Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Burnout Symptoms: Depressive Manifestations Under Psychosocial Labels?, Bianchi Renzo, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

It can be concluded that burnout symptoms represent depressive symptoms under nonmedical labels. Our analysis supports the view that burnout is synonymous with depression and constitutes a roadblock to transdisciplinary communication.

Burnout And The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis: A Methodological Comment, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

Because (a) burnout overlaps with depression and (b) depression has been associated with altered functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis changes in the activity of the HPT axis can be expected in burnout. Most probably, Guo et al.’s (2017) results are flawed by a severe form of the “healthy worker effect.”

Consequences Of Job Stress For The Psychological Well-Being Of Teachers, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi, Peter Luehring-Jones

Publications and Research

This chapter examines research on the relationship between job stressors and mental health (depressive symptoms, burnout, and mental disorders such as depression) in teachers. Teachers are exposed daily to job stressors (e.g., student disruptiveness) that have been linked to adverse mental health effects. Epidemiologic research indicates that when compared to members of other groups, teachers experience higher rates of mental disorder, although some studies question that conclusion. Large-scale studies indicate when compared to members of other occupational groups, teachers are at higher risk for exposure to workplace violence, with its adverse mental health consequences. Longitudinal research has linked teaching-related stressors …

Rural Community Health Needs Assessment Findings: Access To Care And Mental Health, Sabrina Cherry, Ayanna Robinson, Jared Jashinsky, Grace Bagwell-Adams, Michelle Elliott, Marsha Davis

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This article highlights the qualitative results from focus groups conducted as part of a Community Health Needs Assessments in two rural Georgia communities. Four 1-hr focus groups were facilitated with 32 community stakeholders. Sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis identified two primary themes: mental health and barriers to accessing health care. Focus group participants discussed mental health challenges as they related to substance abuse and suicide. Participants acknowledged barriers to access, including no health insurance, cost, eligibility gaps for government-sponsored programs, the low availability of specialty care, and poverty. Addressing mental health and access to care in …

Research Strategies For Biomedical And Health Informatics: Some Thought-Provoking And Critical Proposals To Encourage Scientific Debate On The Nature Of Good Research In Medical Informatics, Reinhold Haux, Et Al.

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Medical informatics, or biomedical and health informatics (BMHI), has become an established scientific discipline. In all such disciplines there is a certain inertia to persist in focusing on well-established research areas and to hold on to well-known research methodologies rather than adopting new ones, which may be more appropriate. To search for answers to the following questions: What are research fields in informatics, which are not being currently adequately addressed, and which methodological approaches might be insufficiently used? Do we know about reasons? What could be consequences of change for research and for education? Outstanding informatics scientists were invited to …

Investigation On Genetic Modifiers Of Age At Onset Of Major Depressive Disorder, Huseyin Gedik

Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex multifactorial disorder, which would lead to disability. Environmental and genetic factors are involved in MDD etiology. The aim of this project was to identify loci modifying age at onset (AAO) of MDD using survival models after adjusting for Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA). To achieve this aim, a dataset was made available by the China Oxford and VCU Experimental Research on Genetic Epidemiology (CONVERGE) consortium. The study population had 5,220 controls and 5,282 cases with MDD. We performed two univariate association analyses using Cox Proportional Hazard (Cox PH) models. These two are Full Sample …

The Lived Experiences Of Academic Advisors With Counseling Degrees In Addressing Wellness With College Student-Athletes, Jennifer M. Gerlach

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of academic advisors who have master’s degrees in counseling in addressing wellness with college student-athletes. Of particular note was to explore if they addressed wellness and, if so, how they addressed wellness. Extant literature is replete with evidence documenting the numerous challenges and stressors student-athletes experience due to their athlete status. Prior to this study, the role of the academic advisor in addressing wellness has not been represented in the literature. This study examined the lived experiences of 10 academic advisors with counseling degrees, or currently enrolled …

E-Cigarettes And Smoking Cessation: Economic Impact On Current Smokers With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Anal A. Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction:

Awareness and usage of Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) among smokers have increased rapidly over the past few years, majorly in quitting smoking. The main objectives for this study were: 1) To estimate the prevalence and study sociodemographic predictors for e-cigs use among individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) 2) To examine the predictors and estimate the total healthcare costs among current smokers with COPD 3) To estimate the economic impact of adopting e-cigs as a smoking cessation tool among current smokers with COPD.

Methods:

The National Health Interview Survey data from the year 2014 was utilized to estimate the …

Epigenetic Editing To Validate Findings From Methylome-Wide Association Studies Of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Robin F. Chan

Theses and Dissertations

DNA methylation is necessary for learning, memory consolidation and has been implicated in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. Obtaining high quality and comprehensive data for the three common forms of methylation in brain is challenging for methylome-wide association studies (MWAS). To address this we optimized a panel of enrichment methods for screening the brain methylome. Results show that these enrichment techniques approach the coverage and fidelity of the current gold standard bisulfite based techniques. Our MBD-based method can also be used with low amounts of genomic material from limited human biomaterials. Psychiatric disorders have high prevalence and are often chronic …

Computational Fluid Dynamics In A Terminal Alveolated Bronchiole Duct With Expanding Walls: Proof-Of-Concept In Openfoam, Jeremy Myers

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical Biology has found recent success applying Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model airflow in the human lung. Detailed modeling of flow patterns in the alveoli, where the oxygen-carbon dioxide gas exchange occurs, has provided data that is useful in treating illnesses and designing drug-delivery systems. Unfortunately, many CFD software packages have high licensing fees that are out of reach for independent researchers. This thesis uses three open-source software packages, Gmsh, OpenFOAM, and ParaView, to design a mesh, create a simulation, and visualize the results of an idealized terminal alveolar sac model. This model successfully demonstrates that OpenFOAM can be …

Designing Effective Messages To Promote Future Zika Vaccine Uptake, Jeanine Guidry

Theses and Dissertations

The Zika virus is associated with the devastating birth defect microcephaly, and while a vaccine was not yet available in early-2017, several were under development. It is imperative to identify effective communication strategies to promote uptake of a new vaccine, particularly among women of reproductive age. Moreover, though the Zika outbreak has received much social media attention, little is known about these conversations on Instagram. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to understand current Zika-focused communication on Instagram and to inform effective communication strategies to promote future Zika vaccine uptake intent.

The study aims were: (1) explore Zika conversations …

The Characterization Of Chimeric Chaperone Flagrp170 As A Novel Radioprotectant, Tyler L. Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CHIMERIC CHAPERONE FLAGRP170 AS A NOVEL RADIOPROTECTANT

By Tyler Nguyen, M.S.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017

Major Director: Dr. Xiang-Yang (Shawn) Wang, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Radiation therapy (RT) is restricted by toxic effects on adjacent normal tissue, which limits RT efficacy in cancer treatment. Damage to normal tissue, such as radiosensitive intestine and bone marrow compartments, results in acute radiation damage. To reduce normal tissue injury in the setting of RT, we …

Depressive Symptoms Among College Students: An Exploration Of Fundamental Cause Theory, Peter A. Carrico

Theses and Dissertations

Fundamental Cause Theory suggests that socioeconomic and demographic factors are causal to various illnesses, including depression. However, no known previously existing research has used Fundamental Cause Theory to create a model of depression among college students. To do this, the present study conducted a stepwise binomial logistic regression to examine how socioeconomic status and the sociodemographic variables of Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation, and others predict depressive symptoms in a large sample of undergraduates when controlling for stressful life events and social support (N = 2,915). Results support the hypothesis that socioeconomic disparities in depressive symptoms are the result …

A Biorelevant In Vitro Model To Characterize In Vivo Release Of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (Rhbmp-2), Deblina Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

Biorelevant in vitro release/dissolution tests are designed to predict the in vivo behavior of a drug and are crucial in understanding its in vivo performance. Currently, there is no standardized compendial in vitro release testing methods or regulatory guidance’s for release/dissolution testing of implants due to their complex physiological locations.Furthermore, existing compendial methods do not capture the local release profile of ‘novel’ parenterals in physiological low fluid volume surrounding areas.

Long acting and in situ forming implants with orthobiologic proteins and peptides have increased over the past few decades due to a better understanding of genetic engineering. One of these …

Internet-Based Behavior Of It Professionals: Implications For Online Ergonomic Education To Prevent Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Priyadarshini Pattath

Theses and Dissertations

INTERNET-BASED BEHAVIOR OF IT PROFESSIONALS: IMPLICATIONS FOR ONLINE ERGONOMIC EDUCATION TO PREVENT WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

By Priyadarshini Pattath, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017 Director: Dr. Robin Hurst, Assistant Professor of Adult Learning, Teaching and Learning,

School of Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the preferences of medium of ergonomic education and views about self-directed online training modules to prevent musculoskeletal disorders in computer professionals and understand their perspectives and experiences about online health information seeking using a …

A Systems Biology Approach For Predicting Essential Genes And Deciphering Their Dynamics Under Stress In Streptococcus Sanguinis, Fadi El-Rami

Theses and Dissertations

Infectious diseases are the top leading cause of death worldwide. Identifying essential genes, genes indispensable for survival, has been proven indispensable in defining new therapeutic targets against pathogens, major elements of the minimal set genome to be harnessed in synthetic biology, and determinants of evolutionary relationships of phylogenetically distant species. Thus, essentiality studies promise valuable revenues that can decipher much of biological complexities.

Taking advantage of the available microbial sequences and the essentiality studies conducted in various microbial models, we proposed a framework for the prediction of essential genes based on our experimentally verified knowledge of the pathways involved in …

Health Aid In Africa: Placement, Service Utilization, And Benefit, Carrie Dolan

Theses and Dissertations

While the health sector has attracted significant foreign aid, evidence on the effectiveness of this support is mixed. This dissertation examines the allocation of health aid within the context of placement, service utilization, and benefit. The first paper examined the sub-national allocation of Chinese development aid projects across Africa. I determined how political preferencing of Chinese aid specifically, allocating aid to the birth region of the current political leader differs across sectors such as health, education, and transportation. I find some evidence that aid, more broadly defined, is subject to political preferencing in recipient countries, which could potentially limit its …

Characterization Of The Role Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 (Igfbp7) Using A Genetic Knockout Mouse Model, Maaged A. Akiel

Theses and Dissertations

In the US, the incidence and mortality rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are alarmingly increasing since no effective therapy is available for the advanced disease. Activation of IGF signaling is a major oncogenic event in diverse cancers, including HCC. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 (IGFBP7) inhibits IGF signaling by binding to IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and functions as a potential tumor suppressor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). IGFBP7 abrogates tumors by inducing cancer-specific senescence and apoptosis and inhibiting angiogenesis. We now document that Igfbp7 knockout (Igfbp7-/- ) mouse shows constitutive activation of IGF signaling, presents with pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive microenvironment, and develops …

Novel Orally Active Hydrogen Sulfide-Releasing Compound, Sg1002, Improves Left Ventricular Function And Survival In A Murine Model Of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy, Bharat Balan

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gasotransmitter that has shown cardioprotective effects in the setting of myocardial injury such as acute myocardial infarction (MI) and pressure overload-induced heart failure. However, there are shortcomings in precision and control release from the use of traditional formulations of H₂S in the form of inorganic salts. In this thesis, we sought to determine if the novel, orally active, slow-releasing H₂S-compound SG1002 plays a role in attenuating MI-induced left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and adverse remodeling. We also evaluated the effect of SG1002 on changes in ECG parameters such as QT …

Deletion Of Cardiac Mir-17-92 Cluster Increases Ischemia/ Reperfusion Injury Via Pten Upregulation, Meeta B. Prakash

Theses and Dissertations

The miR-17- 92 cluster is necessary for cell proliferation and development of the cardiovascular system. Deletion of this cluster leads to death in neonatal mice. The role of this cluster still needs to be defined following ischemia and reperfusion. Methods and Results: Adult male mice were injected with Tamoxifen- was to induce inducible cardiac-specific miR-17- 92-deficient (miR-17- 92-def: MCM:TG:miR-17- 92 flox/flox ) and wild type (WT: MCM:NTG:miR-17-92 flox/flox ) mice were subjected to 30 minutes of myocardial ischemia via left anterior descending coronary artery ligation followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Post I/R survival (48%) and ejection fraction were reduced, …

The Role Of Human Msc Derived Exosomes In The Treatment Of Periodontal Diseases, Sonia S. Talegaonkar

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease affects 47% of Americans over 30. Characterized by microbial dysbiosis and unregulated inflammation, severe periodontitis causes degradation of bone and soft tissue around teeth. Current treatments have limited regenerative outcomes and frequent reinfection by harmful bacteria. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have been shown to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration. Many therapeutic benefits of hMSCs are due to their secretome products, like exosomes. Our long-term goal is to develop periodontal therapies with hMSC exosomes. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of hMSC-derived exosomes on cellular activity of hMSCs and investigate whether hMSC exosome …

Investigation Of Polymeric Composites For Controlled Drug Release, Hsi-Wei Yeh

Theses and Dissertations

The Electrospray (ES) technique is a promising particle generation method for drug delivery due to its capabilities of producing monodisperse PLGA composite particles with unique configurations and high drug encapsulation efficiency. In the dissertation work, the coaxial dual capillary ES was used to generate drug-loaded core-shell PLGA particles to study the effects of particle filling materials, drug loading locations and particle shell thicknesses on the resultant in vitro release behaviors of the hydrophilic and/ or hydrophobic model drugs. Through release profile characterization of drug-loaded PLGA particles (particle size: 400 nm and 1 μm), it was confirmed that the co-encapsulation of …

An Algorithm To Improve Deformable Image Registration Accuracy In Challenging Cases Of Locally-Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Christopher L. Guy

Theses and Dissertations

A common co-pathology of large lung tumors located near the central airways is collapse of portions of lung due to blockage of airflow by the tumor. Not only does the lung volume decrease as collapse occurs, but fluid from capillaries also fills the space no longer occupied by air, greatly altering tissue appearance. During radiotherapy, typically administered to the patient over multiple weeks, the tumor can dramatically shrink in response to the treatment, restoring airflow to the lung sections which were collapsed when therapy began. While return of normal lung function is a positive development, the change in anatomy presents …

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Pathology And 2-Year Postsurgical Recurrence Of Breast Cancer In Kenyan Women, Nathan R. Brand, Ronald Wasike, Khalid Makhdomi, Rajendra Chauhan, Zahir Moloo, Samuel Gakinya, Alfred I. Neugut, Jo Anne Zujewski, Shahin Sayed

General Surgery, East Africa

Purpose: The goal of this study was to describe the pathologic findings and early follow-up experience of patients who underwent a sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between 2008 and 2017.

Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of women with breast cancer who underwent an SLNB at AKUH between 2008 and 2017. The SLNB was performed on patients with stage I and stage II breast cancer, and identification of the sentinel lymph node was made by radioactive tracer, blue dye, or both, per availability and surgeon preference. Demographic, surgical, and pathologic data, …

Oxidative Stress And Proteomic Studies Of Mammalian Models Of Age-Related Metabolic Dysfunction In Neurodegenerative Disorders, Aaron M. Swomley

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Expression proteomics is the field of science wherein proteins that make up the cellular proteome are identified both by name and by fold-change. Depending on the application of proteomics, this change in level could be due to internal cellular stressors or introduction of xenobiotics. Global oxidative stress measures use immunohistochemistry to determine the relative level of oxidative stress of macromolecules within the cell. In this dissertation, both global oxidative stress measures and expression proteomics were used in a variety of mammalian models in order to determine the effects of protein upregulation, intranasal insulin administration, and resveratrol supplementation on the cellular …

The Surgical Infection Society Revised Guidelines On The Management Of Intra-Abdominal Infection, John E. Mazuski, Jeffrey M. Tessier, Addison K. May, Robert G. Sawyer, Evan P. Nadler, Matthew R. Rosengart, Phillip K. Chang, Patrick J. O'Neill, Kevin P. Mollen, Jared M. Huston, Jose J. Diaz Jr., Jose M. Prince

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: Previous evidence-based guidelines on the management of intra-abdominal infection (IAI) were published by the Surgical Infection Society (SIS) in 1992, 2002, and 2010. At the time the most recent guideline was released, the plan was to update the guideline every five years to ensure the timeliness and appropriateness of the recommendations.

Methods: Based on the previous guidelines, the task force outlined a number of topics related to the treatment of patients with IAI and then developed key questions on these various topics. All questions were approached using general and specific literature searches, focusing on articles and other information published …

Nutritious Meals For The Homeless Population: Challenges And Opportunities, Kayla A. Albrecht

Masters Theses

Objective: Consuming a nutritionally adequate diet is extremely challenging for the homeless population. Though meals are available to the homeless population through soup kitchens and homeless shelters, these settings often do not serve meals that provide essential nutrients. The consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods has led in part to high prevalence of obesity, heart disease, and chronic illnesses among the homeless. The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the challenges that homeless shelters face in providing nutritious meals to guests and (b) investigate the need and interest of nutrition education at homeless shelters.

Methods: Nine homeless shelter directors …

Risk Factors For Hypoxia And Tachypnea Among Adolescents With Vertically-Acquired Hiv In Nairobi, Engi F. Attia, Noel S. Weiss, Elizabeth Maleche Obimbo, Christine J. Mcgrath, Anthony Cagle, Eoin T. West, El Antouny G. Neveen, Attwa Mena, Crothers Kristina, Michael Chung

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Chronic lung diseases are increasingly recognized complications of vertically-acquired HIV among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and may manifest with hypoxia or tachypnea. We sought to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for hypoxia and tachypnea among adolescents with vertically-acquired HIV in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 258 adolescents with vertically-acquired HIV who were initiating care at the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases. Adolescents with documented pneumonia were excluded. Hypoxia was defined as resting oxygen saturation ≤92%, and tachypnea was based on the 99th percentile of age-appropriate respiratory rates. Logistic regression models adjusted for …

Muscle Function And Fatigability Of Trunk Flexors In Males And Females, Rita Deering, Jonathon Senefeld, Tatyana Pashibin, Donald A. Neumann, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Optimal function of the abdominal muscles is necessary for several life functions including lifting and carrying tasks. Sex differences in strength and fatigability are established for many limb muscles and back extensor muscles, but it is unknown if sex differences exist for the abdominal muscles despite their functional importance.

Methods

Eighteen females (24.3 ± 4.8 years) and 15 males (24.1 ± 6.6 years) performed (1) isometric trunk flexion maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) in a range of trunk positions to establish a torque-angle curve and (2) submaximal (50% MVC), intermittent isometric contraction (6 s on, 4 s off) until task …

An Analysis Of Perioperative Adverse Neurological Events Associated With Anesthetic Management At A Tertiary Care Center Of A Developing Country, Fauzia Anis Khan, Sobia Khan, Gauhar Afshan

Department of Anaesthesia

Background and Aims: Existing literature on neurological complications related to anesthesia is reported from affluent countries but the trends may vary in less affluent countries.MATERIAL AND Methods: The objective was to find the associated factors contributing to neurological adverse events occurring within 48 h of anesthesia and surgery. The existing departmental morbidity and mortality database was reviewed from 1992 to 2012 for major adverse neurological events. A standardized methodology was used in reviewing and classifying the data. All adverse events were predefined and categorized before filling the form into the following headers; meningitis, cord/plexus/peripheral nerve injury, stroke, paraparesis/paraplegia/quadriparesis/or quadriplegia, new …