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Primary Drug And Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis, Of The Diagnostic Properties Of The Sputum Smear Versus Culture Method For Tuberculosis Diagnosis In An Ecuadorian Urban Public Health Facility, Sandra Luz Groeschel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: The accurate diagnosis and effective prevention and control of tuberculosis (TB) are major global public health challenges. Ecuador has among the highest documented TB incidence (59/100,000 inhabitants) and mortality rates in the Americas region (27/100,000 inhabitants). In addition, TB multi-drug resistance is becoming increasingly common. The culture method is the preferred method of choice for diagnosing TB in the United States and many other high resource countries due to its high documented sensitivity. An added benefit of the methods is that it also can be used to detect primary TB resistance. In contrast, despite its lower diagnostic sensitivity, …

Moving Toward Leadership: A Case Study Of Latina Adolescents And Effective Communication, Isela Estrada

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The problem addressed in this study is the need for Latina adolescents to develop effective communication and leadership skills that will support their success in U.S. culture and society. This thesis is a case study of two Mexican-American adolescents who participated in a twelve-session leadership program at a dance studio. The goal of the study was to test the effectiveness of Rena Kornblum’s (2002) Disarming the Playground curriculum as a social skills program to improve leadership, effective communication skills, and group cohesion. This study included video footage of the adolescents engaging in movement-based role-play scenarios, which was examined using qualitative …

Lines In The Sand: Social Representations Of Substance Use Boundaries In Life Narratives, K. F. Trocki, L. O. Michalak, Laurie A. Drabble

Faculty Publications

This study identifies social representations in interviews about alcohol and substance use in the discourse of 129 young adults, who were interviewed for 2.5 to 3.5 hr each for their life histories and use or nonuse of alcoholic beverages and drugs. Respondents spontaneously delineated their substance use boundaries, creating a continuum of behaviors with boundary points separating acceptable from unacceptable behaviors. They used signaling expressions to indicate go and stop signs and movement along the substance use continuum and reported negotiating substance use boundaries both internally and with peers. A ubiquitous narrative element was the cautionary tale, in which a …

Treatment Of Steroid-Induced Elevated Intraocular Pressure With Anecortave Acetate: A Randomized Clinical Trial., Ingeborg Stalmans, David G. Callanan, Monte S. Dirks, Marlene R. Moster, Alan L. Robin, Joachim Van Calster, Sally A. Scheib, Jaime E. Dickerson, Theresa A. Landry, Michael V. W. Bergamini

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

PURPOSE: The present study is the first randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect of anecortave acetate (AA) administered at 3 doses (3, 15, or 30 mg) as an anterior juxtascleral depot (AJD) in patients experiencing elevated IOP due to corticosteroid therapy.

METHODS: This was a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, parallel group trial. Eligible patients had an IOP of at least 24 mmHg and an IOP increase of at least 10 mmHg relative to their IOP before treatment with steroids. A target IOP was established for each patient at baseline. Patients were randomized to 1 of …

Sociosexuality, Mate Preferences, And Sex Steroid Hormone Levels Among Breastfeeding Women In Manila, Michelle Escasa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This project investigates the influence of lactation on female sociosexuality and mate preferences in urban Manila, a population with long-term breastfeeding, low contraceptive use, and quick return to ovulatory cycling. Physiological and evolutionary considerations suggest that lactating women face important life history allocation trade-offs between mating and parenting effort that may be manifest in their sociosexual behavior and mate preferences. Breastfeeding (n=155) and control (n=105) women were recruited to provide a saliva sample (for testosterone and estradiol analyses), complete a questionnaire, and complete a face and voice preference task to determine preferences for masculinity. Breastfeeding women reported differences in commitment …

Studies On Spreading Depolarization In Healthy And Metabolically Compromised Brain Tissues, Isamu Aiba

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Spreading depolarization (SD) is a slowly propagating wave of depolarization of neurons and glia. Since its original discovery in 1944, SD has been observed in various experimental settings, both in vitro and in vivo. SD has recently been detected in brains of human patients with various injuries, and a contribution of SD to deleterious consequences of acute brain injury is increasingly accepted. iv The present dissertation work focus mainly on the characterization of SD and cellular events associated with it. Main interests of these studies are on underlying mechanisms that convert non-injurious factors into mediators of acute neuronal injury. One …

Reintegration Of Child Soldiers In Burundi: A Tracer Study, Mark J.D. Jordans, Ivan H. Komproe, Wietse A. Tol, Aline Ndayisaba, Theodora Nisabwe, Brandon A. Kohrt

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Substantial attention and resources are aimed at the reintegration of child soldiers, yet rigorous evaluations are rare.

Methods

This tracer study was conducted among former child soldiers (N=452) and never-recruited peers (N=191) who participated in an economic support program in Burundi. Socio-economic outcome indicators were measured retrospectively for the period before receiving support (T1; 2005–06); immediately afterwards (T2; 2006–07); and at present (T3; 2010). Participants also rated present functional impairment and mental health indicators.

Results

Participants reported improvement on all indicators, especially economic opportunity and social integration. At present no difference existed between both groups on any of the …

Cdk Inhibitors (P16/P19/P21) Induce Senescence And Autophagy In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, "Fueling" Tumor Growth Via Paracrine Interactions, Without An Increase In Neo-Angiogenesis., Claudia Capparelli, Barbara Chiavarina, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Timothy G Pestell, Richard Pestell, James Hulit, Sebastiano Andò, Anthony Howell, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Here, we investigated the compartment-specific role of cell cycle arrest and senescence in breast cancer tumor growth. For this purpose, we generated a number of hTERT-immortalized senescent fibroblast cell lines overexpressing CDK inhibitors, such as p16(INK4A), p19(ARF) or p21(WAF1/CIP1). Interestingly, all these senescent fibroblast cell lines showed evidence of increased susceptibility toward the induction of autophagy (either at baseline or after starvation), as well as significant mitochondrial dysfunction. Most importantly, these senescent fibroblasts also dramatically promoted tumor growth (up to ~2-fold), without any comparable increases in tumor angiogenesis. Conversely, we generated human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cells) overexpressing CDK inhibitors, …

Lost In Translation Teaching, Translation, And Transliteration Of Amchi Medicine In Nepal, Hannah Mcgehee

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As both school and mentsikhang, Lo Kunphen faces the full range of issues encountered by amchi in Nepal today. Youth are migrating to the cities for work, high mountain communities are transforming into cash-economies, and the Nepali government refuses to recognize amchi medicine, making the amchi profession less and less sustainable. Lo Kunphen must work tirelessly to confront these challenges and to preserve their tradition. While trying to educate the new generation of amchi, they must reach out to foreign sponsors and to the Nepali government for support. However, these interactions cannot occur without translation. During November, 2012 the author …

Rat Brain Pro-Oxidant Effects Of Peripherally Administered 5 Nm Ceria 30 Days After Exposure, Sarita S. Hardas, Rukhsana Sultana, Govind Warrier, Mo Dan, Rebecca L. Florence, Peng Wu, Eric A. Grulke, Michael T. Tseng, Jason M. Unrine, Uschi M. Graham, Robert A. Yokel, D. Allan Butterfield

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to determine the residual pro-or anti-oxidant effects in rat brain 30 days after systemic administration of a 5 nm citrate-stabilized ceria dispersion. A ∼4% aqueous ceria dispersion was iv-infused (0 or 85 mg/kg) into rats which were terminated 30 days later. Ceria concentration, localization, and chemical speciation in the brain was assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), light and electron microscopy (EM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), respectively. Pro- or anti-oxidant effects were evaluated by measuring levels of protein carbonyls (PC), 3-nitrotyrosine (3NT), and protein-bound-4-hydroxy-2-trans-nonenal (HNE) in the hippocampus, cortex, and …

Comunicación Entre Personal Médico Y Pacientes Indígenas Un Estudio De La Medicina Intercultural En Huancarani, Cusco, Peru, Jordan Cahn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Esta investigación describe la relación entre personal médico y el paciente en un contexto intercultural. La ubicación del estudio es un centro de salud en la comunidad rural de Huancarani, Cusco, Perú. El personal médico viene de un perspectivo occidental y mayormente hablan castellano mientras que los pacientes son de orígenes indígenas y hablan quechua. El objetivo de la investigación es para observar la interacción intercultural entre el personal médico y los pacientes para determinar si las barreras culturales y preferencias para biomedicina o medicina tradicional infringen la calidad de servicios médicos. El personal médico prefiere la biomedicina y ve …

Psychometrics Of The Scale Of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration: A Study With Medical Students., Mohammadreza Hojat, John Spandorfer, Gerald A. Isenberg, Michael J. Vergare, Reza Fassihi, Joseph S. Gonnella

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite the emphasis placed on interdisciplinary education and interprofessional collaboration between physicians and pharmacologists, no psychometrically sound instrument is available to measure attitudes toward collaborative relationships.

AIM: This study was designed to examine psychometrics of an instrument for measuring attitudes toward physician-pharmacist collaborative relationships for administration to students in medical and pharmacy schools and to physicians and pharmacists.

METHODS: The Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Pharmacist Collaboration was completed by 210 students at Jefferson Medical College. Factor analysis and correlational methods were used to examine psychometrics of the instrument.

RESULTS: Consistent with the conceptual framework of interprofessional collaboration, three underlying …

Evaluation Of The Clinical Integration Model For Hospital Care Delivery, Cheryl Mckay

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Two studies were used to evaluate whether introduction of the Clinical Integration Model (CIM) would decrease cost, length of stay (LOS), and mortality in two populations: a psychiatric in-patient population and congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. Objectives: 1. Evaluate reliability and validity of a process tool, the CareGraph, essential in the CIM. 2. Determine if there is a difference for LOS and cost between patients receiving care in the CIM and those receiving care in a traditional primary care delivery model in a psychiatric population; compare the same parameters as well as survival in the CHF population. Methods: Reliability …

Inhibition Of Breast Cancer Angiogenesis And Metastasis Ay Targeting Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1Α, Chikezie O. Madu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The current clinical chemotherapy agents are not ideal for breast cancer as they are not curative, but only provide a modest extension of survival with sometimes a severely adverse effect on the patient’s quality of life. There is, therefore, an urgent need to search for new and more effective anti-breast cancer drugs. However, the existing screening system is inefficient and time-consuming despite the extremely large amount of small molecule compounds in database currently available, and thereby hindering the effort for selecting new and effective anti-cancer drugs.

The majority of locally advanced solid tumors contain regions of reduced oxygen availability. Hypoxia …

Assessing Blood Culture Contamination, Deborah Harris

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to evaluate blood culture collection procedures utilized at the study hospital to determine the cause of the high contamination rates.

Breastfeeding Attitudes And Intentions Among Middle Eastern Women Living In Southern California, Christina Irsilious Fam

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Breastfeeding is unsurpassed as the preferred method of feeding infants all over the world due to the fact that its benefits far outweigh those of infant formula. Mothers from all cultures prefer breastfeeding, yet with immigration and emigration so widespread from developing countries, women's value systems are changing to adapt to their new surroundings. The United States has experienced a great influx of Middle Easterners; California in particular has a dominant presence of Middle Easterners. Many are faced with obstacles and stresses in acculturation, which may lead to lack of breastfeeding their infants. Few studies are available on Middle …

Amelioration Of Oral Mucositis Pain By Nasa Near Infra Red Light Emitting Diodes In Bone Marrow Transplant Patients, Brian D. Hodgson, David Margolis, Donna E. Salzman, Dan C. Eastwood, Sergey Tarima, Lisa D. Williams, Jane E. Sande, William P. Vaughan, Harry T. Whelan

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

PURPOSE: To investigate the use of extra-orally applied near infra-red (NIR) phototherapy for the reduction of oral pain secondary to chemo- and radiation-therapy induced mucositis in adult and pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients.

METHODS: 80 HSCT were divided into regular (R) and low (L) risk groups, then to experimental (E) and placebo (P) groups, resulting in 4 groups (ER, EL, PR, PL). Experimental subjects received (670 (+/- 10) nm gallium-aluminum-arsinide light emitting diode (LED) device for 80 sec at an ~50mW/cm2 energy density and power exposure of 4J/cm2. Placebo patients received the same procedures, but with a placebo …

Autophagy And Senescence In Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Metabolically Supports Tumor Growth And Metastasis Via Glycolysis And Ketone Production., Claudia Capparelli, Carmela Guido, Diana Whitaker-Menezes, Phd, Gloria Bonuccelli, Renee Balliet, Timothy G Pestell, Allison F Goldberg, Richard Pestell, Anthony Howell, Sharon Sneddon, Ruth Birbe, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Ubaldo E. Martinez-Outshoorn, Federica Sotgia, Michael P. Lisanti

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

Senescent fibroblasts are known to promote tumor growth. However, the exact mechanism remains largely unknown. An important clue comes from recent studies linking autophagy with the onset of senescence. Thus, autophagy and senescence may be part of the same physiological process, known as the autophagy-senescence transition (AST). To test this hypothesis, human fibroblasts immortalized with telomerase (hTERT-BJ1) were stably transfected with autophagy genes (BNIP3, CTSB or ATG16L1). Their overexpression was sufficient to induce a constitutive autophagic phenotype, with features of mitophagy, mitochondrial dysfunction and a shift toward aerobic glycolysis, resulting in L-lactate and ketone body production. Autophagic fibroblasts also showed …

Endogenous Dynorphin Protects Against Neurotoxin-Elicited Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neuron Damage And Motor Deficits In Mice, Qingshan Wang, Eun-Joo Shin, Xuan-Khanh Thi Nguyen, Quan Li, Jae-Hyung Bach, Guoying Bing, Won-Ki Kim, Hyoung-Chun Kim, Jau-Shyong Hong

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The striato-nigral projecting pathway contains the highest concentrations of dynorphin in the brain. The functional role of this opioid peptide in the regulation of mesencephalic dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons is not clear. We reported previously that exogenous dynorphin exerts potent neuroprotective effects against inflammation-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in vitro. The present study was performed to investigate whether endogenous dynorphin has neuroprotective roles in vivo.

METHODS: 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and methamphetamine (MA), two commonly used neurotoxins in rodent models of Parkinson's disease, were administered to wild-type (Dyn⁺/⁺) and prodynorphin-deficient mice (Dyn⁻/⁻). We examined dopaminergic neurotoxicity by using an automated video tracking system, HPLC, …

Inhibition Of Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Ameliorates Synaptic Alterations And Ca2+ Dysregulation In Aged Rats, Diana M. Sama, Hafiz Mohmmad Abdul, Jennifer L. Furman, Irina A. Artiushin, David E. Szymkowski, Stephen W. Scheff, Christopher M. Norris

Graduate Center for Gerontology Faculty Publications

The role of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) in neural function has been investigated extensively in several neurodegenerative conditions, but rarely in brain aging, where cognitive and physiologic changes are milder and more variable. Here, we show that protein levels for TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) are significantly elevated in the hippocampus relative to TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) in aged (22 months) but not young adult (6 months) Fischer 344 rats. To determine if altered TNF/TNFR1 interactions contribute to key brain aging biomarkers, aged rats received chronic (4-6 week) intracranial infusions of XPro1595: a soluble dominant negative TNF that preferentially inhibits …

Identification And Characterization Of Distinct Populations Of Clonogenic Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Capable Of Transferring The Hematopoietic Microenvironment In Vivo And Supporting Lt-Hscs In Vitro, Colby Suire

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Bone marrow (BM) stromal cells are ascribed two key functions, 1) stem cells for non-hematopoietic tissues (MSC) and 2) as components of the hematopoietic stem cell niche. Current approaches studying the stromal cell system in the mouse are complicated by the low yield of clonogenic progenitors (CFU-F). Given the perivascular location of MSC in BM, we developed an alternative methodology to isolate MSC from mBM. An intact ‘plug’ of bone marrow is expelled from bones and enzymatically disaggregated to yield a single cell suspension. The recovery of CFU-F (1917.95+199) reproducibly exceeds that obtained using the standard BM flushing technique (14.32+1.9) …

Exploring Hope And Quality Of Life: A Proposal For A Group Art Therapy Hope Intervention For Individuals Diagnosed With Lupus, Paige Scheinberg

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

As a result of the importance of hope and quality of life in disease management for individuals who have been diagnosed with lupus, there is support in the literature for the need for an effective intervention that targets these constructs with this population. The efficacy of art therapy in meeting the physical, mental, and emotional needs of diverse populations is also supported in existing research, making this an ideal form of treatment for lupus patients. In an effort to fill a gap in the literature on the relationship(s) between lupus, hope, and art therapy, this study was created. The original …

Cultural Competence In The Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Curriculum, Angela Elizabeth Silvestri

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Health care providers are members of a helping profession and need to provide quality care to all members of society. As a result of current and projected demographic changes within the United States (U.S.), health care professionals are faced with the challenges of providing culturally competent care and fulfilling the role as the "helping profession." In the past 10 years, minority populations have increased in the U.S. For example, the African American population experienced an approximate 12.3% increase, and the Hispanic population increased by 43%. Just as it is necessary for health care professionals to respond to the increase in …

Bryant University Research And Engagement Day Program

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

No abstract provided.

Com Outlook Spring 2012, College Of Osteopathic Medicine

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

Resource Availability, Mortality And Fertility: A Path Analytic Approach To Global Life History Variation, Mark A. Caudell, Robert J. Quinlan

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

Humans exhibit considerable diversity in timing and rate of reproduction. Life history theory suggests that ecological cues of resource richness and survival probabilities shape human phenotypes across populations. Populations experiencing high extrinsic mortality due to uncertainty in resources should exhibit faster life histories. Here we use a path analytic approach informed by life history theory to model the multiple pathways between resources, mortality rates, and reproductive behavior in 191 countries. Resources that account for the most variance in population mortality rates are predicted to explain the most variance in total fertility rates. Results indicate that resources (e.g., calories, sanitation, education, …

Visionary Spring 2012, College Of Optometry

Visionary

No abstract provided.

Sorry Buddy, But Your Name Isn't On The List: Fear And The Ethics Of Organ Donation In Film, Ted Callis

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

The fear of death and illness is a powerful motivator. When taking into account the ethical reasoning that drives organ transplantation and procurement practices, it is persuasive enough to sway minds and corrupt pure reason. And so this paper will uncover how fear of illness and death shape answers to the ethical questions that arise in transplant debates and how these debates are in turn raised in the ethical dilemmas portrayed by popular American films. This paper will examine recent films such as The Island, and Never Let Me Go to illustrate how the ethical dilemmas associated with organ …

Busting A Gut: Portrayals Of Obesity In Popular Culture, Carly Babel

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Obesity is America’s number one leading health epidemic, affecting more than 93 million Americans today (OAC). From 1985 to 2010, obesity has gone from affecting an average of 10% of individuals in just about every state to today affecting 33.8% of people within each state. Children and adults alike all over the U.S. are being diagnosed with obesity and encouraged to change their lifestyles. Doctors are prescribing patients to lose weight, exercise, eat healthy, and in extreme cases, go under the knife, but none of these recommendations are making a dent in lowering the rate of obesity. Rather, the number …

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Who's The Thinnest Of Them All?, Ann Marie O'Brien

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

Societal standards of feminine beauty are presented in all forms of popular culture, thus bombarding women with images that portray what our society considers to be the “ideal body type.” These images, as seen on the cover of magazines, in popular films and in all forms of web and print advertising, are consistently depicted and easily described with one word: skinny. The regular use of unnatural, unhealthy and unrealistic models sends the implicit message that in order for a woman to be beautiful, she must attain this ultra-thin physique. Such adulation of these images encourages women to sacrifice their health …