Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation On Lower-Body Hypertrophy-Type Resistance Exercise, Benjamin Mclean Carr

Dissertations

A number of studies have demonstrated the ergogenic effects of induced-alkalosis on high-intensity intermittent exercise performance. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) administration on a high-volume hypertrophy-type resistance exercise regimen for the lower body. Methods: In a double-blind counterbalanced manner, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 yr, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m), with a minimum of two years of training experience, ingested either 0.3 g˙kg^-1 of NaHCO₃ or calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) …

Microarray Data Mining And Gene Regulatory Network Analysis, Ying Li

Dissertations

The novel molecular biological technology, microarray, makes it feasible to obtain quantitative measurements of expression of thousands of genes present in a biological sample simultaneously. Genome-wide expression data generated from this technology are promising to uncover the implicit, previously unknown biological knowledge. In this study, several problems about microarray data mining techniques were investigated, including feature(gene) selection, classifier genes identification, generation of reference genetic interaction network for non-model organisms and gene regulatory network reconstruction using time-series gene expression data. The limitations of most of the existing computational models employed to infer gene regulatory network lie in that they either suffer …

How To Remain Childlike, Billy Ray Middleton

Dissertations

How to Remain Childlike examines themes of place and identity, focusing on how regionalism impacts the individual’s perception of self. The stories herein, set in the post-millennial South, focus on characters with a worldly recognition of prevailing misconceptions that cast Southerners as unsophisticated and anti-intellectual. Though these characters recognize the beauty of the South, they possess ambivalence toward the region, a desire to be less insular and more cosmopolitan. This ambivalence, a love for the South coupled with a longing to escape it, highlights the importance of place in the process of self-definition.

Examining Dietary Acculturation In Hispanic Males Residing In South Mississippi, Diana Katherine Cuy Castellanos

Dissertations

This study explored dietary behavior in terms of dietary intake, dietary intake change and dietary contributing factors in a sample of Hispanic males residing in southern Mississippi that are at various stages of the acculturation process. Grounded theory and the bidimensional acculturation model were incorporated to identify the dietary factors and assess acculturation in each participant. Qualitative and quantitative measures were used in data collection. Qualitative measurements included Semistructured interviews, a focus group, and photovoice with group interviews. The ARSMA-II, Marginality Scale, Fruit/Vegetable and Fat Food Screeners, a psychosocial dietary questionnaire, and the New Vital Signs Food Label for Health …

The Computer Ate My Classroom: Assessing Student Interactions, Perceived Learning, And Satisfaction In Online Community College Career Technical Education Courses, Jessica Lindsey Miller Lewis

Dissertations

Workforce changes, globalization, and increasing use of technology create the need for an increased number of skilled workers. The community college system, through Career Technical Education (CTE), serves as a catalyst for skills training; however institutions must seek innovative ways in which to attract and retain students. Online learning offers flexibility in time and space, the ability to reach a larger student population, and to attract a new generation of digital learners. For these reasons, online learning enables institutions to develop a larger pool of skilled workers through online CTE courses.

Interaction is a key factor in the learning process …

Cloud Shadow Detection And Removal From Aerial Photo Mosaics Using Light Detection And Ranging (Lidar) Reflectance Images, Glover Eugene George

Dissertations

The process of creating aerial photo mosaics can be severely affected by clouds and the shadows they create. In the CZMIL project discussed in this work, the aerial survey aircraft flies below the clouds, but the shadows cast from clouds above the aircraft cause the resultant mosaic image to have sub-optimal results. Large intensity variations, caused both from the cloud shadow within a single image and the juxtaposition of areas of cloud shadow and no cloud shadow during the image stitching process, create an image that may not be as useful to the concerned research scientist. Ideally, we would like …

The Role Of Attachment And Language In Analogical Reasoning, Tamra Elizabeth Beckman

Dissertations

The present study examined the relationships between attachment and analogical reasoning within two domains: social reasoning and physical reasoning. Verbal reasoning was assessed as a possible mediator of these relationships. This study was conducted with 67 typically-developed children between the ages of nine to 11 years of age who were recruited from The University of Southern Mississippi's student population and from schools in Hattiesburg, MS and Ocean Springs, MS. Attachment security was assessed using the Kerns Security Scale (Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), and verbal reasoning was assessed with the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-3rd edition (Weschler, 1991). Analogical reasoning …

Assessing The Validity Of The Communalism Scale Using Cultural Groups, Lashawn Thompson

Dissertations

Communalism has become a very important variable for research investigation recently because the field of cultural psychology has been searching for new models to foster a clear understanding of culture or for ways to improve current models. This study investigated the validity of using The Communalism Scale to assess the communal (group focus rather than individual focus) aspect of culture in specific ethnic groups. Until now, the scale was used only with African Americans; however, the current study assessed the validity of the scale with several cultural groups. Results from previous studies have demonstrated clear internal consistency for The Communalism …

Mentoring During Adolescence And Adult Resilience, Pola Christina Jakacki

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant relationship between mentoring and adult resilience, specifically adults that were mentored as adolescents. The study sample comprised of 657 adults from various locations across the country. For this quantitative study, they completed a two-part questionnaire made up of the Resilience Scale-14 created by Gail M. Wagnild and Heather M. Young (1993) and author created questions regarding demographics and mentor relationships.

The responses were analyzed using frequencies, means, standard deviations, independent samples t tests, and a Pearson correlation. Results of the study showed that there was a significant …

A Comparison Of Social Stories With And Without A Reinforcement Component, Erin Cuneo Perry

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of Social Stories ^TM (Gray, 2004) used in isolation and when combined with a reinforcement component to increase appropriate behaviors and decrease inappropriate behaviors. Treatment effects for socially inappropriate behaviors and appropriate replacement behaviors were tracked. The setting of the current study was in a school district. The diagnoses of two of the participants included Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), and the other two participants were diagnosed with Autistic Disorder. All participants read a social story to their teacher prior to the time at which the target …

Is There A Correlation Between Differentiating Instruction And English Language Learner Achievement?, Melissa Monique Deangelo

Dissertations

Minority students and English language learners are underachieving. Schools with a culture of every student, every day, have the ability to break generational cycles and to change the future of these students that has been predicted by circumstances. This case study examined and analyzed the differentiated instructional practices and implementation at three elementary schools, and determined if there was a correlation between differentiated instruction and success of English language learners. More specifically, the purpose of this case study was to examine (a) the extent of the principles of differentiated instruction present in the classroom (b) differentiated instruction in response to …

Understanding The Relationship Between Students' Reading Achievement And Teachers' Self-Regulation Patterns In Grades K-3, Pamela Renee Allen

Dissertations

Previous findings on student self-regulation support the fact that students who are self-regulated achieve more in their academics, including students taught self-regulation interventions. However, there has been little research to establish how a teacher’s self-regulation affects a student’s academic success. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine what specific teacher factors contribute to a teacher’s self-regulation score and a student’s reading achievement. The study consisted of 276 teachers in Grades K-3 in a large Alabama school district. Reading achievement test scores and the Self-Regulation Inventory (Casler, 2005a) were collected from respondents. A Pearson product-moment correlation established …

The Adult Education Doctorate In North America: The Programs, Curricula, Websites, And The Commission Of Professors Of Adult Education Standards, Wendy Jean Sonstrom

Dissertations

A list of programs that offer a doctorate in adult education was created using the most recent edition of Peterson’s Graduate Programs in Business, Education, Health, Information Studies, Law & Social Work (2010) and the most recent version of the Commission of Professors of Adult Education (CPAE) Directory of Adult Education Programs in North America (Pierce, 2008). A list of programs was then reviewed by the membership of the CPAE utilizing the organization’s listserv. Program information was collected from each program’s website, and the researcher then reviewed the list of programs for three core adult education courses (adult learning theory, …

The Readiness Of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder For Self-Directed Learning, Melissa Sue Wright

Dissertations

This study investigated the readiness for self-directed learning of adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as their overall educational experiences. Using Guglielmino’s Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Adults (SDLRS-A), the researcher investigated whether the following factors were significantly related to adults with ADHD and their readiness for self-directed learning: gender, age of diagnosis, treatment for a period of at least six months, level of education, and the existence of co-morbid conditions. Fifty-four adults who were at least 18 years old and self-reported a formal diagnosis of ADHD participated in this study. There were 22 (41.5%) males and …

Two Lecture Recitals Of Percussion Music: "Notation For Stroke-Type Analyses" And "Tabla And Indian Musical Concepts In Modern Drum Set Performance", David Robert Whitman

Dissertations

Two lecture recitals were presented in lieu of a written dissertation. This document combines two formal paper presentations, each of which corresponds to a single lecture recital.

Sunday, May 2, 2010, 4:00 p.m., Mannoni Performing Arts Center. Program: Two Mexican Dances for Marimba by Gordon Stout; Marimba Spiritual by Minoru Miki. “Notation for Stroke-Type Analyses” presents a method for notating stroke types in four-mallet keyboard percussion mechanics. A discussion of various applications of stroke type notation follows, including the pedagogical value of engaging in stroke-type analyses as a supplement to traditional harmonic and formal analyses, the effect of stroke-type analyses …

Photopolymerized Thiol-Ene Networks For Gas Barrier And Membrane Applications, Luke Kwisnek

Dissertations

Gas transport and free volume properties of photopolymerized thiol-ene networks for various applications are reported. For basic, commercially-available thiol-ene formulations, oxygen permeation was strictly dependent on the difference between T_test (room temperature for this work) and network T_g. Networks with T_g near T_test demonstrated the lowest values of permeability, diffusivity, and solubility. A robust, high-barrier network was selected for further modification. New networks with embedded functionality were formed using a two-step approach. Thio-Michael addition of a tetrathiol to monofunctional acrylates formed new functional thiol monomers. These functional thiols were combined with an isocyanurate-based triene and …

An Exploratory Investigation On The Effects Of An Electronic Recording System For Repeated Reading, Seajae Calvin Hartness

Dissertations

Repeated Reading is a common reading intervention that has been used to help students read fluently since 1979. There are many variations of Repeated Reading that have been investigated and found to be effective. However, there is a relative research deficit on the effectiveness of software programs for administering Repeated Reading. This exploratory research project examined the effectiveness of Repeated Reading with an electronic recording system. The performance of the electronic Repeated Reading group was compared to the performance of participants who received traditionally administered Early Intervention Program services. The results suggest that electronically scored Repeated Reading is as effective …

Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Of 5th And 8th Grade Science Teachers, Susan Melony Hanson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine which, if any, variables had a significant relationship to personal science teaching efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies. The independent variables tested were number of undergraduate science methods courses taken, level of teacher education, number of years as a classroom teacher, number of years as a science teacher, teacher beliefs regarding instructional strategies in science, and teacher beliefs regarding student engagement in the science classroom. Through surveys completed by 5th and 8th grade science teachers, the researcher analyzed data via multiple regressions to determine significance. Results of the data analysis showed the greatest …

Mother-Son Connectedness, Substance Use, And Young Men's Criminal Justice System Involvement, Kim L. Moreno Phd

Dissertations

The relationship between a mother and her son and its influence on health and risk behaviors as a boy becomes a man has had little exploration. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between mother-son connectedness, substance use, serious delinquency, violent delinquency, and criminal justice system involvement in young men. This study uses data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health), a school-based study of students in grades 7–12 in the United States. Multiple regression, ANOVA, and logistic regression were used to analyze independent and dependent variables. Results show a perception of connectedness, which …

Perceptions Of Leadership: An Analysis Of College Students' Understandings Of The Concept Of Leadership, Paige Haber Phd

Dissertations

Colleges and universities increasingly have embraced the goal of developing students' leadership capacity. Diverse curricular and co-curricular leadership programs currently exist and continue to be developed to address leadership development outcomes. There is, however, limited understanding of how college students think about and define leadership. This study sought to fill this gap in the research by examining the ways in which college students understand the concept of leadership. In this mixed methods study the researcher analyzed data from the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) project, a national research study on college student leadership and the college experience. Data for the …

How Working Mothers Negotiate Work-Family Conflict: An Exploration Of Work Satisfaction, Home Life Satisfaction, And Partner Supportiveness, Karen Kramer Horning Phd

Dissertations

The demographics of the American workforce and family structures have shifted dramatically over the past 60 years, but traditional work and domestic roles have evolved only slightly. Women are more impacted than men by fixed interpretations of gender roles due to their assumption of professional positions in the workplace without relief from domestic responsibilities. For many women who are engaged in the professional realm while raising a family, the result is often a work-family conflict. Despite significant research and some governmental policy and organizational policy changes, limited progress has been made in resolving the conflict. Some dimensions of work-family conflict …

Intergroup Forgiveness In The Middle East: Cognitive And Affective Antecedents To Intergroup Forgiveness And The Relationship Between Intergroup Forgiveness And Psychological Well-Being Among Israeli Jews, Alon Rice

Dissertations

In the past three decades, there has been a burgeoning interest in the scientific study of interpersonal forgiveness. However, only a few studies have elucidated cognitive and affective variables related to intergroup forgiveness. Moreover, no study has examined the degree to which intergroup forgiveness may contribute to one’s psychological well-being, nor has any study thoroughly examined intergroup forgiveness in Israel. Current study results have shown a significant relationship between quality of intergroup contact between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs/Palestinians, and Israeli Jews’ forgiveness attitudes toward Palestinians, a relationship mediated by Israeli Jews’ trust, attitudes, and empathy toward Palestinians, as well …

An Investigation Of The Relationships Between Educational Technology And Mathematics Achievement Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Kenneth George Mcleod

Dissertations

Educators are continually looking for ways to use technology that will help students who struggle with mathematics, especially students with learning disabilities. There is limited research on the effects of instructional technology resources on the achievement of students with learning disabilities in the state selected for this study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of instructional technology resources on the mathematics achievement of students with learning disabilities.

This study used a mixed-method triangulation concurrent design. In the quantitative portion of the study, the independent variable was 8th grade AMRT math scores in 67 school districts …

Student Achievement In Block And Non-Block Schedule Schools, William Shelton Smith Jr.

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the number of minutes allocated for high school instructional periods influences student achievement. The study also examined the perceptions of principals regarding one method of instructional time allocation, block scheduling.

The study examined the differences in student achievement on a high school exit examination in the content areas of Reading and Mathematics between schools in a southern state using a four-period block schedule and schools using a non-block schedule in order to ascertain if the type of schedule has any impact on student achievement. Additionally, information pertaining to scheduling was collected …

Vocabulary Acquisition In Learning English As A Second Language: Examining The Involvement Load Hypothesis And Language Anxiety With Taiwanese College Students, Hsin-Chia Cheng

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Do Our Children Add Up? A Meta-Analysis Of The Longitudinal Effects Of Kindergarten Schedule And Mathematic Achievement, Anita Hill

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Military Deployment On College Adjustment, Ann Marie Ingala

Dissertations

The number of military service members and veterans entering college is increasing with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Estimates vary on the percentage of veterans suffering from physical and mental health concerns including traumatic brain injuries and posttraumatic stress disorder. Many returning service members arrive on college campuses battling physical or psychological disabilities.

The transition from military to college life is complex and can be difficult to successfully navigate for many. Given the important role of perceived social support for individuals dealing with trauma, especially veterans, little is known about current levels of support for student veterans on college campuses. …

"I Think Of Myself As A Talented Writer:" Understanding Fifth And Sixth Grade Students' Self-Concepts In Writing, Bonita L. Hamilton

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cultural Competence And Racist Attitudes Of Direct Patient Care Registered Nurses In A Midwestern State, Linda K. Hardy

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Interest-Based Instructional Strategies Secondary Teachers Use To Promote Student Engagement And How Administrators Support Their Work, Dawn Marie Macy

Dissertations

No abstract provided.