Digital Commons Network^™

Inter-Rater Reliability And Intra-Rater Reliability Of Synchronous Ultrasound Imaging And Electromyography Measure Of The Lumbopelvic-Hip Muscle Complex, Courtney Caputo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of synchronous ultrasound imaging and electromyography measures of lumbopelvic-hip muscle activity performed by a novice and an experienced investigator in healthy individuals. Electromyography (EMG) has served as the gold standard for quantification of onset of muscle activation; however, ultrasound imaging can visualize muscle activity when collected simultaneously. Methods: A novice and experienced investigator collected a series of 3 ultrasound images at rest and 3 M-mode clips during contraction of each muscle while EMG electrodes collected muscle activity. Muscles collected included: external oblique, erector spinae, rectus abdominis, gluteus …

Awareness Of The Unaware: Anosognosia As A Comorbidity In Mental Health Conditions, Tiffany L. Baula

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The primary purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to describe healthcare provider’s recognition of anosognosia in individuals with comorbid mental health disorders, as a differentiating diagnosis needing preeminent early intervention. The secondary purpose is to examine how anosognosia influences outcomes in the population of individuals with severe mental illness. It is expected that early recognition by clinicians and implementation of additional interventions to address anosognosia as the most influential comorbidity of schizophrenia, will decrease exacerbations and improve treatment and patient outcomes.

A literature review exploring clinician’s acknowledgement of anosognosia was performed using various databases. Search terms included: …

The Effects Of Vaping On Oral Streptococci And Oral Inflammation, Matthew Caldwell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

E-cigarette (e-cig) use is rising, but much is unknown about the effects of its vapor. This vapor contains chemicals such as propylene glycol, a known antimicrobial, and nicotine, whose derivatives are carcinogenic. Here, we study the effects of vaping on resident bacteria of the oral cavity and on oral cell inflammation. Oral streptococci are major residents in the oral cavity, with S. mutans the primary cause of dental caries. Growth and biofilm formation have been shown to be enhanced upon exposure to traditional cigarette smoke in vitro. In this study, we analyzed the effects of e-cig vapor on growth …

Interventions For Cultivating Civility In The Healthcare Team: Review Of The Literature, Elizabeth Knapp

Honors Undergraduate Theses

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this literature review was to examine the most current research regarding effective, evidence-based programs for reducing incivility among the healthcare team, particularly nurses. BACKGROUND: Incivility in the work environment is linked to a variety of negative outcomes, including diminished productivity, impaired judgement, and reduced employee retention. Incivility is especially detrimental to the healthcare team because it is correlated with decreased quality of patient care and increased medical errors. Despite regulations and statements made by the Joint Commission and the American Nurses Association to combat this serious problem, incivility continues to plague healthcare. METHODS: …

"It’S Just A Bad Period" And Other Ways Of Dismissing Women's Pain: An Ethnographic Look Into The Experience Of Endometriosis, Selina Hays

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis uses online ethnographic methods to analyze the impact of patriarchal values on the illness experiences of women with endometriosis. Current literature suggests that negative impact on patients with endometriosis with regard to cultural discourse surrounding menstruation and chronic illness. Utilizing a combination of critical discourse analysis and constructivist grounded theory, the results of this research demonstrate that patients engage in a form of performance that is reactive to normalization and dismissal of pain by doctors and wider social support due in part to cultural stigmas of menstruation and chronic pain, as well as the inherent power imbalance in …

Exploring The Different Factors Associated With Burnout, Natassja J. Debra

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Maslach and Leiter determined burnout to be caused by three major components: exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency. This literature review focuses on factors that directly contribute to new graduate nurse burnout. Major factors discussed in this paper are differences in expectations versus reality, influences from past education, developing professional identity, and the effect of the workplace environment on new graduate transition. Interventions to combat burnout are discussed along with recommendations for future research.

Detection Of A Peptide Hormone - Somatostatin - Label-Free Split-Aptameric Probes, Charles A. Dowis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Peptide hormones are important biomolecules that transduce downstream effects such as cell proliferation, regulation, and gene expression. Their levels have been upregulated in various disorders such as cancer, yet detection methods are lacking. We designed two split aptamer-based assays for the detection of a peptide hormone – Somatostatin (SST) – with different signal readouts: fluorescent readout based on light-up aptamers and the colorimetric readout of ABTS peroxidation from a G-quadruplex. We used an already selected split-aptamer –SSTA5–for SST for our designs and we had expected the developed detection systems to exhibit detection and quantification capabilities that would hopefully allow their …

The Relationship Between Parent And Child Health Behaviors In Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elise M. Arnold

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Previous studies found that children with ASD tend to participate in lower amounts of physical activity (PA), accumulate greater hours of screen time (ST), and have poorer sleep quality (SQ), compared to typically developing (TD) youth. Unfortunately, these poor health behaviors put youth with ASD at a high risk for developing obesity, as well as other obesity-related conditions (e.g. Type 2 diabetes). In order to reduce this risk, it is critical to understand the factors that affect activity levels and sleep in youth with ASD. Several studies have demonstrated that parents may have a large influence on social behaviors in …

Investigating Aggression In Huntington Disease, Chloe E. Larochelle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Huntington Disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene. The onset of the disease is defined by the presence of motor deficits, such as chorea. However, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms often develop before motor onset and typically have a larger impact on patient quality of life. Psychiatric symptoms include depression, anxiety, and OCD, but also aggression and irritability, which have been comparatively understudied due to stigma. Currently, treatments to modify these behaviors in premanifest HD patients are not consistently effective and often have side effects, creating a need for …

Rural Disparities In Lung Cancer Mortality: An Ecologic Study In Florida, Batel Amouyal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. The higher mortality among patients with lung cancer is related to cases being diagnosed in late stage where treatment is limited. Urban and rural health outcomes are potentially influenced by differences in accessibility to health care services. We are unaware of existing research examining geographic differences in or factors related to lung cancer mortality in Florida. Therefore, this study aims to examine lung cancer mortality differences between urban and rural counties in Florida. We examined all 67 counties in Florida to investigate if a rural …

Social Stigma, Public Health, And Addiction In Albania, Ediola Malkouari

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Drug use is considered in many countries the plague of today's society. Researchers from medical, psychological and sociological fields, as well as lawmakers, are interested in finding more answers to this widespread phenomenon. All over the world there are known conflicts related to drug producing, transportation routes and distribution, that harm the economy and social standing of the involved communities or countries. Policies towards drug use vary from country to country, but this research focuses on how stigma affects the lives of individuals suffering from substance use disorder (SUD) in Albania. Substance use disorder is not often considered a disease, …

Evaluating The Nutritional Status Of Peruvian Born Children, Chantelle Garcia Medina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Rural areas of Peru lack access to healthcare resources and poor nutritional knowledge of what should be given to their children throughout their growth and development. The majority of the rural areas rely on a high carbohydrate, moderate vegetable diet, and lacking a protein source. Lower protein intake can lead to problems of malnutrition and growth stunting. Families rarely have monetary resources to provide a protein at every meal for the entire family. There is also a lack of a clean water supply, free of parasites and helminths. Caregivers often rely on replenishing intake with other fluids high …

Pestilence And Poverty: The Great Influenza Pandemic And Underdevelopment In The New South, 1918-1919, Andrew Kishuni

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the "Spanish" influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 in the U.S. South, using case-studies of Jacksonville, Savannah, New Orleans, and Nashville to sculpt a "Southern flu" more identical to the Global South and the developing world than the rest of the U.S. I examine poverty and political and economic paralysis in the years between the end of Reconstruction and 1918, and the poor results of political indifference on public health and disease control. I also analyze the social and institutional racism against persons of color that defined high infectious disease mortality in Southern cities.

I argue that Southerners faced …

The Relationship Between Community Health Worker Supply And The Rate Of Preventable Hospitalizations Of Rural Latinos With Diabetes, Danielle O. Mapp

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The ever-increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its associated healthcare costs in the United States has led to our healthcare system's need for cost-effective health resources and chronic disease management. The interventions of Community Health Workers (CHWs) can cost-effectively improve population health and prevent the unnecessary utilization of some medical services especially in rural, low-income, minority populations, where there is often limited access to healthcare. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the number of total CHWs in rural counties and the mean diabetes-related preventable hospitalization rates in Latino patients diagnosed with diabetes in those rural …

The Effects Of Roundup On The Life History, Stress Response, And Immune Function Of The Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes Aegypti, Lindsay E. Martin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, vectors for many human diseases, begin life as larvae developing in water, potentially exposed to runoff with herbicides and pesticides. This study serves as a novel investigation into the transstadial effects of exposure to Roundup on A. aegypti life history, immunity, and stress response and aims to account for these effects in an R0 model for vectorborne disease transmission. Prior work has shown that Roundup negatively affects mosquito life history. I hypothesized that larval exposure to the maximum sublethal dose of Roundup (7189µg/L) would negatively impact A. aegypti life history, immunity (candidate gene approach), and stress response …

Addressing The Elephant On The Stage: Mental Health In Theatre Education, Alexandra M. Meridionale

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examined the ways in which present-day 6^th through 12^th grade theatre educators approach the topic of mental health, both implicitly and explicitly, in theatre education. Through a survey of existing literature, as well as interviews with 6^th through 12^th grade theatre educators, the researcher examined ways in which theatre educators were aware of the mental health needs of their students in any of the following capacities: explicit discussions regarding mental health, theatre curriculum, show selection, script analysis, and casting choices.

The reveal the educator perception that mental health issues are increasingly relevant to 6 …

Exploring The Impact Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Related To Sexual Behavior In College Men, Dalton J. Poe

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective tool for preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition in sexually active at-risk individuals such as men who have sex with men (MSM). The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with intent to engage in risky sexual behavior among HIV-negative college aged (18-24) MSM who are currently adherent to PrEP or who have expressed interest in the future adoption of PrEP. A multiracial/ethnic sample of 31 men expressing interest in the adoption of PrEP and 6 men currently taking PrEP completed a quantitative survey identifying key themes regarding attitudes towards PrEP and …

Professional Liability Insurance For Athletic Trainers: A Cross Sectional Study Of Athletic Trainers Who Do Per Diem Work, Kameelah J. Belgrave

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Context: Many secondary school athletic trainers (ATs) complete per diem work as a way to supplement their income. Working per diem means the AT provides services to events that are not part of their main employment. Since this type of work is not connected to their main employment, the AT may lack appropriate professional liability insurance (PLI). PLI is a type of insurance that protects healthcare professionals from bearing the entire cost of defending a malpractice claim made by a former or current patient. Anecdotally, many ATs believe that the PLI provided by their main employer covers all health care …

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles And Beneficial Bacteria: Two Novel Treatments For Eradicating Bacteria Associated With Prosthetic Infection?, Etta Conteh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate new possible compounds that can be used to treat orthopedic implant infections caused by bacterial pathogens. Current treatment includes the use of antibiotics and the DAIR procedure, which stands for debridement, antibiotic therapy, irrigation, and retention. However, antibiotics are becoming less effective as a treatment due to bacteria gaining antibiotic resistance. Two bacterial species involved in orthopedic implant infections are P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. This thesis investigated cerium oxide nanoparticles and L. fermentum, a beneficial bacterium, as possible treatments to stop bacterial growth and the formation of biofilm. This …

Comparison Of Low Carbohydrate Diets On Renal And Glucose Function In Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Garrett A. Couch

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background - Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a growing crisis that can lead to more problems if left untreated. One of these problems includes diabetic nephropathy or Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). While there have been many advances in the field of treating CKD with medication, there are currently no medications with the capability of stopping the progression of or reversing diabetic nephropathy; however, recent studies have shown that diabetic nephropathy can be stopped and even reversed through dietary interventions. One of these studies went through the effects of a low protein diet on diabetic nephropathy and found very promising …

Hospital Footwear As A Vector For Organism Transmission, David J. Frederick

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States healthcare system, nearly one in 31 patients contract a nosocomial infection. Footwear worn in these hospital settings are a factor that should be considered when determining contributing agents and methods for organism transmission. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the current research on hospital footwear as a vector for organism transmission. Eight studies were included in this review to examine the impact of wearable interventions on footwear-related contamination in the hospital setting and organism transfer as it relates to footwear and hospital environments. The link between the organism load and diversity on hospital worn …

Millennial Attitudes Toward Telehealth: An Integrative Literature Review, Hannah Gwyneth Y. Tabora

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Purpose: The primary purpose of this research was to explore individuals born in the millennial generation’s likelihood of using telehealth and virtual office visits as a replacement for face to face provider interactions. The secondary purpose was to examine the feasibility and access of treatable conditions and ailments in a virtual environment.

Methods: A literature review exploring millennials and telehealth was performed using various databases with search terms combined to include: ‘millennials*’, ‘telehealth*’, ‘telemed*’, ‘finance*’, ‘primary care*’, ‘healthcare*’, ‘health knowledge*’, ‘literacy*’, ‘education*’, ‘misinformation*’. The data was conformed into tables that synthesized the relationship between the millennial generation and their access …

Trophic Enteral Feeds In Mechanically Ventilated Adult Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome/Acute Lung Injury And Associated Clinical Outcomes, Kiersten Ann Tidwell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Enteral nutrition (EN) is often delayed in critically ill patients despite strong evidence to support that early enteral nutrition feeding is beneficial in this population. Adverse outcomes in critically ill patients in which nutrition is delayed include a longer length of stay and time on the ventilator, and a higher incidence of pneumonia and hospital mortality. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the current evidence regarding trophic enteral feeds in mechanically ventilated adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI) and associated clinical outcomes. A retrospective literature review was performed to identify articles published …

Characterization Of The Physical And Chemical Effect Of Membrane Disruption And Protein Inhibiting Treatments On E. Coli, Khadijah Wright

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The increase in antibacterial resistance has placed the issue of microbial multi-drug resistance on a global stage (Gurunathan, 2019). This issue poses a threat to human and animal health as well as to the environment (Aslam et al., 2018). It affects not only the efficacy of treatment but also how those treatments are conducted (Friedman, Temkin, & Carmeli, 2016). As a result of this ongoing threat, new treatments that have potent effects on bacteria are necessary. One scientific response to this issue has been the development of multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs)(H. Wang et al., 2018). NPs have the ability to be …

The Effect Of Interventions On Radiotherapy-Induced Skin Toxicity: A Systematic Review, Claudia R. Figueroa

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Various studies show a variety of interventions for radiotherapy-induced skin toxicity. Radiotherapy-induced skin toxicity is the most common side effect for women with breast cancer who undergo radiotherapy sessions. Intervention agents include topical creams, barrier films, oral agents, as well as laser therapy. However, despite the variety of intervention agents available, there is still a lack of accepted guidelines to manage radiotherapy-induced skin toxicity. This thesis aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials with the primary purpose of exploring the available intervention methods to prevent radiotherapy-induced skin toxicity and evaluate the effects of different …

Exploring The Effects Service Dogs Have On Veterans With Ptsd, Shelby E. Reeves

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness resulting from exposure to a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD vary, but those affected commonly experience nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, and trouble sleeping; they may also avoid people or situations that trigger traumatic memories. It is estimated that PTSD affects about 10-30% of all United States veterans. Additionally, traditional treatment methods have an average dropout rate of 25% among military personnel. Inadequate PTSD symptom management may lead to depression, anxiety, suicidality, isolation, unstable relationships, and substance misuse. The purpose of this review is to examine the current research concerning the use of service …

The Effects Of Modifiable And Non-Modifiable Risk Factors On The Severity Of Gastroparesis-Like Symptoms, Jonathon B. Nelson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gastroparesis (GP) is a clinical disorder recognized by measured delayed gastric emptying without mechanical obstruction, in addition to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chronic abdominal pain, heartburn, early satiety upon eating a regular-sized meal, and exaggerated postprandial fullness. While GP is considered a clinically rare disorder, there is much suspicion that a much larger number of patients experience GP-like symptoms without an official diagnosis. Furthermore, little work has been done to identify the causes and exacerbations of this gastrointestinal (GI) distress in the young adult population. This study's primary goal was to establish a relationship between modifiable and non-modifiable risk …

Development Of A Sox9 Reporter Cell For High-Throughput Chondrogenic Assessment, Alyssa R. Mickle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease caused by the deterioration of articular cartilage and is a leading cause of disability in the United States and worldwide. Much current research into improved treatment for this disease is focused on tissue engineering through the growth of cartilage sheets made by articular chondrocytes. However, as chondrocytes proliferate in vitro, they also lose their ability to produce dense extracellular matrix, a necessary component of articular cartilage conferring mechanical strength. SOX9, a transcriptional activator, increases type II collagen expression, a key articular cartilage extracellular matrix component. Thus, SOX9 promotes an articular cartilage phenotype. Therefore, …

The Association Between Testicular Cancer And Female Reproductive Cancers: A Systematic Review, Alyssa Church

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The most common neoplasm found in young to middle-aged men is testicular cancer (TCa). This disease not only poses a risk of early death, but can also affect a male's fertility and testosterone levels and can diminish one's mental health and/or quality of life. One particular line of research that is emerging in the field is a possible genetic association of TCa with female reproductive cancers. We employed a systematic review to assess the methodological quality of articles that met the inclusionary criteria. To be selected for this review, articles had to go through a primary, secondary, and tertiary screening …

Exploring Sedentary Time Of Rural Children During Structured Versus Less-Structured Days, Serina Rayan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine rural children's sedentary time during school days vs non-school days Currently, childhood obesity research has focused predominantly on urban-dwelling children. However, existing literature indicates that rural children have higher rates of obesity than their urban counterparts. There is a current lack of evidence investigating the obesogenic behaviors of rural children, such as physical activity levels, sleep duration, sedentary behaviors and diet. With this project, I aim to observe sedentary time (time spent sitting, screen time etc.) as research has shown that independent of physical activity, sedentary time is associated with weight gain. …