Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

A Market Assessment Of Greenhouse Products And Associated Rural Development In Semi-Arid Regions Of Mexico, Edgar Arturo Quevedo-Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Greenhouse products represent a feasible alternative for small producers compared to open-field production. Using a combination of enterprise budgeting, capital investment analysis and optimization, we found that under most of the conditions investigated the six different crops investigated are profitable. Greenhouse production has the added benefits of conserving scarce land and water resources, potentially reducing production and market risk, and offering consumers healthful products of good quality, that can contribute to the development of the local economy. One problem is that a larger up-front investment is often essential.;This study focused on three main areas: (1) A production and market assessment. …

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.

Home Range Characteristics Of The Male Eastern Wild Turkey In West Virginia, Steven E. Rauch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Extensive research has been conducted on the eastern wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in West Virginia, but research on male wild turkey home range characteristics is lacking. To address this, I proposed to quantify home range shape by the use of eccentricity (E: circle is E = 1) and to estimate the least-squares cross validation fixed-kernel 95% and 50% utilization distribution (UD) annual and 95% UD seasonal home range as well as minimum convex polygon (MCP) home range estimate of male wild turkey on 2 study areas in West Virginia. I estimated the home range size of adult and …

Determinants Of Resident Assistant Job Satisfaction In Privatized University Housing, Jennifer Lynn Casey

Dissertations

The general purpose of a residence life program is the improvement of the oncampus student experience in hopes of promoting personal growth, development, and education as well as bolstering retention rates and cultivating future alumni relationships. A residence life program can be found on most four year college and university campuses. Many colleges and universities facilitate their own residence life programs in whole or in part. Other colleges and universities outsource their residence life programs, in whole or in part, to what is called a privatized university housing company. The goals of a residence life program, be it facilitated by …

A Performance Project With An Historical And Analytical Perspective On The Concerto For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra, Op. 31 By Peter Jona Korn, Brian Sanford Ransom

Dissertations

Peter Jona Korn (1922-1998) is not a name immediately recognized in American music circles, yet during the 1940s and '50s he led a successful career as an American composer. His Saxophone Concerto - composed in 1956 for the virtuoso Sigurd Rascher, and revised by Korn in 1982 - is an important contribution to the saxophone repertoire.

Many composers, including Glazounov, Ibert, and Larsson, wrote concertos for Sigurd Rascher. These works, once considered highly virtuosic, are now studied and performed by college level saxophonists. The original version of Korn's Concerto, among the most technically demanding works, has remained in obscurity for …

In Quest Of Walter Smith: The Past, Present, And Future Impact Of Visual Art In Adult Education, Meredith Amanda Cole

Dissertations

Walter Smith is a relatively unknown historical figure in the art world, but he is essential to defining adult education's past, present, and future in the area of visual art. His artistic endeavors in America sparked facets of the way art education is practiced today. However, along the way we have lost the tenets of social change which he sought but never accomplished. In chapter one, I introduce the purpose of the research. In chapter two, I explain the position Walter Smith entered when coming to America. I also detail Smith's Herculean social reform efforts for adult education and why …

Principal Efficacy: An Investigation Of School Principals' Sense Of Efficacy And Indicators Of School Effectiveness, Charles Wayne Lovell

Dissertations

At the individual school level, the responsibility for demonstrating school effectiveness lies on the shoulders of the building administrator. In fact, "it is widely accepted that good principals are the cornerstones of good schools and that, without a principal's leadership efforts to raise student achievement, schools cannot succeed" (Tschannen-Moran & Gareis, 2004, p. 573). However, federal, state, and local mandates have increased the pressure on school administrators to demonstrate effectiveness. As a result, the work of school administrators has changed. Furthermore, Fullan (2003) identifies a trend that demonstrates a dramatic decrease in the principal's perceptions of effectiveness, authority, trust, and …

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 Relationship Between Leadership Behaviors, Teacher Collaboration, And Student Achievement, Angela Nix Mchenry

Dissertations

Educational administrators face the unprecedented challenge of increasing student achievement for all students. One response to this challenge has been to increase and improve teacher collaboration. This study analyzed the relationship between elementary principals' leadership behaviors, teacher collaboration, and student achievement. The relationship between the variables of teacher age, years of experience, and years working with the current principal were also analyzed using multiple regression.

A random sample of 161 Mississippi elementary teachers in 15 schools were surveyed, using the researcher-designed questionnaire, Leadership for Collaboration. These responses measured the teachers' perception of their elementary principals' leadership behaviors and the level …

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 …

Interpersonal Perception Of Narcissism In An At-Risk Adolescent Sample: A Social Relations Analysis, Sarah June Grafeman

Dissertations

The current study utilized Kenny's (1994) social relations model to explore the interpersonal consequences of narcissism in an at-risk adolescent residential sample. Members of two platoons (N= 47) attending a 22-week military-style intervention program completed a self-report measure of narcissism and rated one another on narcissism-related traits as well as social status within the peer group. Interpersonal ratings demonstrated small but significant consensus as well as self-other agreement for narcissism-related traits. Individuals with relatively high levels of self-reported narcissism were perceived by peers as hostile, competitive, and likely to engage in future delinquent behaviors. Self-reported narcissism was also associated with …

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 …

Impact Of Preschool Education On Reading Achievement Of Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade Students, Melissa Harvey Clark

Dissertations

This study examines the impact of various types of preschool care and education on the reading achievement of children, kindergarten through fifth grade, who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). The participants in this study are located throughout the United States of America. These students attend public and private schools.

The data for this study were provided by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The researcher utilized ECLS-K's Public Use Data File and Electronic Codebook to create an SPSS syntax file in order to determine if …

Factors Associated With Treatment Acceptance And Compliance Among Incarcerated Male Sex Offenders, Carl B. Clegg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined factors associated with acceptance and completion of treatment among incarcerated male sex offenders. The files of 156 sex offenders who had been offered treatment at a medium-security state prison were reviewed. Participants were divided into three groups: those who refused treatment from the outset (n = 59); those who began treatment, but later dropped-out or were expelled due to non-compliance ( n = 61); and those who completed treatment or were in an advanced stage of treatment and had never been non-compliant (n = 36). Data were collected for the following variables: age, education, race, marital …

Incremental Development And Cost-Based Evaluation Of Software Fault Prediction Models, Yue Jiang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is difficult to build high quality software with limited quality assurance budgets. Software fault prediction models can be used to learn fault predictors from software metrics. Fault prediction prior to software release can guide Verification and Validation (V&V) activity and allocate scarce resources to modules which are predicted to be fault-prone.;One of the most important goals of fault prediction is to detect fault prone modules as early as possible in the software development life cycle. Design and code metrics have been successfully used for predicting fault-prone modules. In this dissertation, we introduce fault prediction from software requirements. Furthermore, we …

The Role Of Urban Forests In Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study Of Savannah, Ga, Stacy L. Casinelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to identify a range of stakeholder (tourism providers, resource managers, elected officials, tour operators and tourists) perceptions, issues and concerns of Savannah, Georgia's, urban forests to help develop opportunities for the growing sustainable tourism industry. Stakeholder interviews were conducted using an open ended, semi-structured questionnaire. Based on the three dimensions and the scope of sustainable development, the themes, trends and patterns that emerged were utilized to assess the current issues facing Savannah's urban forest. Through content data analysis, four overarching themes surfaced: development, preservation, balance, and diversity. The results of this study indicate a …

Superintendent Efficacy Investigation Of A Six -Component Leadership Framework For Developing Effective Learning Environments, Frank D. Devono

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study, using the Superintendent Efficacy Questionnaire (Devono, Diaz & Callejo Perez, 2008), compared 413 West Virginian K--12 superintendents', principals' and teachers' perceptions of 6 superintendent leadership components: staff development administration, communication of mission, curriculum/instruction expertise, collaboration with the school board, consensus-building ability, and political bearing.;A Kruskal-Wallis test produced significant results for 2 components: the superintendent's ability to (a) clearly articulate a mission that establishes direction/priorities for the system (chi2 = 10.99; df = 2; p = 0.004), and (b) work with the local school within the budget (chi2 = 7.260; df = 2; p = 0.027). Related sample t …

Teacher Decision Making And The Implementation Of An Integrated Arts Curriculum, Mary K. Devono

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the impact of teacher decision making upon implementing an integrated arts curriculum. Qualitative research methods, including interviews, lesson plan document analysis, and teacher discussion of student artwork comprise the research data from eight elementary classroom teachers. This study is designed to add to the descriptive data on teacher perceptions, especially with regard to their professional autonomy, and ultimately, the decisions within their sphere of influence---the classroom arts curriculum. The implications of this study reveal insight into teacher decision making. The research provides knowledge that contributes to professional development initiatives, acquisition of instructional and curricular resources, and student …

Examination Of The Use Of Assessment By Accredited Business Schools, Tracie M. Dodson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Assessment and accreditation are common topics in the literature of higher education. These two practices can impact an institution's ability to produce high quality students, graduates, and general success as an institution. Outcomes assessment is a method of measuring student learning as a result of the educational process. Accreditation seeks to provide external validation of the quality of a program and ensure that the public and other external constituents are aware of, and can depend on, a certain standard quality level.;In academic business units, there are three accreditation agencies. These organizations include the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business …

Weak Floor Stability In The Illinois Basin Underground Coal Mines, Murali M. Gadde

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The research described in this dissertation is a direct consequence of the author's quest to find solutions to several problems he faced while designing optimum pillar layouts for some Illinois Basin coal mines over weak immediate floor strata. When using the existing methods of floor stability analysis, conclusions were sometimes drawn that were either not supported by real-world mining experience or in some cases even physically impossible results were obtained. Therefore, it was necessary to delve deeper into the existing methods and understand their limitations to arrive at alternatives that were consistent with practical observations. In improving upon the existing …

Text Format, Text Comprehension, And Related Reader Variables, Jodi L. Nichols

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This investigation explored relationships between format of text (electronic or print-based) and reading comprehension of adolescent readers. Also in question were potential influences on comprehension from related measures including academic placement of participants, gender, prior knowledge of the content, and overall reading ability. Influences were measured through an unaided text retell and a constructed-response assessment with traditional questioning. Participants' reading preferences and self-reported reading behaviors were also explored.;Findings from regression analyses revealed that format of the text was not a significant predictor of reading comprehension for seventh grade students, despite participants' self-reported preference to reading electronic text. Conversely, participants' academic …

Capturing The Essence And The Coalescence Of Presence Within The Community Of Inquiry Of An Online Graduate Course In Multicultural Diversity, Katherina C. Muller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this study, students who are preservice and inservice teachers participated in an asynchronous online graduate course in multicultural diversity during the fall of 2008. Their emails, threaded discussions, cross-cultural community interactions, and final reflections were examined and analyzed revealing their perceptions of their experiences in this course. The main relevance of the study was to provide insight and new understandings of learning online.;The Community of Inquiry provided the framework within which these insights and understandings were drawn. Four archived course components were analyzed: emails, threaded discussions, cross-cultural community interactions, and final reflections. A coalescence of presence was found throughout. …

Preadmission Academic Achievement Criteria As Predictors Of Nursing Program Completion And Nclex -Rn Success, Tanya L. Rogers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Admission policies and practices in higher education, including those in nursing programs, are diverse; yet administrators have traditionally relied upon preadmission academic achievement for selection of qualified students. Higher education administrators have the responsibility to serve the institution and all of its constituents, ensuring that admission policies and regular systematic evaluation of those policies are important aspects of that service.;The nursing shortage and limited resources have pressed nursing schools to implement innovative strategies to increase the number of qualified graduates. State University's School of Nursing has used a score sheet to rank associate degree nursing applicants since 1984. The preadmission …

Abet Accreditation Criteria, Outcome H And Global Competencies In Engineering Education, Elisabeth Sanchez-Goni

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The dissertation focuses on one aspect of the accreditation process of engineering programs in the United States, which is conducted under the standards of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Engineering programs seeking accreditation are required to comply with the so called Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000), which has been divided into eleven "learning outcomes," labeled a through k. The dissertation addresses one of them, "Outcome h", which specifically calls for "the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.";The dissertation examines what engineering departments, from the Southern Regional …

The Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of A System Based Physical Activity Promotion Program In A Free, Rural, Primary Care Clinic, Martha E. Summers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background. Despite the consequences of physical inactivity, it is under recognized and not addressed consistently in primary care. The Healthy People 2010 recommendations are that adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Clinical practice guidelines advise that primary care practitioners take the opportunity whenever possible to advise, discuss, negotiate, or encourage physical activity in inactive adults. Objective. The primary objective was to identify beliefs about physical activity that act as barriers among providers and to educate them about the current recommendations for physical activity. An additional objective …