Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Poor Menstrual Health On Uti Diagnosis, Michelle Muturi

Pitzer Senior Theses

Urinary Tract infections (UTIs) are microbial invasions of the urinary tract because of abnormal pathogen growth. They have short term symptoms like abdominal pain, fever and urinary frequency. Khayelitsha is a township that has a population of 2.4 million, 52% of which are women. This area is shaped by poor governance in South Africa that exacerbated medical issues due to a lack of resources. With lack of sanitary pad accessibility and knowledge of proper hygiene practices during the menstrual cycle, women are getting infected with UTIs 2-3 times a year. With an increase in antimicrobial resistance patterns, areas like Khayelistsha …

Health Behavior And Outlooks In An Altered Microbial Diversity: Changes In Parental Attitudes On ‘Building Immunity’ Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Vidal

Pitzer Senior Theses

The Covid-19 Pandemic in a short amount of time put into action disease control measures. Current literature has sought to address the long-term effects of sanitization efforts and social isolation on the diversity of the microbiome and the future of infectious diseases. Microbes – microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, algae, fungi, and viruses – inhabit the natural environment and human microbiome with our immune system, playing an essential role in immune regulation. The interplay between humans and microbes forms early immune development that has impacted parents’ attitudes toward microbes shown through their participation in Covid-19 preventative health practices. Using the …

Hrmobile: A Lightweight, Local Architecture For Heart Rate Measurement, Sam Morton, Sam Morton

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) are important metrics in the study of numerous physical and psychiatric conditions. Previously, measurement of heart rate was relegated to clinical settings, and was neither convenient nor captured a patient’s typical resting state. In effect, this made gathering heart rate data costly and introduced noise. The current prevalence of mobile phone technology and Internet access has increased the viability of remote health monitoring, thus presenting an opportunity to substantially improve the speed, convenience, and reliability of heart rate readings. Recent attention has focused on different methods for remote, non-contact heart rate measurement. Of …

The Relative Contribution Of Health-Care Points Of Service To Overall Patient Satisfaction At A University Health Center, Jay M. Parikh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Throughout the process of receiving healthcare, a patient is affected by several factors and processes. To just name a few, how long a patient must wait at the clinic, how friendly the front desk is, how the nurse treats the patient, how effective the physician is with his or her communication, what the cost of a patient's healthcare is, and how clean the clinic is all affect the patient's experience. When clinics excel in these factors, it promotes a favorable relationship between the patient and the clinic. Patients trust the healthcare provider and desire to continue attending that clinic when …

Observing The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Overall Health, Anxiety, And Sleep, Brianna Chicas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

College students' mental health has been researched for some time. In particular, the correlation between physical activity and mental health symptoms has been researched. The study examines the relationship between physical activity and anxiety, sleep, and overall health. College undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida took an online survey that measured all of these variables. A Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations. Positive correlations were found between anxiety and sleep, anxiety and social desirability, sleep and social desirability, and strength training and vigorous physical activity. Negative correlations were found between overall health and physical activity, overall …

Characterization Of Multiphase Complex Coacervate Droplets, Lindsey Rush

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intracellular environment of eukaryotic cells has been found to have membrane-less organelles, which form through liquid-liquid phase separation.^1,2 The membrane-less organelles within the cell can be modeled with multiphase complex coacervates that are formed through the combination of two liquid polyelectrolyte complex coacervates, which are individually made up of a pair of one positively charged polymer and one negatively charged polymer.^3,4 Membrane-less organelles in a eukaryotic cell have been found to aggregate from liquid to solid in neurological disorders and during the aging process⁵, and investigation into the factors affecting aggregation of multiphase complex coacervates …

Examining Academic Challenges And Mental Health Among First-Generation And Non-First-Generation Students, Cecilia Q. Bui

Honors Undergraduate Theses

First-generation students are individuals whose parents have not attended college. These students often face challenges such as academic pressures, lack of social support, and mental health problems. Research has found that first-generation students experience a culture shock when transitioning from high school to college. These factors can impact academic success and affect overall health. This quantitative, cross-sectional study examined the impact of stress on mental health among first-generation and non-first-generation students. The study also examined if social and emotional support had a buffering effect on levels of depression, anxiety, and academic stress among first-generation college students. A survey measuring these …

Factors Influencing Nutritional Intake And Interests In Educational Content Of Athletes And Sport Professionals Toward The Development Of A Clinician-Supported Mobile App To Combat Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport: Formative Research And A Description Of App Functions, Jacob T. Mey, Christine A. Karpinski, Shengping Yang, Joseph D. Madere, Tavis Piattoly, Ronnie Harper, John P. Kirwan

Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) as a consequence of athlete malnutrition remains a prominent issue. However, it remains underrecognized, in part due to the perceived outward health of athletes. The Eat2Win app was designed to combat RED-S and athlete malnutrition by providing education, behavior modification, and direct communication with expert sports dietitians to athletes and sport professionals (professionals who work with athletes, eg, sport coaches and athletic trainers). Objective: The purpose of this formative research was to gain critical insight on motivators and barriers to optimal nutritional intake from both the athletes’ and sport professionals’ perspectives. Additionally, since …

Relationship Between Patient Race And Provider Communication, Kristin M. Marino

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Health disparities by race in the United States have been persistent over decades and one possible reason for that could be that physicians are communicating differently with different races. The purpose of this study was to systematically review literature regarding the relationship of patient race/ethnicity with physician-patient communication. The overall project of which this is a part is a mixed methods review, but my part of the study involved only studies using observational data such as audio and video recordings of physician-patient encounters. This study investigated research that compares physician communication with patients across a wide range of ethnic groups, …

The Effects Of Kangaroo Care On The Stress Levels Of Parents In The Nicu, Niyati Sishodia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Parents of NICU patients have high stress levels compared to other populations, which negatively impact their mental health. The kangaroo care (KC) method has been used for its numerous benefits for infants, but not as widely studied for its impacts on parental stress. The purpose of this integrative literature review is to examine and synthesize the existing evidence regarding kangaroo care and its impact on the stress levels of NICU parents.

Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and APA PsychInfo databases to identify relevant articles. Articles were included if they were published …

Acute Myocardial Infarction Among People Living With Hiv: Comparing Immunological And Virological Control By Hispanic Ethnicity Of The All Of Us Research Program Participants, Eugenio Reina

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In the United States, individuals of Hispanic ethnicity receive disproportionately lower-quality healthcare. These healthcare disparities exacerbate unequal access to quality healthcare services, including disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care. Research on the role of ethnicity on the CVD outcomes of people living with HIV (PLWH) has been limited. We hypothesize that immunological (CD4+ cell count) and virological (HIV viral load) control may play a role in the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among PLWH, and that Hispanic ethnicity may worsen these outcomes.

To verify our hypotheses, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to investigate …

Social Determinants Of Chronic Kidney Disease In The Black American Community: A Systematic Review, Addea Coleman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This systematic review aims to examine the relationship between the social determinants of health that significantly impact the prevalence and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) amongst Black Americans. The Black American population has the highest prevalence of CKD in the United States, while concurrently possessing prominent genetic risk factors for this chronic disease. The social determinants: healthcare quality and access (extended to account for health behaviors), social and community context, and economic stability were specifically assessed in this review. Key terms were utilized to search electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science, which yielded 470 unduplicated articles. Twenty-nine articles …

Evaluation Of Sleep Benefits Following A 16-Week Judo Program For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Neha R. Chittaluru

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by language and communication deficits, and difficulties with social interaction (Twisk, 2001). Research has shown that 80% of youth with ASD experience sleep challenges which can lead to sleep-related health issues, exacerbate problematic behaviors, and increase vulnerability to anxiety and depression (Wachob & Lorenzi, 2015; Williams et al., 2004; Richdale & Schreck, 2009). Sleep plays a central role in adaptive functioning, and insufficient sleep can hinder learning, memory, and neuroplasticity for children with ASD (Cohen et al., 2014). As these unhealthy behavior patterns can lead to more adverse long-term health consequences, it …

Comparison Of Health-Related Quality Of Life Trajectories In Older Breast Cancer Patients And Noncancerous Controls Over Ten Years, Maria Eduarda De Azevedo Daruge

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The adverse effects of cancer treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQL) are the primary concern of elderly women diagnosed with breast cancer. The interplay of transient and progressive functional impairments caused by cancer therapies, alongside the accelerated physical declines associated with the normal aging process, are all negatively correlated to HRQL. This study compared the HRQL trajectories between cases and controls for ten years after diagnosis. The cancer group included 1467 women (age ≥ 65), diagnosed with primary breast cancer, registered in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registry, and completed the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) …

The Impact Of Telemedicine On Patient-Provider Communication At A University Student Health Center, Venkata Naga Sreelalitapriya Duvuuri

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Effective patient-provider communication (PPC) involves conveying sufficient information to a patient such that the treatment is agreed upon and implemented accurately. Furthermore, a patient must feel adequately involved in the treatment process. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many clinical visits were shifted online. Although telemedicine was successful in meeting pandemic-specific goals, such as lowering personal contact, it changes the communicative context. Both patients and providers get less input from body language (nonverbal communication) and rely more on verbal communication. Furthermore, the number of telemedicine visits conducted remains elevated over pre-pandemic levels. Much of what is known about effective …

Role Of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response In Parainfluenza Virus Acute To Persistent Infections, Lauren L. Abbitt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Persistent viral infections are a major health concern, with persistently infected (PI) cells being a source of continued shedding of virus and generation of viral mutants. Here, we hypothesized that cells persistently infected with the enveloped virus parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) would show altered expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress proteins and increased resistance to death caused by drug-induced ER stress. To test this, lysates of mock-infected, PIV5 acute-infected, and PIV5 PI human lung A549 cells were collected and levels of ER stress proteins were compared. Western blotting revealed that immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP/GRP78) was present in higher …

The Effect Of L-Citrulline Supplementation On Blood Pressure: An Updated Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Vraj Amin

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Cardiovascular disease remains one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States and has remained as the leading cause of death. Large Mendelian randomization studies have found significant correlations between high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact, high blood pressure is the single most important independent risk factor for CVD. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of L-citrulline on blood pressure to determine whether it could be advised as an effective treatment for high blood pressure. L-citrulline is a naturally occurring amino acid that readily converts to L-arginine within the human body. L-arginine …

Using Wastewater-Based Epidemiology To Study Chlamydia Occurrence On A College Campus, Jessie E. Chin Quee

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, commonly affecting sexually active college-aged adults. Presently, opportunistic testing, self-testing, and information campaigns are methods to screen vulnerable populations and raise awareness about chlamydia. Chlamydia remains underdiagnosed and undertested due to a lack of participation by individuals who may have been exposed to it. Wastewater-based epidemiology is a rising biomonitoring tool that detects the presence of disease- and drug-specific biomarkers in a community's wastewater. In this study, wastewater-based epidemiology was used to detect the presence of C. trachomatis on the University of Central Florida campus. Wastewater samples were collected …

Trends In Antibiotic Susceptibility Of Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates In A Pediatric Hospital: An Analysis Of The Impact Of The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic, Juan Miguel S. Gonzalez Rivero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Infections caused by the organism Staphylococcus aureus are one of the most common causes for community-associated and healthcare-acquired infections (HAI). Isolates of this bacterium found within the healthcare setting often demonstrate a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance making these infections difficult to treat. Historically, considerable focus has been placed on methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which are strains resistant to β-lactam antibiotics like penicillin, oxacillin and cephalosporins; however, methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) strains may also possess resistance to several first-line antibiotics. Resistance to antibiotics can be acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) by means of mobile genetic elements or by random DNA mutations …

Education Interventions And Preeclampsia Knowledge Among Pregnant Women, Shantel Mir

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aim: The aim of this literature review was to explore the impacts of educational interventions integrated into antenatal care on knowledge of preeclampsia among pregnant women. Background: Preeclampsia has remained one of the leading causes of preventable maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. A lack of patient education and awareness of preeclampsia may lead to missed opportunities for diagnosis and preeclampsia complications. Methods: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson) databases were utilized. Literature specifically focusing on preeclampsia educational interventions among pregnant women were considered. Results: There were eleven articles that fit the criteria …

Testicular Cancer And Firefighters: An Umbrella Review, Andre Naguib Guirguis

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Purpose: The relationship between testicular cancer and working as a firefighter has been a relatively brushed off scope of concentration until recent years and recent developments in hopes of presenting new protocols and better guidelines to screen for testicular cancer in this occupation. The purpose of this study was to perform a scoping review to present the current data concerning testicular cancer and its association to the occupation of firefighters.

Methods: PubMed as a data base was used and articles concerning firefighters and testicular cancer were found and screened for eligibility with respect to the kind of study and the …

The Psychological Impact Of An Intensive Care Admission On Survivors Of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome And Covid-19 Ards, Leah K. Shinn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background:

With the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an influx of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an inflammatory lung condition. ARDS survivors are at high risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to intensive care unit (ICU) medical treatments/procedures. They are known to have traumatic memories triggered by their sensorium months to years after being discharged from the ICU. One study found that 23% of ARDS survivors experienced long-term PTSD symptoms 2-3 years after hospital discharge (Bienvenu et al., 2018). Unknown is whether there are similarities in the memories and sensory triggers of PTSD amongst ARDS and …

The Relationship Between Evening Screen Time Use And Objectively Measured Sleep Outcomes In U.S. College Students, Donya Sedaghat

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Research suggests that elevated levels of screen time in the evening can negatively impact sleep outcomes (sleep duration, quality, and latency). Yet, there is a lack of evidence exploring if this relationship exists in college students. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between evening screen time use and objectively measured sleep outcomes in US college students. College students (N = 29) junior or senior standing in a Health Sciences major were recruited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Participants wore accelerometers on their wrist for 24hr/day for seven days to capture sleep duration, efficiency, awakenings, and …

The Influence Of Genetics, Insulin Resistance, Oxidative Stress, And Energy Deficit On Migraine, Victoria Dm Maldonado Llinas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The pathomechanism of migraine attacks is not understood well, however, is currently believed to be a brain disorder. Migraine is a multifactorial disorder that needs to be investigated in multiple research areas to shed light into its mechanism and find ways to treat it effectively. Migraine episodes come from one or many things at the same time, and such vary from person to person. However, sufficient evidence in recent studies show there is a strong relationship between genetics with patients having specific genes that may be responsible for the disease or a genetic sequence passed down through generations in families, …

Attention, Working Memory, And Adaptive Functioning In Emerging Young Adults With Psychometrically-Defined Schizotypy, Parth Nakirikanti

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Schizotypy, a complex construct linked to schizophrenia-related traits, encompasses positive, negative, and disorganized symptoms. This study offers a review of the concept of schizotypy, including its historical evolution, tracing it from Bleuler's early mention in 1911 to Meehl's continuum model. Embracing a dimensional perspective, this research underscores the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding schizotypy. Deficits in sustained attention and working memory within schizotypy remain underexplored, with prior studies yielding inconsistent results. Adaptive functioning deficits in individuals with schizotypy are also inadequately understood. Examining a college student population, this investigation utilized scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire …

Effect Of Estrogen On Chondrogenesis In Female Articular Chondrocytes, Ebony R. Parsons

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As women age and transition into menopause they face a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis leading to total joint replacements. Estrogen is the primary female reproductive hormone. As a woman approaches menopause, estrogen production decreases by 100-fold. Previous research has shown that Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) reduced joint replacements in post-menopausal women. However, there is a lack of research surrounding ERT's effect on chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix production, particularly 3D culture extracellular matrix production. Chondrogenesis is a process of skeletal development resulting in the formation of cartilage. Chondrocytes, derived from mesenchymal progenitors, serve as the fundamental cellular component in …

Medical Emergency Preparedness Among Undergraduate Students, Savannah L. Finigan

Honors Theses

Knowing how to respond to a medical emergency is a valuable life skill that college students ought to have the opportunity to attain in order to save lives. This study aims to understand how prepared and confident local students are to respond to a medical emergency. Participants consisted of undergraduate students who had no healthcare or nursing school experience. A survey was distributed that asked students to rank and describe their own confidence to respond to medical emergencies. The survey also questioned how much former training or experience they had with medical emergencies. The results of the survey show that …

Therapeutic Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Administration Protects Against Lethal Yellow Fever Virus Infection, Michael J. Ricciardi, Lauren N. Rust, Nuria Pedreño-Lopez, Sofiya Yusova, Sreya Biswas, Gabriela M. Webb, Lucas Gonzalez-Nieto, Thomas B. Voigt, Johan J. Louw, Fernanda D. Laurino, John R. Dibello, Hans-Peter Raué, Aaron M. Barber-Axthelm, Kimberly Chun, Samantha Uttke, Lidiane M. S. Raphael, Aaron Yrizarry-Medina, Brandon C. Rosen, Rebecca Agnor, Lina Gao, Caralyn Labriola, Michael Axthelm, Jeremy Smedley, Justin G. Julander, Myrna C. Bonaldo, Laura M. Walker, Ilhem Messaoudi, Mark K. Slifka, Dennis R. Burton, Esper G. Kallas, Jonah B. Sacha, David I. Watkins, Benjamin J. Burwitz

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a reemerging global health threat, driven by several factors, including increased spread of the mosquito vector and rapid urbanization. Although a prophylactic vaccine exists, vaccine hesitancy, supply deficits, and distribution difficulties leave specific populations at risk of severe YFV disease, as evidenced by recent outbreaks in South America. To establish a treatment for patients with severe YFV infection, we tested 37 YFV-specific monoclonal antibodies isolated from vaccinated humans and identified two capable of potently neutralizing multiple pathogenic primary YFV isolates. Using both hamster and nonhuman primate models of lethal YFV infection, we demonstrate that a …

College Football Television And Attendance: The Problem With Selection Bias, Jeremy M. Losak, Samuel Marteka, Mackenzie Mangos

Sport Management - All Scholarship

Television coverage's impact on college football attendance is a topic of debate. Between 2005 and 2019, annual growth in athletic department revenues for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools from media rights, postseason football, and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) conference distributions far exceed revenue growth in ticket sales revenue. This study re-evaluates the substitution or complementarity of television coverage and stadium attendance in college football with updated data while controlling for selection bias through endogenous treatment regression. Although initial results reveal a positive correlation between television coverage and attendance, national coverage and attendance appear to be substitutes after controlling for …

Short-Term Exposure To Wildfire Smoke Pm2.5 And Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression Among U.S. Veterans: A Cross-Sectional Study, Emily Goddard

Public Health Theses

Exposure to environmental pollutants can have serious consequences for mental health and well-being, leading to widespread societal impacts. With climate change leading to more frequent and severe wildfires, it is increasingly important to understand the impacts of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke, a harmful air pollutant that has been shown to impact cognitive health. Burgeoning research has focused on the impact of ambient PM2.5 on mental and neurological health, but little has focused specifically on wildfire smoke PM2.5. This study aimed to examine the relationship between short-term (prior two-week average) and long-term (average during past wildfire season, May-October) …