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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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The Diabetic Heart: Examination Of The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane, Tara Lyne Slider Croston Jan 2013

The Diabetic Heart: Examination Of The Inner Mitochondrial Membrane, Tara Lyne Slider Croston

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cardiovascular complications, such as diabetic cardiomyopathy, are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus. The hyperglycemic environment associated with diabetes mellitus has been shown to induce the mitochondrial dysfunction contributing to diabetic cardiomyopathy. The examination of mitochondrial function is further complicated by the existence of two spatially and functionally distinct cardiac mitochondrial subpopulations, the subsarcolemmal (SSM) interfibrillar (IFM) mitochondria. These two pools of mitochondria respond differently to pathologic stimuli, such as diabetes mellitus. Targeted by the deleterious effects of diabetes mellitus, the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) is composed of a specific lipid environment that houses …

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Systematic Analysis Of Carbon Nanotubes Toxicity In Cellular Systems, Gabrielle Rogers-Nieman Jan 2013

Systematic Analysis Of Carbon Nanotubes Toxicity In Cellular Systems, Gabrielle Rogers-Nieman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the applied use for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) increases across engineering and biomedical sectors, a clear understanding of the deleterious effects surrounding CNT-induced toxicity, namely genotoxicity, is required. Currently, the exact genotoxic mechanisms that surround CNT-induced mitotic disruption that result in aneuploidy are not completely understood. Thus, there is a need for clear mechanical models to be formulated. Herein a comprehensive overview of the nanotube toxicity is provided insisting on the aspects related to CNTs genotoxicity.;In Chapter 1, I am providing a review of the current research in the CNT-s induced toxicity. I start by defining these members of the …

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Investigation Of Truckload Prices In The U.S: Exploratory Analysis, Forecast Methods, And The Influences Of Unemployment On Freight Prices, Alex M. Sanchez Jan 2013

Investigation Of Truckload Prices In The U.S: Exploratory Analysis, Forecast Methods, And The Influences Of Unemployment On Freight Prices, Alex M. Sanchez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Truckload (TL) pricing is a major factor that influences the manufacturing and retail costs of products. In the U.S., trucks accounts for more than 90% of freight shipped based on value, and it is expected to grow in the following years. TL price setting is a very complex task for logistic companies as it depends on a number of factors including the logistics carriers' business strategies and other social and economic variables. Understanding TL patterns across the U.S. is important not only for logistic companies, but also for policy makers. TL prices are commonly provided on a dollar per mile …

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Costume Design For Lend Me A Tenor., Alexandria Vazquez Jan 2013

Costume Design For Lend Me A Tenor., Alexandria Vazquez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor, the audience is transported to the year 1934 and is given a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes antics that the employees of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company experience while preparing for a momentous performance of Otello with the famous Italian Tenor ‘Il Stupendo’, Tito Merelli. The study of this play’s historical context helped serve as the springboard for an original costume design to support the spirit of a farcical production at West Virginia University’s School of Theatre & Dance. Through an analysis of the social context, styles, and fashions of the time period and …

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Three Essays Investigating China's Coal Production Needs And Consumption Patterns., Nyakundi M. Michieka Jan 2013

Three Essays Investigating China's Coal Production Needs And Consumption Patterns., Nyakundi M. Michieka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

China, characterized by the world.s largest population, is one of the most rapidly growing countries and the largest consumer of energy in the world. Over the last decade, China.s consumption of total global coal has increased by 15%. Besides being the largest producer of coal, China currently consumes over 40% of the yearly total coal output. Since China.s appetite for coal is growing, it is important to understand the sources of this growth. This study investigates China.s coal consumption patterns and production needs among the various sectors in its economy. It intends to identify and model the market forces affecting …

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Essays On The Effects Of Womens Rights On Female Brain Drain., Maryam Naghsh Nejad Jan 2013

Essays On The Effects Of Womens Rights On Female Brain Drain., Maryam Naghsh Nejad

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates the effects of gender discrimination, proxied by a women's rights index, on the female high-skilled migration rates relative to that of male (the female brain drain ratio). First, by developing a model of migration choice I find non-linear effects of gender discrimination on the female brain drain ratio as a result of effects of gender discrimination on both costs and benefits of migration. At low levels of women's rights, increases in the index lead to increases in the female brain drain ratio. At very low levels of women's rights, it is often prohibitively costly for females to …

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Survival, Injury, And Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Of Cronobacter Sakazakii And Escherichia Coli Resulting From Exposure To Low-Temperature Ground Water, Alisha L. Dailey Jan 2013

Survival, Injury, And Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Of Cronobacter Sakazakii And Escherichia Coli Resulting From Exposure To Low-Temperature Ground Water, Alisha L. Dailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bacteria are constantly being exposed to changing conditions in the environment. Exposure to adverse conditions such as pH, temperature, and desiccation may cause stress to the bacteria, potentially resulting in loss of viability and growth. Cronobacter sakazakii and Escherichia coli were exposed to cold temperature (4°C) and room temperature (24°C) nutrient-limiting groundwater. As a function of time (0 to 15 days), samples were removed from the stress and analyzed. Response of stressed cells was evaluated by three approaches: (i) traditional viable cell counts (nonselective and selective media), (ii) substrate utilization patterns (BIOLOG GN microplates), and (iii) antibiotic resistance patterns (modified …

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An Exploration Of Master's Degree Field Study And Teacher And Student Behavior In P.E, William J. Davis Jan 2013

An Exploration Of Master's Degree Field Study And Teacher And Student Behavior In P.E, William J. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study analyzed two teacher and their corresponding student behavioral systems to determine whether discipline-specific ongoing education may play a role in gaining expertise in physical education. Field systems analysis (FSA) was used to analyze an all-encompassing categorical system, which was created by induction and then used to deductively analyze the two teachers and their corresponding students. Interview data were used as well, in conjunction with FSA, to understand more completely what role each teacher's ongoing education may have played in their behavioral systems. Both teachers received training from the same undergraduate physical education program and were of the same …

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Impact Of Retrograde Condensation On Production In The Ohio Utica Point Pleasant, John Hooks Jan 2013

Impact Of Retrograde Condensation On Production In The Ohio Utica Point Pleasant, John Hooks

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this thesis was to study the sensitivity of production in the Ohio Utica Point Pleasant play to retrograde condensation. To accomplish this two fluid models were created for a rich and lean gas condensate and two base models were created to reflect the anticipated geologies where these reservoir fluids will be encountered. A single hydraulically fractured horizontal well was placed in both models. Experimental parameters of well length, stage spacing, hydraulic fracture properties, bottom hole pressure (BHP) controls, and fluid models adjusted for pore confinement effects were varied and tested over a series of simulations. The Peng-Robinson …

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Determining Faculty Perception Of Ownership Rights Of Online Course Content In Higher Education, Carrie J. White Jan 2013

Determining Faculty Perception Of Ownership Rights Of Online Course Content In Higher Education, Carrie J. White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With the ever increasing growth in the number of online courses offered by institutions of higher education, determining ownership of the content of these courses is becoming an important consideration. Many institutions have intellectual property policies in place that are either vague, outdated or non-existent when determining copyright ownership to online courses. Faculty members who are creating these courses are many times investing their own intellect into the course content, which would traditionally invoke copyright ownership over that content. However, courses being offered to students in an online format have created some confusion as to ownership rights over those courses. …

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Mechanisms Of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis In The Developing And Mature Bovine Corpora Lutea An In-Depth Study To Promote Scientific Literacy Through The Use Of Primary Literature In An Introductory Biology Course, Marietta Felicidad Wright Jan 2013

Mechanisms Of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis In The Developing And Mature Bovine Corpora Lutea An In-Depth Study To Promote Scientific Literacy Through The Use Of Primary Literature In An Introductory Biology Course, Marietta Felicidad Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although it is generally accepted that calcium is an intracellular mediator of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha) actions on luteal cells, studies attempting to define the mechanisms of calcium homeostasis in bovine corpora lutea (CL) are lacking. The increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) induced by PGF2alpha in steroidogenic cells from mature CL is greater than in those isolated from developing CL. Our long-term hypothesis is that differences in signal transduction associated with developing and mature CL contribute to the increased efficacy of PGF2alpha to induce a calcium signal capable of mediating luteal regression in mature CL. Specifically, these studies were …

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3d Seismic Interpretation And Well Log Analysis Of The Marcellus Shale Of Appalachian Basin At Taylor County, West Virginia, Lierong Zhu Jan 2013

3d Seismic Interpretation And Well Log Analysis Of The Marcellus Shale Of Appalachian Basin At Taylor County, West Virginia, Lierong Zhu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The organic-rich Marcellus Shale unit of Middle Devonian section in Appalachian basin currently is one of the most successful unconventional shale-gas reservoirs in the world because of the modern technology development including; advanced seismic imaging, hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. This study extracts the geologic structure and discontinuity systems from seismic data in Taylor County, West Virginia to better understand the regional and local geologic setting with special emphasis on the orientation of structural features (e.g., folds, faults and joints) that can guide horizontal well drilling and fracture stimulation design.;A southwest-northeast synclinal fold was mapped in the northern part of …

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Brief Assessment Of Distress And Pain, Laura L. Quentin Jan 2013

Brief Assessment Of Distress And Pain, Laura L. Quentin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pain has been conceptualized as a mixture of physical and psychological factors that are indicative of actual or potential damage to one's physical being. The experience of pain is a complex interaction of somatic, behavioral, affective, and cognitive components. Of particular interest is the growing body of literature regarding the roles that negative psychological states such as anxiety, fear, and depression have in the contribution of poorer outcomes for individuals suffering from painful conditions. Specifically, these psychological concerns can exacerbate the overall experience of pain and lead to higher rates of dysfunction and disability. Given the importance of these variables, …

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The Role Of Polyglutamine Expansion And Protein Context In Disease-Related Huntingtin/Lipid Interactions., Kathleen Anne Burke Jan 2013

The Role Of Polyglutamine Expansion And Protein Context In Disease-Related Huntingtin/Lipid Interactions., Kathleen Anne Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Huntington's Disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is defined by the accumulation of nanoscale aggregates comprised of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Aggregation is directly caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain in htt, leading to a diverse population of aggregate species, such as oligomers, fibrils, and annular aggregates. Furthermore, the length of this polyQ domain is directly related to onset and severity of disease. The first 17 amino acids on the N-terminus (N17) and the polyproline domain on the C-terminal side of the polyQ domain have been shown to further modulate the aggregation process. Additionally, N17 appears to have …

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Effectiveness Of Multi-View Face Images And Anthropometric Data In Real-Time Networked Biometrics, Sriram Sankar Jan 2013

Effectiveness Of Multi-View Face Images And Anthropometric Data In Real-Time Networked Biometrics, Sriram Sankar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the years, biometric systems have evolved into a reliable mechanism for establishing identity of individuals in the context of applications such as access control, personnel screening and criminal identification. However, recent terror attacks, security threats and intrusion attempts have necessitated a transition to modern biometric systems that can identify humans under unconstrained environments, in real-time. Specifically, the following are three critical transitions that are needed and which form the focus of this thesis: (1) In contrast to operation in an offline mode using previously acquired photographs and videos obtained under controlled environments, it is required that identification be performed …

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Novel 3d Ultrasound Elastography Techniques For In Vivo Breast Tumor Imaging And Nonlinear Characterization, Ahmed A. Hameed Sayed Jan 2013

Novel 3d Ultrasound Elastography Techniques For In Vivo Breast Tumor Imaging And Nonlinear Characterization, Ahmed A. Hameed Sayed

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Breast cancer comprises about 29% of all types of cancer in women worldwide. This type of cancer caused what is equivalent to 14% of all female deaths due to cancer. Nowadays, tissue biopsy is routinely performed, although about 80% of the performed biopsies yield a benign result. Biopsy is considered the most costly part of breast cancer examination and invasive in nature. To reduce unnecessary biopsy procedures and achieve early diagnosis, ultrasound elastography was proposed.;In this research, tissue displacement fields were estimated using ultrasound waves, and used to infer the elastic properties of tissues. Ultrasound radiofrequency data acquired at consecutive …

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The Influence Of Memory Enhancement Techniques On Source Monitoring, Ria M. Travers Jan 2013

The Influence Of Memory Enhancement Techniques On Source Monitoring, Ria M. Travers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An important aspect of accurate eyewitness testimony is not only being able to recall the details of an event, but being able to trace that memory back to its source or origin (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993). The current study examined the use of two memory enhancement interventions to improve the accuracy of source memory, or the correct attribution of a memory to its origin, and free recall. The first intervention, motivational instructions, informed participants that they are capable of recalling an event if they try their best. The second intervention, focused meditation, used a breathing exercise to focus individuals' …

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The Modernist Sublime: Parenthood And The Intersubjective Sublime Subject In Faulkner, Forster, Lawrence, And Woolf, Erin K. Johns Speese Jan 2013

The Modernist Sublime: Parenthood And The Intersubjective Sublime Subject In Faulkner, Forster, Lawrence, And Woolf, Erin K. Johns Speese

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project explores how the modern novel restructures traditional conceptions of the Romantic sublime through complex depictions of parenthood. Using related strategies of representation, William Faulkner, E.M. Forster, D.H. Lawrence, and Virginia Woolf rewrite the traditional sublime as an intersubjective experience, dependent upon the recognition of social objectification and an ethics of reciprocal sympathy between mothers and fathers. Ultimately, The Modernist Sublime contributes to modernist scholarship by exploring the dynamics of modernist representations of parenthood and by focusing attention on how modernist authors reconsider the function of the sublime in the modern world.;Juxtaposing traditional aesthetics and Slavoj Žižek's concept of …

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Investigating The Effect Of Humor Communication Skills Training On Pro-Social And Anti-Social Humor Styles, Cognitive Learning, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, And Humor Use, Lori E. Vela Jan 2013

Investigating The Effect Of Humor Communication Skills Training On Pro-Social And Anti-Social Humor Styles, Cognitive Learning, Self-Efficacy, Motivation, And Humor Use, Lori E. Vela

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Humor is an important aspect of interpersonal interactions as it is linked to the development and maintenance of relationships (Merolla, 2006). The purpose of this dissertation was to test the effect of a humor communication skills training program on the ability to minimize anti-social humor (i.e., aggressive, self-defeating) and enhance pro-social humor (i.e., affiliative, self-enhancing) in interpersonal interactions. Working from the framework of Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986, 2001), the effect of the humor skills training on self-efficacy, motivation, positive and negative humor use, and cognitive learning were also examined. Data were collected at baseline, post-training, and at a two …

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Characterization And Application Of Self-Assembled Nano-Materials For Fluid Steering And Separation In Microfluidics, Xingwei Wu Jan 2013

Characterization And Application Of Self-Assembled Nano-Materials For Fluid Steering And Separation In Microfluidics, Xingwei Wu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Aqueous phospholipid preparations comprised of 1,2-dimyristoyl- sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (DMPC) and 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC) are prevalent materials for biological characterization. The viscosity behavior of DMPC/DHPC was characterized as a function of q value (q= [DMPC]/[DHPC] ), hydration as well as temperature firstly on bench-top and then in microfluidic chip. The rheology of 20% phospholipid preparations of [DMPC]/[DHPC] = 2.5 reveals that, under conditions utilized for fluid steering, the materials are shear-thinning power-law fluids with a power-law index ranging from 0.30 through 0.90. Phospholipid preparations are utilized to steer fluids in microfluidic chips and support hydrodynamic delivery of sample across a double T …

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Evaluation Of The Osha Local Emphasis Program (Lep) For Logging In West Virginia, Olukemi O. Alonge Jan 2013

Evaluation Of The Osha Local Emphasis Program (Lep) For Logging In West Virginia, Olukemi O. Alonge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research aimed at an improved method for evaluating the West Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Local Emphasis Program (WV OSHA LEP) for Logging in West Virginia. The LEP currently uses for assessment: loggers' training, inspections at logging sites, number of fatalities and 75% of loggers' participation to determine the program's effectiveness annually. The research here proposes the use of a larger data capture to evaluate the impact of the LEP on loggers' safety.;A heuristic method using the Iceberg model of safety was applied to assess loggers' safety based on the desired safety outcome measures outlined in the OSHA …

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Analysis Of Gps Abnormal Conditions Within Fault Tolerant Control Laws, Gahssan Al-Sinbol Jan 2013

Analysis Of Gps Abnormal Conditions Within Fault Tolerant Control Laws, Gahssan Al-Sinbol

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Global Position System (GPS) is a critical element for the functionality of autonomous flying vehicles. The GPS operation at normal and abnormal conditions directly impacts the trajectory tracking performance of the autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) controllers. The effects of GPS parameter variation must be well understood and user-friendly computational tools must be developed to facilitate the design and evaluation of fault tolerant control laws.;This thesis presents the development of a simplified GPS error model in Matlab/Simulink and its use performing a sensitivity analysis of GPS parameters effect under system normal and abnormal operation on different UAV trajectory tracking …

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Novel Techniques For Automated Dental Identification, Nourdin Al-Sherif Jan 2013

Novel Techniques For Automated Dental Identification, Nourdin Al-Sherif

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Automated dental identification is one of the best candidates for postmortem identification. With the large number of victims encountered in mass disasters, automating the process of postmortem identification is receiving an increased attention. This dissertation introduces new approaches for different stages of Automated Dental Identification system: These stages include segmentations, classification, labeling, and matching:;We modified the seam carving technique to adapt the problem of segmenting dental image records into individual teeth. We propose a two-stage teeth segmentation approach for segmenting the dental images. In the first stage, the teeth images are preprocessed by a two-step thresholding technique, which starts with …

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Occupational Risk Factors In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Bent C. Doney Jan 2013

Occupational Risk Factors In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Bent C. Doney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes increased disability and mortality in the U.S. population. Approximately 15% of cases of COPD can be attributed to occupational exposure. There are gaps in the knowledge of the relationships between occupational exposure and COPD and further investigation can provide information helpful in improving COPD preventive strategies in the workplace. The objective of this project was to assess COPD prevalence in population based studies and characterize the relationship between COPD and occupational exposure.;Methods/Results: Three separate U.S. population-based cross-sectional studies of COPD were conducted. In the first study, a COPD job exposure matrix (JEM) was …

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Effectiveness Of A Theory Based Comprehensive Sexual Education Program At A Baltimore City High School, Darlene Hinds Jan 2013

Effectiveness Of A Theory Based Comprehensive Sexual Education Program At A Baltimore City High School, Darlene Hinds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background Sexual activity among adolescents can have lifelong consequences including teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS), reported 13.8% of high school students grades 9-12 admitted to having intercourse with four or more people and 34.2% report being sexually active (CDC, 2010b). Baltimore City has disproportionately high rates related to teen pregnancy, chlamydia and gonorrhea when compared to national statistics. In 2006, the rate of teen births among girls ages 15-19 in Baltimore City was 66.4 per 1,000, compared to Maryland's teen birth rate of 34.4 per 1,000 (Maryland Department of Health and Mental …

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Gas-Phase Reactions Of Methamphetamine With Hydroxyl Radicals And Ozone, Crystal D. Forester Jan 2013

Gas-Phase Reactions Of Methamphetamine With Hydroxyl Radicals And Ozone, Crystal D. Forester

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gas-phase reactions involving methamphetamine, the hydroxyl radical (OH·), and ozone (O3) at (297 +/- 3) K and 1 atmosphere total pressure were investigated. A bimolecular rate constant, kOH·+methamphetamine, (960 +/- 100) x 10 -12 cm3molecule-1s-1, was measured using the relative rate technique for reactions of methamphetamine with OH·. Pseudo first-order techniques were used to measure the bimolecular rate constant, kO3+methamphetamine , (2.7 +/- 0.5) x 10-17 cm3molecule -1s-1 for reactions of methamphetamine with O 3. Product studies to determine the degradation of methamphetamine in the gasphase were conducted and the products of these reactions were identified. The positively identified methamphetamine/OH· …

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Characterization Of Late Postpartum Sleep Disturbance, Caffeine-Related Performance, And Daily Functioning, Kelsey K. Meekins Jan 2013

Characterization Of Late Postpartum Sleep Disturbance, Caffeine-Related Performance, And Daily Functioning, Kelsey K. Meekins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The early postpartum period is marked by maternal sleep fragmentation and performance deficits. Although sleep gradually improves in postpartum women, reaction times gradually worsen. This performance deficit is seen beyond 6 weeks postpartum, when many women are expected to return to work, and it is unknown when (or if) new mothers' performance deficits fully recover. The current study used existing data to characterize the late postpartum period (6 months-3 years after the child was born) in terms of recovery from sleep disturbance by monitoring the behavior of mothers on both objective and subjective measures. The current study aimed to describe …

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The Production, Value, And Reduction Responsibility Of Carbon Emissions Through Electricity Consumption Of Manufacturing Industries In South Korea And Thailand, Medhawin Kitikun Jan 2013

The Production, Value, And Reduction Responsibility Of Carbon Emissions Through Electricity Consumption Of Manufacturing Industries In South Korea And Thailand, Medhawin Kitikun

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation provides a new method of measuring efforts by manufacturing industries to reduce their emissions by curtailing electricity consumption. Employing comprehensive firm-level data from the National Manufacture Annual Surveys of South Korea and Thailand, I construct the measure from estimates of revenue functions by industry. The data consists of firms from more than 20 industries in each year from 1982 to 2005 for Korea and from 2001 to 2008 for Thailand. With a total of more than two million observations, I estimate revenue functions for each industry and year. Here, I use three inputs: number of employees(L), fixed asset …

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Patterns Of Lung Cancer Care And Associated Health Outcomes Among Elderly Medicare Fee For Service Beneficiaries In West Virginia And In The United States, Pramit Amrutlal Nadpara Jan 2013

Patterns Of Lung Cancer Care And Associated Health Outcomes Among Elderly Medicare Fee For Service Beneficiaries In West Virginia And In The United States, Pramit Amrutlal Nadpara

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The elderly carry a disproportionate burden of lung cancer in the US. Although significant improvements have been made during the past decade in cancer treatment, substantial disparities still exist in guideline-based lung cancer care and outcomes. Such variation in lung cancer care is a cause for major concern in rural areas like West Virginia (WV). The purpose of this study was to do a comprehensive evaluation of variations in lung cancer care and associated health outcomes in the elderly. This retrospective study was conducted using SEER-Medicare and WVCR--Medicare linked data files for the years 2002-2007. As part of the project, …

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Rehabilitation And Field Evaluation Of Discarded Timber Railroad Ties Using Thermoset Gfrp Composites, Amir Hossein Houshmandyar Jan 2013

Rehabilitation And Field Evaluation Of Discarded Timber Railroad Ties Using Thermoset Gfrp Composites, Amir Hossein Houshmandyar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents the effectiveness of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite thermoset shells in strengthening discarded timber railroad ties. In this work, a total of 18 composite shell-timber ties were manufactured through GFRP wrapping of discarded wood ties at the Constructed Facilities Center in West Virginia University (CFC-WVU) and tested under three-point bending to evaluate their properties such as Young’s modulus, rupture modulus and bending strength. Elastic moduli of all the 18 ties were measured before and after wrapping. Following laboratory testing, composite ties were field installed and evaluated at Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) Pueblo, Colorado. The composite …

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