Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Testosterone And The Adult Male, Alex Straftis

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Abstract

In the last 15 years, prescription testosterone sales have increased almost threefold. Testosterone is a powerful hormone, which has both physiological and behavioral effects on the adult male. These effects vary over a man’s life course and social ecology. In a natural setting, testosterone reaches a peak during early adulthood, declines gradually over midlife, and has exponential drops after the age of 70. Increasing testosterone, through testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), past early adulthood, is an evolutionary novel circumstance for an adult male. To gauge these effects, and the motivations that initiated them, this study conducted a preliminary text analysis …

Heavy Episodic Drinking Is Associated With Poorer Bone Health In Adolescent And Young Adult Women, Hawley Almstedt, Joseph W. Labrie, Sarah C. Boyle

Health and Human Sciences Faculty Works

Objective: Osteoporosis is a costly bone disease characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) that primarily affects postmenopausal women. One factor that may lead to osteoporosis is a failure to reach peak bone mass (PBM) in early adulthood. In older adults and animal models, heavy episodic drinking (HED) has been found to predict failure to reach PBM. However, this relationship has yet to be investigated in adolescent human females. Method: Female college students (N = 87; 60% White) reported age at menarche, hormonal contraceptive use, physical activity, smoking habits, and HED history via an online survey and then received a …

Velocity At Maximal Oxygen Uptake Best Predicts 3 Km Race Time In Collegiate Distance Runners, Hawley Almstedt, William Mccormack, Todd Shoepe

Health and Human Sciences Faculty Works

Purpose: There is a lack of scientific investigation into the predictors of 3 km race performance in collegiate distance runners. The purpose of this investigation was to determine what physiological variables best predict 3 km race time in a group of collegiate distance runners. Methods: Twenty-one endurance trained runners (11 men, 10 women) volunteered for this investigation. Running economy (RE) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) testing were conducted within 9 ± 6 days of the race in a single session. All participants ran in a 3 km race at an NCAA sanctioned track meet. Pearson's product moment correlations were performed …

Pilot Study Of Dose-Response Effects Of Exercise On Change In C-Reactive Protein, Cortisol, And Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Cancer Survivors, Heather Tarleton

Health and Human Sciences Faculty Works

Fatigue, stress, and depression contribute to poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among cancer survivors. This study examined the effects of combined aerobic and resistance training (CART) on HRQoL and biomarkers of stress. Cancer survivors (n = 76, 91% female, 39% breast cancer, 32% gynecologic cancer) were enrolled in CART for three 60-min sessions, weekly, for 26 weeks. Participants completed the National Institutes of Health's Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (NIH PROMIS) fatigue assessment and the SF-36. Cortisol and c-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed using volunteered blood specimens. Baseline fatigue scores were worse for participants completing treatment within the …

Musculoskeletal Flexibility And Quality Of Life: A Feasibility Study Of Homeless Young Adults In Los Angeles County, Marina A. Marmolejo, Makda Medhanie, Heather Tarleton

Health and Human Sciences Faculty Works

Proper musculoskeletal health is dependent on the efficient inner workings of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. The homeless experience can be physically debilitating to these tissues and anatomical structures. This feasibility study aims to explore how to answer the overarching question: do the lived experiences of homeless young adults negatively affect their musculoskeletal health? Questionnaires were distributed to assess the demographic characteristics, physical activity, health behaviors, and sleep patterns of 40 homeless young adults and 45 university students in Los Angeles County. Participants also completed supervised stretch tests to assess musculoskeletal flexibility. Findings indicate that homeless young adults were …

A Multicenter Comparative Trial Of A Novel Eus-Guided Core Biopsy Needle (Sharkcore, Mariam Naveed, Ali A. Siddiqui, Thomas E. Kowalski, David E. Loren, Ammara Khalid, Ayesha Soomro, Syed M. Mazhar, Joseph Yoo, Raza Hasan, Silpa Yalamanchili, Nicholas Tarangelo, Linda J. Taylor, Douglas G. Adler

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

Background and Objectives: The ability to obtain adequate tissue of solid pancreatic lesions by EUS-guided remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to compare the performance characteristics and safety of EUS-FNA for evaluating solid pancreatic lesions using the standard 22-gauge needle versus a novel EUS biopsy needle.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study of EUS-guided sampling of solid pancreatic lesions between 2009 and 2015. Patients underwent EUS-guided sampling with a 22-gauge SharkCore (SC) needle or a standard 22-gauge FNA needle. Technical success, performance characteristics of EUS-FNA, the number of needle passes required to obtain a diagnosis, diagnostic …

Analysis Of Ocular Changes In A Cyp1b1-/- Mouse, Kylie Barto

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of the research is to investigate the structural changes seen in Primary Congenital Glaucoma using a mouse model. Eye sections of a Cyp1b1-/- mouse were compared to eye sections of a healthy normal mouse (wild type, WT). Initial examination of the cornea, iris, and irodocorneal angle showed structural changes in Cyp1b1-/-. These changes were similar to those described in the literature using other animal models. This suggests that a mutation in Cyp1b1-/- in a mouse results in a phenotype similar to that seen in PCG human patients and this model could be used to investigate the pathophysiology of …

Innate Chemical Resistance Of Virginia Big-Eared Bats (Corynorhinus Townsendii Virginianus) To White-Nose Syndrome, Daniel S. Danford, Leah Shriver, Hazel A. Barton

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is an emergent epidemic disease of bats in North America. Caused by the novel fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans, with a mortality rate of >75%, in the last decade WNS has led to the local extinction of numerous bat species. Despite this high mortality, one species, the Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) remains unaffected. Virginia big-eared bats (VBEs) are commonly found covered in a yellow, oily substance, with a pelage commensal population dominated by the yeast, Debaryomyces udenii. As D. udenii is an oleaginous yeast that produces yellow colonies, the fungus may be responsible …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding And Rooming-In Care On Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Rachel Boyer, Lindsay Gal, Mahaylie Cline

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Concurrent with a rise in opioid abuse during pregnancy is an increase in the number of babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Despite this crisis, no single treatment has been identified for NAS. This paper sought to analyze and synthesize research evaluating the effectiveness of breastfeeding and rooming-in care on the need and length of pharmacologic treatment and length of hospital stay for neonates with NAS. Twenty-six peer reviewed research articles published between 2006 and 2017 were selected from PubMed and CINAHL for analysis. The studies focused on neonates with NAS born to mothers addicted to opioids or undergoing …

Exploring The Correlation Between Cognitive Awareness Of Body Composition And Perceived Ventilatory Threshold, Erica Schrader

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Purpose

Seventeen subjects from The University of Akron Women's Soccer team were selected to participate in a study that assessed the correlation between body composition and perceived ventilatory threshold (VT). We compared several anthropometric measurements with results from a VO2max test.

Methods

Each participant was taken through a set of resting measurements such as height, weight, waist and neck circumference. Body composition was then estimated using the air displacement method or BodPod. Subjects were fitted with heart rate monitors and masks for a VO2max test. Subjects were read a script explaining them what a VT is, and was told to …

Exploring The Correlation Between Cognitive Awareness Of Body Composition And Perceived Ventilatory Threshold, Erica Schrader

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Purpose

Seventeen subjects were selected from The University of Akron Women's Soccer team to participate in a study that assessed the correlation between body composition and perceived ventilatory threshold.

Methods

All resting measurements were taken on the subjects. These measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, and neck circumference. Body composition was then estimated by using the BodPod. Subjects were fitted with a Polar heart rate monitor and a mask for the VO₂max test was appropriately fitted and assembled for each participant. Each participant were then read a script to explain to them what a ventilatory threshold (VT) is, …

Calling Attention To The Growing Heroin Epidemic And How To Fight It, Kendal Rozaieski

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of creating a grassroots heroin awareness organization on a university campus through qualitative research. Various meeting types were attended as the grassroots efforts began: a student organization dedicated to the cause, the campus Alcohol and Other Drug Board, a local community treatment center agency, multiple University of Akron faculty members, and other heroin awareness groups in the community. Through observation and journaling of these meetings, I am sharing my experience based off analyzed field notes. After analyzation of these notes, common themes related to the formation of this kind of …

Intimate Partner Violence And Its Impact On Pregnant Women And Their Infants: A Systematic Review, Rachel Ashley, Emily Pagni, Alissarh Choujaa

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

In the United States, about 324,000 pregnant women are victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) annually. IPV is any type of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of women or men in family units. IPV has detrimental effects on pregnant women and their babies, from their physical health to their mental health. It is important for nurses and other healthcare providers to have knowledge and understanding about IPV in this population and to use effective interventions and screening procedures. The purpose of this systematic review is to review and critically analyze evidence about IPV in pregnant women. The literature search …

A Systematic Review: Factors For Burnout And Compassion Fatigue In U.S. Nurses, Kaitlyn Marcum, Tabitha Rusnak, Mckenzie Koch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Many nurses suffer from burnout and compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue is “fatigue, emotional distress, or apathy resulting from the constant demands of caring for others or from constant appeals from charities” (Compassion Fatigue, n.d.). Burnout develops over a long period of time as a result of cumulative frustrations within a work environment (Sacco, Ciurzynski, Harvey, & Ingersoll, 2015). Burnout and compassion fatigue both result in physical and mental strain on the person experiencing it. Compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses are associated with decreased patient satisfaction and poorer outcomes with care (Potter et al., 2010). The goal of the systematic …

The Effect Of Foot Strike In Female Runners, Courtney Dockry

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine if heel and forefoot striking influence on the amount and type of injuries in recreational female distance runners between the ages of 18 and 25. In addition, shoe type and training intensity were analyzed in relation to injury. METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted anonymously utilizing The University of Akron’s Qualtrics survey tool. The survey was adopted based on Goss and Gross (2012). The survey was sent via email to members of the Zips Running Club, as well as other runners who fit the criteria to participate …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Hearing Loss On Adults, Holly Reed

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Adults with hearing loss report experiencing isolation, depression, a decreased satisfaction with their self - image and quality of life, cognitive problems and communication obstacles. These effects of a hearing loss can manifest in social situations, within the family and even at the workplace. How one copes with their hearing loss can affect how much of an impact their hearing loss has on their lives as well as what rehabilitative programs or assistive technology they may seek out. It is important to for audiologists to understand the psychosocial effects of hearing loss, how they affect the individual in the workplace …

Assessment And Intervention Of Young Spanish Speakers Who Are Learningenglish As A Second Language, Nicole Katherine Wiswesser, Terry Hallett Ph.D., Ccc-Slp

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project reviewed: a) a summary of research articles on assessment for children who are learning English as a second language; b) a summary of research articles on intervention for children who are learning English as a second language; c) an appendix that includes assessment materials for evaluating children who speak English as a second language such as case history forms, interview questions for clients, teachers, and parents, measures of language milestones, and informal language assessment instruments, and; d) an appendix that includes evidence based treatment strategies such as vocabulary teaching methods, literacy learning strategies, and other intervention materials.

Play To Say: A Speech Therapy Activities Website, Lauren Stover

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Play to Say is a speech therapy website designed to provide activities for both at home and in-clinic facilitation. Play to Say.com was initially designed in conjunction with the Articulation & Phonological Disorders class at The University of Akron, taught by Dr. Scott Palasik. This class involved collegiate students working together to create therapy activities for various speech disorders in children. This website was created in effort to provide aspiring and current licensed speech-language pathologists with new ideas for therapy with children. In addition, the website addresses the much-needed push for continued therapy and practice at home. Parent-friendly activities are …

Emotional Intelligence, Pain Knowledge, And Pain Attitudes Of Nursing Students, Nathan Herr, Brittany Butcher, Taylor Weber

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Effective pain assessment is a primary concern for nurses, who begin learning about pain as students. Pain knowledge and emotional intelligence may increase effectiveness of nurses’ pain assessments. Few studies have examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and pain knowledge and attitudes in nursing students. This non-experimental, correlational study addresses this research gap by examining associations between emotional intelligence and the pain knowledge and attitudes in nursing students. The study is guided by the Emotional Intelligence Theory and uses convenience sampling of sophomore (year one) and senior (year three) level undergraduate students. The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP) …

The Effect Of Complementary Therapies On The Treatment Of Chemotherapeutic Induced Nausea And Vomiting: A Systematic Review, Kailyn Sickel, Mary Barrett, Abigal Siegenthaler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Chemotherapy is one of the most prevalent treatment options for cancer patients, but a major side effect of this treatment, chemotherapeutic induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), can often be debilitating and problematic for patients. The goal of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies in reducing CINV in adult oncology patients. A total of 20 studies were reviewed of adult populations that received standard antiemetic care, with each study failing to yield the same results upon evaluating the effectiveness of complementary therapies on patients’ CINV. The complementary therapies studied included ginger therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, guided imagery …

The Effect Of Yoga And Breathing Exercises On Children With Autism, Leah Brausch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this case study was to determine the effects of yoga and breathing exercises on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Common characteristics of children with ASD were noted and observed throughout the study in order to determine effectiveness of the therapy at hand. Yoga therapy was implemented for nine (9) weeks through an at-home program. It was determined that, while long-term effects were not evident, there is reasonable evidence to implement yoga therapy to assist with focus and attention. This paper serves to review characteristics of children with ASD, typical therapies used to assist them and the …

The Efficacy Of An Emr-Enabled Text Messaging System To The Expanded Health Beliefs, Diabetes Care Profile And Hba1c Of Diabetes Mellitus Patients, Ma. Regina Justina E. Estuar, John Noel Victorino, Razel Custodio

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

As diabetes mellitus (DM) becomes a global emergency, there is a need to explore novel interventions to address problems in self – management. Literature agree in the potential of mobile phones to carry-out self-care for a wide-array of disease conditions. Diabetes Self – Management Support and Education Through Text – Messaging (DSMSET) is a low-cost, two-way text messaging system designed to deliver self - help, educational messages based on the nine (9) dimensions of health management. DSMSET serves as a plugin to SHINE OS+, an open – source electronic medical record (EMR) system. The research is also based on the …

Department Of Education: Fy2018 Annual Report, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Blood Sugar Control In The Hospital, Lehigh Valley Health Network

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Clinical Reasoning In Physical Therapy: A Concept Analysis, Karen Huhn, Sarah J. Gilliland, Lisa L. Black, Susan F. Wainwright, Nicole Christensen

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Physical Therapy, along with most health professions, struggles to describe clinical reasoning, despite it being a vital skill in effective patient care. This lack of a unified conceptualization of clinical reasoning leads to variable and inconsistent teaching, assessment, and research.

Objective

The objective was to conceptualize a broad description of physical therapists’ clinical reasoning grounded in the published literature and to unify our understanding for future work related to teaching, assessment, and research.

Design/Methods

The design included a systematic concept analysis using Rodgers’ Evolutionary methodology. A concept analysis is a research methodology in which a concept's …

Synthesis Of (2r,6r)-Hydroxy-Norketamine For Evaluation Of Antidepressant Effects, Savannah Fairley

Honors Theses

Major Depressive Disorder, colloquially known as depression, is a devastating mental illness that affects a large portion of today's population. Following a drug side-effect that caused depression, the monoamine theory of depression was created, stating that depressive symptoms were caused by a decrease in concentrations of vital monoamine neurotransmitters at the synaptic cleft. Pharmaceutical remedies to combat depression were first introduced in the 1950s and to this date, most available drugs follow the monoamine theory. These drugs have a large loading dose lag time, numerous negative side effects, and still many patients do not experience relief from symptoms. In 2000, …

“Well, Don’T Walk Around Naked... Unless You’Re A Girl”: Gender, Sexuality, And Risk In Jamtronica Festival Subcultural Scenes, Kaitlyne A. Motl

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

The purpose of this study was to explore emerging issues surrounding gendered fear, threat, and violence perpetration at music festivals – particularly events that feature a synthesis of jam band and electronic dance music acts – a genre termed jamtronica by its fans. Though gendered violence perpetration and prevention have been widely studied within other party-oriented settings (i.e., sexual violence perpetration on college campuses), very little research exists to address how wider disparities of gender and sexuality permeate a community whose members frequently claim the scene’s immunity from external inequalities.

In this three-year multi-sited ethnography, I incorporate participant observations, group …

Vascular Cognitive Impairment And Dementia: The Importance Of Mixed Pathologies From Mouse Models To Humans, Alex Marian Helman

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Age-related neurologic disease is a significant and growing burden on our society. Although the largest share of research effort has typically been devoted to the common neurodegenerative illnesses (such as Alzheimer’s disease, or AD), the reality is that nearly all cases of neurodegenerative disease possess elements of mixed pathology. Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) is a complex form of dementia, combining aspects of vascular disease and other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. This pathology is heterogeneous and can include cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), hemorrhages, white matter infarcts, and changes to the neurovascular unit. Given the …

The Function Of Erbin, A Scaffold Protein, As A Tumor Suppressor In Colon Cancer, Payton D. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Erbin belongs to the LAP (leucine-rich repeat and PDZ domain) family of scaffolding proteins that play important roles in orchestrating cell signaling. Here, we show that Erbin functions as a tumor suppressor in colon cancer. Analysis of Erbin expression in patient specimens reveals that Erbin is downregulated at both mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues. Functionally, knockdown of Erbin disrupts epithelial cell polarity and increases cell proliferation in 3D culture. In addition, silencing Erbin results in an increase in the amplitude and duration of signaling through Akt and RAS/RAF pathways. Moreover, Erbin-loss induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which coincides with …

Controlling Platelet Secretion To Modulate Hemostasis And Thrombosis, Smita Joshi

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Upon vascular injury, activated blood platelets fuse their granules to the plasma membrane and release cargo to regulate the vascular microenvironment, a dynamic process central to platelet function in many critical processes including hemostasis, thrombosis, immunity, wound healing, angiogenesis etc. This granule- plasma membrane fusion is mediated by a family of membrane proteins- Soluble N-ethyl maleimide Attachment Receptor Proteins(SNAREs). SNAREs that reside on vesicle (v-SNAREs) /Vesicle-Associated Membrane Proteins(VAMPs) interact with target/t-SNAREs forming a trans-bilayer complex that facilitates granule fusion. Though many components of exocytic machinery are identified, it is still not clear how it could be manipulated to prevent …