Petersheim Academic Exposition

Tuesday, April 12 1:30 – 3:00 PM University Center Main Lounge

THE UNDERSTANDING AND USE OF OVER-THE-COUNTER PAIN MEDICATIONS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
Bryan Georgiana, Leslie Davis, Lacey Genovese, Christopher Monacelli,
Vincent Stonis and Denise Rizzolo
Department of Physician Assistant, Seton Hall University

Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications are among the most commonly used medications in the United States. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and manufacturing companies publish reports concerning the side effect profiles of OTC medications, previous studies suggest that adult consumers are unaware of the side effects of over-the-counter analgesics. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge and usage patterns of over-the-counter pain medications among college students. Students aged 18-30 completed a survey entitled, “Awareness and Use of Over-the-Counter Pain Medications.” Of the 187 participants who completed the survey, 183 students (97.3%) reported using over-the-counter pain medication.  Ibuprofen was the most commonly used analgesic followed by acetaminophen, aspirin, naproxen, and other. 22 students admitted experiencing side effects from their medication use. 63 students (33.5%) reported discussing their use of OTC analgesics with their primary care physician. Only 32 students (17.1%) answered all five knowledge questions correctly. The results supported the hypothesis that college-age individuals were not knowledgeable about the side effect profiles of over-the-counter analgesics. Regarding specific side-effects of OTC pain relievers, the data correlates with previous studies as most participants were aware of the possibility of gastrointestinal irritation with NSAIDs but had little or no knowledge about the OTC analgesic effects on the pulmonary, kidney or liver systems. The results of this study suggest that while college-age students do possess some knowledge about the side effects of over-the-counter pain medications, most do not have full knowledge of the adverse effects of their chosen analgesic.

THE INFLUENCE OF BODY MASS INDEX ON POSTURAL SWAY RESPONSES OF CHILDREN AGED 6-14 USING THE SENSORY ORGANIZATION TEST
Catherine M. Maher, Mary P. Alexander, Danielle Davis, Nickie Parmar,
Laura Penny and Shonda Robinson
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

Purpose/Background:  The development of effective balance responses is a key component of human functioning.  Children develop balance responses, modifying them as they grow to maintain equilibrium and upright posture regardless of changes in environment.  The purpose of this study is to determine when children develop postural sway and balance responses, which mimic those of adults.  This study also examines the influence of body mass index on a child’s development of balance strategies and postural sway.  Although research has been conducted on the development of balance strategies in children, the role of BMI, in particular for children that are overweight, and its influence over balance strategies and postural sway is inconclusive.  It is hypothesized that younger children will display more postural sway during testing compared to the older subjects.  In addition, this study expects to find that obese children will display balance and increased postural sway during the balance test than those children who have healthy weights. Number of subjects: Five healthy participants (2 males and 3 females, aged 8-14) volunteered for the study. Materials/Methods:  Objective measurements of height and weight were used to determine body mass index according to the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html.).  The Balance Master (Neurocom 6.1 ®) was used to assess postural sway under six conditions:  normal vision with a fixed support; eyes closed with a fixed support; eyes open with sway reference; eyes open with the platform moving; eyes closed with the platform moving; and eyes open with the platform moving and sway reference.  Based on the obtained data, the composite equilibrium score was calculated for each participant.  A Pearson’s R correlation analysis was performed to identify the relationship between age, height, weight, BMI, leg length, and postural sway responses. Results:  Out of the five subjects, four fell into the healthy weight category, with a BMI within the 5th to 85th percentile and one had a BMI in the 95th percentile, the overweight category. All subjects demonstrated increased postural sway under conditions of sensory conflict.  No correlation has been identified between BMI and equilibrium composite scores of postural sway across all conditions.  No significant difference was noted due to the small sample size.  Conclusion: In order to reject or accept the hypothesis more participants have to be recruited and tested. This research is still in its active state and the researchers are still in the process of data collection before any analysis can be performed.

TESTING THE ACTION PERCEPTION-PRODUCTION LINK IN SPEECH: AN ACOUSTIC STUDY
Eileen Scott, Megan Mills, Vanessa K Debernardi, and Vikram N. Dayalu
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ;
Communication Disorders and Deafness Department, Kean University, Union, NJ

A close link between motor production and its perception has been postulated by a variety of models. In the upper limb literature, it is clearly demonstrated that the percept of an externally generated non-congruent movements of the hand (e.g., horizontal movements) adversely influences the production of one’s ongoing hand movements (e.g., vertical movement of the hand). Furthermore, the interaction between the hand and mouth movements during speech production is widely known. Therefore, the current study was designed to test the action production-perception link in the realm of speech production. Normal adult participants were asked to repeat the non-sense syllable /aba/ for 10 trials. The task was performed across six experimental and one control condition whereby the influence of congruency and source of the priming signal on speech production was tested. Acoustic measures namely fundamental frequency, intensity, formant 1 and formant 2 frequency for the vowel /a/ that preceded and followed the /b/ sound were computed. The results will further the discussion on similarities and differences between speech and limb motor control.

INFLUENCE OF DELAYED VISUAL AND AUDITORY FEEDBACK ON SPEECH PRODUCTION IN NORMAL ADULTS
Christina M. Zanardi, Suzanne M. Gorczynski, and Vikram N. Dayalu
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ

Normal speakers while speaking under Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF) manifest a variety of speech disfluencies. This phenomenon has been frequently cited as evidence for the role of the auditory modality in speech production. Recent studies have demonstrated that externally generated visual speech signals can indeed influence the speech production of a speaker. Therefore, the current study is designed to test whether a participant’s own visual speech movements (i.e., movements of the frontal articulators) can influence their speech production. Delayed Visual Feedback (DVF) was used to test the influence of visual feedback on speech production and the results were compared to DAF. Normal speaking adult participants participated in this study. Each participant was instructed to memorize 8 to 10 syllables of meaningful text and recite it at their normal pitch and loudness. A total of 300 syllables were produced by each participant as they spoke under each condition. DAF and DVF delays of 100, 200 and 400 were tested and the results were compared to a baseline condition. The overall number of speech disfluencies as well as a categorical analysis of the types of speech errors was conducted to demonstrate the differences in disfluencies induced by DAF and DVF.

BREATHING AND STEPPING COORDINATION DURING DUAL TASKS IN PERSONS WITH PARKINSONS DISEASE
D. Glendinning, D. Clarke, K. Kilbride, L. Welsh, M. Wessel, and  C. Maher
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

Purpose/hypothesis:  Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disease caused by loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra.   The symptoms of PD include rigidity, tremor, akinesia, bradykinesia, decreased postural reactions, and a lack of automaticity.  Our study focused on a specific area of non-automaticity: freezing of gait.  Freezing of gait (FOG) is characterized by a sudden inability to move the lower extremities, and is related to falling and fear-or-falling. The pathophysiology of freezing of gait is not understood.  It appears to be unrelated to bradykinesia and rigidity.  Several authors have suggested that FOG is associated with a collapse in rhythmic interactions between moving limbs.  Our study investigated whether there is also a deterioration of the rhythmic interactions between the limbs and respiration.  Respiratory changes have been reported to precede FOG, and stress is a common factor in FOG, which may be related to breathing.  We hypothesized that when compared to healthy controls, i) persons with PD will have more variability (less coordination) in breathing, stepping, and motor-respiratory coordination (MRC), particularly during dual tasks that typically elicit FOG and ii) coordination of breathing, stepping, and breathing-stepping will be improved through conscious effort. Number of subjects: There were 17 total subjects: 6 subjects with PD (Hoehn and Yahr Stage 1 &2; 2M: 4F; average age: 80±5yrs) and 11 healthy subjects (1M: 10F, average age: 79±3yrs). Materials and Methods:  Breathing was measured using a thermistor threaded through a nasal cannula and stepping was measured by heel-toe strike transducers and all data collected were analyzed by BioPac Acknowledge Software.  Each subject was given a mini mental questionnaire to confirm eligibility to participate.  The PD subjects were also evaluated by the UPDRS to characterize the motor disability, and completed a Freezing of Gait questionnaire (FOGQ).  Breathing was recorded during standing at rest for 2 minutes.  Next the subject’s breathing and stepping were recorded while stepping at normal pace, at a higher frequency, at a lower frequency, during a dual task, and while mentally focusing on coordinating breathing and stepping.  The order of these tasks was randomized.  Measurements included breathing rate and variability, stepping rate and variability and motor-respiratory coordination (MRC), which was measured as i) the frequency ratio: the ratio of the stepping rate/breathing rate at each peak inhalation and ii) the variability of the frequency ratio.  Preliminary Results:  Our preliminary results showed shallower and more variable breathing in persons with PD; breathing rate was increased and inhalation time was decreased.  Stepping cadence was similar to walking cadence.  Cadence was also unaffected by PD or dual-tasks.  However, cadence variability was increased in PD during dual-tasks and slow-stepping.  MRC was more variable in PD during dual-tasks.  These data findings suggest that motor blocks in PD may be associated with a breakdown in MRC given that this occurred during tasks that typically elicit FOG.

HE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF MOTHERS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
Raquel Dominguez, Abby Engel, Melissa Galbreath and Allison Monroe
Occupational Therapy Department, Seton Hall University

This qualitative study describes the lived experiences of mothers with Multiple Sclerosis.  Two Internet based blogs written by American mothers in their forties who have been diagnosed with MS were analyzed with a phenomenological perspective using phenomenological research methodology.  Emerging themes were derived from the blogs, including MS as an inconvenience, lack of support, feeling overwhelmed, the gift of children, motherhood anguish, role changes and maintaining a positive outlook.  Both women experienced similar emotions, stressors and reactions to their daily lives, and both stressed the importance of family support.  The results of the study found that feelings of loss combined with attempting to maintain an optimistic outlook on life encompasses the lived experiences of mothers with Multiple Sclerosis.

EFFECT OF WALKING ASYMMETRY ON CLINICAL MEASURES OF ENERGY COST IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS
Preeti Nair, K. Carter,  J.Gumprecht, S.Darcy, and B. Blanding
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

Background:  Normal walking at self-selected speed is characterized by symmetry in step length and step time between limbs and is associated with minimal energy cost and exertion. Therefore, it is often assumed that asymmetrical step length and step time observed during impaired walking in neurological populations, might contribute to an increase in energy cost and exertion. However, the relationship between walking asymmetry and energy cost is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine if altering step length and step time symmetry between the lower limbs reflects in a change in heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE); both established clinical measures of energy cost. Methods: Participants included healthy individuals in the age range of 18-40 years. Participants completed four, five minute walking trials on a treadmill at their self-selected speed which consisted of two trials of symmetrical walking between limbs and two trials of walking asymmetrically with a 25%  increase and decrease  in both SL and ST values on the dominant limb. HR and RPE were monitored at rest and also at every minute of each trial. HR was monitored using the Polar heart rate monitor and RPE was assessed on the Borg’s Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale. Results: Preliminary results are presented and discussed. Conclusion: Results of this study as well as further research would contribute to the body of evidence about the factors influencing the energy cost of walking and guide rehabilitation protocols targeted at improving impaired walking.

A REVIEW OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Georgina Robinson, Megan Geier, Katie Perpich, Rachel Russ
Physician Assistant Program, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University

Childhood obesity has become a growing problem among US children. Currently, an estimated 16.9% of children ages 2-19 in the US are obese. Genetic factors, lack of physical activity, and increased consumption of fast food are all possible explanations of childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can lead to both acute and chronic problems including, but not limited to insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, fractures, and psychosocial issues. Prevention is the primary goal for controlling childhood obesity. Lifestyle modifications, medications, and bariatric surgery are the treatment modalities. Utilization depends on the child’s age, weight, and current health status. Lifestyle modifications of diet, exercise, and behavioral modifications should be initiated first, while medications and bariatric surgery should be reserved for more severe, refractory cases.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020: KNOWLEDGE, BARRIERS, AND ACCESS AMONG MILLENNIALS AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS
Hailey Hoplock, Sarah Esposito, Erin O’Donoghue, & Ellen Mandel
Physician Assistant Department, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Seton Hall University

This study examined the awareness of young adults concerning modifiable risk factors of chronic disease, and addressed possible barriers that impeded their disease prevention practices. Seton Hall University students were given a survey assessing their health behaviors.  Results demonstrated that 85% of students were unaware of health services offered by the university health center.  Correlations were found between respondents’ perceived risk of developing preventable diseases and BMI, exercise frequency, and perceived health status.  Overall, respondents were well educated about their personal health status.  Barriers to disease prevention were not from lack of knowledge, but from lack of accessibility to resources.

COPING METHODS UTILIZED BY PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDENTS
Jessica Browne, Adam DeMey, Casey Gavin, Meghan Harnett, Wendy Leontie,
Mona Sedrak Ph.D.
Department of Physician Assistant, School of Health and Science, Seton Hall University

The purpose of this study is to determine the coping methods utilized by physician assistant students and to determine if differences exist in the coping methods used during different phases of education, gender, age, and prior education. Participants completed an online survey composed of demographic information and the COPE inventory to determine each participant’s predominate coping method. Data was analyzed using frequency counts, Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-Square analysis, along with descriptive statistics. A statistically difference was found in gender. Females were found to use instrumental social support as well as emotional social support more often then men. There was also found to be a significant difference between phases of study and predominate coping method. The class of 2012 predominately utilized active coping when compared with the other classes. No significant differences were found between age and coping method or prior education and coping method. The results of this study suggest that there exists a difference between gender and phase of study in terms of which coping method is utilized more often.

COMPARING WRITING PRCESS PERFORMANCE IN SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT LANGUAGE-LEARNING DISABILITIES
E. Mlawski
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

The most widely accepted model of the writing process, proposed by Hayes and Flower (1980), includes three components:  planning, translating, and revising. Research has demonstrated that Language Learning Disabled (LLD) children perform poorer than typically developing (TD) peers on written language tasks in the following areas: productivity (Mackie& Dockrell, 1992; Scott & Windsor, 2000), lexical diversity (Fey, et al., 2004; Mackie & Dockrell, 1992; Scott & Windsor, 2000), grammaticality (Dockrell, et al., 2007; Fey, et al., 2004; Gillam & Johnston, 1992; Mackie & Dockrell, 1992; Scott & Windsor, 2000; Windsor, et al., 2000), and sentence complexity (Fey, et al., 2004; Gillam & Johnston, 1992; Mackie & Dockrell, 1992).  The purpose of the present investigation is to compare how LLD and TD children perform across a three day writing process protocol designed for this study based on the Hayes and Flower (1980) model.  The data used is a subset from a larger study evaluating the writing process in sixth grade students. Thirty-two students participated qualifying as either LLD or TD. Findings suggest that children with LLD do not attend to the revision component of the writing process model with the same accuracy as their typically developing peers.

THE EFFECT OF AN INCLINE WALKING SURFACE AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF BALANCE ON SPATIOTEMPORAL GAIT PARAMETERS OF OLDER ADULTS.
R. Ferraro, PT, PhD.,G. Pinto-Zipp, PT, EdD, M. Clark, EdD, and S. Simpkins, PT, EdD
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

The purpose of this study was 1.) To examine the effects of an incline walking surface on spatiotemporal parameters of healthy older adults (> 70) and 2.) To identify changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters during incline walking in healthy older adults with balance impairments.  All subjects in this study were deemed independent community ambulators operationally defined as anyone who can walk without an assistive device or aide from another person in “places outside their own neighborhood but within their own town 1-3 times per week”.  Subjects performed two different validated functional balance measures, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Dynamic Gait Index (DGI).  A third measure of dynamic stability, the Gait Stability Ratio (GSR) was also calculated.  All subjects walked on the GaitRite® electronic walkway system under the following conditions: 1.) level ground and 2.) inclined surface.  Dependent variables included: cadence, step length, mean normalized velocity, GSR (cadence/velocity), BBS scores and DGI scores.  Results of this study indicate that cadence, step length and velocity all decreased on inclines while GSR increased on inclines relative to subjects’ level ground walking patterns.  Significantly shorter and slower steps with increased GSRs measured on inclines suggest more time spent in the double support phase of the gait cycle and suggests the primary goal even in healthy older adults is to maintain stability during walking. Findings from this study provide a new database of information for healthy community-dwelling older adults as they negotiate a common community barrier.

THE IMPACT OF THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ON STUDY HABITS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN COLLEGE AGED STUDENTS
D. Esposito, K. Kupryk , A. Miller, P. Weiner, and M. Sedrak
Department of Physician Assistant, Seton Hall University

This study aimed to examine the impact of the use of online SNS sites on the study habits and academic performance of college students. Students at Seton Hall University, ages 18-29, who completed at least 12 credits, were asked to participate in this research study. Using the Academic Survey System and Evaluation Tool (ASSET), this web-based survey was comprised of 23 questions. The results indicated that most participants were non-Hispanic white females between the ages of 18-22 who completed 60 or more credits. The mean time spent studying was 10 hours per week.  The majority of respondents reported an overall grade point average (cumulative GPA) equal to a B+ or greater (3.01). Participants utilized Facebook most frequently, with majority of respondents using this SNS daily, specifically while doing homework. Most participants believe that their usage of SNS has only slightly affected their grades. There were no other statistically significant relationships found using  he data collected on the three other social networking sites. This study demonstrated a weak positive relationship between usage of Facebook and GPA, suggesting that there is not a major affect on grades. The self-reported results suggest that although students use SNS daily while doing homework, the respondents perceived it has little affect on their grades.

SECONDARY EFFECTS OF CAMP OPEN ARMS UPPER EXTREMITY CONSTRAINT INDUCED THERAPY ON FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY, BALANCE AND SPATIAL TEMPORAL PARAMETERS OF GAIT
Genevieve Zipp, Joseph Persico, Rebecca Rooney, Gregory Rosequist,
and Daniel MacDonald
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

Purpose: This study reports the secondary effects of a constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) protocol in children with cerebral palsy on overall functional mobility, balance and spatial temporal parameters of gait. While CIMT studies have focused specifically on upper extremity effects of this approach, and given that the motor system functions as a dynamic system, as proposed by the dynamic systems model of motor control, it is hypothesized that improvements in upper extremity functioning resulting from CIMT would positively influence lower extremity functioning. This hypothesis is based upon the generally accepted theory that central pattern generators (CPG’s) located in the spinal cord are involved in the coordination and control of  limb and body segment movements used to produce stereotypic locomotor patterns associated with gait. Methods:  6 children between 4 and 12 years of age participated in a 3 week CIMT program. Participants were tested on the first and last day of CIMT program on the Standardized Walking Obstacle Course (SWOC), the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and spatial temporal parameters of gait. Results: Nonparametric tests and individual subject means were employed on all pre-post measures. The tests showed statistical significance between the number of stumbles recorded during pre and post assessment of the SWOC, as well as the pre-post PBS scores.  Conclusion:  In this study, CIMT was found to be effective in promoting changes in balance and functional mobility level. However, no changes were noted in the participants’ spatial temporal parameters of gait.

INFLUENCE OF BACKPACK LOAD ON GAIT IN STUDENTS 15 TO 30 YEARS OLD
Doreen M. Stiskal, Dave Monteleone, Marcos Gonzalez, and Clarice Ezeanya
Department of  Physical Therapy, School of Health & Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

The use of backpacks is widespread and very common amongst students of all ages. While walking with a backpack can be a resourceful way to carry diverse items used everyday, we often carry too much, resulting in compensatory postural changes necessary to balance the superimposed loads. With only a few small studies examining how students modify gait strategies, the purpose of this within-subjects repeated measures design was to describe the 3-D kinematic (limb and joint motion) changes in the hip and knee during treadmill walking. Fourteen healthy adolescent and young adult (15 to 30 years old) volunteers walked at 1.5 m/s for 90 seconds while wearing a standard backpack across 5 conditions of differing loads: 0, 5, 10, 15 and 0% body weight (BW). Six Qualysis Proflex® cameras recorded 3D movement from 28 reflective markers placed on specific body landmarks on the legs and pelvis. Hip and knee range of motion (ROM) values were viewed and processed with Qualysis Track Manager® and Visual3D® software packages. Means of several gait cycles within each trial were entered into within-subject repeated measure ANOVAs (p<.05) to determine significant differences for maximal joint excursions in all 3 cardinal planes of the hip and the sagittal plane of the knee across the 0, 5, 10 and 15% BW conditions, with post-hoc analysis consisting of paired t-tests using a Bonferroni type correction (p<.0125). Further, we investigated if un-weighting the backpack at the end of the trials resulted in a recovery state consistent with baseline walking using paired t-tests between the initial and final 0% BW conditions. Our results are consistent by other similar studies by Stiskal et al (2009, 2010).  Subjects adopted a more forward flexed gait pattern as the hip joint increased its maximal flexion and reduced maximal extension at the heaviest backpack load. Also, increases in both maximal hip abduction and adduction occurred as subjects changed limb position while walking again at the 15% BW condition. The knee joint demonstrated an increase in knee flexion as the 5% and 10% loads but reduced both its maximal flexion and extension at 15% BW. Lastly, once the backpack loads were removed (0% body weight), subjects exhibited walking patterns similar to baseline, further illustrating the influence of the external loads. We concluded that both the hip and knee joints must adapt to the loads contained in the backpack. The kinematic changes in hip and knee joint motion result from altered body positions necessary for effective walking at a consistent speed.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANUAL THERAPY AND ECCENTRIC EXERCISE INTERVENTION FOR BICIPITAL TENDINOPATHY IN PATIENTS REFERRED FOR WORK HARDENING SERVICE
Phillips H, Kulovitz L, Salomone J, Schumann D, and Torre J.
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

Introduction/Background: Work related upper extremity disorders are significant problems that challenge occupational health providers. Bicipital tendinopathy, a collection of histologic findings that include degeneration of collagen fibers and increased cellularity of the long head of the biceps tendon, can hinder performance and delay an individual’s return to work following injury. Although the condition can be an underlying source of pain and dysfunction, it can often be overlooked.  Past studies have shown transverse friction massage, joint mobilizations and eccentric loading have individually been effective in the treatment of tendinopathies. Our study utilizes a combination of the three treatments to determine the effectiveness of a standardized multimodal program on the clinical and functional outcomes in patients diagnosed with bicipital tendinopathy referred for work hardening intervention. Subjects/Methods:    All patients who present with a primary complaint of shoulder pain were invited to participate in the study to examine the effectiveness of this multimodal intervention. Patients who met inclusion criteria qualified for the treatment phase of the study and continued on to complete a numeric pain scale, standard impairment evaluation and a shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) questionnaire. The patients were treated with a standard intervention plan created for the study. The plan consisted of manual therapy, including transverse friction massage, glenohumeral joint mobilizations, and elbow flexor eccentric training. At the end of the intervention period, patients were re-evaluated and completed post-test questionnaires to measure the change in functional status. Clinical Relevance:     The goals of the study were to determine the effectiveness of a standardized multimodal program on clinical and functional outcomes.  Results of this case series suggest that a multimodal approach of manual therapy, eccentric exercise, and work hardening intervention has a positive effect on bicipital tendinopathy.

PERCEPTIONS OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS AMONGST HIGH SCHOOL COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS
D. V. Johnson, M. M. McKenzie  and V. Hill-Lombardi
Department of Athletic Training, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ

Context: To increase awareness and level of knowledge of the AT profession, perceptions of AT need to be identified and examined in populations that work closely with ATCs. Objective: To evaluate the perceptions of coaches and administrators in New Jersey regarding the role of an ATC. Design: Cross-sectional via online survey. Setting: Administrators contacted via email through a list purchased from NJSIAA;  forwarded survey link to their coaches.  Patients or Other Participants: 84 respondents; males (67.9%), females (32.1%); 88.1% indicated  coach, 15.5% indicated  administrator. Age Range -18-65 years old,  26-30 (16.75%), 31-35 (19.0%), 56-60(17.9%). Interventions: The survey on the scope of practice of an ATC, defined by the BOC Role Delineation Study. 38 questions regarding ATC’s qualifications, knowledge, and skills, administered online (SurveyGizmo). Main Outcome Measures: Frequency counts of correct answers; Mann-Whitney U- coach vs. non-coach, administrator vs. non-administrator;  p<0.05; SPSS 16.0. Results: 19 questions answered correctly by over 80% of the respondents, 11 answered correctly by 60-80% of respondents; Two questions answered differently by coaches vs non-coaches (Q3: p=.046; Q4: p=.001).  Three questions answered differently by administrators vs non-administrators (Q8: p=.027; Q12: p=.028; Q14: p=.040:).. Conclusions: Results indicate that coaches and administrators overall have a good understanding of the role of the ATC; administrators have better understanding of that role as compared to non-administrators.

THE EFFECT OF STATIC VERSUS DYNAMIC STRETCH ON THE PEAK TORQUE OF THE ROTATOR CUFF
M.  Pamplona, N. Dahmen , K. Sze, T. Testa  and V. Hill-Lombardi
Department of Athletic Training, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ

Context: Static stretching is common practice in athletics. Recent studies have shown isokinetic strength is decreased following static stretching while others show an increase.  Most research is the lower extremity.  Objective:  To evaluate the effects of static and dynamic stretching on strength of the rotator cuff musculature.  Design:  Within-subjects, repeated measures design. Setting: Interventions and data collection were conducted in the Athletic Training room. Participants: 5 males, 4 females, mean age = 21.4(± 2.19), no prior history of shoulder or neck pathology, Interventions: IV was stretch protocol: static, dynamic or no-stretch. Stretches performed while seated in Biodex. Static- passively held at terminal IR, ER 30 seconds each;  Dynamic-  IR, ER end range rhythmically,60 seconds; No-stretch- neutral rotation, 60 seconds. Main Outcome Measures: DV was Peak torque IR, ER, pre and post intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA used to determine significant differences between change scores.  Paired t-tests used to determine significant differences between each pre and post measures; p<0.05; SPSS 16. Results: IR change score means (± st. dev): Dynamic -0.5 (± 4.06); Static -0.4(± 2.92); No Stretch 1.7(± 3.62). ER: Dynamic 0.7 (± 5.28); Static  -0.1(± 2.67); No Stretch -0.3(2.49). No significant differences were detected. Trend analysis indicated dynamic stretch trials were greater than static or no stretch trials. Conclusions: Greater subject numbers may yield significant differences.

A COMPARISON OF HEAT ACCLIMATIZATION BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS DURING PRESEASON
S. Edge, T. Cavyan, C. Gilmore, C. Bell, and V. Hill-Lombardi
Department of Athletic Training, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ

Context: Warm-weather exercise causes body temperature increases, fluid/electrolyte losses, potentially leading to heat illnesses. There is a lack of research on acclimatization of male vs female soccer players. Objective: Investigate the effects of heat and humidity on male and female soccer players during first 8 days of preseason. Design: Repeated measures design. Setting: Measurements during the month of August ; pre/post-practice in locker room; during-practice  on artificial turf field. Patients and Other Participants: Subjects- NCAA DI soccer players; 6 females mean age 20 (±1.17), mean BMI 22.7(±0.93); 4 males mean age 19 (±1.50), mean BMI 23.05 (±1.84). Interventions: IVs- heat index/day, gender.   Main Outcome Measures: Daily measures pre/post-practice HR, BT, SG, BW. During-practice measures HR, BT. Repeated measures ANOVA- pre-practice BW, SG, change scores BW, SG. Pearson correlation coefficient- mean heat index and mean male, female BW, SG; p < 0.05, SPSS 16.0. Results: No significant differences change scores BW or SG in males or females.  No significant differences pre-practice measures of BW or SG. There was a correlation between the mean HI and the mean BW changes scores in the females (r = -0.701, p=0.053) Conclusions: Trends- as heat index rose, specific gravity increased, body weight decreased; differences between males, females in pre-practice SG patterns.

OPEN REDUCTION INTERNAL FIXATION IN A
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER
N. Triano, J. Lee, and N. Nicholaides
Department of Athletic Training, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University, Ridgewood High School.

Background: 14 year-old, male high school football player who suffered a complete displaced fracture of mid-humeral shaft. Mechanism of injury was a lateral blow to mid-humeral shaft with shoulder abducted 90 degrees, elbow flexed 90 degrees, forearm fixed to ground. Differential Diagnosis: Shoulder dislocation-fracture, elbow dislocation-fracture, humeral x-ray Treatment: Unsuccessful closed reduction, then  open reduction internal fixation with an intramedullary rod. Twenty weeks of rehabilitation protocol with HS ATC. The program was based upon healing process. Examples include controlling pain and swelling initially following surgery, increasing range of motion and strength at the elbow and shoulder, maintaining cardiovascular condition. Special care necessary as the intramedullary rod was initially exposed through the skin. Uniqueness: Injuries of this magnitude are rare in athletics especially for an athlete this age. Intramedullary rod was inserted through the distal humerus, due to the open epiphyseal plate in the proximal humerus. Normally a rod would be introduced in the proximal humerus down through the medullary canal to the distal humerus. The ATC had to initially address the post surgical swelling and pain, in addition to an open wound as the intramedullary rod was exposed through the skin for future removal. Conclusion: Based on the age of the athlete and the injury itself, surgical procedures and rehabilitation protocols must be modified to successfully return an athlete to a fully functional and pre-injury competitive state.

FACTORS INFLUENCING A WOMAN’S CHOICE OF AN OBSTETRICIAN/GYNECOLOGIST
K. Mancini, PA-S, M. Russo, PA-S, D. Saini, PA-S, C. and Biscardi, PA-C, PhD.
Physician Assistant Program, Seton Hall University

Women seeking obstetrical/gynecological (ob/gyn) care use specific criteria when selecting a health care provider and prior research revealed that gender of an ob/gyn does not play a significant role in the decision making process.  However, prior studies failed to address provider ethnicity or health insurance affiliation in the selection criteria, or use a diverse population.

This was a descriptive study using a 25-item survey equally distributed to four ob/gyn offices.

One hundred-forty surveys were completed with majority of the participants of Caucasian descent. The important factors were bedside manner, personality, and insurance accepted.  The top three reasons for choosing their current ob/gyn were physician’s ability, insurance affiliation, and third were both experience and gender.  Hospital affiliation and ob/gyn appearance was significantly different across age groups. OB/GYN gender was significantly correlated with office location and type of insurance was significantly correlated with level of education.

Women select their ob/gyn based on a multitude of factors; bedside manner, personality, and insurance being most important. Additionally, respondents stated that gender was significant when they selected their current ob/gyn.  While this study did not sufficiently reflect the diverse population of the geographic region, a woman’s ethnicity and age were shown to play a role in choosing their ob/gyn.  Insurance acceptance also plays an important role, which may have implications in any future health care reform.

THE ASSESSMENT OF COLLEGE STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE OF ANTIBIOTICS
A. Uzzell, K. Cheu, M. Claricia, J. Neubrander, and D. Rizzolo
School of Health and Medical Sciences, Masters in Physician Assistant Program,
Seton Hall University

Introduction:  The inappropriate use of antibiotics is a considerable factor facilitating the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of college students regarding antibiotics, evaluate the correlation between the knowledge of antibiotics and actual usage patterns, and to compare the results of antibiotic knowledge and use between non-health and health science majors.Methodology: A convenience sample of Seton Hall University students was used.  The study employed a survey created by the authors and distributed via the participants’ university email addresses using the Academic Survey System and Evaluation Tool (ASSET).  Using SPSS 17.0, the data was analyzed employing the Mann-Whitney U test and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient test. Results: A total of 232 students completed the survey; 159 were non-health science majors and 73 were health science majors. Health science majors demonstrated a significantly greater amount of knowledge regarding antibiotics (p < 0.001). Health science majors reported more appropriate patterns of antibiotic usage (p < 0.05). A moderate positive correlation existed between the amount of antibiotic knowledge and appropriate usage behaviors.

DISCOURSE COHERENCE IN WRITTEN NARRATIVES OF CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE LEARNING DISABILITIES
Victoria Petersen  and Anthony D. Koutsoftas
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, School of Health and Medical Sciences,
Seton Hall University

The present study examines the quality of children’s writing by measuring discourse coherence. Coherence is the conceptual organization of discourse and is divided into two types: global and local. Coherence measures demonstrate good reliability and show promise as an indicator of writing quality. This study compares a group of intermediate grade children with language learning disabilities to peers with typically development on coherence measures. Children participated in a four day experimental protocol that included a hearing screening, standardized language and reading assessments, and production of narrative and expository writing samples.  Only written narrative samples were evaluated using a 4-point coherence rating system for both global and local coherence. Additionally a six-trait writing rubric was used to score writing samples and serve as a measure of quality. Group differences by genre were identified and will be reported. Relationships between coherence ratings and an external measure of quality will be discussed as our method of validating coherence ratings. Implications for clinical and research purposes will be discussed.