Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

“When One Shingle Sends Up Smoke”: The Summit Beacon Advises Akron About The Epidemic Cholera, 1849, Elizabeth Hall

Nineteenth-Century Ohio Literature

Elizabeth Hall explains the American cholera epidemic of 1849, with special attention to how cholera afflicted Akron, a booming canal town in Northeast Ohio. The article presents the full text of 1849 Akron newspaper articles on cholera and explains how their mix of good and bad information was published right before scientific breakthroughs in cholera research.

Functionalizing Titanium Implants With Bioactive Peptides To Increase Osseointegration, Neil Bernard

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Orthopedic surgeries have continued to increase, but the material of choice remains constant: titanium. Titanium has become the benchmark implant material due to its durability and non-immunogenic properties. However, while high rates of success are correlated with joint replacement surgery, certain patients with predisposed diseases such as diabetes or arthritis may have increased complications.¹ This can be due to lack of osseointegration due to decreased bone formation and mineralization,² which will lead to increased rates of infection or aseptic loosening of the implant from the bone. ³ Current methods to alleviate these complications include invasive revisional surgeries, which …

Analysis Of Ocular Changes In A Cyp1b1-/- Mouse, Emily Arison

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this research is to develop a mouse model with a mutation in the CYP1B1 gene that would result in a phenotype similar to that seen in Primary Congenital Glaucoma (PCG) human patients. Using this mouse model, structural changes in eyes and upregulation of certain proteins were observed compared to a normal mouse. Examination of the cornea, iris, retina, ciliary body, and iridocorneal angle showed structural changes in CYP1B1 mice compared to wild type mice. These results were similar to those described in studies using other animal models. Furthermore, the current study confirmed earlier findings in other animal …

Long-Term Outcome And Complications Of 32 Distal Femoral Osteotomies Performed For Correction Of Mpl In Dogs Without Cranial Cruciate Disease, Nicholas Crawfis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Many canines suffer severe, grade I-IV, medial patella luxation causing a persistent lameness, severely reducing the quality of life for the dog (Linney et al 2011). For these patients surgical intervention is recommended to alleviate these symptoms. The procedure used to do so is a distal femoral osteotomy (DFO). This procedure allows for correction of torsion in the femur and quadriceps mechanism, and frontal plane abnormalities at the same time. The present study aims to describe the long-term outcome and related complications of 32 DFOs, without concomitant Cranial Cruciate Ligament rupture (CCLR), in a large private practice referral hospital based …

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, …

Body Composition Vs Athletic Performance In Volleyball, Elizabeth Decaro

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine if body composition affected athletic performance in the sport of volleyball at the University of Akron.

Methods: The study was conducted in the School of Sports Science & Wellness Education on the 3^rd floor of Infocision Stadium at the University of Akron using the computer containing the Bod Pod data for the women’s volleyball team.

Results: 20 subjects of the women’s varsity volleyball team were studied. The averages of each test were varied between the different skills tests in counter-movement vertical jump, approach vertical jump, block, broad jump, chin-ups, and …

Auditory Selective Attention Performance In Older And Younger Bilingual Adults, Ninive Corina Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Recent research has suggested that bilinguals may have enhanced cognitive abilities resulting from the constant management and maintenance of their two language systems. This cognitive advantage has been evidenced in studies showing that bilinguals outperform monolinguals on tasks of visual selective attention. However, very little is known regarding how bilingualism influences selective attention in the perception of auditory information. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bilingualism on auditory selective attention. A total of 61 participants were recruited to participate and divided into four participant groups: 15 younger monolinguals (between the ages of 18-25), 15 …

Communication Barriers Between Patients And Healthcare Providers Regarding Disclosure Of Herbal Product Use, Armando S. Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A considerable portion of our international border Hispanic population traditionally uses medicinal herbs as an alternative option for treating various chronic diseases and may take them alongside prescribed medications. More in-depth research is very necessary to determine why and under what conditions patients use herbs concomitant to medications, and why many do not discuss this with their physicians. Barriers to communication between patients and healthcare providers can encourage non-disclosure of herbal product use, which may interfere with prescribed medications, placing patients at serious risk for various herb-drug interactions. This qualitative descriptive study utilized purposive sampling, employing six focus groups consisting …

Preseason Assessment As A Predictor Of Post-Concussion Performance Of Athletes On The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Test, Kelly Marie Lambeth

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ideally, athletes are assessed pre-season to establish their cognitive-communicative status for comparison purposes if the athlete suffers a concussion during their season. Post-concussion (PC) assessment comparison with the baseline (BL) assessment will provide clinical information for treatment of the athlete's concussion. The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) test was used for assessment of pre-and post-concussion. Because the literature indicates that some athlete's attempt to actively perform poorly on the preseason assessment to misrepresent their performance post-concussion it would be interesting to determine if there is a score on the ImPACT pre-season test that would predict their post-concussion test …

Changes In Fundamental Frequency Of Voice In A Group Of Transwomen Following Voice Modification Therapy, Emily Marquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The term transgender refers to an individual that identifies with a gender that is different to the one given at birth. Individuals that are transgender experience conflict between the gender the individual identifies with and the sex they are born with. Individuals that are transgender may elect to go through a transition process so that their outward appearance is congruent with their gender identity. Part of the transition process may include voice modification therapy. Transgender individuals may seek voice modification therapy so that the outward appearance matches the voice. However, there is limited information regarding the efficacy of traditional voice …

Prevalence Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Colonization In Medical Students At The El Paso/Cd. Juarez Border Region, Samantha Michelle Meza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Due to the constant use, misuse, and over-prescription of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance has become a global public health threat. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to prevail in healthcare settings and is the cause of many nosocomial infections worldwide. A risk factor for developing an active MRSA infection is the colonization of the pathogen in the anterior nares. Over the past two decades, MRSA infections have increased in both the hospital and the community setting, often infecting healthy individuals lacking common risk factors. Healthcare workers with constant exposure to MRSA are more likely to be colonized and can potentially serve …

Using Baby Sign As A Facilitating Technique To Segment Speech With 4-18-Month-Old Monolingual And Bilingual Hearing Infants-An Extension Study, Johanna Puga-Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The intricacies involved in learning language are astounding, nonetheless, infants are more than capable of accomplishing this feat within their first few years of life. This unbelievable achievement is carried out through numerous milestones and exposure to multiple modalities of stimuli all around them. Through the use of these modalities, be it auditory or visual, infants begin their journey to learn language with the task of extracting words from fluent speech, speech segmentation. Researchers have found that infants as young as 6-months can segment words from the speech stream by using their own name or highly familiar words like momma …

A Test Of Criteria For Determining "Optimal" Ppor Model Reference Groups: Measuring Excess Infant Deaths In The Border Region, Alexis Nicole Ramos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Infant mortality is one of the strongest indicators of social and economic development in all countries. Understanding infant mortality is critical for understanding the health of nations. Strategies for lowering infant death rates are needed. The Perinatal Periods of Risk Model (PPOR) is an approach that allows communities to determine when infant death and excess death is occurring by categorizing death into four perinatal categories. Excess infant deaths are determined by defining a reference group with the lowest mortality rate, and then comparing the reference group rate to other subgroups. The typical reference group has been defined as white, …

A Comparative Assessment Of Food Deserts Using Geographic Information Systems (Gis) In El Paso County, Tx And Loudoun County, Va, Amit Ugamraj Raysoni

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

BACKGROUND & SIGNIFICANCE: Consumption of processed foods high in sodium and fat can have a plethora of health complications, including, but not limited to hypertension, high cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes and cancer. Previous studies have documented that lack of access to viable healthy eating options' grocery stores selling affordable fresh fruits and vegetables - in any neighborhood or area can result in negative public health outcomes. These areas devoid of such grocery stores and healthy eating options can be classified as "Food Deserts", as per one of the criteria adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In addition, …

An Evaluation Of Interprofessional Knowledge And Attitudes In Graduate Students From Six Programs In Health Sciences After An Interprofessional Education Workshop Experience, Joanna Velasco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Interprofessional Education (IPE) occurs when two or more disciplines learn about, from, and with each other to provide interprofessional patient-centered care which ultimately improves patient health care outcomes (WHO, 2010). Through collaboration, students not only bring their own expertise, but are given an opportunity to learn what the other disciplines can offer for the same patient. Although IPE's importance is highly recognized, many universities do not engage in IPE practice because of scheduling difficulties, lack of faculty involvement, implementation challenges for various levels of competency, and uncertainty of how to measure the effectiveness of IPE activities (Johnson et al., 2015). …

Understanding The Multidimensional Factors That Influence Hiv Testing Among Women In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Danielle Walker

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Approximately 37 million people worldwide are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), with the majority located in sub-Saharan Africa where women are more likely than men to become infected. Even though universal models such as the "HIV Continuum of Care" and the "Bar Before the Bars" exist that provide a context to identify barriers and tools to build the capacity for HIV testing and linkage to care, sub-Saharan Africa remains an HIV epicenter accounting for 72% of all worldwide HIV-related deaths in 2016. HIV testing rates vary significantly among many Central African countries; the DRC in particular has one …

Speech Recognition In Noise Performance In Younger And Older Spanish-English Bilinguals' L1 And L2, Elisa Guadalupe Barraza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Previous research has shown that Spanish/English speaking bilinguals have difficulty understanding English speech in background noise compared to their monolingual counterparts. However, the effects of age on bilinguals' speech understanding performance remains unclear.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether older Spanish/English bilingual speakers are at an increased disadvantage understanding speech in the presence of background noise compared to older English monolinguals.

Methods: 15 younger Spanish-English (S/E) bilinguals, 15 older S/E bilinguals, 15 younger English monolinguals and 15 older English monolinguals participated in the study. Speech recognition performance was measured using the Spanish and English versions …

The Validation Of A Screening Instrument For Preschool-Aged Children In El Paso, Cassandra Curtis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Culturally and linguistically diverse children often produce linguistic features that may mask or mimic characteristics of language impairment (LI) (Gutierrez-Clellen & Simon-Cereijido, 2009). Language screening instruments are time efficient tools used by Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) to distinguish children who may need additional language assessment (Guiberson & Rodriguez, 2010). A previous survey conducted in the El Paso, TX region determined that only 30% of SLPs felt that screenings instruments, for English-Spanish bilingual children, produced accurate results (Cutis, Summers, Smith, & Stubbemann, 2016). Additionally, the study found that SLPs often used non standardized screening tools due to the lack of …

Nutrition Label Accuracy And The Theory Of Triadic Influence: The Impact Of Knowledge On Healthy Food Choices In A Predominantly Hispanic Sample, Mosi Staudt Dane'el

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Unhealthy food choices and the outcomes of those choices are a significant concern in the United States. Multiple governmental agencies recommend using nutrition labels to promote healthier food choices. This study investigated this claim using the theory of triadic influence to examine the efficacious use of nutrition labels on food choices. The theory of triadic influence presents a model of variables that affect food choice, including knowledge pathways on which this study focuses. Within the model, we expected increased scores on two measures of health knowledge to predict nutrition label understanding, which predict healthy food attitudes. Next, we expected that …

Environmental And Genetic Factors Affecting Antibiotic Resistance Of Extended Spectrum Î?-Lactamase Bacteria From The Rio Grande River In El Paso, Tx And Cd. Juarez, Mexico, Maria D. Fuentes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The Rio Grande River provides a major source of potable and agricultural water for the population of the Texas/Mexico border region. Cattle farming and ranching are the most prevalent activities, which may contribute to the microbial burden of pharmaceuticals into our state's water resources. Antibiotics, presumably released into the environment by discharges originating from waste-water treatment plants, septic disposal systems, animal feeding operations and urban runoff have a definite impact on the ecosystem and may contribute to an increase in antibiotic resistance. We hypothesized that waters of the Rio Grande River contained Multi Drug Resistant Organisms (MDRO) and mobile …

Insulin Modulates The Strong Reinforcing Effects Of Nicotine And Changes In Insulin Biomarkers In A Rodent Model Of Diabetes, Bryan Cruz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined whether the strong reinforcing effects of nicotine and changes in insulin biomarkers observed in diabetic rats are modulated via insulin. A model of diabetes was employed involving administration of streptozotocin (STZ), which produces hypoinsulinemia in rats. The present study included vehicle- or STZ-treated rats that received sham surgery or an insulin pellet. Two-weeks later, the rats were given extended access to intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of saline or nicotine. Concomitant changes in food intake, water responses, and body weight were assessed during 12 days of IVSA. After the last session, plasma levels of insulin, leptin, amylin, and glucagon-like …

Formative Evaluation Of The Health Belief Model As A Valid Theoretical Framework For "The Diabetes Garage", Renee Alexandria Orrantia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background & Significance. Recent studies estimate the prevalence of diabetes among Hispanics/Latinos (H/L) to be 16.9% and 18.7% among H/L men specifically. To address this disparity, the Diabetes Garage (DG), a culturally tailored Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSME/S) program, was designed to engage H/L men in diabetes self-management. Because seriousness of diabetes best predicts men’s engagement in self-care, the Health Belief Model (HBM) was chosen as the central theoretical framework. The HBM hypothesizes that the cue to action (i.e. DG) increases men’s perceived diabetes risk/severity/threat, self-efficacy in self-care, and health outcomes. Aims & Objectives. This research was aimed to …

The Effect Of Early Life Photoperiod Manipulation On Cocaine-Induced Behavioral Sensitization In Male And Female Japanese Quail, Shannon Elizabeth Eaton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Estrogens seem to play a role in the locomotor activating effects of cocaine. Japanese quail provide a good model for hormonal manipulation as alterations of their photoperiod controls hormone levels. The current study aims to examine the role of early life photoperiod manipulation in cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in quail. It was expected that if quail were raised on a short photoperiod, they would have a reduction in gonadal hormones and this reduction in hormones would affect the acquisition of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. Quail were raised on an 8L:16D or a 16L:8D light cycle. Following 2 days of habituation, quail were …

Cocaine Choice: A Novel Procedure For Investigating Neuronal Activation Mediating Cocaine Preference, Jonathan Jenn-Sheng Chow

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Cocaine use disorder is a significant health problem, negatively impacting individuals afflicted. While preclinical self-administration research has provided invaluable insight into the neurobehavioral mechanisms that underlie cocaine abuse, cocaine use outside of the laboratory occurs within an environment where other goods are also available ubiquitously. Although there is an ever-increasing literature investigating drug vs. non-drug choice in rodent models and how alternative goods can compete with the subjective value of cocaine, the neurobiological mechanisms that are associated with cocaine preference remains largely unknown. Additionally, current drug vs. non-drug choice studies use procedures that confound preference with intake, such that preference …

Influence Of Resistance Training On Vascular Function, Hemodynamic, And Perceived Exertion Responses To Fixed Submaximal Workloads In Patients With Coronary Disease, Kerstin Grafe

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of superimposed resistance training (RT) in aerobically trained coronary patients on systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE; 6–20 scale), and rate pressure product (RPP) at fixed submaximal workloads following a 12-week RT intervention. Additionally, pre-and post-RT measures of brachial artery reactivity, an index of endothelial function, were obtained. METHODS: Fifteen low risk coronary patients (13 men, 2 women; mean ± SD age = 66.1 ± 5.1 yrs) completed a progressive 12-week RT program that complemented their regular aerobic training regimen. Prior to training, SBP, HR, RPP, and RPE were …

An Overwhelming Journey: Mothers Of Children Cochlear Implant Users Experiences With Speech-Language Pathologists, Jennifer Beebe

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study shares themes identified across the experiences of mothers of children cochlear implant users with speech-language pathologists. Parents describe learning that their child has a hearing loss as an overwhelming journey with much to learn and many decisions to make, especially in their child’s first year of life. Parents rely on professional support in developing their child’s listening and spoken language development. A phenomenological framework of qualitative research was utilized to understand the perspective of the mothers who participated in this study. The intent of this study is to improve the partnership between parents and professionals of children with …

Regulatory Issues Concerning The Preclinical Testing Of Synthetic Peptides, Vamsi Vardhan Niraghatam

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Any new drug or biological product undergoes rigorous testing in animals and humans for review by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it becomes available for human use. A sponsor files an investigational new drug (IND) application with the FDA with supporting animal data, after which testing is continued with humans. There is sufficient guidance from the FDA on new small molecules and biological products as to which preclinical studies are to be conducted. Synthetic peptides present a unique scenario in which a case-by-case approach is needed for the conduct of preclinical studies. For peptides containing components …

Improving Workers' Safety And Health In The Zimbabwean Mining And Quarrying Industry, Bernard Mabika

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of effective occupational safety and health (OSH) strategies is a reason that

workplace accidents in the mining and quarrying industry remain high, making the

industry one of the riskiest operations worldwide. The purpose of this multiple case study

was to explore successful strategies mining and quarrying leaders in Zimbabwe used to

improve OSH. The key research question addressed successful strategies leaders in the

mining and quarrying industry use to improve employee occupational safety and health in

Zimbabwe. Six successful business leaders from 3 mining and quarrying mines in

Zimbabwe demonstrated an exception to unsafe practices, particularly through their

exceptional …

Household Determinants Of Malaria In Mutasa District Of Zimbabwe, David Takudzwa Zinyengere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is a vector borne, acute febrile illness, caused by Plasmodium parasites. Malaria impacts the medical and socioeconomic development programs of affected communities, as it diverts both individual and national resources into managing the disease burden. The purpose of this study was to explore and evaluate household determinants of malaria in Mutasa District, Zimbabwe. The precede-proceed theoretical model guided the study. Secondary data from Demographic Health Survey and District Health Management Information System, and current data from household determinant questionnaires, were used to evaluate the influence and significance of identified household determinants. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine …

Impact Of Empowerment And Autonomy On The Nursing Director's Intent To Stay, Tiffany Bergquist

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retention of nursing directors is important to the viability and success of the healthcare industry because they have a large impact on nursing job satisfaction, overall retention of nurses in an institution, productivity, and patient outcomes. Factors that retain nurse directors, such as autonomy and empowerment, appear to be important to job satisfaction, but there is little in the current research to corroborate these findings. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine what factors impact nursing directors' intent to stay in their current role and what effect role autonomy and empowerment have on their intent to stay as …