Digital Commons Network^™

Ectocranial Suture Closure : A Revisitation Of Meindl And Lovejoy, Chauntelle Suzanne Hardin

Masters Theses

In 1985, Meindl and Lovejoy presented a revised methodology for aging crania using ectocranial sutures. They stated that race and sex are do not affect the accuracy of their method and, several other researchers, as well point out that race and sex do affect other aging methods. I used visual and statistical means to resolve the issue of whether or not race and sex affected the accuracy of Meindl and Lovejoy's methodology in aging crania. This study examined 310 crania: 18 from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection housed in the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Tennessee- …

An Experimental Study On The Neuromuscular Effects Of An Intraoral Mandibular Repositioning Device, Timmy W. Lorance

Masters Theses

This thesis is part of a research project titled "Intraoral Device Evaluation'' (IDE). The purpose of the project is to determine if creating a 3-mm vertical and anterior occlusion of the mandible can increase strength capabilities. The standardized device used in this study is The EDGE. Big Picture, Inc produced the EDGE and the placebo used in this project.

To accomplish this purpose a double-blind placebo study was conducted using a series of tests to measure the strength capabilities of muscles during isometric grip strength and clenching and the surface electromyography (EMG) activity of the muscles during the isometric testing. …

Depositional And Diagenetic Relationships Of The Honaker-Nolichucky Formational Boundary (Middle Cambrian, Conasauga Group), Southern Appalachians, Gary Alan Ottinger

Masters Theses

The upper Honaker and lower Nolichucky Formations (Middle Cambrian, Conasauga Group) in northeastern Tennessee comprise part of a thick pericratonic Cambro-Ordovician passive margin sequence along the eastern edge of North America. Throughout the Cambrian, the interplay of autocyclic controls, including sediment supply, tectonism and accompanying subsidence, and eustasy, resulted in various sedimentary architectures, including the Conasauga platform and intrashelf basin adjacent to the craton. To date, the Middle Cambrian westerly carbonate sections adjacent to and within the intrashelf basin (near Knoxville) have been studied in considerable detail. Particularly, these studies have proposed a third-order sequence boundary near Knoxville as well …

A Study On The Effectiveness Of A Self-Fit Mandibular Repositioning Appliance On Increasing Human Strength And Endurance Capabilities, Cherie Faye Alexander

Masters Theses

Years of study and constant anecdotal infonnation dating back to the ancient Romans exists regarding the relationship of mandibular position, occlusion surface changes, and human performance. Such old sayings and practices like "bite the bullet" and the actual act ofclenching one's teeth on a stick prior to exertion or in anticipation ofpain are but two examples of how this relationship has been intuitively understood by man for some time. Previous scientific works in this area have generally suffered at least one serious shortcoming in data collection, data analysis, test device flaws or lack of control measures. There seem to be …

The Development And Application Of A Digitized Image Database For The Estimation Of Age Based On Bone Histology, John Edward Mailen

Masters Theses

In this study, digital image analysis was incorporated into existing regression formulas for age estimation. Previous studies in forensic anthropology have utilized only the manual counting of Basic Structural Units (BSUs) within the bone matrix for age estimation. The integration of an image database with the accepted regression formulas (Kerley 1965 and Kerley and Ubelaker 1978) allows for data to be reexamined without having to be sampled from the original slides. Thus, the data will have a more dynamic nature, where it could be investigated by other researchers from the original readings. In addition, the data can help train future …

Risk Factors For Breast Cellulitis Following Breast Conservation Therapy : A Case-Control Study Of 51 Women, Valerie Huron Brewer

Masters Theses

Breast conservation therapy is a treatment option for women with early stage breast cancer. A minority of women who undergo breast conservation therapy develop breast cellulitis, an infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. This complication, which results in a prolonged length of recovery for the patient, poses problems for both the physician and patient.

The risk factors for breast cellulitis are unclear. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with breast cellulitis by comparing patients that developed breast cellulitis with control patients who did not develop breast cellulitis. A matched case-control study, consisting of 17 …

Phonetic Patterns Of Koreans Producing English Vowels, /I, I, U, U/, In Words And In Sustained Phonation, Youngsun Kim

Masters Theses

Ten native-Korean male speakers and ten native-American-English male speakers produced the target vowels /i,I,u,U/ in both words and sustained phonation. These recorded speech samples were judged by a panel of three expert judges for vowel identification. They also were analyzed by the experimenter to determine the formant fi-equencies (F1 and F2) and the vowel duration. All measurements had a high degree of reliability. Korean speakers produced the phonemic vowels, /i/ and /u/ with a high accuracy similar to that of native English speakers. Korean speakers produced the non-phonemic vowels, /I/ and /U/ with very low accuracy (high number of errors); …

Advance Directive Choices Among Registered Nurses In Tennessee : Use Of Johnson's Behavioral System Model, Brenda J. Morgan

Masters Theses

The Patient Self-Determination Act was introduced to support autonomy through the use of Advance Directives (ADs), in hopes of ensuring people a more compassionate and dignified death, yet use of a living will or healthcare power of attorney remains low, 15-20%. One inherent limiting factor in AD implementation appears to be lack of patient-provider communication, reportedly due to healthcare professionals' discomfort raising such issues. Since nurses are the largest group of healthcare professionals, the future responsibility for initiating AD conversations may likely fall to them.

According to Johnson's Behavioral System Model, nurses use themselves as a primary resource when assisting …

Sour And Sweet Taste Identification And Intensity Perception As Affected By Oral Rinses Of Various Alcohol Contents And Wait Period, Christinia Ann Jolleen Perry

Masters Theses

Oral rinses are commonly used by consumers. Although menthol and alcohol are common ingredients in over-the-counter oral rinses, their sensory properties alone and in combination have not been studied extensively. The objective of this sensory study was to evaluate the effects that oral rinses have on a panelist's ability to identify tastants at their thresholds after rinsing and waiting a set period of time. The oral rinses evaluated were water, 3 alcohol concentrations-9, 18 and 27%. Tastant recognition and intensity were evaluated after 15, 30 or 60 min. Listerine® was the oral rinse of choice because it is the only …

Patients' Perceptions Of Physicians' Role In Smoking Cessation By Age And Readiness To Stop Smoking, Chris Van Ryn, Joel Wetzel

Masters Theses

It is imperative for health care providers to initiate an individually tailored program to counsel smokers in a more effectively. Finding patients’ perceptions of their physicians' role in smoking cessation is critical to aid healthcare providers to design an individualized plan to get patients to quit smoking. 68 smokers who presented to their family practice clinics in the rural area of Hastings, Michigan completed self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires assessed patients’ perceptions of their physicians’ role according to the 4 A s protocol (asking, advising, assisting, and arranging), with a focus on age groups (18-29, 30-49, and >50) and stage of …

Unplanned Hospitalization Of A Child: Perceptions Of Stress, Family Life Events, And Coping Resources, Jennifer Lee Moes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the parental perceptions of family stress, family life events, and coping strategies of a family whose child is hospitalized in the pediatric unit.

A descriptive correlational design with a non-probability convenience sample consisted of 30 parents or primary caretakers of a child who was hospitalized in pediatrics. Data was obtained with three instruments; 1) demographic questionnaire assessing current perceived stress of the family, 2) Family Inventory of Life Events (FILE); and 3) Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES).

Data analysis included three correlations between (a) pile-up and perceived family stress, (b) …

Predictors Of Successful Completion In A Physical Therapist Assistant Program, Debra S. Howell, Susan M. Stout

Masters Theses

The basis of this research was to investigate the ability of age, gender, ASSET test and science GPA (Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Essentials of Pathophysiology, Clinical Kinesiology, Neurological Foundation of Motor Control and Clinical Pathology) to predict the successful completion of a PTA program by a student. In this causal-comparative study (ex post facto), the sample consisted of ninety graduates and five non-graduates from the PTA program at Baker College of Muskegon (1993 -1998).

This study used a logistic regression method to make an attempt to demonstrate that Clinical Kinesiology was significant as a predictor …

I Was A Teenage Necrophiliac: A Screenplay, Walter Howard

Masters Theses

The critical essay that introduces this thesis pays homage to three people in the movie business who have most influenced my original screenplay, I Was a Teenage Necrophiliac. Also included is a section that briefly explains the impetus for this project, and a closing argument that examines the intentional use of cliche as a creative tool.

The zany style of writer/director John Waters is the first major creative influence described. Although my story is not as graphically extreme as some of Waters' earlier work (it would be easy to make a comedy about necrophilia a vile exploitation film), it does …