Digital Commons Network^™

An Architecture Beyond The Walls: Aligning Mind, Body, And Soul For Human Connection, Priya Kharel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The pace of urbanization is deepening a sense of social isolation. The brutality of urban settings allows limited access to nature resulting in stress, anxiety, and depression among city dwellers. To bridge the gap of human disconnection, this thesis project proposes an architecture of connection: A connection of mind, body, and soul, with nature as the medium. This connection is achieved by actively designing for the senses, in order to reconnect city dwellers with the built environment. Architecture with nature at its heart can produce a beautiful way of living. To understand this lived experience, phenomenological architecture is discussed, and …

Research Digest - May 2018, Division Of Public Health Sciences, Department Of Surgery, Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

Newsletters from the Division of Public Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

Mindfulness In The Workplace: Mindful Self-Regulation, Sophia M. Bowers

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

Organizations are under pressure to perform and adapt to an ever-changing environment, creating stress on the employees, translating to direct and indirect costs to the organization. Mindfulness is recognized as an effective approach to managing stress, and has benefits on cognition, attention, and well-being, but limited research has investigated how individuals integrate mindfulness into their workplaces, which is the purpose of this study. The primary research question in this study asked how mindfulness workplace practice help individuals to self-regulate a) attention or thoughts, b) emotions, and c) both attention or thoughts and emotions and what the associated benefits are in …

Self-Care In Bsn Students: Developing A Self-Care Plan, Jamie Davis Brandon

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Stress is an issue of concern in nursing practice and nursing education. Stress leads to burn out and compassion fatigue in the nurse and student nurse. To combat stress, professional organizations advocate for self-care practices. Research indicates self-care practice can reduce stress levels and increase health and wellness. An evidenced-based DNP project was conducted over a seven-week time frame during a mental health nursing course to educate senior BSN students on different dimensions of self-care to reduce stress levels and increase use of self-care practices.

Text Message Intervention For Latino Adults To Improve Diabetes Outcomes In An Urban Free Clinic Setting, Sharon R. Allen

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Introduction: This text message intervention sought to help patients at a free clinic in the Southeastern U.S. that have uncontrolled diabetes (DM) (A1C > or = 7) improve their DM clinical and behavioral outcomes, and thereby help them to live healthier, more hopeful and productive lives as they deal daily with this chronic illness. Eight weeks of educational text messages were sent to help improve DM care and outcomes. Method: Free clinic patient Latino adults with DM (n=25) pre-post one group design. Results: Statistically significant results (p < .05) were seen in three (SKILLD, p=.001, DSES, p = .000, and SDSCA, p = .042) of the four tools/surveys administered. A1C improvements were significant from the pre-intervention (M = 9.10, SD = 1.51) and the trended post-intervention values/results (M=8.26, SD = 1.29, t [21] = 2.79, p = .0110). Discussion: Does personalized communication, education and follow up for patients at the free clinic improve diabetes knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care? This text message intervention shows great promise to improve outcomes for diabetes self-management.

Failure Of Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Establishing A Baseline For Retrieval Analysis Using Well-Functioning Necropsy Specimens, Meredith Perkins

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. While many patients have positive functional and pain outcomes following primary TKA, a subset of patients have suboptimal outcomes, such as unexplained pain or aseptic loosening of the implant components necessitating revision of the index procedure. The understanding of the exact etiology of these suboptimal outcomes of primary TKA is in its infancy. In order to elucidate the etiology of failure in primary TKAs, a baseline for the factors contributing to arthroplasty failure and dissatisfaction must first be established. The purpose of this study …

Motivations Of Ncaa Student Athletes In Community Service, Karen Boleska

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. Research is ongoing around the United States on volunteer motivations; however, NCAA student athletes remain an understudied population. This quantitative study investigated the motivations of NCAA student athletes in community service to determine if the importance of motivational functions differ demographically. The specific purpose of this study was to examine and determine the order of the motivational function of importance for NCAA student athletes in connection to their participation in mandatory community service. Determining if the importance of motivational functions differ demographically by gender (male, female), academic classification (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate students), and by sport type …

Division Of Research And Economic Development Monthly Report For May 2018, Uri Division Of Research And Economic Development

Reports (Research and Economic Development)

The monthly reports include statistics for project proposals and awards received by individual academic and administrative departments at the University of Rhode Island.

Frailty Screening In Cardiac Surgery Patients: Improving Risk Stratification, April P. Hargett

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Frailty has been noted throughout the literature to have a negative effect on patient outcomes especially in patients undergoing major surgical interventions such as cardiothoracic surgery. Preoperative assessments have historically included assessment of all body systems, however fails to evaluate patients for baseline physical functioning or frailty. The American College of Cardiology has recommended frailty screening on all cardiac surgery patients; however, facilities have failed to educate staff providing care to this population on the impact of frailty and use of commonly used frailty screening tools. This project hypothesized that Cardiothoracic Surgery Nurses and providers would have improved knowledge and …

Improving Self-Efficacy In Persons Experiencing Chronic Back Pain, Mechell Smith

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The effects of chronic pain are extensive and negatively impact the health of an individual. Negative impacts of chronic pain include issues with sleep, cognitive processes, mood/mental health, cardiovascular health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Self-efficacy is an important predictor of outcomes associated with persons experiencing chronic pain. The use of technology in healthcare is supported in the literature and is a promising way to enhance self-efficacy of those experiencing chronic pain. An evidenced-based project was conducted at a rehabilitation and pain specialty office in the northeastern part of North Carolina. The project evaluated if text message reminders of …

Functional Studies Of The E. Coli Proc And A Putative Ortholog Mrub_1345, Maureen Azar, Dr. Lori Scott

Meiothermus ruber Genome Analysis Project

This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which uses the bioinformatics tools associated with the Guiding Education through Novel Investigation –Annotation Collaboration Toolkit (GENI-ACT) to predict gene function. We investigated the biological function of Escherichia coli and Meiothermus ruber proC genes using the complementation assay. In this research project, mutants of varying severity to the functional state of the protein were developed. The results showed that two or more amino acid deletions reduced or eliminated ProC function. Amino acid substitutions, on the other hand, were not severe enough to impact ProC function. Double and triple mutants …

Hiv/Aids: Ethiopia, Luzana Girmay

Global Issues in Public Health

AIDS is a public health problem that affects the immune system of the human body which results in people getting affected by other diseases easily. This syndrome is caused by a pathogen known as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). There are numerous means of transmissions; some of which are drug use, contact with fluids like blood, semen, rectal fluids, and breast milk but the main mode of transmission is through sexual intercourse. The symptoms of HIV/AIDS include fever, rash, and night sweats. The highest number of HIV positive people are located in Africa, which is about 23.8 million people. Of those …

Youth Perceptions Of Equine Welfare Among Common Horse-Human Interactions, Brandon M.G. Rice

Open Access Theses

Animal welfare studies have explored various topics such as general care and management, human perceptions and factors associated with welfare. These studies however consistently utilize adult populations. The equine industry embodies a large number of youth members and the principles they establish as adolescents regarding specific equine activities and care and management practices are likely to carry forward through their adult lives. To move forward and enhance welfare practices, it is essential to understand youth perceptions and viewpoints towards all populations working with horses; therefore this study was conducted to explore the perceptions and awareness levels of youth towards the …

My Total Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network

My Total Health

No abstract provided.

Taste And See That The Lord Is Good: A Christian Liberal Arts Education And The Development Of Students' Theology Of Nutrition, Lauren Nicole Miles

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a Christian liberal arts (CLA) university on students’ development of a theology of nutrition. Through phenomenological research, this study explored the experience students had with food and the education they received regarding nutrition at the CLA university. The study was guided by the following research questions:

• How do students’ experiences at a CLA university impact their theology of nutrition?
• Does a theology of food change eating habits?
• Does taking part in a nutrition course change an individual’s food choices compared to those who do not take a nutrition course? …

Echo: The Body Issue, Spring 2018, Columbia College Chicago

Echo

Student-produced magazine formerly published as Chicago Arts and Communication, changed to Echo magazine in 1997. Cover Articles: A Dreamer's Nightmare: the mental toll of DACA legal limbo; Speaking up: youth join forces against gun violence; Grub and glitter: the double shift of a drag queen; Out of stock: foraging for food in an urban jungle; Plus-size problems: the frustrations of finding the right fit. 120 pages.

The Impact Of Social Factors On Readmission Rates Of Heart Failure Patients, Lashwanda Richardson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Heart Failure is the most common reason for readmission among Medicare fee-forservice patients. While there are medical and health related factors such as medication adherence and comorbidities that contribute to heart failure readmissions, there are many social factors that cause readmission as well. This thesis will focus on the impact social factors have on heart failure patients that lead to their readmission. It will also discuss evidence-based interventions that reduce readmissions and improve the performance of hospitals on their 30-day readmission performance measure. Reducing readmissions in patients with heart failure will reduce hospital costs. It will also help to close …

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center Giving Garden At Coogan Farm: A Practitioner Report On Community Gardens For Health And Regional Food Security, Emma Sutphen

Sustainability and Social Justice

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) is a community organization that, through its various programming, works to perpetuate a vision of humans as part and parcel of the world. In 2013, when the Nature Center acquired the Coogan Farm property, the organization built a community garden called the Giving Garden to serve surrounding communities, expanding services to the foodservice sector educational programming around sustainable agriculture. DPNC’s partnership with the Robert G. Youngs Family Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, and Gemma E. Moran mobile food pantry, forged in 2014, has allowed the garden to minimize area food insecurity through its …

The Effects Of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation On Swimming Performance In Collegiate Swimmers 2018, Christopher Daniel Mosconi

Master's Theses

The desire for performance enhancement is a common goal amongst athletes. Recently a number of studies have reported various performance enhancing effects of dietary nitrate (NO3-) via beetroot juice (BRJ) supplementation. Research has indicated that the various performance enhancing effects of BRJ can be attributed to a decrease resting systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and submaximal volume of oxygen consumption (VO2), while increasing vasodilation and mitochondrial efficiency. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether BRJ supplementation improves swimming performance in collegiate level swimmers. Methods: Eight collegiate trained swimmers underwent a double-blind 5-day chronic supplementation …

Aspects Of Weight Management In Ncaa Division Iii Collegiate Wrestlers 2018, Matthew Martone B.S., Cscs

Master's Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to observe the weight management habits of division III collegiate wrestlers during the week leading up to a competition. Methods: Subjects reported to the lab on Monday morning after an overnight fast. Subjects were measured for height and weight and were asked to provide urine and blood samples for analysis of hydration and creatine kinase activity, respectively. Throughout the week, subjects were weighed in and out of practice to monitor daily weight fluctuations. Subjects also self-recorded all food and drink consumption throughout the 5-day period. On Saturday morning, approximately 1 hour before weigh-ins …

African American Women: The Role Of Education, Spirituality, And Resilience In Their Transition From Poverty, Donna Scott

Dissertations

African American women born into impoverished families often have difficulty moving beyond their low socioeconomic circumstances (Cozarelli, Wilkinson, & Tagler, 2001). Although education has been shown to influence the lives of African American women, limited research has been conducted relative to the influence of education in their transition from poverty. Also, while there is considerable evidence regarding the authoritative role of spirituality in the lives of women, and for African American women in particular (Mattis, 2002), little research has focused on how African American women utilized spirituality as a source of strength in response to the challenges of poverty. The …

Agricultural Information Needs And Food Access In The Stann Creek District Of Belize, Sam Harris

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural information sources available to farmers and to describe food access and availability for the people of Dangriga, Stann Creek, Belize. This study used descriptive survey research methods with convenience sampling of the general public (n=22) and of farmers (n = 38) in the summer of 2017. Farmers use a variety of agricultural information sources with the extension service cited most often, followed by friends and fellow farmers. Weather, lack of information, pests, and inadequate access to capital were of primary concern for farmers. Face to face meetings were …

Effects Of Mitochondrial Nadp+-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Deficiency On Fructose-Induced Obesity In Mice, Allison Michelle Montalbano, Kaleigh Elizabeth Beane

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Obesity prevalence in the United States continues to increase and is associated with health consequences such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia. Among many contributing factors to obesity, fructose may be one of the major reasons as it disrupts the antioxidant system thereby resulting in an accumulation of reactive oxidative species and leading to obese conditions. The enzyme, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), reduces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate from the TCA Cycle, hence might be implicated with not only energy metabolism but also cellular redox homeostasis. Therefore, the hypothesis was that IDH2 deficiency in mice would exacerbate hepatic lipid …

The Ethical Justification Of Equal Candidacy For Organ Transplantation In Alcoholic Patients, Peter A. Depergola Ii

Journal of Health Ethics

An increasingly blurred understanding of the distinctive challenges posed to transplantation medicine and, by extension, public health, by the debilitating reality of alcoholism suggests a critical need to revisit the relationship between causality, candidacy, and culpability in light of substance addiction. This essay grounds its arguments in two, straightforward premises: (i) compassionate medical practice - understood as the sympathetic willingness to enter into the existential suffering of another in order to ameliorate the anguish invoked by disease - rests on the fiduciary relationship shared between provider and patient; and (ii) allocating medical goods according to moral desert rather than existential …

Ethel Austin Martin Program In Human Nutrition, The Second Decade : Progress Report –2007-2017, Ethel Austin Martin Program

Ethel Austin Martin Program Publications

Archived : 2024-01-11

Interventions For Afterschool Programs To Decrease The Likelihood Of Childhood Obesity, Anna R. Boyd, Lauren E. Hendricks, Elexus T. Morton, Kayleigh S. Phillips, Corie Vanarsdale, Msn

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

This systematic research review (SRR) looked at the epidemic of childhood obesity and subsequent complications. Afterschool programs (ASPs) were targeted as a key area where children spend many hours each day and, therefore, an ideal place for obesity interventions. The purpose of this SRR was to search the current benefits ASPs can have on decreasing the risk and prevalence of childhood obesity and to answer the research question, "What are nursing interventions within ASPs that decrease the risk of obesity in children in the United States of America?" Childhood obesity influences nurses in many areas, including inpatient hospitals, schools, and …

A Systematic Review: Infant And Maternal Mortality And Morbidity In Developing Countries, Michayla Evans, Jamie Jeemon, Christiana Strysko, Lauren Toole, Patricia Catts, Rn, Phd

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are high within developing nations. The World Health Organization reports 800 women die daily due to pregnancy and labor complications (Maternal mortality, 2016). These complications are related to a wide variety of perinatal problems including preeclampsia and prolonged labor. Infant morbidity and mortality is related to infections, asphyxia, and low birthweight (Newborns: reducing mortality, 2016). The purpose of this systematic review was to research current literature to answer the question: “What are the nursing interventions to decrease maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in developing countries?”. This systematic research review included a sample …

The Effects Of Consuming Red Meat On Indexes Of Cardiometabolic Health And Personal Well-Being, Lauren Elizabeth O'Connor

Open Access Dissertations

Red meat consumption is recognized to increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, however, the totality of the evidence does not support this. The recommendations to limit red meat consumption, such as in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ omnivorous healthy eating patterns, are largely based on data from observational cohort studies which assess red meat intake in the context of a Western-style eating pattern. In these studies, “red meat” is often ill-defined and grouped with processed meat as one intake category leading to inconsistent associations between red meat intake and cardiometabolic disease risk. Unprocessed red meat, independent of processed meats, …

Analysis Of Surface Soil Lead Contamination In Urban Neighborhoods Of Davenport, Ia, Joseph Teresi

Geology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

Davenport, IA, is a typical Midwestern city with a population of ~102,600 residents and is characterized by aging infrastructure and housing stock. Consequently, alarmingly high rates of child lead poisoning—as a result of deteriorating lead paint—constitute a major public health concern in some urban neighborhoods. Augustana College’s Upper Mississippi Center is an organization that helps urban and rural communities solve sustainability challenges by mobilizing the college’s resources. In conjunction with their Sustainable Working Landscapes Initiative (SWLI), a research team conducted free home lead screenings in vulnerable Davenport neighborhoods to better understand the severity of the problem. Via appointment, 27 homes …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Incorporating Nutrition Education And Counseling Services Into A Diverse, Low-Income Community Health Center, Rebecca Marie King

Graduate Theses

Suboptimal nutrition has been identified as the leading behavioral risk factor of morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases in the United States, yet approximately ten percent of all primary care visits included nutrition counseling by physicians in 2014 (Marczak, O’Rourke, & Shepard, 2016; GBD 2013 Risk Factor Collaborators, 2015; Rui, Hing, & Okeyode, 2015). The integration of registered dietitians into the primary care setting may serve as a potential solution to increasing the rates of delivery for nutrition counseling and improve patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the incorporation and impact of a three-month nutrition education …