This dissertation was a continuation of study on a theory of a learning window for the perception of expressive qualities in music and speech. The proposed theory suggested that a practice window must overlap a learning window before it closes around the age of 10. This dissertation sought to determine whether children older than the proposed learning window continued to improve in speech and musical discrimination skill, or leveled off in this ability. It also examined the impact of gender and private lesson experience on discrimination ability. Instrumental music students (n = 292) attending a public magnet school for visual and performing arts in North Carolina between the ages of 11 and 18 participated in the study. Each student was administered a forty-item listening test containing 20 speech items and 20 instrumental music items. Each test item consisted of three short speech or musical phrases. All three phrases in each item were the same written words or notated music, but one phrase was different in interpretation or expression from the other two phrases. Two of the phrases were intended by the performers to be the same in interpretation or expression and one was intended to be different in interpretation or expression. Subjects were asked to determine which of the three phases in each item was different in interpretation or expression from the other two. Results of the study suggested that students with prior private lesson experience scored significantly higher than those students that had never taken private lessons. This study seemed to reinforce the proposed learning window for speech and music interpretation in that interpretation ability did appear to level off.

This study investigated the effect of one semester of ESOL education on preservice teachers by examining their perceived knowledge and skill in working with English Language Learner (ELL) students, their attitude toward having ELL students in their mainstream classrooms, and what classroom methods they perceive as effective in their ESOL preservice education courses. Data for this study were collected from pre- and post-course attitudinal surveys during one semester of course work, from participants at two specific points in their educational experience; participants in the (1) introductory and (2) final TESOL course. There were 293 participants who took the pre-, and 273 who took the post-course survey, from a total of 513 preservice teachers. This represents approximately a 57% participation rate on the pre- and 53% on the post-course survey. Little is known about the effect that ESOL preservice education has on preservice teachers' attitudes toward ELL students, and no studies known to the investigator have examined the methods of an ESOL preservice program to see preservice teachers' perceptions of the effect of these methods. The effect of the following independent variables were used: (a) course (initial and final ESOL course), and (b) time (pre- and post-course). A new survey instrument was developed that identified the following factors which were used as dependent variables: (a) perception of ESOL knowledge and skill (PEKS), (b) attitude toward inclusion (ATI), and (c) perceived effectiveness of instructional methods (PEIM). Significant differences were found regarding: (1) PEKS by course and time, and (2) PEIM by course. No differences were found for the variable ATI.

A missal is the liturgical book containing the prayers and readings for the celebration of the Mass. Originally designed in large folio format, the simultaneous arrival of the printing press amidst a shift in the celebration of Mass from a communal to a private sphere resulted in the proliferation of the small and more portable octavo-size missal. Missals traditionally contained minimal illustrations prior to printing, resulting in their strict classification as a liturgical object. This thesis questions the previous established boundaries which categorize medieval objects as related to a particular type of religious activity. In other words, missals have been categorized based on content rather than function. This study will challenge the existing strict nomenclature applied to medieval art objects as either liturgical or 'devotional.' After missals began to be printed in the early Renaissance, the first example to contain extensive images was Lucantonio Giuntas Missale romanum published in 1501 in Venice. By his October 1508 edition Giunta included a total of twenty full-page woodblock images to form a coherent iconographic program throughout the text. This thesis asserts that his 1508 Missale romanum exhibits the same characteristics as Books of Hours, popular devotional prayer books. In particular, Giuntas image formula mirrors his widely successful Book of Hours publication, the Officium beatae Mariae Virginis, of 1501, by providing a model for devotion, indicating a shift in the relationship between text and image in early printed missals. This study seeks to refine our knowledge of late medieval liturgical and devotional art, the effect of printing on the design decisions regarding liturgical books, and of the significance of reusing images from a devotional text in a liturgical one. While the focus of this inquiry remains on the 1508 romanum, comparisons will be made with three other Giuntine publications: his earlier 1501 romanum, his 1507 Missale congregatio casinensis, and his 1501 Officium. These texts, along with other contemporary Venetian printed missals, illustrate my position that the woodblock images in the 1508 edition embody the accompanying text by providing meditational themes, while their stylistic characteristics encourage private devotion. Whereas the text of a missal serves a liturgical function, the accompanying images do not fit so easily in the same classification, resulting in a new application of the 'para-' or 'quasi-liturgical' art object.

The goals of the present study were to 1.) develop a model of career related factors that could be related to organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB); and 2.) determine if the proposed relationships between the career focused variables and OCB differed across rating source. A total of 262 volunteers from a Corporation and University completed a survey in either online or by paper and pencil that included demographics and measures of: job involvement, career motivation, occupational commitment, perceptions of career plateau, career stage, and OCB. Ratings of OCB were obtained from approximately 195 participant supervisors and/or coworkers. Correlational and multiple regression analyses showed that, as hypothesized, career motivation and job content plateau were related to self-ratings of OCB, explaining unique variance beyond that accounted for by the organization and select demographics. Coworker ratings of OCB were explained only by the organization, levels of education and, gender. A series of regression analyses showed that the majority of the relationships between the career variables and ratings of OCB were not moderated by perceptions of career plateau or career stage. The relationship between job involvement and coworker ratings of OCB, however, was moderated by the participants career stage. Participants in the primary career stages received higher ratings than those in the boundary stages on all three forms of OCB. Simple slope analyses showed that, in general, those in the primary and boundary stages who were more job involved received higher ratings of OCB. Coworkers may have attributed extra-role behaviors to participants job involvement, the most visible career factor. Finally, the relationship between career identity and participant ratings of OCBO was stronger than between identity and coworker ratings of OCBO. These findings provide practical and theoretical implications. Practically, the results suggest that organizations may influence the performance of OCB by recognizing and working with those who are career motivated and by ensuring that all employees are challenged by their jobs. Theoretically, this research provides evidence that OCB may be an alternative and viable career strategy employed by career motivated employees.

The genus Salmonella, comprised of 2400 serotypes, is one of the leading causes of foodborne illnesses in the US and has been used for the deliberate contamination of food. A rapid system for detection, isolation, typing and antibiotic susceptibility profiling is essential for diagnosis and source tracking in natural outbreaks or a bioterrorism event. Pure culture is essential for molecular typing and antibiotic resistance testing. The virulence and the resistance mechanisms of Salmonella are rapidly evolving and many are still unexplained. The first aim of the study was to rapidly detect and isolate Salmonella from intentionally contaminated food. The second aim was to build a DNA fingerprinting database for accurate identification of the subtype. The third objective was to study the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and the underlying mechanisms of resistance. A correlation between the DNA subtypes and antibiograms was hypothesized. An association between the resistance determinants and pathogenicity genes was expected. A total of 114 isolates including environmental and clinical sources were tested. General and selective enrichments and immunomagnetic separation (IMS) were tested for rapid detection and isolation of Salmonella from eight food groups. Isolates were subtyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and automated RiboPrinter®. Resistance to 31 drugs was tested by the Sensititre® system and integrons were identified by PCR. The association between virulence and resistance was verified by Southern hybridization. Of the three genes tested, ompF was found to be the most reliable target for identifying Salmonella subspecies I, III and IV. Detection by real time PCR after enrichment in buffered peptone water and isolation by IMS provided the fastest results. Sixty two ribotypes and 74 pulsotypes were observed for the 100 isolates subtyped. Sixty isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials and 12 had class-1 integrons. In conclusion, pure culture was achieved in 25 hours by IMS. Ribotyping, a comparatively rapid technique was found to be ideal for initial identification. PFGE, which was more discriminatory, was appropriate for source tracking. Contrary to the original hypothesis, no correlation between subtyping and antibiograms was observed and no association of integrons with the virulence genes tested was demonstrated

Blind Pass, a heavily structured wave-dominated tidal inlet on the west central coast of Florida, has undergone substantial morphologic changes in the past 150 years. Initially Blind Pass was a mixed-energy inlet. In 1848 a hurricane opened a new inlet to the north called Johns Pass, which captured a large portion of the tidal prism of Blind Pass. Since then Blind Pass migrated southward until it was structurally stabilized in 1937. The decreasing tidal prism resulted in significant inlet channel filling. The channel has been dredged 12 times since 1937. The present inlet is stabilized by two jetties and a series of seawalls. Detailed time-series field measurements of bathymetry and tidal flows were conducted between 2001 and 2004, after the last channel dredging in the summer of 2000. The measured depositional rate in the inlet channel approximately equals the net southward longshore transport rate. This suggests that the inlet has served as a trap for the southward longshore transport allowing negligible bypassing to the eroding downdrift beach. Most of the active sedimentation occurs on the northern side of the inlet. The sediment in the thalweg is largely coarse shell lag, indicating adequate sediment flushing by the ebbing tide. The cross-channel flow measurements revealed that ebb flow was approximately twice as high in the channel thalweg as compared with the rest of the channel. The flood flow was largely uniform across the entire inlet and dominated over the northern portion of the inlet due to the weak ebb flow there. This cross-channel flow pattern is crucial to the understanding of the sedimentation patterns in the Blind Pass channel. Two years after the last dredging the mouth has become shallow enough to induce wave breaking across the shoal area. Distinctive seasonal patterns of sedimentation were measured thereafter in the inlet channel, influenced by seasonal wave climate. The sedimentation is event driven from passage of cold fronts bringing elevated wave energy that accelerates the southward longshore transport. During normal conditions the sediment deposited in the mouth area is redistributed further into the inlet by the flood current combined with wave-driven current.

Development of a rapid method for the detection of fecal enterococci and pathogenic microorganisms in beach water was attempted utilizing an evanescent wave fiber optic biosensor. Various assay formats including a sandwich immunoassay were tested in the development of a rapid assay. Fluorophore labeled antibodies were used for specific detection of bacteria captured or adsorbed directly to the surface of a polystyrene fiber optic waveguide. Binding of the fluorescent labeled antibody to its specific target or binding of a fluorescent labeled anti-IgG within 100-1000 nm of the waveguide surface caused excitation of the fluorescent conjugate resulting in a quantifiable signal. Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Vibrio cholerae were used as model organisms for biosensor detection in phosphate buffered saline and seawater. Seawater samples were selectively enriched for the presence of these model organisms, which were later detected on the biosensor. The sensitivity and specificity of the biosensor was examined by testing various assay formats, sample preparations, and molecules for capture and detection. Finally, an enrichment protocol combined with filter concentration was utilized to enhance detection of low levels of enterococci. The fiber optic biosensor has the potential to be a sensitive and specific system for the detection of fecal enterococci. The lower limit of detection in seawater and phosphate buffered saline was 2.8 x 106 CFU/ml. As few as 6 CFU/100ml (0.06CFU/ml) could be detected in seawater following a 14-24 hour enrichment and concentration step. Vibrio alginolyticus was found to grow under the same enrichment conditions as the enterococci. V. alginolyticus crossreacted with the polyclonal anti-Strep group D antibody used in the immunoassay at high cell concentrations. Staphylococcus aureus was the only other organism which showed significant cross-reactivity with this antibody. The biosensor was also able to detect other bacterial pathogens in PBS and seawater. The lower limit for detection of E. coli O157:H7 was 3.6 x 105 CFU/ml. The lower limit for detection of Vibrio cholerae O1 was 1.3 x 108 CFU/ml. The antibodies used in these assays were found to crossreact with other gram negative microorganisms. The biosensor was not able to detect Staphylococcus aureus.

Arsenic contamination in drinking water has been a cause of serious concerns across the United States as well as throughout the world. Over 70 million people in Eastern India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Northern China have been victims of arsenic poisoning. The USEPA has classified arsenic as a Class A carcinogen and recently reduced the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) in drinking water from 50ppb to 10ppb. The deadline for all the water utilities to meet this level is 23rd January 2006. To meet those drinking water standards, small water utilities need low cost and effective arsenic removal techniques. Natural zeolites such as Chabazite are excellent sorbents for several metallic and radioactive cations. Modifying the zeolite structure can effectively enhance the adsorption capacities of these zeolites for removal of heavy metals. The present work investigates the adsorption capacities of Cuprous and Ferrous treated Chabazite for removal of arsenic. This investigation is a part of a broader project directed at developing an effective pretreatment process that uses modified Chabazite in conjugation with Microfiltration (MF) or Ultrafiltration (UF) for removal of organic and inorganic contaminants. The goal of this research is to determine how well Cuprous and Ferrous treated Chabazite sorbs arsenic in its trivalent and pentavalent state. The other objectives of this research are to examine which modification of the chabazite has the higher removal efficiency of arsenic. This study will also compare arsenic adsorption on the modified zeolites in response to competitive adsorption of various anions present in natural source waters such as sulfates, hydroxides, and chlorides. The potential benefit of this study is to find the most effective treatment of for removal of arsenic species from aqueous solutions. This investigation may provide small water utilities, with a cost effective way for removal of arsenic and thus meet the recommended new regulatory maximum contaminant level (MCL).

The effects of the presence of a dog on the social interactions between children with developmental disabilities and their teacher were analyzed in this study. We examined whether the presentation of a dog would improve the social interactions of three children with developmental disabilities. A baseline condition consisting of the child and teacher in the presence of three toys, one of which was a toy dog was followed by an intervention in which a real dog was added to the sessions. A multiple baseline design across participants was employed to assess experimental changes in interactions during the intervention condition. All participants demonstrated an increase in overall positive initiated behaviors (verbal and non-verbal), positive initiated interactions toward the teacher (verbal and non-verbal) and positive initiated interactions toward the dog (verbal and non-verbal). The children also showed an overall decrease in negative initiated behaviors (verbal and nonverbal). Two of the three participants demonstrated a decrease in negative initiated interactions toward their teacher (verbal and non-verbal), while with one participant there was a slight increase in negative non-verbal interactions toward the teacher. All three children showed slight increases in negative initiated non-verbal interactions with the dog while negative initiated verbal interactions toward the dog remained the same.

Asphalt pavement rutting is one of the most common and destructive pavement distresses observed on U.S. roads, particularly in the urban environment at intersections. They are an important indicator of the structural integrity of the pavement as well as having an impact on road user safety. For these reasons, most road agencies regularly monitor the levels of rut depths on their pavement. There are four technologies used for estimating rut depth in automated measurement way: ultrasonics, point lasers, scanning lasers, Optical. This thesis will focus on the development of the laser scanner rut depth measurement system, including the improvement of the hardware design, the software development and data analysis. In order to evaluate the accuracy and correction of the laser scanner system, the researcher used it to measure different pavement in different situations. This research focused on the performance measures, such as correlativity, repeatability. From field experiments and data analysis, the following results had been obtained: 1. Laser scanner showed satisfactory repeatability performances; 2. Laser scanner has good correlations with manual rut data. 3. High power laser scanner in dark asphalt has good correlations with in light pavement. The findings of this research will contribute to the development of laser system in the measurement of pavement rutting.