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Effects Of Mutations Of The Iron-Sulfur Protein On The Function And Structure Of The Cytochrome Bc(1) Complex Of Yeast Mitochondria., C Edward Ebert Jan 2003

Effects Of Mutations Of The Iron-Sulfur Protein On The Function And Structure Of The Cytochrome Bc(1) Complex Of Yeast Mitochondria., C Edward Ebert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mutational analysis of the Rieske iron-sulfur protein (ISP) has provided useful information on how the ubiquinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase complex functions to transfer electrons through the complex as well as transport protons from the matrix space to the intermembrane space. Mutations of amino acid residues in the conserved hinge region of ISP have resulted a general decrease of enzymatic activity by 30–70%. Recent developments in crystallography have helped show that the aqueous head region of ISP is mobile. Characterization of the hinge region mutants combined with molecular dynamics simulations of the X-ray crystal structure show that one reason for the conservation …


Living Logos: Framing The Discourse Of The University Presidency., Mortimer Williams Gamble Jan 2003

Living Logos: Framing The Discourse Of The University Presidency., Mortimer Williams Gamble

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to analyze speeches and opinion articles of four presidents of doctoral-extensive universities to determine how the four leadership frames of Bolman and Deal (1984, 1997) are manifested in the public utterances of the presidents, and whether there is any relationship between those frames and the occasion and purpose for the discourse as defined by situational contingencies and the significance of the occasion. Conclusions were drawn as to whether the president, through his/her discourse, consistently operated in one or more frame(s) apparently chosen for what occasion and/or purpose; whether there is a correlation between frame …


A Case Study Of Four School Library Media Specialists' Leadership In Louisiana., Linda Jean Underwood Jan 2003

A Case Study Of Four School Library Media Specialists' Leadership In Louisiana., Linda Jean Underwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to understand the daily activities of effective school library media specialists in an elementary school, middle school, and high school in a Louisiana parish, non-church, public school system through qualitative research using interviews, observation field notes, and written documentation from the three schools. The importance of the study was that there is little known about the leadership role of the school library media specialist and the role of the school library media specialist. Further, the literature concerning effective schools and effective school library media specialists is separate. The study had four conclusions. First, an …


A Comparison Of Demineralization Between Self-Etching Primer And Conventional Sealant: An In Vitro Study., Nihar D. Tanna Jan 2003

A Comparison Of Demineralization Between Self-Etching Primer And Conventional Sealant: An In Vitro Study., Nihar D. Tanna

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this in vitro study is to compare the resistance to demineralization between a self etching primer (SEP) and a conventional sealant. 120 tooth samples were assigned to 3 groups: SEP, Sealant, or a Control group with no treatment. After 48 or 72 hours of acidic challenge with ten Cateís solution, 200 µm sections were evaluated for the incidence of lesion, lesion depth, area and total fluorescence using confocal microscopy. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Incidence of lesion was 100% in the SEP and Control group and 50% in the Sealant group. Lesion depth (149.9 µm), area …


A Study Of Classic Films And Their Portrayal Of The Mentally Ill., Allison Marie Plants Jan 2003

A Study Of Classic Films And Their Portrayal Of The Mentally Ill., Allison Marie Plants

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The media have an enormous influence on the way the public views mental illness. Their frequent and often flawed portrayals of the mentally ill cause negative feelings to develop. Media framing plays a powerful role in the portrayal of the mentally ill. The way the media portray the mentally ill directly affects how they are viewed in real life.


Reputation Management: A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of The Effective Use Of Reputation Management Techniques When Faced With Crisis Situations Including The Construction And Validation Of A Media Index For Framing Tones In Crisis Situations., Barbara Manning Miller Jan 2003

Reputation Management: A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of The Effective Use Of Reputation Management Techniques When Faced With Crisis Situations Including The Construction And Validation Of A Media Index For Framing Tones In Crisis Situations., Barbara Manning Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

While corporate image has long been examined in public relations, crisis management and reputation management are relatively new areas of study. This project examines the similar concepts of image and reputation, and outlines traditional theories of image through the more recent concepts of reputation management. The focus of the research is on corporations’ effective and ineffective use of reputation management techniques. This is evaluated through a qualitative content analysis of several crisis situations that examines the resulting media tone towards the company in crisis. The research also attempts to provide quantitative evidence in support of the findings of the qualitative …


Journalism And The Internet: Putting Things Into Context., Lance Aaron Parry Jan 2003

Journalism And The Internet: Putting Things Into Context., Lance Aaron Parry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Internet has provided new tools and new opportunities for journalists to gather and report the news, new outlets and new forms for those news reports, and new ways for readers and other news consumers to access that information. From its roots in typesetting to silver halide photography to presses and trucks, journalism has evolved digitally into web pages, pixels and cyberspace. The impact of this information is considered. The Internet itself was used for much of the research supporting this paper. The specific case of the so-called Suburban Sniper in the Washington/Maryland/Virginia metro area in October of 2002 is …


Timeliness Non-Functional Requirements Of Uml-Based Software Systems: Application Of Analysis Techniques In The Gsm Domain., Rania Elnaggar Jan 2003

Timeliness Non-Functional Requirements Of Uml-Based Software Systems: Application Of Analysis Techniques In The Gsm Domain., Rania Elnaggar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The ability to control and quantify the software quality attributes is the ultimate goal for many researchers; non-quantitative measures of quality attributes are not good enough for sound judgment and are often ambiguous. In this work we choose to focus on software models specified in Unified Modeling Language (UML). The main objective of this work is aimed at studying timeliness nonfunctional requirements through timing and performance analyses. We first study a simulation-based analysis methodology and its application on a case study. We then introduce a hybrid methodology that incorporates both analytical and simulation models. We recognize the threats that an …


A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Stereotypical Representations On Television Dramas., Rachel Massanet Jan 2003

A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Stereotypical Representations On Television Dramas., Rachel Massanet

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The stereotyping of minorities on television and in films has been a prominent practice since the beginning of the media era. Although there has been an increase in the visibility of positive minority characters, the portrayal of some of these characters is still negatively stereotypical. The importance in this research lies in the fact that negative representation can cause viewer’s to make false assumptions about minority cultures, which in turn can negatively impact society. People from homogenous areas are introduced to these images and see them as real. The research in this paper shows that in the television drama world, …


The Representation Of Male And Female Traits In High-Level And Low-Level Hiring In Public Relations., Juliana B. Frederick Jan 2003

The Representation Of Male And Female Traits In High-Level And Low-Level Hiring In Public Relations., Juliana B. Frederick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research is an exploration of gender role stereotyping in the advertising of jobs in public relations. The study compares the existence of male and female traits in advertisements for manager and entry level positions in the field of public relations. Gender differences in leadership styles, activities and skills listed in the job descriptions are analyzed. The samples used in the study were companies that advertised public relations jobs on the internet. The study found that employers sought male traits in advertising for managerial jobs and female traits when advertising for technician jobs. This research also shows that more companies …


E-Commerce Uses And Gratifications And Framing Study On Media Portrayal And Perspectives Of The Retail E-Commerce Web Site Industry., Margaret R. Millero Jan 2003

E-Commerce Uses And Gratifications And Framing Study On Media Portrayal And Perspectives Of The Retail E-Commerce Web Site Industry., Margaret R. Millero

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project examines how media framing, uses and gratifications theory and relationship marketing have all played important roles in the way the public, as well as editors, have viewed e-commerce Web sites and the virtual market place. A framing analysis was applied to major newspaper articles with the purpose of understanding how the media framed e-commerce Web sites and if the uses and gratifications e-commerce users were represented in the stories. Sixty articles were sampled from a variety of U.S. newspapers to understand how the media portray the industry. The results found an overwhelming number of representations of users’ uses …


The Role Of Soft Money, Independent, And Coordinated Expenditures In Elections For The United States House Of Representatives., Kevin R. Spiker Jan 2003

The Role Of Soft Money, Independent, And Coordinated Expenditures In Elections For The United States House Of Representatives., Kevin R. Spiker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the use and utility of soft money, independent, and coordinated expenditures in elections for the U.S. House of Representatives. While much is known about the effect of hard contributions on political campaigns, very little attention has been given to the role of soft money in congressional elections. Soft money contributions are donated to political parties at the federal level and these funds are ultimately transferred to state political parties to be used for “party building” activities. Given that prior to 2002, there were no limits on the amount of soft money that …


Second Natures: Media, Masculinity And The Natural World In Twentieth-Century American Literature And Film., Jeanne E. Hamming Jan 2003

Second Natures: Media, Masculinity And The Natural World In Twentieth-Century American Literature And Film., Jeanne E. Hamming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This multidisciplinary dissertation examines the cultural anxieties associated with masculine identity in relation to both technology and nature in key literary texts and contemporary films of the twentieth-century: Ray Bradbury's “The Veldt” and The Martian Chronicles, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, James Dickey's Deliverance , Don DeLillo's White Noise, Fight Club, American Psycho, Brazil, 12 Monkeys, and Dark City. Exploring the theoretical intersections of technoculture, ecocriticism, and gender studies, this dissertation analyzes the relationship between masculine identity and nature, as it is mediated by American technoculture. This relationship is marked by a discernible cultural malaise—a sense …


Costume Designs For "Macbeth" By William Shakespeare., Virginia Bristol Johnson Jan 2003

Costume Designs For "Macbeth" By William Shakespeare., Virginia Bristol Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document records the costume design process for West Virginia University’s spring 2000 studio theatre production of Macbeth. The costume design was produced and completed in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design, Costume. Contained herein are: a brief history of the play and playwright, a synopsis of the action, the conceptual approach to the design and production, text describing the final costume design, costume plot, research, working drawings, process photos and performance photos.


The Extent To Which Sensitive Information Is Secured By Institutions That Donate Computers To Educational Settings., Ngoni Murandu Jan 2003

The Extent To Which Sensitive Information Is Secured By Institutions That Donate Computers To Educational Settings., Ngoni Murandu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research in this study focused on the question of data security. The primary education community is the recipient of large numbers of surplus and used computers from government and Universities. This study reviewed the levels of risk associated with the procedures to sanitize disk media before computers are used by K-12 public schools. National surveys and a localized sample, provide data on the levels of awareness among academic administrations for the need to safeguard electronic data.


Fragm: A Blasting Fragmentation Model Of Rocks., Sergey Victorovych Zagreba Jan 2003

Fragm: A Blasting Fragmentation Model Of Rocks., Sergey Victorovych Zagreba

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fragmentation is a major concern of any blasting operation. Information on the degree and size distribution of fragments within a blasted rock mass is essential for efficient rock loading and crushing operations. Detailed literature review shows that majority of the previous researchers estimated blast fragmentation by considering four basic variables, i.e. rock properties, explosive properties, drilling pattern and bench geometry. However, when considering the effect of burden on rock fragmentation, simplified assumptions were made and its variability along the bench height was often ignored. In reality, because of the non-uniform burden along the bench height, the actual powder factor in …


A Tolerance Initiative Versus Multicultural Education: Portraits Of Teachers In Action., Raphael Chesare Heaggans Jan 2003

A Tolerance Initiative Versus Multicultural Education: Portraits Of Teachers In Action., Raphael Chesare Heaggans

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Shadypine Middle School has recently implemented what they called a Teaching-for-Tolerance initiative designed to help all students become tolerant of cultural perspectives. This initiative involved teachers adding multicultural education to current curricula to show students groups of people who were discriminated and prejudiced against and their reaction to the discrimination and prejudice. Since teachers are using multicultural education as a base for this initiative, this study investigates how the tolerance initiative illustrates or exemplifies levels of multicultural education as described by Sonia Nieto. This study also investigates what the reactions of the parents and students are. This qualitative study employed …


The Rescaling Of The Innu., Janice M. Hardin Jan 2003

The Rescaling Of The Innu., Janice M. Hardin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines the interaction between the Innu of Labrador, an indigenous people in Canada, and the state since the middle twentieth century. The changing spatiality of this interaction can be understood through the analysis of the politics of scale. The scale of Innu social practices has historically been wide-ranging and fluid. Since the 1950s, the state has been increasingly involved in development projects on the lands the Innu have traditionally occupied. The state’s solution to the unwanted presence of the Innu was to settle, and therefore rescale, them in two settlements in the 1960s. The Innu’s struggle to regain …


A Content Analysis Of The Effects Of Media Framing Of Naming Rights On Corporate Sponsorship., Douglas Scott Lovell Jan 2003

A Content Analysis Of The Effects Of Media Framing Of Naming Rights On Corporate Sponsorship., Douglas Scott Lovell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper addresses the relationship between corporate sponsorship and naming rights concerning sporting venues. It is hypothesized that corporations are more positively framed in the media when granted naming rights of major sporting venues. The literature review establishes the history of corporate sponsorship (as related to sports), naming rights, reviews the effects of advertising, and cites examples of previous and current examples of this type of relationship. Manifest content analysis was utilized to examine media coverage in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette newspaper of articles concerning naming rights of Heinz Field and PNC Park. Results indicated more intense as well as …


Technological Evaluation Of Mineral Sequestration Of Carbon Dioxide By Carbonation., Xinchao Wei Jan 2003

Technological Evaluation Of Mineral Sequestration Of Carbon Dioxide By Carbonation., Xinchao Wei

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Increase in CO2 emissions has led to development of various mitigation technologies for avoiding CO2 building up in the atmosphere. One of CO2 sequestration technologies is mineral sequestration, a way of permanent storage of CO2 in solid minerals. This technology attracts the attention of many investigators to study and develop various carbonation approaches. The chemistry and thermodynamic studies show that mineral carbonation reactions with silicate minerals are spontaneous and exothermic. A variety of measures are needed to enhance the carbonation kinetics. The main minerals used for mineral sequestration are serpentine and olivine, which exist in vast quantities worldwide. Implementation of …


The Biology And Ecology Of Interactions Between The Predatory Nematode Clarkus Papillatus Bastian And Selected Bacterial Biological Control Agents., Kimberly A. Salinas Jan 2003

The Biology And Ecology Of Interactions Between The Predatory Nematode Clarkus Papillatus Bastian And Selected Bacterial Biological Control Agents., Kimberly A. Salinas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Interactions of different nematodes with various biological control agents were examined in field and in vitro studies. In a field experiment conducted to determine effects of the bacterial biocontrol agent, Kodiakâ (Bacillus subtilis GBO3), on soil plant parasitic, predatory and free-living nematodes, no significant differences were found in the abundance of any nematode group among treated and untreated plots. Chemotaxis assays developed to evaluate the effects of Kodiakâ on the movement of the plant parasitic nematode Pratylenchus scribneri Steiner and the predatory nematode Clarkus papillatus Bastian detected no nematicidal or taxis effects. In another chemotaxis assay, bacterial isolates were examined …


Industry In Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, 1861-1865., Coral L. N. Totten Jan 2003

Industry In Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, 1861-1865., Coral L. N. Totten

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Harperís Ferry, West Virginia began its existence as a small settlement in the Northern Neck of colonial Virginia. Originally it was a point of departure for westward expansion, but due to its geographical location, the cultural background of the immigrants who settled there, and technological advancements in transportation, communication and manufacturing, it became a model of industrial development in the nineteenth century. Although it possessed all the factors necessary for continued growth, unwise land management practices, due in part to the Civil War, as well as the consequences of war itself, and technological advancements in steam power, led to the …


Particle-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation And Fibrosis: Role Of Inflammatory Mediators In The Initiation And Progression Of Occupational Lung Disease., Patti C. Zeidler Jan 2003

Particle-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation And Fibrosis: Role Of Inflammatory Mediators In The Initiation And Progression Of Occupational Lung Disease., Patti C. Zeidler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pulmonary fibrosis due to acute or chronic occupational exposures is the leading cause of work-related illness in the U.S. according to the 2002 report by the American Lung Association. Asbestosis and silicosis are well described lung diseases that result from asbestos fiber or crystalline silica inhalation, respectively. This study investigated the underlying lung inflammatory and fibrotic mechanisms involved in the response caused by exposure to crystalline silica (α-quartz) or JM-100 glass, chrysotile asbestos, and ceramic fibers. Two topics were investigated: (1) The role of fiber dimension and chemical composition in the response of alveolar macrophages (AMs). (2) The role of …


Coverage Of Foreign News By The United States Media: A Study Of Perception Of Bias Amongst The International Students At West Virginia University., Sukhjeet Sahni Jan 2003

Coverage Of Foreign News By The United States Media: A Study Of Perception Of Bias Amongst The International Students At West Virginia University., Sukhjeet Sahni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research examined whether the international students at WVU perceive a bias in the coverage of foreign news by the American media. A content analysis research was conducted by developing a survey, which was filled in by the international students at West Virginia University. The results of the survey were evaluated to determine whether bias and imbalance in U.S. international news coverage were perceived by the international students and if so whether there was a correlation between their national identification and their perception of media bias. The research also evaluated which factors have a significant effect on their perception of …


"It's Just Comedy": Media Effects Of Ethnic Humor., Jonathan Samuel Smith Jan 2003

"It's Just Comedy": Media Effects Of Ethnic Humor., Jonathan Samuel Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

his study is searching for the existence of any psychological effects on the attitudes or perceptions of West Virginia University students that are exposed to ethnic humor by stand-up comedians in a broadcast format. In this study a convenience sample of West Virginia University students was exposed to a fifteen-minute videotape containing multiple in-group solidarity ethnic jokes that were used by the selected comedians in their analyzed performances. The students were surveyed to quantitatively test the affects of ethnic humor. The studyís results suggest that there is a correlation between viewing ethnic humor and a change in the participantsí perceptions …


A Study Of The Sexual Content In Top-Rated Shows Among Teenage Audiences For The 1998-1999 Television Season., Shannon M. Summers Jan 2003

A Study Of The Sexual Content In Top-Rated Shows Among Teenage Audiences For The 1998-1999 Television Season., Shannon M. Summers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project examines the sexual content in top-rated shows amongst teenage audiences. Cultivation theory and social learning theory (SLT) are the basis of the study to help determine what impact sexual portrayals on television have on this young audience. Scripts from the top shows from one television season were examined to determine first, how much sexual content existed in the scripts, and second, what type of sexual content it was in the form of gender-based dyadic communication. The most significant criteria analyzed was whether or not the content glorified sex or showed sexual consequences. The study found that the majority …


Preserving Art Music In The Mountain State: A Study Of The West Virginia Federal Music Project Orchestras, 1935-1939., Travis D. Stimeling Jan 2003

Preserving Art Music In The Mountain State: A Study Of The West Virginia Federal Music Project Orchestras, 1935-1939., Travis D. Stimeling

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Federal Music Project of the Works Progress Administration (FMP) came to West Virginia in 1936 to establish orchestras in the state’s cities and to provide short-term employment for instrumentalists left destitute by the Depression and the advent of recorded sound. These ensembles were also designed to serve a subsidiary purpose: presenting free musical entertainment to the general public to alleviate temporarily the psychological burdens of the Depression. Implicit in their concerns for both displaced audiences and unemployed performers was the existence, prior to the onset of the economic crises of the 1930s, of a thriving culture for art music …


A Content Analysis Of Calvin Klein Jean Advertisements In Relationship To Consumers' Purchase Intentions Through A Qualitative And Quantitative Approach., Shana Bock Jan 2003

A Content Analysis Of Calvin Klein Jean Advertisements In Relationship To Consumers' Purchase Intentions Through A Qualitative And Quantitative Approach., Shana Bock

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following literature review and methods focused on understanding what effect advertisements have on consumers by demonstrating past and present methods and findings. The qualitative research aimed to seek a better understanding of the ways Calvin Klein expressed sexual and image content in his jean advertisements over an 11-year time span by analyzing and evaluating 25 jean advertisements. Each advertisement was coded for type of gaze, weight, gender, hair color, age, ethnicity, and pose (see appendix A for codebook). The quantitative research focused on a survey that was used to investigate the relationship between three types of gazes (seductive, soft/introverted, …


Responsible Medical Narrative: Applying The Lessons Of Medical Journalism To Medical Narrative., Pamela Christine Kasey Jan 2003

Responsible Medical Narrative: Applying The Lessons Of Medical Journalism To Medical Narrative., Pamela Christine Kasey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The media influence public health in two important ways: by affecting individual choices, and by affecting public policy. The media’s important roles with regard to public health have long raised concerns about responsible medical reporting. In recognition of the need for clarity in health communication to the public, various sets of tips and guidelines for reporters, editors, and others have been advanced. These guidelines apply primarily to news forms used for reporting scientific advances and conveying health recommendations: the traditional “inverted pyramid” story, the feature story, and service pieces. They are less applicable to narrative, a journalistic form that is …


A Framing And Cultivation Analysis Of Sexually Provocative Material Used In "Seventeen" From 1990-2000: A Qualitative And Quantitative Approach., Brandy Ellen Keener Jan 2003

A Framing And Cultivation Analysis Of Sexually Provocative Material Used In "Seventeen" From 1990-2000: A Qualitative And Quantitative Approach., Brandy Ellen Keener

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative as well as quantitative approach to examining the sexual content, messages and images in Seventeen from 1990-2000, while applying the results to compare how it affects the relationship between the seductive gaze used in the advertisements in Seventeen and the self-worth of its audience. Qualitatively, 52 advertisements from the prom issues in Seventeen were analyzed. How the advertisements influenced the sexual attitudes and behaviors of female adolescents over a 10-year period was observed. Research indicated that the most predominant gaze that remained consistent in theme over time and increased in …