Digital Commons Network^™

Measured Effects Of Rapid Palatal Expansion On Nasal Cavity Volume Utilizing Cbct, Jon Neal Robinson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and predict the expected changes that occur in the nasal cavity volume following rapid palatal expansion. Eighteen subjects (11 female, 7 male), ages 9 to 18, requiring rapid palatal expansion in conjunction with comprehensive orthodontic treatment, were selected for the study. Rapid palatal expansion was accomplished using the standard, banded hyrax appliance. Three-dimensional cone beam computed tomograms using the NewTom 9000™ were acquired before and after expansion. Serial coronal slices of the nasal cavity were made using the QV9000™ software program. The resultant serial images were imported into 3-D Doctor™ for analysis …

Examining Political Orientation, Attributional Style, And Affirmative Action, Derrick A. Boone

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The correlations among political orientation, attributional style, emotion, and support for Affirmative Action were investigated. Questionnaire data were collected from a university sample in southern California. The results indicate a positive correlation between political orientation and attributional style. A ,negative correlation was found between attributional style and anger, and a positive correlation was found between attributional style and sympathy. Additionally, anger correlated negatively with support for Affirmative Action, while sympathy correlated positively with support Affirmative Action. These findings •are congruent with previous research (Zucker and Weiner, 1993) indicating correlations among political orientation, attributional style, emotion, and support for Welfare policies.

Discriminatory Analysis Of The Children's Depression Inventory, Montez Vaughn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was designed as a screening measure to assess the severity of depressive symptomatology experienced by school-aged children. This study attempted to determine the discriminatory capacity of the CDI among clinical populations. The subjects included 115 children ages 7 to 17, 6 female, 109 male. Twenty-two were Caucasian, 63 were Hispanic, 26 were Black. The study population was primarily homogeneous for the diagnosis of Conduct Disorder, incarcerated adolescent males (ages 16 to 17), limiting generalizability and findings.

Total Scores were not found to discriminate depressed subjects from non-depressed subjects. Total Scores were found to distinguish incarcerated …

Breaking The Stereotypes: Exploring Traits Of Female Athletes, Carrie Magan Warda

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Despite the growing acceptance of women's sports and the increasing number of women and girls who are participating in sports, a number of negative stereotypes still exist concerning female athletes. Because the competitive, masculine nature of sports has been viewed as the antithesis of femininity, women who have actively participated in sports have often been stigmatized as "masculine" (Anthrop & Allison, 1983; Snyder & Kivlin, 1977). Past research has determined that female athletes do tend to possess more masculine personality traits than their non-athletic counterparts (Andre & Holland, 1995; Houseworth, Peplow, & Thirer, 1989; Marsh & Jackson, 1986; Myers & …

Predictors Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Chronic Low Back Pain Patients, Lorie Tulia Decarvalho

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present study investigated the predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity level in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Research questions focused on whether or not patients with CLBP would evidence clinically-significant levels of PTSD, whether or not the intensity and duration of the trauma would predict PTSD symptoms, and whether or not the age of the patient and perceived uncontrollability would positively predict PTSD symptom severity level. Participants included 161 patients receiving treatment for their CLBP from several Southern California chronic pain clinics, as well as major Southern California chiropractic facilities. Data was gathered through selfreport …

Validation Of A Serotonin Checklist In A Parkinson’S Disease Population, Kelly Diane Darby-Holder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although the distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine, there are also alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the disease. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) can be divided into two distinct classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, Type A and Type B Parkinson’s Disease. Type B PD patients often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, which often includes a history of depression. Within the brain and spinal cord serotonin has wide spread projections, acting as an important …

Intensive Care Medical Procedure : Ptsd Symptoms In Children, Ludmila Zaytsev

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Studies indicate that medical procedures may cause post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms (fear, avoidance, sleep disturbances, irritability, concentration difficulties. hypervigilance). It has been suggested that administration of midazolam hydrochloride, a sedative/amnesic medication commonly used in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU), may help decrease if not prevent the development of PTS symptoms. This study examined if PTS symptoms were related to procedural invasiveness (PI) and whether midazolam had a moderating effect on the development and intensity of PTS symptoms in children. English-speaking children ages 8-16 (N=20) who had been in the PICU for at least 3 days were recruited at Loma …

A Longitudinal Examination Of Flow As A Predictor Of Recreational Exercise, Brian Michael Chichester

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Flow state is a valued psychological state of enjoyment and well-being. It is characterized by feelings of intrinsic self-reward and marked by nine dimensions theorized to contribute to flow state. Flow has been studied mostly in elite athletes, whom report highly lucid flow experiences; to a much lesser extent it has been studied in recreational exercisers. Most prior research methodologies involve experience sampling or qualitative techniques, such as interviewing. Only one demonstrably valid and reliable flow instrument is widely available for efficient, quantitative measure of flow experiences. This study measures flow longitudinally in a recreational exercising population by comparing a …

Ecological Influences On Adolescent Behavior, Michelle Moon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study examined the ecological influences, outlined by Bronfenbrenner (1994), to understand adolescent behavior. It was hypothesized that proximal ecological influences would be significantly related to behavioral outcomes. Participants (N= 244) were students attending traditional and continuation high schools in a Southern California school district. They completed a 15-page questionnaire that included scales used to assess the ecological domains of Family Process, Peers, Community (school climate), Personal Characteristics, and the criterion measures of Drug and Alcohol Use, School Performance and Gang and Criminal Activity.

Principal axis factor extraction with oblique rotation was performed on predictor variables related to the ecological …

The Psychological Characteristics Of Obese Children, Thomas Taylor Mitchell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Several studies along with the surgeon general of the United States have identified obesity as a national health issue. Research indicates that adult obesity treatment has relatively poor long-term effects. Consequently increased attention has been given to addressing obesity in children. This focus is particularly vital due to the fact that children are one of the populations showing the most rapid increase in overweight and obesity. The purpose of this study was to identify the some of the unique psychological characteristics of obese children by analyzing the intake data of children and adolescents attending the Loma Linda University Growing Fit …

Prediction Of 1976 Diabetes Incidence From 1960 Animal Product Consumption Among California Seventh-Day Adventists, Arnold Vang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the US has been estimated at more than 16 million individuals (King, 1998). This has led to research into lifestyle practices (Astrup, 2001; Touomilehto, 2001), which has identified several of primary prevention. High fat diet and type 2 diabetes has been attributed to the wellareas known mechanisms of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance (Ferrannini, 1999; Reaven, 1988).

We examined the association between all animal product consumption, specific animal product consumption and diabetes incidence among California Seventh-day Adventists who were cohort members of the Adventist Mortality Study (Kahn, 1984) and the Adventist Health …

Cultural And Psychological Influences On Diabetic Adherence, Keikilani Mcmillin-Williams

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that poses a particular healthcare challenge because progression is considered controllable (Cox, et al, 1985; Vinicor, et al, 1996) yet treatment adherence, and thus outcome, is very poor (Gonder-Frederick, Cox, & Ritterband, 2002; Goodall, 1991). Culture is a lethal risk factor for diabetic contraction and treatment maintenance. Latinos within the United States are two-to-three times more likely to develop complications and die than non-Latinos (Haffner et al, 1996; Rubin, Peyrot, & Saudek, 1991) and are less likely to adhere to treatment (Lipton, Losey, Giachello, Mendez, & Girotti, 1998). Efforts to eliminate health disparities have …

Long-Term Almond Supplementation: Effects On Diet, Eating Patterns, And Satiety In Free-Living Healthy Individuals, Karen Jaceldo-Siegl

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Because of the growing evidence of the cardio protective effect of nuts, examining the potential of nuts as a healthy food choice for the larger population should be considered. The purpose of this 12-month crossover study was to evaluate the impact on diet, eating patterns, and satiety of supplementing a self-selected diet (with little or no nuts) with ~52 g of almonds in free-living healthy males (43) and females (38) between the ages 25 and 70 years. The first six months constituted the control period where subjects followed their habitual diet (HD). During the intervention (second 6 months), subjects were …

Factors Predicting Disrupted Versus Continuous Memory For Child Sexual Abuse, Tami Lorraine Young

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Information regarding the nature of disrupted memory for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is limited. To increase understanding, repressive coping, dissociative tendencies, and characteristics of CSA were measured via survey in college students to determine if they predicted disrupted memory for CSA. Dissociative tendencies, but not repressive coping, predicted disrupted memory. Furthermore, repressive coping and dissociative tendencies were negatively correlated in those with disrupted memory for CSA. Characteristics of CSA loaded onto four factors: less physically intrusive CSA, significantly intrusive CSA, pornographic exploitative CSA and psychological impact of CSA. The psychological impact of CSA factor, greater number of years abused, and …

Are Antinuclear Antibodies And Rheumatiod Factor Positivity More Prevalent In Apparently Healthy Smokers Compared To Ex-Smokers And Never Smokers?, Susan Nyanzi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Context: There is now consistent evidence from population and epidemiological studies that cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), via Rheumatoid Factor (RF) production (Deighton, 1997; Saag, 1997; Silman, 1996; Uhlig, 1999; Wolfe, 2000). Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) are another collection of autoantibodies that are being associated with smoking and RA initiation. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the effects of smoking on both ANA and RF simultaneously in healthy subjects.

Objectives: To determine whether cigarette smoking has an effect on ANA and RF positivity in healthy blood donors.

Design, Setting, Participants: This was a cross-sectional, …

The Role Of Health Promotion In Physical Therapy, Brenda L. Rea

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical therapy practice patterns in four focus areas of Healthy People 2010 (focus area #6, disability and secondary conditions by looking at psychological well-being; focus area #19, nutrition and overweight; focus area #22, physical fitness and activity; focus area #27, tobacco use) and identify self-efficacy and outcome expectations related to those practice patterns across California, New York and Tennessee using Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory as a framework. It was hypothesized that physical therapists’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations in the four focus areas of Healthy People 2010 would be significantly associated with …

Potential Mechanisms Explaining The Antitumor Effect Of Total-Body Irradiation, Glen Michael Miller

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

While numerous reports have documented that radiation exposure increases the risk for malignancy and suppresses immune mechanisms, increasing evidence has suggested that low-dose total-body irradiation (TBI) may alter leukocyte composition and function leading to heightened immune responsiveness and long-term remission of certain cancers. Having observed that moderate-dose TBI produces an antitumor effect in the Lewis lung carcinoma (EEC) model, the major goal of this study was to determine whether changes in tumor growth could be correlated with radiation-induced alterations of immune system parameters. The governing hypothesis was that selective immune augmentation, i.e. upregulation of specific leukocyte subsets, is primarily responsible …

Spiritual Function And Its Relationship To Health-Related Quality Of Life In A Population With Chronic Illness, Holly B. Orozco

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between different aspects of spiritual function (intra- and interpersonal relationships, connectedness to God, and practices) and health-related quality of life, and to determine if perceived spirituality and perceived religiosity were significantly related to spiritual function and health-related quality of life. The study analyzed secondary data collected in the third year of a three year (1997-1999) Ambulatory Care Quality Improvement Project (ACQUIP) of the Veteran's Administration. A sample of 500 male veterans were randomly selected from a larger sub- sample of six Veterans Hospital Administration facilities across the U.S., having one …

The Role Of Meat, Poultry, And Fish Consumption In The Occurrence Of Rheumatoid And Other Forms Of Arthritis, Asnake Hailu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis or rheumatism are now the leading cause of disability in the United States. The etiology and pathogenesis are less understood and available treatment options are not always satisfactory. This dissertation measures the prevalence and cumulative incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis or rheumatism, and examines any associations with current and lifetime consumption of meat, poultry, and fish (meat) using the Adventist Health Study and the Adventist Mortality Study databases. From these databases, it was possible to reconstruct a prospective cohort, obtain self-reported information on demographic characteristics, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, other …

The Dose Response Effect Of Almonds On Serum Vitamin E, Plasma Lipid Fractions And Erythrocyte Phospholipids, Pera Jambazian

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if two different amounts of almonds added to a heart healthy diet would increase vitamin E concentrations in healthy men and women, and reflect positive fatty acid profiles in serum lipids and erythrocytes. Twenty three subjects participated in a crossover metabolic study for a 14 week period. Subjects consumed one of three diets for 4 weeks each, a control diet, a low almond diet and a high almond diet after a 2 week run-in period. All meals were prepared in the test kitchen, and almonds were added to the experimental diets by …