Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of A Preoperative Patient Education Handbook In Decreasing Anxiety Of Veterans Undergoing Elective Surgery, Garletta White Steen

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental, pretest/posttest study was to examine the effectiveness of a preoperative patient education handbook developed by postanesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses in decreasing state anxiety of veterans undergoing minor elective surgery. State anxiety was measured by the State Anxiety Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, developed by Spielberger, Gorsuch, Luschene, Vagg, and Jacobs (1983). The population for the study was composed of veterans undergoing elective surgery in a hospital which is part of the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System. The sample consisted of 38 patients admitted to the hospital for a variety of minor elective surgeries. …

Expression And Characterization Of Two Alternatively Spliced Isoforms Of Rat Type I Receptor For Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate, Doris Da May Lin

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The transmembrane receptor for IP3 is a tetrameric calcium channel located in the endoplasmic reticulum. In many cell types the receptor mediates such complex signals as calcium waves and oscillations. There are multiple receptor isoforms, derived by alternative splicing as well as different genes. The functional significance of these many receptor isoforms has not been determined. To this end, I have generated cell lines that express homotetrameric receptors.Stable lines of the human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells were established by transfection with cDNAs encoding for two splice variants of the rat type I receptor. The two variants differ in the presence …

The Spleen Focus-Forming Virus Envelope Glycoprotein, Gp55, And The Block In The Erythropoietin-Induced Differentiation Of Friend Murine Erythroleukemia Cells, Thomas Samuel Lin

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Unlike normal committed erythroid progenitor cells, which require erythropoietin (EPO) for both proliferation and terminal differentiation, Friend murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells are EPO-independent and do not differentiate in response to the cytokine. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) induces differentiation and restores responsiveness to EPO. DMSO-treated Friend cells responded to EPO with both increased proliferation and further hemoglobin synthesis. The effects of DMSO upon the expression of EPO receptor (EPOR) mRNA and cell surface receptor were examined. Clone DMSO/R1, an MEL subline resistant to the differentiation-inducing and EPO-sensitizing effects of DMSO, expressed a higher level of EPOR mRNA than parental Friend cells, and DMSO …

Effects Of Rote Exercise, Imagery, And A Material-Based Occupation On Postural Control In Children Ages 3-9, Robin Lengel

Masters Theses

Occupational therapy is based on the concept of enhancing motor, cognitive, sensory, and psycho-social performance through the utilization of purposeful activities. Purposeful activities are doing processes directed toward a planned or hypothesized end result, and can be naturalistic, simulated, or imagery-based (Nelson & Peterson, · 1989). This study compared the effects of a material-based occupation, imagery-based occupation, and rote exercise on the quality and duration of maintaining prone extension in children aged three to nine.· The quality of maintaining the posture was analyzed using the prone extension postural test (Gregory-Flock & Yerxa, 1984). Duration of prone extension for each child …

Three Dimensional Localization Of Lesions From Digitized Mammograms, Amy L. Magnus

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes new algorithms to localize regions-of-interests (ROIs) three dimensionally from a pair of digitized mammograms. This work is intended to add a layer of sophistication to computer aided diagnosis by putting to use the fixed and measurable parameters of mammographic imaging. The fixed parameters are the source to film orientation and the podium-image distance. Measurable parameters are the rotation angle of the x-ray tube from the horizontal and the compression depth (the distance from compression paddle to contact podium distance) at the time of imaging. As an additional benefit, three dimensional localization algorithms alleviate the confusion radiologists may …

Data On Gait Characteristics Of Four, Five, And Six Year Old Children Using Three Dimensional Video Motion Analysis, Donna Soave Nichols

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study resulted from a need to gather and analyze data on gait characteristics of normal children using the Peak Performance Technologies, Incorporated system, initiate a data base for the Motion Analysis Center at Old Dominion University and compare a computerized motion analysis system to studies using different methods. Fifteen children, aged four to six, were evaluated during gait using a video-based computerized motion analysis system manufactured by Peak Performance Technologies, Incorporated. The gait characteristics studied were stride length, cadence, angular displacements and angular velocities of the pelvis, hips, knees and ankles. The results showed that methods …

Current Theories On The Cell Biology Associated With Tooth Movement, Mohamadreza Yazdi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This article discusses the current information on the mechanism of the biological signaling that takes place to bring about orthodontic tooth movement.

Currently, there are two general theories as to how orthodontic mechanical force is translated to biologically meaningful signals for the cells of the periodontium. These include a cellular-humoral response and a bioelectric response.

There are various mechanisms utilized by the cells of the periodontium to bring about the cellular-humoral response. These include: The activation of the cells of the immune system to synthesize and release specific chemicals (cytokines) which affect cell function, direct effects of mechanical force on …

Mandibular Asymmetry In Unilateral Class Ii Malocclusion : A Cephalometric Study, Raed Z. Moussa

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study is to evaluate skeletal and dental asymmetry in unilateral class II malocclusion. A study group of 25 unilateral subdivision patients was compared to 25 class I malocclusion patients serving as the control group. Submento-vertical and frontal radiographs were used for the evaluation. Symmetry was evaluated by comparing measurements between right and left sides for both groups and matching the middle points with the midsagittal axis. Statistical paired and simple t-test were used to evaluate the difference between the two sides for both groups. The measurements showed no significant skeletal and dental asymmetries except for three …

The Effects Of Risk Management Program Implementation On Worker Safety Knowledge, John C. Donnelly

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effect of the implementation of a risk management program tool on worker safety knowledge in a composite building material fabrication facility whose workers suffered from an increasingly high injury (incidence) rate in recent years. Risk assessment codes (RACs) and job safety analyses (JSAs) were the primary tools used to introduce workers to the concept of risk. Because employee involvement is a crucial element in JSA development. employee input was frequently solicited throughout JSA development.

The study instrument consisted of a pre-test and post-test survey, to which an experimental and control group were subjected. The instrument was …

Loss Associated With Chronic Illness: Application Of The Roy Adaptation Model, Linda M. Dehaan

Masters Theses

The Roy Adaptation Model guided this pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study to test an intervention addressing loss associated with chronic illness. Differences in adaptation and well-being were evaluated between control (n = 20) and experimental groups (n = 20) 30 days after intervention. Adaptation was measured by PAIS-SR scores and analyzed using ANCOVA to adjust for pretest differences. T-test and Mann-Whitney U was used to evaluate well-being as measured by the Global Well-being Scale. Changes in adaptation were not significantly different between groups, but well-being improved 12.8% in the experimental group as compared with 1.4% in the control group. Inconsistency of results …

Biochemical And Molecular Characterization Of The Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (Psma), John Karl Troyer

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death in males in the United States. Additionally, the number of deaths attributed to prostate cancer is increasing at a rate of approximately 8% a year. Development of new diagnostic and therapy strategies are needed in order to improve the life expectancy of patients with this disease. One tool which may allow for improvements in prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy is the monoclonal antibody (MAb) 7E11-C5.3 which was first described in 1987. Since then, the antigen recognized by MAb 7E11-C5.3 has been named the prostate specific …

The Relationship Between Levels Of Dentist Supervision And The Ability Of Dental Hygienists In Nontraditional Settings To Provide Care, Julie Ann Dunphy

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to determine if a relationship exists between levels of dentist supervision and the ability of dental hygienists in nontraditional settings to provide care, and to ascertain differences in the ability of dental hygienists practicing in legal jurisdictions with direct, indirect, general, and no dentist supervision. The Dental Hygiene supervision in Nontraditional settings Questionnaire (DHSNSQ) was sent to a purposive sample consisting of dental hygienists employed in nontraditional settings within one of the four levels of dentist supervision. The levels of dentist supervision were based on criteria, education, and competence, stipulated by each of the …

Affective Reactions, Social Support And Willingness To Self-Disclose To Hiv Seropositive Individuals: Impact Of Sexual Orientation And Responsibility For The Infection, Susan Paige Sherburne

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

An attributional model of controllability suggests that perceptions of someone's controllability of an event lead to anger and rejection, whereas perceptions of uncontrollability lead to pity and helping. This study examined the impact of an HIV victim's sexual orientation and "responsibility" for infection on subjects' affective responses, self-disclosure to the person, social support, and liking and trust for the person. Subjects received messages from their "partner" (a confederate) stating that he had just learned he was HIV positive. The message either stated that he was heterosexual or homosexual, and that he had either only one partner or many partners. Subjects …

Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay Of Catechin In Human Blood Serum, Jay Fedorowicz

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

( +)-Catechin is a type of polyphenolic compound, and it is enriched in fruits, plants, and various beverages. Polyphenolic compounds also play an important role in the human diet. Many scientists, especially wine researchers, have proposed that(+)catechin and its polymers could have many positive health effects. Thus, it is essential to learn more about (+)-catechin and other polyphenolics. Presently, high performance liquid chromatography is the only method to detect ( + )-catechin levels in human blood serum, but this method has the high cost of instrumentation and does not provide good sensitivity. The objective of this project is to develop …

Mmpi And Rorschach Findings Of Individuals Approved For Gender Reassignment Surgery, Gregory Ralph Caron

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Both clinical experience and empirical data from psychological tests present a picture of extreme clinical variation among those individuals who request gender reassignment surgery. Results of past empirical studies utilizing the MMPI and the Rorschach Test have tended to be equivocal regarding the level and nature of psychopathology associated with samples of gender dysphorics. These past studies are considered limited particularly in terms of methodological problems related to statistical power. This present study examined the nature and degree of psychopathology in a sample of candidates approved for gender reassignment surgery as reflected on their MMPI-2 clinical scale values and scores …

Views Of Feminist Family Therapy: A Q-Methodological Inquiry, Bronwen Cheek

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The feminist critique of family therapy has had a growing impact on theory and practice for almost two decades (Hare-Mustin, 1978; Bograd, 1990). Writings on feminist family therapy (FFT) reveal both common and diverse opinions about what FFT is. The present study examined how views of FFT are segmented using Q-methodology (Stephenson, 1953; Brown, 1980; McKeown & Thomas, 1988), a small-sample empirical technique for identifying emergent viewpoints and studying their similarities and differences. A Q-sort instrument of 60 statements was constructed to sample diverse discourse on FFT. Magraw's (1992) interviews with leading experts in FFT served as a primary source …

The Effect Of A Self-Care Education Program On A Military Medical Beneficiary Population, Christopher S. Svehlak

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research in the area of self-care has focused on medical beneficiaries in a wide range of settings, but the current or former members of the United States Armed Services have largely been ignored. This research concentrates on designing, implementing, and reporting on a study of the impact of a self-care education program on a military beneficiary population. Specifically, retired and active-duty households, whose medical records are maintained by the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center, were systematically randomly sampled and invited to participate in the study. Those households who responded were given their choice of a self-care book, and …

An Immediate Implant Stability And Pull-Out Study Comparing Two Different Surgical Techniques : Conventional Drilling Versus Trabecular Compaction : A Pilot Study, Yong Chang Choi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Poor bone quality at an implant site and the lack of initial implant immobilization are considered the two main factors for first stage implant failure. Modalities are needed to improve the initial stability of implants in poor bone quality situations. The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate implant stability and the pull-out force of implants placed in fresh frozen human alveolar jaw bones by two different surgical techniques: 1) a conventional drilling technique and 2) a trabecular compaction technique. The initial lateral stability (assessed by Periotest values, PTVs), the uniaxial pull-out force (measured by Instron machine) and …

The Affects Of Vocal Fatigue On Fundamental Frequency And Frequency Range In Actresses As Opposed To Non-Actresses, Ruth Ann Jenkins

Dissertations and Theses

Differences may exist between the voice qualities of those who professionally use and train their voices and those who do not. The examination of fundamental frequency and frequency range m actresses and non-actresses is integral to determining voice quality differences in these populations. These differences, whether the result of frequent use or training of the voice, may exist relative to fatiguing conditions such as may be experienced by actresses in the course of their work. Fatigue has been shown to produce greater effects in normals than in performers, particularly in singers (Gelfer, Andrews, and Schmidt, 1991). Little research has been …

Facilitators And Barriers To The Practice Of Breast Cancer In Black Women, Yvonne W. Tanner

MSN Research Projects

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in black women, yet black women are among the least likely to participate in breast screening. Little is known about factors that promote or inhibit the practice of breast cancer screening in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine what facilitators and barriers exist to the practice of breast cancer screening in black women. The theoretical frameworks for this study were Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory and Champion's Modified Health Belief Model. Utilizing a descriptive research design, a sample of 67 black women with no history of breast cancer …

Brief Therapy: Theory And Practice, Maurice W. Carroll

Student Dissertations & Theses

The psychotherapeutic environment is changing. Pressure from outside the profession is motivating changes that are resulting in cost cutting and cost containment. Health management organizations and preferred provider organizations are beginning to control third party payment to mental health providers. This is counselling the profession to reevaluate and remodel how it performs therapy as numbers of sessions become more limited. Therapy is changing from a long lasting relationship with a therapist, in which personality transformation is sought for the client, to forms of brief therapy in which only problems and solutions, arising from the immediate issues, are focused on. This …

Relationship Between Hardiness And Compliance To Diabetic Treatment Regimes With Diabetes, Karen Nichols Reece

MSN Research Projects

Over 3 million elders in the United States are afflicted with diabetes mellitus. This number is predicted to rise as the number of elders continues to increase. Hardiness is a personality characteristic that has been shown to help people adapt more effectively to chronic illness. Little is known about the relationship between hardiness and compliance to diabetic treatment regimens. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between hardiness and compliance to diabetic treatment regimens in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Becker's Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this study. …

A Comparison Of Children's Knowledge Levels About Cardiovascular Fitness And Nutrition Before And After A Teaching Module, Susanne Isbell

MSN Research Projects

Many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, are often the result of specific lifestyle behaviors or habits which can develop in childhood. Growing evidence suggests high levels of cardiovascular risk prevalence among school-aged children. Teaching strategies that are effective in seeking to promote health and well-being in children need to be developed and empirically evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in pre and posttest knowledge levels about cardiovascular fitness and nutrition after a teaching module. Nola J. Pender's Health Promotion Model served as a guide for this research. The design used for …

Health Locus Of Control And Health Behaviors In Hiv/Aids Individuals, Brian W. Higgerson

MSN Research Projects

Since the early 1980s AIDS has become a major pandemic. Health care practices and the motivational factors influencing these behaviors have become essential elements for health care providers to implement individualized care for persons with HIV or AIDS. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the relationship between health care behaviors and the Health Locus of Control in HIV/AIDS individuals. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical framework. The hypothesis stated that there would be no correlation between health care behaviors and the health locus of control in HIV/AIDS individuals. A convenience sample of HIV/AIDS …

Perception Of Emergency Department Registered Nurses Concerning The Role Of The Emergency Department Nurse Practitioner, Aarthur F. Rogers

MSN Research Projects

Emergency departments have become primary care sites for a substantial portion of the population. However, few emergency departments were designed to provide primary care to families or individuals. Implementation of the emergency department nurse practitioner (NP) has been proposed as a solution to providing comprehensive care and follow-up for non-urgent clients. Since emergency department NPs function in collaborative roles with other nurses, the perception of the emergency department registered nurses (RNs) needs to be delineated to verify acceptance and perceptions of this new expanded nursing role. The purpose of this study was to describe these acceptance and perceptual levels. King's …

Patient Satisfaction With The Nurse Practitioner, Diane Mcmahen

MSN Research Projects

Due to the increased need for nurse practitioners to provide primary health care and the current national emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, nurse practitioners can help solve the health care delivery dilemma. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the level of satisfaction for patients who received care by a nurse practitioner. Orem's Nursing Systems Theory was utilized to guide the study. The research questions were is there a difference in the perception of patient satisfaction when comparing nurse practitioners and physicians as health care providers? and do demographic variables correlate to patient use of a …

Residents' And Nursing Staff's Perceptions Of The Needs Of Nursing Home Residents, Joan M. Pritchard

MSN Research Projects

Historically, perceptions of nursing home residents have been based on stereotypes which compromise individuality. Care has been structured for efficiency of the organization, with staff emphasis on activities of daily living (ADL). Indeed, most residents move into nursing homes when they can no longer manage alone. The purpose of this descriptive study was to replicate research by Lindgren and Linton (1991) which focused on perceptions of residents' needs in nursing homes. Pender's Health Promotion Model provided the theoretical framework. The following research question was addressed : Do residents and nursing staff differ in their perceptions of residents' needs in nursing …

Women's Perception Of Heart Disease As A Health Risk Associated With Identified Risk Factors, Kathy Mckay

MSN Research Projects

Heart disease has been identified as the leading cause of death in women in the United States, affecting an estimated 21,000 women under the age of 65. While these figures are alarming, population survey data have shown women do not perceive heart disease as a priority health problem- The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate women's perception of heart disease as a health risk. The Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework for this study. Two research questions guided this study: Is there a significant correlation between selected demographic variables and perception of heart disease as a …

The Health Locus Of Control Of Women Who Have Successfully Lost Weight In Weight Reduction Programs, Tami Babette Johnson

MSN Research Projects

Since obesity and oversight continue to be prevalent health care problems affecting 45% of adult women in the United States, health care providers must understand the factors which influence an individual to participate in weight reduction activities. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine if there was a relationship between health locus of control and successful weight loss among women in weight reduction programs. Pender's Health Promotion Model was used as the conceptual framework for the study. The research hypothesis for this study was there is a positive relationship between internal locus of control and successful …

Factors Associated With Safer Sex Practices Among College Freshmen, Renee Johnson Lyles

MSN Research Projects

Adolescents and young adults have engaged in sexual behaviors that increase the risk of becoming infected with HIV. Thus, this descriptive correlational study examined the relationship of knowledge of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, perceived susceptibility, and future time perspective to the practice of safer sex behaviors in single, sexually active college freshmen. The theoretical framework was the Health Belief Model. The research question was what is the relationship between college freshmen who practice safer sex behaviors and their knowledge of AIDS, misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, perceived susceptibility, and …