Digital Commons Network^™

Combining Modified Atmosphere Packaging And Nisin To Extend The Shelf Life Of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar), Dong Han

All Theses

Atlantic salmon is often used in laboratory experiments to represent marine fishes. Many researchers try to optimize the levels and dosage of preservatives to maintain the freshness and extend the shelf-life of Atlantic salmon. Little information has been provided about the effectiveness of combined method between MAP and nisin, especially on the preservation of Atlantic salmon. Strong evidences suggest that MAP associated with nisin may have a potential to improve Atlantic salmon storage quality. Preservation effectiveness of combining modified atmosphere package (MAP) and nisin on fresh Atlantic salmon was determined using various methods. Six groups of farmed Atlantic salmon were …

Prevalence Of Human Noroviruses In Commercial Retail Food Establishment Without A Recently Reported Outbreak Of Gastroenteritis, Chaoyi Tang

All Theses

Human noroviruses (NoV) are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, causing nearly 58% of foodborne disease in the USA. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of NoV on select bathroom surfaces in food establishments in South Carolina (SC). All SC counties (N=46) were sorted by population density into high-, medium-, and low-density categories. Three counties were randomly selected from each population category. Lists of all foodservice establishments in each selected county (N=9) were obtained from the Department of Health and Environmental Control and a total of 120 foodservice establishments were randomly selected. Swabs were collected from …

The Effects Of Probiotics Supplementation On Health Using Caenorhabditis Elegans As A Model System, Miranda Klees

All Theses

The 'Western Diet,' prominent among developed nations, often refers to a diet rich in meat proteins and refined sugars. Western society may in part be plagued with obesity and obesity related diseases due to a diet enriched with glucose. With an increasing glycemic index observed in Western society, it comes to no surprise that obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity related diseases are on the rise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes obesity as an epidemic, affecting more than 35% of U.S. citizens. Shortened lifespan and increased susceptibility to pathogens are associated with these diseases and linked …

Charitable Donations: An Analysis Of The Differences In Donation Patterns By Income Level, Elizabeth Ficklin

All Theses

This thesis examines the possibility of grouping charitable donors by income level to develop a set of models that can more accurately predict charitable donations. Previous work is inconsistent in predicting charitable donations. This work helps to determine if these inconsistencies are a result of methodological differences between researchers, or if group membership is an important factor in predicting charitable donations as suggested by some researchers. This research only found four variables that were common to all three income groups, frequency of church attendance, family income, age, and years of education. Results show that additional variables can serve as predictors …

Empowering Citizens In A Global Era: A Grounded Theory Study Of Community Gardens, Anita Tam

All Dissertations

In our global era, the modern food system can be viewed as consisting of a dominant macro-level corporate food industry, challenged by broad-based meso-level food justice and democracy movements, which are in turn fueled by micro-level community food initiatives. Research has yet to examine the role of community gardens in the context of this complex, multi-level food system. Grounded theory methodology was thus used to explore the deeper meaning of the community gardening experience to participants, in order to better understand the ways in which community gardens may scale up and contribute to democratizing the food system. Analysis of the …

Design With Emotion: Improving Web Search Experience For Older Adults, Tamirat Abegaz

All Dissertations

Research indicates that older adults search for information all together about 15% less than younger adults prior to making decisions. Prior research findings associated such behavior mainly with age-related cognitive difficulties. However, recent studies indicate that emotion is linked to influence search decision quality. This research approaches questions about why older adults search less and how this search behavior could be improved. The research is motivated by the broader issues of older users' search behavior, while focusing on the emotional usability of search engine user interfaces. Therefore, this research attempts to accomplish the following three objectives: a) to explore the …

Development And Application Of Scalable Two-Dimensional High Performance Liquid Chromatography For Aromatic Selective Separations Of Biologically Active Phytochemicals From Oplopanax Horridus, Gregory Jones

All Dissertations

The high demand for more efficient purification processes with increased automation and throughput pushes the development of more advanced preparative, pilot, and process scale HPLC instrumentation that is capable of achieving higher purities in a shorter amount of time than are currently achieved using one dimensional separations. A preparative scale 2D HPLC system was designed and reduced to practice in order to demonstrate the capacity for scalability of on-line comprehensive 2D HPLC separations of basic compounds from a challenging natural product extract of Oplopanax horridus. The methodology and instrumentation design herein permits direct method transfer from analytical to preparative scale …

The Development And Characterization Of Tannic Acid Cross-Linked Collagen Scaffolds For The Prevention Of Breast Cancer Recurrence In Lumpectomy Patients, Beau Inskeep

All Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer amongst women, second only to lung cancer. In 2014, it was estimated that there were approximately 295,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women, with approximately 40,000 deaths caused by breast cancer in the United States. It has been reported that a woman has a 12% chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime and a 3% chance of dying from breast cancer. There are several treatment options available for breast cancer, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, as well as two different forms of surgery, mastectomy and lumpectomy. However, none of these …

Determining Dna Damage Prevention Mechanisms For Multifunctional Selenium And Sulfur Antioxidants And The Dna-Damaging Capabilities Of Clotrimadozle And Pseudoephedrine-Derived Metal Complexes, Matthew Todd Zimmerman

All Dissertations

DNA damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a cause of many chronic diseases. This work examines the ability of sulfur and selenium antioxidants to prevent oxidative DNA damage and the mechanisms for this activity. Although iron- and copper-generated hydroxyl radical are primary causes of damage under oxidative stress conditions, studies typically focus on ROS scavenging rather than antioxidant-metal binding as a mechanism for sulfur and selenium antioxidant behavior. Mass spectrometry studies of sulfur and selenoamino acids (Chapter 2) show that most form CuI and FeII complexes, regardless of their metal-mediated DNA damage prevention abilities. Because their electrochemical properties do …

Identification And The Significance Of Selective Proteins In Bile And Plasma Of Normal And Health-Compromised Chickens, Balamurugan Packialakshmi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the last 50 years, animal breeding programs in commercial poultry have made significant progress in the bodyweight gain of broilers but led to several metabolic and skeletal disorders. Lameness associated with proximal femur known as femoral head separation (FHS) or femoral head necrosis (FHN) is one of the major metabolic disorders in poultry industry. In order to select for healthy chickens, markers that can distinguish between healthy and affected birds are required. Biomarkers from blood represent an ideal and rich source of markers which can be obtained using minimally invasive methods. The biomarkers were explored in an experimental model …

Government Efforts And Personal Opinion Explain The Medicalization Of Pregnancy And Childbirth Through Time In Lower Mustang, Nepal, Ruth Baker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The way that women approach pregnancy and childbirth in rural Nepal has seen an amazing change in the past twenty to thirty years. The medicalization of this entire process, from pre-­‐ to post-­‐natal care, comes with government efforts for the increased education of women about family planning, nutrition, hygiene, and the proposed benefits of institutional versus in-­‐home delivery. In 9 villages of Lower Mustang, interviews conducted with Government Health Post workers, Female Health Volunteers, and women of different ages sought to discern personal experience and opinion about pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of both local women and those with …

The End Of An Era: The Cancer Stem Cell Hypothesis And Its Therapeutic Implications, Emily Paton

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Cancer, a leading cause of death in many developed countries, has become a global health burden. Much of the drain on healthcare systems has resulted from the high cost and ineffectiveness of conventional cancer treatments, which often lead to cancer relapse or metastasis. The failures of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery have been elucidated by the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, which postulates that a small percentage of tumor cells drive tumorigenesis. These cells can sustain cancer through their capacity to self-renew and differentiate into specialized tumor cell types, similar to how healthy stem cells maintain healthy tissues. Conventional cancer treatments …

Educator Mindset: Perceptions Of Economic Inequality And Awareness Of Poverty On Student Potential, Cindy B. Copich

Student Work

Due to growing economic inequality and the increase of child poverty rates within the U.S., teachers today are more likely to work with students and families with increasingly complex and diverse economic needs. This study examines the significance of the relationship between educators’ awareness of poverty, perceptions of economic inequality, and mindset about talent and intelligence. The participants (N = 71) were adult students attending a Midwestern metropolitan public university’s summer educational leadership graduate course. Survey results revealed that only two of the 71 study participants had a growth mindset. Individuals with a growth mindset generally believe that through effort, …

A Portrait Of The New York City Lunatic Asylum On Blackwell's Island, Austin C. Labau

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Statement of Purpose

"Insanity is a subject which touches our civil rights at so many different points, that it may be said to have a place in every problem involving human responsibility." -John Ordronaux, New York State Commissioner in Lunacy, 1878.

Mental illness can reduce even the strongest person to a state of helplessness. The way in which a society treats individuals with mental illness provides a window into what that society most values - what behaviors it approves, what people it sees as most valuable, and how much society is willing to sacrifice to help those who may or …

December 2014 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Maternal And Perinatal Health Research Priorities Beyond 2015: An International Survey And Prioritization Exercise, Joao Paulo Souza, Mariana Widmer, Ahmet Metin Gülmezoglu, Theresa Anne Lawrie, Ebunoluwa Aderonke Adejuyigbe, Guillermo Carroli, Caroline Crowther, Sheena M. Currie, Therese Dowswell, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Maternal mortality has declined by nearly half since 1990, but over a quarter million women still die every year of causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal-health related targets are falling short of the2015 Millennium Development Goals and a post-2015 Development Agenda is emerging. In connection with this, setting global research priorities for the next decade is now required.

Methods: We adapted the methods of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) to identify and set global research priorities for maternal and perinatal health for the period 2015 to 2025. Priority research questions were received from various international …

Newborn Care In Indonesia, Lao People’S Democratic Republic And The Philippines: A Comprehensive Needs Assessment, Els Duysburgh, Birgit Kerstens, Melissa Diaz, Vini Fardhdiani, Katherine Ann Reyes, Khamphong Phommachanh, Marleen Temmerman, Basil Rodriques, Nabila Zaka

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Between 1990 and 2011, global neonatal mortality decline was slower than that of under-five mortality. As a result, the proportion of under-five deaths due to neonatal mortality increased. This increase is primarily a consequence of decreasing post-neonatal and child under-five mortality as a result of the typical focus of child survival programmes of the past two decades on diseases affecting children over four weeks of age. Newborns are lagging behind in improved child health outcomes. The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive, equity-focussed newborn care assessment and to explore options to improve newborn survival in Indonesia, …

"Ellos Son Mi Familia." Testing The Embodied Capital Theory In Dominican Populations In The Dominican Republic And In New York City, Elvira Pichardo

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation explores the conditions under which Dominican women invest in their own embodied capital and the embodied capital of their offspring, focusing on the tradeoffs between quantity and quality and income and stability using two different labor market economies in the Dominican Republic and in New York City. The main goals of this dissertation include three specific aims: (1) to identify different political economies and their impact on the same cultural/ethnic group, (2) to understand how access to different educational and employment opportunities influences variation in reproductive timing, considering ways in which birth control and birth spacing might facilitate …

Competing Interests Of Undergraduate Medical Education And Industry: Integration Into Longitudinal Curricular Themes., Shahryar Noordin, Sheilla Pinjani

Department of Surgery Docs

Abstract

Recent changes in curricula around the globe with emphasis on teaching/learning and assessing professionalism in medical schools has been the priority. With the changing public expectations and professional demands, it has become imperative to develop clear guidelines and policies for students and faculty to better understand and meet the expectations of them as part of professionalism. In order to analyse this problem and highlight potential solutions, a literature search was conducted using Eric, Medline, Google Scholar and CINAHL Plus databases from 1985 to February 2013. We reviewed publications regarding the relationship between the pharmaceutical and device industry and medical …

Solar Brine Concentrator, Aric Gregory Fisher

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In arid regions of the United States potable water is a valuable resource and is sometimes produced using energy intensive processes by removing salts from brackish water. Task 4 provides a solar option for producing potable water from brackish water; in competing in Task 4, H2OGS has developed a simple, cost effective solar desalination process to provide these regions with necessary, potable water. H2OGS’ design takes into account WERC requirements, including cost, energy usage, worker safety, and easily obtained materials. U.S. government regulatory requirements are also taken into account as the proposed location for this process is Alamogordo, New Mexico. …

Werc: Solar Brine Concentrator, Sarah K. Haley

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In arid regions of the United States potable water is a valuable resource and is sometimes produced using energy intensive processes by removing salts from brackish water. Task 4 provides a solar option for producing potable water from brackish water; in competing in Task 4, H2OGS has developed a simple, cost effective solar desalination process to provide these regions with necessary, potable water. H2OGS’ design takes into account WERC requirements, including cost, energy usage, worker safety, and easily obtained materials. U.S. government regulatory requirements are also taken into account as the proposed location for this process is Alamogordo, New Mexico. …

Protective Effects Of Milk Phospholipids Against Uv-Induced Dna Damage In Human Skin Cells, Lan-Anh Nguyen

Master's Theses

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US. The American Academy of Dermatology estimated that more than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the US each year and 1 in 5 Americans will likely to develop skin cancer in their life time. Most cases of skin cancer are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Some of the most common sunscreen ingredients are unstable and can form harmful radicals upon exposure to UV radiation. There is a strong clinical need for a more stable and effective sunscreen ingredient such …

Middle Grade Academic Achievement And Socioeconomic Status On North Carolina State Report Cards, 2012 - 2013, Lauren Dotson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the era of accountability in our nation‘s public schools, high-stakes standardized testing is the primary methodology for determining academic achievement; results from end-of-grade standardized testing are published annually in state and national report cards that are used as an instrument for determining school and teacher quality. What standardized tests do not take into consideration, however, are external environmental factors that have an impact on academic achievement; this research project focuses upon the effects of socioeconomic status on academic achievement on the middle grade student in North Carolina in 2012 and 2013. These years were chosen to comparatively analyze student …

Pharmacy Newsletter : December 2014, Pharmacy Department

Department of Pharmacy Archives

Content:

• New WHO Guide to Prevent and Control Cervical Cancer
• Analgesic use in Adult Patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease or Cirrhosis
• The Novel Treatment of Clostridium Diffi cile Associated Diarrhea (CDAD)
• 25th September, World Pharmacist Day-Celebration

Ecosystem Services In The Wet Tropics: A Literature Review And Economic Valuation, Alyson Cheney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The present study can be broken down into two sections. First, it created a literature review on the current body of knowledge regarding ecosystem services in the Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The second portion of the study was an economic valuation determining how much residents that live in the Wet Tropics value the benefits provided to them through ecosystem services. The literature review found that there were large gaps in the present body of knowledge. Biophysical studies made up the vast majority of the literature and very few ecosystem service economic valuations have been carried out for the …

¿Cómo Amigos Comparten La Salud? Las Redes Sociales Y Factores De Riesgo. / How Do Friends Share Health? Social Networks And Risk Factors., Joanna Emerson

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research question: How are health risk factors shared between people by means of their social networks? Objectives: The main objective of the study is to determine the correlation between a person's social network and which health risk factors are most prevalent in network members. The first specific objective is to evaluate the rates of the most common risk factors in social networks and how these disperse throughout the network. The second is to analyze whether people with similar health risk factors have similar social tendencies. The final objective is to identify the risk factors most transmittable through social networks. Background: …

Obesity: The Elephant In The Budget Room That We Can No Longer Afford To Ignore, Katharine G. Linehart

Honors Theses

An analysis of the effect of obesity on the national budget.

Working With Medical And Psychological Illness: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Nurses' Experiences In Treating Eating Disorders, Diana Levas-Luckman

Dissertations

Eating disorders (EDs) have become an epidemic within the United States, with medical and psychological consequences that can be lethal. Treatment for these diseases is complex and demanding, requiring an integrated treatment approach by a multidisciplinary team in which nurses play an integral role. Research has demonstrated a wide array of both positive and negative experiences among nurses in traditional medical and mental health settings. Though researchers have assessed nurses' subjective experiences in treating EDs, the literature neglects to focus upon the broader experiences of nurses, including perceived benefits and challenges, in treating both adult and adolescent ED patients. The …

The Effects Of Limestone Particle Size On Bone Health And Performance Of Pullets And Hens In Conventional Cage And Alternative Housing Systems, Pamela E. Eusebio Balcazar

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

One of the major welfare issues in cage-free housing systems is bone fracture. The goal of this research was to improve bone health in layers by building better pullet skeletons and to investigate limestone particle size (LPS) effects on bone health in conventional cages and cage-free housing systems. Study 1 was a preliminary study that compared conventional cages with litter floor pens in terms of performance, bone health, and eggshell quality from 33 to 47 wk of age. Caged hens had higher egg production and eggshell strength, and improved feed efficiency, but lower tibia bone mineral content compared to floor …

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model: Assessing Exercise Behavior In African Americans In A Church-Based Setting, Robin Marie White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sedentary behavior rates are higher among African-American men and women than in other American races and ethnicities, placing them at greater risk for chronic illness. Routine physical activity reduces the risk of chronic health problems such as: (a) overweight and obesity, (b) type 2 diabetes, (c) hypertension, (d) coronary artery disease, (e) stroke, (f) congestive heart failure, and (g) cancers. Assessment of African-Americans' exercise attitudes in a church-based setting may provide information with which to develop effective interventions to improve physical activity. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used components of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to assess whether any associations exist between …