Digital Commons Network^™

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Future Care Planning Among Older Adults: Exploring The Role Of Hope As A Moderator, Jodi L. Southerland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Older adults have an increased risk for illness and disease, factors that can lead to functional impairment and intensify the need for reliance on supportive services. Planning for long-term care needs is a vital component of healthy aging and continued autonomy. Yet, many older adults fail to make plans in advance, perhaps due to differences in personal characteristics.

The moderating effects of trait hope on the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and preparation for future care needs (PFCN) was studied in a sample of 65 older adult primary care patients (<65 years) in western New York. Participants completed a questionnaire on 5 dimensions of PFCN (awareness of risk, information gathering, decisions about care preferences, concrete planning, and active avoidance). In addition, data were collected on five HRQoL domains (physical function, physical role function, emotional role function, social function, and bodily pain) and trait hope. Moderated multiple regression was used to test the moderator hypothesis controlling for personal characteristics. Post-hoc probing was used to further examine significant interactions.

At the bivariate level, social functioning, physical …

"That's What Families Do": Rewards And Challenges Of Informal Kinship Care, Betsy Hay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Informal kinship caregivers take on the responsibility of raising a relative's children in situations where those children cannot remain with their parents and are not in the custody of child welfare. The phenomenon is increasing; however it is difficult to obtain information from these families because of the difficulty locating them. As a result, there is limited research on this specific group of kinship care families. The purpose of this study was exploratory, using qualitative methods to gather information from informal kinship caregivers about their experiences caring for a relative's children, with a focus on the rewards and challenges within …

Gender Depiction In Preschool Books: A Comparison Between Early Care And Education Classrooms In The United States And Norway, Cathrine Aasen Floyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preschool children's perceptions around gender identity and development can be influenced by their experiences. With many children spending a portion of their day in child care, the environmental factors of these programs are important. One aspect of the environment can impact preschool children is the books that are available to them. For over 40 years, children's literature in the United States has been studied and found to be biased in their portrayal of males and females. Males were more often found as main characters and depicted as capable leaders and thinkers. Female characters were shown as weaker, often appearing in …

Thermally Actuated Resonant Silicon Crystal Nanobalances, Arash Hajjam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the potential emerging technology for next generation integrated resonant sensors and frequency references as well as electronic filters, micro-electro-mechanical resonators have attracted a lot of attention over the past decade. As a result, a wide variety of high frequency micro/nanoscale electromechanical resonators have recently been presented. MEMS resonators, as low-cost highly integrated and ultra-sensitive mass sensors, can potentially provide new opportunities and unprecedented capabilities in the area of mass sensing. Such devices can provide orders of magnitude higher mass sensitivity and resolution compared to Film Bulk Acoustic resonators (FBAR) or the conventional quartz and Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) resonators …

Fenichel's Theorems With Applications In Dynamical Systems., Jeremy Warren Riley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three main theorems due to Fenichel are fundamental tools in the exploration of geometric singular perturbation theory. This expository paper attempts to provide an introduction to the concepts stated in Fenichel's theorems and provide illustrative examples. The goal is to provide enough insight to gain a basic understanding of the usefullness of these theorems.

Narrative Of Modern Chinese Masculinity In Ha Jin's Fiction., Lezhou Su

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation consists of readings of three selected novels by Ha Jin-Waiting, The Crazed, and A Free Life. These novels cover three historical periods of Contemporary China under the rule of the Communist Party in sequence-the Mao's era (1949-1976), post-Mao era (1976-1989) and post-Tiananmen Square Incident era (1989 onwards). The readings are predominated with gender issues in the literary works, particularly with the construction and representation of contemporary Chinese masculinity. Drawing mainly on the Kam Louie's theory which pins down traditional Chinese masculinity in terms of wen (literary power) and wu (physical power)-the two concepts deeply entrenched in Confucianism, the …

The Patient's View Of Orthodontic Training Requirements And The Influence Of Board Certification Or A Master's Degree On Their Choice For An Orthodontist., Justin Trisler 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Competition for orthodontic patients is at an all time high. Ways to differentially market an orthodontic practice are essential in attracting patients. It is hypothesized that the patients don't understand the extra training that an orthodontist must complete and that being board certified by the ABO or completing a Master's degree does not make an orthodontic practice more attractive. A sample of 204 perspective patients was surveyed. 4 participants were resurveyed. Participants were asked to quantify the education of a general dentist and an orthodontist and use a VAS scale to measure their perception of differently qualified orthodontists and a …

Biophysical And Bioanalytical Studies Of Hyaluronan And Lipids., Kristen Ann Magness 1981-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hyaluronan (HA) is a major structural component of the ocular vitreous humor (VH) and lipids are essential building blocks of cell membranes. However, little is known about their possible interactions. The VH is known to undergo liquefaction throughout the lifetime that may result in complications such as posterior vitreous detachment. The possible roles of lipids in the age-dependent liquefaction of the VH are unknown. As a first step in this new area of research in our group, model studies of the repeating unit of polymeric HA were performed. This unit contains glucuronate (GlcU) linked to N-acetylglucosamine (G1cNAc) via a 1-3 …

Blockade Of Cxcr4 Inhibits Porphyromonas Gingivalis Colonization In Vivo And Subsequent Periodontal Bone Loss., Megan L. Mc Intosh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic periodontitis is strongly associated with composition of the oral biofilm occupying the gingival crevicular aspect of the tooth and its associated root. Some gram-negative, "red complex" bacteria instigate periodontal bone loss in patients, principal among these Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. gingivalis is a "late colonizer", indicating not only its physical location within the oral biofilm, but also the pathogenic dynamic of the interaction between P. gingivalis and the host innate immunity. Among several other subversive tactics, P. gingivalis has been shown to compel receptors vital to the orchestration of an appropriate immune response to co-associate and consequently signal in a …

A Systems-Based Approach For Detecting Molecular Interactions Across Tissues., Fahim Mohammad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current high-throughput gene expression experiments have a straightforward design of examining the gene expression of one group or condition relative to that of another. The data is typically analyzed as if they represent strictly intracellular events, and often treats genes as coming from a homogeneous population. Although intracellular events are crucial to nearly all biological processes, cell-cell interactions are often just as important, especially when gene expression data is generated from heterogeneous cell populations, such as from whole tissues. Cell-cell molecular interactions are generally lost in the available analytical procedures and as a result, are not examined experimentally, at least …

A Holistic Examination Of The Impact Of Child Maltreatment On Child Behavioral Outcomes : A Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis., April L. Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Child maltreatment touches almost 700,000 children annually. The effects of child maltreatment range from micro-level consequences, such as behavior problems and mental health issues, to mezzo-level consequences, such as increased child welfare worker caseloads and overcrowding residential facilities, to macro-level consequences, such as increased costs and policy implications. Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) were analyzed to examine the factors that impact child behavior in children who have been reported to child protective services (CPS) as a result of child maltreatment. The model investigated the influence of child, caregiver, and environmental factors on child behavior …

Genetic Variation In The Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System : Associations With Blood Pressure Dipping In The Jackson Heart Study., Jersy L. Napoleon 1984-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, are the leading causes of death in the United States. African-Americans carry the highest burden of disease with 32% of adults with hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) dipping, defined as a drop of> 10% in blood pressure from daytime to nighttime, occurs less often in African-Americans and is a risk factor for CVD. BP dipping has a significant genetic component. This study focuses on the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that may influence BP dipping in this population. A total of 928 participants (266 dippers and 664 non-dippers) from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) …

Individual And Developmental Differences In Susceptibility To The Irrelevant Speech Effect., Amanda Frances O'Bryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Irrelevant Speech Effect (ISE) is a phenomenon in which the presentation of auditory materials (typically speech) impairs the serial recall of visually presented materials, either digits or letters. Although this effect has been replicated in a large number of studies, a wide range of individual differences in susceptibility to the auditory distracters has been found. The current study investigates four possible determinants of individual differences of the ISE: (1) The sequence length of the short-term memory (STM) task, (2) the content of the STM task and auditory distracter, (3) the STM capacity of the individual, and (4) developmental differences. …

Grief And Lost Potential In The Parents Of Adult Children With Severe Mental Illness., Karen Eisenmenger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an investigation into the intensity, nature, predictors, and time course of grief that parents of adult children with a severe mental illness experience. This is an area of research that has not been fully understood or addressed by the mental health community. Parents were recruited through National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI-KY) family support group meetings. Each participant completed a package of anonymous surveys measuring grief due to the mental illness of their child, parental burden, and vocational lost potential, as well as completing demographic information. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that parental grief begins …

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis : Diagnosis, Management, And The Search For A Cure., Daniel Fioret

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic lung disease with poor prognosis. To address this disease broadly, the candidate engaged in clinical work, literature analysis, database analysis, and laboratory work. The clinical work culminated in a case report that highlights the controversies inherent in the diagnosis and treatment of IPF. The literature analysis discusses ongoing clinical trials and challenges inherent in the management of IPF. Evaluation of a national database unveiled information about the burden of IPF on the healthcare system. Finally, the laboratory work examined the role of oxidant stress and the interaction of lung fibroblasts and lung cancer …

The Influence Of Social Contextual Conditions And Basic Psychological Need Fulfillment On Self-Management And Emotional Distress Among Urban African American Adults With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus : A Mixed Methods Study., Sula Marie Hood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: African Americans are disproportionally diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, and have been observed to have poor self-management, which increases risk of complications. Social influences are commonly associated with diabetes-related outcomes. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess whether and how socio-contextual factors influence self-management and emotional distress in urban African American adults living with type-2 diabetes, as well as to assess whether social support facilitate relatedness need fulfillment within this population. The study also sought to gain an understanding of the psychosocial support needs and preferences of urban African American adults living with type-2 diabetes. Methods: The descriptive …

The Effect Of Implant Placement And Simultaneous Soft Tissue Augmentation In The Esthetic Zone Using Either Connective Tissue Autograft Or Acellular Dermal Matrix Allograft., Thomas L. Peterson 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aims. The primary aims of this randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial were to compare the hard and soft tissue response following either a connective tissue (CT) or acellular dermal matrix (ADM) graft placed simultaneously with a laser-grooved implant. Methods. Twenty-four patients received a single tooth implant in the maxillary anterior that was bordered by two teeth. Twelve patients were randomly selected, using to coin toss, to receive either an ADM (test) or a CT (control) graft. At the 2-month uncovering appointment a lab constructed provisional was placed. At 4 months, following 2 months of tissue shaping, a fixture level impression …

Parental Engagement On Student Academic Self-Efficacy And Educational Attainment Expectation For Immigrant Youth., Casey N. Griffith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increase of immigration to the United States, immigrant children have a unique position in the education system. Immigrant parents influence their children through different academic engagement practices. It is important to understand how parents impact students' academic experiences. Employing the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, statistical analyses evaluated a sample of 2,514 high school sophomore immigrant students. The impact of parental engagement on the dependent variables were also compared between native language groups to learn whether or not specific cultural engagement practices impact student self-efficacy and attainment expectation differently. Findings revealed that parental engagement impacts academic self-efficacy and …

Child Behavioral Inhibition, Parental Overcontrol, And Parental Anxiety As Predictors Of Adolescent Anxiety., Benjamin M. Keizer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the prediction of anxiety symptoms over time during developmentally significant periods - the transition to middle school (12 years old) and the transition to high school (15 years old). Specifically, relationships between child behavioral inhibition, paternal anxiety, maternal anxiety, and parental control and concurrent levels of adolescent anxiety at each time point were analyzed. Despite a strong research base supporting individual connections between child behavioral inhibition, levels of parental control, parental anxiety symptoms and adolescent anxiety, the joint longitudinal associations have received scant attention in the literature. The current study also compared two different models of adolescent …

Effectiveness Of Fluoride Containing Bonding Resins In Preventing Demineralization Of Enamel During Orthodontic Treatment., Robin J. Choi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Although orthodontics can correct a variety of dental and skeletal malocclusions, research has shown an increased risk of enamel demineralization leading to white spot lesions (WSLs). The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Pro Seal and Opal Seal, two fluoridated bonding agents, to Assure, a nonfluoridated bonding agent, in preventing demineralization during orthodontic treatment. Methods: 26 patients beginning comprehensive orthodontic treatment were divided into 3 groups. 9 patients were bonded with Assure (control), 9 patients were bonded with Pro Seal, and 8 patients were bonded with Opal Seal. Pretreatment and six-month progress photographs were used …

Preparing Students For Post-Secondary Success : Exploring The Efficacy Of An Information Technology Certification Program., John Lawless Lanham 1967-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has a long and rich history of achievement among diverse populations. Two recent events have added to the complexity of CTE. First, the accountability movement forces traditional programs to show growth and achievement with students. Accountability trends affect the content and delivery of almost all programs. Perhaps more significantly, measureable performance is increasingly becoming tied into program funding with CTE programs. Second, while CTE in general has enjoyed a long history in secondary education, an emerging subcomponent is gaining attention. Information Technology (IT) classes have been present in secondary institutions for over 30 years. Business, …

Teacher Motivation As An Enhancement To The First Step To Success Early Intervention Program For Children With Tertiary Level Behavioral Challenges., Jon Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The First Step to Success early intervention program (Walker, 1998) is a secondary prevention intervention that targets primary grade children with moderate or emerging behavior disorders. While the effectiveness of the First Step to Success early intervention program has been documented repeatedly (see Loman, Rodriguez, & Homer, 2010; Walker et aI., 2009), it has also been shown to be less effective with more severely disordered children and has a less dramatic impact on behavior in the home than in the school setting. Efforts to enhance the program's effectiveness with even the most severely behaviorally disordered children have been undertaken, and …

Rethinking Human And Nonhuman Animal Relations In J. M. Coetzee's Elizabeth Costello (2003)., Rodrigo Martini Paula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For the past four decades, scholarship on the relationship between human and nonhuman animals has been growing inside the academy and sprouting ontological and epistemological concerns about the status of the Humanities as an institution. Between 1997 and 2003, South-African author and Nobel Laureate J. M. Coetzee created Elizabeth Costello, an Australian writer that delivers lectures at certain universities and causes controversy when addressing the nature of animal rights movements. This work aims at analyzing the situations in which Coetzee uses Costello to speak about the cruelty to nonhuman animals. What I argue is that in entering the conversation through …

Analysis Of Microrna Microarray (Mm Chip) Data For Aging Mice Models., Vikranth Shetty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present experimental designs have unique challenges in the analysis of microRNA expression intensity levels. In this project, various Normalization techniques were discussed with different statistical techniques and their application in an analysis performed at the Genes Centre of aging on mice models. The project involved repeated measures over time, and the intra-subject correlation caused by the repeated measurements should be incorporated into the analysis, resulting in additional significant miRNAs. Collection of multiple samples from the same individuals over time from an experiment may have issues with the commonly used methodologies-these issues are discussed here. Mixed model approach is used …

Advancing Global Tobacco Control: Exploring Worldwide Youth Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Tobacco Use And Control, Sreenivas Phanikumar Veeranki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the world. The disproportionate increase in tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries needs immediate attention. Many smokers begin smoking as adolescents and are most likely to become permanent smokers. Moreover, youth are highly targeted by tobacco industry strategies. However, a gap exists in literature to understand worldwide youth tobacco use and control. The purpose of this study is to 1) identify factors that influence never-smoking youths‟ smoking susceptibility, 2) explore characteristics that influence youth exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and 3) to delineate key determinants of …

Effect Of Flow On Human Endothelial Cell And Dermal Cell Growth Rates Supplemented With Drug Infused Media., Daniel Baumann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wounds care and management is one of the most basic needs in the medical setting. Burn wounds, trauma wounds, pressure ulcers and bedsores are just some of the many types of wounds that need to be treated quickly and efficiently. Take for instance pressure ulcers, there at least 3 million reported cases of chronic ulcers and bedsores reported in the U.S. each year alone. Each ulcer can takes weeks to months to fully heal, leading to extended hospital stays and decreased quality of life in patients. Current treatment seeks to protect and keep the wound clean, manage cellular exudates, and …

Electrokinetic Colloid Patterning Characterization With A Scanning Laser., Andrew Hardesty Work

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rapid Electrokinetic Patterning (REP) is a relatively new method for collecting and manipulating micrometer-scale particles at an electrode surface. REP is an AC electrokinetic technique that uses induced fluid motion to capture and manipulate particles. A laser (975 nm) is focused on the surface of the parallel-plate electrode, generating a thermal gradient in the medium. This thermal gradient is acted upon by the AC electric field in such manner as to produce a vortex. Particles are trapped on the electrode surface at the center of the vortex. It is hypothesized that AC electroosmotic flows act to hold the particles to …

The Impact Of Shared Musical Identity, Shared Family Identity, And Accommodation On Satisfaction In Parent/Young Adult Relationships, Ryan C. Hancock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the potential influence of shared musical identities of young adult children and their parents in relation to communicative and relational aspects of family, in order to determine whether musical tastes of individuals impact family relationships. In this research study, 196 college students reported on their perceptions of shared musical identity with their parents, shared family identity, parental accommodative communication behaviors, and family satisfaction. Results indicated that shared musical identity positively predicted perceptions of shared family identity, parental accommodative behaviors, including general accommodation, overaccommodation, topic management, and family satisfaction. Furthermore, shared musical identity and shared family identity positively …

The Relationship Between Risk And Resilience, Racial Microaggression, Ethnic Identity, And Well-Being In Young Adulthood, Shandra S. Forrest-Bank

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Young adulthood is the developmental period characterized by the transition from adolescence to the roles and responsibilities of adulthood. While most young adults experience positive growth and accomplishments, many others struggle, especially those with disadvantaged childhoods who lack financial, social, and emotional resources. Substance abuse, crime, educational failure, unemployment, and mental health problems are common among young adults. Unfortunately, many of these problems occur at disproportionately high rates for young people of color. Considerable knowledge of the child and adolescent risk and protective factors that contribute to the onset of problem behavior or to well-being during adolescence has been developed. …

Analyzing The Interaction Between Melanocortin 5 Receptor, Melanocortin Receptor Accessory Protein 1, And Melanocortin 2 Receptor In Rainbow Trout, Domicinda M. Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using CHO cells we sought to explore and characterize the functional relationship of rainbow trout MC5 receptor (rtMC5R) with zebrafish MRAP1 (zfMRAP1) and rainbow trout MC2 receptor (rtMC2R), as well as how the effect of such relationships may play a significant role in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal/Interrenal axis activation. This research demonstrated that rtMC5R can be successfully expressed and functionally activated in CHO cells and, in a manner similar to mammals, α-MSH is the preferred ligand for rtMC5R. The presence of MRAP1 does not seem to inhibit the expression or function of rtMC5R, rather it appears that it may increase expression and total …