Digital Commons Network^™

Tauser Killed Both Dogs And Other Suburban American Family Folklore, Kristina Whitley Gashler

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis attempts to answer the questions "What purposes do family pets and the narratives we tell about them serve in modern American society?" and "What do these stories tell us about what Americans value and about where we locate our ‘value center’?" In Chapter 1, I discuss how Americans define loyalty in our pets now that our animals generally no longer help us work. I conclude that since the shift from agricultural to suburban settings, animals prove their loyalty individually and in human-like ways, rather than as "good" members of their own species, but at the same time because …

Statewide Assessment: Its Impact On The Educational World, Erin M. Lanigan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to further investigate the topic of standardized testing. A controversial topic within the educational world, the researcher seeks to discover the views and opinions of these tests from teachers. Surveys, interviews and a research journal are used to collect data for this study. The setting of the study is a small district in the northern part of New Jersey. The subjects in this study are elementary, middle, and high school teachers. There are 52 participants in this study (10 male, 42 female). To analyze the data, the surveys are looked at first in three …

Fit-To-Fight: Waist Vs. Waist/Height Measurements To Determine An Individual's Fitness Level A Study In Statistical Regression And Analysis, Steven J. Swiderski

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force members are to be tested for fitness by measuring their abdominal circumference, counting the number of sit-ups and push-ups they can accomplish, and the time it takes them to run 1 and miles. The abdominal measurement is a "one-size-fits-all" fitness standard. This research determines that a person's waist-to-height ratio is a better measurement than the waist measurement to estimate an individual's fitness level. This research estimates that all of the variables used to proxy fitness (Gender, Age, Height, Waist Circumference, Waist-to-Height Ratio, Push-Ups, and Sit-Ups) are statistically significant and do represent good estimators of physical fitness. This research …

An Improved Music Model For Gibbsite, Scott Christian Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Several recent studies that have proposed MUSIC models for gibbsite surfaces have purported to achieve a very good fit with potentiometric titration data. However, in order to achieve such results, several significant parameters, such as the number of surface sites, site densities, and pKa values were sometimes re-introduced in the model as fitted parameters, and physically unrealistic modeling assumptions were sometimes used. In addition, recent evidence supports the idea that some of the gibbsite potentiometric titration data from these studies may be unreliable. In order to re-interpret the potentiometric titration data, we used several recently published methods. In order to …

New Jersey's School Funding Policy From 2002 To The Present And Its Impact On Student Achievement, Marjorie M. Workman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify how school districts were impacted by the state aid decisions made from 2002 and to then determine if there was a relationship between the excess or shortfall of state aid received and the achievement of students in each district during the same period as measured by standards used to identify schools in need of improvement. The study included 540 non-Abbott school districts and considered enrollment growth, change in total budget, and change in state aid. It used the 2004-2005 report of schools in need of improvement to identify districts that were failing …

Impact Of The Lack Of Sleep On Academic Performance In College Students, Tammy L. Hampton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research the effects that sleep has on a college student's academic performance, measured by the student's self-reported grade point average (GPA), and to examine whether there is a difference between graduate students' and undergraduate students' results. 136 students at Rowan University in southern New Jersey, 61 graduate students and 75 undergraduate students, were asked to complete a short survey on their sleep habits, demographic information, self-reported GPA, and average number of hours of sleep per night that they received. An independent Two-Way ANOVA was then performed to analyze the information indicating the following …

Behavioral Management Related To Dementia In The Elderly In A Long Term Care Facility, Rose B. Bergquist

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in adult life and recognized as the most common cause of late life dementia world wide. Care of an elderly individual with dementia requires a systematic approached to the management of behavioral disturbances. The purpose of this project was to provide education regarding management of an elderly individual with behavioral disturbance related to dementia to health care providers in long term care facilities. The project was conducted in three rural long term care facilities. Healthcare providers who receive education can become more competent in intervening with an individual who is …

Digestibility, Nitrogen Balance, And Blood Metabolites In Llama And Alpaca Fed Barley And Barley Alfalfa Forages., Heather Loree Davies

Theses and Dissertations

These projects were conducted to determine the digestibility of forage diets with differing CP levels in llamas and alpacas. The Utah study was designed to compare llama and alpaca nutritional parameters to determine if nutritional recommendations for llamas can be directly extrapolated to alpacas. The first study evaluated the effects of forage quality on blood metabolites and nitrogen balance in mature, intact male llamas (n = 4, 36 ± 4.4 months, 87 ± 17 kg) at high altitude in Letanias, Bolivia (4,267 m = aprox.14,000 ft above sea level). A second experiment was conducted with eight adult gelded camelids (n …

The Use Of Performance Enhancing Supplements And The Need For Drug Testing Policies, James J. Battersby

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the use of performance enhancing supplements of Buena Regional High School student-athletes and the need for drug testing policies. The subjects included 120 student-athletes who had participated at the varsity or sub-varsity level. The student-athletes completed a 21 item survey that consisted of 6 items that measured the students demographics such as age, gender, grade, race, sport and level. The survey also consisted of 15 statements that determined student's use of performance supplements, reasons why they use supplements, the types of supplements that are used and their feelings about drug testing policies. The data were analyzed using …

Promoting The Culture Of Breastfeeding In A Small Rural Minnesota Hospital, Rebecca J. Poolman

Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of breastfeeding have been well defined for both mother and baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be exclusively breastfeed for at least the first 6 months of life (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005). The Healthy People 2010 breastfeeding objectives include 75% of infants initiating breastfeeding in the early postpartum, 50% of infants being breastfed at 6 months of age, and 25% of infants being breastfed at one year of age (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). To increase the support of breastfeeding in hospitals the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was developed. The …

The Effects Of Choice On Student Motivation And Physical Activity Behavior In Physical Education, Jillian Ward

Theses and Dissertations

Public school physical educators have the opportunity to help students understand the importance of engaging in regular physical activity in order to combat America's obesity problem. However, students are often unmotivated to participate in their physical education classes. Providing students with an autonomy supportive environment increases intrinsic motivation. Self-determination theory states that higher levels of intrinsic motivation should lead to an increase in behavior, or higher activity levels in a physical education class. This study examined (a) the effects of increased autonomy on self-determination, and (b) the effects of increased autonomy on physical activity levels. Seventh and eighth grade girls …

The Impact Of A University Wellness Requirement On Student Nutrition And Physical Activity Behavior, Lisa Marie Blaser

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The Brigham Young University General Education Wellness Program has three options available to students to fulfill the programs requirement. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of these three wellness options. Specifically we wanted to know; does the university wellness requirement affect student nutrition and physical activity behaviors and do the various options available differ in their abilities to impact student nutrition and physical activity behaviors?

Methods: A three-group pretest/posttest design was used and a survey was administered, at both the beginning and end of the semester, to all students enrolled in HEPE 129, live and …

A Study Investigating The Health Care Support Service Training Needs For Gloucester County And Workforce Development Demand, Maureen D'Andrea

Theses and Dissertations

The Division of Lifelong Learning at Gloucester County College conducted a survey of medical offices in the county to determine what occupations they employed and what their projected employment need for those occupations was in the next three years. The purpose of the study was to determine if GCC should develop training programs for those occupations. GCC also wanted to provide training for occupations that would qualify for workforce development funding. Over 500 surveys were mailed to medical offices in the county and responses were received from 72 offices. The research data indicated there was a need for training by …

The Effect Of Religiosity And Spirituality On Transformatinal Leadership Characteristics Of Hospital Food And Nutrition Managers, Anna Naegle Sarver

Theses and Dissertations

Effective leadership in the field of dietetics is becoming increasingly vital in a rapidly changing world. A determination of factors which impact leaders and their followers is essential. This study was designed to examine the relationship between religiosity and spirituality and transformational leadership characteristics of hospital food and nutrition managers as rated by self as well as by those directly supervised by the managers. The influence of religious and spiritual beliefs on the workplace and workplace practices was also examined. Respondents were selected from the American Hospital Association database. Hospitals from 250 to 499 beds were included. Directors of Foodservice …

A Study Of The For The Strength Of Youth Pamphlet, Jared A. Jepson

Theses and Dissertations

This study is an examination of changes in the various editions of the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, an outline of standards and expectations for the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the course of the past forty years, eight editions of the pamphlet have been printed. The first edition was published in 1965 and the most recent publication was in 2001.

The study revealed that significant changes have been made in the various editions. The initial six pamphlets, which were published from 1965-1972, focused on social behavior of the youth such as dress …

In Vitro Toxicity Of Cadmium Oxide Particles In Brl 3a Rat Liver Cells, Janice M. Shelley

Theses and Dissertations

For the last decade or so, in vitro toxicology has been studied as a method for determining human toxicity, as well as hazard identification and characterization. One purpose of in vitro studies is to determine the possibility of developing systems in which the toxicity of chemicals can be quantified, without heavy reliance on animal experimentation. Specific data pertaining to cadmium toxicity in humans through use of in vitro methods and models is sparse, at best. There is a need to complete more studies and collect more data to study particular chemicals and their effects and to complete proper evaluation and …

Metabolic Profile And Live Weight Of Male Llamas (Lama Glama) Fed With Barley Hay, Alfalfa, And Quinoa Scrub, Karla Coaquira Arratia

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years llamas have attracted great national and international interest for their qualities of human food production, fiber production for high-quality textiles, and for being an ecological animal. These qualities have allowed a resurgence of cultivating them for commercial ends. One of the principal limits is secure food for allowing a constant, sustainable growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the metabolic profile and live weight of male llamas (Lama glama) fed with barley hay, alfalfa hay, and quinoa scrub. The fieldwork occurred in metabolic chambers in a closed environment at the demonstration farm of the Benson …

Feed Conversion Index In Two Populations And Two Lines Of Guinea Pigs For Meat Production, Kathia Jordán Vargas

Theses and Dissertations

The guinea pig (Cavia aperea porcellus) is an alternative to improve human nutrition because its meat is of excellent taste and quality. Thus, it is an important nutritional source. The feed conversion index was determined under the basic (forage) and mixed (forage and concentrate) diets during the growth phase. This was done with both sexes located in the Tamborada and MEJOCUY populations, using the AUQUI, and San Luis lines. This was done in order to quantify how many kilograms of feed an animal must eat to gain one kilogram of live weight. The animals were randomly distributed into individual pools …

Apparent Digestibility In Llamas (Lama Glama) Fed With (Stipa Ichu) Treated With Urea And Molasses At The C.E.A.C., Ninfa Jacqueline Magne Colque

Theses and Dissertations

The following work was conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Center under the title of : Apparent digestibility in llamas feed with stipa ichu (Peruvian feather grass) treated with urea and molasses, for which 3 assays were performed in reference to the study : 1) percentage of assimilation of the treated and non- treated grass, 2) apparent digestibility of fiber and protein after and before feeding, and 3) determine the adequate levels of urea and molasses for the chemical treatment of the grass (Stipa ichu). For the first assay, the greater consumption was obtained at the level of 3 (3% of …

Teen Mothers' Perceptions Of Medicalization And The Patient/Provider Relationship, Preston Martin-Lyon

Theses and Dissertations

Within the past twenty years, a great deal of research has addressed pregnancy and childbirth in the United States. Often, however, prior studies have focused on white middle-class women and have neglected the experiences of women of color and low-income women. Teen mothers have also been marginalized in past research. With few exceptions, the limited research that does exist on African American teen mothers is usually framed around the "teen pregnancy crisis" in the U.S; seldom are teens included in studies dealing with the overall issue of medicalization. In an effort to understand the extent to which the medical model …

The Validation Of The Single-Stage Submaximal Treadmill Equation In Prediction Vo₂Max Using The Maximal And Submaximal Treadmill Running Tests, Stephanie A. Fallas

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Blood Lead And Decision Speed In Working Age Adults, S. W. Harkins

Theses and Dissertations

Lead is a central nervous system poison. Healthy People 2010 established a target blood lead level (BLL) for children of 0 μg/dL by 2010, but is silent with regard to any changes in BLLs standards for working age adults. In this paper, the relation of BLL to performance on two neurobehavioral tests was assessed in working age adults (N = 4909; Age 20 to 59 years; 51.4% Female) employing data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES 111). Multiple linear regression analyses indicated a significant effect of BLL on time taken to complete an attention demanding cognitive task …

Effect Of Medicaid/Schip And Wic On Oral Health Of Low-Income Children, Dahlia Naqib

Theses and Dissertations

Oral caries is the most prevalent chronic disease among US children, and disproportionately impacts those of low socioeconomic status. Studies have shown that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) improves access to dental care among Medicaid children. This study investigated the impact of WIC, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on the prevalence of dental caries among low-income children. The 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 NHANES data were utilized for this analysis. Children 2-4 years old who participated in WIC, Medicaid, or SCHIP, or who were uninsured, and for whom both interview and complete …

Analysis Of The Impact Of A Social Norms Campaign On The Alcohol Use Of Undergraduate Students At A Public, Urban University, Amanda B. Wattenmaker

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To conduct a secondary analysis of survey data collected at a large, urban university assessing for change in students' alcohol use perceptions and behaviors between 2002 and 2004. After the baseline data collection in 2002, the campus launched an intensive media intervention to normalize low-risk drinking. Simultaneously, the campus shifted from being a primarily commuter to primarily residential. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data collected from students in randomly selected undergraduate classes in February 2002 (n= 662) and 2004 (n=1334). The survey instrument used was the National College Health Assessment. Variables were categorized as demographic, alcohol perception, and alcohol …

A Prospective Study Of Changes In Physical Activity : Examining The Stages Of Change Model And Other Behavioral, Demographic, And Environmental Predictors, Anna M. Evans

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Calcium Kinetic Studies In Animal Models For Osteoporosis Using ⁴⁷Ca/⁴¹Ca Radiotracers, Jennifer Ann Sattler

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Pregnancy Complicated By Chronic Kidney Disease, Stephanie A. Kaiser

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of An Automatic Instrument For Rapid Analysis Of Selenium In Food Grains, Sathyendra K. Ghantasala

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Living Digestibility Of Alfalfa And Barley In Llamas (Lama Glama) In The Agricultural Experimental Center Condoriri, Adelaida Alarcon Chuquichambi

Theses and Dissertations

The following investigation was carried out in the Agricultural Experimental Center Condoriri (CEAC), dependent on the Faculty of Agricultural Livestock Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, located to the North of the Province border of the Department of Oruro, a distance of 12 km from the town of Caracollo and 49 km from the city of Oruro. The production of llamas and alpacas in our country is an activity of ecological, social, and especially ecological importance for Andean inhabitants. In nutrition, the fundamental factor is the power of absorption; this is because the yield of animal production depends on the quantity and …

In Vivo Digestibility In Llamas (Lama Glama), Fed With Barley And Paja Brava At The C.E.A.C., Martha Jesusa Llanos Pérez

Theses and Dissertations

The Highlands of Bolivia present a great diversity of native botanical species with strong forage characteristics, providing them with a considerable potential for usage as a resource in the feeding of cattle. The following work was performed with the idea of taking advantage of the zone’s native species as a source for the feeding of llama cattle. In order to accomplish it, we took into consideration the following variables: food consumption, water consumption, amount of fecal excretions, urine volume, body weight, and the digestibility of the nutrients found in the food prepared with paja brava and barley (ash, protein, fiber, …