Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Canine Nasal Length And Second-Hand Smoke Cotinine Levels, Sierra Wilson, Terry Derting

Scholars Week

Second-hand smoke (SHS) has been associated with respiratory cancers in canines, with the predisposed locations determined by the cephalic ratio (head length / head width). Exposure to SHS is frequently measured by analyzing urine or blood samples for the nicotine by-product cotinine. We investigated the suitability of saliva as an alternative source for cotinine analyses in dogs because obtaining saliva is less invasive and cotinine concentrations from SHS exposure are instantaneously measurable in saliva compared to other collection methods. Specifically, we tested for a quantitative relationship between cephalic ratio and the salivary concentration of cotinine. Our null hypothesis was that …

Medication Reconciliation: Preventing Errors And Improving Patient Outcomes, Amanda S. Boren

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Fall Prevention, Cody Durbin

Scholars Week

During clinical shift at Baptist Health Paducah Hospital on the CCU floor the question asked was, what needs to be researched? After watching the charge nurse help patients all day I asked her what she thought needed to be researched. After thinking for a while she went on to tell me about how they are getting hit pretty hard on infections so there is no need for more research on that. After that she went on to tell me that their fall prevention protocol was lacking pretty badly. They do a fall risk assessment and based on the number decide …

15th Annual Undergraduate Student Symposium, Farquhar Honors College

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Undergraduate Student Symposium, sponsored by the Farquhar Honors College, presents student projects through presentations, papers, films, and poster displays. The event serves as a “showcase” demonstrating the outstanding scholarship of undergraduate students at NSU. The symposium is open to undergraduate students from all disciplines. Projects cover areas of student scholarship ranging from the experimental and the applied to the computational, theoretical, artistic, and literary. They are taken from class assignments and independent projects. Project presentations can represent any stage in a concept’s evolution, from proposal and literature review to fully completed and realized scholarly work. As in past symposia, …

Continuum Of A Declining Trend In Correct Self-Perception Of Body Weight Among American Adults, Amber Morgan

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Background: Over the past few decades, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has steadily increased with the proportion of obese Americans projected to be about fifty percent in 2030. With more than half of adults being overweight or obese (OW/OB), an increasing number of adults failed to accurately perceive body weight, which may be a major barrier to weight loss strategies, thus, presenting a substantial challenge to prevention efforts. The objective of this study was to assess the dynamic trend of body weight related self-perception among American adults and provide recommendations for improving obesity prevention strategies.

Methods …

Inhalable Exposure Levels Of Airborne Mold Spores In Rural Georgia Homes, Jacquelyn Lewis, Alli Mcinerney, Errol Spence, Bushra Shah, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Exposure to mold is known to cause allergic symptoms. Most molds produce highly allergenic proteins or glycoproteins that can cause hypersensitivity diseases in susceptible hosts. Between 10% and 60% of genetically susceptible persons develop immediate hypersensitivity to mold. The Institute of Medicine report on Damp Indoor Spaces and Health states that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that a causal relationship exists between the presence of mold and upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, hypersensitivity pneumonitis in susceptible persons, wheeze, and asthma symptoms in sensitized asthmatic persons. To our knowledge, no research has been conducted in rural Georgia to test the …

Predictors Of Having Hpv Vaccination Among Young Adults: A Brfss 2014 Study, Deborah Kanda

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Goals and Objectives

The objective of this study is to evaluate the association of social determinants of health on HPV vaccination rates among adults between the ages of 18-34 years.

Theoretical Framework

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Vaccination has been found to lower the risk of HPV infection. However, HPV vaccination rates still lag behind compared to other recommended vaccines for the same age group. Investigating and addressing factors that affect HPV vaccination rates would support efforts to increase vaccination.

Methodology/Data

Data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used for this study. The eight …

Effects Of Serum Levels Of Vitamin A And Precursors On Colorectal Cancer Mortlaity, Chimuanya Okoli

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Objective: To examine the relationship between serum levels of Vitamin A and precursors on Colorectal cancer mortality. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 14,358 adults who participated in NHANES III. Data was collected via in home interviews and visits by participants to a mobile examination centre for blood sample collection. Characteristics such as family income, educational attainment, marital status, race and ethnicity, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, self reported health, type of resident, body size, cancer status at base line, vegetable consumption and fruit juice consumption were examined. Hazard ratio estimates for all-cause and cancer-related deaths among individuals with …

Association Between Fruit And Vegetable Consumption And Sleep Quantity In Pregnant Women, Kassandra Snook

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The National Sleep Foundation recommends an average sleep time duration of 7-9 hours per day for adults aged 18-64 years old. Unfortunately, women are prone to encounter sleep disruptions during pregnancy that can prevent them from the recommended amount of sleep. Poor sleep during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for birth complications, including low birth weight and stillbirth. Studies have found that sleeping less and poor sleep quality is associated with lower consumption of fruits and vegetables and good sleep quality/adequate sleep is associated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption. The objective of this study was to determine …

Effect Of Natural Products On Overall Microbial Activity In Household Items, Teyaijah Givens, Nosa Lloyd Nwaonumah, Brittany Loadholt, Bushra Shah, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Indoor contamination from microorganisms is an important health hazard issue (e.g., respiratory allergy, infections, and food contamination). Particularly, growth of molds and bacteria in damp environmental conditions could be hazardous for the occupants susceptible to microbial allergens. The growing awareness concerning the adverse effects of chlorine bleach and cleaning chemicals calls for field-testing new natural ingredients with functional properties against microorganisms. Essential oils possess a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity, which may be of great importance for controlling indoor microbial exposure. The objective of this study was to investigate how microbial growth in different surfaces of homes reacted to the …

Microbial Activity And Airborne Culturable Microbial Concentrations In South Georgia Homes, Alli Mcinerney, Jacquelyn Lewis, Errol Spence, Bushra Shah, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Indoor microorganisms and microbial allergens can lead to harmful respiratory effects in the human body such as allergies, asthma, chronic bronchitis, infections, and even contamination of food stuffs. This study was conducted in order to test the indoor microbial pollutants in local Statesboro homes, and relate the findings to respiratory disease symptoms of occupants. Thus far, samples have been collected and data analyzed for 15 homes. This specific part of the study focuses on the amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in homes. ATP is a source of energy produced through glucose metabolism and the citric acid cycle. ATP levels can …

Using The Theory Of Reasoned Action To Examine The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs Among Georgia Physicians Towards The Therapeutic Use Of Medical Cannabis, Shannon Antoine-Hardy

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

An understanding of the current status of Georgia physiciansÕ knowledge level and attitudes towards medical Cannabis (MC) still remains unknown. Obtaining this information is essential in determining acceptance of MC within local medical communities, as well as influencing the outcomes of political efforts at both the state and federal level. Because science of medical cannabis is generally not required in todayÕs medical training, it is imperative that physicians and other health care professionals close the education gap on MC in clinical care. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine physicians' attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs towards the therapeutic use …

Effect Of Natural Products Against Growth Of Three Allergenic And Toxigenic Molds, Brittany Loadholt, Teyaijah Givens, Nosa Lloyd Nwaonumah, Bushra Shah, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Dampness and fungal exposures in buildings are widespread, with estimates ranging from 18% to 50% of buildings being affected. Of the 21.8 million people reported to have asthma in the USA, approximately 4.6 million cases are attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home. Consequent national annual cost of asthma is about $3.5 billion. Several fungal genera from damp environments were reported to be associated with allergy and/or asthma and some species can release mycotoxins in the environment. Although there are several mold inhibitor or disinfectant solutions and sprays available in the market for cleaning and inhibiting mold growth, …

Secondary Data Analysis Based On Children Health Survey: On Factors Associated To Overall Dental Health Of Children In Usa, Kavita Gohil

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

The mouth is the portal of entry into the body, thus it is essential to attain and maintain oral health care. This process begins from the early period of life. Humans have two sets of teeth, and they start developing even before birth and development lasts till the age of around 25 years. Thus it is essential to take care of teeth during early stages of life, as they can affect overall well-being of the human. This paper describes how children's oral health is affected by external and internal factors and also risk factors which are associated with their oral …

The Impact Of A Nutrition Education Intervention On Self-Reported Feelings Of Food Insecurity, Caitlin Koch

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Abstract Unavailable

Analysis Of Relapse In Leukemia Patients With Missing Data Using An Extension Of The Em Algorithm, Braydon Schaible

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are two types of acute leukemia. When complete remission of leukemia has not been achieved or the disease refracts to its stage in initial chemotherapy, relapse occurs. Leukemia has poor prognosis for patients with relapse. This sample included AML and ALL patients. The purpose of this study was to use and extension of the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm in order to find significant factors that affect the occurrence of relapse in leukemia patients with missing data.

Methods: The EM logistic model consists of three steps. First, the initial logistic regression intercept …

Airborne Bacterial Exposure At Workers' Breathing Height In An Organic Farm Of Rural Georgia, Tedd Gandy, Nabanita Mukherjee, Bushra Shah, Subhrajit K. Saha, Pratik Banerjee, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Organic farming has potentials to contribute substantially to future sustainable agricultural production by improving soil quality, pest control, and reduction of adverse environmental impacts in rural agricultural communities. On the other hand, application of natural farmyard manure may increase the microbial biomass in this environment and consequently microbial exposure levels among workers could be increased. To explore this possibility of excess exposure, particularly to airborne bacteria, we conducted air sampling at the vicinity of poultry and dairy sections of a large organic farm in a rural Georgia location. For air sampling, a Biostage viable cascade impactor was utilized, which comprises …

Effect Of Air Flow Rates In Versatrap Slit Impactor Cassettes On The Collection Of Atmospheric Mold Spores In A Rural Community, Bushra Shah, Tedd Gandy, Oreoluwa Adeyinka, Galela Shebani, Atin Adhikari

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Exposure to mold allergens including mold spores and hyphal fragments are associated with allergic sensitization which is a risk factor for asthma in a community. Smaller aerodynamic size of spores (åµm) allows them to penetrate and settle in the lower airways and produce damaging byproducts (allergens, glucans, mycotoxins, and other immunomodulators). Usually mold spores in ambient atmosphere are collected by impactors in air monitoring stations and in most cases these impactors are operated in a single standard air flow rate. However, sampling efficiency of an impactor can change in different air flow rates and since spore aerodynamic sizes vary a …

Ebola And Social Media, Kathryn C. Finch

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

We were interested in knowing the impact of social media during the 2014-2015 West Africa Ebola epidemic. The aim of this systematic review is to provide clinicians, public health practitioners and policy-makers with a comprehensive overview of the up-to-date literature on Ebola and social media. We critically appraised the quality and utility of these studies, and identified the gaps in our current understanding that invite further research efforts. In particular, we focused on the research questions and the methods of the studies: a) What were the research questions of a given study? b) What study design and research methods were …

Renewable Resources: The New “Fossil Fuel”, Christopher Huynh, Crystal Vinuya, Gabriel Samaniego, Desiree Caceres, Yessica Moran

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Creating ethanol from renewable resources that can be found around our school campus.

College Students’ Stress Coping Strategies, Jatinder Janda

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Physical activity is a great coping mechanism for a student stress during college, along with other positive health benefits. However, it may not be the only method to manage stress as a college student, according to my research. Stress goes hand in hand with college so the objective of my literature research was to find a correlation between physical activity and stress. The research demonstrated that along with exercise, family and friend support were also good methods to cope with stress. One reason students are stressed in college is due to concern with their academic performance, however there have not …

Bridge/Adapt: Transfer From Computer Remediation To Functional Skill, Janice S. Li, Diana Lopez, Eugene Cheung, Angela Talamantez

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

This study explored the effectiveness of the Bridge/Adapt program for generalizing increased cognition to functional skills. Three participants, identified as having significant cognitive impairments as measured by the Cognistat assessment, participated in the Bridge/Adapt program, an eight-week program that includes both remedial and compensatory components. The remedial component used was a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program called Parrot Software. Past studies have proven computer-based cognitive rehabilitation to be effective in increasing overall cognition. The Bridge/Adapt module is the compensatory component that utilized a variety of strategies and everyday tasks to facilitate the generalization of improved cognition to functional performance. A homework …

Adequacy Of End-Of-Life Care Knowledge & Skills In Nursing Education: Investigation Into Family And Nurse’S Experiences In The Critical Care Setting, Educational Needs Of Nurses And Barriers To Adequate Education, Krystal S. Whitaker

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

In America there’s a paradoxical relationship with dying and death; it’s the one thing that is guaranteed, but often also denied. The stigma surrounding death partly contributes to the lack of training that healthcare professionals receive during their education; the other part is the primary focus in healthcare on curing. Most people will die in the hospital, particularly Intensive Care Units (ICUs) (Holms, Milligan & Kydd, 2014). Being as death and dying have a role in healthcare it would seem to be integral that healthcare professionals would have some education in End-of-Life-Care (EOLC), however it is just the opposite. Across …

Hospice And Oncology Nurses’ Perspectives On Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide In California: A Pilot Study, Anna P. Rana

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

People are living with congenital anomalies, chronic diseases, and disabilities. It is universally agreed upon that every human being has a right to life, however, there is no unanimous decision regarding the right to death. Of the hospice nurses and social workers in Oregon, two-thirds of them reported having a patient ask them about the PAS option (Miller, Harvath, Ganzini, Goy, Delorit, & Jackson, 2004) California, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington have all legalized physician-assisted suicide through legislation. California’s law, the right to death passed on September 11th, 2015. The purpose of this research study is to examine hospice and oncology …

Purification Of Lactate Dehydrogenase, Irene J. Wilson

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), sometimes referred to as lactic acid dehydrogenase, is an enzyme that is found in the cytoplasm of almost all living cells. It converts lactate and NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) to pyruvate and NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen), and it can also catalyze the reverse reaction. Heart muscle is highly oxygenated at all times; therefore, LDH catalyzes the reaction in the direction to form NADH and pyruvate, which is used in the Citric Acid Cycle to make energy for the cell via aerobic cellular respiration. When little or no oxygen (O2) is available to the cell, such as …

Animal-Assisted Therapy For Military Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Investigation On The Positive Effects Of Attachment And Affiliation Behaviors, Sara Miele

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in people who have experienced a traumatic event (nimh.nih.gov, 2016). Because PTSD is a chronic disorder, it is associated with impaired quality of life (Stern et al., 2013). A specific population at high risk for developing PTSD is military veterans. It is estimated over half a million military veterans suffer from PTSD (Stern et al., 2013). Although there are psychological services and treatments for veterans, many do not seek help because fear of the negative stigma associated with mental illness (Lanning & Krenek, 2013). Recently, efforts have been made to implement veteran friendly treatment in …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Listening On Bilateral Coordination, Avery Wilson, Michael Yra Munchua, Mios Buccat, Morgan Mousley, Amanda Grace Irao

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Therapeutic Listening® is a sound-based treatment developed by Sheila Frick, OTR, rooted in sensory integration (Frick & Young, 2009). In Therapeutic Listening® programs, clients listen to music that has been electronically altered (Hall & Case-Smith, 2007). Therapeutic Listening® is an intervention increasingly used by occupational therapists despite the lack of supporting evidence in current literature.

A previous thesis study attempted to determine the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening® through the outcome measure of bilateral movement. In the previous thesis study, three assessments were used to measure bilateral coordination in typically developing children. However, the quantifiable results did not reflect the qualitative …

Adults With Autism: What Happens After 18?, Nicole A. Pacwa

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Autism diagnoses have recently been on the rise, which eventually leads to young adults and their families having to figure out what to do for the future. Unfortunately, the services that these children grow up with will no longer are applicable once they turn 18. Families need to think about possible paths that would work best for their child. Some options would be a transitional school that could provide services and learning opportunities, group living communities that offer support while giving the individual a chance to live on his or her own while being supported, or vocational support that offers …

Are Healthcare Providers Prepared To Provide Care For The Lgbt Community?, Sam Dao

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Current research generally questions that the healthcare system does not provide as adequate services for the LGBT community as there are for heterosexuals. Baumle’s research show that health care benefits were not equal for LGBT and provided health insurance percentages were lower for gays and lesbians than for heterosexuals (2014). Understanding and improving the factors that influence the health of LGBT people is limited due the the lack of population-based data (The Pride Study 2015). In order to begin improving the health and health care of the LGBT community, awareness and practice of providing appropriate care for this certain population …

Error Reporting Behaviors, Agnes S. Fagerlund, Elizabeth H. Lazzara, Deborah Diazgranados

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Although patient safety is a focus with medical care, it has been influenced by the lack of safety culture in the environment (Vincent et al., 2000). Preventable medical errors continue to plague healthcare and cost close to $1 trillion annually (Andel et al., 2012). Despite the prevalence of medical errors, only one of seven errors are reported (Levinson, 2010). Understanding the behaviors that influence reporting is imperative to developing patient safety reporting initiatives. Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior identifies behaviors as based on a combination of beliefs, intentions, and social control (1988). Applying this model to error reporting, we hypothesize …