Digital Commons Network^™

Short-Term Effects Of The PoliswabR On Supramarginal Bacterial Plaque Removal And Gingival Health In A Spinal Cord Unit Population, Beth Elaine Mckinney

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the short-term efficacy of a mechanical device (Poliswab^R) on supramarginal bacterial plaque removal and gingival health. The sample consisted of 15 residents in a spinal cord unit at the Hampton Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. A single blind, split-mouth, pretest-posttest design was used in the study with each subject serving as his own control. Over a two week period, each participant had his teeth cleaned once daily by a dental hygienist using a Poliswab^R containing sodium bicarbonate and dentifrice on one side of the mouth and a toothbrush without dentifrice …

Purification And Characterization Of The Prostate Cancer-Associated Antigen: 7e11-C5, Qi Feng

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

A murine monoclonal antibody (MAb), 7E11-C5, recognizes a prostate organ-specific antigen. Under reducing conditions, the 7E11-C5 antigen exhibited major 100-Kd and minor 70-Kd bands, suggesting that the antigen comprises two peptide chains. The antigen was detected in pooled normal human seminal plasma, xenograft tissue extract of a prostate adenocarcinoma cell line, LNCaP, and tissue extracts of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate carcinomas, but was not identified in any of the non-prostate tissue extracts tested. Antibodies of the three major prostate-associated antigens (prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate secretory protein (PSP)) were unable to block the …

On Shock Capturing For Liquid And Gas Media, Tze Jang Chen

Mathematics & Statistics Theses & Dissertations

The numerical investigation of shock phenomena in gas or liquid media where a specifying relation for internal energy is absent poses special problems. Classically, for gas dynamics the usual procedure is to employ a splitting scheme to remove the source terms from the Euler equations, then up-wind biased shock capturing algorithms are built around the Riemann problem for the system which remains. However, in the case where the Euler equations are formulated in the term of total enthalpy, a technical difficulty associated with equation splitting forces a pressure time derivative to be treated as a source term. This makes it …

Nitrogen Dynamics Of The Acacia Senegal Agroforestry System In The Sudan, Zakaria Abdalla Mohammed Saad

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The savanna is characterized by low rainfall, poor soil and vegetation types dominated by the Genus Acacia. Agroforestry systems evolved, the most notable of which is Acacia senegal agroforestry system (ASAS). It yields gum acacia, fuel and fodder and improved soil N, P, and pH and stability against erosion.

This study investigated the climatic, edaphic and biotic interactions of the ASAS that govern the nutrient dynamics, mainly N, and biomass. The effects of limited resources of soil, space and photoperiod on biomass, nodulation and rate of N fixation were investigated. Genetic differences among populations were studied. Progenies of selected …

The Relation Between Maternal Behavior And Childrearing Goals And Child Outcomes In Low-Income Black Children, Dawn D. Wimbush

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the relation between maternal goals and practices and preschool children's cognitive development and behavioral compliance. Fifty low-income Black mothers of three- to five— year-old children were interviewed and completed several questionnaires that assessed childrearing goals and practices. The HOME, a measure of maternal stimulation was also assessed. Children were administered the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and an achievement test. Child compliance to maternal requests was observed in the home. Considerable diversity was found in maternal childrearing goals. For the most part, maternal goals were not related to child outcomes; however, indirect-internal techniques (Sears, Maccoby, & …

The Effect Of Menopause Stage And Exercise On Perceived Body Image And Depression, Barbara Anne Waters

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of menopause stage and level of exercise on depression and perceived body image with 101 women aged 40-60 years. Instruments included a demographic information sheet, the Life Experience Survey (LES), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). The relationship between menopause stage and depression was not significant. The relationship between menopause stage and perceived body-image was also not significant. Menopausal women do not appear to be more depressed or to have lower body-image perceptions when compared to premenopausal women. The main effect for amount of exercise and perceived body image …

Finite Element Analysis Of Nonlinear Panel Flutter Of Rectangular Composite Plates Under A Uniform Thermal Load, Lain Ross Dixon

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A finite element formulation is developed to analyze large-amplitude panel flutter of arbitrarily laminated composite plates subjected to a uniform temperature change. The plates considered are anisotropic composite, thin rectangular panels. The aerodynamic pressure load is modeled through the use of the first-order piston theory. The equations of motion for the oscillating plate are determined from the principle of virtual work. Two different solution procedures are given to determine the panel motions. The first procedure, which considers only the aerodynamic load, solves the panel limit-cycle motions by employing the linearized updated-mode with a nonlinear time function (LUM/NTF) approximation. The second …

Application Of Sensitivity Analysis To The Euler Equations, Vamshi Mohan Korivi

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

An approximation method is presented for efficiently predicting the changes which occur in a steady-state numerical solution of the Euler equations as a consequence of a small change in the geometric shape of the domain. The method is extended to develop a general procedure for calculating aerodynamic sensitivity derivatives with respect to variations of geometric shape. The techniques are implemented using an upwind cell centered finite volume formulation, and are applied to two test cases, (1) a subsonic nozzle (M_∞ = 0.85), and (2) a supersonic inlet (M_∞ = 2.0). Conventional numerical solutions are first obtained for flow …

Dynamic Test/Analysis Correlation Using Reduced Analytical Models, Paul E. Mcgowan

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Test/analysis correlation is an important aspect of the verification of analysis models which are used to predict on-orbit response characteristics of large space structures. This thesis summarizes the study of using reduced analysis models for performing dynamic test/analysis correlation. The reduced test-analysis model (TAM) has the same number of degrees-of-freedom (DOF) as the number of test measurements. This allows the direct comparison of modal parameters between ground vibration test results and finite element model (FEM) analysis results. The TAM can also be used for pre-test analysis and to aid in the post-test mathematical model updating process.

Herein, four methods for …

An Experimental And Analytical Investigation Of Wing Flutter On A Trial Rotor V/Stol Aircraft, David L. Soistmann

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A wind tunnel model based on a trail rotor vehicle concept was tested for wing flutter in the subsonic flow regime. The wind tunnel model was flutter tested in the forward flight mode only. From this test it was determined that this conceptual vehicle may be susceptible to wing flutter. However, the flutter encountered was not catastrophic but was of the limited amplitude type. The trailing rotor blades were found to have a positive aerodynamic damping effect on flutter. The flutter mechanism for each flutter point was due to a coupling of the first wing bending and first wing torsion …

Simulation And Measurement Of The Radiant Field Produced By Quartz Heating Systems, Travis Lee Turner

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A method is developed for predicting the radiant heat flux distribution produced by tungsten-filament tubular quartz heating systems with reflectors. The method is an application of Monte Carlo simulation, which takes the form of a ray tracing or random walk scheme. The method is applied to four systems of increasing complexity including; a single unreflected lamp, a single lamp with a flat reflector, a single lamp with a parabolic reflector, and up to six lamps in a six-lamp contoured reflector heating unit. The general methodology of the Monte Carlo method is discussed and applied to the simulation of thermal radiation. …

Investigation Of Radiative Interactions In Supersonic Chemically Reacting Channel Flows, Almuttil M. Thomas

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Analyses and numerical procedures are presented to investigate the radiative interactions of absorbing emitting species in chemically reacting supersonic flow in various ducts. The two-dimensional time dependent Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with radiative flux equation are used to investigate supersonic flows undergoing finite rate chemical reaction in a hydrogen air system. The specific problem considered is the flow of premixed radiating gas between parallel plates. Specific attention is directed in investigating the radiative contribution of H2O, OH and NO under realistic physical and flow conditions. Results are presented for the radiative flux obtained for different gases and for various combination …

Cathodoluminescence Of Gaas, Tyler Smith

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Cathodoluminescence of band-gap radiation across the bulk of a proposed semiconductor switch has been studied. Such a device relies on the efficient use of cathodoluminescence to modulate the conductivity of the switch. Diagnostics were configured to measure the intensity of band-gap radiation across the bulk of several switch samples. The measured results were compared to calculations based on a four energy level band-gap model which included two deep levels EL2 and HL10.

Conceptual Design Of Dual Cam Mechanisms Using Graph Theory, Raymond Lee Mcclendon

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This paper presents the theory of graphs and how they can be applied to the conceptual design of dual-cam mechanisms. The graph theory was used to validate the results of previous authors (Hain and Pryor). Several applications of dual cam mechanisms are reviewed.

Algorithms using a process of bit mapping were used to developed all possible non-isomorphic graphs for various classes of mechanisms. A classification method was developed using common occurring substructures found in the graphs. This classification scheme was used for conversion of graphs into schematics. Once the results of Hain were verified, the investigation turned to mechanisms with …

Sexual Orientation Body Image And Sexual Functioning, Charlie Bryan Finch Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Comparisons were made between 78 heterosexual men, 113 heterosexual women, 55 gay men, and 54 lesbians (N = 300) on a variety of body-image and sexual-functioning measures. In comparison to heterosexual men, gay men were more cognitively invested in their appearance, less satisfied with their muscularity and physical fitness, and were less invested in their fitness. Gay men also evidenced a relatively stronger sex drive and experienced premature ejaculation less frequently and inhibited orgasm more frequently. In comparison to heterosexual women, lesbians were more satisfied with their body areas, less cognitively and behaviorally invested in their appearance, and less worried …

Creativity Its Phenomenology In Man And Nature, Margaret L. Mccoy

Institute for the Humanities Theses

The phenomenal world comes into being. The act is an autonomous process weaving the abstract world and the concrete world into one reality. We name this process "Creativity." A journey into mind and matter, into the inner subjective realm and the outer objective realm, is required to observe Creativity's grand performance. Western thought may be revolutionized in finding that in exploring Creativity man is exploring himself; Nature has consciousness as he does, and barriers between mind and matter are non-existent in the womb of creation. As ancient philosophies and mystical ideas of the East once proposed: the Many is One. …

Stable N-Chloraldimines And Other Chlorination Products Of Phenylalanine In Model Solutions And In A Wastewater, Barbara L. Conyers

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Model solutions of the amino acid phenylalanine were chlorinated to seven Cl/N mole ratios. The by-products were characterized using gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, GC/MS, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. At the lower Cl/N ratios N-chlorophenylalanine and phenylacetaldehyde were identified as the main products while phenylacetonitrile and N-chlorophenylacetaldimine were the major products at Cl/N ratios of 2.0 and beyond. The concentration of phenylalanine in a municipal wastewater was determined. Using a radiotracer the chlorination products of phenylalanine in the wastewater at the 7 Cl/N ratios were identified as those seen in the model solutions. The distribution of …

A Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopic Study Of Platinum/Tin (Iv) Oxide Low-Temperature Carbon Monoxide Oxidation Catalysts, Donna Sue Duarte

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Platinum-coated tin(IV) oxide catalysts have been developed for the recombination of carbon monoxide and oxygen at 55°C and 1 atmosphere of pressure in closed-cycle carbon dioxide lasers. A diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform spectroscopic (DRIFTS) study of four of these catalysts during 5% carbon monoxide pretreatment at temperatures of 30°C, 100°c, 125°c, and 150°C has been performed. Evidence for the development of surface carbonate, bicarbonate, and formate species during pretreatment has been found. Dehydroxylation of the surface and loss of a partially charged hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl species have also been found to result from elevated temperature pretreatment. The four catalysts have …

Integrated System Identification And Adaptive State Estimation For Control Of Flexible Space Structures, Chung-Wen Chen

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Accurate state information is crucial for control of flexible space structures in which the state feedback strategy is used. The performance of a state estimator relies on accurate knowledge about both the system and its disturbances, which are represented by system model and noise covariances respectively. For flexible space structures, due to their great flexibility, obtaining good models from ground testing is not possible. In addition, the characteristics of the systems in operation may vary due to temperature gradient, reorientation, and deterioration of material, etc. Moreover, the disturbances during operation are usually not known. Therefore, adaptive methods for system identification …

An Experimental Study On Anisotropic Behavior Of Granular Materials, Jong Woon Choi

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Two types of mixtures of glass bead assemblies (large beads and small beads) were used to investigate the source of the anisotropy of granular materials in volume change behaviors during shearing process. Most tests (7 series) were conducted in the conventional triaxial device while a series of the experiments were in the hollow cylinder test device. All the specimens were first isotropically consolidated up to 137.9 kPa and were subjected to shearing in triaxial compression and triaxial extension modes with a constant effective mean normal stress (137.9 kPa). The test results indicated that all the specimens had a strong but …

A Heritage In Stone: The History Of Norfolk's Burial Grounds And Customs Seventeenth To Nineteenth Century, Cheryl Copper

History Theses & Dissertations

The study of death and burial grounds is not one of endings as much as it is a search for perspective in the continuum of life. Burial customs and graveyards offer a rich thread in the tapestry of local history. From poignant epitaphs to newspaper ads for mourning goods, from stone carvings to grave robbing, a colorful story unfolds; a story whose characters are rich, poor, female, male, black, white, young and old. They are doctors, strangers, craftsmen, mothers-thieves. The fabric of Norfolk's history is woven with their lives-and their deaths. This study is intended to root out the many …

Fast Parallel Algorithms For Basic Problems, Zhaofang Wen

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Parallel processing is one of the most active research areas these days. We are interested in one aspect of parallel processing, i.e. the design and analysis of parallel algorithms. Here, we focus on non-numerical parallel algorithms for basic combinatorial problems, such as data structures, selection, searching, merging and sorting. The purposes of studying these types of problems are to obtain basic building blocks which will be useful in solving complex problems, and to develop fundamental algorithmic techniques.

In this thesis, we study the following problems: priority queues, multiple search and multiple selection, and reconstruction of a binary tree from its …

Gender Effects On Recall, Clinical Judgement And Treatment Recommendations For A Combination Of Major Depression And Alcohol Dependence Symptoms, Jodi L. French

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of client gender on several aspects of clinical decision-making processes and clinical judgement when a client presented with a combination of depressive and alcohol-dependent symptoms. Forty-four male and 44 female clinicians, who came from various mental health disciplines (i.e., psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, and psychiatry), volunteered to participate as subjects.

The subjects were assigned to hear one of four audiotapes (two male tapes and two female tapes) in which mock clients gave the same initial presentation of symptoms and problems. After listening to the tapes, the clinicians were asked to engage in a number …

The Relationship Among Absorption Anxiety And Frontal Electromyogram, Jeffrey E. Atkinson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the relationship among absorption, anxiety (state and trait), and frontal EMG in a sample of sixty undergraduate students. These relationships were examined during a baseline (relaxation) condition and during an anxiety condition during which an extemporaneous speech was given. It was determined that absorption was inversely related to state anxiety and trait anxiety was directly related to state anxiety measured after the relaxation period. Absorption and/or trait anxiety were not related to state anxiety after the speech anxiety condition. There was no relationship between absorption or trait anxiety and frontal EMG during either condition. In addition, state …

The Effects Of Confidentiality Gender And Subject Shyness On The Social Desirability Response Bias, Scott D. Bradshaw

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effect of confidentiality on objective and semi-projective personality measures. Confidentiality was manipulated by telling the subject his/her responses would, or would not, be discussed with the examiner. The effect was assessed by comparing a subject s scores on two different measures of the same construct'ne test completed with confidentiality, the other without. It was hypothesized that subjects in the non-confidential condition would alter the responses on the measures and that this effect would be greatest with opposite gender pairings of subjects and examiners. The possible moderator variables of shyness, self-monitoring, and self-actualization were also examined. Data …

The Effects Of Social Support On The Psychological Adjustment Of Navy Wives Experiencing Deployment, Marci A. Harris

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The military, particularly a Navy deployment, provides unique challenges and stresses to the military family. The present study investigated the effects of social support on the psychological well-being of Navy wives experiencing spousal deployment. Sixty-three Navy wives in the Tidewater, Virginia area completed questionnaires on depression, self-esteem, and daily stress, as well as on the size of and satisfaction with affective and instrumental support. Assessments were made before, during, and after the deployment. Results of stepwise regressions showed that satisfaction with various aspects of social support significantly (p < .05) predicted levels of depression, self-esteem, and daily stress at all three phases of deployment. Results also showed that psychological wellbeing was lowest at middeployment. Findings demonstrate the importance of developing satisfactory social support systems prior to, during, and after deployment.

Relationships Among Type Of Classrooms, Gender, And Measures Of Student Classroom Perceptions And Preferences, Phyllis M. Roberson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between gender, classroom type, seating preference and locus of control with respect to how they predict attitudes about classrooms and seating preferences was investigated in 38 males and 44 females. A number of significant relationships were found between the perceived environments and various attitudes of students about the environments. The Classroom Environment Scale and Seating Preference Questionnaire were used to assess student attitudes about classroom environments and seating preferences. Students perceived small classrooms as enhancing friendships, affiliation and competition as compared to large and lecture classrooms. Large and lecture classrooms were perceived by students as more task oriented …

A Program Evaluation Of The Welcome Baby Project: A Primary Prevention Program For Teenage Mothers And Their Infants, Susan A. Murdock

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The central purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Welcome Baby Project (WBP), a primary prevention program with the mission of promoting child development and a positive relationship between "at-risk" adolescent mothers and their infants and to prevent disorders of attachment, child abuse and neglect, and unwanted, repeat pregnancy. Intervention involved weekly home visits by trained parent volunteers for children from birth to two years.

The WBP mothers and a control group of adolescent mothers were compared on assessments collected during a home visit. Participants were asked to complete the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI), and the …

A Robust Approach To Human-Computer Interface Design Using The Taguchi Method, Billie Mitchell Reed

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The application of Dr. Genichi Taguchi's approach for design optimization, called Robust Design, to the design of human-computer interface software is investigated. The Taguchi Method is used to select a near optimum set of interface design alternatives to improve user acceptance of the resulting interface software product with minimum sensitivity to uncontrollable noise caused by human behavioral characteristics.

Design alternatives for interaction with personal micro-computers are identified. Several important and representative alternatives are chosen as design parameters for the Taguchi matrix experiment. A noise field with three human behavioral characteristics as noise factors were chosen as a representative noise array. …

Parallel-Vector Design Sensitivity Analysis In Structural Dynamics, Yongxing Zhang

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In this study, the design sensitivity analysis is for the purpose of providing constraint derivative information for structural optimization under dynamic loads. Various existing formulations are reviewed, and the direct differentiation method is justified as the best one for design sensitivity analysis in structural dynamics. An alternative formulation for design sensitivity analysis with direct differentiation method is developed. The alternative formulation works efficiently with the reduced system of dynamic equations, and it eliminates the need for expensive and complicated eigenvector derivatives, which is required in the existing reduced system formulation. The relationship of the alternative formulation and the existing reduced …