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Bayesian Variable Selection In Linear And Non-Linear Models, Arnab Kumar Maity
Bayesian Variable Selection In Linear And Non-Linear Models, Arnab Kumar Maity
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Appropriate feature selection is a fundamental problem in the field of statistics. Models with large number of features or variables require special attention due to the computational complexity of the huge model space. This is generally known as the variable or model selection problem in the field of statistics whereas in machine learning and other literature, this is also known as feature selection, attribute selection or variable subset selection. The method of variable selection is the process of efficiently selecting an optimal subset of relevant variables for use in model construction. The central assumption in this methodology is that the …
Core Competencies And Role Development Of Nursing Faculty In Associate Degree Programs, Marsha Hawk
Core Competencies And Role Development Of Nursing Faculty In Associate Degree Programs, Marsha Hawk
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to determine what is known about induction, competency, and role development of nursing faculty at the associate degree level. Specifically, the study assessed how nurses with clinical backgrounds --- many of whom have been working for years as practitioners --- are transitioned from nurse clinicians and inducted into the community college setting as faculty and clinical instructors. Associate degree nursing faculty (n=573) working for one of the 44 programs in Illinois awarding the Associate of Applied Science or the Associate Degree of Nursing completed a self-administered online questionnaire. Surveys (n=188, 33%) were returned over …
Essays In Financial Economics, Mohammadjavad Pakdel
Essays In Financial Economics, Mohammadjavad Pakdel
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This dissertation consists of two self-contained essays. The first essay compares out-of-sample performance of asset allocation using forward-looking information and backward-looking information. The existing literature processes forward-looking and backward-looking information using different models and consequently different sets of assumptions. Therefore, one might wonder if superior performance of portfolios using these two sources of information should be attributed to superiority of sources of information or superiority of models underlying them. In contrast, this study uses the identical stochastic volatility model to process both forward-looking and backward-looking information. The empirical results of this study show that the investor will be significantly better …
Creativity, Policy, And Practice : A Three-State Exploration Of Relationships Between Definitions Of Creativity In State Art Education Policies And Their Application By Middle-Level Art Educators, Christopher Grodoski
Creativity, Policy, And Practice : A Three-State Exploration Of Relationships Between Definitions Of Creativity In State Art Education Policies And Their Application By Middle-Level Art Educators, Christopher Grodoski
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
More than ever, creativity is a necessary outcome for education. A global and networked society requires U.S. citizens to innovate within a variety of complex economic, political, and social realities. The necessity of creativity highlights a crucial role for art education in contemporary education. However, there is a lack of clarity about what constitutes creativity. In particular, there is a lack of knowledge about how research, policy, and the life contexts of art educators relate to the operationalization of creativity in practice. This study addresses an area of neglect by exploring relationships among categories of creativity in research, federal and …
Design And Synthesis Of Ispd, Ispe And Ispf Enzyme Inhibitors Of The Methylerythritol Phosphate Pathway, Gashaw Melkamu Goshu
Design And Synthesis Of Ispd, Ispe And Ispf Enzyme Inhibitors Of The Methylerythritol Phosphate Pathway, Gashaw Melkamu Goshu
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This dissertation focuses on four projects. In collaboration with Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID), FOL7185 was identified as a fragment hit that binds to IspD and IspE enzymes isolated from bacteria.1 The first project deals with the synthesis and biological activity of pyrazolopyrimidines that were synthesized based on FOL7185. The second project discusses the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of imidazole compounds. These compounds were designed and synthesized using template molecule FOL955, a fragment hit co-crystallized with Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) IspF (PDB code: 3QHD). 2 Moreover, this project also deals with the design and synthesis of a …
Differences Among Subgroups In Concurrent And Predictive Validity Of Timed Oral Reading Fluency Measures And Informal Reading Inventories On Performance On Computer Adaptive Assessments Of Reading, Paul J. Perry
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Recent legislation such as No Child Left Behind and the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) increasingly pressure teachers and schools to be accountable for instructional time in the form of improved test scores. As a result, students are given an increasing variety of assessments in a given school year in an attempt to measure academic growth over time. These assessments frequently occur in the form of curriculum-based measures (CBM) of oral reading fluency, informal reading inventories (IRIs), computer adaptive tests (CATs) of reading, and annual high stakes assessments of reading ability. While a review of the literature reveals a well-established …
Do Anxious Applicants Become Lower Performing Employees?, Elora C. Voyles
Do Anxious Applicants Become Lower Performing Employees?, Elora C. Voyles
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Numerous studies have found that anxious applicants perform less well in interviews and subsequently receive lower ratings and are less likely to be hired compared to non-anxious applicants. However, no studies have yet examined if applicants who are anxious during the interview subsequently perform less well on the job compared to non-anxious applicants. In this laboratory study, work task performances of participants who appear anxious and/or report anxiety during simulated interviews were compared to those who did not appear anxious and/or did not report anxiety. The results of this study showed that interview anxiety was negatively related to interview performance; …
Do Folivores Deplete Patches? : Foraging Behavior And The Dynamics Of Resource Use In The Costa Rican Mantled Howler (Alouatta Palliata), Jessica Ritsche
Do Folivores Deplete Patches? : Foraging Behavior And The Dynamics Of Resource Use In The Costa Rican Mantled Howler (Alouatta Palliata), Jessica Ritsche
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Two general assumptions have often been made about folivorous primates: first, that feeding competition is low or absent because leaves are a superabundant and evenly dispersed resource, and as a result, that feeding competition does not constrain the size of folivorous groups. However, many folivorous primates maintain smaller group sizes. In this study, I aimed to examine this 'folivore paradox' by testing the hypothesis that mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) deplete localized patches of young leaves and therefore experience feeding competition. One group of 8 adult individuals was studied July and August 2015 at Piro Research Station in the Osa …
Dreamkeepers At The Gate : Culturally Relevant And Responsive Pedagogy In The Community College Classroom, Stephanie A. Whalen
Dreamkeepers At The Gate : Culturally Relevant And Responsive Pedagogy In The Community College Classroom, Stephanie A. Whalen
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This study was inspired by Gloria Ladson-Billings's work on culturally relevant pedagogy, which examined the common conceptions and shared aims of "Dreamkeepers" who were identified as particularly effective instructors of African American students. In addition to exploring the dispositions of Dreamkeeper faculty at the community college, the instructional practices of these faculty members were analyzed using the descriptive characteristics of culturally responsive pedagogy according to Geneva Gay. The implications of the study include deeper understanding of a culturally relevant pedagogy and cultural integrity as foundations for cultural responsiveness in the community college classroom. These concepts are clarified through qualitative analyses …
Effect Of Geometrical Size And Unit Cell Capacity On High Performance Lithium-Ion Battery, Dharani Thej Reddy Eswarawaka
Effect Of Geometrical Size And Unit Cell Capacity On High Performance Lithium-Ion Battery, Dharani Thej Reddy Eswarawaka
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Electric Vehicles (EV) have a promising solution to the current greenhouse gas emission problems and escalating prices of the fossil fuels. One considerable factor contributing to the drawbacks of EVs is safety of the battery. Lithium ion batteries are known for their higher energy densities and potential for higher capacities thus considered one of the most important electrochemical energy storage system. Thermal run-away is critical for EVs as they have a wide range of charge and discharge rates. So effective heat transfer and protection against high operating temperatures are crucial. This study focuses on the effect of geometrical size and …
Understanding Directed Self-Placement As It Relates To Student Persistence And Success, Tonya M. Troka
Understanding Directed Self-Placement As It Relates To Student Persistence And Success, Tonya M. Troka
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Increasing college completion rates is important not only for institutions of higher learning, but also for the nation. Success in the first year and persistence to second year are vital to increasing these completion rates. One aspect of the first-year experience is placement into math, reading and writing courses. A majority of college freshman are placed using standardized placement exams that determine if they take pre-college or college-level courses. Directed self-placement (DSP) is an alternative placement method that is being utilized in lieu of standardized placement exams at a small selection of institutions within the U.S. A secondary analysis was …
Using Gatorade® To Control Serum Sodium Levels Of Patients With Hyponatremia, Hannah Elizabeth Degen
Using Gatorade® To Control Serum Sodium Levels Of Patients With Hyponatremia, Hannah Elizabeth Degen
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Background: Hyponatremia is a condition in which serum sodium levels are less than 135 mmol/L. It is the most prevalent sodium disorder in hospitalized patients. Currently, the most commonly used treatment for the condition include fluid restriction, carefully monitored hypertonic IV solution and diuretic therapy. In athletes with hyponatremia, low serum sodium levels have been corrected with the administration of an isotonic beverage. Therefore, giving Gatorade® to patients with hyponatremia may be an alternative treatment method to increase serum sodium levels. Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of oral Gatorade® protocol on serum sodium levels …
Using Lidar To Measure The Urban Forest In Dekalb, Il, Dustin Bergman
Using Lidar To Measure The Urban Forest In Dekalb, Il, Dustin Bergman
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Urban and metropolitan areas have grown significantly during the 21st century. With more than 50% of the global population living in cities, they are uniquely susceptible to high temperatures, poor air quality, and increases in peak storm water runoff during inclement weather; however, urban and metropolitan areas often have significant forest resources that can greatly ameliorate these factors. To maintain urban forests and maximize their benefits, tree surveys are often performed requiring extensive fieldwork. However, automatable techniques using LiDAR data and aerial orthoimagery have the potential to provide similar metrics over larger areas, more rapidly, and at lower cost. This …
Validity Of Whole And Regional Body Composition Testing Devices, Alexa R. Suida
Validity Of Whole And Regional Body Composition Testing Devices, Alexa R. Suida
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Obesity has been established as a risk factor for multiple diseases and is an increasing problem throughout the world. Advances in technology have enabled health professionals to use many devices to diagnose individuals as healthy, overweight, or obese. However, there are discrepancies between the validity of the devices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to validate InBody 520 and InBody S10 against the Hologic dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) system. METHODS: 50 male and female subjects performed body composition testing on an InBody 520, InBody S10, and a Hologic DXA, followed by repeat measurements on the InBody 520 and S10. …
Web Based Simulation Of Flexible Manipulators And Iir Filters, Mohd Afwaan Ahmed Quadri
Web Based Simulation Of Flexible Manipulators And Iir Filters, Mohd Afwaan Ahmed Quadri
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This thesis describes an outline for converting an existing stand-alone MATLAB and Simulink-based simulation environment to a web version. With this arrangement the simulation environment will be hosted on a web server and users will access from remote locations. In order to convert the algorithm in web-accessible format one need utilize the existing algorithm, MATLAB Compiler SDK, to translate the code into DLL file, incorporating the DLL with .Net framework using C# language. The main task in this project involves conversion of data between C# and MATLAB arrays, dissolving the GUI and writing MATLAB code in the right order in …
What Are We Going To Do When The Yellow Bus Stops Coming? : A Historical Legal Analysis Of The Transition Provisions Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Tanya Leah Carter
What Are We Going To Do When The Yellow Bus Stops Coming? : A Historical Legal Analysis Of The Transition Provisions Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Tanya Leah Carter
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
As a result of 1990 amendments, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) was renamed as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and transition planning and services were initially mandated. The IDEA's transition services were designed to help students with disabilities move from receiving high school special education services to receiving post high school education, work, or independent living. In 1997, Congress reauthorized the IDEA and strengthened the language pertaining to transition planning and services. Congress added a directive that identification of the related services required for successful transition were to be included in the transition planning process.;Congress …
Why Do We Need To Learn This? : An Investigation Of The Association Between Science Teachers' Use Of Utility Value Statements And Students' Immediate And Global Perceptions Of Science Utility, Stephen Spaulding Kafkas
Why Do We Need To Learn This? : An Investigation Of The Association Between Science Teachers' Use Of Utility Value Statements And Students' Immediate And Global Perceptions Of Science Utility, Stephen Spaulding Kafkas
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Science teachers have many opportunities to influence their students' science utility value beliefs throughout the course of their instruction. However, many of them refrain from making statements regularly about the usefulness of the content they are teaching, and it is unclear how effective such statements are in influencing student beliefs. This study examined the week-to-week and global relationship between five dimensions of teachers' utility value statements (frequency, clarity, target, purpose, and temporality) and their students' utility value beliefs. The week-to-week relationship was assessed by the clarity of utility value expressed in six essays students produced. More global changes in students' …
You're Too Old For That! : Ageism And Prescriptive Stereotypes In The Workplace, Elizabeth A. Hanrahan
You're Too Old For That! : Ageism And Prescriptive Stereotypes In The Workplace, Elizabeth A. Hanrahan
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Age discrimination and bias in the workplace is an imperative area of research. Few studies have examined prescriptive stereotyping, and only one study has specifically examined prescriptive age stereotyping. This thesis marks the first investigation into prescriptive age stereotypes in the workplace. Employing an experimental survey design, subjects (n = 383) were randomly assigned to view one of six vignettes. Results indicate that violators of prescriptive age stereotypes are rated less positively than adherers of prescriptive age stereotypes. Further, prescriptive age stereotype information does not necessarily lead to descriptive age stereotype information. Lastly, processes other than prescriptive stereotyping (Expectancy Violation …
The Outermost Court : Gentiles In Mormon Zion, 1831-1869, Christopher W. Anderson
The Outermost Court : Gentiles In Mormon Zion, 1831-1869, Christopher W. Anderson
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This thesis explores the lives of the non-Mormon minority that lived within early Mormon communities. Understanding the nature of community formation and the role of passive religious dissent on the frontier of antebellum America problematizes monolithic narratives of religious conflict. A more localized exploration of Mormon/non-Mormon interaction provides insight into how these communities changed over time and how economic issues were central to their viability. Other studies of these relationships have focused on the conflict that arose between Mormon communities and their neighbors. By framing this investigation in terms of the opportunities for collaboration, I argue that these communities were …
The Politics Of Natural Resource Use : A Comparative Study Of Forest Exploitation In Indonesia And Cambodia, Azriansyah Achdiat Agoes
The Politics Of Natural Resource Use : A Comparative Study Of Forest Exploitation In Indonesia And Cambodia, Azriansyah Achdiat Agoes
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This paper address two questions. First, it examines the question of why authoritarian rulers rely on natural resources to stay in power. Second, it address the mechanism of how authoritarian rulers extract rents from natural resources and distribute the rents to construct patronage systems to cement political pacts and gain popular legitimacy. In this paper I argue that the characteristics of the state determine the strategy employed by authoritarian rulers to use natural resources for political purposes by distributing monopolies to business elites and receiving financial donations in return. This paper examines the cases of forest exploitation in Indonesia and …
The Presuppositions Of Freedom : Kant And The Social Contract, Christopher Weaver
The Presuppositions Of Freedom : Kant And The Social Contract, Christopher Weaver
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
More than 200 years after his death, scholars continue to struggle with the works of Immanuel Kant and how to systematize it within the larger agglomerate of intellectual history. Among these struggles is a debate over Kant's political philosophy and its relationship with the social contract theory. In this study, I suggest more scrutiny should be given to what exactly Kant meant when he used the word freedom throughout his writings on politics and the importance this has for better understanding Kantian thought. Freedom presupposes a lot of things for Kant, but within the context of his politics, it includes …
The Pressure Of Society On Water Quality : A Land Use Impact Study Of Lake Ripley In Oakland, Wisconsin, Kyle Whalley
The Pressure Of Society On Water Quality : A Land Use Impact Study Of Lake Ripley In Oakland, Wisconsin, Kyle Whalley
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Eutrophication of lakes occurs naturally over time but with the influence of humans, mainly through the process of non-point source pollution, the eutrophication rate can be accelerated. Agriculture and residential land use along with the presence of impervious surfaces can negatively impact water quality of lakes due to nutrient pollution. This research investigates the impacts of land use on the water quality of Lake Ripley in Oakland, Wisconsin from 1993 to 2011 using a regression, correlation, and trophic state index (TSI) trend analysis. The regression analysis incorporates four years of National Land Cover Database (NLCD) data, eight spatial categories created …
The Production Of Semantic Representations In Children With Specific Language Impairment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, And Typical Language Development, Kacy L. Kreger
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Although differences in processing are well established in children with specific language impairment (SLI) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little is known about how these differences impact the type of information they ultimately acquire when learning new words. The purpose of this study was to analyze novel word definitions from children with SLI, ASD, and typical language development (TLD) to determine if the semantic information they learned was influenced by these processing differences. Thirty-six children (12 in each group), matched on expressive vocabulary, participated in a novel word learning study across three sessions. The semantic features of 432 definitions were …
The Relationship Between Undergraduate Student Involvement And Subsequent Alumni Engagement, Joseph Volin
The Relationship Between Undergraduate Student Involvement And Subsequent Alumni Engagement, Joseph Volin
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
With the increase in challenges facing higher education in regards to balancing budgets while responding to decreasing enrollments, increasing tuitions, and decreasing external support, it is now, more than ever, important to increase alumni engagement. This correlational study uses Social Identity Theory to examine the relationship between undergraduate student involvement and subsequent alumni engagement at a small, private institution. Specifically, this study examines the factors that influence alumni monetary and alumni non-monetary engagement amongst alumni that graduated between 2005 and 2014.
The Rhetor's Audience Is Also A Fiction : A Unified Theory Of Rhetorical Situation And A Universal Example, Erica Leigh Durian
The Rhetor's Audience Is Also A Fiction : A Unified Theory Of Rhetorical Situation And A Universal Example, Erica Leigh Durian
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This thesis examines rhetorical situation theory. Drawing upon previous literature ranging from the original Bitzer-Vatz-(Consigny) debate through recent genre studies on rhetorical situation, I present a modified version of rhetorical situation theory in light of the common ideas, disputes, strengths, and limitations of earlier works. I begin with a review of important literature in Chapter Two in order to illustrate both the similarities and differences in other theories. Then, in Chapter Three, I discuss the importance of audience, particularly fictional audiences, to the rhetorical situation. I present a modified version of rhetorical situation theory in Chapter Four and illustrate the …
The Role Of Social Support And Self-Concept In Victimization And Social Anxiety In Adolescence, Linda Huber
The Role Of Social Support And Self-Concept In Victimization And Social Anxiety In Adolescence, Linda Huber
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
The current study evaluated the association between social anxiety and peer victimization as it relates to self-concept and sources of social support in middle school students. Prior research studies have shown the relation between social anxiety and peer victimization influences future social functioning. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the current body of research on social anxiety and peer victimization by evaluating associations among middle school students' social anxiety, peer victimization, self-concept, and specific sources of social support. Specifically, the following research questions were addressed: 1) What is the relation between peer victimization and social anxiety in …
The Social Validity Of Supportive Behaviors And Social Anxiety In Adolescence, Samantha Coyle
The Social Validity Of Supportive Behaviors And Social Anxiety In Adolescence, Samantha Coyle
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
During adolescence, social relationships become increasingly important, as adolescents play a much larger role in the selection of their peers and make more of an effort to develop autonomy from the immediate family structure. Because the development of positive relationships has been linked to a variety of positive and negative outcomes, understanding the factors that may impede the development of these relationships is essential. Social anxiety has been linked to a number of significant impairments in the social functioning of adolescents, and while the literature surrounding social anxiety is vast, little research has examined the direct relationship between social support …
The Slow Control System For The Fermilab Muon G-2 E989 Experiment, Michael Mcevoy
The Slow Control System For The Fermilab Muon G-2 E989 Experiment, Michael Mcevoy
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
The New Muon g-2 experiment (E989) at Fermilab will measure the muon anomalous magnetic moment, amu. E989 aims to measure amu to a precision of 0.14 parts-per-million, a factor of four improvement over the previous experimental measurement. The muon storage ring magnet was previously used in experiment E821 at Brookhaven National Laboratory. It was moved to Fermilab in order to attempt to improve the value of amu by utilizing Fermilab's higher energy proton source, the Main Injector. The storage region is filled with a highly precise magnetic field created by the superconducting coils surrounded by steel yokes. The muons are …
The Utilization Of Flavonoids As Inhibitors Of Urease And As Antimalarial Agents And The Discovery Of Bacterial Methionine Aminopeptidase Inhibitors, Travis Robert Helgren
The Utilization Of Flavonoids As Inhibitors Of Urease And As Antimalarial Agents And The Discovery Of Bacterial Methionine Aminopeptidase Inhibitors, Travis Robert Helgren
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This dissertation explores the inhibition of prominent enzymatic pathways important for both medicinal and agricultural applications. The research involved three distinct projects: First, an enzymatic urease inhibitory assay was optimized for plate-based screening of tree bark extracts to compare with ex vivo results from simulated-barn floor manure slurry assays performed by Dr. Wayne Zeller (USDA, Madison, WI). It wafs discovered that the measured ammonia abatement activities of each extract exhibited a correlation in both the enzymatic and ex vivo assays. Second, aminoalkylated quercetin analogs were synthesized and screened for antimalarial activity. The most potent species were found to exhibit sub-micromolar …
Three Essays On Democratic Capital And Per Capita Income, Raymond S.K. Attawia
Three Essays On Democratic Capital And Per Capita Income, Raymond S.K. Attawia
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
The correlation between incomes and democracy is well documented, but the exact nature of the relationship and direction of causation, if any, is still being debated. The empirical conceptualization of democracy to include the accumulation over time of social and political infrastructure upon which economic policy is devised and implemented is a novel and promising approach. We present three essays that extend our understanding of the relationship between democracy, expressed as "democratic capital," and economic growth.