Digital Commons Network^™

New Statistical Paradigms Leading To Web-Based Tools For Clinical/Translational Science, Knut M. Wittkowski

COBRA Preprint Series

As the field of functional genetics and genomics is beginning to mature, we become confronted with new challenges. The constant drop in price for sequencing and gene expression profiling as well as the increasing number of genetic and genomic variables that can be measured makes it feasible to address more complex questions. The success with rare diseases caused by single loci or genes has provided us with a proof-of-concept that new therapies can be developed based on functional genomics and genetics.

Common diseases, however, typically involve genetic epistasis, genomic pathways, and proteomic pattern. Moreover, to better understand the underlying biologi-cal …

Predator Control For The Protection Of The Federally Endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) At Dimmick's Point, North Manitou Island, Kimberly S. Struthers, Patrick J. Ryan

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The recovery plan for the federally endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) identifies the need for predator control/removal to increase Piping Plover chick fledging success. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services entered into an interagency agreement with the National Park Service to conduct predator management on North Manitou Island (NMI), Dimmick's Point, located in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, during the 2003-2005 field seasons. Six control methods were used to remove American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Common Raven (Corvus corax), Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis), and …

Situational And Driver Characteristics Associated With Deer-Vehicle Collisions In Southeastern Michigan, Alix Marcoux, Graham J. Hickling, Shawn J. Riley, Scott R. Winterstein

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) create societal impacts throughout the range of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus). In Michigan reported DVCs increased by nearly 60% between 1992-2003, with current estimates at more than 65,000 DVCs per year and a mean of $2,300 vehicle damage. To better understand where to direct education and information programs, we used Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) data, 2001-2003, to profile driver characteristics and accident situations of DVCs in Washtenaw, Oakland, and Monroe Counties in Michigan. Each county varies in intensity of land use, human and deer densities, and available deer habitat. Deer density in Washtenaw, …

Conditioning Beaver To Avoid Desirable Plants, Julie L. Harper, Dale L. Nolte, Thomas J. Deliberto, David L. Bergman

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Conditioned food aversion can be used to train animals to avoid select foods. Generally, aversive conditioning is best applied when animals first encounter a food item. However, almost by definition damage is inflicted to desirable plants very familiar to the culprit. We assessed the potential for training beaver to avoid a known preferred food. During a 5 day day treatment period beavers were offered only corn at 1600 hours. Six hours later, animals that had ingested corn were injected with 150 mg/kg lithium chloride (LiCl), with a control group receiving sodium chloride (NaCl). Alternate foods were then offered with corn …

Efficacy Of Cardiac Education On Dietary Habits Of Subjects Participating In Cardiac Rehabilitation., Marie-Rose Antoine Abdo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if cardiac nutrition education can affect dietary patterns of subjects participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Surveys, a pretest given prior to the first cardiac class and a second identical test, administered following cardiac rehabilitation classes, were conducted. Fifty-five randomly selected participants from the outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Program were initially given the posttest. Thirty-three of the 55 surveys were returned. Cardiac health classes offered by various health professionals included cardiac nutrition education, group nutrition classes, guest lectures on nutrition, and cooking demonstrations. The tests were compared to measure changes in diet and were analyzed …

Development Of An East Tennessee Tri-County Community Food Assessment Instrument To Aid In The Construction And Implementation Of A Working Food Model., Alison Suzanne Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the needs and relationships of high-risk community members in Cocke County Tennessee to food sources. Cocke County was chosen as the representative county in this pilot study due its high percentage of residents living at or below the poverty level, which can lead to hunger and food insecurities. A community food assessment was conducted among residents participating in a commodities disbursement program in Cocke County. Two hundred seven individuals participated in this survey. The results of the surveys were posted and analyzed using an online statistical analysis software program. With the needs …

Efficacy Of A Nutrition Education Program Designed For Grades K-3 Piloted In Johnson County Schools., Allison Nicole Lowry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase the nutrition knowledge of elementary school students by implementing nutrition education lessons. The subjects included 49 kindergarten through third grade students in Johnson County, Tennessee during the fall of 2004. Knowledge increase was measured by pretest and posttest scores. The tests were analyzed by paired t-tests. While all students showed an increase in mean score, kindergarten and first grade students did not show a significant increase in posttest scores. However, second and third grade students showed a significant increase in posttest scores, indicating an increase in nutrition knowledge.

In-Situ Monitoring Of Solid Fat Content By Means Of P-Nmr And Ultrasonics, Silvana Martini, Constantin Bertoli, Maria Lidia Herrera, Ian Neeson, Alejandro Marangoni

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

An ultrasonic technique was developed to study the crystallization process of edible fats on-line. A chirp wave was used instead of the conventional pulser signal, thus achieving a higher signal-to-noise ratio. This enabled measurements to be made in concentrated systems [≈20% solid fat content (SFC)] through a 8.11-cm thick sample without significant signal loss. Fat samples were crystallized at 20, 25, and 30°C at a constant agitation rate of 400 rpm for 90 min. The crystallization process was followed by ultrasonic spectroscopy and a low-resolution pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Specific relationships were found between ultrasonic parameters [integrated response, time …

Number Comprehension By A Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus), Including A Zero-Like Concept, Irene M. Pepperberg, Jesse D. Gordon

Sentience Collection

A Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) that was able to quantify 6 item sets (including subsets of heterogeneous groups, e.g., blue blocks within groupings of blue and green blocks and balls) using English labels (I. M. Pepperberg, 1994a) was tested on comprehension of these labels, which is crucial for numerical competence (K. C. Fuson, 1988). He was, without training, asked “What color/object [number]?” for collections of various simultaneously presented quantities (e.g., subsets of 4, 5, and 6 blocks of 3 different colors; subsets of 2, 4, and 6 keys, corks, and sticks). Accuracy was greater than 80% and was unaffected by …

2002 Licensed Angler Survey: Summarized Results, Keith L. Hurley, Kristin L. Duppong-Hurley

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

On October 22, 2002, 5000 six-page surveys (Appendix 3) were sent to a stratified-random sample of Nebraska anglers drawn from the 2001 licensed anglers database. The database included all anglers who purchased a fishing license in 2001 as well as all lifetime fishing permit holders who purchased their license before or during 2001. The database did not include those possessing a free permit, such as veteran’s or senior citizen permits. The survey subsample (2.6% of the 2001-licensed angler database) was stratified such that the proportions of surveys in the subsample (4366 residents and 634 non-residents) matched the proportions of resident/non-resident …

Identification Of Factors Affecting Susceptibility To Depression And Influencing Quality Of Life In Adult Cystic Fibrosis Patients Based On Age-At-Diagnosis, Marlene Israelsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Approximately 10% of cystic fibrosis (CF) cases remain undiagnosed until age 18 or later and medical professionals are still unclear about the needs of these individuals. Adults with CF must either adapt to life with a chronic disease or transition into adulthood with CF. The purpose of this study was to address the impact of age-at-diagnosis on quality of life in a CF adult population.

The psychological functioning of 21 adult CF patients (seven adult-diagnosed (AD) and 14 pediatric-diagnosed (PD)) was assessed using the Beck Depression Index (BDI)-II. A descriptive review of demographic and clinical data, which included an assessment …

K-Means Clustering With Multiresolution Peak Detection, Guanshan Yu, Leen-Kiat Soh, Alan B. Bond

Avian Cognition Papers

Clustering is a practical data mining approach of pattern detection. Because of the sensitivity of initial conditions, k-means clustering often suffers from low clustering performance. We present a procedure to refine initial conditions of k-means clustering by analyzing density distributions of a data set before estimating the number of clusters k necessary for the data set, as well as the positions of the initial centroids of the clusters. We demonstrate that this approach indeed improves the accuracy and performance of k-means clustering measured by average intra to interclustering error ratio. This method is applied to the virtual ecology project to …

Attention-Altering Signal Interactions In The Multimodal Courtship Display Of The Wolf Spider Schizocosa Uetzi, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Complex signals are common throughout the animal kingdom, consisting of one or more signals in one or more sensory modalities presented within a single display. I tested an efficacy-based backup hypothesis of complex signal function using the bimodal courtship signaling wolf spider Schizocosa uetzi. This hypothesis predicts that the visual and vibratory courtship displays function as backups to each other in the presence of environmental variability. I compared mating frequencies across four environmental treatments in which the visual and vibratory environments were manipulated independently in a 2 × 2 design with visual treatments of light/dark (i.e., visual signal present/absent) …

Cell Wall Functions Required For Mating In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Stephen Dougherty

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

In order for two haploid yeast cells to undergo normal fusion during mating, adhesive contacts are formed by a general class of fungal proteins termed “adhesins”. Within this family there is a subgroup of cell wall proteins termed “agglutinins” which are known to mediate aggregation, thereby increasing mating efficiency in liquid medium (Aga1p, Aga2p, Aga1p). In the absence of sufficient mating adhesive contacts we observed that cells undergo defective morphogenesis, apparently continuing to grow at their tips after fusing at the expense of laterally expanding their conjugation bridge. Based on these qualitative observations, I utilized differential interference microscopy to capture …

Reliability And Validity Of Skinfold Testers When Estimating Body Composition In Indiana High School Wrestlers: A Case Report, William Rowe Mathie Jr.

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine the reliability and validity of the measurements taken by skin fold testers on Indiana High School wrestlers. Design and Setting: A 2 x 3 x 3 repeated measures design was used for this study. Three independent variables were evaluated. The first independent variable was Body Composition technique (skin fold and hydrostatic weighing), the second is Tester (1 thru 3) and the third is Trial (1 thru 3). The one dependent variable was Body Fat Percentage. Subjects: Three Indiana certified skin fold measurers were recruited to be testers for this study. Twelve male high school wrestlers (age: 16.1±0.9, …

Collection, Isolation And Evaluation Of Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria In The Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Thomas M. Eubanks

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Isolation from local soil samples with Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) produced 20 samples from which pure cultures were obtained. A commercial strain of Rhizobium #132 was obtained from Becker Underwood and included as a standard in the experiment. The results demonstrated that a variety of infective and effective of strains of Rhizobium nodulating Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) exist in the native soils of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. A cluster of effective bacteria was identified and can serve as a basis for recommendations to inoculant industry in the Valley. An isolate collection has been established to serve as a source of …

Acute Physiological Responses And Psychological Perceptions Of Various Resistance Training Regimens, William J. Vincent

Student Work

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of four different resistance training protocols associated with periodization of resistance training on the biological signals that are associated with exercise regimens to increase muscle hypertrophy. A secondary purpose was to compare the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) in the four weight training regimens.

A total of eight male resistance trainers within the ages of 23-35 served as subjects for this study. On the first visit all had a baseline blood assay drawn to measure human growth hormone (hGH) and testosterone (T) and their 5 repetition maximum (RM) strength …

New Technologies To Determine Solid Fat Content On-Line, Silvana Martini, Maria Lidia Herrera, Alejandro Marangoni

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

The determination of solid fat content (SFC) is an important analytical procedure in the food industry. The most common way to determine SFC is by low-resolution pulsed NMR (p-NMR). Although this technique is very sensitive and easy to use, it has the disadvantage that it cannot be used for on-line measurements. The present work compares new technologies to determine SFC on-line. On-line ultrasonic spectroscopy and NMR-MOUSE (NMR mobile universal surface explorer) techniques were compared with off-line p-NMR measurements and there was a good correlation between the values obtained. Ultrasonic measurements accurately described the SFC variation, whereas NMR-MOUSE determinations need to …

Attenuation Of Ultrasonic Waves: Influence Of Microstructure And Solid Fat Content, Silvana Martini, Constantin Bertoli, Maria Lidia Herrera, Ian Neeson, Alejandro Marangoni

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Ultrasonic technology can be used to monitor the crystallization of fats and determine solid fat content (SFC) online. Ultrasonic waves are attenuated as crystals form and grow, and this attenuation occurs first at higher frequencies. The attenuation of the ultrasonic signal does not depend on the induction times of crystallization of the systems, or on their thermal behavior; but it does depend on SFC and on microstructure, particularly on the crystal size. At low SFC values (≈5%), bigger crystals generate more attenuation. At intermediate SFC values (≈10%), crystal size does not affect signal attenuation and SFC is the key factor …

Weight Maintenance: Determinants Of Success, Cynthia Mitchell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This literature review was a selective examination of current obesity and physical activity research and opinions. Its purpose was more to evoke thought and discussion regarding the United States' obesity epidemic, rather than serve as an exhaustive account of prospective causes and solutions. Obesity and physical inactivity are major preventable health problems in the United States, but despite overwhelming evidence regarding the benefits of a healthy weight and regular physical activity, adult, childhood and adolescent obesity rates continue to escalate, creating significant health, medical and economic consequences.

While obesity rates soar, a small population percentage has proven successful in long-term …

Development And Evaluation Of An Electronic Food Frequency Questionnaire For Estimating Calcium Intake Among Multiethnic Youth, Siew Sun Wong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Youth consuming inadequate amounts of calcium are at risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. To better assess dietary calcium intakes and the efficacy of dietary intervention strategies to improve bone health among youth, it is important to develop calcium intake assessment tools that are reliable, accurate, and interactively engaging for a new generation of youth who have a higher computer literacy and are more technologically knowledgeable than preceding generations. The goal of this dissertation was to develop and evaluate an electronic food frequency questionnaire (eFFQ) that measures calcium intake among 11-to 18-year-old Asian, Hispanic, and White youth. Enhancing this …

Prevention Of Childhood Obesity Among Low-Income Preschool-Aged Children, Ann Romero

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To determine the effects of a targeted curriculum and dual program involvement on childhood overweight status among low-income preschool children, a nutrition curriculum was developed. Three Special Supplemental Food Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) clinics participated in the study: the control clinic, a clinic which received the targeted curriculum, and a third clinic which received the targeted curriculum and referred participant families to the Expanded Food and Nutrition lll Education Program (EFNEP). Participants were followed for six months. Data collected included anthropometrics, dietary intake, and parental behaviors.

Results showed a decrease in body-mass index percentile, slight improvements in …

Effect Of Non-Metabolized Sweeteners On Health Parameters In Humans, Matthew Alan Leonhardt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The demand for functional foods is on the rise. These are food products that, besides providing energy and nutrients for life, provide additional health benefits. Xylitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, is a possible functional food, as well as a sugar replacement. The cost of xylitol has led manufacturers to add inulin, a nondigestible oligosaccharide, as an extender. Both xylitol and inulin have been suggested to provide added health benefits beyond being a reduced calorie replacement for sugar. We tested their impact on several human health parameters (fecal weight, fecal pH, fecal % moisture, blood lipids, blood glucose, and fecal micro …

Nutrition Education For Parents Of Children With Cystic Fibrosis : Assessment Of Needs And Strategies For Improved Knowledge And Confidence In Self Care, Catherine M. Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Suboptimal growth and nutritional status are problematic for children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Optimal nutrition predicts better lung function and longevity. Daily nutrition therapy for children with CF requires adequate food resources, knowledge of appropriate nutrition and behavior management skills, and confidence in one's ability to correctly apply the necessary skills. The Mountain West Cystic Fibrosis Consortium Questionnaire (MWCFC-Q) was designed as an educational needs assessment for parents of children with CF. The goal was to identify areas of concern that could be targeted for educational intervention to ultimately improve children's growth and nutritional status.

Data analyzed from 305 returned …

Information Sources, Willingness To Volunteer, And Attitudes Towards Invasive Plants In The Southwestern United States, Leith Seeley Tidwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examines results of a survey conducted in the Southwestern United States focusing on attitudes towards invasive plants, public preferences for information sources and willingness to volunteer in invasive plant management. This research demonstrates that the public is interested in the problem and control of invasive plants. In a broad context there is agreement among respondents that invasive plants pose a threat to the environment and control efforts, including the use of herbicides, should be allowed to occur. Given the differences between general and specific attitudes towards invasive plants, it is suggested education and awareness programs be designed to …

Learning And Application Of Range Management Innovations Among Ranchers In West-Central Colorado, Caroline A. Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Like many ranchers in the West, ranchers in West-Central Colorado are reevaluating their management strategies in the face of forces like drought, rising land prices, and encroaching development. While ranchers seek answers on alternative management strategies, research and Extension personnel search for adequate means of diffusing needed information. Relative to many rural western communities, ranchers in West-Central Colorado show high interest in alternative range management ideas, and many implement changes to their ranch management based on these ideas. This can partially be attributed to a unique support system of Extension and agency personnel with effective, untraditional outreach and land-management approaches. …

Hunger And Satiety In Recovering Eating Disorder Patients, Jenelle T. West

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

Desire to eat, hunger, feeling of having enough to eat, and fullness were measured in 11 eating disorder patients in treatment for less than two months, 7 eating disorder patients in treatment for more than two months, and 11 controls. The experimental group was female patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or eating disorder not-otherwise-specified. The experimental and control groups ate a test meal two hours after a preload. The groups answered four questions about desire to eat, hunger, feeling of having enough to eat, and fullness, before they ate, halfway through their meal, immediately upon …

The Effects Physical Activity Has On The Menstrual Cycle Characteristics Between Two Groups Of High School Athletes And One Group Of High School Non-Athletes, Yolanda D. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the menstrual cycle characteristics between two groups of high school athletes and one group of high school non-athletes. The study consisted of 30 high school females from Donna High School. The participants consisted of ten female basketball athletes from the Donna High School Basketball Team (14.5 ± 4.5 years), ten female volleyball athletes from the Donna High School Volleyball Team (14.5 ± 4.5 years) and ten females (14.5 ± 4.5 years) that were randomly picked out of the general female population of the Donna High School that do not participate …

International Students’ Perceptions Of Food Service At A New Jersey State University, Rebecca Ann Schubert

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The aim of this study is to explore international students’ perceptions of food service at Montclair State University. Twelve international students were recruited to participate in this quick ethnography. Seven of the twelve participants were males and five were females. Students came from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including Asian/Pacific Islander, African, Hispanic and White, non-Hispanic. Inclusion criteria were that the students must be considered international students by the university and must be able to effectively communicate in English. The students completed a fourteen-question survey questionnaire which asked about demographic data as well as questions about attitudes and beliefs about …

The Effect Of Teaching With Acoustical Guidance (Tag) On The Mastery Of A Grand Rond De Jambe (En Dehors) And A Ballotte, Heidi Dutch Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of Teaching with Acoustical Guidance (TAG) on the mastery of two ballet skills, the Grand Rond de Jambe (en dehors) and a Ballotte'. Dance technique classes still follow traditional methods of teaching and mastering skills without much integration of motor learning concepts. TAG Teach is a method that uses positive reinforcement, shaping, and a hand held device that produces an acoustic sound to mark correct behaviors at the moment they occur. The purpose of this study was to determine if TAG was a faster and more effective technique to aid in the mastery of two …