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Worry, Kristen Tracy

Dissertations

The poems that make up Worry investigate themes of feminine struggle, identity, and survival. They move at a fast pace, and many of the metaphors are drawn from the animal kingdom.

Effects Of Novel Object Versus Predator Presence On Nectarivorous Bat Foraging Behavior, August 2005, Lizeth Diaz

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Bat foraging behavior has been shown to be affected by the presence of predator models near feeding sites. A previous study found significantly lower visitation at feeders with a model owl or snake next to it but no difference was found between the two predator models. In this study, foraging behavior was observed by recording bat visitations to hummingbird feeders with different treatments. The treatments consisted of a control feeder and feeders with either a shoe or a snake model nearby. Four treatment conditions were observed: control versus snake, control versus novel object, control versus control, and novel object versus …

Pyramidal Staff Training: Teaching Play And Manding To Children With Autism And Developmental Disabilities, Koji Takeshima

Dissertations

This study involved pyramidal staff training and the teaching of play and manding to children with autism and developmental disabilities in an early intervention program. The following training components were sequentially introduced to each technician: (a) a written procedure; (b) video modeling; (c) a slide show and checklist, combined with video modeling; and (d) feedback. The trainees improved their skills in teaching play as these training components were introduced, and the children's performance in play and manding subsequently improved. For the skills of teaching play, the core component of the training that resulted in the largest improvement varied across technicians. …

Plasma Concentrations Of Nt-Pro-Bnp And Cardiac Troponin-I In Relation To Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy And Cardiac Function In Childhood Malignancy, Murat Soker, Mehmet Kervancioglu

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: Anthracyclines are well established as highly efficacious antineoplastic agents for childhood malignancy, but they frequently cause dose-related cardiotoxicity. For this reason, children who have received anthracyclines need periodical cardiac evaluation. The plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) have been shown to increase in proportion to severity of cardiac dysfunction. N-terminal BNP (NT-pro-BNP) is secreted from the cardiac ventricles in response to volume expansion and pressure overload. The aim of our study was to investigate whether plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) can be used as specific markers for doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in children with malignancy. METHODS: …

Mass Loading Measurements In Amargosa Valley, John C. Sagebiel, Alan W. Gertler, Amy J. Smiecinski, David Shafer

Publications (YM)

This work will be conducted under Task DRI-FI-001, “Mass Loading Measurements in Amargosa Valley.” The objective of this task is to measure, with known accuracy, the levels of atmospheric mass loading (mass concentration of suspended particulates) accompanying soil surface disturbing activities in Amargosa Valley. Mass loading is used in the biosphere model to calculate inhalation exposure for the human receptor, the maximally reasonably exposed individual (RMEI). The mass loading currently used in the biosphere model is based on literature data from the analog sites rather than on site-specific conditions. This work is subject to the Nevada System of Higher Education …

Awareness Of Advance Planning For End Of Life: A Qualitative Study Of 'Baby Boomers', Elizabeth Lada Morse

Student Scholarship

This qualitative study examined factors that contribute to end of life decision-making regarding formulation of advance directives for individuals within the 'baby boomer' age range. Using a grounded theory methodology a substantive theory of awareness of end of life identifies four contexts under which advance directives are formulated and implemented. The L-A-M-P awareness model was identified through a series of interviews with fifteen individuals, who are considered generally well, and not anticipating imminent incapacity or death. My findings indicate that one's prior personal experiences with death and dying are unique and these experiences may influence formulation of their own advance …

Analysis And Synthesis Of The Three-Dimensional Movements Of The Head, Face, And Hand Of A Speaker Using Cued Speech, Guillaume Gibert, Gerard Bailly, Denis Beautemps, Frederic Elisei

Publications related to cued speech

No abstract provided.

Ecology Of The Plankton Of Lakes Wapalanne And Ocquittunk In Sussex County, New Jersey, Malgorzata Barbara Drazek-Falah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The diversity of planktonic organisms was studied for seven months in Lake Wapalanne and Lake Ocquittunk (Stokes State Forest), Sussex County, New Jersey. Relative abundance and species diversity were studied as well as water quality including parameters: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and depth of lakes. The data of seasonal changes in abundance of organisms and water quality was compared between both lakes.

Three stations were set up along the straight line on Lake Wapalanne, buoyed by diatometers, which were used for diatom collection. There were also three stations located along the sides of Lake Ocquittunk arbitrary picked. Plankton samples …

Survey Of Information Systems At Daktronics, Inc., Vincent L. Connelly

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Measuring the value (or effectiveness) of Information Systems (IS) is difficult at best. The objective of this case study is to research measures used to gauge exactly that, the value of IS investment. Many IS researchers including DeLone & McLean (DeL 92, DeL 03), Davis (Dav 89), Mathieson (Mat 01), and Goodhue (Goo 95) view measuring user perceptions via survey as one piece in the puzzle of determining what effect Information Systems are having on individual work performance, which gets closer to the value. So, this case study examines perceptions of users of Information Systems (also called enterprise applications) at …

The Phantom Philosophy? An Empirical Investigation Of Legal Interpretation, William K. Ford, Jason J. Czarnezki

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

This Article tests a model of judicial decisionmaking that incorporates elements of both the attitudinal model and the legal model, along with measures of collegiality and other variables. We develop a measure of interpretive philosophy relying primarily on judicial opinions, which we code for certain indicators of traditional interpretive approaches (i.e., the use of interpretive tools). The critical question is whether judges with similar interpretive philosophies are more likely to agree with one another when deciding cases. Our general finding is that ideology and interpretive philosophy are not significant predictors of agreement. Instead, experience on the bench together is a …

Ridge Augmentation Comparing A Cancellous Block Allograft To Freeze Dried Bone Particles And Utilizing An Acellular Dermal Matrix Barrier Membrane., Brenton Lahey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aims. The primary aim of this randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial was to compare the clinical and histologic results of ridge augmentation comparing a cancellous block allograft to a particulate mineralized freeze dried bone allograft using acellular dermal matrix as a barrier membrane. Methods. Twenty-four patients that met the following inclusion criteria were sequentially entered into the study: 1) at least age 18; 2) had at least a one tooth ridge defect treatment planned to receive a dental implant; 3) the defect was bordered by at least one tooth; and 3) an IRB approved informed consent was signed. Twelve test …

Effects Of Resistance Training Volume And Variety On Dietary Intake And Mood State In Untrained Subject, Suzette K. Smith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: While there is research on the effects of aerobic training on various aspects of mood state and nutrient intake, little is known of the effect of resistance training on these variables.

Purpose: To examine the effects of resistance training (RT) volume and variety on total energy (kcal) and macronutrient intake, and mood states in a healthy, untrained population.

Method:The investigation was part of a prospective experimental study examining the effects of three RT protocols on body composition and strength. An initial 102, healthy, untrained male and female participants, ages 20-40, were recruited, and randomized into one of three …

Parish Nurse Perspectives On Addressing Clients' Spiritual Wellness And Needs, Rebecca E. Elbert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study is to identify processes that parish nurses use to assess spiritual needs, to develop interventions that address these needs, and to evaluate meeting these needs. Parish nurses are one group of specialty nurses who outwardly emphasize the importance of holistic care and who attempt to incorporate the spiritual aspect of holistic care into each client contact. While all nurses learn about spiritual care many nurses are uncomfortable and inexperienced in addressing clients’ spirituality. No other research has been done like this with this population. Grounded theory design and methodology including constant comparative …

Post Retention With Mineral Trioxide Aggregate And Accelerated Portland Cement, Pamela P. Harrington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Perforations occurring during post placement are problematic. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is slow to set. A trial demonstrated that CaCl2 accelerated the set of Portland cement. Forty single-rooted teeth were sectioned, treated with endodontic therapy and post prepared. The first group contained 20 teeth, evaluated at 72 hours. MTA, Portland cement with 10% CaCl2, 15% CaCl2 and zinc phosphate were used as post cements. The second group was evaluated at 28 days. The posts were cemented with either MTA or zinc phosphate. Instron mechanical testing was used to determine forces needed for post dislodgement. The 72 hour group showed statistically …

Factors That Influence 4-H Club Membership Retention In West Virginia, David C. Hartley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of the study was to determine retention rates among youth enrolled in West Virginia's 4-H youth programs and to identify characteristics or trends associated with 4-H club member retention. The population of the study consisted of youth enrolled in 4-H clubs during the years 2002, 2003, and 2004. Membership records were self-reported by West Virginia County Extension Offices. This study used an ex post facto research design and the variables explored closely were: county, age, gender, grade in school, years in 4-H, and projects attempted. Findings for this study were that 30% of members were retained for the …

Glutathione Conjugation Of A Cocaine Pyrolysis Product Aeme And Related Compounds, Alan Lewis Myers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Free-base ("crack") cocaine smoking continues to be a popular method of drug abuse in the United States. Pyrolysis of free-base cocaine readily occurs, forming primarily benzoic acid and anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME), which structurally contains an alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl functional group. This electrophilic structure is suggestive of chemical reactivity with ubiquitously occurring cellular nucleophiles, such as glutathione. Glutathione adducts formed in vivo are metabolized to N-acetylcysteine derivatives by the enzymatically driven mercapturic acid pathway. AEME and its transesterification product in the presence of ethanol, anhydroecgonine ethyl ester (AEEE), were synthesized from cocaine hydrochloride. Glutathione (GSH) and mercapturic acid (NAC) conjugates of …

A Theory In Search Of A Court, And Itself: Judicial Minimalism At The Supreme Court Bar, Neil S. Siegel

Michigan Law Review

According to the prevailing wisdom in academic public law, constitutional theory is a field that seeks to articulate and evaluate abstract accounts of the nature of the United States Constitution. Theorists offer those accounts as guides to subsequent judicial construction of constitutional provisions. As typically conceived, therefore, constitutional theory tends to proceed analytically from the general to the particular; its animating idea is that correct decisions in constitutional cases presuppose theoretical commitments to the methodological principles that should guide constitutional interpretation and the substantive values such interpretation should advance. In its enthusiasm for abstraction, constitutional theory has, at times, generated …

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Stem Length, Age, And Reproduction On An Understory Palm Species Chamaedorea Pinnatifrons (Arecaceae), August 2005, Peter Werrell

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Forest fragmentation has been shown to decrease reproductive output for some species of dioecious plants. Chamaedorea pinnatifrons (Arecaceae) is a dioecious understory palm found in wet, tropical forests from Mexico to Bolivia. This study examined differences in ratios of fruiting to non-fruiting individuals of C. pinnatifrons in both continuous and fragmented forests in Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, in order to examine the effects of fragmentation on the species’ reproductive ability. Three plots of continuous forests as well as three plots of fragmented forests were examined and compared. Stem length, presence of fruit, number of raceme branches, number of fruit, and …

Coleopteran Diversity On An Elevational Gradient In Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, 2005, Colin Weerts

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Most insect diversity decreases with increased altitude. However, little is known about how coleopteran (beetle) diversity changes with respect to altitude in tropical habitats (Hanski and Cambefort 1991). Coleopterans were collected on the property of Estación Biológica Monteverde at three site locations at different elevations using pit-fall traps baited with mango, human scat, or soapy water. The number of individuals and number of species collected were analyzed and divided by morphology into species by comparison with the collection of the Estación Biológica. A relationship existed between the abundance of Coleoptera and the elevation at which they are found. There were …

Sample-Based Cameras For Fast Accurate Reflections, Voicu Popescu, Elisha Sacks, Chunhui Mei

Department of Computer Science Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Bipolar Disorder In Adult Favorite Weather Drawings, Carrie L. Elder

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify graphic indicators of Bipolar Disorder in Favorite Weather Drawings. The subjects in this study consisted of 9 individuals diagnosed with a Bipolar Disorder and 16 individuals without a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis. The age range was 22 to 64 years. It was hypothesized that Favorite Weather Drawings rendered by individuals diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder would differ in color, expansiveness, line quality, and weather themes from Favorite Weather Drawings rendered by individuals without a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. These differences were measured using a Favorite Weather Drawing Checklist and analyzed for resulting patterns.

This …

Implementing A Needs Assessment For Long-Term Strategic Planning In 4-H Horticulture Programming, Elizabeth Phibbs, Diane Relf, Joseph Hunnings

Journal of Extension

A needs assessment was implemented for long-term strategic planning in 4-H horticulture programming. 4-H agents, Agriculture and Natural Resource agents, and Master Gardener Coordinators were surveyed regarding horticulture programs, areas for new programming, and available resources and resource needs. Interviews were conducted with staff of public gardens in Virginia indicating potential for programming partnerships. Directors of 4-H camps expressed interest in curriculum modified to their time constraints. Results identified areas for growth and needs for improved communication and resource sharing. A Web site was developed and new position recommended.

Second Graders' Favorite Weather Drawings, Ashley L. Sherman

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The Favorite Weather Drawing has been used extensively as an art therapy assessment tool. It has been theorized to contain certain variables that relate to a child’s underlying mood or perception of his or her environment. Since neither the Favorite Weather Drawing nor the similar Favorite Kind of Day Drawing have been researched extensively or standardized with normative populations, there has been a lack of research that could provide a much-needed foundation for such a popular assessment technique. This study explored regional and gender differences in the Favorite Weather Drawing of 2nd grade students as a way to provide groundwork …

Crisis Manager Of The American Revolution: Henry Laurens, Jeffrey R. Gudzune

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As President of the Continental Congress, Henry Laurens was a firm leader amid a time of national emergency. When a dispute within the Continental Army threatened both the continuation of General Washington's command and the American alliance with France, Laurens went beyond his limited sphere of political authority to settle the matter. When a peace commission from England arrived in the United States to begin discussing terms for an end to the hostilities, Laurens found himself in an increasingly difficult diplomatic situation. While wrestling with the question of whether or not to accept the British offer, Laurens was also forced …

Prediction Of Coalbed Methane Reservoir Performance With Type Curves, Amol Bhaskar Bhavsar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study presents a set of production type curves for CBM reservoirs that would help the producers to predict the production from their CBM wells. As a consequence, the producers would be able to make better, more informed decisions regarding the CBM resources in the region. A reservoir model that incorporates the unique flow and storage characteristics of CBM reservoirs was employed in this study to develop the type curves. The type curves provide a reliable tool to predict the production performance of CBM reservoirs during dewatering phase. The application and issues concerning the production performance of CBM reservoirs are …

Water Quality Disturbances In An Aquaculture That Utilizes Treated Mine Water, Mark Wayne Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of two feed treatments on a population of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, reared in a linear raceway system, which utilized mine water from a mine water treatment facility (MWTF); to measure and compare waste outputs; to monitor the water quality of the system; and to identify the impacts, if any, of the water quality on the fish population. Toward the end of the study, a spike in the turbidity of the water source led to additional objectives. First, the water quality was characterized during the events to determine the extent …

The Effect Of Low And High Fertility Treatments On Soil Quality, Yields, Pest Incidence And Labor Requirements Of A Post-Transitional Organic Market Garden System, Todd Bradley Childers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In a two-year study, eight vegetable crops were grown as part of a certified organic four-year crop rotation. High input plots received off-farm composted cow manure and cover crops, and low input plots were managed with the use of cover crops only. High input plots produced higher yields than low input plots in all crops, except peas, which yielded higher in low input plots. Soil organic matter levels were significantly higher in the high input than the low input plots and increased from 2003 to 2004 in both treatments. Available soil phosphorus levels in the high input plots were excessive, …

Methods For Creating A Multi-Axis Polarizer For Visible Light Attenuation By Linear Translation, Peter L. Donatelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A few solutions exist that describe how a Linear Translation Multi-Axis (LTMA) polarizer can be made. It is the purpose here to describe some of these solutions and determine if these solutions are plausible. A positive result will be the creation of a LTMA polarizer in a continuous sheet.;As there are various ways to make a LTMA polarizer, there are also many materials used to make polarizers. Some of the types of polarizers that will be discussed consist of: a crystalline based dichroic polarizer, a molecular iodine polarizer, birefringent polarizers, metallic polarizers and light reactive dye polarizers.;What has resulted from …

Accessing The Spoken Word, Jerry Goldman, Steve Renals, Steven Bird, Franciska De Jong, Marcello Federico, Carl Fleischhauer, Mark Kornbluh, Lori Lamel, Douglas W. Oard, Claire Stewart, Richard Wright

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

Spoken-word audio collections cover many domains, including radio and television broadcasts, oral narratives, governmental proceedings, lectures, and telephone conversations. The collection, access, and preservation of such data is stimulated by political, economic, cultural, and educational needs. This paper outlines the major issues in the field, reviews the current state of technology, examines the rapidly changing policy issues relating to privacy and copyright, and presents issues relating to the collection and preservation of spoken audio content.

Effectiveness Of A Motion-Activated Laser Hazing Systemfor Repelling Captive Canada Geese, Scott J. Werner, Larry Clark

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Effective management techniques are needed to disperse Canada geese (Branta canadensis) and reduce the human–wildlife conflicts associated with high population densities. We evaluated the effectiveness of a motion-activated laser hazing system for repelling captive Canada geese. The system decreased occupancy of 8 pairs of geese on the treated subplot by 83% during habituation trials. When an additional pair of geese were added to the experiment, occupancy of the treated subplot decreased .92% during each of the 20 nights of the extended habituation test. Avoidance (conditioned during the test) remained ,80% of pretreatment levels during the 2 days immediately following the …