Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Physical Therapy And Proper Sleep Positions Lead To Improved Hamstring Flexibility, Bailey Miley

Undergraduate Research Conference

Research Question: How effectively can physical therapy and correct sleep positioning improve hamstring flexibility and reduce pain, based on age and everyday activity?

A Study On The Development Of Robotic Prosthesis, Alexandra Knight

Undergraduate Research Conference

This paper is a multi-analysis study of the development of robotic prosthesis. There are many types of robotic prosthesis, some of which are already in circulation. However, true robotic prosthetics which can move in the exact fashion of the original limb are still in the early stages of prototyping. In experimenting there have been problems found in the methods of communicating movement and the manufacturing of sensory recording material. Using a comparison of the failed and successful experiments it is possibly to approximate the material that will be used and the cost of future market ready robotic prosthesis.

Veterans Health Awareness And Promotion, Emilio Villavicencio

Community Engagement Theme

No abstract provided.

Event Agenda, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Faculty Development

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Non-Dominant Shoulder Exercises On Non-Dominant And Dominant Shoulder Range Of Motion In Collegiate Volleyball Player, Jeanna Becker, Renee Maneman, Savannah Tinklenberg

Celebration of Research

Context: Janda’s Upper-Crossed Syndrome (UCS) is characterized by alternating patterns of tightness and weakness, which is indicative of muscle imbalances and movement dysfunction usually seen in unilateral athletes. These muscle imbalances can cause abnormal movement patterns and sometimes manifest as pain. Anecdotal evidence seen in the athletic training clinic also supported the use of non-dominant side movement patterns to improve dominant side functioning and decrease pain. Objective: Based on the UCS, application of non-dominant shoulder exercises may decrease muscle imbalances and movement dysfunction. We hypothesized that there would be an increase in internal rotation of the dominant shoulder demonstrating increased …

Drawing Coagulation Studies From Heparinized Central Lines, Alex Stidmon, Bailey Swart, Carissa Holt, Megan Adams, Sarah Allen

Celebration of Research

A literature review was conducted between the months of September and December 2017 to determine whether using heparinized central lines to draw coagulation studies is best evidence based practice. The purpose was to research the efficacy of using a heparinized central line to draw coagulation studies. This research is for the Abben Cancer Center affiliated with Spencer Hospital in Spencer, Iowa. Ten articles focusing on patients with heparinized lines or discard volume were reviewed. Results showed that heparin primarily has an effect on Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT). It was found that using heparinized central lines to draw blood studies …

Poster Viewing Session, Various Presenters

ANS Research Symposium

Posters will be presented by students and faculty members from academic units within the College of Applied and Natural Sciences

Film Screening: What Doesn't Kill Me, Leeann Bartolini

Community Engagement Theme

No abstract provided.

Counseling The Media: Bridging Pop Cultural Borders With The Mental Health Profession, Stephanie J. Durham, Michael A. Desposito

Ray Browne Conference on Cultural and Critical Studies (2015-2021)

Professional counseling is often defined as a professional relationship meant to empower diverse people towards their mental health and wellness goals (Kaplan, Tarvydas, & Gladding, 2014). While counselors continue to provide professional services in many settings, counseling is not always portrayed in a positive light within television and film. Shows such as 13 Reasons Why and How I Met Your Mother both portray an inaccurate perception of counseling characters who disregard their ethical duties despite the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics (2014) mandates for safe-guarding the wellbeing of those seeking counseling, honoring multicultural diversity, and advocating for social justice. …

Differential Diagnosis Of Pan-Uveitis: Behçet’S Disease, Peter Blosser, Remil Simon, Courtney Ridner

Appalachian Student Research Forum

This report describes the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with blurry vision, increased intraocular pressure, and conjunctival injection after posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation. Initially post-operative endophalmitis and foreign body inflammation were considered as differential diagnoses, but after further examination pan-uveitis was diagnosed. Uveitis is an ocular finding that may indicate several diseases, one of which is Behçet’s Disease. During the interview, the patient mentioned a history of apthous ulcers and genital ulcers which then lead to the clinical diagnosis of Behçet’s Disease. This report emphasizes that Behçet’s Disease is rare in Caucasians. Therefore, is frequently misdiagnosed in …

Amphibians And Reptiles As A Source Of Salmonella – A Review Of Salmonella Outbreaks In A Period Of Last Ten Years, Mateusz Drozdz, Gabriela Bugla-Plooskonska

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Salmonellosis is a serious problem of public health that mainly infants, young children and people with immunodeficiencies face. Human direct contact with animals is one of the possible ways of transmission of the disease. An increasing trend of keeping exotic pets, including amphibians and reptiles, has been observed for recent years in the United States and developing European countries. Most of these animals are asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella. However, in this review we introduced new and the most dangerous outbreaks of salmonellosis caused by contact with amphibians and reptiles that appeared in all continents in last ten years.

It was …

Promoting Health Education And Literacy In Rural Tennessee: The Go-Packs Pilot Project, Taylor Cox, Claire Gleadhill, William Seagrave, Coty Cooper, Alantis Hunt, Kelly Mitchell, Anthony Delucia, Randy Byington

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Little Milligan Elementary School in rural Carter County, Tennessee was provided with health literacy resources in the form of health education Go-Packs––easily implementable lessons contained in a small storage tote––as part of the community project requirement of the James H. Quillen College of Medicine Rural Primary Care Track Curriculum. These Go-Packs included detailed lesson plans and accompanying materials that were designed to facilitate health education in the classrooms by providing easily deployable lessons for the teachers to utilize. Four Go-Packs were provided for hygiene, oral health, tobacco use, and nutrition that teachers used to augment instruction during teachable moments that …

Inhibition Of Tnf-Alpha Decreases Microglia Activation In Rats Neonatally Treated With Poly I:C, Heath W. Shelton, Russell W. Brown

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction: Current medical treatment for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCHZ) primarily relies on the inhibition of the dopamine D₂ receptor that has been shown to be supersensitive in these patients. Treatment occurs through the use of antipsychotic medication which leads to a number of debilitating dose-dependent side effects, such as weight gain, agranulocytosis, and seizures. Patients diagnosed with SCHZ have also been shown to have increased inflammation in their central nervous system (CNS), particularly within specific brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. This is in large part due to the interaction between a pro-inflammatory cytokine called …

Pantoea Agglomerans Bacteremia: A Rare Case Of Spontaneous Human Infection By A Plant Pathogen In An Immunocompromised Host., Utsab R. Panta, James A. Joslyn, Rupal D. Shah

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction:

Pantoea agglomerans is a Gram negative ubiquitous bacteria commonly isolated from plant surfaces, seeds, fruits and animal/human feces usually introduced to human by ingestion of infected fruits/vegetables, thorn pricks and gastrointestinal translocation in lack of stomach acidity. However, the pathogen can also cause opportunistic human infection especially when the immune system is impaired. The aim of this case report is to investigate clinical features in a patient with P. agglomerans bacteremia and bring attention the opportunistic infection by this rare bacteria.

Case presentation:

We present a case of 57 year old caucasian lady with past medical history …

Immunodeficient R2g2 Mouse Strain Yields Spleens With Unusual Cytoarchitecture And Sympathetic Innervation, Nicholas Mason Britt, Madeleine Kate Miller, Donald B. Hoover Ph.D., John B. Schweitzer M.D.

Appalachian Student Research Forum

The nervous system and immune system contact one another through two-way communication in order to establish and preserve homeostasis. The sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine has an impact on how the immune system responds by affecting regional blood flow and activation of adrenergic receptors on leukocytes. Former studies showed that immune cells are capable of releasing nerve growth factor allowing for the establishment and continuation of sympathetic nerves in targeted tissues. From this gathered information, it was hypothesized that sympathetic nerves would prove to be less frequent in spleens from the immunodeficient R2G2 mouse strain (Envigo) when compared to 129P3/J (129) and …

Dopamine Cell Loss Within The Nigrostriatal Pathway Due To Oxidative Stress From Chronic Methylphenidate, Shannon Ketchem, Tucker Ensley, Hannah Oakes, Brooks B. Pond

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 11% of children in the US alo­ne. Methylphenidate (MPH) is the most commonly prescribed drug for the treatment of ADHD. Given the fact that ADHD symptoms persist in up to 50% of patients, many children receive MPH from childhood to early adulthood. Unfortunately, most of the scientific literature focuses on the short-term consequences of MPH, even though individuals are taking MPH for many years. MPH acts by blocking dopamine (DA) transporters and norepinephrine transporters, preventing the reuptake of these catecholamines following release. Previous research has shown that long-term exposure …

Refrigerated Stability Of Diluted Cisatracurium, Rocuronium, And Vecuronium For Skin Testing After Perioperative Anaphylaxis, Kristen Dinsmore, Bethany Campbell, Timothy Archibald, Greg Mosier, Stacy Brown Phd, Alexei Gonzalez-Estrada Md

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Rationale: The purpose of this study is to investigate the stored stability of dilutions of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), namely cisatracurium, rocuronium, and vecuronium, for skin prick/intradermal testing.

Methods: Concentrations of NMBAs were monitored by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for a period of 14 days. Dilutions of NMBAs were prepared in saline by factors of 10x, 100x, 1,000x, 10,000x, and 100,000x as sensitivity of the assay allowed. Diluted drug products were stored in a laboratory refrigerator until sampling. On sampling days, aliquots of each dilution were removed and compared to a freshly prepared set of reference dilutions.

Results: The results …

Recent Incidences And Trends Of The Top Five Cancers In Northeast Appalachian Tennessee, Adekunle Oke, Sylvester Olubolu Orimaye, Ndukwe Kalu, Faustine Williams

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), after cardiovascular disease. Although there has been a continuous decline in cancer mortality rates in the U.S. over the past two decades, the Appalachian region, which extends through 13 states and 420 counties in the southeastern part of the U.S., has seen a lower decline in cancer mortality. From 1980-2014, cancer deaths decreased by almost 45%, but cancer mortality rates in rural Appalachia was 36% higher than for urban non-Appalachian counties. In terms of cancer-specific, although breast cancer mortality rates have also decreased significantly nationally, a …

The Distribution Of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes In Us Population. Data From Nhanes 2006-2016, Hilary Elom, Shimin Zheng

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Background: Unlike other non-hepatitis c viral infection, hepatitis c viral infection is a non-vaccine preventable disease. Thus, effective treatment is an important part in the prevention of complication of chronic hepatitis c infection. The viral genotype plays a significant role in the choice of treatment regimen.

Aim: the purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis c viral infection and the distribution of viral genotype in the US population.

Methods: Diagnosis of Hepatitis C viral infection was made by assaying the blood specimen collected from the study participants using Ampiclor monitor (Roche Diagnostic System, Inc Branchburg …

Nursing Compliance With Vap Bundle, Taylor Meadows

Scholars Week

It has been proposed that by initiating the highest percentages of nursing compliance, overall patient outcomes will improve along with a decrease in the number of ventilator-associated events (VAEs). The aim of the study is to appraise the association between nursing compliance with a ventilator bundle and a successful decline in the number of events of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the intensive care unit (ICU). The study also provides evidence-based direction on the best nursing practices essential to reducing the rates of VAP. Objectives include expanding the awareness of critical care staff on prevention and compliance and to improve teamwork …

Effects On Recovery And Neuroplasticity In Brain Injury Patients, Rebekkah Mclellan

Student Scholar Showcase

Abstract

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury each year, making the topic of brain plasticity and patient recovery an important area of study. An added element is understanding whether biological, social, and environmental factors can impact the recovery and plasticity of the patient’s brain.The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate if the environment surrounding an individual who has sustained a brain injury affects their recovery and neuroplasticity. The databases used for the scope of this review included LC OneSearch, Medline, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Keywords included brain injury, …

Effects Of The Environment On Recovery And Neuroplasticity In Brain Injury Patients, Rebekkah Mclellan

Student Scholar Showcase

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury each year, making the topic of brain plasticity and patient recovery an important area of study. An added element is understanding whether biological, social, and environmental factors can impact the recovery and plasticity of the patient’s brain. The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate if the environment surrounding an individual who has sustained a brain injury affects their recovery and neuroplasticity. The databases used for the scope of this review included LC OneSearch, Medline, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Key words included brain …

Perceived Stress And Perceived Empathy Reported By Athletic Training Students, Lauren Harris

Student Scholar Showcase

Context: Previous research has been conducted on perceived stress related to perceived empathy within the medical field. About 40% of nurses have self reported occupational burnout, 25% of physicians have multiple factors related to burnout, and over half of psychologists have admitted that they practiced while being distressed to the point of affecting their clinical practice.1,1316 However, there is limited research on how perceived stress affects empathy within athletic training students.

Objective: To examine the perception of stress and the level of empathy towards patients by athletic training students.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Online survey.

Participants: Seventeen professional level athletic …

Associations Between Family And Parental Factors And Childhood Obesity, Kido Uyamasi, Shimin Zheng, Sheryl M. Strasser

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Background: Obesity is a complex health issue, which results from the interaction between many determinants: genetics, physical environments, society, economy, and culture. Data indicate that about 19% of American children (2 to 19 years) have obesity, a condition that considerably affects physical and mental health and that usually continues into adulthood. Aside from its direct physical and mental effects, there is strong evidence that childhood obesity is strongly associated with early onset and adult cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Family and parental factors, which have both genetics and environmental components, have long been implicated in previous research as major forces in …

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Hiv Risk Behaviors Using A Nationally Representative Sample From 2011 And 2012, Elaine Loudermilk, Megan Quinn, Liang Wang

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Introduction: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked with negative physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood. A limited amount of literature has discussed the impact of individual ACEs on HIV risk behaviors using nationally representative data.

Objective: This study investigated how ACEs impact HIV risk behaviors using cross-sectional data from the 2011 and 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

Methods: Data were obtained from BRFSS for 2011 and 2012. Only states that answered the optional ACE questionnaire were included in the study. All ten ACEs were categorized into abuse (parents physically hurt you in any way or parents …

Identifying Motivators And Barriers For Wellness Programs To Inform Recruitment And Retention Of Diabetes Prevention Programs (Dpps), Beenish Kamran, Kate Beatty, Leighanne Hurst, Deborah L. Slawson

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has increased greatly in incidence in the United States over the past decade. Diagnosis of T2DM is typically preceded by insulin resistance, which is typically indicated by increases in fasting blood sugar and called pre-diabetes. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a group-based program focused on improving diet and maintaining consistent exercise towards a lower body weight. It has been found that minimum weight loss and 150 minutes of moderate exercise is more effective at preventing T2DM than medication-based treatment. Therefore, the DPP has potential in preventing T2DM however currently faces obstacles concerning recruitment …

The Effects Of Core Stabilization Training On The Performance Of Functional Tasks In Firefighters, Emily Maxwell

Student Scholar Showcase

The purpose of this study was to observe if core stabilization training plays a significant role in firefighter time-to-completion during a functional performance test. A within subjects study design was used in which subjects (n=13, mean ± SD age and body fat 33.7 ± 7.4 years, 25.79 ± 6.55 percent, respectively) completed two performance tests (pre and post core training), comprised of 7 firefighter-specific exercises performed while wearing a 22.68 kg weight vest to mimic typical firefighter equipment. Between testing sessions, subjects were prescribed specific core stabilization exercises to perform on their own 3+ days a week for a total …

Sirna Knock-Down Of Vav1 In Breast Cancer Cells: Effects On Pi3kinase And Akt, Tajai Sion-Milligan

Student Scholar Showcase

One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Approximately 25-30% of these breast tumors will overexpress Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2), associated with a worse prognosis and decreased survival rate. Stimulation of HER2 results in activation and production of many signaling molecules, ultimately resulting in increased cell division. Two of the downstream molecules activated are PI₃Kinase and, further downstream, the molecule Akt. Typically, overproduction and/or overactivation of PI₃Kinase can lead to oncogenesis. A molecule that may have a significant role in PI₃Kinase formation is VAV1. VAV1 …

Association Between Alzheimer's Disease And Rural Northeast Tennessee Region Between 2013 And 2015, Sylvester Olubolu Orimaye, Jodi Southerland

Appalachian Student Research Forum

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a type of Dementia and a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the gradual degrading of both memory and cognitive functions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of AD is increasing globally. Currently, AD is the sixth leading cause of mortality in the United States. As the ageing population increases in the United States, it is possible that AD will move up the ladder in the top cause of mortality. Although the prevalence of AD in most urban parts of developed nations such as the United States is widely known, little is …

Anesthesia "Hand Off" Process For Patients At High Risk For Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Terry Yeager

Student Scholar Showcase

No abstract provided.