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Pragmatic And Semantic Contributions To Social Cognitive Development In Children With Down Syndrome, Jillian Carroll

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study sought to investigate how children with Down syndrome (DS) develop social cognition. This is an important topic because there have been few studies that have examined this as a developmental phenomena. The participants in the study were six families, three of these families had children 8-10 months of age and three had children between 16 and 18 months of age. Three of these infants were diagnosed with Down syndrome and three of them had no developmental issues. Data was collected using the MacArthur-Bates Development Inventories (Fenson, Marchman, Thal, Dale, Reznick & Bates, 2007) and a developmental questionnaire. The …

A Family's View: The Necessity And Effects Of Therapy Throughout Alzheimer's Disease From The Family's Perspective, Kerri Taylor

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine what activities and/ or level of human interaction will prolong language and functionality in Alzheimer’s disease in order to showcase the importance of therapy for those affected with Alzheimer’s. The participants will include 50 Alzheimer’s patients’ family members or close friends. Twenty five of these should have a relative affected by AD and living on their own or with family, and twenty five should have a relative that lives in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Each of the living situations will represent the stage of the disease the patient is …

The Sacred Role Of Animal Beings In Iroquois Lore, Melissa J. Martinelli

English Theses

The act of storytelling provides a connection between the spiritual and physical spheres, and the Haudenosaunee people (more commonly recognized as Iroquois) utilize the oral narrative to convey the most sacred truths of their culture. In focusing primarily upon animals and animal beings, one can recognize the deep reverence traditional tribal members feel toward animals as certain legends seek to unite individuals with the spirits, personalities, and bodies of such creatures in narrative form. Too often animals are overlooked as “lesser” beings, yet in legends of the Iroquois they possess potent orenda (great power) that can help one achieve success …

Analysis Of A Stormwater Pond For Stormwater Management On The Buffalo State College Campus – Year 1 Operation Conditions, Jessica Bakert

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses

Under U.S.EPA Phase II stormwater regulations Buffalo State was required to develop a stormwater management plan. This plan pursues both hard‐engineering and low impact development approaches for stormwater management. As part of the plan, a detention pond came on‐line in early summer, 2010, to collect flow before it discharges to Scajaquada Creek. The objective of this study was to assess the detention pond impact on water quantity and quality prior to discharge to the creek. A meter was installed in 2007 (pre‐construction) and 2010 (post‐construction) to record stormwater discharge to Scajaquada Creek. Regression analysis between rainfall and runoff characteristics showed …

Carotenoid- Based Plumage And Its Effects On The Immune System Of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis Cardinalis) Within An Urban-Rural Gradient, Brittany Leigh

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

We All Like New Things: A Comparison Of Human Ape Reactions To Novelty, Desirae Wiley

Honors Thesis and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Temperature On Emergence And Seasonality Of West Nile Virus In California, David M. Hartley, Christopher M. Barker, Arnaud Le Menach, Tianchan Niu, Holly Gaff, William K. Reisen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Temperature has played a critical role in the spatiotemporal dynamics of West Nile virus transmission throughout California from its introduction in 2003 through establishment by 2009. We compared two novel mechanistic measures of transmission risk, the temperature-dependent ratio of virus extrinsic incubation period to the mosquito gonotrophic period (BT), and the fundamental reproductive ratio (R₀) based on a mathematical model, to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of receptivity to viral amplification. Maps of BT and R₀ were created at 20-km scale and compared throughout California to seroconversions in sentinel chicken flocks at half-month intervals. Overall, estimates of BT and …

Agency And Emotion In Interactions With Technological Representatives Of Organizations, Daniel Burton Shank

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Technology often displaces humans in organizations as a representative to customers. How does the use of computer technology instead of humans to represent an organization change customers’ feelings and behavior toward that organization? Drawing on attribution theory and the affect theory of social exchange, I argue that the customers’ perception of agency of the computer or human representative is the primary mechanism through which customers respond differently. I theorize that agency not only mediates the computer-to-emotion and computer-to-patronage relations but also alters whether the organization or its representative is the primary target of the emotions and patronage. My central argument …

Modeling Water Stability And Transport On Mars And Iapetus: Exploring Their Effects On Geomorphic And Atmospheric Processes, Edgard Giovanni Rivera-Valentin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The stability and transport of water on solid planetary surfaces strongly affects both atmospheric and surfaces processes. In this work, two bodies are specifically investigated where transport of water is relevant: Iapetus and Mars. Iapetus, an icy Kronian satellite, has a drastic albedo contrast on its surface and one of the darkest surfaces in the solar system. This extreme brightness contrast is suggested to occur via the transport of water ice from the leading hemisphere to the trailing hemisphere and the poles. Here a global heat and mass transfer model is developed for Iapetus in order to study the current …

East Of The Tracks: Grassroots Environmentalism In South Mississippi, Heather Kay Sanchez

Master's Theses

Environmental justice literature challenges the disparity and oppression regarding the quality of life associated with residential environments among communities of color. Recent disasters, such as hurricane Katrina, the Tennessee coal sludge disaster (December 2008), and the BP Oil Spill (2010) have garnered visibility for environmental issues, particularly in the south. Nevertheless, the topic has largely been ignored in Mississippi among academia, many advocacy groups, and at the state level despite the emergence of several community based grassroots environmental groups throughout Mississippi in recent years. From Columbia, to Crystal Springs, to Hattiesburg, a coalition of environmental groups is forming with Hattiesburg …

Physiochemical And Nanomanipulation Studies Of Carbon Nanomaterials, Siva Naga Sandeep Chalamalasetty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Carbon nanomaterials are, without a doubt, one of man's wonder creations. Though these nanomaterials are a very recent trend, extraordinary electromechanical properties and the light weightiness of these nanomaterials attracted the attention of researchers. Although vast research has been done since the start of the US nanotechnology initiative, much effort was in the area of synthesis and characterization of the nanomaterials. However, most of the traditional macroscopic material's theories fail at the nanoscale level, and since the material properties are dependent on size and structure at nanoscale level, the behavior of the carbon nanomaterials in different environments needs attention. High …

The Role Of Ascorbic Acid In The Plant-Herbivore Interaction, Kelly Ann Carruthers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ascorbic acid (AsA), vitamin C, is an important molecule that is vital for both human and plant health, because it aids in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by various abiotic and biotic stresses including UV, salinity, ozone, and attack from pathogens In order to understand the role of AsA in the plant-herbivore interaction, we looked at the effects of the wound-responsive hormones, jasmonate, wounding, and herbivory on AsA content. Our study is the first to directly compare the effects of wounding and jasmonates on AsA levels in plants. We looked at the effects of wounding and methyl …

Effect Of Enzymatic Treatments On The Physiochemical Properties Of Different Corn Starches, Curtis Robert Luckett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Amylose readily reassociates to form films and crystalline structures that are resistant to digestion by amylolytic enzymes and known as resistant starch type III (RS3). This study investigated the RS3 formation and cereal coating properties from enzyme-modified corn starches with varying amylose contents, including Hylon VII (70% amylose), Hylon V (50% amylose), and common corn (25% amylose). For RS3 formation, corn starches were first gelatinized and then hydrolyzed using β-amylase to varying degrees. The resultant hydrolyzed starch was debranched with isoamylase and then exposed to 3 times of temperature cycling at 135/133/133°C for 30 min and 95°C for 24 hr …

Territories,Territoriality, And Conservation Of The Louisiana Waterthrush And Its Habitat, The Watershed Of The Upper Buffalo National River, Leesia Cheryl Marshall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Louisiana Waterthrush, Parkesia motacilla, is a migratory wood-warbler and breeding season resident of the eastern United States. Males defend breeding territories that extend linearly along clear, fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed, forest streams. Defense includes two song types, primary and extended song. As riverine specialists, birds rely upon aquatic invertebrates as prey and riparian habitat features for nesting. They use a unique foraging maneuver, leaf-pulling, that involves picking up or pulling a leaf from water, and turning it over to search for prey. Their relationship with riparian habitat introduces potential for Louisiana Waterthrushes to serve as indicators of stream health. The …

Arkansas Teacher Licensure Cut Scores, Do They Indicate Highly Qualified Teachers?, Karen K. Morton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The highly qualified provision of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act promoted licensure exams on a national level. The present study is an effort to explore the most commonly used Praxis licensure exams and their passing scores. Hypothesized was that passing scores are set at such a minimal level that they are ineffectual in identifying highly qualified teachers. More specifically, Arkansas's low passing scores are examined by comparing the distribution of University of Arkansas Praxis scores to national trends. Based on low passing scores, the question was posed - At what point in teachers' careers are expectations lessened? Academic …

Biological Strategies And Mathematical Approaches For Limiting Bacterial Contaminants And Chemical Pollutants In Bioethanol Fermentations, Alia Chahed Ep Limayem

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the most recent decades increased interest in fuel from biomass in the United States and worldwide has emerged each time petroleum derived-gasoline registered well publicized spikes in price. The willingness of the U.S. government to face the issues of more heavily high-priced foreign oil and climate change has led to more investment on plant-derived sustainable biofuel sources. Biomass derived from corn has become one of the primary feedstocks for bioethanol production for the past several years in the U.S. However, the argument of whether to use food as biofuel has led to a search for alternative non-food sources. Consequently, …

Stable Isotope Analysis (Delta Nitrogen-15 And Delta Carbon-13) And Bioenergetic Modeling Of Spatial-Temporal Foraging Patterns And Consumption Dynamics In Brown And Rainbow Trout Populations Within Catch-And-Release Areas Of Arkansas Tailwaters, Jon M. Flinders

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I examined spatial and temporal consumption dynamics using an energy intake model and a bioenergetics model of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brown trout, Salmo trutta, within three catch-and-release (C-R) areas in Bull Shoals and Norfork tailwaters to determine whether trout populations were limited by food supply. I also examined the seasonal and ontogenetic shifts in the foraging patterns of brown and rainbow trout within these areas using gut content analysis (GCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of C and N. I examined 605 brown trout and 768 rainbow trout for GCA and SIA at Bull Shoals, Norfork, …

Faculty And Staff Perceptions Of Sustainability Initiatives On Three Arkansas Two-Year College Campuses, Kenneth Ray Warden Iii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore higher education faculty and staff perspectives on sustainability initiatives within their respective institutions. Subjects of this study were faculty and staff members from three rural two year institutions of higher education in Arkansas. Data was gathered using an electronically delivered survey instrument. The survey organized sustainability initiatives into three categories which are management, academic, and operations. The organization of the survey was based upon the National Wildlife Federation's study, Campus Environment 2008; A National Report Card on Sustainability in Higher Education. In effort to determine the relationship if any between the …

Foster Parents' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities In Relation To The Behavioral Challenges Of Foster Youth, Melissa Hall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The complex, long-term, and prevalent behavioral problems and needs of foster children and youth continue to be documented (Farmer et al., 2010; United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2005). However, research indicates that foster parents are not adequately prepared or trained to address these challenging behaviors (e.g. Dorsey et al., 2008; Lee & Holland, 1991; Puddy & Jackson, 2003). Foster parent perspectives and the inclusion of their input concerning foster parenting and the behavioral problems of foster youth are needed to examine this crucial problem area (Park & Helton, 2010). The intent of this multi-case study was …

Individual Resilience, Social Support, And Health Risk Behaviors In Adolescents And Young Adults: Study On Cross-Sectional And Longitudinal Samples, Chuong Hong Nguyen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Resilience is considered the ability that a person gains positive achievements despite exposure to significantly adverse life conditions. However, a majority of previous research has focused on human developmental tasks or academic achievements. Evidence of resilience on health risk behaviors has not been comprehensively established yet. The purposes of this dissertation were to extend the existing literature about the stability of resilience through time, to examine how the resilience scale concurrently and prospectively predict resilience statuses, and to explore effects of Social support over a long period of lifetime. The dissertation used a secondary database from the public-use version of …

A Typology Of Preadolescent Sexual Abusers Based On The Emerging Personality Patterns In The Millon Preadolescent Clinical Inventory, Sam Wallace

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a personality-based typology of preadolescents with sexual behavior problems based the Emerging Personality Patterns in the Millon Preadolescent Clinical Inventory (M-PACI, Millon et al., 2005). Grounding a typology in a theory driven personality system may offer clarity and specificity in understanding preadolescents with sexual behavior problems in a manner that has not yet been explored. A personality and theory driven typology could provide a more comprehensive framework for assessing and treating children who sexually abuse than any of the current taxonomic models.

The study used an ex post facto design with test …

Feed Supplementation With Natural Extracts Of Cranberry And Its Efficacy On Campylobacter Colonization In Poultry, Ann Woo-Ming

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Campylobacter spp. has been identified as one of the leading causative agents of food borne diarrheal illness. Epidemiological evidence has shown that poultry is the main source for human infection. Poultry are asymptomatic carriers of Campylobacter within their gastrointestinal tract, with colonization levels reaching 106-108 cfu/g cecal content. Surveys of domestic poultry flocks have estimated that approximately 90% of flocks are positive for Campylobacter colonization. Risk assessment studies have determined that by reducing levels of Campylobacter colonization during rearing, incidences of human infection will be significantly reduced. Currently there are no consistently effective treatments to eliminate Campylobacter from poultry flocks. …

The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Black Women Leaders In Fortune 500 Companies, Latonya R. Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Black women are underrepresented in leadership positions within organizations. The extent to which self-efficacy influences the advancement potential of Black females is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the self-efficacy beliefs of black women in leadership positions and to determine how Black women leaders' careers are influenced by their self-efficacy beliefs. Participants for the study were determined using convenient random sampling. The objectives of this study were to determine the profile and level of self-efficacy, and leadership practices of participants based on tenure (length of time in a leadership position), age comparison and work experience (total number …

Role Of Lactic Acid Bacteria As A Bio-Sanitizer To Prevent Attachment Of Listeria Monocytogenes On Deli Slicer Contact Surfaces, And The Influence Of Listeria Innocua On The Attachment Of L. Monocytogenes On Selected Materials Located In The Food-Processing Environment, Jean Baptiste Ndahetuye

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes an important foodborne pathogen that continues to be a serious problem for the food industry. This pathogen contaminates food primarily during post-harvest in the food-processing environment. Its ecology in the food-processing environment is not well understood but previous research has demonstrated the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive on food contact surfaces after cleaning and disinfection. The current study explored the attachment of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactobacillus animalis , Lb. amylovorus and Pediococcus acidilactici , their combination in a cocktail, and their influence to prevent the attachment of L. monocytogenes at room temperature by examining …

Divine Hiddenness And The Challenge Of Inculpable Nonbelief, Matthew R. Sokoloski

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Divine hiddenness is the idea that God is in some sense hidden or obscure. This dissertation responds to J.L. Schellenberg's argument, based on divine hiddenness and human reason, against the existence of God. Schellenberg argues that if a perfectly loving God exists, we would not expect to find such widespread nonbelief in God's existence. Given the amount of reasonable nonbelief in the world, Schellenberg argues that an agnostic ought to conclude that God does not exist rather than conclude that God is hidden. Schellenberg's argument has three major premises: (1) If there is a God, he is perfectly loving; (2) …

Development Of A Microfluidic Device Coupled To Microdialysis Sampling For The Pre-Concentration Of Cytokines, Randy Francisco Espinal Cabrera

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A proof-of-concept microfluidic device combined with heparin-immobilized magnetic beads was created to concentrate cytokine proteins collected from microdialysis samples. Cytokines are known to be related to several diseases such as cancer, and Parkinson's diseases, so to be able to develop more effective diseases treatments their interactions have to be well understood. Amine-functionalized polystyrene and carboxyl-functionalized magnetic microspheres of ~6.0 ìm in diameter were used to immobilize heparin. The amount of heparin immobilized on polystyrene beads was 5.82 x 10-8 ± 0.36 x 10-8 M per 1.0 x 106 beads and for magnetic beads was 0.64 x 10-8 ± 0.01 x …

Worry Induction Among Adolescents: A Laboratory Evaluation, Jamie Leigh Frala

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Available research indicates that worry is an important process involved in the development and maintenance of both psychological (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and physical (e.g., coronary heart disease) problems. However, this process is still in need of further investigation, particularly among adolescents. While a sizable body of literature has examined the nature, prevalence, and correlates of worry in both adults and youth, laboratory investigations of this variable using a real-time worry induction paradigm have previously only been done with adults. The current study aimed to extend the literature by using the controlled laboratory methods well established in the adult literature …

Anxiety And Sleep Disorder Comorbidity: Affecting The College Students' Performances, Amanda Rhenee Grimes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects that anxiety disorders and sleep disorders have on students' academic performance. The prevalence of both disorders is rising in the college student population. This study examines those who have been physician diagnosed with the one or both of the disorders and how the students' grade point average (GPA) is affected.

The National College Health Assessment was used for data collection; this survey assesses college students' health habits, behaviors, and perceptions. The sample was comprised of 57 institutions representing every region in the U.S. totaling 34,208 participants. Data was acquired through …

Intake, Digestibility, Insitu Disappearance And Ruminal Fermentation Of Bermuda Grass Hay By Lactating Beef Cows Offered Corn Or Hominy Feed As Supplements, Zibani Madzonga

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hominy feed, a co-product of dry corn milling, has been evaluated to a limited extent in feedlot and dairy rations, but has not been evaluated as a supplemental energy source for lactating beef cows. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of level of hominy feed supplementation on intake, digestibility, in situ DM disappearance, and ruminal fermentation characteristics of medium quality bermudagrass hay. Five ruminally cannulated lactating beef cows (BW = 596 kg, SE = 13.9) were used in an experiment with a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Treatments were low hominy (LH; 0.25% …

Sanitation Assessment Of Food Contact Surfaces And Lethality Of Moist Heat And A Disinfectant Against Listeria Strains Inoculated On Deli Slicer Components, Sabelo Muzikayise Masuku

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The overall objectives of this study were to: evaluate the efficacy of different cleaning cloth types and cloth-disinfectant combinations in reducing food contact surface contamination to acceptable levels; determine the optimum moist heat and moist heat + sanitizer treatments that can significantly reduce the number of Listeria strains on deli slicer components; and investigate if the moist heat treatment used in this study induced the viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state in Listeria cells. The efficacy of wiping cloths was measured using ATP-bioluminescence and total plate count methods using four different wiping cloths and silver dihydrogen citrate sanitizer on food contact surfaces. The …