Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of The Effects Of Extracts From Three Vitex Plant Species On Anopheles Gambiae S.S. (Diptera: Culicidae) Larvae, Mokua G. Nyamoita, Innocent Ester, Mbwambo H. Zakaria, Lwande Wilber, Ochola J. Bwire, Hassanali Ahmed

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Acetone and methanol extracts of different parts of three Vitex species (leaves and stem bark of Vitex trifolia, leaves, stem bark and root bark of Vitex schiliebenii and stem and root bark of Vitex payos) were evaluated for their potential to control Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. larvae (Diptera: Culicidae). The extracts gave different levels and rate of mortality of the larvae. Some (methanol extract of V. trifolia leaves, acetone extracts of stem bark and leaves of V. schiliebenii, acetone extract of root bark of V. payos) caused 100% mortality at 100ppm in 72h, with those of V. schiliebenii and V. …

A New Approach To An Old Problem: Defining Nursing’S Role In Successful Transitions To Long-Term Residential Care, Kyleen Aldrich

Honors College Theses

A growing body of nursing research addresses the transitional period for older adults entering long-term residential care. However, gaps exist in our understanding of nursing’s role in the transition process. Our aim is to examine the available evidence and develop a model of nursing strategies and interventions to ease the transition to long-term care. This model describes interventions that nurses can incorporate into everyday practice.

A literature review was conducted to examine the transitional care needs and interventions for older adults with a goal of developing a model addressing transitions to long-term care.

Most nursing studies provided descriptive information about …

Analysis Of Vitamin D Status At Two Academic Medical Centers And A National Reference Laboratory: Result Patterns Vary By Age, Gender, Season, And Patient Location, Jonathan R. Genzen, Jennifer T. Gosselin, Thomas C. Wilson, Emilian Racila, Matthew D. Krasowski

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Testing for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] has increased dramatically in recent years. The present report compares overall utilization and results for 25(OH)D orders at two academic medical centers - one in New York and one in Iowa – in order to characterize the vitamin D status of our inpatient and outpatient populations. Results are also compared to those from a national reference laboratory to determine whether patterns at these two institutions reflect those observed nationally.

Methods: Retrospective data queries of 25(OH)D orders and results were conducted using the laboratory information systems at Weill Cornell Medical College / New York Presbyterian …

Developmental Changes In Postural Stability During The Performance Of A Precision Manual Task, Jeffrey M. Haddad, Laura J. Claxton, Dawn Melzer, Joseph Hamill, Richard E. A. Van Emmerik

Psychology Faculty Publications

Posture becomes integrated with other goal-directed behaviors early in infancy and continues to develop into the second decade of life. However, the developmental time course over which posture is stabilized relative to the base of support during a dynamic manual precision task has not been examined. Postural-manual integration was assessed in 7-year-olds, 10-year-olds, and adults using a postural-manual task in which task precision (target fitting size) and postural difficulty (reaching distance to a target) were manipulated. The main dependent variable was postural time-to-contact (TtC). Results indicated systematic age effects in which TtC was shortest in the 7-year-olds, increased in the …

Food $Ense Website, Heidi Leblanc, D. Christofferson, E. Milligan

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cloud Privacy Audit Framework: A Value-Based Design, David Coss

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid expansion of cloud technology provides enormous capacity, which allows for the collection, dissemination and re-identification of personal information. It is the cloud’s resource capabilities such as these that fuel the concern for privacy. The impetus of these concerns are not too far removed from those expressed by Mason in 1986, when he identified privacy as one of the biggest ethical issues facing the information age. There seems to be continuous ebb and flow relationship with respect to privacy concerns and the development of new information communication technologies such as cloud computing. Privacy issues are a concern to all …

What?: Visual Interpretations Of The Miscommunication Between The Hearing And Deaf, Virginia Shou

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis visualizes the communication challenges both latent and obvious of my daily life as a hard of hearing individual. By focusing on a variety of experiences and examples I demonstrate the implications of a hard of hearing individual’s life. The prints, objects and videos that I have created for my visual thesis aim to enrich the understanding of a broader public on issues regularly faced by Deaf people. At the heart of my work my goal is to generate mutual empathy between the hearing and the Deaf.

The Impact Of Imprecision In Hcv Viral Load Test Results On Clinicians’ Therapeutic Management Decisions And On The Economic Value Of The Test, Roberta M. Madej

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical laboratory test results are integral to patient management. Important aspects of laboratory tests’ contributions are the use of the test information and the role they have in facilitating efficient and effective use of healthcare resources. Methods of measuring those contributions were examined using quantitative HCV RNA test results (HCV VL) in therapeutic management decisions as a model. Test precision is important in those decisions; therefore, the clinical use was evaluated by studying the impact that knowledge of inherent assay imprecision had on clinicians’ decisions. A survey describing a simulated patient at a decision point for HCV triple-combination therapy management …

The Ticking Of The “Biological Clock”: Worry About Future Fertility In Nulliparous Women, Karen E. Kersting

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Title: The Ticking of the “Biological Clock”: Worry about Future Fertility in Nulliparous Women

By: Karen Kersting, M.A., M.S.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013.

Major Director: Kathleen M. Ingram, J.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

Department of Psychology

Modern women are waiting until later in their lives to have children than women of previous generations, a trend influenced by a number of factors including financial stability, dating norms, and career goals and responsibilities. As women age, their fertility may decline …

The Costs Of Occupational Injuries: A Review Of The Literature, Martin Lebeau, Patrice Duguay

États de la question, rapports d’expertise et revues de littérature

Cette revue de littérature s'inscrit dans la volonté institutionnelle de développer des indicateurs économiques de santé et de sécurité au travail, sur lesquels pourra s'appuyer le choix de priorités de recherche, en complément des indicateurs et autres informations déjà utilisés à l'IRSST.

Ce rapport vise plus spécifiquement à identifier, définir et classer les composantes des coûts des lésions professionnelles, ainsi qu'à répertorier les différentes approches économiques qui sont utilisées pour estimer les coûts des lésions professionnelles. Ce rapport ne vise donc pas à répertorier les montants réels ou estimés des coûts des lésions professionnelles que l'on retrouve dans la littérature. …

Prevalence Of Anti-Diabetic And Antilipidemic Medications In Children And Adolescents Treated With Atypical Antipsychotics In A Virginia Medicaid Population, Della Varghese

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To determine if the prevalence of anti-diabetic and antilipidemic medication use among children treated with atypical antipsychotics is higher than those not treated with antipsychotics. Methods: Virginia Medicaid beneficiaries (2-17 years) continuously enrolled from August 1, 2010 to July 31, 2011 with at least two prescription claims for atypical antipsychotics were the exposed group. All other subjects during the study period were the non-exposed group. Prevalence of anti-diabetic and antilipidemic medication use in both groups were computed and compared using Chi-square test (α=0.05). Results: A total of 299,593 and 4,922 subjects were identified as the non-exposed and exposed groups, …

Early Adolescent Nicotine Exposure Has Long-Lasting Effects On Cocaine-Induced Behaviors In Mice, Mai Alajaji

Theses and Dissertations

Nicotine is one of the most commonly used drugs among adolescent populations. Given the fact that adolescence is a unique developmental stage, during which nicotine has long-term effects on future drug-taking behavior, it is essential to understand how early exposure to nicotine during adolescence may affect the abuse liability of other drugs. We hypothesize that repeated exposure to low doses of nicotine in adolescence induce age-specific enhancement of the rewarding effects of several drugs of abuse in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test. Furthermore, we predict that these changes in behavioral responses are mediated by nicotine-induced brain region-specific increases in …

Kinetics And Mechanisms Of Accumulation For Liposomal Ciprofloxacin Into Rat Alveolar Macrophages, Sayeed Mossadeq

Theses and Dissertations

The kinetics and mechanism of accumulation for liposomal ciprofloxacin (Lipo-CPFX) into the rat alveolar macrophage NR8383 cells were studied in vitro, in comparison to unformulated ciprofloxacin (CPFX). Upon incubation with CPFX or Lipo-CPFX, cellular drug accumulation was determined from the cell lysates or efflux was from the extracellular media by fluorescence-HPLC. The accumulation for Lipo-CPFX reached the asymptotic values at ≥ 2 hours, which was a result of uptake and efflux. The uptake appeared to be due to liposomes, mediated via cellular energy-independent mechanism like lipid fusion. In contrast, the efflux appeared to be due to ciprofloxacin, partly cellular energy-dependent, …

The Impact Of Emotional Intelligence On Auditor Judgment, Yang Ling

Theses and Dissertations

Emotions are an important underlying factor that may interact with pressure and other situational variables to influence auditors’ judgments and decisions. This study seeks to identify emotional intelligence (EI) as a key factor in dealing with emotions and pressures in an audit context. In this paper, I focus on how EI may influence the relation between job pressures (i.e., time budget pressure and client incentive pressure) on the auditor’s judgment. Specifically, I investigate the moderating effect of emotional intelligence on auditor judgments when auditors experience both internal and external pressures. The results suggest that the moderating influence of EI on …

Cannabinoid Modulation Of Hiv-1 Tat-Stimulated Adhesion Of Macrophage-Like Cells To The Extracellular Matrix, Johnathan Drevik

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HANDs) are becoming one of the largest problems in patients infected with HIV-1. The ability of infected cells such as monocytes and microglial cells to act as viral reservoirs causes extreme inflammation in the CNS and has led to several different types of neurocognitive problems. Specifically these HIV-1 infected monocytes are able to secrete inflammatory factors such as the regulatory protein Tat which acts as a chemoattractant for monocytes while also promoting the adhesion of leukocytes to the extracellular matrix (ECM). We have shown that one of the major features of the Tat protein is that it …

Association Of Family Structure And Glycemic Control In Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes: Risk And Protective Factors, Laura Jean Caccavale

Theses and Dissertations

Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from single-parent families are more likely to be in poorer glycemic control (HbA1c). Demographic trends indicate more households are composed of unmarried adults and fewer youths. Family density, or a youth: adult ratio, may be a more salient factor than single-parent status in the association with glycemic control. Data from 257 adolescents aged 11-14 years (M = 12.84) at two different sites were collected as part of a randomized control trial of a treatment intervention designed to increase parent involvement and prevent deterioration of adolescent diabetes disease care. Single-parent status was determined by parental …

In Vitro Lung Epithelial Cell Transport And Anti-Inflammatory Activity For Liposomal Ciprofloxacin, Ruba Darweesh

Theses and Dissertations

Liposomal ciprofloxacin (Lipo-CPFX) is being developed for inhalation, with a goal of sustaining the therapeutic activity, compared to unformulated ciprofloxacin (CPFX). However, the kinetics and mechanism of its sustained local lung retention and pharmacological activity are yet to be fully characterized. This project hypothesized that Lipo-CPFX enables slower and sustained lung epithelial transport and uptake, compared to CPFX, thereby producing prolonged local pharmacological actions. The human bronchial epithelial Calu-3 cells were used as monolayers to characterize the kinetics and mechanism of transport and/or uptake, and to assess the effects of such slow kinetics for Lipo-CPFX on its inhibition against lipopolysaccharide …

Mini Review: Linkages Between Essential Tremor And Parkinson's Disease?, Yiwen Wu, Jianqing Ding, Yuan Gao, Shangdi Chen, Li Li, Rena Li

Health Sciences & Kinesiology: Faculty Publications

Essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are two of the most common movement disorders. Tremors are the primary symptoms of ET and of some PD patients, the two are often mistaken for each other. Especially since there are no available differentiate tests for the tremor of ET or PD, the early diagnoses mainly based on clinical assessments of medical symptoms, family and medication history, and examination by physicians. There is increasing evidence suggesting an association between ET and PD, such as a similar tremor frequency, overlapping resting tremors (a typical PD tremor), postural tremors (mainly in ET patients) in …

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate And Fingolimod (Fty720) Regulate Icl,Swell In Hl-1 Cardiac Myocytes Via Intracellular Binding And Mitochondrial Ros Production, Pooja Desai

Theses and Dissertations

Swelling-activated Cl− current (ICl,swell) is an outwardly-rectifying current that plays an important role in cardiac electrical activity, cellular volume regulation, apoptosis, and acts as a potential effector of mechanoelectrical feedback. Persistent activation of ICl,swell has been observed in models of cardiovascular disease. We previously suggested sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) activates volume-sensitive Cl- current (ICl,swell) by ROS-dependent signaling. S1P and its analog, FTY720 (fingolimod), primarily act via G-protein coupled receptors (S1PR; S1PR1-3 in heart), but several intracellular S1P ligands are known. We investigated how these agents regulate ICl,swell. ICl,swell was elicited by bath S1P (500 nM), FTY720 (S1PR1,3 agonist; 10 μM), and SEW2871 …

"In Our Veins Flows The Blood Of Many Brave Races": The Influence Of The German Literary Vampire On Constructions Of Race And Nation In Nineteenth-Century British Vampire Fiction, Amanda L. Alexander

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The literary vampire figure, as it would be recognized today, entered English literature through translations of late eighteenth century German poetry. The purpose of this project is to explore how the relationship between German vampire ballads and British vampire narratives acts as a literary manifestation of German-British cultural and political attitudes and interactions in the roughly century and a half before World War I. This relationship will be discussed through an exploration of the constructs of blood and body within vampire narratives in direct relationship to sociocultural discourses of race in Pre-WWI England. This project seeks to explore the following …

The Evolution Of Animal Identification In Beef Cattle, Kristy E. Boehler

Nebraska Law Review

The United States’ beef cattle industry’s recent past has been plagued by a lack of a national animal identification system. The lack of a national animal identification system has made it difficult, if not impossible, to track a diseased animal back to its farm of origin or determine what other cattle have been in contact with the diseased animal. In fact, during the investigation of the December 2003 Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) outbreak, the lack of a national animal identification system meant that the United States was only able to locate twenty-eight of the eighty cows that entered …

It Is Time The Law Begins To Protect Consumers From Significantly One-Sided Arbitration Clauses Within Contracts Of Adhesion, Anjanette Raymond

Nebraska Law Review

Businesses are accused of using arbitration as a private dispute resolution system that shields their transgressions from public scrutiny, uses arbitrators and institutions that are perceived as biased, and prevents any real means of justice to the consumer. Something must be done to ensure that consumers facing mandatory arbitration clauses within contracts of adhesion are protected from businesses that seek to use arbitration as an advantageous means to resolve disputes. The American public, a section of Congress, and the arbitration community are all responding, but out-of-date law and recent decisions are thwarting their efforts. It is time for Congress to …

Assessing Institutional Ability To Support Adaptive, Integrated Water Resources Management, Christina M. Hoffman, Sandra Zellmer

Nebraska Law Review

At a time when many, if not all, western states are under pressure to redefine how water resources are managed, this Article provides insight into how one state—Nebraska—has attempted to modify the water management institutions within its borders to implement more integrated management approaches that embrace flexibility and adaptability. Nebraska is a state that has extensive surface and groundwater development and different legal systems and management agencies for governing surface and groundwater resources. This late in the game, the state is unlikely to assimilate governance of surface and groundwater resources into a single, overarching legal system. Instead, Nebraska has adopted …

Forging Toward Coexistence, Laurie J. Beyranevand

Nebraska Law Review

This Article argues that because current federal policies hamper the ability of organic and non-GE farmers to ensure the safety and authenticity of their products, the AC21 needs to meet its charge and reach consensus on USDA supported mechanisms that encourage and facilitate farmers to develop long term, viable solutions that address the interests of all parties. Without USDA support, farmers have little incentive to attempt collaboration under the umbrella of existing federal policies. Part II of this Article provides a detailed history of the regulatory scheme that governs genetically engineered plants and products and demonstrates the clear preference for …

Private Memorials On Public Space: Roadside Crosses At The Intersection Of The Free Speech Clause And The Establishment Clause, Amanda Reid

Nebraska Law Review

Private roadside memorials are part of a growing trend among the bereaved who seek to “make sense of senseless deaths” along the public roadways.2 These memorials, which often feature a Latin cross, are part of deeply meaningful bereavement practices that support the grieving process. As such, these memorials are created to satisfy a human need during a time of crisis and are, therefore, largely constructed without regard to the legality of erecting such markers.3 Courts have yet to provide clear guidance on the constitutionality of erecting and maintaining these private memorials on public spaces. This Article considers the constitutional guideposts …

The Last Rites Of Public Campaign Financing?, James Sample

Nebraska Law Review

This Article asserts the current predicament of public campaign financing is this: options that are still on the table under the Court’s First Amendment jurisprudence are, with only rare and idiosyncratic exceptions, fiscal and political non-starters. Conversely, options that would be, and indeed previously had been, fiscally and politically viable, are now, even after years of their routine practice in varied jurisdictions, no longer constitutional. It is, in short, simultaneously a legal and practical dilemma. Short of highly unlikely swings of the Supreme Court pendulum, and absent an even more unlikely constitutional amendment, cities, states, and federal government actors, who …

Evaluating Biodegradable Containers As Alternatives To Plastic Pots, Renee L. Conneway

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Marked improvements in the sustainability of the horticulture industry have occurred over the last few decades. Movement towards better management practices in areas such as pesticide (IPM), fertilizer application and water usage characterizes today's industry. However, several obstacles have to be overcome for true long-term sustainability of the ornamental horticulture industry. One of these obstacles is the abundant use of plastics in the horticulture industry. This research focused on reducing the industry's plastic waste stream by evaluating the effects of biodegradable pots on plant growth parameters and substrate chemistry, as well as characteristics of biodegradable pots such as strength and …

The Impact Of Service-Learning On Academics Related To Neurogenic Communication Disorders, Ricki A. Konnerup

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Service-Learning (SL) is a pedagogical approach used to assist students in higher education in learning academic material by providing them an experience with a community partner. SL involves academic course objectives that are linked to a community need and includes student reflection on the experience (Goldberg, McCormick Richburg, & Wood, 2006). SL research is limited, but has been an increasing interest for medical, sociology, education, and communication disorders fields. This study describes the effect that SL has on academic learning related to neurogenic communication disorders, attitudes towards SL, and community benefits. One section of a senior level undergraduate course in …

Using Board Games To Teach Physics, Kadia Mohammad Alfaifi

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"This was an exploratory study that examined how board games affect students' motivation and learning of content about science (Physics). Quasi-Experiment research was used to determine the academic effects of the board game as well as an attitudinal survey to evaluate motivation. Participants were selected by a convenience sample from undergraduate courses in the Department of Education at a regional university. Participants were taught by two methods: using a board game and traditional (lecture). Participants in both groups gave a pretest to determine their knowledge of physics followed by posttest to determine their retention after using the board game, or …

Dental Hygienists' Role In Education Of Oropharyngeal Cancers Caused By Human Papillomaviruses: A Thesis, Lacey Anesi

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"This qualitative design study collected Likert style survey data to describe feelings, perceptions, and attitudes of dental hygienists about their knowledge about oral HPV and its associated risks for OPC. The research quantitatively analyzed the dental hygienists responses from the survey to determine if relationships exist based upon dental hygienists' demographics and knowledge, comfort, and likelihood to discuss oral HPV and HPV vaccine options with patients. The survey found that 81% of surveyed dental hygienists perform an intraoral exam on every patient they care for (n =341, 80.61%). The respondents also indicated that 49.88% (n=212) of dental hygiene patients complete …