Digital Commons Network^™

The Development Of A Biodegradable Scaffold For A Tissue Engineered Heart Valve, Thomas Adam Alheidt

Theses

In the current state of medical technology, there exists the need for a quality medical device to replace a failing heart valve. Presently, mechanical valves as well as donor tissue valves, either from humans or animals are used to replace failing heart valves. These valves although they can operate in the heart satisfactorily are not equal to the body replacing its own valve. Tissue Engineering in simple terms is the field of helping the body replace its own failing organ. In scientific terms, Tissue Engineering is a relatively young field, a majority of the major advancements have come in the …

Characterization And Corrosion Of Bcc-Tantalum Coating Deposited On Aluminum And Steel Substrate By Dc Magnetron Sputtering, Chirag Joshi

Theses

Tantalum is one of the most versatile highly refractory corrosion-resistant metals. Tantalum coating can be used as an effective corrosion barrier if it is continuous, free from defects and it adheres well to the substrate. A DC magnetron sputtering technique was used to deposit tantalum on aluminum and steel. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the tantalum films produced by sputtering had two crystallographic structures: a body centered cubic α-phase and a metastable tetragonal β-phase. Tough and ductile alpha phase tantalum is preferred over the hard and brittle beta phase tantalum, as a protective coating. Alpha phase coatings were successfully deposited …

Staff Perspectives On The Experience Of A Problem-Based Learning Staff Development Module: Impact On Their Pedagogical Stance, Una Coleman

Theses

The current shift towards problem-based learning (PBL) internationally within higher education, and the transfer of some programmes within higher education in Ireland into PBL programmes, suggests that staff development needs to be a key component in any PBL implementation strategy. PBL radically transforms the roles and functions of both staff and student and challenges teachers’ beliefs and accompanying perceptions about the teaching and learning process. This study documents the impact of a PBL staff development programme on the participants and assesses the impact on their pedagogical stance.

The approach to this study was guided by my belief in the socially …

Environmental Management Of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Weee) In Ireland, Simon Wilkinson

Theses

This thesis follows two previous studies by the Author on the calculation of theoretical WEEE arisings, and an assessment of ecodesign practices in Ireland. It has established collection trials in five different locations throughout Ireland in order to characterise and quantify WEEE arisings, and to examine outlets for collected WEEE. Overall, during the twelve months of collection at the project locations, more than 450 tonnes of WEEE was collected from the public and recycled. Within the catchments of each facility, collection rates of between 2.1 and 3.5 kg/person/year were achieved during the twelve-month trial period. With further public awareness raising …

Extraction Of A Valuable Compound From A Waste Stream For Adm Ringaskiddy, Colin G. Burkley

Theses

This thesis was originally conceived as a potential Masters Degree research programme by the management of ADM Ringaskiddy as a means of maximizing throughput through the plant’s wastewater treatment facility. This facility is a major producer of citric acid using beet molasses and a fermentation process. It was proposed that removal of a compound, known as betaine, from the citric acid process waste stream would reduce the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) content of the waste requiring treatment before disposal. This would be achieved by using the citric acid process waste as the feedstock for a betaine extraction process. The wastewater …

Development Of A Portable Carbon Monoxide Sensor Based On An External Cavity Diode Laser At 1565 Nm, Eva Shirley Norris

Theses

Carbon monoxide is a major trace gas pollutant with road traffic being responsible for most emissions. Work has been done on the development of a carbon monoxide sensor, which is potentially capable of measuring the gas in vehicle exhaust emissions. This is based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy The device must distinguish carbon monoxide from other gas species and from particulate matter. The device should also operate with a response time of the order of one second, have the potential for portability and a capacity for remote operation. Experimental work presented compares and contrasts the characteristics of the free-running …

Photo Binge, Colette Fu

Theses

Not Included

A Problem-Based Learning Approach To Continuing Professional Education For Pre-School Officers In The Early Childhood Care And Education Sector In Ireland: Rationale And Curriculum Design, Maresa Duignan

Theses

This study explores the potential of Problem-Based-Learning (PBL) as a teaching and learning strategy and curriculum design, in a continuing professional education course for a group of Pre-School Officers in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. A rationale for the adoption of PBL is presented. This rationale is based on the symmetry between PBL as a teaching and learning strategy and the professional practice model of the ECCE sector in Ireland. It is also grounded in the correspondence between established criteria for effective continuing professional education and PBL theory and practice.

A qualitative research design is …

An Assessment Of Distance Learning Delivery Methodologies And The Proposal Of An Open Distance Learning Delivery Model For A Third Level Course In Sports Development, Deirdre Kiely

Theses

In the development of a distance learning curriculum the appropriate choice of media, in terms of both presentation of course materials, and of the approach to providing tutorial and other support, is a key question that needs to be addressed at the outset. However, very few studies provide guidelines for distance learning facilitators to help them in choosing these delivery methods. This study aimed to propose an Open Distance Learning (ODL) delivery model for a third level course in Sports Development and in doing so identifies a number of criteria which may be used by institutes when deciding on their …

Public Relations For Small Business: A Communication Application To Business Management, Diane J. Morton

Theses

Large corporations and businesses in the public eye employ public relations professionals or commission public relations agencies to manage efforts that protect business reputation and mediate relationships between a business and its publics. To succeed, small businesses need similar relationships with their publics, but many business owners do not dedicate time or resources to public relations functions. Relatively little information is available in the public relations literature specifically for small businesses. The purpose of this thesis is to identify the applicability of corporate public relations functions for small businesses, and to formulate a public relations plan for entrepreneurs and small …

Gender Differences Of College Students And Pathological Gambling, Richard Clyde Vantreece

Theses

Gender differences among college students and pathological gambling have been studied in the past by various researchers. The purpose of this study was to investigate which gender was more likely to be at risk for a pathological gambling disorder. This population is interesting for the purpose of this study because the majority of pathological gamblers report beginning this habit in adolescence. Fifty college students were selected from the Human Subject Research Pool Department. Students completed a demographic sheet and the South Oaks Gambling Screen. T-tests were done to compare the differences among the genders. The results showed no significant difference …

Alcoholism And Add: A Comparative Study Of Male Adults With Alcoholism And Attention Deficit Disorder, Brechanna C. Bell

Theses

A comparative study was conducted to conclude the subtype of alcoholism and ADD/Hyperactivity in adult males. Thirty one diagnosed male alcoholics and thirty one non-diagnosed male adult alcoholics were screened for ADD/Hyperactivity. All sixty two subjects were asked to complete a personal data questionnaire and a brief self-administered form using MHS Quik:Score forms, relating to the Conners' Adult ADHD Self-Screening Rating Scale (CAARS-S). The data was statistically analyzed using transformation tables from raw scores to standardized t-scores for equality of means by use of the SPSS Analytical Program.

Rhythm Of Silence, Mary P. Wohler

Theses

This thesis focuses on a fictional depiction of life in the small town of Marion. Illinois in the 1930s and 40s. Each summer throughout my childhood, I spent several weeks visiting my Grandmother, Bertha Kelsey, and Aunt, Dorothy Odum, who live in Marion, Illinois. Spending the balance of the year living in the suburbs of St. Louis, I found Marion a very different world from the one I knew.

This story, in large part, was inspired by my memories of Marion as well as the memories my mother, Rosemary Doerner, has shared with me about growing up in Marion. Any …

Trace Analysis Of Organic Substances, Alan Giltinan

Theses

One of the major challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry is the control of the amount of trace contaminants during the manufacture of organic substances. Lowering the level of contamination improves the quality of the product and reduces possible side effects.

One of the main techniques used to detect trace contaminants is UV-VIS spectroscopy, where the unique absorption fingerprint of a chemical reveals its presence. UV-VIS absorption is based upon the Beer-Lambert Law. The critical point to note about this law is that the absorption is exponentially dependent on both the concentration of the absorber and the pathlength traversed by the …

Body Image And Quality Of Life: A Comparative Study Between Black And White Females, Chrissy Mitchell

Theses

This research examines the relationship between body image avoidance behaviors and quality of life for black an white females. The subjects in this study included 39 black females and 24 white females in St. Louis County. The ages of participants ranged from 14 to 20 years old. In order to examine the relationship between these two variables the mean, standard deviation, and an independent t-test was performed. There was a strong positive correlation between BIAQ and QOL Importance subscale for Black and White females. A discussion of limitations of this study and implications for future research will be discussed later.

The Relationship Between Marital Satisfaction And Caregiver Burden In Parents Who Care For Adult Children With Development Disabilities, Jujuane M. Easter

Theses

This study examines the relationship between marital satisfaction and caregiver burden in parents of individuals with mental disabilities. Eighteen couples (18 women and 18 men) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Index of Marital Satisfaction (IMS), and the Caregiver's Burden Scale (CBS). It was hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between marital satisfaction and caregiver burden. The correlations between the IMS scale and CBS scale were calculated for men and women separately. Findings indicate that the correlation for the IMS scale with the CBS scale for men was not statistically significant (.246). Also, the correlation for the IMS scale …

Cultural Sensitivity In Visual Communication, Yih-Chi Wang

Theses

Not Included

Best Practices For Integration Of Iso 14001 Environmental Management Systems Into Small To Medium Size Businesses, Najib Hakim

Theses

Small to Medium size Businesses (SMBs) are now confronted with a new challenge; "Would it be appropriate to implement and incorporate a strategic Environmental Management System (EMS) into their business?" SMBs have to live up to certain environmental responsibilities similar to large corporations. Major corporations are starting to favor suppliers that have a certified ISO 14001 environmental management system, so the question for many SMBs is, "Is it feasible to incorporate such a system?" Industries currently face a certain degree of challenge when it comes to the environment, environmental performance, and demands by society for cleaner, more efficient processes. In …

Workplace Violence Prevention And Systems Management, Megan Ahn

Theses

Violence in the workplace has become a major concern to labor, business, and government. In the past ten years, between 600 and 1000 work related deaths have been attributed to homicide. The repercussions of non-fatal aggression and violence in the workplace are not yet clear. What is clear is that all organizations are at some degree of risk and that regulatory and legal requirements dictate that preventive action be taken to protect employees, other stakeholders and the public from workplace violence. This thesis posits that by using a systems management approach along with the techniques of quality management, instances of …

Interpersonal Communication Training At The Cia, Jerry Fischetti

Theses

The purpose of this research is to present and evaluate an educational intervention strategy developed at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to enhance the interpersonal communication skills of Associate Degree students. Specifically, a class in interpersonal communications with unique behavioral objectives was introduced into the Associate Degree programs in January 2001 to improve the preparation of these students as managers and facilitators in the industry. Utilizing some core concepts of learning theory and the theory of cognitive dissonance, as well as theories of organizational change and resistance to change, an ethnographic study was conducted to assess the extent to …

Marketing Ireland In The Face Of Adversity., Angela Wright

Theses

This study is an examination of the factors which influence the success or failure of the tourism industry in Ireland. This research incorporates the views, opinions, and commentaries of leading figures in each sector of importance for this key industry within the Irish economy. An examination of various bodies charged with the management of the Irish tourism industry, since its inception as a recognised commercial entity, is included in this study. This research highlights the confusion that has surrounded the constitution, mandate, and nomenclature of these national management bodies in recent times.

A significant finding of this study is that, …

Analysis Of Phycotoxin And Mycotoxin, Contaminants In Foods, Using Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry Techniques, Ana Brana Magdalena

Theses

The impact of phycotoxins and mycotoxins on human and animal health are of important concern for worldwide authorities and the scientific community. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques have been developed, optimised and validated for the analysis of these toxins.

Phycotoxins are potentially toxic substances, which are produced by marine phytoplankton and which may accumulate in shellfish or finfish. Azaspiracid poisoning (AZP) is a recently discovered syndrome that has been implicated in several incidents of human intoxications. A study was undertaken to examine the distribution of azaspiracids (AZA) in scallops {Pecten maximiis) and mussels {Mytiliis edulis). Domoic acid (DA) is an …

Development Of An Automated Thiopurine Methyltransferase (Tpmt) Genotyping Assay, Mary Corcoran

Theses

Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyses the S- methylation of aromatic and sulphydryl compounds known as the thiopurines. These therapeutic agents are used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and organ transplant recipients.

Erythrocyte TPMT activity is polymorphic and patients with intermediate or deficient TPMT are at significant risk for excessive toxicity after receiving ‘standard’ doses of thiopurine medications. The activity of TPMT is inherited as an autosomal co-dominant trait. Several mutations in the TPMT gene have been described that correlate with a low activity phenotype. Three mutations G238C, G460A and …

Development Of An Expert System Tool For Environmental Impact Assessment, Raed Mohamed M. Al Marzouqi

Theses

In this study, approaches to environmental impact assessment are reviewed and discussed. An expert system tool has been developed via the use of Microsoft Access tool for data management and Visual Basic programming for decision-making. Policies and regulations included in the program are based on the Technical Guidelines # 4 of the Dubai Municipality. The salient features of the program can be summarized as follows: the program allows the EIA applicant to input all the necessary information about his/her company and its activities. All discharges to air, water and land are compared with TG # 4 and status report is …

Effective And Economical Development And Implementation Of Environmental Performance Evaluation In Small And Medium Size Enterprises, Hyunkee Bae

Theses

Nowadays, diverse interested parties - non-governmental organizations (NGOs), regulators, investors, customers, and other stakeholders are demanding more meaningful information about organizations' environmental performances. Regardless of whether or not many companies have a certified Environmental Management System (EMS) inplace, they are becoming increasingly interested in Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE) as an effective decision-making tool for managing the environmental aspects of their activities, products and services. While large companies have created diverse procedures, methods, and criteria depending on each organization's unique situation, Small and medium size Enterprises (SMEs) typically do not have enough resources to create and develop the evaluation procedures, criteria, …

Investigation And Evaluation Of Foodservice Industry Packaging Formats, Cindy O'Leary-Swinson

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the packaging usage of the foodservice industry in today's marketplace. It summarized the foodservice packaging formats in terms of relative volume related to usage, as well as the packaging materials broken down by sector. The opinions of industry professionals toward food packaging formats were evaluated. Two different measurement instruments were used to obtain information. A survey was used to obtain the opinions of foodservice professionals in regards to the different packaging formats, and an audit form was used to inventory the packaging formats within the different segments. It was determined that foodservice …

Nature Through Sculpture, Jaewon Lee

Theses

"Human beings were born from nature and in death they return back to nature." This quote express how closely we are connected to nature which is defined a word as all the plants, animals and things that exist in the universe that are not made by people. We first came from nature, and in this complicated society, we sometimes feel like returning to the peaceful, magnificent and tranquil side of nature. Through my work, I would like to show his interpretation of how nature is. For example, a person can look at the ocean and feel peaceful, but someone else …

Analysis Of Space Employee Risk Acceptance, Aliya Bostubayeva

Theses

In the summer of 2002, eighty-one students, faculty and staff of RIT took a survey that was aimed at determining the possible employees expectations about the risk compensation if hired to work in space. Every mission in space entails a certain degree of health damage; the length of stay is directly related with more risk involved. The survey results help understand rough estimations of risk acceptance of the future space labor force (cosmonauts and astronauts not included). Three sets of questions described the consequences of space missions (short, month-long and long), where the extent of health damage is directly dependent …

Impact Of Reject Brine Chemical Composition From Inland Desalination Plants On Soil, Juma Bin Khalfan Bin Khamis Al-Handhaly

Theses

The impact of reject brine chemical composition and disposal from inland desalination plants on soil in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, namely Al Wagan, Al Quaa and Urn Al Zumool, was evaluated. Twenty five (25) inland Brackish Water Reverse Osmoses (BWRO) desalination plants (11 at Al Wagan, 12 at Al Quaa, and 2 at Urn Al Zumool) were investigated. The average capacity of these plants varied between 26,400 G/d (99.93 m³/d) and 61,000 G/d (230.91 m³/d). The recovery rate varied from 60 and 70% and the reject brine accounts for about 30 - 40 …

Unsupervised Skin Lesion Classification And Matching, Paula Yandow-Reilly

Theses

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), since 1973, the mortality rate for melanoma has increased by 44%. The number of serious skin cancers diagnosed has also more than doubled in that same period. Even though serious skin cancers (melanoma) account for only 4% of skin cancer diagnoses (and skin cancer is the most common cancer) it is responsible for almost all (79%) cancer deaths. The ACS reports about 7,300 people in the United States are expected to die of melanomas in 2002, other sources put the number as high as 7,800. There are about 130,000 cases of melanoma worldwide, …