Digital Commons Network^™

Comparing The Effects Of Tredmill Desks And Cycling Desks On Cognitive Performance, Nicholas Randall, Michael Larson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Sedentary lifestyle and obesity are growing concerns that are responsible for at least 300,000 premature deaths and $90 billion spent on health care per year in the United States (Manson et al., 2004). Many jobs today contribute to a sedentary lifestyle by requiring prolonged periods of sitting. Recent studies show that breaks in sedentary time results in less metabolic risk and a smaller waistline (Healy et al., 2011). Treadmill desks (desks that enable individuals to walk at a slow speed while working) along with cycling desks (workstations where individuals can cycle at a slow speed while working) have been shown …

Oxytocin And Infant Development: A Study Of The Genetic Underpinnings Behind Social Behavior In Rhesus Macaques, Spencer Waters, James Dee Higley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is widely accepted that the neuropeptide oxytocin helps mediate pro-social behavior and bonding between humans as well as other primates. Current genetic research has shown a link between variants in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and measures of social skills in humans. Demonstrating a link between oxytocin genotype and sociality, implies biological underpinnings for social bonding and affiliation in both human and nonhuman primates, suggesting that neurophysiological mechanisms may function to modulate a wide variety of social behaviors.

Effects Of Relationship Quality On Daily Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Kyle Eversole, Wendy Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Positive spousal support and relationships that are high in positivity are beneficial in terms of health-outcomes, including lower clinical and ambulatory blood pressure, an indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. Such positive relationships have been associated with lower mortality and morbidity. Conversely, relationships with more negative social interactions have been shown to cause high stress. This stress can cause both psychological and physiological problems, including higher resting and ambulatory blood pressure. In fact, some studies suggest that remaining single is more beneficial than a negative marriage or relationship. However, most marriages are not strictly positive or strictly negative, but rather, a …

Le Mauvais Curé: Priests And Parishioners In Eighteenth-Century France, Justine Carr, Karen Carter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In France during the 18th century, parish priests had a very particular relationship with their parishioners. While the parishioners were dependent on the priest to receive the different Catholic sacraments, the priests, usually underpaid, depended on the parishioners to provide them with food and money. In the small town of Mareuil-sur-Ay, Champagne-Ardenne, France, in the mid-eighteenth century, the parishioners were not pleased when their beloved priest Antoine Corbier died and was replaced by Nicolas-Hyacinthe Vernier. While the parishioners had been very satisfied with Corbier’s work, they soon became quite unsatisfied, shocked, and even angry at Vernier’s attitude, lifestyle, and his …

Assessing Diagnostic Capacity Of Event-Related Potentials In Mild Alzheimer’S Disease, Jack Silcox, Bruce Brown

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that always results in death. Unfortunately, the death that eventually comes is preceded by vicious symptoms. A patient with the disease slowly begins to lose memory and other cognitive abilities, robbing a person of their mind and life.

Alzheimer’s disease is becoming a major public health problem (Blennow, de Leon, & Zetterberg, 2006). In 2006, it was estimated that about one quarter of people of above the age of 85 years suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (Ferri, Prince, Brayne, Brodaty, Fratiglioni, Ganguli,… Scazufca). Because of how destructive this disease is to individuals, families and …

Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kit Intiative, Holden Brimhall, Dr. Julie Valentine

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Sexual assault is a serious public health concern that has extremely long-term mental and physical health implications for victims. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) estimates that 1 in 71 men and 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime. The key for getting these men and women the justice and closure they need is often found in their Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs), which collect physical evidence from the sexual assault survivor for the state crime laboratory to analyze. Unfortunately, only 20% of SAKs are ever submitted to the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services state …

Women’S Autonomy And The Effect On Family Planning In Nepal, Margo Anderson (Taylor), Scott Sanders, Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2010, maternal death rates globally reached as high as 210 per 100,000 (United Nations, 2013) and resulted in part from a lack of maternal health services. Maternal health services like family planning play a critical role in improving women’s reproductive health in developing countries (Bhatia and Cleland, 1995). Today there are an estimated 225 million women in developing countries that would choose to delay or stop childbearing but are not using any method of contraception (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Linked to low contraceptive use, women in these regions also have low levels of autonomy. These male-dominated regions place …

Change For Women, Change The World, Kiana Stewart, Dr. Daryl Lee

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My project goal was to translate from French to English significant chapters of a study on gender-based violence (GBV) in Senegal documented by Dr. Fatou Diop Sall. Dr Sall is the head coordinator of GESTES, a Senegalese research group focused on gender equality. A previous group of BYU students and ORCA recipients translated sections of the document that focused on domestic violence, and published the translation with the WomanStats Project, which is the largest statistical database regarding the status of women in the world (Hudson, 2015). The chapters I translated deal with GBV in different spheres, specifically educational spaces (schools, …

Differential Number Of Days Lived Among Utah Centenarians, Haley Bronson, Jeremy Yorgason

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a result of the nearly 77 million people born during the Baby Boom, older adults are the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States¹. Centenarians, those who live to be 100 years of age or older, are a burgeoning subgroup of the older adult population. They surpass the current life expectancy by 20 to 25 years. There is increasing interest regarding the antecedents to “ageing well” and the factors that hinder it. Insecure attachment and loneliness have been found to be related to lower well-being in older adults², as well as functional …

Effects Of Tetrabenazine On Basal Methamphetamine, Taylor Tribett, Scott Steffensen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is easy to see how much METH hurts the lives of its users and leads to high costs for society. Methamphetamine abuse is linked to higher healthcare costs, child abuse, and higher rates of theft and incarceration (Dobkin & Nicosia, 2009). Additionally, prescriptions for amphetamines (which are theorized to work by the same mechanisms) almost doubled in the United States between 2006 and 2011 (Sembower, Ertischek, Buchholtz, Dasgupta, & Schnoll, 2013). As the presence of these drugs becomes more widespread, the number of those at risk for abuse and addiction increases as well. In order to develop pharmacological treatments …

Marital Homogamy, Maternal Empowerment, And Child Health In Ghana, Meagan Rainock, Renata Forste

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Current research shows that marital homogamy, where spouses are similar in attributes, increases gender equality in marriage. Greater age and education homogamy within marriage is associated with greater gender equality between husbands and wives (Pyke & Adams). When women have equal status and are more empowered in the home, they are more able to invest in the health and development of their children. As women control earnings or home finances, funds are allocated for the health and nutrition of their children, rather than alcohol and status consumer goods (Hoddinott & Haddad, 1995). This is crucial as the nutrition and health …

The Impact Of Ambivalent Relationship Quality On Married Couples’ Health, Spencer J. Nielson, Wendy Birmingham

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Marriage has been positively associated with better physiological health outcomes, although the specific pathways by which this occurs remains somewhat elusive. Additionally, the quality of marriage appears to influence the health benefits derived from marriage. Marital partners, like other social relations, can be sources of support and understanding but can also be sources of criticism, conflict, and jealousy. Research has shown varying degrees of both positivity and negativity co-occurring within close relationships (i.e., ambivalence) and may provide a more accurate representation of marital processes. Cardiovascular outcomes and marital quality have been linked (think “fight or flight”), and one physiological pathway …

Byu Stamp Scavenger Hunt, Mandy Elsmore, Gary Barton

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project was to provide an informative and unifying activity for BYU students through an art installation and exhibition. It was inspired by Japanese Eki (Train) Station stamps, which promotes tourism throughout all of Japan, to popular and unknown areas, due to people interest in collecting ink stamps placed at each station. I thought creating a stamp scavenger hunt throughout BYU campus would help students to get to know campus better and the different departments within them. Speaking from my own personal experience, it was not until this project that I really got to know BYU campus. …

Transcendent Matters: Family Relationships Associated With How One Experiences God, Hilary Dalton

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

For religious families, an important but understudied aspect of spirituality is

how their perceptions of God influence their family lives. Most research

addresses religious behaviors such as attendance, prayer, or degree of salience

(how important/central is religion) or degree of literal belief (e.g., biblical

inerrancy). Relatively little research has addressed both substantive beliefs about

God as well as their potential impact on specific relational processes. Mahoney

has called for more research on the influence of substantive, specific beliefs as a

way to further our understanding of the religion-relationships linkage (Mahoney,

2013). Specifically, she has used the concept of relational spirituality …

Best Practice For Prevention Of Vaccination Common Problems With Antipyretic/Analgesic Medications, Lacey M. Eden, Meridith G. Lind, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Nurse practitioners are on the front lines providing parental education regarding vaccines. Some reasons for vaccine hesitancy include the potential common mild problems of vaccine administration, such as pain and/or elevated temperature. According to research, prophylactic administration of an antipyretic/analgesic medication, such as acetaminophen, reduces common mild problems related to vaccines when administered before or at the time of vaccination. Additionally, the evidence that prophylactic administration of antipyretic/analgesic medication decreases antibody response to vaccinations is insufficient at this time. However, this research has led to some confusion on best practice guidelines. This review of the literature resulted in recommendations that …

Identifying United States And Territory Education Requirements For Childhood Vaccination Exemptions, Lacey M. Eden, Emily G. Dunn, Karlen E. Luthy, Katelyn Wells, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Renea Beckstrand

Faculty Publications

Background: : Children are required by law to receive vaccinations to enter school. States and territories offer exemptions for parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. Types of exemptions vary by state or territory, as does the exemption filing process. The purpose of this research was to identify the various education-related processes implemented by states and territories which allow parents to exempt children from vaccinations.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to immunization program managers in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, the United States Indian Health Service, and eight United States territories. Managers reported vaccination requirements for their jurisdiction …

Subjective Reactions To International Research Participation: An Illustration Of Ethical Considerations With Women Heading Households In Sri Lanka, Jessica E. Lambert, Alyssa Banford Witting, Lakmal Ponnamperuma, Thulitha Wickrama

Faculty Publications

There are unique ethical considerations in conducting international research with war and disaster-affected populations that are important for ensuring adequate protection of participants. Of particular importance is the distress that participants may experience as a result of being asked about traumatic stressors, psychological symptoms, and life problems. In this study, trauma-affected Tamil women in Eastern Sri Lanka were asked to report on their research-participation experience after taking part in a larger study on risk and resiliency. Results indicated that most participants experienced emotional upset as a result of taking part in the study. However, the degree of distress was generally …

Role Of The Endocannabinoid System And Medical Cannabis, Sabrina Jarvis, Sean Rassmussen, Blaine A. Winters

Faculty Publications

Our bodies produce complex substrates called endocannabinoids, which attach to the endocannabinoid system (ECS) receptors and impact many physiologic processes. Current research on the ECS and cannabis-based medications is accelerating in the presence of continued conflict between federal and state laws. In this article we present a summary of the latest information on the ECS, its receptors, and current research on the cannabis-based medicines and their potential to treat various disease pathologies and medical conditions. Our study includes the latest information on the continued legal ramifications nurse practitioners face in treating patients with these medications.

Characterizing Great Salt Lake Dust Relative Other Regional Dust Sources, Colin Hale, Carling Greg

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Dust storms occur frequently along the Wasatch Front. These dust events may have negative effects on human health and agriculture. To help understand dust events along the Wasatch Front, this study focuses on analyzing dust deposition to better locate dust emission sources. Understanding the source of dust events is important. This is important because Great Salt Lake water levels are dropping exposing lakebed. This newly expose lakebed may result in increased frequency and intensity of dust events. To understand if this lakebed is affecting the Wasatch Front and acting as an emission source.

The Peanut Allergic Patient: Diagnosis, Treatment, And Prevention, Daniel W. Hill, Jane H. Lassetter, Craig Nuttall

Faculty Publications

The prevalence of peanut allergies (PAs) continues to rise through recent decades, despite the best attempts to reverse that trend. PAs are unpredictable and can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is imperative that nurse practitioners (NPs) are fully aware of the most recent guidelines and evidence regarding diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of PAs. This article presents information on the current research in the diagnosis and treatment of PAs as well as the latest guidelines established to prevent PA development. NPs should understand this information, allowing them to provide the best care possible for their patients.

Cebp/Α Increases Functional Β-Cell Mass, Jason Ray, Jeffery Tessem

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are major global health concerns. Diabetes is characterized by impaired management of glucose in the bloodstream, which is due to decreased pancreatic functional β-cell mass. Functional β-cell mass is determined from the insulin secretion rate and the number of β-cells, which is determined from cellular proliferation and death rates. Increasing functional β-cell mass could cure diabetes either by enhancing pancreatic islets prior to transplantation, or by strengthening endogenous cells. Although β-cells stop proliferating around adolescence, β-cell proliferation resumes during conditions such as pregnancy and obesity (1), demonstrating that the molecular pathways necessary for replication …

Critical Care Nurses’ Stories Of Eol Care Obstacles, Robin Grigg, Beckstrand Renea

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to discover critical care nurses’ perspectives of obstacles in providing end-of-life (EOL) care to patients. Because 20% of Americans die in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (CDC, 2011), EOL care is a vital component of critical care nursing. Therefore, discerning and overcoming obstacles to EOL care is necessary in order for critical care nurses to provide quality EOL care. Additionally, The National Institute of Nursing Research’s strategic plan lists five areas of focus, the third being EOL care, emphasizing the need for EOL care research (NINR, 2014).

Get Moving: Motivating Sedentary Young Adults, Rebecca Edmunds, Neil Peterson

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Obesity and sedentary behavior are increasing in the United States and the world. On the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website recent statistics put over one third of the American adult population as obese and over half as overweight (2015). This epidemic has contributed to a drastic increase in disease and cost. Obesity and the accompanying diseases are not only expensive to treat but also decrease quality of life. Prevention is essential. Many companies are working to find devices that help motivate people and encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. This research project focused specifically on the …

Immunization Rates Of Nicu Infants, Emily Gardner, Janelle Macintosh

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The goal of this project was to determine the vaccination rates of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of various hospitals throughout the Wasatch Front in Utah. We collected data related to possible reasons why infants may not receive their immunizations during their stay at the facility. Many are uninformed of the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) which states that that preterm and low birth weight babies should receive all immunizations at the same chronological age as full term infants. Yet, many pre term infants fail to be immunized. Preterm infants are at an increased …

Meaning Of Childbirth For Hmong Women In Vietnam, Jamie Gettys, Cheryl Corbett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The basis of this research project comes from data collected on a BYU Anthropology field school in Vietnam during the summer of 2015. The data consisted of eight in-depth interviews with Hmong women who had given birth within the last eighteen months. The focus of the interviews was on their experience giving birth and what that experience meant to them. The purpose of this research is to educate healthcare providers on the perceptions of the Hmong women interviewed so as to better accommodate to their preferences.

The Healer’S Art Learning History, Lisa Cowan-Echols, Bret Lyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A primary purpose of this study was to discover new insights related to organizational learning in a college of nursing that may guide nursing faculty and administrators as they strive to improve outcomes in their own colleges.

Organizational learning is highly context-dependent process through which organizations progress toward achieving their desired outcomes. For a college of nursing, desired outcomes may relate to student achievement, faculty productivity, leadership in the profession, etc. Although organizational learning has been studied in a variety of business and industrial settings, it has not been studied in colleges of nursing. Understanding organizational learning in colleges of …

Electronic Health Records And Patient Safeety: Nurse Practitioners’ Experiences In Clinical Practice, Lindsay Dixon, Karen Whitt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this project was to evaluate practicing nurse practitioners’ experiences and satisfaction with electronic health records (EHRs). In response to health policy initiatives and incentives, many healthcare organizations in the U.S. have recently implemented EHRs in clinical practice. Despite expectations that EHRs can improve patient safety, there is evidence that EHRs have the potential to contribute to adverse patient events and medical errors. Therefore, an urgent need to improve the safety of EHRs has been recognized. In June 2015, a study was conducted by Dr. Karen Whitt that invited nurse practitioners to share their experiences and satisfaction with …

Effects Of Poverty Simulation: Perceptions Of Medical Sociology Students, Mike Mcneil, Gaye Ray, Rn, Ms, Fnp-C

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Poverty affects 46.7 million people in the United States. The U.S. Census data show that poverty rates have increased 2.3% from 2007 to 2014 (DeNevas-Walt and Proctor, 2015). It is shown that poverty has become a major social determinant of health. Beckles (2011) states that the socioeconomic circumstances of individuals and the places where they live and work strongly influence their health. In the United States, the risk for mortality, morbidity, unhealthy behaviors, reduced access to healthcare, and poor quality of care increases with decreasing socioeconomic circumstances. Evidence indicates that students benefit remarkably from classroom and clinical learning experience in …

Predicting New Graduate Rn Success Through Pre-Hire Simulation, Brooke Holman, Katreena Merrill, Rn, Phd

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Decisions about which new nursing graduate to hire can be difficult. Pre-employment testing and assessments have shown to aid in this process. Pre-employment testing, including both medical tests (drug screening) and psychosocial testing (simulations), are well known in both the health care field and other industries. Simulation is often used in healthcare for employees to teach and assess critical thinking. With the implementation of simulation in healthcare, however, little information is available related to how simulation can help us in the pre-employment process, especially when deciding which new nursing graduate to hire. The purpose of this paper is to discuss …

Understanding Performance Improvement In A Post-Surgery Unit, Lindsey Shaw, Bret Lyman

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to discover how a health system, specifically a hospital unit, learned to improve patient and hospital outcomes. This study builds upon previous research in which the Learning History research method was used to discover and describe the pathway by which a critical care unit learned to achieve and sustain excellent outcomes. The previous study focused on hospital unit situated in a regional medical center that was part of a large, not-for-profit health system. That hospital unit’s history of learning improvement extended over 10 years, and included several distinct developmental eras, progressing from creating staff …