Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Comparison Of Range Of Motion After Aquatic Vs Land Exercises On Young Adult Men, Miranda Gibel, Samantha Lawler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Range of motion is the degree to which joints in the body can extend or flex. This is essential to performing actions such as bending over, reaching, and other daily activities. This study investigated the effects of aquatic versus land exercises on range of motion. It was hypothesized that the participant completing the aquatic exercises would have a greater increase of range of motion. Three male participants were recruited to participate in the study. Each participant was placed into a different group- control, aquatic, or land. The control participant measured their range of motion at the beginning and end of …

Ecg Monitoring In Athletes, Jalal Jwayyed, Kelly Purgason, Joseph Linder, Annamarie Alfery, Silvia Furman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Athletes and medical personnel need reliable methods to monitor vital signs and detect potentially life-threatening issues before they occur. Electrocardiograph (ECG) monitors are currently the best method of detecting heart-related health issues. Current ECG monitors worn by athletes are difficult to use and lack the ability to track ECGs in real time. Through research and interviews with various clinicians, further problems have been identified that include poor electrode adhesion, and a lack of compatibility with the equipment worn by athletes. Our team proposes to develop solutions that will improve performance and comfort associated with ECG monitors for athletic applications. This …

Role Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Pathway Due To Preeclampsia: A Review, Firdous Ali

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that is characterized mainly by hypertension in the mother. The exact pathogenesis of preeclampsia is unknown, although the disease is attributed to a number of factors such as angiogenic factor levels and endothelial dysfunction. Presently, the control program for the disease involves the delivery of the fetus and the placenta. There is a need to develop novel therapies that would control preeclampsia from the moment it is diagnosed to minimize the effects on the mother and child. VEGF is a protein involved in the pathogenesis of the condition. The defect in one of its receptors, …

Burnout With Caregiving Of Autism And The Covid19 Pandemic, Erin Babcock, Leah Recker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I am working with Leah Recker and we are doing research on parent/caregiver burnout of those with children that have autism, especially during COVID. We are creating a survey on Qualtrics, using stem questions followed by Likert scale items, which we will then send to the Director of Programs, Lisa Thompson, at Autism Society of Greater Akron. She will then pass it along to the parents and caregivers within their community, via Facebook or their weekly newsletter. Parents/caregivers will have the opportunity to complete the survey and we will receive the results when done so. We will then analyze the …

Identifying Molecular Pathways Underlying Noise-Induced Tinnitus, Mckenzie Rice

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Tinnitus is a serious neurological condition effecting 10-15% of adults, and can lead to other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and sleeping, anxiety, and depression. Currently there are no FDA approved drugs to prevent or treat tinnitus, mainly due to a lack of understanding of its cellular and molecular pathways. T- and L- type calcium channels have been implicated in the modulation of tinnitus, as well as the dysfunction of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. This study used the sound-based avoidance detection (SBAD) method in order to detect tinnitus and determine whether pharmacological treatments had an effect in mediating tinnitus. T-type …

Spectrographic Analysis Of The Lombard Effect, Julia Saxon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In my honors project I will study the feasibility of using spectrographic analysis to measure the Lombard effect. The Lombard effect is a well-known phenomenon in which talkers reflexively increase the intensity of their voices in the presence of background noise. We hypothesize that other measurable features of speech will also change with vocal intensity consistent with what is shown in literature. However, the current authors will discuss findings in terms of its potential value as a test of pseudohypoacusis, also known as nonorganic or functional hearing loss. The author and a licensed audiologist will examine the /i/ and /u/ …

Exploring Hydrotherapy With Autism, Allison Teske

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2010), have recently reported an increase in the number of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Occupational therapists who work with children diagnosed with an ASD focus on building skills in all areas of life such as daily living skills, education, play, and social communication, and in various environments such as school, home, and community (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2009). Currently, occupational therapists working with children who have been diagnosed with an ASD are expanding the use of aquatic therapy (Vonder Hulls, Walker, & Powell, 2006) as a treatment …

Brain Death: An Investigation Of Current Controversies, Meile Moore

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Brain death is a highly debated and controversial topic spanning across several bodies of knowledge. Controversies of brain death include, but are not limited to, lack of consensus, false-positive diagnoses, residual function, public perception, and rights. Though brain death is often sensationalized by the media, distrust by the general population is warranted. The lack of consensus amongst professionals regarding brain death suggest that the American Academy of Neurology’s criterion must be revised. At the minimum, revising of the AAN criterion should focus on evolving ancillary testing, and establishing a minimum observation time before declaring death. Upon further clarification of discrepancies, …

Biomarkers Of Sepsis: A Retrospective Approach, Jose M. Roberts

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Background: Biomarkers are taking the spotlight in becoming the norm for early diagnoses. Sepsis is an inflammatory disease that increases metabolic rate in children. The first biomarker is hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is a frequent electrolyte imbalance in clinical practice, often observed in children with inflammatory disease and infection. Presence of hyponatremia is associated with electrical signaling imbalances, inflammation and renal dysfunction. The clinical value of hyponatremia in pediatric patients is unknown. The C-reactive protein is a second biomarker. Its presence signifies that necrotic cells and inflammation are present.

Objectives: To evaluate the use of biomarkers in children seen in the Emergency …

Assessment Protocol For Cognitive And Auditory Processing Skills For Clients Receiving Neurofeedback Treatment For Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion: Literature Review, Elexea N. Aurilio, Miranda Hendrus

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Neurofeedback has become increasingly popular in the medical world and will hopefully become more commonly used in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology. Currently, there is a lack of a singular, baseline and progression diagnostic tool to measure a client’s cognitive and auditory processing skills once they are referred for neurofeedback treatment.

The Effect Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Balance And Self-Efficacy In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Alexandra Smola, Lauren Hurley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) has positive health related outcomes in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-week THR intervention on balance and task-specific self-efficacy in children with developmental disabilities. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the physical stress theory guided the quasi-experimental study. A pre-test post-test design (N=20) was implemented with a 10-week THR class at a riding center in Midwest United States. The first research question was: In children with developmental disabilities ages 5 to 18, does one 10-week session of THR affect balance? With time 1 balance mean at …

The Physician’S Perspective On The Impact Of Interpretive Services On The Physician- Patient Relationship, Amrita Pandey

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The basis of the physician-patient relationship relies heavily on communication. It has been known that conversation between physician and patient is important in both diagnosing and providing therapeutic support. However, according to the US Census Bureau twenty percent of the US population does not use English as their first language. These residents face language barriers on a daily basis, including when they are being treated medically. The aim of this study was to research the physician’s perspective on the use of interpretive services and how it impacts the physician- patient relationship. The research consisted of surveying physicians who encounter patients …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Balance And Self-Efficacy In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Lauren M. Hurley, Alexandra Smola

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The prevalence of developmental disabilities in children in the United States is a serious problem. Since children with developmental disabilities often show decreased self-efficacy and balance, researchers have studied the effects of interventions in this population. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a 10-week THR session on balance and task-specific self-efficacy in children with physical disabilities ages 6 to 18 years old. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and The Physical Stress Theory will guide the quasi-experimental study. A pre-test post-test design will be implemented over a 12 week span at 3 different riding centers in the …

Association Of Running Biomechanics And Injury In Middle School Cross Country Runners, Rachel Salberg

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

INTRODUCTION: While associations between running biomechanics and injury incidence have been fairly well investigated in the adult population, few studies have targeted the adolescent population. Since the adolescent developmental stage places certain vulnerabilities on athletes, adolescents typically sustain injuries that differ from those of adults (DiFiori J.P., et al, 2014). Due to these vulnerabilities, it would be relevant to investigate the biomechanics-injury relationship specifically in this population. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations that exist between running gait characteristics and incidence of injury for middle school cross country runners METHODS: The running gait of 19 …

Low Cost Shear And Pressure Sensor, Kyle L. Rohrig, Phaethon D. Kotantoulas, Brandon J. Lloyd, Hazim H. Abualola, Tao Ruan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Elevated pressure and shearing stresses at the foot-shoe interface are believed to play a role in diabetic foot ulceration. The main goal of this project was to design a simple insole that could distinguish between sites of high pressure and sites of excessive shearing stresses at the foot-shoe interface. Wear patterns that relate specifically to shear and pressure acting on the plantar surface of a patient’s foot also needed to be exhibited. The team used reflective tape that was applied to the surface to various types of insoles to look for visible wear patterns. These wear patterns were identified by …

The Effects Of Instructional Strategies On Adherence To A Flexibility Program And Physiological Outcomes, Taylor M. Graham

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Health care professionals construct exercise prescriptions for clients and patients to complete on their own. Exercise specialists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and exercise physiologists are all considered health care professionals for this study. Furthermore, the importance of flexibility and stretching is commonly overlooked. The purpose of this research study was to compare whether or not different instructional techniques affect adherence to a stretching routine, and if followed were improvements gained in quadriceps and hamstring flexibility. Thirty-one students from The University of Akron between the ages of 18 and 37 with an average height of 66.7 inches and average weight of …

Drug Interactions With Glutaredoxin Orthologues, Kahlilah R. Napper, Thomas C. Leeper, Ram Khattri, Daniel Morris, Caroline Davis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Glutaredoxin, an enzymatic protein, is an important component of cell viability and function. It catalyzes reactions involved in DNA synthesis and innate immunity [1,4]. Glutaredoxin is also essential in antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacterial species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa in particular is responsible for infecting the lung tissue of its human hosts, resulting in the development of pneumonia and cystic fibrosis [3]. Because glutaredoxin is pertinent in cell proliferation of eukaryotic and bacterial cells alike, medicinal fragments that take advantage of the subtle differences in protein structure of the orthologous proteins can be synthesized and enhanced to bind bacterial glutaredoxins, without inhibiting …