Digital Commons Network^™

Does Infant Formula Availability Reduce Breastfeeding?, Ingvild Madsen Lampe

Master's Theses

Abstract: Several key studies highlight the importance of breastfeeding and there is a broad consensus that it plays a crucial role for a child's health and cognitive development. This is especially true for the poor in developing countries, where vulnerable infants' access to proper nutrition is vital. We investigate the effect of introducing infant formula into a market on changes in breastfeeding patterns. Using the Demographic Health Surveys and annual reports from the baby food industry between 1981 and 2002 in 11 tropical countries, we find evidence that import of infant formula significantly reduces breastfeeding duration. The effects are stronger …

Environmentally Sustainable Practices At Small Community Sport Facilities, John Schumacher

Master's Theses

Despite the “greening” trend of professional/university sport organizations adopting more environmentally friendly approaches to the management of their sport facilities, a significant “greening gap” has grown between those organizations and the thousands of small community sport facilities (SCSFs) across the country that have yet been able to integrate environmentally sustainable (ES) policies into their operations and management.

As limited research existed in this area, I conducted a qualitative research investigation utilizing the framework of the diffusion of innovation theory to explore SCSF managers’ perceptions concerning the implementation of ES in the maintenance and operation of their facilities. I conducted interviews …

Hyperproliferation And Parathyroid Neoplasia Due To Genetic Variants, La Shondra A. Ellis

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Wh-Question Comprehension: A Grammatical Deficit In Children With Asd, Manya Jyotishi

Master's Theses

Wh-questions are problematic for children with ASD. Prior research has shown delays in comprehension of subject-wh and object-wh questions in children with ASD compared to TD peers. However, earlier comprehension studies may have been limited because their stimuli included unfamiliar verbs (e.g., hit, produced by a few children with ASD) and events featuring inanimate agents and patients (e.g., an apple and a flower). The current study addressed both of these issues by investigating whether familiar verbs and animate characters elicit robust comprehension of wh-questions with children with ASD. We also investigate whether early grammatical abilities predict later wh-question comprehension. One …

Differential Effects Of The Mao Inhibitors Deprenyl, Moclobemide And Pargyline On Effort-Related Choice Behavior, Hector M. Contreras-Mora

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Examination Of Medical Coverage, Emergency Policies And Procedures, And The Implementation Of Prevention Strategies Before And After Sudden Death In The Secondary School Setting, Joseph M. Olivadoti

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Internalized Stigma Among Hiv-Positive Men On Antiretroviral Therapy In Urban India, Mitchell L. Irving

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Physicians’ Perceived Roles In And Barriers To Identifying, Evaluating, And Managing Intimate Partner Violence, Adam F. Pennarola

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Retrospective Study Assessing The Predictive Performance Of A Lung Cancer Screening Risk Prediction Model In A Clinical Lung Cancer Screening Program, Andrea K. Borondy Kitts

Master's Theses

Background: United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recommendations for annual screening for lung cancer with low dose CT (LDCT) scans rely on age and smoking history to identify those at high risk for lung cancer. The Tammemagi et al. six year lung cancer risk prediction model, PLCOm2012, developed and validated in large lung cancer screening clinical trials, demonstrated good predictive performance in screening selection. However, the model has not been validated in clinical practice. Validating the model in clinical practice would increase confidence in its ability to provide information for shared …

Influence Of Conducting Carbons On The Capacity Retention Of Nio//Licoo2 And Graphite//Licoo2 Full Cell Lithium Ion Batteries, Mengchen Liu

Master's Theses

Lithium ion batteries are the dominant energy storage system in the market today. Based on its high energy density, power density and ideal cycleability, research on lithium ion batteries has gone through several generations in a short timeframe. However, the constantly increasing demand for this portable energy source, which could be used for hybrid electric vehicles, tablets, computers, phones and even micro-electronics for medical apparatus and instruments, drives the design of next generation materials and designs with improved performance and safety.

In this thesis, the influence of conductivity on Lithium-ion battery half cell capacity retention was investigated with graphite and …

Long-Term Feeding Ecology Of Early-Stage Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) And American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Hudson River Estuary, Michael G. Smircich

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

In Vitro Characterization Of Msh2-Msh6 And Mlh1-Pms2 Interactions, Nilse Lene G. Dos Santos

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Viewing Loneliness From An Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Perspective: Pilot Testing A New Loneliness Measure And Testing The Relation Of Loneliness To Adults' Remembrances Of Parental Acceptance And Rejection In Childhood, Alex D. Molaver

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Biodegradable Polymer-Metal Composite As A Novel Biomaterial, Tyler Stahl

Master's Theses

Poly(lactide-co- glycolide) (PLGA) is a versatile biomaterial and is desirable for use in tissue engineering applications requiring a degradable matrix or fixation. PLGA degradation rate can be controlled through manipulation of the ratio of its constituent monomers PLA (polylactic acid) and PGA (polyglycolic acid). When PLGA degrades it can lead to the development of acidic conditions eliciting an inflammatory response. We have investigated the addition of biodegradable Magnesium (Mg) particles to a PLGA matrix, aiming to achieve neutral byproducts. Within the body Mg degrades into a basic oxide and hydrogen gas, so through varying its concentration in a PLGA scaffold …

Assessing Factors Related To Clinicians’ Attitudes Towards Suicide Prevention, Amanda L. Johnson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Exploring Maternal Emotion Masking As A Contribution To Kindergartener's Emotion Regulation, Erin Donohue

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Technological And Managerial Gaps In The Adoption Of Improved Groundnut Seed Varieties In Uganda, Neha Paliwal

Master's Theses

The international community has successfully developed improved varieties of seeds that yield high returns in the presence of drought, pests, and disease. This effort is in response to the persistent concern of food security, especially in regions that are most vulnerable to climate change. This study uses cross-sectional data from the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Survey to obtain estimates for the adoption of improved groundnut varieties (IGVs) in Uganda as well as gaps in farmer managerial capacity (alternatively known as technical inefficiency). To do so, this study employs an adoption logit model, in conjunction with a stochastic production frontier …

Ultra-High Resolution Steady-State Micro-Thermometry Using A Bipolar Direct Current Reversal Technique, Jason Y. Wu

Master's Theses

The suspended micro-thermometry technique is one of the most prominent methods for probing the in-plane thermal conductance of low dimensional materials (nanowires, nanotubes, and nanoplates), where a suspended mircrodevice containing two built-in platinum resistors that serve as both heater and thermometer is used to measure the temperature and heat flow across the sample. In previous lock-in-based measurement schemes, the thermal conductance resolution of this method is on the order of 1 nW/K. The presence temperature fluctuations in the sample chamber, background thermal conductance through the device, residual gases, and radiation are significant sources of error when the sample thermal conductance …

Mechanical Stimulation And Stiffness Characterization Device For Electrospun Cell Culture Scaffolds, Soliman A. Alhudaithy

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Can Portable Band Sawmill Operators Help Address Connecticut’S Small Scale Forest Management Needs?, Frances E. P. Champagne

Master's Theses

The shrinking average size of Connecticut forested land parcels, as well as increased interest in roadside forest management activities and small-acreage treatments for wildlife habitats, all necessitate scale-appropriate management methodologies for tree harvesting and vegetation management. Corresponding value-added processing for wood products, such as with portable band sawmills, has the potential to foster local markets and utilization of wood products in the small quantities produced. A survey of portable band saw mill operators (PBSOs) in Connecticut was conducted to help determine the capacity for PBSOs to assist in addressing the state’s small-scale forest management needs. Results of the survey revealed …

Diagnoses By Gender: The Consequences Of Treatment Of The Mentally Ill In Virginia Woolf's The Waves And Mrs. Dalloway 2016, Erika Nichole Jackson

Master's Theses

“Insanity is purely a disease of the brain…The physician is now the responsible guardian of the lunatic, and must ever remain so.” Sir John Charles Bucknill (1897)

Mental illness has consistently been and continues to be a subject that is viewed as taboo by society, especially when it comes to diagnosing a patient. Instead of acknowledging a person’s actions, thoughts, and words, society continually disregards mental illness as something that is negative and to be feared. The fact that this area of medicine can be difficult and distressing makes it all the more important to continue research. It is true …

"Do Not Fashion The Other": Representing Contemporary Haudenosaunee Literature 2016, Michael Patrick Brewster

Master's Theses

Historically, the issue of representation in postcolonial studies is one of some contention. While scholarship might recognize the necessity for highlighting the plights and struggles attendant to postcolonial societies, the primary literature being studied is most often written by natives of those societies themselves. This gap is especially evident with Indigenous cultures, because there are relatively few Indigenous scholars working in the academy. We are at the point now when we have a multiplicity (but not a plurality) of Indigenous voices writing literature (poetry, memoir, fiction, film, etc.) and academic criticism. However, there is value in non-Natives reading and writing …

The Effect Of Descriptive Norms On Resistance Exercise Self-Efficacy In College-Aged Females 2016, Justin Kompf

Master's Theses

Resistance training is a form of physical activity that provides substantial health benefits. Despite these widespread benefits, participation in resistance training is considerably low, particularly among females. To engage in a skill-related activity such as resistance training, individuals need to have confidence in their abilities. Self-efficacy is a cognitive construct that is used to describe situation-specific self-confidence. Descriptive norms are a type of social norm that describes the behavior of others. Descriptive norms have been useful in positively changing health related behaviors. The exact mechanism of how descriptive norms alter behavior is unknown. However, it has been show in research …

'The Letter Killeth': The Obscurity Of Language And Communication In Thomas Hardy's Jude The Obscure 2016, Victoria T. Corning

Master's Theses

While the epistolary novel is a genre closely associated with 18th century England, 19th century Victorian literature also incorporates letter writing as a significant form of communication. Written messages convey what can often not be said out loud, as it is easier to hide behind a pen and paper, write in solitude, and be absent when the letter is read by the recipient. Impulsive and emotional thoughts and feelings can be written down immediately and then later edited, which makes writing an unstable form of communication. Is the author conveying true feelings or concealing true feelings? Layering multiple modes of …

A Study Of Osteocyte Apoptosis In Mechanically Loaded And Unloaded Murine Tibiae, Josiah Elihu Kessler

Master's Theses

Previous research has provided evidence in support of apoptotic osteocytes playing a role in the bone remodeling process. In this study, we examined the regional and quadrantal variations of apoptotic and viable osteocytes in cyclically loaded and unloaded samples. Left tibias of C57 Black 6 Taconic mice (C57Bl/6) were cyclically loaded for either 2 weeks or 5 weeks, with the right tibias being used as controls. After loading, tibias were resected, processed, and then stained using either a TUNEL stain, to show apoptotic osteocytes, or a 2.0% methyl green solution, to reveal viable cells. Cross-sectional images from each tibia were …

Parenting Practices And Young Adults’ Emotional Distress: The Moderating Roles Of Family Structure And Race, Nathan Alexander Winner

Master's Theses

Authoritarian parenting practices are more common among African American families, and appear to include fewer disadvantages in regards to child outcomes compared to White/non-Hispanic families who use these same practices. Little is known about why these racial differences occur, although family structure may play a role. The present study sought to understand the role of family structure and race in moderating the effects of parenting practices on college student mental health outcomes. College students reported on the parenting practices of their caregivers, as well as their race, family structure, characteristics of their familial environment, and socioeconomic status. Levels of depression, …

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms As A Mediator Of The Relation Between Social Perception And Social Skills And Adaptability In Preschoolers, Brandi Michelle Ellis

Master's Theses

ADHD symptoms have been linked empirically to both social perception deficits as well as impairments in social skills and adaptability. The current study built on existing literature by examining whether social perception abilities indirectly predicted social skills and adaptability through ADHD symptoms in preschool-aged children. The sample consisted of 3- to 6-year-old children attending Head Start Programs and private preschools (N = 76). It was expected that social perception abilities would positively relate to both social skills and adaptability. It was also expected that these relations would occur indirectly through ADHD symptoms. Specifically, social perception abilities would relate negatively …

The Effects Of Errorless Compliance Training Interventions On Compliance Behavior On Students In The Home And Generalization In The School Setting, Hannah Jeanne Cavell

Master's Theses

Errorless Compliance Training (ECT) is a procedure used to lessen disruptive behavior using a gradual and noncorecive approach. In this study, parents of three school-aged children who demonstrated high levels of disruptive behavior in the home and the classroom were trained on the ECT procedure. ECT sessions took place in the home, with parents delivering requests. Generalized effects of ECT were assessed in the school setting. Baseline data were used to arrange requests into grouped Levels, ranging from Level 1 (requests of which individual is typically compliant) to Level 4 (requests in which individual is typically noncompliant). Using the ECT …

Mississippi College Towns: Assessing The Geography Of Collegiate Culture, Jordan Glynn Moore

Master's Theses

This study assesses the appearance of collegiate culture on the landscape of college towns in Mississippi. The research will add to the understanding of this phenomenon by contributing more focused studies of college towns not yet explored. Refining and adding to the concept of a “college town” by identifying physical and cultural factors that characterize it will open opportunities and provide options that will serve as a gateway for more pointed cross-disciplinary research. Not only are these towns havens for geographic research, but also for cross-disciplinary research pursuits due to their unique cultural characteristics. Using U.S. Census-derived maps and a …

Ism S-Band Cubesat Radio Designed For The Polysat System Board, Craig Lee Francis

Master's Theses

Cal Poly’s PolySat CubeSat satellites have begun to conduct more complex and scientifically significant experiments. The large data products generated by these missions demonstrate the necessity for higher data rate communication than currently provided by the PolySat UHF radio. This thesis leverages the proliferation of consumer wireless monolithic transceivers to develop a 250kbps to 2000kbps, 2W CubeSat radio operating within the 2.45GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio band.

Estimating a link budget for a realistic CubeSat leads to the conclusion that this system will require a large deployable CubeSat antenna, large earth station satellite dish, and a fine-pointing attitude …