Sociodemographic And Environmental Factors Associated With Subjective Heat Stress Among Residents Living In The South Texas-Mexico Border Region., Elyssa Ruvio, Michael Machiorlatti, Audrey Choh, Loren Clark, Candace Robledo

Research Symposium

Background: Heat stress in humans can lead to heat-related illness and disproportionately impacts low resource communities who are more likely to experience risk factors for heat exposure. For instance, the heat and health index, a national tool, ranks the South TexasMexico border region as being at high risk for heat related adverse health outcomes. Extreme heat events are described as periods of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for at least two days. Understanding who is experiencing heat stress and to what extent, is important when planning and designing interventions aimed at preventing negative heat related health …

Biocomposite Adsorbent Of Grafted Chitosan-Benzaldehyde/Lactobacillus Casei Bacteria For Removal Of Acid Red 88 Dye: Box-Benken Design Optimization And Mechanism Approach, Hasan M. Aghaa, Salis A. Musa, Ahmad Hapiz, Ruihong Wu, Khansaa Al-Essa, Ali Mohammed Saleh, Abdallah Reghioua

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Herein, biohybrid biosorbent material was produced from grafting chitosan benzaldehyde/Lactobacillus casei (CHS-BZ/LAC) for the removal of anionic dye acid red 88 (AR88). CHS-BZ/LAC was fabricated using a hydrothermal process under the condition of 100 °C in an oven for 6 h. The optimization of AR88 dye adsorption by CHS-BZ/LAC was conducted by employing Box Bahnken design (BBD). The code and value of parameters used in this study were CHS-BZ/LAC dosage (A: 0.02-0.1 g/L), dye solution pH (B: 4-10), and contact time (C: 10-40 min). The BBD design shows that the highest removal of …

Cancer Of Unknown Primary With Squamous Cell Carcinoma Phenotype Presenting As Isolated Axillary Mass, Nicole Liang, Mohamed Ashal, Lynne J. Goebel

Internal Medicine

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare metastatic malignancy where no primary tumor can be found. We report the case of a 71-year-old female with a strong family history of breast cancer presenting with isolated axillary lymphadenopathy after a tick bite. A biopsy of the axillary mass revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and after extensive evaluation, she was diagnosed with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma with unknown primary tumor. We present this case because of the role of confounding history complicating her initial diagnosis and bringing awareness to a rare disease.

Disaster Management And Triage, Nicole Sebastian, Johanna Brown, Liubov Hamadou, Lisa Kuang, Josiah Padilla, Matthew Romero, Kailey Trummert

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Clarifying the Disaster Triage Plan for Volunteer Nursing Faculty and Students at a Private University Campus

This project provides a brief overview of the collaboration between campus security, the campus health clinic, and the nursing department at a private university in a disaster requiring medical triage. The partnership between campus security and senior nursing students aims to amplify the original plans of the current disaster preparedness and clarify volunteer roles for nursing students and faculty. Both agencies have emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness and the support role the nursing department can play in these plans. The main goal of …

Birth Planning, Audrey K. Gill, Kacie J. Easley

Student Scholarship & Creative Works

This is an informative presentation completed using evidence based practice regarding the importance of birth planning and the use of birth plans. It is used as a tool to educate nurses and healthcare providers about the benefits of implementing birth plan education into their patients portfolio. The birth plan is a written document that involves the collaborative efforts between nurses/healthcare providers and future mothers. It is used in order to personalize and improve the birthing experience for patients. This presentation uses qualitative research, quantitative research, and theoretical framework in order to deem positive results with the implementation of birth plans.

Scaling New Heights: A Prospective Survey Of Rock Climbing's Impact On Mental Health, Kathy Chen, Swetha Sundaram, David F Lo, Ahmed Gawash, Charalampos Papachristou, Altamash E Raja

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Sport climbing, officially added to the 2020 Summer Olympics, has grown rapidly, with U.S. climbing gyms increasing from 310 in 2013 to 591 in 2021. Over the past decade, European research has identified bouldering as a potential psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety and depression. Randomized controlled trials have compared bouldering psychotherapy (BPT) to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), showing that BPT produces comparable results and positively impacts mental health.

PURPOSE: There have been very few studies dedicated to the use of rock climbing as a therapy in the United States; further, there are few surveys that investigate whether American climbers would …

Educating Staff To Use World Health Organization Hand Hygiene Guidelines To Decrease Health Care-Associated Infection, Edith Kplivi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The Doctor of Nursing Practice project was a practice-focused initiative to address increased hospital-associated infections (HAIs) in an outpatient mental health facility. Improper hand hygiene significantly contributes to the spread of HAIs, negatively affecting patient outcomes, increasing healthcare costs, and decreasing patient satisfaction. The practice-focused question was: For nursing staff in an outpatient clinic, will education focused on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on hand hygiene increase knowledge toward the goal of decreasing HAIs? In collaboration with project site leadership, I identified the following gap in practice: Though fundamental hand hygiene practices may be known to healthcare workers, …

Innovation 360: A Game-Changer In Dental Continuing Education, Dr. Jack Nguyen

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

Innovation 360 at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Dental Convention (RMDC) showcased innovations transforming dental practices including AI-driven diagnostics, sustainable products and streamlined patient management solutions.

Take The Fear Away: Effective Management Of Traumatic Dental Injuries, Dr. Anne O'Connell

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

The International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) guidelines provide valuable, evidence-based recommendations for dental teams treating traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in children in adolescents. This article highlights key principles for emergency care, injury stabilization, pulp therapy, and patient communication, emphasizing the importance of staying informed on evolving best practices to improve outcomes for young patients.

The Time Off Pileup, David Bashford

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article breaks down the key differences and overlap between paid leave laws in Colorado including HFWA Leave, FAMLI Leave, and PTO, helping employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities. With practical insights and legal considerations, this guide provides essential information on managing leave policies effectively while maintaining compliance.

Diagnostic Stewardship And The Mitigation Of Treatment Of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Raimonda Kathryn Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urinalyses and urine cultures are being ordered at the facility of concern without regard to patient history/symptomatology, leading to inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. The following practice-focused question was developed to address this practice concern: Can an educational program focused on diagnostic stewardship and the mitigation of treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria improve clinician awareness, knowledge, and confidence in identifying and diagnosing asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients over age 65 in the outpatient setting? Thus, the purpose of this doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project was to close the identified knowledge and attitude gap in a moderate-size …

Quality Improvement Initiative Addressing Job Satisfaction Among Nursing Staff Through Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jagjeet Kaur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The global shortage of nurses has become a pressing issue affecting both developed and developing nations. This widespread scarcity poses significant challenges for the entire nursing profession. The 2023 National Nursing Workforce Survey revealed that an overwhelming 91% of nurses believe the shortage is worsening. As a result, many countries are becoming increasingly worried about their capacity to recruit and retain nursing professionals. The practice-focused question for this project was: Will a mindfulness-based stress reduction education assist nurses in incorporating mindfulness in their daily routine? The primary aim of this project was to enhance job satisfaction among nurses, with the …

First Documented Case Of A Third-Generation Lvad Rotor Dislodgement, Tyler Lee, Chaitra Janga, Enad Haddad, Kevin Hagan, Donald C. Haas

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

The third-generation left ventricular assist device (3G-LVAD) has significantly reduced adverse events and hospitalizations compared with previous generations. This case presents a rare 3G-LVAD rotor dislodgement malfunction, not previously documented, in a 77-year-old man. Further research behind the malfunction is warranted for early prevention and appropriate management.

Partnering With A Family Shelter To Increase Access To Mychart, Elizabeth S. Stehle, Brenna Becerra, Zahra Diallo, Kristin Grassell, Cassandra Rodriguez-Cruz, Elaine Ahn, Lola Duropan

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Partnering with a Family Shelter to Increase Access to MyChart

Over the past two months, our group of seven nursing students has collaborated with a local nonprofit homeless shelter for women and families. Many of the guests served by this organization are refugees or asylum seekers who have little to no exposure to the American healthcare system. Whether this is due to a low level of health literacy or lack of education surrounding access to health care, we identified a need in this population to increase the number of guests who can easily access their healthcare information. This need led …

Implementation Of Staff Education On Suicide Prevention, Julianne Ji, Hannah Cryder, Trista Joy, Isabel Pfingston, Jaylen Wilson, Kelsey Crosby, Ashlyn Mulcahey

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Implementation of Staff Education on Suicide Prevention

Kelsey Crosby, Hannah Cryder, Julianne Ji, Trista Joy, Ashlyn Mulcahey, Isabel Pfingston, and Jaylen Wilson

School of Health Sciences, Seattle Pacific University

NUR4153: Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement

Dr. Bomin Shim

February 26, 2025

Implementation of Staff Education on Suicide Prevention

Our group, consisting of seven nursing students, partnered with an agency dedicated to supporting individuals in recovery from addictions of all forms, including substance use, gambling, and alcohol dependence. The agency focuses on helping them reach their full potential, minimize relapse, and maintain recovery. Elements of the agency’s work include providing two …

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Black/African American Men Who Have Sex With Other Men In Midwestern, United States: A Systematic Review, Oluwafemi Adeagbo, Oluwaseun Abdulganiyu Badru, Prince Addo, Amber Hawkins, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Xiaoming Li, Rima Afifi

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Black/African American men who have sex with other men (BMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV, experience significant disparities in HIV incidence, and face significant barriers to accessing HIV treatment and care services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Despite evidence of individual and structural barriers to PrEP use in the Midwest, no review has synthesized this finding to have a holistic view of PrEP uptake and barriers. This review examines patterns of, barriers to, and facilitators of PrEP uptake among BMSM in the Midwest, United States (US).

Methods: Five databases (CINAHL Plus, PUBMED, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) were searched …

Well-Being: The Science Of Dental Success, Laura Schwindt Dds

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article explores the science of well-being, highlighting the interconnectedness of physical, emotional, social and professional dimensions. It provides evidence-based strategies for stress management, mindfulness and fostering a positive workplace culture. The article proposes that by investing in well-being initiatives, dental teams can create a more supportive, fulfilling and high-achieving environment.

Artificial Intelligence In Patient Care, Education And Treatment, Laura Ramsey

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article highlights the benefits of AI in fostering trust, improving diagnostic accuracy and streamlining treatment plan acceptance in dental practices. With AI-driven tools, dental professionals can offer clearer, more precise diagnoses, making it easier for patients to understand their treatment options and increasing their confidence in care decisions.

Reflections On Rmdc 2025: A Weekend To Remember, Susan Kutis Dds

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

MDDS President, Dr. Susan Kutis, reflects on the 2025 Rocky Mountain Dental Convention (RMDC). With over 110 CE sessions, 250+ exhibitors, and engaging networking events, RMDC continues to be a premier destination for professional growth and industry connections.

Restoring Respect: Finding Common Ground In A Divided World, Allen Vean Dmd

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article explores the importance of maintaining respect in the dental office, strategies for handling difficult situations and the role of clear protocols in fostering a positive and professional environment.

Bring Who You (Really) Are To What You Do…Getting On The Path To Self-Discovery, Paul Sletten

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article explores the importance of self-reflection and creating a balanced life by prioritizing passions, relationships and personal well-being. It encourages dental professionals to take a holistic approach to life and work, aiming for fulfillment and significance, particularly as they approach retirement.

Carm1 Regulates Tubulin Autoregulation Through Pi3kc2Α R175 Methylation, Yena Cho, Jee Won Hwang, Mark T Bedford, Dae-Geun Song, Su-Nam Kim, Yong Kee Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Tubulin is crucial in several cellular processes, including intracellular organization, organelle transport, motility, and chromosome segregation. Intracellular tubulin concentration is tightly regulated by an autoregulation mechanism, in which excess free tubulin promotes tubulin mRNA degradation. However, the details of how changes in free tubulin levels initiate this autoregulation remain unclear. In this study, we identified coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase class 2α (PI3KC2α) axis as a novel regulator of tubulin autoregulation. CARM1 stabilizes PI3KC2α by methylating its R175 residue. Once PI3KC2α is not methylated, it becomes unstable, leading to decreased cellular levels. Loss of PI3KC2α results in the release …

Human Brain Tissue With Moghe Carrying Somatic Slc35a2 Variants Reveal Aberrant Protein Expression And Protein Loss In The White Matter, Erica Cecchini, Simon Geffers, Roland Coras, Dorothea Schultheis, Christian Holtzhausen, Kristina Karandasheva, Harald Herrmann, Friedrich Paulsen, Christine Stadelmann, Katja Kobow, Till Hartlieb, Christian G Bien, Dennis Lal, Ingmar Blumcke, Lucas Hoffmann

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mild Malformation of Cortical Development with Oligodendroglial Hyperplasia in Epilepsy (MOGHE) is a recently described disease entity primarily affecting young children with drug-resistant epilepsy, mainly affecting the frontal lobe. The condition is histopathologically defined by focal lesions with patchy areas of increased oligodendroglial cell density at the grey-white matter boundary and heterotopic neurons in the white matter. Approximately half of the individuals with MOGHE carry brain somatic variants in the SLC35A2 gene, which affects the UDP-galactose transporter and thus sphingolipid glycosylation. To investigate the impact of SLC35A2 variants on protein expression, we analysed MOGHE brain tissue with and without SLC35A2 …

Photoacoustic Imaging For Image-Guided Gastric Tube Placement: Ex Vivo Characterization, Samuel John, Yeidi Yuja Vaquiz, Nikhila Nyayapathi, Loay Kabbani, Anoop Nilam, Jonathan F Lovell, Nicole A Wilson, Yan Yan, Mohammad Mehrmohammadi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Over 250,000 gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) are placed annually in the United States. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the most widely used clinical method for placing G-tubes within the stomach. However, endoscope detectability is limited due to the scattering of light by tissues. Poor organ visibility and low sensitivity of the palpation techniques cause blind needle insertions, which cause colon/liver perforations, abdominal bleeding, and gastric resections. Additionally, imaging artifacts and the poor distinguishability between water-filled tissues make ultrasound (US) imaging-based techniques incompatible with G-tube placement. The risk of ionizing radiation exposure and the confinement of fluoroscopy to radiology suites limits its …

Does Interdisciplinary Group Care For The Treatment Of Endometriosis Improve Pain Interference: Protocol For A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial At An Urban Academic Medical Centre, Whitney Trotter Ross, Sarah Buday, Emily Yakel, Dineo Khabele, Joyce Balls-Berry, Sawsan As-Sanie, Graham Colditz, Ana A Baumann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis affects 10-15% of people assigned female at birth and can cause chronic pelvic pain and impair many domains of quality of life, such as fertility, mood and bladder, bowel and sexual function. Current treatments often fail, leading to recurrent pain and the need for reintervention. As endometriosis negatively affects many domains of life, a variety of non-pharmacological treatments modestly improve symptoms. To bundle these interventions into accessible packaging, our interdisciplinary team developed a novel endometriosis intervention titled 'Peer-Empowered Endometriosis Pain Support (PEEPS)', an 8-week integrative group care intervention. Here, we present the protocol for a pilot randomised controlled …

Heart Disease Prediction Using Ensemble Tree Algorithms: A Supervised Learning Perspective, Enoch Sakyi-Yeboah, Edmund F. Agyemang, Vincent Agbenyeavu, Akua Osei- Nkwantabisa, Priscilla Kissi-Appiah, Lateef Moshood, Lawrence Agbota, Ezekiel N.N. Nortey

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Heart disease stands as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, presenting a significant public health challenge. Therefore, early prediction and detection are critical, leading to timely and appropriate interventions at early stages. Four ensemble tree-based algorithms were used in this study: adaptive boosting, extreme gradient boosting, random forest, and extremely randomized trees, investigating their ability to predict heart disease. Data related to heart disease clinical features was obtained from the open Kaggle Machine Learning Dataset repository. Adaptive Boosting stands out as the highest performer, achieving an average testing accuracy of 93.70%, precision of 93.71%, recall of 93.70%, and …

Response To: Correspondence On “Hyperleukocytosis In A Neuroblastoma Patient After Treatment With Natural Killer T Cells Expressing A Gd2-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor And Il-15” By Ataca Atilla And Atilla, Gengwen Tian, Amy N Courtney, Andras Heczey, Leonid S Metelitsa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comprehensive Atlas Of Aav Tropism In The Mouse, Christopher J Walkey, Kathy J Snow, Jote Bulcha, Aaron R Cox, Alexa E Martinez, M Cecilia Ljungberg, Denise G Lanza, Marco De Giorgi, Marcel A Chuecos, Michele Alves-Bezerra, Carlos Flores Suarez, Sean M Hartig, Susan G Hilsenbeck, Chih-Wei Hsu, Ethan Saville, Yaned Gaitan, Jeff Duryea, Seth Hannigan, Mary E Dickinson, Oleg Mirochnitchenko, Dan Wang, Cathleen M Lutz, Jason D Heaney, Guangping Gao, Stephen A Murray, William R Lagor

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Gene therapy with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors requires knowledge of their tropism within the body. Here we analyze the tropism of 10 naturally occurring AAV serotypes (AAV3B, AAV4, AAV5, AAV6, AAV7, AAV8, AAV9, AAVrh8, AAVrh10, and AAVrh74) following systemic delivery into male and female mice. A transgene-expressing ZsGreen and Cre recombinase was used to identify transduction in a cell-dependent manner based on fluorescence. Cre-driven activation of tdTomato fluorescence offered superior sensitivity for transduced cells. All serotypes except AAV3B and AAV4 had high liver tropism. Fluorescence activation revealed transduction of unexpected tissues, including adrenals, testes, and ovaries. Rare transduced cells within …

Factors Driving Adolescent Tuberculosis Incidence By Age And Sex In 30 High-Tuberculosis Burden Countries: A Mathematical Modelling Study, Silvia S Chiang, Megan B Murray, Alexander W Kay, Peter J Dodd

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: During adolescence, tuberculosis incidence rises, with a greater increase in males compared with females. Tuberculosis notifications and estimates infrequently disaggregate adolescent age groups. Moreover, the factors that drive the increases in overall incidence and the male-to-female (MF) ratio remain unclear.

METHODS: We constructed a mechanistic model to estimate cumulative Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease incidence in the WHO’s 30 high-tuberculosis burden countries (HBCs), which represent 86%–90% of global tuberculosis incidence. We derived infection risk from tuberculosis prevalence and assortative social mixing based on sex and age (10–14 years vs 15–19 years old). We adjusted age subgroup-specific risks of …

Every Jump Is A Leap Of Faith-Just Ask Evel Knievel!, Vicente Orozco-Sevilla, Joseph S Coselli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.