Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Longitudinal Sensitivity Of Alzheimer's Disease Severity Staging, Julia S Benoit, Wenyaw Chan, Linda Piller, Rachelle Doody

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) dynamics is essential in diagnosis and measuring progression for clinical decision-making; however, clinical instruments are imperfect at classifying true disease stages. This research evaluates sensitivity and determinants of AD stage changes longitudinally using current classifications of "mild," "moderate," and "severe" AD, using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), and the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) thresholds. Age and pre-progression rate were significant determinants of AD progression using MMSE alone to stage AD, and pre-progression was found to impact disease progression with CDR-SB. Sensitivity of these instruments for identifying clinical stages of …

Words Have A Weight: Language As A Source Of Inner Grounding And Flexibility In Abstract Concepts, Guy Dove, Laura Barca, Luca Tummolini, Anna M. Borghi

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The role played by language in our cognitive lives is a topic at the centre of contemporary debates in cognitive (neuro)science. In this paper we illustrate and compare two theories that offer embodied explanations of this role: the WAT (Words As social Tools) and the LENS (Language is an Embodied Neuroenhancement and Scaffold) theories. WAT and LENS differ from other current proposals because they connect the impact of the neurologically realized language system on our cognition to the ways in which language shapes our interaction with the physical and social environment. Examining these theories together, their tenets and supporting evidence, …

Diet, Weight Management, Physical Activity And Ovarian & Breast Cancer Risk In Women With Brca1/2 Pathogenic Germline Gene Variants: Systematic Review, Adriana M Coletta, Susan K Peterson, Leticia A Gatus, Kate J Krause, Susan M Schembre, Susan C Gilchrist, Banu Arun, Y Nancy You, Miguel A Rodriguez-Bigas, Larkin L Strong, Karen H Lu, Karen Basen-Engquist

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Women with pathogenic germline gene variants in

METHODS: We searched Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PubMed, and clinicaltrials.gov up to October 3, 2019. We identified 2775 records and included 21.

RESULTS: There is limited evidence related to these factors and ovarian cancer risk. For breast cancer risk, evidence suggests higher diet quality, adulthood weight-loss of ≥10 pounds, and activity during adolescence and young-adulthood may be linked with decreased risk. Higher meat intake and higher daily energy intake may be linked with increased risk.

CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to suggest tailored recommendations for dietary habits or weight management among women …

Impact Of Sickle Cell Disease On Executive Functioning In An Adult Population, Christina Wade

Theses and Dissertations

Children diagnosed with sickle cell disease (SCD) struggle with executive functions (EF); however, there is a paucity of research on neuropsychological outcomes in adults with SCD. This study aimed to examine differences in EF between adults with SCD and healthy controls. Thirty- one patients with SCD and 34 healthy controls (ages 18-45) participating in an IRB-approved Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) study of cerebral blood flow underwent neuropsychological evaluation using the Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Trail Making and Color Word Interference Tests and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Digit Span subtest to assess various aspects …

"Spirituality Is Everybody's Business": An Exploration Of The Impact Of Spiritual Care Training Upon The Perceptions And Practice Of Rehabilitation Professionals, Kate Fiona Jones, Julie Pryor, Candice Care-Unger, Grahame Simpson

IES Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: This study explored the impact of a brief spiritual care training program upon the perceptions and self-reported practice of rehabilitation professionals working in traumatic injury.

Methodology and methods: A qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were held with staff from a rehabilitation hospital in Sydney, Australia, between six and eight weeks after participation in spiritual care training. A thematic analysis was conducted.

Results: Of the 41 rehabilitation professionals who attended the training (1 h online, 1.5 h face to face), 16 agreed to be interviewed. The majority worked in spinal cord injury and were female. Half reported holding a Christian affiliation. …

Effectiveness Of Spiritual Care Training For Rehabilitation Professionals: An Exploratory Controlled Trial, Kate Fiona Jones, Julie Pryor, Candice Care-Unger, Joseph Descallar, Grahame Kenneth Simpson

IES Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Spirituality may play an important role in neurorehabilitation, however research findings indicate that rehabilitation professionals do not feel well equipped to deliver spiritual care.

Objective: To evaluate a spiritual care training program for rehabilitation professionals.

Methods: An exploratory controlled trial was conducted. Participants enrolled in a two-module spiritual care training program. Spiritual care competency was measured with the Spiritual Care Competency Scale. Confidence and comfort levels were measured using the Spiritual Care Competency Scale domains. The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale assessed participant attitudes and knowledge. Measures were administered three times: pre-program, post-program and six weeks follow-up. …

One Welfare, The Role Of Health Professionals, And Climate Change, Anne Fawcett

Animal Sentience

Wiebers & Feigin argue that the COVID-19 crisis is a call for humanity to rethink our relationships with animals and the environment. This One Welfare approach has implications for the role of health care professionals and demands that we address climate change.

Risk Of Low Energy Availability In Elite Male Athletes With Spinal Cord Injury, Savannah Glasgow

All Master's Theses

Recent research examining male able-bodied athletes has suggested that males are at risk for low energy availability (LEA); however, there is a paucity of research pertaining to prevalence amongst male athletes with an impairment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the risk of LEA and prevalence of symptoms related to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), including risk of disordered eating, hormonal profiles, and bone mineral density (BMD) scans, in male wheelchair para athletes. Collegiate- and national-level male athletes (n = 9) with spinal cord injury (SCI) completed 7-day concurrent diet and training logs, Eating Disorder Examination …

Solidarity Vulnerability And Mistrust, Ana Rosa Linde Arias, Maria Roura, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

Background: The public health response to Zika outbreak has mostly focused on epidemiological surveillance, vector control, and individual level preventative measures. This qualitative study employs a social-ecological framework to examine how macro (historical, legislative, political, socio-economic factors), meso (sources of information, social support, social mobilization) and micro level factors (individual actions, behavioral changes) interacted to influence the response and behavior of women with respect to Zika in different contexts. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities …

Too Much To Ask Too Much To Handle, Ana Rosa Linde Arias, Elisa Tristan-Cheever, Grace Furtado, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

Abstract: Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities. Its consequences for pregnancies have made governments and both national and international agencies issue advice and recommendations to women. This study was designed to understand the impacts of Zika on women who were less directly affected and less vulnerable to Zika. Women were recruited from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Women perceived that public health systems placed an unfair responsibility for preventing health complications from Zika onto women who had limited …

Reinventing Privatization, Fabiana Turino, Jonathan Filippon, Francis Sodré, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

The Brazilian state apparatus was reformed throughout the 1990s, influenced by New Public Management (NPM). NPM was embodied in the health care sector by the creation of Social Health Organizations (Organizacões Sociais de Saúde or OSS), private non-profit entities to provide welfare services. We performed a systematic review of the literature outlining the origins and role of OSS in Brazil. Our selected articles (peer-reviewed) cover the origins/performance of OSS and their services provision between 1998 and 2018, in English or Portuguese. Databases used were Lilacs, Bireme, Medline, Pubmed, and SciELO. We identified 4,732 articles applying a pre-defined set of descriptors, …

Mechanisms Of Pathogen Inactivation In Wastewater And Pharmaceutical Applications, Christa L. Meingast

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Infectious diseases are a significant threat to public health. Though society enacts practices to prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases, challenges remain. Therefore, continual advancements in treatment and prevention are required. Wastewater treatment and viral clearance in pharmaceutical applications are two key health measures that prevent the spread of infections.

A low-cost, low-technology biosolids treatment process was developed to improve wastewater treatment by collecting key information on storage temperature, ammonia, volatile solids, moisture content, pH, and pathogen inactivation in biosolids over long-term storage at two wastewater treatment plants located in northern climates of the United States. Inactivation of pathogens …

Welcome To Cordell Perspectives, Neil M. Richards, Jonathan W. Heusel

Scholarship@WashULaw

The world around us is changing. Let’s talk about it together. Introducing a series of articles and opinions by the world’s leading experts concerning COVID-19 as it relates to precision medicine and data privacy: Welcome to Cordell Perspectives.

Population Density And Spatial Distribution Of Neglected Tropical Diseases In Sierra Leone, Abou B. Funna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are the most common health conditions affecting the poorest residents of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These infections affect an estimated 2 billion people worldwide, including 500 million people living in SSA. About 85% of NTD infections are a result of helminth infections; hookworm is also a common occurrence among SSA’s poorest people, especially children. Schistosomiasis is the 2nd most prevalent NTD after hookworm. This quantitative correlational study investigated population distribution and the spread of NTDs in Sierra Leone. The focus was on 5 major NTDs: ascariasis, hookworm, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and trichuris. Data were obtained from the …

A Systematic Review Of Culturally Sensitive Strategies To Address Obesity Among Hispanic-American Pediatric Patients In The Primary Care Setting, Rachel Vurbeff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity significantly increases morbidity and mortality, and its incidence amongHispanic-American children and adolescents exceeds that of any other ethnic group in the United States. Without proper intervention, these children and adolescents will experience the burden of costly comorbidities across the lifespan. Guided by Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality, the purpose of this project was to identify evidence-based, culturally sensitive strategies to prevent and treat obesity among Hispanic-American pediatric patients in the primary care setting through a systematic review of the literature utilizing the Joanna Briggs Institute method. The practice-focused question that guided this review focused on finding …

Hearing Care And Management Priority Among Parents Of Children With Down Syndrome: A Grounded Theory, John J. Whicker, Karen F. Muñoz, Nicole J. Pearson, Trenton J. Landon, Lauri H. Nelson, Karl R. White, Michael P. Twohig

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Faculty Publications

Objective: This study qualitatively explored the factors that influence how parents of children who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing with Down syndrome prioritize hearing care and management and developed an associated theory to explain that priority.

Design: Grounded theory was used for the purposes of this qualitative study. Data were collected using in-depth interviews which were analyzed using a three-tiered qualitative coding process.

Study Sample: Eighteen mothers of children who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing with Down syndrome participated in this study.

Results: The higher the extent of engaged professional support, perception of benefit for child, parent activation, and family engagement, the …

Smoking And Covid-19, Willie P. Rajvong, Yelena Tarasenko

Eagles Talking About the Public’s Health

No abstract provided.

Internet Addiction And The Relationship To Self And Interpersonal Functioning Within The Alternative Model For Personality Disorders (Ampd): Implications For Psychosocial Development, Lori L. Woehler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Internet addictive use inclusive of inextricably interconnected mobile devices, applications, and social media predicts diminished Self and Interpersonal functioning. Internet addiction research is burdened by conflicting theoretical views, lack of standardized definitions and criteria, and the use of assessment measures adapted from those used for substance use disorders. Alternative and dimensional diagnostic models for internet addiction through a psychosocial developmental lens might further understanding of Internet addiction and reduce challenges which impact the ability to advance research and achieve clinically useful, culturally informed, and evidence-based practices for the assessment and treatment of Internet addiction.

Standardized Knowledge And Behavior Of Food-Protection Staff To Help Reduce The Potential For Incidences Of Foodborne Illness, Joshua A. Dufresne

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Environmental public health has always been at the forefront of issues that affect the health and wellbeing of the general public when it comes to food safety. However, with the workforce moving from one of technological laggards toward faster progress toward new and improved systems in performing food service, the question becomes: What are the needs of the environmental health and food safety workforce, and how does one get there? Logically, another question follows: are our current training programs helping to make a difference in the number of foodborne-illness risk-factor violations being issued?

Purpose: This study was to …

The Bulletin: Sidney Kimmel Medical College At Thomas Jefferson University, Volume 69, Issue 1, Winter 2020

The Bulletin (formerly the Jefferson Medical College Alumni Bulletin)

This issue includes:

• Dean's Column - An Acquired Taste
• On Campus - Sidney and Caroline Kimmel Fund New Biomedical Research Building
• A Message from Elizabeth A. Dale - Generosity Goes Both Ways
• Discovery - It Takes a Village
• Solving the Puzzle - Shaping Jefferson's Neuroscience Department
• Faculty Profile - Kristin Rising, MD
• Alumni Profile - Neal Flomenberg, MD
• Student Profile - Hannah Garrigan
• Class Notes - 2019 Alumni Weekend
• Class Agent
• In Memoriam
• By the Numbers - The Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience

A Prospective Study Comparing Tendon-To-Bone Interface Healing Using An Interposition Bioresorbable Scaffold With A Vented Anchor For Primary Rotator Cuff Repair In Sheep., Jeremiah Easley, Christian Puttlitz, Eileen Hackett, Cecily Broomfield, Lucas Nakamura, Michael Hawes, Charles Getz, Mark Frankle, Patrick St Pierre, Robert Tashjian, P Dean Cummings, Joseph Abboud, Derek Harper, Kirk Mcgilvray

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical and histologic properties of rotator cuff repairs using a vented anchor attached to a bioresorbable interpositional scaffold composed of aligned PLGA (poly(l-lactide-co-glycoside)) microfibers in an animal model compared to standard anchors in an ovine model.

METHODS: Fifty-six (n = 56) skeletally mature sheep were randomly assigned to a repair of an acute infraspinatus tendon detachment using a innovative anchor-PLGA scaffold device (Treatment) or a similar anchor without the scaffold (Control). Animals were humanely euthanized at 7 and 12 weeks post repair. Histologic and biomechanical properties of the repairs were …

Growth Optimization Of Zinc-Oxide Nanowires/Nanorods Using Hydrothermal Synthesis On Silicon Wafers, Mythili Ananthula

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research paper aims to grow and optically characterize the Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) nanowires grown using the hydrothermal synthesis method on different semiconductor wafers. We have developed the samples on p-type silicon, n-type silicon, and silicon di-oxide wafers at different temperatures, molarities, and times. Using hydrothermal synthesis method Zinc Oxide nanowires are grown. Zinc Nitrate Hexa-hydrate and Hexamethylenetetramine are chemical components used in the hydrothermal synthesis method at low temperatures.

Different types of analysis have been done on these samples with the help of “Argonne National Laboratory.” The optical absorption spectra were obtained using Perkin Elmer LAMBDA 950 UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer. Photoluminescence …

Investigating The Behavioral Effects Of Juvenile Stress In The Prairie Vole Model, Marigny C. Normann

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Early life stress during the juvenile period, such as emotional neglect, interpersonal difficulties, or other forms of non-violent maltreatment can have consequences into adulthood. Specifically, the negative effects include increased risk of psychiatric or physical illnesses, social deficits, and maladaptive behavioral responses to stress. Since these effects have far-reaching implications that can negatively alter later behavior and physiology, the present study assessed the effects of early life social stress on later social and affective behaviors in a social rodent species – the prairie vole. The prairie vole displays behavioral, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine responses to social stress similar to those of …

The Role Of Medial Septum Cholinergic Function In Processing Self-Movement Cues To Maintain Spatial Orientation, Jenna Rae Osterlund

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Wandering is the most life-threatening and commonly reported symptom of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an inability to maintain spatial orientation. The often deadly consequences of wandering are projected to rise in the coming decades due to the advancing aged population. These upcoming challenges necessitate a more comprehensive understanding of the neurobiology of spatial orientation in order to evaluate novel therapeutic techniques for symptoms such as wandering. The inability to maintain spatial orientation in AD may be due to the pathological degeneration of the hippocampal cholinergic system. This neurological system is conserved across species for its function …

A Framework For Heterologous Biosynthesis Of Natural Products In Mammalian Cells Via Polymer-Mediated Transfections, Logan Warriner

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

With the promise to treat a multi-faceted list of serious inherited and acquired diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases, and inherited genetic indications, gene therapy has continued to push the boundaries of traditional medicine since its earliest implementation. While much progress has been made, clinical success has largely remained elusive. Immunogenicity, difficulty producing commercially relevant quantities, and having a limited genetic payload still limits the ability of viruses to act as directed delivery agents for genetic material. As such, researchers have turned to cationic synthetic materials as a means of delivering nucleic acids, which can circumvent the immune …

Single Sport Specialization: Ncaa Di Collegiate Student Athlete Perceptions, Jordyn Blood

Masters Theses

This study seeks to understand the experience and perception of current, NCAA DI athletes with regard to sport specialization. By learning more about their level of specialization prior to their life as an NCAA DI athlete, as well as their perception on the importance of specialization, this study seeks to contribute to the growing body of literature in sport specialization. Specifically, this study will help inform aspiring athletes, coaches and parents about the role and perceptions of sport specialization in today's elite level athlete. Using paper surveys, the perceptions of 138 current 2019-2020 season NCAA DI athletes at a mid-major …

An Assessment Of Schools' Wellness Policies And Teachers’ Perspectives And Confidence In Teaching Nutrition In Elementary Schools In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Asma Yahya

Masters Theses

Nutrition education in school can provide students with the knowledge and skills to improve their eating behavior and overall health. This study aimed to evaluate the content of school wellness policies and understand teacher perspectives about teaching nutrition education at their schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In 2020, electronic surveys were used to evaluate the wellness policies in 11 elementary all-female government schools and teachers’ perspectives about the nutrition education offered in three elementary all-female government schools. Sixty-one teachers and eleven principals participated in this study. Fisher’s exact tests were used to test the differences between teachers’ perspectives and their …

The Impact Of Scaling Up Cervical Cancer Screening And Treatment Services Among Women Living With Hiv In Kenya: A Modelling Study, Pablo Noel Perez-Guzman, Michael Chung, Hugo De Vuyst, Shona Dalal, Kennedy K. Mutai, Karanja Muthoni, Bartilol Kigen, Timothy B. Hallett, Mikaela Smit

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: We aimed to quantify health outcomes and programmatic implications of scaling up cervical cancer (CC) screening and treatment options for women living with HIV in care aged 18–65 in Kenya.

Methods: Mathematical model comparing from 2020 to 2040: (1) visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy (Cryo); (2) VIA and Cryo or loop excision electrical procedure (LEEP), as indicated; (3) human papillomavirus (HPV)-DNA testing and Cryo or LEEP; and (4) enhanced screening technologies (either same-day HPV-DNA testing or digitally enhanced VIA) and Cryo or LEEP. Outcomes measured were annual number of CC cases, deaths, screening and treatment interventions, …

Integrating Quality Improvement Concepts Into Nursing Curriculum: Perspectives Of Associate Degree Nurse Faculty, Debbie Krachtus

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Since the groundbreaking report To Err is Human, there has been an increased focus on outcomes and quality improvement (QI) in healthcare. This focus has resulted in a change in nursing education. Nursing programs and nurse educators have been directed to integrate QI into nursing curriculum using innovative teaching methods. However, the voices of Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) educators are absent from the literature. This qualitative research study used a phenomenological approach to ascertain ADN educators’ perspectives about integrating QI into their curriculum. The central questions of this research were: what are ADN faculty views on the integration of QI …

Shape Tuning Of Silicon Nano-Tip Arrays Through Reactive Ion Etching For Cold Field Emission, Giridhar Tulasi Ram Sankabathula

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Large area silicon nano-tip arrays have been predominantly used as cold cathode electron sources in the wide range of field emission applications. Various fabrication methodologies have been developed over the decades to obtain sharp-pointed field emitters. In this thesis, we mainly emphasized on reproducing high aspect ratio field emitters and to study their surface topographical changes encountered through reactive ion etching. A discrete set of high-density field emitters have been fabricated over the large area surfaces through a three-step nanofabrication process. The surface curvatures of the obtained emitter tips are finely tuned with multiple oxidation cycles to achieve a tip’s …