Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reference Group Data For The Functional Gait Assessment, Martha L. Walker, Alvis G. Austin, Gina M. Banke, Suzanne R. Foxx, Lynn Gaetano, Laurie A. Gardner, Jill Mcelhiney, Kisiah Morris, Liz Penn

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose: The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) is a clinical tool for evaluating performance in walking. The purpose of this study was to determine age-referenced norms for performance on the FGA in community-living older adults.

Subjects: Subjects were 200 adults, ages 40 to 89 years, living independently.

Methods: Each subject completed the FGA one time and was scored simultaneously by 2 testers.

Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient for interrater reliability was .93. Mean scores for the FGA ranged from 29/30 for adults in their 40s to 21/30 for adults in their 80s.

Discussion and Conclusion: Patient performance on the …

Debate: A Teaching-Learning Strategy For Developing Competence In Communication And Critical Thinking, Michele Darby

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

The article highlights key benefits from debate as a teaching-learning strategy for developing critical thinking and analytical skills while fostering teamwork and communication. According to the author, it is an effective pedagogical strategy because of the level of responsibility for learning and active involvement required by all student debaters. She also notes that the debate strategy can be used as a method to achieve competencies in baccalaureate and graduate dental hygiene programs.

Antimicrobial Activity Screening Of Recombinant And Synthetic Varasin A Defensin From The Hard Tick Dermacentor Variabilis Against Various Bacteria, Julia A. Sharp

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Hematophagous arthropods, such as ticks and mosquitoes, rely on their innate immune system for defense against pathogens ingested in a blood meal as well as those acquired through injury. In response to pathogen recognition, the production of antimicrobial peptides, such as defensin, is typically upregulated. Varisin, a defensin, is thought to be a key component in the immunocompetence of the hard tick D. variabilis against Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. To study the antimicrobial effects of varisin, recombinant varisin was expressed by both insect cells and E coli. Purification of the protein followed by enterokinase treatment yielded …

In Vitro Evaluation Of The Reciprocating Disposable Prophylaxis Angle Versus The Rotating Disposable Prophylaxis Angle In Extrinsic Stain Removal Effectiveness, Inma Lacross, Michele Darby, Sharon S. Stull, Carlene M. Lynch

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

This study determined the extrinsic tooth stain removing effectiveness of a 90° counter-rotational disposable prophylaxis angle (DPA) with rubber cup compared to the traditional 360° unirotational DPA with rubber cup. Four randomly-assigned groups of cleaned, sterilized, extracted human teeth, artificially stained with coffee, tea, tobacco, and red wine, were polished on the buccal and lingual surfaces using one of the 2 DPAs. Each dependent variable (4 different stain types) was tested 4 times with each prophylaxis angle, using 4 prophylaxis paste conditions, and 3 different rpm; therefore, 2 trials x 2 angles x 3 speeds x 4 stains x 4 …

Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela D. Morris, Gayle B. Mccombs, Susan L. Tolle, Mounir Laroussi, Wayne L. Hynes

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Cold plasma is a state of matter that contains a large number of particles that are electrically charged. Plasmas generate chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus vegetative cells and spores. This study consisted of 981 …

The Importance Of Gender And Readiness To Change In The Prediction Of Drinking And Negative Consequences Of First-Year Student Drinkers, Margot E. Ackermann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

College drinking is widespread, and binge drinkers can experience serious consequences. The present study examined the effectiveness of two interventions, expressive writing and behavioral monitoring, as well a combined condition, in reducing drinking and negative consequences associated with drinking. Gender differences and differences in readiness to change binge drinking were also assessed. Participants (N = 97) completed a pretest, eight weekly intervention activities, and a posttest during their first semester of college. An ANOVA tested the hypothesis that individuals higher in readiness to change binge drinking participated in more of the weekly intervention activities; this hypothesis was not supported. A …

The Effect Of Intensity Of Aerobic Vo2max Resting Heart Rate And Blood Pressure, Shannan Elizabeth Gormley

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The AGSM recommends 20 to 60 minutes of continuous or intermittent activity 3 to 5 times per week to maintain cardio respiratory fitness (Pollock et al., 1998). The 1996 Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health indicates that Americans are not meeting these physical activity recommendations (DHHS). Several clear consequences of physical inactivity are the appearance of cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and obesity. Two recent review articles suggested that higher intensity exercise will elicit a greater reduction in cardiovascular disease risk factors (Swain and Franklin, 2002; Swain and Franklin, 2006). In order to determine whether …

Psychometric Evaluation Of An Instrument For Assessing Policy Outcomes For Families With Children Who Have Severe Developmental Disabilities: The Beach Center Family Quality Of Life Scale, Joni Taylor Mcfelea

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (BCFQLS) in a sample of families with children who have severe developmental disabilities. The study sought to determine whether or not the scale could be used to measure the quality of life of such families and to differentiate between the quality of life of two family groups—those whose child lives in the family home and those whose child lives outside the family home.

The study used an observational, cross-sectional design and both qualitative and quantitative methods. Self-identified primary caregivers of …

Predictors Of Student Success In An Entry-Level Baccalaureate Dental Hygiene Program, Mohammad J. Alzahrani, Evelyn M. Thomson, Deborah Blythe Bauman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the utility of various predictors used by the Old Dominion University Gene W. Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene baccalaureate degree dental hygiene program in selecting dental hygiene students who are most likely to graduate and be successful in passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). The following factors were examined: grade point average (GPA); science GPA; final grade in various prerequisite courses; final grade in first-year dental hygiene courses; academic setting where prerequisite courses were completed; multiple attempts to achieve a passing course grade; and admissions criteria points (ACP).

METHODS: …

Jeffress Research Grant - 2005

Virginia Journal of Science

Seven-page list of winners of the Jeffress Research Grant Awards for 2005.

Authoritarianism, Hostility Toward Women, Attitudes Toward Violence, Rape Myth Acceptance, And Sexual Aggression, Gina M. Bondi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Almost one out of every five women has been, or will have been, the victim of sexual aggression and/or rape in their lives (National Institute of Justice, 2000). This staggering statistic exemplifies the importance of speculating which traits are related to, or are predictive of, sexually aggressive behavior. Based on previous research, the current study investigated relationships between authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance, as related sexual aggression in undergraduate men It was projected that authoritarianism, hostility toward women, attitudes toward violence, and rape myth acceptance would significantly and positively predict all dimensions of sexual …

The Effect Of Three Foot Orthoses On Plantar Pressure Under The First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Of Pes Planus Foot Type During Standing And Slow Running, Lacey Ann Nordsiden

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three different foot orthoses on plantar pressure under the first metatarsophalangeal joint during standing and slow running. Twenty physically active participants, 12 males (19.7±1.3 years, 181.5±6.3cm, 83.6±12.3kg) and 8 females (20.8±1.5 years, 172.7±11.2cm, 69.9±14.2kg) with navicular drop greater than 10mm, no history of surgery to the lower extremity, and no history of pain or injury to the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint in the past six months volunteered for the study. Each subject performed standing and slow running tasks with four different orthosis conditions: no orthosis, metatarsal dome, U-shaped orthosis, and …

Down-Regulation Of Natural Killer Cell Activation In Response To Influenza Virus In Older Adults, Yu Jing

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Immune senescence contributes to influenza-associated high mortality and morbidity and reduced vaccine efficacy in elderly people. Type I T cell (Thl)-mediated immunity plays a significant role in Immune responses to influenza infection and vaccination. Natural killer (NK) cells secrete significant amount of IFN-7 , a hallmark Thl cytokine, in response to influenza infection. How aging influences human NK cell IFN-7 production in response to influenza virus has not been well documented. In this study we employed human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and performed intracellular cytokine staining and flow cytometry primarily to investigate how aging influences NK cell activation with …

Effects Of Tooth Whitening Use On Oral Health Interests And Values In Adults, Katie Jo Ballantyne Sargent

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if tooth whitening product use influences oral health interests and values in an adult population. A two-group, randomized, pre-test, multiple post-test design was used for studying 60 adults between the ages of 18 and 60. Persons who use tobacco products, have composite/tooth-colored anterior restorations, less than eight anterior teeth, pregnant or lactating women, or those who have previously used a whitening product other than toothpaste were excluded from the study. At baseline, a researcher-designed Oral Health Questionnaire was administered to consenting adults to determine the level of oral health interests and …

Effects Of Five Different Finger Rest Positions On Arm Muscle Activity During Scaling By Dental Hygiene Students, Mary Elizabeth Cosaboom

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine the effects of five different finger rest positions, (fulcrums: opposite arch, standard intra-oral, basic extra-oral, cross arch and finger on finger) on the muscle activity of four forearm muscles, (extensor carpi radialis longus, flexor carpi ulnar is, biceps brachii and pronator teres) during a simulated periodontal scaling experience. A convenience sample of 32 consenting right handed senior dental hygiene students who met inclusion criteria participated. The 32 students had no history of injuries or disabilities to the right arm, wrist, or hand. Pre-test maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) scores were obtained prior …

Vital Tooth Whitening Effects On Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adults, Ann Michelle Poindexter

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

This study determined if vital tooth whitening affects oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in adults ≥50-years old, and if tooth whitening promotes individuals to seek regular professional dental care and participation in social activities. Using a two-group, single blind, randomized, pre-test-post-test design, 62 participants were enrolled. The experimental group used a whitening product twice daily for three weeks, while the control group used no whitening products. Tooth color satisfaction was assessed using the Tooth Color Satisfaction Scale and was correlated with overall oral health-related quality of life. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP), used as the pre-test …

Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela Dawn Morris

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma, also known as cold plasma, is a state of matter that consists of a mix of neutral and charged particles. Plasma generates chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus atrophaeus, by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al. (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on the microorganisms Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates heat …

Dental Hygienists' Contributions To Improving The Nation's Oral Health Through School-Based Initiatives From 1970 Through 1999: A Historical Review, Gayle B. Mccombs, Cynthia C. Gadbury-Amyot, Rebecca S. Wilder, Karen O. Skaff, Margaret Lappan Green

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this literature review is to document the contributions dental hygienists have made over the past 3 decades to improve the nation's oral health. This historical review encompasses selected literature that acknowledged dental Hygienists' direct involvement in U.S. school-based or school-linked oral health programs from 1970-1999.

METHODS: Five researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and other electronic databases to identify relevant literature for the years 1970-1999. The search aimed to locate articles authored by or that documented dental Hygienists' involvement as "service provider" in U.S. school-based oral health programs. For the purpose of this review, service provider was …

Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec And Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Clones, Shannon M. Moroney, Loree C. Heller, Jesse Arbuckle, Monica Talavera, Ray H. Widen

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene carriage were compared among suspected community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (CA-MRSA) and health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) isolates. CA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type IV complex, and most were PVL positive. The HA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type II complex and did not harbor the PVL genes.

Changing Perspectives On The Use Of Antimicrobial Mouthrinses, Michele Leonardi Darby

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

As oral health care professionals, we need to make evidence-based recommendations to our patients. Studies from which we derive our recommendations need to have been conducted with scientific rigor and need to be confirmed with other welldesigned studies. Given the numerous, long-term, peer-reviewed published studies on antimicrobial mouthrinses with consistent statistically and clinically significant outcomes, it is time to change our professional thinking and practices.

On A Multinational Assessment Of Rotavirus Disease In Europe, David O. Matson

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Rotaviruses were discovered in the 1960s in animals and in the 1970s in humans; the latter discovery was made by an intrepid group who performed duodenal biopsies on children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) [1]. By the late 1970s, data already clearly indicated that rotavirus was the cause of the annual winter peak of AGE affecting young children, as well as a frequent cause of severe gastroenteritis in various animal species (e.g., [2–5]). Use of the retrospectroscope clarified or left as tantalizing the suggestion that rotaviruses were the cause of the annual “winter vomiting syndrome” first described in children in 1910 …

The Cost-Effectiveness Of Improving Diabetes Care In U.S. Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, Elbert S. Huang, Qi Zhang, Sydney E. S. Brown, Melinda L. Drum, David O. Meltzer, Marshall H. Chin

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective. To estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of improving diabetes care with the Health Disparities Collaborative (HDC), a national collaborative quality improvement (QI) program conducted in community health centers (HCs).

Data Sources/Study Settings. Data regarding the impact of the Diabetes HDC program came from a serial cross-sectional follow-up study (1998, 2000, 2002) of the program in 17 Midwestern HCs. Data inputs for the simulation model of diabetes came from the latest clinical trials and epidemiological studies.

Study Design. We conducted a societal cost-effectiveness analysis, incorporating data from QI program evaluation into a Monte Carlo simulation model of diabetes.

Data Collections/Extraction …

Depression: Relationships To Sleep Paralysis And Other Sleep Disturbances In A Community Sample, Mariana Szklo-Coxe, Terry Young, Laurel Finn, Emmanuel Mignot

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Sleep disturbances are important correlates of depression, with epidemiologic research heretofore focused on insomnia and sleepiness. This epidemiologic study’s aim was to investigate, in a community sample, depression’s relationships to other sleep disturbances: sleep paralysis (SP), hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations (HH), cataplexy – considered rapid eye movement-related disturbances – and automatic behavior (AB). Although typical of narcolepsy, these disturbances are prevalent, albeit under-studied, in the population. Cross-sectional analyses (1998–2002), based on Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study population-based data from 866 participants (mean age 54, 53% male), examined: depression (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale), trait anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI-T ≥ 75th percentile), and …

Self-Consistent Analyses For Potential Conduction Block In Nerves By An Ultrashort High-Intensity Electric Pulse, R. P. Joshi, A. Mishra, Q. Hu, K. H. Schoenbach, A. Pakhomov

Bioelectrics Publications

Simulation studies are presented that probe the possibility of using high-field (>100kV ∕ cm), short-duration (∼50ns) electrical pulses for nonthermal and reversible cessation of biological electrical signaling pathways. This would have obvious applications in neurophysiology, clinical research, neuromuscular stimulation therapies, and even nonlethal bioweapons development. The concept is based on the creation of a sufficiently high density of pores on the nerve membrane by an electric pulse. This modulates membrane conductance and presents an effective "electrical short" to an incident voltage wave traveling across a nerve. Net blocking of action potential propagation can then result. A continuum approach based …

Confidence Intervals For Individualized Performance Models, Hans P. A. Van Dongen, Christopher G. Mott, Jen-Kuang Huang, Daniel J. Millicone, Frederic D. Mckenzie, David F. Dinges

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Commentary on Reifman J; Rajaraman S; Gribok AV. Moving Towards Individualized Performance Models. Sleep 2007;30(9):1081-82.

Design, Synthesis, And Evaluation Of 10-N-Substituted Acridones As Novel Chemosensitizers In Plasmodium Falciparum, Jane X. Kelly, Martin J. Smilkstein, Roland A. Cooper, Kristin D. Lane, Robert A. Johnson, Aaron Janowsky, Rozalia A. Dodean, David J. Hinrichs, Rolf Winter, Michael Riscoe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A series of novel 10-N-substituted acridones, bearing alkyl side chains with tertiary amine groups at the terminal position, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for the ability to enhance the potency of quinoline drugs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. A number of acridone derivatives, with side chains bridged three or more carbon atoms apart between the ring nitrogen and terminal nitrogen, demonstrated chloroquine (CQ)-chemosensitizing activity against the MDR strain of P. falciparum (Dd2). Isobolograrn analysis revealed that selected candidates demonstrated significant synergy with CQ in the CQ-resistant (CQR) parasite Dd2 but only additive (or indifferent) interaction in the CQ-sensitive …

Exploration Of Computational Methods For Classification Of Movement Intention During Human Voluntary Movement From Single Trial Eeg, Ou Bai, Peter Lin, Sherry Vorbach, Jiang Li, Steve Furlani, Mark Hallett

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Objective: To explore effective combinations of computational methods for the prediction of movement intention preceding the production of self-paced right and left hand movements from single trial scalp electroencephalogram (EEG).

Methods: Twelve naïve subjects performed self-paced movements consisting of three key strokes with either hand. EEG was recorded from 128 channels. The exploration was performed offline on single trial EEG data. We proposed that a successful computational procedure for classification would consist of spatial filtering, temporal filtering, feature selection, and pattern classification. A systematic investigation was performed with combinations of spatial filtering using principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis …

Using Pareto Fronts To Evaluate Polyp Detection Algorithms For Ct Colonography, Adam Huang, Jiang Li, Ronald M. Summers, Nicholas Petrick, Amy K. Hara

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We evaluate and improve an existing curvature-based region growing algorithm for colonic polyp detection for our CT colonography (CTC) computer-aided detection (CAD) system by using Pareto fronts. The performance of a polyp detection algorithm involves two conflicting objectives, minimizing both false negative (FN) and false positive (FP) detection rates. This problem does not produce a single optimal solution but a set of solutions known as a Pareto front. Any solution in a Pareto front can only outperform other solutions in one of the two competing objectives. Using evolutionary algorithms to find the Pareto fronts for multi-objective optimization problems has been …

Validating Pareto Optimal Operation Parameters Of Polyp Detection Algorithms For Ct Colonography, Jiang Li, Adam Huang, Nicholas Petrick, Jianhua Yao, Ronald M. Summers, Maryellen L. Giger (Ed.), Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We evaluated a Pareto front-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for optimizing our CT colonography (CTC) computer-aided detection (CAD) system. The system identifies colonic polyps based on curvature and volumetric based features, where a set of thresholds for these features was optimized by the evolutionary algorithm. We utilized a two-fold cross-validation (CV) method to test if the optimized thresholds can be generalized to new data sets. We performed the CV method on 133 patients; each patient had a prone and a supine scan. There were 103 colonoscopically confirmed polyps resulting in 188 positive detections in CTC reading from either the prone or …

Teaching Parenting Skills In A Methadone Treatment Setting, Randy R. Gainey, Kevin P. Haggerty, Charles B. Fleming, Richard F. Catalano

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Family factors significantly affect children’s risk of substance abuse, delinquency, and other problem behaviors (Arthur, Hawkins, Pollard, Catalano, & Baglioni, 2002). Children of substance abusers represent a particularly high-risk population. Prenatal exposure to addictive substances and the medical complications that may arise are important factors that, from conception, place this population at high risk of drug abuse and other problem behaviors (Griffith, Azuma, & Chasnoff, 1994). As children of substance abusers mature, their lives are characterized by exposure to continued drug and alcohol abuse by family members, recurrent or chronic illnesses, frequent moves, financial troubles, legal conflicts, family disorganization, and …