Digital Commons Network^™

Identity Formation Of Adolescents Involved In Selected Structured Activities, Sara A. Drake

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Identity formation is seen as the primary developmental task during adolescence according to Erikson (1968). Adolescents' involvement in structured activities such as extracurricular activity, 4-H, and volunteerism were examined to determine their associations with identity formation. Researcher James Marcia (1966) developed four statuses of identity formation: diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achieved. Categorization in one of the four statuses depends upon the levels of both crisis and commitment. Adolescents who are in the identity-diffused category have had no crisis or made no commitment. Those who foreclose, have made a commitment, but have had no crisis. Moratorium is a state of exploration, …

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 …

Winter Habitat Use Of Fishes In The Ohio River, Benjamin Ernst Lenz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Winter is a critical period during which fishes may suffer increased mortality. To identify the habitats that fishes use in large rivers during winter conditions, we electrofished six habitat types in the Belleville Pool, Ohio River. We collected the greatest diversity and numbers of fishes in low-velocity tributary confluences when water temperatures were >4°C. When water temperatures were <4°C, certain species were collected in greater abundance in faster-velocity main channel and back channel habitats while other species continued to associate with lower flows in tributary mouths. Differing habitat use between species obscures broad generalizations about when and how fishes use overwintering refuges. In an additional habitat sampled, an embayment, 85% of all fishes collected were juveniles. Centrarchids, rarely collected in the mainstem portion of the river, were one of the dominant fishes collected in the embayment. Protecting large river embayments may prove important for managing recreational sunfish fisheries.

Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis) Movement And Habitat Use In A Headwater Stream Of The Central Appalachian Mountains Of West Virginia, Marisa Nel Logan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are the only salmonid native to the Appalachians. They are a resilient species, populating small, low productive streams. Although such streams have historically been abundant in the Appalachians, brook trout populations have been threatened due to habitat degradation such as logging and acidification of waters. The objective of this study was to evaluate brook trout habitat use, home range, and movement patterns in an Appalachian headwater stream during spring and more specifically high flow events. I implanted brook trout with radio tags and tracked their movement for approximately 30 days during late spring 2002 and early …

Soil Characterization, Classification, And Biomass Accumulation In The Otter Creek Wilderness, Jamie Schnably

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study evaluated soils of the Otter Creek Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest. Thirteen sites were sampled and analyzed according to landscape position: three terrace soils (T), four ridgetop soils (R), three sideslope soils with argillic horizons (SSA), and three sideslope soils with cambic horizons (SSC). At each site, one pedon was described and sampled, and biomass data were collected. Standard chemical and physical properties, clay mineralogy, extractable sulfate and sulfated adsorption capacity were analyzed. The SSA soils had the highest pH, the most diverse vegetation, and the highest base saturation. These soils had a low risk for acid …

Pharmaceutical Quality Performance Of Folic Acid Supplements, Islam Rasem Younis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The vitamin folic acid has received considerable attention in the 1990s because of its preventative role against diseases such as neural tube defects, cardiovascular diseases, and psychiatric illness.;A primary concern is the pharmaceutical quality, potency, and efficacy of commercially available folic acid products and label claims. The results showed that there has been significant progress since the 1990's in the improved quality of commercially available folic acid products in meeting USP standards.;Products were also tested in physiologically relevant solutions. Most notably, all the tested products failed to release more than 75% of the active ingredient in 60 minutes in simulated …

Population Level Dynamics Of Grasshopper Sparrow Populations Breeding On Reclaimed Mountaintop Mines In West Virginia, Frank K. Ammer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

During 2001 and 2002, I surveyed three mountaintop mining/valley fill (MTMVF) complexes in southern West Virginia to determine vegetation characteristics important to nest site selection and to estimate nest success for Grasshopper Sparrow populations inhabiting these complexes. I also performed genetic analyses to assess overall population structure, mating system, parentage, kinship, and gender of individuals comprising these populations. A total of 415 grasshopper sparrows were captured and systematic searches of study plots produced 75 active nests. Nest survival for 2001--2002 breeding season (33%) is comparable to survival rates previously reported in the literature. Nest survival rates decreased with increased reclamation …

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 …

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 …

Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mountaintop removal mining, a mining technique used in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and nearby states, converts mature forests to grassland and shrub-pole habitats. I sampled terrestrial herpetofauna using drift fences with pitfalls and funnel traps from 2000--2002 to evaluate habitat use of unmined native habitat (intact forest), mined habitat (reclaimed grassland, reclaimed shrub-pole habitat, and fragmented forest), and early successional off-mine habitats that were created by other types of disturbance and were structurally similar to reclaimed grasslands and reclaimed shrubpole habitats. I searched transects in valley fill and reference streams from 2001--2002 to evaluate impacts of valley fill …

Gender Stereotypes In Children's Television Commercials And The Effects On Consumer Purchasing Behavior, Joanne G. Asztalos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research presents an exploratory investigation on the extent of gender stereotypes portrayed in children's television commercials and the effects on consumer purchasing behavior. The author conducted two studies including a content analysis of viewing 75 children's television commercials, 25 boy, 25 girl, 25 neutral, and documenting evidence of roles, traits, activities, products, speaking parts and settings. Qualitative focus groups were then conducted to correlate the documented gender stereotypes with purchasing behaviors among children between the ages of 6--12. Major findings for this research revealed that there are many gender stereotypes in children's television commercials including the issue that male …

Laboratory Experiments In Thermal Sciences, Christopher K. Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Study of the basic sciences (chemistry, biology, physics, etc.) requires experimental verification to support the theory developed in the classroom. Engineering solutions are the same in their need for verification. In an academic environment this verification comes in the form of laboratory courses. The link to applications is equally important as the demonstration of theory. This is especially true for engineering disciplines due to the nature of tasks engineers are expected to successfully complete in industry. It is vital for the engineer's career that he/she can successfully apply the background theory learned in university study to real world applications.;The Department …

Characterization And Recommendations For The Remediation Of Acid Mine Drainage Impacted Streams, Patrick F. Hudnall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Beaver Creek watershed (located in West Virginia) has been severely impacted by Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) from surface mining operations. Water quality was monitored via water quality grab samples, in-situ water quality monitoring devices (YSI Sondes), and fish and macroinvertebrate community sampling. High concentrations of metal ions (Fe, Mn, Al, and SO 4) and acidity along with low pH and alkalinity values were observed from water quality sampling sites. The water quality data collected from the in-situ monitoring devices and fish and macroinvertebrate sampling supported the findings from the water quality grab sampling. Recommendations were made for the remediation, …

Hybrid Neural Networks Models For A Membrane Reactor, Mohammed Al-Yemni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Artificial neural networks (ANN) have become an established discipline and have gained extensive interest within chemical engineering. In recent years, research effort has focused on the use of "hybrid artificial neural networks" (HANN) models that combine both the deterministic and the ANN elements. Several methods have been proposed for combining ANN with first principle relations. In this thesis, a new hybrid scheme, which is similar to that developed by Kasprow for a space-independent and time-dependent fed-batch microbial reactor, was developed for a space-dependent steady-state enzymatic reactor. This scheme combines ANN with mass balances and assumed rate expressions. It was shown …

Utilization Of *Assessment By Maryland Cooperative Extension Faculty, Jennifer Thorn Bentlejewski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research study explored the degree of faculty utilization of assessment practices at the class, program, and institutional levels within the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension. Differences in assessment utilization among faculty of various ranks and disciplines were examined. Faculty perceptions of the benefits and challenges of implementing assessment were also investigated. A quantitative research approach guided the study, which utilized a 78-item survey. Descriptive statistics, multivariate analyses of variance, and analyses of variance were used to analyze the quantitative data. In addition to the survey instrument, a qualitative analysis of data was conducted with regard to learning outcomes and …

News From Cart, Donald Padgett

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Return To The Wild, John C. Jahoda

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Ecological Encouragement: The Role Of Agricultural Knowledge In Southern Illinois, Natalie Faris

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Maya Ritual And Myth: Human Sacrifice In The Context Of The Ballgame And The Relationship To The Popol Vuh, Jessica Zaccagnini

Honors Theses

The ballgame existed as an integral facet of Mayan life. Ritual and mythic expression are inextricably linked to the execution of the ballgame and are deeply integrated into Mayan culture. Ritual human sacrifice is an unquestionable aspect related to the ballgame. The Maya rulers extended the outcome of the ballgarne by satisfying the deities through ritual and human sacrifice (Scarborough 1991 :143). The Quiche book of epic narratives, named the Papal Vuh, is a recurring theme in the exploration of the ballgame and it is deeply weighted with mythic significance. A discussion of how this theme is interwoven into the …

Effects Of Habitat Disturbance On The Territorial Response Of The Gray-Breasted Wood-Wren, Henicorhina Leucophrys, December 2003, Blake Audsley

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Habitat fragmentation and disturbance have become integral aspects of the neotropical landscape, impacting a variety of ecological factors. Here I attempt to quantify the relationship of bird territory size and habitat disturbance by observing the effects of habitat disturbance on avian response to conspecific playback in the Gray-breasted Wood-wren, Henicorhina leucophrys. Mean distance traveled to follow playback increased along a gradient of increasing disturbance (F = 4.435, p-value = .0165, s.d. = 27.256; 47.283; 49.094). Edge habitat birds showed significantly greater response than birds in primary and secondary growth (p-values = 0.0051; 0.0479). Variation in response also differed between habitats. …

Status And Trends In Water Quality And Living Resources In The Virginia Chesapeake Bay: York River (1985-2002), Daniel M. Dauer, Harold G. Marshall, John R. Donat, Michael F. Lane, Suzanne Doughten, Frederick A. Hoffman

Status and Trends for Virginia Chesapeake Bay

The Virginia Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries continue to show some environmental trends indicating progress toward restoration of a more balanced and healthy ecosystem. However, the Bay system remains degraded and some areas and indicators show continuing degradation. Progress in reducing nutrient inputs has made demonstrable improvements and we expect that continued progress toward nutrient reduction goals, along with appropriate fisheries management and chemical contaminant controls, will result in additional improvements to the Bay. An overall summary of findings for the major VA Bay tributaries (i.e. James, York, and Rappahannock Rivers) is bulleted below while the remainder of this …

Status And Trends In Water Quality And Living Resources In The Virginia Chesapeake Bay: Rappahannock River (1985-2002), Daniel M. Dauer, Harold G. Marshall, John R. Donat, Michael F. Lane, Suzanne Doughten, Frederick A. Hoffman

Status and Trends for Virginia Chesapeake Bay

The Virginia Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries continue to show some environmental trends indicating progress toward restoration of a more balanced and healthy ecosystem. However, the Bay system remains degraded and some areas and indicators show continuing degradation. Progress in reducing nutrient inputs has made demonstrable improvements and we expect that continued progress toward nutrient reduction goals, along with appropriate fisheries management and chemical contaminant controls, will result in additional improvements to the Bay. An overall summary of findings for the major VA Bay tributaries (i.e. James, York and Rappahannock Rivers) is bulleted below while the remainder of this …

Status And Trends In Water Quality And Living Resources In The Virginia Chesapeake Bay: James River (1985-2002), Daniel M. Dauer, Harold G. Marshall, John R. Donat, Michael F. Lane, Suzanne C. Doughten, Frederick A. Hoffman

Status and Trends for Virginia Chesapeake Bay

The Virginia Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries continue to show some environmental trends indicating progress toward restoration of a more balanced and healthy ecosystem. However, the Bay system remains degraded and some areas and indicators show continuing degradation. Progress in reducing nutrient inputs has made demonstrable improvements and we expect that continued progress toward nutrient reduction goals, along with appropriate fisheries management and chemical contaminant controls, will result in additional improvements to the Bay. An overall summary of findings for the major VA Bay tributaries (i.e. James, York, and Rappahannock Rivers) is bulleted below while the remainder of this …

Religion, Science, And Evolution: Paul Tillich's Fourth Way, Richard Grigg

Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies Faculty Publications

In his book God After Darwin John Haught provides a useful categorization of theological approaches to evolution: some theologians actively oppose Darwinian evolution, another group maintains that science and religion have nothing to say to one another, and a third seeks to engage evolution. Haught wishes to pursue the third way. But many theological attempts to talk about divine action in the world, including divine involvement in the process of evolution, run afoul of the scientific principle of the conservation of matter-energy. Haught's reliance on the now-familiar notion that information can have causal efficacy does not in fact escape this …

Physics First, Marcelo Alonso

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

It is true that now most biology courses begin with the DNA molecule, and many chemistry courses introduce the notion of electronic orbitals in atoms and molecules, topics for which students are not well prepared, since most of them have not taken physics courses. Physics courses in turn relegate to the end some discussion of the structure of matter and electromagnetic interaction, or do not discuss that at all. Thus, students miss the overall picture.

From Biology To Consciousness To Morality, Ursula Goodenough, Terrence W. Deacon

Biology Faculty Research

Social animals are provisioned with prosocial orientations that operate to transcend self-interest. Morality, as used here, describes human versions of such orientations. We explore the evolutionary antecedents of morality in the context of emergentism, giving considerable attention to the biological traits that undergird awareness and our emergent human forms of mind. We suggest that our moral frames of mind emerge from our primate prosocial capacities, transfigured and valenced by our symbolic languages, cultures, and religions.

Portions of this article were given by Deacon in a paper at the forty-ninth annual conference of IRAS, “Is Nature Enough? The Thirst for …

The Textbook Controversies In Japan: What History Is Taught?, Aaron Cooley

Essays in Education

The controversies surrounding the content and perspective of several Japanese textbooks are examined and the impact on geo-political relations analyzed. The ways in which these battles affect perceptions of history are discussed in a regional and global context. Extrapolating from this example, a position of inclusiveness is advanced for the content of textbooks that address controversial historical issues in Japan and elsewhere.

Dental Health Status And Caries Pattern Of Preschool Children In Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, Tahir R. Paul

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess dental caries and its relation to plaque, tooth brushing habit and past dental attendance, and to determine the caries pattern in primary dentition of preschool children. METHODS: One hundred and three, 5-year-old children, from preschool nurseries in Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were studied in 1994. The World Health Organization criteria was used to determine caries. RESULTS: Only 16.5% were caries free. The mean decayed missing filled teeth (dmft) was 7.1, and by excluding caries free children it was 8.5. The decay component of dmft was predominant (82%). Almost 90% of …

Skin Cancers In Western, Manzoor A. Bhat, Venkatashari Ramesh, Syed M. Ali

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective analysis of skin cancers in a major referral centre in Taif region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (KSA). METHODS: The case records of all malignant skin cancers diagnosed during a 10 year period, from 1992 through to 2001 were taken for the study. The clinical and histopathological details were noted. These were compared to reports from the rest of KSA and other countries. RESULTS: One hundred and four cases of malignant skin lesions including primary and metastatic tumors were seen. The majority were Saudis. The male to female ratio was 2.25:1. Most of the patients were over the …

Mesenteric Cystic Teratoma In Children, Abdullatif A. Al-Arfaj, Mohammad A. El-Shawarby, Fatma A. Al-Mulhim, Amer A. Lardhi

Saudi Medical Journal

Mesenteric teratoma is an extremely rare tumor, arising, akin all other teratomas, from totipotent primordial cells and displays a mixture of tissues of tridermal or bidermal origin. Two cases of mature mesenteric teratoma in a 5-month-old girl and a 4-month-old boy, the youngest reported in the literature, excluding a case recently diagnosed prenatally, are described. Diagnostic tools, differential diagnosis and management are also discussed.