Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of The Antimicrobial Activity Of A Bifidobacteria Mix Against Escherichia Coli 0157:H7 Under Aerobic Conditions, Chenbo Wang

Theses and Dissertations

A bifidobacteria mix (nine strains) was evaluated for its effect on the growth and survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43890) in 11% NFDM and MRS broth under the optimum growth conditions for E. coli O157:H7 growth (37¡ãC, aerobic). Preliminary experiments were conducted to obtain the growth curves of the 9 strains of bifidobacteria and E. coli O157:H7 and confirm the inhibitory effect of acidity on E. coli O157:H7 (pH of media adjusted to 3.8). Acidapted E. coli O157:H7 showed no difference in resistance toward bifidobacteria (P>0.05) when compared to the non-acid adapted one. Escherichia coli O157:H7 did not …

Survival, Habitat Use, And Nest-Site Characteristics Of Wild Turkeys In Central Mississippi, Brad Douglas Holder

Theses and Dissertations

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) survival, habitat use, and nest-site characteristics were studied on Malmaison Wildlife Management Area, Mississippi, 2003-2004. Survival rates were 0.55, 0.0004, 0.26, and 0.30 for jakes, adult gobblers, juvenile hens, and adult hens, respectively for the entire study. Spring survival for all groups was 0.51 (95% CI 0.36, 0.65) and was least among seasons. Predation (65%) and harvest (21%) were major causes of mortality. Brood hens used bottomland hardwood stands, pine plantations, and old fields more than expected during the post-nesting period. Non-brood hens used bottomland hardwood stands more than expected during the pre- and post-nesting periods. …

Identification, Characterization And Anti-Fungal Activities Of Silk Proteins In Aspergillus Flavus Resistant And Susceptible Maize Inbreds, Bela Peethambaran

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the mechanism of maize inbreds resistance to A. flavus by exploring the proteins that are differentially regulated in presence of pathogen. Silk has been hypothesized as one of the entry routes of fungal growth and so the proteome of silks was investigated by 1) performing a comparative proteomic study to identify silk proteins that are abundant in resistant maize inbreds and down-regulated or absent in susceptible inbreds, 2) identifying the up-regulated proteins in maize resistant and susceptible inbreds when challenged by A. flavus 3) by mapping the proteome of silk proteins in a A. flavus …

Present And Future Senior Services At South County Regional Library In Camden County, Edward J. Cuneo Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey the South County Regional Library's present senior services and plans for future senior services. The library's manager was interviewed for the study as was an administrator from an assisted-living facility and a director from a health and rehabilitation center. The interview questions asked dealt with present services for seniors and future considerations as the number of senior citizens is expected to increase. The public library had a number of services already available. The assisted living facility and health and rehabilitation center had some services. Neither scheduled regular trips to the public library. …

The Effects Of Learning Goals On Self-Concept And Intrinsic Motivation In The Learning Disabled Student: A Case Study, Lindsay S. Reed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase levels of self-concept and intrinsic motivation in a 9^th grade student with a specific learning disability in mathematics through the use of weekly learning goals and the introduction of problem-solving strategies. Over the course of the six week study, the student experienced a significant rise in overall self-concept and intrinsic motivation as indicated by the results of two, One-Way ANOVA's from two self-report scales completed by the student. Implications for generalization of this study's results should include sample size, degree of learning disability, and administration of intervention techniques.

Impact Of Educational Attainment Before Diagnosis On Functioning Level After Diagnosis, Rachele M. Weichmann

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) locate any impact between the amount of education attained prior to the diagnosis of a mental illness and functionality after the diagnosis of a mental illness, (b) to see if the type of diagnosis, whether it had psychotic or non-psychotic features, had an effect on these results, and (c) to see if the relationship between these variables would plateau at the higher levels of education. The researcher examined the case histories of a group of adults with mental illness (n = 122), looking for the number of educational years each individual completed …

Usage Of Plant Examples In Secondary School Biology Classes, Tamara L. Egner

Theses and Dissertations

Botanists have expressed concern over the dwindling recognition and emphasis of plants that currently exists in the fields of education and research. To ascertain if these claims pertain to high schools in the State of New Jersey, a survey on the frequency of using plant examples for teaching 10 biological principles was randomly distributed to secondary school biology teachers. Results from 80 respondents showed that on average, plants are used as examples in teaching 66% of these biological principles. The primary rationale cited by teachers for low or non-usage of plants was that they preferred animals as teaching examples. Underlying …

Hearing Health In Utah Special Olympics Athletes Compared To Special Olympics Athletes Worldwide: A Prevalence Study In Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Lisa Moses Mullins

Theses and Dissertations

The Special Olympics Healthy Athletes initiative promotes wellness of the athletes with intellectual disabilities and education for medical professionals. Healthy Athletes has created a hearing screening program, Healthy Hearing, to help athletes with intellectual disabilities get the otological and audiological care they need. This program promotes a healthy hearing lifestyle and educates medical professionals regarding the need of health care for the intellectually disabled population. The physiologic, otologic, and audiologic abnormalities often occurring in the intellectually disabled population bring special attention for the need to determine the prevalence rate of hearing loss among the athletes participating in Special Olympics events. …

Intraoperative Hypothermia, Carlee Leininger

Theses and Dissertations

Intraoperative hypothermia is a common complication affecting patients undergoing surgical procedures. Complications associated with intraoperative hypothermja include increased blood loss and transfusion requirements, wound infections, prolonged hospitalizations, and adverse cardiac outcomes. The purpose of this project was to perform a comprehensive review of the literature regarding intraoperative hypotherrrua . Further, the literature was reviewed to determine effective management strategies for prevention of intraoperati ve hypothermia .

Synthesis of the evidence in the literature review provided the basis for education of intraoperative nursing staff on the implications and importance of risks related to intraoperative hypothermia in surgical patients. Providing a staff …

The Female Athlete Triad: Prevention And Awareness, Kara Falk

Theses and Dissertations

The participation of female athletes in sports has grown tremendously in the past two decades. Female athletes are performing at increasingly higher levels and becoming more competitive in sports at younger ages. This has lead to the growing problem of the Female Athlete Triad: disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. The purpose of this project is to promote awareness and prevention of the Female Athlete Triad

The goal of this project is to build awareness and address the prevalence, consequences, risk factors, prevention, and signs and symptoms of the Female Athlete Triad through the construction and distribution of an educational brochure …

Newborn Metabolic Screening: Parental Implications, Darleen R. Bartz

Theses and Dissertations

With advances in technology, the number of newborn metabolic diseases screened for has increased as well as the number of false positive initial screening results. The purpose of this study was to explore parents’ perception of receipt of education about newborn metabolic screening and the effect on parents of being notified of a positive newborn metabolic screening result on their infant who required retesting. Orem’s selfcare theory, with a focus on the supportive-educative nursing system, was used as a theoretical framework for this study.

A mixed quantitative correlational descriptive survey method and a qualitative grounded theory approach were used. Quantitative …

Supporting Second Language Acquisition In Head Start Classrooms, Laurie E. Coleman

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Copper Contamination And Corrosion Scale Mineralogy In Aging Drink Water Distributions Systems, Nadja F. Turek

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown higher levels of copper appear in drinking water conveyed through relatively new copper piping systems; older piping systems typically deliver lower copper levels in their drinking water. This research contributes field data from a real drinking water distribution system, providing a better understanding of this phenomenon, as it relates to treatment considerations and compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. Copper pipes and copper levels were sampled from drinking water taps of 16 buildings with pipes ranging in age from less than 1 to 48 years. Water samples from each building were collected before and following a …

Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated hydrocarbons and their degradation products are among of the most common organic groundwater contaminates in the United States. These compounds attack the central nervous system in animals and can affect the photosynthesis of plants. These compounds are also resistant to degradation in the environment and, because of this, pose a risk to any ecosystem in which they are present. This study identified the dominant microbial species in a constructed treatment wetland at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Samples were taken from three different depths and during each of the four seasons. These samples were …

Perceived Health Status And Needs Of Elders Of The Spirit Lake Nation, Eileen M. Tabert

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic disease inflicts a huge financial and collective burden on the people of this nation. Disparities in chronic disease and health risk behaviors do exist for Native Americans. The multiple disparities of the Spirit Lake Nation are identified through the use of the survey tool that was developed by the National Resource Center of Native American Aging. The quantitative descriptive study collected self-reported data related to perceived health status, behavioral risk factors, chronic disease, and other demographic information among the Spirit Lake Nation elders.

A health promotion and disease prevention model that influences self care appeared to be the most …

Finite Element Analysis Of Bjork-Shiley Convexo-Concave Heart Valve, Srinivas Avasarala

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Modeling Groundwater Denitrification By Ferrous Iron Using Phreeqc, Tedros Tesfay

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrate is one of the most common groundwater contaminants, and ingesting it leads to potential health risks. Denitrification, the only effective process to eliminate nitrate, is limited by the abundance of biologically available electron donors. Thus, understanding the natural denitrification capacity of aquifers, through the analysis of all the major electron donors, is essential.

A better way to estimate groundwater denitrification reactions is to compute the mass balance of the redox sensitive species. The University of North Dakota (UND) denitrification team installed mesocosms (ISMs) to understand the fate of nitrate in field conditions. Accordingly, the team has shown the significant …

Climate Change And Its Impact On Evapotranspiration : A Temporal And Spatial Analysis For India, Noel R. Aloysius

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Stature And Criminal Behavior, Rebecca J. Fish

Theses and Dissertations

Minorities are significantly overrepresented in America's prison population, and many studies have been conducted to determine possible causes for such a disparity. Few of these studies, however, have examined small stature as a potential contributor to criminal behavior. This study examines the relationship between criminal behavior and stature among American males. The heights, weights, stature scores (a function of the product of height and weight) and the body mass indices of criminals are examined as a whole, as well as by subgroup based on race, locality, and nature of the crime committed. The average weight of the male criminal population …

Acquisition And Retention Of Bacterial Spores (Bacillus Atrophaeus) By Eight Insect Species, Kieron Marie Torres

Theses and Dissertations

Acquisition and retention of spores of an anthrax surrogate, Bacillus atrophaeus Nakamura ("BG") were evaluated in eight insect species. Species included: house cricket (Acheta domesticus L.), German cockroach (Blatella germanica L.), common house fly (Musca domestics L.), blue bottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria L.), hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus L.), yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.), common paper wasps (Polistes exclamans exclamans Viereck), red paper wasps (Polistes Carolina L.), red harvester ant (Pogonymyrmex barbatus Smith). Individual insects were offered BG-treated food and sacrificed at specified time intervals following one, two or three meals. Resulting samples were surface-washed five consecutive times then homogenized …

Ige Production Regulation Via Cd23 Stalk Engagement And Cell Cycle Stimulation, Timothy Hays Caven

Theses and Dissertations

CD23, the low affinity receptor for IgE, is expressed mainly on B cells and has been shown to regulate IgE production. Previously, recombinant mouse and human CD23 were constructed with a trimerizing isoleucine zipper motif attached in frame to the N-terminus of the entire extracellular CD23 (lz-ECCD23). The goal was to examine the role of the necessity of the CD23 stalk for binding IgE. Using PCR-based mutagenesis to delete the majority of the stalk, binding to IgE was lost. Further studies examined the effect of lz-ECCD23 in preventing IgE from binding FcεRI and therefore acting as a therapeutic agent. It …

Healing Interior: Using Eastern Design Principles In Hotel Design, Yunju Lee Koh

Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this thesis is to explore how interior spaces in hotel designs can provide a less stressful environment and promote health and harmony by using Feng Shui Principles. It will first discuss the principles of Feng Shui and general hotel design, and then move on to demonstrate how the application of Feng Shui principles can be used to create a hotel environment that encourages health and harmony in its occupants. This project will demonstrate principles that not only can be applied to hotel space, but also can be practiced in any other interior space. This thesis, therefore, …

Intercultural Communication Competence In Long-Duration Spaceflight Crew Interactions, Pratibha Kumar

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Carbohydrate Supplement On Affect In College Swimmers During Intensive Training, Kathleen M. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Commercial Feasibility Of A Process Plant To Produce Biojet Fuel From Soybean Or Canola Oil, Marko Jukić

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Deployment On Cholesterol Levels Of Active Duty Personnel, Renae R. Denelsbeck

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Geographic Variables Affecting Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) Nest Locations In The Red River Valley Of North Dakota And Minnesota, Josh Johnston

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Seed Production Of Tall Grasses Tolerant To Drought And Salinity In The Tamborada Region - Cochabamba, Magali Vallejos Arnez

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted on plots established by the Benson Institute in the Tamborada region of Cochabamba, Bolivia. The objective of the study was to evaluate the seed production of tall grasses that are tolerant to drought and salinity. A design of randomized blocks in divided plots with and without fertilizer was used. The results showed that the species with the greatest number of stems and inflorescence was Bromus inermis with 10.9 and 88.67 respectively. It was determined that fertilization has an effect on plant height. Furthermore, the species with the greatest seed yield was Festuca arundinacea with 30.4 kg/ha.

Apparent Digestibility In Vicunas Fed With Soft Straw And Alfalfa In The C.E.A.C., Felisa Capriles Apaza

Theses and Dissertations

South American camelids are a source of fiber and meat for the inhabitants of the Andean region of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. When camelids are well fed they efficiently convert the Andean flora into meat with high protein content. Vicuñas have a great capacity to produce wool to be used as a high quality fiber. However, the yield of vicuña meat production is generally low. There have been several studies concerning nutritional forage sources for camelids, resulting in improved nutrition, decreased morbidity and mortality, and intensified production systems. Soft straw is a source of tough forage with low protein content. …

The Ins And Outs Of School Provider Literature: A Multi-Year Content Analysis On Lgbt Youth, Caitlin Conor Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

This study is based on a content analysis of two primary sources: 1) literature published on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in professional journals for school providers (school counselors, nurses, psychologists and social workers) over more than a 30-year period; and 2) materials developed for school providers on LGBT youth by states with laws, regulations and professional policies related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity in schools. Fifteen professional journals were identified that serve as primary and secondary journals for school providers. A total of 41 articles were published in these journals on LGBT youth between 1937 and …