Digital Commons Network^™

Ethnobotanical Study In Casma, Peru: The Important Knowledge Of Ethnobotanicals From Local People, Rebecca L. Reyes

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

I began to investigate how local people use medicinal plants in Peru in the summer of 2007. It soon became apparent that many of the citizens of the small coastal town of Casma have an extensive knowledge of how to identify, prepare, and use these plants. During the summer of 2008, I did extensive research on the subject; however, focused more on the local knowledge of medicinal plants. To put my work in context, I researched ethnobotany more generally and became more aware of the worldwide implications, local background traditions and life, and local knowledge that impact the use and …

The Reevaluation Of Dwight Eisenhower And Bernard Law Montgomery, David Allen Warden

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Dwight Eisenhower and Bernard Montgomery were the two generals that coordinated and implemented the military strategy to invade North Africa to Europe. The two generals combined the militaries of Great Britain and the United States to defeat the Axis powers of Germany and Italy. By May 1945, the Allied forces had succeeded in finishing the war in Europe. Historians soon began to look at the two men and evaluated their ability to work together. This thesis provides a study of the reasons why the two generals were different. The study also evaluates how the two generals were able to work …

Utilizing Concept Mapping As A Teaching And Learning Tool To Prepare For The Science Taks Test, Rosa Linda Zuniga

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Concept mapping was used with Donna High School students to determine its effect on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. Concept mapping was used with models such as the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol model (SIOP), the 5- E model, and the Learning Groups model. This measure was taken because the models used have not helped students improve their TAKS scores significantly. The findings of this research reveals that using the process of concept mapping together with the SIOP model helps students clearly see related concepts and motivates them to think more deeply. Students quickly realize what concepts …

A Realization And Application Of Appropriate French Baroque Ornamentation For The First Four Preludes Of “L'Art De Toucher Le Clavecin” By Francois Couperin, Andres Javier Lopez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In his work, L’Art de Toucher le Clavecin (1716-1717), Francois Couperin (1668-1733) details specific instructions for the correct playing of his ornamentation. In addition to the text, Couperin composes a series of didactic preludes in ascending order of difficulty to illustrate his ornamentation in the context of his work. I will focus on the proper interpretation of Couperin’s ornamentation and include a realization of four Couperin preludes. They contain the majority of issues presented by his ornamentation. I shall seek to properly realize Couperin’s ornamentation and use of unequal rhythms using the first four preludes of L’Art de Toucher le …

Rainsford Island Shoreline Evolution Study (Rises), Christopher V. Maio

Graduate Masters Theses

RISES conducted a shoreline change study in order to accurately map, quantify, and predict trends in shoreline evolution on Rainsford Island occurring from 1890-2008. It employed geographic information systems (GIS) and analytical statistical techniques to identify coastal hazard zones vulnerable to coastal erosion, rising sea-levels, and storm surges. The 11-acre Rainsford Island, located in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, consists of two eroded drumlins connected by a low-lying spit. Settled by Europeans in 1636, the Island was later used as the Harbor’s main quarantine station. Previous archeological surveys have identified numerous historically sensitive sites dating to before the Revolutionary War period, including …

The Professional Portfolio: An Evidence-Based Assessment Method, Michelle Byrne, Kathryn Schroeter, Shannon Carter, Julie Mower

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Competency assessment is critical for a myriad of disciplines, including medicine, law, education, and nursing. Many nurse managers and educators are responsible for nursing competency assessment, and assessment results are often used for annual reviews, promotions, and satisfying accrediting agencies' requirements. Credentialing bodies continually seek methods to measure and document the continuing competence of licensees or certificants. Many methods and frameworks for continued competency assessment exist. The portfolio process is one method to validate personal and professional accomplishments in an interactive, multidimensional manner. This article illustrates how portfolios can be used to assess competence. One specialty nursing certification board's process …

Neo-Orthodoxy In Academic Freedom, J. Peter Byrne

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This review essay analyzes two recent books that advance neo-orthodox theories of academic freedom: Matthew Finkin and Robert Post, For the Common Good: Principles of American Academic Freedom, and Stanley Fish, Save the World on Your Own Time. Both books develop principles articulated in the American Association of University Professors 1915 Declaration, which emphasize the role of faculty in advancing knowledge and the need to insulate professional evaluation of academic work from lay, political interference. This review essay defends the return to protection of the scholarly search for truth as the touchstone of academic freedom, offers critiques of the authors’ …

Fighting Freestyle: The First Amendment, Fairness, And Corporate Reputation, Rebecca Tushnet

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

There are three distinct groups who might want to engage in speech about commercial entities or to constrain those commercial entities from making particular claims of their own. Competitors may sue each other for false advertising, consumers may sue businesses, and government regulators may impose requirements on what businesses must and may not say. In this context, this Article will evaluate a facially persuasive but ultimately misguided claim about corporate speech: that because consumers regularly get to say nasty things about corporations under the lax standards governing defamation of public figures, corporations must be free to make factual claims subject …

Missouri S&T Magazine Winter 2009, Missouri S&T Marketing And Communications Department, Miner Alumni Association

Missouri S&T Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Procrastination And Intrapersonal Intelligence In College Students, Christa Grant

Theses and Dissertations

Procrastination is ubiquitous, encompasses many domains of life, i.e., school, work, and home, and for many people has negative results. Therefore, researchers, educators, psychologists, and counselors need to discover ways to alleviate the problem. When Gardner's multiple intelligences are used in pedagogical implementation in elementary and high schools, researchers have found positive results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between procrastination and intrapersonal intelligence as well as the other dimensions of multiple intelligence among students in higher education in order to illuminate possible solutions to the problem of procrastination. Because intrapersonal intelligence is associated with the …

Privacy Preserving Portable Health Record (P³Hr), Pavan Roy Marupally, Vamsi Paruchuri, Sriram Chellappan

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Personal health records (PHRs) offer significant potential to stimulate transformational changes in health care delivery and self-care by patients. There is a gap between today's personal health records (PHRs) and what patients say they want and need from this electronic tool for managing their health information. Current barriers to PHR adoption among patients include cost, concerns that information is not protected or private, inconvenience, design shortcomings, and the inability to share information across organizations. We propose a novel architecture to bridge the gap based on Privacy Preserving Portable Health Record(P³HR), a device that incorporates a smart card into …

Volition And The Function Of Consciousness, Hakwan Lau

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

An Eastern Orthodox Conception Of Theosis And Human Nature, Jonathan D. Jacobs

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Substance Dualism, Richard Swinburne

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Coal Reserve Gis Model And Estimation Of The Recoverability And Extraction Costs, Chandrakanth Reddy Apala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The United States has the world largest coal resource and coal will serve as the major and dependable energy source in the coming 200 years or more. However, the amount of recoverable coal reserve depends on the geological formations and quality of the coal seams, future development of mining technology and the extraction cost. A NETL sponsored cooperative research was conducted by the researchers at Carnegie Mallon University (CMU) and West Virginia University (WVU) to estimate the recoverable coal reserve. This thesis presents some of the works that WVU performed to enhance the coal reserve model including characterization of coal …

Application And Evaluation Of Spiral Separators For Fine Coal Cleaning, Zhuping Che

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Eight buckets of wet coal samples were collected from Shade Coal Preparation Plant, including the feed, clean coal, refuse, and middlings for fine spiral and coarse spiral, respectively. Float-sink analysis was performed on these size intervals using LMT (Lithium Metatungstate) liquids. Size distribution analysis is conducted for each size fraction of the above eight samples to evaluation the effectiveness of spiral separation. Wet sieving method was used for size distribution analysis.;From the tests, the following conclusion can be drawn: (1) The fine spiral is able to recovery 65.5% of the deslime hydrocyclone underflow as clean coal with an ash content …

Computational Environment For The Development Of An Faa Compliant Level 6 Flight Training Device, Steven Mullins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A flight simulator can successfully achieve its purpose only if equipped with adequate mathematical models of the aircraft, its sub-systems, and the environment. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has instituted stringent regulations to ensure that flight simulators used for pilot training reach desirable levels of accuracy and fidelity. The purpose of this thesis is to present the development and application of a design strategy and the computational environment associated to it for building an aircraft simulation model that meets the FAA regulations for flight simulator performance. The proposed methodology is based on using flight test data in combination with …

Aerodynamic Design Of A Tilting Wind Tunnel For The Study Of A Glider In Ground Effect, Andres Felipe Velasquez E.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A small, low-speed, open return, tilting wind tunnel has been designed. This wind tunnel is intended to simulate the behavior of an unpowered recreational glider that flies down slopes in ground effect at about 1m above the surface. The required tilting angle is 50°. The wind tunnel has to be capable of holding free-flying models with a recommended scaling factor of 14.2 and with Froude number matching.;The designed wind tunnel uses a centrifugal fan to blow air into the test section through a wide angle diffuser, a settling chamber and a contraction. There are six screens and a honeycomb to …

College Students' Knowledge About Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Relation To Sexual Self-Efficacy, Mychael Brooke Masters

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Resources associated with learning about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were investigated in relation to college students' sexual knowledge and sexual self-efficacy. Participants included 50 male and 67 female students ages 18, 19, and 20 at West Virginia University. Self-report surveys included the Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ; Jaworski & Carey, 2007), the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (Cecil & Pinkerton, 1998), and a measure developed by the investigator on resources used by college students to learn about STDs. No relationship was identified between resources used to learn about STDs and college students' sexual knowledge. However, sexual knowledge was a significant predictor of …

Interleukin (Il)-1 Regulates Ozone-Induced Nerve Growth Factor (Ngf) And Substance P (Sp) Release In Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (Balf) In Mice, Joshua S. Barker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Previous studies show that both IL-1 and NGF increase synthesis of SP in airway neurons after either direct application or ozone exposure. We hypothesize that NGF mediates ozone-induced IL-1 effects on SP, similar to the pathway described for sympathetic neurons in culture. The current study specifically focuses on the effect of ozone on IL-1, NGF, and SP levels in mice BALF and if these mediators can be linked in an inflammatory-neuronal cascade in vivo. The experiments demonstrate in vivo ozone exposure induces an increase of all three proteins in mouse BALF and that both ozone-induced increases in NGF and SP …

Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Large scale surface mining in southern West Virginia causes significant alteration of headwater stream networks. It is unclear, however, the extent to which mining interacts with other stressors to determine physical, chemical, and biological conditions in aquatic systems downstream. Through a watershed scale assessment of Pigeon Creek, the specific objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the direct and interactive effects of mining and residential development on in-stream conditions; and (2) identify landscape thresholds above which biological impairment occurs. Our results indicate high levels of impairment to habitat, water quality, and benthic invertebrate communities within this watershed. Statistical analyses …

A Software Response To Hard Drive Encryption, Justin John Mccarty Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current computer forensic practices primarily advise analysts to review and search all digital evidence within designated labs. This practice does not take into account the possibility of encryption software being present on the suspect machine. As a result, possible evidence may become unrecoverable to the investigator. This paper will review the current standard operating procedures used by law enforcement, complications with current procedures with regard to encryption, and the design of a free to use utility for law enforcement to facilitate live analysis.

The Relationships Of Learning Style Balance And Learning Dimensions To Self-Directed Learning Propensity Among Adult Learners, Sarah Tullos Hutto

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of learning style characteristics to self-directed learning propensity among adult learners. The learning style characteristics investigated were learning style balance as measured by a scoring method developed by Mainemelis, Boyatzis, and Kolb (2002) and learning style dimensions as measured by the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI). The Oddi Continuous Learning Instrument (OCLI) was used to measure self-directed learning propensity. A questionnaire was used to collect descriptive information about the participants for age, gender, years of professional work experience, and graduate degree program in the categories of business, education, health, and …

Mathematics Achievement Of Regular Education Students By Placement In Inclusion And Non-Inclusion Classrooms And Their Principals' Perceptions Of Inclusion, Loretta Rodgers Hartfield

Dissertations

This study examined mathematics achievement of fourth and fifth grade students in Mississippi and principals' perceptions of inclusion.

A sample of 462 students from eight separate elementary schools was selected for this study. Fifteen principals completed the Principal and Inclusion Survey regarding inclusion education. Eight of the 15 principals were interviewed with 10 open-ended questions regarding their perceptions of inclusion.

Data were analyzed using an independent two-tailed t test and Pearson product moment correlation. The independent two-tailed / test was used to determine differences in mathematics achievement for fourth and fifth grade students in inclusion classrooms compared to non-inclusion classrooms …

The Effect Of The Alabama Mathematics, Science, And Technology Initiative (Amsti) On Middle School Students' Scores In Mathematics And Science, Toni Boyd Ramey

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the application of the Alabama Mathematics, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) program in middle schools reduced the gaps found between students' CRT scores; specifically, did the gaps found in the CRT scores within the respective subgroups race, gender, SES, and special/regular education narrow? The subject areas considered by this study were mathematics and science. Student-level data were collected and examined for longitudinal changes over a three year period in which the AMSTI program was implemented at two participating public middle schools. The dependent variables used were mathematics and science CRT scores …

Study Of Thermal Frontal Polymerization Utilizing Reactive And Non-Reactive Additives, Veronika Grace Viner

Dissertations

Thermal frontal polymerization is a process that involves a propagating front travelling through a monomer/initiator solution and converting monomer into polymer. The effects of different reactive and non-reactive additives on front temperature, front velocity, and pot life were studied in a thermal frontal polymerization system of multifunctional acrylates. One issue with thermal frontal polymerization of acrylate monomers is the amount of smoke and fumes produced due to high front temperatures. The effect of thermally-expandable microspheres was studied utilizing a variety of monomers. Solid additives including fillers, inert phase changer materials, and high thermal conductive fillers were investigated. The addition of …

Tuning Pig Liver Esterase Enantioselectivity For The Synthesis Of Unnatural Serine And Tyrosine Analogues, Dale Anthony Rosado Jr.

Dissertations

The synthesis of disubstituted and homologated unnatural amino acids and the development of a mass spectrometry based assay for enantioselectivity are presented here. Disubstituted and homologated unnatural amino acids have proven to be effective for the treatment of diseases and for use as imaging agents. Peptides that contain unnatural amino acids have also proven to be effective treatments for various disease states including cancer. The potential to evaluate such unnatural amino acids for pharmaceutical properties is limited by the available syntheses. No method currently exists that will allow for the synthesis of homochirally similar unnatural amino acids from a common …

Teaching Science In Light Of World View: The Effect Of Contextualized Instruction On The Scientific Compatibility Of Religious College Students' World Views, Paula Rae Gossard

Dissertations

Authors of recent science reform documents promote the goal of scientific literacy for all Americans (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989, 1993). Some students, however, feel apprehensive about learning science due to perceptions that science is antagonistic to their world views (Alters, 2005; Esbenshade, 1993). This study investigated the effect of an introductory science course taught in the context of a Christian, theistic world view on the scientific compatibility of religious college students' world views. For the purposes of this study, students' understanding of the nature of science, affective attitudes toward science, and beliefs regarding creation were used …

Teacher Education Preparation Assessment System And The National Council For Accreditation Of Teacher Education Accreditation, Deborah Lynn Vaughan Stoulig

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the assessment systems of teacher preparation programs have changed since the new NCATE Standards were implemented in 2004, what methods of data collections are being used, and to measure coordinators' perceptions of the assessment systems. An electronic survey was developed by the researcher based upon a review of related literature, the researcher's personal experience, and years of reviewing data collection software. An invitation to the survey was emailed to 631 NCATE Coordinators or equivalent as identified from their institution's website with 221 participants completing the survey for a return rate of …

Predictors And Influences Of Graduation Rates In Mississippi Public Schools, Donna Rebekah Holden Chiasson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if possible predictors of graduation rates in Mississippi existed. This study included 10 independent variables and one dependent variable. The independent variables consisted of average daily attendance, algebra I scores, teacher salary, socioeconomic status (as expressed in the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch within a school), eighth grade math MCT scores, eighth grade language MCT scores, the number of teachers with advanced degrees, the school's outcome of Adequate Yearly Progress, school size, and principal leadership style.

The dependent variable was graduation rate. A total of 100 schools were …