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An Examination Of The Research Related To American Physicians' Prescription Of Opioid Analgesics Before And After The Joint Commission Pain Standards For 2001, Valory Anne S. Vailoces

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to explore the literature regarding physicians’ prescriptions of opioid analgesics before and after The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001. Opioids are a last resort treatment for chronic pain due to their high potential for tolerance, dependency, and misuse. The establishment of The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001 was the culmination of several movements to address the underassessment and undertreatment of pain. The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001 focused on improving pain assessment, management, and treatment through a systematic approach. The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of …

Evaluating The Nutritional Adequacy Of Peruvian-American Children, Delainey Dietz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As people move and integrate cultures, nutritional trends may change from those of their native country to those of their new country. With today's increasing global immigration, studies have only scratched the surface of the impact of acculturation on children's health and nutrition. Specifically, the Peruvian-American diet is one that has garnered minimal research. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the common foods and drinks that Peruvian-American children consume, assess the children's physical health, and discuss the possible causative factors of any diet trends. The population sampled is children under 18 years living in the United States whose …

Home-Based Interventions To Lower Neonatal Mortality Rates In Developing Countries, Josee Sarah Etienne

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aim: To evaluate Home-based interventions to lower neonatal mortality rates in developing countries.

Background: A developing country is a country that is lacking in the services and facilities enjoyed by people in developed countries, such as personally owned automobiles and homes with indoor plumbing and water-carried sewage disposal systems. The difference in resources compared to developed regions, has been evident to the correlation of the increase neonatal mortality rates.

Method: An electronic, systematic review of four databases were used to retrieve 209 articles initially, later filtered to 42 articles utilized in this review. The following databases used are as listed: …

Pineal Gland Abnormalities And The Relationship Of Melatonin To The Development And Symptom Severity Of Schizophrenia: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Kathryn Margretta

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to critique the literature focusing on the role of pineal gland volume and function and the development of schizophrenia by asking the question, "What is the relationship between pineal gland physiologic function and development and symptom severity of schizophrenia? It is crucial that health care providers continue advocate for better understanding of schizophrenia in order to develop a more appropriate treatment and relive the suffering of those with schizophrenia. A review of published literature focusing on the pineal glands association with schizophrenia was performed using several databases including: ScienceDirect, PubMED, Google Scholar, Cumulated Index …

Role Of Rela In Dormancy And Toxr Proteolysis In Vibrio Cholerae, Zachary J. Malaussena

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, is an enteric pathogen that can be found in aquatic ecosystems when not colonizing the human gastrointestinal tract. Under adverse environmental conditions, V. cholerae is capable of entering dormant states that increase its survival during these ecological fluctuations. In these states, V. cholerae slows its metabolic activity and exhibits drastically altered gene expression and morphology. Stressors that lead to entry into these states vary from nutrient limitation, suboptimal pH, or antimicrobials. Cells in these dormant states are highly resistant to antimicrobials and cannot be detected using standard microbiological techniques …

Developing A Self-Sanitizing Mask To Combat The Spread Of Infectious Disease, Matthew Crawford

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Masks have become an important part of everyday life, protecting both the wearer and individuals nearby from the spread of infectious diseases, most notably severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, these masks are easily contaminated, whether through continued use or by the wearer touching the mask fabric with contaminated hands, therefore reducing the efficacy and exposing the user to these contagions. When the mask becomes contaminated, it can be discarded, which produces large amounts of waste that will end up in a landfill, or it can be washed, which is …

The Effects Of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy On Irritability In Menopausal Women, Giavana Hanna

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The start of the menopausal transition involves the introduction of various somatic, urogenital, and psychological symptoms; of the symptoms, irritability is one of the main complaints reported by women. The use of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy has become more prevalent in society, specifically treating the somatic and urogenital symptoms of the menopausal transition. This study aims to determine the effects of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) on irritability in menopausal women. To test the hypotheses, an online survey was distributed to women via social media and word-of-mouth. Participants were asked to respond to various questions, which were then analyzed based …

Facilitation Of Enviromental Factors To Reduce Sound Decibels In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Literature Review, Cassandra Hanlon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This literature review investigates nursing interventions to reduce decibel levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The secondary purpose of this review was to evaluate if the interventions to reduce noise in the NICU had different outcomes for normal weight premature infants and infants afflicted with neonatal abstinence syndrome. The data bases for completing this review were Google Scholar, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus), PubMed, and Elton B. Stephens Co. (EBSCO). The key search words included ‘NICU and decibels', ‘reducing decibels', ‘neonatal abstinence syndrome' ‘decibels', ‘preterm infants' and 'normal weight preterm infant*'. The …

The Role Of Ms-818 In Altering Age-Related Characteristics Of An In Vitro Model Of Senescence In Neural Stem Cells, Sandeep Sreerama

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aging of the brain is the leading risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancers and has deleterious effects on brain functions. It follows that attempts to reverse the aging process may be therapeutically valuable. Neural stem cells (NSC) have been shown to play a critical role in maintaining brain functions, and their number is severely decreased with age. The development of senescence-like characteristics and declining functions in NSCs have been proposed to be responsible for brain aging and tumorigenesis. MS-818 is a pyrrolopyrimidine that has been shown to increase the NSC population and reverse the decline of behavioral function …

Physicians And Their Patience: Redefining Healthcare Relationships Through Readability Optimization, Rachel V. Ball

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The present study takes legibility research and extends it to the medical setting. Internal Medicine Physicians from UCF developed six passages of medical text detailing a History of Present Illness (HPI) Report from an emergency department as well as comprehension questions for the purpose of our study. In our study, we first presented non-medical passages and comprehension questions in six common fonts to identify participants' individual fastest and slowest fonts. We then gave participants medical passages in both their best and worst fonts while measuring reading speed and comprehension. This study was delivered to a population of Amazon Mechanical Turk …

Developing A Targeted Ultrasound-Responsive Nanobubble-Based Gene Delivery System For Osteoporosis Treatment, Angela Shar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The overall goal of this project was to develop, optimize, and test an ultrasound-responsive targeted nanobubble for delivering osteoporosis-related silencing genes such as Cathepsin K small interfering RNA (CTSK siRNA) for osteoporosis treatment. The nanobubbles were synthesized using an in situ sonochemical method. The nanobubble (NB) is composed of a gas core made from perfluorocarbon, stabilized with albumin, encapsulated with CTSK siRNA, and embedded with alendronate (AL) for bone targeting (CTSK siRNA-NB-AL). Following its development, the responsiveness of CTSK siRNA-NB-AL to a therapeutic ultrasound probe was examined. The results of biocompatibility tests with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells proved …

Electromyographic And Mechanomyogrpahic Signal Changes With Fatigue In Adults, Rehana Koilpillai

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Surface electromyography (sEMG) and mechanomyography (MMG) are well-studied signals that can reveal information about the physiological behavior of muscles during contraction. The purpose of this study was to quantify, characterize, and analyze the electrical and mechanical muscle responses to submaximal, isometric contractions in the rectus femoris in adults. Previous studies have investigated the use of EMG to monitor muscle fatigue. However, more information appears to be needed about the use of MMG to measure muscle fatigue during submaximal isometric contraction in the rectus femoris. In this study, the utility of MMG as a measure of muscle fatigue or muscle state …

Modeling And Analysis Of Covid-19 And Dynamical Systems In Biology And Physics, Vladimir Grbic

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In this paper, we study various examples of dynamical systems found in nature and extract the necessary concepts to build upon. Then, we develop and propose a new deterministic model for COVID-19 propagation. Our model should serve two purposes. First, we will approximate the infected and deceased individuals after a given time during the pandemic. Then, using a linearized subsystem describing infectious compartments about the disease- free equilibrium (DFE), we will determine the basic reproductive number (R0) by the next-generation matrix method.

Heart Rate Variability In Adults During 24-Hours With A Focus On Sleep Period, Ankur Ravikanth

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The objective of this study is to investigate heart rate variability (HRV) over a period of 24 hours with special focus on patterns during the sleep period. Comparisons were made between sleep and the full 24-hour data. The Polar M430 watch was used to record heart rate (HR) data for about 24 hours, and the subject kept a journal of the activities they performed throughout the day. The data was visualized as heart rate in beats per minute (BPM) as a function of time. To check the accuracy of the Polar watch, a 7-minute recording of HR from the watch …

Targeting T Cell Glycolysis To Mitigate Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Kevin Ezhakunnel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Hematological cancers account for nearly ten percent of cancer cases diagnosed annually in the United States. Patients who fail to respond to chemotherapy or radiotherapy must often undergo a bone marrow transplant to treat their malignancy. A significant complication following this procedure is Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD), which occurs when donor T cells mount an immune response against recipient tissues. Immunological research has highlighted the role of aberrant T cell metabolism, specifically a shift toward aerobic glycolysis, as a key driver behind the occurrence of this condition. The transcription factor FoxK1 has been revealed to be a key regulator …

3d Mri Investigations Of The Musculus Uvulae In Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Riley Cashon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q) is the most common genetic cause for velopharyngeal dysfunction. Several velopharyngeal muscles in children with 22q have been shown to be hypoplastic, but no studies to date have examined the musculus uvulae in children with 22q. This study aimed to investigate the presence and characteristics of the musculus uvulae in children with 22q using3D modeling software MRI scans of 13 children (8 with 22q and 5 control participants) were used to measure the musculus uvulae using Amira 6 visualization modeling software. The muscle was segmented by selecting voxels displaying the musculus uvulae on successive oblique coronal …

Neuroglobin And Its Role In The Recovery Of Neuronal Cells In Hypoxic Conditions Using Hypoxia Inducible Factor– 1, Riya Shah

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Stroke is the world's leading cause of adult disability, caused by lack of oxygen and nutrients to the brain due to a blood clot in a major artery. This leads to ischemic damage of neuronal cells that leads to paralysis, motor, and speech deficits. While most stroke therapies aim at removing or reducing the blood clots in the brain, few treatments target cell damage. Neuroglobin (NGB) is a protein in the brain that is able to aid in neuroprotection following oxidative stress. Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that serves as a marker for cell recovery after hypoxia or …

The Impact Of Immersive Virtual Reality On Procedural Pain In Children And Adolescents, Abigail J. Dannels

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Children commonly undergo uncomfortable and often times painful procedures, including those that may not be perceived as painful to adults (Çelikol, Büyük, & Yıldızlar, 2019). It is important to note when a child's pain is poorly managed, it causes adverse effects related to their well-being and reduces their ability to cope effectively with pain in the future (Gates et al., 2020). Virtual reality (VR) has been used in a multimodal approached to manage acute pain in adults, but there is little research related to its use in treating procedural pain in children and adolescents. This thesis reviewed the published research …

Racial Disparities Among Black Women In Maternal Health: A Literature Review, Tatiyana Rich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

African American women are at a higher risk of experiencing maternal health complications than women of other races. Determining the factors that contribute to the severity of their maternal health complications can help bring awareness and exposure to the disparities among black women in maternal health. The purpose of this study was to explore the various elements that contribute to the high pregnancy mortality ratio and infant mortality ratio in black women and black infants. The secondary purpose was to determine the relationship between stereotypes about African American women as healthcare consumers and the disproportionate percentage of black women experiencing …

Using Physical Exercise Interventions To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In People With Lung Cancer, Jordan E. Dubocq

Honors Undergraduate Theses

People with lung cancer are at a high risk of developing anxiety and depression during cancer treatments. Previous research has shown physical activity to be effective in improving psychological symptoms in people with cancer, however, the majority of studies have focused on female breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this literature review was to determine if physical activity interventions can effectively and feasibly reduce anxiety and depression in people with lung cancer who are undergoing treatment. A database search was conducted in CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus. The search resulted in 265 articles and 9 were selected for …

Using Dialogic Reading To Facilitate Intergenerational Interactions In Persons With Aphasia: A Feasibility Study, Gillian I. Anderson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching dialogic reading (DR) strategies to patients with aphasia (PWA) as measured by DR strategy use during virtual training sessions. The secondary purpose was to improve psychosocial factors, including communicative participation, perceived stress, and confidence. A single subject multiple baseline across behaviors research design was employed via a telehealth model to examine a training program in DR strategies on expressive linguistic abilities and aspects of quality of life (QoL) in a PWA. Treatment was given four to five times a week and the session length varied based on the …

The Effect Of Microdosing Classical Psychedelics On Cognitive Performance, Michael Harris

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Public interest and scientific inquiry are currently bringing psychedelic research back into the spotlight after a decades-long respite from clinical human trials. A majority of the research during this recent renaissance has surrounded applications of psychedelics in the fields of mental health. Less attention is being focused to other research areas where psychedelics may also prove informative, such as cognition and information processing. A common trend taking place is the act of administering very small doses of psychedelics as a potential cognitive enhancer, called microdosing. With less research being focused on these areas however, it is not well documented whether …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine (Cam) For Individuals With Epilepsy, April Detrick

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Individuals with epilepsy manage the clinical manifestations of the condition, primarily seizure-related activity, with daily use of pharmacologic agents, making it one of the most common neurological conditions treated with drug therapy for symptom management. Pharmacologic agents for epilepsy, also known as anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), are commonly prescribed to treat seizures and neurologic conditions associated with epilepsy but can lead to a reduced quality of life and many unwanted side effects. Complementary and alternative treatments can also provide relief from seizures associated with epilepsy. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate the effectiveness of complementary and alternative treatments …

Sequence-Independent Assay For Hiv Viral Load Quantitation, Omar El Merhebi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Although nucleic acid tests (NATs) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) exhibit many advantages, such as early detection and viral load quantification, over immunological assays, their widespread use is limited by their demand for high-level infrastructure, sophisticated equipment, and advanced staff competence. Furthermore, when quantifying viral loads of patients, it has been reported that these assays can underestimate viral quantities by 22- to 100-fold due to primer-template mismatches in more divergent HIV subtypes. Therefore, we have developed a cost-effective and sequence-independent assay for the detection and quantification of HIV utilizing a modified nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) protocol coupled to an …

Concomitant Guillain-Barre Syndrome With Covid-19, Skylar A. Morongell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The current Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, caused by a virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global health emergency. Recent findings in case studies assert that the transmigration of SARS-CoV-2 to the nervous system implicates severe neurotropic pathologies, including the onset of the rare autoimmune disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). GBS is recognized as several disorders characterized by immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy, which is typically preceded by an infection or other immune stimulation. The symptoms of GBS initially present as acute symmetrical ascending paresthesia, weakness, and paralysis.

This meta-analysis serves to help understand the predisposing factors (such …

Home Healthcare Embodied Agents: Priorities And Opportunities, Faith Sauber

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Prevention is a central tenet of modern healthcare. New ways of informing, educating, and allowing patients to keep track of their health are continually developing. Integrating technology that bridges the gap between healthcare providers and their patients is essential in today's digital age. One emerging idea is the use of home healthcare embodied agents. Embodied agents are conservational interfaces that can interact and look like human beings. They can exhibit both verbal and non-verbal language cues and be capable of having a natural conversation. This kind of technology could help both patients and healthcare providers by giving patients a helpful …

The Demographic, Behavioral, And Clinical Factors Associated With The Quality Of Life Of Cancer Survivors, Odette Chirinos

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The objective of this thesis is to assess the prevalence of low quality of life in adult cancer survivors and predictors for these low scores, separately for physical and mental quality of life. Possible predictors can include sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors. The data source for this thesis is the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2012. The sample population included 1244 cancer survivors 20 years or older that answered “yes” to the question “have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that had cancer or malignancy of any kind?” Mental and physical health scores …

Using A Lubricin Reporter Cell To Test Current Vs. Optimized Media Compositions, Sean M. Kennedy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Osteoarthritis is a joint disease characterized by the breakdown of articular cartilage. The field of tissue engineering is interested in developing methods to produce biological alternatives to current orthopedic procedures. Lubricin is a molecule which is important in the proper lubrication of articular cartilage. It is a challenge in the field of tissue engineering to produce cartilage with sufficient lubricin expression. Developing a reporter cell for lubricin allowed for a more efficient investigation of the conditions wh­­­ich may influence its expression. By comparing "optimized" and traditional media solutions, it was determined that the use of a previously reported type II …

The Benefits Of Creative Art Therapy For Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review Of The Literature, Jazlyn Marie Akridge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically diagnosed during childhood. The primary symptoms of ASD include language impairments and deficits in social skills, which can negatively affect the overall quality of life. Traditional treatment for ASD includes medication, applied behavior analysis, physical therapy, and occupational therapy; however, these treatments may have unwanted side effects and fail to address the psychosocial challenges that may result from ASD symptoms. There has been increasing interest in alternative forms of therapy, such as creative art therapies; however, the types of creative art that have been used during therapy and their benefits are …

The Readability Of Cochlear Implant Brochures: A Potential Factor In Parent Choice, Jennifer Dannemarie La Scala

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The early diagnosis of hearing loss can be a life-changing event for families. Parents are required to make several prompt decisions where they might be overwhelmed with all the information being shared with them. Patient education materials (PEMs) are often provided by clinical health professionals – yet these materials are often written above the average reading level of adults in the United States, thus presenting an additional challenge to many parents.

The purpose of this study was to examine the ease of reading cochlear implant (CI) brochures that are provided to parents who are making informed decisions about the management …