Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Role Of Lipolysis And Lipogenesis In The Development Of Diet-Induced Obesity, Michael John Davies

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Obesity is an increasingly common public health problem with approximately one-half of the American adult population overweight and one-quarter considered obese. This alarming trend has led researchers to determine potential causative factors of excess weight gain in humans. However, it is difficult to discern whether perturbations that result in obesity are the cause or simply the result of the obese state. Diet-induced obesity is one of the animal models that allow researchers to address temporal issues. Our laboratory utilizes a diet-induced obesity model in which Sprague-Dawley rats are placed on a purified moderately high fat diet and ultimately diverge into …

Medical Students And Their Attitudes Toward Abortion: An Assessment Of Which Factors Influence Medical Students' Willingness Or Unwillingness To Perform Abortions, Katherine M. Krupa

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to determine which factors, if any, influence medical students' willingness or unwillingness to perform abortions. Ample research has been conducted evaluating both the general population's and college students' attitudes toward abortion; however, limited research has been collected on medical students. The present research study attempts to fill this void. The following research questions will be reviewed and evaluated throughout the current study: (1) What personal factors if any influence medical students' willingness or unwillingness to terminate a pregnancy; (2) Are medical students willing to perform abortions for the reasons that women are requesting them; …

An Ultrastructural Survey Of The Nuchal Glands Of Rhabdophis Tigrinus (Serpentes: Colubridae), Kathleen A. Roberts

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Rhabdophis tigrinus, an Asian natricine snake, possesses a series of integumentary glands located in the nuchal skin. Previous studies indicated that the nuchal glands are of mesodermal origin, contain cardiac steroids analogous to bufotoxins found in the parotoid glands of toads, which are included in the snake's diet. The nuchal glands are defensive in function. Preliminary histological studies revealed differences in quality of the gland tissue compared to previous studies, and difference in fixation techniques were suspected. Seven specimens of R. tigrinus were fixed by perfusion using a conservative fixation process standard for electron microscopy. The nuchal gland series …

Validation Of Passive Air Sampling Monitors Onboard United States Navy Submarines, Larry A. Mcfarland

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

An operating submarine creates a unique air quality mixture of compounds that result from a combination of human metabolism, construction materials, materials brought onboard and compounds created through the interaction of ship systems. A comprehensive study of submarine atmospheres is ongoing during deployments of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. As part of the overall effort, a paired air sampling comparison field validation was conducted to compare the air sampling effectiveness of passive diffusive monitors compared to more traditional active air sampling methods when sampling for acrolein, formaldehyde and ozone in the enclosed submarine atmosphere. Acrolein monitors containing 2-hydroxymethylpiperidine (HMP) impregnated glass …

Spousal Violence Levels Among Substance-Abusing Couples After Behavioral Couples Therapy Versus Individual-Based Treatment, Shannon O'Neill Arehart

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Domestic violence and substance abuse are two of the most prevalent and detrimental social ills plaguing American society today. Additionally, domestic violence and substance abuse are inter-related, and are often found within the same family or relationship. Understanding the relationship between these two problems is essential, especially in the context of therapy or treatment.

Previous studies have shown that behavioral couples therapy (BCT), a treatment for substance abuse problems in which couples participate in conjoint therapy sessions, can be effective in reducing the levels of spousal violence in alcoholic couples (O'Farrell & Murphy, 1995). Additionally, BCT has been effective in …

Electrically Mediated Plasmid Dna Delivery To Hepatocellular Carcinomas In Vivo, L. Heller, M. J. Jaroszeski, D. Coppola, C. Pottinger, R. Gilbert, Richard Heller

Bioelectrics Publications

Gene therapy by direct delivery of plasmid DNA has several advantages over viral gene transfer, but plasmid delivery is less efficient. In vivo electroporation has been used to enhance delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumors in both animal and human studies. Recently, this delivery technique has been extended to large molecules such as plasmid DNA. Here, the successful delivery of plasmids encoding reporter genes to rat hepatocellular carcinomas by in vivo electroporation is demonstrated.

Jeffress Research Grant Awards

Virginia Journal of Science

Announcements of the Jeffress Research Grants that have been awarded in 1999.

The Pediatric Breathing Survey, Linda J. Galloway

Health Services Research Dissertations

To ensure culturally-sensitive assessments, the researcher designed a Pediatric Breathing Survey (PBS) to measure quality of life for African-American children. The purpose of this study was to test whether the PBS is a reliable and valid instrument. Comparisons of group differences on race, income and parent's level of education based on parent responses to the questionnaires were conducted. More specifically, differences in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) between Caucasian and African-American children were examined. The researcher-designed instrument was compared to Juniper's Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. The sample consisted of parents of 84 school-aged children diagnosed with asthma. …

Explanatory Power Of The Behavior Model Of Utilization For Pediatric Asthma Health Care In An Urban Managed Care Setting, Kathie Marie Sawyer Zimbro

Health Services Research Dissertations

The Behavior Model of Utilization played a key role in explaining health services use for pediatric members with asthma in one urban, regional managed care company. The critical role the asthma management program played in promoting the health and well-being of enrolled members was elucidated. Information gleaned from this empirical study can be used to encourage appropriate resource utilization, formulate pediatric asthma health policy, and deliver cost-effective, quality health care. More importantly, managed care company administrators and clinicians can demonstrate the value of their efforts by achieving measurable improvements in the health and well-being of children in the communities they …

Kinetic Characterization Of Tetracycline Binding And Release By Demineralized Bone - Dfdba, Orner Kabil

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The microbial etiology of periodontal diseases has led to widespread research in the development of methods and local delivery systems to increase the efficacy of antibiotic therapy. Several drug delivery systems employing biodegradable and nonbiodegradable carriers have been shown to release antibiotics directly into periodontal pockets. The purpose of this study was to determine the binding and release kinetics of tetracycline by demineralized bone. Further aspects of the study include in vitro evaluation of DFDBA (demineralized freeze-dried bone allografts) as a tetracycline carrier system for periodontal therapy. Experiments were performed which employed different tetracycline concentrations with constant amounts of bone …

Behavioral Couples Therapy For Female Substance-Abusing Patients: Effects On Relationship Adjustment And Drug-Using Behavior, Jamie J. Winters

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The effectiveness of Behavioral Couples Therapy (BCT) in the treatment of substance-abusing males has been demonstrated (Fals-Stewart, Birchler, 8 O'Farrell, 1996). However, research on the effectiveness of BCT in substance-abusing females has remained unexamined. It was hypothesized that BCT would improve posttreatment results of substance abuse treatment, both in terms of drug use and relationship satisfaction.

Married or cohabitating female substance-abusing patients (N=60) who were entering an outpatient treatment program were randomly assigned to one of two equally intensive treatment conditions. One treatment package (IBT) consisted of individual based therapy only; the other (BCT) consisted of individual based therapy and …

Characterization Of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus 1 Reverse Transcriptase, Pinky Gundayao Agbuya

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Human T-cell leukemia virus 1 (HTLV-1) is a type C human retrovirus which has been the causative agent of Adult T-cell leukemia. Replication of the retrovirus; requires a reverse transcriptase which converts the retroviral RNA into DNA which is later incorporated into the host's genome. Very little is known about the reverse transcriptase of HTLV-1. Researchers have attempted to purify HTLV-1 RT by isolating the enzyme from human cell lines. Because large amounts of protein could not be produced by this isolation method, the reverse transcriptase cannot be fully characterized. In this research, a recombinant protein expressed in E. coli …

Identification Of Violence In The Home - Pediatric And Parental Reports, Bonnie D. Kerker, Sarah Mccue Horwitz, John M. Leventhal, Stacey Plichta, Phillip J. Leaf

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: To compare the rates of domestic violence reported by mothers with those identified by physicians, to compare the rates of harsh discipline practices reported by mothers with the rates of abuse identified by physicians, and to examine the relationship between reported domestic violence and harsh discipline practices.

Design: Interviews with parents and pediatricians to compare pediatric detection of domestic violence and child abuse with parental reports of domestic violence and harsh discipline practices.

Setting: Community-based pediatric practices in the 13-town greater New Haven, Conn, area.

Participants: Of the 23 practices invited, 19 agreed to participate. Of the 2006 parents …

Perceptions Of Clinical Psychologists Relative To Other Mental Health Providers, Glenora Nelson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

There is a myriad of job titles that exist within the mental health profession. Public perception about the differences between these professionals has been the focus of many studies and the results generally suggest that the public cannot clearly distinguish among these mental heath professionals. The present study is also concerned with perceptions about the various mental health professionals, in particular, perceptions of clinical psychologists relative to other professionals in this field. Undergraduate psychology students age 18–47 participated in a study of perceptions and attitudes about the qualifications and competence of clinical psychologists, professional counselors, psychiatrists and clinical social workers. …

Increasing Readiness To Change Among Smokers In A Primary Care Setting, Sheila F. Collicott

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the effectiveness of two brief interventions, direct advice and motivational interviewing, for increasing motivation to quit among male smokers in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of change who were primary care patients at an Eastern urban VA medical center. Contrary to expectations, participants receiving motivational interviews did not increase more in readiness to change, motivation, and actions to quit, than those receiving direct advice or a control conversation, nor did they smoke fewer cigarettes per day. As expected, contemplators reported more cutting down and quit attempts than pre-contemplators. Factors that may have limited the effectiveness of interventions …

Detection And Modeling Of Radiation Induced Effects In Tissues By Dielectric Spectroscopy, Dorin A. Todor

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The work presented here is applied physics research in the field of radiation treatment. We address the development of a new and innovative method, in vivo and possibly non-invasive, for tumor and healthy tissues control during and after the radiation treatment. The radiation treatment is delivered in an almost standardized manner for particular classes of tumors. The large variance in the individual radio sensitivity of healthy tissues and tumors often leads to local recurrence of neoplastic growth and/or distant metastatic disease which often remains untreated. The method is based on the measurement and analysis of electrical impedance data in …

Factors Associated With Asthma Readmissions In Children's Hospitals, Maria Acedo Kronenburg

Health Services Research Dissertations

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. Pediatric asthma hospitalization rates and costs of care have risen in recent years. Readmissions, an adverse outcome often used to monitor quality of care, may account for the increase in asthma hospitalization rates. This research examined selected hospital and patient risk factors related to asthma readmissions, using Donabedian's framework for structure, process, and outcomes to assess the quality of care for children with asthma. Outcome measures included readmission for asthma within one year of initial hospitalization, readmission within 30 days, and multiple readmissions within one year. Structure factors measured were insurance …

Applications Of Wavelet Transforms In Biomedical Optoacoustics, Zibiao Wei, Shujun Yang, Amin N. Dharamsi, Barbara Hargrave

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We discuss the utility of wavelet transform methods in signal processing in general, and in particular, demonstrate the technique in optoacoustic applications. In several optoacoustic experiments with different samples, we have successfully enhanced the signal to noise ratios. Wavelet transforms optimize resolution by utilizing a tailored, variable time-window in different frequency regions. The technique's great advantage lies in the fact that the wavelet transform adds some redundancy to the original signal, and some desired features can be enhanced in the transformed space. In addition, proper choice of the basis set allows a sparse representation of the signal. Therefore, even when …

Comparison Of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners' And Pediatric Residents' Care Of Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants, M. Gary Karlowicz, Jennifer L. Mcmurray

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To compare outcomes and charges of health care delivery to extremely low-birth-weight infants by neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) and pediatric residents.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A 56-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a university teaching hospital.

Methods: Study population included all infants with birth weights less than 1000 g who were admitted to the NICU during the 2-year period between September 1, 1994, and August 31, 1996. Infants who died earlier than 12 hours of age, or who were admitted after 1 week of age or with major malformations, chromosomal abnormalities, or congenital infections were excluded. There …

Telomerase Activity In Human Preimplantation Embryos, Diane Lynne Wright

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, has been described as an essential component of highly proliferative cells, which stabilizes the telomeres and avoids cellular senescence. Telomerase has been identified in various embryonic cell stages, hematopoietic cells, and in >85% of tumor tissue biopsies analyzed. The ability to measure the potential to proliferate successfully could provide an objective measure of an embryo's quality. The objectives of this study were to modify the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay system for increased sensitivity to allow detection of telomerase activity in the single cell of an oocyte and embryo, obtain telomerase activity levels for the oocyte …

Portuguese-Americans And Mental Health Treatment Client-Therapist Ethnic Match, Ethnic Identity, And Satisfaction With Treatment, Katherine B. Gamble

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Multicultural issues in psychotherapy have increasingly been recognized as important in the provision of mental health services to our diverse population. Issues such as beliefs about mental health, attitudes toward authority, and even world view affect how clients access and make use of psychotherapy. Cultural views are essential to how one sees the world, and consequently there is much debate about whether clients would benefit from having therapists from the same cultural background. Ethnic identity, or the degree to which a person holds to the beliefs of their culture of origin, consequently plays an important role in psychotherapy. The Portuguese …

Abnormal Electrical Potentials In Lower Limb Muscles After Ankle Sprain Grades I, Ii And Iii, Talal A. Al-Shatti

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Fibrillation and positive sharp wave potentials have been found after ankle sprain in muscles around the injured joint. The purpose of this study was to better define and explain the reaction of the muscles around the ankle joint after grades I, II and m ankle sprains. Methods: Fifteen subjects (9 males and 6 females, mean age of 33.2 years) with ankle sprains voluntarily participated in this study. A stress x-ray was done to determine the grade of ankle sprain. Nerve conduction velocity and EMO studies were done three weeks after the injury. None of the patients in this study manifested …

Cartilage Regeneration On A Large Articular Surface Facilitated By Stress Shielding, Charles L. Mcdowell, Jennifer S. Wayne, Robert Tuten, Hunter H. Mcguire Jr.

Virginia Journal of Science

An animal model for the study of articular cartilage regeneration in-vivo facilitated by stress-shielding is introduced. The object of the model is to test the hypothesis that some form of cartilaginous tissue will grow upon a large joint surface in vivo with the joint in normal motion. The model utilizes the known capability of immature cells to differentiate. The source of cells is bleeding subchondral bone. In addition, the model provides a mechanically shielded environment in which cell differentiation and maturation can occur. The study showed that a substantial amount of tissue will grow in the animal model only when …

A Study On The Effects Of The N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequence On The Activation Of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Protease, Hidayah Muhammad Kendall

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTL V-1) is dependent upon the enzymatic activity of its protease for maturation. Maturation of the protease is facilitated by cleavage of specific amino acid residues, followed by dimerization. The effects of the amino acid sequence located N-terminally to the cleavage site on the ability of the protease to become active were the focus of the current study. These amino acid sequences were contributed by the plasmid vector into which the protease gene was inserted.

Surface probability analyses (SPAs) of the vectors, as well as for native sequences which produce the mature protease and …

Identification And Characterization Of Determinants Of Head And Neck Tumor Cell Invasion, Yangguan Wu

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignant disease with poor prognosis. The majority of patients die from local invasion or lymphatic metastasis. The mechanism(s) underlining the invasiveness of HNSCC are poorly understood. Utilizing a panel of HNSCC cell lines previously established in our laboratory, we tested the application and relevance of the three-step hypothesis of tumor invasion to HNSCC and investigated the mechanism(s) pertaining to the regulation of each step in the invasive process. Data presented in this thesis demonstrated that tumor cell invasion in HNSCC is a complex process involving three repeated sequential steps: adhesion, …

Generation Of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Beta Subunit Specific Monoclonal Antibody Using A Synthetic Peptide, Zhe Huang

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is well known for early immunological and bioassay tests for early detection of pregnancy. Since the hormone specific beta subunit confers unique biological and immunological specificity to hCG, immunochemical measurement of hCG has achieved greater specificity and sensitivity in recent years by using either the beta subunit as an immunogen or a partially reduced beta subunit polypeptide chain. However, antiserum raised against the entire hCG beta subunit usually cross-reacts to some extent with human luteinizing hormone (hLH). hCG has been found to be present in the extract of tumors and minute quantities of hCG are synthesized …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Considering The Impact Of Educational Institutions And Teacher Perceptions, Cynthia S. Glass

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

This research examines teacher perceptions about the nature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ("ADHD") and the teaching strategies used to work with students who display ADHD behaviors. It also examines the relationship between classroom size and perception of incidence of ADHD within the classroom.

Results indicate that older and more experienced teachers are more flexible than younger, less experienced teachers in their teaching strategies when working with students who display ADHD behaviors. Teachers who received information about ADHD from their school administration utilized flexible methods more often than those who did not receive information. The proportion of students identified as …

An Exploratory Study Of The Correlates Of Drug Use Among Juveniles: Analysis Of Regional Variations In The United States, Denise D. Nation

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

Research on substance use and abuse has increased exponentially over the past twenty-five years. However, research focusing on regional differences in drug use seems to be very limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the correlates of drug use among juveniles in the four major geographic regions of the United States: the Northeast, the North Central, the South and the West. Here, drug use is defined in terms of alcohol and marijuana use for the age group 12-19. Four research hypotheses are proposed. The 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse data was used to assess and analyze …

The Effects Of Group Counseling On The Self-Esteem, Anxiety, And Behavior Of Children With Deployed Parents, Nancy Taylor Mitchum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a six-session group counseling intervention for children who had a parent experiencing military-induced deployment. Participants were 65 children (30 boys, 35 girls) of enlisted military personnel attending elementary schools near the Norfolk Naval Base. Elementary school counselors facilitated the counseling groups.

An experimental/control group pretest-posttest design was employed. Independent variables were the child's participation in the Children of Deployed Parents-Group/control group, child gender and age. Dependent variables were self-esteem, anxiety, and behavior as measured by the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), the Child …

An Extracellular Protein Produced By Staphylococcus Hominis Strain Αm With Antimicrobial Activity Against Mycobacterium Spp, Sandra May Jacobsen

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The inhibitory activity exhibited by Staphylococcus hominis strain αM toward Mycobacterium species was examined. These studies included determining the conditions that maximized inhibitory agent production, analyzing characteristics of the agent, determining the time of agent production, ascertaining plasmid possession and the role of plasmids in the production of this inhibitory agent, and ascertaining the antimicrobial activity of other strains of S. hominis. On solid and in liquid media, S. hominis strain αM exhibits a unique inhibitory activity toward Mycobacterium species that is not demonstrated by Staphylococcus epidermidis or other S. hominis strains. Maximum agent production and recovery was …