Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Richard Morgan, Carol C. Harter

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Retaining Intensive Care Nurses In Las Vegas: The Importance Of Nurse Manager Leadership, Megan Vendetti

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In today's healthcare climate, retaining staff nurses is desirable and may be a more permanent solution to improve the nursing shortage. Employing a leadership style that is conducive to staff nurse job satisfaction may be needed to achieve that goal. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of the unit manager leadership style with job satisfaction and intent to stay in the intensive care setting. Staff nurses in two Las Vegas hospitals, one private and one public, were surveyed. A questionnaire was developed and voluntarily completed by 125 registered nurses employed in adult and pediatric intensive care …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In Spallation Targets, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

Dose coefficients permit simple determination of radiation dose associated with various exposure scenarios, and ultimately permit radiation safety personnel to assess the health risks to workers in a nuclear facility. Specifically, radiation safety personnel use dose coefficients to determine the radiation dose incurred to a tissue or organ system from a given exposure. These parameters are often expressed in terms of Annual Limits on Intake (ALIs) and Derived Air Concentrations (DACs).

Results from this study will be used to produce ALIs and DACs for these rare radionuclides created by spallation target systems that are not included in Federal Guidance Report …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionulides Produced In Spallation Neutron Sources: Annual Report, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Transmutation Research Program has been tasked to support U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to assess the health risks associated with the operation of each of their accelerator-driven nuclear facilities for both NEPA and PSAR development. Quantifying the radiological risks to workers will have to be addressed during the design and siting of each of these facilities. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Guidance Report No. 11 “Limiting Values of Intake and Air Concentration and Dose Conversion Factors for Inhalation, Submersion, and Ingestion”, developed two derived guides, Annual Limit on Intake (ALI) and …

Inside Unlv, Richard Jensen, Donna Mcaleer, Jennifer Vaughan, Cate Weeks, Carol C. Harter, Jeffrey Koep

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Quality Improvement: Physician Providers, And The Women Health Connection Program, In The Provision Of Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Services In Nevada., Salome K. Kapella

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Quality Improvement is one of the best solutions to the performance of healthcare services. The purpose of this study is to identify areas that need to be improved in relationship between physician providers and the Women Health Connection Program (WHC) in the provision of breast and cervical cancer screening services in Nevada. An assessment of how physicians view the program, their cooperation with the WHC program, an analysis of areas for improvement and the value of services to WHC clients have been discussed in order to improve the quality of breast and cervical cancer in the state. Comparisons have been …

Human Subjects Protection In Research: Are We Doing Enough?, Marsha L. Green

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Scientific research has produced substantial social benefits but has also posed troubling ethical questions with regard to the use and protection of human subjects. These questions have continued to be in the forefront of all biomedical and social research. The increased education of researchers on the subject of protection of human subjects has become of vital importance in the research world. This education involves program administrators, faculty, staff, students, research participants, and Institutional Review Board Committee (IRB) members. In this study of the University of Nevada, LasVegas (UNLV) human subjects’ protection program administration, the question to be answered was: has …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Gian Galassi, Cate Weeks

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Bill Glovin, Andy Grossman, Mae Flennoy, Jennifer Vaughan

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Kalirin Dbl-Homology Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 1 Domain Initiates New Axon Outgrowths Via Rhog-Mediated Mechanisms, Victor May, Martin R. Schiller, Betty A. Eipper, Richard E. Mains

Life Sciences Faculty Research

The large multidomain Kalirin and Trio proteins containing dual Rho GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) domains have been implicated in the regulation of neuronal fiber extension and pathfinding during evelopment. In mammals, Kalirin is expressed predominantly in the nervous system, whereas Trio, broadly expressed throughout the body, is expressed at a lower level in the nervous system. To evaluate the role of Kalirin in fiber initiation and outgrowth, we microinjected cultured sympathetic neurons with vectors encoding Kalirin or with Kalirin antisense oligonucleotides, and we assessed neuronal fiber growth in a serum-free, satellite cell-free environment. Kalirin antisense oligonucleotides blocked the …

Dose Coefficient (Dc) Methodology Report, John P. Shanahan, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The purpose of this report is to present the methodology developed to calculate internal and external dose coefficients for radionuclides produced in the spallation process. Much of the information regarding computer codes in this report comes from various technical manuals and professional papers. References are provided at the beginning of each section for documentation and for the user who requires more specific information. The report also includes the results of applying the methodology to determine dose coefficients for five radionuclides. This effort identified potential areas of concern that will need to be addressed when the methodology is used in the …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In Spallation Neutron Sources, Phillip W. Patton

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

A research consortium comprised of representatives from several universities and national laboratories has been established as part of this on-going project to generate internal and external dose conversion coefficients for radionuclides produced in spallation neutron sources. Information obtained from this multi-year study will be used to support the siting and licensing of future accelerator-driven nuclear initiatives within the U.S. Department of Energy complex, including the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) Projects. Determination of these coefficients will also fill data gaps for several hundred radionuclides that exist in Federal Guide Report No. 11 and in Publications …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Betty Biodgett, Cate Weeks

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Lake Mead Hospital Conversion To Complete Delivery System, Roger W. Noorda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of this case study is to determine the cost difference between using a conventional type of inventory system in the operating room versus using a pack system in the operating room. In this study three different ways of delivering disposables for a laminectomy procedure were considered: 1) multiple distributors of disposables, 2) single distributor of disposables, and 3) the pack system (CDS by Medline). The first comparison was of multiple distributors vs. a single distributor with a cost difference of $90.08 per procedure and $18,916.80 annually, multiple distributor costing less. The second comparison was between Medline as a …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Betty Blodgett, Kevin Force, Jennifer Vaughan, Cate Weeks, Jonathan Paver

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Physician-Related Determinants Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Caribbean Women In Toronto, Ilene Hyman, Punam Mony Singh, Marta Meana, Usha George, Lilian M. Wells, Donna E. Stewart

Psychology Faculty Research

BACKGROUND: Minority women in Canada are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer than their counterparts in the general population, despite the fact that the proportion of these women who consult a general practitioner about their health each year is similar to minority women. This study examined the physician and practice characteristics associated with Pap testing and perceived barriers to Pap testing of family physicians serving the Caribbean community of Toronto.

METHODS: A mail-back questionnaire was sent to Toronto family physicians practicing in neighborhoods with a high proportion of Caribbean Canadians.

RESULTS: Although 79.7% of the 64 participating physicians …

Development Of Dose Conversion Coefficients For Radionuclides Produced In Spallation Neutron Sources, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

For the first year of this effort, the UNLV research team set out four objectives. First, the university and laboratory consortium had to be established. This consortium was tasked with helping to determine the methodology for determining the dose coefficients, and to ensure that the resulting DCs will be of use to the national programs developing accelerator-driven nuclear systems (such as the SNS or an accelerator-driven transmutation system) and to the health physics community as a whole. The second goal of this program was to determine a methodology and then prioritize the radionuclides so that the research effort would address …

Development Of Dose Coefficients For Radionulides Produced In Spallation Neutron Sources: Annual Report, Phillip W. Patton, Mark Rudin

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Transmutation Research Program has been tasked to support U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to assess the health risks associated with the operation of each of their accelerator-driven nuclear facilities for both NEPA and PSAR development. Quantifying the radiological risks to workers will have to be addressed during the design and siting of each of these facilities. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Guidance Report No. 11 “Limiting Values of Intake and Air Concentration and Dose Conversion Factors for Inhalation, Submersion, and Ingestion”, developed two derived guides, Annual Limit on Intake (ALI) and …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Jennifer Vaughan, Richard Jensen, Mae Worthey-Flennoy

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Andy Grossman, Mark Wallington, Dave Phillips

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) And Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (Hiv) In Nevada – Annual Surveillance Report (1999), Mary Guinan, Nancy Kreher, Drew Mather, Wei Yang

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Background:

Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most severe manifestation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. AIDS was first reported in the world in 1981 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Statewide surveillance for AIDS was begun in 1982. Because the cause of AIDS was unknown at that time, the surveillance case definition included many opportunistic infections and tumors. Persons with AIDS were noted to have abnormalities in their immune system that left them susceptible to certain infections. As more information became available, the AIDS surveillance case definition was modified.

In 1984, HIV was found to be the …

Nurses, Pharmacists, And Information Technology In Public Healthcare, Larry Allen Malato

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the healthcare professional’s experience during the implementation of information technology. The focus is on the implementation of a computerized medication ordering, dispensing, and tracking system in acute care departments of a 600- bed public hospital. Spradley’s qualitative, ethnographic research methods were used to discover the personal meaning of the implementation. How do pharmacists and nurses feel about the implementation of an advanced technology system? Are there any barriers to implementation? Findings suggest a resistance to implementation by professionals in the disciplines of Pharmacy and Nursing. Resistance is based on their perceptions of …

Enhanced Detection Of Surface-Associated Bacteria In Indoor Environments By Quantitative Pcr, Mark P. Buttner, Patrica Cruz-Perez, Linda Stetzenbach

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Methods for detecting microorganisms on surfaces are needed to locate biocontamination sources and to relate surface and airborne concentrations. Research was conducted in an experimental room to evaluate surface sampling methods and quantitative PCR (QPCR) for enhanced detection of a target biocontaminant present on flooring materials. QPCR and culture analyses were used to quantitateBacillus subtilis (Bacillus globigii) endospores on vinyl tile, commercial carpet, and new and soiled residential carpet with samples obtained by four surface sampling methods: a swab kit, a sponge swipe, a cotton swab, and a bulk method. The initial data showed that greater overall sensitivity was obtained …

Special Report On Children Born To Hiv Positive Parents In Nevada, 1991-1999, Drew Mather, Mary Guinan, Richard Whitley, Wei Yang

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Background:

This report encompasses an effort to look at the number of children born to HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and/or AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) infected parents during the years 1991 to 1999 in Nevada.

According to the Healthy People 2000 (HP 2000) Review for the years 1998- 1999, infants of untreated or undetected HIV positive women have been identified as a distinct population at risk for contracting the virus that causes AIDS.

The State of Nevada’s Bureau of Disease Control and Intervention Services in collaboration with the Bureau of Health Planning and Statistics has taken the initial step to “cross …

Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus Aureus In A Home Health-Care Patient, Jeffrey C. Hageman, David A. Pegues, Carrie Jepson, Rose Lee Bell, Mary Guinan, Kevin W. Ward, Martin D. Cohen, Janet A. Hindler, Fred C. Tenover, Sigrid K. Mcallister, Molly E. Kellum, Scott K. Fridkin

School of Public Health Faculty Research

To date, four of the eight cases of infection by Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus [VISA] or glycopeptideintermediate S. aureus [GISA]) have been reported in the United States (1-3). We report a fifth case of VISA infection in the United States, and the first to occur during home health-care therapy. While all previous VISA strains have been oxacillin resistant, one of the two VISA strains identified in this investigation was oxacillin susceptible.

Gender Differences In Presenting Symptoms, Treatment, And Outcome In Myocardial Infarction, Alona Dalusung-Angosta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purposes of this study were to compare the presenting symptoms, treatment, and outcome between men and women with MI. The study sample consisted of 300 patients (N = 300) who were diagnosed with MI in a county hospital in the Southwest area of the United States.

Chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating, and left arm pain were the most common symptoms reported by both genders. Men had more chest pain than their women counterparts (p = .022). No significant difference was found in the cardiac enzyme levels between both genders. Men had more Q wave changes during MI than …

Unlv Magazine, Barbara Cloud, Donna Mcaleer

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Rural Hospital Dilema: Will Nevada’S Rural Hospital System Survive?, Nancy L. Anderson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study, prepared for the Department of Public Administration, will review and discuss the rural hospitals in the State of Nevada. By virtue of its size and population distribution, Nevada has a need for rural hospitals. These hospitals, which are of critical importance for Nevada residents, are constantly struggling with how to build and support their limited health system capacity and infrastructure. To survive, rural hospitals must offset the losses they have sustained as a result of decreased federal funding. Some ways these losses have been offset is by employing some of the programs created by the Balanced Budget Act …