Digital Commons Network^™

American Standard, John A. Pascarella

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The work included in my MFA thesis exhibition entitled " American Standard" examines our role as narrative-based individuals within the American culture. In this current body of work I use the photographic image as a director uses the medium of film (moving image). Location scouting, casting, lighting, directing, editing, and processing all become intricate parts of the work, all to lead to a single solitary frozen moment in time that I believe creates a story. Story as created not in a fictional sense, but more in the vein of creative non-fiction, as the stories I tell come from a personal …

Software Application For Emergency Responders, Safer 2.0, Saritha Reddy Potula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The SAFER 2.0 was developed as a web based information system for the First Responders involved in dealing with the hazardous materials incidents. The software tool enables First Responders to view and identify the substances involved in a hazard via a secure Internet connection. The tool also aids in identifying the unknown substances based on the physical description (color, odor, texture, gas/liquid, etc.), symptoms and other information available at the site of the incident. The system is based on the 2004 North American Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004) and NIOSH Pocket Guide (NPG). ERG2004 was developed for use by firefighters, police, …

Phytoformations Of Silver And Gold Nanoparticles, Brooke A. Fridley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stevia and red beet suspension cultures were examined for uptake of silver from AgNO3 solution. Alfalfa and mung bean sprouts were also studied for silver accumulation when grown in AgNO3 solution. AA analysis confirmed the presence of silver in both sprouts and suspension cultures after exposure to AgNO3 solution, despite the toxic effects of silver on the living matter.;Extract from Pelargonium graveolens underwent reaction with both AgNO3 and KAuCl4 to form silver or gold nanoparticles. For the reaction with AgNO3, light was required to initiate the reaction. In contrast, reactions producing gold nanoparticles did not require light to react. Oxygen …

Parametric Sensitivity Analysis Of Microscrews, Zachary F. Witzgall

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research and development of a popular, publicly available microscrew system required an analysis of fastener strength. This analysis was performed using a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) program. ANSYS was used to model and stress the fasteners through various loading schemes. A simplified model was constructed due to limitations in model size.;The analysis required key parameters to be changed slightly. These parameters were socket depth and socket diameter. Changing these parameters had a substantial affect on the strength of the fastener.;Torque and rotation to tension analyses were performed on the microscrew to determine the validity of the ANSYS computation results. …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Faculty Perception Of Administrative Support And The Faculty Perceived Levels Of Implementation Of Good Teaching Practice In Distance Education, Carol L. Fugitt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The faculty perceptions of administrative support for distance education and best distance education teaching practice were investigated. Participants were selected from the 2004-2005 full-time distance education faculty at Kentucky Community and Technical College, n = 432. The researcher developed a self-report survey, the Good Practices Survey, as a means to collect data for the research. Research questions investigating the relationship between four independent variables and perception of good distance education teaching practices were significant indicating that faculty perceive administrative support when implementing good distance education teaching practice. Research questions investigating the relationship between faculty support, student support, and support for …

Moloney's "The Gospel Of John: Text And Context", Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Review of Moloney, Francis J. The Gospel of John: Text and Context Biblical Interpretation Series 72 Leiden: Brill, 2005. Pp. xv + 389. ISBN 0391042467.

Analysis Of The West Virginia Child Abuse And Neglect 2005 Court Improvement Program's Re-Evaluation, Kathryn Alexandra Rood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This is a secondary Analysis of the West Virginia Child Abuse and Neglect Circuit Courtroom system based on the 1995 and 2005 Court Improvement Programs State Evaluations. This article focuses on the West Virginia child abuse and neglect court in relation to Reasonable Efforts Policy. The Evaluations gathered responses from the Judges, Prosecutors and Caseworkers. We reviewed the responses using Jacob and Eisenstein's courtroom workgroup model. Our analysis reveals that policy as an ideal and in practice enacts power over the courtroom workgroups ability to comply with federal standards. These standards and policy requirements create tension and precedence for an …

Personality Profiles Of Experienced U.S. Army Rotary-Wing Aviators Across Mission, Robert Grice

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Numerous studies have attempted to identify a relationship between personality traits and workplace performance. Workplace performance in this study was construed as including perceptions of congruence with the type of work and performance on the job. The Five-Factor Model (FFM) has been used to predict workplace performance across a number of vocations including aviation and the Revised NEO Personality Instrument (NEO-PI-R) is the most widely used FFM-based instrument. The NEO-PI-R has been used with commercial and military aviators to identify personality trait levels that are distinct from the general public and to predict performance in cockpit situations such as during …

Three Essays On Banks' Relative Efficiency, Jorge Guillen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Three separate studies are conducted regarding banks' relative efficiency. Previous to start with the development of the studies, we review the situation before and after the enactment of the Riegle Neal's. This act restricts banks from opening branches in another state. The Riegle Neal act ended up the era of state branching deregulation which started in 1970. A discussion between proponents and opponents of branching deregulation is presented. A debate between bank's efficiency and concentration before Riegle Neal is introduced in the chapter.;The first essay found in chapter 2, develops a theoretical model of spatial competition between banks. Two different …

Lossless Compression And Neuron Structure Extraction For Fluorescence Microscopy Confocal Neuron Images, Yong Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

To study the development of nervous systems, biologists are interested in neurite outgrowth, differentiation, synapse formation, and plasticity. High throughput neuron image processing is an important method for drug screening and quantitative neurobiological studies. The power of high-throughput processing comes from the automated fluorescence microscopy imaging techniques that make it possible and facile to visualize the complicated biological processes on the cellular and molecular levels and allow fast and cheap acquisition of such imaging data. With this method, a huge number of images are generated, with resolutions at length scales that are small enough to resolve neuron structures. Thus, one …

The Association Between Aggressive Behaviors And Academic Self-Esteem Of Preschool Children, Chrische' Marie Walker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The intent of this study was to investigate the association between preschooler's aggressiveness behavior and their academic self-esteem in the classrooms. The participants in this study consisted of 63 preschoolers who attended the West Virginia University Laboratory Nursery School or the Pierpont Christian Preschool during the school year of 2005-2006. The preschoolers were rated by their teachers at each school on their student initiative, social attraction, success/failure, social attraction, self-confidence on the Behavioral Academic Self-Esteem Scale (BASE) and their aggressiveness with peers on the Child Behavior Scale (CBS).;Results of the study indicated that the preschooler's academic self-esteem and aggressive behaviors …

A Socioeconomic And Spatial Analysis Of Obesity In West Virginia: Policy Implications, Anura Kumara Amarasinghe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation integrates both theoretical and empirical insights to facilitate understanding of the current obesity epidemic in WV given heterogeneity in socioeconomic, demographic and built environment characteristics of the state. In meeting this objective, county-level and individual-level health demand analyses using secondary data sources were conducted. County-level obesity differences were studied using spatial and non-spatial random and fixed effects frameworks under a panel data structure. Individual health demand was investigated by recursive estimation of individual health responses to ordered self-assessed health (SAH) in terms of lifestyle choices, socioeconomic, demographic and built environment characteristics using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) …

Left Arm Of The Republic: The Department Of The Pacific During The Civil War, James Robbins Jewell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although the Civil War was fought largely in the East it was a transcontinental war. Securing the Far West for the Union played an important, though secondary role in the northern war effort. When most of the Regular Army units were called east, holding the region and confronting the multiple threats to its security fell to the western volunteers. Through their efforts, they maintained a general stability in a vast region where both potential and actualized threats could easily have hampered Union efforts in the main theatres of war. Therefore, by quelling secessionist schemes and activities and attempting to maintain …

The Effects Of Age, Instructions, And Problem Content On Everyday Problem -Solving Outcome Using Two Scoring Procedures, Tara L. Neely

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prior literature has relied on varied methodology to infer conclusions about adult problem solvers; possibly leading to erroneous assumptions about everyday problem-solving performance in adulthood. The present study examined everyday problem-solving performance of 133 younger, middle-aged, and older adults. The goal of the study was to investigate whether different scoring procedures (number vs. strategy type) or participant instructions (self target vs. others target) affected how adults performed on two types of open-ended problem-solving vignettes (home vs. friend problem domains). Differential age patterns were found when comparing the number and types of strategies reported. When assessing total number of solutions generated, …

Health -Related Quality Of Life In Multiple Sclerosis: Measurement, Predictors And Utilization In Routine Clinical Practice, Vivek S. Pawar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There are a large number of patient-reported questionnaires to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In order to make a recommendation for use in clinical practice, a comparison of their psychometric properties is necessary. In addition to accurate assessment, it is also necessary to identify factors that have a significant impact on HRQoL. Further, lack of use of HRQoL information in clinical practice warrants examination of attitudes and behavior of neurologists about HRQoL assessment and their intention to consider incorporating HRQoL information in their decision making. This study collected data from patients with MS …

Evaluation And Optimization Of Central Vision Compensation Techniques, Ahmed M. El-Sherbeeny

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Non-costly, non-invasive, safe, and reliable electronic vision enhancement systems (EVES) and their methods have presented a huge medical and industrial demand in the early 21st century. Two unique, vision compensation and enhancement algorithms are reviewed and compared, qualitatively optimizing the view of a restricted (or truncated) image. The first is described as the convex or "fish-eye" technique, and the second is the "cartoon superimposition" or "Peli" technique (after the leading author for this research). The novelty in this dissertation is in presenting and analyzing both of these with a comparison to a novel technique, motivated by characterization of quality vision …

Exploring High-Quality Student Affairs Learning Outcomes Assessment Practices At Three American Research Universities, Adam S. Green

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study was conducted because limited research has occurred in the area of co-curricular student learning outcomes assessment, which has resulted in confusion within the student affairs profession on how to develop and implement assessment plans. The purpose of this study was to examine high quality assessment practices of student affairs divisions at three different research institutions in order to advance the value, usefulness, and understanding of learning outcomes assessment within the student affairs profession, so more student affairs divisions may begin assessing the co-curricular. Those student affairs divisions selected for this study represented assessment models with significant experience in …

Perspectives Of 12th Grade Students, Their Families, And School Officials Related To Affordability And Accessibility Of The West Virginia Promise Scholarship Program At Logan High School, Craig S. Mcclellan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

With only 14% of West Virginia's population over 25 years old possessing a bachelor's degree, the lack of a skilled workforce often thwarted state legislators' attempts to attract new industry to the state's struggling economy. To address workforce qualification concerns, state educational stakeholders implemented a merit-based scholarship program with average requirements in 2002. The West Virginia PROMISE (Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-state Student Excellence) Scholarship Program goals include encouraging high school students to work harder, and to entice more graduates to attempt post-secondary work at in-state institutions.;This qualitative study was designed to discover the perceptions of five high school …

Ogimah Ikwe: Native Females And Their Path To Leadership, Denise K. Lajimodiere

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to discover leadership patterns in the paths of Native female leaders and their experiences. The study explores the path that current Native female leaders walked on that lead them to their positions of leadership. The study speaks to the challenges, conflicts and obstacles faced by Native women working toward professional goals that demand a balance of traditional and contemporary leadership strengths and roles and focuses on the experience, perceptions, beliefs and meaning of the women interviewed. The study gives a voice to five of today’s Native female leaders—five Brave-Hearted Women.

The participants’ …

The Experience Of Transition By Baccalaureate Nursing Graduates, Linda R. Pettersen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the transition experience of new baccalaureate-prepared graduates entering nursing practice as registered nurses. Participants were a convenience sample of six graduates from a midwestem university who were employed as registered nurses from eight to twelve months in acute care nursing practice. Transition theory was used as a guide in designing interview questions. Participants were interviewed and the audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and then analyzed for codes, categories, and themes.

Four themes emerged from analysis of the data. Theme One: Lack of experience contributes to self-doubt for the new graduate nurse. Although …

Locating Social Justice Issues In Middle Years Classes: Not All Pumpkins Are Orange, Lee Anne Block

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilizes narrative inquiry to consider how difference and equity are experienced and represented in middle years classes and to link teachers’ concepts of curriculum to that experience and representation. The inquiry is grounded in a case study of interactions among students and between students and teacher in a grade six classroom in a Canadian city. Additionally, interviews with the grade six teacher and with four other teachers, who had a commitment to including social justice issues in the curriculum, develop the relationship of teachers’ curriculum concepts to teaching for social justice. The implications of that relationship for …

Teaching Music Theory In The Traditional Wind Band Rehearsal: A Rationale, Survey Of Materials, And Recommendations, Eric Lynn Harris

Dissertations

Band programs in today’s schools are facing pressures unheard of in the early days of the public school band movement. While budget limitations have always been a part of the public school dilemma, never before have directors been forced to fight so hard for the very existence of their programs. School administrators facing district, state, and federal testing pressures are spending more and more of the annual budget in an attempt to raise test scores. This means programs in the arts and even athletics are being greatly reduced (and in some cases eliminated) in school systems across the country. To …

Trends In Historic And Modern Performance Practice For The Trumpet In Richard Wagner’S Der Ring Des Nibelungen, Michael Ryan Ellzey

Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to compare the Alto F trumpet used by the players of Richard Wagner’s orchestra to the modem trumpet, with reference to specific excerpts from Der Ring des Nibelungen. It will discuss topics pertaining to transposition, range, keys, timbre, and crooking. Other elements that will be explored are the evolution of the valved trumpet and how it led to the Alto F trumpet. The document will also discuss the eventual replacement of the Alto F trumpet by the modem C and B-flat trumpets. Included in this section will be a historic study of the …

The Disgorgement Interest In Contract Law, Melvin A. Eisenberg

Michigan Law Review

Restatement Second of Contracts provided that contract law serves to protect one or more of three interests: the expectation interest, the reliance interest, and the restitution interest. There is, however a fourth interest that contract law should and does protect: the disgorgement interest, which is the promisee's interest in requiring the promisor to disgorge a gain that was made possible by the promisor's breach, but did not consist of a benefit conferred on the promisor by the promisee. It is not clear why Restatement Second excluded the disgorgement interest. Perhaps the drafters believed that this position was compelled by positive …

Party On: The Right To Voluntary Blanket Primaries, Margaret P. Aisenbrey

Michigan Law Review

Political parties have unique associational rights. In party primaries, party members associate to further their common political beliefs, and more importantly, to nominate candidates. These candidate are the "standard bearer[s]" for the political party-the people who "best represent[ ] the party's ideologies and preferences." The primary represents a "crucial juncture at which the appeal to common principles may be translated into concerted action, and hence to political power in the community." Because the primary is such a critical moment for the political party, the party's asso-ciational rights are most important at this time.

Murray Ledger And Times, December 1, 2006, Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Protective Effect Of Black And Green Tea Against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Oxidative Stress In Rats, Khalid S. Almurshed

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of green and black tea on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress in rats. METHODS: This study was completed in the period of January to April 2005. Male wistar albino rats (6 weeks old) were randomly assigned to one of 3 diets (12 rats/group), control diet, black tea diet, or green tea diet. At the end of dietary treatment, a single dose of CCl4 (2.5 ml/kg intraperitoneally) in paraffin (1:1 v/v) was given to 6 rats in each group after overnight fasting. The remaining 6 rats of each group received the same amount of paraffin only …

Evaluation Of The Relationship Between Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2/Neu (C-Erbb-2) Amplification And Pathologic Grading In Patients With Breast Cancer, Fatemeh Homaei-Shandiz, Mohammad-Reza Ghavam-Nassiri, Nourieh Sharifi, Amir-Hossein Homaei-Shandiz, Ali Taghizadeh-Kermani, Seyed-Ahmad M. Torshizi, Kamran Ghafarzadegan

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2)/neu is a proto-oncogene that is amplified in 10-30% of breast cancers. It is known to be associated with a poor overall survival. We studied the relationship between its amplification and different histological gradings of breast cancer. METHODS: We studied 196 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 at the Omid and Ghaem Training Hospital, Mashhad Medical University, Iran. The HER-2/neu oncoprotein was measured by immunohistochemistry and the histological gradings were carried out according to the Bloom-Richardson Grading system. RESULTS: Sixty-seven (34.2%) cases were HER-2/neu positive and 129 (65.8%) cases were HER-2/neu negative. …

Assessment Of Nasal Obstruction With Flexible Nasal Endoscopy, Kamaleldin A. Abou-Elhamd, Ramadan H. Sayed

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To report the value of nasal endoscopy as an outpatient procedure in the diagnosis of posterior nasal obstruction. METHODS: Over one year period, from March 2002 to March 2003, we evaluated 130 adult patients that attended the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Sohag University Hospital in Egypt with persistent nasal obstruction via anterior rhinoscopy and flexible nasopharyngoscopy. We reported the cause and site of obstruction in relation to the choanae. We confirmed the diagnosis by CT scanning, rigid endoscopic examination under general anesthesia, and histopathological analysis of biopsies taken. RESULTS: Forty-six percent of our cases had posterior nasal …

Predictors Of Long-Term Survival In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Oznur A. Yildiz, Zeynep P. Onen, Elif Sen, Banu E. Gulbay, Kenan Kose, Sevgi Saryal, Gulseren Karabiyikoglu

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors affecting survival of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during the follow-up period using a 4-year prospective study. METHODS: The study included 276 out-patients with COPD. The study took place in Ankara University, Cebeci Hospital, Ankara, Turkey between September 2000 and January 2005. We used cox proportional hazards model in investigating the effects of clinical variables on survival. Risk factors related with mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients (17.8%) died and the mean survival time was 43.40 ± 0.65 months. The survival rates were 97% at one year, 89% at 2 years, 84% at …