Life Sciences Commons^™

Benefits And Barriers To Hiv Testing In A Population Of Federal Detention Inmates, Nicole A. Knight

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Voluntary HIV testing in combination with early medical intervention has been shown to be effective in reducing the rate of new infections and improving the health and life expectancy of those living with HIV. There are however several high-risk populations in the US that remain largely unreached by HIV testing efforts, some of which could be reached while they spend time in prison or jail. Per current Bureau of Prisons (BOP) policy, HIV testing is routinely offered only to “high risk” pretrial and sentenced inmates. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 721 pretrial and sentenced inmates who entered a large …

The Efficacy Of An Audio Program And Discussion Guide In Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding In Cameroon, Africa, Kathryn R. Reinsma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: In the Northwest Region of Cameroon, approximately 90% of women initiate breastfeeding; however, only 34% continue exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months (Kakute, et al., 2005; WHO, 2008). Entertainment-education is a mass-media communication strategy of placing educational information into media such as television programs, movies, and radio programs (Siegel & Lotenberg, 2007). This form of behavioral change communication has proven effective in addressing health-related issues in developing countries.

Purpose: The aim was to design an audio program and discussion guide to test the hypothesis that an audio program and discussion guide improves exclusive breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs, benefits, self-efficacy, …

Microct Study Of Critical-Sized Defects Restored With A New Rhbmp-2 Carrier, Joanne S. Kim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Regenerating bone in critical-sized maxillofacial osseous defects remains a challenge. The utilization of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) to form new bone has been shown to be a promising alternative to autogenous bone grafts, and the development of a carrier matrix to effectively deliver the rhBMP-2 has been identified as the critical factor necessary for the successful clinical application of rhBMP-2. The objective of this study was to perform a microCT analysis to examine the density of reconstructed bone using different rhBMP-2 carriers in critical-sized defects.

Material and Methods: Critical-sized defects (approximately 2.5 cm) were created in the …

Impact Of Ambient Air Pollution On Survival Of Renal Transplant Recipients, Rhonda Kristine Hwang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

There is increasing evidence that ambient air pollution is associated with coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. This research has focused on the general public and less so on possible sensitive subgroups even though these may have even greater susceptibility to adverse effects of ambient air pollution. With highly prevalent traditional as well as nontraditional risk factors, renal transplant recipients may potentially be a sensitive subgroup. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible effect of between long-term exposure to air pollution on the risk of CHD mortality among renal transplant recipients. This cohort study includes 32,239 adult, …

The Effects Of Physical Activity And Nutrient Intake On The Risk Of Hip Fracture : Results From The Adventist Health Study-2, Wen-Ling Liao

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This is a two year of follow up study of Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2). We assessed the association between physical activity, nutrient intake and risk of hip fracture among peri- and post menopausal Caucasian women using unconditional logistic regression models. All subjects completed a lifestyle questionnaire which including information of physical activity and frequency and portion size of food intake at enrollment into the study (2002-2007). The “Bi-Annual Hospitalization History” questionnaire which included a question about hip fractures due to minor trauma/falls was sent to subjects approximately two years after enrollment, with a response rat of 82.84%. In this cohort, …

Anthropometric Parameters Of Under-Five Years Old Children With Different Dietary Habits In Ukambani Region : A Study In Eastern Rural Kenya, Hellen M. Ndiku

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The objective of this descriptive cross sectional study was to assess dietary intake and nutritional status of children under-five years in two rural sites of Eastern Kenya where the staple cereals may differ. A modified rapid, knowledge, practice and coverage (KPC) questionnaire and a 24-hr dietary recall form were used to collect the data. A total of 403 households were surveyed from four randomly selected divisions. This yielded 629 surrogate 24-hr dietary recalls of children < 5 years with 314 from Mwingi district and 315 from Makueni district (49 % boys and 51 % girls).

Statistical analysis was done using SPSS and SAS. Comparison of means was done using t- test and chi square was used for proportions. The 24-hr …

The Influence Of Familism On Descriptive And Injunctive Norms In Predicting The Intention To Eat A Vegetarian Diet Among Chinese Seventh-Day Adventists, See Wei Toh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

According to the theory of planned behavior (TpB), one determinant of intention to engage in a behavior is the subjective norm. Various studies have found that subjective norm is often the weaker predictor of intention compared to perceived behavioral control and attitude. This study examined whether familism (emphasis on the family rather than the individual) would contribute positively to the predictive power of the TpB model through interactions with the family portion of descriptive and injunctive norms. Descriptive and injunctive norms are component variables of the subjective norm. A sample of 284 adult Chinese Seventh-day Adventists 18 years and older …

The Comparative Radiopacity Between Primary And Permanent Teeth, Robert C. Lee

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: This in vitro study compared the radiopacity between human primary and permanent enamel and dentin. It also compared the radiopacity between human anterior and posterior teeth.

Methods: Extracted primary and permanent teeth were used in this study. One mm enamel and one mm dentin slices were cut from each extracted tooth. Radiographs were taken of each enamel and dentin specimen 1 mm in thickness along with an aluminum step-wedge using procedures specified in International Standards Organization (ISO) 4049:2000. A densitometer was used to measure the Optical Density (OD) of the radiographs of the specimen and the accompanying aluminum step-wedge. …

Comparison Of Microleakage In Three Sealant Placement Protocols Vs. The Enamel Loc System, Audrey T. Sheu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

PURPOSE: To evaluate sealant microleakage using four different application techniques.

METHODS: The four application techniques evaluated were acid etch only, Adper L-Pop bonding, Optibond bonding, and Enamel Loc One-Step Sealant. Sixty-four extracted third molar teeth were assigned on one of four application techniques (n=16) and Clinpro sealants applied according to the manufacturer's instructions. The teeth were thermocycled for 500 cycles, dyed, and embedded in resin. The samples were then sectioned and evaluated for microleakage on the buccal and lingual surfaces. Statistical methods employed to analyze the data were the Kruskal-Willis rank test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: No significant …

In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy Of Calcium Hydroxides In Root Dentin, Josef W. Lubisich

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Enterococcus faecalis is the most commonly isolated bacteria in failed root canal treatment. Endodontic intracanal medicaments are commonly tested using standardized bovine cylinders infected with bacteria. The literature is not clear on whether calcium hydroxides are able to remove E. faecalis from the dentinal tubules. One reason for this is that there are several varying forms of calcium hydroxide commonly used. The purpose of the present experiment was to determine whether four commonly used calcium hydroxide products were able to reduce E. faecalis from four incremental samples of dentin and to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between …

The Effect Of Calcium Hydroxide Pastes On Root Dentin Fracture Resistance, Kurt W. Sturz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Calcium hydroxide is a common intracanal medicament used in the treatment of immature teeth that have been subjected to trauma or decay prior to root canal therapy. The effect of calcium hydroxide on immature root dentin is important. One area of concern is the effect that calcium hydroxide has on the fracture resistance of an immature tooth. It is the aim of this study to compare the effect of four different commercially available calcium hydroxide pastes on the fracture resistance of bovine teeth. Seventy-five freshly extracted, intact bovine incisors were prepared according to a modified Haapasalo and Orstavik technique. Each …

Effects Of Diabetes Mellitus On The Healing Of The Dental Pulp, Stuart Evan Garber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has been implicated as a factor affecting healing. The purpose of this study was to use the healing of experimentally exposed pulps subsequent to pulp capping as a model to determine the effect of DM on healing.

Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups of eleven animals each. In one group, DM was induced by injection of 70 mg/KG of streptozotocin. In the other group, the animals were injected with sterile saline. Under anesthesia with Ketamine and Xylazine, the pulps of the maxillary first molars of all rats were exposed using a 1/16 round bur under …

The Effect Of Naocl, Ca(Oh)2, Mta And Mtad On Root Dentin Fracture Resistance, Sunil Ilapogu

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Various materials are used for the treatment of immature teeth that have been subjected to trauma or decay. It is not well established what effect these materials may have on the immature root dentin. A concern would be the resistance to fracture of the remaining root dentin. The purpose of this study was to compare the resistance of fracture of bovine teeth treated with sodium hypochlorite, calcium hydroxide, gray MTA and gray MTA in conjunction with MTAD after certain periods of time. One hundred and ninety five freshly extracted, intact bovine incisors were prepared using a modified Haapasalo and Orstavik …

Condylar Remodeling After Distraction Osteogenesis And Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy, Robert Barker Hoffman

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The present pilot study is a histological evaluation of mandibular condyles taken from minipigs that underwent either traditional mandibular advancement (bilateral sagittal split osteotomy), or a distraction osteogenesis procedure to advance the mandible. One pig received a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy with an immediate mandibular advancement of 14 mm, while another pig underwent distraction osteogenesis consisting of a gradual advancement of 2 mm per day to advance the mandible the same distance. The control animal received no surgery.

In the present study, the mandibular condyles of the three pigs (2 control, 2 bilateral sagittal split osteotomy, and 2 distraction osteogenesis) …

Relative Validity Of A Food Frequency Questionnaire Used To Assess Food And Nutrient Intake In A Dietary Intervention Study, Gina Segovia Siapco

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Food frequency questionnaire is a cost effective alternative for measuring dietary intake when conducting large scale surveys. We investigated the validity of a 171-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in assessing food and nutrient intakes and the prescribed intervention measure during a randomized field trial. Eighty-seven free-living adults (48 females and 39 males) aged 30-72 years provided dietary information by self-administering the Walnut Study Dietary Assessment Questionnaire (WSDAQ), which assessed intake over the past six months, and through seven unannounced non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls by telephone. Participants were randomly assigned to either a walnut or habitual diet at baseline. For six …

Comparison Of Bracket Bond Strength By Total, Self-Etch And Laser Treatment, Kyo Sung Shawn Kim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Laser etching of enamel surfaces alters the physical and chemical characteristics of the enamel. These changes in characteristics enhance the bonding to enamel. The purpose of this study was to compare the shear and tensile bond strength of Er,Cr:YSGG hydrokinetic laser system (Biolase) with 37% phosphoric acid and self etching primer 30 minutes and 72 hours after bonding. Four different laser power output setting was observed: 1.5W, 2.0W, 2.5W, and 3.0W. Two hundred forty bovine teeth free of defect, caries, and dentin exposure were mounted in acrylic resin and divided into 24 groups of 10 teeth. Sixteen groups of 10 …

A Bond Strength Comparison Of Led And Halogen Light Curing Units, John Richard Kavanagh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this research was to compare the tensile bond strength of orthodontic flat based buttons bonded to bovine teeth with four commercial light-emitting diode (LED) curing lights and one conventional quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) curing light.

The dental market has recently been introduced to a number of commercially available light-emitting diode (LED) curing lights. Tensile bond strength was evaluated for LED curing lights (Rembrandt® Allegro^TM, Den-Mat Corp, Santa Maria, CA), (LEDemetron, Kerr/Demetron Corp, Danbury, Conn), (Ortholux LED, 3M^TMESPE^TM, St. Paul, MN),and (FLASH-lite 1001, Discus Dental, Culver City, CA) are compared with one …

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 …

Il-10 And Alveolar Bone Loss, Abdulaziz Saud Al-Rasheed

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with anti-inflammatory activities. IL-10 knockout (KO) mice exhibit severe intestinal inflammation in the presence of normal gut flora. We hypothesized that IL-10 KO mice would also be susceptible to inflammatory periodontal disease resulting in alveolar bone loss (ABL). The purpose of this study was to compare naturally occurring ABL in IL-10 KO and wild type (WT) mice. Twelve IL-10 KO and 12 WT mice, age-(7 months) and sex-(male) matched, were used. Half of the mice were on 129/SvEv and half on C57BL/6J background. Animal heads were defleshed and treated to remove all organic material. ABL …

Peer Nutrition Education: A Model For Nutrition Education Among Spanish-Language Participants Of The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program For Women, Infants And Children (Wic), Maximino Alfredo Mejía

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Despite the steady improvement in the health status of Americans, Hispanics are a minority in the United States with greater prevalence of several infectious and chronic diseases and less health knowledge than the average citizen. Nearly half of the Hispanics living in this country die of preventable nutrition-related conditions, with heart disease and cancer being the leading causes. Since this minority has limited access to health care and preventive services, there is a need for an inexpensive, viable model of health education for this underserved segment of the population in order to lower the excess of preventable diseases. We trained …

Optimum Bonding Time Of Four Different Curing Lights, Nathan Don Cotten

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With the development of new high-intensity curing lights, the time required to bond orthodontic brackets is steadily decreasing. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum curing time for bonding orthodontic brackets using four different visible curing lights (Standard Optilux 501, High Intensity Optilux 501 with Turbo Tip, Virtuoso Plasma Arc, and ESPE LED light). This study also tested the new generation of light emitting diode (LED) lights to determine if they can be used for bonding orthodontic brackets. Three hundred freshly extracted bovine teeth were mounted in acrylic resin and divided into 20 groups of 15 teeth …

Predicting Milk And Soft Drink Consumption Among Female Adolescents Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Nada Osman Kassem

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A total of 756 female adolescents, aged 13 to 18 years, from five public high schools in Antelope Valley Union High School District located in North Los Angeles County participated in this study between February 1999 and March 1999. The ethnic composition was 53.3% White/Anglo Americans, 19.3% Hispanics or Latinos and 10.2% Black/African Americans. The constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control and their underlying beliefs) were assessed to determine the predictors of low-fat milk and regular soda consumption. A cross-sectional design with group-administered questionnaires was utilized.

Most participants (89.6%, n = 636) …

A Pilot Study Testing A Proprietary Sealant For Plaque Reduction, Jennifer Rowland

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Enamel demineralization due to increased plaque accumulation is a well-recognized problem associated with fixed orthodontic appliances. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a proprietary product to be marketed by 3M Unitek for the reduction of plaque accumulation and thereby reduce enamel demineralization.

Sixty four bovine teeth were divided equally into an untreated control group and a group treated with the proprietary sealant product. Both groups were subsequently immersed in a Streptococcus mutans culture. Plaque deposits from each group were removed, suspended in trypticase soy broth, serially diluted, and plated on trypticase soy agar at 1, …

Association Between Nutrient Intake And Risk Of Coronary Heart Disease In California Seventh-Day Adventists, Peter Pribiš

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Dietary habits are believed to be major determinants of risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Studies of high and low risk populations have suggested several nutrients to be protective or hazardous against CHD. Most published work since 1984 on diet and CHD in the Adventist Health Study (AHS) population examined either foods or food groups. This study investigated ten nutrients as exposure variables and their relationship to CHD risk. A cohort of 23,616 nonsmoking, non-Hispanic white California Seventh-day Adventists was followed for six years beginning in 1976. Extensive dietary information was collected at baseline, as well as values of traditional …

Periodontal Repair In Dogs : Evaluation Of Rhbmp-2 Carriers, Lauralee Nygaard

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study evaluated candidate carriers for recombinant human bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in periodontal reconstructive surgery.

Canine demineralized bone matrix (DBM), bovine inorganic crystallene bone matrix (Bio-Oss), bovine derived microfibrillar collagen matrix (Helistat), poly (D,L-lactide-coglycolide) micropaiticles (PLGA), and polylactic acid granules (Drilac) were used with rhBMP-2 (20 (µg/100 µl implant volume) in routine critical size canine supraalveolar periodontal defects. Contralateral defects in six beagle dogs were randomly assigned to receive: DBM/rhBMP-2, DBM-control, Bio-Oss/rhBMP-2, Helistat/rhBMP-2, PLGA/rhBMP-2, or Drilac/rhBMP-2, all with autologous blood except for Helistat and PLGA. Animals were sacrificed eight weeks post-surgery and block sections of the defects were processed …

The Relationship Of Dietary And Lifestyle Factors To Bone Mineral Density Of Healthy Singaporean Chinese Women, Ampai Dana Aimsiri

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Few studies have examined the risk factors associated with reduced bone mass in Asians, but none specifically investigated Singaporean Chinese women. The subjects in this study were 16 premenopausal, 8 perimenopausal and 13 postmenopausal women who participated in a larger study which began in 1986. Bone density was measured in 1986 and 1992. Dietary and lifestyle data were collected for this study by personal interview. Association between dietary and lifestyle factors and bone density variables and change in bone density at the end of the 6 year period were assessed by univariate regression analyses.

Postmenopausal women had significantly lower baseline …

Militarywide Survey Of Whole-Grain Food Products And Total Dietary Fiber Analysis Of The Military Ration, John Paul Warber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Numerous scientific bodies have made the recommendation to increase consumption of whole-grain breads and cereals. This study used a telephone survey to assess the availability of whole-grain foods in a random selection of 109 military installations and 30 military hospitals. Surveyed installations represent over 70% of the active duty military population assigned in the continental United States.

Military food service specialists were asked questions regarding the availability of the following whole-grain products: bread, rolls, buns, flour, pancake mix, brown rice, and ready-to-eat cereals (RTE). They were then asked to read the product ingredient list to validate their perceptions. Perceived availability …

Measurement Of Blood Flow In Reflected Muco-Gingival Tissue Flaps In Cats : Using The Radiolabeled Microsphere Method, Gary T. Wuchenrich

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Blood flow to the maxilla and mandible may vary due to differences in vascular supply and in physiologic, metabolic and pathologic conditions. In general it is accepted that oral tissues have an abundant blood supply; however, there is little information quantifying blood flow to these regions. In this study, the maxillary tissues were chosen to measure the blood flow in attached and reflected gingival tissue in adult cats using the radiolabeled microsphere method.

Sixteen cats with permanent dentition, clean mouths, and without inflamed gingiva upon visual inspection were used and divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of six cats …

A Non-Human Primate Model For Evaluating A Fenestration Corticotomy Technique, Philip G. M. Khng

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A study model has been designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a new fenestration corticotomy procedure in two non-human primates Macaca fasicularis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new conservative corticotomy procedure to facilitate dental translation using fenestrations. This pilot study compared treatment and control quadrants of each individual animal's maxilla and mandible with both having the same retraction appliance and force on the 2nd premolar following extraction of the 1st molars. The null hypothesis stated that there was no significant statistical difference between the new conservative corticotomy procedure (fenestrations) when compared with …

A Flow Cytometric Analysis Of Immunocyte Populations In Peripheral Blood And Pleural Effusions Of Patients With Cancer, Mandy L. Bohn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Two-color flow cytometric analysis was performed on paired samples of peripheral blood (PB) and pleural effusions (PE) of patients with metastatic malignancies. The purpose of these analyses was to test the hypothesis that there are significant differences in the distribution of immunocyte populations in the PE compared to that of the PB.

The majority of the pleural fluid immunocytes were CD3+ cells. The ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells was higher in the PE compared to PB. Levels of CD8+, CD19+ and CD14+ cells were not significantly different in the PE compared to the levels in the PB. CD16+CD56+ cells …