Digital Commons Network^™

An Unequal Consumption? Sex And Gender Differences In Tuberculosis, Sarah K. W. Avink

Masters Theses

In the developing world today, tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 26% of avoidable deaths (Holmes et al 1998). Poverty is considered to be a main risk factor for TB, and since some estimates show that women make up 70% of the world's poor (Thorson and Diwan 1998:11), one might conclude that the incidence of TB worldwide would be much higher for women than men. However, reports reviewed in this thesis show the reverse to be true, with an adult annual male notification ratio for TB at 1.5 to 2.1 times higher than that of females. Both biological reasons and social factors …

Self-Reported Health And Fitness Habits Of Certified Athletic Trainers, Jessica J. Groth

Masters Theses

The purpose of our study was to analyze the health and fitness habits of ATCs. One thousand participants from the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers' Association (GLATA District 4) were invited to participate in the study. Two-hundred and seventy-five ATCs completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire was a 23-item health habits and activity questionnaire divided into four sections: fitness, nutrition, alcohol and tobacco and demographics. It was pilot tested before administration with a reliability coefficient of .73. Participants were sent an email invitation with a link to the questionnaire and were given five weeks to complete the questionnaire. Analyses were run on …

Audience Parasocial Involvement With The Thai Radio Drama: Never Too Late, Christine Lynn Henrich

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to explore audience involvement with the entertainment-education radio soap opera Never Too Late in Thailand. The main sources of data were a mail survey administered to the listeners who sent letters and text messages to the program, providing 128 completed questionnaires, and the letters and text messages from the listeners. The thesis addressed responses to the program at three levels of parasocial interaction: cognitive, affective and behavioral, as well as self-efficacy, which is the belief that a change can be made.

Key findings included: the more listeners talked about the program the more they …

Banish Belly Bulge And Chisel Your Bis: A Semiotic Analysis Of Gender Representations In Fitness Magazine Advertising, Lauren A. Teal

Masters Theses

This study examined gender ideologies in the advertising of two popular fitness magazines, Shape and Men's Fitness, using Kress and van Leeuwen's visual semiotic theory (1996). The aim of this study was to determine how fitness magazine advertising participates in the construction of gender identities, and to identify what rhetorical and visual strategies are commonly employed.

Through an examination of the way gender identities are constructed by fitness magazines my research has concluded that advertising within both magazines promotes idealized body types and stereotypical gender identities for men and women. In Shape's advertisements, women are wives and homemakers; they …

Transcriptional Regulation Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pdh) By Glucose, Pramod U. Thekkat

Masters Theses

In liver, insulin and glucose regulate the expression of important genes for lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis. Studies on the effects of glucose and insulin, including effects on cell signaling, are vital since deficiencies in glucose utilization in cells and/or insulin secretion contribute to conditions like obesity and diabetes. In liver, the pentose phosphate pathway is one of the primary pathways that can utilize the excess carbohydrate. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is an important rate limiting enzyme in this pathway. Our laboratory has shown that both insulin and glucose induce the expression of G6PDH, although the mechanism by which this transcriptional regulation …

Biochemical Characterization Of Disease-Causing Mutation In N-Terminal Wilson Protein Domain Six, Patrick Ochieng

Masters Theses

Wilson protein (ATP7B) is a copper-transporting P-type ATPase that regulates copper homeostasis and secretion of copper-containing enzymes in the liver. In hepatocytes, ATP7B delivers copper to apoceruloplasmin and mediates the excretion of excess copper into bile. Mutation in the gene coding for Wilson protein leads to Wilson disease. Several mutations in Wilson protein have been identified and of particular interest, mutations affecting the N-metal binding region significantly interfere with the ability of Wilson protein to transport copper to its target in the copper-trafficking pathway. In an attempt to characterize the disease-causing mutation (G591D) in Wilson protein domain 6 (WLN6), we …

Occupations, Habits And Routines: A Case Study Of An African-American Woman, Michelle Leigh Velting

Masters Theses

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States. African-American women make up a large portion of the obese population in the United States, however, the treatment techniques available have had limited success with this group. Although many health professionals are involved with the treatment of obesity, literature involving the value of occupational therapy with this population is limited. This mixed-methods case study identified the daily occupations, habits, and routines of a middle-class obese African-American woman. The participant was selected via a health care professional in the area of Grand Rapids, MI. The Occupational Questionnaire (OQ), Model of Human Occupation …

The Effectiveness Of Support Groups In A Community Diabetes Prevention Program, Traci Worby

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a support group in a community Diabetes Prevention Program. The research questions to be answered were: (1) did participation in the intervention group result in better outcomes compared to the participants in the control group, (2) did the participants in the intervention group and the control group feel that the Diabetes Prevention Program's exercise program helped them make positive changes in their life and taught them the importance of continued exercise to help reduce the risk of diabetes according to statements answered on the survey, (3) did the participants …

The Influence Of Physical Activity, Eating Habits, And Social Physique Anxiety On Obesity In Adolescent Females, Rachel Marie Hardesty

Masters Theses

Childhood obesity is becoming a more serious problem as time goes by. A large part of the problem is adolescent children are less active, have poor eating habits, and have negative feelings regarding their body shape. PURPOSE: In order to identify those factors most closely associated with obesity. This study compared the eating patterns, activity patterns, and social physique anxiety in non-obese to over weight and obese adolescent females. Also, this study investigated the relationships between eating patterns, activity patterns, and social physique anxiety to body mass index in adolescent females in order to identify those factors most closely associated …

Assessing Effectiveness Of The Differential Assessment Of Autism And Other Developmental Disorders (Daadd) As A Diagnostic Screening Instrument, Caroline Dahlstrom

Masters Theses

Children with developmental disorders were thought to be more similar than different in the past (Greenspan & Wieder, 1998). Many developmental disorders are a result of neurological differences and/or delays in a child's acquisition of general skills and can present similarly at a young age (Richard & Calvert, 2003). Therefore, there has recently been an emphasis on the need for developmental disorders to be differentiated because of the differences being noted. Many assessment tools, including specialized checklists, interview formats, and standardized tests used to assist in the diagnosis of developmental disorders are available. The Differential Assessment of Autism and other …

Older Adults' Food Choices Associated With Cardiovascular Health, Sondra J. Clarkson

Masters Theses

The number of older adults who develop cardiovascular disease each year continues to remain high. It is important to examine possible reasons cardiovascular disease is prevalent among older adults. The purpose ofof this study was to identify the food choices older adults associate with cardiovasascular health. This study examined the differences in heart healthy food choices of male and female participants, white and black participants, and participants with and without known cardiovascular disease. A quantitative questionnaire and focus groups were used to gain insight on the foods older adults associate with cardiovascular disease. The participants were able to identify heart …

Iron Consumption Knowledge For The Prevention Of Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anemia Among College-Aged Women, Jennifer N. Vissers

Masters Theses

Iron deficiency is a serious problem affecting more than three million people nally and almost two billion worldwide. This study was performed to determine the knowledge of iron, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia among college-aged women. A questionnaire consisting of 21 knowledge questions in addition to seven demographic questions was answered by 420 college-aged females at a Midwestern university. Overall, 85% of the women (n=357) in this group lacked sufficient knowledge about the subject as determined by a total knowledge score of less than fifteen. Greater iron knowledge was found in older, white students, those who consumed supplements, and …

An Examination Of Factors And Perceptions Related To Steroids/Human Growth Hormone In College Baseball, Benjamin D. Riegle

Masters Theses

This study examined the role modeling effect from professional baseball through an anonymous survey aimed at the prevalence, potential precursors, and deterrents of steroid use among 173 intercollegiate baseball players. Results indicated that 2.3% of participants admitted to using steroids, but this low incidence was not due to low access as 58.4% said they knew how to obtain steroids and 37.8% had previously been offered steroids. Just over one-third (34.1%) agreed that performance enhancement was a precursor to steroid/HGH use and a mean score of 2.53 (SD = 1.46) indicated that it was a greater precursor than improving appearance (19.7%, …

Effects Of Food Deprivation, Body Size, And Egg Load On The Mating Behavior Of Female Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Natasha Tigreros

Masters Theses

Female condition may play an important role in the mating frequency of species that mate at foraging areas. For example, in species where feeding females are more easily encountered or less resistant to mating than females that are performing other activities, low energy levels could increase mating activity. We studied the relationship between female condition and mating activity in the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a laboratory study. We altered condition by depriving some females of food for one day and comparing their mating behavior to well-fed females. Our results showed that the effect of condition on mating …

Resilience And Depressive Symptoms In Midlife Women, Keverne L. Lehman

Masters Theses

Rates of depression are increasing throughout the world, with women experiencing depression twice as often as men. This study utilized the Neuman Systems Model to examine the relationship in midlife women between depressive symptoms and resilience. Women ages 35-55, selected from four health care settings, completed written surveys on demographic information, life events, depression, and resilience. Results supported depressive symptoms as a health concern for mid-life women: 32% reporting current or previous treatment for depression, and 24% screening positive for depression. Resilience, measured by the Polk Resilience Patterns Scale, was related to education, perceived health, conflict in the living situation, …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Inosamines, Sing Raj Gurung

Masters Theses

This project is concerned with the preparation of scyllo-inosarnine hydrochloride 6, a biologically active compound, which bears six successive stereogenic centers. The synthesis of this compound would help elucidate the involvement of inosamines in biological nitrogen fixation. myo-Inositol served as the starting material to synthesize target compound 6. Regioselective protection and deprotection of myo-inositol provided azide 43 as key intermediate. In the final steps deprotection of five benzyl groups and reduction of azido group was achieved by catalytic hydrogenation. scyllo-Inosamine hydrochloride 6 was fully characterized by m.p., ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, EA and via …

Linear Enamel Hypoplasia And Dental Disease: Implications Of Health And Lifestyle Behaviors Of The Urban Enslaved From Two Burial Grounds In Bridgetown, Barbados, Jennifer Yamazaki

Masters Theses

This project investigates aspects of diet, health, and lifestyles of enslaved Africans of Bridgetown, Barbados during the 17th-19th centuries. The dentition of 10 Pierhead and Fontabelle individuals was examined to provide evidence of stress and coping capacities experienced within the urban context of slavery. Linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH), dental disease, and cultural modifications were noted. The frequencies of the pathologies were calculated and the peak age of stress occurrence for LEH were timed and compared with other New World enslaved populations in order to determine if differences existed in overall health and lifestyle experiences between those enslaved in cities and …

Occupational Stress And Slavery: Evidence From Bridgetown, Barbados, Sarah Muno

Masters Theses

In 1996 and 2000, construction workers uncovered unmarked burial grounds in the Pierhead and Fontabelle sections of Bridgetown, Barbados. The human remains were removed in salvage excavation and are now housed at the University of the West Indies and the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. The associated grave goods, documentary record, and initial osteological analysis indicate these individuals were part of the enslaved workforce during the early to mid- eighteenth century. This thesis will explore the presence of vertebral osteophytosis, vertebral anterior wedge compression fractures, vertebral apophyseal facet remodeling and musculoskeletal stress markers among the human remains from Pierhead and …

Using Geographic Information Systems To Assess Risk For Elevated Blood Lead Levels In Children In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Amatun Noor

Masters Theses

Lead-based paint is the major source of childhood lead poisoning for children under six in the United States and was commonly used in pre-1950 homes. The main objective of this study for Kalamazoo County, Michigan is to identify risk homes to for public health workers, and determine common socioeconomic factors from the US Census that can be used to identify relative risk across census tracts. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is applied to locate the risk homes of 485 children provided at the aggregate level by the Michigan Department of Community Health. Independent variables were derived from the U.S. 2000 …

Perceived Barriers To Care Among Hispanic Women Who Delay Prenatal Care, Gustavo A. Moretta

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among selected demographic variables and the barriers to prenatal care perceived by English- Speaking, Hispanic women. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical framework to guide the development of this study.

The sample consisted of 20 participants aged 18 years to 38 years of age who had sought prenatal care at a primary care clinic in a midwest community. The participants had visited the provider for prenatal care after the twelfth week of gestation. Data were obtained using two instruments. Melnyk’s Perceived Barriers to Care Seale (1990) measured …

Quantifying Impacts Of White-Tailed Deer On Woodland Plant Communities, Brent E. Wachholder

Masters Theses

High population densities of white-tailed deer are changing woodland plant communities in the eastern United States. Deer populations subjectively characterized as overabundant are widely perceived as a threat to forest succession and conservation of rare plant species. I conducted a survey of 11 deer exclosures located at 7 sites through the state of Illinois in order to 1) determine the broad effects of deer at various densities on community attributes and 2) attempt to quantify the population density at which deer are overabundant, i.e., have negative effects on a) community attributes such as richness and diversity and b) survival of …

Male Greek Fraternity Members And Their Self-Perceptions On Muscularity, Kevin Malburg

Masters Theses

The quantitative study examined the body image issues of fraternity men at a midsize Midwestern university and their level of concerned with the muscular physique of their bodies. The participants were all undergraduate fraternity men between the ages of 18 and 25. The sample population (N=256) was surveyed using the Drive for Muscularity scale (McCreary & Sasse, 2000) to answer the following research questions: 1) Do fraternity members desire a more muscular physique than the one they already have? 2) What percentage of fraternity members use supplements to enhance their body image? 3) Do fraternity members perceive the opposite sex …

The Effects Of Obesity On Health Care Expenditures And Health Insurance Premium Rates, Temenoujka Velkova

Masters Theses

This study investigates the influence of obesity on rising health care expenditures in the United States, which helps us understand the rising health insurance premium rates. Health care expenditures are measured as a share of state gross domestic product. This measure is chosen because it allows me to take a look at not only the out-of-pocket costs but at all other sources of payment, which includes private health insurance. The estimated results suggest that obesity contributes to rising health care expenditures as a share of state gross domestic product. Overweight, heavy drinking, and age also have been found to have …

The Correlation Between Date Violence And Disordered Eating In College Aged Women, Kenzia N. Hartman

Masters Theses

Objective: Research has shown a correlation between date violence and disordered eating behaviors in adolescent females. Those who have experienced verbal, physical, or sexual date violence report an increased incidence in the use of unhealthy weight control practices such as fasting,g diet pills, laxatives, vomiting, and binge eating. In addition to unhealthy eating practices, lowered body image has also been associated with date violence. This study was designed to determine if there is a correlation between date violence, disordered eating behaviors, and lowered body image in college age women. Method: Questionnaire data were gathered from 150 college-aged female students at …

Diabetes Awareness Among Children: A Comparison Study Of Diabetes Knowledge In School-Age Children Between U.S. And Kuwait, Nayef Y. Bu-Maryoum

Masters Theses

The literature shows that people of all ages, in all socio-economic groups and in many countries, are not well educated about nutrition. Teachers in public elementary schools both the United States and Kuwait administered an eight-item questionnaire developed by the researcher. The questionnaire was delivered orally to insure comprehension by non-readers. Results indicated that young children in both the United States and Kuwait have an awareness of and a desire to learn more about diabetes. Generally speaking, Kuwaiti children are more knowledgeable about diabetes than their American counterparts as seen in questions four, five, six, and eleven. On the other …

Dietetic Students' Attitudes Toward Overweight/Obese People, Suzanne R. Stluka

Masters Theses

Health professionals are often the main line of obesity defense and targeted as possessing antifat bias; therefore, in an effort to address this issue, the depth of antifat bias among undergraduate dietetic students was analyzed. Student participation in this study was requested from across the United States, with 1099 students participating in the study and completing a web-based, self-administered questionnaire. The data indicated that a lower antifat attitude endorsement is present among current undergraduate dietetic students; however, five statements related specifically to the dietetics profession came close to showing strong antifat attitude endorsement. The majority of students classified their perceived …

Characterization Of Putative In Vitro Hybrids Within The Genus Flammulina, Sean C. Jones

Masters Theses

The genus Flammulina (Basidiomycetes, Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) includes a group of saprobic mushrooms that grow in the wild and are also cultivated and sold commercially throughout the world under the name "enoki" or "enoki-take". Until the 1960s, the genus Flammulina was believed to consist of a single species with a pan-Northern Hemisphere distribution. Flammulina velutipes (Curt.: Fr.) Singer was more or less applied to all collections in the genus whether naturally or commercially produced (Buchanan 1993) until the mid 1960s. In the interim, 14 additional taxa have been described in Flammulina. Knowledge of hybridization within the Flammulina velutipes group is crucial …

Low Back Pain In Police Officers, Jennifer Gwyn Arts

Masters Theses

Low back pain (LBP) is something that police officers deal with on a daily basis. The purpose of this research was to explore whether police officers have a higher incidence of LBP than the general population and to explore what factors officers believe contribute to the LBP they experience. Surveys were made available to all police departments in Kent County and all sworn officers were asked to participate. The difference between LBP experienced by police officers (60.2%) and that experienced by the general population (60-90%) was not found to be significant. The top two answers given by officers as to …

Differences Among Third Graders' Body Mass Index (Bmi) Levels, Gender, Race, And Number Of Minutes Spent Weekly In Physical Education, Kelly Devine

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among minutes spent in physical education (PE) class weekly, gender, and race with third graders body mass index (BMI). A survey was given to third graders in approved school districts in one unty in Illinois. Two hundred sixty surveys were used in this study. The researcher found that the BMI of third grade children who had PE class 40-50 minutes per week was statistically significantly higher as compared to the third grade children who had PE 60- 215 minutes per week. It was also concluded that there was no difference …

Assessing Personality Traits Of Athletic Trainers At Accredited Universities Associated With The Ohio Valley Conference, Dana Patrick Jergens

Masters Theses

The discipline of athletic training is one which deals with the prevention and care of athletic injuries. Athletic training is a competitive field that is oriented towards athletes and sports medicine caregivers. Certain types of personalities mold athletic trainers and the types of lifestyles necessary to do this line of work. To better determine what types of prospective athletic trainers enter this field, it is interesting to find out if they fit certain personality characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine the personality traits of athletic trainers from accredited universities affiliated with the Ohio Valley Conference. A total …