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The Effect Of A Speech-Generating Ipad Application On The Communication Outcomes Of Students Who Have Complex Communication Needs In Educational Settings: Three Case Studies, Amber Szilagyi

Master's Theses and Capstones

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the efficacy of the use of a speech-generating application on the Apple iPad as a speech-generating device (SGD) by measuring three students' progress towards individual communication goals using the Speak for Yourself! (SFY) speech-generating app. The proposed speech-generating device was implemented into regularly scheduled speech-language therapy sessions with 3 students with complex communication needs (CCNs) over a 12-week period. Data measured at three different points were collected by students' speech-language pathologists using Goal Attainment Scaling. Results were positive. All student participants made progress towards, reached, or exceeded communication goals during the …

Everyday Food Practices Among Three Low-Income Groups: Rural, Homeless, And Refugee, Amy L. Redman

Doctoral Dissertations

Lower-income groups are more susceptible to diet-related diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (CDC, 2010). They are also more likely to need food and nutritional assistance (USDA, 2011). Yet very little is known about the day-to-day food practices of these individuals and families. Many times those who are relatively adjacent in terms of income are assumed to have similarities in food consumption (Hupkens, Knibbe, & Drop, 2000); however, this has not been empirically examined. The main objectives of this research are to 1) gain an exploratory in-depth understanding of the everyday food practices of individuals in three low-income groups: …

The Writing Of Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Christine Zrimsek

Master's Theses and Capstones

The writing of 5 adolescent boys with Asperger's syndrome between the ages of 13 - 18 was examined relative to age and gender-matched typically-developing children. The investigator collected writing samples across three genres: narrative, expository, and persuasive. The samples were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using a variety of measures. Consistent with the investigator's expectations, results indicated that, relative to controls, students with Asperger's syndrome performed significantly poorer on higher-order aspects of writing: coherence, cohesion, and perspective-taking while not significantly different on spelling, a lower-order aspect. An unpredicted finding was that the children with Asperger's syndrome made significantly more grammatical …

Protecting The Sanctity Of Human Life: The Catholic Church & Her Relationship With Hiv/Aids Prevention, Emma Joanne Burke

Master's Theses and Capstones

Though prevention is the most stressed component of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, global agreement regarding the most successful prevention method does not exist. For example, the majority of the medical and scientific community agrees that condoms and other safe-sex practices are the key to reducing the number of HIV transmissions, while the Catholic Church and her ranking officials claim that abstinence and monogamy are the only moral solutions.

This Thesis examines the policies of the Church, including her dedication to the protection of the sanctity of human life, in an attempt to determine if the Church's words are shaping …

The Effect Of Specific Professional Development On Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skill, And Confidence In Using The Ipad As A Speech-Generating Device With Students Who Have Complex Communication Needs, Kelsey S. Hall

Master's Theses and Capstones

Despite increasing popularity surrounding the implementation of the iPad in therapy by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with students who have complex communication needs (CCNs), no research to date has explored professional development (PD) training and its outcome on SLPs knowledge, skill, and confidence in using the iPad as a speech-generating device (SGD). The present research explores the effect of PD and practice on the knowledge, skills, and confidence of three school-based SLPs, ages 43 to 59, implementing the Speak for Yourself! application on the iPad in therapy with students who have CCNs over 12 weeks.

Changes in the SLP's perceived knowledge, …

Anxious Lives: Tracing The Life Course Of A Medical Diagnosis Through Illness Narratives, Jennifer J. Esala

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is a study of medical diagnosis, specifically anxiety disorder diagnosis, from the perspective and through the narratives of people who have been diagnosed. In this study, I address two core research questions. First, how does social materiality (e.g., bodies and objects) contribute to, shape, and lend empirical understanding to the experience of an anxiety disorder and the experience of illness in general? Second, how does medical diagnosis translate from the medical institution into the lives of people who have been diagnosed, and how do those diagnoses transform in and through the social lives of people? To address these …

Test Model Of A Healthy Lifestyle Intervention Program, Jorie C. Allen

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a worksite health promotion (WHP) delivered in a small workplace, improves health risk factors, is cost-effective, and positively impacts health behaviors.

Comparison (C, n = 31) and Intervention (I, n = 29) groups underwent health risk assessment and screening at baseline, 12 and 24 months. The I group attended lifestyle classes at the workplace and reported pedometer step counts. Data were analyzed using general linear model ANOVA or Chi square analysis.

At 12 months from baseline, the I group had a decreased LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (126.67 +/- 4.0 mg/dl to 110.86 …

Eating Quality And Variability In Carotenoid Content And Profiles In Winter Squash And Sweet Potato, Jennifer Bonina Noseworthy

Doctoral Dissertations

A comprehensive study at the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES) of 16 winter squash cultigens (Cucurbita spp.), including inbred lines and open pollinated and F1 hybrid cultivars from the University of New Hampshire breeding program, was undertaken to determine dry weight (%DW), soluble solids contents (%SSC) and carotenoid contents of mesocarp tissue, major attributes for determining acceptable eating quality and nutritional content. Data were recorded at harvest, either 40 or 60 days after pollination (DAP), and after 30 and 60 days of storage at 14 °C. Carotenoid contents were determined spectrophotometrically and using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The …

A Qunanitative Evaluation Of Morphological Changes During Fusion Events In A Colony Of Didemnum Vexillum And Of Polycunum Constellatum, Andrea Frey

Master's Theses and Capstones

We documented changes in the abundance and distribution patterns of cells involved in the allorecognition response in two species of colonial aplousobranch tunicates lacking a common vascular system. A histological examination of the fusion junction of isogeneic (CIAs) and allogeneic (CAAs) colony assays revealed that tunic cuticles were rapidly regenerated. The underlying tunic matrix fused readily in Didemnum vexillum in all assay and control types, however it did not fuse in CIAs in Polyclinum constellatum. We identified four and five different cell types in P. constellatum and D. vexillum, respectively. Phagocytic cells represented the most abundant cell type in both …

Variations In Carotenoids And Retinol In Milk And Cheese From Jersey Cows At An Organic Dairy Compared To A Conventional Dairy Over A Pasture Season, Amy Rose Beliveau

Master's Theses and Capstones

Carotenoids, widely distributed in nature, are considered to be potentially beneficial in the prevention of a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and eye diseases. As humans are unable to synthesize carotenoids, the diet is the only source of these beneficial components. Carotenoid concentration in cow's milk varies greatly as a result of feeding practice and season, but no research thus far has investigated these variations in Jersey cows over an entire pasture season. The objectives of this experiment were to 1) determine the differences in concentrations of carotenoids and retinol in milk from cows consuming different diets, …

A Phenomenological Study Of Military Veterans With Combat Trauma Enrolled In Post-Secondary Education: Transition, Academic Performance, And Perceptions Of Support, Maya Rocke

Master's Theses and Capstones

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the academic experience of student veterans who reported cognitive and psychological symptoms following their military service.

Design: Phenomenology, based on a conceptual model of self-regulated learning (SRL).

Participants: Six student veterans enrolled at a large public university who self-reported symptoms consistent with TBI/PTSD, or who were involved in combat operations, or who had an improvised explosive device (IED) detonate nearby.

Results: Despite often having service-related trauma symptoms, the participants did not report a strong connection between those symptoms and their academic performance. However, participants reported challenges with social interactions, low overall …

The Effect Of In Vivo Pbde Treatment On Hepatic Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (Pepck) Enzyme Kinetics In Male Wistar Rats, Jessica T. Nash

Master's Theses and Capstones

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are synthetic flame-retardant chemicals that enter the environment and mammalian body and may disrupt glucose metabolism. This study investigated the effect of PBDEs on a key gluconeogenic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Forty-eight male Wistar rats were gavaged with corn oil or corn oil containing 14 mg/kg DE-71 for 3, 14 or 28 days (N = 8 per group). At each time point, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured and liver PEPCK enzyme activity was assayed. PBDEs significantly decreased PEPCK Vmax (mumol/min/g liver weight) at 3 days by 26%; this reduction persisted through 28 days. …

The Implications Of Socioeconomic Status And A Usual Source Of Care For The Health And Health Care Experiences Of Elders With Chronic Illnesses, Michelle L. Stransky

Doctoral Dissertations

Recently developed models of health care provision have promoted the relationship between providers and patient for improving care continuity and coordination. This may be especially important for the growing population of elders, who often have fragmented care because of multiple chronic illnesses. Previous research shows that elders who have a usual source of care (USC) have better health and health care experiences than other elders. However, research has rarely considered whether the benefits of USCs may be affected by the elder's socioeconomic status (SES), their levels of chronic illness, or various provider characteristics.

This dissertation utilizes the 2007 Medicare Current …

Sex, Infection, And Trust: Condom Use Among Gay Men And Their Perceptions Of Hiv, Michael Jeffrey Staley

Master's Theses and Capstones

Unprotected anal intercourse among gay men remains high, despite the well-known fact that HIV/AIDS still disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). This qualitative, exploratory study seeks to understand the meanings and motivations of gay men's condom use and non-use. I observed three organizations that center on gay identities in the spring and fall of 2010 and in the spring of 2011. Additionally, using a semi-structured format, I interviewed 19 gay or bisexual men between the ages of 19 and 39. Condom non-use was high; 16 men reported not using a condom in their sexually active lifetime. Three …

Optimized Identification Of Fecal Pollution Sources In A Rural Tidal Watershed In Coastal New Hampshire, Sana B. Hussain

Master's Theses and Capstones

Escherichia coli ribotyping was used to identify fecal contamination sources in Grommet Creek- a tidal creek that drains into Great Bay and contaminates shellfishing beds. Water samples were collected during late summer through late fall. Fecal samples were collected to establish a local source species database. Fecal indicator bacteria were enumerated from water samples and ribotyping was conducted by using EcoR1 restriction enzyme digestion and an automated RiboPrinter(c). There was consistent relative abundance between source types with wild animals and birds as the primary sources. An optimized approach for maximizing source identification involved using a 90% similarity threshold and prioritizing …

Genes Differentially Expressed At 1 Day, 6 Weeks, And 6 Months Of Age In Aortas Of Spontaneously Atherosclerotic White Carneau Pigeons, Suzanne Lee Pearlman

Master's Theses and Capstones

Genetics is reported to be the primary causative factor for individuals diagnosed with atherosclerosis, in the absence of known risk factors. The development of atherosclerosis in White Carneau (WC) pigeons is of genetic origin, making it an excellent model to study genetic factors.

Representational Difference Analysis (RDA) was used to determine genes differentially upregulated between three ages, at the celiac bifurcation of the aorta in WC pigeons. Genes responsible for spontaneous initiation of atherosclerosis were hypothesized as being differentially expressed at 1 day, while those differentially expressed at 6 weeks and 6 months were related to progression.

Multiple candidate genes …

Without The Consent Of The Governed: Why National Health Care Reform Passed In 2010 Despite Public Opinion Against It, Walter Tibbetts

Master's Theses and Capstones

Usually the will of the people is reflected in public policy on such a salient issue as health care. This was the case with Medicare in 1965 and President Clinton's health care reform efforts in 1993--4. However, this was not the case in 2010, when President Obama's health care plan was passed despite 53 percent of the American people being against it.

The subject of this case study is the anomaly that was the 2009--2010 health care reform debate and vote. The relationship between public opinion and public policy is explored, and a narrative of the 2009--2010 health care debate …

Unconventional Mental Health Treatment: Reexamining The Racial Disparity In Treatment Seeking Behavior, Meghan L. Mills

Master's Theses and Capstones

Using 2005-2007 pooled data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), this thesis examines how race affects the type of mental health treatment ught by adults. This research examines whether a more inclusive definition of mental health treatment that incorporates unconventional mental health treatment may partially account for this disparity in treatment seeking behavior. Specifically, by including and differentiating between "formal" and "informal" complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as types of unconventional mental health treatment, it was hypothesized that the greater use of "informal" CAM (i.e. seeking help from a religious or spiritual advisor or friend or …

The Influence Of The Coach-Athlete Relationship On Coaching Efficacy, Anna Magle

Master's Theses and Capstones

Bandura's (1997) theory of self-efficacy which was extended by Feltz et al. (1999) models of coaching efficacy provided framework for examining the relationship between coaching-efficacy and the coach athlete relationship. This study examined the relationship between NCAA head coaches' coaching efficacy and their coach-athlete relationship. NCAA coaches (N=632) completed the Coaching Efficacy Scale (CES), and the Coach Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q). A canonical correlation between the subscales of the CES and the subscales of the CART-Q revealed that the subscales of coach-athlete relationship contributed significantly to the explanation of coaching efficacy. MANOVAs revealed significant differences in both CES as well …

Job Satisfaction Of New Hampshire Nursing Faculty, Patricia Marie Puglisi

Master's Theses and Capstones

The nursing shortage is a growing concern with the shortage of nurse faculty restricting entry of qualified students. A descriptive study of faculty from 11 New Hampshire nursing schools was conducted to determine nurse faculty satisfaction and factors contributing to satisfaction. A modified version, sent electronically of the Nurse Faculty Satisfaction Questionnaire measured faculty satisfaction. Of 159 faculty invited 74 (47%) participated. Overall, NH nurse faculty were highly satisfied as nurse educators with 78.4% rating overall satisfaction of 8 or higher on a 0 - 10 scale. The top three satisfiers were opportunity to work independently, sense of accomplishment from …

Exposure To Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (Pbdes) Suppresses The Release Of Pro-Inflammatory Products By Alveolar Macrophages In Vitro, Stephen R. Hennigar

Master's Theses and Capstones

Endocrine disrupting chemicals have adverse effects on immune function that may result in respiratory conditions. Inhalation of dust is a major route of exposure to PBDEs; however, the impact of PBDEs on the immune response is unclear. The objective of this in vitro study was to determine the impact of PBDEs on the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines by activated alveolar macrophages. Porcine alveolar macrophages were grown in RPMI growth media supplemented with 10% porcine serum and incubated for 24-hours. After 24-hours, cells were activated by inoculation with PMA. In addition to PMA, different concentrations of the PBDE mixture DE-71 were …

The Experience Of Co-Instructing On Extended Wilderness Trips, Franklin Vernon

Master's Theses and Capstones

Adventure education organizations use co-instruction as the dominant mode of staffing programs, largely for issues related to risk mitigation. Despite, or perhaps because of, the everyday nature of this common staffing arrangement, little attention has been paid to it. Moreover, a review of relevant literature on co-leadership from the human services, traditional education, and adventure education fields revealed little clear consensus regarding the nature of the co-instruction experience. This phenomenological study inquired into the experience of co-instructors through in-depth qualitative interviews, which were transcribed and inductively analyzed for emergent themes. Co-instructing, at its essence, emerged as a negotiated relationship between …

The Impact Of Sensory Stimuli On The Stress Response Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Noelle Schreiber

Master's Theses and Capstones

This is a multiple subject research study looking at children with ASD (N=8) and a control group (N=6). We looked at cortisol samples along with behavioral observations on a sensory probe and short sensory profile scores to determine differences among the groups. All children showed a change in cortisol over the course of the day however, there was no difference seen in patterns by group. There was a high likelihood based on statistical analysis that children with ASD respond negatively to at least five out of the eight sensory probe items. Short sensory profile scores also showed that there was …

Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of Functional Lung Microstructure, Isabel Dregely

Doctoral Dissertations

Hyperpolarized 129Xe (HXe) is a non-invasive contrast agent for lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which upon inhalation follows the functional pathway of oxygen in the lung by dissolving into lung tissue structures and entering the blood stream. HXe MRI therefore provides unique opportunities for functional lung imaging of gas exchange which occurs from alveolar air spaces across the air-blood boundary into parenchymal tissue. However challenges in acquisition speed and signal-to-noise ratio have limited the development of a HXe imaging biomarker to diagnose lung disease.

This thesis addresses these challenges by introducing parallel imaging to HXe MRI. Parallel imaging requires dedicated …

Truncated Mortalin In Animal Cancer, Katrina K. Olson

Master's Theses and Capstones

Hematopoetic neoplasia or clam hemocyte cancer (a leukemia-like disease) has been studied in a number of bivalve molluscs for the last 20 years. Recent molecular studies of the hemocytes of the soft shell clam, Mya arenaria, have demonstrated an interaction between p53 and mortalin, the mitochondrial Hsp70. The former protein is intimately involved in the initiation of cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, DNA repair, and cell differentiation. In cancerous clams, wild-type p53 is sequestered in hemocyte cytoplasm by mortalin and cannot be translocated to the nucleus. This is critical because although p53 is functions properly, it is unable to enter the nucleus …

Is A Communication Event Stressful For Individuals With Expressive Aphasia?, Emily E. Warner

Master's Theses and Capstones

Objective. This study presents an effort to understand both stress perception and physiologic responses related to expressive communication in individuals with expressive aphasia, acquired as the result of a stroke.

Method. Eight individuals with aphasia and five age-matched, healthy controls participated in a public communication task. Salivary cortisol and perception of stress and mood was measured on one day at home as well as during the ordering task.

Results. A significant difference between groups was found in diurnal cortisol levels in the evening, as well as a non-significant trend in the afternoon measure. Individuals in the aphasia group perceived higher …

Oral Language Milestone Acquisition In Children Adopted From China, Hannah Harwood

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study contains language milestone acquisition information for 14 children adopted from China between 8 and 12 months of age. A retrospective questionnaire was utilized to gain information regarding the specific ages at which these adoptees demonstrated an understanding of English along with the ages where they demonstrated proficient usage of English. Parent responses indicated that these adoptees developed English language milestones comparable to their monolingual peers, for both age of acquisition and order of acquisition. This research adds to the literature on what may be expected regarding language development in children adopted from China prior to one year of …

Psychiatric Status, Self Control And Violence: Application Of The General Theory Of Crime, Feodor A. Gostjev

Master's Theses and Capstones

Previous studies have suggested that psychiatric patients are more likely to be violent then the individuals in the general population. This thesis uses data collected in MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study to compare violent behaviors perpetrated by psychiatric patients in 10 weeks after their release from a psychiatric hospital and by subjects living in a similar community setting. Furthermore, Gottfredson and Hirschis's (1990) self control theory is applied to examine etiological causes of violence. The outcomes suggest that psychiatric patients were more likely to be violent during the study period than the community control subjects. The difference in violence rates …

Evaluating The Impact Of Outdoor Orientation On Incoming Students' Perceptions Of Social Norms About Alcohol Use On Campus, Benjamin George Oliver

Master's Theses and Capstones

Alcohol issues are a concern of colleges and universities (National Institutes of Health, 2008). This study assessed the effects of an outdoor orientation program on the alcohol use and perceptions of program participants. Specifically, 30 outdoor orientation leaders participated in a three-hour training based on the social norms approach (Berkowitz, 2005). A repeated-measures, quasi-experimental design was used to collect data on incoming students' own use and approval of alcohol, and their perceptions of other students' use and approval. Results indicated that untrained leaders were "carriers of the misperception" of permissive alcohol use (Perkins, 1997) negatively effecting incoming students perceptions. Trained …

Measuring Paralytic Shellfish Toxins In Mussels From New Hampshire Coastal Waters Using Zwitterionic Hydrophilic Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Mass Spectrometry, Lee Lee Chung

Master's Theses and Capstones

A liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method (LC/MS) has been adapted from the literature to provide a rapid, direct and highly sensitive routine assays for several Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins, with detection limits in the ppb range for STX and its analog neosaxitoxin (NEO) and decarbamoyl saxitoxin (dcSTX). A high throughput sample clean-up aided in reducing the effects of the matrix. Method validation and stability studies have been performed to show that reliable results are produced by this LC/MS method. The LC/MS method was found to supplement the mouse bioassay with the ability to determine the levels and specific types of …