Digital Commons Network^™

A Cost Benefit Analysis Of Establishing A Prishtina Aquatic Therapy Center, Berna Visoka

Theses

This project has addressed the problem of the city of Prishtina not having an aquatic therapy center and not offering its citizens basic recreational activities all major cities in the region possess. The project confirmed earlier assumptions suggesting people are not satisfied with the recreational activities supplied in the city of Prishtina. The idea behind this venture was to have a center which may be used for health purposes and for pleasure.

Access To Antenatal Health Services Among Roma, Ashkali, And Egyptian (Rae) Women In Kosovo, Jete Aliu

Theses

The purpose of this project was to investigate the issue of the lack of access of RAE women in Kosovo to antenatal health care services. The study which included 30 research participants from RAE community in Fushe Kosova and Prizren and interviews with Ministry of Helath, two NGOs, and a gynecologist from Universal Clinical Center in Kosovo, has examined the reasons of the problem and the work done so far by relevant stakeholders regarding the lack of access to antenatal health care among RAE women. Some of the main findings suggest that the factors that cause this problem are multiple …

How To Make The Pediatric Department In The Regional Hospital Of Mitrovica The Best Health Care Provider In Kosovo, Nderim Gerguri

Theses

This project takes a deeper look into the problems around the health care system in Kosovo and especially in the Pediatric Department in the Regional Hospital of Mitrovica.

Main goals of this project are to describe the problems that patients and doctors face in the pediatric department of the Regional Hospital in Mitrovica and suggest means how these problems can be resolved. This project offers comparative local and international data, statistical data, and creative solutions to specific problems.

After conducting surveys with the local doctors and patients numerous approaches to solve major difficulties were suggested. Accordingly, the ways to improve …

An Electrospinning Apparatus For The Production Of Heterogeneous Scaffolds And Their Application In Cartilage Regeneration, Andrew Ryan Hollingsworth

Theses

The human body contains a vast array of soft and hard tissues, each with their own unique set of physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrical properties. It is the combination of these tissues that allows the human body to function as it does. However, these tissues are subject to wear, fatigue, and injury and thus can potentially limit the functions of the body. Therefore, tissue engineering has sought various natural and synthetic materials that can be used for fabrication of cellular scaffolds that have the ability to promote cellular attachment, proliferation, differentiation, and eventual whole tissue formation for replacement and repair …

Self-Care Practices Among Undergraduate University Students, Jennifer Irene Jackson

Theses

Although many factors affect an individual's health status, self-care is paramount. Further investigation of factors that influence self-care practices is key to enhancing illness and injury prevention and health promotion. The purpose of this study was threefold: to explore the self-care practices of undergraduate university students, to identify variables that influence such practices, and to compare the self-care practices of students in health-related programs to students in mainstream programs. A descriptive correlational survey design was used.

Effect Of Oat Bran On Physicochemical Properties Of Alaska Pollock (Theragra Chalcograma) Surimi Seafood, Fatimah Q. Alakhrash

Theses

Oat bran is a gluten-free dietary fiber that may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Most Americans consume less than half the recommended daily amount of fiber. Surimi seafood, which is also called “imitation crabmeat”, is not currently produced with fiber, nor has the effect of fiber on the physicochemical properties of surimi gels been thoroughly studied. The addition of fiber to surimi seafood would allow manufacturers to market added nutritional benefits. The purpose of this study was to determine the physicochemical properties (proximate composition, pH, texture, color properties, water holding capacity, and cooking loss) of Alaska pollock …

Effect Of Bay (Laurus Nobilis) Essential Oil On Physicochemical Properties Of Alaska Pollock (Theragra Chalgoramma) Surimi Nutrified With Salmon And Flaxseed Oils Under Refrigerated Storage, Ugochukwu C. Anyanwu

Theses

Surimi seafood products are widely accepted and consumed in the U.S. and other parts of the world. In recent time, there has been increased demand for surimi seafood products nutrified with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as a result of their reported health benefits, but this may have a negative effect on the storage time of the product due to lipid oxidation of fatty acids (FA). Bay (Laurus nobilis) essential oil (BEO) which has demonstrated antioxidant properties was incorporated to the surimi seafood to reduce lipid oxidation thereby extending storage time. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate …

Functional Nano/Microcapsules: Synthesis And Characterization, Gbewonyo Spero

Theses

Microencapsulation is a technique by which solid, liquid or gaseous active ingredients are enclosed within a shell material for the purpose of shielding the active ingredient from surrounding environment. The product therefrom is valuable as an active ingredient carrier and controlled release vehicle. In this research, polymer micro/nanocapsules with enclosed aqueous solution were synthesized through O/W emulsion-solvent evaporation technique. Specifically a commercial textile dye was encapsulated in poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) micro/nanocapsules for an innovation of textile dyeing. A variety of synthesis parameters were studied including concentration of polymer, amount of dye, amount of surfactant, volume of surfactant aqueous solution, …

The Effect Of A Mushroom (Coriolus Versicolor) Based Probiotic On Innate Immunity In Goats Naturally Infected With Gastrointestinal Parasites, Kingsley Ekwemalor

Theses

Gastrointestinal parasites such as the nematode Haemonchus contortus and protozoa Coccidia pose a serious threat to the global goat industry due to resistance of parasites to anthelmintic drugs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts of CorPet biomass, a mushroom (Coriolus versicolor) on gastrointestinal parasite infection and innate immunity in goats. Fifteen female SpanishXBoer goats were drenched with 10 ml of either a hot extract of CorPet (N=5), a cold extract (N=5), or with sterile water (control N=5) for eight weeks. Treatment groups were reversed after four weeks. Body weight, body condition and FAMACHA scores, …

Project Spraoi : An Evaluation Of A School Based Intervention To Improve Nutrition, Increase Physical Activity And Decrease The Prevalence Of Overweight / Obesity Among School Children Attending A Deis Urban Band One Primary School In Cork City, John Paul Neville

Theses

Introduction: School-based interventions aimed at reducing levels of overweight/ obesity among primary school children are inconclusive. There is a death of research which specifically targets children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The purpose of the current study is to assess the effectiveness of a nutrition and physical activity intervention 'Project Spraoi' on children attending a DEIS urban band one primary-school (lower socio-economic status) in Cork city, Ireland.

Methods: A health promotion intervention developed in collaboration with Project Energize, New Zealand was implemented and evaluated during the 2013/14 academic school year. One control and one intervention DEIS urban band one primary school …

Comparison Between Hear Rate Based Training, Perceived Effort, And Power Based Training In Competitive Elite Cyclists, Joshua Allen Carter

Theses

There are many different philosophies on how cyclist should train and about the different training modes available to them. It is important to know how to use these different modes of training to maximize the efforts. Training with power, heart rate, and perceived effort all have several advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of this study was to compare these different modes of training over an 8 week period to see if there is a difference between them. The participants were tested before and after the training period to show if there was any significant differences between them.

The study consisted …

Identification Of The Molecular Mechanisms Governing The Osmotolerance Of The Emerging Gastrointestinal Pathogen Cronobacter Sakazakii, Audrey Feeney

Theses

Cronobacter sakazakii is an organism which has been associated with severe life- threatening diseases in infants and neonates. Mortality rates of up to 80% have been recorded in infants infected with Cronobacter sakazakii. Infants often suffer from septicaemia, necrotising enterocolitis and meningitis as a result of infection. A characteristic feature of the opportunistic foodborne pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii is its ability to survive in extremely arid environments such as powdered infant formula, making it a dangerous opportunistic pathogen of neonates. Herein, we provide a brief overview of the pathogen; clinical manifestations, environmental reservoirs and our current understanding of stress response mechanisms …

A Gas Chromatographic/Mass Spectral Analysis Of Aromatic Medicinal Plants From Yemen, Bhuwan Khatri Chhetri

Theses

Yemen is a small country located in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen’s coastal lowlands, eastern plateau and deserts give it a diverse topography, which along with climatic factors make it opulent in flora. Despite the introduction of western medicinal system during the middle of the twentieth century, herbal medicine still plays an important role in Yemen. However, little has been done on the study of the aromatic medicinal plants that have been used through ages to cure and heal diseases. To this end, in collaboration with Deparment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sana’a University, Yemen the essential …

Inventory Management Modeling With Markov Decision Process (Mdp) For Equitable Distribution Of Supplies Under Uncertainty, Fianu Sefakor

Theses

Food insecurity is defined as the situation where people are not able to access enough food at all times for an active, healthy life. The 2012 food security report stated that 49 million Americans including children lived in food insecure households. Many individuals suffering from food insecurity obtain assistance from governmental programs and nonprofit agencies. Food banks are one of many non-profit organizations assisting in the fight against hunger. They serve communities by distributing food to those in need through charitable agencies. Many of the food distributed by the food bank comes from donations. These donations are received from various …

Which Craft? An Investigation Into The Irish Craft Brewing Industry - Exploration And Co-Operative Context, Oliver Blackwell

Theses

This study investigates and explores the Irish craft brewing industry with a specific focus on the attitudes, experiences and perceptions of Irish craft brewers to exportation and cooperation. This rapidly growing, niche sector could be considered a microcosm or subset of the Irish brewing industry and it is a valuable contributor of diversity, innovation, creativity, employment and revenue to the Irish economy as an indigenous industry. A quantitative and qualitative mixed methods approach was adopted to triangulate data from various sources. The research comprised of a survey questionnaire to Irish craft brewers, seven semi structured one-to-one interviews and one focus …

Spatial Incidence Of Adult Obesity In The State Of Alabama, Mary G. Odhiambo

Theses

No abstract provided.

Characterisation And Applications Of Natural Lactic Acid Bacteria With Emphasis On Weissella Cibaria And Associated Exopolysaccharide, Kieran M. Lynch

Theses

The work presented in this thesis characterises natural cereal-derived lactic acid bacteria and examines their potential application in the dairy fermentation area, with special emphasis on the sourdough isolate, Weissella cibaria MGl and its associated glucan homoexopolysaccharide. This strain is notable for its high-level production of dextran, being termed a “hyper-producef’. Genome sequencing and analysis of a number of IV. cibaria strains was performed in the context of available genomic data for other Weissella species, with special focus on the metabolic traits of W. cibaria MGl, and the results represent the first study to explore members of the Weissella genus …

A Strategy To Improve Nutrition And Increase Physical Activity In Primary School Children., Lisa Delaney

Theses

Introduction: Paediatric obesity has become a global epidemic with many countries developing strategies to help tackle its prevalence. School based physical activity (PA) and nutrition interventions have proven to play a promising role in tackling childhood obesity.

Background: Project Spraoi is an Irish primary school based intervention. The intervention was delivered to an intervention school to help enhance PA and nutritional behaviour amongst pupils. The intervention school was assigned an 'Energizer'; a trained PA and nutrition change agent who worked with the school to achieve the objectives. For evaluation purposes a control school was recruited.

Methodology: Pupils from the intervention …

Identification Of A Putative Nuclease From Thermococcus Thioreducens, Jayson Isaza Pagan

Theses

A putative nuclease from Thermococcus thioreducens was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3)-Rosetta cells (6.2 g/l). The recombinant protein (TthNuc) was purified using heat precipitation, anion exchange chromatography, and size exclusion chromatography to a purity of 99%. A BLASTp search of the NR database found TthNuc to be 85% identical to an uncharacterized, RecJ endonuclease from the same genus. TthNuc exhibits in vitro divalent metal ion dependent catabolism of single and double stranded DNA. TthNuc was qualitatively shown to have in vitro nuclease activity between 37°-95°C and above pH 8.4 at 75°C. A three dimensional similarity search of the PDB …

Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices Among College Students, Kelly B. Vazquez

Theses

Electronic nicotine delivery devices (e-cigarettes) have increased in popularity over the past decade and new research will benefit the community, especially healthcare providers, as they will be providing education. To conduct this study, a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices survey was administered to students on one college campus using Qualtrics software. Results revealed that 99.4% of students were aware of e-cigarettes, 55.2% had friends who used them, 54% viewed them as safer than cigarettes, 26.3% were unaware of chemicals used, 62.7% were bothered by their use, 58.3% supported ban placements (especially females), and 55.5% thought they could be effective for smoking …

Unmentionable: Socio-Structural Discrimination Of Incontinence; Engendering Dignity By Design, Brendan Charles Gordon

Theses

Although present in medical and historical texts for millennia, urinary incontinence remains a somewhat taboo topic, with both affected individuals and remedies for the condition--such as adult diapers--subject to ridicule, embarrassment, status loss, discrimination, and even exile. Reinforcing this discriminatory behavior, the adult diaper--a spur from the baby diaper invention--tracks a parallel path to incontinence. With diapers and adult incontinence rooted in a misunderstood cross-pollination with infant incontinence, individuals must struggle against known stereotypes and stigmas liable to label them as incompetent, impotent, or unclean. The stigma of incontinence is thus aligned with the diaper, reinforcing social ignorance and discriminating …

Using Motion For Educational Information Design Max’S Story: Teenagers With Type1 Diabetes, Wenyu Ouyang

Theses

Today, some younger people are suffering from chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, leukemia, and depressive disorder, which are some of the most significant concerns in the world. In spite of advancements made by modern science and technology, some chronic illnesses still last a lifetime, such as Type 1 Diabetes, known as T1D. In this situation, positive attitudes and correct understanding of the disease is extremely important in educating children how to manage their condition.

There are some excellent educational materials with a large quantity of text, which are good for parents to read. At the same time, there are picture …

Mood Watcher: Interactive Visual Guide To Increasing Awareness Of Mood Disorders, Ziyan Han

Theses

Mood disorders are the extremely negative situations of mood that cause dysfunction in people's lives. There are a number of guides currently on the market (E.g., mood disorder self-help books, websites...) to help people with this problem, but their content is usually not customized enough to deal with each user's particular situation. In addition, the formats include content that is often text-dense and overwhelming. While there are great resources of personal mood disorder tests, suggested actions, and information about professional help, there is an opportunity to create a guide that connects these resources with a better designed format so that …

An Empirical Analysis Of The Role Of Geography In Sustainability Education, Makayla Jane Bonney

Theses

Many within and outside of the discipline of geography see it as a highly appropriate home for sustainability studies. Despite a history of human-environment education within geography and support from professional research or education organizations, some studies show that geography has not developed a lead role in sustainability education. This study examines the role of geography in offering "Sustainability Focused" courses as reported by AASHE STARS institutions with geography programs. The results show that although geography departments are highly utilized when available at an institution -offering the highest proportion of sustainability courses, averaging 14% of "Sustainability Focused" curriculum- there is …

Optimal Strategies For Sustainable Household Organic Material Management In The City Of Rochester, Ny, Joseph Cameron Hebda

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the benefits and challenges of implementing a sustainable system for managing household organic material (HHOM) in the city of Rochester, NY. Elsewhere in the United States and the world, HHOM (i.e. excess food, yard matter, and compostable paper) has been increasingly diverted from landfills to organic waste-to-energy and composting pathways (European Environment Agency 2013a; Skumatz and Freeman 2006). Landfill diversion is enabled by municipal projects that support source separation of HHOM out of the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream, thereby extracting valuable organic resources for higher-value processing (NYSDEC 2010). This has been …

Non-­‐Invasive Fault Detection In Axial Flow Blood Pump Used As Ventricular Assistive Device, Rohit Rana

Theses

A Ventricular Assistive Device (VAD) is a mechanical pump used to assist the functioning of a weak heart. A catastrophic obstruction in the VAD system could cost the patient their life. This thesis presents a set of fault detection techniques using the commercially available Jarvik 2000 Flowmaker® VAD in a closed loop circuit that incorporates the ability to alter common causes of VAD congestion. The first goals of this research is to determine the nominal pressure-low performance of the Jarvik pump, which is a graphical presentation of the static head and guides us about the major and minor losses in …

Deforestation And The Islamic Stewardship Ethic, Misbah Alghamdi

Theses

Forests throughout the world continue to be in danger as a result of human activity. Although the average rate of deforestation has recently slowed, in some countries the rate of forest degradation remains high. Currently, numerous management efforts are underway to address this environmental crisis. In some cases the achievement of forest preservation has been related to ethical choices. One moral posture, anthropocentrism, which views human beings as central and the most significant species on the planet, is believed to be a primary cause of environmental degradation includes deforestation.

This paper aims to address deforestation with the reconfiguration of an …

Growth And Nutrient Uptake Of Young Date Palms In Response To Deficit Irrigation And Partial Rootzone Drying., Noura Mubarak Al Ameri

Theses

In this study young clonal date palm plants were transferred into horizontal split-root pots filled with compost-amended soil of the UAE. The pots were constructed from two adjacent plastic containers, fastened together by adhesive tape. Once the plants had established new roots in the containers, the soil moisture level was measured every two to four days in all soil compartments. In the control treatment, the soil moisture level was brought to 30% w/w after soil moisture recording. Deficit irrigation treatments received exactly 60% of the average amount of water supplied to the pots of the control treatment. In the homogeneous …

Effect Of Herbivory On The Growth And Competitive Ability Of Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris Arundinacea), Lisa A. Kratzer

Theses

Herbivory plays an important role in plant community structure in many ecosystems through preferential selection, plant regrowth, and seed transport. Phalaris arundinacea, reed canary grass, is a prevalent wetland invasive species consumed by geese, muskrats, and snails. We lack a clear understanding of how herbivory impacts P. arundinacea's invasion potential. Therefore, I sought to understand the effect of herbivory by generalist macrograzers and micrograzers on the competitive dominance of P. arundinacea in created wetlands, especially the degree to which herbivory alters the competitive relationship between P. arundinacea and Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail). To address this enclosure/exclosure cages were constructed in …

An Evaluation Of The International Volunteer Programme At Hope Community Resources In Alaska, Aisling Sugrue

Theses

A review of the literature identified a theme of ambiguity regarding the phenomenon of volunteerism, regarding the definition, academic perspectives and volunteer’s motives. The review also identified the Volunteer Process Model (VPM, Omoto and Snyder, 1995) and the researcher utilised this model when designing the mixed methods questionnaire to evaluate the motivations, satisfaction and attitudes towards disability of Hope’s international volunteers, both current (n=13) and previous (n=85), and also the impact the volunteer programme has on the volunteer’s careers. The attitudes towards disability of participating staff and management were also evaluated and compared with the volunteers. The impact on Hope’s …