Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

When Governors Prioritize Individual Freedom Over Public Health: Tort Liability For Government Failures, Barbara Pfeffer Billauer Jd, Ma, Phd

Journal of Law and Health

Over half the states have enacted laws diminishing or curtailing the rights of the executive branch (legislatures or governors) to enact laws to preserve, protect, or safeguard public health in the wake of the COVID-19 emergency. Governor DeSantis, of Florida, for example, effectively banned mask mandates in schools during the high point of the epidemic – based on flawed science and erroneous data – and now wants to make that response permanent. The rules effectuating this Executive Order were enacted under an emergency order finding a threat to public health. Nevertheless, the response promulgated by the Florida Department of Health …

Outcomes Of Virtual Diabetes Cook Along Classes, April Litchford, Jenna Dyckman, Cindy Jenkins, Andrea Schmutz, Carrie Durward

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

USU Extension Diabetes Cook Along classes provide diabetes education to the public while removing barriers to participation. These classes teach relevant topics through hands-on activities to increase participants’ ability to effectively self-manage their diabetes symptoms. Evaluation results show that participants experienced high satisfaction (86%) and substantial knowledge gain (92%) after the classes.

A Latter-Day Disease: Mormons And Cholera In The Nineteenth Century, Alexandra L. Wein

Student Publications

Nineteenth-century America saw the emergence of two seemingly parallel entities - the epidemic disease of cholera and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon faith. To understand the intersection of Mormons and cholera, one must look within the interdisciplinary framework of Civil War-era history, religion, and epidemiology. Cholera epidemics in 1832 and 1849 coincided with the mass Mormon migration west, causing great suffering and death for Mormons traveling by land and sea. While their westward exodus exposed them to cholera, their religious teachings also contributed to why they contracted the disease. The Word of …

Improving Data Accuracy, Completeness, And Efficiency In The Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery Registry, Kelly Brown

Translational Projects (Open Access)

Clinical patient registries, such as the pediatric congenital heart surgery registry, are designed to collect large amounts of varied clinical, administrative, and demographic data on specific patient populations. Data from these registries are used for multiple purposes, such as reporting, national benchmarking, research, quality improvement activities, and accreditation. Therefore, organizations must have accurate, complete, and timely data to meet these demands. However, manual data abstraction is the predominant method for populating a clinical patient registry. This method utilizes paid data abstractors, clinicians, and administrative staff and can be inefficient, incomplete, inaccurate, and costly.

The aim of this project was to …

Shock And Awe: An Angiotensin Ii Clinical Outcomes Assessment., Caleb Hoppe Pharmd

Pharmacy Residency

Presented at the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residents Conference. West Lafayette, IN: April 2024.

In this retrospective cohort study, angiotensin II was not found to have a benefit on morbidity and mortality compared to placebo. However, further prospective, randomized controlled trials are needed to identify patient subgroups who might benefit.

Evaluation Of Triple Therapy Use For Copd, Jessica Offerle Pharmd

Pharmacy Residency

Presented at the Great Lakes Pharmacy Residents Conference. West Lafayette, IN: April 2024.

This retrospective, cross-sectional study found that nearly all patients were not administered pulmonary function testing prior to treatment with COPD triple therapy (inhaled corticosteroid plus long-acting muscarinic-antagonist plus long-acting beta-2-agonist). Additionally, the vast majority did not have a documented elevated eosinophil count. These represent good opportunities to optimize population-based care for COPD patients.

Loma Linda Nurse - Vol. 31, Loma Linda University School Of Nursing

Loma Linda Nurse

FEATURES

4 | The Next Chapter for LLUSN

8 | 50 Years of West Hall

10 | Dr. Shawn Collins Named New Dean

12 | Dr. Gloria Huerta Named New Associate Dean

14 | Adventist Nursing Theory with Dr. Patricia Jones

LLUSN HIGHLIGHTS

16-23 | ALUMNI NEWS

24-27 | ACADEMICS

28-32 | HOMECOMING

33-35 | FACULTY UPDATES

Use Of A Shared Decision-Making Approach To Improve Blood Pressure Readings In A Hispanic Population With Hypertension, Narayani Koirala

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality with over half of all cardiovascular deaths attributed to it (CDC, 2022). “It is estimated that one-third of adults are hypertensive worldwide. Predictions indicate that one billion individuals will be hypertensive by 2025” (Eghbali et al., 2022). Non-adherence to prescription medication and lifestyle changes is a significant problem and prevalent in the Hispanic population due to various factors related to social determinants of health.

Aim: This project aimed to increase patient adherence to hypertension treatment therapy in Hispanic adults with hypertension for improved blood pressure control and …

Brain Artery Diameters And Risk Of Dementia And Stroke, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Kursat Gurel, Cassidy Rose Compton, Minghua Liu, Vanessa Guzman, Stephanie Assuras, Bonnie E. Levin, Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M. Kamran Ikram, Maryam Kavousi

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: We tested the association of brain artery diameters with dementia and stroke risk in three distinct population-based studies using conventional T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images.

Methods: We included 8420 adults > 40 years old from three longitudinal population-based studies with brain MRI scans. We estimated and meta-analyzed the hazard ratios (HRs) of the brain and carotids and basilar diameters associated with dementia and stroke.

Result: Overall and carotid artery diameters > 95th percentile increased the risk for dementia by 1.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.68) and 1.48 (95% CI, 1.12-1.96) fold, respectively. For stroke, meta-analyses yielded HRs of 1.59 …

The Internist's Post V.1 N.2, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley. School Of Medicine, Edgar Dorsey Trevino, Diana Othon Martinez, Jian Garcia Cruz, Eunbee Cho, Roque Mifuji Lira, Martha Solis

School of Medicine Publications

Newsletter of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine - Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Promoting Diverse Perspectives: Addressing Health Disparities Related To Alzheimer's And All Dementias, Gladys Maestre, Carl Hill, Percy Griffin, Stephen Hall, William Hu, Jason Flatt, Ganesh Babulal

School of Medicine Publications

Dementia research lacks appropriate representation of diverse groups who often face substantial adversity and greater risk of dementia. Current research participants are primarily well-resourced, non-Hispanic White, cisgender adults who live close to academic medical centers where much of the research is based. Consequently, the field faces a knowledge gap about Alzheimer's-related risk factors in those other groups. The Alzheimer's Association hosted a virtual conference on June 14–16, 2021, supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (R13 AG072859-01), focused on health disparities. The conference was held entirely online and consisted of 2 days of core programming and a day …

Linking Type And Extent Of Head Trauma To Cavum Septum Pellucidum In Older Adults With And Without Alzheimer Disease And Related Dementias, Breton M. Asken, Jeremy A. Tanner, Lawren Vandevrede, Alexandra Apple, Marianne Chapleau, Leslie S. Gaynor, Courtney Lane-Donovan, Steven Lenio, Golnaz Yadollahikhales, Shannon Lee

School of Medicine Publications

Background and objectives: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common but nonspecific MRI finding in individuals with prior head trauma. The type and extent of head trauma related to CSP, CSP features specific to head trauma, and the impact of brain atrophy on CSP are unknown. We evaluated CSP cross-sectionally and longitudinally in healthy and clinically impaired older adults who underwent detailed lifetime head trauma characterization.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study of University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center participants (healthy controls [HCs], those with Alzheimer disease or related dementias [ADRDs], subset with traumatic encephalopathy syndrome …

Human Alveolar Lining Fluid From The Elderly Promotes Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Intracellular Growth And Translocation Into The Cytosol Of Alveolar Epithelial Cells, Angélica M. Olmo-Fontánez, Julia M. Scordo, Alyssa Schami, Andreu Garcia-Vilanova, Paula Pino, Amberlee Hicks, Richa Mishra, Diego Jose Maselli, Jay I. Peters, Blanca I. Restrepo

School of Medicine Publications

The elderly population is highly susceptible to developing respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis, a devastating disease caused by the airborne pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) that kills one person every 18 seconds. Once M.tb reaches the alveolar space, it contacts alveolar lining fluid (ALF), which dictates host-cell interactions. We previously determined that age-associated dysfunction of soluble innate components in human ALF leads to accelerated M.tb growth within human alveolar macrophages. Here we determined the impact of human ALF on M.tb infection of alveolar epithelial type cells (ATs), another critical lung cellular determinant of infection. We observed that elderly ALF …

Use Of Translational Science, Continuous Glucose Monitoring In The Primary Care Setting For Management Of Nesidioblastosis: A Case Report And Literature Review, Karuna Manandhar, Othman Farahneh, Ahmad Damlakhy, Ali Lattouf, Gerardo Munoz-Monaco

School of Medicine Publications

Nesidioblastosis is a term used to describe histologic changes in the pancreatic cell, which are defined by beta cell hypertrophy and the formation of ductoinsular complexes. It is a disease previously most extensively identified in neonates and is a rare cause of endogenous hypoglycemia in the adult population. However, with increasing numbers of gastric bypass surgeries for the management of obesity in recent years, there has been a growing number of populations with post-gastric bypass surgery-related nesidioblastosis. Here, we will present a case of a 60-year-old female with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery who initially presented with …

Vascular Complications And Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement In Patients On Chronic Steroid Therapy: A Meta-Analysis, Song Peng Ang, Jia Ee Chia, Vikash Jaiswal, Muhammad Hanif, Ananya Vadhera, Sudarshan Gautam, Anuradha Raut, Saira Rafaqat, Vamsikalayan Borra, Harshwardhan Khandait

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Chronic steroid (CS) therapy was reportedly linked to increased vascular complications following percutaneous coronary intervention. However, its association with vascular complications after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remained uncertain, with conflicting results being reported.

Objective: The authors aimed to compare the rate of vascular complications and outcomes between patients with and without CS use after TAVR.

Methods: The authors conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from their inception until 18th April 2022 for relevant studies. Endpoints were described according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions. Effect sizes were pooled using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects …

Adaptation Of The Dangerous Decibels Program To Youth In Farming, Whitney Paige Hodges

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among youth in farming communities is a pressing issue, primarily due to prolonged exposure to loud farm environments. Effective health communication techniques that focus on education and NIHL prevention are essential to convey critical health messages to young individuals in agricultural communities. The Dangerous Decibels program employs these techniques, emphasizing the identification of hazardous noises, understanding the consequences of noise overexposure, and promoting hearing protection measures. It is crucial to acknowledge that the effectiveness of health communication messages can vary among different social groups, necessitating a tailored program to effectively inform young individuals …

The Influence Of Cards Toxin In Abetting The Virulence Of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Layla Abdulbaki

Posters - 2024

Mycoplasma pneumonia is a human bacterial pathogen known to induce chronic upper and lower respiratory infections. This bacterium commonly causes acute, chronic infections, such as atypical pneumonia, and spreads through droplet transmission (> 5 microns). M. pneumoniae damages cells by attacking the epithelium of the respiratory tract, resulting in epithelium shedding. Infection of the airway tract by M. pneumoniae will usually express itself in people with chronic symptoms such as coughing, dyspnea, diarrhea, and epiphora. With this being said, this bacterium is ambit, meaning that it is versatile in who it affects (children to adults), how it manifests (pneumonia, tracheobronchitis, …

Imaging In The Fitness Industry: A Connection To Body Dysmorphic Disorder In Women, Joseliz Andujar Pimentel

Posters - 2024

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric illness characterized by distress and excessive preoccupation with perceived defects in physical appearance that are not at all, or only slightly, observable to others (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). BDD can be found in many individuals; among these individuals are women in the fitness industry. This is due to the idea that there is an “ideal” body image portrayed by fitness industries that provoke women to compare themselves. This study examined a variety of fitness websites consisting of fitness apparel websites and fitness websites, where the models used in each website were examined for …

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae: Long-Term Effects On The Lungs, Alyssa David

Posters - 2024

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a bacterium responsible for causing pneumonia in the lungs. M. pneumoniae is responsible for an average of 2 million cases of bacterial pneumonia in the United States each year (ASM Journal). When M. pneumonia infects the lungs, it releases community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS toxin), which is capable of two enzymatic functions, vacuolization and ADP-ribosylation. ADPribosylation is found in the N-terminal domain of the protein, and the glutamic acid at amino acid residue 132 is critical for enzymatic function. There is evidence that the vacuolization function is encoded by the C-terminal of the protein. Preliminary findings in …

The Acute Effects Of High-Intensity Functional Training On Inhibitory Control, Julia Daniel, Katarina Carrizales, Amaryllis Rubalcaba, Katie White, Amanda Galindo

Posters - 2024

Based on findings from systematic reviews and metaanalyses, acute exercise (e.g., aerobic or resistance exercise) improves inhibitory control. However, a popular fitness trend, CrossFit®, has not been widely studied regarding its effect on inhibitory control. CrossFit® is a high-intensity functional training (HIFT) program that stresses the cardiorespiratory and muscular systems through complex, multi-joint movement patterns with minimal rests in-between sets. 1Wilke (2020) found that a 15-minute HIFT exercise bout improved working memory. However, the effect of HIFT on inhibitory control remains unclear. The purpose of the current study was to assess inhibitory control after a single bout of HIFT exercise

Optimized Protein Purification Of The Mutant 273 Cards Toxin From Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, Jalyn De La Fuente

Posters - 2024

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an atypical bacterium that is known to cause respiratory distress and can lead to respiratory illnesses such as community-acquired pneumonia, pharyngitis, and tracheobronchitis. M.pneumoniae produces an ADPribosylation and vacuolating toxin called Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome (CARDS) toxin. Alone, the CARDS toxin is capable of reproducing many of the signs of an M.pneumoniae infection. The CARDS toxin often causes what is commonly referred to as “walking pneumonia”, a term used to characterize the mild symptoms associated with the infection. Patients with “walking pneumonia” can manage the condition without hospitalization, and often can continue with their normal day-to-day …

Does Somone’S Sex Affect Abortion Beliefs In The United States, Osondra J. Fournier-Colón

Posters - 2024

Abortions is a medical procedure used to terminate pregnancy whether it be for medical issues or unwanted pregnancy. The procedure effects those who are female, not males. Therefore, since the female sex is the one being affected it may also affect the beliefs made on abortion based on one’s sex.

An Investigation On The Intricacies Of Epigenetic Modulations In The Pathogenesis Of Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cervical Cancer: A Comprehensive Meta-Narrative Synthesis, Jade Carolina Cabello, Marcella Victoria Ras, Katelyn Thy Nhung Tran, Athit Voytas

Research Methods Poster Session 2024

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a meta-analysis of the available and relevant literature on E1/E2 genes and their affect on the epigenetics of Human Papillomavirus caused uterine cervical cancer.

Background/Significance: Human Papillomavirus is strongly linked to cervical cancer, and cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in women. 99.7% of patients with cervical cancer have a “high risk HPV genotype” which factors greatly into the causation if their diagnosis. The HPV vaccine that came out in 2006 has greatly decreased cervical cancer in the population as well as increased the preventative chances of highly susceptible individuals.

Methods: To …

Creating A Shared Vision By Using Future Thinking As A Start Toward An Optimal Organizational Climate For Creativity In A Healthcare Organization, Elien Pragt

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

I researched shared vision to create a shared vision of creativity for my healthcare organization, ignite passion, and get people on board with creativity as a future core competency. To enhance my literature search, I utilized AI, a cutting-edge tool in research. This led me to develop a detailed plan for the Create a Shared Vision on Creativity workshop, outline my model for Creativity dancing around healthcare organizations, and describe my design journey. The workshop, to be implemented in the fall of 2024, focuses on creating a shared vision for my organization as a starting point for implementing creativity as …

Use Of Mobile Technology To Identify Behavioral Mechanisms Linked To Mental Health Outcomes In Kenya: Protocol For Development And Validation Of A Predictive Model, Willie Njoroge, Rachel Maina, Frank Elena, Lukoye Atwoli, Anthony Ngugi, Srijan Sen, Stephen Wong, Linda Khakali, Andrew Aballa, James Orwa, Moses Nyongesa, Jasmit Shah, Amina Abubakar, Zul Merali

Brain and Mind Institute

Objective:This study proposes to identify and validate weighted sensor stream signatures that predict near-term risk of a major depressive episode and future mood among healthcare workers in Kenya.

Approach: The study will deploy a mobile application (app) platform and use novel data science analytic approaches (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) to identifying predictors of mental health disorders among 500 randomly sampled healthcare workers from five healthcare facilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Expectation: This study will lay the basis for creating agile and scalable systems for rapid diagnostics that could inform precise interventions for mitigating depression and ensure a healthy, resilient …

Probiotic Therapy For The Treatment And Prevention Of Bacterial Vaginosis, Chelsea Scheil

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common presenting complaint in healthcare, and patients often experience recurrences at a frustrating rate. The mainstay of current treatment is antibiotic therapy, either via oral or vaginal route. When recurrences occur, stronger antibiotics are often employed. This current method of treatment does not address an underlying component that impacts infection recurrence and rate of recurrence- the patient’s baseline vaginal microbiome and the healthy bacteria that support it. To investigate the use of probiotics in bacterial vaginosis treatment, a comprehensive literature review was completed using databases PubMed and Embase. The results of this literature review confirm …

Minimally Invasive Therapies In The Treatment Of Arthropathy, Steven Bateman

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

This literature review explores the efficacy of minimally invasive therapies that precede and delay surgical intervention in adult patients experiencing functional limitations and pain in major joints. The effectiveness of physical therapy and injections such as corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) was evaluated. A comprehensive search of PubMed utilizing MeSH terms yielded 114 relevant studies, which were screened based on inclusion criteria of human studies published within the past five years. Keywords included mesenchymal stem cells, stem cells, mesenchymal, arthroplasty, and joints. Producing few results, inclusion criteria were later expanded to include studies within the …

Soft Non-Violent Restraints, Kaitlyn Lomino Rn, Dan Scheuer Rn

Vizient/ AACN Nurse Residency Program™ EBP Projects

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Ai And Machine Learning To Develop And Evaluate A Contextualized User-Friendly Cough Audio Classifier For Detecting Respiratory Diseases: Protocol For A Diagnostic Study In Rural Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Rogers John Haule

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background:

Respiratory diseases, including active tuberculosis (TB), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), constitute substantial global health challenges, necessitating timely and accurate diagnosis for effective treatment and management.

Objective:

This research seeks to develop and evaluate a noninvasive user-friendly artificial intelligence (AI)–powered cough audio classifier for detecting these respiratory conditions in rural Tanzania.

Methods:

This is a nonexperimental cross-sectional research with the primary objective of collection and analysis of cough sounds from patients with active TB, asthma, and COPD in outpatient clinics to generate and evaluate a noninvasive cough audio classifier. Specialized cough sound recording devices, designed to be …

2024 Research Day Program, Lincoln Memorial University

Research Day

This program contains abstracts and presentation summaries from LMU's 2024 Annual Research Day conference.