A Study Of The Upper Domatic Number Of A Graph

Given a graph G we can partition the vertices of G in to k disjoint sets. We say a set A of vertices dominates another set of vertices, B, if for every vertex in B there is some adjacent vertex in A. The upper domatic number of a graph G is written as D(G) and defined as the maximum integer k such that G can be partitioned into k sets where for every pair of sets A and B either A dominates B or B dominates A or both. In this thesis we introduce the upper domatic number of a graph and provide various results on the properties of the upper domatic number, notably that D(G) is less than or equal to the maximum degree of G, as well as relating it to other well-studied graph properties such as the achromatic, pseudoachromatic, and transitive numbers

Historical Foundations of Rural EMS System Challenges

This thesis studies the historical origins of ambulance services through their evolution to modern emergency medical services systems with an emphasis on the differentiation of urban and rural emergency services and eventually EMS systems in the United States. This study aims to provide a historical explanation behind many of the challenges faced by contemporary American EMS systems operated in rural environments by demonstrating a historical schism between rural and urban systems, and also advocates for increased federal support of EMS systems in order to ensure a uniform standard of emergency care in all parts of the country. This schism is found to be the root of many common challenges faced by rural EMS systems today. This is accomplished by the analysis of historical sources relevant to ambulance and EMS system operations in the United States as well as analyses of modern EMS system operations that examine the differences in operations of rural and urban systems.The challenges faced by rural ambulance services originate in the urban-centric origin of U.S. ambulance services and EMS legislation, despite the mainly rural, war-time origins of emergency services in general. This thesis concludes that the most promising method of establishing equal footing for both systems is stronger federal guidance and increased federal funding of rural EMS systems, so that a rural-centric model of EMS systems can be established

Cytogenetic Tools To Investigate The Compilospecies

A compilospecies is defined as a genetically aggressive taxa that “steals” or incorporates the genomes of other taxa via introgressive hybridization. This concept was first defined in Bothriochloa, Capillipedium, and Dichanthium (the BCD clade). Within this clade, Bothriochloa bladhii was identified as the compilospecies. Proper cytological techniques and accurate chromosome counts are needed to begin investigations to understand the mode of hybridization and to track “dominant” genomes. Techniques for preparation of meiotic chromosome spreads in species with more than 60 chromosomes are lacking in the literature. In this study, two methods for preparing chromosomes in the BCD clade are presented. These methods are adapted from the ‘SteamDrop’ (Kirov et al., 2014) and modified drop method (Kuo et al., 2016). Recommendations for further cytological work on the BCD clade based on these experiences are also suggested

The Development Of A Theoretically Derived Visual Educational Tool For Communicating Benefits Of Exercise And Diet For Increasing Fertility In PCOS

Problem: There is a need to efficiently communicate health messages to women with PCOS in the management of their fertility. Background: PCOS is a common cause of infertility and creates uncertainty for women desiring a pregnancy. Health care providers do not effectively communicate the benefit of exercise and diet in increasing fertility. Interpersonal communication theory provides guidance for effective provider-patient communication. Methods: A quality improvement process included the review of the literature using the terms health communications, health education, picture based messages, framing theory, communication theory, AND PCOS for theoretical guidance. Four transcripts from an ongoing study related to PCOS were reviewed and analyzed for themes. The literature review and transcripts facilitated the development of the PCOS Fertility Education Tool (P-FET). Outcomes: Picture-based messages of PCOS treatment options with accompanying scripts were developed for future testing with people who live with PCOS and desire a pregnancy

Progressive harmonic series exercises in high range expansion for beginning horn players

Upper range expansion is one of the most challenging parts of beginning study on the horn. The means in which higher pitches are introduced through horn methods or wind band studies are accompanied by a multitude of additional technical skills for students to practice. Although these introductions of notes occur in step-wise motion, upward extension is rushed, with new notes instituted frequently with few written exercises to rehearse new pitches. As a result, young students struggle with performing in the upper range required by music studied in methods or wind band classes. The goal of this project was to develop a progressive series of exercises to allow more accessible performance in the high range of the horn through implementation of etudes in all harmonic series. Concepts are introduced sequentially, allowing the student to perform exercises that ascend in range and enabling practice in high range expansion by transposition of exercises to higher harmonic series. Constructed with a duet part, a teacher or peer can perform alongside the student on each etude to provide engagement for the student with counterpoint. Each exercise includes commentary regarding the goals and challenges of the musical content

Parental views on sport specialization for adolescent volleyball players

Many athletes specialize in one sport before or during adolescence. Although specialization has benefits for skill development, many athletes face negative psychological and physiological consequences like burnout and overuse injuries, especially when they specialize early. In many cases, athletes and their families are seemingly driven by factors like college scholarships or elite performance and agree to specialization without understanding the possible harmful side effects. The purpose of this project was to investigate parents’ views on specialization and to use the findings to develop more impactful and relevant approaches to educate families as they determine whether to pursue specialization. Parents, stepparents, grandparents, and guardians of adolescent club volleyball players completed surveys (n = 184) and/or participated in focus groups (n = 25) to share their understanding of sport specialization, why they might encourage or discourage it, and possible pressures and sources of information on sport specialization. The most common reasons for encouraging specialization were skill development/achieving expert status, passion for/love of the sport, and learning team sport values. The most common reasons for discouraging specialization were excluding other activities, valuing well-roundedness/other sports, and burnout/overuse injuries. Surprisingly, 90% of influential adults in this survey reported that they did not feel outside pressure for their child to specialize. Most (83%) influential adults had not received any information about specialization, and only 31% had ever discussed specialization with their child, reinforcing the need for targeted information to help educate them on the topic and provide suggestions for navigating the decision to specialize as a family

Rural Community College Nontraditional Women: Overcoming Educational Barriers

Community colleges may provide access and opportunity to acquire higher levels of academic education; however, the students' decision to persist from semester to semester is contingent upon the individuals' life circumstances. Community colleges are experiencing increased enrollment of nontraditional women, especially in vocational technical programs of study. Research in the changing characteristics of nontraditional female students will assist community colleges in realizing their mission, by providing direction with planning, implementing, and evaluating services designed to meet the needs of this segment of the student population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn more about how nontraditional women overcome educational barriers in a community college vocational technical program of study. The researcher also sought to bring insights about the experiences of being an adult female returning to education at a rural community college. Research participants included 15 nontraditional women at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia. Through semi-structured interviews, personal experiences of women overcoming educational barriers were explored. The findings revealed that participants entered the educational experience with apprehension, but with a sense of determination to achieve their educational goal for their own self esteem and significant others in their life (especially their children). Participants reported barriers as: financial, conflict in role obligations, limited time, and self-doubt in academic preparation, which were overcome by determination and seeking assistance through the Student Support Services program. Finally, participants suggested implementing a specialized, nontraditional female focused orientation course, on-site daycare services, and extended Student Support Services to meet the needs of this segment of the student population

Sound level measurements in music practice rooms.

Average sound levels and percentage of daily dose of noise exposure were measured in the practice rooms of a university school of music, with the primary objective of determining whether sound levels in student practice rooms were high enough to warrant concern for hearing conservation. A secondary objective was to determine whether any instrument group was at higher risk for music-induced hearing loss due to exposure levels. Students representing 4 instrument groups were tested: brass, wind, string and voice. Measurements were taken using a dosimeter or DoseBadge clipped to the shoulder during 40 students’ individual practice sessions. These readings provided average exposure levels as well as the percentage of total allowed exposure (dose) obtained during the practice session. The mean measurement time for this study was 47 minutes (SD = 22). Mean sound levels measured averaged 87-95 dB(A) (SD = 3.5-5.9). Mean average levels for the brass players were significantly higher than other instrument groups. Using the mean duration of daily practice reported by the participants to estimate dose, 48% would exceed the allowable sound exposure. Implications for professional musicians are discussed, including the need for 12-hour breaks and the use of musicians’ earplugs. The implementation of a Hearing Protection Policy in the School of Music will also be discussed

The accuracy of self-appraised health knowledge of selected college students in eight specific areas of first aid at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro

This study examined the relationships between the students' first aid background, self-appraised first aid knowledge, and tested first aid knowledge. The theme of this study was to determine if self-appraised knowledge of selected college students in eight specific areas of first aid could serve as an accurate measure of the students' first aid knowledge. The four research questions under investigation were: (1) How accurate was self-appraised first aid knowledge prior to completing a course in first aid? (2) How accurate was self-appraised first aid knowledge after completing a course in first aid? The specific first aid areas investigated for both questions 1 and 2 were as follows: (1) breathing difficulties, (b) poisoning, (c) drug problems, (d) wounds, (e)shock, (f)burns, (g)cardiovascular problems, and (h)methods of transfer. (3) Was there a significant relationship between the post-class mean self-appraisal ratings and the total first aid knowledge test scores when students were and were not exposed to a pre-class first aid knowledge test? (4) Did considerable prior emergency care training or experience influence the accuracy of self-appraisal? The target population for this study was university students enrolled in the Health Education classes for first aid at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Fall semester, 1976. Six first aid classes were investigated, with a total N of 150 (34 males and 116 females)

A landscape analysis and cultural resource inventory of Troublesome Creek Ironworks: a geographical and archaeological approach

This thesis created a working cultural resource inventory and landscape analysis of Troublesome Creek Ironworks (TCI). TCI is located in Rockingham County and is owned by the Rockingham County Historical Society. The property is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Three archaeological sites at TCI were examined for this research: a 19th century farmhouse site, a 19th century cabin site, and the possible location of Revolutionary War entrenchments. Little is known regarding the histories of these sites and data obtained through archaeological survey investigations at TCI during 2005 and 2010 provided the basis for a geographical and archaeological assessment of these sites across this landscape. Spatial analysis of archaeological material recovered from these sites provided insight into cultural patterns across the landscape. Dates for all three sites were derived from ceramic, flat window glass, and nail artifact analysis. Artifact patterns and dates were compared to the written site histories, where available, to improve overall site interpretation. Analysis of data obtained from investigations of the farmhouse site correlated to many historical events at TCI and also revealed possible evidence of an earlier house location at TCI. Examination of the cabin site established relative dates for the structure, confirming an oral history of the site. The entrenchment site survey did not produce evidence to support its association with events surrounding the Revolutionary war; however, this is most likely due to looting that has occurred at the site over the past several decades. Data obtained through these survey investigations at TCI were compared to similar sites in the North Carolina Piedmont to examine patterns between sites sharing similar temporal and functional contexts. Many similarities in artifact assemblages were found for these sites in the Piedmont. Due to the size of the property and the numerous cultural resources, more extensive investigations are needed to begin tying all the sites and written histories together at TCI. Extensions to the existing survey grids as well as several test excavations across the sites at TCI will generate a more comprehensive analysis of the cultural resources across the landscape. While more research is needed to fully understand TCI's history, this research improved the site interpretation throughout the property