Digital Commons Network^™

Body Image In Adolescence, Jaqueline Neid-Avila, Brittany Bingeman

All Current Publications

This fact sheet addresses risk factors and protective factors in order to help adolescents navigate this critical time frame.

Create Myplate Youth Curriculum, Gaelynn Peterson, Sharmi Crowther, Suzanne Prevedel

All Current Publications

This curriculum is divided into two sections: kindergarten through second grade and third grade through sixth grade. This curriculum was adopted by Utah’s Food $ense Program as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) and was introduced and delivered to all Nutrition Education assistants and Extension agents in Utah.

How To Plant A Salsa Garden, Dan Drost, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

This is a guide to plant a summer garden that will produce the necessary ingredients to prepare easy and delicious homemade salsas.

Gardening Basics, Ronald Patterson, Dennis Worwood, Celina Wille

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides basics for gardening, including location, sunlight, spacing, growing season, soil, water, and planting seeds versus plants.

The Importance Of Identity In Preparing A Diverse Computing Workforce, A. Nicki Washington Phd

Journal of Business, Industry, and Economics

As one of the fastest growing disciplines in the United States, computing suffers from a lack of qualified candidates as well as diversity. Underrepresented minorities represent a grossly small percentage of computing graduates, yet an increasingly larger percentage of the population. In this work, we present identity as an important factor to improving underrepresented student interest and participation in computing. Results indicate identity is an important measurement for underrepresented students in computing, and ultimately, diversifying the computing workforce.

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Work-Family Balance, Thembi Aquil, Ingrid Rader, Sandy S. Weiss, Russell Clayton

Journal of Business, Industry, and Economics

Organizations benefit when employees are adept at understanding both the emotions of self and others, and how that understanding helps to successfully manage their personal and professional commitments. Given the characteristics of emotional intelligence (EI) and those maintaining a satisfactory work family balance (WFB), a positive relationship between EI and WFB was hypothesized. This quantitative study examined survey results from 189 adults working at least 20 hours per week to reveal a positive relationship between EI and WFB, and specifically EI and job performance.

Molecular Modulation Of Osteoblasts And Osteoclasts In Type 2 Diabetes, Selvalakshmi Rathinavelu, Crissy Guidry-Elizondo, Jameela Banu

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Diabetes is a common disease affecting majority of populations worldwide. Since 1980, there has been an increase in the number of people diagnosed as prediabetic and diabetic. Diabetes is characterized by high levels of circulating glucose and leads to most microvascular and macrovascular complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Bone marrow vascular disruption and increased adiposity are also linked to various complications in type II diabetes mellitus. In addition to these complications, type 2 diabetic patients also have fragile bones caused by faulty mineralization mainly due to increased adiposity among diabetic patients that affects both osteoblast …

Irreconcilable Differences? Whole Woman’S Health, Gonzales, And Justice Kennedy’S Vision Of American Abortion Jurisprudence, O. Carter Snead, Laura Wolk

Journal Articles

A law is unconstitutional if it "has the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus."' Twenty-five years have elapsed since a plurality of the Supreme Court articulated this undue burden standard in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, yet its contours remain elusive. Notably, two current members of the Court-Justice Breyer and Justice Kennedy-seem to fundamentally differ in their understanding of what Casey requires and permits. In Gonzales v. Carhart, Justice Kennedy emphasized a wide range of permissible state interests implicated by abortion and indicated …

The Mechanics Of Front Leg Loading During Cricket Fast Bowling: Delivery Variations, Spell Demands, And The Effects Of Strength Training, Samuel J. Callaghan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The goal of fast bowling in cricket is to dismiss a batsman for as few runs as possible. To assist this goal, fast bowlers will attempt to maximise ball release velocity (BRV) to decrease the decision-making and stroke execution time of the opposing batsmen. Fast bowlers will also employ various delivery lengths (i.e. short, good and full) to assist in affecting a batsman’s stroke execution.

Several issues remain to be addressed with regards to the biomechanical assessment of fast bowling. This is particularly evident when analysing fast bowling performance (i.e. BRV), the implications of front foot loading (i.e. vertical and …

The Online Student Experience: An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Expectations, Experiences And Outcomes Of Online Education, Melanie Henry

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Online higher education presents a critical opportunity to extend and diversify the student body. The Online Student Experience (OSE), and online student outcomes, however, remain shrouded in ambiguity. The literature presents conflicting reports of online education (OE) quality, confounded by a lack of appreciation for potential differences between online and on-campus education, and a diversity of interpretations for what constitutes OE. The present research conceptualises OE as representing university courses that require students to interact with instructors and course materials via the internet, with no expectation of attending a university campus. A broad student-centred perspective is notably lacking from the …

The Influence Of A Simulated Olympic Distance Cycle Exercise On Subsequent Running Economy And Biomechanics In Triathletes, Chantelle Du Plessis

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The multidisciplinary sport of triathlon provides a good model for testing whether a secondary task can be negatively affected by a preceding task, especially when movement patterns are different. Research suggests that cycling exercise impairs subsequent running performance by altering a runner’s economy and various mechanics (or technique-related) parameters. However, this is not an unambiguous finding. Furthermore, movement patterns are self-optimised during cycling and running to minimise the energy cost, yet the relationship between running mechanics and economy are not clear when different locomotor tasks are performed in succession

Two research studies were conducted with the focus of describing and …

Addressing Individual And Community Needs In The Aftermath Of Campus Sexual Misconduct: Restorative Justice As A Way Forward In The Re-Entry Process, David R. Karp Phd

School of Leadership and Education Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Restorative justice is an approach to incidents of harm involving a high level of support and accountability for people who cause harm. To date, there is no federal regulation nor commonly applied standard of care for re-entry to campus by a student who has been found responsible for sexual misconduct. Restorative justice re-entry circles represent a promising approach to the reintegration of students, taking into account the needs of the individual survivor, the student who violated policy, and the safety concerns of the campus community. Using a case study, this article outlines an example of a re-entry circle and discusses …

2018 Usd Fact Book, University Of San Diego

USD Fact Books (1985- )

No abstract provided.

Evidence Of Racial And Geographic Disparities In The Use Of Medicare Observation Stays And Subsequent Patient Outcomes Relative To Short-Stay Hospitalizations, Brad Wright, Xuan Zhang, Momotazur Rahman, Mahshid Abir, Padmaja Ayyagari, Keith E. Kocher

Research Collection School Of Economics

To examine racial and geographic disparities in the use of-and outcomes associated with-Medicare observation stays versus short-stay hospitalizations.\nWe used 2007-2010 fee-for-service Medicare claims, including 3,555,994 observation and short-stay hospitalizations for individuals over age 65. We estimated linear probability models with hospital fixed effects to identify within-facility disparities in observation stay use, and estimated in-hospital mortality, and 30- and 90-day post-discharge mortality, return ED visits, and hospital readmissions as a function of placement in observation using linear probability models, propensity-score matching, and interaction terms.\nWe identified racial and geographic disparities in the likelihood of observation stay use within hospitals (blacks 3.9 percentage …

Caught In The Frame: A Critical Analysis Of Australian Media Representations Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict 2014–2015, Mayyada Mhanna

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Despite the many current conflicts in the Middle East and the world, the Israeli- Palestinian conflict is still one of the most significant conflicts of the modern era. The reasons for this include the history and violence of this conflict and the lack of practical solutions for it. The significance of this conflict is reflected in its prevalence in many disciplines, such as political science and media studies. Related literature shows that Australian media coverage of this conflict has not been investigated thoroughly. Hence, this study attempts to bridge this gap in literature, aiming to identify how Australian media portray …

The Effect Of Maximal Isometric Training On Doublet-Induced Force Enhancement And Its Relationship With Changes In Voluntary Rate Of Force Development, David Vernon Murray

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Motor unit double discharges (i.e. doublets), which are excitatory potentials that occur at shorter-than-normal intervals (e.g. 5-10 ms) during normal muscle activation, are known to cause muscle force to exceed that predicted from a standard, linear summation of twitch forces. However, although a marked increase in the occurrence of motor unit doublets at the onset of a contraction has been observed after explosive-type exercise training, and has been correlated with changes in RFD (Van Cutsem et al., 1998), little is known about the influence of strength training on the physiological and biomechanical benefits derived from the phenomenon. The present research …

Ghanaian Parents’ Experiences Of Caring For Their Preterm Infants After Discharge From The Neonatal Unit - A Narrative Inquiry Study, Esther Abena Adama

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The care of preterm infants is associated with stress. In the busy neonatal unit where highly skilled healthcare workers are always present, parents have reported being stressed when caring for their preterm infants in the neonatal unit. In Ghana, preterm birth is the highest cause of neonatal mortality with 70% of these morbidities and mortalities occurring in the community. Yet to date, no study in Ghana has explored how parents experience their care giving role after discharge from the neonatal unit into the community.

This study explored the experiences of caring for preterm infants in the neonatal unit and after …

Using Agricultural Wastes To Treat Lead-Contaminated Water In Western Australia, Hanie Hashtroudi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aqueous solutions are becoming increasingly contaminated in all parts of the world (2015). Heavy metals are toxic contaminants that are mainly distributed in urban stormwater run-off and industrial wastewaters as a result of some mining operations, electronic assembly planting, battery manufacturing, and etching operations (Kadirvelu et al. 2001). Pb (II) is a heavy metal that causes significant damage in the human body. Drinking lead-contaminated water even at low concentrations may cause lifethreatening conditions such as cancer, kidney damage, brain damage, and liver problems (El-Said 2010). Therefore, it is necessary to remove lead from aqueous solutions.

Several conventional physical, chemical, and …

Holistic Health: Shaping Women’S Experiences Of Positive Body Image, Helen Elizabeth Monks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This PhD thesis seeks to contribute to a nuanced understanding of positive body image and how it is expressed among a group of women participating in holistic health culture in a modern Western society. Qualitative data were collected from in-depth ethnographic interviews with 25 women in Perth, Western Australia, to illuminate an understanding of their holistic health beliefs and practices, perceptions of appearance and health ideals, as well as their understandings of positive body image. Thematic analysis of the data through Nvivo revealed several overarching themes, demonstrating how certain aspects of holistic health culture may encourage or dissuade the development …

Procedural Information And Behavioral Control: Longitudinal Analysis Of The Intention-Behavior Gap In The Context Of Recycling, Sonny Rosenthal

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The theory of planned behavior states that individuals act on their intentions, especially when they have behavioral control. The current study examines how seeking recycling-related procedural information—i.e., information about how and where to recycle—is related to behavioral control. Hypothesis testing used hierarchical ordinary least squares regression analysis of longitudinal data from 553 survey respondents. Results supported seven hypotheses. Most notably, procedural information seeking both mediated and moderated the relationship between intention and behavior. Further, the moderation effect was itself mediated by behavioral control. The argument for this mediated moderation is that information seeking enhances behavioral control, and it is primarily …

An Unfamiliar Face, An Unfamiliar Environment: Investigating Educators’ Understanding Of Their Attachment Relationships With Infants And Toddlers In Early Childhood Education And Care Settings, Nadia Wilson-Ali

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Attachment theory has influenced research, policy and practice over the last six decades, offering a framework for understanding risk and protective factors in early childhood. However, this work has primarily been influenced from a medical health or psychological perspective. Despite the literature highlighting the importance of attachment relationships, there is limited research relating to educators’ knowledge and understanding of attachment theory. The first years of life are considered a sensitive period for attachment development, and with families increasingly utilising formal care for their infants and toddlers, educators are in a prime position to use attachment theory to inform their practices …

Assessing Environmental Flow Targets Using Pre-Settlement Land Cover: A Swat Modeling Application, Sean J. Zeiger, Jason A. Hubbart

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Determining environmental flow requirements to sustain aquatic ecosystem health remains a challenge. The purpose of this research was to quantify the extent of current flow alterations relative to baseline hydrologic conditions of a simulated historic flow regime prior to anthropogenic flow disturbance (i.e., pre-settlement flows). Results allowed assessment of the efficacy of environmental flow targets based on pre-settlement land cover in a contemporary mixed-land-use catchment (i.e., urban, agricultural, and forested). Pre-settlement flows were simulated using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Pre-settlement land cover, based on soil physical characteristics, was used to simulate pre-settlement flows with the SWAT model. …

Plant Probiotic Bacteria Bacillus And Paraburkholderia Improve Growth, Yield And Content Of Antioxidants In Strawberry Fruit, Mosaddiqur Rahman, Abdullah As Sabir, Julakha Akter Mukrta, Mohibul Alam Khan, Mohammed Mohi-Ud-Din, Giashuddin Miah, Mahfuzur Rahman, M. Tofazzal Islam

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Strawberry is an excellent source of natural antioxidants with high capacity of scavenging free radicals.

This study evaluated the effects of two plant probiotic bacteria, Bacillus amylolequefaciens BChi1 and Paraburkholderia fungorum BRRh-4 on growth, fruit yield and antioxidant contents in strawberry fruits. Root dipping of seedlings (plug plants) followed by spray applications of both probiotic bacteria in the field on foliage significantly increased fruit yield (up to 48%) over non-treated control. Enhanced fruit yield likely to be linked with higher root and shoot growth, individual and total fruit weight/plant and production of phytohormone by the probiotic bacteria applied on plants. …

Parasitaemia Data And Molecular Characterization Of Haemoproteus Catharti From New World Vultures (Cathartidae) Reveals A Novel Clade Of Haemosporida, Michael J. Yabsley, Ralph E.T. Vanstreels, Ellen S. Martinsen, Alexandra G. Wickson, Amanda E. Holland, Sonia M. Hernandez, Alec T. Thompson, Susan L. Perkins, Christopher A. Lawrence Bryan, Christopher A. Cleveland, Emily Jolly, Justin D. Brown, Dave Mcruer, Shannon Behmke, James C. Beasley

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: New World vultures (Cathartiformes: Cathartidae) are obligate scavengers comprised of seven species in five genera throughout the Americas. Of these, turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and black vultures (Coragyps atratus) are the most widespread and, although ecologically similar, have evolved differences in morphology, physiology, and behaviour. Three species of haemosporidians have been reported in New World vultures to date: Haemoproteus catharti, Leucocytozoon toddi and Plasmodium elongatum, although few studies have investigated haemosporidian parasites in this important group of species. In this study, morphological and molecular methods were used to investi- gate the epidemiology and molecular biology of haemosporidian parasites of …

Pinch Testing Positions Among Certified Hand Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Sueann R. Woods, Christa Lilly

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Pinch strength is indicative of later functional hand use following injury to hand. However, we believe clinicians (and more specifically CHTs) currently do not use a consistent measurement of pinch grip, despite availability of a “gold standard” of current (2015) ASHT standards for measuring pinch grip.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey (N = 175, 35% response) was designed to determine whether CHTs adhere to the standardized testing position for palmar pinch strength as recommended by the ASHT.

Results: Results determined that only 5.7% (n = 10) of the CHTs surveyed complete the entire ASHT standardized testing …

Effects Of Signal Bandwidth And Noise On Individual Speaker Identification, Jeremy C. Schwartz, Ashtyn T. Whyte, Mohanad Al-Nuaimi, Jeremy J. Donai

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing spectral bandwidth from 3 to 10 kHz on individual speaker recognition in noisy conditions (þ5, 0, and 5 dB signal-to-noise ratio). Experiment 1 utilized h(Vowel)d (hVd) signals, while experiment 2 utilized sentences from the Rainbow Passage. Both experiments showed significant improvements in individual speaker identification in the 10 kHz bandwidth condition (6% for hVds; 10% for sentences). These results coincide with the extant machine recognition literature demonstrating significant amounts of individual speaker information present in the speech signal above approximately 3–4 kHz. Cues from the highfrequency region for speaker identity …

Cluster-Based Network Proximities For Arbitrary Nodal Subsets, Kenneth S. Berenhaut, Peter S. Barr, Alyssa M. Kogel, Ryan L. Melvin

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The concept of a cluster or community in a network context has been of considerable interest in a variety of settings in recent years. In this paper, employing random walks and geodesic distance, we introduce a unified measure of cluster-based proximity between nodes, relative to a given subset of interest. The inherent simplicity and informativeness of the approach could make it of value to researchers in a variety of scientific fields. Applicability is demonstrated via application to clustering for a number of existent data sets (including multipartite networks). We view community detection (i.e. when the full set of network nodes …

Communication Surrounding Estrangement: Stereotypes, Attitudes, And (Non)Accommodation Strategies, Christine Rittenour, Stephen Kromka, Sara Pitts, Margaret Thorwart, Janelle Vickers, Kaitlyn Whyte

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

To address Americans’ general attitudes and behavioral intentions toward adult children who are estranged from their parents, the current study employed online survey data from 151 Americans recruited through Amazon MTurk. Their responses revealed negative stereotypes (e.g., childish, ungrateful) and positive stereotypes (e.g., independent, strong) of the adult child who is estranged, as well as negative assessments of the parent who is estranged. Generally, participants perceived the adult children as more competent than warm. Compared to other participants in this sample, those participants who were estrangers or estrangees themselves held more positive attitudes overall, including more positive perceptions of estranged …

Essays On Measuring Dynamic Community Responses To Environmental Events, Patrick Prendergast

Open Access Dissertations

One of the things that makes economics such an interesting social science sub-field to study is the analysis of unintended or unforeseen consequences. In order for policies to be efficient and equitable, it is important to first understand how endogenous policy decisions and exogenous events can affect communities either directly or indirectly. In this dissertation research, I examine how communities react to discrete environmental events over time. I do so in the context of tropical storm and hurricane activity in U.S. counties and media markets as well as land conservation spending decisions in Massachusetts and New Jersey municipalities. Using micro-level …

Nurse Practitioners’ And Certified Nurse Midwives’ Experiences Providing Comprehensive Early Abortion Care In New England, Katherine Elisabeth Simmonds

Open Access Dissertations

Access to safe abortion care has been linked to better maternal and child health outcomes (Sedgh et al., 2012) and identified as essential for advancing women’s economic and social equality (Bengsch, 2015; Lang, 2013). Around the world, nurses, including nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified nurse midwives (CNMs), are integral members of the health care teams that provide care to women considering or electing to have an abortion. Evidence supports NPs and CNMs as safe and effective providers of comprehensive early abortion care, and acceptable to patients (Barnard, Kim, Park, & Ngo, 2015; Kopp Kallner et al., 2015; Weitz et al., …