Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

How Can Consuming A Plant-Based Diet Reduce The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease In Postmenopausal Women?, Rebecca Stack

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Despite the fact that women suffer higher rates of cardiovascular events after menopause, there exists a significant underrepresentation of women—especially postmenopausal women—in cardiovascular clinical trials to date. Fortunately, current evidence reveals that cardiovascular events in the general population are largely preventable through modifiable lifestyle factors, with dietary intervention being one of the most important (Amiri et al., 2022). As the impact of whole-diet interventions on cardiovascular risk factors is further explored, it has been determined that a plant-based dietary pattern may favorably influence the prevention of cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women (Barańska et al., 2021). Evidence also reveals that certain …

Exploring Inmate Health In Prisons: Health Issues, Interventions, And Suggestions To Improve Care, Jenna Healy

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The United States has the highest number of prisoners per capita at 639 people per 100,0008. There has been a fivefold increase in the number of inmates in the United States prison systems since 197044, and this may be a major contributor to the corrections healthcare system having trouble keeping up with this growth compared to the general population of the United States. According to the World Health Organization, the United States has documented higher mortality rates than many other developed countries. Rates of conditions such as cardiovascular disease have decreased everywhere, but much less in the United States. In …

Challenges Of Transitioning Back To School From Hospitalization: The Role Of Child Life Specialists In Schools, Kelsey Bannen

Honors Program Theses and Projects

When students return to school after hospitalization, many aspects of their development are impacted. During the transition back to school after hospitalization students often face social, emotional, and academic challenges. Child life specialists typically work in hospital settings to support the social-emotional well-being of pediatric patients. Child life specialists are highly equipped to support students returning to school after hospitalization and would be a valuable asset to all school systems. Research for this study was conducted through literature reviews, an interview with a child life specialist who is currently working within a school, and surveys of school nurses and child …

Nutritional Cooking Program With Girls Inc., Taunton, Ma, Chantel Almanzar

Honors Program Theses and Projects

As a member of the Institutional Review Board-approved research team comprised of Dr. Maura Rosenthal, Dr. Angela Bailey, and Christina Elderbee, I led a six-week community-based health program that included cooking lessons for girls aged 10 to 13. I taught girls how to prepare healthful foods that they may cook with their family and friends at home. The larger project, Building Equity Through Collaboration with Girl's Inc., aims to study the outcomes of girls’ participation in after school and summer camp programs in 2021 and 2022. One part of this research, which intends to learn more about girls' current and …

Time Series Forecasting Of Covid-19 Deaths In Massachusetts, Andrew Disher

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The aim of this study was to use data provided by the Department of Public Health in the state of Massachusetts on its online dashboard to produce a time series model to accurately forecast the number of new confirmed deaths that have resulted from the spread of CoViD-19. Multiple different time series models were created, which can be classified as either an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model or a Regression Model with ARIMA Errors. Two ARIMA models were created to provide a baseline forecasting performance for comparison with the Regression Model with ARIMA Errors, which used the number of …

Mathematical Models Of Covid-19, Kate Faria

Honors Program Theses and Projects

For more than a year, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a major public health issue, affecting the lives of most people around the world. With both people’s health and the economy at great risks, governments rushed to control the spread of the virus. Containment measures were heavily enforced worldwide until a vaccine was developed and distributed. Although researchers today know more about the characteristics of the virus, a lot of work still needs to be done in order to completely remove the disease from the population. However, this is true for most of the infectious diseases in existence, including Influenza, …

Guide To The Ann O. Coakley Collection, Bulk 1951-2015, Orson Kingsley

Archives & Special Collections Finding Aids

Ann Oldham Coakley was born in Norwood, MA in 1926. She graduated from Norwood High School in 1944, Boston University’s Sargent College in 1948, and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro in 1955. While a student at Sargent College, Coakley played lacrosse, tennis, field hockey, and softball. In 1951 she was named to the United States lacrosse touring team and spent 10 weeks traveling through Great Britain and Ireland while playing other national and regional teams.

In 1959 Coakley took a position at Bridgewater State teaching physical education. She began the woman’s lacrosse program at Bridgewater in 1960, serving as …

Mental Health In College Students: Disclosure & Seeking Support, Abby R. Smargon

Honors Program Theses and Projects

A study was conducted through Bridgewater State University in order to better understand the mental health and help seeking behaviors of college students. The data collected served to provide information regarding what specific types of mental health difficulties are reported by college students.

Quantifying Anticancer Drug Doxorubicin Binding To Dna Using Optical Tweezers, Zachary Ells

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Doxorubicin is a successful anticancer drug approved for use in the 1970s and is considered to be one of the most effective cancer treatment methods today. Although Doxorubicin has positive survival statistics it has very negative side effects in many cases. Bleeding from the soles of the palms and feet, along with excruciating pain is often exhibited through the administration of this drug. Based on the preliminary findings utilizing optical tweezers we anticipate that this study will provide critical information about the drug binding mechanism. Single molecule biophysics techniques have provided useful insight into the DNA-binding mechanisms of small molecules. …

Revision Of Introductory Chemistry Lab Curriculum To Incorporate Inquiry-Based Experiments To Enhance Student Learning, Christian Santos

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The Chemistry Department at BSU is restructuring its curriculum to integrate and scaffold research into the four-year curriculum as part of a CUR-NSF grant. The overall goal of this Honors Thesis was to contribute to the Introductory Chemistry laboratory (CHEM 141L) curriculum development by selecting experiments that move away from traditional “cookbook” laboratory experiments to inquiry-based labs to better engage students and maximize their learning. Three skills identified by chemistry faculty as essential for the restructured CHEM 141L are: preparation of solutions; use of standard curves in quantitative analysis; and graphical analysis of data using Excel. The specific goals of …

Disruption Of The Electron Transfer System Within The Protein 3-Ketosteroid-9Α-Hydroxylase (Kshab) Of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Olivia Esteireiro

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Uncovering the mode of electron transport within the 3-ketosteroid-9-hydroxylase, KshAB, enzyme complex from Mycobacterium tuberculosis will reveal previously unknown possibilities towards curing tuberculosis infections. The KshB protein was mutated at one possible site of electron transfer – an arginine at location 286 – to rupture its cooperation with the KshA complex to prevent the bacteria from gaining energy from the breakdown of steroids as a fuel source. The arginine was mutated to an aspartic acid and alanine to get varying chemical properties to replace the original amino acid. Experimentation included over-expressing the wildtype and mutant proteins in E. coli, …

Mental Illness Stigma’S Impact On Perceptions Of Intimate Partner Violence Victims: A Mock Juror Study, Madeline K. Butters

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread issue that disproportionately affects women with mental illness. Yet, there is a lack of research on the effects of mental illness stigma on legal perceptions of women with mental illness in IPV cases. The present study experimentally investigated mock jurors’ perceptions of IPV cases where the victim has a mental illness and examined the role stigmatization of mental illness played in these perceptions. MTurk participants (N = 191) first completed attitude questionnaires that measured their attitudes towards mental illness and their beliefs about domestic violence. In the second part of the study, participants …

A Theory Of Planned Behavior-Based Fruit And Vegetable Intervention For College Students, Danielle Clark

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a brief Theory of Planned Behavior- based nutrition intervention to address fruit and vegetable consumption in college students.

Design: Two in-person lessons utilizing activities based around TPB were implemented to a class of college students. A Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)-based pretest and posttest assessed constructs regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Fruit and vegetable intake was measured by a pre-and-post 3-day dietary record. Results gathered from all parts of this intervention were analyzed with paired t-tests in SPSS.

Setting: Bridgewater State University; Health Promotion Strategies Class

Participants: 16 Bridgewater State University Students, ages …

Kinetic And Kinematic Analysis Of Landing A Grand Jeté Between Barefoot And Pointe Shoe Footwear For Dominant And Non-Dominant Legs, Cara Giordani Daybré

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Dancers wear pointe shoes while performing a Grand Jeté because the shoes produce an illusion that dancers are floating. Since dancers are required to absorb a significant amount of force in a small area on the toes during landing, this then causes a high incidence of injury. The question of how to perform a Grand Jeté safely for both feet remains unaddressed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the vertical ground reaction force and lower body joint angular displacements in the skill of a Grand Jeté between barefoot and pointe shoes for both dominant and non-dominant legs. …

The Impact Of Physical Therapy On An Athletes Decision To Return To Sport, Juliette Zielinski

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Injury is a reality that many athletes face when performing sport. Throughout time an athlete can cause significant damage to their body. Injuries can range from torn tendons to spinal cord injuries. Some injuries simply require rest while other injuries require surgery. In either case, the application of physical therapy is often prescribed to assist an athlete to return to sport, and in most cases return stronger than before. Once an athlete receives physical therapy and is cleared to return to sport many choose not to return. This proposed research seeks to identify if physical therapy has an impact on …

Decibel Levels And Employee Perceptions Of Noise Levels In Child Care Facilities, Emily K. Pope

Honors Program Theses and Projects

This quantitative study investigated decibel levels and employee perceptions of the noise levels in four child care facilities. Using a sound level meter, the decibel levels of each facility were measured when the rooms were unoccupied and when they were unoccupied and, information about the acoustic environment was collected. Employees (n= 22) completed a survey rating noise levels during activities throughout the day and the potential implications of the noise levels on their voice and hearing. Results showed that the child care facilities adhered to OSHA standards for permissible noise in work environments (90dBA for 8 hours). The sound-level measurements …

Hippotherapy: An Alternative Treatment From The Perceptions Of Practitioners, Leah Tinkham

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Hippotherapy can be defined as a dynamic service offered by occupational, physical, and speech-language pathologists that utilizes a horse’s unique movement to achieve functional outcomes. While there are an abundance of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of hippotherapy, very few have examined the perceptions of the practitioners. The purposes of this thesis are to investigate hippotherapy’s effectiveness as well as to examine the beliefs and attitudes towards hippotherapy use among occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists. A literature review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of hippotherapy.

The study included a total of 15 occupational, physical, and speech-language therapists who …

Does A Voice Disorder Exist In Individuals With Cystic Fibrosis?, Jacquelyn Gadsby

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease of the exocrine gland (Gardner, 2007). The disease is characterized by thick secretion in organs (Lorenco, Costa and da Silva Filho, 2014). Chronic coughing can also be seen due to the thick secretions accumulating (Gardner, 2007). The transmembrane regulator gene is responsible for encoding an epithelial chloride channel (Lorenco, Costa and da Silva Filho, 2014).Thick viscous secretions through the respiratory tract and other organs, occur because the channel does not properly transport chloride and sodium to the epithelial membranes (Lorenco, Costa and da Silva Filho, 2014). The secretion in the respiratory system leads …

A Case For An Injury Prevention And Self-Care Program For Bridgewater State University’S Department Of Dance, Meghan Stanton

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Dancers are a unique kind of athlete, who blend athletic ability and artistic expression into their physical performance. Researchers are beginning to see the need for dancers to have access to rehabilitation and injury prevention programs like most collegiate sports athletes. This project researched and created a case for an injury prevention and self-care program to be implemented at Bridgewater State University. The research examined articles and books on different on-site dance medicine programs and the roles of athletic trainers with dancers, communicated with a current health care provider at Body Dynamics Inc., Jenna Calo, Boston University’s dance director, Micki …

A Call For Gender-Inclusive Global Health Strategies, Michael J. Rovito, Brandon Leonard, Ramon Llamas, James E. Leone, Walker Talton, Ana Fadich, Peter Baker

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

The WHO's "Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health 2016-2030" (GS-WCAH 2016-2030) is a comprehensive plan developed to improve the lives of women, children, and adolescents. Due to the success in the creation, ratification, and advocacy of the GS-WCAH 2016-2030, the clear health outcome disparities between males and females, and the general absence of male health from existing policies and sponsored programs, it is time now to develop a global strategy specifically drafted to improve the lives of men and boys. The following commentary provides three points for why a male-oriented program, like the GS-WCAH 2016-2030, should be created: …

The Examination Of Slo-Pitch Hitting Movement Coordination, Tong-Ching Tom Wu, Pierre Gervais, Pierre Baudin, Marcel Bouffard

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

This study developed an interdisciplinary approach by utilizing the principles of ecological task analysis and movement coordination from areas of motor leaning and biomechanics to examine the skill of slo-pitch softball hitting. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a task constraint, stride technique, and an environmental constraint, pitched ball location, on the participants’ movement patterns. Ten elite male softball players participated in the study and a two-way ANOVA of 2 locations of pitch (inside and outside) x 3 strides (open, parallel and closed) repeated measure study was conducted. The results showed that participants demonstrated different …

American Kettlebell Swing And The Risk Of Lumbar Spine Injury, Steve Oikarinen

Honors Program Theses and Projects

CrossFit is a fitness routine that utilizes the American kettlebell swing in their workouts. The Russian swing has been the traditional swing movement performed with the kettlebell swung to chest height, but with the American swing the kettlebell is propelled to an overhead position, which may increase the risk for a lumbar spine injury. However, research has yet to evaluate the American kettlebell swing mechanics and its influence on spinal injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of the lumbar spine from maximum hip extension to the overhead position of the American kettlebell swing with …

From 'D' To 'I': A Critique Of The Current United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation For Testicular Cancer Screening, Michael J. Rovito, Janna Manjelievskaia, James E. Leone, Michael J. Lutz, Ajay Nangia

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

In 2004, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) gave testicular cancer (TCa) screening a ‘D’ recommendation, discouraging the use of this preventive service. The USPSTF suggested that screening, inclusive of testicular self-examination (TSE) and clinician examination, does not reduce TCa mortality rates and that the high risk of false positives could serve as a detriment to patient quality of life. Others suggests that TCa screening is ineffective at detecting early-stage cases of TCa and readily highlights a lack of empirical evidence demonstrating said efficacy. These assertions, however, stand in stark contrast to the widely held support of TCa …

Examination Of Lower Limb Ambidextrous Execution Of The Snap Down Technique In Folk Style Wrestling, Nicholas Decastro

Honors Program Theses and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematic motions of the lower extremity in the snap down technique. Specifically, the study examined the kinematic differences between execution using the dominant and non-dominant side. Angular displacement, velocity and acceleration of the hip, knee and ankle joint was examined. It was hypothesized that a significant statistical difference would be observed in multiple variables between the dominant and non-dominant limb execution. Five male collegiate wrestlers were recruited for participation in the study. Inclusion into the study was on the basis that each participant was right side dominant and displayed proper foot …

The Examination Of Upper Limb Ambidexterity In Wrestling Snap Down Technique, Nicholas Decastro, Tong-Ching Tom Wu

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to bilaterally examine the kinematic motions of the upper extremity in the snap down technique. Six male collegiate wrestlers were recruited and performed a total of ten snaps, five from each side. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted in the upper extremity. The results showed no significant difference between right and left side in the angular displacement, velocity and acceleration. These findings indicated that upper limb ambidexterity was achieved by these college wrestlers in the study. From further video analysis, the study found some wrestlers appeared to use their shoulder and elbow as …

Kinematic Comparisons Between Forward And Backward Skating In Ice Hockey, Tong-Ching Tom Wu, David J. Pearsall, Pamela J. Russell, Yuko Imanaka

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of lower body and trunk between forward and backward skating. Seven male collegiate ice hockey players skated both forward and backward (C-cut) four times each. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted to examine the lower body extremity and trunk at the instants of weight acceptance and propulsion. No significant differences in the joint angles were found at the weight acceptance. At the propulsion, significant differences were found in the joint angles of hip, knee, ankle and trunk between forward and backward skating. Hence, these findings indicate the importance of …

Kinematic Analysis Of Hip And Knee Joints Between Barefoot And Shod Treadmill Running, Stephanie E. Lloyd

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Running shoes have recently been designed to mimic barefoot walking or running, and they are marketed with promises that runners will benefit from the effects of barefoot running. Studying gait analysis with particular running shoes is extremely important because the ankle and foot serve as the foundation of structural balance, support, and propulsion. In this study, the knee and hip joint motions will be addressed while wearing Vibram FiveFinger and Nike Free Run shoes, which are designed to imitate barefoot running while providing protection from the elements. The purpose of this current study was to investigate the movement kinematics in …

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Evaluation Of Dietary Supplements For Performance Nutrition, Jackie L. Buell, Rob Franks, Jack Ransone, Michael E. Powers, Kathleen M. Laquale, Amanda Carlson-Phillips

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

Objectives: To help athletic trainers promote a "food-first'" philosophy to support health and performance, understand federal and sport governing body rules and regulations regarding dietary supplements and banned substances, and become familiar with reliable resources for evaluating the safety, purity, and efficacy of dietary supplements.

Background: The dietary supplement industry is poorly regulated and takes in billions of dollars per year. Uneducated athletes need to gain a better understanding of the safety, eligibility, and efficacy concerns associated with choosing to take dietary supplements. The athletic trainer is a valuable athletic team member who can help in the educational …

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, Robert D. Kersey, Diane L. Elliot, Linn Goldberg, Gen Kanayama, James E. Leone, Mike Pavlovich, Harrison G. Pope

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

Objective: This manuscript summarizes the best available scholarly evidence related to anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) as a reference for health care professionals, including athletic trainers, educators, and interested others.

Background: Health care professionals associated with sports or exercise should understand and be prepared to educate others about AAS. These synthetic, testosteronebased derivatives are widely abused by athletes and nonathletes to gain athletic performance advantages, develop their physiques, and improve their body image. Although AAS can be ergogenic, their abuse may lead to numerous negative health effects.

Recommendations: Abusers of AAS often rely on questionable information sources. Sports medicine professionals can therefore …

Faith And Masculinity: A Discussion On Raising Awareness And Promoting Cancer Screening Among Latino Men, Michael J. Rovito, James E. Leone

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

Males may experience several barriers to seeking health care, including unfamiliarity with procedures (e.g. colonoscopy), stigma and fear of a given health issue, perceived breach of masculinity (machismo), and fear of feeling vulnerable. Evidence suggests church-based interventions are an effective way to strengthen the connection between promotional message content and participant conceptualization of the risks and benefits of health screenings. However, there is a lack of evidence demonstrating such effectiveness in men’s health, and there is even more of a dearth of research focusing on Latinos. This discussion presents trends from a series of 4 community-based seminars during the 2010-2011 …