Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of A Modified Heat Tolerance Test In Recreational Runners, Kelsey M. Rynkiewicz

Master's Theses

Exercising in hot and humid conditions is a stressful environment that can be taxing on the human body. In certain situations, uncompensable heat stress may occur in which there is an overwhelming of the thermoregulatory system. This may result in exertional heat illnesses, particularly exertional heat stroke, which warrant rapid and appropriate treatment to avoid long term complications, or even death.

Returning to activity, duty, or play after an exertional heat stroke, or for those who exhibit difficulty exercising in the heat, is a complex process. However, heat tolerance tests have been used, particularly in warriors, as an evaluation tool …

Psychosocial Correlates Of Medication Adherence Among College-Aged Women, Lauren Strainge

Master's Theses

Emerging adulthood is a period of increasing independence commonly associated with declines in medication adherence. Daily medication is prescribed to college-aged women at disproportionate rates compared to their male peers, but little is know about potential risk factors for poor medication adherence among this population. This study sought to assess the prevalence of adherence problems among this emerging adult population, and to identify psychosocial variables associated with poor adherence. Participants completed a series of online questionnaires regarding medication use, adherence, and number of demographic and psychosocial variables, and regression analyses were used to identify associated risk factors. Results indicated that …

Telomerase Activator 65 (Ta-65) Favorably Affects Parameters Of Metabolic Syndrome - A Pilot Study, Minu Sara Thomas

Master's Theses

Abstract

Background: Telomerase Activator 65 (TA-65), a compound extracted from Astragalus membranaceus, was developed to increase or maintain telomere length. Objectives: To determine the effects of TA-65 on the parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: We recruited 40 patients aged 32-70 years with MetS to determine the effects of TA-65 on dyslipidemias and anthropometrics in this at-risk population. This was a double-blind, randomized crossover design in which patients were allocated to consume either 16 mg daily of a TA-65 supplement or placebo for 12 weeks. Following a 3-week washout, participants were allocated to the alternate treatment for an …

Conferring Diva Capability To A Commercially-Available Csfv Elisa: A Double-Competition Approach, Yuxiang Wang

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Maternal Diet And Energy Demands On Offspring Development, Growth, And Health, Mary C. Wynn

Master's Theses

Maternal programming can have numerous detrimental effects on offspring development, growth, and health. To improve livestock production efficiency, it is necessary to determine the mechanisms that can result in reduced growth, health, and product quality. We hypothesized that 1) restricted- and over-feeding during gestation would inhibit offspring muscle development, and 2) high maternal milk production would affect factors involved in offspring growth and immunity. To investigate the effects of poor maternal nutrition on offspring muscle development and growth, pregnant Western White-faced ewes (n = 82) were randomly assigned to one of three diets at day 30 of gestation through parturition; …

Minimization Of Carbon Footprint Of Transit Agencies By Adopting Alternative Fuel Technologies, Adrita Islam

Master's Theses

The increasing trend in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission around the globe has been of broad and current interest for the past few decades. In the state of Connecticut, transportation is the largest contributor of GHG emission at about 42% of the total emission of 36.5 Million Metric Tons of CO₂ equivalent. Although buses comprise less than 1% of the total transportation emissions in the country, transit agencies are trying to reduce their carbon footprint by adopting alternative fuel technology buses. The overarching objective of this thesis is to aid transit agencies make more informed decisions regarding the process of …

Spatial Variability In Abundance, Detectability And Survival Of White-Tailed Deer Across A Heterogeneous Landscape Of Fear, Jennifer Kilburn

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Utility Of The Assist For Estimating Substance Use Treatment Utilization And Predicting One-Year Entry To Treatment Among Opioid, Alcohol, And Cocaine Users In A Primary Care Setting, Adam Chess

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Dental Anxiety Among Patients Attending A University Dental Clinic, Maria Vallejos

Master's Theses

Visiting the dentist may generate anxiety for many individuals. Some suffer from severe dental anxiety, and consequently avoid dental appointments. Despite the advances made in modern dentistry, anxiety about dental treatments remain prevalent. Health care professionals should attempt to identify these individuals to provide better care and improve access to dental care. Objectives: (a) examine the prevalence of dental anxiety and its association with the type of dental care sought (routine care/ emergency care); (b) explore when the patient suffers more anxiety, and (c) examine the possible relation between dental anxiety and sociodemographic factors. Methods: 120 Eligible participants …

Easy Breathing For Schools: A Promising School - Based Asthma Program, Jing Marrero

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Light And Electron Microscopy Analysis Of Gold Nanoparticle Penetration In Stiffness Varying 3d Tumor Spheroids, Mathangi Madhavan

Master's Theses

Mechanical properties have always been considered one of the primary biomarkers in distinguishing normal cells from tumor cells. The prime purpose of this thesis was to study and analyze the penetration of gold nanoparticles in different stiffness , same sized and varying time-points 3D tumor spheroids using light and electron microscopy techniques. Recently a lot of attention has been given to the culture of cancer spheroids for applications such as drug delivery, nanoparticles interaction, and penetration. Such analysis requires high-quality imaging modalities like transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this study, a set of spheroids were cryo-sectioned to study the distribution …

Assessment Of The Effects Of Riparian Buffer Zones On Water Quality In The Jinghe Catchment Using The Annagnps And Remm Models, Cong Liu

Master's Theses

Direct discharge of sediments and agricultural chemicals into rivers is a major areal source for surface water pollution. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact on water quality by converting riverside crop fields to riparian buffer zones at river basin scale. The Jinghe catchment of the Weihe River basin in China, a heavily cultivated watershed in the middle reach of the Yellow River basin, was selected for this study. The Annualized Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution Model (AnnAGNPS) was used to simulate water and sediment loadings from upland fields. These generated upland loadings then were used as inputs to run …

Transitioning Back To The Community: Barriers Experienced By People With Acquired Brain Injury Or Physical Disabilities, Deborah Pacik

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Opioid Use And Opioid Use Disorder Services In Connecticut, Julie Christensen

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Social Determinants Associated With The Employment Of Athletic Training Services In Secondary Schools, Sarah Attanasio

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Current Status Of Professional Networks Addressing Sex Education In The United States: An Initial Exploratory Thematic Analysis, Aliya Subhit

Master's Theses

Sex education in the United States has been a highly debated topic. The history of sex education depicts the changing narratives of both the public and the government’s ideals on the topic. Due to the discrepancy between the publics attitudes and perceptions versus the governments ideals, this thesis is the first of its kind to conduct an initial thematic analysis of available bodies of knowledge across the five core mental health disciplines (i.e., marriage and family therapy, psychiatry, clinical psychology, clinical social work, and psychiatric nursing) to determine how the current state of sex education programs in the U.S. is …

Assessment Of Cranial Neural Crest Cell Differentiation Towards An Osteoblastic Fate, Sean Congdon

Master's Theses

The world health organization estimates that craniofacial defects affect between 2-3% of all live births, with complications ranging from aesthetic issues to severe mental retardation (Marcucio 2015). It is estimated that for a pathology resulting in craniofacial aberrations, each affected individual costs society ~1 million dollars in corrective and palliative care (Singh 2014). Current investigations into genetics underlying these defects have revealed 564 human (HPO 2017) and 3297 murine (MGI 2017) genes thought to be involved in craniofacial pathologies. Facial development requires a population of cells known as Cranial Neural Crest Cells (CNCCs) to properly migrate from the neural plate …

The Burden Of Child Sexual Abuse In Connecticut Emergency Departments, 2011 To 2014, Kathryn Bentivegna

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation On Swimming Performance In Collegiate Swimmers 2018, Christopher Daniel Mosconi

Master's Theses

The desire for performance enhancement is a common goal amongst athletes. Recently a number of studies have reported various performance enhancing effects of dietary nitrate (NO3-) via beetroot juice (BRJ) supplementation. Research has indicated that the various performance enhancing effects of BRJ can be attributed to a decrease resting systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and submaximal volume of oxygen consumption (VO2), while increasing vasodilation and mitochondrial efficiency. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether BRJ supplementation improves swimming performance in collegiate level swimmers. Methods: Eight collegiate trained swimmers underwent a double-blind 5-day chronic supplementation …

Aspects Of Weight Management In Ncaa Division Iii Collegiate Wrestlers 2018, Matthew Martone B.S., Cscs

Master's Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to observe the weight management habits of division III collegiate wrestlers during the week leading up to a competition. Methods: Subjects reported to the lab on Monday morning after an overnight fast. Subjects were measured for height and weight and were asked to provide urine and blood samples for analysis of hydration and creatine kinase activity, respectively. Throughout the week, subjects were weighed in and out of practice to monitor daily weight fluctuations. Subjects also self-recorded all food and drink consumption throughout the 5-day period. On Saturday morning, approximately 1 hour before weigh-ins …

The Effectiveness Of Men's Lacrosse Shoulder Pads In The Attenuation Of Linear Impact Forces 2018, Ryan S. Dambach

Master's Theses

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Men’s lacrosse is a sport that is growing in popularity. The mandatory shoulder pads have no limit of use standards and are rarely studied. The purpose of the study was to measure peak impact force (IF) of new and used lacrosse shoulder pads. METHODS: Six lacrosse shoulder pads, three new models (Warrior MPG 8.0 shoulder pad, STX Jolt shoulder pad and Warrior Player’s Club Hitlyte shoulder pad) and three used models of the same shoulder pads with at least four seasons of use (Warrior MPG shoulder pad, STX Jolt shoulder pad and Warrior Player’s Club Hitlyte shoulder pad) were …

The Effects Of A Low Dose Of Caffeine On Bat Swing Performance In Fatigued And Non-Fatigued Female Softball Athletes 2018, Brianna Ferchen

Master's Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if caffeine ingestion decreased time to contact (TTC), and increased peak hand speed (HS), peak bat barrel speed (BS), and power (P) during a softball bat swing by fatigued and non-fatigued female athletes from an NCAA Division III varsity softball team. Methods: A randomized, single blind counterbalanced design was used to determine if 200 mg of caffeinated gum produced an ergogenic effect on nine female softball players (mean ± SD; age: 19.4 ± 0.7 yrs; height: 169 ± 6 cm; weight: 76.85 ± 10.82 kg) during a softball swing after chewing …

Effects Of Competition Variables And Prior Attempts On Approach Run Velocity During A Pole Vaulter's Final Clearance 2018, Nathaniel S. Ashton

Master's Theses

Approach run velocity of a vaulter is strongly correlated to the highest height a vaulter clears in pole vault competition and the number of attempts taken throughout a competition influences pole vault strategy. Since approach run velocity greatly affects the crossbar height cleared and number of attempts affects time spent in the competition, perhaps a better approach to determine optimal competition strategy is to first identify how competition variables influence approach run velocity. The purpose of this study was to determine if the approach run velocity during a pole vaulter’s last clearance can be predicted by: (1) the number of …

The Relationship Between Stryd Power And Running Economy In Well-Trained Distance Runners 2018, Casey Austin

Master's Theses

A novel running wearable called the Stryd Summit footpod attaches to a runner’s right or left shoe and measures running power output. The developers of the product purport that the footpod’s power and form power measures may correlate with metabolic data gathered in a lab. PURPOSE: Explore the relationship between power output and running economy at threshold pace. METHODS: Seventeen well-trained distance runners, 9 males and 8 females, completed a running protocol at threshold pace. Participants ran two discontinuous four-minute stages: one with their self-selected cadence (SS), and one with cadence lowered by 10% (LC). Metabolic data, power, and form …

The Effects Of A Short-Term, Unilateral, Lower-Body Resistance Training Program On Balance In College-Aged Resistance-Trained Participants 2018., Daniel Semprini

Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a short-term, unilateral, lower-body resistance training program would significantly improve static and dynamic balance in experienced college-aged resistance-trained participants when compared to a control group’s regular, bilateral lower-body resistance training program. Participants: A total of twenty-four participants were recruited to participate in the study. Four participants ended up dropping out due to injury and time constraints, leaving the final total sample size at twenty. Methods: Participants completed a series of three questionnaires (International Fitness Scale, International Physical Activity, and Sociodemographic Questionnaire) and the informed consent. The participants were randomly divided …

Integrated Computer Science Unit For Early Exposure To A Diverse Population, Di Hoang

Master's Theses

Reports from major tech companies, such as Airbnb, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Yahoo, indicate that gender diversity and ethnic diversity are lacking in the tech industry [22]. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 24% increase in the number of software development positions (roughly an increase of 300,000 jobs) between 2016 and 2026 [64]. The main motivation behind this thesis is to expose computer science to young children and encourage teachers to include computer science in their classrooms in the hope of contributing to the current effort of increasing diversity within tech fields in the next decade.

This …

Relationships Among Actual Motor Competence, Perceived Motor Competence And Health-Related Fitness In A College-Aged Population 2018, Samantha Moss

Master's Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess relationships among actual motor competence, perceived motor competence, and health-related fitness in a college-aged population. Methods: A total of 76 participants from SUNY Cortland enrolled in an undergraduate Kinesiology course completed an informed consent form. Total data were obtained on 71 participants (male = 53; female = 18). Perceived motor competence (PMC) was assessed via the Physical Self Perception Profile questionnaire, which participants completed one week prior to remaining assessments. Motor competence (MC) was assessed by maximum throw and kick speed as well as maximum distance jumped. Health-related fitness (HRF) was …

Why Sing So Many Songs? Testing The Function Of Song Type Repertoires In Rock Wrens Using Playback Experiments And Behavioral Observations, Stephanie Marie Gobert Pitt

Master's Theses

Bird song has been studied extensively as a model of complex animal communication systems because of how various and flexible it is in certain species. Numerous researchers have investigated the evolutionary pressures leading to the elaboration of songs available in a bird’s repertoire and this topic is most often evaluated in light of sexual selection. Intersexual selection mechanisms such as female choice are often presumed to be very important in the elaboration of song, however literature reviews on the topic find no strong correlation between female preference for larger song repertoires and the presence of the characteristic in males across …

Examining Academic Success For Underrepresented Minority Science Technology Engineering And Mathematics Students Within Hispanic Serving Institutions And Predominantly White Institutions, Denise Romero

Master's Theses

With the higher enrollment among underrepresented minority students (URMs) in higher education, the unique challenges first generation students face has been highly studied, especially in regards to the issue of retention and academic success. That is, how do higher education institutions and professionals best academically support these students through the completion of their undergraduate degree? This paper seeks to compare the identity development of URMs within Hispanic serving institutions (HSI) and predominantly white institutions (PWI) by building on academic literature in higher education addressing identity development and achievement for URMs pursuing an education in STEM. This study offers important insights …

Comparing The Relative Effectiveness Of Function-Based Antecedent And Reinforcement Interventions For Increasing Preschoolers’ Appropriate Behavior, Ashley Murphy

Master's Theses

The current study extended current literature regarding using brief functional analysis methodologies to inform function-based intervention for increasing preschool students’ academically engaged behavior. Teachers were prompted through brief functional analysis procedures by the researcher. Brief functional analysis results informed two function-based interventions: an antecedent intervention - pre-session non-contingent reinforcement, and a reinforcement intervention – differential reinforcement of alternative behavior. The two interventions were compared according to effectiveness on increasing preschool students’ academically engaged behavior and social validity ratings from teachers. Results indicated for all three participants the reinforcement intervention was not only more effective, but also received higher social validity …