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The Effects Of A Yoga Intervention On Cognitive Function In Older Adults, Elizabeth Edwards

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Cognitive decline and reduced cognitive function presents a serious risk to the older adult population. As the population of individuals over the age of 65 continues to increase, this presents a need for effective solutions to help people sustain healthy, independent lifestyles. Currently, physical activity is recommended for physical health in older adults and has shown evidence in maintaining cognitive function. In particular, the mind-body practice of yoga is a promising form of physical exercise that shows positive cognitive benefits. While the effects of yoga appear to be promising, the current literature is lacking scientific rigor. This study investigated the …

Examining The Read-To-Write Strategy And Its Effects On Second Grader’S Writing Of Sequential Text, John Neal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Writing is so important. It is important in school and in our careers; writing is found to be helpful physiologically and psychologically. Experts wonder, with writing so important, why is writing not being adequately taught in the schools. The answer may be that writing is complex and teaching it is even more complex. The Read-to-Write Strategy is a writing model based on the study of exemplary models of text and children are explicitly taught how to write the way an author writes through a process of the teacher modeling how to write this way; the teacher sharing the writing task …

Direct Effects Of Warming Increase Woody Plant Abundance In A Subarctic Wetland, Lindsay G. Carlson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is expected to continue to cause large increases in temperature in Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems which has already resulted in changes to plant communities; for example, increased shrub biomass and range. It is important to understand how warmer temperatures could affect the plant community in a wetland system because this region provides crucial high-quality forage for migratory herbivores during the breeding season. One mechanism by which warming could cause change is directly, where warming influences the vital rates of a species; these effects may be either positive or negative. Warmer temperatures may also affect a species indirectly, by …

Effects Of Intentional Electromagnetic Interference On Analog To Digital Converter Measurements Of Sensor Outputs And General Purpose Input Output Pins, David A. Ware

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As technology becomes more prevalent, its application to safety and security in critical systems continues to increase. This leads to an increased dependence on sensors to provide an accurate view of the environment surrounding an application. These sensors can also be exploited by a malicious individual to attack a system and compromise its safety or security. These attacks change the reported value of a sensor so that it doesn't reflect the real situation. The systems in a car can be used as an example of this. Cars can have numerous sensors that measure a variety of things, including the car's …

Effects Of A Classroom Intervention On Academic Engagement Of Elementary School Students With Anxiety, Lychelle Leatham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated the impact of anxiety reduction on academic engagement for elementary students experiencing high levels of anxiety. For participating students, the anxiety appeared to be impacting academic performance in the school setting. Student participants received modified cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) including exposure tasks with adult support in the school setting. Both anxiety and academic engagement was monitored by participating students and their teachers. Results show that this intervention has promising outcomes and provides initial support that anxiety reduction increases academic engagement for anxious elementary students

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate Change On Plant Populations And Communities In Sagebrush Steppe, Andrew R. Kleinhesselink

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rapid climate change presents humanity with a number of big problems. Foremost among these is the sad fact that the climate we will pass on to our children will likely be nothing like the climate that we inherited from our parents. Ecologists have collected solid evidence that climate change has already begun to affect the living things around us and the ecosystems humans depend on. Unfortunately, predicting the future effects of climate change on life on earth is not easy. We focused on three research goals as part of an effort to improve our ability to predict how plants and …

Measuring The Effects Of High-Altitude Flight And Upper Atmospheric Radiation On Muscle Cells, Annelise Dykes

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

There are several physiological barriers to long-term space travel, including the effects of launch, landing, and microgravity on muscle cells. A payload capsule was designed to maintain cell growth during a high altitude balloon flight to model some of these physiological processes. Murine muscle cells (strain C2C12) were cultured and launched in a capsule on a balloon satellite in November 2016. Cells were monitored for changes due to temperature, flight motion, radiation, and gravity differences by quantifying cell characteristics before and after the flight using physical measurements and cell viability. Instruments were selected to monitor flight data, and a payload …

Effects Of High Interest Opinion Writing Prompts For 5th Grade Students With Learning Disabilities, Emily Theresa Stanton

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this creative project is to examine the extent to which high interest opinion writing prompts for four 5th grade students with learning disabilities (LD) improve the planning, organization and structure of their opinion essays as measured by the total words they write on the topic (TWW) the number of correct writing sequences (CWS) the overall accuracy of their writing, and critical components of opinion writing (CCOW) in a timed writing sample when compared to low interest opinion writing prompts. Initially participants will select high and low interest writing topics using a prompt selection procedure. Given 50 potential …

Effects Of Feeding High-Moisture Corn Grain With Slow-Release Urea In Dairy Diets On Lactational Performance, Energy And Nitrogen Utilization, And Ruminal Fermentation Profiles By Lactating Cows, Braden M. Tye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this experiment was to determine if nutrient utilization and energy partitioning by lactating dairy cows would differ in response to dietary corn grain (CG) types [steam-flaked corn (SFC) vs. high-moisture corn (HMC)] and to test if the types of CG would interact with slow-release urea (SRU) on lactational performance and energy utilization. Eight multiparous Holstein cows (32 ± 8.2 days-in-milk) were used in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square with one square consisting of ruminally cannulated cows. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was used to test 4 dietary treatments: SFC without SRU, SFC with SRU, …

Effects Of Plant Stress On Facultative Apomixis In Boechera (Brassicaceae), Mayelyn Mateo De Arias

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In flowering plants, apomixis is asexual reproduction by seeds. Apomixis allows the production of offspring with the same genetic characteristics as the mother plant. Fertilization is not required. Apomixis could become a tool for naturally cloning high-yielding crop hybrids through their own seed. However, apomixis does not occur in major crop plants, except for citrus. In the present study, genes that might cause apomixis in naturally occurring apomictic plants were investigated. Sexual and apomictic species of the genus Boechera were exposed to stressed and non-stressed conditions. Effects of these treatments on the expression of apomixis was then measured. Stress triggered …

The Effects Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia On Social Functioning: An Investigation Into The First Year Of Treatment, Rachel L. Duchoslav

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cancer is currently the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15 in the US. While the number of childhood cancer survivors continues to grow, psychological research on this population has lagged. Existing research on the psychosocial effects of childhood cancer is marked by inconsistent conclusions as well as methodological limitations. However, the effect of childhood cancer on social functioning is one area with relatively more consistency. Existing research suggests that childhood cancer can lead to deficits in prosocial skills as well as the emergence of social problems.

The present study investigated individual change in …

Spider Community Composition And Structure In A Shrub-Steppe Ecosystem: The Effects Of Prey Availability And Shrub Architecture, Lori R. Spears

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Habitat structure is cited as an important factor influencing organisms, but few studies investigate whether habitat structure interacts with other environmental variables to affect community dynamics. The purpose of this study was to determine, using field experiments, the importance of prey availability and shrub architecture on a spider community in northern Utah, USA. We were also interested in determining whether surrounding shrub architectures influence spider and prey responses.

Our results suggest that spider distribution, abundance, and biodiversity are influenced by shrub architecture. Shrub architecture influenced spiders both directly and indirectly via associated changes in prey availability. Spiders were also directly …

An Examination Of The Effects Of Transformational And Transactional Leadership Styles On Branch Level Success Of Industrial Distribution Companies, Rod L. Flanigan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wholesale distribution represents an estimated 7% of our country's GDP. The industrial distribution segment of this market is nearly $400 billion, annually. The rapid change of technology, foreign imports, and societal change continues to have significant impact on the industrial distribution market. Combined with the imminent leadership gap in the industry over the next several years, and the impact of developing and understanding effective leadership at the branch levels of industrial distributors, this becomes critically important for the long-term success of the entire organization.

This study attempts to understand the impact of leadership style on the success of industrial distributors …

Cattle Browsing Sagebrush Steppe During Fall: Effects On Plant Community Structure And Influence Of Experience On Cattle Foraging Behavior And Body Weights, Charles A. Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Historic and repetitious spring grazing by livestock, combined with altered fire regimes, has increased the density and abundance of big sagebrush and reduced the frequency of perennial grasses and forbs on many western landscapes. Periodic disturbance is critical for maintaining and improving sagebrush ecosystems. Compared with traditional disturbances – chemical, mechanical, and fire – strategic grazing with livestock offers several benefits. They include creating locally adapted cattle that can rejuvenate sagebrush steppe, which reduces costs associated with mechanical and chemical rejuvenation treatments and feeding cattle during winter, the major cost of ranch operation.

I evaluated the practicality of strategically timed …

Assessment Of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition: Possible Effects On Alpine Ecosystems Above 9000 Feet In Grand Teton National Park, Jennifer Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Certain forms of nitrogen (N) in the atmosphere are pollutants with effects that mimic fertilizer application. If there is too much N, it can become a stressor, and the ecosystem may undergo drastic changes (e.g. certain plant species may decline or disappear). The N load at which a system starts exhibiting negative effects is dependent on the type and location of the ecosystem. Alpine ecosystems (i.e. above 9000 feet in Wyoming) may be particularly sensitive to low levels of atmospheric N input because of short growing seasons, sparse plant cover, and shallow soils that limit their ability to absorb the …

Temperature Effects On Integral Abutment Bridges For The Long-Term Bridge Performance Program, Leo E. Rodriguez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) program was started by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2009 to gather high-quality data on a collection of typical bridges over a twenty-year period of time. The goal of this program is to create databases of high quality data acquired through long-term instrumentation of the bridges behavior during their service life.

The data gathered will be used to improve design practices and effective management of infrastructures. As part of the LTBP Program two integral abutment bridges, a California Bridge near Sacramento, CA and a Utah Bridge near Perry, UT, were selected to be monitored …

The Relative Effects Of Education And Cognitive Complexity Of Employment Experience On The Rate Of Cognitive Decline In Elderly Women, Janet M. Lundahl

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined the lifetime exposure of women's employment on cognitive functioning and cognitive decline in late life.

From the Cache County Study on Memory, Health, & Aging data, a sample of 2,588 women, aged 65 and older gave retrospective occupational history and were screened using the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam at study entry and approximately 3 years later. Non-demented women were used.

Ordinary least squares regression was used cross-sectionally and longitudinally to test the association between cognitive complexity level of the longest job and baseline cognitive status, and rate of cognitive decline over approximately 3 years.

Cross-sectional analysis revealed …

Humic And Fulvic Acids: Effects On Plant Nutrition And Growth, Jason Tew

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humic substances are reported to improve plant growth and nutrient uptake, with iron the most studied nutrient. The most common forms of iron in soils are iron oxides, which are stable under aerobic conditions and unavailable for plant uptake. Iron deficient plants become chlorotic, which reduces growth and yield. To determine if humic substances can reduce iron chlorosis, five commercially available organic acids were tested on maize grown in sand columns at high pH. The dry granular humic acid from Aldrich Chemical Company applied at 84.4 g/liter of sand by volume (5% by mass) and 1 g/liter added with irrigation …

The Effects Of A School-Wide Peer-Administered Praise Intervention On Student Problem Behavior, Meredith L. Brent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated the effects of a peer-administered positive behavioral support intervention on a school-wide problem behavior. Utilizing the differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviors method (DRl), peer monitors praised incidences of walking in order to decrease incidences of running in the hallway. A multiple baseline design across two hallway settings was used to evaluate the effect of peer monitors administering verbal praise and praise notes to students who demonstrated the desired behavior, walking. A lottery drawing in which recipients of praise notes received small prizes was conducted at the end of each week during the treatment phase. Results indicated that …

Effects Of Myxobolus Cerebralis On The Population Dynamics Of Kokanee In Porcupine Reservoir, Utah, Arthur E. Butts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study tracked the chronology and severity of Myxobolus cerebralis infection and related it to survival of age-0 kokanee to determine whether M. cerebralis represented a significant agent of morality in the population. Environmental conditions and losses to predation were identified and linked to age-0 kokanee survival to identify other sources of mortality in the population. We attempted to track survival of age-0 kokanee from the outmigration into the reservoir until the end of the first growing season in September of each year. The number of age-0 kokanee that entered the reservoir was calculated by obtaining estimates of total egg …

The Effects Of Performance Feedback On Exercise, Physiological Reactivity, And Affective State Among Hostile College Students, Crystal Chia-Sheng Lin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hostility has been found to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. One proposed pathway between hostility and cardiovascular disease is an increase in cardiovascular reactivity among hostile individuals when faced with challenging, competitive situations, in which interpersonal stressors are present. A potential situation that may elicit this exaggerated reactivity is found in cardiac rehabilitation exercise programs. Such factors may be competition and feedback regarding their performance. This study sought to find out how hostile individuals would respond physiologically, behaviorally, and affectively when presented with negative and positive performance feedback, while exercising in a challenging, competitive setting. It was found …

Parents' And Teachers' Acceptability Of Treatments For Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Effects Of Presentation And Information Delivery, Jason Donald Gage

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed problems affecting school-age children. This disorder can cause significant problems for children who consequently need treatment. Consumers of interventions for ADHD have efficacious treatments to choose from, but such treatment may not be implemented appropriately and effectiveness may decrease. Viewing treatments as 111 acceptable can affect treatment integrity and in turn increase effectiveness. Therefore, it is important that professionals understand how to increase the acceptability of treatments when first presenting treatment options to consumers. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if presenting parents and teachers with additional …

Effects Of Perceived Sugar Or Chocolate Intake On Self-Reported Food Cravings, Mood States, And Food Intake: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, Lara J. Schultz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many dieters and compulsive overeaters report that sugar and chocolate are the most commonly craved foods. Further, many individuals have proclaimed themselves to be "addicted" to sugar or chocolate. It remains unclear, however, what factors lead to report of specific food addictions. A number of researchers have suggested that highly repetitive consumption of sugar and chocolate may result from various physiological processes (e.g., neurochemical imbalances, glucose/insulin malfunctioning). However, there is also considerable evidence that psychosocial factors (i.e., expectancies, classical, and operant conditioning) play the major role in the development and maintenance of excessive sugar/chocolate intake. Empirical studies examining factors that …

Regional Economic Effects Of Wilderness Designations In Six Western States, Marca L. Hagenstad

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the existence of impacts on per capita incomes from the designations of wilderness areas. It developed one model to explain county-level per capita incomes in the six western states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, and Wyoming. This model examined effects of various factors believed to affect incomes, such as the industry mix of an economy, population densities, unemployment rates, government expenditures, and the existence of colleges, Indian reservations, and wilderness areas.

The analysis indicated that per capita incomes in these states did not fall by an increase in wilderness lands. In fact, counties in Utah, …

Effects Of Student Self-Management On Generalization Of Student Performance To Regular Classes, Lloyd Douglas Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of a student self-monitoring and self-rating/teacher matching strategy to assist generalization of social skills use and decrease off-task behavior of five inner-city at-risk middle school students was investigated. A multiple-baseline design was used to assess the effects of the intervention in up to six different class settings. Results indicated that the self-monitoring and self-rating/teacher matching intervention led to an increase in correct social skills use and a decrease in off-task behaviors with all five students. These data add to the existing literature, suggesting self-monitoring with self-rating/teacher matching is an effective procedure to promote generalization of behavior. Implications for …

The Effects Of Gender And Behavior On Elementary Teachers' Attributional Assumptions About Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Lisa Rollins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Questionnaires compromised of (a) a description of a child (either male or female) exhibiting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) behaviors (either predominately hyperactive/impulsive or predominately inattentive) and (b) 13 questions about the description were completed by 562 regular elementary education teachers in the state of Utah. The questions, which offered teachers a range of responses on a 5 point Likert scale, were designed to assess the extent to which the gender and behaviors of the child described affected the extent to which teachers were able to identify the child as being representative of a child with ADHD, teachers' attributional assumptions …

The Effects Of Retinoic Acids On The Angiogenic Growth Factors Produced By Solid Tumors, Lynn C. Burgess

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

These studies investigated the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on angiogenesis. Three human, neoplastic cell lines were used to examine angiogenic promotion and/or inhibition. The cell lines, U-373MG glioblastoma, DU-145 prostate carcinoma, and TCCSUP bladder transitional cell carcinoma, were treated with the following: all-trans, 9-cis, or 13-cis RA, at doses from 0.0001 to 100 μM. Hypoxia was used to assist the expression of the angiogenic phenotype. Conditioned media (CM) were prepared by growing the tumor cells in the presence of RA and hypoxia for 24 hours, and then the CM was transferred to bovine, capillary endothelial …

Ammonium And Nitrate Effects On Growth, Development And Nutrient Uptake Of Hydroponic Wheat, Thomas M. Hooten

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The long-term effects of low and high NH₄⁺/ NO₃^- uptake ratios in a system with rigorous control of pH and nitrogen concentration are poorly understood. In two replicate studies, two cultivars of wheat (Triticum aestivum) were grown to maturity with three NH₄⁺/ NO₃^- ratios in hydroponic solution: 0/100, 25/75, and 85/15%. Nitrogen was controlled at ample levels throughout the 70-d life cycle and pH was controlled at 5.8 ± 0.2. An equimolar ratio of NH₄⁺ to Cl^- was used to facilitate charge balance. Nitrogen consumption …

Livestock Watering Practices In The Moroccan Pre-Sahara: Their Effects On Water And Nutrient Metabolism Of Sheep In Different Body Conditions, El Mostafa Darfaoui

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A field survey and a metabolism experiment were conducted to study livestock watering practices in the Moroccan Pre-Sahara and their changes with drought extent, season, ecological zone, pastoral system, and herd size. The metabolism experiment was designed to determine effects of once per 2 days (ID), once daily and twice daily drinking frequencies, and high and low body conditions on water and nutrient utilization by sheep fed high- and low-quality diets.

The way herds are managed in this region exposes all sex and age categories of animals to food and water shortages during annual dry seasons and occasional droughts. Livestock …

Managed Health Care And Its Effects On Health Care Access In Box Elder County Utah, Douglas Sean Linford

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Since 1994 the issue of how access is impacted by managed care in rural Utah has been the focus of State advisory groups, the Utah Health Policy Commission, and the legislature. The Health Systems Improvement Act (1995) formalized the concern with a request that the Utah Department of Health study this impact (Sinclair et. Al., #2, pg. 1). In focus meetings around the state, the perception that managed care can negatively impact access in rural communities is generally accepted without significant controversy. Such comments often assume that rural residents will be forced to travel further or will receive fewer services …