Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Water-Based Ink System For Braille Printing, Saurabh Varma

Masters Theses

The most commonly used system of writing by and for blind persons is called Braille, named after its French inventor, Louis Braille (1809-1952). Braille is comprised of a rectangular six-dot cell on its end, with up to 63 possible combinations using one or more of the six dots. Braille is the only reliable method of literacy for blind persons, because it enables them to read and write by touch¹.

Currently, Braille is printed by special embossers that serve as a printing press. These embossers create Braille output when it is attached appropriately to computers. The speed of these …

Mechanistic Studies On The Antagonistic Effect Of Chromium On Bpde Mutant Frequency In Human Fibroblasts, Felicia Codrea

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible mechanisms involved in the decrease in mutant frequency when cells are treated with two different types of carcinogens: chromium (VI) in combination with benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE). Three of our working hypotheses are: Cr alone or Cr and BPDE synergistically activate detoxifying enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), Cr alone or Cr and BPDE act synergistically to inhibit cell cycle at the G₁/S boundary thus allowing more time for DNA repair, and Cr alone or Cr and BPDE synergistically activate DNA repair systems which result in more efficient repair of DNA …

Adolescent Drinking And Driving: A Descriptive And Intervention Study, Emalee M. Fields

Masters Theses

Given the high rates of alcohol use and abuse among adolescents in our society, it is not surprising that drinking and driving is also relatively common. This paper starts with a summary of national statistics, which is followed by a critical review of previous interventions. The purpose of this project was to attempt to find an effective drinking and driving intervention for high school students which was relatively inexpensive, less time intensive than past interventions and required little or no training for the facilitator to present. Two related intervention conditions (a video only intervention and a slightly more extensive package …

The Outcomes Of Trauma For Older Adults, Shaun M. Mcmillan

Masters Theses

Previous sociological and public health studies were analyzed to determine the effects of age, gender, mechanism of injury (fall or motor vehicle crash accident), severity of the injury, length of stay and injuries sustained on three binary response variables of discharge disposition ( discharged home, expired, or transferred to a rehabilitation facility) of older adult trauma patients. Three multiple logistic regression models were analyzed to handle the multiple predictors for the three binary response variables of discharge disposition. Over one-half (56%) of respondents were discharged home, whereas one in four patients were transferred to a rehabilitative facility, while the remaining …

Colony Composition And Demographics Of Beavers In Illinois, Stanley T. Mctaggart

Masters Theses

Beavers (Castor canadensis) have been extensively studied throughout North America, but little research has been conducted on this species in Illinois and the Midwest. Beavers exhibit wide variations in colony composition and demographics over their broad geographic range, so regional research is important for sound management. The objectives of this study were to investigate the: (1) typical composition of beaver colonies in Illinois; (2) reproductive potential of female beavers in Illinois; (3) sex-age composition of beaver populations in Illinois; and (4) efficacy of night-vision surveys versus removal trapping for estimating colony size. This study was conducted during the 1999-00 and …

The Effects Of Habitat Fragmentation On Fish Developmental Stability, Matthew W. Gosses

Masters Theses

In nature, organisms exist in less than ideal conditions making stress a constant factor throughout their life. These stressful environments may disturb developmental processes, causing long-term, detrimental changes to an organism expressed as bilateral variation in morphology or fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Fluctuating asymmetry has been shown to be associated with accidents during morphogenesis due to environmental factors and hence is considered a measure of developmental instability.

One environmental stressor that may affect aquatic organisms is stream habitat fragmentation. Stream habitat fragmentation is the lack of connectivity between upstream and downstream populations or sites. Stream fragmentation can create distinct patches of …

Home Health Care Nurses' Knowledge Of Advance Directives, Jennifer L. Zoeteman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe home health care nurses' knowledge of advance directives. Dorothea Orem's Theory of Self-Care guided this descriptive correlational study which investigated the relationship between knowledge of advance directives and the variables of nursing educational preparation and years of nursing experience. A convenience sample of 40 subjects employed by a Michigan home care agency completed a 39 item questionnaire adapted from Crego and Lipp (1998). The mean knowledge score was 84.68%. Analysis of the demographic profile showed no significant difference in knowledge levels by educational preparation. Years of nursing experience was found to have …

Examination Of Therapeutic Alliance And Dependent-Care Agency In The Context Of Complementary And Alternative Therapy Utilization By Mothers For Their Children With Asthma, Mary C. Vanderwal

Masters Theses

Complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) are being used by increasing numbers of individuals as both self-care and dependent-care strategies. Nursing leadership is needed to provide guidance and support to individuals using CAT Nurse-client relationships that center on therapeutic alliance may be a vehicle for supporting appropriate use of CAT as self-care and dependent care modalities. Eighty-seven mothers whose asthmatic children were involved in a 6-month glyconutritional supplementation trial were surveyed to evaluate their perceptions of therapeutic alliance using the Kim Alliance Scale (KAS). Greater that 90% of the sample perceived therapeutic alliance most of the time in relationship with the …

The Relationship Between Exercise Knowledge And Exercise Self-Efficacy For The Prevention Of Osteoporosis, Suzanne M. Leclaire

Masters Theses

The conceptual framework for this study was Self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), based on Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986). The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between exercise knowledge and exercise self-efficacy for the prevention of osteoporosis in young adults. Population selection was based on clinical research findings that bone health is affected by habits early in life, such as calcium intake and establishing regular exercise, which affect bone health in later years. The study was a secondary data analysis of 353 females and males 18 to 35 years of age, primarily Caucasian (92.9%). Results from …

Relationship Between Nursing Nutrition Knowledge And Attitudes And Identification Of Malnutrition In The Acute Care Setting, Susan D. Kendziorski

Masters Theses

Malnutrition is widespread in healthcare and effective protocols are needed to identify those at risk. Nurses are well suited to carry out screening for malnutrition because they are in close contact with the patient and are responsible to coordinate each patient's care. In order to perform this role nurses must have nutrition knowledge and the skills to complete an accurate nutrition screen. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between nursing nutrition knowledge, nursing attitudes towards nutrition, and the accurate completion of a nutrition screening protocol. Patient's charts were reviewed for accurate completion of the nutrition screening protocol …

The Impact Of The Program For Athletic Coaches Education (Pace) Certification –Mivca Coaching Association, Heather L. Sawyer

Masters Theses

This study identified the level of awareness, and perceived usefulness of the Program for Athletic Coach (PACE) by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA) (n=296). The study further examined: (1) the extent MIVCA coaches are engaged in PACE; (2) the relative importance of content delivered; (3) the important content to improve coaching; and (4) what the MIVCA coaches believed their personal investment should be in a coaching education program.

The participants were asked to complete a survey that ranked the importance of the domains and standards found in the National Standards for Athletic Coaches (NSAC). Results indicate a relatively …

Adapting The Habitat For Humanity Model To Sabah, Malaysia, Rozita Abdul Manap

Masters Theses

Building sustainable housing and community developments through the Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) homeownership program, is one of the many ways that has successfully improved housing standards for low-income communities in the U.S. Findings show that this model can be used as a mechanism to stimulate serious programs and as an alternative to improve and solve housing problems.

This study focuses on how the Habitat for Humanity model can be applied towards increasing the benefits to the community in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Located on Borneo Island, Sabah is the second largest state in the Federation of Malaysia, but is regarded …

The Incidence Of Caregiver Reported Sensory Processing Disorders In Children Who Are Experiencing Traumatic Stress Reaction, Ann K. Viviano

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether children who are experiencing traumatic stress reaction to childhood neglect· or abuse demonstrate sensory processing disorders. It was hypothesized that since neurodevelopment has been disrupted in children who have been exposed to trauma or neglect, sensory processing abilities may also be disrupted.

The Sensory Profile, a judgment-based caregiver questionnaire, provides a standard method to measure a child's sensory processing abilities and to profile the effect of sensory processing on a child's functional performance. A convenience sample of 25 children, with documented traumatic stress reaction due to abuse and/or neglect, …

The Sense Of Coherence In Adjustment To Widowhood, Nora Dorothy Hartung

Masters Theses

The purpose for this study is to discover if a feature of personality, the Sense of Coherence, is a factor in the adjustment of women to widowhood. It has been suggested that women with a strong Sense of Coherence (SOC) will use adaptive behaviors and resources in their transition to widowhood. My observation at the church I attend is the reason for this inquiry.

The method used in this research is a questionnaire administered at six senior centers of Senior Services Inc., in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A sample (n tested. 50) of widowed women were tested.

A questionnaire was administered to …

Gender Equality And Agricultural Development: Women And Agricultural Extension Programs In Malawi, Amanda Bigelow

Masters Theses

Since it gained independence, Malawi has struggled to produce enough food to feed its quickly growing population. As the Ministry of Agriculture has tried to implement new policies regarding agricultural development, it has restructured key organizations within the government.

Initially, women were largely ignored in governmental and international aid agencies' development plans. However, after several unsuccessful projects, most implemented by the World Bank, a new project created by USAID revealed statistics that attributed part of the failures to gender-related biases in planning. Once these biases were identified, the government of Malawi requested assistance in reaching women farmers for purposes of …

Nudists In The Know: Investigating Social Assumptions Of A Clothed Society, Sandra E. Schroer

Masters Theses

This work is an institutional ethnography on the ruling relations of clothing in society. Research was conducted through a standpoint methodology which combines interviews, participant observation and the first hand experiences of the researcher.

The interview data reveals nudists' belief in a social preoccupation with body ideals and the power structures created by some uses of clothing. The subjects in this research apply their experiences in both the clothed world and the non-clothed world to expose the implications of the social structures of clothing which appear to effect interpersonal relationships, gender and disability, inequality, prejudice and ageism.

In addition, the …

Effects Of Adult Modeling On Literacy Behaviors Of Head Start Preschoolers, Stephanie L. Kerbel

Masters Theses

This project explored the uses of literacy artifacts in the dramatic play of preschool children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds who live in poverty in Kalamazoo County. The purpose of this 9-week study was to determine the impact of adult modeling on the frequency and quality of use of literacy artifacts during the dramatic play of at-risk preschoolers. Two Head Start classrooms received different types of intervention: (a) a literacy-enriched dramatic play area with adult modeling for 5 minutes at the start of each play period ( once per week); and (b) a literacy-enriched dramatic play area without adult …

A Histological Approach To Taphonomy: The Freeze-Thaw Cycle And Water Immersion, William A. Souchick

Masters Theses

Previous taphonomic studies have failed to fully study how freeze-thaw cycles, fresh water immersion and salt water immersion affect bone microstructure. Knowledge of how these environs modify bone can help narrow post mortem interval estimations or allow medico legal investigators to differentiate between perimortem damage and damage caused by the surroundings. To date, previous studies of water immersion and freeze-thaw cycles have failed either to relate their findings to forensic taphonomy or to address how bone microstructure was modified. This study was conducted to determine how bone was modified by freeze-thaw cycles and water immersion and to apply the findings …

Renesting - Female's Success After Nesting Failure And The Renesting Of The Dickcissel (Spiza Americana) At Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Kevin L. Wentworth

Masters Theses

Renesting - Female's success after nesting failure. Many birds are unsuccessful in their first nesting attempt, so renesting is often a very important way for birds to increase their lifetime fitness and for populations to maintain stable numbers. I examined the importance of renesting and the factors that encourage or discourage a female from renesting and also the factors that affect the success of these renests. I also looked for patterns in renesting behavior (e.g., renesting interval, renesting distance, percentage of females that attempt renests, and the success of renests) of birds by comparing different studies. I used a total …

School Nurses Asthma Knowledge And Management, Roles And Functions, Carolyn Levi

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore school nurses’ asthma knowledge, and how they implemented their clinical practice within the school setting. The study also examined the role and functions of the school nurse to compare for continuity. This study examines the relationship of school nurses’ educational level and length of experience upon asthma knowledge.

A self-report survey design was used to collect data. Instrument modification was initiated prior to use. The theoretical basis for this study was the Neuman Systems Model. Results were analyzed in order to investigate relationships and findings. The findings of this study showed no …

The Effect Of Supportive-Educative Nursing Interventions On The Hospital Readmission Rates Of Patients With Heart Failure, Patrice M. Whitaker

Masters Theses

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is increasing and patients with HF are frequently readmitted to hospitals soon after discharge, at great cost. Improving self-care and reducing hospitalizations in this group is vital. This study, based on Dorothea Orem’s ( 1995) self-care deficit theory, evaluated supportive-educative vs. placebo nursing interventions. The study results were drawn from a larger longitudinal study done by Dr. Kay Setter-Kline, Ph.D., R.N.

The study sought to determine if supportive-educative nursing interventions reduced the rehospitalization rate for patients with HF. The Self-Management Tool was utilized for data collection, after being adapted from the Chronic Disease Self-Management …

Perceived Knowledge Of Heart Failure And Adherence To Self-Care Recommendations, Cheryl Lynn Van Ess

Masters Theses

During the last decade, research has indicated that patient education is an essential component in the comprehensive management of heart failure. However, few data are available that evaluate how effective that education is and the relationship between knowledge and self-care adherence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between patients’ perceived knowledge of heart failure and their reported self-care adherence with diet, exercise, and medication in the management of their chronic disease. Orem’s self-care theory provided the framework for this study.

This study was a secondary analysis of the baseline data collected from a self-reporting questionnaire …

Relationship Of Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Disease Management And Hospital Utilization Among Patients With Heart Failure, Linda K. English

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis examined the relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital admissions for heart failure patients based on Bandura’s social learning theory. A convenience sample of 76 patients who were receiving home care services were visited over the course of several weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months using the Self-Management Tool adapted from the work of Lorig et al. (1996).

Data indicated a weak negative statistically significant relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital utilization at 3 months (r = -.33, p = .01). In addition, hospital utilization decreased over time, …

The Sexual Assault Exam: A Comparison Of Physical Findings And Legal Outcomes Between An Emergency Department And Free Standing Nurse Examiner Program, Linda L. Rossman

Masters Theses

The study objective was to compare the documentation of physical findings and legal outcomes of women evaluated in an emergency department (ED) and freestanding nurse examiner program (NEP). The study was a retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive female patients presenting after sexual assault to either the ED or to the NEP.

Genital injuries were documented in 19% of the ED group, in 74% of the 1997 NEP group and 77% of the 1998 NEP group. These differences were statistically significant (x²=75.75; df=2; p=.000). In 24% of the ED patients and 21% of the 1997 NEP patients, warrants were …

Knowledge About Stroke In Adults From Rural Communities, Julie Billett

Masters Theses

Fifty middle to low-income adult clients of a rural family care center were surveyed in a descriptive correlational study in order to determine their abilities to identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke and their knowledge of stroke risk. Additionally, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to ascertain whether the participants’ level of knowledge was related to their actual stroke risk, as identified by the American Heart Association’s Stroke Risk Tool Descriptive analysis of the item responses revealed that the percentage of the sample correctly identifying individual signs and symptoms ranged from 44 to 77%. When actual stroke risk was …

Physical Therapists' Perceptions Concerning The Determination Of Fibromyalgia Interventions: A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Jayne Levengood

Masters Theses

This qualitative explored some of the concepts under which physical therapists in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area operate when treating patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Four physical therapists with at least two years’ experience working in local pain clinics were interviewed. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed into themes. Seven categories of physical therapists’ perceptions concerning the determination of interventions were developed: (a) Factors affecting decision-making, (b) physical therapeutic interventions, (c) decision-making in the absence of intervention guidelines, (d) judgments of effectiveness according to clinical findings, (e) judgments of effectiveness through consultation, (f) perceptions of intervention decisions, and (g) perceptions …

Olfactory Behavior In Apoe Knockout Mice, John P. Yost

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, has been shown to play a vital role in nerve repair and remodeling. Since the olfactory system is in a continuous state of remodeling, the present study tested the hypothesis that apoE is required for normal functioning of the olfactory system. Olfactory function of the wild type (WT) and apoE deficient (apoE KO) mice was assessed by using three standard olfactory tests: 1) the buried food pellet (BFP) test; 2) the odor choice (OC) test; and 3) the odor cued taste avoidance (OCTA) test. The visible food pellet test (VFP) was not used …

The Effects Of Strength Training On The Bone Mineral Density Of Aerobically Trained Perimenopausal Women, Jill Marie Kowalski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if a strength training program has an effect on the bone mineral density of aerobically trained perimenopausal women. The study also hoped to determine if high intensity strength training with low repetitions will result in a greater increase in bone density as compared with low intensity strength training with high repetitions. The duration of the study was six months.

The participants were twenty-five aerobically trained perimenopausal female volunteers. They were randomly selected to be in one of three groups. Group 1 was the aerobic control where the participants continued with their aerobic …

Cadmium Induced Gene Expression And Signal Transduction Pathway, Daisuke Maki

Masters Theses

Cells respond to cadmium (Cd), a common environmental contaminate, by potentially decreasing reduced intracellular glutathione, as well as, increasing the expression of several antioxidant genes. One of these antioxidant genes, glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), is the rate limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway. This pathway produces NADPH which is used for maintenance of reduced glutathione so, it is hypothesized that Cd should increase G6PDH expression. In this study, we demonstrate that Cd increases the level of G6PDH mRNA in primary rat hepatocytes in culture. In the presence of the antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Trolox, or glutathione monoethyl ester an attenuation …

Determinants Of Health Promoting Behaviors In Older Adults, Kay Wallace

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between Health Locus of Control, selected demographic variables, and the Health Promoting Behaviors of Physical Activity and Nutrition in older persons. Pender’s (1996) Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as the conceptual framework to guide this study.

The sample consisted of 48 subjects, aged 65 years and older, who resided in senior living centers. The subjects were predominantly Caucasian (94%) and female (81%). Research instruments were self-administered questionnaires that consisted of demographic data, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale.

No significant relationships between …