Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Analisis Faktor-Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Angka Kematian Bayi Di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan Menggunakan Regresi Komponen Utama, Salwa Zahirah Putri Wijaya, Sitti Sahriman Salam, Nasrah Sirajang, Audia Putri Damatia, Hildayanti Hildayanti

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Angka kematian bayi (AKB), khususnya kematian neonatal, merupakan indikator fundamental dalam menilai kualitas pelayanan kesehatan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi AKB di 24 kabupaten/kota di Provinsi Sulawesi Selatan. Variabel independen yang dikaji mencakup dimensi layanan kesehatan, kondisi sosial ekonomi, pendidikan perempuan, sanitasi, air bersih, dan indikator demografis. Data dianalisis menggunakan metode Regresi Komponen Utama (Principal Component Regression/PCR) untuk menganalisis pengaruh variabel-variabel dengan mempertimbangkan adanya potensi korelasi antar variabel independen, sehingga dihasilkan model yang stabil. Melalui analisis komponen utama, lima komponen berhasil dibentuk yang merepresentasikan 84,21% dari total variasi data. Komponen pertama (PC1) …

Stromal Interaction Molecule (Stim) Proteins In Microglia And The Impact On Store-Operated Calcium Entry (Soce) And Spinal Cord Injury Recovery, Norah G. Hill

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

In spinal cord injury (SCI), worsening functional outcomes are largely because of secondary injury processes and prolonged chronic inflammation. A major contributor of secondary injury is overload of intracellular calcium, causing neuronal overexcitation and persistent inflammatory responses. One of the primary mediators of calcium entry into the cell is store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). In SOCE, sensors detecting calcium depletion from the endoplasmic reticulum stores are called STIM proteins (1-2). When calcium is low in the cell, STIM proteins will activate Orai channels to open, allowing for the influx of calcium into the cell. The purpose of this study was to …

The Influence Of Valence On Action Control: A Comparison Of Simon Effects In The Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (East) And The Spatial Simon Task, Yaara Aleissa

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

People adjust their thoughts and actions in response to a changing environment every day and emotions may influence these actions. Understanding how emotion impacts action control in situations where emotion is central to the action (task-relevant) compared to when it is present in the environment as distracting information (task-irrelevant) is essential. Currently it is unclear when emotion most significantly modulates action control. This study seeks to compare how valence (positive versus negative emotion) impacts action control performance when valence is task-relevant and task-irrelevant by using two modified versions of the Simon conflict task.

The Simon task is a paradigm to …

Effects Of A Passive Assistive Hamstring Device On Overground Running Kinematics And Hamstring Activation., Quinn Castner

All Theses

Hamstring strain injuries are among the most common and recurring injuries in sports, occurring most often during the terminal swing phase of gait. Despite progress in rehabilitation, the incidence of injury has only increased, suggesting a need for a novel intervention. We designed a passive, assistive, wearable device with two specific criteria in mind: to offload the hamstrings during running, and do so without hindering normal kinematic patterns. The device consists of an adjustable elastic band anchored proximally at the waist and distally just above the ankle joint center. It stretches and shortens with the hamstrings, providing passive hip extension …

The Burnout Machine: Finding The Guide Between Burnout And Meaning Making Using Ifs And Role Theory For Mental Health Professionals (An Integrative Literature Review), Jade Ahneman

Expressive Therapies Theses

Burnout is a syndrome in which compounded stress leads sufferers to feel physical and mental exhaustion, mental distancing, cognitive and emotional impairment, depressed mood, psychological distress, and psychosomatic complaints. Originally thought of as a phenomenon affecting only individuals in helping roles (i.e., mental health workers, teachers, nurses, and police officers), research on burnout and its effective management has become increasingly important since the 1980s, highlighting its pervasiveness across occupational and personal realms. This integrative literature review focused on understanding the effects of burnout on master 's-level counseling students, investigating how Internal Family Systems theory (IFS) and drama therapy’s role theory …

Art Therapy And A Strength-Based Approach For Working With Children With Emotional And Behavioral Challenges: A Qualitative, Arts-Based Study, James D. Wyld

Expressive Therapies Theses

Abstract

            Children with emotional and behavioral challenges represent a vulnerable population that needs more attention and innovative forms of treatment. The behavior of these young people is often marked by impulsive behaviors and intense emotions in the process of getting their basic needs met. The current study explores how a combination of art therapy and a strength-based approach is beneficial and appropriate for children in a behavioral based therapeutic school. Progress was traced through one singular client in both group and individual settings over the course of 6 months. Interventions varied with the goals of increasing self-awareness, fostering autonomy, increasing …

Ai×Life 2026: Advances In Computational Biology Across Scales For Life & Health Sciences, Suma Mohan S., Devika N. T., Pranavathiyani G.

Conference Proceedings

Book of Abstracts of the International Conference, AIxLife 2026: Advances in Computational Biology Across Scales for Life & Health Sciences, held on 17–18 April 2026, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, INDIA 

About the Conference

Conventional computational biology laid the foundation for biological data analysis through statistical models, algorithms, and curated databases, enabling insights into genes, proteins, and pathways. Today, the integration of artificial intelligence, spanning machine learning, deep learning, and large language models (LLMs) is driving a transformative shift across biological scales, from atomic and molecular interactions to pathways, cellular systems, organisms, and populations.

AI-powered approaches …

Addressing Socioeconomic Factors Related To Health Disparities In Predominantly Hispanic Texas Communities, Gabriela M. Gomez

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the socioeconomic factors that influenced health outcomes in predominantly Hispanic Texas communities in San Antonio, Texas. Few studies have been conducted that address how socioeconomic conditions have shaped the lives of the Hispanic population in Texas, indicating a significant gap in the research. The research question guiding this study asked: How do Hispanic individuals between the ages of 26 and 64 who live in predominantly Hispanic communities describe health disparities in San Antonio, Texas? To address the research question, a qualitative inquiry was conducted using semi-structured in-person interviews with participants who met the inclusion criteria. A …

A New Generation Of Inhaled Vaccines, Clark Chapman

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Vaccines have stood the test of time as being one of the greatest developments in health history. Delivery of these life-saving vaccines has primarily remained reliant on intramuscular administration, which has its own collection of shortcomings. When considering what vaccine formulation is best suited to be a widely accessible and effective tool in the fight against respiratory pathogens, current data and science points to a number of improvements available to us. These improvements include:

• An inhaled formulation, uniquely stimulating mucosal immunity

• A dry powder formulation to improve long-term stability

• A live attenuated vaccine to increase immunogenic response …

The Role And Impact Of Servant Leaders In The Clinical Physical Therapy Space, Amelia Moor

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Servant leadership is an approach that is committed to improving the lives of others. The patient-centered model, commonly taught in healthcare courses, follows a structure that resembles the practice of servant leadership. Through this study, the clinical application of servant leadership was explored further. Physical therapy was the primary focus of understanding servant leadership in healthcare settings. Qualitative research was conducted using a phronetic iterative approach. Results displayed a recognition and usage of the servant leadership model in physical therapy settings, despite administrative and structural barriers.

Group B Streptococcus In Pregnant Women: Universal Guidelines And Protocols, Dania Presteguin

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of maternal sepsis and neonatal mortality globally. Variability in screening and treatment guidelines influences global disease burden.

Objective: This study uses a cross-national analysis to compare screening and treatment guidelines and their impact on prevalence, screening, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP), and maternal-neonatal clinical manifestations Methodology: A systematic review of secondary literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL (2010-2025). Inclusion criteria include maternal GBS colonization and one or more measures of interventions and neonatal infection rates. No geographic or demographic restrictions were applied. A total of 67 studies were screened, and …

The Power Of Belief: Investigating The Intersection Of Religious Observance, Social Support, And Psychological Distress, Victoria R. Atwater

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Religion can act as a protective factor against stress and depression (Koenig et al., 2009; Krok, 2008) and can be examined through an individual’s relationship with religion or the efficacy of religious practices on mental health. In this study, 206 participants completed an online questionnaire that measured stress, depression, religious coping, religiosity (intrinsic religiosity, organized religious activities and non-organized religious activities), and social support using validated scales. The results indicate a positive correlation between stress, depression, and negative religious coping as predicted. While intrinsic religiosity and positive religious coping did not significantly influence stress or depression, organized religious activities were …

Dental Wear In Medieval Hungarian Populations, Sutton Walters

Honors College Theses

Dental wear can reveal past human behavior, offering insight into diet, daily activities and cultural practices (Berbesque et al., 2012; Deter, 2009; Estalrrich & Rosas, 2015; Górka, 2016; Molnar, 2008; Smith, 1984; Watson, 2014). Dental wear can reconstruct past life when other evidence is limited. This paper will address whether dental wear patterns observed in two medieval Hungarian populations, Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I (KK) and SárrétudvariHízóföld (S), reflect sexual dimorphism patterns seen in hunter-gatherer vs. agriculturalist populations. Previous research demonstrates clear differences in wear between high- and lowwear subsistence strategies, whereas other studies report minimal or no sexual dimorphism and little variation …

Donor Sex And Platelet Storage Change The Therapeutic Effects Of Platelet-Derived Extracellular Vesicles On Endothelium, Mandeep Kaur, Malvika Gupta, Sowmya Shree Gopal, Charles E Wade, Jessica C Cardenas, Amit K Srivastava

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (PEVs) play an active role in vascular protection and repair and are being explored as a viable alternative to platelet therapy. Because platelet function and stability are shaped by donor sex and storage conditions, these same factors are likely to influence the PEVs they release. Understanding these influences is key to developing PEVs into a safe and dependable therapeutic option. In this study, we investigated how donor sex and platelet storage affect the therapeutic properties of PEVs. To address this, PEVs were isolated from platelets of healthy male and female donors. Platelets were either processed immediately after …

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson's Disease, Brock Renicks

Honors Theses

The aim of this study is to observe the outcomes of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This study will primarily look at changes in depression and anxiety, as these symptoms are often comorbid with Parkinson’s Disease. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive, very low-intensity form of electrical stimulation of the brain. It is being increasingly used as a form of treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and depression and anxiety, however the literature is ambiguous, showing mixed results throughout various studies, with no standardization of tDCS administration. To determine the effect of tDCS on …

Substance Use And Childhood Environment In Adolescent Head Injury: Examining The Effects Of Race, Jessica A. Phelps

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adolescents participating in sports are at an increased risk of concussion, which is particularly important given the difficulties with cognitive function, emotion regulation, and impulsivity that may occur as a result of this brain injury. These symptoms can predispose adolescents to subsequent concussions, leading to further damage during a critical time in neurodevelopment which can result in mental health disorder development in adulthood. It is crucial to understand what factors may predispose youth to increased rates of concussion for these reasons. As such, this paper explored whether race/ethnicity, gender, grade in school, childhood environment, and risk-taking behaviors were associated with …

Beyond The Court: Pickleball's Impact On Balance And Gait In Older Adults, Riley Scott Ahrndt, Abby Nicole Bertsch, Emma Florence Boris, Gabrielle Elizabeth Rheay, Isabella Cason Whiston

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Older adults are at a greater risk for falls due to many variables that may include decreased balance, lower extremity strength, slower agility, and impaired gait mechanics. Daily physical activity has been shown to help combat age-related deficits. The popularity of pickleball is growing fast and may provide an option for exercise that incorporates strength, agility, balance, and aerobic effort. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of pickleball on the balance and agility of older adults participating in the National Senior Games organization.

Methods: The modified version of the Senior Athlete Fitness Exam …

Cardiovascular Health Outcomes In Senior Athletes: A Comparative Study Of Pickleball And Other Recreational Sports, Breana Alise Tretter, Lynsay Leilani Benson, John Thomas Polejewski, Jeremiah Sanders Talley

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Pickleball has grown rapidly in popularity among older adults and is often promoted as a beneficial form of exercise for cardiovascular health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether senior athletes who participate in pickleball exhibit significantly better cardiovascular fitness compared to peers participating in other sports at the North Dakota Senior Games.

Methods: The data was collected through the Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), a multi-component fitness screening conducted by the University of North Dakota’s Physical Therapy Department. The screening included assessments of vital signs, body mass index (BMI), and mobility. Participants voluntarily enrolled …

Building Dental Workforce Pathways In A Rural State Without A Dental School, Rashid Ahmad, Shawnda Schroeder

Indigenous Health Posters and Presentations

In North Dakota, workforce shortages are shaped by geography, training pathways, and weak return incentives.

• Statewide Dental Health Professional Shortage Area designation
• No in-state dental school
• Workforce shortages function as a structural driver of inequity • Oral health disparities among children, low-income populations, and Indigenous communities

Immersive Visualization Of Cardiac Segmentation And Analysis, Brandon Norman

Theses and Dissertations

Coronary artery disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, making early detection and treatment critical to reducing mortality. While coronary angiography remains the gold standard procedure for diagnosing coronary artery disease, less invasive methods such as coronary computed tomography angiography and virtual fractional flow re-serve continue to improve. However, taking full advantage of volumetric coronary computed tomography angiography data requires extensive post-processing before the data can support geometric modeling, hemodynamic simulation, and analysis. Existing Open-Source Appli-cations provide powerful tools for these tasks, but their interaction models remain largely desktop based, restricting users to 2d manipulation and hindering …

Evaluating Spect Neuroimaging In Psychiatric Diagnosis: A Critical Review And Proposed Randomized Controlled Study, Kiley Carter

Senior Honors Theses

Mental illness affects a substantial proportion of adults in the United States, yet psychiatric diagnosis remains subject to diagnostic variability. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a neuroimaging technique that measures cerebral blood flow and has been proposed as an adjunctive tool for psychiatric evaluation. Existing literature reports group-level perfusion patterns associated with certain psychiatric conditions, suggesting potential utility in diagnosing complex or treatment-resistant cases. However, critics of SPECT emphasize the absence of randomized controlled data demonstrating improved patient outcomes. To address this gap, a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing standard psychiatric care with SPECT-guided evaluation is proposed. The proposed …

Plasma Constituents Promote Endothelial Thromboinflammatory Dysfunction After Hemorrhagic Shock, Kelly E Sanders, Marissa D Pokharel, Baron K Osborn, Yao-Wei Wang, Charles E Wade, Lucy Z Kornblith, Mitchell J Cohen, Jessica C Cardenas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Hemorrhagic shock (HS) following traumatic injury is hallmarked by innate immune activation, hypercoagulability, and thromboinflammatory complications. To date, the direct link between HS, injury severity, and endothelial cell (EC) contributions to thromboinflammation remains poorly understood. The goals of this study were to determine the impact of injury severity and HS on endothelial-mediated thromboinflammation and examine whether these changes increase the propensity for thrombosis.

Methods: Plasma from 89 male trauma patients, stratified by HS and injury severity, and 10 healthy subjects were assessed for inflammatory mediators by BioPlex. Human lung microvascular endothelial cells were exposed to patient plasma for 4 …

Exploring Policy Change To Support Early Diagnosis Of Congenital Heart Defects (Chd) In New Mexico, Kelsey Carson Leibenhaut

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is not a new or rare problem; it has likely always been a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality and clocks in today as the most frequently occurring birth defect, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 newborns (CDC, 2025). Prior to the middle of the 20th century, there was little to be done about CHD, as no treatments existed. Everything changed with the advancement of options for surgical repair of CHDs, significantly prolonging lifespans and improving quality of life for affected individuals. Despite these incredible advancements, babies are born with CHD every day, leading to …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Antihypertensive Therapy Chosen Through Maternal Hemodynamic Profile Analysis, Margaret Weimer

Poster Presentations

In treatment of emergent hypertension, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends both oral labetalol and nifedipine, with no preference shown between the two. These medications have different mechanisms of action. Studies have suggested that consideration of hemodynamic profile may be an effective way to determine medication, but have not considered the Rule of 55, a simple calculation to predict hemodynamic profile.

Goals: 1. Determine if tailoring the antihypertensive to patient’s hemodynamic profile is associated with better control of blood pressure. 2. Determine if the Rule of 55 is an accurate method to determine hemodynamic profile.

Navigating The Nicu Without Words: A Case Study Of A Spanish-Speaking Mother’S Healthcare Experience, Emma Norris

Poster Presentations

Research on NICU experiences largely focuses on majority-language families; non-English-speaking families are understudied (Cleveland, 2008). The Family Integrated Care model promotes parent-infant connection and shared decision-making to improve outcomes (Wreesmann et al., 2020). Language barriers impede parent-provider communication, increasing miscommunication and parental anxiety (Kynoe et al., 2020; Ardal et al., 2011). The purpose of this research is to explore communication experiences and barriers between English-speaking and bilingual NICU nurses and a Spanish-speaking NICU mother.

Targeting The Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation To Improve Depression And Anxiety In Parkinson’S Disease, Brock Renicks

Poster Presentations

Around 40% of people with Parkinson’s Disease experience depression and anxiety (Zhao et al, 2025). Depression and Anxiety have been said to be localized to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brunoni et al, 2016). Transcranial Direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modulate depression and anxiety by targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Sreeraj et al, 2023). It is beneficial due to its cost, portability, and simplicity of use. Thus we will be assessing the efficacy of tDCS in reducing depression and anxiety in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

Adhesion Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria To Thermoplastic Materials Used In Fabricating Medical Devices: Patient Consequences, Dev V. Mehta

Poster Presentations

Burn injury patients wear supportive orthoses made by heat-forming sheets of thermoplastic material (Figs. 1 & 2). Bacteria cause severe soft tissue infections in patients wearing contaminated orthoses. Thermoplastic medical devices can develop biofilms that include antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria, which significantly reduces the number of available treatment options. A biofilm is a community of microorganisms that share resources allowing them to exist in a nutrient-limited environment. Biofilm microbes secrete extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) that attaches them firmly to a substrate surface while protecting them from harmful substances, including antibiotics. Bacteria living within biofilms on inanimate surfaces can survive for extended …

Modeling Structural Support To Facilitate Novel Treatments Of Degenerative Disc Disease, Jose Luis Calderon

Poster Presentations

Over 600 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain in 2020, with projections for 2050 being over 800 million [1]. Annual costs associated with low back pain total over 450 billion dollars in the US alone [2]. This research serves as a proof-of-concept for the use of structural supports to facilitate intervertebral disc healing. This treatment would involve the implementation of these supports along with existing injection treatments to promote regeneration. In both models, along with the combined model, the ability for these supports to alleviate intervertebral disc height loss is shown. This indicates that these supports would serve …

Determinants Of Hypertension Awareness And Control In Kenya: A Secondary Analysis Of National Survey Data, Alexander K. Davis

Poster Presentations

No abstract provided.

Experiences Of Hispanic/Latine Graduate Students In Unco’S Audiology And Speech-Language Pathology Programs Within A Hispanic-Serving Institution Context: Qualitative Thematic Analysis From A Moderated Focus Group, Ashley Fuhrman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Existing literature has examined workforce diversity in healthcare as a factor that may shape patient rapport and the delivery of culturally responsive, patient-centered care. Given the increasing demand for audiologists (AuDs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with diverse and multilingual backgrounds, it is important to understand how graduate programs prepare students to serve linguistically and culturally diverse populations. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Hispanic/Latine graduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), a recently designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The study explores students’ perceptions of training, support, and experiences in serving diverse populations. …