Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Msa In The Global Regulation Of Virulence In Staphylococcus Aureus, Vijayaraj Nagarajan

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen causing life threatening diseases in humans. Previously we showed that msa modulates the activity of sarA (Staphylococcal accessory regulator), which is one of a major global regulator of virulence in S. aureus. The objective of this study is to characterize the role of msa (Modulator of SarA) in the global regulation of virulence in S. aureus. Structure and function predictions were done using several computational tools and approaches to understand the nature of msa. A novel S. aureus microarray meta-database (SAMMD) was designed and developed to compare and contrast other transcriptomes with msa transcriptome. …

Fantasy Variations On George Gershwin's Prelude Ii For Piano: An Analysis And Conductor's Guide, Brian Stevon Taylor

Dissertations

Donald Grantham has received much acclaim and awards for his compositions. Fantasy Variations proves to be noteworthy addition to his collected works and to the band repertoire. The work won the NBA/William Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest in 1998 and the ABA/Ostwald Award in 1999. The piece has received much acclaim and many performances with several commercial recordings. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the importance of the band music of Donald Grantham through an analysis of one of his award-winning works. Further, another aim would be to help more bands perform this noteworthy piece by assisting in …

Student Persistence At A Small, Private, Religiously-Affiliated College: An Examination Of Retention Theory, Benjamin Arendt

Dissertations

This study seeks to understand how one small, private, religiously-affiliated institution can maintain a high persistence rate while not seeming to exhibit several necessary retention factors as described in the literature and prescribed in theory. This study incorporates a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods within a two-phased research structure. The first portion of the research examined a national dataset (NSSE) while the second phase included student interviews based on the quantitative findings.

Key findings suggest that students are satisfied with the level and quality of their interactions with faculty at this institution. Students reported high satisfaction with peers and …

Contextual Learning For A Global Economy: A Comparative Case Study Of Two Career Technical Centers And Two Machine-Tool Manufacturing Businesses, Jennifer L. Harrison

Dissertations

This qualitative method research dissertation explored the reactions, insights, and current business practices as they pertained to effectively training workers in areas such as problem-solving, higher order thinking and customer service. This body of work examined both changing economic shifts and global paradigms as well as how a systems thinking approach can help educators prepare students for the 21st century and beyond by implementing action research-based methodologies through effective professional learning communities. The problems to which this study addressed were namely (1) to what extent and in what way are there disparities and similarities between career and technical education settings …

Effective Intervention Approaches For Increased Student Achievement With At-Risk Middle School Students: Voices From Parents, Susan J. Peets

Dissertations

Parent involvement is closely linked to student achievement. Research suggests that students, families, and schools benefit from active participation by families in the process of educating children. Many parents provide a broad range of support to their children, although, currently no common agreement on the most effective forms of parent support exists.

This study focused on the gap in the literature as to the needs of middle school at-risk students' parents. Qualitative methods were used to explore how parents of twelve at-risk middle school students (identified by low academic achievement scores of reading at least one year below grade level …

The Impact Of A Community Leadership Academy In A Midwestern County On Graduates' Attitudes And Behavior Toward Community Trusteeship, Robert Harrison

Dissertations

This qualitative case study was designed to investigate how graduates of a community leadership academy changed their attitudes and behaviors toward community trusteeship and changed their level of community involvement. The research was intended to determine whether participation in a community leadership academy builds in graduates an awareness of community issues, develops leadership skills and creates an understanding of the value of community trusteeship resulting in an increase in community involvement.

The findings of the study were based on a sample of graduates who did or did not perceive any change following participation. Data collection techniques included a participant information …

Female Collegiate Gymnasts And Experiences In Sport Retirement Due To Injury, Coleen Harrington Barry

Dissertations

There has been very limited research on sport retirement concerning the experiences that female collegiate athletes face when retiring from a sport due to injury. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, understand, and describe experiences that former NCAA Division I female gymnasts had when they retired from gymnastics, part-way through college, due to injury. The main objective of the study was to attempt to understand female collegiate gymnasts' sport retirement experiences and the impact these experiences may have had on their identity development and college experience. The study also considered female collegiate gymnasts' perceived needs and coping …

Ncaa Division I Head Softball Coaches' Confidence, Openness And Stigma Tolerance Toward Sport Psychology Consultants, Laurie Ann Neelis

Dissertations

This study used a mixed-method to look at NCAA division I head softball coaches confidence, openness, and stigma tolerance about sport psychology principles and consultants, as well as what sport psychology principles, time of year used, and what a Sport Psychology Consultant (SPC) can do to help division I head softball coaches have more success with their teams. These variables were measured through the use of the Sport Psychology Attitudes - Revised Coaches instrument developed by Zakrajsek and Zizzi (2007). For the qualitative component, the researcher developed five inquiries that allowed for a more in-depth response from the coaches concerning …

Luigi Zaninelli: Rehearsing, Performing, And Conducting Selected Works 2005-2008, James Ernest Standland

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide a resource for band conductors for rehearsing and performing band compositions of Luigi Zaninelli, specifically Three Dances of Enchantment, Prayer and Canto, and Dwarf of Venice. Certain decisions conductors make and even risks they take can make the difference in an ensemble's understanding of the music. This study provides an analytical view of Three Dances of Enchantment, Prayer and Canto, and Dwarf of Venice in terms of tempi, form, ensemble blend and balance, intonation, melodic lines, and conducting gestures.

An Educational Initiative To Promote Evidence-Based Practice, Laurel Ann Ecoff Phd, Ms, Rn, Nea-Bc

Dissertations

Evidence-based practice (EBP), recognized as essential in providing quality patient care and achieving optimal outcomes, is the integration of the best research evidence, patient preference, and clinician expertise. Healthcare providers must attain expertise in integrating EBP into the clinical setting. Fellowships are one strategy reported in the literature to assist nurses in acquiring needed knowledge and skills for evidence-based care. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention, the Evidence-Based Practice Institute (EPBI), to teach nurses the process of EBP for project implementation to improve nursing and patient outcomes. This descriptive study used a …

An Investigation Of Career And Technical Education In Local School Districts And The Special School District Of St. Louis County, Missouri, David P. Baker

Dissertations

This investigation focuses on the perceptions of knowledge held by public high school guidance counselors in St. Louis County, Missouri regarding career and technical education (CTE), particularly North and South Technical High Schools, a division of the Special School District (SSD). At the time of this investigation 153 high school guidance counselors were identified in public high schools in St. Louis County. Each counselor was given a 35 item survey, which provided the investigator with demographic information and information regarding the counselor?s perceptions in three subsets of counselor knowledge: CTE candidates, CTE reform and post-secondary opportunities, and CTE program development …

The Use Of Healing Touch In Adults With Hepatitis C Virus Receiving Interferon And Ribavirin: A Pilot Study, Margaret Ann Taylor Phd, Msn, Cns, Htcp/I

Dissertations

In the United States, an estimated 3.2 million individuals are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) the nation's most common chronic blood-borne viral infection. The number of deaths from HCV was predicted to triple within the next two decades. The most effective treatment for HCV is a combination of interferon and ribavirin; however, as many as 92% of patients experienced fatigue as a side effect. The severity of this symptom caused some patients to skip dosages or even stop the required medication regimen before it was completed. The primary purpose of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of …

The Contemporary Perspective Of Wellness Through The Voices Of The Kūpuna, Anne P. Odell Phd

Dissertations

Few studies successfully explain the decline of Hawaiian health, nor provide enough insight to the cultural determinants that affect Hawaiian wellness. For over two hundred years, Hawaiians have been influenced by a changing landscape mostly imposed upon Hawaiians and Hawaiian lands as a consequence of being conquered by powerful Western cultures. This grounded theory study utilized video elicitation and focus group methodologies to examine the perspective of wellness in a group of Hawaiian elders known as kūpuna. Following the viewing of a documentary film designed to elicit culturally based memories, a series of interview questions were asked to foster group …

Development Of A Workflow For The Comparison Of Classification Techniques, Zanifa Omary

Dissertations

As the interest in machine learning and data mining springs up, the problem of how to assess learning algorithms and compare classifiers become more pressing. This has been associated with the lack of comprehensive and complete workflow depending on the project scale to provide guidance to its users. This means the success or failure of the project can be highly dependent on the person or team carrying it.

The standard practice adopted by many researchers and experimenters has been to follow steps or phases from existing workflows such as CRISP-DM, KDD and SASSEMMA. However, as machine learning and data mining …

Reduction Of Toxicity In The Premature Neonate Addociated With Aluminum As A Contaminant Of Total Parenteral Nutrition Solution, Sujittra Srisung

Dissertations

Aluminum (Al) is the third most common element in the Earth?s crust. It is widely consumed in water, foods, and drugs. However, in humans, the uptake of aluminum into the body and its deposition in tissues has been linked to conditions of medical concern, including many neurological disorders such as dialysis dementia, Alzheimer?s disease, Parkinson?s dementia and Down?s syndrome. Premature neonates who receive intravenous feeding (TPN) are at a high risk for Al toxicity because the TPN solutions are contaminated with Al3+, which is not excreted effectively due to poor kidney development in these patients. The FDA has recommended regulations …

Cervical Screening A Study On The Prevalence Of The Risk-Factors For Developing Cervical Cancer Among Young Women, Jennifer Cann

Dissertations

This study had three aims: to determine the prevalence of the risk-factors for contracting HPV (the Human Papillomavirus) and developing cervical cancer among young women; to establish if there are any links between the presence of these risk-factors, attendance for cervical screening and abnormal cervical screening results; and to ascertain the key barriers to the prevention of cervical cancer. The risk-factors were identified from literature as being sexually active at a young age, having increasing numbers of sexual partners for females and their partners, having had a sexually transmitted infection/disease (STI), smoking and long-term use of the oral contraceptive pill. …

Organised Crime In Ireland: A Policy Analysis Of The Introduction Of Organised Crime To The Irish Statute Book, Elizabeth Davey

Dissertations

This thesis is an examination of the policy process employed in the introduction of organised crime to the Irish Statute Book. Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 creates, for the first time in Irish criminal law, specific organised crime offences. This thesis examines the different definitions of organised crime that have been proffered by various academics since the 1960s and highlights the difficulties that exist in coining an all-encompassing yet specific definition for the phenomenon. The methods by which Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 became law are also scrutinised. The views of various interest groups …

An Evaluation Of The Role Of Senior Traveller Training Centres, Maureen Foley

Dissertations

The study evaluates the role of the Senior Traveller Training Centres regarding further education. The centres provide basic compensatory education for Travellers aged 18 upwards. The aim of the centres is to provide Travellers with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to successfully make the transition to work and adult life. It examines the rationale for the centres, the management structure, why people decide to go to the centres, and the curriculum. The study also highlights the difficulties the Traveller community have faced in the past and are still facing today in terms of equality of outcomes in education. Travellers …

Adaptation To College And Individuation-Attachment : A Review Of First Year Students In Contemporary Ireland, Sarah Simmons

Dissertations

The substantive aim of this study was to examine the adaptation of young-adult‟s to college life in Ireland today. The study also assessed the participant‟s levels of individuation-attachment and its consequences for college adjustment. A number of personal variables were examined in relation to both the participants‟ college adjustment and individuation-attachment, with gender being of significant interest. Data were collected from a sample of 125 (78 females and 47 males) first-year college students attending a number of Dublin based institutions. Participants‟ completed quantitative measures of college adjustment and individuation-attachment. Findings indicated that overall student adjustment was positive, with levels of …

Service Supply Chain Management : A Hierarchical Decision Modeling Approach, Roger Angel Solano-Cayama

Dissertations

A Service Supply Chain (SSC) may be described as a network of service provider facilities (in-house or outsourced), each of which is able to process one or more service tasks on an as needed basis. Two key characteristics of a SSC are (i) the business service is decomposable into several sequential tasks that can be processed by different service providers, and (ii) the primary capacity resource is skilled labor. SSCs are increasingly being developed by companies that experience a high variability of demand for their services (e.g., loan processing, analytical consulting services, emergency repair crews, claims processing, etc.). Typically, the …

Investigation Into The Acupuncture And Meridian System, Jingong Pan

Dissertations

The Meridian system conceived by the ancient Chinese has been described and referenced for more than a thousand years. The Meridians meaning paths are the main trunks that run longitudinally within the body. The Meridian system consists of about 400 acupuncture nodes and 20 Meridian channels connecting most of these points. It deals with the routing and distribution of certain signals that may affect physiological functions. It integrates meridians, tissues and organs into a complex system.

Initially, modeling of the acupuncture system is investigated. The physical effect of injecting an acupuncture needle at a node is suggested by an equivalent …

Modeling Edge Effects Of Mesa Diodes For Silicon Photovoltaics, Jesse S. Appel

Dissertations

A mesa diode has been modeled and its performance under dark and illuminated conditions has been simulated using a commercial finite element software package. These simulations have led to a determination of the self-consistent solution to the continuity equations for electrons and holes using the steady-state drift-diffusion model for carrier dynamics coupled with electric potential determined from Poisson's equation. The purpose of these simulations has been to determine the influence of edge conditions on the overall performance of mesa diodes under dark and illuminated conditions.

Mesa diode arrays are fabricated on crystalline silicon solar cells. They are an array of …

Ionic Liquids As Additives For Biodegradable Polyactic Acid, Ku-Il Park

Dissertations

In this study, two ionic liquids (IL) with different anions (decanoate, tetrafluoroborate) but with the same phosphonium based cation were evaluated as potential plasticizers and lubricants for polylactic acid (PLA) and also for their effects on its hydrolytic and thermal degradation. Both ILs at 5wt% were well dispersible and partly miscible with PLA as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray scattering, SEMIEDX, and glass transition temperature, T_g, characterization, as well as from solubility parameters calculations.

The effects of the IL containing a decanoate anion were more pronounced on lubrication and degradation as evidenced by reduced melt viscosities …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Atmospheric Pressure Chemically Vapor Deposited Aluminum, Sipeng Gu

Dissertations

This study investigates the use of atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) to produce high quality aluminum coatings for corrosion protection of steel. The coatings were produced through thermal decomposition of tri-isobutyl-aluminum (TIBAL) over the 275 to 300°C temperature range. Under optimal deposition conditions, growth rates as high as 1.2 um/min were achieved. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, auger electron spectroscopy, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy and nuclear reaction analysis revealed that the coatings consisted essentially of pure aluminum (~99 at.%) with oxygen and carbon present as minor constituents. The coatings were characterized in terms of their morphological, structural, electrical, and mechanical …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Stress Physiological Signals And Stress Behaviors In Preterm Infants During Periods Of Environmental Stress In The Intensive Care Unit., Niang-Huei Peng

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine relationships between stress physiological signals and stress behaviors in preterm infants during periods of environmental stress. The study used a repeated-measures design to examine the relationships between environmental stressors, sleep-wake states, and both stress physiological signals and stress behavioral responses in one group of preterm infants. Measurements of these variables for each preterm infant were recorded every two minutes during four 60-minute observation periods (two in the morning and two in the afternoon) conducted over two days (one morning and one afternoon observation each day). The sample was 37 preterm infants …

Shadows Over Goshen: Plain Whites, Progressives And Paternalism In The Depression South, Fred Carl Smith

Dissertations

This dissertation is about poverty and rural Southerners and the beginnings of America's rational assault on poverty. By 1932, a sense of emergency and desperation permeated American economic and political thinking. The apparent collapse of the industrial economy and credit markets created an environment in which politicians allowed and the public demanded bold experimentation. The period, 1933-1937, in which most of America approved or tolerated progressive notions, offered an opportunity for progressives to demonstrate their solutions to persistent southern poverty. The Division of Subsistence Homesteads (DSH), an agency of the Department of Interior, created communities that combined subsistence gardening with …

The Emotional Intelligence And Resilience Of School Leaders: An Investigation Into Leadership Behaviors, Aileen Thompson Bumphus

Dissertations

Recent research suggests that leadership in schools and emotional intelligence are related. Furthermore, resiliency has been researched and found to be linked to successful leadership. As a result of these findings and the researcher's own professional experiences, it is speculated that emotional intelligence, resilience, and school leadership may be highly related factors in how one leads a school. The study of this three-factor relationship has been virtually overlooked in the research on school leadership and might prove useful in the recruitment, identification, development, and retention of effective school leaders.

A study of the emotional intelligence, resilience, and leadership of public …

Identifying Preschool Students In Need Of Early Intervention, Cassie Delso Wells

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate a screening instrument targeting identification of preschool students in need of early intervention in order to determine the screening instrument's predictive validity. This study specifically examined the relationship between student scores on the DIALS and student achievement in reading at the end of first grade. All participants in the study were residing on Alaska's North Slope and the majority were Alaska Natives. The remote geographic location of the North Slope along with the ancient traditions of the Inupiat Eskimos, including the Inupiaq language that is still spoken among the residents of the …

Perceptions And Knowledge Of Special Education Law Among Building Administrators In A Selected Georgia School District, Patricia Claire Grasso

Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has impacted every school district in the United States and significantly altered the role of administrators. Requirements for the administration and supervision of special education have developed exponentially since the enactment of Public Law 94- 142 and its reauthorization as the IDEA.

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions and knowledge of building administrators regarding special education law. The following research questions were developed to facilitate this study: (a) is there a difference in the level of knowledge about special education law among building administrators regarding the seven provisions of …

Rhetoric With Humor: An Analysis Of Hispanic/Latino Comedians' Uses Of Humor, George Pacheco Jr.

Dissertations

Hispanic/Latino comedians' use of humor as argument is a rich environment to study. The relationship between the comedian (as the joke teller) and the audience (as the receivers of the joke) creates an environment where many topical boundaries fall, and the comedian is free to express him/herself without fear of persecution or ridicule. More specifically, this setting allows the comedian to use the platform as joke teller to communicate arguments to the audience through humor. Comedians who use humor rhetorically often communicate arguments about well-known stereotypes freely because audiences attend shows expecting to laugh.

Using Kenneth Burke's (1959) perspective by …