Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The 2024 Nobel Prize In Physiology Or Medicine: Microrna Takes Center Stage, George A Calin, Florent Hubé, Michael R Ladomery, Nicholas Delihas, Manuela Ferracin, Laura Poliseno, Luca Agnelli, Suresh K Alahari, Ai-Ming Yu, Xiao-Bo Zhong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Non-coding Journal Editorial Board Members would like to congratulate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNAs and the role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation, uncovering a previously unknown layer of gene control in eukaryotes [...].

Ire1Α Silences Dsrna To Prevent Taxane-Induced Pyroptosis In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Longyong Xu, Fanglue Peng, Qin Luo, Yao Ding, Fei Yuan, Liting Zheng, Wei He, Sophie S Zhang, Xin Fu, Jin Liu, Ayse Sena Mutlu, Shuyue Wang, Ralf Bernd Nehring, Xingyu Li, Qianzi Tang, Catherine Li, Xiangdong Lv, Lacey E Dobrolecki, Weijie Zhang, Dong Han, Na Zhao, Eric Jaehnig, Jingyi Wang, Weiche Wu, Davis A Graham, Yumei Li, Rui Chen, Weiyi Peng, Yiwen Chen, Andre Catic, Zhibin Zhang, Bing Zhang, Anthony M Mustoe, Albert C Koong, George Miles, Michael T Lewis, Meng C Wang, Susan M Rosenberg, Bert W O'Malley, Thomas F Westbrook, Han Xu, Xiang H-F Zhang, C Kent Osborne, Jin Billy Li, Matthew J Ellis, Mothaffar F Rimawi, Jeffrey M Rosen, Xi Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chemotherapy is often combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) to enhance immunotherapy responses. Despite the approval of chemo-immunotherapy in multiple human cancers, many immunologically cold tumors remain unresponsive. The mechanisms determining the immunogenicity of chemotherapy are elusive. Here, we identify the ER stress sensor IRE1α as a critical checkpoint that restricts the immunostimulatory effects of taxane-chemotherapy and prevents the innate immune recognition of immunologically cold triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). IRE1α RNase silences taxane-induced dsRNA through RIDD (Regulated IRE1-Dependent Decay) to prevent NLRP3 inflammasome–dependent pyroptosis. Inhibition of IRE1α in Trp53−/− TNBC allows taxane to induce extensive dsRNAs that are sensed …

Genomic Surveillance Of Sars-Cov-2 In Nepal, Binod Khadka, Kathie A Mihindukulasuriya, Lindsay Droit, Anne M Paredes, Scott A Handley, David Wang, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal, like other countries, faced emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. To evaluate the circulating variants, 278 samples collected between September 2021 and March 2022 were sequenced in the country. From these, 229 high-quality genomes were obtained (82.97% Omicron and 17.03% Delta) highlighting the genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Nepal.

Out-Of-Focus Signal Rejection For In Vivo Po2 Measurements Using Two-Photon Phosphorescence Lifetime Microscopy, Qi Pian, Baoqiang Li, Ikbal Şencan-Eğilmez, Xiaojun Cheng, Jay Dubb, Xinyue Huang, Buyin Fu, Srinivasa Rao Allu, Mohammad Abbas Yaseen, Anna Devor, Sergei A Vinogradov, Sava Sakadžić

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Two-photon phosphorescence lifetime microscopy has been a key tool for studying cerebral oxygenation in mice. However, the accuracy of the partial pressure of oxygen (pO

Estimation Of Prevalence Of Autoimmune Diseases In The United States Using Electronic Health Record Data, Aaron H. Abend, Albert M. Lai, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUNDPrevious epidemiologic studies of autoimmune diseases in the US have included a limited number of diseases or used metaanalyses that rely on different data collection methods and analyses for each disease.METHODSTo estimate the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the US, we used electronic health record data from 6 large medical systems in the US. We developed a software program using common methodology to compute the estimated prevalence of autoimmune diseases alone and in aggregate that can be readily used by other investigators to replicate or modify the analysis over time.RESULTSOur findings indicate that over 15 million people, or 4.6% of …

A Potent Pan-Sarbecovirus Neutralizing Antibody Resilient To Epitope Diversification, Laura E Rosen, Zhuoming Liu, Sean P J Whelan, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) evolution has resulted in viral escape from clinically authorized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), creating a need for mAbs that are resilient to epitope diversification. Broadly neutralizing coronavirus mAbs that are sufficiently potent for clinical development and retain activity despite viral evolution remain elusive. We identified a human mAb, designated VIR-7229, which targets the viral receptor-binding motif (RBM) with unprecedented cross-reactivity to all sarbecovirus clades, including non-ACE2-utilizing bat sarbecoviruses, while potently neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 variants since 2019, including the recent EG.5, BA.2.86, and JN.1. VIR-7229 tolerates extraordinary epitope variability, partly attributed to its high binding affinity, …

The Rise, Fall, And Resurgence Of Phage Therapy For Urinary Tract Infection, Jacob J Zulk, Kathryn A Patras, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In the face of rising antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophage therapy, also known as phage therapy, is seeing a resurgence as a potential treatment for bacterial infections including urinary tract infection (UTI). Primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli, the 400 million UTI cases annually are major global healthcare burdens and a primary cause of antibiotic prescriptions in the outpatient setting. Phage therapy has several potential advantages over antibiotics including the ability to disrupt bacterial biofilms and synergize with antimicrobial treatments with minimal side effects or impacts on the microbiota. Phage therapy for UTI treatment has shown generally favorable results in recent …

Development, Validation, And Reliability Of A New Instrument Of Observation And Technical Evaluation In Karate Athletes, Filipe Ferreira, Rui Miguel Silva, Georgian Badicu, Jarosław Muracki, Bartłomiej Bogdański, Adam Kawczyński

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

The present study aims to develop and establish the reliability of the System for the Technical Assessment of Kumite (STAK) in karate. Twenty karate fighters aged between 10 and 22 years, consisting of novice and expert athletes participated in the present study. The reliability process focused on three points: i) analysis and evaluation by experts of the content of the observation instrument; ii) analysis and evaluation by expert evaluators of the athletes' performance in each of the chosen techniques; and iii) reliability of the evaluators' observations. The technical evaluation system in karate evaluated the Mawashi Geri, Ura Mawashi Geri, Kizami …

Developing A Trauma-Informed Family-Centered Care Toolkit For Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Sonja A. Alli-Casella

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Background: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may be a stressful, traumatizing, or re-traumatizing experience for parents of critically ill newborns and infants.

Problem: NICU nurses and other healthcare providers may not realize their impact on parental stress responses as neonatal care providers may not have adequate training to support adults experiencing acute emotional distress.

Methods: Strong evidence supports using family-centered care (FCC) in the NICU to promote bonding and parental involvement in caring for their infants. This manuscript aims to review current research and literature on trauma-informed care training and its impact on nurse confidence in managing dysregulated adults, …

Development Of Financial Management Skills: A Guidebook For Caregivers Of Autistic Children, Marcie Balleza, Steven M. Gerardi, Angela Blackwell

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Autistic children face challenges to living independently, including learning to manage finances. Caregivers of autistic children must develop in their care recipients the financial skills to live independently. A lack of educational resources on how to teach financial management skills can impede the development of independent living skills in autistic children. Caregivers of autistic children lack the education and training that is necessary to teach financial management skills to autistic children to prepare them for transition to adulthood. Caregivers of autistic children do not know how to help their child learn money management skills in preparation for the transition to …

Enhancing Ob Healthcare: Impact Of Black Nurse Representation, Devi Wolfe-Reese

Honors Capstones

Increasing Black nurse representation in obstetrics (OB) care is crucial for improving maternal and infant health outcomes, reducing health disparities, and building trust between patients and providers. Research shows that diverse healthcare teams lead to better patient outcomes, including lower mortality rates and higher patient satisfaction. Black nurses bring critical cultural competence to OB care, strengthening patient-provider relationships and ensuring that care is tailored to the unique needs of Black families. A more diverse nursing workforce promotes better collaboration, enhances inclusivity, and contributes to a more equitable healthcare system overall.

To achieve these goals, healthcare institutions must prioritize diversity by …

Verbal Working Memory And Syntactic Comprehension Segregate Into The Dorsal And Ventral Streams, Respectively, William Matchin, Zeinab K. Mollasaraei, Leonardo Bonilha, Christopher Rorden, Gregory Hickok, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Julius Fridriksson

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Syntactic processing and verbal working memory are both essential components to sentence comprehension. Nonetheless, the separability of these systems in the brain remains unclear. To address this issue, we performed causal-inference analyses based on lesion and connectome network mapping using MRI and behavioural testing in two groups of individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia. We employed a rhyme judgement task with heavy working memory load without articulatory confounds, controlling for the overall ability to match auditory words to pictures and to perform a metalinguistic rhyme judgement, isolating the effect of working memory load (103 individuals). We assessed non-canonical sentence comprehension, isolating …

Consent, Healthy Relationships, And Sexual Misconduct Education, Bergen Babich, Dinorah Blanco Reyes, Samantha Campbell, Balkhita Mweru, Spencer Roth, Alyanna Velasco

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Introduction

Our team of nursing students collaborated with a university's security office and health services to educate the campus community on sexual assault and gender-based violence. According to the University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, there was a 550% increase in rape cases from 2022 to 2023 (personal communication, 2024). This increase in rape cases indicated a need for increased education and awareness of sexual assault and gender-based violence. Our educational sessions aimed to provide the campus community with education and resources on sexual misconduct and consent to promote healthier relationships on campus.

Background

The population that we served …

Increasing Health Literacy Within The Unhoused Population, Alyse Mk Abraham, Zoe J. Foucaultt, Sean P. Sieber, Simran Gill, Andrew Kang, Fatou Goudiaby

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Nursing Leadership Executive Summary

The unhoused population in Washington State increased by 12% from January 2022 to January 2023, underscoring a growing regional crisis (Washington State Department of Commerce, 2024). To serve this population, we partnered with an agency in Western Washington. In collaboration with the agency’s health services administrative director, we developed a multilingual handout on healthcare and insurance options to improve health literacy.

Our project involved a windshield survey, demographic analysis, evidence-based research, and collaboration with translators to ensure accessibility. This paper outlines the project’s development, research process, creation of the handout, and its intended impact.

Background

A …

Stress Management Through Educational Coping Techniques, Margaret Nikitchuk, Maddy Politeo, Sarah Hall, Ben Pham, David Kumar, Kiana George

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Executive Summary

According to the United States Census Bureau, Seattle reported the highest amount of people with stress in the United States with 54.5% (reported by adults) saying they felt ‘nervous, anxious or on edge’ for at least several days during the past two weeks” (Swedish, 2024). Many residents in Seattle cope with stress in unhealthy ways. For instance, in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA, 19% of individuals aged 12 or older used illicit drugs, compared to the national rate of 14.7% (SAMHSA, 2012). Additionally, 22.5% of this population engaged in binge alcohol use at least once in the past month (SAMHSA, 2012). …

Take Charge Of Your Health: Start With Your Smile, Jordan L. Lacey, Brizette O. Owusu, Sophia Gardner, Madeline Whitehead, Haeun Park, May Ligno

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Take Charge of Your Health: Start with Your Smile

Oral health is a fundamental component of overall health, yet it is often neglected-particularly among vulnerable populations like houseless individuals (Freitas et al., 2019). Houseless individuals face numerous barriers to accessing healthcare, with dental services being limited. This lack of access contributes to a higher prevalence of oral diseases, which if left untreated, can lead to severe complications. Poor oral health doesn’t just affect the mouth; it negatively impacts one’s overall systemic health, psychosocial well-being, and quality of life (Csikar et al., 2019).

As nursing students engaged in a Community Health …

An Educational Video Guide To Aging In Place, Cecilia Ramos, Steven Gerardi Phd, Otd, Mss, Otr, Elizabeth Deluca-Berg Otd, Otr, Caps

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

The growing population of older adults in the U.S. faces numerous challenges in maintaining independence while aging in place. Key findings from the needs assessment and literature review underscore the importance of accessible resources, health promotion, and health literacy in fostering autonomy and well-being among older adults. Occupational therapy addresses individual needs, educates on resource availability, and promotes interventions to enhance older adults' independence and safety. The purpose of this project was to create an educational video guide aimed at empowering older adults and their families with the knowledge and tools to overcome barriers to aging in place. This project …

Enhancing Fall Prevention: Prioritizing Postural Health And Monitoring Falls Among Persons With Parkinson's Disease (Pwpd) And Care Partners, Kara Day, Lesley Khan-Farooqi Phd, Otd, Otr, Karen Aranha Phd, Ot

Fall 2024 OTD Capstone Symposium

Falls are a significant concern for persons with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) that can lead to injury, occupational deprivation, and poor quality of life (QoL). This capstone project addressed the gap in resources related to fall prevention by focusing on postural health and fall monitoring for PwPD, their care partners, and community organizations. The purpose of this project was to develop a comprehensive guidebook for PwPD and care partners, as well as a handbook for community organizations to enhance postural health literacy, increase fall monitoring, reduce the risk of falling, and overall improve the QoL for PwPD and their care partners.

Stress Testing Deep Learning Models For Prostate Cancer Detection On Biopsies And Surgical Specimens, Brennan T. Flannery, Anant Madabhushi

Faculty Scholarship

The presence, location, and extent of prostate cancer is assessed by pathologists using H&E-stained tissue slides. Machine learning approaches can accomplish these tasks for both biopsies and radical prostatectomies. Deep learning approaches using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been shown to identify cancer in pathologic slides, some securing regulatory approval for clinical use. However, differences in sample processing can subtly alter the morphology between sample types, making it unclear whether deep learning algorithms will consistently work on both types of slide images. Our goal was to investigate whether morphological differences between sample types affected the performance of biopsy-trained cancer detection …

Unraveling The Link Between Language Barriers And Cancer Risk, Eman A. Toraih, Mohammad H. Hussein, Manal S. Malik, Alaa N. Malik, Emad Kandil, Manal S. Fawzy

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose: Clear patient communication with the physician is an integral aspect of cancer treatment and successful health outcomes. Previous research has shown improved cancer screening in cases of patient navigator assistance to limited English proficient patients, but no research has analyzed the relationship between language isolation and cancer incidence rates in the United States. Methods: Using state-level data from the United States Census Bureau and the National Cancer Institute, we analyzed the correlations between language isolation and age-adjusted incidence rates across 19 different invasive cancers. Results: A complex relationship between language isolation and cancer incidence rates was found. States such …

Efficacy Of Dietary Interventions For Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Hossein Haghbin, Fariha Hasan, Manesh Kumar Gangwani, Nurruddinkhodja Zakirkhodjaev, Wade Lee-Smith, Azizullah Beran, Faisal Kamal, Benjamin Hart, Muhammad Aziz

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that alters the quality of life of patients. A variety of dietary interventions have been introduced to address this debilitating condition. The low-FODMAP diet (LFD), gluten-free diet (GFD), and Mediterranean diet are examples showing efficacy. The aim of this network meta-analysis was to compare these interventions to find the best approach. Methods: We performed a systematic review of the available literature through 14 March 2024 in the following databases: Embase, PubMed, MEDLINE OVID, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, and Cochrane Central. We only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We used a …

Impact Of Training For Nursing Staff In The Prevention Of Hapis, Onyinye E. Ohia, Colleen A. Anthony

Master's Projects

Abstract

Background: The incidence of Hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) have remained a problem in healthcare despite concerted efforts by hospitals and other governmental agencies to eliminate the problem via policy and emphasis on safety. There is support in literature for the training of healthcare professionals as an important tool in the prevention and management of HAPIs. Despite the existence of studies that link training of nurses to a reduction in rates of HAPIs, evidence in support of that is still piecemeal; with poorly defined outcomes.

Aims and objectives: The aim of this integrative review is to identify …

Senior Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Their Effectiveness In The Utilization Of De-Escalation Techniques: A Phenomenological Study, Chinelo N. Anadu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored senior nursing students’ perceptions of their effectiveness in utilizing de-escalation techniques. The theories that guided this study were Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Kolb’s experiential learning theory. Self-efficacy is one’s ability to organize, conduct, and successfully perform a task. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory focuses on individuals’ perception of their ability to perform a task, not the action’s result. Kolb’s theory emphasizes that learning is a process, and modifying experiences creates knowledge. The participants for this study were senior nursing students from two medium-sized universities in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. A sample of 11 senior …

Evaluating Pharmacokinetic And Age-Related Parameters In The Static Mechanistic Model To Enhance The Accuracy Of Drug-Drug Interaction Prediction In The Geriatric Population, Jing Wang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can significantly impact drug efficacy, patient safety, and healthcare costs. While potentially life-threatening, DDIs are also predictable, manageable, and avoidable. Due to polypharmacy and age-related physiological changes, DDIs are most prevalent in the geriatric population. However, geriatric patients are often excluded from clinical trials for ethical and scientific reasons. DDI assessments in the geriatric population are typically replied on extrapolated from younger populations, which may not always be appropriate. This research investigates whether the computational model, particularly the static mechanistic model, can accurately and appropriately predict DDIs in the geriatric population by modifying pharmacokinetic and age-related parameters …

Wildlife Factors And Zoonotic Spillover In Sub-Saharan Africa, Bernard Mgba

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Zoonotic spillover, the transmission of infectious pathogens from animals to humans, is a critical public health concern in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines the role of wildlife factors in zoonotic spillover within this region, highlighting the complex interplay between human-wildlife interactions, environmental changes, and emerging zoonotic diseases. The research underscores that Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable due to its rich biodiversity, cultural practices involving wildlife, and socioeconomic challenges. Factors such as habitat encroachment, wildlife consumption, and inadequate health infrastructure contribute to the heightened risk of zoonotic spillover. The study employs an online survey followed with a contextual analysis, and socioeconomic …

Development And Evaluation Of Nurse Practitioner- Driven Appointment Reminder Initiative At An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Adaku Ogoke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No-shows or missed appointments have a negative impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare facilities. No-shows contribute to high healthcare costs and lost revenue due to underutilization of services, unnecessary disruptions in workflow, increased workload, and scheduling challenges. Mental health clinics report high no-show rates due to factors such as forgetfulness among patients. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a text message patient appointment reminder system to reduce the no-show rate and increase provider knowledge in an outpatient mental health clinic in 15 weeks. The project was guided by the Iowa model of evidence-based practice …

The Effectiveness Of Education Utilizing A Digital Patient Education Platform For Nursing Staff Working In A Military Medical Treatment Facility, Meki Bocage

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently, the use of digital health technology has been found to improve patients’ experiences, health outcomes, and quality of care. Furthermore, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) is focused on leveraging cutting-edge technologies to optimize healthcare delivery and improve patient experiences. The purpose of this evidence-based practice process improvement project supports providing educational intervention to nursing staff through videoconferencing or lecture learning opportunities. The project focused on successfully educating nursing staff from at least three MTFs on the use of a patient education platform by the conclusion of the 30-day intervention through individual web-based pre and post questionnaires. Ultimately, 15 registered …

Injury Prevalence Among Females Playing American Football, Anthea Warren-Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While extensive research has examined injuries in men's football, there is a significant lack of studies systematically investigating the types, patterns, and long-term effects of injuries among female football players. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating the types and frequencies of injuries sustained by female American football players. A recruitment letter was sent via email, and following approval, an anonymous online survey was distributed to collect data from participants about their injuries during the 2023 season. The study included 13 teams from the WFA Pro division, with a total of 647 players, recruiting 245 participants aged 19 …

Exploring Generational Differences Within The Nursing Profession: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Danielle Sienkiewicz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nursing practice has evolved since its initial presentation. The 2020 pandemic played a significant role in changing nursing dynamics. Acute care nurses have become responsible for a plethora of tasks once a patient enters the doors of their facility. While education and skills training can be implemented, there are other aspects requiring greater attention. Generational differences have become more apparent in practice. Generational differences are only recently gaining attention and could use more focus in large organizations. The workforce has become a combination of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. The Silent Generation, also referred to as Veteran …

Promoting Advance Care Planning In Primary Care: A Pilot Study On The Impact Of Clinician Education And Workflow Development, Lisa Nicole Turcotte

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although evidence supports the efficacy of advance care planning (ACP) in improving quality of care and the overall well-being of patients and families, there are many barriers to engagement in this process. Fortunately, clinician and patient education and workflow development in primary care settings have shown promise in their ability to overcome these obstacles to improve awareness of and engagement with the ACP process as part of preventative care. The purpose of this project was to apply current research on this topic to improve patient engagement with ACP in the primary care setting using the Iowa Model of evidence-based practice. …