Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Physical Characteristics Of An Individual: The Identification Of Biomarkers For Biological Age Determination, Michelle Alvarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is now a matter of routine for the forensic scientist to obtain the genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. Potential contributors of the stain must either be known to investigators (i.e. a developed suspect) or the questioned profile must be searched against a database of DNA profiles such as those maintained in the CODIS National DNA database. However, in those instances where there is no developed suspect and no match is obtained after interrogation of appropriate DNA databases, the DNA profile per se presently provides no meaningful information …

Retrocyclin Rc-101 Overcomes Cationic Mutations On The Heptad Repeat 2 Of Hiv-1 Gp41, Christopher Fuhrman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Retrocyclin RC-101, a θ-defensin with lectin-like properties, potently inhibits infection by many HIV-1 subtypes by binding to the heptad repeat (HR)-2 region of gp41 and preventing six-helix bundle formation. In the present study, we used in silico computational exploration to identify residues of HR2 that interacted with RC-101 and then analyzed the HIV-1 Sequence Database at LANL for residue variations in the HR1 and HR2 segments that could plausibly impart in vivo resistance. Docking RC-101 to gp41 peptides in silico confirmed its strong preference for HR2 over HR1, and implicated residues crucial for its ability to bind HR2. We mutagenized …

The Impact Of Music On Postoperative Pain And Anxiety, Kelly Dixon Allred

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The objective of this study was to add to the body of knowledge about the impact of music on postoperative pain and anxiety. The specific purpose of this research study was to determine if listening to music and/or having a quiet rest period just prior to and just after the first ambulation on postoperative day 1 can reduce pain and/or anxiety, or impact mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and/or oxygen saturation in patients following a total knee arthroplasty. Methods: An experimental repeated measures design was used. Setting: A postoperative orthopedic unit in a 300-bed community hospital in …

Evaluation Of An Education Intervention For The Staff On The Head Of The Bed Elevation In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Randall Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elevating the head of bed (HOB) reduces risks for aspiration and ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in the adult population. Educational interventions have resulted in improvements in achieving a target HOB elevation of 30° in adults. Limited research has addressed this intervention in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The aim of this study was to determine if an educational intervention for the PICU staff would result in improvement in the HOB elevation in the PICU. Four research questions were studied: 1) What is the common practice related to the elevation of the HOB in the PICU? 2) Is there a …

Quality Of Life In Older Breast Cancer Survivors, Victoria Loerzel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quality of life (QoL) in cancer survivors is an important area of research. While data are available about QoL and breast cancer, there is a paucity of research regarding older breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this research was to examine QoL in older women with early stage breast cancer, within the first year of post-treatment survivorship. The specific aims of this study were to: 1) Describe the changes in overall QoL and the four QoL domains of Physical, Psychological, Social, and Spiritual well-being; 2) Examine the effects of a psychoeducational support intervention on QoL outcomes in older women; and …

Resiliency In Adolescent College Students, Nancy Ahern

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The construct of resilience has gained considerable attention over the last four decades since researchers observed that children and youth could cope and adapt in spite of adversity. Resilience involves a dynamic process involving an interaction between both risk and protective processes, internal and external to the individual, that can modify the effects of an adverse life event. Adolescence is considered to be a period of vulnerability for most individuals as they often partake in high risk behaviors. Further, those individuals who are in their early college years are faced with the developmental challenges of this life phase which can …

Phonetic And Acoustic Analyses Of Two New Cases Of Foreign Accent Syndrome, Rosalie Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study presents detailed phonetic and acoustic analyses of the speech characteristics of two new cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS). Participants include a 48-year-old female who began speaking with an "Eastern European" accent following a traumatic brain injury, and a 45-year-old male who presented with a "British" accent following a subcortical cerebral vascular accident (CVA). Identical samples of the participants' pre- and post-morbid speech were obtained, thus affording a new level of control in the study of Foreign Accent Syndrome. The speech tasks consisted of oral readings of the Grandfather Passage and 18 real words comprised of the stop …

Evaluating Neonatal Facial Pain Expression: Is There A Primal Face Of Pain?, Martin Schiavenato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pain assessment continues to be poorly managed in the clinical arena. A review of the communication process in pain assessment is carried out and the hierarchical approach often recommended in the literature -with self-report as its "gold-standard," is criticized as limited and simplistic. A comprehensive approach to pain assessment is recommended and a model that conceptualizes pain assessment as a complex transaction with various patient and clinician dependant factors is proposed. Attention is then focused on the pediatric patient whose pain assessment is often dependent on nonverbal communicative action. The clinical approaches to pain assessment in this population -mainly the …

Dectin-1 Expression Is Altered By Fungal Infection, Polymicrobial Sepsis, And Glucan Administration., Tammy Regena Ozment-Skelton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glucans are fungal cell wall PAMPs that promote survival in polymicrobial and candidal sepsis. Dectin-1 is the primary PRR for glucans. The goals of the present study were to characterize 1) the effects of fungal infection on Dectin-1; 2) the effects of polymicrobial sepsis in the presence and absence of glucan on Dectin-1; 3) the effects of systemic administration of glucans on Dectin-1; and 4) the intracellular trafficking of glucans. Mice were either systemically infected with Candida albicans, or made septic by CLP with and without glucan phosphate (GP) injection, or injected with GP. Flow cytometry was performed to …

Folk Medical Beliefs And Practices Concerning Women's Health And The Female Body In Southern Appalachia., Emily Lucinda Dale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores folk medical beliefs and practices regarding women's health issues and the female body, specifically menstruation, pregnancy, abortion and menopause, in the Southern Appalachian region. This research reveals what information was given to young girls, by whom was it given, and the effect this had on their self-image and on how they communicated about their bodies as they matured. Other key elements include the social restrictions surrounding menstruation and the ways these beliefs were communicated to young girls. In addition, this project presents information on the treatment of symptoms such as cramps, bloating, headaches, excessive bleeding, lack of …

Reasons For Living And Suicidal Ideation Among College Students With Varying Levels Of Risk For Alcohol Related Problems., Dorian A. Lamis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year in the United States approximately 30,000 people commit suicide including approximately 1,100 college students. Furthermore, heavy alcohol consumption is prevalent on many college campuses and has been linked to suicidal behavior. The present study was conducted to examine suicidal ideation and reasons for living in college students with varying levels of risk for alcohol related problems. Undergraduate students (n = 161) were administered a survey to assess demographics, suicide ideation status, reasons for living, and the participant's level of risk for alcohol related problems. Results indicated that suicide ideators are significantly more likely than non-ideators to be at …

The Relationship Between Tobacco, Alcohol, And Marijuana Use Among Teenagers., John Donald Rose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among teenagers. This study examined three research questions: (1) Is there a relationship between demographic characteristics (i.e., sex and race), the attitudinal variable (attachment to family), and the admitted use of marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco among teenagers? (2) Is there a relationship between the use of marijuana by teenagers and the use of tobacco by teenagers? (3) Is there a relationship between the use of marijuana by teenagers and the use of alcohol by teenagers?

The data used for this paper were from the …

Samuel Taylor Coleridge And Opium., Donald John Marotta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coleridge's usual use of opium was through laudanum, a mixture of opium and alcohol. This thesis presents the history of and criticism regarding the poet's use of laudanum and the physical and emotional consequences the drug held for him and his writing career.

A Comparison Of Three Phonological Awareness Tools Used To Identify Phonemic Awareness Deficits In Kindergarten-Age Children., Edgard Robelo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if three different tests of phonological awareness: the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processes (CTOPP) (Wagner, Torgesen, & Rashotte, 1999), The Phonological Awareness Test (PAT) (Robertson & Salter, 1997), and the Pre-Literacy Skills Screening (PLSS) (Crumrine & Lonegan, 1999) measure the same phonological awareness skills (content) in the same manner (procedures) and, whether typically-developing kindergarten-age students perform similarly on each of the tests. Twenty-five kindergarten students consisting of 14 males and 11 females (mean CA of 72.24 months) participated in this study. All participants were attending the second half of kindergarten in a …

Role Identity Formation Of Occupational Therapy Students, Denise A. Rotert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is an examination of the professional socialization process of occupational therapy students from a role identity theoretical perspective. First-year students, second-year students, fieldwork students, and faculty at an occupational therapy educational program at a Midwestern institution volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected through focus group interviews and surveys. The focus of the study was to determine factors associated with occupational therapy students’ identity salience, commitment, and role-person merger. Interviews and surveys were used to determine what factors, over and above didactic education, influence the socialization of students into the profession of occupational therapy and what …

Voice Onset Time Production In Individuals Wth Alzheimer's Disease, Julie M. Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the present study, voice onset time (VOT) measurements were compared between a group of individuals with moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a group of healthy age- and gender-matched peers. Participants read a list of consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, which included the six stop consonants. Recordings were gathered and digitized. The VOT measurements were made from oscillographic displays obtained from the Brown Laboratory Interactive Speech System (BLISS) implemented on an IBM-compatible computer. VOT measures for the participants' six stop consonant productions were subjected to statistical analysis. The results of the study indicated that differences in VOT values were not statistically significant …

Articulation And Phonological Systems Of Spanish-English Speaking Florida 4 And 5 Year Olds, Jennifer Dennis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are currently five million children three to five years of age (i.e., 59.5% of all children from three to five), who are bilingual, living in the United States. By 2025, Census data show that the population of Florida will increase by some 26 percent adding another 5.5 million people to the state. There are a limited amount of studies yielding data on the development of Spanish phonology in 4 and 5 year old children residing in the United States, particularly in Florida. Consequently, there is limited normative information pertaining to articulation and phonological development in Spanish speakers. It was …

Primary Care Nurse Attitudes, Beliefs And Confidence Levels Regarding Alcohol Abuse And Its Treatment: Impact Of Educational Intervention., Raja Sekhar Vadlamudi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse has been a major burden on the society. In the fight against it a key issue the education of the primary care nurses has been ignored. This study evaluates the effect of education program on the attitudes, beliefs, and confidence levels of primary care nurses regarding alcohol abuse and its treatment. Data from the Project Mainstream educational intervention were used with permission from the investigators. Two hundred one students and faculty of nursing at Vanderbilt University participated in the intervention, which was designed to train primary care providers in the Brief Negotiated Intervention technique for early detection and …

Determining The Level Of Patient Satisfaction In A Dental Hygiene Setting., Vinodh Bhoopathi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Not many studies have been conducted in the past to determine patients' level of satisfaction in academic dental hygiene settings. This patient satisfaction study analyzed the level of patient satisfaction with the dental hygiene clinic at East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a statistically significant influence of demographic characteristics of the patients and the affective behavior of the care providers on level of patient satisfaction. It was concluded that except for age, other demographic variables did not have any statistically significant influence on patient satisfaction. Also, care provider's …

Role Of Zmpste24 In Prelamin A Maturation., Douglas Paul Corrigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nuclear lamins form a karyoskeleton providing structural rigidity to the nucleus. One member of the lamin family, lamin A, is first synthesized as a 74 kDa precursor, prelamin A. Following the endopeptidase and methylation reactions which occur after farnesylation of the CAAX-box cysteine, there is a second endoproteolysis that occurs 15 amino acids upstream from the C-terminal farnesylated cysteine residue. Studies with knockout mice have implicated the enzyme Zmpste24 as a candidate to carry out one or both of these proteolytic reactions. In this body of work, the CAAX endopeptidase activity of recombinant, membrane reconstituted, Zmpste24 is demonstrated using …

Exposure To Volatile Organic Compounds And Effect On Neurobehavioral Function., Abhijeet Jagannath Bhanegaonkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data of 1338 respondents from the Priority Toxicant Reference Range Study were analyzed to examine exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Self-reported contact to chemical products and blood concentrations of specific chemicals were analyzed. Neurobehavioral function was assessed by simple reaction time test (SRTT), symbol digit substitution test (SDST), and serial digit learning test (SDLT). Prevalence of exposure to VOC products was, for instance, air freshener/room deodorant - 34.7%, gasoline - 29.2%, finger nail polish - 16.2%, and diesel fuel/ kerosene - 10.6%. The 95th percentiles of blood VOCs (μg/L) were calculated for 41 chemicals including Benzene - 0.476, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane …

Angiogenesis And Myogenesis In A Chronic Ischemic Heart., Esha Ibrahim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Miniswine underwent procedures to evaluate treating chronic ischemia with the implantation of autologous satellite cells and laser transmyocardial revascularization (TMR). The objective was to combine two therapies to restore cardiac function. This experiment involved three surgical procedures: (1) placing a constrictor on the coronary artery; (2) producing channels and implanting cells; (3) obtaining samples. The swine were divided into groups: Group 1, Ischemia; Group 2, Ischemia + Laser TMR; Group 3, Ischemia + Laser TMR+ Cells; Group 4, Ischemia + Cells. Sonomicrometry and Millar pressure transducers were used to determine contractility, left ventricular pressure, and pressure-volume loops. There were no …

Alcoholism, A.A., And The Challenge Of Authenticity, Patricia Madden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the possibilities of living an authentic life for an alcoholic, both in and out of Alcoholics Anonymous. Authenticity is explored using the existential models put forth by Jean-Paul Sartre and Soren Kierkegaard. Alcoholics Anonymous figures prominently in this analysis. It is suggested that A.A. acts inauthentically in its claims that it is not a religious organization. A.A. creates special problems for female alcoholics because of the sexist and masculinist nature of its primary literature. While A.A. claims that its message is the only way by which an alcoholic can recover, other treatment methods exist. Suggestions are made …

Expression Of Hepatitis C Viral Non-Structural 3 Antigen In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anubhuti Bhati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hepatitis C viral infection is the major cause of acute hepatitis and chronic liver disease and remains the leading cause of liver transplants (NIH). An estimated 180 million people are infected globally (WHO). There is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. The treatment with antiviral drugs is expensive, accompanied with various side effects and is limited only to those at risk of developing advanced liver disease. The treatment is also effective in only about 30% to 50% of treated patients and still a high percentage of patients are resistant to therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the …

Expression Of Cholera Toxin B Subunit-Rotavirus Nsp4 Enterotoxin Fusion Protein In Transgenic Chloroplasts, Anila Kalluri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus, the major cause of life-threatening infantile gastroenteritis, is a member of the Reoviridae family and is considered to be the single most important cause of virus-based severe diarrheal illness in infants and young children particularly 6 months to 2 years of age in industrialized and developing countries. Infection in infants and young children is often accompanied by severe life threatening diarrhea, most commonly following primary infection. Diarrhea is the major cause of death among children around the world. Responsible for 4 to 6 million deaths per year according to the World Health Organization (WHO), diarrhea is especially dangerous for …

Accuracy Of Parental Report On Phonological Inventories Of Toddlers, Kristin Marie Teske

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Considering the diminishing availability of professional resources, increasing costs, and time requirements involved in early childhood mass screenings, parents are an essential source of information. In this study, the Survey of Speech Development (SSD) (Perry-Carson & Steel, 2001; Steel, 2000) was used to determine the accuracy of parents in reporting the speech sound inventories of their toddlers. Parents of 30 children, who were between the ages of 27 to 33 months old, completed the SSD prior to a speech and language assessment session. Based on assessment results, the children were classified as normal developing or language delayed. A 20-minute play …

As Two Become One : The Lived Experience Of A Twinless Twin, Jody Ness

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Twins enter life as a pair and are often viewed so in later life. After the death of a co-twin, twins feel like they have lost part of themselves, leaving them alone, often without professional help. No nursing research has provided insight into the experience of a twin who has lost their co-twin. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the lived experience of a twin who has lost their co-twin. The aim was to generate an understanding of the unique bond and sense of loss experienced by twinless twins. Phenomenology and Attachment Theory were utilized to …

Reliability Of The Concensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation Of Voice On Pediatric Voices With Trained And Untrained Listeners, Teresa Elizabeth Pitts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rating scales are commonly used to study voice quality. The purpose of this study was to examine inter-rater reliability/agreement of graduate student clinicians with differing levels of experience in rating voice perception. The Consensus Auditory Perception Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) was used to asses 1.) overall severity, 2.) roughness, 3.) breathiness, 4.) strain, 5.) pitch and 6.) loudness from a sample of pediatric voices. Twenty-four graduate clinicians who had completed a graduate level course in voice disorders participated in the study. Twelve of the participants were randomly selected to complete a perceptual training course prior to the evaluation session. Voice …

Degradation Of 23s Rrna In Azithromycin-Treated Ribonuclease Mutants Of Escherichia Coli., Jessica A. Silvers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Azithromycin, a macrolide antibiotic, specifically binds to the 50S ribosomal subunit of bacterial ribosomes and inhibits translation. Azithromycin also prevents 50S ribosomal subunit assembly by binding to a 50S ribosomal subunit precursor particle. When exposed to azithromycin, several ribonucleases in wild-type Escherichia coli cells degrade antibiotic-bound 50S precursor particles. Presumably, cells expressing one or more mutated ribonucleases will degrade the antibiotic-bound precursor less efficiently, resulting in increased sensitivity to the antibiotic. To test this, eight ribonucleaseûdeficient strains of Escherichia coli were grown in the presence or absence of azithromycin. Cell viability, growth rates, and protein synthesis rates were measured. Degradation …

Role Of Macrophage Apoptosis In Atherosclerosis., June Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The presence of apoptotic cells in atherosclerotic lesions has been broadly reported in the past ten years. The majority of these apoptotic cells are macrophages. However, the pathogenic role of macrophage apoptosis in the development of atherosclerosis remains to be elucidated. Elevated expression of Bax, one of the pivotal pro-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family, has been found in human atherosclerotic plaques. Activation of Bax also occurs in free cholesterol-loaded and oxysterol treated mouse macrophages. In this study, we evaluated the influence of Bax deficiency on apoptosis in macrophage-like P388D1 cells by using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to suppress Bax …