Medical Specialties Commons^™

Identification Of Violence In The Home - Pediatric And Parental Reports, Bonnie D. Kerker, Sarah Mccue Horwitz, John M. Leventhal, Stacey Plichta, Phillip J. Leaf

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: To compare the rates of domestic violence reported by mothers with those identified by physicians, to compare the rates of harsh discipline practices reported by mothers with the rates of abuse identified by physicians, and to examine the relationship between reported domestic violence and harsh discipline practices.

Design: Interviews with parents and pediatricians to compare pediatric detection of domestic violence and child abuse with parental reports of domestic violence and harsh discipline practices.

Setting: Community-based pediatric practices in the 13-town greater New Haven, Conn, area.

Participants: Of the 23 practices invited, 19 agreed to participate. Of the 2006 parents …

Increasing Readiness To Change Among Smokers In A Primary Care Setting, Sheila F. Collicott

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the effectiveness of two brief interventions, direct advice and motivational interviewing, for increasing motivation to quit among male smokers in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of change who were primary care patients at an Eastern urban VA medical center. Contrary to expectations, participants receiving motivational interviews did not increase more in readiness to change, motivation, and actions to quit, than those receiving direct advice or a control conversation, nor did they smoke fewer cigarettes per day. As expected, contemplators reported more cutting down and quit attempts than pre-contemplators. Factors that may have limited the effectiveness of interventions …

Detection And Modeling Of Radiation Induced Effects In Tissues By Dielectric Spectroscopy, Dorin A. Todor

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The work presented here is applied physics research in the field of radiation treatment. We address the development of a new and innovative method, in vivo and possibly non-invasive, for tumor and healthy tissues control during and after the radiation treatment. The radiation treatment is delivered in an almost standardized manner for particular classes of tumors. The large variance in the individual radio sensitivity of healthy tissues and tumors often leads to local recurrence of neoplastic growth and/or distant metastatic disease which often remains untreated. The method is based on the measurement and analysis of electrical impedance data in …

Comparison Of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners' And Pediatric Residents' Care Of Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants, M. Gary Karlowicz, Jennifer L. Mcmurray

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To compare outcomes and charges of health care delivery to extremely low-birth-weight infants by neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) and pediatric residents.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A 56-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a university teaching hospital.

Methods: Study population included all infants with birth weights less than 1000 g who were admitted to the NICU during the 2-year period between September 1, 1994, and August 31, 1996. Infants who died earlier than 12 hours of age, or who were admitted after 1 week of age or with major malformations, chromosomal abnormalities, or congenital infections were excluded. There …

Telomerase Activity In Human Preimplantation Embryos, Diane Lynne Wright

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, has been described as an essential component of highly proliferative cells, which stabilizes the telomeres and avoids cellular senescence. Telomerase has been identified in various embryonic cell stages, hematopoietic cells, and in >85% of tumor tissue biopsies analyzed. The ability to measure the potential to proliferate successfully could provide an objective measure of an embryo's quality. The objectives of this study were to modify the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay system for increased sensitivity to allow detection of telomerase activity in the single cell of an oocyte and embryo, obtain telomerase activity levels for the oocyte …

A Study On The Effects Of The N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequence On The Activation Of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Protease, Hidayah Muhammad Kendall

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTL V-1) is dependent upon the enzymatic activity of its protease for maturation. Maturation of the protease is facilitated by cleavage of specific amino acid residues, followed by dimerization. The effects of the amino acid sequence located N-terminally to the cleavage site on the ability of the protease to become active were the focus of the current study. These amino acid sequences were contributed by the plasmid vector into which the protease gene was inserted.

Surface probability analyses (SPAs) of the vectors, as well as for native sequences which produce the mature protease and …

Identification And Characterization Of Determinants Of Head And Neck Tumor Cell Invasion, Yangguan Wu

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignant disease with poor prognosis. The majority of patients die from local invasion or lymphatic metastasis. The mechanism(s) underlining the invasiveness of HNSCC are poorly understood. Utilizing a panel of HNSCC cell lines previously established in our laboratory, we tested the application and relevance of the three-step hypothesis of tumor invasion to HNSCC and investigated the mechanism(s) pertaining to the regulation of each step in the invasive process. Data presented in this thesis demonstrated that tumor cell invasion in HNSCC is a complex process involving three repeated sequential steps: adhesion, …

Factors Which Affect Post-Hospital Resource Use And Patient Health Outcomes Among Taiwanese Older Adults, Chouh-Jiaun Lin

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore relationships among population characteristics, patient post-hospital resource use and patient health outcomes in terms of the Andersen health behavioral model. An additional purpose of this study was to examine a discharge planning screening instrument used in a large urban hospital in Taiwan to determine if it predicts resource use and patient outcomes. A longitudinal research design was adopted for this study. Data were collected from the general medicine departments of an 800-bed university teaching hospital. Out of 109 patients who were interviewed, 78 participants qualified (participation rate = 71.6%).

The majority of …

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.

Insulinlike Growth Factor 1- And 2-Augmented Collagen Gel Repair Of Facial Osseous Defects, James S. Toung, Roy C. Ogle, Raymond F. Morgan, William H. Lindsey

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

BACKGROUND: Defects of the facial bone structure are common problems for the facial plastic surgeon. Native type 1 collagen gels (T1CGs) have been shown to mediate repair of facial critical-size defects in rat models.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of T1CG augmented with insulinlike growth factor (IGF) 1, IGF-2, and a combination of IGF-1 and IGF-2 on the repair of facial critical-size defects in a rodent model.

METHODS: Twenty-four retired male breeder Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals. Facial critical-size defects were created by removing the nasalis bones with a bone-cutting drill. Defects were treated with …

Needle Localization For Breast Biopsy: The Patient's Experience, Marian De Walt Morgan

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The needle localization procedure for breast biopsy (NLP) can be painful and distressing for some women. This study was carried out to learn what factors might increase or decrease NLP pain and distress, and to gain insight into possible interventions to make the procedure more comfortable for all patients. One hundred and thirty-eight women were surveyed following breast needle localization at two central Virginia hospitals. The influence of eight variables (lidocaine, self-regulation, anxiety, worry about breast cancer, breast tenderness, finding mammography painful, difficulty with surgery, and distress of blood drawing) on four outcome variables (pain incidence, pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, …

Expression, Isolation And Purification Of Human Zona Pellucida Protein 3, Ting-Fung Chi

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Mammalian fertilization involves interactions of sperm surface receptors with the ligands of the zona pellucida, an extracellular matrix surrounding the ovulated oocytes. In humans, the zona pellucida is composed of three major glycoproteins. One of them, ZP3, participates in the primary sperm binding and in the subsequent triggering of the spermatozoa's acrosome reaction. Studies on the role of this specific protein in the human fertilization process are hampered by the limited amount of available biologically functional proteins.

By use of a pcDNA 3.1(+) expression vector, a transfecting-vector was constructed containing a 1.3 kb histidine tagged hZP3 cDNA. This histidine tagged …

Mouse Embryo Development In The Presence Of Capsaicin, Carlos Santiago Villar-Gosalvez

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Capsaicin is the pungent agent found in hot peppers of the Capsicum genus. It is a potent neurotoxin that stimulates the degranulation and degeneration of C-afferent neurons. Capsaicin is widely used as a food condiment and medicine. Human exposure of capsaicin can exceed levels shown to be neurotoxic in laboratory animals. Additionally, capsaicin can cross the blood/placenta barrier and affect an embryo in utero. In order to assay the potential for toxicity to human embryos, mouse embryos were exposed to capsaicin and the effect of the capsaicin on embryo development was measured. Embryos were co-cultured in Krebs medium with 1% …

Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (Lif): Murine Preimplantation Embryo Development, Implantation Rates, And Skeletal Development, Michael Hayes Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine which demonstrates perplexing physiological effects. It has been demonstrated that LIF is essential for implantation in mice. Little is known relating to the manner by which LIF effects pre-implantation and post-implantation development. The objectives of this project were to determine the effects LIF on pre-implantation development, to determine the effects that it may have on implantation rates, successful pregnancy rates, and resorption rates, and to determine the effects that LIF has on the skeletal development of mice. For the embryo transfer experiments, embryos were exposed to test compounds in the transfer medium …

Mathematical Models Of Tumors And Their Remote Metastases, Carryn Bellomo

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

Clinical observations and indications in the literature have led us to investigate several models of tumors. For example, it has been shown that a tumor has the ability to send out anti-growth factors, or inhibitors, to keep its remote metastases from growing. Thus, we model the depleting effect of such a growth inhibitor after the removal of the primary tumor (thus removing the source) as a function of time t and distance from the original tumor r.

It has also been shown clinically that oxygen and glucose are nutrients critical to the survival and growth of tumors. Thus, we model …

Acute Blood Pressure Responses To Static And Dynamic Exercise: Racial Differences, Reuben Leon Wright

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

African Americans have a higher incidence of hypertension than other racial groups. Furthermore, some research suggests that normotensive individuals who exhibit exaggerated blood pressure (BP) responses to exercise may be at risk for future hypertension. This study sought to determine if normotensive African Americans exhibited exaggerated BP responses to static exercise or dynamic exercise relative to Caucasian Americans and Asian Americans. Thirty normotensive subjects participated from each of the three racial groups (15 males and 15 females). Subjects held 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (right knee extension) for 3 minutes, and BP was recorded during the third minute. On a …

Reaction-Diffusion Models Of Cancer Dispersion, Kim Yvette Ward

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

The phenomenological modeling of the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of one-dimensional models of cancer dispersion are studied. The models discussed pertain primarily to the transition of a tumor from an initial neoplasm to the dormant avascular state, i.e. just prior to the vascular state, whenever that may occur. Initiating the study is the mathematical analysis of a reaction-diffusion model describing the interaction between cancer cells, normal cells and growth inhibitor. The model leads to several predictions, some of which are supported by experimental data and clinical observations $\lbrack25\rbrack$. We will examine the effects of additional terms on these characteristics. …

Pressure-Induced Intracellular Signaling In Isolated Arteries, Victor A. Miriel

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The ability of cells to respond to mechanical stimuli has been studied through a variety of techniques in numerous cell types. The cells of the vascular wall have adapted to specific mechanical stresses through the activation of intracellular signaling pathways which result in cell-specific responses such as hypertrophy, hyperplasia, proliferation, and migration. Vascular smooth muscle of the arteries have been shown to be sensitive to mechanical stimuli such as stretch, and pressure.

This study attempts to add to the current knowledge of mechanotransduction by utilizing the isolated artery preparation. This preparation allows for the study of vascular smooth muscle signal …

The Role Of Glycoconjugates In Mediating Human Fertilization And Induction Of Fetomaternal Tolerance, Manish S. Patankar

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Using the hemizona assay (HZA), a in vitro sperm-egg binding assay, we show that specific glycoconjugates known to inhibit immune cell interactions mediated by the selectins, potently block human sperm-egg binding. The selectin ligand sialyl Lewis^x inhibits sperm binding in the HZA by 60% at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. Our data indicates that glycodelin-A, a endometrial glycoprotein known to block sperm-egg binding in the HZA at low concentrations expresses unusual fucosylated lacdiNAc type glycans. The fucosylated lacdiNAc type sugars have been previously shown to be 15-20 fold more potent ligands of E-selectin. Glycodelin-S a seminal plasma glycoform of …

Sensitizing Students To Functional Limitations In The Elderly: An Aging Simulation, Sherry Allen, Viki Lorraine, Anne Lockett, Carolyn M. Rutledge

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Using activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) as a focus, faculty at Eastern Virginia Medical School provide an aging simulation exercise for a mandatory fouth-year clerkship in geriatrics. The specific aims of the simulation are to 1) experience the physical frailties of aging, 2) develop creative problem-solving techniques, 3) identify feelings regarding the experience of functional loss, and 4) develop proactive clinical approaches to the care of the elderly.

Methods: Students are assigned one of four diagnoses (Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, advanced diabetes, or stroke) and are then impaired to simulate …

Grandparents Today: A Demographic Profile, Maximiliane E. Szinovacz

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This article presents a demographic profile of grandparents, using the National Survey of Families and Households. Specific dimensions of grandparenthood addressed include grandparents' survival, the timing of grandparenthood, grandparents' involvement in other roles, surrogate parenting, and stepgrandparents. The data indicate considerable heterogeneity among grandparents of different genders and races or ethnicities. They also suggest modifications in previous descriptions of modern grandparenthood.

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Analysis Of Human Embryos Derived From In Vitro And In Vivo Matured Oocytes, Constance Descisciolo

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Despite adequate hormonal stimulation, oocytes collected for the purpose of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer display several levels of nuclear maturity. Preovulatory or mature oocytes, technically those that are Metaphase I or II, are inseminated shortly after aspiration and assessed for fertilization the following day. Prophase I oocytes, also called germinal vesicle-bearing or immature oocytes, require a 24-36 hour period in culture before being exposed to spermatozoa. During this time, the majority of Prophase I oocytes complete nuclear maturation in vitro, progressing from germinal vesicle breakdown through first polar body extrusion. If inseminated, many in vitro matured oocytes fertilize …

The Cellular And Molecular Dynamics Of The Queuosine Modification In Transfer Rna: Definition, Modulation, Deficiencies And Effect Of The Queuosine Modification System, Rana C. Morris

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The presence of the queuosine modification in the wobble position of tRNA^asn, tRN^asp, tRNA^his, and tRNA^tyr is associated with a decrease in cellular growth rate, an increase in the ability to withstand environmental stress, and differentiation of pleuripotent cells into mature phenotypes. The loss of this normal modification is strongly correlated with neoplastic transformation and tumor progression of a wide variety of cancers.

The "normal" system for formation of the queuosine modification in tRNA was studied in human fibroblast cell cultures and in mouse, rat and human liver tissues. The queuosine modification system …

Characterization Of The Fast Axonally Transported Proteins In The Rat Optic Pathway, Surafel Mulugeta

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The fast axonally transported proteins represent a subset of neuronal proteins that are conveyed anterogradely as secretory vesicle constituents from the perikarya. Although fast transport displays properties consistent with the general secretory pathway, neuronal structure presents special problems which may require modifications of the general pathway. The elucidation of these special modifications is essential for a more complete understanding of neuronal function both in normal and pathological conditions. In order to characterize the fast transported (FT) proteins and to better understand fast transport trafficking, the FT of radiolabeled retinal ganglion cell (RGC) proteins in the adult rat optic pathway was …

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase And Growth Factor Regulation Of Flow-Mediated Vascular Remodeling, David Anthony Tulis

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

This study was designed to characterize structural remodeling of male Wistar rat mesenteric arteries exposed to elevated blood flow in vivo for 1, 3, or 7 days. A series of arterial ligations induced blood flow increases in ileal and second-order branch arteries compared to same animal control vessels. Neither mean carotid nor local mesenteric arterial pressures changed significantly pre- to post-ligation. The primary flow-mediated force in both vessels was shear stress with possible involvement of acute stretch-induced wall stress in the ileal artery. Significant luminal expansion and medial wall hypertrophy occurred in the ileal and second-order arteries in a time-dependent …

Differential Endometrial Responses Of Primates Vs Rodents: Screening For Antiproliferative Effects Of Antiprogestins, David Williams Burleigh

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The antiprogestin, mifepristone, has previously been shown to noncompetitively inhibit estrogen-induced endometrial proliferation in nonhuman primates (van Uem et al., 1989; Wolf et al., 1989b; Neulen et al., 1990; Neulen et al., 1996). For both economical and ethical reasons, we are encouraged to identify comparative laboratory rodent models which can substitute the need to use primate models. In the following study, we compared capabilities of the rat uterine weight bioassay versus a primate uterine bioassay, to identify the noncompetitive antiestrogenic/antiproliferative effects of mifepristone.

Long-term ovariectomized monkeys were exposed to exogenous 17β-estradiol (E2) and mifepristone in doses and regimes already demonstrated …

Axotomy And Regeneration Of The Rat Facial Nerve: A Histomorphometric Study Of The Facial Nucleus, Nerve And Orbicularis Oculi Muscle In An Experimental Model Of Facial Paralysis, Peter Konstantinos Thanos

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

One of the most unsettling sequela of facial paralysis (FP) is the loss of eye sphincter function and the blink response, leading to functional, psychological and aesthetic deficits. A medley of restorative microsurgery approaches have been employed in treating these deficits, however full recovery of function remains elusive. The present research utilized the rat model of facial paralysis, and consisted of three stages. Stage I examined the facial motor neuron (FMN) pool of the eye sphincter (orbicularis oculi muscle=OOM) and identified the facial nerve branch which provides the majority of innervation to the OOM. II. Examined the efficacy of the …

Lead Activation Of A Developmentally Regulated Calcium Channel In Rat Hippocampal Nerve Terminals, Troy E. Rhodes

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Low level lead (Pb²⁺) exposure may produce lasting deficits in learning and memory by altering calcium (Ca²⁺) dependent processes. Isolated presynaptic nerve terminals from rat hippocampus were loaded with the intracellular (Ca²⁺) indicator Fura-2. The changes in cytoplasmic free calcium ([Ca²⁺]_i) were measured by stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy following depolarization with elevated potassium on a millisecond time scale (Lentzner et al., 1992). Depolarization promoted a rapid increase in Ca²⁺_i which occured in two kinetically distinguishable phases: a fast component, representing the activity of rapidly inactivating Ca²⁺ channels (τ …

Neuronal Toxicity Of Humoral Factors From Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy And Mechanism Of Neuronal Death On Cultured Adrenergic Neurons: Studies Of Autoimmune Pathogenesis In Diabetic Neuropathy, Dong Liu

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Diabetic neuropathy is an extremely common medical problem because of the high frequency of diabetes and its complications. Diabetic neuropathy consists of not one, but many patterns of nerve injury, each potentially with its own discrete pathogenic mechanisms. Evidence is accumulating that indicates autoimmunity plays a role in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, the significance of immunopathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy is as yet unclear.

Using the N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cell line (NB) as a model of the adrenergic autonomic neuron, we found that sera of IDDM patients with neuropathy inhibit growth and differentiation of adrenergic neurons in culture (Pittenger et al, …

Numerical Chromosome Abnormalities In Sperm From Oligoasthenoteratozoospermic Patients And Fertile Males, Myung-Geol Pang

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Artificial fertilization protocols have been developed which bypass natural barriers for reproduction. One aspect of infertility which has received little attention is the potential importance of aneuploidy in sperm. To more clearly understand the cytogenetic make-up of sperm from OAT patients, multi-probe, multi-color FISH was performed to determine aneuploidy.

The introduction of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has revolutionized protocols used in in vitro fertilization centers. The pregnancies resulting from ICSI suggest an increased frequency of sex chromosome aneuploidy in livebirths. Preliminary data by others' suggest that sperm tail swelling patterns following hypo-osmotic swelling (HOST) can be predictive of fertilizing ability. …