Digital Commons Network^™

Mentoring Female Entrepreneurs: Revenue Analysis, Candy M. Moreno Garcia

Master's Theses

Throughout the world, significantly less women own businesses than their male counterparts. In addition, they tend to own businesses that are smaller, have less growth, are less profitable and have lower sales turnover than those of men. Supporting female entrepreneurs is crucial as they tend to spend more on the health of the household, nutrition and education. This paper uses a randomized controlled trial to determine the impact of a mentorship program between experienced female entrepreneurs and inexperienced entrepreneurs, specifically focusing on the impact to profits. I use data collected from three rounds of survey over the course of six …

Wildfire Exposure To Critical Habitat Of Endangered And Threatened Species In California, Kristin Butcher

Master's Theses

Researchers, fire ecologists and wildlife managers are concerned about impact to endangered and threatened species and their critical habitat due to the projected increase in future wildfires. Wildfires have been studied in California for the last six decades and have been increasing at an alarming rate since the 1980’s. In this study, I use the 2018 spatial dataset for critical habitat of federally endangered and threatened species located in the state boundaries of California and compare it to a spatial dataset for wildfires that have occurred over the span of 32 years (1984 to 2016). Trends are derived from spatial …

Measuring Cocoa Agricultural Productivity: A Spatio-Temporal Econometric Approach, Yurlady Chaverra-Palacios

Master's Theses

A significant increase of 50.5 percent in the national production of cocoa was registered between 2011 and 2015 in Colombia. Nevertheless, 5,890 tons were imported in 2015 to supply domestic demand. Unlike other crops, the production of cocoa has made a significant contribution to the income of approximately 38,000 families of which 90 percent are small farm-producers with very little capital. Facilitating credit for investment is one of the main strategies of the national government to increase cocoa productivity. Correspondingly, the impact of the credit for investment on the cocoa agricultural productivity and if those investments have a spillover effect …

“Do I Need Exercise?” A Qualitative Study On Factors Affecting Leisure-Time Physical Activity In India, Shalini Garg, V Raman Kutty

The Qualitative Report

Physical activity can reduce the risk of premature mortality from various chronic diseases. Previous research in Kerala, India indicates several barriers which can impact physical activity levels. Perceptions about the importance of health-promoting physical activity were examined among adults in Kerala and various facilitators, motivators and barriers to physical activity were identified using focus group discussions and interviews with key informants. At present, the attitude of people and health professionals is that physical activity has to be taken up when diagnosed with a disease (obesity, diabetes) and advised by a health professional. Men were more likely to start exercising after …

Dietary Intake Of Collegiate Ncaa Football Players: Division I Vs. Division Iii, Ashley Filler, Elizabeth Defrang, Darian Stedman, Wendy Repovich, Janet T. Peterson

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

Poor nutrition in college football players leads to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome associated conditions. This study compared the dietary intake of Division I (DI) and III (DIII) football players. A total of 31 players completed testing this fall. Variables included height, weight, and a 24-hour diet recall. A 5-pass interview was used to collect nutrition and processed by the ESHA Food Processor program. Data were compared using an independent t-test and a Pearson r correlation test. There were no significant differences between BMI, total caloric intake, carbohydrate, fat, water, fiber, or micronutrients. DI players consumed a higher percentage …

Graduate Students Receive Grants For Research Efforts, Shea Stewart

University of Mississippi News

Competitive awards help burgeoning researchers learn critical skills, develop projects

2019 Commencement Program, Whittier College

Commencement Programs

Whittier College's One-Hundred Sixteenth Annual Commencement, May 17, 2019

Commencement Address: Maria Salinas President and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Patterns Of Fatigue And Factors Influencing Fatigue During Adjuvant Breast Cancer Chemotherapy, Ann M. Berger

Dissertations

Women beginning adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer seek information from health professionals regarding fatigue, but knowledge regarding this distressing symptom is currently limited. The purposes of this study were to describe the patterns of fatigue and of factors influencing fatigue across the first three cycles of chemotherapy and to determine the extent to which health and functional status, chemotherapy protocol, physical activity behaviors, activity/rest cycles, nutrition behaviors and status, stress management behaviors, interpersonal relations behaviors, symptom distress and reaction to the diagnosis of cancer explain fatigue at each treatment and predict fatigue at the mid-point of the first three chemotherapy …

Food, Body Weight, And Health Among Adolescents In The Digital Age: An Explorative Study From A Health Promotion Perspectives, Christopher Bjorn Holmberg

Dissertations

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore adolescents' relationship with food, body weight, and health communication in online digital media, as well as how adolescents experience participating in a health promotion intervention regarding food and physical activity habits. Health promotion as a research area served three purposes: to inform the research questions, to direct the data collection, and to identify implications from the research findings. The four included studies explored how adolescents portray food in a widely used image-sharing application, why and how adolescents in treatment for obesity engaged with online health-related information, and how these adolescents experienced …

Recovery Of Domestic Behaviors By A Parasitic Ant (Formica Subintegra) In The Absence Of Its Host (Formica Subsericea), Amber Nichole Hunter

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Dulosis is a type of social parasitism in which a parasitic ant has become dependent on captured workers (hosts) of a closely related species. Dulosis can be either facultative or obligate depending on the degree of dependence on host workers. As parasites become more specialized over evolutionary time, their domestic abilities degenerate until they become unable to survive without the host. However, the ‘lost’ behaviors may display some degree of recovery when host workers are unavailable to do the tasks. The Formica sanguinea group consists of 12 species of parasitic ants, which are all traditionally considered to be facultative parasites. …

Using Pseudo Nomarski Contrast To Study Hemocytes Of Galleria Mellonella, Westley David Peterson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Differentiation of insect hemocytes requires microscopes equipped with differential interference contrast (DIC), s.c. Nomarski’s contrast. However, the high price of DIC limits speed and efficacy of hemocyte studies. For my thesis, I developed two low cost microscope sets equipped with custom oblique illumination filters. The oblique illumination filters, that I produced, provided high quality images comparable with those produced by DIC, for a fraction of the cost and allowed me to train laboratory personnel quickly. Microscopes with these oblique illumination filters were used in studies of spherulocytes and for rapid screening of plant essential oils to impair insect immune system. …

Commencement Ceremony Of 2019: The College Of Dental Medicine, Dr. Pallavi Patel College Of Health Care Sciences, College Of Medical Sciences, College Of Optometry, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College Of Osteopathic Medicine, College Of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Quality Of Life For Alaskan Individuals With Fasd And Their Families, Brenda S. Dow

Arctic and Northern Studies

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a lifelong disability caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. The effects of FASD include a range of physical, mental, behavioral, and learning disabilities. These disabilities impact quality of life, not only for the affected individual, but for family members. The effects from FASD ripple into schools, the correctional system, and throughout rural and urban communities. Although there are no reliable statistics available on FASD in Alaska, many professionals in the field believe Alaska to have the highest rate of FASD in the United States. This research has explored the ways in which prenatal exposure …

Role Of Antioxidant Supplementation And Exercise Regimen In Handling Oxidative Stress From Natural Pm2.5 Exposure Due To Boreal Forest Fire, Jacob J. Witkop

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure induces oxidative stress that causes many negative health outcomes such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease. Research shows that dietary antioxidants and an up-regulated endogenous antioxidant response from exercise play key roles in the antioxidant defense against oxidative stress. This study is the first to use an animal model to investigate the cumulative effects of using lifestyle interventions of antioxidant supplementation (Arthrospira platensis) and exercise regimen on the antioxidant response before, during, and after ambient PM2.5 exposure. In a two-factorial, longitudinal design, sled dogs (n=48) were divided into four groups (exercise and supplemented, exercise, …

Determining The Immune Status Of Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias Jubatus): An Environmental Agents Of Disease Perspective, Stephanie Nichole Kennedy

Chemistry and Biochemistry

The integrity of the immune system is paramount for preserving overall health for many organisms. Investigating environmental and physiological factors that may be associated with alterations of the immune status in non-traditional sentinel species, like the Steller sea lion (SSL), is a prominent undertaking in eco-immunology research. Changes to immune homeostasis likely impacts the health and survival of SSLs. Recent studies have reported that mercury concentrations in hair in 24 to 36% of newborn SSLs of the Western Aleutian Islands (WAI) exceed thresholds (>30 ppm) for potential adverse effects. Many of these individuals were from WAI rookeries that have …

Improving Access To Youth-Friendly Health Services In A Rural California Community, Elena Higley

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Adolescents and young adults experience relatively high rates of preventable morbidity and mortality due to injuries, mental health disorders, suicide, substance use, and reproductive health issues. It is paramount for healthcare providers to address risky behaviors early to thwart future adverse outcomes. Rural communities especially struggle with meeting the healthcare needs of their youth because there are fewer resources specifically dedicated to serving adolescents and young adults. This issue is evident in Grass Valley, California, a rural community in Nevada County, an area located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. In response to limited access to youth-friendly healthcare …

Enhancing Nutrition Education For School Aged Children; A Preventive Health Measure And Quality Improvement Project, Fanny M. Powell

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Objective: The purpose of the DNP project was to improve nutritional knowledge of the adolescents at Kings Canyon Unified School District while also improving their perceived ability to choose healthy food. This project was enveloped in a larger community outreach mission utilizing a free school-based clinic for the purposes of providing sports physicals to students and health screening and physicals to the community. Additionally, nurse practitioner students engaged in a cultural immersion experience through clinical rotations in Central Valley.

Methods: Adolescent students who registered for the clinic watched a nine-minute nutrition video, created by the DNP student, while waiting …

“Of Nobler Song Than Mine”: Social Justice In The Life, Times, And Writings Of Fitz-James O'Brien, John P. Irish

Graduate Liberal Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will be a detailed study of the life, times, and writings of a mid-nineteenth century Irish-American writer, Fitz-James O’Brien. This will be the first full length study of O’Brien’s thought and writings. O’Brien was known, during his day, for two different types of writing: fiction of the supernatural and his writings on social justice, written in the emerging style of literary realism. It is his writings on social justice which this dissertation will explore. O’Brien’s writings on social justice covered three main topics: children, women, and animals. I look at how the historical context, O’Brien’s life, and his …

Enhancing Health Literacy Using Teach Back Method To Increase Patient Adherence To, Tram Mendoza

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Health literacy is a complicated and perplexing topic for those not trained in the medical field. Patients possess pieces of health literacy to some degree, while some have none at all. Limited health literacy can pose a very threatening risk on a patient’s well-being, interfering with their self-care and health maintenance, possibly creating more obstacles for the patient if health instructions and education are not clearly understood. This can lead to increased health expenditures due to treating the effects of poor health maintenance in addition to emergency room visits that may have not been necessary had the patient understood …

Multilevel Analysis Of Socio-Demographic Disparities In Adulthood Obesity Across The United States Geographic Regions, Baksun Sung, Amin Etemadifar

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Student Research

Objectives

The objective of this study was to examine the socio-demographic disparities in obesity among US adults across 130 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas.

Methods

This study used data from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trend of 159,827 US adults aged 18 years and older. Data were analyzed using the multilevel linear regression models.

Results

According to individual level analyses, socio-demographic disparities in obesity exist in the United States. Individuals with low socioeconomic status were associated with a higher body mass index. The participants from the Midwest United States tend to have higher …

Salmon, Cosmology, And Identity In Elim, Alaska, Julie M. Raymond-Yakoubian

Anthropology

This dissertation is the result of sociocultural anthropological research in and about the community of Elim, Alaska. Elim is a small community of approximately 330 (primarily Inupiaq and Yup'ik Eskimo) people in Norton Sound. This research began with a focus on the topics of salmon and identity in the community. The focus on salmon was particularly important because the communities of this region have often traditionally been understood in the social sciences through the lens of relationships with marine mammals. The research involved participant observation in the community, a variety of forms of ethnographic interviewing (free listing, structured, and semi-structured …

Strengthening Cultural Identity Through Iļisaġvik College's Iñupiaq Studies Program: Reconstruction And The Iñupiaq Studies Framework, Jerica S. Aamodt

Rural Development

This program proposal is for the Iñupiaq Studies Program at Iḷisaġvik College. Iḷisaġvik College is located in Utqiaġvik, the northernmost village on the North Slope of Alaska. This proposal is intended to guide the future restructuring of the Iñupiaq Studies Program. The project was informed by interviews conducted with seventeen key individuals as well as the Iñupiaq Learning Framework created by the North Slope Borough School District. The proposal includes a mission, words of wisdom for the Iñupiaq Studies Framework, revised Iñupiaq Studies program outcomes, course descriptions, certificate and degree proposals, study plans, a sample course syllabus, and a sample …

Examining The Effects Of Service-Learning On Students' Perceptions Of The Ches Responsibilities– A Pilot Study, Victoria M. Surratt

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a service-learning project on students' willingness, confidence, and perceived importance to incorporate the Certified Health Education Specialist, Areas of Responsibility (CHES-AOR), into their profession. It was hypothesized that students participation in a service-learning project in an undergraduate health and wellness course would be more willing, confident, and perceive it as more important to apply the CHES-AOR within their chosen health profession. Methods: Missouri State University students registered in the fall 2018, undergraduate Health and Wellness service-learning course (KIN-350-001), completed an online survey at the beginning and the end of the semester. Seven questions were …

The Effects Of Electrofishing On Different Life Stages Of Ozark And Eastern Hellbenders, Stephanie Kay Morrison

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Electrofishing, a common method of freshwater fish sampling, has been shown to negatively affect some fish species, but the effects on non-target species, such as hellbenders, have not been well studied. I tested effects of electrofishing on the behavior of several life stages of captivereared Ozark (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) and eastern (C. a. alleganiensis) hellbenders. Ozark hellbender eggs were exposed to different voltages in the laboratory, and embryos in higher voltages had higher incidences of twitching during exposures and higher numbers of morphological deformities after exposures. For hatchling Ozark hellbenders, which typically are sedentary, individuals moved more during exposure to …

Role Of Methionine In Fetal Development Of Beef Cattle, Colin D. Chalk

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether total amino acids (AA) or methionine have an effect on fetal programming of calves using 108 Angus Brangus cows. Treatments were 1) Control, limpograss hay with molasses plus urea (16% CP as fed basis) at 2.72 kg./hd/d, 2) Fishmeal, Control plus 0.33 kg./hd/d of fishmeal ( methionine 2.85 % of RUP), and 3) Methionine, Control plus 10 g/hd/d of MetaSmart liquid (Addisseo Alpharetta, GA) . Fishmeal and Methionine treatments supplied similar amounts of metabolizable methionine. Weight of cows and calves along with body condition score of cows were measured at the …

Macronutrient Content Of Winter Annual Cereal Grains With Phosphorus Fertilization, Taylor Anne Young

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Missouri ranks third in the United States in cow-calf production, and much of the land these cattle graze has acidic soil that is low in plant available phosphorus (P). Proper soil fertility is important to ensure that these forages meet the nutritional requirements of cattle. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceum (Schreb.)), has been shown to respond to increased soil P levels with increased growth and leaf concentrations of P, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K). It is unknown if winter annual cereals will respond similarly. The objective of this study is to examine cereal rye (Secale cereal L.), winter wheat …

Teacher Perceptions Of Parental Incarceration And Its Influence On Children's Academic Success, Amber L. Hooper

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

A child’s educational fulfillment is often supported by the stability of parents being present in a child’s life. Children’s academic learning can be reinforced by parents taking an active role in promoting their child’s education. When a parent is incarcerated, the child can be left without a support person for their academic success. This may lead to behavior problems in school and the increased chance at academic failure and grade retention. The separation of a parent in a child’s early education years may have effects that last into adulthood and set the stage for intergenerational incarceration. This study examined teachers’ …

Dietary Effects On Protein Turnover In Three Pinniped Species, Eumetopias Jubatus, Phoca Vitulina, And Leptonychotes Weddellii, Susan D. Inglis

Marine Biology

The role of dietary protein in pinniped (seal and sea lion) nutrition is poorly understood. Although these marine mammals derive the majority of their daily energetic needs from lipid, lipids cannot supply essential amino acids which have to come from protein fractions of the diet. Protein regulation is vital for cellular maintenance, molt, fasting metabolism, exercise and development. Proteins are composed of linked amino acids (AA), and net protein turnover is the balance between protein synthesis from component AA, and degradation back to AA. Protein regulation is influenced by dietary intake and quality, as well as physiological and metabolic requirements. …

Biogeochemical Tracers Of Change In Pacific Walruses Past And Present, Casey Clark

Marine Biology

Reduced sea ice and projected food web shifts associated with warming of the Arctic have raised concerns about the future of Arctic species. Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) use sea ice as a platform for molting, giving birth, and resting between foraging bouts. Exactly how sea ice loss will affect walruses is difficult to predict, due to a lack of information about regional ecosystems and their responses to climate change. The objectives of the research in this dissertation were to 1) examine how walrus diet changed in response to shifting sea ice conditions over the last 4,000 years, with the …

Educational Policies Committee Program Proposal, College Of Agriculture And Applied Sciences, May 17, 2019 – Discontinue Bachelor Of Science In Nutrition, Dietetics And Food Sciences, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

The Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences (NDFS) request discontinuation of the Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences. The various emphasis areas with the degree have been approved and replaced by three separate Bachelor of Science degrees including: (1) BS in Nutrition; (2) BS in Dietetics, and; (3) BS in Food Science. The requirements for the new degrees are exactly the same as for the corresponding emphasis areas found under the to-be-discontinued degree.