Matching Items (203)
Description
This project, which consists of a review article and an applied creative project, proposes mirror neurons as being a physiological mechanism for motor imagery. The review article highlights similarities between motor imagery research and research on mirror neurons. The research is roughly divided into three types of studies: neuroimaging studies, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electromyography (EMG) studies, and electroencephalography (EEG) studies. The review also discusses the associative hypothesis of mirror neuron origin as support for the hypothesis and concludes with an assessment of conflicting research and the limitations of the hypothesis. The applied creative project is an instructional brochure, aimed at anyone who teaches motor skills, such as dance teachers or sports coaches. The brochure takes the academic content of the review and presents it in a visually pleasing, reader-friendly fashion in an effort to educate the intended audience and make the research more accessible. The brochure also prescribes research-based suggestions for how to use motor imagery during teaching sessions and how to get the best benefits from it.
ContributorsNgai, Valerie Christina (Author) / Hoffner, Kristin (Thesis director) / Glenberg, Arthur (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have become a major threat to military personnel in recent years. In the United States Army, Mission Payload Operators (MPOs) operate cameras from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect the threat of IEDs using real-time images received. Previous researchers obtained the expert knowledge of twelve MPOs at Fort Huachuca and learned that they rely on "behavioral signatures," the behavioral and environmental cues associated with IED threat rather than the IED itself (Cooke, Hosch, Banas, Hunn, Staszewski & Fensterer, 2010). To the best of our knowledge, no formal MPO training exists and all training is acquired on-the-job. The end goal is to create training systems for future MPOs using cognitive engineering based on expert skill (CEBES) that focus on detection of behavioral cues associated with IED threats. The complexity and dynamicity of cues associated with IED emplacement is to be noted, as such cues are influenced by sociocultural knowledge and often develop over significant periods of time. A dynamic full motion video simulation environment has been created, and embedded with cues elicited from expert MPOs. A three-part simulation has been created. The next step is verifying critical cues MPOs identify and focus on using eye tracking equipment.
ContributorsKnobloch, Ashley Kay (Author) / Cooke, Nancy (Thesis director) / Branaghan, Russ (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Human Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
How are perceptions of morality and disgust regarding meat consumption related to each other? Which factor is more salient in determining one's willingness to eat the meat of a specific animal? How do these answers vary across religious groups? This study investigates the ways that concepts like morality and disgust are related to food preferences and hopes to shed light on the mechanisms that enforce culturally sanctioned food taboos. The study compares 4 groups of people in the U.S.: Christians (n = 39), Hindus (n = 29), Jews (n = 23), and non-religious people (n = 63). A total of 154 participants were given surveys in which they rated their feelings about eating various animals. Data from Christian and non-religious groups exhibited similar patterns such as a high likelihood of eating a given animal when starving, while results from Jews and Hindus were consistent with their religion's respective food taboos. Despite these differences, morality and disgust are strongly correlated with one another in almost all instances. Moreover, morality and disgust are almost equally important considerations when determining willingness to eat when starving.
ContributorsParekh, Shaili Rajul (Author) / Hruschka, Daniel (Thesis director) / Jacobs, Mark (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
The purpose of this paper was to review existing literature on exercise interventions to improve postural stability in older adults in order to assist with the development of a novel intervention with the same function. A brief review of balance changes with aging is followed by a summary of the methods and findings of various interventions. Many types of interventions are discussed, including resistance training, balance training, t'ai chi, and whole body vibration. The studies show promising results, but none utilize the approach of the proposed intervention. This intervention being developed involves the use of a weighted vest to raise one's center of mass, creating a more unstable posture. Performing exercises or daily activities with the vest may improve balance by training muscles in unsteady conditions. The intervention principles to improve postural stability in older adults are beneficial to the foundation of future studies.
ContributorsWiedemann, Ava Marie (Author) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Thesis director) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Ruptures in the anterior cruciate ligament are a prevalent injury, particularly in young athletes. This injury is frequently treated with surgical repair utilizing autologous tissue, cadaver allografts or synthetic grafts. However there is no definitive answer on which is the best graft option. This review aims to compare clinical results of patellar tendon autograft (PT), hamstring autograft (HT), cadaver allograft and LARS synthetic ligament in ACL reconstruction. The ASU library was systematically searched for comparison studies or meta-analyses that compared or described ACL reconstruction graft options. The results of the studies were analyzed according to re-tear rate, return to pre-injury level of activity, KT-1000 laxity scores, post-operative muscle strength, International Knee Documentation Committee Score (IKDC), Lysholm score, Lachman test and donor site morbidity. Allografts showed the highest re-tear rate and increase in laxity when compared with the PT autograft and HT autograft. PT autograft provided the most stability according to the KT-1000 results. Knee extensor muscle strength was not graft dependent, but knee flexor strength decreased significantly in HT autograft patients. All grafts showed comparable results for IKDC, Lysholm scores and Lachman tests. There was increased anterior knee pain in PT autograft patients however this did not seem to have an affect on the stability or durability of the graft. The PT autograft is the best choice for individuals undergoing ACL reconstruction on the basis of lower re-tear rates and greater joint stability.
ContributorsNormen, Eliza Armstrong (Author) / Broman, Tannah (Thesis director) / Harper, Erin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School for the Science of Health Care Delivery (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Previous research has found improvements in motor control following Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) in persons with Parkinson's disease, Down syndrome (DS) and autism. Our study examined the effect of ACT on manual dexterity in adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Nine adults with ADHD completed six weeks of light intensity cycling on a stationary bicycle, three times per week for 30 minutes. Four adults with ADHD were in the voluntary cycling (VC) group in which they pedaled at their self-selected rate. Five adults with ADHD were in the ACT group in which a motor moved their legs at a rate approximately 13% faster than their voluntary rate. Our results showed that the dominant hand moved more pegs following ACT than VC. Our results were interpreted with respect to upregulation of neurotrophic factors in the motor cortex following ACT.
ContributorsRupp, Emily Anne (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Caterino, Linda (Committee member) / Broman, Tannah (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This research study examined the bilateral asymmetry found in muscle pairs including the right and left sides of the upper rectus abdominis, lower rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique in college-aged, apparently fit men and women. Bilateral symmetry was found using surface electromyography (EMG) during three core exercises: 1) ab-slides using paper plates (paper), 2) planks, and 3) ab-slides using a commercial AbSlide® roller device by comparing maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the four muscles previously listed. This research analyzed the percentage of muscle activation during these exercises to each person’s MVC using Noraxon® software. Analysis found that asymmetry for each muscle group was present although there is no measure of clinical significance for symmetry scores of the core muscles yet.
Asymmetry scores were calculated for all three exercises. The exercise that produced the greatest absolute, average asymmetry score was the ab-slide using the roller device. The muscle that the greatest absolute asymmetry was found was the internal oblique. This means that during the three exercises and MVC, the greatest difference between right and left side pair muscles was observed in the internal obliques. The standard deviation of symmetry scores for all exercises and muscles was great as there was much variation in the skill levels in the participants of this study. Bilateral asymmetry was found by visually comparing the asymmetry scores. In conclusion, bilateral asymmetry was found in the core muscles of college-aged individuals during bilateral abdominal exercises.
Asymmetry scores were calculated for all three exercises. The exercise that produced the greatest absolute, average asymmetry score was the ab-slide using the roller device. The muscle that the greatest absolute asymmetry was found was the internal oblique. This means that during the three exercises and MVC, the greatest difference between right and left side pair muscles was observed in the internal obliques. The standard deviation of symmetry scores for all exercises and muscles was great as there was much variation in the skill levels in the participants of this study. Bilateral asymmetry was found by visually comparing the asymmetry scores. In conclusion, bilateral asymmetry was found in the core muscles of college-aged individuals during bilateral abdominal exercises.
ContributorsFavaro, Miguel Angel (Author) / Berger, Christopher (Thesis director) / Lorenz, Kent (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The development of the Diabetic Physiological state is influenced by the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE). This receptor was discovered in 1992, and the accumulation of research on this subject has been extensive. Structural characterization studies of the RAGE protein have shown that it is a transmembrane protein that binds a number of different motile ligands. The diversity of ligands that can attach to the binding domain is the primary factor that allows for RAGE to exhibit its wide-range effects on host cells. Two different studies were completed: one study dealt with the role of IAPP in beta cell death, and the second study was related to RAGE influence on cardiomyocytes and, more specifically, it was related to cardiac cell death. After the completion of the two studies, a comprehensive report was written for each topic. The two papers were merged into a single document. Molecular studies are important for understanding the underlying mechanisms that motivate pathophysiological presentation. In addition to a molecular understanding of the development of diabetes, a clinical research study was completed through the examination of appropriate literature sources. This clinical aspect allowed for the progression of different phases in the research process. A relationship between vinegar and lower plasma glucose was found. The exact mechanism behind this relationship will be studied in the future.
ContributorsGonzalez, Matthew Joseph (Author) / Johnston, Carol (Thesis director) / Collins, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
As a medical scribe working in an Emergency Department (ED) at Banner Gateway Medical Center (BGMC), the researcher was able to identify how the work flow and satisfaction of those in the ED would decrease when there were no Physician Assistants (PA's) being utilized during specific shifts. As for other shifts where PA's were on shift and were being utilized, the work flow would drastically increase, more patients would be seen in less time and the satisfaction of the researchers co-workers would increase. This paradigm of how PA's are implemented brought the researcher to understand the overall success of having Physicians Assistants in partnership with Physicians, consulting physicians and management in the ED. The researcher conducted a five-month long analyses of how implementation of Physician Assistants in the ED could effect overall satisfaction. The researcher looked at the satisfaction of the PAs themselves, attending physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, ED manager, ED director, ED co-director and the patients themselves. The researcher collected questionnaires, conducted interviews and retrieved data from Banner Health Services for the year 2014 to compare her data. The researcher conducted the study both at Banner Gateway Medical Center (BGMC) Emergency Department and also at Banner Baywood Medical Center (BBMC) ED. In comparison of the data collected from BGMC ED to BBMC ED resulted in a significant difference in overall satisfaction based on implementation. Although both emergency departments are owned by the same Banner corporation and only a few miles apart in distance, they implement Pas differently. The difference in the implementation did prove to effect the overall satisfaction. BGMC ED employees as well as manager and patients were more satisfied than those of BBMC ED. Some of the noted differences were that BBMC PAs see more patients per hour, they see higher acuity patients, are less compensated, are placed further apart from their attending physicians and other staff in the ED, there is minimal communication, PAs feel there voice is not heard and they feel pushback on feedback with no plan for improvement. BGMC PAs reported overall increase in satisfaction as compared to BBMC because of the increased communication, placement of PAs within the ED is closer to attending physicians and other staff, they see lower acuity patients, are better compensated and monthly meetings on improvements that can be made and the PAs feel their voice is being heard. Productivity scores for BGMC ED PAs were 1.71 patients per hour as compare to BBMC ED which was 1.86 patients per hour. BBMC PA patient satisfaction on average was 60.6 as compared to BGMC where the PA average satisfaction was 67.8.
ContributorsApplegate, Lauren Mckenzie (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Coursen, Cristi (Committee member) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This research study examined the effects of assisted cycling using a stationary recumbent bicycle that had an internal motor to help participants pedal at a desired cadence. The participants were either placed in an Assisted Cycling (AC), Voluntary Cycling (VC), or No Cycling (NC) intervention group. Those placed in the AC of VC groups then came to a laboratory setting 3 days a week for 8 weeks to cycle for 30 minutes. This research specifically analyzes the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale II to analyze the changes in daily living skills and maladaptive behaviors pre and post the exercise intervention. After analyzing the VABS II scores it was found that those in the VC intervention had statistically significant improvements in maladaptive behaviors. An interpretation of this finding is that the VC intervention had an increased heart rate over the span of the intervention and had a larger power output than those in the AC group. A limitation of this research is that it was a self-reported questionnaire that was given to the caregivers of the participant. The caregivers were not always controlled for, so in some cases two different caregivers were given the questionnaire for a single participant. A suggestion for future research would be to use the participant's mental age versus their chronological age when using the VABS-II and to use the Adaptive Behaviors Assessment System III (ABAS-III).
ContributorsJenkins, Cayla Marie (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Kulinna, Pamela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05