Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Compelled Contraception, Lars Noah

UF Law Faculty Publications

Can the federal government insist that people use contraceptives? It may come as a surprise to learn that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has done just that as a condition for allowing access to some pharmaceutical products that create a serious risk of birth defects. Over the last few decades, the agency has demanded that patients using certain teratogenic agents—now numbering over a dozen drugs prescribed for a variety of conditions, ranging from severe acne and psoriasis to multiple myeloma and pulmonary hypertension—agree to avoid becoming pregnant, sometimes for years after completing their course of treatment. Undoubtedly the …

Medication Abortion And The Mails: The Ghost Of Anthony Comstock Rides Again?, Lars Noah

UF Law Faculty Publications

Mail-order dispensing of the prescription drug mifepristone has become the latest flashpoint in this country’s long-running debate over abortion access. It also has brought back from the dead one of the oldest federal statutes to address that contentious subject. In their fight to limit access to a drug approved by the FDA one quarter of a century ago, abortion opponents have rediscovered the Comstock Act. Although amended on several occasions since 1873, Congress never managed to repeal or clarify its ambiguous language relating to abortion. On its narrowest reading, this provision would have no impact whatsoever on access to mifepristone; …

Temporal Network Analysis Of Comorbidities Among People With Hiv In South Carolina, Yunqing Ma, Matthew Lohman Ph.D., Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Yichen Li, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction: People with HIV experience a high rate of comorbidities that can complicate their health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence, interrelationships and temporal development of these comorbidities is crucial for improving health management and quality of life for people with HIV. Methods: We used a population-based cohort extracted from statewide electronic health record (EHR) data in South Carolina (SC), including 18 649 people with HIV who survived at least 1 year after HIV diagnosis between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2020. Comorbidities and organ systems were classified using ICD-10 codes. Network analysis was performed to assess the closeness centrality among …

The Bonding Project: Addressing Mental Health Issues In The Older Lgbtq+ Community In Sacramento, Jose A. Gonzalez-Villasenor, Morgan Taniguchi, Claire Tousley, Jessica Landmark, Jacqueline Paine

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Navigating Burnout In Caregivers Of Patients With Alzheimer’S Disease, Kristie Tsao, Avenal Nair, Elijah Saavedra

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Supporting The Development Of Emotion Regulation For Engagement In Occupation, Alexis Karen Smith

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Many children with mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health conditions internalize and externalize symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anger at higher rates compared to children without these conditions (Tajik-Parvinchi, 2021). Difficulties with emotion regulation may lead to heightened experiences of symptoms from mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health conditions (Tajik-Parvinchi, 2021). Occupational therapy practitioners can support children with emotional dysregulation by using evidence-based best practices. The identified problem is the application of evidence-based emotion regulation evaluation and interventions to support children with difficulty in emotion regulation and their caregivers. The challenge of implementing evidence-based emotion regulation services is limited research and …

Benefits Of Nature-Based Play For Children: An Educational Resource For Parents, Kaitlyn Peterson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: In recent years, children’s use of technology has increased, decreasing the time they spend playing in natural contexts and time spent building the parent-child relationship. The lack of time spent in outdoor contexts has negative influences on the child’s overall health and well-being. The time a child spends with their parent is vitally important for a child’s development, view of the world, and sense of belonging. Parents assist children throughout development by supporting their understanding of themselves and the world, along with supporting the child’s ability to communicate with their parents. Interactions with technology, particularly overuse, can influence a …

Increasing Occupational Therapy Student Preparedness For Level Ii Fieldwork Experiences In Hand Therapy, Claire Meyer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: A level II fieldwork experience is essential within occupational therapy programs as it allows occupational therapy students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-life practice. Students need to complete level II fieldwork to graduate, become practicing therapists, and grow the field of occupational therapy. However, many practitioners, particularly those specializing in hand therapy, hesitate to accept students for fieldwork placements. Barriers reported by hand therapy practitioners include a lack of student knowledge, preparation, and clinical skills (Short et al., 2017; Valdes et al., 2022). Hand therapy settings' rapid pace and demanding nature require students to …

Occupational Therapy Best Practices In Partial Hospitalization Programs, Mattea June Johnson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Occupational therapy practitioners play a crucial role on the care team in partial hospitalization programs (PHP). Occupational therapy practitioners are a key member of the care team due to their profession’s unique view of the person and goal of supporting them in their valued occupations. Occupational therapy practitioners have training in psychosocial and mental health interventions that enable those with mental illness to engage in meaningful everyday activities. Practitioners must be equipped with the current best practice standards to support participants to engage in recovery and wellness through occupation. With the growing need for mental and behavioral services and …

Specialized Knowledge Of Sensory Interventions For Sensory Function, Cassidy Kay Filson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Between 5%-16.5% of the general population are estimated to have a form of atypical sensory reactivity (Ahn et al., 2004). Atypical sensory reactivity or atypical sensory processing is described as when the brain processes sensory input differently than it typically would (Ark Support Coordination, n.d.). The rates of atypical sensory reactivity increase in children with additional diagnoses such as autism (ASD), developmental delays and disabilities, and neurodivergent children (AOTA, 2023). Sensory processing and integration difficulties negatively impact the quality and quantity of a child’s occupational participation, as symptoms often make various occupations more difficult for the child to participate …

The Impacts Of Ssris In-Utero And Nicu Occupational Therapy Intervention, Kyara Crowley

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this product was to collaborate with the occupational therapy (OT) staff in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to further knowledge and enhance role competence to provide better quality of care to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposed infant population. Mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent among women, therefore, more women are taking SSRIs throughout pregnancy to counteract the effects of those conditions (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). However, the effects of in-utero SSRI exposure are not fully understood. Researchers have found evidence of some short-term and long-term effects caused by the SSRI exposure as well …

Unlock Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: Interprofessional Collaboration Between Ot Hand Therapy And Surgical Teams, Collin Brown

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: In the journey to recovery from upper extremity injuries, outpatient hand therapists who are certified as occupational therapists (OT) play a crucial role in restoring patients' independence and functionality, both before and after surgical intervention. Researchers identified main themes experienced by participants who had acquired an upper extremity injury and were post-operation, such as functional challenges in managing conditions, difficulties in everyday life, coping strategies, differing expectations, and the impact of information on daily life (Hansen et al, 2024). In all of these areas identified, an OT hand therapist is able to identify and facilitate improvements pre- and post-surgery …

Availability And Use Of Digital Technology Among Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Scoping Review, Pamela J. Wright Phd, Ms, Med, Rn, Cen, Charlotte Burts, Carolyn Harmon, Cynthia F. Corbett Phd, Rn, Faan

Publications

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy among women that requires self-management to improve mental and physical health outcomes and reduce risk of comorbidity. Digital technology has rapidly emerged as a valuable self-management tool for people with chronic health conditions. However, little is known about the digital technology available for and used by women with PCOS. Objective: The purpose of this scoping review was to identify what is known about digital technology currently available and used by women with PCOS for PCOS-specific knowledge, self-management, or social support. Methods: The databases PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Compendex were searched using …

Materal Care In Focus: Non Birthing Facility Administrative Report, Juliana Antwi, Andrew Williams

Public Health Faculty Publications

A snapshot of facility types, staffing, and service gaps across North and South Dakota-this survey reveals key challenges and opportunities to strengthen maternal healthcare through the work of the NDPQC.

Readiness To The Privatization Of The Health System In Saudi Arabia: Translation And Factor Analysis Of Readiness To Organizational Change (Roc) Scale, Ahmed Ali Alasiri, Qi Zhang

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) began a major transformation as a part of version 2030 for its health system. These reform initiatives aim to privatize health services and improve efficiency. Despite this meaningful change, there is a knowledge gap in how healthcare providers prepare for or perceive this shift. Specifically, there has been a lack of validation of Arabic instruments that gauge the individual readiness to this change. This study bridges the gap by localizing and validating the Readiness to Organizational Change scale (ROC) to provide empirical evidence and to understand adaptability for the KSA context.

Method

The …

The Chemical Straightjacket: Institutional Over-Use Of Psychotropic Drugs On Children In Lieu Of Therapeutic Community Mental Health Services, Marisa Leib-Neri

Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality

This Article argues that the abysmal state of children’s mental health in America is in part due to an overreliance on and over prescription of psychotropic drugs inside psychiatric residential institutions in lieu of community based mental health services. This overreliance on residential institutions and psychotropic drugs has allowed a new form of chemical restraint to flourish—the chemical straitjacket. This Article uses the medication lists of twelve children in seven different North Carolina psychiatric residential treatment facilities to demonstrate how the chemical straitjacket operates: the prescription of drugs not approved for pediatric populations, counter to evidence-based practices for particular diagnoses, …

A Comprehensive Review And Bibliometric Analysis On Collaborative Robotics For Industry: Safety Emerging As A Core Focus, Aida Haghighi, Morteza Cheraghi, Jérôme Pocachard, Valérie Botta-Genoulaz, Sabrina Jocelyn, Hamidreza Pourzarei

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

Research organizations and academics often seek to map the development of scientific fields, identify research gaps, and guide the direction of future research. In cobot-related research, the scientific literature consulted does not propose any comprehensive research agenda. Moreover, cobots, industrial robots inherently designed to collaborate with humans, bring with them emerging issues. To solve them, interdisciplinary research is often essential (e.g., combination of engineering, ergonomics and biomechanics expertise to handle safety challenges). This paper proposes an exhaustive study that employs a scoping review and bibliometric analysis to provide a structured macro perspective on the developments, key topics, and trends in …

Adenomatoid Tumor Of The Testis: A Report Of Two Cases And Literature Review, Amadadin Alhlib, Trudea Juma, Shahin Sayed

General Surgery, East Africa

Testicular adenomatoid tumor is a rare benign condition that can resemble testicular malignancies in its clinical presentation, potentially leading to overtreatment, such as radical orchidectomy. In our two case reports, we aim to better understand the behavior of this disease by examining its clinical presentation, as well as radiological, intraoperative, and pathological findings.

Ministry Organization Response To The Mental Health Crisis, Bryn L. Wood

Senior Honors Theses

The mental health crisis has been negatively affecting individuals across the globe for about half a century, only growing in its impact each year. However, following the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health crises skyrocketed. This is especially true for youth and young adults as physical isolation has altered many facets of their lives. This thesis will explore the mental health crisis, as well as the way it has impacted youth and young adult organizations. Specifically, it will discuss research on recommended ways for these organizations to respond to the mental health crisis through unique programming and how these practices have been …

The Association Between Obstetric Violence And Postpartum Depression Among Latina Women In The United States: An Integrative Review, Natalia Alameda

Scripps Senior Theses

Obstetric violence, a structural form of gender-based violence, involves abuse, mistreatment, or neglect by healthcare providers during obstetric care. It is often associated with childbirth trauma and may result in physical and psychological harm to mothers and children, including postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a major depressive episode occurring during pregnancy or within four weeks following delivery. While these concepts are often studied independently, few studies examine their intersection, particularly among Latina women in the United States. To address this gap, an integrative literature review was conducted to explore the association between obstetric violence and postpartum depression among Latina women. …

Fundamental And Formant Frequencies Of Vowels In Ventriloquial And Normal Speech, Corrie S. Wiesner, Manish Rami

Communication Sciences & Disorders Faculty Publications

This study explored the fundamental frequency and the first and second formant frequencies of vowels produced in ventriloquial and normal speech. It tested whether these frequencies differ by speech type and vowels. Voice recordings were collected from a participant who produced words containing ten target English vowels in normal and ventriloquial speech. Digitized recordings were analyzed to determine formant frequencies. A multivariate analysis detected statistically significant differences in the three frequency measures across speech type. Speech type by frequency interaction was examined via overlapping vowel quadrilateral plots that explored differences in formants of vowels across speech type and the vowel …

Evolution Of A Training Program For Pediatric Faculty And Trainee Wellbeing, Suzanne Reed, Julie A Young, Josephine Enciso, Emma Omoruyi, Rachel Cramton, Larry Hurtubise, Katherine Allison, John Mahan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: High rates of distress and burnout continue to plague physicians. The Sustaining and Training for Resilience, Engagement and Meaning (STREAM) curriculum is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded program, developed by experts in faculty and trainee wellbeing from 7 academic institutions, to help address this ongoing and pervasive issue.

Methods: We used Kern's 6-step model to develop the STREAM program. STREAM content was developed and iteratively revised to highlight evidence-informed methods to improve wellbeing. STREAM content is grounded in the PERMA-H framework and highlights 4 pillars: Optimizing your Well-Being, Building Resilience, Collaborative Engagement to Improve your Work, …

Serum Metabolome Profiling In Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment Reveals Sex Differences In Lipid Metabolism, Rocio Diaz Escarcega, Vijay Kumar M J, Vasilia E Kyriakopoulos, Guadalupe J Ortiz, Aaron M Gusdon, Huihui Fan, Pedram Peesh, Maria P Blasco Conesa, Gabriela Delevati Colpo, Hilda W Ahnstedt, Lucy Couture, Stella H Kim, Miriam Hinojosa, Christine M Farrell, Sean P Marrelli, Akihiko Urayama, Bhanu P Ganesh, Paul E Schulz, Louise D Mccullough, Andrey S Tsvetkov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more women than men. Although women live longer than men, it is not longevity alone, but other factors, including metabolic changes, that contribute to the higher risk of AD in women. Metabolic pathways have been implicated in AD progression, but studies to date examined targeted pathways, leaving many metabolites unmeasured. Sex is often a neglected biological variable, and most metabolomic studies were not designed to investigate sex differences in metabolomic profiles. Here, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling of sera from male and female patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a common precursor to AD, and matched …

Sex Differences In Brain Iron Deposition And Microglial Ferritin In Alzheimer’S Disease, Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, Chunfeng Tan, Akiyoshi Kakita, Jose Felix Moruno-Manchon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective

Iron is the most abundant metal in the human brain, and plays a crucial role in many biological processes. However, disruptions in brain iron metabolism can lead to iron buildup, which occurs with aging and is linked to several brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, have the highest capacity to store iron, which is stored intracellularly within ferritin complexes. Importantly, women are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and experience faster disease progression compared to men.

Methods

We used postmortem brain samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease and small vessel disease patients …

Commentary On “Predictors Of Length Of Physical Therapy Care For Infants With Congenital Torticollis”, Ryan Jacobson, Kathryn Knudsen, Katherine Binkerd

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Most infants in this study were ≤3 months of age and 94% had severity grades I or II. Clinicians might prioritize accurately measuring active neck rotation using an arthrodial goniometer in younger, less severe infants, since active neck rotation deficit had the highest single-factor correlation with episode length and reflects degree of asymmetry in neck and torso strength. While the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and previous tummy/container time factors were not associated, we appreciate the efforts of the authors to address this gap in the literature.

Hopping Kinetic Differences In Masters Runners With And Without Achilles Tendinopathy, Matthew Klein, Chris Patterson, Annette Karim, Tyler Cuddeford

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Achilles tendinopathy (AT) is the most common running-related pathology among masters runners. Previous evidence suggests there are no differences in submaximal running biomechanics between masters runners with and without AT. Evidence suggests lower extremity power deficits are common among ageing individuals and those with AT. The single-leg horizontal hop (SLHH) test isa valid and reliable lower extremity power test. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in SLHH biomechanics between masters runners with and without AT. 32 masters runners age 50 and older with AT (60.31 ± 8.37, n = 16) and without (59.94 ±4.95 n = 16) …

A Vision Transformer Based Assistive System For Dermatological Diagnosis In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Syeda Lamima Farhat

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and often underdiagnosed autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs and presents with a wide range of symptoms-ranging from fatigue and joint pain to life-threatening organ damage. One of its most visible and diagnostically significant indicators is the Butterfly Malar Rash (BMR), a distinctive facial rash that often resembles other common dermatological conditions like rosacea, acne, eczema, and fifth disease. This overlap can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed detection, especially in busy clinical environments. To assist dermatologists in distinguishing BMR from similar facial rashes, this study explores the development of an AI-powered image classification …

Increased Myo/Nog Cell Presence And Phagocytic Activity In Retinal Degeneration: Insights From A Mouse Model, Diana Crowley, Samantha Murad, Courtney Helm, Rachel Souza, Sarah Coughlan, Scott Serpico, Eric Sugarman, Kyle Marguiles, Brian Heist, Kathryn D. Mitchell, Christopher K. Sutera, Mark Martin, Carlos Font, Mary Woodruff, E-Jine Tsai, Rushil Brahmbhatt, Paul Lecker, Grzegorz Gorski, John Benalcazar, Serena Young, Abey Martin, Lindsay Gugerty, Jacquelyn Gerhart, Mindy George-Weinstein, Arturo Bravo Nuevo

PCOM Scholarly Works

Myo/Nog cells play a pivotal role in ocular development and demonstrate a rapid response to stress and injury. This study investigates their behavior and distribution in a murine model of retinitis pigmentosa, specifically in C3H/HeJ mice, which exhibit photoreceptor degeneration due to a homozygous mutation in the Pde6brd1 gene. Retinal samples from C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice were analyzed at postnatal weeks 2.5 to 6 using hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunofluorescence for brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1 (BAI1) expressed in Myo/Nog cells, and TUNEL labeling for apoptotic cell detection. The results demonstrated a progressive thinning of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) in …

Myod Is Required For The Differentiation Of Myo/Nog Cell Progenitors Of Myofibroblasts In Explants Of Human Lens Tissue., Jacquelyn Gerhart, Mara Crispin, Brian Heist, Keith Mathers, Joseph Infanti, David Venuti, Joseph F Richards, Steven Morency, Cathy J. Hatcher, Mindy George-Weinstein

PCOM Scholarly Works

INTRODUCTION: Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a complication of cataract surgery that impairs vision. Clouding and distortion of the posterior capsule occur as a result of cell migration, deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and contractions of myofibroblasts. The focus of this study is a subpopulation of cells within the lens, called Myo/Nog cells, that differentiate into myofibroblasts in response to wounding. Myo/Nog cells express the skeletal muscle specific transcription factor MyoD, bone morphogenetic protein inhibitor Noggin and brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor (BAI1). Depletion of Myo/Nog cells in explants of human anterior lens tissue and the rabbit lens during cataract surgery prevented …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2025, 145th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Biological and Medical Sciences

Biology

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Science Education

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Physics and Engineering

Forensic Sciences

Ecology, Sustainability, and Environmental Science

Maiben Lecture: Mary Ann Vinton, "State of the Academy"

Friends of Science Awards: David Crouse and Daniel Sitzman