Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

Burmese Refugee Health: The Value Of Plant-Based Medicine, Natalie Wodniak

Student Theses 2015-Present

The nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma) has been undergoing violent ethnic cleansing for over 60 years. Members of minority ethnic groups such as the Karen, Chin, Mon, and Rohingya have been forced to flee their homelands. For many individuals in Myanmar, the primary form of healthcare is traditional medicine, in which plants and other natural resources are utilized for their medicinal compounds. The ability for plants to be used as medicine is one of the many ecosystem services of plants that has greatly benefitted humans. This paper examines the use of traditional medicine in Burmese refugees, as well as the …

Melatonin-Micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (Mots): A Translational Study Assessing The Effects Of Melatonin, Strontium Citrate, Vitamin D3 And Vitamin K2 On Bone Density, Bone Turnover Markers And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Postmenopausal Osteopenic Women Following A One-Year Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial And On Osteoblast-Osteoclast Co-Cultures, Sifat Maria

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess if a novel combination of melatonin and three other natural bone-aiding micronutrients: strontium citrate, vitamins D₃ and K₂ (MSDK) could improve bone health by modulating the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in favor of balanced bone remodeling and by improving the overall health-related quality of life in postmenopausal osteopenic women.

Methods: The Melatonin-micronutrients Osteopenia Treatment Study (MOTS) is a translational research study that used both clinical and in vitro approaches to assess the efficacy of MSDK on bone health in women and to identify potential mechanisms for its effects. …

Assistive Utensil: A Spork For Hand Tremors And Spatial Awareness, Ana Font Hernandez, Jacob Kabariti, Troy Taylor

Publications and Research

In this poster, we present a 3D printed solution for hand tremors and special awareness. Our spork is an assistive device designed and 3D printed for patients suffering from scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, drug withdrawal, etc. The scale-based handle will act as a counterweight to offset the contents on the other end and reduce shakiness. The larger grip allows an easy and comfortable hold. The product will be 3D printed for a customizable fit and at an affordable price. Lastly, the product will include a haptic feedback sensor to assist the visually impaired in locating food contents on …

Historical And Cross-Cultural Perspectives On Parkinson's Disease, Lee Xenakis Blonder

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting up to 10 million people worldwide according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Epidemiological and genetic studies show a preponderance of idiopathic cases and a subset linked to genetic polymorphisms of a familial nature. Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda recognized and treated the illness that Western Medicine terms PD millennia ago, and descriptions of Parkinson’s symptomatology by Europeans date back 2000 years to the ancient Greek physician Galen. However, the Western nosological classification now referred to in English as “Parkinson’s disease” and the description of symptoms that define it, are accredited to …

Doing Well By Doing Good Benefits For The Benefactor, Aneka Khilnani

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review

This study seeks to examine if volunteering affects mental and physical health and examine if health behaviors or social participation affect the association between volunteering and perceived mental and physical health.

Method and Data: Using a logistic regression model, data from a cross-sectional study that obtained a statewide representative sample of Texas adults, N=1409, was used to predict an adult’s perceived mental and physical health in relation to volunteering, after controlling for the effects of health behaviors and social participation.

Results: Adults who do not volunteer have an increased odds of reporting poor perceived physical and mental health. After controlling …

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review Spring 2018

Gettysburg Social Sciences Review

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Vitamin D Supplementation, Keith R. Anacker, Adarsh K. Gupta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) is known to be a fat soluble vitamin. We hypothesized that losing weight would thus cause an increase in serum vitamin D levels. To investigate this, a retrospective chart review was performed in which data including sex, age, race, serum Vitamin D levels, body weight and more, of 200 Rowan SOM Family Medicine patients for up to 6 doctor’s office visits each were collected. These data were then analyzed using Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS. We found while there was a significant positive correlation between weight loss and serum Vitamin D levels, there was not a significant …

Dancing While Pregnant: Benefits And How To Do It Safely, Teagen Boyle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dancing While Pregnant by Teagen Boyle is about a very important question any female athlete may find themselves asking. How can I continue my sport while pregnant? Pregnancy is very strenuous and takes a toll on the human body; however, it is very important to stay healthy and continue exercising. Dance is a safe, no-contact sport that is really on the terms of the dancer. Therefore, dance is most likely a fun, safe form of exercise for pregnant women. Diving into research and looking up articles one may find little to no research. That is because there is barely any …

Identification Of Substrate-Selective Histone Deacetylases And Their Inhibitors That Mediate Her2 Transcript Stability, Mariah Alejo

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women. 15-20% of these cancers overexpress the HER2 (ERRB2) oncoprotein. HER2-positive breast cancers are generally aggressive and are associated with poor prognosis. Unfortunately, only a mere 30% of HER2-positve patients respond to therapies when they are used as a single agent. Combining therapeutics can potentially lead to synergy and improved anticancer efficacy, and there is clearly a need for the development of new HER2-directed therapeutics. Newer approaches include the utilization of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. It has been observed that HDAC inhibitors can induce the rapid decay of oncogenic transcripts such …

The Dancing Nurse: Addressing Barriers To The Implementation Of Movement-Based Interventions In Holistic Patient Care, Jessica Collier, Audrey Thompson Phd

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

The efficacy of dance movement therapy (DMT) is well demonstrated in contemporary nursing literature; however, implementation by healthcare professionals is often limited. Dance movement therapy was pioneered in the mid-20^th century by classically trained modern dancer Marian Chace. Recent trends toward patient-centered care and interdisciplinary approaches render therapies such as DMT important modalities which nurses and other healthcare providers may become familiar with. This systematic research review focused on answering the question: “what are hindrances perceived by members of the healthcare team to implementing DMT as an alternative treatment modality?” Two variables were identified for the purposes of this …

Yoga And Its Influence On Children's Behavior, Paige Sellen

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study looked at the impact ten minutes of daily yoga had on the behavior of elementary school children. Yoga was led by classroom teachers once daily for ten minutes over a sixteen-week period. At weeks one, eight, and sixteen, classroom teachers evaluated student behavior in six categories: personal awareness, attention, rapport with friends, rapport with teacher, following rules and transition between activities. The teachers rated the behaviors on a never, sometimes, mostly or always scale. The data was then analyzed and interpreted. Results revealed a significant difference in the attention, ability to follow rules, transition between activities, and personal …

Social Learning Biases In The Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Marie Denell Letourneau

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (usually referred to as CAM) has increased dramatically over the last three decades. However, theoretically informed explanations about why people decide to use CAM therapies are lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is enough statistical evidence to justify additional research on the relationship between social learning and the decision to use CAM. Working on the assumption that people make decisions based on information they have or can obtain, I applied the concept of learning bias in order to examine the ways in which people …

Three Speeds Of Yoga And The Effects On Salivary Cortisol Levels In Female Nursing Students, Meagan Hennekens

All NMU Master's Theses

Purpose: Nursing students are prone to stress-related diseases, such as depression and anxiety, which are associated with chronically elevated cortisol levels due to the excessive firing of the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis. This study assessed three speeds of yoga and how they acutely affected salivary cortisol levels within female nursing students. Methods: Students participated in three yoga sessions cadenced at different speeds in a non-randomized order: (i) standard-speed yoga (SSY), (ii) high-speed yoga (HSY), and (iii) slow-speed yoga (SLSY). Each class integrated sequencing concepts from the brahmana/langhana strategy (BLS) and the Para Yoga Blueprint (PYB). Cortisol samples were …

Measuring The Outcomes Of Therapeutic Listening In Children With Learning And Developmental Disabilities, Hannah Tashjian, Donielle Hair, Phoebe Taasan

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Anecdotal reports of the Therapeutic Listening ®-Quickshifts (TL-Q) technique report positive effects on child behavior but the individualized approach requires further supporting evidence. TL-Q is an individualized sound-based program used to facilitate sensory processing skills and is believed to improve interpersonal, social, and cognitive skills (Frick & Hacker, 2001). This study examines the use of a standardized protocol to measure the specific outcomes of the TL-Q program using a practice-based evidence (PBE) approach for the purpose of aggregating data for clinical practice. The protocol was used to measure the outcomes of the TL-Q program in a convenience sample of 23 …

Dancing, Mindfulness, And Our Emotions: Embracing The Mind, Body, And Sole, Alisha M. Collins

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone project examines dance, as an intervention and mindfulness practice that assists with managing our emotions. There is a need for dance therapy in social institutions such as, healthcare facilities, schools, and community centers. Dance therapy has the potential to reduce negative emotions, create mindfulness, improve self-expression, and promote a healthy well-being. I am proposing that dance therapy is applied as a regular practice in social institutions to develop mindfulness and promote emotional stability.

In this study, I argue that dance therapy can contribute to our well-being long term. In addition to this written thesis, a visual component of …

Massage Therapy Intervention For Pediatric Palliative Care Patients And Their Families, Taelyr Weekly

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a massage therapy intervention for pediatric palliative care patients and their adult caregivers to reduce their symptom impact at an urban pediatric hospital in Omaha, NE. Potential symptoms to be impacted by massage included stress for caregivers and pain, nausea, dyspnea, and anxiety for children. One hundred and thirty five massages were delivered to patients and caregivers in the PICU, NICU, and the inpatient hospital floor during the course of this non-randomized, pre-post study. Validated instruments were used to collect objective data from patients and caregivers, while observations were used to record …

A Cytotoxic Evaluation Of A Chalcone Derivative Library On A549 Cells, Mary Elaine Kuo

Undergraduate Theses

Chalcones, a precursor to flavonoids, are chemical compounds found naturally in plants. The chalcones’ structure consists of a ketone bridge attached to two aromatic rings. Varying substituents on the aromatic rings allow for different affects, including anti-cancer properties. As a Michael acceptor, chalcones interact with pathways that cause inhibition of the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer tumors. We have screened 32 compounds for growth inhibition in lung cells that vary the flexibility and confirmation of the 3 carbon bridge between the two aromatic rings as well as the effects of electronic modifications to the aromatic ring. We have found …

Laude, Jan (Fa 1140), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1140. Cassette recordings of the "Attunement for Healing" and "Exploring Your Dreams and ESP" conferences sponsored by the Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment held in Virginia Beach, Virginia from 12 July 1981 to 24 July 1981. The recordings, collected by WKU folk studies graduate student Jan Laude, were used as source material for Laude’s Master’s thesis titled “A Contemporary Female Psychic: A Folkloristic Study of a Traditional Occupation,” which was published in 1982. Because the Department does not have consent forms or own copyright to these tapes, they may be used …

Allopathic Medicine’S Influence On Indigenous Peoples In The Kumaon Region Of India, Eliana M. Blum

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper focuses on the use of western medicine in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India. The goal of this research is to understand which healing practices are preferable in rural villages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 53 participants, including two spiritual healers, two doctors, and one pharmacist. Results indicate that allopathic medicine, otherwise known as modern medicine or western medicine, has become the go-to remedy for even the most remote people in India. Nearly all participants use allopathic medicine, but less than half of the participants experiment with other forms of healing, such as Ayurveda, homeopathy, meditation, and yoga. …

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs) Improves Performance On Spelling And Word Detection Tasks, J. Kevin Wilson

Psychology ETDs

Deficits in written language involving spelling can have negative effects on a person’s education and occupation. Conventional spelling therapy is a time consuming and cost-prohibitive option, if even available, highlighting the need for improved methods for remediation. One possible way to address this need may be through the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This study sought to examine the effects of tDCS on performance during spelling, word detection, and facial recognition tasks. Active or sham tDCS was randomly assigned to typically functioning adults. The anode electrode was placed over Broca’s area (F7 in the 10/20 EEG system) and …