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An Exploratory Examination Of The Interrelationships Among Parenting Beliefs, Parenting Stress, And Parenting-Child Interaction In The Context Of Maternal Polydrug Addiction And Prenatal Drug Exposure, Darlene Grant

Doctoral Dissertations

The focus in this dissertation was on the interrelationships among parenting beliefs, parenting stress, and parent-child interaction. It was hypothesized that mothers' addiction status moderated these interrelationships when controlling for the effects of income, levels of education, race, age, number of children, and child's prematurity status.

Data from a program evaluation of a residential addiction treatment program and comparison data from five day care centers were collected from August 1991 to August 1993 using the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory, the Parenting Stress Index, and the Parent-Child Interaction Form. The sample included 39 polydrug-addicted and 31 non-drug-addicted mothers of infants and young …

Application Of Fuzzy Logic For Performance Enhancement Of Drives, Gilberto Costa Sousa

Doctoral Dissertations

Fuzzy logic shows enormous potential for advancing power electronics technology. Its application to DC and AC drives control is discussed here.

Initially, a phase-controlled bridge converter DC drive was considered. Analysis of converter performance at continuous and discontinuous conduction modes was first conducted. Fuzzy control was used to linearize the transfer characteristics of the converter in discontinuous conduction mode. It was then extended to current and speed loops, replacing the conventional proportional-integral controllers. The control algorithms were developed in detail, and verified by PC-SIMNON (developed by Lund Institute of Technology Sweden) digital simulation. Significant performance improvement was achieved over conventional …

A Critique Of Moral Realism, Margaret Ayotte Levvis

Doctoral Dissertations

This work argues that leading forms of contemporary moral realism are inadequate, and that the philosophical attempt to vindicate the naive moral realism implicit within popular ethical opinion is misguided. In their place a form of moral anti-realism is defended which construes the appropriateness or inappropriateness of moral practices and the correctness or incorrectness of moral judgments as relative to linguistic conventions, but it is also argued that such relativism does not undermine the objectivity of moral truth if one is prepared to adopt Blackburn's (1984) quasi-realist conception of ontological comnitment.

An Analysis Of Administrative Discretion In Selected Students' Rights Decisions Of The United States Supreme Court, Thomas E. Biggs

Doctoral Dissertations

This legal research study selected nine Supreme Court cases which dealt with student control issues, beginning with the Tinker (1969) decision and ending with the Hazelwood (1988) ruling. The purpose of this study was to identify aspects of each case which involved the discretionary decisions of school administrators in their capacity of dealing with student management and disciplinary action. Principles used by the Supreme Court in structuring the discretionary relationship between school administrators and students were identified and described. Guidelines were provided for school administrators in exercising discretion in school discipline situations. Principles, concepts, and doctrines which served to guide …

Removal Of Hydrogen Chloride From Flue Gas By Dry Sorbents Prepared From The Hydrothermal Reaction Of Silica And Calcium Hydroxide, Parham Mikell Cain

Doctoral Dissertations

Experimental work was performed to determine the cause(s) of reactivity enhancement exhibited by solids produced by hydrothermal reaction of silica and calcium hydroxide (CH) in tests in which the solids were reacted with flue gas containing hydrogen chloride (HCl). Three types of sorbents were prepared by reacting calcium hydroxide with amorphous silica, crystalline silica, and a low-calcium fly ash. In addition to reactivity tests, sorbents underwent powder x-ray diffraction analysis, surface area analysis, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Sorbents prepared using amorphous silica resulted in enhanced utilization over that of CH alone for all silica: CH mass ratios at all …

An Investigation Of The Appointed Versus Elected Superintendent In The State Of Georgia, Carol B. Brand

Doctoral Dissertations

Visionary, effective leadership is imperative to the achievement of the national education goals by the year 2000. It is the district superintendents of schools who must provide this direction to educators of K-12 schools. In six southeastern states the criteria for selection of these local district leaders vary. Although the question of whether the method of selection relates to the manner in which the superintendent manages the school district had not been determined, people in the state of Georgia voted for appointment over election. The purpose of this study was to investigate, in Georgia, whether a causal relationship existed between …

Functional Consequences Of Structural Alterations To The Isoprenylated Yeast Mating Pheromone A-Factor, Guy A. Caldwell

Doctoral Dissertations

In the course of its biosynthesis, secretion, and biological action, the isoprenylated mating pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a-factor, interacts with representative proteins of several biologically significant protein families. The a-factor is posttranslationally modified by the enzyme famesyl transferase, exported by a mechanism requiring the action of a yeast homolog of the mammalian multidrug resistance Pglycoprotein, and induces mating via interaction with a protein that shares homology to the G protein-coupled family of receptors. The main objective of this research was to establish and employ a system for the analysis of the structure-function relationships involving a-factor as …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Self-Monitoring And Leader Effectiveness, Denise Roper Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between self-monitoring and leader effectiveness. Several surrogate measures of leader effectiveness were used including: subordinate organizational commitment, overall job satisfaction, satisfaction with supervision, intention to turnover, organizational citizenship behavior, and leader performance ratings. The study was conducted in a retail setting. The sample consisted of fifteen store managers, 116 department supervisors, and 597 sales associates. The results of the study did not support a relationship between self-monitoring and leader effectiveness. This study also examined task structure as a potential moderator of the relationship between sel-fmonitoring and effectiveness. It was predicted that …

"Credos And Curios" : James Thurber's Practice And Spadework On The Columbus Dispatch, Thomas Jackson Carter

Doctoral Dissertations

This study focuses on the newspaper apprenticeship of James Thurber, tracing the development of various literary and humor devices in the 42 installments of his "Credos and Curios" column that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch in 1923. Thurber himself acknowledged the value of his newspaper apprenticeship, and this study looks at the evidence that the foundations of his literary career were laid in that apprenticeship work. In particular, the early writings show experimentation with various literary and humor devices that his later works either discard or develop. In addition to examining the themes and stylistic devices Thurber used in the …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Maternal Reporting Style And Parenting Behavior, Pamela G. Cartor

Doctoral Dissertations

In this investigation, the relationship between maternal report style in clinic discussions and parenting behavior in the home is explored. Eleven mother - child dyads were followed through a treatment program for multistressed families with children with conduct problems. Families were divided into three treatment conditions: parent training only; parent training and synthesis teaching; parent training, synthesis teaching and friendship liaison. Synthesis teaching is a program developed by Wahler and Dumas (1989) to enhance the impact of parent training by helping a mother become a more attentive observer and articulate reporter of her experience. Previous research (Wahler, 1980; Webster-Stratton, 1985) …

Reengineering New Product Development : Macro Ends And Micro Means Of Improved Cross-Functional Integration, Betty S. Coffey

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study has been to examine the research question: What is the nature of cross-functional integration among research and development, manufacturing, and marketing during the new product development process? Organizations were sampled from a relevant population of innovative firms in different industries. Organizations were selected which were known for their successful efforts in improved cross-functional integration during new product development. The research question was explored through data obtained from eight liaison interviews and fifty semi-structured interviews with functional managers at eight organizations. In addition to the interviews, data were collected from archival records and direct observation. Utilizing …

The Relationship Of Academic And Social Coping To Achievement And Social Adaptability, Jann Darryl Cupp

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the relationships among student coping styles and academic achievement and school-based social behaviors. The Academic / Social Coping Inventory (ASCI) was developed for this study in order to measure student coping behavior in Academic and Social situations. Teachers of seven elementary schools in Putnam County, Tennessee were asked to complete an assessment packet on five students in their classroom. Second, third, fourth, and fifth grade classes were targeted for a total of 280 students. The basic assessment packet consisted of the ASCI and a brief teacher questionnaire on which each student's current grade average, group achievement scores …

Healing : Within A Multi-Layered, Multi-Dimensional Paradigm, Beth Degutis

Doctoral Dissertations

This research project was designed to assess the meanings residents of a mid-sized southeastern metropolitan area attach to their involvement in alternative or holistic health care programs. These programs have rarely been studied by social researchers and attention to them is particularly critical in light of the current unprecedented commitment of U.S. government leaders to redefine the medical institution through the establishment of a national health care plan. Key informants in a snowball sampling technique were used to locate 15 practitioners with established clienteles. Data were collected by means of survey questionnaires, long semi-structured interviews, and participant observation. Whenever the …

Floristic And Phytogeographic Studies Of The Hepatic Flora Of The Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Paul Gregory Davison

Doctoral Dissertations

The hepatic flora of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska was compiled from over 4000 collections including historical collections in The University of Tennessee Herbarium and more recent, personal collections made during 1988 and 1990. Literature reports were also incorporated. A total of 135 species in 52 genera and 29 families are treated. Ten species are excluded. Taxonomic discussions include differentiation from related taxa and descriptions of deviant or noteworthy morphological forms (including the presence of reproductive material). Ecological and phytogeographical information accompany taxonomic discussions. Two species, putatively new to science, are described in detail and one species, Chiloscyphus gemmiparous Evans, is …

An Evaluation Of Education For Creating Industrial Democracy, John R. Dew

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted to examine how a group of supervisors responds to training designed to help them develop democratic leadership skills. It used an action research method, involving supervisors in training which provides an opportunity for reflection on leadership roles and skill building in areas essential to democratic leadership. The study employed a chronological time series analysis using a pre-workshop written self-assessment, videotaping of role playing exercises, a post-workshop written evaluation, and focus group interviews conducted ten weeks after the training. Findings from the study were; 1. Supervisors clearly perceived the training to be useful to them in preparing …

Identification And Molecular Mapping Of A Gene Restricting Nodulation In Soybean, Daqi Qian

Doctoral Dissertations

Successful establishment in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) nodules of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains with improved nitrogen-fixing ability over indigenous strains has been suggested as an approach to enhance soybean productivity. A major obstacle to this achievement has been the superior competitive ability of indigenous strains over improved strains for developing nodules. The objectives of this study were to; (1) search for genes which restrict nodulation with certain strains of B. japonicum, (2) study the genetic pattern of restricted nodulation, (3) investigate at which stage nodulation development is blocked, and (4) use RFLP technology to map the gene restricting …

An Epidemiologic Study Of Toxoplasma Gondii In Swine In Tennessee, Amir Mohsen Assadi-Rad

Doctoral Dissertations

The reliability of the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) to detect infection with Toxoplasma gondii was evaluated in a murine model. Thirty-five mice (ICR) were infected with bradyzoites of (UT-1 strain) and all acquired the infection. IgM and IgG titers were measured every two days in the twenty-five infected mice. IgM and IgG appeared seven days postinfection (PI). IgM peaked from 11-15 days PI and remained throughout the experiment (45 days). The presence of T. gondiiwas confirmed post-mortem in all infected mice by impression smear, hematoxylin and eosin and/or immunoperoxidase straining of brain sections. The MAT was proven a reliable …

Recirculating Sand Filter Design And Operating Criteria For Removal Of Nitrogen From Domestic Septic Tank Effluent, Efrain Enrique Ruiz

Doctoral Dissertations

A physical model of a recirculating sand filter (RSF) system was constructed to determine the ability of the system to remove nitrogen from domestic septic tank effluent and to learn the effects on the removal ability of the specific operating parameters depth of sand, recirculation ratio, loading rate.

The RSF system model consisted of a sand filter reactor, denitrification chamber reactor, and a polishing sand filter reactor. A research investigation was conducted with the help of twelve model units in which domestic septic tank effluent was treated on a continuous basis. Then, optimum and appropriate combinations of operating parameters were …

The Economic Community Of West African States And The Liberian Crisis, Nana Kwame Agyenim-Boateng

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the main political developments that led to the Liberian crisis and civil war and, more importantly, the intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This dissertation defined the phenomenon and types of intervention, problems associated with even humanitarian intervention and its future application. After a theoretical discussion of related concepts, the study dealt with the historical background of Liberia. The consequences of the civil war for Liberia in particular and the West African subregion in general were dealt with next. These consequences resulted in the ECOWAS intervention in the …

Examining The Relationship Between Media And Personal Expressive Rights : The Effect Of Need For Cognition, Julie L. Andsager

Doctoral Dissertations

This study attempted to determine whether cognitive traits influence the relationship between media rights and personal expressive rights. Previous research into support for expressive rights has seldom used cognitive variables, and those that have been studied lack either parsimony or a driving mechanism. This study used need for cognition (Cacioppo & Petty, 1986) as a measure of cognitive motivation. Research on expressive rights has used survey methodology, which provides a snapshot of attitudes. Critics of such research argue that survey respondents are asked to respond without being given adequate time to consider the implications of their answers. This experiment used …

Diels-Alder Reactions And Synthetic Methodologies On Alumina And Study Of Liclo4/Ether System, Satinder Pal Bains

Doctoral Dissertations

The Diels-AIder reactions of dimethyl maleate, dimethyl fumarate, (-)-dimenthyl fumarate and (-)-menthyl methyl fumarate with cyclopentadiene on σ-Aumina and the Diels-Alder reactions of dimethyl maleate, (-)-dimenthyl fumarate and (-)-menthyl methyl fumarate with cyclopentadiene in LiClO₄/diethyl ether were examined. The diastereoselectivity of the Diels-Alder reactions increases with increasingly activated alumina. The diastereoselectivity for the Diels-Alder reactions carried out in LiClO₄/diethyl ether appears to be moderated due to complexation of the Li⁺ with ether and ClO₄^-. The Tolbert-Ali test was applied to the results of the Diels-Alder reactions of (-)- dimenthyl fumarate and (-)-menthyl …

Where There Be Mountains : Environmental And Cultural Change In The Appalachian South, 1500-1800, Donald Edward Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

"Where There Be Mountains" is an ethnohistorical study of environmental and cultural change in the Appalachian South. Utilizing a large body of primary and secondary sources, and drawing on the methodology of several disciplines, the author documents the evolution of subsistence techniques, land-use patterns, and ecological cultural practices in the southern mountains from 1500 A.D. to 1800 A.D.. One of the main goals of the study was to demonstrate the environment's influence on the formation and development of Mississippian, Cherokee, and early European culture.

Intergovernmental Relations, Civil Rights, And Policy Analysis : The Administrative Enforcement Of Equal Employment Opportunity Laws, Lola R. Dodge

Doctoral Dissertations

This study uses the overlapping authority model of intergovernmental relations to examine the administrative enforcement of equal employment opportunity laws. Overall, considerable support is provided for application of the overlapping authority model to understanding the nature of intergovernmental relations between the national Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state fair employment practice agencies. Regression analyses indicate a large proportion of variation in enforcement and content of charge resolution contracts can be explained by variations in variables which reflect measures of authority, interdependence, and bargaining. These findings enhance our understanding of the intergovernmental process of implementing equal employment opportunity law in a …

Self-Concept, Locus Of Control, And The Home Environment As Predictors Of Reading Comprehension In Eighth-Grade Students, Karla Jean Driesler

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: to develop a valid and reliable measure of the home environment process variables and to determine the relative contribution of SES, self-concept, locus of control, and the home environment to the prediction of reading comprehension. From a secondary analysis of data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), a parent survey of 13,932 eight grade students was used to determine potential measures of the home environment process variables. A student survey was used to assess the student's perception of self-concept and locus of control. Factor analysis of the home environment questions yielded five …

Tectonics And Sedimentation Of The Taconic Molasse In Southwestern Virginia, Joachim Oskar Dorsch

Doctoral Dissertations

A detailed sedimentologic and stratigraphic examination of the Juniata Formation, Tuscarora Sandstone, and Rose Hill Formation (Upper Ordovician to Lower Silurian) revealed new insights on the process sedimentology and regional stratigraphic architecture of these units, exposed within Alleghanian thrust sheets of the Appalachian Valley and Ridge in southwestern Virginia. The examined stratigraphic units are part of the Martinsburg-Shawangunk clastic wedge, which represents the fill of a peripheral foredeep formed during the Taconic orogeny in the central Appalachians. The stratigraphic units succeed the Martinsburg Formation and mirror the secular development of the Taconic orogen. The regional "Tuscarora unconformity" bisects the Martinsburg-Shawangunk …

2000 Together : The Situational Theory Of Publics Applied To The Status Of Women In Journalism And Mass Communication Programs, Betty Anne Farmer

Doctoral Dissertations

This study applied the situational theory of publics to the issue of women's advancement in journalism and mass communication programs. The methodology was a telephone survey of a stratified, random sample of 402 members of The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). As of 1993, women were underrepresented as faculty and administrators in journalism and mass communication programs, while females constituted the majority of students in these programs. In recognition of this situation, AEJMC passed a resolution in 1989 that encouraged its members and affiliates to have at least 50 percent of their faculties and administrations comprised …

Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry Via Photofragmentation Of Volatile Beta-Diketonate Chelates, Priscilla Johnson Gannicott

Doctoral Dissertations

Laser-based atomic spectroscopic methods for trace metals analysis offer many advantages of potential use to the analytical chemist; namely, extremely high sensitivity and selectivity. The key to achieving high sensitivity Is efficient sample atomization. An atomization reservoir that is highly efficient with minimal background interferences is desirable in the achievement of ultra-trace metals analysis and is the focus of the research described herein. Multiphoton ultraviolet laser photolysis was the method chosen to generate gas-phase metal atoms from volatile metal chelates. The resulting emissive fragments were detected via atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The performance of photofragmentation of volatile metal chelates as an …

Diagnostic Validity Of Neuropsychological And Discrepancy Analysis Methods For Identification Of Learning Disabled Children, Barbara Garland

Doctoral Dissertations

This Study investigated the use of the LuriaNebraska Neuropsychological Battery-Children's Revision (LNNB-CR) as compared to the Simple Difference and Regression discrepancy methods (IQ - academic achievement) in differentiating Learning Disabled and Non-Learning Disabled students. Thirty Learning Disabled and 30 Non-Learning Disabled students were matched on chronological age, grade, gender, socioeconomic status and intelligence scores. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III), Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT), and the LNNB-CR were administered. Results of t tests using the WIAT indicated that significant differences were evidenced between LD and Non-LD subject groups in six of seven achievement areas. The academic area …

Functional Studies Of Cyclic Amp Regulatory Element Binding Proteins, Qingqing Gong

Doctoral Dissertations

The CAMP regulatory element (ORE) for the Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene has been localized between -61 and -113 in the promoter region. The gel retardation assay using a synthetic oligo bearing the CRE revealed that two DNA-protein complexes were formed with rat liver nuclear extract. Competition assays suggested that the upper complex is due to a CREB-like activity, while the lower complex results from the binding of NF-1 or an NF-1 like protein. Partial purification with DEAE cellulose chromatography showed that the CREB protein(s) binds tightly to DEAE, while the NF-1 like activity comes out in the flow through fractions. …

Groundwater Monitoring Network Design Using Minimum Well Density, Garry L. Grabow

Doctoral Dissertations

Limitations on resources for groundwater quality monitoring projects demand definition of groundwater contaminant plumes with a minimum number of sampling wells. Placement of these wells, especially in the case of a sequential design, in which wells are added in increments, requires effective use of the information gathered from the wells. The relationship between loss of information (or plume definition error) and degree of reduction in the number of sampling wells was investigated. Subsequently, a sequential network design procedure was developed and then tested with data from two historic tracer tests. The procedure was used to construct networks of varying number …