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Rural Healthcare Worker's Willingness To Report To Work During Catastrophic Events, Aaron M. Macdonald

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

In the events leading up to, during, and following a catastrophic event, healthcare workers play a critical role in the outcome of these events. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that healthcare workers are able and willing to report to work. Prior to September, 2001 there had been three willingness to report studies published in the literature. Post September, 2001 and up until 2011 there was a renewed interest in the topic which led to the publishing of twenty plus papers on the topic. The current literature has examined willingness to report thoroughly and definitively; however, there is a …

Full Issue: Volume 8, Number 2

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Treating Acute Migraines: Triptans Vs. Antiemetics, Samuel Reisman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Influential American medical organizations and publications have published guidelines for the treatment of acute migraine headaches that omit antiemetics, usually suggesting triptans as the first line of treatment. A review of the few comparative studies directly contrasting clinical outcomes of triptans and antiemetics in the treatment of acute migraines suggest that both treatment options are relatively equal in efficaciousness. The added burden of triptan usage, including an added risk of adverse effects and a high cost per dose, would seem to warrant an antiemetic-first approach to migraine treatment, as recommended by several international health communities. Possible reasons for the prominent …

Vigorous Exercise Effect On Cardiovascular Health, Aryeh Mahana

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Many studies examine the effects of vigorous cardiovascular exercise on the heart. Intense exercise causes frequent muscle contractions in the heart and specific biomarkers that usually signify a myocardial infarction are released into the bloodstream. However, studies indicate that there might not be a correlation between the release of biomarkers and cardiac function. Another study shows that long term vigorous exercise negatively affects the heart by dramatically increasing the mass and volume of the right and left ventricles, thereby resulting in hypertrophy. The cardiac hypertrophy is still evident even after the subjects have stopped exercising. Cardiac hypertrophy results in myocardial …

Mechanisms, Potential Therapies, And The Role Of Tgf-Β In The Formation Of Scars, Isaac Traube

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Scarring is the inevitable outcome of wound healing. This review looks at some of the underlying mechanisms of this complex process with the aim of identifying targets for therapeutic manipulation that could result in reduced scarring or even scarless wound repair. Fetal wounds are shown to heal without scars primarily due to low levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 and high levels of TGF-β3 as compared to adult wounds which heal with scars. Abnormal excessive scarring in keloid and hypertrophic scars are also attributed to TGF-β. Clinical manipulation of TGF-β ratios showed promise as a therapeutic means of controlling scar formation. …

Short-Term Effects On The Fetus And Long-Term Outcome On Children Exposed To Maternal Chemotherapy, Yocheved Kramer

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Ethical questions with regard to treatment arise when pregnant women are diagnosed with cancer. Does the health of the mother or the health of the fetus take priority? However, research suggests that concern over transplacental transfer should not deter those seeking treatments since avoidance of favorable transfer drugs can allow chemotherapy to be a viable option if properly administered. Doctors highly contraindicate the use of chemotherapeutic drugs in the first trimester due to high risks such as teratogenesis and fetal death. However, they reassure that treatment can be given in the final two trimesters. It presents minimal consequences as long …

Transposon Based Gene Therapy As A Treatment For Cancer, Jacob Stauber

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Gene therapy is the use of genes to treat or prevent diseases. Diseases such as cancer, which are difficult to treat using conventional methods, can be treated using gene therapy. The transport of the therapeutic transgene can be accomplished using viral or non-viral methods. However, widespread use of viral vectors is limited due to its high cost of manufacture and safety concern. Non-viral vectors are limited in their effectiveness. The use of transposons such as the Sleeping Beauty transposon system can effectively deliver the transgene with less concern than viral vectors. This review discusses the various vectors and treatment strategies …

Is Proton Beam Therapy More Effective Than Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy In Prostate Cancer Treatment?, Daniel Zelefsky

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in American males. Breaking technological advances in prostate cancer treatment continue to develop to help fight this disease, one such is proton beam therapy. Proton beam therapy is theorized to spare even more healthy tissue than photon radiotherapy because it delivers a majority of its radiation during the Bragg peak. Since this technology is substantially costlier than any other form of radiation therapy, physicians are assessing its effectiveness and determining if it is worth the cost. Currently, there is no significant difference seen in patient quality of life between recipients …

Is There A Link Between Saturated Fat Intake And Alzheimer’S Disease?, Justin Konig

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia and ultimately death. Currently, there is no treatment available for this disease. The aging of the population will only increase the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, making it ever more important to find an effective method of prevention. Dietary intervention is a practical and affordable method of intervention. The brain is a fat rich organ, and dietary fats are critical for proper development of the brain. A literature review was conducted to determine whether there is a link between saturated fat intake and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the literature reviewed, saturated fat …

Regulation Of Ghrelin: A Possible Treatment Option For Obesity And Diabetes, Sarah Picciotto

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Obesity is a mounting problem in America today. One major concern about obesity is that it is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, a disease that impairs insulin sensitivity and secretion. This interferes with blood glucose levels and can cause hyperglycemia, which is when there is too much circulating glucose in the blood. Ghrelin, an amino acid peptide responsible for appetite stimulation and energy balance, plays a direct role in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. In many experiments, elevated ghrelin levels are associated with decreased insulin secretion from pancreatic islet cells. Although ghrelin concentration is decreased in obese individuals …

Nanotechnology, Zisi Hursarsky

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Nanoparticles are gaining immense popularity in the medical world, specifically in its use in drug delivery systems. The objective of this paper is to study, based on available published literature, how nanoparticles are utilized in drug delivery and more importantly to identify the potential toxic effects of nanoparticles. Based on textual research, it is clear that there are benefits to nanoparticle use, but new studies are showing that there are many potential hazards of nanoparticle-like particles. In order to fully determine the toxicity of the hundreds of types of nanoparticles, a clear method to categorize these particles is needed and …

Viability Of Sirna As A Clinical Treatment, Zev Blumenkranz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the methods problems and some solutions for siRNA treatments. The benefits of this novel medical treatment are explored and its benefits are expounded on by comparing it to other more complex and futuristic treatments. The exact process of siRNA silencing and down regulation is unknown. Some hypotheses of how it may work are discussed giving precedence to the most widely accepted hypothesis. Although siRNA treatments are not yet used on a major scale for many diseases, different possible treatment options are compared and explained. Particular care was taken to give a …

Understanding The Hygiene Hypothesis And Its Mechanisms, Yaakov Tropper

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The hygiene hypothesis provides an explanation for the sharp increase in atopy over the past several decades by proposing that it is inversely related to the lack of infectious diseases in our society. Although atopy, as well as other hypersensitivity reactions, do have a genetic basis; studies clearly show that environmental and socioeconomic factors play a large role in determining which people will develop allergies. Proposed mechanisms leading to this disorder include an imbalance in the Th1/Th2 complex in the immune system, and a deficiency in Regulatory T cells which controls excessive T cell activity.

Promoting Innovation, Matthew Sag, Spencer Weber Waller

Faculty Articles

This Essay proceeds as follows. We briefly introduce the concept of creative destruction and its place in Schumpeter’s work in Part II. In Part III we explain why a truly Schumpeterian competition policy demands more than a laissez faire approach. We explain why the law must preserve opportunities and incentives for creative destruction at all stages of innovation and we review four key policy areas of antitrust law from this innovation-focused perspective: unilateral conduct cases (Part III.A), cases at the intersection of IP and antitrust (Part III.B), Sherman Act section 1 cases (Part III.C), and merger policy (Part III.D). In …

Equality And Difference - The Restrained State, Martha Albertson Fineman

Faculty Articles

Contemporary American law, culture, and political theory restrain the concept of equality as a tool of social justice. Equality in conjunction with a strong emphasis on personal liberty operates as a mandate for curtailing state action, rather than an aspirational measure of the comparative wellbeing of individuals. As a check on state involvement, our cramped notion of equality limits the state's ability to affirmatively address economic, political, social, and structural inequalities.

As interpreted in modern Supreme Court jurisprudence, the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution actually works to restrict the remedial ability of the state. Equality is understood as …

Project Spraoi: A Strategy To Improve Nutrition And Increase Physical Activity In Primary School Children, Lisa Delaney

Masters

Introduction: Paediatric obesity has become a global epidemic with many countries developing strategies to help tackle its prevalence. School based physical activity (PA) and nutrition interventions have proven to play a promising role in tackling childhood obesity.

Background: Project Spraoi is an Irish primary school based intervention. The intervention was delivered to an intervention school to help enhance PA and nutritional behaviour amongst pupils. The intervention school was assigned an ‘Energizer’; a trained PA and nutrition change agent who worked with the school to achieve the objectives. For evaluation purposes a control school was recruited.

Methodology: Pupils from the intervention …

Gender Difference When Processing Death By Suicide: Attitudes Amongst Third Level Students Aged 18-25 Attending Cork Institute Of Technology And College Support Professionals, Sandra Conroy

Masters

Rationale behind research: Survivors of suicide/ suicide bereaved face unique challenges in their grief, resulting in a greater risk of conditions such as complicated grief, PTSD and suicidal ideation developing (Young, Iglewicz, Glorioso, Lanouette, Seay, llapakurti & Zisook, 2012). In dealing with or 'processing' the loss of a loved one by suicide, Wertheimer details that, "suicidal thoughts are not uncommon during the early months of bereavement" (1991: 178). The incidence of young men dying by suicide is notably higher than that of women in this country; a stubborn gender difference persists in Ireland with males representing on average 80% of …

Student Health Benefits Plan Market Research And Analysis, Zachary William Doucette

Honors Theses and Capstones

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham, New Hampshire requires all full-time students to have health insurance meeting set requirements as a condition of enrollment. UNH offers its own health plan, entitled the Student Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) through its Health Services Center to students as a way to procure this insurance if they lack insurance, or if their current insurance is insufficient or does not meet the insurance requirements. Health Services at UNH is looking for market research on current attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of both students at UNH, and the parents of students who currently have a …

The Complete Sequence Of The Acacia Ligulata Chloroplast Genome Reveals A Highly Divergent Clpp1 Gene, A Williams, L Boykin, K Howell, P Nevill, I Small

Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Legumes are a highly diverse angiosperm family that include many agriculturally important species. To date, 21 complete chloroplast genomes have been sequenced from legume crops confined to the Papilionoideae subfamily. Here we report the first chloroplast genome from the Mimosoideae, Acacia ligulata, and compare it to the previously sequenced legume genomes. The A. ligulata chloroplast genome is 158,724 bp in size, comprising inverted repeats of 25,925 bp and single-copy regions of 88,576 bp and 18,298 bp. Acacia ligulata lacks the inversion present in many of the Papilionoideae, but is not otherwise significantly different in terms of gene and repeat content. …

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) And Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Sma): A Genetic Linkage?, Michael Groden

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Neurodegenerative motor neuron disorders (MNDs) have devastating effects. Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), for example, is a debilitating and sometimes lethal disease in children. SMA is monogenic, autosomal recessively inherited disorder caused by a loss-of-function mutation of surviving motor neuron 1 (SMN1). SMN2 is an identical copy of this gene and produces abbreviated transcripts without exon 7 though some full transcripts are produced that ameliorate the disease. Previous clinical trials for this disease have not produced consistent results. However, in a recent cross-sectional study, biomarkers for SMA (BforSMA), protein candidates and metabolite markers were identified (Finkel et al., 2012). These markers …

Pitch-Count And Its Effects On Shoulder Injuries: How To Keep A Pitcher Healthy, Alexander Malek

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Baseball is currently the fourth most popular sport in high schools across the country. However, pitchers are at a high risk to develop career ending injuries. Overuse can result in SLAP tears as well as torn rotator cuff muscles that can end a dream of pitching professionally. Major League Baseball has teamed up with leading sports medicine researchers to determine safe pitch-count guidelines for pitchers of all ages. Articles were found using Touro’s e-Journal database as well as Pubmed.gov to find pertinent research on this topic. Studies on ball velocity and scapular kinematics were done on three different levels of …

Mechanical Plasticity: Skeletal Muscle Adaptations, Naomi Broker

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adaptations that occur in human skeletal muscle in response to endurance and resistance exercises. The advances made in science over the past several decades increased the number of methods available for the classification of muscle fibers, resulting in many fiber type classes and their corresponding characteristics. This allows for the tracking of changes that occur within the muscle fibers. The heterogeneous collection of fiber types found within a muscle allows for its dynamic nature. Myosin form expression varies according to the muscle’s changing functional demands. In response to endurance training, muscle …

Full Issue: Volume 9, Number 1

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Is The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Tamiflu Effective In The Treatment Of Influenza?, Eliyakim Hershkop

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Influenza is a disease that has caused the deaths of tens of millions people in the last century alone. The influenza neuraminidase protein is essential in the mechanism infection. It enables the virus to leave the infected cell and proliferate. Antiviral neuraminidase inhibitor drugs can be used for treatment. The drug Tamiflu is the standard of care for both treatment and prophylaxis of influenza. The Cochrane reports of 2009 and 2014 conclude that evidence is lacking to support this. Numerous bodies disagree. Cochrane also question the accuracy and credibility of many studies and agencies in support of Tamiflu. This paper …

Do Probiotics Effectively Promote Wellbeing?, Tzvi H. Adams

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Probiotics have been commonly ascribed many therapeutic powers. The aim of this review is to investigate these claims. While some of the claims are well supported by research, the effects of probiotics are very specific and depend on the strains used as well as the disease or condition targeted. Age and racial ethnicity may also be factors impacting the efficacy of probiotic strains.

Epigenetics As A Cure For Cancer, Sara Rivka Margolis

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Epigenetics is an emerging research topic that is being tested as a potential cure for cancer. Epigenetics is a non-genetic influence that shapes the phenotype. Epigenetics effects gene expression, but does not cause any changes in the DNA. DNA methylation patterns is one such epigenetic change in the cell that has huge potential for cancer treatment. Scientists have observed that many cancerous genes express signs of either hypermethylation or hypomethylation. The key for the treatment is that epigenetic changes are reversible, which opens the door to potential drugs to cure cancer and other diseases.

Biological Therapy In The Treatment Of Ulcerative Colitis, Tzipora Glanzman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a subdivision of inflammatory bowel disease, is a chronic disease of the large intestines. Ulcerative colitis is normally a lifelong chronic illness with times of intense flairs and remission. During a flare, the lining of the colon becomes inflamed, and develops small ulcers causing patients to experience rectal bleeding, vomiting, anemia and diarrhea. The treatment options available to treat colitis are very small, causing many patients to need a total colectomy with in the first five years of their diagnosis. However, recent advancement in bio-technology has led to the development of a large array of new therapeutic …

What Are The Possible Causes For Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Rochel Preiserowicz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Ever since the mid 1980’s when Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) started to become increasingly prevalent, researchers have been trying to find a possible cause for it. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in children who are between 18-30 months old. People with autism have reduced social skills, and they have a difficult time communicating verbally and non-verbally. Autism is diagnosed through a questionnaire and other instruments that allow psychologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, neurologists and many other doctors to determine if a child has a form of ASD. There are many theories about what causes autism. It …

The Neurological Underpinnings Of Hypnosis And Its Clinical Applications, Raizy Leizerowski

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The brain is so complex that it is almost impossible to select one variable as the reason for a specific observation. This paper will discuss the neurological basis of hypnosis, and how hypnosis has made unique contributions to the refinement and development of cognitive neuroscience. In addition, hypnosis has been proven to cure many psychological and neurologically based diseases. Due to in-depth study of the neurological underpinnings of hypnosis, much advancement has been made in elucidating the relationship between the complex neural circuitry of the brain, its direct correlation to consciousness, and both the efferent and afferent neurological systems. New …

Why Are People With Laron Syndrome Immune To Cancer?, Raquel Margolis

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Laron syndrome is a congenital autosomal recessive disorder that is caused by a mutation in the growth hormone receptor. People with this syndrome have an insensitivity to growth hormone. Insulin-like growth factor 1 is produced by the liver in response to GH stimulus. It is responsible for systemic GH activities. If there is something wrong with the growth hormone receptor there will be decreased levels of IGF-1. Low IGF-1 levels cause physical deformities notable short stature. Additionally, people with low levels of IGF-1 have a natural resistance to cancer. This article discusses the ways that the decreased levels of IGF-1 …