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Relationship Between Age And Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Care In Elderly Hemodialysis Patients, Rubette Harford Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Purpose: The primary purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between age and receipt of three components of pre-end stage renal disease care prior to first initiation of hemodialysis, and to explore the implications of differences in interpretation of funding policies for dialysis services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland. Background: The growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a national public health concern, particularly within the aged population. It is estimated that more than 25 million Americans are living with some level of kidney disease, with an increasing prevalence noted with increasing age (Coresh et …

How Firms Respond To Financial Restatement: Ceo Successors And External Reactions, David Gomulya, Warren Boeker

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Although past studies have paid considerable attention to firms' reputations, few have investigated the actions that firms take following a reputation-damaging event. We identify firms involved in financial earnings restatements and examine whether naming a successor CEO with specific qualities serves to signal the seriousness of a firm's efforts to restore its reputation. Using theories of market signaling, we argue that attributes of successor CEOs significantly influence the reactions of key external constituencies. In particular, firms with more severe restatement tend to name successors who have prior CEO or turnaround experience and a more elite education. The naming of such …

Specially Invited Opinions And Research Report Of The International Water Law Project: Global Perspectives On The Entry Into Force Of The Un Watercourses Convention 2014: Part One, Gabriel Eckstein, Salman M.A. Salman, Dinara Ziganshina, Kishor Uprety, Götz Reichert

Faculty Scholarship

This is the first part of a two-part research report on opinions of prominent international water lawyers from each continent on the potential impacts of the 1997 UN Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses. The second part of the report was published in Water Policy 17(1).

The following compilation is reproduced and adapted from a series of essays that appeared in the blog of the International Water Law Project (www.internationalwaterlaw.org). The series was solicited in preparation for the coming into force of the 1997 UN Convention on the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses. The Convention had been pending for …

Determinants Of Livelihood Choices: An Empirical Analysis From Rural Bangladesh, S Rahman, S Akter

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The study identifies socio-economic determinants of livelihood choices of rural households in Bangladesh (4,195 households from 139 villages) by applying a multinomial logit model of occupational choice and a multivariate Tobit model that allows for jointness in decision making. Results reveal that households choose multiple livelihood options. A number of socio-economic factors and resources at the household level as well as the state of rural infrastructure significantly determine households’ livelihood choice. Overall, resource-rich and educated households engage in diversified livelihoods and rural infrastructure promotes such diversification. Female-headed households fail to participate in any of the livelihood categories and consequently earn …

Hospital Discharge Decision Modeling For Mental Health Inpatients, Peiwen Duan

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research addresses the issue of unnecessary treatment and late discharge for mental health inpatients. In this thesis, a dynamic decision model is proposed to determine the optimal timing to discharge a patient from hospital that considers both the impacts of over-treatment and not enough treatment on patients recovery. We measure the reward of making the discharge decisions in terms of hospitalization cost and readmission cost. The objective is to minimize the total expected cost for patients and provides hospital care providers with theoretical methods to assist them to make a better decision about discharge planning and management.

Effects Of Water Column P-Availability And Litter Microbial Mediated Processes And Stoichiometry In Aquatic Systems, Ayla Smartt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems is prevalent and can have detrimental effects on biological condition. Many of these effects have been attributed directly or indirectly to changes in autotrophic processes. However, in detrital-based streams changes in course detrital stoichiometry and decomposition have been related to changes community structure and production at higher trophic levels highlighting the importance of considering the heterotrophic microbial responses to enrichment. Leaf litter stoichiometry, which is determined in part by the tree species source and the microbial communities that comprise the associated biofilm, is likely related to decomposition rates, but few studies examine these variables …

Atom-Based Geometrical Fingerprinting Of Conformal Two-Dimensional Materials, Mehrshad Mehboudi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The shape of two-dimensional materials plays a significant role on their chemical and physical properties. Two-dimensional materials are basic meshes that are formed by mesh points (vertices) given by atomic positions, and connecting lines (edges) between points given by chemical bonds. Therefore the study of local shape and geometry of two-dimensional materials is a fundamental prerequisite to investigate physical and chemical properties. Hereby the use of discrete geometry to discuss the shape of two-dimensional materials is initiated.

The local geometry of a surface embodied in 3D space is determined using four invariant numbers from the metric and curvature tensors which …

Development Of A Heart Rate Variability Measurement System Using Embedded Electronics, Naresh Kumar Velmurugan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent advances in embedded electronics have a remarkable influence on the health care system. One of the most important applications is to monitor the health care of the patients at anytime and anyplace. In the last two decades, many researchers have focused mainly on heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. Patient's heart rate variability should be continuously monitored to help them in case of emergency. Under these circumstances, patients are required to have a HRV measuring kit for a constant observation.

The proposed project focuses on the development of a heart rate variability measurement system with the use of embedded electronics. …

The Peculiar Institution On The Periphery: Slavery In Arkansas, Kelly Eileene Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Slavery grew quickly on the western edge of the South. By 1860, more than one quarter of Arkansas's population was enslaved. While whites succeeded remarkably in transplanting the institution of slavery to the trans-Mississippi South, bondspeople used the land around them to achieve their own goals. Slaves capitalized on the abundance of uncultivated space, such as forest and canebrake, to temporarily escape the demanding crop routine, hold secret parties and religious meetings, meet friends, or run away for good. The Civil War created upheaval that undermined the slave regime but also required those African-Americans still in bondage to carefully navigate …

The Elimination Of Listeria Monocytogenes Biofilms From Stainless Steel Deli Meat Slicer Components By The Use Of Hurdle Technologies, Alexandria Wynne Mertz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes growth is of the greatest concern amongst ready-to-eat foods. The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Services determined that deli luncheon meats pose the greatest risk of contamination from L. monocytogenes Industrial meat slicers have many removable parts that are connected with sealers and gaskets, which can become worn over time. These spaces cannot be cleaned adequately, therefore are susceptible to bacterial growth. Planktonic cells form biofilms in order to protect the cell from adverse conditions, like during routine cleaning and sanitation. Once a biofilm is formed, the bacteria are much more difficult to eradicate …

Changes In Monomeric And Polymeric Pigments During Chokeberry Juice Processing, Kail David Wilkes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chokeberry consumption has been increasing due to research exposing great potential of health-promoting compounds. However, chokeberries are highly astringent and are typically consumed in processed forms in which product heating is applied. Processing chokeberries has been reported to degrade bioactive compounds, thus limiting the potential for consumers to obtain their health-promoting benefits. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of chokeberry juice processing and storage on anthocyanin, flavonol, proanthocyanidin, hydroxycinamic acid, and polymeric pigment content, as well as percent polymeric color. In addition, new analytical methodologies were explored to better understand possible outcomes of polymeric pigments due …

Biological Control Of Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta) Using Pseudacteon (Diptera: Phoridae) In Central Arkansas, Sim Mckague Barrow

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Red imported fire ants are major pests in the southeastern United States. As a part of an integrated pest management strategy, a biological control program has been implemented which includes Pseudacteon decapitating flies. These flies are parasitoids of fire ant workers and two species of Pseudacteon are established in Arkansas: Pseudacteon tricuspis and Pseudacteon curvatus. Pseudacteon cultellatus and P. obtusus were released in the spring and fall of 2013. Despite sampling throughout 2014, establishment cannot be confirmed. Two phorid fly sampling methods, hand aspirating and sticky traps, were studied. A vacuum aspirator was compared with two sticky trap configurations. Sticky …

Evaluation Of Porcine Ipec-J2 Cell Line Growth Rate And Immune Response To E. Coli (0111:B4) Lps, Xiaofan Wang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate the intestinal porcine epithelial cell-jejunum 2 (IPEC-J2) cell line as a model to study the innate immune function of live pigs. Growth rates of IPEC-J2 cells in T-75 flasks and 96-well plates were evaluated using a hemocytometer and spectrophotometer for cell quantity measurements to determine growth rate and doubling time. Growth rates of IPEC-J2 cells in T-75 flasks and 96-well plates were 0.4016 and 0.2851 times of doubling/day respectively with a doubling time of 1.73 d and 2.43 d, respectively. Confluent IPEC-J2 monolayers were tested at five time intervals (0, 1, 2, …

Short-Term Effects Of Poultry Litter Or Woodchip Biochar Amendment In A Temperate Zone Agronomic System, Katy Elizabeth Brantley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biochar, a charcoal product produced by the anaerobic thermal decomposition of biomass, can provide agronomic benefits when soil applied. However, research is lacking in temperate region soils investigating specific biochar products and their effects on agronomically important crops. A greenhouse study utilizing poultry litter biochar and a field study utilizing pine woodchip biochar were conducted to observe the effects of biochar application to Northwest Arkansas soils on corn growth and nutrient availability. A third experiment investigated poultry litter and pine woodchip biochar influences on soil water retention. In all three experiments, biochar was applied at three rates (0, 5, and …

Oxidative Stability Of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Rich Soy Oil Obtained By Heterogeneous Ruthenium Catalysis, Saurabh Ravindra Lele

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has multiple health benefits but it is difficult to obtain sufficient CLA in a healthy diet to obtain the clinical effects. A CLA rich-soy oil (CLARSO) with up to 20% CLA has been produced by heterogenous catalysis but no studies of its oxidative stability have been reported. CLARSO and soy oil primary and secondary oxidation products were measured at 50oC in the dark. The CLARSO was less stable than soy oil but adsorption bleaching improved its oxidative stability. However, induction times were dependent on the analytical method used. Fatty acid oxidation kinetics was determined by measuring …

Educational Effects Of State Actions Banning Access To In-State Resident Tuition Rates For Unauthorized Immigrant Students, Luis Alexander Villarraga Orjuela

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research studies the effects of state laws banning access to in-state resident tuition (ISRT) rates and other educational benefits for unauthorized immigrant students (UIS) in five states: Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio. It measures the overall effect of policies denying ISRT that were implemented between 2005-2012 in the United States.

Three potential effects are evaluated. First, the study estimates the policy effects on the college enrollment of UIS. Because the policy does not deny access to higher education institutions, the possibility exists for this population to attend public or private colleges. However, facing higher costs (i.e., out-of-state tuition) …

"We Can't Reclaim What We Don't Understand": Teachers' Perceptions Of Advocacy And Voice In A Rural Institute Of The National Writing Project, James Anthony Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines teachers' perceptions of advocacy and voice in a summer institute of the National Writing Project. The Rural Advocacy Institute, a first-time initiative through the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project, offered three weeks of professional development centered on rural education and teaching English language arts in rural public schools. The study is a grounded theory study; grounded theory forces the researcher to stay "close to the data," compare data sets, and use reflective writing to identify conceptual categories in the data. Data collection in the study included semi-structured interviews with six K-12 teachers participating in the Institute and twenty-seven …

Potential For Optical Sensor-Based Nitrogen Fertilization In Grain Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor L. Moench) In Arkansas, Kamil H. Rosales Rodriguez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ground-based active-optical (GBAO) crop sensors have become an effective tool to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency and to predict yield early in the growing season, particularly for grass crops. Commercially available canopy sensors calculate the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) by emitting light in the red and near infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The NDVI is used to evaluate vigor status and to estimate yield potential. However, few studies have been conducted to compare the performance of commercially available sensors. Therefore, a study was conducted using the most common crop canopy sensors: i) N-Tech's GreenSeeker^TM (GS), ii) Holland …

Enhancement Of Antimicrobial Activity Of Naturally Occuring Phenolic Compounds By Nano-Particle Mediated Delivery Against Listeria Monocytogenes, Escherichia Coli O157:H7, And Salmonella Typhimurium, Madhuram Ravichandran

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food-borne illnesses are of major concern in the U.S. and worldwide. Salmonella,Listeria,E. coli O157:H7 continue to be some of the major foodborne pathogens. Recurring recalls due to these pathogens demand critical antimicrobial strategies to decontaminate the food through its procession from farm to fork. In our study, we combined the effectiveness of naturally occurring phenolic compounds individually, with/ without ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and/or Nisin and nanoparticle delivery to improve the antimicrobial potential of the compounds against Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.), Salmonella Typhimurium (S.T.), and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E.c.), in brain …

Winter Field Pea As A Leguminous Cover Crop In Corn Production, Matthew Carroll Marsh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leguminous cover crops, which fix nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere and add to the N content of the soil, have the potential to replace or partially replace commercial nitrogen fertilizers. In this experiment, field pea (Pisum arvense) was used as the leguminous cover crop in a conventional tilled corn (Zea mays) production system. In a 2-yr experiment (2008 and 2009), conducted at two locations in Arkansas, field pea was planted on half the field in the fall and allowed to grow until late April to early May. Field pea biomass was recorded, N content of biomass determined and then the …

State Funding Decision-Making For Higher Education Institutions During Capital Campaigns, Everrett Alexander Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public higher education has experienced a decline in state funding in real dollars. This has created financial challenges for many students and their families, as well as institutions.

Tax revenue has decreased as a result of the economic recession, causing state leaders to reprioritize their fiscal responsibilities. Higher education has been viewed as a discretionary expense in competition with other state programs, so funding can, and often, does vary. Colleges and universities use alternative financial resources, most notably private fundraising, to meet their goals. The study was conducted to identify college leaders' perceptions of state funding during their institution's mega-capital …

The Perceived Benefits Of Automotive Service Excellence (Ase) Certifications For Graduates Of Four-Year Automotive Technology Programs, John Thompson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The roots of certification in America date back to guild-like associations similar to those in Europe, but did not gain industry recognition until after World War II. It is recognized as a way for an industry to elevate itself and be recognized as a stand-alone, autonomous profession, as long as there is validity in the process and impartial oversight by an accredited governing body. It is also a way for individuals to distinguish themselves from their peers by proving a technical aptitude or competence. It allows a prospective job candidate to signal to a potential employer that they have attained …

A Portable Impedance Biosensing System Based On A Laptop With Labview For Rapid Detection Of Avian Influenza Virus, Yixiang Wang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) H5N1 is a highly pathogenic virus found not only in birds but also in human. Rapid and sensitive detection method is needed to help prevent the spread of AIV H5N1. In this study, a portable impedance biosensing system based on a laptop with LabVIEW software was developed for detection of AIV H5N1. First, a virtual instrument was programmed with LabVIEW software to form a platform for impedance measurement, data processing and control. The audio card of a laptop was used as a function generator while a data acquisition card was used with the signal channels for …

Influences Of Contexts On Consumers' Visual Attention Towards Food Images: Eye-Tracking Studies, Baoyue Zhang

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food perception is influenced not only by sensory properties of the food itself, but also by individuals- or environment-related contexts. Visual cue appears to be the most dominant factor in modulating food perception. This research aimed to determine whether individuals' visual attention towards food images can vary as a function of contextual variables such as hunger/fullness (Chapter 3), chronic stress (Chapter 4), and culture (Chapter 5). In Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, participants were asked to freely view visual slides, including four different images per slide, shown on the monitor. Using eye-tracking techniques, participants' visual attention towards food images (e.g., …

Integration Of Herbicide Programs With Cultural And Mechanical Practices For Managing Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) In Soybean (Glycine Max), Holden Bell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth is the most troublesome weed in Arkansas row crops, causing producers to rely heavily on multiple mechanisms of action to reduce selection pressure for further evolution of herbicide resistance and to successfully produce a profitable crop. It is critical for the sustainability of weed management not only to adequately control this weed but also to reduce the soil seedbank using both non-chemical and chemical practices. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of soybean row spacing, seeding rate, and herbicide program on Palmer amaranth emergence, survival, and seed production in soybean, the effect of drill-seeded soybean population …

The Utility Of The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire In Identifying Stably Peer-Victimized Children, Freddie Aníbal Pastrana Rivera

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I evaluated the utility of using the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) in identifying stably peer-victimized children. Participants were 676 fourth grade students from 37 classrooms in ten public schools. Stable peer victims were identified as children who met elevated levels of peer victimization at both fall and late spring assessments from at least one source (i.e., self, peer, teacher). Four potential screeners using the OBVQ were evaluated. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify how well a recommended cutoff point from the global item of the OBVQ (i.e., being bullied 2 or 3 times a month) identified stable victims. Additional …

Marketing Mutuality: Boundary Spanning Approaches To Marketing Strategy, Alexander Scott Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, arranged in three essays, is grounded firmly in the crossroads of sociology and marketing. Theories of the former inform phenomena of the latter. In particular, the sociological theory of the gift and the rich tradition of anti-utilitarian social science inform contemporary debate regarding the rise of the sharing economy and its much-heralded potential to alter the landscape of the market. Through an ethnography of brand and retail service settings in the particular context of American craft beer festivals, the concept of mutuality is used to provide a line of demarcation between effective and ineffective forms of the sharing …

Understanding Service Utilization Disparities And Depression In Latino Parents And Children: The Role Of Fatalismo, Elizabeth Anastasia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has repeatedly demonstrated a disparity between need and utilization of mental health services for Latino adults and children. The adapted Health Beliefs Model (Henshaw & Freedman-Doan, 2009) provides a useful framework for conceptualizing the roles of perceived severity and therapy expectations in the relation between demographic variables and service utilization. Cultural variations in perceptions of mental illness by Latinos may be linked with lower service utilization rates for Latino parents and children. It was speculated that fatalismo, a cultural construct similar to external locus of control, may be related to perceptions of mental illness and service utilization outcomes for …

Monsters In Common: Identity And Community In Postapocalyptic Science Fiction After 9/11, Jeremy J. Burns

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the aftermath 11 September, 2001, postapocalyptic science fiction has offered a way to make sense of the events of that day, as well as the years of social, cultural and political upheaval that have followed. In many ways, 9/11 began immediately to take on apocalyptic significance in the American national narrative, seemingly marking the end of one period and the beginning of another, entirely different one. To think of 9/11 as a kind of apocalyptic break with the past, however, does not tell the whole story. Moreover, such thinking denies key historical linkages between the American response to 9/11 …

2014 December, Office Of Communications & Marketing, Morehead State University.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for December of 2014.