The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of family size, birth order, socioeconomic status, and parent-child relationships to young children's intellectual development. Seventy-four children, 39 boys and 35 girls, with a mean age of 4 years-8 months, and their parents (mothers and fathers), selected from 9 preschool programs and daycare centers in Corvallis, Oregon, acted as subjects for this study. Ninety-five percent of the families came from upper or upper-middle socioeconomic classes. All the families were intact, consisting of children and their biological parents, representing one-, two, and three-child families. The children in this study were either first-, second- or third-born children. Family socioeconomic status was determined via Hollingshead's Four Factor Index of Social Status. Information on family size and birth order was obtained through a Demographic Questionnaire. Parent-child relationship was assessed via the Parent Attitude Research Instrument-Short Form. Children's intellectual level was measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised. Zajonc and Markus' Confluence Theory, Page and Grandon's Admixture Theory, and Falbo and Polies Parent-Child Relationships Theory were utilized as the basis for investigating the relative contributions of family size, birth order, socioeconomic status, mother-child relationship, and father-child relationship to children's intellectual development. The regression procedure was used in data analyses. The .05 probability level was used as the criterion for statistical significance. Findings revealed that the variables of socioeconomic status and quality of father-child relationships contributed significantly to children's intellectual development. The higher the socioeconomic status of the family, and the more supportive the father-child relationships, the higher the children's intellectual development scores. Birth order and family size made no contributions to children's intellectual development. These findings, therefore, provided support for Page and Grandon's Admixture Theory and Falbo and Polies Parent-Child Relationships Theory, but not for Zajonc and Markus' Confluence Theory. / Graduation date: 1995

A nutrition education program for employed women on maintaining a healthy weight was developed and evaluated. Delivery of eight messages (two per week for four weeks) by electronic mail was tested for effectiveness. The subjects were 243 members of the Oregon State University Office and Personnel Association who were randomly assigned to three experimental groups. Group #1 received hard copies of the messages, group #2 received hard copies along with a weekly electronic tip on weight management, and group #3 received the messages by electronic mail (e-mail). An evaluation survey was developed to assess: 1) Participants' stage of change regarding fat in the diet, 2) Participants' social support network for weight maintenance, 3) Reactions to the program, 4) Impact of the program on positive behavior regarding weight control, and 5) Demographics. The survey was sent by campus mail about three weeks after the program. The evaluation was completed by 80.2% of participants. The nine male respondents and the two gender-unidentified respondents were not included in the data analysis to assure a total female population. A total of 181 surveys were analyzed (74.5%). The mean age of female respondents was 47.8 ± 13.3. Although it was hypothesized that electronic delivery of the program and/or supplementing the hard copy/print program with brief electronic tips would be associated with higher order stages of change (Transtheoretical Model), the results from this study did not support the hypotheses. There was no significant difference in stage of change among participants in the three modes of delivery. The messages appeared to have the greatest impact on women in the action and preparation stages. They tended to make more positive changes (i.e. reading food labels) than women in the maintenance, contemplation, and precontemplation stages. Mode of delivery did not appear to make a difference in whether the women looked forward to the messages, reactions to message length, how many were read, or the resulting knowledge or behavior change. Therefore, it may not be critical to program effectiveness. Women in the electronic group, however, were more certain that they received all eight messages and were more apt to ask questions of the researcher. The potential cost savings, convenience, and ease of quick communication make it a more attractive option. Access to the technology and participant preference are equally important factors. / Graduation date: 1997

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of untrained and trained peer tutors on the motor performance of students with developmental disabilities in integrated physical education classes. This study utilized a single subject delayed multiple baseline design across subjects. Six elementary age students with developmental disabilities and six nondisabled peer tutors participated in the study. The students were videotaped during their physical education class and data were analyzed on discrete motor skill responses. The students were assigned to one of two protocols. Protocol 1 consisted of three conditions; baseline, assistance by an untrained peer tutor, and assistance by a trained peer tutor. The results of Protocol 1 data revealed that trained peer tutors were effective at assisting subjects with developmental disabilities improve their motor performance, while untrained peer tutors were not. As a result of these findings Protocol 2 which consisted only of baseline and assistance by trained peer tutors, was utilized to replicate and provide additional support for the effect of trained peer tutors. The results of Protocol 2 revealed that trained peer tutors were effective at assisting subjects with developmental disabilities improve their motor performance in integrated physical education classes. Trained peer tutors were provided with instruction in the following three teaching areas: cueing, feedback, and reinforcement. The cueing techniques followed the system of least prompts and included verbal cueing, modeling, and physical assistance. Feedback information consisted of positive general and positive specific reinforcement. Peer tutors were trained over two 30 minute sessions. Pre-established criteria required the peer tutors to implement the teaching behaviors with the researcher a minimum of 4 out 5 times, and receive a score of 90% or better on the peer tutor quiz. All peers were successful at meeting this criteria. Data were collected on the tutors' teaching behaviors throughout the study via a wireless microphone. The results of the peer tutor data revealed that the tutors were able to implement the tutor training program. The results of this study demonstrate that elementary age peer tutors can be trained to provide assistance to students with developmental disabilities in integrated physical education classes. Recommendations for future research are provided based on the results of this study. / Graduation date: 1994

Soil column studies were performed on a chromium contaminated soil from the United Chrome Products Superfund Site currently undergoing a pump-and-treat cleanup process. The goal of the research was to provide insight into the feasibility of chemically changing the injection fluid of the pump-and-treat system to enhance hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) mobility. The parameters tested were pH, ionic strength, and competitive anion type and concentration. Ionic strength effects were investigated by adjusting the NaCl concentration of the extracting solution and by observing the influence of varying anion concentrations on desorption (bicarbonate, sulfate, and phosphate). The results indicated that high ionic strength solutions slow the rate of Cr(VI) desorption. This possibly indicates most of the Cr(VI) was in pore water solution and was adsorbing, slowing the removal process. Cr(VI) desorption was fastest for distilled water solution followed by competitive anion/distilled water solutions. The high ionic strength extracting solutions, 0.05 M and 0.10 M NaCl, had the slowest Cr(VI) desorption rates. Effluent pHs dropped as the ionic strength was increased (increasing NaCl concentrations) which was attributed to a Na-H exchange. Increased concentrations of bicarbonate, sulfate, and phosphate resulted in only small pH differences in the effluent of less than 0.5 pH units. The effect of pH was investigated by varying the pH of the 0.01 M NaCl solution with strong acid and base and by varying the pH of phosphate competitive anion solutions. The effects of changing 0.01 M NaCl solution pH were inconclusive. Differences between Cr(VI) desorption rates for the soil columns with adjusted influent pHs were small. Cr(VI) desorption curves and column effluent pH values for phosphate solutions of varying influent pH values were nearly identical, indicating that soil buffering and effluent pH are more important factors than influent pH in achieving Cr(VI) desorption. Nitrate, bicarbonate, sulfate, and phosphate were investigated to determine the effect of various competitive anions on Cr(VI) desorption. The effectiveness of each anion at extracting Cr(VI) from soil appeared to follow the order of adsorption affinity to the soil. / Graduation date: 1992

Graduation date: 1993

In the process of adjusting to a new institutional environment, transfer students will often experience difficulties and these difficulties may limit their academic potential. Can an institution create a formal process which can help the transfer student adjust to the institutional environment? This study is an examination of a program--an extended transfer student orientation course modeled after the freshman extended orientation course which was developed at the University of South Carolina. Grade Point Average (GPA) was used to study the effects of the course on academic achievement (academic integration as measured by GPA, retention and graduation rates). This experimental study was conducted at Oregon State University, a northwestern land-grant institution. The study was conducted with two groups of newly-admitted transfer students. The experimental group (N=80) consisted of those self-selected transfer students enrolled in the extended transfer student orientation course, while the comparison group (N=80) consisted of transfer students, picked at random, who were not enrolled in the course. The two groups were studied after the Fall 1988 extended transfer student orientation course. The demographic data revealed that a majority of the students transferred from in-state institutions, tended to enter from two-year institutions and four-year institutions. This study showed no evidence that the extended transfer student orientation course had an effect on academic achievement. / Graduation date: 1993

The composition and some qualitative aspects of ground beef offered for sale in Corvallis, Oregon were studied. Samples were purchased from six retail markets twice weekly throughout a six week test period. Three stores were independently owned and operated and three were chain stores. Differences in moisture, fat and protein levels of ground beef samples among the six stores and between chain and independently owned stores were statistically significant. Differences in composition between sampling days (Tuesday versus Friday) and between replicate weeks were generally not significant. Ground beef from chain stores was generally characterized by higher moisture and protein levels and lower fat levels. Thirty-two percent of all samples (50 percent of the independent stores and 14 percent of the chain stores) exceeded the legal limit of 30 percent fat. Moisture:protein ratios ranged from 2.53 to 4.24 while the average value was 3.59. About 28 percent of all samples had ratios in excess of 3.70. Differences in moisture:protein ratios between chain and independent stores were not significant. Although differences in extract-release volume (ERV) of ground beef obtained from the various stores were significant, differences between sampling days, replicate weeks and chain versus independent stores were not. Resazurin reduction times of ground beef among individual stores, between sampling days, replicate weeks and chain versus independent stores were not significantly different. The correlation between ERV and resazurin reduction time was low (r = 0.21) suggesting a poor relationship between these two procedures for assessing microbial contamination in ground beef. Differences in nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) levels of samples among stores and between sampling days were statistically significant. Only minor differences in NPN levels between store types and replicate weeks were observed. Soluble protein levels appeared to be a reflection of total protein. Iodine numbers of ground beef fat ranged from 43.7 to 53.6 and were significantly higher in ground beef purchased from chain stores. Price per pound of ground beef and price per pound of protein were significantly different among the six stores. The price per pound of meat was significantly higher in the chain stores than in the independent stores. However, price per pound of protein and price per pound of soluble protein were essentially the same for the two types of stores. Recommendations for quality control of ground beef sold at the retail level are discussed. / Graduation date: 1968

Driving simulation is widely accepted as a safe, effective, and economical alternative for investigating driver behavior in a variety of contexts. However, in order to apply simulator-based research results to real-world settings, the performance measures acquired through simulated driving experiments must first be validated. This research was aimed at validating the Oregon State University Driving Simulator based on speed, acceleration, and deceleration data. The validation effort consisted of a road test and a simulator test. The road test was completed on a five-lane urban principal arterial in Corvallis, Oregon, and the simulated environment matched the field conditions as closely as possible. Ten subjects participated in both tests. Minimum speed, maximum speed, average speed, 85th-percentile speed, maximum acceleration and maximum deceleration data variables were analyzed using graphical comparisons as well as two-sample paired t-tests. With the exception of minimum speed, all data variables showed statistically significant differences on at least one of the three test sections. However, the researchers considered the magnitude of these differences to be insignificant in a practical setting (on average, 3.5 mph for speed variables and 0.80 ft/s�� for acceleration and deceleration variables). Thus, the results of this research confirm the validity of the OSU driving simulator with regards to speed and acceleration. / Graduation date: 2013

Eight phylloplane yeasts were isolated from backyard apple trees in Corvallis, OR. Yeast isolates were classified to genus or species level. All isolates were tested in vitro for antagonistic activity against the postharvest pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum. Of these isolates, Aureobasidium pullulans, Sporobolomyces roseus Rhodotorula sp., consistently reduced mycelial growth of B. cinerea and P. expansum in nutrient yeast dextrose agar (pH 4.5 or 7.0) incubated for 8 or 30 days at 24 or 1 C, respectively. These three yeasts also were evaluated for their ability to suppress spore germination of B. cinerea and P. expansum in a gradient of apple juice concentrations and to suppress development of gray and blue mold lesions in inoculated fruits of Golden Delicious apple. Germination of B. cinerea and P. expansum was reduced significantly (P���0.05) when incubated with the yeast isolates in 100 or 50% apple juice, but not in 0, 1 or 10% apple juice. S. roseus and A. pullulans reduced significantly (P���0.05) the size of gray mold lesions in wounded fruit stored at 5 C and 24 C by 63 to 72 and 81 to 90%, respectively, when compared to the nontreated control. Size of blue mold lesions in fruit stored at 5 and 24 C also were reduced significantly (P���0.05) by 66 to 38 and 74 to 63%, respectively, when pre-treated with S. roseus and A. pullulans. In general, fruit rot suppression by some yeasts isolated in this study was similar in magnitude to suppression obtained by Cryptococcus laurentii isolate 87-108, a yeast with commercial potential to suppress postharvest rots of pome fruits. Pretreatment of apple wounds with washed cells of A. pullulans, S. roseus, Rhodotorula sp., resulted in disease suppression, but treatment of wounds with cell-free culture supernatant of these isolates did not affect lesion development. Population size of A. pullulans, S. roseus, and C. laurentii increased in apple wounds incubated at 5 or 24 C for up to 25 days, indicating that they colonized the wound site. Data collected in this study support the hypothesis that yeast isolates antagonize fruit pathogens by competing for nutrients in wounds on fruit surfaces. The isolates of A. pullulans and S. roseus show promise for commercial development. / Graduation date: 1997

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 1995. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-61). Also available online.