Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Retinoids And Their Clinical Benefits To Treating Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Baker Kendrick

Honors Theses

Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) is a deadly form on non-Hodgkin lymphoma that primarily affects the skin. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma means that the lymphoma does not have the presence of Reed-Sternberg lymphocytes. A lymphoma, also known as lymphatic cancer, affects the lymphoid tissues, which plays a major role in the immune system. Lymphoid organs include the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. Lymphatic fluid, also known as lymph, travels through the bloodstream to transport lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, to and from lymphatic organs. Due to a high concentration of lymphocytes in the skin, lymphoma primarily affects cutaneous areas. …

Determining The Effect Of Cuff Deflation On Post-Exercise Arterial Occlusion Pressure, John Benton

Honors Theses

While it is recommended that blood flow restriction be applied relative to pre-exercise arterial occlusion pressure (AOP), no guidelines exist for an initial rest period prior to the measurement. Remeasuring AOP post-exercise can be used to estimate the cardiovascular response. When measuring post-exercise (pre-) AOP, different methods could be used. Some increase the cuff pressure from blood flow restriction exercise pressure (without deflation), or deflate the cuff prior to post-exercise (post-) AOP measurement. It is unknown if pre-AOP is affected by initial rest period, or if post- AOP is affected by cuff deflation. Thus, the purpose of this study was …

Redesigning Nasogastric Feeding Tubes To Prevent Dislodgement, Sydney Ruth Rester, Shelby Lynn Berry

Honors Theses

Seniors at the University of Mississippi studying biomedical engineering complete a senior project that seeks to solve a problem in healthcare. Our team, composed of Sydney Rester, Shelby Berry, Andrew Ulmer, and Alex Bromley, sought to improve care associated with nasogastric feeding tubes. We identified two major problems: clogging and tube dislodgement. To address the problem of dislodgement, the team crafted a new feeding tube design with a balloon attachment. The attachment prevents a patient from pulling the feeding tube out and keeps the tube from dislodging due to normal patient movement. We further determined that our tube should be …

Redesigning Nasogastric Feeding Tubes To Prevent Dislodgement, Shelby Lynn Berry, Sydney Ruth Rester

Honors Theses

Seniors at the University of Mississippi studying biomedical engineering complete a senior project that seeks to solve a problem in healthcare. Our team, composed of Sydney Rester, Shelby Berry, Andrew Ulmer, and Alex Bromley, sought to improve care associated with nasogastric feeding tubes. We identified two major problems: clogging and tube dislodgement. To address the problem of dislodgement, the team crafted a new feeding tube design with a balloon attachment. The attachment prevents a patient from pulling the feeding tube out and keeps the tube from dislodging due to normal patient movement. We further determined that our tube should be …

The Effects Of Temperature And Mito-Nuclear Interaction On Male Fertility In Drosophila., Violetta Bakunina

Honors Theses

The (simw⁵⁰¹);Ore genotype is a strain of Drosophila melanogaster that has impaired mitochondrial function as a result of a disrupted interaction between a mitochondrially-encoded tRNA^Tyr and the nuclear-encoded synthetase that aminoacylates mt-tRNATyr. We hypothesized that disruption of mitochondrial protein synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in this genotype decreases mitochondrial translation and results in the sterility of (simw⁵⁰¹);OreR males at 28^oC. The results of Mitotracker staining showcased the reduced Mean Fluorescence Intensity (MFI), which confirms that sterility has an energetic basis, yet also that mature sperm function is compromised. Cytological dissection of male gonads …

A Systematic Review Of Music Therapy For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alana Andrus

Honors Theses

Music therapy has been suggested to be effective in Autism. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of music therapy as a potential treatment option for individuals with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. To obtain published records, a PubMed search was conducted with the search term “music therapy autism,” which generated 187 studies. Each study was evaluated for relativity to the topic at hand. The remaining 151 articles were assessed for support status, as well as other later suggested research, in order to more confidently support music therapy as a treatment option for ASD patients. Approximately …

Rates And Perceptions Of Covid-19 Vaccination From University Of Mississippi Students, Josie Parham

Honors Theses

The trials, tribulations and triumphs of the global COVID-19 pandemic are impacted by and are a product of behaviors that occur at the level of nations, states, cities and, ultimately, communities. In the wake of the development of safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV2, the virus responsible for the pandemic, the significance of the vaccine is closely linked to the number of individuals that receive the vaccine. To date, surveys have measured sizable variations in vaccination rates between nations, states, cities, and communities. Focusing on events that have transpired in one such local community, the present study (i) measured the …

Efficacy Of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol For Hiv-Related Neuropathic Pain, Kaia Horne

Honors Theses

Despite the availability and success of antiretroviral therapeutics, ~30% of patients living with HIV experience neuropathic pain that is often intractable. The mechanisms are not known, but there is evidence to support a role for the HIV virotoxins, Tat and/or gp120, which can damage or degenerate neurons and peripheral nerves. One mechanism by which Tat and gp120 promote nerve damage involves the stimulation of proinflammatory cytokine production from immune cells which can damage or kill bystander cells. Notably, compounds found in Cannabis exert anti-inflammatory effects and many studies report HIV patients to consume more marijuana than seronegative individuals. When people …

Analyzing The Survival Rate Of Clinically Pathogenic Bacteria On Occupational Therapy Devices Used During Full Hip Replacement Rehabilitation, Meredith Rippy

Honors Theses

An increasing concern of the healthcare system has been that of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). HAIs currently account for approximately 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths per year in United States hospitals. HAI’s (formerly called nosocomial infections) are defined as infections that develop in patients who have been in residence in a healthcare facility (i.e., in-patient clinics) for 48 hours or longer and who previously had no evidence of infection prior to admission. Consequences of HAIs include increased length of hospital stay, exposure to high frequency antibiotics, sepsis, and in unfortunate cases, death. In out-patient environments where patients are receiving rehabilitative …

The Future Of Artificial Intelligence In The Healthcare Industry, Erika Bonnist

Honors Theses

Technology has played an immense role in the evolution of healthcare delivery for the United States and on an international scale. Today, perhaps no innovation offers more potential than artificial intelligence. Utilizing machine intelligence as opposed to human intelligence for the purposes of planning, offering solutions, and providing insights, AI has the ability to alter traditional dynamics between doctors, patients, and administrators; this reality is now producing both elation at artificial intelligence's medical promise and uncertainty regarding its capacity in current systems. Nevertheless, current trends reveal that interest in AI among healthcare stakeholders is continuously increasing, and with the current …

Sol Retractor: Rapidly Deployable Film-Based C-Section Retractor, Casey Lee, Silas Cleveland, Jose Dolores Valdivieso, Joseph Perks

Honors Theses

Cesarean Sections (C-sections), a surgery conducted for baby delivery, can be divided into four distinct categories; Category 1 and 2 are considered emergency c-sections, and Category 3 and 4 are scheduled c-sections [2]. A comparative study from 2016 analyzed the difference of need for postoperative treatment between the Collins or the Alexis O retractor ( n = 100). The Alexis O C-Section retractor resulted in 19% of women requiring postoperative treatment, including medication, monitoring, and an extended stay at the hospital. The Collins resulted in 43% of the patients requiring postoperative treatment (p = 0.001) [5]. In emergency C-sections, surgical …

Assessment Of Antebrachial And Carpal Muscle Activity During Smartphone Use: Is “Selfie Wrist” A Real Phenomenon?, Monica Stacy

Honors Theses

Reports in the media by celebrities have sparked an interest in a phenomenon being called “selfie-wrist,” in which smartphone users develop symptoms traditionally associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). There has been no research to date which investigates the claims of “selfie wrist.” The primary aim of this study was to address the validity of “selfie wrist” claims. The secondary aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of texting on musculoskeletal health, taking into account the differences between texting one-handed versus two-handed, and the effect of using a grip device while texting.

The experiment consisted of an …

Implementation Of A Computer-Vision System As A Supportive Diagnostic Tool For Parkinson’S Disease, Diego Machado Reyes

Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting nearly 1 million people in the US and it is predicted that the number will keep increasing. Parkinson’s disease is difficult to diagnose due to its similarity with other diseases that share the parkinsonian symptoms and the subjectivity of its assessment, thus increasing the probabilities of misdiagnosis. Therefore, it is relevant to develop diagnostic tools that are quantitatively based and monitoring tools to improve the patient’s quality of life. Computer-based assessment systems have shown to be successful in this field through diverse approaches that can be classified into two main …

Identifying Metabolites As Markers Of Fatigue In Athletes, Christopher D. George

Honors Theses

Fatigue in athletes caused by inadequate rest and other stressors can be severely detrimental to their health, and yet there is no reliable way to measure and track fatigue. Many classical measures of fatigue like body mass and resting heart rate are not reliable ways to track the physical fatigue of an athlete because they can change with many factors. In addition, it is not known how academic stress on top of physical stress affects fatigue. Metabolomics is a relatively new area of study and tracking metabolites offers the possibility to produce biomarkers to assess fatigue. This study collected saliva …

Effectiveness Of Adaptive Utensils On Hand And Finger Range Of Motion In Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lauren Yeager

Honors Theses

Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) often experience functional deficits that impair range of motion (ROM) in their hands and fingers. Daily tasks like opening jars and eating become more difficult and painful for individuals with RA because they lack the grip strength and adequate ROM to perform these activities. Because of this, efforts have been made to accommodate decreasing functionality due to decreased ROM. Adaptive utensils are currently being explored as a potential aid for hand and finger functional deficits. This study sought to quantify the ROM needed for individuals with RA to grip the handles of adaptive utensils of …

Aphasia & Stutter Therapy: An Ailment Not To Be Treated, Janae Nieto

Honors Theses

This work demonstrates the history of two common speech and communication disorders: aphasia and stuttering. Once considered incurable diseases, these conditions have since generated rich rehabilitation practices and accompanying schools of thought. The first part of the thesis takes up adult aphasia, excluding cases involving speech and communication disorders due to other mental illnesses. The second half of this project conveys the history of stuttering. The majority of the modern cases analyzed in this thesis focus on developmental stuttering in children; although, different forms of stuttering are embedded in the progression of the therapy history. Each chapter includes a section …

Cognitive And Emotional Correlates Of Improved Gait Distance During The Course Of Physical Therapy Treatment For An Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Danielle Miller

Honors Theses

Objective

The focus of spinal cord injury rehabilitation over the past four decades has shifted from medical management to issuses that affect quality of life and community participation (Gómara- Toldrà, Sliwinski, & Dijkers, 2014). However, the care team for spinal cord injury patients still need to collaberate in order to design and implement interventions that result in maximum participation to provide an individual with a spinal cord injury an effective rehabilitation program. In order to create such a rehablitation program, the care team must know how certain psychological and cognitive aspects, such as depression and implict memory, are related to …

Assessing Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge And Use Of Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning, Mary Catherine Cazalas

Honors Theses

Many individuals who are nonverbal require augmentative and alternative communication devices to communicate. The purpose of this research was to assess speech-language pathologists’ knowledge of a particular method of implementing augmentative and alternative communication devices known as language acquisition through motor planning (LAMP). Further, this research was designed to determine the percentage of speech pathologists who have used LAMP during their careers as well as the perceived level of success speech pathologists have found with LAMP. Mississippi speech-language pathologists were used as the sample for this study. A survey was created electronically via the online survey development software, “Survey Monkey,” …

Therapeutic Effects Of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization And The Use In Athletic Populations: A Literature Review, Jenna Treloar

Honors Theses

This literature review examines the mechanism and application of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) in athletic populations. IASTM is a treatment technique used for soft tissue pathologies. Experimental studies have been performed to determine the effects of IASTM on range of motion, pain, and inflammation in upper and lower extremities. Conflicting evidence exists for the effect of IASTM on the inflammatory reparative process of the body while more evidence exists in support of the technique’s benefits on pain reduction and improvement in range of motion. Understanding the effects of IASTM on range of motion, pain, and inflammation may be useful …

Synthesis And Relaxivity Of A Target-Specific Mri Contrast Agent, Callie Clement

Honors Theses

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medically important test that provides a painless, noninvasive way to visualize images of the body by using a strong magnetic field. The machine quickly changes the direction of the magnetic field in certain increments and measures the time it takes for protons to change their direction, lining up with the magnetic field again. The time taken for the protons to realign is called the overall relaxivity rate (R1). Abnormalities, especially tumors, are expressed in MRI images because their relaxivity rates are quite different from the relaxivity rates of normal tissues.

To help enhance MRI …

Diagnostic Practices Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In Brazil, Ana Claudia Vesper Manier Dias

Honors Theses

In Brazil, in spite of over half a million students with special needs in primary education, little research has been conducted about ASD diagnostic practices. This involves learning about the training that professionals are receiving, what diagnostic practices are being implemented on the field, and whether those are being contextualized according to the Brazilian culture. Students with special needs are directly affected by the results of diagnostic practices, since identifying the individuals is one of the first steps. Lack of understanding about that stage may lead to the problematic realities of underidentification or overidentification, exclusion of children who should receive …

The Medicalization Of Childbirth Within The United States, Alexandria Gesing

Honors Theses

The World Bank rates the United States last amongst developed countries for maternal mortality, with 14 deaths per 100,000 live births compared to Canada and the Netherlands with 7 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the UK with 9 per 100,000 live births. This paper argues that these deaths are strongly linked to excessive use of Cesarean sections, resulting from increased access to technology, and explores the attendant medicalization of childbirth in the United States. Drawing on interviews with patients, midwives, and physicians, in addition to participant observation of hospitals and private practices within the Tristate area; I compare the …

Control System For 3d Printable Robotic Hand, Htoo Wai Htet

Honors Theses

Humanoid robotics is a growing area of research due to its potential applications in orthosis and prosthesis for human beings. With the currently available technologies, the most advanced robotic hands used in prosthetics or robotics can cost from $11,000 to $90,000, making it inaccessible to the general population of amputees and robotics hobbyists. Most of the features provided by these expensive technologies are superfluous to many users, creating a great gap in cost and services between users and technology. Using the emerging 3D printing technology, my project is to construct a 3D printed robotic hand that can reproduce as many …

A Comparison Of Cyfra 21-1, Nse, And Cea For The Serodiagnosis Of Lung Cancer, A Alexandra Knopp

Honors Theses

There were 224,210 new cases of lung cancer in the US during 2014, and of those cases, there 159,260 that died from lung cancer during 2014. Since early diagnosis and treatment leads to a better prognosis, the medical community is actively looking for new, noninvasive tests for the disease. This includes the search for new and effective tumor markers. Tumor markers are used in combination with other tests to diagnose cancer. After the diagnosis, they are used to follow a patient’s case. The three tumor markers studied were neuron specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CYFRA 21-1. In this …

The Historical Evolution Of Endoscopy, Sarah Ellison

Honors Theses

INTRODUCTION: Minimally invasive surgery is on the rise and is becoming more common. Its advantage over traditional open surgery is a quicker recovery time and minimized risk of infection along with an aesthetically more pleasing smaller scar. Although many different scopes and instruments perform minimally invasive techniques, all minimally invasive instruments evolved from endoscopy. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that they began to diverge to separate studies. Therefore endoscopy is considered in regards to instrument evolution. History is full of twists and turns as different pieces of the scope progressed so its advancement has been separated into the …

Design Of A Medical Walker With An Integrated Crutch Mechanism, Harrison Bourikas

Honors Theses

Many elderly people and injured people suffer from physical complications that make it difficult or dangerous for them to perform everyday activities, thereby inhibiting their mobility. Some of these activities include walking, standing, and sitting. As a result, it is no surprise that many companies in the medical industry have already attempted to construct an array of options to aid these people, including basic medical walkers, and standing-assist furniture, poles, and machines. Although these options are fair choices, they fail to integrate portability, simplicity, and multi-functionality together. Therefore, this thesis focuses on designing and building a dual purpose machine that …

The Radon Transform And The Mathematics Of Medical Imaging, Jen Beatty

Honors Theses

Tomography is the mathematical process of imaging an object via a set of finite slices. In medical imaging, these slices are defined by multiple parallel X-ray beams shot through the object at varying angles. The initial and final intensity of each beam is recorded, and the original image is recreated using this data for multiple slices. I will discuss the central role of the Radon transform and its inversion formula in this recovery process.

Cystic Fibrosis: Biological And Ethical Considerations, Sarah Elizabeth Milam

Honors Theses

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, multisystem disease whose etiology is a genetic mutation in the CF gene product, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The disorder affects all exocrine glands, with common symptoms involving the lungs and pancreas. Although the CF gene and its protein product have been identified, two aspects of the disease make CF particularly difficult to diagnose and manage: (a) variability in both degree and pattern of the mutation in different individuals and (b) lack of information regarding the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible. Let us begin by examining the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the …

Oral Cancer Screening, Damon Omar Watson

Honors Theses

Cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx have increased throughout the decades. Since oral cancer represents a small percentage of the total cancers in the United States, it is often overlooked. Though this is the case, the results of this cancer can be devastating. To address this issue, an Oral Cancer Screening was organized on August 14, 1996 at the West Michigan Cancer Center in Kalamazoo. This was a joint collaboration between the author, the West Michigan Cancer Center, and the Kalamazoo Valley Dental Society. This event allowed research to take place concerning the data obtained. Confidential results and information …