Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems In Different Ecoregions Ofthe United States, R. Mark Sulc, Alan J. Franzluebbers

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Large-scale, energy-intensive, specialized production systems have dominated agricultural production inthe United States for the past half-century. Although highly productive and economically successful, thereis increasing concern with unintended negative environmental impacts of current agricultural systems.Production systems integrating crops and livestock have potential for providing additional ecosystem ser-vices from agriculture by capturing positive ecological interactions and avoiding negative environmentaloutcomes, while sustaining profitability. A diversity of ecologically sound integrated crop-livestock sys-tems have been and can be employed in different ecoregions: sod-based crop rotations, grazing covercrops in cash-crop rotations, crop residue grazing, sod intercropping, dual-purpose cereal crops, and agro-forestry/silvopasture. Improved technologies in conservation tillage, …

Aboriginal Food Security In Northern Canada: An Assessment Of The State Of Knowledge, Harriet Kuhnlein, Fikret Berkes, Laurie Hing Man Chan, Treena Wasonti:Io Delormier, Asbjørn Eide, Chris Furgal, Murray Humphries, Henry Huntington, Constance Macintosh, Ian Mauro, David Natcher, Barry Prentice, Chantelle Richmond, Cecilia Rocha, Kue Young

Reports & Public Policy Documents

As the world’s population increases, as global markets become more interconnected, and as the effects of climate change become clearer, the issue of food insecurity is gaining traction at local, national, and international levels. The recent global economic crisis and increased food prices have drawn attention to the urgent situation of the world’s 870 million chronically undernourished people who face the number one worldwide risk to health: hunger and malnutrition. Although about 75% of the world’s undernourished people live in low-income, rural regions of developing countries, hunger is also an issue in Canada. In 2011, 1.6 million Canadian households, or …

Human Rights Must Be At The Core Of The Post-2015 International Development Agenda, Ved P. Nanda

Montana Law Review

The 2013 Honorable James R. Browning Distinguished Lecture in Law

Jurisdictional Confusion That Rivals Erie: The Jurisdictional Limits Of Campus Police, Jamie P. Hopkins, Kristina Neff

Montana Law Review

Jurisdictional Confusion that Rivals Erie: The Jurisdictional Limits of Campus Police

Playforward: Elm City Stories Interactive Group-Based Curriculum: An Intervention On Hiv Risk Behaviors In Urban Racial And Ethnic Minority Youth, Anna North

Public Health Theses

There is a growing epidemic of HIV in young, racial and ethnic minority populations (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). PlayForward: Elm City Stories is an evidence-based, theory-driven videogame intervention developed by the Yale School of Medicine research group, play2PREVENT to impact HIV risk behaviors in urban racial and ethnic minority youth, ages 11-14 (play2PREVENT). The PlayForward: Elm City Stories intervention manual seeks to build on the videogame by adding an in-person group dimension to the individualized intervention. The manual provides a group-based interactive, in-person curriculum addressing decision-making and risk behaviors for HIV exposure among 11-14 year olds, and …

Household Food Insecurity And Obesity Risk In An Urban Slum In Brazil, Krysta Peterson

Public Health Theses

Background: The prevalence of obesity is growing among the poor. Household food insecurity (HFI) may partly explain this trend as individuals experiencing it may cope by consuming low-cost high calorie meals with little nutritive value. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of HFI, identify its risk factors, and assess the relationship with obesity among adults in an urban slum community in Salvador, Brazil.

Design: This cross-sectional study interviewed participants at home to assess socioeconomic status, demographics, HFI (measured by the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA)), and health. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference) of each respondent were taken to …

Soil-Transmitted Nematode Infections Among School-Age Children In Rakai District, Uganda, Jensen Dalton Reckhow

Public Health Theses

One billion people are currently infected with at least one soil-transmitted nematode (STN), and over 161,600 school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa live in areas where the prevalence exceeds 20%. STN infections cause malnutrition and cognitive deficits that limit productivity and may contribute to endemic poverty. Despite this significant and recognized disease burden, research on these diseases remains piecemeal; the majority of scientific understanding of these conditions is derived from a handful of small studies. Data regarding prevalence, intensity, and effectiveness of treatment of STN infections in Rakai District, Uganda is particularly limited, and the Ministry of Health has discontinued surveillance …

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Novel Ethnic-Specific Associations With Body Mass Index, Yasmmyn D. Salinas

Public Health Theses

Background. Obesity affects over one-third of the US population, and is a risk factor for various chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The disease results from a combination of behavioral and environmental risk factors and genetic predisposition. To date, over 50 genetic polymorphisms have been associated with increased body mass index (BMI), but these associations explain only a small percentage of the heritable risk of obesity. Moreover, the majority of these associations have been identified in populations of European ancestry. We sought to identify novel associations with BMI and to evaluate their generalizability across ethnic groups, …

The Impact Of Architecture And Natural Ventilation On The Risk Of Tuberculosis Transmission In Brazilian Prisons, Juliana Urrego

Public Health Theses

Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Brazilian penitentiaries is extremely high as prisons provide ideal conditions for airborne contagion by congregating infectious and susceptible individuals for extended periods of time. We aimed to determine the effects of architectural, environmental, and ventilation factors that impact TB transmission probabilities across prison cells in three penitentiaries of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. We collected descriptive data on cell architectural characteristics and estimated ventilation rates using steady-state exhaled carbon dioxide levels. A hierarchical linear, multivariable model was used to examine cell level architectural and environmental factors affecting absolute ventilation. We then estimated the probability of TB …

Modeling The Zoonotic Transmission Dynamics Of Nipah Virus: Implications For Outbreak Control And Model-Guided Fieldwork, Natasha Wenzel

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Nipah virus is considered a biosafety level-4 pathogen that is endemic to bats of the genus Pteropus. Infection in humans presents clinically as febrile encephalitis with an extremely high case-fatality rate (78.2%). Outbreaks of Nipah virus infection have occurred in Bangladesh and India almost annually since 2001, most recently in January 2013.

Methods: To elucidate Nipah virus persistence at the endemic host and human population level we developed a Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered dynamic model and parameterized it from published epidemiological case data and serological bats surveys on the Nipah Virus-Bangladesh variant. We conducted a Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation to estimate …

Conflict And Vaccine-Preventable Disease In Children Under Five In The Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Systematic Review, Alexandra Marion Adams

Public Health Theses

Background: Conflict is one of the main reasons for our failure to reach worldwide immunization targets. An objective of 90% immunization coverage is included in the fourth Millennium Development Goal to reduce under-five mortality by two thirds, which is still far from achieved in the conflict-ridden Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Despite global progress, vaccine-preventable deaths still account for 20% of childhood mortality under five years of age in the EMR, and communicable disease a third of all mortality. Conflict remains a critical root cause of low vaccination coverage in the EMR, resulting in high levels of vaccine-preventable disease, disability, and …

Hpv Vaccine Effectiveness In New Haven County, Connecticut Women Age 18-39, 2008-2012, Jennifer Lynn Berry

Public Health Theses

Background: HPV vaccines have demonstrated high efficacy in clinical trials against cervical lesions and infections by HPV vaccine types 16 and 18. Together these two types are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancer. Data on HPV vaccine effectiveness in general populations is limited.

Methods: Surveillance data monitoring high-grade cervical lesions in Connecticut was used. Medical records were reviewed and patients were interviewed to ascertain HPV vaccine history. Patients' biopsy specimens were typed to determine the presence of vaccine or non-vaccine type HPV. Odds ratios were determined using logistic regression, adjusting for age at diagnosis, grade of cervical lesion, race/ethnicity, …

Obesity Not A Risk Factor For Adverse Seasonal Influenza Outcomes Among Hospitalized Adults: Evidence From A Us Multisite Study, Elise Braun

Public Health Theses

Background Data on the association between obesity and seasonal influenza complications is unclear.

Objectives We explored the association between body mass index (BMI) and the adverse outcomes of artificial ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and X-Ray confirmed pneumonia among patients hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2012-2013 influenza season.

Methods We used a large, multi-site database with laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalization surveillance data to examine the association between obesity and influenza complications. We controlled for various demographic characteristics, comorbidities, lifestyle factors, and patient care factors.

Results We explored the association between obesity and three influenza-related complications: artificial ventilation, ICU admission, …

Qualitative Exploration Of Behaviors Related To Positive Child Growth In An Urban Slum Of Mumbai, Mary Rose D'Alimonte

Public Health Theses

Positive deviance research seeks out well-nourished children living in disadvantaged contexts with the intention of identifying local growth-promoting behaviors that contribute to their relatively healthy status. The aim of this study was to explore positive child health behaviors in the Dharavi slum of Mumbai. Children with a height-for-age z-score (HAZ)>0 (n=10) or a HAZ<-2.0 (n=12) were purposefully selected from the Society for Nutrition Education and Health Action's (SNEHA) Child Health and Nutrition program, a child growth monitoring program. Qualitative methods were employed by means of semi-structured interviews with mothers. Eligibility was restricted to households with limited resources and more than one child. A 24-hour dietary recall and anthropometric measurements were taken for the index child. An observation checklist assessed household hygiene. Coding was based on the Grounded Theory of qualitative research. Emergent themes among positive deviant families included: optimal infant and young child feeding practices; maternal information seeking behaviors; adequately managing household hygiene and food allocation; acknowledging the importance of maternal health; and social support. Common among all participants was the consumption of high-energy/non-nutritional snacks, the value of education, and an inability to save money. Findings will be disseminated to SNEHA for program improvement.

Household Food Insecurity And Iron Deficiency Anemia In Mexican Women Of Reproductive Age, Nils Clement Fischer

Public Health Theses

Objective: To investigate the association of household food insecurity (HFI) with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in a nationally representative cross-sectional sample from Mexico of women of reproductive age (12-49 years old).

Material and Methods: We tested the association between HFI and IDA among 16,944 women of reproductive age using multiple logistic regression. HFI was measured using the Latin America and the Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). IDA was measured with capillary hemoglobin using HemoCue photometer and defined using the WHO standards.

Results: Multivariate analyses showed that adjusted odds for IDA were 33% and 36% higher among living in moderately and …

Post-Diagnosis Changes In Dietary Patterns And Body Weight Among Breast Cancer Survivors, Elizabeth George

Public Health Theses

Background

Weight gain is common after a breast cancer diagnosis and is known to be a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence and mortality independent of weight and BMI at diagnosis. Determining the factors associated with post-diagnosis weight gain will provide insight into improving weight management and ultimately improving breast cancer outcomes.

Purpose

This study examined dietary patterns of breast cancer survivors and whether weight gain after a diagnosis of breast cancer was associated with post-diagnosis dietary changes among breast cancer survivors.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 100 breast cancer survivors diagnosed an average of 3.3 ± 2.1 years …

An Assessment Of Hookworm Infection And Albendazole Treatment Failure Among Children Ages 7-12 In Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana, Erin Leah Jaske

Public Health Theses

Background

Hookworm is a soil-transmitted nematode (STN) infection associated with rural poverty that infects 576-740 million people worldwide, 200 million of which reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2001, the WHO passed a resolution that recommended annual deworming for school-aged children where the prevalence of STNs is higher than 20%. Since this time, albendazole has been widely used across sub-Saharan Africa to treat hookworm infection. Given the widespread use of albendazole as a treatment for hookworms and other STNs in humans, it becomes pertinent to ensure that resistance is monitored at the local level, and detected as it emerges. Previous research …

Household Food Insecurity And Sleep Patterns Among Mexican Adults: Results From Ensanut-2012, Monica Jordan

Public Health Theses

Objective: To examine the independent association of household food insecurity (HFI) with sleep duration and quality in a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of adults in Mexico.

Methods: We analyzed data from ENSANUT-2012. We assessed the association between HFI and self-reported sleep duration and quality among 11,356 adults using weighted multinomial and binomial logistic regression. The Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA) was used to categorize food security level as secure (25.5%), mild HFI (43.7%), moderate HFI (19.0%), or severe HFI (11.8%).

Results: Overall, 20.8% of individuals reported getting less than the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep/night, 20.4% reported …

Sporulation In Bacteria: Beyond The Standard Model, Elizabeth Hutchison

Biology

Endospore formation follows a complex, highly regulated developmental pathway that occurs in a broad range of Firmicutes. Although Bacillus subtilis has served as a powerful model system to study the morphological, biochemical, and genetic determinants of sporulation, fundamental aspects of the program remain mysterious for other genera. For example, it is entirely unknown how most lineages within the Firmicutes regulate entry into sporulation. Additionally, little is known about how the sporulation pathway has evolved novel spore forms and reproductive schemes. Here, we describe endospore and internal offspring development in diverse Firmicutes and outline progress in characterizing these programs. Moreover, …

Teaching Cultural Competency In Legal Clinics, Cynthia Pay

Journal of Law and Social Policy

Aims to identify various models of cultural competency training, and to reflect on ways to appropriately and effectively address this subject in a clinical legal education setting.

Foundations Of Academic Success: Words Of Wisdom, Thomas C. Priester

Milne Open Textbooks

Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom (FAS: WoW) introduces you to the various aspects of student and academic life on campus and prepares you to thrive as a successful college student (since there is a difference between a college student and a successful college student). Each section of FAS: WoW is framed by self-authored, true-to-life short stories from actual State University of New York (SUNY) students, employees, and alumni. The advice they share includes a variety of techniques to help you cope with the demands of college. The lessons learned are meant to enlarge your awareness of …

Instruction In Functional Assessment, Marcie Desrochers, Moira Fallon

Milne Open Textbooks

Instruction in Functional Assessment introduces learners to functional assessment (FA), which includes a variety of assessment approaches (indirect, observational, and experimental) for identifying the cause of an individual’s challenging behavior for the purpose of designing effective treatments. FA is mandated by federal law and is a recognized empirically based approach to treatment of individuals with challenging behaviors (e.g., disruptive, self-injurious, and aggressive behaviors). Instruction in FA is essential for students who will one day enter professions as educators, psychologists, social workers, counselors, or mental health professionals.

The purpose of this textbook is to provide instruction in FA skills for pre-professionals …

The Effects Of Childhood Poverty On Adult Health Outcomes, Melissa Meyer

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper is a review of the literature regarding the effects of childhood pove1ty on adult health, employment, and socioeconomic status. Children who grow up in lower socioeconomic homes often have fewer advantages available to them including level and quality of education, quality health care, and family support. Growing up with these disadvantages impacts in adult health outcomes, adult employment and earnings, and adult socioeconomic status. There arc many direct and indirect associations between childhood poverty and adult outcomes.

Least Developed Countries And Ratification Of Human Rights Treaties; Motives For Adherence, Valerie Nolasco

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Gmo Deregulation On Global Food Security And Biotechnological Acceptance, Alex Rodroguez

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Research Journey: Travels Across The Idiomatic And Axiomatic Toward A Better Understanding Of Complexity, Katharine A. Mcgowan, Frances Westley, Evan D.G. Fraser, Philip A. Loring, Kathleen C. Weathers, Flor Avelino, Jan Sendzimir, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Michele Lee Moore

Geography

In this paper, seven researchers reflect on the journeys their research projects have taken when they engage with and synthesize complex problems. These journeys embody an adaptive approach to tackling problems characterized by their interconnectedness and emergence, and that transcend traditional units of analysis such as ecosystems. In this paper we argue that making such a process deliberate and explicit will help researchers better combine different research paradigms such as expert-driven and participant-directed work, thus resulting in both broad explanations and specific phenomenon; research tensions traditionally defined as oppositional must be approached as complimentary. This paper includes researchers’ personal journeys …

Nutritional And Immunological Evaluation Of Soy-Based Diets For Summer Flounder (Paralichthys Dentatus) Aquaculture, Daniel Ward

Open Access Dissertations

Summer flounder aquaculture has progressed significantly in the last twenty years, and diets have been optimized to provide optimal nutrition, ensuring a high quality final product. Recently, the focus of research has evolved toward finding a replacement for fish meal in diets for many species, as the demand for fish meal worldwide has caused the primary protein product to become increasingly economically volatile. Therefore, a series of experiments were designed to systematically evaluate feeds for summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) including soy-based products as the primary protein source. The first feed trial involved the comparison of three diets; a …

Phytochemical Investigation Of The Traditional Botanical Medicine Iresine Celosia, Caroline Grace Killian

Open Access Dissertations

Iresine celosia L. is a traditional medicine used by the indigenous Mayan people for a variety of ailments. It is also the sole active ingredient in the Odyliresin™ formulation currently marketed to humans worldwide as an antioxidant and for the promotion of prostate health. However, Odyliresin™ has not been characterized phytochemically, or evaluated biologically for its intended use. This work represents the first comprehensive phytochemical investigation of the Odyliresin™ formulation botanical extract. To better understand its constitutive phytochemistry, a tailored isolation scheme was developed, using various chromatography resins (silica gel, LH-20), separation and purification techniques. In all, eleven compounds were …

Intrapartum Nurses’ Beliefs About Childbirth: A Descriptive Qualitative Study In Nurses That Provide Care To Women In Labor And Birth, Sylvia P. Ross

Open Access Dissertations

In the United States, a large gap exists between what is known as best evidence in maternal-newborn health and the routine practices at the frontline of maternity care. Intrapartum nurses are uniquely positioned to promote practices that are evidencebased and support the normal physiologic process of birth. This qualitative study explored intrapartum nurses’ beliefs about childbirth and the influence of their beliefs on their clinical practice, particularly practices that promoted normal physiologic birth. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 intrapartum registered nurses using Rubin and Rubin’s (2012) responsive interview model. All participants practiced on a labor and delivery unit …

Farmers’ Perceptions Of The Impacts Of Human– Wildlife Conflict On Their Livelihood And Natural Resource Management Efforts In Cheha Woreda Of Guraghe Zone, Ethiopia, Dagne Mojo, Jessica Rothschuh, Mehari Alebachew

Human–Wildlife Interactions

There are several livelihood improvement and natural resource management campaigns being undertaken in Ethiopia. In Cheha Woreda District of Guraghe Zone, a research team from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holetta Research Center, is undertaking a watershed-level intervention to improve sustainable land management practices among resident agrarian families. In 2011, a household survey was conducted to assess farmers’ perceptions of human–wildlife conflicts (HWC) and the effects of these conflicts on land management in Cheha Woreda. One-hundred randomly selected households in the Cheha Woreda were asked to identify any wild or domestic animals that cause damage to their crops. Additionally, …