Digital Commons Network^™

Entry-Level Health Care Services Employee Motivation And Performance, Alecia Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare administrators have regarded employee motivation and performance as significant factors because of the challenges with employee disengagement, which may decrease patient satisfaction and profitability for healthcare organizations. The number of available jobs within healthcare continues to increase at a high rate, while the total hires within the healthcare industry decreased from 2.9% in December 2014 to 2.7% in January 2015. Motivation in the workplace is a continuous concern for organizational leaders, more specifically for the health care industry. Based on Vroom's expectancy theory, the purpose of this single-case study was to explore the motivational strategies healthcare organizations' leaders could …

Anxiety And Focus In Work-Related Training, Steven Howard Harlan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, nonemployee students who take General Electric's (GE's) pollution control classes do not demonstrate consistent knowledge gains following training. The purpose of this project was to investigate whether the independent variables of level of education and choice in attending the class made a significant difference in the means of the dependent variables of anxiety and ability to focus. The project was influenced by the theory of andragogy, which explores the motivations and principles specific to the teaching of adults. The research questions for this study probed relationships between level of formal education among participants and their choice in whether to …

Classroom Management Practices For Male African American Students With Behavioral Disorders, Jamie Helton Hubbard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male African American students with disabilities in a South Carolina school district have received a greater proportion of discipline referrals and exclusionary consequences than have other demographic groups. The purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to explore classroom management strategies that may reduce this disproportionality. The conceptual framework was Skinner's applied behavior theory, which states that to change behavior, the environment must be changed. The qualitative guiding question investigated teacher beliefs about best classroom management practices. The quantitative research questions were intended to provide a description of discipline preferences. Quantitative data were collected through the Behavior and Instructional …

Experiences Of Youth Recreation Sport Organizations' Administrators With Implementation Of Maryland Concussion Law, Donelle Mckenna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiences of Youth Recreation Sport Organizations' Administrators with Implementation of Maryland Concussion Law

by

Donelle Damali Ainsworth-McKenna

MHSA, The George Washington University, 2004

BS, Morgan State University, 2000

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Health Services

Walden University

September 2015

There have been statewide concussion policies implemented in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to address the problem of sports-related concussions in youth athletes. The efforts to implement the requirements of these laws have mainly focused on high school athletics, despite evidence that pre-high school youth athletes who participate …

An Evidence-Based Determination Of Whether Effective Leadership Competencies Are Universal And Transferable., John Michael Slade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor executive leadership of organizations over the last 20 years has resulted in the destruction of stakeholder value, loss of jobs, and in some cases, risk to the entire enterprise. An executive search firm database, encompassing 16,000 leaders from 300 organizations, was analyzed to determine if the commonality and transferability of leadership competences could be used to improve executive assessment. Implicit leadership theory, where leaders are gauged by the individuals that surround them, served as the theoretical foundation. The study also relies on a leadership competency model used by the executive search firm that constructed the database and is based …

Women's Perspectives On Adequacy Of Screening And Treatment For Postpartum Depression, Gloria Marcia Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postpartum depression affects some 10% to 20% of mothers. Its impact on the health and well-being of mothers and their infants is well documented. If not identified and addressed early, it can result in emotional burden, costly hospitalization and treatment, and, at worst, suicide and or infanticide. Empowerment theory was the conceptual framework for this hermeneutic phenomenological study. The purpose was to understand the lived experiences of the screening and treatment processes of 10 women from New York City experiencing postpartum depression and their perceived adequacy of the treatment received. In-depth interviews were used to investigate participants' lived experiences of …

Identifying Cultural Themes In A Shared Experience Of Water Hygiene Education Partners, Sarah M. Etheridge-Criswell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of safe drinking water and lack of water hygiene literacy contribute to a large disease burden in rural areas of Africa, and children suffer disproportionately more than adults from diarrheal diseases caused by nonpotable water. Research is needed to help merge education and water sanitation to provide more effective methods of preventing diarrheal diseases. The ecological model and hygiene improvement framework were used to guide the study. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the shared experiences of people participating in the water hygiene education program provided by Lifewater International. Lifewater is a nonprofit organization focused on …

Evaluating The Effects Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program On Middle School Bullying, Michelle Marie Kendrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of bullying, victimization, and the awareness of these activities at a public suburban middle school in Northwest Georgia. The study school implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in 2009, yet had not evaluated the program to identify whether or not it met its goals after 1 year of implementation. Using a quasiexperimental, goal-free program evaluation, the research questions explored whether or not the OBPP succeeded in reducing the student reported rates of bullying and victimization while also increasing awareness of such activities. A Mann Whitney U test was utilized for analysis due to …

Sales Performance And Emotional Intelligence Of Technology Sales Professionals, Michael Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States business leaders spend $15 billion per year on sales training, but approximately 50% of salespeople still fail to reach their annual sales targets. Business leaders have limited understanding of the relationship between emotional intelligence and its central constructs (self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal, decision making, and stress management) and sales performance of sales professionals based in the United States. The purpose of this correlational research study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and sales performance via an online pre-existing emotional intelligence assessment. The theoretical framework incorporated emotional intelligence theory and job performance theory. The sample included 86 technology …

Examining The Impact Of Accreditation On A Primary Healthcare Organization In Qatar, Alia Ghareeb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although a modest body of literature exists on accreditation, little research was conducted on the impact of accreditation on primary healthcare organizations in the Middle East. This study assessed the changes resulting from the integration of Accreditation Canada International's accreditation program in a primary healthcare organization in the State of Qatar. The study also investigated how accreditation helped introduce organizational changes through promoting organizational learning as well as quality improvement initiatives. Pomey's Dimension of Change framework and questionnaire was used to measure the effect of Accreditation Canada International standards on the perceived quality performance and the progress towards organizational learning. …

Comparison In Personality Profiles Between Child Abusers Versus Child Neglectors, Jodi R. Cuneo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children who suffered parental abuse or neglect can be returned home if their safety can be ensured following offender treatment. However, some caregivers will continue to abuse or neglect their children upon return home, leading to additional treatment, state involvement, and harm to the child. This study assessed personality differences between child abusers and neglectors who were caregivers by applying a binary logistical regression analysis to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) scores sampled from archival data for 215 caregivers. Analysis showed that the abusers had statistically significant higher scores on the F Scale ('Faking Bad'), but significantly …

Building Resilience And Coping Effectiveness (Brace): A Program For Military Families, Linda Pauline Zarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Building Resiliency and Coping Effectiveness (BRACE): A Program for Military Families

by

Linda Zarrett

MSN, University of Cincinnati, 2012

BSN, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, 1985

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

August 2015

Veterans returning from combat report significant family strain and Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) yet have limited access to care resources. Family members, including children, report very similar symptoms to those of veterans and have yet fewer health care resources. The purpose of this project was to apply principles from existing research on post-traumatic stress …

Emergency Takings, Brian Angelo Lee

Michigan Law Review

Takings law has long contained a puzzle. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires the government to pay “just compensation” to owners of private property that the government “takes.” In ordinary circumstances, this requirement applies equally whether the property is confiscated or destroyed, and it also applies to property confiscated in emergencies. Remarkably, however, courts have repeatedly held that if the government destroys property to address an emergency, then a “necessity exception” relieves the government of any obligation to compensate the owner of the property that was sacrificed for the public good. Although the roots of this startling principle …

Sel In Higher Education, Colleen S. Conley

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Bus Rapid Transit (Brt) Toolbox: Brt Person Throughput-Vehicle Congestion Tradeoffs, Li Jingquan, H.-S. Jacob Tsao, Ching-Yao Chan, Kun Zhou, Wei-Bin Zhang

Faculty Publications

This report documents a research effort to understand the current practice and issues associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) planning and deployment. It reviewed the design options incorporated into existing BRT deployments across California and the nation. The project team interviewed practitioners of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Districts and transit agencies to understand the BRT project approval decision-making process, the impacts of BRT implementation and the Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) for transit and non-transit system performance. The studies revealed that though Caltrans and transit agencies do use a similar set of MOEs for the evaluation of BRT projects, the …

Nuclear Power, Risk, And Retroactivity, Emily Hammond

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster presented a familiar scenario from a risk perception standpoint. It combined a classic “dread risk” (radioactivity), a punctuating event (the disaster itself), and resultant stigmatization (involving worldwide repercussions for nuclear power). Some nuclear nations curtailed nuclear power generation, and decades-old opposition to nuclear power found a renaissance. In these circumstances, risk theory predicts a regulatory knee-jerk response, potentially resulting in inefficient overregulation. But it also suggests procedural palliatives that conveniently overlap with administrative law values, making room for the engagement of the full spectrum of stakeholders. This Essay sketches the U.S. regulatory response to Fukushima. …

Constitutional Law: A Contemporary Approach, Gregory E. Maggs, Peter J. Smith

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

The third edition of the casebook, which is suitable either for a one- or two-semester course, strives to make constitutional law easily teachable and readily accessible for students. The authors have selected the cases very carefully and provided extensive excerpts of the opinions so that students get a good sense of the Court's reasoning. Text boxes call the students' attention to important aspects of each opinion, and the book is filled with introductions, points for discussion, hypotheticals, and executive summaries. The authors present a diversity of views on every subject, and, reflecting some of their own disagreements, the authors have …

Implementing Innovative Farm Management Practices On Dairy Farms: A Review Of Feeding Systems, Şeyda Özkan, Julian Hill

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The Australian dairy industry relies primarily on pasture for its feed supply. However, the variability in rainfall negatively affects plant growth, leading to uncertainty in dryland feed supply, especially during periods of high milk price. New feeding (complementary) systems combining perennial ryegrass with another crop and/or pasture species may have the potential to mitigate this seasonal risk and improve productivity and profitability by providing off-season feed. To date, the majority of research studying the integration of alternative crops into pasture-based systems has focused on substitution and utilization of alternative feed sources. There has been little emphasis on the impacts of …

Incidence And Occurrence Time Of Clinical Mastitis In Holstein Cows, Ismail Boujenane, Jalila El Aimani, Khalid By

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of clinical mastitis (CM) and its risk factors in 1725 Holstein cows. Data were collected from a private farm from 2008 to 2012. The analysis of risk factors, performed with logistic regression, showed that cows at parity 2, 3, and 4 had 65%, 88%, and 115% risk of mastitis, respectively. This risk was higher (P < 0.001) than in cows at first parity. Cows that calved from October to January had the highest (P < 0.05) risk of mastitis. The number of mastitis cases in cows at lactation 2, 3, and 4 was 18.5%, 25.9%, and 40.7%, respectively, and was higher compared to cows at first lactation. Furthermore, cows that calved from July to September showed the highest number of mastitis cases. Gamma regression parameter estimates showed that the onset time of mastitis 1 and 2 in cows that calved from October to January occurred at 16.3 and 8.5 days, respectively. This was later than cows calving from July to September. The study concluded that it is necessary to examine cows for CM during the first 2 months of lactation in order to prevent mastitis and decrease its rate of incidence.

Determination Of Alpha-Naphthyl Acetate Esterase (Anae) Activity In Peripheral Blood Leukocytes Of Pregnant, Adult, And Kitten Angora Cats, Alev Gürol Bayraktaroğlu, Özkan Şi̇mşek, Aytül Kürüm, Şevket Arikan, Emel Ergün

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study aimed to determine the alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity of peripheral blood leukocytes in pregnant, kitten, and adult Angora cats. In each group 9 healthy pregnant, adult, and kitten Angora cats constituted the material of the study. Optimum reaction was achieved after a 3 h incubation period at pH 5.8, by ANAE staining. Two types of reaction were observed in ANAE (+) T lymphocytes. The first reaction was a dot-like positivity pattern characterized by the presence of large granules, while the other was a granular positivity pattern characterized by the presence of 3 to 5 small granules. B …

Melatonin Receptor 1a Gene Rsai And Inhibin Alpha Subunit Gene Haeii Polymorphisms In Honamli And Hair Goat Breeds Reared In Western Mediterranean Region Of Turkey, Özgecan Korkmaz Ağaoğlu, Mustafa Saatci, Bi̇lal Akyüz, Özkan Elmaz, Mehmet Çolak, Burcu Menekşe Balkan, Emel Zeytünlü

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) and inhibin alpha subunit (INHA) genes play a significant role in the reproductive characteristics of animals. Blood samples were collected from 371 goats (Honamli and Hair) reared in Antalya and Burdur. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were digested by RsaI for the MTNR1A gene and HaeII for the INHA gene. Two alleles (A and G) and three genotypes (AA, AG, and GG) were observed for the INHA gene, while two alleles (R and r) and two genotypes (RR and Rr) were observed for the MTNR1A gene. The highest allelic frequency value for G (91.8%) …

Functional Properties Of Gelatin Recovered From Scales Of Farmed Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax), Mehmet Tolga Di̇nçer, Özlem Yeşi̇m Ağçay, Hülya Sargin, Huri̇ye Bayram

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In the current study gelatin was recovered from scales of farmed sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The first part of the study was planned to determine the yield of acid-soluble collagen and pepsin-soluble collagen from the scales. Both collagens were characterized as type I collagen, containing \alpha-1 and \alpha-2 chains. In the second part, gelatin was extracted using acetic acid and functional properties were determined in this product. Gelatin protein value was found to be 96% and the yield was found to be 18.49%. Proline and hydroxyproline values in the amino acid were found to be high. The gel strength of …

Genetic Diversity Of Village Chickens In Central Black Sea Region And Commercial Chickens In Turkey By Using Microsatellite Markers, Levent Mercan, Ahmet Okumuş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Local chicken populations in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey have been intensively affected by governmental poultry culling due to avian influenza outbreak risks. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of indigenous chicken populations raised in the Central Black Sea Region in order to assess genetic structures of these populations and to determine genetic relationships between the study populations and certain commercial chicken genotypes. Genotypic diversity of 45 Turkish village chicken populations located in 5 provinces in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey and 2 commercial hybrid populations were compared using 28 autosomal …

Determination Of Nutrient Content And Digestibility Characteristics Ofprangos Ferulacea (L.) On Grazing Lands Of Eastern Anatolia, Reşi̇t Aldemi̇r, Nuri̇ye Tuğba Bi̇ngöl, Mehmet Aki̇f Karsli, İsmai̇l Akça

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to compare nutrient content, and in situ protein and organic matter degradation kinetics of Prangos ferulacea (L.) (locally called helis), a naturally growing plant on the top of Mount Artos, with those of alfalfa. P. ferulacea plants used in the study were collected from three different parts of Mount Artos in Van Province over two years. While organic matter content and in vitro organic matter digestibility of P. ferulacea were significantly higher, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and acid detergent insoluble nitrogen contents were significantly lower compared with those of alfalfa (P < 0.01). In general, in situ dry matter, and organic matter and crude protein degradability of P. ferulacea were significantly higher compared with those of alfalfa starting from 6 h of incubation (P < 0.05). Organic matter and crude protein degradability of P. ferulacea was 79.15% and 85.31%, respectively, after 48 h of incubation. By-pass protein content and both organic matter and crude protein degradation rates were similar between samples (P > 0.05). …

Serotyping And Antibiotic Susceptibility Of Listeria Monocytogenes Isolatedfrom Ready-To-Eat Foods In Samsun, Turkey, Göknur Terzi̇, Ali̇ Gücükoğlu, Özgür Çadirci, Tolga Uyanik, Mustafa Ali̇şarli

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of the present study was to assess the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and to investigate its serotyping and antibiotic resistance in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. A total of 100 RTE foods, including 25 stuffed mussels, 25 ezme samples (a Turkish-style tomato dip/condiment), 25 fried spiced livers, and 25 mayonnaise-based salads were obtained from retail shops and supermarkets in Samsun, Turkey. Samples were analyzed using the standard procedure EN ISO 11290-1 and isolates of L. monocytogenes were confirmed for the presence of the hemolysin gene (hylA) by polymerase chain reaction. L. monocytogenes was identified in 1 of 25 (4%) mayonnaise-based …

Report Of Rabies In Feedlot Cattle Introduced Tobaja California From The State Of Guerrero, Mexico, Jose Luis Rodriguez Castillo, Alfonso De La Mora-Valle, Gerardo Enrique Medina-Basulto, Francisco Javier Monge-Navarro, Rosa Maria Bermudez Hurtado, Gilberto Lopez Valencia

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Rabies is a fatal infection of the central nervous system produced by a Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. The virus is distributed worldwide and is primarily transmitted by rabid animal bites, with multiple reservoirs depending on the region. The vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is distributed in several states of Mexico and is considered the main vector of rabies in cattle. In the state of Baja California, no cases of paralytic rabies have been reported. In this work, we report the first three cases of rabies in feedlot cattle showing nervous signs, which were later confirmed in a reference laboratory by …

Esophageal Obstruction In Water Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis): A Retrospectivestudy Of 44 Cases (2006?2013), Mohamed Marzok, Alaa Moustafa, Sabry El-Khodery, Kerstin Müller

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The purposes of this study were to report the types, causes, and clinical findings of esophageal obstructions in water buffaloes and to verify the role of radiography in diagnosis as well as the evaluation of the proposed treatment management and outcome after treatment. Forty-four buffaloes with esophageal obstruction were used in the study. Esophageal obstruction was significantly more frequent in females than males. Buffaloes at 1-3 years of age were significantly more liable to the disease than those of other ages. Complete obstruction was more frequent than partial obstruction. Intraluminal obstruction was more prevalent than extraluminal. Obstruction at the cervical …

Novel Coproducts From Corn Milling And Their Use In Ruminants? Nutrition, Catalin Dragomir, Marketta Rinne, David Yanez-Ruiz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The article reviews published data on two novel coproducts originating from corn milling: high-protein distillers' grain (HPDG) and reduced-fat distillers' grain (RFDG). Based on a literature survey over the last decade, this article focuses on their chemical composition and, consequently, nutritive value and on the effects of their inclusion in ruminants' diets on rumen activity and animal performance. Compared to the classic distillers' grains, the two new coproducts expressed lower variability of their chemical composition, nutritive value, and specific feeding characteristics, allowing more targeted feeding strategies (protein balancing, avoidance of milk fat depression, etc.). Thus, HPDG has significantly higher crude …

The Genetic Diversity Of Both Fecb Gene And Microsatellite Gc101is Associated With Reproduction Selection In Sheep, Zhangyuan Pan, Baoyun Zhang, Wenping Hu, Ran Di, Qiuyue Liu, Xiangyu Wang, Dehua Yin, Pingqing Wang, Mingxing Chu

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aims of study were to reveal the changes in genetic diversity in reproduction selection of sheep. Genetic polymorphisms of microsatellite GC101 locus and its linkage with the FecB gene were detected in Chinese local sheep (Small Tail Han and Hu sheep) and western sheep (Texel and Dorset) breeds. There was the same FecB mutation (A746G) in both Small Tail Han and Hu sheep as that in Booroola Merino ewes, but not in Texel and Dorset sheep. Seven alleles, from 192 bp to 210 bp, and 20 genotypes were detected at the GC101 locus in 447 individuals totally. The preponderant …

Efficacy Of Experimental Inactivated And Live Rhodococcus Equivaccines For Thoroughbred Arabian Mares In Mice, Osman Ergani̇ş, Hasan Hüseyi̇n Hadi̇mli̇, Zafer Sayin, Asli Sakmanoğlu, Yasemi̇n Pinarkara, Özgür Özdemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of inactive Rhodococcus equi vaccine candidates included that bacterin+aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3), bacterin+VapA+(Al(OH)3), bacterin+Montanide IMS 3012 (IMS), bacterin+VapA+IMS, and live vaccine using mice as a model. The efficacy of vaccine was evaluated according to clinical findings, humoral and cellular immunity (levels of INF-g and IL-4), and results of microbiological culture from internal organs in dead or sacrificed mice. Inactive R. Equi vaccines were subcutaneously administered to mice three times at 15-day intervals and live vaccine was intraperitoneally injected once. Fifteen days after the last vaccination, aerosol challenges were carried out with …