Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Effects Of Climate Change On Access To Ecosystem Services In Rural Alaska, Helen S. Cold

Biological Sciences

Across the planet, climate change is altering the way human societies interact with the environment. Amplified climate change at high latitudes is significantly altering the structure and function of ecosystems, creating challenges and necessitating adaptation by societies in the region that depend on local ecosystem services for their livelihoods. Rural communities in Interior Alaska rely on plants and animals for food, clothing, fuel and shelter. Previous research suggests that climate-induced changes in environmental conditions are challenging the abilities of rural residents to travel across the land and access local resources, but detailed information on the nature and effect of specific …

Morphological And Phenological Responses Of Butterflies To Seasonal Temperature Increase In Alaska, Kathryn Margaret Daly

Biological Sciences

Climate is changing rapidly at high latitudes, and the responses of insects provide early indications of the impacts these changes have on biota. Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) are among the best-known Subarctic and Arctic insects, and research in Greenland has revealed significant declines in butterfly body sizes along with advances in the timing of their first flights in spring. These changes are ecologically significant because smaller body sizes can lead to reduced fecundity in butterflies, and earlier adult emergence can have detrimental effects across trophic levels because Lepidoptera are an important food resource for birds and mammals. The primary goal of …

Navigating The Predator Gauntlet: Consumption Of Hatchery- And Wild-Born Juvenile Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus Keta) By Common Nearshore Marine Fishes In Southeast Alaska, Douglas H. Duncan

Fisheries

Juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) undergo extensive mortality at marine entry, a period which is believed to be a potential population bottleneck. Although this early mortality has been consistently observed, our understanding of the mechanisms responsible is limited. Furthermore, the implications of large-scale salmon hatchery releases for the ecology of juvenile chum salmon and their consumers is another important knowledge gap. To better understand the predation responses of abundant consumers to hatchery- and wild-born juvenile chum salmon, we examined the diets of Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) near Juneau, Alaska, in 2016 and 2017. Chum …

Burden Of Proof: Insurance Companies Are Refusing To Pay For Mental Healthcare And Regulators Are Letting Them. Patients Are Left To Fend For Themselves., Graison Dangor

Capstones

When their mental health claims are denied, patients who are supposed to be protected by state and federal law have a choice: Don’t get care or pay for the care themselves, then fight to get paid back.

Link to capstone: https://graisondangor.github.io/mental-healthcare-equality/

Low Plasma Hdl Cholesterol Is Associated With Greater Risk For Cardiovascular Disease In Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome, Hana M. Alyousef

Master's Theses

Low plasma HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) has been recognized as a biomarker of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. Also, low HDL-c is one of the characteristics of metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Objective: To assess whether low HDL-c and/or low HDL functionality are associated with higher risk for CVD in subjects classified with MetS.

Methods: Forty-subjects with MetS (11 men /29 women, 52.4 ± 9.5 years participated in the study. Anthropometric data [weight, height, BMI, waist circumference (WC), blood pressure (BP)], fasting plasma biomarkers [lipids, glucose, liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), plasma insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)], biomarkers of …

The Observer Effect And U.S. Accounting Rules, Thomas A. King

Engaged Management ReView

This inductive study evaluates how accounting rules promulgated by U.S. standard setters evolved over a century. Archival data viewed through the lens of the observer effect -- where the act of observation influences the subject -- reveals long-term patterns of behavior. Interaction of rule makers and followers suggests three generalizations: rule sets grow, codification accelerates rule set growth, and interaction between regulators and those who are regulated confounds predictions about possible consequences of new rules. In other words, this system has never reached equilibrium despite one hundred years of effort to constrain behavior. As unchecked rule growth risks costly compliance …

The Relationship Of Force-Time Variables Between The Loaded Squat Jump And The Midthigh Block Clean Pull, Hannah Marie Macke

Theses and Dissertations from 2018

Loaded squat jumps and midthigh block clean pulls are exercises that can be used in a strength and conditioning program to increase lower-body power. Lower-body power is critical in jumping, sprinting, and other sport specific movements. Intensities of 45-pound barbell, 20%, 40%, and 60% of a high-force, low-velocity movement were used to assess the force-time variables of the loaded squat jump and midthigh block clean pull. The current study compared peak power output as well as peak barbell velocity to find which exercise and intensity combination would be most beneficial for an athlete to increase lower-body power. A linear position …

Improving Breastfeeding In Rural Tanzania Using Bardach’S Policy Analysis Methodology, Katherine Skiff

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Appropriate breastfeeding has the potential to have the broadest impact on childhood survival in children under five years (U5Y) compared to all other preventive interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommend that all facilities providing maternal services and newborn care have a written policy addressing breastfeeding that is routinely disseminated to staff. Shirati hospital, in rural Tanzania, does not have a breastfeeding policy. Bardach’s 8-Fold Pathway for policy analysis methodology (adapted by Collins for health policy) was used to evaluate three promising breastfeeding policies to improve compliance with this recommendation. They include …

Improving Lead Screening In A Pediatric Practice: A Quality Improvement Project, Audrey Myers

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Abstract

Background: Detectable lead levels in children’s blood have been associated with increased cognitive difficulties, attention deficits, and poorer academic performance. Children enrolled in Medicaid have higher rates of elevated blood lead levels, yet requirements to test all children at age 1 and 2 who are enrolled in Medicaid are not being met. Nationally, 34% of children enrolled in Medicaid do not undergo proper blood lead level screening. The aim of this project was to increase required blood lead level screening rates for children with Medicaid insurance at a private pediatric practice in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

Methods: The …

An Analysis Of Interprofessional Rounds Effect On Readmission Rates And Patient Satisfaction, Cynthia Atkinson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Evidence supports an interprofessional approach to patient care reduces readmissions, mortality, costs, and length of stay while simultaneously increasing communication, collaboration, and satisfaction of care providers and patients (Vazirani, S., et al, 2005). The health care team in an acute care setting, especially direct patient care providers such as nurses and ancillary disciplines must assess the discharge needs of patients from admission to the hospital until discharge disposition (Zakzesky, Klink, McAndrew, Schroeter, & Johnson, 2015). The purpose of this study was to determine if interprofessional rounds improved patient satisfaction and reduced readmission rates. The interprofessional team consisted of the hospitalists, …

Can The Implementation Of Interprofessional Rounds Improve Hospital Throughput Efficiency?, Rebecca Howdyshell

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Abstract

Efficient throughput processes are a vital part of providing cost effective, safe, quality patient care. Research has shown interprofessional rounds can have success at improving throughput processes. A rural, not-for-profit, 255 bed hospital in a Mid-Atlantic State was experiencing issues with throughput/patient flow. The aims of this quality improvement project were 1). to implement Interprofessional Rounds on the Progressive Care Unit (PCU); 2). To design and build a working Interprofessional Rounds template into meditech to guide Interprofessional Rounds and streamline discharge documentation; 3). to increase the amount of discharge orders entered between 0700 and 1300 by ten percent; and …

Outcomes Of Implementing The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (Cdsmp) In The Kurdish Community, Chinor Fattahi

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Clinical Projects, 2016-2019

Background: The incidence of chronic diseases signifies a need to redesign the U.S. healthcare system to better support minority individuals. This project examined the impact of the chronic disease self-management program (CDSMP) workshop in the Kurdish community. The literature shows many positive outcomes of CDSMP workshops, including improvements in physical health, self-efficacy, depression, communication with providers, as well as reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations. This results in healthcare cost savings for our local communities and our nation. The literature is limited on managing chronic diseases in the Kurdish population, a growing refugee population in the United States and central …

Pharmaceutical Territories: Contested Pharmacopoeias And Environmental Debates In Brazil, Kerri Brown

Anthropology Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 30 years, emergent global health and trade policies have transformed "traditional medicine" into a contested biomedical endeavor. Brazil has been particularly affected by these policies due to its vast biodiversity and numerous labelled as traditional. As a result, the country has implemented strict intellectual property laws, has begun to invest in federal research on medicinal plants and other forms of traditional medicine, and in 2009 established its National Program of Medicinal Plants and Phytotherapeutics based on the World Health Organization's traditional medicine program, integrating medicinal plants into Brazil's national healthcare system. This multi-sited ethnographic project compares the …

Social Media And Academic Performance: Assisting Academic Achievement For English Language Learners, Eduardo D. Moreno

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative retrospective, causal-comparative study was to examine what, if any, statistically significant difference existed between Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) mathematical and reading achievement of English Language Learners (ELL) in a school using Seesaw—a social media platform—and those in a school not using Seesaw in an elementary school setting in Northern California. The population of ELL third and fourth-grade students within each participating school was 52, for a total of 104 participants. All ELL students in this study come from Spanish speaking homes and were Spanish speakers. Collection of data occurred through the MAP Growth assessments. …

Spatial Exploration Of Trace Metals In Near-Surface Water And Soil In The Bolivian Altiplano, Lizzie Wilson

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

We analyzed soil and groundwater samples from the Bolivian Altiplano for trace metal concentrations, correlations and partitioning trends. Total digestion, sequential extraction and loss on ignition experiments were performed on soil samples. We ran aqueous samples on an ICP-MS. Results were analyzed to identify trace metal concentrations and find any significant correlations. We generated interpolated maps in ArcGIS to spatially analyze results. Results for elevated concentrations of interest were divided into sub-groups of organophilic metals, oxoanions and divalent metals and include vanadium, arsenic, selenium, zinc, nickel, lead, cobalt, uranium, copper and manganese. These elements are likely naturally sourced. We found …

2018 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Harding University Commencement on December 15.

Commencement Speaker: Joel Anderson

Between Developed And Emerging Markets: Globalization Of Large Consumer Good Enterprises, Christine Savino Ms.

Honors Scholar Theses

A few years ago, The Economist promulgated that “the only way that companies can prosper in [emerging] markets is to cut costs relentlessly and accept profit margins close to zero” (The Economist, 2010). Likewise, according to the World Bank’s 2018 Ease of Doing Business Index[1], the least ranked countries (#94 and under out of 190 countries) are solely undeveloped and developing, while the top 20 countries are solely developed economies (World Bank, 2018). It has been long held that emerging markets[2][3] are non-strategic investments for multinational expansion, and that business giants from …

Investigating Cyanobacteria Metabolism And Channeling-Based Regulations Via Isotopic Nonstationary Labeling And Metabolomic Analyses, Mary Helen Abernathy

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Cyanobacteria have the potential to be low-cost and sustainable cell factories for bio-products; however, many challenges face cyanobacteria as biorefineries. This dissertation seeks to advance non-model photosynthetic organisms for biotechnology applications by characterizing central carbon metabolism and its regulations. Cyanobacteria phenotypes for bio-production are examined and their intracellular metabolism is quantified. Using isotopic labeling experiments, phenotypic relationships between biomass composition, central carbon fluxes, and metabolite pool sizes are investigated. Metabolic analyses of cyanobacteria led to new investigations of flux regulation mechanisms via protein spatial organizations or metabolite channeling. Metabolite channeling is further explored as a hypothesis to explain enigmatic labeling …

Combining Footprinting Mass Spectrometry And Molecular Dynamics Simulation For Structural Studies In Membrane Proteins, Fengbo Zhou

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Membrane proteins are essential in many cellular processes and represent ~60% of all current drug targets. Due to technical limits, membrane proteins of various types were not studied extensively in the past and the biochemistry and functionality of them remain unclear. The structural biology methodologies require pure isolated protein samples for us to resolve their structure and study their biochemical functions. For such in vitro studies, however, membrane proteins often become unstable when isolated from their native lipid bilayer environment. To overcome the challenge, I employed a novel methodology of solubilizing membrane proteins in solution without detergent. I reconstituted ferroportin, …

Video-Based Diabetes Education For A Culturally Diverse Population, Heather Harris

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Immigrants and refugees represent an underserved population in need of quality, accessible, and culturally appropriate healthcare and education. Diabetes is a chronic condition frequently seen in this population. The author utilized the Wagner Chronic Care Model (CCM) as a theoretical framework for planning diabetes education delivery in this diverse population. Studies report significant health disparities in diabetes care and subsequent poor diabetes quality indicators in refugees and immigrants. Research has found that culturally sensitive diabetes education can improve diabetes outcomes in ethnically diverse populations. The author implemented a translational project to develop and evaluate a video-based diabetes health education intervention …

The Role Of Apolipoprotein E In Regulating Tau Pathogenesis And Neurodegeneration In A Tauopathy Mouse Model, Yang Shi

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

APOE4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE4 increases brain amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology relative to other APOE isoforms. However, whether APOE independently influences tau pathology, the other pathological hallmark of AD and other tauopathies, or tau-mediated neurodegeneration, is not clear. By generating P301S tau transgenic mice on either a human APOE knock in (KI) or APOE knockout (KO) background, we show that the presence of human APOE, regardless of APOE isoforms, leads to various degrees of brain atrophy in 9-month old P301S mice, whereas APOE ablation strongly protects against neurodegeneration. In particular, P301S/E4 mice develop …

Triple Bottom Line As A Method To Increase Business Value And Foster Positive Social And Environmental Change, Jayleene West

Master's Theses

The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) business model has transformed the business world by changing the way businesses operate. By focusing on the people and the environment, businesses have grown to see substantial profit and avoid risks along the way. Companies are using the TBL to build their brand and customer loyalty by enhancing the environment and society. This paper analyzes four companies that are leaders in their industry and are founded on the TBL; Seventh Generation, New Belgium Brewing, Patagonia, and Ben & Jerry’s. Recommendations have been made by performing a literature review on the advantages and disadvantages of the …

Associations Between Opioid-Related Hospitalizations And Intravenous Drug Users, Jacklynn De Leon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The opioid epidemic has led to a chain reaction of public health concerns, including an increase in heroin usage, injection drug abuse, incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV transmission. There have been few population-based studies investigating the clinical and socio- demographic data associated with opioid use in Nevada (Feng et al., 2016; Frank, 2000) and few studies investigating the intravenous drug user (IDU) population in Clark County. On February 2017, Clark County’s first syringe exchange program (SEP) opened its doors to the IDU population. This study provides an updated analysis of opioid-related injuries within Nevada and provides a …

Mob-Ndr Kinase Signaling Components Are Required For Epithelial Tube Formation In The Drosophila Follicular Epithelium, Juan Carlos Duhart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A major goal of developmental biology is to understand how a single fertilized cell can give rise to the many functional tissues and organs, of specific sizes and shapes, that make up the adult body plan. Over the last 25 years, developmental geneticists have uncovered much concerning the cell-to-cell communication systems that are necessary to build complex tissues and organs. For example, throughout development, cells communicate with their neighbors using specialized signaling molecules. These signals are instructive and provide “signal-receiving” cells with information about space and time. That is, signal-receiving cells “learn” precisely where they are located, and, how far …

Comparison Of Cervical Angle During Different Equipment Removal Techniques Used In Ice Hockey For Suspected Cervical Injuries, Kendell Sarah Galor

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of the study was to compare cervical movement between two different methods of removal of the helmet and shoulder pads. Seven college age male subjects (height: 172.54 ± 7.98 cm; weight: 85.70 ± 15.75 kg) with hockey experience volunteered to participate in the study. Each subject agreed to and signed the institutional review board approved informed consent before articipation. Subjects used their own game fit hockey helmet and were fitted with a pair of shoulder pads (CCM Tacks 1052 Sr Shoulder Pads). Cervical spine motion was measured using 3D kinematics (Vicon Motion Systems Ltd., UK). Reflective markers affixed …

Serum Nutrient Levels And Aging Effects On Periodontitis, Jeffrey L Ebersole, Joshua Lambert, Heather Bush, Pinar Emecen Huja, Arpita Basu

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Periodontal disease damages tissues as a result of dysregulated host responses against the chronic bacterial biofilm insult and approximately 50% of US adults > 30 years old exhibit periodontitis. The association of five blood nutrients and periodontitis were evaluated due to our previous findings regarding a potential protective effect for these nutrients in periodontal disease derived from the US population sampled as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2004). Data from over 15,000 subjects was analyzed for blood levels of cis-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin E, linked with analysis of the presence and severity of periodontitis. …

Serum Nutrient Levels And Aging Effects On Periodontitis, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Joshua Lambert, Heather Bush, Pinar Emecen Huja, Arpita Basu

Dental Medicine Faculty Research

Periodontal disease damages tissues as a result of dysregulated host responses against the chronic bacterial biofilm insult and approximately 50% of US adults >30 years old exhibit periodontitis. The association of five blood nutrients and periodontitis were evaluated due to our previous findings regarding a potential protective effect for these nutrients in periodontal disease derived from the US population sampled as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2004). Data from over 15,000 subjects was analyzed for blood levels of cis-β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin E, linked with analysis of the presence and severity of periodontitis. …

Cocoa, Postprandial Lipoproteins, And Inflammation In Type 2 Diabetes: A Secondary Data Analysis, Rickelle Tallent

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is associated with dyslipidemia and chronic low-grade inflammation, which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in this population. Hyperlipidemia and inflammation in the postprandial state substantially contribute to atherosclerosis development and CVD risk, and have shown to be exacerbated by high-fat meals. Dietary cocoa is a rich source of flavanols that is associated with favorable effects on cardiovascular health, such as improvements in the lipid profile and chronic inflammation, in non-diabetic adults.

Objective: To conduct a secondary data analysis using unpublished data from a previously conducted clinical study to determine whether acute cocoa …

Telelactation And Breastfeeding Outcomes Among Low-Income Mothers In Mississippi: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Aaron Thomas Hunt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

New mothers are recommended to exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months to provide optimal health for infant and mother. However, only 13.0% of mothers in Mississippi reached this milestone among infants born in 2015, which was far below the Healthy People 2020 objective of 25.5%. One factor that impacts breastfeeding success is access to certified lactation consultants, but low-income women may lack access due to an inadequate number of providers, unreliable transportation, rural location, or cost. The use of “telelactation” programs, which provide access to lactation consultants via video conferencing on internet connected devices, has been suggested …

Healing Wounds Through Nutrition, Deanna Garza

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

The role of nutrition in wound care is often overlooked. The main reasons why wounds fail to heal are malnutrition, infection, impaired organ function due to co-existing diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, and peripheral vascular disease to name a few. These factors have contributed to poor patient outcomes and patient satisfaction, as well as an increase in hospital length of stay. To promote wound healing, fuel from macro and micronutrients are necessary to deliver oxygen and energy for cell regeneration. However, nurses must possess knowledge and understanding of these requirements and the effects of nutrition on wound …