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2025

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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Advancing Trypanosoma Cruzi N-Myristoyltransferase As A Drug Target For Chagas Disease Through In Silico Discovery And Biochemical Evaluation, Diana Citlali González García Dec 2025

Advancing Trypanosoma Cruzi N-Myristoyltransferase As A Drug Target For Chagas Disease Through In Silico Discovery And Biochemical Evaluation, Diana Citlali González García

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease remains one of the most persistent and neglected parasitic infections in the Americas, advancing silently through the intracellular replication of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes and the invasive spread of trypomastigotes. The survival of the parasite is critically reliant on protein N-myristoylation, a lipid modification catalyzed by N-myristoyltransferase (NMT). This dissertation aims to advance beyond prior studies by systematically investigating NMT inhibition across multiple biological levels, spanning from the characterization of the purified enzyme, through cellular infection models, to the global proteomic remodeling induced within the parasite, thereby evaluating TcNMT as a potential therapeutic vulnerability in T.cruzi.Recombinant TcNMT was expressed, …


Staff Education To Improve Nursing Knowledge On Fall Prevention, Mary Del Riffe Dec 2025

Staff Education To Improve Nursing Knowledge On Fall Prevention, Mary Del Riffe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary Falls in health care facilities constitute the most prevalent incidents among all safety-related mishaps. If unaddressed, falls can result in severe consequences and perhaps fatal outcomes for patients. The Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) project was developed to address the issue of patient falls in a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). The practice-focused question was: Will implementation of an educational evidence-based staff fall prevention program improve nurses’ knowledge on fall prevention? The 1-hour staff education program was created based on review of recent evidence. Twelve nurses attended the staff education program. A pre- and posttest were used to evaluate …


An Evaluation Of Dental Hygiene Integration From The Nursing Point Of View Within The Intensive Care Units., Alyssa M. Ramos Dec 2025

An Evaluation Of Dental Hygiene Integration From The Nursing Point Of View Within The Intensive Care Units., Alyssa M. Ramos

Dental Hygiene ETDs

This study analyzes the prospective of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse and the importance of oral hygiene delivery to ventilated patients within the ICU. The results of the study analyze the correlation of oral hygiene care performed by the ICU nurse and the probability of developing ventilator associated pneumonia, which is a prevalent infection in the intensive care units. A descriptive research method was used, sent out via email, using a likert- like ordinal scale. The survey was sent to two urban hospital intensive care units, the population included ICU nurses (n=17) from the same urban city. The ICU …


Recovery And Characterization Of Moraxella Species From Bovine Specimens, Laura G. Leger Dec 2025

Recovery And Characterization Of Moraxella Species From Bovine Specimens, Laura G. Leger

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The family Moraxellaceae is made up of a diverse group of 24 named species that fall into three phylogenetic groups. While most Moraxella spp. act as commensal respiratory and/or ocular flora of mammals, some are associated with disease. One of these diseases, infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), has significant welfare and economic impacts to both cattle and cattle producers. Moraxella bovis is the only experimentally determined cause of IBK, however, an association of Moraxella bovoculi with disease has been proposed. Currently, available vaccines do not have high levels of efficacy in the field. Culture based methods are the gold standard for …


A Word From The Writing Team (December 2025), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd Dec 2025

A Word From The Writing Team (December 2025), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.


Identification And Characterization Of Host-Modulating Effectors Encoded By The Cluster F1 Mycobacteriophage Normanbulbiejr, Bethany M. Wise, Kaylia Edwards, Cole R. Jirsa, Sabrina Abbruzzese, Amina Adebiyi, Sarika Bapat, Tyler Barnhardt, Naomi Bastiampillai, Ella Begovic, Mary G. Berchick, Gilda Bocco, John Bonoris, Elizabeth Boos, Margaret Cassady, Julia Chehab, Gene Cooper, Hunter Coyle, Joseph Davis, Natalia De La Cruz Vargas, Matthew Delach, Carly Dowiak, David Ferraro, Madison Fuller, Bootsie Glasser, Kyle Gordon, Hannah Hoch, Sarah Holleman, Luke Hood, Brett Hurrell, Nicholas Jacobs, Danny Jiang, Steven Kefalos, Salma Maher, Jocelyn Martin, Rohebot Mengesha, Daniel Merenich, Ashwin Nayak, Dasha Nesterova, Joshua Nguyen, Chukwudumebi Okonkwo, Taylor Pompan, Lauren Redwood, Christina Scanlon, Lily Schneider, Aparna Shenai, Colton Siatkowski, Lisa Strausner, Joseph Vizzarri, Jordan Watson, Angela Wilson, Catherine Wynne, Anthony Zygmunt, Michelle Kanther, Kimberly M. Payne, Richard S. Pollenz, C N. Sunnen, Danielle M. Heller Dec 2025

Identification And Characterization Of Host-Modulating Effectors Encoded By The Cluster F1 Mycobacteriophage Normanbulbiejr, Bethany M. Wise, Kaylia Edwards, Cole R. Jirsa, Sabrina Abbruzzese, Amina Adebiyi, Sarika Bapat, Tyler Barnhardt, Naomi Bastiampillai, Ella Begovic, Mary G. Berchick, Gilda Bocco, John Bonoris, Elizabeth Boos, Margaret Cassady, Julia Chehab, Gene Cooper, Hunter Coyle, Joseph Davis, Natalia De La Cruz Vargas, Matthew Delach, Carly Dowiak, David Ferraro, Madison Fuller, Bootsie Glasser, Kyle Gordon, Hannah Hoch, Sarah Holleman, Luke Hood, Brett Hurrell, Nicholas Jacobs, Danny Jiang, Steven Kefalos, Salma Maher, Jocelyn Martin, Rohebot Mengesha, Daniel Merenich, Ashwin Nayak, Dasha Nesterova, Joshua Nguyen, Chukwudumebi Okonkwo, Taylor Pompan, Lauren Redwood, Christina Scanlon, Lily Schneider, Aparna Shenai, Colton Siatkowski, Lisa Strausner, Joseph Vizzarri, Jordan Watson, Angela Wilson, Catherine Wynne, Anthony Zygmunt, Michelle Kanther, Kimberly M. Payne, Richard S. Pollenz, C N. Sunnen, Danielle M. Heller

PCOM Scholarly Works

NormanBulbieJr (NBJ) is a temperate siphovirus isolated on the host Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 that encodes 102 gene products, 60 of which have no known function (NKF). Based on gene content, NBJ is classified as a Cluster F, Subcluster F1 phage and shares 70% of its encoded gene phamilies with Girr, another F1 mycobacteriophage that was recently analyzed in a genome-wide overexpression screen and found to encode 29 diverse gene products capable of inhibiting growth of M. smegmatis. Similar functional screens in other mycobacteriophages have uncovered a growing repertoire of diverse, phage-encoded bacterial growth inhibitors, providing prime candidates …


Day In The Life Of A Labor And Delivery Nurse, Jordyn Roel Dec 2025

Day In The Life Of A Labor And Delivery Nurse, Jordyn Roel

Honors Projects

"Day in the Life: Labor & Delivery Nurse," explores the profound duality of labor and delivery from a nurse’s perspective. It will honor the sacred role of the labor and delivery (L&D) nurse, whose hands both welcome new life into the world and comfort those facing the unimaginable pain of loss. This piece aims to offer a deeply human and empathetic portrayal of the realities of this field, showcasing both the breathtaking beauty of birth and the profound grief of natal loss.


Responsible Adoption Of Multimodal Artificial Intelligence In Health Care: Promises And Challenges., Ghazal Azarfar, Sara Naimimohasses, Sirisha Rambhatla, Matthieu Komorowski, Diana Ferro, Peter R Lewis, Darren Gates, Nawar Shara, Gregg M Gascon, Anthony Chang, Muhammad Mamdani, Mamatha Bhat Dec 2025

Responsible Adoption Of Multimodal Artificial Intelligence In Health Care: Promises And Challenges., Ghazal Azarfar, Sara Naimimohasses, Sirisha Rambhatla, Matthieu Komorowski, Diana Ferro, Peter R Lewis, Darren Gates, Nawar Shara, Gregg M Gascon, Anthony Chang, Muhammad Mamdani, Mamatha Bhat

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Clinicians rely on various data modalities-such as patient history, clinical signs, imaging, and laboratory results-to improve decision making. Multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) systems are emerging as powerful tools to process these diverse data types; however, the clinical adoption of multimodal AI systems is challenging because of data heterogeneity and integration complexities. The 2024 Temerty Centre for AI Research and Education in Medicine symposium, held on June 17, 2024, in Toronto, Canada, explored the potential and challenges of implementing multimodal AI in health care. In this Review, we summarise insights from the symposium. We discuss current applications, such as those used …


A Reversal In Fortunes: A Case Of Triumphant Retrograde Intubation., Vishal Tharani, Nickolas Meier Dec 2025

A Reversal In Fortunes: A Case Of Triumphant Retrograde Intubation., Vishal Tharani, Nickolas Meier

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

A 48-year-old male presented to the emergency department in respiratory distress, with a history of poorly controlled asthma and a remote history of pulmonary embolus. After failing a non-invasive ventilation trial and numerous treatments for presumed status asthmaticus, he was planned for intubation. During the procedure, a large supraglottic mass was visualized, obstructing the airway and preventing successful orotracheal intubation via video laryngoscopy. Securing the airway was complicated by cardiac arrest, likely hypoxia-driven. The patient underwent a successful retrograde intubation followed by post-cardiac arrest stabilization. This case highlights the technique and its role in difficult airway management.


Automated Assessment Of Periapical Health Based On The Radiographic Periapical Index Using Yolov8, Yolov11, And Yolov12 One-Stage Object Detection Algorithms, Shehabeldin Mohamed Saber Prof.Dr., Ahmed A. Torky Phd Dec 2025

Automated Assessment Of Periapical Health Based On The Radiographic Periapical Index Using Yolov8, Yolov11, And Yolov12 One-Stage Object Detection Algorithms, Shehabeldin Mohamed Saber Prof.Dr., Ahmed A. Torky Phd

Dentistry

This study investigates the application of recent YOLO (You Only Look Once) algorithms for automated detection and classification of apical periodontitis using the Periapical Index (PAI) scoring system (1–5). A dataset of 699 digital periapical radiographs was collected from diverse sources, de-identified, and annotated by calibrated experts before splitting into training, validation, and testing sets. Three deep learning models (YOLOv8m, YOLOv11m, YOLOv12m) were trained and their performance was evaluated using Precision, Recall, F1 score, mean average precision (mAP50), Intersection over union (IoU), and confusion matrices. Two-sided McNemar’s exact test was further conducted to compare models on lesion-level outcomes. The results …


Comparative Evaluation Of Maxillary Partial Denture Frameworks Additively Manufactured With Different 3d Printing Techniques, Basma Refaat Fayad, Islam Heiba Dr, Eman Gamal Abdelghaffar, Ayman Hany Amin Dec 2025

Comparative Evaluation Of Maxillary Partial Denture Frameworks Additively Manufactured With Different 3d Printing Techniques, Basma Refaat Fayad, Islam Heiba Dr, Eman Gamal Abdelghaffar, Ayman Hany Amin

Dentistry

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of fit, surface roughness, and microstructure of cobalt chromium (Co-Cr) maxillary removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks fabricated using direct metal laser melting (DMLS) and selective laser melting (SLM). Methods: A custom Kennedy Class II maxillary partial edentulous resin model was digitally scanned, and a virtual RPD framework was designed. Frameworks were fabricated using DMLS (Co-Cr, n = 8) and SLM (Co-Cr, n = 8), while a control group was produced using a hybrid digital-conventional protocol by lost-wax casting (CAST-Co- Cr, n = 8), in total 24 frameworks. Overall and point comparison adaptation was assessed using …


Llu Dentistry 2025 Winter Edition, Loma Linda University School Of Dentistry Dec 2025

Llu Dentistry 2025 Winter Edition, Loma Linda University School Of Dentistry

Articulator (Dentistry)

In this issue:

4 | Dean's Message
5 | Transforming the Future of Dental Education: The Strategic Vision and Growth Plan
8 | Honoring a Legacy of Excellence: Celebrating Leif K. Bakland, DDS
12 | Transitions
14 | Welcome New Faculty
16 | Celebrating Excellence in Dentistry: 2025 ICD USA Section Annual Meeting & Convocation
18 | LLUSD faculty publish study on Dental Unit Waterline treatment in the Journal of the American Dental Association
21 | Celebrating 15 Years of PNAM Treatment at LLUSD
23 | A Journey of Healing: Shirely's Transformation
24 | Exploring Future Careers in STEM: The …


12-16-25 Bor Hsc Committee Notice Of Meeting, Patricia Serna Dec 2025

12-16-25 Bor Hsc Committee Notice Of Meeting, Patricia Serna

HSC Committee (A subcommittee of the UNM Board of Regents)

12-16-25 BOR HSC Committee Notice of Meeting


Defining The Causal Contribution Of The Gut Microbiota To Cardiomyopathy Pathogenesis As A Basis For Developing Microbiome-Targeted Therapies, Xu Shi Dec 2025

Defining The Causal Contribution Of The Gut Microbiota To Cardiomyopathy Pathogenesis As A Basis For Developing Microbiome-Targeted Therapies, Xu Shi

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, placing substantial clinical and economic burdens on society. Although advances in therapy have improved patient outcomes, the biological mechanisms that drive HF onset and progression remain incompletely understood. Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiota, the trillions of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a key role in some forms of heart disease, especially cardiovascular disease. Moreover, gut microbial dysbiosis has been associated with systemic inflammation, metabolic imbalance, and immune dysregulation, all of which contribute to the pathophysiology of HF. Cardiomyopathy, a primary disorder of the heart …


Synthesis And Study Of Stable Organic Radicals For Mri Contrast Agents And New Materials, Sabina Dhakal Dec 2025

Synthesis And Study Of Stable Organic Radicals For Mri Contrast Agents And New Materials, Sabina Dhakal

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The first part of this dissertation focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of a thermally robust S =1/2 phototetrazolinyl monoradical and the development of synthetic methodologies for a high-spin (S = 1) phototetrazolinyl diradical. Electrochemical studies of the phototetrazolium cation (precursor to the monoradical) revealed a remarkably narrow electrochemical band gap (Ecell ≈ 0.82 V), suggesting promising electrical conductivity. Thermal analysis of the monoradical demonstrated excellent stability, with the onset of decomposition at 232 °C. Building on the excellent thermal stability and promising properties for electrical conductivity of the monoradical, we developed two condensation-based synthetic routes that provide viable …


Large-Scale Experimental Study On The Impact Of Air Cleaning & Ventilation On Indoor Air Quality And Student Illness-Related Absenteeism, Daud Nosham Dec 2025

Large-Scale Experimental Study On The Impact Of Air Cleaning & Ventilation On Indoor Air Quality And Student Illness-Related Absenteeism, Daud Nosham

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This large-scale randomized experimental field study investigated the effect of portable air purifiers (PAPs) on classroom’s air quality and student’s illness related absenteeism. PAPs were installed in 317 classrooms from various school districts located in Eastern Nebraska. The classrooms were randomly assigned into four conditions: three treatment conditions (T1, T2 & T3) and one control condition (device without any filter). T1 was equipped with HEPA filters, T2 added Activated Carbon (AC) layer to HEPA, and T3 further integrated Germicidal Ultraviolet (GUV) alongside HEPA and AC filters. The measured variables were carbon dioxide (CO2), fine particles (PN2.5) and coarse particles (PNcoarse), …


Evaluation And Identification Of Risk Factors For Stress Among Maquiladora Workers Based On The Mexican Official Standard 035 Survey Tool, Andrea Baca Melendez Dec 2025

Evaluation And Identification Of Risk Factors For Stress Among Maquiladora Workers Based On The Mexican Official Standard 035 Survey Tool, Andrea Baca Melendez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background and significance: Occupational psychosocial risk factors are workplace conditions that can trigger physiological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes. They are strongly associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as non-mental health conditions like myocardial infarction, stroke, and occupational injuries. Analyzing these risks from a sociodemographic perspective provides valuable insights for improving work environments and workers’ well-being. Purpose: This study aimed to identify and determine the levels of occupational psychosocial risk factors among workers in a manufacturing company in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, and to examine their relationship with sociodemographic variables to inform future interventions in …


Exploring Intersectional Risks Of Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, Hiv/Aids, And Hepatitis C Among Hispanic Adults On The Tx-Mx Border: A Mixed-Methods Study, Md Mohsin Dec 2025

Exploring Intersectional Risks Of Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, Hiv/Aids, And Hepatitis C Among Hispanic Adults On The Tx-Mx Border: A Mixed-Methods Study, Md Mohsin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore intersectional risks of substance use disorders, mental health, HIV/AIDS, and HCV among Mexican-origin Hispanic adults on the Texas-Mexico border. Methods: The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, which involved collecting and analyzing qualitative data first, followed by quantitative data collection. Selected purposively, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted among the target population. Using convenient sampling, 106 cross-sectional surveys were conducted. Qualitative interview data were analyzed manually using thematic analysis. Quantitative data analyses included univariate descriptive analysis, bivariate, and multivariable penalized logistic regression, negative binomial, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression. Results: The …


Relationships Between Social Determinants Of Health And Pain Outcome Changes After Exercise In Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis, Klarissa Siebert Dec 2025

Relationships Between Social Determinants Of Health And Pain Outcome Changes After Exercise In Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis, Klarissa Siebert

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common musculoskeletal disease with pain as the primary symptom. KOA pain is a major contributor to disability and reduced quality of life and has been associated with social determinants of health (SDOH) variables. As for treatments of KOA pain, exercise such as stationary cycling is a first-line and recommended treatment. However, limited research has examined how SDOH influence pain outcomes following such interventions. Objective: This study investigated whether income level, education level, employment status, acculturative stress, and perceived ethnic discrimination are associated with changes in pain following a standardized cycling ergometer exercise in adults …


Associations Between School Experiences And Mental Health Outcomes By Gender Identity In Sexual And Gender Minority Youth In Texas And California, 2022 - 2024, Andrea Susana Yanez Dec 2025

Associations Between School Experiences And Mental Health Outcomes By Gender Identity In Sexual And Gender Minority Youth In Texas And California, 2022 - 2024, Andrea Susana Yanez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Depression and anxiety affect populations differently, with diagnoses disproportionately higher among sexual and gender minority groups, including LGBTQ+ youth. School experiences shape mental health; negative environments, bullying, and lack of support worsen outcomes, while affirming policies, peer support, and inclusive curricula are protective. Methods: This secondary analysis of the Family, Housing, and Me (FHAM) Project followed 83 LGBTQ+ youth from South Texas and California's Inland Empire (2022-2024). Data on sociodemographic characteristics, school experiences, and mental health outcomes were collected at baseline and at Waves I and II over 25 months. Analyses included descriptive statistics, monthly comparisons, and bivariate and …


Reduction In Patient Falls: A Quality Improvement Project, Jotis J. Lee Dec 2025

Reduction In Patient Falls: A Quality Improvement Project, Jotis J. Lee

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Patient falls remain one of the most frequent adverse events in hospital settings, leading to injury, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. The identified problem was high fall rates at a specialty hospital. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based (EB) educational intervention, using the Fall TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) toolkit, in improving direct care nursing staff’s knowledge, confidence, and perceived ability to implement fall prevention strategies for high-risk patients. The aim was to improve the nursing staff’s knowledge, confidence, and perceived ability …


Prevalence Of Sleep Disturbances And Factors Associated Among School Going Children In Uganda, A Cross-Sectional Study, Martha Sajatovic Dec 2025

Prevalence Of Sleep Disturbances And Factors Associated Among School Going Children In Uganda, A Cross-Sectional Study, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Sleep disturbances greatly impact children's academic performance and social well-being. This study set out to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances and factors associated among school going children in Kawempe division, Kampala, Uganda. Methods: In a community cross-sectional study, 548 study participants using random cluster sampling were enrolled. The children start lessons at 8am and end the days classes at 5pm. Random cluster sampling method was used to select participants from the 19 parishes in Kawempe district. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Descriptive statistics and multivariate binary logistic regression were …


Dual-Level Pattern Tree For Visual Field Improves Glaucoma Progression And Polygenic Risk Prediction, Luo Song, Lucy Q. Shen, Louis R. Pasquale, Michael V. Boland, Sarah R. Wellik, Carlos Gustavo De Moraes, Ayellet Segre, Janey L. Wiggs, Constance Turman, Jonathan S. Myers, Tobias Elze, Nazlee Zebardast, David S. Friedman, Jae H. Kang, Mengyu Wang Dec 2025

Dual-Level Pattern Tree For Visual Field Improves Glaucoma Progression And Polygenic Risk Prediction, Luo Song, Lucy Q. Shen, Louis R. Pasquale, Michael V. Boland, Sarah R. Wellik, Carlos Gustavo De Moraes, Ayellet Segre, Janey L. Wiggs, Constance Turman, Jonathan S. Myers, Tobias Elze, Nazlee Zebardast, David S. Friedman, Jae H. Kang, Mengyu Wang

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: To develop a dual-level pattern tree to characterize visual field (VF) loss subtypes that can be used to better predict glaucoma progression and glaucoma polygenic risk scores (PRSs).

METHODS: This study included 113,030 patients from three datasets, each used for a specific purpose: (1) model training, (2) progression forecasting, and (3) PRS correlations. We applied archetypal analysis to cluster 24-2 VFs into trunk patterns and their branch patterns. The Cox regression model was used to forecast VF progression using mean deviation (MD) slope, MD-fast slope, total deviation (TD) pointwise slope, and visual field index (VFI) slope. Multivariable regression analyses …


Net Effects Of Correlated Determinants Of Health Among U.S. Older Adults, Haomiao Jia, E I. Lubetkin Dec 2025

Net Effects Of Correlated Determinants Of Health Among U.S. Older Adults, Haomiao Jia, E I. Lubetkin

Publications and Research

Background

The health effect produced by a contributing factor alone may be different from the effect when other interacting factors are present. The effects of a set of contributors, estimated by regression coefficients, may be invalid or inappropriate if some of the predictors are correlated or the model has interaction and nonlinear terms. The net effect (NE) of a given contributing factor is the effect produced by the factor alone, not by other factors due to their correlations with the factor of interest. This study estimated NE of selected determinants of health for U.S. older adults.

Methods

Participants, aged ≥ …


Monte Carlo Simulations Of Geometric Deformation Of Harrison-Anderson-Mick Applicators Used In Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, Benjamin Insley, Brett Bocian, Sam Beddar, Reza Reiazi, Patrick James Jensen, Rachael M Martin-Paulpeter, Joshua Scott Niedzielski, David Flint, Gabriel Oliveira Sawakuchi, Luis Augusto Perles Dec 2025

Monte Carlo Simulations Of Geometric Deformation Of Harrison-Anderson-Mick Applicators Used In Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, Benjamin Insley, Brett Bocian, Sam Beddar, Reza Reiazi, Patrick James Jensen, Rachael M Martin-Paulpeter, Joshua Scott Niedzielski, David Flint, Gabriel Oliveira Sawakuchi, Luis Augusto Perles

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The Harrison-Anderson-Mick (HAM) applicator is a high-dose-rate intraoperative radiotherapy (HDR-IORT) applicator used to position Ir-192 brachytherapy sources over surgically-accessed tumor volumes or post-resection tumor beds. Because of the lack of a 3D imaging system, dwell times are optimized pre-surgery by a TG-43-based treatment planning system (TPS) that assumes a perfectly flat applicator surface surrounded by an infinite water phantom. These assumed conditions are disparate from typical treatment conditions, especially in the pelvic regions, which often involve uneven patient surfaces and superficial irradiations with little to no backscatter material.

Purpose: Develop and validate a Monte Carlo (MC) model of HDR-IORT …


Evaluating A Blood Warming Device For Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusions To Decrease Hypothermia In Very Preterm Infants: A Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Kayla C. Everhart Phd, Rn, Michael D. Wirth Msph, Phd, Face, Victor N. Iskersky, Robin B. Dail Phd, Rn, Faan Dec 2025

Evaluating A Blood Warming Device For Packed Red Blood Cell Transfusions To Decrease Hypothermia In Very Preterm Infants: A Randomised Control Trial Protocol, Kayla C. Everhart Phd, Rn, Michael D. Wirth Msph, Phd, Face, Victor N. Iskersky, Robin B. Dail Phd, Rn, Faan

Publications

Background: This protocol describes a study to test a commercial blood warming device in warming blood transfusions to prevent hypothermia associated with packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions in very preterm infants. Objectives: Very preterm infants receiving blood transfusions warmed by a commercial blood warmer will have less central body hypothermia post transfusion (abdominal temperatures < 36.5°C) and/or a higher mean abdominal temperature for the hour after the transfusion is complete compared to those receiving blood transfusions by standard of care. This trial has been registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (trial number NCT05170633). Methods: In this trial, which is funded by The Gerber Foundation and adhered to the SPIRIT2013 checklist, 140 very preterm infants with an order to receive PRBCs will be randomised into a standard of care group to receive one PRBC transfusion over 3 h with blood in a syringe at room temperature or into the intervention group to receive one PRBC transfusion over 3 h using a Hotline® Blood and Fluid Warmer. Abdominal skin temperatures will be measured every minute through a blood transfusion using a skin thermistor and datalogger. Data analysis: Descriptive statistics will be computed for each group to compare demographics and all infant pre-, during, and post-transfusion body temperatures. A student t-test will be used to compare the groups on mean post-transfusion temperatures as a primary outcome variable. To examine thermal change over time between the two groups, linear mixed models with a random intercept will be utilised. Results: This trial began in January 2022, in a South Carolina neonatal intensive care unit and is ongoing. Discussion: This RCT will determine if warming PRBC transfusions will prevent hypothermia in preterm infants during and after blood transfusions. Results from this trial will be used to design national standards for blood transfusions in preterm infants to decrease morbidity and mortality.


Public Health Trade-Offs During A Pandemic: Mobility Decline And Hypertension Risk In India, Arpita Khanna, Tomoki Fujii Dec 2025

Public Health Trade-Offs During A Pandemic: Mobility Decline And Hypertension Risk In India, Arpita Khanna, Tomoki Fujii

Research Collection School Of Economics

The Covid pandemic dramatically altered patterns of daily life, particularly through widespread declines in mobility due to lockdowns and social distancing measures. While the economic and epidemiological effects of these restrictions have been widely studied, their broader health implications remain underexplored. This paper investigates the relationship between mobility decline during the Covid pandemic and hypertension outcomes in India. Leveraging district-level variation in mobility from Google Community Mobility Reports and health data from the 2019–2021 Indian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), we find that a 1 percentage point reduction in mobility over the 30 days prior to interview is associated with …


Mapping The Mortality-To-Incidence Ratios Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias (Adrds): Evidence From The South Carolina Alzheimer’S Disease Registry, Eric Mishio Bawa, Daniel A. Amoatika, Margaret C. Miller Ms, Ph.D., Bankole A. Olatosi Ph.D., Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Sue E. Levkoff Scd, Msw, Sm, James W. Hardin Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Swann Arp Adams Ph.D., Ms, Face Dec 2025

Mapping The Mortality-To-Incidence Ratios Of Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias (Adrds): Evidence From The South Carolina Alzheimer’S Disease Registry, Eric Mishio Bawa, Daniel A. Amoatika, Margaret C. Miller Ms, Ph.D., Bankole A. Olatosi Ph.D., Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Sue E. Levkoff Scd, Msw, Sm, James W. Hardin Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Leonardo Bonilha, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Swann Arp Adams Ph.D., Ms, Face

Publications

Introduction Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) are useful in assessing disease burdens and illustrating disparities. Unlike cancer, MIRs have not been applied to ADRDs. Therefore, we estimated and mapped the MIRs for ADRDs to show disparities in South Carolina. Methods Using data from the South Carolina Alzheimer’s Disease Registry (2017−2021), ADRD MIRs were calculated by demographic and geospatial characteristics. To account for the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, data from 2015 to 2019 were also examined. MIRs were calculated as age-adjusted mortality rates divided by age-adjusted incidence rates. Results Overall, Black people and rural individuals consistently experienced higher MIRs, with the COVID-19 …


Building Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Student Competencies For Telemental Health Treatment Through Simulation, Amy Dievendorf Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Agacnp-Bc, Phyllis Raynor Phd, Aprn, Pmhnp-Bc, Beverly Baliko Phd, Rn, Pmhnp-Bc, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Mph, Me Dec 2025

Building Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Student Competencies For Telemental Health Treatment Through Simulation, Amy Dievendorf Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Agacnp-Bc, Phyllis Raynor Phd, Aprn, Pmhnp-Bc, Beverly Baliko Phd, Rn, Pmhnp-Bc, Abbas Tavakoli Drph, Mph, Me

Publications

Depressive disorders are common mental health conditions that are often undiagnosed or undertreated. Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs) are educated in the management of acute and critically ill patients but are often uncomfortable identifying and treating mental health conditions. Telehealth instruction is useful in mental healthcare and is required as part of the AGACNP’s efficient patient care competencies. This article reports findings from a mental health-focused telehealth instructional activity integrated into an existing AGACNP curriculum. This instructional activity was designed to introduce students to telehealth delivery and build AGACNP competencies using telehealth technology to assess patients with depressive mood …


Improving Early Detection Of Suicidal Ideation Through Routine Screening In Adults With General Anxiety Disorder, Brittanie N. Bush Dec 2025

Improving Early Detection Of Suicidal Ideation Through Routine Screening In Adults With General Anxiety Disorder, Brittanie N. Bush

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, with anxiety and depression recognized as independent risk factors for suicidal ideation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024 September 26; Grant et al., 2023; Li et al., 2022; Moon et al., 2025; Wiebengo et al., 2021). Incorporating valid screening tools like the General Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale can help identify suicidal ideation early, enabling quicker provider intervention (Johnson et al., 2019; O’Connor et al., 2022). The purpose of this project was to implement the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale as a standardized screening tool for …