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Remembrance: Drink While The Water Is Clean, Marissa Angel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper supports the Artist’s Master of Fine Arts exhibition held at the Tipton Gallery, located in downtown Johnson City TN from November 30, 2015 through January 22, 2016. The works Included in the exhibition consists of a series of mixed media collage paintings, a large scale etching combined with clay and a site specific installation.

The Exhibit features work that delves into the concept of nature as a subject of beauty, as well as a symbol of the resiliency of life. The work in this exhibit exposes the separation that exists between humanity and the natural world. Through …

Assessing The Role Of Faith-Based Organizations In Health Promotion, Troylyn Braud Francis

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Objective: The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between organizational readiness (OR) and weight loss and physical activity outcomes among faith-based organizations (FBOs).

Methods: Data for this study were collected in two phases. Phase I data were based on a feasibility study and targeted African-American individuals (N = 55) who participated in an obesity prevention program. The intervention was accomplished in two stages, which included a 10-week core period followed by a 6-month maintenance period. Phase II data were based on key informant interviews that were conducted with community health leaders (CHLs) (N=6) from participating …

Predictors Of Quality Of Life For African American Women Who Assist Persons Who Receive Dialysis, Shaquita A. Starks

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to describe predictors of quality of life (QoL) for African American women who were caregivers of persons with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Five purposes, derived from a review of literature and conceptual model, guided this study. First, the study described the association between demographic factors (i.e., education, employment, age, marital status), and QoL. Second, the study explored the relationship between stress and QoL. Third, the study described the association between depressive symptoms and QoL. Fourth, the study described the association between family health/happiness and QoL. Fifth, the study described the extent …

Investigation Of Solubilization, Cold Gelation, And Rennet Coagulation Properties Of Highly Concentrated Micellar Casein Concentrate For Use In Cheese Making, Ying Lu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work demonstrated potentials to use a microfiltrated, diafiltrated, and vacuum-evaporated milk protein concentrate-highly concentrated micellar casein
concentrate (HC-MCC) for use in cheese making. Previously, ultrafiltrated milk concentrate has been used for cheese making to improve cheese yield and increase milk processing ability. However, ultrafiltrated milk contains high level of serum protein, which negatively impact cheese quality during aging. Microfiltrated milk is more suitable for cheese making with most serum proteins removed.

The project evaluated the potential of cheese making using recombined concentrated milk (RCM) by mixing HC-MCC and cream. We identify the method to solubilize …

Perceived Alzheimer's Disease Threat As A Predictor Of Behavior Change To Lower Disease Risk: The Gray Matters Study, Christine Clark

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing public health concern with an estimated five million Americans currently afflicted. That number is projected to triple by 2050 as the baby boomer generation approaches age 65, the most common age where people begin to show symptoms of cognitive decline stemming from changes in the brain related to Alzheimer’s. Since there is currently no cure or preventive pharmacological treatment, AD prevention research is now recognized as an important enterprise. Modifiable lifestyle factors that can reduce AD risk or delay its onset have been identified as reasonable targets for behavioral intervention, including increased physical activity, healthier …

The Demography And Determinants Of Population Growth In Utah Moose (Alces Alces Shirasi), Joel S. Ruprecht

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Moose (Alces alces) occur widely in northern regions of the world. Across their distribution, the species is considered to be of high intrinsic, ecological and recreational value. Populations of moose along their southern range limit in North America have shown erratic population dynamics in recent decades including severe numeric declines in some areas. Moose in Utah belong to the Shiras subspecies, which is a relatively understudied population segment. Additionally, moose in Utah represent the southernmost naturally occurring moose populations worldwide. Concerns over possible declines and a paucity of baseline data on moose within the state prompted the Utah …

What In A Good Cause Men May Both Dare And Venture, Karen Schwarze

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this thesis, I present a short story in the historical fiction genre. I researched the plight of Bavarian schoolteachers during the 1848 revolution and integrated this historical information into the story. The Cultural Minister at the time, Karl von Abel, had instituted strict measures against schoolteachers. For example, they were forbidden to read certain books (a key element in the story), attend taverns, and meet outside of regulated teachers conferences. Teachers also were denied civil servant status, which meant that no pension was available to them.

In my short story, the main character, Franz Schuler, must decide whether or …

Effects Of Carboxymethyl-Lysine In Heat Processed Foods On The Plasma Metabolome In Mice, Zhou Fang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML), an advanced glycation end product (AGEs), is formed during the cooking process and may induce toxic effects on human health. The effect of dietary CML on the plasma metabolite profile was investigated. Mice were fed with one of five different diets: AIN93 diet (negative control), a 45% kcal from fat Diet Induced Obesity diet (DIO; positive control); CML0, TWD (Total Western Diet) with low CML; CML1, TWD with medium CML, and CML2, TWD with high CML for 8 weeks, and the plasma metabolome was determined by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition quantitative analysis of plasma glucose level …

The Role Of Farmers' Market Incentives On The Fruit And Vegetable Intake And Food Security Status Of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants, Mateja R. Savoie Roskos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Public health professionals in the United States are implementing various interventions in effort to improve dietary intake in low-income individuals. One intervention strategy that has gained attention over the past several years is providing financial incentives for federal nutrition assistance users when they purchase fruit and vegetables at local farmers' markets. The overall objective of the research studies included in this dissertation were to develop, implement, and evaluate farmers' market incentive programs in Utah in effort to determine if this intervention increases fruit and vegetable intake and improves food security status among low-income individuals.

The first study conducted in the …

The Role Of Gpr84 In Medium-Chain Saturated Fatty Acid Taste Transduction, Yan Liu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The prevalence of overweight or obese in adults has nearly doubled during the past two decades, and obesity increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some types of cancer. One of the factors closely linked with the obesity epidemic is overconsumption of dietary fat. Accumulating evidence has supported the existence of the "taste of fat", and more and more studies have focused on identifying the mechanisms of fatty acid detection by gustatory system. In this study, I showed for the first time that medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs) were able to activate taste cells isolated from mice, and …

Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationship Study, And Mode Of Action Study Of 1,4-Naphthoquinone Based Anticancer And Antimicrobial Agents, Jaya P. Shrestha

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The first three projects involve the synthesis and the mode of action study of 1,4-naphthoquinone based anticancer agents. These anticancer agents are highly potent against a wide range of cancer cell lines. These compounds showed ~8-fold selectivity towards the lung cancer cell line than the normal cell line. We also studied the mode of action and observed that generation of reactive oxygen species is the primary mode of action.

The final project involves the synthesis of multi-cationic antimicrobial agents. These compounds are active against both bacteria and fungi. These compounds are very easy to synthesize and can be scaled up …

Anaerobic Digestion Process Stability And The Extension Of The Adm1 For Municipal Sludge Co-Digested With Bakery Waste, Morris Elya Demitry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The anaerobic digestion process is used to treat and convert waste organic matter to biogas (principally methane and carbon dioxide) through biological, chemical and physical reactions. The biogas can be used as a source of energy recovery. In order to increase the biogas production rate, two different kinds of waste (municipal wastewater treatment sludge and bakery waste) were mixed together to enhance the anaerobic process and increase the biogas production in pilot scale reactors. The process succeeded in increasing biogas production and at the same time kept the process of treatment effective when high rates of organics were fed to …

Hearing The Community: Evolution Of A Nutrition And Physical Activity Program For African American Women To Improve Weight, David Nelson, Angelique Harris, Barbara Horner-Ibler, Kimberly Salas-Harris, Edith Burns

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Listening to the needs of the community is an important step toward reducing health disparities. Researchers may need to adjust their methods to maximize participation and benefit to the community. This report describes how the project team adjusted its approach to a weight loss intervention to support a community of African American women seeking to improve their health.

Biological Efficiency Of Recycling Organic Waste With Edible Fungi, Yusra Matar Al Shamsi

Theses

Mushrooms has been known as important cultivars for their nutritional and medicinal values, the species Pleurotus sajor caju and Calocybe indica were selected in this investigation for being used in previous studies to be grown on different lignocellulosic materials. Cultivating mushrooms on plant wastes is value-added way to produce a source of human food and is an efficient way to recycle those residues. Date palm leaf waste, date palm bunch waste and mowed turf grass waste were used as mushroom growing substrates. Date palm is the most important plant grown in the UAE and it produce tons of wastes every …

Becoming Baby Friendly: Rooming-In For Patient Centered Care In The Maternal Setting, Liana Macdonald

Honors College Theses

This thesis paper discusses the concept of rooming in on the maternity unit while pertaining to the QSEN nursing competency of patient centered care. Through an extensive review of the literature, the following question will be addressed: On the post-partum unit, does having the newborn rooming in with his or her mother improve patient-centered care compared to rooming in the nursery? After an introduction of the problem and its significance to patient-centered care, research that was conducted will be reviewed that discusses the importance of rooming in. A case example of a maternal-newborn couplet is provided, demonstrating the relevance of …

Treating Chronic Pain At A Federally Qualified Health Center: Staff Perspectives, Nathan K. Goins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Although half of all patients with chronic pain seek treatment with their primary care practitioner, many physicians report being overburdened, with limited confidence in their training in the treatment of chronic pain. Opiate monotherapy remains the most common treatment utilized, despite strong correlations with addiction issues and increased distrust between patients and providers. In response to these issues, multidisciplinary stepped-care approaches utilizing psychoeducation, cognitive therapies, movement-based therapy, pharmaceutical treatment, yoga, and acupuncture have been developed. However, treatment within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are complicated by financial constraints and high complexity in patient populations. This study examined the perspectives of …

Identifying The Influence Of Selective Episodes And Mechanisms On Reproductive Success In Tribolium Castaneum And Drosophila Melanogaster, Elizabeth Metta Droge-Young

Dissertations - ALL

Parsing out what makes some individuals more reproductively successful than others is a key pursuit in evolutionary biology. While reproductive success can ultimately be defined as the number of offspring produced over an individual’s lifetime, there are many selective episodes that shape this outcome. Because the majority of animals have multiple mates, achieving matings is but one influence on reproductive success. After copulation occurs, sperm from multiple males compete within the female reproductive tract to fertilize eggs, while females morphologically or behaviorally bias fertilization to preferred males, further shaping reproductive success. Additionally, the act of mating itself may influence parental …

The Illusion Of Collaboration And Bureaucratic Politics In India, Harish Pranav Jagannath

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation studies an instance of collaborative governance (called Maarpu) in a subnational government in India (Andhra Pradesh). Through an in-depth case study the dissertation examines the implementation of Maarpu’s antecedents, processes and outcomes. At the outset, the study begins to understand India’s bureaucratic functioning from a historical perspective and takes an organizational theory approach to understanding how organizational structures influence the decisions that organizational actors make. The single biggest finding and contribution of this study to collaborative governance literature is that collaborative structures are not necessarily designed for the mutual benefit of actors and institutions involved; rather, they are …

The Effect Of Stress On Undergraduate College Students In Relation To Eating Out Behaviors And Weight Status, Shannon Emily Nicholas

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract

Objective: The aims of the current descriptive study were to determine if greater levels of perceived stress in college students relates to the frequency in which this population participates in eating out or ordering food for delivery and how this potential association influences weight status.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using an existing data set obtained from the Young Adults Eating and Active for Health study. Demographic questions, The Cohen 14-item Perceived Stress Scale, anthropometrics, the NCI Fruit and Vegetable Screener, and the Food Delivery Questionnaire were used to measure the main variables under examination. Non-parametric statistics, Chi-square T-tests, …

Exploring The Differences In Girls’ And Boys’ Learning From Their Teachers’ Perspectives In A Coed High School In Kingston, Jamaica, Renée Danielle St. Cecelia Wilks

Dissertations - ALL

Girls’ and boys’ learning has been socially constructed through capitalism, which is replicated in patriarchy, and connoted with recognized physical learned behaviors that have been perpetuated in Jamaica’s culture throughout generations. Employing historical materialism and black feminist theories, this study assumes that the socio-economic and political structure of colonialism to present neocolonialism has been inherently biased towards men while negating women, and had instituted classifications that have characterized girls and boys as different. The perception that differences exist is described through an ethnographic micro case study analysis that examined grade 10 girls and boys at a specific coed high school …

Climate Change Instability And Gender Vulnerability In Nepal: A Case Study On The Himalayan Region, Akriti Sharma

Sustainability and Social Justice

For the past decade, low-income developing countries have and will continue to remain on the frontline for the consequences of human induced climate change. While climate change is expected to have universal negative impacts on the health, well-being and the livelihoods of people, it is expected to specifically affect women from low-income developing countries where poverty and gender inequality are both still very prevalent. A closer look at previous research reveals that women, specifically in the Himalayan region of Nepal are more vulnerable due to the already challenging terrain in which they live in. This paper analyzes the vulnerability of …

The Intersectionality Of Poverty, Disability, And Gender As A Framework To Understand Violence Against Women With Disabilities: A Case Study Of South Africa, Megan Humphrey

Sustainability and Social Justice

Impoverished women who have disabilities make up some of the most isolated and overlooked people in the world. Often, they are excluded from women’s movements due to their disability, disability movements due to their gender, and One-Third World contexts due to their poverty. Gender, socioeconomic status, and disability create multiple layers of discrimination. These intersectional forces impact the ways in which impoverished women with disabilities experience violence, making them two to four times as prone to violence as their able-bodied counterparts. In low resource settings, women with disabilities encounter many forms of violence, including caretaker abuse, forced sterilization, and sexual …

Doulas Could Improve Foreign-Born Women’S Perinatal And Postpartum Satisfaction And Increase Health Providers’ Cultural Competency In A Multicultural Urban Area Of The United States., Crystal Kazik

Sustainability and Social Justice

Doulas act as a cultural bridge between clients and providers through the support, advocacy, and education they provide. Unfortunately, migrant women may be at a disadvantage for accessing and benefiting from their services due to a variety of socioeconomic and cultural factors including predisposed ideas of care and structure based on experiences in native countries, language barriers, lower health literacy, and a lack of awareness and understanding from hospital/clinic staff.

A strategic multifaceted approach utilizing doulas, such as Boston Medical Center’s collaborative and culturally competent model, may greatly improve foreign-born women’s experience and satisfaction with healthcare when pregnant and giving …

Hydra Effects In Stable Communities And Their Implications For System Dynamics, Michael H. Cortez, Peter A. Abrams

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

A hydra effect occurs when the mean density of a species increases in response to greater mortality. We show that, in a stable multispecies system, a species exhibits a hydra effect only if maintaining that species at its equilibrium density destabilizes the system. The stability of the original system is due to the responses of the hydra-effect species to changes in the other species’ densities. If that dynamical feedback is removed by fixing the density of the hydra-effect species, large changes in the community make-up (including the possibility of species extinction) can occur. This general result has several implications: (1) …

Nutritional Deficiencies During The Harvest Season According To Household Consumption And Level Of Nutritional Knowledge: A Case Study Of Northern Mozambique, Maggie Jo Hansen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mozambique is classified as a low income country, the lowest development classification defined by the World Bank. It is underdeveloped in food security, agricultural production, and nutritional status, and research shows its residents are not foreign to poverty and malnutrition. Low protein, starchy foods (maize, rice, wheat, cassava) comprise the majority of the Mozambican diet; these starchy foods are the most available for consumption. Although availability impacts diet, educational barriers may also threaten the knowledge of nutrition and perceptions of healthy foods. Illiteracy and lack of education are extreme challenges to disseminating nutritional education efforts in the rural Nampula region. …

Formulation And Characterization Of An Antimicrobial Coating Containing Nisin For Large Scale Food Package Converting Processes, Michele Christine Perna

All Dissertations

This research consisted of formulating an antimicrobial coating containing Nisaplin® intended for large scale production and inhibition of spoilage microorganisms. Secondly, the coating formulated was applied to a flexible film surface using two trials (gravure and flexography) commonly used in large scale food package coating or printing processes. In addition, diffusion and mass transfer theory was applied to discuss the many complications of predicting nisin diffusion or release from a coated material for antimicrobial food packaging applications.

Previous work conducted by predecessors, produced an antimicrobial coating formulation using a 70/30 Methylcellulose/Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose base (MC/HPMC). Some disadvantages of this coating included …

Bacteriophage Treatment Of Hydrogen Sulfide-Producing Bacteria And Salmonella Biofilms In Rendering Processing Environment, Chao Gong

All Dissertations

Raw animal by-products destined for rendering process may contain high population of harmful microorganisms including hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria (SPB) and Salmonella. SPB are the spoilage bacteria that can utilize sulfur-containing compounds of raw animal by-products to produce hazardous gas-hydrogen sulfide (H2S) which is toxic. Salmonella may contaminate the rendered animal meals resulting in an introduction of human pathogens into the food chain. Furthermore, both SPB and Salmonella are likely to form biofilms on the various surfaces in rendering processing environment, serving as the source of recontamination and causing persistent microbiological safety problems. Therefore, novel and practical strategies to control these …

Ecological Drivers Of Brown Pelican Movement Patterns And Reproductive Success In The Gulf Of Mexico, Juliet Sarah Lamb

All Dissertations

The effects of environmental change on vast, inaccessible marine ecosystems are often difficult to measure and detect. As accessible and highly visible apex predators in marine environments, seabirds are often selected as indicators for studying the effects of disturbance at lower trophic levels, although data are restricted both temporally and spatially. For example, studies of seabirds have historically been limited to the breeding season, with limited data being available throughout the remainder of the annual cycle. Additionally, understanding of habitat associations and behavior of seabirds in the marine environment comes primarily from pelagic seabirds, whose habitat year-round is generally in …

Studies Of Molecular Mechanisms Of Royal Jelly Mediated Healthspan Promotion In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Xiaoxia Wang

All Dissertations

Numerous studies have demonstrated that many nutraceuticals have potential capacity to mitigate the symptoms of aging and age-related disorders. We found that Royal Jelly (RJ/eRJ) consumption could extend C. elegans lifespan and increase stress tolerance in an IIS/DAF-16 dependent manner. In consideration that the transactivity of DAF-16 is tightly controlled by its co-factors, our further results indicated that SIR-2.1, 14-3-3, and HCF-1 could interact with each other to fine-tune the activity of DAF-16. Additionally, these co-factors were also required in RJ/eRJ mediated stress tolerance. Given that aging is characterized with progressively declined physiological functions, it is intriguing to investigate whether …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity Of Iron(Ii)- And Zinc(Ii) Complexes Of Imidazole Thione And Selone Ligands: Investigations Into Oxidation Mechanisms, Bradley Scott Stadelman

All Dissertations

Fe(II) localized on DNA can reduce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to form hydroxyl radical, resulting in oxidative DNA damage. This oxidative DNA damage is an underlying leading cause of cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Sulfur and selenium antioxidants have been investigated for their prevention of metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage, and sulfur- and especially selenium-containing antioxidants prevent metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage, likely by radical scavenging and sacrificial oxidation via metal coordination. To determine how iron coordination results in DNA damage inhibition, Fe(II) complexes with imidazole-thione and -selone ligands were synthesized to examine their iron coordination modes (Chapter 2), electrochemistry (Chapter 2), …