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Reaction Of Arylsulfenyl Chloride Adducts Of Glycals With Vinyl Ethers., Mingming Han

Theses and Dissertations

This Ph.D. dissertation is focused on the stereoselective synthesis of β- C-glycosides. Such carbohydrate derivatives have been found to possess a wide spectrum of physiological activities. They can serve as non-hydrolizable enzyme inhibitors. C-Glycosides have been used as chiral precursors for synthesis of other compounds. The synthesis of β-C-glycosides is based on the fact that, in the presence of Lewis acids, ArSCl adducts of glycals can be converted to active intermediates, episulfonium ions. These intermediates are known to react with a number of C-nucleophiles. In this study, the reaction of ArSCl adducts of glycals with vinyl ethers was investigated. To …

Multiple Comparison Pruning Of Neural Networks, Donald E. Duckro

Theses and Dissertations

Reducing a neural network's complexity improves the ability of the network to be applied to future examples. Like an overfitted regression function, neural networks may miss their target because of the excessive degrees of freedom stored up in unnecessary parameters. Over the past decade, the subject of pruning networks has produced non-statistical algorithms like Skeletonization, Optimal Brain Damage, and Optimal Brain Surgery as methods to remove connections with the least salience. There are conflicting views as to whether more than one parameter can be removed at a time. The methods proposed in this research use statistical multiple comparison procedures to …

A Sound Study Of Conceptual Understanding During Constructivist Teaching, Terrijann MüLlerdahlberg

Theses and Dissertations

This study presents the results of an examination of changes in six fourth grade students thinking about the nature of sound during a nine lesson unit on sound. At the core of the curriculum was a teaching strategy called constructivist teaching (Bybee, 1993). Classroom observation, students' written work, and interviewing were the major data gathering procedures used to develop a coding system to categorize the patterns that emerged: (a) students' conceptual learning, and (b) the students' perceptions of factors leading to this understanding. Three patterns emerged that indicated students' conceptual learning: (a) students added new concepts to their existing cognitive …

The Beta Subunit Determines The Nucleotide Specificity Of Atp-Specific And Gtp-Specific Succinyl-Coa Synthetases In Vertebrates., James Darwin Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Two isoforms of succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS) have been purified from breast muscle and liver in pigeon, one highly specific for adenine nucleotides (A-SCS), the other for guanine nucleotides (G-SCS), respectively. Nucleotide specificity studies demonstrated that A-SCS could not utilize guanine nucleotides and that G-SCS could not use adenine nucleotides. Enzymatic assays of tissue extracts detected both isoforms in kidney, heart, and brain, while only A-SCS was in breast muscle, and G-SCS in liver. Highly purified A-SCS and G-SCS each possessed the α and β subunits that are common to all previously purified SCSs. Characterization studies of the two isoforms by …

Middle School Advisory Program's Influence On The Perceptions And Needs Of Early Adolescent Females., Gail Catherine Ingwalson

Theses and Dissertations

Advisory programs were designed to address the emotional and social aspect of education in an effort to enhance the cognitive development of our early adolescent students. This affective component acknowledges the importance of a developmentally responsive middle school education. Yet, this critical middle school component has been difficult to implement and even more challenging to maintain since the inception of the middle school movement. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences of six early adolescent females during their advisory time. The purpose of the study was to explore the advisory program's influence on the perceptions and psychological needs of these …

Cytotoxin Targeting Of Oxytocin (Ot) Receptive Cells: Ot Receptors And Salt Appetite., Trini Troy Vargas

Theses and Dissertations

The targeting of oxytocin (OT) receptive cells with a novel cytoxin (ricin A-chain oxytocin conjugated to oxytocin; rAOT) has revealed a potential role for OT in the osmolality-related inhibition of salt appetite seen in two model systems. The experiments in this study were designed to test the hypothesis that intraventricular (icv) treatment with rAOT results in the loss of [I 125]-OVTA binding sites in the central amygdala in these two model systems (Experiment 1: Mannitol Challenge; Experiment 2 PEG/Mannitol Challenge). Experiment 1 (Mannitol Challenge; produces hyperosmotic/hyponatremic conditions in the rat) and Experiment 2 (PEG/Mannitol Challenge; produces hypovolemic/hyperosmotic/hyponatremic conditions in the …

The Impact Of Early Screening On Preschool Children Attending Camden City Head Start, Beverly M. Clement

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive published research supports comprehensive preschool programs for children and their families, especially for "At Risk" populations often found within inner cities. Programs such as Head Start prepare children for school entrance, provide them with a caring and nurturing environment and empower families with the skills and resources necessary for successful living. The Camden County Council On Economic Opportunity (CCCOEO, Inc.), grantee for the Camden County, New Jersey Head Start Program, provides comprehensive services for "At Risk" preschool children, ages three to five.

Starting in September 1998 to March 1999, sixty-seven preschoolers attending various CCCOEO Head Start Centers were given …

A Descriptive Study Of Body Dysmorphia And Body Image In Mid-Life Women, Marsha B. Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about how women perceive and feel about their bodies at midlife. The popular media prescribe a standard of ideal female appearance that equates beauty with youth and thinness, features that are altered by the passing years. Much of the research about body image that includes midlife women has been conducted in a framework of pathology. Because there is little research that documents women's feelings and perceptions about their bodies in adulthood, this phenomenological study describes the body image concerns of women at midlife. Instruments administered during the course of the study included the Beck Depression Inventory, the …

Modulating Effects Of Time Of Day On Age Differences In Memory Performance: Attention Versus Inhibition, Iwona Chelminski

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that some cognitive processes follow a circadian rhythm, and the peak performance periods correlate with individual patterns of physiological arousal. Recent findings in the literature suggest that the optimal time synchrony may modulate the magnitude of age differences in cognitive performance across time of day. The first goal of the present study was to further investigate the so-called “synchrony effects” in younger and older adults. The second purpose was to offer and examine an alternative explanation for the “synchrony effect” phenomenon related to deficits in attentional resources rather than inefficient inhibition. And the third purpose of this study …

Analysis Of The Caloric Expenditure Of Students In Middle School Physical Education Classes, Wendy Granum Frappier

Theses and Dissertations

According to the recent Surgeon General's Report guidelines, all Americans including children need to bum a minimum of 150 calories in daily physical activity or approximately 1,000 calories a week to meet minimum healthy activity standards. The purpose of the study was to assess the caloric expenditure of students in middle school physical education classes to determine if they were expending a sufficient amount of calories in physical education classes to meet the minimum healthy activity recommendations. More specifically, the study determined the differences in caloric expenditure and various physical activities, the relationship between heart rate and caloric expenditure, sex …

Nurse Anesthetists' Attitudes And Knwoledge Levels About Acupuncture Anesthesia, Solomon A. Wesseh Jr

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Professional Sports Teams And Fan Relations: A Public Relations Case Study Of The 1998-99 Philadelphia Eagles Football Team, Laura Elizabeth Litrenta

Theses and Dissertations

In professional sports, the field of public relations helps organizations foster positive relationships with their fans. But, when teams suffer losing seasons, recording more losses than wins, these relationships become strained.

The purpose of this study was to reveal how losing seasons affect the bond between professional sports teams and their fans. The results encourage sports relations practitioners to recognize fan needs and develop techniques that can help organizations maintain a more positive relationship with their fans during a losing season.

To examine the relationship between a professional sports team and its fans, this researcher traced the performance of the …

Parallel Digital Signal Processing On A Network Of Personal Computers Case Study: Space-Time Adaptive Processing, Fernando Silva

Theses and Dissertations

Network based parallel computing using personal computers is currently a popular choice for concurrent scientific computing. This work evaluates the capabilities and the performance of the AFIT Bimodal Cluster (ABC); a heterogeneous cluster of PCs connected by switched fast Ethernet and using MPICH 1.1 for interprocess communication for parallel digital signal processing using Space Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) as the case study. The MITRE RT_STAP Benchmark version 1.1 is ported and executed on the ABC, as well as on a cluster of six Sun SPARC workstations connected by a Myrinet network (the AFIT NOW), and on a IBM SP for …

Scan-It: A Computer Vision Model Motivated By Human Physiology And Behavior, John G. Keller

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation details the development of a new computational vision model motivated by physiological and behavioral aspects of the human visual system. Using this model, intensity features within an artificial visual field of view are extracted and transformed into a simulated cortical representation, and a saccadic guidance system scans this field of view over an object within an image to memorize that object. The object representation is thus stored as a sequence of feature matrices describing sub-regions of the object. A new image can then be searched for the object (possibly scaled and rotated), where evidence of its presence is …

Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithms: Classifications, Analyses, And New Innovations, David A. Van Veldhuizen

Theses and Dissertations

This research organizes, presents, and analyzes contemporary Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) research and associated Multiobjective Optimization Problems (MOPs). Using a consistent MOEA terminology and notation, each cited MOEAs' key factors are presented in tabular form for ease of MOEA identification and selection. A detailed quantitative and qualitative MOEA analysis is presented, providing a basis for conclusions about various MOEA-related issues. The traditional notion of building blocks is extended to the MOP domain in an effort to develop more effective and efficient MOEAs. Additionally, the MOEA community's limited test suites contain various functions whose origins and rationale for use are often …

Case Study On Mainland Regional High School's Pilot Program On Block Scheduling, Matthew A. Jamison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to discover and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of block scheduling at Mainland Regional High School. The major focal point of this case study was the perceptions on block scheduling of teachers, students, and parents.

This study blends the richness of qualitative research with the range of quantitative research. Approximately 180 sophomore students participated in the pilot program. Four teachers volunteered to teach the classes in the pilot program. The students completed a pre and post survey. At the conclusion of the first semester, random students were chosen to be interviewed. All the …

An Interdisciplinary Approach To Integrated Curriculum, Lynda Kozicz Leahey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach to teaching mathematics and science, specifically Geometry and Biology. The study used an action research design in which two teachers participated in a planned interdisciplinary activity that involved 160 high school students. The site of this study was a high school located in a middle-class, rural-suburban community. Data was gathered using a concept map to measure the amount of conceptual understanding students have of the relationship between Geometry and Biology. Data of those students who were enrolled in both Geometry and Biology were compared to those …

Reform: In Search Of A Rationale, Ada R. Barlatt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of the Core Curriculum Content Standards at Pleasantville. The district, a special needs (Abbott district), receives 85% of its funding from the state, therefore, must provide all children with a "Thorough and Efficient" education.

Two separate groups of students were studied. One group represented the current students in grade 10 and the second group represented the current students in grade 9. Also included in the study were teachers, counselors, administrators and employers.

The overall approach in this study was to use several methods to investigate the effects on a local …

A Correlational Study Between The Adolescent And Adult Self Concept Retrospective Scale And The Inferred Rating Scale, Patricia A. Coley

Theses and Dissertations

If it is to be believed that self-concept can be inferred from behavior, that an individual perceives himself based upon how others see him and behaves according, then it can be assumed that the development of one's self-concept can be influenced by significant individuals such as teachers, school counselors and school administrators.

It is noted that students with negative self-concepts may become high risk for learning problems. The self-concept can predict academic success or failures.

This study will look at 30 students classified Learning Disabled from a South Jersey High School, and how they perceive themselves compared with the teacher's …

The Effect Of Participation In A Preshool Disabilities Class On Future Academic Placement, Barbara E. Zuber

Theses and Dissertations

This research hypothesized that students who received help in a preschool disabilities program would be less likely to remain classified as eligible for special education services. The study looked at eleven children who had previously attended a preschool disabilities program. It was found that seven of the eleven children were still classified in special education. The functioning of the students was examined based on their scores on the BASC(Behavior Assessment Scale for Children) Teacher Rating scale. It was found that the majority of students scored high in the area of learning problems and had low scores in study skills. These …

Examining The Locus Of Control Of Hispanic Students Involved In A Hispanic Self-Esteem Program And Its Association With Academic Achievement, William Edward Beltran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the locus of control of two participating Hispanic groups; students that belong to a proctored Hispanic organization/club and students that do not belong to a proctored Hispanic organization/club. Then, pair the locus of control of each group with their corresponding level of academic achievement. It was hypothesized that Hispanic students belonging to a proctored Hispanic organization/club would have a greater frequency of internal locus of control and they would exhibit a higher level of academic achievement.

Fifty-four High school students, ages 16-19, were given the Rotter Internal/External locus of control scale. A …

A Validity Study Of The Joseph Self Concept Scale For Young Children, Patricia A. Lemke

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between a student's self concept as compared with the teacher's evaluation of the student. The study used the Joseph Self Concept Scale for Young Children, a self-report, and the Behavioral Academic Self Esteem Evaluation, which was completed by the students' teachers. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the two tests. Analysis of the data showed a positive correlation, however, the correlation was not significant.

The population tested consisted of 82 students from an urban school district. Thirty-five of the students tested were female and forty-seven …

A Reliability Study Of The Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, Jeffrey R. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to establish test-retest reliability coefficients for the Joseph Self-Concept Scale for Young Children (JSSYC). This study employed a one-week duration between administrations of the test instrument. There were thirty-four sixth-grade subjects used, ranging in age from eleven to thirteen. The JSSYC is an individually administered, interview type self-concept measure. The adolescent version of the JSSYC was used in this study, which is designed for use with children seven years of age and older. The Pearson product-moment correlation statistical procedure was used to calculate the correlation coefficients for this sample. The correlations for both the …

A Descriptive Study Of The Opinions Of Fifth Through Eighth Grade Students On Addictive Substances, Denise Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine whether changes in attitudes would occur in students from Grade Five through Grade Eight in regard to addictive substances, such as alcohol and cigarettes. The study consisted of 85 students enrolled in a local Roman Catholic Grammar School. Students were given the Youth Attitude Survey, which was developed at Columbia University. The survey yielded results that were related to risk factors for future drug use. In a variety of areas, including whether marijuana should be legalized and if the student believed they would use drugs in the future, there was a pronounced …

Cochlear Implants, A Study Of Children Implanted Prelingually And Postlingually: What Age Best Facilitates Oral Language Development, Lisa A. Stillwagon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the most appropriate age for young hearing impaired children to receive a cochlear implant that would best facilitate oral language development. The study compared the oral language skills of five hearing impaired preschoolers, before and after implantation. Information was obtained through student case files including both formal and informal records and reports. Records included: progress reports, IEPs, audiological evaluations, and speech and language assessments.

The results of the study indicated that the development of oral language skills in hearing impaired preschoolers who received cochlear implants at ages 3 and 4 varies due …

Effects Of Divorce On Levels Of Conflictual Independence In Late Adolescence, Jill Fredricks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of divorce on late adolescents' levels of conflictual independence during the separation-individuation process.

The sample consisted of 94 undergraduate students from Rowan University in southern New Jersey. This was a between subjects research design which involved a self-report inventory. Levels of conflictual independence were measured by the conflictual independence subscale (Cl) of Hoffman's Psychological Separation Inventory, a 138 question inventory which asks questions about one's relationships with the mother and father.

The statistical test used to analyze the data in this study was a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as …

The Effectiveness Of Functional Analysis And Behavioral Intervention For Children Who Are Multi-Handicapped And Exhibit Challenging Behaviors, Barbara A. Horner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of functional analysis of challenging behaviors and behavioral intervention programs on children with multiple handicaps. It was hypothesized that there would be difference in the exhibition of challenging behaviors in children with multiple handicaps following administration of a functional analysis and a behavioral intervention plan. Ten challenging behaviors exhibited by seven children who are multi-handicapped were examined using the process of functional analysis (records review, Motivation Assessment Scale and Analog Setting/Environmental Manipulation) and behavioral intervention. The children ranged in age from five years, four months, to eight years, nine months. …

A Pre-Publication Reliability Study Of The Revised Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, Dianne Wilkens

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability of the Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, as an instrument for measuring self-concept. The sample consisted of thirty-four first and pre-first students from the Mary E. Roberts Elementary School, Moorestown, New Jersey. The timeframe for the testing was November 1998 through February 1999. Each student was individually tested utilizing the JSSYC.

The null hypothesis, stating there is no difference between the test and re-test scores, was rejected. The alternative hypothesis, stating that there is a difference between the test and re-test scores was accepted.

A paired sample correlation analysis …

The Dna Sequence From A Cloned 15 Kilobase Fragment Of The Chlamydomonas Acidophila Mitochondrial Genome And Rna Transcript Production In Response To Cadmium, Scott A. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydomonas acidophila is a unicellular green alga of the order Chlamydomonadales. Our research efforts were allied along two lines: (1) Characterization of the C. acidophila mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and (2) Elucidation of any molecular events responsible for C. acidophila's heavy metal tolerance. The mitochondrial genomes of the protists have been underrepresented in the sequence databases. Among the protists, the alga genera Chlamydomonas shows a reduced mtDNA content with a highly rearranged gene structure. It was decided to sequence C. acidophila's mtDNA to further elucidate the evolutionary paths among the Chlamydomonads and add to the protist sequence database. A 15 kb …

Depression, Self-Care, And Coping In Persons With Diabetes, Paula Schuler-Tillmann

Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disorder of the endocrine system that affects virtually every system of the human body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are over 16 million persons with diabetes in the United States alone. Hyperglycemia, which is sustained over a long period of time, can lead to heart disease, nephropathy, neuropathy, and blindness. To avoid hyperglycemia and its associated ramifications, several self-care activities and life-style changes are necessary.

Depression is present in 8-32% of people who have diabetes. Poor glycemic control is often the result when depression and diabetes are concurrently present in …