Digital Commons Network^™

Watershed Modeling Using Gis Technology: A Critical Review

Journal of Spatial Hydrology

Understanding and managing water resource problems involves complex processes and interactions within the watershed surface and subsurface. The imposition of total maximum daily load (TMDL) regulations on the pollutant influx to a watershed has created a strong demand for new assessment tools. The spatial scales relevant to transport of the pollutants may span many orders of magnitude, ranging from field plots to regional hydrological systems. As the demand for and development of watershed modeling capabilities have evolved, geographic information systems (GIS) in tandem with remote sensing technologies have played an essential role supporting both data collection and analysis. This paper …

One Eternal Round, Hugh Nibley, Michael D. Rhodes

Maxwell Institute Publications

Preface

On 23 February 2005, I, along with a group of colleagues including John W. Welch, John Gee, and others, gathered in the front room of Hugh Nibley’s home. Hugh was there in a hospital bed, but was unconscious. His wife, Phyllis, and some of their children were also present. We were meeting to decide what to do with Hugh’s unfinished book, One Eternal Round. He had been working on it for more than f ifteen years before he became too ill to continue. A few months before, we had gathered together all the materials on the book from Hugh’s …

The Book Of Mormon And The Origin Of Native Americans From A Maternally Inherited Dna Standpoint, Ugo. A. Perego

Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011

No abstract provided.

Numerical Modelling Of Contaminant Transport Hydrodynamics

Journal of Spatial Hydrology

Modelling of contaminant transport on watersheds is a problem of concern with regard to the protection of water ecosystems. This paper presents a numerical model, using the finite element method, to simulate contaminant transport hydrodynamics. Spatial and temporal progression of a spilled toxic substance was compiled for the Macks-Creek basin located in United States. It is shown that the developed tool, based on coupled terrain and surface runoff models, provided adequate results in terms of runoff velocities and height. Results from this compute served as an input of a computer based system that we developed to simulate the real-time contaminant …

Derivation Of Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph For A Sub-Basin Using Linear Geomorphological Model And Geographic Information Systems

Journal of Spatial Hydrology

Rainfall is converted into runoff and reaches the river and it becomes river flow. Geomorphological Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (GIUH) based approach, which uses the geomorphologic parameters, is used to simulate basin runoff. Compilation of the required database consists of various geomorphic and other hydrologic characteristics used by the GIUH model is facilitated using Geographical Information System (GIS). The main aim of this study is develop 1-Hr Unit Hydrograph (UH) from the GIUH using Linear Geomorphological Model (LGM) with the help of GIS. Valliyar is one of the sub basins of Kodaiyar River Basin in Tamil Nadu, India. Valliyar is 5 …

Improved Method For The Determination Of Kinetic Parameters From Non-Isothermal Thermogravimetric Analysis (Tga) Data, Thomas H. Fletcher, James L. Hillier, Trent Bezzant

Faculty Publications

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at a constant heating rate is a popular technique for characterizing reaction behavior. Determination of kinetic coefficients from suchTGAdata has given rise to a large range of reported activation energies for similar samples. In general, rate coefficients are determined using either a linearized integral method or a derivative method. A new method incorporating several well-known techniques is presented that avoids the problems with the linearized techniques as they are generally used. This paper compares results from the new method with results using either the integral or derivative method. Mathematically generated data were used with known kinetic parameters …

Tournament Incentives, League Policy, And Nba Team Performance Revisited, Joseph Price, Brian P. Soebbing, David Berri, Brad R. Humphreys

Faculty Publications

Taylor and Trogdon found evidence of shirking under some, but not all, draft lottery systems used in three different National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons. The authors use data from all NBA games played from 1977 to 2007 and a fixed effects model to control for unobservable team and season heterogeneity to extend this research. The authors find that NBA teams were more likely to intentionally lose games at the end of the regular season during the seasons where the incentives to finish last were the largest.

Regulatory Reform And Convergence In Banking: The Case Of China, James C. Brau, Drew Dahl, Hongjing Zhang, Mingming Zhou

Faculty Publications

We examine the effect of regulatory reform on the asset allocation and capitalization of Chinese banks, 2002 to 2007, a period following China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). Our empirical evidence rejects the hypothesis that banks in the Big Four, majority state, majority private, and majority foreign categories have common targeted levels of loans and capital in relation to assets. With respect to rates of adjustment towards those targets, our evidence is mixed. Domestic banks exhibit convergence in behavior toward each other but remain distinct from majority foreign banks. Overall, our findings provide evidence that, while the structure …

Addressing And Improving Technology Integration Skills For Preservice Teachers Using The Teacher Work Sample, Charles R. Graham, Tonya Tripp, Nancy Wentworth

Faculty Publications

This study explores the efforts at Brigham Young University to improve preservice candidates’ technology integration using the Teacher Work Sample (TWS) as an assessment tool. Baseline data that was analyzed from 95 TWSs indicated that students were predominantly using technology for productivity and information presentation purposes even though they had been taught to use technology for active student learning. Researchers discovered that decisions made about technology integration were heavily influenced by field instructors and TWS rubrics. An intervention plan was developed to train field instructors and 99 TWSs were analyzed the following year. The TWSs showed noticeable improvements including increases …

Decomposition Of Fraud-Risk Assessments And Auditors’ Sensitivity To Fraud Cues*, T. Jeffrey Wilks, Mark F. Zimbelman

Faculty Publications

Practitioners and regulators are concerned that when auditors perceive management’s attitude or character as indicative of low fraud risk, they are not sufficiently sensitive to high levels of incentive or opportunity risks in their overall fraud-risk assessments. In this study, we examine whether a fraud-triangle decomposition of fraud-risk assessments (that is, separately assessing attitude, opportunity, and incentive risks prior to assessing overall fraud risk) increases auditors’ sensitivity to opportunity and incentive cues when perceptions of management’s attitude suggest low fraud risk. In an experiment with 52 practicing audit managers, we find that auditors who decompose fraud-risk assessments are more sensitive …

Directable Weathering Of Concave Rock Using Curvature Estimation, Matthew Beardall, Joseph Butler, Mckay Farley, Michael D. Jones

Faculty Publications

We address the problem of directable weathering of exposed concave rock for use in computer-generated animation or games. Previous weathering models that admit concave surfaces are computationally inefficient and difficult to control. In nature, the spheroidal and cavernous weathering rates depend on the surface curvature. Spheroidal weathering is fastest in areas with large positive mean curvature and cavernous weathering is fastest in areas with large negative mean curvature. We simulate both processes using an approximation of mean curvature on a voxel grid. Both weathering rates are also influenced by rock durability. The user controls rock durability by editing a durability …

Differences In The Mechanism Of Collagen Lattice Contraction By Myofibroblasts And Smooth Muscle Cells, J. C. Dallon, H P. Ehrlich

Faculty Publications

Both rat derived vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) and human myofibroblasts contain $\alpha$ smooth muscle actin (SMA), but they utilize different mechanisms to contract populated collagen lattices (PCLs). The difference is in how the cells generate the force that contracts the lattices. Human dermal fibroblasts transform into myofibroblasts, expressing $\alpha$-SMA within stress fibers, when cultured in lattices that remain attached to the surface of a tissue culture dish. When attached lattices are populated with rat derived vascular SMC, the cells retain their vascular SMC phenotype. Comparing the contraction of attached PCLs when they are released from the culture dish on …

Multiscale Modeling Of Cellular Systems In Biology, J. C. Dallon

Faculty Publications

Here we review eight different multiscale modeling efforts dealing with cellular systems in biology. The first two models focus on collagen based tissue, one dealing with the biomechanical properties of the tissue and the other focusing on how the dermis is remodeled in scar tissue formation. The next two models deal with first avascular tumor growth and then the role of the vasculature in tumor growth. We then consider two models which use the Immersed Boundary method to model tissue properties and cell-cell adhesion. Finally we conclude with two models with treatments of the Cellular Potts Model. The first models …

How Being A Teaching Artist Can Influence K-12 Art Education, Mark Graham, Susan Goetz Zwirn

Faculty Publications

Many K-12 art teachers have rich artistic backgrounds and continue to be active as artists in spite of the challenges of time, energy, and stereotypes that insist a real artist would not teach. This article describes a research project that examined the educational dynamic engendered by teachers who are also artists. We interviewed and observed teachers to explore how teachers’ personal artistry and artistic activities beyond school contributed to their teaching in school. It was clear that some teaching artists changed the educational dynamic of the classroom in ways that invigorated both the content and practice of teaching and learning. …

Experimental Measurements During Combustion Of Moist Individual Foliage Samples, Brent M. Pickett, Carl Isackson, Rebecca Wunder, Thomas H. Fletcher, Bret Buitler, David R. Weise

Faculty Publications

Individual samples of high moisture fuels from the western and southern United States and humidified aspen excelsior were burned over a flat-flame burner at 987◦ ±12 C and 10±0.5 mol% O2. Time-dependent mass and temperature profiles of these samples were obtained and analysed. It was observed that significant amounts of moisture remained in the individual samples after ignition occurred. Temperature histories showed a plateau at 200◦–300 C at the leaf perimeter rather than at 100 C, with a plateau of 140 C for the leaf interior. Implications are that classical combustion models should be altered to reflect the behaviour of …

Evaluating E-Learning, D D Williams, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

Technological innovations have spurred exponential use of electronic resources for learners of all ages over the last decade. These global developments also require continual advancement of electronic e-learning evaluation. Evaluation is the process of clarifying what should be and comparing that to what is, to facilitate evaluative decisions about success and ways to achieve it. This article outlines a process for doing evaluations of e-learning and identifies common critical-evaluation elements. An extended case vignette of an e-learning evaluation and references to others and related literature illustrate the use of these critical elements and associated emerging results.

History Of Latter-Day Saint Education In Nauvoo 1839-1845, Marnie Hopkins

Student Works

Understanding the history of education within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is essential in order to comprehend the full history of the Church, its people and culture. As the records of the Church have continued to be explored, members and non- members alike have been enriched by the lives of the early saints. Historians have made wonderful progress to provide the common reader with access to the records and history of the Church. However, there is still a substantial amount of research to be performed. One major gap in the research can be found during the Nauvoo …

On Corrupting The Youth, John Gee

Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011

Review of Chrsitian Smith. Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults. and Review of Mark D. Regenerus. Forbidden Fruit: Sex and Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers.

Evaluating Models Of Latent Document Semantics In The Presence Of Ocr Errors, Daniel D. Walker, William B. Lund, Eric K. Ringger

Faculty Publications

Models of latent document semantics such as the mixture of multinomials model and Latent Dirichlet Allocation have received substantial attention for their ability to discover topical semantics in large collections of text. In an effort to apply such models to noisy optical character recognition (OCR) text output, we endeavor to understand the effect that character-level noise can have on unsupervised topic modeling. We show the effects both with document-level topic analysis (document clustering) and with word-level topic analysis (LDA) on both synthetic and real-world OCR data. As expected, experimental results show that performance declines as word error rates increase. Common …

A Sub-Grid, Mixture–Fraction-Based Thermodynamic Equilibrium Model For Gas Phase Combustion In Firetec: Development And Results, Michael M. Clark, Thomas H. Fletcher, Rodman R. Linn

Faculty Publications

The chemical processes of gas phase combustion in wildland fires are complex and occur at length-scales that are not resolved in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of landscape-scale wildland fire. A new approach for modelling fire chemistry in HIGRAD/FIRETEC (a landscape-scale CFD wildfire model) applies a mixture–fraction model relying on thermodynamic chemical equilibrium to predict combustion flame temperatures and product species compositions. The mixture–fraction approach is common in combustor modelling applications. However, since individual flame sheets are not resolved in HIGRAD/FIRETEC, application of the mixture–fraction approach requires the development of a sub-grid model, which is based on the two assumptions …

Egyptian Papyri And The Book Of Abraham: Some Questions And Answers, Kerry M. Muhlestein

Faculty Publications

In 1835 Joseph Smith began translating some ancient Egyptian papyri that he had obtained from an exhibitor passing through Kirtland, Ohio. He soon announced, “Much to our joy [we] found that one of the rolls contained the writings of Abraham.” While we do not know how much the Prophet translated, we do know that some of his translation was published in serial form and eventually canonized as the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. For nearly one hundred years, it was thought that all these papyri had eventually made their way to the Wood Museum in Chicago, …

Automatic Generation Of Music For Inducing Emotive Response, Tony R. Martinez, Kristine Monteith, Dan A. Ventura

Faculty Publications

We present a system that generates original music designed to match a target emotion. It creates n-gram models, Hidden Markov Models, and other statistical distributions based on musical selections from a corpus representing a given emotion and uses these models to probabilistically generate new musical selections with similar emotional content. This system produces unique and often remarkably musical selections that tend to match a target emotion, performing this task at a level that approaches human competency for the same task.

Multiple Intelligences In The Gospel Classroom, John Hilton Iii

Faculty Publications

In a worldwide training broadcast, Elder W. Rolfe Kerr taught, “We cannot expect our students to learn all that we hope they will learn by just hearing a concept or principle one time. Multiple presentations, utilizing various approaches, often appealing to multiple senses, increase the likelihood of our students actually learning and internalizing the concepts we teach.”

Russian Heritage Language Speakers In The U.S.: A Profile, Olga Kagan

Russian Language Journal

Brecht and Ingold (2002) advocate systematic efforts to develop heritage language (HL) pedagogy to remedy U.S. language deficits: “…because of [heritage language learners’(HLLs’)] existing language and cultural knowledge, they may require substantially less instructional time than other learners to develop these skills. This is especially true for speakers of the less commonly taught languages” (p. 1).

Accounting Program Research Rankings By Topical Area And Methodology, Joshua G. Coyne, Scott L. Summers, Brady Williams, David A. Wood

Faculty Publications

This paper makes two novel contributions to ranking accounting research programs constructed from publication counts in top journals (AOS, Auditing, BRIA, CAR, JAE, JAR, JATA, JIS, JMAR, RAST, and TAR). In contrast to previous studies, we recognize the mobility of intellectual assets tied to the human capital of accounting researchers and therefore base our rankings on the researchers' current affiliations, rather than their affiliations at the time of publication. Also, we categorize each article written by topical area (auditing, financial, managerial, accounting information systems, tax, and other) and by methodology (analytical, archival, experimental, and other) and provide separate accounting program …

Equalization Of Loudspeakers And Enclosed Sound Fields, Xi Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Equalization of loudspeakers and enclosed sound fields has been a topic of considerable interest for decades. Confusion has often arisen among audio professionals regarding the feasibility of simultaneously equalizing a loudspeaker and the enclosed field (i.e., the “room”) it excites. Because of frustrations encountered in such efforts, some have advocated abandoning simultaneous equalization altogether. This dissertation discusses the drawbacks of this approach as well as traditional in situ equalization methods. It demonstrates that many problems with traditional equalization stem from the use of measured acoustic pressure at a discrete point in a sound field as the system output. The dissertation …

Efficient Rotation Algorithms For Texture Evolution, Mark W. Esty

Theses and Dissertations

Texture evolution is a vital component of many computational tools that link structure, properties and processes of polycrystalline materials. By definition, this evolution process involves the manipulation, via rotation, of points in orientation space. The computational requirements of the current methods being used to rotate crystalline orientations are a significant limiting factor in the drive to merge the texture information of materials into the engineering design process. The goal of this research is to find and implement a practical rotation algorithm that can significantly decrease the computation time required to rotate macroscopic and microscopic crystallographic textures. Three possible algorithms are …

Survey Indicators For Pygmy Rabbits: Temporal Trends Of Burrow Systems And Pellets, Dana M. Sanchez, Janet L. Rachlow, Andrew P. Robinson, Timothy R. Johnson

Western North American Naturalist

Obtaining estimates of absolute abundance for rare or cryptic species can be challenging. In these cases, methods using indirect indicators such as sign might offer useful indices of population size. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are small, burrowing lagomorphs for which methods for population assessment and monitoring are needed. Current tools for estimating relative abundance rely on detecting and assessing fecal pellets and burrow systems. We evaluated temporal changes in each of these indicators to gauge their potential usefulness as indicators of relative and absolute abundance of pygmy rabbits. Pellet persistence was strongly influenced by environmental exposure, and based …

A Closer Look At One Elementary School's Use Of Informational Text In Classroom Instruction, Marjean Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to explore the use of informational text in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms in one elementary school. The research was based on analyzing responses given by teachers on a self-report survey; which addressed various aspects of their use of informational texts. The survey included questions about the sources teachers used to find informational texts, the criteria used in selection of such texts, and the frequency and purposes for informational text use. These data were then compared according to teachers' years of teaching experience and grade level taught to see the influence of …

Front Matter, Vol. 69 No. 4

Western North American Naturalist

No abstract provided.