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Uncertainty Management, Spatial And Temporal Reasoning, And Validation Of Intelligent Environmental Decision Support Systems, Miquel Sànchez-Marrè, Karina Gibert, Rick Sojda, Jean-Philippe Steyer, Peter Struss, Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda Jul 2006

Uncertainty Management, Spatial And Temporal Reasoning, And Validation Of Intelligent Environmental Decision Support Systems, Miquel Sànchez-Marrè, Karina Gibert, Rick Sojda, Jean-Philippe Steyer, Peter Struss, Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

There are inherent open problems arising when developing and running Intelligent Environmental Decision Support Systems (IEDSS). During daily operation of IEDSS several open challenge problems appear. The uncertainty of data being processed is intrinsic to the environmental system, which is being monitored by several on-line sensors and off-line data. Thus, anomalous data values at data gathering level or even uncertain reasoning process at later levels such as in diagnosis or decision support or planning can lead the environmental process to unsafe critical operation states. At diagnosis level or even at decision support level or planning level, spatial reasoning or temporal …

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Moira-Plus: A Decision Support System For The Management Of Complex Fresh Water Ecosystems Contaminated By Radionuclides And Heavy Metals, Luigi Monte, Lars Håkanson, D. Hofman, John Brittain, Eduardo Gallego, Antonio Jimenez, Giacomo Angeli Jul 2006

Moira-Plus: A Decision Support System For The Management Of Complex Fresh Water Ecosystems Contaminated By Radionuclides And Heavy Metals, Luigi Monte, Lars Håkanson, D. Hofman, John Brittain, Eduardo Gallego, Antonio Jimenez, Giacomo Angeli

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

The accidental release of radioactive substances into the environment leads to the necessity of applying suitable countermeasures for the restoration of the polluted environment. However, despite their obvious benefits, such interventions may result in detrimental effects of economic, ecological and social nature that must be carefully evaluated. MOIRA–PLUS is a PC-based user-friendly, Computerised Decision Support System (CDSS) that helps decision makers to choose optimal countermeasure strategies for different kinds of aquatic ecosystems and contamination scenarios. CDSS MOIRA-PLUS is based on: a) Validated models to evaluate the behaviour of radionuclides in contaminated water bodies and biota and to assess the effect …

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Decentralized Cooperative Aerial Surveillance Using Fixed-Wing Miniature Uavs, Randal Beard, Derek Kingston, Timothy W. Mclain, Derek Nelson Jul 2006

Decentralized Cooperative Aerial Surveillance Using Fixed-Wing Miniature Uavs, Randal Beard, Derek Kingston, Timothy W. Mclain, Derek Nelson

Faculty Publications

Numerous applications require aerial surveillance. Civilian applications include monitoring forest fires, oil fields and pipelines, and tracking wildlife. Applications to homeland security include border patrol and monitoring the perimeter of nuclear power plants. Military applications are numerous. The current approach to these applications is to use a single manned vehicle for surveillance. However, manned vehicles are typically large and expensive. In addition, hazardous environments and operator fatigue can potentially threaten the life of the pilot. Therefore, there is a critical need for automating aerial surveillance using unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). This paper gives an overview of a cooperative control strategy …

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Validating The Rating Process Of An English As A Second Language Writing Portfolio Exam, Robb Mark Mccollum Jun 2006

Validating The Rating Process Of An English As A Second Language Writing Portfolio Exam, Robb Mark Mccollum

Theses and Dissertations

A validity study can be used to investigate the effectiveness of an exam and reveal both its strengths and weaknesses. This study concerns an investigation of the writing portfolio Level Achievement Test (LAT) at the English Language Center (ELC) of Brigham Young University (BYU). The writing portfolios of 251 students at five proficiency levels were rated by 11 raters. Writing portfolios consisted of two coursework essays, a self-reflection assignment, and a 30-minute timed essay. Quantitative methods included an analysis with Many-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) software, called FACETS, which looked for anomalies in levels, classes, examinees, raters, writing criteria, and the …

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Geologic Map And Structural Analysis Of The Twin Rocks 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, Wayne County, Utah, Samuel C. Sorber Jun 2006

Geologic Map And Structural Analysis Of The Twin Rocks 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, Wayne County, Utah, Samuel C. Sorber

Theses and Dissertations

A new geologic map of the Twin Rocks 7.5 minute quadrangle primarily located within Capitol Reef National Park, south-central Utah, provides stratigraphic and structural detail not previously available. This map has also been instrumental in understanding the evolution and development of fluvial terraces associated with Sulfur Creek and the structural geology of the backlimb of the Miners Mountain uplift. Nine bedrock stratigraphic formations and eight types of Quaternary deposits were mapped throughout the quadrangle. Bedrock stratigraphy ranges in age from Permian to Jurassic. New details absent on previous geologic maps include members of the Chinle and Moenkopi Formations and the …

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Ontology-Based Free-Form Query Processing For The Semantic Web, Mark S. Vickers Jun 2006

Ontology-Based Free-Form Query Processing For The Semantic Web, Mark S. Vickers

Theses and Dissertations

With the onset of the semantic web, the problem of making semantic content effectively searchable for the general public emerges. Demanding an understanding of ontologies or familiarity with a new query language would likely frustrate semantic web users and prevent widespread success. Given this need, this thesis describes AskOntos, which is a system that uses extraction ontologies to convert conjunctive, free-form queries into structured queries for semantically annotated web pages. AskOntos then executes these structured queries and provides answers as tables of extracted values. In experiments conducted AskOntos was able to translate queries with a precision of 88% and a …

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To Know The One True God: Reconciling The God Of The Old Testament With The God Of The New Testament, Kelly D. Newman Jun 2006

To Know The One True God: Reconciling The God Of The Old Testament With The God Of The New Testament, Kelly D. Newman

Theses and Dissertations

There is a popular misconception in the world that Jehovah is too severe on occasion while Jesus Christ is always kind and merciful. The Latter-day Saint belief that Jehovah and Jesus are the same person presents a supposed conflict. There has not been much written on this subject by either non-Latter-day Saints or Latter-day Saints, thus, this thesis represents a unique contribution to a common perception prevalent in many Christian circles. The research of this thesis shows that the misconception is based on three problems: first, a misinterpretation of biblical stories in both the Old and New Testament; second, a …

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Effect Of Stay-In-Place Metal Forms On Performance Of Concrete Bridge Decks, Stephen Litster Frost Jun 2006

Effect Of Stay-In-Place Metal Forms On Performance Of Concrete Bridge Decks, Stephen Litster Frost

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this research were to investigate the effect of stay-in-place metal forms (SIPMFs) on the performance of concrete bridge decks in Utah. The research program included six bridge decks with SIPMFs and six decks without SIPMFs, which were all located within the Interstate 215 corridor in the vicinity of Salt Lake City, Utah, and therefore subject to similar traffic loading, climatic conditions, and maintenance treatments, including applications of deicing salts during winter months. All of the tested decks were constructed between 1984 and 1989 using epoxy-coated rebar. Several tests were performed at each of six locations on each …

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Integrated Marketing Communications: Branding Plan For Medicare Y Mucho Mas, Javier Camano Jun 2006

Integrated Marketing Communications: Branding Plan For Medicare Y Mucho Mas, Javier Camano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to explain the appropriate and effective use of branding as a vital part of the communication process of an organization. In addition, this project will help identify issues to improve enthusiasm for the use of the brand, help managers become aware of brand loyalty, and show how to measure the effectiveness of the brand.

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Educators' Perceptions Of Collaborative Planning Processes For Students With Disabilities, Nari Carter Jun 2006

Educators' Perceptions Of Collaborative Planning Processes For Students With Disabilities, Nari Carter

Theses and Dissertations

When students with disabilities are included in general education classes, collaboration between special and general education teachers is necessary to ensure that the students have access to the general education curriculum and also have supports that enable them to benefit from their education. This paper reports the results of a phenomenological study that investigated the nature of a collaborative planning experience for pairs of special and general education teachers. From the teachers' descriptions of their experience, sharing common philosophies about educating students with disabilities was an important aspect of successful collaborative planning. Collaboration in this experience was voluntary and was …

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Payback Information: It's Effect On Home Buyers Regarding Energy Efficiency, Steven E. Sparti Jun 2006

Payback Information: It's Effect On Home Buyers Regarding Energy Efficiency, Steven E. Sparti

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to find out how payback analysis would affect consumer decision making with regards to home energy efficient upgrade packages. Three different home plans were obtained from a local builder and seven different energy efficient packages were created. Using Hot2000 the heating and cooling loads were calculated for each building, with each energy efficient package, in each of the four major cardinal directions. The averages were taken and the payback information was calculated. The payback information included the increased cost of the package, the increase in the mortgage payment, the annual savings from heating and cooling bills, …

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Controversial Politics, Conservative Genre: Rex Stout's Archie-Wolfe Duo And Detective Fiction's Conventional Form, Ammie Cannon Jun 2006

Controversial Politics, Conservative Genre: Rex Stout's Archie-Wolfe Duo And Detective Fiction's Conventional Form, Ammie Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

Rex Stout maintained his popular readership despite the often controversial and radical political content expressed in his detective fiction. His political ideals often made him many enemies. Stances such as his ardent opposition to censorship, racism, Nazism, Germany, Fascism, Communism, McCarthyism, and the unfettered FBI were potentially offensive to colleagues and readers from various political backgrounds. Yet Stout attempted to present radical messages via the content of his detective fiction with subtlety. As a literary traditionalist, he resisted using his fiction as a platform for an often extreme political agenda. Where political messages are apparent in his work, Stout employs …

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Black Liquor Droplet Combustion And Modeling, Warren Benjamin Roberts Jun 2006

Black Liquor Droplet Combustion And Modeling, Warren Benjamin Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

Black liquor is an intermediate product of pulp production. Recovery boilers process black liquor to recover the inorganic material for recycling in the mill and to generate electricity and steam for the paper mill. Black liquor droplet combustion rates and mechanisms dictate many aspects of recovery boiler performance. This investigation documents new experimental data on single droplet pyrolysis and combustion in a laboratory furnace that mimics many of the essential features of commercial boilers (temperature, composition, droplet size, etc.). These experiments monitored single droplets placed on a thermocouple wire and suspended from a mass balance. Simultaneous video images and pyrometry …

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Active Learning In A Large Enrollment Introductory Biology Class: Problem Solving, Formative Feedback, And Teaching As Learning, Diane Flint Robison Jun 2006

Active Learning In A Large Enrollment Introductory Biology Class: Problem Solving, Formative Feedback, And Teaching As Learning, Diane Flint Robison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to take a case study approach to exploring student learning experiences in a large enrollment introductory biology class. Traditionally such classes are taught through the lecture method with limited instructor-student interaction and minimal student-centered learning (Lewis & Woodward, 1984; Wulff, Nyquist, & Abbott, 1987). Biology 120 taught at Brigham Young University winter semester 2006 by John Bell was chosen as the case for the study due to its large enrollment (263) and its innovative pedagogy. In the classroom, students applied their learning through a variety of student-centered activities including solving problems, discussing concepts with …

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Poisoning And Sulfation On Vanadia Scr Catalyst, Xiaoyu Guo Jun 2006

Poisoning And Sulfation On Vanadia Scr Catalyst, Xiaoyu Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Deactivation of titania-supported vanadia commercial SCR catalysts exposed to flue gases from both coal and coal-biomass co-firing boilers were investigated. BET surface area and average pore diameter measurements on both fresh and exposed commercial catalyst samples indicated pore plugging occurred to exposed catalyst samples. ESEM analyses showed fouling on catalyst surface, and poison deposition on both catalyst surface and inner pores. Activity assessments of commercial monolith catalysts with various exposures (time and fuel type) indicated that catalyst deactivation involves fouling, pore plugging, and poisoning. Different mechanisms may dominate depending on exposure time, catalyst properties, and combustion environment. Better controlled lab-scale …

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The Use Of Viewing Time Of Non-Erotic Visual Stimuli To Differentiate Between Frequent Pornography Users And Infrequent Users, Brian James Sneed Jun 2006

The Use Of Viewing Time Of Non-Erotic Visual Stimuli To Differentiate Between Frequent Pornography Users And Infrequent Users, Brian James Sneed

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a measure of viewing time that uses non-erotic visual stimuli can differentiate between frequent users and infrequent users of pornography. Thirty-six male participants were classified as infrequent pornography users and 37 as frequent users. Participants completed a questionnaire and were asked to rate a variety of images, both male and female of varying ages, on their sexual attractiveness. Individuals were timed as to how long they looked at each image. The groups were then compared based upon their viewing time of several categories. No statistically significant differences were detected. The temporal …

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Medical Model Influence In Counseling And Psychotherapy: Counseling Psychology Training Directors' Views, Dallas R. Jensen Jun 2006

Medical Model Influence In Counseling And Psychotherapy: Counseling Psychology Training Directors' Views, Dallas R. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of counseling and psychotherapy is influenced by a number of ideologies, models, and paradigms. Among these, the medical model's influence is particularly salient. The ideology of the medical field pervades the theory, research, and practice of psychology and its influence deserves close examination. The few studies in this area that have been conducted are descriptive and basic in nature. The present study aimed to contribute richness and depth to conversations about medical model influence. By interviewing Counseling Psychology training directors and applying a qualitative analysis, this study provided the following themes that characterize views of the medical model's …

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The Tibetan And Mongolian Collections In The Asian Division, Library Of Congress, Susan Meinheit Jun 2006

The Tibetan And Mongolian Collections In The Asian Division, Library Of Congress, Susan Meinheit

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

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Ceal Activities, Joy Kim, Sarah Elman, Su Chen, Chengzhi Wang Jun 2006

Ceal Activities, Joy Kim, Sarah Elman, Su Chen, Chengzhi Wang

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

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"Midway Between The Occident And The Orient" The Glenn W. Shaw Collection At The Asia Collection, University Of Hawaii, Manoa, Caitlin Nelson Jun 2006

"Midway Between The Occident And The Orient" The Glenn W. Shaw Collection At The Asia Collection, University Of Hawaii, Manoa, Caitlin Nelson

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

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Foreword, Heinz B. Bachmann Jun 2006

Foreword, Heinz B. Bachmann

Swiss American Historical Society Review

In the year of the Swiss Roots Program it seems very appropriate indeed to devote an entire issue of the SAHS Review to the family of Dipl. Ing. ETH , Othmar Ammann, one of the most prominent Swiss immigrants of the 20th century. The following article is a homage by a loving daughter to her world famous father and his ancestors going back some 460 years.

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Full Issue Jun 2006

Full Issue

Swiss American Historical Society Review

No abstract provided.

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Smart Subsidies, Jonathan J. Morduch Jun 2006

Smart Subsidies, Jonathan J. Morduch

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

This essay is a reprint of Morduch's article “Smart Subsidy for Sustainable Microfinance,” published in the December 2005 issue (Vol. 6 No. 4) of Finance for the Poor, the quarterly microfinance newsletter of the Asian Development Bank.
Smart subsidy might seem like a contradiction in terms to many microfinance experts. Worries about the dangers of excessive subsidization have driven microfinance conversations since the movement first gained steam in the 1980s. From then on, the goal of serving the poor has been twined with the goal of long-term financial self-sufficiency on the part of microbanks, aiming for profitability became part …

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Honorable Ancestors, Margot Ammann Durrer Jun 2006

Honorable Ancestors, Margot Ammann Durrer

Swiss American Historical Society Review

The story of the Ammann family of Schaffhausen sketches a cross section of the history of that town from the middle of the 15th century into the end of the 20th. Likewise, the events of history as they played out in Schaffhausen during those times very much shaped the history of the Ammann family.

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Vol. 08 No. 1 Esr Review, Esr Review Jun 2006

Vol. 08 No. 1 Esr Review, Esr Review

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.

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Fair Enough: Ethics And Entrepreneurship, Robert G. Crawford May 2006

Fair Enough: Ethics And Entrepreneurship, Robert G. Crawford

Faculty Publications

The "new" is presumptively something that ought to be but isn't. On what grounds should that something be permitted? In business, why are some things legal for sale - deemed moral - while other similar things are deemed illegal - or immoral? Is the ground of this approval process rational? Or is the ground for making such decisions just competing moral perspectives?

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Relation Of Fish Communities To Environmental Conditions In Urban Streams Of The Wasatch Front, Utah, Elise M. Giddings, Larry R. Brown, Terry M. Short, Michael R. Meador May 2006

Relation Of Fish Communities To Environmental Conditions In Urban Streams Of The Wasatch Front, Utah, Elise M. Giddings, Larry R. Brown, Terry M. Short, Michael R. Meador

Western North American Naturalist

Twenty-eight sites along the Wasatch Front, north central Utah, representing the range of urban land use intensity for wadeable streams of the area, were sampled in September 2000. Fish communities were assessed by single-pass electrofishing, and physical habitat and water-quality characteristics were measured. On average, nonnative species comprised 54% of species richness and 53% of relative abundance, although only Salmo trutta and Pimephales promelas were very abundant at any 1 site. Salmo trutta and Catostomus platyrhynchus, a native species, were the most widely distributed and abundant species captured. Analysis of fish communities using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed a …

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Successful Nesting By A Bald Eagle Pair In Prairie Grasslands Of The Texas Panhandle, Clint W. Boal, Matthew D. Giovanni, Blake N. Beall May 2006

Successful Nesting By A Bald Eagle Pair In Prairie Grasslands Of The Texas Panhandle, Clint W. Boal, Matthew D. Giovanni, Blake N. Beall

Western North American Naturalist

We observed a breeding Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) pair nesting in a short-grass prairie and agricultural community on the southern Great Plains of the Texas Panhandle in 2004 and 2005. The nesting eagles produced 1 fledgling in 2004 and 2 fledglings in 2005. Our assessment of landcover types within a 5-km radius of the nest indicated that grasslands accounted for most of the area (90%), followed by agricultural lands (8%). Black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies occupied 2.5% of the area, and single human residences with associated structures (i.e., barns) occupied <1%. The nearest source of permanent surface water >2.5 ha in surface area …

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Characteristics Of Swift Fox Dens In Northwest Texas, Brady K. Mcgee, Kerry L. Nicholson, Warren B. Ballard, Matthew J. Butler May 2006

Characteristics Of Swift Fox Dens In Northwest Texas, Brady K. Mcgee, Kerry L. Nicholson, Warren B. Ballard, Matthew J. Butler

Western North American Naturalist

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) was classified in 1995 as a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Since then, several studies have addressed survey methods for monitoring swift fox populations. The purpose of this paper is to assist field researchers in documenting the presence of swift foxes by identification of recently active den sites. We propose that swift foxes have unique external den characteristics that can be distinguished during aerial surveys. We collected data from 30 swift fox den complexes on both continuous rangeland and landscapes fragmented by cropland in northwest Texas. There were no differences …

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Age And Population Structure Of Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia) In The Northwestern Mojave Desert, Kimberly D. Gilliland, Nancy J. Huntly, J. E. Anderson May 2006

Age And Population Structure Of Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia) In The Northwestern Mojave Desert, Kimberly D. Gilliland, Nancy J. Huntly, J. E. Anderson

Western North American Naturalist

Many desert perennials are long-lived, but there are few data on ages or population structures of desert plants. We used 2 methods to estimate ages of a population of Yucca brevifolia (Joshua tree) in southwestern Utah from a 14-year census of plant sizes. Plant height at the 1st census ranged from 0.08 m to 6.0 m, and trees grew in height at a mean rate of 3.75 cm · yr−1. Plants also increased slowly in basal diameter (0.142 cm · yr−1) and branch length (0.024 m · yr−1), but basal diameter varied greatly from …

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