Digital Commons Network^™

Reading Excellence Act: Professional Development And Teacher Practice First Year Implementation In East Tennessee., Sherry Ellen Shroyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When the National Assessment of Educational Progress reported in 1998 that 70 percent of fourth grade children in the United States were reading just at (31%) or below the basic grade level (39%), this astounding fact resulted in national attention and political intervention. At the same time, the National Research Council published their 25 years of researched findings in their book, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The national reactions to these reports were strong and included new initiatives for overcoming this emerging national problem. One such initiative was the implementation of the national Reading …

The Victim Compensation Fund - Looking A Gift Horse In The Mouth, Kenneth P. Nolan, Jeanne M. O'Grady

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

Indicators Of Resiliency Among Urban Elementary School Students At-Risk, John L. Rausch, Cheryl R. Lovett, Christopher O. Walker

The Qualitative Report

This study was designed to investigate the phenomenon of resiliency among urban elementary school students in an at-risk environment. In contrast with previous studies narrowly focused upon the identification of risk factors, this study utilized a phenomenological qualitative approach to investigate indicators of resiliency from both individual and contextual perspectives. The narrative descriptions of 25 elementary school students in an at-risk environment were analyzed. The results indicated that the participants had strong individual and contextual resiliency indicators through the fifth grade despite being educated in a school district with almost a 60% drop-out rate before high school graduation.

Understanding Reliability And Validity In Qualitative Research, Nahid Golafshani

The Qualitative Report

The use of reliability and validity are common in quantitative research and now it is reconsidered in the qualitative research paradigm. Since reliability and validity are rooted in positivist perspective then they should be redefined for their use in a naturalistic approach. Like reliability and validity as used in quantitative research are providing springboard to examine what these two terms mean in the qualitative research paradigm, triangulation as used in quantitative research to test the reliability and validity can also illuminate some ways to test or maximize the validity and reliability of a qualitative study. Therefore, reliability, validity and triangulation, …

Joint Stories And Layered Tales: Support, Contradiction And Me Aning Construction In Focus Group Research, Agnieszka Kosny

The Qualitative Report

This paper uses focus group data about women’s work experiences gathered in five Canadian east coast communities to examine some of the strengths and weakness associated with focus group research. I explore the case made against the use of focus group methods and the basis for some of the critiques aimed at focus group research. By examining the evolving discussions between focus group members, it is possible to understand some of the benefits of group-talk, including the creation of a unique opportunity for interaction, joint meaning creation and contradiction.

The Impact Of Devolution On Organizational Effectiveness: An Exploratory Case Study Of Faith-Based Child Care, Javier Stanziola, Tania Schmitz

The Qualitative Report

Although the foundations of President Bush’s faith-based initiative could be traced back at least to Colonial times, the re-packaging of this idea has raised concerns about the role of the federal government in the affairs of faith based organizations, the professionalization of social services, rent seeking, and the crowding out of private funding. This paper aims to examine the local implications of decentralizing the provision of social services in Lee County, Florida. More specifically, we will identify how devolution has affected the organizational effectiveness of faith-based organizations in the day care sector. For this paper, organizational effectiveness was defined in …

Practitioners Put Research Into Practice Strengthening Community-Based Pregnant And Parenting Teen Programs, Elizabeth J. Gong, Marilyn J. Johns, Fe Moncloa

Journal of Extension

The United States teen birth rate remains the highest of any industrialized nation. Although nationally the rate is declining, the problem remains complex and significant. Cooperative Extension staff in three San Francisco, California Bay Area counties partnered with six community-based teen pregnancy program site practitioners to adopt a new best practice to improve their programs. This article reports on the process, the implementation, and outcomes for both pregnant and parenting teen participants and programs. Male involvement, family involvement, and youth development/participation in sports and exercise were the best practices chosen for implementation.

Factors Affecting Food Choices Of Men In Production Agriculture In Kansas, Tandy S. Rundus, Betsy Barrett

Journal of Extension

With 86% of American farms individually or family operated, farmers' health becomes imperative to sustaining profitability. This research collected data on food choices of farmers in Kansas to determine potential gaps in nutrition knowledge that could be addressed by Cooperative Extension programs. Participants (N=147) attended nine K-State Research and Extension Agricultural Profitability Conferences in November 2001, completing the Block Brief Questionnaire and eating behavior and demographic questions. Results indicated subjects were overweight and food choices did not meet dietary guidelines. Cooperative Extension should capitalize on its extensive history with this population to provide one-on-one nutrition education materials targeting producer diets.

A Study To Identify The Factors That Inhibit High School Principals And Teachers From Pursuing Bachelor's And Master's Degrees In Busia District In Kenya., Samuel Okwako Obaki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine the factors that inhibited principals and teachers from pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Busia District in Kenya. Up to the mid-1990s, teachers of all professional grades studied for National Examinations as private candidates. Those who met university admission requirements were admitted and the Teachers Service Commission granted each of them a study leave with 80% of his or her salary. Some of those who met university admission requirements were admitted to foreign universities, and the Ministry of Education either granted them study leave with or without salary. On passing their examinations or completion of …

Inadequate Physician Knowledge Of The Effects Of Diet On Blood Lipids And Lipoproteins., Mary M. Flynn, Chris N. Sciamanna, Kevin C. Vigilante

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND:To assess the nutrition knowledge of physicians on the basic effects of diet on blood lipids and lipoproteins.

METHODS:Anonymous mailed dietary knowledge surveys to 6000 randomly selected physicians in the United States licensed in either Internal Medicine or Cardiology.RESULTS:Response rate: 16% (n = 639). Half of the physicians did not know that canola oil and 26% did not know olive oil were good sources of monounsaturated fat. Ninety-three percent (84% of cardiologists vs. 96% of internists; p < 0.001) did not know that a low-fat diet, in general, would increase blood triglycerides. Approximately three-quarters (70% of cardiologists vs. 77% of internists; p < 0.01) did not know a low-fat diet would decrease HDL-c and almost half (45%) thought that a low-fat diet would not change HDL-c.

CONCLUSIONS:If physicians are to implement dietary and cholesterol management guidelines, they will likely need to become more knowledgeable about nutrition.

The Application Of Intellectual Property Rights To Outer Space Activities, Ruwantissa Abeyratne

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

The Generational-Technological Gap In Air And Space Law: A Commentary, Gbenga Oduntan

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Neighborhood Voices: Getting It Together -- Connecting Local Neighborhoods And National Advocates, Anne Pasmanick, National Neighborhood Coalition

Center for Urban Research and Learning: Publications and Other Works

This report, focusing on the national relationship to local organizations, local and regional coalitions, and the forging of complementary relationships, shows that the work of advocates based in Washington can be bolstered by a renewed immersion in the day-to-day challenges of "local" groups. The frustrations of the "local" groups can be mitigated with a deeper appreciation of the constrained realities of federal advocacy in a period of devolution, retrenchment in social services and relentless assault on the role of government in providing basic supports for people and their communities. The evaluation was constructed using a total of 216 surveys that …

Arkansas Animal Science Department Report 2003, Zelpha B. Johnson, D. Wayne Kellogg

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The faculty and staff of the Animal Science Program are pleased to present the sixth edition of the Arkansas Animal Science Report. As with virtually all programs in the country, budget constraints presented serious challenges to teaching, research, and extension programming. However, the faculty and staff responded with innovation, good management, and hard work to maintain a productive program designed to benefit the students of the University and the citizens of the state. We are committed to remaining faithful to our Land-Grant mission. A sincere thank you is owed to Dr. Zelpha Johnson and Dr. Wayne Kellogg for editing this …

Nurse Rostering Problems: A Bibliographic Survey, Brenda Cheang, Haibing Li, Andrew Lim, Brian Rodrigues

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Hospitals need to repeatedly produce duty rosters for its nursing staff. The good scheduling of nurses has impact on the quality of health care, the recruitment of nurses, the development of budgets and other nursing functions. The nurse rostering problem (NRP) has been the subject of much study. This paper presents a brief overview, in the form of a bibliographic survey, of the many models and methodologies available to solve the NRP.

Adding Liveness Detection To The Hand Geometry Scanner, Musat C. Crihalmeanu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In today's dynamic society, the efficiency of the Biometric Systems has an increasing tendency to replace the classic but obsolete keys and passwords. Hand Geometry Readers are popular biometrics used for Access and Control applications. One of their weaknesses is vulnerability to spoofing using fake hands (latex, play-doh or dead-hands).;The objective of this thesis is to design a feature to be added to the Hand Geometry Scanner in order to detect vitality in the hand, reducing spoofing possibilities.;This thesis demonstrates how the Hand Reader was successfully spoofed and shows the implementation of the live detection feature through an inexpensive but …

Real-Time Measurement Of Oxides Of Nitrogen From Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Aparna Aravelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

New emissions regulations and performance requirements imposed on modern diesel engines encourage the development of improved tools for emissions measurements. This study investigated one of the improved tools for NOx emissions measurement. Objectives of this thesis included measurement, comparison and prediction of NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines using two different NOx analyzers. Steady state and transient tests were conducted on six heavy-duty diesel engines in the WVU Engine and Emissions Research Center (EERC). NOx emissions were measured using a conventional Rosemount NOx analyzer and a Cambustion fast response NOx analyzer. The Rosemount analyzer sampled dilute emissions whereas the fast …

Dynamic Response Evaluation Of Fiber-Reinforced Composite Bridge Decks And Bridges, Chandra Sekhar Jinka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite bridge decks are gaining attention of bridge owners because of their light self weight, corrosion resistance and ease of installation. The lighter weight and lower stiffness of the FRP decks combined with the lower level of damping (than concrete) can lead to excessive deck vibrations and may substantially increase the dynamic amplification of induced stress and deflections. Also, a global NDE technique using dynamic characterization is necessary to ensure the long term performance of FRP bridges. Therefore, an extensive study on FRP decks and FRP bridges is carried out both at laboratory and in the …

Characterization Of In-Use Emissions From On-Highway Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Mohan Krishnamurthy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Class-8 trucks with GVWR of 80,000 lbs were tested on different driving routes and in-use brake-specific emissions of NOx and CO2 data were collected using the West Virginia University's Mobile Emissions Measurement System (MEMS). An uncertainty analysis was performed on the MEMS and it was determined the maximum possible error in the measurement of brake-specific emissions of NOx was 8% and CO2 was 6%.;A modal analysis indicated that the cruise mode comprised 70% of the time that the vehicle spent in the Not-to-Exceed (NTE) zone while the acceleration and deceleration modes about 20% and 10% respectively.;In order to reduce the …

Characterization Of Exhaust Emissions From Catalyzed Trap-Equipped Non-Road Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Vinay Nagendran

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An emissions and engine performance study was conducted to explore the effects of ultra low sulfur fuels on an off-road, heavy-duty engine retrofitted with catalyzed traps. The study was conducted, on an 8 cylinder, mechanically controlled Caterpillar 3408, rear engine of a Scraper. An in-field transient duty cycle was determined by logging the engine speed and torque using an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) communication adapter on the Scraper. The test fuels included California Air Resources Board (CARB) off-road diesel fuel, Fischer-Tropsch and Emission Control Diesel-1 (ECD1) diesel fuels. The engine was retrofit with two different types of diesel particulate filters …

Teachers' Views Of The Impact Of The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Initiative On Head Start Programs In A Western Maryland Community, Fannie L. Boayue

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the call for accountability increased, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002 to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was reauthorized in 1994. The Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood Education Initiative, followed in April 2002. Both of these reform measures have significant implications for school success and achievement of all children in both childcare and public school settings as well as accountability for teachers and administrators.;The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the views of Head Start teachers on the impact of the Good …

Randomized Clinical Trial For Efficacy Of Mobilization With Movement Versus End-Range Mobilization Techniques In The Treatment Of Adhesive Capsulitis Of Shoulder Joint, Shih-Hsin Tan, Ying-Tzu Tai, Kai-Lin Hwang, Ting-Chung Wu, Chorng-Sonq Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

The objective of this stud is to compare the efficacy between mobilization with movement (MWM) and end-range mobilization techniques (EMTs) in the management of adhesive capsulitis. Eighteen and twenty-two patients from MWM and EMT groups, respectively, who returned after two-week follow-up were evaluated. This was a randomized, evaluator-blind, parallel comparison study. Active and passive range of motion (ROM) for flexion, internal and external rotation, abduction and pain scale were assessed regularly by the same physical therapist. Pain reduction was observed in most of the patients. The proportion of patients with the same or worse condition after one month of follow-up …

A Study Of Cognition And Willingness Of Hospital Managers On Setting Up Fitness Centers, Tsan-Hon Liou, Po-Wei Lin, Jing-Hwa Wey, Chun-Chieh Chiu, Chung-Pao Lin, Yu-Sheng Liao

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

In the United States, the hospital-based fitness centers were rapidly developed in recent years and, in fact, they have already had over twenty years history. However, the concept is just at beginning stage in Taiwan. This investigation was directed against the managers of the hospital in Taiwan. To collect the interest of cognition and willingness of hospital managers on the issue of setting up a fitness center. One hundred and ninety-eight questionnaires were sent out and 138 reclaimed. The rate of reclaims was 69.7%. They included 78 managers of doctor and 60 managers of non-doctor. The results of the study …

Aquaculture-Related Stress On Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) And Arctic Char (Salvelinus Alpinus), Christopher D. Nelson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent expansions in aquaculture characterize it as one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. agricultural sector. Expansion has been facilitated by increased production of many important aquatic species including catfish, salmon, trout, tilapia, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish. West Virginia aquaculture, also an expanding industry, is currently characterized by small-scale, widely dispersed farms. To facilitate future expansion of aquaculture in West Virginia, focuses on product quality as well as production efficiency, identification of limiting factors and investigation into new or alternative management techniques are needed. Objectives of this project were to determine the effects of nitrite and carbon dioxide …

Enhancing Quality And Extending Shelf Life Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) By Vitamin E Supplementation And Post-Harvest Antimicrobial Intervention, Nalini Kamireddy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rainbow trout were fed a control (191 mg/kg) or the control diet supplemented with 5000 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg. Fish were sampled at 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 weeks of feeding; at each week fillets were evaluated at 0, 7, and 14 d. Supplementation increased fillet alpha-tocopherol content, and TBARS value were not affected. A feeding by storage time interaction was observed for fat content, psychrotrophic counts, cook yield, and shear force. For antimicrobial intervention, fillets were not treated or were dipped in water, 50 ppm ASC, and 1000 ppm ASC for 30 s. Fillets were stored at 1--2°C for …

Characterization Of Point Defects In Nonlinear Optical Materials, Madalina M. Chirila

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Thermoluminescence (TL), optical absorption, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) were used to characterize point defects in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 Crystals. A broad TL emission, peaking at 440 nm, is observed near 94 K from LiNbO3 when the crystal is irradiated at 77 K and then rapidly warmed. From the LiTaO3 crystals two overlapping TL peaks occur at 94 and 98 K, with each showing a 350-nm maximum in spectral emission. These peaks are observed after 77-K exposure of the crystals to x rays or lasers (266, 325, or 355 nm). During excitation of these crystals at 77 K, holes are …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers And Their Application In Preconcentrators For Gas Phase Sensors, Yi Fu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Various of molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized by different protocols. Piezoelectric quartz crystals coated with molecularly imprinted polymers were prepared to detect small organic vapors. Hydroquinone (HQ) and Phenol (P) have been used as non-covalent bound templates in order to generate shape-selectivity cavities in the polymer matrix. The recognition film was immobilized on the crystal surface via a pre-coated Poly(isobutylene) layer. The selective behaviors of the imprinted polymer films were studied by their steady-state response to various kinds of small organic vapors. The partition coefficients of polymers toward vapors were evaluated. The imprinted polymers exhibit high sensitivity and selectivity toward …

National Survey Of Psychological Practices Across Rural And Urban Communities, Craig M. Helbok

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in the practice of psychology across urban and rural communities. The review of the rural literature suggests that psychologists in rural areas are likely to encounter numerous ethical dilemmas and problems that are related specifically to the characteristics of such communities. To date, however, much of this literature has been based on theory and the individual experiences of practitioners. This study sought to quantify any differences in the practice of psychology across communities for such ethical issues as multiple relationships, competency, burnout, confidentiality, and visibility in the community. A survey …

Metallothionein Isoform 3 Expression In Human Bladder Urothelium, Seongmi Park

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The third isoform of metallothionein, MT-3 is shown to have a restricted pattern of tissue distribution with expression confined to the neural tissue. Previous work done by this laboratory has shown that MT-3 is not expressed in the normal bladder but is over-expressed in bladder cancer with levels correlating to the type and grade of tumor. Recently, a new bladder epithelial cell line UROtsa has been characterized that does not express the MT-3 gene and may serve as a useful in vitro model system of the normal human urothelium. The goal of this study was to see the effect of …

Censusing And Modeling The Dynamics Of A Population Of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis L.) Using Remote Sensing, W. Robert Lamar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A population of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.) was censused from the ground using traditional field methods and from the air using large scale, high-resolution, aerial imagery in the early spring of 1997, 1998 and 1999. A manual crown survey map of the population, prepared from aerial imagery, was compared to a traditional field census. Over 60% of the individuals measured on the ground were not detected in the aerial census. Tree size, crown density and crown position all played roles in determining a crown's visibility from the air. Nearly all large, upper canopy hemlocks were visible in the aerial …