Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Cannabinoid Receptor Interaction Of Anandamide, The Endogenous Cannabinoid Receptor Ligand, Irma Bateman Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Recent evidence implicates anandamide as the endogenous ligand for the cannabinoid receptor. One purpose of this study was to determine the structural requirements for anandamide's receptor interaction and the influence of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), an enzyme inhibitor, on receptor affinity. A second objective was evaluation of the correlation between affinities of the analogs and in vivo pharmacological activities. The ability of anandamide and analogs to displace [3H]- CP 55,940 was determined by a filtration assay. Displacement curves for anandamide in the presence of PMSF produced a Ki of 89 ± 10 nM; without PMSF the Ki increased to 5400 ± …

Computer Modeling Of Anatomical Structure: A Representative Example Of Modeling The Inguinal Canal, Jason Michael Highsmith

Theses and Dissertations

As computers become an increasingly important part of medical education, a proper understanding of the techniques and applications of computer aided modeling is vital. An initial overview of medical imaging and the techniques of computer modeling is presented. Construction of three-dimensional models of anatomical structures is then discussed in great detail with specific focus on modeling structures like the inguinal canal. The inguinal canal is one region where computer modeling efforts should be directed because it presents a special challenge. Understanding the walls, borders and layering of the inguinal canal is especially difficult but vital to accurate clinical diagnoses of …

All Our Days Are Numbered --: Journey Through Breast Cancer With Traditional And Alternative Medicine, Tomma Lou Maas

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

All Our Days Are Numbered--Joumey Through Breast Cancer with Traditional and Alternative Medicine brings hope to women who must face breast cancer. In four books, Lorna Jordan shares the events leading up to her disease; her traditional breast cancer experience; her search for alternative medicine which will improve her health; and her journey into good health. Book One, "In the Beginning," presents evidence of Lorna's developing ill health. Beginning in adolescence, Lorna's exposure to mercury, antibiotics, and DDT contribute to her poor health. Later, in early adulthood, she begins to have mood shifts and menstrual disorders. When she takes birth-control …

Expertise In Clinical Nursing Educators: An Exploratory Study, Nancy Ann Kramer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A primary goal of professional education is to prepare practitioners who can provide quality care essential to the well-being of individuals and society. An essential component of professional education is a practiced-based experience. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the qualities of clinical nursing educators who were recognized by peers as being expert clinical practitioners. This study was exploratory and non-experimental. A qualitative approach was used. Through observations and interviews, beginning descriptions and explication of dimensions of expertise of clinical nursing educators were achieved.

The population for this study was selected from nursing faculty of 10 …

Occupational Stress And Absenteeism Among Promise Jobs Specialists, Kristine Owens

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between selected occupational stressors and absenteeism among PROMISE JOBS specialists across the State of Iowa. The Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) (Osipow & Spokane, 1987) supplemented with demographic and absentee measures was administered to the entire population of205 specialists in 16 service delivery areas. The service delivery area directors distributed the surveys in their local agencies. The specialists were asked to return the survey questionnaire in the self-addressed pre-paid envelopes. The overall return rate was 104 questionnaires (50. 7%) of the original population. The findings of this study were based upon 90 usable …

The Modification, Implementation, And Evaluation Of An Hiv/Aids Education Programme For Students In Year 10, Paula Hahnel

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research addresses the issue of HIVIAIDS education for Year 10 students. The purpose of this study was twofold: to provide baseline data on students’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about HIV and AIDS (Phase 1), and to evaluate the effect of an education intervention on possible determinants of behaviour (Phase 2), Previous studies have Indicated that improved knowledge may influence risk-reducing behaviour. In addition, adolescents have numerous misconceptions about the cause and transmission of HIV. However, there has been no known assessment of AIDS knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours of high school students in Western Australia. The study was guided …

A Survey Of Foot Care Knowledge And Habits In Chatham County, Georgia, Barbara Lewis Mccarthy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

The study examined the foot care knowledge and foot care habits of a random sample (n = 540) of residents of Chatham County, Georgia. Data were collected using a mail survey which had a response rate of 26.29% (142 responses). Data analysis indicated that foot pain and discomfort are a significant problem for more than half of the respondents (57.87%). The emphasis of fashion over fit of both shoe-manufacturers, and society in general, appears to contribute significantly to the problem. Lack of education in preventive measures for foot health is also a significant contributing factor. Replication of the study is …

A Reflective Analysis Of Burn Wound Care: The Australian Burns Nurse' Perspective, Jaynie E. Sands

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this historiographical nursing study was to explore Australian Burn Wound Care from a nursing perspective, at two periods of time. It was the intention of the author to explore practices at the inception of specialised burns units, from the 1950's, presenting an historical perspective, and at the present time, May 1995. Eleven burns units across Australia participated in the study. There were 22 participants in the research sample. Each burns unit identified the first Charge Nurse (n =11) and the current Clinical Nurse Specialist (n =11), to be involved in the data collection process. The conceptual framework …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Homebirth Experience : The Couples Perspective, Susanjane Morison

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of parents who have had a homebirth in the past two years in Perth. Studies conducted to date have predominantly used quantitative research methods, investigating the safety of homebirth and comparing home to hospital birth without exploring a couples experiences. A phenomenological approach was used as it seeks to understand human experience in context. The research design consisted of a field study, in which ten parent couples were interviewed and three homebirth videos observed. Data analysis was conducted according to the procedure outlined by Colaizzi (cited in Knaack, 1984, …

Factors That Influence Low Utilisation Of Natural Family Planning Methods Among Child Bearing Women (Aged 15-49 Years) In Mongu Urban District Zambia, Cecilia S. Lubinda

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to explore and analyse factors that influence the low utilisation of natural family planning methods. A theoretical framework adapted from Betty Neuman's Systems Model was used to guide the study. Using Betty Neuman's Systems Model the person or client's behaviour influenced by the continuous interaction with the environment. The factors investigated were the women's personal characteristics, age, occupation, marital status and education, cultural influences which included the relationship between the husband and wife and the religious belief of the women. The last factor investigated was the influence of the info1111ation practices and family planning …

A Competency-Based Art Therapy Approach For Improving The Self-Esteem Of A Pre-Adolescent Girl, Maria T. Papaluca

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of the current study is to present multi-faceted instruments to measure the effectiveness of a competency-based approach to Art Therapy for improving the self-esteem of a pre-adolescent girl. The theoretical framework for this approach applies well established Art Therapy and Family Art Therapy theory and practice to contemporary clinical practices in individual Family Therapy. The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) (Harter, 1985b), House-Tree-Person Drawing Test (H-T-P) (Buck, 1970), the subject's self-ratings, ratings of the subject's competence by her mother and her teacher, and ratings of the subject's artwork by objective judges are employed in a Pretest-Posttest research design …

Numerical Chromosome Abnormalities In Sperm From Oligoasthenoteratozoospermic Patients And Fertile Males, Myung-Geol Pang

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Artificial fertilization protocols have been developed which bypass natural barriers for reproduction. One aspect of infertility which has received little attention is the potential importance of aneuploidy in sperm. To more clearly understand the cytogenetic make-up of sperm from OAT patients, multi-probe, multi-color FISH was performed to determine aneuploidy.

The introduction of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has revolutionized protocols used in in vitro fertilization centers. The pregnancies resulting from ICSI suggest an increased frequency of sex chromosome aneuploidy in livebirths. Preliminary data by others' suggest that sperm tail swelling patterns following hypo-osmotic swelling (HOST) can be predictive of fertilizing ability. …

Rn And Lpn Perceptions Of Front-Line Delegation, Martha E. Colwell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Healthcare organizations face increasing demands to provide the most efficient and economical care possible. Emerging patient care delivery systems require that front-line RNs take on a broader scope of responsibility for patient care, particularly in the area of delegation. Research identifies that staff RNs experience much difficulty in delegating patient care (Conger, 1993; Hansten & Washburn, 1994). The purpose of this study was to explore RN and LPN perceptions of front-line delegation in their working relationships. In particular, the study sought to: (a) determine how changing roles of RNs and LPNs influenced front-line delegation; (b) answer how RNs viewed front-line …

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 Practicality Of Pre-Doctoral Prescription Training For Psychologists: A Survey Of Directors Of Clinical Training, Garret D. Evans

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Directors of Clinical Training (DCTs) at the nation's 164 APA-accredited clinical psychology programs iii were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward the hypothetical implementation of a sample pre-doctoral prescription training model created by the Ad Hoc Task Force on Psychopharmacology of the APA (1992). A 60% return rate (99 questionnaires) was achieved. Results suggest that the majority of DCTs (62%) remain equivocal regarding the implementation of such training at their program. A majority (62%) identify post-doctoral specialization as the preferred method of prescription training. DCTs' perceptions of benefits stemming from pre-doctoral prescription training served as the most potent predictor of …

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 …

Limiting Noise Exposure Associated With Hearing Aid Use, Alison Mary Gilbert

Dissertations and Theses

Industrial workers who have sustained hearing losses often wear hearing aids on the job in order to hear their co-worker's speech. However they risk damaging their hearing further by amplifying the high levels of background noise typical of such environments. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established guidelines to protect workers' hearing. A maximum allowable level of 90 dBA averaged over a period of eight hours is considered safe. Wearing hearing aids on the job may expose an individual to considerably higher levels, however no guidelines as to maximum allowable levels of amplified noise exist at this time. …

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 …

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 …

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 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 …

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 …

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 …

Text Independent Speaker Verification Using Binary-Pair Partitioned Neural Networks, Claude A. Norton Iii

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A method is presented for the application of binary-pair partitioned neural networks to the task of speaker verification. This technique is based on a previously developed neural network classifier for speaker identification.

The main focus of this research was the development and testing of the algorithms necessary to extend the binary-pair partitioning approach from speaker identification to speaker verification. The method is based on the development of a user profile which is obtained from discriminative data provided by the binary-pair partitioned neural networks.

Experimental results are provided which demonstrate the viability of this approach, using the TIMIT speech corpus for …

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 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 …

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 …

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 …