Chronic disease is costly to treat and burdensome for those living with its impacts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017), 117 million Americans currently live with chronic disease, and one in four adults live with two or more chronic diseases. The burden placed on the U.S....
This study examines the ways in which community college transfer students develop a sense of belonging at the four-year institution. This inquiry was guided by a constructivist epistemology and qualitative methodology. Data was collected through conducting one-on-one interviews and focus groups to gather information on how transfer students develop a...
This dissertation aims to provide a comprehensive portrayal of doula care in the lives of pregnant and parenting adolescent mothers. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationships between psychosocial stress, social support, institutionalized constraints, and their impacts on health and well-being among adolescent mothers in the Northwestern...
Beginning in 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic contributed to an increase in housing insecurity among college students. As awareness around homelessness has increased, so has research aimed at better understanding the causes of homelessness and housing insecurity among college students, as well as opportunities to better support economic access to higher...
In this ethnographic study, I examine how women living in downstate Illinois decide to give birth at home. I view decision-making as a process that unfolds throughout pregnancy and continues into the postpartum period, contextualizing "choice" in a region where homebirth is a politically and socially marginalized practice. The methodology...
Haiti's political and economy history has led to a maternity care system that lies out of reach, geographically and financially, of most Haitians, resulting in excessively high maternal and infant mortality. The most common birth practitioners are homebirth midwives (matwòns), who attend roughly three-fourths of all births in Haiti (UNICEF),...
Queer birthing parents in the Pacific Northwestern United States have multifaceted and variable paths when it comes to conceiving a family. With the innovations in assisted reproductive technology accompanying the wider acceptance and recognition of gender and sexual difference in mainstream society, a greater number of queer birthing parents are...
In August of 2011, Jenny Minten came across an old coffin, complete with a skeleton, in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Scio lodge. After it was determined that the skeleton did not represent a modern forensic case, the remains were donated to the Oregon State University Anthropology Department....
In this thesis, I examine the experiences of breastfeeding mothers who chose to give birth with Certified Professional Midwives at a free-standing birth center, and the factors that influence their known high rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration. Using grounded theory and data collected from participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and...
Despite apparently supportive national policies, including nation-wide legalization of home birth and coverage by the national health care system of the costs associated with that option, these births account for less than 1% of all births in the Republic of Ireland. Using data collected during participant observation, both in person...
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Melissa
J.
Cheyney
Despite
apparently
supportive
national
This dissertation aims to elicit how a neo-colonial context shapes maternal and infant heath (MIH) outcomes by describing how they are socially, politically, historically, and culturally produced. Using a multi-level critical biocultural, medical anthropological research approach, the purpose of this research was to investigate maternal stress in the United States...
This research focuses on the economic and social impacts to women’s and children’s dental health after methamphetamine abuse. Family oral health status, access to professional services, health literacy and home hygienic practices are evaluated in the frameworks of critical medical anthropology, applied anthropological praxis and matrix and bio-psycho-social addiction models...
Many meteorologists rely heavily on their experience of past weather events to supplement their forecasting tools, such as using past experience to help decide between conflicting numerical weather prediction models. Experiential knowledge is an important piece of forecasting, however it is highly subjective and variable from one forecaster to another....
With the increasing international focus on transboundary cooperation as a part of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Framework, there is global recognition of transboundary water cooperation as a tool for improved governance and management of transboundary surface and groundwaters. Yet, there is not an agreed upon definition of transboundary water...
Music performance and education faced unique barriers during the COVID-19 global pandemic which made it nearly impossible to effectively implement online learning. To better understand these barriers and what improvements might be made during future pandemics that entail periods of isolation, I collected the oral histories of eight Oregon State...
Melissa was the most interesting person that I got the opportunity to meet. She is very religious, there were book cases, a piano top, and desktops full of bible books, song hymns, and Seven Day Adventist paraphernalia surround me. As Jan had told me I saw for myself that she...
A Cu/Fe-spinel-based oxygen carrier designed at the National Energy Technology Laboratory was studied in order to characterize its physical and chemical behavior with cyclic oxidation and reduction treatments at 800°C for applications in chemical looping combustions. Observations were made on individual particles of the oxygen carrier in-situ using a confocal...
During the depression era, millions of Americans listened to the weekly radio
addresses given by Father Charles Edward Coughlin. He devoted his career to
speaking out against the evils of America and felt it his duty to warn Americans
against the perpetrators of this evil. But after 1934, the tone...
Recognizing the importance of native black cottonwood-dominated riparian
forests is especially important to preserve, protect, and manage for biodiversity in
the Willamette River Valley. Species composition, structure, and biomass along a
successional gradient from stand initiation to late succession of black cottonwood
(Populus balsamfera L. subsp. trichocarpa (T. & G.)...
Starved cells of Ant-300, a psychrophilic marine Vibrio, maintained
binding and transport systems for glutamic acid, arginine, proline, and
leucine. The uptake of these amino acids was inhibited by the uncoupler
2,4-dinitrophenol indicating that an energized membrane was necessary
for binding and was maintined in starved cells. The levels of...
The purpose of this study is to use an integrated biocultural perspective to examine the decision-making processes of young survivors as they navigate breast cancer treatment and reproductive health care options. This retrospective study utilizes a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative survey data (Phase I) with interview (Phase II) and...
The amorphous to crystalline phase change is of great interest for the production and operation of phase change memory and germanium electronic devices. Phase change memory relies on the ability to differentiate between differences in optical or electrical properties between the amorphous and crystalline phases of a single material. Amorphous...
Phase change memory materials are a set of chalcogenide or pnictogenide materials systems currently being researched for use in optical and resistive based memory systems due to their large change in optoelectronic properties between the amorphous and the crystalline states. For these materials systems to be considered as a suitable...
The phases of transition alumina are scientifically interesting due to their high specific surface area, favorable acid/ base characteristics, and chemical and hydrothermal stability which make this metallic oxide a prime candidate for use as a support for metallic nanoparticles (NPs) in heterocatalysis. Interactions at alumina/Pt interfaces are important for...
Most of the concrete in the world is produced using hydraulic cement (ordinary portland cement, OPC) and siliceous or alumino-siliceous supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). Due to the shift in focus toward environmental sustainability within the construction industry, alkali-activated cementitious systems (AAC) have gained significant attention to reduce the carbon footprint...
Groundwater tables are dropping quickly in many regions of the world. Central Asia is an arid region where groundwater abstraction rates often exceed recharge rates. The Pretashkent Aquifer is a crucial transboundary groundwater resource for the Republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Both countries rely on the aquifer as a primary...
The development of a transient electric birefringence (TEB) apparatus for macroparticle characterization is herein discussed. The experimental difficulties encountered were related largely to poor data resolution. Misalignment and strain birefringence in optical components further complicated results. Improved data digitization methods were developed, and precise mathematical models were derived in order...
The goal of this thesis is to advance the methodology and thought regarding the transferability of ecological estimates of ecosystem services. Conceptually and in practice, ecological estimate transfer parallels economic benefit transfer in ecosystem services research and policy, yet the literature for benefit transfer predates ecological estimate transfer by several...
Performance evaluation of conventionally reinforced concrete (CRC) bridge superstructure elements with diagonal cracks is of interest to the bridge engineering community. Standardized methods to predict service-level stress magnitudes in cracked bridge girders under combined bending and shear forces are not available. An analysis procedure was developed to determine the response...
This study explores how multispecies social networks influence small farmers' perceptions of and responses to climate change across Oregon. Local food sovereignty and food system resilience depend on a robust local food system in which small farms play a critical role. To maintain their viability, small farmers must adapt to...
Biological agents and their products commonly cause foodborne illnesses. In the United States it is estimated that there are over 76 million cases of foodborne illnesses each year, resulting in an economic loss of approximately $40 billion. These high figures demonstrate the need for bioassays that display a rapid and...
The management of the Northern Rocky Mountains (NRM) gray wolf population is a longstanding controversy that has fueled generations of political and cultural turmoil in the American West. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, wolves were eradicated from the West for the threat...
The objective of this research is to support DfX considerations in the early phases of design, particularly Design for the Environment. In order to include DfX considerations, especially early in the design process, there needs to be access to knowledge and information that is usually only applicable further downstream in...
Nitroaromatic compounds have important chemical applications and can be found in nature as pollution sources. Synthetic nitroaromatic compounds have been used in a variety of materials including explosives, pharmaceuticals, dyes, plastics, and pesticides. These compounds can find their way into the environment through normal or improper disposal methods.
Poly-aromatic compounds...
The impacts of climate change are being observed worldwide. However, some regions and context specific situations make particular areas more vulnerable to the impacts than others. Alaska’s Kenai River Watershed (KRW) is on the front lines of climate change and may be especially vulnerable to the impacts due to distinct...
In this article, I examine the clinical practices engaged in by U.S. homebirth midwives and their clients from the beginning of pregnancy through to the immediate postpartum period, deconstructing them for their symbolic and ritual content. Using data collected from open-ended, semistructured interviews and intensive participant-observation, I describe the roles...
Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease, affecting a third of women and a fifth of men over age 65. In the US, annual health care costs associated with osteoporosis are estimated to be over $20 billion. Osteoporosis is associated with increased fracture risk, which has been demonstrated to predict...
Anthropogenically-induced increases in the acidity of the ocean have the potential to seriously harm marine calcifying organisms by decreasing the availability of carbonate (CO32−) used to make shells. I tested the effects of lowered pH on juvenile Pisaster ochraceus, an intertidal sea star and keystone predator in the eastern Pacific...
Endurance riding reflects a relatively new sport among equine athletic disciplines and is growing rapidly. Of all the equine athletic disciplines, endurance riding is the most closely interrelated with veterinary assessment and control to ensure that horses are not exercised beyond their athletic capacity. As endurance riding competition has evolved,...
Cognitive impairment, or cognitive decline, a noticeable and measurable decline in cognitive abilities (e.g. memory and learning) that exceeds those attributed to normal aging, represents an early symptom of neurodegeneration and increased risk for progression to more severe dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). While the complex etiology of these...
The purpose of this project was to examine how trauma can be manifested during birth, as well as the tools non-clinical labor support professionals called doulas can provide. I aimed to analyze the first-hand experiences of two mothers with a history of trauma, taking note of the perceived benefits of...
The purpose of this project is to write a children’s book that promotes breastfeeding to
acculturating Latin@s. María’s Mamá’s Milk or La leche de la mamá de María is about a little
girl named María whose mother is about to give birth. María wonders what the new baby will
eat,...
Student parents are a growing population within college and university campuses. Though their numbers continue to grow, there is no proportionate growth in resources from the universities that are available to them. Issues like this and others that student parents face due to their unique identity were amplified in the...
The emergence of the 2019 coronavirus disease drove the rapid implementation of telehealth in maternal healthcare services in the United States (US) and globally. To protect providers and patients, states across the US incorporated telecommunications technology to substitute traditional in-person care for many aspects of perinatal care, for low- and...
The purpose of this study was: 1. To determine the percent of the total income spent by each of the five cooperative
houses at Oregon State College for food, heat, light, and
water; repairs and replacements; salaries; laundry; miscellaneous
expense; rent; and amortization of the loan and purchase
of equipment....
Females do not seek out pelvic exams routinely, which can lead to an increase in undetected pelvic cancers. While there are studies depicting women’s perspectives during gynecological exams, there are not many compilations of negative experiences during pelvic exams with individuals of other identities and recommendations for providers. This scoping...
There is a critical need to understand the impact rural community health coalitions can have on their communities when there is a willingness and drive from community members to share resources and provide supports. This oral history will provide the Live Longer Lebanon Community Health Coalition with a document that...
Some elementary teachers want to be more child-centered in their
teaching. They are trying to consider the needs of the students
before the coverage of curriculum. Much of the inspiration for this
educational approach has come from the British primary schools.
The purpose of this study was to see if...
In the thesis, an application of a genetic algorithm (GA) is considered to solve the vehicle routing problem (VRP) which involves heterogeneous vehicles to serve known customer demands from multiple depots achieving the minimum delivery cost, where each customer must be satisfied by one or more visit(s), and each vehicle...
This thesis presents a novel methodology that enables power efficient video decoding
in an embedded system based on MPSoC (Multiprocessor System on Chip). This
methodology is a physical combination of parallel processing which reduces power
consumption of processors by exploiting thread-level parallelism and Dynamic
Voltage Frequency Scaling (DVFS) that allows...
A 3-minute lightning talk was given by Victoria Keenan at the 2019 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium on her role as a researcher for the Community Doula Project in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. The presentation provided an insight into the emergent themes identified from the ongoing semi-structured, open-ended qualitative interviews...
College students today have a lot to contend with in their journey as young adults. The college years are often a transitional time for students, and as such there is a vulnerability to mental health declines. Financial, academic, and social strain are some of the factors that can contribute to...
This creative writing project employs the use of ethnographic fiction to position the voices of newly mothering women within the literature surrounding gender inequality, access to social services, and pregnancy while being situated during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The voices of four women are brought to life within a broader...
Gluten intolerance is a condition that affects a significant portion of the world’s
population. While awareness about the condition has recently increased, the condition
remains poorly understood and therefore commonly mis- and underdiagnosed. In this
paper, I examine the challenges in obtaining a gluten intolerant diagnosis and attempt to
capture...
The periviable period is defined as birth between 20 and 26 weeks gestation—the limit of viability or the earliest age at which a premature neonate may be expected to live—during which clinical outcomes vary widely. The medical uncertainty with this pregnancy complication can cause a significant amount of physical and...
In this thesis I examine the biocultural affects of nutrition and pregnancy on dental health throughout Ecuador. Factors such as diet, fertility rates, cultural practices and barriers to health care are investigated through a review of the existing literature. Three main regions of Ecuador were selected for examination -- the...
The purpose of this study was to examine pregnant Puerto Rican women’s perspectives on the Zika virus threat. Using data collected from open-ended, semi-structured interviews and observational field notes, we aimed to understand the degree to which Zika contributes to maternal stress. How concerned are pregnant women in Puerto Rico...
Current estimates indicate that between one-third and one-half of women in the United States have at least one abortion in their lifetime, and that many women encounter socioeconomic, logistical, or social obstacles in the process of seeking care (Jones 2005, Guttmacher 2008). The purpose of this study is to critically...
There is great value in understanding the impact that a doctor’s approach to care may have on the experience of the patient. This oral history adds to the body of knowledge that we have about osteopathic medicine and its providers- DOs. It captures real, lived narratives of DOs in Oregon,...
In his work, The Soul of Medicine: Tales from the Bedside, Dr. Sherwin Nuland utilized narratives from his colleagues detailing their encounters with their most remarkable patients in order to characterize what he refers to as “the soul of medicine”. However, the stories contributed focused on the practice of medicine...
Midwives in the Unites States frequently prescribe herbs and other complementary and alternative therapies for the common complaints of pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. Although many studies have reported quantitative data on midwives utilization of herbs, this research aims to convey ethnographic information on midwives use, beliefs, and perceptions...
Autonomous robotic agents are on their way to becoming in-home personal assistants, construction assistants, and warehouse workers. The degree of autonomy of such systems is reflected by the manner in which we specify goals to them; the abstraction of low-level commands to high-level goals goes hand-in-hand with increased autonomy. In...
Blackberries, genus Rubus, are an important Oregon agricultural commodity. In their fresh and processed forms, they offer many health benefits and may be able to help Americans better achieve fruit consumption recommendations because of convenience and pleasant sensory qualities. However, the susceptibility of blackberry products to contamination with bacterial pathogens...
The development of the Lee strain of type B influenza
virus was shown to be inhibited by puromycin in tissue culture of the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane. The
compound is an antibiotic of unique structure which has
been reported to possess a broad range of biological activity
against unicellular and...
Clean cooking technologies and fuels have been cited as a viable way to slow climate change and reduce the health and environmental impacts associated with traditional cooking devices used by 40% of the world. While engineers in the Design for Development sector have created hundreds of stove designs that perform...
Unintended pregnancy has been found to be one of the most prominent challenges that the public health system is forced to overcome due to the financial and social burdens that accompany it (Yazdkhasti et al., 2015). With nearly 48% of reproductive-age American female patients having experienced at least one unintended...
This thesis examines how changes made to the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) in 2003 impacts those now utilizing the emergency room (ER) for primary health care. This thesis also examines how these changes impact staff members working in the ER of Salem Hospital. Through the utilization of qualitative research methods,...
Metallic nuclear fuels have long been studied for use in advanced nuclear reactors, with efforts invested in improving the viability of metallic nuclear fuel elements and overall safety of advanced reactor design concepts. During reactor operations, fuel forms undergo restructuring due to a variety of physical phenomena. Expansion of the...
Although the incidence of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is greater among women than men athletes, the factors that contribute to this greater risk of injury are not well understood. One relevant question is whether decision making during landing influences the biomechanical and neuromuscular factors thought to contribute to...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)
for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health
has underscored the danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services.
Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance
against...
Full Text:
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF
MelissaA. McKenney for the degree
The decline of the Chinook Salmon has been a mystery of recent years due to their decline. It has been speculated that wild origin salmon have more vigor and survivability than hatchery reared fish. This is thought to be due to rearing conditions, possibly affecting sensory organ development. The sensory...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health has underscored he danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services. Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance against...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)
for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health
has underscored the danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services.
Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance
against...
Full Text:
Cranberries
Melissa McKenney
BioResource Research, Honors College
Dr. Sujaya Rao, Dr. W.P. Stephen
Oregon
The decline of the Chinook Salmon has been a mystery of recent years due to their decline. It has been speculated that wild origin salmon have more vigor and survivability than hatchery reared fish. This is thought to be due to rearing conditions, possibly affecting sensory organ development. The sensory...
The effect of anthropogenic disturbance on river systems is gaining attention, and concerns about the state of freshwater natural resources are increasing globally, as are efforts to restore habitat that has been degraded by disturbance. In rivers, non-point source pollution affects the physical characteristics of the habitat and the endemic...
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences and understandings of professionals engaged in the interpretation of archaeological resources and heritage sites. The focus was on the examination of the experiences of professionals engaged in the interpretation of archaeological resources and their understandings of the following:...
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)
for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health
has underscored the danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services.
Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance
against...
Full Text:
insect floral visitors,
particularly bees. A number of plants, both in agricultural and natural
Farmers rely almost exclusively on the imported European honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) for fruit and vegetable crop pollination services. The recent decline in honeybee health has underscored the danger of relying on a single species to provide vital services. Increasing pollinator biodiversity with native bees may provide biological insurance against...
Ontogenetic niche theory predicts that as organisms grow they make size-specific changes in habitat use and diet to optimize growth and survival. A variety of factors contribute to growth and survival in different habitats, ultimately leading to variation in life history that can affect population dynamics. An understanding of the...
Chiloquin Dam, located on the Sprague River in southern Oregon, was removed in August of 2008. The processing of the sediment stored behind the dam (composed primarily of sand and fines) and the resulting bedform changes have been examined using repeat cross section surveys, yearly bathymetric surveys, and surface sediment...
Many communities emphasize participatory involvement in local development or reinvention efforts. Recognizing barriers among specific groups could help community leaders identify what may be constraining underrepresented groups from joining in. Utilizing data from the Social Capital Benchmark Survey, this research examined identified “barriers” to community involvement among individuals in rural...
Obstetric fistula is estimated to affect 1–2 million women worldwide, predominantly in low-resource countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia. The primary intervention for obstetric fistula is surgery, which is described as a relatively simple surgical procedure with an extremely high psychosocial and economic benefit relative to cost. Research addressing...
Scleractinian corals, like many other cnidarians, engage in intracellular symbiosis with
dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Symbiodinium. This association makes
invaluable structural and energetic contributions to the marine environment and to the
coral reef ecosystem in particular. While many aspects of the cnidarian-dinoflagellate
relationship have been well studied, nothing is...
Bees provide vital ecosystem services for cropping systems as well as natural landscapes. Declines in both both native bee and managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations has brought attention to the significance of their role as pollinators in managed and native ecosystems. As a result, conservation efforts have been...
Sablefish is a commercially important species with catch allocated across multiple sectors and gear types on the U.S. West Coast. A flexibility provision in the West Coast Groundfish Trawl Catch Share Program sanctions those with trawl permits to target Sablefish with fixed gear, such as longlines or pots, allowing the...
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of a yeast-derived cell wall preparation (YCW) on forage intake and digestibility, ruminal fermentation characteristics, serum prolactin and prolactin stores, and milk production in beef cattle consuming high-alkaloid tall fescue straw. In Exp. 1, 16 Angus x Hereford ruminally cannulated steers (200...
About 1% of U.S. births each year are planned home births (Vital Statistics Reports 2017). Of these, roughly 10% transfer to a higher level of care during labor (Melissa Cheyney et al. 2014), yet their experiences are rarely heard. Storytelling has long been used not only as entertainment, but as...
In India, globalized flows of bio-medical discourse, practices and technologies are reshaping the field of reproductive healthcare, and the performance of childbirth more specifically. These projects aim to produce institutional delivery rooms that are "safe and modernized" by equating the utilization of westernized, obstetric techniques for managing delivery with better...
In Uganda, there are an estimated 200,000 women suffering from obstetric fistula, with
1,900 new cases expected annually. These figures, combined with a persistently high
maternal mortality rate, have led to an international discourse that claims the solution to
improving maternal health outcomes is facility-based delivery with a skilled birth...
The sudden and unexpected death of a seemingly healthy infant sets in motion a number of linked processes with potentially complex and far-reaching ramifications. While individuals, families and communities grapple with the shock and heartbreak associated with the loss of a young life, a chain of multidisciplinary investigative responsibilities is...
This is an investigative, descriptive study that explored fishing regulation conflicts between commercial fishermen and fishery resource management agencies. The purpose of the study was to develop a rich picture of the conflict phenomenon and apply sociological theory in order to illuminate the underlying structures and functions which contribute to...