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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Patient Satisfaction With Sedation For Periodontal Surgery: A Randomized, Cross-Over Clinical Study, Jason Streem May 2011

Patient Satisfaction With Sedation For Periodontal Surgery: A Randomized, Cross-Over Clinical Study, Jason Streem

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: To create a study designed to assess patient satisfaction and preference for oral versus intravenous sedation in conjunction with periodontal surgical procedures. METHODS: Twenty-six patients who required at least two periodontal surgery procedures and requested sedation for treatment, participated in our study at VCU Department of Periodontics. This was a randomized, cross-over design with groups which received an intravenous sedative regimen with or without oral sedation premedication for one surgery and oral sedation medication alone for the other surgery. The primary outcome measurement was the type of sedation preferred by the subject. RESULTS: 14/26 (53.8%) subjects indicated a preference …


The Natural Polyphenol Resveratrol Potentiates The Lethality Of Hdac Inhibitors In Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells Through Multiple Mechanisms., Alae Abod Yaseen May 2011

The Natural Polyphenol Resveratrol Potentiates The Lethality Of Hdac Inhibitors In Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Cells Through Multiple Mechanisms., Alae Abod Yaseen

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the mechanisms underlying the interactions between the natural polyphenol Resveratrol and HDAC inhibitors in both U937 myelomonocytic leukemia cell line and blood samples from AML patients and normal cord blood. Simultaneous exposure to Resveratrol and HDAC inhibitors (Vorinostat-SAHA or Panobinostat-LBH589) resulted in potentiating the lethality caused by any single agent of the combination, this interaction found to be synergistic at multiple concentrations. Exposing U937 cells to minimal toxic doses of Resveratrol and HDACIs results in release of mitochondrial pro-apoptotic proteins AIF and cytochrome c, pro-apoptotic caspase activation especially caspase-8, and induction of DNA damage. These events were …


Defining The Bacterial Flora Of Periodontal Pockets In Chronic Periodontitis Patients, Rafael Rodriguez May 2011

Defining The Bacterial Flora Of Periodontal Pockets In Chronic Periodontitis Patients, Rafael Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the subgingival bacterial biodiversity in untreated chronic periodontitis patients through the use of next generation 16S rRNA molecular analysis, and to determine similarities or differences between deep and shallow pockets within the same patients. METHODS: The analysis involved paired subgingival plaque samples from 24 subjects diagnosed with Generalized Moderate to Severe Chronic Periodontitis. One sample was selected from a single site having a probing depth >5 mm (i.e. Deep Site), and the other from a site with a probing depth <3mm (i.e. Shallow Site) within each subject. Bacterial DNA amplification of the V4-V6 region of the 16S rRNA was performed. The amplicons were sequenced via 454 Roche Genome Sequencer FLX System. The identified sequences were evaluated, and then compared to calculated false discovery rates. RESULTS: A total of 119 independent microbial genera were identified within the samples analyzed. Seven genera were identified to be statistically significant (p<0.05) in their association to deep or shallow sites following t-test and boot strap randomization: Actinomyces (p=0.004), Methylobacterium (p=0.028), Veillonella (p=0.028), and Rothia (p=0.038), and Streptococcus (p=0.033) in Shallow sites; while Mycoplasma (p=0.007) and Fusobacterium (p=0.016) were associated with deep sites. However, taking into account the calculated false discovery rates, it is suggested that none of the 119 microbial genera identified in this study were significantly associated with either deep nor shallow sites. CONCLUSION: The microbial genera identified within this study to be associated with deep and shallow sites follows the traditional pattern anticipated from the literature. However, the calculated false discovery rates suggest that these results may have occurred by chance and not due to a true difference.


Distinct T Cell Clones Are Associated With Graft-Versus-Host Disease (Gvhd), And Potentially Graft-Versus-Tumor (Gvt), Responses Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Jennifer Berrie Apr 2011

Distinct T Cell Clones Are Associated With Graft-Versus-Host Disease (Gvhd), And Potentially Graft-Versus-Tumor (Gvt), Responses Following Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Jennifer Berrie

Theses and Dissertations

In patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with HLA-identical donors, genetic polymorphisms result in a mismatch between donors and recipients in their minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAgs), and tumors may also express tumor-associated antigens (TAA) that may not be abundantly present in the donors. Donor T cells can recognize such mHAgs and TAAs as foreign antigens and generate an objective response against hematologic malignancies in a graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect. However, a major side effect of HSCT occurs when donor T cells are alloreactive against the recipients’ normal cells, leading to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The ability to identify T cell clones …


Sulfatide Is Required For Organization Of The Paranode In The Myelinated Axon In The Peripheral Nervous System, Eva Kwong Apr 2011

Sulfatide Is Required For Organization Of The Paranode In The Myelinated Axon In The Peripheral Nervous System, Eva Kwong

Theses and Dissertations

Myelin facilitates the timely, efficient conduction of action potentials along axons. Made by Schwann cells (SCs) in the PNS, myelin is unique in that it is composed of a high percentage of lipids, particularly galactolipids. Sulfatide, one such galactolipid, is made by cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST) and has been shown to play a role in organizing paranodal domains in myelinated axons. However less is known regarding the involvement of sulfatide in the establishment and maintenance of the node, of particular interest as it is responsible for the potentiation of action potentials along the axon. Using immunohistochemical and, to a lesser extent, …


Role Of Two-Component System Response Regulators In Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Tigr4 In Infective Endocarditis, My Trinh Apr 2011

Role Of Two-Component System Response Regulators In Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Tigr4 In Infective Endocarditis, My Trinh

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococci resident in the oral cavity have been linked to infective endocarditis (IE). While viridans streptococci are commonly studied and associated with IE, less research has been focused on Streptococcus pneumoniae. Two-component systems (TCSs), consisting of a histidine kinase (HK) protein and response regulator (RR) protein, are bacterial signaling systems that may mediate S. pneumoniae TIGR4 strain virulence in IE. To test this hypothesis, TCS RR mutants of TIGR4 were examined in vivo through use of rabbit models. There were 14 RR proteins identified and 13 RR mutants synthesized because SP_1227 was found to be essential. The requirement of the …


Trends In Dental Care For Individuals With Ectodermal Dysplasia, Justin Edwards Apr 2011

Trends In Dental Care For Individuals With Ectodermal Dysplasia, Justin Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The specific aim of this study is to evaluate the trends in dental health care for individuals with ectodermal dysplasia. Methods: This was a cross sectional analysis of subjects recruited through the National Foundation of Ectodermal Dysplasia (NFED). From 1997 to 2000, individuals with ectodermal dysplasia or their caregiver (if the individuals were too young to selfreport) voluntarily completed questionnaires. The questionnaire consisted of 37 items consisting of demographics, ectodermal dysplasia diagnosis, access to dental care, level of dental utilization, and type of dental services received. Descriptive statistics were used in addition to ANOVA analyses to evaluate the changing …


Maternal Influences On The Development Of Infant Oral Biofilm, James Dibelka Apr 2011

Maternal Influences On The Development Of Infant Oral Biofilm, James Dibelka

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose was to examine the maternal influences on the development of infant oral biofim and dominant bacterial strains of at risk populations. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design to examine factors influencing biofilm colonization and the identification of bacterial strains transmitted from mother to child. Participants were enrolled in Children’s Health Involving Parents of Greater Richmond (CHIP). Plaque and saliva samples were collected from mothers and their children ages 6-36 months. The colonized oral bacteria strains of the mother infant dyads were then compared. Oral bacterial strain identification was completed using the HOMIM Forsythe microbe identification array. …


The Role Of The Propeptide And Its Residues In Activation And Secretion Of Elastase, An M4 Metalloprotease Secreted By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Emily Boice Apr 2011

The Role Of The Propeptide And Its Residues In Activation And Secretion Of Elastase, An M4 Metalloprotease Secreted By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Emily Boice

Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes several proteases associated with pathogenesis, but the most abundant and active is elastase (M4 metalloendopeptidase). Elastase (lasB), is first synthesized as a preproenzyme, with a signal peptide, an 18-kDa N-terminal propeptide, and a 33-kDa mature domain. The propeptide functions as an intramolecular chaperone that is required for the folding and secretion of elastase, but ultimately is proteolytically removed and degraded. Previous research has identified the conserved residues in the propeptide of elastase as compared to other M4 protease precursors and showed some among them to be important for the production of active elastase. In this project, the …


Targeting The Endocannabinoid System To Reduce Nociception, Lamont Booker Apr 2011

Targeting The Endocannabinoid System To Reduce Nociception, Lamont Booker

Theses and Dissertations

Pain of various etiologies (e.g., visceral, inflammatory) can be a debilitating disorder that presents a problem of clinical relevance. While it is known that ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the primary psychoactive constituent found in marijuana produces analgesia in various rodent models of pain, its pharmacological properties are overshadowed by its psychomimetic effects. THC is the primary phytocannabinoid found in marijuana though other prevalent constituents such as the phytocannabinoids (e.g., cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)) may possess antinociceptive actions without the psychomimetic effects associated with THC. Indeed, these phytocannabinoids act upon the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that is comprised of the …


Electrophysiological Characterization Of Enteric Neurons Isolated From The Immortomouse, Edward G. Hawkins Apr 2011

Electrophysiological Characterization Of Enteric Neurons Isolated From The Immortomouse, Edward G. Hawkins

Theses and Dissertations

The availability of murine genetic models is extremely advantageous to studying gastrointestinal function, but the benefits afforded by studying enteric neurons in mice has been hindered by their accessibility. Fetal (E13) and 2 day post-natal (P2) enteric neuron cell lines (IM-FEN and IM-PEN, respectively) were recently developed from the H-2Kb-tsA58 immortomouse. Our goal was to identify the electrophysiological properties of these cell lines and clarify their utility as a model of enteric neurons. IM-PEN cells stained positively for the neuron specific markers βIII-tubulin and PGP9.5 and were negative for the glial cell marker S100. Detection of mRNA for TRPA1, TRPV1, …


Involvement Of P53 In The S-Phase Checkpoint During Nucleotide Deficiencies, Cortney Heyer Apr 2011

Involvement Of P53 In The S-Phase Checkpoint During Nucleotide Deficiencies, Cortney Heyer

Theses and Dissertations

Several classes of antimetabolites have been developed for the treatment of cancer, including numerous inhibitors of nucleotide biosynthesis. N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate (PALA) and hydroxyurea (HU) are two antimetabolites that inhibit nucleotide biosynthesis; PALA inhibits de novo pyrimidine synthesis and HU inhibits the conversion of ribonucleotide diphosphates to deoxyribonucleotide diphosphates. Due to the similar mechanisms, it was thought that cancer cells would respond similarly to HU and PALA treatment. However, studies in this dissertation revealed strikingly different responses to either HU or PALA treatment in HCT116 cells. A cytoprotective S-phase arrest was activated upon HU treatment while PALA treatment failed to activate the …


Adam10 Exacerbation Of Allergic Disease Is Potentially Explained By Its Role In Cd23 Exosomal Sorting., Joel Mathews Apr 2011

Adam10 Exacerbation Of Allergic Disease Is Potentially Explained By Its Role In Cd23 Exosomal Sorting., Joel Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

CD23, the natural negative regulator of IgE, has been shown to be involved in asthma progression through its regulation of IgE. To investigate if its sheddase, ADAM10, is also involved in asthma progression, three mouse models were utilized; an IgE/mast cell dependent model, an IgE dependent, mast cell independent model and a mast cell and IgE independent model. Experimental asthma was then induced in mice which were selectively deficient for ADAM10 in B cells (ADAM10-/-) and compared to WT controls. The ADAM-/- mice had decreased signs of asthma, including eosinophilia, AHR and IgE synthesis in the IgE dependent model compared …


The Effects Of Sdf-1Α Treatment On The Migration Of Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells After Traumatic Brain Injury, Corey Evans Apr 2011

The Effects Of Sdf-1Α Treatment On The Migration Of Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells After Traumatic Brain Injury, Corey Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability among young adults and has been a significant field in medical research over the past decades. Intensive studies focusing on how to repair tissue damage resulting from head injuries have discovered that the central nervous system (CNS) retains a regenerative capacity throughout life due to the persistent presence of neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/NPCs) in the neurogenic regions. In the normal brain, cells generated in the subventricular zone (SVZ) migrate along the rostral migratory stream (RMS) to the olfactory bulb and cells in the subgranular zone (SGZ) …


Contextual Factors And Reproductive Control In U.S. Women, Brianna Magnusson Apr 2011

Contextual Factors And Reproductive Control In U.S. Women, Brianna Magnusson

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Access to family planning services is a major public health issue. State policies and funding for family planning services may increase access to contraceptive services and help women avoid unintended pregnancies. Study Design: We identified sexually active, fertile women participants of the National Survey of Family Growth (2006-2008). Women were categorized as consistent or inconsistent users of contraceptives based on self-report. States were classified based on 2006 Medicaid family planning waiver status (income expansions, limited expansions, or no Medicaid family planning expansions), 2006 public funding for family planning in dollars per woman, and insurance coverage of contraceptive mandate status …


Radiation Therapy Treatment Plan Optimization Accounting For Random And Systematic Patient Setup Uncertainties, Joseph Moore Apr 2011

Radiation Therapy Treatment Plan Optimization Accounting For Random And Systematic Patient Setup Uncertainties, Joseph Moore

Theses and Dissertations

External-beam radiotherapy is one of the primary methods for treating cancer. Typically a radiotherapy treatment course consists of radiation delivered to the patient in multiple daily treatment fractions over 6-8 weeks. Each fraction requires the patient to be aligned with the image acquired before the treatment course used in treatment planning. Unfortunately, patient alignment is not perfect and results in residual errors in patient setup. The standard technique for dealing with errors in patient setup is to expand the volume of the target by some margin to ensure the target receives the planned dose in the presence of setup errors. …


Wilms’ Tumor-1 (Wt1) Protein Expression In Glioma Cells Actuates Cellular Invasiveness- Identifying Its Target Genes, Archana Chidambaram Apr 2011

Wilms’ Tumor-1 (Wt1) Protein Expression In Glioma Cells Actuates Cellular Invasiveness- Identifying Its Target Genes, Archana Chidambaram

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies in our laboratory demonstrated the expression of WT1 in a significant number of glioma cells and established its role in promoting tumor cell proliferation. Here, we noted the effect(s) of manipulating WT1 levels on the expression levels of genes that were previously shown to be regulated by WT1. We found no correlation between the expression levels of WT1 and PDGF-A, Snai1 and E-cadherin and a consistent inverse correlation between WT1 and IGF-1R expression in U251-MG cells. To ascertain whether the increased IGF-1R levels resulting from WT1 silencing could account for decreased cellular proliferation, we utilized siRNA mediated knockdown …


Characterization Of A Blast Wave Device And Blast Wave Induced Traumatic Brain Injury In A Rat Model By Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Spectroscopy, Frank Corwin Apr 2011

Characterization Of A Blast Wave Device And Blast Wave Induced Traumatic Brain Injury In A Rat Model By Magnetic Resonance Imaging And Spectroscopy, Frank Corwin

Theses and Dissertations

Blast wave induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is a modality of injury that has come into prominence at the current time due to the large number of military and civilian personnel who have experienced the localized shock wave produced by explosive devices. The shock wave will travel concentrically outward from the explosive center, being absorbed and transmitted thru soft objects, such as tissue, and reflecting off stationary obstructions. Transmission and absorption in tissues can result in a number of physiological measureable injuries, the most common of which being what is frequently called “blast lung”. Blast lung involves the spalling effect …


Dental Plan Performance With Medicaid Reform In Virginia, James Reed Apr 2011

Dental Plan Performance With Medicaid Reform In Virginia, James Reed

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To assess the effect of dental Medicaid reforms in the state of Virginia on dental plan performance. Methods: This project is a retrospective cohort study of 825,000 dental claims obtained from the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. This cohort includes dental claims for children enrolled in Virginia’s Medicaid program from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2008. The independent variable was enrollment pre or post policy reform with July 1, 2005 as the period dividing date. The dependent variable was dental benefit utilization measured as the average number of restorative, preventative, and total procedures. Statistical methods include Welch’s …


Evaluating Dental Surgery Post-Operative Pain In Children Following Treatment Under General Anesthesia, Malinda Husson Apr 2011

Evaluating Dental Surgery Post-Operative Pain In Children Following Treatment Under General Anesthesia, Malinda Husson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if there is a difference in post-operative pain experience for children following dental restorations and/or extractions under general anesthesia (GA), with and without local anesthetic (LA). The alternative hypothesis is that children will experience less post-operative discomfort and soft tissue trauma when using intra-ligamental local anesthetic during the intra-operative time period. Methods: Patients were recruited for this single blind, randomized, prospective cohort study with the following inclusion criteria, children age 2-6 years requiring general anesthesia for dental treatment. Patients were randomized into categories of either receiving a standardized local anesthetic …


Is Gait Training With The Elliptically Based Robotic Gait Trainer (Ebrgt) Feasible In Ambulatory Patients After Stroke?, J. Cortney Bradford Apr 2011

Is Gait Training With The Elliptically Based Robotic Gait Trainer (Ebrgt) Feasible In Ambulatory Patients After Stroke?, J. Cortney Bradford

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the potential benefits of task specific training in rehabilitation of gait after stroke and the need for affordable, simple ways to implement it, our group designed the elliptically based robotic gait trainer (EBRGT). A design review of the EBRGT, covering the design goals, an overview of the mechanical and electrical design, and a discussion of the novelty of the device and why it may be beneficial for individuals with hemiparesis secondary to stroke is discussed (Chapter 2). To characterize the new device, a study was performed to determine if the EBRGT produced a gait pattern that mimicked …


Factors Associated With Hospital Entry Into Joint Venture Arrangements With Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Reethi Iyengar Apr 2011

Factors Associated With Hospital Entry Into Joint Venture Arrangements With Ambulatory Surgery Centers, Reethi Iyengar

Theses and Dissertations

This study presented an empirical analysis of the key market, regulatory, organizational, operational and financial factors associated with hospital entry into joint venture (JV) arrangements with Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) as examined through the framework of resource dependency theory complimented with neo-institutional theory. This study used a cross sectional design to examine hospitals that entered into a joint venture arrangement with ASCs in 2006 and 2007. The data for this study were drawn from five main sources: the American Hospital Association Annual Survey (AHA), the Area Resource File (ARF), the CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) minimum dataset, the …


Examining California’S Assembly Bill 1629 And The Long-Term Care Reimbursement Act: Did Nursing Home Nurse Staffing Change?, Matthew Krauchunas Apr 2011

Examining California’S Assembly Bill 1629 And The Long-Term Care Reimbursement Act: Did Nursing Home Nurse Staffing Change?, Matthew Krauchunas

Theses and Dissertations

California’s elderly population over age 85 is estimated to grow 361% by the year 2050. Many of these elders are frail and highly dependent on caregivers making them more likely to need nursing home care. A 1998 United States Government Accountability Office report identified poor quality of care in California nursing homes. This report spurred multiple Assembly Bills in California designed to increase nursing home nurse staffing, change the state’s Medi-Cal reimbursement methodology, or both. The legislation culminated in Assembly Bill (AB) 1629, signed into law in September 2004, which included the Long-Term Care Reimbursement Act. This legislation changed the …


Sensory Modulation Disorder And Schizophrenia: Linking Behavioral Measures, Linda Olson Apr 2011

Sensory Modulation Disorder And Schizophrenia: Linking Behavioral Measures, Linda Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia is a devastating disorder affecting millions of people in the United States. Studies leading to new understanding of and intervention for this disorder are essential, as current interventions are minimally effective. The end result is high rates of re-hospitalization, impaired occupational performance and decreased community reintegration. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, symptoms of schizophrenia are categorized as positive or negative, with both types of symptoms impacting successful occupational engagement. Based on behavioral observations occupational therapists have hypothesized that this population may also experience sensory modulation disorder (SMD). Although electrophysiological studies support the presence of …


A Comparative Study Of Rotary Instrumentation Of The Maxillary First Premolar Buccal Root Utilizing Cone Beam Computed Tomography, Stephan Zigo Apr 2011

A Comparative Study Of Rotary Instrumentation Of The Maxillary First Premolar Buccal Root Utilizing Cone Beam Computed Tomography, Stephan Zigo

Theses and Dissertations

The study objective was to determine cementum-dentin wall thickness along the furcation groove in maxillary bifurcated first premolars after preparation with three successively larger, 0.04 tapered, nickel titanium rotary files. Pre-instrumentation and post-instrumentation imaging was accomplished utilizing Cone Beam Computed Tomography. All data was analyzed using an ANOVA. Instrumentation resulted in a significant reduction in dentin-cementum wall thickness (p < .001). At mid-groove, predicted dentin-cementum wall thickness (95% CI) was equal to or less than the proposed standard (0.50 mm) for apical file sizes 30, 35, and 40 respectively. Instrumentation of the mid-groove in maxillary first premolars reduces dentin-cementum wall thickness to levels that may be insufficient to ensure tooth integrity.


An In Vitro Comparison Of Cyclic Fatigue Of Profile® Vortex™ And Endosequence™ Rotary Nickel-Titanium Files, Fawaz Al-Foraih Apr 2011

An In Vitro Comparison Of Cyclic Fatigue Of Profile® Vortex™ And Endosequence™ Rotary Nickel-Titanium Files, Fawaz Al-Foraih

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the number of rotations to fracture (cyclic fatigue) of the Profile® Vortex™ files (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK) compared to the EndoSequence™ files (Brasseler USA, Savannah, GA) using an in-vitro apparatus simulating a curved canal. Two hundred Profile® Vortex™ files of 25mm length were divided equally into ten groups, one for each of the Profile® Vortex™ files 20/0.04, 20/0.06, 25/0.04, 25/0.06, 30/0.04, 30/0.06, 35/0.04, 35/0.06, 40/0.04, and 40/0.06. Two hundred EndoSequence™ files of 25mm length were divided equally into ten groups of the same tip and taper sizes analogous to the …


Screening Prostate Specific Antigen Effects On Racial Disparate Mortality: A Propensity Score Analysis, R. David Mcnally Mar 2011

Screening Prostate Specific Antigen Effects On Racial Disparate Mortality: A Propensity Score Analysis, R. David Mcnally

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT SCREENING PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN EFFECTS ON RACIAL DISPARATE MORTALITY: A PROPENSITY SCORE ANALYSIS By R. David McNally, Ph.D., M.S.H.A. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Dissertation Chair: Jeffrey S. Legg, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Doctoral Program in Health Related Sciences Department of Radiation Sciences Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. It is frequently cited that racial disparities in mortality between Caucasian and African American men with localized prostate cancer exist. In addition, …


The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh Mar 2011

The Relationship Of Physical Activity, Eating Behaviors, And Hunger Control To Weight Loss And Quality Of Life In Gastric Banding Patients, Nancy Baugh

Theses and Dissertations

Gastric banding as a weight loss surgery has increased in popularity in the United States since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001. Successful weight loss after weight loss surgery is most frequently defined as greater than 50 percent of excess weight loss (EWL). Systematic reviews show that the band is widely effective in achieving successful weight loss in most patients, however individual studies show more inconsistent outcomes. Although previous research supports gastric bypass surgery as having a positive effect on quality of life after gastric bypass, there is very little data to support this relationship in …


Anesthesia Recordkeeping: Accuracy Of Recall With Computerized And Manual Entry Recordkeeping, Thomas Corey Davis Mar 2011

Anesthesia Recordkeeping: Accuracy Of Recall With Computerized And Manual Entry Recordkeeping, Thomas Corey Davis

Theses and Dissertations

ANESTHESIA RECORDKEEPING: ACCURACY OF RECALL WITH COMPUTERIZED AND MANUAL ENTRY RECORDKEEPING By Thomas Corey Davis, PhD A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PhD in Health Related Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Dr. Chuck Biddle Director of Research, Department of Nurse Anesthesia And Dr. Jeffery A. Green Assistant Chief of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesia Introduction: Anesthesia information management systems are rapidly gaining widespread acceptance. Aggressively promoted as an improvement to manual-entry recordkeeping systems in the areas of accuracy, quality improvement, billing and vigilance, these systems record all patient …


The Reliability And Validity Of A Simulated Airway Model That Quantifies Physical Forces Exerted During Endotracheal Intubation In A Clinically Demanding Scenario, Robert Matthews Mar 2011

The Reliability And Validity Of A Simulated Airway Model That Quantifies Physical Forces Exerted During Endotracheal Intubation In A Clinically Demanding Scenario, Robert Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this research was the development of an experimental model that allows for the assessment of pressure and thereby, the forces associated with interventions related to airway management. The foundation of this research was to develop, and assess the validity and reliability, of a method of quantifying the force experienced by a patient during airway management. Following IRB approval and the development of a unique simulation model that employs transducers situated in key anatomical locations to determine forces, a multivariate profile analysis with covariate of experience using a MANCOVA approach was conducted. The statistical design consisted of …