Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Giant Axolotl Genome Uncovers The Evolution, Scaling, And Transcriptional Control Of Complex Gene Loci, Siegfried Schloissnig, Akane Kawaguchi, Sergej Nowoshilow, Francisco Falcon, Leo Otsuki, Pietro Tardivo, Nataliya Timoshevskaya, Melissa C. Keinath, Jeramiah J. Smith, S. Randal Voss, Elly M. Tanaka

Biology Faculty Publications

Vertebrates harbor recognizably orthologous gene complements but vary 100-fold in genome size. How chromosomal organization scales with genome expansion is unclear, and how acute changes in gene regulation, as during axolotl limb regeneration, occur in the context of a vast genome has remained a riddle. Here, we describe the chromosome-scale assembly of the giant, 32 Gb axolotl genome. Hi-C contact data revealed the scaling properties of interphase and mitotic chromosome organization. Analysis of the assembly yielded understanding of the evolution of large, syntenic multigene clusters, including the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and the functional regulatory landscape of the Fibroblast Growth …

Protecting Sleep To Reduce Delirium In An Adult Intensive Care Unit, Heather Thomas

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Delirium is a common, yet often preventable complication in hospitalized patients. It is often caused by fragmented sleep, medications, environmental stimuli, and treatment therapies.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this evidence-based practice change project was: For patients in an adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU), does using a nurse-initiated, non-pharmacological sleep-enhancement protocol, versus no sleep-enhancement protocol, reduce the incidence of ICU-delirium over a period of 2 months?

Evidence: The reviewed literature supported the evidence for effective use of a nurse-initiated protocol in reducing delirium in the ICU. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria for the review of literature …

A Safety Program In A Tertiary Care Center Emergency Department: An Evidence-Based Project To Increase Safety Event Reporting And Improve Frontline Staff Perceptions Of Hospital Management’S Response To Safety Events, Elizabeth Anne Mcmaster

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The lack of a non-punitive safety culture with a healthcare organization is associated with decreased safety event reporting, reimbursement rates, and staff satisfaction.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In emergency department frontline staff, does hospital management involvement in a safety event program, contrasted with no safety event program, improve frontline staff’s reporting of safety events and perceptions of hospital management’s response to safety events management involvement over four weeks?

Evidence: Three overlapping themes that guided this project included: improving organizational culture, open communication, and leadership support in promoting patient safety.

Intervention: A safety event …

Telepsychiatry Adoption Across Hospitals In The United States: A Cross-Sectional Study, Zhong Li, Sayward Elizabeth Harrison Ph.D., Xiamoing Li Ph.D., Peiyin Hung

Faculty Publications

Background: Access to psychiatric care is critical for patients discharged from hospital psychiatric units to ensure continuity of care. When face-to-face follow-up is unavailable or undesirable, telepsychiatry becomes a promising alternative. This study aimed to investigate hospital- and county-level characteristics associated with telepsychiatry adoption.Methods: Cross-sectional national data of 3475 acute care hospitals were derived from the 2017 American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Generalized linear regression models were used to identify characteristics associated with telepsychiatry adoption.Results: About one-sixth (548 [15.8%]) of hospitals reported having telepsychiatry with a wide variation across states. Rural noncore hospitals were less likely to adopt telepsychiatry (8.3%) …

Heart Health: Lifestyle Factors That Influence Cardiovascular Well-Being, Holly K. Sawyer

Honors College Theses

Each year, one in every four deaths in the United States is a result of heart disease. As the leading cause of death among women and men from various ethnicities, heart disease may be overlooked when making everyday life decisions. As a group of genetic and behavioral conditions, heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. This may be due to the typical Western diet and daily life choices such as drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. Heart diseases including atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease kill ten times more women than breast cancer (Lewis, et al., 2017). White men have …

Thriving During Covid-19: Predictors Of Psychological Well-Being And Ways Of Coping, Lauren Boyd, C. Dominik Guess, Teresa Tuason

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

COVID-19 has led to global dramatic shifts in daily life. Following the biopsychosocial model of health, the goal of the current study was to predict people’s psychological well-being (PWB) during the initial lockdown phase of the pandemic and to investigate which coping strategies were most common among people with low and high PWB. Participants were 938 volunteers in the United States who responded to an online survey during pre-peak of the lockdown in April 2020. The main findings were that all three groups of variables—biological, psychological, and socio-economic—significantly contributed to PWB, explaining 53% variance. Social loneliness and sense of agency …

Toxic Effect Of Crotalus Adamanteus Acidic Phospholipase A2 On Mcf-7 Cell Line, Daniel J. Petra

Honors Thesis

We are investigating the effect of Crotalus adamanteus acidic phospholipase A₂ on MCF-7 cells using the MTS assay. Understanding these interactions and isolated effects is critical to developing new ways to treat envenomation. By understanding the effects of individual toxins within a whole venom, we are set to better understand the effects of the whole venom and investigate synergistic actions between venom toxins. In this paper, we are quantifying the amount of MCF-7 cell death caused by Crotalus adamanteus phospholipase A₂ on MCF-7 using the MTS assay. Analysis of the amount of cells death caused by the phospholipase …

Birth Practice Beliefs Of Undergraduate Nursing Students, Cassandra Sharelle Land

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Spontaneous labor and normal birth are associated with optimal maternal-fetal outcomes for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. Despite that fact, medicalized management of childbirth predominates the maternity health culture of the United States. Childbirth outcomes have been linked to the care provided by intrapartum nurses, and that care has been influenced by nurses’ beliefs about birth. As potential future intrapartum nurses, it is important to explore if nursing students who have completed a maternity nursing course have medicalized or normal birth beliefs. No studies were found in which undergraduate nursing students and their birth practice beliefs were examined after completing …

Alcohol Consumption And Anxiety Amongst College Students, Eardley Belime, Angela Wright, Nathan Jubran, Abigail Lake

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

“According to a national survey administered by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA 2020) and a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) anxiety is one of the top concerns regarding college students. (APA, 2013) This systematic review was done to determine if there is a relationship between alcohol consumption and anxiety in college students. A total of 26 articles published between the years 2010 and 2020 that were retrieved from Psycinfo met the inclusion criteria needed for the analysis. In looking at the relationship between anxiety and alcohol consumption, the mediators of …

Physical Activity Patterns Among Adults With Arthritis And Diabetes Who Receive Self-Management Education, A. M. Hall, J. R. Churilla, D. C. Segura, M. R. Richardson, T. M. Johnson

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

PURPOSE: To examine the physical activity (PA) patterns among adults with arthritis and diabetes who receive self-management education. METHODS: Sample (n=28,860) included adults (≥ 18 years of age), with arthritis and diabetes who participated in the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Categories of PA were classified as highly active (HACT), moderately active (MACT), low activity (LACT), and inactive (INACT). Multinomial logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, race, smoking status, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: When compared to a referent group of inactive adults, our findings suggest that adults with arthritis and diabetes …

Importance Of Asking For Pronouns: Assessing Cultural Competency Among Bsn Nursing Students, Vincent Doan, Carlee Correia, Julie Baker-Townsend

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

As evidenced by research, the use of personal pronouns in the clinical setting is not very common and is why the LGBTQ+ patient population experiences health care disparities. The improper use of personal pronouns is due to a lack of culturally competent training and awareness among health care workers. This is a quality improvement project for the proper use of gender pronouns, endorsed by the American Nurses Association. It is essential to ask about patient preferences regarding pronouns because it creates a safe space for gender minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Correctly identifying pronouns as healthcare professionals shows …

Nutrition Professionals’ Knowledge, Consumption And Recommendations Of Whole Grains, Krystal Walker, Tamara Marsh, Cristina Reyes Gonzalez, Kelly Toups

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Research outcome: To determine the relationship between nutrition professionals’ knowledge, consumption, and recommendations of whole grains. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with nutrition professionals (n=480). Participants were recruited via email and social media from October 2020-February 2021. The participants completed a validated 21-question survey about whole grain knowledge, consumption, and recommendations. Analysis: The analyses included descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation tests. Results: Survey respondents included 72.5% Registered Dietitians Nutritionists (RD/RDN) and 27.5% RD in training (e.g. dietetic intern, student). Nutrition professionals felt whole grains were important in their own diet (93%) and their patient/clients’ diet …

Obesity Among Hispanics: The Relationship To Lifestyles, Socioeconomic Characteristics, And Education, Stacey Harmer

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

In the Hispanic community, there are multiple factors that increase the probability of obesity. Among them are the diets and changes in diets over the past several decades, lifestyles and urbanization that have promoted sedentarism, status in society and stratification, education, and gender. Among the populations, women have higher risk of obesity in the Hispanic community. Education and socioeconomic status plays differing roles in the rates of obesity in developed and developing countries. Socioeconomic status affects the resources and support that are available. Urbanization increases the likelihood of adopting diets that are higher in fats and refined …

How Can Project-Based Mentorships Enhance The Dietetics Profession?, V. Tarbell, K. Cottey, M. Sandoval Rodriguez, C. Mccleskey, B. Krpec, K. Beathard, K. Hicks-Roof

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Research Outcomes: The RD Mentorship Program is designed to provide dietetic students (mentee) with the opportunity to gain one-on-one experience with a Registered Dietitian (mentor). This nationwide program evaluates project-based mentorships. Methods: Potential mentors and mentees completed an initial survey that indicated mentor projects and mentee interests. Mentees (n=378) were matched to a mentor (n=264) based on their project preferences and interests. Matches met virtually monthly from September 2020 to April 2021. A mid-program evaluation was sent out in December 2020. Analysis: Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data Results: The mid-program evaluation indicated that 96% (n=265) of participants …

Psychosocial Effects Of Infertility, Elizabeth Kulikov

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Infertility, or the inability to conceive a child, is a symbolic loss that affects up to 20% of couples in the United States. A symbolic loss is a loss due to something other than death. Infertility has been described as a disenfranchised and anticipatory loss that can lead to complicated grief reactions. Disenfranchised losses are those wherein the grief often goes unrecognized, unacknowledged and misunderstood. Despite its prevalence and the severity of the grief and loss associated with infertility, academic literature examining the psychosocial effects of infertility is scarce. The purpose of this project was to investigate the existing literature …

Psychological Well-Being, Eating Disorder Risk, & Weight-Related Concerns In First Semester College Students, Madisen Reasonover

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Both mental health and eating disorders are increasing health concerns for college students. This study aimed to examine associative links between psychological distress, adverse childhood experiences, food addiction, and weight-related concerns among first semester college students. Freshman students 18 years or older in all majors in a southeastern university were invited to take an online survey. The measures included demographic characteristics, psychological behaviors and eating disorder risks. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess associations. Ninety-two students (79.3% female, 61.5% white) completed the survey. Psychological distress was significantly correlated with higher eating disorder risk (stress r=0.28, anxiety r=0.28, depression r=0.42; …

Safe Sex Practices Among Racial And Ethnic Minority High School Students: 2019 U.S. Yrbs, Hannah Lovett, Rachel Tindel, Aramis Chapman, Anna Schneider, Judith Rodriguez

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

This study explores trends of sex safe practices in high school students, specifically the differences between white students and students of minority races and ethnicities. Past research and data have shown that condom and contraceptive use has decreased across all races, but more significantly among students of racial and ethnic minorities. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is part of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). Data is collected at the national level from designated middle and high schools. This study uses data from the 2019 YRBS to analyze current trends of condom use and other birth control use. …

Fuel For Motivation: The Impact Of Empathy In An Educational Setting, Meghan Cosby, Jen Ross, Andrea Arikawa, Kristen Hicks-Roof

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

According to Merriam Webster, empathy is defined as “the action of or capacity for understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of another.” While research related to empathy has mainly focused on the importance of teaching empathy to students, little is known about the relationship between instructor empathy and student outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of empathy on motivation and student outcomes in a sample of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of North Florida. Focus groups were conducted via zoom to …

Systematic Review Of Water-Related Diseases In The Florida Environment, Mckinley Chapman, Amber N. Barnes

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

Background: Florida’s environments are suitable reservoirs for many disease-causing microorganisms. Pathogens and toxins in Florida waterways hold the potential to infect vectors, animal and human hosts. Many conditions are reportable to the Florida Department of Health. Our objective in this review was to determine which waterborne, water-based, and water-related pathogenic organisms have been documented in Florida’s environments over the last twenty years. Methods: Nineteen databases were searched using keywords relating to the waterborne, water-based toxins, and water-related vector-borne diseases. Peer-reviewed journal articles were included if written in English, published between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2019, …

Invisible Tolls Of Immigration: Mental Health Among Young Immigrants, Mira Shoukry, Nuria Ibanez

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

This brief literature review details existing research surrounding the topic of mental health among young immigrants while bringing attention to a widely ignored issue. While those born in the United States are generally aware of the large Hispanic immigrant population in the country, most do not witness the extremely difficult and often traumatic process of immigration. A search of the PubMed database has revealed a severe lack of research into the unique factors affecting the mental health of young immigrants. Despite limited studies, there appears to be a general consensus that immigrant children in particular are at a significantly increased …

Loneliness In Older Adults: The Unspoken Pandemic Under Covid-19, Jacob Perez, Kelly Perniciaro, Tes Tuason

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Loneliness in older adults has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though loneliness has been a prior public health concern for this population. Loneliness is a perceived lack of social interaction when an individual desires more (Wong, 2017). COVID-19-related social isolation causes older adults to be vulnerable to the effects of loneliness, including increased risk to physical and mental decline, anxiety, depression, and an elevated likelihood of mortality (Levy et. al, 2018; Eldercare Locator, n.d.). Barriers to caring for lonely older adults are the effects of ageism, the increased vulnerability of this population during COVID-19, and …

Dental Disparities: A Quantitative & Regional Analysis Of Male Oral Health In The United States, Hannah Merritt, Gordon Rakita

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Multiple factors contribute to the oral health of male individuals in the United States, including economic, regional, and gender disparities. My study compares health care coverage and poverty rates to indicators of oral health status and dental care access such as percentage of tooth lost, number of dental visits, and oral health services at federally qualified health centers. This oral health data is drawn from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention across all fifty states in the year 2018 and from the United States Census. By examining this data, I will be able to answer …

Painful Body Surface Area Variance Between Pre-Op And Post-Op Lung Cancer Patients, Brianna Pendergrass, Keesh Powell-Roach, Prashant Singh, Yingwei Yao, Diana J. Wilkie

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Honorable Mention Winner

The focal point of my study is painful body surface area (BSA). BSA is the calculated surface area of the human body. Alot of studies focus on pain intensity (PI) variance rather than painful BSA variance. In this study, painful BSA will be measured before and after lung cancer patients under-go a thoracotomy (lung resection surgery). At the conclusion of this study, the following questions should be answered. Does painful BSA increase, decrease, or remain constant after a thoracotomy surgery? Is there a relationship between PI and BSA? If so, are they inversely related or directly related? …

Immune Thrombocytopenia In Covid Pneumonia: A Case Report Of The Oldest Patient, Samiksha Pandey, Kamil Sardarli, Candace Franklin, Ashbina Pokharel, Sumesh Khanal, Bipin Ghimire, Feroze A. Momin

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Introduction: COVID infection has shown to cause thrombocytopenia with multiple different mechanisms including the destruction of platelets with immune system stimulation similar to ITP with little evidence for optimal management. Here, we present a COVID infected patient presented with idiopathic thrombocytopenia with a partial delayed response to the treatment. Case Presentation: A 92-year-old man with a past medical history of coronary artery disease status post remote coronary artery bypass graft, hypertension, diabetes mellitus presented with petechiae, epistaxis, and was found to be profoundly thrombocytopenic with a platelet count of 1x109/L. He also had an asymptomatic COVID 19 infection, a normal …

International Psychogeriatric Association (Ipa) Consensus For Defining Psychosis In Major And Mild Neurocognitive Disorders, Mary Sano, Jeffrey Cummings, Dilip V. Jeste, Sanford Finkel, William Reichman

School of Medicine Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Planning Care For Visually Impaired Children In The Inpatient Setting: A Literature Review., Aubrey Townsend

Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS)

Project of Merit Winner

Topic: In visually impaired children experiencing hospitalization (P), how do specific and age-appropriate interventions (I) compared to that for a child with no visual deficits (C) affect the quality of care (O) during an overnight hospital stay? (T) Methods: This literature review was conducted through PubMed and CINAHL. The keywords searched were “Visual Impairment,” “Visually Impaired,” “Blind*,” “Pediatric*,” “Hospital*,” “VIP,” “Inpatient” and “Child.*” Results: The literature review yielded 20 articles, which were eventually narrowed down to 8 applicable articles. Analysis of the articles identified the need for further research on this topic. Analysis: Two systematic reviews …

Experiences Of Health Care Providers Using Information And Communications Technology For Maternal And Child Health Care In Selected Health Facilities In Nigeria, Obasola Ireti Obasola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Reducing maternal and infant mortality in the sub-Sahara Africa, especially Nigeria remains a serious health challenge. Information and communication technology (ICT) interventions offer an effective approach to alleviating the health challenge, as well as improving health outcomes. To harness the value of ICT and facilitate its practicability for maternal and child health (MCH) care, it is important to explore the experiences of health care providers’ who are at the forefront of the Nigerian health system deploying ICT tools for MCH care.

Methods: The exploratory study design interviewed nine health care providers involved in ICT-based interventions for MCH in selected …

Molecular Surveillance Of Drug Resistance: Plasmodium Falciparum Artemisinin Resistance Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Kelch Protein Propeller (K13) Domain From Southern Pakistan, Najia Karim Ghanchi, Bushra Qurashi, Hadiqa Raees, Mohammad Asim Beg

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: K13 propeller (k13) polymorphism are useful molecular markers for tracking the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. Polymorphisms are reported from Cambodia with rapid invasion of the population and almost near fixation in south East Asia. The study describes single nucleotide polymorphisms in Kelch protein propeller domain of P. falciparum associated with artemisinin resistance from Southern Pakistan.
Methods: Two hundred and forty-nine samples were collected from patients with microscopy confirmed P. falciparum malaria attending Aga Khan University Hospital during September 2015-April 2018. DNA was isolated using the whole blood protocol for the QIAmp DNA Blood Kit. …

Non-Anogenital And Anogenital Injuries Of Females Following Sexual Assault: A Retrospective, Descriptive Study From 5,464 Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examination (Safme) Reports, Atalie M. Bradshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this retrospective, descriptive study is to describe non-anogenital and anogenital injuries documented in over 5,000 sexual assault forensic medical examination (SAFME) reports of female patients. The study findings expand understanding of injuries documented following sexual assault by exploring associations between injuries and a multitude of variables: patient demographics (age, race, gender); time between assault and examination; patient-perpetrator relationship; perpetrator actions (strangulation, hit, verbally threatened/coerced, use of restraints, grabbed/held); number of assaultive acts; multiple-perpetrators; suspected drug-facilitated assaults; patient and perpetrator use of alcohol and drugs; and physically or mentally impaired patients. The various types and locations of injuries …

Dietary Intake Is Associated With Neuropsychological Impairment In Women With Hiv, Leah H. Rubin, Deborah R. Gustafson, Lakshmi Warrior, Lila Sheira, Kathryn C. Fitzgerald, Raha Dastgheyb, Kathleen M. Weber, Phyllis C. Tien, Audrey French, Amanda B. Spence, Anjali Sharma, Dionna W. Williams, Cory J. White, Eric C. Seaberg, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

Background

Diet is a modifiable risk factor that may influence cognition in people with HIV.

Objectives

We examined the association between dietary intake and cognition in women with HIV (WWH) and HIV-seronegative women.

Methods

An 18-item dietary National Cancer Institute screener was completed by 729 WWH and 346 HIV-seronegative Women's Interagency HIV Study participants. Daily intake frequencies of processed meats, sweet beverages, fish, whole milk, and vegetables were calculated. Participants completed biennial neuropsychological (NP) testing. NP domains included attention/working memory, executive function, processing speed, memory, learning, fluency, and motor function. NP impairment was defined as demographically adjusted T-scores (mean = …