Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Brain Development: Why The Young Sleep Longer, Budhaditya Chowdhury, Orie T. Shafer

Advanced Science Research Center

From absorbing new languages to mastering musical instruments, young children are wired to learn in ways that adults are not (Johnson and Newport, 1989). This ability coincides with periods of intense brain plasticity during which neurons can easily remodel their connections (Hubel and Wiesel, 1970). Many children are also scandalously good sleepers, typically getting several more hours of sleep per night than their parents (Jenni and Carskadon, 2007). As sleep deprivation has negative effects on learning and memory, learning like a child likely requires sleeping like one (Diekelmann and Born, 2010). Yet, how the ability to sleep for longer is …

Tunable Multiphase Dynamics Of Arginine And Lysine Liquid Condensates, Rachel S. Fisher, Shana Elbaum-Garfinkle

Advanced Science Research Center

Liquid phase separation into two or more coexisting phases has emerged as a new paradigm for understanding subcellular organization, prebiotic life, and the origins of disease. The design principles underlying biomolecular phase separation have the potential to drive the development of novel liquid-based organelles and therapeutics, however, an understanding of how individual molecules contribute to emergent material properties, and approaches to directly manipulate phase dynamics are lacking. Here, using microrheology, we demonstrate that droplets of poly-arginine coassembled with mono/polynucleotides have approximately 100 fold greater viscosity than comparable lysine droplets, both of which can be finer tuned by polymer length. We …

Developmental Implications Of Child Maltreatment: Rorschach Assessment Of Object Representations, David Joubert, Linda Webster

Archives of Assessment Psychology

Child maltreatment is associated with a variety of negative psychological, social, and health outcomes. It is particularly important for healthcare professionals to assess psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents in foster care in order to facilitate optimal levels of adjustment in this population. The relative validity of two developmentally-based scales applied to Rorschach data, the Primitive Object Relations scheme (Kwawer, 1979) and the Developmental Object Relations Scale (Ipp, 1986), was investigated in a sample of 71 youth in foster care. Results from dimension reduction analyses suggest that the POR captures specific elements of primitive object relations, characterized by themes of …

Case Report Of Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease From Sub-Saharan Africa: An Important Mimic Of Tuberculous Lymphadenitis, Karishma Sharma, Fredrick Otieno, Reena Shah

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a rare form of painful lymphadenopathy, usually cervical, which is more common in Southeast Asia and rarely reported from Africa. Symptoms are usually nonspecific (fever, night sweats, etc.), and can mimic more common diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) in endemic areas. We report a case of a 29-year-old black African woman who was admitted with headache, neck pain, fever, and lymphadenopathy. She was found to have aseptic meningitis, eventually attributed to TB based on cervical node biopsy, although further histology suggested KFD. Blood tests for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were negative; she had already been commenced …

Treating Hematologic Malignancies During A Pandemic: Utilizing Telehealth And Digital Technology To Optimize Care., Adam F Binder, Nathan R Handley, Lindsay Wilde, Neil Palmisiano, Ana Maria Lopez

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

In late January 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) was reported as an outbreak in Wuhan, China. Within 2 months it became a global pandemic. Patients with cancer are at highest risk for both contracting and suffering complications of its resultant disease, Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19). Healthcare systems across the world had to adapt quickly to mitigate this risk, while continuing to provide potentially lifesaving treatment to patients. Bringing care to the home through the use of telehealth, home based chemotherapy, and remote patient monitoring technologies can help minimize risk to the patient and healthcare workers without sacrificing quality …

Management Of Patients With Hematologic Malignancies During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Practical Considerations And Lessons To Be Learned, Alessandro Isidori, Laurence De Leval, Usama Gergis, Pellegrino Musto, Pierluigi Porcu

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented hurdles to the delivery of care to patients with cancer. Patients with hematologic malignancies appear to have a greater risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease due to myelosuppression and lymphopenia. The first challenge, therefore, is how to continue to deliver effective, curative therapy to vulnerable patients and at the same time avoid exposing them, and their health care teams (HCT), to SARS-CoV-2. An additional challenge is the timely completion of the diagnostic and staging studies required to formulate appropriate treatment plans. Deferred procedures and avoidance of multiple trips to the surgical, diagnostic, and …

Nutritional Strategies For Nurses In A Fast Paced Occupation, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The foundation of the medical system are the nurses and certified medical assistants. Their personal health condition affects how well diseases and other medical conditions are handled. This article will begin with an overview of the eating behavior of nurses. Three different interventions which have been shown effective in a fast paced workplace are presented in order to improve the health of nurses and certified medical assistants. The first intervention is organizational changes that would increase the amount of time nursing staff have to eat. The second is the use of a messenger bag delivery system to provide needed food, …

Genome-Wide Dna Methylation Meta-Analysis In The Brains Of Suicide Completers, Stefania Policicchio, Sam Washer, Joana Viana, Artemis Iatrou, Joe Burrage, Eilis Hannon, Gustavo Tureki, Zachary Kaminsky, Jonathan Mill, Emma L. Dempster, Therese Murphy

Articles

Suicide is the second leading cause of death globally among young people representing a significant global health burden. Although the molecular correlates of suicide remains poorly understood, it has been hypothesised that epigenomic processes may play a role. The objective of this study was to identify suicide-associated DNA methylation changes in the human brain by utilising previously published and unpublished methylomic datasets. We analysed prefrontal cortex (PFC, n = 211) and cerebellum (CER, n = 114) DNA methylation profiles from suicide completers and non-psychiatric, sudden-death controls, meta-analysing data from independent cohorts for each brain region separately. We report evidence for …

Late Pregnancy Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Doubled Odds Of Birth Asphyxia And Emergency Caesarean Section: A Prospective Cohort Study, Hanna Augustin Olausson, Sinead Mulcahy, Inez Schoenmakers,, Maria Bullarbo, Anna Glantz, Anna Winkvist, Linnea Bärebring

Articles

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the associations between maternal vitamin D status in late pregnancy and emergency caesarean section (EMCS) and birth asphyxia, in a population based sample of women in Sweden.

Pre-Clinical Models Of Small Cell Lung Cancer And The Validation Of Therapeutic Targets, Jane S.Y. Sui, Petra Martin, Steven G. Gray

Articles

Introduction: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive form of lung cancer that has a dismal prognosis. One of the factors hindering therapeutic developments for SCLC is that most SCLC is not surgically resected resulting in a paucity of material for analysis. To address this, significant efforts have been made by investigators to develop pre-clinical models of SCLC allowing for downstream target identification in this difficult to treat cancer.

Areas covered: In this review, we describe the current pre-clinical models that have been developed to interrogate SCLC, and outline the benefits and limitations associated with each. Using examples …

Atmospheric Biodetection Part I: Study Of Airborne Bacterial Concentrations From January 2018 To May 2020 At Saclay, France, Roland Sarda-Estève, Dominique Baisnée, Benjamin Guinot, Gediminas Maineli, John Sodeau, David O'Connor, Jean Pierre Besancenot, Michel Thibaudon, Sara Monteiro, Jean-Eudes Petit, Valérie Gros

Articles

Background: The monitoring of bioaerosol concentrations in the air is a relevant endeavor due to potential health risks associated with exposure to such particles and in the understanding of their role in climate. In this context, the atmospheric concentrations of bacteria were measured from January 2018 to May 2020 at Saclay, France. The aim of the study was to understand the seasonality, the daily variability, and to identify the geographical origin of airborne bacteria. Methods: 880 samples were collected daily on polycarbonate filters, extracted with purified water, and analyzed using the cultivable method and flow cytometry. A source receptor model …

Aadej Comm 6 1 2020

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the official journal of the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists (AADEJ). It is published quarterly, distributed digitally via email to members, and posted on the Association's website, AADEJ.org. Each issue includes regular updates from the editorial team and AADEJ board, as well as feature articles on current issues in the field.

Aadej Comm 6 3 2020

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Communicator is the official journal of the American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists (AADEJ). It is published quarterly, distributed digitally via email to members, and posted on the Association's website, AADEJ.org. Each issue includes regular updates from the editorial team and AADEJ board, as well as feature articles on current issues in the field.

Childhood Anxiety, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And/Or Pharmacological Treatment, Jennifer S. Mccarthy

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Objective: Evaluate best practice in managing anxiety in the pediatric population, including both school age children and adolescents. This literature review compared pharmacological treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)’s effectiveness on the management of anxiety within the pediatric population.

Background: Up to 25% of children in the United States are affected by a mental health disorder, anxiety being the most prevalent. Childhood anxiety can have a distressing impact on social, family, and academic functioning. If persisting into adulthood it increases the risk of developing other co-occurring mental health conditions, substance abuse issues, and contributes to impaired employment retention and socioeconomic …

The Effectiveness Of Cannabidiol In Rheumatic Disease Pain: A Systematic Review, Mary C. Wiczek

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Cannabinoids have long been a part of human culture and medicine, and more recently have been rediscovered for their potential use in the management of rheumatic disease pain. The objective of this review was to evaluate the known clinical effectiveness of cannabidiol treatment for rheumatic disease related pain. The legality and current regulation of these products was also reviewed to establish the current status of federal and state rules regarding their clinical use. Basic definitions of the terms used to differentiate cannabidiol from other cannabinoid products was also outlined. A systematic literature search was then conducted to explore the current …

Best Youth Education Methods For Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention, Caitlin F. Walchonski

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Sexual health education in the United States is inconsistent; information and methods vary from one location to another. Education plays a large role in developing safe sex practices, and despite the sexual education efforts, rates of sexually transmitted infections have risen for five consecutive years in the United States. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine the best methods for educating adolescents to promote behaviors to enhance sexual health. Multiple types of interventions have been studied including cognitive behavioral interventions, comprehensive sexual education, parent and teen dyad education, and abstinence only education. Sexual behavior is influenced by a variety …

Coaching Women On The Impact Of Alcohol Intake On Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review, Amy Maloney

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Alcohol intake among women has increased in recent years. Women’s bodies metabolize alcohol differently when compared to men and are at increased risk for adverse effects, both physically and mentally. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to explore the evidence related to the impact of coaching in primary care on drinking behaviors and over-all well-being of women. Four databases including PsycInfo, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL Plus with full text, and Gender Studies Database were searched using a variety of key words. Studies were included if they focused on female alcohol use and abuse, interventions specific to female alcohol …

The Efficacy Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy In The Treatment Of Adults With Obesity, Hallie M. Tiffany

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Obesity is a complex condition increasing in prevalence and consequence throughout the United States and the world. Obesity is affected not only physiologically but by one’s psychological aspects of life. Obesity contributes to countless chronic health conditions and thus greatly impacts a person’s wellness. A literature review was conducted to identify the following if in obese adults the benefit of cognitive behavioral therapy for weight loss and/or maintenance. A total of 10 articles met inclusion criteria from searches from databases that included ProQuest, Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PsycINFO as well as bibliography review. Level of evidence includes two articles that …