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A Policy Feedback Theory Approach To Food Assistance Program Distribution Mechanisms, Ahmad Sabbagh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many families that experience hunger in the United States rely on Food Assistance Programs to meet their daily nutrition needs. However, these programs do not always meet the needs of these individuals, as has been the case for individuals living under higher than expected levels of poverty in the Great Lakes region of the United States. Using policy feedback theory (PFT), the purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences of individuals from a county in the Great Lakes region of the United States, who depend on the federal Food Assistance Program, with particular attention given to evaluate …

Implementing Counseling African Americans To Control Hypertension Intervention In Louisville Metro, Raven Robbins

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Hypertension disproportionately affects Africans Americans more than their White counterparts. Counseling African Americans to Control Hypertension (CAATCH) is an intervention program that is targeted at African American adults to decrease uncontrolled hypertension. The CAATCH intervention has three components, which includes 1) computerized hypertension education, 2) at home blood pressure monitoring, and 3) behavioral counseling. The CAATCH intervention will be implemented in three sites in the northwest portion of Jefferson County in Louisville, KY. The overall goals of the CAATCH intervention are to decrease the number of participants who suffer from uncontrolled hypertension, increase knowledge of hypertension among participants, increase the …

The Financial Impact Of A Healthy Eating Intervention In A Government Worksite Cafeteria, Andrew M. Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Unhealthy eating habits are associated with a greater risk of obesity and many chronic diseases. Historically, public health nutrition interventions have focused on education of the individual to induce dietary behavior change. However, given that many factors influence food choices, more comprehensive interventions that address these multiple factors are needed. Worksite cafeterias provide a unique opportunity to intervene at multiple levels of influence on employees eating habits. In this paper we used cafeteria sales data to evaluate the changes in purchases and the financial impact of implementing a healthy eating intervention using an environmental change and various promotional efforts to …

Evaluation Of Anemia In Communities Served By Shoulder To Shoulder Global: A Cross-Sectional Study In Santo Domingo, Ecuador, Kevin Mercer

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

BACKGROUND: Shoulder to Shoulder Global (STSG) recognizes anemia as a cause of morbidity among patients in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. Little research has been done to assess targetable anemia risk factors to serve as a foundation for future pharmacotherapeutic interventions. This study sought to identify risk factors for anemia in this population.

METHODS: Data obtained from existing patient records from January 1, 2010 to August 31, 2016 included hemoglobin/hematocrit, age, sex, pregnancy status, and presenting community. Chi-square tests compared means to examine risk factors associated with anemia. Poisson regression and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were used to estimate risk factors associated …

Predictors Of Nutritional Counseling Among Adolescents By Physicians In California, Jean Kigozi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of obesity in the United States was stable at 17% from 2011-2014 among approximately 13 million children and adolescents 12-19 years of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nutritional counseling has been recommended, and while most physicians agree that it is necessary, it is not happening consistently. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between dietary intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI) characteristics of youth 12-17 years old in California and the receipt of nutritional counseling. Social cognitive theory guided this quantitative cross-sectional analysis of archived data from 814 …

Continuity Of Transcriptomes Among Colorectal Cancer Subtypes Based On Meta-Analysis, Siyuan Ma, Shuji Ogino, Princy Parsana, Reiko Nishihara, Zhirong Qian, Jeanne Shen, Kosuke Mima, Yohei Masugi, Yin Cao, Jonathan A. Nowak, Kaori Shima, Yujin Hoshida, Edward L. Giovannucci, Manish K. Gala, Andrew T. Chan, Charles S. Fuchs, Giovanni Parmigiani, Curtis Huttenhower, Levi Waldron

Publications and Research

Background: Previous approaches to defining subtypes of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and other cancers based on transcriptomes have assumed the existence of discrete subtypes. We analyze gene expression patterns of colorectal tumors from a large number of patients to test this assumption and propose an approach to identify potentially a continuum of subtypes that are present across independent studies and cohorts.

Results: We examine the assumption of discrete CRC subtypes by integrating 18 published gene expression datasets and >3700 patients, and contrary to previous reports, find no evidence to support the existence of discrete transcriptional subtypes. Using a meta-analysis approach to …

A Structured Weight Loss Program To Combat Obesity In Women, Tara English

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rates of obesity and the associated comorbidities continue to increase for women in the United States. Despite information available, efforts at weight loss are often unsuccessful because women lack integral knowledge of how to approach the various components essential for weight loss. This doctoral project was created to address the practice question of whether obesity can be reduced through a step-wise weight loss program that identifies essential elements to reduce weight in menopausal age women. Guided by the information-motivation-behavioral skills model, this project led 17 volunteer participants from a Northwest, Florida primary care clinic through 6 weeks of protocols supplemented …

Food Democracy: Public Participation In New England Food Policy Councils, Cathryn Porter

Master's Theses and Capstones

Food insecurity is a persistent issue in New England. In 2016, food insecurity levels in New England ranged between 9% in New Hampshire and 13.8% in Maine (Feeding America, 2018) . Food policy councils (FPCs) are one method to bring together community members and food systems stakeholders to address inequities in the food system, such as food access. However, implementing food democracy and, in particular, engaging under-represented groups in food systems decision-making remains challenging for FPCs. This research surveyed all 26 FPCs and networks in New England to identify how councils engage the public. Interviews and document analysis inform in …

Implementation Of A Physical Activity Group At A Community Mental Health Center: A Pilot Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Depressive Symptoms In Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder, Nancy Gallagher

DNP Scholarly Projects

Major Depressive Disorder is a debilitating illness that affects millions of Americans, including adolescents. The majority of adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) do not receive treatment. There may be a variety of reasons for this including stigma, access to care, and potential adverse reactions. People suffering from MDD are known to be at high risk for suicide. Lack of treatments adds the risk of suicide for adolescents with MDD. Identifying and implementing treatment options that are more acceptable and accessible are of the utmost importance. Although there is limited research regarding exercise/physical activity, depressive symptoms, and adolescents with MDD, …

Post Discharge Follow-Up Telephone Calls For Patients Who Received Hospital Based Palliative Care Services To Improve Quality Of Care And Outcomes: A Pilot Study, Katherine Adams

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background

There is a rising number of patients with chronic health conditions concurrent with an increasing number of hospital readmissions within 30 days and emergency department visits. Predominantly based in acute care facilities, palliative care services have been effective in improving the quality of life in patients with chronic health conditions. However, the largest population that could benefit from palliative care services is community based in the home setting.

Purpose

The purpose of this project was the implement and evaluate follow-up telephone calls made in addition to visiting nursing (VNA) services to detect in early decline in patients who have …

Letter From The Dean, Deacue Fields

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Comparing The Effects Of Monensin And Sodium Butyrate On Coccidia In Post-Weaned Heifers, Hannah R. Coffin

Honors Theses and Capstones

The emergence of antibiotic resistances has raised concerns in society about the widespread use of antibiotics, such as monensin, as growth enhancers in agriculture. Pressure to find alternatives has increased since the European Union banned the use of ionophorous antibiotics. Butyrate supplementation has been found to enhance growth in pre-weaned calves and it has been recently suggested to enhance growth in post-weaned heifers. In a recent study by Rice in 2017, there was a quadratic (P=0.03) response for coccidia counts as sodium butyrate was increased, with the lowest counts being at the intermediate doses. This suggested that butyrate has the …

Osteohistology And Skeletochronology Of An Ontogenetic Series Of Clidastes (Squamata: Mosasauridae): Growth And Metabolism In Basal Mosasaurids, Cyrus C. Green

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Clidastes was a large marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America. Though the remains of Clidastes have been found in the Cretaceous chalks and shales for over 150 years, little is known about their growth rates.

Osteohistology is a well-documented technique used to investigate growth in extinct animals. Previous histological studies of Clidastes have hypothesized higher growth rates in basal mosasaurids than varanids due to higher vascularity. These studies focused on adult specimens but did not look at ontogenetic changes in growth rates. Isotopic studies of Clidastes indicate high metabolic temperatures, leading to speculation these …

The Societal Impacts Of Climate Anomalies During The Past 50,000 Years And Their Implications For Solastalgia And Adaptation To Future Climate Change, Edward P. Richards

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

The State Of Hunger In New Haven: Report On Food Insecurity And Recommendations For Action 2017-2018, Alycia Santilli, Kathleen O'Connor Duffany

Reports

No abstract provided.

Climate And Sustainability Framework, City Of New Haven, January 2018, Emily Wier, Krysia Solheim, Anna Lipin, Elsa Rose Farnam, Dawn Henning

Reports

No abstract provided.

Importance Of Communication In Medicine: Views On Bedside Rounding And Readmissions, Allen F. Shih

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

Objectives: To study communication in medicine within the context of readmission rates and patient satisfaction, by assessing 1) the perspectives of primary care physicians (PCPs) and home care nurses (HCNs) on why older adults are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, and 2) patient perceptions regarding the implementation and value of bedside rounding.

Design: Two studies were performed independently. 1) A qualitative study consisting of PCPs and HCNs of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge home. 2) A concurrent mixed methods study consisting of patients admitted to the inpatient medicine service who participated …

An Examination Of Self-Identity, Sense Of Connection, And Membership Of Individuals With Native American Ancestry, Schyndel Tamara Van

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative study examined individuals' self-identity and sense of belonging related to the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and the impacts of their tribal connection as enrolled tribal members. It was believed the greater the sense of belonging and connection, the stronger the identity and the greater the impact on the community as a whole. Eight individuals with Oneida ancestry were interviewed about their Native American ancestry and membership, participation in Oneida community, sense of connection and belonging to family and community, self-identity, and congruence with Oneida ancestry and tribal enrollment. Although participants generally did not participate in formal cultural …

Predictors Of Vitamin D Supplementation Amongst Infants In Ireland Throughout The First Year Of Life, Annemarie Bennett, John M. Kearney

Articles

A prospective observational study was conducted. Self-complete questionnaires recorded socio-demographic characteristics, health behaviours and supplementation practices for 158 mother-infant dyads at 4, 9 and 12 months post-partum. A 2-day food diary was also obtained on 12-month-old infants to examine the contribution of diet to vitamin D intakes.

Factors Associated With Maternal Wellbeing At Four Months Post-Partum In Ireland, Annemarie E. Bennett, John Kearney

Articles

This study aimed to examine factors associated with maternal wellbeing at four months post-partum in the Irish context. Socio-demographic, health behaviour and infant feeding data were collected in pregnancy, at birth and at 17 weeks post-partum. Maternal distress, body image and resilience were measured at 17 weeks post-partum. Binary logistic regression predicted maternal distress and statistical significance was taken at p < 0.05. One hundred and seventy-two women were followed-up in pregnancy, at birth and at 17 weeks post-partum. Three in five (61.6%, n106) initiated breastfeeding. At 17 weeks post-partum, 23.8% (n41) were exclusively or partially breastfeeding and over a third (36.0%, n62) of all mothers were at risk of distress. In multivariate analyses, independent predictors of distress included: low maternal resilience (p < 0.01, odds ratio (OR): 7.22 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49–20.95)); unsatisfactory partner support (p = 0.02, OR: 3.89 (95% CI: 1.20–12.65)); older age (p = 0.02, OR: 1.11 (95% CI: 1.02–1.21)); and breastfeeding (p = 0.01, OR: 2.89 (95% CI: 1.29–6.47)). Routine assessment of emotional wellbeing and targeted interventions are needed to promote a more healthful transition to motherhood among women in Ireland.

Improving Microbiological Safety And Quality Characteristics Of Wheat And Barley By High Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma Closed Processing, Agatha Los, Dana Ziuzina, Simen Akkermans, Daniela Boehm, Patrick J. Cullen, Jan Van Impe

Articles

Contamination of cereal grains as a key global food resource with insects or microorganisms is a persistent concern for the grain industry due to irreversible damage to quality and safety characteristics and economic losses. Atmospheric cold plasma presents an alternative to conventional grain decontamination methods owing to the high antimicrobial potential of reactive species generated during the treatment, but effects against product specific microflora are required to understand how to optimally develop this approach for grains. This work investigated the influence of ACP processing parameters for both cereal grain decontamination and grain quality as important criteria for grain or seed …

Translation Of Plasma Technology From The Lab To The Food Industry, Patrick J. Cullen, James Lalor, Laurence Scally, Daniela Boehm, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Paula Bourke, Kevin Keener

Articles

The potential of cold plasma as a food processing aid has been demonstrated for a range of processes and products. The potential applications of plasma technology are extensive and include microbial decontamination, pest control, toxin elimination, food and package functionalisation and many others. However, studies reported to date have principally been at laboratory scale. This paper discusses the status and challenges of transferring the technology to the industry. The major challenges discussed for adoption of atmospheric plasma as a food processing tool by industry are (1) demonstration of product/process specific efficacies; (2) development of process compatible technology designs and scale‐up; …

Identifying Strategies Of Culturally Relevant And Developmentally Appropriate Instructional Practices For African American Prekindergarten Children Through Individualized Per-Service And In-Service Professional Development For Early Childhood Administrators And Educators, Melita Sutton Johnson-Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore how instructors became aware of culturally relevant teaching (CRT) and developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) that support African American students’ academic achievement. The Grounded Theory approach was used to uncover themes from the individual interviews of African American preschool directors, teachers, and assistant teachers of African American pre-kindergarten children in Los Angeles County. The interview questions identified the source of information for creating a culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate classroom environment and instructional practices. The literature review identified the benefits of a high-quality preschool experience for African American children. A high-quality …

Coping And Physical Well-Being Among First, 1.5, And Second-Generation Immigrants From Of Non-European Descent, Jacob R. Stein

Theses and Dissertations

This study brings attention to the growing body of literature examining the role of culture and context in the study of generation-status differences in cross-cultural coping and physical well-being among immigrants to the United States. Prior literature on the unique challenges, stressors, coping strategies, and health outcomes for immigrants provides a basis for hypothesized generation status differences on cross-cultural coping (collectivistic, avoidance, and engagement) and physical well-being (health, safety, and environmental). A sample of 118 male and female first, 1.5, and second-generation immigrants of non-European backgrounds, between the ages of 18 and 35, were recruited from the local community to …

Acceptability Study And Pilot Rct Of A Guide To Understanding Reproductive Health For Ladeez (Gurhl) Code: An Hiv Risk Reduction App Intervention For Black And Latina Young Women In New York City, Sonia K. Gonzalez Gladstein

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Young Black and Latina women suffer from higher sexually transmitted disease (STD) incidences than White women, increasing their susceptibility to contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The adoption and widespread usage of mobile devices has contributed to the public’s ability to access available information at all hours, including information on sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Despite a growing body of mobile health literature, there is limited understanding of how mobile-based sexual and reproductive health interventions for use by young adult Black and Latina women could improve sexual health knowledge and connection to clinical care.

Methods: This pilot randomized controlled trial …

A Hiatus In Soft-Power Administrative Law: The Case Of Medicaid Eligibility Waivers, David A. Super

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Administrative law is fundamentally a regime of soft power. Congress, the President, administrative agencies, civil servants, and the courts all operate within a broad consensus for rational, good-faith decisionmaking. Congress grants agencies discretion, and courts and civil servants defer to agencies’ political leadership based largely on the expectation that the latter are seeking to honor statutes’ purposes. That expectation of prudential restraint also allays concerns about delegations of legislative power. When the executive systematically disregards that expectation and seeks single-mindedly to maximize achievement of its policy objectives, deference’s justification breaks down.

Across agencies, the Trump administration has disregarded the assumptions …

Determining The Influence Of Lupinus Arboreus And The Recruitment Of Non Native Species In The Lanphere Dunes, Cleo Mae B. Domingo, Jennifer K. Hakala, Dylan C. Layfield

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

The sand dunes of the Pacific Northwest are dynamic and house diverse dune mat communities. Introduction of non native species into dune mat communities change soil characteristics of dunes, such as the case of yellow bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus). Lupine establishment provides ideal conditions for other non natives to invade. These impacts have been observed within the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay Wildlife Refuge in Arcata, California. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) plans to test lupine eradication methods in a one acre parcel within Lanphere. This study aims to collect baseline data for …

The Constitutional Law Of Incarceration, Reconfigured, Margo Schlanger

Articles

On any given day, about 2.2 million people are confined in U.S. jails and prisons—nearly 0.9% of American men are in prison, and another 0.4% are in jail. This year, 9 or 10 million people will spend time in our prisons and jails; about 5000 of them will die there. A decade into a frustratingly gradual decline in incarceration numbers, the statistics have grown familiar: We have 4.4% of the world’s population but over 20% of its prisoners. Our incarceration rate is 57% higher than Russia’s (our closest major country rival in imprisonment), nearly four times the rate in England, …

Effects Of Increased Temperature And Copper Excess On The Physiology, Biochemistry And Gene Expression Of Ectocarpus Siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye, Alex Renato Santillán-Sarmiento

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Brown algae are an important group of organisms inhabiting coastal ecosystems worldwide. Because of their sessile nature, they are exposed to natural abiotic stresses such as high and low irradiances, desiccation, thermal fluctuations and mechanical stress, as well as anthropogenic-derived stresses such as chemical pollution. While the impacts of metal pollution affect brown algae on a local scale, there is growing concern on the potential interactions between pollutants and abiotic pressures resulting from global climate change. The main objective of this study was to determine the nature of the interactions (synergistic, additive or antagonistic) of different concentrations of copper in …

Development Of Probiotics For The Sustainable Cultivation Of Pirarucu, Arapaima Gigas, Gabriella Do Vale Pereira

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) from Amazon basin is currently the largest farmed fish species and its production is increasing rapidly in Brazil. However, there is a concern about bacterial disease outbreaks and resulting mortalities in pirarucu farms. The use of probiotic bacteria as prophylactic method is recognized as beneficial practice to enhance fish production. The aim of this thesis was to isolate autochthonous probiotic strains from the pirarucu intestine, characterize their potential probiotic characteristics in vitro, and perform in vivo colonization and growth experiments. To this end, the intestinal microbial community of A. gigas was assessed at two different growth …