Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Depression On Adolescent Deviant Behavior And The Mediating Effect Of Autonomy, Theresa Lee

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to synthesize the relations among the adolescent need for autonomy in decision making process, depression, and tendencies for deviant or risk-taking behaviors as adolescents. Background variables such as socio-economic status, sex, race, previous academic achievement, parent warmth and support, resistance to peer pressure were controlled for. Using the NICHD database set, multiple regression analyses revealed that adolescent autonomy was not correlated with adolescent depression, and earlier depression at sixth grade was not a significant mediator of the effect of earlier deviant behaviors at sixth grade on later adolescent deviant behaviors. More importantly, however, the …

Harnessing Transthyretin To Enhance The In Vivo Half-Life Of Human Interleukin-2 (Il-2), Fang Liu

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Protein therapeutics are available as cytokines, clotting factors, enzymes, hormones, growth factors, antibodies et al. They have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of important human diseases. Since human insulin was approved as the first recombinant protein therapeutic, this field has experienced rapid growth. One of the biggest challenges for protein therapeutics in clinical application is their short half-life. Except for monoclonal antibodies, which have serum half-life for weeks, most of the protein therapeutics have half-lives ranging from minutes to hours. Kidney filtration, proteasome degradation and liver metabolism are the main factors that attribute to their short …

A Qualitative Study Of The Lao American College Experience, Jerry Sithiphone

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The majority of the Lao American population arrived in the United States after the end of the “American War in Southeast Asia” in 1975 as political refugees. Nevertheless, as Asian Americans, Lao Americans are also stereotyped to be the “model minority” and therefore do not face the same educational and socioeconomical challenges like other communities of color. However, Lao Americans are not the model minority and face numerous obstacles as the community is overlooked and history is forgotten by mainstream America. The lack of scholarly literature on Lao Americans highlights not only the general misunderstanding of the community, but also …

Development Of Miriplatin-Loaded Nanoparticles Against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Zhongyue Yuan

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer claims the highest mortality and the second-most estimated new cases among all oncological diseases [1]. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85% of all newly diagnosed lung cancers [2]. Approximately 40% of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients are stage IV. For stage IIIB/IV NSCLC, cytotoxic combination chemotherapy is standard first-line chemotherapy. A regimen of platinum (cisplatin or carboplatin) plus paclitaxel, gemcitabine, docetaxel, vinorelbine, irinotecan, or pemetrexed is the recommended clinical treatment [3].

Cisplatin is the first-generation platinum-based anti-cancer drug. Although cisplatin is much more effective than other platinum drugs at the same dosage [4], accumulating reports …

Exploring The Relationship Between Grit, Work Engagement, And Career Success Among U.S. Pharmacists, Nareeta A. Sharma

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Background. Career success can be examined from an objective perspective by assessing tangible measures of success, such as salary, or from a subjective perspective by examining an individual’s reflections of their own career. While previous literature has identified characteristics of pharmacists that contribute to professional success, there is a lack in literature regarding whether certain traits or job-related characteristics may predict success.

Purpose and Objectives. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of grit and work engagement on career success among practicing pharmacists in the United States (U.S.). A secondary objective is to identify how pharmacists describe …

Impact Of 17-Beta Estradiol And Moderate-Intensity Exercise On Mesenteric Arterial Function Of Uc Davis Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats, Md Rahatullah Razan

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The studies in this dissertation were designed to investigate the impacts of estrogen (17-β estradiol/E2) and moderate-intensity exercise (MIE) on the mesenteric arterial (MA) function of the University of California Davis type-2 diabetes mellitus (UCD-T2DM) Rat model. Our recent report suggests that diabetes impairs MA vasorelaxation in both sexes of the UCD-T2DM model. Particularly, we reported that MA from prediabetic male rats showed a greater impairment compared to that in prediabetic females. However, when females become diabetic, they exhibit a greater vascular dysfunction than males. Therefore, the aim of the first study was to investigate whether female sex hormone, specifically …

Music Therapists, Personal Value Preferences, And Burnout, Yung-Jung (Kerstin) Cheng

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between personal value preferences (PVPs) and burnout among music therapists. A total of 450 board-certified music therapists participated in this study. Four hundred and twenty-one participants finished the survey partially and completely, and were analyzed with regard to demographic information (gender identity, years of work, worksites, weekly work hours, annual salary range). Three hundred and forty-three participants who completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ-RR), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) were subjected to non-parametric and linear regression analyses.

Regarding the relationship between worksites and burnout, the …

Effect Of Eurycoma Longifolia And Eccentric Exercise On Quadriceps Strength In Elite Rugby Player, Ahmad Zawawi Zakaria

Student Works (2020-2029)

Optimizing performance by resistance training over a limited amount of time was imperative in a training year plan. Superior effect of eccentric training has been documented but less known its influence on elite athletes which incorporated submaximal and supramaximal intensity eccentric that was essential for muscle strength and hypertrophy. Correspondingly, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (ElJ) supplementation has been shown to stimulate the production of the non-prohibited androgenic hormones, which was important for athletic performance in terms of muscular strength and size. However, investigation was not sufficiently vigorous on such effect of a supplement in elite athletes. Therefore, the major aim of …

Effect Of Imagery And Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training On Selected Soccer Skills Performance, Sara Majlesi

Student Works (2020-2029)

The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of PETTLEP video imagery (Physical, Environment, Task, Timing, Learning, Emotion and Perspective), heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB), and concurrent intervention of both on selected soccer skill performances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PETTLEP video imagery, HRVB and concurrent intervention on soccer players' reactive motor skill test (RMST), sprint time, reactive agility, passing time, and passing accuracy. Participants of this study were Malaysian high school soccer players (N=64), with mean age of 15.31±1.83, who were assigned randomly into four groups: three experimental groups and one control group. …

Establishing The Minimally Important Clinical Difference For The Oral Health Impact Profile In Malaysians Provided With Removable Partial Dentures, Siti Fauzza Ahmad

Student Works (2020-2029)

Future demand for a removable partial denture (RPD) remains as more adults retain their natural teeth into old age. Partial tooth loss often leads to masticatory function disturbances and negatively affects the quality of life (QoL). Prosthodontic rehabilitation with RPD improves QoL; however, the statistically significant change with many Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQOL) instruments, may not be clinically meaningful. The Malaysian version of Oral Health Impact Profile, OHIP(M)-45 questionnaires has been validated and adapted; however, its clinical interpretability has not been established. The smallest change in OHRQoL score perceived by a patient as beneficial, following an intervention, is …

Self-Directed Learning Readiness Of Recent Medical Graduates, Mohamad Nabil Mohd Noor

Student Works (2020-2029)

Self-directed learning occurs when teachers empower learners to take control of their learning. This method has been highlighted in medical education to promote lifelong learning for physicians to adapt to the ever-changing field of medicine. Past researchers have focused on undergraduate medical students' self-directed learning readiness and suggested further studies for the population after graduation. The present study aims to measure the level of self-directed learning readiness amongst recent medical graduates in Malaysia. 371 Malaysian doctors who recently graduated within the past 18 months participated in this study and completed Guglielmino’s Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale. Mean score was computed to …

Perception Of Stakeholders On Current Perfusion Education In Malaysia, Rafiq Sumardi Omar

Student Works (2020-2029)

Perfusionist is known as a certified medical technician liable for extracorporeal oxygenation of the blood during open-heart surgery. Current curriculum is believed to be at par and is aligned with the National Occupational Skills Standard, however, the scope of perfusion practice keeps changing with the advancement of technology and procedures, and there is a demand for specialty area such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Therefore, current curriculum should be re-evaluated by taking consideration from multiple stakeholders’ perception on current needs, content, educational strategies, teaching methods, assessment methods, and curriculum management. Hence, this study aimed to explore perception of stakeholders in …

Transition To E-Learning In A Malaysian Dental School During Covid-19 Pandemic: Faculty Experiences And Future Recommendations, Sahar Fatima

Student Works (2020-2029)

During COVID-19 pandemic e-learning has emerged as the primary mode of continuing teaching and learning activities in health professions education including dental education. Due to its high reliance on clinical and skill-based teaching the dental education has encountered challenges in maintaining quality and academic integrity ensuring competent future clinicians. The present study aims to analyze the challenges and opportunities experienced by the faculty in adversity of rapid and unprepared transition to e-learning from conventional pedagogy in order to address future strategies for efficient e-learning. A qualitative phenomenological research approach is adapted for the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully …

Perception Of Students And Insructors On The Impacts Of Gamification On Motivation And Teamwork Among Pharmacy Students By Using Kahoot!, Nadia Inez Junazli

Student Works (2020-2029)

There is an increased used of game-based student response system (GSRS) such as Quizziz and Kahoot! in Malaysian Pharmacy Schools where it has become a tool to increase motivation, engagement and facilitate collaborative learning. Although it is widely used in pharmacy schools across government and private Universities in Malaysia, there is little evidence to understand pharmacy students and their instructor’s perceptions and experiences on using Kahoot! in pharmacy subjects such as pharmaceutics and pharmacology. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach to evaluate students’ and instructors’ experiences through in-depth interview sessions(N=11) to understand their change of attitude, experience, and perception …

Prevalence Of Neurophobia And Its Related Perceptions On Neurology Among Junior Doctors In Malaysia, Nor Azam Ismail

Student Works (2020-2029)

The phenomenon of neurophobia, which is described as the fear of neurological subjects, is not well studied among Malaysian doctors. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of neurophobia among Malaysian junior doctors, to determine the perceived level of interest, knowledge, confidence and phobia in Neurology, to assess the association and prediction between different demographic backgrounds of the junior doctors, reasons for Neurology being perceived as a difficult subject, and perceived usefulness of different methods of learning neurology on their perceived difficulty of neurology. The study employed an online, questionnaire-based data collection method distributed among junior doctors …

Association Between Life Course Social Determinants Of Health And Metabolic Syndrome Among Female Secondary School Teachers In Johor, Mohammad Fadzly Marzuki

Student Works (2020-2029)

Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of multiple risk factors, is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers. Poor health behaviours such as poor dietary intake and physical activities are known risk factors of metabolic syndrome. However, very little is known if the social determinants of health throughout the life�course are associated with metabolic syndrome. The study aimed to explore the association between life-course social determinants of health and metabolic syndrome. The cross-sectional study involved female secondary school teachers living in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The study used available data from the Clustering of Lifestyle risk …

Developing And Evaluating Strategies To Implement An Insulin Patient Decision Aid In An Academic Primary Care Clinic In Malaysia, Tong Wen Ting

Student Works (2020-2029)

Patient decision aids (PDAs) are decision-making tools to facilitate shared decision-making; however, their routine use in clinical consultations is still lacking. This study aims to develop and evaluate strategies to effectively implement a locally developed insulin PDA in an academic primary care clinic in Malaysia. This implementation study began with a qualitative exploration to identify PDA implementation barriers in Malaysian public healthcare settings (Phase 1). In Phase 2, an implementation intervention was systematically developed for the insulin PDA in an academic primary care clinic. This involved stakeholders using a multi-voting technique to prioritise Phase 1 barriers. Next, strategies were identified …

Antioxidative And Lipid-Reducing Activities Of Ficus Deltoidea In Palmitic Acid-Induced Wrl68 Cells, Noor Nazirahanie Abrahim

Student Works (2020-2029)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a series of liver disorder caused by deposition of fat without involving alcohol. This chronic liver disease has become a major concern globally due to its high mortality and morbidity rate. This situation leads to the quest of finding natural remedy to overcome this condition. Ficus deltoidea or commonly known as mistletoe fig or Mas Cotek, is a plant that is very well known especially in Malaysia for its blood glucose lowering effect. However, the potential value of F. deltoidea has not been fully evaluated, and no studies have been published on the effects …

Non-Traditional Component Of Metabolic Syndrome In Children With Obesity: Assesment Of Tg:Hdl-C Ratio As Insulin Resistance Component, Nur Zati Iwani Ahmad Kamil

Student Works (2020-2029)

Paediatrics metabolic syndrome (MetS) is on the rise parallel to the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. Although insulin resistance (IR) is an important variable in the diagnosis of MetS, the existing paediatric definition of MetS only measures elevated fasting blood glucose (FBG). Arguably, many children with severe IR can still regulate their FBG, especially in children with obesity. Therefore, this study aims to assess the utility of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG: HDL-C) ratio as an IR marker in the modelling of paediatric MetS among children with obesity using structural equation modelling (SEM). This is a cross-sectional study in which …

Prevalence Of Dental Caries, Oral-Health Related Quality Of Life, And Oral Health Inequalities Among Libyan Pre-School Children In Benghazi, Lamis Abdelrahim Fathulla Ballo

Student Works (2020-2029)

Background: Dental caries persists as a public health problem that significantly affects individuals and societies. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is significantly identified as a serious worldwide public health concern. Oral health inequalities exist in most countries, and these disparities in health vary between and within countries. Aim: This study aimed to investigate dental caries prevalence and experience, oral health related quality of life and oral health inequalities and the associated factors among six-year-old children in Benghazi, Libya. Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of Benghazi Children Dental Health Survey conducted in the year 2017. The survey …

Association Of Palb2 Variants With Risk To Breast Cancer And Molecular Characterisation Of Palb2 Tumours, Ng Pei Sze

Student Works (2020-2029)

Purpose: Germline rare protein truncating variants (PTVs) in PALB2 are associated with an increased risk to breast cancer. At present, most of the available data on genetic predisposition to breast cancer are derived from studies in women of European descent, and it is unclear the extent to which population-specific differences in genetic and lifestyle factors may contribute to differences in lifetime risk to breast cancer in women of other ancestries. This study sought to determine the prevalence of, mutation spectrum in and the risk estimates associated with PALB2 in a multiethnic cohort of 7840 breast cancer cases and 7928 healthy …

Understanding And Assessing Dental Anxiety And Fear In Malaysia, Rashidah Esa

Student Works (2020-2029)

Dental anxiety refers to a vague, unpleasant feeling that something undesirable awaits whereas dental fear is a normal response to a threat or danger. Anticipation of a dental visit can induce dental anxiety whereas the most fear-provoking situations were the sight of injection needles and the drilling procedures. Nevertheless, the terms are often used interchangeably. Dental anxiety and fear (DAF) are perpetual problems worldwide and their assessment is important to assist dentists in the management of highly anxious patients. In Malaysia, more studies are needed to add to the growing body of DAF research. The aim of this thesis was …

Analysis Of Periodontal Parameters, Subgingival Bacteria And Levels Of Ll-37 In Periodontitis Subjects With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cheah Chia Wei

Student Works (2020-2029)

Associations between rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the joints, and periodontitis (PD), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting tooth supporting tissues have been reported. Antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin LL-37 besides being antibacterial, is also involved in inflammatory process. It has been suggested as a possible mechanistic link for these diseases. This study aimed to investigate the subgingival microbial profile of RA subjects and its correlation with levels of salivary and serum LL-37. A total of 104 subjects were allocated into RA (n=49) or non-RA (NRA) (n=55) groups. Three subgroups, PD, gingivitis (G) and periodontal health (H) were further …

Investigating The Effect Of Khat (Catha Edulis) On Selected Obesity Markers And Pathways In C57bl/6j Male Mice, Mustafa Ahmed Al-Shagga

Student Works (2020-2029)

In East African and South Western Arabian populations, Catha edulis (khat) is believed to suppress appetite and reduce body weight. First, this study conducted a systematic review of the literature on the effects of khat and its active alkaloid cathinone on body weight and appetite regulation. Second, this study investigated the effect of khat and cathinone on selected metabolic and histopathologic parameters and their influence on the expression of obesity-related genes in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Forty-two male C57BL/6J mice were divided into seven groups (n= 6); normal diet control treated with vehicle (NDC), normal diet treated with 200 mg/kg …

Pictorial Health Warnings On Cigarette Packs: Compliance And Public Understanding Among Adults In Malacca, Peninsular Malaysia, Ainun Mardhiah Meor Amir Hamzah

Student Works (2020-2029)

Pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on cigarette packs, is one of the tobacco-free initiatives, targeting smokers and non-smokers. Since its implementation in Malaysia in 2009, little is known whether the PHWs on Malaysian cigarette packs comply with the PHW indicators, and well-understood by the public. Objectives: This study compared the prevalence of legal and illicit cigarettes in Malacca and the compliance level of PHWs with the Malaysian law and Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requirements between cigarette’s brands and variants, its legal status, types of Point of Sales (POS), and locations; also explored the public’s understanding and recommendations to improve …

The Pharmacokinetic Of Silver Diamine Fluoride In Healthy Children With Dental Caries, Lim Siau Peng

Student Works (2020-2029)

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a medication used topically on carious tooth surfaces to arrest caries progression in both child and adult populations. This study aimed to determine the pharmacokinetic of SDF in 15 children who received SDF treatment. Urine samples were collected at baseline, and at first and second 24 hours after SDF treatment to determine silver and fluoride levels. Hair samples were collected at baseline, and at days 7, 14, 30, 60, 75, and 90 after SDF to assess silver levels. The median and interquartile range of urinary fluoride at baseline, first and second 24 hours after SDF …

Understanding The Psychological Experience And Perspective Of Frontline Healthcare Workers And Psychological First Aid Providers During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Hemavathi Shanmugam

Student Works (2020-2029)

Background: The growing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases since December 2019 has led to burnout and psychological distress among the frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). In Malaysia, remote Psychological First Aid (PFA) via teleconsultation was launched to ameliorate the mental health distress among HCWs. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand the psychological experience and perspective of frontline HCWs and PFA providers as a guide in improvising the delivery of the remote PFA service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: A descriptive qualitative research design based on semi-structured individual in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 30 …

The Relationship Between Gestational Weight Gain, Maternal Upper-Body Subcutaneous Fat Changes And Infant Birth Size: A Pilot Observational Study Amongst Women With Obesity, Kathy M. Redfern, Heidi J. Hollands, Joanne Hosking, C. Ross Welch, Jonathan H. Pinkney, Gail A. Rees

School of Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

What Do We Know About Business Strategy And Environmental Research? Insights From Business Strategy And The Environment, S Kumar, R Sureka, Wm Lim, Mangla S Kumar, N Goyal

Plymouth Business School

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Methionine Feeding On Oxidative Stress, Intracellular Calcium And Contractility In Cardiomyocytes Isolated From Male And Female Rats, Shatha A. Demerchi, Nicola King, James R. Mcfarlane, Pierre D.J. Moens

School of Biomedical Sciences

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a breakdown product of methionine metabolism. The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) correlates with an increase in plasma Hcy levels. The aim of this study was to investigate whether 1% methionine supplementation of adult rats altered intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, intracellular Ca2+ content, and contractile activity in freshly isolated cardiomyocytes. This was measured under normal conditions and during oxidative stress in freshly isolated cardiomyocytes. Single rat cardiomyocytes from both sexes were isolated by enzymatic and mechanical dispersion techniques. Fluorescence microscopy was used to measure ROS production and intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Cell contraction was measured using …