Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Goal Setting On Appropriate Skill Practice Behavior Of College Football Players, Don Bosch

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Female Students In Electronics Course Work To Bsri, Recruitment, And Academic Support, Lillian MartíNez Mack

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of The Incidence Of Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting With Propofol To Propofol And Droperidol, Russell Edward O'Connell

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Child-Parent Attachment Style And Adult Attachment Style As Predictors Of Psychological And Interpersonal Problems, Lisa Deutsch Nava

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship among perceptions of child-parent attachment, current adult attachment style, psychological symptoms, and interpersonal problems was investigated. Subjects were 94 female undergraduate students at a large urban university in Richmond, Virginia. The modal age of the subjects was 22 years. Subjects were administered a packet comprised of six pencil-and-paper measures: Parental Caregiving Measure, Bartholomew Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire, Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Revised, and Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. The results indicated that the set of child-parent attachment and adult attachment style variables significantly predicted fear of negative evaluation, social avoidance and …

Regulation Of Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase Activity In Rat Pancreatic Acini, Bruce R. Conway

Theses and Dissertations

The present report describes the characteristics and regulatory properties of phosphatidylinositol (Ptdlns) 4-kinase activity in rat exocrine pancreas. The membrane associated Ptdlns 4-kinase displayed a broad pH profile with optimal activity at neutral to alkaline pH. Carbachol (CCh) elicits a concentration- and time-dependent increase in Ptdlns 4-kinase activity in homogenates derived from agonist-stimulated acini. This effect was blocked by N-methylscopolamine and mimicked by muscarine. The enzyme had an apparent Km for Ptdlns and ATP of 4 and 60 uM, respectively. CCh caused no discernible change in the Km for either Ptdlns or ATP, but did produce a modest increase in …

Family Life Education In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints In The 20th Century: A Historical Review, Ray W. Stringham

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reviewed selected educational literature in almost 350 texts published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) from General Authorities and manuals which included content curriculum in adult family life education; for the adult women's organization (Relief Society); for the men's Melchizedek Priesthood; and for parents instructing their children at home (Family Home Evening).

Topics were ranked by century, according to frequencies of occurrence (FO) in the five major publications. Topics were also summarized by each decade. Tables were provided which summarized the top 40 of 78 topics identified. Recurring Themes suggest family is the basis …

The Southern Utah Expedition Of Parley P. Pratt: 1849-1850, Rick J. Fish

Theses and Dissertations

In 1849, President Brigham Young commissioned a fifty man company, headed by Parley P. Pratt, to explore Southern Utah for possible colonization. The four month trek spanned the coldest months of the winter, and afforded some very harrowing and hazardous experiences. These events weave a heroic story filled with excitement and adventure, while simultaneously revealing the tremendous dedication and fortitude on the part of the explorers to successfully complete their mission.

Many of the Southern Utah colonies that were initiated in the subsequent years following the expedition were based on information gathered during this seven-hundred mile expedition. In addition, their …

Resonance Raman Spectra Of Chloroperoxidase Reaction Intermediates, Ann Marie G. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Chloroperoxidase is an enzyme that exhibits spectroscopic and structural properties similar to cytochrome P-450. Chloroperoxidase is studied using resonance Raman spectroscopy to characterize the reaction intermediates of the physiological mechanism, known as compounds I and II. Compound I is formed by a two electron oxidation of the resting enzyme and contains an Fe(IV) porphyrin ℼ cation radical. A one electron reduction of compound I produces the compound II intermediate which contains an oxy-ferryl [Fe(IV)=O] iron heme.

Chloroperoxidase is a heme enzyme of substantial interest because of its structural similarity to cytochrome P-450 and because of its diverse reactivity. Chloroperoxidase can …

Oculomotor Deficits In Diseases Of The Basal Ganglia: Parkinson's And Huntington's Diseases, Todd B. Baird

Theses and Dissertations

Oculomotor deficits are now recognized as being present in several neurological diseases of the basal ganglia. The present report will focus primarily on those observed in Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases. Neuronal cell loss in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra, degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway, and consequent depletion of the neurotransmitter dopamine is the most obvious etiological abnormality in Parkinson's disease. Huntington's disease, on the other hand, involves the selective genetically-driven atrophy of the striatum (caudate and putamen). In order to attempt to understand oculomotor dysfunction, as a component of basal ganglia disease, it is necessary to first establish …

Mature Women Students: Effects Of The Gender Division Of Labor On Education, Sarah Jane Brubaker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to better understand the trend toward mature women college students as impacted by the gender division of labor. It is based on qualitative research involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten African-American and eleven white mature women students age 30 and over enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University.

The interview questions focus on two main decision points in the lives of mature women students. The first is defined as the point at which they chose a course of action, other than attending college, after high school, or when they left college. The second is defined as the point at …

Weird People, Joy Marie Humphrey

Theses and Dissertations

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Pharmacological Manipulation Of Protein Kinase C Modulates The Growth And Lineage Commitment Of Enriched Human Myeloid Progenitor Cells Induced By Hematopoietic Growth Factors, Fei Li

Theses and Dissertations

The activity of protein kinase C (PK-C) has been implicated in regulating the growth and differentiation of both normal and neoplastic hematopoietic cells. We have examined the effects of the PK-C activators, phorbol 12,13- dibutyrate, mezerein, and bryostatin 1, on the proliferation and lineage commitment of enriched CD34+ human myeloid progenitor cells stimulated by lL-3, GM-CSF, stem cell factor and the lL-3/GM-CSF hybrid cytokine plXY321. Coadministration of these PK-C activators with plateau concentrations of rlL-3 or rGM-CSF induced 100-150% increase in the number of day 14 CFU-GM.with a selective stimulation on neutrophil and macrophage lineages while inhibiting eosinophilic growth. plXY321 …

Missing Data In Repeated Measurement Studies, Kejian Niu

Theses and Dissertations

Repeated measurement data or longitudinal data occur often in statistical applications. For example, in a clinical trial comparing the efficacy of a new treatment with that of a standard treatment, rather than measuring the main response variable only once on each patient, or subject, we can take several measurements over time on each subject.

A Repeated measurement study differs from a longitudinal study. The latter generally refers to any study in which one or more response variables are repeatedly measured over time. The former usually imposes some restrictions on the data. One common restriction is that each response variable must …

Stem Cell Factor In Mast Cell And Schwann Cell Proliferation And Hyperplasia, John Joseph Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a recently characterized hematopoietic growth factor capable of stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of many hematopoietic cells, including the mast cell. We have cloned the gene encoding SCF from a cDNA library prepared from NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, and have characterized the ability of recombinant SCF to induce the development of mast cell-committed progenitors (MCCP), found in the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nb-MLN), but not naive mice. We have also examined Schwann cells, mast cells, and reproductive tissues for their ability to produce SCF.

We have found that recombinant …

A Study Of Virginia Public-School Affiliated Ged Instructors Who Teach Writing Skills For The Essay Component Of The Ged Writing Skills Test, Rodger Leonard Doss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic characteristics, instructional approach, perceptions toward inservice training, and awareness and use of adult education theory/principles of public-school affiliated GED instructors in Virginia who teach writing skills for the essay component of the GED Writing Skills Test. An additional purpose of the study was to compare student performance on a sample of GED essays to determine the relationship of student performance with teacher demographic characteristics and teacher instructional approach as identified by the product and process scale scores.

The GED teachers who participated in the study were identified through the cooperation …

Adolescents' Perceptions Of The Effects Of School-Based Family Life Education On Utilization Of Parents As A Resource For Problem Solving And For Sex-Specific Information, Bonnie B. Dowdy

Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement is assumed to be an important component of successful school-based family life education programs. Historically, however, parents have been described as uninvolved in their adolescents’ sexuality education. Few data exist that explain either parents’ non-involvement or adolescents’ perceptions of parents as resources to support healthy sexual development. Existing research adopts a narrow, social control perspective on adolescent sexuality and on evaluation of community-based sexuality education programs. Given the increasing numbers of school-based family life education programs and of national organizations encouraging parental involvement components in preventive programs, empirical research on the interface of school and home-based sexuality education …

The Social Construction Of Abortion, Alexis Lora Ruffin

Theses and Dissertations

The essential socio-political question abortion raises is twofold: within whose legitimate province is the abortion decision to be made and what are the salient factors in determining subsequent resolutions over access. The answers speak to perceptions of legitimate authority, which are fundamental to the social construction of abortion.

The disparate literature on abortion was examined to develop a typology of perspectives on abortion. Theories from feminist sociology and social psychology were employed to examine the impact abortion access and the subsequent negotiation over legitimate authority have on the social order. The underlying hypothesis of this research is that abortion is …

Changes In The Midgut Of Female Amblyomma Americanum As A Result Of Feeding Upon Hosts Expressing Different Levels Of Acquired Anti-Tick Resistance, Mildred E. Voss-Mccowan

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have demonstrated that host acquired resistance resulted in reduced numbers of engorged ticks, restricted engorgement, reduced numbers and viability of ova, longer duration of feeding, and in some instances, the death of the tick. It is currently not understood how ticks are adversely affected by feeding on hosts expressing acquired tick resistance.

Examination of the midgut and diverticulae of adult female Amblyomma americanum allowed to engorge on guinea pigs acquiring and expressing tick resistance revealed changes in the gut epithelium as well as in the cellular composition of the blood meal. Engorging females were removed from hosts at …

The Relationship Of Gender And Marital Status To Depression And Personality And Demographic Variables Among The Well Elderly, Virginia C. Schwalm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of gender and marital status to depression and personality and demographic variables among the well elderly.

There were three research questions: (1) By gender, what is the relationship of the inventory scales scores and the demographic variables to the CES-D Depression Scale? (2) Are there significant gender differences on the inventory scales scores and on the demographic variables? (3) Is there a gender by marital status interaction on the CES-D Depression Scale scores and on the inventory scales scores?

Subjects were 214 females and 103 males ages 55 to over …

Music As Communication: A Rhetorical Perspective Based On Susanne Langer's Theory Of Aesthetic Symbolism, Deanna D. Sellnow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to create a rhetorical perspective by which to understand and analyze music as aesthetic communication. Specifically, this study extends Susanne Langer's theory of aesthetic symbolism as it relates to music as a mode of communication. Once the rhetorical perspective for analyzing music as communication has been depicted, the perspective is operationalized to analyze music from two contemporary social movements in the United States. The music analyzed in this dissertation comes from the Neo-Nazi Skinhead movement and the New Age movement. By approaching music as aesthetic communication in this way, the reader is able to …

Time Of Day And Age Differences In The Components Of Working Memory, Maureen J. Winger

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of time of day on short-term memory efficiency in older and younger adults. Forty-five young (18-35 years of age) and thirty-six older (over 60 years of age) adults were selected for participation. Subjects were tested individually at 0900 hrs, 1400 hrs or 2000 hrs. Two measures of memory scanning and three measures of memory span were employed. Memory scan measures required subjects to scan working memory for sets of 2, 3 or 4 digits or words. Memory span measures included digit span, word span, and sentence span. The digit and word span measures were …

An Analysis Of Reading Growth Of Two Randomly Selected "At-Risk" Students: A Four Year Study, Gayle D. Moyle

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

High-Resolution Tvd Schemes For The Analysis Of 1. Inviscid Supersonic And Transonic Flows. 2. Viscous Flows With Shock-Induced Separation And Heat Transfer, Mark A. Driver

Theses and Dissertations

Application of TVD schemes to both inviscid and viscous flows is considered. The mathematical and physical bases of TVD schemes are discussed. First and second-order accurate TVD schemes and a second-order accurate Lax- Wendroff scheme are used to compute solutions to the Riemann problem in order to investigate the capability of each to resolve shocks, rarefactions, and contact surfaces. Second-order finite-volume and finite-difference TVD schemes are used to obtain solutions to inviscid supersonic and transonic cascade flow problems. TVD schemes are shown to be superior to the Lax-Wendroff family of schemes for both transient and steady-state computations. TVD methodology is …

The Blood-Oocyte Barrier: Morphological Evidence Implicating The Zona Pellucida, Allan D. Forsman

Theses and Dissertations

A developing oocyte is capable of synthesizing "non-self" proteins recognized as foreign by the maternal immune system. Since the oocyte may be perceived as foreign it must be protected from interaction with the immune system in order for it to mature to the point of ovulation. Oocytes that begin development but do not mature to the point of ovulation become atretic and are destroyed and phagocytized by the maternal system. This study proposes that the zona pellucida of the ovarian follicle is the barrier between the immune system and the oocyte. The suggestion is made that the oocyte may play …

Mathematical Writing: A Descriptive Study To Explore The Relationship Between Analytical / Creative Writing And The Understanding Of Mathematical Problem Solving In A Seventh-Grade Classroom, Shiela Ann Puffe

Theses and Dissertations

This naturalistic inquiry explored the relationship between writing and mathematical problem solving. The use of analytical writing and creative writing was examined to see if it was a beneficial heuristic for teaching understanding of mathematical problem solving in a seventh-grade class. The teacher acted as the principal researcher.

The treatment consisted of two distinct segments. Students wrote narrative, analytical accounts of their problem-solving process. They used a teacher-constructed study guide based on Polya's problem-solving framework (Understand the Problem, Devise a Plan, Carry Out the Plan, and Look Back / Evaluate) with metacognitive questioning as a guide for this writing. Students …

Software Cost Estimating Models: A Calibration, Validation, And Comparison, Gerald L. Ourada

Theses and Dissertations

This study was a calibration, validation and comparison of four software effort estimation models. The four models evaluated were REVIC, SASET, SEER, and COSTMODL. A historical database was obtained from Space Systems Division, in Los Angeles, and used as the input data. Two software environments were selected, one used to calibrate and validate the models outside their environment of calibration. REVIC and COSTMODL are COCOMO derivatives and were calibrated using Dr. Boehm's procedure. SASET and SEER were found to be un-calibratable for this effort. Accuracy of all the models was significantly low; none of the models performed better against the …

Experimental Investigation Of Trailing Edge Crenulation Effects On Losses In A Compressor Cascade, Steven J. Decook

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of blade trailing edge crenulations on wake losses in a compressor cascade were investigated at the Air Force Institute of Technology. The cascade used NACA 64-A905 blades with a turning angle of about 30 to model last row stators of an axial flow compressor. Three blade configurations were used: unmodified blades, blades with large crenulations, and blades with small crenulations. Wake losses and mixing were evaluated in four flow conditions, generated by combinations of increased freestream turbulence and sidewall boundary layer removal. Injection of air perpendicular to the inlet flow increased freestream turbulence from about 0.15% to about …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Increased Order Compensators In Mixed H2/H∞ Optimization, Scott R. Wells

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of minimizing the 2-norm of one transfer function subject to an infinity-norm bound on another transfer function is examined for increased order controllers. In particular, the theoretical results of the full order case are extended to the higher order case, and SISO and MIMO numerical examples are given for increasingly higher order compensators. Some of the key proofs for higher order compensators include: the global minimum 2-norm is unachievable under output feedback for certain levels of gamma regardless of compensator order; the solution to the mixed H2/H infinity problem lies on the boundary of the infinity-norm constraint for …

Design Of An Optimum Thrust Nozzle For A Typical Hypersonic Trajectory Through Computational Analysis, David J. Herring

Theses and Dissertations

An analysis of a planar supersonic nozzle for a NASP type vehicle was performed with a computer program that used the new upwind flux difference splitting (FDS) method. Thrust optimization, off-design performance, and cowl angle parametric analyses were accomplished, using FDS code, an oblique shock wave solver program, and a Scramjet cycle analysis code, at six points on a 1000 PSF maximum dynamic pressure trajectory, for the Mach numbers 7.5, 10.0, 12.5, 15.0, 17.5, and 20.0. Results from the single parameter number range from 7.5 to 20.0, the attachment angles identified as optimum for the respective trajectory points were 38.0, …

Computation Of Planar Store Trajectories Using An Adaptive Grid Procedure, William D. Hack

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to compare a quasi-analytical, potential flow/three-degree-of-freedom model to an implicit-Euler algorithm for the calculation of store trajectories. The implicity algorithm uses a cell- centered, finite-volume, spatial discretization applied to the Euler equations, written in time-dependent, curvilinear-coordinates. A flux-differencing Roe scheme is employed to find the split-fluxes and the Steger/Warming flux-vector method is used to calculate the flux-Jacobians. The potential flow and implicit- Euler algorithm are combined with a three-degree-of-freedom algorithm to evaluate the planar, freefall trajectories of a simple store shape. The research uses two different grid-modification techniques in the implicit algorithm evaluation. Data …