Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Cancer Management Is A Multidisciplinary Team Work, Ahmed Nadeem Abbasi

Department of Radiation Oncology

No abstract provided.

Rhinocerebral Zygomycosis In Pakistan: Clinical Spectrum, Management, And Outcome, Mubasher Ikram, Moghira Iqbal, Muhammad Aslam Khan, Erum Khan, Mahnaz Shah, Raymond A., Jr Smego

Section of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To study the disease spectrum and salient management features of 36 patients with histopathologically-confirmed rhinocerebral zygomycosis seen at our academic center over a 16-year period.

METHODS: Retrospective review of patients admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from January 1991 to December 2006 with histopathologically-confirmed zygomycosis of the head and neck.

RESULTS: Mean patient age was 40 +/- 5.0 years (range, 34-63 years), and 23 (64%) patients were male. Thirty-two (89%) patients were referred from clinical services other than otolaryngology. Underlying predisposing conditions included diabetes mellitus (21 patients), haematologic diseases (9), and renal failure (6). Twenty …

Evaluation Of Kawasaki Disease Risk-Scoring Systems For Intravenous Immunoglobulin Resistance., Lynn A. Sleeper, L Luann Minich, Brian M. Mccrindle, Jennifer S. Li, Wilbert Mason, Steven D. Colan, Andrew M. Atz, Beth F. Printz, Annette Baker, Victoria L. Vetter, Jane W. Newburger, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVES: To assess the performance of 3 risk scores from Japan that were developed to predict, in children with Kawasaki disease, resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment.

STUDY DESIGN: We used data from a randomized trial of pulsed steroids for primary treatment of Kawasaki disease to assess operating characteristics of the 3 risk scores, and we examined whether steroid therapy lowers the risk of coronary artery abnormalities in patients prospectively classified as IVIG resistant.

RESULTS: For comparability with published cohorts, we analyzed the data of 99 patients who were not treated with steroids (16% IVIG-retreated) and identified male sex, lower …

Use Of Audit, And Measures Of Drinking Frequency And Patterns To Detect Associations Between Alcohol And Sexual Behaviour In Male Sex Workers In Kenya, Stanley Luchters, Scott Geibel, Masila Syengo, Daniel Lango, Nzioki King'ola, Marleen Temmerman, Matthew F. Chersich

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Previous research has linked alcohol use with an increased number of sexual partners, inconsistent condom use and a raised incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, alcohol measures have been poorly standardised, with many ill-suited to eliciting, with adequate precision, the relationship between alcohol use and sexual risk behaviour. This study investigates which alcohol indicator - single-item measures of frequency and patterns of drinking ( > = 6 drinks on 1 occasion), or the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) - can detect associations between alcohol use and unsafe sexual behaviour among male sex workers.

Methods: A cross-sectional …

Employment Selections Of Resident And Non-Resident Graduates Of Physical Therapy Programs In Underserved Western States, Trever J. Cornia, Ryan B. Dutot, Jacob T. Parsons, Kathryn D. Swart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background and Purpose:Physical therapy (PT) is an essential component of the healthcare system in providing a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with functional limitations. The demand for physical therapy services is projected to expand in the next eight years, leading to an increased need for practicing physical therapists. The Mountain States plus Washington State (MSPWS) demonstrate the greatest shortage of therapists and are considered to be medically underserved. The purpose of this study was to determine the retention rates of resident and non-resident physical therapy graduates of public universities in the MSPWS and to determine which factors influenced their …

Effects Of Classwide Self-Management Intervention On Second Grade Students’ Social Skills In Physical Education, Elian Aljadeff-Abergel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Maintaining students' on-task behavior and engagement with learning materials is difficult due to factors such as a large number of students and the increasing occurrences of disruptive behaviors in class. Students' acquisition of appropriate social skills can increase the teacher's ability to effectively teach in class and facilitate students' academic success. Self-management (SM) interventions in which students manage their own behaviors can serve as socially and ecologically-valid strategies for enhancing students' social skills in the classroom. Self-management programs have wide empirical support that demonstrates their merit for students' learning of social and academic skills. In school settings, self-management interventions were …

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Pcos) In Urban India, Heidi A. Manlove

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis research focuses on urban women in India diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a complex metabolic, endocrine and reproductive disorder affecting approximately 5-10% of the female population in developed countries. The prevalence of PCOS is on the rise in developing nations like India, which are undergoing rapid nutritional transitions due to Westernized diets and lifestyle. However, less appreciated in the literature are the developmental psychosocial impacts for women diagnosed with PCOS, especially in developing countries. Thus, the goal of my thesis research was to contribute to the small but growing literature by investigating psychosocial dimensions of …

Different Means To The Same End: A Comparative Contingency Analyses Of Singapore And China’S Management Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) Crisis, Yan Jin, Augustine Pang, Glen T. Cameron

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

For months in 2003, the world lay under siege by a strain of virus that masqueraded as pneumonia but inflicted a far more lethal effect. By all accounts, the mystery of how the severe respiratory acute syndrome (SARS) virus came to be has remained largely unsolved (Bradsher & Altman 2003). What began as routine fever and cough in a Chinese physician, later identified as a super-carrier, rapidly spread to people who had cursory contacts with him, spiralling into a worldwide crisis that spanned Asia and the North Americas (Rosenthal 2003).

Forebrain Origins Of Glutamatergic Innervation To The Rat Paraventricular Nucleus Of The Hypothalamus: Differential Inputs To The Anterior Versus Posterior Subregions, Yvonne M. Ulrich-Lai, Kenneth R. Jones, Dana R. Ziegler, William E. Cullinan, James P. Herman

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) regulates numerous homeostatic systems and functions largely under the influence of forebrain inputs. Glutamate is a major neurotransmitter in forebrain, and glutamate neurosignaling in the PVN is known to mediate many of its functions. Previous work showed that vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluTs; specific markers for glutamatergic neurons) are expressed in forebrain sites that project to the PVN; however, the extent of this presumed glutamatergic innervation to the PVN is not clear. In the present study retrograde FluoroGold (FG) labeling of PVN-projecting neurons was combined with in situ hybridization for VGluT1 and VGluT2 mRNAs to identify …

Case Studies In Working With Loving-Kindness Meditation And Art Therapy For Those Suffering From Chronic Pain, Jessica N. Ropars

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study combined the use of Loving-Kindness meditation with art therapy for three women suffering from different types of chronic pain. These women ranged in age from 26 to 62 years and were from a variety of backgrounds; two of the women were Caucasian and one woman was originally from Barbados. The participants were recruited from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Four sessions were scheduled. During each session there was time for Loving-Kindness meditation followed by an art therapy intervention. The West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory was used to measure pain. In order …

Prize-Based Contingency Management: A Vehicle Miles Of Travel Reduction Intervention, Joshua D. Marquit

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During the past 50 years, air pollution has become a growing problem throughout the Intermountain West because of increases in personal vehicle ownership and usage. Scientists continue to design interventions to improve air quality by encouraging people to reduce their personal vehicle miles of travel (VMT). However, results of these interventions have only seen modest reductions in VMT because of some methodological and measurement issues. To address these limitations, a 14-week driving reduction intervention was conducted in Cache County, Utah. This intervention employed a prizebased contingency management system within a single-subject, A-B-A withdrawal research design that rewarded participants with prizes …

Effects Of The Frontier Environment On Identity Development Among First Generation College Students, Kenli Ann Urruty

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The unique experience of first generation college students from frontier communities as they transition to college has not yet been explored in the literature. The current study was designed to explore those experiences and the ways the frontier context and first generation status shape identity development once these youth have left their families and home communities and made the transition to college. To gain a rich understanding of the experiences of first generation college students from frontier communities, this study employed a phenomenological qualitative design and the findings were interpreted through a social constructionist lens. Eleven emerging adults were recruited …

Sexual And Religious Identity Development Among Adolescent And Emerging Adult Sexual Minorities, Angie L. Dahl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As the majority of Americans identify with a religious affiliation, the religious context is an important backdrop upon which identity development occurs. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied (LGBTQA) youths, the process of development may be complicated in a religious context due to denominational positions on same-sex sexuality. While recent researchers highlighted the importance of contextual influences on LGBTQA developmental processes, few studies have examined LGBTQA sexual and religious identity development. The goal of the current study was to gain a better understanding and appreciation of LGBTQA adolescent and young adult experiences of religious and sexual identity …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For The Treatment Of Compulsive Pornography Use: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Jesse M. Crosby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Compulsive pornography use (CPU) is generally defined by the inability to control the use of pornography and the resulting negative effects on quality of life or general functioning including damaged relationships, loss of productivity, impaired performance at work or school, job loss, financial expenses, guilt/shame, and personal distress. Statistics indicate that CPU may be as common as other psychological disorders and that the effects of the behavior can be just as severe. It is estimated that 1.5% to 3% of the adult population of the United States meets the criteria for compulsive pornography use. A review of the literature found …

Therapists' And Families' Views On Family Involvement In Adolescent Residential Treatment, Jonathan D. Zabriskie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study of 24 therapists and 64 family members representing 109 adolescent residents of six residential treatment centers aimed to better understand therapists' and family members' points of view about family involvement in residential treatment for troubled adolescents. The study also provided the therapists' and family members' recommendations for family involvement in residential treatment.

Findings from this mixed-methods study suggest that (a) the families from this study were involved in many different ways in their adolescents' treatment, including phone calls, visits to the treatment center, participation in therapy, and so forth; (b) there were areas in which therapists and family …

The Effects Of Self-Efficacy On Lower Body Power, Justin E. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of increased self-efficacy on three separate jump tests. Forty-seven students (18 females & 29 males) from Utah State University were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Participants performed a vertical jump test, a standing broad jump test, and a 30-s Bosco test on three separate days over a span of 1 week. The treatment group (n = 24) were given false, positive feedback about their performance while the control group (n = 23) were told their true results. Self-efficacy was measured pre and post using the …

Effectiveness Of Earthtec ® On Killing Invasive Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugenis) And Preventing Their Colonization In The Western U.S., Ashlie Watters

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, an invasive species, also known as the quagga mussel, was discovered in Lake Mead, NV in January of 2007. In the four years since detection, quagga mussels have created tremendous economical, ecological, and human health impacts. The mussels clog pipes, ruin boat motors, and damage recreational equipment, and once established in the lake, routine maintenance is necessary to avoid further damage. Because of quagga mussels' high fecundity, planktonic veliger stage, and ability to attach to substrates with byssal threads, they have easily and swiftly spread to other lakes and reservoirs in the Lower Colorado River Basin. …

The Self: Your Own Worst Enemy? A Test Of The Self-Invoking Trigger Hypothesis, Bradley J. Mckay

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The self invoking trigger hypothesis was recently proposed by Wulf and Lewthwaite (2010) as the mechanism underlying the robust effects of attentional focus on motor learning and performance. The hypothesis suggests that causing individuals to access their self schema will negatively impact their ability to learn and perform a motor skill. The purpose of the present study was to provide an initial test of this hypothesis by causing one group of participants to activate their self schema in a straightforward manner. Participants (N = 32) were assigned to either a self-activated or control condition and asked to practice a wiffleball …

Exploring Geographic Proximity To Fast-Food Restaurants And Convenience Stores With Dental Caries In Patients At The University Of Nevada Las Vegas School Of Dental Medicine, Charles K. Hill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Dental caries is present worldwide and has afflicted over 90% of all adults in the United States. Biological determinants of the disease are well understood but social determinants and how they interact with biological factors are not. Programs designed to reduce incidence and prevalence of caries often target certain individuals and involve behavioral change. Some programs are more successful when environmental and societal issues are also addressed (Watt, 2002). Biological and behavioral processes leading to caries should include the modification of social factors to enhance results of prevention programs designed to reduce caries in populations. Preventing disease comes not only …

Analysis Of Ghrelin Concentrations In Serum Samples Processed At One, Two, And Three Hours After Collection, Christine E. Prato

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Obesity is becoming an epidemic of modern society. While the health-related consequences of obesity have been well studied, scientists continue to search for biological risk factors associated with this disease. Since the 1999 discovery of an appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, researchers have further questioned the physiological interactions that lead to obesity. The fundus of the stomach, as well as the intestines and kidneys produce ghrelin before it circulates throughout the body and attaches to its receptor sites located within the section of the brain responsible for appetite-regulation. The hormone increases and decreases in a circadian rhythm that may dictate the routine …

High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (Hpv): An Emerging Health Issue For Women And Minorities, Dierdre O. Turner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the cause of nearly all cases of cervical cancers worldwide. HPV viral DNA is found in more than 99% of cervical cancers. In addition to cervical cancer, HPV is also associated with some breast and oral cancers. White women have been showing a decline in breast cancer rates while black women are continuously showing higher rates of mortality from both breast and cervical cancer. Minority women are also more likely to receive a late diagnosis and are showing increased incidence of oral cancer, which makes study of HPV in women and minorities significant.

To date, …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Safety Skill Intervention For Child Victims Of Neglect, Heather H. Hill

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child neglect is the least studied, yet most frequently indicated, type of child maltreatment. Still, there are few assessment and treatment methods specifically designed for victims of child neglect. Unintentional injuries have long remained the leading cause of death for children in the United States after the first year of life, and research suggests the majority of these child fatalities are actually the result of child neglect. Homes of neglectful families are often inundated with safety hazards but child-focused home safety skill interventions have yet to be developed. Thus, the present study focused on the development and initial evaluation of …

Lead Concentrations In Extracted Primary Teeth Among Clark County Pediatric Patients, Jennifer A. Berger

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Childhood lead poisoning is a completely preventable condition, yet only a small portion of children in Nevada are screened for elevated blood lead levels. In 2009 only 6.11 percent of children in Nevada were screened for lead indicating that Nevada would benefit from an alternative method of screening for childhood lead exposure. Deciduous teeth are not currently recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as diagnostic samples for the measurement for lead exposure. However, this unique and innovative detection method utilizes opportunistic samples that will contribute to the childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts in Nevada.

The objectives of …

Bioarchaeology Of Compassion: Exploring Extreme Cases Of Pathology In A Bronze Age Skeletal Population From Tell Abraq, U.A.E., Jamie D. Vilos

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tell Abraq is a Bronze Age archaeological site located in the modern day United Arab Emirates and was occupied from the 3rd millennium BC to the 1st century AD. The coastal location provided access to both marine and agricultural resources as well as trade routes and foreign exchange. The tomb at the site was in use for 200 years (2200-2000 BC) and housed the commingled remains of a minimum of 286 adults. These individuals lived hard lives, dependent on good health to maintain a life-line of sustenance for themselves and each other. A number of individuals with severe expressions of …

Playing With Fire Or Arson? Identifying Predictors Of Juvenile Firesetting Behavior, Mary Ellen Britt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Firesetting is a complex behavior that spans a wide range of developmental stages in childhood and adolescence and involves varying motivations and intents. A better understanding of this destructive behavior is critical to developing strategies to control its devastating effects. The purpose of this research project was to identify potential predictors of juvenile firesetting behavior by studying youth who were enrolled in a regional firesetting intervention program. Data collected from firesetting assessment instruments completed by parents or guardians of program participants were examined. In the analyses, special emphasis was placed on evaluating associations between juvenile firesetting behavior and the socioeconomic …

School Refusal Behavior: The Relationship Between Functions And Symptom Sets, Marisa Charlene Hendron

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current study examined the relationship between functions of school refusal behavior and internalizing and externalizing symptom sets in a community sample of 200 youth and parents recruited from two truancy settings. The first hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to avoid stimuli that provoke negative affectivity (function 1) would report more symptoms of generalized anxiety and depression. The second hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily to escape from aversive social or evaluative situations (function 2) would report more symptoms of social anxiety. The third hypothesis was that youth who endorsed refusing school primarily …

Calcium Supplemental Usage And Potential Health Issues Sssociated With The Rate Of Usage In Las Vegas, Nv, Tanesha Nicole Moss

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Calcium is a very important nutrient and as such, it is very important that all humans consume sufficient amounts. However, some calcium supplements have been known to contain small quantities of lead. This research project used a retrospective approach to explore the trade-off between the benefits of calcium vs. the potential lead exposure amongst people who are taking these supplements. A survey consisting of 10 questions was used to try to assess the rate of consumption of specific types of calcium supplements. This research project obtained lead levels in calcium supplements from previous research and applied that data into this …

Identifying And Reducing Lead Exposure Associated With The Use Of Cultural Practices In Southern Nevada Hispanic Communities, Maria Castillo-Couch

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite large amounts of national data on lead and childhood lead poisoning, the status of childhood lead exposure in Nevada as a result of the use of cultural practices in the Hispanic population is unknown. The influx of immigrant Hispanic populations to Nevada, their low education level, the high number of them who are living in poverty present an increased risk for children to be exposed to lead through the use of imported consumables, home remedies and alternative medicine (i.e., healers/ sobadores).

A 61-question survey collected data from Hispanics over 18 years of age who have or take care …

The Effect Of Low-Cost Incentives On Active Transportation To School Rates Among Elementary School Students, Sheila G.J. Clark

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study assessed the effectiveness of a school-based active transportation to school (ATS) encouragement program for elementary school students. ATS shows promise for increasing physical activity and preventing excessive weight gain in children. ATS rates were assessed through frequency counts at the control school (N=697) and intervention school (N=693). The intervention encouraged ATS through the distribution of low-cost incentives on one weekday each week. It also required helmet use for participation and included a Walking School Bus component. Findings from this study suggest that the intervention effectively increased ATS on both intervention and non-intervention days.

Modeling Mortality Rates For Leukemia Between Men And Women In The United States, Blessed Quansah

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Leukemia related deaths increased dramatically over the last forty years. Leukemia is a malignant disease or cancer of the bone marrow and blood. It is characterized by the uncontrolled accumulation of blood cells. Leukemia is divided into two categories: myelogenous or lymphocytic, each of which can be acute or chronic. The terms, myelogenous or lymphocytic denote the cell type involved.

In this thesis, the proposed modeling techniques are applied to leukemia deaths data from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER). In particular, annual deaths data from 1969 to 2007 are used in the data analysis, which includes three major …