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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Lessons In Modeling, Preventing, And Treating Neural Injury: Improving Bench-To- Bedside Translation, Ryan Coddington Turner Aug 2013

Lessons In Modeling, Preventing, And Treating Neural Injury: Improving Bench-To- Bedside Translation, Ryan Coddington Turner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The translation of therapeutic agents for ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury from the preclinical laboratory to clinical trials has been fraught with failure as evident by the 1,000+ preclinical studies that have failed to translate to a proven therapeutic clinically. Numerous potential reasons for these shortcomings have been identified and include the use of animal models that fail to capture clinically relevant risk factors or injury parameters, targeting of pathological events occurring rapidly after injury but before the likely time of patient presentation for treatment, emphasis on acute rather than chronic outcome measures, and mismatch in outcome measures used …

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Implementation And Evaluation Of A Practice Change Incorporating A Weight Loss Strategy For Adolescent Patients With A Bmi Percentile In The Overweight And/Or Obese Category, Anita C. Fouch Aug 2013

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Practice Change Incorporating A Weight Loss Strategy For Adolescent Patients With A Bmi Percentile In The Overweight And/Or Obese Category, Anita C. Fouch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Adolescent obesity has become an epidemic nationwide and globally. In Ohio, rates of obesity among African American, Hispanic and other minority students continues to rise. Adolescent obesity increases the risk of developing co-morbid health issues, such as Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HTN) and fatty liver disease.;Objective: To implement and evaluate a practice change incorporating a weight loss strategy in a large pediatric gastroenterology clinic for adolescent patients with a body mass index percentile (BMI) in the overweight and/or obese category.;Method: The capstone project practice change involved the use of a nosugaradded beverages weight loss strategy used by …

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Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Healthy Me A Nutritional And Exercise Program For African American Adolescents In An Urban School Utilizing The Cope/Teen Program, Patricia D Setlow Aug 2013

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Healthy Me A Nutritional And Exercise Program For African American Adolescents In An Urban School Utilizing The Cope/Teen Program, Patricia D Setlow

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background.;Obesity, a preventable and reversible condition, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, while decreasing both life expectancy and quality of life (U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, 2001). The national obesity rate for adolescents ages 12-19 years was 18.1% in the 2007-2008 period, a significant change from 6.1% in the early 70's (CDC, 2009). According to Barlow (2007) these figures have sounded alarms for all involved in the health care of children and adolescents.;Objectives.;The purpose of this pilot program was to assess the effectiveness of providing nutritional education and exercise opportunities for African American adolescents …

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Experimental Investigation Of The Vibrational And Thermal Response Of A Laser Spark Plug, Gregory S. Yoder Aug 2013

Experimental Investigation Of The Vibrational And Thermal Response Of A Laser Spark Plug, Gregory S. Yoder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A study was conducted in order to evaluate the external thermal and vibrational effects on the operation of a laser ignition system for internal combustion (IC) engine applications. West Virginia University (WVU) in conjunction with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have constructed a prototype laser spark plug which has been designed to mount directly onto the head of a natural gas engine for the purpose of igniting an air/fuel (A/F) mixture in the engine's combustion chamber. To be considered as a viable replacement for the conventional electrode-based ignition system, integrity, durability and reliability must be justified. Thermal and oscillatory …

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Formulation And Evaluation Of A Novel Irrigant For The Disinfection Of Root Canals Using A Candida Albicans Biofilm Model, Dustin S. Reynolds Aug 2013

Formulation And Evaluation Of A Novel Irrigant For The Disinfection Of Root Canals Using A Candida Albicans Biofilm Model, Dustin S. Reynolds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An important goal of root canal therapy is elimination of microorganisms which are usually organized into a biofilm phenotype. Irrigants play an indispensable role in areas inaccessible to mechanical instrumentation. In this study, a novel endodontic irrigant was formulated composed of a penetrating solvent, 70% Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), with a 1:1 molar ratio of an antibiotic (Clindamycin HCl) and antifungal agent (Nystatin). Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) stability tests were conducted to prove the mixture was chemically stable. This study compared different concentrations of the novel irrigant to 6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) using a C. albicans biofilm model. Furthermore, it …

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Thrombospondin: An Emerging Keystone In Skeletal Muscle Structure And Function, Gerald Nelson Audet Aug 2013

Thrombospondin: An Emerging Keystone In Skeletal Muscle Structure And Function, Gerald Nelson Audet

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Our objective was to elucidate the effects of TSP-1 on skeletal muscle structure and function, and its potential role in the progression of skeletal muscle dysfunction. The central hypothesis was that TSP-1 is a critical negative regulator of skeletal muscle angiogenesis. In chapter 3, we used a TSP-1 mimetic delivered by mini osmotic pumps to show that TSP-1 can reduce capillarity across three distinct muscle types. We found that those given the mimetic had a 35% decrease in soleus capillarity, a 20% decrease in the gastrocnemius, and an 11% decrease in the plantaris. This confirmed the critical role that TSP-1 …

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Examining Ohv User Displacement At The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area: A Ten Year Trend Study, Candice J. Riley Aug 2013

Examining Ohv User Displacement At The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area: A Ten Year Trend Study, Candice J. Riley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use has become an increasingly popular form of recreation among users in national forest land in recent years. This increased use of OHVs on National Forest land has led to numerous environmental and social impacts, leading land managers to resort to restrictive management policies to contend with the impacts. The purpose of this research is to combine data from three cross-sectional surveys (2002, 2006, and 2011) to examine OHV user displacement and other trends at ODNRA/Sand Lake. This paper uses Descriptive statistics, Chi Square, Analysis of Variance, and Structural Equation Modeling to determine relationships between the following …

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The Involvement Of Sigma Receptor Modulation In The Antidepressant Effects Of Ketamine And The Neurotoxic Actions Of Methamphetamine, Matthew J. Robson Aug 2013

The Involvement Of Sigma Receptor Modulation In The Antidepressant Effects Of Ketamine And The Neurotoxic Actions Of Methamphetamine, Matthew J. Robson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Depression is estimated to affect at least 30% of the world's population at some point during their lives. Currently marketed antidepressants require a period of at least 2 to 3 weeks to display any antidepressant effects in clinical populations and rates of clinical resistance to the antidepressant effects of these drugs are high. Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist and dissociative anesthetic that has been shown to display rapid acting and prolonged antidepressant activity in smallscale human clinical trials. Ketamine also binds to sigma receptors, which are believed to be protein targets for a potential new class of antidepressant medications. …

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Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness And Acquired Capability For Suicide: Suicidal Risk Factors In An Incarcerated Population, Sarra Nazem Aug 2013

Perceived Burdensomeness, Thwarted Belongingness And Acquired Capability For Suicide: Suicidal Risk Factors In An Incarcerated Population, Sarra Nazem

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in incarcerated individuals. Previous research suggests that prior suicidal behaviors, history of substance abuse/dependence, and depressive symptoms are common risk factors associated with death by suicide in incarcerated populations. Additionally, offenders who have committed violent crimes, are incarcerated in higher security institutions, and have longer sentences are also at increased risk for suicide. Although research has identified risk factors for suicidal behaviors, there has been very little theory-driven research on suicidal behaviors in incarcerated populations. Joiner's interpersonal theory of suicide (Joiner, 2005; Van Orden et al., 2010) may be an especially …

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When The Sacred Hurts: Using Grounded Theory Analysis To Understand How Former Members Experienced Abuse Of Religious Authority In Christian Groups, Karianne D. P. Bilsky Aug 2013

When The Sacred Hurts: Using Grounded Theory Analysis To Understand How Former Members Experienced Abuse Of Religious Authority In Christian Groups, Karianne D. P. Bilsky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The topic of spirituality has recently enjoyed increased popularity within the field of psychology (Pargament, 2007). However, there is an aspect of spirituality that the scientific literature has only started to address -- trauma that occurs through religious manipulation. The current study utilizes a qualitative research design to develop an empirical definition and preliminary model of abuse of religious authority (ARA). Seventeen former members of Christian groups were interviewed by employing a semi-structured interview, and the results were analyzed using grounded theory analysis. All participants reported that the negative aspects of their experience outweighed the positive aspects. Participants provided a …

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Fractured Communities: Natural Gas, Resource Control, And Social Response In Bradford County, Pa, Chad F. Spade Aug 2013

Fractured Communities: Natural Gas, Resource Control, And Social Response In Bradford County, Pa, Chad F. Spade

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale formation through a case study and research conducted in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Drawing upon the literatures of environmental justice and accumulation by dispossession, this thesis examines the impacts natural gas drilling has on the local community. Themes of economic benefits, leasing procedures, environmental concerns, social fracturing and political power are explored as they relate to the natural gas industry's impact on the local community. Viewed through the theories of accumulation by dispossession and environmental justice, this thesis examines the role resource control plays in the development and exploitation of natural …

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Examination Of Factors Associated With Obesity, Physical Activity And Income In Metropolitan Areas Of The United States, Ahadu T. Tekle Aug 2013

Examination Of Factors Associated With Obesity, Physical Activity And Income In Metropolitan Areas Of The United States, Ahadu T. Tekle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in the past three decades. Obesity and inadequate physical activity are the major contributors to health problems. In addition to understanding the contribution of biological and psychological factors in the growth of obesity rates, there is a growing interest in understanding the impact of environmental factors on obesity. This study examines the relationship between obesity, socioeconomic factors, environmental factors and physical activity. The study is focused on metropolitan areas and relied on metropolitan county level built environment, natural amenities and outdoor recreational opportunities measures. Individual level socioeconomic and location information is from the …

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Evaluation Of The Bond Strength Of Asphalt Overlays, Seth Knihtila Aug 2013

Evaluation Of The Bond Strength Of Asphalt Overlays, Seth Knihtila

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to develop a test method and testing device for measuring the bond strength between pavement layers. The research evaluated tack coat materials and mix designs for the West Virginia Department of Highways. The project included a laboratory and a field phase. For the laboratory work, 9.5 mm and 19 mm NMAS mix designs were evaluated. NTSS-1HM and SS-1h tack coats were evaluated. Two surface conditions were simulated; the interface was either cut HMA or milled HMA. Also, the effect of the AASHTO T-283 conditioning was evaluated as a subsidiary to the laboratory testing.;In the …

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Investigation Of The Dual-Fuel Conversion Of A Direct Injection Diesel Engine, John S. Smallwood Aug 2013

Investigation Of The Dual-Fuel Conversion Of A Direct Injection Diesel Engine, John S. Smallwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The transportation sector is the second largest energy-consuming sector in the United States. With heavy-duty vehicles comprising 20% of the sector and petroleum products being used as 93% of the sector's fuel, alternatives fuels continue to be investigated to offset petroleum usage. Natural gas is increasingly being considered as a fuel source due to its abundance in the Marcellus Shale Formation. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a promising energy source for dual-fuel combustion. It appears to benefit the environment and the economy. With the ability to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and particulate matter (PM) …

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Distributed Joint Sensor And Target Location Estimation, Muammar Ali Aug 2013

Distributed Joint Sensor And Target Location Estimation, Muammar Ali

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The area of wireless sensor networks (WSN) is a fast growing area and has a variety of applications such as environmental monitoring, health care, agricultural applications, and military applications. While this research area has been active since 1980s, new applications bring new constraints, and these lead to new open problems. This thesis approaches one of them. It focuses on the problem of target location estimation with limited knowledge about sensor locations in a WSN. Sensors in a WSN are randomly deployed over a known area. The true locations of the sensors are unknown, but each sensor node is equipped with …

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Colorectal Cancer Disease In Appalachia: Symptom Interpretation And Cancer Worry Predictors, Omar F.S. Attarabeen Aug 2013

Colorectal Cancer Disease In Appalachia: Symptom Interpretation And Cancer Worry Predictors, Omar F.S. Attarabeen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the Appalachian region, many cultural, religious, and psychological factors have been identified to affect health. These factors are expected to play a role in health disparities, such as higher rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. Appalachia-specific factors such as geographic isolationism, poverty, and Appalachian stereotypes have been reported to negatively affect preventive health care including CRC screening. Although previous research has investigating the impact of some of these Appalachia-specific factors on seeking health care, impact of symptom interpretation and psychological states of the Appalachian population on health care seeking behavior needs to be clarified. The objective of …

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Effects Of A Gonadotropin Mixture On Reproductive Success In Progesterone- Treated Non-Lactating Anestrous Ewes, Kellie Nicole D'Souza Aug 2013

Effects Of A Gonadotropin Mixture On Reproductive Success In Progesterone- Treated Non-Lactating Anestrous Ewes, Kellie Nicole D'Souza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using exogenous gonadotropins as part of an estrous induction protocol can have beneficial effects on fertility in ewes bred out-of-season. Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of P.G. 600RTM, a mixture of gonadotropins with FSH-like and LH-like activity, to increase fertility in anestrous ewes and, in particular, following pre-treatment with progesterone delivered via controlled internal drug releasing (CIDR) devices. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of P.G. 600RTM on reproductive success in progesterone-treated non-lactating anestrous ewes. Ewes, which had been separated from rams for at least one month prior to the beginning of the experiment, received …

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Is Postural Stability Compromised In Women With Urinary Incontinence?, Samantha K. Rondini Aug 2013

Is Postural Stability Compromised In Women With Urinary Incontinence?, Samantha K. Rondini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Women with urinary incontinence (UI) have an increased risk of falling compared to their age-matched peers without UI. Due to the anatomical location of the pelvic floor muscles, they are suspected to contribute to the maintenance of postural stability during everyday activities. Women with UI have weak or dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles. The purpose of this study was to determine if women with UI, specifically stress, urge, and mixed UI, have deficits in postural stability during static tasks and in response to postural perturbations of the support surface.;Methods: To measure static stability, 14 women (7 with UI: age 51.75 +/- …

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Cross Cultural Relationships Of Depression, Attachment Styles, And Quality Of Romantic Relationships: Cultural Difference Between Taiwanese/Chinese And American College Students, Yi-An Lo Burleson Aug 2013

Cross Cultural Relationships Of Depression, Attachment Styles, And Quality Of Romantic Relationships: Cultural Difference Between Taiwanese/Chinese And American College Students, Yi-An Lo Burleson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Relationship quality has been determined to be a positive factor in the treatment of depression (Brown, 2000; Fagan, 2009). Although the importance of marriage has been broadly studied, little research has investigated correlations among relationship quality, depressive moods, and attachment styles. Although the prevalence of depressive moods has been documented within populations of Taiwanese/Chinese international students and American college students (Wei et al., 2007), Wang and Mallinckrodt (2006) found that definitions of ideal attachment differ in these groups. Furthermore, researchers have not yet investigated the effect of cultural differences and attachment styles on the interactions between relationship quality and depressive …

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The Self-Perceived Leadership Styles Of Chief State School Officers And Models Of Educational Governance, Lori A. Wiggins Aug 2013

The Self-Perceived Leadership Styles Of Chief State School Officers And Models Of Educational Governance, Lori A. Wiggins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the leadership styles of the chief state school officers of the United States and the District of Columbia. The entire population of 51 chief state school officers was surveyed and a response rate of 60% was obtained. The study examined the relationship between the leadership style, select demographic variables, and the specific models of educational governance. The Leadership Orientation (Self) Instrument (Bolman & Deal, 1990) was used. The survey instrument is based on the Bolman and Deal (1984, 1991c, 2003) four-frame model, which includes the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic leadership frames. The predominant leadership style …

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Crisis As Opportunity: Personality Constructs And Erikson Identity Development, Christopher E. Ruth Aug 2013

Crisis As Opportunity: Personality Constructs And Erikson Identity Development, Christopher E. Ruth

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identity development theory suggests that the developmental trajectory from childhood through young adulthood involves a movement from exploration towards eventual tentative commitment to adult values, beliefs, and career goals. Currently little research has focused on the impact of personality traits commonly studied in personal counseling and career work with collegeattending emerging adults on the process of identity development. This study examined the predictive quality of personality preferences on Erickson's and Marcia's operationalization of identity status. More specifically, do particular personality preferences derived from the Myers- Briggs Typology Indicator more often result in particular Eriksonian identity statuses (i.e., foreclosed, diffused, moratorium …

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Three Essays On Institutions, Religion, And Economic Development, Hossein Radmard Aug 2013

Three Essays On Institutions, Religion, And Economic Development, Hossein Radmard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation consists of three essays that provide empirical evidence on the importance of institutions, informal institutions and particularly religion in economic development. In the first chapter, the relationship between religious adherence rate in the U.S. counties and entrepreneurship is examined. After controlling for spatial dependencies, results indicate that more religious counties, meaning counties with higher rate of religious membership, have lower entrepreneurial potentials. Chapter 2 investigates the relevance of institutional quality in efficiency of public spending. This study is delivered in the state level. By using a nonparametric method, efficiency of public spending is calculated and then its relationship …

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Tracer Gas Exposure Of Human Subjects Doing Simulated Work At A Benchtop Enclosing Hood In A Wind Tunnel, Rolando A. Carreno-Chavez Aug 2013

Tracer Gas Exposure Of Human Subjects Doing Simulated Work At A Benchtop Enclosing Hood In A Wind Tunnel, Rolando A. Carreno-Chavez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Local exhaust ventilation devices (LEV) are critical in protecting workers from harmful airborne contaminants. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that affect the performance of a benchtop enclosing hood. A Freon 134ahelium mixture was released from a 9" diameter pie-pan placed on the floor of a 30" high by 36" wide hood at 2" from the hood face. Freon 134a was measured close to the nose and mouth for a simple manikin (unheated and not breathing), a complex manikin (heated and breathing), and ten human subjects at different times while they stood at the face of …

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Fate And Transport Of Methamphetamine And Related Compounds In Remediated Clandestine Laboratories, Holly A. Mccall Aug 2013

Fate And Transport Of Methamphetamine And Related Compounds In Remediated Clandestine Laboratories, Holly A. Mccall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Remediation of clandestine laboratories has become a national concern due to health and environmental concerns. To date, remarkably little has been published regarding the fate and transport of methamphetamine in clandestine laboratories, both before and after remediation. The fate and transport of methamphetamine in an indoor air environment is an inherently complex process, where the drug can move as either particulate matter or vapor. The ability to diffuse throughout a building structure increases the need for analysis techniques that can evaluate potential exposure by various means. This research investigated three analytical methods for the detection of methamphetamine: ion mobility spectrometry …

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Poverty On The Periphery: U.S. Implementation Of Modernization Theory In The Alliance For Progress And The War On Poverty, Michelle C. Mayhew Aug 2013

Poverty On The Periphery: U.S. Implementation Of Modernization Theory In The Alliance For Progress And The War On Poverty, Michelle C. Mayhew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The principle objective of this paper is to compare how modernization theory was implemented during the Alliance for Progress and the War on Poverty and to explore how this impacted power structures at the national level in the Alliance and the local level in the War on Poverty There have been some earlier works which have addressed modernization theory during the Alliance for Progress, including Michael Latham's, Modernization as Ideology, however most information about modernization theory itself comes from W.W. Rostow's work, The Stages of Economic Growth, and Rostow and Millikan's, A Proposal. During the War on Poverty, President Johnson …

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The Social Support For International Graduate Students To Obtain Academic Success, Ping He Aug 2013

The Social Support For International Graduate Students To Obtain Academic Success, Ping He

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous studies suggest that international graduate students' academic success is significantly associated with the average grade point (GPA), and this measure is closely related with international graduate students' received academic and financial supports. However, international graduate students' academic success can involve a multidimensional measurement besides the average grade point (GPA). Hence, the current study explored the correlation between international graduate students' perceived social support and perceived academic success from an inclusive perspective. The perceived social support included the categories of academic support, financial support, emotional support and spiritual support. The perceived academic success included the aspects of knowledge learning, research …

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Institutional Integration As A Predictor Of Success In At-Risk First-Year College Students, Jan-Erin Miller Aug 2013

Institutional Integration As A Predictor Of Success In At-Risk First-Year College Students, Jan-Erin Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As earning a postsecondary degree becomes more necessary in the preparation for future employment, many of this nation's four-year colleges and universities are admitting underprepared students who are at-risk for poor academic performance and early departure from the institutions. There are a myriad of factors and characteristics that can cause students to be labeled at-risk, including being a first-generation student, coming from a lower socioeconomic environment, and having certain personality traits. At-risk college students have higher incidence of departure from the institutions, which can produce emotional distress and long-lasting financial obligations. Over the past thirty years, research in the area …

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Early And Late Stage Mechanisms For Vocalization Processing In The Human Auditory System, William James Talkington May 2013

Early And Late Stage Mechanisms For Vocalization Processing In The Human Auditory System, William James Talkington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The human auditory system is able to rapidly process incoming acoustic information, actively filtering, categorizing, or suppressing different elements of the incoming acoustic stream. Vocalizations produced by other humans (conspecifics) likely represent the most ethologically-relevant sounds encountered by hearing individuals. Subtle acoustic characteristics of these vocalizations aid in determining the identity, emotional state, health, intent, etc. of the producer. The ability to assess vocalizations is likely subserved by a specialized network of structures and functional connections that are optimized for this stimulus class. Early elements of this network would show sensitivity to the most basic acoustic features of these sounds; …

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Dialectics Of Rural Change: A Political Economy Of Livelihoods And Land Use And Land Cover Change In Rural Western Kenya, Naomi Yieko Shanguhyia May 2013

Dialectics Of Rural Change: A Political Economy Of Livelihoods And Land Use And Land Cover Change In Rural Western Kenya, Naomi Yieko Shanguhyia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the political economy of livelihoods and land use and land cover change in rural western Kenya during a period of economic change. The research findings are presented in three stand-alone papers. The first paper examines the initiatives and policies implemented by the state in the past three decades of neoliberal economic change and the implications for rural development. Policy documents and data obtained from interviews and surveys were used to examine how a shift in policies impacted three sectors of rural development: agriculture, infrastructure and commerce- in Vihiga County. The results indicate two political-economic moments that redefined …

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Three Essays On Economic Growth And Natural Resources, Anne W. Walker May 2013

Three Essays On Economic Growth And Natural Resources, Anne W. Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation is a collection of papers examining the relationship between resource intensity and economic growth in the Appalachian region of the United States. The first chapter develops a homogenous sample of counties within the Appalachian region and uses that sample to investigate how coal resources impact long-run per capita income growth. The Appalachian Regional Commission's definition of the Appalachian region is the one used most often by researchers, politicians, and the popular press. The uncritical use of this definition of Appalachia raises issues of both selection bias and excess heterogeneity in regression analysis of Appalachian income and growth. The …

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