Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Analysis Of Pulse Transit Time With The Inclusion Of A Microvascular Component In Head-Up Tilt And Blood Withdrawal Induced Central Hypovolemia, Mark D. Schlangel

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The pulse transit time (PTT) has been investigated as an early noninvasive marker of hypovolemia, reflecting a combination of changes in the pre-ejection period (PEP) and vascular transit time (VTT). The use of photoplethysmography (PPG) has limited the analysis to the macrovascular peripheral circulation by nature of the detection mechanism of the PPG itself. Excluded is the richly innervated microcirculation that may have a significant influence on the vasomotor response to a hypovolemic challenge. Therefore the time required for the blood to travel from the PPG to the microvasculature (VTT_m) under a laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) would provide …

Choosing To Achieve: Same Domain Affirmations And Academic Achievement, David E. Myles

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

CHOOSING TO ACHIEVE: SAME DOMAIN AFFIRMATIONS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. David E. Myles and Forrester Lee., MD. Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. Investigators have observed decrements in the inter-ethnic disparity in academic achievement among middle-school students as a result of self-affirming manipulations. In the current study the tested hypothesis is that students who are African-American will: 1. choose to self-affirm in the domain of academics; and 2. be observed to earn a higher grade-point average (GPA) as a result of such self-affirmations. Self-affirmations made in the same domain as that of the dependent variable …

Care, Culture, And Education Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Care And Culture: Implications For Practice, Pauline Rita Wright

Educational Studies Dissertations

Today's nurses work and live in a multicultural society where they encounter patients whose backgrounds are different from theirs, and who need care from nurses who are both proficient in their work and knowledgeable about the role that culture plays in patient treatment. In this study, 45 student nurses enrolled in a baccalaureate program at a northeastern urban college completed a survey about their perceptions of care and culture including their relevance and application to the practice of nursing. Findings based on qualitative analyses indicated that parents and family were instrumental in students' learning about care and a combination of …

Three Dimensional Printing: Modern Medical Applications, Devin Peek, Elizabeth Stark

Graphic Communication

3-D printing is an additive printing process based on inkjet printing principles. Using this technology, a variety of materials can be used to create a three-dimensional product. Currently this technology is expensive, however it is slowly becoming more affordable. 3-D printing has the potential to change the future of medical model production and prototyping, due to the beneficial products it can produce. The objective of this research study is to discover the technological advancements in 3-D printing that could greatly affect several aspects of the medical industry. The areas discussed include high-risk surgery, dentistry, and prosthetics. After conducting six interviews …

Overexpression Of Garp2 Increases Phototransduction Gain., Shanta Sarfare

All ETDs from UAB

The cGMP-gated cation channel (CNG) in the rod photoreceptors is an essential component of phototransduction, and may have a role in maintaining structural integrity of the rod outer segment (ROS). The ß-subunit of the CNG channel (CNGB1) in the rod photoreceptors is comprised of an N-terminal glutamic acid-rich region (GARP') and a C-terminal channel-like region. Additionally, two soluble proteins GARP1 and GARP2 are alternatively spliced from the CNGB1 gene. Although GARPs are known to interact with other proteins in the rod photoreceptors, their role is currently unknown. To determine the role of GARP2 in the rod photoreceptors, we generated transgenic …

Investigation Of Residues Of The Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Nucleocapsid Protein That Affect Transcription And Rna Replication, Djamila Harouaka

All ETDs from UAB

The template for transcription and RNA replication for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and other negative-strand RNA viruses is a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex consisting of the viral RNA genome and associated nucleocapsid (N) protein. The structure of the RNP-like complex of VSV showed that the RNA is sequestered between two lobes of the N protein, and adjacent N monomers are linked by an extensive network of interactions. Long-range interactions mediated by the N-terminal arm and C-terminal loop of the N protein stabilize the side-to-side contacts between adjacent N monomers, and are required for RNA encapsidation. It is unclear how the polymerase …

Cardiometabolic Risk And Risk Perception Among Oklahoma American Indian Women With Previous Gestational Diabetes, Emily Jean Jones

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one killer of women in the United States (US). Increasing rates of CVD have been associated with the epidemic rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the US. Minority women, particularly American Indian women, experience a greater burden of health risk factors and significant disparities in health status related to CVD and T2DM. Furthermore, women who have had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy are at greater risk for these diseases than women who have not had GDM. However, these women often do not perceive themselves to be at risk, or, if …

The Role Of Wnt5a In Mammary Gland Development, Sarah Baxley

All ETDs from UAB

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) negatively regulates mammary gland development and requires Wnt5a to exert some of these effects on mammary gland development. Wnt5a is a non-canonical signaling Wnt that is expressed in all stages of mammary gland development except lactation. Using slow release pellets containing Wnt5a, as well as Wnt5a null tissue, we previously showed that Wnt5a also acts to limit mammary development. Initial studies revealed a potential role for TGF-beta and Wnt5a in regulating mammary gland progenitor cells, indicating they may act to regulate the stem and progenitor cell population. In order to study the role of Wnt5a on …

Pneumococcal Vaccine Response And Aging In Human, Saeyoung Park

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen, especially for young children and older adults. To protect from pneumococcal diseases, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) has been used clinically since 1983. However, PPV23 is not so effective among old adults with its protective efficacy diminishing with age. We confirmed that young and old adults, who were immunized with PPV23, have comparable pneumococcal polysaccharide (PS) specific IgG levels. Interestingly, we found that old adults had lower IgA and IgM antibody levels than young adults for three serotypes (serotype 14, 18C and 23F). Consistent with the previous results, opsonic capacities of immune sera …

A Single Case Study Of A Three Year Coordinated School Health Program At A Rural North Mississippi Elementary School, Sandra Lena Howell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The single case study presents the story of the implementation of a three year Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) at a rural North Mississippi school. The school was recognized by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Healthy Schools, as one of ten selected model Mississippi healthy schools. An awarded grant of one hundred thousand dollars funded the implementation of the CSHP over a three year period. The study examined the impact of the CSHP on the students, staff, and personnel. Two types of data were collected and analyzed including archived documents and interviews conducted with five members of the …

Digital Human Models Of People With Disabilities, Ron Hamameh

Wayne State University Theses

The current state-of-the-art in Digital Human Modeling (DHM) allows for full simulation and analysis of any task a person is required to perform at home, at work, in the military, in space, in sports, etc. The problem is that the software is missing a very important population: people with physical disabilities. What modifications and enhancements must be made to existing, commercially available DHM software to include this population?

Patients Safety Culture: A Baseline Assessment Of Nurses' Perceptions In A Saudi Arabia Hospital, Ahmad E. Aboshaiqah

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

PATIENT SAFETY CULTURE: A BASELINE ASSESSMENT OF NURSES' PERCEPTIONS IN A SAUDI ARABIA HOSPITAL

by

AHMAD E. ABOSHAIQAH

May 2010

Advisor: Dr. Stephen J. Cavanagh

Major: Nursing

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Patient safety (the avoidance and prevention of patient injuries or adverse events resulting from the processes of health care delivery) has become a major academic and public concern in healthcare. In order to promote and sustain a culture of safety in a healthcare organization, healthcare professionals stress the need to understand both individual and system contributions to error events. However, in Saudi Arabia, little is known about nurses' …

A Vignette Study Examining The Accuracy Of Diagnosis: The Role Of Patient And Practitioner Gender And Race Match, Kevin Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DIAGNOSING MENTAL ILLNESS

By

KEVIN JOHNSON

2010

Advisor: Dr. Janet R. Hankin

Major: Medical Sociology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology

A convenience snowball sample of 228 mental health practitioners were surveyed and administered two vignettes of persons with mental illness and a 12-question survey that included occupational background and attitudinal questions about diagnosing mental illness. The gender and race of the patients were randomly altered, while the symptoms and characteristics of mental illness remained constant for each vignette. Each practitioner assigned a DSM-IV diagnostic label for axis I and axis II on both vignettes. The surveys were coded …

The Adl Of Sexuality: A Guide For Occupational Therapists For Elderly Clients, Autumn Edmundson, Amber Lafrenz

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a guide that would address the assessments, treatment/interventions, and discharge planning process regarding sexual health/sexuality with an elderly client. Through the use of the guide and accompanying resources it is assumed that occupational therapists will have an increased level of comfort, knowledge, and competence. This is important as Couloumbis and Miller (1994) study indicated that occupational therapists that received formal education (academically or clinical practice) addressed sexuality in the elderly 27.8% more than occupational therapists who did not have any educational experience.

Methodology: An in depth literature review was conducted …

The Contribution Of Nmda Receptors Within The Central Nucleus Of The Amygdala To The Suppression Of Pain Affect, Catherine Ann Spuz

Wayne State University Dissertations

The amygdala processes stimuli that threaten an individual and organizes the execution of affective behaviors designed to cope with the threat. The prototypical threat to an individual is exposure to a noxious stimulus. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) receives nociceptive afferents and exhibits neuronal activation in response to noxious peripheral stimulation. NMDA receptors within CeA mediate this noxious-evoked neural excitation, and previous studies in the laboratory have shown that blockade of CeA NMDA receptors via the antagonist APV elevates the threshold for noxious tail-shock-induced vocalization afterdischarges (VADs), a validated measure of pain affect in the rat. The present …

Application Of Magnetic Resonance Imaging To Understanding The Pathogenesis Of The X-Linked Leukodystrophy Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, Jeremy Jerome Laukka

Wayne State University Dissertations

Myelin is a multilamellar membrane structure surrounding axons in both the CNS and PNS that facilitates nerve conduction. In the CNS, myelin is synthesized by oligodendrocytes, while in the PNS, myelin is synthesized by Schwann cells. In the CNS, Proteolipid protein 1 (PLP1), an integral membrane protein, is the major protein component of myelin, constituting ~50% of myelin protein. Mutations of the PLP1 gene in man cause a spectrum of neurological disease, ranging from the severe Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), that typically begins during infancy with nystagmus, seizures and hypotonia and evolves into spastic quadriparesis, cognitive impairment and ataxia, to ¡¥pure¡¦ …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Bookings In Sibley County Jail Between January 1, 2008 And December 31, 2009, Deanna Aufderheide

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Each year approximately 12 million admissions and releases occur in U.S. jails (Solomon, A. L., Osborne, J. W. L, LoBuglio, S. F., Mellow, J., & Mukamal, D. A.). Those that cycle in and out of jail often times are unstable. These instabilities include: substance abuse, lack of housing and employment, mental illness, and health concerns. More than 80 percent of offenders are incarcerated for less than one month; some for a few hours or a few days (Solomon, et. al.). This concern was identified by the Public Health Nurse (PHN) who has seen the same offenders being booked in, time …

Innovative Mental Health Services In Rural Minnesota: Community-Based Mobile Crisis Response Services, Rebecca A. Zuehlke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project was to explore the relationship between the frequency of service utilization of the Community-based Mobile Crisis Response Services (MCR) provided by the Southwestern Mental Health Center (SWMHC) and the frequency of service utilization of emergency holds and civil commitments in Jackson and Cottonwood counties by month for the 2009 calendar year.

The specific research question proposed was: Is there a relationship between the frequency of Community-Based Mobile Crisis Response Services and the frequency of emergency holds and civil commitments in Jackson and Cottonwood Counties?

The significance of this research project was to explore statistically …

Independent Living Outcomes Evaluation Project, Craig J. Padgett

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project developed specific examples of skills and resources for three example categories of ILST and developed recommendations for enhancing the creation of goals. It was important to develop indicators into a tiered structure for reinforcing those skills and resources into knowledge through an added educational component. Methodology was developed and necessary instrumentation and processes were designed for implementation. And, an informed consent was designed for any organization providing Independent Living Skills Training (ILST).

Safety Assessment For Tipranavir : A Protease Inhibitor Treatment For Hiv Infected Adults, Jaromir Mikl

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Dose-limiting adverse events associated with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) generally include gastro-intestinal (GI) issues such as vomiting and nausea. However, serious adverse events (SAEs) do occur, the most frequent of which include liver toxicities and renal impairment as well as recent evidence of cardio-vascular disease (CVD) risk.

Respondent Driven Sampling : Feasibility, Validation And Its Potential Use For Estimating Health Indicators For Large General Populations, Robin Lee

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

BACKGROUND: Researchers use many methods to collect population-based health indicator data. Random digit dial (RDD) is one frequently used method; however decreasing sample coverage and non-response bias have researchers searching for alternative methods. We hypothesize that respondent driven sampling (RDS) is a cost effective alternative. In accordance with this hypothesis we propose three objectives: 1) assess the mechanics, feasibility, and representativeness of RDS in producing valid estimates of health indicator data; 2) evaluate the feasibility in using RDS in comparison to RDD to collect health indicator data from a general population; and 3) report on data collected using RDS, specifically …

Dependability And Accuracy Of Clinical Performance In Nursing Examination Scores, Laurie Vanessa Nagelsmith

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study is to determine the dependability and accuracy of Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination (CPNE®) scores obtained from trained raters. Intraclass correlations were calculated to estimate interrater agreement. Accuracy of scores was determined by identifying percent accuracy for each scored element. Generalizability (G) coefficients were calculated to estimate sources of variance in CPNE scores. The population for the study is adjunct faculty at Excelsior College who agreed to participate in the study and are clinical examiners trained as raters for the CPNE

The Utility Of The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System In Testing Quality Of Life Theory : An Evaluation Using Structural Equation Modeling, Evelyn Marie Kintner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study is a secondary data analysis that uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the utility of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)--the Centers for Disease Control's premier surveillance tool for monitoring behavioral risk factors--in predicting health related quality of life (HRQoL). Employing the statistical package SPSS/AMOS (version 7), the study utilizes New York State data extracted from the 2007 BRFSS national dataset to assess how well the observed pattern of variances and covariances of the state level data fit with a well-known HRQoL model developed by Wilson and Cleary (1995). Interaction effects are examined, utilizing a multigroup …

Effect Of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids On Murine Thymocytes, Aparna Prasad

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Several reports suggest that the relative beneficial effect of consumption of omega-3 as

Application Of X-Ray Diffraction To Material Analysis And Medical Imaging, Wei Zhou

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Powder diffraction is commonly used to determine the structures of both inorganic and organic materials. The angle and intensity of the diffraction (also called coherent scatter) peak depends on the nanostructure of the material. When no x-ray optic is used, the peak width broadens, and hence the resolution worsens, as the sample area is increased. However, a small sample area gives low diffracted signal intensity, particularly for thin films and for organic materials, which have low diffraction cross sections. X-ray optics can be used in x-ray powder diffraction to increase the diffraction intensity, thus decreasing exposure times. For a small …

Interventions To Modify Television Viewing Behavior Of Children : A Review, Meta-Analysis, And Key-Informant Interviews, Dayna Maureen Maniccia

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Excessive screen time and childhood obesity are two associated public health concerns. Several interventions to modify children's screen time exist. To date, no systematic review of these interventions has been conducted. This dissertation identified and summarized interventions to modify children's screen time. Suggestions for future work are provided.

The Role Of Organizational Commitment In Practitioner Implementation Of Evidence-Based Practices In Substance Abuse Treatment Settings, Irene Teresa Manfredo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Organizational commitment (OC) has been linked to different types of work-related behaviors including innovation implementation and professional behavior change but the influence of OC on technology transfer or research to practice processes is as yet unknown. Using a social exchange perspective, the study employed constructs derived from Klein & Sorra (1996) - perceived implementation climate and practitioner innovation-values fit - to understand the association between practitioner level OC and evidence-based practice implementation (EBP) in substance abuse treatment settings. Method: A secondary data analysis was conducted utilizing a 2008 cross-sectional survey of outpatient substance abuse practitioners in eastern New York State …

The Future Of The Profession Of Nursing And The Doctorate Of Nursing Practice : Challenges And Opportunities For Advanced Practice Nurses In Academia, Health Care Advocacy And Independent Practice, Arlene M. Pericak

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

your words

Prevention Of Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Infection And Hpv-Related Diseases : Barriers To Hpv Vaccine Coverage Among University Women In The U.S., And Initial Steps In Integrating Cervical Cytology Testing Into Primary Care In The Republic Of Georgia, Robert Bednarczyk

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Worldwide, cervical cancer is second only to breast cancer in incidence. Screening for pre-cancerous abnormalities can reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality, though this is not uniformly used worldwide. Recently, a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), a necessary cause of cervical cancer, was approved for preventive use in the United States.

Understanding Environmental Health Disparities Of Roma Populations In Romania, Jennifer L. Hall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Roma are the largest and most marginalized minority group of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with the highest number residing in Romania. Their problems and struggles are multi-faceted and deeply rooted in a long history of discrimination and stigmatization. Over the years, many strategies have been developed and implemented across CEE, yet very few studies have addressed their environmental and occupational health issues. Moreover, because the vast majority of these studies have employed quantitative methodology, they have had the unfortunate effect of dehumanizing and devaluing the Roma people through scientific reductionism.

The purpose of this study was to gain …