Digital Commons Network^™

Trace Detection Of Mercury Using Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes, Latha Ramakrishnan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This Project was undertaken to develop electrochemical techniques using Boron-doped Diamond (BDD) electrodes for the purpose of detecting mercury in solutions in the ppb-ppt range. Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) was used successfully to develop calibration curves for mercury detection in standard solutions in the ppb-ppt range, followed by using these curves for mercury measurements in unknown samples. DPV experiments were performed in nitrate, thiocyanate and chloride media. Investigation in the chloride medium is important since practical samples always contain chloride impurities. The formation of calomel in chloride medium is avoided on the BDD surface by the co-deposition of 3ppm of …

Development Of A Test Method To Measure "In-Use" Emissions From Stationary And Portable Diesel Sources, Gurudutt A. Nayak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A cost-effective, accurate and easy-to-use in-field test method was developed that would allow regulatory bodies, such as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to determine in-use compliance with emission standards for newly manufactured portable and stationary engines. As emissions measured during an engine-dynamometer test do not faithfully reflect real-world emissions, a test method that functions like an Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) type test method was developed. Only concentration measurements of pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen (NO x) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are required to determine compliance using this "compliance factor, F" approach. Hence, errors introduced due to engine work …

Forensic Analysis Of Digital Evidence From Palm Personal Digital Assistants, Christopher M. Mcnemar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Personal Digital Assistants are becoming more affordable and commonplace. They provide mobile data storage, computational, and network abilities. When handheld devices are involved in a crime, forensic examiners need tools to properly retrieve and analyze data present on the device. Unfortunately, forensic analysis of handheld devices is not adequately documented and supported.;This report gives an overview of Palm handheld development and current forensic software related to Personal Digital Assistants. Procedures for device seizure, storage, imaging, and analysis are documented. In addition, a tool was developed as part of this work to aid forensic examiners in recovering evidence from memory image …

Geotechnical Investigation Of Montrose Wetland Site, Christopher R. Ryan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this investigation is to obtain the geotechnical characteristics of the site and to aid in the creation of a proposed engineered wetland at Montrose, West Virginia. The tests performed in the laboratory to obtain the soil properties were: water content, Atterberg limits (liquid and plastic limits), grain size (sieve analysis and hydrometer), specific gravity, field density, and hydraulic conductivity. Tests were performed on soil samples taken from the site during installation of monitoring wells. Results from tests were used in the classification of soil. Additional samples were reconstructed to determine the permeability of the soil. These tests …

Students' And Instructors' Attitudes Toward Using Biometric Technology As An *Identification Method In Online Courses, Wafi Albalawi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated the social and cultural issues related to the implementation of biometric technology at the College of Human Resources and Education at West Virginia University. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The researcher verbally interviewed five instructors and five graduate students. The quantitative research methods employed two surveys. The research population involved 30 instructors and 189 graduate students. The researcher utilized independent-sample t-tests to compare different groups. The results obtained from this research support the following: (1) there is a real privacy concern among instructors and students regarding the implementation of biometric technology, (2) religious …

K--12 Teachers' Technology Integration In Benedum Collaborative Professional Development Schools, Sabah Karayegen-Giraldo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigated how K--12 teachers and interns in West Virginia University's Professional Development Schools (PDS) are using technology as a tool to enhance their students' education. The study addressed the use of technology as a classroom tool for research, communication, productivity, and problem-solving as outlined by the National Technology Standards for students. Eleven research questions framed this study. Comparisons across grade levels (elementary, middle, and high schools) and subject areas (English, mathematics, science, and social studies) were included. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used as quantitative research methods. The study involved 327 teachers and 102 intern students in these …

Strategies For Sustainable Professional Development Programs To Promote Effective Pedagogical Use Of Instructional Technology In Teaching, Karla R. Assis Cezarino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine a set of common strategies employed by sustainable instructional technology professional development programs that are found to successfully promote educators' high-level use of technology in their teaching practice. Two questions guided this study: (a) Research Question 1: What do successful instructional technology professional development programs recognize as indicators of high-level use of technology? and (b) Research Question 2: Which instructional technology professional development strategies successfully promote high-level use of instructional technology in participants' teaching practice?;An online questionnaire consisting of close-ended questions and open-ended questions was used as the means of data collection. …

Government Corruption And The Right Of Access To Courts, Una A. Kim

Michigan Law Review

This Note addresses the question left unanswered in Harbury: whether these denial of access-to-courts cases, which Justice Souter termed "backward-looking" access claims, are valid exercises of a constitutional right. Backward-looking access claims such as Harbury's differ from traditional denial of access-to-courts claims in that their aim is not to remove impediments to bringing causes of action in the future. Rather, backward-looking access claims allege that a suit that could have been filed in the past was not brought or was not litigated effectively, because access to the courts was at that time denied or obstructed by government officials. …

Murray Ledger And Times, December 1, 2004, Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Saudi Women's Society: Perceptions Of Saudi Arabian Women Living In The Upper Midwest, Philline M. Deraney

Theses and Dissertations

This research posed three broad questions about perceptions of adult Saudi Arabian women living in Midwestern states of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Specifically, the questions explored were: (I) What were the women experiencing while living in the Midwest? (2) What did the experiences mean to the women? and, (3) How did the women interpret their experiences? The purposes of this research were to amplify the women's ''voices'' and to add to the limited base of qualitative research on Saudi Arabian women. Interviews and brief observations of 13 native Saudi women were the main for1ns of data collection, and rigorous …

The Graduate Dean As Guardian Of Standards And Academic Excellence, Cynthia H. Shabb

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of the graduate dean at selected American Universities. The primaiy method of investigating the role of the graduate dean was grounded theory. The sample for this study was composed of the graduate dean at the University of North Dakota (UND) and nine institutions identified by the North Dakota University System as UND’s peers including Southern Illinois University—Carbondale, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Louisville, University of Missouri—Kansas City, University of Nevada—Reno, University of South Carolina, Wright State University, Ohio University, and West Virginia University. The data analysis …

Teacher Candidate Dispositions Identified By Ncate-Accredited Colleges Of Education: How Professional Educators Are Disposed Toward The Students, Curriculum, And Reasons They Teach, Debra L. (Rhoads) Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The education profession has a great deal of information on potential teachers' knowledge and technical skills, but the study of affective attributes that are the human interface between teaching and student learning is still evolving. The central phenomenon exmined in this study is the affective and attitudinal attributes, or "dispositions" of teachers as defined by colleges of education.

The researcher analyzed conceptual frameworks and affective attributes in Institutional Reports from colleges reviewed by the National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), whose standards require reporting on dispositions. The dispositional factors that these colleges surmise predict successful practice were …

Green Card, Blood Card, Or June 4 Card: The Chinese Student Protection Act Of 1992, Linxiang Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will detail the actual reasons behind the passage of the Chinese Student Protection Act (CSPA) of 1992. It will demonstrate that the passage of this act is rooted in American political desires, American partisan conflicts, and a sophisticated lobbying effort on the part of Chinese students and scholars, who had their own, often complicated, reasons for not wishing to return to China.

To set the stage for this work, it will provide significant background information on three topics: Chinese-American immigration history prior to 1989, the "Crisis of 1989" itself, and the respective responses of the American Congress and …

Vaginal Discharge: Perceptions And Health Seeking Behavior Among Nepalese Women, Narjis Rizvi, Stephen Luby

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: To understand women's perceptions and health seeking behavior and the association between vaginal discharge, clinical signs and laboratory findings as a presentation of sexually transmitted diseases (STD).Methods: We conducted five focus group discussions with women attending the outpatient department in a large public hospital in Katmandu, Nepal, during May-June 1997. We also interviewed seventy women presenting with vaginal discharge to the same hospital, through structured questionnaire. Women presenting with discharge were also examined and investigated for six common sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive tract infections.Results: In the focus groups vaginal discharge was identified as a common disease distinct from …

The Role Of Vitamin E In The Prevention Of Coronary Events And Stroke. Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Abdullah H. Alkhenizan, Mohammed A. Al-Omran

Saudi Medical Journal

Cardiovascular disease CVD is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Vitamin E as an anti-oxidant vitamin, was suggested to have a role in the prevention of CVD. We did a meta-analysis, using the Cochrane Group Methodology, of all available randomized controlled trials RCTs to evaluate the role of vitamin E in the prevention of CVD. Nine studies met inclusion criteria, including 80,645 participants. Vitamin E supplementation was not associated with a reduction in total mortality or total CVD mortality, but it was associated with a small statistically significant reduction in non-fatal myocardial infarction in patients with …

Triage In Terms Of Medicine And Ethics, Omur Elcioglu, Ilhami Unluoglu

Saudi Medical Journal

Human beings are exposed to countless extraordinary events provoked by the nature or by themselves. When the available resources fail to satisfy the medical needs of numerous injured people and patients in such circumstances, triage application which means "selecting, sorting" is indispensable. This paper examines the medical ethics evaluation of triage and its position in Islam.

Alterations Of Erythrocyte Free Radical Defense System, Heart Tissue Lipid Peroxidation, And Lipid Concentration In Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats Under Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation, Hanan S. Al-Thakafy, Samir M. Khoja, Zohair M. Al-Marzouki, Mohammad Z. Zailaie, Khalid M. Al-Marzouki

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Free radicals play an important role in genesis and development of various chronic diseases and aging. Our objective is to study the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on erythrocyte antioxidants, heart tissue lipid peroxidation end products and lipid concentration in different age of diabetic rats. METHODS: In this study, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) were determined in erythrocytes. The products of lipid peroxidation were determined in the heart tissues of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and in healthy rats at 4, 8, and 13-months of age. The above mentioned …

Experimental Acute Lung Injury. Effects Of Methylprednisolone And Lidocaine On Histopathology And Neutrophils, Zuhtu U. Sevimli, Nazim Dogan, Mehmet Kizilkaya, Cemal Gundogdu

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Methylprednisolone and lidocaine are commonly used in acute lung injury caused by acid aspiration. The aim of this study is to demonstrate if these 2 agents, given at an early stage, can reduce lung damage and improve oxygenation. METHODS: The study was carried out at the animal laboratories of Ataturk University, Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey during the year 2002, and performed on a rabbit acid aspiration model. At an early stage, the controls were given saline solution, the second group was given lidocaine, and the third group was given methylprednisolone. The neutrophil count was determined hourly. After 6 hours …

A Pharmacoepidemiological Study Of Prescription Pattern In Outpatient Clinics In Southwestern Saudi Arabia, Yacoub M. Irshaid, Mohammed A. Al-Homrany, Anwar A. Hamdi, Keneth K. Adjepon-Yamoah, Ahmed A. Mahfouz

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: A pharmacoepidemiological study of prescription pattern in outpatient clinics in Southwestern Saudi Arabia METHODS: A total of 3796 prescriptions from outpatient clinics of Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were screened randomly and systemically over one-year period (April 2000 to April 2001). The prescriptions were analyzed for the essential elements of the prescription order, and for the number and classes of drugs prescribed, source of prescription and appropriateness of prescription to the diagnosis. RESULTS: The source of prescriptions was not provided in 61.5% of prescriptions. The diagnosis was missing in 15.1% and not readable in 18.9% of …

Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis. Clinical Presentation, Radiological Features And Treatment, Saleh M. Aldaqal

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical characteristic, clinical presentations and radiological features of diopathic granulomatous mastitis, and the best treatment approaches of this clinical entity. METHODS: Between 1996 and 2003 the files and histopathology reports of 25 patients with granulomatous mastitis at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were reviewed. The data were analyzed and a Medline search was carried out from 1970 to 2003 to review relevant cases. RESULTS: The age of patients ranged from 24-66 years and the mean age was 36.6 +/- 9.43 years. All patients were females. The most common clinical presentation was palpable …

Assessment Of Electrotherapy In Treatment Of Hemorrhoids In Southern Iran, Ahmad Izadpanah, Seyed-Vahid Hosseini, Davood Mehrabani, Alimohammad Bananzadeh

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have developed an electrotherapy device in order to improve the outcome and decrease the number of referrals and duration of treatment of internal hemorrhoid. METHODS: We treated 2015 hemorrhoids among 931 patients (382 males and 549 females); 319 hemorrhoids were grade 1, 1158 grade 2 and 538 grade 3, from May 1995 to October 2002, at Nemazee and Faghihee Hospitals in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. All patients were referred due to fresh rectal bleeding or reducible prolapsed hemorrhoid with no response to medical treatment. After introduction of anesthesia, 27-30 mAmp direct current …

Analysis Of Small Bowel Tumors, Maad M. Abdul-Rahman, Mustafa M. Al-Waali, Ahmed S. Al-Naaimi

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Small bowel tumors are remarkably rare. The colon is affected 40 times than the small bowel. Even though the small intestine accounts for 80% of the length and 90% of the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract, only 3-6% of the gastrointestinal malignancies arise from the small bowel. The aim of the study is to enlighten the subject in our community including: therapeutic intervention, the histopathologic types, the risk factors and outcome. METHODS: Between January 1997 and January 2002, 40 patients with primary small bowel tumors were followed in Baghdad Hospital, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Hospital, Al-Mansour Hospital for Pediatrics …

Comparison Of Helicobacter Pylori Stool Antigen Test With Clo Test In The Diagnosis Of Helicobacter Pylori Associated Dyspepsia In A Saudi Population, Abimbola O. Osoba, Mahgoub B. Ibrahim, Bakheet A. Al-Shareef, Abdullah A. Yassen, Baraa A. Hussein

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic usefulness of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) stool antigen test (HpSA) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with the Campylobacter-like organism (CLO) test in Saudi patients with H.pylori associated dyspepsia. METHODS: Sixty consecutive adult Saudi patients suspected of H.pylori infection with dyspepsia attending the Gastroenterology Unit of the King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, were recruited into the study. The study was carried out between 1st January and 30th June 2003. There were 25 males and 35 females. Their ages ranged from 19-72 years. Mean age was 39.6 years. At endoscopy diagnosis was made by taking gastric antrum mucosal biopsy …

Gastrointestinal Lesions And Helicobacter Pylori In Patients With Myeloproliferative Disorders, Ali O. Karaoglu, Gurhan Kadikoylu, Vahit Yukselen, Mehmet H. Yasa, Zahit Bolaman

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the endoscopic lesions, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positivity in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). METHODS: Thirty patients with MPD and 93 controls with functional dyspepsia were enrolled in this study after informed consent obtained between March 2000 and July 2003. The study was held at the Departments of Hematology and Gastroenterology, Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Medicine, Adnan, Turkey. Physical examination, hemogram, peripheral blood examination, upper endoscopic examinations were performed in all patients. Helicobacter pylori positivity was evaluated by rapid urease test, and by histopathological examination of the biopsies obtained …

Long-Term Follow-Up After Liver Transplantation In Egyptians Transplanted Abroad, Hatem Khalaf, Sherif Farag, Ehab El-Hussainy

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term outcome after liver transplantation (LT) in Egyptian patients who underwent LT outside Egypt. METHODS: Between May 1993 and February 2004, over 150 Egyptians underwent LT outside Egypt. Data of 67 recipients were collected in Egypt through personal communications with the Overseas Liver Transplant Centers and through the records of the Egyptian Liver Transplant Association. RESULTS: Most patients underwent LT in Europe (73.1%), few in the United State of America (17.9%) and in Japan (9%). Sixty-one patients underwent cadaveric LT and the remaining 6 patients underwent living related liver transplantation (LDLT). The male to female ratio …

Manifestations Of Falciparum Malaria In Pregnant Women Of Eastern Sudan, Ishag Adam, Daw M. Ali, Mustafa I. Elbashir

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the morbidity pattern of malaria during pregnancy in New Halfa Teaching Hospital, Eastern Sudan, where malaria transmission is unstable. METHODS: Pregnant (or in the puerperium) women presented with symptoms of falciparum malaria to the hospital during the period of November 2002 to March 2003 were enrolled to the study. Their socio-demographic characters, physical examinations, especially manifestations of severe falciparum malaria were performed and data were recorded. Blood films for malaria, urine, hemoglobin and blood glucose were tested. RESULTS: Fifty-nine pregnant (or in the puerperium) women with falciparum malaria were presented in this study. …

Tegner And Lysholm Scores In Brace-Free Rehabilitation, Husham A. Hasan

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To compare results of aggressive method of rehabilitation after reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament against results of standard braced method of rehabilitation, and to determine prognostic factors. This is a retrospective comparative study with statistical analysis. METHODS: In this study, 85 patients were operated in the Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between December 1998 and December 2001, and underwent rehabilitation with a minimum follow up of 2 years. The patients were split into 2 groups. Group A consist of 32 patients and they underwent the standard rehabilitation program according to established braced programs. Group B is …

Consanguinity In Kahramanmaras City, Turkey, And Its Medical Impact, Lale Donbak

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Recently, several studies have indicated the rate of consanguinity ranging between 20 and 70% in the Middle East. Turkey is one of the countries with a high rate of consanguineous unions in the Middle East. In this study, the rate of consanguinity and its effects on spontaneous abortus, stillbirth, infant mortality, and birth defects were investigated in a population sample residing in Kahramanmaras city, Turkey. METHODS: For this study, 1000 randomly selected women, aboriginals of Kahramanmaras city, Turkey, were interviewed at their home and the concerning information was obtained by administration of a questionnaire between April 2002 and March …

Comparison Of Propofol And Sevoflurane Anesthesia By Means Of Blood Loss During Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, Remziye Sivaci, Mustafa D. Yilmaz, Canan Balci, Tuna Erincler, Halis Unlu

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present investigation is to examine whether induced hypotension with propofol or sevoflurane anesthesia improves the dryness of surgical field in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS: The study was performed between 1999 and 2002 in Celal Bayar University and Afyon Kocatepe University Hospitals, Turkey. Thirty-two patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and III) with chronic sinusitis undergoing outpatient endoscopic sinus surgery under general anesthesia were studied to determine if anesthetic technique had an impact on estimated blood loss. The patients were allocated randomly into 2 groups. None of the patients were premedicated. Anesthesia was …

Aase-Smith Syndrome Type Ii, Murat Soker, Orhan Ayyildiz, Abdurrahman Isikdogan

Saudi Medical Journal

Aase-Smith syndrome type II is rare in childhood and there are few reported cases. Here, we report an 8-month-old boy with congenital red cell aplasia and triphalangeal thumbs. In addition to thumb anomalies, he presented with growth failure, hypertelorism and novel osseous radiologic abnormalities, large fontanelles and micrognathia as extraordinary. Some clinical symptoms had complete clinical remission with deflazacort treatment.