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Comparison Of Air Displacement Plethysmography And Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry For Estimation Of Body Fat Percentage In National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Athletes, Caitlyn Rose Chenevert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this research is to study the Apple iOS and Android mobile frameworks from a developers' perspective. The first chapter introduces a historical overview of operating systems for mobile devices as well the motivation and objectives of the research. The second chapter introduces basic principles of the iOS and Android mobile frameworks in order to evaluate the platforms. The third chapter evaluates and compares the main features of both frameworks. The fourth chapter discusses the implementation of several applications on the iOS and Android mobile frameworks, which are used to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of each platform. …

The Effects Of Acidic Conditions And Tannins On The Survival, Development, And Behavior Of Cope’S Gray Treefrog (Hyla Chrysoscelis), Caleb E. Dodd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As amphibians decline around the world, freshwater acidification resulting from pollutants and acid rain may be a contributor. The ability of organisms to cope with environmental changes is greatly mediated by behavior, and recent studies indicate that anthropogenic acidification impairs behavioral responses by impacting olfactory abilities of aquatic organisms. Responding appropriately to novel stimuli is important for individual performance and survival, and pollutants may cause organisms to behave maladaptively. In this study I sought to: a) determine whether the oviposition site choices of adult female frogs correspond with the pH and tannin conditions that maximize tadpole survival and performance in …

Food Insecurity And Physical And Mental Health Of Elementary School Children In A Rural, Appalachian Mississippi Community, Kelsey Reece Dismukes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Household food insecurity has been associated with poor physical health and behavioral and psychological problems in children. This study examined differences in parent/caregiver-perceived child health and parent/caregiver-reported behavioral and psychological problems by food security status of elementary school children (Kindergarten through 6th grade) living in rural, Appalachian Mississippi. This study used a cross-sectional survey of elementary school parents/caregivers recruited at three elementary schools in an economically-distressed Appalachian MS county. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (versions 23, 2015) to assess for differences in HLTH (t-test), BEHAV (Chi Square), and PSYCH (Chi Square) by household food security status. The relationship of …

The Effect Of Restaurant Menu Labeling On Attitudes Towards Menu Labeling And Eating Behaviors Of Ncaa Athletes, Recreational Athletes, And Non-Athletes’ In A University Setting, Virginia Mitchell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intro College students eat the majority of their meals outside of the home, which likely means that college students are impacted by calories consumed in restaurants, including campus dining halls. The Affordable Care Act, while not fully operationalized, requires calorie content labels be included on menus and menu boards in restaurants so that consumers are aware of the calories of menu items selected. Therefore, it is important to explore college students, including athletes, attitudes and behaviors toward menu labeling in an on-campus dining facility setting. The objectives of this study were to determine NCAA athletes, recreational athletes, and non-athlete’s attitudes …

Polymer Based Delivery Of Doxycycline Hyclate For The Prevention Of Peri-Implant Mucositis Infection, Sagar Deepak Sawant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Peri-implant mucositis is a silent inflammatory condition that is destructive in nature affecting only the soft tissues in the vicinity of dental implants. The current line of treatment includes the use of systemic antibiotics, mechanical debridement using LASER decontamination, the use of mouthwash or oral rinsing with chlorhexidine, maintenance and improvement of oral hygiene, mechanical debridement with or without systemic antibiotic treatment, mechanical debridement with or without the use of local drug delivery systems. However, these treatments do not solve the problem of implant rejection as peri-mucositis progresses to per-implantitis which causes severe bone loss and ultimately leading to implant …

Unilateral Steps To End High Seas Fishing, Katrina M. Wyman

Faculty Articles

In discussions about the overexploitation of the vast oceans that lie beyond national jurisdiction, one bold proposal is to close fishing entirely on the high seas. Existing research suggests that converting the high seas into a giant reserve for fish might increase overall global fish catches by boosting fish catches within the adjoining areas of the oceans under national control. This conversion also might help to protect marine biological diversity, which is particularly important in an era of climate change. This Essay identifies the potential that the United States—a significant importer of high seas fish—might unilaterally take steps to end …

Vitamin Fortification Of Milled Rice: A New Approach To Address Micronutrient Malnutrition, Drexel H. Camacho

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

To address micronutrient deficiencies in the susceptible sector of society, it is recommended to fortify the commercial milled rice with vitamins using the new technique of fortification. The simple approach, which involves rice surface modification and vitamin absorption, is deemed economical compared to traditional fortification processes. Moreover, the susceptibility of losing vitamins due to washing processes is resolved in this improved grain fortification as ~90% of the vitamins are retained. The results shown in this study indicate the successful fortification of vitamins on rice and that fortification is more pronounced when the grain undergoes sonication process. As the staple food …

Urban Organic Farming For Diversified Agriculture, Jose Santos Carandang, Robert W. Taylor, Josemari S. Calleja, Edito A. Busayong, Eric Camilio R. Punzalan

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Urban organic farming had been shown in previous projects as well as the present one to have the potential of addressing the fundamental requirements of food security by addressing issues of availability since production is just in the vicinity, which also addresses the carbon footprint of food production because food need not be transported to far distances. The use of organic methods also contributed to increased food safety. More importantly, the practice of urban agriculture empowers local residents in the stewardship, specifically of their barangay’s green spaces and more broadly the whole urban environment (see Mogk, Kwiatkowski, &Weindorf, 2010). However, …

A Shift Toward A High-Fat Diet In The Current Metabolic Paradigm: A New Perspective, Hunter S. Waldman, Ben M. Krings, Johneric W. Smith, Matthew J. Mcallister

Kinesiology

Objective: Investigations into the relationship between dietary carbohydrate restriction and health are mixed. Current guidelines for nutrition promote low-fat foods and higher carbohydrate consumption for optimal health and weight loss. However, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets are revealing both intra- and extracellular adaptations that have been shown to elicit favorable cardiometabolic changes associated with obesity. Moreover, dietary fat is associated with higher satiety levels from the hormones adiponectin, leptin, and cholecystokinin. Additionally, insulin responses from high-glycemic carbohydrates are known to alter these pathways, potentially leading to an increase in energy consumption and a possible mechanism for obesity.

Conclusion: There is convincing evidence …

Reflection And Evaluation Of The “Healthy Me, Healthy Earth” After-School Program, Mary K. Sherman

Honors Theses and Capstones

The “Healthy Me, Healthy Earth” program was an eight week after-school program for first through fourth graders at the Woodman Park Elementary School in Dover, NH conducted during the Fall of 2017. The program used a cost-effective, food system-based curriculum to promote health and environmental literacy to students who participated. An interdisciplinary approach was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral changes of the students. There was a noted improvement in comprehension of food system concepts.

A Nutritional Analysis Of Food Menus Offered At Local Older Adult Assisted Living Facilities, Chloe R. Schmir

Honors Theses and Capstones

Nutrition is important in all stages of life, especially in the later years. The purpose of this study was to analyze the food offerings from local assisted living facilities on a nutritional basis. Upon collecting weekly food menus, they were evaluated based on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) in the domains of food groups, food variety, and excess fats, sugars, and salt. Not a single facility met the DGA requirements completely in food groups or food variety. The food groups facilities were most deficient in were fruits and dairy. Furthermore, each of the menus had items rich in …

Preferences For Local And Organic Food: A Comparison Of New Hampshire And Vermont, Victoria Smith Lorvig

Honors Theses and Capstones

Annies bunnies or Kraft elbows? Supermarket or farmers market? Organic and local foods have been on the rise in the global market since the new millennium began (Darnhofer, 2010: 68, Schupp, 2016: 319). The growth in organic is attributed to consumers wanting their food to be healthier and more environmentally friendly (Aschemann-Witzel et. Al, 2017: 211, Van Doorn et. A, 2011: 167). The appeals of local foods are similar, plus the added component of boosting the local economy and building community (Hempel & Hamm, 2016: 732). Income is not the only factor affecting preferences and willingness to pay (WTP). Actors …

The Molecular Analysis Of Hawaiian Bird Diets, Alissa C. Scinto

Honors Theses and Capstones

The aim of this project is to utilize high-throughput molecular methods to investigate the diets of three non-native and one native Hawaiian bird species. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has made it possible to produce thousands of sequencing reads of DNA in a relatively short amount of time. This metabarcoding technology has been used to identify a range of different taxa, from bacteria in the human gut to fungi in the soil. More recently, this approach has been used to identify insects in the diets of birds and other species, including bees and bats. Samples underwent genomic sequencing using a targeted approach …

The Effects Of Privacy Violation Abstractness On Privacy Attitudes And Behaviors, Delicia Anceisao Vaz

Masters Theses

"This research investigates new methods to present privacy policy information to consumers. It makes the argument that current privacy policies do not present consumers with information in a manner that helps align their privacy attitudes with their privacy behaviors. With the introduction of smart appliances to the market, it is critical that appropriate privacy policies are created to equip consumers with information that is easy to understand. Neutral Examples and Risk Examples were created along with the Traditional Content of a privacy policy. These three components were used in different combinations to provide privacy information about smart appliances. Additionally, it …

What’S Coming For Health Science And Policy In 2018? Global Experts Look Ahead In Their Field, Soumya Swaminathan, Robin S. Room, Louise C. Ivers, Graham Hillis, Rebecca F. Grais, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Peter Byass

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Caregiver Selection Of Treatments For Their Child With Autism, Amy Kurowski-Burt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project was completed to understand what treatments caregivers are selecting for their child with autism and why treatments were selected and discontinued. Caregivers of children with autism participated in a mixed methods study. An online survey was completed (N=127) to identify treatments used for their child. Interviews were completed (n=14) to understand why treatments were selected and discontinued. Selection of medical, dietary, therapeutic, complimentary/ alternative medicine, community-based, behavioral, and educational treatments were mostly influenced by recommendations of others. Caregivers reported discontinuing because relationships and professionalism were lacking between provider and family. Providers must consider all the variables that influence …

Differentiating Human Populations Based On K-Mer Classification Of Hand Bacteria, Thrisha Doppala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bacterial communities found in and on the human body are not only used in studying human health conditions but are also effective in differentiating individuals due to their distinct profiles. Human palm regions harbor relatively more diverse bacterial communities and are indicative of population groups, life styles, geographic locations, age groups and health conditions. Sequences extracted from hypervariable region V3 of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene of hand bacterial samples from 9 different population groups were classified into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) with GreenGenes reference taxonomy using RDP (Ribosomal Database Project) classifier. Frequencies of identified OTUs were used to study …

Impact Of A Fruit And Vegetable Diet Intervention In Young Adults With Metabolic Syndrome On Behavior And Gut Microbiome, Rashel L. Clark

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of factors that increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. The rates of MetS are on the rise, even among young adults. The primary objective of the Fruvedomics phase 2 study was to determine changes in behavior, cardiovascular, and gut microbiome health in a group of young adults with MetS following an 8-week, free-living, dietary intervention.;Methods: The dietary intervention followed the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and focused on increasing fruit and vegetable intake to equal half their diet. University students (18--30 years old) with MetS were recruited on the West …

Role Of Hepcidin In The Diagnosis Of Sepsis And Septic Shock In Children, Osman Yeşi̇lbaş, Esra Şevketoğlu, Burcu Bursal Duramaz, Hasan Serdar Kihtir, Asuman Gedi̇kbaşi, Mey Tali̇p Petmezci̇, Canan Baydemi̇r

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic value of hepcidin level with the white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in pediatric sepsis and septic shock. Materials and methods: A cohort of 89 individuals were divided into four groups: a healthy control group (HCG, n = 28), pediatric intensive care unit control group (PICUCG, n = 17), sepsis group (SG, n = 23), and septic shock group (SSG, n = 21). WBC, CRP, PCT, IL-6, and hepcidin levels were studied in the PICUCG, SG, and SSG, while hepcidin and IL-6 …

Factors Associated With Prolonged Length Of Stay For Elective Hepatobiliary And Neurosurgery Patients: A Retrospective Medical Record Review, Siu Yin Lee, Soo-Hoon Lee, Jenny H.H. Tan, Howard S.L. Foo, Phillip H. Phan, Alfred W.C. Kow, Sein Lwin, Penelope M.Y. Seah, Siti Zubaidah Mordiffi

Management Faculty Publications

Background: Patients with prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS) not only increase their risks of nosocomial infections but also deny other patients access to inpatient care. Hepatobiliary (HPB) malignancies have some of highest incidences in East and Southeast Asia and the management of patients undergoing HPB surgeries have yet to be standardized. With improved neurosurgery techniques for intracranial aneurysms and tumors, neurosurgeries (NS) can be expected to increase. Elective surgeries account for far more operations than emergencies surgeries. Thus, with potentially increased numbers of elective HPB and NS, this study seeks to explore perioperative factors associated with prolonged LOS for …

Influential Factors In Consumer's Adoption Of Innovative Products, Mahdokht Kalantari

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenges involved with the process of diffusion of innovations in the contexts of innovative educational materials and technological innovations.

Chapters 2 and 3 discuss building and using Online Brand Communities (OBCs) to disseminate innovative math educational materials. OBCs are known to be important platforms where consumers can communicate with the brand as well as other consumers. Through the effective use of these platforms, brands could accelerate the process of diffusion of their innovations. However, OBCs will not survive if consumers do not get engaged and participate in these communities. The purpose of this section of the …

The Quixotic Quest For Gender Equality In The Workplace, Kingsley R. Browne

Law Faculty Research Publications

No abstract provided.

Common Diagnoses Among Refugee Populations: Linked Results With Statewide Hospital Discharge Database, Kerui Xu, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Ming Qu, Brandon Grimm, Jungyoon Kim

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: According to the U.S. State Department's Refugee Processing Center and the U.S. Census Bureau, in the fiscal year 2016, among all states in the United States, Nebraska resettled the highest number of refugees per capita.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the most common reasons for refugees utilizing hospital services in Nebraska between January 2011 and September 2015, and to examine whether refugee patients had increased risks for adverse health conditions compared to non-refugee patients.

METHODS: Statewide linkage was performed between Nebraska Medicaid Program's immigration data, and 2011-2015 Nebraska hospital discharge data inpatient and outpatient files. …

Medicaid Expansion And Access To Primary Care: Use Of Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions And Interrupted Time Series To Evaluate United States Healthcare Policies, Elizabeth Ann Walker-Brown

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Access to primary care has been a concern for many in the United States; this concern has led to political debates regarding the expansion of health insurance options to ensure access to timely care, especially for traditionally underserved populations. This dissertation examined the impact of Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion on access to primary care, which was measured by the number of preventable hospitalizations due to an ambulatory care sensitive condition. A common access to primary care theoretical model was revised to align with the modern changes in healthcare policy to study the impact of healthcare policy on access to …

Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hepatocyte-Like Cells To Study Liver Development And Diseases, Ran Jing

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Studies on liver development and disease traditionally relied on using animal models. However, the difference in liver biology between human and animals prevented the animal models from fully recapitulating human liver dieases. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) reprogramed from human somatic cells can self-renew and are capable of being differentiated into various cell types that originate from endoderm, mesoderm or ectoderm. Our lab previously developed a procedure to differentiate iPSCs into cells that resemble mature human hepatocytes. Here we aim to explore the application of iPSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells for the study of basic developmental biology, the generation of new …

Elucidation Of Erk1/2 Signaling Pathways Leading To Mitochondrial Biogenesis, Justin Brandon Collier

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a rapid loss of normal kidney function and is accompanied by a dysregulation of cellular and mitochondrial metabolism, which can be observed before organ dysfunction. A hallmark of AKI is the early and persistent disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis. Mitochondrial biogenesis (MB), the process by which new mitochondria are generated, has been shown to prevent injury and increase the rate of recovery of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced renal dysfunction. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating MB and dysfunction following IRI remain unclear. We elucidated that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) regulates two key mitochondrial and cellular metabolism pathways …

Social Determinants Of Health And Blood Pressure Control In United States Immigrants, April Zanetta Dawson

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation developed a new theory-based conceptual model to understand the impact of immigrant-specific social determinants of health (SDoH) on health services utilization and outcomes in immigrants in the context of antecedents, predisposing, enabling, and need factors. One hundred eighty-one immigrants were recruited from the Greater Milwaukee Area of Wisconsin. Validated instruments were used to capture antecedents (region of origin, race/ethnicity, life-course socioeconomic status), predisposing (demographics, subjective social status, homelessness history, immigration stress, demand of immigration), enabling (healthcare access, perceived discrimination, perceived stress, health literacy, English proficiency, bicultural self-efficacy, acculturation), and need (disability, comorbidities, chronic pain) factors. Blood pressure was …

Preparing To Launch The ‘Thinking Healthy Programme’ Perinatal Depression Intervention In Urban Lima, Peru: Experiences From The Field, B. S. Eappen, M. Aguilar, K. Ramos, C. Contreras, M. C. Prom, P. Scorza, B. Gelaye, M. Rondon, G. Raviola, Jerome T. Galea

Social Work Faculty Publications

Background. An estimated 19–25% of perinatal women in low- and middle-income countries are affected by depression which, untreated, is associated with multiple health problems for mothers and children. Nonetheless, few perinatal women have access to depression care. The Thinking Healthy Programme (THP), promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an evidence-based, non-specialist delivered depression intervention that addresses this care gap. However, the WHO THP manual explains intervention delivery but not the antecedents to implementation. Here, we describe a principled, planned approach leading to the implementation of THP in Lima, Peru by the non-profit organization Socios En Salud with community …

Secular Trends In Regional Differences In Nutritional Biomarkers And Self-Reported Dietary Intakes Among American Adults: National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes) 1988–1994 To 2009–2010, Ashima K. Kant, Barry I. Graubard

Publications and Research

Objective: To understand the contribution of regional differentials in dietary exposures to regional gradients in health, we examined 20-year trends in the association of US census region of residence with nutritional biomarkers and dietary intakes of American adults.

Design: Observational. Setting: The biomarker and 24 h dietary recall data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted during 1988–1994 and 1999–2010. The US census region was operationalized as Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Nutritional biomarker outcomes were serum folate, vitamins B6, B12, C, D and E, and carotenoids; dietary outcomes were intakes of nutrients, food groups and …

Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy Is Effective And Safe In Non-Achalasia Esophageal Motility Disorders: An International Multicenter Study, Mouen A. Khashab, Pietro Familiari, Peter V. Draganov, Hanaa Dakour Aridi, Joo Young Cho, Michael Ujiki, Ricardo Rio Tinto, Hubert Louis, Pankaj N. Desai, Vic Velanovich, Eduardo Albéniz, Amyn Haji, Jeffrey Marks, Guido Costamagna, Jacques Devière, Yaseen Perbtani, Mason Hedberg, Fermin Estremera, Luis A. Martin Del Campo, Dennis Yang, Majidah Bukhari, Olaya Brewer, Omid Sanaei, Lea Fayad, Amol Agarwal, Vivek Kumbhari, Yen-I Chen

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background and study aims: The efficacy of per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in non-achalasia esophageal motility disorders such as esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO), diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), and jackhammer esophagus (JE) has not been well demonstrated. The aim of this international multicenter study was to assess clinical outcomes of POEM in patients with non-achalasia disorders, namely DES, JE, and EGJOO, in a large cohort of patients.

Patients and methods: This was a retrospective study at 11 centers. Consecutive patients who underwent POEM for EGJOO, DES, or JE between 1/2014 and 9/2016 were included. Rates of technical success (completion of …