Most Popular Books by Laura Kay

Wild Plants is a short dedication to the many public gardens, desert drives & cacti that fill my daydreams on a regular basis. Shot with 35mm or on polaroid.

As the millennium ended, little has changed in the way higher education conducts itself. Extensive search of the literature revealed a dearth of research or theory attempting to explain the relative inability of higher education to embrace innovation and change. This research addresses what academic leaders perceive as the barriers to innovation and change in higher education. Based upon the model of three classes of social change, it was hypothesized that innovation in higher education was not widely successful due to faculty control of higher educational administration, as well as other barriers such as external regulation by accreditation and licensure, and governing bodies. A structured interview was constructed and a sample size target and stratification strategy were adopted. the interviews identified the type of institution (Carnegie designation), the position of the individual completing the survey and whether the institution was public, independent, not-for-profit or for-profit. the primary research questions were what factors or elements do academic leaders perceive to be the biggest barriers to innovation, what are the primary drivers of change and what changes would these individuals make to foster innovation. After structured interviews with 48 key decision-makers in higher education, the results of the study showed that the primary barriers to innovation, as perceived by academic and administrative leaders in higher education, were related to faculty, faculty governance and a culture resistant to change. the results support the original hypothesis that the academic structure of higher education, especially as it relates to the role of faculty, are perceived to be the primary barriers to innovation. This study has implications for any higher education administrator who seeks to implement change or attempts to create a culture of innovation within a higher educational institution.

Hypertrophic white adipose tissue found in obesity leads to chronic inflammation and reduced insulin sensitivity, bringing rise to a myriad of diseases and is a significant risk factor for premature death. Obesity can be combatted with physical activity, dietary restrictions, or a combination of the two. However, exercise training regardless of changes in body weight has been shown to improve metabolic health. Expanding on a previous study of changes in metabolic biomarkers upon weight gain and after a period of athletic conditioning, in this project we used a sled dog model to examine biomarker shifts over a course of sedentary weight gain, exercise training without weight loss, and exercise training accompanied by weight loss. In order to examine the benefits of exercise training both with and without weight loss, a cohort of healthy sled dogs each served as their own controls as we observed changes in metabolic indices in conjunction with moderate body weight gain, exercise training while sustaining the higher body weight, and exercise training with weight loss.We focused on indices specifically linked to type II diabetes – an obesity-linked disease affecting more than 10% of American adults. Biomarkers measured include plasma glucose, glucose transporter 4, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c. We also measured inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6, as well as hormones leptin, adiponectin, and resistin. Many biomarkers measured produced not significant change or fell outside of our standard concentrations, but plasma glucose, glucose transporter 4, and tumor necrosis factor alpha produced intriguing results. Weight gain increased plasma glucose while exercise training increased glucose transporter 4 present on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The changes we observed to plasma glucose, glucose transporter 4 and tumor necrosis factor alpha may be indicative of reduced insulin sensitivity with exercise and weight loss. We believe this may be the result of the high energy demand of exercise training coupled with low caloric availability.

Supplementation of lipids in the form of triglycerides is a safe method for increasing energy density in equine diets; however the effects of calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) on nutrient digestibilities in the horse are unknown. Eight cecally cannulated Quarter Horses were utilized in a crossover design in which horses consumed 1.5% BW smooth bromegrass hay and 0.5% BW concentrate supplemented with 4.1% soybean oil (SB) or 4.9% Enertia s/f® (E), a proprietary CSFA, for 28 d. Feces were collected for determination of apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, and cecal digesta was evaluated for pH and concentrations of VFA and LCFA. Serum was collected following a 16-h fast and analyzed for triglycerides and cholesterol. Apparent total tract digestibilities of DM, NDF, ADF, CP, ether extract, and GE were unaffected by lipid source (Pu003e 0.10). Serum triglycerides tended to be greater in horses consuming E compared to SB (P = 0.10); but, serum cholesterol concentrations were not different (P = 0.45). Cecal pH was unaffected by lipid source. Cecal concentration of total VFA tended to be greater in horses consuming SB compared to E at 2-h post feeding (P = 0.07). Cecal propionate concentrations were greater at 2-h post feeding for horses fed SB compared to horses fed E (P = 0.03). A treatment × time interaction was detected for total cecal LCFA concentration in which total cecal LCFA were greater in horses consuming E compared to SB at 2-h following consumption of a meal but became more similar as time progressed (P

This study was an examination of an intervention called the baby think it over doll in a small sample of teenagers. The study attempted to ascertain the impact of the doll on attitudes and beliefs surrounding early parenthood and a teen''s future hopes.

A textbook that facilitates learning by doing.

The incidence of conduct and behavioral disorders is steadily on the rise. Externalizing problems in the preschool years are considerable predictors of problems in later childhood, even in adulthood. There is a growing need for effective prevention programs for young children that can be implemented in school environments. Prevention efforts with young children often focus on self-control training for the reduction of impulsive behaviors. Impulsivity is an early presenting behavior pattern that can lead to a variety of disorders. The present study had two goals: (1) to measure the effects of a package intervention containing cognitive and behavioral treatment techniques on self-control in preschoolers, and (2) to use both cognitive and behavioral outcome measures to demonstrate where the changes, if any, would be most clearly seen. Thirst-one 4-year-old children in a preschool program for "at risk" children were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. The treatment group received a five-week self-control training program that incorporated cognitive and behavioral techniques. Dependent measures were assessed before and after intervention, and included Conners'' Rating Scales (CPRS, CTRS), Self-Control Rating Scale (SCRS), Matching Familiar Figures Test, classroom behavior observations, and a waiting task.

A comparative analysis was conducted to explore two Introduction to Social Science courses; one with and one without a service-learning component. Pre and post course surveys, exams and student reflections were used to explore the impact of service-learning.