Digital Commons Network^™

Overview Of Healthcare Quality: Hospitals And Public Health Trends: Rural Vs. Urban, Sandy S. Lee

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Brody-Bertalanffy Growth Curves From Tag And Recapture Studies On Cabezon (Scorpaenichthys Marmoratus) And Gopher Rockfish (Sebastes Carnatus) Of The Central Coast, Christie Yorke

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Breast Cancer Metastasis, Jennifer Lee Gildner

Statistics

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate possible socio-economic status, clinical, and treatment associations with the occurrence of distant metastasis in Stage I – III breast cancer patients. After analysis in a logistic regression model, four variables were found to be significant with occurrence of distant metastases. These variables were: education, disease group (Triple-negative, Her2Neu-positive and Luminal A), stage at diagnosis, and concordance to chemotherapy based on the NCCN guidelines. Patients without a college degree were found to be more likely to develop distant metastasis than those with a college degree (OR = 2.46 95% CI 1.44 – …

Peer Intervention Strategies For Breastfeeding Promotion Among Low Income Latinas In The Us: A Literature Review, Amanda Torres

Food Science and Nutrition

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Zinc Oxide Nanorods And Use In Biosensor Applications, Anishkumar Manoharan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The main aim of this research was to develop a nanorod based biosensor for biomedical applications. In this project I use zinc oxide nanorods as the bio-material for biosensor. I fabricated these nanorods using a solution-based technique. Initially I coated a zinc oxide seed layer as the base. This seed layer was then annealed at 350 degrees for almost 1 hour. As a next step, interdigitated electrodes were fabricated on the top of the seed layer using a lift off process. The zinc oxide nanorods were then grown at 90 degrees for almost 4 hours along the electrodes. In this …

Emergence Delirium: Modifying Risk Factors In Pediatric Patients, Sara J. Skatvold

Theses and Dissertations

Emergence Delirium: Modifying risk factors in pediatric patients

Emergence delirium is a known post-operative phenomenon that is more prevalent in the pediatric population, especially preschool children (Chen, Li, Hu, & Wang, 2010). According to Scott and Gold (2006), "Emergence delirium is a clinical condition in which patients are "awake" but experience alterations in disorientation and other mental status changes that range from confusion and lethargy to violent and harmful behavior" (p. 100). The underlying cause of emergence delirium is not fully understood. Knowledge of risk factors that may lead to emergence delirium will assist anesthesia providers in offering an anesthetic …

Let The Beauty We Love Be What We Do: A Case Study In Communication-Centered Leadership, Jo Carter

Communication ETDs

While leadership research is widespread, much of it represents leadership psychology assumptions that leaders are singular individuals, different from the body that they are leading. This dissertation provides a close reading of a different approach to leadership, one arising from the cultural community around the Diana's Grove retreat center. This philosophy holds cultural norms of the Cornerstones of Community (choice, thinking well of the group, thinking well of one's self, stewardship of self, and sacred wound) as overt rules that are the foundation of sustainable community interactions. It discusses how service to the idea of community is the primary motivating …

"Ein Staat Der Jugend": The Politics Of Socialist Patriotism And National Consciousness In Shaping Youth Policy In The German Democratic Republic, 1961–1967, Regina K. Ernest

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In attempts to bridge the increasing gap between youth and socialism in the German Democratic Republic in the 1960s, the Socialist Unity Party (SED) modified its youth policy by encouraging a socialist patriotic consciousness rather than solely emphasizing socialist development. For the duration of its statehood, the SED claimed that socialist patriotism and proletarian internationalism were intrinsically connected. However, in the pursuit of producing a consolidated youth, the SED became divided not only on the direction of youth policy but also on this symbiotic connection. In his liberal reform movement, head of state Walter Ulbricht and his advocates focused predominantly …

Studies On Power Hop Using A Nonlinear Model Of An Agricultural Tractor, Adam B. Flaugh

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Power hop is an unstable dynamic phenomenon that is observed on agricultural tractors operating at field working speeds under typical draft loads. This dynamic instability can be identified as a bounce motion preceded by an increasing oscillation in either the pitch or bounce modes. A definite and comprehensive correction or prevention strategy for the control of power hop does not exist. In this work a linear and a nonlinear model of an agricultural tractor were developed. The method of multiple time scales has been employed in the analysis of the nonlinear model. Numerical results have been obtained using Mathematica to …

The Economics And Logistics Of The Dual Harvest Of Grain And Biomass In A Single-Pass, Matthew T. Wold

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Significant interest has developed in using cellulosic resources, especially crop residues, to create biofuels. Collecting these residues in a single-pass of the harvester across the field has the potential to be a low cost option. Two models have been developed; the first characterizes the in-field logistics of single-pass crop residue collection, the second the economics. These models allow the user to easily examine a wide variety of both grain-only and single-pass residue collection harvest cases. A variety of possible residue collection cases have been examined, and their effects both on harvester field capacity and harvest cost compared to grain-only harvest …

Hear My Voice: An Examination Of The Views Of Parents Who Are Raising Children Of African American Descent, Chavez Maurice Phelps

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have demonstrated that children who attend early childhood education programs benefit academically and socially (National Institute for Early Education Research, 2003). However, other researchers have shown that African American students may still lag behind their counterparts when they enter school (National Center for Education Statistics ([NCES], 2004). To explain this phenomenon, scholars and practitioners have relied on deficit theories, such as Ruby Payne’s (2005) culture of poverty theory or John Ogbu’s (1992) oppositional culture identity theory, which shift the blame solely on the child or their parents. However, there are other researchers who have stressed the importance of examining …

Bat Species Diversity At An Urban-Rural Interface: Dominance By One Species In An Urban Area, Jason Philip Damm

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growth of urban areas is known to affect different species of wildlife in varying ways. Many organisms have exhibited declines in abundance due to habitat loss, while overall species diversity decreases. Bats can serve as reliable indicators of habitat quality and level of anthropogenic disturbance. To investigate urbanization impacts on a Midwestern bat community, I analyzed nine years of mist-net captures from a study area on the edge of Indianapolis, Indiana, where the percentage of urbanized ground cover ranged from zero to 26%, within 1.3-km of a net site. I used Pearson correlation statistics to examine the effect of …

Insect Abundance And Variability In An Urban-Rural Landscape And Comparison To Foraging Habitat Selection Of Bats, Nicole M. Oehler

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I conducted a study of the relationship between prey availability and foraging habitat selection of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) and evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) in an urban-rural landscape matrix of southwestern Indianapolis. Insects were collected from nine different habitat types found within the range of these species. Insect data were collected from 2006 to 2008 using sticky traps placed in each habitat type. Habitat types were ranked by importance to each bat species (based on previous studies) and then compared to the average number of prey insects captured per habitat …

Effects Of Ectoparasites And Reproductive Class On Roost-Switching And Foraging Behavior Of Indiana Bats (Myotis Sodalis), Nicholas S. Gikas

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ectoparasites of bats have been known to cause harm to their hosts and to affect roost-switching. Little research exists on effects ectoparasites may have on roosting and foraging behavior of the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). From 2008 through 2010, I collected ectoparasite data and documented roost-switching and foraging behavior of Indiana bats on habitat restoration lands owned by the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in central Indiana. I tested for differences in roosting and foraging behavior between bats with varying ectoparasite loads, and for differences in ectoparasite load, roost-switching frequency, and foraging behavior between different reproductive classes of Indiana …

An Automated Data Analysis Tool For Livestock Market Data, Galen S. Williams, Kellie Curry Raper

Journal of Extension

This article describes an automated data analysis tool that allows Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service educators to disseminate results in a timely manner. Primary data collected at Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN) certified calf auctions across the state results in a large amount of data per sale site. Sale summaries for an individual sale need to be quickly dispensed to program coordinators, auction barn owners, and program participants. Data entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet at sales is summarized using Excel database commands. A link to Microsoft Publisher then generates the sale summary for an individual OQBN sale.

Escape From Competition: Neighbors Reduce Centaurea Stoebe Performance At Home But Not Away, Ragan M. Callaway, Lauren P. Waller, Alecu Diaconu, Robert Pal, Alexandra R. Collins, Heingz Mueller-Schaerer, John L. Maron

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The greater abundance of some exotic plants in their nonnative ranges might be explained in part by biogeographic differences in the strength of competition, but these competitive effects have not been experimentally examined in the field. We compared the effects of neighbors on the growth and reproduction of spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) in Europe, where it is native, and in Montana, where it is invasive. There were strong negative competitive effects of neighboring vegetation on C. stoebe growth and reproduction in Europe. In contrast, identical experiments in Montana resulted in insignificant impacts on C. stoebe. Although the …

Genetic Monitoring For Managers: A New Online Resource, Jeffrey Brian Stetz, Katherine Kendall, Christina D. Vojta, Genetic Monitoring (Gem) Working Group

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Monitoring our natural resources will increasingly rely on genetic tools in order to understand and respond to invasive species, habitat degradation, fragmentation, disease, or climate-related changes. In recent years, the rapidly evolving field of genetic monitoring has seen explosive growth in sampling methods, genetic markers, and analytical approaches designed to estimate a wide range of parameters from connectivity to population growth rates. Some of these methods have taken root and now dominate particular aspects of population assessment and monitoring, whereas others have seen less success in real-world applications. To aid managers and researchers with limited genetics experience, we developed a …

Maternal Separation Affects Dopamine Transporter Function In The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat: An In Vivo Electrochemical Study, Jacqueline S. Womersley, Jennifer H. Hsieh, Lauriston A. Kellaway, Greg A. Gerhardt, Vivienne A. Russell

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. The spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) is a well-characterised model of this disorder and has been shown to exhibit dopamine dysregulation, one of the hypothesised causes of ADHD. Since stress experienced in the early stages of life can have long-lasting effects on behaviour, it was considered that early life stress may alter development of the dopaminergic system and thereby contribute to the behavioural characteristics of SHR. It was hypothesized that maternal separation would alter dopamine regulation by the transporter (DAT) in ways that distinguish SHR …

Novel Amino Acid Transporter-Targeted Radiotracers For Breast Cancer Imaging, Fanlin Kong

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in the world. Its 5-year survival rate ranges from 23.4% in patients with stage IV to 98% in stage I disease, highlighting the importance of early detection and diagnosis. ¹⁸F-2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG), using positron emission tomography (PET), is the most common functional imaging tool for breast cancer diagnosis currently. Unfortunately, ¹⁸F-FDG-PET has several limitations such as poorly differentiating tumor tissues from inflammatory and normal brain tissues. Therefore, ¹⁸F-labeled amino acid-based radiotracers have been reported as an alternative, which is based on the fact that tumor cells uptake …

Evaluation Of Deformable Image Registration For Improved 4d Ct-Derived Ventilation For Image Guided Radiotherapy, Richard Castillo

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Recent treatment planning studies have demonstrated the use of physiologic images in radiation therapy treatment planning to identify regions for functional avoidance. This image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) strategy may reduce the injury and/or functional loss following thoracic radiotherapy. 4D computed tomography (CT), developed for radiotherapy treatment planning, is a relatively new imaging technique that allows the acquisition of a time-varying sequence of 3D CT images of the patient's lungs through the respiratory cycle. Guerrero et al. developed a method to calculate ventilation imaging from 4D CT, which is potentially better suited and more broadly available for IGRT than the current standard …

Purinergic Signaling Regulates Filopodia-Induced Zippering, Jessica Lynn Bowser

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The molecular mechanisms that mediate endometrial cancer invasion and metastasis remain poorly understood. This is a significant clinical problem, as there is no definitive cure for metastatic disease. The purinergic pathway’s generation of adenosine and its activation of the adenosine receptor A2B (A2BR) induces cell-cell adhesion to promote barrier function. This barrier function is known to be important in maintaining homeostasis during hypoxia, trauma, and sepsis. Loss of this epithelial barrier function provides a considerable advantage for carcinoma progression, as loss of cell-cell adhesions supports proliferation, aberrant signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. The present work provides strong evidence that …

Entry-Level Student Affairs Administrators' Attitudes Toward Mental Illness In College Students., Jennifer A. Schum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Calls for universities to better serve college students with mental illness have been growing. While a considerable literature base supports Corrigan's (2004) Social Cognitive Model of Mental Illness Stigma and the complex relationship among stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, limited research has been conducted examining university administrators on attitudes toward and knowledge of mental illness in college students. Participants of the current study were 206 entry-level student affairs professionals who completed an online, modified version of Becker, Martin, Wajeeh, Ward, and Shern's (2002) Mental Illness Awareness Survey. Simultaneous regression was used to determine the significance of seven demographic variables (gender, age, …

Efficacy Of Child Parent Relationship Therapy For Caregivers Of Children With Attachment Problems., Margaret Sergeant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the effectiveness of Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), a lO-week group model of Filial Therapy (FT), with caregivers of children with attachment problems. CPRT is an evidence-based treatment which is designed to strengthen relationship between caregiver and child. Research suggests that improvements in the relationship lead to changes in behavior and emotional regulation. Therapists treating children with attachment problems at Seven Counties Services, Inc. were concerned about the lack of interventions for children with attachment problems. This study used a randomized pre-test, post-test waitlist control group design to evaluate the effectiveness of CPRT for caregivers of children …

The Impact Of Ambrosia Trifida (Giant Ragweed) On Native Prairie Species In An Early Prairie Restoration Project, Krisztian Megyeri

Senior Honors Theses

As the ecological importance of prairies is becoming more recognized, the number of prairie restoration projects is increasing worldwide. One of the major challenges in restoring any disturbed ecosystem is the successful establishment of native species at the expensive of invasive species. While some weedy species are gradually replaced as other, more desired, species become established, there are invasive species that, due to their level of dominance, may out-compete native species indefinitely. The objectives of this study were 1) to quantify the impact of Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed) on the plant community of a newsly established prairie, 2) to assess …

Inquiry, Art And Consummatory Experience: A Deweyan Account Of The Instrumental And Aesthetic Modes In Human Well-Being, Eric A. Evans

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation argues that a Deweyan reconstruction of philosophical theories of human well-being is needed. While philosophical interest about human well-being has existed for millennia, significant interest in such theories among philosophers has re-emerged during the past twenty-five years. During this same time there has been a resurgence of interest in the work of John Dewey. His critique of the “philosophical fallacy” is used to examine the legitimacy and value of the theories of human well-being offered by Plato and L.W. Sumner in which the target for evaluation is “happiness” and the criterion is, respectively, P-justice or preference fulfillment. It …

Validation Of Chinese Women’S Alcohol Expectancy Instrument, Yue Qiu Yu

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The present study was designed to develop and validate the Chinese Women’s Alcohol Expectancy scale; and to examine gender differences in alcohol expectancy. 134 interviewees from Canton, Kaiping and Hong Kong participated in study 1. 1,550 students from thirteen universities in three provinces, Beijing, Yunnan and Wuhan, China, completed the women’s alcohol expectancy questionnaire in study 2. The findings in study 1 revealed six prominent categories that inform women’s alcohol expectancy. Findings in study 2 provided 7-subscales (α > 0.7) for the instrument’s reliability and validity. Additionally, there were significant differences in alcohol expectancy by genders. Implications related to expectancy theory …

Examining The Effect Of Medical Risk, Parental Stress, And Self-Efficacy On Parent Behaviors And The Home Environment Of Premature Children, Kathryn Woods

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between medical risk and parenting stress and the extent to which parental self-efficacy moderates the relationship between medical risk, parenting stress, specific parenting behaviors (i.e., parental responsivity, acceptance of child, parental involvement) and the home environment (i.e., organization of environment, learning materials, variety in experience, and IT-HOME total score) of premature children. Participants included 72 parent-child dyads with premature children between the ages of 7 and 35 months corrected age. Measures included parent reports of medical risk, stress, self-efficacy, and the IT-HOME. Results show that medical risk was not significantly …

Characterization Of The Tolerance Response In The Soybean Ks4202 To Aphis Glycines Matsumura, Travis J. Prochaska

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Since the introduction of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, to the soybean growing regions of the United States, the soybean aphid has caused considerable economic damage and yield loss to soybean growers. The objectives of this research were to evaluate selected genotypes for resistance to the soybean aphid and characterize transcriptional changes in response to aphid feeding to better understand the underlying tolerant mechanism(s) in KS4202 and genes contributing to its tolerance response. A field study (2009) was conducted to evaluate selected soybean genotypes during their reproductive stages for resistance to A. glycines. The economic injury level (EIL) …

Identification And Characterization Of Putative Allergens In Pecan Species, Jelena Spiric

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

The identification and characterization of soluble pecan proteins was found to be qualitatively dependent on the chemical characteristics of the extraction buffer that also had a significant influence on the total protein content of an extract. The ionic strength of the extraction buffer had a greater impact on protein extractability than pH. A high salt phosphate buffer (0.01 M PBS, 1M NaCl, pH 7.2) was used as an optimal extraction solution that allowed remarkable detection of clinically relevant allergens.

The 2S albumin family of seed storage proteins has been shown to be one of the most stable allergens, thus potentially …

Biological Analysis Of Prebiotics In Various Processed Food Matrices, Kristina Elise Moore

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

The addition of prebiotic to a variety of food products has become a more common occurrence in recent years. Although research on the stability of prebiotics has been conducted, knowledge of the stability of prebiotics in processed foods is limited. The purpose of this research was to determine the biological stability of five prebiotics in a variety of food matrices when processed under various conditions. A biological test, the prebiotic activity assay, was used to test for stability of six food products (muffin, cookie, granola bar, breakfast cereal, sports drink, and bread) containing five different prebiotics (fructooligosaccharides (FOS), inulin, galactooligosaccharides …