Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl Transferase (Galt) And Galactosemia A Review Of Galt Function And Current Theories On Galactosemia Pathogenesis, Lydia R. Rehrer

Senior Honors Theses

All living organisms depend on the metabolism of carbohydrates for energy and the biosynthesis of necessary glycoconjugates. One of these carbohydrates is the monosaccharide galactose. Galactose is metabolized by humans through the Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism, which contains three enzymes to modify galactose so that it can be incorporated into glycolysis for the production of cellular energy. The middle enzyme of this pathway, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, produces uridine diphosphogalactose (UDP-gal) from galactose-1-phosphate (gal-1P), and a deficiency of this enzyme results in the human disease galactosemia. Galactosemia is diagnosed soon after an infant begins feeding, and although a galactose-restricted diet eliminates …

Movement-Based Embodied Contemplative Practices: Definitions And Paradigms, Laura Schmalzl, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau, Peter Payne

Dartmouth Scholarship

Over the past decades, cognitive neuroscience has witnessed a shift from predominantly disembodied and computational views of the mind, to more embodied and situated views of the mind. These postulate that mental functions cannot be fully understood without reference to the physical body and the environment in which they are experienced. Within the field of contemplative science, the directing of attention to bodily sensations has so far mainly been studied in the context of seated meditation and mindfulness practices. However, the cultivation of interoceptive, proprioceptive and kinesthetic awareness is also said to lie at the core of many movement-based contemplative …

Community Health News, Georgia Southern University

Health Policy & Community Health: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Precocious Puberty

More Than Just Hospitals: An Examination Of Cluster Components And Configurations, Patrick Shay

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 25 years, health care organization scholars have observed the dramatic emergence of hospital-based clusters in local markets throughout the U.S. These important organizational forms require same-system ownership of multiple general, acute care hospitals operating within a single local market, and as such they include multi-hospital systems that are entirely contained in a single urban market as well as clustered extensions or subsystems of larger regional and national systems. However, despite their noted growth as powerful forces in local markets, relatively few studies have examined these clusters, and as a result there remains a significant gap in our …

Using Cbct As A Diagnostic Tool For Evaluation Of Infrabony Defects In Vivo, Anya Rost

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Clinicians rely on radiographs and clinical exam to assess infrabony defects. However, two-dimensional radiographs have many limitations. Three-dimensional imaging has shown promise and has provided more precise measurements of defects created in skulls. The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic efficacy of cone beam computed tomography to clinical measurements in patients presenting with infrabony defects. METHODS: The study population included 20 patients with 25 infrabony defects. Clinical measurements of pocket depth (PD), gingival margin (GM), bone sounding (BS) were obtained and PD and BS were compared to CBCT measurements. RESULTS: The average difference between the means …

Role Modeling Clinical Judgment For An Unfolding Older Adult Simulation, Kathie Lasater, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Patricia K. Ravert, Doris Rink

Faculty Publications

Nurse educators must foster development of clinical judgment in students to help them provide the best care for the increasing population of older adult patients. This article reports qualitative findings from a mixed-methods study that focused on clinical judgment in the simulated perioperative care of an older adult. The sample was composed of treatment and control groups of prelicensure students (N = 275) at five sites. The treatment group watched a video of an expert nurse role model caring for a patient similar to the simulation patient, whereas the control group did not watch the video. Four weeks after simulation, …

Parent/Guardian Survey Tool To Assess Understanding Of Vaccination, Meera D. Ramsooksingh Ms, Veniamin Mayevskiy Ms, David Berman Do, Faap

USF-LVHN SELECT

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge About Applying To And Attending Graduate School In Speech-Language Pathology: The Effect Of A Panel Presentation On The Topics, Chelsea Swadling

Honors Theses

The researcher of the following study recognized that undergraduate students in the speech-language pathology and audiology program at Western Michigan University feel unprepared and anxious about applying to and attending graduate school. The following study was conducted in order to determine the effectiveness of a panel presentation in preparing undergraduate students for applying to and attending graduate school. A professional panel of five nationally certified speech-language pathologists was gathered to give a presentation to the speech-language pathology and audiology undergraduates aiming to expand the knowledge base and reduce the anxiety that undergraduates possessed about attending and applying to graduate school. …

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - April 13, 2014, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the April 13, 2014 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• USA Medical Research Aboard NASA Launch
• USA OB-GYN Hosts Annual Conference
• April Med School Café - 'Advancing Cardiovascular Care in Women with Breast Cancer'
• USA Welcomes Dr. Lynn Batten

Blood Pressure Monitoring Of Hypertensive Patients In Primary Care: Barriers And Facilitators To Ambulatory, Office, And Home Blood Pressure Monitoring In The Context Of The Triple Aim, Elizabeth Andrews

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Hypertension represents a population health issue in that many patients are misdiagnosed and over-or-under medicated. Research has indicated that overestimating the true blood pressure by 5 mmHg leads to over 30 million Americans being inappropriately treated with blood pressure medication (Handler, 2009). Blood pressure measurements taken in the office are often inaccurate due to patient behaviors, improper technique, and observer errors, yet providers are still using this method to diagnose hypertension. Therefore, considering other methods of blood pressure for the diagnosis and management of hypertension is important to the healthcare quality for millions of Americans.

The main objective of this …

Reshaping My Career And Life In The Face Of Huntington's Disease (And A Note Of Hope), Kenneth P. Serbin

At Risk for Huntington's Disease

No abstract provided.

Primary Care Physician Shortage: Increased Demand And Insufficient Supply, Sara Gorham

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is attempting to reform the organization, delivery and reimbursement rates associated with the health care system. The current healthcare system supports the provision of fragmented, uncoordinated care, which has contributed to its high costs and has led to a system that is not strongly based on primary care. As a result of this system, the unfavorable stigma of the primary care field, and the much higher income made by specialists, there is a shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs). This paper will first describe and analyze the current primary care physician shortage and the factors …

Electronic Health Records And Rural Hospitals, Kaitlin Bischoff

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Nearly 20% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas and are not resistant to many of the U.S. healthcare challenges such as cost, quality, and access. In fact, the distinguishing cultural, social, economic, and geographic traits which characterize rural America place rural populations at greater risk for many diseases and health disorders. Like those in urban settings, people from rural areas have been affected by the use of health information technology, where treatment is now data-intensive, and there are more options and greater expectations of quality and accountability. Due to cost, geographic and social traits, and the digital divide …

Public Transportation: Perceptions Of Filth Contributing To Poor Health, Dashka Bernard

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Public transportation vehicles such as trains or buses have a reputation as unsanitary. Many riders of public transit are concerned with the health risks they are facing in regards to contagion. Perceptions of cleanliness derive from public health historically, with class, morality, and good health tied together in the American public’s attitudes. Certainly, infectious disease and sanitation are directly correlated in many instances, such as in the highly overcrowded and dirty cities in the early twentieth-century United States. Those living in filthy conditions (particularly, lower class individuals) were not only prone to becoming ill, but also considered to be immoral …

The Evaluation Of Wellness Programs For Our Returning Veterans, Alexandra Rawson

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Today we continue to experience inefficiencies in understanding the mental health and cultural needs of returning service members. I have conducted my own personal research to best comprehend the emotions and needs of returning veterans, evaluating the practices that are most beneficial for healing and reintegration. The primary focus of my independent study was to observe the current mental health treatments that are offered to the veterans outside of the traditional medical realm. In relation to this, I wanted to evaluate the role that religious and spiritual practices play in the veterans’ healing process. I spent four months observing and …

Assessing The Readiness Of Nairobi Deaf Youth To Accept A Best-Practice Hiv/Aids Intervention, Ke'ala Morrell

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

After nearly forty years of HIV/AIDS research in the global community, data on HIV/AIDS in the Deaf population is still disproportionately neglected. No surveillance system is in place to monitor prevalence, awareness or mode of HIV infection in the Deaf community. Additionally, prevention and education interventions have yet to be tailored to meet the specific needs of this highly vulnerable population.

Purpose: This project attempted to assess the readiness of the Nairobi Deaf youth community to accept a best-practice HIV/AIDS intervention. The broad objective of this research was to assess HIV awareness, perceptions and behaviors of Deaf youth in regards …

Malawi’S Tobacco Paradox: Short Term Survival Versus Long Term Languish, Nikhil Sangave

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The past forty years have been tumultuous for tobacco companies facing increasingly stringent regulations in the northern hemisphere. To maintain profits, they have tapped into new markets in the developing world. One of these places, Malawi, an African nation with an economic dependence on tobacco growing, has been a target of their marketing prowess. This study provides a new perspective on the dichotomy that exists between short-term economic benefits and long-term health implications of tobacco in a poverty-ravaged nation.

Conflicting interests hinder tobacco regulation in Malawi. For instance, the World Health Organization (WHO) claims that tobacco companies manipulate consumers and …

Mental Health In Jamaica: An Approach To Awareness And Treatment In Children, Sam Curran, Lilly Naqvi

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The awareness, perception and treatment of Autism was studied during a service study abroad class to Petersfield, Jamaica during the winters of 2013 and 2014. The program was developed to gain a basic understanding of the etiology of the disorder, and to examine the dynamic of a rural population’s outlook on health. Parents, teachers, and other community members were interviewed and engaged in discussion to share knowledge and perceptions of Autism. We will discuss our experience and findings.

Our preliminary conclusions include the following. First, the amount and availability of resources affects the parents and children, impacting his or her …

Barriers Latin American Immigrant Women Face In Accessing Reproductive Health Services In The United States, Isabel Odean

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Immigration and reproductive health care are two high profile topics in the politics of the United States. Both are constantly on the news, with ongoing debates about policies and reform. However, the link between the two topics gets very little media coverage. In this paper, I will address some of the overlap, looking at the question: what are the barriers for Latina immigrant women in accessing reproductive health care? Immigrant women in the United States face pronounced barriers in accessing reproductive health care, legally, socially, and culturally. These barriers stem from a history of political control of immigrant women’s reproduction, …

Domestic Violence In The Spotlight: From The Private Sphere To Popular Culture, Taylor Rinefierd

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

No abstract provided.

State Medicaid Programs: A Trifocal Examination Of The Controversy Surrounding Expansion, Meredith Daly

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The conversation regarding Medicaid expansion is ever-changing as states grapple with whether to expand their existing programs. Through this now-optional piece of legislation, state governments can choose to extend healthcare coverage via the federal government to millions of previously uninsured citizens. In order to understand and form an opinion on the controversy over expanding Medicaid programs, the issue demands to be looked at through three varying lenses. The first and most important lens is social. Several studies are examined to show that with expansion, there is a high correlation with better health outcomes; without it there is a care gap …

Defining Obesity: An Argument For The Social Environment Perspective, Meghan Mcinnis

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

It is well documented that obesity is a growing problem in the U.S. and worldwide. By 2010, 35.9% of U.S. adults age 20 and older were obese (Overweight and Obesity, CDC). Obesity has been associated with many health problems, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, stroke, and cardiac disease (Lucey, 2008, p.202). What has just been described is the traditional, medicalized narrative of obesity. In this narrative, obesity is viewed as an epidemic that demands an immediate and widespread response (Lucey, 2008, p.202). The blame is placed largely on individuals, while social factors, such as socioeconomic status and neighborhood environment, …

A New Heroine: Transforming The Public Image Of The Army Nurse During World War Ii, Vivek Vishwanath

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

In the wake of the Great Depression, the United States found itself propelled into a world war of unimaginable proportions. Apart from its major political and economic consequences, the Second World War also considerably altered the role of American women in society. Mobilization brought millions of women into the paid labor force, and many of these women chose to serve as army nurses. With the highest female salaries of the time, it made sense that nursing became an attractive occupation for young women seeking an education and opportunities to travel. WWII ultimately accentuated the heroic characteristics of the army nurse …

Conspicuous Consumption And Comparison Leading Towards Cosmetic Cures, Joanna Rydzefski

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

No abstract provided.

Bounced Between Two Cultures: Study Of Smoking Behavior Of Korean Americans, Loan Nguyen

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The United States is often referred as a melting pot, with a great wave of global immigrants constant populating its shores. When coming to America, the immigrants bring along their own culture. With the new generation born in the States, the fusion of two different cultures is an important factor in shaping their behavior. Coming from a different culture that is more accepting of smoking, many of the new generation also start to smoke. Asian Americans provide an important example. Despite having the lowest smoking rates of all ethnic groups, in 2011, 9.9 percent of Asian American and Pacific Islander, …

Caring For Caregivers: Assessing Grief And Coping Of Pediatric Palliative Care Nurses, Sophia Undseth

2014-2016 Undergraduate

The definition and implementation of pediatric palliative care has been increasingly studied in recent years. Within the United States, where children generally have adequate nutrition and access to advanced technology, the population of dying children is relatively small. Nevertheless, the number of pediatric patients suffering from both cancer and other chronic and life-threatening diseases has increased. While there has been a focus upon the need for support of the child and the family, the emotional response and grief of the caregivers, especially nurses, has often gone unnoticed. The five different kinds of loss that may be experienced by caregivers help …

Comprehensive State-­Mandated Insurance Coverage Of Infertility Treatments In Minimum Benefits Packages Of Employee Health Insurance, Danielle Petrilli

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Minimum benefits packages for employee health insurance plans usually only include the basic coverage necessary to survive in an attempt to control costs, similar to the new categorization of essential health benefits (EHBs) outlined in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, in some cases, the advantages that accompany the inclusion of higher-­‐level, more expensive services in a minimum benefits package actually lead to decreased costs over time. Coverage of infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, is an example of a higher-­‐level service that actually leads to lower health care costs in the long run. The decrease …

The Effects Of A Foot-Toe Orthosis On Dynamic Balance And Hallux Valgus Angle, Adam Richard Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Context: Decreased balance has been identified as a risk factor for lower extremity injury in several populations. Previous literature has investigated the effects of using orthotics, textured insoles and textured surfaces on balance. However, no research exists on the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance. Objective: To determine the effects of a foot-toe orthosis on dynamic balance and hallux valgus angle. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Setting: Athletic Training research laboratory. Participants: Sixty-three healthy and recreationally active collegiate students. (age: 21.59±1.49yrs, height 172.48±8.99cm, mass 73.86kg±15.64kg) Interventions: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups that received either …

Vitamin D Deficiency In A Multiethnic Healthy Control Cohort And Altered Immune Response In Vitamin D Deficient European-American Healthy Controls, Lauren L. Ritterhouse, Rufei Lu, Hemangi B. Shah, Julie M. Robertson, Dustin A. Fife, Holden T. Maecker, Hongwu Du, Charles G. Fathman, Eliza F. Chakravarty, R. Hal Scofield, Diane L. Kamen, Joel M. Guthridge, Judith A. James

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

In recent years, vitamin D has been shown to possess a wide range of immunomodulatory effects. Although there is extensive amount of research on vitamin D, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or the mechanism by which vitamin D regulates the human immune system. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency and the relationship between vitamin D and the immune system in healthy individuals.

Activation Of Hindbrain Neurons Is Mediated By Portal-Mesenteric Vein Glucosensors During Slow-Onset Hypoglycemia, Maryann Bohland, Aleksey Matveyenko, Maziyar Saberi, Arshad Khan, Alan Watts, Casey Donovan

Selected Works Temporary Series

Hypoglycemic detection at the portal-mesenteric vein (PMV) appears mediated by spinal afferents and is critical for the counter-regulatory response (CRR) to slow-onset, but not rapid-onset, hypoglycemia. Since rapid-onset hypoglycemia induces Fos protein expression in discrete brain regions, we hypothesized that denervation of the PMV or lesioning spinal afferents would suppress Fos expression in the dorsal medulla during slow-onset hypoglycemia, revealing a central nervous system reliance on PMV glucosensors. Rats undergoing PMV deafferentation via capsaicin, celiac-superior mesenteric ganglionectomy (CSMG), or total subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (TSV) were exposed to hyperinsulinemic–hypoglycemic clamps where glycemia was lowered slowly over 60–75 min. In response to hypoglycemia, …