Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Opioid Overdose Epidemic And Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation, Edmund Peacock

PCOM Capstone Projects

Objective: To study the effects and trends of the opioid overdose epidemic on deceased donor liver transplantation and examine how some regions more effectively utilize their population of overdose deaths for recovery of livers for transplant. Background: Increases in the rate of overdose deaths have led to a growing portion of the deceased organ donor population arising from overdose events1, 2 . Many transplant centers and recipients decline these livers from overdose donors due to concern for disease transmission and the stigma around addiction and drug use 3 . The risks of using these livers for transplant are continuing to …

Emotional Abuse In Children Under Five, Julia Perfidio

PCOM Capstone Projects

This capstone project aims to discuss the difficulties in diagnosing and assessing the risk of emotional abuse in children under five. Emotional abuse is often broadly defined but can be generalized as abuse where a guardian will excessively criticize a child and make them feel unwanted [10]. Diagnosing emotional abuse in this age group is difficult as children are less likely to be around outsiders (non-family members) who could detect these signs. In addition, the signs and definitions of emotional abuse are unique to each case and vary among states [8,10,11]. Emotional abuse could affect the child's development and then …

Sexual Health In The Asian-American Population Of The United States, Pallavi Sindhu

PCOM Capstone Projects

Cultural factors, including language barriers and stigma associated with the topic of intercourse, can lead to lapse in sexual education and avoidance of treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases (CDC, 2020). Few studies explore this discrepancy in the immigrant population. For example, Lee, P.-I. et al. (2020) explores the significance of educating the parents of children between the ages of 6-18 years on sexual health topics. The result indicated significantly higher improvement in characteristics, such as, sexual knowledge and development of self-efficacy, in the experimental group as compared to the control one. Based on previous studies analyzed, the researchers believe that this …

The Influence Of Racial Barriers On Maternal Mortality In Black Women In The United States, Mariah Williams

PCOM Capstone Projects

In the United States, Black women are 3-4x more likely to die a pregnancy related death compared to that of white women. The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. has continually been on the rise for years, and the racial disparities amongst Black mothers have only become more apparent. This capstone paper will be examining the factors contributing to maternal mortality in the United States, especially those based in racial inequity, inequality, and biases. Much of the research on the issue analyzes access, racism, racial biases, medical mistrust, and provider-patient relationships as contributing factors to the disparities we see in …

Alternative Response To Mental Health- Related 911 Calls, Nayo Macauley

PCOM Capstone Projects

Over the last 3 decades, efforts to improve interactions between law enforcement and mentally ill individuals has resulted in several training programs for police officers with the goal of reducing the risk of violent altercations and incarceration and instead, seeking to connect this population to the resources they need. Despite widespread mental health training for police officers, people suffering from mental illness were found to be 16 times more likely to be met with excessive force resulting in injury or death when police officers responded to a 911 call. The review will investigate the largest mental health training program called …

Homelessness Interventions For The Youth, Christopher Stuever

PCOM Capstone Projects

Objective: Gather information on the current policies and interventions used in the United States to form a comprehensive understanding of what has been successful and what has failed in their implementation that has led to the current epidemic of homelessness among the youth and young adult population in the United States. Background: In a nation boasting wealth and success, the United States continues to fall short when it comes to taking care of its overwhelming homeless population. A specific area of concern within this population comes with the alarming number of young adults and children that experience homelessness every year. …

The Legalization Of Marijuana And Its Potential Effect On Youth In The United States, Hannah Biedny

PCOM Capstone Projects

Even though cannabis’ federal status remains under Schedule I categorization the legality of recreational marijuana is rapidly changing across the United States. As of March 2021, sixteen states plus Washington, D.C. have legalized cannabis’ recreational use and dispensaries (DISA Global Solutions, 2021). Considerable controversy follows this trend in drug legalization, specifically regarding its public health impact on children. As states continue to proceed with the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis, those in the public health field are concerned with how this will impact children across the country, as historically, “adolescents and young adults are among the highest users of marijuana” …

Assessing The Role Of The Inequitable Food Environment In The Obesity Epidemic, Samuel G. Latzsch

PCOM Capstone Projects

The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the United States within the past forty years, and children that are raised obese are more likely to have health complications and a shorter lifespan. The onset of the obesity epidemic coincided with numerous factors which likely played a significant role in drastically shifting the food environment and dietary habits of Americans. The food production industry notable capitalized on industrialism and innovative technology to mass produce packaged products that are energy-dense and full of preservatives to increase shelf-life duration. These measures which aimed to secure widespread food availability have resulted in …

A Review Of The Social Determinants Of Health Concerning Cancer-Related Outcomes Among Hispanics/Latinos In The United States, Christina Elizabeth Gareis

PCOM Capstone Projects

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among Hispanics/Latinos because they are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer than non-Hispanic Whites (Yanez et al., 2016). Additionally, Hispanics/Latinos are more likely to experience a poor quality of life after receiving a cancer diagnosis (Yanez et al., 2016). Cancer-related outcomes are influenced by several aspects such as social, cultural, behavioral, and biological factors. Oncology research is limited with regard to understanding and addressing the underlying factors that can impact cancer-related outcomes for Hispanics/Latinos because much of the research has focused on nonHispanic Whites. Therefore, it is …

Asthma, Language Barriers, And Children, Karen Alejandres

PCOM Capstone Projects

In the United States, asthma affects nearly six million children annually and disproportionately affects minority children. Children who come from minorities are three times more likely to visit the emergency department than non-minority children. Additionally, Hispanic children are more likely to have avoidable asthma hospitalizations than non-Hispanic whites. Hispanic children also have decreased rates of asthma medication adherence. Previous research has identified that many social and cultural determinants like language barriers, socioeconomic status, and clinician attitudes play a crucial role in the delivery and treatment of pediatric asthma. More specifically, language barriers play a significant role in the overall understanding …

Addressing And Remedying Racism In Medical Education, Sana Khalid

PCOM Capstone Projects

There is no denying the prevalence of racial inequity in medicine. For decades, various studies have shown us that racial and ethnic disparities exist, and many have made concerted efforts to promote health equity. However, we continue to see these disparities persist. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the emerging driver of this continued inequity is racism. The insidious nature of racism allows it to seamlessly manifest itself at all levels of healthcare, including medical education. However, medical education is where we may find the most success at mediating racism in healthcare due to our ability to mitigate the biases …

Post-Operative Nursing Care Of The Renal Transplant Patient, Emily Smith

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organ in the United States. All patients who receive a renal transplant must be on lifelong immunosuppressants to prevent rejection of the donor organ. The majority of patients do not take their immunosuppressant medications as instructed, making noncompliance a huge issue for medical professionals. The purpose of this literature review is to explore what evidence-based techniques nurses should employ to increase the long-term compliance of immunosuppressants in renal transplant patients. A literature review was performed of fifteen studies to identify interventions that nurses can employ to increase immunosuppressant compliance. CINAL and Medline were …

Tiny Tusk Internship: The Relationship Between Duration Of Breastfeeding And The Development Of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, Mckenna Gribble

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that remains highly prevalent in the youth community, yet its cause cannot be definitively placed. With the idea that this condition is primarily targeting children, the problem and possible solution may lie in infancy. The purpose of this literature review was to integrate evidence from studies published from 2015 to 2021 on the relationships between duration of breastfeeding during infancy and the development of ADHD. The results of this review supported the hypothesis that a longer duration of breastfeeding has a protective effect on childhood development and reduces the risk of developing ADHD …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Does Breastfeeding Education In An Undergraduate Nursing Program Affect Student Knowledge And Attitudes Concerning Breastfeeding?, Grace Murphy

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks provides honors nursing students enrolled in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas an opportunity to support mothers in the community by providing breastfeeding services, education, and assistance at public Razorback sporting events. Interns provide this support by setting up designated lactation spaces at sporting events, such as gymnastics meets, football, and basketball games, for mothers to breastfeed or pump. In this thesis, I reflect on my internship experience and provide a review of literature. Since the aim of Tiny Tusks is to provide breastfeeding education and support to mothers in the community, the …

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding And Infant Support Internship, Anna Elizabeth Ray

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program at the University of Arkansas that provides a clean, private area for mother’s to nurse, pump, and change their infant’s diaper at Razorback home athletic events. The Tiny Tusks area is utilized at multiple athletic events including football games, men’s basketball games, and women’s gymnastics meets. Mothers are supplied comfortable rocking chairs, clean changing tables, heaters or fans depending on the weather, bottled water, and informational handouts about a wide array of breastfeeding topics. Along with supporting mothers, the mission of Tiny Tusks is to normalize breastfeeding in public areas and …

The Effect Of Companion Animals On The Mental Health Of College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah E. Cooper

Global Public Health | Senior Theses

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the burden of mental illness in the United States, especially among young adults (Czeisler et. al., 2020).

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine whether pet ownership has an effect on the mental health, specifically depression and anxiety, of students at Dominican University of California during COVID-19.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional quantitative survey that included demographic questions as well as questions developed from modified questions from validated survey items. Data was collected on whether participants owned or lived with any pets. Participants who answered “yes” were asked whether the companion …

Increasing Chlamydia Screening In The High-Risk Population Using Electronic Notification And Targeted Education: A Primary Care Approach, Michael Barnett

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

The primary care office is an ideal setting and the front gate for screening young adults for chlamydia infection. Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US and sexually active women aged 24 and younger are at the highest risk for having it (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). Screening is simple and effective and can be completed through a urine test. Treatment is straightforward and involves a one-time dose of antibiotic medicine. Untreated infections in women can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and life-threatening ectopic pregnancies (Papp, Schachter, Gaydos, …

Dabigatran Reduces Thrombin-Induced Neuroinflammation And Ad Markers In Vitro: Therapeutic Relevance For Alzheimer's Disease, Syed Waseem Bihaqi, Haripriya Vittal Rao, Abhik Sen, Paula Grammas

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Background: Vascular risk factors such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and elevated homocysteine levels are strongly correlated with onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Emerging evidence indicates that blood coagulation protein thrombin is associated with vascular and non-vascular risk factors of AD. Here, we examined the effect of thrombin and its direct inhibitor dabigatran on key mediators of neuro-inflammation and AD pathology in the retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells exposed to thrombin concentrations (10–100 nM) +/- 250 nM dabigatran for 24 h were analyzed for protein and gene expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to …

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome And Insulin Resistance: An Evaluation Of Treatment Modalities And Complication Prevention, Sarah Mann

Senior Honors Theses

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age. This disorder includes multiple clinical manifestations, namely insulin resistance (IR) and infertility related to hormonal imbalances and anovulation. Despite being a common condition, its etiology and treatment modalities remain poorly defined. Without proper understanding and management of the condition, women may suffer numerous complications besides infertility such as diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), endometrial cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, further research is critical. This integrative review will create a comprehensive understanding of PCOS' pathophysiology, potential complications, treatment methods, and nursing considerations to promote the health …

The Benefits Of Dogs For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emma Raugh

Senior Honors Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that primarily affects neurological development, causing decreased social aptness, diminished executive function, and abnormal sensory processing, among many other characteristic symptoms. Additional problems that often accompany ASD include anxiety disorders, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Canine assisted animal therapy is one non-pharmacologic therapy option that has been researched for children with ASD to improve their social, psychological, mental, and other difficulties. Studies thus far have shown positive results in children with ASD who have dogs as pets or access to therapy dogs, including improved social functioning, decreased anxiety, overall improved behavior, …

Equitable Distribution Of Covid-19 Vaccines: Can Data Visualization And Optimization Help?, Zhennan Wang

Honors College Theses

Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is known as an infectious disease that has a bigger impact on urban areas with high-density populations. In New York City, however, there are huge differences in the impacts of Covid-19 at the neighborhood level. In addition, there is a negative correlation between the Covid Case Rate and the Vaccination Rate, and areas that are affected the most have poor socio-economic conditions. To better address the equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, I collected social and economic data from Community Health Profiles as well as Covid-19 data from NYC Health. Using this data I created visualizations in Tableau …

Prevalence Of The Use Of Herbal Medicines Among Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, John Baptist Asiimwe, Prakash B. Nagendrappa, Esther C. Atukunda, Mauda M. Kamatenesi, Grace Nambozi, Casim U. Tolo, Patrick E. Ogwang, Ahmed Sarki

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Although herbal medicines are used by patients with cancer in multiple oncology care settings, the magnitude of herbal medicine use in this context remains unclear. )e purpose of this review was to establish the prevalence of herbal medicine use among patients with cancer, across various geographical settings and patient characteristics (age and gender categories).

Methods: Electronic databases that were searched for data published, from January 2000 to January 2020, were Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Embase, and African Index Medicus. Eligible studies reporting prevalence estimates of herbal medicine use amongst cancer patients were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Studies …

The Aftermath Of Sexual Assault: Creating The "I Am More Than My Experience" Workbook, Isabella Chung

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The following thesis includes a literature review of the immediate and long-term effects of sexual assault on victims in regards to their physical, mental, and emotional health and romantic relationships, followed by a proposed workbook for sexual assault victims/survivors. Being that typical responses immediately after an assault are fear, disbelief, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system, it is to no surprise that long term issues of depression, anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often arise as well. Thus, a workbook was created with the intention of educating readers about sexual assault and helping victims/survivors to heal from the trauma …

Content Validity Of Aba Language Assessments In The Totality Of Skinner's Verbal Operant Theory, Taylor Marie Lauer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Content validity describes the degree of which a measure represents all the components of the overall construct being measured. Behavior analytic language assessments are largely based on Skinner’s verbal operant theory (1957). Three behavior analytic language assessments were utilized to measure the coverage of Skinner’s verbal behavior theory: the VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, and PEAK. The purpose of the current study was to examine the content validity of each of these assessments coverage on the totality of Skinner’s verbal operant theory. Expressive items on each of the three assessments were compared to definitions of Skinner’s verbal operants and were coded as the …

Identifying And Comparing Transcriptome Alterations In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Exposed To A Variety Of Quantum Dots, Cullen Horstmann

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The primary focus of my research was to obtain global gene expression profiles of baker’s yeast exposed to sub-lethal doses of nanoparticles, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), yellow- emitting CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs), green-emitting CdSe/ZnS QDs, and InP/ZnS QDs, to reveal novel insights on their unique mechanisms of toxicity. Despite their diverse applications, their long-lasting effects on the environment and human health are not well understood. To assess their toxicity, I administered experiments that exposed Saccharomyces cerevisiae to a variety of nanoparticles and measured cell viability, ROS levels, and changes in gene expression. Most notably, I used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to …

Harnessing Social Media In Mental Health Practice In Kenya: A Community Case Study Report, Linnet Ongeri, Gathoni Mbugua, Frank Njenga, Anna Nguithi, Jacqueline Anundo, Maryann Mugane, Zawadi Kimari, Loice Wanjiru Cushny Kaigwa, Lukoye Atwoli

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The use of social media to increase awareness on mental health is rapidly gaining momentum globally. However, despite evidence of a growing trend in social media use in sub Saharan Africa, little has been reported on tapping the potential of social media within a mental health practice to not only increase awareness but also facilitate linkage to specialist care. We describe one such mental health practice and its process of integration of the different social media platforms to promote mental health and increase linkage to specialist care. We further highlight the challenges and practical implication of social media use in …

Comparison Of Ajcc 7th Edition (Anatomic) Vs Ajcc 8th Edition (Prognostic) Staging Systems For Breast Cancer, Issack Mohamed Abdi

Master of Medicine in Anatomic Pathology

Background; Staging is key for the appropriate management of breast cancer. It is based upon the size of tumour, status of lymph nodes and the presence or absence of distant metastasis, to provide an overall estimate of tumour burden. In its latest (8th) edition, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) made a radical change in staging, creating a new prognostic staging system for breast cancer by adding biological factors to the purely anatomical based staging system of the prior editions. Study Objectives; This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the changes in staging between the AJCC 7th (anatomic) and AJCC …

Labrad : Vol 46, Issue 3 - May 2021, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi

LABRAD - Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Radiology Archives

• Laboratory Diagnostic Tools for HIV in Neonates and Infants
• Intussusception in Pediatric Patients: Role of Radiology in Diagnosis and Management
• Fecal Calprotectin as an Inflammatory Marker in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Spectrum of Tools for the Detection of Enteric Pathogens in A Clinical Laboratory
• Pleuropulmonary Blastoma Type III with Rhabdomyosarcomatous and Chondrsarcomatous Differentiation in a Five year old Child, A rare case
• Radiology Pathology Correlation: Orthopedic Pathology
• Updates in Reporting Wilms Tumor (nephrectomy) Specimen
• Biotinidase Deficiency- a Rare but Easily Treatable Disorder
• Renal Tubular Disorders and Biochemical Diagnostics
• TSH Receptor Antibodies (TRAb) in Neonatal Hyperthyroidism: What We Need to Know
• The …

Inspire : Vol 4, Issue 5, Department Of Medicine

INSPIRE – Department of Medicine Archives

Content

• Message from the Chair
• Medicine at National and International Forums
• Annual Appreciation Event
• Inter-professional Certificate Course in Liver disease
• Children’s Heart Foundation
• In-depth- featuring Clinical Associate Prof. Dr Rustam Khan
• Featured Faculty: Dr. Dureshahwar Kanwar “... look at the bigger picture, things are not always what they seem at first glance…”
• Publications

The Role Of Music In The Trauma Narrative And “Storytelling”: Perspectives Of Clinicians, Taylorlyn N. Mehnert

Masters Theses

There is a lack of detailed literature describing how music is used for expressing and processing the trauma narrative. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach through an anti-oppressive lens to explore the ways in which music therapists use music in exploring clients’ stories. The term “story” is used as opposed to “narrative” or “memory” to incorporate a broader definition of expression including non-verbal, musical, metaphorical, or any other method the client chooses. Eight board-certified music therapists (MT-BC) were interviewed regarding their use of music in the context of clients’ stories. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was used …