Digital Commons Network^™

Video-Based Gait Analysis For Health Monitoring, Xinyi Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Human gait is essential for long-term health monitoring as it reflects physical and neurological aspects of a person's health status. In this thesis, we proposed a non-invasive video-based gait analysis system to detect abnormal gait, and record gait and postural parameters on a day-to-day basis. The system does not require subjects to wear any sensors or attach markers on their body, therefore it is convenient to use in daily life. It takes videos captured from a single camera as input. OpenPose is used to localize skeleton and joints in each frame. Angles of body parts form multivariate time series. Then …

A Study Of Covid-19 Mortality Under Varying Patient Frailty, Alison N. Sifuentes

Theses and Dissertations

Modeled the spread and mortality of COVID-19 throughout the city of Chicago. By incorporating group frailty into a classic SEIR infectious disease model, we were able to differentiate the population of Chicago by their response to COVID-19. Three age groups with different COVID-19-induced death rates were examined, and the model sought to showcase the multiplicative deviation of each age group death rate from the average disease-induced death rate. This adjustment for different death rates among age groups accounted for heterogeneity within the population, and sought to introduce a more accurate manner for modeling the spread of infectious diseases.

The Past, Present, And Future Of Ecological Climate Warming Experiments, Cori Johanna Speights

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting the net effect of climate change on communities requires understanding how increasing temperatures alter interactions between predators, herbivores, and plants. Over the last several decades, warming experiments have provided important information about how species and their interactions will respond to increasing temperatures. These studies typically examine climate warming by experimentally increasing temperature at a constant level (24 hours) or asynchronously during the daytime, relative to unwarmed control treatments. However, advances in climate models now project that increases in mean global temperatures have been disproportionately driven by increasing nighttime (minimum) temperatures rather than daytime (maximum) temperatures. The timing of warming …

Priviledge And Place: An Exploratory Study About Healthcare Bypass Behavior, Jorden Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Bypass, or utilizing healthcare outside of one’s community rather than local healthcare, can have serious consequences on rural healthcare availability, quality, and outcomes. Previous studies of the likelihood of healthcare bypass used various individual and community characteristics. This study includes measures for individuals and communities, as well as place-based characteristics. We introduce the social vulnerability of place index (SoVI)—a well-established measure in disaster literature—into healthcare studies to further explain the impact of place on healthcare selection behavior. Additionally, with the use of qualitative data, this study explains why people choose to bypass. By including each of these measures, this study …

Identifying And Characterizing Transgenic Lines That Drive Gene Expression In The Adult Fat Body Of The Drosophila Melanogaster, Michael Edward Meyerink

Theses and Dissertations

Adult Drosophila Melanogaster is a powerful model organism in genetic studies and has high tissue and gene homology to humans. Like humans, Drosophila tissues communicate in order to respond to physiological stimuli, such as diet, aging, and disease. The fat body, homologous to human adipocytes and hepatocytes, functions as both an endocrine and energy storage organ; and has been shown to play a critical role in many metabolic processes. The aim of this study is to characterize differences in fat body gene expression to ultimately identify if there are subpopulations of adipocytes with different functions related to fat body communication …

Relation Of Conscientiousness, Hostility, And Negative Affect To Blood Pressure Measured In An Unrestriced And In A Restriced Condition: Supplemental Analyses Of Data Generated From Hypertension Optimal Treatment (Hot Study)., Samantha Vazquez

Theses and Dissertations

he relationship between personality and blood pressure (BP) was examined under two conditions. Six hundred and sixty-six participants were selected from the original HOT study data set and asked to complete the Big Five Inventory, Cook Medley Hostility Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The two conditions were enrollment blood pressure, when the treatment of BP was unrestricted and qualifying blood pressure, when treatment of BP was restricted. Results revealed that conscientiousness had a strong relation to blood pressure in both conditions but had a stronger relation to blood pressure in the unrestricted condition. Hostility and negative affect …

An Evaluation Of The Advance Directives-Live Action Simulation Training (Ad-Last) Program, Alexandra Rosa Spinelli

Theses and Dissertations

Advance Care Planning (ACP) is a process that captures a patient’s wishes in the case of future circumstances in which they are unable to express them. Studies show that less than one third of the general population has completed some type of formal Advance Directive (AD). There are barriers to completing ADs, and these barriers operate on multiple levels, including, patient, provider and institutional. To improve providers’ capacity to help patients complete ACP, and overcome these barriers, a provider-focused intervention was conducted. The current study is an analysis of archival data collected from the Advance Directives-Live Action Simulation Training (AD-LAST) …

Extracellular Matrix Nanoparticles Effects On The Lung In Vivo, Brittaney E. Ritchie

Theses and Dissertations

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition that causes diffuse alveolar damage and a loss of the extracellular matrix (ECM). This leads to pulmonary edema and lung function deterioration. Our lab has created decellularized porcine lung, electrosprayed ECM nanoparticles that have been previously shown to have pro-regenerative capabilities in vitro.

In this study, the ECM nanoparticle effects on young murine lungs were tested in vivo. An ECM nanoparticle suspension, previously used for the in vitro studies, was aerosolized intratracheally into the lungs using a microsprayer. 24 hours later, the lung mechanics, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and histology …

Taking The Water, Alison Ho

Theses and Dissertations

“The baby boomer generation is about to transform into the largest elderly population in human history, changing how everyone lives, large and small. All of this will directly affect recreation and leisure professionals especially in leisure programming” (Sperezza & Banerjee, 2010, p. 197). In 2012, there were 43.1 million people in the United States that were aged 65+ and it is predicted that by 2050, that number will rise to 83.7 million (Ortman, Velkoff, Hogan, 2014). Baby boomers are more physically active than previous generations and many will now live 20% - 25% of their lives in active retirement. There …

Relationship Of Demographic Characteristics Of Occupational And Physical Therapists Towards Their Knowledge And Attitude On Person-Centered Care In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Sadashiv R. Aggarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The study aimed to assess the relationship of specific demographic characteristics of occupational (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) with their knowledge and attitudes towards principles of Person-Centered Care (PCC) in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The study further examined if knowledge and/or attitudinal differences exist between OTs and PTs towards PCC. The proposed descriptive study used the Person-Centered Care theory, which is a holistic (bio-psychosocial-spiritual) health care delivery approach. PCC delivers services that are respectful and individualized, allowing negotiation of care, and offering choice through a therapeutic relationship where persons receiving care are empowered to be involved in health decisions at …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of Focused Breathing For Management Of Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Susan K. Chandler

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Anxiety is recognized as a predominant nonmotor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) which greatly diminishes quality of life. Current treatment is largely pharmacologic and is recognized as rife with undesirable and unsafe side effects. Reviews commissioned by The Movement Disorder Society Task Force on Evidence-Based Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology revealed there was insufficient evidence to make recommendations for the treatment of anxiety. A review of the literature confirmed anxiety in PD is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and under studied. A common element in many of the non-pharmacologic self-managed interventions used by the studies included in the review was …

A National Study Of Internship Directors' Perspectives On Psychological Assessment Practices, Elizabeth Shipley

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the perspectives of a national sample of pre-doctoral internship directors regarding psychological testing and assessment practices at the internship level. Study participants were from member programs of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The study's goals were to better understand the current state of affairs regarding the role of assessment in internship programs and to develop findings that may be useful to academic training programs and graduate students in psychology. A 32-item questionnaire was developed which inquired about general internship program information, types of assessment instruments used at each internship setting, the form and …

Interaction, Collaboration And Content Creation In Informal Online Learning Environments: Multidimensional Analyses Of Longitudinal Data From The Scratch Coding Community, Seung B. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Despite rising levels of participation by children and adolescents in large, informal online learning communities, there has been limited research examining the role that social dynamics play on the online behavior of young users. In this context, this mixed-methods longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between interaction, collaboration and content creation through the analysis of user-generated comments and log-data from the Scratch platform. The research focused on more than 45,000 comments associated with the online activity of 200 randomly selected participants over a period of three months in early 2012. A combination of methodological techniques was applied in the …

Haitian Centenarians: An Undocumented Phenomenon, Erna Dasilma

Theses and Dissertations

A ceaselessly neglected phenomenon until recent years, especially in developing countries, centenarians bring unique wisdom, perspective, history and science to our society based on their lived experiences. Although there is a strong interest in the experiences of individuals who are over 100 years old, few formal research studies have been conducted concerning centenarians, principally in developing countries. One of the central goals of conducting this study was to bridge the gap in the literature when it comes to centenarians in less developed countries, given the lack of reported statistics, with emphasis given to those living on the battered, but resilient …

Inclusion Of Kinetic Proteomics In Multi-Omics Methods To Analyze Calorie Restriction Effects On Aging, Richard Hajime Carson

Theses and Dissertations

One of the greatest risk factors for disease is advanced age. As the human lifespan has increased, so too have the burdens of caring for an increasingly older population suffering from rising rates of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and dementia. The need for improving medical technology and developing new therapies for age-related diseases is manifest. Yet our understanding of the processes of aging and how to attenuate the effects of aging remains incomplete. Various studies have established calorie restriction as a robust method for extending lifespan in laboratory organisms; however the mechanism is a topic of much debate. Advancing …

Exploring The Relationship Between Members Of Lifelong Learning Institutes And Host Institutions, Jon Charles Neidy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between an individual’s involvement in Lifelong Learning Institutes (LLIs) and his or her propensity for philanthropic giving to the institute or its hosting college or university. The dataset was acquired through a survey administered to eleven Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs) in the United States. Data analysis was conducted on seven research questions which explored how the length, type, and frequency of participation, as well as the level satisfaction, commitment, and feelings of community may relate to an LLI participant’s inclination to donate. The findings of this study reveal these …

Development Of A Novel Bioprinting System:Bioprinter, Bioink, Characterizationand Optimization, Chandler Alan Warr

Theses and Dissertations

The use of 3D printing in biological applications is a new field of study given that 3D printing technology has become more available and user friendly. Possible uses include using existing 3D printing polymers to use in extracorporeal or in vitro devices, like Lab-on-a-Chip, and the development of new biologically derived materials to print cell-containing constructs. The latter concept is what is more commonly known as bioprinting. Our research had the goal of developing a bioprinting system including the printer, a bioink, and a feedback system for printing parameter optimization which could be done cheaply and within the reach of …

A Content Analysis Of Ethnic Minorities In The Professional Discipline Of Clinical Psychology, Pedro L. Perez Aquino

Theses and Dissertations

A more diverse population in the United States calls for the inclusion of REC minority populations in research to improve treatment and clinician cultural awareness. A content analysis is proposed to analyze the inclusion level of REC minority groups in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. Five questions are explored to organize and present the findings of the content analysis. Results demonstrate the low level of inclusion of REC minority groups as well as congruence between most studied topics and each REC minority group in the Journal of Clinical Psychology. These results should encourage researchers and clinicians to push for more …

Schizotypy As A Predictor For Social Media Use And Internet Addiction Behaviors In Emerging Adults, Devin Massaro

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the unique domains/symptom clusters within schizotypy as they relate to Facebook use and internet addiction behaviors, while controlling for co-morbid disorders such as depression and anxiety. Using an online survey, this study measured electronic media use, internet addiction behavior, and schizotypy in 270 undergraduate students (aged 18-30). We expected mood symptoms of anxiety and depression to predict both internet addiction and Facebook use in this sample, and controlled for these variables accordingly. We hypothesized that schizotypy would contribute significantly to the prediction of internet addiction and Facebook use above and beyond anxiety, depression, and demographic variables and …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Nurse Practitioners About Antibiotic Stewardship, Robert M. Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Antibiotic stewardship (ABS) is a set of strategies to optimize the use of antibiotics with the goal of reducing antibiotic resistance, improving patient outcomes and decreasing unnecessary costs. ABS affects all venues of patient care, including outpatient, inpatient, and long-term care. While many strategies for ABS exist and best practice continues to evolve, successful ABS programs utilize a multidisciplinary approach. Nurse practitioners (NPs) play an essential role in health care education and represent a valuable potential resource for ABS efforts. The purpose of this study is to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of NPs towards ABS.Methods: A convenience …

Mismatch Negativity Event Related Potential Elicited By Speech Stimuli In Geriatric Patients, Dana Lynn Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

Hearing loss, as a result of old age, has been linked to a decline in speech perception despite the use of additional listening devices. Even though the relationship between hearing loss and decreased speech perception has been well established, research in this area has often focused on the behavioral aspects of language and not on the functionality of the brain itself. In the present study, the mismatch negativity, an event related potential, was examined in order to determine the differences in speech perception between young adult participants, geriatric normal hearing participants, and geriatric hearing-impaired participants. It was hypothesized that a …

The Impact Of Custodial Grandparenting On Levels Of Cognition In A Longitudinal Sample Of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Ian Timothy Mckay

Theses and Dissertations

There are currently 2.7 million grandparents raising grandchildren in the United States. As grandparenting has become more prevalent, concerns have surfaced regarding the effect of additional caregiving responsibilities placed on an aging population. The following study uses an existing dataset that interviewed individuals who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. The present study examined the impact of grandparenting on measures of cognitive ability, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, which had yet to be examined. Findings from the cross-sectional analysis show that custodial grandparents outperformed their non-custodial grandparent counterparts on the cognitive tests of word recall, category fluency, letter fluency, and …

Training Older Adults To Use Technology: Facing The Challenges, Edna Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses development of a training manual with a computer course curriculum for seniors. The curriculum can be used in part of a training manual designed for people who are interested to teach older adults basic computer technology skills at the Dunbar Community Center located in central Little Rock. This project was completed using primarily research articles, books, newspaper reports, and voluntary interviews with people age 60 or older. A letter of consent was given to each participant, and interviews questions were completed using an anonymous assessment questionnaire form. The questionnaire form was used to examine the participant level …

Vietnamese Family Caregivers’ Adjustment Process To Their Caregiving Roles For Family Members With Dementia, Trang Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the psychological process that Vietnamese family members go through to adjust to the caregiving role for their relatives with dementia. Adopting constructivist grounded theory, 30 face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, including 10 follow-up interviews, were conducted with 20 Vietnamese primary family caregivers of relatives with dementia from the National Geriatric Hospital in Vietnam. The study results reveal that Vietnamese family caregivers held limited understanding of dementia. They used a mixed explanatory model, combining both folk (e.g., dementia as normal aging) and biomedical approaches (e.g., dementia as a brain-related disease) to explain causes of dementia. Family cohesion and responsibility are …

What Happens Here Stays Here? Associations Between Choices During The Twenties And Flourishing Or Floundering During The Thirties, Melanie Lynn Lott

Theses and Dissertations

Life course theory suggests that an individual’s development is influenced by many factors such as one’s past choices and environment. The twenties are a period of great autonomy for many young people with opportunities to engage in choices with lasting consequences, both positive (e.g., furthering education, volunteering) and negative (e.g., crime, risky sexual behavior, heavy video game use). The current study explored the relationship between behaviors during one’s twenties and indices of adjustment (i.e., life satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and hope) and maladjustment (i.e., poor emotional health and regret) in one’s thirties. Additionally, as factors such as income and biological sex …

A Humanitarian Lens: The World War Ii-Era Photo Books Of Thérèse Bonney And David Seymour, Jane H. Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes two World War II-era photo books, one by Thérèse Bonney, and the other by David Seymour. Both depict children in dire situations throughout Europe. Published in 1943 and 1949 respectively, these two photo books divulge many themes and tropes that reflect the humanitarian trends of their times.

Assessing The Degree Of Access To Urban Public Parks For Older Adults In The Villages Metropolitan Area Of Florida, 2017, Yingsong Wang

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid urbanization, the urban residents' demand for urban public parks is increasing. As a unique and representative age group, older adults put forward new requirements for the evaluation and rational planning of urban parks. Park accessibility is an important index reflecting the rationality of park layout, the accessibility of residents to the park and the social equity of park services. In this paper, buffer analysis and network analysis based on the ArcGIS platform were selected to analyze service accessibility and green transportation accessibility of The Villages metropolitan area of Florida respectively and then make a summary analysis. In …

Temporal Trends In The Standing Broad Jump Test Performance Of United States Children And Adolescents, Bridget Kate Pinoniemi

Theses and Dissertations

Muscular fitness is a very important indicator of health. Using a systematic review strategy, the aim of this study was to estimate the temporal trends in broad jump performance of United States youth. Broad jump data on apparently healthy United States youth (aged 10–17 years) were located through a systematic electronic database search and by pearling reference lists, topical systematic reviews and personal libraries. Sample-weighted temporal trends (expressed as percent and standardized trends) were estimated for separate age-sex groups using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean jump performance. Mean trends standardized to the year 1985 were …

Temporal Trends In The Grip Strength Of Children And Adolescents, Faith Lavoy Dooley

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To estimate national and international temporal trends in the handgrip strength of children and adolescents, and to examine relationships between trends in handgrip strength and trends in health-related and sociodemographic indicators.

Methods: Data were obtained in two ways: (a) through a systematic electronic database search for studies reporting on temporal trends in the handgrip strength of apparently healthy 9–17-year-olds, (b) pearling reference lists, topical systematic reviews and personal libraries, and (c) by examining large national fitness datasets suitable to temporal trends analysis. Sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean handgrip …

Linking Communicative Interaction To Cognitive Functioning: Implications For Older Adults, Denise Calhoun

Theses and Dissertations

As the percentage of older adults within the U.S. steadily increases, long-term care options are being impacted with growing numbers of seniors to provide for. The reality of these elevated numbers have sparked an interest in researchers to conduct studies on human development, plasticity in the brain, and training and intervention programs in search for ways to halt or lessen the cognitive and communicative decline, in older adults. As an alternative path to help older adults maintain quality of life, this study proposes to examine the link between communicative interaction and cognitive functioning to educate family members and healthcare providers …