Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of Remittance Tendencies Of Philippine Migrant Workers, Maryan S. Samson

CMC Senior Theses

In developing countries, remittances play a key role as a source of external finance. Remittances are a form of aid that migrant workers send back to their families, located in their home countries, in order to support the needs of the household. In about 25% of developing countries, remittances are larger than public and private capital flows combined (International Monetary Fund, 2009). In 2008, the Philippines economy was the 47^th largest economy in the world with a GDP of $322 billion dollars (Asian Development Bank, Fact Sheet). Remittances accounted for over 10% of the Philippine economy, making the Philippines …

An Evaluation Of Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives Implemented By Alcoa, Votorantim, And Vale As A Means To Aid In Poverty Alleviation In The Brazilian Regions These Mining Companies Operate, Emily A. Coleman

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis evaluates the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives implemented by Alcoa, Votorantim, and Vale as a means to aid in poverty alleviation in the Brazilian regions these mining companies operate. Even though Brazil is ranked as the eighth largest economy in the world, 50 million Brazilians are living on less than US$1 per day. The presence of large mining corporations in Brazil’s poorest regions represents an opportunity for corporate social responsibility investments to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions in these locations. This research highlights the importance of designing corporate social responsibility programs according to the specific characteristics of …

The Impact Of A Conditional Cash Transfer Program On Credit Behavior In Colombia, Brittany Pineros

CMC Senior Theses

This paper investigates the impact of Familias en Acción, a conditional cash transfer program in Colombia, on participant credit behavior. The motivation of the research is derived from previous studies which indicate that conditional cash transfer programs have effects on households aside from those directly intentioned by the programs. While the direct impacts of Familias en Acción have been measured by the research team responsible for evaluating the program, potential indirect effects remain uninvestigated. My research specifically focuses on the impacts of the program on credit behavior. I compute estimates on the percent change in loan balance outstanding and …

Overcoming The Obstacles To Sustainability In Ghana, Ashley M. Scott

CMC Senior Theses

For several decades following its independence from Great Britain, Ghana’s policies continued to promote over-extraction of natural resources to the detriment of its economy and rural communities.  Agricultural and forestry policy has gradually evolved to foster more sustainable and equitable practices, as in building partnerships with the private sector to fund infrastructure improvements.  Policy has recently recognized the dire need to adopt agricultural practices and means of forest resource extraction that are compatible with ecological stewardship.  However, many shortcomings are still apparent.  Large logging operations completely disregard forestry regulations with impunity, whereas rural sustenance extractors are severely punished in the …

Re-Evaluating Poverty Alleviation Strategies: The Impact Of Microfinance On Child Labor In Bangladesh., Lauren C. Smith

CMC Senior Theses

Microfinance has become one of the most promising tools for development and poverty alleviation over the past two decades. Millions of borrowers around the globe have utilized microcredit to start or expand their small businesses and raise their household income. One poverty-induced problem microfinance could potentially alleviate is child labor. Despite international legislation prohibiting it, child labor continues to deprive millions of children of their right to education. Without education, there is little hope for a country to increase productivity and wealth in the future. A number of scholars have highlighted a negative correlation between credit rationing and child labor. …

The Homeless Adolescent Population: Complexity, Protective Factors, And Prevention, Anastasia Jones

CMC Senior Theses

The growing number of people living below the poverty line has made homelessness a topic of interest, once again. This paper focuses on the homeless adolescent population that is often overlooked, and explores the complexity of the homeless situation, and how there is no definite solution to overcome homelessness. At-risk and homeless adolescents are affected by many negative factors that cause them to seek early independence, such as parenting style, finical instability, lack of an education, drugs and alcohol, physical and sexual abuse, all of which are discussed in this paper. Along with the negative factors, there are protective barriers …

Exploring The Flynn Effect: A Comprehensive Review Of The Causal Debate, Abby J. Trimble

CMC Senior Theses

Since its discovery in 1984, psychological investigators have continued to explore the Flynn Effect, the phenomenon of consistent and secular IQ gains within industrialized nations approximating 0.3 points per year. The most contentious debate within this field of research surrounds the purported cause of the Effect, and yet the research literature lacks a synthesis of the leading causal theories and the evidence supporting them. The principal hypothesized causal mechanisms – psychometric artifact, educational intervention, environmental changes, nutrition, genetics, gene-environment interaction model, medical improvements, and the multiplicity hypothesis – are reviewed and analyzed within the larger breadth of Flynn Effect scholarly …

Determining A Patient Recovery From A Total Knee Replacement Using Fuzzy Logic And Active Databases, Robert Azarbod

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the knowledge-based system is to predict the rehabilitation timeline of a patient in physical therapy for a total knee replacement. All patients have various attributes that contribute to their rehabilitation rate such as: weight, gender, smoking habit, medications, physical ability, or other medical problems. A combination of any one or several of these attributes will affect the recovery process. The proposed FRTP (Fuzzy Rehabilitation Timeline Predictor) is a fuzzy data mining model that can predict the recovery length of a patient in physical therapy for a total knee replacement and provide feedback to experts for revision of …

Trends In The Clinical Characteristics Of Hiv Infected Patients Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy In Kenya, Uganda And Tanzania Between 2002 And 2009, Elvin H. Geng, Peter W. Hunt, Lameck O. Diero, Sylvester Kimaiyo, Geofrey R. Somi, Pius Okong, David R. Bangsberg, Mwebesa B. Bwana, Craig R. Cohen, Juliana A. Otieno, Deo Wabwire, Batya Elul, Denis Nash, Philippa J. Easterbrook, Paula Braitstein, Beverly S. Musick, Jeffrey N. Martin, Constantin T. Yiannoutsos, Kara Wools-Kaloustian

Publications and Research

Background: East Africa has experienced a rapid expansion in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIVinfected patients. Regionally representative socio-demographic, laboratory and clinical characteristics of patients accessing ART over time and across sites have not been well described.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of characteristics of HIV-infected adults initiating ART between 2002 and 2009 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and in the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS Consortium. Characteristics associated with advanced disease (defined as either a CD4 cell count level of less than 50 cells/mm3 or a WHO Stage 4 condition) at the time of ART initiation …

Men's Basketball Yearbook 2011-2012, Indiana State University

Intercollegiate Athletics

No abstract provided.

Assessing Relationships Of Moose Populations, Winter Ticks, And Forest Regeneration In Northern New Hampshire, Daniel Henry Bergeron

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examined relationships among winter ticks, weather, and the nutritional and reproductive status of moose, and the impact of moose on regeneration of commercial forests in northern New Hampshire. Three methods were evaluated to assess their usefulness as indices of relative winter tick abundance, and predictors of tick epizootics: tick counts on harvested moose and roadside, spring hair-loss surveys were considered time and cost effective to index winter tick abundance. Physical characteristics of harvested moose (1988--2009) indicated ovulation rates (∼20%), and mean body weight (<200 kg) of yearlings declined since 1988; because adult body weight and ovulation rates remained stable, habitat quality was unlikely related. Winter tick epizootics are likely influenced by abnormal large scale weather events, as evident in the widespread die-off in 2002 associated with warm snowless conditions into mid-December 2001 that extended tick transmission to moose. Spring and fall weather should be monitored for unusual conditions causing high tick abundance and tick loads, particularly warm and snowless conditions in April and December. Mean stocking rate of all age classes of commercial tree species was above the threshold in all regions (49--87%); forest regeneration was not considered a regional problem at any moose density.

Herbage Mass Accumulation In An Intensive Rotational Grazing System At Unh's Organic Dairy Research Facility, Ashley Green

Master's Theses and Capstones

Pasture-based animal management in the Northeast U.S. relies on the ability to efficiently estimate pasture production and animal intake. Accuracy and precision of a rising plate meter, NDVI meter, and height measurements for estimating pasture biomass were compared relative to hand-clipped samples. Pasture measurements were used to describe biomass accumulation, lactating dairy herd intakes, and re-growth patterns for intensively rotated pastures. Pastures were measured from May-September, 2009 at the UNH Organic Dairy Research Facility in Lee, NH. The rising plate meter provided the most robust estimates of biomass (R²=0.58, SEE=2.73). Forty-seven paddocks were measured for 82 total grazing events; grazing …

The Spatial And Temporal Distribution, Population Growth Strategies And Options For The Removal Of The Invasive Shore Crab Carcinus Maenas In Two New Hampshire Estuaries, Beth Allison Fulton

Master's Theses and Capstones

The spatial and temporal distribution of the green crab, Carcinus maenas, along with various green crab population parameters, were studied in two New Hampshire estuaries over a one-year period from November 2009 to October 2010. Results show that foraging activity in Great Bay Estuary peaked in December and March, and in HSE, in April and November. Crabs in both estuaries experienced synchronous breeding periods. Males experienced two molts per year in April and November, while females molted synchronously in June. Embryogenesis was accomplished within the month of June. Minimum size at maturity for females in New Hampshire was larger than …

The Needs Of Rural Homeless Families In Grafton County, New Hampshire: A Qualitative Inquiry, Pamela B. Thyng

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study explored the experiences of homeless families in the rural area of Grafton County in New Hampshire. In the literature review there is evidence that the needs of homeless people in rural areas are unique. Because of the unique needs of this population the service providers face different obstacles than their counterparts in urban areas. The researcher interviewed (N=7) homeless family members living in, or previously living in, a shelter as well as county government officials in the region. Through the use of a semi-structured interview and a grounded theory approach to the analysis of the data several themes …

Dominance In A Dating Relationship And Violence Approval As Partial Mediating Factors Between Violent Socialization And Perpetrating Dating Partner Violence, Thomas Lopez

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study investigated the possible mediating relationships between experiencing corporal punishment and partner violence perpetration and witnessing parental violence and partner violence perpetration. The sample used was 14,252 university students in 32 nations who participated in the International Dating Violence Study. For both men and women, self-dominance partly mediated the relationships between corporal punishment and perpetrating minor assault and corporal punishment and perpetrating severe assault. For men and women self-dominance mediated the relationships between witnessing parental violence and perpetrating minor assault and witnessing parental violence and perpetrating both types of assault for males and females. Violence approval did not partly …

Letter From The Dean, Michael Vayda

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 12 2011, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Nutrition-Teaching Self-Efficacy On Daily Fruit And Vegetable Intake, Leslie E. Rawls Hoglund

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption is directly linked to the prevalence of obesity and chronic disease in the United States. The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) offers elementary school teachers access to healthy foods as part of the public school classroom experience. The purpose of this study---which was based on self-efficacy theory and the socio-ecological model---was to examine if an association exists between selected factors: (a) daily fruit and vegetable consumption, training status in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and an established school nutrition policy and (b) nutrition-teaching self-efficacy (NTSE) among elementary school …

Burgerville: Sustainability And Sourcing In A Qsr Supply Chain, Darrell Brown, Phil Berko, Patrick Dedrick, Brie Hilliard, Joshua Pfleeger

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Jack Graves is considering buying chicken. More precisely, Jack is considering where to buy chicken. He needs to make a recommendation to the purchasing team soon, and the decision is complicated. Jack is a long-time employee of the Burgerville restaurant chain, a quick-serve restaurant chain in the Northwest USA. Burgerville prides itself in being true to its long-held values while maintaining profitability and growth. Graves’ primary job at Burgerville is to assure that the company’s values are embedded in all its actions, including its relationships to its supply chain. His current concern is the dilemma of which values to promote. …

Medicine@Yale March/April 2011 Volume 7, Issue 1, Yale School Of Medicine Office Of Communications

Medicine@Yale - development newsletter

Medicine@Yale : advancing biomedical science, education and health care was a print and online newsletter which published news about academics, research and philanthropy for alumni, donors, faculty, students and the general public. It was initially published 6 times a year and then changed to a quarterly schedule. The first issue came out June/Jul. 2005. The final issue was published in May/June 2022, vol. 17, issue 1. Published by Yale School of Medicine, Office of Communications.

Small Intestine Submucosa Effects On Long Term Viability Of Transplanted Pancreatic Cells, Joshua P. Pregnar

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The biologic functions carried out by the pancreas are, without a doubt, essential to life. This can be demonstrated by the fact that some diabetics require insulin supplementation and those suffering from other diseases of the pancreas, such as pancreatitis, or who have undergone pancreatectomy require supplementation with exocrine enzymes. As would be expected, we are constantly searching for more longterm, patient oriented solutions to chronic health conditions. As such, there has been a gradual transition from daily insulin injections to insulin pumps which allow for easier and more closely controlled glucose levels. Work has also been done regarding various …

Androgen Receptor-Dependent Effects Of Resveratrol On Tnsin Mrna Levels In Prostate Cancer Cells, Courtney Pisano

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The chemopreventive effects of resveratrol (RSV) on cancers, including prostate cancer, have been well documented; but the mechanisms are not well known. It has been reported recently that tensin, a matrix-adhesion protein, which is greatly down-regulated in prostate cancer, has been induced by RSV in several cancer cell lines. In order to know if RSV up-regulates tensin in prostate cells, we first treated LNCaP cells with RSV and demonstrated that tensin mRNA levels were upregulated by RSV in a time and dose dependent manner. Since LNCaP cells are androgen receptor (AR) positive and previous findings have shown that RSV down-regulates …

Dispersants And Seafood Safety Assessment Of The Potential Impact Of Corexit® Oil Dispersants On Seafood Safety, Robert W. Dickey, Walton W. Dickhoff

Coastal Response Research Center

The April 20, 2010 explosion and subsequent sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil production platform (DWH) resulted in the largest oil spill in U.S. history. On April 29th, a Spill of National Significance was declared as roughly 53 thousand barrels of oil per day flowed into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The U.S. Coast Guard estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude oil escaped before the damaged DWH wellhead was sealed on July 15, 2010 (National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling 2010). Oil spill clean-up methods included skimming operations, burning of surface oil, siphoning oil …

Bgsu Graduate College 2011-2012 Catalog, Bowling Green State University

Course Catalogs

Bowling Green State University graduate catalog for 2011-2012.

A Study Of Early Childhood Education Teachers' Level Of Education, Compensation, Work Environment And Retention, M. Elida Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher job retention in the context of educational level, compensation, and work environment ratings. The study surveyed ECE teachers online in the Southern California, especially in Los Angeles County. Statistical analysis was conducted on survey responses from 76 ECE teachers and 55 ECE administrators. The majority of the ECE teachers (51%) possessed bachelor's degrees. Data findings revealed statistically non-significant relationships between anticipated job retention and teachers' level of education as well as for compensation earned. Study participants reported a mean monthly salary of $3,268. The data for ECE administrators, however, did reveal a …

The Effect Of Untreated And Enzyme-Treated Commercial Dairy Powders On The Growth And Adhesion Of Streptococcus Mutans, Rachel Halpin, D.B. Brady, E.D. O’Riordan, M. O’Sullivan

Articles

Dental caries is a common bacterial infection, but the progression of this disease can be delayed by preventing initial attachment of cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans to tooth surfaces. This study firstly compares the effect of untreated (UT) and enzyme-treated (ET) dairy powders on the adherence of S. mutans to hydroxylapatite (HA), an analogue of tooth enamel. A fluorescence-based method was used to quantify adherence of S. mutans to HA both in the presence (S-HA) and absence (PBS-HA) of saliva. Secondly, binding of proteins present in the test materials to HA was quantified using bicinchonic acid assays and SDS-PAGE. …

Women's Social Networking: Steps That Organize Low-Technology Users With Emergency Needs, Jon O. Gary

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was for the researcher to develop and have evaluated the content, organization and ease of use of a computer-training program Emergency Response Quick Start book based on Information and Communication Technology environmental designs. This book was most notably based on underutilized women social networking traditions (food recipe/ meal preparation, and service). One research objective guided the development and evaluation of this training program: 1. This study provided an opportunity for a group of urban adults to evaluate, clarify, and test the ease of use of this computer-training program Emergency Response Quick Start book. The 14 …

An Untold Story: African American Women Founders Of Private And Charter High Schools, Sharon Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to provide a leadership profile of selected African American (AA) women founders of private and charter high schools. To determine this profile, the research was designed to provide a defined exploration of the founders' leadership style, background, career, religious and ethical influences, entrepreneurship, community involvement, and their experiences with mentoring and helping traditions. This study also provides a demographic description of the schools they founded. This study details the untold story of a group of AA women who have affected the lives of many children. A literature review and adaptation of Yael Hellman's study …

A Systemic Perspective Of Stress In Emergency Medical Personnel: Emergency Medical Technicians And Firefighters, Rob W. Wennerberg

Theses and Dissertations

Emergency medical personnel (firefighters and ambulance personnel) have higher levels of lifetime PTSD symptoms than the general population. Historically this has been attributed to the number of exposures to traumatic incidents, called the dose effect, but recent literature has suggested that there is a complex web of variables that affect an individual's experience of trauma. Through an interpretive review of the literature this dissertation takes the concepts supported by empirical research and organizes them into an integrated theoretical structure. With ecological psychology at the core, the integration uses Living Systems theory as a structure with which to organize and explore …

An Autoethnographic Case Study Of A Manager Experiencing Professional Transition, Jean Ann Larson

Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnographic case study explores how one manager navigated a period of significant professional transition as a senior healthcare executive. The intent is to study how managerial leaders, which is Peter Vaill's (1996) definition of managers of people and organizations, can transition and develop behaviors and ways of thinking and being, in order to stay effective and learn and grow while experiencing significant changes. The study focuses on behaviors, practices and conditions that can be employed during times of transition in order to enable learning and professional development from the experience of transition. Using an autoethnographic approach, the case study …