Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Natural Selection On Feralization Genes Contributed To The Invasive Spread Of Wild Pigs Throughout The United States, Niek W. G. Barmentlo, Patrick G. Meirmans, William H. Stiver, Joseph G. Yarkovich, Blake E. Mccann, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Dominic Wright, Timothy J. Smyser, Mirte Bosse

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Despite a long presence in the contiguous United States (US), the distribution of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa × domesticus) has expanded rapidly since the 1980s, suggesting a more recent evolutionary shift towards greater invasiveness. Contemporary populations of wild pigs represent exoferal hybrid descendants of domestic pigs and European wild boar, with such hybridization expected to enrich genetic diversity and increase the adaptive potential of populations. Our objective was to characterize how genetic enrichment through hybridization increases the invasiveness of populations by identifying signals of selection and the ancestral origins of selected loci. Our study focused on invasive …

Influence Of Habitat And Baiting Strategy On Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Uptake By Raccoons In The Southeastern United States, Jacob E. Hill, Madison L. Miller, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert, James C. Beasley, Guha Dharmarajan, Olin E. Rhodea

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

terrestrial wildlife species. However, there is currently a limited understanding of how different baiting strategies influence raccoon (Procyon lotor) uptake of ORV baits in non-agricultural habitats in the Southeastern United States, which may hinder the refinement of ORV management for raccoons in this region. Using a combination of new and existing data, we investigated the role of baited area (0.16 vs 3 km²), bait density (75 versus 150 baits/km²) and season (spring versus fall) on placebo ORV bait uptake by raccoons in four rural, non-agricultural habitats in the southeastern United States (bottomland hardwood forest, …

Prevalence Of Avian Influenza Virus In Atypical Wild Birds Host Groups During An Outbreak Of Highly Pathogenic Strain Ea/Am H5n1, Jourdan M. Ringenberg, Kelsey Weir, Lee Humberg, Carl Voglewede, Mitch Oswald, J. Jeffrey Root, Krista Dilione, Even Casey, Michael Milleson, Timothy Linder, Juliann Lenoch

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The global outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b virus that was detected in North America in 2021 is the largest in history and has significantly impacted wild bird populations and domestic poultry across the continent. Synanthropic birds may play an important role in transmitting the virus laterally to other wild bird species and domestic poultry. Understanding the dynamics of HPAI in atypical, or nonreservoir, wild bird hosts may help inform management decisions and potential risk factors to both wild and domestic bird populations. Following the confirmation of infections of HPAI H5N1 in domestic …

Evaluation Of Mitigation Translocation As A Management Tool To Reduce Conflicts Between Humans And American Kestrels, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Raptor‐aircraft collisions (bird strikes) pose a serious safety risk to civil aircraft. Even smaller raptors, such as American kestrels (Falco sparverius), can be problematic within airport environments. Given widespread declines in kestrel populations, public interest, logistical and financial constraints, and other factors, managing kestrels at airports presents some unique challenges. I conducted a study to determine which biological (e.g., age and sex of the bird) and logistical factors (e.g., month and translocation distance) might influence the return of American kestrels live‐captured and translocated from 42 civil airports and military airbases within the contiguous USA during 2016–2021. American kestrels …

Discovery Of A Novel Invasive Rodent Species On Wake Atoll With A Desert Southwest Usa Origin, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Eric Lanners, Daniel R. Taylor, Aaron B. Shiels, Marjorie Matocq, John Eisemann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species, particularly omnivorous rodents, have damaged island ecosystems around the world. The unique flora and fauna of island systems have typically not evolved with omnivorous rodents and are heavily impacted by their introduction. Wake Atoll of the southern Pacific Ocean is a 707-hectare coral island complex of three islands managed by the United States Department of Defense (DoD). DoD restricts civilian access to the atoll but aircraft and seacraft regularly visit the island to transport military equipment and to sustain the year-round military and contractor personnel stationed on the atoll. Wake Atoll had been invaded by Rattus rattus complex …

Efficacy Of Gonacon Fertility Control Against Prairie Dogs And Potential For Uses On Other Rodent Species, Aaron B. Shiels, Emily W. Ruell, Jason E. Bruemmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Use of a contraceptive (i.e., fertility control) is attractive for rodent management where lethal control is unwanted. Although population reduction is generally unachievable with small-scale, short-term contraceptive use, reduced juvenile recruitment is achievable. The injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine GonaCon (active ingredient: gonadotropin releasing hormone [GnRH]) was registered in 2022 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for controlling fertility of female prairie dogs (Cynomys, a type of ground squirrel) in urban/suburban settings. Here we: 1) describe past research, including a replicated field study in Colorado (GonaCon treatment vs. control sites) testing efficacy of GonaCon in prairie dogs, which …

Agricultural And Ecological Resources Safeguarded By The Prevention Of Wild Pig Population Expansion, Colin Jareb, Kim M. Pepin, Ryan S. Miller, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Sophie C. Mckee

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most destructive invasive species in the United States, known for causing extensive damage to agricultural commodities, natural resources, and property, and for transmitting diseases to livestock. Following the establishment of the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program (NFSDMP) in 2014, the expansion of wild pig populations has been successfully slowed. This paper combines two modeling approaches across eight separate models to characterize the expansion of wild pig populations in the absence of intervention by the NFSDMP and forecasts the value of a subset of resources safeguarded from the threat of …

Antineutrophilic Cytoplasmic Antibody (Anca) Positive Vasculitis In An Elderly Male, Peter Abdelmessih, Oseyime Okoeguale, Blake Bauer, John Fanning

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2024 clinical vignette poster

Massive Splenomegaly Revealing Long-Neglected Essential Thrombocythemia: A Case Report, Pierce Elliott, Timothy Pham, Pranayraj Kondapally, Hinal Rathi, Alan Baggett

UAB Huntsville Research Day - All Presentations

2024 clinical vignette poster

Oral Rabies Vaccination Of Raccoons (Procyon Lotor) Across A Development Intensity Gradient In Burlington, Vermont, Usa, 2015–2017, Emily M. Beasley, Kathleen M. Nelson, Dennis Slate, Amy T. Gilbert, Frederick E. Pogmore, Richard B. Chipman, Amy J. Davis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Management of the raccoon rabies virus variant in North America is conducted primarily using oral rabies vaccination (ORV). When a sufficient proportion of the population is vaccinated (60%), rabies transmission can be eliminated. To date, ORV programs have successfully controlled and eliminated raccoon rabies in rural areas, but there has been less success in urban areas. We studied the proportions of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) in a raccoon (Procyon lotor) population during a 3-year ORV trial in developed areas of Burlington, Vermont, United States. We used a modified N-mixture model to estimate raccoon abundance, RVNA seroprevalence, and …

Ethyl-Iophenoxic Acid As A Serum Marker For Oral Baiting Of Tasmanian Devils, Ruth Pye, David Nichols, Sally A. Nofs, Amy T. Gilbert, Andrew S. Flies

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral baits containing vaccines, medicants or toxicants have been delivered to a broad range of wildlife species to protect against or treat disease, or suppress populations. Ethyl-Iophenoxic acid (Et-IPA) is used as a biomarker to determine oral bait consumption by wildlife species to assess and refine baiting strategies. Et-IPA is a persistent biomarker in many eutherian mammal species but not in the two marsupial species, swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), tested to date. Et-IPA has not previously been evaluated in carnivorous marsupials. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), the largest extant …

Estimating Landscape Spread Of A Low-Prevalence Disease Using Multiple Surveillance Methods, Abigail Feuka, Aakash Pandey, Melinda Cosgrove, Megan Moriarty, Anthony Duffiney, Henry Campa Iii, Kurt C. Vercuteren, Kimberly M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Diseases occurring at low prevalence in free-ranging wildlife can be difficult to study and predict at a landscape scale. This problem is compounded by imperfect pathogen detection.

2. We used data from multiple surveillance methods to determine factors influencing spread of a low-prevalence disease, bovine tuberculosis (bTB), among white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a bTB endemic area over a 10-year period. We fit dynamic occupancy models to predict spatial spread of bTB through a county in Michigan, USA, within the bTB endemic area, while accounting for imperfect detection and a suite of ecological processes potentially driving bTB …

Effects Of The Immunocontraceptive Gonacon On Pregnancy In Brucella-Seropositive American Bison (Bison Bison), Rebecca K. Frey, Morgan E. Wehtje, Pauline Nol, Patrick R. Clarke, Jack C. Rhyan, Matthew P. Mccollum, Lowell A. Miller, Douglas C. Eckery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine if the number of pregnancies in naturally infected Brucella abortus-positive bison (Bison bison) cows would be reduced over a period of 5 yr after one treatment with 3000 mg gonadotropin-releasing hormone immunocontraceptive (GonaCon) compared to a similar group of naturally infected B. abortus-positive bison cows not treated with GonaCon. In each of the 5 yr, GonaCon-treated cows produced fewer offspring in relation to number of cows than the nontreated cows. Fisher’s Exact test comparing offspring produced during the first reproductive season showed a significant difference between the …

Efficacy Of X-Ray Phytosanitary Irradiation On The Infectivity And Reproduction Of Angiostrongylus Cantonensis In Experimentally Infected Rats, Susan I. Jarvi, Lisa M. Kaluna, Steven C. Hess, Lindsey Hamilton, Carmen Antaky, Robert T. Sugihara, Israel L. Leinbach, Yaeko Tagami, Argon Steel, Kathleen Howe, Steven Jacquier, Forrest Cookman, Jocelyn Diaz, John Jacob, Peter Follett

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a globally distributed nematode and the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. As a global hotspot for this disease, Hawaii’s agricultural exports may be contributing to the spread of A. cantonensis. Phytosanitary irradiation doses of 150 or 400 Gy provide quarantine security against multiple insect pests. We evaluated the in vitro and in vivo effects of phytosanitary irradiation on infectious, third-stage A. cantonensis juveniles. In vitro experiments directly exposed juveniles to irradiation doses ranging from 200 to 1,000 Gy. Results showed low mortality and no dose response across all treatments 27 days post-irradiation. …

Digital Health Literacy, Vaccine Information Sources, And Vaccine Acceptance Among Parents In Ontario: Quantitative Findings From A Mixed Methods Study, Sarah Ashfield, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Panagiota Tryphonopoulos, Ève Dubé, Maxwell Smith

Publications

Parents make important vaccination decisions for their children and many variables affect parents' decisions to accept or decline vaccines. Parents are tasked with locating, understanding, and applying information to inform health decisions often using online resources; however, the digital health literacy levels of parents are unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate parents' digital health literacy levels, their sources for vaccine information, and analyze how demographics, digital health literacy, health literacy, parental attitudes and vaccine beliefs, trust, and vaccine information sources predict vaccine acceptance. Quantitative findings of a mixed methods study that examined parental vaccine decision making across …

Exploring The Experiential Journey Of Women With Pcos Across The Lifespan: A Qualitative Inquiry, Pamela J. Wright Phd, Ms, Med, Rn, Cen, Robin Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc, Cynthia F. Corbett Phd, Rn, Faan

Publications

Introduction: Peri-postmenopausal women with the chronic condition polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain at cardiometabolic risk and/or subsist with established comorbidity while continuing to manage persistent PCOS signs and symptoms, such as hirsutism. Thus, PCOS transcends the reproductive years, yet there is sparse scientific literature on the peri-postmenopausal years of women with PCOS.

Purpose: To explore how peri-postmenopausal women's perceptions about PCOS have changed over the lifespan since their PCOS diagnosis.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey with one qualitative question was conducted via Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) among women with PCOS aged ≥43 years, who were all recruited …

The Relationship Between Work Engagement, Depression, Anxiety, And Covid-19 Anxiety In Physician Assistant Students, Sydney N. Pepper, Emily T. Farrell, Robin M. Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc, Michael D. Wirth Msph, Phd, Face

Publications

Introduction: Physician assistants (PAs) are subject to high levels of burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, which can negatively impact quality of care and patient outcomes. Learning how to handle stress in the classroom may increase success and engagement in PA programs. The goal of this study was to characterize burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in current PA students and examine the relationship between these factors and work engagement. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed PA students (n = 42) via convenience sampling from eighteen different PA programs across North and South Carolina in October, 2021. Questionnaires included the Utrecht Work Engagement …

Transition Experiences For Individuals Who Are Culturally Deaf, Deaf, Or Hard Of Hearing In The United States And Canada: A Scoping Review, Anna Kell Phd, Rn, Cne, Cindy Corbett Phd, Rn, Faan, Donna M. Kazemi Phd, Rn, Cne, Fiaan, Stephen Fitzmaurice, Robin M. Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Publications

Introduction: Adolescence is a crucial time of transition in all aspects of life. Transition experiences for culturally Deaf individuals and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing often differ from the mainstream population. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine and synthesize the existing literature surrounding transition experiences for culturally Deaf and deaf and hard of hearing populations through the lens of Meleis’ Transitions Theory. Method: Using PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a scoping review of literature related to transition experiences for culturally Deaf individuals and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing was conducted. The scope of the …

Chronic Disease Management In A Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic: An Interpretive Description Study, Natalie Floriancic, Anna Garnett, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan

Publications

Introduction: Nurse practitioner-led clinics (NPLC) represent a model of care that has the potential to enhance primary healthcare delivery to community-dwelling adults who are living with chronic disease by providing greater access and continuity of care and reducing the burden on acute care settings. However, there is limited understanding of nurse practitioners’ experiences and perspectives on supporting adults in chronic disease management within an NPLC model of care. Increased understanding would contribute to our ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the NPLC model of care for chronic disease management. Objective: This study explored current chronic disease management practices implemented by …

Family And Friend Caregiver Satisfaction And Utility Of Passive Remote Monitoring Technology Utilized By Frail Home Care Clients, Lori E. Weeks, Grace Warner, Yu Ting Chen, Bradley Hiebert, Emily Richard, Kathleen Ledoux, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan

Publications

Background: Passive remote monitoring technologies (RMT) utilize information gathered from sensors that is transmitted to a caregiver to alert them to a possible incident. There are gaps in our knowledge about the level of satisfaction with passive RMT from the perspective of those who have actual experience using this technology, including family and friend caregivers. This knowledge is important as caregivers are instrumental in determining whether passive RMT will be adopted and utilized over time. In addition, technologies designed for older adults and their caregivers are both helpful and user-friendly. Objective: The aim of this research was to identify the …

Ranking Of Health Problems And Prioritization Of Cancer Education Topics By African American Communities In South Carolina, E. Sylvia Melikam, Gayenell S. Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, Marvella Ford, Judith Salley, Latecia Abraham-Hilaire, Joni Nelson, Audrey Mccrary-Quarles, Cammie Berry, Delaram Sirizi, Kathleen B. Cartmell

Publications

Despite landmark breakthroughs in cancer research, African American adults (AA) bear the highest cancer burden compared to other racial groups in the United States (US). AA adults have twice the likelihood of dying from prostate and uterine cancers compared to White adults, suggesting that there are fundamental issues yet to be addressed when developing and implementing cancer-preventative programs for AA communities. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) empowers community members to identify and prioritize their health problems and preferred strategies to tackle these issues. In alignment with the CBPR approach, the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center (SC CADRE) undertook a study …

Harnessing The Power Of Complementarity Between Smart Tracking Technology And Associated Health Information Technologies: Longitudinal Study, Youyou Tao, Ruilin Zhu, Dezhi Wu

Publications

Background: Smart tracking technology (STT) that was applied for clinical use has the potential to reduce 30-day all-cause readmission risk through streamlining clinical workflows with improved accuracy, mobility, and efficiency. However, previously published literature has inadequately addressed the joint effects of STT for clinical use and its complementary health ITs (HITs) in this context. Furthermore, while previous studies have discussed the symbiotic and pooled complementarity effects among different HITs, there is a lack of evidence-based research specifically examining the complementarity effects between STT for clinical use and other relevant HITs. Objective: Through a complementarity theory lens, this study aims to …

Impact Of Telehealth On Health Disparities Associated With Travel Time To Hospital For Patients With Recurrent Admissions: 4-Year Panel Data Analysis, Youyou Tao, Ace Vo, Dezhi Wu, Junyuan Lin, Kala Seal, Abhay Mishra, Arindam Brahma

Publications

Background: Geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic differences in health outcomes persist despite the global focus on these issues by health organizations. Barriers to accessing care contribute significantly to these health disparities. Among these barriers, those related to travel time—the time required for patients to travel from their residences to health facilities—remain understudied compared with others. Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of telehealth in addressing health disparities associated with travel time to hospitals for patients with recurrent hospital admissions. It specifically examined the role of telehealth in reducing in-hospital length of stay (LOS) for patients living farther from the …

Pursuing Success In A Hybrid Phd Nursing Program, Chloé Littzen, Jennifer T. May Phd, Rn, Anp-Bc, Jessica Rainbow, Helena Morrison, Lois Loescher

Publications

Background:

Little is known about hybrid PhD nursing students' experiences.

Method:

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the experiences of PhD nursing students in a hybrid program using a convergent mixed methods design. Recent nursing PhD alumni (n = 18), and current PhD students (n = 4) were recruited at a research-intensive university in the southwestern United States.

Results:

Four metainferences were identified: (1) the facilitator of faculty as both advisors and mentors; (2) the facilitator of peers as support, motivation, and a source of advice that preceded advisors; (3) the barrier of receiving …

The Impact Of Mental Health On Recidivism: A Logistic Regression Analysis Examining Federal Probation Outcomes, Stephanie Kowal

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This research paper investigates the impact of mental health issues on probation success, utilizing secondary data from the Criminology Research Group at the University of Montana. Employing binary logistic regression analysis, the study examines various factors affecting probation outcomes, with a focus on mental health treatment as a primary independent variable. Findings reveal that individuals receiving outpatient mental health care are significantly more likely to recidivate, supporting the hypothesis that ongoing mental health struggles pose substantial barriers to probation success. Moreover, employment status, age at the start of supervision, adult criminal offenses, and days under supervision emerged as significant predictors …

Challenging The Let’S Move Campaign: Advocating For A Weight-Inclusive Approach To Public Health Programming, Sapphire J. Pilney

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Do High School Students Understand Their Miranda Rights? A Preliminary Investigation, Emma K. Hinds

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Background: Numerous studies have established that the linguistic complexity of the Miranda warning often results in poor comprehension, particularly for adolescents. Several studies have shown that persons with language disorders are overrepresented in U.S. prisons. Additionally, a few studies have shown a strong positive correlation between language scores and scores on Miranda assessments. These findings suggest that individuals with language disorders are at risk for poor comprehension of their Miranda rights, placing them at greater risk of waiving those rights, which can lead to incarceration.

Aims: The goal of this preliminary investigation is to examine how well adolescents with typical …

Measuring Interprofessional Practice Skills In Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students, Kelly Free Jackson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Interprofessional practice has become a key component of health professions training programs in recent years as health care has shifted to a more team-based approach to patient care. Because of this, health professions training programs have been tasked with ensuring that students receive adequate training prior to graduation. In the field of speech-language pathology, limited research has shown the best practices in measuring the interprofessional practice skills of speech-language pathology graduate students. Such scant evidence warrants the need for further research on viable measurement tools for interprofessional practice skill development in speech-language pathology. This dissertation presents a three-phase project focusing …

Low Back Pain And The Lumbar Multifidus Muscle, Richard E. Sroka

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Low back pain (LBP) is common, debilitating, and costly to treat. In the United States alone, LBP treatment costs are estimated at 100-200 billion annually. Physical therapists often provide conventional core strengthening exercise (CCSE) to address the symptoms of LBP. On the other hand, however, a low rate of success is reported for individuals treated for their LBP. Despite numerous studies conducted on LBP treatments, patient outcomes are mixed and 60-86% of people have recurrent LBP episodes. This rating may be attributed to the complexity of the exercise that makes correct performance challenging and can potentially reduce patient compliance. An …

Modifying A Health Education Program By Utilizing Methods From Community-Based Participatory Research Framework, Tashara Grandys

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: This study determined the use of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and guided the modification of the Whole Body Approach (WBA) health education program. The modified program was pilot tested and implemented among neighbors at Northern Illinois Food Bank. The impact of the modification was assessed via pre and post surveys. Background and significance: WBA is a 10-week program developed by faculty at Northern Illinois University and has been taught by graduate students in collaboration with the Northern Illinois Food Bank since 2016. The program is based on the Satter Eating Competence Model and Health at Every Size and …