Digital Commons Network^™

Economic Growth, Natural Mineral Resources And Education In Developing Countries, Kasimu J. Mayundo

Applied Economics Theses

The contributions of education in achieving the modernization of developed countries has attracted much attention. Perhaps, underdeveloped countries have provided a limited contribution toward economic development and growth because educational funding was not a priority. Therefore, some underdeveloped countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, rely heavily on their natural resources for economic development and growth, minimizing the importance of high quality education in economic growth.

The question is: Why has the Democratic Republic of Congo not been able to transform its abundant resources into a blessing for a prosperous nation? And how does education contribute to economic growth and …

Selective Foraging By Pogonomyrmex Salinus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Semiarid Grassland: Implications For A Rare Plant, Matthew S. Schmasow, Ian C. Robertson

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Selective foraging by granivores can have important consequences for the structure and composition of plant communities, and potentially severe consequences for rare plant species. To understand how granivore foraging behavior affects common and rare plant species, diet selection should be viewed relative to the availability of alternative seed options, and with consideration of the individual attributes of those seeds (e.g., morphology, nutrient content). We examined the foraging decisions of Owyhee harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex salinus [Olsen], in semiarid grassland dominated by two species of grass, Poa secunda and Bromus tectorum, and two species of mustard, Sisymbrium altissimum and Lepidium papilliferum …

Effects Of Amino Acid Supplementation Of Reduced Crude Protein (Rcp) Diets On The Performance And Carcass Quality Of Growing-Finishing Swine, Ashley Nicole Young

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Barrows and gilts (215/gender) were used to test the effects of synthetic AA supplementation of reduced CP diets on the growth performance and quality characteristics of the LM and the fatty acid composition of the LM and s.c. jowl fat from growing-finishing swine. Pigs were blocked by BW within gender, and allocated randomly to pens (6 pigs/pen) which were then assigned randomly within each block and gender to either corn-SBM diets 1) that were devoid of synthetic lysine (Ctrl); 2) with reduced CP diets where lysine was added to all diets (RCP1); 3) with reduced CP where lysine, threonine, and …

Rice Consumption And Effects Of Rice Cake, Seolgitteok, On Human Health, Ellen Joy Pottgen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the United States type 2 diabetes is an ever growing health epidemic. The prevalence in the adult population has quadrupled over the past 30 years and is expected to continue on a similar path in the coming decades. While the cause of type 2 diabetes is multifactorial, it is considered to be an acquired condition related to environmental contributors including poor diet, obesity, and physical inactivity, which may be managed to alter the course or progression of the disease. Preventative or maintenance measures emphasize nutritional intervention strategies, including encouraging individuals to follow a nutrient-dense, high-fiber diet with ample whole-grains, …

Efficacy Of A Novel Intranasal Zinc Solution On The Microbiome, Health, And Growth Performance Of High-Risk, Newly Received Stocker Cattle, Makenzie Foster

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if using an intranasal zinc (Zn) solution would impact health and growth performance of high-risk stocker cattle. Male beef calves (n = 239; 3 arrival dates [block]; initial BW = 276 ± 2.4 kg) were stratified by arrival gender and BW and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) treated with 3 ml of a Zn solution containing 36.24 mg of Zn administered intranasally, or 2) control, in which calves were not treated. Calves were observed daily and if exhibiting signs of morbidity and a rectal temperature ≥ 40° C they were …

Listeria Monocytogenes Strain Variation: Starvation, Metabolism, And Macrophage Survival, Nathan A. Jarvis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Listeria spp. are often isolated from raw and processed food products. Listeria monocytogenes is responsible for death rates of 10 to 30% in immune compromised people; it can also infect a vast range of animals. There are numerous reports of poultry harboring or becoming infected with L. monocytogenes. First, this research assessed the ability of L. monocytogenes to replicate within chicken macrophages. Using the gentamicin-killing assay, a cell culture of chicken macrophage-like cells (HD11) were infected with two strains of L. monocytogenes individually (EGD-e and Scott A). Results show that unlike data on mouse macrophages, intracellular L. monocytogenes do not …

Assessment Of The Level Of Protection Against Coccidiosis In Broiler Breeders Conferred By A Live Anticoccidial Vaccine, And Its Influence On Early Growth And Development., Muhammed Shameer Abdul Rasheed

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coccidiosis continues to be a great challenge to the poultry industry all over the world and in broiler breeders vaccination with live oocysts of Eimeria has been widely adopted as a control measure. Broiler breeders are usually subjected to feed restriction during their early growth however no studies have been undertaken on the effects of vaccination in birds whose feed has been restricted in this manner. The objective of this study was to assess the level of protection acquired by broiler breeder chickens when immunized at day-old with live eimerian oocysts and given a restricted diet. Effects upon growth and …

It's Not The Load That Breaks You Down, It's The Way You Carry It: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Negative Identity And Consumer Behavior, Cassandra Denise Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research examining Social identity and consumer behavior often centers on groups with positive Social identities, exploring the influence of similar identities (i.e., shared values, shared gender, shared political affiliations, shared ethnicity…etc.) or desired identities (e.g., sports celebrities, actors, and actresses). For example, research has shown that people display an increased attention to identity-based stimuli following the activation of a Socially distinct identity (Forehand, Deshpandé, and Reed 2002) and that heightening the self‐importance of a consumer Social identity leads to a preference for identity-related brands (Reed 2004). An important but often overlooked aspect of the influence of Social identity on consumption, …

In Vitro Fermentation Patterns Of Rice Bran Components By Human Gut Microbiota, Tung Minh Pham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing in recent years worldwide. In the United States, it is ranked the second leading cause of cancer death. Risks of CRC increase with age and are associated with several lifestyle factors such as diet, drinking and smoking habits, and levels of physical activity. There is an abundance of scientific literature demonstrating the protective roles of several dietary components including fibers and polyphenolic compounds. These compounds have been shown to be able to positively modulate gastrointestinal ecology by increasing the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and promoting the population of beneficial …

Test Of An Adolescent Anxiety Sensitivity Amelioration Program (Aasap) For At-Risk Youth, Ashley Arehart Knapp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adult research supports the effectiveness of targeting the malleable vulnerability factor of anxiety sensitivity (AS) in terms of preventing panic specifically and anxiety psychopathology generally. Risk factor research suggests AS modification among youth has implications for panic as well as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, very little work has evaluated the impact of AS reduction among youth, which is unfortunate given adolescence is a period of “core risk” in terms of anxiety disorder onset. Further, no work has considered the effect of such a program on GAD-relevant outcomes, nor has any work included family-level intervention factors, despite evidence suggesting parents …

Comparisons Of Selected Household And Commercial Disinfectants Against Poultry Salmonella Isolates And A Survey Of Internal Parasites In Backyard Poultry In Arkansas, Kayleigh Moyle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Backyard and exhibition poultry have been gaining in popularity and as such there has been a large increase in the number of small flocks. As the interaction with poultry has increased, so has the opportunity for diseases and parasites, for both birds and people. One of the major zoonotic illnesses is caused by the bacteria Salmonella, which can be found in commercial and small flocks. Salmonella is the number 2 contributor of foodborne illnesses so its prevalence in commercial flocks is of high concern. Despite improved cleaning, disinfection, and biosecurity practices, there is still potential for disease outbreaks and infections …

Culinary Competence: Skills And Knowledge Assessment For Dietetic Students, Nancy Harris Buckley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Graduates of didactic programs in dietetics are entering internships with little cooking experience. The Food and Culinary Professionals’ Dietetic Practice Group (FCP DPG) has identified 11 core competencies that were developed as a recommendation to dietetic educators to include more culinary knowledge into existing programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if developing and incorporating experiential learning targeted to the competencies would increase dietetic students’ culinary skills and knowledge at a southern land-grant university. Food and Culinary Professionals’ DGP core competencies were used to guide the development of curriculum, experiential learning, and assessment in the Principles of Foods …

Examining The Effect Of Climate Change On The Upper Mesophotic Coral Montastrea Cavernosa (Linnaeus 1767), John Skutnik

Masters Theses

Coral reefs are under increasing pressure from global climate change. In particular, ocean warming is having a deleterious effect on many of the world’s shallow reefs. Some authors suggest that acute exposure is more detrimental than chronic, versus others who indicate the opposite. However, little knowledge exists regarding heat induced stress on deeper mesophotic reefs. Here, I examined the effect of acute (72 hrs.) and chronic (480 hrs.) heat stress using laboratory experiments on coral Montastraea cavernosa (Linnaeus 1767) collected from an upper mesophotic (~30 m) reef off Islamorada Florida. I examined a variety of putative immune and stress genes …

Development Of A Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Elisa) For Detection Of Macadamia Nut Residues In Processed Food Products, Charlene Gan

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Macadamia nut is considered a priority food allergen and undeclared macadamia nut residues pose a potential food safety risk to individuals with macadamia nut allergies. To date, there are a limited number of immunochemical methods that are available for detection of processed macadamia nut residues. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a reliable and robust sandwich ELISA for detection of macadamia nut residues. Raw and roasted macadamia nuts were used for immunization in three different species of animals (sheep, goat, and rabbits). Macadamia nut specific IgG antibodies produced by each animal were tested for their specificity and …

Um Wins State's Healthiest University Workplace Award, Michael Newsom

University of Mississippi News

Honor recognizes work of RebelWell program, other initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles

Matrix Effects On The Detection Of Milk And Peanut Residues By Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (Elisa), Abigail S. Burrows

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Food matrices are complex systems of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins in which interactions between matrix components and allergenic proteins are known to have negative effects on the recovery of allergens when analyzed by ELISA. The purpose of this study was to first evaluate the recovery of milk and peanut residues from multiple food matrices and mixes and to secondly evaluate the use of a modified extraction protocol, sequential extractions, on the recovery of milk and peanut allergens.

Pastry dough matrices and pastry dough mixes incurred with milk were prepared at varying concentrations of flour and evaluated for recovery of NFDM. …

Icook 4-H Intervention: Food-Related Behavior And Intake Of Adult Main Meal Preparers Participating In A 5-State Childhood Obesity Prevention Study, Kyla A. Richardson

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Childhood obesity affects 12.7 million children within the United States. The need for childhood obesity prevention programs is high. Research supports family-centered programs and health interventions rooted within the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT); the iCook 4-H program combines these attributes. The objective of this study was to assess differences in adult outcome variables between control and treatment participants and whether the program impacted food security status.

Participants consisted of adult-youth pairs (dyads) that included a 9-10 year-old child and their adult primary meal preparer. The focus of this project was to provide findings on adult participants only. The program was …

The Influence Of Peer-Led Team Learning On Underrepresented Minority Student Achievement In Introductory Biology And Recruitment And Retention In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Majors, Jeremy David Sloane

Dissertations - ALL

Increasing underrepresented minority (URM) participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is of increasing national importance as the United States continues to fall behind other nations in global economic competitiveness. These students constitute a large pool of potential STEM majors at the college level, but they have been recruited to and retained in STEM programs at significantly lower rates than students from other populations. As such, President Barack Obama’s President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has called on undergraduate science instructors to diversify their teaching methods and employ active learning strategies to improve students’ success in …

Ego Identity Development As A Mediator Between Negative Affectivity And Wellness Of College Students, Sarah F. Spiegelhoff

Dissertations - ALL

For emerging adults, the college experience is a time for new experience that create excitement, lifelong memories, spiritual enrichment, cultural development, and success. Yet for many, the college experience presents with a series of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, and for some even failure. It is expected that many of these students will experience such stressors, given the complexity of the stage of development, as they move away from adolescence and into adulthood. As college students move away from parental figures and develop more independence, a prominent time for identity development to thrive is created. There is a great deal …

Binge-Watching Rate As A Predictor Of Viewer Transportation Mechanisms, Stephen Marshall Warren

Dissertations - ALL

Binge-watching has yet to be adequately analyzed and researched to determine its effects upon viewers, despite the fact that nine in ten Americans engage in the activity (Crupi, 2015). While some studies have attempted to discover causes or effects of the activity, most research fails to capture the viewing aspects of binge-watching that make the experience unique. This thesis attempted to more specifically define binge-watching, as well as measure its association with viewer transportation – viewer immersion – into the visual narrative. A survey design facilitated the exploration of any linkages between the amount of a viewer’s binge-watching and his …

Awareness, Perception, And Self-Reported Purchasing Behaviors Of College Students Regarding Front-Of-Package Nutrition Labeling Systems And Symbols, Audrey L. Kessler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional students enroll in post-secondary institutions during emerging adulthood. College enrollment is increasing and adult weight gain occurs most rapidly during the college-age years, with poor food decisions as a potential contributing factor. The present study examined the awareness, perception, and self-reported purchasing behaviors of college students regarding four front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling systems and symbols. Students were sent a 24-question web-based survey, with 908 completed surveys that met the research criteria. There were 888 (98.3%) respondents who recognized at least one of the four presented FOP nutrition labels. There were no significant differences between the groups that recognized one …

I.R.S. V. Boston Bruins: A Faceoff Over The Deductibility Of Away Game Meals, Adam Suckno

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

Repetitive, Pre-Anesthetic Fasting And Malnutrition In A Pediatric Oncology Population Undergoing Radiation Therapy, Laura P. Santibáñez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Pediatric oncology patients often experience nutritional status changes, particularly malnutrition, which may adversely affect their outcomes. Although the consequences of malnutrition are elucidated, its causes remain unclear. A possible cause of malnutrition in pediatric oncology patients is repetitive, pre-anesthetic fasting prior to non-invasive procedures and treatments, such as anesthesia-assisted radiation therapy (AART). This exploratory study investigated the association between repetitive, pre-anesthetic fasting and non-fasting days and malnutrition in pediatric oncology patients receiving AART.

Procedure: A retrospective cohort of 138 pediatric oncology patients (£ 10 years of age) who received any type of radiation therapy (RT) with or without anesthesia …

End-Of-Life Heart Failure Education With Staff Nurses; A Quality Improvement Project, Carisa Battah

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Heart failure (HF) is a serious diagnosis and a major public health concern. The symptoms can be exhausting and can vary from person to person with periods of acute exacerbations requiring hospital admission. It is important for hospital staff nurses to be able to speak with knowledge and comfort about end‐of‐life planning. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase nurses’ awareness of the functional classification systems of HF, options and timing for palliative care, and describe nurses’ intent to use the information in practice. Nurses reported planning on using the information to “Be more Sensitive and Listen.” …

A Review On The Invasion Ecology Of Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera Maackii, Caprifoliaceae), A Case Study Of Ecological Impacts At Multiple Scales, Rachel E. Mcneish, Ryan W. Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

Invasive species are of global importance because of their impacts on ecological communities, habitat structure, native community dynamics, and ecosystem processes and function. Scientists and conservation managers are increasingly focusing on the biological impacts of invasive species and on devising management practices that emphasize the health of ecosystems based on measured biological processes. Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder) is a highly successful invasive shrub in forests of eastern North America. The scientific literature surrounding this species has grown in the past several decades as researchers have investigated L. maackii impacts across multiple ecological scales. In this review we …

Incorporating Naturopathic Medicine Into A Hospital Setting: One Institution's Experience, Thomas Lanni, Maureen Anderson, Hallie Armstrong, Gail Elliott Patricolo

Articles

The number of patients seeking complementary health approaches combined with conventional treatments has grown considerably over the past decade. The current authors have previously described how an integrative medicine department was initiated and implemented at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan. This article discusses how the integrative medicine department was expanded to include naturopathic medicine. This expansion was implemented because patients were taking herbs and supplements without their doctors' knowledge. This situation can be dangerous, especially for patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy, as various herbs and supplements can interact with treatment for these patients. Because the State of Michigan …

Automobile, Construction And Entertainment Business Sector Influences On Sedentary Lifestyles, Diana C. Parra, Thiago H. De Sá, Carlos A. Monteiro, Nicholas Freudenberg

Publications and Research

Sedentary lifestyles contribute to premature death and health inequalities. Researchers have studied personal and community-level determinants of inactivity but few have analyzed corporate influences. To reframe the public health debate on inactivity and open new doors for public sector intervention, we conducted a scoping review of evidence from several disciplines to describe how the business and political practices of the automobile, construction, and entertainment sectors have encouraged sedentary lifestyles. In the last 50 years, these industries have found it profitable to produce motor vehicles, housing, and entertainment, which intentionally or unintentionally discourage physical activity. Ceding primary authority for policy decisions …

Levels Of Confidence In Schmieding Center In-Home Caregiving Training, Morena L. Valdizon

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education offers a unique approach and program designed to teach their students how to care for an older adult in the home. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the in-home assistant course on the participant’s confidence levels. It was hypothesized that the confidence levels of the students that enrolled in the in-home assistant training course would increase with the completion of the 40-hour course and that demographic factors such as gender, age, and economic background would impact the levels of confidence. This study was conducted by the …

Registered Dietitians: Attitudes And Perceptions Regarding Bachelor’S Degree In Nutrition And Dietetics, Ashwini R. Wagle

All Theses And Dissertations

The profession of dietetics is transitioning to the master’s degree (MS) as the entry-level requirement for registered dietitians’ (RDs) to practice. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the attitudes and perceptions of registered dietitians with bachelor’s degrees (BS, RD’s) regarding a transition to the MS degree as the requirement for the RD certification. This study also examined these RD’s attitudes and perceptions regarding impacting factors such as their years of work experience including salary levels and increments, professional stature including promotions and positions, and scope and type of practice. A cross-sectional survey was utilized to collect data …

What Educators Can Do To Engage Families In School-Based Education, Jill R. Rich

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative study, utilizing phenomenology, focuses on the role of educators in creating a strong home-school connection. The increasing number of students living in poverty requires educators to implement effective strategies for engaging parents and guardians in their students’ schooling. Three significant themes emerged from the study as a result of data analysis. These identified themes are Educators and parents see the importance of building positive relationships, increased connections are wanted by all and technology has helped to increase modes of communication, and events that highlight student achievement increase parent involvement. The data allowed for several conclusions to be …