Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Closer Look At Development Of Self-Awareness And Compensatory Strategy Use In Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury, Melissa A. Byrne

Masters Theses

My study investigates the development of self-awareness and use of compensatory strategies in eight adults with traumatic brain injuries using the Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) and three additional questions of descriptive nature. This study also examines whether or not the severity of brain injury (mild, moderate, severe) impacts the development of self-awareness. In addition, the spouses' perceptions of client awareness are compared to the relatives' to determine existence of potential variance.

Results indicate that while there is no significant difference in self-awareness_ between the mild and moderate groups, the severe group significantly varies from both the mild and moderate groups. Also, …

The Effectiveness Of Personal Data Assistants In Improving Daily Function Of Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Connie Lee Budiwarman

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of using Personal Data Assistants to help with memory and/or organizational difficulties with adult patients who had survived mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Utilizing an AB single subject design method with a training period, one subject ultimately completed the study. The study demonstrated mixed results. Through the use of daily record sheets, the subject reported improvement in three areas of daily function but reported negative improvement in three areas of daily function. This study suggests, but does not completely support, the potential use of Personal Data Assistants with patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Novel Vaccine Strategies To Prevent Herpes Simplex Virus Infection, Christopher D. Pack

Masters Theses

Herpes simplex virus, which infects a majority of the population, remains a significant human pathogen for which no effective vaccine exists. Despite decades of intensive research, this virus has resisted numerous classical and cutting edge approaches. We can only hope that additional research into new vaccines ideas as well as the fundamentals of how the virus interacts with the immune system will someday lead to the design of an effective vaccine. The first part of this dissertation focuses on the virus and how it interacts with various immune cells in the body. HSV-1 exerts a number of influences on a …

The Role Of Dairy Products In The Calcium Intake Of Suburban Adolescents, Simie Bredeweg-Dejager

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine consumption of dairy products by suburban adolescents. This was a secondary analysis of data from a questionnaire administered in late fall of 2003. There were 255 adolescents who completed the questionnaire. Data were examined to estimate calcium intake from dairy products.

There was a significant difference in the amount of calcium adolescents consume from cheese, compared to that supplied by milk (t = -8.502, p = .000). Further analyzing by gender, there was a significant difference between boys and girls intake of milk and cheese. No significant difference was found between boys …

Responses Of Flight Nurses To Catastrophic Events, Gene L. Olsen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine for the presence of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of flight nurses. Also examined were the coping mechanisms used by the sample to ameliorate the stressors associated with performing the role of the flight nurse, as well as the relationship between the symptoms and the coping mechanisms identified by the sample. Data were collected by questionnaires sent to a randomly selected national sample of 350 flight nurses who belong to the Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association.

Of the 101 participants, intrusion was found to be most …

The Relationship Between Steps Walked Per Day And Body Composition In Postmenopausal Women, Emily Martin Krumm

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between pedometer-determined physical activity measured in steps per day and body composition in healthy, postmenopausal women. Ninety-three women (60.9 ± 5.76 years) participated in the study. Subjects made one visit to the laboratory for height, weight, percent body fat, and waist and hip circumference measurements. Subsequently, each subject wore a pedometer for 14 consecutive days to assess average daily steps. Subjects recorded each day’s accumulated step count and reset the pedometer the next morning. Pearson product moment correlations were used to examine the relationship between average steps per day and …

Visual-Motor Integration Skills Impact On Handwriting, Amber M. Kapnick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a visual-motor integration intervention improved handwriting legibility and visual-motor integration in first grade students as measured by the Minnesota Handwriting Test (MHT) and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI). Intervention was based on sensory-motor learning theories. Sixty-six children from four first grade classrooms in a suburban elementary school were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The intervention group received eight weeks of visual-motor integration training twice a week for 30 minute sessions. The control group received regular academic instruction. All children were tested on the Minnesota Handwriting …

Perceived Benefits Of And Barriers To Continuing Education Among Hospital Employed Registered Nurses, Jacqueline A. Dean

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to expand on the body of knowledge related to the reasons far participation and non-participation in continuing education (CE). The study examined the relationship between Registered Nurses (RNs) perceived benefits of and perceived barriers to CE and their reported participation in CE programs. The Health Belief Model is the theoretical framework utilized for this study, with the variables of perceived benefits and perceived barriers in particular. This was a secondary analysis of data collected in a descriptive correlational study where RNs employed in two acute care hospitals in the Midwest were surveyed. Descriptive statistics …

Acoustic, Kinematic, And Auditory Perceptual Characteristics Of Clear Speech, Kristin L. Greilick

Masters Theses

This study characterized the speech motor transformations that underlie speech clarity changes in a group of 49 healthy young speakers. Clarity judgments based on auditory perception of the speech samples were determined by a panel of 30 undergraduate and graduate students. This study specifically aimed to characterize (1) the auditory-perceptual judgments of clarity, (2) the acoustic measures of clear and causal speech, (3) the temporal and spatial features of articulatory movements of clear and casual speech, and (4) test the hypothesis that auditory perceptual scaling of clarity (perceptual salience) would be associated with kinematic indicators of physical effort.

Results suggested …

The Effects Of Differing Bicycle Frame Geometry On Muscle Recruitment Strategies And Power During A 30-Second Wingate Anaerobic Test, Patrick Hills-Meyer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to test how changing the bicycle frame geometry; from a shallow frame geometry [seat tube angle (STA) of 72°] to a steep frame geometry (STA of 82°) affected the electromyographic (EMG) signal of the hamstrings [biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles] and the quadriceps [vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL)] and power (max, mean, min, and, % drop) during a Wingate anaerobic test (WAT). To measure the muscle recruitment and power, 12 experienced triathletes were prepped with surface electrodes to measure EMG amplitude and an electrogoniometer to measure knee joint angle while …

The Understanding And Utilization Of Occupational Therapy Services By Medical Doctors In Acute Hospital Settings, Naina Jamani

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine what medical doctors working in the Canadian healthcare system know about occupational therapy, and if this understanding of occupational therapy is deemed valuable by the rate of referrals generated by these practitioners. This study will examine the relationship between physician's knowledge level and referrals to occupational therapy. The study instrument was a survey that consisted of eight questions, seven multiple choice and one open-ended response. The study took approximately five minutes to complete. A total of forty surveys were distributed at three different acute hospital settings. A total of fourteen or thirty-five …

Comparison Of Physical Activity Recommendations In Previously Inactive Women, Cherilyn N. Hultquist

Masters Theses

The main objective of this study was to compare the number of steps accumulated weekly by individuals given the recommendation to walk 10,000 steps per day with those told to take a brisk 30 minute walk on most, preferably all, days of the week. Average steps per day were compared for 58 sedentary women (mean age 45.0 ± 6.0 y) who were randomly assigned to one of the following physical activity groups, (1) walk 10,000 steps per day or (2) take a brisk 30 minute walk on most, preferably all, days of the week. After measuring height, weight, body composition, …

Measures Of Auditory Inhibition In Female Smokers And Non-Smokers, Christopher Gray Clinard

Masters Theses

This study examined the chronic effects of cigarette smoking on auditory inhibition in normal-hearing female smokers and non-smokers. Nicotine is an acetylcholinomimetic drug that affects the central auditory nervous system. Physiologic measures were acoustic reflex threshold, click-evoked optoacoustic emission (CEOAE) amplitude, contralateral CEOAE suppression, and the auditory late latency response (LLR). The behavioral measure recorded was word recognition in the presence of a broadband masker at two signal-to-noise ratios (-5 and 0dB). Auditory responses were obtained from 13 smokers and 10 non-smokers. Results indicated that smoking does not have a significant effect on these auditory measures. However, tendencies observed for …

Combination Of Bcr-Abl-Specific Rna Interference With Lmatinib Treatment In The K-562 Cell Line, Benjamin Eugene Baker

Masters Theses

RNA interference (RNAi) involves the specific repression of the translation of a gene through mRNA degradation. Its application has been extended to a variety of studies both in vitro and in vivo. The Bcr-Abl translocation is the cytogenetic marker for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and has been studied extensively. The K-562 cell line possesses the Bcr-Abl fusion gene and has been established as a model for RNAi. Imatinib mesylate (Gleeved) is a proven specific inhibitor of the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase. The aim of this study was to combine K-562 cells primes with short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the Bcr-Abl …

National Pasttime: The Minor Leagues And Why Fans Are Filling The Bleachers, Timothy A. Lentych

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that determine why fans attend Minor League Baseball games. The factors were broken down into four categories which were customer services, promotions, entertainment, attractions. Additional information and demographics were also examined. A survey comprising of 32 questions was distributed at the last weekend home series of the Tennessee Smokies. The Tennessee Smokies are the Double A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. Four hundred seventy surveys were distributed. Research participants consisted men and women who are 18 years and older that paid for a Tennessee Smokies Baseball game ticket. Each …

Dialect Density And Discourse Maturity Of African American Elementary Students, Brandi Lynette Newkirk

Masters Theses

This was a report of an investigation of the effects of dialectal features in African American students' narratives on discourse ratings by trained judges. The question addressed in this research was whether dialectal features influence judges who are evaluating discourse. Graduate students in speech-language pathology (n = 18) learning to analyze discourse samples served as the judges. Two versions of narratives (n = 27) written by third- and fourth-grade African American students (the original version and the edited version) were used to determine if narratives that contain dialectal features would be rated lower. The judges were trained in narrative discourse …

Measuring Spelling Growth Over Time In Elementary Writing Samples, Pamela M. Ansell

Masters Theses

Developmental spelling stage theories have been proposed and disputed for 30 years. The current study used Gentry's (1982) model to assign category ratings to narrative writing samples produced by 32 students over two years to observe developmental growth over time. In addition, quantitative measures were obtained from the samples, including an index of control (Laminack & Wood, 1996) and a percentage correct. Analyses were also used to test the effectiveness of using a writing lab approach (Nelson, Bahr & Van Meter, 2004) on spelling development. During the last half of second grade, all 32 students received intervention guided by the …

Consumer Knowledge About Managed Care: A Comparison Of Lay-Consumers To Registered-Nurse Consumers, Elizabeth A. Byma

Masters Theses

Orem’s self-care and self-care deficit theories provided the framework for this pilot study that compared lay and registered nurse consumers’ problems with and knowledge about their managed care plans. A distributed questionnaire assessed commonly experienced problems, reasons for problems, and preferred methods of obtaining information about their plan.The only significant difference between the two groups was that lay consumers were more likely to go to the ER without prior authorization (corrected Chi-sq. = 3.7, p = .03). The most firequently chosen reason ofboth groups for difficulty obtaining health care services was they did not know the rules of their managed …

Effect Of Sensory Stimulation On Off-Task Behavior In Children Within The Autistic Spectrum, Erin Elizabeth Downs

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Smoking On Walking Improvements Of Patients With Peripheral Vascular Disease, Rachelle J. Cook

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Female Athletes' Goal Orientation, Perceptions Of The Motivational Climate, And The Likelihood To Aggress In A Team Environment, Lauren Rippy

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Structured Versus Non-Structured Language Sampling Methods On The Expressive Language Output Of Children, Joy Schmitz

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Socio-Cultural Examination Of The Collegiate Experiences Of White International Student-Athletes At Historically Black Colleges And Universities In The United States, Jana Matouskova

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Throwing History And Physical Attributes Of Collegiate Baseball Pitchers And Their Association With Present Elbow Health, Kevin M. Walker

Masters Theses

In the modern era of sports, major injuries occur as routinely as practice. There is no better example than in the world of baseball. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that contribute significantly to elbow trauma in pitchers. Data was gathered from pitchers at the collegiate level of play. It was hypothesized that a pitcher's playing behavior in regard to pitch count, pitch type, and weekly pitching frequency would directly relate to a history of elbow injury. Also such factors as height, weight, pitching stride length, elbow joint laxity, upper and lower arm length, and flexion …

Observation And Analysis Of Deadlift Performance Among Elite Powerlifters, Brandon Turner

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Red Bull Energy Drink On 5-Kilometer Performance Of High-School Distance Runners, Jeff Kelly

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Age, Gender, And Physical Education Class On The Bmi Percentile Of School Aged Children, Dixie Mayol

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Achievement Goal Orientation And Perceived Motivational Climate In Winning Collegiate Softball Programs, Portery Scott

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Relationships Among Field Tests Of Lower Body Power In Collegiate Football Players, Gregory J. Young

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Implications Of Personal Recovery History For Training And Development Of Addiction Treatment Workers, Bruce K. Barnard

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to identify and compare competencies perceived as most important by addiction treatment workers with, and without, a personal history of recovery. A survey was developed and administered to 94 workers in three community-based addiction treatment agencies. The study found broad support for the competencies published by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center, National Curriculum Committee (1998). There were no significant differences in perceptions of competencies by workers with a personal recovery history and those without such history. Results indicate that factors such as workplace culture may be more powerful than recovery history in influencing worker …