Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Effective Clinical Teachers, Patricia Frontczak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify ADN faculty and ADN student perceptions of the most effective clinical teaching characteristics (ECTC). An exploratory, descriptive design was implemented. ADN faculty and ADN students were surveyed using the Clinical Teacher Characteristics Instrument (CTCI). The CTCI consists of 20 characteristics of clinical teachers that are ranked on a five point Likert-type scale according to importance. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Significant differences in perceptions of the most ECTC between the two groups were identified by a Mann Whitney U procedure. A t-test was performed to identify differences of perceptions …

Ethics In Forensic Anthropology: The Evaluation Of The Forensic Anthropologist As An Expert Witness, Brent D. Benzing

Masters Theses

Within the last two decades technological advancement has enabled the forensic sciences to become much more highly complex and has provided the legal system with a specialized means of interpreting scientific evidence. In this regard, the forensic anthropologist has seen an increasing amount of time spent as an expert witness in judicial proceedings. However, expert courtroom testimony requires that a scientific witness be knowledgeable, accredited, and ethical in his representation of the discipline. This thesis studies the state of ethics among Diplomates in the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

A survey was designed and sent to Diplomates of the A.B.F.A. …

Stress At A Juvenile Detention Center: Identifying Stressors And Examining The Coping Process, Matthew J. Schmid

Masters Theses

In the examination of the literature dealing with stress as it relates to corrections, normally "juvenile corrections workers are not considered, due to the dearth of stress-related research" (Huckabbe, 1992, p. 479). This thesis is a qualitative project designed to analyze detention workers' views on stress. I was interested in finding out the following two things: (1) the workers' identification of the major stressors in their job, and (2) the ways the workers coped with the stressors identified.

Structured interviews were conducted with one third (12) of the detention staff that worked at a forty bed juvenile detention center in …

Discriminative Stimulus Effects Of (+)-7-Oh-Dpat In Rats: Importance Of D3 Receptors, April J. Christian

Masters Theses

Despite the reported relatively high binding affinity of 7-OH-DPAT to dopamine D₃ receptors, results of recent investigations with the highly selective 03 receptor antagonist, PNU-99194A have questioned the importance of 03 receptors in the discriminative stimulus effects of 7-OH-DPAT. In the present study, sixteen male Sprague- Dawley rats (N=8/group) were trained to discriminate (+)- 7-OH-DPAT (0.03 mg/kg, sc) from saline in a two-lever operant procedure using a fixed-ratio 20 schedule of water reinforcement. After stable performance was established, substitution tests were conducted with the D₃-prefering agonist, (+)-PD-128907 and the psychostimulant cocaine. Additionally, antagonism were conducted with the …

The Future Of Banking: A Political Analysis For 1999 And Beyond, John Maffey

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the cycle of politics and banking by analyzing the relationship amongst the three primary actors within the domestic financial subsystem; regulatory agencies, the banking industry, and members of Congress. The cycle consists of three stages; loosening or deregulatory behavior, tightening or reregulatory activity, and re-loosening, which is a return to deregulation. Legislation does not distinguish the stages, rather it ratifies existing behavior. Prior to legislative action, regulators grant bankers similar authority in an effort to enhance profitability or fend off competitors. Regulatory agencies provide mostly objective, non-partisan advice to Congress and supervision of the industry, acting …

As Different As Night And Day: Palamon And Arcite Reconsidered, William Hamilton

Masters Theses

Through an analysis of characterization and the sub-text of infernal allusions to the myths of Orpheus and the ravishment of Proserpina, my thesis demonstrates that the Theban cousins Palamon and Arcite are not only distinct but diametrically opposed characters who are more central to The Knight' s Tale than the present critical consensus allows. Chapter I analyzes Charles Muscarine, who so convincingly put an end to the once lively debate over the characterization of the cousins that the proposition that they are indistinguishable remains an a priori assumption in the criticism of the poem to this day. Chapter II analyzes …

Components Related To Occupational Stress Or Burnout Among Music Therapists Working In Hospice/Palliative Care Arenas, Dorothy Virginia Pienta

Masters Theses

Music therapists who work in hospice/palliative care settings are susceptible to burnout as well as others who work in health care settings. In this descriptive correlation study, the components of occupational stress or burnout among music therapists working in hospice/palliative care settings were studied. A mail survey was sent to 300 music therapists who worked in hospice/palliative care settings and were members of the American Music Therapy Association. Of the 181 surveys that were returned, 106 were acceptable for use in this study. Their responses to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Work Environment Scale, as well as information from the demographic …

Independent Readers Increase Library Use, Joanne Patricia Harrell

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the use of the Accelerated Reader^R program at Ellis Elementary School in Belding, Michigan. The students were introduced to the program in January, 1999. The students were encouraged to use the program through the end of the school year, June, 1999.

The Accelerated Reader (AR) program is a reading program which uses the computer to test students on literature-based books from the library they have read independently. Students earn points for the tests that they pass based on the number right and the difficulty of the book. The computer keeps track, for the students and …

The Lived Experience Of Bosnian Refugees Who Have Suffered As A Result Of Genocide, Gazelle Raven Animalia

Masters Theses

In 1992, Bosnian Serbian and Serbian forces launched a campaign of genocide against Muslim and Croatian civilians in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This nightmarish odyssey ended for many non-Serbians when they escaped to other countries. Many of these families chose to come to the United States.

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of Bosnian refugees who suffered as a result of genocide. The research method used for this study was a phenomenological method based on Husserlian philosophy. Four Bosnian refugees, who escaped to a midwestem state during and after the war, were asked to answer the following research …

The Effects Of Supplemental Protein On Urea Nitrogen Excretion In Women 40-70 Years Old, Tammy D. Moran

Masters Theses

The problem of this study was to determine the effect of supplemental liquid protein in women 40-70 years of age over a 4-week period. Weeks 1 and 3 served as the control period. During this time, no particular diet regime was required, but protein drinks were prohibited. The treatment condition occurred during Weeks 2 and 4. During this time, subjects consumed two protein drinks each day for a period of 7 days. Twenty-four hour urine collections occurred at the end of each week. Urine was analyzed for the presence of urea nitrogen. The dependent variables were urinary urea nitrogen, self-perceived …

Saugatuck's Shining Shore: The Transition Of A Michigan Community Into A Resort Town, 1870-1930, Kyran V. Kelley

Masters Theses

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries many communities adapted themselves to the leisure industry with the growth of a middle class that had time for leisure activities within the United States. One impetus for this change suggested for the period is a lack of manufacturing and extractive activities (Brown 1995).

This thesis tests this scenario on one community of the period, Saugatuck, Michigan, by examining the employment and business structures of the town while also examining land use. This was accomplished through the use of both primary and secondary documents.

Data gathered and placed within its historical context …

Reactive Oxygen Species Generated By Depletion Of Cellular Glutathione Mediate Cadmium Cytotoxicity, Jun Xu

Masters Theses

Studies were put forth to test whether or not reactive oxygen species, which are influenced by the cellular level of reduced glutathione, mediate the toxicity of cadmium. Cadmium has been a focal point in the health care community in the past few years because it has been shown to induce the development of tumors, interfere with cellular signaling, and cause damage to organs, tissues, and biomolecules. Although various studies and theories have been proposed, little direct evidence, especially from studies utilizing primary cells in culture, has accumulated to show the mechanism by which the cadmium induced toxicity occurs.

Our studies …

Sociological Analysis Of Gambling Behavior: A Subculture Perspective, Robert W. Wright Iii

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and age first gambled on rates of problem gambling among adult residents of Michigan and interprets those effects through the application of subculture theory. The data used in this study are from the 1997 Michigan prevalence survey on gambling. The data were collected to estimate the prevalence level of gambling among adult Michigan residents. Data obtained from 2,111 female and 1,776 males indicated that (1) males have a higher rate of pathology than females; (2) respondents who start gambling earlier will be more likely to be classified as pathological gamblers; (3) …

Accelerated Reader: Does It Work?, Deborah J. Morse

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if increased independent reading practice, as verified by 50 or more Accelerated Reader points, would significantly improve standardized reading scores. The reading practice and assessment performance of 60 first, second, and third grade students was monitored for eight months. The students were pre-tested and post-tested using the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (S.T.A.R.). Descriptive statistics were used to determine if a significant difference existed between the overall mean scores of the high reading practice group who earned 50 or more Accelerated Reader points, versus the low reading practice group who …

The Relationship Between Vocabulary And Reading Comprehension In Junior High Aged Students With Learning Disabilities, Harvey Burkhour

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the reading ability, particularly in the area of reading comprehension and the level of reading vocabulary possessed by junior high aged students with learning disabilities. Reading is a complex process involving the simultaneous integrated application of the four cuing systems: (a) graphophonic, (b) syntactic, (c) semantic, and (d) schematic. While most people learn to utilize these systems rather easily, this is not true for everyone. Failure to effectively employ any one or more of these cuing systems can spell disaster for the reader both in school and in many …

Effects Of Methylphenidate On The Sensitivity To Reinforcement In Children Diagnosed With Adhd: An Application Of Matching Law, Laura Kay Murray

Masters Theses

This experiment evaluated the effects of methylphenidate on sensitivity to reinforcement of children diagnosed with ADHD using matching law.

Four children (2 males and 2 females) between the ages of 6 and 10 who were previously diagnosed with ADHD completed easy math problems to earn tokens under four different variable-interval (VI) schedules of reinforcement presented in random order. The rate of completed math problems was plotted against the mean frequency of obtained reinforcers at each schedule value in tokens per minute. The data were fit to the following single-rate hyperbolic equation (Herrnstein, 1970): R = kr/r+r₀.

Results show …

Spectroscopic And Kinetic Investigation Of Carbocation Reactivity In Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Hongshu Jin

Masters Theses

Recent interest in the use of supercritical CO₂ as an environmentally benign reaction medium has included the development of solvent systems that may support polar and ionic chemistry. Carbocations are key intermediate in a variety of synthetically important reactions and characterization of their reactivity is the focus of this work. UV-visible absorption, and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy has been used to identify and monitor the reaction kinetics of 9- phenylxanthenium carbocation. The arylcarbocation is conveniently generated from 9- phenylxanthen-9-ol in supercritical CO₂ under mildly acidic conditions. Under these conditions 9-phenylxanthenium ion is extremely stable and persists for …

A Three-Choice Drug Discrimination Procedure Differentiates The Stimulus Effects Of D-Amphetamine And Mdma, Amy K. Goodwin

Masters Theses

(±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces effects in humans that are reportedly similar to those of CNS stimulants. However, drug discrimination studies in nonhumans have yielded inconsistent results regarding the similarities between MDMA and d-amphetamine. Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate d-amphetamine, MDMA, and saline in a three-lever drug discrimination procedure. In addition, differential outcomes were employed during drug discrimination training with eight of the rats but this did not appear to facilitate the acquisition of the discrimination. Cocaine (0.25-10.0 mg/kg) produced dose dependent increases in d-amphetamine-appropriate responding with complete substitution at the highest dose administered. LSD (0.02-0.16 mg/kg), produced dose …

School-Based Functional Assessment For Adolescents With Adhd: Procedural Issues In General Education Settings, Pamela M. Radford

Masters Theses

Functional assessment is a structured problem-solving process that has been found to be an effective method for guiding the selection of classroom intervention for students who present a variety of problem behaviors (O'Neill, et al., 1997), including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). This study evaluated the utility of school-based functional assessments with 2 adolescent boys diagnosed with ADHD in general education settings utilizing resources typically available to school personnel to document information relevant to behavior function. Descriptive information (i.e., interviews, observations, record reviews) led to the development of potential intervention strategies that were implemented and evaluated by …

The Study Of Political And Economic Reforms In Ghana, John L. Adedeji

Masters Theses

The dual transition program of Ghanaian political economy was put in place as a result of Ghana's huge external debts, its balance of payments problems, and the critical shortage of foreign exchange resulting from years of financial management by seven regimes (civilian and military) that ruled the West African nation since its independence in 1957. Taken together, these problems tilted the balance of power in favor of external actors, including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

The study focuses on the dual strategy of macroeconomic measures and structural adjustments. The study then evaluates: (a) the policy components of the …

The Effects Of High Fat And High Carbohydrate Diets On Aerobic Performance, Julie Becker, Kelly Mattila

Masters Theses

The effect of a high carbohydrate (HCHO) or high fat (HF) diet on time to fatigue and mood state was examined in the present study. Six untrained males, (mean age 26.6 ± 0.74) were randomly assigned to a high fat (HF) or a HCHO diet for seven days. Subjects performed an endurance test at 55% of VO₂max following the diet. Time to fatigue and psychometric variables of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) were recorded. Subjects then consumed the alternate diet following one week of a normal diet and a second endurance test was performed. There was no …

The Effects Of Water Or Sports Drink Ingestion Prior To Exercise On The Performance Of Middle Distance, Amateur Runners In A Thermoneutral Environment, Julie A. Barnes, Scott G. Devries

Masters Theses

Sports drinks have been shown to influence running performance, however, the best methods of hydration are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of water versus sports drink (6% carbohydrate/electrolyte) hydration prior to an exercise bout on the performance of middle distance, amateur runners. Ten subjects were randomly assigned to run two trials and began with either ingestion of water or sports drink. They then completed a maximal treadmill test to volitional exhaustion and returned two days later and drank the opposite drink. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max), time of run, heart rate, respiratory …

Can A Multidisciplinary Team Decrease Hospital Length Of Stay For Elderly Trauma Patients?, Beth A. Ramsey

Masters Theses

Elderly trauma patients often experience prolonged hospital stays. This study was done to determine if a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care would decrease hospital length of stay (LOS) for elderly trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Using a descriptive, correlational design, a convenience sample of 74 elderly patients aged 65 to 99 years was obtained from a trauma registry. The hypothesis that hospital LOS decreases for elderly trauma patients in the ICU who have a team approach to care was not supported using the t-test for independent means (t=1.6, df=72, p=.114). A second hypothesis proposed that the …

Toys As Language Stimuli For Individuals With Alzheimer’S Disease, Cassandra M. Baer

Masters Theses

The study of the use of toys with institutionalized adults began in the field of gerontological nursing (Bailey, Gilbert, & Herweyer, 1992; Francis & Baly, 1986; Mayers & Griffin, 1990; Milton & MacPhail, 1985). Hopper, Bayles, and Tomoeda (1998) described the comforting qualities of plush animals for people with dementia and began to explore the effects of these toys on the language production of women with Alzheimer's Disease. Women were found to produce more information in fewer words when the toys were present.

This study builds on the work of Hopper et al. (1998), comparing language productions of two men …

Factors Influencing Prison Industry, Erik Dill

Masters Theses

Prison industry has a sporadic history in the United States. Interstate trade of prison made goods was banned from 1940 until 1979; business and labor opposed slavelike competition from early programs. This thesis studies competitive prisoner work, deemed prison industry, as different from state-use labor.

Formal theory on prison industry is inadequate. Rusche would suggest that unemployment directly effects incarceration, and prison industry develops to provide labor in economic upswings. Since 1980 prison industry expanded and unemployment fell, but incarceration did not decline. Therefore, this study focuses on theory genesis. Explanations for incarceration can assume prison is exploitative. Legal history …

A Comparative Study Of Women's Perceptions Of Vaginal And Cesarean Births, Karen Blamer

Masters Theses

Perception of birth is an important consideration for all health care providers. A positive perception of birth can promote effective adaptation to the maternal role. The Roy Adaptation Model guided this research study comparing the perception of birth among women who delivered vaginally, by planned cesarean birth, and by unplanned cesarean birth.

Perception of birth was measured by the use of a 29 item questionnaire developed by Marut and Mercer and completed by 78 subjects two to four weeks postpartum. The ANOVA and post hoc Scheffe tests were used to measure the differences between groups.

The findings supported the hypothesis …

Repeatability Of Kinematic And Kinetic Data In The Analysis Of Normal Human Gait, Jennifer M. Piotter, Peter A. Post, Kristi J. Vanden Berg

Masters Theses

Computerized gait analysis (CGA) is a powerful tool used to study the intricacies of human walking. The CGA tool is being used to make objective observations of human movement patterns. It is essential that acceptable repeatability of kinematic and kinetic data be established so that clinicians can detect actual changes between successive tests. This study assessed the repeatability of kinematic and kinetic waveform data from test and re-test trials on 15 subjects. Intra-tester and inter-tester data were examined to determine how much error existed due to marker placement between trials and testers. Part II of this study assessed the repeatability …

Barriers To Freedom: Exploring The Influence Of Patriarchy On Risk Preference In Battered Women, Cathy Gordon

Masters Theses

Because contemporary families represent an increasingly diverse and complicated range of relationships and values, individuals engaged in traditional gender roles may find it difficult to challenge gender biased institutions or abandon abusive relationships. While family violence continues to be linked with economic and social power, interpersonal relationships based on traditional gender roles, which require conformity to social expectations, can also be a contributing factor. Feminist theory, which links patriarchal ideology with family violence, is used to explore culturally defined gender roles and the influence of social forces or social institutions that produce conflict, strain or violent behaviors. The influences of …

Three Dimensional Mapping Of The East Leroy And Union City 7.5 Minute Quadrangles In Southwest Michigan, Andrew L. Kozlowski

Masters Theses

A U.S.G.S EDMAP project in Calhoun and Branch Counties Michigan has provided stratigraphic information for hydrologic investigations. The Saginaw Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet impacted the terrain of the study area creating drumlins, tunnel valleys and moraines. Water well records, gamma Ray logs and test wells provided the necessary stratigraphic and hydrogeologic information.

The stratigraphy and hydrogeology of the study area are constrained by the bedrock topography of the Mississippian Coldwater Shale. Drift deposits 13 feet to nearly 200 feet thick comprise the aquifer systems for the study area with thicker and older deposits occupying several bedrock valleys. Drift …

Application Of Differential Outcomes To A Cocaine-Saline Discrimination Procedure: Assessment Of Stimulus Generalization To Dopamine D3 Receptor Agonists, Kelly J. Garner

Masters Theses

This study replicated the effects of differential outcomes on the acquisition of a cocaine-saline discrimination in rats and examined whether learning via differential outcomes (DO) influenced stimulus generalization to other drugs. Previous investigations have suggested that the dopamine (DA) D3 receptor subtype may modulate the reinforcing effects of cocaine. Pharmacological compounds which have been identified as having a greater affinity for DA D3 receptors are 7-OH-DPAT and PD 128907. The present study examined whether the DO conditions applied during training had an impact on the generalization of these test compounds. Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate …