abstract: Individuals in urban low-income areas often do not have easy access to large grocery stores and supermarkets, and regularly shop at nearby small/corner stores. These stores stock an abundance of processed, energy-dense, nutrient poor foods, combined with few nutrient-dense products. A high concentration of small/corner stores is associated with poor diets by nearby residents. Interventions that target small food stores for increasing the availability and sale of healthy foods have been launched in many communities, and validated survey instruments have been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. However, in-store surveys can take up to thirty minutes to conduct and require individual visits from investigators. Many projects assess the food environment in a large number of stores spread across broad geographical areas, making in-person evaluations infeasible and resource-prohibitive. The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and feasible short survey that could be used in-store or over the phone to capture the healthfulness of corner stores. An adapted version of the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Corner Stores (NEMS-CS) was used to conduct store audits of 230 corner stores in four New Jersey cities. Audit results were used in exploratory factor analysis and item response theory to develop a seven-item survey. The short survey was highly correlated with the full survey (r=0.79), and the short survey's classification of stores as healthy (top 20% of scores) versus unhealthy (bottom 80% of stores) matched NEMS-CS categorizations in 88% of cases. A second round of audits was conducted in 100 corner stores to confirm the validity of the seven-item survey and to test its feasibility as a phone audit tool. Complete phone responses were obtained from 86% of stores. Response matches indicated that store owners did not distinguish between 2% and low-fat milk, and tended to round up the fruit and vegetable count to five if they had fewer varieties. The seven-item short survey discriminates between healthy and unhealthy stores and is feasible for use as a phone audit tool. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Physical Activity, Nutrition and Wellness 2015

Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are chemicals found in many consumer products including water bottles, food packaging and cosmetics. Previous research has shown that there is potential for these compounds to contribute to obesity. In this analysis, the Canadian Health Measures Survey was used to investigate possible associations between urinary concentrations of these compounds and measures of adiposity. BPA urine concentrations were found to decrease with age, and significant associations with BMI and waist circumference were found in linear regression in adults. No associations with measures of adiposity were found in logistic regression for adults and significant negative associations were found in children. A similar discrepancy was found for mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, which were significantly associated with obesity in adults, but showed several significant negative associations in children. Overall, this analysis showed that it is unlikely that BPA and phthalates are contributing to adiposity in the Canadian population.

This master's thesis describes suggestion of an application designed for marketing research utilizing development environment of Ericsson company using services IMS and SIP. The essay examines the options offered by programming languages Java, PHP, of the database system MySQL, language XML and SIP messages. A creation of a server - client pair of applications used for marketing research was the main focus of this paper was. These applications can be used for distribution of questionnaires and their subsequent collection by the server, which allows for an output of statistics based on the acquired data. It is not necessary to work with all the applications, it is possible to filter based on one or more categories and only have the selected questionnaires sent. The questionnaire results will be shown in a form of straightforward table in the server’s console window. The XML language has been selected for the storing the questionnaires. All technologies and methods used are described within the essay. An integral part of the module is also the creation of a database of questions, which has been created in the PHP programming language. MySQL has been used as a database server. The application output is an XML file, which can be used as an input for an IMS server. The results of this thesis are demonstrated using screenshots taken during the application testing.

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

My work is a type of survey working as a documentation and analysis, enabling the mind to examine certain conditions of both the build and unbuilt environment. Geometric, relational, material or technical. What happens when we record what already exists? Could it be used to image what might be?

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / There is no satisfactory statistical record of oral submucous fibrosis in the Republic of South Africa or India. The present prevalence study of OSF among Indians in the municipal area of Durban was planned by the Institute for Biostatistics of the South African Medical Research Council. The sampling consisted of a stratified random survey and the total number of subjects examined was 2 058. They were stratified into the age groups: 10-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+ years, and into sexes. Each age group included 294 people (147 males and 147 females). From the 29 suburbs included in this survey 147 points were sampled. The number of sampling points was calculated proportional to the population size. At each sampling point one individual of each sex in each age group was selected i.e. 14 individuals at each sampling point.

This study was designed to determine whether the variables gender, age, marital status, occupation, self-employment, income, race, and education could be used individually or in combination to both differentiate among levels of investor risk tolerance and classify individuals into risk-tolerance categories. The Leimberg, Satinsky, LeClair, and Doyle (1993) financial management model was used as the theoretical basis for this study. The model explains the process of how investment managers effectively develop plans to allocate a client's scarce investment resources to meet financial objectives. An empirical model for categorizing investors into risk-tolerance categories using demographic factors was developed and empirically tested using data from the 1992 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) (N = 2,626). The average respondent was affluent and best represented the profile of an investment management client. Based on findings from a multiple discriminant analysis test it was determined that respondent demographic characteristics were significant in differentiating among levels of risk tolerance at the p < .0001 level (i.e., gender, married, single but previously married, professional occupational status, self-employment status, income, White, Black, and Hispanic racial background, and educational level), while three demographic characteristics were found to be statistically insignificant (i.e., age, Asian racial background, and never married). Multiple discriminant analysis also revealed that the demographic variables examined in this study explained approximately 20% of the variance among the three levels of investor risk tolerance. Classification equations were generated. The classification procedure offered only a 20% improvement-over-chance, which was determined to be a low proportional reduction in error. The classification procedure also generated unacceptable levels of false positive classifications, which led to over classification of respondents into high and no risk-tolerance categories, while under classifying respondents into the average risk-tolerance category. Two demographic characteristics were determined to be the most effective in differentiating among and classifying respondents into risk-tolerance categories. Classes of risk tolerance differed most widely on respondents' educational level and gender. Educational level of respondents was determined to be the most significant optimizing factor. It also was concluded that demographic characteristics provide only a starting point in assessing investor risk tolerance. Understanding risk tolerance is a complicated process that goes beyond the exclusive use of demographic characteristics. More research is needed to determine which additional factors can be used by investment managers to increase the explained variance in risk-tolerance differences. / Ph. D.

One of the most obvious as well as the most complex problems with which the Utah State Agricultural College has to deal is that of finding and keeping suitable living quarters for the students under its care. When the institution was small the matter was fairly easy to adjust. But with the extraordinarily rapid increase in the number of young people attending the college it has become a most perplexing problem.

Advances in geophysical and remote sensing technology, specifically with ground penetrating radar (GPR) and geographic information systems (GIS), have led to increased use for archaeological research within cemeteries. Because of its non-invasive manner and high resolution of subsurface anomalies, GPR is ideal for surveying areas with marked or unmarked graves within cemeteries. Using a GIS assists cemetery research by facilitating integration of datasets and projection of spatial data. What has not been attempted to this point is systematic attempting to correlate detection rates of marked graves using a GPR with the time frame of the grave while incorporating the data within a GIS. This research project is the first to correlate rates of detection with a GPR and the age of marked graves with the data integrated into a GIS platform. Greenwood Cemetery, located in downtown Orlando, FL, was chosen for the study. A total of 1738 graves (ranging in date from 1883-2008) were surveyed with a GPR and then paired with probe data to address whether there is a correlation between rates of detection and age of the surveyed grave. Further, the correlation between the rates of geophysical detection to an independent verification by a T-bar probe and the relationship between the depth and age of the grave by decade were examined. Finally, the problem of collating the relevant survey data was addressed by using a GIS for data integration. The results of the geophysical survey show a correlation between ages of graves and rates of detection. Older graves were detected less with a GPR compared to higher detection rates of more recent graves. The results also support the utility of pairing GPR with probe data for independent verification of findings but show no relationship between ages of grave and depth of burial. Finally, the integration of the survey data to a GIS helps to address the issue of data storage and management, the accuracy of the spatial data, and the ability of the data to be viewed and queried in meaningful ways.

In 2005, the North Carolina General Assembly and North Carolina Governor Mike Easley requested that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) coordinate a study to investigate issues related to hunting on Sunday in North Carolina. In particular, NCWRC was most interested in identifying stakeholders and their views on hunting on Sunday, and estimating the potential impacts of hunting on Sunday on hunter recruitment and retention. I developed a 12-page questionnaire that was sent to a random sample of 2,400 licensed resident hunters in North Carolina. The questionnaire was used to assess their views and opinions about hunting on Sunday and to estimate the potential impacts of hunting on Sunday on hunting participation. The final response rate was 41.6%. The issue of hunting on Sunday in North Carolina was strongly polarized: 38% of respondents strongly supported hunting on Sunday and 39% strongly opposed. Older hunters and those who frequently attended church or another place of worship were most opposed to hunting on Sunday. Although many respondents originally voiced support, many of these same individuals opposed hunting on Sunday if some limitations were imposed. The exact effect on hunter recruitment was not determined by this research effort; however, I found evidence that the opportunity to hunt on Sunday may have some positive impact on hunting participation. Hunters who previously had taken an adult friend, family member, or youth hunting in North Carolina indicated they would do so again if presented with an opportunity to hunt on Sunday. However, the opportunity to hunt on Sunday had little influence on persuading hunters who had not previously taken an adult friend, family member, or youth hunting on Sunday to do so. Most respondents (60%) indicated they would hunt at least the same number of days or more days (37%) if hunting on Sunday was legalized. Specifically, respondents indicated that they would hunt an average of 7 additional days that did not involve an overnight stay and take an average of 1.9 more overnight hunting trips if hunting on Sunday was legalized. Thus, legalization of hunting on Sunday likely would increase hunting participation, but would have unknown effects on hunter recruitment and retention. In addition to assessing opinions about hunting on Sunday, I explored North Carolina hunters' satisfaction with hunting experiences, motivations for hunting, and constraints to hunting participation. Overall, North Carolina hunters were satisfied with both their hunting experiences during the 2005-2006 season and the previous 5 seasons. Satisfaction with hunting experiences in North Carolina was derived from many factors (e.g., see wildlife, spend time in the field/woods). Hunters in North Carolina identified a diverse array of motivations for hunting such as to experience natural surroundings, to enjoy the outdoors, and to enjoy solitude. North Carolina hunters responding to my survey identified constraints associated with time, not enough game animals, and confusing hunting regulations as major impediments to their hunting activity in North Carolina. The question of whether removing the current ban on hunting on Sunday in North Carolina would alleviate time constraints remains unanswered. Permitting hunting on Sunday may provide an additional day of hunting opportunities for North Carolina hunters; it also would provide a means to increase satisfaction with and motivations for hunting in North Carolina for some hunters. This research effort provided valuable information about hunting and hunters in North Carolina. Careful consideration of this information is needed to encourage hunter recruitment and retention, and to combat further declines in hunting participation; however, this information should be integrated with biologically-based management goals and objectives. / Master of Science