Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Strategies For Improving Patient Compliance, Diana V. Macri

Publications and Research

Patient compliance is the degree to which a person adheres to the professional advice healthcare providers offer. Aside from significantly compromising a person’s health, non-compliance also wastes resources and productivity. The monetary costs of medical noncompliance has been estimated to be around $300 billion a year. Demographic, disease severity and gender effects on compliance are small. In dental hygiene, where practitioners focus on the prevention of oral disease, motivating patients to practice healthy behaviors has long been a challenging, and often frustrating, aspect of practice. Any discussion of compliance must begin with a brief review of human development and the …

Factors That Determine Admission To And Success In Physical Therapy Programs: A Pre-Pt Website Designing Narrative, Stefanie Cesario

Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Changing Behavior, Brain Differences, Or Both? A Review Of Effective Adhd Treatment, Devin Hilla

Honors Projects

Much debate exists over the proper course of treatment for individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) and amphetamine (e.g., Adderall), have been shown to be effective in managing ADHD symptoms. More recently, non-stimulant medications, such as atomoxetine (e.g., Strattera), clonidine (e.g., Kapvay), and guanfacine (e.g., Intuniv), have provided a pharmacological alternative with potentially lesser side effects than stimulants. Behavioral therapies, like behavioral parent training, behavioral classroom management, and behavioral peer interventions, have shown long-term benefits for children with ADHD; however, the success of the short-term management of ADHD symptoms is not as substantial when …

The Neurochemistry Of Group Singing: Bonding And Oxytocin, Jason Keeler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the neurochemical correlates of group vocal improvisation and to determine the feasibility of the research methods. One group of four participants sang together in two conditions: pre-composed and improvised. Concentrations of plasma oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were measured before and after each singing condition to assess levels of hormones associated with social affiliation, engagement and arousal. Successful implementation of the methodology, including recruitment, data collection, and sample analysis, served as the primary outcome of this study. ACTH concentrations decreased in both conditions, and significantly so in the pre-composed singing condition. Mean …

High Prevalence And Genetic Heterogeneity Of Rodent-Borne Bartonella Species On Heixiazi Island, China, Dong-Mei Li, Yong Hou, Xiu-Ping Song, Ying-Qun Fu, Gui-Chang Li, Ming Li, Marina E. Eremeeva, Hai-Xia Wu, Bo Pang, Yu-Juan Yue, Ying Huang, Liang Lu, Jun Wang, Qi-Yong Liu

Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

We performed genetic analysis of Bartonella isolates from rodent populations from Heixiazi Island in northeast China. Animals were captured at four sites representing grassland and brushwood habitats in 2011 and examined for the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species, their relationship to their hosts, and geographic distribution. A high prevalence (57.7%) and a high diversity (14 unique genotypes which belonged to 8 clades) of Bartonella spp. were detected from 71 rodents comprising 5 species and 4 genera from 3 rodent families. Forty-one Bartonella isolates were recovered and identified, including B. taylorii, B. japonica, B. coopersplainsensis, B. grahamii, B. washoensis …

The Impact Of Ciwa-Ar Tool On Healthcare Professionals, Laronda Tinsley

Applied Research Projects

Alcohol is one of the most abused substances worldwide. The regular consumption of alcohol can lead to dependency which depresses the central nervous system. Consequently, when a heavy drinker is no longer consuming alcohol, the central nervous system is no longer suppressed and may go into a hyperexcitable state known as alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Symptoms can vary from mild to life threatening. Patients who experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms often have a more complicated hospitalization, an extended length of stay, and increased utilization of intensive care and medical services. The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale-revised (CIWA-Ar) is a …

Measuring Quality Of Health Care In Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus Patients Using Certified Electronic Health Records, Tracey A. Hines

Applied Research Projects

Great strides have been made in health care over the past six years after the implementation of the policy known as meaningful use by the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services. Health care subsidies and monetary incentive programs were created for eligible professionals and critical area hospitals to encourage the use of certified electronic health records in an effort to improve quality care of all acute and chronically ill patients, as well as provide routine examinations for healthy individuals.

Patients diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus were studied using a certified electronic health record system for compliance in physician ordered …

Pre- And Post-Season Physical And Cognitive Testing Of College Athletes Susceptible To The Effects Of Concussion, Audrey Berning, Elsa Klump, Hannah Burkhart, Jeneca Thomas, Stephanie Cahill

Student-Faculty Research - College of Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

Psychological Factors That Impact The Drop-Out Rate In Adolescent Sports, Nicole S. Mcclone

HIM 1990-2015

Children are dropping out of sport at alarming rates. With the highest numbers of dropout occurring between the ages of ten and seventeen, the focus of this research is on the drop-out rates of adolescents from sport. Athletic participation has been linked to positive academic performance, key development of leadership skills, and increased engagement in the community. The research that has been conducted related to sport persistence has had a greater focus on examining factors related to the physical domain. Attention is now beginning to shift however, and researchers are looking outside the physical domain and analyzing sport attrition more …

Role Of B Cell Receptor Signaling In Il-10 Production By Normal And Malignant B-1 Cells., Sara S Alhakeem, Vishal J Sindhava, Mary K Mckenna, Beth W Gachuki, John C Byrd, Natarajan Muthusamy, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

B-1 cells are considered innate immune cells, which produce the majority of natural antibodies. B-1 cell responses to B cell receptor (BCR) and Toll-like receptor ligation are tightly regulated owing to the cross-reactivity to self-antigens. CD5 has been shown to play a major role in downregulation of BCR responses in B-1 cells. Here, we provide evidence for another mechanism by which BCR response is regulated in B-1 cells. B-1 cells, as well as their malignant counterpart, B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells, produce interleukin-10 (IL-10) constitutively. IL-10 secretion by normal B-1 cells downregulates their proliferation responses to BCR ligation. …

Delivering Health Care To Women Who Use Crack : A Brazilian Example., Kristen Connors

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

Knowledge, Intake, And Willingness To Consume Fruits And Vegetables Of Children Located In A Food Desert Versus A Non-Food Desert, Brittany A. Pierce

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a food desert as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods” (“Food Deserts”, 2014). The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between knowledge, intake, and willingness to consume fruits and vegetables between students going to school in a food desert and students not going to school in a food desert. This study was conducted by showing students picture cards to determine knowledge of fruits and vegetables, surveying students to determine intake of fruits and vegetables, and food sampling to determine wiliness to …

Assessing The Need For A New Oral Care Protocol In The Non-Ventilated Patient Population, Talia J. Johnson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Purpose: Nonventilator-associated hospital acquired pneumonia is a nosocomial infection that has not been heavily researched. With hospital-acquired pneumonia accounting for some of the most frequent nosocomial infections in the United States, it is important to determine ways to decrease rates of infection. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of nonventilator-associated pneumonia in a hospital patient population, to determine charting compliance of nurses, and to determine whether there was a need for a new oral care protocol.

Design: A retrospective electronic record review was performed to determine the rate of nonventilator- associated hospital acquired …

The Impact Of Breastfeeding Education: A Retrospective Look At Breastfeeding Education And Breastfeeding Rates, Hannah Newell

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding is associated with improved health outcomes for both mother and child. Not only does it provide optimal nutrition for the infant, it also encourages an intimate maternal-infant bonding experience that establishes the basis for parenting and interaction. Major medical organizations including the Surgeon General’s Healthy People 2020 have an aim of increasing the number of women who initiate breastfeeding, and a recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding for at least one year. While most women are aware that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for infants, they often lack knowledge regarding the …

Visible Tattoos And Professional Nursing Characteristics: A Study On How Appearance Affects The Perception Of Essential Qualities Of Nurses, Darcy M. Boultinghouse

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Previous studies have indicated that nurses with tattoos are viewed less favorably than nurses without tattoos, regardless of gender. Additionally, older adults are more likely to negatively evaluate nurses with tattoos than young adults. Images of male and female nurses with and without tattoos were shown to 128 participants between the ages of 18-80 years on an iPad. Participants selected according to gender which nurse possessed more of the following professional characteristics based on their initial impression of their physical traits, or selected no difference: respectfulness, kindness, trustworthiness, intelligence and competence. The study showed that male nurses with tattoos were …

Community-Based Participatory Research To Improve Early Detection And Treatment Of Hypertension In A Suburban Community In Thailand, Chuncharaporn Sinsiri

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Communities have a significant role in working with health personnel to detect new and previously diagnosed cases of high blood pressure during community BP screening programs. In Thailand there are many people with elevated BP who do not access care. The purpose of this Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) was to build a community partnership following the CBPR approach to develop a health program to improve early detection and treatment of hypertension. Three specific aims were: Aim 1. Using CBPR principles, describe the process of building a community partnership to develop a community health program to improve early detection and treatment …

When 1 + 1 > 2: Nanostructured Composites For Hard Tissue Engineering Applications, Vuk Uskoković

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Multicomponent, synergistic and multifunctional nanostructures have taken over the spotlight in the realm of biomedical nanotechnologies. The most prospective materials for bone regeneration today are almost exclusively composites comprising two or more components that compensate for the shortcomings of each one of them alone. This is quite natural in view of the fact that all hard tissues in the human body, except perhaps the tooth enamel, are composite nanostructures. This review article highlights some of the most prospective breakthroughs made in this research direction, with the hard tissues in main focus being those comprising bone, tooth cementum, dentin and enamel. …

News & Events

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

No abstract provided.

Knowledge And Perceptions Regarding Sexual And Reproductive Health Among High School Students In Kathmandu, Nepal, Magdalena Mattebo, Rebecka Elfstrand, Ulrika Karlsson, Kerstin Erlandsson

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Background: Nepal recently began teaching sexual education in the school system and has established youth friendly services in order to meet the need of increased sexual and reproductive knowledge among the youth.
Objective: To examine the sexual and reproductive knowledge and perceptions among young people attending schools in Kathmandu.
Method: A written questionnaire was distributed to 160 students, in a classroom environment, in four schools in Kathmandu.
Results: Two thirds of the females and nearly 60% of the males knew that it was possible to get sexually transmitted infection (STI) during one sexual encounter and more than half of the …

International Cooperation: Strengthening Midwifery In Central Asia, Meike Kolfenbach, Karen Birdsall

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Even 25 years after their independence, the Central Asian States (Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan / Uzbekistan) are facing enormous challenges in the health system. Several years ago it became obvious that the MDG 4 and 5 would not be fully achieved. This led to an increased support of the health systems of the concerned countries by Germany’s International Cooperation. The GIZ Regional Health Programme in Central Asia placed great emphasis upon increasing the number of births attended by health professionals, including midwives. The strengthening of midwifery as a model of a sustainable maternal and child health relies on a broad based …

Community Based Midwives Practice In Patriarchal Social System, Yasmeen Jan Mohammad, Rafat Jan

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

It is well accepted globally, that midwives can save the lives of mothers and their new-born successfully, if the community stakeholders provide support and freedom for full scope of practice. Recognising this many countries deploy midwives in the community as an intervention to achieve the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) 4 and 5 targets set for decreasing maternal and neonatal mortality, respectively.

However, high-income countries’ reports show very good results, in achieving MDGs 4 and 5 while the low-income countries lag behind in this regard. The situation in high-income and low-income countries is different because midwives practising in the community in …

Message From The Vice President For Research, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Notes From The Director, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

About The Mcnair Scholars Program, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen? Interdisciplinary Team Discharge Clinic Prevents Hospital Readmissions, Nabila Ahmed-Sarwar, Lauren Decaporale-Ryan, Shaula Woz, Katie Lashway, Karen Mahler, Tracy Lewis, Robbyn Upham

Pharmacy Faculty/Staff Publications

Establishment of Interdisciplinary healthcare teams have shown to improve health outcomes and lower readmission rates in medically complex patients during hospitalization. Exploration of interventions has happened largely during the pre-discharge phase rather than post-discharge. To extend the team based approach, we implemented a pilot study of an interdisciplinary discharge clinic to determine what impact a biopsychosocial approach to care can have on hospital readmission rates. This work was conducted at a large family medicine residency-based practice, and facilitated by a physician, behavioral health clinicians, a clinical pharmacist, nurse care managers, and medical assistant. Patients were seen in the discharge clinic …

Stability Of Extemporaneously Prepared Sodium Benzoate Oral Solution, Andrew S. Decker, Melinda E. Lull, David Hutchinson

Pharmacy Faculty/Staff Publications

Purpose: Sodium benzoate (NaC7H5O2), a common food preservative, is the salt form of benzoic acid. It is used as an alternative treatment in patients with hepatic encephalopathy or urea cycle disorders as it is believed help stimulate ammonia removal via a non-urea cycle based pathway. Despite its use, sodium benzoate is not an FDA approved medication and has no commercially available oral formulations, although an IV formulation is available in combination with sodium phenylacetate (Ammonul®). The objectives of this study were to prepare a sodium benzoate solution and determine the stability of an extemporaneously prepared oral solution over a 90-day …

Systemic Insulin Sensitivity And Skeletal Muscle Akt Signaling In Rats Artificially Selected For Low And High Aerobic Capacity, Kyle Levi Fulghum

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The mechanism(s) linking physical inactivity, obesity, and type-II diabetes are unclear. I hypothesized low intrinsic aerobic capacity is associated with reduced systemic insulin sensitivity via skeletal muscle insulin signaling. After 34 generations of selective breeding, high aerobic capacity (HCR) rats exhibited an 8-fold increase in running distance vs low aerobic capacity (LCR) rats (n=14 per group). LCR rats had higher rates of weight gain vs HCR (p<0.05) though food consumption was constant (p=0.86) over a 12-week study. Rats were divided into 4 groups: 1) LCR-Sham Surgery, 2) LCR-Catheterization, 3) HCR-Sham Surgery or 4) HCR-Catheterization (n=7 per group). Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps on catheterized rats tested insulin sensitivity while sham LCR and HCR were used for basal tissue analysis. Plasma insulin levels did not differ during the clamps, but LCR required lower glucose infusion rates than HCR (p<0.05). Upon insulin stimulation, both absolute and normalized phospho-Akt(Ser473) of soleus muscle were significantly increased in HCR above basal group (p<0.05), but not in LCR. No difference was observed between insulin-stimulated phospho-Akt(Ser473) of HCR and LCR groups . These data support that LCR is linked to a reduction in insulin sensitivity in vivo without impairments of insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle phospho-Akt(Ser473) vs HCR rats.

Systematic Review Of Ambulatory Transitional Care Management (Tcm) Visits On Hospital 30-Day Readmission Rates, Karen L. Roper, Jonathan Ballard, Wade Rankin, Roberto Cardarelli

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

To reduce readmission rates and prevent adverse outcomes after discharge, hospitals have begun implementing "transitional care" initiatives. This systematic review identifies research on the particular set of services now reimbursable by Medicare (transitional care management [TCM]) and evaluates the studies for program effectiveness. Results of 3 databases were screened for peer-reviewed journal articles published between January 2004 and 2015 that report on readmissions of adults in the US health care system under the Medicare TCM bundle. ClinicalTrials.gov was queried for funded studies. Of 969 identified studies, 77 met inclusion criteria for relevance to transitional care and appropriateness of population and …

Synthesis Of Medicinally Relevant Thiazolyl Aryl Ketones Under Mild Conditions, Danielle M. Gardner

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Purpose: The growing amount of clinical resistance observed in current antifungal drugs and in anti-HIV pharmaceuticals is a concern in the medical community. The purpose of this study is to develop a mild synthetic process for biomedically relevant thiazolyl aryl ketones that can be used to develop antifungal and anti-HIV drugs. We hypothesized that the proposed synthetic technique would be more efficient, produce fewer unwanted byproducts, and be more tolerant of functional groups than existing methods.

Methods: Prior to each of the ketone reactions, the necessary salt was synthesized by mixing thiazole and 9-bromofluorene neat in a reaction tube heated …

The Rates Of Mothers Who Continually Breastfeed After Implemented Breastfeeding Teaching, Katherine L. Moore

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many mothers are unaware of the benefits of breastfeeding. This lack of knowledge leads to an inability to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the potential source of nutrition their infant will receive during his or her first months of life. Many mothers never even attempt to breastfeed their infant. Even among the mothers who do initially choose to breastfeed, the majority deviate to other forms of feeding early in the postpartum period. Despite the fact that most major medical organizations encourage exclusive breastfeeding through the first six months of an infant’s life, the CDC report for 2013 claims the …