Digital Commons Network^™

Making The Great Journey: International Students’ Experiences At The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Anh Le

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The main purpose of the study was to produce an overview of international students’ experiences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) as articulated via their own words. The knowledge drawn from this study served as useful reference information for programs and courses geared toward international students. Given the many challenges facing international students and the great benefits that they bring, this study explored the experiences of international students at UNL. Although there has been a substantial amount of literature about international students, most of the research has been focused on a particular aspect of international students such as advising relationships …

The Use Of Factor Analysis In The Development Of Hand Sizes For Glove Design, Trevor M. Mclain

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Factor analysis was used to develop a more detailed description of the human hand to be used in the creation of glove sizes; currently gloves sizes are small, medium, and large. The created glove sizes provide glove designers with the ability to create a glove design that can provide fit to the majority of hand variations in both the male and female populations. The research used the American National Survey (ANSUR) data that was collected in 1988. This data contains eighty-six length, width, height, and circumference measurements of the human hand for one thousand male subjects and thirteen hundred female …

Pretreatments And Energy Potentials Of Appalachian Hardwood Residues For Biofuel Production, Adebola Bamikole Adebayo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Continuous increase in crude oil price and environmental issues related to toxic emissions from the use of petroleum products has necessitated the need to find an alternative renewable source of energy in woody biomass. Accordingly, properties, chemical pretreatments, and enzymatic hydrolysis of logging residues to fermentable sugars were evaluated in this study. Logging residue specimens of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and red oak (Quercus rubra) were collected from fifteen previously harvested sites across West Virginia and then analyzed for their physical, chemical, and thermal properties. Results indicated that logging residues of yellow-poplar and red oak were dried in nature to a …

Alterations In Hepatic Enzyme Activity And Progesterone Clearance In Lactating Dairy Cows, Caleb Owens Lemley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the cow, inadequate concentrations of progesterone during gestation may lead to an abrupt termination of pregnancy. The primary organ involved in progesterone catabolism is the liver, which contains an abundance of cytochrome P450 isozymes (CYP; EC 1.14.14.1) and aldo-keto reductases (AKR; EC 1.1.1.145-151), which are involved in the first phase of steroid inactivation, before second phase conjugation and excretion of the steroid metabolite by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT; EC 2.4.1.17). The objectives of the current experiments were to: (1) determine the effect of feeding two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets formulated to cause divergent insulin secretion, on hepatic progesterone catabolic enzyme activity …

Essays On The Public Economics Of Health, Rachel L. Mathers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores three important health issues, utilizing the tools provided by economics to provide new insight into areas of research typically the parlance of those in medical fields of study. The integration of economic theory into existing literature on health issues provides a more detail-rich explanation of health policy and corresponding health outcomes. This dissertation applies economic theory to the health topics of skin cancer, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and AIDS. There are five chapters included in this dissertation, beginning with an introduction in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 addresses the skin cancer paradox, specifically analyzing the relationship between National …

Pe Followed Me Home From School Today: Effects Of The Activity Challenge On Youth Summer Physical Activity, Kacey Digiacinto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The prevalence of overweight and obese youth in the nation is growing at an alarming pace (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008; West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, 2007). Currently, 3.8% of elementary schools, 7.9% of middle schools, and 2.1% of high schools provide daily physical education (Jones, Axelrad, & Wattigney, 2007). That means that a majority of America's youth are not provided with the opportunity to accumulate the recommended daily amounts of physical activity. With formal physical education in mind schools should be focusing on increasing youth out-of-school physical activity. Teacher assigned, out-of-school, physical activity, self-management …

Comparing The Use Of Qpcr On Isolated Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Hepatocytes For Estrogen Screening, Emily Breana Chambers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exposure of fish to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) is believed to be a contributing factor of intersex (the presence of immature oocytes in the testes) and fish kills in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. EEDCs are often seen in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. A simple and common way to look at the estrogenicity of water samples is to deploy Passive Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) and extract the hydrophilic compounds from the filters with methanol. Samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of two wastewater treatment plants, one on the Conococheague River and one on the Monocacy River, …

Residual Feed Intake, Body Composition And Fertility In Yearling Beef Heifers, Kevin S. Shaffer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One hundred thirty-seven spring born yearling beef heifers of English breed types were used to determine the relationships between residual feed intake (RFI) and growth rate, body composition, mature size, and fertility. Heifers were housed in a drylot facility during the trial and data were collected over a two-year period (year 1, n=67; year 2, n=70). Individual feed intake, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS ), hip height (HH), and carcass ultrasound measurements (subcutaneous rib and rump fat; RIF and RUF, respectively, longissimus muscle area; LMA, and intramuscular fat; IMF ) were collected. Individual feed intakes were expressed as …

Utilization Of Leaf Meal As A Potential Feed Source, Jason K. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alternative feeds are currently utilized by producers throughout much of animal agriculture as a method of reducing feed costs. Under careful resource management, and proper understanding of their potential effects on animal performance, some deciduous tree leaves may prove to be a valuable feed resource, as substantial tonnage exists in the forests of the United States. In order to assess their value as a feed source, fall-dropped Quercus alba (white oak) and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar) leaves were collected at the Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center in Beaver, WV by the USDA-ARS. Proximate analysis and fiber determination, as well as …

Long Term Ampk Activation Limits Obesity Induced Muscle Atrophy, Joshua C. Drake

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The aim of this study was to identify obesity-induced alterations in regulatory mechanisms of skeletal muscle mass and how they would be altered with long term (8 weeks) AMPK-agonist treatment. 8 week old male, lean (L) wild type [body weight (BW) = 26.9 g] and ob/ob (O) [BW = 46.2 g] mice were fed an AMP kinase (AMPK) activator, beta-GPA (F), mixed at a 1% concentration within their food or normal chow as control (C) for 8 weeks. Following an overnight (12 hr) fast, all mice were sacrificed and the gastrocnemius complex was excised for analysis. Muscle mass was lower …

Teaching Experiences Of African American Educators In The Rural South, Ellene Polidore, Stacey L. Edmonson, John R. Slate

The Qualitative Report

A scarcity of research exists regarding the voices of African American teachers who taught in the rural South. In this study, we report the life experiences, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of three female African American educators as they pertain to their experiences teaching before, during, and after desegregation. Three female African American educators who taught before, during, and after desegregation in the same school district in the rural South were interviewed extensively. Data analysis revealed themes that mirrored those themes found in resiliency research. By examining these resilience themes within the context of this study, a model of adult resilience …

School Public Relations: Relating With Lep Families, Annette Serventi Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this paper was to examine newsletters disseminated by school public relations programs to their community in districts where Spanish is the primary home language. A content analysis examined district newsletters of school districts located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The examination of district-issued newsletters determined the percentage of stories written in English or Spanish to compare with the demographic make-up, specifically the percentage of the non-English speaking parents of the district and the percentage of Limited English Proficient students. Stories were also analyzed to determine whether there were recurring themes in the English versus Spanish …

The Effect Of Shapedown On Habits And Self-Esteem For Overweight And Obese Children, Susan Bonnell Phd

Dissertations

Obesity in children is increased in the United States and globally which creates both physical and psychological health risks and co-morbidities affecting the development of positive self-esteem (Sinton & Birch, 2005; Whetstone, Morrissey, & Cummings, 2007). The development of poor self-esteem in children increases the risk of problem behaviors such as aggression, crime, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, tobacco use, and eating disorders (Brook et al., 2007). Treatment of childhood obesity is multifaceted, requiring behavioral and lifestyle changes for both child and family to achieve a healthy weight (De-Santis-Moniaci & Altshuler, 2007; Plourde, 2006; Ritchie, Crawford, Hoelscher, & Sothern, …

Violence, Depression, Parental Stress, And Child Neglect Among High Risk Postpartum Women, Kristen D. Lambert Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to characterize a vulnerable population of postpartum women at risk for family violence and maladaptive outcomes and to determine the degree the identified attributes increase the risk of child neglect and psychological aggression. Lazarus' Appraisal Theory and Scaer's Traumatic Spectrum framework provided a conceptual basis to examine the interrelationships between intimate partner violence (IPV), depression, previous traumatic history, and child neglect. A descriptive correlation design using secondary analysis of longitudinal data collected for the Healthy Families San Diego Clinical Trial was used. Standardized measures including the CTS, CTS2, CTSPC, CES-D and PSI were administered …

Perception Of The Risks And Benefits Of Bt Eggplant By Indian Farmers, Mark Chong

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Several researchers most notably Lennart Sjoberg and his colleagues have proposed that the moral aspects of risk provide a better explanation of risk perception than the psychometric paradigm or Cultural Theory, neither of which accounts for moral concerns. This study is possibly the first to assess empirically the perception of the risks and benefits of a transgenic food crop transgenic Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis ) eggplant by farmers in a developing country such as India. It also aims to assess if the moral aspects of risk figure in Indian farmers' perception of Bt eggplant and if economic benefits outweigh perceived …

A Historical Analysis Of Property Reform Act Of 2006, David Pitts

All Dissertations

The South Carolina Property Tax Reform Bill was signed into law in June 2006 creating a new way of generating money for public education in South Carolina. The Property Tax Reform Act eliminated 100% of the fair market value of 4% owner-occupied property for the purposes of taxation for school operations. Additionally, the Act increased the sales tax by 1% on most goods. Further, the Act limited a local school district's ability to raise additional revenue.
The following qualitative study used historical research design with an emphasis on oral history. The researcher used the wealth neutrality theory for the theoretical …

Chemical Characterization Of Botanical Products: Comprehensive Speciation By Liquid Chromatography Particle Beam Mass Spectrometry, Joaudimir Castro Georgi

All Dissertations

The dietary supplement industry has expanded and many of these supplements have become an important aspect of people's everyday lives. In 1994, the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) classified numerous nutraceutical/botanical products as dietary supplements because of their beneficial medicinal properties and provided the necessary regulation to the supplement producers. Since then, the interest of the scientific community towards dietary supplements has grown intensively and numerous studies have been carried out in order to understand the chemical behavior of the active molecules in the human body. The development towards analytical methods for the quantification of the active …

Mobility Of Plutonium In Zea Mays (Corn): Determination Of Transport Velocities, Spatial Distribution And Correlations With Iron., Shannon Thompson

All Dissertations

Understanding the environmental behavior of plutonium (Pu) is essential for proper radioactive waste disposal or for remedial activities following an accidental release of Pu. The environmental behavior of Pu is influenced by physical, chemical, and biotic factors, such as the simultaneous existence of multiple Pu species, redox transformations at mineral surfaces, colloid formation, and the potential of microbes and plants to affect its sorption to soil. Plant Pu studies have been conducted for quantifying bioaccumulation or phytoremediation. Until now, experimental studies have not focused on the capacity of plants to affect the transport behavior and distribution of Pu in the …

Comparison Of Two Bone Mineral Density Pre-Screening Tools: Qus And Ra, To The Dxa, Rachel Beth Newcomer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Osteoporosis is a health issue that is becoming more prominent in today's society. Bone mineral density (BMD) tests have the ability to: detect low bone density before a fracture occurs and predict the chances of future fractures occurring and determine an individual's rate of bone loss. Purpose: (1) Determine the relationship between BMD t-scores measured by the QUS and RA devices, compared to the DXA measurement, the gold standard. (2) Examine the agreement between osteoporosis classifications produced by the QUS and RA devices, compared to those produced by the DXA, the gold standard. Methods: 132 subjects reported to the Human …

Exercise Adherence Following Short Term Weight Loss Programs, Justine Coleman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The dramatic increase in obesity has captured the attention of the government, private foundations, and the media for several years. One media outlet, reality television, a social phenomenon, has pushed the epidemic into the public eye (Finklestein, Brown, & Evans, 2008). One of the most popular weight loss programs on television is the Biggest Loser. The popularity of the television show has been a possible catalyst of the epidemic of similar weight loss programs in community gyms, recreation settings, and even within universities around the United States. The purpose of this study was to conduct a follow up assessment with …

Evaluation Of Recovery In Female Swimmers During A Competitive Season, D'Arcy Wiart

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Objective: To monitor the stress and recovery of college swimmers throughout a competitive season. The priori hypothesis was that RESTQ-SPORT scores will change with changes in training load through the season Patients or Other Participants: 23 female swimmers (mean age = 19.48±1.16, mean height = 168.6 cm ± 5.5, mean weight = 65.91kg ± 7.78) that were members of a southeastern Division I intercollegiate swim team. Interventions: The training load was measured using session rate of perceived exertion (RPE). RPE uses a 0-10 Borg scale to define effort. Each individual's daily score was multiplied by practice duration to give a …

Kinship: Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind And The Irish Big House Genre, Patricia Homer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Critics have largely dismissed Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel Gone with the Wind as a serious work of literature. Although various references to Irish culture permeate Gone with the Wind, the novel has not been compared to any Irish literature or mythology. This thesis compares Gone with the Wind with Irish Big House literature and mythology through the lens of biography and history. The works of William Butler Yeats, Maria Edgeworth, and Edith Somerville and Martin Ross are also employed to show evidence of the connection of Gone with the Wind to Irish Big House literature. This comparison results in a …

Dynamic Predictive Model For The Growth Of Salmonella Spp. In Liquid Whole Egg And Risk Evaluation Of Egg White Hydrolysates Manufacturing Process For Spore Formers: Bacillus Cereus And Clostridium Perfringens, Aikansh Singh

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A dynamic model for the growth of Salmonella spp. in liquid whole egg under continuously varying temperature was developed and validated. A primary model (Baranyi model) was fitted to each temperature growth data and corresponding maximum growth rates were estimated. Pseudo-R² values were greater than 0.97 for primary models. The maximum growth rates obtained from each primary model were then plotted against temperature and modeled using the modified Ratkowsky model. The pseudo-R² and root mean square error were 0.99 and 0.06 h^-1, respectively for the secondary model. A dynamic model for the prediction of Salmonella spp. …

A Proposal For An Art Therapy Intervention For The Reduction Of Dementia Caregiver Stress, Eileen Douglas

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to develop an art therapy intervention program to test the efficacy of art therapy in the mitigation of stress among informal caregivers who are caring for individuals suffering from dementia. The design of this program is a prospective, randomized, controlled study of informal caregivers. This program will run for a period of 2 months, with a 30 day follow-up session. The study is designed to recruit at least 20 participants. Participants will be randomized into two separate groups, an art therapy intervention group and a controlled art making group. The Zarit Burden Interview, Cohen …

An African-American Breast Cancer Survivor’S Journey With The Use Of Visual Journaling, Kristen Spellman

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study guided one female breast cancer survivor through a 6-week art therapy visual journaling experience. The art therapist taught the participant about the purpose of visual journaling and the potential benefits, as well as the basic methods used to journal. Qualitative data consisted of the visual journal entry (containing both images and writing) that she made in each session and entries made between sessions. Through content analysis, the following themes emerged from the data: breast cancer treatment, anger, family, body image, and depression. The sessions appeared to be beneficial to the participant, and she was enthusiastic and …

A Study Of Artwork By Individuals With Eating Disorders, Michelle L. Mong

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

This study explored formal elements and content of 200 images created by eating disordered individuals to identify common themes or content. Images were found on 24 websites containing eating disordered artwork. Gathered artwork was viewed on a laptop and analyzed using methods of content analysis. After categories of formal elements and content were entered into a spreadsheet, percentages of categories and subcategories were calculated. The majority of images, 96.5%, were created with representational, rather than abstract, content. Other high percentages were in the subcategories of drawings (67.5%), vertical orientation (63%), color (61%), and partial figures (53%). Common themes noted in …

Art Therapy And Anorexia: A Heuristic Self-Study From Treatment To Career, Katie Kiskinis

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this self-study was to explore the personal experience had during treatment for anorexia nervosa that included an art therapy component and what impact this has had on subsequent recovery, current healthy functioning, and the career decision to become an art therapist.

The total duration of the study was 13 weeks. Thirty-minute reflection sessions supplemented with writing were scheduled for the first four days of the study, during which there was a submersion in artwork made during treatment (Treatment Artwork) for anorexia nervosa and any related memories. On the fourth day, eight themes were identified to be the …

Quantitative Descriptive Analysis And Development Of A Lexiconal Language For Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Leaves And Utilization Of Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Root Starch In Conventional Milk Yogurt, Husniye Imamoglu

Theses and Dissertations

Fresh Pueraria Lobata (kudzu) leaves were evaluated by sensory descriptive analysis. Covariate analysis determined the effects of leaf size and time on 32 sensory variables. Best fit polynomial regressions over time were determined for responses affected. Correlation analyses were executed on attributes in each of the sensory groupings with those variables which were significantly affected by time. Sensory properties of dried kudzu leaves were compared by using three different drying techniques: Convection oven, vacuum and food dehydrator. Covariate analysis determined the effects of leaf size, days, dryers and their interaction on 44 sensory variables. The fitted response regressions were determined …

Potencies Of The Resistant Maize Genotypes Against Biotic Stresses And Understanding Their Strategies, Arunkanth Ankala

Theses and Dissertations

Maize is an important food crop in most parts of the world including the United States. The plants growing in the field are constantly challenged with various biotic stresses like insect herbivores and fungal pathogens. The physical wounds produced on the growing crops by the insects render the plants more vulnerable to the fungal pathogens. Hence developing both insect and fungal resistant maize varieties is crucial to benefit more from the harvest. Several studies have been in advance in this direction and as a consequence insect, in particular lepidopteran larve resistant maize genotype Mp708 and Aspergillus flavus resistant genotype Mp313E …

Leadership And Decision-Making Life Skill Development In Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports Participants, Shanna Marie Holder

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the importance of decision-making and leadership skills in adulthood, it is important to learn these life skills early in life. The purpose of this descriptive research is to determine whether 4-H youth participating in Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports learn leadership and decision-making skills. This research surveyed the Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports state invitational qualifiers at the Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports State Invitational Competitions. The youth surveyed indicated a gain in leadership and decision-making life skills through participation in Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports Program. The average participant was Caucasian male that was 16 years old, has been participating in …