Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Green Engineering And Gate-To Gate Life Cycle Assessments For Pharmaceutical Products, Daniel Fichana

Theses and Dissertations

The research of this thesis focused on the environmental and processing metrics during the development of two different drugs. Previous research in life cycle assessments and green engineering have focused on other products and processes, but only a limited amount of studies have been conducted for pharmaceutical applications. This analysis concerned a gate-to-gate analysis of two distinct pharmaceutical products along with the development of a solvent selection table. The goal of this research was to determine how various processing and environmental metrics were affected by process improvements.

The first drug was the pravastatin, which was made via a fermentation route. …

Psychometrically Equivalent Digital Recordings For Speech Audiometry Testing In Mandarin Chinese: Standard Mandarin Dialect, Lara-Jill Jennings

Theses and Dissertations

The development of digitally recorded speech audiometry materials in Mandarin Chinese has been limited to date. High quality materials proliferate in the English language and have been developed for other languages such as Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, Polish, and Russian. The aims of this study were to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and equate words and word lists in Mandarin Chinese to use for speech reception threshold testing and for speech discrimination testing. The words that were evaluated were chosen from a Chinese frequency usage dictionary. One native male and one native female talker recorded the words onto …

Event Related Potentials: A Study Of The Processing Of Gapping Structures In Adolescents, Michelle Miller Nishida

Theses and Dissertations

Many questions remain unanswered regarding the intricacies of the human brain, especially with regard to the complexities of language processing. One essential component of human sentence processing is the ability to detect, decipher, and recover from errors in the interpretation of both verbal and written language. This process of repair of ungrammatical sentences and revision or reinterpretation of ambiguous sentences has been studied extensively in recent years. A variety of tools have been developed, including the use of event-related potentials (ERPs) in order to assess how language is processed and developed, and to help better identify the nature of these …

Effectiveness Of Story Enactments Versus Art Projects In Facilitating Preschool Children's Story Comprehension, Jennifer Ann Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to compare preschool children's comprehension of a story after either enacting the story or participating in an art project, and (b) to qualitatively describe the children's interactions during the more interactive story enactment instruction. Twenty children from two Head Start classrooms were told the stories as a class, and then participated in either an art project (AP) or story enactment (SE) in small groups. The children in each classroom each heard three stories followed by the AP condition, and three followed by the SE condition. The children's comprehension of the story was …

The Effect Of A Lingual Magnet On Fricative Production: An Acoustic Evaluation Of Placement And Adaptation, Andrea Lynn Weaver

Theses and Dissertations

Much of speech kinematics research is conducted by attaching a device to the articulators. However very little research has been conducted to determine what influence these devices may have on the perceptual and acoustic characteristics of speech. This study examined the effect of placing a small magnet on the tongue of ten normal adult speakers while reading a sentence containing /s/ and "sh" in initial, medial and final position. Two different placements of 10 and 15 mm from the tip of the tongue were analyzed. Data were taken before magnet placement, immediately after magnet placement, after 5 minutes of conversation, …

How Individuals With Parkinson's Disease Modify Their Speech In A Repetition For Clarification, Lynn Marie Watkins

Theses and Dissertations

The speech of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) is typically characterized as lacking in proper prosody because of its monopitch and monoloud quality, in addition to its reduced intensity. These qualities make it difficult for others to understand speakers with PD. The purpose of the current study was to identify what individuals with PD would do vocally, if anything at all, to improve speech production following a simulated misunderstanding of what they had just said. The study evaluated the performance of 5 individuals with PD and compared their performance to 5 age- and sex-matched controls. Specifically, measures of vocal intensity …

Exploration Of Lip Shape Measures And Their Association With Tongue Contact Patterns, Jessica Lynn Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

A variety of tools and techniques have been developed to measure the movements of the vocal tract, specifically of the tongue and lips. In recent years, computer technology has allowed for extensive exploration of these precise movements and for the development of speech recognition systems. However, there has been relatively little work on the combination of visible facial movements and internal articulatory activity. In this study, two different technologies were used to explore the internal and external movements of speech production in eight speakers: palatometry quantified tongue contact patterns and computerized video image analysis was used to derive lip shape …

Predicting Body Mass Index In Northern Plains American Indian Children, Tami Jollie-Trottier

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity has become a major health concern for American Indians. Obesity prevalence is higher for minority groups, however American Indians consistently have higher rates than any other U.S. population. Of more concern is the trend towards higher rates of overweight and obesity in American Indian children. Obesity has been associated with many health concerns such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in both American Indian adults and children. The purpose of this study is to identify predictor variables that may be contributing to the development or possibly maintenance of obesity in American Indian children. …

The Effects Of Divided Attention On Speech Motor, Verbal Fluency And Manual Motor Task Performance, Erin Hamblin

Theses and Dissertations

Research in dual task performance varies widely in its methodology and results. The present study employed three different types of activity to provide insights into the interference that occurs in dual task performance. Twenty young adults completed a speech task (repeating a sentence), a verbal fluency task (listing words beginning with the same letter), and right- and left-handed motor tasks (placing pegs and washers in a peg board) in isolation and in concurrent conditions. Speech kinematic data revealed that during concurrent performance of manual tasks, lip displacement and peak velocity decreased, while sound pressure level and spatiotemporal variability increased. The …

Auditory And Visual Correlates Of The Processing Of Gapping Structures In Adults, Tara Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare event-related potential (ERP) effects of speech processing and effects in sentence reading elicited by sentences containing gapping structures, or a "missing" verb. N400 and P600 waveforms were collected in 20 adults between 18 and 30 years of age. Two experiments were conducted with each participant. In the two experiments ERP recordings were collected as sentences, some containing gapping structures, were presented to the subjects. In one experiment sentences were presented through headphones in sentences spoken at normal rate and with normal intonation. In the second experiment sentences with the same gapping structures …

Performance Intensity Functions For Digitally Recorded Japanese Speech Audiometry Materials, Tanya Crawford Mangum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop digitally recorded speech audiometry materials in the Japanese language to evaluate Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) and speech discrimination. Trisyllabic words were used to evaluate the SRT and bisyllabic words were used for speech discrimination. Words were recorded by one native female talker and one native male talker who were judged as having standard Japanese dialects. Twenty native Japanese speakers between the ages of 20 and 32 were used as subjects to evaluate 69 trisyllabic words across 13 different intensity levels. The 25 trisyllabic words with the steepest psychometric function (%/dB) were selected …

An Investigation Of Vocal Abuse In School Teachers, Jodi L. Franczak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vocal abuse in school teachers and teacher's aides pre and post one academic term. Vocal abuse was defined as any of several behaviors, including long periods of talking, yelling, smoking, consuming alcohol, etc. that can result in damage to the laryngeal mechanism. Initially, the participants of the study included fifteen elementary school teachers and five elementary teacher's aides from two schools: the Red Lake Madsen Public School, and Golden Learning Center. Six participants were excluded from the study for various reasons. Participants were randomly assigned to either Group 1 …

An Analysis Of Biometric Technology As An Enabler To Information Assurance, Darren A. Deschaine

Theses and Dissertations

The use of and dependence on, Information technology (IT) has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Still, some believe the United States is only in the infancy of this growth. This explosive growth has opened the door to capabilities that were only dreamed of in the past. As easy as it is to see how advantageous this technology is, it also is clear that with its advantages come distinct responsibilities and new problems that must be addressed. For instance, the minute one begins using information processing systems, the world of information assurance (IA) becomes far more complex. As a …

Assessing The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Variables And Risk Of Overweight Among Children 6 Years Of Age, Marilyn Cochon Batan

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The percentage of overweight children has tripled in the last thirty years. Inconsistent findings are published regarding the relationship between socioeconomic variables and being overweight in childhood.Objective: To determine whether socioeconomic variables are associated with risk of being overweight among six year olds. Methods: Six year olds with BMI data were selected from the National Survey of Children's Health (n=4,362). Variables were coded and a low socioeconomic index was created. Using population weights, descriptive statistics were generated and regression was utilized to assess the relationship between socioeconomic variables and being 'at risk' for overweight. Socioeconomic variables were also compared …

Predictors Of Induced Abortion Among Female Youth Center Users In Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Rachel Barker

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Induced abortions occur in every country in the world. However sixty percent of the world's women live in countries where abortion is illegal. 19 million pregnancies end in unsafe and/or illegal abortions. Annually, 68,000 women die from unsafe abortions. Legal or not, unsafe abortion is one of the great neglected problems of health care in developing countries like Haiti and is a serious concern to women during their reproductive lives. Methods: The data for this study was collected from youth centers (ages 15-24) and used to estimate percentage distributions of abortion ratios by selected characteristics of women, particularly age …

A Quantitative Comparison Of The Fill Density Of Mta Produced By Two Different Placement Techniques., Priscilla Yeung

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively compare the fill density of MTA produced by hand condensation and hand condensation with indirect ultrasonic activation. Thirty acrylic block with 30 degree curved canals (group C) and 30 with straight canals (group S) were instrumented to a final apical size of 45 of 0.06 taper crown-down technique. After irrigating with water and drying with paper points, each block was weighed to the nearest 0.0001g with a digital electronic balance. In half of the specimens, chosen at random, the canal first filled with MTA using the hand condensation method (H) then weighed. …

Status Epilepticus Results In A Duration-Dependent Increased Protein Kinase A Activity In The Rat Pilocarpine Model, James M. Bracey

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to characterize cellular changes occurring during the progression of status epilepticus (SE) that could lead to the maintenance of increased membrane excitability. SE was induced by injection of pilocarpine after which rats were monitored both electrographically and behaviorally. After various lengths of time in SE, specific brain regions were isolated for biochemical study. SE resulted in an early maintenance of PKA activity in both cortical homogenate and crude synaptoplasmic membrane (crude SPM) fractions. At subsequent stages of SE there was a significant increase in PKA activity in both homogenate and crude SPM fractions. Wester blot analysis …

The Experience Of Decision Making In Adolescent Females And Young Women With Mobility Limiting Disorders, Bernice Balzer Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Young women with mobility limiting disorders face many challenges as they move through adolescence into young adulthood. In addition to the challenges of this developmental period, they must consider their disability as they manage their lives. Competent decision making is a foundational skill for self-management and for transition in adulthood. It is also a protective factor for resilience.There is little research on decision making in adolescents with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the decision making experiences of female adolescents and young women with mobility limiting disorders. Theoretical underpinnings for the study included Resilience Theory …

Variations In Quality Outcomes Among Hospitals In Different Types Of Health Systems, Askar S. Chukmaitov

Theses and Dissertations

Although prior research has found differences in costs and financial performance across different types of hospital systems, there has been no systematic study of variations in patient quality of care or safety indicators across different systems. Our study examines whether five main types of health systems - centralized (CHS), centralized physician/insurance (CPIHS), moderately centralized (MCHS), decentralized (DHS), and independent (IHS) - as well as other hospital characteristics are associated with differences in quality of patient care. Data were assembled for 6 years (1995 - 2000) from multiple sources. We used 4 AHRQ risk adjusted inpatient quality indicators (IQIs) and 5 …

Long-Term Consequences Of West Nile Virus In Virginia., Diana Cruz Ocampo

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to describe the long-term effects and functional outcomes of patients in Virginia who were reported to the Virginia Department of Health with West Nile virus (WNV) non-neuroinvasive and neuroinvasive disease. The study identified the duration of symptoms after initial illness, the number of persons who fully recovered versus the number who continue to be symptomatic and how patients' quality of life differed after illness.Methods: The study population was drawn from 60 human cases that met the surveillance case definition for non-neuroinvasive and neuroinvasive WNV illness in Virginia between 2002-2004. Information was collected during …

Evaluation Of The Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Relationship, Metabolism And Plasma Protein Binding Of The Novel Antitumor Agent, 2-Methoxyestradiol (2me2), Following Oral Administration In Patients With Solid Tumors., Nehal Jagdish Lakhani

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to determine safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of 2ME2 in patients with solid tumors and determine maximum tolerated dose (MTD). The following hypotheses were tested: 1) 2ME2 will be well tolerated in clinic when given orally and will have quantifiable effects on the ex vivo markers of angiogenesis and apoptosis; 2) 2ME2 will exhibit linear pharmacokinetics; 3) Plasma protein binding will be extensive and linear; 4) Sulfation will be the major metabolic pathway for 2ME2.This was a phase I dose escalation study. Twenty patients with refractory solid tumors were enrolled. 2ME2 was administered orally starting …

Interleukin-10 Induces Apoptosis In Developing Mast Cells Via A Mitochondrial, Stat3-Dependent Pathway, Daniel Paul Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of interleukin-10 on mast cell development from bone marrow progenitors.Materials and Methods. Unseparated mouse bone marrow cells were cultured in IL-3+SCF, giving rise to mast cells and monocytes/macrophages. The addition of IL-10, and the use of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT)3-deficient bone marrow cells were employed to measure the effects of IL-10 and STAT3 expression on cell viability, proliferation, and differentiation. Bax-deficient and Bcl-2 transgenic bone marrow cells were used to determine the importance of the mitochondria in IL-10-mediated effects.Overview. Mast cells arise from hematopoietic stem cells …

Prevalence Of Pulpal And/Or Periradicular Disease In The Vcu School Of Dentistry Screening Patient Population, Ellen Rives Oertel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and demographic predictors of pulpal and/or periradicular disease in an urban population. A total of 210 subjects were recruited from a population of patients that were screened for acceptance to the dental school clinics. The diagnosis of pulpal and/or periradicular disease was made using the following data: radiographic interpretation, patient's history of previous pain and chief complaint, and objective pulpal testing. Objective pulpal testing included percussion, palpation, electric pulp test, and cold. The unit of observation was the individual, not the tooth. The overall prevalence of endodontic disease among the …

Oral Health Needs Of Virginia Schoolchildren By Hmo Regions, Holly Christel Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study examined differences in oral health status and dental treatment needs by HMO regions in Virginia. Methods: The Division of Dental Health (DDH), Virginia Department of Health (VDH), completed the 1999 Virginia Oral Health Needs Assessment (VSOHNA) with the cooperation of the Virginia Department of Education. The survey used a probability proportional to size (PPS) sample design in selecting school children from public schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Surface (DMFS/dfs) and tooth-level (DMFT/dft) data were collected as indicators of dental disease on all children. Child-level data was also recorded for each student consisting of age, race, gender, …

The Predictive Ability Of Specific Questions Related To Symptoms In The Diagnosis Of Endodontic Disease, Boyd Aaron Vaughn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the predictive ability of specific questions in diagnosis of pulpal and periradicular disease in a dental school population. 210 patients were recruited to fill out a questionnaire, and undergo a clinical examination for pulpal and/or periradicular disease.The Questionnaire asked if the patient had in the last 6 months: 1. a toothache that kept them up at night 2. a toothache that required pain killers 3. facial swelling caused by a tooth 4. injury to any teeth 5. a broken tooth 6. a tooth darker in color than the surrounding teeth 7. a …

Clinical Pharmacology Of Ms-275, A Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor, Milin R. Acharya

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this escalating single-dose phase I research study was to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics as well as in vitro metabolism and plasma protein binding of MS-275, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor, in patients with solid tumors and lymphomas. A validated LC/MS assay was developed to quantitate MS-275 in plasma, human liver microsomes and urine. The pharmacokinetic (PK) evaluation was done using a non-compartmental approach. In-vitro plasma protein binding profile of MS-275 was characterized by a validated micro-equilibrium dialysis method. In vitro phase I and phase II hepatic metabolism of MS-275 were evaluated using human liver microsomes. …

A Radiographic Analysis Of Variance In Lower Incisor Enamel Thickness, Nathan E. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to help predict the enamel thickness of mandibular incisors. At least two direct digital periapical radiographs were made for each of the 80 subjects. Radiographs were scaled to control for magnification errors using dental study models and computer software. Mesiodistal incisor width and mesial and distal enamel thicknesses were measured. Lateral incisors were determined to be wider than central incisors and distal enamel thicknesses were larger than mesial enamel thicknesses on average. The African American group demonstrated wider incisors and enamel thicknesses than the Caucasian group on average. Enamel thickness positively correlated with tooth …

Age At Sexual Assault And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Females Residents Of Virginia, Ahmed Gasmelseed Babiker

Theses and Dissertations

Background Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric debilitating condition that can occur in individuals who experience extremely stressful or traumatic life events. Sexual assault is considered as one of the most traumatic stressor in life. Although few studies investigated the association between history of sexual assault and PTSD, no studies have examined the impact of age at sexual assault on PTSD.Method A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted among adult female residents of Virginia from November 2002 to February 2003. A total of 1,769 women aged 18 and older were interviewed using a random digit dialing method. Detailed screening …

The Prevalence Of Comorbid Chronic Disease In Virginia's Adult Patient Population During The Years 2001 And 2004, Joseph D. Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Chronic disease comorbidities, on the rise in the U.S. and Virginia, represent a new challenge to the way medicine is practiced and prescribed. This descriptive study uses Virginia hospital discharge data to describe the prevalence and trends of chronic disease comorbidities present in the state's over-45 population during the years 2001 and 2004.Methods: Data collected by Virginia Health Information was utilized. Adults over the age of 45 years and who selected for race and location were included in this analysis, with an aggregate sample size of 813,336 (N=458,593 [2001]; N=364,743 [2004]). Pearson chi-square analyses determined significant sample population differences …

Help-Seeking For Depression In Rural Women: A Community Portrait, Vicky Mitchell Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted with fourteen participants who lived in a rural Virginia community. The focus of the study was exploration of the nature of the experience of depression and of help-seeking for depression in one rural woman and in her community social network. The need for exploration of the community social network was influenced by the DeFacto Services Model of Rural Mental Health, which emphasized the influence of community factors in making decisions to seek mental health care. Findings of the study included the following themes, which related to the nature of depression: 1) linkage of experiential depression to …