Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 3631 - 3660 of 5166

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Evaluating Medication Utilization Patterns And Healthcare Outcomes In Patients Receiving Antipsychotics, Mariam K. Hassan Dec 2005

Evaluating Medication Utilization Patterns And Healthcare Outcomes In Patients Receiving Antipsychotics, Mariam K. Hassan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Several atypical antipsychotics have entered the market since the last decade. Evaluating the utilization patterns and overall cost savings generated by these expensive agents is becoming more important as their use continues to expand. Phase 1 of this study describes the patterns of antipsychotic utilization and its impact on total and mental health-related costs for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients in a state Medicaid program. Phase 2 of this study compares typical antipsychotics, risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine in terms of direct costs and utilization of healthcare services such as hospitalizations, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, psychiatric prescription use and antipsychotic …

Go to article

The Use Of Charge -Charge Correlation In Impedance Measurements: A Test Of The Epet Method, Christopher W. Gregory Dec 2005

The Use Of Charge -Charge Correlation In Impedance Measurements: A Test Of The Epet Method, Christopher W. Gregory

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is well known that biological tissues possess impedance properties that might be useful in medical diagnostics and treatment. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) images internal electrical properties by using numerical methods to solve Laplace's differential equation. The indirect reconstruction method (IRM), a common method in application, predicts internal electrical property distribution by iteratively computing a forward and inverse solution. This approach reduces the non-linear Laplace's equation into a poorly conditioned series of linear equations, which are solved simultaneously. This method suffers from high computational effort and is susceptible to prediction errors that stem from measurement noise.;As an alternative to Laplace's …

Go to article

Handcuffed Hegemony: International Restraint In Unbalanced Systems, Mark E. Schaefer Dec 2005

Handcuffed Hegemony: International Restraint In Unbalanced Systems, Mark E. Schaefer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This work contends that the current systemic view of hegemonic systems is incorrect. On one hand hegemonic actors are conceptualized as omnipotent actors that can mold the system to best reflect its goals. Still, others illustrate that such unipolar systems can never be achieved, or at best exist for a short time as other powers move to rebalance the international system. Mearsheimer illustrates a more realistic approach, that unbalanced multipolar systems can exist, in which a larger state is present in a traditional multipolar system, not a traditional vertical authority structure. He contends that such a system is transient, for …

Go to article

Water Quality Changes Of Underground Mines In Northern West Virginia, Jennifer Demchak Dec 2005

Water Quality Changes Of Underground Mines In Northern West Virginia, Jennifer Demchak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a serious problem from both abandoned surface and underground mines, and about 10,000 km of streams have been impacted by AMD in the northeastern U.S. (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia). Streams in the region have shown improvement over time and this improvement has been partly attributed to reclamation of mined sites and natural attenuation of AMD impacts. This study was initiated to determine the water quality changes from underground mines over time in northern West Virginia. In order to compare chemistry data across years and seasons with varying flow, relationships between discharge rates and …

Go to article

A Web-Based Environment For Automated Dental Identification Research, Satyasrinivas Chekuri Dec 2005

A Web-Based Environment For Automated Dental Identification Research, Satyasrinivas Chekuri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS), division of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), include in its strategic plan the creation of an Automated Dental Identification System (ADIS), a Post Mortem Dental Identification System.;This project aims at designing an end-to-end web-interface to meet the requirements of ADIS like Identification, Maintenance and Bridge Modules. In Identification Mode the subject record will be uploaded by the user and the match list is obtained as result. Maintenance Mode enables uploading of reference records and to populate the database with preprocessing data. Bridge Module enables researchers from other universities to use the database designed …

Go to article

The Design, Construction And "Optimization" Of A Binder Pitch Refining Unit, Kevin D. Whiteman Dec 2005

The Design, Construction And "Optimization" Of A Binder Pitch Refining Unit, Kevin D. Whiteman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pitches have been important to mankind for hundreds of years. One of the most important pitches used in industry today is binder pitch. Binder pitch is used to make anodes for the aluminum industry. The supply of high quality binder pitch has been steadily decreasing. A process has been developed to produce binder pitch from coal at West Virginia University, but this pitch in this process requires refining.;The focus of this thesis was to design, and construct a bench top wiped film evaporator system to refine that pitch. From the data collected in this thesis, the process was scaled up …

Go to article

Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Decks For Military Applications, Srikanth Mantri Dec 2005

Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Decks For Military Applications, Srikanth Mantri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The U.S. Marine Corps is aiming to replace the M105 cargo trailers, M149 water tank trailers, and the M353 utility trailers with a new trailer platform known as the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement Trailers (MTVR-T). This project focused on developing a MTVR-T type trailer using Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer composite decks. Systems & Electronics Inc. (SEI) provided the initial design for the prototype trailer. Prodeck 4 was chosen as the decking material for the prototype trailer.;A detailed FE model of the FRP deck and steel support assembly was built. Four operational and transportation load conditions as identified by SEI were …

Go to article

Properties Of Chain Programs Over Difference Constraints, John E. Argentieri Dec 2005

Properties Of Chain Programs Over Difference Constraints, John E. Argentieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chain Programming is a restricted form of linear programming in which there exists a total ordering over the program variables. In other words, the constraints x1 ≤ x 2 ≤ ... ≤ xn are either implicitly or explicitly part of the constraint system. At the present juncture, it is not clear whether an arbitrary Chain Program is easier to solve than a linear program, either asymptotically or computationally. This thesis presents a variety of interesting properties pertaining to the case in which a Chain Program is constituted entirely of difference constraints. Deciding the feasibility of a system of difference constraints …

Go to article

A Qualitative Analysis Of Sensationalism In Media, William B. Frye Dec 2005

A Qualitative Analysis Of Sensationalism In Media, William B. Frye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensationalism is a much discussed and examined topic in journalism. This study examines many aspects of sensationalism from its variety of different definitions to its possible effects on the media audience. It briefly touches upon its history and how it has evolved as a concept in the media.;Sensationalism was examined and quantified through a research methodology that inspected three different media markets. This research is an attempt to explore new areas of sensationalism that will need to be studied. The study shows which markets have more sensational content than others; demonstrating the use of sensationalism among different newspapers with varying …

Go to article

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 …

Go to article

Size, Age Composition, And Upstream Migration Of American Eels At The Millville Dam Eel Ladder, Shenandoah River, West Virginia, Heather Hildebrand Dec 2005

Size, Age Composition, And Upstream Migration Of American Eels At The Millville Dam Eel Ladder, Shenandoah River, West Virginia, Heather Hildebrand

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abundances of American eel (Anguilla rostrata) are declining along the east coast of the United States and Canada, possibly due to habitat loss and barriers to migration. In Atlantic coast watersheds, dams detain upstream migration of juveniles, and little is known about age class composition, age-length relationships, or environmental cues to upstream migration of yellow-phase eels. An eel ladder was installed on the Millville hydroelectric dam, lower Shenandoah River, WV, to facilitate and monitor the upstream movement of yellow phase eels. Daily length measurements (TL cm) and weights (g) were taken on eels using the ladder during three sampling periods; …

Go to article

Maximum Size T-Cross-Intersecting And Intersecting Families With Degree Conditions, Yongbin Ou Dec 2005

Maximum Size T-Cross-Intersecting And Intersecting Families With Degree Conditions, Yongbin Ou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We present four main results: (1) A solution to the problem of finding two set systems A and B such that A is r1-intersecting, B is r2-intersecting, A,B are t-cross-intersecting and A+ B is a maximum; (2) A solution to the problem of finding two set systems A and B such that A,B are Sperner, t-cross-intersecting and A+ B is a maximum; (3) A solution to the problem of finding the maximum size of an intersecting set system F such that the complementary degree c( F ) = s for a specified value s; (4) An asymptotic result on the …

Go to article

Cellular Mechanisms Of Luteal Regression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum (Cl), Aritro Sen Dec 2005

Cellular Mechanisms Of Luteal Regression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum (Cl), Aritro Sen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The corpus luteum (CL) is a transient endocrine gland that produces progesterone (P4) for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In absence of pregnancy, timely regression of the CL is essential for normal ovarian cyclicity. Several factors are known to participate in luteal regression. In this study, two factors, PGF2 alpha and endothelin (ET-1) are being studied. Protein kinase C (PKC) and calcium are the two main intracellular mediators of PGF2 alpha. The role of ET-1 in the regulation of luteal regression is unclear. The early CL is insensitive to the luteolytic actions of PGF2 alpha and the cellular mechanism(s) …

Go to article

Stability Monitoring And Analysis Of Online Learning Neural Networks, Sampath Yerramalla Dec 2005

Stability Monitoring And Analysis Of Online Learning Neural Networks, Sampath Yerramalla

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

On-line adaptation using soft-computational learning methods is on the rise for use in safety-critical applications such as fault-tolerant flight control, maintenance of distributed networks, implementation of high security devices, etc. The inapplicability of traditional analysis methods is limiting the wider use of soft-computational learning methods in safety-critical applications that involve online adaptation. The focus of the research is the development of non-conventional analysis techniques for the testing, verification, validation and analysis of adaptive learning components such as the online learning neural networks.;Our research considers stability of online adaptation as a heuristic measure of correctness in the operation of the adaptive …

Go to article

Functional Evaluation Of Cytochrome P450 2d6 Allelic Isoforms, Weiyan Zhang Dec 2005

Functional Evaluation Of Cytochrome P450 2d6 Allelic Isoforms, Weiyan Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Human CYP2D6 is one of the most important human P450s based on the number of its drug substrates. It shows an extensive genetic polymorphism that influences its expression and function. There are more than 80 different CYP2D6 alleles and allelic variants that have been identified in human. However, only a part of alleles have been characterized with respect to enzyme activity and substrate specificity. In the first project, three alleles CYP2D6*24 (1297L), CYP2D6*27 (E410K) and CYP2D6*26 (I369T) were constructed and expressed. The enzymatic activities were evaluated by the metabolic rates for dextromethorphan O-demethylation and N-demethylation; codeine O-demethylation and N-demethylation. For …

Go to article

Adoption Of Resource -Conserving Agricultural Technologies: An Economic And *Policy Analysis For South Africa, Daniel Vusanani Dlamini Dec 2005

Adoption Of Resource -Conserving Agricultural Technologies: An Economic And *Policy Analysis For South Africa, Daniel Vusanani Dlamini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Land degradation continues to be a threat to the agricultural sector of South Africa. Land degradation induced by agricultural production activities is considered to be among the major factors responsible for a decline in land productivity. Conservation efforts through government intervention and voluntary efforts have produced minimal success compared to the desired targets. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors that influence the adoption decisions of resource conserving technologies in the context of commercial farmers in South Africa.;Adoption of conservation-oriented agricultural technologies in South Africa is influenced by a wide range of economic and social factors, and …

Go to article

Understanding Mindfulness: Implications For Instruction And Learning, Todd Lyle Stoops Dec 2005

Understanding Mindfulness: Implications For Instruction And Learning, Todd Lyle Stoops

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This Dissertation examines the literature concerning Mindfulness as it relates to Educational Psychology and overviews a research study conducted to add empirical research on Mindfulness instruction and learning. The literature review is divided into three categories of Mindfulness which are defined and discussed according to applications and implications for education. These three categories are (a) Mindfulness as a meditative practice for teachers and in its use in teacher education programs, (b) clinical and therapeutic applications of Mindfulness in contemporary psychology, and (c) Mindfulness in Educational Psychology. Established constructs from the literature of psychology and education are related to the concepts …

Go to article

Towards Large Eddy Simulation Of Dispersed Gas -Liquid Two-Phase Turbulent Flows, Gusheng Hu Dec 2005

Towards Large Eddy Simulation Of Dispersed Gas -Liquid Two-Phase Turbulent Flows, Gusheng Hu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents a detailed investigation of all essential components of computational and modeling issues necessary for a successful large-eddy simulation (LES) of dispersed two-phase turbulent flows. In particular, a two-layer concept is proposed to enable the LES capability in two-phase flows involving dispersed bubbles that are relatively large compared to the mesh size. The work comprises three major parts.;Part I focuses on the development and verification of a transient, three-dimensional, finite-volume-method (FVM) based accurate Navier-Stokes solver, named DREAM II (second generation of the DREAM code). Several high-order schemes are implemented for both the spatial and temporal discretization. Solution of …

Go to article

Effectiveness Of The "Common" Method In Balancing Exhaust Ventilation Systems, Vivek Balasubramanian Dec 2005

Effectiveness Of The "Common" Method In Balancing Exhaust Ventilation Systems, Vivek Balasubramanian

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dampers are used to adjust the distribution of airflows in duct systems. The "common"(i.e., most commonly used) method is to adjust each damper in turn so that the airflow through its branch equals the desired level. Typically, the airflow through each branch duct is estimated from the centerline velocity pressure. To test the effectiveness of that approach, dampers were adjusted on a seven branch, full-sized experimental duct system. After adjusting the dampers for a given condition, the percent excess airflow (%Qexcess) for the system was estimated as the amount above the ideal fan airflow that would exist if the fan …

Go to article

Ozone Forming Potential Of Exhaust Emissions From Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Ravi Kaklasaria Dec 2005

Ozone Forming Potential Of Exhaust Emissions From Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Ravi Kaklasaria

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research aimed at determining the effect of exhaust aftertreatment devices and ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel on the reactivity of exhaust emissions from heavy duty diesel (HDD) engines. Specifically, the objective of this research was to determine the effect of two diesel particulate filters: Engelhard DPX(TM) and Johnson Matthey CRT(TM), and two ULSD fuels, ECD and ECD1 on the ozone forming potential (OFP) of exhaust emissions from HDD engines. To achieve this objective, data was obtained from the "ECD Study" performed in the Spring 2001 to chemically characterize emissions from trucks and buses operating on the two test …

Go to article

Software Tools For Real-Time Simulation And Control, Raghu Sankarayogi Dec 2005

Software Tools For Real-Time Simulation And Control, Raghu Sankarayogi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this thesis is to design and simulate a multi-agent based energy management system for a shipboard power system in hard real-time environment. The automatic reconfiguration of shipboard power systems is essential to improve survivability. Multi-agent technology is used in designing the reconfigurable energy management system using a self-stabilizing maximum flow algorithm. The agent based energy management system is designed in a Matlab/Simulink environment. Reconfiguration is performed for several situations including start-up, loss of an agent, limited available power, and distribution to priority ranked loads. The number of steps taken to reach the global solution and the time …

Go to article

Factors That Influence 4-H Club Membership Retention In West Virginia, David C. Hartley Aug 2005

Factors That Influence 4-H Club Membership Retention In West Virginia, David C. Hartley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the study was to determine retention rates among youth enrolled in West Virginia's 4-H youth programs and to identify characteristics or trends associated with 4-H club member retention. The population of the study consisted of youth enrolled in 4-H clubs during the years 2002, 2003, and 2004. Membership records were self-reported by West Virginia County Extension Offices. This study used an ex post facto research design and the variables explored closely were: county, age, gender, grade in school, years in 4-H, and projects attempted. Findings for this study were that 30% of members were retained for the …

Go to article

Prediction Of Forage Intake And Production Of Steers In A Winter Forage System, Taryn Romanczak Aug 2005

Prediction Of Forage Intake And Production Of Steers In A Winter Forage System, Taryn Romanczak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Currently there are no means to accurately predict intake in grazing animals. Two experiments were conducted to determine and validate the use of intake markers in grazing ruminants as well as to compare performance of steers in winter forage systems. Six Angus-Hereford steers were halter and fecal harness broke. Entities commonly found in forages and used as markers were evaluated. Experiment 1 was conducted during the summer 2004, at the West Virginia University Livestock Farm, using animals in a confined area. Steers were fed timothy or orchardgrass hay chopped to fine or coarse lengths. Experiment 2 was conducted at the …

Go to article

Effects Of Differential Consequences On Responding In The Analog Functional Analysis, Theresa M. V. Hedrick Aug 2005

Effects Of Differential Consequences On Responding In The Analog Functional Analysis, Theresa M. V. Hedrick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Direct methods of functional assessment consist of descriptive observations and experimental assessments. Descriptive observations are conducted in non-laboratory settings and consist of recording instances of target responses and environmental events that precede or follow occurrences of problem behavior, whereas experimental assessments most often are conducted in laboratory settings and involve manipulation of only a few predetermined environmental events. Results of recent studies suggest that discrepant hypotheses often are developed based on outcomes of different methods of functional assessment. As intervention efficacy depends on the accuracy of the functional assessment, it is important to determine why discrepant hypotheses often result from …

Go to article

3d P- And Converted Shear Wave Characteristics Of The Morrow Production Trend In The Buffalo Valley Field, Chaves-Eddy County, New Mexico, Sandeep Pyakurel Aug 2005

3d P- And Converted Shear Wave Characteristics Of The Morrow Production Trend In The Buffalo Valley Field, Chaves-Eddy County, New Mexico, Sandeep Pyakurel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Regional and local subsurface log and 3D seismic interpretations were undertaken in the vicinity of the Buffalo Valley field in southeastern New Mexico. Oil production in the field is trapped in early Pennsylvanian basal Morrow Formation Harris Channel. Regional interpretation shows that the field is located on the Northwestern Shelf along the rim of the Delaware basin. Structure and isopach maps reveal that high production is associated with a structural low that actively developed during deposition of the reservoir interval. The Harris Channel scoured into the upper Mississippian Barnett shale. Areas of thin Barnett Shale coincide with production and define …

Go to article

Personality Factors And Other Predictors Of Academic Success In Medical Students, T. Anne Hawkins Aug 2005

Personality Factors And Other Predictors Of Academic Success In Medical Students, T. Anne Hawkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the relationship between objectively derived personality characteristics of West Virginia University medical students and their rate of retention and attrition in medical school. Personality trait characteristics are assessed using the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF, 5 th edition). Relationships between student reported race, gender, age, undergraduate cumulative grade point average, undergraduate cumulative science grade point average, Medical School Admission Test scores, and retention and attrition rates were also examined. Graduation status and academic quartile ranking were used to measure outcome. Chi-Square and ANOVA procedures were used to test the research hypotheses.

Go to article

Stationary Phase Induction Of Rpos In Enteric Bacteria, Matthew Louis Hirsch Aug 2005

Stationary Phase Induction Of Rpos In Enteric Bacteria, Matthew Louis Hirsch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In enteric bacteria, stress adaptation is mediated by the RpoS protein, one of several sigma-factors that, in association with RNA polymerase, collectively allow a tailored transcriptional response to environmental cues. Stress stimuli including low temperature, osmotic shock, and starvation all result in a substantial increase in RpoS abundance. Perhaps the most pronounced affect is observed during growth to stationary phase (SP) in rich medium. The mechanism of regulation depends on the specific signal, but may occur at the level of transcription, translation, protein activity or targeted proteolysis. In both Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica cultured in rich undefined medium, the …

Go to article

Fabrication Of Resonant Optical Waveguide Biosensors Using Electron Gun Depositions, Timothy Allen Cornell Aug 2005

Fabrication Of Resonant Optical Waveguide Biosensors Using Electron Gun Depositions, Timothy Allen Cornell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biosensors are used to connect the chemical and physical worlds through the use of a transducer, allowing for quick detection of numerous biological agents. A new biosensor being developed, the resonant optical waveguide biosensor, uses power transfer between two optical waveguides to detect the presence of an antigen. The condition for power transfer is extremely sensitive to changes in index of refraction and allows the biosensor to have a high sensitivity to the antigen presence. Given the high sensitivity of the device, a high degree of accuracy in index of refraction and thickness is required from the fabrication process.;Fabrication of …

Go to article

Effect Of Moisture And Temperature On The Mechanical Properties Of Concrete, Brian Downie Aug 2005

Effect Of Moisture And Temperature On The Mechanical Properties Of Concrete, Brian Downie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Concrete is one of the most widely used building materials. Extensive research was accomplished testing concrete properties including but not limited to modulus of elasticity, compressive strength, tensile strength, and Poisson's ratio using modulus of elasticity and strength testing. The research was done under laboratory conditions. The ideal air temperature in the laboratory was between 68 and 71 °F, and the ideal air relative humidity in a laboratory was between 40 and 60 percent. Research was accomplished on properties of concrete during the curing process at extreme temperatures experienced in the developed world, but little on concrete that is already …

Go to article

Influence Of A Thermal Denuder On Diesel Exhaust Particle Size Distributions, Bobby John Aug 2005

Influence Of A Thermal Denuder On Diesel Exhaust Particle Size Distributions, Bobby John

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Particle size distributions in diesel exhaust were studied using a thermal desorption technique to determine the volatile and non-volatile fractions. A thermal denuder was designed and characterized for optimal operating parameters and its influence on the exhaust chemistries studied using diesel engine exhaust. The study was conducted on a 1992 DDC Series 60 engine mounted on a heavy-duty direct current dynamometer and exercised over steady state and transient cycles. The particle size distributions were recorded upstream and downstream of the denuder maintained at different temperatures to determine the behavior of the volatile fraction. The volatilization technique was also applied to …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last