Other Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

Availability And Nursing Implementation Of Measurement Tools In The Co-Occurrence Of Depression And Chronic Pain: An Integrative Literature Review, Ashley Thomas

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Availability and Nursing Implementation of Measurement Tools in the Co-Occurrence of Depression and Chronic Pain: An Integrative Literature Review

Ashley Thomas

Faculty Sponsor: Barbara Harris

Background: There is high correlation between chronic pain and depression. They are seen throughout the literature to interact and feedback symptoms upon each other. However, there is not a comprehensive screening tool that assess both symptoms and not a clear indication of nursing responsibility in assessment of the co-occurrence.

Objectives: The purpose of this literature review is to create a comprehensive review of current research concerning the availability of screening tools that measure the co-occurrence …

Visual Contributions To Balance Control During Gait, Kyle Brozek

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

We propose to isolate the contributions of continuous OF to the orthogonal relationship between balance and gait control during treadmill walking using a series of conditions. Manipulating the direction of OF using a CAREN (Motek Medical, Amsterdam, Netherlands) virtual reality treadmill environment will isolate these visual contributions in human subjects as they walk. We plan to tease out the effect of OF direction on the relationship between gait and balance control by having healthy young adults perform a series of treadmill walking trials while immersed in a VR environment. This will be done by manipulating the direction of walking and …

Division I Collegiate Male Basketball Player Post-Surgical Cai With Bone Spur Excision: A Case Report, Jacqueline Gutierrez

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A Division I basketball player planted his foot and injured his ankle. He had a significant history of repeated lateral ankle sprains and was evaluated as having a grade 2 ankle sprain. He was referred for imaging revealing significant damage to a variety of tissues including a talar osteochondral defect and joint degeneration. He opted for surgical repair, however, post-surgical rehabilitation did not improve the athlete and a secondary procedure was necessary to correct complications. The initial procedure was successful to repair ligamentous stability of the joint. But was not sufficient to fully restore the joint to full function.

Applications Of Supervised Machine Learning In Autism Spectrum Disorder Research: A Review, Kayleigh K. Hyde, Marlena N. Novack, Nicholas Lahaye, Chelsea Parlett-Pelleriti, Raymond Anden, Dennis R. Dixon, Erik Linstead

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research has yet to leverage "big data" on the same scale as other fields; however, advancements in easy, affordable data collection and analysis may soon make this a reality. Indeed, there has been a notable increase in research literature evaluating the effectiveness of machine learning for diagnosing ASD, exploring its genetic underpinnings, and designing effective interventions. This paper provides a comprehensive review of 45 papers utilizing supervised machine learning in ASD, including algorithms for classification and text analysis. The goal of the paper is to identify and describe supervised machine learning trends in ASD literature as …

Industry Spotlight: Medical Devices, Evan D. Poff

Marriott Student Review

Medical devices restore and even redefine health. This Industry Spotlight examines pre-market barriers, medtech business model quirks, current and future developments in the field, and the present-day move to value-based care in the medical device industry.

Dynamic Effects Of Habituation And Novelty Detection On Newborn Event Related Potentials, Cathryn S. Cortesa, Caitlin M Hudac, Dennis Molfese

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Newborns habituate to repeated auditory stimuli, and discriminate syllables, generating opportunities for early language learning. This study investigated trial-by-trial changes in newborn electrophysiological responses to auditory speech syllables as an index of habituation and novelty detection. Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 16 term newborn infants, aged 1–3 days, in response to monosyllabic speech syllables presented during habituation and novelty detection tasks. Multilevel models demonstrated that newborns habituated to repeated auditory syllables, as ERP amplitude attenuated for a late-latency component over successive trials. Subsequently, during the novelty detection task, earlyand late-latency component amplitudes decreased over successive trials for novel …

Concussion Competencies: A Training Model For School-Based Concussion Management, Arthur C. Maerlender, Jonathan D. Lichtenstein, Jennifer Parent-Nichols, Kate Higgins, Peggy Reisher

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

This study reports on the use of ten knowledge competencies related to the behavioral management of concussion in schools. Trainings using these competencies as learning objectives were delivered to school personnel. This aims of the use of competencies in this way are to streamline the education of key stakeholders, to establish clear roles and responsibilities for constituents and equip individuals working with students following a concussion with the relevant knowledge to optimize outcomes. The majority of participants, primarily speech language pathologists working as related service providers in the schoolswhere the trainings occurred, judged the use of the competencies to be …

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of Two Computerized Neuropsychological Test Batteries: Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment And Cognitive Test (Impact) And C3 Logix, Caitlin Masterson, Julie Tuttle, Arthur C. Maerlender

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Tests of memory and speed of cognitive and motor responses have been the primary foci in sports-related concussion assessment. This study sought to assess the construct validity of neuropsychological tests within C3 Logix.

Method: Results of both baseline C3 Logix and the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT) computerized tests from 86 Division I collegiate athletes were submitted to a two-factor confirmatory analysis using structural equation modeling. The two factors of Speed and Memory have been confirmed in previous studies of ImPACT.

Results: Results confirmed the two-factor model of ImPACT, whereas C3 Logix did not …

Functional Source Separation For Eeg-Fmri Fusion: Application To Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials, Hong Ji, Badong Chen, Nathan M. Petro, Zejian Yuan, Nanning Zheng, Andreas Keil

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Neurorobotics is one of the most ambitious fields in robotics, driving integration of interdisciplinary data and knowledge. One of the most productive areas of interdisciplinary research in this area has been the implementation of biologically-inspired mechanisms in the development of autonomous systems. Specifically, enabling such systems to display adaptive behavior such as learning from good and bad outcomes, has been achieved by quantifying and understanding the neural mechanisms of the brain networks mediating adaptive behaviors in humans and animals. For example, associative learning from aversive or dangerous outcomes is crucial for an autonomous system, to avoid dangerous situations in the …

Pharmacologic Profiling Of Novel Compounds Via Fluorometric Analyses Of Monoamine Transporter Responses, Ashkhan Hojati

Theses and Dissertations

In humans and other organisms, monoaminergic systems are crucial in neuronal function and behavior. The monoamine transporters (MATs), which can be found on the presynaptic plasma membrane of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), are crucial in the regulation of neurotransmitter concentration in the synaptic cleft. As the duration and concentration of neurotransmitters in the cleft affect further downstream signaling responses, these proteins are important targets for both understanding neuronal physiology and compounds of interest. Multiple theories exist proponing the contribution of MATs to a variety of mental and neurological disorders, including depression. This theory establishes that depression is …

Elbow Injury Prevention In Youth Dominican Baseball Players: A Training Intervention Pilot Study, Chelsey Erbaugh Franz, Dawn Hall-Bibb, Myra Stockdale, Aliya Thompson, Bailey Biggs

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Research suggests deficits in shoulder and elbow strength and flexibility may explain the role of elbow injuries in overhead athletes, specifically ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury in baseball players. Significant damage to this ligament typically requires operative care for continued activity in the sport. Several studies have demonstrated the success of rehabilitation programs post-surgery; however, few studies have examined the role of UCL injury prevention programs. A recognized upper extremity (UE) injury prevention method is the Thrower’s Ten Program. This program may create elbow stability when pitching and throwing, theoretically reducing the risk of UCL injury. Purpose: The purpose …

Three-Dimensional Echocardiographic Analysis Of The Equine Aortic Valve, Amber Mcelhinney

Honors Theses and Capstones

This research focused on 3D echocardiography of the aortic valve (AV) in horses. Aortic regurgitation (AR) can be a common finding in older horses, and in severe cases can result in decreased performance and even sudden cardiac death. Standard AR diagnosis includes 2D echocardiography from the right side of the horse. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) records a pyramid of tissue, showing structures in the heart difficult to visualize in 2D methods, and can be more accurate as it does not rely as heavily on placement of the transducer. Nine images of normal AV’s were assessed, and still frames of anatomical structures …

On The Efficacy Of Moringa Oleifera As Anticancer Treatment: A Literature Survey, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Medicinal plants are important elements of indigenous medical system that have persisted in developing countries. Many of the botanical chemo-preventions currently used as potent anticancer agents. However, some important anticancer agents are still extracted from plants because they cannot be synthesized chemically on a commercial scale due to their complex structures that often contain several chiral centers. The aim of this study was to test different extracts from the Moringa oleifera leaves. Previous studies have shown potentially antioxidant, antitumor promoter, anticlastogen and anticarcinogen activities both in vitro and in vivo. Emerging evidence indicates that efficacy of Moringa oleifera in cancer …

Non-Contact Trapping And Stretching Of Biological Cells Using Dual-Beam Optical Stretcher On Microfluidic Platform, Aotuo Dong, Balaadithya Uppalapati, Shariful Islam, Brandon Gibbs, Ganesan Kamatchi, Sacharia Albin, Makarand Deo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Optical stretcher is a tool in which two counter-propagating, slightly diverging, and identical laser beams are used to trap and axially stretch microparticles in the path of light. In this work, we utilized the dual-beam optical stretcher setup to trap and stretch human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and mammalian breast cancer (MBC) cells. Experiments were performed by exposing the HEK cells to counter-propagating laser beams for 30 seconds at powers ranging from 100 mW to 561 mW. It was observed that the percentage of cell deformation increased from 16.7% at 100 mW to 40.5% at 561 mW optical power. The …

Metaproteomic Investigation Of The Vaginal Microbiome In Pregnancy, Zaneera Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

The development of early diagnostics and prevention strategies for preterm birth is an important global health challenge with the potential to impact over 15 million children annually, by improving health outcomes and reducing economic burden. Advances in microbial sequencing technology have opened the door to 16S rRNA gene survey, whole metagenomics, and whole transcriptomics, providing molecular evidence that the composition of the vaginal microbiome affects pregnancy outcomes in women, particularly those of African descent. A current gap in our molecular level understanding of the vaginal microbiome as it relates to healthy pregnancies is the metaproteome which comprises proteins from both …

Non-Human Animals Providing Rescue In Medical Emergencies, Rainer Spiegel

Animal Sentience

In their target article, Chapman & Huffman challenge the quotation of Sir William Osler that the desire to take medication distinguishes humans from non-human animals. They provide examples of self-medication in non-human animals. Based on these examples, it can be inferred that non-human animals practice at least some form of medicine for symptom control. I would like to extend this view by showing that non-human animals not only provide self-medication, but also rescue others facing emergencies.

Joint Coordination Variability In Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructed Subjects During Stair Ambulation Using A Vector Coding Technique, Bryan R. Simrak

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common injury, with an estimated incidence of 120,000 to 200,000 per year in the United States. ACL reconstruction surgery is the standard treatment for this injury to restore knee joint stability and function. While surgical reconstruction has been shown to restore laxity of the knee, current literature lacks consensus on return to normal knee joint kinematics following surgery. Additionally, re-injury is a major risk for those who return to sports activity after reconstruction surgery. Dynamical systems methods for quantifying joint coordination variability have been explored as a method for detecting differences between ACL …

Effective Measures Of Weight Gain Five Years Post-Kidney Transplantation, Tara Calico Cherry

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

BACKGROUND: Weight gain is commonly observed post-kidney transplantation and is associated with unfavorable health outcomes, such as graft loss, new onset diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the most effective measure for assessing body composition after kidney transplantation.

DESIGN: The study was a descriptive correlational follow-up study from a single kidney transplant site.

SUBJECTS: A total of 45 eligible patients from a 2007-2011 parent study were selected, ages of 37 to 78.

MEASUREMENTS: Body composition was obtained 5–8 years posttransplant via anthropometric measures (waist circumference, body mass index, and dual energy X-ray …

Radiation In Its Origin: Health Risks Resulting From Prolonged Exposure To Radon, Tetiana Soloviova, Evans Lespinasse

Publications and Research

Among non-smokers, radon is the number one cause of lung cancer, and the second cause of lung cancer overall, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Radon cannot be detected through one's sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste or touch. The only way to detect it is by testing certain spaces or environments with specialized instruments. This radioactive gas is present in trace quantities in the earth and produced by decaying uranium. It enters buildings through cracks in walls, floors, construction joints or gaps around service pipes, electrical wires and sump pits. It emits heavy nuclear fragments of alpha particles (two …

The Chapman Bone Algorithm: A Diagnostic Alternative For The Evaluation Of Osteoporosis, Elise Levesque, Anton Ketterer, Wajiha Memon, Cameron James, Noah Barrett, Cyril Rakovski, Frank Frisch

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease and goes largely undiagnosed throughout the world, due to the inaccessibility of DXA machines. Multivariate analyses of serum bone turnover markers were evaluated in 226 Orange County, California, residents with the intent to determine if serum osteocalcin and serum pyridinoline cross-links could be used to detect the onset of osteoporosis as effectively as a DXA scan. Descriptive analyses of the demographic and lab characteristics of the participants were performed through frequency, means and standard deviation estimations. We implemented logistic regression modeling to find the best classification algorithm for osteoporosis. All calculations and …