1 The Outcomes of Neural Stem Cell Transplantation and Localized Drug Therapy on Patients Suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury John Doe Panther ID: 1212121 Assignment #3 Florida International University 2 Method Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a resonating issue here in the U.S. and it comes as no surprise that it has increased in awareness as one of the nation’s most prevalent injury related deaths within the last 15 years (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], 2009). It is an illness of great importance due to its association of injuries related to military combat operations, both the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veteran Affairs (VA) are recognized leaders in TBI care and are in constant joint health practices with research based universities such as The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and The University of Michigan Health System [UMHS] (Dennis, 2013). My methods paper will incorporate a holistic overview of the overall effectiveness of Neural Stem Cell (NSC) engraftment on TBI patients based on publications reported within scholarly journals. The overall efficacy of treatment will be compared to many control groups that serve as a basis to see if NSC outcomes lessen or diminish possible injuries, as a disclaimer, findings within TBI based research do not support nor condone that there is a cure to secondary injuries such as comas, neuronal cell death, loss of motor or cognitive function, paralysis, or even death due to TBI. Simply put, this research paper will look at collaborative efforts that a controlled laboratory setting has made in regards to ameliorating TBI conditions in either acute or severe injuries and review the success of treatment in the hopes that it can serve patients and their respective loved ones in finding more adequate treatment platforms that can efficiently save lives in the long run. Research Method & Design Appropriateness According to Martyn Shuttleworth (2008), the top three most widely used research methods are Experimental Research Methods, Opinion Based Research Methods, and Observational Research Methods. There are a myriad of factors to take into account and evaluate 3 when choosing the correct research method. Every experimental design must make compromises and generalizations, so each individual researcher must minimize these, but, also do it while being realistic (Shuttleworth, 2008). Experimental Research Methods is a more straightforward experiment that involves the standard practice of manipulating quantitative data and independent variables to generate statistically analyzable data. The results generated can be quantified using a testable hypothesis, with statistical information giving a clear and unambiguous picture (Shuttleworth, 2008). Opinion Based Research Methods generally involve designing an experiment and collecting numerical data that that can be repr.

1. 1
The Outcomes of Neural Stem Cell Transplantation and
Localized Drug Therapy on Patients
Suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury
John Doe
Panther ID: 1212121
Assignment #3
Florida International University
2

2. Method
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a resonating issue here in the
U.S. and it comes as no
surprise that it has increased in awareness as one of the nation’s
most prevalent injury related
deaths within the last 15 years (American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association [ASHA],
2009). It is an illness of great importance due to its association
of injuries related to military
combat operations, both the Department of Defense (DoD) and
Veteran Affairs (VA) are
recognized leaders in TBI care and are in constant joint health
practices with research based
universities such as The University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine and The University of
Michigan Health System [UMHS] (Dennis, 2013). My methods
paper will incorporate a holistic
overview of the overall effectiveness of Neural Stem Cell
(NSC) engraftment on TBI patients
based on publications reported within scholarly journals. The
overall efficacy of treatment will
be compared to many control groups that serve as a basis to see
if NSC outcomes lessen or
diminish possible injuries, as a disclaimer, findings within TBI

3. based research do not support nor
condone that there is a cure to secondary injuries such as
comas, neuronal cell death, loss of
motor or cognitive function, paralysis, or even death due to
TBI. Simply put, this research paper
will look at collaborative efforts that a controlled laboratory
setting has made in regards to
ameliorating TBI conditions in either acute or severe injuries
and review the success of treatment
in the hopes that it can serve patients and their respective loved
ones in finding more adequate
treatment platforms that can efficiently save lives in the long
run.
Research Method & Design Appropriateness
According to Martyn Shuttleworth (2008), the top three most
widely used research
methods are Experimental Research Methods, Opinion Based
Research Methods, and
Observational Research Methods. There are a myriad of factors
to take into account and evaluate
3

4. when choosing the correct research method. Every experimental
design must make compromises
and generalizations, so each individual researcher must
minimize these, but, also do it while
being realistic (Shuttleworth, 2008).
Experimental Research Methods is a more straightforward
experiment that involves the
standard practice of manipulating quantitative data and
independent variables to generate
statistically analyzable data. The results generated can be
quantified using a testable hypothesis,
with statistical information giving a clear and unambiguous
picture (Shuttleworth, 2008).
Opinion Based Research Methods generally involve designing
an experiment and collecting
numerical data that that can be represented via ordinal or
interval types of measurements.
Questionnaires fall within this type of experimental method,
since it is an effective way to
quantify data through a small sample survey and can provide a
scale of opinion to emotion.
“Figures are arbitrary, but at least give a directional method of
measuring intensity”
(Shuttleworth, 2008). Based on reports gathered by

5. Shuttleworth (2008), Observational
Research Methods mostly involve researchers detaching
themselves from the experiment and
simply witnessing the phenomenon they are most interested in.
It’s characterized as a “quasi-
experimental” design and is primarily looked down upon in the
scientific community. It oftenly
does not look to have a clearly defined research problem and
questions may arise during the case
study, but, according to social scientists it does still provide
insightful human knowledge when
applied to behavioral outcomes.
Quantitative research measurements encompass scientific data
being strictly inputted into
statistical and other mathematical markers and definitions so as
to finalize results via disproving
or proving a hypothesis. After statistical analysis of the data is
done, a comprehensive answer
can be reached and the results can be legitimately discussed and
published. Qualitative research
4

6. is a fundamental tool that can be used by scientists and social
scientists alike as a precursor to
quantitative research. It seeks to answer human behavior and
tendencies that can then lead to a
testable hypothesis, since its techniques are extremely useful
when a subject is too complex to be
answered by a simple yes or no hypothesis (Shuttleworth,
2008).
For the specifics of my research proposal, as discussed earlier,
I will be analyzing
literature content on treatment viability of NSC in those who
are afflicted with TBI. Most of the
data collected by lead investigators in the fields of
Neuroscience, Emergency Medicine,
Neurosurgery and Neuro-trauma are obtained through
quantifiable means. So for the sake of my
literature review, I will be surveying and scrutinizing
quantifiable numerical data that
demonstrates a positive progression for affected TBI patients
within the lab setting.
Population
Each year TBI contributes to a substantial number of deaths
and cases that attribute to
permanent disability within the continental U.S. Within my

7. study, because data is so crucial to
understanding the overall implications of this debilitating
condition, attenuating impacts of TBI
can only be lessened with numbers that demonstrate the positive
progression of feasible NSC
treatment in localized target areas of injured brain. Gaining
information from a wide range of the
diverse population within the United States means heightening
awareness of this very prevalent
public health dilemma. The Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDCP, 2014), reports
that information regarding how TBI affects patients nationwide
helps to inform TBI prevention
strategies, identify education strategies and research priorities,
and helps to support the need for
services among those living with TBI. According to the CDCP
(2014), more than 1.7 million
Americans sustain a TBI annually. More than 275,000 cases of
TBI were hospitalized in
Emergency Departments, of those cases, 58,000 ended in death
(CDCP, 2014).
5

8. Another alarming population to take into consideration is
gunshot victims that have
suffered a form of TBI known as Projectile Ballistics Brain
Injury (PBBI). Florida in comparison
to other states has had the largest annual firearm-related fatality
rate increase within the past
decade (Bramlett et. al, 2015). No current forms of therapy,
other than invasive and life-
threatening surgery are available for PBBI based patients. This
only further urges my point that
in order to begin to implementing a grand procedural design for
national TBI treatment; its
innovative research at The University of Miami Miller School
of Medicine at the local level that
must be able to explore additional treatment options due to the
epidemic proportions of firearm
related PBBI in modern American society (Bramlett et al.,
2015).
Sampling Frame
Based on the information collected, many sample sizes were
collected since NSC
treatment has been tested under many circumstances, such as,
hypothermic conditions, glucose

9. metabolism deprived brains, stroke induced brains, PBBI brain
samples, and medically
synthesized brain tissue has been tested as well. Each individual
test had its own treatment
methodology and comparable control group. The most recent
extracted sample was obtained by
testing NSC engraftment measures on 18 Sprague-Dawley
Laboratory mice. The control group
consisted of healthy brain tissue that was parrafinized (held in
hydrocarbon wax sheet), and
PBBI tissue was held free-floating in wall plates via cryostat
(machine meant to hold tissue at
relatively low temperatures). Both the control and independent
variable group were looked under
100x objective lens microscope, both groups was seen to
uncover which had developed more
neurodegeneration (neuronal cell death which is irreversible and
is stained black) after a six
week period of being treated with NSC (Bullock, Dietrich &,
Gajavelli, 2016).
6

10. Data Collection
Data collection was not such an arduous task as most of the
quantifiable data could be
extracted via public research articles. However, the analysis of
NSC treatment effectiveness and
the necessary range that is needed to claim it as a success was
very difficult, being that statistical
methods and Neuroscience are not my fields of practice. The
integrity of the publicized works
were maintained by strictly pointing out and upholding the
notion that advances in medical care
depend on rigorous, reliable and reproducible basic/clinical and
translational research. The
scientific method used in NSC engraftment procedures and
maintenance was predicated on being
able to test well-though-out study designs/hypothesis with
meticulous data recording and
statistical data of the analysis.
The information I collected was also compared to The
University of Michigan Health
System’s records on Neural Progenitor Cell (NPC) enhancement
due to TBI related spinal cord
injury under similar conditions and approaches of that of UM

11. Miller School of Medicine. Also, I
was part of the research conducted under Clinical Director Dr.
Ross Bullock that measured the
potency of NSC treatment by comparing samples of PBBI brain
that induced less
neurodegeneration along the pre-cortical track of the brain.
Therefore, I understand the relevance
of the core scientific values of truthfulness, objectivity,
unbiased and complete reporting of the
study results.
Data Analysis
Based on the quantitative measures that were needed in order to
test the attainable goals
of my research methodology, I can with 95 percent confidence
say that NSC engraftment
treatment does in fact diminish the secondary effects of
immune-histo-globins (anti-
inflammatory response), neurodegeneration of white matter in
traumatic brain and with
7
medicated localized drug therapy help to proliferate

12. neurogenesis of dead lateral tissue. Based on
my experimental analysis of neurodegeneration, I concluded
that in normal brain
neurodegeneration occurs at a rate 10 percent less than
neurogenesis. However, in unhealthy
tissue injected with NSC’s in 18 separate Dawley rats within a 6
week time frame,
neurodegeneration rose to an alarming 22 percent for the first
three weeks, but, within the last
three weeks neurodegeneration was brought down to 8 percent
and neurogenesis also rose by 11
percent on the bi-lateral portions of PBBI induced surfaces.
I based my values off of a standard mean and sample size
intended to run a t-test. I
observed a p-value that was less than my alpha (comparative
value) and was able to reject my
null hypothesis with a 95 percent confidence interval based on
my sample proportion.
Additionally, according to Bramlett et al. (2015), vehicular pre-
clinical studies of PBBI induced
mice show that under hypothermic conditions attenuation of
inter-cranial pressure, neuro-
inflammation and inter-cranial hemorrhage were present within
brain injury, but, its severity

13. grew at a lesser rate by a stall of 72 hours. Also, when injected
with NSC into the caudal section
of the mouse brain, PBBI mice were able to “walk” onto a
balance beam, albeit, they relied
heavily on the pathway of the balance beam rather than
coordinated motor capacities (Bramlett et
al., 2015). Still this further demonstrates that the pre-clinical
study shows an ambitious and
meaningful pathway to improved future patient health outcomes.
8
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2009).
Current Perspectives on TBI.
Retrieved March 22,2016 from
http://www.asha.org/aud/articles/CurrentTBI/
Bramlett, H., Bullock, R., Diaz, J., Gajavelli, S., Jackson, C.,
Spurlock, M., et al. (2015).
Penetrating Ballistic Brain Injury Reduces Focal & Global

14. Brain Glucose Utilization: A
C-2DG autoradiography study in a rat model. Miami Project to
Cure Paralysis,
Department of Nuerosurgery, University of Miami Miller
School of Medicine. Published
on June 2015.
Bramlett, H., Bullock, R., Diaz, J., Gajavelli, S., Jackson, C.,
Spurlock, M., et al. (2015).
Penetrating Ballistic Brain Injury Systems and Methodology: A
hippocampal
regenerative effect study in a rat model. Miami Project to Cure
Paralysis, Department of
Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Published on June 2015.
Bullock, R., Dietrich, WD., Gajavelli, S. (2016). Penetrating
Ballistic Brain Injury Systems and
Methodology: Optimal maximal engraftment of human NSC’s
via surgical intervention
or localized therapy injection. Miami Project to Cure
Paralysis, Department of
Neurosurgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Published on February
2016.

15. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Traumatic
Brain Injury. Retrieved March
22, 2016, from
http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
Dennis, K. (2013). DoD/VA Common Definition. Audiology and
speech pathology service.
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington. D.C. Published
on November 2013.
Shuttleworth, M. (2008). Different Research Methods.
Retrieved Mar 22, 2016 from
Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/different-research-
methods
http://www.asha.org/aud/articles/CurrentTBI/
http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
https://explorable.com/users/martyn
https://explorable.com/different-research-methods
Title Here
Student Name (First and Last)
Panther ID

16. Florida International University
Month Year
Method
Briefly introduce your next capstone section. While this may
seem redundant at each
section, it is important to remind the reader of your research at
the beginning of each section.
The reason for this? In the event someone is interested in your
research, but they do not want to
read the entire research study paper, they can easily learn about
your research in the beginning of
every section. This section requires one paragraph in length.
Research Method and Design Appropriateness

17. Elaborate on the differences among various research
methodologies. What are the
differences between qualitative research and quantitative
research? Which was more appropriate
for your study? Why? More than likely, this will be a
descriptive research project, focusing more
on the literature surrounding the topic, rather than conducting
actual quantitative or qualitative
research. This section requires two paragraphs in length.
Population
Discuss your study population. The study population is the
larger picture of the research.
If you were conducting research focused on childhood
education, your study population would
include children who are in school. This may be at a local level,
state level, national level, or
even at the global level. You determine the study population by
how big you want the scope of
your project to be. This section requires two paragraphs in
length.

18. Sampling Frame
Elaborate on your sampling frame here. The sampling frame is
the smaller picture of the
study population that you can actually obtain information from.
For instance, in the same
research that is interested in childhood education, the sampling
frame may be 10 students from a
local school. These ten students would then be used in your data
collection process. This section
requires one paragraph in length.
Data Collection
Discuss the collection of your data. Was it quantitative or
qualitative? How did you
collect the data? How did you protect the integrity of the data?
For our example, if 10 nursing
home residents could be interviewed; this would be qualitative
in nature. Likewise, conducting a
numerical poll would be quantitative. If you conduct personal
interviews, you will want to ensure
minimal researcher bias. This section requires two paragraphs in
length.
Data Analysis

19. Discuss the process where you analyzed your data. How did
you analyze it? If
quantitative, what statistical tool did you use? If qualitative,
how did you interpret the
information? This section requires one paragraph in length.
References
Remember that any reference in your reference list must be
present in your paper in the form of a
citation (Author, year). Likewise, any citation in your paper
must be present in your
reference list. Refer to your APA Handbook 6th edition for
more detailed information on
developing a reference list. For your Assignment 3 you need a
minimum of six (6)
scholarly references.
Assignment 3 Grading Rubric: Methods
Criteria Points Possible
Title of Proposed Topic/Research 5
Methods 10

20. Research Method and Design
Appropriateness
20
Population
20
Sampling Frame
10
Data Collection
20
Data Analysis
10
References (Six Required) 5
Deductions: APA formatting,
Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation at the College

21. Level, Originality etc.
-
Total Points Possible 100