Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Bland–Altman Comparison Of The Lead Care® System And Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Detecting Low-Level Lead In Child Whole Blood Samples, Christina Sobin, Tanner Schaub, Natali Parisi, Eva De La Riva

Selected Works Temporary Series

Chronic childhood lead exposure, yielding blood lead levels consistently below 10 μg/dL, remains a major public health concern. Low neurotoxic effect thresholds have not yet been established. Progress requires accurate, efficient, and cost-effective methods for testing large numbers of children. The LeadCare® System (LCS) may provide one ready option. The comparability of this system to the “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the purpose of detecting blood lead levels below 10 μg/dL has not yet been examined. Paired blood samples from 177 children ages 5.2–12.8 years were tested with LCS and ICP-MS. Triplicate repeat tests …

What About The Children? Benjamin And Arendt: On Education, Work, And The Political, Jules Simon

Selected Works Temporary Series

This article is a rough draft of an article that I contributed to an edited volume of articles dealing with progressive education theory. I reflect on articles that Hannah Arendt and Walter Benjamin wrote that deal with educational reform and innovation, both political in nature.

Identifying Factors Associated With Falls In Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach, Kerri M. Winters-Stone, Britta Torgrimson, Fay Horak, Alvin Eisner, Lillian Nail, Micahel C. Leo, Steve Chui, Shiuh-Wen Luoh

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective—To identify neuromuscular, balance and vision factors that contribute to falls in recently treated breast cancer survivors (BCS) and explore links between fall risk factors and cancer treatment

Design—Case-control plus prospective observation

Setting—Comprehensive cancer center

Participants—BCS within two years chemotherapy completion and/or on adjuvant endocrine therapy (N=59; mean age: 58 yrs)

Intervention—not applicable

Main outcome measures—Objective measures of postural control, vision and neuromuscular function included 1) a sensory organization test (SOT), 2) a visual assessment battery, 3) muscle mass by DXA, and 4) neuromuscular function with strength by repetition maximum, power by timed stair …

Reflections (2010 Issue), College Of Health Professions

College of Health Professions Newsletters & Magazines

"[This year's] accomplishments speak to our commitment to excellence and our commitment to the university’s mission. As we reach record breaking enrollment levels in many of our programs, we can credit the wonderful work of our faculty and staff who provide our students with quality experiences that prepare them for leadership roles in their professions and build the reputation of our programs"--From Dean Patricia Walker's introductory message to this issue of Reflections.

Electronic Medical Records In Long-Term Care, Krista Phillips, Chris Wheeler, Josh Campbell, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Long-term care (LTC) facilities possess unique characteristics in terms of implementation and utilization of electronic medical records (EMRs). The focus of LTC is on a population requiring care encompassing all aspects associated with quality of life rather than simply acute treatment. Because this focus is of a larger scale than traditional medical facilities, the priorities in the implementation and utilization of EMRs are higher in accessing patient history information. The purpose of this study was to determine the EMR utilization in the chronic care settings. In conclusion, the literature review performed does not support the fact that EMRs are currently …

Near-Vision Acuity Levels And Performance On Neuropsychological Assessments Used In Occupational Therapy, Carl Bassi, Linda Hunt

College of Optometry Faculty Works

We investigated how induced blur affects performance on the Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol Test routinely used in occupational therapy cognitive evaluations. The study used a factorial design with both age (young and old adults) and simulated blur levels of near visual acuity (20/50 and 20/100) manipulated between participants. A sample of 124 healthy, community-living adults was used in the final analysis. Significant differences (p < .05) were found in performance for young participants between 20/50 and 20/100 blur level as well as between 20/20 and 20/100 blur level for the Digit Symbol Test. Scores for old participants decreased as a function of blur but were not significant. This study illustrates that cognitive evaluations used throughout the lifespan may require the appropriate visual acuity level to maximize performance. Occupational therapists’ understanding of client factors and their effect on performance is fundamental to the client evaluation process.

Vitality, Poonam Kaushal

Quill & Scope

No abstract provided.

Planck Versus Poe: Scientific And Poetic Approaches, Anita Kelkar

Quill & Scope

P A M Dirac wrote that "In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by every- one, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry, it’s the exact opposite." Dirac's quote con- fronts us with the question: Do both the scientific and poetic approaches ultimately enjoy equal success in expanding human knowledge?

It's Gonna Be All Right, Linda Demello

Quill & Scope

No abstract provided.

Cancer Education And Awareness Program: Education And Its Role In The Prevention Of Cancer, Sukhpreet Singh

Quill & Scope

As U.S. healthcare accelerates into an era of science fiction, we find that most diseases are treatable via technological intervention. This has, unfortunately, reduced the role of the physician as the patient’s teacher and advocate in the clinical setting. The Cancer Education and Awareness Program attempts to tackle one of the worst diagnoses a patient can receive, and dispel the misconceptions the general popu- lation has about the prevention of disease. We do this by reaching out to high school students in the local community, and through the method of storytelling, we teach them the science behind the disease. This …

Incompetence To Maintain A Divorce Action: When Breaking Up Is Odd To Do, Douglas Mossman Md, Amanda N. Shoemaker

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

The law has well-established provisions for handling divorce actions initiated on behalf of persons already adjudged incompetent or by competent petitioners against incompetent spouses. But how should a court respond if a mentally ill petitioner who is competent to manage most personal affairs seeks to divorce a spouse for bizarre, very odd, or crazy-sounding reasons?

Several recent social developments - better psychiatric treatment, wider acceptance of divorce, population trends, and the advent of “no-fault” and unilateral divorce laws - have made it more likely that mentally ill petitioners will seek divorces. Yet the question of whether to allow a divorce …

Evaluating The Duration Of Post-Operative Cefuroxime Prophylaxis On Infectious Outcomes In Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Patients., Chad A. Knoderer, Michelle D. Berg, Andrea H. Webster, Elaine G. Cox

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Abstract of poster presented at: Pediatric Academic Societies Annual Meeting; May 2010; Vancouver, British Columbia.

Consumer-Directed Health Insurance Vs. Managed Care: Analysis Of Health Care Utilization And Expenditure Incurred By Employees In A Rural Area, Cecilia M. Watkins, J. White, D. Duncan, D. Wyant, T. Nicholson, J. Khubchandani, C. Lakshminarayana

Public Health Faculty Publications

Consumer-Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) are proposed as an option to control healthcare costs. No research has addressed their applicability in rural settings. This study analyzes three years (2003–2005) of healthcare expenditure and utilization incurred by two employers and a national carrier providing data from a rural state, Kentucky. The study included two measures of expenditures (health care and prescription drugs) and three measures of utilization (physician visits, hospital admissions, and hospital inpatient days). In general, the CDHP successfully controlled the growth of medical costs. These findings suggest that CDHPs may be a viable alternative benefit structure for rural employers.

Student Empathy: A Learning Experience, Sherry R. Lovan

Nursing Faculty Publications

A class of senior students in a community nursing course wrote Dear Diary journal entries that conveyed a deep understanding of empathy. This assignment served to connect the students with people in different stages of life. The Dear Diary journal entries provide an example to effectively demonstrate how classroom assignments can encourage students to place themselves in another’s shoes, the basis for empathy.

Malaria And Helminth Co-Infections In Outpatients Of Alaba Kulito Health Center, Southern Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study, Abraham Degarege, Abebe Animut, Mengistu Legesse, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Distribution of malaria and intestinal helminths is known to overlap in developing tropical countries of the world. Co-infections with helminth and malaria parasites cause a significant and additive problem against the host. The aim of this study was to asses the prevalence of malaria/helminth co-infection and the associated problems among febrile outpatients that attended Alaba Kulito Health Center, southern Ethiopia November and December 2007. A total of 1802 acute febrile patients were diagnosed for malaria. 458 Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films were used for identification of Plasmodium species and Stool samples prepared using Kato-Katz technique were used to …

Macrophage Responses To Cf Pathogens: Jnkmap Kinase Signaling By Burkholderia Cepacia Complex Lipopolysaccharide, Suzanne Mckeon, Siobhan Mcclean, Máire Callaghan

Articles

Chronic bacterial colonization of the airways with opportunistic pathogens is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) organisms pose a particular challenge in CF lung disease, due in part to their ability to trigger a fulminant pneumonia. This study compares the U937 macrophage response to two Bcc species, B. cenocepacia and Burkholderia multivorans, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The two Bcc strains demonstrated higher levels of U937 macrophage internalization compared with both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Both the Bcc strains also stimulated significantly greater levels of tumor necrosis factor-a …

The Effect Of A Three Point Sensory Diet On Vocal And Verbal Behavior In A Non-Verbal Child On The Autism Scale, Chelsey Danielle Smith

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The study involved a single subject, a non-verbal child on the autism spectrum, in a clinical setting over a 10 week period. The subject was on a three point sensory diet that was administered before therapy sessions. The tactile, vestibular and proprioceptive systems were targeted with deep pressure touch, a suspension swing, and joint compression. The primary focus was on participation in therapy and language development with specific attention given to the increase of vocalizations and/or verbalizations. The child experienced the sensory diet for schedule of 1 week off, 2 weeks on, 1 week off, 2 weeks on, 1 week …

Stereotype Boost And Stereotype Threat Effects: The Moderating Role Of Ethnic Identification, Brian E. Armenta

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Belonging to a stereotyped social group can affect performance in stereotype-relevant situations, often shifting performance in the direction of the stereotype. This effect occurs similarly for members of positively and negatively stereotyped groups (i.e., stereotype boost and stereotype threat, respectively). This study examined ethnic group identification as a moderator of these effects in the math performance of Asian Americans and Latinos, who are positively and negatively stereotyped in this domain, respectively. Results showed that high ethnically identified Asian Americans performed better and high ethnically identified Latinos performed worse when an ethnicity– ethnic stereotype cue was present. The performance of low …

The Whitings’ Concepts Of Culture And How They Have Fared In Contemporary Psychology And Anthropology, Carolyn P. Edwards, Marianne Bloch

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article presents a brief intellectual biography of John and Beatrice Whiting, followed by an examination of five key ideas that they put forward to the fields of psychology and anthropology through their theoretical and empirical writings. These key ideas are (a) the assumption of the psychic unity of humankind, (b) the cultural learning environment, (c) the psychocultural model, (d) the synergistic relationship of the disciplines of psychology and anthropology, and (e) the role of mothers as agents of social change through child-rearing roles as well as through various other ways they guide change in the communities and learning environments …

The Medicalization Of Hyperactivity And Inattentiveness : A Social History And Theoretical Perspectives On Adhd, Justin Douglas Brock

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study investigates the rise of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis. It approaches the topic from a medicalization perspective and frames it under the therapeutic state as proposed by Nicholas Kittrie in 1971. It asks three questions: how has society, and particularly, the medical community changed to allow the medicalization of hyperactivity and social control of active children? How has the continuing diagnosis of hyperactivity in children expanded to include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in both children and adults? And what forces are behind the continuously inclusive diagnosis and why? In an attempt to answer these questions the history of the …

Southern Lagoon And Village Of Gales Point, Belize, Ca: Water Uses, Water Quality, And Potential Health Impacts, Rasmi Nair, Ritchie Taylor

Impact Belize

An International Health Service Learning Program, Impact Belize 2010, was conducted by Western Kentucky University. Faculty and students worked closely with Gales Point villagers to gain an insight into the use of Southern Lagoon. The objective of the study was to assess fecal coliform levels in Southern lagoon, its primary and secondary contact use by villagers and its potential impact on health. Study methodology involved collection of water samples, both near shore and offshore, in the lagoon and incubating them using ColiQuant EZ method approved by EPA. A questionnaire was administered to villagers attending the WKU clinic to collect data …

Anatomic Correlates Of Strial Presbycusis In Recombinant Inbred Mouse Strains, Christina M. Walkonis

Independent Studies and Capstones

This project attempts to identify anatomic features that predict the range of the ‘normal’ endocochlear potential in young inbred mice. Cochlear lateral wall histologic metrics were compared in recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains formed from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.

Histological And Functional Aspects Of Alpha-Synuclein In Neurodegeneration, Lauren Noelle Lawler

Independent Studies and Capstones

Alpha-synuclein has been implicated in the cellular mechanisms that control auditory sensitivity. In other systems it can also confer protection against cellular injury. Auditory brainstem response thresholds and immunohistochemistry were used to assess the ability of alpha-synuclein to protect against oxidative damage to the cochlea.

Ua60/5 Wku Dental Hygiene Class Of 2010, Wku Dental Hygiene

WKU Administration Documents

Members of the 2010 dental hygiene class: Jennifer Born, historian; Erica Clark, vide president; Derek Sanders, president; Erin Bertone, treasurer; Lindsay Stagner, historian; Ashlee Marshall, SADHA representative; Leah Flanders, class representative; Brittany Grimes, secretary; Nichole Cooke, class representative; Emily Murrell, SADHA representative; Michelle Birchfield, , Ashlee Boyd, Sasha Buck, Aubrey Cannon, Millicent Heil, Lynsey Huguenot, Brandon Hurt, Sarah Keftner, Erika LaFollette, Stacey Marshall, Chelsea Meyer, Laura Payne, Alicia Russell, Courtney Smith, Melissa Stauble, Lauren Stone and Heather Woolwine.

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 87, No. 3, 2010)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Summary Of Findings From The 2010 Child Death Review Annual Report, Nevada Institute For Children's Research And Policy Reports

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

The 2010 Annual Report of Child Deaths in Clark County, Nevada provides data regarding all infant, child, and fetal (over 20 weeks gestation) deaths occurring in Clark County in 2010. This represents the second year that the Child Death Review Team in Clark County reviewed 100% of the child deaths referred to the team by the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner; this includes all natural deaths, as well as all accidents, homicides, suicides, and undetermined cases. The team also reviewed all fetal deaths over 20 weeks gestation.

Indigenous Health – Australia, Canada, New Zealand And The United States - Laying Claim To A Future That Embraces Health For Us All., Lisa Jackson Pulver, Melissa R. Haswell, Ian Ring, John Waldon, Wayne Clark, Valorie Whetung, Dianne Kinnon, Catherine Graham, Michelle Chino, Jonathon Lavalley, Christina Compher, Ritu Sadana

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Improving the health of all peoples has been a call across the globe for many decades and unfortunately remains relevant today, particularly given the large disparities in health status of peoples found around the world. Rather than differences in health, or health inequalities, we use a different term, health inequities. This is so as mere differences in health (or "inequalities") can be common in societies and do not necessarily reflect unfair social policies or practices. For example, natural ageing implies older people are more prone to illness. Yet, when differences are systematic, socially produced and unfair, these are considered health …

Assessment Of Support Service Needs Of Primary Caregivers Of Hiv And Aids Infected Children: A Review Of Literature And Suggestions For Practice, Barry Eneh

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Summary: With the advent of highly active antiretroviral treatment, routine screening and treatment options for pregnant women for perinatally acquired HIV and AIDS, infection is on dramatic decline in the U.S. In spite of the declines and the medical advances, primary and informal caregivers of infected children continue to face innumerable challenges with regard to the availability, access and utilization of non-medical supportive service care needs. HIV/AIDS continues to create unique challenges for infected children and the non-infected family caregivers at multiple levels; impacting their relationships, resources and resilience.

Objective: This literature review identifies and assesses the unique and critical …

50 Years For The Uk College Of Medicine, F. Douglas Scutchfield Md

Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health Presentations

No abstract provided.

Clostridium Difficile Associated Disease (Cdad), Rivka H. Borger

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Clostridium difficile bacteria (C. difficile) are a spore-forming species of bacteria that lies dormant in the colon, in the presence of normal intestinal flora. Due to overuse of certain antibiotics, normal intestinal bacteria may be depleted, and combined with other possible risk factors, allow C. difficile bacterial spores to develop into active, infectious, and extremely resistant toxin-producing bacteria. The toxins cause severe damage and inflammation to the intestinal wall that can result in gastrointestinal discomfort and severe pseudomembranous enterocolitis that must be treated with a low-risk C. difficile targeting defense.