Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Community Health Through Hospital Community Benefit Spending: Charting A Path To Reform, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Maureen Byrnes, Sara Rothenberg, Rachel Gunsalus

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Economic Growth And Child Undernutrition, Stephen A. O'Connell, C. Smith

Economics Faculty Works

Sebastian Vollmer and colleagues (April, 2014)1 conclude that “the contribution of economic growth to the reduction in early childhood undernutrition in developing countries is very small, if it exists at all”. Progress will therefore require a shift from “the so-called trickle-down approach of a growth-mediated strategy” to “direct investments in health and nutrition”.1

Residual Effects Of Nitrogen Fertilization On Soil Nitrogen Pools And Corn Growth, Meghan E. Moser

Open Access Theses

Given the dynamic nature of soil nitrogen (N), inorganic N fertilization to corn (Zea mays L.) has potential to alter N pool balance by creating an accumulation or depletion of soil N. Current corn N recommendations in the common corn-soybean rotation of Indiana strive to find the best N rate that maximizes producer profit. Increasing our understanding of soil N will inform producers if they should adjust fertilizer rates for corn to influence maintenance of organic N and Carbon. Our objective was to determine residual N effects from fertilized corn in a corn-soybean rotation by measuring (1) soil N …

Insights Into The Genomic And Metabolic Adaptations Of Termite Associated Verrucomicrobia Strains Using Functional And Comparative Genomics, Malini Sharadkumar Kotak

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The symbiotic gut organisms of termites play an important role in lignocellulose digestion and other related metabolic processes. Previous studies on Diplosphaera colitermitum TAV2, a Verrucomicrobium isolated from the hindgut of Reticulitermes flavipes, revealed its microaerophilic nature and involvement in important ecophysiological processes in the termite gut. In the present study, a detailed account of genomic sequences of 3 additional strains is provided, and the genomes of all 5 TAV strains isolated so far are compared, to gain a comprehensive understanding of these organisms. Our comparative genomic study shows that these strains represent two distinct species, and despite significant number …

Navigating Women's Cultural Representation Through Video Games In The Obama Era, Mark Stephen Reeder

English Theses - Archive

While the representations of women in video games have remained disappointingly negative since the 1980s, America’s political shift from the presidencies of George W. Bush to Barack Obama in 2007 had important cultural implications, particularly impacting the representation of women in popular culture. This thesis will examine the cultural depictions of women from 2002-2011, providing a particular focus on the unique cultural factors prevalent during this time period—including the expansion of pornography, a conservative cultural backlash to Obama, and the rapid deterioration of ‘political correctness’—that impacted how images of women in video games were received. Analyzing the cultural atmosphere of …

Ipulse: December 2016, Lynn University

Student Newspapers

Issues:

• December 2, 2016
• December 5, 2016
• December 7, 2016
• December 9, 2016
• December 14-16, 2016: Holiday Special Edition

A Medical Decision Model For Tinnitus Treatment Assessment, Hong Don Ihn

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Tinnitus means objective somatosounds, and subjective auditory or sensorineural perception of noise without external physical sounds. There are several tinnitus treatments, but it is difficult to ascertain how otorhinolaryngologists rank the alternatives of treatments due to the insufficiency of available evidence and standards. A hierarchical decision model (HDM), a popular multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method, can help to implement a comprehensive assessment of tinnitus treatments and rational decision-making to select the appropriate tinnitus treatments. The HDM considers a holistic approach using multiple dimensions, criteria and expert judgments to acquire the relative ranking of candidate tinnitus treatments. The four dimensions selected …

Harnessing Redox Regulation Of Ptp1b: A Novel Path To Therapeutic Design, Ioana Rus Rus

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is an important negative regulator of signaling by the insulin and leptin receptors. PTP1B-null mice are sensitized to insulin and resistant to diet-induced obesity, making PTP1B a prized target in the pharmaceutical industry for therapeutic intervention in type two diabetes and obesity. Efforts to develop inhibitors of PTP1B focused on the active site pocket; however, those efforts have been hindered by poor oral bioavailability of the compounds. Our lab has exploited the conformational changes associated with redox regulation of PTP1B to devise an alternative method of inhibiting the enzyme. Reactive oxygen species, generated in response …

An Investigation Of Pelagophyte Ecology, Yoonja Kang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Pelagophytes are important picoplankton in the open ocean and in coastal waters where Aureococcus anophagefferens and Aureoumbra lagunensis form ecosystem-disruptive brown tides. Despite decades of research, factors facilitating brown tides are not completely understood. This dissertation is a comparative study of pelagophytes assessing processes facilitating brown tides and transcriptional similarities among open ocean and coastal pelagophytes. During my dissertation, top-down (e.g. grazing) and bottom-up (e.g. nutrients) processes shaping phytoplankton communities were examined during brown tides in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA. While moderate levels of ammonium promoted Aureoumbra growth over picoprokaryotes, grazing pressure on Aureoumbra was near absent permitting …

The Role Of Pten Signaling In The Function And Development Of The Sexually Dimorphic Kisspeptin System, Ariel L. Negron

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Hypothalamic kisspeptin-expressing neurons are a critical relay system that conveys information about hormonal and nutritional status to gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. PI3K/mTOR signaling is linked to the regulation of hypothalamic kisspeptin expression and of gonadotropin release by nutritional status. Whether kisspeptin neuron-specific PI3K/mTOR signaling participates in the regulation of the kisspeptin system and gonadotropin release under normal and under metabolic challenges is unknown. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is the principal negative regulator of the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, PTEN expression and function is regulated by estrogen, the sex-steroid hormone principally responsible for the sexually dimorphic expression of hypothalamic kisspeptin …

The Integration Of Mathematics In Middle School Science: Student And Teacher Impacts Related To Science Achievement And Attitudes Towards Integration, Luisa Mchugh

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Contemporary research has suggested that in order for students to compete globally in the 21st century workplace, pedagogy must shift to include the integration of science and mathematics, where teachers effectively incorporate the two disciplines seamlessly. Mathematics facilitates a deeper understanding of science concepts and has been linked to improved student perception of the integration of science and mathematics. Although there is adequate literature to substantiate students’ positive responses to integration in terms of attitudes, there has been little empirical data to support significant academic improvement when both disciplines are taught in an integrated method. This research study, conducted at …

Annual Forage Cropping-Systems For Midwestern Ruminant Livestock Production, John Ernest Mcmillan

Open Access Dissertations

Annual forage cropping systems are a vital aspect of livestock forage production. One area where this production system can be enhanced is the integration of novel annual forages into conventional cropping systems. Two separate projects were conducted to investigate alternative forage options in annual forage production. In the first discussed research trial, two sets of crops were sown following soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain harvest, at two nitrogen application rates 56 and 112 kg ha-1 . The first set of crops were C4 summer annuals seeded within two weeks of wheat grain harvest and included, brown …

Non-Invasive Lifestyle Modifications That Mitigate The Non-Modifiable Risks Of Breast Cancer In Potential High Risk Patients, Angelica Rosinski

Honors Capstones

Breast cancer is most common invasive cancer occurring in US women. The standard treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, systemic therapy (e.g., chemotherapy, biotherapy, targeted therapy) and radiotherapy. The Healthy People 2020 initiative promotes education and prevention instead of treatment. Therefore, non-invasive lifestyle modifications should be developed to decrease the risk of developing breast cancer among women at population risk and those who carry a genetic mutation conferring increased breast cancer risk. Diet, weight management, and exercise as methods to reduce breast cancer are examined within this literature review. These lifestyle adjustments should be introduced to individuals who are at …

The Role Of Wnt3a In Bone-Muscle Biochemical Crosstalk And Promoting Myoblast Differentiation Among Mouse Primary Muscle Cells, Sarah Daggs

2016 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Bone and muscle crosstalk is a newly emerging field that focuses on the ability of bone cells and muscle cells to communicate with each other through mechanical and biochemical mechanisms. Until recently, the secretory function of both bone and muscle cells has largely been unexplored. My thesis focuses on continuing my faculty mentor’s current research on bone-muscle crosstalk by analyzing the effects of WNT3a, an important bone-secreted factor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, on myogenesis. Myogenesis is the process of producing muscle cells from stem cells in the embryonic stages of development and the regeneration of muscle tissue after cell injury …

Response Of Microbial Networks And Microbiomes To The Forest-To-Pasture Conversion In Amazon Soils, Md Abdul Wadad Khan

Biology Dissertations - Archive

The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest ecosystem in the world, and an extremely important region ecologically. Due to the growing human needs mainly for cattle ranching and cultivation, the rainforest has been in the process of clearing since 1970s losing an average of 25,000 km annually. This ecosystem conversion has a substantially adverse impact on biological diversities, in which the response of microbial diversity has not been studied until recently. Several studies showed that the conversion severely altered microbial diversities, with an increased alpha and decreased beta diversities. Given that microorganisms are closely associated with soil-associated functions, where …

Examination Of The Relevance Of Pi3k And Pten Pathway In Ustilago Maydis., Nathaniel Edward Dalton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ustilago maydis is a fungal pathogen that is an obligate parasite on Zea mays (Corn) in order to undergo and complete its sexual life cycle. The cells grow as a haploid form until they meet a compatible partner and undergo a dimorphic switch from a budding yeast-like cell type to a filamentous dikaryon. Infection of the host plant is characterized by leaf chlorosis, anthocyanin content, and formation of large galls that develop on the stem, leaves, cobs, and flowers. Many signaling cascades such as MAPK and PKA are involved in the regulation of the infection lifecycle. The Phosphatidylinosotiol 3 Kinase/ …

Identification And Characterization Of Genes Involved In Metabolism Of N5 Monoene Precursors To N5 Anacardic Acids In The Trichomes Of Pelargonium X Hortorum., Richa A. Singhal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unusual monoenoic fatty acids (UMFA’s) and specialized metabolites called anacardic acids (AnAc) are produced in glandular trichomes of Pelargonium ´ hortorum (geranium). The UMFA’s, 16:1^∆11 and 18:1^∆13 are precursors for the synthesis of unsaturated AnAc 22:1n5and 24:1n5 that contribute to pest resistance in geraniums. UMFAs and their derived AnAc metabolites not only provide a useful biological marker that differentiates the biosynthetic pathway for unusual mononenes from the common fatty acids (i.e. stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic) but also have industrial, medical and agricultural applications. Fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes like acyl carrier proteins (ACPs); thioesterases (TEs) and β-ketoacyl-ACP …

Mechanism Of Interaction Of Peptide Modified Nanoparticles With Porphyromonas Gingivalis., Ankita Jain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies suggest that P. gingivalis functions as a keystone pathogen and interacts with primary colonizers in the supragingival biofilm such as S. gordonii. This interaction contributes to the initial colonization of the oral cavity by P. gingivalis and thus represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention. We have identified a peptide (BAR) derived from the streptococcal SspB protein that functions to inhibit P. gingivalis adherence to S. gordonii. In addition, we showed that nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with BAR inhibit this interaction more potently than free soluble peptide, possibly by promoting interaction with P. gingivalis at higher valency than …

Detecting Evidence Of Systemic Inflammation From Osteological Markers In The Indian Knoll Population Of Ohio County, Kentucky., Krysta Wilham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Indian Knoll is an Archaic shell midden site located in the Green River region of west-central Kentucky, and was excavated twice in the first half of the 20^th century. While Indian Knoll has been the subject of frequent bioarchaeological studies, the present study presents an osteological analysis of the relationships between skeletal markers commonly associated with local inflammatory processes, and that have the potential to be used as proxies for systemic inflammation. The analysis revealed a significant positive association in the presence of periodontal disease (PD) and periosteal lesions (PL), suggesting a potential underlying hyper-inflammatory status or phenotype. These …

Cost Of Care For Hospitalized Patients With Pulmonary Mycobacterial Diseases In The United States., Mary Beth Wells Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Pulmonary mycobacterial diseases describe both tuberculosis (TB) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Few data are available measuring the cost burden of mycobacterial diseases on the national level. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost burden and measure emerging trends in hospitalization of pulmonary TB and NTM in the US from 2001 through 2012. Methods: This study was a retrospective community based cost analysis of hospitalized patients with a principal diagnosis of pulmonary mycobacterial diseases from 2001 through 2012. Data for pulmonary TB and NTM were retrieved from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), US Department of …

The Relationship Between Lead In Groundwater And Elementary School Students' Academic Performance In Missouri, Lynnette Xiangling Li

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Lead exposure can come from various sources, e.g., lead mines, industrial areas, and lead based paint. Missouri has more than 4,128 lead mines. Lead is a neurotoxin. The objectives of the study were to investigate i) the spatial relationship between lead mines and lead distribution in groundwater, ii) the statistical impact of lead in groundwater on students' Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores, and iii) the geographic variations of lead's impact on students' MAP scores. Geographic Information Science spatial analysis tools were used to analyze the concentration of lead in groundwater within school districts in Missouri. Regression analysis was utilized to …

Effects Of Feeding Field Peas On Fresh Beef Quality, Hope Voegele

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

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of field peas during two phases of production (grazing and finishing) on fresh beef quality. A total of 232 crossbred steers and heifers were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3x2 factorial consisting of 3 pasture and 2 finishing supplementations. The pasture phase consisted of 1) no supplement, 2) field peas at 0.5% BW, or 3) dry-rolled corn supplement at 0.5% of BW. The finishing phase consisted of 1) field peas at 20% DM or 2) no field peas. During this two-year study, steers (year 1) …

Managing Corn Residue And Double Cropped Forages In Crop And Livestock Systems, Kristen M. Ulmer

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

Integrating crop and livestock systems leads to opportunities to utilize land resources; however, crop producers focus on grain yields and ground cover, while livestock producers see opportunity to graze corn residue or annual forages. After wheat harvest or corn silage harvest, above ground forage production for brassica mixes and oats is greater than forage oats or oat production after high moisture corn harvest. Grazing steers on forage crops after grain harvest provides moderate gains. While annual forages provide good quality forages, corn residue grazing and utilization is still a cost-effective feedstuff for cattle producers. In the short term, grain yields …

Effects Of Feed Additives And Body Weight On Growth Performance And Carcass Characteristics Of Beef Finishing Cattle, Curtis J. Bittner

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

A pooled-analysis of feedlot pens examined the effects of steer age (calf-fed, short yearling, long yearling) and initial body weight on feedlot growth performance. Feed efficiency decreased linearly as initial body weight increased for all age groups of steers.

Three feedlot experiments evaluated the effects of NEXT ENHANCE (EO) and monensin/tylosin (MT) on growth performance and carcass characteristics in beef finishing diets. In Exp. 1, there were no MT x EO interactions for finishing performance and carcass characteristics. Feeding MT resulted in a 3.9% improvement in G:F compared to steers fed no MT. Feed efficiency was not different between steers …

Effects Of Field Pea Usage In Growing And Finishing Diets For Beef Cattle, Hannah L. Greenwell

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

The value of field peas (FP) as a feedstuff has not been thoroughly assessed and compared to other feeds, such as corn, to better establish an economic value. Field peas are characterized by a high CP content (23-26%), a large portion (80%) being rumen degradable protein (RDP), and containing almost a third less starch (31-40%) than corn. Three research trials were performed to better understand the value of FP as a grazing supplement, finishing diet component, and any effects on digestion. Experiment 1 assessed the value of FP as a grazing supplement compared to corn. Grazing was followed by a …

The Influence Of Diet And Oxidation On Calcium Retention Of The Mitochondria In Fresh Beef, Emery K. Wilkerson

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

Distillers grains (DG) contribute to cattle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane instability by increasing poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in the SR membrane, possibly resulting in early postmortem calcium (Ca) leakage and improved tenderness. Mitochondria are relatively easy to isolate intact and provide the opportunity to study Ca in an SR model. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of diet and oxidation on Ca release from mitochondria. Cattle (n = 48) were fed a corn-based finishing diet with or without deoiled, dried DG (50% DM basis). Steaks from each strip loin were aged for 2, 8, …

Improving Foot Care And Kidney Disease Screening Through Implementation Of American Diabetes Association Standards–2016 In The Primary Care Setting, Maricela Hernandez

Doctor of Nursing Practice

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase adherence to the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2016 recommendations for foot care and kidney disease screening for patients with diabetes mellitus type II in a primary care setting. Diabetes mellitus type II affects approximately 18.9-19.9 million, or 90-95%, of all diagnosed cases in the United States. Early detection and management decrease the risk of developing microvascular complications that may lead to neuropathy and nephropathy. Adults with diabetes mellitus type II, 20 years of age and older, accounted for approximately 73,000 non-traumatic lower-extremity amputations in 2011. Diabetes …

Implementation Of Quality Improvement Interventions To Increase Provider Adherence To Standards Of Medical Care In Diabetes, Elizabeth A. Betz

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Purpose: To improve a South Texas primary care clinic’s diabetes management system by implementation of a quality improvement intervention to help staff and medical providers increase adherence to the American Diabetes Association standards of care related to screening referrals and orders for urine microalbumin, in order to improve self-care and health outcomes for adult patients with diabetes. Background and Problem: Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States and the cause of vision loss, amputations, and end-stage renal disease. The patients at the Wellness Center do not consistently receive routine screenings for neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, microalbumin, …

2016 Study Of Current Conditions Of Kentucky County Animal Shelters And Degree Of Compliance With Kentucky Animal Shelter Laws, Cynthia L. Gaskill, Rachel Cullman-Clark, Liane Lachiewicz, Matt Lamarre, Brad Rohleder, Kristin Sadler, Rachel Sparling, Craig N. Carter

Veterinary Science Reports

Kentucky’s county animal shelter conditions have not been studied for over 20 years. Major goals of this study were to assess current conditions in Kentucky’s county shelters and determine the degree of compliance with Kentucky shelter laws. Additional information was gathered to determine the major problems and needs identified by shelter personnel and researchers. Data was used to determine if additional state funds or refinements and additions to current laws are warranted to ensure humane care of animals in Kentucky’s county shelters. Researchers consisted of a group of 6 veterinary students who traveled to all Kentucky county animal shelters. Ninety …

Narrative Review Of Vitamin D And Its Specific Impact On Balance Capacity In Older Adults, Ray Marks

Publications and Research

Introduction and Aims: Falls injuries among older adults, a widespread well-established contributor to high disability levels, excess morbidity and mortality rates, have many causes. This review examines the association between vitamin D levels and postural stability or balance control—a fairly consistent predictor of falls among older adults.

Materials and Method: All relevant English language peer reviewed research publications detailing the relationship between vitamin D levels and balance control among the elderly were sought. Key words included “Vitamin D and Balance or Postural Control.” Databases used were Academic Search Complete, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Results: Analysis showed no consistent …