Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Does Type Of Stimulus Influence Task-Irrelevant Evaluative Categorization Processes?, Guadalupe Corral

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The effect of stimulus type on task-irrelevant evaluative categorization was examined in two separate studies by using the P3 component from event-related brain potentials. The first study presented idiosyncratic stimuli consisting of individuals that were rated by participants as either positive or negative within sequences of pictorial and verbal stimuli. The second study presented sequences of novel and familiar stimuli consisting of previously normed unattractive and neutral individuals. It was hypothesized that pictures would elicit task-irrelevant evaluative categorization processes and so would novel stimuli (relative to words and familiar stimuli, respectively). Task-irrelevance was examined by assessing P3 peak amplitude to …

Comparison Of Nutrient Intakes For Vegetarians, Non-Vegetarians, And Dieters: Results From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004, Bonnie Farmer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Studies showing lower body mass index for vegetarians than non-vegetarians suggest that a vegetarian diet may be an approach for weight management. The purpose of this study was to compare nutrient intakes of vegetarians, non-vegetarians, and dieters to show that a vegetarian diet does not compromise nutrient intake. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2004) data were analyzed for persons 19 years of age and older. Vegetarians were those who did not report eating meat, poultry, or fish. Dieters were those who consumed 500 kilocalories less than estimated energy requirements. Adjusted means for fiber, vitamins E, A, and C, thiamin, …

African American Women And Hiv Prevention, Nicole Monique Samuel

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

For many health conditions, non-Hispanic Blacks bear a disproportionate burden of disease, injury, death, and disability. The purpose of this study was to examine African American females and their HIV prevention methods, as well as to identify factors that may lead to the non-use of condoms. Seventy-one participants were recruited from Planned Parenthood in Detroit. The instrumentation used for this research was the Sexual Health and Beliefs Survey. Results indicated that 69 percent of the respondents had five or more sexual partners in the lifetime. Ninety-four percent of the participants knew where to purchase condoms, and 89 percent stated that …

Walk To Jerusalem: Facilitating Physical Activity In A Faith Community, Lisa Schmidt

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Obesity and physical inactivity are on the rise in our society today. Combined with poor eating habits, many Americans are overweight or obese. Churches have become important settings for providing health education programs, especially for African-American populations. There have been mixed results from faith-based physical activity studies, and few have been conducted with Caucasian populations. The present study used the Walk to Jerusalem program as a motivational tool within a Caucasian faith-based setting. The objectives were to increase physical activity, decrease blood pressure and weight, if needed, and improve attitude toward physical activity. The primary objective of the project was …

Prevalence Of Vitamin D Insufficiency Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Kristen Poole Trukova

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent problem for female breast cancer survivors (BCS) who have completed treatment for breast cancer. Ninetynine breast cancer survivors and a control population of fifty-five women with no history of breast cancer participated in this study. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations were measured throughout 2007. Dietary and supplement intake of vitamin D was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. Zip code of residence was used to evaluate potential for skin production of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency (<32ng/mL) was observed in 76 of 99 (77%) of BCS, and 51 of 55 (93%) of controls. Women taking vitamin D supplements were less likely to exhibit vitamin D deficiency, but supplementation did not guarantee sufficiency. Vitamin D deficiency appears to be prevalent among both groups. Vitamin D status should be routinely evaluated for all women as part of regular preventive care.

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

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Introduction: Cold plasma, also known as Low Temperature Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (LTAPP) is a novel technology consisting of neutral and charged particles, including free radicals, which can be used to destroy or inactivate microorganisms. Research has been conducted regarding the effect of cold plasma on gram-positive bacteria; however, there is limited research regarding its ability to inactivate the spore-formers Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma inactivates G. stearothermophilus and B. cereus vegetative cells and spores.

Methods: Nine hundred eighty-one samples were included in this study (762 experimental and …

Ontology Driven Integration Platform For Clinical And Translational Research, Parsa Mirhaji, Min Zhu, Mattew Vagnoni, Elmer V. Bernstam, Jiajie Zhang, Jack W. Smith

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Semantic Web technologies offer a promising framework for integration of disparate biomedical data. In this paper we present the semantic information integration platform under development at the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) as part of our Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program. We utilize the Semantic Web technologies not only for integrating, repurposing and classification of multi-source clinical data, but also to construct a distributed environment for information sharing, and collaboration online. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is used to modularize and distribute reusable services in a …

Efficacy Of A Behavioral Intervention To Decrease Medication Transcription Errors Among Professional Nurses, Kathleen Ann Becker

Dissertations (1934 -)

The purpose of this study, guided by Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model, was to evaluate if a cognitive-behavioral education intervention would decrease medication transcription errors among professional nurses when admitting patients 65 years of age or older on 5 or more prescribed medications to a hospital. The conceptual framework for this study is derived from Donabedian's structure-process-outcome health model. The premise suggests improving the structure or process of a system can improve health outcomes. My intervention (cognitive behavioral education), specifically influences the process of medication history obtainment which improved medication error score. In this study, a randomized intervention design was used where …

Pretreatment Client Characteristics And Treatment Retention In An Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Shauna Elizabeth Fuller

Dissertations (1934 -)

The effectiveness and efficacy of substance abuse treatment is well established. At the same time, clients often prematurely drop out of substance abuse treatment, negatively impacting their chances of achieving favorable outcomes. Investigating variables associated with treatment retention has become increasingly important considering one of the most robust findings in substance abuse treatment outcome research is the positive relationship between the amount of time spent in treatment and post-treatment outcomes (e.g., decreased drug/alcohol use, decreased criminal activity, improved social functioning). This study examined the relationship between pre-treatment client characteristics and treatment drop-out among 273 adults who were admitted to intensive …

The Neuropsychological Functioning Of Men Residing In A Homeless Shelter, Sara Murray Hegerty

Dissertations (1934 -)

The number of homeless individuals in the U.S. has continued to increase, with men comprising the majority of this population. These men are at substantial risk for neuropsychological impairment due to several factors, such as substance misuse, severe mental illness, untreated medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, liver disease, HIV/AIDS), poor nutrition, and the increased likelihood of suffering a traumatic brain injury. Impairments in attention, memory, executive functioning, and other neuropsychological domains can result in poor daily functioning and difficulty engaging in psychological, medical, or educational services. Thus, knowledge of the neuropsychological functioning of homeless men is critical for those who work …

Is A School Based Educational Program Effective In Changing Knowledge Regarding The Prevention Of Shaken Baby Syndrome?, Margaret Kay Stelzel

Dissertations (1934 -)

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) involves physiological and neuropsychological sequelae secondary to parental or caregiver handling of an infant or young child (Goldberg & Goldberg, 2002). According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) (2001), non-accidental head injuries are the leading cause of traumatic death and cause of child abuse fatalities. The prognosis is extremely poor with a death rate of 26-36% and up to 78% of the survivors suffer long-term disability (Barlow & Minns, 2000). According to Prevent Violence Against Children Act, 2005 Wisconsin Act 165; SECTION 7.121.02(1)(L)6 educational SBS requirements are mandated, effective school year 2007-2008. Two instrument development …

Understanding Relationships In Health Related Quality Of Life For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Norah Louise Johnson

Dissertations (1934 -)

Nurses encounter many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both parents are under stress that ultimately impacts their health related quality of life (HRQL). Few studies assess the mediators of parenting stress on HRQL for both parents. This study explored the relationship of parenting stress, family functioning and HRQL for parenting dyads of children with ASD. Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) Transactional Model of Stress and Coping and Lakey and Cohen's (2000) Social Support Theory framed the study.

Implementing a cross sectional, descriptive design, 387 parents (n=64 dyads) of ASD-affected children, from 46 states, completed web-based surveys. Demographics, the …

Contribution Of A Portable Air Plasma Torch To Rapid Blood Coagulation As A Method Of Preventing Bleeding, S. P. Kuo, O. Tarasenko, J. Chang, S. Popovic, C. Y. Chen, H. W. Fan, A. Scott, M. Lahiani, P. Alusta, J. D. Drake, M. Nikolic

Physics Faculty Publications

The effectiveness and mechanism of a low temperature air plasma torch in clotting blood are explored. Both blood droplets and smeared blood samples were used in the tests. The treated droplet samples reveal how blood clotting depends on the distance at which the torch operated, and for how long the droplets have been exposed to the torch. Microscopy and cell count of smeared blood samples shed light on dependencies of erythrocyte and platelet counts on torch distance and exposure time. With an increase of torch distance, the platelet count of treated blood samples increases but is less than that of …

Traumatic Stress As A Predictor Of Suicidality, Sherry Malana Todd

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Suicide is a deliberate act of annihilation against one's self due to a crisis of problem solving. Far too many youth are dying by their own hands resulting in suicide being the third leading cause of death for 10-19 year olds (CDC, 2005). Suicide is particularly problematic for adolescents due to the impulsivity inherent in adolescent development. Since 1980, the national suicide rate of African American youth has increased by 114 percent (CDC). Suicidality has been positively correlated with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Kessler et al., 1999). Suicidality is more prevalent when a person experiences a tragic or …

Ca125/Muc16 Is Dispensable For Mouse Development And Reproduction, Dong-Joo Cheon, Ying Wang, Jian Min Deng, Zhen Lu, Lianchun Xiao, Chun-Ming Chen, Robert C Bast, Richard R Behringer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) is a blood biomarker that is routinely used to monitor the progression of human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and is encoded by MUC16, a member of the mucin gene family. The biological function of CA125/MUC16 and its potential role in EOC are poorly understood. Here we report the targeted disruption of the of the Muc16 gene in the mouse. To generate Muc16 knockout mice, 6.0 kb was deleted that included the majority of exon 3 and a portion of intron 3 and replaced with a lacZ reporter cassette. Loss of Muc16 protein expression suggests that Muc16 …

Comparison Of The Enantiomers Of (±)-Doxanthrine, A High Efficacy Full Dopamine D1 Receptor Agonist, And A Reversal Of Enantioselectivity At D1 Versus Alpha2c Adrenergic Receptors, Julie A. Przybyla, Juan P. Cueva, Benjamin R. Chemel, K. Joseph Hsu, David J. Riese Ii, John D. Mccorvy, Julia Chester, David E. Nichols, Val J. Watts

Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition involving the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Dopamine D1 receptor agonists are potential alternative treatments to current therapies that employ L-DOPA, a dopamine precursor. We evaluated the pharmacological profiles of the enantiomers of a novel dopamine D1 receptor full agonist, doxanthrine (DOX) at D1 and α2C adrenergic receptors. (+)-DOX displayed greater potency and intrinsic activity than (-)-DOX in porcine striatal tissue and in a heterologous D1 receptor expression system. Studies in MCF7 cells, which express an endogenous human dopamine D1-like receptor, revealed that (-)-DOX was a weak partial agonist/antagonist that reduced …

Complete Identification Of Permissible Sampling Rates For First-Order Sampling Of Multi-Band Bandpass Signals, Yan Wu, Daniel F. Linder

Biostatistics: Faculty Publications

The first-order sampling of multi-band bandpass signals with arbitrary band positions is considered in this paper. Gaps between the spectral sub-bands are utilized to achieve lower sampling rates than the Nyquist. The lowest possible sampling rate along with other permissible sampling rates is identified via a unique partition of the frequency axis. With the complete identification of all the permissible sampling rates, a necessary and sufficient sampling theorem for multi-band bandpass signals is presented in terms of a series of csinc-interpolators.

Blood Chimerism Confounds Genetic Relative Susceptibility Testing For Classical Scrapie In Sheep, David A. Schneider, Ahmed Tibary, Terje Taudsepp, Pranab J. Das, Katherine I. O'Rourke

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Classical scrapie disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of sheep that is enzootic in the United States. Susceptibility of sheep to classical scrapie is linked to single nucleotide polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP), forming the basis for genetic testing strategies used by national efforts to eradicate scrapie. Such efforts are occasionally hampered by inconclusive results stemming from the detection of ‘‘complex’’ genotypes. Naturally occurring cases of ovine chimerism are thought to account for some of these instances. In the current report, 4 naturally occurring ovine chimeras are documented through cytogenetic and molecular analyses. All 4 of these sheep …

Nor98 Scrapie Identified In The United States, Christie M. Loiacono, Bruce V. Thomsen, S. Mark Hall, Matti Kiupel, Diane Sutton, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Bradd Barr, Lucy Anthenill, Delwyn Keane

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

A distinct strain of scrapie identified in sheep of Norway in 1998 has since been identified in numerous countries throughout Europe. The disease is known as Nor98 or Nor98-like scrapie, among other names. Distinctions between classic scrapie and Nor98 scrapie are made based on histopathology and immunodiagnostic results. There are also differences in the epidemiology, typical signalment, and likelihood of clinical signs being observed. In addition, sheep that have genotypes associated with resistance to classic scrapie are not spared from Nor98 disease. The various differences between classic and Nor98 scrapie have been consistently reported in the vast majority of cases …

Guidelines For Environmental Considerations In Occupational Therapy Home Programs For Arthritis, Lori Pachl

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Occupational therapists frequently provide service to patients with arthritis within a variety of settings. The symptoms of arthritis can be detrimental to a patient's ability to participate in their daily functional activities. Pain, limitation in motion and decreased strength frequently disrupt the individual's ability to complete daily activities which can have a depressing affect. Historically through today, patients report that these symptoms increase with changes in weather conditions.

Changes in barometric pressure, humidity, cold temperatures and levels of precipitation have been reported by patients to affect their arthritic symptoms and pain levels (Aikman, 1996; Guedj, 1990; McAlindon, 2007; & …

A Team Approach To Cortical Visual Impairment (Cvi) In Schools, Donna Shaman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Cortical visual impairment (CVI) is presently the fastest growing cause of visual impairment in children. The influx of children with CVI entering school districts requires Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to gain expertise about CVI and learn best practices to work with these children. CVI experts agree that a collaborative transdisciplinary team can best serve the complex needs of the children. Written by an occupational therapist, this project designs a CVI manual, A Team Approach to CVI in Schools, which reviews current literature and provides support for client centered, occupational based education for children with CVI. The literature review points …

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An In-Service And Guide On Education And Prevention, Derek Foss

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is common among supermarket employees with a high prevalence among supermarket cashiers. In a study by Davis et. aI., (2001) it was found that supermarkets had the highest number of workman's compensation claims regarding CTS in Massachusetts. Of 247 reported cases of CTS in supermarkets 80 involved cashiers. Supermarket cashiers show a 19-60% CTS prevalence rate (Bonfiglioli et aI. , 2007). No prevention guide designed for supermarket employees was found in the literature; this scholarly project addresses the need for prevention of CTS among supermarket employees.

An extensive literature review was conducted to understand the need …

A Handwriting Manual For Early Elementary School Teachers, Jennifer Frueh, Nicole Kieffer

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Children in elementary school classrooms are expected to participate in fine motor activities up to 60% of the day. These fine motor activities include writing, cutting, gluing, coloring, and self care tasks such as buttoning and tying shoes (McHale & Cermak, 1992). In a literature review conducted by Feder and Majnemer (2007) it was found that poor handwriting has a negative impact on academic and social performance into adolescence. Consequences of poor handwriting may be avoidance of fine motor activities (Jackman & Stagnitti, 2007) and decreased academic performance which may lead to poor self esteem (McHale & Cermak, 1992).

Jackman …

Quad Strengthening And Hamstring Stretching As A Treatment Of Pes Anserine Bursitis, Jennifer Bernardy

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background/Purpose: This case study describes a 28-year-old woman’s six physical therapy visits over a period of four weeks for treatment of right pes anserine bursitis. The purpose of this case study is to describe the treatment of an individual with pes anserine bursitis using hamstring stretching, quadriceps strengthening, and iontophoresis and to describe the outcomes.

Case Description: Following a fall down eight steps in her home with her right knee underneath her. The patient presented with increased pain, swelling, loss of range of motion, and tenderness at the pes anserine. Treatment consisted of iontophoresis, hamstring stretches, and quadriceps strengthening.

Outcomes: …

Acute Physical Therapy Management Of Pediatric Patient With Traumatic Brain Injury, Michelle Holt

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose: Traumatic brain injury can cause many deficits including decreased balance and coordination. The purpose of this case report is to describe the interventions used and subsequent outcomes for a pediatric patient following traumatic brain injury in the acute care setting. Also, this case report serves to describe the methods and tools used in a hospital that is not equipped with pediatric-specific equipment or utilities.

Case Description: This paper describes the four-day inpatient physical therapy management of a six-year-old female who fell from a horse and sustained a left open depressed frontal skull fracture with an underlying subdural …

Status Post Rotator Cuff Repair With Interrupted Therapy And Comorbidities: A Case Report, Whitney Lesnau

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background & Purpose: The purpose of this case study is to describe the plan of care that was completed despite interruption from multiple complications. Interrupted therapy has not been explored in research even though it is something physical therapists encounter often.

Case Description: This 45-year-old patient went through a right rotator cuff repair surgery followed by physical therapy to regain functional use of her shoulder. Her therapy was interrupted twice; first by her mother’s heart condition and then by her own neurological condition.

Intervention: The main component of treatment with this patient was range of motion exercises including passive, active-assistive, …

Outpatient Physical Therapy Management Of A Patient With Chronic Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome, Kaley Schultz

Physical Therapy Scholarly Projects

Background and Purpose. Iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS) is one of the most common repetitive injuries treated in outpatient physical therapy and if left untreated, can lead to debilitating consequences for an individual. The purpose of this report is to describe the progression of conservative interventions that were used during outpatient physical therapy for a patient with the diagnosis of ITBFS in order for the patient to return to pain free activities of daily living.

Case Description. The patient was a 29 year old male who experienced pain over his c right greater trochanter and pain and snapping over …

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 86, No. 1, 2009)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Virginia Dental Journal (Vol. 86, No. 4, 2009)

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Promoting Breast Cancer Screening Among Chinese American Women Through Young Children's Theatrical Performance, Angela Sun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed that underutilization of breast cancer screening by ethnic minorities often is related to language difficulties and cultural values and beliefs about cancer. The problem addressed in this secondary data analysis was the late diagnosis of breast cancer in the Chinese immigrant community. The purpose of the quasi-experimental study was to test the efficacy of a theatrical preschool performance, guided by the diffusion of innovation theory, in educating Chinese American women about breast cancer detection. The research questions sought to determine whether the performance increased the participants' knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines and whether country of origin, …