Digital Commons Network^™

Implementing Field Portable X-Ray Fluorescence During Environmental Investigations For Radioactive Materials, Neil Miller

Theses

During sampling or remediation of radiologically contaminated sites quantitative results are needed to determine where to sample or where to excavate soils. Although some portable gamma spectroscopy equipment does exist for field identification of radionuclides, they are not commonly used during remedial investigations. The current, and very common, process for sampling involves scanning soil with field portable gross measuring radiation detectors (i.e. Sodium Iodide, Scintillation, etc) that measure counts per minute of ionizing radiation; this does not give any information on the nuclides present or their concentrations in the soil. Samples are then collected at biased locations, based on the …

Effects Of Ectoparasites And Reproductive Class On Roost-Switching And Foraging Behavior Of Indiana Bats (Myotis Sodalis), Nicholas S. Gikas

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ectoparasites of bats have been known to cause harm to their hosts and to affect roostswitching. Little research exists on effects ectoparasites may have on roosting and foraging behavior of the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis). From 2008 through 2010, I collected ectoparasite data and documented roost-switching and foraging behavior of Indiana bats on habitat restoration lands owned by the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in central Indiana. I tested for differences in roosting and foraging behavior between bats with varying ectoparasite loads, and for differences in ectoparasite load, roost-switching frequency, and foraging behavior between different reproductive classes of Indiana …

2011 January, Office Of Communications & Marketing, Morehead State University.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for January of 2011.

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Process In Public Higher Education Institutions And Effects On Organizational Performance: A Historical Perspective, Bill D. Bailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public undergraduate higher education institutions face a number of seemingly intractable problems. Among those problems are cost, accountability and access. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award process is designed to help organization of any type address problems of organizational performance. This process has been used by manufacturing, healthcare, and educational institutions among others. The purpose of this study was to explore performance differences between award recipients and non-recipients on measures related to these three challenges in public higher education. Two major research questions were postulated, and tested using historical data. The first questions asked if award recipients performed better than …

Assessment And Impact Of Gentrified Public Housing Neighborhoods In The United States: A Case Study Of Chicago, Todd W. Sink

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social-mix housing policies play a unique role in shaping the geography of gentrification in cities throughout the U.S. and Europe. The HOPE VI program in the U.S. is one popular example. Since its inception in 1992, HOPE VI has simultaneously displaced thousands of urban poor from their homes and neighborhoods, reduced their housing opportunities, and created and encouraged housing development for a more affluent population. Yet over the years, very few empirical studies have emerged that examine the place-based outcomes of HOPE VI within the context of gentrification. As such, important empirical questions remain unanswered. This study focuses on the …

Racial Identity And Religiousness: Role Of Religion And Racial Identity On Substance Use In African American College Students, Chaz D. Mailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to explore the relationships between Black racial identity, religiosity, and substance use in African American college students. Religiosity has commonly been identified as a protective factor against substance use for many ethnic groups, and historically religion has played a significant role in the lives of African Americans. Surprisingly, some research suggests that while important, religiosity may not be as strong of a protective factor against abuse or excessive consumption of substances for African Americans as it is for other ethnicities (Amey, Albrect, & Miller, 1996). It has been suggested that for African Americans, a strong ethnic …

An Open Framework For Low-Latency Communications Across The Smart Grid Network, John Andrew Sturm

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recent White House (2011) policy paper for the Smart Grid that was released on June 13, 2011, A Policy Framework for the 21st Century Grid: Enabling Our Secure Energy Future, defines four major problems to be solved and the one that is addressed in this dissertation is Securing the Grid. Securing the Grid is referred to as one of the four pillars to be built on an open technology framework. The problem of securing the grid is further defined that cybersecurity practices must provide the special, low-latency communications needed for real-time automation control (White House, 2011, p. 49). The …

Prevalence Of Cardiac Abnormalities In Male And Female College Athletes When Exposed To Physiological And Thermal Stressors, Matthew Tucker

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular pre-participation screening of collegiate student athletes is inadequate. Physiological stress in the form of submaximal exercise and heat exposure can both alter cardiovascular function, possibly elucidating an abnormality via electrocardiogram (ECG). Purpose. To investigate prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in college athletes when exposed to physiological and thermal stress. Methods. Eleven participants (males n=5; females n=6; 20.5 ± 1.4 yrs; 167.8 ± 4.8 cm; 60.0 ± 4.5 kg; 56.1 ± 12.2 ml/kg/min) currently participating at the NCAA Division I level volunteered for this study. Participants completed two submaximal treadmill tests (70% of VO2 max) in varying environmental conditions: thermoneutral (24.8 …

Examining Variables Related To Help-Seeking And Victimization Differences After Coercive Intercourse, Ginger Faulkner

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issue of sexual violence against women has been an area of interest to psychological researchers because of its importance and prevalence in America. A problem that has been attracting more attention recently is sexual coercion against women, especially on college campuses. Researchers have consistently found that over half of college women have been victim to coercive sexual encounters (Struckman-Johnson, Struckman-Johnson, & Anderson, 2003) making this a serious problem in need of greater understanding. Researchers have also found that sexual coercion can cause a variety of problems, yet victims typically do not seek help after these experiences (Fisher, Daigle, Cullen, …

Graduation Success: Identifying And Overcoming Challenging Demographic Factors To Reduce High School Dropouts, Robert W. Schultz

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of students completing high school with a diploma is the focus of increasing social, economic, and political attention across the United States. Posing a strong challenge to efforts to increase graduation rates are several key demographic factors. This study examines, through a case study, an Indiana high school that overcame the challenge of negative demographic factors to achieve a graduation rate above the state average for four consecutive years (2006-2009). Researching databases maintained by the Indiana Department ofEducation revealed specific demographic factors that had a strong correlation to graduation rates in Indiana. The four demographic factors with the …

Racial Identity And Religiousness: Role Of Religion And Racial Identity On Substance Use In African American College Students, Chaz D. Mailey

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study sought to explore the relationships between Black racial identity, religiosity, and substance use in African American college students. Religiosity has commonly been identified as a protective factor against substance use for many ethnic groups, and historically religion has played a significant role in the lives of African Americans. Surprisingly, some research suggests that while important, religiosity may not be as strong of a protective factor against abuse or excessive consumption of substances for African Americans as it is for other ethnicities (Amey, Albrect, & Miller, 1996). It has been suggested that for African Americans, a strong ethnic …

Self-Expansion And Couple Possessions: The Representation Of The Self And Other In Valued Possessions, Lindsey Paniccia

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study seeks to understand the influence of romantic relationships on identity symbolism, specifically the use of personal possessions as a means of achieving social validation. According to self-expansion theory (Aron & Aron, 1986), engaging in a romantic relationship alters one's sense of self; romantic partners take on the qualities and characteristics of a partner and integrate them into the self. To understand the process of identity symbolism due to one's newly expanded sense of self, this study investigated the link between the amount of reported self-expansion and couple representativeness as well as the function of one's possessions (other-direct …

The Risk Factors Of Alcohol Abuse Among College Athletes, Jacob Jones

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept theory was used as a theoretical basis to investigate the utility of social norms alcohol prevention programs designed for college athletes. The predictive relationship among alcohol use and athletic identity, competitiveness, drinking game participation, and level of sport participation was investigated. It was discovered that drinking game participation is a significant predictor of total weekly alcohol use above and beyond the other predictors. In addition, drinking game participation and organized recreational sport participation were significant predictors of total binge drinking episodes. While controlling for drinking game participation and competitiveness, no significant differences were found in the amount of alcohol …

With Us Or Against Us: Using Religiosity And Sociodemographic Variables To Predict Homophobic Beliefs, Erin Coale Schwartz

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Affiliation with religious organizations is prevalent in the United States and within some of these organizations negative messages about lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals are regularly espoused. Exposure to such homophobic sentiment has been found to have a detrimental impact on the mental health of sexual minorities and thereby, makes the exploration of religiosity and homophobia an imperative. This study examined differences in homophobia among the sociodemographic variables of gender, age,Education level, religious affiliation, frequency of attendance at religious services, and amount of contact with lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Additionally, a stepwise multiple regression was conducted to determine which …

A Sense Of Place: Branding The Richardson Olmsted Complex Through Architectural Motif, Lisa Mauro

Theses

(keywords: Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted, Thomas Kirkbride, Romanesque architecture, Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, 19th century English design reformers, Richardsonian Romanesque, motif, psychology of pattern, pattern design, architectural ornament, place-branding, Buffalo, NY) Motif design and repeat patterns have been used to decorate, communicate and imbue surface with meaning across cultures and eras. It is also evident that pattern satisfies a fundamental psychological need in humans for order and beauty. Motifs are a well-suited graphic design basis from which to create an effective branding strategy with potential to communicate with a subliminal power and in a way that …

Synthesis And Antimicrobial Activity Of Methoxy Azachalcones And N-Alkyl Substituted Methoxy Azachalconium Bromides, Canan Albay, Nuran Kahri̇man, Nagi̇han Yilmaz İskender, Şengül Alpay Karaoğlu, Nuretti̇n Yayli

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

In this study, 18 new N-octyl, N-decyl, and N-dodecyl substituted o-, m-, and p-methoxy (E)-3- and 4-azachalcones, {4- or 3-[(1E)-3-(4-, 3-, or 2-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxoprop-1-en-1-yl]-1-alkyl (C_{8,10,12}) pyridinium bromides} (1a-6a, 1b-1b, and 1c-6c), and 4 new o-, and m-methoxy (E)-3- and 4-azachalcones (2, 3, 5, and 6) were synthesized and tested for antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans. N-Alkyl substituted azachalconium bromides showed good antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 0.42-58.7 \mu g/mL in most cases. Nonalkylated compounds 1-9 …

Character Education And 4-H Youth Development, Jessica Lynn Mullins

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Character education assumes responsibility for influencing and educating youth on morals, values, beliefs and positive character attributes in order to influence them into being positive and contributing members of society. Character education is most often taught in the home, schools and community. One community organization that integrates character education into its programming is 4-H Youth Development. The purpose of this research is to view the relationships between character education and 4-H, and more so whether Kentucky 4-H programs influence the knowledge, attitudes and practices of positive character among youth leaders. This study also looked at length of 4-H involvement and …

Simulation And Control Of A Quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Michael David Schmidt

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The ANGEL project (Aerial Network Guided Electronic Lookout) takes a systems engineering approach to the design, development, testing and implementation of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle. Many current research endeavors into the field of quadrotors for use as unmanned vehicles do not utilize the broad systems approach to design and implementation. These other projects use pre-fabricated quadrotor platforms and a series of external sensors in a mock environment that is unfeasible for real world use. The ANGEL system was designed specifically for use in a combat theater where robustness and ease of control are paramount. A complete simulation model of …

Evaluation Of Natural Antimicrobial Phenolic Compounds Against Foodborne Pathogens, Hayriye Cetin-Karaca

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Raw and processed foods are vulnerable to contamination during their production, distribution and sale. Thus, a wide variety of chemical preservatives are used in the food industry to prevent the growth of food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. However, health and economic concerns have led to an intensive search for natural alternatives, such as plant extracts, that can safely be used as substitutes for synthetic antimicrobials and preservatives to partially or completely inhibit the growth of bacteria.

This study evaluated the antimicrobial effects of natural phenolic compounds extracted from vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. The main objective was to determine the …

Effect Of A Silicon Tip On Absorption Cross Section, Field Enhancement, And Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Of Different Sized Gold Nanoparticles Under Evanescent Wave Illumination, Gazi Mostafa Huda

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

We have numerically investigated the influence of a nanoscale silicon tip in proximity to an illuminated gold nanoparticle. We describe how the position of the high-permittivity tip and the size of a nanoparticle impact the absorption, peak electric field and surface plasmon resonance wavelength under different illumination conditions. We detail the finite element method (FEM) approach we have used for this, whereby we specify a volume excitation field analytically and calculate the difference between this source field and the total field (i.e., scattered-field formulation). We show that a nanoscale tip can locally enhance the absorption of the particle as well …

A Model Of Resurgence Based On Behavioral Momentum Theory, Timothy A. Shahan, Mary M. Sweeney

Psychology Faculty Publications

Resurgence is the reappearance of an extinguished behavior when an alternative behavior reinforced during extinction is subsequently placed on extinction. Resurgence is of particular interest because it may be a source of relapse to problem behavior following treatments involving alternative reinforcement. In this article we develop a quantitative model of resurgence based on the augmented model of extinction provided by behavioral momentum theory. The model suggests that alternative reinforcement during extinction of a target response acts as both an additional source of disruption during extinction and as a source of reinforcement in the context that increases the future strength of …

Behavioral Momentum Theory: Equations And Applications, John A. Nevin, Timothy A. Shahan

Psychology Faculty Publications

Behavioral momentum theory provides a quantitative account of how reinforcers experienced within a discriminative stimulus context govern the persistence of behavior that occurs in that context. The theory suggests that all reinforcers obtained in the presence of a discriminative stimulus increase resistance to change, regardless of whether those reinforcers are contingent on the target behavior, are noncontingent, or are even contingent on an alternative behavior. In this paper, we describe the equations that constitute the theory and address their application to issues of particular importance in applied settings. The theory provides a framework within which to consider the effects of …

North–South Trade Liberalization And Returns To Skill In The South: The Case Of Mexico, Gautam Hazarika, Rafael Otero

School of Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

This study examines the effect of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), an instance of North–South trade liberalization, on returns to skill in Mexico. Mexico is abundant in low-skill workers relative to the US and Canada, and so, by the Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson trade model, NAFTA ought to have raised the relative earnings of low-skill workers, that is, lowered returns to skill in Mexico. Analysis of Mexican labour micro-data yields the finding that while returns to skill in industries producing tradeables have risen, ceteris paribus, since Mexico embarked upon trade liberalization by joining the GATT in 1986, this rise was less …

Library Instruction For Freshman English: A Multi-Year Assessment Of Student Learning, Susan Gardner Archambault

Librarian Publications & Presentations

Abstract Objective – The objective of this study was twofold: 1) to assess the effectiveness of curriculum changes made from the 2009 freshman English library instruction curriculum to the 2010 curriculum at Loyola Marymount University (LMU); and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of library instruction delivered via a “blended” combination of face-to-face and online instruction versus online instruction alone.

Methods – An experimental design compared random samples of student scores from 2009 and 2010 worksheets to determine the effects of a new curriculum on student learning. A second experiment examined the effect of delivery method on student learning by comparing …

Osgoode Syllabus Of Courses And Seminars: 2011 - 2012, Office Of Student Services

Syllabi

No abstract provided.

The Perceived Effectiveness Of The Officer Certification Requirement Under Sarbanes-Oxley, T. J. Engebretson, Heidi H. Meier

Business Faculty Publications

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 brought about sweeping changes that were meant to improve corporate reporting in the United States and to restore investor confidence following some of the largest business failures in US history. This study examines one requirement of this legislation, the certification of the financial statements by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) by surveying stakeholder constituent groups to determine whether this new requirement is effective in accomplishing the goals established by Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This is accomplished by using Cameron's strategic constituencies model to test seven …

Order Acceptance And Scheduling: A Taxonomy And Review, Susan A. Slotnick

Business Faculty Publications

Over the past 20 years, the topic of order acceptance has attracted considerable attention from those who study scheduling and those who practice it. In a firm that strives to align its functions so that profit is maximized, the coordination of capacity with demand may require that business sometimes be turned away. In particular, there is a trade-off between the revenue brought in by a particular order, and all of its associated costs of processing. The present study focuses on the body of research that approaches this trade-off by considering two decisions: which orders to accept for processing, and how …

Making Sense Of Supply Disruption Risk Research: A Conceptual Framework Grounded In Enactment Theory, Scott C. Ellis, Jeff Shockley, Raymond M. Henry

Business Faculty Publications

The rich stream of supply disruption risk (SDR) literature incorporates several different theories and constructs across studies, but lacks a unifying decision-making framework. We review 79 SDR studies and advance a comprehensive framework, grounded in enactment theory, which integrates the disparate elements of SDR research and offers new insights into the SDR decision-making process. Enactment theory posits a three-stage, closed-loop process, consisting of enactment, selection and retention, through which individuals process and make sense of equivocal environments. We suggest that this sense-making process also underlies SDR decision-making, and provides the theoretical underpinnings for the environmental, organizational and individual factors that …

Does Talking The Talk Help Walking The Walk? An Examination Of The Effect Of Vocal Attractiveness In Leader Effectiveness , Timothy Degroot, Federico Aime, Scott G. Johnson, Donald Kluemper

Business Faculty Publications

The authors tested the hypothesis that leaders' vocal attractiveness is positively related to perceptions of leadership effectiveness. In a first study using vocal spectral analysis on a sample of U.S. presidents and Canadian prime ministers, vocal attractiveness accounted for significant variance in historians' perceptions of leadership effectiveness (β = .35, p < .05), explaining an additional 12% of the variance above that explained by personality, motives, and charisma. A second study of 255 subjects distributed into 85 teams in a laboratory setting found similar results for the relationship between vocal attractiveness and perceptions of leadership effectiveness. The second study also supported the hypothesis that personal reactions mediate the relationship between vocal attractiveness and perceptions of leadership effectiveness. In contrast, vocal attractiveness and personal reactions were found to have no significant effects on leadership effectiveness outcomes.

Primary And Secondary Incident Management: Predicting Durations In Real Time, Asad J. Khattak, Xin Wang, Hongbing Zhang, Mecit Cetin

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Traffic incidents are a major source of congestion in Virginia. Secondary incidents comprise a relatively small but important portion of all incidents, and relatively little is known about their occurrence, characteristics, and associated delays. The main objectives of this study were to define secondary incidents, understand and analyze the occurrence and nature of such incidents, and develop tools that can comprehensively and continuously analyze primary and secondary incidents at the planning and operational levels, ultimately contributing to congestion management. The scope of the study is limited to freeway incidents in the Hampton Roads (HR) area. The study found that secondary …