Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Melatonin On Heartbeat And Possible Identification Of A Melatonin Receptor In Drosophila Melanogaster, Tricia L. Vankirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1 of this manuscript is a literature review that serves as an introduction to the entire dissertation. Chapter 2 examines the effects of the melatonin injection on heart rate and rhythmicity in Drosophila melanogaster Canton-S (wild-type) pupae and pupae bearing a variety of heart mutations. Chapter 3 investigates further the possible mechanisms of melatonin’s ability to increase heart rhythmicity without significantly affecting heart rate. A melatonin antagonist, luzindole; a high-affinity melatonin agonist, 2-iodomelatonin and RNAi techniques are used to identify a possible melatonin receptor in Drosophila melanogaster.

An appendix contains a previously published manuscript detailing experiments performed at the …

Radiography Clinical Instructors' Perceptions Of The Transition From Technologist To Educator, Christina G. Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Radiologic technologists who transition into the role of clinical instructor are usually expert practitioners but may lack knowledge of best practices regarding student instruction and evaluation. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to investigate how CIs experience the transition from practitioner to educator and what knowledge or education of best practices of instruction and evaluation they bring to the position. This study consisted of interviews with radiography CIs from one associate degree radiography program in the southeastern part of the United States. While some CIs felt prepared to transition into the CI role, none of them had previously …

Predicting Desired Outcomes From Applicants’ Medical School Admission Data, Mark D. Linville Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical schools in the United States serve to train the next generation of physicians, admitting students who will continue to advance each school’s mission. Admission committees are tasked with identifying those candidates who will be successful academically and who promote the objectives of the school with respect to mission. The Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in northeast Tennessee seeks to attract and retain physicians with an interest in rural and primary care medicine. A total of 630 students were included in this study representing classes from 2001 to 2011. This study examined admissions data including MCAT …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of Self As Role Models Of Health, Shelia Hurley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the sad state of obesity and lifestyle-related illnesses in the US, nurses, as the largest and most trusted health profession, must take the cause of health promotion seriously and personally. This study seeks to close the gap in knowledge of nurses’ perception of self as a role model of health and personal healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study focuses on four specific behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle: limit alcohol, avoid tobacco, improve nutrition, and engage in physical activity. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between nurses’ health practices and their perceptions of self as …

Patients' Perception Of The Use Of Motivational Interviewing For Childhood Obesity Treatment: A Qualitative Study, Penelope L. Neal Dr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive descriptive study was to better understand children’s perceptions of the use of motivational interviewing (MI) as a communication style for childhood obesity treatment. Childhood obesity in the United States has reached epidemic proportions and much research effort has been dedicated to reversing this trend. One approach that has demonstrated positive outcomes in the clinical setting is MI. Leading organizations in pediatric healthcare now recommend MI as a communication style to be used for childhood obesity-related behavior change. Although empiric studies have demonstrated improvement in outcomes when this communication style is used with patients and …

Nurse Educators' Transition To Flipped Classroom: An Interpretive Description Study, Jean S. Bernard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To meet learning needs of current undergraduate nursing students, and respond to mandates for bettered prepared graduates, nurse educators must restructure curricula and teaching strategies. One strategy garnering increased attention is the flipped classroom model (FCM). This form of instruction requires students to have access to and be accountable for lecture material on their own time, and then use face-to-face classroom time for interactive learning that can include discussion, case study analysis, or application of pre-class lecture content. Although the FCM has gained popularity, few researchers have fully studied this strategy or considered experiences of faculty who implement the model. …

The Effect Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act On The Medicare Part D Coverage Gap As Reflected In Diabetes Medication Adherence., Jennifer A. Forristal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation involves an evaluation of the effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) on diabetic medication adherence for mail order utilizers over 6 years as the Medicare Part D coverage gap begins to close. The study had 3 objectives: 1) to evaluate diabetes medication adherence of health plan members before they reach the coverage gap and then while they are in the coverage gap, 2) to compare diabetes medication adherence between two similar groups with differing benefit structures, one group with a gap in coverage as opposed to a group with no benefit changes within the …

Mechanisms And Intervention Strategies For Alcohol And Hiv-Antiretroviral Therapy-Induced Liver Injury., Hridgandh Donde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic alcohol consumption is a leading cause of liver disease and liver-related death worldwide. Alcoholic liver disease includes, hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis and ultimately fibrosis and cirrhosis. Emerging evidence has established the important role of the “gut-liver” axis in the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Our recent work indicated that chronic alcohol induced perturbations in the gut microbiome and consequent changes in fatty acids have a major impact on the development of intestinal barrier dysfunction and ALD. The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with tributyrin - a butyrate prodrug results in protection against ALD in terms …

Development Of A Vascularized, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Liver-Tissue Mimic For Therapeutic Applications., Venkat Madhav Ramakrishnan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the incorporation of several technologies (stem cells, gene therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine) into a single project that aims to produce a liver-tissue mimic for therapeutic applications. The liver is arguably one of the most complex organs in the body. In addition to its remarkable capacity to regenerate, it performs a host of vital functions. As a result, its impairment has widespread systemic consequences. The work described herein focused on the liver in the context of cardiovascular disease and used the heritable disorder Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) as a clinical disease model. As (a) the only definitive …

Evaluation Of Liver Transplant Prioritization Methods For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Using Multistate Models., Sarah Katharine Alver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD), used for prioritizing liver transplantation, predicts mortality from liver disease. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk disease progression not reflected in their MELD score. Exception scores prioritize HCC patients higher than their MELD scores, but advantage them over non-HCC patients. To address this, a delay of six months for using exception scores has been implemented, and alternative HCC-specific scores have been developed. Using multistate models, this study projects waitlist dropout and transplant probabilities under the delay and under two alternative scores. The delay improves equity between HCC and non-HCC patients for the …

The Relevance Of Client-Healthcare Provider Communication To The Appraisal Of Illness Uncertainty In Women With Fibromyalgia Syndrome., Melody Dawn Reibel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Illness uncertainty and impaired client-healthcare provider (HCP) communication are critical healthcare problems for women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). However, the relationship between illness uncertainty and client-HCP communication has not been previously examined. The purposes of this dissertation were to (a) gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of women with FMS, (b) to examine the relationships among client-HCP communication, illness uncertainty, helplessness, and subjective well-being (SWB) in women with FMS, and (c) evaluate the psychometric properties of the patient-HCP communication scale (PHCPCS) in women with FMS. A mixed-methods design enhanced validity of the findings. The qualitative pilot study showed …

Circulating Angiogenic Stem Cells In Diabetes., Nagma Zafar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Circulating angiogenic stem cells (CACs) are rare cells found in peripheral blood that have been shown to contribute to endothelial repair and new blood vessel formation. These cells could be biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for the assessment and prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which is the leading cause of mortality globally and in the United States. Diabetes is an independent risk factor for CVD, and there are inconsistent reports on the role of CACs in diabetic vasculopathy. To study this further we tested the hypothesis that diabetes depletes circulating levels of CACs, due to hyperglycemia or insulin resistance and that …

A Phenomenological Study Of Anticipated Intimacy And Sexual Expression Needs Of Aging Male And Female Baby Boomers., Charles Shawn Oak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon of how heterosexual Baby Boomers define and understand intimacy, sexual expression, along expectations and desires relating to their respective expressions across the lifespan through their individual experiences and reflections. A set of guiding questions were used in a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative research design. Data was gathered from thirteen subjects (n=13) using the Rappaport Time Line (RTL) that was used to develop individualized semi-structured interviews and follow-up interviews that were professionally transcribed. These were coded to identify emergent themes. Results of the study provided insight into the phenomenon of how heterosexual …

Immunomodulation Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells By Particulate B-Glucan In Cancer., Sabrin Husein Albeituni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that promote tumor progression. In this study, we investigated the effect of dectin-1 stimulation by yeast-derived particulate β-glucan in MDSC function and differentiation in cancer. In vivo treatment of mice bearing lewis lung carcinoma and mammary cell carcinoma with particulate β-glucan decreased tumor weight and splenomegaly, and reduced the accumulation of polymorphonuclear-MDSC (PMN-MDSC) but not monocytic-MDSC (M-MDSC) in the spleen and tumor. In addition, particulate β-glucan differentially modulated the function of different MDSC subsets; it enhanced PMN-MDSC respiratory burst and apoptosis, and induced the differentiation of M-MDSC into …

The Pedagogy Of Medical Humanities : Using Literature And The Visual Arts To Help Future Caregivers Maintain Their Compassion And Resilience., Lisa Higgins Shugoll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that medical humanities education for students considering careers in healthcare should begin at the general undergraduate level and should have two primary objectives, (1) providing tools that will help students foster therapeutic, compassionate relationships with their patients, and (2) providing strategies that will help students maintain healthy habits of mind that afford resilience against compassion fatigue. I assert that in order for students to practice compassion for themselves and others three core objectives must be met. (1) Students must be exposed to the fundamentals of bioethics in order to understand the virtue of compassion itself, (2) they …

Comparison Of Digital Scanning And Polyvinyl Siloxane Impression Techniques By Dmd Students : Instructional Efficiency And Attitudes Toward Technology., Alexander M. Marti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this research was compare the ability of dental students to learn an digital scanner (3M LAVA) and material-based (PVS) impression techniques and to determine attitudes and preferences towards each. D2 dental students (n=25) were recruited and instructed on the use of 3M LAVA and PVS techniques using three pedagogic methods: 1) video lecture (P1), 2) investigator-led demonstration (P2), and 3) independent clinical exercise (P3). The amount of time for each pedagogic method was measured, averaged (± s.d.) and compared using Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests. A pre- and post-test was administered assessing their attitudes towards both techniques using a …

Synthesis And Functional Evaluation Of Peptide Modified Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) Nanoparticles To Inhibit Porphyromonas Gingivalis Biofilm Formation., Paridhi Kalia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Periodontal disease is an oral inflammatory disorder that afflicts roughly 46% of the adults in the U.S. Currently, treatment of periodontal disease involves the removal of plaque from the gingival pocket (with possible antibiotic treatment) and if necessary, gingival surgery. To our knowledge, no therapeutic approach exists that promotes host-biofilm homeostasis by limiting pathogen recolonization of the oral cavity after prophylaxis or treatment. The interaction of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis with commensal streptococci is critical for initiation of periodontitis and represents a target for limiting P. gingivalis colonization of the oral cavity. Previous studies showed that a synthetic peptide …

Cardiovascular Regulation And Effects Of Respiratory Motor Training In Patients With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury., Bonnie Legg Ditterline

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to discover the mechanisms between cardiovascular and respiratory motor control post spinal cord injury (SCI): in normal, non-injured (NI) persons, cardiovascular regulation is dependent upon respiration, but there is nothing that suggests the mechanism for this relationship post-SCI. Thus we hoped to evaluate various aspects of cardiovascular regulation to further illustrate how this relationship is changed or unchanged by SCI. Chapter I describes the anatomy and physiology of the spine, respiratory system, and cardiovascular system in a NI person, and then describes how the function of these systems is changed by SCI. In addition, we describe therapies …

Medical Assisting Credentialing, Karmon L. Kingsley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hiring practices of physicians’ offices as they relate to medical assistants and to gain insight into their hiring preferences. Knowing how physicians and medical office managers view the profession of medical assisting may help medical assisting professionals improve the standing of the profession and provide a consistent foundation for education programs.

I surveyed 15 physicians’ practices in eight states across the country to obtain a cross-country perspective and found that many practices hire credentialed or non-credentialed individuals for clinical positions for various reasons. The reasons were minimally due to the lack …

A Comparative Analysis Of Data Collection Systems Used In Radiography Educational Programs And The Role Mobile Electronic Devices Play, Robin S. Garner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each radiography program has a system to collect important data from didactic and clinical settings in order to accurately assess the progress and success of students, provide the needed student intervention, and provide accreditation agencies with appropriate documentation that demonstrates student success in reaching program learning outcomes. The purpose of this research study was to determine the method of data collection and documentation used by radiography programs to evaluate student progress and to examine if MEDs play a role in evaluating and documenting student skills at the point of care.

The majority of radiography programs in this study were using …

Teaching The Spiritual Dimension Of Nursing Care: A Survey Of Associate Degree Nursing Programs In The Southeast United States, Nancy L. Labine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spirituality is a subject which is often neglected in nursing education. The purpose of this study was to determine associate degree nursing faculty’s perception of their ability to teach the spiritual dimension in the delivery of nursing care. The study explored whether faculty have received training related to spiritual care, how and where nursing programs integrate spirituality education into the curriculum, nursing faculty’s understanding of the terms spirituality and spiritual care, and faculty members perception of whether they receive sufficient support and guidance in teaching related to spirituality and spiritual care.

Survey research was used in this study. The participants …

The Effects Of Alpha Stimulation On Induced Anxiety, Nolan Thomas Hill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is defined as an emotional and physical reaction that prepares us to confront a feared stimulus. Among the many measureable changes induced by anxiety are changes in facial electromyography (EMG), heart rate (HR), and sweat gland activity (EDG). At a pathological level anxiety interferes with cognitive processes. Currently, when anxiety crosses into the pathological level, it is treated with a variety of therapies that share in their use of periods of exposure to anxiety-inducing stimuli. Several devices have been developed to alter brain activity by transcranial electrical stimulation (TCES). One such device, Alpha-Stim^®, has been shown to …

Physical Activity Levels And Health Of Passamaquoddy Tribe At Indian Township, Michael R. Best

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on reporting the occupational, household, transportation and leisure time physical activity of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. This study also focuses on health measures and the presence of chronic disease and how they are affected by physical activity, risk factors, and other health related measures.

An interview-administered questionnaire, developed by the CDC, was given to participants age 25-44 years old, with one small change. The original Intertribal Heart Project (ITHP) questionnaire used a shortened version of the WHO’s Monica Optional Study of Physical Activity (MOSPA), in order to reduce the time it takes to administer the …

Rural Opioid And Other Drug Use Disorder Diagnosis: Assessing Measurement Invariance And Latent Classification Of Dsm-Iv Abuse And Dependence Criteria, Billy Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rates of non-medical prescription drug use in the United States (U.S.) have increased dramatically in the last two decades, leading to a more than 300% increase in deaths from overdose, surpassing motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of injury deaths. In rural areas, deaths from unintentional overdose have increased by more than 250% since 1999 while urban deaths have increased at a fraction of this rate. The objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that cultural, economic, and environmental factors prevalent in rural America affect the rate of substance use disorder (SUD) in that population, and …

Analysis Of Countermovement Vertical Jump Force-Time Curve Phase Characteristics In Athletes, Christopher J. Sole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to examine the phase characteristics of the countermovement jump force-time curve between athletes based on jumping ability, examine the influence of maximal muscular strength on the countermovement jump force-time curve phase characteristics of athletes, and to examine the behavior of the countermovement jump force-time curve phase characteristics over the course of a training process in athletes of varying strength levels. The following are the major findings of these dissertations. The analysis of athletes by jumping ability suggested that proficient jumpers are associated with greater relative phase magnitude and phase impulse throughout the phases contained …

Minority College Students’ Attitudes And Beliefs Regarding The Profession Of Dental Hygiene In Comparison To Their Oral Health And Dental Knowledge, Trina J. Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to find out the attitudes and beliefs of minority college students enrolled at Missouri College in Brentwood, Missouri in reference to the dental hygiene profession. In particular, does their oral health and dental knowledge relate to their knowledge of profession of dental hygiene? One hundred and six students gave their consent to participate in the study via Survey Monkey. The study was conducted in May 2015 for a period of four weeks. Four statements were designed to gauge minority students’ knowledge of dental hygiene as a career. No differences were found based on gender, …

Relationship Between Concentric Velocity At Varying Intensity In The Back Squat Using Wireless Inertia Sensor, Kevin M. Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the Minimal Velocity Threshold (MVT) of 1RM and repetitions until failure testing conditions using the back squat exercise. Fourteen injury-free males with experience in the back squat volunteered to perform a 1RM and a submaximal (70% 1RM) repetitions until failure test, each during different testing sessions. Mean Concentric Velocity (MCV) was collected using a wireless inertia-measuring device. The last successful repetition in either condition was considered the MVT. A very small relationship between 1RM and repetitions until failure MVT was found (r=-0.135). There were no significant differences …

The Acute Effects Of Ballistic And Non-Ballistic Concentric-Only Half-Squats On Squat Jump Performance, Timothy J. Suchomel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to examine bilateral asymmetry as a factor of postactivation potentiation, examine and compare the acute effects of ballistic and non-ballistic concentric-only half-squats on squat jump performance, and compare the potentiation and temporal profiles of strong and weak subjects following potentiation protocols that included ballistic and non-ballistic concentric-only half-squats. The following are major findings of the dissertation. Squat jump performance may be acutely enhanced following ballistic concentriconly half-squats; however the changes in performance do not appear to be related to bilateral symmetry. Ballistic concentric-only half-squats acutely improve various squat jump performance variables at various time …

Identifying Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hcc) Cells With Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties., Harshulkumar M. Pandit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging condition to treat in the clinic due to its distinct tumor phenotype, aggressive growth, and chemotherapy resistance. Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are a poorly differentiated subpopulation of cells within the tumor microenvironment, and role of CSCs in tumor initiation and chemotherapy resistance is not well understood in HCC. In this study, we have successfully identified HCC cells with CSC-like properties that showed resistance to Doxorubicin. Using the established serum free culture techniques, we have enriched CSC-like cells among hepatocellular cancer cells. These enriched cells exhibit all CSC-like properties i.e. self-renewal capability, anchorage independent growth …

Network Participation In Public Health : The Development Of Instruments And Adapted Theory To Predict Stakeholder Participation In A Public Health Network., David Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Participation in public health networks is important to achieve the goals of public health. This dissertation addresses a common problem in public health management—of how to measure support and predict participation by individuals and organizations in network level collaboratives—through testing an adapted theory producing a newly developed instrument. Purpose: Community health collaboratives have grown in popularity and in funding opportunities in the past couple decades, but they notoriously fail to achieve measureable results. By adapting theory and relevant instruments to a specific public health network context, factors that enable and inhibit participation are identified. Method: A prospective, theory-driven, sequential …