Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Processes, Practices And Politics In The Treatment Centers For Addictions And Problematic Consumptions: An Analysis Of The Perspectives And Practices Of The Professionals In A Treatment Center In The Autonomous City Of Buenos Aires, Chiara Lawrence

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Contextual Information: Historically in Argentina, as well as globally, the politics regarding the use of “drugs” have been prohibitionist and treatment centers have implemented these politics with models of abstinence. More recently, the need for both the politics and the treatment to prioritize the rights and health of the drug uses has become more widely recognized in both social and political contexts, as much as among professionals in treatment centers. New laws have been passed proposing the implementation of harm reduction strategies in the treatment of addictions and problematic drug use. In the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires there are …

Exploring Knowledge And Beliefs Of Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Infection And Hpv Vaccination Among U.S. Chinese International Students, Haijuan Gao

Open Access Dissertations

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides an effective prevention strategy against HPV infection, cervical cancer, and genital warts. As increasing numbers of Chinese international students (CIS) are living and studying in United States, this specific ethnic group has become the candidate for HPV vaccination promotion. Despite an increased awareness and knowledge of HPV infection and HPV vaccine among U.S. college students, studies focused on CIS as a unique ethnic group regarding HPV vaccine promotion were limited. This project is the first time aimed to examine CIS's awareness, knowledge and beliefs about HPV infection, HPV vaccine, cervical cancer and genital warts. …

Heme Biosynthesis Modulation Via Δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Administration Attenuates Chronic Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension, Raed Alhawaj, Dhara Patel, Melissa R. Kelly, Dong Sun, Michael S. Wolin

NYMC Faculty Publications

This study examines how heme biosynthesis modulation with δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) potentially functions to prevent 21-day hypoxia (10% oxygen)-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice and the effects of 24-h organoid culture with bovine pulmonary arteries (BPA) with the hypoxia and pulmonary hypertension mediator endothelin-1 (ET-1), with a focus on changes in superoxide and regulation of micro-RNA 204 (miR204) expression by src kinase phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3). The treatment of mice with ALA attenuated pulmonary hypertension (assessed through echo Doppler flow of the pulmonary valve, and direct measurements of right ventricular systolic pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy), …

Accuracy Of Highly Sexually Active Gay And Bisexual Men’S Predictions Of Their Daily Likelihood Of Anal Sex And Its Relevance For Intermittent Event-Driven Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Jeffrey T. Parsons, H. Jonathon Rendina, Christian Grov, Ana Ventuneac, Brian Mustanski

Publications and Research

Objective: We sought to examine highly sexually active gay and bisexual men’s accuracy in predicting their sexual behavior for the purposes of informing future research on intermittent, event-driven HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

Design: For 30 days, 92 HIV-negative men completed a daily survey about their sexual behavior (n = 1,688 days of data) and indicated their likelihood of having anal sex with a casual male partner the following day.

Method: We utilized multilevel modeling to analyze the association between self-reported likelihood of and subsequent engagement in anal sex.

Results: We found a linear association between men’s reported likelihood …

Investigation Of Dual Stage Acridones As A Potent Malaria Treatment, Stephanie Huezo

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The need for potent antimalarials to prevent the emergence of drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum is urgent. Discovery of novel acridone chemotypes have shown promise for a new antimalarial drug treatment. Presently, two acridone chemotypes have intrinsic antimalarial potency against chloroquine sensitive and multidrug resistant parasites. Acridones lacking an N10 side chain are known as chemotype I acridones, whereas, chemotype II acridones are defined as having an alkyl side chain at the same position. The N10 substitution of chemotype II acridones is thought to target heme and inhibit hemozoin formation within the parasite’s digestive vacuole, and is known to provide synergistic …

Ua42 Regional Review: Reaching New Heights In The Region Spring 2015, Heather Garcia ,Editor

Regional Campuses Publications

No abstract provided.

Dying For A Drink: How The Consumption Of Home Brews Affects Health Within The Kibera Slum Of Nairobi, Kenya, Teaka Jackson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Home-brewed alcohols are inexpensive, thus they are especially consumed by low-income individuals such as those residing in Kibera. This project investigates three alcohols brewed within this area: muratina (mugasha), busaa and chang’aa. With the help of Philip Ndemwa, a nutrition expert from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, I was able to gain insight regarding the process of these alcohols, as well as the sanitation conditions of the production sites of these home brews and how these factors affect the health of the consumer. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were utilized in order to fully understand the health repercussions from …

Permanence And Picnic Tables Perceptions Of Maji Safi Group’S Disease Prevention Center At Shirati Kmt District Designated Hospital, Sarah Muskin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study conducted in Shirati village in the Rorya District of the Mara Region of Tanzania analyzed perspectives on the effectiveness of Maji Safi Group’s Disease Prevention Center at Shirati KMT District Designated Hospital. It took place from April 9th- 24th 2015. The sample frame was those affiliated with or using the Disease Prevention Centers resources. The sample populations were medical professional employed at Shirati Hospital (n = 15), Community Health Workers (n = 11) (CHWs) working for Maji Safi Group, and visitors (n = 113) to the Disease Prevention Center. This study utilized three main methods for data collection: …

Analysis Of Traditional Medicine In Zanzibar, Tanzania, Jessica Baylor

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditional medicine is used as a major source of health care in developing countries. A small island off the coast of Tanzania, Zanzibar has traditional medicine embedded in its culture. Informal interviews of community members and healers in four different villages as well as interviews with the Department of Forestry and the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Unit were conducted over a four week study. This study found that community members of four villages in Zanzibar supported the idea of a regulation of traditional medicine by the government. It also found that the majority of traditional medicine users have noticed a …

Herbs, Home Medicine, And Self-Reliance: A Study On The Current Status Of Traditional Home Medicine In Idukki District, Kerala, Richard Gaunt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Home medical knowledge, or knowledge of how one’s surroundings can be used to maintain and restore health, can be an important tool for health self-sufficiency in rural places as well as for the ecological conservation of important plants and natural materials. The Indian state of Kerala has a rich heritage of traditional medicine, found in the historically inter-related forms of codified Ayurveda and folk knowledge. In Idukki district, a region of Kerala nestled in the hills of the Western Ghats, rural households engage in small-scale home-gardening and agroforestry, which in addition to providing nutritionally diverse food is a source of …

Ouch, That Hurts: Childbirth-Related Pain Management And The Inappropriate Replacement Of Traditional Obstetrical Knowledge In Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India, Sabrina Zionts

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Throughout India, obstetrical knowledge and practice has been developed and passed down by generations of women. In many Indian societies, traditional birth attendants, or dais, remain the gatekeepers of childbirth-related knowledge. Yet with the push towards institutional delivery, traditional knowledge and practices are being increasingly replaced with modern and Western ones. While the trend of hospital deliveries has yielded positive health outcomes, its socio-cultural consequences remain unclear. Situated in Uttarakhand’s Kumaon Himalayas, this study employs a bio-social framework and begins to reveal these consequences. Using labor pain management as an entry point, this study argues that the push towards institutional …

Perceptions Of Potable Water In Rajasthan’S Jodhpur And Barmer Districts, Melissa Spross

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper looks at differences and similarities in various populations’ perceptions of safe drinking water (SDW) within Rajasthan (RJ), India, developing suggestions for future initiatives addressing the movement for safe drinking water for all. For this study, surveys were used; the survey was conducted in RJ, India, both in urban Jodhpur and in surrounding rural villages. To analyze the data, all the responses were entered into Excel format to discover patterns, themes and trends within four subtopics: access, storage, quality and cultural significance. The responses indicate that while a distinct water culture spans the geographic area, each different population retains …

Ulaanbaatar’S Ger District Issues: Changes And Attitudes, David Engel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Several of Ulaanbaatar’s current issues are directly related to Ulaanbaatar’s sprawling Ger District. The Ger District is home to approximately 736,000 residents, 61% of Ulaanbaatar’s population (Galimbyek, 2015). The significant growth in Ulaanbaatar is shown by its 52.8% of residents who were born outside of the city, the majority of migrants moving into the Ger District due to a lack of housing. (Chilkhaasuren & Baasankhuu, 2012). The development of Ulaanbaatar has not kept up with the rapid growth leading to inadequate infrastructure in much of the Ger District. In turn, inadequate infrastructure has lead to high pollution levels, negatively affecting …

Curandera, Partera, Bush Doctor, Luna Olavarría Gallegos

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua is a region that has historically been subject to colonization through severe environmental degradation, ethnic cleansing, exploitation of work, and an imposing language. Within this oppression, indigenous and afrodescendent communities of the Atlantic Coast, formally known as RAACS (South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region), have lost centuries worth of language, tradition, and homes in just a few decades. My documentary looks at how communities resist an imposing government and globalization through the revitalization of their traditions, specifically traditional medicine. It delves into the issues of modern colonialism in these communities, and how organizations, government programs, and …

Ua1c11/57 Spring Graduate Hooding Ceremony Photos Part I, Wku Nursing

WKU Administration Documents

Unidentified images from the 2015 Nursing graduate hooding ceremony.

Ua10/1 Cec Newsletter, Mary Lloyd Moore Executive Director, Wku Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex

CEC Publications

No abstract provided.

Baystate Health Sciences Library Newsletter - Spring 2015, Maria Roman

Library Newsletters

Health Sciences Library Newsletter - Spring 2015

Ua1c11/57 Spring Graduate Hooding Ceremony Photos Part Ii, Wku Nursing

WKU Administration Documents

Unidentified images of the 2015 Nursing graduate hooding ceremony.

Curtailing Endothelial Tgf-Β Signaling Is Sufficient To Reduce Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition And Fibrosis In Ckd, Sandhya Xavier, Radovan Vasko, Kei Matsumoto, Joseph A. Zullo, Robert Chen, Julien Maizel, Praveen N. Chander, Michael S. Goligorsky

NYMC Faculty Publications

Excessive TGF-β signaling in epithelial cells, pericytes, or fibroblasts has been implicated in CKD. This list has recently been joined by endothelial cells (ECs) undergoing mesenchymal transition. Although several studies focused on the effects of ablating epithelial or fibroblast TGF-β signaling on development of fibrosis, there is a lack of information on ablating TGF-β signaling in the endothelium because this ablation causes embryonic lethality. We generated endothelium-specific heterozygous TGF-β receptor knockout (TβRII(endo+/-)) mice to explore whether curtailed TGF-β signaling significantly modifies nephrosclerosis. These mice developed normally, but showed enhanced angiogenic potential compared with TβRII(endo+/+) mice under basal conditions. After induction …

Accuracy Of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Measurement By Emergency Physicians Using Bedside Ultrasound, Getaw Worku Hassen, Isaac Bruck, Joseph Donahue, Benjamin Mason, Brett Sweeney, Weafue Saab, Jeremy Weedon, Neal Patel, Kenneth Perry, Hussein Matari, Rajnish Jaiswal, Hossein Kalantari

NYMC Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound (US) measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) has been utilized as an indirect assessment of intracranial pressure. It is usually performed by trained ultrasonographers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether or not emergency physicians (EP) are capable of measuring the ONSD accurately by US. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective measurement of ONSD was conducted on computed tomography (CT) scans of the head or facial bones. These patients had undergone ocular US performed by EPs prior to CT scanning. The CT scan measurements of ONSD read by a board-certified radiologist were compared with that of the US read by …

Diabetes Distress: Transforming A Practice, Goff M. Jeannie

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Diabetes mellitus affects millions of people in the United States, placing them at risk for other disease related complications. This makes the management of diabetes and the prevention of complications an important challenge. The psychological aspect of diabetes care may present a barrier to patients that inhibit them from achieving optimal self-care.

Diabetes distress (DD) is the psychological aspect of diabetes that is specific to the emotional distress caused from living a chronic disease. DD has been linked to poorer self-management behaviors which makes it a significant problem that should be taken into consideration for effective management of the diabetic …

Targeting Cd20+ Aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma By Anti-Cd20 Car Mrna-Modified Expanded Natural Killer Cells In Vitro And In Nsg Mice, Yaya Chu, Jessica Hochberg, Ashlin Yahr, Janet Ayello, Carmella Van De Ven, Matthew Barth, Myron Czuczman, Mitchell S. Cairo

NYMC Faculty Publications

The prognosis is very dismal for patients with relapsed CD20(+) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Facilitating the development of alternative novel therapeutic strategies is required to improve outcomes in patients with recurrent/refractory CD20(+) B-NHL. In this study, we investigated functional activities of anti-CD20 CAR-modified, expanded peripheral blood NK cells (exPBNK) following mRNA nucleofection against CD20(+) B-NHL in vitro and in vivo. CAR(+) exPBNK had significantly enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity, compared with CAR(-) exPBNK against CD20(+) Ramos (P < 0.05), Daudi, Raji, and two rituximab-resistant cell lines, Raji-2R and Raji-4RH (P < 0.001). As expected, there was no significant difference against CD20(-) RS4;11 and Jurkat cells. CD107a degranulation and intracellular IFNγ production were also enhanced in CAR(+) exPBNK in response to CD20(+) B-NHL -: specific stimulation. In Raji-Luc and Raji-2R-Luc xenografted NOD/SCID/γ-chain(-/-) (NSG) mice, the luciferase signals measured in the CAR(+) exPBNK-treated group were significantly reduced, compared with the signals measured in the untreated mice and in mice treated with the CAR(-) exPBNK. Furthermore, the CAR exPBNK-treated mice had significantly extended survival time (P < 0.001) and reduced tumor size, compared with those of the untreated and the CAR(-) exPBNK-treated mice (P < 0.05). These preclinical data suggest that ex vivo-exPBNK modified with anti-CD20 CAR may have therapeutic potential for treating patients with poor-risk CD20(+) hematologic malignancies.

Barriers To Prevention And Treatment Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Analysis Of Women In East Sikkim, India, Emily Applewhite

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder that affects more people in India than anywhere else in the world (Ramachandran et. al., 2010). A recent national study concluded that Sikkim, a small northeastern state in the Himalayas, has the highest prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus compared to any other state in India. In order to determine why this is so, this study looks at the barriers women face when attempting to prevent and treat Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in East Sikkim. Fieldwork for this study was facilitated by The Volunteer Health Association of Sikkim, and took place in Gangtok and a …

Talking Mirrors: Experiences Of Older Transgender Adults And Culturally Competent Mental Healthcare Profes-Sionals With Talk Therapy In The Netherlands, Kate Cieplicki

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Historically, both the general population and mental healthcare providers specifically have misunderstood the transgender identity as pathological and unnatural. Despite persistent ignorance in the mental healthcare field about the background and needs of transgender adults, a psychoanalytic evaluation is required by the gender clinic for a transgender individual to begin the gender transition process in the Netherlands. This requirement creates a degree of tension and mistrust between the transgender individual and the mental healthcare field. Such discomfort is unfortunate because statistically transgender adults face more mental health problems than their cisgender peers, likely because of the stress that comes from …

Childhood Obesity In School-Aged Children: A Public Health Crisis, Carrie St. Hilaire (Class Of 2015)

SHU Undergraduate Works

Childhood obesity is a public and community health problem with real and serious consequences. Public health (school) nurses are in prime positions to advance change by promoting healthy food choices, encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle, and educating children, families, and communities as to the benefits of these choices. Our children are our future, and by making lifestyle changes together we can move forward toward a healthier future for all.

Grant Proposal: Effects Of Sound Field Amplification On Standardized Test Scores, Jessica Ivey Coker

Doctoral Dissertations

Research has shown that the majority of classroom environments lack appropriate acoustical standards to ensure optimal learning conditions. During the early school grades, it is especially crucial that students overcome poor listening environments to obtain the fundamental educational skills necessary for academic success. Furthermore, the State of Louisiana conducts standardized test assessments (LEAP and iLEAP) to measure the students' knowledge and skills gained. These standardized test scores not only determine if the student progresses to the next grade, but also influences the amount of federal revenue and how the revenue is allocated to the schools. A proposed remedy to …

Drink Like A Lawyer: The Neuroscience Of Substance Use And Its Impact On Cognitive Wellness, Debra S. Austin

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

Lawyers suffer from higher levels of anxiety and depression than the rest of the population, but most do not enter law school with these mental health issues. Disciplinary actions against attorneys involve substance abuse 50 to 75 percent of the time. However, neuroscience research has shown that both the brain and the genes enjoy the power of plasticity, which means that personal choices and environments shape the development of lawyers throughout their lives. Legal educators need a better understanding of what aspects or characteristics of legal education contribute to the decline in mental health of law students, lawyers, and judges, …

Effectiveness Of An Observation Unit And Transition Team On Length Of Stay: Before And After Study, Charinette Guerrero, John Rogers, Barratt Schichtel

Graduate Research Projects

There have been many proposed solutions to decrease emergency department (ED) overcrowding and increase the quality of care in this particular population. However, there is little research suggesting the use of combining short-term observational units, as well as transition teams, in order to reduce ED length of stay (LOS) in patients awaiting disposition or inpatient bed assignments.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of using short-term observational units and transition teams in order to decrease length of stay in patients originating from the emergency department who are awaiting disposition or inpatient bed assignments.

Muslim Women And United States Healthcare: Challenges To Access And Navigation, Dayna M. Seeger

What All Americans Should Know About Women in the Muslim World

This paper offers an analysis of the interactions of Muslim women in the US healthcare system in order to unpack challenges and propose potential accommodations. Islam may inform values or considerations in the context of other cultural factors or present Muslim women with specific challenges in seeking healthcare based on Islamic teachings or social constructs. This paper examines these factors by elaborating on an overview of Muslim interpretations of healthcare using religious authorities, text from the Qur’an, and social norms. It then delves into challenges faced by Muslim women in the US healthcare system and the implications of those challenges …

Breastfeeding Initiation And Continuation By Employment Status Among Korean Women, Yeon Bai, Nam Mi Kang, Jung Eun Lee, Theo Van Achterberg, Taisun Hyun

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding among Korean women in relation to their employment status. Data were collected using a web-based self-administered questionnaire from 1,031 Korean mothers living in Seoul with babies younger than 24 months. Demographic characteristics, education on breastfeeding, rooming in, breastfeeding during a hospital stay, and breastfeeding knowledge were examined. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with initiation and continuation at 1, 6 and 12 months according to mothers' employment status. Breastfeeding initiation rates were similar regardless of mothers' employment status. …