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Statistical Modeling And Analysis Of Injury Severity Sustained By Occupants Of Passenger Vehicles Involved In Crashes With Large Trucks, Ahmad Koupaenejad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Crashes are the result of complex interactions between several factors representing driver, roadway, vehicle, and environmental characteristics. Understanding to what degree each factor contributes to the severity of a crash is not a simple task. The outcomes of crashes in the US have been an average of 42,000 deaths and 3 million injuries per year. To better understand the role of significant contributors to crashes, three sets of models using multinomial logit and one using ordered probit were calibrated. To calibrate these models, forty two independent predictor variables including driver/occupants characteristics, crash environment at the crash location, crash characteristics, and …

Filtration And Growth Rate Of Lake Mead Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Bugensis) In Laboratory Studies And Analyses Of Bioaccumulation, Carolyn Louise Link

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In January of 2007, Quagga Mussels (Dreissena bugensis) were identified in Lake Mead, Nevada. An aquatic invasive species, these mussels can significantly alter ecosystems. This study sought to quantify three ecological traits of the species through a series of laboratory experiments and analyses, providing information both for comparison with Dreissena in other locations, as well as for limnologic management decisions. Filtration rate of quagga mussels was quantified using algal strains and natural seston. Two strains of green algae, Nannochloris and Scenedesmus were used to determine mussel filtration rates with a spectrophotometer. Quagga filtration rates of collected Lake Mead seston were …

The Type 1 Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptor In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Lines, Zhengyu Wei, Phd, Tiziana Deangelis, M.S., Reginald Hurtt, B.S., Renato Baserga, M.D., Cataldo Doria, M.D., Ph.D

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Summary:

1. Human HCC cells have higher expression levels of IGF-1R, IRS1, and c-Met.

2. IRS1 interacts with c-Met. The role of IGF-1R in human HCC should be revisited.

3. Lentivirus-mediated shRNA delivery system targeting IGF-1R showed significant suppressive effects on HCC cell growth, promising a potential therapeutic treatment for human HCC.

Making The Great Journey: International Students’ Experiences At The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Anh Le

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The main purpose of the study was to produce an overview of international students’ experiences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) as articulated via their own words. The knowledge drawn from this study served as useful reference information for programs and courses geared toward international students. Given the many challenges facing international students and the great benefits that they bring, this study explored the experiences of international students at UNL. Although there has been a substantial amount of literature about international students, most of the research has been focused on a particular aspect of international students such as advising relationships …

The Impact Of Undergraduate Experiences On The Decision To Become A Student Affairs Professional, Jay A. Fennell

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the undergraduate experiences of student affairs professionals and how those experiences impacted their decision to enter the student affairs profession. The study explores how student affairs professionals perceived their undergraduate experiences and how this time in their lives impacted their career decision, their career path, the way they interacted with students as professionals and what they do as student affairs professionals to encourage students to enter the field. Three themes emerged in this study: (a) The importance of campus involvement, (b) mentor relationships, and (c) encouraging students to enter student affairs. The results of this study help …

An Examination Of Core Course Admission Deficiencies And Their Impact On Six-Year Graduation Rates For Transfer Students At The University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, David S. Belieu

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the six-year graduation rate of transfer students who enter the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a deficiency in a core course admission requirement. The study explored the odds of a transfer student graduating in a six-year period if he/she were admitted with a deficiency. Specifically, the study examined graduation rates for transfer students who entered UNL with a core course deficiency in mathematics and foreign language. The study also examined graduated transfer students admitted with one or more core course deficiencies GPAs versus graduated transfer students who were admitted without a deficiency. After …

Use Of Passive Samplers To Evaluate Pharmaceutical Fate In Surface Waters, Delshawn L. Brown

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Emerging contaminants have been of importance in recent water research. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have proved ineffective at handling present-day antibiotic loads from hospital and municipal sources. Kolpin et al. (2002) performed a study that identified pharmaceuticals in numerous waters downstream from effluent discharge. Though present in trace levels, concern has been raised regarding pharmaceutical persistence in natural environments. In the present study, uptake rates were quantified in the laboratory for 25 pharmaceutical compounds using Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS). Twenty new uptake rates were determined for compounds that have no previously reported literature values. POCIS was also used …

Evaluating The Impact Of Oceanic/Atmospheric Teleconnections On Historical Wildfires In West Virginia (1939--2006), Cary Lynch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oceanic/atmospheric oscillations affect climate in many ways. This study quantitatively examined climate teleconnection patterns and in turn analyzed the influence of climate on wildfire activity within West Virginia from 1939--2006. Identifying the linkages between oscillations and climate variability has the potential to greatly improve seasonal forecasting capabilities. Despite the complexity inherent in local fire regimes, regional fire activity often oscillates in phase with year-to-year climatic variability. This climate-fire connection raises the possibility that historical factors inherent in the local ecosystem are overridden by regional climatic events and trends. A robust statistical analysis that utilized correlation, regression, principle components, and Superposed …

Getting Down To Business: An Efl Curriculum Design For The Business Setting, Gabriel Brito Amorim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In today's world of international commerce and technology-driven communication, the exchange of information across countries and cultures has become crucial to creating a global citizenry. After World War II, efforts to create a global commercial market resulted in the promotion of communication across cultures. The purpose of this thesis is to outline a theoretical rationale for a beginner English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curriculum in a foreign setting (Brazil). The curriculum consists of four courses organized around three pillars: (a) the production of spontaneous contextualized communication in the target language, (b) the development of cultural competence specific to the business …

Layer-By-Layer Assembly Of {Nanoclay-(Sol-Gel Oxide)}N And {Nanoclay-(Oxide Nanoparticle)}N Multilayers: Synthesis And Growth Mechanisms, Hao Chen

All Dissertations

Two new classes of all-inorganic nanostructured multilayers, {MMTx-(sol-gel oxide)}n and {MMTx-(oxide nanoparticle)}n, have been successfully synthesized for the first time. They were made by adapting a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly method initially developed to synthesize polyelectrolyte-based multilayers. In most previous studies, this electrostatic-assisted LbL assembly method used polyelectrolytes/polymers as the 'structural glue' to prepare multilayers. The synthesis of {MMTx-(sol-gel ZrO2)}n multilayers demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of making sol-gel oxide 'glued' all-inorganic multilayers, thereby introducing an innovative nanoscale fabrication concept. The synthesis of {MMTx-(oxide nanoparticle)}n multilayers further illustrates the versatility of LbL assembly technique by achieving a second new …

Pretreatments And Energy Potentials Of Appalachian Hardwood Residues For Biofuel Production, Adebola Bamikole Adebayo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Continuous increase in crude oil price and environmental issues related to toxic emissions from the use of petroleum products has necessitated the need to find an alternative renewable source of energy in woody biomass. Accordingly, properties, chemical pretreatments, and enzymatic hydrolysis of logging residues to fermentable sugars were evaluated in this study. Logging residue specimens of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and red oak (Quercus rubra) were collected from fifteen previously harvested sites across West Virginia and then analyzed for their physical, chemical, and thermal properties. Results indicated that logging residues of yellow-poplar and red oak were dried in nature to a …

Alterations In Hepatic Enzyme Activity And Progesterone Clearance In Lactating Dairy Cows, Caleb Owens Lemley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the cow, inadequate concentrations of progesterone during gestation may lead to an abrupt termination of pregnancy. The primary organ involved in progesterone catabolism is the liver, which contains an abundance of cytochrome P450 isozymes (CYP; EC 1.14.14.1) and aldo-keto reductases (AKR; EC 1.1.1.145-151), which are involved in the first phase of steroid inactivation, before second phase conjugation and excretion of the steroid metabolite by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT; EC 2.4.1.17). The objectives of the current experiments were to: (1) determine the effect of feeding two isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets formulated to cause divergent insulin secretion, on hepatic progesterone catabolic enzyme activity …

Essays On The Public Economics Of Health, Rachel L. Mathers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores three important health issues, utilizing the tools provided by economics to provide new insight into areas of research typically the parlance of those in medical fields of study. The integration of economic theory into existing literature on health issues provides a more detail-rich explanation of health policy and corresponding health outcomes. This dissertation applies economic theory to the health topics of skin cancer, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and AIDS. There are five chapters included in this dissertation, beginning with an introduction in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 addresses the skin cancer paradox, specifically analyzing the relationship between National …

The Use Of The Palladium-Catalyzed Glycosylation For The Synthesis Of C- And O-Linked Glycosylated Natural Products, Xiaomei Yu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The carbohydrate portions of natural products play a crucial role in their pharmacological properties. These properties can vary from improved water solubility, improved membrane transport properties, improved tissue targeting, as well as improved target binding. Herein we describe our efforts to use de novo synthesis to help elucidate the various roles carbohydrates play in biologically active glycosylated natural products.;The O'Doherty group has developed a method that uses asymmetric synthesis for the de novo synthesis of carbohydrates. In contrast to traditional carbohydrate methods, this de novo approach builds the desired functionality and stereochemistry within each sugar. This methodology relies on a …

Paramagnetic Resonance Studies Of Defects In Titanium Dioxide Crystals, Shan Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) are used to identify and characterize point defects in TiO2 crystals having the rutile structure. Defect production occurs at low temperature during illumination with 442 nm laser light. Spectra with S = 1/2 and S = 1 are assigned to singly ionized and neutral oxygen vacancies, respectively. These oxygen vacancies have their unpaired spins localized on the two neighboring titanium ions aligned along the [001] axis. A Ti3+ ion next to a substitutional Si4+ ion, a Ti3+ self-trapped electron, and a self-trapped hole on the oxygen sublattice are also observed.;Fluorine ions …

Amine Promoted Asymmetric Cascade Synthesis Of Highly Functionalized Heterocycles, Cheng Zhong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Enantioselective intermolecular crossed-conjugate additions between nitroalkenes and alpha,beta-enals through a dual. Enantioselective intermolecular crossed-conjugated additions between nitroalkenes and enals were developed through Lewis base and iminium cation dual activation strategy. The optimal condition was suitable for a large group of nitroalkenes and enals with excellent yields and e.e.. Further derivatization led two diastereomers into single enantiomers of substituted pyrrolidine with excellent stereochemistry retention.;One-pot cascade Michael-Michael-Aldol condensation for diastereoselective synthesis of nitro-substituted cyclohexanes. A one-pot Michael-Michael-Aldol cascade reaction of proline Lewis base activated nitroalkenes and enones was developed for the preparation of nitro-vinyl-substituted cyclohexanes. Good yields and diastereoselectivity were observed. Further …

The Use Of Microbial Community Fingerprinting As A Marker For Tracking The Source Of Water: Application To Pathogen And Groundwater Source Tracking, Mary Clement

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microbial community structure in groundwater is extremely complex and constitutes a fingerprint of water. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based fingerprinting method that is commonly used for comparative microbial community analysis, and to track specific bacterial markers in complex environments.;The Objective of this research was to propose an innovative approach for tracking the origin of groundwater, microbial source tracking and origin of surface water, based on the specific structure of the microbial community using T-RFLP analysis, which can be used for microbial source tracking.;The first specific aim was to validate the use of …

Do Parental Monitoring Strategies, Parental Knowledge, And Adolescent Risk -Taking Differ Based On Family Income And Parental Marital Status? The Role Of Resiliency, Shawn M. Golden-Llewellyn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescents living in low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors, such as alcohol and other drug use, sexual behavior, and vandalism. Resiliency theory suggests that protective factors could reduce adolescent risk-taking in low SES families. Parental monitoring, parent behaviors involved in tracking their adolescents' whereabouts and activities, tends to be less evident in low SES families. However, it has also been identified as a protective factor in fostering resiliency in adolescents living in high-risk situations. The current study examined group differences in parental knowledge, parental monitoring strategies, and adolescent risk-taking based on two socioeconomic factors, …

Observing Responses Of Chain-Schedule Stimuli And Effects Of D-Amphetamine And Morphine, Jonathan M. Slezak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is an inherent confound when utilizing response-dependent chain schedules to examine conditioned reinforcement effects because the same response is required for the production of both conditioned and primary reinforcers. The present study utilized an observing response to examine the conditioned-reinforcing value of stimuli in a three-link chain variable-time schedule, which allows for the removal of the response-reinforcer contingency of typical chain schedules. In Experiment 1, observing was maintained by the production of stimuli correlated with links of a chain VT schedule, indicating conditioned reinforcing properties of all or some of the chain stimuli. To test if performance under chain …

A Leap Of Faith: *Scale, Critical Realism And *Emergence In The Geography Of Religion, Michael P. Ferber

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation explores the role of scale in human geography through a study involving a critical realist investigation of the geography of religious adherence. Using the contributions of a critical realist framework of stratification, emergence, and pluralistic methodologies, religious adherence is studied at the scales of the individual adherent, the church, and within local associations of churches. Analysis was performed through a study of two denominational congregations and an independent congregation in Harrison County, West Virginia and used a combination of surveys and in-depth interviews with religious adherents, pastors and local denominational leaders. The conceptual framework of this dissertation stands …

Comparing The Use Of Qpcr On Isolated Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) And Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Hepatocytes For Estrogen Screening, Emily Breana Chambers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exposure of fish to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) is believed to be a contributing factor of intersex (the presence of immature oocytes in the testes) and fish kills in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. EEDCs are often seen in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. A simple and common way to look at the estrogenicity of water samples is to deploy Passive Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) and extract the hydrophilic compounds from the filters with methanol. Samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of two wastewater treatment plants, one on the Conococheague River and one on the Monocacy River, …

Religious And Environmental Values In Pcusa And Ucc Church Camp Programs, Ross S. Bash

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The association between denominational affiliation, as the independent variable, and (1) religious values, (2) environmental values, and (3) the integration of religious values and environmental values, as the dependent variables, in church camp programs of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (PCUSA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC) was examined through survey research of PCUSA and UCC church camps across the United States. The results indicated that there is a significant statistical relationship between PCUSA and UCC church camp programs by reference to denominational affiliation for all three dependent variables.

Differences In Learning Styles And Satisfaction Between Traditional Face-To-Face And Online Web-Based Sport Management Studies Students, Ellen Jo West

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Each student has a unique learning style or individual way of perceiving, interacting, and responding to a learning environment. The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the prevalence of learning styles among undergraduate Sport Management Studies (SMS) students at California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U). Learning style prevalence was determined for traditional face-to-face students and online web-based students and differences in learning style prevalence between these two groups were explored. Finally, differences in student satisfaction between program delivery methods were examined by using an online questionnaire designed by the researcher.;The population for this study included 247 Cal …

Utilization Of The Seven Principles For Good Practice In Undergraduate Education In General Chemistry By Community College Instructors, Jennifer Panther Bishoff

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, higher education has undergone many changes. The advent of assessment, accountability, and a newfound focus on teaching have required faculty to examine how they are teaching. Administrators and faculty are beginning to recognize that learning is not a "one size fits all" enterprise. To this end, Chickering and Gamson developed an inventory that examined faculty utilization of the Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. The seven principles included by the authors included faculty-student interaction, cooperative learning, active learning, giving prompt feedback, emphasizing time on task, communicating high expectations, and respecting diverse talents and ways of …

Residual Feed Intake, Body Composition And Fertility In Yearling Beef Heifers, Kevin S. Shaffer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One hundred thirty-seven spring born yearling beef heifers of English breed types were used to determine the relationships between residual feed intake (RFI) and growth rate, body composition, mature size, and fertility. Heifers were housed in a drylot facility during the trial and data were collected over a two-year period (year 1, n=67; year 2, n=70). Individual feed intake, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS ), hip height (HH), and carcass ultrasound measurements (subcutaneous rib and rump fat; RIF and RUF, respectively, longissimus muscle area; LMA, and intramuscular fat; IMF ) were collected. Individual feed intakes were expressed as …

Utilization Of Leaf Meal As A Potential Feed Source, Jason K. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alternative feeds are currently utilized by producers throughout much of animal agriculture as a method of reducing feed costs. Under careful resource management, and proper understanding of their potential effects on animal performance, some deciduous tree leaves may prove to be a valuable feed resource, as substantial tonnage exists in the forests of the United States. In order to assess their value as a feed source, fall-dropped Quercus alba (white oak) and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar) leaves were collected at the Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center in Beaver, WV by the USDA-ARS. Proximate analysis and fiber determination, as well as …

Bat Use Of Created And Natural Wetlands, Marcia L. Maslonek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Compensatory wetland mitigation is a common practice to account for wetland losses due to dredging and filling under the Clean Water Act, but successful replacement of function is rarely achieved. Small, isolated wetlands also receive no federal protection, and are usually not included in accounts of losses. Although latest reports show an increase in wetlands for the first time, this is due in large part to voluntary construction of open water ponds, while the loss of freshwater emergent wetlands continues to decline. Research on the wildlife functions of wetlands has focused on plants, invertebrates, avian or amphibian species. But wetlands …

Topological Visualization Of Tensor Fields Using A Generalized Helmholtz Decomposition, Lierong Zhu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Analysis and visualization of fluid flow datasets has become increasing important with the development of computer graphics. Even though many direct visualization methods have been applied in the tensor fields, those methods may result in much visual clutter. The Helmholtz decomposition has been widely used to analyze and visualize the vector fields, and it is also a useful application in the topological analysis of vector fields. However, there has been no previous work employing the Helmholtz decomposition of tensor fields. We present a method for computing the Helmholtz decomposition of tensor fields of arbitrary order and demonstrate its application. The …

Biology And Ecology Of Lake Sturgeon Acipenser Fulvescens In The Grasse River, New York, Drew Trested

All Dissertations

The objectives of this dissertation were to (1) evaluate the age, growth, mortality, and abundance of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in the Grasse River, New York; (2) characterize seasonal movement patterns and mesohabitat use for adult and juvenile lake sturgeon in the Grasse River, New York; and (3) quantify the immediate and delayed post-procedure mortality for shovelnose sturgeon after insertion of an endoscope through an incision. I determined age for 196 of 211 lake sturgeon by examination of sectioned pectoral fin rays. Ages ranged from 0 -32 years and the annual mortality rate for fish between ages 7 and 14 …

Museum Collections Management Systems: One Size Does Not Fit All, Elana C. Carpinone

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Collections management software companies claim their product can be used for any type of collection or museum. While this is true to some extent, in actuality, they are better suited for some types of collections and do not cover the others as well. Particular collections management databases have aspects that are better suited for certain types of collections and an individual museum's needs. Each system's particular combination of features and characteristics may make it a better fit for some museums' needs and not for others. Recommendations for collections databases are constantly sought after on the American Association of Museum's Registrar's …