published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Applied Statistics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Dentistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

In the first part of this study software metrics are classified into three categories: primitive, abstract and structured. A comparative and analytical study of metrics from these categories was performed to provide software developers, users and management with a correct and consistent evaluation of a representative sample of the software metrics available in the literature. This analysis and comparison was performed in an attempt to: assist the software developers, users and management in selecting suitable quality metric(s) for their specific software quality requirements and to examine various definitions used to calculate these metrics. In the second part of this study an approach towards attaining software quality is developed. This approach is intended to help all the people concerned with the evaluation of software quality in the earlier stages of software systems development. The approach developed is intended to be uniform, consistent, unambiguous and comprehensive and one which makes the concept of software quality more meaningful and visible. It will help the developers both to understand the concepts of software quality and to apply and control it according to the expectations of users, management, customers etc.. The clear definitions provided for the software quality terms should help to prevent misinterpretation, and the definitions will also serve as a touchstone against which new ideas can be tested.

Eutrophication is the accelerated aging process of a lake which generally decreases the water quality in terms of aesthetic and recreational uses. At Liberty Lake, near Spokane, Washington, eutrophication has become a problem. Many individuals and agencies are interested in the benefits that occur when the lake's water quality has improved. In this research the benefits to private property owners were measured at Liberty Lake. Three methods — present sales, appraised value and personal interview — were compared and empirically tested to determine the economic benefits to private property owners as well as the overall community impact. For this study property was defined as land, buildings and other improvements. Current market sales and appraised values at six different lakes, each with different water quality levels, were used as the dependent variables for the present sales and appraised value methods. The dependent variables were regressed against several factors including physical (.housing, neighborhood, accessibility, and environmental characteristics) to estimate the effect water quality had on property values. A quadratic and double logarithmic function were examined. In the results a positive relationship was found between water quality and the dependent variables. A 100 percent increase in the water quality ranking resulted in a $3,800 increase in the sales price per lot and $884 increase in the appraised value per lot for the quadratic function. Separate equations were determined for vacant lots. The dependent variables were the same, but only neighborhood, accessibility and environmental characteristics were used to estimate the effect water quality had on property values. In the quadratic form with a 100 percent increase in the water quality ranking, sales price increased $556 per lot and appraised value increased $782 per lot. In the personal interview method home owners at Liberty Lake were interviewed and asked for how much they would be willing to buy and sell a particular home at different water quality levels. The differences between the two buying and selling prices were the estimated impact of a change in water quality and totaled $4,795 and $5,679, respectively. Both differences were significant at the one percent level. The buying price difference was used when comparing the personal interview method to the other methods, since it was less likely to overestimate the water quality effect. This research used the best water quality index available, but there is a definite need for future research to develop a uniform water quality index. / Graduation date: 1980

The present study was undertaken to analyze the vitamin E, total lipids, and cholesterol in regular and fat-reduced milk to assess whether decreases in fat result in lower vitamin E contents. Milk samples of varying fat contents (11%, 3.3%, 2%, 1% and 0.5% fat) were obtained from a local dairy on six different occasions, α-tocopherol was the major form of vitamin E found in different types of milk, γ-tocopherols and α-tocotrienol were found to a lesser extent in different milks. As the fat content of milk decreased from 11% to 0.3%, vitamin E content also decreased steadily. For example, raw milk as compared to non-fat milk had both a higher α-tocopherol contents (45.5 ± 4.59 μg/100 ml vs. 4.46 ± 0.54; p<0.0001) and a higher total lipids (3.46 ± 0.49 μg/100 ml vs. 0.30 ± 0.07 g/100 ml, (p [less than or equal to] 0.0001). The other detected forms of vitamin E, γ-tocopherol and α-tocotrienol, also varied as the total lipids. Vitamin E, cholesterol and total lipids increased as cream was added back to non-fat milk. For every 10 mg of cholesterol there was an increase of approximately 4 μg of α-tocopherol. For every 1 g increase in total lipid content, the α-tocopherol content increased by 17 μg. This study indicates that vitamin E; especially exotic forms of this vitamin are present in the dairy products analyzed. Also, vitamin E content varies with the total lipid and the cholesterol content. We suggest that vitamin E fortification of milk might be a reasonable approach to restore α-tocopherol intakes to those seen with whole milk. / Graduation date: 2000

The purpose of this work was to analyze whole kernel corn for such factors as succulence, pericarp content and size of kernels and to check for possible relationships between these values and the subjective tests for tenderness and maturity and flavor. In addition the purpose of this investigation was to accumulate values for succulence, pericarp content and kernel size for sweet corn grown in this area. All varieties were harvested in August 1952, when their moisture content was close to 70 percent. Succulence of this canned corn ranged from 24.7 to 15.2 ml. for 17 varieties; and the six varieties recommended ranged from 24.7 to 22.8 ml. Pericarp content was determined by the standard method, and it was found to be very low when compared with similar data from other sections of the country. Values ranged from 0.6230 to 1.1951 percent, and the six best varieties recommended for all factors together, from 0.6230 to 0.7872 percent. The largest diameters in inches of twenty kernels were measured with a micrometer. Size ranged from 7.0685 to 8.5005 inches for twenty kernels. The same six best varieties ranged from 7.0885 to 7.8730 inches. In addition to these three objective tests a panel of seven members graded this corn for maturity and tenderness on a basis of forty points, and flavor on a basis of twenty points. For maturity and tenderness all varieties lie between 37.1 and 26.4, with the six varieties recommended between 37.1 and 35.7. For flavor the range for all varieties is from 17.6 to 13.3. The same six varieties are from 17.6 to 15.7. Results show that the combination test proposed by Kramer can be applied successfully, and that pericarp content can be omitted in this combination test for corn grown under irrigation in this part of the country. In fact, succulence and kernel size predicted maturity with a multiple correlation of 0.936. / Graduation date: 1953

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