Understanding the demographic profile and previous knowledge base of students enrolled in the introduction to animal science course is critical for developing curriculum to enhance student learning. During the fall 2019 semester, students (n=414 of 519) enrolled in the introduction to animal science course at three universities in the Midwest region were evaluated with the objectives of identifying demographic variables and their relation to pre-course and post-course animal agriculture and livestock perceptions. The findings showed that 68% of respondents were female, 58% were animal science majors, and 55% were from hometowns with less than 20,000 people in the population. Forty-eight percent and 36% indicated to have previous agriculture exposure and involvement through FFA and 4-H, while 43% and 55% had no previous involvement in FFA and 4-H, respectively. Companion animals (e.g. dogs and cats) and beef cattle were nearly 50% of students’ species of interest. Additionally, 34% of students felt they had extensive knowledge of companion animals, while 19% indicated they had extensive knowledge in beef cattle and 17% in equine. Students indicated to have the least amount of knowledge in sheep and exotic animals. In addition to species, students indicated their degree of previous knowledge in animal science disciplines. Students (20%) perceived to have extensive knowledge in welfare and well-being but lacked in breeding and genetics. Majority of students recognized animal agriculture as an important industry in their state and were supportive of the growth and expansion of the livestock industry. When asked to respond to statements pertaining to livestock operations, students (49%) strongly agree the use of captive bolt to stun beef and dairy cattle prior to slaughter is acceptable and it is save for livestock producers to perform castration using banding or surgical procedures. Overall, there were pre-course findings that were statistically significant among the demographic profiles of students and their perceptions of livestock operations in the United States, but few post-course findings demonstrated statistical significance. This research suggests the importance of developing curriculum that meets the desires and needs of current students enrolled in an introduction to animal science course.

Habitual (i.e., average or typical) sleep duration and sleep efficiency vary widely by demographic characteristics, including age, gender, and racial/ethnic identity. Despite a wealth of studies on demographic patterns in habitual sleep, these results are often based on cross-sectional surveys, which ask participants to retrospectively recall their "typical" or "recent" sleep. Yet, sleep is a highly dynamic behavior and may fluctuate substantially from night-to-night. This intraindividual variability (IIV) in sleep/wake patterns can be captured a multitude of ways, most commonly by using formula-based calculations. Although there is growing attention on the importance of IIV in sleep, findings on demographic differences are still inconclusive, and there are no guidelines for typical values of IIV in sleep. The present study quantitatively synthesized 8 international data sets (N = 2847 participants, 29,832 total days of sleep data), focusing on examining age, gender, and racial/ethnic identity differences in IIV in sleep measured via sleep diaries, actigraphy, and electroencephalography. Sleep duration and sleep efficiency varied widely from night-to-night within people (duration: 64-119 minutes; efficiency: 5-8%). Different metrics of IIV were strongly correlated within and across sleep measurement types. Younger adults had more IIV in diary and actigraphy sleep duration. Gender differences in IIV in sleep were inconsistent, and non-Hispanic/Latinx and White adults had less IIV in sleep compared to other racial/ethnic minority groups. Results emphasize the importance of assessing IIV in sleep, and show that even among healthy sleepers, sleep varies from night-to-night. Like mean sleep, there may also be disparities in IIV in sleep by demographic characteristics, highlighting a need for targeted interventions to stabilize sleep and improve health.

A critical review of Marx on population is made to determine if the modern Marxist population thepry can validly claim to follow from Marx. An historical review of population thought from the Greeks to Malthus is made and a dominant trendline is identified. Marx's population thought is presented and it is compared to Malthus. Anomalies in Marx are discovered. A new perspective on Marx using the history of demography is advanced in which Malthus is found deviating from the dominant trend line and Marx's criticism of Malthus as focusing on these specific points of deviation. Marx is found defending the dominant trendline against Malthus and not as advancing an original theory of population. Remaining problems with Marx are noted. The conclusion rejects the modern Marxist claim.

Within the framework of ecological psychology, environments are places, defined as landscapes of affordances, or the array of potential actions that can be executed. The feedback between direct perception-action and use of affordances results in the sense of presence in place. According to previous research, increased presence has been correlated with greater attachment and connectedness with the place as well as beneficial psychological states in a campus setting. However, it is unclear what factors, such as demographics, may influence differences in engagement with campus affordances, and hence, presence among individuals. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between campus presence, demographic factors, and social self-concept. Participants completed a survey that assessed their demographics, aspects of self-concept, degree of campus engagement and their sense of presence on campus.

The problem of this study was the examination of selected case-finding approaches for locating handicapped individuals. It was designed to (1) determine the rank order of effectiveness of selected case-finding approaches, within specific census tracts, in locating handicapped individuals aged three to to twenty-one years inclusive, (2) to project the most effective case-finding approach within census tract areas with specified factors of mean income, median education level, and primary home language, and (3) to determine the probability of locating handicapped individuals by a case-finding approach other than the one determined to be the most effective.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative condition in humans, after Alzheimer's disease. It can be observed in all races and both genders, in the United States and worldwide. However, disparities in disease progression and manifestation exist between races and sexes. In addition, treatment options and overall health, impacted by insurance type, may affect a PD patient's disease state. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the background demographic information of PD patients, particularly as pertaining to insurance classification, which has not yet been addressed in the literature. The Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) scores of patients both ON and OFF medication, a method of ranking and analyzing disease severity in Parkinson's patients, were analyzed in this study. The hypothesis is that the H&Y scores are impacted by race, gender, and insurance status. A univariate analysis of each variable was performed, the Student's t-test was used for gender and insurance status and a One-way ANOVA for race. A multivariate regression model analysis was then run for the primary outcomes and included all the variables and known confounders. A secondary analysis of disease complications utilizing Chi-square tests and logistic regression was also performed. Gender and insurance status did not differ significantly in H&Y scores. Black or African patients had a significantly increased PD progression as compared to Caucasian patients. Males and females differed significantly with regard to several disease complications. Subjects with public insurance also exhibited greater odds of some disease complications as compared to subjects with private insurance. In agreement with the literature, black PD patients exhibited a greater disease progression as compared to white PD patients. However, the reason for this has not yet been adequately addressed. In addition, more studies are needed to analyze other racial groups that were too small to appropriately address in this study. Despite a lack of difference in H&Y scores, PD is observed to be manifested differently between genders (disease complications), also in agreement with the literature. More studies are required to discover the reason for this disparity. Insurance classification does not impact H&Y scores. However, more studies are required to address whether this is maintained with a more sensitive outcome measure, such as the UPDRS. In addition, some complications differ between insurance categories, implying a disparity in treatment options and therapies.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the changes in total nondurables expenditures, prices, and demographics on the U.S. aggregate demand for clothing categories and shoes. In particular, this study focused on identifying and parameterizing the effects of such changes. To this purpose, a demand system for two clothing categories, shoes, and other nondurable commodities for the U.S. was estimated using aggregate time-series data sets (1929-1994), and a second-stage budgeting model was developed and estimated. The basis for the demand model was the Almost Ideal Demand System model, which was modified to account for the demographic effects. Demographic variables included in the final model were age distribution of the U.S. population (median age and variance), proportion of non-White population in the total U.S. population, and labor force participation rate of U.S. women. The main data sources were documents published by the Bureau of the Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Bureau of Economic Analysis in the U.S. Department of Commerce. The results indicate that the total nondurables expenditures is a significant variable in determining consumers' nondurables expenditure allocation on clothing categories and shoes. The estimated total expenditure elasticities suggest that the clothing categories and shoes are expenditure elastic, ranging from 1.1019 to 1.4944. Most own and cross prices appear to be significant variables in determining the consumer budget allocations for clothing categories and shoes. The median age and non-White population variables evidence as significant variables that affect the U.S. aggregate nondurables expenditure allocation on men’s and boys’ clothing and on shoes. Women’s labor force participation rate evidences as a significant variable that affects the U.S. aggregate nondurables expenditure allocation on women’s and children’s clothing. The estimated own-price elasticities of demand for clothing categories and shoes indicate that all the clothing categories and shoes are inelastic (i.e., -0.3908 to -0.9175). The estimated crossprice elasticities of clothing categories, shoes and other nondurable goods show substitution and complementary relationships between the categories. The demand elasticities with respect to the demographic variables were also estimated. / Ph. D.

Boarding, alighting and seating maneuvers were monitored on selected Arlington Transit (ART) bus routes in order to determine the link between passenger demographics, seating preferences and boarding and alighting times within the system. The data collection methodology employed digital stopwatch timings of boardings and alightings in conjunction with a coordinate-based spreadsheet seating chart tracking system in order to document passenger movements and seating occupancies. Passengers were visually profiled according to their ethnicity, sex, general age group and bulkiness. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to develop boarding and alighting models, and t-tests were used to isolate statistically significant differences between profiled groups in terms of their seating preferences and inter-group separation distances aboard the buses. It was observed that female passengers tend to sit closer to other passengers than males do, and that older female passengers have a preference for sitting in aisle seats and towards the lower level front of the bus - each of these preferences is linked with shorter boarding times. Males, in general, tend to prefer window seating to aisle seating, and this preference is linked with longer boarding and alighting times. It was also observed that younger passengers prefer less efficient upper level seating to lower level seating and that white passengers, on average, tend to sit closer to other white passengers on routes where whites are a minority in terms of passenger composition. Monetary fare payment was observed to contribute to longer boarding times than the use of a swipe card (e.g., SmarTrip® card). / Master of Science

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