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Women's Research Institute Of Nevada Newsletter, Joanne Goodwin, Women's Research Institute Of Nevada

Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Mcnair Research Journal - Summer 2015, Kelly Abuali, Starr Bailey, Krystal Courtney D. Belmonte, Brittaney Benson-Townsend, Jennifer Bolick, Mihaela A. Ciulei, Ashley Crisp, Daniel N. Erosa, Richard V. Foster, Gisele Braga Goertz, Michael A. Langhardt, Kara Osborne, Julienne Jochel Paraiso, Shawn M. Rosen, Bella V. Smith, Jeevake Attapattu, Ernesto H. Bedoy, Michael G. Curtis, Wanda Inthavong, Marielle Leo, Primrose Martin, Tamieka Meadows, Rosa Perez, Jessica Recarey, Shea Silver, Linda Tompkins

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program

Table of Contents

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements:

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President of Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

McNair Scholars Institute Staff

Ebola Viral Disease: What Should Be Done To Combat The Epidemic In 2014?, Ali̇ye Baştuğ, Hürrem Bodur

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Ebola virus disease (EVD) was defined first in 1976. Since then, more than 24 epidemics have been reported from Africa, predominantly with the Zaire species. On 21 March 2014, the current West Africa outbreak was reported by the World Health Organization, the largest one ever recorded. The Congo epidemic was reported in July 2014. It was considered that the two epidemics had unrelated origins with 96.8% identical genomic sequence of the virus. EVD outbreaks occurred in areas with limited resources but it has a potentially global effect due to the possibility of imported infection and the potential misuse of the …

Gastrointestinal System Lesions In Children Due To The Ingestion Of Alkali And Acid Corrosive Substances, Kaan Demi̇rören, Hali̇l Kocamaz, Yaşar Doğan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To examine esophageal and gastric lesions in children due to the ingestion of alkali and acid corrosive substances and to emphasize all related complications. Materials and methods: The reports of 103 children who ingested or were suspected to have ingested corrosive substances and who then underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopic inspections were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Of the patients, the mean age was 41 ± 3.6 months, and 57.3% were male. Vomiting was the most common symptom (44.7%). Eighteen different commercial products were defined as corrosive substances: 59.2% of them were alkali, 39.8% were acids, and 1% had a neutral pH. These …

The Effect Of Total Intravenous Anesthesia On The Postoperative Cognitive Functions Of Young And Elderly Patients After Lumbar Disk Surgery, Gi̇zem İlvan, Hati̇ce Zerri̇n Özköse

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

The negative effects of surgery and anesthesia on cognitive functions and their relationships with many factors are well known. In the present study we aimed to investigate the effect of the total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) method on the postoperative cognitive functions between young and elderly patients scheduled to undergo lumbar disk surgery. Materials and methods: The TIVA method was applied to 40 patients less than 65 years old (young, Group Y) and => 65 years old (old, Group O), whose Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) results and serum S-100 beta protein levels were compared preoperatively and postoperatively at the 24th …

The Effects Of Atorvastatin On Antioxidant/Antiinflammatory Propertiesof Hdls In Hypercholesterolemics, Gülşen Akalin Çi̇ftçi̇, İpek Ertorun, Aysen Akalin, İbrahi̇m Özkan Alataş, Ahmet Musmul

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Hypercholesterolemia is characterized by changes in lipid profile, nitric oxide pathway, and oxidative stress markers, but functions of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were not well established in hypercholesterolemic subjects treated with atorvastatin. In this study, we aimed to evaluate effects of atorvastatin treatment on functionality of HDL, oxidative stress, and endothelial functions in hypercholesterolemic subjects. Materials and methods: Thirty patients (20 females, 10 males) aged from 40 to 60 years and diagnosed as hypercholesterolemic were included. Patients were treated with 10 mg/day atorvastatin for 3 months. Markers of endothelial functions, namely asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), homocysteine, and nitric oxide (NO), and …

Treatment Of Ankylosing Spondylitis, İsmai̇l Sari, Mehmet Aki̇f Öztürk, Nurullah Akkoç

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Stressful Events And Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes : Examining Attributional Style And Parent-Adolescent Communication As Moderators, Micah Ioffe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Adolescents experience multiple transitions during early adolescence and are likely to experience stressors, which increases their risk for poor mental health outcomes. Research has established positive associations between stressful events and psychological symptoms in early adolescence. It is important to consider factors that may strengthen or weaken the impact of these stressors. Extant literature suggests that a pessimistic attributional style (PAS) can increase vulnerability to depression in the presence of stressful events; yet less research has confirmed these links with anxiety. Conversely, some research has found that open communication (OC) with parents is negatively associated with adolescents' stress, and therefore …

Jane Austen And Belles Lettres : The Rhetorical Influence Of Hugh Blair In Jane Austen's Fiction, Miriam Elizabeth Antonia Wolff

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the rhetorical influences of Hugh Blair, minister, rhetorician and member of the 18th Century Scottish Enlightenment, on the fiction of Jane Austen. Specifically, the author argues that Austen used the precepts of belletristic rhetoric as promulgated by Blair as both a narrative device integral to the plots of her novels and as a means of illuminating her fictional characters.

Regional-Scale Simulations Of Fungal Spore Aerosols Using An Emission Parameterization Adapted To Local Measurements Of Fluorescent Biological Aerosol Particles, M. Hummell, C. Hoose, M. Gallagher, D. A. Healy, J. A. Huffmann, David O'Connor, U. Poschl, C. Pohlker, N. H. Robinson, M. Schnaiter, J. R. Sodeau, M. Stengel, E. Toprak, H. Vogel

Articles

Fungal spores as a prominent type of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) have been incorporated into the COSMO-ART (Consortium for Small-scale Modelling- Aerosols and Reactive Trace gases) regional atmospheric model. Two literature-based emission rates for fungal spores derived from fungal spore colony counts and chemical tracer measurements were used as a parameterization baseline for this study. A third, new emission parameterization for fluorescent biological aerosol particles (FBAP) was adapted to field measurements from four locations across Europe. FBAP concentrations can be regarded as a lower estimate of total PBAP concentrations. Size distributions of FBAP often show a distinct mode at …

Development Programs And Livelihood Strategies Of Residents In Altos De La Florida, Colombia, Andres Felipe Florez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Colombia has a long history of internal displacement due to an ongoing armed conflict. Millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have made their way to urban areas around the country seeking safety and a new start. The municipality of Soacha, a suburb of Bogota, is the largest receptor area for IDPs in the country, and many Non-Governmental Organizations have set up operations to aid the residents of the area. Within Soacha the most vulnerable residents live in an informal settlement called Altos de la Florida Sector 3. This area has no infrastructure and a large portion of the residents are …

Suicide Postvention Plans: Are Schools Prepared To Adjust To The New Normal, Wendi Aghily

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This project involves the review of suicide postvention plans across school districts in California. The goal is to identify which elements are meet the recommendation, address the recommendations or do not include the recommendations for best practices in suicide postvention. This has been done by analyzing the plans across five components: preparation, identification and support for immediate needs, triage, identification and support for long term needs and a return to a new normal. Consideration was given to the format in which the plans were developed: websites, school safety plans, emergency operations plans, crisis response plans and suicide response plans. Through …

Assertiveness In Professional Women, Barbara Louise Kelley

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is grounded in the Expectancy Violations Theory, developed over several years by Burgoon and Hale (1988). This study explores the ways in which professional women communicate and behave assertively in their organizations – sometimes in violation of social expectations that women should be meek and compliant rather than assertive. This study was devised to answer the following questions: In the continuum of assertive traits, which traits and practices do professional, self-described assertive women particularly value and strive for? What reasons do they provide? What moments in their lives do these women see as turning points when they began …

Veterans And Reintegration Issues Looking Specifically At Society, Employment, Schooling, Ptsd And Veterans’ Organizations, Kerri Zelenak

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

If the veteran is lucky enough to ask for help, or help somehow finds them, then transitioning back into civilian life can be much smoother and tolerable; however, if a veteran is not so lucky, transitioning back into civilian life can be rough, confl1sing, and isolating. Trust issues between the veteran and the civilian is low making it hard for a veteran to seek the help they need in order to exist in civilian life. While serving every soldier is taken care of-everything they need is provided. Once entering civilian life, the soldier is left to fend for himself or …

Relationship Management On Facebook: Male College Students, Kathleen M. Aikin

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Facebook as a social media technology is prominent in a variety of scenarios, including interpersonal relationship management. There have been numerous studies on how social dynamics are informed by social media, especially in regards to young adults. Within this group, female social dynamics have garnered much attention; however, there is a dearth of research, which explicitly examines how males utilize the technology. Thus, this study collected data via an online survey of college students that examined various aspects of online interpersonal relationship dynamics. The theoretical framework of this study was based on Petronio’s (1991) communication privacy management theory, Baxter and …

The Silent Dimension Of A Healthcare Narrative: How Patients Perceive Practitioners’ Nonverbal Cues, Sarah Steele

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examines patient perceptions of medical practitioners’ nonverbal behavior. The philosophical framework is based on Buber’s (1923/1958) work on “dialogic ethics,” and grounded in Giles’ (1987) communication accommodation theory. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered by means of survey research, and examined through correlational and content analysis. Results show a significant positive correlation between patient perceptions of practitioner nonverbal immediacy and subsequent satisfaction. Analysis of survey comments revealed listening as the nonverbal behavior most valued and noted by patients. These findings serve to inform medical professionals on how to maximize patient satisfaction and care through effective use of …

Anatolii Lunacharskii And The Soviet Theater, John E. Dunkum

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Risk Assessment In Montana: Risk Factors Predictive Of Juvenile Offender Recidivism, Taylor Tillman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Into The Wild: A Case Study Of The Intersection Of Archaeology And Federal Wilderness Policy, Erika S. Blecha

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Cultural resource specialists working with and for Federal land management agencies have voiced their concern about the perception of cultural sites within federally recognized wilderness areas. However, as a whole, professionals working within the discipline of archaeology have remained relatively absent in the debates on wilderness with regards to human occupation in these designated areas. This thesis introduces the concept of wilderness, its history, perceptions, management, laws, and issues relevant to archaeology. It also draws attention to the paucity of archaeological research and the relaxed nature of cultural resource compliance mandates [National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Sections 106 and 110] …

Stewardship Contracting: Implementation Of An Innovative Resource Management Tool By Units Of The U.S. Forest Service, Cassandra J. Hemphill

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The U.S. Forest Service has an urgent need to restore forests to healthy conditions. To meet this need, in 2003 Congress authorized the agency to use the innovative stewardship contracting tool. However, eight years after authorization, implementation had not reached the expected or desired levels. This prompted this study, which asked ôWhy do some field units in the U.S. Forest Service implement and institutionalize stewardship contracting, while others do not?ö

Contrasting Two Prophylactic Dysphagia Interventions For Patients With Head And Neck Cancer Treated With Radiotherpy With Or Without Adjunctive Chemotherapy, Laurie Slovarp

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Many patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) suffer from dysphagia caused by organ preserving regimens of radiation therapy with or without adjunctive chemotherapy. Prior research has shown a benefit of prophylactic dysphagia intervention; however, prior studies vary in terms of timing, dosage, and types of treatments prescribed. Additionally, compliance to prophylactic swallowing exercises (PSEs) has been poor and anecdotal evidence points towards swallowing pain as a cause of poor compliance. This prospective study investigated exercise compliance, oral intake, self-perceived swallowing function, swallowing-related quality of life, and swallowing-related pain for patients who received two different types of prophylactic swallowing interventions. …

Non-Coding Rnas Of The Q Fever Agent, Coxiella Burnetii, Indu Ramesh Warrier

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that undergoes a biphasic developmental cycle, alternating between a small cell variant (SCV) and a large cell variant (LCV). Despite the remarkable niche and life cycle of C. burnetii, little is known about its modes of regulation and the roles that non-coding RNAs play in its growth and development. One such element is the intervening sequence (IVS); a 444-nt RNA element that is inserted within helix 45 of CoxiellaÆs precursor 23S rRNA. C. burnetii may have acquired IVS through horizontal transfer, and it has been subsequently maintained by all strains of C. …

Molecular Modeling Assisted Design And Synthesis Of Unsymmetrical Anthracene Isoxazole Small Molecule Anti-Tumor Agents, Nathan S. Duncan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

There are several isoxazoles in general medical practice and their metabolic fate and disposition is well known, and thus, this heterocyclic ring is often considered among the privileged scaffolds or templates for drug design and discovery. Many examples can be found of 3-aryl-isoxazoles which in theory have a chiral axis, yet actual experimental examples of direct determinations of isoxazole rotational barriers are few and far between. The dihedral angle of the 3-aryl to isoxazole bond in antibacterials of the oxacillin series increased with substitution in the 2- and 6- positions of the phenyl. Although his calculated barrier was low, this …

Person- And Family- Centred Care, Registered Nurses' Association Of Ontario

General Submissions: Community and Population-based Materials

This nursing Best Practice Guideline (BPG) is intended to replace the RNAO BPG Client Centred Care (2002) and its supplement (2006a). It is to be used by nurses and other members of the interprofessional health-care team to enhance the quality of their partnerships with individuals accessing care, ultimately improving clinical outcomes and the person and family's experience of health care through the use of evidence-based person- and family-centred-care practices.

Classroom Teachers Meeting The New National Professional Standards For Teachers Specifically Standards 1.4 And 2.4, Lisa Buxton

Theses

Commitment to enhancing the educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people has long been the aspiration in Australia. Research over many years has, however, noted inequitable outcomes between these children and their non-Indigenous counterparts. The groundswell of support for reconciliation and the ongoing determination to enhance the educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people more recently has seen the inclusion of two new Standards in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers that teachers have to meet to gain and retain registration as a teacher in Australia. The first Standard required …

Optimising Motor Learning Of Infants At High Risk Of Cerebral Palsy Using Goal-Oriented And Environmental Interventions, Catherine Morgan

Theses

Background and aims: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability of childhood occurring in 1 in 500 live births in developed countries. Although CP starts in infancy because of a lesion in the developing brain, it is usually not diagnosed until about 19 months. The problem with late detection has meant that early neurorehabilitation is not accessed until motor impairment is evident. Consequently the dose of active intervention during the critical period for brain plasticity is often inadequate. Little evidence exists for the effectiveness of early intervention (EI) protocols for infants with CP. In particular, interventions that take …

The Prevalence, Characteristics, Impact And Management Of Headache In People With Schizophrenia And Schizoaffective Disorder: A Cross Sectional Cohort Study, Joanne Connaughton

Theses

Headache is the most common pain problem reported by people with schizophrenia, with 12 month prevalence rates of around 50%. Despite this little research has been conducted into the characteristics, impact and management of headaches in this population. There is evidence to support the efficacy of physiotherapy treatment of cervicogenic headache and tension type headache and determining the prevalence, impact and current management of these types of headache was of particular interest.

A pilot study was first undertaken to identify and refine an appropriate headache questionnaire, develop an algorithm to use for classification of headache and test the repeatability and …

It's A Small World: Biogeography And Invasion In The Mouse Intestine, Ellen Lark

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Host associated systems are of particular interest to many microbiologists because invasion of these systems can lead to disease. One important host-associated systems is the intestinal microbiome, but in many studies, including those on pathogenesis, this system is represented by samples from one location (generally the feces or cecum). This body of work was initiated in part because I wondered why a large and diverse ecosystem was being was being represented by samples from only one habitat.

The biogeography of living organisms has an impact on landscape ecology studies, including those in the field of invasion ecology. Despite several studies …

Dysregulation Of Micrornas In Blood As Biomarkers For Diagnosing Prostate Cancer, Rhonda W. Daniel

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous cancer among men, yet current diagnostic methods are insufficient and more reliable diagnostic markers need to be developed. The answer that can bridge this gap and enable more efficient diagnoses may lie in microRNAs. These small, single stranded RNA molecules impact protein expression at the translational level and regulate important cellular pathways. Dysregulation of these small RNA molecules can have tumorigenic effects on cells and lead to many types of cancers.

Currently the Prostate-Stimulating Antigen (PSA) is used as a diagnostic marker for prostate cancer. However, many factors can elevate PSA levels such …

Relationship Between Autophagy, Senescence, And Dna Damage In Radiation Sensitization By Parp Inhibition, Moureq Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

Radiotherapy continues to be a primary modality in the treatment of cancer. DNA damage induced by radiation can promote apoptosis as well as both autophagy and senescence, where autophagy and senescence can theoretically function to prolong tumor survival. A primary aim of this work was to investigate the hypothesis that autophagy and/or senescence could be permissive for DNA repair, thereby facilitating tumor cell recovery from radiation-induced growth arrest and/or cell death. In addition, studies were designed to elucidate the involvement of autophagy and senescence in radiation sensitization by PARP inhibitors and the re-emergence of a proliferating tumor cell population. In …