Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Sense Of Humor, Stress And Coping, And Outcomes In Children's Lives, Lambertha Okhuizen-Stier Phd, Mph, Rn

Dissertations

Children are confronted with many stressors in their environment which may bring about symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, worry, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, restlessness, or low self esteem (Sharrer & Ryan-Wenger, 2002). To prevent the short and long term effects of stress, children may use coping strategies to manage or alter stressful life events (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). This study explores the relationships between stress and sense of humor among school-age children. A sample of 106 students (and parents/guardians) in the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) returned self-report instruments packets containing the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale for Children, and the …

Research To Practice: Comparison Of Vr Outcomes For Clients With Mental Illness Across System Indicators, Joe Marrone, Frank A. Smith, Susan Foley

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

The argument that people with psychiatric disabilities cannot work is an empty one, as anecdotal and research data have shown (Bond, 2004). Recently, there has been a plethora of information on evidence based employment strategies, prominently connected with the research on the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model associated with Drake and colleagues at Dartmouth College (Drake, 1998).

Institute Brief: Supporting Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Quality Employment Practices, Alan Kurtz, Melanie Jordan

The Institute Brief Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

It has been known for decades that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including those with significant impairment or who have behaviors that others find challenging, can work when they are given appropriate supports. It is also clear that individuals with ASD can benefit from employment. Benefits include improved emotional state, greater financial gain, decreased anxiety, greater self-esteem, and greater independence. Nonetheless, employment outcomes for individuals with ASD have traditionally been poor. Even those who do find work are often underemployed or do not hold onto jobs for a long period of time.

Structure-Activity Relationship And Mechanistic Studies On The Chemopreventive Activity Of Dipyridamole And Its Analogues, Ja’Wanda Shavon Grant

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

There is an escalating demand in the area of cancer prevention and control for the development of novel agents and molecular targets that have potential to reduce the incidence of cancer. In this study, the JB6 mouse epidermal cell-culture based transformation model was used in efforts to identify novel chemopreventive agents and targets. The nucleoside transport inhibitor dipyridamole (DPM) showed potent chemopreventive activity against JB6 P⁺cells (tumor promotion sensitive). To probe the effects of DPM structural features on its antitumor promotion activity, the soft-agar colony forming efficiency assay was used to screen an in-house library of …

Manipulation Of The Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus Envelope Protein In An Effort To Develop Directly And Indirectly Targeted Retroviral Vectors For Use In Human Gene Therapy, Geneva M. Vasser

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Highly effective, targeted therapies against cancer would revolutionize the way people recover from this devastating illness. Gone would be the lingering side effects of the current non-specific treatments and in their place would be faster recovery times, better quality of life both during and after treatment, and less ambiguity about whether or not treatment was effective. This concept will elude modern medicine until treatments can be tailored to the patient's individual and unique disease. This concept of a transient, targeted, and tailored vehicle aimed at cancer cells lends itself to the use of replication deficient retroviral gene therapy vectors with …

Torsina And The Pathophysiology Of Dyt1 Dystonia, Yu Zhao

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The goal of my dissertation work was to examine the systems biology of torsinA, a DYT1 dystonia-associated protein, by using rodent model systems. TorsinA is a putative ATPase associated with a variety of cellular activities (AAA+). Deletion of glutamic acid residue 302/303 in TOR1A is causally associated with many cases of early-onset primary dystonia.

In our work, transient forebrain ischemia and sciatic nerve transection were used as central and peripheral neural perturbations, respectively, to gain insight into the in vivo role(s) of torsinA. Moreover, transgenic mouse models that overexpress either human mutant torsinA (hMT) or wild-type torsinA (hWT) were used …

Studies Of Entry, Reverse Transcription, And Regulation Of Splicing In Retroviruses, Timothy A. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The study of retroviruses and their lifecycle has contributed immensely to our knowledge of the world of biology and medicine. The central dogma of the basic flow of genetic information was shattered when the discovery that retroviruses copy their RNA genome into DNA was made. The same enzyme that performs this step, reverse transcriptase (RT), also revolutionized molecular biology when it was used as a tool to generate full length cDNA clones of expressed genes. The impact of retroviruses on the medical field has been extremely exciting as the ideas of using retroviral vectors to deliver genes providing long term …

Notes From The Director, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Mcnair Scholars Program, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Graduate Scholar Profile, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Epidemiología De Himenolepiosis Y Otras Parasitosis Intestinales En Una Comunidad Suburbana De Escuque, Trujillo-Venezuela [Himenolepiosis Epidemiology And Other Intestinal Parasites In A Suburban Community Of Escuque, Trujillo, Venezuela], María Josefina Rossomando, Wilfredo Márquez, Johanna Prado, Nathalie Chacon

Physician Assistant Studies Faculty Publications

Las parasitosis intestinales son enfermedades desasistidas de los países en vías de desarrollo, en comunidades sub-urbanas, rurales, marginales e indígenas, desfavorecidas por la atención médica calificada. En Venezuela se estima una prevalencia de 7 % para Hymenolepis nana. El presente estudio epidemiológico de prevalencia en el sector Fray Ignacio Álvarez, Escuque-Trujillo, fue diseñado para determinar la ocurrencia las parasitosis intestinales, de Hymenolepis nana, correlacionar las variables epidemiológicas (Graffar-Méndez Castellano) con las parasitosis intestinales y evaluar la confiabilidad del método de Kato Katz, utilizando como método gold standard el Formol-Tritón-Éter (FTE), en el hallazgo de Hymenolepis nana. Se encuestaron a 319 …

Application At The Bedside: Moving From Knowing How To Knowing Why In Nursing, Joyel J. Brule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing field is beginning to emerge as a profession with curricula that emphasis nursing as a discipline distinguished from a medically dominated paradigm. This changing focus places emphasis on professional competence upon graduation and entry into practice to foster fitness for purpose within an environment of continuously changing expectations of the nurse by society. Despite a growing body of research on transition into practice, a gap exists as to when this transition occurs and how this finding may influence educational preparation of nurses. This qualitative, exploratory study examined nurses’ perceptions of their transformation from novice to professional practitioner by …

Meta-Analysis: Prophylactic Drainage And Bleeding Complications In Thyroid Surgery, Steven A. Kennedy, Robert A. Irvine, Brian D. Westerberg, Hongbin Zhang

Publications and Research

Objective: To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and high-quality meta-analysis to determine whether prophylactic drain placement reduces adverse bleeding events in thyroid surgery.

Data Sources: MEDLINE (OVID and PubMed), CENTRAL, CDSR, ACP Journal Club, DARE, EMBASE, PREMEDUNE, OLDMEDLINE, CINAHL, BIOSIS Previews, LILACS, KOREAMED, SAMED, IndMED, SIGLE, ScienceDirect, and INGENTACONNECT.

Review Methods: Studies for evaluation included all prospective trials assessing the use of drainage in thyroid surgery. We excluded case studies, retrospective studies, reviews, and studies that had a "selective" method of postoperative drainage that was not defined or was based on surgeon preference. Search strategies were broad and …

Detection Of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Associated Dna Segments In Multiresistant Mssa And Identification Of Staphylococcus Epidermidis Ccrab4, Celine Herra, Anna Shore, Brian O’Connell,, Angela Rossney,, Derek Sullivan, Hilary Humphreys, David Coleman

Articles

Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) can arise from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) following partial or complete excision of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This study investigated whether multiresistant MSSA isolates from Irish hospitals, where MRSA has been endemic for decades, harbor SCCmec DNA. Twenty-five multiresistant MSSA isolates recovered between 2002 and 2006 were tested for SCCmec DNA by PCR and were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing and spa typing. All isolates lacked mecA. Three isolates (12%) harbored SCCmec DNA; two of these (genotype ST8 t190) harbored a 26-kb SCCmec IID (II.3.1.2) remnant that lacked part of mecI and all of mecR1, …

Manufactured Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles Decrease Expression Of Tight Junction Proteins In Brain Vasculature, Lei Chen, Robert A. Yokel, Bernhard Hennig, Michal Toborek

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Manufactured nanoparticles of aluminum oxide (nano-alumina) have been widely used in the environment; however, their potential toxicity provides a growing concern for human health. The present study focuses on the hypothesis that nano-alumina can affect the blood-brain barrier and induce endothelial toxicity. In the first series of experiments, human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) were exposed to alumina and control nanoparticles in dose- and time-responsive manners. Treatment with nano-alumina markedly reduced HBMEC viability, altered mitochondrial potential, increased cellular oxidation, and decreased tight junction protein expression as compared to control nanoparticles. Alterations of tight junction protein levels were prevented by cellular …

Momitochondrial Dysfunction And Dna Damage Post Exposure To Low Dose Radiation And "Bystander" Factor (S), Sharon Nugent

Doctoral

The 'bystander effect' describes radiation-like damage in un irradiated cells, either in the vicinity of irradiated cells or exposed to medium from irradiated cells. This study aimed to further characterize the, as yet poorly understood, mitochondrial response to both direct irradiation and bystander factor(s). Human keratinocyte epithelial and Chinese hamster ovarian cells were exposed to either y radiation or bystander factor(s) at doses of 5mOy, O.50y and 50y and examined 4-96 hours later. DNA damage was determined using deletion analysis, single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, long range PCR, semi-quantitative PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Mitochondrial mass was determined using MitoTrackelM …

Psychological Distress And Change In A Pediatric Obesity Population, Amy Rebecca Beck

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pediatric overweight and obesity is a growing national epidemic with 15 percent of children ages 6-19 considered obese and at least 22 percent considered overweight. While there is considerable research pointing to contributing factors of obesity, there is a paucity of research which elucidates what contributes to successful intervention. Considering that by the year 2050, nearly 50 million Americans may be obese, understanding the factors delineating success of weight loss and prevention is a necessity. The purpose of this study was to utilize archival data from the LLU Growing Fit Program to evaluate the levels of psychological distress experienced by …

Nonlinearity And Gestalt Therapy : Back To The Beginning, Darryl G. Kim

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Gestalt methods are explored in the context of the nonlinear view. The original Lewinian equations are updated to the current notions of nonlinear dynamics and current Gestalt Therapy theory. Ordinary differential equations and nonlinear processes are applied some of the key features of Gestalt Theory. Theoretical positions are explored and therapeutic impact considered.

Short-Term Clinical Evaluation Of Nobelreplace® Tapered Groovy Implant, Manouchehr Pouresmail

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this clinical investigation was to make comparisons and to achieve estimates of the short-term implant success, marginal bone resorption, and soft tissue responses around the immediately loaded NobelReplace® Tapered groovy implant (with groove on a rough collar portion) as compared to an implant without a groove on the collar (Replace®Select Tapered). This was a randomized controlled and prospective investigation in which subjects were consecutively included according to strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. Single stage procedure was used with immediate function. Seventeen subjects were recruited, and were randomly divided in two groups. Each group was received the predetermined type of …

Promoting Animals For Well-Being And Self-Acceptance With The Human Patient, Vicki J. Marquardt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Few empirical studies have been conducted in order to scientifically measure the benefits of using animals with individuals suffering from neurological disorders, or traumatic brain injuries, with or without the inclusion of chronic pain. This study looked at the benefit of using horses in the therapeutic setting, by measuring the levels of anxiety, depression, self-esteem and quality of life pre- and post-therapy, in individuals diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Three groups were used in this study, and were measured pre and post therapy over an eight week period of time. The first group did not participate in the therapy at …

The Evaluation Of Sharper Future: A Community-Based Sex Offender Treatment Program, Lindsay M. Cunningham

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A program evaluation of Sharper Future’s Substance Abuse Services Coordinating Agency (SASCA) sex offender treatment program was conducted in order to ascertain whether the program is meeting its treatment goals as outlined by the SASCA contract and Sharper Future program goals. The participants of this evaluation were 248 past male Sharper Future clients who had been mandated to treatment at the Sharper Future facilities and were funded by the SASCA program. The data used in this program evaluation was archival, as it existed in the clients’ file as supplied by the Sharper Future clinics that run a SASCA treatment program. …

Ethical Decision-Making Regarding Multiple Relationships Between Therapist And Client, Diana Jochai

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The current study examined a new conceptual model of factors critical to a therapist’s decision-making process when faced with the potential of a nonsexual multiple relationship with a client. This new model was founded on the conceptual framework proposed by Street, Douglas, Geiger, & Martinko (2001) and integrated the components of the decision-making process and the individual and situational factors influencing those components identified in existing general conceptual models and specific behavioral guidelines. For the ethical decision-making process to begin, a practitioner must be able to recognize the presenting problem as an ethical dilemma (Brazerman, 1986; Jones, 1991; Street et …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2008, Zelpha B. Johnson, D. Wayne Kellogg

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

No abstract provided.

Practices And Knowledge Of Schoolchildren Regarding Chhaalia/Paan Masala In Mahmoodabad And Chanesar Goth, Karachi, Sameena Shah, Riaz Qureshi, Iqbal Azam Syed

Department of Family Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To determine the practices and knowledge about chhaalia and paan masala chewing among school children in Mahmoodabad and Chanesar Goth, Karachi, Pakistan.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three government schools of Mahmoodabad and Chanesar Goth, Jamshed Town, Karachi. Students of either gender were interviewed using a pre-coded structured questionnaire. In addition to the demographic data, questions included frequency of use, practices among friends and family and procurement of these substances. Knowledge about harmful effects, source of the knowledge and practices in relation to knowledge were also assessed.

RESULTS: A total of 370 students, ages between 10 to …

Young People's Blood Alcohol Concentration And The Alcohol Consumption City Law, Brazil, Raquel De Boni, Carl G. Leukefeld, Flavio Pechansky

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

The paper assesses blood alcohol concentration and risk behaviors for traffic accidents before and after the implementation of a law which prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages on city gas stations. In Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, young people go out at night and drive to gas station convenience stores to buy alcoholic beverages which are consumed on the premises of parking lots in gas stations. Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires and breath analyzers in two cross-sectional collections with purposive samples of youngsters in May and July 2006 (n=62, and n=50, respectively). There were no significant differences between the groups …

Upregulation Of Heme Oxygenase-1 Combined With Increased Adiponectin Lowers Blood Pressure In Diabetic Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Through A Reduction In Endothelial Cell Dysfunction, Apoptosis And Oxidative Stress, Jian Cao, George Drummond, Kazuyoshi Inoue, Komal Sodhi, Xiao Ying Li, Shinji Omura

Pharmaceutical Science and Research

This study was designed to investigate the effect of increased levels of HO-1 on hypertension exacerbated by diabetes. Diabetic spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and WKY (control) animals were treated with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes and stannous chloride (SnCl2) to upregulate HO-1. Treatment with SnCl2 not only attenuated the increase of blood pressure (p<0.01), but also increased HO-1 protein content, HO activity and plasma adiponectin levels, decreased the levels of superoxide and 3-nitrotyrosine (NT), respectively. Reduction in oxidative stress resulted in the increased expression of Bcl-2 and AKT with a concomitant reduction in circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in the peripheral blood (p<0.005) and an improvement of femoral reactivity (response to acetylcholine). Thus induction of HO-1 accompanied with increased plasma adiponectin levels in diabetic hypertensive rats alters the phenotype through a reduction in oxidative stress, thereby permitting endothelial cells to maintain an anti-apoptotic environment and the restoration of endothelial responses thus preventing hypertension.

Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases And Radiation Therapy: A Case Report, Daniel Ikeda, James S. Harrop Md

JHN Journal

Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCM) are a clinically rare, although devastating, complication of disseminated cancer. These lesions have been reported to originate from many types of solid tumors, although primary lung carcinoma, particularly small cell, is the most common etiology. These metastases, which can occur anywhere along the spinal cord, often represent the end-stage of the disease process with limited survival outcomes.

Patients with ISCM may develop a variety of neurological deficits with treatment goals aimed at palliation. Different modalities of treatment have been found to preserve or restore ambulation and neurological function. The options for therapeutic intervention include surgical, …

Cervical Intramedullary Ganglioma, Harminder Singh Md, Ashwini Sharan Md, John K. Ratliff Md

JHN Journal

A 48 year male presented to the ER with severe headaches which were episodic in nature and which had been present for several weeks. Patient had a history of traumatic head injury (TBI) several years prior. Otherwise, he was in good health with no significant past medical or surgical history.

On physical exam, patient was oriented x 3 with an intact cranial nerve exam. He had significant upper and lower extremity spasticity with mild hand intrinsic weakness. His motor exam was otherwise unremarkable. His gait was very spastic. He had sustained lower extremity clonus, upgoing toes, and increased tone in …

Surgeon Opinions On Use Of Epidural Steroids In Treatment Of Lumbar Disk Disease: Results Of An Online Survey, John K. Ratliff Md, Mitchell Maltenfort Phd, Bryan Lebude

JHN Journal

“Standard of care” can vary along regional and specialty lines; it is common to discover that a local “standard” can be different somewhere else. Opinions may differ between pain management specialists, primary care physicians, and spine surgeons with regard to use of conservative treatment modalities.

Opinion within a given group of practitioners, however, should converge. Local differences between hospitals may exist, but conferences, professional journals, and national boards for certification are mechanisms that should act to maintain homogeneity within a professional group. It could be expected that commonly utilized treatment approaches within a well defined group of sub-specialists should converge. …