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Association Between Haart And Metabolic Syndrome Components Among Hiv-Positive Adults In Southeastern Nigeria, Bridget Okiemute Amechi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) contributes to metabolic disorders and the growing prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Hypertension, obesity, and hyperglycemia (components of MetS) are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that HIV patients on HAART have a 2-fold risk of dying from MetS. There are no such studies in Umuahia; hence the need for this study to fill this gap. Using a sample size of 192 medical records of HIV-infected patients in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, and applying metabolic syndrome theory, this study examined the relationships among types of HAART regimen, …

Professional Development Of Head Start Teachers In Emotional And Instructional Support, Marilyn Mcleod Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the southwest region of Tennessee, a local Head Start program classroom assessment scoring system's (CLASS) scores fell in the lowest 10% among national Head Start programs in emotional and instructional support. Since 2012, the Office of Head Start has released reports showing that the average Head Start program has low performance CLASS emotional and instructional support scores. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the professional development of local Head Start teachers with low CLASS scores in emotional and instructional support. Knowles's adult learning theory of andragogy was the overall conceptual framework and the concentrated theory …

A Multiple Case Study On Leader Support, Breastfeeding, And Work Commitment, Lisa Marie Rancourt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, over 50% of women return to paid work after becoming mothers. Mothers who breastfeed are more likely to stop working than peers who chose to use infant formula. The purpose of this research was to explore work commitment among new mothers during the first year of their infant's life. Many of these mothers had skills that were imperative to organizational success, making their retention a priority. The relationship between leadership support for dual roles as mothers and employees had not received attention previously in the literature. This multiple case study analyzed the perceptions of new mothers …

Bone Health Education For Osteoporosis Risk Reduction In Premenopausal Women: A Quality Improvement Project, Gloria Nichols Nichols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, about 8.5 million women live with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a debilitating systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass and reduced bone mineral density that occurs with the loss of estrogen. The mortality rate for this group is about 3 to 4 times higher than other women and as many as 1 in 3 experience a fracture. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this project evaluated how a bone health fact sheet impacts knowledge about osteoporosis and self-efficacy for preventative behavioral change in premenopausal women (age 40-58 years). The project also evaluated if an electronic medical …

Predictors Of Excessive Alcohol Consumption Among U.S. Business Travelers, Jennifer Clore Barrickman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive alcohol consumption (EAC) is an important public health problem. Several researchers have examined work-related influences on EAC, but few have investigated the predictors of EAC related to business travel. This study measured the association between EAC and frequency of business travel, duration of business travel, and job industry among U.S. business travelers. Research was conducted within the social-ecological theoretical framework. Snowball sampling was used to gather data from 187 business travelers. Data were evaluated using bivariate analysis to assess the association between measures of EAC and each independent variable. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for covariates. Respondents …

Training And Experiences Of General Educators Who Have Students With Externalizing Behaviors, Sheila Ruann Lachelt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In California classrooms, general education teachers have experienced stress due to an increasing number of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). This study used a hermeneutical phenomenological inquiry approach to explore teachers' perspectives of their pre-service professional development (PD), in-service PD, and classroom experiences with students who have externalizing EBD. The theoretical framework centered on social constructivism. Research questions addressed the teachers' perceptions of their pre-service and in-service PD on students with EBD and their experiences with students' externalizing behaviors. Twenty California general education teachers, each from a different school district, volunteered to participate in face-to-face interviews. Stratified purposeful …

Standardized Assessments, Care Planning, And Improved Quality Of Life For Residents Of Adult Family Homes, John A. Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality of life for adults living in adult family homes requires further attention as the elderly population continues to grow and moves from minority to majority. There is a lack of data on residents in adult family home settings and their quality of life. The purpose of this project was to identify if individualized nursing care plans had an impact on the residents' quality of life in the adult family home. In this study, a registered nurse assessed the residents to create an individualized nursing care plan that would be implemented to improve quality of life. These care plans were …

Bedside Nurse Recognition Of Delirium In The Medical-Surgical Setting, Bridget Ann Denzik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Delirium in adults aged 65 and older is a common occurrence in the acute care setting and is often unrecognized by bedside nurses. Delirium can trigger a negative cascade of events resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality, functional decline, longer length of stay, and high rates of post hospital institutionalization and has a significant socioeconomic impact. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to establish a solid foundation using scholarly literature to support the development of a delirium prevention, recognition, and treatment program in the medical-surgical acute care setting applying the program logic framework. The goal was …

Do Female Elk Select Hiding Cover For Their Calves At Birth Sites?, Dillon T. Fogarty, Chadwick P. Lehman

Western North American Naturalist

In light of local population declines and poor calf survival, we investigated visual obstruction as potential elk (Cervus elaphus) calf hiding cover at birth sites. We hypothesized that female elk would use hiding cover (i.e., visual obstruction) in order to conceal their calves at the birth site and reduce vulnerability to predation. Selection of hiding cover has been well documented at calf bedding sites subsequent to parturition; however, because of variably reported results from prior studies, it is unclear whether hiding cover is selected at the immediate birth site. We estimated visual obstruction of hiding cover, measured understory …

Attitudes And Practices Among College Students Relative To Personal Listening Device Usage And Hearing Conservation, Molly Grace Williams

Honors Theses

As technology has advanced, the popularity of personal listening devices (PLD) has become widespread among the millennial generation. It is normal in today's culture to see members of the millennial generation using their PLDs in most any setting. Due to this growth in popularity and usage of PLDs, there is an increased and relatively undocumented opportunity for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) among the people in the millennial generation. In order to research the effects of this shift in culture relative to PLD usage, college-aged members of the millennial generation were asked to participate in a study via word of …

Patient Experiences With Small-Scale Pharmacy Compounding, Morgan Cawthon

Honors Theses

Investigators examined patients' use, knowledge and perceptions of pharmacy compounding at an independent compounding pharmacy in Mandeville, Louisiana. Data were collected using a self-administered survey that patients could complete in hard-copy in the pharmacy or at home, or online using Qualtrics. Investigators found that, in some instances, patients who use compounded medications, or have a member of their household who uses compounded medications, may be more knowledgeable or have more positive perceptions of compounded medications. However, patients who did not have experience with compounds were not unknowledgeable about the practice and did not report any negative perceptions of compounding. These …

Resistance, Agency And Violence: Dalit Women's Education In Kerala, India, Sera A. Mathew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is a critical feminist analysis of the discourses, narratives and hegemonic power structures that define Dalit women's lives in Kerala, India. It focuses on intergenerational narratives of women and girls to illuminate how Dalit communities navigate development by specifically focusing on their educational narratives. To explore Dalit narratives, I conducted fieldwork in Kerala using in-depth interviews, photovoice, and participant observation as primary data. I coupled my primary data with secondary data sources such as development reports, trend data and newspapers to document how Dalit needs are framed. This research uses postcolonial feminist theory as it applies to the …

Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease Among Older Hispanic/Latinos With Diabetes, Kathy Bianco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the 6th leading cause of death in older Americans. Currently there is no cure for AD, and even though the specific cause is unknown, diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is regarded as a risk factor. Hispanics have a higher incidence of DM2 and possibly AD. I chose a life course theoretical model for this quantitative cross-sectional study to illuminate the variables most pertinent to a pathway from good health to poor health. The variables chosen were hypertension (HTN), obesity, smoking, stroke, dyslipidemia, and lower educational attainment. The research questions were used to examine biologic, metabolic, sociologic, …

Type 2 Diabetes Prevention And Management In A Primary Care Clinic Setting, Ada Nwachuku Nwachuku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 8.3% of the U. S. population has type 2 diabetes. Preventing the onset and improving the management type 2 diabetes are crucial for health care professionals. The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate a type 2 diabetes prevention and management education program in a primary care setting using group medical appointments (GMAs). The chronic care model provided the framework for the study. The education program consisted of information from the Centers for Disease Control on the management of type 2 diabetes to be delivered by clinic staff using a GMA approach, a timeline for implementing the …

Phenotypic And Genotypic Characterization Of Lumbosacral Stenosis In Labrador Retrievers, Meenakshi Mukherjee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Lumbosacral stenosis (LS) is a structural narrowing of the spinal canal in the canine lumbosacral spine. Large-sized working and sporting dog breeds such as Labrador retrievers are predisposed for reasons that are incompletely understood. Early diagnosis is essential for maximizing the quality of life, and minimizing the likelihood of early retirement in working dogs. Lumbosacral stenosis is usually considered to be a condition associated with degenerative changes observed with normal aging, however presence of the disease in young and middle aged working dogs has also been reported. This leads to the probable theory that some dogs in large breeds like …

Impact Of Sagebrush Nutrients And Monoterpenes On Greater Sage-Grouse Vital Rates, Brian R. Wing, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) depend on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) to complete its annual life cycle. The winter diet for sage-grouse consists almost entirely of sagebrush leaves, and individual birds may gain weight while foraging on sagebrush. Previous studies have reported higher crude protein and lower monoterpene concentrations in the sagebrush species selected as winter forage by sagegrouse. However, no studies have attempted to link female sage-grouse vital rates (i.e., nest initiation and success, egg fertility, clutch size, and adult survival) to crude protein or monoterpene concentrations of sagebrush plants browsed during pre-nesting periods. From March …

Sleep Patterns And Associated Factors In Children And Adolescents With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Margo M. Szabo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at increased risk for sleep difficulties due to the inflammatory nature of their disease. Moreover, previous research has demonstrated that children and adolescents with IBD experience impairment across a variety of psychosocial domains. However, the current literature has yet to examine the complex interplay between sleep, disease-related symptoms, and psychosocial factors such as mood and health-related quality of life in youth with both types of IBD (i.e., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine sleep patterns and associated factors, including pain, disease activity, mood, and …

Identification And Functional Predication Of Long Non-Coding Rnas In Rainbow Trout And Cattle, Jian Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The simplest definition of a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is an RNA transcript larger than 200 nucleotides that does not encode for a functional protein product. This definition distinguishes lncRNAs from small regulatory RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and other short RNAs. They have emerged as a new class of regulatory transcripts in recent years. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have opened a new horizon for the identification and annotation of this class of RNAs in many species. With the increasing evidence supporting important roles of lincRNAs in diverse processes, a systematic catalog …

Eocene Paleontology And Geology Of Western North America, David R. Greenwood, Kathleen B. Pigg, Melanie L. Devore

Faculty and Staff Works

Western North America preserves a rich record of Eocene life and environments under globally warm climates, and represents an interval where significant coal and other minerals were deposited. The Eocene is of interest to biologists and paleontologists for its record of the appearance and rise to dominance of many plant, insect, and mammal groups now typical of the temperate forests of North America, admixed with groups now well represented in tropical areas or restricted to eastern Asia. This record is also of interest for its potential contribution to our understanding of interactions between climate, the biota, and the ecosystems they …

A Review Of The Plants Of The Princeton Chert (Eocene, British Columbia, Canada), Kathleen B. Pigg, Melanie L. Devore

Faculty and Staff Works

The Princeton chert is one of the most completely studied permineralized floras of the Paleogene. Remains of over 30 plant taxa have been described in detail, along with a diverse assemblage of fungi that document a variety of ecological interactions with plants. As a flora of the Okanagan Highlands, the Princeton chert plants are an assemblage of higher elevation taxa of the latest early to earliest middle Eocene, with some components similar to those in the related compression floras. However, like the well-known floras of Clarno, Appian Way, the London Clay, and Messel, the Princeton chert provides an additional dimension …

The Obergefell Marriage Equality Decision, With Its Emphasis On Human Dignity, And A Fundamental Right To Food Security, Maxine D. Goodman

UC Law Journal of Race and Economic Justice

Today, the welfare rights movement has faltered. However, the Supreme Court’s recent marriage equality decision, with its emphasis on human dignity, lends hope to the notion that the Court should also acknowledge a right to food security. This Article identifies the role human dignity has served in the Court’s constitutional analysis to acknowledge and protect, for example, rights to privacy, to travel, to be heard, to self‐representation, to marry, to speak freely, and to preserve bodily integrity. According to the Court, these rights are all a part of liberty. Arguably, and as FDR said, “[i]f, as our Constitution tells us, …

A Socio-Economic Approach To Antitrust: Unpacking Competition, Consumer Surplus, And Allocative Efficiency, Jeffrey L. Harrison

UF Law Faculty Publications

This Article demonstrates the relationship between socio-economics and antitrust law. It uses socio-economics to both deconstruct the current economic foundation of antitrust policy and to suggest ways to improve that policy. There are four steps in this presentation. Part II examines the core elements of the economic approach to antitrust and its shortcomings, if any. For those even moderately versed in economics, it will note that the analysis begins at the most basic level. Obviously, antitrust is designed to make markets more competitive. But that goal is merely a means to the end of greater consumer surplus and allocative efficiency. …

The Community Listening Project, Faith Mullen

Scholarly Articles

This report is the product of an effort of the DC Consortium of Legal Services Providers (“Consortium”) to learn from low income DC residents about the challenges they face and the barriers that prevent them from overcoming poverty by asking them, directly, about their most pressing problems.The Community Listening Project was envisioned as a companion to the DC Access to Justice Commission’s forthcoming report on unmet legal needs of low-income residents of the District of Columbia. Both the Community Listening Project and the Access to Justice Commission’s legal needs study are intended to provide critical information to enable the community, …

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal And Dark Septate Endophyte Fungal Associations In Asparagus, Muthukumar Thangavelu, Muthuraja Raji

Turkish Journal of Botany

We studied the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and dark septate endophyte (DSE) fungal associations in five species of pot-grown Asparagus (A. aethiopicus, A. densiflorus, A. setaceus, A. racemosus, and A. umbellatus). Root colonization by AM and DSE fungi and AM spore numbers in the soil were assessed. AM fungal diversity indices like species richness, Shannon-Weiner index, Simpson's index, evenness, and Jaccard's index were determined. Relationships among the fungal and soil variables were also examined. All the species of Asparagus examined were colonized by both AM and DSE fungi, and these associations have been reported for the first time in four species. …

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Body Mass Index, And Dieting Behaviors Among Florida Middle And High School Youth, Corinne A. Labyak, Tammie M. Johnson, Claudia Sealey-Potts, Judy E. Perkin

Florida Public Health Review

The purpose of this study was to examine fruit and vegetable consumption reported by Florida middle school and high school students and to determine if consumption was associated with: (1) demographic characteristics; (2) body mass index (BMI); and/or (3) weight loss behaviors. Data from the 2009 Florida YRBS and the MSHBS were used. Both surveys used a two-stage cluster sample design, producing a representative sample of students. In addition to socio- demographic variables, independent variables included engaging in weight loss behaviors. Dependent variables were adequate fruit and adequate vegetable consumption. Descriptive, chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results indicated …

Fruit, Vegetable And Beverage Consumption In Duval County Middle School Students: Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2009-2013, Corinne A. Labyak, Alireza Jahan-Mihan, Richard Patterson, Judith Rodriguez, Janice J. Seabrooks-Blackmore, Karen Patterson, Zhiping Yu, Catherine Christie, Claudia Sealey-Potts

Florida Public Health Review

Public health professionals have the opportunity to impact middle school students’ dietary behaviors to combat childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary behavior results from the YRBS taken by middle school students in Duval County in 2009, 2011 and 2013. A two-stage cluster design was used and the survey was completed by 6th through 8th grade students following parent notification. Compared to other health zones, Health Zone 1 had the lowest intake of fruits and vegetables in 2009 (2.66 ±1.65) and 2011 (2.77 ± 1.60) and the second lowest intake in 2013 (2.92 ± 1.70). …

Childhood Obesity In Florida: A Narrative Review On Current Trends And Interventions, Corey Parliament, E Mckenzie Driscoll, Kristin Samuels, Laura Ward, Tammy M. Baranowski, Tara Kessinger, Alireza Jahan-Mihan

Florida Public Health Review

We examine current research on childhood obesity (CO) trends and intervention strategies in Florida. The fiscal, emotional, and health-related costs related to general obesity are staggering. Unfortunately, CO-related publicity, research, policy, and interventions have not been entirely successful in addressing the problem. Florida ranks 35thnationally in prevalence of CO. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2013 report a statistically significant decrease in Florida's rate of CO among 2-4 year-olds participating in Florida’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) from 2008-2011. Whereas Florida still has significant room for improvement on the issue of …

Potential Environmental And Social Influences On Schoolchildren’S Health And Nutrion In Guiba, Burkina Faso, Kristine Nachbor

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Malnutrition continues to be an epidemic problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The degree of malnutrition depends on many factors including prevalence of bacterial and parasitic diseases especially those in water sources, level of education, level of hygienic practices, cultural customs, seasonal and climatic conditions, food production and availability, and daily food intake. This study sought to describe the prevalence of different factors’ that may be associated with health in the commune of Guiba, Burkina Faso while also examining the dietary diversity scores (DDS) among schoolchildren attending secondary school in Guiba.

Dietary diversity scores (DDS) are a measure of the number of …

Vegetation Dynamics And Nitrogen Cycling Responses To Simulated Emerald Ash Borer Infestation In Fraxinus Nigra-Dominated Wetlands Of Upper Michigan, Usa, Joshua Davis

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Throughout many North American forests, the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)) is a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem processes. The fate of Fraxinus nigra Marshall (black ash) is of particular concern, as it is frequently a dominant canopy species across much of its range. A multiyear manipulative study was conducted to investigate the potential impacts of EAB on vegetation dynamics and nitrogen (N) cycling in nine F. nigra-dominated wetlands of Upper Michigan, USA. The effects of early- and late-stage infestations were simulated by girdling (‘Girdle’) or felling (‘Ash-Cut’) all ash stems greater than …

Heavy Metal Accumulation In Urban Soil: A Phytoextraction Method Review, Diane M. Nelson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) are three common non-essential heavy metals found in urban soils and can prove toxic to animals, humans, and some plants at low concentrations. The main exposure pathways of heavy metals in humans are through ingestion and inhalation of soil particles and ingestion of contaminated food. When dealing with contaminated soil in urban environments, activities like urban gardening can increase the likelihood of these exposure pathways, so heavy metal toxicity from contaminated soil can become a greater risk with the increased interest in urban agriculture. The US EPA created target concentrations for these heavy …