Digital Commons Network^™

Impacts Of Dietary Nitrate On Endothelial Function, Arterial Stiffness, And Systemic Vascular Pressure In Peripheral Arterial Disease, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Steven D. Scott, Ronald J. Headid Iii, Michael D. Shukis, Jeonghwa Shin, Jiwon Song, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the manifestation of atherosclerotic plaque in the larger arteries of the legs, which results in impaired blood flow to the lower extremities. Markers of vascular health, including endothelial function and arterial stiffness, have been shown to be attenuated in PAD.

Purpose: We sought to examine the effects of a nitrate supplement (body mass-normalized dosage of beetroot juice) on vascular function measurements such as endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and central and peripheral blood pressure in patients with PAD. We hypothesized that acute intake of a nitrate supplement would improve vascular function.

Methods: PAD patients (stage II-III, …

Community Partnership Initiative (Cpi), Deepika Angelene Jantz, Joseph Nabiry, Doris Uwaezuoke

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

UNO is committed to community involvement. The Community Partnership Initiative (CPI) was created with the goal of combining community partners with campus groups in order to work together to serve communities nationwide. The CPI application was designed to give partners and users a way to create and manage their projects online. Additionally, the tool was designed as a way for the CPI office to highlight the ways they are working to benefit the community and create a more dynamic way to analyze, track, and display the projects, partners, and communities they are working in. The CPI application is currently being …

Early Communicative Characteristics Across Samples From Two Infant Populations At-Risk For Autism, Hannah Lopez, Shari Deveney, Anastasia Kyvelidou

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Although no single etiology has been identified for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), two infant populations have emerged as particularly high risk: younger siblings of children diagnosed with ASD and infants born prematurely with low birth weight. A key characteristic differentiating high-risk infants from low-risk peers is early eye gaze fixation behaviors. Early gaze fixation behavior is thought to be predictive of communication and language skills. Consequently, identifying differences in early eye gaze behaviors could lead to early intervention services tailored specifically on counteracting early social withdrawal behaviors. Though few studies have compared eye-gaze patterns of these two high-risk infant groups, …

I Am The Master Of My Fate: How One’S Locus Of Control Influences Entry Type And Level Of Extremist Participation, Steven Windisch

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The most pertinent question in terrorism research is not who becomes a terrorist, but who becomes a bomb-maker as opposed to a gunman or a suicide-bomber. To provide a fuller understanding of the mechanisms involved in the process of accepting extremist beliefs, it is essential we embrace a larger view of extremism by linking the psychological antecedents of radicalization with the various types and levels of extremist participation. The current article addresses this issue through an analysis of historiometric data of 261 Salafi Jihadist-inspired extremists in the United States. In doing so, we seek to answer the following question: To …

A New Paradigm Of Discrimination And Measures Of Latino Linked Fate, Michael Herndon

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Linked fate has long been used as a measure of group consciousness and is an important component of group political behavior. Though applying linked fate to Latinos can be complicated because of a widely diverse set of nationalities and historical contexts, Latinos have shown signs of group cohesion under certain circumstances. Despite this, there is still a sizable gap exploring the theory of linked fate as it pertains to Latinos. Furthermore, there is a near-absence of literature that critically dissects the roles of different kinds of discrimination as they pertain to perceptions of linked fate amongst Latinos. There are distinct …

Utilizing Technology To Empower Girls, Kelleyanne Jensen, Kent Campbell, Shamrose Makandar

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

As early as 10 years of age, girls begin to become more sedentary, their activity levels drop as much as 83 percent as they transition through adolescence. By age 14, only 1 in 10 girls are doing enough physical activity to benefit their health, compared with roughly twice the number of boys of the same age. The mission of FITGirl, Inc. is to empower young girls as they develop and mature by demonstrating positive lifestyle choices; physical, mental, relational and nutritional. The Spring 2019 (Section 1) MIS Capstone class is working with FITGirl, Inc. to enhance the EmpowerU web application …

Pilot Study Of Empathy In Adults, Libby Moberg

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Empathy is of critical public health importance due to its association with relationship satisfaction and well-being (Davis & Oathout, 1987; Davis, 1983). There is growing evidence that bilingual individuals may have higher levels of empathy (Javor, 2016). One potential mechanism for this relationship is that bilingual individuals tend to have higher levels of executive functioning (Costa et al, 2008), which is linked to higher empathy because individuals are able to more easily adopt others’ perspectives. Previous studies examining this question have largely relied on self-report questionnaires assessing empathy as a general tendency (i.e., trait). No studies have examined differences in …

A Comparative Study For Feature Selection Algorithms To Analyze Gait Patterns For Health Purposes, Donovan Orn

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A Comparative Study for Feature Selection Algorithms to Analyze Gait Patterns for Healthcare Purposes

Donovan Orn

Abstract

With the explosive use of wearable devices, there is an urgent need to find ways to utilize the data collected by such devices. In many cases, wearable devices contain accelerometers that collected different types of data. It is not always clear which data points can be used to extract information that can be used to provide useful knowledge about the health of the individuals. In this study, we proposed to research, implement, and comparing various feature selection techniques used for analyzing on gait …

Large Scale Dynamical Model Of Macrophage/Hiv Interactions, Matthew M. Froid

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Properties emerge from the dynamics of large-scale molecular networks that are not discernible at the individual gene or protein level. Mathematical models - such as probabilistic Boolean networks - of molecular systems offer a deeper insight into how these emergent properties arise. Here, we introduce a non-linear, deterministic Boolean model of protein, gene, and chemical interactions in human macrophage cells during HIV infection. Our model is composed of 713 nodes with 1583 interactions between nodes and is responsive to 38 different inputs including signaling molecules, bacteria, viruses, and HIV viral particles. Additionally, the model accurately simulates the dynamics of over …

Large Scale Dynamical Model Of Macrophage/Hiv Interactions, Sean T. Bresnahan, Matthew M. Froid

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Properties emerge from the dynamics of large-scale molecular networks that are not discernible at the individual gene or protein level. Mathematical models - such as probabilistic Boolean networks - of molecular systems offer a deeper insight into how these emergent properties arise. Here, we introduce a non-linear, deterministic Boolean model of protein, gene, and chemical interactions in human macrophage cells during HIV infection. Our model is composed of 713 nodes with 1583 interactions between nodes and is responsive to 38 different inputs including signaling molecules, bacteria, viruses, and HIV viral particles. Additionally, the model accurately simulates the dynamics of over …

A Shared-Memory Algorithm For Updating Single-Source Shortest Paths In Large Weighted Dynamic Networks, Sriram Srinivasan

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In the last decade growth of social media, increased the interest of network algorithms for analyzing large-scale complex systems. The networks are highly unstructured and exhibit poor locality, which has been a challenge for developing scalable parallel algorithms. The state-of-the-art network algorithms such as Prim's algorithm for Minimum Spanning Tree, Dijkstra's algorithm for Single Source Shortest Path and ISPAN algorithm for detecting strongly connected components are designed and optimized for static networks. The networks which change with time i.e. the dynamic networks such as social networks, the above-mentioned approaches can only be utilized if they are recomputed from scratch each …

Perceptions Of Physical Activity While Breastfeeding: 
A Mixed Methods Approach, Kailey Snyder

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Background: Being physically active and breastfeeding can greatly support a new mother’s physiological and psychological health. However, within the United States, only 35% of women are maintaining their pre-pregnancy physical activity after childbirth and only 31% of infants are being breastfed at 12 months of age. Preliminary investigations suggest barriers such as lack of time and knowledge hinder a breastfeeding woman’s ability to be physically active however more research is needed. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore women’s perceptions of physical activity while breastfeeding. Methods: This mixed methods study utilized quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) measures, both …

Mobility-Based Models For Advancing Diagnostic/Predictive Healthcare, Elham Rastegari

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Functional ability has been always considered as one of the important determining factors of individuals’ health and quality of life. Traditional movement analysis systems require expensive facilities and frequent visits for patients to specialized laboratories. Portability and affordability of wearable sensors along with their improved accuracy and capability of monitoring movement during daily activities make them a potential alternative for analyzing mobility patterns for clinical and health assessment purposes. Wearable-based movement data, when combined with other relevant clinical or laboratory data, could enhance evidence-based healthcare and data-driven Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS). Utilizing the data from wearable devices, many researchers …

Electronically Monitored Youth: Perceptions Of Stigma, Marijana Kotlaja

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This study examines the stigmatizing effects of electronic monitors (EM) among youth currently enrolled in an EM program. EM is viewed as a sanction that is less punitive than incarceration, more cost-effective and provides advantages over other alternatives. A total of 140 participants were randomly assigned to conditions (stigma salient vs. stigma non-salient) for an experiment in which they will be told the purpose of the study is to learn more about their thoughts and behaviors related to wearing an EM. This study can be deemed one of the first assessments to assess stigma consciousness and self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) as …

A Novel Graph-Theoretical Approach For Identifying Inter-Correlations And Functional Pathways In Microbiome Data, Suyeon Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The human microbiome represents a vastly complex ecosystem that is tightly linked to our development. Microbiomes play critical roles in nutrient uptake, immune system development, and vitamin production. The evolution of human microbiomes continues to impact the overall health and quality of life of all humans. For example, despite the ability of microbiota to restrict pathogen invasion, pathogens have evolved tougher due to changes in diets, host environments, and use of antibiotics and other drugs. Such evolution has impacted the organization and composition of the microbial community which, in turn, has influenced susceptibility to and severity of the different type …

Life In The Phyllobiome: Functional Adaptations In Novosphingobium Sp. ‘Leaf2’, A Leaf-Borne Alphaproteobacteria, Katherine Sindelar

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Plant-associated microbiomes have emerged as a significant influence on host health and development, driving interest into the functional repertoires of constituent organisms and the mechanisms of host selection on resident microbial populations. Research into plant commensal bacteria have largely focused on rhizospheric milieus - the leaf-surface phyllobiome presents a more punishing environment, where microbia are subjected to high levels of UV radiation, low water and nutrient availability, and foliar agricultural chemicals in food crops. To investigate adaptations towards success in this harsh environment, a comparative genomics analysis across a cohort of Novosphingobium species was conducted using public bioinformatics resources and …

Isolating Aspects Of Gait Through The Use Of Pacing Signals: A Pilot Study, Joel Sommerfeld

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A number of recent studies have shown that the temporal structure of pacing signals greatly influences the gait dynamics observed when coordinating with those signals. Typically, those studies have focused on autocorrelation structure (ACF). The current study builds on that work by addressing how the probability distribution (PDF) of pacing signals contributes to the process of synchronization. Results show that people use both of those sources of information when coordinating the timing of the lower limbs with an external pacing signal.

The Utility Of 3d Printing As A Method Of Pre-Operative Planning For Pediatric Skull Surgeries, David Salazar

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Salazar Oral Presentation

Organizational Power And Organizational Tolerance Of Sexual Harassment: The Effects On Bystanders In The Military, Matthew Mcconnell

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Sexual harassment and its negative effects have become a severe problem in the military. According to a RAND Military Workplace Study (2014), in a year an estimate 116,600 members reported being sexually harassed. Though critically important, most research to date has focused on the victims of sexual harassment to the exclusion of examining the effect of sexual harassment on those people observing the harassment. This study will focus on reviewing the consequences of observing sexual harassments on bystander emotional well-being and their attitudes and behavioral tendencies toward the organization. We will particularly focus on the influence of sexual harassment occurring …

Representations Of Immigration In Québécois Film, Roland R. Buchta

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Québec is a region where national identity plays a particularly important role, mainly due to its social context, and the historical influence of anglophones on the province’s affairs. This element is reflected in its cinematic productions, as Santoro, Bachand, Desroches and Loiselle stated, “Québec cinema is indeed but the most recent example of the Québécois’ ability to translate their cultural specificity into an enduring and increasingly appreciated source of cultural and economic vitality” (161). Santoro et al further claimed that “Québec cinema is indeed a rich and increasingly diversified art form and has taken its place on the world stage …

Simulation Of Joint Contact Forces In Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients Using Opensim, Benjamin Frazier

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The occurrence of Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is projected to increase markedly in the coming decade, and a better method of rehabilitating TKA patients is becoming necessary. Rehabilitation of these patients is of utmost importance such that patients are capable of using the limb effectively. Focus towards improving the rehabilitation of patients that have undergone TKA operations requires a metric for comparison of performance between control groups and experimental groups. Joint contact forces (JCF) calculated via simulation in OpenSim using Motion Capture and Force Plate data provide effective means comparing these groups. Subjects are outfitted with a marker set and …

Synthesis Of A Sulfur Variant For Treatment Of Trypanosomiasis, Carlos Vera-Esquivel

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Previous work in our lab has found diphenyl ether benzylamines showed a successful response with a micromolar concentration of our lead compound to treat the deadly Trypanosamiosis rhodesience. Furthermore, mammalian cell lines saw promising resistance towards damages. The goal of this study was to synthesize a diphenyl thio benzylamine variant. This variant was more active toward T. b. rhodesience but showed more toxicity to both rat 10 (IC₅₀ mM) and human cell lines (HFF, HC-₀₄, U-₂ OS, and HEK₂₉₃). The selectivity index (ratio of toxicity to activity in the same concentration units (SI)) …

The Sound Of Earth Crying, Takeru Oshima

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

You can learn a lot about water shortage we are facing throughout the poster.

There is some quizzes to know how much you know about it. And there are two case studies of how art relates to water shortage.

At the end, you can literally hear what Earth's crying sounds like with metronome.

The Time Of Slip Onset During Stance Influences The Characteristics Of The Unconstrained Perturbation, Corbin Rasmussen, Nathaniel Hunt

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Falls pose a significant health hazard, resulting in devastating injuries like broken wrists, fractured hips, and traumatic brain injuries that exceed $50 billion in U.S. medical costs. To address these risks, biomechanists have subjected individuals to simulated slips in order to study the factors that lead to falls. These studies have focused on slips that happen immediately after heel-strike and are unnaturally restricted by the methods used to cause the slip. Therefore, the effects of unconstrained slips that occur throughout stance phase are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we examined the relationship between the timing of slip onset and …

A Radio Frequency Identification (Rfid) Prosthetic Control System, Andrew Butler

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Item classification and tagging in embedded systems has become ubiquitous in our society due to radio frequency identification (RFID) and the cost has dropped significantly for hardware that can interact with these devices. Due to this, possibilities in the realm of prosthetic control systems opens up for dynamic grip selection without user intervention. This study focuses on the development of a device capable of this functionality that is compatible with the prosthetics designed by Dr. Zuniga and his research team.

The printed circuit board (PCB) was designed using the EAGLE EDA package and incorporates a lithium polymer battery with a …

Public Perceptions Of The Police: The Role Of Social Media, Ebonie Epinger

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Policing in the US has come under fire over the past few years due to highly publicized shootings of unarmed black citizens. These events have monopolized the media, which can potentially undermine their legitimacy in the public eye. Extant research has explored the traditional media- such as television news, crime dramas, and crime reality shows- on citizens’ attitudes toward the police, with decidedly mixed results. Given the rise of social media and concern of the potentially biased portrayal of police by such media sources, research is needed which can assess what, if any, effect social media has on individuals’ attitudes …

Subthreshold Vibration Influences The Posture And Gait Of Transtibial Amputees, Charles Sloan

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Unilateral transtibial amputees lose the afferent pathways of the limb when amputation occurs. The addition of vibration has shown to increase sensation on the applied limb. This study looks into how the addition of subthreshold vibration affects amputee gait and posture. Vibration applied to the residual limb was shown to have worked in posture, but not in gait.

Influence Of Hip Abductor Fatigue On Acl Loading During Single-Leg Landing, Namwoong Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A musculoskeletal simulation study is necessary to identify the cause-effect relationship between hip abductor weakness and ACL loading during athletic events such as landing and jumping. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of weakness of hip abductors on lower extremity kinematics and ACL loading during single-leg landings. We hypothesized that hip abductor weakness would alter lower extremity joint kinematics. We also hypothesized that hip abductor weakness would increase ACL loading during single-leg landings. This study was a combination of a human experiment and a musculoskeletal modeling simulation. Ten healthy participants performed single-leg landing from a height …

Recovery Experiences Bridge The Gap Between Volunteering And Work Outcomes, Kaitlin Fosler

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

This study examined the relationship between volunteer work demands, recovery experiences, and work outcomes. The mental and physical demands of the volunteer work influenced the recovery experiences of psychological detachment and mastery. Further, mastery experiences positively impacted organizational commitment while both mastery and control positively impacted work engagement.

Left Achilles Tendon Rupture In A Male Collegiate Soccer Player, Benjamin Welch

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

ABSTRACT

Objective: To present the case of an Achilles tendon rupture including surgical repair and rehabilitation in a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, male, soccer athlete.

Background: While attempting to perform a backflip following a match victory, the athlete jumped up and experienced a gunshot sound and feeling on his posterior, distal, left leg. On-field evaluation included a positive Thompson Test for Achilles tendon (AT) rupture. Post injury imaging revealed a coinciding diagnosis.

Differential Diagnosis: AT strain, calcaneal fracture, fibula fracture, Shepard’s fracture

Treatment: Open surgery technique to repair the tear followed by rehabilitation protocol beginning with rest and …