Digital Commons Network^™

The Alive Center (A Local Information & Volunteer Exchange): An Evaluation Of The Year 2003-2004, Joel Kaunisto

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Volunteerism plays an important role in modern American society with benefits accruing to the community and individuals who volunteer. This thesis evaluated the first year of operation of the ALIVE Center (A Local Information and Volunteer Exchange) by addressing four objectives of the program with data obtained from the ALIVE Center. To meet its first objective, the ALIVE Center maintains a current database of local human service organizations. The second objective, to establish a resource center and provide referrals and information to 1,000 people, was achieved. The third objective of maintaining a website was also met. Matching over 200 volunteers …

Enantioseparation Of Alkylaryl Sulfoxides Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis, Chad Snyder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Alkylaryl sulfoxides possess a chiral sulfur atom easily identifiable by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Separation of chiral alkylaryl sulfoxides has already been accomplished by modified method of CZE known as micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). However, no articles have been published on the enantioseparation of alkylaryl sulfoxides using capillary zone electrophoresis.

A series of sulfoxides were synthesized, purified and identified via NMR. Enantioseparation was performed using CZE employing a 10 mmol. Phosphate buffer (pH 4.0, 25% acetonitrile, 2% sulfated-β-cyclodextrin). Synthesis of these sulfoxides will be presented along with the results of the procedure’s optimization. Separation of the sulfoxide enanitomers relies on …

Adolescent Perceptions Of Risk-Taking Behaviors, Susan Matthews

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Adolescents often make adult decisions regarding their lifestyle and behavior with little support from their family and community. In this study the researcher examined the difference in risk-taking behaviors between genders and the role that families and communities play in reducing risk-taking behaviors. In the study I further analyzed self-reports of numbers of development assets those students reporting participation in high-risk behaviors. Method: Data were obtained from a sample of convenience of (N=82) 12^th grade students. Behaviors and attitudes were examined using the Search Institute’s Profiles of Student Life survey. Results: Chi square was used to test for significant …

Assessing The Persistence To Graduation Of Students Joining Fraternities At Western Kentucky University, Charles Pride

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In the study, I assessed the persistence of students who joined fraternities at Western Kentucky University. Also included is a comparison between them and the general student population. The study includes 1467 students who joined fraternities between the Fall 1986 to Spring 1991 semesters. A five-year time period was used as the benchmark for graduation from the institution. Factors that were explored included race, initiation status, year in school when pledging, and organizational affiliation. Pearson Product-Moment Correlations and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data. The results illustrated that students who join fraternities graduate at a higher …

The Greens Of Falls Of Rough: A Kentucky Family Biography 1795-1965, Hugh Ridenour

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of writing about the Greens of Falls of Rough is to record the extraordinary lives of three generations of a prominent, but somewhat neglected, Kentucky family that contributed greatly to the history of the Commonwealth. This family’s activities parallel that history in social, economic and political aspects from the state’s inception to the 1960s.

In addition, this thesis should alleviate a pervasive misunderstanding regarding the identity of Willis Green, founder of the Greens of Falls of Rough. Mr. Green, a prominent Kentuckian in his own right, has been confused with another Kentuckian, a Willis Green of Danville. The …

Field Test Of A Calcite Dissolution Rate Law: Fort’S Funnel Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, J. Scott Slunder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The laboratory-derived calcite dissolution rate law of Plummer et al. (1978) is the most widely used and mechanistically detailed expression currently available for predicting dissolution rates as a function of water chemistry. Such rate expressions are of great use in understanding timescales associated with limestone karst development. Little work has gone into the field testing of the rate law under natural conditions.

This work compared measured dissolution rates measured by a crystal weight loss experiment in Buffalo Creek within Fort’s Funnel Cave, which lies within a pristine, forested catchment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Continuous water chemistry sampling over the …

An Evaluation Of The Economic Impact Of P.L., 101-336, Americans With Disabilities Act On A Community Hospital, Jean E. Craig

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Public Law 131-336, Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), is comprehensive legislation created with the intention of integrating the disable into the work place and every segment of society. Forty-three million Americans are disabled. Of these, twenty-three million seek employment, but because of discrimination are unable to find work. The law provides requirements for access to public accommodations. All disabled Americans deserve the opportunity to enjoy the same public services as the non-disabled.

Businesses are now required to provide reasonable accommodations to a disabled employee if these accommodations will allow the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Businesses …

The Right Hand Of Light: Dark And Light Imagery In The Science Fiction Of Ursula K. Le Guin, Patricia Lynn Keister

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Ursula K. Le Guin uses dark and light imagery to emphasize her theme of dynamic equilibrium. This theme can be found throughout her work; the novels discussed are The Left Hand of Darkness, The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, and The Beginning Place. In each novel, Le Guin focuses on a different aspect of dynamic equilibrium. The themes are respectively, gender identity, chaos and order, and the individual versus the community. The final novel, The Beginning Place, unites and sums up all three themes. In each novel, one or more main characters suffers from imbalance …

Are Major League Baseball Players Compensated For The Ability To Attract Fans?, Mark Tudor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A question asked by many baseball fans during the past two decades has been, “Do baseball players really earn multimillion dollars salaries by simply playing a game?” Previous studies have attempted to show that they go generate enough revenue for a given club to justify these exorbitant earnings. In fact, these studies show that, until recently, baseball players have been exploited by owners who have been reaping major profits at the expense of the players.

Most studies utilize fan attendance to generate revenue figures in their respective regression equations. The intent in this paper is to determine if baseball players …

Characterization Of Combustion Profiles Of Co-Fired Coal/Biomass/Limestone Samples By Tg And Tg/Ftir, Erik Jon Hutchinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent concerns over declining landfill space and a renewed interest in waste-to-energy technologies have increased the possibilities of co-firing different types of fuels in fluidized bed combustion systems. Fluidized bed combustion systems are idea for co-firing because of their ease in heat conversion and ability to burn a wide range of fuels. Additionally, thermal analytical techniques can be used to screen fuel blends for the fluidized bed combustion systems at a lower cost than directly firing the fuel blends in pilot systems. Three coals, three different municipal solid wastes (MSW), one limestone were combined into nine series of binary fuel …

Cryptococcus Neoformans Serotype Groups Found In Clinical And Environmental Isolates, John Clauson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast responsible for severe meningoencephalitis. The importance of epidemiological studies on cryptococcosis has increased since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. C. neoformans exists in two varieties containing four serotypes, C. neoformans var. neoformans (serotypes A and D) and C. neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C). Locally C. neoformans var. neoformans has been associated with pigeon feces during those months having an average temperature of 64.2°F j(17.8°C) and above. Clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans obtained from regional hospitals and environmental samplings, respectively, have been grouped into their variety status utilizing canavanine-glycine-bromthymol blue …

Ground Water Flow And Water Resources Investigation Of The Auburn, Summers And Shakertown Springs Karst Ground Water Basins, Logan And Simpson Counties, Kentucky, William Howcroft

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The City of Auburn is faced with a number of problems relating to its dependency on two karst springs, Auburn and Summers Springs, to meet its water requirements. Besides being extremely vulnerable to contamination, the springs often discharge and insufficient volume of water needed for public consumption and dilution of the City’s treated wastewater. Thus the City wishes to find an additional source of water and views nearby Shakertown Spring as a possibility. The study has three main objectives: 1) delineation of the Auburn, Summers, and Shakertown Springs ground water basins, 2) determination of the volume of available water at …

A Study Of Kentucky’S Agricultural Performance Using Shift-Share Analysts, David Neal Cundiff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this paper the theory that Kentucky has a comparative advantage in agricultural employment, when compared to the United States, is examined. In order to test this hypothesis, a dynamic shift-share analysis was conducted using the thirteen major economic sector of Kentucky over the period 1970 to 1989. The resulting regional shift components, or competitive components, give support to the theory that a comparative advantage for Kentucky in agriculture does exist. Annual regional shift components, as well as their dynamic counterpart, possess predominately positive values, indicating outperformance by Kentucky’s agricultural sector when compared to the United States economy as a …

Does Sex Discrimination Exist In Faculty Salaries At Western Kentucky University? An Empirical Examination Of The Wage Gap, Reed Vesey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis examines wage differentials between male and female faculty salaries at Western Kentucky University. A human capital model of salary determination is examined by using regression analysis on relevant personal and job characteristics of faculty members. A large portion of the wage gap between men and women is explained through differences in the personal and job characteristics. A portion of the wage gap remains unexplained, however, the probability of discrimination playing a substantial role in salary is very small.

Six Volleyball Skill Tests As A Predictor Of Game Performance, Donetta J. Cothran

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of six selected volleyball skill tests to actual volleyball game performance. The six skill test items were administered to 64 subjects, who were all members of a college level introductory volleyball course. Based on the ratings of a panel of experts, subjects were rated during game play as good, average, or poor performers.

The stepwise discriminant analysis was used to analyze the relationship between skill tests and game performance. Four of the six skill tests were identified as significantly contributing to group membership. These tests, in order of the magnitude …

Repeatabilities Of Pelvic Area Measurements Between And Within Technicians With Varying Levels Of Experience, Steven Ftizner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There has been some concern recently about the ability of technicians to accurately measure and rank prospective replacement heifers and herd bulls for pelvic area. Two studies were conducted to determine the repeatabilities between and within technicians with varying levels of experience in measuring pelvic areas.

In both studies, virgin yearling heifers were measured for pelvic height and width to determine pelvic area. In each study, technicians included a veterinarian with several years experience in reproductive physiology practice and Western Kentucky University students with varying levels of experience in rectal examinations. In the first study , the veterinarian used both …

Measurement Of The Effects Of Food Preparation Activities On The Microclimate Of The Snowball Dining Room Area Of Mammoth Cave, Kelly Kaletsky

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The stability of Mammoth Cave’s microclimate has never undergone extensive investigation. The Snowball Dining Room area was chosen to measure the microclimate of the cave and to determine if food preparation, human presence and surface temperature variations alter this microclimate. Three portable weather stations containing a temperature / humidity probe, datalogger and microbarograph were placed in various locations along three passageways leading away from the dining room. Readings were taken 24 hours per day for four months. Plotting temperature readings in graph form show a correlation between temperature of the passageway and distance from the dining room.

The Ratio Of Heinz Body Formation In Different Hemoglobin Zurich Subjects, Yenya Hu

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hemoglobin Zurich is a hemoglobin anomaly that results when one amino acid (histidine) is substituted by arginine at position 63 in the beta chain of hemoglobin molecules [β 63 His—Arg]. When Hemoglobin Zurich individuals are exposed to sulfonamide medication, their hemoglobins denature and subsequently form Heinz bodies which attach to the surface of the plasma membrane.

Four Hemoglobin Zurich family members were the subjects of the current study. They included a splenectomized female subject, non-splenectomized female and male subjects, and a non-splenectomized female member without Hemoglobin Zurich as the control. The results collaborate that splenectomy increases the number of erythrocytes …

Assertiveness As A Measure Of Satisfaction In The Physician-Patient Communication Process, Joan Delores Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years medical societies have begun to recognize the effects and benefits of good communication between physician and patient. Like any other relationship, the exchange of information with fluent understanding creates a stronger bond of trust. Most applied research conducted in the area of physician-patient communication concentrates on physician behaviors which the patient views as problematic. This thesis focuses on patient assertiveness and its relationship to physician-patient satisfaction in the consultation process. Specifically, the study focuses on the relationship between patient assertiveness and physician-patient satisfaction.

For the study the researcher developed a patient questionnaire and pre- and post-physician questionnaires …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Self-Concept And Heterogeneous And Homogeneous Grouping Procedures With Seventh-Grade Students, Wanda Hughes Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Homogeneous grouping, a technique which assigns learners by ability levels into class sections for instruction, has undergone considerable controversy. This study investigated the relationship between global self-concept and two procedures used to group seventh-grade students for instruction. The two procedures were heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping The Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Inventory Scale was administered to 76 heterogeneously grouped students and 70 homogeneously grouped students. A T-Test was applied to study the data by total groups. It was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to reject the hypothesis that there was no difference between the two groups.

A Modified Scheme For The Isolation And Enumeration Of Bacteria In Municipal Sewage Sludge, Kelly Ball

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Because of the potential health hazards associated with the use of sludge for agricultural purposes, Dudley et al (1980) published a scheme for the routine analysis of bacteria in municipal sewage sludge. In this study, the Dudley et al scheme (1980) was modified by updating some of the procedures. Aerobically digested sludge generated by the Bowling Green Wastewater Treatment Plant, Bowling Green, Kentucky, was analyzed using the modified scheme. Sludge samples were collected once every two months over a one-year period from October 1989 to August 1990.

Egg yolk-free tryptose sulfite cycloserine agar in conjunction with the revewrse CAMP test …

The Palladium (Ii) –Catalyzed Homogeneous Oxidation Of 1-Hexene, Margarita Kirova

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Palladium(II)-catalyzed homogeneous oxidation of 1-hexene in methanolic medium has been studied, copper(II) chloride being used as cocatalyst. Aspects of the kinetics, mechanism and product composition were investigated in several series of oxidations involving variation of hexene concentration, oxygen partial pressure, Cu(II): Pd(II) ratio and concentration and temperature. The progress of the reaction was studied in the course of periodic sampling runs. Reaction products were identified by gas chromatography, and verified by means of GC/mass spectrometry. The expected product of 1-hexene oxidation was 2-hexeanone: however, 3-hexanone occurs as a major coproduct, arising from concurrent Pd(II)-catalyzed isomerization of 1-hexene to 2-hexene. …

Thermal Properties Of Some Lipid Components Of Cell Membranes, Lihua Wei

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Phospholipids are the major structural components of the lipid portion of biological membranes. The study of the thermal properties of these phospholipid provides a systematic understanding of the relationships between the chemical structures and functional properties of phospholipid molecules in artificial and biological membranes. This study examined the thermal behavior of phospholipids in the solid state using DSC and TG coupled with FITR. The phospholipids were found to have phase transitions below the melting point. Egg-yolk lecithin had four transitions below its melting point; sphingomyelin had two phase transitions below its melting point. Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine had complex phase transitions. …

“I’M Not Lost . . . I Meant To Be Here!”, David Lee Sloan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This is a collection of creative essays containing one person’s world view and experiences – factual and fiction. The intended purpose is not to make the reader think, act, or change any of his beliefs, it is simply meant to entertain him in a world that often offers few risk-free entertainments. It is hoped that the reader will be just as ignorant when he turns the last page as he was when he turned the first. Even Adam with his wonderful garden, or Aladin and his magic lamp, didn’t offer as much. I am offering reading without the danger of …

An Analysis Of Kentucky’S Principals: Perceptions And Preparedness To Assume The Role Of School Based Management, Byron D. Jeffries

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

During the Kentucky Association of School Administrators Conference, July 1990, principals from across Kentucky were surveyed by a questionnaire to determine their perceptions and preparedness to assume their role under the newly mandated law, House Bill 940, specifically school-based management.

It was the assumption of the researcher that principals across Kentucky have very little background or training in the use of group processes and strategies needed to make school-based management a successful part of Kentucky’s educational process

Based on a statistical analysis of the collected data the research would appear to support the researcher’s assumption. Principals indicated a need for …

An Exploration Of Sound & Sense In Poetry, Stephen Carden

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Various theorists have treated the problem of sound and sense in poetry. The influence of sound in poetry can be found both in the overall musical structure of a poem and in the internal sounds of rhythm and diction. Plato suggests that rhythm and harmony have a direct effect on man, and can establish either balance or disproportion within the soul. The debate whether sound determines sense or sense determines sound is rejected in favor of a third possibility: an interdependent relationship between sound and sense, an intrinsic formal structure, as the ideal governing the creation of poetry. Further, Aristotle …

Stain Upon The Silence: Samuel Beckett’S Deconstructive Inventions, Leigh Howard

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, deconstruction theory has emerged as a key method for exploring public address, organizational culture, and literary discourse. Deconstruction theory encourages tearing apart hierarchy and established order to gain insights about the artifact being studied. Furthermore, the theory questions surface or superficial messages and encourages the reader to explore signals hidden below the surface. Deconstruction discounts context and places faith in experience.

Using the early plays of Samuel Beckett, this research explores deconstruction as a method to create messages. This new perspective transports deconstruction from a set of theoretical concepts into basic assumptions that enhance communication. This study …

East Urban Area Corridor Analysis Daviess County, Kentucky, Laura Pace

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The need for improved highway facilities in the east urban area of Daviess County, Kentucky, is analyzed in this study. The study focuses upon the need for alternative highway routes, due to the increased travel demands generated by a new Ohio River Bridge in eastern Daviess County. Also, the east urban area is forecasted to experience population and employment growth in the next decade, further necessitating the need for improving existing highways or constructing new corridors in the area.

Various alternative alignments for an expressway are examined. The feasibility of upgrading existing highways in the east urban area is also …

The Effects Of Constant, Force-Drop And Variable Duration Training On Increasing The Useful Field Of View, Kathleen Marie O'Connor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Useful Field of View (UFOV) is the entire area in which information can be gathered without moving the head or eyes. It is generally found that the size of the UFOV shrinks with age. Additionally, research has shown that simple practice on the UFOV task can increase the size of the UFOV. However, simple practice may not be the most effective strategy for increasing the UFOV. The present study examined whether training directed toward a specific basis of UFOV loss (slower speed of processing) is more effective than simple practice at increasing field size.

Individuals received one or three …

Radon Contamination Of Residences In A City Built Upon A Karst Landscape Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, James William Webster

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 8 to 12% of U.S. homes have radon concentrations that equal or exceed 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l). A statewide screening of Kentucky by EPA resulted in an average residential radon concentration of 2.8 pCi/l with 17% of the homes at or above 4 pCi/l. EPA requires routine monitoring and maintenance or worker health records in mines and caves having radon daughter concentrations at or above 0.30 working levels (WL).

Bowling Green is a city located in a karst region of south central Kentucky. Residents of Bowling Green have been subjected …