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Articles 1 - 30 of 30
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Comparison Of Effects Of Sleep Fragmentation On Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Il-1Β Of Male And Female Adult Mice, Manzar Rzayeva
Comparison Of Effects Of Sleep Fragmentation On Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Il-1Β Of Male And Female Adult Mice, Manzar Rzayeva
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Sleep plays an essential role throughout the body by affecting the physiological function and regulation of many systems. One of these systems that receives effects as a result of the adequacy of sleep is the immune system. Previous studies have demonstrated effects of sleep fragmentation upon the immune system; however, sexual differences of these effects have not been studied in depth. To analyze these variances amongst the genders, male and female adult mice were subjected to acute sleep fragmentation (SF) for 24 hours in an automated SF cage that includes a bar sweeping across the cage every two minutes. Meanwhile, …
Inflammatory Response To Sleep Fragmentation In Skeletal, Cardiac, And Smooth Muscle Tissues In Female Mice, Patton Allen
Inflammatory Response To Sleep Fragmentation In Skeletal, Cardiac, And Smooth Muscle Tissues In Female Mice, Patton Allen
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Sleep is a critical process that the body undergoes. When sleep is interrupted, so that an individual is awakened for some period before going back into sleep, the sleep can be described as fragmented. Studies in the past have shown that sleep fragmentation (SF) promotes an inflammatory environment, especially in the brain and peripheral tissue. However, studies have not been conducted to observe inflammatory responses in muscle. To examine this, C57BL/6J female mice were subjected to either a control group (no SF) or a SF group which involved using an automated SF chamber to disrupt sleep every 2 min over …
Rurality And Its Effects On Prenatal Care In Southcentral Kentucky, Kylee Eilers
Rurality And Its Effects On Prenatal Care In Southcentral Kentucky, Kylee Eilers
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Despite ongoing efforts to increase positive healthcare outcomes for prenatal care in rural Kentucky, there continues to be limited access to adequate and quality resources. Research questions for this research project explored the prenatal care resources for Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren counties, compared healthcare disparities that exist in those counties with other rural regions of Kentucky, and identified limitations of such prenatal care resources in successfully achieving positive care outcomes. In addition to evaluation of applicable online resources through organizations local to the region, some healthcare professional and representatives were interviewed to find …
The Effect Of Warm-Up Protocols On The Occurrence Of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome In High School Cross Country Athletes, Makayla Mack
The Effect Of Warm-Up Protocols On The Occurrence Of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome In High School Cross Country Athletes, Makayla Mack
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS, i.e. shin splints) is among one of the most frequently reported running-related musculoskeletal injuries. Minimal research has investigated the prevention of MTSS with limited evidence supporting few preventative measures. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of which method of warming up could yield the most promising results for the prevention of MTSS in high school cross country athletes and to use this information to further educate coaches and athletes on the most efficacious protocols to implement in the future. METHODS: Participants were recruited via communication with high school cross country …
The Effect Of Age On Neurological Inflammation To Acute Sleep Fragmentation In Mice, Molly Taylor
The Effect Of Age On Neurological Inflammation To Acute Sleep Fragmentation In Mice, Molly Taylor
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Obstructive sleep apnea is identified by recurring events of airway collapse during sleep, intermittent hypoxia, and perturbations in sleep continuity, known as sleep fragmentation. There is evidence to suggest that elderly patients are more at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. The purpose of this study was to assess whether age affects neurological inflammatory responses to acute sleep fragmentation. This assessment was made by subjecting young (4-5 months old) and old (10-11 months old) male C57BL/6j mice to automated sleep fragmentation, as well as having mice in both age categories as a control with no sleep fragmentation, for twenty-four hours. …
Assessing Biomass Fuel Consumption In Kasigau, Kenya As A Predictor Of Hypertension, Conner Hounshell
Assessing Biomass Fuel Consumption In Kasigau, Kenya As A Predictor Of Hypertension, Conner Hounshell
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally and disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries, such as Kenya. Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is influenced by a variety of factors such as diet, tobacco use, and genetics. One such factor linked to hypertension is exposure to air pollution, but minimal research exists on the effects of household air pollution. Hypertension that is not related to common Western risk indicators, such as waist-to-hip ratio, body mass indices, and hypercholestorlemia, is prevalent in the community of Kasigau, Kenya, along with the prevalence of risks for household …
Impact Of Geographic Location And Social Determinants Of Health On Lung Cancer Incidence And Mortality Rates, Katherine Ashley
Impact Of Geographic Location And Social Determinants Of Health On Lung Cancer Incidence And Mortality Rates, Katherine Ashley
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
This paper studies the effect of geographic location and socioeconomic status, specifically level of education and income, on rates of incidence and mortality of lung and bronchus cancer. While some prior studies have focused on socioeconomic status’ and global geographic location’s impact on these rates, few have focused on the impact in Appalachian Kentucky and non-Appalachian Kentucky. In this paper, level of education and income are controlled for using four variables: median household income, percentage of persons in poverty, percentage of high school graduates or higher who are at least 25, and percentage of persons with a bachelor’s degree or …
A Look At Gene Control: Tracking The Ccnd1 Gene, Bryan Anders
A Look At Gene Control: Tracking The Ccnd1 Gene, Bryan Anders
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cancer occurs when the cell does not properly control its own cell cycle. It then replicates in an out of control fashion leading to the death of various organs and then the demise of the organism as a whole. As it seems to have always been a problem for cell-based life, certain safeguards against cancer have been evolved over time. One such method comes in the form of prevention via cyclin proteins, which are encoded from cyclin genes. The gene that is the focus of this research is the CCND1, or cyclin D1, gene that controls the progression through various …
The Impact Of Exercise In Spaceflight And Microgravity Environments, William Bybee
The Impact Of Exercise In Spaceflight And Microgravity Environments, William Bybee
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Since mankind’s first spaceflight, a significant barricade in reaching distant planets has been the damaging effects of microgravity upon the human body. Effects range from loss in bone mineral density and severe muscle atrophy to autoimmune disorders. The most effective countermeasure of these effects to date is exercise. Implementation of exercise in microgravity is not an easy task, so various specialized equipment must be utilized to effectively administer it. Even with this equipment, exercise as it is currently used does not entirely prevent body systems from undergoing detrimental changes. New modalities and implementations are currently being investigated that may significantly …
The Role Of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 (Mpc1) In Heart Failure And Its Implications For Cardiac Recovery, Obadiah Issachar Kirk
The Role Of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1 (Mpc1) In Heart Failure And Its Implications For Cardiac Recovery, Obadiah Issachar Kirk
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome with high mortality rates around the world. HF also has diverse etiology as many things contribute such as hypertension, obesity, coronary artery disease, inflammation, and cardiac arrhythmias. Studies have shown that unloading of a failing heart with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) can lead to cardiac recovery in a subpopulation of individuals with advanced HF. RNA-sequencing and protein expression analysis of myocardial tissue from HF patients who underwent the LVAD implant and heart transplant indicated that subpopulation of HF patients who responded to LVAD unloading had significantly lower levels of mitochondrial pyruvate …
Natural And Artificial Object Recognition: The Superiority Of Natural Shape Features, Lauren Pedersen
Natural And Artificial Object Recognition: The Superiority Of Natural Shape Features, Lauren Pedersen
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of 44 young adults (mean age = 21.7 years) to compare natural and artificial three-dimensional (3-D) objects using their senses of vision and touch. Previous research has indicated that the information content provided by a stimulus set can have a significant effect on a participant’s ability to perform cross-modal object recognition tasks. A primary goal of the present study was to understand what shape features are transferable between visual and haptic modalities. Participants haptically manipulated objects from one of two stimulus sets: bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) and sinusoidally-modulated spheres (SIMS). …
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Two Curcuminoids And Cisplatin On Cancer Cell Migration, Blaine Patty
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Two Curcuminoids And Cisplatin On Cancer Cell Migration, Blaine Patty
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cisplatin is a common chemotherapy drug used to treat various cancers; however, it is relatively ineffective against many cancers, including several types of lung cancer. One approach that could improve cisplatin’s effect is to combine it with another drug that produces a synergistic response greater than either drug alone. Curcumin, a naturally occurring plant compound, has been investigated for synergisms in conjunction with cisplatin chemotherapy, but curcumin use is hampered by its low bioavailability. This project investigated whether two synthetic curcumin analogs, EF-24 and CLEFMA (curcuminoids), which have greater solubility than curcumin, could, when combined with cisplatin, decrease the migration …
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Two Curcuminoids And Cisplatin On Cancer Cell Reactive Oxygen Species, Matthew Millay
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Two Curcuminoids And Cisplatin On Cancer Cell Reactive Oxygen Species, Matthew Millay
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cisplatin is an anticancer drug which can cause the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that kill cancer cells. Curcumin is a naturally occurring plant compound that can increase ROS levels in cancer cells and enhance the activity of cisplatin against cancer, but it exhibits poor bioavailability. We investigated whether two synthetic curcumin analogs (curcuminoids), EF-24 and CLEFMA, with anti-cancer activity and improved bioavailability, increased cisplatin’s effect against cancer. A spectrophotometric fluorescent ROS assay was used to determine if cisplatin, the curcuminoids or combinations of cisplatin with a curcuminoid affected the level of ROS in the A549 non-small cell lung …
The Validity Of Submaximal Exercise Testing In Obese Women, Gabrielle Ringenberg
The Validity Of Submaximal Exercise Testing In Obese Women, Gabrielle Ringenberg
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Background: Submaximal exercise tests use heart rate responses to low-to-moderate intensity activity in order to predict cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max). Currently used tests may be inappropriate for obese populations as obese women have altered heart rate responses to exercise. The purpose of this project is to test the validity of the Modified Bruce Protocol submaximal treadmill test in obese women. Methods: Normal-weight (NWG) and obese women (OBG) completed the Modified Bruce submaximal treadmill test (to predict VO2max using previously validated equations) and a maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill using the Standard Bruce Protocol (to obtain an …
Assessment Of Endpoint Criteria And Perceived Barriers During Maximal Cardiorespiratory Testing Among Pregnant Women, Caitlin Hesse
Assessment Of Endpoint Criteria And Perceived Barriers During Maximal Cardiorespiratory Testing Among Pregnant Women, Caitlin Hesse
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
PURPOSE: Plateau in oxygen consumption (VO2) is the primary indicator for determining if an individual has reached their true maximal aerobic capacity (Howley et al., 1995). Although age and gender-specific secondary criteria (i.e. additional criteria that can be used to identify one’s attainment of maximal effort) have been developed for the healthy population, no secondary criteria have been established for pregnant women (Edvarsen et al., 2014). The primary purpose of this study was to analyze secondary endpoint criteria during VO2max testing among pregnant women during the 2nd trimester. A secondary purpose was to identify emotional and physical …
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Cisplatin And Two Curcuminoid Compounds On Cancer, Denis Hodzic
Investigating The Synergistic Effects Of Cisplatin And Two Curcuminoid Compounds On Cancer, Denis Hodzic
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug effective against several cancers which can produce the serious side-effect of hearing loss. Curcumin, a natural plant compound, can increase the activity of cisplatin against cancer and counteract cisplatin’s effect against hearing. Because curcumin exhibits poor bioavailability, there is considerable interest in developing synthetic curcumin analogs (curcuminoids) that are more soluble and which retain anti-cancer activity and otoprotective function. This study investigated whether two curcuminoids, EF-24 and CLEFMA, increase the cytotoxic and ototoxic effects of cisplatin against the lung cancer cell line, A549, and the colorectal cancer cell line, Caco2. Cytotoxicity was measured by using …
Exercise To The Rescue: An Analysis Of Altered Metabolic Gene Regulation Post-Exercise In Lean And Obese Individuals, Brandon Mudd
Exercise To The Rescue: An Analysis Of Altered Metabolic Gene Regulation Post-Exercise In Lean And Obese Individuals, Brandon Mudd
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The skeletal muscle of obese individuals exhibits a depressed ability to metabolize fats. Exercise training is thought to rescue this dampened ability to metabolize fats; mediated by a coordinated increase in the expression of a network of genes that regulate metabolism and fuel utilization. The purpose of this study is to determine the exercise-induced regulation of metabolically important genes in lean and obese individuals. Muscle biopsies (one pre-exercise/baseline and one immediately post-exercise) were obtained from 4 lean (BF% 24.4 ± 5.5; 23.5 yrs ± 1.9) and 13 obese (BF% 39.7 ± 2.4; 26.1 yrs ± 2.3), age-matched, relatively young subjects, …
Benefits Of A Flexitarian Diet: Educating College Students Of Lifestyle Approaches To Reduce The Risk Of Developing Breast And Prostate Cancer, Abbigail Pace
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Practicing the Flexitarian diet, a plant-based diet, in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with the American Cancer Society’s recommendations for reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer (American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, 2015) College students were assessed on knowledge of the relationship between diet and cancer risk prior to and after accessing information on the American Institute of Cancer Research site or the WKU Flexitarian Pinterest Page. Participants were recruited from the National Panhellenic and Interfraternity Council memberships and the International students at Western Kentucky University. Participants completed a …
Examining Patient-Centered Care Through The Eyes Of An Occupational Therapist, Molly R. Ray
Examining Patient-Centered Care Through The Eyes Of An Occupational Therapist, Molly R. Ray
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The concept of person-centered care is a major factor in the ongoing shift between a type of care that focuses on biological concepts ignoring psychological and emotional needs of a person, to a new type of care that considers the whole person, striving to meet not only their physical needs, but their spiritual and emotional needs, striving to involve the patient in every aspect of care. In this study, an adapted person-centered checklist was created as a possible future tool to encourage occupational therapists to implement person-centered care techniques in daily practice. Supporting research includes a literature review on person-centered …
Empowering The World Through Dentistry, Charles W. Vittitow
Empowering The World Through Dentistry, Charles W. Vittitow
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Dentistry is a very specific trade that one develops after years of education and training. With this skill comes a great amount of power and opportunity to serve, and with great skill comes great responsibility. Many dentists have decided to answer the call of third world countries that lack proper health care and specifically dental care. They do this in a variety of ways from sending supplies, supporting a local clinic financially, or traveling to the country for a short-term trip where they provide dental care to as many patients as they are physically able to for 7 to 10 …
The Reaction Of Methionine With A Non-C2-Symmetrical Platinum (Ii) Diamine Compound, Nilesh Sahi
The Reaction Of Methionine With A Non-C2-Symmetrical Platinum (Ii) Diamine Compound, Nilesh Sahi
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The research that we have conducted has allowed us to discover that the amino acids, methionine (Met) and N-acetyl methionine (N-AcMet), will react in a 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratio with platinum complexes containing bulky diamine ligands. Previous research has allowed us to gain a plethora of information on the experimentation and results of specific bulky diamine ligands such as N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine and N,N-diethylethylenediamine. In the current study, we have investigated the bulky diamine ligand of N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, or Me2en. With our focus on the bulk of the Me2en ligand, we have been able to synthesize a platinum …
The Prevalence Of Essential Hypertension In Kasigau, Kenya, Lindsay Williams
The Prevalence Of Essential Hypertension In Kasigau, Kenya, Lindsay Williams
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a widespread chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) which is on the rise in developing countries. Evidence based on extensive research studies on risk factors for NCDs suggests that they could be easily significantly decreased by simply controlling their risk factors. Although high blood pressure has been recognized as a leading risk factor for CVD, little research has been done to document the prevalence and incidence of essential hypertension (EH) in lower socioeconomic developing countries. One such country is Kenya. It was found in our research study that Kasigau …
Biomass Assisted Synthesis Of Antibacterial Gold Nanoparticles And Commentary On Its Future Potential And Applications In Medicine, Chad Willis
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Xylose is a natural monosaccharide found in biomass such as straw, pecan shells, cottonseed hulls, and corncobs. Using this monosaccharide, we report the green synthesis and characterization of biocompatible, biodegradable xylose encapsulated gold nanoparticles (Xyl-GNPs) with potential antibacterial activity. GNPs were synthesized using the bioreduction property of xylose on the chloroaurate anions in an aqueous solution at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The characterization of synthesized GNPs was examined by UV-vis spectroscopy; transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicate that the particles were stable; near spherical in shape with an …
Oxaliplatin And Oxaliplatin Derivatives: Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity With Biologically Relevant Ligands, Amy Poynter
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Oxaliplatin is a third generation anticancer drug that has proven to be successful in fighting ovarian and testicular cancer. We are interested in determining how oxaliplatin and oxaliplatin derivatives interact with proteins, as well as how that interaction is affected by the size and shape of these platinum compounds. We have synthesized oxaliplatin as it is used in cancer treatment, as well as similar platinum compounds with the same diaminocyclohexane ligand as oxaliplatin but with additional bulk added to the nitrogen atoms. We are reacting oxaliplatin with key amino acids, including methionine, and will be comparing the kinetics of this …
Environmental Friendly Synthesis, Characterization Of Surface Modifiable Starch Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles With Bactericidal And Catalytic Activity, Dillon Pender
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
In the present study, we report the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), using potato starch as a reducing as well as a stabilizing agent in an aqueous buffer medium. The resulting starch-GNPs (St-GNPs) were near spherical in shape with an average diameter of 15 ± 5 nm. In this approach, St-GNPs were characterized and investigated for their antibacterial properties against both gram negative (Escherichia coli) and gram positive (Staphylococcus epidermidis) bacteria. These St-GNPs were found to possess significant dose dependent antibacterial activity against bacteria. Also, St-GNPs showed a significant catalytic activity and can easily be …
The Proliferation Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Depends On Thioredoxin 1 Protein In A Model Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Viktoria Nelin
The Proliferation Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Depends On Thioredoxin 1 Protein In A Model Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Viktoria Nelin
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease which manifests itself in the lungs of both adults and children. Vascular proliferation and remodeling are the hallmarks of PH and are found mainly in the pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMC). The cause of PASMC proliferation and vascular remodeling in PH is poorly understood. Hypoxia, or low oxygen content, underlies many forms of PH. Hypoxia results in alterations in the redox balance of the PASMC. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the role of the thioredoxin system, an antioxidant system in the cell, in hypoxia-induced proliferation in PASMC. Protein was …
Assessment Of Prenatal Care And Perinatal Outcomes In Kasigau, Kenya, Allison Smith
Assessment Of Prenatal Care And Perinatal Outcomes In Kasigau, Kenya, Allison Smith
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The World Health Organization (WHO) implemented the Millennium Declaration in 2000 to establish global health goals to be achieved by 2015. Two of these Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) are directly related to maternal, neonatal and child health. Healthcare during the prenatal period can help achieve the WHO MDG’s for maternal health and child mortality. Evidence has shown that women in Kenya have limited access to prenatal care. This study focused on the prenatal care and postnatal outcome trends of the women in Kasigau, Kenya. Participants were surveyed in three villages (Rukanga, Makwasinyi, and Bhuguta) to determine if prenatal care was …
Use Of Origanum Vulgare Essential Oil To Combat Human Pathogenic Yeasts, Amber Adams
Use Of Origanum Vulgare Essential Oil To Combat Human Pathogenic Yeasts, Amber Adams
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
With the outbreak of autoimmune diseases, pathogenic yeasts have begun to pose a serious medical threat. This threat is compounded as more of these yeasts evolve resistance to existing antifungal drugs. In the ever-widening search for new, effective antifungal treatment, the realm of herbal medicine offers some interesting and potentially valuable alternatives. Origanum vulgare is one herb that has demonstrated broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi alike. This study undertook to examine the effects of the essential oil of Origanum vulgare on Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Rhodotorula rubrum, and Cryptococcus albidus, with the hypothesis that Essential Oil of …
Death, Decay, And Moribund, Virginia Zorn
Death, Decay, And Moribund, Virginia Zorn
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
"Death, Decay, and Moribund" is my interpretation of the physical processes death imposes on the human body. The inspiration for this series comes from a long-time interest in forensic pathology and science. [...]
An Analysis Of Two Tests For Diesel Contamination In The Environment When Considering The Impact On Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria, Chris Wedding
An Analysis Of Two Tests For Diesel Contamination In The Environment When Considering The Impact On Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria, Chris Wedding
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
No abstract provided.