Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Welding Fume Exposure In A Mechanic’S Shop On Uc Santa Cruz Campus, Neema Mahini

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This study was triggered from worker complaints about metal fume odors during metal welding in a mechanic garage. Hard-face welding, which includes use of an electrode to join metal pieces together, occurs once per year in this occupational setting and was chosen for this study because of the large amount of smoke that is produced, giving the study a worst-case scenario element. Sampling occurred over a period of one hour, which is the same amount of time hard-face welding is conducted when applicable. Results show that a worker performing hard-face welding was not exposed to metal fume concentrations above any …

Ymca Fitness Assessment: Tool For Evaluation With Regards To Ergonomics, Jacob Havlovick

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Professional ergonomists have several methods to analyze lifting tasks, in which the main goal is to determine the amount of strain on the body during manual material handling tasks. Several physical characteristics have been used to determine lifting capabilities, but developed screening methods do not cover the necessary traits or the right number of traits to predict an accurate level of strain. This project examined the use of the YMCA Fitness Test Assessment as a possible screening tool to determine lifting performance.

The project had one objective; To determine the association of any physical characteristic that might be used to …

Physical Therapy Management For A Female Student Athlete Post- Concussion: A Case Report, Matthew Johnson

All Capstone Projects

Background and purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe vestibular, oculomotor, and cervical interventions that were theorized to improve the function and decrease symptoms typically seen in the post-concussion population.

Case Description: The patient was a 16 year old female who was status post concussion due to head trauma during gymnastics routine. Symptoms included short term memory loss, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, visual disturbances, and neck pain.

Outcomes: Patient was seen for 7 treatments over the course of 6 weeks which mainly focused on oculomotor training, vestibular training, and cervicogenic relief. Outcomes were consistent with …

Outcomes Of A Comprehensive Physical Therapy Treatment Program For A 22-Year-Old Patient With Migraine Without Aura, Chronic Migraine, And Cervicogenic Type Headache: A Case Report, Katrina L. Koltz

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe the interventions and outcomes of a comprehensive physical therapy (PT) treatment program that emphasized addressing musculoskeletal deficits and increasing neuromuscular control, which was theorized to decrease headache (HA) symptoms for a patient with overlapping HA diagnoses.

Case Description: The subject was a 22-year-old Caucasian female with an 8-year history of migraine without aura, chronic migraine, and cervicogenic type headaches. A comprehensive PT program was implemented to address subject’s musculoskeletal deficits, neurological impairments, and functional limitations. Assessments were performed at initial evaluation and two weeks later at re-assessment. Outcome …

The Effect Of Core Strengthening Exercises And Sciatic Nerve Glides On 65 Year-Old Female With Low Back Pain And Lower Extremity Radicular Symptoms: A Case Report, Alex Bennett

All Capstone Projects

Background/purpose: Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide and is frequently accompanied by numbness, tingling, and burning sensation in the lower extremities. Oftentimes, LBP with lower extremity symptoms is treated with core stabilization exercises and nerve gliding activities, but limited research exists for the use of nerve glides for radicular lower extremity pain.

Case Description: The patient was a 67 year-old female with a chronic episode of LBP and left lower extremity sciatic pain. The patient’s symptoms included pain in the lower back and posterior thigh after sitting, standing, or ambulating for more than 10 minutes. …

Clinical Decision-Making For Discharge Recommendations For A 63 Year Old Male With Foot Drop Status Post Great Toe Amputation: A Case Report, Sigmund Ku

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: Making a discharge recommendation from an acute care setting involves many factors and a coordinated team effort, and discharging a patient to an inappropriate setting can have adverse effects. Physical therapists have shown to be able to make appropriate and accurate discharge recommendations. The purpose of this case report is to apply a model of discharge decision making and analyze the results in the case of an older adult male with foot drop status post great toe amputation.

Case Description: SF was a 63-year old male with a history of Type II diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, and …

Clinical Decision-Making In Transition To Consultative Physical Therapy Services For A Nine-Year-Old Girl With Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report, Gina M. Kelly

All Capstone Projects

Background: Although many pediatric patients with non-progression conditions utilize rehabilitation services, clear pathways towards transitioning away from direct service aren’t adequately addressed in the literature. A number of established frameworks for clinical and ethical decision making can be utilized.

Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the application of established frameworks in the literature to a particular case of a nine-year-old female patient with mild spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy receiving weekly home-based physical therapy services, in which the ultimate decision was to reduce services, highlighting the utility and limitations of such an application.

Case Description: This case …

Effects Of Early Physical Therapy Intervention In The Rehabilitation Of A Total Hip Arthroplasty Revision With An Anterior Approach: Case Report, Jordan Clevy

All Capstone Projects

Advances in medical technology have greatly changed the way surgeons perform surgical procedures. The push by surgeons and their patients for less invasive surgeries has caused surgeons to turn to an anterior approach for total hip arthroplasty and revisions of total hip arthroplasty. The less invasive nature of the anterior approach has led to faster recovery time and less pain. Nearly all total hip arthroplasty and revision patients will receive physical therapy services to guide and assist the patient in a steadfast recovery. This case study explores the results of functional physical therapy interventions on an 80 year old female …

Adult Male Status Post Chronic Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury: A Case Report, Kelly Cooke

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: There is a lack of research using conservative treatment to treat chronic traumatic brachial plexus injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a physical therapy treatment plan and home exercise plan (HEP) for a 47 year old male referred for shoulder pain following a traumatic compression injury 11 months ago.

Case Description: This study contained interventions focused on increasing joint mobility, resistance training, massage, and modalities to decrease patient symptoms and improve quality of life. To measure outcomes, the following examinations were used: numeric pain rating scale, gross shoulder manual muscle testing, …

Implementation Of A Land And Aquatic-Based Physical Therapy Program For A 6-Year-Old Male With Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome: A Case Report, Kristin A. Cheney

All Capstone Projects

Background & Purpose: There is little research surrounding Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS) in all aspects of patient care, including physical therapy. AGS, a rare, early-onset, neurodegenerative disorder, includes symptoms of postnatal microcephaly, spasticity, muscle hypotonia, and developmental delay. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a land and aquatic-based physical therapy treatment program for improving functional limitations and balance for a 6 year-old male referred to physical therapy for developmental delay secondary to an onset of AGS.

Case Description: This case study included a land and aquatic-based physical therapy treatment program focused on neuromuscular re-education, strengthening exercises, …

Brachial Plexus Injury And Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Following A Fall: A Case Report, Przemyslaw Ilczyk

All Capstone Projects

Background: In the elderly population, research has shown that impairments of balance and strength are common reasons for falls. Falls constitute one of the main reasons for emergency department and hospital admissions, and are the second most common reason for brachial plexus injury. Another common symptom, after a fall and head trauma incident, is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Approximately 50% of subjects with traumatic brain injury complain about positional vertigo. Research shows that traumatic BPPV is commonly misdiagnosed in clinical practice.

Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to present interventions that were used to treat a patient …

Physical Therapy Management Of 44-Year-Old Female With Lateral Ankle Sprain And Multiple Sclerosis In The Outpatient Setting: A Retrospective Case Report, Michael Gassett

All Capstone Projects

Background and purpose: Recent literature has shown that neuromuscular re-education and lower extremity muscle strengthening are important therapeutic components of preventing re-injury in patients with lateral ankle sprains (LAS). There is very literature however on the effectiveness of this treatment on a person with a LAS as well as overall balance issues secondary to a medical diagnosis such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this retrospective case study is to describe the outcomes of using neuromuscular re-education as well as lower extremity muscle strengthening in a 44-year-old female patient with a LAS and a medical diagnosis of MS.

Case …

Effectiveness Of Conservative Physical Therapy On A 17 Year Old Female Diagnosed With Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, Bethany Hyde

All Capstone Projects

Background & Purpose: There is currently a lack of research for physical therapy as an intervention in the treatment of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. The purpose of this case report is to explore the effectiveness of conservative physical therapy intervention for a 17-year-old female diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.

Case Description: This case report includes the examination, evaluation, and treatment of a patient with Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. Interventions focused on increasing strength and range of motion of the left lower extremity, improving balance and proprioception, and the incorporation of functional activities. To measure the effectiveness of the intervention the following examinations where used: Lower …

Implementation Of A Comprehensive Treatment Program For A Patient With Tbi To Address Balance And Gait Deviations: A Case Report, Robert De Lara

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective case report is to describe physical therapy interventions provided to improve the balance and ambulation of a 20-year-old patient with apparent lower extremity foot drop and fatigue 20 months post severe traumatic brain injury secondary to a motor vehicle accident.

Case Description: The patient initially had decreased active and passive range of motion in bilateral ankles, decreased BERG balance test scores, and decreased ambulation distance without the use of an assistive device. Treatment interventions included balance and ambulation training program that incorporated stretching and joint mobilizations, balance exercises, and endurance training.

Outcomes: …

The Effects Of A Mckenzie-Based Approach Combined With Functional Training For A Patient With Low Back Pain And Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Report, Mitchell Cronk

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe the outcome of a McKenzie-based intervention plan combined with functional training for a patient with low back pain and multiple sclerosis.

Case Description: CS was a 58-year-old female who presented to therapy with primary complaints of low back and calf pain. Also, the patient was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2009. The patient ambulates with a significantly increased base of support. A CT-scan in 2012 revealed a bulging disc at the L5-S1 vertebral junction. The patient swims 3x a week for 30 minutes.

Outcomes: All of the …

Multimodal Physical Therapy Management Of A 24 Year-Old Male With Chronic Retrocalcaneal Pain: A Case Report, Matthew Herring

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: The multimodal approach reflects the type of individualized treatment commonly used in the clinical setting, in which many different interventions are available to the physical therapist. The purpose of this case report is to describe the physical therapy management process for a patient with chronic retrocalcaneal pain using a multimodal intervention approach.

Case Description: The patient was a 24 year-old male with chronic left retrocalcaneal pain. The patient’s impairments included decreased left ankle dorsiflexion, decreased left talocrural joint mobility, left ankle swelling, and gait deviations. The patient’s functional limitations included decreased ability to stand and walk for …

Outcomes Of Conservative Physical Therapy Treatment For Osteoarthritic Knee Pain In A 58 Year-Old Female: A Case Report, Sarah Wicklin

All Capstone Projects

Background/Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most commonly diagnosed form of arthritis in older adults. The purpose of this case study is to describe a conservative physical approach towards alleviating symptomatic knee OA pain and achievement of functional outcomes.

Case Description: The patient was a 58-year-old Caucasian female with complaints of left shin and knee pain with a complex medical history. The patient’s goal for physical therapy was to return to functional activities such as walking greater than 60 minutes and climbing stairs pain free.

Outcomes: Upon completion of physical therapy, the patient demonstrated slight increases in left knee flexion …

Rehabilitative Management Of A 66-Year-Old Female With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Case Report, Rachael Matthews

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: There is a lack of research demonstrating standardization of treatment protocols for patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar spinal stenosis. The purpose of this case report was to examine the effectiveness of a physical therapy rehabilitation program for a 66-year-old female referred for lumbar radiculopathy and lumbar spinal stenosis.

Case Description: This case report contained interventions focused on lumbar extension exercises, upper and lower extremity and postural control exercises, aerobic training, and modalities, in order to achieve the patient’s goals and to improve quality of life. To measure the outcomes the following tests and measures …

Comparative Literature Analysis Of Peripheral Vestibular Function Assessment Tools, Riddhi Chinoy

All Capstone Projects

Objective Purpose: One main function of the peripheral vestibular system's semicircular canals is to stabilize images on a target during head movements through the important vestibula-ocular reflex (VOR) in order to maintain clear vision. Abnormal VOR response results in fast, compensatory, catch­ up saccadic eye movements suggesting dysfunction in the semicircular canals. Several functional assessment tools have been developed since the twentieth century to measure the VOR response and saccadic eye movement, and some are still widely used currently, such as the caloric test, rotary chair test, bedside head impulse test (bHIT), scleral search coil technique, and video head impulse …

Physical Therapy Treatment For A 90-Year Old Male After Lacunar Stroke With Bppv: An Outpatient Case Report, Adam Nicholson

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this case report was to delineate the differential diagnosis of vertigo symptoms in a patient after a stroke and describe interventions used in the outpatient physical therapy setting.

Case Description: The patient was a 90 year old male treated in an outpatient physical therapy clinic after a lacunar stroke 6 months prior. The patient presented with symptoms of vertigo that are common after a stroke, but also exhibited symptoms consistent with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Outcomes: Overall, the patient greatly improved his abilities for gait and balance after treatment. The patient appeared much …

Treatment Of A 92 Year Old Female Deconditioned After Hospitalization Secondary To A Hemorrhagic Stroke: A Case Report, Paul A. Naujokas

All Capstone Projects

Background and Purpose: Research suggests that older adults are more likely to be hospitalized and to be at risk for hospital-associated deconditioning after successful treatment of their medical condition.This case report demonstrates that a walking program with progressive resistive exercises (PREs) helped one 92 year old female patient, suffering from hospital associated deconditioning, improve her strength, cardiovascular endurance, and functional abilities, including sit-stand transfers, ambulation with the least resistive assistive device (LRAD) and stair climbing. These improvements allowed the patient to return to her prior level of functioning, living independently in her 2nd story apartment with assistance as needed from …

Outcomes Of Endurance Training For A 76 Year-Old Male With Hospital Acquired Pneumonia And Elevated Troponin Levels: A Case Report, Kathryn M. Limberopoulos

All Capstone Projects

Background/Purpose: The purpose of this case report is to describe the interventions that were implemented for a patient with hospital-acquired pneumonia with multiple co-morbidities.

Case Description: The patient was a 76 year old Caucasian male who was status-post 3.5 weeks in acute care and 11 days in the ICU secondary to hospital-acquired pneumonia and elevated troponin levels. The patient presented with decreased lower extremity strength, impaired balance, and difficulty with bed mobility, transfers and gait. The patient underwent endurance training and weaning of supplemental oxygen to return to prior level of function. Assessments were performed on a weekly basis. Outcome …

Task-Specific Resistance Training Bedside For An 80-Year-Old Deconditioned Female: A Case Report, Maura Ryan

All Capstone Projects

Background: The purpose of this case report was to describe the use of task-specific resistance training bedside on an 80-year-old deconditioned female.

Case Description: The patient was a retired 80-year-old African-American female seen in a skilled nursing facility who was hospitalized due to defibrillator firing with atrial fibrillation with abdominal pain and Clostridium Difficile. Three weeks prior the patient was hospitalized for a right inguinal hernia repair.

Outcomes: The patient was unable to return to her prior level of independence for all functional mobility, yet the patient increased her gait distance, improved her lower extremity strength evidenced by manual muscle …

Physical Therapy Management Of A 16 Year Old Female With Vestibular Symptoms Following Suspected Concussion: A Case Report, Gina Tassione

All Capstone Projects

Background: Post concussion syndrome has become more common in adolescents involved in school related sports. Management of dizziness and imbalance is challenging after concussion; vestibular rehabilitation has been shown to reduce symptoms and improve balance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and implement appropriate interventions for a patient with suspected post concussion syndrome. A combined approach using targeted physical therapeutic exercise as well as functional tasks were evaluated and assessed.

Case description: The patient was a 16 year old Caucasian female who presented to the clinic with a physician order to evaluate and …

Smokeless Tobacco Use Among Pakistani Women: A Missed Opportunity For Tobacco Control, Tanzil Jamali, Sana Tanzil

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Cryogenic Air In Supplied Air Respiratory Protection, Matthew Doctor

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006 implemented new regulations in the underground coal mining industry that allow for the certification of non-compressed gas equipment for respiratory protection in underground coal mines. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Biomedical Research and Engineering Laboratory (BRL) is investigating the potential to expand cryogenic air supply systems into the mining and general industries. These investigations have, so far, resulted in four separate comparison and hardware development programs.

The Propellant Handlers Ensemble (PHE) and Level “A” Ensemble Comparison (LAE):

This study compared worker thermal stress while using the industry standard Level …

Knowledge And Attitude Towards Rape And Child Sexual Abuse – A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study In Rural Tanzania, Muzdalfat Abeid, Projestine Muganyizi, Siriel Massawe, Rose Mpembeni, Elisabeth Darj, Pia Axemo

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Background

Violence against women and children is globally recognized as a social and human rights concern. In Tanzania, sexual violence towards women and children is a public health problem. The aim of this study was to determine community knowledge of and attitudes towards rape and child sexual abuse, and assess associations between knowledge and attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was undertaken between May and June 2012. The study was conducted in the Kilombero and Ulanga rural districts in the Morogoro Region of Tanzania. Men and women aged 18–49 years were eligible for the study. Through a three-stage …

The Effects Of Antiepileptic Inducers In Neuropsychopharmacology, A Neglected Issue. Part I: A Summary Of The Current State For Clinicians, Jose De Leon

Psychiatry Faculty Publications

The literature on inducers in epilepsy and bipolar disorder is seriously contaminated by false negative findings. This is part i of a comprehensive review on antiepileptic drug (AED) inducers using both mechanistic pharmacological and evidence-based medicine to provide practical recommendations to neurologists and psychiatrists concerning how to control for them. Carbamazepine, phenobarbital and phenytoin, are clinically relevant AED inducers; correction factors were calculated for studied induced drugs. These correction factors are rough simplifications for orienting clinicians, since there is great variability in the population regarding inductive effects. As new information is published, the correction factors may need to be modified. …

The Scoop, Vol. 2 Issue 1, April 2015, Health Sciences Library

Volume 2

Latest news and events from the Health Sciences Library in our monthly newsletter for April 2015.

A Systems Approach To Stress, Stressors And Resilience In Humans, Barry S. Oken, Irina Chamine, Wayne W. Wakeland

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

The paper focuses on the biology of stress and resilience and their biomarkers in humans from the system science perspective. A stressor pushes the physiological system away from its baseline state towards a lower utility state. The physiological system may return towards the original state in one attractor basin but may be shifted to a state in another, lower utility attractor basin. While some physiological changes induced by stressors may benefit health, there is often a chronic wear and tear cost due to implementing changes to enable the return of the system to its baseline state and maintain itself in …