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Associations between human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy and resistance and social media engagement
Full text linkHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. More than 13 million Americans are infected each year. Typically, HPV infections will resolve without treatment, and many infected individuals are asymptomatic. However, in some cases, these infections can lead to penile, oral, vaginal, cervical, and/or anal cancer. With the rise in HPV infection rates, the need for vaccination is crucial in prevention of HPV-related infections and cancers. The CDC recently changed HPV vaccine guidelines to include individuals ages 27-45. Regardless of guideline changes, HPV vaccination rates are lower than other recommended vaccines, which may be due to antivaccination campaigns.
The purpose of the practice improvement project was to identify attitudes, beliefs, and barriers towards HPV vaccination and sources of vaccine information among residents, ages 18-45, in a rural North Dakota county. The project was conducted between May 2023 and June 2023. Participants completed an online survey via Qualtrics to assess views, social media usage, influences, and any potential barriers to HPV vaccination. Each participant who completed the survey were provided links to websites for further information on HPV and the vaccine.
Over 30% (n=9) of the 28 participants utilized search engines for their health and vaccine information, while 29% (n=8) utilized their primary care provider. Approximately 5% (n=2) of the participants utilized social media sites for their health and vaccine information. A majority (n = 18; 64.3%) of participants report they would receive the HPV vaccine if recommended by a provider. Rural providers were educated on survey results and determined that changes within their practice were needed to increase HPV vaccination rates. Providers identified the importance of increasing HPV vaccine uptake to help better serve their community. These providers planned to display an HPV infograph within their clinic and continue to offer the HPV vaccine at annual wellness visits. Continued HPV vaccine education provided by healthcare professionals is imperative to enhance HPV vaccine confidence and uptake, which has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with HPV and HPV-related cancers
Dietary Impacts on Mitochondrial Respiration of Gestating Heifers and Fetal Offspring
Full text linkTwo projects were conducted to evaluate dietary impacts on mitochondrial respiration of gestating heifers and fetal offspring. Our first hypothesis was that maternal vitamin and mineral supplementation during gestation improves the liver, muscle, and jejunum mitochondrial function of F1 and F2 offspring. In project 1, vitamin and mineral supplementation was provided to the F0 generation of dams from breeding to calving to isolate the effects of nutrition during pregnancy on future generations. Our second hypothesis was that altering limit-fed diets' forage: concentrate ratio would influence mitochondrial respiration in maternal and fetal jejunum and liver. In project 2, replacement heifers were fed high-concentrate and high-forage diets to evaluate the dietary impacts on fetal cellular metabolism of key metabolic organs. In both project 1 and 2, modulations of metabolism occurred in key metabolic organs of gestating heifers
The Missile People: A Cold War Public Memory
Full text linkDisrupting the horizon with a startling physical presence on the flat North Dakota prairie, the remains of the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex are the physical remnants of a decisive stage of the Cold War. The complex was part radar array, part computing marvel, and part nuclear launch control platform that represented a significant federal investment in rural North Dakota. Together, these pieces created the pinnacle of the Pentagon?s efforts to create an effective antiballistic missile system. The local memories attached to the complex contrast with general perceptions of the Cold War. Memories of friendship and community are common when the topic of the Missile Site Radar is broached, adding detail to the general understanding of a Cold War experience that includes a boom followed shortly by a near-complete bust. Recent efforts by the Cavalier County Job Development Authority have reinvigorated interest in the structure, the town, and the story of the Missile People. Interviews with residents and excerpts from The Guardian newsletter describe an intersection of two communities drawn together by terrible circumstances yet were able to create memories that belie the nuclear finality the site ultimately represented
Emergency Provider Education for Management of Patients with Suicidal Ideation in Rural Minnesota
Full text linkThis dissertation investigated the efficacy of an educational intervention aimed at enhancing the management of patients with suicidal ideation in a rural emergency department. Employing a quasi-experimental mixed-method design, the study involved an educational session, administration of online pre-, post-, and post three-month surveys, and an electronic health record review. The data was then compared to determine if provider confidence was impacted by education.
The educational session, guided by the ICAR?E mnemonic developed by Wilson et al. (2020), encompassed components focused on identifying suicide risk, effective communication with patients, assessment for life-threatening conditions, risk assessment, strategies to reduce suicide risk, and extending care beyond the emergency department. The target population was emergency department personnel, including aides, nurses, and providers. Surveys were conducted before, after, and three months after the educational session. Electronic health records were reviewed for the three months before and three months after the educational session to review for changes in documentation of referrals and diagnoses.
The survey results revealed an increase in confidence in emergency personnel between the pre- and three-month surveys. However, since surveys were not linked, there was no way to identify if the same individuals completed both surveys, so information was not able to confirm increased knowledge or confidence. A chart review was conducted to assess changes in screening for suicidal ideation and depression, as well as changes in referral practices. No changes were noted in either category from the three months before the education to the three months after the education.
The co-investigator endeavored to contribute valuable insights into the effectiveness of educational interventions on provider confidence in rural emergency settings while treating patients with suicidal ideation. The outcomes hold implications for healthcare practitioners, administrators, and policymakers involved in refining emergency care protocols, ultimately fostering improved outcomes for patients with suicidal ideation. The comprehensive approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods, helped support a nuanced understanding of the long-term impact of such interventions on clinical practices and provider confidence
A Microstrip Transmission Line RF Biosensor: A Biosensing Device to Measure the Interaction Between Microliter Aqueous Solutions and Radio Frequencies
Full text linkBiosensors exploring the interaction between electromagnetic (EM) energy and aqueous solutions have long been an area of research interest. Previous research designs have employed various experimental setups, testing device structures, and frequency ranges to determine if property changes occur within the aqueous solutions under test after/during exposure to (EM) energy. Previous works have identified needs in the field, including smaller experimental device dimensions, a requirement of nanoliter to milliliter sampling volumes, and the ability to gather repeatable and sensitive measurements.
Research Aim 1: The following dissertation questioned: Is it possible to design a sensor capable of measuring levels of interaction between RF energy and aqueous samples with reasonable reproducibility, sensitivity, and repeatability, all while being small in dimension, inexpensive to produce, and requiring microliter sample sizes?
Research Aim 2: If the abovementioned sensor can be designed and verified, can it be used to measure the interaction levels between a broadband sweep of radiofrequencies and aqueous lambda DNA?
In response to Research Aim 1, a millimeter-sized, microstrip transmission line biosensor with a microliter well operating on a broadband radio frequency range of 1.0-17.0 GHz was designed, simulated, and experimentally verified. Aqueous solutions, including deionized water, Tris-EDTA buffer, and lambda DNA, were loaded into the microliter well, and non-ionizing RF waves were transmitted down the transmission line. S-parameters were measured in sets to determine the interaction between the aqueous solution under test and the broadband radiofrequency sweep. Reproducibility and sensitivity were calculated for experimental data sets.
Experimental data demonstrated 1) the RF biosensor?s ability to repeatably measure increasing concentrations of aqueous solutions, for example, lambda DNA diluted in Tris-EDTA buffer, and 2) a high measurement sensitivity, with the highest error value observed being 0.36%. Addressing Research Aim 2, increasing concentrations of lambda DNA diluted in Tris-EDTA buffer were experimentally measured, and reproducible trends were observed. Overall, the RF biosensor design was verified and determined to be a valid solution for measuring interaction levels between radiofrequencies and aqueous solutions of microliter quantities
Investigation on the antibacterial efficacy of titanium alloy coating compared to the bulk titanium alloy and steel
Full text linkThe advancements in medical operations and sciences have improved patient lives, but device-related infections and bacterial contamination remain significant concerns. Escherichia coli is a prominent bacterium causing various infections. Commonly used antibacterial materials in the health industry for surgical operations include silver, copper, zinc, titanium, and steel
exhibit antibacterial properties due to their durability, corrosion resistance, and diverse applications. This study aimed to compare the antibacterial properties of titanium (Ti64), steel, and titanium coating on aluminum to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli. The experiment utilized serial dilution and colony counting techniques to assess bacterial growth on the materials. Results showed that titanium has better antibacterial properties, with Ti64 coating on aluminum also displaying effectiveness but to a less extent. In contrast, steel was the least effective. The study highlights the need for further research to understand the underlying mechanisms of antibacterial behavior in these materials and their long-term efficacy in surgical operations, ultimately contributing to improved infection control in medical settings
Gating of food and non-food information from working memory
Full text linkPrior research has suggested that biased attention towards food cues in the environment may contribute to the onset and maintenance of binge eating. Here, we examine whether individuals who report high levels of binge eating also have difficulty keeping task-irrelevant food-related information out of working memory (WM). To investigate this, we used the contralateral delay activity (CDA), a neurophysiological measure reflecting the amount of information held in WM. Experiment 1 confirmed differences in behavioral performance and CDA amplitude when holding one versus two items in WM and between stimulus type (food vs. non-food). Experiment 2 replicated these behavioral findings but not the CDA results. Furthermore, we found no significant differences in filtering efficiency as a function of distractor type (food vs. non-food) or self-reported binge eating frequency, contrary to our hypotheses. Future work could benefit from adopting a behavioral measure of filtering efficiency or examining filtering cost
Therapeutic ultrasound: providing an educational intervention on best practice techniques and their implications
Full text linkBACKGROUND: Therapeutic ultrasound is a modality that is commonly used in the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries by healthcare professionals throughout the world for both its thermal and non-thermal effects. PURPOSE: This study used an in-person or virtual asynchronous educational intervention to educate and demonstrate best practice techniques to practicing athletic trainers while surveying their usage, perception, confidence, and knowledge regarding the modality. METHODS: Thirty-one athletic trainers completed the educational intervention, including 13 who participated in the in-person session and 18 in the virtual asynchronous session. Qualtrics based surveys occurred immediately before and after each educational intervention and four weeks following the completion of the intervention. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics were performed including means, standard deviation, and frequencies. Repeated measures ANOVA testing was used to compare the pre-educational intervention survey, post-intervention survey and the third follow-up educational intervention survey. A statically significant increase in overall mean US knowledge scores was observed from the pre-educational intervention survey to the post-educational intervention survey. Results from the ANOVA were F(2, 74) = 11.49, p < 0.0001. The Tukey-Kramer post hoc test revealed significant differences between the pre-educational session and the post-educational session. There was no significance when examining thermal and non-thermal ultrasound usage and perception amongst clinicians using a p-value of ? 0.05. CONCLUSION: The educational intervention was effective in increasing thermal and non-thermal ultrasound knowledge, perception, and usage. A feasibility component to this study exists to determine if these educational formats are a viable option for increasing ultrasound knowledge, perception, and usage among athletic trainers in the future
Enhancing mechanical properties and water interactions of arabinoxylan films from corn bran through enzymatic-chemical modification
Full text linkDue to the need to replace non-biodegradable plastics, arabinoxylan (AX) films were evaluated for potential use in food packaging. The mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and biodegradability of AX films were evaluated after extracting AX from corn bran byproducts of dry-milling (DCB), wet-milling (WCB), and dried distiller?s grains with solubles (DDGS) using acid-alkali procedure. Packaging materials were created using the three AX extracts combined with laccase and sorbitol as the basis for each film. The three AX films were then modified by immersing their surfaces in a lipase-acetate solution. Thickness of modified DCB AX and modified DDGS AX films was significantly increased (P0.05), compared to their unmodified AX films counterparts. Significant increase (P0.05) in puncture resistance were observed for all modified AX films. Moisture content of modified AX films created from DCB, WCB, and DDGS was significantly decreased (P0.05) in water vapor permeability were found in modified DCB AX films compared to unmodified DCB AX films. Insignificant decrease (P>0.05) in water solubility resulted in modified WCB AX films compared to unmodified WCB AX films. Water vapor permeabilities of the modified AX films made from WCB and DDGS were significantly reduced (P<0.05) compared to their unmodified AX films. AX films were positively affected by suspension in the lipase-acetate mixture, making the modified films ductile, flexible, and more resistant to deformation when stretched compared to unmodified AX films. WCB AX and DDGS AX films were more hydrophobic and biodegradable than DCB AX film with the modification of film surface suspension in the lipase-acetate solution. The modified DCB AX films showed better physical and mechanical properties, while the hydrophobicity and biodegradability of modified WCB AX films make it a safer packaging material which can also elongated shelf-life for food
Identification, investigation, and spatial analysis of various contributing factors to crash and injury severity in different crash types
Full text linkThis dissertation had three main objectives related to improving road safety by investigating factors that contribute to injury severity in different types of single-vehicle crashes. The first objective was to develop a generalized ordered logit model to examine factors affecting injury severity of occupants in single-vehicle rollover crashes using 5 years of U.S. crash data from 2012-2016. Results showed likelihood of serious/fatal injuries increased in rollovers with occupant ejection, speeding, higher speed limits, roadside/median rollovers, undulating terrain, blacktop surfaces, rural roads, evenings, weekdays, older drivers, lack of occupant protection, previous driver crashes, distracted/aggressive driving, and passenger cars. Airbag deployment reduced serious/fatal injury risk. Regional variations also impacted injury severity.
The second objective identified high-risk areas for lane departure crashes on rural North Dakota roads using techniques like Global/Local Moran's I, network kernel density estimation (NetKDE), and emerging hotspot analysis. While Global Moran's I indicated clustering, Local Moran's I revealed specific hot/cold spots. NetKDE quantified and prioritized crash clusters by density along roadways. Emerging hotspot analysis evaluated temporal patterns of hot/cold spots. This approach can guide deployments of education, enforcement, and infrastructure countermeasures.
The third objective used a mixed logit model to analyze factors contributing to injury severity in single-vehicle run-off-road (ROR) crashes for passenger cars, SUVs, and pickups. Common factors increasing injury risk were older driver age, impaired driving, no seatbelt, no airbag, high speeds, and older vehicles. However, driver age impacts were most pronounced for pickups. Seatbelts substantially mitigated injury severity across all vehicle classes. Passenger cars had a higher injury risk than SUVs/pickups, especially over 75 mph. Future research should examine additional factors stratified by vehicle class using larger datasets