Digital Commons Network^™

New Enfit Enteral Feeding Tube Connection System, Madeline Neeb

Academic Festival

ENFit is an updated enteral feeding tube connection system that reduces the risk of enteral tubing misconnections.

The Deconstruction Of The School-To-Prison Pipeline, Emmalyn Walenda

Academic Festival

The school-to-prison pipeline has become a prominent social phenomenon in U.S. school systems. Students of all ages are being forced out of educational facilities by the schools’ regulations and rules. The juvenile justice system continues to see school-age children walk through their doors, as “exclusionary disciplinary systems in schools disrupt children’s education and increase the likelihood that affected students will end up in the criminal justice system” (Potera, 2021, p. 16).

Overspending In U.S. Health Care With Regard To Citizenship And Insurance Status And Its Effects On Patients, Primary Care Providers, And The Economy, Dominique Scerbak

Academic Festival

Comparative analysis of healthcare spending in the United States is compared with other high-income nations, and the importance of diving deeper into this problem affecting all residents is revealed. Thus, further analysis is developed, beginning with high costs attributable to outpatient services. The pharmaceutical industry also plays a major role in overspending as drugs are unaffordable to many consumers. Furthermore, insurance coverage difficulties are brought to light as complicated plans and policies make access unaffordable and adequate coverage oftentimes inaccessible. This leads to a discussion on refugee, immigrant, and migrant populations, and barriers to healthcare that make access extremely difficult, …

Tiktok, Coronavirus, And Generation Z: How The Social Platform Became An Outlet A Generation With Pandemic Related Mental Health Struggles Was Looking For, Sofia Campana

Academic Festival

Social media platforms are often recognized as an environment that can be damaging to a young individuals mental health. Said to cause insecurity, anxiety, and often times depression, it is typically recognized in a negative light. However, through the Coronavirus pandemic, social media platform TikTok provided an outlet for Generation Z to express themselves and seek guidance when needed. Through an unprecedented time, TikTok allowed Gen Z, a social generation, to connect with others through trends as well as eased anxieties by providing accurate and fact checked information through their partnership with the World Health Organization.

The Marijuana Dilemma, Michael Salvo

Academic Festival

The legalization of marijuana is an ongoing debate that has become very prevalent in today's society. This paper takes a look at the effects that legalizing the drug has on various areas such as the black market, medical uses, and other areas.

The Challenges And Disadvantages Female Athletes Endure In Their Professional Careers, Meghan Sharkey

Academic Festival

In order to maintain a comfortable lifestyle in today’s society as a professional athlete, would you ever think they needed to work a part-time job? This is just one of the harsh realities female athletes must endure in their professional athletic careers because of biases, discrimination, and current societal views. Less than just one percent of the overall population play professional sports and only forty percent of professional athletes are women compared to sixty percent representing the male gender. A professional athlete is an athlete that receives payment for their performance in a specific sport, someone who is so talented, …

Leveling The Playing Field: Ensuring Inclusive Experiences For Cisgender And Transgender Women In College Athletics, Kaylee Stenderowicz

Academic Festival

In recent years, as the total number of transgender people has gone up, the number of transgender student-athletes has gone up as well. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) schools are taking steps to promote inclusiveness within their athletics to give every athlete the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level fairly. The NCAA recently updated the transgender participation policy by supporting a sport-by-sport approach which appears to be the best current solution to ensure a level playing field. When looking at a transgender athlete, it may appear that they have some physiological advantages, but they also have mental health …

The Mental Health Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In College Students, Jennifer Pasram

Academic Festival

During the year 2019, the entire world was faced with a new invisible threat that changed life in just a few short months. This invisible threat became known to be as COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. COVID had started in Wuhan, China as an epidemic within the community, but quickly spread to other countries, and soon enough America was in a nationwide pandemic. A pandemic is an outbreak of a contagious disease that spreads across a large region or worldwide. COVID-19 is characterized as an acute respiratory illness that can cause a range of symptoms, …

Muscle Snatch As An Indicator Of Readiness In Weightlifters, Mary K. Hughes

Academic Festival

This study looked to determine the relationship between vertical jump height and the muscle snatch as a marker of readiness in male and female weightlifters. The sport of weightlifting depends on leg and hip strength for generating large ground reaction forces in a short time frame. Vertical jumps are biomechanically similar to weightlifting movements, making it a beneficial alternative to having athletes regularly perform 1RM max in training. The dynamic multi joint performance of the static, countermovement, and depth jump can be used to monitor and evaluate readiness in male and female weightlifters.

The Effects Of A Dumbbell Accentuated Eccentric Loading On Vertical Jump Performance, Margaret Michalak

Academic Festival

This study examined the effect of dumbbell accentuated eccentric loading on vertical jump height, flight time, and reactive strength. Vertical jumping is a skill that can improve performance and is critical for many sports. This study aimed to determine if accentuated eccentric loaded jumps can be used as a mode of training for improving jump height, flight time, and reactive strength.

Comparing The Magnitude Of Kinetic Asymmetry During The Squat And Drop Vertical Jump In Collegiate Female Athletes, Jaclyn Mahlmeister

Academic Festival

Sports requiring jumping and landing maneuvers require specific neuromuscular patterns to control knee position and limit injury risk. Clinicians frequently use double-leg support tasks such as the overhead deep squat (DS) and drop vertical jump (DVJ) in their evaluations of female athletes, yet no previous research has determined the inter-relatedness, or lack thereof, of these screens. Examining the magnitude of kinetic asymmetries via force plates can identify athlete biases from a dominant limb, sequela of previous injury, or from sport-specific training to best screen athletes. PURPOSE: To compare landing kinetics between legs during the down phase of DS and landing …

Does Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing Classify As Eugenics?, Erin Hare

Academic Festival

PGT samples and analyzes the DNA of embryos seeking gene-linked diseases prior to implantation. If the test is positive, that is, the gene for the disease is present, there is an option to not implant that embryo. Eugenics is a movement toward selecting desirable traits and eliminating undesirable traits. Eugenic control over reproduction allows for genetic manipulation of those traits to enhance the human race.

The Racial Impact Of Covid-19 On Asian Americans' Mental Health, Chenchen Cui

Academic Festival

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), took the world by surprise with its alarming rate of spread and devastating consequences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people faced serious challenges, including the deteriorating health of infected loved ones, economic struggles, and political and social unrest. The origin of the first reported cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, coupled with racial references to the virus as the “Chinese virus” or “Kung Flu,” fueled the rise of anti-Asian sentiment and xenophobia in the United States. Anger, fear, and social media influence have …

An Analysis On Medicinal Food And The Reduction Of Medical Cost, Olivia Voorhis

Academic Festival

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of healthcare costs that require life-long care and diminish quality of life. Implementing a holistic health approach and an anti-inflammatory diet to heal the mind, body, and soul, are the most effective ways to reduce inflammation in the body, lower medical costs, and prevent chronic diseases.

The Detrimental Effects Of Forever Chemicals, Kaleigh Vertefeuille

Academic Festival

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS are compounds building up in the environment and in the human body. These substances can be found in nonstick coatings in many pans and food wrappers and are contaminating the environment. While PFAS make everyday life more convenient, they are causing health problems including hormone disruption, immunosuppression, and concerns to organ systems. This paper examines the effects of PFAS on the body, how they are accumulating in the environment, exploring elimination options and the ethical and social implications in tackling the issue. It was found that PFAS can weaken the immune response and decrease …

Mobile Care Team At Danbury Hospital, Genevieve Nitzsche

Academic Festival

Over the past few years, Emergency Departments (ED) across the country have seen increases in wait times related to a variety of factors. These wait times have been found to be detrimental to patients’ morbidity and mortality rates. Most hospital systems have recognized this issue and have begun to address it, each in different ways. There is not one simple solution to fix the issue, however, due to the widespread systemic nature of the problem. Population growth has been used to explain the crowding in EDs, however this is not the sole influencing factor. Other factors include the number of …

Eat, Sleep, Console: Management Of Withdrawal In Neonates, Megan Cloutier

Academic Festival

Purpose: Educate NICU staff and families on the implication of Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) into nursing practice to manage neonatal abstinence syndrome in infants. Background: •Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a combination of withdrawal symptoms that occurs in newborns following exposure to drugs, most commonly opioids, during pregnancy (Hein, 2021). •NAS often contributes to prematurity, difficulty with eating and sleeping, and presents with several neurologic, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal symptoms (Wachman, 2020). •The incidence of NAS has more than quadrupled in the past two decades, affecting eight in every 1,000 newborns (Wachman, 2020).

How To Improve Prenatal Care In Prisons, Amber Fischer

Academic Festival

As understanding of health advances, the importance of prenatal care becomes clearer. Prenatal care can improve maternal and infant mortality and have a long-lasting impact on the infant. There are some populations of women that do not receive the necessary prenatal care, like women in prison. Women in prison are often not provided the prenatal care that is necessary to improve birth outcomes. The birth outcomes in prison to those in the general population such as infant mortality, maternal mortality, low birth weight, preterm delivery, etc. reveal the need for an in-depth look at the prenatal care provided to these …

The Opposition To Vaccinations, Aileen Briskey

Academic Festival

This presentation is about the opposition to vaccines and the Anti-Vaccination Movement.

The Anti-Vaccination Movement has been prevalent ever since the invention of the smallpox vaccine. The movement encourages people to refuse vaccinations against common illnesses, which can lead to spikes in previously controlled diseases. The Anti-Vaccination movement has caused regressions and setbacks in modern medicine by ignoring scientific studies proving vaccine efficacy and leads to health risks for vulnerable populations.

The Effect Of Physical Therapy And Exercise On Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Aidan Sacco

Academic Festival

This study synthesizes the effects of physical therapy and exercise for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a degenerative neuromuscular disease with a life expectancy of 2-5 from the onset of disease. Currently, there is no cure for ALS. Exercise has shown to be beneficial in the intervention of ALS and may improve quality of life factors for patients. Physical therapy is a necessary intervention for increasing survival and improving patients quality of life. Physical therapy and exercise have proven physical and psychological benefits that may be appropriate in the treatment of ALS. These interventions can improve quality …

How Relationships In The Workplace Affect Employee Productivity And Mental Health, Jessica Zheng

Academic Festival

Mental illnesses, particularly Common Mental Disorders (CMDs), including anxiety and depression, are among the leading factors of occupational impairment. Despite clear evidence of their social effects, the strain of CMDs is under-recognized in developing nations. Depression is considered to be the second most prevalent condition globally, after ischemic heart disease, accounting for 15 percent of the overall disease burden (WHO). Mental illnesses are considered to be common in the general population as well as in the workforce, and they severely affect life and role functions. The effects of mental illness include a loss of job performance that has been stated …

Limited English Proficiency In Healthcare; Taking Down Language Barriers Toolkit, Jade Carpenter, Jennifer Hernandez

Academic Festival

It is the obligation of health care professionals to provide safe and effective communication to all patients and families. Language barriers provide an additional challenge when communicating and providing care in the hospital setting. With all patients and family members having the right to complete, clear, and understandable information, nurses have the responsibility in obtaining interpretive services for those whom English is not their primary language. Nurses are responsible and accountable for protecting, promoting, and restoring health and well-being. As well as injury and illness prevention, and to alleviate pain and suffering (ANA, 2015). When language barriers are present, all …

The Vicious Cycle Of Insecurity, Sabina Schuele

Academic Festival

Increasing AAS use has detrimental effects on mental and physical health, creating a public health crisis. The need to rebuild beauty standards for a sustainable future has become more urgent than ever before. This poster aims to show that the use of anabolic steroids creates a feedback loop of insecurity and mental health problems, causing exponential usage of appearance and performance enhancing drugs. Beginning with the prevalence of AAS in the public eye, then leading to increases in body dissatisfaction, insecurity, and mental health disorders, which then leads to an increase of AAS usage, creates the cycle. This poster poses …

Research Of The Prediction Of Performance Of Basketball, Allison Keefe

Academic Festival

Aimed to look at the different methods of predicting performance in basketball.

Collegiate Coaches Psychological Effects On Athletes, Brendan Chalue-Feeney

Academic Festival

Coaches can play an instrumental role throughout a person’s life. Acting as a mentor for learning new skills, teaching others how to better themselves, or providing leadership in a variety of diverse settings. Research on coaching psychology and coaching effectiveness describes coaching responsibilities as supporting growth in their professional and personal lives through result-based guidance, specifically focusing on progressing athlete’s performance and wellbeing (Grant, 2006; Jowett, 2017). Therefore, these coaches can have strong and lasting effects on those they are providing mentorship towards. While there are many different types of coaches the purpose of this research paper is to examine …

Pellets Or Seeds; The Fatty Acid Composition Of Three Commercially Produced Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata) Diets And What They Provide Females For Egg Laying., Katrina Tessier

Academic Festival

Maternal nutrition of birds prior to egg formation impacts the quantity and quality of eggs produced by the mother. More specifically, the amount and type of micronutrients, i.e. amino acids and fatty acids, in the diet can impact the micronutrients found in the eggs. Thus, diet composition can have lasting impacts on the development and overall health of the chicks. However, much of what is known about the impact of specific fatty acids in the maternal diet on egg composition is from studies on laying hens and not on wild birds. Furthermore, although most avian research on passerine birds use …

Saying A "Hail Mary" To Make A "Hail Mary": Religion And Its Impact On Athletes, Angelica Zacarola

Academic Festival

Religion is an integral part of modern society (Emmons). Whether one believes in it or not, the conversation is still happening thus influencing one’s personality. Although they are seen as larger than life, elite athletes are human as well and deal with a variety of human experiences such as loneliness, stress, anxiety, and lack of motivation. Coping with these things can be challenging and scary, as elite athletes often lack the time and attention they need for their mental health: this is where they can turn to religion. Religious athletes are proven to be more successful in mental health, success …

What's In Your Water? Low-Dose Bisphenol-A Alters Weight Gain And Anxiety, But Leaves Cognitive Functioning Intact., Olivia Chaponis, Nikaash Pasnoori, Nicole Alvira, Abigail Andre, Richard Ginocchio, Petar Janicijevic, Jaime Herrick, Tahira Regaldo

Academic Festival

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a common environmental endocrine disruptor exerting effects on many parameters (neural, physiological, and behavioral measures) via both estrogen and androgen receptors. BPA is an industrial compound used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, such as CDs and DVDs, electronic equipment, cars, sports safety equipment, and is widely used in the manufacturing of hard plastic products such as food storage containers, bathtubs and countertops, can linings, and reusable bottles. Detectable levels of BPA have been reported in body fluids of humans and animals, indicating BPA exposure is ubiquitous and a potential health hazard (review, Prins, 2019).

Allelopathic Interactions Between Duncanopsammia Axifuga And Ulva Lactuca, Naeema Kandawala

Academic Festival

Allelopathic Interactions between Duncanopsammia axifuga and Ulva lactuca

Naeema Kandawala and Dr. LaTina Steele

Biology Department, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825

Abstract

Coral reefs are a diverse and complex ecosystem that provide important food, livelihood, and services. Algae are prominently associated with coral reef degradation. Invasive algae are known to overtake coral-dominated habitats by tactics of poisoning, smothering, and shading, causing a reduction in coral cover. The study was conducted to determine the allelopathic interactions between the ubiquitous macroalga Ulva lactuca and the Indo-Pacific coral Duncanopsammia axifuga. We conducted a lab experiment with a randomized block design with …

Examining The Daily Coping Styles In Sexual Minorities, Devin Mccarthy

Academic Festival

Examine the daily coping styles in sexual minorities.