Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Is Brimonidine Tartrate Gel .5% Effective In Reducing Facial Erythema Of Rosacea?, Meeta Aggarwal

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) review is to determine whether or not “Is Brimonidine Tartrate gel 0.5% effective in reducing facial erythema of Rosacea?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two randomized controlled trials (RCT), and one 1-year longitudinal open-label study.

DATA SOURCES: All studies were published in peer-reviewed journals found via the use of PubMed or Medline.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Patients were divided into two groups: those who received the Brimonidine Tartrate gel and those who received the vehicle (placebo) gel. Efficacy of Brimonidine tartrate gel was compared to the efficacy of the vehicle gel. Outcomes were …

What Is The Efficacy Of Peppermint Oil In Reducing The Symptoms And Improving The Quality Of Life In Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Ibs)?, Danielle Farnell

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not peppermint oil reduces the symptoms and improves the quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trials were used in this review. The articles were found on PubMed, and selected based on outcomes measured and relevance to the objective.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured were based on Quality of life and Reduction in Symptoms. Quality of life was measured using the Persian translation of the SF-6 form for assessment of quality of life before …

Does Routine Use Of Medical Cannabis (Marijuana) Decrease The Intensity Of Chronic Neuropathic Pain In Adults?, Ben Arpin

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM was to investigate the question, “Does routine use of medical cannabis (marijuana) decrease the intensity of neuropathic chronic pain in adults?

STUDY DESIGN: systematic review of 3 English language primary studies, published between 2005 and 2009.

DATA SOURCES: Three Randomized Controlled Trials (RTC’s) published on or after 2005 were selected based on their relevance to the proposed question via PubMed. All three RTC’s compared cannabis use vs. placebo for chronic neuropathic pain, with two RTC’s focusing on HIV neuropathic pain and the third focusing on MS.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The outcomes measured in these …

Is Viscosupplementation Effective In Reducing Osteoarthritis Knee Pain?, Amalia Antonoplos

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not viscosupplementation is effective in reducing osteoarthritis knee pain

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three randomized, double blind, placebo control trials between 2009- 2010

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized, double blind, placebo control trials were found via PubMed and NCBI

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Each randomized control trial measured knee pain and/or patient satisfaction following their intervention (placebo or hyaluronic acid) in patients with knee osteoarthritis, which was measured via WOMAC pain scale and patient global assessment forms.

RESULTS: (P<0.05) for change in pain at 14-26 weeks after injection (NNT=6- 8 for Chevalier et al and 4 for Kul-Panza & Berker). Patient satisfaction was higher in the experimental groups as compared to the control with conclusions of NNT between 11 and 20 for Chevalier et al and Kul-Panza & Berker respectively. Chavelier et al found adverse events such as arthralgias and joint effusion in <10% of their study population (NNH=39). No dichotomous data was presented in Diacoglu et al; however an ANOVA was deemed statistically significant (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Review of these articles concludes that the use of hyaluronic …

Is Glyceryl Trinitrate An Effective Treatment For Reducing Visibility Of Anal Fissures In Patients Without Heart Disease Compared To Placebo?, Christopher Deneault

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to determine whether or not topical glyceryl trinitrate is an effective treatment for reducing visibility of anal fissures in patients without heart disease compared to placebo.

STUDY DESIGN: Evidence based review of three randomized controlled trials published in 1999, 2001, and 2007.

DATA SOURCES: Three randomized controlled trials each evaluating the effectiveness of topical glyceryl trinitrate in the treatment of anal fissure, published in the English language, and containing exclusion criteria disqualifying participants with a history of heart disease.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: Healing was measured via visibility of fissure through examination and structured …

Is Incidence Of Nausea Influenced By Brintellix In Patients Over The Age Of 18 With Major Depressive Disorder?, Juris Eyler

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The Objective of this selective EBM review is to determine where or not, “Is Incidence of Nausea Influenced by Brintellix (Vortioxetine) in Patients over the Age of 18 with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)?”

STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies, published between 2011 and 2013

DATA SOUCES: Three double blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Sources were found on PubMed and Cochrane Library databases.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: To measure the incidence of nausea in patients over 18 who are diagnosed with major depressive disorder taking Brintellix compared to a placebo.

RESULTS: The randomized controlled studies results found that Brintellix …

Phonological Encoding Of Medial Vowels In Adults Who Stutter, Allison Elizabeth Jacobs

LSU Master's Theses

Previous data suggest the metrical properties of a word may influence the time course of phonological encoding, particularly in adults who stutter. The purpose of the present study is to examine phonological and metrical encoding skills in fluent and non-fluent adults, in particular the medial stress-bearing vowel. Investigators used a silent phoneme monitoring paradigm to assess reaction times for all phonemes within nonword CVCCVC stimuli. This paradigm required participants to manually identify target phonemes within a nonword to further isolate the level of phonological encoding from other processes. Eight participants were exposed to stimuli with initial-stress, and eight participants were …

The Prevalence And Impact Of Chronic Pain In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Kathleen M. Davis, Julia E. Schwarz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chronic pain is a problem because it can have a large impact on activities of daily life of people, regardless of age. Few researchers have described the prevalence and impact of chronic pain in young adults, while even fewer have done so in the United States. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of chronic pain and the impact it has on daily life for undergraduate nursing students. The theoretical framework is guided on the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain. This cross-sectional, descriptive study uses convenience sampling and data collected through an online Qualtrics survey, which was …

Suicide Prevention: The Professional And Moral Responsibilities Of The Speech-Language Pathologist, Madelyn Anderson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possible connection between suicide and stuttering, identify warning signs and risk factors of suicide as they apply to our clients, and examine the moral implications and professional responsibilities of speech-language pathologists as they pertain to suicide prevention. From the research I conducted, I found that, as a whole, the national community of speech-language pathologists does not recognize any correlation between stuttering and suicide. However, as dictated by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Code of Ethics, we as speech-language pathologists are obligated to make referrals outside of our profession as the need …

The Barriers And Facilitators To Physical Activity On Campus: An Analysis Of Ua Photovoice Research, Taylor A. Rodenbaugh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

ABSTRACT

Physical inactivity and stress are prevalent issues which physiologically and emotionally affect college students. Those factors which inhibit and promote physical activity, as well as the stressors of the social and physical environment, require better understanding. One method to accomplish this is through a visual image of the student’s perception, or PhotoVoice method, which has not been previously utilized to investigate these topics. PURPOSE: To identify thematic barriers and facilitators to physical activity on campus and to identify thematic stressors of the physical and social environment on campus. METHODS: Photographs were taken by 114 subjects enrolled in the Health …

Professional Values In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Hope E. Caldwell, Katie L. Miller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Professional nursing values that affect patient safety and outcomes are important to the hospitals and facilities that hire nurses. Therefore, it is reasonable to be concerned with the consistency of professional value development within nursing education. The aim of this study was to determine level differences of professional nursing values in pre-nursing, sophomore, junior, and senior baccalaureate nursing students and examine the relationship between professional values and other demographics in the students. Benner’s novice-to-expert model served as a framework for this study. With this in mind, nursing values were evaluated with the 26-item Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised. A non-experimental cross-sectional …

Implementing Tiny Goals After Current Habits To Create Consistent Healthy Lifestyle Routine, Megan Lieber

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of providing educational information as well as skills training on the ability of the participants in the Wellness Wednesday program to incorporate new health behaviors with already existing habits, creating a healthier life. The participants for this study are residents living at Edgewood, Belcher, and Towers I that attended the Wellness Wednesday programs. The locations are all part of the Akron Metropolitan Housing Association. Wellness Wednesday is an ongoing program begun in 2011 where interprofessional students from the College of Health Professions collaborate in creating health education programming based on …

Comparing Personal Training And Strength And Conditioning Certifications Across Multiple Organizations, Quentin Cieslinski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Personal training is a largely growing field in the health and fitness industry. There are many different personal training and strength and conditioning certifications that accredit comprehension in the field, and it is often tough to make a decision on which certification to choose. PURPOSE: To centralize information on some of the most well known and sought after personal training and strength and conditioning certifications. METHODS: Research was conducted through the online database SPORTDiscus, on certifying organizations’ websites, and through various other online resources. Categories that were research included educational requirements, cost of certification, NCCA accreditation, time to complete certification …

Electronic Health Records In The Academic World, Madeline Leapaldt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Health or medical records are the backbone of the healthcare industry. They allow professions to practice patient-centered, interdisciplinary care. Electronic Health Records help accelerate the care process and allow for a smoother patient experience. However, many healthcare professionals have not used an Electronic Health Record prior to employment or internships. This can be detrimental to the process and slow down the entire team. Research shows that teaching Electronic Health Records in an academic setting allows students to safely explore the system and become comfortable with using technology for healthcare purposes. There are specific requirements that have been shown to aid …

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 …

Stuttering And Tourette's: A Comparative Study, Mary Kate Prokopius

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Stuttering and Tourette’s: A Comparative Study

The purpose of this research study was to provide pilot data regarding the similarities and differences between stuttering and Tourette’s, specifically the physical, emotional and psychosocial aspects and the effects the behaviors had on the clients’ thoughts related to their disorder.

Recently published articles pertaining to stuttering and Tourette’s Syndrome were collected, analyzed and summarized in the paper. Once the literature review was completed, similarities and differences were deduced and explained in later chapters.

The overall results of this study showed that the two behavioral disorders have little overlap in terms of physiological and …

The Relationship Between Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Staff Nurses' Attitudes Towards Them And Self-Efficacy In Sophomore- And Senior- Level Nursing Students, Sarah A. Mueller, Raechel M. Naragon, Rachael R. Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Clinical teaching gives nursing students practical experience, allowing them to practice skills and to apply theories of nursing alongside a staff nurse. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between nursing students’ perceptions of staff nurses’ attitudes towards them and self-efficacy in sophomore- and senior-level nursing students. According to scientist Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, self-efficacy is defined as a person’s belief in his or her own abilities. Using non-experimental comparative design, convenience sampling, and Likert scale questionnaires, sophomore- and senior- level baccalaureate nursing students were asked to complete the survey using the Nursing Clinical Self-Efficacy …

Exploring Speech And Language Skills In Gifted Children: A Parent Perspective, Amanda Brewer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research study was to examine the speech and language skills of gifted students, and to further look into gifted students who have previously had speech or language therapy. Information pertaining to gifted children, typical speech and language development, and gifted children who have a delay in speech was evaluated. The information was used to develop a survey instrument that asked parents about their gifted child’s speech and language. The overall results of this study confirmed many previously known characteristics of gifted students. It also showed that expressive language skills were less developed than receptive language skills. …

Modulation Of Body Weight By Intestinal Flora In Orphan Nuclear Receptor Shp-/- Mice, Ryan Mifflin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The whole-body deletion of small heterodimer partner (SHP) in mice is associated with protection from diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis upon feeding of a western diet. This protection was reported to be mediated through decreases in hepatic gene expression for lipogenesis, as well as increases in gene expression for fatty acid oxidation. SHP has been known to regulate the expression of the CYP7A1 gene, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme for bile acid synthesis, thereby altering the bile acid pool. The effects of this altered bile acid profile on the gut microbiome are unknown, as some bacteria in the gut are responsible …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Two Educational Interventions Developed To Teach Early Infant Hunger Cues To Junior Level Nursing Students., Melissa D. Gainer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Due to multiple learning styles, it can be difficult to teach to large groups of students. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two different educational interventions designed to teach infant hunger cues to undergraduate nursing students to increase the knowledge and confidence levels needed for the future teaching of infant hunger cues to new parents. Flemings VARK theory was used to guide this quasi-experimental study. A pretest posttest two-group design was used to evaluate both knowledge and confidence levels in the participants (N= 86). Data was analyzed utilizing a paired t-test. The results noted significant …

Translocation And Phosphorylation Of Ampa Receptors Following Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation In Vivo, Justin Andrew Stafford

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is the current technique used clinically to attenuate the effects of various neurological related deficits and augment functions such as memory and learning. The cellular and molecular mechanisms behind tDCS remain largely unknown and this study provides some of the first insights into the mechanisms behind tDCS. Direct current stimulation has been used to increase levels of long term potentiation (LTP) ex vivo suggesting that this stimulation has an effect on the LTP mechanisms of action. Subcellular protein extraction and fractionation methods were used to isolate synaptoneurosomes from various brain regions to assess the effects …

Difference In Knowledge Of Mrsa Regarding Sophomore And Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Payton T. Lloyd, Daniel B. Whited, Lori N. Crimaldi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

Background

The risk of infection by antibiotic resistant organisms is a common problem in hospital settings. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is the most common type of resistant bacteria that can have serious consequences or even lead to death. Nurses' knowledge of how to prevent and treat this problem is essential for patient safety. The purpose of this study is to determine the differences in level of knowledge of MRSA in sophomore and senior level baccalaureate nursing students.

Methods

This descriptive, comparative study will examine differences in knowledge of MRSA between sophomore and senior baccalaureate nursing students and determine if …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of The New Senior Ed Program At Summa Akron City Hospital, Ahmed F. Ozgur

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Objectives: To compare the outcomes of patients seen during a pilot Senior Emergency Department (ED) program to a historical cohort of geriatric patients receiving usual ED care.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of quality assurance data obtained to evaluate the implementation of a pilot Senior ED program at a 78,000 visit hospital ED. The historical cohort covered 1/23/2012 to 12/31/2012. The pilot Senior ED program was implemented from 1/1/2013 to 12/31/2013. Patients 65 years and older arriving between 8:30 am and 8:30 pm were triaged to a 15 bed Senior ED. Interventions included assessment by a nurse transitional …

Golden Rice: Effectiveness And Safety, A Literature Review, Janel M. Albaugh

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This literature review begins by introducing GMOs, then moving on to golden rice and its background and development, including The Golden Rice Project. The literature review portion discusses the effectiveness and health and safety issues surrounding golden rice. Methodology for this paper includes agriculture and food science databases in addition to keyword searches.

Understanding The Stigma Of Hearing Loss And How If Affects The Patient And Treatment Process, Carolyn M. Zaitzew

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is a literature review on the topic of hearing loss related stigma and the effects it has on persons with hearing loss. There has not been very much research conducted on this topic, which limited the paper’s content. Through researching and analyzing previous studies, it was found that a stigma related to hearing loss still exists today and has multiple effects on persons with hearing loss. The stigma can put negative stress on patients with hearing loss, both psychologically and socially, and may even cause them to not seek or accept treatment when needed. Younger adults are more …

The Timing Of Fluoxetine, Simvastatin And Ascorbic Acid Administration In A Post-Ischemic Stroke Environment Affects Infarct Volume And Hemorrhagic Transformation Frequency, Neal R. Verma

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Previous animal experiments have indicated that administration of fluoxetine and simvastatin at 20-26 hours post-stroke decreases the volume of ischemic infarcts. This experiment expanded on previous experiments by adding ascorbic acid to the post-stroke regimen, initiating simvastatin pre-stroke, and adding a third initiation time frame (48-54 hours). Male retired breeder Sprague-Dawley rats were on simvastatin for 7 days prior to stroke induction. Combined medications of 5 milligrams/kilogram of fluoxetine, 1 milligram/kilogram of simvastatin and 20 milligrams/kilogram of ascorbic acid were orally administered at 6-12 hours, 20-26 hours, or 48-54 hours, respectively, following stroke induction. Adult rats that were treated 20-26 …

Relationship Among Motivation, Emotion Regulation, And Psychological Well-Being Of Sophomore And Senior Level Nursing Students, Aryene Delgado, Douglas Garner, Nicole Langhals

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Nursing education and professional work involve stressful circumstances that may lead to attrition, which can further contribute to the projected nursing shortage. This study examines the relationships between motivation, emotional regulation, psychological well-being and academic performance in baccalaureate sophomore and senior level nursing students at a Midwest urban university in the United States. The non-experimental, correlational study is guided by Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory and uses an online survey data collection and convenience sampling. Measures include: motivation, emotional regulation, psychological well-being (burnout; inauthenticity), and academic performance (GPA), and will be measured using Deci and Ryan’s scale, the Emotion Regulation …

Stress And Exercise In Undergraduate Health Professions Students, Kristin R. Weismantel, Meghan G. Brickner, Leah N. Rosler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Background: Stress is prevalent among undergraduate students, especially students in health professions majors. Exercise as a health promoting behavior decreases stress. At the same time, increased stress may decrease exercise. This study described exercise and stress among undergraduate health professions students. More specifically this study described the intensity and duration of each exercise and the frequency of exercise during a typical week of the semester for students in health professions majors.

Theoretical framework: Pender’s Health Promotion Model guided this study.

Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive survey.

Methods: A convenience sample of 437 undergraduate students in a college of health professions (N =2,700) …

A Systematic Review: Effects Of Breastfeeding On Early And Late Childhood, Kara Campbell, Samantha Fritz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

The topic of the long-term impact of breast milk and formula milk composition on the health status of children continues to be a focus of discussion and research. The aim of this systematic review is to describe and critically appraise current evidence regarding the lasting effects of breastfeeding on health outcomes in children throughout early and late childhood. Twenty-one studies focusing on infant feeding were identified using PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline databases. These studies were then categorized according to health outcomes such as: weight, developmental, and immune system effects. Through a critical appraisal of this evidence, it was found …

Effect Of Case Management On Frequency Of Emergency Department Visits By Persons With Mental Illness: A Systematic Review, Allison M. Stanton, Kayla C. Osoteo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A problem in healthcare is the increasing number of emergency department visits by repeat users with a comorbid mental illness. These visits increase costs, patient wait times, demand for service, overcrowding, and fragmented care; they may decrease quality of care and effective treatment. The purpose of this study is to identify, review, and critically appraise the evidence about the effect of case management on repeat emergency department (ED) use in those with comorbid mental illness. A systematic review of 21 studies was performed. All explored mental illness, frequent visits to the ED, and interventions. These twenty-one studies were reviewed and …