Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Treatment Option Decision Making For Low-Grade Prostate Cancer, Janene Witherite

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer, among men, in the United States.

 Low-grade PCa is defined by; lack of metastasis outside the prostate (M0), no lymph node involvement (N0), tumor staging up to T2a, a PSA of less than 10 ng/ml, a Gleason score of less than 6, and no more than two of the 10-12 tissue samples (each composed of less than 50% cancer cells) of the 10-12 samples taken.

 Four treatment options exist for low-grade PCa patients: active surveillance (AS), external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), brachytherapy, and radical prostatectomy (RP), all of which cause …

Genetic Interactions Affect Lung Function In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis., Anna L. Tyler, J Matthew Mahoney, Gregory W. Carter

Faculty Research 2020

Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis (SSc), is an autoimmune disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. The most common cause of death in people with SSc is lung disease, but the pathogenesis of lung disease in SSc is insufficiently understood to devise specific treatment strategies. Developing targeted treatments requires not only the identification of molecular processes involved in SSc-associated lung disease, but also understanding of how these processes interact to drive pathology. One potentially powerful approach is to identify alleles that interact genetically to influence lung outcomes in patients with SSc. Analysis of interactions, rather than individual …

The Chironian 2020, New York Medical College

The Chironian

No abstract provided.

Suicidal Risk Education In Hospice Care, Shannon Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

It is well-documented that oncology patients experience greater rates of suicidality including suicidal ideation, actions, or completions, as compared to the general population. The small, rural county which was the setting for this project has a higher rate of lung and colon cancers as compared to regional, state, and national rates. A review of the literature revealed best practices for suicide screening including universal education and screening and targeted education and screening for at-risk populations. The rate for suicides in the county is also higher than the rates for the region, state, and nation. The purpose of this project was …

Ua35/3 Memoranda, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

2020 memoranda issued by the WKU Provost to faculty & staff via email.

• Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning January Workshops
• Fall to Fall Retention of All FFY as of Census by Selected Categories
• Updates fromt the Provost
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update
• COVID-19 Update from the Provost's Office
• Announcing the 2020 College Faculty Award Winners
• WKU Announces New Associate Provost for Research & Graduate Education
• Budget Communication
• Summer School Updates from the Provost
• Amendment to PDF Policy
• FY2020-21 Budget Executive Committee Recommendations
• Provost's Message

Monitoring The Biochemical Changes Occuring To Human Keratinocytes Exposed To Solar Radiation By Raman Spectroscopy, Ulises Lopez-Gonzalez, Alan Casey, Hugh Byrne

Articles

Solar radiation exposure is recognised to be a significant contributor to the development of skin cancer. Monitoring the simultaneous and consecutive mechanisms of interaction could provide a greater understanding of the process of photocarcinogenesis. This work presents an analysis of the biochemical and morphological changes occurring to immortalised human epithelial keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell cultures exposed to simulated solar radiation (SSR). Cell viability was monitored with the aid of the Alamar Blue assay, morphological examination was done with haematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) and changes to the biochemical constituents (nucleic acids and proteins) as a result of the radiation insult were …

In Vitro Label Free Raman Microspectroscopic Analysis To Monitor The Uptake, Fate And Impacts Of Nanoparticle Based Materials, Hugh Byrne, Franck Bonnier, Esen Efeoglu, Caroline Moore, Jennifer Mcintyre

Articles

The continued emergence of nanoscale materials for nanoparticle-based therapy, sensing and imaging, as well as their more general adoption in a broad range of industrial applications, has placed increasing demands on the ability to assess their interactions and impacts at a cellular and subcellular level, both in terms of potentially beneficial and detrimental effects. Notably, however, many such materials have been shown to interfere with conventional in vitro cellular assays that record only a single colorimetric endpoint, challenging the ability to rapidly screen cytological responses. As an alternative, Raman microspectroscopy can spatially profile the biochemical content of cells, and any …

Chemical Space Exploration Around Thieno[3,2-D]Pyrimidin-4(3h)-One Scaffold Led To A Novel Class Of Highly Active Clostridium Difficile Inhibitors, Xuwei Shao

Theses and Dissertations

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infection in the United States. Therefore, development of novel treatments for CDI is a high priority. Toward this goal, we began in vitro screening of a structurally diverse in-house library of 67 compounds against two pathogenic C. difficile strains (ATCC BAA 1870 and ATCC 43255), which yielded a hit compound, 2-methyl-8-nitroquinazolin-4(3H)-one (2) with moderate potency (MIC = 312/156 µM). Optimization of 2 gave lead compound 6a (2-methyl-7-nitrothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one) with improved potency (MIC = 19/38 µM), selectivity over normal gut microflora, CC50s >606 µM against mammalian cell lines, and acceptable stability in …

Nvestigation Of Dissolution And Dispersion Behavior Of Ritonavir From Amorphous Solid Dispersion, Nitprapa Siriwannakij

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to develop ritonavir amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) formulation, investigate its aqueous dissolution and dispersion behavior, and predict potential pharmacokinetic parameters by in-silico modeling. The binary/ternary ASDs of ritonavir with PVPVA or HPMCAS-MG in the absence or presence of surfactants were prepared by using the hot-melt extrusion method. The amount of ritonavir was fixed at 20 %w/w, while amount of polymer and surfactant in the formulation was varied. The film-casting technique was used to confirm the miscibility of drug and polymer in the absence and presence of surfactant in different formulations. PXRD and DSC analyze …

Continuous Salt Synthesis And Granulation Using Single Step Twin Screw Extrusion Process, Jaydip Vasoya

Theses and Dissertations

In the present investigation, a continuous, and novel organic solvent-free approach for the synthesis of pharmaceutical salts using the twin screw extruder (TSE) is reported. Although the method offers distinct advantages such as solvent free synthesis and short processing time over the conventional salt synthesis, the produced salts usually require further processing into granules before they can be compressed into tablets or filled into capsules, which makes the final product manufacturing non-continuous. This report, for the first time, describes a process of combining salt synthesis and granulation into a single-step using a TSE. Cinnarizine, a model poorly water-soluble weakly basic …

Oil/Water Nanoemulsion Biodistribution In Mice Upon Intravenous Administration, Jiayi Chen

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to explore the biodistribution of O/W nanoemulsions (NE) upon intravenous administration. Three NEs were prepared with distinctive droplet sizes: SE (29 ± 1 nm), ME (214 ± 2 nm) and LE (883 ± 16 nm) without overlapping of the size distribution. Kolliphor® HS15 was used as the only surfactant for these three NEs, so that their droplets had similar surface structure. The NEs droplet size was stable under room temperature for minimum 3 days in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and in mice plasma in vitro for 4-hour at 37°C. A lipophilic fluorescent dye, 1, 1’-dioctadecyl-3, 3, …

Development, Evaluation And Application Of Insulin Solution And Film Dosage Forms For Sublingual Administration, Anuja Paprikar

Theses and Dissertations

The major barrier for sublingual absorption of large molecules like insulin is low permeability owing to the hydrophilic nature of insulin. One approach to overcome this barrier is to sublingually co-administer insulin with permeation enhancers (HPβCD and poloxamer 188). In vitro performance of permeation enhancers was screened across cellulose acetate membrane to select the concentrations of both enhancers, which were further evaluated across four models (MatTek tissue model, MDCK cell line, rat and porcine esophagus). The insulin solution with combination of HPβCD (5%) and poloxamer 188 (0.5%) indicates higher permeation as compared to that of only insulin across all the …

Chemical Synthesis And Evaluation Of Azotochelin Analogs As Anticancer Agents And Their Ability To Reverse Anticancer Drug Resistance, Nishant Karadkhelkar

Theses and Dissertations

Cancer has been plaguing the humanity for several decades. In the meanwhile, multi-drug resistance (MDR) is causing abatement of effective therapeutic drugs, necessitating discovery of new class of anticancer agents. Natural products have been proved to be a promising source of structurally new anticancer agents. A specific class of bacterial secondary metabolites, named siderophores have been explored as potential anticancer agents. Enterobactin is one of the most studied siderophores as a potential anticancer agent. Azotochelin is a structurally similar but structurally simpler siderophore compared to enterobactin. Our research project focused on the evaluation of the structure activity relationship assessment of …

Food Insecurity And Covid-19 Infographic, Community And Family Institute

COVID-19

Infographic on food insecurity and COVID-19 in America.

El Baloncesto Es Vida: A Look Into Strength And Conditioning, Physical Therapy, And Coaching During My Internship Abroad, Jessica Doublesin

2020 Honors Symposium

An experience abroad can help a person grow in confidence and knowledge and allow them to immerse themselves in a new culture. During my time in Valencia, Spain, I was able to work at a youth basketball club, CB L’Horta Godella, alongside the club’s strength and conditioning coaches and the physical therapist and be a coach for the young athletes. The fact that I lived with a Spanish family and had an open mindset towards making friends and exploring new things allowed me to grow closer to the culture in Spain. By using my knowledge and passion for sports and …

Social Conformity And The Line Judgment Task For Adolescents With Asd, Jamie Mcclendon

2020 Honors Symposium

The primary intent of this study is to address the conformity rates exhibited by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

• The Solomon Asch line judgement task is used to test the effects of peer pressure on social conformity.
• There is a discrepancy in the conformity exhibited by typically developing individuals (TD) and ASD individuals.
• This study seeks to address the degree to which ASD individuals are affected by social influence and how likely they will be to conform.
• Conformity rates will be compared to that of TD college age students as well as students with various intellectual disabilities (ID).

This …

Parental Nutrition Health Literacy, Sheila F. Towson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary

Parental Nutrition Health Literacy and Children’s Health

Problem: The problem identified in the following study is that overweight and obesity is associated with comorbidities that contribute to chronic diseases such as depression, decreased academic performance, type 2 diabetes, cardiac disease and others (Allesio, 2018; Barlow & Expert Committee, 2007). Demographics reveal obesity prevalence among children and adolescents to be 18.9% in the lowest income group, 19.9% in the middle-income group, and 10.9% in the highest income group (CDC, 2018). School and home environments are especially influential in affecting school-age children’s health behaviors (Luesse, Paul, Koch, Contendo, & Marsick, …

A Modular Framework For Early-Phase Seamless Oncology Trials, Philip S. Boonstra, Thomas M. Braun, Elizabeth C. Chase

The University of Michigan Department of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Background: As our understanding of the etiology and mechanisms of cancer becomes more sophisticated and the number of therapeutic options increases, phase I oncology trials today have multiple primary objectives. Many such designs are now 'seamless', meaning that the trial estimates both the maximum tolerated dose and the efficacy at this dose level. Sponsors often proceed with further study only with this additional efficacy evidence. However, with this increasing complexity in trial design, it becomes challenging to articulate fundamental operating characteristics of these trials, such as (i) what is the probability that the design will identify an acceptable, i.e. safe …

Mental Health Advocacy: Building An Interdisciplinary Program For Agriculture Professionals, Abby E. Blankenship, Erica E. Nason, Olivia Hayes, Sebastian Bliss

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

The suicide rate among agriculturalists is 3.5 times higher than the general population. A number of external factors related to the farming and veterinary work put individuals in agricultural populations at risk for poor mental health outcomes, including economic variables (e.g. tariffs, market prices), environmental factors affecting yield (e.g. drought, pests), and exposure to difficult or traumatic life events (e.g., mistreatment of animals, loss of crop). Rural values including self-reliance, work orientation, and individualism combined with logistical and systemic barriers to competent behavioral health care further increase risk. Project GROW (Generating Resilience in Our Workforce) is a multifaceted full semester …

The Scope Of Telepsychiatry On Health Care Services In The United States, Abdulmajeed Alropaish, Itzamna Kukulkan Castaneda Medina

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background and purpose: A fifth of the U.S. population suffers from some mental illness, and their need for attention is increasing, new technologies have permitted telepsychiatry to allow remote attention to this population. This study explores the impact of telepsychiatry on the cost and access of community patients to mental health services.

Methods: A review of the literature in different electronic databases such MEDLINE, PubMed and ScienceDirect was carried out to investigate the scope of telepsychiatry in the community care of patients with mental illness, identifying 479 related articles, of which 35 were included in this study. The …

Impact On Hospital Profitability Due To Covid Safety Guidelines, Khaja Umair Shariff, Anna Noel Franklin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: The pandemic of COVID 19 presented a unique challenge to hospitals and healthcare systems that they have been struggling to function in. Operating costs had increased with new protocols, planning, operating space, supplies, and staffing. This coupled with the loss of revenue has led to approximately 10% - 20% salary reductions, furloughs, and loss of benefits such as PTO and vacation days to employees. Hospital’s cash reserves are being depleted due to increased operations costs and reduced revenue. Government funding, such as the CARES Act provided by the sanction of the Department of Health and Human Services Office, …

Barriers In Cancer Related Experiences: Where Can Ots Fill In The Gaps, Zoe Hoberman-Kelly

OT Student Capstones

Over the last two decades, oncology has made vast improvements in the treatment and management of cancer. Medical advancements in diagnostic imaging, treatment agents and improved surgical techniques have transformed the effectiveness of cancer delivery and care. However treatment related obstacles and health concerns of survivors trails behind that of the treatment for the actual cancer. The literature identified a growing need for increased psychosocial and self-management services to help provide a more cohesive spectrum of care. The inclusion of occupational therapy services within the cancer care continuum can strengthen functional practice and help treat physical and psychosocial barriers. This …

Multidisciplinary Concussion Rehabilitation Team Referral Demographics, Assessments And Intervention Focus: A Retrospective Analysis, Angela A. Tauer

OT Student Capstones

Objective To review the demographic factors, mechanism of injury, assessments, and treatment by health professionals on a multidisciplinary concussion rehabilitation team in an outpatient clinic setting. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 360 patients attending the outpatient concussion clinic over a 15-month period. Patient data was included for 139 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Data collected on an electronic database was reviewed and analyzed. Results Patients aged 16-82 years (n=139; mean 42 years of age, 65.5% female) were evaluated on average 48 weeks following initial head injury. Patients referred by a physician had a mechanism of injury prevalence of motor vehicle accident …

Experiences Of Caregivers And Healthcare Practitioners Working With Children With Histories Of Family Trauma And Substance Abuse, Alexandra Contreras

OT Student Capstones

While the number of infants born with substance abuse exposure continues to grow, the United States lacks a national monitoring system (CDC, 2019). This may contribute to the discrepancy of services and supports available to those working with children with histories of family trauma and substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs and challenges of caregivers and healthcare practitioners working with children with histories of family trauma and substance abuse. To obtain a better understanding and well-rounded image of the challenges and needs, information was gathered from various perspectives of those involved. This OT doctoral …

Outcomes Of Capstone Experience: Playing Together: Outcomes Of An Online Telehealth Sensory-Motor Development Program For Parents With Children Between The Ages Of 1.0-6.11 Years, Sarah Cunningham

OT Student Capstones

Children with developmental delays or cognitive impairments are more at risk for trauma, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences. The purpose of this pilot study of the telehealth program entitled “Playing Together” is to analyze whether an occupational therapy telehealth parent-training play program is an effective way to deliver services and potentially mitigate the effects of for trauma, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences. Quantitative data was gathered via the standardized assessments of the Short Child Occupational Profile and the Canadian Occupational Profile Measure and qualitative data was gathered using parent interviews, researcher journals, and session observation notes. Participants completed five one- …

Supporting Successful Community Reintegration For Maricopa Reentry Center Residentsjustine, Justine C. Gonzales

OT Student Capstones

In 2018, the combined state and federal imprisonment rate was 431 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 U.S. residents (BJS, 2020). Arizona is #5 in the nation with the highest imprisonment rate, 559 sentenced prisoners per 100,000 state residents (BJS, 2020). As of May 2020, there are currently approximately 5,300 offenders under community supervision in Arizona with a majority (4,600 offenders) serving a Truth in Sentencing (TIS) (ADC, 2020).

Barriers to reintegration: laws and legal restrictions, societal stigma and employer attitudes, limited education, limited cognitive skills, limited work experience, inadequate job skills, unstable housing, inadequate social services, lack of a state-issued identification …

Occupational Therapy For A Child With Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis In An Outpatient Multidisciplinary Intensive Feeding Program: A Case Report, Kristel Ferrer

OT Student Capstones

Objective: This article presents a case report of a child with food protein induced enterocolitis,

various feeding difficulties, and poor sensory processing. It discusses the significance of occupational therapy in a multidisciplinary feeding therapy team and describes the outpatient occupational therapy-based plan and interventions during 14 weeks of an intensive feeding therapy program.

Method: Chart review of assessments and daily treatment notes and clinical observations were examined. Progress towards goals was obtained through daily treatment notes and informal parental interviews. Results: Improvement in occupational performance and participation in mealtime and play is captured through daily treatment notes and clinical observations. …

Pet Pals Program: Experiences Of Volunteer Residents Providing Friendly Pet Visits To Individuals In A Memory Support Unit, Kelsey Odell

OT Student Capstones

Studies show that animal-assisted therapy modalities have an effect on motivation for participation, behavioral or psychosocial regulation, and physical and cognitive functions in individuals with dementia. Dementia is a progressive neurocognitive disorder that affects cognition and memory. As the disease progresses, skills needed to participate in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), community engagement and socialization decrease, making maximal independence more difficult. The Pet Pals Program provides educational and teaching concepts to volunteers and their pets to provide friendly pet visits to those in the memory support units. The program emphasizes the benefits of …

Use Of Intentional Play On Emotional Self-Regulation In Children With Trauma Histories, Erin Sullivan

OT Student Capstones

The purpose of this Capstone research project was to examine the impact of intentional play as a means to increase emotional self-regulation skills in children with traumatic histories and explore how Occupational therapists (OTs) can use such strategies while working with this population. The research was conducted at an emergency children’s shelter and consisted of an educational component for staff and direct contact with the children. Eight staff members participated, and data was gathered on 22 children (N=22) over a span of five weeks. An outcome measurement adapted from the Short Child Occupational Profile (citation needed) was used to obtain …

Incorporating Functional Hand Assessments As Outcome Measures In Burn Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study, Kristin Hazak

OT Student Capstones

Purpose: To incorporate the use of two hand function assessments, the Sollerman Hand Function Test (SHT) and the Brief-Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (bMHQ), in the outcomes measure protocol at a regional burn center for improving functional assessment and recovery progress tracking of burn injured hands. Methods: Seven participants were included in this pilot study. Inclusion criteria were individuals 10 years of age and older with current admission to the Arizona Burn Center with a primary diagnosis of partial thickness (2nd degree) to full thickness (3rd degree) burn injury, including at least one hand, with no restriction on TBSA or agent. …