Digital Commons Network^™

The New Logic Of Hypertext: Electronic Documents, Literary Theory, And Air Force Publications, Gordon G. Geison

Theses and Dissertations

Hypertext systems offer electronic links that can instantly join related documents with the click of a mouse. Some observers predict that in the next few years hypertext will become the predominate technology of communication. Such a revolutionary transformation of our culture's basic system for sharing information is bound to have a profound and wide-ranging impact. At this early stage in hypertext's evolutionary development, no empirical study can be expected to capture the long-term implications of this new technology. An exploratory survey was distributed to 100 large corporations to gather their initial assessment of the revolutionary implications of hypertext. The results …

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy On Solution Samples Using Surface Excitation, Leonard M. Berman

Theses and Dissertations

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a spectroscopic technique where output from a pulsed laser is focused onto a target in order to create an intense plasma. The optical emission is characteristic of the elements in the focal volume and can be used for elemental analysis. Research on the detection of nickel in solution in addition to solvent detection of CCl₄, CHCl₃, C2Cl₄, and C2HCl₃ has been performed. Breakdown was formed at the sample surface via a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Initially, operation of the laser was at 1064 nm/repetition rate of 5 Hz. Experiments …

Refined Genetic Algorithms For Polypeptide Structure Prediction, Charles E. Kaiser Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate and reliable prediction of macromolecular structures has eluded researchers for nearly 40 years. Prediction via energy minimization assumes the native conformation has the globally minimal energy potential. An exhaustive search is impossible since for molecules of normal size, the size of the search space exceeds the size of the universe. Domain knowledge sources, such as the Brookhaven PDB can be mined for constraints to limit the search space. Genetic algorithms (GAs) are stochastic, population based, search algorithms of polynomial (P) time complexity that can produce semi-optimal solutions for problems of nondeterministic polynomial (NP) time complexity such as PSP. Three …

Survivability Analysis Of The Iridium Low Earth Orbit Satellite Network, Douglas K. Stenger

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis evaluates the survivability of the proposed Iridium Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Network. In addition to the complete Iridium constellation, three degraded Iridium constellations are analyzed. This analysis occurs via the use of simulation models, which are developed to use three dynamic routing algorithms over three loading levels. The Iridium network models use a common set of operating assumptions and system environments. The constellation survivability was determined by comparing packet rejection rates, hop' counts, and average end to end delay performance between the various network scenarios. It was concluded that, based on the established scenarios, the proposed Iridium …

The Preliminary Design Of A Standardized Spacecraft Bus For Small Tactical Satellites, Gerald Ashby, Darren Buck, Robert Carneal Iv, Tansel Cokuysal, Ahmet Donmez, James From, Todd Krueger, Brian Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Current satellite design philosophies concentrate on optimizing and tailoring a particular satellite bus to a specific payload or mission. Today's satellites take a long time to build, checkout, and launch. An alternate approach shifts the design paradigm to one that focuses on access to space, enabling tactical deployment on demand and the capability to put current payload technology into orbit, versus several years by today's standards, by which time the technology is already obsolete. This design study applied systems engineering methods to create a satellite bus architecture that can accommodate a range of remote sensing mission modules. System-level and subsystem-level …

Teachers' Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Young Children With Special Needs Into Regular Early Childhood Classes, Marilyn I. Forbes

Theses and Dissertations

All children have special abilities and special needs that make them unique individuals. Most teachers work with children who have a wide range of abilities and learning styles. Early childhood teachers are no exception. They may have children enrolled in their classrooms who have subtle learning disabilities, significant physical, mental or emotional problems, high intelligence, or conditions which limit speech and motor development. Teachers may not have been taught that the continuum of development is similar for all children, but that timetables may vary. This thesis examines staff attitudes toward the placement of young children with special needs into regular …

Validity And Norm Development For The Composite Examination Of Mental Status, Antoinette L. Jarnes

Theses and Dissertations

The Composite Exam of Mental Status (CEMS) is an instrument designed to screen patients for dementia and other cognitive impairments. This test is comprised of 12 subsections each requiring different cognitive abilities to complete. Areas assessed are Attention/Concentration, Orientation, Immediate Recall, Spontaneous Recall, Cued Recall, Naming, Verbal Fluency, Writing, Planning, Mental Flexibility, Construction and Abstract Reasoning.

The purpose of this study was to conduct concurrent validity analyses and initial norm development of the CEMS. The archival data for this study had been collected at 2 nursing homes in the upper midwest over a one year period. There were 168 (males …

Empowerment As An Organizational Tool For Increasing Competitiveness: A Case Study, Carl D. Sweet

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the use of employee empowerment as a means of improving organizational competitiveness in the marketplace. The methodology used is a case study of a small, private-sector company that used this strategy to improve its productivity, product quality and profitability. The results of this research were then examined to determine whether the successful practices identified in this organization can be applied to Air Force attempts to adopt employee empowerment. The paper summarizes the organizational characteristics generally present where employee empowerment has been successfully implemented, as reported in current management literature, including the following: (1) company culture conducive to …

A Model For Successful Reutilization Of A Military Installation: A Case Study Of Gentile Air Force Station, Maria L. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research concerning base closure and reutilization focused on the roles of government agencies and the assistance they provided. This study looks at the community and the impact of installation closure. The process of planning for reuse of an installation is difficult and confusing. The guidance provided by the government has changed drastically since the first closures announced in the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Committee recommendations. This study focuses on the strategy employed by Kettering, OH to successfully reuse Gentile AFS upon closure. As the final part in a longitudinal study, the research focus was lessons learned and implementation …

Development Of A Standard Set Of Indicators And Metrics For Artificial Intelligence (Ai) And Expert System (Es) Software Development Efforts, Derek F. Cossey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify a standard set of indicators and metrics that can be used by program managers to improve their abilities to direct development efforts involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Expert Systems (ES). This research addresses two objectives. The first objective is to identify an appropriate set of software indicators and metrics to be used by government program offices for the management of development efforts involving software systems for AI and ES. The second objective is to demonstrate how the resources of the National Software Data and Information Repository (NSDIR) can be used in order …

Employee And Employer Perceptions Of The Workplace-Personal Life Interface In The Midwest, Debra Dose Gebeke

Theses and Dissertations

Most research regarding the workplace and personal life balance has been conducted from the employer (macro level approach) or employee (micro level approach) perspective in a large business context. More recently a call for research using a contextual effects model which examines the interface between the workplace and personal life has been issued. There is also limited research in smaller businesses (fewer than 500 employees), such as those more prevalent in the Midwest. This gap in the research is addressed in the present study.

A sample of 17 businesses from North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska reflecting the smaller …

Mental Health Values Of Native American College Students On Three Different Reservations, Raymond List

Theses and Dissertations

This study was undertaken to add to knowledge about Native American perspective on mental health issues. The present investigation explored two questions. The first used the Mental Health Values Questionnaire to explore how Native American mental health values are connected to daily lifestyle patterns. The MHVQ_is a 99-item instrument which yields scores for eight dimensions for conceptualizing healthy emotional adjustment (Tyler, Clark, Olson, Klapp, & Cheloha, 1983). The second question had to do with who Native Americans perceive to be appropriate sources of help for different types of perceived problems. This question was explored with the Sources of Referral Questionnaire …

Controlling For Vocabulary Ability In Healthy Young And Healthy Old Adults In World Recognition Tasks, Laura J. Kitzan

Theses and Dissertations

Word recognition studies have often focused on examining differences between young and old adults, albeit with mixed results and conclusions. Some studies have found declines or changes with age while others fail to find differences in the magnitude of robust effects including word frequency and number of meanings. One possible explanation for these incongruencies is that older adults often have higher vocabulary levels than do the young adult groups and this confounding could be masking real differences in word recognition with age. Word recognition studies have shown the Number of Meanings (NOM) Effect and Word Frequency Effect to be fairly …

Attrition In An Elite Level Softball Program, Denise J. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

There are many reasons individuals enter and sustain involvement in sport. There are also many reasons people drop out of sport, discontinue at a specific intensity level or change sports altogether. Many athletes from a four year elite level softball training program (the Sask First High Performance Program) are not continuing at an elite level after completing the program. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that have contributed to discontinuation based on interviews of continuing and discontinued athletes from the program. All interviews were conducted via telephone. The interviews were taped, transcribed and analyzed by the author, …

Incidence Of Cesarean Delivery In Nulliparous Patients Based Upon Timing Of Epidural Analgesia Initiation, Wendy H. Sandelin

Theses and Dissertations

Epidural analgesia for the parturient is a safe and effective method of pain relief during labor. This method of pain management permits the pregnant woman to have a virtually pain-free labor while remaining alert and able to participate in the delivery. However, the effect of epidural analgesia on nulliparous labor, and ultimately on the mode of delivery, vaginal or cesarean, remains controversial. Cesarean delivery is associated with greater maternal morbidity and mortality, as well as increased financial cost for the health care system. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of and circumstances related to cesarean …

Survivors Of Childhood Incest: A Qualitative Study, Dawn M. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Current research indicates that there is a lack of empirical evidence pertaining to the long-term effects of incest and the role treatment plays on healing the effects and enhancing the survivors' lives. The purposes of this study were to further develop grounded theory in relationship to the lives of the survivors of incest and to close some of the existing gaps in the current data.

In this study, an attempt was made to develop a comprehensive understanding of the subjects' lives before, during, and after the incest occurred. In addition, the quality of the subjects' lives today, the survivors' perception …

The Experiences Of Four Hispanic Kindergartners In An Upper Midwest Schools, Deanne E. Borgeson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand the kindergarten experiences of four Hispanic children, with and without previously diagnosed disabilities, in a predominantly Mainstream American public school in the Upper Midwest. The children's initial school experiences as well as their later adjustments to the Euro-American school were studied from the first day of the school year to the end of the first quarter of school (nine weeks later).

Qualitative research methods were used in the study including participant observation, parent and teacher interviews, and a review of each child's medical and educational record. Data were analyzed for themes …

Native American Indian Perspective Of Euroamerican Therapists' Behaviors, Jayne M. Lokken

Theses and Dissertations

The American Psychological Association has identified three areas of skills for cross-cultural competency for psychologists. Those areas are knowledge of self and one's own culture, historical and current knowledge of other cultures and specific technical skills. This study addresses the area of technical skills in a cross-cultural situation, Euroamerican therapists working with Native American Indian clients. Many authors have theorized that individual counseling is not a useful modality to Native American Indians. The method used in this study was a role-play counseling situation between Native American Indians and Euroamerican counseling and clinical psychology doctoral students followed by a post-session interview. …

A Comparison Study Of Memory Performance Among Middle-Aged Women: Self-Reported Pre-Menopausal, Peri-Menopausal, And Post-Menopausal Women On Hormone Replacement Therapy, Naiwon Chung Sjulson

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research suggests that menopausal women often complain of increased physical symptoms, depression, and memory difficulties. Reports of subsequent improvement in memory following estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) among the clinical population abound, suggesting a possible link between estrogen and memory performance.

The purpose of this study was to a) replicate and extend previous findings showing a possible link between memory performance and menopause status, b) compare the levels of personal adjustment in terms of physical and emotional symptoms among women at three different phases of natural menopause, c) examine the effects of individual differences that may have some impact on …

Personality Traits And Dimensions Of Spirituality: A Study Of Midlife Males., John Lindquist

Theses and Dissertations

Although there has been a resurgence of interest in the psychological study of religiosity and dimensions of spirituality, few studies have explored the relationship between measured personality traits of normal adults, aspects of spirituality and religious practice. This study is intended to further such an exploration.A sample of 181 upper middle class male volunteers aged 35-55 participated in the study. Participants completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Spiritual Orientation Inventory (SOI), the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (SDS), and a Demographics and Religiosity Profile (DRP). The basic design was that of a correlational study, with denominational membership as the grouping …

Anxiety Among Farm Operators In North Dakota, Beverly A. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety-related diagnoses are the most rapidly rising mental health problem in the United States today. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety in a cross section of North Dakota farm operators. The effects of the independent variables of debt, employment of spouse, years in farming, intergenerational farming, education and social support systems and the dependent variable of anxiety were also examined.

Anxiety was measured in a stratified, random sample of the 32,000 farm operators in North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service's data base with the Zung Self-Rated Anxiety Scale (SAS). A questionnaire seeking demographic data with …

Interdisciplinary Team Experiences Of Three At-Risk Middle School Students., Judith Ann Davison-Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study focuses on the experiences of three at-risk middle school students in an interdisciplinary team organization. The purpose was to investigate the attitudes and experiences of these students as they engaged in the activities of an interdisciplinary team. The sources of data were the descriptive field notes generated by observation, in-depth interviews of the participants, documents from the site, and a field diary which contained the author's reflective insights.The portraits of the at-risk students studied revealed personal characteristics and behaviors that challenged their opportunities for successful school experience. The portraits also detailed elements in their family backgrounds and …

A Study Of Students' Attitude Toward School Climate As Compared Within A Conflict Resolution Group And A Traditional Group, Dawn D. Kelly-Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to evaluate students' attitudes toward school climate. One group received Conflict Resolution training and the other group received no training. The program, SCRC, Students Creative Response to Conflict was designed to empower students by giving them the tools to confront and resolve problems that develop on a daily basis. The program focuses on five major areas: affirmation, communication, conflict resolution, cooperation, and bias awareness/appreciation of differences.

The sample group was drawn from four fourth grade classrooms. Each group consisted of thirty-six subjects. There were 61% males and 39% females. Further, 64.6% were Caucasian, 31.7% …

Study Of The Effects Of Inclusion On The Academic Progress Of Regular Education Students, Tracy Alcoy-Clouser

Theses and Dissertations

It was the goal of this study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Team Approach to Mastery (TAM) program on the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) scores of regular education students in the TAM classroom. The hypothesis suggested that the TAM students would do as well as or better than the students in the non-TAM classroom.

This study observed the progress of twenty-nine fourth grade students that live in a rural area with an urban school population. A pretest posttest design was used. The dependent variable was the MAT, and the TAM program was the independent variable.

An analysis of the …

Correlational Study Of Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept And Behavior Problems Among Elementary School Children, Malthi Lingaraju

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships, if any, between General Self-Concept, Social Self-Perception, Academic Self-Concept, and Behavior Problems among elementary school children. Twenty-two third grade students participated in this study. The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory was used to measure self-concept. Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept were measured by subscales of the Coopersmith Inventory. The Connors' Teacher Rating Scales-39 was used to measure the general dimension of behavior problems. Findings from these two measures indicated a significant positive correlation between General Self-Concept and Social Self-Perception; General Self-Concept and Academic Self-Concept, and Social Self-Perception and Academic Self-Concept. There was, …

A Study Of Television Violence And Its Effects On Elementary School Children's Social Interactions, Shari Lonker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the amount of antisocial and aggressive television shows a child views and the occurrence of negative social interactions in which that child is involved while under school supervision. One hundred 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders in a southern New Jersey school district were given television viewing questionnaires to take home and fill out with their parents. Upon completion, the questionnaires were scored according to the child's habit of watching specific television shows targeted with violent content. Each student's teacher then rated the frequency of the child's antisocial or aggressive …

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Romanticism Among Parenting And Nonparenting Adolescents, Francine D. Ramsey

Theses and Dissertations

This study's purpose was to assess the difference between romanticism and self-esteem among parenting (n=13) and nonparenting adolescents (n=18). One subject did not specify status. Parenting adolescents where those who were or had been pregnant. Nonparenting adolescents were those who had never been pregnant. Of the thirty-two subjects, 29 were African American and three were Hispanic. All were a part of a social support group. The subjects ranged in age between 13 and 19. The Dean Romanticism Survey and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory combined were administered. An independent t-test was performed on the variables. The results indicated that parenting adolescents did …

Runaways In Young Adult Fiction – A Survey And Annotated Bibliography, Anna E. Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to compare causes and consequences for runaways in real life with those in young adult fiction, in order to ascertain whether any similarity exists between the two. The thesis also provides an annotated bibliography of young adult books about runaways.

Research was carried out to obtain information about what real runaways must face, and various guides to young adult literature were consulted in order to evaluate fictional runaway lifestyles.

With few exceptions, real lives of runaway children bear very little resemblance to those of their fictional counterparts. In fiction, happy endings (or at least …

Cd-Rom Technology: How It Is Utilized In K-12 School Library Media Centers, Amy Jo Hufana

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate how CD-ROM technology is utilized in school library media centers in Cape May County, New Jersey and in other locations throughout the United States. A survey has been conducted to supply information about many aspects of CD-ROM use, including the types of hardware and software used, the extent of use of different types of programs, the responsibilities of library media specialists in utilizing and managing CD-ROM resources, and the amount of use by teachers, students, and others. Library media specialists from Cape May County and other locations in New Jersey have responded …

Is Access Synonymous With Use?: Evaluation Of Access And Use Of Technology In Salem County High Schools, Romine B. Rosenberger

Theses and Dissertations

The high schools of Salem County were studied for their use of technology in general and the Internet specifically. Literature regarding the effective use of technology in education nationwide was researched. It was found that even though Salem County has access to much technology, it is underutilized, due primarily to lack of thorough professional development. Particular attention was given to Internet technology because of grants received by the county for the express purpose of establishing a local node for use by the schools in the county. A preliminary review of the literature indicated that the scope of the study needed …