Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Static Versus Dynamic Cupping On Ankle Dorsiflexion, Alexandria N. Schaub

All NMU Master's Theses

PURPOSE: Cupping therapy involves lifting and separating fascial tissue to facilitate stretching and promote blood flow. Although cupping is a common treatment modality for pain, studies are inconsistent in regards to whether cupping improves other outcomes, like range of motion. Possessing a limited range of motion can lead to musculoskeletal injury. The aim of this research is to determine the acute effect of different methods of cupping therapy on ankle dorsiflexion. METHODS: A total of 35 healthy adults (age: 22.1±4.52 years) with an average ankle ROM of 34.68±4.22° at baseline were included in the study. Participants were randomly …

Effect Of Covid-Protocols On Athletic Training Burnout, Harrison C. Garcia

All NMU Master's Theses

Burnout is a psychological condition consisting of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of personal accomplishment and identity. Since the start of the pandemic, a significant increase in burnout has been reported by healthcare professionals, however, there is little known regarding the experiences of athletic trainers (ATs). PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between burnout and COVID-19 related factors among ATs. METHODS: An electronic survey grouped by the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey, COVID-19 related workplace policies, and demographics was sent to 1,000 ATs through the National Athletic Trainer’s Association email listserv; …

Management Of Youth Sport-Related Concussion By Urban And Rural Practitioners: A Pilot Study, Brett R. Fox

All NMU Master's Theses

Sport-related concussions (SRC) occur at alarming rates among high school athletes (ages 13-18), which made the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies classify it as an “epidemic”. If improperly managed, physical, mental, and emotional consequences can occur for SRC patients. Due to these consequences all 50 states in the US have passed legislation requiring medical release from a practitioner before a student-athlete can return to athletics following an SRC, yet there is no universally accepted consensus on how to medically manage this common injury. A 22-item, validated survey was distributed to Michigan practitioners who sign off on …

Concussion And Mental Health: Case Series, Haley M. Clark

All NMU Master's Theses

Concussion is the most common traumatic brain injury in the United States, and is thought to lead to adverse effects on mental health. No studies to date have examined mental health throughout concussion recovery. This project examined the effect of concussion on three aspects of mental health: anxiety (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), depression (Beck’s Depression Inventory), and aggression, (Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire) at three time points (baseline, mid-season, and postseason) and if the athlete had a concussion, they completed the questionnaire once upon diagnosis, bi-weekly until return-to-play, and bi-weekly for two weeks after being cleared for participation. Each concussion showed an …

A Systematic Review: The Effect Of Prophylactic Braces On Reducing Risk Factors Related To Acl Injury In Athletes, Zak Linczeski

All NMU Master's Theses

Purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most common sports-related injuries as they account for around 100,000 injuries per year. This study sought to review research on prophylactic knee bracing (PKB) for the reduction of the risk factors related to injury of the ACL.

Methods: An extensive search of articles from 1990-2021 was performed with inclusion criteria of no previous ACL injury, no knee injury or surgery in the past 6 months, the use of a hinged knee brace, and use of kinetic, kinematic, and proprioceptive variables. All studies underwent a PEDro score evaluation to determine article …

Increase In 1rm Back Squat After Abdominal Stabilizing Maneuvers, Caro Els

All NMU Master's Theses

Increasing intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) during free weight exercises can protect the lumbar spine from excess movement; a cause of lower back pain. Abdominal bracing (AB) and abdominal hollowing (AH) are two stabilizing maneuvers that increase IAP. Previous literature primarily compared AH and AB in therapy settings on bodyweight single joint movements. The effect of AB and AH during a multi-joint movement involving a maximum or near maximum external load is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of AB and AH on lower limb muscle activity and the maximum amount of external weight lifted during a …

Coordination Variability And Injury Risk In Experienced Collegiate Dancers, Emily Klinkman

All NMU Master's Theses

Dance is a sport that places a number of physical demands upon the human body, and injuries are a common occurrence in the sport. While it has not yet been linked to dance-related injury, coordination variability (CV) is a measure of how much movement strategy changes between repetitions of a task and low levels of CV have been linked to injury in other sports. This study aimed to determine the relationship between CV and dance injury in collegiate dancers. Eight (8) undergraduate student subjects were recruited from the dance major and minor, BFA major and minor, and recreational dancers who …

Cerebellum-Seeded Functional Connectivity Changes In Trait-Anxious Individuals Undergoing Attention Bias Modification Training, Katherine Elwell

All NMU Master's Theses

Anxiety and anxiety related disorders are increasing at a drastic rate in the past decade, with the NIMH reporting that 31.1% of U.S. adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Anxiety is commonly characterized by increased attention bias to threat. Attention Bias Modification (ABM) is a new treatment used to reduce individual’s attention bias towards threat. The extent to which ABM leads to underlying neural changes is still unknown. The cerebellum is a neglected brain structure, with new research provides evidence that cerebellum’s functional connectivity and shared networks with threat processing regions has a direct …

The Physiological Effects Of Therapy Dogs During Exercise For Sedentary Adults, Josie Lynne Mazzone

All NMU Master's Theses

Previous research has shown therapy dogs may be utilized to attenuate heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) responses during various types of stressors due to an increase in oxytocin (OT) and decrease in cortisol (CL) production. These hormonal changes have also been shown to enhance exercise performance. Purpose: This study aimed to determine if physiological responses to exercise changed in the presence of a therapy dog for sedentary adults. Methods: Seven adult subjects (mean age of 30.86 ± 14.07 years) who self-reported less than 150 min of physical activity per week participated in a graded walking test with a …

Evaluating Soluble Axl As A Biomarker For Glioblastoma, Daniel Raymond

All NMU Master's Theses

AXL, a receptor tyrosine kinase, is known to promote malignant phenotypes in various types of cancer. AXL overexpression is commonly observed in glioblastoma and correlates with a worse prognosis. Detectable in most biological fluids, the extracellular domain of AXL, sAXL, is the product of enzymatic cleavage by ADAM10/17. Here we used ELISA, BCA and BCG assays to characterize blood serum from 23 newly diagnosed GBM patients which was collected roughly 24 hours before and after surgery as well as every three months post-surgery, corresponding to follow-up treatment visits. Immunoblotting was used to determine relative AXL expression in 13 patient tumor …

The Physiological And Psychological Effects Of Indoor Versus Outdoor Aerobic Exercise In Female Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review, Emily Ferroni

All NMU Master's Theses

Moderate aerobic exercise is advantageous to physiological and psychological well-being among healthy and diseased populations. Investigating the physiological and psychological effects of indoor and outdoor aerobic training on ROS, antioxidants, QOL, vitamin D, estrogen, kynurenine, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and the immune system within cancer patients and survivors may be imperative to their recovery and survival. Outdoor aerobic exercise within a greenery-rich environment elicits greater positive changes within overall well-being compared to outdoor exercise in an urban setting or indoor exercise. However, both indoor and outdoor aerobic exercise produce benefits in mood state, the immune system, cardiovascular health, bone health, and …

A Comparison Of The National Football League Coaches Strength And Conditioning Practices 1997-1998 To 2018, Corey Fitzgerald

All NMU Master's Theses

This study describes the results of a survey of the strength and conditioning practices of the National Football League’s (NFL) strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches. The primary purpose was to identify the common and unique aspects of the NFL S&C practices during 2018. A secondary purpose was to compare those results to 1997-1998 (‘97-98) to determine differences across years. The survey response rate was 28.1% (9 of 32 NFL teams) agreeing to participate. The survey instrument was a 150 item assessment divided into 10 sections examining the entire training program. Results revealed that subjects test 6.8 ± 3.1 fitness variables …

Successful Shot Locations And Shot Types Used In Ncaa Men’S Division I Basketball, Olivia D. Perrin

All NMU Master's Theses

The primary purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of court location (distance and angle from basket) and shot types used on shot success in NCAA Men’s DI basketball during the 2017-18 season. A secondary purpose was to further expand the analysis based on two additional factors: player position (guard, forward, or center) and team ranking. All statistical analyses were completed in RStudio and three binomial logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate factors that influence shot success; one for all two and three point shot attempts, one for only two point attempts, and one for only …

General Strength And Muscular Endurance: Relationship To V1- And V2-Skate Skiing Economy In Collegiate Cross-Country Skiers, Ian Torchia

All NMU Master's Theses

Introduction Cross-country skiing is a power-endurance sport requiring upper and lower body activation for propulsion across the ground. While high aerobic markers such as VO_2max and lactate threshold are important performance indicators, recent research has demonstrated the importance of full-body general strength and muscular endurance in skiing success. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of strength indices via a full-body series of muscular endurance tests, as well as a general 1-RM strength test, to VO₂ skiing economy utilizing the V1- and V2-skate technique.

Methods Oxygen uptake was measured during baseline and economy testing on …

Discriminative Stimulus Effects Of Putative Antipsychotic Drugs, Alex Lekander

All NMU Master's Theses

This study attempted to further explore the discriminative stimulus properties of antipsychotic drugs, by establishing the typical antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine, and the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine as discriminative stimulus in two different groups of rats. The rats trained to discriminate chlorpromazine from vehicle failed to do so reliably, however nine of ten rats trained to discriminate 1.25 mg/kg clozapine from vehicle were able to acquire the discrimination in 19.1 sessions. The clozapine cue partially generalized (63.13% drug lever responding [SEM = ± 18.91]) to the antimalarial drug methylene blue at the 7.5 mg/kg dose, but not to the antimalarial quinacrine. …

The Effect Of A Novel Rehabilitation Program On Walking Performance In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Alyssa J. Rebensburg

All NMU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare if the addition of the NewGait™ device to traditional therapy in comparison to traditional therapy alone would be more effective at improving walking technique and walking performance in persons with multiple sclerosis. Eighteen patients with multiple sclerosis participated in this study. Pre- and post-testing assessed kinematic gait variables (speed, step length, step width, double limb support time), toe clearance height, ankle range of motion, balance confidence, rating of perceived exertion, and hip-ankle coordination. Participants completed an 8-week physical therapy protocol aimed to improve gait and balance with the experimental group wearing the …

Swimming Performance Post Blood Flow Restriction Training In Collegiate Swimmers, Amy E. Boettcher

All NMU Master's Theses

PURPOSE: To determine if blood flow restriction (BFR) training improved performance and physiological factors in collegiate swimmers. METHODS: Participants (n=10) separated into 2 groups (control [CON] & experimental [OCC]), completed 9 supervised trainings within 3 weeks. Pre- and post-testing included: VO_2max, Wingate, swim time trials (TT), strength, and DEXA. Training was identical except OCC underwent bilateral thigh BFR [blood pressure (BP) cuffs inflated 70-90% of systolic BP]. Training: treadmill walking 20 minutes (5x3-minutes at 3 mph, 5% grade, 1-minute rest), followed by bodyweight strength training (squats, lunges & step-ups). Pain levels (scale: 1-10) were taken after …

The Effects Of Stress On American Football Overhand Throw Accuracy, Cale Anderson

All NMU Master's Theses

The American overhand football throw is a highly scrutinized position because of all the different kinds of stress both physical and psychological that are put onto those players. The current study sought to develop a formula using psycho-emotional and physical variables to predict the performance of an American overhand football throw under stressful/non-stress situations. Participants were tested on two days. The stress situation is where tennis balls were thrown, and the subject did not know where they were going to throw. The non-stressed was a 3 step drop without knowing what target they were throwing at and these conditions were …

Biomechanical Adaptations To An Implemented Ramp Angle In Recreational Alpine Skiers, Stephanie R. Moore

All NMU Master's Theses

Most ski boot-binding complexes have a negative ramp angle. This angle is not regulated or reported in the alpine ski industry, but may influence skier balance and pressure control. Thus, joint coordination and center of pressure maintenance in alpine skiers (n = 19) was investigated during simulated ski squat and balance tasks with increasing binding ramp angles (0°, 1°, 2°). Greater sagittal plane center of pressure excursions were observed with ski-booted tasks compared to barefoot conditions during squats and balance simulations. Squat tasks performed on skis resulted in more uncoordinated knee-ankle movement, however, this effect was reduced with the highest …

Characterization Of Theranostic Peptides For Glioblastoma Multiforme, Aaron Mellesmoen

All NMU Master's Theses

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a type of primary CNS tumor in which viable treatment options do not exist. Standard of care including tumor resection, chemotherapy, and radiation does little to extend the 5-year survival expectancy past 5.1%. Herein, two small-peptide molecules with inherent antitumor activity, blood-brain barrier permeability, and capability for tumor-specific drug deliverance and intraoperative visualization (termed theranostic) were of focus. Confocal microscopy was employed to characterize in vitro specificity of chlorotoxin, a 4 kDa scorpion venom peptide, and rBSG, the recombinant 25 kDa non-glycosylated extracellular domain of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN; Basigin) isoform …

Exploring Empathy In Medical Narratives, Adam Uhrig

All NMU Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Norharmane And Nicotine On The Conditioned Place Preference Of Mice, Lindsey Galbo

All NMU Master's Theses

Tobacco smoking in the United States is used by approximately 25% of adults. Many studies using animal models have suggested that nicotine has rewarding properties. Contrastingly, several studies have also found it to be a weakly reinforcing substance at low and high dose levels. Due to this, other tobacco constituents, such as the monoamine oxidase inhibitor norharmane which is found in tobacco leaf and smoke, may be responsible for tobacco addiction by potentiating the rewarding properties of nicotine. Several studies have attempted to observe this phenomenon, however, monoamine oxidase inhibitors that are not found in tobacco leaf or smoke have …

Three Speeds Of Yoga And The Effects On Salivary Cortisol Levels In Female Nursing Students, Meagan Hennekens

All NMU Master's Theses

Purpose: Nursing students are prone to stress-related diseases, such as depression and anxiety, which are associated with chronically elevated cortisol levels due to the excessive firing of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis. This study assessed three speeds of yoga and how they acutely affected salivary cortisol levels within female nursing students. Methods: Students participated in three yoga sessions cadenced at different speeds in a non-randomized order: (i) standard-speed yoga (SSY), (ii) high-speed yoga (HSY), and (iii) slow-speed yoga (SLSY). Each class integrated sequencing concepts from the brahmana/langhana strategy (BLS) and the Para Yoga Blueprint (PYB). Cortisol samples were …

Characterization Of The Roles Of Muscle-Synthesized Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor And Presynaptic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase B In Motor Neuron Axonal Transport, Luke A. Vanosdol

All NMU Master's Theses

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a small, diffusible protein essential for the development and function of neurons. It is synthesized by many types of tissue, including muscle. BDNF actions are mediated via binding to its receptor, tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB). The BDNF-TrkB complex is endocytosed into a specialized vesicle, which induces downstream signaling cascades locally in the dendrites, or, more often, is delivered to the cell soma via retrograde axonal transport, where it modulates gene expression. BDNF activation of TrkB is critical for the initiation of axonal transport, and this cellular process relies on the interaction of numerous adaptor …

Post-Activation Potentiation: Decay Or Fatigue Delay, Ryan L. Meidinger

All NMU Master's Theses

Post-activation potentiation has been shown to improve jumping performance and other ballistic activities. The improvements in performance have been attributed to four main mechanisms, but the most important mechanism to the current study is the improvement in neural activity that leads to greater levels of potentiation. Post-activation potentiation has been shown to be stimulated by a maximal activity, called a conditioning contraction, and can be used as a warm up. In studies that have not shown the effects of post-activation potentiation, the proposed reason is fatigue, but the interaction of post-activation potentiation and fatigue have not been thoroughly tested. The …

A Platform For The Discovery And Characterization Of Proteins That Associate With Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Rna Polymerase, Danielle N. Brogren

All NMU Master's Theses

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen notable for its ability to colonize the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Once the bacterium infects and colonizes humans, it is extremely difficult to eradicate. This leads to long-term infections that significantly damage the lungs and other tissues. P. aeruginosa infections are challenging to treat due to the bacterium’s natural antibiotic resistance and the rise of multidrug resistant strains. Development of novel drug treatments are a necessity.

In all organisms, the regulation of gene expression is a highly controlled process. Remarkably, in P. aeruginosa bioinformatics studies showed that 20% of its genome is …

The Effect Of Hyperthermic Whole Body Heat Stimulus (Sauna) On Heat Shock Protein 70 And Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy In Young Males During Weight Training, Brandon C. Jones Mr.

All NMU Master's Theses

The traditional Finnish steam sauna is theorized to aid skeletal muscle hypertrophy by stimulating Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), which acts as a molecular chaperone to the folding of functional skeletal muscle. The aim of this study was to investigate if stimulating HSP70 by using a sauna (45 – 50 ͦC, 80% Humidity) three times per week, for 15 minutes, could aid skeletal muscle hypertrophy during six weeks of resistance training in a young (21.38 ± 1.9 yrs.), recreationally trained male population. Thirteen subjects were randomly distributed into 3 groups [resistance Training + sauna (RT+S, n=5), RT + Relaxation (RT+R, …

The Acute And Chronic Effects Of Highly Cushioned Shoes On Loading Characteristics In Recreational Runners, Jessica Corkin

All NMU Master's Theses

Recently, highly cushioned shoes (HCS) entered the running market, and manufacturers suggested extra cushioning potentially reduced injury rates through superior shock absorption, implying less impact upon foot strike versus other shoes. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 4-week HCS intervention on running-related impact forces in adult recreational runners. We hypothesized HCS would result in altered force attenuation compared to standard cushioned shoes (SCS) at baseline. After 4-weeks, we speculated differences would not be attenuated. Twenty-nine healthy runners (18-60 yrs of age) who had never worn HCS were randomized to either an intervention (INV) …

Characterization Of Transmembrane Protein 35 Expression: Considerations Of Sex And Ovarian Hormones, Amanda M. Vanderplow

All NMU Master's Theses

The recently discovered novel neuropeptide transmembrane protein 35 (TMEM35), is believed to modulate chemical signaling within the nervous system. Notably, the TMEM35 protein is detectable in humans, non-human primates and rodents, suggesting a conserved and critical function. Despite this, the functions of TMEM35 are ill-defined in the nervous system and insufficiently studied (currently only three publications). Previous work has identified high expression of TMEM35 in both the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and the limbic circuit of the mouse brain. Due to the known functions of these two regions, this pattern of expression indicates possible roles of this neuropeptide in social behavior …

Comparison Of Clinical Versus Mechanical Measurements In Detecting Lower Limb Asymmetries Associated With A Second Acl Injury, Alicia E. Denherder

All NMU Master's Theses

Study Design: Quasi-experimental. Objectives: To compare clinical and mechanical measures in detecting lower limb asymmetries associated with second anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Background: Knee extension moment (KExtM) asymmetry is predictive of second ACL injury. Evaluation of clinical return to sport tests to assess and classify asymmetry is needed. Methods: While performing the drop vertical jump (DVJ), thirty healthy individuals underwent 3D motion analysis. Absolute difference in KExtM between limbs at initial contact of the DVJ (KExtM symmetry) was calculated separately for each trial and averaged. Subjects performed single leg hop (SLH) and Y-Balance tests (YBT). Limb symmetry index (LSI) …