Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Alternations Of Nmda And Gabab Receptor Function In Development: A Potential Animal Model Of Schizophrenia, Monica Bolton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental disorder that affects up to 3% of the world population. The behavioral symptoms are categorized into positive and negative symptoms, which appear during late adolescence/early adulthood. Unfortunately, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the disease are poorly understood. Several hypotheses exist to explain mechanisms contributing to these behavioral alterations. One model proposes that a reduced function of the NMDA glutamate receptor on specific GABAergic interneurons may be responsible for deficits in schizophrenia. Post-mortem investigations provide evidence of reductions in both glutamate and GABA-related proteins in patients with schizophrenia. Further, GABAergic interneurons that are activated …

Evaluation Of An Educational Intervention On Perceptions Of A Patient Safety Culture Among Staff In Acute Care Nursing Units, Cynthia Ann Parkman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Patient safety has always been a central focus of nursing practice. Current research makes it increasingly clear that what occurs in the surrounding health care environment impacts patient safety. The protracted nursing shortage and nurse turnover may adversely affect patient outcomes and are exacerbated by an environment of disruptive behavior, conflict, and poor communication in the nursing workplace. The Joint Commission has identified these behaviors as key elements that jeopardize the "culture of safety" necessary to assure safe, quality patient outcomes. A culture of safety includes the attributes of teamwork, communication openness, collaboration, and a manager's positive focus on prevention …

Using Over-The-Counter Ear Filters As A Treatment To Improve Dizziness And Balance In Patients Diagnosed With A Traumatic Brain, Brandy Sue Whitney

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and purpose: People diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) usually have physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep deficits. Sensory overload is a common symptom of TBI. One treatment prescribed for sensory overload is over the counter ear filters. Ear filters have shown to decrease sensory input. Could the ear filters have an effect on balance and dizziness without much cost to the patient or the clinic?

Subjects: Patients diagnosed with a mild or moderate brain injury, ages of 18-65 years old. They needed to be medically stable, potential to walk, and have complaints of dizziness and/or balance problems.

Methods: …

The Effects Of Chronic Calcium Dysregulation On Behavioral And Pathological Features Of Alzheimer's Disease, Jonathan Sabbagh

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder whose etiology is unknown. Recent studies have implicated alterations in calcium homeostasis as a pathogenic contributor to AD. Calcium dysregulation has been observed in aged and AD brains, an event which could potentially facilitate the development of multiple pathologies observed in AD. Specifically, disrupting intracellular calcium levels in vitro has been demonstrated to increase amyloid-beta (Aβ) production, tau phosphorylation, and neuronal loss. However, there is a paucity of data on the behavioral and biochemical consequences of chronic in vivo perturbation of calcium homeostasis. In a series of experiments designed to evaluate the …

Oxidative Stress For An Acute Bout Of Bikram Yoga In Healthy, Trained Adults, Kimberly Anne Trocio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

BACKGROUND:Generation of free radicals resulting in oxidative damage has been linked to cellular damage, aging, and human disease. Many studies have reported that physical exercise can contribute to oxidative stress. Further, exercise in a hyperthermic environment can promote additional oxidative stress. It is important to consider that practices in yoga may be beneficial in reducing oxidative stress according to some studies. The compound effects of exercise and hyperthermic exposure are experienced in the practice of Bikram yoga, the original "hot" yoga. Because Bikram yoga and other hot exercise classes are an increasingly growing fitness trend, it is necessary to investigate …

Effect Of Racing Flats On Running Economy In Male Adolescent Runners, Paul Hafen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether running economy differs in racing flats versus standard running shoes in high school cross-country runners. In order to measure running economy the oxygen cost of running (mL O₂∙kg^-1∙min^-1) was measured in 20 male adolescent runners (mean age = 16.25 ± 0.97 years, 5 km best time = 17.52 ± 0.78 min) when running two separate trials at a controlled speed. The speed was determined by estimating treadmill running speed at 85% of each runner's VO_2max. Each trial required the participants to run while …

Closed Loop Control Of A Cylindrical Tube Type Ionic Polymer Metal Composite (Ipmc), Benjamin Mead

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this research is to provide a framework for the integration of tube type, cylindrical Ionic Polymer Metal-Composite (IPMC) into conventional devices. IPMCs are one of the most widely used types of electro-active polymer actuator, due to their low electric driving potential and large deformation range. For this research a tube type IPMC was investigated. This IPMC has a circular cross section with four separate electrodes on its surface and a hole through the middle. The four electrodes allow for biaxial bending and accurate control of the tip location. One of the main advantages of using this type …