Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Olfactory Dysfunction At Six Months After Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection, S R. Leedman, M Sheeraz, P G. Sanfilippo, Dale W. Edgar, G V. D'Aulerio, D M. Robb, T Richards, C C. Blyth, D A. Mackey

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: This study aimed to assess olfactory dysfunction in patients at six months after confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Methods: Coronavirus disease 2019 positive patients were assessed six months following diagnosis. Patient data were recoded as part of the adapted International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium Protocol. Olfactory dysfunction was assessed using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test.

Results: Fifty-six patients were included. At six months after coronavirus disease 2019 diagnosis, 64.3 per cent of patients (n = 36) were normosmic, 28.6 per cent (n = 16) had mild to moderate microsmia and 7 per …

Modulators Of Change-Of-Direction Economy After Repeated Sprints In Elite Soccer Players, Filippo Dolci, Andrew E. Kilding, Tania Spiteri, Paola Chivers, Ben Piggott, Andrew Maiorana, Nicolas H. Hart

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: To investigate the acute effect of repeated-sprint activity (RSA) on change-of-direction economy (assessed using shuttle running economy [SRE]) in soccer players and explore neuromuscular and cardiorespiratory characteristics that may modulate this effect.

Methods: Eleven young elite male soccer players (18.5 [1.4] y old) were tested on 2 different days during a 2-week period in their preseason. On day 1, lower-body stiffness, power and force were assessed via countermovement jumps, followed by an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion to measure maximal aerobic capacity. On day 2, 2 SRE tests were performed before and after a repeated-sprint protocol with …

A Prospective Pilot Study Of The Energy Balance Profiles In Acute Non-Severe Burn Patients, Tyler Osborne, Dale Edgar, Paul Gittings, Fiona Wood, Thomas Le Huray, Brodie Allan, Brendan R. Scott, Bradley Wall

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Background:Major burn patients have been shown to exhibit a hyper-metabolic state of activity which can persist for up to two years after burn. The relationship between total body surface area (TBSA) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) has been investigated in larger burns (≥20% TBSA), however not in non-severe burns (≤15% TBSA). The primary aim of this observational study was to examine the association between the acute effects of burns

Methods: The study included data from 39 participants (82% male), all admitted to the State Adult Burn Unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital. Each patient was recruited upon admission and RMR …

Characteristics Of Quality Activities In A Tertiary Teaching Hospital In Western Australia, Qun Catherine Li, Jonathan Karnon, Simon Towler, James Codde

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: This study aims to describe the characteristics of quality activities in a tertiary quaternary hospital in Western Australia.

Methods: Data from the study hospital’s electronic quality management system Governance, Evidence, Knowledge and Outcome between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2019 was analysed by using descriptive and thematic methods.

Results: Quality assurance (QA) accounted for 68.3% of all quality activities in the study hospital. Principal investigators of activities were mostly in clinical roles and relatively senior in their profession. Collaboration within the same profession and same team was common, but much less so across departments. The median quality cycle …

Exploring The Association Between Stroke And Acute Myocardial Infarction And Statins Adherence Following A Medicines Co-Payment Increase, Karla L. Seaman, Max K. Bulsara, Frank M. Sanfilippo, Anna Kemp-Casey, Elizabeth E. Roughead, Caroline Bulsara, Gerald F. Watts, David B. Preen

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Objectives: Patient contributions (co-payments) for one months’ supply of a publicly-subsidised medicine in Australia were increased by 21% in January 2005 (US$2.73-$3.31 for social security recipients and $17.05- $20.58 for others). This study investigates the relationship between patients’ use of statin medication and hospitalisation for acute coronary syndrome and stroke, following this large increase in co-payments.

Methods: We designed a retrospective cohort study of all patients in Western Australia who were dispensed statin medication between 2004 and 05. Data for the cohort was obtained from State and Federal linked databases. We divided the cohort into those who discontinued, reduced or …

Quantification Of The Negative Impact Of Sedation And Inotropic Support On Achieving Early Mobility In Burn Patients In Icu: A Single Center Observational Study, Lauren Bright, Lisa Van Der Lee, Dana Hince, Fiona M. Wood, Dale W. Edgar

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction: Early rehabilitation for burns survivors in the intensive care unit (ICU) is arguably more challenging than the general population. Early achievement of functional verticality milestones (FVMs) has the potential to ameliorate the detrimental effects of bed rest and immobility observed in ICU patients and reduce healthcare costs. However, the time to achieving FVMs after burn injury is influenced by factors such as sedation practices, cardiovascular stability, mechanical ventilation, acute skin reconstruction and length of stay (LOS) during the acute intensive care period.

Objectives/Aims: The aims of this study were to identify the association between early achievement of FVMs and …

Reducing Hospital Discharges Back Into Homelessness, Jake Turvey, Isaac Wood, Lisa Wood, Amanda Stafford

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Post-Stroke Lateropulsion And Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis, Jessica Nolan, Erin Godecke, Katrina Spilsbury, Barbara Singer

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: A person with post-stroke lateropulsion actively pushes themselves toward their hemiplegic side, or resists moving onto their non-hemiplegic side. This study aimed to determine the association of lateropulsion severity with: • Change in function (Functional Independence Measure – FIM) and lateropulsion severity (Four-Point Pusher Score – 4PPS) during inpatient rehabilitation; • Inpatient rehabilitation length of stay (LOS); • Discharge destination from inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods: Retrospective data for 1,087 participants (aged ≥65 years) admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit (2005–2018) were analysed using multivariable regression models.

Results: Complete resolution of lateropulsion was seen in 69.4% of those with mild lateropulsion …

Is There An Association Between The Vaginal Microbiome And First Trimester Miscarriage? A Prospective Observational Study, Monica Shahid, Julie A. Quinlivan, George Mendz, Michael Peek, Natalia Castaño-Rodríguez

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Aim

To examine whether there are differences in the vaginal microbiome of women who miscarry compared to those who have normal pregnancy outcomes.

Methods

Prospective observational study conducted at the Canberra Hospital, Australia, with 24 participant women in the first trimester of pregnancy. The vaginal microbiomes of the 24 women were characterized using sequencing analysis of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene employing an Illumina MiSeq instrument with QIAGEN reagents. Vaginal microbiome data were correlated with pregnancy clinical metadata.

Results

Ordination plots showed differences in the composition of microbiomes of women who miscarried and controls. In nulliparous women, …

Influence Of Age And Maturation Status On Sprint Acceleration Characteristics In Junior Australian Football, Toby Edwards, Jonathon Weakley, Harry G. Banyard, Ashley Cripps, Benjamin Piggott, G. Gregory Haff, Christopher Joyce

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

This study aimed to investigate the influence of chronological age and maturation status on sprint acceleration characteristics in junior Australian football (AF) players. Biological maturity of 109 subjects was assessed and subjects were grouped according to predicted years from peak height velocity (PHV) (pre-, mid-, and post-PHV) and chronological age (13 years, 14 years, and 15 years). A one-way multivariate analysis of variance and magnitude-based decisions were used to determine between-group differences. Instantaneous velocity was measured during two maximal 30m sprints via radar gun with the velocity-time data used to derive the force, velocity, and power characteristics. Chronologically, the greatest …

Wellbeing And Nature Connectedness For Emerging Adult Undergraduates After A Short Expedition: A Small Pilot Study, Michael J.A Down, Paola Chivers, Prudence Kirsch, Duncan Picknoll

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Issue addressed: Emerging adult university undergraduates are a vulnerable population due to various life stressors. Previous studies have reported a range of positive outcomes from outdoor expeditions for this population. This small pilot study aimed to investigate the impacts of an outdoor expedition on wellbeing and connectedness to nature and possible confounding by gender and living environment.

Methods: A sample of 54 Health and Physical Education emerging adult undergraduates in the second year of their four-year degree completed a 3-day/2-night immersion expedition. Pre-post differences and a repeated-measures analysis with confounders examined the expedition's impact on scores from the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental …

Open Science In Kenya: Where Are We?, Kennedy W. Mwangi, Nyabuti Mainye, Daniel O. Ouso, Kevin Esoh, Angela W. Muraya, Charles K. Mwangi, Careen Naitore, Pauline Karega, Gilbert Kibet-Rono, Sebastian Musundi, Jennifer Mutisya, Elizabeth Mwangi, Cavin Mgawe, Silviane Miruka, Caleb K. Kibet

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Open Science is the movement to make scientific research and data accessible to all. It has great potential for advancing science. At its core, it includes (but is not limited to) open access, open data, and open research. Some of the associated advantages are promoting collaboration, sharing and reproducibility in research, and preventing the reinvention of the wheel, thus saving resources. As research becomes more globalized and its output grows exponentially, especially in data, the need for open scientific research practices is more evident — the future of modern …

Effect Of Zebra Skin-Derived Compounds On Field Catches Of The Human African Trypanosomiasis Vector Glossina Fuscipes Fuscipes, Olabimpe Y. Olaide, David P. Tchouassi, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Christian W.W. Pirk, Daniel K. Masiga, Rajinder K. Saini, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The riverine tsetse fly Glossina fuscipes fuscipes is a major vector of trypanosome pathogens causing African trypanosomiasis. This fly species uses a combination of olfactory and visual cues to locate its hosts. Previously, traps and targets baited with visual cues have been used in vector control, but the development of olfactory-based tools has been challenging. Recently, repellents have shown promise as olfactory-based tools in tsetse vector control. Here, we evaluated a three-component blend comprising 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, acetophenone and geranyl acetone (blend K), previously identified as a repellent for savannah tsetse flies in zebra skin odor, on G. f. fuscipes populations. Using …

Prevalence And Factors Associated With Mental Health Symptoms In Adults Undergoing Covid-19 Testing, Ikponmwosa Osaghae, Linh K Nguyen, Tong Han Chung, Olivia Moffitt, Yen-Chi L Le, Mark B Suh, Pooja N Prasad, Eric J Thomas, Christine D Gordon, Kevin O Hwang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Understanding the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons receiving COVID-19 testing will help guide mental health interventions. We aimed to determine the association between sociodemographic factors and mental health symptoms at 8 weeks (baseline) after a COVID-19 test, and compare prevalence of mental health symptoms at baseline to those at 16-week follow-up.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective cohort study of adults who received outpatient COVID-19 testing at primary care clinics. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 test results with mental health symptoms. Mental health symptoms reported at …

“Conservation Agriculture, " Possible Climate Change Adaptation Option In Taita Hills, Kenya, Lilian Motaroki, Gilbert Ouma, Dorcas Kalele

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The vicious cycle of food insecurity in Kenya and Africa at large is partly attributed to the high reliance on rainfed agriculture, which makes production systems vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and variability. Conservation agriculture (CA) has been disseminated as a climate-smart practice that operates on three main principles to realize the multiple benefits of making crop production systems more resilient to climate change impacts, enhancing food security, and providing environmental services, such as carbon sequestration. As a major source of livelihood in the Taita Hills, agriculture is constrained by climate change owing to its rainfed nature. …

Nurses Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals: The United Nations And Sigma: Concrete Plans That Translate The Goals Into Action Are Critical, Connie Sobon Sensor, Pennie Sessler Branden, Valerie Clary-Muronda, Janice E. Hawkins, Dawn Fitzgerald, Aric M. Shimek, Dania Al-Itani, Elizabeth A. Madigan, William E. Rosa

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

This article is one in a series in which contributing authors discuss how the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are linked to everyday clinical issues; national public health emergencies; and other nursing issues, such as leadership, shared governance, and advocacy. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a 15-year plan of action to achieve the goals, was unanimously adopted by all UN member states in September 2015 and took effect on January 1, 2016. The Agenda consists of 17 SDGs addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health and 169 associated targets focused on five themes: people, planet, peace, …

Correlation Between Concentrations Of Four Heavy Metals In Cord Blood And Childhood Blood Of Jamaican Children, Mohammad H Rahbar, Maureen Samms-Vaughan, Manouchehr Hessabi, Jan Bressler, Shezeen Gillani, Megan L Grove, Sydonnie Shakspeare-Pellington, Katherine A Loveland

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study investigated whether the concentrations of four metals [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al)] are correlated in cord blood and childhood blood samples from Jamaican children. Cord blood samples were obtained from 21 pregnant women enrolled in the second Jamaican Birth Cohort Study from July 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011, and blood samples were drawn from their children who participated in a follow up study when the children were 4–8 years old. Correlations were assessed by the Pearson or the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The mean ages of children at the childhood visit and their …

Endmt Regulation By Small Rnas In Diabetes-Associated Fibrotic Conditions: Potential Link With Oxidative Stress, Roberta Giordo, Yusra M A Ahmed, Hilda Allam, Salah Abusnana, Lucia Pappalardo, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Arduino Aleksander Mangoni, Gianfranco Pintus

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Diabetes-associated complications, such as retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and atherosclerosis, the main consequences of long-term hyperglycemia, often lead to organ dysfunction, disability, and increased mortality. A common denominator of these complications is the myofibroblast-driven excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Although fibroblast appears to be the primary source of myofibroblasts, other cells, including endothelial cells, can generate myofibroblasts through a process known as endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT). During EndMT, endothelial cells lose their typical phenotype to acquire mesenchymal features, characterized by the development of invasive and migratory abilities as well as the expression of typical mesenchymal products such as α-smooth …

Effects Of Buprenorphine Treatment On Myelin Following Traumatic Brain Injury In A Rat Model, Jane Ryu

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common phenomenon, accounting for significant cost and adverse health effects. While there is information about focal pathologies following TBI, knowledge of more diffuse processes is lacking, particularly regarding how analgesics affect this pathology. As Buprenorphine (Bup) is the most commonly used analgesic in experimental TBI models, the current study investigated the effects of the opioid analgesic Buprenorphine-sustained release-Lab (Bup-SR-Lab) on physiology and myelin alterations at 1d and 4w following central fluid percussion injury (cFPI) in adult male rats. Microscopic assessments were performed at 1 day and 4w post-injury. Myelin pathology was assessed by evaluating …

Mechanistic Insights Of Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species In Alzheimer's Disease Models, Jakob C. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in impaired cognition, disorientation, confusion, poor judgement, and behavioral changes. The mitochondrial cascade hypothesis (MCH), which postulates that accumulating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction plays an integral role in the development of the disease, potentially upstream, in conjunction with or independent of Aβ and tau. The literature supports the critical role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the progression and development of AD, but is inconclusive about what precise role, as initiator or delegate, it performs. Regardless, the impact that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction have on AD deserves further study and investigation. …

Influence Of Immigration Status On The 10-Year Trajectories Of Psychosocial Functioning In Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury, Chimdindu Ohayagha

Theses and Dissertations

The population of racially/ethnically diverse groups within the U.S. is growing at an exponential rate. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the number of foreign-born individuals in the U.S. to be nearly 40 million or 13% of the total population (Grieco et al., 2012). Racially/ethnically diverse groups in the U.S. have a higher incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI; Gary et al., 2009). Although racial/ethnic disparities have been documented in numerous outcomes, research has yet to thoroughly explore differences in rehabilitation outcomes for immigrants relative to U.S.-born individuals. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional and mental health …

Evaluating Patient And Health Care Provider Acceptance Of A Personal Health Record In An Integrated Health Care System In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Consuela C. Yousef

Theses and Dissertations

With the shift to patient- and person-centered care, personal health records (PHRs) have been touted as a strategy to empower patients, improve patient-provider communication, and support self-management. Health care organizations around the world have implemented PHRs in a global push to meet three aims of health care—improve access to care, reduce costs, and increase the quality of care. The capabilities that PHRs support vary by organizations, yet basic functions include allowing patients to view their laboratory results, refill prescription medications, and request appointments. More advanced PHRs enable patient-centered communication through secure messaging.

As the burden of chronic disease grows, PHRs …

The Role Of Insurance Coverage In Outpatient Substance Use Disorder Treatment Referral, Utilization, And Outcomes, Huyen Pham

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid-related overdoses increased dramatically in recent years. Medicaid plays a predominant role in paying for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. However, there is a critical gap in understanding the role of Medicaid coverage in referrals to treatment, treatment utilization, and treatment retention. The three studies used observational and quasi-experimental (i.e., natural experiment) designs leveraging state and year variation in Medicaid expansion to characterize the role of Medicaid coverage in OUD treatment. We found that individuals with OUD with Medicaid insurance were more likely to use outpatient treatment, whereas those who were uninsured were more likely to use self-help groups only. …

Local Delivery Of Tumor Associated Macrophage Immunotherapy For The Treatment Of Metastases To The Lungs, Sulaiman Alhudaithi

Theses and Dissertations

Metastases are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and the lungs are one of the primary sites of metastases from several malignancies. Existing therapies fail to entirely eradicate tumors that disseminate and reside in lungs; therefore, patient prognosis significantly worsens. Conventional therapies utilized to treat lung tumors such as chemotherapy are administered systemically and typically exhibit poor lung biodistribution profiles, leading to many undesirable off target effects and suboptimal drug concentration in the tumor, which may promote resistance, further compromising the quality of life of secondary lung cancer patients. Immune cells that infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a central …

A Novel Sulfated Trimer Of Quercetin For Pulmonary Delivery To Treat The Emphysematous Lung, Abhinav Mohan

Theses and Dissertations

Emphysema, a major manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), affects millions of patients in the United States; yet, no present treatment is able to directly modify the disease process. In the recent past, a pathobiologic hypothesis surrounding the deficiency of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has surfaced as a cause of the alveolar structural destruction and loss in emphysema. Additionally, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a regulator of anti-oxidative proteins and cellular homeostasis, has been found to be reduced in the lungs of emphysematous patients. Given these disturbances, this research hypothesized that such pathobiologic deficiencies can be inhibited with a sulfated …

Urate Genetic Assessment In Asian And Pacific Islander Subgroups Of Pregnant Women: Implications For Personalized Medicine And Means To Reduce Health Disparities, Ali Alghubayshi

Theses and Dissertations

Gout is one of the most common rheumatic conditions and appears to have a higher prevalence in certain populations. Risk factors for gout and its precursor, hyperuricemia, are also significant risk factors for preeclampsia, major pregnancy-related morbidity. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 1059 pregnant women from different populations whom 100% reported their ethnicities from the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations. Numerous uric acid (UA) genes and clinical conditions were addressed, and all study details were reviewed and exempted by the University of Hawaii human Studies Program (Protocol Number: 2018-00225). In this project, we hypothesized that UA …

Impact Of Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness On Vascular Homeostasis In Premenopausal Women Consuming A Westernized High-Fat Meal, Lauren N. Pedersen

Theses and Dissertations

A large percentage of adults in industrialized nations consume a Westernized dietary pattern, which contributes to fasting dyslipidemia and increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests that a single Westernized meal containing high saturated fat may induce alterations in blood lipids as well as disturb multiple factors regulating peripheral vascular homeostasis, including innate immune cell function, oxidative stress, and vascular function. Conversely, participation in acute and chronic exercise may beneficially impact an individual’s postprandial response. Therefore, this dissertation contains three manuscripts seeking to describe how acute exercise, cardiorespiratory fitness, and physical activity level impact the lipemic and vascular homeostatic …

Continuous Manufacturing Of Pharmaceuticals Using Novel Platforms, Sarah S. Aboelela

Theses and Dissertations

Pharmaceuticals have been synonymously manufactured in a centralized, batch mode with less attention to process and formulation understanding. However, due to rising drug costs, shortages, and robustness issues, in addition to the alarming lack of flexibility and agility, regulatory agencies have pushed towards switching to continuous processes. They believed in continuous manufacturing, providing cleaner, flexible, and more efficient processes. Hence, it was foreseen to reduce development and manufacturing costs, time, and environmental impact and ensured drug product quality. Over the last two decades, continuous manufacturing quality, environmental, and economic advantages have been evident through many case studies and approved products …

Investigating Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptor (Cb1r) Positive Allosteric Modulators (Pams) In Mouse Models Of Overt Cannabimimetic Activity, Subjective Drug Effects, And Neuropathic Pain, Jayden Elmer

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain affects between 20 and 30 percent of the adult population in western countries and represents a wide array of specific etiologies (Berge, 2011). Neuropathic pain secondary to traumatic nerve injury, chemotherapeutic toxicity, or diseases (e.g., diabetes mellitus) is often refractory to conventional analgesics, with patients receiving less than 50% pain relief compared to placebo (Finnerup et al. 2010). The endocannabinoid system has shown potential as a therapeutic target for neuropathic pain wherein CB1 agonism via administration of exogenous agonists or pharmacological blockade of endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes exhibits efficacy in reversing allodynia in the chronic constriction injury (CCI) model …

Exploring The Dopamine Transporter Utilizing A Two-Pronged Approach With Novel Cathinone Analogs And Mutant Dopamine Transporters, Charles B. Jones Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is responsible for the removal of the neurotransmitter from the synaptic gap and a therapeutic target for a multitude of drugs. While the ortholog Drosophila melanogaster dopamine transporter (dDAT) and human serotonin transporter (hSERT) have resolved structures, the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) does not. A 3-D computational homology model of hDAT was constructed for the study of molecular interactions with agents within the central binding site (S1) of the transporter.

Synthetic cathiones are a class of abused stimulant drugs that primarily target DAT. Greater than 150 cathinones have been identified on the clandestine market but there …