Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE ON URBAN RESIDENTIAL STREETS BY CREATING PLACES FOR PEOPLE AND TREES(2019) PARKER, PAMELA; Ellis, Christopher; Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA); Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Lower income urban rowhouse neighborhoods are often treeless with only narrow sidewalks separating the front door from the street. This thesis explores the opportunity to capitalize on the predicted shift from private automobile ownership to fleets of autonomous vehicles and the subsequent significant drop in parking demand. Space previously designated as parking lanes can be converted into continuous tree planting strips and social spaces along inner-city residential streets. In this thesis, I propose three streetscape models utilizing the space no longer needed for parking: 1) the James Street Private Model that designs a 10’ wide continuous tree planting strip, allowing trees, gardens and patios to be installed along the foot of the rowhouse steps; 2) the James Street Public Model that creates the same tree strip design but positions it between the sidewalk and the street; and 3) the Shared Street Model, set along a narrower alley street, that forms a meandering road shared with pedestrians, public spaces and trees. These streetscape improvements directly address the quality of life of the residents by enhancing their safety and security, physical surroundings, social relations and health.Item DOES STRENGTH TRAINING IMPROVE MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH AND BODY COMPOSITION IN BLACK MEN WITH PROSTATE CANCER ON ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY?(2011) Hanson, Erik; Hurley, Ben F; Kinesiology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in U.S. men and disproportionately affects black men more than any other racial or ethnic group. Despite this disparity, black men have been underrepresented in previous studies. PCa is commonly treated using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, ADT induces numerous adverse side effects, including loss of muscle mass, strength, power, and physical function with concomitant increases in fat mass, fatigue, and bone fractures. Because strength training (ST) can reverse these factors in healthy older adults, it was hypothesized that ST would be effective in PCa patients on ADT but with an attenuated response. Therefore, the purpose of this study was 1) to examine the effects of ST on musculoskeletal and body composition side effects in black men on ADT, 2) to compare ST responses of black PCa patients on ADT to those of black healthy reference controls, and 3) to determine if changes in musculoskeletal health and body composition with ST are associated with changes in fatigue, physical function, and quality of life (QoL). PCa patients (N=17) completed a 12 week ST program, which produced many beneficial effects on factors adversely affected by ADT, including substantial gains in muscle power, size, strength, and endurance (all P < 0.001), resulting in a more favorable body composition (P < 0.001) and increased physical function (all P < 0.05). ST also improved fatigue perception and QoL (both P < 0.05). Compared with healthy reference controls (N=20), PCa patients responded to ST with similar gains in muscle power, strength, and mass, which was contrary to expectations. However, PCa patients had higher fat mass and lower muscle power and strength than controls at baseline (all P < 0.05). Finally, the changes in physical function, fatigue perception, and QoL were associated with some of the changes in muscle function with training. The findings in this study provide support for the hypothesis that ST improves musculoskeletal health and body composition in black men with PCa on ADT by demonstrating significant improvements in muscle power, mass, strength, and endurance, which can enhance physical function and QoL.Item Parents' Stress and Coping with Their Children's Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(2006-06-28) Mitchell, Mary Moser; Beck, Kenneth H; Public and Community Health; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In a previous study, the National Institute of Mental Health enrolled 579 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a stimulant medication. ADHD affects 3-5% of children before age 7 and is characterized by difficulties in controlling impulsive and hyperactive behaviors and/or paying attention. Studies of children with ADHD indicate that the disorder can be extremely disruptive to family functioning. While the original NIMH study examined the children's outcomes, this investigation explored quality of life among the parents of these children. Quality of life was considered in terms of emotional well-being and social functioning. Various studies within the health psychology discipline have suggested that coping strategies, social support, and stress appraisal significantly influence and predict quality of life. It was hypothesized that stress appraisal, social support, coping skills, and symptom severity would predict quality of life indicators (i.e. spouse relationship, parent/child relationship, and psychological/emotional functioning) for parents. This main effects hypothesis was tested using baseline data and using longitudinal data, while controlling for baseline measures. The second set of hypotheses proposed that social support and coping skills would moderate the relationship between stress appraisal and quality of life. These relationships were tested using the baseline data as well as the longitudinal data, while controlling for baseline measures and a variety of covariates (i.e. demographic variables). In addition, the relationship between objective stressors and stress appraisal was tested, as well as the direct effects of objective stressors on the quality of life outcomes. A combination of structural equation modeling and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Stress appraisal was the most consistent and strongest predictor of quality of life outcomes for parents. Social support, coping, and symptom severity played significant, yet modest roles in prediction. Objective stressors significantly predicted stress appraisal as well as the quality of life indicators. These results indicated support for both the main effects and moderating hypotheses. Recommendations for health educators seeking to develop intervention programs for this population of parents were offered.Item Vocal Dysfunction in Young-onset Parkinson's Disease(2004-08-10) Bassich-Zeren, Celia J.; McCall, G N.; Hearing and Speech Sciences; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Vocal dysfunction is well established in persons with older-onset Parkinson's disease (PD), but has not been investigated in the young-onset PD (YOPD) population. Voice deficits associated with older-onset PD mirror the characteristics of vocal aging, suggesting that our current knowledge base of laryngeal dysfunction in the PD population is confounded by aging effects. The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to examine perceptual voice characteristics and the potential impact of voice symptoms on quality of life; (b) to compare YOPD and healthy control (HC) speakers' performance on two routinely used clinical tasks (sustained vowel phonation and laryngeal diadochokinesis); and (c) to experimentally manipulate and compare speakers' performance in producing phonatory offset-onset gestures as reflected in four phonetic contexts (each eliciting a different mechanism) across three speaking modes. Twelve YOPD speakers and twelve healthy control (HC) speakers participated. YOPD speakers reported voice symptoms of hypophonia, tremor, hoarseness, monotone, and impaired speech intelligibility. They demonstrated a mild to moderate voice handicap. Findings revealed no speaker group differences for speech intensity on sustained vowel phonation and reading tasks. YOPD speakers demonstrated a significantly decreased rate of syllable repetition and used a significantly greater number of pauses during production of one of two laryngeal diadochokinetic tasks. Acoustic measures associated with mechanisms of phonatory offset-onset demonstrated trends of speaker group differences, suggesting that YOPD speakers have impaired voicing control for mechanisms of phonatory offset-onset not associated with oral constriction. Intra-speaker group variability was observed for YOPD speakers. Inspection of speaker groups' performance across speaking modes suggested a disruption in the habitual setting of laryngeal posture in YOPD speakers; namely, they use a laryngeal postural setting that is similar to that observed in HC speakers when speaking in an aspirant or breathy voice mode. Speech masking facilitated a speaking mode change in YOPD speakers and could provide an effective and efficient treatment method for training persons with YOPD to speak in a projected mode. Vocal dysfunction is associated with YOPD and voice symptoms can appear early in the disease process, sometimes preceding onset of limb symptoms. Persons with YOPD should be routinely assessed for vocal dysfunction.