Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ability Of Cylindrical Root Form Implants To Withstand Controlled Lateral Forces, Silvio Emanuelli

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The ability of root form implants to withstand lateral forces has been investigated in animal model. Two new techniques for quantification of forces generated by a loading device have been developed and tested. The strain gages bonded to the loading device were calibrated either intraorally by a micro load cell, or in laboratory by Instrom Machine.

Preliminary results indicate that laterally applied continuous forces up to 6,000 grams do not elicit failure of root form implants.

Shared Responsibility For Medication Use : An Experiment, Marjorie Tessner

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Medication adherence is an important part of effective therapy for gastrointestinal disease. Theory has suggested that the more involved the individual is in their care the more adherent they will be to their medication regime. However, such management is often complicated by patient psychological factors, health beliefs, self-efficacy, and lack of knowledge about medication.

In this experimental study of the impact of shared responsibility for medication use: an experiment, 60 patients from four ethnic groups were randomly assigned to three groups of 20 each: 1) routine discharge medication group, 2) formal education group, and 3) self medication and shared responsibility …

Identified Barriers To Well Child Care For Homeless Children Under Age Thirteen, Judith G. Riemer

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify barriers perceived by homeless families to well child care for their children under age thirteen and to determine if there is a relationship between perceived barriers and duration of homelessness. Using an investigator-modified version of Melnyk's Barriers Scale and a demographic measure, a convenience sample of homeless families (N = 53) from three transitional shelters in two southern California counties were surveyed via questionnaire. Barriers to well child care for homeless children were identified. No relationship was determined to exist between duration of homelessness and perceived barriers using a measurement of correlation.

New In Vivo And In Vitro Techniques For Quantification Of Lateral Force Levels That Cause Implants To Fail : A Progress Report On Monkey Research, V. Leroy Leggitt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Two new techniques for quantification of forces generated by an expansion screw apparatus placed between pairs of cylindrical endosseous titanium implants are described, along with preliminary data gained from their use in Macaca rhesus monkeys. Strain gages were bonded to the expansion apparatus and were calibrated either directly by micro load cell, or indirectly by Instron Machine to reflect the applied force.

Immediate loads of up to 6 kilograms have been applied to the implants with no increase in mobility as verified by a Periotest device. No previous studies on the orthodontic uses of implants have evaluated in vivo forces …

The Impact Of An Incentive/Competition Program On Participation And Smoking Cessation Among High Risk Smokers At The Worksite, Dyann M. Matson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study compared the effectiveness of a multicomponent smoking cessation/reduction program (”M") at one worksite (N = 81), with the same program plus incentives and team competition ("I") at a second worksite (N = 68). Incentives were discontinued at six months. A third worksite (N = 36) received a traditional smoking cessation program ("T').

The "I" program attracted a higher percentage of hourly (blue-collar) smokers (18.5%) compared to the "M" program (9.3%), or the "T" program (7.9%). Incentives with competition were also effective for improving abstinence for as long as 6 months (41%) compared to the "M" program (23%), and …

An Evaluation Of Surface Enamel Damage Following The Debonding Of Ceramic Brackets : A Follow-Up Study, B. Scott Hood

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

To evaluate surface enamel damage after debonding ceramic brackets using their manufacturer's recommended methods, sixty four bicuspid teeth were bonded with three different types of ceramic brackets and one type of metal bracket. All the brackets tested utilized mechanical retention only. The brackets were debonded in the mouth seven to ten days after bonding, extracted and evaluated with a scanning electron microscope. The study concluded that: 1) all brackets alter the surface enamel, 2) there is a significant difference in surface enamel damage between the metal bracket and the ceramic brackets utilizing a tensile debonding method, 3) there is no …

Soft Tissue Changes Of The Upper Lip Following Isolated Le Fort I Osteotomies, Kendall E. James

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pre-operative (T-1) and post-operative (T-3) radiographs were obtained and traced for fifty-one non-growing patients who had undergone isolated Le Fort I osteotomies. These tracings were then digitized with the results arranged in a data file and subjected to statistical analysis. The purpose of this study was to establish ratios for certain hard to soft tissue movements that could be used to aid the clinician in post-surgical soft tissue profile prediction. The results showed that even though a large sample was used, individual patient variability remained high particularly in the horizontal directions. Most ratios found in this study were consistent with …

Characteristics Of Habitual Dysfunctional Behaviors, Carole Ryan Serena

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The suggestion that habitual dysfunctional behavior disorders (HDBs) have a common underlying cluster of addictive characteristics and dynamics is new. A broad research base which would support this theory has not kept current with clinical In order successes. In order to address the need for relevant research, an anonymous cross sectional study was designed to identify, describe and compare variables associated with 15 habitual dysfunctional behaviors (HDBs) in a sample (N =176) from a broad spectrum of socioeconomic groups.

People reporting two different HDBs (alcohol and food-related behaviors) were compared to those not reporting any HDBs on levels of four …

Condylar Angulations As Related To Submental-Vertex Radiographs, Jady L. Chiakowsky

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pretreatment submental-vertex radiographs were obtained for 637 adolescent patients (307 males, 330 females) who had presented themselves for orthodontic treatment. The purpose of this study was to: (1) determine the relationship between condylar angulations and depth of cut with the variables: age, sex, and race, and (2) establish normative values for the categories studied. The results indicated that no significant differences existed between the condylar angulations for the variables measured. However, significant differences did exist between the depth of cut for the variables measured and there was significant interaction between age and race with respect to the depth of cut. …

Predicting Post-Treatment Maxillary Lip Position : A Comparison Of Two Techniques, Kevin J. Andrews

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The objective of this study was to compare the "drape" technique as proposed by Economides with the Holdaway technique in predicting post-treatment maxillary lip position and to determine which method was more accurate. Pre and post-treatment lateral cephalograms were traced for ninety (Caucasian) cases equally divided by sex into three treatment groups: a) non-extraction with at least 4mm of upper incisor retraction, b) extraction of upper first bicuspids only, and c) extraction of all first bicuspids. VTO's were constructed as outlined by Economides (drape) and Holdaway for prediction of post-treatment maxillary lip position. The predicted lip positions were compared to …

The Effect Of Electrical Stimulation Of The Dorsal Raphe Nucleus On Local Cerebral Glucose Metabolism And Epileptogenesis In The Rat, Clifford C. Douglas

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Anatomic connections between the dorsal raphé and the hippocampus have been described in the literature; however, the understanding of the functional importance of these connections is not complete. In these studies the "functional" raphé-hippocampal pathway was elucidated first by the 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) method, and second by the effect of dorsal raphé electrical stimulation on kindled seizure in the rat. In the 2-DG study, differences in local rates of cerebral glucose metabolism were quantified. The pattern of 2-DG uptake differed significantly from controls (animals with electrodes placed and not receiving an electrical stimulus) and subjects stimulated in the pontine oral reticular …

Effects Of Strengthening The Stabilizing Muscles Of The Hip Joint On Strength Gain Of The Hamstring Group, Tina M. Wilson

Masters Theses

The problem under investigation was to determine if strengthening the abductor and adductor muscle groups of the hip would increase hamstring flexion strength. Forty females from aerobic classes were put into two groups, control and treatment, after being pretested on the Cybex II Dynamometer. The control group participated only in aerobics, while the treatment group participated in the aerobics and treatment program. The treatment consisted of four exercises working abduction and adduction of the thigh with SPRI's Xercise Band.

After six weeks all subjects were posttested on the Cybex II Dynamometer. Both groups had significant increases in hamstring strength. These …

Neutron Fluence And Dose From A Varian Clinic 1800 Accelerator, Richard A. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

The goals of this study were (1) to verify calibration factors determined by previous experiment for relating counts from activated gold foils to neutron fluences, and (2) to use the method to determine neutron fluences under various operating conditions of the Varian Clinac 1800 (18-MeV) electron accelerator at the WPAFB Medical Center. For comparison similar measurements were made of the CGM Saturne 1 at Kettering Memorial Hospital, Dayton, Ohio. Cadmium-difference pairs in a standard graphite pile were employed to verify the counting efficiency of the Geiger-Mueller beta counting system used to count the foil activity. They were also used to …

A Descriptive Study Of The Development And Validation Of A Curriculum Development Process For Occupational Therapy In An Institution Of Higher Education, Alfred G. Bracciano

Dissertations

This was a descriptive study of a curriculum development process for occupational therapy at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. A four-stage process was designed and documented. These stages included: (1) feasibility , (2) curriculum design and development, (3) review and evaluation-validation for each component, and (4 ) implementation stage.

The study was conducted to develop a curriculum development process that was academically appropriate for occupational therapy programs for institutions of higher education and which met identified needs as set forth by the feasibility study and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), Division of Education. Further, the study undertook to …

Plasticity Of The Gnrh Neuronal System During Sexual Maturation Of The Male Djungarian Hamster, Kevin L. Buchanan

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Onset of puberty in male Djungarian hamsters is characterized by increased pituitary gonadotropin secretion and testes maturation, and is controlled by neurons within the brain which secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Puberty is associated with increased numbers of morphologically unipolar, but not bipolar, GnRH neurons in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) and diagonal band of Broca (DBB). To test the hypothesis that delayed sexual maturation arrests this increase, males were exposed to short days or administered melatonin. Males with delayed puberty had significantly fewer unipolar GnRH neuron numbers in the MPOA and DBB comparable to pubertal controls in long days. Unipolar …

Hospital Patients' And Nurses' Perceptions Of Quality, June Hansen Larrabee

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Hospital quality assurance programs have been provider-oriented, focusing on structure and process elements of care rather than outcomes specific to patient needs and values. This study tested the relationship between quality and value, proposed in Larrabee's model of quality, by developing prediction indices for patient and nurse quality and value.

The sample consisted of 199 adult patients. Patient quality was measured by a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS) (PQUALG) and a modified version of an existing instrument (PQUALT). Patient value was measured as patient goal achievement (PGOAL), the average of three VAS scores for patient defined goals …

Motivational Effects On A Psychometric Measure Of Prefrontal Brain Functioning In Patients With Chronic Schizophrenia And Related Disorders, Paul C. Smith

Dissertations

This study compared multiple sequential performances on a computerized version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Grant & Berg, 1948; Harris, 1986) by adult men receiving institutional inpatient treatment for chronic schizophrenia and related disorders. Participants were exposed to differential test conditions of minimal post-session non-contingent token reinforcement (baseline phases) and enhanced intra-session performance-contingent token reinforcement (experimental phase). Each major participant resided at the same continuing treatment unit at Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital receiving similar social therapies but idiosyncratic psychotropic medication regimens, changes in which were tracked in relation to test performances. A simple single-subject reversal design was employed with …

The Effects Of Music Listening And Progressive Muscle Relaxation On The Anxiety Level Of Adjudicated Adolescent Males In A Residential Treatment Setting, Ned David Gladfelter

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of music listening and progressive muscle relaxation on the anxiety level of adjudicated adolescent males. Sixty-five delinquent, adolescent males in a residential treatment facility took part in either a music listening treatment, a progressive muscle relaxation treatment (Bernstein & Borkovec, 1973), or a combination of both methods, and the effects of each approach on the self-perceived anxiety level of the subjects were determined.

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1983) and a Subjective Units of Discomfort Scale were used to measure levels of anxiety. Data gathered from these instruments revealed that …

A Comparison Of Grammatical Morpheme Usage By Four Year Olds With Normal, Impaired, And Late Developing Language, Sally Alforde

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether language-disordered four-year-old children and those with a history of language delay but currently normal functioning would have acquired a significantly lower percentage of 13 grammatical morphemes than children of the same age with normal language skills. Research has shown that there is a consistency of order in which these morphemes are acquired in children with normal language ability. Studies have also shown that while language disordered children acquire these grammatical morphemes in a similar order, the process is slowed down. Language disordered children have difficulty with grammatical morpheme development. Not found …

The Mmpi-2 Clinical Scales And Clinical Diagnosis: Differentiating Between Schizophrenic And Bipolar-Manic Disorders, Laura M. Volkmann

Graduate Theses

The validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) clinical scales in differentiating schizophrenia and bipolar-manic disorders was evaluated in terms of MMPI-2 congruence with psychiatric hospital treatment team diagnoses. From a pool of 286 MMPI-2 profiles, valid profiles were obtained on 5 schizophrenia (paranoid type) inpatients and 5 bipolar-manic disordered psychiatric inpatients and were assessed by using each of four MMPI profile classification methods. Overall, the rate of agreement between treatment team diagnosis and the MMPI profile classification methods for both the schizophrenia (paranoid type) and bipolar-manic disordered groups was inconclusive. The results suggest that the MMPI-2 is of …

An Assessment Of Food Sanitation Knowledge And Practice Of Restaurant Workers In Taichung City, Taiwan, Shiow-Fu Sheu

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Taichung city is located in the western middle part of Taiwan, with a population of nearly 800,000. The total number of food service establishments in Taichung City is more than 10,000. Among these, nearly 2000 of the food establishments are considered restaurants. For such a large number of restaurants, the total number of food sanitation inspectors is 16. In order to overcome the shortage of the food inspector manpower problem, Taichung City Health Department has set up a "Food Sanitation Self-inspection Program", in an effort to encourage the restaurants to direct more attention to food sanitation problems. In the meantime, …

Bilingual Interpreter Paraprofessional Training Program In The Field Of Communicative Disorders, Susie Yoakum, Tyler Sorenson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Because of the ever increasing number of non- (NEP) and Limited- (LEP) English Proficient persons in the United States, the Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) working in the public school setting is currently faced with the challenge of developing effective strategies for the assessment and identification of bilingual children with communicative disorders. One of the responsibilities of the SLP is to administer tests to children with suspected communicative disorders. However, it is difficult for a monolingual, English speaking SLP to effectively assess the speech and language of a non- or limited-English speaking child because of the language barrier that is present. In …

Pvs--To Die Or Not To Die? A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Persistent Vegetative State, Jonny Kelly

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Becky and Joy were returning home from the blind dates they had been on that night. Becky's cousin had introduced the two girls to his two buddies from college.

Molecular And Cellular Analysis Of Chlamydia Trachomatis: Persistence And Reactivation, Kimberly R. Tau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the most prevalent sexually-transmitted infection in the United States. It has been suggested that CT infections can become latent. This has not been substantiated. CT persistence was examined at the molecular and cellular level in vitro and in vivo. Penicillin treatment of CT in vitro results in abnormal inclusions and reduced recovery of infectious CT. Penicillin did not inhibit initial stages of infection, but did downregulate CT rRNA levels after 25 hours post-inoculation (p.i.). DNA amplification was employed to differentiate between a resolved infection and a persistent one. Utilizing a primer pair that amplified a 144 …

The Proposed Use Of An Anatomically Marked Presurgically Fitted Prostheses With Infants Who Have Unrepaired Cleft Palates, Amy Moser

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Approximately one out of every 750 children are born with some type of an oral cleft (McWilliams, Morris, & Shelton, 1984) Children with clefts of the palate in general have a higher incidence of articulation disorders than do children without clefts. Typical speech problems which tend to occur are hypernasality and multiple articulation errors, often consisting of atypical tongue placement in the mouth or nontypical articulation at sites in the larynx or pharynx. These speech problems can be severe and may require years of expensive, long-term professional treatment to remediate.

Occupational Stress Among Nurse Administrators In General Hospitals In Tennessee, Ruby T. Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of occupational stress among nurse administrators and to identify the types of strategies used by nurse administrators to deal with or manage occupational stress. The study examined the relationship between selected demographic variables, occupational stress, and strategies. The research design included five research questions along with seven null hypotheses testing the relationship between occupational stress and demographic variables--age, gender, marital status, years of professional nursing experience, years as a nurse administrator, educational attainment, and hospital bed capacity. There were seven additional hypotheses testing the relationship between the same demographic variables …

Meta-Analysis On Costing Out Nursing Services, Judith G. Eckhart Dnsc

Dissertations

This descriptive meta-analytic study investigated 73 primary studies on costing out nursing services. A critical review of the literature revealed that findings from the various published and unpublished studies were inconsistent and inconclusive. This meta-analysis integrated the literature to identify the relationships between nursing costs and a second variable. The most frequently reported variables among the primary studies were compared using Pearson r correlations and percentages. The variables of total and direct nursing costs were correlated to the variables of length of stay, direct nursing care hours, hospital costs, and diagnostic related grouping (DRG) reimbursements. Analysis was conducted two ways. …

Immunological Effects Of Amphotericin B Desoxycholate And Liposomal Amphotericin B On Splenocytes From Immune-Normal And Immune-Compromised Mice, Jay Jenson Schindler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Because of the increasing number of serious risk factors which predispose a normally immune competent host to infection, the incidence of systemic fungal infections is steadily increasing. This epidemiological rise has especially become apparent since the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Amphotericin B is the drug of choice for these life-threatening mycotic infections. Complications due to drug toxicity, however, severely limit amphotericin B's clinical usefulness. The major complication associated with the administration of amphotericin B is renal toxicity. Research has indicated, however, that besides its antifungal activities, amphotericin B may act as an immune stimulant of both humoral and cellular …

Regulation Of Melanogenesis At The Sub-Cellular Level In Cloudman Murine Melanoma Cells, Kenneth Rosenzweig

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

The decarboxylation of dopachrome to 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) appears to be a major control point in the biosynthesis of melanin, in particular the conversation of dopachrome to 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA). The recent discovery of a factor, DHICA stablin, that stabilizes DHICA and inhibits its conversion to DHI has added insight into the regulation of this intermediary compound. This study has shown that DHICA stablin activity is present in the melanosomal fraction of Cloudman murine melanoma cells and that this activity was observed by a new method using two complementary decarboxylase assays. When three known decarboxylase stabilizing cofactors (biotin, pyridoxal phosphate, and …

Preventive Dental Care- Instruction And Contingency Management In The Acquisition And Maintenance Of Oral Hygiene Skills, Sandra K. Kallstrom

Masters Theses

Inadequate oral hygiene is one of the largest problems facing the dental profession to date. It is estimated that 98% of individuals suffer from dental problems associated with neglect. The objective of this study was to develop effective techniques which aided in the acquisition and maintenance of oral hygiene skills. This study compared the effects of instruction and demonstration with contingency management on plaque percentage scores. A between-subjects design was used with one control and three experimental groups. The results indicated that, oral hygiene instruction and demonstration appear to be ineffective in reducing plaque scores. Significant plaque reductions where found …