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Old Dominion University Climate Change And Sea Level Rise Initiative, Winter 2013, Larry P. Atkinson (Editor)

CCSLRI Newsletters

Winter 2013 Newsletter of the Old Dominion University Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative

Virtual World Problem-Centered Challenge Evaluation, Jennifer A. Maddrell, Ginger S. Watson, Gary R. Morrison

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This paper describes the two-year implementation evaluation of a problem-based engineering design challenge held in a virtual world. The team-based challenge was designed and facilitated by an aerospace research and education institute for middle and high school student competitors in both classrooms and afterschool programs across the U.S. An independent evaluation team examined participant experiences to consider the strengths of the challenge, as well as recommendations to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of future challenges. Overall, the evaluation team found that the problem-centered design challenge offered the student competitors a unique and valuable opportunity to engage in real-life science and …

A Brief Motivational Intervention For Heavy Alcohol Use In Dental Practice Settings: Rationale And Development, James A. Neff, Scott T. Walters, Abby L. Braitman, Michelle L. Kelley, Michele L. Darby, Margaret F. Lemaster

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although brief alcohol interventions have proven effective in a variety of health care settings, the present article describes the development of the first brief intervention for heavy drinkers in dental practice. Elements of motivational interviewing and personalized normative feedback were incorporated in a 3- to 5-minute intervention delivered by dental hygienists. The intervention is guided by a one-page feedback report providing personalized normative feedback regarding the patient's current oral health practices, their drinking in comparison to others, and oral cancer risk associated with current smoking and drinking. Future publications will present data regarding intervention effectiveness from an ongoing randomized trial.

Integration Of Multispectral Face Recognition And Multi-Ptz Camera Automated Surveillance For Security Applications, Chung-Hao Chen, Yi Yao, Hong Chang, Andreas Koschan, Mongi Abidi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Due to increasing security concerns, a complete security system should consist of two major components, a computer-based face-recognition system and a real-time automated video surveillance system. A computer-based face-recognition system can be used in gate access control for identity authentication. In recent studies, multispectral imaging and fusion of multispectral narrow-band images in the visible spectrum have been employed and proven to enhance the recognition performance over conventional broad-band images, especially when the illumination changes. Thus, we present an automated method that specifies the optimal spectral ranges under the given illumination. Experimental results verify the consistent performance of our algorithm via …

Tpm: Cloud-Based Tele Ptsd Monitor Using Multi-Dimensional Information, Roger Xu, Gang Mei, Guangfan Zhang, Pan Gao, Aaron Pepe, Jiang Li, James D. Westwood (Ed.), Susan W. Westwood (Ed.), Li Felländer-Tsai (Ed.), Randy S. Haluck (Ed.), Richard A. Robb (Ed.), Steven Senger (Ed.), Kirby G. Vosburgh (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An automated system that can remotely and non-intrusively screen individuals at high risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and monitor their progress during treatment would be desired by many Veterans Affairs (VAs) as well as other PTSD treatment and research organizations. In this paper, we present an automated, cloud-based Tele-PTSD Monitor (TPM) system based on the fusion of multiple sources of information. The TPM system can be hosted in a cloud environment and accessed through landline or cell phones, or on the Internet through a web portal or mobile application (app).

Impact Of Data Resolution On Peak Hour Factor Estimation For Transportation Decisions, Jan-Mou Li, Lee D. Han, Chung-Hao Chen

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Inductance loop detection systems serve as a primary data source to contemporary traffic information systems. Measures like 20-second or 30-second average velocity, flow, and lane occupancy can be aggregated from individual loop detector actuation sampled at 60 Hz typically. Practically, these measures would sometimes be further aggregated into a much lower, e.g. 15-minute, resolution and then the raw data were lost. Valuable traffic information like flow variation may be distorted when the lower resolution aggregation is practiced. A biased conclusion could be drawn from a data integration system consisted of this kind of distortions. Three approaches estimating a peak hour …

Experiences And Perceptions Of Mental Health Professionals Considered Effective In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Bonita H. Erb

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that has been documented in medical and mental health literature for over 100 years (Still, 1902). ADHD is a neurobiological based disorder characterized by three major symptoms identified at clinical levels and validated by diagnostic criteria established for the diagnosis of children before the age of seven (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4 th edition-Text Revision; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The three diagnostic criteria are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that have been observed at clinical levels.

Because many signs of the disorder were believed to discontinue …

Chemical Defense Of An Asian Snake Reflects Local Availability Of Toxic Prey And Hatchling Diet, D. A. Hutchinson, A. H. Savitzky, G. M. Burghardt, C. Nguyen, J. Meinwald, F. C. Schroeder, A. Mori

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Species that sequester toxins from prey for their own defense against predators may exhibit population-level variation in their chemical arsenal that reflects the availability of chemically defended prey in their habitat. Rhabdophis tigrinus is an Asian snake that possesses defensive glands in the skin of its neck (nuchal glands'), which typically contain toxic bufadienolide steroids that the snakes sequester from consumed toads. In this study, we compared the chemistry of the nuchal gland fluid of R.tigrinus from toad-rich and toad-free islands in Japan and determined the effect of diet on the nuchal gland constituents. Our findings demonstrate that captive-hatched juveniles …

Career Planning And Counseling Strategies For Students With Mild Learning Disabilities, Jeraldine Williams

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine individual planning and counseling strategies used by local high school counselors to guide students with mild learning disabilities into functional career paths.

Correlation Between Marketing Education Student's Gpas And Passing Score On The National Retail Foundation Professional Certification, Amanda Green

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if marketing education students in Virginia, with above average GPAs, are scoring higher on the National Retail Foundation customer service certification and professional sales certification tests than those with average GPAs.

College Freshmen Living Arrangement As A Predictor Of Retention And Persistence To Graduation, Mildred V. Jones

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if full-time freshmen who live on-campus during their first year of study have higher retention rates and stronger persistence to graduation than those who live off-campus during the first year.

Effects Of Signal Ambiguity And Signal Location On Target Detection Under Varying Degrees Of Time Constraint, Kimberly E. Culley

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of decision-making strategies and tendencies, time constraint, and signal characteristics on decision-making performance utilizing the fuzzy signal detection theory framework. Participants were tasked with deciding whether x-ray images of passenger luggage contained hazardous objects.

The first objective of the study was to develop a methodology for quantifying optimizing versus satisficing tendencies in decision making through direct measurement and observation.

The second objective of the study was to examine how time constraint and specific signal characteristics contribute to decision making. Interestingly, despite having more time available to conduct a comprehensive …

Late Registration And Student Success In On-Campus And Online Classes, Patrick Tompkins

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The study examined the effect of late registration into on-campus and online classes upon student performance when accounting for completion of a college success skills course and the demographic factors of sex, race/ethnicity, age, and full-time/part-time enrollment status. The data source was 2010-2013 ex post facto data from 23 colleges in a large community college system in the southeastern United States. The statistical method of binary logistic regression was applied to the data. The regression models failed to yield strong predictions of the association between registration timing and student success. Coupled with previous studies, this study demonstrated that the presumed …

Reading The World In The Word: The Possibilities For Literacy Instruction Framed Within Human Rights Education, Judith Dunkerly-Bean

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this critical ethnography (Madison, 2005; Noblit, Flores & Murrillo, 2004) was to investigate the experiences of teachers and students when literacy instruction was framed within human rights education. Informed by theories of cosmopolitan education (Beck, 2002; Beck & Szneider, 2010; Goldstein, 2007; Harper & Bean, 2009; Hull, 2010), critical socio-cultural theory (Moje & Lewis, 2007) and incorporating Freirean concepts of critical literacy and praxis, this study details the experiences of two servant leader interns (teachers) and sixteen scholars (students) participating in human rights education within the context of a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School.

Integrating Disciplinary Literacy Into Middle-School And Pre-Service Teacher Education, Jaime Colwell, David Reinking

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This case describes a summary of a formative experiment, a framework specific to educational design research, simultaneously conducted in a middle-school history classroom and a university social studies methods course. The purpose of the study was to refine an intervention to promote disciplinary literacy in history. The intervention provided middle-school students and pre-service teachers with explicit strategies to promote disciplinary literacy, while participating in a collaborative blog project engaging them in disciplinary literacy. Conclusions suggest practical consideration for implementation of disciplinary literacy into history. The case outlines the five phases of the formative experiment and briefly overviews modifications made during …

Resilience Governance Through Serious Energy Gaming, Adrian V. Gheorghe, Dan V. Vamanu

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Physical analogies emphasizing cooperative behavior in systems are explored and integrated into so called 'serious energy games', to contribute in a better understanding, monitoring and good governance of some of the complex security issues confronting the evolvement of contemporary energy systems. It is believed that such exercises might be supportive in the necessary attempt, by the many stakeholders and actors / agents involved, to bring balance to prevailing policies of which seems to be “Go change yourself - in a resilient fashion!” An extrapolation of several findings to other than energy systems tempted to implement drastic changes based on substantial …

Contested Real Estate Rezoning From A Game Theory And Stakeholder Analysis Perspective, Joseph M. Bradley, Patrick T. Hester

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Real estate developers may apply to re-zone a parcel of land when their development plan does not conform to the original zoning, or when economic conditions change and they decide that they need to revise their plan to one that is non-conforming. When the revised plan conflicts with the vision or values of other stakeholders (e.g. neighbors, local government), the real estate developer enters a decision process with both risk and uncertainty, while at the same time the affected stakeholders are placed in the reciprocal decision process. This process resembles a game with repeated plays as the developer and stakeholders …

Managing Diversity In Virtual Teams Through Perspective Taking, Nina C. Magpili, Pilar Pazos

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The emergence of information and communication technologies has provided firms with global access to individual talent often resulting in virtual work teams with diverse sets of skills and perspectives. Diversity in the virtual workplace has been linked to richer and more innovative work solutions. However, diversity in surface attributes (ethnicity, gender, etc.) and deep-level attributes (values, attitudes, etc.) may also lead to conflict and misunderstandings which affect the level of trust and team outcome. A virtual environment further complicates diversity interactions because of reduced levels of awareness, isolation, and uninhibited behaviors. Perspective taking has the potential to help teams deal …

The Role Of Team Preparation Processes And Task Conflict On Virtual Team Performance, Pilar Pazos, Ana María Canto

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to increase our understanding of the factors contributing to team performance in global virtual teams. We report on a study on global virtual teams involved on applied projects in industry. Team members differed in location and nationalities. This paper examines the relationships between goal commitment, planning and conflict. Data were collected from 34 teams in an international Master program in Quality Management, Safety and Environmental Impact hosted in Bolivia and Chile. Students were from nine different countries in South America. Students were assigned to teams of size 3 and participated in 15-week project as …

College Of Health Sciences Newsletter, December 2012, Tammie Smith (Ed.)

Ellmer College of Health Sciences Newsletters

December 2012 issue of Old Dominion University's College of Health Sciences Newsletter.

Forum Notes: Infrastructure And Utilities Breakout, Hr Adaptation Forum

November 16, 2012: Best Practices for Adapting to Sea Level Rise and Flooding

No abstract provided.

Graduate News, Office Of Graduate Studies, Old Dominion University

Graduate News

November 2012 issue of Graduate News from the Office of Graduate Studies (now, ODU Graduate School).

College Of Health Sciences Newsletter, November 2012, College Of Health Sciences

Ellmer College of Health Sciences Newsletters

November 2012 issue of Old Dominion University's College of Health Sciences Newsletter.

Antenatal Physical Activity Counseling Among Healthcare Providers, Jenn Leiferman, Margaret Gutilla, James Paulson, Jim Pivarnik

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Pregnant women often report a lack of knowledge concerning the safety of exercising during pregnancy. Healthcare providers play an integral role in providing pregnant women with the necessary knowledge to promote antenatal physical activity. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess healthcare providers’ beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and practices related to antenatal physical activity counseling.

Study Design: 188 Providers (i.e. obstetricians, midwives, and family medicine physicians) completed a 39 closed-item survey. Characteristics among healthcare providers’ physical activity counseling practices as well as belief, attitudes and knowledge were explored.

Results: The majority of all providers agreed that physical activity …

Works-In-Progress Conference 2012, Women's Studies Department

Women’s & Gender Studies Works In Progress

No abstract provided.

Graduate News, Office Of Graduate Studies, Old Dominion University

Graduate News

October 2012 issue of Graduate News from the Office of Graduate Studies (now, ODU Graduate School).

Reverse Sexology: Turn-Of-The-Century Discourses Of Sexuality And The Limits Of Identity In David Leavitt’S The Indian Clerk, Helena Gurfinkel

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

David Leavitt’s most recent novel, The Indian Clerk (2007) runs afoul of the standard position in relation to the politics of sexual identity among modern Anglo-American writers. While working in the same tradition as Christopher Isherwood or Edmund White, for whom being a gay writer is a politically necessary self-identification, Leavitt, in his latest work of fiction, fights against such a designation. The Indian Clerk explores the potential limitations of sexual identity, which originated in the medical and scientific discourses of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. [1] According to Chris White, these discourses “produce[d] science as the means of truly …

Effects Of Globalization On Awki Names: A Sociolinguist Overview, Ifeoma Emmanuela Udoye

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Globalization has become an issue of international discourse from various perspectives. The westerners see globalization as the best thing that could ever happen to man, especially to Africans. They believe that globalization will improve Africa’s total way of life particularly in the area of poverty reduction. To Africans, the negative impact of globalization has aroused many researches by scholars such as (Enojo, 2008; Udoh, 2007; Akpotor 2005). United Nations 1999 as cited in Enojo, (47) opine that people’s lives around the globe are linked more deeply, more intensely, more immediate than ever before to acquiring the good and the bad …

The Tarot Of Jane Austen: Re-Envisioning The World, Emily Auger

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

In pre-1970 Tarot gaming decks, trump card XXI typically shows either a cityscape or a semi-nude female dancer inside a wreath surrounded by symbols of the Christian evangelists. More recent Tarot decks, virtually all of which are used for fortune-telling, occult, or personal development exercises, propose many unique variations of this card: card XXI of The Tarot of Jane Austen shows a wedding. This paper considers the significance of the application of this motif, ubiquitous in popular film and literary genres, to Tarot card XXI relative to its conventional iconography and interpretation as established during and after the fifteenth century.

Contributors, Marc Oullette

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Information about contributors to articles in volume 12, issue 4 of Reconstruction.