Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons^™

An Edge-Directed Interpolation Method For Fetal Spine Mr Images, Shaode Yu, Rui Zhang, Shibin Wu, Jiani Hu, Yaoqin Xie

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Fetal spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a prenatal routine for proper assessment of fetus development, especially when suspected spinal malformations occur while ultrasound fails to provide details. Limited by hardware, fetal spine MR images suffer from its low resolution.

High-resolution MR images can directly enhance readability and improve diagnosis accuracy. Image interpolation for higher resolution is required in clinical situations, while many methods fail to preserve edge structures. Edge carries heavy structural messages of objects in visual scenes for doctors to detect suspicions, classify malformations and make correct diagnosis. Effective interpolation with well-preserved edge structures is still …

Analysis Of Vitamin D Status At Two Academic Medical Centers And A National Reference Laboratory: Result Patterns Vary By Age, Gender, Season, And Patient Location, Jonathan R. Genzen, Jennifer T. Gosselin, Thomas C. Wilson, Emilian Racila, Matthew D. Krasowski

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Testing for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] has increased dramatically in recent years. The present report compares overall utilization and results for 25(OH)D orders at two academic medical centers - one in New York and one in Iowa – in order to characterize the vitamin D status of our inpatient and outpatient populations. Results are also compared to those from a national reference laboratory to determine whether patterns at these two institutions reflect those observed nationally.

Methods: Retrospective data queries of 25(OH)D orders and results were conducted using the laboratory information systems at Weill Cornell Medical College / New York Presbyterian …

Racial Inequality In The Valuation Of Health Outcomes Expressed By The 1992 Acs Guidelines For Prostate Cancer Screening, C. A. Beam

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

In 1992, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recommended annual screening for prostate cancer for men 50 and older using PSA. In this article, I introduce a method to use race and age-specific PSA accuracy data to evaluate differences in the valuation of outcomes by race and age that were expressed by the ACS guidelines. Using this new method, it can be concluded that the guidelines implied a 4-fold greater valuation was assigned to screening young white males with prostate cancer than the value that was assigned to young black males with cancer. Future implementation of guidelines for screening and testing …

A Social Controversy: Autism Spectrum Disorder's Correlation To The Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination, Lindsay A. Frye

Senior Honors Theses

A 1998 research study lead by Dr. Andrew Wakefield linked the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination as a probable cause to autism spectrum disorder. This publication has started a significant debate among healthcare professionals and instigated an anti-vaccination movement within the general population. This vaccination controversy was started by parents who readily accepted Wakefield’s findings as truth and frequently would choose to withdrawal the administration of vaccinations from their children’s care plans. There has also been disapproval by healthcare professionals over Wakefield’s study since numerous research teams have been unable to replicate his findings. This disagreement surrounding the MMR vaccination is likely …

T-Scores In African American Women, Catherine Meyer, Brooke L. Griffin, Kathy Komperda, Jill Borchert

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Many older bone densitometer (DXA) machines are programmed to calculate T-scores for African- American patients using peak African-American bone mass as reference standard.

This presents a problem because most data regarding fracture risk has been derived using Caucasian data (Binkley 2002). If the T-score for an African-American woman is calculated using a race-adjusted reference, the same absolute bone density will yield a lower T-score for an African- American than for a Caucasian woman. For this reason, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry has recommended that T-scores for all women, regardless of ethnicity, be calculated from Caucasian reference standards (ISCD 2007).

Potential For False Positive Hiv Test Results With The Serial Rapid Hiv Testing Algorithm, Steven Baveewo, Moses R. Kamya, Harriet Mayanja-Kizza, Robin Fatch, David Bangsberg, Thomas J. Coates, Judith A. Hahn, Rhoda K. Wanyenze

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Rapid HIV tests provide same-day results and are widely used in HIV testing programs in areas with limited personnel and laboratory infrastructure. The Uganda Ministry of Health currently recommends the serial rapid testing algorithm with Determine, STAT-PAK, and Uni-Gold for diagnosis of HIV infection. Using this algorithm, individuals who test positive on Determine, negative to STAT-PAK and positive to Uni-Gold are reported as HIV positive. We conducted further testing on this subgroup of samples using qualitative DNA PCR to assess the potential for false positive tests in this situation.

Results: Of the 3388 individuals who were tested, 984 were …

Predicting Mammography Screening And Breast Self-Examination Among Hispanic And Non-Hispanic White Women In Orange County, California, Sanam Kazemi

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background and Purpose. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Hispanic/Latina women who are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. Although Hispanic women have a lower incidence of breast cancer when compared to non-Hispanic White women, they are more likely to develop breast cancer at an advanced stage. In California, Hispanic women have the lowest rate of insurance coverage compared to other ethnic groups.

Method. The study was a cross-sectional observational study among Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic White women, ages 30-64 years. I examined intention to obtain a mammogram or breast self-exam …

Challenges And Opportunities For Developing Countries From Medical Tourism, Avinash M. Waikar, Samuel D. Cappel, Uday S. Tate

Management Faculty Research

Wikipedia defines “Medical Tourism” as the act of traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental and surgical care. Rapid expansion of facilities for patients abroad has helped to spur this industry’s growth. Regardless of the destination, U.S. citizens are increasingly embracing the benefits of medical tourism due to dramatically rising U.S. healthcare costs. Medical care in countries such as India, Mexico, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as ten percent of the cost of comparable care in the U.S. for some procedures. Statistical analysis revealed the costs to be significantly lower for many of these countries. Currently, patients …

Development Of Fetal Movement Between 26 And 36 Weeks’ Gestation In Response To Vibroacoustic Stimulation, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Laura M. Glynn, Amy L. Salisbury, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Carol Holliday, Curt A. Sandman

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound observation of fetal movement has documented general trends in motor development and fetal age when motor response to stimulation is observed. Evaluation of fetal movement quality, in addition to specific motor activity, may improve documentation of motor development and highlight specific motor responses to stimulation.

AIM: The aim of this investigation was to assess fetal movement at 26 and 36-weeks gestation during three conditions (baseline, immediate response to vibro-acoustic stimulation (VAS), and post-response).

DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal design was utilized.

SUBJECTS: Twelve normally developing fetuses, eight females and four males, were examined with continuous ultrasound imaging.

OUTCOME MEASURES: …

The Development And Psychometric Testing Of A Hypertension Knowledge Instrument In A Vulnerable Population, Crescent Elayne Rowell

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The primary objective of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of a hypertension knowledge instrument in a vulnerable population. The secondary objective was to determine the association between hypertension knowledge and outcomes such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 196 adults aged 18 years and older with hypertension. Item analysis was conducted to determine the reliability of the instrument. The factor structure was determined and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between …

Preventive Care Utilization Among Black Women : Perceived Beliefs, Benefits And Barriers To Mammography Screening, Rowandalla Y. Dunbar

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Blacks, in comparison to other racial or ethnic groups, suffer higher rates of illness and death from many preventable or treatable diseases. Despite the significantly higher rates of mortality and disease, Blacks are least likely to utilize clinical preventive care services. Black women, who are more likely to have advanced breast cancer at time of diagnosis (Chu, Lamar, & Freeman, 2003) are least likely to seek mammography screening (National Health Interview Study, 2000). Allen, Bastani, Bazargan and Leonard (2002) examined predictors of mammography screening among women 40 years old and older residing in the South Central area of Los Angeles, …

A Bland–Altman Comparison Of The Lead Care® System And Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Detecting Low-Level Lead In Child Whole Blood Samples, Christina Sobin, Tanner Schaub, Natali Parisi, Eva De La Riva

Selected Works Temporary Series

Chronic childhood lead exposure, yielding blood lead levels consistently below 10 μg/dL, remains a major public health concern. Low neurotoxic effect thresholds have not yet been established. Progress requires accurate, efficient, and cost-effective methods for testing large numbers of children. The LeadCare® System (LCS) may provide one ready option. The comparability of this system to the “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the purpose of detecting blood lead levels below 10 μg/dL has not yet been examined. Paired blood samples from 177 children ages 5.2–12.8 years were tested with LCS and ICP-MS. Triplicate repeat tests …

Acquisition De Modèles Pour L’Étude De L’Absorption Percutanée Des Substances Chimiques : Cellules De Diffusion À Flux Continu, Claude Viau, Suzanne Leroux, Ross Thuot, Sophie Lim

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Dans les milieux de travail où des substances chimiques sont utilisées, celles-ci peuvent se retrouver dans l’air. Les employés peuvent donc y être exposés par le fait de la respiration. C’est d’ailleurs pour ça que le règlement sur la santé et la sécurité du travail donne des valeurs limites d’exposition dans l’air pour près de 700 substances chimiques. Mais il est aussi possible d’être exposé par le contact des substances avec la peau. Quand on veut savoir à quel point un travailleur peut absorber des substances dans son organisme de cette manière, on doit savoir trois choses principales :

• la …

The Mind-Body Connection: The Association Between Adolescent Locus Of Control And Indicators Of Physical Health, C. Jayne Brahler, James Cropper

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Locus of control (LOC) describes an individual’s generalized beliefs or expectancies that their reinforcements are under internal versus external control (1). An individual exhibits either an internal or external LOC. This study examines the link between LOC and selected health risk factors in adolescents. A convenience sample of 167 high school physical education students completed a 13-item LOC questionnaire based on Rotter’s 1966 instrument.

Various anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and body fat were recorded on all subjects. A subsample of 61 female students received blood chemistry analysis that included a lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Apo …

Diagnostic Classifications And Resource Utilization Of Decedents Served By The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Sonia A. Duffy, Laurel Copeland, Faith Hopp, Robert J. Zalenski

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background: Given the volume and cost of inpatient care during the last year of life, there is a critical need to identify patterns of dying as a means of planning end-of-life care services, especially for the growing number of older persons who receive services from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Methods: A retrospective computerized record review was conducted of 20,933 VHA patients who died as inpatients between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2002. Diagnoses were aggregated into one of five classification patterns of death and analyzed in terms of health care resource utilization (mean number of inpatient days and …

Outcomes Associated With A Home Care Telehealth Intervention, Faith Hopp, Peter Woodbridge, Usha Subramanian, Laurel Copeland, David Smith, Julie Lowery

Social Work Faculty Publications

To determine whether adding telehealth technology to traditional home care services increases health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and home care satisfaction, and decreases resource utilization among home care patients. This trial included 37 home care patients receiving services in a Veterans Affairs medical center, randomized into intervention and control groups. Outcome measures included patient satisfaction and HRQOL at baseline and 6-month follow- up, and the use of inpatient and outpatient services before and during the 6-month study period. Intervention group patients reported greater improvement in the mental health component of HRQOL, (t = 2.27; df = 15; p = …

Factors That Influence The Blood Flow Response Of Skin To Electrical Stimulation, Abdul-Majeed Raja Al-Malty

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Female reproductive hormones, aging, global heating and local heating are factors affecting skin blood flow (SBF), but their effect on electrical stimulation (ES) has never been examined until the present investigation. To investigate female reproductive hormones, nine women (age= 25.6±3.5 years) with a normal menstrual cycle (MC) underwent ES in thermoneutral (25°±0.5°C) and warm environments (35°±0.5°C). To investigate aging, ES was applied on active young (n=15, age=32.1±8.3 years) and old (n=8, 64.5±6.2 years) groups in thermoneutral and warm environments. To investigate the effect of global and local heating, groups of 15 and 18 subjects (age= 18-40 years) experienced ES under …

Motivated Breast Cancer Screening Behavior And Its Cultural Antecedents, Patricia M. Flynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discrepancies in breast cancer screening behavior exist among various ethnic groups in the United States (Jacobs & Lauderdale, 2001), with Latino American women reporting particularly low screening rates in comparison to Anglo American women (ACS, 2002). Research indicates that behavior is in part influenced by aspects of culture and relevant psychological processes (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993; Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001). This study was designed to investigate the relations among cultural values, attributions regarding the causes for not screening, related emotions, expectancy that screening leads to early detection and value incentive of early detection as determinants of breast cancer screening intention …

Cultural Value Orientations, Attributions, And Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors, Patricia M. Flynn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discrepancies in breast cancer screening behavior exist among various ethnic groups in the United States (Jacobs & Lauderdale, 2001), with Latino American women reporting particularly low screening rates in comparison to Anglo American women (ACS, 2002). Research indicates that behavior is in part influenced by aspects of culture and relevant psychological processes (Betancourt & Lopez, 1993; Betancourt & Fuentes, 2001). This study was designed to investigate the relations among cultural values, attributional processes, and breast cancer screening behavior among Anglo and Latino women. This study also investigated the influence of acculturation among Latino women in relation to the other study …

Research In Home-Care Telemedicine: Challenges In Patient Recruitment, Usha Subramanian, Faith Hopp, Julie Lowery, Peter Woodbridge, David Smith

Social Work Faculty Publications

This study reports challenges in recruiting patients for a randomized controHed trial of home-care telemedicinae. Descriptive statistics on patient eligibility for home-care telemedidne services and patient refusals for participation are provided. Frequency counts of reasons for study exclusion and participant refusal and Chi-square tests to compare race and age-related differences are given. Of 302 home-care patients reviewed, 197 (65.2%) did not meet inclusion criteria. The most common reasons for study exclusion were patients either needing <2 visits per month (n = 59, 30%) or >3 skilled nurse visits per week (n = 46, 23.4%). Of the eligible patients (n = 105), 79 …

Detecting Spatiotemporal Clusters Of Accidental Poisoning Mortality Among Texas Counties, Us, 1980 – 2001, Ella T. Nkhoma, Chiehwen E. Hsu, Victoria I. Hunt, Ann M. Harris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background Accidental poisoning is one of the leading causes of injury in the United States, second only to motor vehicle accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of accidental poisoning mortality have been increasing in the past fourteen years nationally. In Texas, mortality rates from accidental poisoning have mirrored national trends, increasing linearly from 1981 to 2001. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are spatiotemporal clusters of accidental poisoning mortality among Texas counties, and if so, whether there are variations in clustering and risk according to gender and race/ethnicity. The Spatial …

Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus Aureus In A Home Health-Care Patient, Jeffrey C. Hageman, David A. Pegues, Carrie Jepson, Rose Lee Bell, Mary Guinan, Kevin W. Ward, Martin D. Cohen, Janet A. Hindler, Fred C. Tenover, Sigrid K. Mcallister, Molly E. Kellum, Scott K. Fridkin

School of Public Health Faculty Research

To date, four of the eight cases of infection by Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus [VISA] or glycopeptideintermediate S. aureus [GISA]) have been reported in the United States (1-3). We report a fifth case of VISA infection in the United States, and the first to occur during home health-care therapy. While all previous VISA strains have been oxacillin resistant, one of the two VISA strains identified in this investigation was oxacillin susceptible.

Trends. The Politics Of Psychopathology: Ritalin Conspiracy As Paranoia Or As Good Business?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article discusses the intersection of science, pharmaceuticals, and politics in the context of Ritalin and an alleged over-diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Providing Low-Cost Assistive Equipment Through Home Care Services: The Massachusetts Assistive Equipment Demonstration, Alison S. Gottlieb, Francis G. Caro

Gerontology Institute Publications

This report describes the Massachusetts Assistive Equipment Demonstration, a collaborative project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson’s Home Care Research Initiative and carried out collaboratively by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA). The purpose of the demonstration was to systematically encourage the use of low-cost assistive equipment among elderly clients through existing case management resources, thereby extending the effectiveness of the Massachusetts home care program by supplementing formal services with expanded use of assistive equipment.

The Accuracy Of Nitrous Oxide Passive Dosimeters As Compared With An Infra-Red Spectrographic Reference Method, Susan Allen

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Nitrous oxide is a gas often used in dental, surgical and veterinary operations as an anesthetic agent. Employees stationed in proximity of fugitive gas emissions may potentially suffer adverse health effects from chronic exposure to this agent. Passive dosimeters can be worn in the breathing zone of potentially affected personnel during exposure periods, then later analyzed to quantify nitrous oxide exposure. This study sought to establish the accuracy of several commercially available passive monitoring devices for nitrous oxide by comparison against an infra-red spectrophotometric reference method.

Job Accommodation In The Automobile Industry : Addressing The Problem Of Lateral Epicondylitis, Thanigaivel Ashwin Raj

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Cumulative trauma disorders are musculoskeletal problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tendinitis, and epicondylitis which can affect assembly line workers. The injuries are thought to result from repetitive motions performed under excessive loads in anomalous postures. The project aimed to design, build, install, and evaluate worksite accommodation at the Saturn plant for a worker with right lateral epicondylitis. The goal was to make her fully functional in her original team which required addressing the injurious aspects of the task that caused or aggravated her injury.

A process of observation, interview, and analysis identified “the door mount” operation on …

Counseling And Testing For Hiv Prevention: Costs, Effects, And Cost-Effectiveness Of More Rapid Screening Tests, P. G. Farnham, Robin D. Gorsky, D. R. Holtgrave, Wanda K. Jones, Mary Guinan

School of Public Health Faculty Research

New rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody tests permit many individuals to receive test results and appropriate counseling at one clinic visit. Because currently used tests require significant time for processing, all individuals must return for a second visit for test results and counseling. Since return rates for the second visit are low, the more rapid tests present an opportunity to improve the efficiency of HIV counseling and testing.

The authors compared the costs and effectiveness of the currently used counseling and testing procedure and a streamlined procedure made possible by the new, more rapid screening tests. When test-positive clients …

Preventing Perinatal Transmission Of Hiv Costs And Effectiveness Of A Recommended Intervention, Robin D. Gorsky, P G. Farnham, Walter L. Straus, Blake Caldwell, D R. Holtgrave, R. J. Simonds, M F. Rogers, Mary Guinan

School of Public Health Faculty Research

In the United States, nearly all new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in children are acquired through perinatal (mother-to-infant) transmission. Each year, approximately 7000 infants are born to HIV-infected women in the United States.¹ Without intervention, an estimated 15-30% of these infants would become infected.² In 1994, results of the AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) Protocol 076 showed that treatment of infected pregnant women and their infants with zidovudine (ZDV) reduced the rate of perinatal HIV transmission from 25% to 8%.^3,4 Following these findings, the Public Health Service (PHS) issued recommendations for ZDV therapy to prevent perinatal …

Update - July 1995, Loma Linda University Center For Christian Bioethics

Update

In this issue:

-- Gender Discrimination in the Medical Community

[ Responses to the American Medical Association of the Use of Anencephalic Neonates as Organ Donors ]
-- Maintain the "Dead Donor Rule"
-- Stairway to Hell
-- Let Parents Choose
-- Revisiting the Issues

La Résistance Des Gants À La Coupure : Développement D'Une Méthode D'Essai, Jaime Lara, Denis Turcot, Renaud Daigle, Jérôme Boutin

Rapports de recherche scientifique

No abstract provided.