valid and informative approaches for assessing young English learners (ELs) is essential for school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The present paper focuses on two distinct approaches for assessing English grammatical development, a key component and indicator of language development for ELs. The approaches addressed are standardized normreferenced assessment and grammatical feature coding from story retell narratives. The authors review the utility of these approaches for evaluating the English grammatical development of Spanish-speaking ELs. A research example is provided to illustrate how a small sample (n = 18) of ELs performed on each of these English-based tasks. Findings reveal that children …

The Effect Of Common Wrist Orthoses On The Stiffness Of Wrist Rotations, Daniel B. Seegmiller, Dennis L. Eggett, Steven K. Charles

Faculty Publications

Wrist orthoses (also known as splints, braces, or supports) are commonly used to support or restrict the motion of a weak or injured wrist. These orthoses generally function by stiffening the wrist joint. Therefore, choosing the proper orthosis (or improving orthoses) requires that we understand their stiffness properties. In this study, we present a method for measuring the stiffness of wrist orthoses, and we apply this method to 12 of the most common wrist orthoses. We found similarities and differences between these orthoses, indicating that different orthoses have different effects on the wrist joint and, presumably, on wrist behavior. In …

Learning By Doing: Students From Three Disciplines Work Together To Help People With Dementia With Their Communication And Physical Challenges., Tyson G. Harmon, Brenda Everett Mitchell, Anna Weinberg

Faculty Publications

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Exploring The Clinical Utility Of Relative Fundamental Frequency As An Objective Measure Of Vocal Hyperfunction, Christopher Dromey, Nelson Roy, Rebecca A. Fetrow, Ray M. Merrill

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Vocal hyperfunction, related to abnormal laryngeal muscle activity, is considered the proximal cause of primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD). Relative fundamental frequency (RFF) has been proposed as an objective acoustic marker of vocal hyperfunction. This study examined (a) the ability of RFF to track changes in vocal hyperfunction after treatment for pMTD and (b) the influence of dysphonia severity, among other factors, on the feasibility of RFF computation. Method: RFF calculations and dysphonia severity ratings were derived from pre- and posttreatment recordings from 111 women with pMTD and 20 healthy controls. Three vowel–voiceless consonant–vowel stimuli were analyzed. Results: RFF …

Laryngeal Desiccation Challenge And Nebulized Isotonic Saline In Healthy Male Singers And Nonsingers: Effects On Acoustic, Aerodynamic, And Self-Perceived Effort And Dryness Measures, Christopher Dromey, Kristine Tanner, Robert B. Fujiki, Ray M. Merrill, Whitney Robb, Katherine A. Kendall, J Arden Hopkin, Ron W. Channell, M Preeti Sivasankar

Faculty Publications

Summary: Objectives. This study examined the effects of a laryngeal desiccation challenge and nebulized isotonic saline on voice production in young, healthy male singers and nonsingers. Study design. This is a prospective, double-blind, within-subjects experimental design. Methods. Participants included 10 male university-trained singers and 10 age-matched nonsingers (mean age, 21.8 years; range, 18–26 years) who underwent a 30-minute oral breathing laryngeal desiccation challenge using medical grade dry air (<1% relative humidity) on two occasions in consecutive weeks. After the challenge, participants received either 3 mL or 9 mL of nebulized isotonic saline (0.9% Na+ Cl); order of administration was counterbalanced. Phonation threshold pressure (PTP), the cepstral spectral index of dysphonia (CSID) for sustained vowels and connected speech, and self-perceived vocal effort, mouth dryness, and throat dryness were measured at each recording (baseline, after challenge, and at 5, 35, and 65 minutes after treatment). Results. Self-perceived effort and dryness measures increased (worsened) after desiccation challenge and decreased (improved) after nebulized treatment (P < 0.05). No consistent changes were observed for PTP or CSID over time. Overall, singers demonstrated significantly lower vocal effort and CSID as compared with nonsingers. Conclusions. Young, vocally healthy men may not experience physiologic changes in voice production associated with laryngeal desiccation and nebulized saline treatments; however, self-reported increases in vocal effort which are associated with dryness symptoms might improve with nebulized treatments. Future hydration research should consider age and sex variables

Pro-Fit: Exercise With Friends, Saumil Dharia, Vijesh Jain, Jvalant Patel, Jainikkumar Vora, Rizen Yamauchi, Magdalini Eirinaki, Iraklis Varlamis

Faculty Publications

The advancements in wearable technology, where embedded accelerometers, gyroscopes and other sensors enable the users to actively monitor their activity have made it easier for individuals to pursue a healthy lifestyle. However, most of the existing applications expect continuous commitment from the end users, who need to proactively interact with the application in order to connect with friends and attain their goals. These applications fail to engage and motivate users who have busy schedules, or are not as committed and self-motivated. In this work, we present PRO-Fit, a personalized fitness assistant application that employs machine learning and recommendation algorithms in …

Conducting Qualitative Interviews By Telephone: Lessons Learned From A Study Of Alcohol Use Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Women, Laurie Drabble, Karen Trocki, Brenda Salcedo, Patricia Walker, Rachael Korcha

Faculty Publications

This study explored effective interviewer strategies and lessons learned based on collection of narrative data by telephone with a subsample of women from a population-based survey, which included sexual minority women. Qualitative follow-up, in-depth life history interviews were conducted over the telephone with 48 women who had participated in the 2009–2010 National Alcohol Survey. Questions explored the lives and experiences of women, including use of alcohol and drugs, social relationships, identity, and past traumatic experiences. Strategies for success in interviews emerged in three overarching areas: (1) cultivating rapport and maintaining connection; (2) demonstrating responsiveness to interviewee content, concerns; and (3) …

Articulatory-Acoustic And Kinematic Relationships In Comfortable And Loud Speech, Christopher Dromey, Jason A. Whitfield, Panika Palmer

Faculty Publications

During speech, movements of the vocal tract systematically alter vowel acoustics. A number of investigations have examined these articulatory acoustic relationships (e.g., Mefferd & Green, 2010). Studies have shown that systematic changes in speaking style, such as in clear or loud speech, yield greater excursions of articulatory gestures that are accompanied by an expansion of formant frequency measures in F1-F2 space (Mefferd & Green, 2010; Tasko & Greilick, 2010). A recent investigation introduced the Articulatory-Acoustic Vowel Space (AAVS), a measure of working formant space that uses continuously sampled formant data from connected speech (Whitfield & Goberman, 2014). No data, however, …

Russian Palatalized And Unpalatalized Coda Consonants: An Electropalatographic And Acoustic Analysis Of Native Speaker And L2 Learner Productions, Shawn L. Nissen, Jane F. Hacking, Bruce L. Smith, Hannah Allen

Faculty Publications

One fundamental aspect of the Russian phonological system is a contrast between palatalized and unpalatalized consonants. This distinction poses a challenge for native English speakers learning Russian as a second language because palatalization is not a feature of their first language (L1) phonology. The present study examined word-final palatalized and unpalatalized consonants produced by native Russian speakers and native English speakers learning Russian. Electropalatographic (EPG) and acoustic recordings were made of six native Russian speakers and six native English speakers, who had significant classroom and immersion experience with Russian. Data from the native Russian speakers suggested that the contrast between …

Sex, Drugs And Alcohol: What Adventist College Students Say About The Role Of Parents And Religion, Alina M. Baltazar, Duane C. Mcbride, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, Kathryn Conopio

Faculty Publications

Relationships with peers, parents, and God make a difference in the behavior choices of youth. If a young person spends time with peers who don’t use substances and are planning to wait until they get married to have sex, they are less likely to engage in these behaviors. In addition, if the youth has a close relationship with parents who clearly state their standards regarding substance use and premarital sex, they are less likely to practice these behaviors. Finally, when the young person has a close relationship with God, they are more likely to care about the religious standards such …

Listener Perceptions Of Simulated Fluent Speech In Nonfluent Aphasia, Tyson G. Harmon, Adam Jacks, Katarina L. Haley, Richard A. Faldowski

Faculty Publications

Background: People with aphasia (PWA) are frequently perceived less favorably by listeners than their peers. These perceptions include incorrect assumptions that can prevent successful social interactions. While communication partner training has been shown to improve social outcomes related to the listener (see e.g., Kagan, Black, Duchan, Simmons-Mackie, & Square, 2001), changing the verbal output of PWA may also yield more favorable listener perceptions about the speech, speaker, and their own affective response. We investigated the effects of artificially altered fluency (i.e., simulated fluency) on listeners’ subjective impressions.

Aims: The purpose of the study was to (1) confirm that listeners perceive …

Psychotherapy Utilization And Presenting Concerns Among Polynesian American College Students, Kawika Allen, Jon Cox, Timothy B. Smith, Ofa Hafoka, Derek Griner, Mark Beecher

Faculty Publications

In this study, we examined psychotherapy utilization, presenting concerns, reported distress levels, and psychotherapy outcomes among Polynesian American students presenting for services at a counseling center. We collected data at intake, during therapy sessions, and at termination for 415 Polynesian American and 18,117 European American students over a 17-year period. Polynesian American students were equally likely to utilize counseling services as European American students but were more likely to drop out earlier. At intake, these students reported higher numbers of presenting concerns and greater levels of emotional and psychological distress than European American students. Polynesian American students reported significantly higher …

Recovering With Acquired Apraxia Of Speech: The First 2 Years, Tyson G. Harmon, Katarina L. Haley, Jennifer N. Shafer, Adam Jacks

Faculty Publications

This study was intended to document speech recovery for 1 person with acquired apraxia of speech quantitatively and on the basis of her lived experience. The second author sustained a traumatic brain injury that resulted in acquired apraxia of speech. Over a 2-year period, she documented her recovery through 22 video-recorded monologues. We analyzed these monologues using a combination of auditory perceptual, acoustic, and qualitative methods. Recovery was evident for all quantitative variables examined. For speech sound production, the recovery was most prominent during the first 3 months, but slower improvement was evident for many months. Measures of speaking rate, …

The Effects Of Noise On Speech Movements In Young, Middle- Aged, And Older Adults. Speech, Language And Hearing, Christopher Dromey, Sarah Scott

Faculty Publications

People often talk in noisy environments, which can influence the effectiveness of communication. This study examined the impact of several types of noise on speech production by measuring lip movements during a sentence repetition task. Sixty participants in three age groups ranging from 20 to 70 repeated a sentence under five noise conditions (silence, one person reading aloud, two readers, six readers, and pink noise).A head-mounted strain gauge system tracked vertical lip movements. With the presentation of noise during a speaking task, the intensity increased due to the Lombard effect in all of the noise conditions. The utterance duration for …

Reliability Of The American Community Survey For Unintentional Drowning And Submersion Injury Surveillance: A Comprehensive Assessment Of 10 Socioeconomic Indicators Derived From The 2006-2013 Annual And Multi-Year Data Cycles, Nathaniel Bell, Bo Cai

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to evaluate the reliability and predictability of ten socioeconomic indicators obtained from the 2006-2013 annual and multi-year ACS data cycles for unintentional drowning and submersion injury surveillance.

METHODS: Each indicator was evaluated using its margin of error and coefficient of variation. For the multi-year data cycles we calculated the frequency that estimates for the same geographic areas from consecutive surveys were statistically significantly different. Relative risk estimates of drowning-related deaths were constructed using the National Center for Health Statistics compressed mortality file. All analyses were derived using census counties.

RESULTS: Five of the …

Filter Presence And Tipping Paper Color Influence Consumer Perceptions Of Cigarettes, Richard J. O’Connor, Maansi Bansal-Travers, K. Michael Cummings, David Hammond, Jim Thrasher, Cindy Tworek

Faculty Publications

Background: Cigarettes are marketed in a wide array of packaging and product configurations, and these may impact consumers’ perceptions of product health effects and attractiveness. Filtered cigarettes are typically perceived as less hazardous and white tipping paper (as opposed to cork) often conveys ‘lightness’.

Methods: This study examined cigarette-related perceptions among 1220 young adult (age 18-35) current, ever, and never smokers recruited from three eastern U.S. cities (Buffalo NY, Columbia SC, Morgantown WV). Participants rated three cigarette sticks: two filtered cigarettes 85 mm in length, differing only in tipping paper color (cork versus white), and an unfiltered 70 mm cigarette. …

Evaluation Of Vaccination Policies Among Outpatient Oncology Clinics In Utah: A Pilot Study, Karlen Beth Luthy, Sarah L. Stocksdale, Janelle L B Macintosh, Lacey M. Eden, Renea L. Beckstrand, Katherine Edmonds

Faculty Publications

Background: In Utah, all major hospital facilities have employee vaccination policies. However, the presence of health care worker vaccination policies in the Utah outpatient oncology setting was unknown.

Objectives: The objectives were to identify Utah oncology outpatient employee vaccination policies and to identify what consequences, if any, were present for unvaccinated employees.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study design in which clinic managers from outpatient oncology clinics in Utah were asked, via questionnaire, to describe the clinic’s employee vaccination policy and the consequences for refusing the policy.

Findings: Most vaccination policies applied to employees primarily assigned to work in …

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Syphilis And Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence Trends Among Cross-Border Migrant Vietnamese Female Sex Workers In Guangxi, China, Chen Zhang, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Yu Liu, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Yuejiao Zhou, Zhenzhu Tang, Zhiyong Shen

Faculty Publications

Background: Global literature indicates the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has disproportionately affected cross-border migrant female sex workers (FSW). However, few studies reported the HIV risk among Vietnamese FSW at borderline areas in China. We examined five consecutive years of HIV, syphilis, and HCV prevalence and corresponding risk factors among this group in Guangxi Province of China in the current study. Method: Demographic and behavioral data as well as test results of blood samples for HIV/syphilis/HCV testing were collected from the annual National Sentinel Surveillance (NSS) from the year of 2010 to 2014. …

Anger And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity In A Trauma-Exposed Military Population: Differences By Trauma Context And Gender, Miranda Worthen, Sujit Rathod, Gregory Cohen, Laura Sampson, Robert Ursano, Robert Gifford, Carol Fullerton, Sandro Galea, Jennifer Ahern

Faculty Publications

Studies have found a stronger association between anger and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity in military populations than in nonmilitary populations. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this difference: Military populations are more prone to anger than nonmilitary populations, and traumas experienced on deployment create more anger than nondeployment traumas. To examine these hypotheses, we evaluated the association between anger and PTSD severity among never-deployed military service members with nondeployment traumas (n = 226) and deployed service members with deployment traumas (n = 594) using linear regression. We further examined these associations stratified by gender. Bivariate associations between anger …

Successive 1-Month Weight Increments In Infancy Can Be Used To Screen For Faltering Linear Growth, Adelheid W. Onyango, Elaine Borghi, Mercedes De Onis, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Cesar G. Victora, Kathryn G. Dewey, Anna Lartey, Nita Bhandari, Anne Baerug, Cutberto Garza

Faculty Publications

Background: Linear growth faltering in the first 2 y contributes greatly to a high stunting burden, and prevention is hampered by the limited capacity in primary health care for timely screening and intervention.

Objective: This study aimed to determine an approach to predicting long-term stunting from consecutive 1-mo weight increments in the first year of life.

Methods: By using the reference sample of the WHO velocity standards, the analysis explored patterns of consecutive monthly weight increments among healthy infants. Four candidate screening thresholds of successive increments that could predict stunting were considered, and one was selected for …

Experiences With Food Insecurity And Risky Sex Among Low-Income People Living With Hiv/Aids In A Resource-Rich Setting, Henry J. Whittle, Kartika Palar, Tessa Napoles, Lee Lemus Hufstedler, Irene Ching, Frederick M. Hecht, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

Background: Forty-nine million individuals are food insecure in the United States, where food insecurity and HIV/AIDS are prevalent among the urban poor. Food insecurity is associated with risky sexual behaviours among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). No qualitative studies, however, have investigated the mechanisms underlying this relationship either in a resource-rich setting or among populations that include men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 34 low-income PLHIV receiving food assistance in the San Francisco Bay Area. The interviews explored experiences with food insecurity and perceived associations with sexual risk behaviours. Interviews were conducted …

Comparison Of Tobacco And Alcohol Use In Films Produced In Europe, Latin America, And The United States, Inti Barrientos-Gutierrez, Christy Kollath-Cattano, Raul Mejía, Edna Arillo-Santillán, Reiner Hanewinkel, Matthis Morgenstern, James D. Sargent, Jim Thrasher

Faculty Publications

Background: Studies that have evaluated tobacco and alcohol portrayals in films have mainly focused on US films. Our aim is to describe tobacco and alcohol portrayals in nationally produced films from six European and two Latin American countries, and compare them with US produced films.

Methods: A sample of 337 nationally produced and 502 US produced films, consisting of top grossing films from 2004 to 2009 in each country, was content coded for presence of tobacco or alcohol and seconds of tobacco or alcohol use. Logistic and linear regression models were estimated for all films and youth-rated films (Ages 0–14) …

A Noise Delivery System For Multi-Animal Multi-Level Whole Body Ototoxicity Studies, John E. Stubbs, Jeremy M. Slagley, James E. Reboulet

Faculty Publications

The Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton (NAMRU-D) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force, studied ototoxic effects of JP-8 in rats. NAMRU-D used a multi-chamber whole body exposure facility for up to 96 test animals and 32 control animals at different exposure levels. The objective was to design a noise delivery system that could provide a white noise source one octave band wide, centered at 8 kHz frequency, delivered from outside the exposure chambers. Sound pressure levels were required to be within ±2 dB at all exposure points within each chamber and within ±2 …

Understanding Anterior Knee Pain: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Craig Nuttall, Blaine A. Winters

Faculty Publications

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is 1 of the most common causes of anterior knee pain and should be included in the differential diagnosis for anterior knee pain in every patient. PFPS is characterized as an overuse injury. The exact mechanism of injury is still under investigation, but it is believed to stem from maltracking of the patella. PFPS commonly presents in adults who complain of anterior knee pain with activity. This pain can lead to significant disability. When treated appropriately, disability and chronicity can be avoided or reduced.