Digital Commons Network^™

Job Satisfaction Differences Between Generation X Workers And Older Workers, Stephanie M. Efird

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate job satisfaction of credit union employees at all organizational levels. Due to the rapidly changing work environment, understanding work attitudes of all employees has become important. This researcher designed this study to gain a better understanding of the differences in the level of job satisfaction of Generation X workers and older workers.

A Numerical Method For The Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations With Application To Two-Phase Flow, Bo Chen

Masters Theses

A finite difference numerical method is developed for the simulation of time-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

As in the original projection method developed by Chorin, we first solve diffusion-convection equations to predict a intermediate velocity field which are then projected onto the space of divergence-free field. We integrate the diffusion-convection by θ implicit scheme and solve the pressure Poisson equation by successive over-relaxation method. The second order centered difference is employed to discretize both the convective and viscous terms

We develop two-dimensional and three-dimensional computer programs in Fortran language Numerical results are presented

We couple our inpressible Navier-Stokes solver with an …

Development Of Bioabsorbable Fiber-Reinforced Composites From Bicomponent Fibers Of Polylactic Acid And Its Copolymers, Regina Natasha Holmes

Masters Theses

The feasibility of using core.sheath type bicomponent polylactide filaments to produce bioabsorbable continuous, fiber-reinforced composites was investigated The core component was poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) An adhesion study was used to determined that poly(L/DL-lactic acid) (PLDL) would be used as the sheath component. Bicomponent filaments with 1:2, 1 1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1 core:sheath ratios were produced by melting spinning and drawing processes. The M core:sheath filaments had the best mechanical properties with tensile strength and modulus values of approximately 300 MPa and 4000 MPa, respectively. The 1.1 PLLA PLDL filaments were consolidated into 2.0 mm composite rods using a pultusion …

The Effects Of Half Delta Strakes On The Performance Of The Piper Navajo Twin Engine Airplane, Courthney Carlos Cumberbatch

Masters Theses

The effects of mounting half delta-wing strakes onto the fuselage and nacelles of a Piper Navajo twin-engine airplane are observed. The strakes' ability to enhance the performance of the Piper Navajo is evaluated by its effects on the power required and on lift and drag characteristics of the airplane. Previous wind tunnel and flight test studies have shown that strakes can improve the performance of aircraft by strengthening the airflow over the wing's trailing edge. These studies showed that Lift coefficient values with respect to angle of attack were increased. Drag coefficient values with respect to lift coefficient were also …

Work Ethic And Job Satisfaction Among Emergency Medical Services Personnel, Marilyn Fisher Hutton

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not there was a relationship between work ethic and job satisfaction among full-time, volunteer emergency fire-rescue personnel. In addition, this study sought to determine whether or not participants' demographics had any impact on work ethic and job satisfaction.

Surveys were administered to gather data from the entire population (N=300) of full-time volunteer emergency fire-rescue personnel from nine rescue squads located in Calvert County, Maryland. A total of 173 responses yielded an overall response rate of 58% on the two surveys and demographics section. Part I of the survey determined participants' …

Grandchildren And Dependent Grandparents: A Qualitative Study Of Family Caregiving For The Elderly, Brooke Judkins Matchen

Masters Theses

Due to the population growth of persons aged 65 and older, there will be increasing numbers of frail, elderly requiring assistance with daily living. Often, it is families that provide care for the dependent elderly, and the typical caregiver is an adult daughter who is middle-aged. While there has been substantial research on adult children caring for parents, there have been few studies that have considered the third generation, or grandchildren, in caregiving families. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the meanings that grandchildren of physically or cognitively impaired elders give to the experience of family caregiving. …

The Unbidden Gaze: Imagery And Its Relation To Hypnosis, Mark Moore

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between subjects' mental imaging ability, as assessed by self-report and computer measures, and hypnotic susceptibility 108 undergraduate students completed the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (Marks, 1973), and a modified form of the computerized Harvard Imagery Battery (Berardi et al, 1998). A subsequent 86 of these students had their hypnotic susceptibility assessed using the Waterloo-Stanford Group C measure of hypnotizability (Bowers, 1993). A correlation matrix of subjects' Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire scores. Harvard Imagery Battery error rates, response times, responses times adjusted for simple reaction times and Waterloo-Stanford Group …

Sol-Gel Materials For Strontium(Ii) Separation, Terry Lynn Yost

Masters Theses

In this study the sol-gel process was used to yield SiO₂ materials containing organic functional groups for the extraction of strontium(II) from waste streams. Previous techniques developed for removing strontium(II) from aqueous streams were focused on solvent extraction methods. The extraction technique proposed herein utilizes inorganic polymers containing organic ligating agents to remove strontium(II) from the waste stream. By using a solid phase extraction sorbent, organic waste is minimized during the extraction process. The efficiency of strontium(II) extraction by the developed materials was investigated. It was found that strontium ions could be absorbed into the sol-gel materials and then …

Structure, Stratigraphy, And Migmatization In The Southwestern South Mountains, North Carolina, Scott Travis Williams

Masters Theses

This thesis presents stratigraphic, structural, and geochemical data for parts of the Glenwood, Dysartsville, and Sunshine 7.5-minute quadrangles, which are located in the southwestern South Mountains of western North Carolina. The study area, roughly equal to one 7.5-minute quadrangle, is located within the Inner Piedmont geologic province of the southern Appalachians. Detailed geologic mapping confirms the presence of a stratigraphic sequence that is established in other portions of the Inner Piedmont. This stratigraphic sequence consists of the Talluluah Falls Formation and overlying Poor Mountain Formation. Mapping has also determined the eastern extent of the Dysartsville orthogneiss and revealed the presence …

Process To Create Pp/Fiber Glass Composite For Reinforcing Portland Cement Products, Yuanheng Zhang

Masters Theses

This work explores and studies the uninterrupted filament winding process for fabricating structures made of polypropylene and glass fiber. Based on this work, a unique fuzzy inner surface of tubes and the key role of the mandrel temperature on the composite's mechanical properties were observed. It was concluded that the fuzzy inner surface of the tube can improve the strength and fatigue property of the composite and the higher mandrel temperature can diminish the void content within the composite and improve the mechanical properties of the composite. Steel rebar, thermoset pipe and rebar produced by filament winding or pultrusion have …

Apparel Online Shopping : Perceived Risk And Risk Relievers, Siriporn Sangratwatchara

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether product characteristics can alleviate some of the perceived risks in consumers' minds when they are involved in online apparel shopping. And if it could, to what degree Extrinsic product characteristics will be mostly used in this study. This is because the lack of touching and inspection of the product directly for online shopping makes the extrinsic characteristics dominate over the intrinsic characteristics, and consumers usually rely on the intrinsic factors when they shop in a traditional mode (Levy, 1999). The two most important extrinsic factors' once and brand name, which were …

Flight Testing Flow Diverting Devices On An Oh-58a+ For Applications To An Mh-6 Helicopter, Kelly E. Mcdougall

Masters Theses

This study investigates the use of Flow Diverting Devices to reduce passenger fatigue and parasite drag (specifically equivalent flat plate drag) for the 160*'* Special Operations Aviation Regiment MH-6 Helicopters. Due to cost, scheduling, and airworthiness release (AWR's) issues this manuscript focuses on the actual flight test data of a similar helicopter, the OH-58A+. The flight-testing investigated the level flight performance, and handling qualities with doors removed, with and without the Flow Diverters installed. Consideration was also given in the design to discover ways of minimizing the airflow on the external passengers (amount of deflection), changes in noise level, and …

Experimental Investigations Of Factors Controlling The Spread Of Dnapl Contamination In Undisturbed Columns Of Fractured Saprolite, Andrew H. Pitner

Masters Theses

A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to further investigate the physical and chemical factors influencing the spread of TCE (trichloroethylene) contamination m fractured saprolite formed from sedimentary rock. The experiments involve simulation of a spill by injection of dyed immiscible phase TCE into two undisturbed columns of fractured saprolite, allowing a period of time for dissolution and diffusion of the TCE, and then dismantling them to map the resulting distribution of contamination. The use of dyed TCE allowed for the identification of preferential flow paths, which were associated with fractures and macropores in the two dominant saprolite lithology types, …

Gis Landslide Inventory Along Tennessee Highways, Brett Tyler Rose

Masters Theses

The GIS application was for the management of landslides located along Tennessee roads. Two main goals of this application are (1) development of a statewide GIS landslide database accessible to Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) planners, engineers and geologists, and (2) production and visualization of landslide thematic maps accessible via the Internet. The GIS landslide application automates integration of location information with attribute data such as landslide type, age, scale, impact or bedrock geology. Landslide locations were collected using GPS technology and are represented in the GIS as point events on a linear referencing network model 30-meter digital elevation models …

Effects Of Stocking Rate, Season, And Changes In Fungal Endophyte Level On Performance Of Steers Grazing Tall Fescue, Mark A. Marsalis

Masters Theses

A study was conducted to evaluate steer performance on tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pastures with different Neotyphodium coenophialum [(Morgan-Jones and Gams) Glenn, Bacon, and Hanlin] endophyte infestation levels ranging from < 5 to > 80% and three stocking densities (SD). Eighteen 1.2-ha pastures were grazed with newly weaned Angus (Bos taurus L.) and Angus cross steers. Each pasture was assigned one of four initial endophyte (E+) levels of about 0, 20, 40, and 80% infestation. Steer and available forage weights were measured at 21-d intervals. Average daily gain (ADG) and beef production for each season were 335 g d^-1 and …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Tennessee Forest Management Advisory Panel, Mark Donovan Miller

Masters Theses

The last decade has seen forest resource conflicts in Tennessee develop regarding issues such as chip mills and their impacts, state forest management practices and water quality concerns related to logging practices. These issues have created conflicts between user groups and stakeholders. These disagreements have resulted in a number of bills being introduced into the Tennessee General Assembly (Senate and House) over the past several years. Realizing the complexity of these issues and the potential for conflict, the Tennessee General Assembly developed and passed Senate Joint Resolution No. 230 in 1997 to address these issues via the Tennessee Forest Management …

Fifth-Year Measurements Of Loblolly Pine Across Tennessee Following Various Silvicultural Treatments, Lyle E. Taylor

Masters Theses

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) was planted at nine locations across Tennessee in 1993-94 and 1994-95 using a customized fractional factorial design. Two sites, good and poor, were chosen at each location to compare soil effects on height and survival. At each site three treatments were evaluated: spacing (8X8, 8X10, and 10X10 feet), herbicide (2.0 oz/ac Oust and 4.0 oz/ac Arsenal), fertilization at planting (three, 9 gm fertilizer tablets per tree (22-8-2)). After the fifth growing season, height measurements and survival counts were taken.

The least square estimate of mean overall height and survival at good and poor sites …

An Experimental Study Of Low Speed Open Cavity Flows, Abraham J. Meganathan

Masters Theses

The experimental work is part of an ongoing study aimed at understanding and controlling of cavity instabilities by passive or active steady or unsteady fluid injection. An experimental setup has been designed to quantitatively visualize the flow-field inside the cavity for varying relative dimensions (L/D ratios of 2.0, 2.67, 3.5 and 4.5, W/D of 3.33) at low subsonic speeds ranging from 55 ft/sec to 214 ft/sec using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV).

The results showed that PIV could provide instantaneous velocity and other flow field data inside and above the cavity. The quality of data is good and may be used …

Investigating The Feasibility Of Monitoring Dynamic Behavior Of A Fluidized Bed Using A Piezoelectric Accelerometer, Tiang-Yong Teh

Masters Theses

Results obtained from the Geldart’s group B and D solids in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed indicate that significant information about the bed dynamics can be obtained from acoustic sensors. With simple pre-processing of acoustic signals with RMS filtering, the bed dynamics can be monitored by extracting the low-frequency acoustic-intensity modulation. Both linear and nonlinear analysis techniques show that pressure and acoustic signals share significant amount of information by characterizing various fluidization regimes associated with near minimum fluidization, developing slugs, slugging, and breaking slugs. Results demonstrate that piezoelectric accelerometer can be a useful tool for monitoring the dynamic behavior of fluidized …

Instabilities Of A Rich Premixed-Flame, Jonathan Robert Vincent

Masters Theses

The instabilities of rich premixed-flames in a low-NO_x burner operated with overfire air were experimentally investigated. Specifically, the effects of equivalence ratio and gas volumetric flowrate on the instabilities of the flame were examined. The transition from stability to instability was explored and documented as burner parameters were varied. The feasibility of using both linear and nonlinear time-series analysis techniques of pressure and light measurements to predict instabilities was also studied. A frequency generator was also used to further study the effects that very small changes in equivalence ratio have on flame stability. Using overfire air the flame had …

A Circuit Model Of An Inductive Plasma Generator, Nathan A. Waivio

Masters Theses

A circuit model for an inductively coupled RF plasma generator was developed. This analysis is restricted to a cylindrical geometry with a solenoid driving coil. The system modeled assumes a cylindrical chamber filled with partially ionized argon gas. The circuit model was developed for temperatures from 1000 to 20000K and pressures from 1 to 760 Torr. The plasma was modeled as an inductor of cylindrical geometry magnetically coupled to the driving solenoid coil with a load resistance. The circuit parameters modeled are the coil and plasma inductance, coil and plasma resistance, and coupling of the plasma to the coil. The …

Determinants Of Ultimate Ph Of Pork Longissimus Muscle, Jun Yang

Masters Theses

Annually, millions of dollars are lost due to the variation in meat quality. Ultimate pH (pHu), one of the most important quality traits, has a great influence on water holding capacity and meat color. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) quality solutions team suggested an ultimate pH within the range of 5.6-5.9 as optimum. The project of the study was to evaluate the possible determinants of ultimate pH. The effects of glycolytic potential (GP), creatine phosphate (CP), buffering capacity (BFC) and titratable acidity (TA), and the enzyme activities of phosphorylase (GPa) and AMP deaminase (AMPD) were investigated. Sixty pigs of …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Title Vi Requirements On Tennessee's Local Transportation Planning : A Comparison Among Metropolitan Planning Organizations (Mpos), P'Ersides Zambrano

Masters Theses

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 enforced non-discrimination on programs receiving federal financial assistance. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) as federally-funded agencies are subject to observe Title VI. In this research, the way in which Title VI provisions are being addressed within the local transportation planning process are analyzed, focusing in particular on Tennessee's MPOs. A comparison at the different strategies used to address Title VI was offered based on an analysis of the information from the 1999 MPOs Title VI Assessment Reports, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) letters of response to MPOs concerning the reports, and …

Evaluation Of Tungsten Tin And Lead Projectiles Against Real And Synthetic Bones Encased In Ballistic Gelatin, Bryce Otis Anderson

Masters Theses

This work is designed to explore the wounding potential of these new tungsten tin bullets.

Aspects Of The Winter Behavioral Ecology Of Anolis Carolinensis At The Northern Limit Of Its Range, David Christopher Bishop

Masters Theses

In the population used for this study, A carolinensis shift habitats prior to the winter season to a south-facing rocky bluff where they seek refuge in crevices at night and during cloudy days (Gatten et al 1988,personal observations). In part II of this Thesis, I describe the thermal properties of the crevices and the behavior of the lizards in relationship to the crevices. Body Temperatures of lizards were recorded prior to emergence from the crevices to determine if there were temperature differences between lizards with different masses and to see if lizards could maintain body temperatures independent of crevice temperatures. …

Death Penalty Information : The Effects Of Increased Knowledge On Selection Of Punishment In Capital Cases, Patrice A. Carroll

Masters Theses

This study investigates the effects of increased knowledge about the death penalty on subjects' choice of punishment in capital cases. Although public opinion polls consistently demonstrate that Amencans strongly support the death penalty in the abstract, support drops drastically as situations become more concrete as well as when suitable alternative punishments are offered. A group of 54 undergraduates (10 men, 44 women) were given a short lecture about the death penalty and then read three cases in which the defendant was found guilty of capital murder. Subjects decided whether the defendant in each case should be sentenced to death or …

Investigation Of Imprinted Sol-Gel Sorbents Containing Phosphonate Ligands, John Walter Clavier

Masters Theses

This thesis describes the development of sol-gel materials containing bifunctional phosphonate ligands for the extraction of Sr⁺² and UO₂⁺² from solution. Previous techniques developed for removing Sr⁺² and UO⁺² ions from aqueous solutions have focused on solvent extraction methods. The extraction technique proposed here utilizes mesoporous sol-gel containing functionalized areas of phosphonate bifunctional compounds of the form

≡SiCH₂CH₂CH₂P(O)(OEt)₂, (≡SiCH₂CH₂CH₂)₂C[P(O)(OEt)₂]₂, and ((≡SiCH₂CH₂CH₂P(O)(OEt)₂)₂(OCH₂CH₂O). …

Development Of Aliphatic Polyketone Fibers By Melt Spinning And Drawing, Pankaj Gupta

Masters Theses

Aliphatic polyketones are a class of perfectly alternating co- and ter- polymers that have ethylene and carbon monoxide as the main repeat units. In the terpolymer, a small amount of propylene is added to improve the chain flexibility and to reduce the melting point.

Melt spinning followed by drawing of polyketones yields filaments that have high tensile strength that could be used for industrial applications such as tire cords. Polyketones as resins have extremely good chemical, hydrolytic, barrier and mechanical properties. In this study an attempt is made to investigate whether these polymers could be formed into a high-tenacity industrial …

Dry Matter Intake And Methane Emissions Of Beef Cattle Grazing Tall Fescue Pastures, Aaron Eugene Fisher

Masters Theses

A two-year study was conducted to use methane (CH₄) production as an indicator of beef cattle efficiency on tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) pasture management systems and to evaluate the importance of dry matter intake (DMI) among different tall fescue systems At Blount Unit, two steers on two pastures each of endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum) infected (E+) tall fescue, of endophyte free (E-) tall fescue, of E+/E-(1:1 ratio), and of E+/clover (Trifolium repens) were used to determine CH₄ and DMI At Holston Unit, four steers and four cow/calf pairs on one pasture each of a best management practices (BMP) …

Forgiveness As A Coping Strategy, Karen Elizabeth Friedman

Masters Theses

The process of forgiveness is receiving increased research attention as both a state and a trait. Some observers have noted the conceptual similarity between forgiveness and some strategies of coping. The purpose of this research was to determine the degree of convergence between measures of forgiveness and measures of coping and,in particular, to determine if state or trait forgiveness are more closely linked with either problem-focused or emotion-focused coping or their components. College students (n = 241) completed surveys containing measures of both state and trait coping and state and trait forgiveness in counterbalanced order. Results indicated that although forgiveness …