Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of Cyp2a5 In Cadmium-Induced Liver Injury, Julia Salamat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cadmium is present in food and groundwater. Tobacco smoking and occupational exposure are also major sources for cadmium. Cadmium is primarily accumulated in liver, a major organ metabolizing exogenous chemicals. Chemical metabolism may cause detoxification, but it can also cause bio-activation resulting in liver damage. Cytochrome P450s (CYP) are major liver metabolism enzymes, and cadmium chloride (CdCl2) can induce CYP2A5 in mice. We examined the effect of CYP2A5 on CdCl2-induced liver injury using CYP2A5-knockout (cyp2a5-/-) mice. The cyp2a5-/- mice and their control WT mice were injected CdCl2 intraperitoneally at 5 mg/kg body weight, respectively, to induce liver injury. …

Dreadd Targeting Projections From The Nucleus Accumbens To The Ventral Pallidum With Nicotine Self-Administration, Amanda Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Projections from the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) to the Ventral Pallidum (VP) play a critical role in motivation and reward. Rewards and reward-associated cues are thought to alter this pathway by suppressing GABA release to the VP, however, the role of the NAc to VP pathway has never been investigated with regard to nicotine self-administration. We hypothesized that increasing GABAergic signaling from the NAc to the VP would decrease the reinforcing effects of nicotine. To increase GABA release, CRE dependent DREADD was expressed in the NAc of male rats. Administration of low dose clozapine activated the DREADD receptor and showed a …

The Study Of Alcoholic Liver Diseases, Seun Emmanuel Owoseni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Excessive alcohol consumption is the primary contributing factor in the development of alcoholic liver diseases (ALD). Nicotine contained in tobacco is a major addictive alkaloid, which enhances the effects of ALDs. The major enzyme involved in nicotine metabolism is cytochrome P450 2A5 (CYP2A5) which is produced in the liver. Alcohol can stimulate the CYP2A5 enzyme. We utilized cyp2a5-/- knockout mice in this research to examine the effects of CYP2A5.

The cyp2a5-/- mice and wild-type (WT) mice were fed liquid ethanol diet with or without nicotine to induce ALD. Nicotine enhancing effects on ALD were observed in WT mice but not …

Comparisons Between Movement Onset Identification Methods Used In Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Test, Junshi Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aimed to explore the usefulness of using force derivatives for onset detection in the isometric mid-thigh pull test. First, we examined applications of three differential calculus principles, first and second derivative, and curvature using visual detection as a reference under different baseline conditions. Second, we compared the best derivative method to a threshold-based method using visual detection as a reference. Results of our first investigation showed trivial differences between many differential calculus methods and visual detection. However, statistical differences exceeding a trivial effect was observed when instantaneous force and rate of force develop were examined. Through the first …

The Ecology Of Fecal Indicators, Dennis A. Gilfillan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Animal and human wastes introduce pathogens into rivers and streams, creating human health and economic burdens. While direct monitoring for pathogens is possible, it is impractical due to the sporadic distribution of pathogens, cost to identify, and health risks to laboratory workers. To overcome these issues, fecal indicator organisms are used to estimate the presence of pathogens. Although fecal indicators generally protect public health, they fall short in their utility because of difficulties in public health risk characterization, inconsistent correlations with pathogens, weak source identification, and their potential to persist in environments with no point sources of fecal pollution. This …

Virulence Regulation In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Via The Alginate Regulators, Algu And Algr, The Posttranscriptional Regulator, Rsma, And The Two-Component System, Algz/R, Sean Stacey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative bacillus able to colonize a wide variety of environments. In the human host, P. aeruginosa can establish an acute infection or persist and create a chronic infection. P. aeruginosa is able to establish a niche and persist in human hosts by using a wide array of virulence factors used for: movement, killing host cells, and evading immune cells and antibiotics. Understanding virulence factors and their regulation has proved to be an important means of combating the morbidity and mortality of P. aeruginosa as well as the ever-increasing threat of drug resistance. By targeting virulence factors …

The Role Of Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine In Urogenital Chlamydial Infection, Jessica R. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These …

Comparison Of Muscle Physiology And Performance Outcomes From Either Relative Intensity Or Repetition Maximum Training, Kevin Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this dissertation was to compare performance and physiological outcomes of between a repetition maximum (RM) and a relative intensity using sets-and-repetitions (RI_SR) resistance training (RT) program in well-trained lifters. Fifteen subjects underwent RT 3 d·wk^-1 for 10-weeks in either a RM group (n=8) or RI_SR group (n=7). The RM group achieved a relative maximum each day while the RI_SR group trained based on percentages. Testing included percutaneous needle biopsies of the vastus lateralis, ultrasonography, unweighted (g to assess within and between-group alterations. RI_SR from pre-to-post yielded statistically significant increases in …

Preparing For A National Weightlifting Championship: A Case Series, Spencer K. Travis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to observe psychological, physiological, and performance changes to determine when two high-level weightlifters were peaked for a major competition. We addressed this purpose by conducting a two-part case study series with one USA international level female and one USA national level male weightlifter. Both athletes were considered to be peaked on competition day. The results support our hypothesis that jumping performance would be peaked on competition day corresponding with an increased recovery and decreased stress state. However, contrary to our hypothesis, each athlete exhibited small decreases in muscle size leading into the competition relative …

3d-Printed Fluidic Devices And Incorporated Graphite Electrodes For Electrochemical Immunoassay Of Biomarker Proteins, Abdulhameed Alabdulwaheed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomarkers are measurable indicators of health status or disease state that can be used for diagnosis and may help guide patient treatment strategies. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and other many clinical techniques currently used for measuring biomarker proteins lack sensitivity, demand high analysis cost, are often not well-suited for measuring multiple biomarkers in a single sample, and require long analysis times. Here, we demonstrate simple, low-cost 3D-printed flow-through devices with integrated electrodes modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for electrochemical immunoassays of S100B, a biomarker protein related to conditions like skin cancer and brain injuries. Flow-through devices are fabricated from photocurable-resin …

Fascicle Arrangement In College-Aged Athletes, Jacob Goodin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To compare muscle architecture variables between sport and sex in competitive athletes, and to compare muscle architecture with performance variables in strong versus weak athletes, and good versus poor jumpers. Methods: The vastus lateralis (VL) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles of 139 collegiate athletes were collected using ultrasonography to determine muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), fascicle length (FL), and relative fascicle length (FL_rel). Absolute and relative peak power, absolute and relative isometric peak force, and jump height were measured in a subset of baseball and soccer athletes. A 5x2 factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used …

Do Healthcare Students Endorsing Stigma Of Mental Illness Screen For Suicidal Ideation? An Evaluation Of Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors, Dannel K. Petgrave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The stigma of mental illness endorsed by healthcare professionals has been linked to adverse outcomes. This issue underscores the need for early anti-stigma interventions in the context of professional training. The present study measured stigma change and suicide screening behaviors among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students enrolled in an interprofessional Communication Skills for Healthcare Professionals course. The Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS; Evans-Lacko et al., 2010), Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC; Modgill, Patten, Knaak, Kassam, & Szeto, 2014), and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale Form C (M-C SDS Form C; Reynolds, 1982) was administered at baseline (T …

Hiv Integrase Inhibitor Pharmacogenetics And Clinical Outcomes: An Exploratory Association Study, Derek E. Murrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As HIV is now primarily a chronic condition, treatment is given life-long with changes as necessitated by alterations in tolerability and efficacy. Thus, personalized medicine may be useful in the prevention of unnecessary drug exposure and avoidable side effects. Three of the four currently available HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), raltegravir, elvitegravir, and dolutegravir, are widely utilized antiretrovirals in the USA and exhibit variations in outcomes among subjects. To interrogate differences among subjects receiving these drugs, we investigated the association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with drug exposure, clinical outcomes, and subject-reported adverse events. HIV+ adults (≥18 years …

Effect Of Root Cause Analysis On Pre-Licensure, Senior-Level Nursing Students’ Safe Medication Administration Practices, Kristi Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine if student nurse participation in root cause analysis has the potential to reduce harm to patients from medication errors by increasing student nurse sensitivity to signal and responder bias.

Background: Schools of nursing have traditionally relied on strategies that focus on individual characteristics and responsibility to prevent harm to patients. The modern patient safety movement encourages utilization of systems theory strategies like Root Cause Analysis (RCA). The Patient Risk Detection Theory (Despins, Scott-Cawiezell, & Rouder, 2010) supports the use of nurse training to reduce harm to patients.

Method. Descriptive and …

Cluster Set Loading In The Back Squat: Kinetic And Kinematic Implications, Alexander Wetmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetic and kinematic implications of cluster loading as a resistance training programming tactic. Cluster loading involves introducing rest during a set which may allow athletes to train at higher absolute intensities. Eleven trained males were recruited for this study. Subjects completed two testing sessions consisting of three sets of five back squats at 80% of their one repetition maximum. Cluster loading included 30s of inter-repetition rest. All testing was done on dualforce plates with four linear position transducers. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine differences between conditions with Cohen’s d …

Rediscovering The Art Of Nursing For Nursing Practice, Deborah Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The art of nursing is discussed throughout nursing literature but research on the topic is lacking. The purpose of this research was to reveal experiences of the art of nursing. Nurses were asked to describe experiences about the art of nursing from their own nursing practice. This study was qualitative in nature and used a phenomenological approach to answer the research question, “What is the experience of the art of nursing in nursing practice?” The study was guided by the philosophical stance of Merleau-Ponty and the research strategies of Thomas and Pollio. Participants included nurses who had experience using the …

Relationship Of The Srss Questionnaire With Physiological And Performance Measures, Alec Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall purpose of this thesis was to validate the SRSS questionnaire. This was accomplished by conducting a single investigation using eleven well-trained weightlifters with at least one year of competition experience. These weightlifters completed five testing sessions over the course of five microcycles leading up to a competition. Every testing session took place on Monday morning prior to regular training and included: hydration testing, SRSS questionnaire, blood draws followed by a standardized warm-up protocol and squat jumps (SJ) with 0kg and 20kg. While the majority of SRSS recovery and stress items did not change with changes in VL or …

Patients’ Perceptions Of Patient-Centered Care And The Hospital Experience Pre- And Post-Discharge, Cheryl Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florence Nightingale used the principles of patient-centered care as the foundation for nursing practice. Today, patient-centered care delivery is part of the healthcare reform process that extends interprofessionally throughout all settings of healthcare in the United States (U.S.). Patient satisfaction measurement is one primary determinant of effective patient-centered care. The standardized Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey and methods is a nation-wide tool used to measure patient satisfaction. However, this method of patient satisfaction assessment relies on recollections of patients’ hospital experiences and requires accurate memory and recall. This study sought to examine the effect of …

An Exploratory Study Of Military Management Practices, Physical Activity, And The Prevalence Of Shin Splints In Rotc Cadets, Jakayla Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS, Shin splints) is very common in military personnel accounting for up to 35% of incidences, which is almost twice the incidence seen in the average active individual. Each year there is in increase number of injuries in Army recruits. Though Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs are known for commissioning approximately 60% of 2^nd Lieutenants and 40% of generals on active Army duty, no research has been done examining MTSS occurrences in relation to military management practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between military management practices and …

Assessing Readiness For Group Therapy In Primary Care: An Initial Survey Exploring Need, Philip Randall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Primary care providers have become the front line of treatment for mental health in the United States. Group interventions have been argued to be an effective way to treat more patients with fewer resources, which could reduce the burden of psychopathology on primary care settings. Group therapy faces many barriers to successful implementation in primary care, including site constraints, provider perceptions, population needs, and recruiting difficulties. A survey was developed to assess primary care providers’ perspectives on these areas and distributed via online survey to practitioners in Appalachia; 28 providers responded. No hypotheses were supported, likely a result of the …

Evaluating Socially Determined Health In Rural Appalachia: Use Of The Social Quality Theory, Paula Masters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

People living in rural America face unique social circumstances that can prevent them from reaching optimal health status. This fact holds especially true in the rural Appalachian region of the United States where income, education, living circumstances, and lack of resources create an environment that has some of the highest rates of morbidity and mortality in the country. While the rest of the country has seen improvement in many health behaviors and health outcomes, rural Appalachian communities remain unchanged and further behind other regions. In many cases, programming and policy have failed to create a culture of health in Appalachia. …

The Combined Neuropharmacology And Toxicology Of Major 'Bath Salts' Constituents Mdpv, Mephedrone, And Methylone, Serena Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The synthetic cathinones, 3,4- methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), and 3,4- methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone), gained worldwide notoriety as the psychoactive components of ‘bath salts;’ a marketing term used to circumvent federal drug laws and permit their legal sale. Previous studies have shown that these drugs share pharmacological characteristics with cocaine and the amphetamines, however, descriptions of their neurotoxic properties are limited. Moreover, while forensic analysis has revealed that the most frequently abused bath salts ‘brands’ contain binary and ternary mixtures of MDPV, mephedrone, and methylone, the majority of preclinical research has focused on explicating the individual effects of these drugs. Therefore, the …

Success Rates Of Second Semester Anatomy Students In Online And On-Ground Classes At A Community College In East Tennessee, William Sproat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educators expect the number of institutions offering online courses and the number of students enrolling in these courses to increase as many students, particularly nontraditional students, discover the advantages of online content delivery. Online courses require new methods of communication between students and faculty as well as discovering new ways to build relationships, earn student trust, conduct appropriate assessment, and deliver useful course content. Many institutions—public, private, and for-profit—offer a wide variety of online coursework but faculty, employers, and the public have expressed concerns about the quality of online course content. In particular, online delivery of coursework in the natural …

A Survey Of The Implementation And Usage Of Electronic Dental Records And Digital Radiographs In Private Dental Practices In Mississippi, Barbara K. Brent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Implementation of electronic health records by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health has led to the implementation of electronic dental records (EDRs) and digital radiography in dental offices. The purpose of this study was to determine the state of the implementation and usage of EDRs and digital radiographs by the private general and pediatric dental practices in Mississippi as well as reasons why the dental practices are not moving forward with the advanced technology.

A survey was emailed to 712 dental practices: 116 responded (16% response rate), and 104 consented to participate (89.66%). Results indicated dental practices …

Hiv-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors In Two Low Resource Settings, Candice Lynn Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) outbreaks occurred almost simultaneously in the United States (US) (2014-2015) and in Cambodia (2015). Information is lacking on HIV-related knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, and high-risk behaviors (KAB) among the general population, which may affect the transmission of HIV and lead to outbreaks. The current study aimed to: 1) assess KAB among the general population in a high-risk county in the US, 2) analyze KAB among the general population of Cambodia, and 3) compare KAB across samples from a high-risk county in Northeast Tennessee and a province in Cambodia. Tennessee data were collected in 2017 and Cambodian …

Exploration Of Rape Myths Among Former Military Professionals, Gabrielle Caldara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual violence is sometimes considered a taboo topic for discussion, but it gained widespread attention in the media in late 2017 due to the social movements addressing the sexual assault of women. However, sexual violence perpetrated against men lacks publicity in America, and highlights a similar situation in the Armed Forces. A discussion of sexually violent acts committed against men is sometimes impeded by cultural norms. This discrepancy associated with civilian and military communities inspired this exploratory study.

A convenience sample of 520 former American military professionals completed an anonymous online survey to describe their attitudes and beliefs regarding rape …

A Role Of Vitamin B2 In Reducing Amyloid-Beta Toxicity In A Caenorhabditis Elegans Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Muhammad Tukur Ameen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with amyloid-beta peptide deposition and loss of mitochondrial function. Using a transgenic C. elegans AD worm model expressing amyloid-beta in body wall muscle, we determined that supplementation with either of the forms of vitamin B₂, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) or flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) protected against amyloid-beta mediated paralysis. FMN and FAD were then assayed to determine effects on ATP, oxygen consumption, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) with these compounds not significantly improving any of these mitochondrial bioenergetic functions. Knockdown of the daf-16/FOXO transcriptional regulator or the FAD synthase enzyme completely abrogated the …

Context, Delivery, And Providers’ Perspectives Of Family Life Education In Tn, Usa, Ruby Yadav

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2015, TN had the 9^th highest teen birth rate in the United States. School-based sex education programs have shown promise in curbing teen pregnancy rates. In TN public schools, sex education could be taught by teachers of subjects like biology, health education, or invited guests from ministries, or national or local nonprofit agencies. The content, rigor, and approach of sex education taught by these diverse groups of providers remains unknown. This pilot study tested a survey questionnaire and methodology, while providing information on the providers’ sex education practices and perspectives.

We adapted validated measures from past sex education …

Vocal Health: Awareness And Perceptions In Undergraduate Vocal Music And Theatre Majors, Heather Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of students majoring in vocal music and theatre regarding the instruction they receive in their undergraduate curricula on voice health education.

Methods: A survey was adapted from a previous study, Beeman (2016), with permission by the author. The survey was disseminated to undergraduate vocal music and theatre majors across the United States via SurveyMonkey®, an online survey tool.

Results: Students perceived receiving knowledge on vocal health from their voice teachers, however they reported low levels of vocal hygiene compliance. Additionally, students recognized the connection between the singing and speaking …