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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

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Controls, Characterization And Small Scale Chemical Variations Of A Karst System: A Geochemical Assessment Of Tuscarora Creek Watershed, West Virginia, Rachel V. Grand Aug 2005

Controls, Characterization And Small Scale Chemical Variations Of A Karst System: A Geochemical Assessment Of Tuscarora Creek Watershed, West Virginia, Rachel V. Grand

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tuscarora Creek watershed is located in the Appalachian Great Valley in Berkeley County, West Virginia. Thirteen springs and seven creek locations were sampled to evaluate spatial and temporal variability in major ion geochemistry. The controlling chemical signature was carbonate dissolution; distinctions could not be made between carbonate units and little evidence was seen for the recharge from adjacent clastic rocks. The springs in the upper watershed had greater temporal variability that may be due to enhanced transmissivity associated with a creek-parallel thrust fault. Discharge data indicate the creek is supplied directly from ground water (>50%) as well as from …

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The Role Of Reinforcement Rate On Fluency, Vennessa L. Walker Aug 2005

The Role Of Reinforcement Rate On Fluency, Vennessa L. Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Building skills to high rates and accuracy has been purported to result in fluency, a set of behavioral outcomes identified as retention, endurance, application, problem solving, and stability (REAPS). These outcomes require that the skills persist under changing environmental conditions, and may be conceptualized as examples of resistance to change. As such reinforcement rate should be the critical factor. To test this conceptualization twelve subjects were trained on 5 algebra skills to specified rate and accuracy criteria. Feedback consisting of points, knowledge of results, and corrective feedback was delivered either every 1 or 5 minutes. Stability, application, and problem-solving were …

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A Comparison Of The Growth And Asexual Reproduction By Cryphonectria Parasitica Isolates Infected With Hypoviruses Via Anastomosis And Transfection, Jenise M. Bauman Aug 2005

A Comparison Of The Growth And Asexual Reproduction By Cryphonectria Parasitica Isolates Infected With Hypoviruses Via Anastomosis And Transfection, Jenise M. Bauman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Transfection is an alternative laboratory method of hypovirus transmission that can be used to create hypovirulent strains. Results from a preliminary study at West Virginia University in 1998-99 indicated that recovery of hypovirulent isolates was similar between CHV1-infected anastomosed and transfected isolates. The objective of this research was to compare the two hypovirus acquisition methods in three experiments. The first study confirmed the performance of anastomosed and transfected isolates tested in a 1998-99 field study. In addition to the isolates previously evaluated, a third set of isolates containing CHV3-County Line was included. The size of cankers and the reisolation of …

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Fictions Of The Gift: Generosity, Obligation, And Economy In Eighteenth-Century England, Cynthia J. Klekar Aug 2005

Fictions Of The Gift: Generosity, Obligation, And Economy In Eighteenth-Century England, Cynthia J. Klekar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fictions of the Gift: Generosity, Obligation and Economy in Eighteenth-Century English Literature examines the relationship between generosity, obligation, economy, and the gift in eighteenth-century English literature and culture. The central inquiry of the project investigates the paradoxical nature of the gift and ways in which the politics of a gift economy informed both practical and symbolic relations of domination in the period. Given the widespread nature of the language of the gift in the period, I concentrate on cultural texts and eighteenth-century novels to demonstrate the work of the gift within a number of eighteenth-century institutions, such as international trade, …

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State Policy Innovation And Transfer: The Role Of Bureaucratic Professional Communication Networks, Rebecca Tatman Klase Aug 2005

State Policy Innovation And Transfer: The Role Of Bureaucratic Professional Communication Networks, Rebecca Tatman Klase

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The central question of this research is, "what is the role of state administrative agencies in the innovation and transfer of public policy?" One of the theoretical perspectives of the study of public policy examines the "borrowing" of one nation or U.S. state's policy by another followed by adaptation to the new jurisdiction. The past focus of most of this research has been on legislative policy adoptions. This study draws upon a different perspective, bureaucratic adoptions of public policy.;A two-fold approach is employed, using both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Information was gathered on both state agencies and their lead …

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Competing Fictions: Eighteenth-Century Domestic Novels, Women Writers, And The Trope Of Female Rivalry, Elizabeth Johnston Aug 2005

Competing Fictions: Eighteenth-Century Domestic Novels, Women Writers, And The Trope Of Female Rivalry, Elizabeth Johnston

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation focuses on mid to late eighteenth-century domestic fiction by Samuel Richardson, Sarah Scott, Frances Burney, and Maria Edgeworth, arguing that female rivalry in the novel performs a complex double function, both reinscribing domestic ideology and undermining it. I begin with the premise that Richardson's depiction of female rivalry differs significantly from those of the women writers who follow him. My chapter on Richardson's Clarissa examines his depiction of rivalry between Clarissa and all the other women of the novel, arguing that the "bad" women work to overshadow Lovelace's abuses; in other words, female rivalry effectively displaces a critique …

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The Hyperspace Graph Of Connected Subgraphs, Likin C. Simon Romero Aug 2005

The Hyperspace Graph Of Connected Subgraphs, Likin C. Simon Romero

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Given a connected graph G, the hyperspace graph of connected subgraphs C (G) is defined. The graph C (G) is such that every vertex represents a connected subgraph of G. It is shown that every connected graph G has a unique graph C (G). A characterization of a path, a cycle and the 3-star by their corresponding hyperspace graphs of connected subgraphs is shown. A special geometric representation R (G) of C (G) in an euclidean space is presented. A set P (G) is constructed based on R (G). When G is a topological tree, P (G) and the hyperspace …

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Fmri Studies Of Amblyopia: Pediatric And Adult Perspectives, Ian Patrick Conner Aug 2005

Fmri Studies Of Amblyopia: Pediatric And Adult Perspectives, Ian Patrick Conner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is currently the technique of choice for mapping functional neuroanatomy in humans, and over the past 15 years there has been a dramatic growth in the number of studies that provide brain-behavior correlations in normal healthy adults. More recently, a few studies have begun to make such measures in healthy children. In addition, fMRI is increasingly being applied to study brain function in subjects with neurological disease. The overall aim of these studies was to apply fMRI methods to the study of amblyopia, the most prevalent developmental vision disorder. Amblyopia develops early in life, usually …

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The Influence Of Reviewers' Characteristics On Their Evaluations Of Instructional Technology Integration, Christine Marie Weigandt Aug 2005

The Influence Of Reviewers' Characteristics On Their Evaluations Of Instructional Technology Integration, Christine Marie Weigandt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine what effect the personal characteristics of reviewers might have on their reviews. The participants in this study were nine instructional leaders who used a rubric to evaluate P-12 teachers' web-based instructional units, but still scored them differently.;The characteristics examined in this study included the reviewers' styles of teaching, personal computer use, concerns about instructional technology integration, professional positions, perceived roles, and personal criteria for what makes a good web-based instructional unit.;The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The quantitative instruments used were the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ), the Principles …

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Views Of Health Care Providers On Low-Income Populations In West Virginia With Sexually Transmitted Disease, Genevieve R. Cox Aug 2005

Views Of Health Care Providers On Low-Income Populations In West Virginia With Sexually Transmitted Disease, Genevieve R. Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis focuses on health care providers who consistently diagnose sexually transmitted disease (STDs) in low-income populations. Eighteen providers ranging from registered nurses to physicians were interviewed about their experiences dealing with low-income patients, mainly women, who were diagnosed with incurable and curable STDs for the first time. This qualitative analysis which utilized grounded theory methods reveals several interesting findings. First, that providers who consistently work with low-income populations have a high level of empathy. They believe patients undergo a negative change in self-image second to an incurable STD diagnosis. Providers have concerns about a number of issues related to …

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Participatory Gis For Growth Management In The Cheat Lake Planning District Of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Timothy L. Hawthorne Aug 2005

Participatory Gis For Growth Management In The Cheat Lake Planning District Of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Timothy L. Hawthorne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) can be an effective methodology for collecting public input in local land use planning and smart growth management. PGIS-based approaches provide residents with an opportunity to discuss and map their priority land use issues and to identify land use hotspots in a way that is not typically possible in a general public meeting. This thesis research explores how community qualitative information about land use can be incorporated into a PGIS for the Cheat Lake Planning District of Monongalia County, West Virginia. The research presented in this thesis demonstrates how qualitative information strengthens land use planning …

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Developing And Testing A "Responsibility" Questionnaire For 8th Graders, Melissa S. Ward Aug 2005

Developing And Testing A "Responsibility" Questionnaire For 8th Graders, Melissa S. Ward

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to develop and test a questionnaire that could assess students' attitudes and behaviors as they related to the trait "responsibility." Content validity was obtained using the delphi process. Reliability was estimated using a test of internal consistency. The questionnaire was completed by a small group of eighth graders. The test items were based on the definition of responsibility provided by the Character Counts organization. The questionnaire included twenty Likert-type items with eleven measuring perceptions of behavior and nine measuring perceptions of attitude.;Internal consistency tests showed Cronbach's Alpha to be .834 for the entire questionnaire, …

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Crisis Manager Of The American Revolution: Henry Laurens, Jeffrey R. Gudzune Aug 2005

Crisis Manager Of The American Revolution: Henry Laurens, Jeffrey R. Gudzune

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As President of the Continental Congress, Henry Laurens was a firm leader amid a time of national emergency. When a dispute within the Continental Army threatened both the continuation of General Washington's command and the American alliance with France, Laurens went beyond his limited sphere of political authority to settle the matter. When a peace commission from England arrived in the United States to begin discussing terms for an end to the hostilities, Laurens found himself in an increasingly difficult diplomatic situation. While wrestling with the question of whether or not to accept the British offer, Laurens was also forced …

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Nondestructive Evaluation Of Wooden Logs Using Ground Penetrating Radar, Sachin Agrawal Aug 2005

Nondestructive Evaluation Of Wooden Logs Using Ground Penetrating Radar, Sachin Agrawal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Presently there are no suitable non-invasive methods for precisely detecting the subsurface defects in logs in real time. Internal defects such as knots, decays, and embedded metals are of greatest concern for lumber production. While defects such as knots and decays (rots) are of major concern related to productivity and yield of high value wood products, embedded metals can damage the saw blade and significantly increase the down time and maintenance costs of saw mills.;Nondestructive scanning of logs using techniques such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) prior to sawing can greatly increase the productivity and yield of high value lumber. …

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Prediction Of Coalbed Methane Reservoir Performance With Type Curves, Amol Bhaskar Bhavsar Aug 2005

Prediction Of Coalbed Methane Reservoir Performance With Type Curves, Amol Bhaskar Bhavsar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents a set of production type curves for CBM reservoirs that would help the producers to predict the production from their CBM wells. As a consequence, the producers would be able to make better, more informed decisions regarding the CBM resources in the region. A reservoir model that incorporates the unique flow and storage characteristics of CBM reservoirs was employed in this study to develop the type curves. The type curves provide a reliable tool to predict the production performance of CBM reservoirs during dewatering phase. The application and issues concerning the production performance of CBM reservoirs are …

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Recycling Baler Material Properties For Safer Baler Operation, Tracy A. Mick Aug 2005

Recycling Baler Material Properties For Safer Baler Operation, Tracy A. Mick

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Between 1986 and 2002, there were 43 fatalities in the United States to operators of recycling industry balers. Of these fatalities, 29 involved horizontal balers that were baling paper and cardboard (Taylor, 2002). Balers often become jammed while the baling process is occurring, and the only way to remove the jam is manually. This requires an employee to place a limb of their body into the jamming area and remove the material that is causing the jam. While lockout and tagout procedures reduce the risk of hazardous energy being released, they can still be easily bypassed, ignored, or forgotten. Recent …

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On The S-Hamiltonian Index Of A Graph, Yehong Shao Aug 2005

On The S-Hamiltonian Index Of A Graph, Yehong Shao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In modeling communication networks by graphs, the problem of designing s-fault-tolerant networks becomes the search for s-Hamiltonian graphs. This thesis is a study of the s-Hamiltonian index of a graph G.;A path P of G is called an arc in G if all the internal vertices of P are divalent vertices of G. We define l (G) = max{lcub}m : G has an arc of length m that is not both of length 2 and in a K3{rcub}. We show that if a connected graph G is not a path, a cycle or K1,3, then for a given s, we …

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Artificial Neural Network In Classification Of Severity Levels In Crashes With Guardrail, Fouad N. Shoukry Aug 2005

Artificial Neural Network In Classification Of Severity Levels In Crashes With Guardrail, Fouad N. Shoukry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research focuses on using artificial neural networks to classify the severity levels of crashes involving guardrails, and to subsequently identify the most significant variables explaining severity in such crashes. Most of the existing research in analyzing guardrail crashes employs statistical analysis to measure severity of crashes and, unfortunately, does not incorporate much information about the factors that affect the severity concerning guardrail crashes. In the mean time, artificial neural networks have been utilized in different areas of transportation to solve engineering problems because of their ability to model non-linearity, and flexibility with large complex data sets. Data for this …

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Water Quality Disturbances In An Aquaculture That Utilizes Treated Mine Water, Mark Wayne Smith Aug 2005

Water Quality Disturbances In An Aquaculture That Utilizes Treated Mine Water, Mark Wayne Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of two feed treatments on a population of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, reared in a linear raceway system, which utilized mine water from a mine water treatment facility (MWTF); to measure and compare waste outputs; to monitor the water quality of the system; and to identify the impacts, if any, of the water quality on the fish population. Toward the end of the study, a spike in the turbidity of the water source led to additional objectives. First, the water quality was characterized during the events to determine the extent …

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The Effect Of Low And High Fertility Treatments On Soil Quality, Yields, Pest Incidence And Labor Requirements Of A Post-Transitional Organic Market Garden System, Todd Bradley Childers Aug 2005

The Effect Of Low And High Fertility Treatments On Soil Quality, Yields, Pest Incidence And Labor Requirements Of A Post-Transitional Organic Market Garden System, Todd Bradley Childers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In a two-year study, eight vegetable crops were grown as part of a certified organic four-year crop rotation. High input plots received off-farm composted cow manure and cover crops, and low input plots were managed with the use of cover crops only. High input plots produced higher yields than low input plots in all crops, except peas, which yielded higher in low input plots. Soil organic matter levels were significantly higher in the high input than the low input plots and increased from 2003 to 2004 in both treatments. Available soil phosphorus levels in the high input plots were excessive, …

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The Effects Of Contextual Factors On Dyadic Everyday Problem Solving In Adulthood, Tara L. Neely Aug 2005

The Effects Of Contextual Factors On Dyadic Everyday Problem Solving In Adulthood, Tara L. Neely

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined individual and dyadic everyday problem solving in 45 younger, middle-aged, and older adult married couples. The goal of the study was to investigate the effects of age, gender, collaboration, marital characteristics, and basic cognition on everyday problem-solving. Two research questions were addressed. First, were there group differences across three phases of problem solving? Second, what was the frequency of individual change, and which factors predicted improvement, stability, or decline? When addressing the first question, there was a significant four-way interaction, F (4, 78) = 2.83, p < .05, eta = .12, between participant age, gender, problem-solving condition, and problem-solving phase, emphasizing the multidimensionality of everyday cognition. When addressing the second question, a larger percentage of individuals who collaborated reliably improved compared to individuals who worked alone. Furthermore, basic cognitive abilities, education, and marital factors significantly accounted for individual reliable change in everyday problem solving.

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The Use Of Native Plants For Revegetation Along West Virginia Highways, Christina Venable Aug 2005

The Use Of Native Plants For Revegetation Along West Virginia Highways, Christina Venable

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The West Virginia Division of Highways is required to develop seeding mixtures comprised of native plants for revegetating highway corridors and thereby reducing the potential for introduction of non-native species along roads. The objectives of this project were to compare establishment and growth of plants in five different seed mixtures and two fertilizer treatments, to develop surface treatments to enhance the establishment of native plants along highways, and correlate native species establishment to soil physical and chemical properties. Fertilizer was not found to increase the cover of the seeded natives, but did increase total cover. The seeded natives were not …

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Risk And Resilience In Youth: An Examination Of Moderating Factors, Beverly L. Fortson Aug 2005

Risk And Resilience In Youth: An Examination Of Moderating Factors, Beverly L. Fortson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Child maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect) poses a significant risk for psychological difficulties to millions of children annually. Some children develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder), depressive disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder), and substance abuse/dependence as a result of maltreatment. Fortunately, many other children, who have been termed "resilient," escape such incidents relatively unscathed. This study explored the unique associations between child maltreatment and several outcome variables (e.g., substance use, sexualized behavior, depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety) as well as …

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Methods For Creating A Multi-Axis Polarizer For Visible Light Attenuation By Linear Translation, Peter L. Donatelli Aug 2005

Methods For Creating A Multi-Axis Polarizer For Visible Light Attenuation By Linear Translation, Peter L. Donatelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A few solutions exist that describe how a Linear Translation Multi-Axis (LTMA) polarizer can be made. It is the purpose here to describe some of these solutions and determine if these solutions are plausible. A positive result will be the creation of a LTMA polarizer in a continuous sheet.;As there are various ways to make a LTMA polarizer, there are also many materials used to make polarizers. Some of the types of polarizers that will be discussed consist of: a crystalline based dichroic polarizer, a molecular iodine polarizer, birefringent polarizers, metallic polarizers and light reactive dye polarizers.;What has resulted from …

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Claw -Free Graphs And Line Graphs, Yehong Shao Aug 2005

Claw -Free Graphs And Line Graphs, Yehong Shao

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research of my dissertation is motivated by the conjecture of Thomassen that every 4-connected line graph is hamiltonian and by the conjecture of Tutte that every 4-edge-connected graph has a no-where-zero 3-flow. Towards the hamiltonian line graph problem, we proved that every 3-connected N2-locally connected claw-free graph is hamiltonian, which was conjectured by Ryjacek in 1990; that every 4-connected line graph of an almost claw free graph is hamiltonian connected, and that every triangularly connected claw-free graph G with |E( G)| ≥ 3 is vertex pancyclic. Towards the second conjecture, we proved that every line graph of a 4-edge-connected …

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Critical Issues For Predicting Worker Exposure To Gaseous Contaminants In A Wind Tunnel, Jun Li Aug 2005

Critical Issues For Predicting Worker Exposure To Gaseous Contaminants In A Wind Tunnel, Jun Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to investigate the distribution and level of contaminant concentrations in the breathing zone of a worker when airborne contaminants are released within an arm's-length in front of the worker who has his back to the airflow. The main goals were to numerically evaluate the effect of different factors on the worker exposure and to recommend a turbulence model preferable for this type of simulation. These factors include the body shape, the heat flux from the body, the ventilation intensity, the free stream turbulence, and the unsteadiness. The comparison …

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Approaches To Improve The Ovulatory Response And Reproductive Performance Of Ewes Introduced To Rams During Seasonal Anestrus, Katherine Mead Jordan Aug 2005

Approaches To Improve The Ovulatory Response And Reproductive Performance Of Ewes Introduced To Rams During Seasonal Anestrus, Katherine Mead Jordan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Three experiments were conducted to test hypotheses relative to the ability of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and melatonin to improve responses of anestrous ewes to rams. Treatment with GnRH two days after treatment with progesterone at introduction of rams did not increase ovulation, pregnancy or lambing rates. Treatment with GnRH on days two, seven, or both after introduction of rams, resulted in ovulation, pregnancy, and lambing rates that did not differ. In another trial, GnRH four days before, or four days before and one day after introduction of rams did not improve a consistently high ovulatory response to introduction of …

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The Changes In Life Effectiveness Following Ropes Course Participation For Becoming An Outdoors -Woman (Bow) Participants, Maureen A. Dougherty Aug 2005

The Changes In Life Effectiveness Following Ropes Course Participation For Becoming An Outdoors -Woman (Bow) Participants, Maureen A. Dougherty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the study was to examine the changes in life effectiveness following ropes course participation for participants of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program using a quasi-experimental design. Ropes course participation was also examined as a potential program modification to the existing BOW. The Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ) was administered to 85 of the 90 participants at the Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Participants in the control group (N=65) and experimental group (N=20) both completed a ten question demographic survey and the LEQ on three occasions (pre-test, post-test, and one …

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The Politics Of The Evolution Of Global Tobacco Control: The Formation And Functioning Of The Framework Convention On Tobacco Control (Fctc), Hadii M. Mamudu Aug 2005

The Politics Of The Evolution Of Global Tobacco Control: The Formation And Functioning Of The Framework Convention On Tobacco Control (Fctc), Hadii M. Mamudu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study investigates the politics behind the evolution of tobacco as a global issue leading to adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in May 2003. The study relies on liberal-constructivist perspective to analyze the transformation of tobacco control between 1960 and 2003. The study uses a combination of elite interview and content analysis. It found that the presence of an international organization with constitutional powers in tobacco control, WHO and the diffusion and transfer of knowledge, information, and ideas about tobacco use and tobacco control contributed to the emergence of tobacco control as a global phenomenon and …

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Comparative Seed Dispersal, Seedling Establishment And Growth Of Exotic, Invasive Ailanthus Altissima (Mill.) Swingle And Native Liriodendron Tulipifera (L.), Nathan L. Kota May 2005

Comparative Seed Dispersal, Seedling Establishment And Growth Of Exotic, Invasive Ailanthus Altissima (Mill.) Swingle And Native Liriodendron Tulipifera (L.), Nathan L. Kota

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (tree of heaven) is an exotic species from China that was intentionally introduced as an urban ornamental species but has since become naturalized throughout much of the U.S. This pioneer species appears poised to invade rural areas as current rates of human-induced forest disturbance lower dispersal barriers and increase available habitat, especially in eastern forests, where it will compete with pioneer native trees such as Liriodendron tulipifera (L.) (yellow poplar). To compare the invasion potential of exotic A. altissima and native L. tulipifera, my research focused on two objectives. First, I investigated characteristics that influence dispersal …

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