Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Personal And Contextual Variables In College Students' Academic Achievement, Rachel A. Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

College matriculation rates are increasing but graduation rates are failing to parallel the increased enrollment. One reason for this discrepancy may be that many college students are unable to regulate their own learning. This dissertation examined the Self-Regulated Learning (SRL; Pintrich, 2004) model in students taking Statistics in Psychology and Research Methods. The inclusion of the constructs of possible selves and identity development in the SRL model was proposed, as was the Achievement Goal Questionnaire (AGQ; Elliot & McGregor, 2001), a measure of the 2x2 Framework of achievement goal orientation. These variables were assessed along with those included in the …

Bimodule Categories And Monoidal 2-Structure, Justin Greenough

Doctoral Dissertations

We define a notion of tensor product of bimodule categories and prove that with this product the 2-category of C -bimodule categories for fixed tensor C is a monoidal 2-category in the sense of Kapranov and Voevodsky ([KV91]). We then provide a monoidal-structure preserving 2-equivalence between the 2-category of C -bimodule categories and Z( C )-module categories (module categories over the center of C ). The (braided) tensor structure of C1⊠D C2 for (braided) fusion categories over braided fusion D is introduced. For a finite group G we show that de-equivariantization is equivalent to the tensor product over Rep( G). …

The Application Of Computational Modeling To Data Visualization, Daniel S. Pineo

Doctoral Dissertations

Researchers have argued that perceptual issues are important in determining what makes an effective visualization, but generally only provide descriptive guidelines for transforming perceptual theory into practical designs. In order to bridge the gap between theory and practice in a more rigorous way, a computational model of the primary visual cortex is used to explore the perception of data visualizations.

A method is presented for automatically evaluating and optimizing data visualizations for an analytical task using a computational model of human vision. The method relies on a neural network simulation of early perceptual processing in the retina and visual cortex. …

Modeling The Self-Assembly Of Functionalized Fullerenes On Solid Surfaces Using Monte Carlo Simulations, Gregory J. Bubnis

Doctoral Dissertations

Since their discovery 25 years ago, carbon fullerenes have been widely studied for their unique physicochemical properties and for applications including organic electronics and photovoltaics. For these applications it is highly desirable for crystalline fullerene thin films to spontaneously self-assemble on surfaces. Accordingly, many studies have functionalized fullerenes with the aim of tailoring their intermolecular interactions and controlling interactions with the solid substrate.

The success of these rational design approaches hinges on the subtle interplay of intermolecular forces and molecule-substrate interactions. Molecular modeling is well-suited to studying these interactions by directly simulating self-assembly. In this work, we consider three different …

Conjecturing In Dynamic Geometry: A Model For Conjecture-Generation Through Maintaining Dragging, Anna Baccaglini-Frank

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to study aspects of the impact of Dynamic Geometry Systems (DGS) in the process of producing conjectures in Euclidean geometry. Previous research has identified and classified a set of dragging schemes spontaneously used by students. Building on these findings, the study focuses on cognitive processes that arise in correspondence to particular dragging modalities in Cabri. Specifically, we have conceived a model describing what seems to occur during a process of conjecture-generation that involves the use of a particular dragging modality, described in the literature as dummy locus dragging. In order to accomplish this goal, …

The Impact Of A Mathematics Research Experience On Teachers' Conceptions Of Student Learning, Todd Abel

Doctoral Dissertations

Many mathematics teacher professional development programs have either incorporated or been organized around a goal of providing "research-like" (Cuoco, 2001) experiences. That is, teachers participate in a project that somehow simulates the mathematics research process. Though some research studies have shown positive outcomes from such programs, researchers have cautioned against assuming universally positive benefits without sufficient evidence (Proulx and Bednarz, 2001). Teacher conceptions of student learning play an important role in lesson development and preparation for classroom work (Penso & Shoham, 2003). Similarities between the processes of mathematics research and student learning (Dreyfus, 1991) beg the question of whether experience …

Microstructural Evolution Of Sputtered Phase Segregated Metal Composite Thin Films, Dana I. Filoti

Doctoral Dissertations

In this thesis, we present the first comparative study of crystallographic texture development in three different types of metal thin film composites: fully miscible (Au-Ag), slightly immiscible (Cu-Ag) and immiscible (Au-SiO 2). Texture development refers to the distribution of orientations of crystallites in polycrystalline thin films, and is an important part of the microstructure that determines thin film properties. A material's crystallographic texture needs to be understood because of its sensitivity to the energetic growth conditions. By controlling the microstructure, a material can be tailored to specific applications. We investigated in comparison the texture and microstructure evolution in metal composite …

Educator Perceptions Of Policies That May Impact Black Male High School Persistence, L Antonio Henley

Doctoral Dissertations

This study purposed to identify educators' perceptions about the academic state of Black males, explore the influence of policies on Black males' high school persistence, and examine differences in educator perceptions with regards to the impact of education policies on African American males. Findings indicate that educators believe that Black males are doing poorly academically and educators are concerned about the academic progress of Black males. Also, educators do not to believe that the majority of policies identified in this research have any significant impact on the high school persistence of Black males. Further, there are significant differences in educators' …

Topics In Access, Storage, And Sensor Networks, Swapnil Bhatia

Doctoral Dissertations

In the first part of this dissertation, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) and IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet Passive Optical Network (ETON), two access networking standards, are studied. We study the impact of two parameters of the DOCSIS protocol and derive the probability of message collision in the 802.3ah device discovery scheme. We survey existing bandwidth allocation schemes for EPONs, derive the average grant size in one such scheme, and study the performance of the shortest-job-first heuristic.

In the second part of this dissertation, we study networks of mobile sensors. We make progress towards an architecture for disconnected collections of …

Computational And Experimental Studies Of Acenes, Starphenes And [60]Fullerene Derivatives, Ryan Paul Kopreski

Doctoral Dissertations

The computational and experimental studies of acenes, starphenes and [60]fullerene derivatives is described. Acenes are promising organic semiconductors. Hybrid density functional theory applying a triple-zeta valence basis set (B3LYP/6-311+G**) has been used to approximate the HOMO - LUMO excitation gap in various substituted pentacenes. This technique may, in part, synthetically guide substitution patterns of pentacenes and larger acenes. Previous predictions of an open-shell singlet diradical ground state for acenes larger than hexacene have been reproduced and sulfur substitution has been found to alter the electronic ground state to a closed-shell configuration. Substituents that may engage in non-bonding interactions are not …

Von Neumann Algebras, Affiliated Operators And Representations Of The Heisenberg Relation, Zhe Liu

Doctoral Dissertations

Von Neumann algebras are self-adjoint, strong-operator closed subalgebras (containing the identity operator) of the algebra of all bounded operators on a Hilbert space. Factors are von Neumann algebras whose centers consist of scalar multiples of the identity operator. In this thesis, we study unbounded operators affiliated with finite von Neumann algebras, in particular, factors of Type II1. Such unbounded operators permit all the formal algebraic manipulations used by the founders of quantum mechanics in their mathematical formulation, and surprisingly, they form an algebra. The operators affiliated with an infinite von Neumann algebra never form such an algebra. The Heisenberg commutation …

Navigating The Cultural Gaps: Whiteness And Diversity In Two Elementary School Classrooms, Rachel Parse Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study asked how two white, in-service elementary school teachers within the context of their classrooms navigated the cultural gaps between themselves and students from whom they differed (e.g. racially, ethnically, socio-economically, and/or linguistically). Three sub-questions examined: 1) what life experiences shaped how the teachers understood difference and diversity within their classrooms; 2) what system(s) of beliefs the teachers learned and constructed through those experiences; and 3) what identities the teachers assumed and/or assigned to themselves and their students. The study employed a sociocultural theoretical framework. Ethnographic data collection strategies included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and material collection. Discourse analysis …

Spatial Management Of Groundfish Resources In The Gulf Of Maine And Georges Bank, Jamie Marie Cournane

Doctoral Dissertations

In the marine environment, studies suggest that overfishing suppresses sustainability and resilience in fish populations. In the 1990s, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implemented five large year-round fishery closures in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. These closures are partially protected marine protected areas (MPAs) restricting commercial fishing with bottom-tending gears. To date, evaluation of their performance has focused on the productivity of individual species.

This research aims to understand if fish biodiversity changed after implementation of the five large fisheries closures. Here, a variety of datasets and statistical approaches are used.

Modern patterns constructed from NMFS bottom-trawl …

Admissible Orders On Quotients Of The Free Associative Algebra, Jeremiah William Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

An admissible order on a multiplicative basis of a noncommutative algebra A is a term order satisfying additional conditions that allow for the construction of Grobner bases for A -modules. When A is commutative, a finite reduced Grobner basis for an A -module can always be obtained, but when A is not commutative this is not the case; in fact in many cases a Grobner basis theory for A may not even exist.

E. Hinson has used position-dependent weights, encoded in so-called admissible arrays, to partially order words in the free associative algebra in a way which produces a length-dominant …

Mf Algebras And A Bishop -Stone -Weierstrass Theorem Result, Qihui Li

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two parts. In the first part, we obtain many new results about MF algebras. First, we continue the work on D. Voiculescu's topological free entropy dimension deltatop (x1, ..., xn) for an n-tuple x&ar; = (x1, ..., xn) of elements in a unital C*-algebra. We also introduce a new invariant that is a C*-algebra analog of the invariant K3 introduced for von Neumann algebras. Second, we discuss a full amalgamated free product of unital MF (and residually finite-dimensional) algebras with amalgamation over a finite-dimensional C*-subalgebra. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given in this situation. In the …

Land Development In Massachusetts: Its Effect On The Environment Within Essex And Middlesex Counties From 1990 To 2007, Peter Sean Tardie

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the 1970's urban centers in and surrounding Essex and Middlesex Counties in Massachusetts have expanded and proliferated into adjacent communities. This expansion has led to the conversion of land for housing, businesses, schools, recreation, and parks, placing significant strain on existing land cover, land use, and available natural resources. Mounting growth pressures and a reduction of undeveloped land have raised serious concerns as cropland and forest fragmentation, wetland destruction, protected open-space infringement, pollution, and systematic losses of rural conditions have become obvious. To monitor development, the post-classification change detection method was applied to Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite data …

Parent And Teacher Perceptions Of School Partnerships In New Hampshire Schools, Brenda J. Zarnowski

Doctoral Dissertations

This quantitative, descriptive study assessed parent and teacher perceptions of the extent to which exemplary school-family-community partnership practices were being implemented at elementary and secondary schools within the state of New Hampshire. The teacher and parent participants were organized into four paired groups and were asked to indicate the frequency with which activities, that exemplify Epstein's six types of school-family-community partnership practices, were utilized at their respective schools to determine whether significant differences exist among teachers' and parent's perceptions of partnership program implementation.

The sample for this study was drawn from forty two elementary and secondary public schools across the …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Selected Demographic Variables And Dual Enrollment Participation On Postsecondary Success For First Time Freshmen, Marby S. Barker

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between dual enrollment participation in high school and successful transition to post-secondary institutions for first year students. The sample consisted of a random sample of first-time students enrolled at four-year, two-year, and technical colleges in North Louisiana.

Participants completed the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships First Year Out Student Survey. The results were analyzed based on characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, School Performance Scores (SPS) of high school attended, ACT scores, high school cumulative grade point average, first term postsecondary grade point average, and type of postsecondary institutions selected by dual enrollment …

Rightly Or For Ill: The Ethics Of Remembering And Forgetting, Alison Nicole Reiheld '93

Doctoral Dissertations

Forgetting a birthday, a wedding anniversary, a beloved child's school play or a dear colleague's important accomplishments is often met with blame, whereas remembering them can engender praise. Are we in fact blameworthy or praiseworthy for such remembering and forgetting? When ought we to remember, in the ethical sense of 'ought'? And ought we in some cases to allow ourselves to forget?

These are the questions that ground this philosophical work. In fact, we so often unreflectively assign moral blame and praise to ourselves and others for memory behaviors that this faculty, and moral responsibility for it, deserve careful philosophical …

Sophisticated Credulity: Are Old Beliefs Disguised By New Terminology And Selective Learning?, Matthew A. Ramsey

Doctoral Dissertations

The present research attempted to distinguish between traditional anomalistic belief (TAP) and pseudoscientific anomalistic belief (PSAP). In Study 1, I constructed the PSAP scale and then, to establish construct validity, examined its correlation to other measures related to TAP. In Studies 2 and 3, I examined how high and low TAP and PSAP believers differed in recalling information that either did, or did not support the existence of anomalistic phenomena. Participants read 12 abstracts on paranormal phenomena and were given T/F recall questions either immediately (Study 2) or following a four day delay period (Study 3). As expected, high and …

Analysis And Occurrence Of Disinfection By-Products In Fresh And Salt Water, Honglan Shi

Doctoral Dissertations

"Haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes, and bromate are important toxic water disinfection by-products (DBPs) that the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates in drinking water. Iodoacetic acids and halonitromethanes (HNMs) are the unregulated emerging DBPs that have been recently found in the disinfected drinking waters, and which have much higher toxicity than the regulated DBPs. The purpose of this study was to develop new analytical methods for analysis of these emerging DBPs, to study their occurrence in Missouri drinking water systems, and to investigate the occurrence and formation of these DBPs in saltwater and seawater based marine park aquaria. A new rapid …

Weak Shear Study Of Galaxy Clusters By Simulated Gravitational Lensing, David Coss

Doctoral Dissertations

"Gravitational lensing has been simulated for numerical galaxy clusters in order to characterize the effects of substructure and shape variations of dark matter halos on the weak lensing properties of clusters. In order to analyze realistic galaxy clusters, 6 high-resolution Adaptive Refinement Tree N-body simulations of clusters with hydrodynamics are used, in addition to a simulation of one group undergoing a merger. For each cluster, the three-dimensional particle distribution is projected perpendicular to three orthogonal lines of sight, providing 21 projected mass density maps. The clusters have representative concentration and mass values for clusters in the concordance cosmology. Two gravitational …

An Investigation Of California Middle-Grades Teachers' Knowledge Of Early Adolescent Development, Melina Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

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Factors Contributing To Low Performance Among African American And Hispanic Students On The California High School Exit Exam (Cahsee), Zelda Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

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Structure And Content Semantic Similarity Detection Of Extensible Markup Language Documents Using Keys, Waraporn Viyanon

Doctoral Dissertations

"XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) has become the fundamental standard for efficient data management and exchange. Due to the widespread use of XML for describing and exchanging data on the web, XML-based comparison is central issues in database management and information retrieval. In fact, although many heterogeneous XML sources have similar content, they may be described using different tag names and structures. This work proposes a series of algorithms for detection of structural and content changes among XML data. The first is an algorithm called XDoI (XML Data Integration Based on Content and Structure Similarity Using Keys) that clusters XML documents …

The Stereochemistry Of Selected Supramolecular Complexes Of Cucurbiturils And The Effect Of Homogeneous Equilibria And Electron Transfer Of The Guest, Arumugam Thangavel

Doctoral Dissertations

"From a practical perspective, host-guest complexes are vehicles for understanding and using supramolecular interactions for purposeful function in sensors, molecular machines and switches, while from a fundamental perspective they may lead to novel supramolecular protection schemes in basic organic reactions. This dissertation examines the interactions of cucurbiturils as barrel-shaped hosts, exhibiting a hydrophobic cavity, with substituted benzoylpyrydinium, phenypyrylium, and diazaanthraquinonediium cations as guests. In water, N-methyl-4-(p-substituted benzoyl)pyridinium cations exist in equilibrium with their hydrated forms (gem-diols), whose concentrations depend on the para substituent. In the presence of cucurbit7uril (CB[7]), the benzoyl group shows a preference for the CB[7] cavity, and …

Ground Penetrating Radar Investigations In Upper Kama Potash Mines, Oleg N. Kovin

Doctoral Dissertations

"An understanding of the structure and state of the rock mass surrounding underground openings in the potash mines is critically important for safe mining, planning the methods of extraction of an orebody, and preventing the influx of ground water. Continuous common offset ground penetrating radar (GPR) data were acquired in the potash mine operated by the Joint Stock Company (JSC) "Silvinit" (Russia) as part of an investigation of both pre-existing fractures exposed by mine workings and other anomalous geological structures. During the course of GPR investigation, the electrical properties of salt-bearing units were determined, site-specific data acquisition techniques and object-oriented …

Three-Body Dynamics In Single Ionization Of Atomic Hydrogen By 75 Kev Proton Impact, Aaron C. Laforge

Doctoral Dissertations

"Doubly differential cross sections (DDCS) for single ionization of atomic hydrogen by 75 keV proton impact have been measured as a function of the projectile scattering angle and energy loss. This pure three-body collision system represents a fundamental test case for the study of the reaction dynamics in few-body systems. A comparison between theory and experiment reveals that three-body dynamics is important at all scattering angles, and that an accurate description of the role of the projectile-target nucleus interaction as well as the second order projectile-electron interaction remains a major challenge to theory. However, progress is being made in understanding …

Fluid Flow Related Phenomena And Inclusion Motion In Continuous Casting Strands, Yufeng Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

"To improve the efficiency of the continuous casting process and the quality of its products, this dissertation mainly investigated fluid flow related phenomena and inclusion motion in continuous casting. Mathematical simulation was performed for this purpose. Both a slab caster and a billet caster were investigated. In the study of the slab caster, the application of electromagnetic brake field on the slab mold was evaluated. The results indicated that the magnetic force decelerated the high speed steel jet, stabilized the top fluctuation, and prevented the bias flow inside the mold. The other study of this slab caster involved the fluid …

Quantum 1/F Noise In Infrared Detectors And Scanning Tunneling Microscopes, Amanda Marie Truong

Doctoral Dissertations

"Noise is, by definition, any random and persistent disturbance, which interferes with the clarity of a signal. Modern electronic devices are designed to limit noise, and in most cases the classical forms of noise have been eliminated or greatly reduced through careful design. However, there is a fundamental, quite unavoidable type of noise, called quantum 1/f noise, which occurs at low frequencies and is a fundamental consequence of the discrete nature of the charge carriers themselves. This quantum 1/f noise is present in any physical cross section or process rate, such as carrier mobility, diffusion rates and scattering processes. Although …