Digital Commons Network^™

Indigenous Secondary Education: What Implications For Counsellors Lie In The Stories Of Indigenous Adults, Who As Children, Left Their Home Communities To Attend School?, Suzanne Jenkins

Theses

Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of the peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation. Nelson Mandela

Access to a ‘good’ education is often argued as deserving of the highest priority. The available research pertaining to the educational experience of Australian Indigenous students, however, too often reflects a picture of profound disadvantage, particularly in relation to their non-Indigenous counterparts. In 2008, Prime Minister Rudd announced …

Employee Health In The 21st Century: An Investigation Of Exercise Incentives In Four Medium-Sized Western Australian Organisations, Troy Fuller

Theses

The first decade of the 21st century has shown how organisations are dynamic and turbulent. Many employees are time-poor, working longer and longer hours and are expected to be contactable 24/7, motivated and available to work. Research has shown that employee health is at great risk. Some organisations are now offering incentives for employees to exercise (‘exercise incentives’), and rigorous research was needed to understand and manage these incentives and support health.

The major research question in the study involved employees’ experience of exercise incentives in four medium-sized organisations in Western Australia. Four subsidiary questions provided detail as to the …

An Evaluation Of Active8 - A Physical Activity Intervention For Teenage Girls., Aileen Fitzgibbon

Theses

Objectives; To evaluate the Active8 intervention which aimed to increase physical activity participation and knowledge among teenage girls aged 11-14 years.

Design; School based trial conducted from February- May 2010, in the Glen Resource and Sports Centre, Cork. Participants; Participants consisted of seventy three first year girls from an all-girls Secondary School in the North Side of Cork City, aged between 11-14 years. Forty eight transition year girls from the same school acted as mentors in the programme. Parental consent was obtained.

Intervention; First year students engaged in weekly one hour physical activity sessions, during their Physical Education classes, for …

‘Un Healthy Tableware Design, Wei-Mei Chiang

Theses

Design one set of healthy tableware that brings users: one healthy pleasant serene dining; one happy pleasurable healthy diet. This MFA thesis design reason was out of my passion for tableware/housewares design and personal experiences of both surfeit and anorexia problems, although balanced healthy diet was also my experience. Moreover, it was also my researches and observations of modern diet problems that happen often. Therefore, my thesis goal was to design one set of tableware which can promote healthy and happy diet, generate peaceful and pleasurable dining atmosphere, and be helpful for users to move from unhealthy dining habits to …

The Competitive Response Of Panicum Virgatum Cultivars To Non-Native Invasive Species In Southern Illinois, Lauren Michele Schwartz

Theses

Historically, the tallgrass prairie (TGP) was the largest ecosystem in North America, but today only about 10-15% of the original extent exists today. Some areas have experienced more extreme loss, for example in the state of Illinois less than 0.01% of high-quality native tallgrass prairie remains. Non-native invasive species are a recent phenomenon that threatens the integrity of surviving TGP communities. Ecotypes of dominant C4 grasses are the basis of numerous cultivars, many of which are utilized in prairie restorations. In this study, the effects of three invasive species (Bromus inermis, Schedonorus phoenix, and Poa pratensis) on two lowland (`Alamo' …

Water Availability, Carbon-Based Plant Defenses, And The Outcome Of Tritrophic Interactions In An Ant-Plant Mutualism, John Craft Flunker

Theses

There have been few studies that examine the influence of soil water content on the outcome of interactions between ants, insect herbivores, and extrafloral nectary (EFN)-producing plants despite the potential of soil water to alter such interactions. Here I asked two questions: 1) Does water availability mediate the phenotypic expression of EFN, chemical and physical defenses? 2) Does water availability influence the outcome of tritrophic interactions between ants, herbivores, and EFN producing plants? Plants of Chamaecrista fasciculata (Fabaceae) growing naturally in a remnant prairie were randomly assigned to water addition or control and ant removal or control in a two …

A Computational Flow Model Of Oxygen And Nitric Oxide Transport & Reactions And The Relation With Glaucoma, Lukas Holsen

Theses

The purpose of this project is to create a computational model of a precapillary arteriole network near the optic nerve head (ONH) using computational fluid dynamics modeling (CFD, Fluent, ANSYS, Inc.). The CFD analysis will contain a blood flow model coupled with oxygen (O2) and nitric oxide (NO) transport and reactions. Until recently it was believed that elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was causal in glaucoma, however recent studies demonstrate that glaucoma is associated with sensitivity to IOP itself. Because of this insight, other mechanisms besides mechanical damage that could cause glaucomatous neurodegeneration need to be explored, such as alterations in …

Characterizing Adaptive Capacity To Climate Change In Developing Countries: A Case Study On Peru, Rosa Mitsumasu Heredia

Theses

Climate change is expected to impact biodiversity, global temperatures and the water cycle resulting in changes that affect communities in the social system. The capacity to adapt to such climatic fluctuations will vary across social groups, depending on the group's socio-economic and demographic characteristics. This thesis constructs a methodology that bridges existing approaches to study adaptation, providing an alternative that includes high level deterministic approaches to quantify adaptive capacity (AC) and case-by-case strategies to enhance region-specific AC. The proposed methodology consists of an exploratory model and a principal component analysis. The goal of the methodology is to create a sub-national …

Effect Of Signage And Suggestive Selling On Sales Of Healthy Food Options In A University Setting, Ashley Lynn Hoffman

Theses

Making healthy eating choices as a college student can be challenging and the transition from adolescence to adulthood can be associated with an increased likelihood of obesity. Studies have shown that college students have poor eating habits and frequent consumption of fast food meals. Studies have reported menu labeling to be effective in influencing college students' purchasing decisions. During the fall 2009 semester, the Saluki Select Healthy Eating Program was implemented in the Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Student Center to aid college students and the public in general to make healthier menu choices. The purpose of this research study …

Scale-Up Of Algae Growth System To Cleanse Wastewater And Produce Oils For Biodiesel Production, Eric Lannan

Theses

Biofuels are a currently a very hot topic with significant interest in both ethanol and biodiesel production. These fuels can be used in current internal combustion engines with little or no modification. Biodiesel can be produced from a variety of sources. One of the most promising sources is microalgae. In some species of algae, oil or lipids can account for as much as 70% of their total biomass. Unfortunately, the cost to produce biodiesel from algae is much too high to compete with petroleum-based fuels. To reduce the production cost of algae, wastewater has been discovered to be an excellent …

Exemplar Versus Base Rate Information Messages: Effect On African-Americans’ Intentions Toward Signing A Donor Card, Aisha O’Mally

Theses

This study examines factors that may play a role in moderating the influence of a message on African-Americans to become organ donors. The message and sender were both manipulated to examine the impact of exemplars versus base rates within the message as well as the race of the sender. An anthropomorphic agent was used to present information about organ donation. Respondents completed a pre-test survey, viewed a short video, and then completed a post-test. There was no significant evidence found that either base rate or exemplar information influenced African-Americans to become organ donors. The expectation that participants would identify more …

Ecosystem Engineering And Environmental Context: The Impact Of Leaftying Caterpillars And Foliage Quality On The Arthropod Community Associated With White Oak (Quercus Alba L.), Jason R. Reinhardt

Theses

In this study, I investigated how ecosystem engineering by leaftying caterpillars and foliage quality affect the arthropod community associated with white oak (Quercus alba L.). In Chapter 1, I review the literature on ecosystem engineering, shelter building caterpillars, and foliage quality. I examine the origins of the concept of ecosystem engineering, the controversies surrounding it, and the current framework. I review previous studies on shelter building caterpillars, with a special emphasis on those studies performed on oaks. In addition, I review the components of foliage quality in oaks and how these components can influence arthropods, including ecosystem engineers. In Chapter …

Polar Dependence, Aspasia Tsoutsoura

Theses

This thesis is an exploration of the relation between contrasting pairs and materials. For my thesis body of work I chose metal and soft materials to be my opposites. Through sculptures and prints I explore the feelings and thoughts their juxtaposition causes, bringing out both their strong and weak characteristics and showing their interdependence. Polar Dependence is what characterizes these two "opposites", showing the need for these differences in our personal life and relationships. It asks the viewer to think beyond the ordinary use of these materials, to contemplate their qualities, the relationship between soft and strong, cold and warm, …

The Effect Of Dynamic Standing On The Bone Mineral Density Of Non-Ambulatory Children: A Pilot Study, Megan Diane Damcott

Theses

In recent decades, research in osteoporosis has expanded to include the effects of prolonged immobilization on the load-bearing bones of non-ambulatory children. One current therapeutic intervention for this population is a passive standing program, in which the body is fully supported and continuous, stationary loading is applied to the bones, leading to the legs being primarily inactive. This research focused upon the effect of passive standing and a new therapeutic intervention of dynamic standing, a standing therapy in which the body is supported but vertical, reciprocal displacements which mimic the walking gait are applied to the feet, causing the muscles …

An Investigation Of The Composition, Microbial Digestion And Potential Applications Of An Industrial By-Product Of Seaweed Extraction, Juncal Nogales Esteban

Theses

Commercial preparation of seaweed extract from Ascophyllum nodosum, for use as fertilizer and soil improver, produces a residue which requires remediation. This residue is rich in nutrients and offers potential for other added-value products. The residue’s composition and microbial flora were studied, a microbial digestion system was developed, and extracts were screened for anti-hyaluronidase and anti-elastase activities.

The residue had a pH of 8.61±0.39, 16% (w/w) TS which comprised 40.6% minerals, 29.5% fibre, 20.9% lipid, 4.9% protein and 0.48% polyphenols. The microbial digestion included an initial 3-day anaerobic phase during which pH decreased from 9.12 to 7.89. At day 3, …

Quantifying And Manipulating Spatiotemporal Trends In Rodent Space Use And Consumption Rates On Incidentally Encountered Prey, Tyler Evan Schartel

Theses

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in predator activity can generate and influence the availability of refugia to prey. In eastern forests, white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) are abundant generalist rodents, and large-scale removal experiments have confirmed they are important predators of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) pupae and songbird nests and eggs. Models predict the extinction of gypsy moth populations when confronted with abundant mouse populations, but small-scale (10s of m) heterogeneity in rodent activity may allow for the persistence of moth populations. I quantified the magnitude, variability, temporal persistence, and spatial structure of white-footed mouse and eastern chipmunk activity, …

The Vehicle Routing Problem With A Volunteer Workforce, Leonardo Gala

Theses

Non-profit organizations like the Meals on Wheels association of America rely on a volunteer workforce to prepare and deliver meals to approximately one million home-bound citizens nation-wide. At the community level, hundreds of volunteers are routed through rural, sub-urban, and urban sectors daily. These communities can benefit from optimization techniques that effectively route volunteers. Lack of volunteer availability requires Meals on Wheels to maintain a waiting list for people who require meals but cannot be incorporated into the current delivery schedule. The consistency of delivery routes is also of concern, as there are service and operational benefits gained when volunteers …

Visual Evoked Potentials: Analysis Of The Fovea And Perifovea, Wanda Louise Parham-Bruce

Theses

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) were used to measure how stimulus properties (pattern VEP check sizes/spatial frequency) and retinal eccentricity (fovea versus perifovea) interact to give rise to the final VEP response. The purposes of this study were to investigate how stimulus check size (spatial frequencies) and retinal eccentricity affect the VEP response, re-examine whether the cortical magnification factor is applicable to VEP measures, and to determine optimal sized VEP checks for foveal and perifoveal stimuli. In this study, we used a foveal target that was a two degree circle with a diameter of 3.6 cm; a perifoveal target that was …

Development Of A Centrifugal Microfluidic Device For Separation And Sorting In Biological Fluids, Gaurav Sunil Bagwe

Theses

A wide interest in employing micron-scale, integrated biochemical analysis systems for economical and rapid diagnosis has been the principal motivation behind this project. Low operating costs, portability and fast diagnosis times make centrifugal microfluidic devices an attractive option in patient-side diagnostics. Some essential tasks to be performed in microfluidic devices are sample-reagent transport, mixing, separation and detection. All these tasks require precise control of the RPM and spinning time. Centrifugal micro-fluidic platforms have been successfully implemented for detection of hepatitis A, tetanus, as well as for measurement of haemoglobin and hematocrit, for DNA analysis, and for assessment of cardiac disease …

Development And Evaluation Of A Multimedia Intensive Web-Based Exercise Motivation Tool, Rico Jamaine Kornegay

Theses

A Multimedia-Intensive Web-Based Exercise Motivation Tool named WEMURCT (Web-Based Multi-User Randomized Circuit Training) was developed to utilize modern technology and web-based mediums to address the lack of motivation that an individual has when it comes to exercising regularly. This project was implemented using state-of-art rich internet application (RIA) technology. Popular RIA technologies that are optimized for creating multimedia-intensive applications are Flash by Adobe and Silverlight by Microsoft. In using Silverlight 4.0, we took advantage of multimedia data being embedded in a web-based application, which will be running in a web browser, to provide audio and visual instructions for the user …

Characterization Of Msw As A Feedstock Of Thermochemical Conversion, Harith Kumar Rojanala

Theses

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) has become a significant environmental problem, especially in fast-growing cities. Hence the thermo chemical conversion of Municipal solid waste (MSW) has been proven as an attractive method of waste management to recover energy from MSW. This would minimize its environmental impact and decrease disposal costs. In this thesis, the MSW is characterized to determine the feasibility for thermo chemical conversion. The samples are collected from different MSW transfer locations across North Carolina. Selected physical and chemical properties such as the moisture content, heating value, elemental composition and thermal degradation characteristics of the samples …

A New Class Of Haemophilus Ducreyi? Molecular Characterization Of Samoa Strains Sb 5755, Sb 5756,Sb 5757, And Be 3145, Nichol S. Murray

Theses

Haemophilus ducreyi is a Gram negative, strict human pathogen that causes the genital ulcer disease chancroid. Chancroid is a sexually transmitted infection that may aid in transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Haemophilus ducreyi can be categorized into two strain classes, class I (CI) and class II (CII), based on variations in DNA sequence and protein expression of several virulence determinants including Ducreyi Serum Resistance protein A (DsrA) and the Necessary for Collagen Adhesion protein (NcaA). Recently, the first description of non-sexually associated chancroid transmission in children with chronic lower limb ulcerations was reported. Bacteria isolated from the children were …

Chinese Market Access Barriers Of U.S. Oilseeds And Grains, Gloria Appiah-Danquah

Theses

China was admitted into the WTO in December 2001 and this raised the hopes of the U.S that China will open up to agricultural trade with the U.S. This is due to the fact that China is the most populated country in the world with a rising mile income and therefore has the potential for increasing its food consumption. However, this potential has not been realized. China has used various strategies such as devaluing the Yuan against the dollar to promote exports and impede imports. The U.S currently has a trade deficit of 252 billion dollars with China. China is …

Evaluation Of Rice Extract As A Potential Stabilizer In Plain Yogurt, Sangeetha Nurani Viswanathan

Theses

Quality and consumer acceptability are essential parameters in dairy products The objectives of the present study were to examine the microbiological (viability of L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, and bifidobacteria), chemical (pH, titratable acidity, and total solids), and physical(syneresis) qualities of yogurt enriched with rice extract as a stabilizer during 28 days of storage at 4°C. Additionally, viscosity measurements and consumer acceptability were determined for yogurt enriched with rice extract. Results showed that the viability of L. bulgaricus was maintained with the addition of rice extract. Population of Streptococcus thermophilus and bifidobacteria decreased significantly (p<0.05) in the control sample but the addition of rice extract at 15% concentration supported the viability of bifidobacteria in yogurt over storage. The addition of rice extract did not alter the pH or titratable acidity of yogurt. Viscosity, total solids and syneresis values slightly changed with the addition of rice extract. Yogurt prepared with rice extract ranked higher in terms of texture and appearance by the panelists. Our results indicated that the addition of rice extract could improve the quality characteristics and consumer acceptability of plain yogurt. Hence, rice extract has a promising potential to be used as an alternative stabilizer in dairy products.

Nutritional And Field Ecology Of Stink Bugs On Tomato And Cowpea Under Two Insecticide Regimens, Akamu Jude Ewunkem

Theses

A laboratory study was conducted to compare food utilization and suitability of Nezara viridula on selected varieties of tomato and cowpea. A two-year field study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of biorational pesticides (Agroneem®) and conventional pesticides (Imidacloprid or Thiamethoxam) to suppress and enhance the population of insect pests and beneficial, respectively, on both crops. In the first year both pesticide groups were applied following manufacturer’s recommendation (10-14 d cycles), and in the second year the application of the pesticides was driven by monitored thresholds of insect pests. In the laboratory study conducted on the feeding behavior, nymphs performed …

In Vitro Galax Urceolata Seed Propagation Under Different Treatments, Rachel C. Jackson

Theses

Galax urceolata which is native from Virginia to Georgia is becoming threatened due to overharvesting. Expediting the multiplication of Galax would increase its potential in becoming an economically viable cash crop while protecting the wild population. The overall goal of this study was to develop a protocol for in vitro Galax germination and proliferation. Influences of light intensity, culture medium pH, temperature stratification, and seed maturity as were studied for their effects on Galax seed germination in vitro. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) BA, IBA, and GA3 were tested for their effects on germination. BA and IBA were also tested for …

Increasing Organ Donation In Ireland : Social Marketing And Infrastructural Improvements., Ronan O'Sullivan

Theses

There were over 600 patients on the organ waiting list in Ireland in November 2010. This is a substantial increase on the 414 patients on the waiting list in 2008. Ireland also witnessed a dramatic decline in the number of donors from 90 donors in 2009 to 58 donors in 2010. This thesis focuses on investigating the current state of organ donation in the Republic of Ireland, with the eventual goal of recommending alterations to improve the system. In depth- interviews were conducted with eleven leading personnel from the fields of organ donation and social marketing in Ireland as well …

High Resolution Hybrid Mass Spectrometry For The Determination Of Marine Biotoxins, Azaspiracids, And Their Biotransformation Products., Zuzana Skrabakova

Theses

Azaspiracids (AZAs), polyether marine toxins, are produced by marine microalgae and accumulate in filter-feeding bivalve molluscs, such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops, while grazing on phytoplankton, from which they derive nutrition. Although being discovered quite recently, AZAs have caused several human intoxication events and thus became a problem for health authorities and shellfish industries. The rapid development of highly sensitive liquid chromatography multiple tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, LC-MS") methods enabled the identification of numerous AZA analogues and added to the control of shellfish contamination. Tandem mass spectrometry techniques, while being highly selective and sensitive for determination of AZAs in …

Purification, Characterisation And Applications Of A Cloned Staphylococcal Bacteriophage Lysin For The Control Of Multi-Drug Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Including Mrsa, Mark Fenton

Theses

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the purification, characterisation and practical applications of an anti-staphylococcal lysin (LysK) and its single-domain truncated derivative (CHAP_k) against pathogenic staphylococci including meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Both proteins were purified to greater than 90% homogeneity. Affinity chromatography was applied as the optimum method for LysK purification and ion-exchange chromatography was successfully applied to CHAP_k. The lytic spectrum of LysK was investigated by zymogram analysis where the enzyme exhibited strong activity against a range of staphylococci regardless of their origin, sequence type (ST) or antibiotic resistant profile. This analysis …

A Comparative Study For Cold Chain Packaging Options., Pooja Ashokan

Theses

This thesis will evaluate the possibility of eliminating EPS from the cold chain packaging system by replacing it with Vacuum Insulated Panels in Greenbox to create a sustainable and reusable packaging system.

The most widely used packaging materials in the cold chain system have been compared amongst each other for their Design, R value, Cost, Availability and End use. While these are generally the primary concerns in making decisions about packaging, it is also important to consider recyclability and reusability and overall presentation. This paper will briefly examine these issues while looking at some of the more common types of …