Digital Commons Network^™

Inclusion Of Classified Staff In The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: A District Case Study., Devon M. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the current use of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) within a large school district and how that district includes classified staff within the implementation process. This study utilized information from interviews and focus groups of district leaders, school leaders, and classified staff to evaluate their perspectives on the daily use of PBIS, specifically how classified staff are included in all aspects of the initiative. Using the Normalization Process Theory (NPT) as a theoretical framework, this study sought to make sense of how complex organizational initiatives are intertwined and become embedded into the normal practices …

The Effects Of Whole Life, Low Dose Cadmium Exposure On High Fat Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And The Role Of Zinc., Jamie Lynn Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major global public health concern affecting more than 25% of the world’s population. Although obesity is a major risk factor for NAFLD, it cannot account for many cases, indicating the importance of other factors such as sex and environmental exposures. Cadmium exposure is implicated in the development of NAFLD; however, the influence of early-life, in utero cadmium exposure on the development of diet-induced NAFLD is poorly understood. Therefore, we developed an in vivo, multiple-hit model to study the effect of whole-life, low-dose cadmium exposure on high fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD. Additionally, we …

Aspects Of Causal Inference., John A. Craycroft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Observational studies differ from experimental studies in that assignment of subjects to treatments is not randomized but rather occurs due to natural mechanisms, which are usually hidden from researchers. Yet objectives of the two studies are frequently the same: identify the causal – rather than merely associational – relationship between some treatment or exposure and an outcome. The statistical issues that arise in properly analyzing observational data for this goal are numerous and fascinating, and these issues are encompassed in the domain of causal inference. The research presented in this dissertation explores several distinct aspects of causal inference. This dissertation …

The Role Of Faculty In Fostering Psychosocial Wellbeing Among University Students, Kelley Wick

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The transition to college represents a major life event, and successfully navigating this shift has implications for students’ psychosocial wellbeing. While there is ample support for the idea that social relationships can facilitate student wellbeing during the transition to college, there is limited understanding of the unique role faculty may play in supporting students. The aim of this study was to determine the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing and self-efficacy, independent of peer support and student level of stress. Additionally, the primary questions were to examine whether self-efficacy mediated the relation of faculty support to student wellbeing, and …

Assessment Of Grain Safety In Developing Nations, Jose R. Mendoza

Department of Food Science and Technology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grains are the most widely consumed foods worldwide, with maize (Zea mays) being frequently consumed in developing countries where it feeds approximately 900 million people under the poverty line of 2 USD per day. While grain handling practices are acceptable in most developed nations, many developing nations still face challenges such as inadequate field management, drying, and storage. Faulty grain handling along with unavoidably humid climates result in recurrent fungal growth and spoilage, which compromises both the end-quality and safety of the harvest. This becomes particularly problematic where there is little awareness about health risks associated with poor …

The Application And Development Of Metabolomics Methodologies For The Profiling Of Food And Cellular Toxicity, Jade Woods

Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolomics is a rapidly growing field of study. Its growth reflects advancements in technology and an improved understanding of the impact of the environment on metabolism. As a result, metabolomics is now commonly employed to investigate and characterize human and plant metabolism. The first chapter of this thesis provides an introduction to metabolomics and an overview of the protocols for sample preparation, data collection and statistical analysis. The second thesis chapter describes in explicit detail the step-by-step process of extracting and analyzing metabolites collected from mammalian cells, specifically brain tissue with a focus on Parkinson’s disease. The chapter highlights important …

The 2019 P-Mig Student Survey Report And Capturing The Undergraduate Perspective Of Physiology Programming, Jennifer Rogers, Jenny L. Mcfarland, Claudia I. Stanescu, Patrick L. Crosswhite, Anne R. Crecelius

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

The aim of the 2019 Student Survey was to inform the Physiology Majors Interest Group (PMIG) of characteristics of undergraduates enrolled in physiology courses or degree programs from across the United States, to be used as one input source for development of program-level guidelines. 1389 participants from seven universities completed the 2019 P-MIG Student Survey. 37% reported enrollment in a physiology/human physiology major; allied health related programs were the second most common (24%). 61% of respondents reported attending a community college, the majority of whom enrolled in one or more courses at a community college while in high school (44%). …

Examining The Overlooked Complexities Of School Lunch: An Investigation Into The Juncture Of Food, Schooling, And The Developing Adolescent, Eleanor Kane

Doctoral Dissertations

School lunch is a universal experience for students everywhere and yet remains largely understudied by educational researchers. This dissertation explores school lunch through the lens of adolescent identity theory, with the purpose of investigating the unarticulated and overlooked complexities inherent in the lunch block, from issues of the developing sense of self, to social and cultural meanings surrounding food, and consequences for social reproduction. I used a combination of ethnographic observations and narrative interviews at a rural New England high school, focusing on participants’ daily habits, food practices, and choices during the lunch block. Through this, I established the normative …

Bacterial Genome And Population Dynamics With Implications For Public Health, Cooper John Park

Doctoral Dissertations

Bacterial populations are extraordinarily heterogeneous. Despite growing clonally, these populations are often composed of multiple lineages distinguished by both phenotypic and genetic differences that are caused by both allelic and whole gene variation. Such genomic mosaicism and within-species variation can significantly impact a species’ response to selective pressures from antibiotic use, vaccination, immune responses and host environment. One important process that contributes to this phenomenon is recombination, the exchange of very similar DNA sequences between strains which can result to either the addition or replacement of homologous genes. Current models of microbial recombination incorporate the null expectation that recombination is …

Asthma-Copd Overlap Syndrome And Disease Progression In The Copdgene Cohort Study, Caitlyn Winter

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a debilitating and degenerative lung disease characterized by progressive airway obstruction and alveolar destruction. When asthma and COPD co-occur and interact, with asthma having been diagnosed first, the resulting respiratory disease is called Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS). Current research suggests that persons with ACOS may have more severe respiratory disease and lifestyle limitations than those with either disease alone. The purpose of the current study was to determine if and how disease progression differs in patients with ACOS versus COPD only, using data collected during the COPDGene cohort study. Demographic characteristics and disease outcome …

Breastfeeding Duration And Reasons Given For Early Cessation Of Breastfeeding Among Wic Mothers, Amy Willa

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The Breastfeeding Duration and Reasons for Early Cessation of Breastfeeding Among WIC Mothers study was conducted to describe the duration of and factors associated with early breastfeeding cessation among the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) population. We collected data from a random sample of WIC medical records, sampling medical records belonging to mothers who initiated breastfeeding an infant but did not breastfeed to 52 weeks. Data were analyzed to answer the questions: How long do WIC mothers breastfeed? What reasons are given during counseling sessions at WIC for early cessation of breastfeeding? Do socio-economic, demographic, or medical factors influence the …

South Dakota State University : Research 2020, Division Of Research And Economic Development

State of Discovery South Dakota State University's Research Magazine

[Page] 2 New respirator design to capture, kill coronavirus
[Page] 3 SDSU scientists to examine how coronavirus infects cells
[Page] 4 State diagnostic lab fulfills need for human COVID-19 testing
[Page] 5 Isaacson to help develop tribal palliative care programs
[Page] 6 Sun Grant funding fuels bioprocessing research
[Page] 8 Prairie AquaTech exporting high-protein feed ingredient
[Page] 11 New connection makes building repair fast, cost-effective
[Page] 12 Record-setting wildfire season drastically increases emissions
[Page] 14 Engineering study examines sunflower stem growth
[Page] 15 State Poet Laureate unveils ‘South Dakota in Poems'
[Page] 16 Reineke receives NIH grant to help eradicate …

Promoting Positive Birth Experiences: Supporting Pregnant And Lactating Women During The Covid-19 Crisis, Marina Baig, Shelina Bhamani, Zohra Kurji, Lumaan Sheikh, Rozina Karmaliani

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, in January 2020. While international organizations and governments strive to strengthen the world’s emergency response mechanism to combat the pandemic, the public in general faces anxiety and fear. One of the most vulnerable groups is pregnant and lactating women. The pandemic has given rise to many apprehensions about the state of their health and well-being as well as that of their unborn or newly born child. A live Facebook session was conducted by a group of experts from a private university in Karachi, Pakistan, …

Critical Social Determinants Of Childbirth Outcomes In Remote Mountains: Voices Of Women From Nepal, Sabitra Kaphle, Lareen Newman

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Objectives: Despite efforts made by the Government of Nepal to reduce maternal and newborn mortality nationally, the rate is still significantly higher in remote mountain areas. This research aimed to fill a gap by asking women about socio-cultural factors influencing childbirth outcomes in remote mountain areas of Nepal.
Methods: This study used a qualitative approach guided by the principles of social constructionist and feminist critical theories to derive factors influencing women’s experiences of giving birth and childbirth outcomes. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 pregnant and postnatal women. A thematic approach was used for data analysis.
Results: Childbirth outcomes in …

Center For Population Studies And Partners Host Hunger Summit, Elizabeth Sweeney

University of Mississippi News

Summit helps nonprofits respond to COVID-19 and food insecurity in Mississippi

Injustice Is An Underlying Condition, Yael Cannon

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Race, poverty, and zip code serve as critical determinants of a person's health. Research showed the links between these factors and poor health and mortality before COVID-19, and they have only been amplified during this pandemic.

People of color experience higher rates of asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. People of color who live in poverty are even more likely to suffer from poor health; they face a “double burden” of health disparities associated with both racial and socioeconomic marginalization. Neighborhoods with concentrated poverty and with residents who are primarily people of color have even faced a life …

What Can Covid-19 Teach Us About Using Ai In Pandemics?, Krzysztof Laudanski, Gregory Shea, Matthew Dimeglio, Mariana Rastrepo, Cassie Solomon

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

The COVID-19 pandemic put significant strain on societies and their resources, with the healthcare system and workers being particularly affected. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers the unique possibility of improving the response to a pandemic as it emerges and evolves. Here, we utilize the WHO framework of a pandemic evolution to analyze the various AI applications. Specifically, we analyzed AI from the perspective of all five domains of the WHO pandemic response. To effectively review the current scattered literature, we organized a sample of relevant literature from various professional and popular resources. The article concludes with a consideration of AI's weaknesses …

Lianas Maintain Insectivorous Bird Abundance And Diversity In A Neotropical Forest, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Nicole L. Michel, Jennifer S. Powers, W. Douglas Robinson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The spatial habitat heterogeneity hypothesis posits that habitat complexity increases the abundance and diversity of species. In tropical forests, lianas add substantial habitat heterogeneity and complexity throughout the vertical forest profile, which may maintain animal abundance and diversity. The effects of lianas on tropical animal communities, however, remain poorly understood. We propose that lianas have a positive effect on animals by enhancing habitat complexity. Lianas may have a particularly strong influence on the forest bird community, providing nesting substrate, protection from predators, and nutrition (food). Understory insectivorous birds, which forage for insects that specialize on lianas, may particularly benefit. Alternatively, …

Functional And Physiological Role Of Extra-Hypothalamic Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Neurons In The Nucleus Of The Hippocampal Commissure In Regulation Of Stress Response, Hakeem Kadhim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) neurons located within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) are known to be involved in regulation of stress responses. Recently, CRH neurons were identified above the PVN within the nucleus of the hippocampal commissure (NHpC) that located in the septum. We hypothesized that CRH neurons in the NHpC play a critical role in the stress response due to their rapid activation and could be a part of the traditional hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The dissertation addresses the role of 1) CRH expressing neurons in the NHpC compared with those within the PVN utilizing two different stressors, food deprivation (FD) …

The Effect Of Epa And Dha On Skeletal Muscle Physiology And Energy Balance, Saeed Jebor Ghnaimawi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation commonly suggested during pregnancy confers many health benefits on offspring and more recently improves fetal BAT development and induces myoblast trans-differentiation into adiopocytes through activating PPARs expression. Embryonic myoblast is a highly flexible cell showing great capacity to change its phenotype into adipocyte in response to EPA and DHA supplementation in many in vitro models. However, a little is known about the identity of derived adipocytes, whether, they change into brown or white adipocyte, and in vivo evidence is still missing. Given that the myogeneis process is initiated at the mid of …

Aku Research 2020, Office Of Research And Graduate Studies

Office of Research and Graduate Studies

Content

- Messages

- Preface

- Research projects

- Research on COVID-19

- University updates

Effects Of Caffeine Gum On Muscular Strength And Power In Recreationally Active Females, Lindsay D. Montgomery

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that a moderate dose of caffeine may enhance muscular strength and power, particularly in males. Less is known on caffeine’s impact on muscular performance in females. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 200 mg dose caffeine gum on muscular strength and muscular power in recreationally active females. Nineteen women participated in 3 laboratory sessions, the first being the familiarization trial. During the next two visits, the participants were given either 200 mg of caffeine gum or a placebo gum, rested for 15 minutes, completed a 10 minute warm-up, then performed performance testing …

Observed Defects Of Swiss Cheese Based On The Microbiome Contribution To The Production Of Organic Acids, Vannessa D. Campfield

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The United States Department of Agriculture downgrades on the order of 17% of all Swiss cheese produced in the United States due to defects. Many of these defects are related to improper eye formation, number, distribution, or size; leading to an industry loss of over $69 million per annum. The microbiome in Swiss-type cheeses plays a significant role in eye development due to production of organic acids and gaseous emissions contingent on bacterial abundance and phenotype. The relationship between bacteria and the organic acids they produce leading to Swiss cheese defects can be correlated using Next-generation sequencing and high-performance liquid …

Forming Institutional Values: An Exploratory Investigation Of The Interinstitutional Logics System And National Collegiate Athletic Association Embedded Agents, Jay Martyn

Dissertations

The institutional logics perspective is a metatheoretical framework utilized to examine the interrelationships between institutions, individuals, and organizations in a social system (Thornton et al., 2012). A developing thought in the institutional logics perspective is the concept of the interinstitutional system, which is a framework for understanding a levels metatheory of institutions. Undeniably, there has been a growing demand for literature in the sport management field pertaining to Institutional Theory and scholars have emphasized the necessity to examine institutional logics in the sport industry (Washington & Patterson, 2011). Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the logics …

Gender Difference In Mortality Among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Hiv Co-Infected Adults Aged 15-49 Years In Kenya, Rose J. Kosgei, Steven Callens, Peter Gichangi, Marleen Temmerman, Anne-Beatrice Kihara, Gathara David, Eunice Nyaboe Omesa, Enos Masini, E. Jane Carter

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Setting: Kenya, 2012–2015

Objective: To explore whether there is a gender difference in all-cause mortality among smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB)/ HIV co-infected patients treated for tuberculosis (TB) between 2012 and 2015 in Kenya.

Design: Retrospective cohort of 9,026 smear-positive patients aged 15–49 years. All-cause mortality during TB treatment was the outcome of interest. Time to start of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation was considered as a proxy for CD4 cell count. Those who took long to start of ART were assumed to have high CD4 cell count.

Results: Of the 9,026 observations analysed, 4,567(51%) and 4,459(49%) were women and men, …

Using A Species Distribution Approach To Model Historic Camas (Camassia Quamash) In Southern Idaho And Implications For Foraging In The Late Archaic, Royce Johnson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Camas (Camassia quamash) is well documented as a traditional native food source throughout the Northwestern United States and Canada. A better understanding of the historic distribution of camas in Idaho would help to distinguish root foraging in this region from the Pacific Northwest. Modern grazing, development, climate change, and other factors have decimated native camas in this region. This study uses a species distribution model (MaxEnt) to provide a well-informed geospatial projection of the historic distribution and habitat characteristics of camas in Southern Idaho. Understanding the most significant landscape and climate characteristics for camas allows us to estimate …

Exploring Cooperative Behaviors Among The Sena Of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique And The Dolgan/Nganasan Of Ust'-Avam, Siberia, Victoria Silva

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Why do humans cooperate? Mechanisms including inclusive fitness, reciprocal altruism, indirect reciprocity, and costly signaling provide explanations for human cooperation and partner choice. Using data from the Sena people of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique and the Dolgan/Nganasan of Ust’-Avam Siberia, I examine several questions relating to cooperation. During a preliminary study, interview and observational data was collected that provide insight on the day-to-day activities of 33 households in Gorongosa National Park. Cooperative activities include cooperative socializing, play, cooperative breeding, and household labor. It was found that most daily activities observed were done solitarily and men were most likely to be …

Identification And Characterization Of Candidate Staphylococcus Aureus Antigens For Inclusion In A Multivalent Bovine Mastitis Vaccine, Danielle Scarbrough

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Bovine mastitis, inflammation typically caused by bacterial infection, is the most prevalent disease affecting the global dairy industry. Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the most important pathogens implicated in the disease and can persist within herds at subclinical levels. A preventative S. aureus bovine mastitis vaccine would substantially lessen costs associated with treatment and restore revenue lost due to decreased milk production. One such experimental vaccine is the IsdA-CTA₂/B + ClfA-CTA₂/B vaccine, containing the S. aureus antigens IsdA and ClfA , each fused to the nontoxic A₂/B subunits of cholera toxin, which serves as …

The Effects Of Head Start On Parenting: A Systematic Literature Review, Julia Alotta

Public Administration & Policy

Head Start (HS) is federally funded early childhood development program that provides services, including daycare and parenting classes for low-income families. However, debates exist over its efficacy in improving child development outcomes throughout the child’s life course. This research aimed to review the evidence that Head Start improves parenting skills, which, in turn can foster improved health through a systematic review of recent empirical literature on Head Start and parenting. The study identified nine studies measuring the impact of parental involvement in HS on child outcomes. After reviewing these articles, we conclude that the HS program allows for parents to …

In Vitro Method To Quantify And Visualize Volumetric Wear In Meniscus Subjected To Joint Loading Using A 3d Optical Scanner, Kate J. Benfield

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The menisci are fibrocartilaginous soft tissues that act to absorb and distribute load across the surface of the knee joint. As a result of mechanical wear and large repetitive loading, meniscus tissue can begin to breakdown, or degenerate. Meniscus degeneration increases the risk of tearing, weakened tissue integrity, and the progression of osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the wear behavior of whole human meniscus to identify conditions that may significantly increase the risk of degeneration.

The objective of this study is to develop and validate an in vitro methodology for characterizing volumetric wear behavior in whole human meniscus …