Digital Commons Network^™

Participation In Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy On The Immune Function Of Survivors Of Breast Cancer: A Literature Review And Pilot Study For Clinical Practice, Bianca Marteja

Nursing | Senior Theses

A review of current literature presented in this work suggests that MBSR participation results in NKCA, T-cell and B-cell restoration as well as a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers. While results from these studies are statistically significant, they are, however, relatively small. Furthermore, the reliability and one’s ability to generalize study findings from this literature review is limited by consistently small sample sizes, high attrition, differing forms of MBSR application, and inconsistent adherence to MBSR home practices.

The distribution of a 10-point survey using likert scales occured in a pilot study associated with the aforementioned literature review; this survey evaluated registered …

Nebline, May 2020

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Vegetable Gardening for Beginners

"Sewing for Hospitals" Community Service Project

Extension Postponements, Cancellations & Changes

Making a Meal With What's on Hand

Recipe of the Month

2020 Cash Rent Survey

Pesticide Applicators: Deferment of License Recertification

When Thunder Roars or Lightening Flashes, Go Indoors!

Sleep Impacts Mental and Physical Health

2020 Perennial Plant of the Year

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Composting How-To Videos

Spending Time in Nature is Beneficial to Children and Adults

4-H Announcements for enrolled 4-H'ers or 4-H volunteers

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Mary Burroughs

Clover College Workshop Descriptions

Extension Calendar

Support Local 4-H …

Protein Availability And Consumption, And Stunting Rates, For Primary School Children In The Southern Regions Of Ethiopia And Zambia, Megan Wackel

NUTR/GLST 498b: Global Research Experiences in Nutrition and Health

•Stunting is common in Sub-Sahara Africa, with millions of children who are short in stature also experiencing poor overall health and development, as well as poor school performance (Semba 2016; Semba, et al., 2016). •As many as 39% of children under 5 years of age in Ethiopia’s Sidama Region (formerly SNNPR) can be classified as stunted (CSA & ICF 2016). By comparison, 29% of under 5’s in Zambia’s Southern Province have short height for age (CSA, MOH, & ICF 2018). •Low protein and essential amino acid intake, among populations of 116 countries, has been suggested as the primary cause of …

Pre-Exercise Hydration Status Changes In Females Throughout The Menstrual Cycle, Kristen A. Splaine

Honors Scholar Theses

In the field of athletics, research including females is limited. Oftentimes, research that only included male subjects is generalized and is later used to incorporate guidelines for both male and female athletes. This study focused on how the menstrual cycle, a female exclusive bodily process, could change hydration status. Participants within the study were between the ages of 18 and 35 and only data from females was analyzed. The study was designed as a crossover subject trial over the span of two months. Subjects participated in a total of four trials that were divided into phase-hydration groups. Two trials were …

Intersectionality, Access, And Women’S Health: Engaging And Enacting A Feminist Model Of Health Care, Nidhi Chawla

Honors Scholar Theses

“Intersectionality, Access, and Women’s Health: Engaging and Enacting a Feminist Model of Health Care” takes seriously the potential role feminist theory can play in the making of a more accessible and effective model of medical care. In terms of theory and methodology, this thesis draws upon Kimberlė Crenshaw’s influential notion of “intersectionality” as a means of mapping multiple identities and subjectivities; as an additional lens, the thesis accesses Audre Lorde’s insistence that one cannot rely on established systems as the basis for progressive politics. Consistent with the reflexive dynamics of intersectional feminism, and guided by the notion that the personal …

Effects Of Lisdexamfetamine And Haloperidol On A Binge-Like Eating Model & Preliminary Investigations Of The Dopaminergic Mechanism Underlying Binge Eating Disorder (Bed), Maxime Braun

Honors Scholar Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a psychophysiological disorder defined as the excessive intake of high-caloric, palatable foods within a short span of time, accompanied by feelings of distress. Animal models of binge-like eating behavior have been developed that give intermittent, limited access to a highly palatable food. Presby et al. (2020) used chocolate as the highly palatable food to induce binge-like eating behavior in rats. Lisdexamfetamine (LDX), a d-amphetamine prodrug and dopamine (DA) uptake inhibitor, is currently used to treat BED in humand. In rats, binge-like eating of chocolate was induced by exposure to unpredictable and limited chocolate access over …

Conserved And Variable Responses Of The Gut Microbiome To Resistant Starch Type 2, Zachary A. Bendiks, Knud E.B. Knudsen, Michael J. Keenan, Maria L. Marco

Faculty Publications

Resistant starch type 2 (RS2), a dietary fiber comprised solely of glucose, has been extensively studied in clinical trials and animal models for its capacity to improve metabolic and systemic health. Because the health modulatory effects of RS2 and other dietary fibers are thought to occur through modification of the gut microbiome, those studies frequently include assessments of RS2-mediated changes to intestinal microbial composition and function. In this review, we identify the conserved responses of the gut microbiome among 13 human and 35 animal RS2 intervention studies. Consistent outcomes of RS2 interventions include reductions in bacterial α-diversity; increased production of …

Heads Up: Design And Methods Of A Louisiana State-Funded Surgical And Non-Surgical Weight Loss Program, Phillip J. Brantley, Win Guan, Ricky Brock, Dachuan Zhang, Gang Hu

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

This paper describes the methodology, design and procedures used in the HEADS UP Project, an observational study to examine the feasibility of a state-funded weight loss program. HEADS UP offered two weight loss approaches: Bariatric surgery or a non-surgical intervention composed of medical management, a low-calorie liquid diet and lifestyle change promotion. Participants were recruited through a multi-stage screening process, in-person interviews, and an initial low-calorie diet program. Eligible participants were entered into a lottery system, with 100 participants selected for the surgical group and 200 selected for the non-surgical group annually for five years. Anthropometric, clinical, and psychosocial assessments …

A Contribution To The Macrofungi Of Cloudland Canyon State Park, Peyden Valentine

Honors Theses

I conducted a survey of the macroscopic fungi within Cloudland Canyon State Park, Dade County, GA that consisted of twenty-three forays from May through December of 2019, and one foray in March 2020. The results of my survey add baseline data to our knowledge of the mushrooms present within the park, allow for the future construction of an All Taxa Biodiversity Index, and allow comparisons to other surveys of fungal diversity in similar areas of the Cumberland Plateau: the Tennessee River Gorge Trust (Starrett 2005), and the Lula Lake Land Trust (De Guzman 2000). My survey resulted in an overall …

"A Place For Us", Dillon M. Bryant

Honors Thesis

“A place for us” explores constructions of the home in relation to the LGBT+ experience through reappropriated and recontextualized found images sourced from articles of print culture such as newspapers, advertisements, publications such as Better Homes and Gardens, National Geographic, Time and others printed from the 1960’s onward. As of 2020, there are no federal laws that provide universal protections against housing or employment discrimination faced by LGBT+ people in the United States. LGBT+ youth and elders struggle with securing housing and this is compounded for LGBT+ people of color. Homelessness increases exposure to trauma, drug abuse, developmental …

Applying Agriculture Curriculum As A Vehicle For Science Learning, Nicole Sorensen

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

Agricultural educators in Nebraska are confronting increasing need to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education into agricultural curriculum. Though there are more than 80 agricultural education programs in Nebraska, the state does not provide many state-based curricula options within agricultural education pathways. The purpose of this exploratory survey research is to learn about the viability of an integrated, agriculture and science-based curriculum that is publicly available to agricultural education instructors. The study posed the questions: (1) What is the feasibility of a publicly available, science-integrated agriculture curriculum within Nebraska agricultural education programs? and (2) What are the benefits …

Pay No Attention To The Regulation Behind The Curtain: The Implications Of The Return To Title Iv (R2t4) Federal Aid Policy On Time To Degree, Apri Medina

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Federal aid programs and their effect on student persistence, stopout, and completion have long been studied, but current literature does not fully capture the temporal nature of these programs due to insufficient methods, imprecise data, or both. Using event history methodologies, I leverage a unique level of access to data at a public four-year, research intensive university to explore how the Return to Title IV federal aid withdrawal policy, one of the most prominent yet understudied aspects of federal financial aid policies, influences time to degree. The treatment of this policy is associated with a 58.6% reduced risk (reduced conditional …

...Of Cabbages And Kings, May 2020, Emeriti Society, University Of The Pacific

Emeriti Newsletter: "...Of Cabbages and Kings"

"...Of Cabbages and Kings" is the newsletter of the University of the Pacific Emeriti Society. Read more about the Emeriti Society of Pacific by clicking here.

Student Honors And Awards Program 2020, Communications And Marketing

UMM Honors and Awards Ceremony

In recognition of students who demonstrate academic excellence and enrich campus life.

Physical And Life Science - Food And Energy: Animal And Plant Energy, Cassandra Armstrong

Model NGSS Lessons: 4th - 5th Grade

Energy exists in many forms and is constantly being transferred between forms. All energy types can be sorted into two main categories: potential and kinetic. Potential energy is stored energy. Chemical energy, nuclear energy, stored mechanical energy, and gravitational energy are all examples of potential energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Radiant (light) energy, thermal energy, sound energy, and electrical energy are all examples of kinetic energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between the types of energy. Most energy we use on Earth stems from the nuclear energy from within the sun.

Associations Of Urinary Bpa Levels And Dietary Fat Intake With Prior Breast Cancer Diagnosis Among Women: Results From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Justyna M. Dapuzzo

Theses - ALL

Introduction: The prevalence of breast cancer, high saturated fat intake and environmental toxicant ingestion continues to be an issue within the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between urinary Bisphenol A (BPA) levels and dietary fat intake with breast cancer diagnosis in U.S. women 30 years and older using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: This study examined dietary data for 200 women who participated in NHANES study cycles between 2003-2014. Inclusion criteria were women aged 30 years or older with a diagnosis of breast cancer, complete urinary BPA …

Does Proximity To Fast Food Cause Childhood Obesity? Evidence From Public Housing, Jeehee Han, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Brian Elbel

Center for Policy Research

We examine the causal link between proximity to fast food and the incidence of childhood obesity among low-income households in New York City. Using individual-level longitudinal data on students living in public housing linked to restaurant location data, we exploit the naturally occurring within-development variation in distance to fast food restaurants to estimate the impact of proximity on obesity. Since the assignment of households to specific buildings is based upon availability at the time of assignment to public housing, the distance between student residence and retail outlets—including fast food restaurants, wait-service restaurants, supermarkets, and corner stores—is plausibly random. Our credibly …

The Effects Of Trans-Nonachlor On Hepatic Lipid Metabolism In Immortalized Rat Hepatoma Cells Vs. Rat Primary Hepatocytes, Lucie Henein

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Traditional Processing Techniques On The Nutritional And Microbiological Quality Of Four Edible Insect Species Used For Food And Feed In East Africa, Dorothy N. Nyangena, Christopher Mutungi, Samuel Imathiu, John Kinyuru, Hippolyte Affognon, Sunday Ekesi, Dorothy Nakimbugwe, Komi K.M. Fiaboe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible insects are increasingly being considered as food and feed ingredients because of their rich nutrient content. Already, edible insect farming has taken-off in Africa, but quality and safety concerns call for simple, actionable hazard control mechanisms. We examined the effects of traditional processing techniques—boiling, toasting, solar-drying, oven-drying, boiling + oven-drying, boiling + solar-drying, toasting + oven-drying, toasting + solar-drying—on the proximate composition and microbiological quality of adult Acheta domesticus and Ruspolia differens, the prepupae of Hermetia illucens and 5th instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Boiling, toasting, and drying decreased the dry matter crude fat by 0.8–51% in the order: …

The Romantic Cyclic Sonata As A Hidden Counterculture : Rethinking The Subdominant Through A Structural-Hermeneutic Approach, Marcelo Gabriel Rebuffi

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Oxygen Scavenging Films And Modified Atmosphere On The Quality Of Hot-Filled Freestone Peach Puree, Steven Skrypec

All Theses

The effect of pouch films with oxygen scavengers (OSs) and modified atmosphere on hot-filled Freestone Peach puree quality indices, such as colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*, ΔE*, Chroma, and hue angle), browning index (absorbance at 420 nm), soluble solids content (SSC, degrees Brix), pH, and titratable acidity (TA, % acid as Malic), were evaluated throughout 21-week accelerated storage at 35C/50% RH. Three multilayer pouch films, ultra-high-barrier with an OS (UHB-OS), ultra-high-barrier without an OS (UHB), and inorganic-barrier with OSs (IB-OS); and two internal atmospheric conditions (ambient air and nitrogen) were combined to produce six variable samples. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in color values, L* (lightness), a* (redness), b* (yellowness) and Chroma (saturation) were only found between films, but not atmospheres. By the end of storage, ΔE* (total color difference) showed significant differences between films where Film UHB-OS showed the relative lowest color change (ΔE*=3.35c) followed by Film IB-OS (ΔE*=3.88b) and then Film UHB (ΔE*=6.73a). Although, based on trend line slopes of ΔL*, prediction of shelf life determined the most effective film as Film IB-OS (92 weeks), followed by Film UHB-OS (79 weeks) and Film UHB (53 weeks). Nitrogen had a lower ΔE* for the first 5 weeks, after which, color protection was based on film type, and nitrogen resulted in a lower hue angle and browning index throughout storage compared to ambient air demonstrating a protective effect. Suggested sucrose hydrolysis contributed reducing sugars for browning and increased SSC. Inconclusive results were found among pH and titratable acidity. This study demonstrated that OS films significantly extended peach puree shelf life were comparable to each other as well as nitrogen showed beneficial results over ambient air indicating prevention of oxygen-based degradative reactions.

Global Estimated Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (Dalys) Of Diarrheal Diseases: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2017, Natacha Karambizi

All Theses

Summary Background

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 is the most comprehensive study ever carried out to report on the state of global public health for the previous 28 years (1990-2017). In 2017, it covered 359 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories.

Our study sought to provide an up-to-date analysis of the progress that has been made to eradicate diarrheal diseases using the GBD2017 data. Although significant progress has been made in reducing the number of deaths due to diarrhea, diarrheal diseases incidences and associated morbidity have not experienced the same level …

Technique For The Determination Of Migratable Primary Aromatic Amines Applied To Multi-Laminate Pouches Utilizing Polyurethane Adhesives, Ryan Frederick Ramey

All Theses

Primary aromatic amines (PAAs) are toxic reaction products of polyurethane chemistry and form from unreacted isocyanate monomers and water. This issue is prevalent when considering polyurethane adhesive applications in food contact materials (FCM’s) and food contact articles (FCAs). EU standards state that a maximum migration level of the total sum of PAAs may be no more than 10 ng g-1 of food. Testing for migration and quantification of PAAs has not been standardized, but this research tests a published optimized method for migration testing and quantification of compounds utilizing strong cationic exchange solid phase extraction (SCX-SPE) and ultra-high performance liquid …

Development And Assessment Of Nematode Management Zones In Cotton: Gossypium Hirsutum, William Aubrey Eubank

All Theses

Populations of plant-parasitic nematodes are difficult to manage due to their inherently sporadic nature and uneven distribution throughout a field. Soil sampling accompanied by laboratory extraction is the preferred method for estimating densities and locations of nematodes within a field. The uneven and sporadic nature of nematodes make them well suited for zone management in row crops, provided that effective zones can be defined. Effective zone definition for precision agriculture requires that differences in factors between zones are large and differences within zones are small.

This study compared methods of defining zones based on physical soil properties, soil SSURGO data, …

Residential Status And Satisfaction With China’S Public Health Services, Ye Jiao

All Theses

This thesis examined the joint effect of hukou (household registration) status and residence location on people’s satisfaction with public health services in China. It also examines the role of education level, media use (official and unofficial), perception of equality, self–rated social status, self–rated health status, public health insurance participation in the relationship between residential status and satisfaction with public health services. This thesis found that hukou status and residence location have significantly joint effect on satisfaction. Satisfaction score is the highest among those with rural residence and rural hukou, followed by urban individuals with rural hukou, with urban individuals with …

Parent-Child Communication Regarding Sport-Related Concussion, Joseph Luis Fontana

All Theses

Extant research has discussed the importance of the social climate surrounding SRC reporting, especially the need to address parents’ role in concussion management. The purpose of this study was to explore motivations and barriers to parent-child communication regarding SRC reporting via the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This study analyzed the attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions toward parent-child communication about SRC reporting with 292 parents of 1st-12th graders who play contact sports. A structural equation model (SEM) was conducted to test the TPB model. The results indicate that parents’ intention toward having these conversations was determined by …

Health Care Access And Utilization By U.S. Farmworkers, Genesis Bojorquez

Dissertations

Background: Agriculture industry has the highest fatality rate among all United States industries. Farmworkers experience high rates of occupational injury, illness, and mortality, yet have limited access to health care. Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 increased health care accessibility and broadened farmworker eligibility for health insurance, yet no study has measured the impact of the ACA upon U.S. farmworkers.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine health care access and health care services utilization among U.S. farmworkers following the implementation of the ACA in 2010.

Specific Aims:

1. Apply the …

Zonta International: Unveiling 100 Years Of History & Membership, Jessica E. Nantka

Museum Studies Projects

The purpose of this master’s thesis project is to examine the formidable globalized service organization, Zonta International (ZI), which has impacted women around the world for 100 years. I utilized essential practices in the Museum Studies Master of Arts program at SUNY Buffalo State to create this project in association with an exhibit, Zonta International: Unveiling 100 Years of History & Membership, presented at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum from November 5 – November 23, 2019. The use of digitized images, documents, and artifacts within the Howard D. Beach Photography Studio Collection owned by The Buffalo History Museum, have been …

Zonta International: Unveiling 100 Years Of History & Membership, Jessica E. Nantka

Museum Studies Projects

The purpose of this master’s thesis project is to examine the formidable globalized service organization, Zonta International (ZI), which has impacted women around the world for 100 years. I utilized essential practices in the Museum Studies Master of Arts program at SUNY Buffalo State to create this project in association with an exhibit, Zonta International: Unveiling 100 Years of History & Membership, presented at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum from November 5 – November 23, 2019. The use of digitized images, documents, and artifacts within the Howard D. Beach Photography Studio Collection owned by The Buffalo History Museum, have been …

Evaluating The Influences Of Harvesting Activity And Eutrophication On Loss Of Aquatic Vegetations In Taihu Lake, China, Juhua Luo, Ruiliang Pu, Hongtao Duan, Ronghua Ma, Zhigang Mao, Yuan Zeng, Linsheng Huang, Qitao Xiao

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

A rapid degradation of aquatic vegetations in Taihu Lake has roused a wide attention in recent years. Giving large-scale harvesting activity on aquatic vegetation since 2012, whether water eutrophication or the human harvest activity induced the degradation remains controversial and unclear. In this study, based on Landsat and HJ-CCD data acquired from 1984 to 2016 and a 12-year field observation (2005–2016) of water quality, a method was proposed to quantitatively assess impacts of harvesting activity and water quality change on degradations of both floating-leaved aquatic vegetation (FAV) and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in Taihu Lake. First, areas of FAV and …