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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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The Influences Of Multiple Leaf Species And Flood Disturbance On Leaf Pack Processing In Appalachian Mountain Headwater Streams., Michael Edward Golden Jan 2000

The Influences Of Multiple Leaf Species And Flood Disturbance On Leaf Pack Processing In Appalachian Mountain Headwater Streams., Michael Edward Golden

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We placed leaf packs containing different proportions of sugar maple and red oak leaves into a headwater stream before and after a winter spate to determine the effects of leaf species and flood disturbance on leaf pack processing and macroivertebrate colonization patterns. We also collected natural leaf packs from three streams to examine how leaf pack quality influences macroinvertebrate colonization. Red oak leaves processed faster in association with maple leaves. Invertebrate densities were higher on leaf packs containing more fast-processing leaves. Invertebrate densities peaked 2.5 times higher and 6 weeks earlier on leaf packs placed after the spate Macroinvertebrates were …

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Thyroid Hormones Are Required During Long-Day Photoperiods For The Establishment Of Estradiol-Sensitive Afferent Input To, And Activation Of, Dopaminergic Neurons In The A15 Area Of The Ovine Hypothalamus., Ronald Deloyd Griffith Jr. Jan 2000

Thyroid Hormones Are Required During Long-Day Photoperiods For The Establishment Of Estradiol-Sensitive Afferent Input To, And Activation Of, Dopaminergic Neurons In The A15 Area Of The Ovine Hypothalamus., Ronald Deloyd Griffith Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous work has shown that thyroid hormones are required if ewes are to enter the nonbreeding season, and that these hormones allow estradiol to exert its negative feedback effects to achieve this condition. Evidence also suggests that glial plasticity may contribute to this effect. To determine the role of thyroid hormones in reproductive cyclicity, ewes were ovariectomized and given estradiol implants. Some animals were then thyroidectomized and some of these ewes received thyroxine supplements intracerebroventricularly. Dual label immunocytochemistry was employed to determine the degree of Fos/TH colocalization and measure any changes in glial ensheathment of A15 cells. Analysis revealed no …

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The Effect Of Providing Bedding Encasings On Adherence To Dust Mite Control Procedures In Pediatric Asthma Patients., Karen Elizabeth Joseph Jan 2000

The Effect Of Providing Bedding Encasings On Adherence To Dust Mite Control Procedures In Pediatric Asthma Patients., Karen Elizabeth Joseph

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of providing allergen-control bedding encasings on encasing utilization for children with asthma and dust mite allergy. Twenty parents of such children were assigned to an intervention group, which received dust mite proof covers upon recruitment, or a control group, which did not. Two to three months after recruitment, parent report and observational measures were obtained during a home visit. The intervention group used the encasings, but not other dust mite control strategies, significantly more than the control group, based on parent report, not observation. Use of dust mite proof …

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Culture-Specific Issues In Feminist Voices: A Comparative Study Of "The Bell Jar" And "Cronica Del Desamor"., Sonia Lagunas Jan 2000

Culture-Specific Issues In Feminist Voices: A Comparative Study Of "The Bell Jar" And "Cronica Del Desamor"., Sonia Lagunas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis discusses the importance of the cultural elements within a literary text when an analysis of the text is accomplished. Two novels are analyzed in terms of their cultural setting: The Bell Jar , an American novel set in the 1950s written by Sylvia Plath, and Crónica del desamor , a Spanish novel set in the late 1970s, written by Rosa Montero. A cultural analysis of the novels appears necessary in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of them. At the same time, a cultural analysis based on literary works is a valuable instrument in investigating the cultural …

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A Performance Evaluation Of The Mems: An On-Road Emissions Measurement System Study., Benjamin C. Shade Jan 2000

A Performance Evaluation Of The Mems: An On-Road Emissions Measurement System Study., Benjamin C. Shade

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A study was conducted to measure brake-specific mass emissions from heavy-duty diesel-fueled engines during their in-use, on-road operation. A Mobile Emissions Measurement System (MEMS) was designed and constructed to accomplish this task. A review of systems from the past 20 years was conducted to determine the limitations of similar systems, to outline the constraints of the MEMS design, and to provide the highest level of accuracy and ruggedness required to withstand the rigors of on-board, on-road testing. None of the systems in the published literature could meet the requirements of such a measurement system. State-of-the-art detectors and sensors were obtained, …

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Chicken Lysine α-Ketoglutarate Reductase (Lkr) In Different Tissues And Effects Of Graded Levels Of Dietary Lysine On Lkr And Lysine Oxidation., Megharaja Kandagal Manangi Jan 2000

Chicken Lysine α-Ketoglutarate Reductase (Lkr) In Different Tissues And Effects Of Graded Levels Of Dietary Lysine On Lkr And Lysine Oxidation., Megharaja Kandagal Manangi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To understand tissue participation in lysine oxidation, chicken lysine α-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) activity and lysine oxidation (LOX) were measured in vitro. LKR activity was measured using a spectrophotometer and LOX was measured by collection of 14CO2 from [U-14C] L-lysine. LKR and LOX were measured in homogenates prepared from liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, brain, lungs, spleen, muscle, and intestine. LKR activities were 1000-fold LOX. LKR activity was highest in liver and intestine each approximately 63 µmoles/(hr*g tissue). Activity in other tissues was significantly greater than zero except for muscle. Muscle, liver, and intestine contributed about 70%, 15% and 6.5% respectively of …

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The Test Of Two Dual Processing Models., Vincent Patrick Maffeo Jan 2000

The Test Of Two Dual Processing Models., Vincent Patrick Maffeo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate and uncover evidence that supports the Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1979, 1981, 1984; Petty Cacioppo & Goldman, 1981) and the Heuristic Systematic Model (Chaiken, 1980, 1982, 1987: Chaiken & Eagly, 1983). The participants for this study were 77 undergraduates at a large northeastern university. Recall was measured a 3 stage manipulation of argument strength. While not statistically significant the means of the three groups appeared to be different.

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The Molecular Mechanism Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Regulation By Dietary Factors In Intact Animals., Batoul Amir-Ahmady Jan 2000

The Molecular Mechanism Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Regulation By Dietary Factors In Intact Animals., Batoul Amir-Ahmady

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The expression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene is stimulated by a high-carbohydrate diet and it is inhibited by the addition of polyunsaturated fat to the high-carbohydrate diet. G6PD expression is regulated by a posttranscriptional mechanism in the nucleus. In this regard, changes in the amount of G6PD mRNA in the cytoplasm are preceded by similar changes in the amount of nuclear precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) in the absence of changes in transcriptional activity of the gene. Some components of the transcription and pre-mRNA processing machinery as well as pre-mRNA itself are associated with the insoluble portion of the nucleus known as …

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Skeletal Muscle Injury, Fibrosis And Transforming Growth Factor-Beta., Cheryl A. Smith Jan 2000

Skeletal Muscle Injury, Fibrosis And Transforming Growth Factor-Beta., Cheryl A. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Several animal models were assessed for their ability to produce pathology with a potential for developing fibrosis. Pathology was determined using standard histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. In a model of ethanol-induced myopathy, cytochrome p450 1A1/2 was induced in endothelial cells (i.e. capillaries) but there was insufficient pathology to produce fibrosis. Two models of overload, tenotomy of the gastrocnemius muscle and a tetanus toxin overload model showed morphological changes including: degenerating fibers, central nuclei, variable myofiber sizes, and an expansion of the extracellular matrix, but changes were non-uniformly distributed making this a poor fibrosis model. A tetanus-toxin model of repetitive strain …

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Secession, War And Rebirth: The Civil War In West Virginia's South Branch Valley Of The Potomac., Stephen Garth Smith Jan 2000

Secession, War And Rebirth: The Civil War In West Virginia's South Branch Valley Of The Potomac., Stephen Garth Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia's South Branch Valley of the Potomac River played a crucial, but little studied, role in the American Civil War. Writing of the August 7, 1864, Battle of Moorefield, historian Robert K. Krick has noted that it “has received far less attention than it deserves.” In this work, it will be demonstrated that not only the August 7, 1864, Battle of Moorefield, but the conflict in the region in general is deserving of in-depth study. The geographic location and the plantation culture of the South Branch Valley favored its political and economic connection to Confederate eastern Virginia. Nevertheless, with …

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Part 1. Structure, Stability And Reactivity Of Small Organic Sulfinic And Sulfonic Acids: Toxicological Implications. Part 2. Role Of Charge Transfer Complexes In Oxidative Cleavage Of Benzpinacols By Iron(Iii) Trisphenanthroline., Serge Alex Svarovsky Jan 2000

Part 1. Structure, Stability And Reactivity Of Small Organic Sulfinic And Sulfonic Acids: Toxicological Implications. Part 2. Role Of Charge Transfer Complexes In Oxidative Cleavage Of Benzpinacols By Iron(Iii) Trisphenanthroline., Serge Alex Svarovsky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Part 1. Structure, stability, and mechanisms of oxidation and hydrolysis of a number of thiourea-S-oxides (thiourea dioxide; N-methylthiourea dioxide; N,N′-dimethylthiourea dioxide; thiourea and N,N′-dimethylthiourea trioxides; and sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate) have been investigated by means of UV-VIS, stopped-flow; X-ray crystallography; molecular calculations; ESR; NMR; and oxygen consumption studies. It was found that oxidation of thioureas does not always proceed through the generally accepted successive addition of oxygen atom to the sulfur center. Instead, thiourea dioxides appear to be the major end product in these oxidations. Mechanism of hydrolysis of thiourea dioxides in basic media reveals complex chemical kinetics which involves initial heterolytic …

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The Effects Of On-Line Course Development, Prior Computer Experience, And Learning Style On Developers' Attitudes And Performance., James Takacs Jan 2000

The Effects Of On-Line Course Development, Prior Computer Experience, And Learning Style On Developers' Attitudes And Performance., James Takacs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the effects of learning style, prior computer experience, and a 15-week, on-line development course on developers' attitudes and performance before, during, and after the instruction. The treatment, prior computer experience, and developers' learning style were used as the independent variables. Responses from the stages of concern instrument and final project performance scores were used as the dependent measures. Simple regressions and ANOVAs were used to determine whether any effects or relationships existed among the variables. The results of this study show no significant effects found in the relationship of learning style on developers' on-line course development performance …

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The Effects Of Fearful Responding Of Arithmetic Performance., Derek Richard Hopko Jan 2000

The Effects Of Fearful Responding Of Arithmetic Performance., Derek Richard Hopko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although anxiety-related responding and skill deficits have historically been associated with performance-based problems such as high mathematics anxiety, the relative contributions of these variables to substandard performance remains poorly understood. Utilizing a 7% carbon dioxide gas mixture to induce fear, the present study was designed to determine the impact of fear-related responding to cognitive task performance. Independent variables included anxiety group, gender, and gas condition. Dependent variables included behavioral, physiological, and self-report indices. A total of 64 university undergraduate students participated in the study. High and low math anxious individuals were randomly assigned to either a carbon dioxide or control …

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The Development And Validation Of Science Learning Inventory (Sli): A Conceptual Change Framework., Mehdi Seyedmonir Jan 2000

The Development And Validation Of Science Learning Inventory (Sli): A Conceptual Change Framework., Mehdi Seyedmonir

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A multidimensional theoretical model, Conceptual Change Science Learning (CCSL), was developed based on Standard Model of Conceptual Change and Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model. The model addresses three main components of science learning, namely the learner's conceptual ecology, the message along with its social context, and the cognitive engagement. A learner's conceptual ecology is organized around three clusters, including epistemological beliefs, existing conceptions, and motivation. Learner's cognitive engagement is represented by a continuum from peripheral processing involving shallow cognitive engagement to central processing involving deep cognitive engagement. Through reciprocal, non-sequential interactions of such constructs, the learners' conceptual change is achieved. …

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Efficient And Flexible Algorithm For Plant Layout Generation, Li Weng Dec 1999

Efficient And Flexible Algorithm For Plant Layout Generation, Li Weng

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A facilities layout, also called plant layout, consists of the production areas, production related or support areas and personnel areas within the building. Plant layout design is one of the strategic fields that determine the long run efficiency of operation.;This dissertation proposes an efficient and flexible plant layout algorithm to minimize the material handling cost and deal with change in future. A material flow forecasting tool, a scheduling module related to layout design and an evaluation method of flexible layouts are also proposed by this dissertation. A computer-based system will be developed to integrate all of the functions.;The first chapter …

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Optimal Power Flow Using A Genetic Algorithm And Linear Algebra, Reid S. Maust Dec 1999

Optimal Power Flow Using A Genetic Algorithm And Linear Algebra, Reid S. Maust

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial intelligence is used to help a hypothetical electric utility meet is electric load economically. The optimal power flow problem (OPF) problem is an optimization problem, in which the utility strives to minimize its costs while satisfying all of its constraints. A genetic algorithm (GA)---a specific type of artificial intelligence-is employed to perform this optimization. To speed convergence, some theory from linear algebra is incorporated into the algorithm.;A GA provides several advantages over more traditional OPF algorithms. For instance, a GA does not constrain the shape of the generators' cost curves and is flexible enough to incorporate control devices such …

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Forest Songbird Abundance And Viability At Multiple Scales On The Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, Thomas Eugene Demeo Dec 1999

Forest Songbird Abundance And Viability At Multiple Scales On The Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia, Thomas Eugene Demeo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Songbird-habitat relationships were investigated using three interrelated studies, each at multiple scales, on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. In each study I used landscape (25 km2), transect (2500 m), and point (50-m radius point count plot) scales.;In the first study, I investigated bird abundance and species richness at these scales in four major forest types: mixed mesophytic, northern hardwoods, red spruce, and dry oaks. At the landscape scale, forest types differed in bird abundance (p = 0.07) and species richness (p = 0.08). Abundance of forest-interior species, Neotropical migrants, and nine key indicator species were greatest in the mixed …

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Development Of A Method For Calculation Of Cardiac Output Using Doppler Ultrasound, Amit Diggikar Dec 1999

Development Of A Method For Calculation Of Cardiac Output Using Doppler Ultrasound, Amit Diggikar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cardiac output is the amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute. The Doppler effect can be used to measure cardiac output by measuring the peak frequency, which is directly proportional to the velocity of blood flowing in the aorta, associated with the Doppler shift signal when an ultrasound beam is incident on the aorta. Stroke volume is the product of the cross sectional area of the aorta and the integration of peak velocity over time. Stroke volume times the heart rate is the cardiac output. This project attempts to develop an algorithm that would automatically calculates the …

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Effects Of Turbidity On The Foraging Abilities Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) And Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu), John A. Sweka Dec 1999

Effects Of Turbidity On The Foraging Abilities Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) And Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu), John A. Sweka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sedimentation is the major pollutant of waters in North America. Most research on the effects of increased sedimentation has focussed on its effects on stream habitat and its ramification on the reproductive potential of fish. Although relatively large sediment loads may be necessary to alter stream habitat, only small loads are needed to raise mean stream turbidity levels. Turbidity may be an important, yet relatively unexamined factor in stream fish production. With this, I sought to determine the influence of elevated turbidity on the foraging abilities of two predatory species representing both cold and warm water stream habitas, brook trout …

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Functional Diversity And Life History Traits Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Disturbed Soils, Kelly Marie Fleming Dec 1999

Functional Diversity And Life History Traits Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Disturbed Soils, Kelly Marie Fleming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Relative effectiveness of ten species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi native to a revegetated coal strip mine site was tested on red clover against a non-mycorrhizal control and against inocula of two commercial isolates. Most (70%) of the isolated species in a native fungal community were as effective at promoting growth as commercial isolates. The net benefit of native colonizing fungi likely was positive, since the majority of the fungi colonizing two-year-old apple and grape in the field also were effective symbionts. The relationship between colonization and sporulation was compared among one Acaulospora , two Glomus, one Gigaspora, and one Scutellospora …

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Explaining Age-Related Problem -Solving Differences On Concept Identification Problems As A Function Of Problem Content, Strategies, And Stereotypes, Dave Buck Dec 1999

Explaining Age-Related Problem -Solving Differences On Concept Identification Problems As A Function Of Problem Content, Strategies, And Stereotypes, Dave Buck

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purposes of this study were to: (a) determine whether older adults would use logic-based strategies on a concept identification task when the stereotyped content of the task was changed to "experience free"; (b) determine whether older adults would use logic-based strategies when the stereotyped content was left intact after completing an "experience free" version of the concept identification task, and (c) explore relations of potential causal mechanisms of strategy use for older adults such as problem interpretation or past experience. Thirty-two older adults (M = 70.0 years) and 32 younger adults (M = 21.2) solved two versions of the …

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Oocyte Morphology And Estrogen Concentrations Following A Reduction In Progesterone In Beef Cattle, Robert A. Taft Jr. Dec 1999

Oocyte Morphology And Estrogen Concentrations Following A Reduction In Progesterone In Beef Cattle, Robert A. Taft Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Low dosages of progestogens promote persistent follicles, high systemic estrogen and low fertility. The objectives of this study were to determine effects of a reduction in progesterone on (1) morphology of oocytes and intrafollicular concentrations of estradiol. Cows on low progesterone (n = 12) received used intravaginal progesterone inserts on d 4 after estrus and prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha (25 mg, i.m.) on d 6. Control animals (n = 12) received saline on d 6. The oocyte and follicular fluid were recovered from the largest follicle on d 8 or d 10.;Serum estradiol was lower during d 4--6 but greater (P < .01) during d 7--10 in cows treated with progesterone inserts and PGF 2alpha while the largest follicle was larger in treated cows on day 10 only (14 vs. 12 mm; P < .05). Intrafollicular concentrations of estrogen were greater in treated than in control cows (990 +/- 87 vs 191 +/- 106; P < .01). Progesterone in follicular fluid (mean = 42 ng/ml) did not differ. Oocytes were observed in oocyte nuclear stage I in the control group on d 8. All other oocytes were in nuclear stage II. In addition, the degree of clumping of mitochondria, the percentage of intact cumulus cell processes and percentage of normally shaped mitochondria was greater in oocytes from d 8 control cows than in all other groups.;Changes in concentrations of estradiol and oocyte morphology typically associated with the preovulatory period had occurred within 2 d after a reduction in progesterone, even when low peripheral concentrations of progesterone were maintained. These earliest stages of oocyte maturation occurred in response to a reduction in progesterone. Similar changes in oocyte morphology were observed in control animals by d 10 of the estrous cycle, probably representing the onset of atresia.

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Design And Development Of A Microwave-Enhanced Diesel Soot Oxidation System, Bret Allen Rankin Dec 1999

Design And Development Of A Microwave-Enhanced Diesel Soot Oxidation System, Bret Allen Rankin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions have created considerable concern because PM is a suspected carcinogen. Up to this point, improved engine and fuel system design and control schemes have made the use of diesel particulate aftertreatment systems unnecessary for most applications in the United States, but the continued decreasing trend of emissions regulations may necessitate the use of PM filters for many applications.;Many methods have been developed to generate a controlled, reliable regeneration event within PM filters, none of which have been proven to be completely successful. These methods include exhaust throttling, fuel catalysis, filter catalysis, electrical heating, and burner …

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Characterization Of Particulate Matter And Hydrocarbon Emissions From In-Use Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Aleksandar Djordje Bugarski Dec 1999

Characterization Of Particulate Matter And Hydrocarbon Emissions From In-Use Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Aleksandar Djordje Bugarski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A continued increase in the use of diesel engines in heavy-duty vehicles, and the uncertainties about the effects of the emissions on human health have focused attention on risk assessments of exposure to the diesel exhaust. The characterization of diesel particulate matter (PM) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions is the primary objective toward assessing potential health hazard. The dependence of DPM nature on engine/vehicle operating conditions, fuel type, different after treatment processes, and measurement process on the size resolved PM emissions was examined by operating the test engines and vehicles under steady-state and transient conditions. The regional deposition of DPM in …

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Determination Of Vitality From A Non-Invasive Biomedical Measurement For Use In Integrated Biometric Devices, Reza Derakhshani Dec 1999

Determination Of Vitality From A Non-Invasive Biomedical Measurement For Use In Integrated Biometric Devices, Reza Derakhshani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Personal identification is a very important issue in today's mobile and electronically networked societies. Among the available measures, fingerprints are the oldest and most widely used. Unfortunately, it is usually possible to deceive automatic fingerprint identification systems by presenting a well-duplicated synthetic or dismembered finger. This project is one method to provide fingerprint vitality authentication in order to solve this problem. Using a sensor that is composed of an array of capacitors, this method identifies the vitality of a fingerprint by detecting a specific changing pattern over the human skin. Mapping the two-dimensional images into one-dimensional signals, two ensembles of …

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Back To Nature To Beat The Blues, Shannon Leigh Kirby Lawson Dec 1999

Back To Nature To Beat The Blues, Shannon Leigh Kirby Lawson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a reduction in depressive symptoms in nursing home residents by using a pet therapy intervention to increase levels of social support and social interaction within the nursing home facility.;The target population in this study consisted of two nursing home facilities in West Virginia. Approximately 21 subjects participated in the study. An intervention using pet therapy was conducted in the intervention facility in which certified therapy animals "visited" the residents once a week for four weeks. The control group received a delayed intervention of gospel singing once a week for four weeks after …

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Tissue Thickness Measurement Tool For Craniofacial Reconstruction, Hari Kinan Gopal Boddupalli Dec 1999

Tissue Thickness Measurement Tool For Craniofacial Reconstruction, Hari Kinan Gopal Boddupalli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Craniofacial Reconstruction is a method of recreating the appearance of the face on the skull of a deceased individual for identification purposes. Older clay methods of reconstruction are inaccurate, time consuming and inflexible. The tremendous increase in the processing power of the computers and rapid strides in visualization can be used to perform the reconstruction, saving time and providing greater accuracy and flexibility, without the necessity for a skillful modeler.;This thesis introduces our approach to computerized 3D craniofacial reconstruction. Three phases have been identified. The first phase of the project is to generate a facial tissue thickness database. In the …

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Performance Evaluation Of Exhaust Aftertreatment Devices Used For Emissions Control On Diesel Engines Employed In Underground Coal Mines, Daniel K. Carder Dec 1999

Performance Evaluation Of Exhaust Aftertreatment Devices Used For Emissions Control On Diesel Engines Employed In Underground Coal Mines, Daniel K. Carder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was initiated to assist the WV Diesel Equipment Commission in its promulgation of initial rules, requirements, and standards governing the operation of diesel-powered equipment in underground coal mines. Four different engines and various exhaust after treatment devices that represent current levels of in-use technology were selected for performance evaluation. Both eddy-current and water-brake dynamometers were used to load the engines according to an ISO 8-Mode test cycle. Experimental emissions data, sampled from a full-flow dilution tunnel, suggests that particulate traps can reduce the mass emission rates of particulate matter (DPM) by nearly 90%, while reductions in fuel sulfur …

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Designing A Cultural Needs Questionnaire, Sabah Karayegen Aug 1999

Designing A Cultural Needs Questionnaire, Sabah Karayegen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study describes the development of a cultural needs questionnaire intended to get a profile of foreign students' awareness of American culture. Specifically, the original questionnaire was designed to assess the level of awareness that English as a Second Language (ESL) students have of three aspects of American culture: family, gender roles, and education. The purpose of the development of student profiles resulting from this questionnaire was to offer one source of feedback to ESL teachers concerning these particularly relevant areas in which newly arrived students may be culturally confused. The piloting of the questionnaire revealed several problems inherent in …

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Effects Of Gender And Social Support On Cardiovascular Reactivity To A Speech Task, Lynda M. Ciano-Federoff Aug 1999

Effects Of Gender And Social Support On Cardiovascular Reactivity To A Speech Task, Lynda M. Ciano-Federoff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The effects of gender and social support on cardiovascular reactivity to a speech task were examined in this study. Seventeen males and seventeen females performed a speech task, once in the presence of an experimenter with their significant other present offering encouragement and support and once in the presence of the experimenter alone. Both blood pressure (i.e., systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP)) and hemodynamic parameters (i.e., heart rate (HR), cardiac output (converted to cardiac index, CI), stroke volume (converted to stroke index, SI), and pre-ejection period (PEP)) were measured during the speech tasks. In addition, total peripheral resistance (TPR) was …

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