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Characterization Of A Soil Bacterial Community And Biphenyl Dioxygenase Genes Involved In The Degradation Of Individual Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners, Paola Correa
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are widespread, toxic, and persistent contaminants that threaten the environment and human health. PCBs represent a class of 209 congeners characterized by different degree of chlorination and substitution patterns. PCBs are known to be slowly degraded by the activity of soil microbes.;The general objective of this research was to investigate the effect of individual PCB congeners on the bacterial community and aerobic metabolism of PCBs in soil, for this reason three specific aims were pursuit.;The first specific aim was to test the hypothesis that exposure to individual PCB congeners results in different soil microbial community profiles, as …
The Principal's Role In Creating A School Culture That Fosters Achievement Of Students With High Incidence Disabilities: A Study Of One School, Shelby B. Haines
The Principal's Role In Creating A School Culture That Fosters Achievement Of Students With High Incidence Disabilities: A Study Of One School, Shelby B. Haines
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the principal in shaping a school culture that fostered academic achievement of students with high incidence disabilities. Research was conducted by means of a qualitative case study approach with data courses of informant interviews, parent focus group, observations of the daily workings of the school, and artifact reviews. Data unveiled five prominent areas of school culture: rituals, collaboration, an individualized instructional focus, community, and social emotional support. Each of these findings are defined and discussed based on data collected throughout the study. Data also support four additional findings in …
Initiating A Practice Change: Prescribing Probiotics Concurrently With Antibiotic Therapy, Patty Hermosilla
Initiating A Practice Change: Prescribing Probiotics Concurrently With Antibiotic Therapy, Patty Hermosilla
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Background and significance. Over half of all hospitalized patients are treated with antibiotics and antibiotic use is rising. There has been a 500% increase in antibiotic associated diarrhea, a common side effect of antibiotic use, in the last decade. Probiotics are a safe and cost effective measure to prevent or reduce antibiotic associated diarrhea.;Problem statement. The majority of patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit receive antibiotic therapy; however, few are prescribed probiotic therapy concurrent with antibiotics.;Project design. Education was provided to health care providers regarding antibiotic associated diarrhea and the benefits of probiotic use. A guideline was developed …
Interleukin (Il)-1 Regulates Ozone-Induced Nerve Growth Factor (Ngf) And Substance P (Sp) Release In Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (Balf) In Mice, Joshua S. Barker
Interleukin (Il)-1 Regulates Ozone-Induced Nerve Growth Factor (Ngf) And Substance P (Sp) Release In Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (Balf) In Mice, Joshua S. Barker
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Previous studies show that both IL-1 and NGF increase synthesis of SP in airway neurons after either direct application or ozone exposure. We hypothesize that NGF mediates ozone-induced IL-1 effects on SP, similar to the pathway described for sympathetic neurons in culture. The current study specifically focuses on the effect of ozone on IL-1, NGF, and SP levels in mice BALF and if these mediators can be linked in an inflammatory-neuronal cascade in vivo. The experiments demonstrate in vivo ozone exposure induces an increase of all three proteins in mouse BALF and that both ozone-induced increases in NGF and SP …
Development Of 1,2,3-Triazole-Borane Complex As Effective Reagent For Aldehyde/Ketone Reductive Amination, Wenyan Liao
Development Of 1,2,3-Triazole-Borane Complex As Effective Reagent For Aldehyde/Ketone Reductive Amination, Wenyan Liao
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Air, moisture and thermally stable 1,2,3-triazole-boranes were successfully prepared and applied as reductants in aldehyde/ketone reductive amination with high efficiency and excellent substrate diversity. Detailed studies regarding to the reaction mechanism and application of this new reagent for other important transformations are currently under investigation in our group.
Evaluation Of Industrial Promoted Agroforestry In Andhra Pradesh And Madhya Pradesh, India, Brian D. Mcdonald
Evaluation Of Industrial Promoted Agroforestry In Andhra Pradesh And Madhya Pradesh, India, Brian D. Mcdonald
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
In many parts of the world, pulp and paper companies are becoming heavily dependent on private agroforestry schemes. With growing demand for wood fiber and limited commercial land to grow it on, the forest industry is continually turning to private farmers and individuals to contract timber. In order to alleviate this problem, many companies have turned to out-grower schemes to supply wood to the mills. Local farmers now have the opportunity to benefit from company extension and supplies, and in return, the company can guarantee its supply of raw materials.;A recent trend in agriculture is adding trees to farmers? traditional …
Preparing Medical Students To Counsel For Smoking Cessation, Aubree M. Guiffre
Preparing Medical Students To Counsel For Smoking Cessation, Aubree M. Guiffre
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Smoking is a national epidemic. Medical providers are the first line of defense to help patients reduce or stop smoking. However, smoking cessation counseling does not occur consistently or regularly. Medical providers must be trained to counsel for smoking cessation, with certain areas requiring attention in order for the training to be successful. There is a relationship between medical students who have high rates of self-efficacy related to smoking cessation counseling and high rates of actual counseling. Understanding the relationships between knowledge, skills, attitudes, and the medical school year in training on self-efficacy is important to better prepare medical students …
The Evaluation Of A Nutrition Education And Fitness Program With A Contest Component Among College Students Using The Re-Aim Framework, Michelle L. Bartlett
The Evaluation Of A Nutrition Education And Fitness Program With A Contest Component Among College Students Using The Re-Aim Framework, Michelle L. Bartlett
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Only recently have practitioners and researchers targeted the population of college students in studying interventions aimed at increasing health behaviors. There is evidence that a proportion of college students are making attempts on their own to remedy weight gain and poor physical fitness with little or no guidance, which is reflected in consistently rising obesity rates in this population. Thus, the need for organized and effective interventions is illustrated. The impact of an intervention can be determined through evaluation research. Although the RE-AIM model has not yet been used to evaluate single-site, university-sponsored, college-student weight-loss/fitness programs, it provided a useful …
Improvement Of The Mine Fire Simulation Program Mfire, Lihong Zhou
Improvement Of The Mine Fire Simulation Program Mfire, Lihong Zhou
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Fire represents one of the most severe hazards to underground mines. A good understanding of the interaction between a mine fire and the mine ventilation network would be very crucial for fire emergency planning and hazard control. MFIRE, an underground mine fire simulation program developed in 1980's, is a tool that can be used to simulate the impacts of a mine fire event to a mine ventilation network. However, the lack of the abilities to simulate some of the important mine fire phenomena realistically hindered its wide applications. This research has been carried out to improve the MFIRE program. The …
Aerodynamic Design Of A Tilting Wind Tunnel For The Study Of A Glider In Ground Effect, Andres Felipe Velasquez E.
Aerodynamic Design Of A Tilting Wind Tunnel For The Study Of A Glider In Ground Effect, Andres Felipe Velasquez E.
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
A small, low-speed, open return, tilting wind tunnel has been designed. This wind tunnel is intended to simulate the behavior of an unpowered recreational glider that flies down slopes in ground effect at about 1m above the surface. The required tilting angle is 50°. The wind tunnel has to be capable of holding free-flying models with a recommended scaling factor of 14.2 and with Froude number matching.;The designed wind tunnel uses a centrifugal fan to blow air into the test section through a wide angle diffuser, a settling chamber and a contraction. There are six screens and a honeycomb to …
Cloning And Characterization Of A Novel Oocyte-Specific Gene Fbos Encoding An F-Box Protein In Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss), Lei Wang
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Oocyte-specific genes play critical roles in oogenesis, folliculogenesis and early embryonic development. Through analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a rainbow trout oocyte cDNA library, we identified a novel transcript which is represented by multiple ESTs derived only from the oocyte cDNA library. Analysis of tissue distribution of the novel Fbos gene by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that the novel gene is only expressed in unfertilized oocytes but not in 10 somatic tissues examined. Northern blot analysis showed the transcript size is approximately 2.1 kb. The full-length cDNA sequence for the novel gene Fbos was obtained by …
Factors Associated With Treatment Acceptance And Compliance Among Incarcerated Male Sex Offenders, Carl B. Clegg
Factors Associated With Treatment Acceptance And Compliance Among Incarcerated Male Sex Offenders, Carl B. Clegg
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The present study examined factors associated with acceptance and completion of treatment among incarcerated male sex offenders. The files of 156 sex offenders who had been offered treatment at a medium-security state prison were reviewed. Participants were divided into three groups: those who refused treatment from the outset (n = 59); those who began treatment, but later dropped-out or were expelled due to non-compliance ( n = 61); and those who completed treatment or were in an advanced stage of treatment and had never been non-compliant (n = 36). Data were collected for the following variables: age, education, race, marital …
Mechanism By Which Dietary Polyunsaturated Fat Regulates Lipogenic Gene Expression, Alison Bloom Kohan
Mechanism By Which Dietary Polyunsaturated Fat Regulates Lipogenic Gene Expression, Alison Bloom Kohan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Primary hepatocytes treated with non-esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids have been used as a model for describing the inhibitory effects of dietary polyunsaturated fats on lipogenic gene expression. This model resembles starvation or uncontrolled diabetes but not dietary fat ingestion, which is delivered to liver via chylomicron remnants. Chylomicron remnants enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids stimulate a unique pattern of intracellular signaling. These remnants enhance p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity but do not inhibit insulin signaling or induce extracellular-signal related kinase (ERK) or AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation as do non-esterified polyunsaturated fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched remnants and …
Ludwig Van Beethoven's Orchestration Of The Trombone, Daniel R. Cloutier
Ludwig Van Beethoven's Orchestration Of The Trombone, Daniel R. Cloutier
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Ludwig Van Beethoven is considered one of the first composers to fully realize the wide-ranging performance potential of the trombone. Although the instrument had already been scored in sacred and operatic works by major composers (and symphonies by lesser-known composers), it was Beethoven who was considered to be the first to truly emancipate the trombone from its sacred and operatic boundaries and write for it in various secular, choral, and even chamber music genres. In this paper, every composition of Beethoven's that includes trombones is examined. The historical context of each individual work will be established, along with any general …
Abet Accreditation Criteria, Outcome H And Global Competencies In Engineering Education, Elisabeth Sanchez-Goni
Abet Accreditation Criteria, Outcome H And Global Competencies In Engineering Education, Elisabeth Sanchez-Goni
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The dissertation focuses on one aspect of the accreditation process of engineering programs in the United States, which is conducted under the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Engineering programs seeking accreditation are required to comply with the so called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000), which has been divided into eleven "learning outcomes," labeled a through k. The dissertation addresses one of them, "Outcome h", which specifically calls for "the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.";The dissertation examines what engineering departments, from the Southern Regional …
(Re)Construct: Exploring Objecthood In A Digital Age, Patrick L. Jones
(Re)Construct: Exploring Objecthood In A Digital Age, Patrick L. Jones
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The following paper describes the conceptual framework and several works in the exhibition: "(re)construct: exploring objecthood in a digital age," which was on view at the Laura Mesaros Gallery at the College of Creative Arts, West Virginia University. The exhibition ran from November 30th through December 11th, 2009. The exhibition consisted of both oil paintings on clear acrylic and ink jet photographs. The question which this paper and the exhibition attempts to address is: what are the ontology and the limits of hyperreality in contemporary society? The following paper and the exhibition is epistemologically based and asks the following questions: …
Climatic And Edaphic Influences On The Radial Growth Of Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana), Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia, Joshua A. Wixom
Climatic And Edaphic Influences On The Radial Growth Of Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana), Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia, Joshua A. Wixom
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The annual variability observed in tree-ring records has been used to reconstruct climate conditions at the local, regional, and global scales. Dendrochronology, the study of tree rings, has typically focused on locations where trees are limited by a single climatic variable (i.e. temperature or moisture availability) at the limits of their range. Individual trees, however, may be limited by one or more variables well within their ecological range. This can occur when individuals are located on ecologically extreme sites where soil moisture and chemistry or increased evapotranspiration impede a tree's ability to grow.;This study examines factors affecting radial growth of …
Effect Of Compaction Effort On Superpave Base Course Materials, Cornelius Adamah
Effect Of Compaction Effort On Superpave Base Course Materials, Cornelius Adamah
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
SuperPave mixes have performed well with in West Virginia, especially with respects to permanent deformation. Recent studies raise concerns with premature fatigue cracking and difficulty in compaction during construction. Two base course mixes were tested by lowering compaction effort from 100 gyrations to 80 gyrations for the 19mm mix and to 65 gyrations for the 37.5 mm mix and evaluating rutting potential with Asphalt Pavement Analyzer and Indirect Tension test. Only gyration level and binder percent were changed. Lower compaction effort resulted in an increased binder content. The 19mm mixes showed an increased rutting potential. However, investigation of the data …
A Reconceptualized Analysis Of The West Virginia 4-H Global Education Program: Attitudes Of Agents, Specialists, And Volunteers, Ahmed M. Abdulai
A Reconceptualized Analysis Of The West Virginia 4-H Global Education Program: Attitudes Of Agents, Specialists, And Volunteers, Ahmed M. Abdulai
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Global Education has been and continues to be an important aspect of American higher educational curriculum. Its importance is evidenced not only at the formal educational sector, but also within youth development programs like the West Virginia 4-H program.;The author contends that, the importance of global education is more relevant in the 21st century due to the increasing interdependence of the global world. The study looks at the perceived attitudes of 4-H Agents, Specialists, and Volunteers towards global education and how such an educational program affects the youth development of the 4-Her.;The present study, which is partly based on John …
Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam
Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Large scale surface mining in southern West Virginia causes significant alteration of headwater stream networks. It is unclear, however, the extent to which mining interacts with other stressors to determine physical, chemical, and biological conditions in aquatic systems downstream. Through a watershed scale assessment of Pigeon Creek, the specific objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the direct and interactive effects of mining and residential development on in-stream conditions; and (2) identify landscape thresholds above which biological impairment occurs. Our results indicate high levels of impairment to habitat, water quality, and benthic invertebrate communities within this watershed. Statistical analyses …
A Market Assessment Of Greenhouse Products And Associated Rural Development In Semi-Arid Regions Of Mexico, Edgar Arturo Quevedo-Martinez
A Market Assessment Of Greenhouse Products And Associated Rural Development In Semi-Arid Regions Of Mexico, Edgar Arturo Quevedo-Martinez
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Greenhouse products represent a feasible alternative for small producers compared to open-field production. Using a combination of enterprise budgeting, capital investment analysis and optimization, we found that under most of the conditions investigated the six different crops investigated are profitable. Greenhouse production has the added benefits of conserving scarce land and water resources, potentially reducing production and market risk, and offering consumers healthful products of good quality, that can contribute to the development of the local economy. One problem is that a larger up-front investment is often essential.;This study focused on three main areas: (1) A production and market assessment. …
Evaluation Of The Expansion Of Behavioral Health Services In A Rural, Primary Care Clinic: A Pilot Project, Carolyn L. Donovan
Evaluation Of The Expansion Of Behavioral Health Services In A Rural, Primary Care Clinic: A Pilot Project, Carolyn L. Donovan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The trend towards integrated behavioral health and primary care services has been supported by the literature. To meet the growing demand for such services, one rural primary care clinic initiated and evaluated a pilot program increasing the number of behavioral health providers. One additional counselor was hired for six hours a week for twelve weeks. The aim of the evaluation was to determine if there was an increase in availability of services, improved communication about referred patients among providers, and increased satisfaction among patients. While outcomes were not statistically significant, positive changes were noted in all areas. The implementation was …
Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Rpos And Hema In Salmonella, Amy Madeline Jones
Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Rpos And Hema In Salmonella, Amy Madeline Jones
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The first part of this thesis is dedicated to translational regulation of rpoS mRNA by the small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs), DsrA and RprA, in two closely related enteric bacteria, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The rpoS gene encodes a second vegetative sigma factor for RNA polymerase, which directs the cell's transcriptional response to general stress and entry into stationary phase. The rpoS gene is highly conserved among the gamma-branch of proteobacteria, and sRNAs are highly conserved in related species. In fact, sequence conservation is thought to have predictive value in sRNA discovery and functional conservation is largely assumed. …
The Role Of Urban Forests In Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study Of Savannah, Ga, Stacy L. Casinelli
The Role Of Urban Forests In Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study Of Savannah, Ga, Stacy L. Casinelli
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this study was to identify a range of stakeholder (tourism providers, resource managers, elected officials, tour operators and tourists) perceptions, issues and concerns of Savannah, Georgia's, urban forests to help develop opportunities for the growing sustainable tourism industry. Stakeholder interviews were conducted using an open ended, semi-structured questionnaire. Based on the three dimensions and the scope of sustainable development, the themes, trends and patterns that emerged were utilized to assess the current issues facing Savannah's urban forest. Through content data analysis, four overarching themes surfaced: development, preservation, balance, and diversity. The results of this study indicate a …
Superintendent Efficacy Investigation Of A Six -Component Leadership Framework For Developing Effective Learning Environments, Frank D. Devono
Superintendent Efficacy Investigation Of A Six -Component Leadership Framework For Developing Effective Learning Environments, Frank D. Devono
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study, using the Superintendent Efficacy Questionnaire (Devono, Diaz & Callejo Perez, 2008), compared 413 West Virginian K--12 superintendents', principals' and teachers' perceptions of 6 superintendent leadership components: staff development administration, communication of mission, curriculum/instruction expertise, collaboration with the school board, consensus-building ability, and political bearing.;A Kruskal-Wallis test produced significant results for 2 components: the superintendent's ability to (a) clearly articulate a mission that establishes direction/priorities for the system (chi2 = 10.99; df = 2; p = 0.004), and (b) work with the local school within the budget (chi2 = 7.260; df = 2; p = 0.027). Related sample t …
Weak Floor Stability In The Illinois Basin Underground Coal Mines, Murali M. Gadde
Weak Floor Stability In The Illinois Basin Underground Coal Mines, Murali M. Gadde
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The research described in this dissertation is a direct consequence of the author's quest to find solutions to several problems he faced while designing optimum pillar layouts for some Illinois Basin coal mines over weak immediate floor strata. When using the existing methods of floor stability analysis, conclusions were sometimes drawn that were either not supported by real-world mining experience or in some cases even physically impossible results were obtained. Therefore, it was necessary to delve deeper into the existing methods and understand their limitations to arrive at alternatives that were consistent with practical observations. In improving upon the existing …
The Fearful Face And Beyond: Fmri Studies Of The Human Amygdala, Jillian E. Hardee
The Fearful Face And Beyond: Fmri Studies Of The Human Amygdala, Jillian E. Hardee
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The amygdala has been labeled as a "detector of threat", evidenced by its heightened response to fearful faces in human neuroimaging studies. A critical element of the fearful face is an increase in eye white area, hypothesized to be crucial for the rapid detection of fear in another's face. Yet other facial expressions can also increase eye white area in a manner that is similar (a lateral shift in gaze) or identical (surprise) to fear. It is unknown if the amygdala can differentiate between these types of increases in eye white area and those that are specifically associated with fear …
Increasing Rewards And The Impact On Student Behavior And School -Wide Discipline: A Mixed Methods Study, Lorri Rumburg
Increasing Rewards And The Impact On Student Behavior And School -Wide Discipline: A Mixed Methods Study, Lorri Rumburg
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This mixed method, embedded, correlational study's aim was to make explicit the relationships between changed procedures in one elementary school's PBIS universal program and student behavior as measured by office discipline referrals. A secondary aim was to use student and faculty responses on surveys to interpret participants' reactions to the increases in rewards, recognitions, and self-charting of daily behavior.;The type of data collected consisted of office discipline referrals generated over the course of the study year. Numerical data analysis also incorporated student totals for earned coupons, earned rewards and earned behavior points. Students surveys completed in October and May gauged …
Internationalization Of Higher Education And Study Abroad Programs At U.S. Research Universities: A Social Systems Study, Chunmei Yao
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Internationalization of higher education institutions has become comprehensive and complex phenomenon in the United States since the 1990s. This trend has significantly motivated American colleges and universities involving all members within their communities to internationalize their institutions and increase their global competitiveness.;The purpose of this study was to assess institutional efforts on internationalization of higher education institutions through the lens of study abroad programs coordinated by the centralized Offices of International Programs (OIPs) at U.S. research universities. It assessed whether relationships existed between institutional input to study abroad programs through human resources and financial resources, the process of administration and …
Incremental Development And Cost-Based Evaluation Of Software Fault Prediction Models, Yue Jiang
Incremental Development And Cost-Based Evaluation Of Software Fault Prediction Models, Yue Jiang
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
It is difficult to build high quality software with limited quality assurance budgets. Software fault prediction models can be used to learn fault predictors from software metrics. Fault prediction prior to software release can guide Verification and Validation (V&V) activity and allocate scarce resources to modules which are predicted to be fault-prone.;One of the most important goals of fault prediction is to detect fault prone modules as early as possible in the software development life cycle. Design and code metrics have been successfully used for predicting fault-prone modules. In this dissertation, we introduce fault prediction from software requirements. Furthermore, we …