Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Comparative Investigation Of Longevity And Morbidity In Angelman Syndrome And Prader-Willi Syndrome, Allyson K. Thomson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The present study examined the life histories of individuals In Western Australia with a diagnosis of Angelman or Prader-Willi syndrome. Angelman and Prader_Willi syndrome, are phenoypically diverse disorders both of which result from the failure of imprinting at the chrl5qll-q13 locus. In most cases, loss of the maternal imprint from the region leads to Angelman syndrome, while lack of a paternal pattern results in Prader-WilIi syndrome. Between 4-14% of Angelman cases have a mutation in a single gene, UBE3A.

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of/In Transformation : An Embodied And Creative Exploration Of Therapeutic Change Through Psychophonetics Psychotherapy, Robin I. Steele

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A review of recent literature on therapeutic change reveals a growing body of research which focuses on what works from the client’s point of view in facilitating positive change. This longitudinal study addresses the need for further research into the meanings of therapeutic change itself, especially as lived from the client’s perspective.

In Search Of Possibilities : Informal Responding To Domestic Violence, Marilyn Palmer

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is based on a feminist ethnography. designed to explore how we as members of informal networks (family, social,,student/work and neighbourhood networks) can respond usefully where there is domestic violence. Here, domestic violence refers to violence against women by their intimate partners and I have filtered the various discourses which seek to explain domestic violence through the lens of a feminist ecological model. The inquiry process has been informed by a postmodem feminism. Non-foundationalist ideas about knowledge have influenced the gathering, interpretatation and representation of the research data. The ideas which emanate from the stady have been informed by …

The Changing Face Of Rural General Practice: An Ethnographic Study Of General Practitioners And Their Spouses, Angela Durey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Rural general practice is general practice at its best: a comment by one GP interviewed for this study was echoed by colleagues who viewed their work in a rural setting as challenging, diverse, rewarding and satisfying. Despite reported difficulties associated with rural general practice, many GPs argued that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Few wanted to leave. Nonetheless, too few Australian trained GPs are willing to move from cities to work in the country. Consequently, overseas trained doctors have been recruited to fill vacancies or nurses provide health services in communities unable to attract a GP.

Responding To Localised Prostate Cancer : Lifeworld Reconstruction During The First Post-Diagnostic Year, David P. Wall

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigated the experiences of men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer, as they reconstructed their lifeworlds during the first post-diagnostic year. With the exception of health related quality of life, a review of the psychosocial research literature revealed few studies that, explored the psychosocial experience of men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer. Furthermore, the review uncovered no studies that explored the process of Iifeworld reconstruction, and only three studies that considered the role of masculinity in the responses of men to the prostate cancer experience. Such a limited understanding, about the nature and process of lifeworld reconstruction, potentially compromises …

The Effects Of Combined Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation And Physical Training On Body Composition And Muscular Function In Patients With Inflammatory Myopathies, Lynda Murray

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

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Characterizing The Health Status Of The Louisiana Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus), Orlando Diaz-Figueroa

LSU Master's Theses

Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations have experienced precipitous declines from habitat loss, and human and disease related mortality. The goal of this study was to characterize the health status of free-ranging Louisiana gopher tortoises. Gopher tortoises were collected during two distinct trapping seasons: fall (August-October 2002) and spring (April-June 2003). Captured tortoises were given a physical exam and the carapace and plastron length and width, weight, and body temperature were recorded. Blood was collected from the subcarapacial vein and submitted for the following testing procedures: complete blood count, plasma chemistry, infectious disease serology (Mycoplasma), and toxicologic screen (copper, mercury, zinc, …

The Influence Of Transdermally Administered Fentanyl On Isoflurane Requirements In Normothermic And Hypothermic Dogs, Diane Wilson

LSU Master's Theses

Intraoperative reductions in serum fentanyl levels in dogs with induced moderate hypothermia and transdermal fentanyl patches (TDF) in place has been documented. The impact of such reductions has not been evaluated nor has the anesthetic sparing effect of the TDF. Reductions in serum levels may be the result of either a decreased uptake of fentanyl from the dermal depot, or a biophase shift. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane was altered in the presence of TDF in normothermic and hypothermic dogs. Six mature, healthy, mixed breed dogs were anesthetized on …

Evaluation Of Helicobacter Hepaticus Bacterial Shedding In Fostered And Strategically Housed C57bl/6 Mice, J. Robin Crisler Roberts

LSU Master's Theses

The murine pathogen Helicobacter hepaticus has important confounding effects on research. Neonatal fostering has been studied in our laboratory for elimination of infection in mice. The purpose of our study was to examine fostering of pups from experimentally infected dams in male-absent parturition, and to determine the significance of gender and time on quantity of bacterial colonization in the cecum and feces of C57BL/6 mice. Approximately 20 C57BL/6 mice were fostered per day from one to four days of age. None of the C57BL/6 pups tested positive by PCR in fecal or cecal samples through four days of age. This …

Urokinase And Urokinase Receptor In The Urinary Tract Of The Dog, Trina Racquel Bailey

LSU Master's Theses

Urokinase (uPA) and urokinase receptor (uPAR) are present in the urinary tract of people, mice, rats and cows. The presence of urokinase and urokinase receptor in the urinary tract of dogs has not been documented. Documenting the presence of uPA and uPAR in the urinary tract of healthy dogs will help determine the role these proteins play in pathology of the urinary tract in further research. Urine was collected from fifty-four healthy dogs. A fluorescence assay was developed using the fluorogenic substrate Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-AMC, HCl. This assay documented presence of active uPA-like protein in concentrated urine. A direct sandwich ELISA assay …

Matrix Metalloproteinase 3, Matrix Metalloproteinase 13, And Tissue Inhibitor Of Metalloproteinase 1 Concentrations In Normal And Naturally-Occurring Osteoarthritic Canine Stifles, Blaine Allen Burkert

LSU Master's Theses

Osteoarthritis is arguably the most common ailment in both dogs and people in the developed World. Treatment for osteoarthritis is currently symptomatic. Development of therapies designed at stopping the progression of osteoarthritis, require a method of evaluating efficacy. Objective analysis by measuring joint metabolism via clinical trials of the cross-over design is currently not possible with the methods utilized. Extracellular matrix degradation is a hallmark of osteoarthritis. The matrix metalloproteinases are major degradative enzymes. There are currently no commercially available assays to measure canine matrix metalloproteinases. Human and canine matrix metalloproteinases are highly homologous. The use of antibodies and assays …

Cytokines And Aeroallergens In The Pathogenesis Of Summer-Pasture Associated Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Effects On Endothelin Production, Neutrophil Activation And Chemotaxis, Lais Rosa Rodrigues Costa

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD), a naturally occurring airway disease of horses, is characterized by clinical exacerbation associated with exposure to pasture environment during the summer. Aeroallergens are believed to trigger exacerbation of SPAOPD, cytokines are likely associated with the anamnestic response to aeroallergens, and endothelin (ET)-1 is a potential mediator of airway obstruction. The goal of this dissertation was to describe and explore the interaction of aeroallergens triggering inflammation and T lymphocytes cytokine profile with the recruitment and activation of neutrophils and synthesis of ET-1 by mononuclear leukocytes and airway epithelial cells. The temporal pattern of clinical exacerbation …

The Role Of Heparanase In Malignant Melanoma And The Development Of A Brain Slice Model To Study Mechanisms Of Brain Metastatic Melanoma In Vivo, Brian Paul Murry

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis focuses on the study of heparanase which is an enzyme involved as a molecular determinant of cancer metastasis. The purpose of this study was to first quantitate heparanase mRNA levels in both normal and tumorigenic samples from the same tissue specimen. Laser capture microdissection was used in the isolation and extraction of melanoma cell populations from normal tissue. There was a 29 fold upregulation of heparanase expression, detected by real-time PCR, in metastatic melanoma of the lung in comparison to normal lung tissue in mice. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed stronger staining in human metastatic melanoma when compared to primary …

Voluntary Exercise In The C57b1/6j Mouse: Phenotypic Effects Of Varying Dietary Fat Levels And Hippocampal Gene Expression Differences Between High-Level And Low-Level Exercisers, Leslie Debardeleben Mclaughlin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The drive to exercise voluntarily likely results from complex interactions between genes in many organ systems and various psychological parameters, such as motivation and the perception of fatigue. Reproducible variations in exercise intensity and duration are well established in laboratory rodents, but the genes responsible remain largely unknown. Also, to date, studies addressing the adaptive changes to exercise that might prevent dietary-induced obesity have focused primarily on energy intake and nutrient oxidation/partitioning, as opposed to genetics. We hypothesize that increased voluntary physical activity may be a normal mechanism in certain rodent strains to deter dietary-induced obesity and that in an …

Genetics And Functions Of The Sars Coronavirus Spike Protein, Chad Michael Petit

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The SARS-Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is the etiological agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The SARS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein mediates membrane fusion events during virus entry and virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion. Investigations, described herein, have focused on the genetic manipulation of the SARS-CoV S glycoprotein in order to delineate functional domains within the protein. This was accomplished by incorporating single point mutations, cluster-to-lysine and cluster-to-alanine mutations, as well as carboxyl terminal truncations into the protein and investigating these mutants in transient expression experiments. Mutagenesis of either the coiled-coil domain of the S glycoprotein amino terminal heptad repeat, the predicted fusion peptide, …

The Role Of Urease In The Pathogenesis Of Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Natha Joy Booth

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An Edwardsiella ictaluri strain with disruption of ureG was identified through the use of signature tagged insertion mutagenesis as being attenuated for virulence in the channel catfish host. Sequencing of the flanking regions surrounding the insert showed that the gene was part of a urease gene complex that included ureE, ureF, ureG, ureD, ureI, and an ammonium transporter homologue. The ureG gene encodes a GTP-binding accessory protein which is thought to function in energy-dependent urease assembly. The ureG mutant strain was found to be attenuated for mortality, persistence, and for the ability to establish infection in a competition challenge during …

Neural Stem Cells As A Delivery Vector For Chemokine Expression In The Central Nervous System, Mark Winston Stalder

LSU Master's Theses

Increased expression of cytokines and chemokines in the central nervous system (CNS) is closely associated with the development of retroviral-induced neurological diseases such as HIV-associated dementia, as well as other neuropathologies such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. The specific functions of many of these pro-inflammatory factors have yet to be elucidated in the disease process, and it is unclear whether the nature of their effects is protective, pathogenic, or both. Additionally, current models of chemokine function have inherent limitations, with direct injection resulting in a brief response that doesn’t accurately represent the effects of chronic production, and transgenic mice …

Post-Breeding Endometritis After Low Dose Insemination In The Mare, Marí­A Soledad Ferrer

LSU Master's Theses

Hysteroscopic insemination in mares with delayed uterine clearance (DUC mares) is controversial. While some authors proposed that insemination with a reduced volume and number of spermatozoa may reduce post-mating endometritis, others proposed that the hysteroscopic procedure is inflammatory and should not be used in DUC mares. The overall objectives of this study were to evaluate the incidence and severity of post-mating endometritis in reproductively normal and DUC mares after hysteroscopic insemination at the uterotubal junction, and to determine if hysteroscopic insemination could be used in DUC mares to reduce post-mating endometritis. The mares were classified as normal or DUC based …

Fibromyalgia And Bladder Irritability, Carolyn K. Brand

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Urinary tract sensory symptoms provide an additional symptomatic burden for women with fibromyalgia. The urogenital symptoms of both fibromyalgia and interstitial cystitis have been described as non-infective sensory disorders, suggesting the existence of substantial clinical overlap between the two conditions. Research suggests that although interstitial cystitis has been treated as a specific bladder condition, it may be part of the disorder of central processing of sensory information as seen in fibromyalgia.

The interstitial cystitis symptom index and problem index (ICSI/ICPI) have been used to measure lower urinary tract symptoms and to examine the impact of these symptoms in patients with …

Implementing Best Practice Protocols For Occupational Hygiene Monitoring, Hayden Wing

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis outlines the results of an occupational hygiene monitoring program implemented at Minara Resources' Murrin Murrin mine site. The research was conducted as part of a collaborative agreement between Edith Cowan University and Minara Resources, the title of which was "Establishing best practice protocols in the management of occupational and environmental health in a high risk mining and ore processing environment". To form the basis of this research it was hypothesised that chemical hazards had not been adequately identified, that existing occupational hygiene monitoring programs did not adequately quantify employee exposures to these hazards, and that the implementation of …

Nurses' Perceptions Of The Pharmacological Management Of Acute Pain Experienced By Patients Hospitalised In The General Ward Setting, Susan Slatyer

Theses : Honours

This study explored and described the experiences and perceptions of nurses managing acute pain in a Western Australian public hospital. The focus was nurses practising in the general ward setting and using current prescribing guidelines. The aim of this research was to explore nurses' attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about pain and pain pharmacology and how this practice setting influences efficient pain management. Qualitative methodology was selected for its ability to explore complex issues in order to build nursing knowledge and guide nursing practice. This study used a descriptive, exploratory design based on a phenomenological approach. The sample comprised ten Registered …

A Descriptive Study Of Ethical Procedures That Maintain Cultural Security When Conducting Health Research With Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander School Children In Western Australia, Dionne Paki

Theses : Honours

Cultural security is the maintenance of values and beliefs and the celebration of diversity unique to different cultures. This honours thesis developed a proposed framework to guide collaborative ethics procedures that demonstrate the Aboriginal values relevant to health research for use in Western Australia (WA). These values of reciprocity, respect, equality, responsibility, survival and protection, and spirit and integrity have been identified in the National Health and Medical Research Council's Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. Ethical procedures for maintaining cultural security when conducting health research among Aboriginal people throughout Australia …

Palliative Care Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Management Of The Psychosocial And Spiritual Pain Experienced By Their Clients In The Home Hospice Setting, Laurence Vogler

Theses : Honours

Pain, in palliative care clients, consists of more than just a physical manifestation of their condition. Pain can be experienced on a psychological or emotional level, a psychosocial level or even at a spiritual level. It is widely accepted that nurses in the palliative care setting manage well the physical issues that their clients have, but perceptions can vary on their management of the "non - physical" pain experienced by their clients. This study provided an opportunity for palliative care nurses to describe their perceptions of their management of the psychosocial and spiritual pain experienced by their clients in the …

Healthcare Practitioners' Perspectives On The Use Of E-Health Applications To Support Overweight And Obese Adolescents, Rachel J. Mahncke

Theses : Honours

The aim of this research was to investigate, from an Australian healthcare practitioners' perspective, whether online and e-health applications could provide support for and be beneficial to overweight and obese adolescents. This research has investigated whether diet and exercise related environmental causes of obesity could be positively affected by using e-health applications to re-educate adolescents about healthy eating and exercise behaviours the research identified what online and electronic resources healthcare practitioners' recommended to their patients, in order to understand how information systems· solutions could better assist these patients in achieving healthier lifestyle outcomes. Additionally, the research investigated what content, features …

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 …

Dose-Dependent Effects Of Salmon Calcitonin On Bone Turnover In Ovariectomized Rats., Beatrice H. Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, osteoporosis results in about 1.5 million annual fractures, costing approximately $15 billion. Calcitonin is safe and effective in slowing osteoporotic bone loss, but its effect is transient. The current studies were designed to explore the dose-dependent effects of salmon calcitonin on bone turnover in ovariectomized rats and to determine if the decrease in therapeutic effectiveness of calcitonin demonstrated over time with higher doses is due to oversuppression of bone turnover. Doses of 5, 15, & 50 IU/kg BW/day of calcitonin were compared to placebo in 12-week-old ovariectomized and sham-ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats for 24 weeks. The spinal …

Access To Care: A Hospice Model Of Access To Care For The Homeless, Mary Ann Bridget Kinney

Theses and Graduate Projects

Access to Hospice for the terminally ill patient is a monumental problem for the disenfranchised person. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) in Washington D.C. there is an estimate of 3.5 million people who experience homelessness in a year (2003). The homeless face many health care service gaps including the vital service of end- of- life nursing care, which allows for death with dignity. The following paper will discuss the author's experience with the homeless, the need of access to Hospice Care for the homeless, and a review of literature regarding access to Hospice for the homeless. …

Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy And Attitude: Examining The Influence Ofthe Omaha System In Nurse Managed Centers, Cherie Mooy

Master's Projects

Self-efficacy, or confidence, as an outcome behavior has been identified as influencing nursing job satisfaction and retention. Clinical learning environments and teaching strategies that build and support perceived self-efficacy are critical aspects of preparing new nurses for their entry and continuing role as professional nurses in today's information-intensive data-management healthcare environment. The purpose of this pre-test post-test study is to measure, using the C-scale (Grundy, 1992), nursing students' self-efficacy to perform patient assessment in Nurse Managed Centers (NMC) after one semester of using the Omaha System documentation framework. Nursing students' attitudes of preparation for using Standardized Nursing Languages (SNL) in …

The Influence Of Performance Success, Skill Level, And Gender On The Causal Attributions Of Recreational Golfers, Kevin W. Mchenry

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of performance success, skill level, and gender on the causal attributions made by recreational golfers. Skill level was determined by handicap, and performance success was the golfer’s estimation of whether the particular round of golf was successful or unsuccessful. It was hypothesized that the causal attributions that recreational golfers made would be more internal, stable, and personally controllable after a successful performance than after an unsuccessful performance. Male and female golfers (N=101), from age 19 to 73, with an average age of 39, playing recreationally completed the Causal Dimension Scale-ll …