Digital Commons Network^™

The Immunology And Infection Of The Cystic Fibrosis Lung., Andrea Rene Drummond Massengale

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The leading cause of death among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is progressive lung disease characterized by an early, sustained inflammation, chronic infection by mucoid strains of P. aeruginosa, and subsequent bronchiectasis. The connection between defective CFTR and the apparent pathophysiology of the CF lung remains unclear. Understanding this connection is of critical importance in developing strategies that temper the respiratory inflammation in CF and prevent P. aeruginosa colonization of the airways. The goal of this dissertation was to provide new insight concerning the immunology and infection of the CF lung by investigating the following: (1) the effect of alginate on …

Adolescents In Residential Treatment: Characteristics And Treatment Outcome., Tad Timothy Gorske

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated the characteristics of adolescent clients in a residential program and identified which characteristics best predict treatment outcome. Adolescent characteristics were identified by reviewing 150 randomly sampled charts. Characteristics were specified on a data sheet which included the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) to determine level of behavioral severity. Treatment outcome was based on discharge summaries contained in the charts. Results indicated that adolescents who are less likely to succeed in treatment (a) exhibit more severe antisocial behavior, (b) live with someone, or some placement, other than family, and (c) do not receive a combination of …

Rural Women And Economic Survival Strategies In The Former Bantustans: A Case Study From The Northwest Province, South Africa., Amy Danielle Pratt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research examines the role of gender in African women’s economic co-operatives in the Northwest Province of South Africa. The theoretical frameworks of feminist geography and gender and development reveal the interconnections between issues of women, work, and rural economic development. Background information is presented to illustrate the complexities of rural African women’s economic exclusion under apartheid and today, and a case study approach is utilized to reveal the development and viability of two particular economic co-operatives. Issues concerning the organization, membership, production, and markets of the two co operatives are discussed, as well as the relationship between the co-operatives …

The Effects Of Land-Use History On Plant Species Diversity And Abundance In Dambo Wetlands In Zimbabwe., Fortune Feresu Shonhiwa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Land-use history in Zimbabwe has caused dramatic differences in erosion severity between Commercial and Communal Lands. High population numbers have been found to be positively correlated with the extent of eroded area in Communal Lands. Dambo wetlands are particularly vulnerable to this population pressure as they are isolated wet areas supporting plant growth during the six to eight months of the dry season. In Zimbabwe, they cover 1.3 million hectares of the country. This study examines the plant composition and seed bank of these wetlands and compares vegetation in dambos with contrasting land-use histories, communal versus commercial. Communal Lands are …

A Study Of Protein Interactions By Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry., Weiling Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry is gaining recognition as a powerful tool for the study of proteins. It is a “soft” ionization source, which permits the preservation of noncovalent interactions prevailing in biological systems. It is able to form multiply charged ions, which facilitates analyses of very large molecules. The change of the protein conformations can be investigated by charge state distribution shifts in ESI-MS. The noncovalent interactions of proteins with other molecules can also be studied by ESI-MS because these interactions often change the shape of proteins. I examined the effect of various operating parameters on shape of the ESI-MS …

The Productive Efficiency Analysis Of Chinese Steel Firms: An Application Of Data Envelopment Analysis., Weidong Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Efficiency has become one of the most important factors for the survival and development of Chinese steel firms as the economic and political reforms in China deepen. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), a non-parametric approach to the measurement of efficiency, is applied to the cross sectional data of 35 of the largest Chinese steel firms to estimate the technical efficiency of these firms in a multi-input/output situation. In this thesis, 6 input and 4 output variables are chosen. The empirical study demonstrates the need to reduce resources consumption, especially the number of employee, and to increase outputs, particularly the profit …

Managing Disruptive Behavior In Elementary Classrooms: Relative Contribution Of Time-Out When Added To A Whole-Class Token Economy., Amy Diane Herschell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Teachers consistently report that student misbehavior and classroom management are among the most difficult and disturbing aspects of teaching (Clarizio, 1976; Peter D. Hart Research Associates, 1995). The current study was conducted to assess the behavior of four children in a regular education classroom to evaluate the effectiveness of three classroom behavior management approaches: (a) strategies already employed by the teacher, (b) the AD/HD Classroom Kit, (Kit) (McNeil, 1995) and (c) the Kit with a time out component. These three approaches were evaluated using an A-B-C-B sequence where each was employed for 17 days. Behaviors were assessed using behavioral observations …

"They Don't Throw, They Turn; They Don't Fire, They Burn": Place And Identity In Seagrove, North Carolina., Li-Ting Hung

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent Scholarship in geography explores the cultural identity of place by analyzing literature, music and art, but few scholars have studied pottery art, one of the oldest forms of art making. This study of Seagrove, a small central North Carolina town with a long tradition of locally produced pottery, examines the way place identity develops, is presented, takes multiple forms, and is contested through pottery art. Further, it explores the concept of institutionalized place identity by analyzing the impact of a new Pottery Center and Museum in this town. The research has carried out by means of open-ended interviews with …

Using Conventional Wireline Logs To Generate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Mri) Logs: A Feasibility Study., Mark Robert Richardson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is used in logging to provide the log analyst an additional tool in establishing reservoir characteristics. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Logging (MRIL) provides information on the Free Fluid, Irreducible Fluid, Total Porosity, Effective Porosity, and Permeability that is far more accurate than Conventional Wireline Log interpretation, enabling better completion practices that will further enhance total recovery. What this feasibility study seeks to show is that by using Neural Networks, it is possible to generate synthetic MRI Logs using conventional Wireline Log data. This study also demonstrates that this practice is possible in different reservoirs having entirely different …

A Biological Comparison Of Discula Destructiva Isolates From Four Geographic Areas., Patricia Gwen Gundrum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A series of biological tests were conducted to ascertain whether differences among isolates of the dogwood anthracnose fungus (Discula destructiva ) could be measured. Discula destructiva isolates were recovered from forty symptomatic eastern flowering dogwood trees growing at four locations in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Before sampling, each tree was rated for percent foliage infected. Symptomatic leaf and twigs were collected in the summer of 1994 and D. destructiva was isolated from each leaf and twig sample. Isolates were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Subcultures onto the same medium were made in order to evaluate growth and colony …

Der Zweite Weltkrieg Und Der Vietnamkrieg Aus Der Sicht Der "Verlierer": Ein Vergleich Bundesdeutscher Und Amerikanischer Nachkriegsliteratur., Jonas Strecker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Die USA und Deutschland sind zweifellos zwei der einflußreichsten Länder der Welt, sowohl politisch als auch wirtschaftlich und kulturell. Historisch haben sie ebenfalls einiges gemeinsam, so zum Beispiel einen verlorenen Krieg, der die jeweilige Nation in eine tiefe Krise stürzte. Doch während für Deutsche im In- und Ausland der Zweite Weltkrieg mehr als 50 Jahre danach immer noch allgegenwärtig ist, spricht man in den USA kaum noch vom Vietnamkrieg, obwohl der weniger als 30 Jahre zurückliegt. Woran liegt das? Waren die beiden Kriege so verschieden, daß man den einen schneller vergessen kann als den anderen? Wurden die grausamen Kriegserfahrungen in …

Evaluation Of Biocidal Polymers For The Treatment Of Domestic Water Supplies: Application Of Polymers To The Surface Of Carrier Particles., Robert Matthew Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The performance of N-Halamine polymers in eliminating bacteria from water streams was studied in this research. Numerous experiments were performed to determine the efficacy of both pure N-Halamine polymer and polymer coated on carrier particles to remove Escherichia coli from water streams. The results for this research were inconclusive for a number of reasons. First, the polymer used in this research was not active. It lacked the correct chemical structure to kill bacteria effectively. Additionally, when active polymer was received, insufficient quantities were available to produce viable coated carrier particles. The ability to regenerate the polymer using bleach solutions could …

The Effect Of Diet Dilution With Lactose On The Performance Of Turkeys., Melvin Fungayi Simoyi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An experiment involving 96 turkeys was carried out in conventional battery cages. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of lactose on the productive performance of turkeys. Another objective was to establish the optimum level of inclusion in the diet. Birds were housed two per cage from day-old to six weeks old. Diets, containing 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8% lactose, and water were offered ad libitum throughout the trial. The highest average weight gain per cage (3.79Kg) was recorded in birds on the 4% lactose diet. There was significant difference (p < 0.01) in weight gain per cage between birds on the 4% and those on the 0% lactose diet (control). All birds on lactose diets were more feed efficient than those on the control diet. Diet did not affect fecal DM but caused high fecal DAPA content (p < 0.05) in 4% lactose birds.

An Applied Market Area Study Of The Harley-Davidson Motor Company In The New York City Region., Harry O. Nichols

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study evaluates Harley-Davidson dealer market areas based on motorcycle sales and profiles market area ZIP codes base on their demographic make-up. There are three research objectives addressed. Objectives one and two utilize Arc View® geographical information system (GIS) to display ZIP code referenced sales data. The first objective is to map and compare 14 Harley-Davidson dealer defined market area boundaries using motorcycle sales data. In mapping motorcycle sales it was found that certain dealer sales fit their defined market area boundaries better than others did. The average percent of motorcycles being sold by dealers within their home market area …

The Agglomeration Of Cement To Facilitate Transportation., Huma E. Hakim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research was to develop a technique to agglomerate cement powder. This was done to facilitate its transportation and to prevent problems faced in conveying cement powder such as cement dusting as well as respiratory problems for workers coming in contact with cement dust. The final agglomerates formed were required to produce concrete with properties as close as possible to that of concrete formed from untreated cement. The agglomeration was carried out in a blender by adding a binder solution. A number of binder-solvent combinations were tested. Successful formation of granules was achieved and subsequently these were …

Politicians And The Internet, Melody Kay Gwilliam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The topic for this thesis examines the utilization of senatorial websites by United States Senators as a new communication tool. Three different areas of content will be examined: informational content, interactive content and audio-visual content. Those three areas will be used to examine the differences between Senators in several different ways: gender and race, party affiliation, length of service in the senate, region of the country they represent, urban and rural states, and age of the Senators. The results showed 6 significant findings in the areas of content: Democrats had more informational content; Northern Senators had the best and Midwestern …

From Turnpikes To Railroads: Antebellum Transportation Improvements And Community Development In Taylor County, Virginia, Scott W. Daley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the 1820s, a revolution in transportation technology changed forever the shipment of goods, travel, and the process of communication as overland transportation shifted from turnpikes to railroads. This study examines the affect on community formation and development in two turnpike villages and one town along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, America’s first inter-regional commercial railroad line. Between the mid-1830s and 1860, as railroads replaced turnpikes, the villages of Fetterman and Pruntytown, Virginia, came into existence, flourished, and began to decline as railroads passed along the lower Tygart River in 1850, directly competing with turnpikes. The town of Grafton in …

Functional Analysis: An Application To Mother-Infant Interactions., Karen Lynn Weigle

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mother-infant interactions were investigated to: (a) determine the feasibility of simultaneously conducting functional analyses on two individuals' behaviors in an unstructured setting; (b) compare functional analysis results across the Motivational Assessment Scale (MAS), Functional Assessment Interview Form (FAIF), and videotaped observational data analyzed using conditional probabilities (CP); and (c) compare parenting stress and social support, and infant developmental level with patterns of interaction. Twenty-one mother-infant dyads, nine with developmental delays (DD), having infants between 12 and 36 months of age participated. Five home visits were conducted. In the first, mothers completed a questionnaire and interview regarding their infants' challenging behavior. …

The Behavioral And Neurochemical Effects Of Prenatal Stress On Stress Responsive Systems In Rats., David Albert White

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Research points to a combination of genetic, physiological, and environmental factors in the origin of anxiety and depressive disorders. These factors are adversely impacted by stress and can be influenced by both the prenatal and postnatal environments. Our research shows that offspring of mothers stressed during the last week of gestation appear to be normal in basal behavioral states. However, upon the presentation of stressful stimuli in the forms of anxiogenic drugs (e.g. yohimbine and idazoxan), prenatally stressed offspring respond differentially in comparison with control (normal) offspring. Doses of yohimbine and idazoxan that increased acoustic startle in control animals were …

The Effect Of Product Design And Packaging Parameters On Effective Storability And Retrieval: A Computer-Based Approach., Srinath Srivatsavan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The product life cycle begins with the feasibility study, design, manufacturing, and moves towards storage, retrieval, and distribution, ultimately ending the life in retirement. The design and manufacturing functions, in this product life cycle, are far apart from the storage, retrieval, and distribution functions. However, the effect and impact of the design function on the storability, retrieval, and distribution functions is significant. The significance is seen in the form of the costs incurred and committed to the storage infrastructure and materials handling activities. The product design parameters also influence the unit design aspects when the products are packaged as units …

The Relationship Of Job Congruence, Job Satisfaction, And Social Support On The Mental And Physical Health Of Sport Officials., Paul James Sundell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to expand the research associated with the effects of stress on sport officials. The study examined the impact that job congruence, job satisfaction, and social support may have on health among sport officials by testing a mediational model of relationships in a system developed through theory and previous research. Data were collected from 125 sport officials sanctioned to officiate in the state of Iowa. They responded to the Vocational Preference Inventory, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, Symptom Checklist-90R, and a demographic data sheet. Statistically significant correlations were found between job congruence and positive …

Geomorphic Controls On Sediment-Transport Efficiency In The Central Appalachians: A Comparative Analysis Of Three Watersheds Underlain By The Acadian Clastic Wedge., Stephen Bernard Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bedrock lithology affects watershed morphometry, regolith composition, and caliber of sediment transported by drainage basins. This study involves a comparative geomorphic analysis of three watersheds similarly underlain by the Acadian clastic wedge: (1) Fernow Experimental Forest (19 km 2), Tucker County, West Virginia; (2) North Fork basin (49 km 2), Pocahontas County, West Virginia; and (3) Little River basin (41 km2), Augusta County, Virginia. Surficial mapping (1:9,600), GIS, morphometry, lithofacies analysis, and channel-gravel studies are utilized to make inferences regarding controls on sediment-transport efficiency. Mapping of small-scale debris fans and morphometric analysis elucidate local controls on fan accommodation at tributary …

The Effect Of Teacher Immediacy, Affinity -Seeking, And Misbehaviors On Instructional Outcomes., Katherine S. Thweatt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of teacher immediacy and affinity-seeking on misbehaviors and credibility and affective learning. Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in large-lecture courses at a large mid-Atlantic university. Teacher immediacy, affinity-seeking, and misbehaviors were manipulated in scenarios. Participants were exposed to one scenario and asked to complete credibility and affective learning measures in relation to the teacher in the scenario. The results of the study revealed that significant main effects were present for teacher immediacy, affinity-seeking, and misbehaviors. The significance level was set at .05. While significant interaction effects were present, the …

The Identification Of Criteria And Indicators For The Sustainable Management Of Ecotourism In Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia: A Delphi Consensus., Zaaba Zainol Abidin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to identify sustainability criteria and indicators for evaluating sustainable ecotourism development in Taman Negara National Park (TNNP), Malaysia. This was an attempt to develop sustainability measurements for the evaluation of ecotourism from the theoretical concept of sustainable development. The Delphi method and public survey were used to solicit opinions from an interdisciplinary panel of Malaysian experts and public groups regarding suitable criteria and indicators of sustainability for TNNP. The objectives were to develop a methodology for identifying criteria and indicators, generating criteria and indicators most important for measuring sustainable ecotourism. development and initiating development …

Safety By Design: An Expert Systems Approach., Magdy Akladios

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Industries may require the application of new technologies. In recent years, these technologies have undergone rapid development. Intensely scrutinized in terms of design, new technologies surprisingly receive little attention when assessing the hazards they might pose to worker health and safety. These technologies are usually designed by experts who know very little about safety and health issues. A user-friendly, easily accessible system that is devised to assist designers during the design phase by pointing out the different downfalls of their design with respect to safety and health issues and impacts, can dramatically improve safety, reduce costs, and most importantly, reduce …

Selecting The Most Qualified Teacher Applicant Utilizing West Virginia Code Section 18a-4-7a., Paul E. Barcus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of county school superintendents, county personnel directors, principals, and teachers in West Virginia who had been involved in the teacher selection process concerning the effectiveness of West Virginia State Code §18A-4-7a. More specifically, this study examined the perceived effectiveness of the second set of criteria found therein in leading to the employment of the most qualified applicant for a classroom teaching position in the public schools of West Virginia. A descriptive research design through a questionnaire was used which involved the analysis of the responses by the participants in the …

The Implementation Of A Multicultural Strand In Selected Teacher Education Courses In A Monocultural Institution., Doris M. Nicholas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the population of the United States becomes more racially and ethnically diverse the public school systems will be challenged with teaching students who are also diverse. While our classrooms are becoming more multicultural, our teaching force in becoming increasingly more white, female, and middle class. These changing demographics present specific challenges to teacher education programs that must prepare pre-service teachers to provide an education that is multicultural for all students. The goal of this study was to identify if and how multicultural education was being integrated into the teacher education program at a predominately White land grant Research One …

Collegiate Sports Sponsorship And Brand Awareness: A Study Of Collegiate Sponsorship At A Football Game., Hye Yoon Jung

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether students are aware the brands, which are sponsoring their school sports events. In addition to this, the study also looked to find variables influencing the level of sponsorship effects expressed as brand awareness.

This study concerns how the effectiveness of sponsorship is produced in the two different brand awareness measures, the brand recall test and the brand recognition test. Based on this, gender and number of games the respondents attended are used as independent variables.

The results of this study demonstrate that the collegiate sponsorship can be a great marketing …

The Hidden Child., Luther Augustus Marx

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Following the legacies of two saints, Patrick and Brendan, The Hidden Child explores the fictionalized ramifications of Christianity upon eighth century Iceland. The indigenous culture of Iceland--the Hidden People, Eve’s other children--struggles with an Irish monastery and its religion which asks its followers to change, a change with which not all of the Hidden People are comfortable. Caught within this struggle is an ex-Roman soldier, Basil, two hundred years old and unchanging, who saves a child--who is half Hidden. During the conflict, Basil--along with one of the Hidden People, Caligo--discovers Cromm Cruac, the ancient fertility god of Ireland, banished by …

A Gis Design For Honeybee Management Prototype And Assessment., Jesse Peter Bellavance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this thesis project is to design and develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) operation for the primary purpose of managing apiary site information by the state honeybee inspector for West Virginia. Presently, information related to each apiary site is recorded through the use of registration forms, which are mailed and later stored in file cabinets. At this point the flow of information concerning the practice of beekeeping is stymied. Using these filed registration forms as a useful database of information is unwieldy, if not impossible. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a GIS system …