Digital Commons Network^™

How Competition, Customization, And Niche Markets Have Affected Sku Proliferation And Management, Alexander Eugene Huggs

Senior Theses

Differentiation has become a major competitive advantage. The end result is that many companies and businesses have found a competitive advantage by offering a wide variety of products. While Henry Ford may have only had to keep up with a limited number of parts for his relatively standard Model T, the Ford Motor Company now sells sixteen different models of consumer vehicles. This has not only happened to the Ford Motor Company. Growth in the number of stock keeping units (SKUs) is present across most consumer goods. What has caused this explosion in SKUs, how have companies adapted warehouses and …

What Do We Know About Gmos: A Comparison Of Regulations And Labeling In The United States And Netherlands, Alexa Nicole Black

Senior Theses

This senior thesis will articulate the similarities and differences in food regulations related to organic and GMO foods in the US versus the Netherlands and identify factors that contribute to these differences. The main goal of this thesis is to explain, through research and my own observations, the need for more comprehensive research and labeling of GM foods.

Building The Dream: Transformational Resistance, Community-Based Organizations, And The Civic Engagement Of Latinos In The New South, Eleanor A. Petrone Dr

Democracy & Education

This article examines how a group of Latino youth living in the Southeast experienced, adapted to, and resisted oppressive social structures within their community through their involvement with youth media. Through the content analysis of a teen radio show produced by and for Latino youth, in conjunction with semistructured interviews and ethnographic field notes, the author investigates how five Mexican-born high school students confronted and attempted to transform the educational practices that served to keep them subordinate. The study posits the community organization that sponsored the radio show as a pedagogical site of resistance and transformation, which provided the students …

The Transformation Of High-Risk Youth: An Assessment Of A Faith-Based Program In South Africa, Bennett M. Judkins, Karen Mundy

Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development

This paper considers the case of Outward Bound South Africa (OBSA), an outdoor adventure education program specifically designed for disadvantaged youth in the aftermath of apartheid in South Africa. Founded by American philanthropist Charles Stetson, the goal of OBSA is to provide recourse for South Africans who are victims of history and culture. OBSA seeks to instill values and to create economic empowerment for at-risk youth in the midst of severe social and economic deprivation. Recently, OBSA initiated a faith-based component to their program that follows many of the tenets of the original founder of Outward Bound, German educator Kurt …

Towards A Biblically Empowered World View Programming Approach: The World Vision Tanzania Experience Case Study, Daniel Muvengi

Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development

Poverty is fundamentally relational and its causes are radically spiritual in nature. Despite the many years of significant investments in development aid across the continent, current efforts to a large extend seem to be having little impact and poverty levels remains a challenge. Approaches seem to be treating only the symptoms and not the root causes of poverty. World Vision’s empowered world view approach, seeks to enable men, women and children to ultimately change behaviors in a manner that will ensure sustainability and positively reinforce resilience capacities to absorb shocks, adapt to change and transform risks into opportunities.

Available evidence …

Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Perinatal Grief Education And Reduction Among Poor Women In Chhattisgarh, India: A Pilot Study, Lisa R. Roberts, Susanne B. Montgomery

Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development

INTRODUCTION: Stillbirth is a significant public health problem in low to middle income countries and results in perinatal grief, often with negative psychosocial impact. In low-resource settings, such as Chhattisgarh, India, where needs are high, it is imperative to utilize low-cost, effective interventions. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an empirically sound intervention that has been utilized for a broad range of physical and mental health problems, and is adaptable to specific populations. The main objective of this pilot study was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of a shortened, culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention to address the complex grief after stillbirth. …

Cinnamon In The Treatment Of Type Ii Diabetes, Pauline J. Maddox

Graduate Research Projects

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this review of literature is to evaluate the effects of cinnamon on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose/fasting plasma glucose (FBG/FPG) in various populations such as type II diabetes, prediabetics, metabolic syndrome, and overweight or obese individuals.

Research Design and Methods

A comprehensive literature review was done with the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) database using the keywords, cinnamon, type II diabetes, diabetes, HbA1c, and FBS. References used in previous meta-analysis were also searched and reviewed for inclusion. Studies were included in this review if they evaluated cinnamon effects on …

The Relationship Between Secondhand Tobacco Smoke Exposure And Asthma Severity Among The Pediatric Population In Connecticut, Christtopher Hammel

Master's Theses

Background: Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure (STSE) has been associated with an increased incidence of asthma exacerbations, but the relationship between STSE and asthma severity is less clear.

Objective: To determine whether STSE is associated with asthma severity in children living in Connecticut who have physician-diagnosed asthma and to examine whether it is modified by common markers of community-level socioeconomic status (SES) using the Five Connecticuts study.

Methods: The Easy Breathing database identified 32,691 children with physician-diagnosed asthma living in 161 towns in Connecticut. This large database was linked by participant zip code to census data, allowing classification by community, with …

Examining The Barriers And Facilitators Of Breastfeeding Duration Among Active-Duty Military Mothers, Andrea Lynn Farwell

Dissertations

Abstract Objective: To describe breastfeeding duration, as well as barriers and facilitators experienced, by active-duty women in the United States military. Design: A cross-sectional design guided the study. Setting: The setting was a social media site offering breastfeeding education and support for military mothers. Participants: The sample included 292 mothers who reported having a baby, initiating breastfeeding postpartum, and returning to work while serving active-duty in the United States within the last five years. Methods: An investigator-designed Qualtrics survey with multiple choice, Likert, and open-ended questions was used. Analysis procedures focused on descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression. Content analysis …

It’S Time For The Fda To Define ‘Natural’, Jason J. Czarnezki

Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications

The authors discusses the FDA 's recent call for comments on a definition of the term natural as it applies to food.

Missouri's Missing Education Policy: Support Systems For Districts With High Student Mobility Rates, Mary Lee Hardy

Dissertations

Missing in Missouri is state policy defining student mobility or how to measure it consistently across all districts. High mobility disproportionately impacts schools with a high poverty rate which creates a need for policy centered on this topic. Evidence indicates that children who change to a new school after the start of the regular school term negatively impacts not only that child, but the school district, teachers and staff, as well as the current students. Typically, these children arrive two to three years behind grade level academically and have social concerns. In order to best serve these students, districts need …

Efficancy Of The Dash Diet In Reducing The Need For Antihypertensive Medications, Kelly Usset

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Protective Effects Of Oral Contraceptives On Ovarian Cancer, Megan Retterath

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Independent Study, Jack Baden

Nursing Capstones

No abstract provided.

Three Empirical Essays In The U.S. Beer Industry, Omer Hoke

Doctoral Dissertations

The dissertation examines three empirical questions in the U.S. beer industry. The effect of large container consumption has been well explored in other food categories. However, its effect has been ignored in the U.S. beer industry. Although authorities have been imposing different public policies to lower negative externality of excessive alcohol consumption, statistics still clearly provide evidence related to severity of this problem. Therefore, first manuscript studies the impact of large container beer purchases on alcohol-related accidents. The study finds a statistically significant and positive relationship between large container beer purchases and alcohol-related accidents. Approximately 90% of the alcohol consumption …

Beliefs About Childhood Obesity, Jillian Braley

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Currently in the United States, it is estimated that 25% of American children are obese. Several factors that may contribute to childhood obesity are environment, eating habits, underlying health conditions, and psychological influences. I plan on becoming an elementary teacher and I was shocked to find out that elementary schools are now cutting physical education classes to as little as thirty minutes and only every other week in some districts. While at the same time increasing the total amount of time students are using computers. I believe it is important that structural issues such as the decrease in physical education …

Comprehensive Analysis And Expression Profiling Of The Oslax And Osabcb Auxin Transporter Gene Families In Rice (Oryza Sativa) Under Phytohormone Stimuli And Abiotic Stresses, Chenglin Chai, Prasanta K. Subudhi

Faculty Publications

The plant hormone auxin regulates many aspects of plant growth and developmental processes. Auxin gradient is formed in plant as a result of polar auxin transportation by three types of auxin transporters such as OsLAX, OsPIN, and OsABCB. We report here the analysis of two rice auxin transporter gene families, OsLAX and OsABCB, using bioinformatics tools, publicly accessible microarray data, and quantitative RT-PCR. There are 5 putative OsLAXs and 22 putative OsABCBs in rice genome, which were mapped on 8 chromosomes. The exon-intron structure of OsLAX genes and properties of deduced proteins were relatively conserved within grass family, while that …

Examining The High Rate Of Infant Mortality Among Minorities In Norristown, Pa, Wendy Kaye

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (2016), infant mortality is defined as “the death of a baby before his or her first birthday”. The statistics provided by the CDC (2016) state that 23,440 infants died in the US in 2013. Racial and ethnic minorities experience higher rates of infant mortality than White people. In Norristown, PA, between 2008 and 2012, the rate of infant death for African Americans was 25 percent, versus 15 percent for their Caucasian counterparts.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the reasons for high infant mortality, with the goal of …

Food Deserts: The Issue And Possible Solutions, Lauren Branham

Senior Honors Theses

Areas in which residents lack access to low-priced, nutritious food are called food deserts. Typical characteristics of food deserts include residents with limited income, high concentrations of ethnic minorities, difficultly accessing grocery stores with a produce section, and high exposure to fast food restaurants and convenience stores. The reason limited access to healthy, minimally processed foods is an issue is because foods that are highly processed typically have higher levels of fat, sugar, and salt content which have been linked to obesity, coronary artery disease, and other chronic diseases. Many different types of interventions have been attempted to combat this …

Current, May 02, 2016, University Of Missouri-St. Louis

Current (2010s)

No abstract provided.

Limestone Flora Of The Simonton Corner Quarry Preserve, Rockport, Maine, Usa, Margaret Stern, Ian D. Medeiros, Luka Negoita, N. Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

Limestone is a distinctive substrate that has significant effects on soils and plants. The present study characterizes the diversity of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens at the Simonton Corner Quarry Preserve, an abandoned limestone quarry in Rockport, Maine, USA, which was in operation in the late 1800s. We document vascular plant diversity and associated edaphic features (i.e., soil pH and elemental chemistry) using 30 535 meter plots spread throughout the site. For vascular plants, 114 species in 96 genera and 50 families were observed; few of these species are known to prefer calcareous environments, and 38% are nonnative. Conversely, the …

The Global Strategy For Women's, Children's And Adolescents' Health (2016-2030): A Roadmap Based On Evidence And Country Experience., Shyama Kuruvilla, Flavia Bustreo, Taona Kuo, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The Global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (2016–2030) provides a roadmap for ending preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents by 2030 and helping them achieve their potential for and rights to health and well-being in all settings.1 The global strategy has three objectives: survive (end preventable deaths); thrive (ensure health and well-being); and transform (expand enabling environments). These objectives are aligned with 17 targets within nine of the sustainable development goals (SDGs),2 including SDG 3 on health and other SDGs related to the political, social, economic and environmental determinants of health and sustainable development.

Like the SDGs, …

The Relationship Between Teacher Perception And African American Male Students’ Iep Referral Rates, Christina Steward

Honors Projects

African American male students are overrepresented in special education services. This study was conducted under the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, and it used surveys and teacher case studies to evaluate the relationship between teacher perception and African American male students' IEP referral rates. A demographic survey, Ronsanna Bakari's Teaching African American Students Survey (TAASS), and an open ended questionnaire were completed by 24 Ohio teachers. The study's hypothesis was that teachers' negative perceptions of African American students were related to and a predictor of African American male students' high IEP referral rates. The study did not have enough …

Conversion Of Cafo Manure Into A Slow-Release Fertilizer, Richard Allan Williams Iii

Honors Projects

Alginate polymer is known to form gel through the process of Ionotropic gelation. By use of extrusion and diffusion setting manure was encapsulated into gel beads. These beads were then tested to determine their potential for further testing as a manure treatment process. From the limited data in this preliminary study, it appears as though there is potential for further testing of alginate beads as a treatment process for manure. The treatment is potentially valuable because of the ease of filtration of the alginate beads, the low cost of transportation of the dehydrated beads, and because the limited data suggests …

Comparison Of Commercial Gecko Food On Growth Of Rhacodactylus Geckos, Kaitlin Leigh Richard

Honors Projects

Available food sources can provide a different effect on the growth rates of Rhacodactylus auriculatus. In this study three food sources were compared, Repashy MRP, Pangea super foods, and GeckoPro New Caledonian blend. These are composed of similar nutrients but tend to have some points where they vary. Thirty-six gargoyle geckos were put through a trial over a 14 week period to determine which commercially available food source provides the best nutrients for growth, as measured by weight gain. Three groups of twelve were chosen based on a variety of ages and sizes to be given three different foods …

Wrinkled1 Rescues Feedback Inhibition Of Fatty Acid Synthesis In Hydroxylase-Expressing Seeds, Neil D. Adhikari, Philip D. Bates, John Browse

Faculty Publications

Previous attempts at engineering Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to produce seed oils containing hydroxy fatty acids (HFA) have resulted in low yields of HFA compared with the native castor (Ricinus communis) plant and caused undesirable effects, including reduced total oil content. Recent studies have led to an understanding of problems involved in the accumulation of HFA in oils of transgenic plants, which include metabolic bottlenecks and a decrease in the rate of fatty acid synthesis. Focusing on engineering the triacylglycerol assembly mechanisms led to modest increases in the HFA content of seed oil, but much room for …

The Effect Of Vitamin D On Blood Pressure At Rest And In Response To A Peak Graded Exercise Test, Braden Armstrong

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Bjc Today

BJC Today

No abstract provided.

The Free Press Vol. 47, Issue No. 22, 05-02-2016, Krysteana Scribner

Free Press, The

USM awarded grant for recovery center on campus -- A year in perspective: 2015-2016 editor opinion -- Candidates for provost announced -- Documentary raises awareness on sexual assault -- Surviving Finals Week -- Locker Project establishes pantries in local high schools

Calpain-5 Expression In The Retina Localizes To Photoreceptor Synapses, Kellie A. Schaefer, Marcus A. Toral, Gabriel Velez, Allison J. Cox, Sheila A. Baker, Nicholas C. Borcherding, Diana F. Colgan, Vimala Bondada, Charles B. Mashburn, Chen Guang Yu, James W. Geddes, Stephen H. Tsang, Alexander G. Bassuk, Vinit B. Mahajan

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Purpose: We characterize calpain-5 (CAPN5) expression in retinal and neuronal subcellular compartments.

Methods: CAPN5 gene variants were classified using the exome variant server, and RNA-sequencing was used to compare expression of CAPN5 mRNA in the mouse and human retina and in retinoblastoma cells. Expression of CAPN5 protein was ascertained in humans and mice in silico, in mouse retina by immunohistochemistry, and in neuronal cancer cell lines and fractionated central nervous system tissue extracts by Western analysis with eight antibodies targeting different CAPN5 regions.

Results: Most CAPN5 genetic variation occurs outside its protease core; and searches …