Spinal cord--Wounds and injuries--Complications; Respiratory organs
Pulmonary complications associated with persistent respiratory muscle weakness and paralyses are critical problems faced by patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the role of neurological...
Ligaments--Wounds and injuries; Knee--Wounds and injuries; Women athletes--Wounds and injuries
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common injuries incurred by both recreational and professional athletes. ACL injuries often occur during popular contact sports like basketball, football, volleyball and baseball, and...
Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue in our body that provides a structural framework and regulates important biological processes. It is also a primary reservoir of protein. Skeletal muscle maintains its structural and functional integrity...
Electroactive polymers (EAPs), including conducting polymers (CPs) such as polyaniline (PAn), and hydrogels are exciting areas of research in disciplines such as biomedical engineering, with the goal of creating low-cost, lightweight, non-toxic...
The purpose of this study was to compare the differences between 2 sets of ballistic stretching and 2 sets of a dynamic stretching routine on vertical jump performance. The intraclass reliability coefficients for maximum jump height, force, and...
The purpose of this dissertation was to demonstrate that a new method of direct intracellular energy delivery was effective in maintaining viability of in vitro Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) when exposed to chemical ischemia for...
This dissertation is concerned with investigating robust approaches for the control of pneumatic muscle systems. Pneumatic muscle is a novel type of actuator. Besides having a high ratio of power to weight and flexible control of movement, it also...
Electromyography; Spinal cord--Wounds and injuries
Introduction: Approximately 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) are reported each year in the US. Currently, the most widely used method of assessing the recovery of voluntary capability after spinal cord injury is the American Spinal...
Spinal cord--Wounds and injuries--Treatment; Physical therapy
Activity-based rehabilitation in the form of overground or body weight-supported treadmill (BWST) locomotor step training has become the most widely accepted therapy translated from preclinical animal research to spinal cord injury (SCI) patients....
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of short-term high-intensity resistance training on time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic output. It was hypothesized that 2 weeks of training will induce improvements in performance at maximal...
Spinal cord--Wounds and injuries; Stretch (Physiology)
An increasing amount of healthcare resources is used for the treatment and prevention of contractures in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), with stretch and passive movements remaining the most prominent intervention methods. The results of...
Knee--Mechanical properties; Knee--Pathophysiology; Gait in humans; Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is associated with decline in functional capacity and ultimately leads to Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) in many of these patients. Exercise regimens prior to surgery may potentially enhance pre and post TKA...
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a clinical condition affecting over 27 million Americans. There is no known cure for OA other than replacing the diseased joint with a joint prosthesis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Purpose: This study...
Conducting polymers; Polymers in medicine; Myocardium
Hydrophilic and conductive characteristics in polymers are mutually exclusive of each other. Hydrophilic polymer properties allow absorption of water up to several magnitudes above their dry weight. However, due to their molecular structure, they...
Implementing Job Rotation as a manufacturing method is beneficial to production efficiency, reduction of labor cost, operator satisfaction, and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) reduction. In this thesis, the steps of simulating the...
Neuropsychology; Motor ability; Eye-hand coordination
Two major theoretical models, Direct Mapping and Functional Equivalence, suggest that the observation of action and imagery of action, respectively, involve activation of similar motor related areas. Despite the wealth of evidence that supports...
In this novella, a young girl wakes to discover she has lost her voice and that
people can no longer hold their secrets back from her. Tasked with offering them
absolution through listening, she must also deal with the increasing toll bearing...
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of acute glutamine supplementation on maximal performance and recovery from high-intensity exercise. In a placebo-controlled, crossover study, seven (six males and one female) healthy subjects...
Existing treatment programs and procedures are incapable of addressing the complications encountered with patients who experience spasticity and hypertonia related joint contractures. Current passive therapy procedures and devices are only capable...
In fulfillment of the thesis project requirement for the Master of Fine Arts Degree at the University of Louisville, I portrayed the multiple roles of Clytemnestra, Electra and Athena in Dr. Steve Schultz's translation of Aeschylus'...
