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Global Stability And Traveling Wave Solutions For Some Epidemiological Models, Siroj Kansakar

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Positive Emotions And Immune Respose To Influenza In Medically Stable Older Adults, Maryann J. Gierloff

Dissertations

Influenza results in substantial human suffering and health care costs. Evidence from psychoneuroimmunology suggests that emotions influence the immune system and may alter susceptibility to infectious diseases, like influenza. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of psychological factors, health behaviors, circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines and the development of influenza-like illness in older adults. Medically stable participants, 55 years of age and over, were enrolled from the general community and an elderly community. Psychological factors (emotions and perceived stress), health behaviors (sleep and physical activity) and plasma cytokine levels (IL-6 and IL-1B) were evaluated with respect …

Promoting Thymopoiesis With Age: Potential Role Of The Transcription Factor Foxn1, Erin Christine Zook

Dissertations

It is known that the elderly are more susceptible to illnesses and infections and respond poorly to immunization. A contributing factor to a decrease in the immune response in the elderly is the decline in the production of naïve T cell by the thymus. In the thymus, the notch receptor expressed on early T cell progenitors (ETP) binds to its ligand expressed on thymic epithelial cells (TEC), signaling ETP to develop through a series of developmental stages before maturing into naive T cells. Because ETP are non-self renewing, the thymus relies on the bone marrow (BM) for a continuous supply …

Perceptions, Attitudes And Acceptability Of Hiv Testing Among Sub-Saharan African Immigrants In Chicago, Rita Ndidi Amadi

Dissertations

HIV testing is a primary strategy in HIV prevention and is associated with a myriad of benefits including positive behavior changes and enhanced access to HIV care services and support. However, African immigrants delay testing and are often diagnosed with late stage HIV infection and symptoms suggestive of AIDS. Little attention has been devoted to understanding the barriers to testing among sub Saharan African immigrants in the United States.

This cross sectional survey, conducted in partnership with African community organizations in Chicago, used multistage sampling techniques to reach this hard to reach population. It attempted to elucidate the HIV testing …

Effects Of The Exotic Shrub Lonicera Maackii On The Plant Animal Interactions In The Invaded Habitat, Humberto De Paula Dutra

Dissertations

Invasive plants are an economical, political, social, and ecological problem. Some invasive species are a serious concern for society because some of them are diseases, some are agricultural pests, and some become major threats to the ecosystems. Most studies with invasive species are limited because they measure only the impact of the invasion via direct pathways. Unfortunately, the potential for non-native plant species to alter ecosystem functions via indirect pathways mediated by interactions with animals just recently became broadly recognized. This research investigates the interactions of Amur honeysuckle with native fauna and how these interactions indirectly affect other trophic levels …

Chest Tube Dressings: A Comparison Of Different Methods, Susan Kathleen Blackburn Jones

Dissertations

This study is an experimental design with randomization comparing the use of standard gauze dressings (SGD) to transparent adhesive dressings (TAD) to cover chest tube insertion sites in post-operative patients who have undergone cardio-thoracic surgery. The study was conducted in a 400 bed, tertiary non-academic teaching hospital in the Midwestern United States. Seventy-nine patients were enrolled in the study; 39 received TAD and 40 received SGD. The non-inferiority margin was set at 15% in keeping with current recommendations (Kaul & Diamond, 2006). The TAD was found to be not inferior to the SGD with regards to the proportional differences in …

Establishing Construct Validity Of The Biology I Subject Area Testing Program In Mississippi, Christy Michelle Hollis Philippoff

Dissertations

Science education has undergone many revisions since it was permanently embedded in the country's educational curriculum at the end of the 19th century. Some of these revisions occurred as a direct result of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This legislation placed more accountability on schools than ever before by requiring that all students pass a series of standardized tests (USDE, 2010). High schools in Mississippi require four areas of standardized testing: English II, Algebra I, U.S. History, and Biology I (Wroten, 2008). The focus of this study is the Biology I Subject Area Test.

In an effort to …

Effects Of Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 On Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome, Stephanie Flynn James

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Educators' Perceptions Of The School's Role In The Prevention Of Childhood Obesity, Sharon Harris Johnson

Dissertations

Childhood obesity is a prevalent subject of research currently, and many researchers have studied the effectiveness of school programs in battling obesity among students. This case study, utilizing ethnographic tools of observation, interviews, and investigation of artifacts, examines educators' perceptions of the role of the school in the prevention of this epidemic, how perceptions affect practices, and the barriers to prevention efforts. The lens of caring theory, social justice, and critical theory frame the analysis of how educators in a medium-sized elementary school contend with the problem of childhood obesity. Educators in this setting perceived their role in the prevention …

Investigating Nitrate-Dependent Humic Substance Oxidation And In-Service K-12 Teachers' Understanding Of Microbiology, Nastassia N. Jones

Dissertations

Humic substances (HS) are the humified portions of totally decomposed soil organic matter that are ubiquitous in nature. Although these substances have been studied for more than 200 years, neither their metabolic capabilities nor a specific chemical structure has yet to be determined. HS have been studied as a carbon source in many environments where they are degraded; however, previous studies have shown that some microorganisms are capable of utilizing humic substances as electron acceptors and electron donors in anaerobic respiration. Even though there have been humic-reducing and humic-oxidizing microorganisms isolated and studied in recent years, the mechanism of humics …

Experimental Infection Of Jamaican Fruit Bats (Artibeus Jamaicensis) With Tacaribe Virus, Ann C. Hawkinson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cord Blood Collection In Pregnant Women For Stem Cell Research, Irene Carr Phd

Dissertations

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells form commonly banked types of human tissue. Confusion remains about sources of stem cells and their use. Birth is a once in a lifetime opportunity with 74 million births per year in the world and four million occur in the United States. Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells and pluripotent mesenchymal cells (Moise, 2005). There is a surge of interest in the clinical use and research investigation of umbilical cord blood for transplantation and regenerative medicine. Clinicians need increased awareness and education of options for private versus public donation and banking of cord blood …

Mother-Son Connectedness, Substance Use, And Young Men's Criminal Justice System Involvement, Kim L. Moreno Phd

Dissertations

The relationship between a mother and her son and its influence on health and risk behaviors as a boy becomes a man has had little exploration. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between mother-son connectedness, substance use, serious delinquency, violent delinquency, and criminal justice system involvement in young men. This study uses data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health), a school-based study of students in grades 7–12 in the United States. Multiple regression, ANOVA, and logistic regression were used to analyze independent and dependent variables. Results show a perception of connectedness, which …

California School Nurse Survey, Rachel Van Niekerk Phd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain evidence to support the assumption that school nurses have a positive effect on school attendance and medication administration practices and to hear the voice of the California school nurse. Data from this exploratory, descriptive study came from an online researcher developed survey consisting of both forced choice and open-ended questions completed by California school nurses representing the three major regions of California (Northern, Central, and Southern). The following three research questions guided the study: 1) What is the relationship between school and nurse factors on student outcomes? 2) How valued do California …

A Retrospective Study Of Substance Use And Mental Health Disorders In A Sample Of Urban American Indian And Alaska Natives, Kathryn Aimee Fuller Phd

Dissertations

This retrospective study examined the prevalence of mental health disorders, co-occurring disorders (COD), and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD) among a sample of urban-dwelling adult American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) seeking behavioral health services from one metropolitan Indian clinic in Southwestern United States. A descriptive quantitative design employed retrospective data from AI/AN subjects (N = 123) verified as tribally enrolled and receiving outpatient behavioral health services. Chart abstraction included patient demographics, substance use and mental health diagnoses, and ATOD scores from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Addiction Severity Index-NAV (ASI-NAV). The t-test compared gender differences …

Mechanism For Pre-B Cell Loss In Mutant Ali/Ali Rabbits, Gregory Robert Robbins

Dissertations

Pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) signaling is a critical checkpoint in B cell development in which B-lineage cells expressing functional μ-chains undergo selective expansion. My dissertation work used a rabbit model system to study how VH structure affects the early stages of B cell development in the bone marrow (BM). Developing B cells in mutant ali/ali rabbits predominantly utilize VH4 during VDJ gene rearrangement. However, most of the VH4-utilizing B cells encounter a severe block early in B cell development. In contrast, wildtype rabbit B cells predominantly rearrange VH1, a gene >90% identical to VH4, and develop normally. We hypothesized that …

Use Of Mushroom Extract To Enhance Quality And Health Benefits Of Dairy Products, Osman A. Hassan

Dissertations

Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are purportedly beneficial to human health and are called probiotics which are live microorganisms, when administered in adequate amounts conferring a health benefit on the host. It is believed that the maximum probiotics effect can be achieved if the organisms adhere to intestinal mucosal cells. Probiotics, perhaps in combination with prebiotics, may become an important means of preventing and treating disease. In fact, several types of diarrhea have been successfully treated with probiotics. The mechanisms behind favorable clinical outcome are still largely unknown, however, the potential benefits of probiotic therapy promise to be almost limitless. Organic acids …

Exploring The Experiences Of Living With A Controversial Illness In Patients With Fibromyalgia, Samantha L. Wheeler

Dissertations

Fibromyalgia is an illness of great controversy estimated to affect approximately 4% of the US population. There are no widely accepted etiological causes or clear physiological explanations of fibromyalgia. Only a few research studies have addressed the concept of illness uncertainty in patients with fibromyalgia. There are no current studies that examine how fibromyalgia patients experience, perceive, and understand their illness in terms of having a syndrome with an unknown etiology.

This qualitative study, using phenomenological methods, explored the concept of unknown etiology as one factor in illness uncertainty. Ten participants, diagnosed with fibromyalgia from 2-15 years were interviewed. The …

Natural Product Inhibitors Of Rhodesain : The Major Cysteine Protease Of Trypanosoma Brucei, Ifedayo Victor Ogungbe

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Alternations In The Splenic Marginal Zone With Age, Shirin Z. Birjandi

Dissertations

Splenic marginal zones are architecturally organized to generate a rapid response against blood- borne antigens entering the spleen. The marginal zone is a distinct anatomical micro-environment whose main components include the marginal zone macrophages, the marginal zone B cells, the marginal zone sinus, and the metallophilic macrophages. Marginal zone macrophages, in partnership with marginal zone B cells, are particularly important in host defense against T-independent pathogens and are crucial for the prevention of diseases such as Streptococcus pneumonia. It has been widely reported that with the advancement of age there is a higher rate of mortality as a result of …

Regulation Of Biofilm And Antibiotic-Resistance By The Modulator Of Sara (Msa) In Staphylococcus Aureus, Antony Schwartz

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that is the causative agent of life-threatening diseases such as endocarditis and osteomyelitis. The ability of S. aureus to thrive as a successful pathogen can be partially attributed to its ability to form biofilm. Biofilm is an extracellular polysaccharide, protein, and DNA-based slime layer that protects the bacterial community. The global regulator sarA is essential for biofilm formation. Since the modulator of sarA (msa) gene regulates several virulence factors and is required for the full expression of sarA, the capacity of the msa mutant to form a biofilm was examined. The mutation of …

Individual-Based Modeling Of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Movements And Epizootiology, Lene Jung Kjaer

Dissertations

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are important game mammals and potential reservoirs of diseases of domestic livestock, so diseases of deer are of great concern to wildlife managers. In many situations, models can be useful for integrating existing data, understanding disease transmission patterns, and predicting effects on host populations. Individual-based modeling (IBM) has become more commonplace in ecology as a tool to link individual behavior to population dynamics and community interactions, especially for gauging the effects of management actions. Spatially explicit IBMs are especially useful when ecological processes, such as disease transmission, are affected by the spatial composition of the environment. …

The Relationship And Effects Of Mindfulness On Comfort, Work Satisfaction, And Burnout Among Nurses Who Provide Direct Patient Care, Pamela Lichtenberg Heard

Dissertations

This study proposed to examine the problem of burnout in the nursing profession and ways to ameliorate burnout. Many burnout studies in the past focused on the problem and possible solutions that managers and/or hospital administrators could incorporate into their organization. The focus of this study is to evaluate ways that nurses can decrease their own propensity to burnout through the use of mindfulness. Therefore, this study examined burnout in a non-traditional manner. It is not assumed that others must assist nurses with decreasing their levels of burnout. Mindfulness is a means by which nurses can empower themselves to combat …

Experiences Of Pregnancy, Childbirth And Post-Partem Period In Urban And Suburban Immigrant Pakistani Women, Rubab I. Qureshi

Dissertations

A body of research suggests that immigrants arrive in the U.S. in good health, a healthy immigrant effect. As immigrants acculturate and absorb dominant cultural norms (measured by proxy variables such as language preference, employment, smoking and alcohol consumption), their health status deteriorates. There is a need to understand how immigrants adapt to a changed social and cultural environment and how this may influence health.

A study of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in immigrant Pakistani women living in New Jersey explored the interface of culture, immigration and health. The study employed a three pronged approach. Census data were …

Factors Influencing State Prescription Drug Policy, Rochelle Rene' Henderson

Dissertations

Within the realm of health care, prescription drugs have been of particular concern for state legislators in terms of cost, safety, and distribution. Whether prompted by financial, social, or political pressure, states have tried to address issues associated with prescription medications by adopting or attempting to adopt a variety of prescription drug policies. My dissertation expands beyond the analysis of a singular prescription drug policy and examines the factors affecting prescription drug policies aimed at acquisition, safety and distribution. A negative binomial regression model is employed for each of the prescription drug policy areas to ascertain the influence of internal, …

Determining The Relationship Of Human Enteric Viruses In Clinical, Wastewater, And Environmental Samples Utilizing Molecular And Cell Culture Techniques, Jacquelina Susann Williams Woods

Dissertations

This study was the first to examine five significant enteric viruses in human fecal material, sewage, and oysters to show a genetic relationship between human enteric viruses and different sample matrices. Fecal samples were collected from an area hospital and examined for norovirus genotype I (NoV GI), norovirus genotype II (NoV Gil), hepatitis A virus (HA V), adenovirus (ADV), and enteroviruses. During this study, sewage samples were collected from a Waster Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Mobile, ALand oyster sentinels were placed at 0.1 nautical miles (nm) (station 1 ), 0.2nm (station 2}, 1.5nm (station 3), and 4nm (station 4) …

Quality Of Life, Hope, Social Support, And Self-Care In Heart Failure Patients, Karen A. Mcgurk Phd, Mn, Rn

Dissertations

Heart failure is a significant, chronic health problem. Much is known about physiological factors related to this condition. Less is known about the psychosocial aspects that influence disease risk, progression, and treatment. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships between quality of life, hope, social support, and self-care. A descriptive, correlational study was conducted. The participants were 65 heart failure patients who attended 2 military-based heart failure clinics. Quality of Life was measured using the Left Ventricular Dysfunction Questionnaire (LVD-36), Hope was measured using the Herth Hope Index (HUI), Social Support was measured using the Medical Outcomes …

Tuberculosis Awareness And Public Opinion On Expanding Health Insurance Coverage, Belal A. Saadeh Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

This quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study examined the effect of TB awareness and demographic variables on the level of support for expanding health insurance coverage for all residents, including undocumented immigrants. A modified 13-item tool developed by Morisky et al. (1990) was used to measure TB awareness; a single item created by the researcher assessed personal opinion regarding expansion of health insurance coverage; and a demographic questionnaire was used to collect data from 281 registered voters in San Diego County. The majority of San Diego County voters participating in the study supported at least some expansion of health insurance coverage. ANOVA …

The Absence Of Presence: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Indicated Interventions To Increase Student Attendance, Brandy R. Maynard

Dissertations

The present study utilized systematic review methods and meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize research and systematically examine the effects of indicated intervention programs on school attendance behaviors of elementary and secondary school students. A comprehensive search strategy resulted in the identification 11 randomized studies, 9 quasi-experimental studies and 13 single group pre-post test studies that met inclusion criteria. Effect sizes data and study, participant, and intervention characteristics were coded and analyzed. Analyses of the randomized and quasi-experimental studies were performed separately from the single group pre-post test studies.

The meta-analytic findings showed overall positive and moderate effects of indicated attendance interventions …

Aging Effects On Acute Lung Inflammation After Burn Injury, Vanessa Nomellini

Dissertations

The risk of complications and death after a moderate sized burn injury is significantly higher in persons over the age of 65, while almost non-existant in young, healthy individuals. The studies outlined below use a murine model to determine the mechanisms behind the development of pulmonary complications that frequently occur in aged individuals following burn injury. We hypothesized that, since aged mice maintain an elevated proinflammatory state prior to injury, they are at an even greater risk of pulmonary inflammation than young mice given a comparable sized wound. We found that neutrophils continue to accumulate in the lungs of aged …