Post-harvest seedcoat darkening is a major problem in many pulses, including common bean (</i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i> L.). In some bean market classes, such as pinto, beans that have a darkened seedcoat are discounted in the market place as it is assumed that the beans are old and will be hard-to-cook (HTC). Pinto genotypes that darken more slowly than conventional pinto beans would be more desirable and have been identified in the bean breeding program at the University of Saskatchewan. <p>To study the slow-darkening trait, a quick, reliable, and inexpensive screening method that would not affect seed germination would be beneficial. Three potential protocols to accelerate seedcoat darkening were examined. The greenhouse protocol was conducted in the greenhouse by placing the bean seeds in polybags with a 1 cm2 piece of moistened felt. For the UV light protocol, bean seeds were placed 10 cm below an UV lamp which had a wavelength of 254 nm. For the cabinet protocol, bean seeds were placed in a cabinet set at 30¢ªC, 80% relative humidity, and full fluorescent lights. Color measurements were taken routinely using a Hunter Lab colorimeter. All three methods were successful in distinguishing darkening beans from slow-darkening beans although the UV light protocol was considered to be superior to the greenhouse and cabinet protocol as the UV light protocol was quick, consistent over years, and the most economical. Unlike the greenhouse and the cabinet protocols, the UV light protocol did not affect seed germination following accelerated darkening. <p>The stability of the slow-darkening trait was further investigated in genotype by environment (g x e) studies across different indoor and outdoor environments. In the g x e study across different field environments, it was found that prior to accelerated seedcoat darkening the g x e interaction was significant. Following accelerated seedcoat darkening, environment and genotype were both significant and g x e was not. The slow-darkening genotypes had lighter seedcoats than the darkening genotypes and those field sites that had more favorable weather had lighter seedcoats. For the g x e study across indoor and outdoor environments, when the genotypes were split into either slow-darkening or darkening, the g x e interaction was not significant and the slow-darkening genotypes had lighter seedcoats. <p>Genetic control of the slow darkening trait was determined. For crosses between slow-darkening genotypes and CDC Pintium, the F2 populations segregated 3 darkening : 1 slow-darkening with distinct bimodal distribution. This indicated that seedcoat darkening was controlled by a single gene and darkening was dominant over slow-darkening. For both slow-darkening by slow-darkening crosses, the F2 populations¡¯ L* values were unimodal, normal distributions, indicating there may be modifying genes for the slow-darkening trait.

Organizational restructuring and reform in the health care system has impacted the ability of Clinical Nurses (CNs) to participate in and influence decision making that affects the delivery of patient care. Clinical nurses maintain and advocate a professional responsibility to practice according to specific standards, policies and procedures, and to meet the needs of the patient and family members. Clinical nurses participation in decision making at the patient, unit and administrative levels recognizes their abilities and skills as professionals; however, CNs continue to experience a limited role in the decision making and control over nursing practice at all of these levels.<p> The literature overview examines control over nursing practice including how this complex concept is difficult to define and undervalued within the CNs professional practice environment. It is evident in the literature that control over nursing practice is important to the CNs professional practice environment ultimately affecting job satisfaction, recruitment/retention, and patient outcomes. Control over nursing practice is explored in relation to internal and external factors that affect the professionalism of the CN. Internal factors are those that are more closely related to the CNs scope of practice and include professionalism (influence in decision making including policies and procedures, collegial relations, and professional development), CN satisfaction (workload, scheduling, health, safety and security concerns, supportive management, and opportunities for leadership), safe quality patient care (staffing, education, and specialization), empowerment, and autonomy. The external factors are outside the immediate scope of the CN yet directly and indirectly affect the CNs control over nursing practice including health care restructuring, organizational influence, work environment models (shared governance and magnet hospital environments), and nursing leadership. <p>This study provided CNs employed in the provincial hospitals in Saskatchewan an opportunity and a voice to share their perceptions of who governs their professional practice environment including control over nursing practice. This mixed method descriptive survey design used Hess Index of Professional Nursing Governance ([IPNG], 1998) along with five questions geared to elicit qualitative responses to study the perceptions of who governs CNs professional practice environment including control over nursing practice in provincial hospitals in Saskatchewan. Section one of the IPNG contains a demographic section including information on age, gender, nursing education, and employment information. The second section of IPNG consists of 86 questions that are further divided into six subscales asking respondents to indicate who has control over nursing practice in a number of areas within their particular health facility. The six subscales include Subscale I Professional control relating to who has control over professional practice in the organization, Subscale II Organizational influence examining who participates in governance activities within the organization, Subscale III Organizational recognition identifying who controls nursing personnel and related structures, Subscale IV Facilitating structures indicating who determines and participates in governance decisions within the organization, Subscale V Liaison exploring who influences the resources that support professional practice, and Subscale VI Alignment identifying who sets and negotiates conflict within the organization. These questions are rated on a 5 point Likert scale according to the following response possibilities: 5 = staff nurses only; 4 = primarily staff nurses with some nursing management/administration input; 3 = equally shared by staff nurses and nursing management/administration; 2 = primarily nursing management/administration with some staff nurse input; 1 = nursing management/administration only. Section three the qualitative questions, contained one closed ended and four open ended questions that provided CNs an opportunity to share a more personal perspective regarding their perceptions of control over nursing practice in their work environment. These questions included: 1. What does control over nursing practice mean to you? 2. How could control over your practice be changed significantly? 3. Do you feel you have enough control over practice in your work environment? 4. What limits your control over practice in an area that interests you? and What enables your control over practice in an area that interests you? <p>The total population of 1804 CNs in provincial hospitals in Saskatchewan was invited to participate in this study. One hundred and seventy two CNs (9.53%) responded to this study, including 118 from Saskatoon (11.8%) and 54 from Regina (6.7%). The descriptive data provides data on gender and average age of CNs that is similar to Canadian Institute for Health Information ([CIHI], 2006) and Health Canada (2006a). A greater number of CN respondents indicated their basic nursing education was a diploma and more CNs had attained a baccalaureate degree as their highest level of education when compared to the CIHI data. Twice as many CNs indicated having specialty certification and a higher number were working full time in comparison to the CIHI data. The quantitative data obtained from the IPNG subscales indicates CNs perceive limited control over nursing practice and this is by in large held mainly by nursing management/administration (1) and nursing management with some staff nurse input (2). The subscale results include Professional control (M = 1.72), Organizational influence (m = 2.13), Organizational recognition (M = 1.73), Facilitating structures (M = 1.82), Liaison (M = 2.1), and Alignment (M = 2.1). Overall, the results from the IPNG subscales provide scores of less than 3 on the Likert scale indicating CNs perceive limited control over nursing practice in their professional practice environment. There were no significant differences within the provincial hospitals or between the health regions regarding CNs perceptions of control over nursing practice. In their qualitative responses, CNs provided information related to both the internal and external factors as discussed in Chapter Two. Clinical nurses indicate they face many challenges regarding control over practice including lack of influence in decision making in issues related to policy and procedure, quality patient care, staffing ratios, self-scheduling, and educational opportunities. They also identified external factors affecting their control over nursing practice including a lack of support by management in relation to decision making, a lack of provision of and access to an adequacy of resources, and a lack of communication and collaboration. Many CNs indicated their only influence in decision making was related to direct patient care. Clinical nurses described that being valued, supported, and recognized for their experience and education in decision making positively affects control over nursing practice and more specifically, quality patient care. <p> Study results offer government officials, practitioners, regulatory bodies, researchers, administrators, educators, nurses, the public, professional association, employers, unions, and any other stakeholders information that provides an opportunity to increase their awareness and understanding of the impact that control over nursing practice has for CNs in their practice environment. If stakeholders are serious in their attempts to recognize CNs concerns regarding control over nursing practice in their work environment, the results from this study will provide information facilitating change in the CNs control over nursing practice. Ultimately, this affects the CNs professionalism and ability to provide quality patient care.

These experiments were conducted to determine if ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) could improve nutrient utilization and decrease water use in hog operations. The growth experiment utilized a comparative slaughter technique that consisted of 120 barrows (95 ± 3 kg BW) including 12 assigned to an initial slaughter group; the remaining pigs were slaughtered at 108- or 120-kg. Growth performance and nutrient retention were determined. The 15 d metabolism experiment consisted of 54 pigs (95 ± 3 kg BW). Growth performance, feed, and water intake and urine and fecal output were measured. The metabolism experiment used 9 dietary treatments arranged as a 3 x 3 factorial: 3 levels of RAC (0, 5 and 10 ppm) and 3 standardized ileal digestible lysine: digestible energy (DE) ratios (1.75, 2.25 and 2.75 g/Mcal DE). The growth study was designed as a 3 x 3 x 2 factorial to include slaughter weight as an additional factor.<p> In the growth experiment, RAC had no effect ADG, ADFI, or G:F (P > 0.10). With increased Lys levels G:F improved (P < 0.05), but not ADG or ADFI (P > 0.10). Protein deposition rates numerically increased (P = 0.11), water deposition rates tended to increase (P < 0.10), whereas lipid deposition tended to decrease with RAC inclusion (P < 0.10). In the metabolism experiment, with greater levels of RAC and Lys the pigs had improved ADG (P < 0.05) and G:F (P < 0.001). Water intake (P < 0.05.) and urine output (P < 0.05) decreased with greater RAC inclusions. Lys inclusion did not alter water balance (P > 0.10). Urinary N excretion (P < 0.05), total N excretion (P < 0.05), and the urine N:fecal N ratio (P < 0.001) decreased with addition of dietary RAC; however fecal N (P < 0.05) increased with dietary RAC inclusion. Retention of N improved with addition of RAC to the diet (P < 0.05). With greater dietary Lys inclusion fecal N was reduced (P < 0.001). The pigs fed the 2.25 g/Mcal Lys tended to have the lowest urinary N and total N excretion and highest N retention (P < 0.10) and greatest urinary N:fecal N ratio (P < 0.05). A RAC x Lys interaction was observed for N digestibility, excretion, and retention and fecal and urinary N (P < 0.05). By improving N and water utilization in finishing pigs, RAC containing diets supplemented with sufficient Lys can reduce the environmental footprint of pork production.

This thesis summarizes an investigation of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) as a pathogen within the cow-calf industry in Canada. The specific objectives of this project were to describe the distribution of this pathogen in this industry provincially, as well as at the individual farm level in wildlife species, and in the environment. Secondary objectives of this project were to identify on-farm management risk factors that are associated with this disease and to examine potential options for herd level diagnostic capabilities. Nationally, 0.8% (95%CI = 0.4-1.1%) of the cows in the cow-calf industry were seropositive for Map with 11.7% (95%CI=7.0-16.5%) of the herds sampled having a minimum of one positive test result or 4.5% (95%CI=1.4-7.5%) of the herds having a minimum of two positive test results. The true cow prevalence was estimated as 1.8% (95%CI= 0.4 3.1). No Map was detected in any of the non-ruminant wildlife species sampled on cow-calf operations suggesting that these species were not of primary concern when dealing with the management of this disease. In a study not focussed on a cow-calf operation, Map was detected in one cluster of trapped coyote samples in a region with cow-calf production. The prevalence of Map infection in this cluster of coyotes was calculated to be 9.1% (CI: 5.7-12.5). The prevalence of infection in coyotes including all sites, ignoring the effect of clustering, was calculated to be 3.7% (CI: 2.3-5.1). The use of a commercial colostrum replacement on farm (Odds Ratio =3.96; 95% CI = 1.1014.23, p=0.035) and the presence of wild deer interacting with the cattle (Odds Ratio = 14.32; 95% CI = 1.13181.90, p=0.040) were positively associated with being a herd infected with paratuberculosis. The use of rotational grazing practices was protective (Odds Ratio = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.040.93, p=0.039). It was possible to detect environmental contamination with Map on cow-calf farms using bacterial culture and PCR for confirmation. No water samples were positive to Map; however, 6.2% of the non-water environmental samples were positive. The use of an environmental sampling protocol had a herd sensitivity of 29.6%. This finding led to a simulation modelling study to evaluate how various testing methods would compare in the broader population of cow-calf herds. The final mean risk of selecting a herd infected with Map that was not identified as positive via the herd screen test strategy was 12.9%, 9.8%, 9.6%, and 6.1% for no herd screen test, environmental sampling, ELISA serology, and pooled fecal culture strategies, respectively.

The study examines the meaning of having a dog in the workplace of personnel who work with therapy. The purpose was to examine the personnel’s view of dogs in their work envi-ronment. The study uses two theories. One is ‘psychosocial work environment’ and the other theory used is ‘symbolic interactionism’. The first theory aims to see the personnel in the con-text of their work environment. The second theory aims to examine the symbolic meaning of the dog for the personnel. The method used is a semi-structured qualitative interview with eight personnel that work in a place where they use therapy dogs as a part of therapy for the clients. The study showed that good work environment is very important to the personnel and that bad work environment affects them negatively both at work as well as at home. The study also showed that having a dog at a workplace has many advantages as cheering up the per-sonnel and clients, making the workload easier and makes the clients motivated for therapy. A negative aspect was that there are risks for allergic people and that the dog could be distract-ing to the clients.

<p>This dissertation examines the potential of information-provision in motivating behavior that reduces human exposure to arsenic in drinking-water in Bangladesh. In chapter 2, the longer-term effects of the countrywide arsenic-testing and information-program are examined by tracking tube-well switching behavior of households over a five-year period. Chapter 3 focuses on the effects of arsenic information communication formats on tube-well switching behavior, by employing a randomized field experiment. In chapter 4, an instrumental variables approach is used to understand whether a household's decision to switch sources is affected by its proximate neighbors' decisions to switch sources. To answer these questions, primary data was collected by the researchers through field-work in Bangladesh. The results suggest that arsenic-testing and information-provision programs produce persistent behavioral changes that reduce exposure to arsenic, with their impact increasing over time. Comparing the impacts of risk-communication formats, we find that quantitative formats do not significantly increase source-switching behavior, in comparison to that generated by qualitative formats. Lastly, despite econometric identification issues, our data suggest that households gather information about source-switching by observing the actions of their neighbors. In sum, the results presented in this dissertation suggest that the provision of information to rural households can motivate health-improving behavior that reduces households' exposure to arsenic in Bangladesh. This dissertation contributes to the use of information disclosure as a policy instrument to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants.</p> / Dissertation

<p>This dissertation recruited 24 premature infants born less than 32 weeks gestational age over a one year time period from October 2010 to 2011. The goals were to longitudinally measure cerebral oxygen saturation, evaluate how environmental variables controlled by nursing, positioning and noise, affect cerebral oxygen saturations, and examine the relationship between cerebral oxygen saturation and two currently measured vital signs.</p><p>Using mixed general linear models, findings from this dissertation showed the developmental trajectory of cerebral oxygen saturation values in premature infants' began in the high 70s during the first two days of life and then significantly decreased into the mid-60s over several weeks during hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The trajectory of cerebral oxygen saturation during the first week of life in those infants who developed an IVH did not significantly differ from those infants without IVH. At this time, use of cerebral oxygen saturation to identify those infants at risk for IVH during the first week of life cannot be supported, but findings may indicate that cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring could potentially monitor the severity of the impact of IVH later during hospitalization as those infants with an IVH had significantly lower cerebral oxygen saturation values after the third week of life. In this case, cerebral oxygen saturation might help to understand the long-term degree of neurological damage. </p><p>Heart rate and peripheral oxygenation were chosen as the two physiologic variables to compare to cerebral oxygen saturation and average cerebral oxygen saturation was lower with higher heart rate and higher with higher peripheral oxygenation. Peripheral oxygenation that is already routinely measured in premature infants appears to not provide an accurate measure of the changes in cerebral oxygen saturation. Cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring is highly suggested for those infants who are at risk for neurological damage such as infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or seizures since peripheral oxygenation does not appear to be an appropriate proxy for cerebral oxygenation.</p><p>Finally, sound and positioning were chosen to represent two frequently encountered components of the neonatal intensive care environment that also influence infant cerebral oxygen saturation. A peak in sound from the ambient sound level was only 5 decibels and found to not significantly affect cerebral oxygen saturation values. A neutral position considered the gold standard-- supine, head midline--was compared to five other positions widely used by NICU nurses. However, results showed positions with a turned head did not significantly change cerebral oxygen saturation from the neutral position. Yet, differences in cerebral oxygen saturation were found between two lateral positions (left lateral and right lateral, head elevated 15°) with an elevated head measuring lower cerebral oxygen saturation levels.</p> / Dissertation

Organizational behavior literature has not typically viewed person-environment (PE) fit as an outcome of organizational change. Although organizations consider PE fit of their employees to be important to the success of both parties, the study of antecedents to individuals fit with their work environment has largely been restricted to the selection and socialization of newcomers. This study investigates effects of several change factors (e.g., the extent of change and how it was managed), as well as the cross-level interaction between the change factors and individual differences (e.g., motivational orientations) on PE fit of individuals who participated in various organizational changes. PE fit was evaluated along three dimensions (Person-Job, Person-Group, Person-Organization). Results show that change is a complex phenomenon and is best understood by interactions between the extent of change, characteristics of the change process, and differences in individuals motivational tendencies. Specifically, the study showed that the fairness of the change process was typically associated with PJ and PO fit, whereas management support for the change generally related to PJ and PG fit. In addition, limited support was found for hypothesized effects of motivational orientations. As expected, Mastery related positively with PE fit, while positive effects of Competitiveness (an externally cued Approach orientation) on PE fit depended on high levels of management support. Surprisingly, it was low Avoid individuals (not high) where the extent of change related negatively with aspects of PE fit. A discussion of the results, as well as limitations and implications of this study, is provided for consideration on future research in this area.

Many school facilities in the United States are old, out-of-date, poorly maintained, and lack specific design elements that are likely to enhance teaching, learning, behavior, and other desirable outcomes. This study proposed that one reason why previous research regarding the effects of the physical school environment on educational outcomes has had little impact on the quality of schools is because there is a lack of knowledge about these relationships. A multi-method approach was used to solicit information from educators and researchers familiar with school facility effects literature to develop a set of research priorities to guide future research. In Phase I, a literature analysis provided important physical and outcome variables to seed brainstorming lists used in following phases of the research and provided the basis for a gap analysis to identify unavailable information. A concept mapping methodology was utilized in Phase II to solicit feedback from a group of seventeen experienced educators who were asked to brainstorm a list of measures of student, school, or school district success, sort their final list of more than 100 items into categories that made sense to them, and rate each item regarding how important it is to monitor or otherwise track. Using a Delphi method, a series of four questionnaires was given to a group of experienced researchers who developed a list of physical variables plausibly related to educational outcomes, rated the importance of those items, developed hypotheses that included top-rated physical variables and top-rated outcome variables (i.e., measures of success rated by educators), and then selected from those hypotheses several that became the basis of the recommended research priorities for the field. These research priorities propose investigations of the relationships between a set of physical variables (including the provision of team work stations and faculty collaborative spaces, well-designed circulation spaces, spaces for quiet reflection, adaptable seating, daylighting in classrooms, and overall maintenance and building quality) and a variety of educational outcomes (e.g., achievement, behavior, satisfaction, affective performance).

The more certain and clear working scope the more serious price competition of industrial tender, since the clients who released the tenders have became wiser with learned experiences and available information of industry year-by-year. Such facts of tender not only cripple the bidding advantage but also shrink the profit expectation of stakeholders for scale companies which structured with huge organization and indirect cost burden, and impact the further business operation. Whatever the cut of won tender price, the project team which in charge of project realization usually chanceless to involve the marketing activities in advance under structure process. However, as the information receiver from the client during realization practically, the project team shall forward any above information and cope with the marketing team to break through current passive tendering procedure and construct better solution to the industrial clients. A ¡§project marketing¡¨ based procedure according to the characters of project team which merged project management with marketing activities has been proposed and suggests project team shall planning appropriate marketing strategies and activities before certain and clear requirements releasing by client to enhance the marketing effectiveness and achieve the opportunities. Such a procedure is initiated by identifying the impacted KPI with causes of project team and gathering the related information from clients, then find out the competitive markets and establish suitable marketing strategies. It is helpful for the project team to break away the traditional marketing predicament with systematic response to the opportunity changes of target markets.