Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Holographic Cell Differentiation In Mixed-Species Populations, Matt Phillips, Cole Anderson, Savannah Holmes, Ezra Wylie, Ellie Evans, Thiago Vecchi, Taylor Murphy, Clint Flinders, Hunter Houtz, Carson Stubbs, Vern Hart

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Survival rates for most cancers have increased steadily over the past few decades as new technologies have led to better treatment outcomes. However, this process often relies heavily on the detection of cancer in its earliest stages, before symptoms occur or a tumor is visible in a CT or MR image. This is particularly true for diseases such as pancreatic cancer that exhibit almost no symptoms until very late stages and have extremely low survival rates as a result. Even some commonly treatable diseases, such as breast cancer, become far more problematic in later stages. As such, any efforts to …

Investigating The Effects Of Radiation And Microgravity On Human Brain Organoids, Bailey Mcfarland, Chen Cheng, Yu Huang

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The brain is arguably the most important and complex component of any crewed mission. New technological developments must be made to gauge the damage of space to the brain, especially in complex and long-term missions. While it is understood that microgravity and radiation cause changes in the brain of astronauts, the nature and effects of these changes are largely unknown. To aid in elucidating these effects, we conducted experiments using a rotary cell culture system (RCCS) and are working actively with NASA to implement a chronic low-dose gamma radiation system. Initial trends in the effects of microgravity on brain organoids …

Urine Oxygen Partial Pressure Monitoring To Assess Acute Kidney Injury Risk, Lars Lofgren, Kai Kück, Natalie Silverton

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication associated with cardiac surgery. AKI is associated with increased hospital costs, hospital length of stay (LOS), and mortality risk. The KDIGO criteria are the most common diagnostic criteria and are based on changes in serum creatinine and decreased urine output. While useful for estimating renal function, serum creatinine and urine output are not renal specific, can be influenced by factors other than kidney injury and lead to delayed AKI diagnosis which precludes injury prevention. To overcome these limitations, researchers have primarily focused on chemical biomarkers. The use of these tests is limited …

Comparative Effects Of Eccentric Overload Training On Muscle Function Measures When Combined With Aquatic Plyometric Training, Cassidy Weeks

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Although there is a growing body of knowledge on eccentric resistance training and aquatic plyometric training on muscle function measures alone, no research to date has investigated the effects of a mixed training model. Aquatic plyometrics and overload eccentric training are two different training models which could work synergistically because the shortcomings of one model are the virtues of the other (i.e., plyometrics are not as effective at producing large muscle size and strength gains and eccentric-only training largely lacks the functional SSC component). The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effects of a combined eccentric …

Language Revitalization: Strategies To Reverse Language Shift, Jessica Jamiel Martin

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Language shift, the process by which a language loses speakers until it becomes extinct, is occurring in speech communities all over the world. This process is influenced by internal and external political, social, and economic factors unique to each community. As its causes and effects are not uniform, a universal model for reversing language shift does not exist. However, several broad principles can be applied across multiple contexts and situations for successful language revitalization. It is essential for the speech community to be the primary decision maker in any program. A thorough assessment of the community’s current status, challenges, and …

The Effects Of Strength And Conditioning Training On The Health Of College Students, Brynli Bleak

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Does participation in Strength and Conditioning (S&C) classes have a positive effect on the physical, emotional, mental, and social health of college students? This study was designed to measure and explore different markers of physical, mental, emotional, and social health from participants in Strength and Conditioning classes. Class participants were asked to complete a survey to self report the effects of the training on various aspects of their life. Data were analyzed and compared to national averages for college students, and correlation tests were conducted to identify relationships in the reported effects. The study found that no significant correlations existed …

Family Perspectives On Developmental Monitoring: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Behrens, Evan Dean, Marisol Torres

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Developmental monitoring, an ongoing process to identify children at risk for developmental delays, is an essential component to the identification of a developmental disability in young children. In collaboration with families, medical professionals are expected to monitor the development of a child; however, current research focuses on screening with less attention on developmental monitoring and the role of the family. Here, we show the experiences of families with medical professionals specific to developmental monitoring and how families obtain and develop knowledge on child development. We analyze qualitative data from a sample of family caregivers using semi-structured interviews. With a thematic …

Experiential Learning Through Participatory Action Research In An Interdisciplinary Leadership Training Program, Jessica L. Franks, Stephanie D. Baumann, Marvin So, Angela M. Miles, Jorge M. Verlenden, Teal Benevides, Mark Crenshaw, Stephen Truscott, Daniel Crimmins

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Background: Experience in multidisciplinary collaboration among healthcare providers, leaders in public health, and educators is essential to effectively address the diverse needs of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.

Purpose: We describe three participatory action research (PAR) projects from an interdisciplinary training program, which used experiential learning to enhance leadership competencies and promote inclusive services. Trainees report their leadership growth as providers and advocates for children with I/DD using experiential learning through PAR.

Approach: Trainees discuss their engagement with organizations serving children with I/DD and ways that experiential learning supported leadership skill development, …

Equitable Vaccine Access Within An Age-Based Framework, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Objectives: When vaccine supply was limited, several states adopted age-based prioritization for Covid-19 vaccine eligibility because it is simple (especially when age is quantized by decade) and age is strongly associated with Covid-19 mortality. But this approach raises equity concerns based in law and ethics. I propose data-driven solutions for equitable policy within an age-based framework. Methods: Using CDC and Census Bureau data, I analyzed 538,627 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by age and race-ethnicity through February 2021 and compared the risk ratios to published data on risk ratios for other conditions. Results: Covid-19 mortality rose 2.56-fold per decade of life. Down …

Public Education V. Deaf Children: The Benefits And Downsides Of Public Education For Deaf Children, Esther Christensen

Student Research Symposium

My research was focused on the benefits and downsides of public education on deaf children. This research aims to find the best solution for the education of deaf children in American society, and inform others of the results. I used a library database to find primary and secondary sources from the Deaf community and other communities that are influenced by this topic. Through my research I found that it is possible for deaf children to succeed in public schools, they are far better off in schools for the deaf. The results that I found indicate that there are some benefits …

The Development Of Controlled Attention, Lexie Scott, Katelin Pyfer

Student Research Symposium

The ability to maintain items of information within working memory is depending on the ability to allocate attention to items within WM. Individual differences in WM capacity may bedependent on the amount of information that can be held and maintained in the focus of attention. A basic question in cognitive development is whether individuals increase the capacity of the focus of attention or the efficiency with which they can process information. We examined the differences in typically developing children versus adults in the capacity and efficiency of attention control. In our study, children and young adults completed a dichotic attention …

Bodies Of Beauty, Tyaira Mackay

Student Research Symposium

The rates of eating disorder diagnoses amongst young people in the United States has gradually increased, while beauty standards have gained more prevalence. These beauty standards have become more unrealistic and glorify frail, stick-like bodies. This research aims to discover if there is any correlation between these unhealthy standards and the development and diagnosis of eating disorders. To conduct my research, I used library and internet sources to gather a pool of primary and secondary sources. I used sources by underrepresented scholars concerning different body standards as well as information given by eating disorder clinics to gain a better understanding …

Short Term Stability Of The Electrical Stapedial Reflex, Emilee Harris

Student Research Symposium

Electrical stapedial reflex threshold (eSRT) is an objective measurement of the stapedial reflex triggering in response to loud electrical stimulation through the CI electrode. eSRT has been a valuable clinical tool in mapping the Cochlear Implant (CI) electrodes upper limits. The main objective of this study is to validate the changes in the eSRT within and across CI patients over one year post activation. In this study retrospective clinical data were analyzed from 44 patients ranging in age from 1-88 years, with a total of 29 left ear devices and 31 right ear devices activated in the years 2013-2020 with …

Working Memory Capactiy And Speech Perception With Hearing Aids, Ethan Watson

Student Research Symposium

This presentation covers an ongoing literature review that is asessing the relationship between working memory capcity and speech percpetion with hearing aids. It will provide a brief overview of the ELU model and how hearing aids create mismatch in our neural coding process of speech. Current results of what hearing aid signal stratgies relate to WMC will be provided.

Language Revitalization: Strategies To Reverse Language Shift, Jessica Martin

Student Research Symposium

Language shift, the process by which a language loses speakers until it becomes extinct, is occurring in speech communities all over the world. This process is influenced by internal and external political, social, and economic factors unique to each community. As its causes and effects are not uniform, a universal model for reversing language shift does not exist. However, several broad principles can be applied across multiple contexts and situations for successful language revitalization. It is essential for the speech community to be the primary decision maker in any program. A thorough assessment of the community’s current status, challenges, and …

The Imperfect Structure Of General Education, Bella Slack

Student Research Symposium

Hello my name is Bella Slack, and I completed this Research Project for my English 2010 class. Every student attending an American College is required to complete their General Education before moving further into career programs. Students spend tens of thousands of dollars on these classes, increasing the funds needed to obtain a college education and prolonging the number of years they are in college before their career. I used Library and Internet resources to find primary and secondary research, as well as a personally conducted survey that was used to inform my argument. Through careful analysis of my sources …

Houston College Sport Programs’ Hurricane Harvey Communication: A Twitter Content Analysis, Chris Hanna, Robert Thompson, James T. Morton

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

This study provides a Twitter content analysis of tweets by Houston-based Division I college sport programs during Hurricane Harvey. A content analysis was performed on the tweets appearing on the main intercollegiate athletics Twitter pages of University of Houston, Houston Baptist University, Prairie View A&M University, Rice University, and Texas Southern University in response to Hurricane Harvey. The researchers based their study on grounded theory informed by a study conducted by Inoue and Havard (2015). While this study examined tweets rather than newspaper and magazine articles like Inoue and Havard (2015), this study confirmed the theme findings in Inoue and …

Covid Anxiety And Stress In Higher Ed (Cash), Letitia Bergantz, Christopher E. Curtis

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

College is a time of increased stress and anxiety. The current changes in attendance and methods of instruction due to COVID-19 have demonstrated even higher levels of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of a campus community has been proposed as an appropriate means to the current crisis. This study identifies the mental health needs of students at a rural college as they pertain to the effects of the pandemic.

Questionnaires collected data from college students (N=33) at Athens State University, a rural university in …

Fertility Control Options For Management Of Free-Roaming Horse Populations, Ursula S. Bechert, John W. Turner Jr., Dan L. Baker, Douglas C. Eckery, Jason E. Bruemmer, Candace C. Lyman, Tulio M. Prado, Sarah R. B. King, Mark A. Fraker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The management of free-roaming horses (Equus ferus) and burros (E. asinus) in the United States has been referred to as a “wicked problem” because, although there are population control options, societal values will ultimately determine what is acceptable and what is not. In the United States, free-roaming equids are managed by different types of organizations and agencies, and the landscapes that these animals inhabit vary widely in terms of access, size, topography, climate, natural resources, flora, and fauna. This landscape diversity, coupled with contemporary socioeconomic and political environments, means that adaptive management practices are needed to …

Intensive Outpatient Acceptance And Commitment Therapy With Exposure And Response Prevention For Adolescents, Julie M. Petersen, Patricia Zurita Ona, Moorea Blythe, Clara M. Möller, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Intensive treatments for youth obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are important and underresearched. This study used three adolescent cases to assess the preliminary efficacy of an intensive treatment combining acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD. Participants received intensive treatment for 15 hours per week for three weeks. Assessments were collected at pre-treatment, weekly during treatment, and at posttreatment. All participants ended treatment in the mild range of OCD severity with 32-60% reductions in symptoms. Participants also reported notable improvements in psychological flexibility and ended treatment in the non-clinical range of depression, anxiety, and stress. These …

No Difference In Corticosterone Concentrations Between Missouri Three-Toed Box Turtles Living In An Urban And A Rural Site, Bennett A. Lamczyk, Jamie L. Palmer, Corinne P. Kozlowski, Stephen Blake, Sharon L. Deem

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Baseline health data for species of conservation concern are important for understanding threats to the long-term viability of populations. One indication of health is physiological stress among individuals. Corticosterone (CORT) is frequently used to quantify stress in free-living reptile populations, as high values may be associated with reduced fitness. Herein, we describe and validate methods for quantifying blood CORT levels in three-toed box turtles (Terrapene mexicana triunguis). We subsequently use this information to evaluate stress levels in 2 populations of free-living three-toed box turtles in Missouri, USA. To our knowledge, this is the first quantification of CORT levels …

Dehydration And Mortality Of Feral Horses And Burros: A Systematic Review Of Reported Deaths, John Derek Scasta, Eric Thacker, Jacob D. Hennig, Karl Hoopes

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Water is a requirement for all organisms, including equids. Dehydration-caused mortality of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) is often cited as a cause of concern and as justification for management of feral horses, yet a paucity of information exists on the matter. We conducted a systematic review from September 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021 of available news reports of feral horse and burro (E. asinus) dehydration mortalities and public interventions to save horses using a public search engine with a priori defined search term combinations and additional snowball sampling. We found 15 uniquely reported mortality …

Ehealth Education And Support For Pediatric Hearing Aid Management: Parent Goals, Questions And Challenges, Natalie Nichols, Karen F. Munoz, Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Michael P. Twohig

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education Student Research

Purpose: To investigate parent goals, questions, and challenges that emerged during coaching phone calls in an eHealth program designed to provide education and support for hearing aid management.

Methods: Coaching phone calls were audio-recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes within the categories of goals, questions, and challenges.

Results: Emergent themes revealed parent goals were focused on self-efficacy, routines, device care and child development. Emergent themes for questions revealed parents asked questions related to the device care, audiology appointments, confirmation of learning, and child development. For challenges emergent themes revealed parents’ own struggles (e.g., with emotions), issues related to …

Intervention Research To Increase Pediatric Hearing Device Use: A Scoping Review, Karen F. Munoz, Diana Ortiz, Cameron Bolinger, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study is a scoping review examining interventions to increase hearing device use for children.

Method: Online databases were used to identify peer-reviewed journal articles published prior to November 1, 2021, yielding 1,288 after duplications were removed. Four articles met the inclusion criteria after articles were screened by title name and abstract and subsequent full-text screening of six articles. A qualitative analysis was conducted to identify features of the intervention studies related to the participants, design, intervention, key findings, and limitations.

Results: The included studies were published between 1982 and 2021, and in all four studies, the children used …

Values Engagement As A Predictor Of Eating Disorder Severity In Female Adolescents With Eating Disorders, Julie M. Petersen, Jennifer L. Barney, Tyson S. Barrett, Tera S. Lensegrav-Benson, Benita Quakenbush-Roberts, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Values are freely chosen life directions and/or qualities of being that can motivate behavior change. There is nascent support for the utility of values work as a part of the therapeutic process across treatments, particularly in third wave therapy approaches (e.g., acceptance and commitment therapy). However, therapeutic values work is underresearched in clinical samples of youth. The aim of the present study is to examine the role of the two distinct values processes (engagement and obstruction), body image inflexibility, alongside other common comorbid symptoms of eating disorders (anxiety, depression) in a sample of female adolescents with eating disorders attending a …