Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Role Of Dyslipidemia In Early Vascular Aging Syndrome, Alparslan Kiliç, Onur Baydar, Deni̇z Elçi̇k, Zi̇ya Apaydin, Mehmet Mustafa Can

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Arterial stiffness, known as a predictor of early vascular aging, was defined as the main determinant of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, the relationship between lipid profile and increased arterial stiffness is not clear. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between lipid profiles and increased arterial stiffness in patients with early vascular aging syndrome. Materials and methods: A total of 1582 participants -504 (31.8%) of were male and the mean age was 52.8 ±14.2 years' were included in the study . Patients who applied to the hospital for various reasons and who had undergone 24-h …

Effects Of Topical Mitomycin-C On The Tracheal Epithelia Of Rabbits Followingtracheostomy, Sani̇ye Gökni̇l Çalik, Mustafa Çalik, Zümrüt Ela Arslan Kaşdoğan, Mustafa Ci̇hat Avunduk, Hidir Esme, Olgun Kadi̇r Aribaş

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: We aimed to investigate the topical application of mitomycin-C (MMC) after the conventional tracheostomy in a rabbit model. Materials and methods: Twenty-four male New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided among 3 equal groups (n: 8). Tracheostomies were performed on 16 subjects. Group 1 which served as a control for all tracheal measurements. After tracheostomy, we applied sterile saline (group 2) or MMC at 0.8 mg/mL (group 3) around the tracheotomy site for 5 min. At the 3rd week after surgery, all tracheas were subjected to morphometric and histopathological examinations, including tracheal lumen diameter (LD), number of capillary vessels …

Hot-Melt Extruded Amorphous Solid Dispersion For Solubility, Stability, And Bioavailability Enhancement Of Telmisartan, Bhupendra Raj Giri, Jaewook Kwon, Anh Q. Vo, Ajinkya M. Bhagurkar

Faculty and Student Publications

Telmisartan (TEL, an antihypertensive drug) belongs to Class II of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) because of its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we enhanced the solubility, bioavailability, and stability of TEL through the fabrication of TEL-loaded pH-modulated solid dispersion (TEL pHM-SD) using hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology. We prepared different TEL pHM-SD formulations by varying the ratio of the drug (TEL, 10–60% w/w), the hydrophilic polymer (Soluplus®, 30–90% w/w), and pH-modifier (sodium carbonate, 0–10% w/w). More so, the tablets prepared from an optimized formulation (F8) showed a strikingly improved in vitro dissolution profile (~30-fold) compared to the free drug …

Opening Doorways: Connecting Petersburg Students To The World Of Health Science Professions, The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute At Virginia Commonwealth University, Carol Caudill, Brent Fagg, Victor Gonzalez Montoya, Amy Ladd, Kim Mcknight, Peyton Rowe, Paula Song

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

This project creates a strategy to build a pipeline that begins in elementary school and is reinforced through middle and high school. This early exposure and understanding of health career opportunities is needed. Too many communities in Virginia experience critical health care inequities in services and information. To address those inequities, we need to open doorways to investigate health careers. By inspiring students from these communities to enter medical and health sciences professions, there is better representation and services to these underrepresented communities. VCU not only can provide exposure to various health careers, experiential learning and mentoring on how to …

Identifying Needs Of Potential Transfer Students Of Color To Enhance Equity And Inclusion In The College Of Health Professions, The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute At Virginia Commonwealth University, Hem Bhardwaj, Ashley Brewer, Christopher Garland, Rebecca Heise, Courtney Holmes, Hillary O'Boyle

The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute Publications

State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV)1 data indicate disparities in recruitment and retention outcomes for transfer students of color and those of Hispanic ethnicity compared to non-Hispanic White peers. With the goal of enhancing equity and inclusion while diversifying the health professions, this project characterizes the needs of this population to inform the development of a new bachelor’s program within the College of Health Professions. The project provides recommendations based on data collected from both prospective and current VCU transfer students.

Epigenetic Histone Acetylation And Bdnf Dysregulation In The Hippocampus Of Rats Exposed To Repeated, Low-Dose Diisopropylfluorophosphate, Laxmikant Deshpande

Neurology Publications

Aims: Deployment-related exposures to organophosphate (OP) compounds are implicated for Gulf War Illness (GWI) development in First GW veterans. However, reasons for the persistence of GWI are not fully understood. Epigenetic modifications to chromatin are regulatory mechanisms that can adaptively or maladaptively respond to external stimuli. These include DNA methylation and histone acetylation. DNA methylation changes have been reported in GWI but the role of histone acetylation in GWI has been less explored, despite its importance as an epigenetic mechanism for neurological disorders.

Main methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to OP diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP, 0.5 mg/kg s.c., 5-d) and …

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 98, No. 3, 2021)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

How To Be An Effective Athletic Training Preceptor: A Literature Review, Daniella C. Eiroa Dat, Lat, Atc, Jeff G. Konin Phd, Atc, Pt, Facsm, Fnata

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: The purpose of this literature review is to identify successful characteristics that have been found to be associated with effective precepting for the athletic training profession. Athletic training programs use preceptors as their main source of hands-on experience for athletic training students. Thus, a clinical preceptor who possesses these characteristics are better positioned to impact the success of a student’s clinical experience and overall growth. Purpose: To identify successful characteristics for athletic training preceptors. Methods: The findings of the literature review were achieved by the selection of articles that specifically pertained to athletic training and to other health care …

Mindfulness Training And Practice In Physician Assistant Education, Catherine K. Sadowski, Leslie Taylor, Erin Sharaf

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to integrate mindfulness, as a compassionate pedagogy, into a physician assistant (PA) program and assess its effects on student depression, anxiety, and stress at the conclusion of the first semester. Method: Fifty-five of 60 first-semester students provided consent. Mindfulness instruction and practice began with a six-hour intensive workshop spread over two days during the first week of the semester. This was followed by seven, brief, 10 to15 minute mindfulness practices integrated across one course. Students completed a demographic questionnaire at the beginning of the project and the DASS 21 survey which measures a …

Group Physiotherapy For Treatment Of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: A Consumer’S Perspective, Rose C. Green

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Level 1 grade A evidence exists to support physiotherapy as a first line treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). A novel way to provide care for women with pelvic floor dysfunction in a tertiary hospital setting is to mandate attendance at an introductory group education session prior to offering an individual physiotherapy consultation. There is minimal research to date examining the consumer perspective of group physiotherapy for treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. This study aims to evaluate the consumer experience with a view to determining if this model of care meets the needs …

Evaluation Of Sacubitril/Valsartan Prescribing Patterns Within An Inpatient Hospital Setting, Megan Taylor Pharmd, Katie Nesbitt Pharmd, Bcps

Department of Pharmacy

No abstract provided.

Improving Self-Efficacy And Nursing Knowledge In Cardiac Step-Down Unit Nurses, Gail Markowski

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Improving Self-Efficacy and Nursing Knowledge in Cardiac Step-Down Unit Nurses

Abstract

The Cardiac Step-Down Unit (CSDU) is a fast-paced, high-acuity patient unit that consists of patients with a variety of complex medical issues. Many nurses working on this CSDU have worked as a nurse for three years or less, many being new graduates. Each CSDU patient has multiple nursing needs, some of which the nurses have not received additional education or training. This can lead to stress and frustration on the part of the nurse, and less than optimal care for the patient. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) …

Improving Health Science Faculty's Comprehension Of Test Item-Analysis, Tunisia Love

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Background: Differences in testing can lead to student frustration and questionable evaluation of student learning. Inconsistency in testing practices include differing levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, Faculty-written items versus publisher test bank items, and variations in grading. Failure to provide quality student learning assessment and evaluation tools and methods can negatively impact both student and program outcomes. Performing analysis of test items can improve quality of and consistency in evaluation of student learning.

Objective/Purpose of the Project: This quality improvement DNP project investigated the impact of an educational intervention on multiple choice question (MCQ) test-item analysis on the Health …

Relationship Between Treatment Comorbidities And Viral Suppression Of Hiv Infections In Johannesburg, Nwogo Ekeji, Nwogo Immaculata Ekeji

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

HIV has globally infected 37.9 million people, of which 23.3 million (62%) are on antiretroviral treatment (ART). In South Africa, low rate of viral suppression among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) is a major health problem that has continued to fuel HIV persistence. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was used to investigate the relationship between treatment of comorbidities and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults aged 18 – 49 who were diabetic, had cancer, or tuberculosis (TB) in Johannesburg. The HIV care continuum formed the framework for this research. A secondary dataset from the national level survey 2017 was used for …

Soft Tissue Techniques For Upper Quadrant Range Of Motion And Pain In A Breast Cancer Survivor Following Mastectomy: A Case Report, Marissa Paquette

Case Report Papers

Background and Purpose: Breast cancer treatments may cause late effects of pain, range of motion loss, and activity limitation in the upper extremity (UE). The purpose of this case report was to describe the utilization of soft tissue techniques with instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) in outpatient physical therapy to address decreased UE function and pain for a patient post-surgery, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and radiation.
Case Description: The patient was a 61-year-old female referred to physical therapy (PT) for restricted mobility and pain in her right UE post-oncologic treatments preventing her from vocation and participating in daily activities. The …

Development Of A Comprehensive Web-Based Prehabilitation Program For Gastrointestinal Cancer Survivors, Eric Norman, Maryam Nahidian, Amy J. Litterini, Timothy Fitzgerald

Case Report Posters

Background: Individuals with frailty who undergo surgical procedures for gastrointestinal cancers are more likely to experience post-surgical complications, have a higher readmission rate, are more likely to be discharged to skilled care, and have an over four-fold risk of mortality. Developing targeted patient education tools and resources may support, and reduce complications for, individuals with frailty undergoing and recovering from major abdominal surgery.
Methods: Program development began via the Delphi Method, including three survey iterations distributed to top experts in the field of Oncologic Physical Therapy. Results achieved expert consensus for exercise parameters. Brief, simple to understand exercise videos and …

Corruption: An Impediment To Delivering Pathology And Laboratory Services In Resource-Limited Settings, Emily H. Glynn Md, Timothy Amukele, Taryn Vian

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

OBJECTIVES

Corruption is a widely acknowledged problem in the health sector of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Yet, little is known about the types of corruption that affect the delivery of pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services. This review is a first step at examine PALM corruption risks.

METHODS

We performed a critical review of medical literature focused on health sector corruption in LMICs. To provide context, we categorized cases of lab-related fraud and abuse in the U.S.

RESULTS

Forms of corruption in LMICs that may impact the provision of PALM services include informal payments, absenteeism, theft and diversion, kickbacks, …

Prediction Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis Using Nonlinear Measures Of Language-Related Eeg At 6 And 12 Months, William Bosl, Fleming C. Peck, Laurel J. Gabard-Durnam, Carol L. Wilkinson, Helen Tager-Flusberg, Charles Nelson

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Size-Weight Illusion: A Proof Of Concept, Christopher Danford, Katie Jacobson, Peter Valentine, Mark Gumtang, Claire Schumock, Andrew J. Meszaros, Robin Dorociak

Student-Faculty Research - College of Physical Therapy

Hypotheses

- SWI will be present in full body squat with more force being produced through the lower extremity on the side that has the larger cube initially, with more vertical displacement of the large cube side as well

- Pre lift predictions will bias the larger cube, while post predictions will bias the smaller cube

- We also anticipate a larger vertical displacement on the side with the larger box following the fatigue protocol

Relationship Among Measures Of Self-Efficacy, Participation, Physical Function, & Real World Physical Activity In Chronic Stroke, Cindy Zablotny, Theresa Raudsepp, Zachary Christenson, Zachary Labianco, Kerry Pine, Caroline Strode, Kaylee Vinson, Kendall Woolf

Student-Faculty Research - College of Physical Therapy

Research Question

Do PROMIS® measures correlate significantly enough with traditional measures of self-efficacy, physical performance, and real-world physical activity in a chronic stroke population to justify replacing their use in clinic?

Hypothesis

PROMIS® measures will demonstrate significant correlations with a variety of traditional measures and real world activity, which may allow us to use PROMIS® as a primary method of directing treatment interventions in those with chronic stroke.

Immunopathogenesis Of Craniotomy Infection And Niche-Specific Immune Responses To Biofilm, Sharon D.B. De Morais, Gunjan Kak, Joseph P. Menousek, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Bacterial infections in the central nervous system (CNS) can be life threatening and often impair neurological function. Biofilm infection is a complication following craniotomy, a neurosurgical procedure that involves the removal and replacement of a skull fragment (bone flap) to access the brain for surgical intervention. The incidence of infection following craniotomy ranges from 1% to 3% with approximately half caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). These infections present a significant therapeutic challenge due to the antibiotic tolerance of biofilm and unique immune properties of the CNS. Previous studies have revealed a critical role for innate immune responses …

Publication Status Of Unpublished Research Manuscripts On Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applications After 30 Months, J. T. Barnes

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objectives: The orthopaedic surgery residency applicant class of 2016 had a nationwide match rate of 67.8%. This institution received 573 applications for four residency spots. As orthopaedic surgery residency becomes more competitive, so does the drive among applicants to improve their residency applications. Research experience, in particular, is becoming an increasingly common component of applications. Previous research has demonstrated that the requirement for a PubMed Identification number on all published citations on residency applications since 2014 has led to a drastic decrease in misrepresentation of published research. While publication is the ultimate goal of most research projects, not all manuscripts …

Characterization Of Inhbb, Heatr5a, & Cyp2s1 Expression In Dorsal Root Ganglia By In-Situ Hybridization, Joshua D. Krech

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Multiple studies have shown that gene expression changes occur in sensory neurons after peripheral nerve injury (PNI). These expression changes include many genes that are turned on specifically in response to injury, but much less is know about expression changes in stable genetic markers of particular sensory neuron populations. This study characterized the expression of three markers of proprioceptive neurons Inhbb, Heatr5a, Cyp2s1 in lumbar dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in intact animals and after PNI. To perform these experiments, we subcloned segments of the coding sequences of these genes and generated DIG-labeled riboprobes. Control experiments demonstrated the validity of …

Tolle Lege Works Published In 2021, Mcquade Library

Bibliographies

Compiled Tolle Lege bibliography of works published by members of the Merrimack College Community in 2021. Works include journal articles, books, book chapters, conference presentations and posters, and more.

Drowning Rule Out With Novices (Drown) In Ultrasound, Justin Schevers, Stewart R. Richardson, Jacob Pope, Dylan Arnold, Casey Wilson

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2021

No abstract provided.

Developing A Self-Sanitizing Mask To Combat The Spread Of Infectious Disease, Matthew Crawford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Masks have become an important part of everyday life, protecting both the wearer and individuals nearby from the spread of infectious diseases, most notably severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, these masks are easily contaminated, whether through continued use or by the wearer touching the mask fabric with contaminated hands, therefore reducing the efficacy and exposing the user to these contagions. When the mask becomes contaminated, it can be discarded, which produces large amounts of waste that will end up in a landfill, or it can be washed, which is …

Role Of Rela In Dormancy And Toxr Proteolysis In Vibrio Cholerae, Zachary J. Malaussena

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, is an enteric pathogen that can be found in aquatic ecosystems when not colonizing the human gastrointestinal tract. Under adverse environmental conditions, V. cholerae is capable of entering dormant states that increase its survival during these ecological fluctuations. In these states, V. cholerae slows its metabolic activity and exhibits drastically altered gene expression and morphology. Stressors that lead to entry into these states vary from nutrient limitation, suboptimal pH, or antimicrobials. Cells in these dormant states are highly resistant to antimicrobials and cannot be detected using standard microbiological techniques …

Statins And Women, Debra Schulte

Rural Health Professions Projects

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) elevation is a primary risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and stroke is the fifth leading. Earlier LDL reduction improves morbidity and mortality. Literature indicates fewer women start statin medications compared to men.

Preferences Of Collegiate Volleyball Players Regarding Leadership Style, Brooke Turner

2021 Faculty Bibliography

The purpose of this study was to determine the coaching style preferences of Division II and III female collegiate volleyball athletes. Five hundred and nine female student-athletes from 41 colleges/universities expressed their preferences using the Revised Leadership Scale for Sport (RLSS) (Zhang et al., 1997). The preference version of the RLSS included six behavior dimensions: autocratic, democratic, positive feedback, situational consideration, social support, and training and instruction behaviors. Descriptive statistics were used to determine training and instruction behaviors and situational consideration were the most preferred coaching styles for all athletes. Autocratic was the least preferred coaching style. Independent t tests …

A Systematic Review Of Approaches Used For Reproductive Health Interventions, Hanvit Park, Emma Hilbelink, Adejoke Ayoola

Summer Research

During 2011 in the United States, 48% of all pregnancies were unintended.1 This may be attributed to a lack of knowledge of women’sreproductive anatomy and bodily changes, and contraception. To promote women's reproductive health, it is essential for women to be educated about their reproductive system, associated bodily changes, risk of conception and contraceptive use.