Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Activation Pattern And Feedback Condition On The Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential., Mary Jo Davenport

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) has been shown to be clinically useful in providing diagnostic information regarding the function of the otolith receptors, inferior vestibular nerve, and vestibulospinal pathways. The VEMP is a biphasic response elicited by loud clicks or tone bursts and recorded from the tonically contracted sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Because the VEMP is an inhibitory response, it is important to investigate stimulus and parameter characteristics in order to determine the optimal test protocol and maximize clinical usefulness. The aims of this study were 1) to evaluate the effects of 4 different methods of SCM muscle activation and …

The Development And Psychometric Testing Of A Hypertension Knowledge Instrument In A Vulnerable Population, Crescent Elayne Rowell

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The primary objective of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of a hypertension knowledge instrument in a vulnerable population. The secondary objective was to determine the association between hypertension knowledge and outcomes such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 196 adults aged 18 years and older with hypertension. Item analysis was conducted to determine the reliability of the instrument. The factor structure was determined and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between …

Conceptual And Methodological Issues Relevant To Cytokine And Inflammatory Marker Measurements In Clinical Research., Xin Zhoua, Maren S. Fragala, Janet E. Mcelhaney, George A. Kuchel

UCHC Articles - Research

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide clinical investigators with an understanding of factors to consider when wishing to add cytokine and inflammatory marker measurements to their studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Inflammation involves complex and coordinated responses of the immune system to tissue damage. In the absence of tools to routinely assess inflammation within living tissues, measurements of humoral factors such as cytokines and other inflammatory mediators or markers can provide predictive clinical information and insights into disease mechanisms. Historically, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) became the gold standard, yet this approach of measuring a single protein in each sample limits the amount of …

A Passive Pure Moment Protocol For Testing Spine Segments: Development And Application, Kyle David Fraysur

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The pure moment protocol is the accepted standard for performing in-vitro biomechanical testing of spinal devices. Published studies predominantly report range of motion and flexibility data, but information regarding the segment center of rotation is also relevant. Most current pure moment platforms are not sensitive enough to accurately calculate the instantaneous axis of rotation (IAR) for a segment throughout a bending motion. The purpose of this study was to simulate a pure moment protocol using a programmable spine robot, and use the data gathered to calculate the IAR for harvested specimen and those implanted with a constrained total disc replacement …

Small Intestine Submucosa For Repair Of Injured Rabbit Cornea: A Pilot Study, Mark Nicholas Perenich

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Corneal injuries blind approximately 15 million people worldwide annually. Current methods of treatment have several disadvantages with respect to cost and availability. This study evaluated a small intestine submucosa (SIS) xenograft treatment for a severe corneal injury. SIS could be a favorable alternative to the current treatment methods, because it is inexpensive to produce and abundant where pigs are consumed. A severe ocular injury was created in the right eye of 5 rabbits by n-heptanol and mechanical debridement of the cornea and limbus. The cornea was then evaluated with fluorescence stain and a SIS xenograft was used for treatment. Clinical …

Quantification Of Circulating Melanoma Cells, Jamie Freeman

Theses : Honours

Current prognostic techniques for Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma (CMM), a highly aggressive and drug resistant skin cancer, are inadequate at managing the disease and identifying early stage patients requiring treatment. It is thought that Circulating Tumour Cells (CTCs), which circulate in patient blood after being shed from solid tumours, may be useful in enhancing prognostic techniques and it has previously been shown in other malignancies that the presence of CTCs in patient blood is associated with poor prognosis. In CMM, CTCs can be detected through RT-PCR for melanoma associated markers, although this technique does not allow CTCs to be quantified. In …