Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Frictional Forces Between Brackets Of Different Types At Various Angulations And An Arch Wire: With And Without Pulsating Vibration, Benjamin M. Christman

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of pulsating vibration on the sliding resistance between orthodontic brackets and stainless steel wires. Brackets were placed at two different angulations (0° and 5°) to simulate leveling of a tipped tooth during tooth movement. Pulsating vibration was delivered via the AcceleDent device.

Background: Friction is defined as a force that retards or resists the relative motion of two objects in contact, and its direction is tangential to the common boundary of the two surfaces in contact. This has been of interest to the orthodontist since the mid-20th century. Since …

Humeral Retrotorsion In Developing Children And Its Relationship To Throwing Sports, Elliot M. Greenberg

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Baseball players exhibit a more posteriorly oriented humeral head or humeral retrotorsion (HRT) in the dominant arm, likely representing an adaptive response to the stress of throwing. This adaptation is thought to occur while skeletally immature, however there is limited research detailing how throwing while young influences the development HRT. In addition, it is currently unclear how this changing osseous orientation influences shoulder motion within young athletes. Purpose: To determine the influence of throwing and age on the development of asymmetry in HRT and shoulder range of motion (ROM); and analyze the relationship between HRT and ROM. Study Design: …

An Assessment Of Primary Care Physician Opinions About Supporting The Independent Autonomous Practice By Advanced Practice Nurses, James Michael Flanigan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) changed the national discussion about who is the decision-maker in healthcare delivery – physicians or others that pay the bill. The federal government is the largest payer of healthcare services while states are responsible for implementing the ACA’s features. Through the ACA, the federal government endorsed non-physician primary care by advanced practice registered nurses (APRN). The research question of this study is: Why do some primary care physicians support independent autonomous practice for advanced practice registered nurses while others do not? The research question should be important to policy-makers because physicians are the predominate purchasers …

A Community-Based Participatory Approach To Understanding Health Beliefs, Policies, Barriers, And Solutions Related To The Health Disparities Of Marshallese Cofa Migrants In Arkansas., Pearl Anna Mcelfish

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public policies have different effects on different populations groups and can perpetuate health disparities among some populations. My research utilizes community-based participatory approach to research in the examination of one unique population: the Marshallese. This dissertation research presents three papers that are part of a cohesive research agenda predicated on community-based participatory research (CBPR) to facilitate policy-oriented learning. My research can be used to inform health policy, health care services, and health education. Chapter Two presents the article titled: Health Beliefs of US Marshallese Regarding Type 2 Diabetes.

This article explores the research question: what health beliefs related to diabetes …

A Descriptive Case Study Of Individuals With Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome Utilizing A Facebook Support Group, Lisa Aimee Thompson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the experiences of people diagnosed with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome as they participate in an online peer-support group on Facebook. This is a descriptive case study of factors related to adjustment, treatment, emotional distress, access to services, and online peer support. Participants were interviewed and observed, and documents were collected to describe this phenomenon.

Assessing Orthodontic-Bracket Impacts On Lip Profile At Bonding And Debonding Stages, Martin Trockel

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: One factor that contributes greatly to the lower face appearance and orthodontists have the ability to affect is lip profile. Clinical assessment of the lip profile is an important element in the decision of orthodontic treatment planning and in the evaluation of treatment progress and outcome. Three known factors influence the lip profile; the lip thickness, the underlying bone, and the tooth position. The positions and inclinations of the anterior teeth can affect the lip position, but it is unclear whether orthodontic brackets bonded to the labial surface of anterior teeth move the lip position and thereafter change the …

Effects Of Sodium Hypochlorite On Enamel Composition, Sonni Pellillo

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sodium hypochlorite on the organic and inorganic composition of enamel. Background: With the advent of enamel bonding for orthodontic appliances in the late 1970s, it has been shown that traditional phosphoric acid etching affects the inorganic portion of the enamel.1, 2 In an attempt to enhance the acid etching pattern and, furthermore, the bond strength, additional pretreatment techniques that target the organic components of the enamel biofilm have been proposed. One such method is the non-invasive enamel pretreatment with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) prior to phosphoric acid etching.3, 4 …

Community-Based Rehabilitation Supports For Social Inclusion And Work Participation Of Young Adults With Visual Impairment In Kenya: A Case Study, Philomena Jepkemboi Tanui

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with a visual impairment (VI) experience less interaction with the community that impacts the way they relate to the world as they transition to the larger society where they face significant barriers of adjustment, exclusion, and work participation. Young adults with VI contend with cultural stigma, inequality, poor self-esteem caused by marginalization, a low quality of life (QOL), and lack of Social support systems that exist beyond the home. The aim of this study was to understand the perceptions of young adults with VI in Elgeyo-Marakwet and Kisumu Counties of Kenya concerning the barriers to community inclusion and …

Computational Analysis Of The Sir Mathematical Model For The Dengue Fever, Joseph Phillip Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Dengue fever is a disease affecting people in more than 100 countries. Here we consider a host and vector model for the transmission of dengue fever. This SIR model consists of three compartments of susceptible, infective and removed for host (human) and two compartments of susceptible and infective for vector (dengue mosquitos). These five compartments yield five coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). After non-dimensionalization, we have a system of three nonlinear ODEs. Reproductive number and two equilibrium points are calculated for various cases. Simulation is carried out for susceptible, infective and removed and the results are presented in graphical …

Color Of Porcelain Veneer After Final Cementation In Comparison To Try-In Paste And Permanent Cement: An In Vitro Study, Abdulelah Aldahlawi

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the color of porcelain veneers with try-in paste in relation to porcelain veneers with permanent cement. Also, to evaluate and compare combinations of three different shades and thicknesses of porcelain veneers and three cement shades before and after final cementation. Additionally, to evaluate and compare the color of porcelain veneers with cured permanent cement before and after aging. Background: Porcelain veneers and ceramic restorations have become one of the most popular approaches in the anterior area due to their natural appearance and esthetics. However, more conservative approaches have led to thinner restorations with increased translucency. …

Ex Vivo Effects Of An Orthodontic-Specific Bleaching System On Tooth Color And Existing Bracket Bonding, Kirk James Bean

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: The purpose of this ex vivo study was to assess the changes in tooth color and existing orthodontic bracket bonding when exposed to a bleaching agent. Methods: 120 freshly extracted human premolars were equally divided into 4 groups: a negative-control group, a positive-control bleaching group, a bracket-bonded group, and a bracket bonded-bleached group. The bleaching protocol was carried out as recommended by the manufacturer of Opalescence Go® – 30 minutes each day for 10 consecutive days. The color value of each tooth was measured daily by spectrophotometry for the negative-control group and the positive-control bleaching group in 6 different …

Adjunctive Appliance Wear And Gender Affect Patients' Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life During The Late Stage Of Orthodontic Treatment In Adolescents, Monica Dinh

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: This study was conducted to determine how oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) changes during the late stage of comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment in adolescents and what factors may be involved. Background: Completion of orthodontic treatment has been shown to improve patients’ OHQoL due to the changes in esthetics, function and emotional well-being. The levels of OHQoL fluctuate throughout treatment where an initial decrease within the first 6 months occurs followed by an improvement towards patients’ pre-treatment levels. At 18 months of fixed orthodontic treatment, the level is unclear. The aims of this study were to clarify the changes …

Current Clinical And Curricula Experiences Of Postgraduate Pediatric Dentistry Programs On Non-Iv Conscious Sedation In The United States, Aline Morin

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose: The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate the prevalence of compliance of Postgraduate Pediatric Dentistry Programs (PPDPs) in the United States with the current American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) sedation guidelines and Commission On Dental Accreditation (CODA) sedation curriculum requirements and identify barriers to and facilitators for implementation of such guidelines; (2) identify changes to-date in sedation practices of PPDP since the previously published AAPD sedation guidelines (2011); and (3) determine the independent association of compliance of PPDP with program setting. Methods: A 40-item questionnaire was emailed to all postgraduate pediatric dentistry program directors (PPDPDs) of …

Comparing The Efficacy Of Laser Fluorescence And Explorer Examination In Detecting Subgingival Calculus In Vivo, Mark Mccawley

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This paper investigated the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and precision of laser fluorescence and tactile probing for the detection of subgingival calculus. The gold standard for subgingival calculus detection has always been tactile probing. In this study 27 teeth were collected and 108 surfaces investigated, one tooth was excluded (group #13) where no calculus was observed on any surface, and three surfaces because of subgingival root caries to avoid confounding data, which left a total of 101 surfaces of 26 extracted teeth that meet the investigation criteria. The presence of subgingival calculus was observed on 75 tooth surfaces (74.25%). There was …

Factors Impacting Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Outcomes: An Analysis Of State-Federal Service Provision, Valerie Jeannette Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

State-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs are widely recognized for providing various services to individuals with disabilities to help them reach their goals of independence and employment. Because rehabilitation programs are required to meet federal and state goals, standards, and indicators, thorough and ongoing program evaluation is necessary to identify predictors of successful and unsuccessful employment outcomes in order to determine best practices in vocational rehabilitation service delivery.

In the large southwestern state examined in this research study, there is an estimated return on investment of $9 for each dollar spent on successful VR cases. Cases closed successfully by state-federal VR …

Understanding Technology Diffusion And Spatial Accessibility In The Home Healthcare Industry, Mehmet Serdar Kilinç

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Home healthcare is becoming an important alternative to institutionalized care. It not only reduces costs but also increases health outcomes and patient satisfaction. However, the availability and efficiency of home healthcare services need to be improved as the aging population increases in the US. Hence, understanding home healthcare utilization and access are the essential steps to develop strategies ensuring effective and sustainable services to patients.

This research aims to study two main issues in the US home healthcare system: diffusion and long-term impacts of home telehealth and potential spatial accessibility of home healthcare services. Home telehealth is a promising technology …

The Relationship Between Sleep And Nutrition In Message Framing Among College Students, Abbey G. White

Doctoral Dissertations

The college years are often depicted as a time of immense change, specifically in relation to college students' level of nutrition and sleep quality. However, these health concerns not only impact college students' health but also their academic performance, mood, and as a result their future. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether technologically enhanced health messages are more effective than the traditional text format for creating healthy behavioral changes amongst college students. Secondly, the study provides the opportunity to examine previous research involving message framing, specifically, regulatory focus theory and self-efficacy, in order to provide further …

Nanoformulation For Anticancer Drug Delivery: Enhanced Pharmacokinetics And Circulation, Gaurav Parekh

Doctoral Dissertations

In this study, we have explored the application of the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly technique for improving injectable drug delivery systems of low soluble anticancer drugs (e.g. Camptothecin (CPT), Paclitaxel (PTX) or Doxorubicin (DOX)). For this study, a polyelectrolyte shell encapsulates different types of drug nanocores (e.g. soft core, nanomicelle or solid lipid nanocores).The low soluble drugs tend to crystallize and precipitate in an aqueous medium. This is the reason they cannot be injected and may have low concentrations and low circulation time in the blood. Even though these drugs when present in the cancer microenvironment have high anti-tumor inhibition, the …

Students' Perspectives After Participation In A Mandated College Level Alcohol Intervention Program: A Phenomenological Study, Suzanna L. Guizar

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse among college students continues to be a significant problem by which the consequences impact the student, their peers, and the university. Although quantitative research with volunteer participants supports the use of enhanced brief motivational interventions and cognitive behavioral skills training in reducing risky drinking behavior (binge drinking), research with mandated students has shown inconsistent findings. The current study is a phenomenological qualitative study exploring the students’ perspectives after attending a mandated college-level alcohol intervention program. Mandated students are students who have been referred to an alcohol intervention as a result of violating an alcohol related policy on campus. …

Socially Constructing Drug Addicts From The Poor: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Kalynn Susan Amundson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Welfare drug testing was authorized by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, and has subsequently garnered extensive legislative interest in numerous states. This policy raises several questions, which are the subjects of the two journal articles and one manuscript included in this dissertation.

The first article addresses the question of a possible confluence of War on Drugs and Welfare Reform policies as evidenced through welfare drug testing policy, and indicated by continuity in policymakers’ rhetoric. This study examines federal-level policymakers’ debate discourse in these two policy streams. The analysis finds themes of the Social pathology, …

Development And Preliminary Validation Of A Nonmedical Prescription Drug Motives Questionnaire, Lauren Ashleigh Milner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of nonmedical prescription drug (NMPD) use continues to increase among emerging adult populations; however, little is known about the motivations behind this use. The current study aimed to extend previous research by developing and validating the first known comprehensive NMPD motives measure. As such, the primary focus of the current study was to examine evidence for the reliability and validity of the NMPD Motives Questionnaire by assessing the factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the motives scale. Participants were drawn from a larger study of college student substance use behaviors and attitudes (N = 1,427; Mage= …

Microtensile Bond Strength Of Resin-Dentin Bonds Following Application Of A Chemical Collagen Cross-Linker Using Different Dentin Bonding Systems, Bassam Naoraldean Zidane

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: The stabilization of dentinal collagen fibers against enzymatic degradation by the use of biocompatible cross-linker agents is of clinical importance for effective dentin bonding to surpass the test of time.

Objective: The present study aims to evaluate and compare the effect of the application of two versions of a desensitizer solution to sound coronal dentin, on the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of the resin-sound coronal dentin using 4th and 6th generation dentin bonding systems.

Materials and Methods: Extracted human third molars were collected from an unidentified bank of teeth followed by IRB approval. A flat surface of all 12 …

Comparison Of Mechanical And Optical Properties Between Three Different Cad/Cam Materials, Aasem Mutlaq Alhenaki

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective. This study aims to compare several mechanical and optical properties between three different CAD/CAM materials. The properties tested are: flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, hardness, translucency and surface gloss. Background. Typically, CAD/CAM restorations are either ceramic based or resin based. A new resin-ceramic hybrid material has recently been introduced and is thought to combine the advantages of both materials. Methods. Samples were divided into three groups, leucite-reinforced porcelain (IPS Empress CAD), lithium dicilicate (IPS e.max CAD) and resin-ceramic hybrid material (Vita Enamic). Twenty-six bar-shaped specimens were fabricated for each group by cutting standard CAD/CAM blocks. 3-point bending test and …

Investigating The Theory Of Ambiguous Loss: The Role Of Ambiguity Tolerance In Pre-Death Grief For Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Megan Kale-Cheever

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sought to investigate the relationship between ambiguity tolerance and caregiver grief within the framework of ambiguous loss theory. Thirty-one family caregivers completed a quantitative survey comprising two pre-existing scales and several demographic questions designed to assess level of ambiguity tolerance, level of grief, caregiver age and gender, type of relationship to the care recipient, living situation, length of caregiving career, level of Social support and frequency of difficult behaviors. Quantitative data analysis revealed that while no relationship existed between total ambiguity tolerance and total caregiver grief, a modest, inverse relationship exists between tolerance toward general-type ambiguity and burden, …

Effects Of Mild Hypohydration And Hyperthermia On Cognition And Mood In Obese And Non-Obese Females, Jenna Marie Burchfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Information regarding effects of hypohydration (HY) and hyperthermia (HT) on cognition, mood and development of symptoms is conflicting since the two conditions often confound each other. Further, although obese individuals may have physiological impairments during heat stress, whether psychological impairments occur with HY and HT is unknown. PURPOSE: To assess the independent and combined effects of mild HY and HT on cognition, mood, and the development of symptoms in obese and non-obese females. METHODS: Twenty-two healthy females (11 non-obese, 22±2y, 61±6kg, 25±4% body fat; 11 obese, 22±2y, 80±18kg, 44±5% body fat) volunteered in two randomized, repeated-measures trials, involving passive …

Local Modulation And Measurement Of Macrophage-Derived Bioactive Proteins From Implanted Biomaterials In Rat, Geetika Bajpai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fibrosis around the implanted medical devices is a severe problem that can plague long-term device reliability. Activation of macrophage phenotype (macrophage polarization) has emerged as a new and possible means for reducing fibrosis in the fields of biomaterials and regenerative medicine. Macrophages are phagocytic cells that respond to microenvironmental cues that direct their phenotype. Macrophage activation has been widely studied in mouse and human in the context of tumor biology, yet little information is available regarding how macrophage activation could be used in a biomaterials context. Further, rats rather than mice are the common subjects in biomaterials experiments. A significant …

The Role Of Stress: Low Birth Weight And Preterm Birth For African American Women, Tionna Latrice Jenkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This population-based study evaluates the impact that psychoSocial stress has on adverse birth outcomes of low birth weight (LBW) and pre-term birth (PTB) among African American mothers in Arkansas. The relationship between adverse birth outcomes in African American women and stress in comparison to non-Hispanic Caucasian women data was evaluated from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) quantitative survey. Data from 2005 through 2010 was reviewed to show the impact that psychoSocial stress has on adverse birth outcomes. The study sample was comprised of 14,196 participants.

Ethnic group status is the key maternal-level independent variable in this study. Of …

The Effect Of Balance-Based Torso-Weighting On Mobility, Gait, Balance, Postural Control, And Falls Efficacy In Mobility Limited Older Adults, Jennifer L. Vincenzo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exercise is a known intervention to prevent fall risk among older adults; however, adherence is poor. Therefore, it is of interest to determine if other interventions improve function and decrease fall risk among older adults. Balance-Based Torso-Weighting (BBTW) is a non-exercise intervention that improves functional measures among adults with multiple sclerosis, yet the effectiveness of BBTW has not been assessed among older adults without progressive neurological disorders. We conducted a double-blind, randomized study to analyze the effect of BBTW on functional measures and falls efficacy among community-dwelling, mobility limited older adults after 5 days of wearing BalanceWear® for 4 hours …

Assessing Vocabulary Of Children: Investigating The Evaluation And Instruction Of Basic Concepts, Rebecca Elizabeth Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vocabulary knowledge of preschool children is a key factor in predicting literacy success in elementary school (Hammer, Farkas, & Maczuga, 2010). However, few deliberate attempts to teach basic concept vocabulary have been studied (Bowers & Schwarz, 2013; Wilson, 2004). The purpose of this research is to determine if large group explicit instruction with interactive activities of specific basic concept vocabulary will increase preschool children's understanding of basic concept terms when measured by a standardized basic concept assessment. This research will also assess the validity of a basic concept-curriculum based measure (BC-CBM) as an efficient tool to monitor a child's understanding …

The Paleoepidemiology Of Malaria In The Ancient Near East, Nicole Elizabeth Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The end of the Late Bronze Age in the Near East (1300 - 1200 BCE) saw the widespread collapse of several large cultural centers, the reasons for which are a subject of continued debate. Evidence from events leading up to this cultural collapse suggest epidemic disease may have factored into the eventual downfall of these early civilizations. Recent DNA analysis from Egyptian mummies who lived during the period leading up to the Late Bronze Age collapse identified malaria in several elite individuals, suggesting the widespread prevalence of this infectious disease in Egypt. However, the exact prevalence, antiquity, and dynamics of …