Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Aspartame Consumption On Cognitive Function, Fang Ye

Theses and Dissertations

The FDA estimates that 35% of Americans regularly consume aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in diet drinks and other sugar-free food items. Some anecdotal reports indicate the substance has been associated with health, behavioral, and cognitive concerns. The FDA and other regulatory agencies indicate it is safe for use up to 50mg/kg/day. They further advise individuals with metabolic phenylalanine disorders not to consume this product. This conflicting advice has caused confusion for consumers and practioners. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aspartame consumption on cognitive functioning of healthy adults.

Orem's theory of Self-Care guided …

Influential Factors Affecting The Career Success Of Professional Northern Plains Native American Males: A Qualitative Study, Adam J. Guilmino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand successful vocational experiences among Northern Plains Native American males. Most studies completed up to this point have approached the issue of Native American career exploration from a problem-based perspective. This study used a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) methodology to examine the experiences of Native Americans who have been nominated by their tribal community as career successful members of their community.

Eight male members of two North Dakota Native American tribes were interviewed using semi-structured qualitative interview protocol. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for domains and categories. Eight domains emerged from the …

Effects Of Cheatgrass Control On Wyoming Big Sagebrush In Southeastern Utah, Daniel Blaine Eddington

Theses and Dissertations

Critical mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) winter ranges in southeastern Utah dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis [Beetle and A. Young] Welsh) have developed dense cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) understories. These communities are currently characterized by predominately mature to decadent stands of sagebrush with few perennial grasses and forbs. Sagebrush seedlings and perennial grasses compete for limited resources with annual grasses and forbs. To determine the affects of cheatgrass control on sagebrush growth and reproductive characteristics, imazapic (PLATEAU®, AC 263,222) herbicide was sprayed at 438.5 ml/ha with water and methylated seed oil during active fall growth of cheatgrass …

The Role Of Boron In The Regulation Of Inflammation: Studies In Vivo And In Vitro, Kelly Ann Durick

Theses and Dissertations

I demonstrated here that the presence of physiological amounts of boron was able to prevent the onset of and ameliorate ongoing collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). I also show a mechanism for boron's anti-inflammatory properties, in that boron was able to down regulate a number of pro-inflammatory mediators, all of which are under transcriptional control of NF-κB. Boron-supplemented diets, 2.0 mg B/kg and 12 mg B/kg, rendered CIA susceptible mice significantly more resistant to the onset of clinical arthritis, compared to mice fed boron-deficient chow, or commercial rodent chow. Dietary boron supplementation was also shown to prevent the onset of experimental autoimmune …

Expanding Roles: Paraeducators Providing Health Care To Students In Elementary Schools, Sharon Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately ten to thirty percent of school aged children have a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition that requires specialized health care and related services. Providing the needed health care is critical in maintaining students' participation and success in school. The enactment of PL 94-142, in 1975, mandated that public schools give children with disabilities the right to a "free and appropriate public education" in the least restrictive environment possible. School nurses are the logical choice to provide the necessary health care in schools. They have the knowledge, expertise, judgement and critical thinking skills inherent in nursing education and …

Ethical Pharmaceuticals? A Deeper Look At The Ethics In Pharmaceutical Public Relations, William M. Walsh

Theses and Dissertations

This study takes a deeper look inside the ethics of pharmaceutical Public Relations within marketing campaigns. More specifically, the researcher performed case studies on the ethically questionable marketing campaigns of Fen-phen and Vioxx and compared that data with data collected from focus groups composed of Rowan University graduate Public Relations Alumni.

The case studies were performed through primary and secondary research of the campaigns conducted for Fen-phen and Vioxx. The data was then used to reconstruct the two campaigns. The focus group data was collected from three focus groups, each with four members, and all data was tabulated and then …

Ferritin: Mechanistic Studies And Electron Transfer Properties, Bo Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Ferritins are ubiquitous iron storage proteins in living systems. Although much is known about the iron deposition process in ferritin and a mechanism has been developed, several important issues still remain unknown. One lingering question is the less than stoichiometric quantities of hydrogen peroxide detected in previous studies on animal ferritins. Extensive experimental data on identifying the species in competition for peroxide equivalents point to a surprising conclusion that H2O2 generated in the ferroxidase reaction is consumed by amine buffers that are commonly employed in in vitro ferritin studies, while non-nitrogen containing buffers, such as acetate, phosphate, and carbonate, do …

Can Holistic Wellness Predict Teacher Effectiveness?, Dana Rolison Harwell

Theses and Dissertations

Wellness literature reported that the current focus on academic achievement and high-stakes testing has sacrificed wellness in students, and ?there is a strong need and a public outcry to promote wellness in public schools? (Myers & Sweeney, 2005a, p. 228). Also, ?the promotion of schoolwide well-being will enrich the academic experience of students and families. In addition, school staff members who are aware and knowledgeable of wellness concepts may be more likely to apply healthy strategies in the curriculum and throughout the school? (Myers & Sweeney, p. 232). Effective teacher research supported the Student Teacher Assessment Instrument as a viable …

Adsorption Of Water Contaminants Onto Kenaf Fibers, Stephen Douglas Tolar

Theses and Dissertations

In this research, the adsorptive capacities of kenaf in the forms of chopped whole stalk, chopped core, and bast materials were evaluated for the removal of lead, zinc, and toluene from contaminated synthetic waste streams using traditional adsorption isotherm techniques. The effect of surface oxidation using ozone was observed with respect to the adsorption of metals. Hydraulic conductivity experiments were conducted to evaluate the head loss associated with packing a column with kenaf fibers and to determine the suitability of its use in dynamic packed column systems. B.E.T. surface areas were determined as well. Under increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, even …

Behavioral And Healthy Lifestyle Changes After Implementation Of A Walking Program Among Teachers At An Elementary School, Sara Woolfolk

Theses and Dissertations

Health experts are recommending an average of 10,000 steps daily to attain certain health benefits and suggesting the use of pedometers for calculating ambulatory activity, such as walking. A 13-week, worksite walking program was implemented with teachers at an elementary school providing pedometers, weekly walking groups, bimonthly supplemental nutrition information, and a survey upon program completion to evaluate the effectiveness. Results showed that of the 31.3% that participated, 93.6% have tried to increase their daily activity in the past and 58.1% found the Bee Active walking program to be more effective than previous attempts. Participants reported that wearing the pedometer …

Relationship Between Percent Body Fat As Determined By Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis And Waist-To-Hip Ratio In Children Ages 7 To 9 Years, Deanna Kay Dahlem

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the study was to identify the relationship between percent body fat (%BF) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in children ages 7 to 9 years. The sample (n=171) was divided into four groups. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to estimate %BF. Significant positive correlations were observed between WHR and %BF for black females (r = 0.48), white females (r = 0.66), black males (r = 0.34), and white males (r = 0.55). Although the correlations differed between groups, the amount of variation between the two variables was not significantly different between groups other than black females. Least squares means …

The Relationship Among Inflammatory Markers, Physical Fitness, And Body Mass Index To Cardiovascular Disease, Marcia Elizabeth Turner

Theses and Dissertations

10,291 participants, aged 20 to 85 years of age, available from the 1999 through 2002 NHANES databases participated in this study. Only 8,485 (82%) of these participants were included in the data analysis. Participants who were pregnant (n = 603), not examined at a mobile examination center (n = 820), or had missing values for height (n = 164) and/or weight (n = 125) were eliminated. Individuals were classified into four groups (underweight, normal, overweight and obese) based on body mass index (BMI). Variables measured in the study included body mass index, physical fitness, dietary folic acid, c-reactive protein, homocysteine, …

Utilization Of Deionized Water And Non-Meat Adjuncts To Combat Quality Issues In Boneless Cured Ham Associated With Using Pale Raw Material, Jonathan Wilbourn

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of deionized water and PSE pork percentage on the quality of smoked deli ham and retorted pouched ham with and without non-meat adjuncts were evaluated. Product quality was determined through evaluation of water holding capacity, cooked color, protein-protein bind, and sensory quality. A randomized complete block design with either three or four replications was utilized to test treatment effects in three separate experiments. The retorting process showed the potential to reduce the effect of PSE meat on color that is present in raw material and smoked deli ham. In retorted ham, modified food starch and soy protein concentrate …

The Effect Of Nutrition On Cognitive Performance In Young Versus Elderly Community-Living Adults, Brian Vanfossen

Theses and Dissertations

Several variables such as verbal ability, age, gender, level of depression and vitamin B12 deficiency have been found to moderate memory performance on cognitive tasks. The current study examined the above variables, plus also looked at levels of magnesium and zinc for their probable moderating effect on memory performance. Examined were 38 adults: 27 younger (between 21-35 years) and 11 oider (between 60-85 years), to identify those factors that moderated memory performance for this community-dwelling sample. The results of the current study replicated previous work reported in the literature that examined age-related changes in prose recall, word list recall and …

Achieving Quality Living In The Elderly Population, Charlote Ferrel

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of The Metabolic Syndrome In A Midwestern Community, Hanna R. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The metabolic syndrome (MS) has been linked to a significantly higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. It affects approximately 25% of Americans today with its prevalence continuing to increase as the population becomes heavier and more sedentary. With Pender’s Health Promotion model as a theoretical base, this study examined the prevalence of the risk factors, preventative and treatment measures for the metabolic syndrome among a Midwestern North American population. A non-experimental secondary data analysis comparative survey design approach was used through a chart review of 101 male patient charts and 101 female patient charts. Significance was established at p …

Perception Of The Future Need For Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers In North Dakota's Public Schools, Elaine Helen Ann Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Family and consumer sciences (FACS) school programs provide some of the earliest opportunities for students to leam relationship, communications, teamwork, and decision-making skills that support and strengthen family life and to make healthy lifestyle choices that have a positive impact on all of society. Unfortunately, research data document a shortage of FACS teachers across the nation. Without an increasing supply of teachers, many programs may be weakened and some may be eliminated.

The purpose of this study is to identify the future need for FACS teachers in the North Dakota public schools. A secondary purpose is to identify the reasons …

Perceptions Of The Future Need For Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers In North Dakota's Public Schools, Elaine H. Ann Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Family and consumer sciences (FACS) school programs provide some of the earliest opportunities for students to learn relationship, communications, teamwork, and decision-making skills that support and strengthen family life and to make healthy lifestyle choices that have a positive impact on all of society. Unfortunately, research data document a shortage of F ACS teachers across the nation. Without an increasing supply of teachers, many programs may be weakened and some may be eliminated.

The purpose of this study is to identify the future need for F ACS teachers in the North Dakota public schools. A secondary purpose is to identify …

Predicting Maize Yield, Nutrient Concentration And Uptake In P And K Fertilized Soils: Pressurized Hot Water And Other Alternatives To Mehlich I Extraction In Guatemala Soils, Heather Mae Hunsaker

Theses and Dissertations

The inaccessibility and cost of soil testing reduce effectiveness of fertilizer use on small-scale subsistence farms, and inadequate funding promotes adoption of soil tests in developing countries with minimal validation. For example, Mehlich-I extraction of phosphorus (P) currently used extensively in Guatemala may not be suitable for its broad range of soils. At least four alternatives are available but are relatively untested [Bray 1, Mehlich III, Olsen and pressurized hot water (PHW)]. Pressurized hot water is relatively simple and inexpensive, but is not yet tested against other extraction methods under variable P or potassium (K) fertilization levels. To determine whether …

Eating Disorder Risk In Subgroups Of College Freshman Women, Karen E. Gochnour

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to identify subgroups within the college population having a heightened risk for eating disorders. The information for this analysis was retrieved from an existing data set. The two variables that were compared were self selection of college major at the initial collection during freshman year. The sample size of 1,924 was used to see if subgroups of college majors had a heightened risk. Twenty groups composed of similar majors were studied. The majors of Dance, Dietetics, Physical Education, and Communications had heightened risk according to analysis percentage of each group in the clinical range …

Improving The Learning Approach Of College Freshmen And Future Teachers Through Curricular Intervention, Lynna Betty Shin

Theses and Dissertations

Students who exercise a deep approach to learning connect classroom content to real-life experiences. To help first-year students develop a deep approach to learning, Brigham Young University offers a program called Freshman Academy. Participants join a "learning community" based on their intended major. As part of this learning community, participants take recommended first-year courses together and engage in service-learning and problem-solving activities. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore changes in learning approach that followed participation in a Freshman Academy learning community for prospective elementary education majors. These changes were explored through a survey that asked students how …

Identification, Sequencing, Expression And Evolutionary Relationships Of The 11s Seed Storage Protein Gene In Chenopodium Quinoa Willd., Marie Renee Barrett Balzotti

Theses and Dissertations

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is an Andean crop adapted to harsh environmental conditions and containing a high and well-balanced protein composition. Two seed storage proteins, the 2S albumin and 11S globulin, are the major amino acid reservoirs for the developing seedling. An in-depth study of the genes encoding these proteins is necessary to understand the source of quinoa's protein quality. Our objectives include identification and sequencing of the 11S genomic and cDNA clones, analysis of 11S expression profiles in different quinoa accessions and evaluation of evolutionary relationships between the sequence of the 11S gene in quinoa and homologous genes in other …

Simple Sequence Repeat Development, Polymorphism And Genetic Mapping In Quinoa (Chenopodium Quinoa Willd.), David Jarvis

Theses and Dissertations

Quinoa is an important, highly nutritional grain crop in the Andean region of South America. DNA markers and linkage maps are important tools for the improvement of underdeveloped crops such as quinoa. The objectives of this study were to (i) develop a new set of SSR markers to augment the number of SSR markers available in quinoa, and (ii) construct a new genetic linkage map of quinoa based on SSRs using multiple recombinant-inbred line (RIL) populations. Here we report the development of 216 new polymorphic SSR markers from libraries enriched for GA, CAA, and AAT repeats, as well as 6 …

"Th' Offense Pardons Itself": Sex And The Church In Othello And Measure For Measure, Jeffrey Wayne Windsor

Theses and Dissertations

In 1604, James had newly ascended to the throne and England was now part of Great Britain. The Puritans-largely silenced during Elizabeth's reign-began again to assert political influence and call for reformation to both the state and the church. This is the context in which Shakespeare wrote Othello and Measure for Measure. In both plays, the role of the government in Cyprus or Vienna hinges upon the passions of a single authority figure. Both Angelo and Othello cause political unrest because they mismanage sexuality. In the case of Othello, his unfounded sexual jealousy leads to the death of Desdemona, Emilia, …

An English For Specific Purposes Curriculum To Prepare English Learners To Become Nursing Assistants, Abel Javier Romo

Theses and Dissertations

This project details the designing and implementation of an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Curriculum to prepare English learners to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center (UVRMC) in Provo, Utah. UVRMC, which is owned by Intermountain Health Care (IHC), employs a group of about 40 non-native speakers of English. They work as housekeepers and have interest in learning English and consequently acquiring new skills they could use in better jobs to improve the quality of their lives. UVRMC would like these employees to obtain additional education in order to provide them with better employment opportunities. …

What Happens When A Fifth Grade Class Takes An Inquiry Stance Into Their Own Wellness Through A Critical Literacy Lens?, Casey Shalhoub

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to teach wellness to students in a fifth grade class using inquiry and critical literacy books. I taught lessons that incorporate the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Health to find out how this knowledge affected the students' lives. I worked with twenty-four students in a fifth grade class for a sixteen week period during my student teaching. I used a student questionnaire to gather information and also analyzed the student participation during lessons and responses to what was taught. I found that through the teaching of wellness through inquiry and critical literacy …

Division Iii Athletic Trainers' Attitudes Toward Issues And Concerns Of The Athletic Training Profession, Kristin Sacerdote

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the specific issues and concerns that athletic trainers face in the college and university setting. A secondary purpose was to solicit recommendations in addressing the issues and concerns that are present in the profession. Seventy-two certified athletic trainers in the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association (EATA) completed a survey to evaluate their attitudes on the issues and concerns facing athletic trainers in higher education institutions. Those surveyed were asked to identify what were the top issues and concerns facing athletic trainers and what recommendations that they had for addressing these issues. The findings …

The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Women's Responses To Child Misbehavior, Catherine M. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

Many studies have demonstrated a correlation between alcohol abuse and child abuse or neglect, but few have examined whether alcohol consumption itself contributes to poor parenting. The present study investigated the effects of a medium-large dose of alcohol on women's responses to child misbehavior. The participants were 80 medically and psychologically healthy women who were randomly assigned to one of four beverage conditions in a balanced placebo design. Those in an alcohol condition received a moderately high dose, defined as 2 ml of 80-proof vodka per kg of body weight. After consuming their beverages, the women were presented with video …

Conservation Of Waste Rice And Estimates Of Moist-Soil Seed Abundance For Wintering Waterfowl In The Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Jennifer Kross

Theses and Dissertations

Waste rice in harvested fields and natural seeds in moist-soil wetlands are important foods for waterfowl in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Waste rice declines significantly between harvest and late autumn. I conducted experiments in 19 rice fields in Arkansas and Mississippi during autumns 2003 and 2004 to evaluate the ability of common post-harvest practices to conserve waste rice between harvest and late autumn. Greatest mean abundance of waste rice in late autumn occurred in standing stubble (x&95 = 105 kg/ha; CL = 72.84, 150.16 kg/ha) followed by burned (x&95 = 72 kg/ha; 49.57, 105.81 kg/ha), mowed (x&95 = 67 …

An Investigation Of Violence-Related Trauma At Two Sites In The Pickwick Basin: Dust Cave (1lu496) And The O'Neal Site (1lu61), James Harvey Turner Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Osteological evidence for violence has only in recent times been thoroughly investigated. Several kinds of traumas indicative of violence have been identified in human skeletal remains worldwide. Such traumas include scalping, embedded and/or associated projectile points, cranial fractures, parry fractures and defensive injuries, decapitation and dismemberment, and evidence of cannibalism. Analysis of traumas at Dust Cave (1LU496) and the O?Neal site (1LU61), two sites in northwestern Alabama with Middle and Late Archaic occupations, was undertaken. Violence-related traumas were observed at both sites. A highly significant difference exists in trauma patterns between the sites. Results were compared to research done on …