Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Response To A Retrospective Evaluation Of Crown-Fractured Permanent Teeth Treated In A Pediatric Dentistry Clinic, H. Cem Güngör

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

A Nodular Submental Mass, Yeshwant B. Rawal, Carl M. Allen, John R. Kalmar

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

A 26-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of a mildly painful, slow growing, nodular mass of the submental region. Examination revealed a 1.5 x 1.0-cm midline swelling of the submental region. The skin over the mass appeared normal. The mass was firm and slightly tender on palpation and appeared to be positioned within the submental space. Intraoral examination did not reveal any obvious pathologic findings and the nearby teeth showed no caries, periodontal disease, or mobility. The patient’s medical history was unremarkable.

Low Back Pain Among College Athletes - A Survey Of Basketball Players, Swimmers, Track And Field Athletes And Nonathletic Controls, Nicholas Bacon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Study Design. Cross-sectional survey among athletes competing at the collegiate level in basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as a matched nonathletic control group. Objective. To compare the prevalence of low back pain between sports: basketball, swimming, and track and field, as well as nonathletic control group. Summary of Background Data. With conflicting reports, it is not clear whether athletes are at higher risk for low back pain when compared to nonathletic counterparts. Some literature has found that low back pain was less common in former elite athletes when compared to nonathletes; however, much of the literature supports …

An Examination Of The Role Of Anxiety And Obsessive-Compulsive Features In Muscle Dysmorphia Symptomatology, Christopher Chandler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Although Muscle Dsymorphia (MD) has received more attention in recent years, it still lacks an official classification. The current study incorporates trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features into an etiological model of MD in the hopes of establishing them as reliable predictors of such MD symptomatology as drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and negative body attitude (self). This model was based upon previous research that has linked trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features to eating disorders (ED). In this model, it was predicted that trait anxiety and obsessive-compulsive features would predict overall MD symptomatology, drive for muscularity, social physique anxiety, and …

Auditory Hair Cell Regeneration And Gene Expression In Noise-Exposed Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Julie Schuck

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Fishes are capable of regenerating sensory hair cells in the inner ear after exposure to excessive noise. However, a time course of auditory hair cell regeneration has not been characterized for zebrafish, nor has gene expression following noise exposure. To establish a time course of hair cell regeneration, adult zebrafish were exposed to a 100 Hz pure tone at 179 dB re 1 |u.Pa RMS for 36 hours, and then allowed to recover for 0 to 14 days before morphological analysis. Hair cell loss and recovery were determined using phalloidin and DAPI labeling to visualize hair cell bundles and nuclei, …

The Environmental Factors Regulating The Distribution Of Crayfish In The Upper Green River Basin Kentucky, Usa, Eva Ngulo

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Despite the importance of crayfish in aquatic systems there are major issues threatening their conservation, including invasive species, habitat alterations, and species with small distributions or have limited geographical ranges. There is limited information regarding native range, habitat requirements, life histories and biological interactions between crayfish species. In order to examine the relationship between lotic crayfish assemblages and environmental variables at both the watershed and reach scales, data were collected from 46 stream segments in the Upper Green River Basin of Kentucky, U.S.A. An independent sample t-test compared crayfish densities between segments with gravel - small cobble, and large cobble …

Sustainability Of Western Kentucky University: An Examination Of Campus Environmental Policies, Performance And Potential For Change, Christian Ryan-Downing

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Institutions of higher learning are in a pivotal position to address the environmental problems that global society faces now, but response to this challenge requires transformation in priorities and practices. Recognizing the impacts that universities have on the environment and the social and economic costs associated with these impacts, institutions of higher learning are changing policies and management to become more sustainable. Sustainability is defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (1987). To evaluate the environmental impacts …

Treatment Of Co-Morbid Methamphetamine Substance Abuse And Borderline Personality Disorder Features Using Modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Jessica R. Schultz Fischer

Dissertations

The study investigated the effectiveness of a time-limited, skills-based treatment in a population of female substance abusers. This project implemented a pilot clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-session modified Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) protocol among a small sample of women, with co-morbid borderline personality disorder features, receiving concurrent outpatient treatment for methamphetamine abuse. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used. In addition to on-going assessment conducted during baseline and weekly over the course of treatment, a comprehensive assessment battery was administered pre-, and post-treatment as well as at 1 and 3 months following treatment. Findings suggest that …

A Study Of Disaster Preparedness Of Rural Hospitals In The United States, Barbara Cliff

Dissertations

This dissertation examines disaster preparedness in the U.S. and explores the relationships between risk perception, funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and preparedness. Secondary data analysis was conducted using the National Study of Rural Hospitals from Johns Hopkins University. The study, based on a random sample of rural hospitals, consisted of a mail questionnaire and a follow-up phone interview with the hospital's Chief Executive Officer (n = 134).

A model of disaster preparedness was utilized to examine seven elements of preparedness. Risk perception was examined by seven risk threats, and HRSA funding was examined as a …

Potential Study Of Using Earthworms As An Enhancement To Treat High Strength Wastewater, Nathasith Chiarawatchai, Chackrit Nuengjamnong, Pichaya Rachdawong, Ralf Otterpohl

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The aim of this research was to preliminarily investigate the potential of earthworms to reduce clogging by introducing into the lab-scale wetland-like reactors receiving high strength wastewater, which were swine wastewater in Thailand, and domestic wastewater in Germany. The preliminary results indicated that every unit with earthworms had no sign of clogging regardless of the type of wastewater, whereas clogging was the case in the units without earthworms receiving swine wastewater. Both studies reflected similarity, which exhibited little treatment in every microcosm. It could be implied that earthworms could thrive within the wetland body due to the survival rate of …

Ultrasound Diagnosis, Phiwipha Kamonrat

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

No abstract provided.

How To Prevent Perioperative Myocardial Injury: The Conundrum Continues, Jian-Zhong Sun, David Maguire

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Perioperative myocardial injury (PMI) remains a major cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality but clinical strategies to prevent PMI are still uncertain.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We comprehensively searched PubMed for major research articles concerning clinical strategies to prevent PMI. The key findings are as follows: (1) the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline update for perioperative cardiovascular evaluation for noncardiac surgery is very useful to stratify cardiac risk preoperatively; (2) cardiac troponin has emerged as a biomarker to diagnose postoperative PMI and to predict clinical outcomes; (3) coronary revascularization before noncardiac surgery probably would provide cardiac protection in …

Bactericidal Activity Of Extended 9-Glycyl-Amido-Minocyclines, Chang-Po Chen, Allen R. Zeiger, Dr. Eric Wickstrom

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

The need for self-protecting polymer or alloy implants resistant to a broad spectrum of bacterial challenges led us to investigate covalent bonding of minocycline (MIN), a tetracycline derivative, to polystyrene beads and to titanium alloy foils by oligoethylene glycol spacers. 9-Hydrazino-acetyl-amido-MIN, and simpler glycylcycline derivatives, retained minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus comparable to MIN. However, PEG-glycyl-amido-MIN showed very low activity. Hence, we coupled 9-hydrazino-acetyl-amido-MIN to the aldehyde termini of oligoethylene glycol spacers bonded to polystyrene and titanium alloy surfaces to form acid-releasable hydrazone linkages. 9-Hydrazino-acetyl-amido-MIN was released from the monolayers more rapidly at pH 5.0 than at pH …

Perceived Organizational Support And Ethical Work Climates As Predictors Of Turnover Intention Of Licensed Nurses In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Anna A. Filipova

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to replicate Victor and Cullen's (1987; 1988) studies to confirm whether ethical climates (ECs) arise in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), and whether organizations and groups within organizations have identifiable ECs; and (2) to test a model that examines the effects of ECs and perceived organizational support (POS) on licensed nurses' turnover intention (TOI) through job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC).

A cross-sectional survey design was implemented. Three hundred and fifty nine freestanding SNFs were selected in a midwestern state. While a total of 110 facilities (31%) agreed to participate, responses were …

A Mixed Methods Analysis Of The Concept Of Female Sexual Health, Laura C. Ford

Dissertations

The theoretical concept of health includes the ability to function physiologically, perceive a state of wellness, participate in social relationships, and be disease-free. Currently, the medical field approaches sexuality from a disease prevention and treatment perspective. Female sexual health must be understood holistically (i.e., emotionally, sociologically, and physiologically) for healthcare providers to help their patients optimize their sexual health; however, little research has been conducted from a holistic perspective. This study's purpose was to begin an exploration of the meaning of female sexual health.

This study utilized focus groups and a survey to explore the concept female sexual health as …

Perceptions And Intervention Practices Of Speech-Language Pathologists Serving Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Laura A. Getty

Dissertations

A relationship between emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) and language deficits has been validated by researchers in special education (Cantwell & Baker, 1991; Beichman, Cantwell, Forness, Kavale, & Kaufmann, 1998; Cohen, Barwick, Horodezky, Vallance, & Im, 1998) as well as researchers in speech-language pathology (Hyter, 2003; Hyter, Rogers-Adkinson, Self, Simmons, Jantz, 2001; Ruhl, Hughes, & Camarata, 1992; Gallagher, 1999; Fujiki, Brinton, Morgan, & Hart, 1999). The exact prevalence rate between E/BD and language deficits was not definitive as it varies between 35% and 97% depending on the study reviewed (Benner, Nelson, & Epstein, 2002). While it has been documented that a relationship …

Creating A Culture Of Safety: The Influence Of Medical Simulation On The Attitudes Of Surgical Team Members, Diane J. Jones

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine change in individual and aggregate attitudes of the members of two subspecialty surgery teams (cardiac and vascular) in six domains (teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, stress recognition, perception of management, and working conditions) following medical team simulation and debriefing exercises. The study was a pre-post partially randomized controlled, quasi-experimental study that took place in a 545-bed hospital with a high-volume cardiovascular surgery program. Participants included interdisciplinary team members caring for cardiac and vascular surgery patients.

Main outcome measures included change in responses to safety attitudes questionnaires (SAQs) administered before, 1 week …

An Investigation Of Relationship Characteristics, Exercise And Physical Activity, Couple And Life Satisfaction, Mark W. St. Martin

Dissertations

Exercise has been shown to be positively related to many different variables including sexual satisfaction, mental health, and physical health. These variables, in turn, have been linked to increased life satisfaction and couple satisfaction. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between exercise and couple satisfaction as well as exercise and life satisfaction. A secondary purpose was to replicate previous findings on the relationships between communication, love, sexual satisfaction, self-esteem, and physical health and couple satisfaction.

A total of 229 undergraduate and graduate students from a large Midwestern university in the United States participated in this …

Aoa Symposium. Orthopaedists Partnering With Other Physicians To Provide Musculoskeletal Care., Alan Hilibrand, Kurt P Spindler, Scott D Boden

Rothman Institute Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Modulation Of Tgf-Beta Signaling By Proinflammatory Cytokines In Articular Chondrocytes., Jorge A. Roman-Blas, David G. Stokes, Sergio A. Jimenez

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The normal structure and function of articular cartilage are the result of a precisely balanced interaction between anabolic and catabolic processes. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of growth factors generally exerts an anabolic or repair response; in contrast, proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) exert a strong catabolic effect. Recent evidence has shown that IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha, and the TGF-beta signaling pathways share an antagonistic relationship. The aim of this study was to determine whether the modulation of the response of articular chondrocytes to TGF-beta by IL-1beta or TNF-alpha signaling pathways …

Is Electrical Stimulation A Predictive Tool For Autonomic Dysfunction In Males With Diabetes?, Susan Dorothy Rand

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine whether electrical stimulation can be used as a predictive tool to assess autonomic dysfunction in males with diabetes. The study was designed to better understand the extent of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in the diabetic population.

Controls and patients with diabetes were recruited from the community at large and the Loma Linda University Diabetes Treatment Center and were managed by a physician. Twelve (12) people with diabetes and thirteen (13) control subjects participated. Mean age (years) for people with diabetes was 52.4 +/- 6.1 and 47.2 +/-11.1 for controls (p =0.05). …

In Vitro Methods For Generating Highly Purified Ebv Associated Tumor Antigen-Specific T Cells By Using Solid Phase T Cell Selection System For Immunotherapy, Jongming Li, Bijoyesh Mookerjee, John Wagner, Neal Flomenberg

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Adoptive cell transfer immunotherapy has been utilized to treat EBV related human malignancies including post-transplant lymphoproliferative diseases, Hodgkin's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, there are limited options available for tumor antigen-specific T cell purification. Here we describe a novel solid phase T cell selection system, in which monocytes or EBV transformed B-lymphocytes are immobilized on solid support for antigen-specific T cell purification. We hypothesize and prove that antigen-specific T cells recognize their cognate antigens and bind to them faster than non-antigen specific T cells. Therefore antigen-specific T cells can be concentrated on the surface after removing the non-adherent cells by …

Dyadic Relationship Scale: A Measure Of The Impact Of The Provision And Receipt Of Family Care, Margaret Sebern, Carol J. Whitlatch

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Dyadic Relationship Scale (DRS), which measures negative and positive dyadic interactions from the perspective of both the patient and the family caregiver. An important aspect of evaluating the DRS was that it be statistically sound and meaningful for both members of the dyad. Design and Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design. Survey packages were mailed to home health care patients and their family caregivers. The unit of analysis was the dyad, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. We examined the reliability, discriminant, and concurrent validities of the instrument. …

Targeted Therapies In The Management Of Metastatic Bladder Cancer., Matteo Fassan, Edouard J. Trabulsi, Leonard G Gomella, Raffaele Baffa

Department of Urology Faculty Papers

The management of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder is a common and complex clinical challenge. Despite the fact that UC is one of the most frequent tumors in the population, long term survival for metastatic disease remains low, and chemotherapy is curative for only a small minority of patients. UC is genetically heterogeneous, and it is surrounded by a complex tissue microenvironment. The problems of clinical practice in the field of metastatic bladder cancer have begun to stimulate translational research. Advances in the understanding of the molecular biology of urothelial cancer continue to contribute to the identification of …

Interprofessional Information Work: Innovations In The Use Of The Chart On Internal Medicine Teams, Lorelei Lingard, Lesley Conn, Ann Russell, Scott Reeves, Karen-Lee Miller, Chris Kenaszchuk, Merrick Zwarenstein

Lorelei Lingard

An abundance of evidence suggests that communication in interprofessional healthcare teams is a complex endeavour. Even relatively simple communication processes involving information work - the gathering, storage, retrieval and discussion of patient information - may be fraught with pitfalls, and yet teams manage to conduct their daily information work, often with a high degree of effectiveness. In this article, we explore one commonplace dimension of information work - the use of patient charts to foster collaborative decision-making and care enactment - towards building an elaborated understanding of how teams innovate in the face of daily complexities in their information work …

The Suitability Of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction For Chronic Hepatitis C, Lynn Koerbel, Donna Zucker

Donna M. Zucker

As incidence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in the United States increases, management of physical and psychological symptoms over the long term becomes crucial. Research has shown meditation to be a valuable tool in reducing such symptoms for various chronic illnesses. In particular, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program offers curriculum that has been show to influence both physiology and perception of disease states. Although there has been not direct research to date on the effectiveness of the MBSR program for CHC, several studies have shown significant findings affecting other chronic conditions including heart disease, fibromyalgia and HIV. The purpose …

Delivering Library Services To Distance Learners: A Grass Roots Effort At A Regional Campus., Tammy Guerrero, Kimberly Whalen, Lynda Willer

Kimberly J. Whalen

No abstract provided.

Caring For Children With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities: Virtual Patient Instruction Improves Students' Knowledge And Comfort Level, Ida Slusher, Carla Sanders, Harold Kleinert, Teresa Free, Kim Clevenger, Stephanie Johnson, Sara Boyd

Ida Slusher

Nurses play a vital role in providing health care to children with developmental disability (DD) throughout the United States. Unfortunately, most nurses continue to report that they receive little or no clinical education in the area of DDs. In response to this need, a core development team consisting of nurse practitioners and nursing faculty from three universities, one physician assistant faculty, parents of children with DD, and educational specialists developed two multimedia (virtual patient) pediatric instructional modules in CD-ROM format—one involving a child with Down syndrome, and the other involving an infant born at 26 weeks' gestation. Participants were required …

Synergistic Induction Of Ahr Regulated Genes In Developmental Toxicity From Co-Exposure To Two Model Pahs In Zebrafish, Alicia R. Timme-Laragy, Crystal J. Cockman, Cole W. Matson, Richard T. Di Giulio

Alicia R. Timme-Laragy

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pollutants created by the incomplete combustion of carbon, and are increasing in the environment largely due to the burning of fossil fuels. PAHs occur as complex mixtures, and some combinations have been shown to cause synergistic developmental toxicity in fish embryos, characterized by pericardial edema and craniofacial malformations. Previous studies have indicated that in the zebrafish model, this toxicity is mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AHR2), and enhanced by inhibition of CYP1A activity. In this study, we further examined this interaction of the model PAH and AHR agonist β-naphthoflavone (BNF) with and without …

Exact One-Sided Confidence Limits For The Difference Between Two Correlated Proportions, Chris Lloyd, Max V. Moldovan

Chris J. Lloyd

We construct exact and optimal one-sided upper and lower confidence bounds for the difference between two probabilities based on matched binary pairs using well-established optimality theory of Buehler (1957). Starting with five different approximate loer and upper limits, we adjust them to have coverage probability exactly equal to the desired nominal level and then compare the resulting exact limits by their mean size. Exact limits based on the signed root likelihood ratio statistic are preferred and recommended for practical use.