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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Adolescent Religiosity And Conformity To Parents: Is Sex A Moderator?, Rebecca Kim Summers Jan 2006

Adolescent Religiosity And Conformity To Parents: Is Sex A Moderator?, Rebecca Kim Summers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines relations between adolescent reports of conformity to their parents and religiosity and if these are moderated by the sex of the adolescent and parent. Self-report data was collected from 121 ninth and tenth graders enrolled in three non-metropolitan high schools. Religiosity was measured by Schumm et al.'s (1991) modified version of Gorsuch and Venable's (1983) scales. Conformity to Parents was assessed using Peterson's (Peterson, Rollins, & Thomas, 1985) Conformity to Parents scales. Four regressions were used. Results indicate that females: (a) report higher levels of conformity to parents and religiosity than males and (b) that when adolescent …

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Iqgap1 Knockdown Enhances The Endothelial Barrier In Vitro, Wentao Zhang Jan 2006

Iqgap1 Knockdown Enhances The Endothelial Barrier In Vitro, Wentao Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

IQGAP1 overexpression inhibits E-cadherin-mediated epithelial cell-cell adhesion by distabilizing the adherens junctions, and activated Rac1 and Cdc42 may prevent these effects by removing IQGAP1 from the adherens junction complex. In the present study, we determined if IQGAP1 associates with the adherens junction of endothelial cells and affects endothelial barrier function. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), IQGAP1 associated with VE-cadherin, the catenins, beta, gamma, alpha, and p120, but not with N-cadherin or the tight junction proteins, occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1. Detergent extracted most of the IQGAP1 associated with VE-cadherin. Treatment of endothelial cells with sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which increases the …

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The Effects Of A Specifically Designed Pre-School Inclusion Course On The Attitudes Of Early Childhood Personnel, Kellie J. Morgan Jan 2006

The Effects Of A Specifically Designed Pre-School Inclusion Course On The Attitudes Of Early Childhood Personnel, Kellie J. Morgan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The intent of this study was to examine the attitudes of early childhood personnel on preschool inclusion before and after participating in a preschool inclusion class that was specifically designed for preschool teachers. The attitudes of teachers were measured using a 7 point Likert type pre and post-assessment scale. The items on the scale dealt with the inclusion of children with disabilities in a typically developing classroom. The participants in the study included 96 early childhood personnel working in West Virginia. In this pre-experimental design, the total scores of each item for the pre-test were compared to total scores on …

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Effect Of High Salt Intake On Arteriolar Responses To Metabolic Stimuli, Paul J. Marvar Jan 2006

Effect Of High Salt Intake On Arteriolar Responses To Metabolic Stimuli, Paul J. Marvar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Study I evaluated the possibility that a HS diet can reduce the arteriolar response to muscle contraction through reduced nitric oxide (NO) availability and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity. Spinotrapezius muscle arterioles were examined in rats fed a normal salt (NS; 0.45%) or high salt (HS; 4%) diets. Arteriolar diameter responses to an increase in metabolic demand were significantly less in HS rats and these HS rats exhibited increased presence of arteriolar ROS. The attenuated responses to muscle contraction in HS rats were not restored in the presence of ROS scavengers, and inhibition of NO synthesis had no effect …

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Field Perceptions Of The Vision Initiative For Children's Preschool Vision Screening Training Model, P. Kay Nottingham Chaplin Jan 2006

Field Perceptions Of The Vision Initiative For Children's Preschool Vision Screening Training Model, P. Kay Nottingham Chaplin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Because lay vision screeners rarely receive formal training in how to screen vision and because older children were seen in clinic with vision disorders that should have been detected earlier through vision screening, a pediatric ophthalmologist and the researcher created the Vision Initiative for Children (VIC) in 2001 as a statewide program of the West Virginia University Eye Institute. VIC has trained, equipped, and provided ongoing support to lay individuals who are mandated or want to screen preschoolers' vision. This program evaluation study explored, from the perspective of Head Start personnel, whether VIC prepares Head Start personnel to screen preschoolers' …

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Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Production Induced By Peptidoglycan-Polysaccharide In Early Pregnant Ewes, Gabrielle Marie Rogers Jan 2006

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Production Induced By Peptidoglycan-Polysaccharide In Early Pregnant Ewes, Gabrielle Marie Rogers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PG-PS), cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria, was used to intoxicate sheep to study mastitis-related reproductive failure, mediated by TNF-alpha. Estrus was synchronized in ten adult Suffolk ewes. Four days after mating (Day 0) the jugular and posterior vena cava (saphenous vein) were catheterized. On Day 5, ewes were assigned randomly to either: control group (n = 4, 0.9% NaCl), or PG-PS group (n = 6, 30 mug/kg BW, i.v.). Plasma samples were collected from both jugular and saphenous vein catheters every 15 minutes for 6 hours. Radioimmunoassay quantified concentrations of TNF-alpha. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of …

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Genetic Analysis Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss): Strain Identification Via Microsatellites And Analysis Of Expressed Sequence Tags In Intestine, Liver, Kidney, And Ovary, Amanda B. Stewart Jan 2006

Genetic Analysis Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss): Strain Identification Via Microsatellites And Analysis Of Expressed Sequence Tags In Intestine, Liver, Kidney, And Ovary, Amanda B. Stewart

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Implementation of modern fishing techniques and hatchery technologies necessitates use of genetics in management of fishery stocks. Genetic analysis of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, will assist development of superior strains of a valuable aquacultured species. This study was to (1) develop polymorphic microsatellite markers to examine for variation among rainbow trout strains and develop an identification panel of microsatellites to distinguish individual strains, and (2) to identify novel genes and estimate relative gene expression profiles (expressed sequence tags from rainbow trout liver, intestine, kidney, and ovary non-normalized libraries). Thirty-seven microsatellites were identified by screening 576 clones from TAGA and ATG-repeat …

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Distributional Ecology Of Fish In The Kanawha River, West Virginia., Kimberly Ann Bjorgo Jan 2006

Distributional Ecology Of Fish In The Kanawha River, West Virginia., Kimberly Ann Bjorgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Large rivers are multidimensional systems where ecological processes occur at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. This investigation addresses the relationship between fish distribution and habitat use within the Marmet Pool of the Kanawha River, West Virginia. Fish habitat use, movement patterns, distribution, and density data were obtained concurrently with abiotic data such as river discharge, temperature, depth, and sediment composition to provide essential dimensions to the assumption that habitat dictates location of organisms. Radio telemetry was used to examine movement, habitat use, and associations between large river fish species. These data were also used to make inferences about …

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Integration Of Statistical And Neural Network Method For Data Analysis, Krishna Kumar Chavali Jan 2006

Integration Of Statistical And Neural Network Method For Data Analysis, Krishna Kumar Chavali

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The issues that are to be considered while selecting data analysis methods are data type and expected solution type. Incorrect selection of either can lead to incomplete solution leading user taking an uninformed decision. The software developed for this thesis (SANE - Statistical And NEural network data analysis) is aimed at enabling a user to use advanced data analysis techniques to handle a given research issue. An effective navigation system is designed for user to select the analysis method by responding to a set of questions. SANE provides web based data analysis using statistical and neural networks methods. The statistical …

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Design And Simulation Of Advanced Fault Tolerant Flight Control Schemes, Srikanth Gururajan Jan 2006

Design And Simulation Of Advanced Fault Tolerant Flight Control Schemes, Srikanth Gururajan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research effort describes the design and simulation of a distributed Neural Network (NN) based fault tolerant flight control scheme and the interface of the scheme within a simulation/visualization environment. The goal of the fault tolerant flight control scheme is to recover an aircraft from failures to its sensors or actuators. A commercially available simulation package, Aviator Visual Design Simulator (AVDS), was used for the purpose of simulation and visualization of the aircraft dynamics and the performance of the control schemes.;For the purpose of the sensor failure detection, identification and accommodation (SFDIA) task, it is assumed that the pitch, roll …

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Mass Spectrometric Investigation Of Metallothionein And Ionic Liquids Using Electrospray Ion Source Coupled With Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Analyzer, Yuchen Lu Jan 2006

Mass Spectrometric Investigation Of Metallothionein And Ionic Liquids Using Electrospray Ion Source Coupled With Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Analyzer, Yuchen Lu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electrospray is a well-developed ionization technique for transferring intact dissolved molecules from liquid into the gas-phase through a capillary emitter. As a 'soft' ionization method, intact molecules are transformed and are ready for mass identification and structure characterization. Quadrupole ion traps are versatile mass analyzers and are well-known for the capability to perform tandem mass scans by which the structural information can be obtained.;Collision-induced dissociation (CID) is applicable used in quadrupole ion trap to produce fragment ions. Metal-protein bond dissociation properties were studied by the tandem mass spectrometry. Binding properties of metal ions and ligand groups on peptide chains were …

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Fmri Studies Of Binocular Suppression In Human Amblyopic Subjects, Yuenan Sun Pitrolo Jan 2006

Fmri Studies Of Binocular Suppression In Human Amblyopic Subjects, Yuenan Sun Pitrolo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Binocular suppression has been previously studied psychophysically and with VEPs. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to image activity in visual cortex while human subjects with normal vision or amblyopia experienced binocular integration. One eye viewed a dynamic grating pattern. The other eye viewed one of four stimuli, i.e., black mask, gray mask, or two grating masks that varied in contrast. We observed a luminance masking effect, that is, when the gray mask is compared to the black mask, there was less activation in many retinotopic areas (consistent with previous VEP studies). The result was observed in all …

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The Role Of Reactive Oxygen Species And Pi3k /Akt Signaling In Tumor Angiogenesis., Chang Xia Jan 2006

The Role Of Reactive Oxygen Species And Pi3k /Akt Signaling In Tumor Angiogenesis., Chang Xia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tumor angiogenesis is the development of vascularization from pre-existing vessels. It provides the tumors with sufficient nutrients and enables them to break the dormancy. Due to the imbalance of positive and negative angiogenic regulation, tumor blood vessels are usually leaky and chaotic which create accessible avenue for tumor metastasis. Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3Ks) are lipid kinases that generate phospholipid second messengers and mediate signal transduction. Mutations of PI3Ks and constitutive activation of PI3K/AKT signaling have been frequently found in many human cancers. Reactive oxygen species are also important second messengers in various physiological and pathological processes, including tumor formation and metastasis and …

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A Strategy For Prevention Of Sequestered Carbon Dioxide Seepage From Cbm Formations., Miguel Angel Tovar Torrealba Jan 2006

A Strategy For Prevention Of Sequestered Carbon Dioxide Seepage From Cbm Formations., Miguel Angel Tovar Torrealba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study introduces a new strategy for the prevention of post-sequestration carbon dioxide (CO2) seepage to the surface from CBM (coalbed methane) formations that is named the “N ature’s Sequestration Technique” or “N ST.” The objective is to sequester CO2 in a CBM formation for an extensive time period (thousands of years), filling the coal cleat system with formation water. Using a commercial numerical simulator and representative data of the Appalachian basin, we investigated whether or not the presence of water in the cleats helps to sequester CO2 in a coalbed for a long period of time without significant seepage. …

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Error Resilient Transmission Of Three-Dimensional Dct Coded Video., Supriya Dilip Sawant Jan 2006

Error Resilient Transmission Of Three-Dimensional Dct Coded Video., Supriya Dilip Sawant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current multimedia applications involve video transmission over unprotected noisy channels where the video stream is contaminated with errors thereby requiring advanced error concealment/correction strategies. Our objective in this research is to devise error resilient strategies that will help combat channel errors and produce a quality video reconstruction. In this thesis we investigate two error resilient techniques, namely, unequal error protection (UEP) and multiple description coding (MDC) for video transmission. Unlike the traditional video coding system that uses two dimensional transformations accompanied with motion estimation and compensation, we focus on the three dimensional discrete cosine transform (3D DCT). We propose video …

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Perceived Constraints And Negotiation Strategies Of Ethnic/Racial Minorities As Predictors Of Recreation Participation., Elizabeth A. Covelli Jan 2006

Perceived Constraints And Negotiation Strategies Of Ethnic/Racial Minorities As Predictors Of Recreation Participation., Elizabeth A. Covelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the constraints that non-traditional users face, along with the negotiation strategies that are employed in order to start, continue or increase participation when trying to recreate on a national forest. Nontraditional users were defined as respondents who were not Caucasian. Additionally, both constraints and negotiation strategies were examined to see if they predict participation for non-traditional users. The study took place on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington, during the summer of 2005. A quantitative survey method was used, with a total of 235 surveys collected. The results showed that over …

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Characterization Of A Catalase Gene Associated With Ergot Alkaloids In Aspergillus Fumigatus, And, Studies On An Alternate Lysergyl Peptide Synthetase Gene And Ergopeptine In Neotyphodium Coenophialum., Kerry E. Goetz Jan 2006

Characterization Of A Catalase Gene Associated With Ergot Alkaloids In Aspergillus Fumigatus, And, Studies On An Alternate Lysergyl Peptide Synthetase Gene And Ergopeptine In Neotyphodium Coenophialum., Kerry E. Goetz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ergot alkaloids, a category of mycotoxins produced by various fungi, adversely affect both humans and animals. Several plant-associated fungi in the genera Claviceps, Neotyphodium, and Epichloe (order Hypocreales) produce an array of ergot alkaloids. Another fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus that occupies a completely different ecological niche and is classified under the order Eurotiales, also produces ergot alkaloids. The gene clusters predicted to encode the enzymes required for ergot alkaloid production within these species are strikingly similar, however, they are poorly understood. In this study, a gene knockout of the easC gene that encodes a putative catalase resulted in the loss of …

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"Mirror Worlds": Transpacific Inspiration And Mimetic Rivalry In American And East Asian Literature, 1945-2005., Matthew J. Packer Jan 2006

"Mirror Worlds": Transpacific Inspiration And Mimetic Rivalry In American And East Asian Literature, 1945-2005., Matthew J. Packer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One conspicuous trend during the world economy's shift to the Pacific Rim in the late twentieth century has been the increased reciprocal inspiration and mimetic rivalry between American and East Asian cultures. For much of the past century, for example, the Japanese have been stereotyped as cultural copycats, when transpacific imitating actually has been mutual: as East Asians have looked to the West for models of development and the imagination, so have Americans looked to the Far East---as even representing the future, according to novelist William Gibson. Americans have drawn inspiration from Eastern aesthetics, while East Asians have copied Western …

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De Novo Asymmetric Syntheses Of Biologically Important Natural Products: Phomopsolide D, Phomopsolide E, Milbemycin Beta3 And Apicularen A., Miaosheng Li Jan 2006

De Novo Asymmetric Syntheses Of Biologically Important Natural Products: Phomopsolide D, Phomopsolide E, Milbemycin Beta3 And Apicularen A., Miaosheng Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

De novo asymmetric synthesis is a strategy that uses asymmetric catalysis to construct chiral molecules from achiral starting materials. One of the advantages of this strategy is that we can synthesize numerous stereoisomers (e.g. the enantiomers) of the target natural product for biological testing. Substituted α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones are an important class of natural products with a wide range of biological activity. Many synthetic methodologies have been developed to synthesize this core structure. However, they depended on either performing kinetic resolutions or chiral starting materials (e.g. carbohydrates). We envisioned using catalytic asymmetric catalysis (de novo approach) to synthesize these complex molecules. …

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George Eliot And The Anxious Construction Of The Domestic Other: Racial Inheritance, Radical Femininity And Masculinity, And National Identity In "The Spanish Gypsy" And "Daniel Deronda"., Christina E. Godlewski Jan 2006

George Eliot And The Anxious Construction Of The Domestic Other: Racial Inheritance, Radical Femininity And Masculinity, And National Identity In "The Spanish Gypsy" And "Daniel Deronda"., Christina E. Godlewski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation seeks to articulate the extent to which George Eliot engages in an active dialogue with contemporary scientific thought, particularly in respect to England's Jewish and Gypsy populations. I examine The Spanish Gypsy and Daniel Deronda to determine Eliot's position in relation to ideologies on race, gender, and class. Eliot's texts manage to expose some of the contradictions regarding these two "domestic others" within the dominant discourses of the Victorian period. Chapter one sets out my critical and methodological framework and foregrounds the discursive proximity between the Gypsies, the Jews, the working classes, and women in the Victorian period. …

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Hepatic Α-Aminoadipate Δ-Semialdehyde Synthase Appears To Be Post-Translationally Regulated In Mouse And Chicken., Aaron S. Kiess Jan 2006

Hepatic Α-Aminoadipate Δ-Semialdehyde Synthase Appears To Be Post-Translationally Regulated In Mouse And Chicken., Aaron S. Kiess

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

 Lysine is the limiting amino acid in many animal diets. Improving the efficiency of lysine use for protein synthesis can reduce feed cost and potentially the nitrogen and phosphorus output of agricultural production systems. Lysine not used for protein synthesis is oxidized, primarily by lysine α-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR). The mechanism(s) responsible for alterations in hepatic LKR activity in rodents and poultry are still unclear. For this reason, studies in both species were conducted to evaluate possible mechanisms responsible for alterations of LKR activity. Mice were fed either a high or adequate protein diet. Mice fed the high protein diet had …

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Surrendered Resistance: Playing Dead In American Autobiographical Writing, 1840-1933., Georgia R. Kreiger Jan 2006

Surrendered Resistance: Playing Dead In American Autobiographical Writing, 1840-1933., Georgia R. Kreiger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation focuses on the use of death as a metaphor for lived experiences in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American autobiographical writing. Adopting Paul de Man’s definition of autobiography as a figure of reading rather than a genre or mode, the study analyzes autobiographical death acts in a variety of writings, including political discourse, fiction, and poetry. The writers discussed stage deaths-of-the-self to facilitate descriptions of traumatic events that might otherwise defy verbal expression. They “play dead” figuratively in their texts, similarly to the way one might play dead literally as a survival strategy in the presence of an animal …

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Effects Of Various Environmental Parameters On The Reduction Of Arsenic(V) To Arsenic(Iii) By Dissolved Organic Matter., Tsanangurayi Tongesayi Jan 2006

Effects Of Various Environmental Parameters On The Reduction Of Arsenic(V) To Arsenic(Iii) By Dissolved Organic Matter., Tsanangurayi Tongesayi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to investigate the reduction of inorganic As(V) with Suwannee River fulvic acid (FA) in aqueous solutions and in real samples. Samples of inorganic As(V) were incubated with FA under various solution conditions and aliquots from the incubated samples were taken at various time intervals and analyzed for As(III) using square wave cathodic stripping voltammetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode. The study demonstrated the following important aspects of As speciation: (1) FA can significantly reduce As(V) to As(III), (2) Reduction of As(V) to As(III) is a function of pH, (3) Reduction of As(V) to …

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Sarah Livingston Jay, 1756--1802: Dynamics Of Power, Privilege And Prestige In The Revolutionary Era, Jennifer Megan Janson Dec 2005

Sarah Livingston Jay, 1756--1802: Dynamics Of Power, Privilege And Prestige In The Revolutionary Era, Jennifer Megan Janson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sarah Livingston Jay was a politically astute woman whose contributions to the success of the American Revolution and reconstruction of post-war society have long been underestimated. She understood the complex political and financial dynamics beneath the decision to declare independence from Great Britain and the international alliances necessary for success. Intelligent, educated and socially skilled, she used her personal gifts, position, and familial connections to exert a strong influence on the course of events that would benefit her fledgling country. She used her social graces to take part in the male-dominated political world, while working within the domestic realm. She …

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Organic Poultry Production And Forage Digestibility, Nancy P. Buchanan Dec 2005

Organic Poultry Production And Forage Digestibility, Nancy P. Buchanan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current experiments were conducted to evaluate organic poultry production and the digestibility of organic feeds and pasture forages. A performance study was conducted to determine the effect of exogenous non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) enzyme supplementation on the performance and carcass characteristics of organically-reared broiler chickens. The addition of an exogenous NSP enzyme cocktail improved the performance and carcass characteristics of organically-reared broilers given access to pasture only in spring months. Pasture forages may contribute digestible nutrients to poultry; however, this contribution has not been evaluated in past research. A digestibility study was conducted to determine the nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy …

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Implications For The Small Mammal And Earthworm Communities In A Degraded Ecosystem, Jennifer Aaron Edalgo Dec 2005

Implications For The Small Mammal And Earthworm Communities In A Degraded Ecosystem, Jennifer Aaron Edalgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania, we trapped small mammals in areas dominated by Morrow's honeysuckle, an invasive shrub, and we determined that prebaiting 1 and 2 days before the actual trapping period did not improve trapping success. We do not recommend using the added resources (i.e., time, money, personnel, and equipment) to incorporate prebaiting into trapping regimes because trapping success was not improved. We fluorescent powdertracked mice in old field and forested areas with Morrow's honeysuckle encroachment to determine the microhabitat they selected. Mice selected paths with high shrub and tree cover and low herbaceous cover. They selected native …

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Nesting Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of Four Thrush Species On A Managed Forest, Rachel Dellinger Dec 2005

Nesting Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of Four Thrush Species On A Managed Forest, Rachel Dellinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Four thrush species breed sympatrically in the Allegheny Mountain region of West Virginia, U.S.A.: American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Veery (Catharus fuscescens), and Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). How nesting habitat is partitioned among the species is unclear, as is the effect of logging activities on the guild. My objectives were to identify nesting habitat characteristics that are partitioned among the species and to determine their effects on nest survival.;I conducted point count surveys and monitored nests of four thrush species on a managed forest. I measured habitat variables at three scales: (1) nest substrate, (2) nest site, …

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Temporal Trends In Consumption, Growth, And Successful Feeding Traits Of A Central Appalachian Brook Trout Population At The Watershed Scale, Ryan Michael Utz Dec 2005

Temporal Trends In Consumption, Growth, And Successful Feeding Traits Of A Central Appalachian Brook Trout Population At The Watershed Scale, Ryan Michael Utz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Appalachia frequently experience limitations in food availability. In order to determine temporal variation in consumption, successful feeding, and corresponding population patterns and growth, the feeding dynamics of a population of brook trout were monitored throughout a headwater watershed over the course of two years. The Middle Fork River brook trout experienced food limitation throughout summer and fall, however, mean consumption estimates fell below maintenance ration only during the winter seasons. Consumption estimates were significantly related to watershed position, as fish in low density, downstream reaches consistently consumed significantly more energy than fish upstream during warm …

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Production Of Conjunctions And T-Units By The Elderly, Benjamin Haymond Dec 2005

Production Of Conjunctions And T-Units By The Elderly, Benjamin Haymond

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research indicates a change in healthy elderly adult language capabilities. More specifically, Shadden (1997) and Ryan (1996) state that language competence is less affected by the processes of aging than production. The topic of this research examined specifically the production of conjunctions from the perspective of Halliday and Hasan (1976) in procedural and narrative discourse by the elderly. The hypothesis stated that the relationship between age and conjunctions produced would be non-significant. In a cross-sectional study, 17 subjects between the ages of 60-86 were interviewed and the transcripts analyzed.;Results supported the hypothesis of a non-significant relationship between age and …

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Action Research Analysis Of The Forces Affecting Farmer Participation In A West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Farmer Education Program, John Robert Edalgo Dec 2005

Action Research Analysis Of The Forces Affecting Farmer Participation In A West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Farmer Education Program, John Robert Edalgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study uses action research principles and Kurt Lewin's field theory to investigate the forces dictating farmer participation in the Decision Enabling Data Collection and Management System Initiative (DEDCMSI). These forces were classified in Chapter IV under the following project categories: Hardware, Software, Perception of DEDCMSI, Perception of Technology, and Sociocultural. This West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service (WVUCES) initiative organized four farm finance groups located in the following counties: Ohio, Jefferson, Mineral, and Monroe. Data collection methods used to identify forces occurring within this seven-month pilot project is listed here as follows: structured, semi-structured, and un-structured interviews. A total …

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