This dissertation explores the physical and biological factors that control zooplankton population growth rates in the Ohio River (USA). I employed both observational studies and a mesocosm experiment to ascertain zooplankton population and...
Freshwater zooplankton; Global warming; Nitrogen--Environmental aspects
Aquatic ecosystems face major transformations as humans increasingly alter their environment by introducing exotic species and changing the temperature regime and nutrient availability of freshwater systems. The impacts of such alterations of...
Williams syndrome--Genetic aspects; Anxiety disorders
Genetic factors play an important role in the etiology of anxiety disorders. Williams syndrome (WS), a genetic disorder caused by a deletion on chromosome 7q11.23 and associated with increased prevalence of anxiety disorders relative to the general...
The oxidation of metallothiolates is complicated by "non-innocence" or potential
redox activity of sulfur to yield thiyl (RS•) radicals. In some instances, the one-electron
oxidation of metal thiolates yields a product with the unpaired...
Writing centers; English language--Rhetoric--Study and teaching (Higher); Tutors and tutoring
Using Gloria Anzuldula's text Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza and Bruce Homer and Min-Zhan Lu's 2000 article, "Expectations, Interpretations and Contributions of Basic Writing" as conceptual framework, I conducted my dissertation...
Naja kaouthia is a significant species because it feeds primarily on agricultural pests, causes human mortality, and is commercially exploited. Understanding the life history and demography of harvested populations is essential to providing...
Human exposure to mercury has been shown to cause a number of adverse health outcomes, predominantly neurological effects. The developing fetus is most susceptible, and even low levels of exposure have been shown to produce nervous system deficits....
The phase II clinical trial is a critical step in the drug development process. In the oncology setting, phase II studies typically evaluate one primary endpoint, which is efficacy. In practice, a binary measurement representing the response to the...
College graduates--Relocation; Educational attainment; Migration, Internal--United States
As state policymakers draw clearer connections between the college-level attainment of their residents and the corresponding economic and social benefits, there is great need for more data and information regarding the production and migration of...
Older people--Mental health; Rural health; Urban health
Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric conditions experienced by older adults and represents a major public health concern. Rural/urban residence may affect the prevalence of depression as rural older adults differ from their urban...
This dissertation is composed of three essays in which I examine the influence of formal institutions on entrepreneurs and new firms. In the first essay, "The Influence of Institutions on the Likelihood of Self-Employment: A Multilevel...
The use of a fluidized bed dryer to dry acrylo-nitrile-
butadiene-styrene terpolymer was studied. Data for
fluidized bed drying were obtained from the Monsanto
Company's fluid bed dryer. Fluid bed theory, drying
phenomena, and fluid bed drying...
New firms face financial constraints that could hinder firm performance. Yet founders exhibit persistence and resourcefulness in building their new ventures and finding solutions to their financial constraints. The use of financial theories that...
Energy independence requires that the nation reduce its dependence on foreign oil imports. This can be achieved through electrification of transportation vehicles if proper battery technology can be developed. In addition, the renewable energy...
African American college students; Academic achievement--Social aspects; College attendance
The study examined the relationship between African American student engagement and student background variables through the context of institution type. The study focused on the impact of student background variables (mother's level of education,...
Legal and illegal gambling opportunities are readily available to students on college campuses and surrounding areas (Saum, 1999). College students are at an age that is highly impressionable, experimental, and prime to taking risks while ignoring...
Middle school teachers--Kentucky; Middle school students--Kentucky; Academic achievement; Teachers--Job satisfaction--Kentucky; School environment--Kentucky
This quantitative study focused on 760 Kentucky middle school teachers in 28 school districts across the state of Kentucky. The Pearson r was used to determine the relationship between the following variables identified in the study: (a) school...
The goal of this longitudinal, multilevel study was to develop a better understanding of poor renter households' mobility patterns by identifying the relative importance of individual and contextual variables. Variability in neighborhood poverty...
The purpose of this research is to understand how the process parameters surrounding the Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) process affect the properties of the deposition. The powder used in this research is pre-alloyed titanium powder (Ti-6Al-4V),...
College dropouts; Dropout behavior, Prediction of; College administrators--Training of
Educational literature indicates that approximately half of all doctoral
students persist to degree completion. The literature indicates persistence rates
among the social sciences are even lower. This study examined factors
influencing doctoral...