Digital Commons Network^™

The Current Volume 29 : Orientation Issue-Pullout Section, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

This is a section found in the orientation issue.

May 2018 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Performance Assessment Of Solid State Anaerobic Digestion Of Poultry Litter, Mason Puckett

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The disposal of poultry litter can exert an economic and environmental burden to the agriculture community. As a result, it is desirable to reduce the amount of waste and recover resources from the waste. This study focuses on the construction and preliminary testing of a laboratory scale (20 L) solid state anaerobic digester (AD) fed with dry poultry litter. Glucose was added in addition to the poultry litter to achieve the appropriate C:N ratio to support the growth of anaerobic microorganisms. The AD was first fed every 4 days at 4 g VS/L/feeding for 24 days, rested (no feeding) for …

College News: Misty Johanson Named Business Dean

Business Exchange

Misty Johanson, director of DePaul's School of Hospitality Leadership, was appointed dean of the Driehaus College of Business on March 1, 2018.

Role Of Smarce1 And Bhlhe40 In Breast Cancer Metastasis, Aarti Sethuraman

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

No abstract provided.

Protein Trafficking Of Bk Channel Β1 Subunits In Cerebral Artery Myocytes, Xue Zhai

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Rationale: Large-conductance calcium (Ca²⁺)-activated potassium channels (BK) are expressed in arterial myocytes to control arterial contractility. It is composed of pore- forming BKα and auxiliary β1 subunits. Auxiliary β1 subunits associate with BKα which modulate Ca²⁺ sensitivity of BK channel. Previous data showed that BKα locates at cell membrane, whereas β1 subunits are primarily intracellular which regulated by Rab11A- positive recycling endosomes. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictor, induces contraction of myocytes. ET-1 inhibits BK channel but mechanisms are not fully understood. It is unclear that vasoconstrictors regulate the cellular distribution of BK channels. Furthermore, BK channels are involved …

Search For The Nuclear Localization Signal Of Ime4, Christian Monroy Hernandez

Senior Honors Theses

Ime4 is the catalytic subunit of a conserved methyltransferase (MTase) complex found in yeast, S. cerevisiae. This complex is responsible for creating the RNA modification N6- methyladenosine (m6A), the most common post-transcriptional modification in higher eukaryotes. There is evidence to suggest that m6A is an important mediator of gene expression control within the cell and has been associated with a diverse array of phenotypic effects, notably as a conserved determinant of cell fate. The MTase complex is known to be a nuclear protein, the compartment where it is believed to carry out most of its methylation activity. Recently, the nuclear …

Nitrogen Doped Titanium Dioxide In The Photocatalytic Degradation Of Methylene Blue, Ashraya Upadhyaya

Senior Honors Theses

Titanium dioxide(TiO2) is a stable, effective and well-known photocatalyst for degradation of pollutants. However, its practical applications are limited due to the need for energy higher than 3.2 eV, or a wavelength lower than 390 nm (high frequency waves, ultraviolet and above) hindering its ability to effectively work in the visible light region (about 400 nm to 700 nm). Nitrogen-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) has garnered some attention as a photocatalyst as it appears to work even in the visible light region. This could allow the utilization of a larger part of the solar spectrum. This thesis presents the results of photocatalytic …

Clinical Applications Of Infrared And Raman Spectroscopy: State Of Play And Future Challenges, Matthew Baker, Hugh Byrne, John Chalmers, Peter Gardner, Royston Goodacre, Alex Henderson, Sergei Kazarian, Francis Martin, Julian Moger, Nick Stone, Josep Sule-Suso

Articles

Vibrational spectroscopies, based on Infrared absorption and/or Raman scattering provide a detailed fingerprint of a material, based on the chemical content. Diagnostic and prognostic tools based on these technologies have the potential to revolutionise our clinical systems leading to improved patient outcome, more efficient public services and significant economic savings. However, despite these strong drivers, there are many fundamental scientific and technological challenges which have limited the implementation of this technology in the clinical arena, although recent years have seen significant progress in addressing these challenges. This review examines (i) the state of the art of clinical applications of infrared …

Consumers' Willingness To Pay For Specialty Table Eggs, Rachel Braun

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to define the relationship between two constructs and the purchasing behavior of consumers. These two constructs are composed of zoocentric and anthropocentric ideologies, which are established according to one’s attitudes towards an animal’s purpose on earth in relation to humans. This study investigates the effect that these two viewpoints have on a consumer’s willingness to pay for specialty table eggs and conventional table eggs. Using a survey questionnaire, we sampled 327 college students to test these relationships. Using confirmatory factor analysis to establish construct validity and hierarchical linear regression to test the hypotheses, we …

J Mich Dent Assoc May 2018

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Archival issues of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association may include reports on the activities of the association and its members, clinical articles, information on legal and ethical practice considerations, and perspectives of interest to MDA members and those in the oral health profession.

Preferred Traits In Personal Trainers, Julie Olivo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a personal trainer, understanding a client’s needs is essential when building individualized workouts. The purpose of this study was to establish what potential clients desire most in a personal trainer. Two hundred and six participants completed an online questionnaire including self-reported demographic data, questions regarding trainer characteristics, and a ranking of characteristics. A frequency distribution of results indicated clients valued education most. A one-way analysis of variance showed a difference in male and female preferences within the lifestyle theme, and in the physical traits theme in clients who had some or no experience with a trainer. This suggests that …

Using Indirect Calorimetry To Investigate Feeding Value Of Byproducts For Lactating Dairy Cattle: Canola Meal And Dried Distillers' Grains And Solubles, Mickayla Ann Marie Myers

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Byproducts have played a major role in dairy nutrition by providing a cheaper protein and fiber source, while also utilizing a product that would otherwise be waste from the human perspective. Use of byproducts in the dairy industry should allow for continued and overall increases in production and efficiency of the dairy industry. Two of the more popular byproducts in the dairy industry today are dried distillers' grains and solubles and canola meal.

In the first experiment, 12 multiparous lactating Jersey cows were used evaluate the feeding value of dried distillers grains and solubles (DDGS) or canola meal. A replicated …

Factors Associated With Social Participation Amongst Elders In Rural Sri Lanka: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Analysis, Celeste Marsh, Paul A. Agius, Gamini Jayakody, Roshan Shajehan, Chandima Abeywickrema, Kelly Durrant, Stanley Luchters, Wendy Holmes

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Populations of low and middle-income countries are ageing rapidly; there is a need for policies that support an increase in the duration of old age lived in good health. There is growing evidence that social participation protects against morbidity and mortality, but few studies explore patterns of social participation. Analysis of baseline quantitative and qualitative data from a trial of the impact of Elders’ Clubs on health and wellbeing in the hill country of Sri Lanka provided an opportunity to better understand the extent of, and influences on, social participation among elders.

Methods: We analysed data from 1028 …

Animal-Assisted Activities Survey At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln: Assessing Student Opinions And Determining Possible Implementation Strategy, Emma Winters

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In most situations, animals are not allowed on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) campus, including animals used for animal-assisted activities (AAA). Animal-assisted activities have been shown to provide numerous benefits to participants and there could be positive effects to offering AAA at UNL. In order to gauge the opinions of students regarding AAA and how AAA could best be implemented on the UNL campus, a survey was emailed to Animal Science majors and students enrolled in ASCI 271 and ASCI 321 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A request to participate was also included in the weekly College of Agricultural Sciences …

The Beneficial Effect Of Weight Reduction On Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery Is Attenuated In Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Ahmed Dalmar, Maharaj Singh, Bennet Pandey, Christopher Stoming, Zoe Heis, Khawaja Afzal Ammar, M. Fuad Jan, Indrajit Choudhuri, Thomas Y. Chua, Jasbir Sra, A. Jamil Tajik, Arshad Jahangir

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Weight loss after bariatric surgery is associated with reduction in adverse cardiovascular outcomes; however, the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on reduction of cardiovascular outcomes after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients is not known. We retrospectively assessed differences in cardiovascular events after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB)–induced weight loss in patients with and without OSA before and after propensity score matching for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and major comorbidities between the two groups and determined predictors of poor outcomes. OSA was present in 222 out of 830 patients (27 per cent) who underwent LAGB between 2001 …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of The Instrument Readiness For Hospital Discharge Scale - Adult Form, Talita Honorato Siqueira, Vanessa Da Silva Carvalho Vila, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective:

to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale - (RHDS) Adult Form for use in Brazil.

Method:

a methodological study was conducted in 2015, in Brazil’s federal capital, following the eight stages scientifically established.

Results:

analysis proved the maintenance of semantic, idiomatic, cultural, and conceptual equivalences and kept both the face and content validity of the original version. The judging committee and the pre-test participants declared they understood the RHDS items and answer scale.

Conclusion:

the instrument is culturally adapted for Brazil and can be used as one of the stages for planning hospital discharge. …

Bovine Mastitis Resistance: Novel Quantitative Trait Loci And The Role Of Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells, Jacqueline P. Kurz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bovine mastitis, or inflammation of the mammary gland, has substantial economic and animal welfare implications. A genetic basis for mastitis resistance traits is recognized and can be used to guide selective breeding programs. The discovery of regions of the genome associated with mastitis resistance, and knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible, can facilitate development of efficient mastitis control and therapeutic strategies. The objectives of this dissertation research were to identify sites of genetic variation associated with mastitis resistance, and to define the contributions of the milk-secreting epithelial cells to mammary gland immune responses and mastitis resistance. Twenty seven regions …

Evaluating Water Filtration And Disinfection For Household, Using Slow Sand Filters Plus Solar Disinfection, Mariana Demitry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this research, a household water treatment system was built and evaluated as a trial for improving the drinking water quality of the Nile River for the low-income communities. The system consisted of household-scale slow sand filters, and transparent polyethylene terephthalate-bottles for solar disinfection. The evaluation of the system depended on the removal/inactivation of some surrogates for the reference pathogens, and turbidity. The reference pathogens are pathogens specified by the World Health Organization to evaluate the efficiency of the household water treatment options. They were chosen to represent the classes of pathogens in water (bacteria, viruses, protozoa). The surrogates used …

Evaluation Of Oocyte Developmental Competence And Potential Strategies To Improve Oocyte Quality, Min Yang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have now been extensively used to promote reproductive efficiency as a fertility treatment not only in human medicine but also animal reproduction. ARTs serve as an important tool to advance the fundamental knowledge of reproductive processes. The quality of female’s eggs defines its ability to undergo maturation, fertilization, and development. This quality is determined by various factors and is crucial for the success of ARTs. Any alternations happening during the egg growth and maturation process can result in the decreased quality, which could have long-lasting effects on development. Improving the developmental efficiency of the egg is …

Effect Of Silicon On Wheat Growth And Development In Drought And Salinity Stress, Spencer A. Tibbitts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Silicon is a major component of most soils, and is found in significant concentration in plant tissue. Plants vary widely in the amount of silicon they take up, with some plants excluding it, and others using transporters to move the silicon from the soil into their roots. Early plant physiology studies were unable to determine conclusively whether silicon was essential to plant growth, but for some plants, most notably rice, it has proved to be important enough to justify fertilizing silicon deficient fields.

Researchers at the USU Crop Physiology Lab tested the effect of silicon on wheat growth and seed …

Professional Development Needs Of Utah State University Extension Professionals, Callahan K. Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Many Utah State University (USU) Extension personnel are nearing retirement age. The purpose of this study was to identify professional development needs of Extension professionals and assess USU Extension by evaluating competencies essential to be a successful Extension professional. USU Extension can conduct more beneficial professional development training by using identified high priority competencies and improve the on boarding process for new Extension professionals. With improvements as suggested, the effectiveness of professional development could be enhanced and produce Extension professionals who work more efficiently and are committed to the success of USU Extension.

Effect Of High Intensity Ultrasound On The Crystallization Behavior Of Interesterified Fats, Jeta Vijay Kadamne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The process of partial hydrogenation produces trans fats and the fats that undergo this process are called partially hydrogenated fats (PHF). Clinical studies have shown a strong association between PHF and coronary heart diseases. In 2015 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed the Generally recognized as safe or "GRAS" status of PHF. These fats were used in confectionary, margarines, shortenings, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, etc. The PHF serve a function in food by providing a higher shelf life and a desired harder structure due to their higher melting point. Hence, the food industry is currently looking for PHF alternatives which …

An Impact Evaluation Of The Government Grant Programs And Input Efficiency Use In The Production Of Greenhouse Tomatoes And Peppers In Kosovo, Blend Frangu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Determinants of greenhouse tomato and pepper production input efficiency affect a farmer’s decision to contribute to the vegetable sector in Kosovo. This research investigates the non-optimal use of inputs in the production of greenhouse tomatoes and peppers. Two studies were conducted to first measure input efficiency use and then to quantify the impact of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD) grant programs in the production of both crops. The first study applied data envelopment analysis (DEA), and linear and logistic regression to assess factors that influence efficiency in production. The second study used propensity score matching with …

Exploring The Intersection Of Adolescents And Adults On The Autism Spectrum Enrolled In An Outdoor Behavioral Health Program, Denise K. Savidge

All Dissertations

This exploratory study examined an existing data set containing outcome scores of adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum who were enrolled in 18 different outdoor behavioral health programs in the United States, all of whom are members or cooperating programs of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Practice Research Network. The dataset contained demographic characteristics and self-reported psychosocial functioning of the participants at intake and again at discharge. Data suggest that the self-reported outcome scores for both adolescents and adults demonstrated statistically significant change after the intervention, but when examined for clinical significance, adolescent paired scores …

High Precision Fret To Study Bimolecular Dynamics With High Temporal Resolution, Junyan Ma

All Dissertations

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) is a promising methodology which is used by researchers in determining structural information of biomolecules. Other methodologies such as X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electron microscopy (EM), and X-ray scattering (SAXS) and circular dichroism (CD) can only give snapshots of the functional conformers. In the applications of most cases, FRET can only be used to give a qualitative result such as “yes” or “no” pattern. In our lab, we are able to expand this ability by applying FRET to quantitatively determine the structure and dynamic information in the biological system with high accuracy. …

Prevalence Of And Factors Associated With Overweight, Obesity And Metabolic Syndrome Among School Children And Adolescents In Ras Alkhaimah, United Arab Emirates – 2016-2017, Mouza Mohammed Yahed Al Zaabi

Medical Education Dissertations

Introduction: The prevalence of childhood obesity is reported to be increasing rapidly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Excess adiposity is a key independent risk factor for the future development of cardiometabolic disorders such as metabolic syndrome. Population-based studies using representative samples are required to provide accurate and valid estimates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Currently, there is a dearth of pediatric obesity research conducted in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.

Aims: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome among school children in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Method: …

Nutritional Virulence Of Legionella Pneumophila., Ashley M. Best

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legionella pneumophila is an environment organism that parasitizes a wide range of protozoa. Growth within the environmental host primes L. pneumophila for infection of human alveolar macrophages when contaminated aerosols are inhaled. Intracellular replication within either host requires the establishment a replicative niche, known as the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Biogenesis of the LCV depends on the type IVb translocation system, the Dot/Icm, to translocation >320 effectors into the host cytosol. Effectors are responsible for preventing lysosome fusion to the LCV, recruitment of ER-derived vesicles to the LCV, and modulation of a plethora of host processes to promote the intracellular …

The Vaginal Microbiome Related To Reproductive Traits In Beef Heifers, Maryanna Wells Mcclure

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The greatest impact on profitability of a commercial beef operation is reproduction. In the human vaginal microbiome, dominance by Lactobacillus is a sign of reproductive health and fitness. In other species (non-human primates and ewes), Lactobacillus is found in low amounts and dominators of these microbial communities are considered to be pathogenic in humans. In beef heifers, little is known about the vaginal and fecal microbiota with respect to their relationship with fertility. To this end, we followed heifers through gestation to examine the dynamics of vaginal and fecal microbial composition throughout pregnancy.

Heifers were exposed to an estrus synchronization …

Development Of A 4th-8th Grade Curriculum For Flying And Programming Mini Drones, Jordan Lynn Bartholomew, Russell Scott Mayo

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This project was a joint effort by Jordan Bartholomew and Russell Mayo. The project consisted of three parts. Part one was the development of the lesson content led by Jordan Bartholomew. Part two was the production of a multimedia package that included lesson videos, animations and logos for the ROAV copter mini curriculum, led by Russell Mayo. Part three included a journal article to introduce the curriculum co-written by both Jordan and Russ. The curriculum was developed for hands-on experiential learning and includes a computational thinking component. The lesson videos were intended for self-instruction or in a classroom setting. The …