Digital Commons Network^™

Occupational Therapy In The Intensive Care Unit: A Quick Reference Guide, Susie Bonn, Megan Keidel

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to create a quick reference guide for occupational therapists treating clients in the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to increase quality of care, decrease medical errors, and improve confidence.

Methods: A literature review was conducted to determine the needs of occupational therapists and other health professionals working in the ICU environment. It was discovered that occupational therapists do not receive specific education on treating clients in the ICU and that there are no specific resources for occupational therapists currently available. Rehabilitation is beginning sooner within the ICU in order to decrease client …

Integrating Movement And Science To Promote Physical Activity And Academic Performance In Middle School Children, Kevin E. Finn, Kyle Mcinnis

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Recommendations from leading U.S. health agencies concerned with reducing childhood obesity call for increased physical activity during school and afterschool environments. Methods: We developed the Active Science curriculum, which is a variety of activity-based lessons (e.g., nature hike, dance class, walk at local park, treadmill at local YMCA) and incorporated them into traditional science classes and after school programs for middle school children in a low-income, ethnically diverse community. Following the activity experiments, students and teachers uploaded data from devices to an interactive website that provided inquiry-based exploratory learning of science content. Results: Physical activity results showed that the …

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - January 2013, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Reevaluating The "Physician"--Reasonable Compensation For Allied Health Professionals Advocating On Behalf Of Their Patients In Illinois, Rachelle Sico

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Into Crowd Out Phenomenon In Local Churches: Combining Experimental And Survey Methodology, Matthew Moench

Honors Papers

This paper presents the findings of an experimental investigation into crowd out phenomenon in an as yet unexplored sector of public goods provision: the local church. I develop an entirely new instrument for experimental investigation into crowd out, using a combination of both survey and experimental methodology. While the survey finds limited evidence for an aggregate crowd out effect due to taxation, the experimental treatments uncover no evidence of crowd out in local churches due to fiscal illusion.

Predictors Of Health Promoting Lifestyles In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Faye J. Grund

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Nurses comprise the largest segment of healthcare professionals. As nursing students become health professionals, they will have a significant role in modeling health promoting lifestyles and educating patients regarding healthy lifestyle choices.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of health promoting lifestyles in baccalaureate nursing students.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to determine associations between variables including gender, age, basic metabolic index (BMI), financial need, race, ethnicity, relationship status, living situation, general health status, self-reported depressive symptoms, social support, academic outcomes, self-efficacy, and heath promoting lifestyles. A convenience sample of participants from …

A Fresher Law: Amending The Florida Right To Farm Act To Include Urban Micro Farming As A Key Initiative To Promote Sustainability, Food Access, And Environmental Justice For Low-Income Communities, Cameryn Rivera

Florida A & M University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Good Policy, Good Food: Bringing A Just And Sustainable Food System To All, Mark Winne

Florida A & M University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Social Entrepreneurship That Truly Benefits The Poor: An Integrative Justice Approach, Nicholas J. C. Santos

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The phenomenal growth of social entrepreneurship over the last decade has ably demonstrated how technology, innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit can afford better solutions to the vexing social and
environmental problems of our time than can traditional aid and charity-based efforts. In most cases, but not always, the poor and disadvantaged have benefited from the growth of social entrepreneurship. In order to ensure that social entrepreneurship does indeed benefit the poor, it is imperative that there be normative guidelines for fair and just engagement
with impoverished populations. A model that has been presented in the marketing and public policy literature …

Lucidity: A Novella, Rafael Lancelotta

HIM 1990-2015

Lucidity is a novella set in the near future of a man living in a city in the United States as a successful businessman. The novella criticizes the idea of consumerism through Aurora, a character who believes that a drug is being introduced into the water and food supply by the corporate-backed government. Characters find advertising to be almost irresistible, experience strange cravings for things like cheap beer, and are generally preoccupied with the latest products. James Simmons, the protagonist of the novella, finds himself in the lap of luxury. He has a job that pays well, a penthouse apartment, …

South County Food, Fitness, And Fun Program: A Comprehensive Intervention On Childhood Obesity, Amanda S. Tassoni

Open Access Master's Theses

Recently, obesity in children had risen to epidemic levels. There is an urgent need to develop primary prevention strategies to prevent current and future unhealthy weight gain. Physical activity and nutrition have been linked to the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a comprehensive intervention developed to help maintain BMI in overweight and obese children aged 7 to 11 years while improving physical activity levels, fitness levels, and psychosocial behavior. METHODS:Twenty obese children and their parents from South County, Rhode Island participated in a 16-week intervention that met …

Soil Quality In Rhode Island Pastures Grazed By Different Types Of Livestock, Alissa H. Becker

Open Access Master's Theses

Historically, much of the New England landscape was converted to pasture for grazing animals and harvesting hay. Today, consumer demand for local, sustainably produced food, the number of livestock farms and the land area used for farming are increasing in Rhode Island. In order to make sound management decisions, it is important to characterize the effects of livestock on the quality of pasture soils. Although pastures remain a fairly common part of the New England landscape, little research has been published on the effects of grazing animals on pasture soil quality. To assess this, I examined soil quality in farms …

Effects Of A Community-Based Tai Chi And Dietary Weight Loss Intervention On Body Composition In Obese Older Women, Jillian M. Bekke

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Obesity is a risk factor for many chronic diseases in older women. Tai Chi is an alternative exercise that has not been thoroughly investigated in this population in a community setting for its effects on body fat mass when combined with dietary weight loss. Methods: A 16-week community-based intervention using Tai Chi and behaviorally-based dietary weight loss (TCWL, n=29) in older (68.2 ± 1.5 yr) obese (BMI=35.4 ± 0.8kg/m²) women was conducted compared to a control group (CON, n=9; BMI=38.0 ± 1.5 kg/m²; age=65.5 ± 2.7 yr). Primary and exploratory outcomes included were …

Locus Of Control As A Predictor Of Maternal Feeding Style, Anna G. Lubiner

Open Access Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was twofold: To investigate the association between parental feeding styles (authoritarian, authoritative and permissive) and maternal locus of control orientation, and to determine whether depression moderated the relationship between feeding style and locus of control. Participants were 68-English speaking mothers of preschool age children (3 to 5), who participated in two previous studies. Measures of parental feeding style, maternal depression, and locus of control, as well as basic demographic data were drawn from larger interview batteries administered as part of the previous studies.

It was hypothesized that a more internal locus of control orientation would …

A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Value Of Membership In The Oley Foundation By Home Parenteral And Enteral Nutrition Consumers, Katelyn Patricia Chopy

Open Access Master's Theses

Background: Support and educational organizations have been shown to improve quality of life in consumers of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) and home enteral nutrition (HEN). One such organization, The Oley Foundation, offers resources for the home parenteral and enteral nutrition (HPEN) consumer. Research has shown that the Oley Foundation has lead to positive outcomes for members. No studies have determined what services consumers value, how they were introduced to the organization, and how this impacted them individually. This study used qualitative methodology to gain a deeper understanding of the perceived value of membership in the Oley Foundation for HPEN consumers. …

Using Seaweed As A Soil Amendment: Effects On Soil Quality And Yield Of Sweet Corn (Zea Mays L.), Angela R. Possinger

Open Access Master's Theses

Application of seaweed to manage soil fertility is a traditional practice in many coastal regions, utilizing an inexpensive, abundant, and nutrient-rich resource. As a practice that re-purposes waste materials, diversifies inputs, and relies on coastal resources, seaweed amendment may be an effective and inexpensive means of strengthening and supporting agriculture in coastal agroecosystems. Putatively, seaweed biomass may be a useful amendment for crop production and soil quality improvement due to provision of plant nutrients (e.g. N, P, K, Ca), and promotion of microbial activity, among other benefits. However, limitations of seaweed application include high sulfur (S), salt, and heavy metal …

Nicu Sodium Administration To Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: Relationships With Recommendations And Growth, Donna Kelly

Open Access Master's Theses

Title: NICU sodium administration to extremely low birth weight infants: Relationships with recommendations and growth.

Objectives. To determine the amount of sodium being administered in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from all sources including parenteral and enteral nutrition, medications, and intravenous solutions to extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants -- those weighing less than or equal to 1000 grams. It was hypothesized that there are variable amounts of sodium given, but those amounts are not adequate when compared to the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) (3-5 mEq/kg/d).

Study design. The study design was …

Ecology Of Menidia Menidia Larvae In Two Temperate Estuarine Littoral Habitats, Miranda Lopez

Open Access Master's Theses

The Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia) is one of the numerically most abundant fish species in estuaries along the East Coast of North America, but its ecology during the first two weeks post-hatch has not been described. Therefore ecological investigations into appropriate sampling methods, preferred habitats, feeding ecology and growth of these larvae will contribute valuable information to our knowledge base for this species. The upper reaches of two Rhode Island, USA, estuaries, with differing levels of anthropogenic inputs, were the study sites for this project. Previous studies have shown that during early spring M. menidia adults ripen for …

Gluconeogenesis And Colonization Of The Mouse Intestine By E. Coli Edl933 And E. Coli Nissle 1917, Silvia Anna Christina Schinner

Open Access Master's Theses

Previous studies in this laboratory have indicated that E. coli Nissle 1917 can act as a probiotic and is able to prevent the pathogenic E. coli EDL933 from growing to high numbers in the mouse large intestine. This study evaluated the influence of gluconeogenesis in E. coli Nissle 1917 and E. coli EDL933 to compete against each other and for their maintenance in the intestine. Knockout mutants of both strains were created for the analysis of the importance of gluconeogenesis in colonization experiments in the mouse large intestine. To knock out the ability to use gluconeogenesis and therefore metabolizing substrates …

Modification Of The Escherichia Coli Nissle 1917 EnvZ Gene To Improve Its Probiotic Potential, Jimmy Adediran

Open Access Master's Theses

The pathogenic Escherichia coli EDL933 is known to cause infection in the intestine. E. coli Nissle 1917 is used as a probiotic strain to prevent infection (63). When the mouse intestine is pre-colonized with E. coli Nissle 1917 it prevents E. coli EDL933 from growing up in the intestine. E. coli EDL933 is not eliminated from the intestine; it stays at the level in which it was fed to the mice. The P41L envZ missense mutation was previously shown to causes an increase in the level of phosporylated OmpR (OmpR~P) produced (67). E. coli MG1655 with the P41L missense …

Body Composition, Movement Phenology And Habitat Use Of Common Eider Along The Southern New England Coast, Joshua M. Beuth

Open Access Master's Theses

The nearshore and offshore waters of southern New England provide important winter habitat for many sea duck species including common eiders (Somateria mollissima). Sea ducks that inhabit these waters must contend with global climate change, disease, and anthropogenic disturbance including proposed offshore wind energy development; however, evaluating these potential impacts on sea ducks, in general, and eiders in particular is difficult because knowledge of their ecology during winter is limited. I conducted the first validation of a non-lethal method for estimating body composition (deuterium dilution) of eiders and then applied this method to assess changes in body composition …

Physical Activity Relapse Prevention In Middle School Students: Using Mediation Analysis, Chrislyn Lauren Nefas

Open Access Master's Theses

Currently, very little is known about the mechanisms involved in effective behavior change interventions. In order to determine which mechanisms of the model produced the behavior change, longitudinal mediation structural equation models are necessary. The current study aims to determine the processes that underlie behavior change mechanisms of a Transtheoretical Model (TTM) computer based physical activity intervention study administered to middle school students (N = 4,151) in the state of Rhode Island.

This study examined a subset of students (N = 534) who reported as physically active at baseline. For this study, the independent variables consist of behavioral processes; mediating …

False Ring Formation In Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) After Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges Tsugae) And Elongate Hemlock Scale (Fiorinia Externa) Feeding, Liahna Gonda-King

Open Access Master's Theses

Hemlock forests in the eastern United States are threatened by two sessile invasive herbivores: the elongate hemlock scale, Fiorinia externa Ferris (Hemiptera: Diaspididae; ‘EHS’) and the hemlock woolly adelgid Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae; ‘HWA’). EHS and HWA occupy similar feeding guilds but have enormously different effects on tree health. EHS reduces hemlock growth and causes needle discoloration and loss, but only causes tree mortality under high EHS densities (McClure 1980b). In contrast, HWA has devastated stands of hemlocks on the east coast of the United States. Although EHS reduces fitness of the tree and can kill already stressed trees …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of A Nutrition Education Mini Lesson Series, Elizabeth B. Patnode

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To assess the impact of a nutrition education mini lesson series on children’s knowledge and fruit and vegetable consumption.

Design: Quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design with two study conditions (experimental and control).

Setting: Four (4) Boys & Girls Clubs in Providence, Rhode Island.

Participants: Eighty-four (84) children ages 5-11 years.

Intervention: Participants in the experimental group received one, 10-minute fruit and vegetable nutrition education mini lesson each week for 4 weeks. Participants in the control condition received 2 lessons unrelated to fruits and vegetables. The experimental and control groups completed pre- and post-surveys one week before and after the intervention.

Main …

Green Eating And Dietary Quality In University Students, Garrick Brown

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: To determine if environmentally conscious eating, also known as Green Eating (GE), was associated with dietary quality among university students.

Design: Non-randomized cross-sectional analysis at baseline.

Setting: A northeastern university.

Participants: University students (n=26) aged 18-24 years, with a campus meal plan, and a body mass index (BMI) greater than 18.5 kg/m².

Main Outcome Measures: Healthy Eating Index (HEI) - 2005 score.

Analysis: GE Stage of Change (SOC) was assessed by an online survey administered to first and second year students. Subjects were eligible if they were in the precontemplation SOC (PC) (n=18) or …

Stress, Lifestyle, And Diet In College Students: Analysis Of The Yeah Study, Steven Mcpartland

Open Access Master's Theses

Objective: This study explored relationships among perceived stress, BMI, waist circumference, and eating and physical activity behaviors in college students and gender differences in these relationships.

Participants: Students from fourteen universities (n=1,116) recruited for a web-based health intervention in fall of 2009.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of study sample at baseline. Associations between stress, BMI and waist circumference, diet, weight-related eating behaviors, and physical activity were explored, as were the between-gender differences in these associations.

Results: Stress was positively correlated with BMI and waist circumference in females, but not in males. Females reported higher levels of stress and scored …

Evaluating Coastal Islands As Potential Translocation Sites For New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus Transitionalis), Cynthia L. Maynard

Open Access Master's Theses

The population of the northeast region’s native rabbit, the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis; NEC), has declined by more than 80% in the last 50 years. In 2006, it was listed as a candidate species for protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. In 2010, a captive breeding program was developed to help reverse this trend, and islands were identified as having the potential to serve as ideal release sites for captive-bred NEC. Two islands were chosen as possible release sites: Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge in Chilmark, Massachusetts; and Patience Island, located in Narragansett Bay, …

The Combined Effect Of Tai Chi And Weight Loss On Physical Function In Community Dwelling Obese Older Wommen, Jonathan M. Letendre

Open Access Master's Theses

Introduction: Older obese women are at risk of obesity-related disability, but Tai Chi has not been explored as an exercise modality along with weight loss for their effects on physical function. Methods: A 16-week community-based intervention was conducted to assess the impact of Tai Chi plus behaviorally-based weight loss (TCWL, n=29) on obese (BMI=35.4 ±0.8 kg/m²) older (68.2±1.5 yr) women compared to a control group (CON, n=9, BMI=38.0±1.5kg/m², 65.6±2.7 yr). The major outcome was the short physical performance battery (SPPB), consisting of 4-m gait speed (GS), standing balance, and chair stand (CS) tests. The TCWL group …

The Effects Of Different Warm-Up Modalities On Gluteus Medius Activation, Richard Sutton Nadel

Open Access Master's Theses

PURPOSE: Muscle imbalance assessment and treatment practices are becoming more commonplace in the field of strength and conditioning. For instance, exercises such as monster walks are being prescribed as a warm-up exercise with the specific aim of activating and/or strengthening the gluteus medius (GM) muscle. There is evidence to suggest that an individual with either a weak GM or one that is delayed in its onset has an increased risk of injury. However, this relationship has not been established in a resistance trained athletic population. Further, there is no evidence that commonly used glute activation (GA) exercises will acutely increase …

Opening Up The Box: Exploring The Scaling Out Of The Good Food Box Across Canada, Stephanie Lentz Laporte Potts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Good Food Box (GFB) program holds a great deal of promise to expand our understanding of Community Food Security (CFS). CFS represents a vision for solving hunger and other problems with the food system through an integrated approach that improves access to good and appropriate food for all while at the same time building community, strengthening local agricultural economies, and maximizing social justice. The GFB, one type of CFS program, is a community-based initiative found across Canada that provides a box of healthy food to customers at near wholesale prices; it has the potential to increase access to healthy …