Digital Commons Network^™

Peer Mediation: One Component Of Student Conflict Resolution, Alicia A. Erney

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to identify the effectiveness of the peer mediation program instituted at Edgewood Regional Junior High School. A quantitative analysis would establish the validity of the program and replace perceptions with statistical documentation. The action based research design compared the number of disciplinary referrals resulting in suspension for fighting or student assault to the number of cases referred to mediation. The student population was comprised of approximately one thousand students in grades seven, eight, and nine. The mediation statistics were compiled on a monthly basis from the information contained on student forms that were kept as part …

The Effectiveness Of The Use Of The Picture Exchange Communication System (Pecs) On The Development Of Functional Communication Skills In Preschool Children With Autism, Patricia M. Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on the development of functional communication skills in four preschool children with autism. The students involved in this study were enrolled in two preschool disabilities-autism classrooms. The classrooms were very similar in the routine and schedule they followed in addition to the teaching and behavioral techniques that were used with each student. Three students were pretested in September 1998, the fourth student was pretested in November 1998. All four students were posttested in March 1999 to measure their individual growth …

The Effects Of Positive Intervention Strategies On At-Risk Twelfth Grade Students, Barbara M. Castleberry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of positive intervention strategies on the attendance rate and academic progress of fifteen identified at-risk twelfth grade students using an action research design. Additional purposes of this study included demonstration of the intern's leadership skills in problem analysis, organizational ability, decision-making techniques and motivational ability. Mathematical analysis was used to determine if the attendance rate and grade point averages of the identified at-risk twelfth grade students increased or decreased over their attendance rate and grade point averages in the eleventh grade as a result of positive intervention strategies. Also analyzed …

A Title Ix Assessment For The Athletic Department At Salem High School, David W. Suiter

Theses and Dissertations

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides legislative relief for females who were being denied participation opportunities in intercollegiate and interscholastic athletics.

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the number of Title IX lawsuits brought against secondary institutions.

The purpose of this study was to perform a Title IX "self-audit" of the Salem High School Athletic Department and its programs. It was designed to identify any problems and recommend solutions.

It also provides a method for continued self-examination for the Salem City School District and any other secondary institutions interested in determining their Title …

Learning Is More Than Meets The Eye: Vision Affects Reading And Impacts The Learning Of All Students, Paulina Holly Kleve Graf

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Malwida Von Meysenbug's Memoirs Of An Idealist. Translation Of Memoiren Einer Idealistin, Monte Gardiner

Theses and Dissertations

The following translation is the first full length rendering of Malwida von Meysenbug's two-volume autobiography Memoiren einer Idealistin/Eine Reise nach Ostende into English. Meysenbug, who boasts ties to Nietzsche, Wagner, Herzen, and Saffi, was forerunner to a long line of female social democrats. She was an eyewitness to the tumultuous political events surrounding the German Revolution of 1848, and is remembered as a pioneer in education and gender issues. Meysenbug's memoirs depict nineteenth-century Europe in a dynamic state of transformation. This is a time of opposition and contradiction, when emerging philosophies and political movements vie for power with existing structures. …

Protein Structure Prediction Using Parallel Linkage Investigating Genetic Algorithms, Karl R. Deerman

Theses and Dissertations

AFIT has had a long-standing interest in solving the protein structure prediction (PSP) problem. The PSP problem is an intractable problem that if "solved" can lead to revolutionary new techniques for everything from the development of new medicines to optical computer switches. The challenge is to find a reliable and consistent method of predicting the 3-dimensional structure of a protein given its defining sequence of amino acids. PSP is primarily concerned with predicting the tertiary protein structure without regards to how the protein came to this folded state. The tertiary structure determines the protein's functionality.

Modeling Chemical Absorption Through Membranes, Jeffrey M. Hemmes

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the processes involved in dermal penetration of chemicals and drugs is important to both toxicologists and pharmacologists. Researchers developing new drugs are interested in enhancing the penetration of chemicals through the skin, while environmental professionals are interested in limiting such penetration. For both types of applications, predictive biologically-based mathematical models can be very useful in understanding the processes involved, particularly when such models are based on physiological and biochemical parameters which can be measured experimentally. In this thesis we study two existing physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models that predict concentrations of neat and aqueous dibromomethane (DBM) absorbed into and through …

Biodegradation Of Aircraft Deicing Fluid Components In Soil, Baron W. Burke

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft de-icing fluids (ADFs) are used worldwide to ensure safe aircraft operations. This research effort was conducted to analyze the biodegradation effects of two chemical components of ADFs, propylene glycol (PG) and tolyltriazole (TTA), in a high-clay soil. The research used four test methods; automated respirometry, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), microbial colony population counts (MCPC), and agar well diffusion tests (AWDT). The research was partitioned into two phases of investigation. Phase-one analyzed individual and combined ADF chemical components on uncontaminated soil. The presence of TTA, from 25 - 1,000 mg/kg, reduced the maximum respiration rate of 1,000 mg/kg PG …

Expeditious Method For Estimating Cleanup Costs At Department Of Defense Installations In Korea, John M. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop and test a method that can be used to expeditiously estimate costs of hazardous waste site remediation at US DoD installations in Korea allowing decision-makers to formulate remediation strategy. This objective was addressed through answering the following questions: (1) What cost and time constraints do the decision-makers have in developing remediation cost estimates; (2) What degree of accuracy do the decision-makers require in cost estimates; (3) What estimating models are available for determining costs of remediation activities; (4) Have models been used to estimate remediation activities' costs at Korean installations; and (5) …

Expeditious Methods For Site Characterization And Risk Assessment At Department Of Defense Hazardous Waste Sites In The Republic Of Korea, Dean H. Hartman

Theses and Dissertations

The overall goal of this research was to provide Department of Defense (DoD) decision-makers in the Republic of Korea (ROK) with preferred innovative site characterization technologies and risk assessment methods to meet their needs in obtaining hazardous waste site data and then prioritizing those sites for remediation based upon risk. The study examined the following: primary sources and types of existing contamination at DoD installations in the ROK; available site characterization data; criteria to be used in selecting innovative site characterization technologies; costs and capabilities of the innovative site characterization technologies; risk assessment or risk-based corrective action (RBCA) methods available …

Concept Design And Optimization Of Msw Management System, James R. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

The maximum recovery of recyclables from municipal solid waste (MSW) using material recovery facility (MRF) technologies is determined. Two waste streams at Spangdahlem AB, Germany are analyzed; stationary container wastes and commingled recyclables. Three schemes are considered, one for each waste stream, and one for both. Multi-criteria decision making is the methodology. The criteria are recovery and annual benefit minus cost (B-C). Recovery is determined using the recovery factor transfer function of Diaz et al. (1982). Each technology, or unit operation, in a sequence is independent because particle size distribution of each waste component is considered. B-C is based on …

Resolving Problems In Engineering Ethics: Precept And Example, Joel C. Adair

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis has served to accomplish several objectives. First, a foundation was laid for the consideration of ethical factors in an engineering context. This was done by first establishing the need for ethical judgement in the engineering disciplines. A summary of several significant classical ethical theories followed, providing several tools with which to evaluate decisions that have ethical implications. Finally, the conclusion was made that the best framework for making ethical decisions is found in the application of the virtues espoused by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

An Investigation Into The Noninvasive Assessment Of Bone Density Using Multiplexed Compton Scattered Tomography, Marc J. Sands

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the application of a Compton scatter imaging technique to measure bone density. A demonstration Multiplexed Compton Scatter Tomograph (MCST) was assembled to demonstrate the feasibility of detecting osteoporosis by modifying a system originally designed to detect hidden corrosion in aluminum aircraft wings. Measurements were performed on an aluminum phantom representing a wrist bone containing varying densities in the center and varying thickness of the cortical shell. The densities in the center are comparable to normal trabecular bone, sixty-percent of normal trabecular bone and a void. The MCST images of the phantom were …

Optimal Pulsed Pumping Schedule Using Calculus Of Variation Methodology, Tay W. Johannes

Theses and Dissertations

Application of a variational optimization technique has demonstrated the potential strength of pulsed pumping operations for use at existing pump-and-treat aquifer remediation sites. The optimized pulsed pumping technique has exhibited notable improvements in operational effectiveness over continuous pumping. The optimized pulsed pumping technique has also exhibited an advantage over uniform time intervals for pumping and resting cycles. The most important finding supports the potential for managing and improving pumping operations in the absence of complete knowledge of plume characteristics. An objective functional was selected to minimize mass of water removed and minimize the non-essential mass of contaminant removed. General forms …

A Constructive Induction Approach To Computer Immunology, Kelley J. Cardinale, Hugh M. O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing birth rate of new viruses and the rise in interconnectivity and interoperability among computers, the burden of detecting and destroying computer viruses is severe. This research integrated four domains: computer virus detection, human immunology, computer immunology and an automated form of machine learning called constructive induction. First, a Computer Health System, based on the public health system, was defined to improve the 'global' approach to computer virus protection. Second, a computer immune model, based on the human immune system, was defined to improve the 'local' approach to virus detection. Third, the detection component of this computer immune …

Toward Development Of An Integrated Aerospace Power Doctrine, Toby G. Doran

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis discusses the state of the Air Force, decision making factors in the making of military doctrine, the definition of doctrine, Air Force doctrines today, new ways to develop doctrine, including models and hypothesis-research-analysis loops, space doctrine, control of space, space superiority and a call for aerospace power doctrine.

Textual Analysis Of Environmental Compliance Assessment Program Findings, Arthur L. Gepner Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force (USAF) is committed to assessing environmental compliance; this is achieved in the USAF through the Environmental Compliance Assessment Management Program (ECAMP). These ECAMP audits are designed strictly to assess compliance performance at one point-in-time. They are not intended to assess underlying environmental management systems. This study provides insight into the USAF Environmental Management System (EMS) through a textual analysis of ECAMP data. The analysis discovers eleven categories that emerged from the data: performance, communication, documentation, coordination, training, guidance, notification, resource, human resource, material resource, and financial resource. These categories display a hierarchical relationship. This hierarchical …

Individual Housing Choices Among Air Force Members, Michael J. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force members have three different housing choices: live in MFH, rent in the local community, or buy a house in the local community. A set of six constructs (Housing Attributes, Safety, Pet Importance, Location, Military Housing Perception, and Community) that encompass members' considerations is developed and analyzed. The data was extracted from a survey that was specifically designed to illicit the relative importance of each construct during the housing decision making process. Each construct was measured using a Likert scale score. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the overall Likert mean score for each construct. Using the Likert mean …

Sorption Of The Aircraft Deicing Fluid Component Methyl-Benzotriazole In Soil, David L. Kellner

Theses and Dissertations

The air transportation industry requires deicing/anti-icing (ADAF) fluids to maintain flight operations in cold weather conditions. Additives to the ADAF aid in the performance of these agents. Approximately 52M liters of concentrated aircraft deicing fluid are used in North America per year in an attempt to correct this safety problem. Among the additives to ADAF are corrosion inhibitors flame retardants, wetting agents, and thickening agents. Some of these agents are known to be toxic to microorganisms. Identification of the transport processes of these agents in the environment is a necessary first step to understanding how to remediate ADAF. Methyl-Benzotriazole (MeBT) …

Natural Attenuation Of Chlorinated Ethenes By Anaerobic Reductive Dechlorination Coupled With Aerobic Cometabolism, Derek D. Veerkamp

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated solvents and their daughter products are the most common contaminants of groundwater at industrial and military facilities in the United States. Limitations of conventional technologies have intensified efforts to find alternative methods to remediate contaminated sites to regulatory goals set by CERCLA. Natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents is a promising alternative to traditional pump and treat methods but has not been well understood or widely accepted. This modeling study investigated the ability of TCE to completely degrade under various aquifer conditions and rate order constants. It also examined a case study of a former landfill site at Moody AFB. …

A Critical Study Of Informal And Incidental Learning Resulting From Civil Action Within An American Indian Community., Elizabeth Antionette Laverdure-Mcdougall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, in-depth, how informal and incidental experiences impacted participants participating in civil action found within an American Indian community from a critically reflective qualitative paradigm. This study was based upon the assumption that all individuals, through their own power and wisdom, have the capacity to learn under any circumstance and that each individual learns through their own unique experiences. Finally, the aim of this study is to create an awareness of the relationship between American Indian communities and education.Qualitative methods were employed in this study which included in-depth interviews, observation and triangulation …

Assessment Of A Technical Assistance Model: Serving Youth With Disabilities In Residential Settings In North Dakota., Joan Bonsness

Theses and Dissertations

State education agencies, school districts, and residential corrective and treatment facilities share common concern for the disproportionate number of youth with disabilities placed in out-of-district settings. Central to this concern is the fact that many juveniles with disabilities in residential facilities may not receive the educational services to which they are entitled. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (DPI) initiated a technical assistance project in an effort to facilitate cooperation between corrective and treatment facilities and school districts in serving these youth.The purpose of this study was to identify if a technical assistance project could facilitate interaction among educators …

Metastatic Potential And Resistance To Oxidative Stress In Nb2 Lymphoma Cell., Hanqian Liang

Theses and Dissertations

Malignant cancers typically become more aggressive with time. This process, termed tumor or malignant progression, is associated with phenotypic changes within the tumor, such as loss of dependence upon growth factors or hormones, development of drug resistance, tissue invasiveness and metastatic ability. The observation of differences in levels of glutathione (GSH) and related enzymes, resistance to activation of apoptosis, and induction of transcription factors suggest that (1) oncogenic progression from growth factor dependency to autonomy in the Nb2 lymphoma cell model is associated with adaptive changes in the redox state of the cell and that these changes potentiate or facilitate …

Cultural Influences On Body Image Perception Of Native American Women., Melody Lafriniere

Theses and Dissertations

Although cultural influences are gaining increased recognition in research in many areas, few studies have considered cultural influences on body image perception. Similarly, literature addressing the issues of American Indian women is lacking. Very little research considers the cultural influence on body image perception of American Indian women.This project considers the influences of culture as it relates to an American Indian woman's perception of her body image. Eighty-four American Indian women, enrolled as students at a small Midwestern university participated in this study to determine their body image perception according to Cash's Multidimensional Body-Self Questionnaire, and the influences of their …

Federal Special Education Law And Discipline Of Students With Disabilities: A Description Of The Factors Influencing Key Actors Involved In The Development Of Sections 612(A)(1)(A) And 615(K) Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Cheryl Corona Magill

Theses and Dissertations

Until the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), policies regarding discipline of students with disabilities were set primarily by case law. In 1995, the debates over reauthorization of the IDEA focused on proposed provisions designed to describe. at the federal level. the measures and procedures to be used by public school officials when disciplining students with disabilities.

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the factors influencing key actors involved in the development of the two sections ofthe I997 IDEA that address discipline of students with disabilities. A review of the literature suggested …

Human Resource Development: The Case Of The Civil Service Sector In The Sultanate Of Oman, Saleh Alkhamyasi

Theses and Dissertations

Human capital is a crucial element in the production equation of any organization. Since organizations are open systems that ought to adapt to their dynamic environment within which they operate, human resources should be developed , nourished and empowered to shoulder their task. This thesis explored the issue of human resource development (HRD) in the civil service sector in the Sultanate of Oman, a country situated in the Southeastern corner of the Arabian peninsula. The objectives behind this research were to examine the following: • To describe and define the Civil Service policy and practice of HRD in the Sultanate …

Motivations, Social Influences, And Attitudes Regarding Recyclers And Non-Recyclers : A Symbolic Interactionist Perspective, Melissa Elizabeth Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effect On Length Of Stay And Side Effects Experienced Following Prophylactic Use Of Droperidol Versus Ondansetron, Kory M. Albert

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Perceived Training Needs Of Manitoban Speech-Language Pathologists Working With Assistive Technology In The Public Schools, Kelly Ring

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.