Digital Commons Network^™

Ice Hockey Coaches' Beliefs And Perceptions Of Coach Education, Alexander Chriest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to provide insight into ice hockey coaches' beliefs and perceptions of coach education programs. USA Hockey is the governing body for all hockey in the United States and requires education through the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program. Gaining a better understanding of how hockey coaches perceive coach education programs provided information that can be used in the evaluation and development of future programs. The theoretical framework used in this study was expectancy-value theory. USA Hockey youth coaches (N = 410) were surveyed using the Coaching Education Questionnaire, a 55-item instrument used to collect …

Consequences Of Altered Short-Chain Carbon Metabolism In Heart Failure, Julie Horton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is currently the foremost cause of death within the United States. Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome defined by the inability of the heart to adequately execute requisite pump function in order to deliver nutrients and oxygen to peripheral tissues, irrespective of etiology. One of the most common causes of HF is chronic pressure overload due to hypertension. Ischemic heart disease is also a common driver of HF, often in conjunction with hypertension. Pressure overload initially causes compensatory metabolic changes. Structural changes follow shortly thereafter typically resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. Eventually, the heart loses the ability to …

The Effects Of Sprint Interval Training And Maturity Status On Metabolic And Neuromuscular Fatigue Thresholds In Adolescents, Kyle Beyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To examine the maturity-related differences in the adaptations to systemic and localized fatigue thresholds (FTs) in response to sprint interval training (SIT) amongst adolescent male athletes. Methods: Twenty-seven adolescent male athletes, 11-17 years of age, completed pre-testing, six weeks of SIT, and post-testing. Participants were grouped according to their number of years from peak height velocity (PHV), an estimation of somatic maturity status, into PRE ( < -1.5yr), PERI (between -1.5 to +1.5yr) and POST ( > +1.5yr) PHV groups. Each testing session consisted of a ramp exercise protocol on a cycle ergometer. During the protocol, three systemic FTs, gas exchange threshold, ventilatory threshold, and respiratory compensation point were calculated …

A Preliminary Assessment Of Steroid Reproductive Hormones In Archaeological Human Hair Utilizing A Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Elisa) Technique, Elisha Tisdale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hair has become an invaluable resource in forensic, clinical, and bioarchaeological research. The unique interaction between the growing hair fiber, the hair follicle, and the endocrine system inundates the growing hair fiber with an incremental record of many of the discreet physiological processes of the body. Recently, a novel study by Webb et al. (2010) demonstrated that endogenous records of cortisol, the "stress hormone", are capable of being extracted from archaeological human hair through a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, thus providing insight into the "invisible" stress experiences of an individual that would otherwise not be detectable through skeletal …

Parents Of Children Who Had Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy: A Mixed-Methods, Exploratory Study, Natalene Kramer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is scant literature addressing the parents of children who had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). therefore only inferences may be made as to issues of that experience affecting parents.

Purpose: The purposes of this study was to uncover the lived experiences of parents of children who had HIE, evaluate issues of stress, depression, coping, and impact of neurologic disability in order to better care for them and thus their families

Methods: A parallel, convergent mixed-methods design was used to explore experiences and perceptions of these parents regarding their experiences and life changes. The quantitative strand addressed four research questions which …

The Pa (Personality And Activity) Project, Chelsea Nicole Joyner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: We have a limited understanding of the interrelationships between personality, the concurrent engagement in individual and clustering of health-enhancing behaviors, and executive function (EF), particularly within the context of the Transtheoretical model (TTM). The aims of this thesis were to examine 1) the link between personality and several health behaviors, 2) whether EF moderates the relationship between personality and physical activity, and 3) whether personality moderates the relationship between TTM and physical activity. Methods: Recruitment of individuals included 200 undergraduate and graduate students from a university in the South of the United States for baseline assessments. Among these 200 …

The Challenge Of Enhancement & Adaptability In Healthcare: An Ethical Framework For Organizations, Gary Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work defends enhancements that aim at promoting adaptability and formulates a framework for how healthcare organizations can cope with these sorts of enhancements. It begins by defending explicit approaches to defining enhancements and sketches a tripartite conception of enhancements dependent on well-being, social, and perception approaches. After assessing several major arguments for and against enhancement, it defends an adaptability justification for enhancements. In light of this justification, the remaining sections explore the adaptability argument’s implications for healthcare, justify an organizational approach for dealing with these implications, and finally formulate an organizational ethics framework for coping with the adaptability argument’s …

Evaluation Of A Bioprocessed Soybean Meal On Nursery Pig Immune Status And Disease Resistance, Jacob R. Koepke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weaning is a stressful time in a piglet’s life that can have negative impacts on performance and health if not managed properly. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of a bioprocessed SBM alone or in combination with spray-dried plasma (SDP) or fishmeal (FM) on immune response at weaning with no imminent disease threat and during a porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV) challenge. In the first trial, 239 pigs (initial BW 6.56 ± 0.87 kg, 21 d of age) were used in a 35-d study and allotted to one of 4 dietary treatments (10 pens/trt) according …

The Home Environment And Parenting Practices: Associations With Physical Activity And Sedentary Time In Preschool-Age Children, Emily C. Huber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preschool-age children have the potential to be influenced by their physical home environment and their parents’ physical activity (PA) practices more than older children as preschool-age children are more reliant on parents for PA opportunities. Previous research with this focus has relied predominantly on various subjective assessments of child activity, often resulting in overestimation of PA and underestimation of sedentary time (ST). Collectively, this dissertation project explored the associations among home environment factors, parent PA practices, parent satisfaction of children’s body size and children’s PA and ST by utilizing objective measures of activity and the full range of PA intensities …

Effects Of Maternal Plane Of Nutrition On Early Embryo Development And Offspring Performance, Erin E. Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutritional changes immediately after insemination can result in increased embryonic mortality, but the mechanisms that cause this increased mortality and the impact on the embryos that survive are not known. Therefore, two experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of a nutritional change immediately following AI on calf performance, global DNA methylation, estrus expression and interval to estrus in heifers, peripheral metabolites, uterine luminal fluid metabolites, and day 6 embryo quality. In the first study (chapter 2) Angus-cross heifers (n = 142) were allotted into two developmental treatments: drylot or range. All heifers were fixed-time inseminated to a single sire …

Effect Of Body Image Awareness Program On Weight Satisfaction In Ncaa Division I Female Athletes, Derionne Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Normative Approach Of The Catholic Tradition In The Ethical And Religious Directives For Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Regarding Medical Technology, David G. Garvis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation engages the Catholic Tradition enunciated in the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services to provide a normative approach for resolving ethical dilemmas regarding pivotal breakthroughs in medical technology.

This normative ethical approach has two components: a normative framework for Catholic health care ethics that adopts practical ethical principles as enunciated in the Ethical and Religious Directives (Chapter 2) and secular decision-making models in organizational and clinical ethics that are consistent with the Catholic Tradition (Chapter 3).

At the end of the theoretical analysis in these chapters, the conclusion to Chapter 3 explains how this normative …

Associations Between Personality Style, Perceptions Of Health Coaching And Percent Of Starting Weight In Meal Replacement Program Participants, Anne E. Sawyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if personality style and an individual’s perception of their health coaching experience impact their ability to lose weight and/or maintain weight loss. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to 20,000 current and past meal replacement program participants. Personality style was assessed via the Ten Item Personality Inventory, providing individual perceptions of each of the Big Five personality domains (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience). The Working Alliance Inventory (Short Revised) was used to assess three key perceptions of health coaching: 1) agreement on the goals of coaching (goal), 2) agreement on the tasks of …

Effect Of Grazing Pressure On Cattle Grazing Cool Season Annual Forages, Brooke Brunsvig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ruminants can use plant fiber to produce food products that provide nourishment to humans. However, a precise understanding of specific plants selected by grazing ruminants remains elusive. Many long- and short-term factors impact cattle grazing behavior. Ultimately, grazing behavior can affect forage available for grazing, nutrient density of forage, dry matter intake, and animal performance. A myriad of grazing management strategies have been developed utilizing animal behavior to allow more efficient use of forage resources. Many management strategies based on manipulation of grazing behavior are simple and cost effective. Optimal performance of individual animals and amount of animal products produced …

Using Gluten Index To Improve Spring Wheat Loaf Volume Prediction, Yaming Lu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most widely cultivated crop in the world and contributes about 20% of the total dietary calories and proteins globally. Unique properties of doughs formed from wheat flour make it feasible to produce a range of food, including bread. Loaf volume is the most perceptible indicator for breadmaking quality. Selection in the early generations for loaf volume is difficult due to the requirement of the large volume of grains and due to the costly, time-consuming, and labor-intensive evaluation process. Identification of simple and reliable predictive tests for loaf volume is highly desirable. This study …

Discovery And Characterization Of Novel Antimicrobials Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Carolina Rodrigues Felix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tuberculosis disease is currently a global health emergency, causing the most deaths worldwide due a single infectious agent. Eradication of TB is hampered by lack of an effective vaccine and poor treatment options. During infection, host-derived cues such as hypoxia and starvation induce Mycobacterium tuberculosis to halt replication and become dormant, which leads to tolerance to front-line antibiotics used in the TB treatment. This dormant phenotype causes delayed clearance of M. tuberculosis, therefore a long treatment time is required for stable cure without relapse. Poor patient compliance increases the emergence of drug resistant strains, posing yet another challenge for the …

Intrinsic Factors Affecting Decomposition Changes In Archaeological Head Hair From Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, Kathleen Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-mortem hair root degradation, and associated characteristics such as post-mortem root banding, brush-like ends, and hard keratin points, has remained a little understood phenomenon in the forensics discipline since its discovery in the 1800's. At present, the underlying causes of these characteristics are still unknown. In addition, there is no standardization for preparing samples for forensic or archaeological analysis. In this study, 1200 hairs from a total of 51 individuals (males, n = 22; females, n = 29) ranging in age from 16 to 60+ and interred at the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt are examined microscopically …

Barriers To Adoption Of Wellness Programs: A Worked Example Of An Augmented Best-Fit Framework Synthesis, Dalton Oliver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Qualitative syntheses have the potential to offer a great deal of insight into complex problems of practice. However, their methods often appear unclear and warrant ongoing scrutiny by the research community. Aim: This study introduces a novel combination of methods for synthesizing qualitative literature and explores the utility of these methods through a worked example of a real-world problem of practice. Methods: Qualitative studies that investigated barriers to adoption of wellness programs through the perspectives of key informants were systematically collected for synthesis. Key informants were identified as decision makers at small- to medium-sized businesses. The primary method used …

Exploring Relationship Quality As A Dyadic Mediator Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Health For Economically Disadvantaged Couples, Naomi Wheeler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the directional relationships between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE; Felitti et al., 1998), relationship quality (as measured by the Relationship Assessment Scale [Hendrick, 1988] and the Behavioral Self-Regulation for Effective Relationships Scale [Wilson, Charker, Lizzio, Halford, & Kimlin, 2005]), and health (as measured by the OQ 45.2 [Lambert et al., 2004] and a Brief Medical History Questionnaire [Daire, Wheeler, & Liekweg, 2014]) among economically disadvantaged couples. The theorized model included a dyadic structure and mediation of ACE and health by relationship quality using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). The researcher employed …

The Effect Of Food Labeling And Environmental Cues On Food Consumption Judgments And Choices., Sarah Lefebvre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As obesity levels reach epidemic levels globally, an understanding of the multitude of factors that influence both eating behavior and food choice is necessary. This dissertation attempts to investigate the role of emerging food categories, namely organic foods, and the influence of environmental cues on eating behaviors and choices. This goal is accomplished through three essays. The first essay focuses on the organic food trend and consumer taste expectations. Specifically, this essay explores how the presence of an organic label influences taste expectations differently for minimally processed versus highly processed foods due to the level of consistency (congruency) between the …

Dating Violence Victimization And Substance Use: Do Genes Play A Role?, Alexis Yohros

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dating violence (DV) victimization in adolescence has been shown to be predictive of both negative emotions and delinquent behavior later in life. However, research that delves into DV victimization and subsequent outcomes, such as deviant behavior, is largely atheoretical. Robert Agnew's general strain theory (GST) provides a theoretical framework to address this limitation. In focusing on negative interactions with others, the theory posits that strain produces negative affect states which leads to deviant or criminal coping. Prior research has identified victimization as a strain, a type of noxious stimuli, which is significantly related to negative emotionality, crime, and deviance. I …

Power Effects On Consumer Well-Being: Two Essays On The Power Effects On Donation And Material/Experiential Consumption, Yue Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Power is a fundamental concept in social science (Russell 1938), which has gained much academic attention in various disciplines. Two essays of this dissertation examine the theoretical and practical implications of power effects on donation decisions and material/experiential consumption. The first essay demonstrates power's moderating effect on the relationship between publicity and donation. Specifically, it is proposed that powerful people tend to donate more in public (vs. private) situation, whereas powerless people do not show such a difference. This effect is driven by people's concern about self-presentation in a donation scenario. Additionally, this effect only holds when people strongly believe …

Competition And Community Interactions Of Two Generalist Herbivores, Elizabeth Ellen Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Competition can have far-reaching consequences for the fitness and distribution of many organisms. In herbivorous insects, competition mediated by a third organism is more common than direct competition and has a strong effect on insect communities; yet most research on indirect competition among herbivores focuses on dietary specialists, and those studies that do include generalists tend to rear them on agricultural crops. My project examines species interactions at three levels: intraspecific competition (within species), interspecific competition (between species), and ecosystem engineering effects at the community level. I studied competition and community interactions of two temporally-separated species of herbivorous insects, western …

The Spatial Ecology Of The Southern Copperhead In A Fragmented And Non-Fragmented Habitat, Megan Veronica Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Habitat fragmentation may alter the spatial ecology of organisms inhabiting the fragmented landscape by limiting the area of habitat available and altering microhabitat features. I quantified and compared movement of southern copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix) in a fragmented and non-fragmented habitat to determine the effects of habitat fragmentation on the spatial ecology of the southern copperhead. Effective distance moved by each individual was measured by the use of thread bobbins attached via medical tape to the posterior quarter of the snake. Straight-line distance moved and occupied area were calculated with the GPS coordinates recorded at each snake sighting. Straight-line distance …

Identification Of Areas Of Patient Need Using The Cancer Support Source Program, Emily Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding, screening, and providing resources for quality of life factors and psychosocial distress have become an important area of focus in cancer care. Negative consequences of poor quality of life and psychosocial distress have been widely studied in oncological research. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, or NCCN, defines "psychosocial distress" as extending on a continuum, "ranging from common normal feelings of vulnerability, sadness, and fears to problems that can become disabling, such as depression, anxiety, panic, social isolation, and existential and spiritual crisis" ("National Comprehensive Cancer Network," n.d.). Findings have indicated the significant impact of poor quality of life and …

Effect Of Reproductive Efficiency In Regards To Workload On Peripheral Circulations Of Blood Cortisol And Leptin In The Open Mare, Michaelle K. Coker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Effect of Reproductive Efficiency in Regards to Workload on Peripheral Circulations of Blood Cortisol and Leptin in the Open Mare

(December, 2016)

Michaelle Kathleen Coker, B.S., Texas A&M University

Thesis Director: Dr. John Michael Mehaffey

Quarter and Paint horse mares (n= 9) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups after being blocked based by expected conception date. Groups consist of mares on no work (NW), light work (LW), and moderate work (MW). Blood was taken weekly via jugular venipuncture prior to first heat cycle from each mare. Additionally, blood was taken at time of ovulation and then weekly …

Tobacco Use, Cessation, And Locus Of Control Among College Students, Bernard Ambe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the locus of control among American college students (b) determine if tobacco use or cessation correlate with any demographic variables to better understand the efficacy of tobacco interventions and help design an intervention most effective in the prominent LOC of college students.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) was modified for the purposes of this study and used to determine demographic factors and tobacco usage status. The modified GATS survey also included the LOC questionnaire which yielded the data. Seventy-four responses were recorded. The mean locus of control scores were …

Examination Of The Relevance Of Pi3k And Pten Pathway In Ustilago Maydis., Nathaniel Edward Dalton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ustilago maydis is a fungal pathogen that is an obligate parasite on Zea mays (Corn) in order to undergo and complete its sexual life cycle. The cells grow as a haploid form until they meet a compatible partner and undergo a dimorphic switch from a budding yeast-like cell type to a filamentous dikaryon. Infection of the host plant is characterized by leaf chlorosis, anthocyanin content, and formation of large galls that develop on the stem, leaves, cobs, and flowers. Many signaling cascades such as MAPK and PKA are involved in the regulation of the infection lifecycle. The Phosphatidylinosotiol 3 Kinase/ …

Identification And Characterization Of Genes Involved In Metabolism Of N5 Monoene Precursors To N5 Anacardic Acids In The Trichomes Of Pelargonium X Hortorum., Richa A. Singhal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unusual monoenoic fatty acids (UMFA’s) and specialized metabolites called anacardic acids (AnAc) are produced in glandular trichomes of Pelargonium ´ hortorum (geranium). The UMFA’s, 16:1^∆11 and 18:1^∆13 are precursors for the synthesis of unsaturated AnAc 22:1n5and 24:1n5 that contribute to pest resistance in geraniums. UMFAs and their derived AnAc metabolites not only provide a useful biological marker that differentiates the biosynthetic pathway for unusual mononenes from the common fatty acids (i.e. stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic) but also have industrial, medical and agricultural applications. Fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes like acyl carrier proteins (ACPs); thioesterases (TEs) and β-ketoacyl-ACP …

Mechanism Of Interaction Of Peptide Modified Nanoparticles With Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Ankita Jain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies suggest that P. gingivalis functions as a keystone pathogen and interacts with primary colonizers in the supragingival biofilm such as S. gordonii. This interaction contributes to the initial colonization of the oral cavity by P. gingivalis and thus represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. We have identified a peptide (BAR) derived from the streptococcal SspB protein that functions to inhibit P. gingivalis adherence to S. gordonii. In addition, we showed that nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with BAR inhibit this interaction more potently than free soluble peptide, possibly by promoting interaction with P. gingivalis at higher valency than …