Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Conceptualization Of The Body In Psychodynamic And Body-Based Psychotherapies: Areas Of Overlap And Possibilities For Integration, Aleksandra Rayska

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The distinction between verbal and nonverbal psychotherapies is clearly visible in theory and clinical practice. Moreover, this duality of approaches promotes a split between the body and the mind, defining them as separate from each other. This dissertation helps bridge the divide between the literature in body-based therapies and verbally-based psychotherapy by (i) exploring the conceptual frame used to understand the body in psychodynamic therapy (ii) identifying the areas of overlap between psychodynamic theory and theories that underlie body-based psychotherapies, and (iii) proposing ways in which psychodynamic and body-based theories can inform one another. A clinical case was used to …

Cortical Thickness Abnormalities Within The Salience And Reward Networks In Older Depressed Adults With Apathy, Monique A. Pimontel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background and Significance: Apathy is a common comorbidity in late-life depression. Among older depressed adults, apathy is associated with a number of adverse outcomes, including increased disability, comorbid illness, and mortality. The etiological substrates of apathy in late-life depression nonetheless remain poorly understood, and little is known about its optimal treatment. To this end, the aim of the current study was to examine cortical abnormalities within the salience (SN) and reward networks (RN), two brain systems involved in the processing of incentive salience that may underlie the syndrome of apathy in older depressed adults.

Methods: We examined the association between …

Women’S Sexual Fantasies In Context: The Emotional Content Of Sexual Fantasies, Psychological And Interpersonal Distress, And Satisfaction In Romantic Relationships, Sarah Constantine

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Psychoanalytic thinkers propose that aspects of an individual’s sexual fantasies are related to her psychological and interpersonal functioning. The present study aims to elucidate the significance of sexual fantasies with respect to women’s emotional and interpersonal lives. The study evaluated a model, which hypothesized that internal representations of self and others (e.g. attachment security, maturity of object relations) along with psychological and interpersonal factors would predict both the emotional content (guilt, fear, affection) of written sexual fantasy narratives, and overall romantic satisfaction in heterosexual women. Methods: Five hundred and thirty four women completed self-report questionnaires online. Subsequently, the sexual …

Cognitive And Neurobiological Degeneration Of The Mental Lexicon In Primary Progressive Aphasia, Jet M. J. Vonk

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The ease with which we use the thousands of words in our vocabulary stands in stark contrast to our difficulty establishing how they are organized in our mind and brain. The breakdown of language due to cortical atrophy in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) creates conditions to study this organization at a cognitive and neurobiological level in that the three variants of this disease, namely non-fluent, logopenic, and semantic PPA, each bear their own signature of language-specific decline and cortical atrophy. As the impaired regions in each variant are linked to different lexical and semantic attributes of words, lexical decision performance …

Roles Of Gabab, Muscarinic And Nicotinic Receptor Signaling In The Acquisition And Expression Of Fructose And Fat-Conditioned Flavor Preferences And Acquisition Of Quinine-Conditioned Flavor Avoidances In Rats, Francis M. Rotella

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In addition to increased intake of sweet solutions by mammals, learning, particularly classically-conditioned “Pavlovian-like” learning, also plays an important role. An orosensory conditioned flavor preference (CFP) can be elicited by pairing one novel flavor (conditioned stimulus, CS+) with a fructose solution and a second novel flavor (CS-) with a saccharin solution. Rats will prefer the CS+ flavor in a subsequent 2-bottle choice test with both flavors mixed in saccharin. Previous pharmacological analyses revealed that systemic administration of dopamine (DA) D1 and D2 as well as NMDA, but not opioid, receptor antagonists eliminated the acquisition (learning) of fructose-CFP. Further, expression of …

Potential Modifications To Enzyme Replacement Therapy In Anderson-Fabry Disease, Mariam Meghdari

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mutations in the GLA gene that encodes the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (αGal) result in the sphingolipidoses named Fabry disease. This enzymatic defect is inherited as an X-linked recessive disorder and is associated with a progressive deposition of glycosphingolipids, including globotriaosylceramide (GB3), galabioasylceramide, and blood group B substance in the cell. In affected males, and in some females, this leads to early death due to occlusive disease of the heart, kidney, and brain. This disease is currently treated by infusions of αGal, prolonging patients’ lives but producing antibodies against the enzyme reducing the treatment efficacy. Treatment also causes numerous and …

The Lived Experience Of Feeling Disrespected, Nadine Donahue

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of feeling disrespected. The participants were registered professional nurses, with at least two years of clinical experience. A phenomenological approach utilizing Giorgi’s method was used to analyze the data and interpret the findings for this study. New knowledge about feeling disrespected contributes to nursing science and may help nurses and organizations that employ them, provide a healthy work environment that supports and retain them. The experience of feeling disrespected was illuminated by the following themes; “Powerless, feeling like a “nobody,” treated like you are “stupid,” utter discouragement and broken …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Tetrahydroprotoberberines As Dopamine Receptor Ligands, Satishkumar V. Gadhiya

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Dopamine (DA) receptors belong to the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) family, divided in to two groups based on their high homology transmembrane domains; D1-like DA receptors (D1, D5) and D2-like DA receptors (D2-D4). DA receptor specific ligands have been exploited as a means for studying the prognosis and curing several CNS disorders. Though several efforts have been devoted to discover selective and potent DA receptor ligands, complete selectivity within the DA receptor subtypes remains a challenge.

Tetrahydroprotoberberines (THPBs) are a group of naturally occurring tetracyclic alkaloids that belong to the tetrahydroisoquinoline family. A wide range of biological activities are associated …

Walking As Ontological Shifter: Thoughts In The Key Of Life, Bibi (Silvina) Calderaro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

With walking as ontological shifter I pursue an alternative to the dominant modernist episteme that offers either/or onto-epistemologies of opposition and their reifying engagements. I propose this type of walking is an intentional turning towards a set of radical positions that, as integrative aesthetic and therapeutic practice, brings multiplicity and synchronicity to experience and being in an expanded sociality. This practice facilitates the conditions of possibility for recurring points of contact between the interiority perceived as ‘body’ and the exteriority perceived as ‘world.’ While making evident the self’s at once incoherence with it-self, it opens to a space beyond the …

Music Perception Performance In Prelingually Deafened Children With Cochlear Implants Pre And Post Structured Music Training Postoperative Habilitation Programs: A Systematic Review, Jessica K. Woodson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The goal of this project was to systematically review literature in order to analyze music perception performance in prelingually deafened children with cochlear implants before and after structured music training postoperative habilitation programs. Features of music which were evaluated included pitch, melody, timbre, rhythm, and appraisal. In six studies, these measures of music perception were compared pre and post formal music training; in one study, music perception performance was compared between prelingually deafened cochlear implant users and individuals with normal-hearing sensitivity. Overall, when the music training was sufficiently long, the findings indicated that music training significantly improves pitch perception ability. …

Cochlear Implantation In Adults With Neurofibromatosis Type Ii: Outcomes, Benefits, And Limitations, Lydia Riehl

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The objective of the current study was to examine, in a retrospective case series, outcome in terms of word-recognition performance in patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) who have received a cochlear implant (CI) The primary independent variables were duration of deafness (DoD) and age at cochlear implantation. The secondary independent variables were status of hearing sensitivity in the ear contralateral to the one that received cochlear implantation and the type of tumor treatment.

The retrospective case series comprised eight patients who were implanted at New York University Medical Center, or who were receiving follow-up care there. All NF2 patients …

Hearing Related Concerns Among Parkinson’S Patients And Their Care Partners, Samantha Morgan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The goal of this study is to evaluate the relationship between self-reported subjective hearing loss and objective measures of hearing in older adults with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), as well as the relationship between self-reported hearing handicap of those with PD and the report of their care partners. Twenty-four individuals, comprised of older adults with PD and their primary care partners, underwent subjective and objective hearing screenings and completed measures of self-reported hearing handicap. Results revealed no significant relationship between the subjective and objective hearing screening results of those with PD, nor any significant relationship between the self-report of hearing handicap …

Effect Of Implementation Of Simulation On Critical Thinking Skills In Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Joanne M. Knoesel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Human patient simulation (HPS) is a time and cost intensive teaching modality that is used widely in nursing education, and has been implemented with little evidence to support its efficacy (Jeffries & Rizzolo, 2006). Researchers note the lack of reliable tools to measure learning using this teaching modality, and consequentially there is a paucity of research linking critical thinking and simulation (Jeffries, 2007; Kneebone, 2003; Nehring, 2008). Nursing clinical decision making affects patient outcomes. Critical thinking is a key factor in clinical decision making. A review of the relevant literature is equivocal on the use of simulation in undergraduate nursing …

Medical Student Knowledge Regarding Age Related Hearing Loss And Amplification, Max L. Rubin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The goal of this survey is to determine medical student knowledge regarding hearing loss, communication, audiology, treatment and diagnosis of age related hearing loss and the connection to health outcomes. A questionnaire was created, using Survey Monkey, to assess medical student knowledge of hearing loss, communication, audiology, treatment and diagnosis of age related hearing loss and the connection to health outcomes. The questions comprising the survey pertain to demographics, the profession of audiology, auditory system anatomy and physiology, hearing pathologies, and appropriate intervention and health outcomes associated with under-treatment of hearing loss. Questions were gathered from previous research studies attempting …

Occlusion Effects In Various Testing Conditions Using Insert Earphones, Amanda M. Desantolo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The occlusion effect is a well-known phenomenon that can affect audiological testing. Sound energy that would typically escape is trapped when covering the ear(s) and reflected back toward the inner ear. This increases the intensity of the sound, resulting in the “appearance” of a more sensitive threshold. Many aspects of the occlusion effect have been well researched and understood, however there are still aspects that warrant further investigation, such as the degree of occlusion with insert earphones when using partial versus full insertion and whether one or both of the ears are occluded. A within-subject design (n=5) was utilized to …

Recreational Music Exposure And Music-Induced Hearing Loss: A Systematic Literature Review, Carolyn Lindenbaum

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Legislation regarding occupational noise exposure is the result of a long period of interest and research; more recently, the effects of recreational noise are receiving increasing attention. Various sources of recreational noise and music exposure have become more widespread among the general public, increasing research in this source of potential risk. The proliferation of personal music players that are easily available and accessible to children and adults has contributed to the spread of leisure music exposure. Leisure music exposure is also common in the attendance of concerts and clubs/discos, and bars/pubs. The present systematic literature review focused exclusively on recreational …

A Systematic Review Of Occupational Music-Induced Hearing Loss, Lilach Gez Saperstein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The prevalence of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a public health concern with government regulations (i.e. OHSA, NIOSH) in place to protect employees in occupational settings. Sound pressure levels (SPL) of various industries have been measured and exposure dosages monitored as per the national regulations. Previous research has demonstrated that occupational exposure to loud noise has led to audiometric evidence of NIHL. Thus, it raises the question about the impact of occupational exposure to music on hearing. For the purposes of this capstone, literature pertaining to occupational music exposure levels, and the effects on both hearing threshold levels and …

Methods And Professionals Involved In Evaluating Postural Control In The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population: A Systematic Review, Christina Melora

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the methods in which postural stability and control are being quantified in persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with what instrumentation and which healthcare professionals are included in this process. It is well studied that persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which now include those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger Disorder, often suffer from vestibular modulation abnormalities (Rogers & Ozonoff, 2005; American Psychiatric Association, 2013.) These individuals may present with either an under- or over-responsiveness to vestibular inputs resulting in a variety of repetitive behaviors or …

"Marie Manje La Pom Nan." Examining The Cognitive Process Of Restructuring And Advantage Selection In The Definite Article System In Haitian Creole Among U.S. Born Heritage Speakers Of Haitian Creole, Marie-Michelle Monéreau-Merry

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The distributional patterns of heritage speakers’ reanalyzed first language are often grammatically divergent from native speakers. Irrespective of the heritage language, there is converging evidence that the cognitive process of reanalysis of heritage languages is often evident in less salient properties of the language, such as inflectional morphology (Polinsky & Kagan, 2007). Therefore, Haitian Creole (HC) is a candidate for restructuring. In this investigation we compared the morphophonological patterns of the definite article system at the production and perception level between two groups of early learners of Haitian Creole (i.e. native speakers vs. United States (US) born heritage speakers).

The …

Naturally-Derived Molecular Ensembles In Medicine, Materials Science And Evolutionary Biology: An Interdisciplinary Study, Silvio Panettieri

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The first chapter will introduce the work carried out in collaboration with the Govind laboratory at CCNY. Our quest was set forth to investigate the intimate relationship lying between chronic inflammation and tumor development. For at least the last fifteen years much research has been conducted on this topic; yet, the level of complexity arising from exceedingly interwoven biochemical pathways in mammals has resulted in slow advancements in this field. This is why we resorted to a simple yet powerful immunogenetic model organism, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, in combination with the administration of the most common anti-inflammatory drug, …

Spatial-Relational Learning And Memory Deficits Associated With Nmdar Autoantibodies In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Brittany L. Bascetta

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) experience inflammation that may target any organ within the body, including the central and peripheral nervous systems. Additionally, these individuals often demonstrate psychological dysfunctions including emotional and cognitive deficits; however, research is inconsistent as to the nature and cause of these dysfunctions. While there are multiple factors that may increase risk for variability in cognitive function, such as population differences, socioeconomic status (SES), mood disorders (depression and anxiety), medication effects, and disease activity, these factors do not reliably predict the severity and extent of cognitive deficits. A growing body of animal research associates autoantibodies …

Development Of 90th Percentile Norms For Ipsilateral Acoustic Reflex Thresholds: A Feasibility Study, Iris Wertheimer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The acoustic reflex threshold has been well established in the literature as an involuntary bilateral contraction of the stapedius muscle in response to loud transient sounds. Additionally, the clinical utility of the acoustic reflex threshold has been established as it allows for the differential diagnosis of many different conductive, cochlear and retrocochlear pathologies. Gelfand, Schwander and Silman (1990) have established and validated 90^th percentile normative data for use with the contralateral acoustic reflex threshold. Much of the literature on the acoustic reflex threshold has focused on the contralateral acoustic reflex threshold; however, surveys have found that many clinicians are …

Affordable And Accessible Hearing Healthcare Interventions In The United States: A Literature Review And Prospective Analysis, Garrett Thompson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Age-related hearing loss is a significant public health concern with serious and far-reaching consequences including: social isolation, depression, faster cognitive decline, and increased risk of falls. Hearing loss is a widespread condition, it is in fact a leading cause of disability among older people. Hearing aids, the primary intervention for adults with hearing loss, are costly and inaccessible to many patients who need them. Among other reasons, these factors have led to a low uptake rate among the adult population; only one in seven adults who could benefit from wearing hearing aids utilizes them. Given the status quo of high …

Narrating School, Narrative Self: Identity, Agency And The Hidden Curriculum Of (Hetero)Normativity, Mikela Bjork

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation analyzes sober women’s narratives of their schooling experiences to reflect on how educators and policy makers can improve the schooling experiences for othered students.. Inspired by the self-reflective and agentic pedagogy found within the figured world of Alcoholics Anonymous, I focused on the narratives of women in Alcoholics Anonymous, ages 18-85, as they narrated their schooling stories from pre-Kindergarten up to the last grade they completed. What the data of this qualitative research project reveals is that, despite the detrimental culture of denial at home and school, the participants, through the radical act of self-reflexivity and personal narrative, …

Deconstructing Rape Culture Through An Exploration Of Consent, Desire, And Pleasure, Yael Rosenstock

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Desire and pleasure based education combats the notion of passive consent by prioritizing positive experiences for all members involved in sexual activities. A focus on desire requires that we learn and listen to our partner’s needs and respect their boundaries. It questions a patriarchal script of sex in which male pleasure, specifically when penetrating a partner, is the critical part of the sexual act. Sex motivated by mutual desire and pleasure forces us to step back and learn, not just about our partners but ourselves, so that we may communicate our wants and needs effectively.

To understand how to navigate …

The Relationship Between Clinical Teaching Effectiveness And Emotional Intelligence In Clinical Nurse Faculty In Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Programs In New York State, Caroline K. Mosca

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

It is important to evaluate the Clinical Teaching Effectiveness (CTE) of nurse faculty because clinical teaching is one of the most effective pedagogies in nursing education (Billings & Halstead, 2012). However, clinical faculty must be able to manage effectively the stressors of the clinical setting, where lessons can be unpredictable and the environment is often laden with intense emotion (Gerolamo & Roemer, 2011; Ondrejka, 2013; Roberts, Chrisman, & Flowers, 2013). Emotional Intelligence (EI) may facilitate CTE because higher EI has been associated with improved management of stress in both nursing and the general workplace (Goleman, 1995; Görgens-Ekermans & Brand, 2012; …

A Quasi-Experimental Study Of A Health Patterning Modality About Childhood Vaginitis And Power In Haitian Primary Caregivers, Anne Marie Berthe Leveille-Tulce

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to appraise the power as knowing participation in change of primary caregivers of Haitian children aged 6 to 13 years old before and after participation in an education and resource health patterning modality related to risk factors and prevention of childhood vaginitis. The study was framed within the realm of Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings and the conceptual framework of Barrett’s Power as Knowing Participation in Change. A pretest-posttest quasi- experimental study was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to answer the first research question “What are the power profiles of Haitian caregivers before …

Expanding Intersectionality Praxis: Informing Culturally-Responsive Programming For Black And Latino Gay And Bisexual Young Men, Justin T. Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Black/Latino gay/bisexual young men face a multitude of health disparities caused by various determinants of health. However, despite the awareness of the gaps, health intervention research rarely explores the impact of current health intervention strategies on Black/Latino gay/bisexual young men’s overall health and well-being. Traditional health interventions are deficit-based, health condition-specific, and often limited in their cultural-specificity. As health-related fields move toward holistic, evidence-based practices, new primary prevention approaches need to emerge. Using qualitative investigation strategies, this study included primary analysis of participatory workshop artifacts, and secondary analysis of survey and focus group data. This study identified critical factors necessary …

The Effect Of A Single Bout Of Physical Exertion On Expressive Language And Word Finding In Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis, Marissa A. Barrera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

To date, little research has been conducted on the relationship between fatigue and expressive language among Multiple Sclerosis patients (MS). This study was a response to this knowledge gap. A nonrandom, matched- subject, mixed-factor design model was used with a purposive sample of 17 individuals with MS (five had primary-progressive (PP) MS, and 12 had relapsing-remitting (RR) MS). The research design was subjected to pretesting to ensure validity. Participants were assessed on a range of language tasks after undergoing one bout of cardiovascular exercise (NuStep T5 Recumbent Cross Trainer) and asked to provide a subjective fatigue score. The expressive language …

African American Male Veterans’ Illness Representation And Reported Self-Management Practices Of High Blood Pressure, Tammie Brodie

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

High blood pressure (HBP) is a common condition in the United States, affecting one in four American adults. Forty-one percent of African Americans have HBP compared to 27% of White Americans. African Americans develop high blood pressure at an earlier age and suffer more complications compared to other ethnic groups. Numerous studies have been conducted to find the causes and treatment for HBP in African Americans.

The purpose of this research is to explore self-management practices of African-American male veterans, who have positive HBP representation and controlled HBP. A mixed-methods approach guided the study to gain quantitative and qualitative explanatory …