Digital Commons Network^™

Chinese Outbound Tourists Food Consumption In The U.S.: An Extension Of The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Kaiyang Wu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although Chinese outbound tourists made enormous economic contribution to the U.S. restaurant industry, they seem to have the tendency to consume Chinese cuisine solely during their international trips. This study applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate different behavioral beliefs' impact on the intentions of Chinese outbound tourist unfamiliar ethnic food consumption in the U.S. Additionally, this research combines the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and food neophobia, a food-related personality trait to better explain Chinese outbound tourists' food rejection behavior in the U.S.

Results of this study showed safety concern, acceptance of table manners, perceived communication gap and food …

Physical Therapy Non-Treatment Of The Acute Hospital Inpatient, Daniel Lee Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The detrimental effects of inactivity and mobility extend to the most ill and injured patients in the acute hospital setting. Facilitating the activity and exercise of these most critical patients often requires the skill and expertise of a physical therapist. When physical therapists are involved in the care of hospital inpatients they experience significant benefits; patients experience fewer secondary complications related to their primary illness or injury, they spend less time in critical care units and less time in the hospital overall, and when they leave they go to less restrictive environments and more comfortable care settings. These known benefits …

Induction Of Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Dpsc), Aubrey Young

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mesenchymal stem cells are derived from a variety of human tissues and are being bioengineered and studied for possible uses in the advancement of medicine. Recent efforts are being focused on Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSC's) due to the accessibility of this tissue. Many factors influence DPSC quality and quantity, including the specific methods used to isolate, collect, concentrate, and store these isolates once they are removed. Ancillary factors, such as the choice of media, the selection of early versus late passage cells, and cryopreservation techniques may also influence the differentiation potential and proliferative capacity of DPSC isolates.

The objective …

A Model For Meeting And Event Venues To Implement Green Practices, Justine Clewer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 2007 green meetings were ranked as the third most anticipated trend by Event Solutions magazine’s survey of 1,350 event professionals, however by 2011 it was an emerging trend (Goldblatt, 2012). Today, meeting and event planners are increasingly including clauses in their contracts with venues pertaining to green practices, and are willing to look elsewhere if a venue does not agree to partake in the green initiatives. For venues the failure to “go green” can mean a substantial loss of revenue. Nonetheless, many businesses are hesitant to engage in green (sustainable) practices, because they are not properly educated on the …

Fabrication, Testing And Analysis Of A Fatigue Sensor For Structural Health Monitoring, Subash Gokanakonda

Dissertations

A novel fatigue monitoring sensor (FMS) is designed, fabricated and tested for detecting and monitoring the fatigue damage and estimating the remaining life of structures and components subjected to cyclic loads. The concept is based on the characteristics of stress / strain life cycle relationship of engineering materials. Sensor consists of alternate slots and strips having different strain magnification factor with respect to the nominal strain. The sensor is designed in such a way that the strips will experience the strain which closely resemble the actual strain distribution in the notch or critical area of the component. The sensor can …

Jellyfish, Forage Fish, And The World's Major Fisheries, Kelly L. Robinson, James J. Ruzicka, Mary Beth Decker, Richard D. Brodeur, Frank J. Hernandez, Javier Quiñones, E. Marcelo Acha, Shin-Ichi Uye, Hermes Mianzan, William M. Graham

Faculty Publications

A majority of the world’s largest net-based fisheries target planktivorous forage fish that serve as a critical trophic link between the plankton and upper-level consumers such as large predatory fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals. Because the plankton production that drives forage fish also drives jellyfish production, these taxa often overlap in space, time, and diet in coastal ecosystems. This overlap likely leads to predatory and competitive interactions, as jellyfish are effective predators of fish early life stages and zooplankton. The trophic interplay between these groups is made more complex by the harvest of forage fish, which presumably releases jellyfish from …

Co-Creating Value: Student Contributions To Smart Cities, Chetan S. Sankar, Barry A. Cumbie

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

From Teachers' Control Of Curricula To Curricula's Control Of Teachers: An Analysis Of Loss Of Autonomy In The Lnstructional Labor Process, Joseph Daniel Abbott Jr.

Dissertations

This dissertation explores how the labor process of public school teaching, a white-collar profession, is deskilled. In a content analysis of English/language arts teacher’s manuals and teacher’s editions of student textbooks, I examine public school teachers’ degree of autonomy from an objective, macro-analytical perspective. Applying Harry Braverman’s (1974) theory of the degradation of the modern worker under monopoly capitalism, I explain how teacher deskilling reflects structural factors in the work context that prevent teachers from accessing their professional and personal skill sets via the separation of conception and execution in the instructional labor process.

The formal curricula drive the teaching …

Place-Based Education: An Impetus For Teacher Efficacy, Tamara Chase Coleman

Dissertations

This research investigated professional development in place-based (PB) methodology on the efficacy of science teachers. While teachers are expected to use best practices they do not always implement them due to a lack of efficacy in implementation. A professional development program (PD) was designed to increase confidence among teachers planning to incorporate PB methods. Place-based education (PBE) is recognized as a best-practice among professional educators. PBE includes the selection, design and engagement with science using the geographic place as the content. The literature reports that student learning and teacher efficacy will improve when teachers are prepared effectively in PB practices. …

Three Essays On Gender Differences On Risk Preferences And Credit Market Constraints, Jyoti Rai

Dissertations

The disadvantages that women face in the financial market hamper their social and economic well-being. These disadvantages may arise from their own risk preferences or from financial market. The aim of this dissertation is to examine different aspects of the disadvantages that women face in the U.S Financial Market. In that light, I present three essays that analyze gender differences in risk preferences and credit market constraints. I use the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) data for all my empirical analysis.

In the first essay, I examine whether women exhibit greater financial risk aversion than men using attitudinal and behavioral …

Magnetic Nickel Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Environmental Lmplications And Potential Role As Drug Carriers, Setare Tahmasebi Nick

Dissertations

The design and synthesis of well-defined magnetic particles with nanoscale dimensions is opening new avenues in understanding their fundamental chemical and physical properties. Our work describes a novel facile procedure for the synthesis of homogenous isotropic and anisotropic magnetic nickel nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were produced using a wet-chemical process and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Magnetic measurements were acquired using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. While there is significant interest in using magnetic nanoparticles for biological …

Use Of Complementary Therapies By Individuals With Or At Risk For Cardiovascular Disease And Diabetes: Results Of The 2007 National Health Interview Survey, Katrina Michelle Embrey

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Costly, debilitating and largely preventable, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) place a heavy disease burden of high morbidity, mortality, and rising health care costs on people of the United States. With mortality reports from the two diseases of over 600,000 per year and costs in excess of $176 billion, identifying alternatives to traditional models of care must be considered. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therefore becomes a viable option for prevention and treatment. Using secondary data analysis of the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, the aim of the current study was to determine whether CAM use was associated …

Impact Of Character Development And Empowerment Program On Grit And Resilience Growth In Early And Middle Adolescents, Mimi Gamel

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

The results from the study have shown that the 7 Mindsets: Ultimate Life Summit program has a positive impact on the perception of students’ growth in both grit and resilience. Participants’ growth was shown through the use of the Grit Scale and the Resilience Scale of Children and Adolescents (RSCA) scale. This study is purposeful and timely. It examines the non-cognitive side of education – grit and resilience development in adolescents in an era when adolescents are struggling emotionally at school and at home. The study included forty-five students between the ages of ten and eighteen from ten different countries. …

Executive Function In Early Childhood: Qualitative And Quantitative Patterns Of Development Among Students Within A Montessori Classroom, Ashley Darcy

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

This mixed methodology study observed five executive function components (working memory, attention, planning, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control) in a Montessori preschool environment for three to five year olds. The purpose of the study was to understand patterns of development for three, four, and five year olds in a natural environment. There were five findings found after analysis: 1) a cluster of components of working memory/planning/attention, 2) patterns of frequency of components, 3) the role of interest in EF components, 4) patterns within each of the five components and 5) patterns of data triangulation between the parent, teacher, and researcher. …

Nomination To The National Register Of Historical Places: Warden's Residence, Mcneil Island Penitentiary, Washington, Ann M. Burkly

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

This Master’s thesis nominates the Warden’s Residence of the former Penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington, to the National Register of Historic Places. The Warden’s House is a superb 1932 French Renaissance Eclectic design, that embodies distinctive characteristics of a method of construction, convict labor, and represents the work of a master architect, George Gove of the prominent Northwest architectural firm, “Heath, Gove, & Bell.” The firm also designed the National Register of Historic Places’ sites of the Tacoma Mausoleum, Paradise Lodge at Mt. Rainier, and Stadium High School in Tacoma. As the creation of George Gove, the communicating architect for …

Understanding Student Mathematical Ways Of Knowing: Relationships Among Mathematical Anxiety, Attitude Toward Learning Math, Gender, Ethnicity, And Separate And Connected Ways Of Knowing, Andrea L. Burnes

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

A quantitative, correlational, survey design with anecdotal qualitative data was used to investigate the relationships among mathematical anxiety, attitude toward learning math, gender, ethnicity, and separate and connected ways of knowing within the context of the mathematics classroom. Participants were 88 student volunteers enrolled in undergraduate mathematics classes at an open admissions technical college in the southeastern United States. Survey data consisted of demographic self-report items, Likert scale items, semantic differential scale items, and one qualitative free-response question. Quantitative data were analyzed by use of either a Spearman Rho, Pearson product moment correlation or an independent samples t-test of significance. …

Meaningful Recognition In A Healthy Work Environment For Nurse Engagement In A Critical Care Setting, Ann Rachel Willingham

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: To examine which types of recognition are most meaningful to critical care nurses and study the relationships of meaningful recognition with a healthy work environment and nurse engagement.

Design: A descriptive, correlational design was used for this research study.

Methods: Two hundred-two critical care nurses from an urban, teaching hospital in the southeastern US were invited to participate in the study. Data collection occurred in September and October 2014.

Results: Nurses report the most meaningful recognition is salary and schedule. However, the remaining four subscales of recognition were rated at a level between moderate and …

The Role Of Preceptorship And Group Cohesion On Newly Licensed Registered Nurses' Satisfaction And Intent To Stay, Sarah Michelle Bontrager

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand how preceptor role effectiveness and group cohesion play a role with nursing satisfaction and intent to stay among newly licensed registered nurses.

Design: A descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional design was used.

Methods: The newly licensed registered nurse cohorts of a local healthcare system were polled within their first year of practice. The community healthcare system serves five local hospitals and meetings were held at a neutral educational center. A demographic survey as well as surveys on preceptor role effectiveness, perceptions of group cohesion, nursing satisfaction, and intent to stay …

The Politics Of Happiness In The Workplace, Jacob Shay Sherretts

Political Science

Although the realm of political theory has often focused on what makes an individual happy, there is a lack of analysis on what factors within a career environment best serve to increase an individual’s satisfaction. By comparing indicators such as the region a workplace is located in, the ability of an individual to pursue career goals and the amount of autonomy an employee is allowed, a better understanding can be made on what conditions are optimal for satisfaction in the workplace. After these factors are compared, the findings are then analyzed under the lens of respected political thinkers in order …

Motivational Issues Of Faculty In Saudi Arabia, Peter J. Anthony, Akram Abdul Cader

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

This study focused on the factors that affect motivation of faculty in Saudi Arabia. It included two surveys and open-ended queries to a focus group of five academic managers and 25 faculty members of varying nationalities, rank, and institutes in Saudi Arabia. The research showed that the faculties in Saudi Arabia’s higher education industry feel disconnected from the program development. The faculty members did not feel motivated to participate in the development and improvement of the academic program due to: (a) lack of monetary and non-monetary incentives, (b) management not involving faculty in decision-making, and (c) lack of recognition and …

Acceptance Of Rape Myths In Greek Life Participation, Kathryn Pierce (Class Of 2015)

Sociology Undergraduate Publications

This study addressed the concern that rape culture is prominent on college campuses, particularly with regard to Greek life and drinking alcohol. West and Zimmerman’s doing gender theory and theories on routine activities were utilized to explain these associations. The hypothesis of the study was that students who were members of Greek life would have a significantly higher acceptance of rape myths than students who do not participate in Greek life. In addition to this, a second hypothesis was tested to see if higher alcohol consumption led to greater acceptance of rape myths. To test these hypotheses, 169 participants, 116 …

Opportunity And Access: High School Coursework And Its Impact On Student Self-Perceptions, Cassie K. Ferguson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

The skills taught and the courses offered to the United States’ public high school students have changed drastically over the past 20 years. Career-based electives have given way to college preparatory classes. Gone are the auto shops, construction and home economics classes—courses that many view as outdated, dangerous or unnecessary at the high school level. Arts and humanities-based courses have also disappeared; even courses that can train students to enter the robust fields of healthcare or technology are diminishing (Dare, 2006).

The communities in which many of these courses are disappearing are often diverse and economically disadvantaged. This “second-generation segregation” …

Prognostic Value Of Elevated Serum Ceruloplasmin Levels In Patients With Heart Failure, Muhammad Hammadah, Yiying Fan, Yuping Wu, Stanley L. Hazen, W.H. Wilson Tang

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Background: Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a copper-binding acute-phase protein that is increased in inflammatory states and deficient in Wilson's disease. Recent studies demonstrate that increased levels of Cp are associated with increased risk of developing heart failure. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that serum Cp provides incremental and independent prediction of survival in stable patients with heart failure. Methods and Results: We measured serum Cp levels in 890 patients with stable heart failure undergoing elective cardiac evaluation that included coronary angiography. We examined the role of Cp levels in predicting survival over 5 years of follow-up. Mean Cp level …

The Green Factor, Hillary Tung

City and Regional Planning

No abstract provided.

Saudi Oncology Society Clinical Management Guideline Series. Colorectal Cancer 2014, Shouki N. Bazarbashi, Ali M. Alzahrani, Mohammed M. Rahal, Ahmed S. Al-Shehri, Ali H. Aljubran, Nasser A. Alsanea, Omar A. Al-Obeed, Magdy S. Kandil, Jamal E. Zekri, Abdullah A. Alsharm, Khaled S. Balaraj, Mosa A. Fagih

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Epstein's Target Framework And Motivational Climate In Sport: Effects Of A Field-Based, Long-Term Intervention Program, Jose Cecchini, Javier Fernandez-Rio, Antonio Mendez-Gimenez, Christian Cecchini, Laura Martins

Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term effects that the manipulation of the motivational climate can produce on social factors, psychological mediators, motivation and behavioural consequences. 283 student-athletes with ages ranging from 14 to 18 years (M = 13,54 ± 1,31) completed a questionnaire that included the BPNES, the PLOC, the subscales cooperative learning and improvement of the PMCSQ-2, as well as persistence, effort and boredom subscales. Epstein's TARGET strategies were applied to the experimental group during 12 weeks by specially trained coaches. The repeated measures MANOVA showed significant changes in all variables in the experimental group …

The Update, December 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- Harlem Hellfighters: UNI Alumnus Publishes Award Winning Book
-- Department News
-- School of Music Events
-- Science Students Travel to Minneapolis: 50th Anniversary of the Nobel Conference
-- Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Awards
-- Graphic Design Students Create Work for the Community: Students Created Work for the Hearst Center for the Arts and Cedar Rock State Park
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry: Dane Jacobson
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Physics: Jack Dostal
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Earth Science: Cara Wright
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Philosophy & World Religions: …

Interventions During Labor And Birth In The United States: A Qualitative Analysis Of Women’S Experiences, Alana M. Bibeau

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Objective: To explore and describe hospital-­‐birthing women’s understandings of and experiences with interventions during labor and birth. Methods: Qualitative data was collected as part of a larger ethnographic study of childbirth in the United States. The grounded theory method was employed to analyze interviews with 59 women from three states who had recently given birth in hospitals with physicians or certified nurse-­‐midwives in attendance.

Results: Four themes emerged from the data. The themes safety/risk and provider match, described women’s expectations regarding intervention and their interactions with providers. A third theme addressed how women experienced interventions and their perceptions of control …

Studies To Characterize Heavy Metal Content And Migration From Recycled Polyethyleneterephthalate, Michael John-Ross Whitt

Master's Theses

Packaging Materials account for 31% of the world’s municipal solid waste. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are pushing for the increased use of recycled thermoplastic materials. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly recycled thermoplastic which is used to package ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables. Most recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) packaging materials contain heavy metal catalysts, the most common being antimony. The recent increased use of recycled plastic materials has been suspected as the source of increased human heavy metal exposure. In this study, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead and antimony …

Comprehensive Management Of The Paranasal Sinuses In Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery., Gurston G Nyquist, Md, Marc R Rosen, Md, Mark E. Friedel, Md, D David Beahm, Md, Christopher J Farrell, Md, James J. Evans, Md

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: The endonasal route often provides the most direct and safe approach to skull base pathology. In this article we review the literature with regard to management of the paranasal sinuses in the setting of skull base surgery.

METHODS: We describe our institutional experience and review the literature of concurrent management of the sinusitis in patients undergoing endoscopic skull base surgery.

RESULTS: Patients should be optimized preoperatively to ensure the endonasal route is a safe corridor to enter the intracranial cavity. Often the paranasal sinuses can be surgically addressed at the same time as endoscopic skull base surgery. We describe …