Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of An Integrated Health And Physical Education Program On Student Achievement, Myralynn B. Catchings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, several schools have addressed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 by focusing on promoting skill acquisition in reading and math, often overlooking physical education (PE) as a significant part of a child's education. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated health and physical education (HPE) program on student achievement. This study was grounded in action-based learning theories. The research question examined differences in posttest scores, adjusted for pretest differences, from 204 freshman students enrolled in a Biology-1 class at an urban high school. Students in Group A …

Association Between Fast Food Consumption And Obesity And High Blood Pressure Among Office Workers, Kifle Mihrete

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fast food consumption among office workers is a common phenomenon. Frequent consumption of fast food is linked to cardiovascular risk factors. The pervasiveness of these risk factors has debilitated the office workers' health and contributed to low performance and absenteeism. However, there remains a significant gap in the current literature regarding the health impacts of frequent fast food consumption behavior of office workers. Consuming large portions of fast food has been associated with obesity. The purpose of this correlation study was to investigate the relationship between fast food consumption and obesity and hypertension among office workers. The theoretical foundations for …

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Infant Sleep-Related Deaths, Catherine M. Hogan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial disparity is present in deaths attributed to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and unintentional suffocation. The Back to Sleep Campaign that began in 1994 caused an overall decrease in SIDS rates, but the racial disparity has continued to increase. Researchers have analyzed and described various socio-demographic characteristics of SIDS and infant deaths by unintentional suffocation in urban areas yet have not simultaneously controlled for multiple risk factors that may contribute to racial disparity such as race, poverty, maternal education, and number of children born to each mother (parity). The purpose of this study was to determine if there is …

A Test Of An Evolutionary Theory Of Adiposity Gain Induced By Long Sleep In Descendants Of European Hunter-Gatherers, Oleksiy Chadyuk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified inadequate sleep duration as one of the factors contributing to global obesity. The purpose of this study was to test a hypothesis deduced from a new sleep-duration-based evolutionary theory claiming that sleep extension in response to lengthening night duration in early fall evolved into a behavioral marker of an approaching winter; this adaptive trait was theorized to produce adiposity gain in White men in response to sleep extension. The hypothesis was that White Americans would show a greater increase in the age-adjusted fat mass index per unit of sleep duration compared to that of Black Americans. Data …

Impact Of Nutrition Education On Student Learning, Lydia Singura

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A goal of schools is to provide students with practical nutritional information that will foster healthy lifelong behaviors. Unfortunately, students at one school were found to have difficulty grasping basic nutritional information and practical health-related skills. There remains an important gap in current literature regarding strategies to improve students' understanding of nutrition education material. The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits of a 4-week nutrition intervention unit in the Foods I classes consisting of 82 male and female students in Grades 9-12. Constructivist teaching methods were implemented to provide students with both information and valuable skills, which …

Learning Style Needs And Effectiveness Of Adult Health Literacy Education, Leah A. Grebner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low health literacy impacts an individual's ability to comprehend communication from healthcare providers, reduces access to healthcare, and contributes to increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of learning style on adult health literacy education. The health belief model, protection motivation theory, the transtheoretical model, and social cognitive theory were used to analyze the data in this study, and to further develop effective health literacy education. The research questions addressed the effectiveness of educational intervention adjusted to their appropriate learning style in comparison to a standardized health literacy intervention and potential difference, according to type …

An Examination Of Awareness Of Over-The-Counter Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs And Adverse Events, Michelle Popa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The elderly population is among the fastest growing populations in the United States. Finding and consuming medications safely and effectively are challenging endeavors for this population. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a widely consumed class of medications among the elderly population, with 70% of individuals consuming over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs once a week and 34% using them daily. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether (a) patients are aware of the risks associated with the consumption of NSAIDs, and (b) there are differences in awareness based upon specific demographic characteristics and levels of patient-physician communication. The health belief …

Factors Influencing U.S. Army Personnel Meeting Body Mass Index Standards, Salma Theus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. Army Regulations require soldiers to be fit, as excessive weight negatively impacts their readiness, health, and morale. A quantitative study examined if personal, behavioral, and/or environmental factors predict a soldier's self-efficacy and body mass index. Data were obtained from 117 soldiers on 6 scales: the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, the Army Physical Fitness Test, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Stress Management Questionnaire, the Lifestyle Assessment Inventory, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine if personal (intellectual capabilities and physical fitness), behavioral (lifestyle and stress management), and/or environmental (supervisor leadership) factors predict self-efficacy and …

Discrete Trial Instruction: Comparing The Abbreviated Performance Feedback And Lecture Test Models, Tammy J. Dobbs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Growing media attention and a high diagnosis rate of autism places significant demand on the service industry to provide qualified staff to work with individuals who have autism. Discrete trial instruction (DTI) is one of the most sought-after treatment approaches for those individuals. However, there is a gap in research regarding the efficacy of training methods for those who train direct staff to implement DTI. This quantitative study used an applied behavior analysis basis, deriving from foundations of behavior theory, to compare the abbreviated feedback form (AFF) to the lecture test model (LTM) to understand which will improve direct staff's …

Higher Micronutrient Intake Is Associated With Human Papillomavirus-Positive Head And Neck Cancer: A Case-Only Analysis, Anna E. Arthur, Sonia A. Duffy, Gloria I. Sanchez, Stephen B. Gruber, Jeffrey E. Terrell, James R. Hébert, Emily Light, Carol R. Bradford, Nisha J. D'Silva, Thomas E. Carey, Gregory T. Wolf, Karen E. Peterson, Laura S. Rozek

Faculty Publications

No studies have investigated dietary differences between head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive tumors and patients with HPV-negative tumors. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between diet and HPV status in HNSCC patients. Cases of HNSCC were recruited from 2 clinical centers participating in the University of Michigan Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE). HPV tissue genotyping was performed, and epidemiological and dietary data collected. Multivariable logistic regression tested whether pretreatment consumption of 12 selected micronutrients was significantly associated with HPV-positive status in 143 patients newly diagnosed with cancer …

Adjusting Wheal Size Measures To Correct Atopy Misclassification, Hongmei Zhang, Wilfried J. Karmaus, Jianjun Gan, Weichao Bao, Yan D. Zhao, Dewi Rahardja, John W. Holloway, Martha Scott, Syed Hasan Arshad

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Skin prick testing (SPT) is fundamental to the practice of clinical allergy identifying relevant allergens and predicting the clinical expression of disease. Wheal sizes on SPT are used to identify atopic cases, and the cut-off value for a positive test is commonly set at 3 mm. However, the measured wheal sizes do not solely reflect the magnitude of skin reaction to allergens, but also skin reactivity (reflected in the size of histamine reaction) and other random or non-random factors. We sought to estimate wheal sizes exclusively due to skin response to allergens and propose gender-specific cutoff points of atopy. …

Fitness And Adiposity As Predictors Of Functional Limitation In Adults, Andréa L. Maslow, Anna E. Price, Xuemei Sui, Duck-Chul Lee, Ilkka Vuori, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Background: This study examined the associations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with incident functional limitation (IFL) in adults.

Methods: Patients (n = 2400), 30+ years [mean age, 45.2 (SD, 8.3); 12% women], completed a baseline health examination during 1979 to 1995. CRF was quantified by age- and sex-specific thirds for maximal treadmill exercise test duration. Adiposity was assessed by BMI and WC (grouped for analysis according to clinical guidelines). Incident IFL was identified from mail-back surveys during 1995, 1999, and 2004.

Results: After adjusting for potential confounders and either BMI or WC, CRF …

Alcohol Consumption And Risk Of All-Cause And Cardiovascular Disease Mortality In Men, Erin K. Howie, Xuemei Sui, Duck-Chul Lee, Steven P. Hooker, James R. Hébert, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

This study examined the association between consumption of alcoholic beverages and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in a cohort of men (n = 31,367). In the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, year of examination, body mass index (BMI), smoking, family history of CVD, and aerobic fitness, there were no significant differences in risk of all-cause mortality across alcohol intake groups. Risk of CVD mortality was reduced 29% in quartile 1 (HR = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53, 0.95) and 25% in quartile 2 (HR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.98). The amount of alcohol consumed …

Association Between Depression And C-Reactive Protein, Yunsheng Ma, David E. Chiriboga, Sherry L. Pagoto, Milagros C. Rosal, Wenjun Li, Philip A. Merriam, James R. Hébert, Matthew C. Whited, Ira S. Ockene

Faculty Publications

Objective. Depression has been associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, and a depression-related elevation of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been proposed as a possible mechanism. The objective of this paper is to examine association between depression and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Methods. Subjects consisted of 508 healthy adults (mean age 48.5 years; 49% women, 88% white) residing in central Massachusetts. Data were collected at baseline and at quarterly intervals over a one-year period per individual. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to assess the association for the entire sample and by gender. Results. The …

Self-Rated Health Status And Cardiorespiratory Fitness As Predictors Of Mortality In Men, Jennifer Gander, Duck-Chul Lee, Xuemei Sui, James R. Hébert, Steven P. Hooker, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Self-rated health (SRH) and cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) are independent risk factors for all-cause mortality. The purpose of this report is to examine the single and joint effects of these exposures on mortality risk. The study included 18 488 men who completed a health survey, clinical examination and a maximal exercise treadmill test during 1987–2003. Cox regression analysis was used to quantify the associations of SRH and fitness with all-cause mortality. There were 262 deaths during 17 years of follow-up. There was a significant inverse trend (p_trend <0.05) for mortality across SRH categories after adjustment for age, examination year, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, abnormal ECG, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Adjustment for fitness attenuated the association (p value =0.09). The authors also observed an inverse association between fitness and mortality after controlling for the same covariates and SRH (p_trend = 0.006). The combined analysis of SRH and fitness showed that fit …

Back To The Future[S]: A Critical Look At The Film Futures Ban, Paul G. Anderson

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Forage Nutritional Quality Evaluation Of Bahiagrass Selections During Autumn In Florida, Robert Myer, Ann Blount, Samuel Coleman, Jeffery Carter

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) is the major pasture forage in the southern Gulf Coast, USA. A bahiagrass selection breeding program has been ongoing since 1960 at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station at Tifton, Georgia, USA, to increase forage yield in Pensacola (P. notatum var. sanese) bahiagrass. However, the impact of selecting for forage yield on forage nutritional quality is unknown. Forage quality was evaluated on four Pensacola derived selection cycles (C) of bahiagrass [C0 (Pensacola), C4, C9 (Tifton 9), and C23]. A total of 175 plants per cycle were grown. Forage from individual 1-year-old plants was harvested by …

Dehydration Of Pollock Skin Prior To Gelatin Production, Cindy K. Bower, Roberto J. Avena-Bustillos, Katie A. Hietala, Cristina Bilbao-Sainz, Carl W. Olsen, Tara H. Mchugh

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is the U.S.A.’s largest commercial fishery, with an annual catch of over 1 million tons. During pollock processing, the skins are discarded ormade into fish meal, despite their value for gelatin production. The absence of gelatin-processing facilities in Alaska necessitates drying of the skins before transport to decrease the moisture content, but conventional hot-air drying is expensive. This study evaluated a less energy-intensive technology, the use of desiccants for reducing water weight in pollock skins prior to shipment. To ensure that the functional properties of gelatin obtained from dried pollock skins were not affected …

Performance Of Larval Florida Pompano Fed Nauplii Of The Calanoid Copepod Pseudodiaptomus Pelagicus, Eric J. Cassiano, Cortney L. Ohs, Charles R. Weirich, Nancy E. Breen, Andrew L. Rhyne

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Florida pompano Trachinotus carolinus is a highly prized marine fish species, the larviculture of which currently includes the feeding of live rotifers and nauplii of brine shrimp Artemia spp. However, no previous studies have evaluated the feeding of copepod nauplii. In this study, the growth and survival of Florida pompano larvae fed nauplii of the calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus pelagicus were compared with those of larvae fed the standard reference diet of enriched rotifers Brachionus plicatilis. Experiments were conducted during the first 7–9 d posthatch (DPH), a period preceding the provision of Artemia nauplii. Treatments included feeding only copepod …

Whole-Body And Muscle Protein Metabolism Are Not Affected By Acute Deviations From Habitual Protein Intake In Older Men: The Hormonal Regulators Of Muscle And Metabolism In Aging (Horma) Study, Kevin E. Yarasheski, Carmen Castaneda-Sceppa, Jiaxiu He, Miwa Kawakubo, Shalender Bhasin, Ellen F. Binder, E. Todd Schroeder, Ronenn Roubenoff, Stan P. Azen, Fred R. Sattler

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Background:

Acute deviations in protein intake before the quantification of protein kinetics in older humans may explain the controversy over the effects of older age on muscle protein synthesis and proteolysis rates.

Objective:

We hypothesized that an acute decrease in protein intake from the habitual intake is associated with lower muscle protein synthesis and higher proteolysis rates, whereas an acute increase in protein intake from the habitual intake is associated with higher muscle protein synthesis and lower proteolysis rates.

Design:

In 112 community-dwelling healthy men aged 65–90 y, we quantified resting whole-body [1,2-¹³C₂]leucine kinetics, muscle mixed …

Lesser Grain Borers, Rhyzopertha Dominica, Select Rough Rice Kernels With Cracked Hulls For Reproduction, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Christos G. Athanassiou, Frank H. Arthur, James E. Throne

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Tests were conducted to determine whether the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae), selects rough rice (Oryza sativa L. (Poales: Poaceae)) kernels with cracked hulls for reproduction when these kernels are mixed with intact kernels. Differing amounts of kernels with cracked hulls (0, 5, 10, and 20%) of the varieties Francis and Wells were mixed with intact kernels, and the number of adult progeny emerging from intact kernels and from kernels with cracked hulls was determined. The Wells variety had been previously classified as tolerant to R. dominica, while the Francis variety was classified as moderately …

Fluid Fertilizer’S Role In Sustaining Soils Used For Bio-Energy Feedstock Production, John L. Kovar, Douglas L. Karlen

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The use of corn (Zea mays L.) as a bio-energy feedstock has attracted the attention of many producers. Recently, the focus has shifted from grain-based to cellulose-based ethanol production. In addition to biological conversion of corn stover to ethanol, thermal conversion (pyrolysis) of stover is being explored. Regardless of post-harvest processing, the short- and long-term effects of both increasing grain yields and removing stover on soil nutrient cycling, physical properties, and biological activity must be understood to ensure that soil productivity and ecosystem services are maintained. Our objectives for 2010 were to evaluate: (i) the use of surface or …

Corn Cob Residue Carbon And Nutrient Dynamics During Decomposition, Brian J. Wienhold, Gary E. Varvel, Virginia L. Jin

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The cob fraction of corn (Zea mays L.) residue has characteristics that reduce concerns associated with residue removal making it a potential biofuel feedstock. The contribution the cob makes to soil C and nutrient dynamics is unknown. A litterbag study was conducted in no-tillage plots under irrigated and rain fed conditions in eastern Nebraska. Litterbags containing cobs were placed in corn rows on the soil surface or vertically in the 0- to 10-cm soil depth following grain harvest and collected aft er 63, 122, 183, 246, 304, and 370 d. Samples were analyzed for dry matter, C, N, P, …

Effect Of Soybean Oil Fatty Acid Composition And Selenium Application On Biodiesel Properties, Benjamin D. Fallen, Vincent R. Pantalone, Carl E. Sams, Dean A. Kopsell, Steven F. Vaughn, Bryan R. Moser

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Biodiesel consisting principally of monounsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) has been reported to have the optimal balance between cold flow properties and oxidative stability, therefore producing a superior fuel. In addition, treating biodiesel with antioxidants such as selenium (Se) also increases oxidative stability. Fuel properties including acid value (AV), cloud point (CP), iodine value (IV), pour point (PP), peroxide value (PV), induction period (IP), onset temperature (OT), and kinematic viscosity (KV) were used to evaluate a newly developed Roundup Ready^® soybean recombinant inbred line (RIL) and a commercial cultivar. The RIL had a fatty acid profile with elevated …

Chapter 20 Rainfed Farming Systems In The Usa, Alan Franzluebbers, Jean L. Steiner, Doug Karlen, Tim Griffin, Jeremy Singer, Don Tanaka

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This chapter describes characteristics of four major rainfed farming regions and systems in the USA: Great Plains wheat-sorghum-cattle; midwestern corn-soybean-hogs, southern cotton-peanut-poultry, and coastal diversified cropsdairy. Rainfed farming systems in the USA are highly productive, economically important, ecologically diverse and technologically driven. Management approaches to achieve resource efficiency and agricultural sustainability are described, including the use of improved genetic seed sources, crop rotations, appropriate fertiliser application techniques, conservation tillage and integrated crop-livestock production systems. Issues of increasing oil and fertiliser prices, sustainability of soil and water resources, and climate change are current challenges facing agriculture in the USA.

The Effects Of Diet On Herbivory By A Predaceous Lady Beetle, Jonathan G. Lundgren, Susan E. Moser, Richard L. Hellmich, Michael P. Seagraves

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

We hypothesize that herbivory by predators is affected by the complexity of their diet. Coleomegilla maculata larvae fed prey - Acyrthosiphon pisum or Ostrinia nubilalis eggs - consumed two to three times more plant tissue (pinto beans) than those fed a mixed diet (containing pollen substitute and prey-based components). Simple, prey-only diets appear to lack plant-based nutrients important to this predator.

Soil Water Availability And Microsite Mediate Fungal And Bacterial Phospholipid Fatty Acid Biomarker Abundances In Mojave Desert Soils Exposed To Elevated Atmospheric Co2, V. L. Jin, S. M. Schaeffer, S. E. Ziegler, R. D. Evans

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Changes in the rates of nitrogen (N) cycling, microbial carbon (C) substrate use, and extracellular enzyme activities in a Mojave Desert ecosystem exposed to elevated atmospheric CO₂ suggest shifts in the size and/or functional characteristics of microbial assemblages in two dominant soil microsites: plant interspaces and under the dominant shrub Larrea tridentata. We used ester‐linked phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers as a proxy for microbial biomass to quantify spatial and temporal differences in soil microbial communities from February 2003 to May 2005. Further, we used the ¹³C signature of the fossil CO₂ source for elevated CO_{2 …}

Evaluation Of Waxy Grain Sorghum For Ethanol Production, Shuping Yan, Xiaorong Wu, Scott R. Bean, Jeffery F. Pedersen, Tesfaye Tesso, Yuanhong Chen, Donghai Wang

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The objective of this research was to investigate the fermentation performance of waxy grain sorghum for ethanol production. Twenty-five waxy grain sorghum varieties were evaluated with a laboratory dry-grind procedure. Total starch and amylose contents were measured following colorimetric procedures. Total starch and amylose contents ranged from 65.4 to 76.3% and from 5.5 to 7.3%, respectively. Fermentation efficiencies were in the range of 86.0-92.2%, corresponding to ethanol yields of 2.61-3.03 gallons/bushel. The advantages of using waxy sorghums for ethanol production include easier gelatinization and low viscosity during liquefaction, higher starch and protein digestibility, higher free amino nitrogen (FAN) content, and …

Social Justice And Common Good: What Are They For?, Thomas Hughson

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Teaching The Infant Toddler Cda, Gwendolyn Brown-Murray

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Discusses some of the highlights of the author's experience teaching the curriculum for the Infant Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential to a group of women who were culturally, ethnically, religiously, educationally, and socially different from her.