Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Phld 9231 – Health Informatics & Decision Making, Gulzar H. Shah

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course focuses on the fundamental concepts of managing information as an asset in public health and healthcare delivery contexts. Emphasis will be placed on converting data into information and converting information into decision support models.

Pubh 2131a- Introduction To Community And Public Health, James Thomas

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

Introduces the student to the core functions of public health with an emphasis on community health programs and current trends of population health. Exposes the student to the role of community health practice in maximizing the health status of all populations. Course will include an overview of the organizational structure of federal, state, and local health-related agencies and examine the interrelationship of political, social, cultural and economic dimensions of community based population health activities. (2018-2019, Georgia Southern University Undergraduate and Graduate Course Catalog) Access to course materials are available for up to one year after graduation.

Pubh 3130- Substance Use And Abuse (Net), Jamie S. Cromley

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course will explore legal and illegal drug use in modern society. Issues related to the social, cultural, political, economic impact of drug use will be addressed. The recurrent theme throughout the course will be on prevention. This will include discussions on the best ways to postpone the initiation of substance use and abuse among school aged persons as well as the cessation of use and treatment for abuse among adult populations. Substance use and its abuse effects ALL of us and does NOT discriminate on the basis of age, gender, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or income.

Pubh 3231 – Epidemiology And Biostatistics, Kwanza D. Boone

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course introduces the student to the principles and practice of epidemiology and biostatistics. Students will be exposed to the historical development of epidemiology, concepts of causality, definitions of health and disease, and sources of community health data. Current principles and practices in the cause, prevention and control of diseases in various community settings will be emphasized.

Pubh 3432 – Introduction To Global Health Policy, Rachel D. Schwartz

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course introduces the range of cultural and policy approaches different countries take to health, healthcare access, and related population-level health interventions. As part of this course, students will compare different healthcare systems from selected countries. (3 credits)

Culture, Food, And Racism: The Effects On African American Health, Kalah Elantra Vance

Honors Theses

Cultures can be influenced by a number of different factors, one of the most notable being food. Cultural food staples have often traveled from their country of origin of to be integrated into the cuisine of another. African slaves for example, used their knowledge of their West African heritage to forage soul food, a well know cuisine in the American South. The adaptations made to food practices during slavery decreased the nutritional value of the previously healthy West African dishes. After creating a relatively unhealthy food culture through slavery, African Americans continued to face persecution at the hands of the …

Comparison Of Neonatal Outcomes Between Category-1 And Non-Category-1 Primary Emergency Cesarean Section: A Retrospective Record Review In A Tertiary Care Hospital, Dureshahwar Kanwar, Iffat Ahmed, Azra Amerjee, Zahra Hoodbhoy

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To compare neonatal outcomes between Category-1 and Non-Category-1 Primary Emergency Cesarean Section.
Methods: This was a retrospective analysis, conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi from January 1st 2016 till December 31st 2016. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. A sample size of 375 patients who had primary Emergency Caesarean Section (Em-CS) was identified by keeping CS rate of 41.5% and 5% bond on error. Data was collected from labor ward, operating theatre and neonatal ward records by using structured questionnaire.
Results: In the current study, out of 375 participants who underwent primary Em-CS; majority (89.3%) were booked cases. …

Combination Oral Immunotherapy With Il-10 And Il-12 Effectively Treats Colon Tumors Via Synergistic Effects On Il-17 Producing T Cells And Colon Epithelial Barrier Integrity., Neal Bhutiani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, the relationship between colon cancer and inflammation, the utility of novel imaging modalities for diagnosis of colitis and cancer, and the therapeutic efficacy of orally delivered, particle-based immunotherapy for the treatment of colon cancer are evaluated. In Chapters One and Two, multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) is demonstrated to effectively detect colon inflammation without the use of exogenous contrast prior to detection using conventional colonoscopy. Oral particle uptake is demonstrated in the distal small intestine and proximal colon, confirming site-specific delivery. In Chapter Three, administration of IL-10 and IL-12 containing particles is shown to act synergistically to significantly …

Review Of Karyotypic Data From Low Grade Glial Brain Tumors, Specifically Pilocytic Astrocytomas, And Correlation Of Genetic Aberrations With Tumor Recurrence., Linda D. Cooley, Scott C. Smith, Lisa Warren, Melissa Gener, Kevin Ginn, John Herriges

Posters

Abstract: Brain tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood. Approximately 50% of pediatric CNS tumors are low grade gliomas (WHO grade I or II) and Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is the most common accounting for 33% of all gliomas in children 0-14 years and ~18% of all childhood brain tumors. Prognosis with this slow-growing tumor is excellent; 10 year overall survival of ~95%. However, event free survival averages ~50%. Patient age and extent of tumor resection are key prognostic factors; tumor location and size impact resection and outcome. Histopathological features indicate PA is a benign tumor and rarely are …

Visual Field Changes In Professional Wind Versus Non-Wind Musical Instrument Players In The Philadelphia Orchestra, Shuai‑Chun Lin, Cindy X. Zheng, Michael Waisbourd, Jeanne Molineaux, Lichuan Zeng, Tingting Zhan, Kamran Rahmatnejad, Arthur Resende, Anand V. Mantravadi, Lisa A. Hark, Marlene R. Moster, Joseph I. Markoff, George L. Spaeth, L. Jay Katz

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Purpose: We compare the prevalence of glaucoma in professional wind versus non‑wind instrument players in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Visual field changes in individuals with glaucoma and glaucoma suspects were evaluated, and the results were correlated with cumulative practice time. Methods: In this cross‑sectional, observational study, fifty‑one Philadelphia Orchestra musicians were enrolled and categorized as wind or non‑wind instrument players. All study participants underwent screening fundus photography. Participants with optic discs suspicious for glaucoma underwent further evaluation, including standard automated visual field perimetry and a comprehensive eye examination by a glaucoma specialist. Results: Of the 51 musicians enrolled, 9 of …

The Pulse, Andrews University-School Of Health Professional

The Pulse: Annual Magazine of the School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Saudi Nurse Knowledge, Cultural Perspective, And Intent Regarding Cervical Cancer Prevention, Alaa Mujallad

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Cervical cancer can be controlled by providing screening and vaccination. Although rates for this female cancer are decreasing in developed countries, these low rates are not observed in the other countries. In Saudi Arabia, cervical cancer cases are increasing dramatically (from only 152 cases in 2014, to 241 cases in 2017). Lack of knowledge about cervical cancer prevention presumably contributes to the morbidity and mortality rate among Saudi women, as do religio-cultural beliefs about modesty, sexuality, and premarital virginity. Therefore, this study sought to describe how Saudi nurses’ knowledge and religio-cultural beliefs effected their intentions to promote cervical cancer prevention. …

An Empirical Examination Of Doctoral Training Models In Clinical Psychology In The United States, Katherine E. Dautenhahn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Since as early as 1908, psychology as a discipline has grappled with how to integrate research and practice into the field’s professional identity. To further define the area of expertise of a psychologist, three main models of clinical training have been proposed: the scientist-practitioner model, the practitioner-scholar model, and the clinical scientist model. Despite clinical psychology’s universal claim for empirical moorings, the debate about the foundation of training in clinical psychology has remained primarily theoretical. The purpose of this study is to expand upon the limited research exploring the differences between training models to empirically determine which factors significantly predicted …

Measuring A Sample Of Orthodontic Models/Panographs At Llusd Using The Cr-Eval, Jonathan Michael Drew

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: An index must be used to quantify the improvement in the position of teeth treated by orthodontics. The Cast-Radiograph Evaluation is the index used by the American Board of Orthodontics. The purpose of this study is to use this index to evaluate treatment outcomes in the graduate orthodontic clinic at Loma Linda University from 2012-2016. Materials and Methods: Patients included were comprehensively treated, debonded between 1/1/2012 and 12/31/2016, and under age 30. A total of 80 patients were randomly selected, with 16 coming from each year. The ABO DI was used to score the T1 models, and the CR-Eval …

Aminoflavone Inhibits Α6-Integrin And Growth Of Tamoxifen Resistant Breast Cancer, Petreena S. Campbell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Approximately 40% of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer patients develop resistance to standard of care agent tamoxifen, while ER negative (ER-) breast cancer patients are intrinsically resistant to tamoxifen. Resistance often promotes metastasis, recurrence and death. Tumor-initiating cells (TICs) represent key contributors to resistance and adhesion protein α6-integrin is a putative TIC biomarker. Investigational agent Aminoflavone (AF) demonstrates efficacy against breast cancer cells irrespective of ER status. Interestingly, we found tamoxifen resistant (TamR) cells and tumors exhibited elevated α6-integrin expression in comparison to their tamoxifen sensitive counterparts. AF effectively disrupted mammospheres enriched for TICs and reduced α6-integrin levels in …

Reliability And Accuracy Of A Novel Photogrammetric Orthodontic Monitoring System, Vahe Ohanesian

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: This study quantitatively investigated the reliability and accuracy of Dental Monitoring’sTM proprietary orthodontic tracking system in comparison to an established reference. Materials and Methods: Intraoral scans (True Definition Scanner, 3MTM) and video scans (iPhone 7, AppleTM) were taken of 30 subjects undergoing comprehensive orthodontic treatment at Loma Linda University’s Graduate Orthodontic Clinic at T1 (initial) and T2 (3 months later). At each time point, an intraoral scan was taken by the operator followed by three video scans- two taken by the patient and one by the operator. Three linear and three angular measurements were analyzed using Dental Monitoring’sTM tracking …

In-Vitro Evaluation Of Accuracy Of Conventional And Cad/Cam Removable Partial Denture Frameworks, Pooya Soltanzadeh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology is gaining popularity in dentistry, and more recently, to fabricate removable partial dentures (RPD). The purpose of this study was 1) to evaluate the overall accuracy and fit of conventional versus CAD/CAM fabricated printed RPD frameworks based on STL data analysis, and 2) to evaluate the accuracy and fit of each component of the RPD framework. Materials and Methods: A maxillary metal framework was designed for a Kennedy class III modification I situation. The master model was scanned and used to compare the fit and accuracy of the RPD frameworks. A total of 40 …

A Retrospective Cephalometric Growth Study Of Sagittal Airway In Skeletal Class Ii Patients, Sue V. Kim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The study retrospectively determined the average sagittal pharyngeal airway widths in Class II males and females between 7 to 16 years of age and changes in sagittal airway with increasing age. Additionally, this study determined whether average airway differs between gender at each age and compared the average airway widths in relation to increasing age between Class I and II patients. Materials and Methods: Longitudinal cephalograms were digitally traced for 38 untreated subjects (23 males, 15 females) from age 7 to 16 with skeletal and dental Class II patterns. These records were previously taken through growth studies conducted between …

The Wear Of Acrylic Resin And Composite Resin Teeth Against Polished And Glazed Zirconia, Abdulkareem Alshehri

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: Excessive wear for the occlusal surfaces of teeth results in decreased masticatory efficiency, poor esthetics and leads to reduced the occlusal vertical dimension which could lead to the development of temporomandibular disorders, consequently, further compromise function. Very few studies have been performed on the wear resistance of zirconia against artificial denture teeth and human enamel. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of polished zirconia (PZ) and glazed zirconia (GZ) on the 2-body wear resistance (vertical substance loss) of seven commercially available denture teeth made of different resins. Material and Method: Eight groups (n=10) of …

Rna-Seq Reveals Transcriptomic Program Associated With Stemness In Taxane Resistant Prostate Cancer, Christina K. Cajigas-Du Ross

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There is no cure for advanced prostate cancer (PCa), and taxane chemotherapy is the only treatment option once other therapies have failed. However, this is problematic since all patients eventually develop chemoresistance. Emerging treatments for advanced PCa have shown promise at the benchside, but clinical trials have not resulted in newly approved drugs due in part to redundant survival pathways utilized by prostate tumor cells to maintain therapy-resistance. Using RNAsequencing—an innovative approach for quantifying gene expression changes—this dissertation sought to elucidate chemoresistance-associated molecular pathways as a catalyst to develop new therapeutic targets. Results revealed a differential upregulation of stemness-associated genes …

Healthy Aging: Factors That Predict Preservation Of Cognitive Functioning In Older Adults, Imari-Ashley F. Palma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

As the human race continues to defy chronological aging in due part to medical advancements, an overarching goal for the older adult population and researchers is to determine how to promote aging well. Cognitive functioning is a heavily researched area due to the exponentially increasing number of older adults experiencing cognitive decline. Preservation of cognitive functioning is one aspect of aging well. Three domains of cognition that have shown to be particularly sensitive to the effects of aging are memory, executive functioning, and processing speed. The aims of this current study are: (i) to provide supporting evidence for research that …

Development And Implementation Of A Homogeneous And A Heterogeneous Anthropomorphic End To End Quality Assurance Audit System Phantom For Magnetic Resonance Guided Radiotherapy Modalities Ranging From 0.35 T To 1.50 T, Angela Steinmann

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction: Magnetic resonance (MR) guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) is an emerging field that integrates an MR imager with either a linear accelerator or three radioactive cobalt-60 sources. Before institutions participate in multi-institutional NCI-sponsored clinical trials, they are required to perform a credentialing test provided by IROC-Houston. During the credentialing test, end-to-end phantoms are used to evaluate the institution’s ability to perform consistent and accurate radiation treatments. IROC-Houston’s conventional anthropomorphic phantoms are not visible in MR, thus they are insufficient for MRgRT systems. The purpose of this work was to create an anthropomorphic thorax and a head and neck (H&N) phantom …

Simvastatin Does Not Sensitize Ibc3 Her2+ Inflammatory Breast Cancer Brain Metastases To Whole Brain Irradiation In An Immunocompromised Mouse Model, Swaminathan Kumar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Retrospective data analysis suggests that inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) patients who take statins have better locoregional control after radiotherapy than those who do not [23]. Our lab has previously demonstrated that simvastatin radiosensitizes IBC cells in vitro [23], and brain metastases have strong expression of cholesterol-regulation genes compared to lung metastases in vivo [unpublished]. Delaying whole-brain irradiation (WBI) beyond 21 days is insufficient to reduce the incidence of brain metastases (developed by injecting IBC3 cells through the tail vein) in our mouse model because even high rates of cell killing leave substantial cell volume in established metastases [unpublished].

With the …

Development And Commissioning Of An Independent Peer Review System For A Small Animal Irradiator, Mary Peters

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Dosimetry for small animal irradiators lacks the standardization of clinical radiotherapy practice, yet plays a central translational role in human trial design. The purpose of this work was to improve the dosimetric accuracy and consistency of animal studies by developing an independent peer review system to verify dose delivery from animal irradiators. This study focused on the development of a mouse phantom and characterization of the thermoluminescent dosimetry system for a commonly used small animal irradiator.

First, a mouse model and irradiation stand were designed with the purpose of being used in a mailable audit. Two mouse phantoms were machined …

Ischemic Stroke Damage Is Reduced By Inhibition Of Il-6 Signaling With To Cilizumab, Jacob Hudobenko

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction:

Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability and is the 5^th leading cause of death causing approximately 130,000 deaths in the United States every year {1}. Stroke is also the 2^nd leading cause of death in American women {2}. Women are 33% more likely to require nursing home care then men, have a higher lifetime risk of stroke and are 13% less likely to receive thrombolytic (clot busting) treatment than men {2}. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the regulation of the immune system in multiple disease states such as rheumatoid …

Equipment To Address Infrastructure And Human Resource Challenges For Radiotherapy In Low-Resource Settings, Rachel Mccarroll

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Millions of people in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) are without access to radiation therapy and as rate of population growth in these regions increase and lifestyle factors which are indicative of cancer increase; the cancer burden will only rise. There are a multitude of reasons for lack of access but two themes among them are the lack of access to affordable and reliable teletherapy units and insufficient properly trained staff to deliver high quality care. The purpose of this work was to investigate to two proposed efforts to improve access to radiotherapy in low-resource areas; an upright radiotherapy …

Choosing Your Career, Janet Gonzalez

Open Educational Resources

One of the major components of the First Year Seminar in Natural Sciences (NSF101) is to introduce students to library research. The library orientation session exposes students to library resources such as books, videos, journals, databases. The “Choosing Your Career” assignment reinforces using the library by searching for information on a career, retrieving sources from select databases and evaluating the information found in a written reflection. Reflection questions are added to guide the student in their search and their approach to their career choice.

The goal is to integrate library literacy as part of their developing college learning skills. This …

Prevalence Of And Factors Associated With Negative Microscopic Diagnosis Of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis In Rural Peru., Ryan Lamm, Clark Alves, Grace Perrotta, Meagan Murphy, Catherine Messina, Juan F. Sanchez, Erika Perez, Luis Angel Rosales, Andres G. Lescano, Edward Smith, Hugo Valdivia, Jack Fuhrer, Sarah-Blythe Ballard

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic to South America where diagnosis is most commonly conducted via microscopy. Patients with suspected leishmaniasis were referred for enrollment by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Lima, Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, and several rural areas of Peru. A 43-question survey requesting age, gender, occupation, characterization of the lesion(s), history of leishmaniasis, and insect-deterrent behaviors was administered. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted on lesion materials at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6 in Lima, and the results were compared with those obtained by the MoH using microscopy. Factors associated with negative microscopy and positive PCR results …

Effects Of Age And Gender During Three Lingual Tasks On Peak Lingual Pressures In Healthy Adults, Elizabeth Oommen, Youngsun Kim

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This study examined the effects of age and gender during three intra-oral lingual tasks (elevation, protrusion, and depression) on peak lingual pressure in healthy adults. Methods: Healthy adults were divided into groups based on age, young (18 to 35 years) and older (>60 years) adults, and gender. All the 49 participants completed maximum isometric pressure intraoral lingual tasks (elevation, protrusion, and depression) and peak anterior lingual pressures were recorded using the three-bulb tongue array of the Digital Swallowing WorkstationTM. Peak lingual strength was recorded as the average of peak lingual pressures of the three trials for each lingual task. …

Myocardial Dysfunction After Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Predictors And Prognostic Implications., Yuan Yao, Nicholas James Johnson, Sarah Muirhead Perman, Vimal Ramjee, Anne Victoria Grossestreuer, David Foster Gaieski

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

We aim to determine the incidence of early myocardial dysfunction after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, risk factors associated with its development, and association with outcome. A retrospective chart review was performed among consecutive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who underwent echocardiography within 24 h of return of spontaneous circulation at three urban teaching hospitals. Our primary outcome is early myocardial dysfunction, defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction < 40% on initial echocardiogram. We also determine risk factors associated with myocardial dysfunction using multivariate analysis, and examine its association with survival and neurologic outcome. A total of 190 patients achieved ROSC and underwent echocardiography within 24 h. Of these, 83 (44%) patients had myocardial dysfunction. A total of 37 (45%) patients with myocardial dysfunction survived to discharge, 39% with intact neurologic status. History of congestive heart failure (OR 6.21; 95% CI 2.54-15.19), male gender (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.08-4.78), witnessed arrest (OR 4.20; 95% CI 1.78-9.93), more than three doses of epinephrine (OR 6.10; 95% CI 1.12-33.14), more than four defibrillations (OR 4.7; 95% CI 1.35-16.43), longer duration of resuscitation (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.10), and therapeutic hypothermia (OR 3.93; 95% CI 1.32-11.75) were associated with myocardial dysfunction. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately initiated by healthcare personnel was associated with lower odds of myocardial dysfunction (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.17-0.97). There was no association between early myocardial dysfunction and mortality or neurological outcome. Nearly half of OHCA patients have myocardial dysfunction. A number of clinical factors are associated with myocardial dysfunction, and may aid providers in anticipating which patients need early diagnostic evaluation and specific treatments. Early myocardial dysfunction is not associated with neurologically intact survival.