Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 3841 - 3870 of 5148

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

A Behavioral Health Intervention For Decreasing Weight Gain In First Year University Students, Sonia E.A. Marrone Aug 2009

A Behavioral Health Intervention For Decreasing Weight Gain In First Year University Students, Sonia E.A. Marrone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate two interventions proposed to improve health behaviors and decrease weight gain among first-year university students, utilizing a health risk appraisal (HRA), telephone health coaching, and monthly health-related emails. The HRA assessed and provided individualized feedback for several behavioral health risk factors. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) Health coaching (HC): HRA with individualized feedback, health coaching and health-related emails; (2) Minimal intervention: HRA with individualized feedback and monthly health-related emails; and (3) Control: HRA without feedback. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tests were performed, adjusting for baseline levels …

Go to article

Anesthetic Considerations For The Obstetrical Patient With Multiple Sclerosis, Jennifer Pedersen Aug 2009

Anesthetic Considerations For The Obstetrical Patient With Multiple Sclerosis, Jennifer Pedersen

Theses and Dissertations

The obstetrical patient with pre-existing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) presents the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with specific concerns regarding anesthetic management. The physiological and pathophysiological changes of pregnancy and of the disease process itself must be taken into consideration. Despite a lack of controlled studies to support clinical practice, CRNAs have traditionally avoided regional anesthesia in these patients due to the fear of disease relapse or because of legal concerns. Several authors have attempted to link regional anesthesia to MS relapse in the obstetrical patient, however no research has shown a direct link between any anesthetic technique and an increase …

Go to article

Diet Assessment Methods: A Guide For Oncology Nurses, Jody L. Ralph Aug 2009

Diet Assessment Methods: A Guide For Oncology Nurses, Jody L. Ralph

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Depression And Health Among American Indian And Alaska Native Elders, Crystal R. Evans Aug 2009

Depression And Health Among American Indian And Alaska Native Elders, Crystal R. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence of an association between depression, chronic disease, health status, and functionality among the elderly population. Research examining these relationships among American Indian elders is limited. This paper used data from the Identifying Our Needs: A Survey of Elders II to examine the relationships between target health variables and depression in a national sample of 10,743 American Indian elders. The data suggests that depression is significantly related to self-rated health, overnight hospital stays, spiritual activities, vigorous exercise, activity limitations, chronic disease, and community service usage. Additionally, self-rated health, limitations, binge drinking, and chronic disease were predictive of which …

Go to article

Energy Drink Consumption In College Students: Report Of Physical And Psychological Symptoms In Association With Chronic Consumption Habits, Rebecca J. Cicha Aug 2009

Energy Drink Consumption In College Students: Report Of Physical And Psychological Symptoms In Association With Chronic Consumption Habits, Rebecca J. Cicha

Theses and Dissertations

Within the past decade, energy drink consumption has increased, particularly within young adult populations. Though current studies have investigated the acute effects of energy drink consumption, little data exists in regards to consumption patterns amongst college students, particularly differentiating acute vs. chronic consumers. As caffeine is recognized as the main acting ingredient in energy drinks, the effects of acute and chronic energy drink consumption may be related to that of general acute and chronic caffeine consumption. To date, much literature has highlighted a connection between caffeine intake and general pathology, specifically, that caffeine is highly correlated with the endorsement of …

Go to article

Perceptions Of Weight Reduction Surgery: The Role Of Stigma And The Attribution Of Responsibility, Jessica Marie Behm Aug 2009

Perceptions Of Weight Reduction Surgery: The Role Of Stigma And The Attribution Of Responsibility, Jessica Marie Behm

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of weight reduction surgeries performed in the United States has increased considerably within the last twenty years. Many people choose to undergo the procedure with the hopes of shedding the negative stigma of being obese and improving their life. The purpose of this study was to investigate how society views individuals who have elected to undergo weight reduction surgery. A questionnaire assessing the influence of three variables (Responsibility, Acceptability, and Stigma) on the perception of weight reduction surgery was developed and administered to 503 Midwestern college students. The respondents were presented with one of two vignettes depicting a …

Go to article

Schizophrenia Candidate Genes Study, Grace Lee Jul 2009

Schizophrenia Candidate Genes Study, Grace Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a debilitating disorder caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we identified candidate genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms from two genome-wide association studies, GAIN and CATIE. Nine SNPs representing four candidate genes were selected for replication studies with our Irish samples: Irish Case-Control Study of Schizophrenia (ICCSS), the Irish Study of High-Density Schizophrenia Families (ISHDSF), and the Irish Trio Study of Schizophrenia (ITRIO). In the ITRIO sample, rs4704591 (CMYA5 gene) showed nominal significance (p = 0.0447947). Combining ICCSS, ISHDSF, and ITRIO samples for rs4704591 increased sample size and power and yielded a p-value …

Go to article

Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja Jul 2009

Analysis Of Secreted Phosphoprotein-24 And Its Effects During Osteoblast Differentiation In A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Model, Vasquez Jochen Granja

Theses and Dissertations

Musculoskeletal diseases, in particular osteoporosis, are increasingly becoming more prevalent in the U.S. due to the ageing population (Figure1). It is estimated that one-sixth of 300 million people in U.S. suffer from bone disorders or loss. About 10 million of those people above age 50 suffer from osteoporosis. Patients that suffer from osteoporosis have high morbidity and mortality rates. For instance, patients have decreased bone mineral density (BMD), a measurement of bone density that reflects the strength of bone as represented by calcium content. A decrease in BMD typically leads to an increased risk of bone fractures. In particular, hip …

Go to article

Effect Of Stratum Corneum Hydration On The Composition Of Sweat Collected By A Local Sweat Patch Method, Penny Renee Taylor Jul 2009

Effect Of Stratum Corneum Hydration On The Composition Of Sweat Collected By A Local Sweat Patch Method, Penny Renee Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of stratum corneum (SC) hydration by distilled water on SC ion content and sweat ion concentrations as measured by occlusive sweat patch. 10 men and 10 women completed approximately 40 minutes of moderate exercise in the heat. Select skin sites were hydrated before sweating by adhering cylinders of distilled water to forearm skin. SC samples were taken before and after exercise using the tape stripping (TS) method and sweat samples were taken with homemade filter paper sweat patches with a tegaderm backing. An increase in SC hydration was verified by …

Go to article

Familial Predictors Of Long-Term Outcome Following Inpatient Treatment For Eating Disorders, Anna Mae Ridley Jul 2009

Familial Predictors Of Long-Term Outcome Following Inpatient Treatment For Eating Disorders, Anna Mae Ridley

Theses and Dissertations

The present investigation examined characteristic, symptomatic, and familial predictors of long-term symptom severity of eating disorders. The purpose of the study was to determine if, after accounting for a number of known predictors of outcome, familial variables explained a significant amount of additional variance in disordered eating and general well-being scores measured at post-treatment follow-up. The sample included 398 women, ages 13 to 56, who had completed eating disorder treatment at an inpatient facility. Hierarchal multiple regression analysis demonstrated that familial predictors at admission to treatment did significantly predict long-term outcomes, while changes from admission to treatment in symptoms and …

Go to article

Modeling The Problem Of Assigning Virginia’S Localities To Dcr’S Regional Offices, Sudharshana Srinivasan Jul 2009

Modeling The Problem Of Assigning Virginia’S Localities To Dcr’S Regional Offices, Sudharshana Srinivasan

Theses and Dissertations

Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) assigns all of Virginia localities to Regional Offices to help conserve the natural resources in a certain region. In this paper, we present a mathematical model for optimizing such assignments by minimizing the travel time and cost of these assignments. With the growing increase in fuel costs and tighter budgets, our solution finds alternate assignments that will help cut costs by 14% annually. We have used integer programming techniques to find optimal assignments which satisfy requirements, respect limitations and minimize cost. Several plans are suggested, some keeping soil and water conservation districts together …

Go to article

The Effects Of Obesity And Surgically-Induced Weight Loss On Exercise Ventilation: Influence Of Central Adiposity And Serum Leptin, Jeffrey Herrick Jul 2009

The Effects Of Obesity And Surgically-Induced Weight Loss On Exercise Ventilation: Influence Of Central Adiposity And Serum Leptin, Jeffrey Herrick

Theses and Dissertations

Truncal adiposity impairs ventilation in obese adults by altering normal ventilatory mechanics. Leptin, an inflammatory adipocytokine, is elevated in obesity and has been shown to alter ventilatory responses to exercise. Leptin’s bioavailability appears to be regulated by its soluble receptor (LRe), which is reduced in obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGBS) is a weight loss intervention that reduces total fat mass and improves several obesity related co-morbidities including pulmonary dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to first evaluate the differences between ventilatory responses to carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2 slope) during progressive treadmill walking in morbidly obese and normal weight females. …

Go to article

Factors Affecting Folic Acid Stability In Micronutrient Fortified Corn Tortillas, Jordan S. Chapman Jul 2009

Factors Affecting Folic Acid Stability In Micronutrient Fortified Corn Tortillas, Jordan S. Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

Folate degradation in micronutrient fortified corn masa and tortillas was evaluated using masa prepared from either nixtamalized corn flour or fresh nixtamal. A laboratory evaluation of the effects of pH, iron, and holding time at elevated temperature on folate loss in corn flour masa failed to show significant differences in any variable-treatment combination. An additional study was conducted at a commercial tortilla mill in Guadalajara, Mexico using masa prepared from fresh nixtamal. Commercial nixtamal was fortified with one of two different micronutrient premixes, containing iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and either unencapsulated or lipid-encapsulated folic acid. A batch of each …

Go to article

Computational Modeling Of The Helical Axis In The Human Knee--Detecting Changes In The Transverse Plane, Emily Carney Jul 2009

Computational Modeling Of The Helical Axis In The Human Knee--Detecting Changes In The Transverse Plane, Emily Carney

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to build a helical axis algorithm capable of detecting changes in the helical axis intersection of the tibia and femur in human knees. This algorithm was designed and tested using three models: a multiplanar rigid body model, a mathematical model, and a cylinder model. The multiplanar rigid body model closely mimics knee movement without supporting ligamentous structures, thus the movement was unconstrained. In this model kinematic position data were collected using both MotionMonitor™ (MotionMonitor™ Version 7.7, Innovative Sports Training, Chicago, IL) and Vicon Nexus 1.3 software system (Oxford Metrics Group, Oxford, UK). To test …

Go to article

Complementary And Alternative Therapy Among American Indians Suffering From Depression And Anxiety, Rhea N. Allery Jul 2009

Complementary And Alternative Therapy Among American Indians Suffering From Depression And Anxiety, Rhea N. Allery

Theses and Dissertations

The American Indian population shows the highest percent of lifetime major depression at 19.17 percent compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. Anxiety among American Indians is ten times higher than other ethnic groups. Because of these statistics, American Indians also have a suicide rate that is 1.5 times higher than the national average. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding and qualified health care provides for American Indians, improper and insufficient diagnosing and treatment for these diseases causes burden for suffers and their families. Several studies suggest that American Indians are the highest users of complementary and …

Go to article

The Relationship Between Eating Disorder Symptomology, Body Image Concerns, And Early Maladaptive Schemas, Stephanie D'Angelo Jun 2009

The Relationship Between Eating Disorder Symptomology, Body Image Concerns, And Early Maladaptive Schemas, Stephanie D'Angelo

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between eating disorder symptomology, body image concerns, and early maladaptive schemas. The specific eating disorder symptoms were binging, purging and restricting. Participants were undergraduate college women. Eating disorder symptomology was measured along a continuum so that the sample encompassed individuals with eating disorder pathology ranging from asymptomatic to severe symptoms. Multiple regression analyses indicated that body image concerns predicted a significant proportion of variance in binging, purging and restrictive behaviors. Specifically, shape concerns predicted significant unique variance in restrictive behaviors. Early maladaptive schemas were found to account for a significant proportion of variance among restrictive …

Go to article

Comparing Bootstrap And Jackknife Variance Estimation Methods For Area Under The Roc Curve Using One-Stage Cluster Survey Data, Allison Dunning Jun 2009

Comparing Bootstrap And Jackknife Variance Estimation Methods For Area Under The Roc Curve Using One-Stage Cluster Survey Data, Allison Dunning

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine the bootstrap and jackknife as methods for estimating the variance of the AUC from a study using a complex sampling design and to determine which characteristics of the sampling design effects this estimation. Data from a one-stage cluster sampling design of 10 clusters was examined. Factors included three true AUCs (.60, .75, and .90), three prevalence levels (50/50, 70/30, 90/10) (non-disease/disease), and finally three number of clusters sampled (2, 5, or 7). A simulated sample was constructed for each of the 27 combinations of AUC, prevalence and number of clusters. Estimates of …

Go to article

Implications For Us Government Minority Healthcare Systems : Southern Plains American Indian Elderly Experience A Better Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hrql) Compared To The Northern Plains American Indian Elderly, Pamela Ness Jun 2009

Implications For Us Government Minority Healthcare Systems : Southern Plains American Indian Elderly Experience A Better Health-Related Quality Of Life (Hrql) Compared To The Northern Plains American Indian Elderly, Pamela Ness

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Go to article

Father-Daughter Attachment And Sexual Behavior In African-American Daughters, Karen Hill-Holliday May 2009

Father-Daughter Attachment And Sexual Behavior In African-American Daughters, Karen Hill-Holliday

Theses and Dissertations

Although a relationship has been found in some studies between paternal attachment and female sexual behavior, knowledge of this relationship in African Americans has been limited. The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a relationship between father-daughter attachment, parent teen sexual risk communication and early sexual activity, condom use, history of sexually transmitted infection, global/sexual self-esteem and teen pregnancy in African-American females. An anonymous consent and survey was administered online to N=113 African American college women (age 18-21) attending a southeastern university. Measurements included the Parent Attachment Questionnaire (Father), Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem, Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory (short scale), …

Go to article

Risk Factors And Protective Factors For Depression In Early Maturing Females, Lauren Lirio May 2009

Risk Factors And Protective Factors For Depression In Early Maturing Females, Lauren Lirio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early onset of menstruation and biological father absence on depression in females. Participants (n=46) were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire and a series of psychometric assessments. It was hypothesized that females who reached puberty earlier than their peers as well as females growing up in a one-parent household, with the biological father absent, would experience more depressive symptoms than females who reached puberty later than their peers or were being raised in two-parent households. Statistical analyses revealed early maturing females reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than on-time …

Go to article

Patients Evaluated For Liver Transplant: Transplant List Denial And Subsequent Outcomes, Kara Elam May 2009

Patients Evaluated For Liver Transplant: Transplant List Denial And Subsequent Outcomes, Kara Elam

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The evaluation process for listing a patient on the liver transplant list is complicated and involves multiple consultations from various specialists, as well as extensive imaging and physiological studies. Although there are data on the outcomes of those listed, we know little about those that are denied listing. This research project will identify the reasons for liver transplant listing denial and predictors of death following denial for this challenging group of patients. Methods: Data from all patients (n=1,500) evaluated for a liver transplant from 1997 to 2007 by the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition located at Virginia Commonwealth …

Go to article

Physical Activity Among Diabetic Individuals According To Diabetic Treatment Type, Tammie Thompson May 2009

Physical Activity Among Diabetic Individuals According To Diabetic Treatment Type, Tammie Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To evaluate the physical activity patterns of diabetic adults by the type of treatment they received Method: The study used secondary data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2001 to 2006. NHANES is a continuous study which measures the health and nutritional status of non-institutionalized citizens in the United States. To be eligible for the study, participants had to be an adult 18 years or older who responded during the interview phase of the survey that they had diabetes. Participants with any missing data pertaining to the variables were excluded. After exclusions, the final …

Go to article

Determinants Of Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Adults In The United States: Nhanes 1999-2006, Conschetta Wright May 2009

Determinants Of Hepatitis B Vaccination Among Adults In The United States: Nhanes 1999-2006, Conschetta Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of vaccination and HBV infection status of adults and to evaluate the trend in self reported vaccination and seroprevalence for Hepatitis B for this population. Additionally, this study sought to assess the association between vaccination rates, seroprevalence (HBsAg, anti-HBc, and anti-HBs), demographic (age, gender, location of birth, race/ethnicity), and socioeconomic (annual household income, education level, insurance coverage and access to care, marital status) characteristics. Methods: Eight years, 1999-2006, of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data were used. NHANES participants aged 20-59 years who contributed data …

Go to article

Anxiety And Birth Order: Does Birth Order Play A Role In A Child's Anxiety Level?, Tarah R. Pearson May 2009

Anxiety And Birth Order: Does Birth Order Play A Role In A Child's Anxiety Level?, Tarah R. Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to see if there is an interaction between anxiety levels and birth order. It was hypothesized that the first-born child would have a higher level of total anxiety than a non-first born child. It was also hypothesized that females would have an overall higher level of anxiety than males. The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale 2nd Edition, which was used to measure the different subtests of anxiety, tested for specific types of anxiety: total anxiety, worrying, social anxiety, physiological anxiety, and defensiveness. It was hypothesized that females would feel a higher level of …

Go to article

Physical Activity, Physical Fitness And The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Obese Adolescents, Nichole Kelly May 2009

Physical Activity, Physical Fitness And The Psychosocial Well-Being Of Obese Adolescents, Nichole Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

Overweight and obesity are associated with an array of negative physical and psychosocial symptoms in adolescents. Numerous pediatric obesity interventions have emerged in an attempt to address this significant public health concern. However, few have focused on African American females, a particularly high risk group for negative health behaviors and associated complications. Moreover, research examining the psychosocial changes associated with increases in physical activity and fitness, although promising in elder and adult populations, is nearly nonexistent in adolescents. Thus, the current study addressed limitations in the research and examined the psychosocial outcomes of adolescent participants in T.E.E.N.S., a culturally sensitive, …

Go to article

Determinants Of International Long-Distance Eldercare: Evidence From Ghanaian Immigrants In The United States, Stephen Kodwo May 2009

Determinants Of International Long-Distance Eldercare: Evidence From Ghanaian Immigrants In The United States, Stephen Kodwo

Theses and Dissertations

Studies of Ghanaians who have immigrated to the United States indicate that both economic and emotional support continue to be provided to non-migrant families in Ghana. However support to “family relatives” has been studied generally, without specifying age. Thus, relationships between immigrants and their elderly relatives, particularly those who may be frail and vulnerable, have not been the focus of previous research. In addition, it is necessary to examine the dynamics that shape attitudes towards elderly people, and which in turn influence eldercare patterns among Ghanaian immigrants. Based on the literature, the researcher identified four factors relevant to international long-distance …

Go to article

Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright May 2009

Diet-Related Changes In Sensitivity To The Pharmacological Effects Of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, Mayo Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Recent evidence suggests that sustained consumption of a high-fat diet is associated with reduced CB1 receptor expression in some brain areas. Many of the neuromodulatory functions of endogenous cannabinoids are mediated by the CB1 receptor. The CB1 receptor also mediates the behavioral and physiological effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of marijuana. While high-fat diets are associated with region-specific changes in CB1 receptor expression, it is not clear whether such changes are behaviorally relevant. To that end, separate groups of male and female rats were placed on either a high-fat diet or a standard diet. Cannabinoid function was …

Go to article

Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of The Circle Of Care Program In Increasing Life Outcomes Among Teen Mothers In Troup County, Georgia, Andrea Michelle Brace May 2009

Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of The Circle Of Care Program In Increasing Life Outcomes Among Teen Mothers In Troup County, Georgia, Andrea Michelle Brace

Theses and Dissertations

Troup County, Georgia has been afflicted with elevated teen pregnancy and subsequent teen pregnancy rates. As a result, Circle of Care was developed to reduce the subsequent teen pregnancy rate within Troup County. Circle of Care works with pregnant and parenting teens and their families to enhance their quality of life. A case manager provides information, education and support to enable the teens to stay in school, prevent subsequent teen pregnancies, and prevent child abuse and neglect. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Circle of Care by determining if intensity and duration of program participation have an impact on achieving …

Go to article

Carbon Sequestration Resulting From Bottomland Hardwood Afforestation In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (Lmav), Bertrand Festus Nero May 2009

Carbon Sequestration Resulting From Bottomland Hardwood Afforestation In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (Lmav), Bertrand Festus Nero

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to examine some mechanisms of bottomland hardwood afforestation and their impacts on above- and belowground carbon sequestration. Six combinations of bottomland hardwood species and two levels each of fertilizer and herbicide were applied in a completely randomized design on two sites in the LMAV. Survival, ground line diameter and total height were monitored for two growing seasons. Soil carbon and nitrogen to a depth of one meter, herbaceous biomass, and tree biomass were sampled in the first and second years of establishment. Species mixes, fertilizer, and herbicide application significantly affected survival, growth, above- and …

Go to article

Changes In Workload Of Staff And The Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables Amongst School-Aged Children As Perceived By School Food Service Providers After Schools Purchased A Slicer And Sectionizer, Jayme Potts May 2009

Changes In Workload Of Staff And The Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables Amongst School-Aged Children As Perceived By School Food Service Providers After Schools Purchased A Slicer And Sectionizer, Jayme Potts

Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, obesity rates for children ages 2-5 years have doubled from 5% to 10% and children ages 6-11 years have more than tripled from 4% to over 15%. Adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables in the diet are necessary to reduce increased risks associated with long term inadequate consumption of these foods. Grant recipients received funds to purchase a sectionizer and slicer to prepare more attractive fruits and vegetables for school food service lines. Through the use of a descriptive survey, recipients reported a significant reduction in workload on staff and an increase in the amounts …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last