Digital Commons Network^™

The Establishment, Management And Evaluation Of The Conservation Reserve System In The Rangelands Of Western Australia, Anthony Brandis

Theses

The rangelands of Western Australia cover about 85% of the State and include the sub-tropical savanna of the Kimberley, the semi arid and arid spinifex, the southern mulga shrublands and the extensive chenopod plains of the Nullarbor. About 40% of the rangelands are managed for the production of meat and wool under a pastoral lease system. A large range of ecosystems occurs within these pastoral leases where, after a relatively short period of time, many changes to native flora and fauna populations have occurred. Biological diversity in the rangelands is declining most noticeably with the extinction, or reduction in the …

The Evidence For A Nascent Biotechnology Cluster In Cork, John W. Hobbs

Theses

Over the past 30 years, encouraged by Ireland’s low rate of corporation tax (currently 12.5 %), and active promotion of FDI by the IDA, foreign owned pharmaceutical plants have set up and multiplied in the Cork area. To Ireland’s advantages of a low tax rate, an English speaking population, a pro-business environment and membership of EU, Cork offered the added attractions of a deepwater port and large natural harbour, good freight connections, an international airport, an educated workforce and excellent sporting and leisure facilities for sailing, golf, etc. (Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson and Schering Plough have …

Business Graduate Studies In Croatia: An Exploration Of Educational Needs Of Working Professionals In The City Of Zagreb, Milena Kuznin

Theses

The particular attributes of an "ideal" business graduate program among middle managers in the city of Zagreb, Croatia were investigated. A mixed method of using both survey and indepth interviews was used to determine what specific educational needs the participants had. The results indicate that the majority of participants think the Republic of Croatia needs new business graduate programs designed in a way to develop new skills and deepen the knowledge in the new business economy. More specifically, they need programs offered by a reliable educational institution with expert professors and high face-to-face interaction. The opportunity for "networking" is stressed …

Us Army Military Base Closures In Germany - Evaluation Of Eh&S Activities, Sandra L. Torres

Theses

This research assessed the effectiveness of existing Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Management programs for two army installations located in Germany that were scheduled for closure. These two base closures were separated by a period of four years. This research qualitatively assessed the control measures in place, the effectiveness of these measures, and the final status of EH&S issues upon completion of the base closure process.

EH&S programs were evaluated using interviews of employees involved in the base closure in order to determine what processes were in place to minimize environmental impacts, what actions were taken to ensure the health …

An Online Guide For Traveling In Southern Spain Using Gui Design And Actionscripting, Yun-Ju Peng

Theses

My project is a personal travel experience website as well as a traveling aid for those who are interested in southern Spain, including Cordoba, Seville and Granada. To differentiate it from the traditional media, I've created an online travel book with many movies, flamenco guitar music, attractive Spain photos and other interesting features for users to enjoy. With user-friendly interface and appealing parts, my thesis enables users to experience how and what southern Spain looks like. The users can not only flip the pages, jump to a specific page directly by clicking the part they want, they can also play …

Evaluation Of Numerical, Analytical, And Experimental Particle Deposition In Simple And Lung Geometries, Pamela M. Snyder

Theses

Particle deposition is utilized to determine exposure limits, design inhaled medications, and study pulmonary disorders that are a result of airborne pathogens. This information can be obtained from analytical equations, experimental studies, empirical relationships, and numerical analysis.

This research utilizes analytical equations, empirical relationships, and experimental data to investigate the accuracy of three Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software packages; Fluent Discrete Phase Model (DPM), Fluent Fine Particle Model (FPM) and CFX. The sedimentation, molecular diffusion and impaction deposition mechanisms are investigated in a straight tube, bifurcating tube, and three generation lung geometry.

Sedimentation is evaluated in the straight tube for …

An Historical Retrospective On The Origin Of And Changes To The Worker's Compensation Insurance Industry, Gary Eure

Theses

Workers' compensation insurance companies have been at the vanguard of workplace safety initiatives maintaining laboratories, training facilities, intern programs, and hierarchical structures. Up until the late 1980's, risk control services were provided to clients as a customer service, with the costs hidden in the premiums. Many companies estimated 4-5 percent of the premium amount was devoted to risk control departments. The late 1980s brought about a change that some attribute to a misapplication of Deming's Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy. Insurance companies tried to make the move to accountability, thinking that it would drive customer service to a "Deming" level …

Salmonella Infection Among Farm Animals In Al Ain, United Arab Emirates., Dalal Saeed Saeed Mansour Al Kaabi

Theses

Salmonellosis is considered one of the most economically significant diseases, affecting man and different animals. The disease affects all ages of domesticated and wild living animals. Salmonellosis manifests a variety of clinical signs such as diarrhea, abortion, arthritis and respiratory problems. The natural habitat of Salmonella species is the intestinal tract of most animal species. Carrier animals represent a continuous source of shedding the bacteria in the surrounding environment. Salmonella infection among animals and then to man causing public health hazard.

In this study, a total of 882 samples were collected from different animal species in Al Ain area of …

Simulating The Oil Spill In The Arabian Gulf Marine Environment: A Risk Assessment In Association With Uae Coastal Desalination Plants, Abubaker Awad El-Hakeem

Theses

The current study is directed towards the development of oil spill hazard contour maps for the prediction of oil spill travel times and critical wind directions in association with major strategic desalination plants in United Arab Emirates. Five desalination plants in are selected along the UAE coastline to be the potential destination points of oil spill hazards. These plants are AI-Shuwayhat, AI-Mirfa, Umm AINar & Taweelah, Jebel Ali and AI-Layah.

In order to reach the set target, a coastal hydraulics simulation model is employed to adopt the real sea-state dynamic conditions. The hydrodynamic simulated results are tuned and tested against …

Characterization Of The Mechanisms By Which The Organophosphorus Compound Malathion Induces Apoptosis In L929 Murine Fibroblasts, Laila Masoud Ali Al-Alawi

Theses

While acute organophosphorous compound poisoning due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase is a well-established clinical entity, the existence of chronic poisoning due to exposure to low levels of organophosphorous compounds (below the threshold required for cholinergic clinical symptoms) is a hotly debated issue. In this study, we have evaluated the effects of noncholinergic doses of malathion (0.01-20 µM) on apoptosis of murine L929 fibroblasts. Employing flow cytometric and caspase activation analyses, we demonstrate that malathion induces apoptosis in L929 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The initiator caspases (caspase-8 and caspase-9) as well as the effector caspase (caspase-3) were activated …

Fine Mapping Of Sequences Important For Fiv Rna Packaging And Their Mechanism Of Function, Akela Ahmed Mohamed Ghazawi

Theses

The mechanism by which retroviruses preferentially encapsidate their unspliced genomic RNA among millions of both spliced viral and cellular mRNAs in the cytoplasm represents a function of great specificity. This selection process requires that the genomic RNA contain packaging determinants unique to its own RNA that can interact specifically with the packaging proteins of the viral particles, the Gag polyproteins. Knowing the exact sequences involved in packaging should provide basic insights into the mechanism of preferentially encapsidating the full length genomic RNA.

We have been interested in mapping the packaging determinants of the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lentivirus that …

Assessment Of The Effect Of Desalination Brine Waste On Marine Water Quality In Ruwais Area: A Numerical Modeling Application, Samer Jouda Al Nahhal

Theses

This thesis aims to investigate the fate and transport of the effluents discharged from

The desalination plant as well other facilities located in the Ruwais Industrial Complex

(RIC) in the United Arab Emirates. These effluents are discharged in to the Ruwais

Coastal marine waters. The effluents from the desalination plant are characterized by

warm water with high salinity, whereas one other effluent is characterized by high n

Nutrient loads. The characterization of the Ruwais environment and such effluents are

Addressed through comprehensive field surveys of the Ruwais costal water over one

Full year.

In order to investigate the impacts of …

Five Year Study Of The Effectiveness Of Safety Incentive Programs Instituted At Bj's Wholesale Club, Peter D. Van Derlyke

Theses

Safety incentive programs have been employed for many years as a means of keeping employee injuries under control. There are many ways incentives can be implemented and little is known about which are the most effective. This thesis project reports on a study conducted over five (5) years at some of BJ's Wholesale Club's highest accident frequency rate locations. Each year several locations with high accident frequency rates were chosen to be on what was called the Safety Task Force. The purpose of this thesis was to determine if safety incentives would aid in the reduction of workplace accidents. This …

Utilizing Neural Networks To Proactively Monitor Energy Usage In City Of Rochester Buildings, Brian J. Gillis

Theses

Energy usage within buildings in the United States is a very important topic because of the current price of natural gas, steam, and electricity and the ever-increasing depletion of fossil fuels. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully analyze building energy consumption. Currently, there are several methods used for analyzing a solitary building's energy usage. One method involves the use of a neural network (NN) model. The current use of NN for building energy prediction typically requires the collection of hourly energy usage data from a single building using data loggers during several different seasons and occupancy levels in order to …

Application Of Phenology To Assist In Hyperspectral Species Classification Of A Northern Hardwood Forest, Gretchen Sprehe

Theses

Tree species have unique spectral reflectance patterns that allows them to be both compared to other objects and to other types of trees. Increasing the spectral separation of such images may assist with surveying and forestry inventories. In past studies, most classifications were done with summer leaves, which darken and become very similar shades of green. This study utilized the phenology of trees to investigate how the changing colors of young or senescing leaves may assist in species classification based on aerial images. Images were taken of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is mainly dominated by sugar maple (Acer …

Is014001 And Oshas 18001, Effective Ehs Management Tools For Shoe Factories In Vietnam Case Study, Lam, Quang Anh Vu

Theses

With growing demand from stakeholders, Vietnamese shoe factories desperately need to effectively implement sound EHS management systems. The ISO14001 and OSHAS 18001 standards ("the Standards") have emerged as effective EHS management tools to serve those needs. However, the Vietnamese shoe industry has very limited experience in implementing those standards. They also do not understand the concept of cost-effectiveness and the challenges of implementation. Small medium enterprises anticipated difficulties in technology improvement required by the ISO 14001 due to resources limitation and all local companies concern about cost prohibited certification and no tangible market benefits (Greening Trade in Vietnam, 16). The …

Fractured Women: The Psychological Effects Of Rape, Robin Grabinski

Theses

Not Included

Stabilization Of Desert Sand Using Water-Borne Polymers, Shihab Wagiealla Abdalla Mohamed

Theses

Soil stabilization is one of the various applications that have benefited from the advances in polymeric materials. In this research, three water-borne polymeric emulsions with different chemical and physical properties were tested as stabilizers for sandy soil.

This study is divided into three parts. In the first part, the performance of the three emulsions in reducing the hydraulic conductivity and improving the mechanical properties of the sand was investigated. Specimens with polymer contents of up to 2 wt. % were prepared using two preparation methods, mixing and spraying. Both types of specimens exhibited a significant improvement in the studied properties. …

Analysis Of Production Control Methods For Semiconductor Research And Development Fabs Using Simulation, Vikram Ramamurthi

Theses

The importance of semiconductor device fabrication has been rising steadily over many years. Integrated circuit technology and innovation depends on successful research and development (R&D). R&D establishes the direction for prevailing technology in electronics and computers. To be a leader in the semiconductor industry, a company must bring technology to the market as soon as its application is deemed feasible. Using suitable production control methods for wafer fabrication in R&D fabs ensures reduction in cycle times and planned inventories, which in turn help to more quickly, transfer the new technology to the production fabs, where products are made on a …

Memory Fix, Christopher James Jordan

Theses

This thesis serves as the written accompaniment to the visual work comprising the exhibit: Memory Fix, examining notions of personal geography set within more generalized conceptions of place, memory and identity formation. Further, it explores the ambiguity between ways in which place is remotely documented versus intimately experienced. We live in a culture of displacement, where technologies paradoxically render far-away places more accessible, but also contribute to the distancing of the immediate and authentic. This displacement also extends to the world of image and depiction. Place-representations are emptied of original meanings and connotations through overexposure and mass circulation. Against …

A Correlational Study Of The Effect Of Per Pupil Expenditure On Standardized Third Grade Reading Scores In Missouri, John Arthur Dunahm Jr.

Theses

Funding of education has long been a major topic of discussion in both the public and political arenas. How tax dollars are spent in the area of education is now at the forefront of this debate with the advent of mechanisms which are designed to hold schools accountable for their funding. The chief mechanism of accountability is standardized testing achievement by students.

In this study, per-pupil expenditures for schools districts in the state of Missouri, for the years 1998 and 2002, will be examined as a correlation to high student achievement on the Missouri Assessment Program third grade communication arts …

The Impact Of Providing Teachers With Collaboration Time, During The School Day, On Student Achievement, Onofrio Francis Monachino Iii

Theses

Because many forms of professional development require teachers and others to work together (e.g., participation in formal mentoring programs and networking with teachers in other schools), skill building in collaboration is often the prescribed approach. Skills in working with others are especially important if the aim of professional development is change (Guskey, 1995). This ethnographic study examines the effect on student achievement by providing teachers with collaboration time during the school day. The study was conducted at a rural middle school. In order for student achievement to improve, schools must search for innovative methods. By restructuring the school day, this …

Perception Of Meaning And Usage Motivations Of Emoticons Among Americans And Chinese Users, Yujiao Wang

Theses

Do people of different cultures agree on the meaning and use of emoticons? This study addresses this question from an inter-cultural perspective and explores the use of emoticons in the American and Chinese Computer-mediated communication (CMC) communities. The research indicates that both the Americans and Chinese participants use emoticons for entertaining, informational and social interaction motivations but the Americans are more likely to use emoticons for information motivations than the Chinese and the Chinese participants are more likely to use emoticons for social interactions than the Americans participants. The results correspond to the cultural differences between the two countries in …

How Much Weight Is Too Much For Manual Lifting : Determining A Weight Limit Guideline For Team-Effort Lifting Tasks, Piyush G. Chapla

Theses

Manual material handling is the primary cause of musculoskeletal injuries, which includes injuries related to lower back, at the workplaces in the U.S. Of all the manual material handling tasks, lifting has been the leading contributor to lower back injuries. These injuries may be induced by several risk factors associated with lifting tasks, weight of the object being lifted being one of them.

Weight limit guidelines have been developed by various groups recommending the weights that workers can lift safely without sustaining injuries. However, these guidelines are aimed to serve individual lifting tasks. Even though team lifting is a common …

Occupational Decision-Making And Career Choice Among School-Leavers In Ireland 2002-2004 With Particular Reference To A Career In The Hotel And Catering Industry, Clement H. Ryan

Theses

No abstract provided.

Distinguishing Metaphysical From Epistemological Randomness, Andrew Michael Johnson

Theses

The term 'random' is used both popularly and in science in different senses. Randomness sometimes refers to our subjective epistemological inability to discern structure and other times to objective lack of structure in an observed phenomenon. This thesis argues that the best understanding of 'random' should be as a profitable heuristic, similar to imaginary numbers and potential infinities, under the rubric of epistemological randomness (ER). It further argues that positive claims of metaphysical randomness (MR) must be justified by both internality and indeterminacy. Internality acts as a criterion that controls for external causal influences in a given phenomenon. Indeterminacy requires …

Geochemical Studies To Assess Marine Oil Pollution Zakum Field, Abu Dhabi, Uae, Bakheet Saeed Al Katheeri

Theses

The present study aims at quantifying and assessing the organic and inorganic pollutants in the offshore sediments of the Zakum Field, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Twenty-six sampling stations were selected to cover the maximum area of the field. Sediments samples were subjected to a variety of analyses including mechanical analysis, Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) analysis, twenty congeners of Poly Chlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) analysis, sixteen different Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) analysis and eight heavy metals analysis. For a comparison purpose six old marine seabed core samples which collected from Zakum Filed between 1966 and 1978 were analyzed …

Incineration And Environmental Justice : The Case Of Communities Around Connecticut Resource Recovery Facilities, Michael A. Bilheimer

Theses

The current depleting landfill capacity in Connecticut means that resource recovery facilities will be relied on heavily to meet the States' waste disposal needs. This heavy reliance on these facilities will place greater burdens on the host communities of these waste facilities. Therefore it is important to examine the citing of these facilities to determine if these sitings unfairly targeted a particular segment of the population.

To determine if siting has been unjust in Connecticut, this study uses a geographic information system (GIS) to analyze demographic data surrounding each facility in a comparison of demographic data from 1990 and 2000 …

The Rise And Fall Of Open Market Emissions Trading In New Jersey, Devin Peter Demarco

Theses

On August 2, 1996, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) promulgated rules governing its Open Market Emissions Trading (OMET) program. With a goal to provide industry with a greater degree of flexibility in meeting federal air compliance directives and simultaneously move the state towards the attainment of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), this program is now slated for termination following scrutiny from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), environmental groups and a new NJDEP administration.

This thesis discusses the basis for this scrutiny and other program flaws discovered through interviews with, and public comments from, NJDEP and …

An In Vitro Evaluation Of Tyrosine Derived Polyarylates And Polycarbonate As Polymeric Scaffold For Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Osteogenic Differentiation, Manish Suresh Godbole

Theses

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) obtained from the adult bone marrow are multipotential cells that are capable of differentiating along several lineages. They are readily available and abundant source of cells in the field of tissue engineering. For their use in treating certain connective tissue defect or disorders, their success depends at minimum on the use of scaffolds that support differentiation. Therefore , this thesis details a study that systematically evaluated hMSC differentiation on materials that exhibit gradual range in surface properties as a first study for selecting materials as potential scaffolds. Polycarbonates and polyarylates have combinatorial libraries that exhibit …