Other Medical Sciences Commons^™

The Benefits Of Art Therapy On Stress And Anxiety Of Oncology Patients During Treatment, Helen Shiepe

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Within the last ten years research on art therapy and its positive impact on oncology patients’ stress and anxiety during treatment has been minimal. Oncology patients whether they are children or adults when diagnosed experience similar reactions due to their diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases end of life care. The current question is whether or not art therapy does have a positive impact on decreasing the stress and anxiety with oncology patients while undergoing treatment. Deane, Fitch & Carmen (2000), discussed art therapy as a healing art that is “intended to integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual care by facilitating …

Development Of A Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Device For Acute Respritory Distress Syndrome, Thomas Heath Davis

Masters Theses

This research focuses on the development of a low dose radiotherapy (LD-RT) device for treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a respiratory illness that affects millions of people a year. The use of orthovoltage (200 – 500 keV) X-ray energy provides many advantages over traditional radiotherapy delivery with linear accelerators, such as low cost and greater accessibility. In addition, X-ray tubes have been shown throughout history to provide good treatment outcomes for pneumonia, and research has shown LD-RT to be just as effective with ARDS. This proposal summarizes my efforts in determining the dosimetric properties of a LD-RT system …

Children’S Experiences Of Hospitalization Over Time: An Evaluation Of Using Poetry And Creative Writing By Children To Assess Their Experiences Of Hospitalization, David Wood

Patient Experience Journal

This article explores children’s experiences of hospital admissions through their poetry and creative writing and assesses the validity of this medium compared to other methods of evaluation. Pediatric patient experiences of hospital and their effects on children have been studied in various ways and there have been stepwise changes throughout the past century, matching the overall changes of medical care from paternalistic to patient centered. 17 poems were analyzed from children aged 6-13 years old (median 10) for recurrent themes whilst admitted to a large tertiary hospital in the north of England. Children frequently wrote about attacks on their senses, …

Motor Learning By Observing The Movements Of A Computer-Animated, Human-Like Actor And A Non-Limb Observational Video, Mudia Iyayi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Our project is looking at the phenomenon of observational motor learning using a two-joint robotic manipulandum (robotic arm). When someone learns a new motor skill (i.e. throwing a football to a wide receiver) the brain must make and map an internal model of the forces required for that movement. The plasticity of the brain in constructing these representations is termed “motor learning” and can occur through physical practice or—for the purposes of our investigation—observation. Previous studies have used videos of human actors learning new skills to drive motor learning in the observer, however, it is not known what components of …

Evaluation Of A Process Change Using An Updated Sedation Protocol, Rachel Allen

Dissertations

Problem: Pediatric delirium is continuing to increase intensive care environments and for patients who require mechanical ventilation and continuous sedative medications. Delirium is harmful to the patient creating lasting neurologic and mental health issues along with prolonged hospitalization and increased healthcare cost

Method: For this quality improvement (QI) project, a descriptive observational study was used to evaluate the implementation of a sedation protocol for patients who are mechanically ventilated and on continuous sedative medications. This was completed with the use of retrospective chart reviews three months prior to implementation and three months after the new protocol was implemented. Nurses were …

Descriptive Analysis Of Acute Ischemic Stroke In Covid-19 Patients Through The Course Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amman Bhasin, Jay Liuhong Liu, Keval Shah, Amin Marji, Ricky Sareini, Shishir Rao, Wazim Mohamed, Kumar Rajamani, Parthasarathi Chamiraju, Ayaz Khawaja

Medical Student Research Symposium

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS). Here, we characterize our institutional experience with management of COVID-19 and AIS. Baseline demographics, clinical, imaging, and outcomes data were determined in patients with COVID-19 and AIS presenting within March 2020 thru October 2020, and November 2020 thru August 2021, based on institutional COVID-19 hospitalization volume. Of 2512 COVID-19 patients, 35 (1.39%, mean age 63.3 years, 54% women) had AIS. AIS recognition was frequently delayed after COVID-19 symptoms (median 19.5 days). Four patients (31%) were on therapeutic anticoagulation at AIS recognition. AIS mechanism was undetermined or due to …

Micro-Rna Analysis Of Extracellular Vesicles Secreted By Alveolar Macrophages And Epithelial Cells In Response To Cadmium, Anisha Bhakta

Biotechnology Theses

Inhalation of cadmium (Cd) has been an environmental health concern with the increase in industrial activities and smoking. Cd exposure is known to affect several organs such as lungs, kidneys, and liver. In this study, we wanted to understand if Cd inhalation exposure can affect the lungs and other organs in the body. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by all living cells and are known to carry toxicants between organs. We investigated whether Cd exposure could affect exosome biogenesis and their composition. Cd exposure did not affect the viability of A549, a lung epithelial cell line and macrophages derived from …

Age Moderates The Effect Of Injury Severity On Functional Trajectories In Traumatic Brain Injury: A Study Using The Nidilrr Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Dataset., Laraine Winter, Janell L Mensinger, Helene J Moriarty, Keith M Robinson, Michelle Mckay, Benjamin E Leiby

Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Faculty Papers

Age is a risk factor for a host of poor outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI), with some evidence suggesting that age is also a source of excess disability. We tested the extent to which age moderates the effect of injury severity on functional trajectories over 15 years post injury. Data from 11,442 participants from the 2020 National Institute of Disability and Independent Living Rehabiitation Research (NIDILRR) Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) National Dataset were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. Injury severity was operationally defined using a composite of Glasgow Coma Scale scores, structural imaging findings, and the …

Vampires And Other Diseases: Stochastic Infection Dynamics Of Small Populations, Marijn Jaarsma

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

Mathematical models are powerful tools often applied in the field of epidemiology. The type and shape of the model will differ between different types of diseases. In this study, stochastic dynamical models are applied to the entertaining example of vampires, and the results of this analysis are compared to real-life diseases with small populations of infected. The data used comes from pop-culture depictions of vampires in literature, television shows, movies, and fan pages associated with these depictions. The aim of this study is to serve as an educational tool for modeling diseases with small populations to predict and control the …

Impact Of Interleukin-34 On The Promotion Of Bone Osteolysis And Neuroinflammation In Experimental Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Anny Ho

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a growing health concern and is the most common type of dementia worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that aggregated amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides, one of the hallmark features of AD neuropathology, can increase RANKL-mediated osteoclast activity leading to the prevalence and severity of inflammatory osteolysis, e.g., osteoporosis and periodontal bone loss. Conversely, osteolytic lesions are associated with increased risk of dementia diagnosis indicating that there is a direct link between dementia and inflammatory osteolysis. It was demonstrated that the neuronal cells primarily produce interleukin-34 (IL-34) and microglia, macrophages, and osteoclast precursors express colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF-1R), a …

Intercellular Mitochondrial Transfer Using 3d Bioprinting, Julie Bjerring, Patrick C. Sachs, Robert D. Bruno

College of Health Sciences Posters

Mitochondria are one of the most complex and vital organelles in eukaryotic cells. In recent years, it has been shown that through intercellular mitochondrial transfer, this important organelle provides a critical role in tissue homeostasis, damaged tissue repair, and tumor progression under physiological conditions. However, the mechanism of mitochondrial transfer and its effect on various cellular microenvironments has not yet been defined. Understanding the metabolic effects of mitochondrial transfer between cells and exploring the signaling leading to the intercellular mechanisms could provide advancements in both translational medicine and cell therapy for cancer progression and age-related diseases. Our group has studied …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Various Essential Oils Against The Sars Cov-2 Virus, Elizabeth Wagstaff, Chandrelyn Kraczek, Jack Brandon Lopez

Annual Research Symposium

A poster presentation and abstract for the Roseman Symposium. The project focuses on testing 3 essential oil blends and two disinfectants containing an essential oil blend against SARS CoV-2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project procedure involves plaque assays, disinfection, and neutralization techniques.

Distance Runners In Appalachia: A Survey Of Injuries, Training, And Dietary Habits, Justine Falcone Md, Katherine Langley Md, Brenden Balcik Md, Rosanna Sikora Md, Melinda Sharon Mph, Aaron Monseau Md

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objectives: The purpose was to examine characteristics of an Appalachian population of runners. The primary aim was to examine risk factors for running related injury (RRI), including mileage per week, experience, and use of applications/training programs. A second aim was to characterize dietary habits among runners. Methods: This study was conducted in September 2015 in North Central Appalachian West Virginia. The Morgantown Marathon consists of three races offered every September: an 8K, half marathon, and full marathon. Surveys were offered to runners ages 18 and older during packet pick-up. For this survey study, questions consisted of multiple choice and open-ended …

Treatment Of Hypothyroidism: Desiccated Thyroid Extract, Aimee Fong

Capstone Showcase

The treatment of hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine (T4) has been well studied and FDA approved. However, many patients continue to have signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism while on Levothyroxine treatment despite reaching appropriate thyroid levels. An additional thyroid treatment known as desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) is made from dried pig thyroid glands and is advertised as a “natural” alternative to Levothyroxine. Despite lack of FDA approval and studies surrounding DTE, clinicians have prescribed DTE to patients, many of whom reported relief of their symptoms. The following poster highlights the approach to the treatment of hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine and DTE and outlines …

The Safety Of Covid-19 Vaccines In Pregnancy, Lauren Zacharias

Capstone Showcase

SARS-CoV-2 has caused over 800,000 deaths in the United States since it was first detected here in 2020. Despite there being 3 available COVID-19 vaccines in the US, and recommendations by the CDC and countless other public health agencies that any potential risks are outweighed by the benefit of the vaccines, only 31% of pregnant women in the US are vaccinated against COVID-19 due to unfounded claims by an anti-vaccination movement that COVID mRNA vaccines cause infertility. This presentation explores where these claims originated, why they are untrue, the risks of COVID-19 infections in pregnancy, and the potential benefits of …

Antibiotics May Be Unnecessary In The Treatment Of Acute Uncomplicated Diverticulitis, Madison Gump

Capstone Showcase

Acute diverticulitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases worldwide and is increasing in prevalence. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, changes in bowel habits, nausea, and vomiting. Traditionally, this disease has been treated with antibiotics, but new research has emerged that has provided evidence that it may be safe to treat acute uncomplicated cases without antibiotics. This represents an area of medicine where it may be possible to reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics and, therefore, contribution to bacterial antibiotic resistance. The current research studies do have some limitations and future studies with larger, more diverse patient populations and …

Auto- Ethnography With A Deep Dive Into Changes Mental Health During The Pandemic And A Look Into The Way The Pandemic Has Shaped Nursing Protocols For Recent Nursing College Graduates, Audrey Shaffer, Sarah Bereznay

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this project we completed a deep dive into how the Covid-19 pandemic reshaped our mental health and has affected our preparation for careers as registered nurses through a series of auto- ethnographic narrative journals using scholarly articles to support this idea. By utilizing personal narratives, we analyzed and reflected upon the cognitive and mental changes we experienced throughout this pandemic. We fulfilled this by comprising two personal narratives with inquiries pertaining to each shared narrative by utilizing the common themes of being nursing students and living through a pandemic. Within these personal narratives, we discussed how the pandemic influenced …

Increasing Awareness Of Personal Harm Reduction Interventions In The Clinical Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Shawn Theberge

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

The ever-rising concern for safety in the healthcare setting has become increasingly prevalent and levels of hostility and violence more publicly visible. Over the last decade both patients and clinicians have been targeted in healthcare facilities at record levels. These incidents have created an environment of not only risk but increased anxiety and feelings of uncertainty for most clinical personnel. The study will initially measure clinician’s viewpoint of the clinical setting that they work in; and over the span of the project, track and evaluate the effects of the interventions on clinicians’ overall feelings and perceptions. The expected outcome …

Effectiveness Of Stabilized Hypochlorous Acid In Acute Peritonitis Treatment: A Murine Surgical Study, Benjamin Michael Pomeroy

MSU Graduate Theses

Peritonitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the mesothelial cells that line the peritoneal cavity and is commonly induced by bowel perforations. This medical emergency is treated through antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention followed by tissue irrigation (lavage). Acute treatments aim to remove the bacterial burden, however recurring peritoneal infections occur at high rates and contribute to patient morbidity. These recurring infections are likely due to the inability of lavage solutions to remove the entire massive intra-abdominal bacterial load due to intestinal perforation. Numerous antiseptic solutions and antibiotic additives have been evaluated in their ability to improve source control by abdominal …

A Case Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome In The Setting Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Stephen Driscoll

Capstone Showcase

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a relapsing-remitting course of abdominal discomfort and change in stool form and/or frequency in the absence of any structural or biochemical abnormalities. Currently there is debate on its pathogenesis but there is no definitive conclusion. Treatment consists of primarily playing symptomalogic catch-up with anti-spasmodics, anti-diarrheals, stool softeners, or laxatives depending on which symptoms the patient is currently experiencing. Patients with IBS typically struggle to control their symptoms long term, like the patient described in this case study. This case study explores a possible link between IBS and its’ most …