Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Psychotropic Medication Therapy On The Behaviors Of The Institutionalized Alzheimer's Disease Patient, Mary Beth Mckinneu

MSN Research Projects

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating illness that is common among the nursing home population. Treatment for Alzheimer's disease is usually palliative and consists of using psychotropic medications to control aggressive and agitated behaviors exhibited by its victims. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify behaviors exhibited by Alzheimer's disease patients before and after receiving psychotropic medications. Johnson's Behavioral System Model was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The sample (N = 33) consisted of nursing home residents with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease who were treated with one psychotropic medication. The researcher used chart review to …

Self-Efficacy In Type 2 Diabetics, Joan M. Hyett

Theses & Dissertations

There are 1.2 million diagnosed diabetics in Texas, 10 % of whom live in Bexar County, Texas. Diabetes is rated as the fifth leading cause of death in the same county. In addition to the diagnosed cases, it is estimated that 125,000 adults in Bexar County have undiagnosed diabetes (Foy, 1999). Diabetic education may prevent complications in some individuals, but sometimes knowledge alone is not enough. Patients often lack motivation or self-confidence in their capacity for self- management of their diabetes. Diabetic educators are often faced with the challenge of not only educating but also motivating patients to be compliant …

Developmental, Psychosocial, And Economic Predictors Of Healthy Newborns In Michigan’S Teenage Pregnancies, Cheryl Lauber

Dissertations

Teenage pregnancy is a critical health indicator. Using a risk reduction model, this study examined the relationship between the characteristics o f the teenage mother i and her newborn. The research questions were: ( I) what risk factors are associated with poor birth outcomes, (2) is addressing each factor the best way to reduce the risk, and (3) has the overall risk changed as the birth rate has declined? Developmental, psychosocial and economic risks were identified as independent variables, while age and race were mediators.

Combining the birth certificate records of women under age 20 from 1990 through 1997 resulted …

The Utilization Of Spirituality In Occupational Therapy: Beliefs, Practices, And Barriers, Jennifer S. Collins

Masters Theses

Spirituality has become an increasingly important topic in healthcare and specifically in occupational therapy. Previous studies of spirituality in occupational therapy indicated that while therapists believed spirituality was important to health and rehabilitation potential, few therapists reported incorporating spirituality into treatment (Engquist, Short-DeGraff, Gliner, & Oltjenbruns, 1997; Howe, 1996; Rose, 1999). This study utilized a survey design to examine occupational therapists' current beliefs and practices regarding spirituality, as well as asking therapists to identify barriers to the use of spirituality in treatment.

The results of this study indicate that beliefs and practices regarding spirituality in occupational therapy may be changing. …

Professional Expertise Of Community-Based Occupational Therapists, Lori Ann Madaus Lemorie

Masters Theses

Occupational therapists are increasingly practicing in community-based settings. Due to changes in the health care system, the need for defining roles, and explaining what a profession can contribute to health care has been highlighted. The major goal of this study was to identify job roles, job skills, and professional expertise of community-based therapists. The Community Practice Project survey was mailed to 200 AOTA registered community-based therapists. A response rate of 42% was achieved. The results provided a profile of the typical community-based therapist. Principal roles, job skills, and areas of professional expertise were also identified. The adequacy of educational preparation …

Advance Directives And Communication Styles In A Lower Rio Grande Valley Health Facility, Armando G. Dominguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study explores physicians' decision-making communication styles at end-of-life and advance directives in a hospital. Participant observation, case studies and a survey questionnaire are used. Egalitarian communication style is found to have moderate reliability. A .6969 coefficient, is measured by Cronbach's Alpha model. Authoritative communication style, yields a less than moderate alpha coefficient of .4278. Regression analysis using these two variables as the independent variables obtains insignificant results. However, sixty-three percent of the respondents speak Spanish moderately or very little. Eighty percent of the surveyed sample do not have training to administer advance directives. Twenty-two percent of the respondents have …

Vaccinia Virus-Mediated Glioma Gene Therapy Using P53, Il-2 And Il-12, Bing Chen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Malignant brain tumors are generally lethal soon after their diagnosis, and the five-year survival rate for the patient is low in spite of neurosurgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Gene therapy has the potential to improve patient survival and quality of life by delivering specific combinations of therapeutic genes directly to the tumor for localized treatment.

We have based our cancer gene therapy for glioma on a highly attenuated variant of the Lister strain of vaccinia virus (VV) which has been proven to be a safe and effective vaccine vector. Other advantages include a wide host range, a strong promoter system, …

An Analysis Of Risk Factors Associated With High Rates Of Cesarean Births In Three Selected Northeast Tennessee Hospitals., Karen Stewart-Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study consists of an analysis of hospital discharge data from three Northeast Tennessee hospitals to identify maternal demographic factors that may be linked to higher rates of cesarean sections in this region of Appalachia. Maternal age, race, insurance status, length of stay, and birth weight were evaluated to identify regional trends in the prevalence of these factors over a two-year period.

There were 1,678 (23.3%) singleton live births by cesarean section of which 7.6% were repeat cesarean section deliveries. Less than one percent of the 7,181 births were vaginal births after cesarean (VBAC) delivery. Overall, insurance and maternal age …

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 …

Glucocorticoid Regulation Of Insulin Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-5 Gene Transcription In Human Osteoblasts, Xiaoying Wang

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Glucocorticoids (GCs) inhibit bone formation in vivo and inhibit osteoblast proliferation and collagen synthesis in vitro. These effects may be mediated by alterations in the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system. In the present study of normal human osteoblast-like (HOB) cells, we tested the hypothesis that dexamethasone (Dex) inhibits the expression of IGF binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5). Dex decreased IGFBP-5 mRNA levels to 54% of control after 4 hr. Dex did not modify the decay of IGFBP-5 mRNA in transcriptionally arrested osteoblast cells. Dex decreased IGFBP-5 hnRNA levels to 67% of control after 2 hr, and the activity of the human IGFBP- …

Chronic Hypoxia, Exercise Training, And Skeletal Muscle Capillarity: Angiogenic Regulation And Morphological Consequences, Ivan Mark Olfert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Angiogenesis is important in health and disease. In particular, exercise training is known to increase skeletal muscle capillarity, providing there is sufficient training intensity. The stimulus for this may be intracellular hypoxia activating angiogenic growth factor gene expression. Acute hypoxia alone has been shown to increase the gene expression of several key angiogenic regulators, e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and to a lesser degree transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), an endogenous negative angiogenic regulator. Paradoxically, however, chronic hypoxia is generally not found to increase mammalian skeletal muscle capillarity. Accordingly, we hypothesized that …

Disinfection Of Dentin By Intracanal Laser Irradiation: An In Vitro Model, Silvia Cristina Mafra Cecchini

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A possible cause for root canal failure is the persistence of bacteria that have colonized dentinal tubules. To reduce this risk and, if possible, to also shorten the time consuming endodontic therapy, new equipment and materials are constantly being introduced. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of disinfection of dentinal tubules by intracanal laser irradiation using an in vitro model. The groups irradiated by various lasers were compared with calcium hydroxide, a material frequently used as intracanal medication between appointments. Freshly extracted, intact bovine incisors were used. The root cementum was removed and the teeth …

Studies On The Purification And Role Of Igfbp-5 Protease In Bone, H. Garrett Rush Thompson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone density and deterioration of mineralized bone leading to enhanced susceptibility to fracture. Several growth factors have been implicated in the coupling of formation to resorption during the bone remodeling process. The net bone forming activity of many growth factors has prompted numerous studies focused on the regulation of osteoblast cell proliferation, differentiation and activity. The current study focuses on the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, an important growth factor system involved in the regulation of bone formation and bone resorption.

IGF binding protein -5 (IGFBP-5), the most abundant IGF binding protein in …

Determinants Of Health Promoting Behaviors In Older Adults, Kay Wallace

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between Health Locus of Control, selected demographic variables, and the Health Promoting Behaviors of Physical Activity and Nutrition in older persons. Pender’s (1996) Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as the conceptual framework to guide this study.

The sample consisted of 48 subjects, aged 65 years and older, who resided in senior living centers. The subjects were predominantly Caucasian (94%) and female (81%). Research instruments were self-administered questionnaires that consisted of demographic data, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale.

No significant relationships between …

Stress In Mexican-American Adolescence And Its Relations To Family Structure And Socioeconomic Status, Diana Villanueva

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

While previous research has demonstrated the importance of studying adolescence, few studies have explored the determinants of Mexican-American adolescent stress. Studies have shown that individual differences exist among adolescents that help determine adolescent stress. Individual differences such as family structure and socioeconomic status among Mexican-American adolescents may help to better understand adolescent stress. This study investigated incidence of Mexican-American adolescent stress in a public high school and middle school composed of 2,686 students from the Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District. Data was obtained from the Teen Life Survey administered in the spring of 1998 by Dr. Israel Cuellar. The relations …

Induction Of Apoptosis In Human Prostate Cancer Cells By Resveratrol, Gary Zulfikar Morris

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Recently attention has been brought to trans-resveratrol's {TR) anticancer activity, as determined through a number of cultured cancer cell models. This activity was attributed to TR behaving as an estrogen, and the orientation of TR' s hydroxyl groups. Based on this work it was of interest to determine whether TR would also be toxic in prostate cancer cells; if toxic, did TR induce necrosis or apoptosis in the cells; was it toxic through hormone mediated pathways; and were TR's hydroxyl groups responsible for its biological activity. To this end, cellular viability was assessed in two different prostate cancer cell …

Brain Death, Organ Transplantation And The Ethics Of Relationships In Japan: 1968-2000, Takanobu Kinjo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The center of the brain-death and organ transplantation debate in Japan has always been whether whole brain-death should be regarded as the death of a person. However, the debate has not yet been settled in Japanese society. There are four main reasons why it is said that whole brain-death criteria are incompatible with Japanese society. First, they cannot establish a person's death because the Japanese define it not according to medical facts but according to social relationships. Second, it is impossible to determine societal consensus in Japan on this issue. Third, traditional Japanese views toward life and death are incompatible …

Identification And Characterization Of The Cis-Acting Elements Around The Murine Cd4 Cnhancer, Xin Dong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The cluster determinant 4 (CD4) molecule is a transmembrane glycoprotein. CD4 is essential for normal T helper cell function and plays an important role in T cell development and activation. CD4 is encoded by a single gene located on chromosome 6 in the mouse and chromosome 12 in the human. Both human and murine CD4 genes are divided into ten exons spanning more than 25 kb and have a large non-coding region in the first and third intron. CD4 gene expression is controlled primarily at the transcriptional level during T cell development and activation.

An enhancer has been identified approximately …

Interactions Of Igf-Ii And Cathepsin D In Mcf-7 Breast Cancer Cells, Jesika S. Faridi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A primary role of the IGF-II/M6P receptor is to target lysosomal enzymes from the golgi to the lysosomes. This receptor has distinct binding sites for IGF-II and M6P, however, reciprocal interactions between these ligands have been observed (Kiess et al. 1989, 1990). Since IGF-II modulates the routing of cathepsin D in MCF-7 cells by blocking the intracellular binding of cathepsin D to the IGF-II/M6P receptor (De León et al. 1996), we hypothesized that expressing a mutant form of IGF-II that does not bind the IGF-II/M6P receptor will not interfere with lysosomal enzyme trafficking.

In our present study, we report the …

The Cardiac Correlates Of Attention In The Denervated Heart: A Study Of Infant Heart Transplant Recipients, Stephanie Dianne Griffone

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The cardiac correlate of attention is a deceleration in heart rate, controlled by the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. This has been extensively studied in infants; the findings indicate that this deceleration is affected by a number of factors, several mediated by the vagus nerve. However, the effects of denervation on this response are not known. Studies with adult heart transplant recipients have shown attenuated acceleration in response to stressful mental tasks. This study investigated the cardiac response to attention in infants who had received a heart transplant, using a habituation paradigm. The hypothesis that they would show …

Attentional Processing In Parkinson's Disease: Hyperkinetic And Akinetic Type, Christine Diane Kraus

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Parkinson's disease (P.D.) has long been thought of as a single disorder. Recent research involving neurochemistry, neurophysiology, and detailed analysis of symptoms, have created a basis for questioning the concept that P.D. is a singular disorder. Literature suggests there may be two primary subtypes (with the possibility of others). The two probable subtypes are hyperkinetic, in which tremor is the predominate symptom and akinetic, in which, gait freezing and postural instability predominate.

In both of these pathological manifestations, several investigators have noted cognitive deficits including attention. The differences in symptomotology and neuropathology attributed to these probable subtypes suggest that there …

Connexin-32 Contributes To Radiation Resistance In Thyroid Follicles, Da-Thao Dinh Tran

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The objective of this study was to examine the role of gap junctions in the radiation resistance of thyroid follicles. The question of whether gap junctional intercellular communication plays an important role in the “contact effect”, wherein cells in direct apposition are more resistant to the damaging effects of radiation, has been debated for years. We used the Fischer rat thyroid cell line (FRTL-5) to carry out our experiments. This thesis is divided into two parts: 1) characterization of gap junctional properties in FRTL-5 cells and, 2) exposure of these cells to radiation.

We found that, unlike primary thyroid cells, …

Perceived Barriers By Hispanic Mothers In Obtaining Primary Health Care For Their Childern, Michael Allen Hart

Master's Projects

Purpose: Hispanic mothers tend to over use hospital emergency services and under use primary care providers when seeking health care for their children. In order to change this health care utilization behavior, researchers must understand the barriers to health care perceived by Hispanic mothers. Design: In this non-experimental survey study, a non-probability, purposive sampling of 45 Hispanic mothers at a rural county pediatric clinic were surveyed. Methods: Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as its framework an 18-item survey examined, barriers to health care, cues to action, subjects' knowledge, family satisfaction, access, and likelihood of action. Findings: The data suggest …

Method Of Exercise Intstruction And Exercise Frequency Among Older Women Diagnosed With Osteoporosis, Tina D. Highfill

MSN Research Projects

Osteoporosis is a major health concern for 8 million women in the US. Although there is no cure, exercise has been identified as a preventive measure against bone loss. Medical costs for osteoporosis are expected to be $60 billion by 2020. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the method of exercise instruction and frequency of exercise among older women diagnosed with osteoporosis. Orem’s Self- Care Deficit Theory of Nursing has been selected as the theoretical framework. A nonexperimental, comparison design was used. A convenient sample consisted of 16 females over age 50, …

Elementary School Children's Fears Regarding School Violence, Laquita Bain

MSN Research Projects

Recent school violence and the media attention of recent school shootings have heightened public awareness and created a new era of fear among parents, teachers, and students. The consideration of school violence requires an examination of how school violence has affected children at various developmental levels. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore elementary school children's fears related to the risk of school violence. Johnson's Behavioral Health Model served as a guide for this research. A descriptive research design was used. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The research question for this study was as follows : …

Pagophagia And Hemoglobin Levels In Pregnant Women, Contessa Ward

MSN Research Projects

Pica is a behavior characterized by the compulsive, persistent ingestion of non-food substances. It is a longstanding practice that has far-reaching implications for prevention and treatment. Pagophagia, or the excessive, compulsive consumption of ice, is a subcategory of pica. Although pica has been documented for centuries, there are limited studies regarding pagophagia and its effects in pregnant women. A comparative descriptive study was conducted to determine whether pagophagia is related to hemoglobin levels during pregnancy. Becker's Health Belief Model was utilized as the theoretical framework. Data were gathered by means of retrospective chart audit. The hypothesis was there would be …

Congestive Heart Failure In Elders: Relationships Among Adherence Behaviors, Depression, And Self-Efficacy, Sue Temple

MSN Research Projects

An estimated 4.8 million Americans have congestive heart failure (CHF). Increasing prevalence, hospitalizations, and deaths have made CHF a major disease affecting elders in the United States. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine if correlations existed among depression, self-efficacy, and adherence behaviors of elders with CHF. Three null hypotheses guided the study: H^^, There is no correlation between depression and adherence behaviors in elders living with CHF. H^^, There is no correlation between self efficacy and adherence behaviors in elders living with CHF. Hq3 , There is no correlation between depression and self-efficacy in elders …

Gender Discrimination In Nursing, Robert Swanson

MSN Research Projects

Gender discrimination related to women's struggles to gain access to career ladders and equal compensation within a male-dominated society has been documented. However, little research has been conducted regarding discrimination among male nurses in a female-dominated work environment. In particular, there is a paucity of empirical data regarding male nurses in advanced clinical practice. As the number of male nurse practitioners increases, there is heightened concern about discrimination. The purpose of this study was to determine whether male nurse practitioners perceived gender discrimination in the workplace. Using Leininger's (1991) Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality and Trentham and Larwood's …

Effect Of Early Childhood Tobacco Education Program On Knowledge And Attitudes Of Elementary Students, Dianne G. Pittman

MSN Research Projects

Tobacco use is recognized as the number one preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. As such, development of better tobacco-use prevention strategies, utilized by health care providers, is a worthy endeavor. Where it exists, initiation of formal tobacco education within the schools is focused at sixth- to eighth-grade students, the age research has shown when most tobacco experimentation begins, yet well beyond the age when ideas and attitudes are developed in favor of or in opposition to tobacco use. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effect of an early childhood tobacco education …

Factors Influencing Smoking In Adolescents, Jeff J. Mitchell

MSN Research Projects

Adolescents' use of tobacco products is an ever-growing sector of today's society. Adolescents continue to smoke cigarettes at an alarming rate. Early adolescent cigarette smoking between the ages of 11 and 13 years was found to be related to peer pressure and family role-modeling. Another influence cited was the use of media catering to adolescents. The ease at which adolescents acquire cigarettes is evidence that further restrictions need to be applied to those who sell to adolescents. The purpose of this study was to further explore influencing factors to adolescent smoking. The research question was what are the factors that …