Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Professionally-Facilitated Group Support On Psychological Well-Being Among Clients With Cancer, Joann C. Harper Phd, Ms, Rn

Dissertations

Many persons suffer from cancer, some of whom seek psychological relief through group support. Despite the widely held belief that group support helps, its efficacy has not been consistently evident in the scientific literature. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of professionally-facilitated group support on the psychological well-being of clients with cancer between persons who participated in professionally-facilitated group support with those who did not. A comparison design measured effect by the Psychological General Well-Being (PGWB) index. Each study enrollee was diagnosed with a new or recurrent cancer within 18 months of study entry. ANCOVA was …

Synergistic Interactions Of Chlorambucil, Dha, And Trail In Jurkat And H460 Human Cancer Cells, Jennifer Ellen Bush-O'Donnell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs are prone to toxicity and may result in secondary cancers. In recent years much attention has been garnered by alternate methods of cancer treatment with fewer side effects, including immunotherapy and administration of ω-3 fatty acids, both of which have been shown to cause apoptosis in cancer cells. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a fatty acid, is a normal component of cell membranes and is safe for systemic administration. The cytokine TRAIL (tumor necrosis factorrelated apoptosis-inducing ligand) is able to induce apoptosis in cancer cells while sparing normal tissue. In this study, the alkylating agent chlorambucil (CLB) was combined …

Patients’ Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors In An Emergency Department, Lynn Kimble

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine which caring behaviors of the nurse do patients’ perceive as being the most and the least important, (b) examine patients’ perceptions of nurse caring behaviors in relationship to their age and perception of illness; and (c) compare and contrast responses between patients and parents of children who are patients. Data for this questionnaire (N = 59) were collected over a two-month period at a not-for-profit, teaching hospital, which specializes in the care of women and children in an Appalachian state located in the southeastern United States. The Caring Behaviors Assessment instrument …

Correlation Between Time To Peak Torque And Peak Torque To Vertical Jump In College Age Athletes, Craig Adam Kowalski

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The vertical jump is an essential part of athletics to gain an advantage over the opponent. Isokinetic testing provides quantitative data to determine power and how fast power or peak torque is achieved. In this study, after 20 NCAA Div. II athletes were measured for three trials of maximal vertical jump, they completed an isokinetic test of knee extension at speeds of 60, 180, and 300°/sec. The results showed a significant correlation (p<0.05) between peak torque at a speed of 300°/sec and vertical jump p<=0.019. As a result of this study it was found that the vertical jump test is a test of muscle power generated by the quadriceps muscle group, and relates to peak torque values documented by isokinetic testing at 300°/sec of knee extension.

Parental Satisfaction In A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Victoria S. Koontz

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify if the factors which indicate parental satisfaction of parents who have children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) were being attained. The research questions were: 1) Was there a relationship between healthcare environment and parent satisfaction; 2) Was there a relationship between patient care and parent satisfaction; 3) Was there a relationship between communication and parent satisfaction? Parental satisfaction will be defined as meeting the parent’s perceived needs of the child and family during admission to the PICU (McPherson, 1999). This study used McPherson’s Parental Satisfaction Survey (PSS). The …

Current Trends In Athletic Training Education And Certification In Japan, Yuriko Ohashi

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Athletic trainer is a well-established profession in the U.S., but its definition is unclear in Japan because of no certification until recently. Japan Amateur Sports Association (JASA) has started in curriculum to prepare, educate and certify athletic trainers since 1994. This study researched the current trends in athletic training education and certification in Japan. It defines the historical and present athletic training situation, and clarifies education and certification with questionnaires. Questionnaires were sent to 43 sports medicine professors at JASA athletic trainer accredited and non-accredited program schools, and 26 (61%) responses were returned. The current problems include lack of clinical …

Detection Of Forces And Body Load In Standing And Walking In The American Cockroach, J. Adam Noah

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Sense organs in the legs that detect body weight are an important component in the regulation of posture and locomotion. This thesis seeks to gain an understanding of how body weight is detected by sense organs of the legs, and determine how this information influences muscle activities in standing and walking. The first study tested the ability of tibial campaniform sensilla (receptors that monitor forces in the cockroach leg) to encode variations in body load using magnets attached to the thorax. Recordings of sensory activities in freely standing animals showed that proximal tibial sensilla (oriented perpendicular to the leg long …

Phosphoproteomic Studies Of Smooth Muscle Contraction: Investigation Of Differential Phosphorylation In Relaxed/Contracted Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Tissue Using Maldi-Tof Ms, Tonya M. Pekar

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many human disorders are associated with the malfunction of smooth muscle tissue, or are related to the capabilities of its proper function—asthma, glaucoma, renal inefficiency, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Dysfunctional proteins are frequently implicated as the source of such disorders. As the second highest cause of death in the United States, the epidemic of cardiovascular disease makes the study of smooth muscle of utmost concern.

The capabilities of proteomics and mass spectrometry allow the entire proteome complement of a cell or tissue type to be analyzed at once. This investigation employs such techniques in an effort to better understand the …

Utilization Of Emergency Policies And Procedures By Division I-A And Division I-Aa Intercollegiate Athletic Programs, Brandy A. Petty

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The need for an established emergency policy and procedures plan in the college and university setting has been confirmed by various organizations such as: National Safety Council (NSC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The duty of these emergency policies and procedures is twofold. The first is to provide immediate care to student-athletes in an emergency situation. The second purpose is to avoid liability issues that may arise following an emergency situation. The premise behind the establishment and …

The Neural Connectivity Of The Torus Semicircularis In The Cave Dwelling Form Of Astyanax Fasciatus, Timothy B. Angel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Afferent projections of the torus semicircularis were traced in the blind cave form of Astyanax fasciatus using HRP tract-tracing techniques, and the results were compared to those found in previous studies of closely related sighted teleosts.

Following unilateral injections of tracer to the nucleus centralis of the torus semicircularis, retrogradely labeled cells were found in two octaval nuclei of the medulla. The descending octavolateralis nucleus was labeled bilaterally and the anterior octaval nucleus was labeled primarily on the ipsilateral side. Both the descending and anterior octavolateralis nuclei are known to receive auditory input from CN VIII in sighted fish. In …

The Characterization Of Two Differentially Expressed Plasma Proteins In Obese Versus Lean Rats In Two Rodent Models Of Obesity, Roger D. Boggs

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Zucker fa and La/N faf rats are widely studied models of genetic obesity and its complications. These two rodent models of obesity were utilized to search for a circulating protein marker for obesity. Plasma samples from both of these models of obesity were collected and analyzed via SDS-PAGE analysis. Two proteins were found which demonstrate differential expression between lean and obese rats. Both proteins demonstrated increased expression in the obese rats compared to the lean. One differentially expressed protein migrated on SDS-PAGE gels at 116 KD while the second migrated at 22 KD compared to molecular weight markers. The 22 …

Expanding Self-Direction In Services For The Aged And People With Disabilities, Ruth A. Burgess

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Medicaid-funded long-term care services are traditionally delivered in nursing homes. States may apply for waivers which allow them to provide home and community based services with Medicaid funds. Because these services are by definition an alternative to nursing home care, waiver services are generally based upon a medical model which emphasizes medical deficits and tends to restrict consumers’ movements to inside the home. Recent developments such as the Olmstead Decision and federal New Freedom Initiatives have caused states to recognize that consumers desire and have a legal right to be part of a community rather than institutionalized or homebound. These …

A Rural Hospital's Organ Donation Referral Pattern : A Pilot Study, Chris F. Carter

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

It is unclear if hospitals correctly refer all potential organ donors to Organ Procurement Organizations. Unidentified or mis-referred patients may be present in rural acute care Appalachian hospitals. A one-year nonexperimental retrospective descriptive study was used to review medical records in one rural Appalachian hospital. Data from the chart review indicated that of the total (n = 34) patients, sixty-eight percent (n = 23) were properly referred as cardiac standstill and six percent (n = 2) were properly reported as brain dead. However, nine percent (n = 3) were not referred to the OPO (unidentified). Eighteen percent (n = 6) …

A Mechanistic Study In The Nephrotoxicity Of P-Aminophenol, R. Christopher Harmon

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The acetaminophen metabolite, p-aminophenol (PAP), is a known nephrotoxicant. The current study is directed at understanding the mechanism of this nephrotoxicity. Renal cortical slices isolated from F344 rats were incubated with 0 – 0.5 mM PAP with or without pretreatments. Renal slices exposed to PAP showed toxicity as measured by increased lactate dehydrogenase leakage (LDH), decreased pyruvate-stimulated gluconeogenesis, and decreased total adenine nucleotides. There was, however, an increase in ATP as percent of total, implying maintained mitochondrial function. These data show that PAP is directly toxic to renal cortical slices. Pretreatment with EDTA or EGTA provided protection from PAP- induced …

Cognitive Therapy Protocol For Dementia Management, Dani Maul

Occupational Therapy Capstones

No abstract provided.

Factors In Older Adults' Resistance To Substance Abuse Treatment, Donnie Redl

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that cause resistance in older adults to participation in substance abuse treatment programs.

Identification Of The Spiritual Nursing Care Practices Of Volunteer Parish Nurses, Lynne Denise Roy

Theses Digitization Project

Parish nursing, a specialty nursing practice which includes the spiritual component of integration of faith and health, has been growing rapidly over the last decade. Standards of Parish Nursing Practice developed in 1998 are consistent with the nursing process and include the spiritual dimension.

Development Of Education Curriculum And Standards Of Practice For The Management Of Acute Confusion Syndrome/Delirium Among Hospitalized Patients, Nora Nurten Moti

Theses Digitization Project

The primary objective of this project is the development and implementation of an educational program for the staff nurses for the effective management of Acute Confusion (AC), Delirium among hospitalized patients at Kaiser Hospital in Fontana.

Perceived Effects Of A Substance Abuse Prevention Science Program Among Fourth And Fifth Grade Children: A Qualitative Study, Sarah Morgando Palmer, Tracy Lee Inman

Theses Digitization Project

This project explores the perceptions of fourth and fifth grade students who participated in a substance abuse prevention program. Risk and protective factors are presented to assist the reader in understanding this project.

The Impact Of Asthma Self-Management Education Programs On The Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis (Systemic Review) Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Surender Gaddam

Theses Digitization Project

An attempt has been made in this study to critically appraise, systematically review and gather together the results obtained in individual trials and examine the strength of evidence supporting the component for Education for a Partnership in Asthma Care of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) to test whether health outcomes are influenced by education and self-management programs.

The Effect Of Backpack Weight On The Height Of Middle School Students, Barbara Dixon Shuman

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this study investigates the effect backpack weight has on the height of middle school students. It provides data about the effects of backpack weight on height that has not previously been determined. This study aims to contribute information to a growing body of evidence which supports the limitation of backpack weight for children to be no more than 10% of body weight.

Childhood Overweight And Childhood Obesity In Fifth Graders At Granite Hill Elementary School, Deborah Ann Toten

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to determine if the students in the 5th grade class at Granite Hill Elementary were overweight or obese. The research questions included: (a) Does the Granite Hill Elementary School population mirror the world wide trend of increasing childhood overweight and childhood obesity, and (b) how does the Granite Hill Elementary School population compare to the International Obesity Task Force standards?

Day Treatment Programs For Adults With Severe And Persistent Mental Illness: Effectiveness Measured In Rates Of Recidivism, Pamela Jo' Gatfield

Theses Digitization Project

This study measured the effectiveness of rehabilitative day treatment (RDT) programs for persons with severe and persistant mental illness in San Bernardino County. The effectiveness of RDT services was determined by rates of recidivism.

A Process Evaluation Of The Riverside County Dependency Recovery Drug Court, Philip Marshall Breitenbucher, Sean Collins Sullivan

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the implementation of the "Key Components" as identified by the Department of Justice (1998) into the Riverside County Dependency Recovery Drug Court Program.

Educator's Perceptions Of Priority School Nursing Activities And Influencing Factors, Julie Marie Berg

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative priority rankings assigned by educators and practiontioners of activities performed by school nurses. It examines the factors that under lies the differences in priorities assigned.

Ethical Curriculum Development And Teaching, Mary Eunice Mcbean

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project is to develop a curriculum, which will examine the ethical methods or practices used by nurses in resolving ethical dilemmas in clinical practice utilizing the Moral Decision-Making Model for staff nurses at St.Bernardine Medical Center, Five Tower North.

Inadequate Substance Abuse Assessment As A Contributory Factor To Child Abuse And Neglect, Gary Eugene Graves

Theses Digitization Project

This study examined an important, yet underreported, area of family service agency assessments, the failure to adequately screen for substance abuse issues. A self-report screening instrument was used to accurately determine substance abuse frequency rates, instead of using the current clinician-directed questioning. New agency clients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (self-report) or the control group (clinician-directed) to determine if assessment accuracy improved.

Advanced Practice Nursing Health Care Needs Assessment In An Underserved Community, Michael Dean Conrad, Anna Kampanartsanyakorn

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to gain information about the community health care needs through a comprehensive assessment. This information will allow providers to identify services and groups of people where the biggest gap exists in receiving needed health care services. This may provide the basis for the design of an advanced practice preventative health intervention for the community.

The Creation Of Rice County District One Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Rae S. Ormsby

Theses and Graduate Projects

Based on social history and idealist constructs, this study explores the creation of one intensive care unit (ICU) in the setting of its conrmunity's economic, political, and cultural background. The social history describes the social forces that facilitated the ICU's creation. From an idealist construct the study attempts to understand the thinking of the decision-makers involved as well as the community's response. The work is based largely on personal interviews and archival data from the records of the hospital board. Background material to explain the community context comes from such sources as local daily newspapers and the archives of the …

The Role Of Ap-1 Transcription Complex In Retinoic Acid-Dependent B16 Melanoma Cell Growth Arrest And Differentiation, Ying Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Our laboratory has been studying the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on the growth and differentiation of the B16 mouse melanoma cells. RA inhibits both anchorage-dependent and –independent growth and stimulates melanin production in B16 cells, which are accompanied by an increase in AP-1 activity. To further investigate the RA-induced AP-1 activity, I established clones of B16 stably expressing an AP-1-luciferase reporter gene. Treatment of these clones with phorbol dibutyrate (PDB), a known activator of AP-1, rapidly increased AP-1 activity which reached its maximum level at 2-4 h and returned to baseline level by 24 h. In contrast, RA …