Digital Commons Network^™

A Comparison Of The U.S. Air Force Fitness Test And Sister Services' Combat-Oriented Fitness Tests, Thomas E. Worden

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores how the United States Air Force Physical Fitness Test (AFPFT) events compare to sister-services' physical fitness test events with respect to their predictability of combat capability. Multiple regression tools, non-parametric analyses, and chi² contingency table hypothesis testing were utilized to test hypotheses about performances and determine associations between involved variables. AFPFT scores had minimal predictability (adj R² 0.2045) [but improved when raw data replaced scoring sheets, pushups have no maximum, and abdominal circumference and age are removed (adj R² 0.7703)]. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI) predicts higher combat capability (p-value 0.0208). The best two-event …

The Developmental Effect Of Human Embryoid Bodies (Heb) Under Dynamic Culturing Conditions Using A Perfusion Based Slow Turning Lateral Vessel (Stlv) Bioreactor, Claiborne Collier

Theses and Dissertations

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can provide a unique approach for novel tissue engineering applications. Previous groups have shown that hESCs can differentiate into specialized cell types through the generation of human embryoid bodies (hEBs). These multi-cellular constructs are then subjected to suspension culture for several weeks. Traditional hESC differentiation techniques have yielded non-homogeneous EBs derived in standard static cultures providing an inefficient platform for cellular viability and embryonic modeling. Here, our study aimed at systematically comparing the formation, growth, and differentiation capabilities of hESC-derived hEBs in dynamic and static suspension cultures. We used a continuous flow perfusion slow turning …

Infant Feeding Choices And Claims Making : A Content Analysis Of Parents' Magazine, 1972-2000, Christina A. Pieske

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Saka Or Suncho (Viguera Pascensis) In The Feeding Of Guinea Pigs (Cavia Aparea Porcellus) In The Community Of Sococoni, Muñecas Province, La Paz, Boris Rodriguez Peñaranda

Theses and Dissertations

The following work was conducted in the community of Socononi, La Paz, in which we analyzed the effects of three different portions of saka or suncho (viguera pascensis) during the growth, and fattening stages in guinea pigs (cavia aparea porcellus). We used 32 mestizo guinea pigs (improved Peruvian creole breed) weaned 21 days after birth. Four treatments were administrated to the 32 animals (16 males and 16 females), the treatments were the following: (R0) or witness, consisting of corn alone, (R2) consisting of 30% of saka, (R3) consisting of 50% of saka, and (R4) consisting of 70% saka. The variables …

Kangaroo Care In The Nicu: A Practice Guideline, April M. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Infants weighing less than 2500 grams at birth regardless of gestational age are considered low birthweight (LBW) infants (Conde-Aguedelo, Diaz-Rossello, & Belizan, 2003). These infants have a high mortality rate, and often have developmental problems. Every year, there are over 25 million LBW infants born, and most of them are born in developing countries, where they have an even greater morbidity and mortality risk (Conde-Aguedelo, Diaz-Rossello, & Belizan, 2003). In 1978, two physicians. Dr. Rey and Dr. Martinez, proposed and developed the kangaroo mother care (KMC) method at Instituto Materno Infantil in Bogota, Colombia. This method was developed out of …

An Evaluation Of Congruency Of Nursing Staff Values And Organizational Vincentian Values, Beverly S. Quaye

Theses and Dissertations

This case study was an exploration of values-congruence between personal and organizational values in a healthcare setting. Previous research has found that alignment between the two improves organizational effectiveness. The setting was a 384-bed urban Catholic hospital with Vincentian values. The efficacy of Vincentian values is found only in the academic and religious literature, not in that of healthcare. Published studies on registered nurses' values focus primarily on ethical reasoning and decision making. Employee values were defined using Rokeach's conceptual model for instrumental and terminal values. Both are based on enduring beliefs with specific modes of conduct or end-states of …

The Conservation Reserve Program : A Case Study Of Three North Dakota Counties In The Prairie Pothole Region, Lorilie M. Atkinson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Enrichment For Subpopulations Of Escherichia Coli Shape Mutants Using Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting, Amy Melquist

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Body Mass Index, Dating, Sexual Behavior, Condom Use, Depression And Abuse, Shwiri Geraldine Atanga

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

College Students Attitudes Toward People With Anorexia Nervosa, Teresa L. Jentz

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Social Support On Native American Elder Exercise, Nutrition, And Overall Health, Scott D. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Metabolic Effect Of Three Protein Levels In The Nutrition Of Alpacas (Lama Pacus) In The Experimental Station Of Brigham Young University, Rolando Freddy Uruña Tito

Theses and Dissertations

This study had the principal objective of evaluating the metabolic effect of three protein levels in the nutrition of Alpacas (Lama pacus) in the experimental stations of Brigham Young University, located in the city of Provo, Utah, U.S.A at an altitude of 13696 m.a.s.l., and geographically located at 40°12’ north latitude, and 111°43’ west longitude. The climatic characteristics of the state of Utah, particularly in the city of Provo, during the current season registered the following: 4°C of minimum average temperature, 11.4°C of an average mean temperature, and 19°C of maximum average temperature, 55% of relative humidity, and a mean …

A Clinicians' Guide To Integrating Mindfulness Into Evidence-Based Practice: A Common Elements Approach, Lara Fielding

Theses and Dissertations

Stemming from Eastern practices, mindfulness entails intentionally bringing one's attention to all aspects of experience in the present moment, and holding these experiences with non-judgmental acceptance. In recent years mindfulness-based interventions have been gaining empirical support together with clinician interest in their use. The APA now mandates the use of evidence-based practices in psychology (EBPP), which incorporate the best empirical evidence, clinical expertise, and individual population characteristics and culture. However, at present, because there have been relatively few dismantling studies, clinicians are forced to either adopt an entire treatment protocol or pick and choose individual interventions in a relatively ad …

Concentration Of Metabolites And Behavior Of Live Weight In Llamas (Lama Glama) Fed With Natural Grass And Barley During Gestation, Postpartum, And New Born Phases In Turco, Department Of Oruro, Eduardo Ticona Benique

Theses and Dissertations

The llama, a potential socioeconomic resource in the Bolivian highlands, faces serious nutritional deficiencies during the gestational and postpartum stages that negatively affect production. This study was conducted at the Tika Huta Experimental Center in the Llachu community of the Oruro prefecture. Our objectives were to determine metabolite concentration in blood plasma as well as live weight performance of pregnant and postpartum female llamas. Adult and juvenile llamas were fed diets of either plain natural grass or natural grass combined with 0.4 kg of barley hay. In addition, we determined metabolite concentrations in blood plasma and live weight performance of …

Activities Of Lower Mass Hyaluronan Fragments In Cartilage Degeneration, Chang Liu

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Parental Involvement And The Developmental Stages Of Writing: Knowledge And Skills To Assist Children And Parent Perceptions On Their Experience, Elena Fernandez-Kaltenbach

Theses and Dissertations

A kindergarten parent workshop series on the developmental stages of writing was created and assessed. The intended outcome was to empower parents with writing knowledge and writing skills so that they could apply this knowledge and skills at home with their child. The researcher developed the workshops from parent involvement research, developmental stages for writing, and the knowledge of adult learning. To assess the outcomes, the researcher utilized a mixed-methods qualitative approach analyzing responses from a pre and post assessment, oral discussions from videotaped sessions, researcher field notes, and parent responses to focused questions in a journal. Thirty-five Spanish-speaking parents …

Pulmonary Delivery Of Anorectic Gut Secreted Peptides For Appetite Suppression In Rats, Priya Nadkarni

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project aimed to demonstrate that pulmonary delivery of two anorectic gut secreted peptides, peptide YY (PYY) and oxyntomodulin (OXM) enabled food intake suppression and reduced body weight gain in rats via their systemic absorption from the lung and interaction with the brain. After PYY and OXM were administered to the lungs at varying doses, food intake and body weight gain were monitored in freely feeding rats. Significant 30-35 % food intake suppression was achieved for 4-6 h following pulmonary administration of endogenously active PYY3-36 and OXM1-37 at 0.80 and 0.50 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, when administered daily for 7 …

Data Fusion Based Optimal Eeg Electrode Selection For Early Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's Disease, Brian Balut

Theses and Dissertations

As medicinal and technological advances lengthen the average human life span, diseases affecting the elderly such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are seeing increasingly growing numbers, especially in developed countries. As a result, the necessity for an accurate, inexpensive, noninvasive means of diagnosis becomes particularly important, since such a method is not readily available to the general population. One biomarker that has recently showed promise is the analysis of the electroencephalogram (EEG).

Over the course of two studies, more than 130 subjects have been recruited providing information from 16-19 EEG electrodes for each subject. These signals have been decomposed …

Community Capitals: Examining The Socioeconomics Of A Rural Community, Margaret R. Tweten

Theses and Dissertations

This research project study centered on the examination of community capitals that exist within a thriving rural community located in the upper Great Plains region. Grounded theory helped in the analysis of the data to understand how community capitals contributed to the socioeconomic growth and well-being of a thriving rural community. Interview data were collected from key informants and questionnaire results from business owners showed there were a number of factors that contributed to the community's ability to thrive. The main contributing factor to the growth of the community was a change to a positive mindset among rural community leaders. …

Comparison Of Two Training Programs On Acceleration Out Of The Break In American Football, Micah Adam Alba

Theses and Dissertations

Athletes of American football need the ability to stop, start, and reach top speed in an efficient manner. Football players on the defensive side of the ball require the skill of stopping a backward run and accelerating to a forward run. This action is termed the break. Football players receive year-round training in an effort to improve performance. Yet, many times, these athletes may not focus specifically on the muscular systems that are unique to the position they play. The law of specificity states that the more specific the training is for the action required, the more beneficial the outcome. …

Antimicrobial Effect Of Yogurt Lactic Acid Bacteria And Muscadine Products On Enterobacter Sakazakii, Weiien Weng

Theses and Dissertations

Enterobacter sakazakii has been associated with powdered infant formula outbreaks which caused high mortality rate illnesses in infants in recent years. Current research was mainly focused on searching for natural antimicrobial agents which may be incorporated into baby foods to control this emerging pathogen. Yogurt and muscadine products were used in this study. The antimicrobial effects of yogurt were evaluated on agar plates and in a simulated gastrointestinal model. In the agar spot tests, diluted yogurt sample containing lactic acid bacteria at 106 CFU/mL was antagonistic toward E. sakazakii. However, the antimicrobial effect of yogurt on E. sakazakii in the …

Assessing Parent-Child Agreement On An Eating Disorder Symptom Questionnaire, Lindsay Reece Klyce

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides preliminary data from a parent-report measure for assessing eating disorder symptoms in preadolescents. The Parent Eating Behaviors and Body Image Test (PEBBIT) is based on the Eating Behaviors and Body Image Test (EBBIT; Candy & Fee, 1998), a self-report measure for preadolescent girls. Eighty-three females in grades 4 through 6 were contacted from elementary schools, but only 10 participated. Girls’ individual responses on the EBBIT were compared to parental responses on the PEBBIT. Parents were able to accurately identify eating disorder behaviors in their children only 65.3% of the time when analyzing the individual responses found on …

A Case Study Examining Teachers' Beliefs Toward In-Grade Retention In A K-2 School, Charles Edward Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to examine teachers’ beliefs toward in-grade retention in a K-2 school. This study focused on how teachers acquire beliefs regarding grade retention, and their knowledge of research regarding the effectiveness of retention. Witmer, Hoffman and Nottis (2004) contend that teacher beliefs toward grade retention may not be based on research, but on peer influence, past practice, or administrative policy. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to examine teacher beliefs in a K- 2 school. Quantitative data were collected through the Teacher Opinion Survey (TOS) and Personal Experiences and Retention Practices (PERP). A …

The Effects Of Low Atmosphere Stunning And Deboning Time On Broiler Breast Meat Quality, Vamsidhar Battula

Theses and Dissertations

A randomized complete block design with three replications (n=432, 72 broilers per treatment) was utilized to evaluate the effects of electrical (ES) and low atmosphere pressure stunning (LAPS) on the quality of broiler breast meat deboned at 0.75, 2, and 4h postmortem. The L* values were lower (P<0.05) for LAPS than ES at 4 h and 2 h deboning times. Shear force did not differ (P>0.05) between stun methods but decreased (P<0.05) as deboning time increased. Consumers were clustered into 8 groups based on preference and liking of samples. Sixtyive percent of consumers (3 clusters) liked all broiler breast treatments. Within these three clusters, some consumers preferred (P<0.05) 4 h deboned samples over those deboned at 2 h (Cluster 7), and other consumers preferred (P<0.05) those deboned at 2 h over 4 h samples (Cluster 6). Data reveals that both stunning methods provide high quality breast meat with minimal product differences.

The Factors That Influence The Graduation Rates Of Community College Transfer Students And Native Students At A Four-Year Public State University, John Randall Dickerson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the rate at which community college transfer students graduate from the 4 year college and what variables can be used to explain the corresponding graduation rates. In addition, the study attempted to answer the identical question regarding the rate at which native students graduate from the 4 year college and the variables that can be used to explain the native student graduate rates. Finally, the study made comparisons between the community college transfer student variables that explained the corresponding graduation rates and the native student variables that explained their corresponding graduation rates …

The Impact Of Catfish Imports On U.S. Wholesale And Farm Sectors, Sammy Jermaine Neal

Theses and Dissertations

The importing of tra, basa, and channel catfish at relatively lower prices has resulted in less catfish purchased from U.S. farmers and processors. Claims have been filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) accusing Vietnamese exporters of selling catfish to the U.S. at less than fair market value. Consequently, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled against Vietnam in 2003 and recommended tariffs from 37% to 64%. The primary objective of this research is to assess the impact of the tariffs on imported Vietnamese catfish on the U.S. catfish industry. In this study, we develop a supply and demand model …

Product Formulation And Consumer Acceptability Of Processed Cheese Made With Different Types Of Cocoas And Chocolates & Product Formulation And Quantitative Descriptive Analysis Of Aged Cheddar Cheese With Different Types Of Chocolate Inclusions, Vishal Kumar Royyala

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to compare different types of cocoa and chocolates in the formulation of processed chocolate cheese and aged Cheddar cheese, and to evaluate sensory, physical, chemical and quality parameters of each. Four different varieties of chocolates were utilized along with other ingredients to prepare processed chocolate cheeses and were tested for consumer acceptability for their basic and critical attributes. Chocolate chips of four different types and proportions were incorporated into Cheddar cheese curd, ripened for 105 days, and a trained panel evaluated the sensory parameters. Results indicated that processed chocolate cheese made with Bordeaux chocolate …

Determination Of Ricin Content In Castor (Ricinus Communis L.) Tissues And Comparison Of Detoxification Methods, Daniel Joseph Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

Experiments were conducted to test for ricin content in tissue samples from four castor cultivars, developing castor seed, germinating castor seedlings, and chemically and heat treated seed meal. Ricin content of each sample was examined via Western blotting with ricin A-chain specific antibodies. Results indicate that ricin is present solely within castor endosperm and is not present any other tissues. Samples from developing seed and germinating seedlings indicate ricin production begins around day 28 post pollination, and ricin is absent from the seedling 6 days after the onset of radicle emergence. This would seem to indicate that the purpose of …

Development Of A Sensory Descriptive Lexicon For Calamondins (Citrus Mitis Blanco) And Consumer Acceptance Of Calamondin Yogurt, Ye Tian

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to establish a semi-descriptive sensory language that describes the attributes of calamondin fruit and develop yogurt products flavored with calamondin and test consumers’ acceptance of the products. A total of 89 sensory terms were established by trained panelists to describe calamondins. Yogurt products were developed with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% calamondin pulp. Results demonstrated that no significant difference (P>0.05) occurred for consumers’ acceptance of yogurt appearance and texture, and significant differences (P<0.05) occurred for consumers’ acceptance of yogurt flavor and overall liking. Generally, the yogurt with 10% honey and the yogurt with 10% honey and 5% calamondin pulp were well accepted by consumers. The consumers were grouped into 6 clusters based on their prefences. The majority (60%) of the consumers liked moderately yogurts with 10% honey, and 0% and 5% calamondin pulp respectively.

An Evaluation Of Magnesium Status And Inflammatory Response During The Third Trimester Of Normal Pregnancy And Preeclampsia, Fauzia Asadullah Khan

Theses and Dissertations

Recent reports suggest that preeclampsia is the result of an excessive maternal systemic inflammatory response. The role of magnesium and systemic inflammation in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia needs to be defined. The objectives of this study were to compare (1) demographic and (2) anthropometric characteristics of normal and preeclamptic pregnant women; and (3) to determine and compare serum iMg++ and tMg concentration and the association between inflammatory makers such as TNFα, leptin, adiponectin, IL10, ET-1, triacylglycerol, FFA, serum iMg++ and, tMg concentration of normal and preeclamptic pregnant women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Thirtyfive healthy pregnant and thirtyive preeclamptic …