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2012

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Beyond Neighborhood Play: Factors That Predict Child Civic Engagement, Tracy Waters Dec 2012

Beyond Neighborhood Play: Factors That Predict Child Civic Engagement, Tracy Waters

All Dissertations

This study utilized a unique mixed methodology to examine perceptions of neighborhood characteristics, independent mobility, and child civic engagement among 101 child-caregiver dyads. Children between the ages of 7 and 13 years completed a neighborhood walk with a member of the research team, identifying neighborhood boundaries, taking pictures of important places, and explaining their day-to-day activities. Responses from a written survey and neighborhood observations complimented the neighborhood walk data. Results revealed that spatial neighborhood and independent mobility did not vary significantly by age or gender. However, spatial neighborhood and independent mobility were positively related to several child and caregiver measures …

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The Behavior And Toxicity Of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles In Aqueous Solution, Phenny Mwaanga Dec 2012

The Behavior And Toxicity Of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles In Aqueous Solution, Phenny Mwaanga

All Dissertations

The dissolution and aggregation of metal oxides nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous solution not only alter the abundance and toxicology of NPs, but also makes the effective assessment and the correct interpretation of effects of NPs on organisms challenging. The extent to which these processes (dissolution and aggregation) occur largely depend on pH, ionic strength, dissolved natural organic matter (NOM) and NPs characteristics. This study investigated the dissolution and aggregation behavior of the four metal oxide NPs (nZnO, nCuO, nFe2O3 and nTiO2) in aqueous solution as influenced by pH, ionic strength and NOM and examined the toxicity of these NPs to …

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Fate And Reactivity Of Natural And Manufactured Nanoparticles In Soil/Water Environments, Allison Vandevoort Dec 2012

Fate And Reactivity Of Natural And Manufactured Nanoparticles In Soil/Water Environments, Allison Vandevoort

All Dissertations

Nanoparticles (NPs), < 100 nm in diameter, make up the smallest component of solid material. This small size often causes increased reactivity in soil/water environments, which is true for both natural NPs, such as very fine clay particles, and for manufactured nanoparticles, such as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). As the importance of these particles is more widely recognized, and as manufactured nanoparticles, especially AgNPs, are increasing in production, it is essential to consider their effect on terrestrial and aquatic environments. The studies presented in this dissertation show that both the physicochemical characteristics of the NPs (e.g., particle size, surface coating, elemental composition), as well as soil-water interfacial chemistry (e.g., ionic strength, ligand concentration, pH), are instrumental in predicting environmental fate and reactivity.
Ligand type and concentration were especially important in NP reactivity and bioavailability. Using the hard/soft acid/base concept, the effect of phosphate ligand (hard base) on Fe/Al (hard acid) oxyhydroxide natural NPs was investigated in Chapters 2 and 3. Adding phosphate to soil NPs and reference nano-minerals (Fe-(oxyhydr)oxides and kaolinite) caused coagulation or dispersion, changing the particle size of the NPs, as well as affecting the amount of phosphate in its bioavailable (i.e., dissolved) form. A review of the literature in Chapters 1 and 3 revealed that changes in the soil conditions, and therefore, soil colloids/NPs (e.g., increasing organic …

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Factors That Predict Hispanic/Latino Entrepreneurs' Intentions To Use Thirteen Entrepreneurial Behaviors, Rosanna Saladin-Subero Dec 2012

Factors That Predict Hispanic/Latino Entrepreneurs' Intentions To Use Thirteen Entrepreneurial Behaviors, Rosanna Saladin-Subero

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs most significantly predicted Hispanic business owners' intentions to engage in 13 entrepreneurial behaviors. In 2011, Hispanic business owners from five cities in Greenville Country, South Carolina were invited to participate. Only owners of for-profit business that had been in operation for a year or more participated. Seventy four Hispanic business owners were interviewed or completed an online survey.
Aizen's Theory of Planned Behavior (1980, 1991, 2002a, 2002b, 2006) was used as the framework for constructing a survey to examine stated intentions, and concomitant attitudes, norms, and …

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Effects Of Red Raspberry On Doxorubicin Chemotherapy Induced Neurotoxicity, Ran He Dec 2012

Effects Of Red Raspberry On Doxorubicin Chemotherapy Induced Neurotoxicity, Ran He

All Dissertations

Chemotherapy is a widely used treatment for cancer, with significant side effects including cognitive impairments that affect patients' quality of life. Red raspberries are known to inhibit growth of cancer cells with recent research suggesting the ability to also protect neurons. If this protective ability can be confirmed, red raspberry may emerge as a promising natural intervention for cognitive impairments associated with chemotherapy. In addition, many studies have linked cognitive functions to epigenetic mechanisms postulating that transient reprogramming of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, is required for some basic neuronal/cognitive functions.
The objective of this dissertation is to study …

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A Case Study In Collaborative Efforts At Spartanburg Community College, Frederick Cooper Dec 2012

A Case Study In Collaborative Efforts At Spartanburg Community College, Frederick Cooper

All Dissertations

The General Assembly of South Carolina radically changed the structure of secondary education with the enactment of the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA) of 2005. A provision in the legislation requires post-secondary institutions to develop articulation agreements with secondary institutions in their service area(s). Traditionally, articulation agreements between secondary and post-secondary institutions have been few and far between. The question then becomes how articulation agreements are developed from the post-secondary perspective. Spartanburg Community College is one of the sixteen technical/community colleges in South Carolina. The development of articulation agreements is examined at Spartanburg Community College using the lens of …

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Intersecting Identities Of Female College Student Intramural Sports Officials: A Grounded Theory, April Flint Dec 2012

Intersecting Identities Of Female College Student Intramural Sports Officials: A Grounded Theory, April Flint

All Dissertations

Intramural activities are conducted on virtually every college campus throughout the United States, but there is a debate as to the role of intramurals in the overall development of the student (Rothwell & Theodore, 2006). Specifically for females, not every sport is offered for participation at youth or higher levels, but intramural sports is one arena where they have the chance to learn the sport rules and referee the game. This study aims to create a base of knowledge on the experiences of female college students who work on campus as intramural sports officials. The purpose of the study is …

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Sample Preparation Techniques For The Improvement Of Analytical Measurements: Capillary-Channeled Polymer Fibers Employed In Protein Solid Phase Extraction Applications And Characterization Of Active Components In Botanical Dietary Supplements, Carolyn Burdette Dec 2012

Sample Preparation Techniques For The Improvement Of Analytical Measurements: Capillary-Channeled Polymer Fibers Employed In Protein Solid Phase Extraction Applications And Characterization Of Active Components In Botanical Dietary Supplements, Carolyn Burdette

All Dissertations

The task of sample preparation encompasses many challenges and demands for analytical techniques. Appropriate preparative steps can be the determining factor between successful measurements and failures. Too little preparation can lead to the inability to detect analytes due to low concentrations, insufficient extraction of analytes, and/or strong matrix effects; exhaustive preparation steps increases analysis times, the potential for analyte losses, and the difficulty to obtain consistent reproducible results. Discussed here are several examples of analytical techniques where sample preparation is critical and can be used to improve existing techniques. Capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fibers used for solid phase extraction (SPE) protein …

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Characterization Of Two Type Iv Collagens Involved In Autosomal Recessive Hereditary Nephropathy, Keri Tabb Dec 2012

Characterization Of Two Type Iv Collagens Involved In Autosomal Recessive Hereditary Nephropathy, Keri Tabb

All Dissertations

The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) of the kidney is highly specialized and required for filtration of waste products from the bloodstream. One of the major structural and functional units of the GBM is a network composed of type IV collagen heterotrimers, or protomers. Early in development of the human and dog, an isoform switch occurs, and the α1α1α2 (IV) network found in the nascent GBM is replaced with α3α4α5 (IV) protomers. Mutations in any of the genes encoding proteins found in the mature GBM network may prevent protomer formation and cause a progressive disorder leading to end stage renal failure …

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Environmental And Biological Applications And Implications Of Soft And Condensed Nanomaterials, Pengyu Chen Dec 2012

Environmental And Biological Applications And Implications Of Soft And Condensed Nanomaterials, Pengyu Chen

All Dissertations

Recent innovations and growth of nanotechnology have spurred exciting technological and commercial developments of nanomaterails. Their appealing physical and physicochemical properties offer great opportunities in biological and environmental applications, while in the meantime may compromise human health and environmental sustainability through either unintentional exposure or intentional discharge.
Accordingly, this dissertation exploits the physicochemical behavior of soft dendritic polymers for environmental remediation and condensed nano ZnO tetrapods for biological sensing (Chapter two-four), and further delineate the environmental implications of such nanomaterials using algae- the major constituent of the aquatic food chain-as a model system (Chapter five).
This dissertation is presented as …

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Spider Mediation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Transport And Transformation Across Riparian Ecotones, Diana Delach Dec 2012

Spider Mediation Of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Transport And Transformation Across Riparian Ecotones, Diana Delach

All Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminate the sediment of the Twelvemile Creek / Lake Hartwell Superfund Site, and are known to be transported throughout the resident biota via trophic transport. Riparian spiders have recently become of interest because they are terrestrial organisms that have significant PCB exposures derived from aquatic sources. Many riparian spiders primarily consume insects emerging from contaminated aquatic systems, and these spiders can have a body burden as high as 2900 ng/g lipid. These emergent insects carry contaminants out of the river and into the riparian zone where they are captured by spiders, which effectively directs the contamination towards …

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Building Social Infrastructure Through Public-Private Partnerships: The Case Of Student Housing In Public Higher Education, Bruce Cole Dec 2012

Building Social Infrastructure Through Public-Private Partnerships: The Case Of Student Housing In Public Higher Education, Bruce Cole

All Dissertations

Evaluations of Public-Private Partnership arrangements as alternatives to traditional government procurement methods for the delivery of public infrastructure projects have been anecdotal at best. This paper proposes a framework to evaluate a public university's infrastructure asset management performance and a specific measure based on a new concept of the elapsed time required for services to be delivered (i.e., Project Completion Time). The results suggest that the choice to use a public-private partnership as a project delivery method for student housing at a public university can dramatically shorten the overall schedule. This research will serve as the foundation for future quantitative …

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Understanding Nanoparticle-Cell Interaction, Ran Chen Dec 2012

Understanding Nanoparticle-Cell Interaction, Ran Chen

All Dissertations

Nanotechnology has revolutionalized the landscape of modern science and technology, including materials, electronics, therapeutics, bioimaging, sensing, and the environment. Along with these technological advancements, there arises a concern that engineered nanomaterials, owing to their high surface area and high reactivity, may exert adverse effects upon discharge to compromise biological and ecological systems. Research in the past decade has examined the fate of nanomaterials in vitro and in vivo, as well as the interactions between nanoparticles and biological and ecosystems using primarily toxicological and ecotoxicological approaches. However, due to the versatility in the physical and physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, and due …

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Variables That Predict Burnout Among Sex Offender Treatment Providers: Work Setting, Gender, Work Hours, Jennifer Pravlik Dec 2012

Variables That Predict Burnout Among Sex Offender Treatment Providers: Work Setting, Gender, Work Hours, Jennifer Pravlik

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Psychological treatment of the sexual offender population continues to be an arduous task for therapists. There is evidence that many therapists will experience burnout at some point during their careers. Providing treatment in a burned out state can cause harm to the therapist, client, and community (Barnett, Baker, Elman, & Schoener, 2007). It is necessary to determine the variables that influence burnout in order to increase awareness and to address the variables at an organization and personal level in order to identify therapists that may be at risk of burnout. In this I study examined the relationship of variables identified …

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Analysis And Detection Of Fingerprint Creases, Olaoluwa Peter Laseinde Dec 2012

Analysis And Detection Of Fingerprint Creases, Olaoluwa Peter Laseinde

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fingerprint is a biometric trait that is widely used for human identification and verification. Most fingerprint biometric systems make use of certain salient features on the fingerprint, including minutiae points, pores, and singular points, for comparing two fingerprint images. In this work, we explore the possibility of using fingerprint creases for comparing two fingerprints. Creases can be described as white lines or scars on a fingerprint image. Recent studies have determined that some creases are genetically influenced although the origin of creases has not been completely characterized. While no published work exists for crease matching, some studies have explored the …

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An Evaluation Of The Occurrence Of Micronuclei And Other Nuclear Abnormalities In Fishes From The Great Lakes Basin, United States, Ryan Patrick Braham Dec 2012

An Evaluation Of The Occurrence Of Micronuclei And Other Nuclear Abnormalities In Fishes From The Great Lakes Basin, United States, Ryan Patrick Braham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Biological markers (biomarkers) sensitive to genotoxic and mutagenic contamination in fishes are widely used to identify contamination in the aquatic environment. The "fish tumors or other deformities" biological use impairment (BUI) occurs at 18 of the 30 areas of concern (AOC) located in the Great Lakes basin within the United States. As each AOC evaluates this specific BUI for possible delisting, biomarkers sensitive to both genotoxic and mutagenic chemicals can be integrated as a possible criterion for delisting. The micronucleus assay identifies genotoxic contamination by observing the presence of a micronucleus (MN), along with a primary nucleus within the cellular …

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Hiv/Aids Intervention In Ghana: A Constructivist Approach To Understanding Aids Policy, Nat Papa Kobina Markin Dec 2012

Hiv/Aids Intervention In Ghana: A Constructivist Approach To Understanding Aids Policy, Nat Papa Kobina Markin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study is about how donor policy, NGO policy and public policy work together in Ghana's national strategic response to HIV and AIDS. The dissertation touches on two areas of public policy - development policy and health policy specifically relating to HIV/AIDS to determine congruity of the policy approaches of the three groups. Based on a survey done in Accra, Ghana in summer 2010 and on documentary sources of data collection, the study captures areas of agreement and disagreement of the three groups and discusses their effects on policy implementation. In broader terms, it analyzes assistance for HIV/AIDS in the …

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Modified Delphi Investigation Of Lesson Planning Concepts For Physical Education Teacher Education, Jack W. Sager Dec 2012

Modified Delphi Investigation Of Lesson Planning Concepts For Physical Education Teacher Education, Jack W. Sager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Improving the methods of instructing future educators, through program evaluation and improvement, should be a goal of all teacher education programs. In physical education, the National Association for Sport & Physical Education created standards for initial preparation of physical education teachers. The six standards for preparation include Planning and Implementation, which include tenants pertaining to unit and lesson planning. Despite the significant importance of planning in the growth of preservice teachers as they complete a Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program, there is currently no consensus on what concepts to be included in lesson planning for physical education teacher education. …

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Near Boundary Turbulence Characteristics Among Stream Restorations Of Varying Intensity, Sean M. Abel Dec 2012

Near Boundary Turbulence Characteristics Among Stream Restorations Of Varying Intensity, Sean M. Abel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Stream restoration is estimated to be a multi-billion dollar industry and includes techniques such as planting vegetation, modifying channel form, and installing in-stream structures. These techniques potentially alter the velocity field and flow complexity. The specific objective of this research was to characterize near-boundary flow within the three restored reaches of varying intensities located in the Stream Research, Education, and Management (StREAM) Laboratory at Virginia Tech. Three restoration techniques were applied in 2009-10 to consecutive reaches of Stroubles Creek: 1) cattle restriction only (0.5 km); 2) cattle restriction, banks reshaped to 3:1 slope and re-vegetated (0.6 km); and, 3) designed …

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Evaluation Of A Practice Change To Improve Screening, Identification, And Management Of Patients With Prediabetes, Murrita C. Bolinger Dec 2012

Evaluation Of A Practice Change To Improve Screening, Identification, And Management Of Patients With Prediabetes, Murrita C. Bolinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: The prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes among adults in West Virginia (WV) is 10.85, which ranks fourth in the United States in 2007. Furthermore, WV ranks as second highest state for diabetes related deaths in the nation. Prediabetes increases the risks for development of type 2 diabetes. Studies have supported lifestyle modification education for prediabetic adults in an effort to reduce progression to type 2 diabetes.;Objective: To evaluate the use of an EMR reminder to improve the screening, identifying, and documentation of treatment plans for patient at risk for prediabetes.;Methods: A provider focused education session was offered to …

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Comparison Of Groundwater Seepage Modeling In Approximate Original Contour And Geomorphic Valley Fill Design, Nathan C. Depriest Dec 2012

Comparison Of Groundwater Seepage Modeling In Approximate Original Contour And Geomorphic Valley Fill Design, Nathan C. Depriest

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Excess spoil generated during surface mining in southern West Virginia is generally placed in headwater valleys. Known as valley fills, these structures are designed to move water rapidly through constructed drains to maximize geotechnical stability using the conventional design method termed Approximate Original Contour (AOC). Seepage from valley fills tends to be elevated with respect to calcium, magnesium, alkalinity and sulfates and there is evidence that, in high concentrations, these ions can contribute to stream degradation. New fluvial geomorphic principals are being researched to aid in reclamation alternatives to AOC designs. Geomorphic designs have proven successful in semi-arid regions; however, …

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Effectiveness Of Biofeedback In Improving Heart Rate Variability Recovery Following Stress, Amanda L. Wheat Dec 2012

Effectiveness Of Biofeedback In Improving Heart Rate Variability Recovery Following Stress, Amanda L. Wheat

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study was designed to examine the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback using emWave, a specific biofeedback device available to the public, and to determine whether such treatment affects phasic physiological responses to stress. Twenty-seven individuals (4 males, 23 females), aged 18-30 years (M = 22.54 years, SD = 3.82) participated in the current study. Thirteen individuals were randomly assigned to a control group and received no intervention, whereas the remaining 14 participants underwent 4-8 sessions of emWave intervention. All participants attended pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment sessions during which a stressor protocol was administered; physiological data were …

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Study Of Chemical States, Composition And Adsorption Behavior Of Iron Coated Granular Activated Carbon (Fe-Gac) For Selenate Removal And Feasible Adsorbent Modifications, Ning Zhang Dec 2012

Study Of Chemical States, Composition And Adsorption Behavior Of Iron Coated Granular Activated Carbon (Fe-Gac) For Selenate Removal And Feasible Adsorbent Modifications, Ning Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the adsorptive removal of selenate using iron coated granular activated carbon (Fe-GAC) and further investigated its complexation mechanisms and coordination structures using spectroscopic techniques. Adsorption kinetics and equilibrium experiments with initial selenium concentration of 1 mg/L were conducted under three different ionic strengths to study selenate adsorption behavior. Selenate adsorption reached equilibrium within 48 hours with more than 85% of the equilibrium capacities being obtained within the first 6 hours. High removal efficiency (i.e., > 75%) was achieved for pH range 2 - 5. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model characterized selenate adsorption kinetics well (R2 = 0.999) and the rate …

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Parents Living Within The Paradoxes Of Infant Death From Life-Limiting Anomaly: A Grounded Theory Study, Susan Bush Welch Dec 2012

Parents Living Within The Paradoxes Of Infant Death From Life-Limiting Anomaly: A Grounded Theory Study, Susan Bush Welch

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

BACKGROUND: Life-limiting congenital anomalies are the leading cause of death of infants in the United States. Most of these infants die in intensive care units with limited access to adequate palliative/end-of-life care. There is an extensive knowledge gap about the experience of the parent of infants who died from life-limiting anomaly. PURPOSE: The aims of the study was to explore the process a parent goes through as they experience the birth, life and ultimate death of an infant from a life-limiting explore the process a parent goes through as they experience the birth, life and ultimate death of an infant …

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The Effectiveness Of A Multifocal Training To Improve The Treatment Of Community-Acquired Mrsa Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Aaron Santmyire Dec 2012

The Effectiveness Of A Multifocal Training To Improve The Treatment Of Community-Acquired Mrsa Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Aaron Santmyire

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Practitioners and researchers have documented an increase in community-acquired methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). This increase is causing stress and concern for the individuals infected and the families of those infected. The impact of a practitioner based multifocal training has not been clearly established. The purpose of this capstone project was to determine the effect of a multifocal training on CA-MRSA SSTIs that educated primary care practitioners about treatment guidelines, Marion County, WV susceptibility data, I&D technique, and a patient education tool versus common treatment practices to increase practitioner's knowledge and utilization of evidence …

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Role Of Chaperonin Cct In G-Protein Biosynthesis, Catherine Woodard Dec 2012

Role Of Chaperonin Cct In G-Protein Biosynthesis, Catherine Woodard

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chaperonins are ubiquitous molecular chaperones that are found in all animal kingdoms. They all share a common structure and function to assist the folding of other proteins. All chaperonins consist of two stacked rings, which come together to form a central cavity where folding can take place. The eukaryotic cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) is a member of the group II chaperonins, which are defined as having octameric or nonameric rings composed of more than one type of subunit.;CCT is an essential part of eukaryotic cell function, and it has been estimated that it folds up to 10% of newly …

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Design And Evaluation Of A Marine Scrubber System, Louise S. Ayre Dec 2012

Design And Evaluation Of A Marine Scrubber System, Louise S. Ayre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Increasingly stringent oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emissions regulations for diesel marine engines are resulting in the development of newer engines with inherent NOX emissions reduction technologies. With typical useful service lives over 20 years, older diesel marine engines are producing disproportionate amounts of NOX emissions when compared with their newer counterparts. The development of retrofit exhaust aftertreatment technologies would therefore aid in reducing the total NOX emissions from these engines.;A marine scrubber system for the reduction of NOX emissions from diesel marine engines was designed, constructed, and evaluated. This work focused on gathering data for the design of a marine …

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Impact Of Diabetes On Colorectal Cancer Outcomes, Neel A. Shah Dec 2012

Impact Of Diabetes On Colorectal Cancer Outcomes, Neel A. Shah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic comorbid condition seen in elderly CRC patients. Outcomes of CRC patients with diabetes specifically stage at diagnosis, emergency condition for CRC surgery, survival, and mortality have been insufficiently explored. The aims of the study were to investigate the association between diabetes and stage at diagnosis of CRC in elderly Medicare beneficiaries; to check the association of diabetes with presenting as an emergency condition for CRC surgery in the elderly and; to explore the effect of diabetes on survival of elderly Medicare beneficiaries with CRC. Using the SEER-Medicare data from 2003-2005, patients newly …

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Mindfully Teaching In The Classroom: A Literature Review, Nicole J. Albrecht, Patricia M. Albrecht, Marc Cohen Dec 2012

Mindfully Teaching In The Classroom: A Literature Review, Nicole J. Albrecht, Patricia M. Albrecht, Marc Cohen

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The practice of mindfulness is being used with increased frequency in schools around the world. In the current literature review we outline some of the core concepts and practices associated with mindfulness and discuss studies analysing the process of mindfulness teacher training. Preliminary research in this emerging field suggests that mindfulness has the potential to improve classroom management, teacher-student relationships and instructional strategies. Mindfulness instructors recommend that before teachers can feel comfortable and effectively teach mindfulness in the classroom they need to embody and practice mindfulness in their own lives. It is proposed that in order to improve our knowledge …

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How Do Early Childhood Students Conceptualize Play-Based Curriculum?, Avis Ridgway, Gloria Quinones Dec 2012

How Do Early Childhood Students Conceptualize Play-Based Curriculum?, Avis Ridgway, Gloria Quinones

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The study’s purpose was to discover student understanding of play-based curriculum. Traditionally, play has been misunderstood in pedagogical terms, and was widely interpreted in our study. The Early Years Learning Framework suggests educator guidance in sustaining play is essential for learning and development. As teacher educators, we wanted to reflect on Play and Pedagogy (A new fourth year unit) that expected students to create a conceptual play model for use in practice. Twenty-six students volunteered de-identified assignments. From these, common conceptual elements were identified. We selected quotes from student’s work to support identified concepts and entered a methodology of dialogue …

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