Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Assessment Of Lipid Extraction From Human Bone On Subsequent Demineralization, Jaeeun Lee

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of various solvents m removal of lipids from human bone, and to determine the effects of lipid extraction on subsequent acid solubilization of the mineral components of bone. Specifically, the following processing steps were studied; 1) ground human bone was de fatted in various ethanol / water mixtures, and / or chloroform / methanol ( 2: 1, v:v ), 2) ground human bone which had lipids extracted ( in absolute ethanol ) and bone which had not had lipids extracted were demineralized using vanous concentrations of hydrochloric acid to assess …

A Comparative Analysis Of Pediatric And General Hospital Nurse Recruitment Practices, Rebecca Parsons Scott

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

The focus of this study is a comparison of the National Association of Health Care Recruiter's annual recruitment survey with a duplicate survey that was sent to pediatriconly acute care hospitals. The goal was to determine differences between the recruitment and retention statistics found in all hospitals compared to those found in pediatriconly hospitals. Also, a major consideration was to find correlations among the variables in nurse recruitment and retention that might lead to a better understanding of what influences the recruitment budgeting process and how recruitment dollars might be spent most efficiently.

There was no significant difference found between …

Activation In Vitro Of Transfer Rna-Guanine Ribosyltransferase By Protein Kinase C, Panayota Eriotou

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to isolate and purify the enzymes, transfer RNA-guanine ribosyltrasferase and protein kinase C, and to determine whether the phosphorylating enzyme activates the insertion enzyme in vitro. Transfer RNA-guanine ribosyltransferase lost activity within several days after isolation and total, complete reactivation was accomplished in the presence of protein kinase C. This demonstrated that ribosyltransferase's instability is related to the degree of its phosphorylation. It is proposed that modification of tRNA is controlled by protein kinase C. Deactivation of the insertion enzyme leads to hypomodified tRNA which in turn is associated with neoplasia. Potential use …

Quantitative Respirator Fit Testing: Probed Facepiece Versus Probed Cartridge, Sonya Melissa Seward

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

This study was performed to determine if there is a quantifiable difference between quantitative fit testing using a probed facepiece and a probed cartridge. Four subjects were tested on four different respirators. The respirators used were MSA & 3M full and half face respirator. Each subject performed each method five times per respirator. The results indicated no correlation between the two fit testing methods overall. However, a moderate correlation was found between the MSA respirators and the two methods. This study found many variables which influence fit testing. These include the type of respirator used (brand and facepiece), the probe …

Effects Of Applied Soil Repellent Finish On Pesticide Residues In Work Clothing, Sandra L. Prior

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the feasibility of using an applied soil repellent finish, Scotchgard, on 100% cotton denim fabric in order to enhance the removal of atrazine and alachlor residue during the laundering process. The experimental findings provided no statistically significant evidence that Scotchgard fabric protector reduced pesticide residuals on the 100% cotton denim fabric either before or after laundering. A significant finding secondary to the study involved the possible interaction of Scotchgard with the pesticide alachlor, leaving greater amounts of residual on the fabric after laundering than those found with no fabric treatment. This suggests that agricultural workers be cautioned …

The Determination Of Clomiphene Citrate And Tamoxifen In Human Blood Plasma And Semen, Janice Irene Kiss

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Triphenylethylene antiestrogen compounds are used to stimulate ovulation in anovulary women and spermatogenesis in oligozoospermatic males. Clomiphene Citrate (CC) is given therapeuticaly as a mixture of the trans (E) and cis (Z) isomers. Each of these isomers has its own characteristic agonist-antagonist profiles. Only the trans form of Tamoxifen (T) is administered therapeutically.

HPLC methodologies were developed for the determination of CC and Tin human blood and seminal plasma. The methodologies involved extraction of the triphenylethylene compounds using hexane, followed by evaporation of the hexane under N₂. The residue was then taken up in a volume of HPLC …

Microwell Based Solid Phase Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay For Estradiol And Estriol, Jeng-Ting Yang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

A sensitive and simple microwell based competition enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative determination of estradiol (E₂) and estriol (E₃) was developed. Nicrowells coated with antibody were incubated with antigen followed by adding horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) conjugate. The assay, which can be performed within two hours at room temperature, involved simultaneous incubation of E₂ - or E₃-HRPO conjugate and serum sample in polystyrene microwells coated with anti- E₂ or anti-E₃ gamma globulin fraction.

Gamma globulin was isolated from whole anti-serum by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A carbodiimide coupling method was utilized to prepare the …

Development Of A Solid Phase Enzyme Immunoassay For Total Serum Testosterone, Li Li

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

An enzyme-labeled immunoassay of sufficient range and sensitivity was developed for serum testosterone determination. In this method, the testosterone in the serum sample and testosterone-HRPO conjugate compete with each other for the limited antibody binding sites on the anti-testosterone gamma globulin coated microwell. The assay can be performed in only 2.5 hours.

The gamma globulin fraction was isolated from the anti-testosterone whole serum by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Testosterone-peroxidase conjugate was prepared by a carbodiimide coupling method. The interference which arises from the binding of testosterone to steroid hormone binding protein was eliminated by the addition of 17 beta-estradiol. All assay …

Dental Hygiene Manpower Distribution In Virginia, Christine Ann Nielsen

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this investig~tion was to conduct a comprehensive dental hygiene manpower study in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Data were collected to establish the present number of dental hygienists and dentists in Virginia; the estimated number of practicing and nonpracticing dental hygienists and dentists in Virginia; and the past, present and forecasted employment opportunities for dental hygienists in Virginia. Primary and secondary data were collected via professional associations, state regulatory boards, health agencies, employment and educational commissions and labor statistics bureaus. Frequency distributions were used to analyze the data. Results suggest that there is an adequate supply of dental …

Visual Speech Training Aid For The Deaf, Subhashri Venkat

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A computer-based vowel articulation training aid has been developed. A "continuous" acoustic-phonetic transformation is performed to map speech parameters to a lower dimensionality display space. There are two possible approaches to this transformation problem. The transformation could be either linear or a combination nonlinear/linear. The nonlinear transformation is performed using a multi-layered feedforward neural network with linear output layers. Speech parameters are extracted either from an analog filter bank arrangement (band energies) or by a digital signal processing procedure (Discrete Cosine Transform Coefficients). The speech parameters obtained from both methods correspond to the spectral envelope of the speech signals. The …

Job Satisfaction And Retention: Outcomes Since Implementation Of Three Scheduling Options, Katherine Marie Newnam

Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine if flexible scheduling options influenced retention and job satisfaction of 109 full time registered staff nurses within a selected hospital setting. The Anticipated Turnover Model, developed by Hinshaw and Atwood (1984) provided the theoretical framework for the study. Perceived job satisfaction was measured by the Nursing Job Satisfaction Scale (Hinshaw & Atwood, 1984). The Anticipated Turnover Scale (Hinshaw & Atwood, 1984) measured the possibility of voluntary termination by sample respondents. The respondents were divided into three groups according to three schedule options: Group 1, 12 hour, weekend only (Baylor); Group 2, …

Health Locus Of Control, Sexual Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy And The Contraceptive Behavior Of College Students, Lorraine Kime Perkins

Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the following study was to determine whether contraceptive use could be predicted from health locus of control, contraceptive self-efficacy, and sexual self-concept scores in a selected group of single college students ages 18-24. In order to better understand contraceptive behaviors, it is desirable to determine which personality variables may influence contraceptive behavior in young adults. A sample of 122 single undergraduate college students, both male and female, ages 18-24, completed a self-reported questionnaire including tools to measure health locus of control, contraceptive self-efficacy, and sexual self-concept, as well as demographic data. The participants were divided into two …

Head Nurse Leadership Behavior And Head Nurse And Staff Nurse Job Satisfaction And Burnout In The Intensive Care Setting, Dianne Vick Benton

Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between head nurse (HN) leadership behavior and head nurse and staff nurse (SN) job satisfaction and burnout in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The two target populations for this study were: ICU HNs and ICU SNs. A sample of 10 HNs and 65 SNs completed four questionnaires. This study was conducted in eight community hospitals ranging in bed size between 150 to 700. Four research questions were tested. Utilizing t-tests. a significant difference was found between ICU HNs' and SNs' perceptions of the HN leader behavior of high task - …

An Explanatory Study Of Maternal Stress And Coping With A Cystic Fibrosis Child, Leslie G. Potter

Nursing Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of coping with a cystic fibrosis (CF) child and to define coping strategies from the perspective of the mother. The research design was based upon a phenomenological approach with analysis of transcribed, semi-structured interviews with mothers of CF children. A purposive sample of eight mothers with CF children were interviewed to explore the maternal CF experience. Each interview was tape recorded and followed up with a phone call to allow the mothers to add additional information, if so desired. Data analysis consisted of reviewing each typed, verbatim transcript to categorize …

The Relationship Between Occupational Choice And Perceptions Of Professional Nursing Functions And Characteristics, Ellis Quinn Youngkin

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

This study identifies the occupational interests and predominant vocational personality types of freshmen students (undeclared majors, nursing majors, and non-nursing majors), explores perceptions about selected professional nursing functions and characteristics among the students, and examines perceptual differences between groups (majors).

A non-experimental ex post facto design is used to analyze data from 312 students in a large urban university. Descriptive and inferential statistics are applied in data analysis. The following findings support the hypotheses: (1) Nursing continues to attract the traditional student who has Holland's Social vocational personality type as measured by the Self-Directed Search, although many Social types are …

Parallel Process: An Empirical Investigation, Thomas E. Pollack

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to conduct an empirical investigation of parallel process. The study used a cross-sectional design in which 30 therapy relationships and the corresponding supervision relationships were studied. The therapist assessed the behavior manifested by the patient during a targeted therapy session. Following the subsequent supervision session, the supervisor assessed the behavior manifested by the supervisee during the supervision session. In addition, each of the triad participants (patient, therapist, supervisor) rated the level of anxiety they experienced during the targeted therapy and supervision sessions. Measures of interpersonal style for each of the subjects were also …

Survey Of Virginia Dental Practices To Determine Compliance With The Standards Of Risk Management Theory, Joanne Schade Boyce

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this survey was to determine selected areas of risk in dental practices within the Commonwealth of Virginia. A self-designed, 51 item questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 300 Virginia dentists to examine their risk management procedures in: (1) the medical record and related documentation, (2) infection control, (3) identification and classification of periodontally involved patients, (4) obtaining informed consent, and (5) emergency protocols. Data from 62% of the dentists were analyzed via the chi-square goodness of fit test, frequency and percentage of responses. Results suggest that Virginia dental practitioners are practicing some of the recommended …

Morphological And Physiological Examination Of A Demyelinating And Remyelinating Lesion, Paul Anson Felts

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Multiple sclerosis causes demyelination of central nerve fibers, and it is this pathology which results in most of the symptoms of the disease. The repair of the fibers by remyelination has been advanced as a potential symptomatic therapy, but at present the conduction properties of remyelinated central fibers are not well understood. In this study the conduction properties of Schwannian or oligodendrocyte remyelinated central nerve fibers have been determined. In addition, the status of the blood-brain barrier has been examined in lesions characterized by Schwann cell remyelination. These lesions chronically lack astrocytes, a cell believed to be involved in the …

The Relationship Between Needs And Interpersonal Problems Of Women In Four Interpersonal Categories, Valarie Elaine Sikes-Nova

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study empirically assessed the relationship between needs structure and interpersonal presentation in women. Proposed indices for selective attention were assessed as to their ability to detect pathology. The relationship between interpersonal presentation and interpersonal problems were also studied. The measures used were The Picture Identification Test (Chambers, 1976), The Interpersonal Adjective Scales-Revised (Wiggins, 1985), The Inventory for Interpersonal Problems (Horowitz, 1986), and The Marlowe-Crowne Social-Desirability Scale (1964).

Subjects were assigned to one of four interpersonal categories (Friendly-Dominant, Friendly-Submissive, Hostile-Dominant, Hostile-Submissive) on the basis of their self-reported IAS-R and one category on the basis of their counselor-reported IAS-R scores. Subjects …

The Role Of Small Peptides In Cancer Physiology And Chemotherapy, Bao-Ling Tsay

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The targeting of proven anticancer drugs specifically to cancer cells would provide a unique opportunity to restrict neoplasms without damaging the cancer patient. The present research utilizes the phenomenon of illicit transport, i.e. the coupling of normally impermeant metabolites to permeant metabolites, in targeting the drug melphalan to mouse Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The dipeptide beta-alanyl-melphalan was synthesized and tested in vitro for toxicity towards mouse Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, mouse liver cells, and mouse 3T3 embryonic cells. The parent compound, melphalan, was used as a control treatment. In addition, both melphalan and beta-alanyl-melphalan were utilized in in vivo chemotherapeutic …