Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

North Dakota Physical Therapy Workforce And Telehealth Utilization Between 2018-2022, Nicole A. Thomas, Elise J. Bartel, Logan Thomas, Senior, Brendan E. Kalous, Hunter T. Sylte

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Physical Therapists (PT’s) are important healthcare providers for individuals of all ages, ailments, and provide both prevention and care of disease and injury. Traditionally, physical therapists work in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, sports/outpatient clinics, and privately-owned clinics, to name a few. There are approximately 7.2 physical therapists for every 10,000 people nationwide. However, the geographical distribution and practice settings of PT’s can greatly vary throughout each state, county, and region. This varying distribution of PT’s creates one of the biggest limitations surrounding the field of PT which is decreased access to physical therapy services …

Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty And The Effects Of Physical Therapy In The Outpatient Setting: A Case Report, Troy L. Huff

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Introduction: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA)is gaining popularity globally for treatment of traumatic and degenerative glenohumeral diseases, as well as for irreparable rotator cuff total shoulder arthroplasty surgeries. The number of these surgeries in 2011 were 22,820 and have jumped to a staggering increase of more than 60,000 a year in 2023. The goal of this case study is to determine the role and effectiveness of physical therapy in a status post RTSA.

Case Description: The patient was a 70-year-old year male who had a right RTSA. The patient had comorbidities of Osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, a failed …

Screening For Potential Swine-Origin Probiotics With Antimicrobial Activities, Christina Lim

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a leading issue worldwide. Recently, there was a new law banning the use of antibiotics within the swine industry. For decades swine producers have mixed subtherapeutic amounts of antibiotics in swine feed to prevent potential infections and to increase growth rate. However, due to the constant exposure of antibiotics to these ever-evolving pathogens, the population of antibiotic resistant bacteria has increased exponentially. Currently, the swine industry is scrambling to find a suitable alternative to antibiotics that possesses antimicrobial activity and potentially promotes growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability …

Functional Stereotyping Of Women’S Self-Objectification As A Function Of Life History And Body Fat, Vienne Howay

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Individuals prioritize different goals as a function of stability in their environment, oftentimes leading people to prioritize reproduction in hostile ecologies. From this shift in priorities, perceivers could develop heuristics about how women may attempt to attract mates. Previous research suggests that higher levels of body fat are more attractive to men with a fast life history. With this awareness of men’s preferences in body fat, high-fat women from hostile ecologies could be expected to engage in more self-objectifying behavior in the service of mate attraction or attempting present themselves as objects of affection to men. This study tasked participants …

Exploration Of Resources Women Use To Seek Food And Nutrition Information During Pregnancy, Sydni Hebert

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Nutrition is a common concern during pregnancy, yet women often do not meet the recommended nutrient intakes for a healthy pregnancy. Obtaining reliable food and nutrition information is challenging during pregnancy, and women do not know where to find credible information. AIMS: This study aims to investigate the food and nutrition information-seeking behaviors among low-income pregnant women experiencing their first pregnancy and compare these behaviors with pregnant women who are classified as middle and higher-income status. METHODS: A qualitative survey was developed to identify the type of information women seek, satisfaction with information, application of information to their diet choices, …

Synergistic Interactions And Emulsion Preparation Of Antioxidant Potential Of Cannabidiol And Cold Brew Coffee, Karina Rosa

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Antioxidants play an important role in mitigating the damage caused by oxidative stress in the human body. Over time, the oxidative stress can lead to diseases such cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders and even cancer. Notably, both cannabidiol and coffee antioxidants. Purpose: To investigate the interaction between the antioxidant potential observed from the combination of CBD and cold brew coffee and compare it to their individual effects. Additionally, develop a methodology for emulsion preparation for analysis of antioxidant potential of a beverage made of cold brew coffee infused with CBD. Materials and Methods: Two cold brew coffee and two CBD oil …

Intersectionality And The Experience Of Stuttering For Latinos In The U.S., Carolina Beita-Ell

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In research, intersectionality seeks to explore, reflect on, and validate variations in human experience. This study adopted an intersectional approach when contemplating the experience of stuttering for individuals living in the U.S. who identified as Latinx (Latino/Latina/Hispanic). Nine Latinx people who stutter (PWS) - six reported their gender as ‘male’ and three reported their gender as ‘female’, with a mean age of 41, from five U.S. states and Washington, D.C. - participated in the study. A mixed methods design, which consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted online using videoconferencing technology and an online survey that contained three quantitative measures as well …

Who Gets It Right? A Critical Policy Analysis Of United States' And Finland's Maternity Leave Policies, Carlee Denholtz

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This dissertation provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of Finland’s Family Leave Act, the United States’ Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and New Jersey’s Family Leave Act (NJFLA), guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s policy analytical framework. The dissertation begins by contextualizing the history of women and work to provide context for how societal perceptions of women’s roles in work and family evolved over time, as well as the gender inequality issues women faced and the evolution of policies that tried to address gender inequality. The dissertation employs the CDC's policy analytical …

Nurturing Black Girls: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Black Girls' Mental Health And Their Lived Experiences With Racial Discrimination In Schools, Marline Francois

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This research explored the lived experiences of Black girls in schools with a focus on racial discrimination and the impact it has on their mental health. Grounded in Black feminist thought and phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), this study used qualitative research to understand the lived experiences of Black girls. Twenty participants engaged in this study through semi-structured interviews to examine their lived experiences in school spaces. The findings of this study acknowledge the profound impact of racial discrimination on the mental health of Black girls. At the intersection of race and gender, this study contributes to the …

Trends And Barriers In Service Utilization In Underrepresented Ethnoracial Groupswith Autism Spectrum Disorder In The United States: A Mixed-Method Analysis, Sadaf Khawar

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Caregivers with autistic children, particularly from minoritized populations, experience significant barriers while navigating the complex healthcare system, including acquiring services. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what these barriers are in order to inform policymaking initiatives to support families. Notably, there is a significant gap in extant literature to explore trends in service use and unique experiences of caregivers of autistic youth from three historically underrepresented groups in research (and currently not in the parameters of the United States census): 1) South Asian, 2) Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), and 3) East African. This study employed a mixed-method design …

Betrayal As A Moderator Of Covid-19 Exposure And Ptsd Symptoms, Karly Sara Weinreb

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been interest in understanding how individuals have fared regarding their mental health symptoms, such as symptoms of PTSD. Prior studies have established a link between COVID-19 and PTSD without considering how COVID-19 may relate to the four PTSD symptom clusters. Further, those who feel betrayed by either an individual or institution tend to have more severe PTSD (Martin et al., 2013). It is possible that individuals felt a level of both interpersonal and institutional betrayal towards other individuals or institutions for exposing them to environments in which there was a risk of …

Vulnerability Of Semantic Networks In Multiple Sclerosis: An Analysis Of Verbal Fluency Data, Sophia Lall

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Word finding difficulty is a frequently reported subjective cognitive concern among persons with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS). Word-finding relies on several information retrieval processes, including search and retrieval from the conceptual store, the phonological store, the syllabary, as well as other stores of information. Neuropsychological assessments, including the semantic verbal fluency measure, can be used to measure word retrieval abilities. Despite this, the MS research literature shows that neuropsychological assessment of semantic verbal fluency yields mixed results in detecting word-finding difficulties. While some studies report finding statistically lower semantic fluency scores in pwMS relative to healthy controls (HC), others found no …

Species Distribution And Logistic Regression Analysis Of Nosocomial Legionella Detection And Infection In New York State, 2017 – 2023, Roxann Brna

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Healthcare facilities are high-risk areas for legionellosis infections, as they have large, complex potable water systems ideal for Legionella proliferation, and they host susceptible populations. New York State regulation 10 NYCRR § 4-2: Protection Against Legionella in Healthcare Facilities was implemented in July 2016 to reduce healthcare-acquired legionellosis. This regulation mandated environmental surveillance of healthcare facilities’ potable water systems via culture. Data from these environmental reports were paired with data for cases of healthcare-acquired legionellosis infections for the years 2017-2023. Using these data, geographic Legionella species and serogroup distributions were described, and logistic regressions evaluated facility attributes associated with potable …

A Content Analysis Of Tiktok Challenges In The News, Michael Jakakas

ALL - Honors Theses

Social media is a phenomenon that has drastically altered how people receive information about current events, communicate with each other, and consume entertainment. Apps such as TikTok have become widely used by many but have also faced increased scrutiny for the nature of its content including viral challenges where users will post a challenge video doing an activity that often has the potential to lead to injury. This content analysis study looks to analyze how these TikTok challenges are covered by news media by assessing how frequent news coverage of TikTok challenges is and the characteristics of such coverage. The …

Genus-Specific Probes And Advanced Imaging Technologies For Bacterial Detection In Canine Dental Plaque, Meghan Stern

ALL - Honors Theses

Periodontal disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to bone resorption in the jaw and eventual tooth loss. A contributor to this disease is the buildup of subgingival and supragingival plaque, which consists of hundreds of bacterial species. To study the bacteria involved in periodontal disease, we use extracted canine teeth as our model. Canines were chosen based on their similarities with humans at the bacterial phylum level, as well as having a similar progression of periodontal disease. However, there are significant differences at lower levels of taxonomy of bacterial abundance and prevalence. The abundance and prevalence …

Extreme Temperature And Other Environmental Factors On Diabetes Admissions, Donghong Gao

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Although total environmental factors have been linked with adverse health outcomes, the impacts of temperature and other total environmental factors on diabetes-related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits remain inconclusive.Objective: This dissertation aims to Aim 1) test the associations between extreme heat and diabetes hospitalizations in the summer and its transitional months, identify populations vulnerable to extreme heat’s effects, and examine the modification effects of greenness on the heat-diabetes associations in warm months (Chapters 3 and 4); Aim 2) investigate the associations between extreme cold and diabetes hospitalizations in the winter and its transitional months, identify populations vulnerable to …

The Impact Of Authoritative Parenting Compared To Authoritarian And Permissive Styles On Long-Term Psychological And Behavioral Function Of Offspring., Brooke Washington

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Different parenting styles produce specific traits in offspring that are of direct relation to the chosen parenting style of the household. The goal of this study is to answer the question: What is the impact of authoritative parenting compared to authoritarian and permissive styles on long term psychological and behavioral function of offspring? This systematic review was conducted to collect and analyze studies relating to the long-term psychological and behavioral effects of offspring who were raised in one of the three most common parenting styles practiced: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. The authoritative parenting style is classified as establishing a warm, …

Does Appearance Matter? The Relationship Of Perceived Body Size And Physical Appearance On Students' Attraction To Physical Activity At Recess, Danielle Belcher

Master's Theses

Drastic declines in recess physical activity (PA) have been observed within recent years (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2017). Due to recess’ discretionary nature, psychosocial variables associated with PA are predictors of students’ PA levels. Recess is also a time of heightened bullying occurrences (Vaillancourt et al., 2010). Appearance-based bullying is the most common type of victimization that occurs in schools, transpiring more often in children with larger body max indexes (BMI), and possibly altering students’ physical self-perceptions. Physical self-perceptions have been shown to impact PA motivation, however, it is still unknown the extent to which appearance-based bullying, body size, …

The Role Of B Cell Activation State And Sex In Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Mediated Induction Of Chemokine Receptor 9 And Alpha4beta7 Expression In Vitro, Logan Bauerle

Master's Theses

Defense of mucosal tissues from microbial infection and allergy is reliant on continual production of antibodies. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is known to regulate B cell development and is associated with suppression of systemic humoral immunity. Recent attention has been paid to the role of the AhR in altering expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). B cells express CAMs and chemokine receptors to migrate around the body for localized secretion of antibodies. AhR agonists promote B cell migration to the small intestine through upregulation of chemokine receptor 9 (CCR9) and integrin α₄β₇. Both the AhR …

Ototoxicity Monitoring Protocols For Common Chemotherapeutics, Megan Pamela Kennedy

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Cancer is a major public health concern and is increasingly prevalent worldwide. Sung et al. (2021) states that there were 19.3 million new cases of cancer across the globe, and almost 10 million deaths related to cancer in 2021. Sung et al. (2021) also notes that the United States accounts for 8% of all global cases, with an average of 1.7 million new cases annually. The top five most common adult cancers in the United States include: (1) breast, (2) prostate, (3) lung and bronchus, (4) colorectal, and (5) invasive melanoma of the skin. These cancers can be treated with …

Evaluating Auditory Processing In Adolescents And Adults Following A Sports-Related Concussion, Kelsey Danielle Kiesz

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) have gained increasing attention in recent years due to the long-lasting effects. While concussions have been extensively studied, the impact on auditory processing in adolescents and adults remains an under-evaluated area within audiology. This gap in research is noteworthy as audiologists are well-positioned to conduct auditory processing disorder (APD) testing, and post-concussion auditory deficits fall within the scope of their practice. This study addresses the lack of consensus on concussion definitions, limited accurate prevalence data, and the absence of guidelines for assessing auditory processing in post-concussion individuals in the audiology field. The research aims to provide a …

Otitis Media: Parental Perspectives And Support Needs, Jordan Marie Johnson

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Otitis media (OM) is an infection located within the middle ear space of the auditory system and is the most common cause of hearing loss in children. Hearing loss is the disruption of the perception of an auditory signal and is further classified as conductive, sensorineural, or conductive. The effect of hearing loss can also depend on the severity, time of onset, stability, and etiology. Impairment in auditory function is linked with poorer speech and language development, educational tasks, psychosocial skills, and quality of life. Therefore, identification of hearing loss in children should be done in a timely manner to …

The Effect Of Socioeconomic Status On Adult Access To Hearing Aids, Skyler Preston Mumford

Doctoral Scholarly Projects & Capstones

Approximately 430 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. With Americans over the age of 65 earning a mean annual salary of less than $60,000 and the cost of a pair of hearing aids exceeding $4000, attempting to pursue hearing aids can prove to be challenging, if not an impossible task. The purpose of this project was to assess how individuals with hearing loss, above the age of majority, are impacted by their socioeconomic status with regard to accessing properly fit amplification. Evidence has shown that access to hearing aids is strongly tied to one’s socioeconomic status. In addition, there …

Understanding The Perspectives And Attitudes Of 12-Step Participants Towards Medication-Assisted Treatment, Christopher Scott

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Background: The effects of living with a substance use disorder (SUD) are vast. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has grown increasingly popular as a recovery tool among substance users but does not align with the popular 12-step model, which demands complete abstinence from narcotics and mind-altering substances. Objective: The primary aim of this phenomenology study was to explore the perspectives and attitudes towards MAT among 12-step participants. The secondary aim was to compare the responses of treatment and non-treatment professionals. Methods: This study used non-probability sampling methods to recruit participants who reported regular participation in a 12-step program. Semi-structured …

Sdf-1Α Mediates Primary Tumor Escape In Glioblastoma Through Activation Of Mesenchymal Transitions., Charles T. Froman-Glover

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Glioblastoma (GBM), a highly aggressive primary brain tumor originating in glial cells, poses a significant challenge due to its rapid growth and invasive nature within healthy brain tissue.

Current treatments involve surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation. These treatments alone are not enough to cure this disease, and a better understanding the mechanics of the tumor micro-environment is imperative to furthering the field of cancer research. This research focuses on understanding the tumor microenvironment's impact, specifically investigating the role of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) mechanics on GBM aggressiveness. SDF-1 is known to facilitate disease progression by facilitating chemotaxis toward the …

Protocols For Enhancing The Role And Value Of Spiritual Care Resources In The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Garrett Harper

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the assessment of innovative practices in police chaplaincy. The purpose of the project intervention is to develop protocols that can guide police chaplains through an assessment process. The intervention relies on practical theology as exemplified through the ministry of chaplaincy. This ministry comprises police chaplains offering spiritual comfort to persons encountering critical incidents involving violence, accident, or other trauma-intensive events and situations. Adoption of innovations can allow police chaplains to be more effective in fulfilling many outward-focused tasks such as delivery of death notifications. I conclude that: (1) police chaplaincy is amenable to use of protocols to …

Investigating The Antibacterial Properties Of Capsaicin In Synergy With Antibiotics Against A. Baumannii, Jack Guffey

Undergraduate Theses

As the ever-increasing issue of antibiotic resistance looms, naturally derived compounds have been increasingly investigated as possible synergists with antibiotics. One of these compounds, capsaicin, is a potent vanilloid that is the dominant cause of Capsicum peppers’ spiciness. Capsaicin’s intrinsic ability to inhibit a wide array of bacterial growth has been well documented. The focal organism of this study, Acinetobacter baumannii, has become an increasingly common hospital acquired infection due to its persistence on fomites. Capsaicin, however, is able to inhibit this growth at higher concentrations as well as reduce the necessary minimum inhibitory concentration while decreasing biofilm formation …

Examining The Effects Of Menstrual Cycle Phase And Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Women's Sleep, Charles Ethan Coombs

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women overrepresent men for sub-optimal sleep, a consequence of hormone fluctuation in the menstrual cycle affecting sleep regulatory pathways. While research has examined the prevalence of sub-optimal sleep through cycle phases, little research has examined how hormonal contraceptives (HC’s) could similarly affect women’s sleep, while also neglecting to utilize subjective sleep measures. In this study, we examine subjective sleep quality among naturally cycling (NC) women, women using different HC types, and between active and inactive phase pill users by subjecting 463 women to a subjective sleep battery. We hypothesized that HC users would report more sub-optimal sleep than NC women. …

The Effects Of Pre-Parturient Nutrient Restriction On Milk Production, Milk Fat Percentage, Milk Fatty Acid Profile, And Lamb Growth In Sheep, Dakota Murray

All Theses

Cross-bred ewes carrying twins, confirmed via ultrasound, were split into two groups: nutrient-restricted (NR), n=15, and control (CON), n=16. On day (d) 86, at 60% of the NRC requirements, nutrient restriction began and lasted until parturition, at which point ewes were placed back onto a regular diet. After parturition, milk samples and lamb weights were taken on days 1, 7, 14, and 21. Milk lipids were then extracted using modified methods proposed by Hara and Radin (1978). Lipid samples were weighed and then methylated following the procedure outlined by Lock and colleagues (2013). Methylated samples were then analyzed by gas …

Foster Children Facing Communication Disorders, Ashlyn Carter

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

The foster care system is alarmingly overpopulated, which leads to many foster children experiencing neglect of care in many issues they face, whether medical, speech, or mental conditions; which is unacceptable. These children already face so many trials and difficulties throughout life and deserve to receive care and treatment in these situations the same as any other child. The purpose of this research is to work to make sure children who are dealing with speech and communication disorders are having those issues recognized, being taken to treatment, and being given the opportunity to fix these things, thus helping to avoid …