Public Health Commons^™

Evidence Of Prostate Cancer Progression In Transgender Women After Hormone Replacement Therapy - Scoping Review Protocol, Emily Nelson

Annual Research Symposium

This scoping review aims to determine the extent and quality of evidence regarding prostate cancer progression outcomes in transgender women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy. Notably, transgender females undergoing hormone replacement therapy as a component of the gender affirmation treatment commonly have their prostate, rendering them vulnerable to developing prostate cancer. There is no current agreement about the likelihood of transgender women developing prostate cancer or the impact of hormone replacement therapy on oncogenic molecular pathways. Unfortunately, due to a lack of scientific data and inadequate trust and awareness in the medical community, transgender women are often not provided …

Evaluating The Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Dental Patients In South India - A Descriptive Study, Dheekshitha P K, Sudeep C B Dr., Sunil P M Dr., Suji M Dr.

Annual Research Symposium

This study aims to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life among dental patients in South India.

Relationship Between Periodontal Disease And Coronary Heart Disease: A Bibliometric Analysis, Xiaowen Bo, Wenpeng Song

Annual Research Symposium

Periodontal disease (PD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) are both prevalent diseases worldwide and cause patients physical and mental suffering and a global burden. Recent studies have suggested a link between PD and CHD, but there is less research in this field from the perspective of bibliometrics. This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the literature on PD and CHD to summarize intellectual bases, research hotspots, and emerging trends and pave the way for future research.

Efficacy Of Concentrated Growth Factor Membrane Versus Collagen Membrane In Treating Gingival Recession, Shazneen Kandawalla

Annual Research Symposium

Creating a beautiful smile has always been a cornerstone of dental practice. Gingival recession, characterized by a downward shift of the gum line, causing uneven gum margins and an unattractive appearance.

The Vestibular Incision Subperiosteal Tunnel Access (VISTA) technique, introduced by Zadeh in 2011, offers an innovative solution for root coverage. Concentrated Growth Factor Membrane (CGF) further enhances dental repair.

Spatial Analysis Of Maxillary Central Incisors In Relation To The Nasopalatine Canal And Surrounding Alveolar Bone, Harnoor Dhillon

Annual Research Symposium

The use of mini-implants in orthodontics has enabled greater retraction of incisors than previously achievable. This change underscores the need to understand how incisors relate to the alveolar bone and nasopalatine canal. The varying labiolingual inclination of incisors during orthodontic treatments may influence these anatomical relationships. Our study aimed to assess the spatial relationship between maxillary central incisors and the surrounding alveolar bone and nasopalatine canal.

Implementation Of Best Practice When Collecting Blood Cultures In The Emergency Department (Ed), Parker Grossman

Annual Research Symposium

The purpose of this study is to compare blood culture contamination rates in the ED before and after educational in-services on best practice.

Overlooked Dental Disease In Cbct Imaging And The Impact Of Oral Radiologist Interpretation, Jared Fausnaught

Annual Research Symposium

This study aims to underscore the necessity for a comprehensive interpretation of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) volume images obtained by dentists. The research demonstrates and quantifies potentially overlooked dental pathology, categorizing incidental findings into three groups: 1) requiring some form of treatment or follow-up, 2) necessitating follow-up (monitoring) only, and 3) demanding no further treatment or follow-up.

Photodynamic Therapy Effects In The Treatment Of Residual Periodontal Pockets, Kade Janes

Annual Research Symposium

This systematic review examined the adjunctive effect of photodynamic therapy to treat residual pockets.

Impact Of Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment On Salivary Hif-1Α In Gingivitis & Periodontitis Patients, Srijanani S

Annual Research Symposium

To estimate and compare the level of salivary HIF-1α in periodontally & systemically healthy volunteers, generalized chronic gingivitis & periodontitis patients before and after non-surgical periodontal treatment.

Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Secondary To Sodium Glucose 2 Transport Inhibitor: A Case Report, Alexis Duevel, Edward Ramirez

Annual Research Symposium

The purpose of this case report is to highlight the emergence of a rare adverse drug reaction (ADR), euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (EDKA), associated with the use of sodium glucose transport 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors.EDKA is a rare and often misdiagnosed condition, due to the absence of hyperglycemia, but represents a life-threatening emergency. We present a unique case of a 35-year-old female patient with a past medical history of diabetes and recent diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The primary objective is to provide valuable insights and education to the medical community regarding this infrequent yet significant complication. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance …

Associations Between Fears Related To Safety During Sleep And Self-Reported Sleep In Men And Women Living In A Low-Socioeconomic Status Setting, Arron T. L. Correia, Philippa E. Forshaw, Laura C. Roden, Gosia Lipinska, H. G. Laurie Rauch, Estelle V. Lambert, Brian T. Layden, Sirimon Reutrakul, Stephanie J. Crowley, Amy Luke, Lara R. Dugas, Dale E. Rae

Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health

South Africans living in low socioeconomic areas have self-reported unusually long sleep durations (approximately 9–10 h). One hypothesis is that these long durations may be a compensatory response to poor sleep quality as a result of stressful environments. This study aimed to investigate whether fear of not being safe during sleep is associated with markers of sleep quality or duration in men and women. South Africans (n = 411, 25–50 y, 57% women) of African-origin living in an urban township, characterised by high crime and poverty rates, participated in this study. Participants are part of a larger longitudinal cohort study: …

Black Women Have The Highest Maternal Mortality Rate In The United States, Tori-Ann Haywood

Population Health Research Brief Series

The U.S. maternal mortality rate is consistently higher than its high-income peer countries. Since 2018 maternal mortality rates in the U.S. have steadily increased for all ethnoracial groups. This data slice uses data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics to describe U.S. maternity mortality rates for women ages 15-45 across different ethnoracial groups between 2018-2022. Results show that, except for non-Hispanic (NH) Asian women, ethnoracial minority women have higher maternal death rates than NH White women.

Investigating The "Sex Paradox" In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Results From The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (Phar), Jacqueline T. Desjardin, Noah Kime, Nicholas A. Kolaitis, Richard A. Kronmal, Matthew R. Lammi, Stephen C. Mathai, Corey E. Ventetuolo, Teresa De Marco

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Female sex is a significant risk factor for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), yet males with PAH have worse survival - a phenomenon referred to as the "sex paradox" in PAH. METHODS: All adult PAH patients in the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR) with congruent sex and gender were included. Baseline differences in demographics, hemodynamics, functional parameters, and quality of life were assessed by sex. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate survival by sex. Mediation analysis was conducted with Cox proportional hazards regression by comparing the unadjusted hazard ratios for sex before and after adjustment for covariates. The plausibility …

Patient–Provider Communication Quality: Socioeconomic Disparities In Smoking Outcomes, Soumya Upadhyay, Jalen Jones

Healthcare Administration and Policy Faculty Research

Introduction:
/="/">Patient–provider communication quality is instrumental for healthy outcomes in patients. The objective of this study is to examine the relationships between patient–provider communication quality and participant characteristics, perception of e-cigarette harmfulness, and smoking outcomes.
/="/">
/="/">Methods:
/="/">A pooled cross-sectional design was used on secondary data obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 from Cycle 1 through Cycle 4, from 2017–2022. Our final sample contained 3511 observations. Our outcome variable was the perception of electronic cigarette smoking status. The independent variable was patient–provider communication quality (PPCQ), measured from a series of questions with responses …

Food Systems Under Shock: The Evolution Of Food Security Status Of Karantina Residents After The Beirut Explosion, Mariana Makoukji, Nour El Houda Amhez, Abed Al Kareem Yehya, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Yaser Abunnasr, Rami Zurayk

Faculty Publications

Robust food systems are crucial for ensuring access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly in times of crisis. Economic instability, currency devaluation, and political turmoil can disrupt food systems, leading to higher food prices, compromised nutrition, and increased vulnerability. Lebanon is a stark example of this, where a catastrophic explosion in Beirut’s Port in 2020 worsened an existing economic and humanitarian crisis. The depreciation of the Lebanese currency led to soaring food prices, impacting people’s ability to buy food, and pushing many into poverty, illustrating the significant impact of the state food systems during crises (FAO, 2021). In times of …

Protecting Human And Animal Health: The Road From Animal Models To New Approach Methods, Barbara L F Kaplan, Alan M Hoberman, William Slikker, Mary Alice Smith, Emanuela Corsini, Thomas B Knudsen, M Sue Marty, Sonya K Sobrian, Suzanne C Fitzpatrick, Marcia H Ratner, Donna L Mendrick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Animals and animal models have been invaluable for our current understanding of human and animal biology, including physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, and disease pathology. However, there are increasing concerns with continued use of animals in basic biomedical, pharmacological, and regulatory research to provide safety assessments for drugs and chemicals. There are concerns that animals do not provide sufficient information on toxicity and/or efficacy to protect the target population, so scientists are utilizing the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement (the 3Rs) and increasing the development and application of new approach methods (NAMs). NAMs are any technology, methodology, approach, or assay used …

Study Protocol For Clinical Trial Of The Fit Families Multicomponent Obesity Intervention For African American Adolescents And Their Caregivers: Next Step From The Orbit Initiative, Phillippe B Cunningham, Sylvie Naar, James R Roberts, Jennifer Powell, David M Ledgerwood, Jeff Randall, Brian E Lozano, Colleen A Halliday, Mohan Madisetti, Samiran Ghosh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: This study will test the effectiveness of FIT Families (FIT), a multicomponent family-based behavioural intervention, against a credible attention control condition, Home-Based Family Support (HBFS). This protocol paper describes the design of a randomised clinical trial testing the efficacy of the FIT intervention. The protocol will assess the efficacy of FIT to improve health status in African American adolescents with obesity (AAAO) and their primary caregivers on primary (percent body fat) and secondary (physical activity, metabolic control, weight loss) outcomes and its cost-effectiveness.

METHODS: 180 youth/caregiver dyads are randomised into FIT or HBFS, stratified by age, gender and baseline …

The Lived Experience Of Nursing Faculty At Rural Community Colleges In East Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary N. Isichei

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for public health (PH) emergency preparedness and for the formal training of frontline workers, primarily nurses, on how to manage PH emergencies. The need for the latter was especially evident at U.S. rural community colleges (RCC), a subset of institutions of higher education (IHEs), which, due to a lack of resources, lacked PH-trained nursing faculty members (NFMs). The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the lived experience of NFMs in RCC in East Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The phenomenological theoretical (PT) framework assisted in understanding the lived experience of the NFMs …

Calming The Body, Calming The Mind: A Pilot Study On The Use Of Zero Balancing To Reduce Anxiety, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: The predominance of anxiety is currently at record levels, and the need for non-pharmaceutical approaches to help alleviate and decrease the harmful effects of anxiety on an individual and collective level is necessary. This study explored how Zero Balancing supports individuals with anxiety to manage their physical, mental, and emotional health more effectively. Researchers hypothesized that Zero Balancing would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and lower perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: To honor the holistic nature of bodywork and the participants' lived experiences, the researchers utilized a concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design. Each participant received one Zero Balancing …

Perceptions Of Burden Among Informal Caregivers Of Older Adults In Assisted Living, Gösta H W Schlegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few studies have focused on the lived experiences of informal caregivers of residents of assisted living facilities (ALFs) and their perceptions of their caregiver burden, which can lead to decreased physical and mental health, decreased economic status, and negative effects on the care recipient’s wellbeing. A considerable knowledge and practice gap remains regarding how public health practitioners relate to informal caregiving. The purpose of this study was to understand what informal caregivers of ALF residents perceive as factors that affect their caregiver burden and the perceived impact caregiver burden has on the caregiver and their eldercare recipient. The social-ecological model …

Survivorship Care For Women Living With Ovarian Cancer: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Elizabeth Kvale, Farya Phillips, Samiran Ghosh, Jayanthi Lea, Claire Hoppenot, Anthony Costales, Jan Sunde, Hoda Badr, Eberechi Nwogu-Onyemkpa, Nimrah Saleem, Rikki Ward, Bijal Balasubramanian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer ranks 12th in cancer incidence among women in the United States and 5th among causes of cancer-related death. The typical treatment of ovarian cancer focuses on disease management, with little attention given to the survivorship needs of the patient. Qualitative work alludes to a gap in survivorship care; yet, evidence is lacking to support the delivery of survivorship care for individuals living with ovarian cancer. We developed the POSTCare survivorship platform with input from survivors of ovarian cancer and care partners as a means of delivering patient-centered survivorship care. This process is framed by the chronic care …

Design, Synthesis, X-Ray Crystallography, And Biological Activities Of Covalent, Non-Peptidic Inhibitors Of Sars-Cov-2 Main Protease, Md Ashraf-Uz-Zaman, Teck Khiang Chua, Xin Li, Yuan Yao, Bala Krishna Moku, Chandra Bhushan Mishra, Vasanthi Avadhanula, Pedro A Piedra, Yongcheng Song

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has infected billions of people worldwide with flu-like symptoms since its emergence in 2019. It has caused deaths of several million people. The viral main protease (Mpro) is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and therefore a drug target. Several series of covalent inhibitors of Mpro were designed and synthesized. Structure-activity relationship studies show that 1) several chloroacetamide- and epoxide-based compounds targeting Cys145 are potent inhibitors with IC50 values as low as 0.49 μM, and 2) Cys44 of Mpro is not nucleophilic for covalent inhibitor design. High resolution X-ray studies revealed the protein-inhibitor interactions and mechanisms of inhibition. …

Detection And Relative Quantitation Of Changes In Gene Expression Of Hippo Proteins In Doxorubicin-Exposed Human Cells By Rt-Qpcr, Lillian Fleisher, Tricia Domingo, Christopher So, Stephen Lee

Annual Research Symposium

The HIPPO signaling pathway plays a key role in cell proliferation and tumor suppression. It consists of serine/threonine kinase cascades, including MST1/2, LATS1/2, YAP, and TAZ. When the HIPPO pathway is activated, gene expression is altered. Dysfunction of the activity of this cascade may contribute to cancer development and chemoresistance. FAT4 is an intracellular protein that may regulate the HIPPO signaling. The purpose of this study is to determine the relative changes of mRNA of the HIPPO pathway members and FAT4 in doxorubicin-treated and vehicle-treated in vitro cell lines.

Dentofacial Effects Of Radiotherapy On Pediatric Population With Retinoblastoma, Kristi Truong

Annual Research Symposium

This literature review investigates the dentofacial consequences of radiotherapy in young patients with retinoblastoma by referencing current research. In addition, the management and rehabilitation of the dentofacial abnormalities, highlighting orthodontic, surgical, and prosthetic approaches, is examined. By understanding the changes of dentofacial development due to retinoblastoma treatment, effective management techniques can be implemented to resolve significant issues, relating to dental and skeletal relationship and facial appearance.

Referral Patterns Of Neonatal Healthcare Professionals For Cleft Lip And Palate Patients, Alyssa Morrow

Annual Research Symposium

Cleft Lip and Palate patients are some of the most vulnerable and complex orthodontic patients. They face a myriad of health challenges including psychological, nutritional, auditory, speech, airway, skeletal, and dental. Ideal comprehensive treatment for CLP patients is provided via multidisciplinary teams of healthcare providers. However, there is currently limited access to proper multidisciplinary care for CLP patients in the US, partly due to lack of education regarding available resources. For the most effective treatment and optimal outcomes, it is essential that coordinated care starts at birth and that parental education begins as soon as CLP is detected in utero. …

Quantifying Community-Based Pharmacy Student Operational And Clinical Rotation (Ippe) Activities., Kenneth Kunke, Phillip Lawrence, C. Leiana Oswald, Erin Johanson, Michelle Hon

Annual Research Symposium

The purpose of this study is to identify and describe trends in the quantity and proportion of operational and clinical activities performed by students on introductory (IPPE) rotations.

Impact Of An Integrated Health, Nutrition, And Early Child Stimulation And Responsive Care Intervention Package Delivered To Preterm Or Term Small For Gestational Age Babies During Infancy On Growth And Neurodevelopment: Study Protocol Of An Individually Randomized Controlled Trial In India (Small Babies Trial), Ranadip Chowdhury, Rukman Manapurath, Ingvild Fossgard Sandøy, Ravi Prakash Upadhyay, Neeta Dhabhai, Saijuddin Shaikh, Harish Chellani, Tarun Shankar Choudhary, Abhinav Jain, Jose Martines, Nita Bhandari, Tor A Strand, Sunita Taneja

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Preterm and term small for gestational age (SGA) babies are at high risk of experiencing malnutrition and impaired neurodevelopment. Standalone interventions have modest and sometimes inconsistent effects on growth and neurodevelopment in these babies. For greater impact, intervention may be needed in multiple domains-health, nutrition, and psychosocial care and support. Therefore, the combined effects of an integrated intervention package for preterm and term SGA on growth and neurodevelopment are worth investigating.

METHODS: An individually randomized controlled trial is being conducted in urban and peri-urban low to middle-socioeconomic neighborhoods in South Delhi, India. Infants are randomized (1:1) into two strata …

The Mrna-Lnp Vaccines - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly?, Botond Z. Igyártó, Zhen Qin

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

The mRNA-LNP vaccine has received much attention during the COVID-19 pandemic since it served as the basis of the most widely used SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Western countries. Based on early clinical trial data, these vaccines were deemed safe and effective for all demographics. However, the latest data raise serious concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. Here, we review some of the safety and efficacy concerns identified to date. We also discuss the potential mechanism of observed adverse events related to the use of these vaccines and whether they can be mitigated by alterations of this vaccine mechanism …

Zika Virus Microcephaly: Predicting The Symptoms Of Microcephaly So Families Can Prepare, Eleanor J. Wind

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Microcephaly is a rare congenital defect where the circumference of an infants head is smaller than average. The cause is unknown and the risk factors and symptoms of microcephaly are wide ranging. One risk factor is exposure during pregnancy to viruses such as the Zika virus.. A recent study was conducted on infants who were born with Zika virus Microcephaly following the Zika outbreak in Brazil. The researchers conducted MRI scans and developmental testing. Then an algorithm to predict behavioral outcomes of Zika Virus Microcephaly was successfully created. This research will benefit caretakers of infants with Zika virus Microcephaly by …

Analyzing The Ramifications Of Climate Change On Mental Health, Salvatore A. Medori

CAFE Symposium 2024

When thinking about the vast array of impacts that the climate crisis has on humanity, there are many things that come to mind, but mental health impacts are likely not one of them. Even though research demonstrates that mental effects from any form of disaster far exceed the physical health implications mental health impacts of the largest disaster facing humanity since the Second World War are rarely considered at all, let alone when solutions are being created. This has led to a hidden crisis emerging underneath an even larger crisis, with serious consequences for most individuals across the globe. The …