Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Collaboration Between Speech-Language Pathologists And Third-Grade Teachers On Student Vocabulary Outcomes, Mary Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A persistent literacy crisis continues to be reflected in international (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2013), national (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2015), and local literacy outcome data. Educators, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs), are called upon to collaborate to support students who struggle with academic language/literacy. However, few studies have operationally defined collaboration and investigated the effects of collaboration on student achievement. As a result, there is insufficient guidance for educators about ways to design, implement, and assess the effectiveness of collaboration models, defined in terms of their effects on student outcomes. There were two main objectives …

The Actin-Severing Protein Cofilin Is Downstream Of Neuregulin Signaling, Is Regulated By The Tumor Suppressor Merlin, And Is Essential For Schwann Cell Myelination, Nicklaus Sparrow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myelination is a complex process requiring coordination of directional motility and an increase in Schwann cell (SC) size to generate a multi-lamellar myelin sheath. Regulation of actin dynamics during myelination is poorly understood. However, it is known that myelin thickness is related to the abundance of neuregulin1-type III (NRG) expressed on the axon surface. NRG binding to ErbB2/3 receptors on the Schwann cell surface initiates signaling cascades necessary for myelination. We identify cofilin1, an actin depolymerizing and severing protein, as a downstream target of NRG-ErbB2/3 signaling in rat SC. A five minute exposure of SCs to NRG triggers phosphorylation of …

The Ability To Critically Evaluate Research Literature In Speech-Language Pathology, David Gregorio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research in Speech-Language Pathology provides the basis for understanding how and to what degree therapeutic techniques and interventions affect the health and quality of life of individuals with communication disorders. Across numerous fields of healthcare, research serves just as important a function and is used to guide the practices of professionals across the public health sector. Several disciplines, including chiropracty, nursing, and physical therapy, rely on the implementation of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) to ensure that the process of rehabilitation and the techniques employed therein are carried out though the synthesis of best clinical judgment, empirical evidence, and patient values. The …

Factors Influencing Hypoglycemia Care Utilization And Outcomes Among Adult Diabetic Patients Admitted To Hospitals: A Predictive Model, Waleed Kattan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes Miletus (DM) is one of the major health problems in the United States. Despite all efforts made to combat this disease, its incidence and prevalence are steadily increasing. One of the common and serious side effects of treatment among people with diabetes is hypoglycemia (HG), where the level of blood glucose falls below the optimum level. Episodes of HG vary in their severity. Nevertheless, many require medical assistance and are usually associated with higher utilization of healthcare resources such as frequent emergency department visits and physician visits. Additionally, patients who experience HG frequently have poor outcomes such as higher …

Effects Of An Acute High-Volume Isokinetic Intervention On Circulating Levels Of Tnf-Α And Stnfr: Influence Of Age, Eliott Arroyo Delgado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The immune system has been implicated in recovery and muscle regeneration following exercise. In response to muscle damage, the immune system responds with an increase in circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines with the goal of recruiting leukocytes to the damaged area. Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), in particular, has been shown to be implicated in both muscle regeneration and muscle wasting. However, it remains unclear whether TNF-α is responsible for the age-related losses in muscle size and function. Also, due to the high clearance rate of TNF-α from circulation, analyzing the circulating levels of soluble TNF-α receptors 1 and 2 (STNFR1 and STNFR2) …

Effects Of An Acute High-Volume Isokinetic Intervention On Inflammatory And Strength Changes: Influence Of Age, Joseph Gordon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a high volume isokinetic intervention on lower body strength and inflammation, as well as markers of muscle damage in the subsequent 48 hours between younger and middle-aged men. METHODS: 19 healthy, recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to two groups, younger adults (YA: 21.8 ± 2.0 y; 90.7 ± 11.6 kg; 21.5 ± 4.1 % body fat), or middle-aged adults (MA: 47.0 ± 4.4 y; 96.0 ± 21.5; 24.8 ± 6.3 % body fat). Both groups reported to the human performance laboratory (HPL) on four separate occasions. On …

The Microbial Ecosystem Of Beer Spoilage And Souring: Competition And Cooperation In The Age Of Bioinformatics, Andrew Kettring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The brewing industry generates $350 billion in revenue in the US annually, representing 1.9% of the gross domestic product. Spoilage is a persistent problem throughout production and distribution that causes economic loss, and is therefore meticulously avoided. Contrarily, artisanal sour beers are necessarily produced by a diverse variety of these spoilage organisms metabolically interacting in symbiosis as a microbial ecosystem. We sought to gain insight into factors driving assembly of microbial communities by testing a long-debated Darwinian hypothesis. A collection of community members were screened in co-culture and novel bioinformatics tools were developed to predict observed interactions. A fundamental understanding …

Consequences Of Altered Short-Chain Carbon Metabolism In Heart Failure, Julie Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is currently the foremost cause of death within the United States. Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome defined by the inability of the heart to adequately execute requisite pump function in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen to peripheral tissues, irrespective of etiology. One of the most common causes of HF is chronic pressure overload due to hypertension. Ischemic heart disease is also a common driver of HF, often in conjunction with hypertension. Pressure overload initially causes compensatory metabolic changes. Structural changes follow shortly thereafter typically resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. Eventually, the heart loses the ability to …

Implication Of Alpha-Synuclein Transcriptional Regulation And Mutagenesis In The Pathogenesis Of Sporadic Parkinson's Disease, Sambuddha Basu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective loss of dopaminergic neurons (DA neurons) from the substantia nigra (SN) of the mid-brain. PD is classically associated with cytoplasmic inclusion of aggregated proteins called Lewy bodies. alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) coded by the gene SNCA, is one of the major components of Lewy body and neurite along with several other proteins like ubiquitin, neurofilament to name a few. PD is broadly categorized into two groups based on their incidence of occurrence. First is the familial form that occurs due to known genetic aberrations like mutation, gene duplication/triplication in important PD …

Targeted Therapy Development For Neurofibromatosis Type 2, Marisa Fuse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a debilitating disease characterized by the formation of bilateral vestibular schwannomas, which compress the vestibulocochlear nerve and cause deafness. Additional peripheral schwannomas, meningiomas and ependymomas may also form. NF2 is caused by mutations in the NF2 gene, resulting in the loss of function of the merlin tumor suppressor. Merlin functions in multiple signaling pathways and its absence in Schwann cells yields increased cell survival and proliferation, thereby causing schwannoma formation. First line treatment for NF2 is watchful waiting and surgical removal of tumors, potentially resulting in facial paralysis and deafness. To date, there are no …

Effects Of Symbol Type On Naming And Identification Of Graphic Symbols By Typically Developing Three, Four, Five And Six-Year Olds Children., Pamela Resnick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Speech-language pathologists and educators face unique challenges in assessing the language skills of children with complex communication needs due to the wide array of impairments with which these individuals present. For example, most receptive language assessment tools require that children either point to or label line drawings to determine whether or not they comprehend the depicted concepts; task demands such as these preclude administering such assessment tools with children who are unable to physically point to or verbally label presented stimuli. In light of these challenges, the use of eye tracking technologies has become particularly appealing since this alternate response …

The Influences Of Mindfulness And Neuromotor Exercise Mode On Balance In Healthy Older Adults, Maxine Hicks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the roles of mindfulness and balance to optimize strategies for fall prevention in healthy older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of mindfulness with respect to balance in healthy older adults who are experienced in meditative versus non-meditative modes of neuromotor exercise. This was a comparative descriptive study that used a convenience sample of N=86 older adults (20 male; mean age = 69.33 ± 7.24; range: 60 – 93 years). The sample included experienced participants of meditative (e.g., yoga, Tai chi) and non-meditative (e.g., partnered dance) neuromotor exercise recruited from community yoga, …

To Evaluate The Function Of The Oxytocin Receptor In The Context Of Ovarian Cancer Cell Microenvironment To Determine If Oxytocin Can Induce An Anti-Inflammatory Response, Benjamin I. Schachner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The treatment of most cancers can still be considered inadequate despite the steady progress being made. A prime example of this issue is with epithelial ovarian cancers; this disease presents a significant issue, with a 5-year survival rate of 46% and a survival rate of 28% in patients that develop metastatic disease. Since ovarian cancer has such a high mortality rate, effective treatment modalities are necessary to prolong the quality of life after diagnosis. Psychosocial stress is related to the progression, proliferation, and migration in cancer patients, but the mechanisms of this relationship are not fully understood. The present in …

The Effect Of K562-Il21-2 Plasma Membrane Particles On The Proliferation Of Natural Killer Cells To Fight Cancer, Michelle Prophete

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Immunotherapy has emerged as a current and future paradigm of cancer treatment, which utilizes the body’s immune system to eradicate cancer. Natural Killer (NK) cells as part of the innate immune system have immense potential in their anti-tumor cytotoxic activities and host cell surveillance properties. NK cells comprise approximately five to fifteen percent of peripheral blood lymphocytes and can be proliferated in vitro using recently developed methods with co-cultures with feeder cells (derived from engineered tumor cells) or plasma membrane (PM) particles, produced from the fore mentioned feeder cells, in combination with soluble cytokines. For efficient growth and maintenance of …

Nurse Practitioner Student Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Skin Cancer Assessments, Ryan Woodmansee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer each year in the United States. With skin cancer and the demand for nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care both on the rise, an accurate assessment of how well NP students are being prepared to perform skin cancer assessments is needed. Patient outcomes are directly linked to early detection and treatment which is essential for all types of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Nurse Practitioners need to be able to recognize the early stages of malignancy versus benign skin lesions and perform accurate skin examinations. The ability to assess practitioners’ knowledge while …

Oral Hygiene Practices In Non-Ventilated Intensive Care Unit Patients, Kimberly P. Emery

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Oral hygiene is a significant aspect of nursing care. Endocarditis, stroke, lung cancer, and hypertension have been associated with poor oral hygiene. Research exploring oral care practices for mechanically ventilated patients is well documented. In contrast, oral hygiene for the non-mechanically ventilated acute care population remains underestimated. The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline of the type, frequency, and consistency of oral hygiene being performed on non-mechanically ventilated ICU patients and explore how the oral care provided was documented.

Methodology: A literature search was conducted and reported as a literature review. The databases CINAHL Plus with …

The Role Of Frabin (Fgd4) In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Alexia M. Bossan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

A major problem in prostate cancer (PCa) management is the development of drug resistance. It is known that there are changes in PCa biology upon prolonged treatment with drugs, including anti-androgen drugs that alter cellular signaling processes leading to the development of castration resistant PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulatory molecules that modulate gene expression through inhibition of protein translation and modulate cellular functions. Altered expression of miRNAs is often noted in drug resistant cancer including PCa. Studies from our laboratory have identified a number of down-regulated miRNAs in PCa, including miR-l 7-92a miRNAs. Frabin (FGD4) is a target of the …

The Effect Of Biofeedback On Coping For Patients With Depression, Amber L. Atkinson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Individuals with depression have a higher incidence of comorbidity which significantly decreases their ability to function and increases their utilization of health care. Due to the severity of the economic burden resulting with depression, research is needed to further examine the most effective treatments for depression. Biofeedback is a therapy that teaches patients how to control the physical affects that manifest during depression.

Aim: The purpose of this review of literature is to discover the benefits of biofeedback for patients diagnosed with depression.

Method: An electronic literature search was conducted using various databases to retrieve articles examining biofeedback as …

An Rnai Screen To Identify Components Of A Polyamine Transport System, Adam J. Foley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Polyamines, specifically putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are small cationic molecules found in all organisms. Cells can biosynthetically make these molecules, or alternatively, they can be transported from the extracellular environment. Malignant cells have been shown to require relatively high amounts of polyamines. There is a chemotherapeutic agent, DFMO, used to block the biosynthesis of polyamines. Many malignant cells can circumvent DFMO therapy by activating their transport system. A potential solution is to simultaneously block biosynthesis and transport of polyamines. However, little is known about the polyamine transport system in higher eukaryotes.

This thesis aims to add to the basic biological …

Validating Drug Targets Through Inhibition Of Protein-Protein Interactions In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Erin C. Driscoll

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death by single infectious disease worldwide; novel antibiotics are needed to continue to treat this disease. To goal of this project is to provide proof-of-principle support for the idea that targeting protein-protein interactions (PPI) is an appropriate course for the discovery of new drugs. This study optimized the M-PFC assay, which allows detection of PPI in Mycobacteria, through the use of stronger promoters and inducible expression of a peptide blocker by riboswitch. To accomplish this, promoter induction studies were used to find stronger promoters for the M-PFC, optimization of the riboswitch as a …

The Role Of Breastfeeding In Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Hiv/Aids: A Comparative Case Study Of Three Countries, Anjali Cherukuri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The HIV pandemic has affected millions of people around the world both medically and socially, since there is a stigma associated with this disease. Common methods of transmission include sexual intercourse and sharing needles, but there are other lesser known methods through which people can contract this disease. One such way is mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), in which a mother could transmit the virus to her child either during pregnancy, childbirth, or through breastfeeding. This paper focuses on the role of breastfeeding in the transmission of HIV from mother to child. Many studies have investigated how breastfeeding results in the transmission …

What Are The Most Commonly Used Tools To Screen Depression In Hiv-Infected Gay And Bisexual Men?, Michael Isner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gay and bisexual men infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) comprise a sizable, medically vulnerable population. Depression is the most commonly experienced mental health disorder affecting this group of people, lending itself to a host of risks associated with depression. As screening of depression in this population can be challenging, it is vital that clinicians have the best available tools and guidelines to detect depressive symptomology. This focused, comprehensive review of the literature examined current data describing the clinical instruments used to detect depressive symptoms in HIV-infected gay and bisexual men. The aim of this analysis was to seek out …

Profit-Bearing Administrators: Exploring The Application Of Economics And Financial Concepts In Healthcare Management, Brandon K. Riddick

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Healthcare managers face an incredible challenge today; understanding and implementing financially and economically sound decisions in the complex healthcare environment of the United States. The pressure to be profitable managers is greater than ever. Considering current research, past studies, and articles focused on the demands of healthcare managers will illuminate the state of health care administration, and the importance of real world application of accounting and economics in healthcare.

This thesis will explore and examine research about industry standards, and the need for preparedness in healthcare finance management. It will also examine the important and complex role of accounting and …

Risk Of Medication Errors In The Home: An Integrative Literature Review, Maria M. Crescenzi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Regardless of the setting, medication errors are of great concern when associated with an individual’s health outcomes, along with the increased costs to society, healthcare institutions, and providers. Current research focuses on medication error data primarily in acute and extended care facilities. However, there is a paucity of research examining the causes of medication errors that occur post hospital discharge when individuals transition to the home. The purpose of this integrative literature review is to examine risk factors for medication errors outside of these settings, specifically in the home. A systematic literature search was conducted using multiple databases for relevant …

Interventions To Reduce The Effects Of Nicu Noise In Preterm Neonates, Rebecca L. Manske

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Exposure to excessive noise during a neonates stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can create both immediate and long term health problems such as, hearing loss, neurological deficits, and sleep pattern disturbances. The use of earmuffs or earplugs to decrease the neonate’s exposure to noise can create a more stable environment to facilitate improved growth and development. The purpose of this research was to examine the use of earmuffs or earplugs to reduce the impact of noise on neonates. A systematic review of literature was conducted using online databases including CINAHL, ERIC, Ebsco Host, Medline, and PsychINFO. The …

Exploration Of Bioactive Compounds Of Ginger As A Folk Remedy For Migraines, Nathan Vorbes Aleger

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) has been used in Asia for centuries to treat various ailments. Ginger has been reported to alleviate migraine pain via four bioactive compounds that can reduce nitric oxide synthase (NOS) resulting in the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO). The inhibition of nitric oxide results in the vasoconstriction of the intracranial blood vessels alleviating migraine pain. It is hypothesized that ginger has structural similarities to vasoconstrictor drugs causing similar receptor interactions. A review of the bioactive compounds in ginger and popular vasoconstrictor drugs was done to determine structural similarities. The results of this study show that …

Receptive And Expressive Single Word Vocabulary Errors Of Preschool Children With Developmental Disabilities, Juliana L. Hirn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Vocabulary growth during the preschool years is critical for language development. Preschool children with developmental disabilities often have more difficulty with learning and developing language, therefore making more errors in vocabulary. It is important to recognize what type of errors children are demonstrating, especially as it relates to receptive and expressive language abilities. This study explores the error patterns preschool children with developmental disabilities make during receptive and expressive single word vocabulary tests. A secondary analysis of preexisting data was conducted from a sample of 68 preschool children with developmental disabilities ranging in severity. Based on a coding system developed …

Protocol Based Screening Tools To Identify Sepsis Patients Transported By Emergency Medical Services, Isaiah Moser

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sepsis is a complicated disorder in which an infection has reached the bloodstream and caused a cascade of events that in time will lead to death. Interventions aimed at identifying sepsis early in its progression are imperative to stopping the process. The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of the literature regarding sepsis screening tools utilized by emergency medical services. A literature review exploring the various tools in place was conducted to see their value in predicting sepsis and secondary what the initiation of a sepsis alert has on the patients’ outcome. Results found included that …

Characteristics Of The Adult Female Endurance Runner: A Survey, Stephanie F. Gabriel

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Objective: This study investigated the behaviors and characteristics of the adult female endurance runner and potential components of the female athlete triad (FAT). The FAT consists of three components that are interrelated: low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. Low energy availability may occur with or without disordered eating. Reproduction becomes non-essential leading to irregular menstrual cycles. A reduction in estrogen levels may contribute to low bone mineral density which may lead to stress fractures. Research investigating the FAT has primarily focused on adolescent and young adult females. Adult females training for endurance events may also be …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Aphasia On The Caregiver, Lauren A. Ferrara

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Studies have investigated the physical and emotional wellbeing of family members and spouses who care for persons with stroke (Bakas, et al. 2006). Literature shows burden of care is high in role reversal and depression is frequent. Variables that affect the caregiver burden with persons with aphasia (PWA) have not been identified prior to this study. Results from caregiver interviews found six themes, some which have not been identified prior, such as feelings of optimism.