Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Hypertension Knowledge, Expectation Of Care, Social Support, And Adherence To Prescribed Medications Of African Americans With Hypertension Framed By The Roy Adaptation Model, Andrea Maria Grant

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Hypertension (HTN) prevalence in African Americans contribute to higher rates of disabilities and deaths from stroke, myocardial infarction, and end stage renal disease than all other racial groups in the United States. The major reason documented for these poor health outcomes is related to lower HTN control rates among African Americans compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Though overall HTN awareness, pharmacological treatments and control have significantly improved for all populations, studies found that rates of HTN control and adherence with anti-hypertensive medications are lower for African Americans compared to other subgroups.

Study Aims

The primary aim was to determine whether …

Reconciling Life Balance: A Grounded Theory Study Of Overcoming Failure, Kathleen Karsten

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Academic failure has been described as endemic in nursing education. Although, associate degree nursing programs graduate the largest number of nurses each year, the on-time graduation rate is 59%. Every semester students fail nursing courses and are required to successfully repeat the course before they can progress in the nursing program. Students who re-take a failed course are often called "repeaters." This qualitative Grounded Theory research explored the process of overcoming failure and becoming a successful student repeater. This emergent mode grounded theory study applied qualitative analysis techniques to prospectively verify and refine this emergent concept by delineating dimensions embedded …

Becoming Someone Different: A Grounded Theory Study Of How Nurses Integrate Pregnancy And Full Time Employment, Paul Gregory Quinn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the United States, 40% of the contemporary nursing workforce is comprised of women of childbearing age, 65% of whom are employed full-time. Hence, the likelihood of pregnancy occurring for this population at some point in their employment is high. A holistic exploration of how nurses integrate pregnancy and full-time employment has been lacking. The purpose of this research was to explore how primiparous nurses managed pregnancy and full-time employment. Using a grounded theory approach, nurses who were pregnant and delivered their first baby, while employed full-time on 12-hour work shifts, provided a firsthand account of how they incorporated pregnancy …

Microrna-138 Regulates Hypoxia-Induced Endothelial Cell Dysfunction By Targeting S100a1., Anagha Sen, Shumei Ren, Carolin Lerchenmüller, Jianxin Sun, Norbert Weiss, Patrick Most, Karsten Peppel

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

The Ca(2+) sensor S100A1 is essential for proper endothelial cell (EC) nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activation. S100A1 levels are greatly reduced in primary human microvascular ECs subjected to hypoxia, rendering them dysfunctional. However mechanisms that regulate S100A1 levels in ECs are unknown. Here we show that ECs transfected with a S100A1-3' untranslated region (UTR) luciferase reporter construct display significantly reduced gene expression when subjected to low oxygen levels or chemical hypoxia. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that microRNA -138 (MiR-138) could target the 3'UTR of S100A1. Patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) or mice subjected to femoral artery resection (FAR) displayed …

Adp Protects Cardiac Mitochondria Under Severe Oxidative Stress., Niina Sokolova, Shi Pan, Sarah Provazza, Gisela Beutner, Marko Vendelin, Rikke Birkedal, Shey-Shing Sheu

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

ADP is not only a key substrate for ATP generation, but also a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP). In this study, we assessed how oxidative stress affects the potency of ADP as an mPTP inhibitor and whether its reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production might be involved. We determined quantitatively the effects of ADP on mitochondrial Ca(2+) retention capacity (CRC) until the induction of mPTP in normal and stressed isolated cardiac mitochondria. We used two models of chronic oxidative stress (old and diabetic mice) and two models of acute oxidative stress (ischemia reperfusion (IR) and tert-butyl …

2013-2014 Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook, Morehead State University. Nursing Department.

Nursing Department Publications Archive

2013-2014 Undergraduate Student Handbook of the Department of Nursing at Morehead State University.

Surgical Outcomes Of Pediatric Patients With Ventricular Septal Defects In A Tertiary Referral Center In Pakistan: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Omair Bushra, Muneer Amanullah, Atiq Mehnaz

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: The nature of complications and outcomes for Ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair differ between developed and developing countries. Understanding these differences can help optimize patient management according to geographical location.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with in-hospital peri- and post-surgical complications of VSD repair in a developing country.
Design: A retrospective cohort study. Setting: A tertiary referral center. Participants: 117 patients under 18 years of age admitted for surgical closure of ventricular septal defect between July 1998 and June 2008.
Main Outcomes: Only patients with isolated VSD or VSD associated with …

Improved Accessibility Of Emergency Obstetrics And Newborn Care (Emonc) Services For Maternal And Newborn Health: A Community Based Project, Ali Turab, Shabina Ariff, Atif Habib, Imran Ahmed, Masawar Hussain, Akhtar Rashid, Zahid Memon, M. Imran Khan, Sajid Soofi, Zulfiqar A Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Every year an estimated three million neonates die globally and two hundred thousand of these deaths occur in Pakistan. Majority of these neonates die in rural areas of underdeveloped countries from preventable causes (infections, complications related to low birth weight and prematurity). Similarly about three hundred thousand mother died in 2010 and Pakistan is among ten countries where sixty percent burden of these deaths is concentrated. Maternal and neonatal mortality remain to be unacceptably high in Pakistan especially in rural areas where more than half of births occur.
Method/Design: This community based cluster randomized controlled trial will …

Micronutrient Fortification Of Food And Its Impact On Woman And Child Health: A Systematic Review, Jai K. Das, Rehana A. Salam, Rohail Kumar, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Vitamins and minerals are essential for growth and metabolism. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 2 billion people are deficient in key vitamins and minerals. Groups most vulnerable to these micronutrient deficiencies are pregnant and lactating women and young children, given their increased demands. Food fortification is one of the strategies that has been used safely and effectively to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Methods: A comprehensive search was done to identify all available evidence for the impact of fortification interventions. Studies were included if food was fortified with a single, dual or multiple micronutrients and impact …

Inhibitory Effect Of Il-17 On Neural Stem Cell Proliferation And Neural Cell Differentiation., Zichen Li, Ke Li, Lin Zhu, Quancheng Kan, Yaping Yan, Priyanka Kumar, Hui Xu, Abdolmohamad Rostami, Guang-Xian Zhang

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: IL-17, a Th17 cell-derived proinflammatory molecule, has been found to play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). While IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) is expressed in many immune-related cells, microglia, and astrocytes, it is not known whether IL-17 exerts a direct effect on neural stem cells (NSCs) and oligodendrocytes, thus inducing inflammatory demyelination in the central nervous system.

METHODS: We first detected IL-17 receptor expression in NSCs with immunostaining and real time PCR. We then cultured NSCs with IL-17 and determined NSC proliferation by neurosphere formation …

Inhibitory Effect Of Matrine On Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption For The Treatment Of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis., Su Zhang, Quan-Cheng Kan, Yuming Xu, Guang-Xian Zhang, Lin Zhu

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a primary characteristic of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an experimental model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Matrine (MAT), a quinolizidine alkaloid derived from the herb Radix Sophorae Flave, has been recently found to suppress clinical EAE and CNS inflammation. However, whether this effect of MAT is through protecting the integrity and function of the BBB is not known. In the present study, we show that MAT treatment had a therapeutic effect comparable to dexamethasone (DEX) in EAE rats, with reduced Evans Blue extravasation, increased expression of collagen IV, the major component of the basement …

Approach-Iron Play In High Performance Golf: From Testing To Tournament Play, Samuel John Robertson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The capability of a golfer to record a low score depends upon well-developed abilities in each of the recognised on-course skill components (driving the ball off the tee, hitting approach-iron shots, hitting short-iron shots and putting). Despite approach-iron play being considered perhaps the most important and definitely the most practiced skill in the game, the ability to quantify the golfer’s ability to hit approach-iron shots in a controlled, off-course environment (eg. training) cannot yet be undertaken due to the lack of appropriate assessments. Such tools have considerable potential for use in both the field and in research for implementation in …

The Influence Of External Loading And Speed Of Movement On Muscle-Tendon Unit Behaviour And Its Implications For Training, Jacob Earp

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In this thesis great emphasis has been placed on vastus lateralis (VL) muscle-tendon unit (MTU) structure, behaviour/movement and adaptation. Of particular interest was how external loading and movement speed influence these variables. In the first study (Chapter 3) we developed a new methodology by which electromyography (EMG) could be normalised during large range of motion knee extensions. This methodology was then used as part of a larger study, which investigated how external loading influenced the interaction of muscle and tendon (MTU behaviour) during stretch shortening cycle isoinertial knee extensions, and how muscle activity and intrinsic tendon force (Ft) influenced MTU …

An Analysis Of Treatment Retention And Attrition In An Australian Therapeutic Community For Substance Abuse Treatment, Mark Robert Porter

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research undertaken in the last three decades has consistently reported that the length of time spent in inpatient and outpatient alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment programs predicts treatment success (De Leon, Melnick, Kressel, & Jainchill, 1994; Hubbard, Craddock, & Anderson, 2003; Simpson, Joe, Fletcher, Hubbard, & Anglin, 1999). However, treatment attrition rates are high and present a major problem for improving treatment outcomes. Various factors that have been reportedly associated with increased AOD treatment attrition rates include being female, younger clients, clients using methamphetamines, and clients with elevated psychopathology scores. The aim of this thesis is to improve understanding …

Characterising The Deformation Behaviour Of Human Tooth Enamel At The Microscale, Simona O'Brien

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Enamel plays an important role in tooth function. Optimal combinations of composition and structure endow enamel with unique mechanical properties that remain largely unexplored. Specifically, more detailed understanding of the loadbearing ability of enamel is needed to mimic it synthetically and to design next generation biocomposite materials. This research investigates the variables that influence deformation behaviour of tooth enamel in relation to its hierarchical structure. Initially, a new method was developed for preparing flat, finely polished tooth samples that were maintained in their normal hydrated state for nanoindentation testing. In contrast to conventional methods, which commonly utilise either inappropriate or …

Discovery Of New Biomarkers Of Mild Cognitive Impairment And Alzheimer's Disease Risk In Buccal Cells Using Laser Scanning Cytometry, Maxime Francois

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Previous studies have shown that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may reflect the early stages of more pronounced neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In clinical practice, patients with AD are not usually identified until the disease has progressed to a stage when primary prevention is no longer possible. Therefore there is a need for a minimally invasive and inexpensive diagnostic to identify those who exhibit cellular pathology indicative of MCI and AD risk so that they can be prioritised for primary prevention. Human buccal cells are accessible in a minimally invasive manner, and exhibit cytological and nuclear morphologies that …

Framing Anorexia : A Play Script And Multidimensional Investigation Of Anorexia : A Play And Critical Essay, Louise Helfgott

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis explores anorexia nervosa in young people. It comprises two components: a play script, "Frames", about 16-year-old Elizabeth who is combating the disorder, her troubled friend Ben, and their families, and a critical essay that reviews qualitative and quantitative literature about anorexia and contextualises the play in relation to selected narratives, plays and films. In my field research, I interviewed a number of professionals working in the field of anorexia and the essay also discusses their views and insights.

Few plays deal with anorexia in an in-depth manner to explore the onset and development of the illness. "Frames" addresses …

Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress : The Impact On Children, Parents And Staff, Sarah Mcgarry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Burns are one of the most painful and traumatising injuries an individual can sustain and constitute a serious global health threat to children. Despite the magnitude of this public health problem, little research has examined the psychological burden of these injuries. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate the effect of paediatric medical trauma on children who have sustained a burn, their parents and the healthcare professionals caring for these patients. The paediatric medical traumatic stress model provided a theoretical framework for this study.

Firstly, this study aimed to gain an understanding of the lived experience of children who …

Improving Evaluations Of Anti-Bullying Programs In Schools, Thérèse Shaw

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Bullying at school is associated with negative social, psychological and academic outcomes for both the victimised student and the perpetrator. As a consequence, national strategies to address bullying have been implemented in numerous countries, and education sectors and schools have increasingly directed resources to the problem. To ensure resources are allocated to programs and strategies that will prevent and successfully respond to bullying in schools, and therefore prevent harm to students, evidence of program effectiveness is required. Evaluations of anti-bullying programs in schools have had mixed results and there is a lack of robust evidence as to their impact. Several …

Neuromuscular Fatigue And Biomechanical Alterations During High-Intensity, Constant-Load Cycling, Amanda Julie Overton

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Neuromuscular fatigue is an inevitable process at play during prolonged exercise, and may be caused by multiple alterations within the central nervous system and peripheral musculature. As fatigue develops, the neuromuscular system must adapt to these changes by making compensatory movement pattern adjustments so as to use motor pathways that are less fatigued in an effort to maintain task performance; motor variability is thus increased. The primary purpose of the four studies contained within this doctoral thesis was to detail the progression of exercise-induced neuromuscular fatigue, and to improve our understanding of the muscle activation and joint kinematic alterations that …

The Governance Schema Of Regional And Rural Public Hospital Nurses: How Relevant Are The Dimensions Of Stewardship Governance And Trust In Management?, Kim Clark

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study broadly pertained to the issue of public health sector governance. The field of healthcare governance had been characterised as having challenges of greater intricacy and sensitivity than those found in any other sector (Philippon & Braithwaite, 2008). While increasingly regarded as important to health system performance, governance had, however, been evaluated as poorly understood in conceptual and practical terms and subject to competing ideas regarding its role and challenges (Brinkerhoff & Bossert, 2013). Specifically, the thesis elucidated frontline regional and rural hospital nurses’ cognitive schema of strategic aspects of governance practice of managers in the Western Australian Country …

Factors Influencing The Incidence Rates Of Injuries And Accidents Among Seafarers And Rig Workers Providing Support To The Wa Offshore Oil And Gas Industry, Tony Martinovich

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this study was to identify, discuss and make recommendations regarding causal factors associated with injuries and accidents among seafarers and rig workers providing support to the WA offshore oil and gas industry. These incidents cause significant personal and economic burdens for employees, employers and the community in general.

A sample of 484 participants were recruited from a workforce of 9800 employees (approximately 5%). Participants were stratified into 2 cohorts; those who had suffered injury (286 – study group) and those who had not (198 - controls).

Data from the study group were stratified into oilrig workers and …

Migration Matters : The Experience Of United Kingdom Registered Nurses Migrating To Western Australia, Caroline J. Vafeas

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This qualitative study uses heuristic inquiry to investigate the unique journey of 21 registered nurses (RN) who migrated from the United Kingdom (UK) to Perth in Western Australia (WA) between 2003 and 2008. The study explores the reasons for migration as well as the professional, social and psychological impact on each participant and their accompanying family during the first two years of settling in a new country.

In the contemporary climate of international nurse mobility, many employers are attempting to attract new employees, often with tantalising offers of an immediate visa and the enticement of a better climate and standard …

Effects Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy On Symptoms Associated With Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage, Henry Banyard

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Unaccustomed exercise consisting of eccentric contractions induces muscle damage that is characterised by muscle weakness, soreness, swelling and increased muscle stiffness. These symptoms affect daily activities and athletic performance; therefore, interventions to attenuate the symptoms and enhance recovery from muscle damage are necessary. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) is anecdotally reported to increase muscle blood flow and oxygenation to enhance tissue healing. One previous study showed that PEMFT was effective for alleviating muscle soreness and losses in range of motion after exercise. However, studies investigating the effect of PEMFT on recovery of muscle strength following eccentric exercise are lacking. The …

Muscle Damage And Metabolic Profiles Of Eccentric Cycling, Luis Penailillo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Eccentric cycling, in which the knee extensor muscles perform eccentric contractions while trying to brake the backward rotational movements of the cranks of a cycle ergometer, has been shown to effectively increase muscle function and volume with a low metabolic cost. However, acute responses to repeated eccentric cycling bouts have not been well documented. Thus, the primary purposes of this PhD project were to investigate muscle damage and metabolic profiles of eccentric cycling in comparison to concentric cycling (Studies 1-3), and muscle-tendon behaviour (Study 4) during eccentric cycling in relation to muscle damage.

Study 1 compared muscle damage and metabolic …

The Identification Of Diagnostic Serological Autoantibodies For Cutaneous Melanoma, Pauline Zaenker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Abstract not available.

A Model Of Management Learning For Occupational Therapists In Small Business In Australia, Jeannine Millsteed

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research sought to identify factors that contribute to occupational therapists developing management competencies when they become small business owners providing professional clinical services. This is an important for several reasons and precipitated by the Australian government’s introduction of incentives that encourage health professions to move from employment in public hospitals into the private sector, coupled with a recognition that occupational therapists receive no formal business training in their professional education, and the reported high levels of business failure in the small business sector. A review of the literature established the value of small business to the Australian economy, growth …

Biomarkers Of Disease : Concentrations In The Serum Of Women During Natural And Stimulated Ovarian Cycles And During Early Pregnancy, Melissa Stemp

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Molecular biomarkers are chemical signatures that all cell types possess. They are used in medicine to evaluate both normal biological events and pathogenic processes. A series of biomarkers associated with cancer of the breast, ovaries and other parts of the female reproductive tract and the monitoring of pregnancy were measured in disease‐free women. The biomarkers measured were prostate specific antigen (PSA), CA125, CA15‐3, CA72‐4, and pregnancy associated plasma protein‐a (PAPP‐A). The patterns of change during natural and stimulated ovarian cycles and early pregnancy were investigated to determine if these biomarkers could reflect normal events relating to ovulation and implantation/placentation. In …

Pax3 Expression, Protein Modifications And Downstream Target Gene Profiling In Melanocytes And Melanoma Cells, Danielle Bartlett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

PAX3 is a transcription factor. It plays a major role in the development of melanocytes in the embryo. As a result of alternative splicing, the gene gives rise to eight different transcripts which encode proteins that have differing structures and are therefore likely to activate different downstream target genes. The presence of post-translational modifications has also been shown to alter the functions of the proteins.

PAX3 regulates the maintenance of undifferentiated melanoblasts and mediates pathways involved in proliferation, migration and survival. It has been shown to be expressed in melanoblasts, adult melanocytes, naevi and in most melanoma cells. This implies …

Sleep Duration And Breast Cancer Phenotype, Ali Khawaja, Santosh Rao, Li Li, Cheryl L. Thompson

Medical College Documents

Emerging evidence suggests that short sleep is associated with an increased risk of cancer; however, little has been done to study the role of sleep on tumor characteristics. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and tumor phenotype in 972 breast cancer patients. Sleep duration was inversely associated with tumor grade (univariate P = 0.032), particularly in postmenopausal women (univariate P = 0.018). This association did not reach statistical significance after adjustments for age, race, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy use, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity in the entire study sample (P = 0.052), but …