Digital Commons Network^™

Dog Population & Dog Sheltering Trends In The United States Of America, Andrew N. Rowan, Tamara Kartal

Demography and Statistics for Companion Animal Populations Collection

Dog management in the United States has evolved considerably over the last 40 years. This review analyzes available data from the last 30 to 40 years to identify national and local trends. In 1973, The Humane Society of the US (The HSUS) estimated that about 13.5 million animals (64 dogs and cats per 1000 people) were euthanized in the US (about 20% of the pet population) and about 25% of the dog population was still roaming the streets. Intake and euthanasia numbers (national and state level) declined rapidly in the 1970s due to a number of factors, including the implementation …

Developing A Mentor-Method Of Evangelism At Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri, Nathan Kuhlman

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Kuhlman, Nathan, A. “Developing a Mentor-Method of Evangelism at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri.” D.Min. MAP, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 196pp.

Past models of evangelism are not as effective as they once were. To meet a changing, post-Christian culture, a model of evangelism that better speaks in today’s context is necessary. To address this need, this project was born. The purpose of this project was to develop and launch a mentor-method approach to evangelism at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri. This was accomplished through the launch of a pilot group of 12 test subjects from Redeemer who worked through a 10-week …

Primary Care Provider Time Limited Interventions For Obesity An Integrative Review, Kristie Finkenbinder

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Obesity and excess weight are significant health problems in the United States, affecting the majority of United States citizens. The prevalence of obesity is already a large burden on individuals and society, but the steady growth is an ominous warning of what’s to come. If not addressed, the various complications of obesity are multiple and significant with often both immediate and lifelong sequelae. With an already taxed healthcare system the additional costs of obesity related healthcare are further depleting resources. Primary care providers have the best opportunity to influence this population and are thus on the front lines of this …

From The Cradle To The Grave: How The Embryonic Environment Shapes Responses To Climate Throughout The Life Cycle, Michael A. Carlo

All Theses

With rapidly warming climates, biologists are challenged to predict organismal responses to environmental variation, changes in biodiversity, and shifts in species distributions. In many cases, organismal responses differ across life stages that exhibit differences in physiological tolerances, habitat requirements, and resource allocations strategies. For instance, mobile life stages can alter behavior in response to changes in the thermal environment, whereas immobile life stages are often vulnerable to warming temperatures due to behavioral constraints and the limited microclimatic conditions experienced over small spatial extents (e.g., an embryo in an egg). Unfavorable developmental conditions can reduce growth, alter developmental rates, and increase …

Creating A New World: A Historiography Of The Atlantic World, Sam Traughber

Tenor of Our Times

Atlantic History, the study of the transatlantic connections between Western Europe, the Americas, and West Africa during the early modern period, has grown in use and popularity in recent years. This paper follows the historiography of the Atlantic World from a 1917 article in The New Republic to the publication of a popular history on the subject with Charles C. Mann’s 2011 book 1493. It discusses developments and contributions from a wide variety of scholars including political historians, economic historians, social historians, biological historians, historiographers, and geographers as well as the influence of the transatlantic nature of the Cold War …

Fear Of The Future: A Sociological Profile Of Anxiety In College, Lauren Hannah

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

College students are currently experiencing what psychologists and media outlets refer to as an "anxiety epidemic." Undergraduates are self-reporting and seeking counseling for anxiety in record numbers. Fear of the Future: A Profile of Anxiety in College is an exploratory sociology project whose aim is to understand the experience, manifestations, and root causes of anxiety in late Millennial college students. The core research involves a survey of over 400 Syracuse University undergraduates and three interviews with some of Syracuse University's professional counselors. The demographic findings of the survey and the common threads among statements from counselors are synthesized to …

Culturally Relevant Leisure Experiences As Predictors Of Intercultural Sensitivity Among Study Abroad Students, Samantha Powers

Master's Theses and Capstones

Study abroad programs are promoted on the premise that they offer valuable cross-cultural experiences and provide students with desired 21st century skills including global awareness, cross-cultural communications, and intercultural sensitivity (IS); however, simply to send students abroad is not enough to ensure skill development. Rather, there is a need for intentional pedagogy. As Engle and Engle (2004) have suggested regarding IS, the most successful study abroad programs seem to include culturally relevant leisure within the host community. Moreover, the theoretical framework of Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity has suggested the importance of various culturally relevant leisure experiences in assisting …

Millennial Culture And Epistemology: Exploring The Meaning-Making Discourse Of An Emerging Generation, Sophia Driscoll Gamber

Sociology Honors Papers

Millennial Culture and Epistemology takes a mixed methods approach to understanding the culture and epistemological processes of the current cohort of millennial undergraduate students at a small residential liberal arts college. The study first identifies specific trends in epistemological frameworks, ethics, and claimed spiritual/religious identities among a sample of undergraduate students and finds that students are commonly utilizing subjectivist epistemological frameworks that are built around cultural relativism and skepticism. The study then unpacks markers of undergraduate millennial culture as they relate to epistemology and finds that students’ stances on issues of community, social ethics and responsibility, religion, and spirituality are …

Kalamazoo Fc Social Media Plan, Brittney Wojcik

Honors Theses

Social media presents itself as a far-reaching and cost-effective tool to not only reach, but also to engage with potential audiences. As social media usage is becoming more commonplace, it is increasingly important for companies to understand their place within the social media realm.

Kalamazoo FC is a local semi-professional team in their third year of play. They are looking to expand their target market to include those of millennials, college students, and Latinos. Herein lies a comprehensive social media plan that contains detailed information regarding the team, new markets targeted, and social media platforms currently used by the team. …

Similarity Coefficients Influence The Delimitation Of Species In The Genus Aloe L. (Xanthorrhoeaceae), Halima Amir, Mkabwa Manoko

Tanzania Journal of Science

The present study was designed to establish the influence of coefficients indices in delimiting species using phenetic approach based on morphological data. Data were collected from thirty nine Aloe species described in Flora of Tropical East Africa. A total of forty two qualitative and quantitative characters were compiled from 83 specimens of aloes. Ten coefficient indices were tested. Data were analysed using UPMA approach of PAST software. The analyses confirmed that, truly coefficient of indices influenced the resulting classification. Of the 10 coefficients used only three produced 36-38 of the 39 species. Almost a third produced less than ten species-specific …

Activism As A Source Of Strength For Black College Students At Predominately White Institutions, Caroline M. Reid

Honors Theses

Racism is deeply ingrained in American society, and white supremacy and the oppression of people of color has greatly contributed to the establishment of the very institutions that continue to perpetuate its existence today. Racism manifests itself in a variety of ways, and its most constant and daily appearance is in instances of microaggressions. These experiences contribute to feelings of invisibility, frustration, and anger, an experience known as racism-related stress, which research has shown to severely and negatively impact mental health. In order to combat the insidious effects of racism, Black Americans have utilized coping mechanisms for generations. This resiliency …

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion: Charting The Course For Justice & Excellence In Academic Libraries, Jean Zanoni, Elisa Coghlan

Library Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Trust In The Jury System As A Predictor Of Juror/Jury Decisions, Kimberly S. Dellapaolera, Bailey A. Barnes, Brian H. Bornstein

UCARE: Research Products

To determine whether jurors’ attitudes are correlated with their verdicts and judgments at trial, the present experiments examined the relationship between individuals’ trust in the jury system, other legal attitudes, and their verdict judgments, at both the individual (juror) and group (jury) level. We used a binary logistic regression model to examine the factors—jury instructions and individual difference measures—that contribute to a juror’s verdict. The results indicate that jurors with higher PJAQ and JUST scores had a higher likelihood of voting guilty on a homicide trial involving a mercy killing. It was also found that the majority of juries in …

An Analysis Of The Factors That Contribute To High Hiv Rates In The Southern United States, Sabrina Williams

Honors Projects

A thirty three page research examining how factors such as poverty, homophobia, religion, and stigma play a role in the South’s high HIV diagnosis rates.

Edward P. Hogan Papers, Sdsu Archives And Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library

University Archives

Edward Hogan was professor and head of the Geography Department. This collection consists of appointment books, correspondence, clippings, certificates, biographical material, photographs, material published by Dr. Hogan, and material collected by Dr. Hogan in his research.

The Longitudinal Relation Between Housing Insecurity And Negative Parenting Practices, Saidah Chambers

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

National and state level data show that families experiencing housing insecurity, especially homelessness, exhibit higher rates of child welfare involvement as compared to low-income housed families; and suggest that certain factors may increase risk of child welfare involvement for housing insecure families. The interplay between housing insecurity, social support, and depression can affect family systems in several ways including through financial and emotional transactions; however, the relation between these factors and the range of housing problems remains unclear. This dissertation assessed how negative parenting practices were impacted by the complexity of circumstances that converge under the umbrella of housing insecurity. …

Variable Utilization Of Shelf Break-Associated Habitats By Chick-Brooding Rhinoceros Auklets In The California Current System, Bradley Wilkinson, Jaime Jahncke, Pete Warzybok, Russell Bradley, Scott A. Shaffer

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Identifying frequently complex and dynamic spatial distributions of marine predators via the modeling of at-sea observations can be inherently challenging, especially when attempting to predict habitats of specific populations. Remotely-sensed tracking devices provide a viable alternative way to gather this information. We collected fine-scale spatiotemporal movement data for a small seabird, the rhinoceros auklet Cerorhinca monocerata, in the California Current System. Chick-brooding adults nesting on Southeast Farallon Island were outfitted with GPS loggers during the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons (n = 15). Along with basic movement parameters, kernel density and residence time analyses were conducted to characterize at-sea distribution …

Dimensions Of Couples’ Decision-Making At Home: The Ghanian Experience, Ellen Mabel Osei-Tutu, Ernest Ampadu

Journal of International Women's Studies

The ability of women to be final decision makers at home to a large extent is dependent on their background characteristics. The aim of this paper is to ascertain who these women are. Data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey was used to analyze women’s decision-making at home. The five household decision-making variables identified include who decides how to spend respondent’s earnings and the person who usually decides on respondent’s health care. The rest are the person who usually decides on large household purchases, person who usually decides on visits to family or relatives and person who usually …

The Banner - V. 153, No. 2 - (February 2018), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women With An Unintended Pregnancy: Findings From A Prospective Registry In Rural Pakistan, Sumera Aziz Ali, Shiyam Sunder Tikmani, Margo S. Harrison, Sarah Saleem, Robert L. Goldenberg, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Omrana Pasha

Community Health Sciences

Background: Unintended pregnancies are an important public health issue in both developed and developing countries. An unintended pregnancy may affect maternal health seeking behavior during the antenatal and postpartum periods, which can adversely affect perinatal outcomes. Aim: The specific aim of our study was to measure antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum pregnancy outcomes among women with unintended pregnancies in a rural Pakistani population.
Methods: Using a prospective maternal and newborn health registry in Thatta Pakistan, we evaluated temporal associations between unintended pregnancy and several dimensions of health seeking behavior including: antenatal care, preference for private versus government facility for antenatal care, …

Squatters, Shanties, And Technocratic Professionals: Urban Migration And Housing Shortages In Twentieth-Century Chile, Nathan C. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the struggles of squatters and slum dwellers for housing prior to the 1973 coup in Santiago de Chile, Valparaíso, and surrounding areas, with a focus on the Frei era of the late 1960s. The work argues that severe urban overcrowding generated advocacy for housing during the rise of progressive and leftist politics in Chile. It also explores the dynamics of efforts to promote housing through the lens of the work of professionals in the fields of architecture and urban planning. It argues that Chilean professionals adopted modernist principals in the fields of architecture and planning when promoting …

Grieving Behaviors During Parental Bereavement In Western Societies, Victor A. Luna

Theses and Dissertations

This paper will examine the grieving behaviors of parents who have lost a child. More specifically, it will discuss how grieving behaviors that are deemed appropriate depend on one’s gender, and how societal norms discourage behaviors that are deemed inappropriate. The focus will be on industrialized Western societies.

Annual Reports Of The Town Officers Ossipee, New Hampshire For The Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2017, Vital Statistics For 2017., Ossipee Town Representatives

Ossipee, NH Annual Reports

This is an annual report containing vital statistics for a town/city in the state of New Hampshire.

Prospective Longitudinal Study Of The Pregnancy Dna Methylome: The Us Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes (Preg) Study, Dana M. Lapato, Sara Moyer, Emily Olivares, Ananda B. Amstadter, Patricia A. Kinser, Shawn J. Latendresse, Colleen Jackson-Cook, Roxann Roberson-Nay, Jerome F. Strauss, Timothy P. York

Human and Molecular Genetics Publications

Purpose The goal of the Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes study was to understand how social and environmental determinants of health (SEDH), pregnancy-specific environments (PSE) and biological processes influence the timing of birth and account for the racial disparity in preterm birth. The study followed a racially diverse longitudinal cohort throughout pregnancy and included repeated measures of PSE and DNA methylation (DNAm) over the course of gestation and up to 1 year into the postpartum period.

Participants All women were between 18 and 40 years of age with singleton pregnancies and no diagnosis of diabetes or indication of assisted reproductive technology. …

Demographic Hallmarks Of An Overbrowsed Population State In American Ginseng, James B. Mcgraw, Jennifer L. Chandler

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Effects of high deer herbivory in North America on populations of favored plant browse species have been well-documented, however since less palatable plants now dominate the understory, we asked whether these species could be vulnerable as well, and if so, what symptoms might signal that this was occurring? Using American ginseng (Panax quinque- foliusL.) as our representative less palatable understory plant, we compared two sub- populations within a single natural population that were differentially exposed to browse; one isolated from deer by growing atop a large, flat-topped boulder, and a browse-exposed subpopulation in the surrounding low-lying area. We tested the …

Improving Evidence-Based Practice Skills Of Practicing Registered Nurses, Lora K. Moore

Doctor of Nursing Practice Technical Reports

This study evaluated the effect of an educational intervention on improving evidence-based nursing practice (EBP) skills of practicing nurses. In addition, the effects of educational preparation and years of nursing experienced were examined. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, the Evidence Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) was administered to a convenience sample of registered nurses from a large regional hospital. The experimental group completed an online EBP educational intervention, the first control group completed an alternate unrelated educational intervention, and the second control group was not provided any type of educational intervention. No significant differences were noted in EBPQ subscale scores of …

Key Components Of A Culturally Relevant Multiethnic Church Model, Pablo Morales

Doctor of Ministry

The increasing ethnic and lingual diversity of the City of Richardson in north Texas is a microcosm of a social trend observed in the United States and around the globe. This demographic shift has propelled Ethnos Bible Church to pursue a multiethnic church model, yet, Ethnos does not understand the unique components of a culturally relevant multiethnic church. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to answer one question: What are the key components that Ethnos Bible Church needs to implement in order to cultivate a culturally relevant multiethnic church poised for ministry impact? This research reveals that although the current degree of …

Let’S Escape Into The Music: A Cross-Generational Oral History Of Orlando Lgbtq+ Spaces, Hannah Powell

Honors Program Theses

Since Orlando’s first gay bar, The Palace Club, opened in 1969, LGBTQ+ spaces have played an essential role in the Orlando queer community. They have acted as loci of gathering, solidarity, identity-formation, recreation, and even healing. There is an absence of literature on the LGBTQ+ community in Orlando and, more generally, in Central Florida as a whole. The legacy of LGBTQ+ spaces in Orlando is worthy of study due both to the city’s rich queer history and Orlando’s singular experience of the deadliest act of hate-motivated violence against the LGBTQ+ community in the history of the United States. Through documenting …

Beyond Monoamine Modulation: A Systematic Review Of Off-Label Ketamine For Treatment Resistant Depression, Hana Karina Arraya

Theses & ETDs

Major depressive disorder is a debilitating and chronic mental illness that impacts hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Depression is a treatable condition, but many patients are resistant to antidepressants despite multiple trials of adequate dose and duration. After accumulating evidence suggesting that the glutamatergic system plays a role in the pathology of depression, Berman and colleagues assessed ketamine, an anesthetic drug with mechanisms of action very different to conventional antidepressants, for its potential antidepressant properties and found that it was significantly more effective than placebo 72 hours after administration (Berman et al., 2000). Although no large scale clinical studies …

Filling The House: Engaging A Millennial Performing Arts Audience, Sarah Schreck

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this research is to identify best practices for public relations professionals when engaging with a Millennial performing arts audience, focusing on Hon and Grunig's relationship management theory (1999) and Kent and Taylor’s theory of dialogic communication (2014) to build interactivity in a digital space. Performing arts organizations have successfully engaged with previous generations, but are facing new challenges when communicating with millennial audiences. Changing demographics have led to a stagnation and decline of performing arts attendance as the millennial generation has come of age. This massive population has new priorities for spending and consumption of entertainment, and …