Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of A Division I Men's Ice Hockey Season On Strength And Power, Emily T. Webster

Master's Theses

Measures of strength and power were taken during a pre-season training segment in Divison I men’s ice hockey as well as two weeks post-season in order to determine the changes that occurred in a twenty-one week season of play. All subjects performed a concurrent resistance training protocol that aimed to develop power, strength, and minimize the risk for potential injury that led to missed game-playing time. The men’s ice hockey athletes were practicing an average of four days a week with the sport coaches in addition to the resistance training sessions with the primary strength and conditioning coach. The mean …

It Isn’T Just Skin Deep: Adolescents And Appearance In Connecticut, Avery Lachance

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Post-Race Nutritional Supplementation Effects On The Incidence And Severity Of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection In Ironman Tri-Athletes, Deanna Dempsey

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of An Injury Prevention Program In An Aquatic Environment On Landing Technique, Samantha E. Scarneo

Master's Theses

The Effects of an Injury Prevention Program in an Aquatic Environment on Landing Technique Samantha E. Scarneo, University of Connecticut Context: Musculoskeletal and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have accounted for a majority of sports and recreational related injuries and are of major concern to the physically active population. Injury prevention programs (IPP) have proven to improve landing technique, decreasing vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF) resulting in injury risk reduction. Injury prevention programs in an aquatic-based environment may potentially elicit the same improvements as land-based programs. Objective: To examine the effects of a six week aquatic-based IPP on Landing Error …

The Quadmill: Effects Of Eccentric Training Vs. Concentric Training On Lower Extremity Power And Anaerobic Capacity 2014., John Crosby

Master's Theses

Training focuses on the concentric action of muscle during exercise for most exercise programs, but eccentric training may yield greater results. The Quadmill^TM is a unique piece of training equipment that focuses on training the quadriceps muscle eccentrically. Purpose: to determine if using the Quadmill^TM could increase power and anaerobic capacity to the same level, if not greater, than a standard concentric focused lower body training protocol. Participants were 44 undergraduate college students (24 Male 20 Female) Design: participants placed into three equal groups (Quadmill^TM, Lifting, Control). The two experimental groups (Quadmill^TM and Lifting) underwent …

Physical Activity And Nutritional Behavior Of Overweight College Students Trying To Lose Weight 2014, Santino Vallejos M.S.

Master's Theses

Although there are numerous benefits to increased physical activity and proper dietary behaviors, the decreased participation in physical activity and poor dietary behaviors has emerged as a significant problem within the college student population. The focus of this research study was to identify the relationship between physical activity and dietary behavior to weight loss behaviors within an undergraduate student sample of a small, comprehensive northeastern university. College-aged students (age range: 17 to 27 years old) completed the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) National College Health Assessment II (NCHA) during the years 2009 and 2012. According to the results, there were …

"Can’T Touch This": Empowering Children With Severe Food Allergy In The Residential Camp Setting 2014, Alexsandra Dubin

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to create an empowerment program for children with severe food allergy (SFA) in a residential camp setting. Despite recent advancements in research, there is no cure for SFA, thus there is a need for programs to help children manage their allergies and cope with the ramifications of their condition. Quality of life is a major concern for children with SFA, as the constant fear of exposure to an allergen can lead to high levels of anxiety. This is particularly noteworthy because, barring exposure to an allergen, these children are otherwise healthy and symptom free. …

Factors Affecting The Coefficient Of Friction Of Soccer Goalie Gloves 2014, Candice Hofmann

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the coefficients of static friction of five different pairs of soccer goalie gloves with one soccer ball and to compare the effects of four different glove conditions on the coefficients of static friction. Specifically, the coefficients of static friction were determined and compared for one size 5 soccer ball (Select) with five different pairs of goalie gloves (Nike Vapor Grip 3, Select 88, Uhlsport Aqua, Uhlsport Soft and Uhlsport Hard) and four different glove conditions (new, wet, saliva and dirty). Surrogate wooden fingers were inserted into each glove and the glove was …

Evaluation Of A Theory-Based Farm To School Program, Rebecca Kent Bishop

Master's Theses

Fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes in MS children remain lower than recommended. Theory-based, multi-component nutrition education interventions like Farm to School (F2S) target FV consumption and utilize such interventions to improve children’s dietary behaviors by incorporating nutrition and agriculture education. The current study was designed with Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as its framework. An intervention was implemented to enhance beliefs, norms, and self-efficacy regarding FV, thus potentially increasing the intention to consume more FV. The research objectives of this study are to describe changes over the course of the intervention in (1) nutrition knowledge; (2) norms, beliefs, and self-efficacy …

Autonomous Close Formation Flight Of Small Uavs Using Vision-Based Localization, Michael B. Darling

Master's Theses

As Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are integrated into the national airspace to comply with the 2012 Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, new civilian uses for robotic aircraft will come about in addition to the more obvious military applications. One particular area of interest for UAV development is the autonomous cooperative control of multiple UAVs. In this thesis, a decentralized leader-follower control strategy is designed, implemented, and tested from the follower’s perspective using vision-based localization.

The tasks of localization and control were carried out with separate processing hardware dedicated to each task. First, software was written to estimate the relative state …

All About Life: Analyzing The Most Effective Interventions In A Colorado Juvenile Diversion Program, Kamille Mckinney

Master's Theses

Far too often in our society offenders in the criminal justice system started their criminal careers as juveniles and never found a way to dig themselves out of the black hole that is delinquency. In recent years, across the nation, there has been great effort expended in finding early interventions for juveniles to deter them away from the criminal justice system before they delve into a negative life trajectory. In Colorado multiple jurisdictions utilize diversion programs as a way to keep juvenile offenders out of the formal court system. This research examines one such Juvenile Diversion Program in the Fifth …

Characterization Of Biomechanical Properties Of Mitral Valve Chordae Tendineae, Keping Zuo

Master's Theses

Objective: Mitral regurgitation and prolapse are the two most common diseases of the mitral valve and result in the leakage of blood back into the left atrium during systole. Rupture of the chordae tendinae is the most common cause of mitral insufficiency. The goal of this study was to characterize the biomechanical properties of the mitral valve chordae tendineae of aged human and ovine hearts.

Materials and Methods: A total of 115 chordae specimens from fresh ovine hearts (n=18, weight = 374.833 47.947g, age of 1-2 year old), and 152 from human hearts (n=14, weight = 516.538 125.718g, mean age …

A Multi-Site Process Evaluation Of Three Federal Reentry Courts In A Southern District Of Federal Probation, Patricia Ann Southerland

Master's Theses

Over the years, prison populations have varied extensively. For the first time in over 30 years, national prison populations began to decrease in 2010. While there are a number of factors influencing this trend, part of such decrease has been the result of changing parole practices. In attempts to respond to the growing parole population and reduce recidivism among parolees, the U.S. court system has begun implementing reentry courts. The current study sought to evaluate the implementation well as pro-active application of evidence-based practices among three reentry court program sites. Three federal reentry courts in a southern district of federal …

Minority Health Perceptions In The Lower Mississippi Delta: A Grounded Theory Study Using Photovoice Methodology, Savanna Beth Sims

Master's Theses

The Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) region has a large minority population with concentrations of poverty and health disparities much higher than other parts of the country. The purpose of this project was to assess the health perceptions of minority women living in the LMD using a combination of PhotoVoice and journal reflections. After an initial interview, 10 women were provided digital cameras and asked to take photographs that reflected the health of their communities. A final interview was conducted to glean more information from the women about their photographs. Seven Black women and two Latinas completed the study. The photographs, …

The Impact Of Serotonin And Dopamine On Human Aggression: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Caroline Isabelle Jalain

Master's Theses

Aggressive behaviors can have serious impacts on both the population at-large and the criminal justice system (Fish, DeBold, & Miczek, 2002); but despite these potential repercussions, no adequate treatment options have been identified to prevent (or reduce) such consequential actions. An increasing amount of research has, however, developed (over the years) in response to these treatment needs. Recently, the disciplines of neurobiology and neuropsychology have discovered specific anti-aggressive treatments. Studies on the prefrontal cortex specifically reveal that certain areas of the brain, along with an array of chemical imbalances, are related to aggressive behavior (Barrett, Edinger, & Siegel, 1990). Specifically, …

A Paleopathological Analysis Of The Moran French Colonial Cemetery, Jennifer Lynn Funkhouser

Master's Theses

This research examines the health experiences of early eighteenth-century European immigrants to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Most were low-status individuals forcibly expulsed from France and brought to Biloxi to colonize Louisiana. Historical records report the immigration effort was poorly provisioned and that large numbers died from malnutrition and disease soon after arrival. The remains of 30 adults, presumably colonists from this period based on collagen dating and grave goods, have been recovered at the Moran site (22HR511). DNA analysis (n = 8) suggests all are European. Most are males, and only one lived past age 40. Estimated mean height is …

Assessing Landscape Change In Highland Peru With An Emphasis On Tree Cover Change, 1948-2012, Timothy Guy Sutherlin

Master's Theses

Tree cover change was examined around three cities in the central Andes of Peru, 1948-2012, using repeat photography, remote sensing, and ethnographic methods. Forest transition theory provided a framework to study the causes of the changes observed. The repeat photography results show that there were more trees on the landscape in 2012 than there were in 1948. There were increases in smaller groupings of trees visible in the photography that were associated with smallholder intensification in the form of new woodlots, field borders and dooryard trees. The remote sensing results show there was a significant increase in larger patches of …

Race, Gender, And Deliberative Democracy: Overcoming Oppression Through The Theatre Of The Oppressed, Jacob Edward Rothschild

Master's Theses

A great deal of recent democratic political theory has revolved around the concept of democratic deliberation. However, this brand of theory has neither fully addressed the need for empathy between social groups in the deliberative process nor sufficiently examined the consequences of its absence. Such intergroup empathy is a necessary component of political communication that seeks to root out oppression in a liberal democracy. This project begins with a review of the basic tenets of deliberative democracy, as well as its most common challenges. Habermas' theory of systematically distorted communication is then explored, with intergroup empathy as a suggested remedy. …

Propagation Of Oligomeric Α-Synuclein And Amyloid-Β: Implications For Parkinson's And Alzheimer's Diseases, Matthew Stephen Planchard

Master's Theses

The aggregation of amyloidogenic proteins is a critical event in the pathology of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). The proteins α-synuclein (αS) and amyloid-β (Aβ) are involved in the formation of amyloid lesions observed in PD and AD, respectively. Both PD and AD exhibit a significant amount of co-pathology in clinical settings, and the αS and Aβ proteins have been shown to interact in vitro. Recent experimental consensus has shown oligomeric species to be significant, if not primary, sources of toxicity in these diseases. …

The Effects Of Olfactory Stimuli On The Behavior Of The Far Eastern/Amur Leopard (Panthera Pardus Orientalis) In Captivity, Marks Stimson Mcwhorter

Master's Theses

Two Amur leopards from the Jackson Zoological Park were observed under continuous surveillance while on exhibit over 21 days to better understand the activity budget of leopards in captivity, and what effects olfactory stimuli may have on those activity patterns. Behaviors were observed through surveillance systems located around their enclosure and scored using an ethogram, and proportions of behaviors shown were calculated for each day, and by 15-minute increments throughout the day. Over the course of this study, leopards received three olfactory stimuli on separate occasions, where we then compared behaviors before stimuli presented to behaviors expressed during and after …

Optimization Based Touchscreen Graphical User Interface Design, Christian D. Royer

Master's Theses

Tablets have been increasing in popularity throughout the past couple years and developers are designing their graphical user interfaces (GUIs) with this trend in mind. This thesis attempts to examine how a process can be designed to automatically create a GUI layout for a menu driven interface based on predetermined criteria. The effectiveness of the system along with a qualitative analysis of GUIs was examined through the use of human subjects testing ATM designs on a tablet. A three-way ANOVA was designed to see if Gender, the type of Form, or if the order they did their testing was a …

Investigating Present And Future Interactions Between Radio Frequency Identification, Additive Manufacturing And Supply Chain Management, Michael Nobuhiro Ochi

Master's Theses

A screening experiment was paired with research observing the past, present and futures of additive manufacturing (a.k.a. rapid prototyping, 3D printing), radio frequency identification, and supply chain management. The experiment tested different properties of objects created with a desktop fused deposition modelling printer to observe if any single factors or interactions affected the read range of embedded passive UHF RFID inlay. The combination of material and infill percentage had a statistically significant effect on read range, however the analysis is weak since the data could not justify the normality assumption of ANOVA. Furthermore, the size of the effect was small …

Land As Power, An Analysis Of Female Land Inheritance And Intrahousehold Bargaining In Rwanda, Eric Adebayo

Master's Theses

Do increased levels of female land inheritance lead to increases in female intrahousehold bargaining power? Analysis of an expansive Rwandan household survey dataset from 2010-2011 suggests that female land inheritances are positively associated with female intrahousehold bargaining power. The results support the relative efficacy of intrahousehold bargaining models over that of unitary household models. The findings have implications for Rwandan lawmakers debating changes to the country's “Succession law” which makes gender discrimination in land inheritance illegal. This is the first paper of its kind to estimate female land inheritance's effect on bargaining power in Rwanda.

The Effects Of Stocking Density And Feeding Frequency On Aggressive And Cannibalistic Behaviors In Larval Hatchery-Reared Spotted Seatrout, Cynosion Nebulosus, Christopher Burton Manley

Master's Theses

The Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is a euryhaline fish that inhabits coastal regions from Massachusetts to Texas. Due to its predaceous nature and proximity to coastal shorelines it is the most important marine finfish in the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this importance, Spotted Seatrout has been identified as a possible candidate for stock enhancement. Stock enhancement is the practice of releasing hatchery-reared juveniles to increase local recruitment beyond existing levels. However, raising enough Spotted Seatrout in an intensive aquaculture system has proven difficult due to aggression and cannibalism during the larval stages.

The manipulation of stocking density …

Determinants Of Family Planning Service Uptake And Use Of Contraceptives Among Postpartum Women In Rural Uganda, Katelyn M. Sileo

Master's Theses

Uganda is among the countries with the highest unmet needs for family planning, which is associated with both negative health outcomes for women. The present study was a cross-sectional secondary data analysis using Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Service Use (ABM) as a theoretical framework to identifying factors influencing family planning service uptake and contraceptive use among postpartum women in rural Uganda. Participants were 258 women who attended antenatal care at a rural Ugandan hospital and completed an interview approximately 13 weeks postpartum. Bivariate logistic regression models in SPSS were used to test hypothesized ABM factors as determinants of family …

Improving Alarm Management Efficacy Through Predictive Modeling And Trending, Edward J. Ryan Iv

Master's Theses

Alarm fatigue, the progressive desensitization of clinical staff to audible alarms in their environment, has been re-established as a National Patient Safety Goal by The Joint Commission as of January 1, 2014. In order to manage the number of alarms experienced by hospital employees, facilities are charged with finding a way to monitor their existing alarm load and then develop methods and policies by which to reduce or mitigate the threat of alarm fatigue. This study used an archive of 9.76 million patient monitoring alarms collected over an eight-month period in order to develop a process by which patient monitoring …

Benzathine Penicillin G For The Prevention Of Rheumatic Fever And Rheumatic Heart Disease In The Developing World: A Global Survey Of The Quality And Quantity Of Supply, Stephen B. Marko

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Support Networks During The Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer Experience, Stephanie Clines

Master's Theses

Context: The Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer (GAAT) position often serves as the first experience independently working as an AT, and the next stage in the professional socialization process. GAATs have three academic program tracks to choose from when selecting their assistantship: 1) Accredited postprofessional athletic training (APPAT), 2) Postprofessional athletic training (PPAT), and 3) Nonathletic training (NAT). The graduate assistantship experience can highly influence professional commitment and retention within the field due to the perception of being a rite of passage. Objective: To gain an understanding of how GAATs perceive professional socialization and mentorship during their graduate experiences. Design: Semi-structured …

Work Life Balance Perspectives Of Ncaa Division I Male Athletic Trainers: Positive And Negative Influences, Walter A. Trisdale

Master's Theses

Work-Life Balance Perspectives of NCAA Division I Male Athletic Trainers: Positive and Negative Influences

Trisdale W*, Mazerolle SM*, Goodman A†, Eason CM*: *University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT; †Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

Context: Athletic Trainers (ATs) not only have to manage their responsibilities in the workplace, but also those associated with their personal and family lives. This is referred to as work-life balance (WLB). Long work hours, inflexible work schedules, travel, and coaches’ expectations have all been found to be major contributors of work-life imbalance especially at the NCAA Division I clinical setting where performance expectations are high. Organizational factors …

Hemodynamics Of The Aortic Root Upon Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, Joseph D. Calderan

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.