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Culture And Subcultures In The Domestic Auto Industry;An Emic, Ethnographic And Critical Theory Application, George M. Amolsch Jan 2008

Culture And Subcultures In The Domestic Auto Industry;An Emic, Ethnographic And Critical Theory Application, George M. Amolsch

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The domestic auto industry in the United States is struggling for survival. A steady loss of market share to foreign competitors resulted in the industry reevaluating their business and labor practices that have proven so successful over the years. The problem is that little research has been conducted regarding the impact that the interrelationship between separate management, union, and work force subcultures are having on the reorganization of the domestic auto industry. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact the past and present business and labor practices have had on the domestic automobile industry from the perspective …


Factor Va Directs Catalysis By Factor Xa During Prothrombin Activation, Michael Anthony Bukys Jan 2008

Factor Va Directs Catalysis By Factor Xa During Prothrombin Activation, Michael Anthony Bukys

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Hemostasis occurs through the controlled activation and inactivation of clotting factors resulting in the arrest of bleeding without blockage to the vasculature, while thrombosis is the undesired formation of vascular blood clots, which adversely affects millions of people annually. Clotting factors circulate in blood as inactive zymogens, which are proteolytically activated in response to vascular injury, assembled into enzymatic complexes and in turn activate additional coagulation factors culminating in the production of thrombin from the enzymatic complex prothrombinase. The prothrombinase complex is composed of the activated enzymatic component factor Xa (fXa) complexed to the activated cofactor portion factor Va (fVa) …


Phylogeography Of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Comparative Myology Of The Black Bass (Micropterus, Centrarchidae), William Calvin Borden Jan 2008

Phylogeography Of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Comparative Myology Of The Black Bass (Micropterus, Centrarchidae), William Calvin Borden

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Biogeographic patterns were investigated within a single species and among its congenerics. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) were characterized by portions of the cytochrome b gene and the control region although bass in Lake Erie were also evaluated using eight nDNA microsatellites. Overall, little population structure was observed among sites in Lake Erie which was surprising given that most male smallmouth bass exhibit nest site fidelity. But, these lake bass were divergent from bass residing in nearby tributaries indicating that lacustrine bass are reproductively isolated from riverine bass even though both groups may spawn in the same rivers. Adjacent riverine populations …


Effects Of Standardized Testing On Teachers' Emotions, Pedagogy And Professional Interactions With Others, Amelia Louise Brady Jan 2008

Effects Of Standardized Testing On Teachers' Emotions, Pedagogy And Professional Interactions With Others, Amelia Louise Brady

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No abstract provided.


Quadrupole Magnetic Field-Flow Fractionation;A Novel Technique For The Characterization Of Magnetic Particles, Francesca Carpino Jan 2008

Quadrupole Magnetic Field-Flow Fractionation;A Novel Technique For The Characterization Of Magnetic Particles, Francesca Carpino

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In the last few decades, the development and use of nanotechnology has become of increasing importance. Magnetic nanoparticles, because of their unique properties, have been employed in many different areas of application. They are generally made of a core of magnetic material coated with some other material to stabilize them and to help disperse them in suspension. The unique feature of magnetic nanoparticles is their response to a magnetic field. They are generally superparamagnetic, in which case they become magnetized only in a magnetic field and lose their magnetization when the field is removed. It is this feature that makes …


A Case In Kinase 2 Inhibitor Is A Potent Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate, Alieta Ciocea Jan 2008

A Case In Kinase 2 Inhibitor Is A Potent Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate, Alieta Ciocea

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Cancer is so widespread and lethal that it can be considered the biggest health problem of our century. Cancer drug development is a real challenge. Efforts outlined in this work were directed towards showing solid evidence that casein kinase 2 inhibitors can be used as a starting point for the development of potential cancer therapy. We first studied the effect of a specific CK2 inhibitor, DMAT, in a malignant megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line (MEG-01). Treated cells grew at a significantly lower rate than non-treated cells. Apoptosis was induced by DMAT in MEG-01 cells, dose and time dependent. When stimulated with …


Culturally Sensitive In-Home Psychotherapy For Urban Low-Income African American Adolescents, Aaron Thomas Ellington Jan 2008

Culturally Sensitive In-Home Psychotherapy For Urban Low-Income African American Adolescents, Aaron Thomas Ellington

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There is a lack of outcome research in regards to the treatment of adolescents, and even less for urban low-income African American adolescents. In the past, the fields of counseling, psychology, and social work have focused on individual counseling approaches and in-patient treatment facilities as methods for dealing with adolescents with drug, alcohol, and mental health issues (as well as other delinquent behaviors). The purpose of this study is to use archival data to answer research hypotheses to gain a better understanding of what variables (more specifically treatment modality) aid in the treatment of urban low-income African American adolescents. The …


Leadership Experiences Of Male African-American Secondary Urban Principals: The Impact Of Beliefs, Values And Experiences On School Leadership Practices, Gregory D. Henderson Jan 2008

Leadership Experiences Of Male African-American Secondary Urban Principals: The Impact Of Beliefs, Values And Experiences On School Leadership Practices, Gregory D. Henderson

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Uneasiness about leading ethnically diverse urban schools implies that principals of color may have an important role in accomplishing their schools' goals. Findings from this study revealed that in areas of image administration and relationship development African-American principals and European American principals in urban schools perceive their principals' leadership in a different way. Results revealed that (a) African-American male principals were critical in creating an inclusive school among groups of ethnically diverse groups of students (b) due to their racial affiliation, African-American principals played an important role in mentoring and providing an atmosphere of love and support and (c) African-American …


The Impact Of Local Historical Designation On Residential Property Value;An Analysis Of Three Slow-Growth And Three Fast-Growth Central Cities In The United States, Akram M. Ijla Jan 2008

The Impact Of Local Historical Designation On Residential Property Value;An Analysis Of Three Slow-Growth And Three Fast-Growth Central Cities In The United States, Akram M. Ijla

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Historic designation is thought to have a role in neighborhood economic and community development. Local designation of historic districts is increasingly used as a tool to revitalize deteriorated neighborhoods and to protect endangered historical districts. A number of limitations in several previous studies have made policy development as well as a complete assessment of the impact of designation difficult. Some past studies focused only on historic neighborhoods in one city or one state other studies have tested the impact of historic designation in general without distinguishing between local, state, or federal designation. Lastly, several earlier studies have also relied on …


An Examination Of Vegan's Beliefs And Experiences Using Critical Theory And Autoethnography, Christopher A. Hirschler Jan 2008

An Examination Of Vegan's Beliefs And Experiences Using Critical Theory And Autoethnography, Christopher A. Hirschler

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This qualitative study uses critical theory, autoethnography, and in-depth interviews with vegans to explore and analyze the initial impetus to become vegan, the sustaining motivation to persist, the impact the diet and associated practices have had on the participant, and vegan's assessment of omnivore's eating practices. In-depth interviews with three vegans in each of the following professions were conducted: medical doctor, registered dietitian, farmer, professional animal activist, and philosophy professor. Participants were asked to reflect on "narratives of experience" (Caelli, 2001), the story created from their interview. Interviews were analyzed using critical theory to critique the Western approach to diet …


Inhibition Of The Nf-Kb Signaling Pathway And Its Effects On Apoptosis And Cancer, Joseph A. Lupica Jan 2008

Inhibition Of The Nf-Kb Signaling Pathway And Its Effects On Apoptosis And Cancer, Joseph A. Lupica

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The Rel/NF-kB family of inducible transcription factors are evolutionarily conserved structurally and functionally, from insects to humans. They are ubiquitously expressed in a number of mature cell types, playing a pivotal role regulating cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Under normal circumstances, the proliferation of new cells is tightly regulated, as is the programmed lifespan of most cells, occasionally however cells loose their responsiveness to growth control mechanisms, resulting in a tumor or neoplasm. Sustained or chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of pathological conditions that destroy tissue and facilitate neoplastic growth. NF-kB in part mediates the opposing signals …


Public Sector Reforms And Managing Change In Botswana;The Case Of Performance Management System (Pms), Bashi Mothusi Jan 2008

Public Sector Reforms And Managing Change In Botswana;The Case Of Performance Management System (Pms), Bashi Mothusi

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Although public sector reforms have been embraced voluntarily in Botswana, no attempt has been made by scholars and practioners to assess the effect of such interventions and their relationship with the culture that shapes and influences people's behaviour within public organizations. The evaluation of programs and policies formulated and implemented since the attainment of political independence in September 1966 rarely makes reference to the manner in which organizational culture affects the attainment of goals and objectives specified under such interventions. Hence, this study sought to understand the relationship between public sector reforms undertaken in Botswana, particularly Performance Management System (PMS) …


Greenometer-7: A Tool To Assess The Sustainability Of A Building's Life Cylce At The Conceptual Design Phase, Muhammad Musa Mer'eb Jan 2008

Greenometer-7: A Tool To Assess The Sustainability Of A Building's Life Cylce At The Conceptual Design Phase, Muhammad Musa Mer'eb

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This study presents a tool that has been developed to measure and subsequently improve the sustainability performance of a building over its entire life-cycle while still at the conceptual design stage. This forecasting tool is called GREENOMETER-7. GREENOMETER-7 is a LCA tool and it evaluates the projected building at two levels: micro- and macro-assessment. The micro-assessment level provides in-depth analysis of the building products, components, and operations however, the macro-assessment level measures the sustainability performance of the building as a whole and covers areas that are not applicable at the product or component level. Both levels consist of categories and …


Symbiotic Networks In Sme Internationalization; A U.S.- China- Russia Study, Andrei G. Mikhailitchenko Jan 2008

Symbiotic Networks In Sme Internationalization; A U.S.- China- Russia Study, Andrei G. Mikhailitchenko

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The purpose of this research is to extend the literature addressing the relationships between a SME's networking activities and its internationalization. In addition, the research contributes to the field by empirically investigating and putting into a unified framework attitudinal, managerial, cultural, and environmental factors that influence a SME's networking, and internationalization. The value of a networking approach to SME internationalization is conditioned by its ability to explain non-economic motives underlying the decision making process of small business owners/managers. It is especially valuable in cases of small and medium enterprises since SMEs in order to survive in competition with large firms …


Modeling The Human Prothrombinase Complex Components, Tivadar Orban Jan 2008

Modeling The Human Prothrombinase Complex Components, Tivadar Orban

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Thrombin generation is the culminating stage of the blood coagulation process. Thrombin is obtained from prothrombin (the substrate) in a reaction catalyzed by the prothrombinase complex (the enzyme). The prothrombinase complex is composed of factor Xa (the enzyme), factor Va (the cofactor) associated in the presence of calcium ions on a negatively charged cell membrane. Factor Xa, alone, can activate prothrombin to thrombin however, the rate of conversion is not physiologically relevant for survival. Incorporation of factor Va into prothrombinase accelerates the rate of prothrombinase activity by 300,000-fold, and provides the physiological pathway of thrombin generation. The long-term goal of …


Tenuous Legitimacy;The Administrative State, The Antigovernment Movement, And The Stability Of The United States Constitutional Democracy, Shelly L. Peffer Jan 2008

Tenuous Legitimacy;The Administrative State, The Antigovernment Movement, And The Stability Of The United States Constitutional Democracy, Shelly L. Peffer

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The public administration literature is inundated with books and articles despairing about the legitimacy crisis in the field. There have been numerous bases proposed for legitimizing the administrative state, including expertise, virtue or public service, and leadership and vision. Yet the issue remains contested, and the lack of agreement has wide reaching implications. One under-examined implication is the role that this tenuous legitimacy has in weakening the administrative state's ability to temper anti-government sentiment. This dissertation explores the connections and patterns in the ideologies, actions, and philosophical foundations of strongly held views that the administrative state is an illegitimate democratic …


A Two-Level Hierarchical Linear Model Analysis Of The Relationship Between Sustained, Targeted Professional Development For Teachers And Student Achievement In Mathematics, Anna Maria Tabernik Jan 2008

A Two-Level Hierarchical Linear Model Analysis Of The Relationship Between Sustained, Targeted Professional Development For Teachers And Student Achievement In Mathematics, Anna Maria Tabernik

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The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 put in place sweeping educational reforms targeted to raise school accountability for student achievement. Research has confirmed there is a distinct relationship between quality instruction and student learning, so one by-product of this reform movement is to provide every student with a high quality teacher, every year, in every classroom. This presents a challenge to school districts where teachers may not have the training and content knowledge necessary to raise the bar for students. Professional development has long been a routine service provided by school districts. In Ohio, however, with school …


A Novel Cardiac Pacing Paradigm For Atrial Fibrillation And Heart Failure Patients, George Emanuel Yanulis Jan 2008

A Novel Cardiac Pacing Paradigm For Atrial Fibrillation And Heart Failure Patients, George Emanuel Yanulis

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It has been estimated that 4.6 million persons have heart failure, and 400,000 to 700,000 new cases develop each year and the U.S. Hospital discharges for HF rose from 399,000 in 1979 to 1,099,000 in 2004 according to the National Hospital Discharge Survey. Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the United States. Recent studies have demonstrated that ventricular rate control is a viable treatment strategy for patients in atrial fibrillation. In a number of cases, despite the electrical resynchronization of the ventricles using biventricular pacing (cardiac resynchronization therapy), heart failure patients in sinus rhythm do not …


Bio-Signal Analysis In Fatigue And Cancer Related Fatigue;Weakening Of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling, Qi Yang Jan 2008

Bio-Signal Analysis In Fatigue And Cancer Related Fatigue;Weakening Of Corticomuscular Functional Coupling, Qi Yang

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Fatigue is a common experience that reduces productivity and increases chance of injury, and has been reported as one of most common symptoms with greatest impact on quality-of-life parameters in cancer patients. Neural mechanisms behind fatigue and cancer related fatigue (CRF) are not well known. Recent research has shown dissociation between changes in brain and muscle signals during voluntary muscle fatigue, which may suggest weakening of functional corticomuscular coupling (fCMC). However, this weakening of brain-muscle coupling has never been directly evaluated. More important information could be gained if fCMC is directly detected during fatigue because a voluntary muscle contraction depends …