Digital Commons Network^™

Hiv/Aids In Ethiopia: The Epidemic And Social, Economic, And Demographic Impacts, Helmut Kloos

International Conference on African Development Archives

This paper reviews the epidemiology, driving forces and impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia and evaluates prospects for prevention and control. After the rapid spread of HIV infection in the 1980s and 1990s primarily by commercial sex workers, truck drivers and soldiers along major transportation routes, children, adolescents and the general population are increasingly infected. There is also evidence that infection rates are rapidly increasing in rural populations. But surveillance activities remain underdeveloped rendering the fragmentary data on the prevalence, incidence and impact of HIV/AIDS highly speculative and hindering the planning and implementation of prevention and control programs. Available …

Food Security And Rural Vulnerability In Ethiopia: A Development Perspective, Alemayehu Lirenso

International Conference on African Development Archives

This paper analyzes current food security and rural vulnerability situation in present day Ethiopia from a development perspective. In the sections that follow: (i) various issues relating to food security and vulnerability are presented, (ii) current food aid management policies and practices are reviewed and their implications for overall agricultural development policy are evaluated, and (iii) alternative strategies for combating the risks of future famines are suggested. The analysis is based partly on my own previous studies and partly on review of other recent studies listed in the references.

Training Center -A Virtual Trainer Information System, Jason Schmidt

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Internal Parasites Of Cattle In Louisiana And Other Southern States (Research Information Sheet #104), James C. Williams, Alvin F. Loyacano

LSU AgCenter Research Information Sheets

Cattle of all ages, but particularly young cattle, are affected by a diversity of internal parasites. This publication includes information on the different types and effects of treatments.

August 1st 2001, Hispanic News

Inland Empire Hispanic News

Riley School Home-visit program making progress Page 2

Senator soto's teacher home visit program remains in governor's final 2001-02 budget Page 2

Baca announces housing and urban development grants to Inland Empire cities Page 3

Local group continues to meet on Chicano studies program at CSUSB Page 3

Assemblywoman gloria Negrete Mcleod secures more than a half million dollars for district projects Page 4

Census results point to an "American Agenda" Page 5

Dining in Xalapa Page 6

Debbie Galvan promoted to Assistant Director Page 7

San Bernardino Mayor Judith Valles thanks citizens for helping to achieve city accomplishments Page …

Nebline, August 2001

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Science – It’s For Everyone!
Indoor Trees
Horticulture information center
Perennials with Colorful Foliage
Harvesting Guide for Fruits and Vegetables
Storing Extra Seeds
Cicadas: Mid-Summer Night’s Screamers
Leaving it to Beaver May Not be the Best Solution
Cicada Killers and Steel-Blue Cricket Killers
Are You Looking for the Latest Wheat Variety Test Results?
Sprayer Nozzle Tip Selection Fact Sheet Available
Nutrient Management Guide for Crops Published
Safety Should Always Come First
Terminating Farm Leases
Some Words on Water
The 2001 Acreage Owners Expo
Controlling Pocket Gophers
Drinking Water Q&A
Steps To Maintaining a Healthy Pasture
Home Canning Concerns
Healthy Eating: …

The Decision To Breastfeed In The United States: Does Race Matter?, Renata Forste Phd, Jessica Weiss Bs, Emily Lippincott Bs

Faculty Publications

Objectives. To estimate the effects of maternal and birth characteristics on the decision to breastfeed and to relate breastfeeding practices to racial differences in infant mortality.

Methods. Using a sample of women with young children from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), Cycle V, 1995, the likelihood of breastfeeding was modeled using logistic regression techniques. In addition, single, live births from the NSFG 1988 and 1995 surveys were analyzed to model the effects of race and breastfeeding on infant mortality using Cox regression methods.

Results. After controlling for socioeconomic background and birth characteristics, race remained a strong predictor of …

Quality Of Life As Defined By Chinese Americans With Disabilities: Implications For Rehabilitation Services, Nan Zhang Hampton, Vickie Chang

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

We hypothesized that Chinese Americans with disabilities may remain culturally attached to their ancestors' homeland and this cultural attachment may have influences on the concept of Quality of Life (QOL). That is, QOL may be perceived, by Chinese Americans with disabilities, not only as an individual's satisfaction with his or her life, but also the person's fulfillment of his or her responsibilities to his or her family and community. Of course, this hypothesis needs to be examined. Such an investigation may provide rehabilitation counselors with insights into the meaning of QOL from the viewpoint of Chinese Americans with disabilities. It …

The Impact Of The Program For Athletic Coaches Education (Pace) Certification –Mivca Coaching Association, Heather L. Sawyer

Masters Theses

This study identified the level of awareness, and perceived usefulness of the Program for Athletic Coach (PACE) by the Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association (MIVCA) (n=296). The study further examined: (1) the extent MIVCA coaches are engaged in PACE; (2) the relative importance of content delivered; (3) the important content to improve coaching; and (4) what the MIVCA coaches believed their personal investment should be in a coaching education program.

The participants were asked to complete a survey that ranked the importance of the domains and standards found in the National Standards for Athletic Coaches (NSAC). Results indicate a relatively …

Nazi Medical Experimentation: Should The Data Obtained Be Used?, Elizabeth S. Dyal

Honors Theses

Many researchers question whether or not the data obtained from Nazi medical experiments should be used. This paper examines which experiments were conducted, the data that was found, and the ethical questions related to using this data. Beyond the ethical questions, this paper also determines if the data can be used due to the way the experiments were conducted.

Fundamental Dietary Patterns And Their Correlates Among Us Whites, Marilyn Tseng, Robert F. Devellis

Kinesiology and Public Health

A social history of eating habits in the United States (1) suggests that there are 2 fundamental US dietary patterns. The first, characterized by beef or pork, while flour bread, and potato consumption, is grounded in British culinary heritage. The second, characterized by fruits and vegetables consumed as "protective" foods, that is, to avoid illness, is a result of the development of nutrition science, the growth of good and advertising industries, and efforts of World War 1 food conservation programs. To confirm the occurrence of these 2 dietary patterns and their sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates, we used principal components analysis …

Phylogenetic Relationships Within Cation Transporter Families Of Arabidopsis, Pascal Mäser, Sébastien Thomine, Julian I. Schroeder, John M. Ward, Kendal Hirschi, Heven Sze, Ina N. Talke, Anna Amtmann, Frans J.M. Maathuis, Dale Sanders, Jeff F. Harper, Jason Tchieu, Michael Gribskov, Michael W. Persans, David E. Salt, Sun A. Kim, Mary Lou Guerinot

Dartmouth Scholarship

Uptake and translocation of cationic nutrients play essential roles in physiological processes including plant growth, nutrition, signal transduction, and development. Approximately 5% of the Arabidopsis genome appears to encode membrane transport proteins. These proteins are classified in 46 unique families containing approximately 880 members. In addition, several hundred putative transporters have not yet been assigned to families. In this paper, we have analyzed the phylogenetic relationships of over 150 cation transport proteins. This analysis has focused on cation transporter gene families for which initial characterizations have been achieved for individual members, including potassium transporters and channels, sodium transporters, calcium antiporters, …

Induced Abortions In Low Socio-Economic Settlements Of Karachi, Pakistan: Rates And Women's Perspectives, S Saleem, F F. Fikree

Community Health Sciences

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine rates on induced abortions and to identify the perceived and actual reasons for terminating an unplanned pregnancy, health care providers sought, methods used and post-abortion complications.SETTING: Three squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan.SUBJECTS: Interviews were conducted on 1,214 ever-married women in the reproductive age group (15-49) with a reproductive history of at least one pregnancy, irrespective of outcome.Methods: A cross-sectional survey from June-August 1997 was conducted in three selected squatter settlements of Karachi.Results: The abortion rate for the past year was 25.5 per 1,000 women of reproductive age group. The post-abortion complication …

Green Tea Antioxidants Inhibition Of Oxidation And Mutation, Paul Stout Mcconnell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Green tea is a complex mixture containing several major potent antioxidants e.g., flavins and/or polyphenols. These antioxidants in green tea may react directly or indirectly with strong oxidizers e.g. peroxynitrite or its constituents (superoxide or nitric oxide). Green tea antioxidants can destroy the oxidants. Based on a simple chemical interaction of peroxynitrite (OONO-) and luminol, blue light is produced upon oxidation. It was shown that green tea and constituents have light inhibitory capabilities. In order to show the possible beneficial effects of green tea with DNA, plasmids were chosen to determine whether or not green tea was also capable of …

Factors Influencing Crosslink Formation In Muscle Tissue, Maricica Pacurari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of the crosslink breaker ALT-711 on the concentration of soluble collagen, as well as its effectiveness on meat tenderness.;Final body weights were not affected by treatments. Muscle tenderness was higher (p < 0.05) for TB, SS, BF, ST, and LT (p < 0.10) for A-maturity animals compared to control and ALT-711 treated animals. No consistent ALT-711 effect on shear force measurements was found. Shear force increased linearly with age BF, R2 = 0.94; SM, R2 = 0.81; LL, R 2 = 0.77; SS, R2 = 0.63; LT, R2 = 0.32; TB, R2 = 0.37; ST, R2 = 0.40. Total collagen content was not different (p > 0.10) between A-maturity, control and ALT-711 treated animals. However, the concentration of soluble collagen was higher (P < 0.05) for A-maturity group. Insoluble collagen content was higher (p < 0.05) for longissimus thoracis, biceps femoris, and (p < 0.10) for supraspinatus of control animals. Muscle soluble collagen content decreased linearly as chronological age increased LT R2 = 0.98; LL R 2 = 0.92; TB R2 = 0.99; BF R2 = 0.99; ST R2 = 0.95; SM R2 = 0.99; SS R2 = 0.36. The soluble collagen percentage was higher for ALT-711 treated animals compared to control animals.;ALT-711 tended to increase muscle soluble collagen content of aged cattle. ALT-711 may be an effective age-related collagen crosslink breaker. However, ALT-711 may not be used to improve meat quality of aged cattle.

Economic Evaluation Of Three Preventive Drug Therapies For Osteoporotic Fractures Among Women At Different Risk Levels, Xin Gao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objective. To evaluate cost-effectiveness (CE) of three drug therapies for preventing osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women from a state Medicaid Program perspective using the estimated risk distribution in the study population. The three therapies are: hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alendronate, and raloxifene. Methods. A hypothetical cohort of white women aged 45--85 years, postmenopausal, and without past incidence of osteoporotic fractures was treated with one of the three alternatives, and tracked over 3 years in a decision model. The CE ratio was defined as the treatment costs [e.g., medications, monitoring, adverse events (AE)] divided by the number of fractures averted. Treatment …

Ante- And Post-Mortem Factors Affect Muscle Protein Functionality From Fish, Sitima Jittinandana

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, fillets were brined in 8.7 or 17.4% (w/v) sodium chloride solution, respectively, for 30, 60, 90, or 120 min at 3°C. Increased brine concentration decreased brined pH, myosin solubility, brined and cooked moisture content, and water activity, and increased fillet weight loss after brining, cook yield, actin solubility, water-phase salt content, and shear force. Brining time linearly increased myofibrillar protein solubility, fillet weight loss after brining, water-phase salt content, and cooked ash content and linearly decreased water activity and brined and cooked moisture content. An 8.7% (w/v) brine and 90-min brining time resulted in maximum texture …

Effect Of Concentrations Of Progesterone On Follicular Development And Fertility In Beef Cows, Jason Brian Candler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of low ascending concentrations of progesterone on fertility in lactating beef cattle. Cows on the low ascending progesterone treatment received PGF2alpha from days 3 to 4 after estrus. All cows received PGF2alpha on day 9, and estradiol benzoate on day 11. Cows were inseminated artificially 12 hours after estrus. Concentrations of progesterone were lower in treated versus control cows. Pregnancy rate did not differ between treated and control cows. Pregnancy rate was greater in cows that ovulated a follicle from the right (78%) versus left (52%) ovary (p < 0.01). Low ascending progesterone early in the estrous cycle did not decrease fertility to the same extent seen with extended periods of low progesterone.

Damage Mechanics Of Human Cortical Bone, Gagik Parsam Parsamian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Skeletal fragility is an important orthopedic concern including the prevention of osteoporosis, long-term stability of prosthetic implants and stress fractures. Damage in human cortical bone has been implicated as a cause of increased fragility and is thought to initiate bone remodeling. Therefore, characterization of the mechanisms of damage initiation and accumulation in bone is challenging not only from the engineering prospective but also has a potential of revealing new insights in its physiology. The main objectives of this dissertation work were to study the early stages of damage development in human cortical bone and develop a constitutive formulation describing damage …

Socially Defined "Pms", Lora J. Bertelsen

Theses and Dissertations

No agreed upon definition for “PMS” exists. This study was designed to explore the conceptualizations of the expression “PMS” held by college students. It was hoped that results would inform not only assessment and treatment of premenstrual disorders, but also the debate regarding inclusion in future diagnostic and statistical manuals of the American Psychiatric Association.

Participants included 47 college students recruited from Freshman English classes at a small university in the Midwestern United States. Thirty female and 17 male participants were primarily Caucasian (43), single (36), and heterosexual (45). Each participant completed an in-class essay, an adjective checklist, and a …

Seasonal Plasticity Of A15 Dopaminergic Neurons In The Ewe, Van Lee Adams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the ewe, anestrus is caused by increased sensitivity to E2 negative feedback that is mediated by A15 dopaminergic neurons that are only responsive to E2 in anestrus. Experiment 1, tested the hypothesis that synaptic input on A15 neurons varies with season by examining synapsin-positive close contacts on A15 cells using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. The number of contacts on dendrites, but not somata, increased during anestrus. There were also corresponding changes in dendritic morphology including an increase in dendritic length, surface area, and number of bifurcations. Because thyroid hormones are necessary for the transition to anestrus, we next examined …

Transport And Utilization Of Arginine And Arginine-Containing Peptides By Rat Alveolar Macrophages, Xiaodong Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Purpose. To demonstrate that alveolar macrophages (AM) from rats exhibit pepT1-like transporter for the uptake of small arginine-containing peptides (ACPs) and utilized these peptides as direct substrates for nitric oxide (NO) production.;Method. A HPLC assay was developed for quantitative measurement of Arg and ACPs in rat plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The uptake of small peptides by rat AM was evaluated using fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC)-labeled (*) peptides (Arg-Lys*, beta-Ala-Lys*, and Gly-Sar-Lys*), HPLC analysis of potential peptide degradation, and known inhibitors on arginine (Arg) and PepT1 transport. NO production by AM through Arg and ACPs was studied with and without …

Functional Profiles Of Growth-Related Genes During Embryogenesis And Postnatal Development Of Chicken And Mouse Skeletal Muscle, Hakan Kocamis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to measure myostatin, follistatin, activin-B gene expressions during chicken embryonic development. Strong myostatin expression was found in the early chicken embryos (E 0, E 1) and the developmental expression pattern of myostatin mRNA coincided with the periods of primary and secondary muscle fiber formation. Follistatin transcripts followed a linear expression pattern from E 0 to E 20, while activin-B had a quadratic pattern. The ontogeny of myostatin gene expression was nearly identical in satellite cells isolated from pectoralis major (PM) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles of chicken. Activin-B mRNA level in PM satellite …

Women's Experiences With Chronic Heart Failure, Denise M. Boren Phd, Msn, Cns

Dissertations

Nationwide, approximately 4.1 million Americans suffer from chronic heart failure accounting for estimated direct and indirect costs of over $21 billion spent annually for health care. The incidence of heart failure has doubled each decade since the 1940's and slightly more men were inflicted with the illness. This trend changed three years ago, with a decline in the overall incidence of heart failure and a slight predominance of the illness in women rather than men. The incidence of this condition was reduced in males nearly three times that of females. Women survive longer after diagnosis, however they are hospitalized more, …

Facilitators And Barriers To Initiation Of Hormone Replacement Therapy By Nephrology Health Care Providers, Lynn Tramel

MSN Research Projects

Cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and dementia are three disease processes that have been directly linked to estrogen deficiency. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death for all postmenopausal women, including those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Osteoporosis and dementia are disease processes that profoundly affect the quality of life for postmenopausal women. Currently, 34% of women in the general population receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT), while only 10% of women with ESRD receive this therapy. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the facilitators and barriers of nephrology health care providers to initiation of HRT …

Knowledge Levels Of College Students Concerning Folic Acid, Lesa Faye Ferguson

MSN Research Projects

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most serious birth defects affecting approximately 4,000 pregnancies in the United States each year. More than one third of these pregnancies are spontaneously aborted. Thus, about 2,500 infants per year are born with an NTD. Research spanning two decades has shown that women who consume folic acid- containing supplements have 50% to 75% fewer infants with NTDs than women who do not consume folic acid supplements. Despite the empirical evidence in the literature, the message about folic acid is not getting across to the general public. This quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study examined the impact …

Adherence To Jnc Vi Guidelines For Hypertension Management By Primary Care Nurse Practitioners, Gregory N. Cagle

MSN Research Projects

Although improvement in the detection and treatment of hypertension has occurred over the last two decades, the trends have stagnated over the last 5 years with a related increase in mortality from cardiac failure and an increased incidence of end-stage renal disease. Current researchers have made a strong argument that many health care providers have not been successfully managing hypertension at a level, as established by research, to prevent target organ disease over time. As health care providers, family nurse practitioners (FNPs) and adult nurse practitioners (ANPs) are managing hypertension in outpatient settings as primary care nurse practitioners (PCNPs). This …

Rural Elders' Knowledge Of Nurse Practitioners As Health Care Providers, Tim Watson

MSN Research Projects

The population of America is growing older every year. Thirteen percent of the population is at least 65 years old. Many elders have limited health care choices because fewer physicians are locating their practices in rural areas. Nurse practitioners are now practicing in underserved areas such as rural communities. The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to explore baseline knowledge of rural elders concerning the role of nurse practitioners as health care providers. Becker's Health Belief Model was used to guide the research. The research question was as follows: What is rural elders' knowledge of nurse practitioners as health …

Preconception Health Care Practices Of Nurse Practitioners In The Primary Care Setting, Charlotte Anne Williams

MSN Research Projects

The United States Public Health Service recommends that age appropriate preconception care be provided to all women of reproductive age. Preconception health care provides a woman the opportunity to assess her health status before pregnancy, make appropriate health promoting behavior changes and increase the potential for a healthy pregnancy outcome. Neural tube defects, fetal alcohol syndrome, congenital malformations and low birth weight are examples of adverse infant conditions that can be reduced through preconception health care interventions. Current research suggests that preconception health care according to United States Public Health Service recommendations is not practiced in the primary care setting. …

Consumer Understanding Of The Food Guide Pyramid And Dietary Guidelines, Cynthia Reeves Tuttle

Journal of Extension

The Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines are tools commonly used in nutrition education. The Pyramid has become a highly visible marketing tool, and related consumer awareness is quite high. The study reported here compared perceived consumer awareness of these tools with consumers' ability to relate the information they impart. The results indicate that, although awareness and perceived knowledge of the content of the tools is high (100%), the ability to identify food groups, appropriate number of servings, and dietary guidelines is surprisingly low and not consistent with their perceptions. These findings indicate important areas of emphasis for Extension …