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Bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of antibiotics on BacteroidesVeltri, Benjamin James January 1978 (has links)
The bacteriostatic or bactericidal action of metronidazole, clindamycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, cefoxitin and penicillin were determined against sixteen Bacteroides fragilis strains and six B. thetaiotaomicron strains. Drugs were considered bactericidal when minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) to minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ratios were less than or equal to four. As expected, metronidazole, cefoxitin and penicillin were bactericidal. However, clindamycin and chloramphenicol, which other investigators have considered as bacteriostatic antibiotics, were bactericidal. Tetracycline was irregularly bactericidal. When tested against Escherichia coli, tetracycline and chloramphenicol were bacteriostatic as reported by others. The MBCs of metronidazole, clindamycin and tetracycline were well within the clinically achievable levels of each drug. Death rate data confirmed these findings. With tetracycline, chloramphenicol and metronidazole MICs and MBCs increased as inocula sizes increased, however, with clindamycin and cefoxitin only MBCs increased. Clindamycin was administered to mice which had pure B. fragilis abscesses. Over 8 h cell numbers in the pus remained relatively constant even though, during this same period, the concentration of clindamycin in the pus was above the MBC of this drug for the strain used. / M.S.
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An analysis of Virginia's public school policies on religion: from historical, public policy, and evangelical Christian perspectivesRittweger, Louis Robert 07 April 2010 (has links)
Throughout the history of public education in the United States religion has been an important factor in the schooling process. From the inception of public schools until the present time the Bible's inclusion is but one indication of the interrelationship of religion and education. The major legal questions that this relationship has raised have generally dealt with the First Amendment clauses dealing with the free exercise of religion and the separation of church and state. One major religious constituency, evangelical Christianity, in recent years has begun to vocalize its concern about this relationship. Evangelicals, although not necessarily wanting to return to the days of the Protestant public schools, do want this relationship corrected and articulated. One method of articulation is through effective public school policies.
The major portion of this study specified the relationship between religion and public education and developed a framework for analysis from a historical, evangelical and public policy perspective. A descriptive study was then made of Virginia's public school policies that dealt with religion. A questionnaire, developed by the author, was submitted to all the local school divisions in the state to solicit a policy and information about that policy. Conclusions, recommendations and implications were stated based upon the information provided in the study. Proposed public school policies on religion for local and state school boards were provided as a prescription for partial solution to the problem of the correct relationship between religion and public education. / Ph. D.
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Basic beliefs regarding sex bias among postsecondary occupational educators in Region ThreeManrov, Alexsandria 08 July 2010 (has links)
The central problem of this study was to identify and compare the basic sex bias beliefs of (1) male and female postsecondary occupational educators; (2) post-secondary occupational educators teaching in male-oriented, nonsex-oriented, and female-oriented programs; and (3) postsecondary occupational educators teaching in small, medium, and large campuses. A secondary problem was to determine (1) if there was a relationship between the biographical variables (sex, age, educational level [highest degree earned], years of teaching experience, and years of occupational experience) and the identified basic sex bias beliefs of post-secondary occupational educators; and (2) if there were differences in the identified basic sex bias beliefs of postsecondary occupational educators who teach in programs of varying sex orientation (male-oriented, nonsex-oriented, and female-oriented) and who teach in campuses of varying sizes (small, medium, and large).
The research procedures used in this study consisted of five steps. These steps were: (1) reviewing the literature for basic sex bias beliefs; (2) developing, validating, and pilot testing the instrument; (3) collecting data; (4) analyzing the data; and (5) interpreting and reporting the data.
The instrument used to collect data was developed in a scale format by the researcher, and contains a total of 30 items. Eleven of these items measure general sex bias and 19 measure same sex bias/opposite sex bias.
A random sample of postsecondary occupational educators (417) from USOE Region Three (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia) were potential respondents in this study. The analysis of data consisted of (1) descriptive statistics to provide a respondent profile; (2) descriptive statistics to identify and compare the basic beliefs; and (3) statistical tests of the research questions (Multivariate Analysis of Variance and Pearson correlations). / Ed. D.
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Effects of instruction in the use of an abstract structural schema as an aid to comprehension and recall of written discourseMcDonell, Gloria M. 08 July 2010 (has links)
Ed. D.
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The status and seasonal dynamics of fish and benthic invertebrate populations in relation to organic and inorganic material inputs and surface mining impacts in three Virginia headwater streamsMatter, William John 31 March 2010 (has links)
Study of two streams impacted by surface-mining and a similar unimpacted reference stream demonstrated that alkalinity, conductivity, hardness, and sulfate were elevated in the former despite reclamation treatment of the watersheds three to five years earlier. The mined-watershed streams carried a heavy benthic sediment burden, due primarily to the continued erosion from the mined areas and from abandoned haul roads. Inorganic sediment in the mining-impacted streams covered the natural rubble substrate, smoothing the bottom, filling in pools, and impacting the processing of allochthonous organic material, the principal energy source. Fine-particle organic material was trapped in the sediment, but density of larger particles was reduced, possibly due to increased transport over the smoothed substrate.
Benthic invertebrate and fish density, biomass, and diversity were consistently lower in the mining-impacted streams. The pattern of fish and benthic invertebrate recovery following a major flood was slow but unique in all streams. The benthic and fish communities of headwater streams are naturally subject to decimation by flooding, but sediment-mediated habitat and food degradation may further limit invertebrate and fish populations in disturbed systems.
This study demonstrates that sedimentation can be a severe and long-term after-effect of surface mining, even in the absence of acid drainage. Terrestrial reclamation did not result in lotic reclamation and recovery. The inclusion of water quality criteria in the administration of mined-land reclamation would promote terrestrial management practices conducive to aquatic systems recovery. / Ph. D.
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The relationship between landscape preference and looking time: a methodological investigationWade, Glenn Robert 08 April 2010 (has links)
This study was an investigation of the relationship between landscape preference and looking time. In the Original Experiment 100 subjects were unknowingly timed while looking at 10 slides of natural landscapes. They then ranked photographic representations of those slides for their preference of them as scenic vistas. A random sample of 25 of the original subjects participated in a Follow-up Experiment about one month later in which they ranked the same landscape simulations as in the first experiment. The analysis of data was divided into two main aspects. In the first aspect the relationship between looking time and preference rank in the Original Experiment was analyzed through summary statistics, frequency distributions, and correlations. In addition, a test to point out the relationship among the average looking times for the slides computed. The second main aspect was an. investigation of the agreement between the rankings in the Original and Follow-up Experiments for the purpose of determining the reliability of the sample subjects’ preferences for the landscapes used as visual stimuli. The major results of this investigation included: (a) the average time spent looking for all the slides was 7.02 seconds, (b) looking-time frequencies varied greatly with the majority of the 100 subjects looking at each slide for approximately 2 to 11 seconds, (c) the overall estimate of correlation between looking time and landscape preference was r = -.073, and (d) of the 25 sample subjects only 2 ranked at least half of the slides (5) in the Follow-up Experiment exactly the same as they did in the Original Experiment; however, the overall estimate of correlation between the two rankings was calculated to be t = .606 (significant at p≤.0001). The investigator concluded that (a) there appears to be no relationship between looking time and preference rank for natural landscapes, (b) there was very little variability among the average looking times for the slides by all the subjects, a range of 6.58 seconds to 7.75 seconds, (c) the subjects’ preference rankings generally ranged across all the integer value ranks for each slide, (d) for all slides except one (I) no integer value for preference rank had a dominate frequency, (e) preference ranking, as was determined by comparing sample subjects’ rankings in the Original and Follow-up Experiments, is a reliable direct method for determining landscape preference, (f) landscape complexity may be a major indicator for determining variation in looking time, and (g) subjects may unconsciously lapse into a rhythmic time-sequence pattern when operating a slide projector. / Ed. D.
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An application of Chebyshev polynomials to the solution of a two-dimensional elliptic boundary-value problemPrewett, Stephen V. 02 March 2010 (has links)
The goal of this dissertation is to investigate the feasibility of using a bivariate Chebyshev polynomial to approximate solutions to the two-dimensional neutron diffusion equation.
The two-dimensional two-group neutron diffusion equations are solved by expanding neutron fluxes in a finite series of Chebyshev polynomials over large regions of a fission reactor. All the equations for the expansion coefficients necessary to satisfy the appropriate boundary conditions for the flux and current for a typical region are developed. The resulting system of algebraic equations is solved, using the power iteration method. Since the system of equations is overdetermined, the Gram-Schmidt method of orthogonalization is used. Calculations are done with the aid of a computer code, CDP, developed as part of this dissertation.
Two different test problems are solved using a first order finite difference computer code, PDQ-7 as a standard for comparison, and CDP. The first problem is a water-reflected square core with homogeneous material properties in each region. This problem is selected to provide a rather severe test of the CDP method in the calculation of large thermal neutron flux peaking at the core- reflector interface. The second problem is an actual problem solved by a utility for on-line-fuel management in a Pressurized Water Reactor. The reactor core consists of four-different fuel assemblies arranged in a checkerboard pattern in the interior of the core.
For the first problem, both PDQ-7 and CDP give about the same fast neutron flux distributions. The eigenvalues calculated by both methods are identical to one part in 4800. Except for a small region near the core-reflector interface, the thermal neutron fluxes within the core differ by less than about 4%. At the core-reflector interface, the difference in thermal fluxes is about 20%. A significant reduction in computer time required for the solution is achieved (0.45 sec for CDP vs 32.6 sec for PDQ-7). It is important to note, however, that the time required to obtain the "standard" solution for comparison, using PDQ-7 is larger than would be needed for a large mesh spacing. Thus, the savings in computer time required to achieve a solution using a PDQ-7 type code giving results comparable to those obtained with the CDP code cannot be inferred directly from these results. In any event, note that the CDP method is indeed. economical in both preparation of input data and computer time.
In the second problem, four very large regions are used in the CDP method for the entire reactor. These regions are much larger than those used in a typical finite difference solution for the same problem. Both methods give about the same fast neutron flux distribution. The eigenvalues calculated by the two methods are identical to one part in 2140. Although the CDP method does not show the assembly-to-assembly variation in thermal neutron flux, it gives the Same average thermal neutron flux as calculated with PDQ-7 to within 2%, except near the core boundary. Again, a large reduction in computer time is achieved (0.69 sec vs 101 sec).
The feasibility of using Chebyshev polynomial expansions for two-dimensional multi-group diffusion calculations has been demonstrated for these two problems. The method gives, not only very accurate eigenvalues, but also reasonably accurate neutron flux distributions within the reactor core. / Ph. D.
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Mineral element profiles of animal wastes and edible tissues from cattle fed animal wastesWesting, Thomas 07 April 2010 (has links)
Experiments were conducted to determine mineral element levels in feedstuffs, animal wastes and tissues from cattle fed broiler litter or cattle waste.
Heifers fed 30% broiler litter ensiled with corn forage performed as well as heifers fed corn silage and soybean meal but performance tended to be lower than for heifers fed corn-litter silage and soybean meal in a 20l-day feeding trial. No differences were found in carcass quality and yield grades. Feedlot performance was very low for cattle fed corn silage and no protein supplement. Feeding broiler litter to heifers did not adversely affect the eating quality of roasts from these heifers as measured subjectively by a taste panel and shear devices.
Copper (593 ppm) and arsenic (75.9 ppm) levels were high in broiler litter, compared to other ruminant feedstuffs. Following a 24-hour withdrawal, heifers were slaughtered and liver, muscle, fat and kidney samples were taken. Liver copper reflects high dietary copper intakes in litter fed heifers (P <.01). Arsenic in the kidney and fat was higher in litter-fed heifers. Bromine was lower (P <.05) in liver, kidney, muscle and fat of litter-fed heifers.
In two successive cattle finishing trials, a 16% cattle waste ration was compared to a conventional feedlot ration. Control steers in trial I outgained (1.31 kg/day) waste fed steers (1.14 kg/day), but in trial II gains were higher for the waste fed steers (1.41 vs 1.54 kg/day). In trial I selenium was higher (P <.05) in livers of steers fed waste. In trial II lead content was higher (P <.05) in fat of waste fed cattle and liver copper was higher (P <.05) in conventionally-fed steers.
In a long term experiment, currently in its sixth year, cows were wintered on hay, 804 litter and 20% corn grain with and without supplemental copper. Liver biopsies of the cows were taken in December and April, the beginning and end of the wintering period. Average copper levels in the wintering rations were 15.9, 412.6 and 595.6 ppm, dry basis, respectively. Liver biopsies taken in December and April for litter-fed cattle were higher (P <.01) in copper than livers of cows fed hay. Respective April and December liver copper values were: hay, 34.5 and 27.03; corn-litter, 757.3 and 195.7; corn-litter-copper, 964.4 and 218.9 ppm, dry basis. Liver arsenic levels were similar after the grazing season but increased dramatically over the wintering period.
Waste samples from broilers, caged layers, cattle and swine from several regions in the United States were analyzed. Litter arsenic and copper values were 54 and 441 ppm, respectively. Dried poultry waste varied in ash, crude protein, cadmium and selenium. Aluminum, cadmium and copper content of cattle waste was higher for all samples than values reported in the literature. Swine waste had an average crude protein content of 23% and varied in cadmium and selenium. / Ph. D.
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The effects of a simulation career game on the achievement motivation of vocational students enrolled in developmental arithmeticWyatt, William George 13 April 2010 (has links)
The motivational development of students is a concern of the public and community college educators. Educators are challenged to provide instruction to nontraditional students who often lack adequate motivation for success in traditional programs. Therefore, educational experiences for the nontraditional student must consider their motivational needs.
This study examined the effects of a career simulation game upon the math achievement of post secondary students enrolled in developmental arithmetic. Effects of the simulation experience upon student perceived instrumentality were examined with a pretest-posttest comparison group research design. The criterion measure, math achievement, was examined with the posttest-only control group design utilizing a two by two by two factorial design. The factors included in this design were achievement motive orientation (success and avoidant), perceived instrumentality (high and low) and game participation (treatment and comparison groups). Students were assigned to achievement motive orientation and perceived instrumentality groups based upon their scores on the Student Plans Questionnaire, the Test Anxiety Questionnaire, and The 1969 Achieving Tendency Scale for Males. However, students were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and comparison groups of the factorial design. Math achievement was measured by the Basic Skills in Arithmetic Test (Wrinkle, Sanders, and Kendel, 1973) while perceived instrumentality was measured by the Student Plans Questionnaire.
The experimental groups participated in a career simulation game consisting of on-the~job math problems, a job selection activity, and a career ladder graphic for five selected units of the self instructional course. After completing career related problems, students selected a first, second, and third job choice from a list of job descriptions provided on the job selection sheet. The job choice was earned by satisfying the unit test grade requirement which was recorded by the student on a graphic representation of the career ladder.
Students in the sample consisted of those anticipating enrollment in certificate and degree level occupational-technical programs and students not formally seeking career training. The sample size numbered eighty-two. These students were enrolled in the individualized arithmetic courses at John Tyler Community College, Chester, Virginia.
Data analysis of perceived instrumentality used the t test statistic. The difference scores, obtained by subtracting pretest and posttest scores, were compared between the treatment and comparison groups. However, there was no difference between the mean perceived instrumentality scores of the treatment and comparison groups.
Math achievement was analyzed via three way analysis of covariance. Previous studies indicated that age, math placement test scores, and high school grade point average may effect student performance in developmental mathematics. These variables, therefore, were used as covariates. Three hypotheses forming on effects and four hypotheses associated with interactions were retained. Specifically, there was no main effect in math achievement because of game participation, perceived instrumentality levels or achievement motive orientation levels. Examination of one hypothesis indicated an interaction at the .038 level between game participation and perceived instrumentality. This interaction indicated that students who did not participate in the career simulation game with high perceived instrumentality scores received lower grades than those with low perceived instrumentality scores. In addition, game participants with high perceived instrumentality received higher grades than those with low perceived instrumentality. The remaining null hypotheses tested were retained. / Ed. D.
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Population studies of the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), on alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.Simonet, Donald Edward 13 February 2009 (has links)
The potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), is a primary pest of alfalfa grown in Virginia. Sampling techniques and sampling programs for each growth stage (egg, nymph, and adult) were developed to study the population dynamics of this insect. Distribution patterns exhibited by each stage have been used to determine sample unit size and optimum number of samples. The sampling technique was also evaluated in field population studies.
The egg sampling technique, which used an acid fuchsin stain and lactophenol clearing solution, was efficient in estimating egg densities within 20 to 30% C.V. about the mean based on 100 single stems collected on each sample date. The nymphal sampling technique using 0.946 liter ice cream containers with dichlorvos squares (ca 1.2 cm²) glued in the bottom of the container was efficient in estimating nymphal densities within 20 to 30% C.V. based on 100 three-stem bouquets collected on each sample date. The adult sampling technique was efficient within 10 to 20% C.V. about the mean based on sixty 0.92 m² samples collected with a vacuum backpack insect collector (D-Vac ® manufactured by D-Vac Co., Riverside, Calif.).
Developmental rates for eggs and nymphs and ovipositional rates of adult females in laboratory studies were determined at several temperatures. Egg and nymphal development rate increased with increasing temperatures from 13 to 32°C. The development followed a linear relationship between upper and lower threshold levels. Oviposition rate was consistent between 18 to 29°C, but ceased above and below these temperatures.
Developmental rates and maximum-minimum daily temperatures were used to study the effect of alfalfa harvest on egg and nymphal abundance. Mortality was high after harvest, and harvest time was important in reducing potato leafhopper abundance. Clean harvest practices were also important in reducing egg and nymphal survival, and in reducing population buildup of potato leafhoppers on early regrowth of alfalfa. / Ph. D.
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