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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Development Of Decision Support System For Reliability, Mitesh Bhupendra Parekh Dec 1999

Development Of Decision Support System For Reliability, Mitesh Bhupendra Parekh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reliability analysis is now an essential part of any product development. In the field of Electrical Engineering, reliability models are developed and analyzed for every component before it comes to market. The complexity of the product can range from a simple transistor to an integrated circuit chip, from a simple communication link to a complex network, and from a small generator to a large powerhouse.;Over the period, several techniques have been developed to systematically model real systems and then analyze them. These techniques are constantly being enhanced to improve the modeling process and to reduce the time required for the …


Modeling And Simulation Of Selected Distributed Generation Sources And Their Assessment, Ju-Chirl Park Dec 1999

Modeling And Simulation Of Selected Distributed Generation Sources And Their Assessment, Ju-Chirl Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The models of small turbine generators (i.e. a combustion turbine, a diesel engine, etc), that are used for distributed generation will be obtained as dynamic. Also, the detailed synchronous machine and the excitation system model are obtained for the standard simulation. The simulation will be performed with an infinite bus system model. The synchronous machine is connected with a local load in order to develop the terminal voltage, avoiding the differentiation.;In order to use fuel cells and solar cells, which are new forms of technology, have the potential to reduce costs, and can be used for the DG in the …


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

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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


Stability Studies Of Coal Liquid Products Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Lawrence P. Norcio Dec 1999

Stability Studies Of Coal Liquid Products Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Lawrence P. Norcio

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The storage stability of coal liquids is of great importance if coal liquefaction products are to replace petroleum products. It has been reported that gum formation occurs in coal-derived liquids during storage to a level at which it becomes a handling problem. The aging of coal hydropyrolysis liquids has been studied. Coal liquid products were placed in preweighed sample vials and stored under light, in the presence of air, at different storage temperatures (2, 21, and 32°C). The weight of gum formed was determined at specified sampling times. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to monitor the changes in …


Milk Allergy/Intolerance In Infancy And Cognitive Functioning, Tina M. Yost Dec 1999

Milk Allergy/Intolerance In Infancy And Cognitive Functioning, Tina M. Yost

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the relationship between a history of milk A/I in infancy and intelligence in later childhood. Participants included 74 male and female children ages 3 years to 12 years, referred for psychological evaluation. Background information gathered from the primary caregiver included history of milk A/I in infancy. The Wechsler Scales of Intelligence provided information on the participants level of cognitive functioning. Findings were significant for both ANOVA and chi square analysis, with children in Group One (milk A/I) demonstrating lower IQ scores than children in Group Two (no milk A/I). The findings also suggest a relationship between milk …


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

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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


Linking Functional Assessment With Diagnostic Classification: Development Of Functional Assessment Methodology, Cynthia Marie Anderson Aug 1999

Linking Functional Assessment With Diagnostic Classification: Development Of Functional Assessment Methodology, Cynthia Marie Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much of the assessment conducted by behavioral health providers is nomothetic in nature. For example, a primary goal of many clinicians is to determine the diagnostic category that best fits a given client. This is problematic because simply knowing what diagnosis best fits a client does not necessarily lead to an effective treatment decision. In contrast to a nomothetic approach to assessment, behavior analysis emphasizes idiographic assessments. One example is a functional assessment. The purpose of a functional assessment is to determine the environmental variables of which behavior is a function. Although functional analyses are relatively common within the developmental …


Surface -Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Studies Of Organonitriles On Copper Colloids, Candace Mikki Coyle Aug 1999

Surface -Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Studies Of Organonitriles On Copper Colloids, Candace Mikki Coyle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Dramatic differences are observed between the surface-enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) of organonitriles mixed with copper colloids, the Raman of the free parent molecules, and the SERS for adsorption on a gold colloid. Specifically, nu(C≡N) is missing in the SER spectra involving the copper colloid. The data are adequately explained by a transition metal assisted borohydride reduction of the cyano group to an amino group. SER spectra of the reduction products of the organonitriles in the presence of copper colloids are identical within experimental error. The nu(C≡N) signal was observed when a gold colloid was prepared by borohydride reduction, thereby indicating …


Protecting Property Rights In America, Alfred M. Olivetti Aug 1999

Protecting Property Rights In America, Alfred M. Olivetti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To date, no federal takings legislation has been passed to protect individuals from government regulations that 'take' one's property without providing just compensation. However, since 1991, twenty states have passed some type of takings legislation. This study examines the following questions: What has been happening in Congress concerning the property rights issue and why has it failed to pass substantive federal takings legislation? Why did the proponents of takings legislation seek to move the issue to a larger venue beyond Congressional committees? And, what tactics did the proponents of takings legislation use to capture the political agenda regarding this issue …


Acetaminophen Stimulates Proliferation Of Breast Cancer Cells, Eugenia Harnagea Theophilus Aug 1999

Acetaminophen Stimulates Proliferation Of Breast Cancer Cells, Eugenia Harnagea Theophilus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Acetaminophen is a common analgesic/antipyretic. This research projected investigated the interaction of acetaminophen with breast cancer cells. The first goal was to determine if acetaminophen induces proliferation in cancerous and normal, human breast cells. Pharmacological concentrations of acetaminophen stimulated proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA, % S phase cells, cell numbers) of estrogen and progesterone receptor positive (ER+/PR+) but not of ER-/PR+ or of ER-/PR- cancer or normal breast cells. The second goal was to determine if estrogen receptors play a role in acetaminophen-induced proliferation of ER+ breast cancer cells. Antiestrogens inhibited acetaminophen-induced proliferation, suggesting that ERs are involved in proliferation. …


Automatic Selection Of Optimal Window Size And Shape For Texture Analysis, Joseph Edmund Glotfelty Aug 1999

Automatic Selection Of Optimal Window Size And Shape For Texture Analysis, Joseph Edmund Glotfelty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis is a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationship between texture and scale, and its effects on image classification. This study involved creating a model that automatically selected windows of optimal size according to the location of a pixel within a land cover region and the texture of the surrounding pixels. Large windows were used to get a representative sample of within-class variability in the interior of these regions. Smaller windows were used near the boundaries of land cover regions in order to reduce "edge effect" errors due to between-class variability. This program was tested using a Maximum …


Characterizing The Chemistry Of Yellow-Poplar Surfaces Exposed To Different Surface Energy Environments Using Dca, Dsc, And Xps, Michael William Carpenter Aug 1999

Characterizing The Chemistry Of Yellow-Poplar Surfaces Exposed To Different Surface Energy Environments Using Dca, Dsc, And Xps, Michael William Carpenter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Surface energy changes in extracted and unextracted yellow-poplar upon exposure to aluminum, teflon, and heat/air surface treatments have been described using dynamic contact angle (DCA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Results show that the surface molecular orientation of yellow-poplar can be controlled by increasing the temperature above the Tg of lignin with exposure to either an environment of higher (aluminum) or lower (teflon) surface energy. Above the Tg, increases in free volume allows greater molecular mobility that enables increased diffusion of extractives to the surface and reorientation of polymer molecules and/or functional groups. Above the Tg, the wood with …


Design Of Anechoic Chamber Instrumentation And Data Acquisition Module For Testing And Analysis Of The Ctha, Srikanth Gururajan Aug 1999

Design Of Anechoic Chamber Instrumentation And Data Acquisition Module For Testing And Analysis Of The Ctha, Srikanth Gururajan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The backbone of wireless communication is an antenna, a device that converts electromagnetic energy to electric energy and vice versa, to transmit and receive the signals. The effectiveness of a communication system depends largely on the effectiveness of the antenna used in them. The effectiveness of an antenna is characterized by its electromagnetic field. Methods to characterize the field of an antenna include testing them on outdoor test ranges or in enclosures insulated against electromagnetic radiation, called anechoic chambers. The objective of this work is to design and build an automated data acquisition system to map the field of physically …


Forecasting Electricity Demand Using Regression And Monte Carlo Simulation Under Conditions Of Insufficient Data, Kathleen Ann Cullen Aug 1999

Forecasting Electricity Demand Using Regression And Monte Carlo Simulation Under Conditions Of Insufficient Data, Kathleen Ann Cullen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The problem studied is that of a summer peak residential energy demand model for Appalachian Power Company's service area in West Virginia. By restricting the forecast to a region smaller than the state, serious data problems result due to insufficient data to obtain reliable forecasts.;Regression analysis and Monte Carlo Simulation are the two methods used to forecast energy demand. Both methods incorporate risk into the analysis in different ways. Regression analysis yields a measure of the reliability of the coefficients of the variables and of the reliability of the forecast. The resulting forecast and confidence limits of the forecast values …


Experiential Avoidance And Alcohol Dependence Relapse, Darrah Ann Westrup Aug 1999

Experiential Avoidance And Alcohol Dependence Relapse, Darrah Ann Westrup

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project examined whether experiential avoidance differentiated alcohol-dependent relapsers from non-relapsers. Eighty-five subjects receiving inpatient addiction treatment were assessed for degree of experiential avoidance (using a new measure called the AAQ, coping style, alcohol severity, anxiety, and depression. It was hypothesized that the AAQ, along with avoidant coping and negative life events, would differentiate those who subsequently relapsed with those who did not. Three months after discharge, subjects were contacted for follow-up to determine whether or not they had relapsed, and to what degree they had experienced negative and/or positive life events. A series of discriminant function analyses determined that …


Broadcasting In Grid Graphs, Iwona Wojciechowska Aug 1999

Broadcasting In Grid Graphs, Iwona Wojciechowska

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This work consists of two separate parts. The first part deals with the problem of multiple message broadcasting, and the topic of the second part is line broadcasting. Broadcasting is a process in which one vertex in a graph knows one or more messages. The goal is to inform all remaining vertices as fast as possible. In this work we consider a special kind of graphs, grids.;In 1980 A. M. Farley showed that the minimum time required to broadcast a set of M messages in any connected graph with diameter d is d + 2(M - 1). This work presents …


Identifying Structural Differences In Mixed Mesophytic And Northern Hardwood Forests On The Monongahela National Forest Using Remote Sensing Data, John Richard Bender Jr. Aug 1999

Identifying Structural Differences In Mixed Mesophytic And Northern Hardwood Forests On The Monongahela National Forest Using Remote Sensing Data, John Richard Bender Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis is a study of field data and remotely sensed data to evaluate the structural diversity, texture, spectral and spatial differences between forest stands of three age classes (50--69, 70--89, and >90 years) in the Cheat District on the Monongahela National Forest. The structural diversity was determined with foliage-height profiles for 48 stands ranging from 52 to 148 years old. Structural diversity was highest in the 70--89 and >90 year old stands and lowest in the 50--69 year old stands. The structural characteristics of the 70--89 and >90 year old stands were characterized by greater numbers of larger trees, …


Perceptions Of Pre -Service Elementary Teachers About Social Studies Instructional Activities And Content Areas, Philip H. Adkins Aug 1999

Perceptions Of Pre -Service Elementary Teachers About Social Studies Instructional Activities And Content Areas, Philip H. Adkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was designed to investigate perceptions held by pre-service elementary teachers about instructional activities and content areas for the social studies. Four major questions were addressed: (1) What do respondents perceive to be the classroom activities with the most educational value? (2) What do respondents believe students find to be the most enjoyable activities? (3) What do respondents say are the classroom activities they would most prefer to use at the various grade levels? and (4) What do respondents say are the most preferred content areas for elementary social studies?;The sample for this study consisted of 80 pre-service elementary …


Social And Economic Impacts Of Wild Harvested Products, Brent Bailey Aug 1999

Social And Economic Impacts Of Wild Harvested Products, Brent Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Wild harvested products (WHPs) are plants and animals, or parts of them, that are harvested from their native habitats for sale, trade, or personal consumption, by harvesters who are not employed by others to collect them. WHPs embody a range of economic, cultural, and social values held by residents of rural areas. However, the products' significance to harvesters and communities, and their conservation status, have until recently been little studied.;Assessments of social and economic impacts of WHPs on households and communities were conducted in West Virginia and West Africa. Interviews with harvesters, dealers, and resource managers revealed the range of …


What Is The Relationship, If Any, Between The Teacher -Perceived School Climate And The State Accreditation Status Of Elementary Schools In West Virginia?, Elaine Dellamea Gayton Aug 1999

What Is The Relationship, If Any, Between The Teacher -Perceived School Climate And The State Accreditation Status Of Elementary Schools In West Virginia?, Elaine Dellamea Gayton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the study was to determine if a significant relationship exists between teacher-perceived school climate and state accreditation of elementary schools in West Virginia. Teacher-perceived school climate was measured by the CFK School Climate Profile.;The sample consisted of 100 schools. Included were 53 randomly-selected elementary schools which earned full accreditation and 47 elementary schools which lacked full accreditation in 1998 due to results on the Stanford Achievement Test. The response rate was 65%. Statistical analysis of data occurred through t-tests and stepwise multiple regression with an alpha level of .05 applied.;Findings. The percentage of students eligible to receive …


Optimization Of A Brushless Permanent Magnet Linear Alternator For Use With A Linear Internal Combustion Engine, William Robert Cawthorne Aug 1999

Optimization Of A Brushless Permanent Magnet Linear Alternator For Use With A Linear Internal Combustion Engine, William Robert Cawthorne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Numerous applications require the generation of electric power without connection to the utility power system. Many industrial, commercial, and personal applications require uninterrupted electrical power in the event of a utility failure. Additionally, the nature of military field operations necessitates the ability to generate electricity in areas where connection to the utility is impractical or impossible. Generation units selected for these applications must be reliable, efficient, compact, and lightweight.;Presently, rotary internal combustion engines coupled with rotary alternators are the primary generation unit used in these applications. This research contends that a tubular brushless permanent magnet linear alternator with a linear …


Determination Of Optimal Pricing And Warranty Policies, Ozcan Mutlu Aug 1999

Determination Of Optimal Pricing And Warranty Policies, Ozcan Mutlu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An important problem facing manufacturers in today's competitive market is the determination of the selling price of a product and its warranty period. A longer warranty may serve as a signal of product reliability; however, it may also lead to an increase in cost and hence reduce the profit if the product reliability is low. A burn-in test may be used to improve the reliability of products prior to their shipment.;This research presented integrated models for maximizing the expected profit for products that are subjected to a burn-in test and sold with warranty. The burn-in time, warranty period, and price …


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

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

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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


Social Competence And Theory Of Mind Understanding In Elementary School Children With Attention Deficits, Amy Wilson Strange Aug 1999

Social Competence And Theory Of Mind Understanding In Elementary School Children With Attention Deficits, Amy Wilson Strange

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The following study explored relations between theory of mind understanding, social competence, and auditory processing in elementary school children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children in this study were recruited from a local elementary school, as well as two outpatient clinics. Scores on measures of false belief and recursive thinking, social skills (Social Knowledge Interview, Harter, Emotion labels), and auditory processing (Test of Auditory Processing Skills, Revised) were obtained along with teacher ratings of children's self-regulation as measured by Attention and Hyperactivity subscales of the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale - Revised. Language ability was also measured using the …


Concert Waltzes For Solo Piano, Kyung-Ae Kim Aug 1999

Concert Waltzes For Solo Piano, Kyung-Ae Kim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The waltz is a dance in three-four time for couples. The origin of the waltz is obscure, but it may come from the influence of the Landler. In the nineteenth century, the waltz was the most popular ballroom dance in Europe, but as dance music the waltz developed into a stylized and refined form in the hands of the major composers.;The purpose of this study is: (1) To examine the development of the waltz as composed for solo piano, in order to understand the characteristic styles of one composer as compared to another and, (2) To survey the various formal …


Alterations Of Vascular Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity And Substrate Availability In Chronic Renal Disease, Shen Xiao Aug 1999

Alterations Of Vascular Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity And Substrate Availability In Chronic Renal Disease, Shen Xiao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hypertension and other cardiovascular complications are the major causes of hospitalization and death in patients with chronic renal diseases (CRD). Our laboratory has previously reported that total nitric oxide (NO) production is decreased in CRD. The overall objective in my present series of studies is to investigate the alterations of endothelial NO system and the possible mechanisms in CRD.;In the study on CRD patients who still have residual renal function (∼30% of normal GFR), we found that the plasma from these patients did not affect L-arginine transport into endothelial cells but significantly inhibited endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity from …


Variational Results And Solutions In Gauge Gravity And A Bifurcation Analysis Of Black Hole Orbital Dynamics, Bruce Herold Dean Aug 1999

Variational Results And Solutions In Gauge Gravity And A Bifurcation Analysis Of Black Hole Orbital Dynamics, Bruce Herold Dean

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An analysis of all known spherically symmetric solutions to the field equations originating from the Riemann tensor quadratic curvature Lagrangian is presented. A new exact solution is found for the field equation originating from the "energy-momentum" equation of the gauge gravity theory. Imposing equivalence between the Palatini and standard variational field equations yields an algebraic condition that restricts the number spacetime solutions to gauge gravity. A class of spherically symmetric solutions to the conformally invariant theory of gravitation is shown to be shared by the gauge gravity field equations. An analysis of a spherically symmetric solution to the conformal gravity …


Identification And Control Of Dynamical Systems, Eugene Robert Mihaliuk Aug 1999

Identification And Control Of Dynamical Systems, Eugene Robert Mihaliuk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Practical methods, based upon linear systems theory, are explored for applications to nonlinear phenomena and are extended to a larger class of problems. An algorithm for stabilizing, characterizing, and tracking unstable steady states and periodic orbits in multidimensional dynamical systems is developed and applied to stabilize and characterize an unstable four-cell flame front of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation with six unstable degrees of freedom. A new method is presented for probing chemical reaction mechanisms experimentally with perturbations and measurements of the response. Time series analysis and the methods of linear control theory are used to determine the Jacobian matrix of a …


Trip Generation Rates For Consolidated Schools In West Virginia, Amy Marie Balmer Aug 1999

Trip Generation Rates For Consolidated Schools In West Virginia, Amy Marie Balmer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Currently, there are no trip generation rates for consolidated schools in West Virginia. A consolidated school is a public school that formed from the consolidation of other schools of the same type or a county-wide school. Because West Virginia is rural in nature and declining school-age population, the trip rates for consolidated schools would tend to be different than the national averages for traditional schools.;This research developed trip rates specific to consolidated high, middle, and elementary schools in West Virginia. In total, sixteen different schools in West Virginia were studied. Of the sixteen sites studied, seven were high schools, two …


Simulation Of Packed Column Jigging, Qiang Dai Aug 1999

Simulation Of Packed Column Jigging, Qiang Dai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Packed column jig has been demonstrated a number of promising results in processing iron ore, coal, chromite and other finely disseminated particulate materials. The packing materials in the jig divide the column into a large number of virtual cells. Each cell performs the similar separation action. A model about the movement of a particle in the packed column jig was derived to interpret the separation mechanism of particles in the virtual cell. A computer program was developed to simulate the particle movement in the jig based on the derived model, which can simulate the packed column jigging with different jig …