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A Study Of Islamic Leadership Theory And Practice In K-12 Islamic Schools In Michigan, Adnan Ibrahim Aabed Apr 2006

A Study Of Islamic Leadership Theory And Practice In K-12 Islamic Schools In Michigan, Adnan Ibrahim Aabed

Theses and Dissertations

Effective leadership in Islamic schools involves the incorporation of Islamic principles in the leadership behaviors and practices. With so much literature about the need of Islamic leadership in Islamic institutions in the United States, the problem addressed by the study was whether school principals in Islamic schools exhibited and led these schools according to the principles of Islamic leadership. The study described leadership approaches used by school principals in Islamic schools and how those leadership approaches were influenced by Islamic leadership principles, comparing the Islamic leadership principles derived from the literature with the leadership principles of principals of Islamic schools. …


Bibliotherapy: School Psychologists' Report Of Use And Efficacy, Marci A. Olsen Apr 2006

Bibliotherapy: School Psychologists' Report Of Use And Efficacy, Marci A. Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the use of bibliotherapy by school psychologists. A survey was created and distributed to 119 registered and licensed school psychologists in Utah to obtain information on this topic. Forty-one percent returned a completed survey. Results indicated that bibliotherapy is used by 82% of the participants in the study, and 31 of 34 (91%) use bibliotherapy with children grades K-6. Topics most used with bibliotherapy included self-esteem, bullying, divorce, anxiety, and grief. Efficacy varied depending on the topic of bibliotherapy. However, school psychologists regarded bibliotherapy across all topics to be very effective to effective.


Fiber Type-Specific Desmin Content In Human Single Muscle Fibers, Heidi Ghent Mar 2006

Fiber Type-Specific Desmin Content In Human Single Muscle Fibers, Heidi Ghent

Theses and Dissertations

Contractile and cytoskeletal protein concentrations have been shown to differ on the basis of fiber type in whole muscle homogenates. The purpose of this study was to compare the content of the intermediate filament protein, desmin, between type I and type IIa single muscle fibers from a mixed muscle in human subjects. Biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis of six recreationally active males. Approximately 150 single muscle fibers were dissected from each sample and analyzed using SDS-PAGE to determine myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition. Following identification, muscle fibers were pooled into two groups (MHC I and MHC IIa). Desmin …


Evaluating Alternatives For Drinking Water At Deployed Locations, Brian S. Hughes Mar 2006

Evaluating Alternatives For Drinking Water At Deployed Locations, Brian S. Hughes

Theses and Dissertations

Because of potential improvements to water security and cost savings, military decision makers may want to consider new means of providing potable water to Airmen in deployed locations. Drilling for water and field bottling show great potential because of the increased security and lower per unit cost when compared to bottled water from approved sources. However, the selection of the best means to supply water is a hard decision which must balance multiple objectives (e.g., security, palatability, and convenience) against limited resources (e.g., cost, airlift, trucks, and personnel). A multi-objective decision analysis model quantifies a decision-maker's values regarding the many …


The Acropolis At Kaminaljuyu: A Study Of Late Classic Occupation, Kelleigh Waimarie Cole Mar 2006

The Acropolis At Kaminaljuyu: A Study Of Late Classic Occupation, Kelleigh Waimarie Cole

Theses and Dissertations

The Late Classic Period at Kaminaljuyú is one of the most poorly understood periods of occupation, possibly because the artifacts and architecture lack the ornate decoration found in earlier periods. One of the largest and best preserved areas of the site is located in the Parque Arqueológico de Kaminaljuyú in Zone 7 of Guatemala City. A major focal point of architecture atKaminaljuyú is the Acropolis, which has been the focus of various excavations, particularly the work of Gustavo Espinoza from 1958 to 1962. Despite this research, much of the important documentation and artifacts recovered from these excavations have been lost. …


The Portrait Of Citizen Jean-Baptiste Belley, Ex-Representative Of The Colonies By Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson: Hybridity, History Painting, And The Grand Tour, Megan Marie Collins Mar 2006

The Portrait Of Citizen Jean-Baptiste Belley, Ex-Representative Of The Colonies By Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson: Hybridity, History Painting, And The Grand Tour, Megan Marie Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson's Portrait of C.[itizen] Jean-Baptiste Belley, ex-representative of the Colonies, is evidence of the changing ideological situation during the French Revolution. Girodet was one of the most learned and accomplished students of Jacques-Louis David who strove to surpass his teacher in two ways: 1) by painting David's Neoclassical style so well that his handling surpasses that of his master, and 2) by choosing subject matter never before explored by David. Girodet accomplishes both within this work. The Neoclassical handling of the image has been achieved with amazing clarity, and the central figure of an identified black man …


Exploring Cultural Competence In The Lived Experience Of Instructional Designers, Paul Clinton Rogers Mar 2006

Exploring Cultural Competence In The Lived Experience Of Instructional Designers, Paul Clinton Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a limited amount of research concerning culture and online education. Although human beings have the ability to transcend past and current environments, helping professions are recognizing the influence of cultural epistemologies on themselves and those they intend to serve. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of additional challenges and concerns present when designing online instruction in a cross-cultural context. The data collected in this study stands as preliminary work to creating a substantive theory regarding the importance of cultural influences in the thinking, practice and lived experience of instructional designers, specifically those who …


Soil Stable Carbon Isoptope Analysis Of Landscape Features At Aguateca, Guatemala, David R. Wright Mar 2006

Soil Stable Carbon Isoptope Analysis Of Landscape Features At Aguateca, Guatemala, David R. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The ancient Maya of the Classic period (1700-1050 B.P.) relied on maize agriculture to support their populations. The agricultural systems they employed to produce that maize varied in form and degree of intensity, with more productive forms of agriculture needed in the Late Classic period (1350-1050 B.P.) to sustain the peaking population. It is likely that the ancient systems of production agriculture contributed to environmental degradation that in turn contributed to the pressures that culminated in the collapse of the civilization. In this study, stable carbon isotope ratios contained in the soil organic matter were used to further investigate ancient …


Indigenous Architecture For Expeditionary Installations, Matthew B. Hutchings Mar 2006

Indigenous Architecture For Expeditionary Installations, Matthew B. Hutchings

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to improve the effectiveness of facility design and construction for expeditionary installations in the Middle East. Specifically, this thesis sought to answer three research questions addressing current military construction policies as well as historical design of desert dwelling cultures, a comparison of current construction assemblies with indigenous design, and synthesis of indigenous design techniques with modern materials, techniques, and requirements. The research questions were answered through a comprehensive literature review, rudimentary quantitative analysis, and architectural design. The research indicated the feasibility of incorporating indigenous design into facility construction on expeditionary installations to improve building …


The Dogma Of The 30 Meter Riparian Buffer: The Case Of The Boreal Toad (Bufo Boreas Boreas), Michael C. Goates Mar 2006

The Dogma Of The 30 Meter Riparian Buffer: The Case Of The Boreal Toad (Bufo Boreas Boreas), Michael C. Goates

Theses and Dissertations

We tested the adequacy of standard 30 m riparian buffers for semi-aquatic vertebrate species, using the boreal toad (Bufo boreas boreas) as an example. We monitored toad populations in south-central Utah using radio telemetry during the summers of 2003 and 2004. We found 30 m buffers inadequate for protecting boreal toads and suggest this is likely true for other species as well. Managers must consider several factors when constructing buffers: (1) Buffer requirements may vary by time of year. While we located toads most often in wet habitats, toads commonly utilized upland habitats in late summer, occasionally at distances greater …


Unresolved Problems Involving The Hydrogeology And Sequence Stratigraphy Of The Wasatch Plateau Based On Mapping Of The Wattis 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, Carbon And Emery Counties, Utah: Insights Gained From A New Geologic Map, David O. Alderks Mar 2006

Unresolved Problems Involving The Hydrogeology And Sequence Stratigraphy Of The Wasatch Plateau Based On Mapping Of The Wattis 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, Carbon And Emery Counties, Utah: Insights Gained From A New Geologic Map, David O. Alderks

Theses and Dissertations

The Wattis 7.5 Minute Quadrangle is located in central Utah, in the transition zone between the Basin and Range province and the Colorado plateau. Two small grabens, located in the quadrangle, are the easternmost evidence of Basin and Range faulting. Sedimentary units exposed are mainly Cretaceous in age and deposited in the Western Cretaceous Interior Seaway. This area is of economical importance due to its large coal deposits, coal bed methane, and groundwater. The Wattis Quadrangle provided an ideal opportunity to test, at a small scale, the applicability of a new groundwater model for stratified mountainous terranes. Water samples had …


A Meaning-Based Instruction To Enhance Literacy Learning In A Dual-Language Kindergarten Classroom, Megan Melissa Fife Mar 2006

A Meaning-Based Instruction To Enhance Literacy Learning In A Dual-Language Kindergarten Classroom, Megan Melissa Fife

Theses and Dissertations

Concerns among educators continue to grow with the increased enrollment of Second Language Learners (SLL) in classrooms throughout the United States. This influx has stressed the boundaries of current methods of literacy instruction, which are not designed to meet the needs of these at-risk students. Literacy instructional methods need to be remediated through early intervention, followed by effective literacy instruction that is designed to meet the specific needs of SLL. Effective literacy instruction overcomes differences in culture and background by using meaning-based instruction coupled with engaging and varied contexts. This study evaluated the effectiveness of incorporating meaning-based instructional activities into …


Reducing Uncertainty In Effects-Based Operations, Wilburn B. Mclamb Mar 2006

Reducing Uncertainty In Effects-Based Operations, Wilburn B. Mclamb

Theses and Dissertations

Known as the fog of war, uncertainty has been prevalent in the conduct of military operations throughout human history. Intelligence collection efforts are tasked to reduce this uncertainty through the collection of information. Utilizing Shannon's entropy as a measure of the expected information gain due to an intelligence collection effort, a methodology is developed to prioritize and allocate intelligence assets in an efficient manner. Incorporated in this methodology are target priority and the requirement to reassess dynamic targets. The application area for the methodology is Effects-Based Operations. A generalized state model is developed to conduct adversary system-of-systems analysis. This model …


A Decision Model For Choosing Among Photovoltaic Technologies To Generate Electricity At Grid-Connected Air Force Facilities: A Value-Focused Approach, Mostyn O. Kellner Mar 2006

A Decision Model For Choosing Among Photovoltaic Technologies To Generate Electricity At Grid-Connected Air Force Facilities: A Value-Focused Approach, Mostyn O. Kellner

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is currently consuming fossil fuels faster than natural processes can replace them. Our nation's leaders recognize that a diverse energy portfolio including renewable energy is the key to maintaining our economy, security, and the environment. The federal government is by far the greatest energy consumer; thus, our nation's leaders have directed federal agencies to strive to increase the use of renewable energy at federal facilities. Solar electricity technologies, in the form of photovoltaics, have great potential in the renewable energy mix. Although a major strategy should be integrating photovoltaics into the design of new facilities, an important …


An Analysis Of Usaf Aircraft Noise And Hedonic Property Values, Melissa R. Johnson Mar 2006

An Analysis Of Usaf Aircraft Noise And Hedonic Property Values, Melissa R. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of the research was to evaluate whether there was a significant difference in housing values of those affected by the noise of USAF aircraft. The secondary purpose was to evaluate whether there was a significant difference in housing values located near USAF bases with and without aircraft noise and to evaluate whether type of aircraft changed the results created by the aircraft noise. This research effort found that homes located within the 65 dB DNL contour of US Air Force installations showed a significant negative impact due to the presence of aircraft noise when studied with the …


An Exploration Of The Effects Of Genetic Drift On The Endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Ryan E. Nelson Mar 2006

An Exploration Of The Effects Of Genetic Drift On The Endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Ryan E. Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) (Picoides borealis) is classified as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 due to habitat fragmentation and prescribed burn suppression. Given the endangerment of the RCW, the genetic variation of the small populations will decrease over time due to random genetic drift. The only method of battling the negative effects of random genetic drift is to move, or translocate, genetically diverse birds into the fragmented populations thereby increasing the genetic diversity of the small populations. The objective of this research effort was to explore the effects of random genetic drift on small RCW …


Bio-Inspired, Odor-Based Navigation, Maynard John Porter Iii Mar 2006

Bio-Inspired, Odor-Based Navigation, Maynard John Porter Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The ability of moths to locate a member of the opposite sex, by tracking a wind-borne plume of odor molecules, is an amazing reality. Numerous scenarios exist where having this capability embedded into ground-based or aerial vehicles would be invaluable. The main crux of this thesis investigation is the development of a navigation algorithm which gives a UAV the ability to track a chemical plume to its source. Inspiration from the male moth's, in particular Manduca sexta, ability to successfully track a female's pheromone plume was used in the design of both 2-D and 3-D navigation algorithms. The algorithms were …


A Platform For Antenna Optimization With Numerical Electromagnetics Code Incorporated With Genetic Algorithms, Timothy L. Pitzer Mar 2006

A Platform For Antenna Optimization With Numerical Electromagnetics Code Incorporated With Genetic Algorithms, Timothy L. Pitzer

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigation presents a unique incorporation of the Method of Moments (MoM) with a Genetic Algorithm (GA). A GA is used in accord with the Numerical Electromagnetics Code, Version 4 (NEC4) to create and optimize typical wire antenna designs, including single elements and arrays. Design parameters for the antenna are defined and encoded into a chromosome composed of a series of numbers. The cost function associated with the specific antenna of interest is what quantifies improvement and, eventually, optimization. This cost function is created and used by the GA to evaluate the performance of a population of antenna designs. …


Afmc Civilian Retention: Forecasting Policy On The Future Of The Civilian Workforce, Dex Y. Landreth Mar 2006

Afmc Civilian Retention: Forecasting Policy On The Future Of The Civilian Workforce, Dex Y. Landreth

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense's (DoD) achievement of its mission is dependent in large part on the skills and expertise of its civilian workforce. DoD's civilian workforce develops policy, provides intelligence, manages finances, and acquires and maintains weapon systems, to name a few areas of work. During its downsizing in the early 1990s, DoD did not focus on reshaping the civilian workforce in a strategic manner. This resulted in a workforce characterized by a growing gap between older, experienced employees and younger, less experienced ones. With more than 60 percent of its civilian personnel becoming eligible to retire by 2010, DoD …


Improving Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Scheduling Through The Use Of Location Analysis Methodologies, Dale L. Overholts Ii Mar 2006

Improving Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Maintenance Scheduling Through The Use Of Location Analysis Methodologies, Dale L. Overholts Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The events of September 11, 2001 have led to increased security requirements for all ICBM-related activities. Missile maintenance managers must explore new scheduling techniques to sustain weapon system readiness levels in light of published security enhancements. The problem of improving missile maintenance scheduling is modeled as a two-stage heuristic that utilizes the maximal covering location problem methodology. Maintenance activities are categorized and weighted according to published priority designation and mission impact. The model’s first stage seeks to select two security umbrellas that maximize the weighted sum of maintenance activities. Stage two seeks to determine a maintenance schedule comprised of launch …


Discrete Event Simulation Model Of The Ground Maintenance Operations Cycle Of A Reusable Launch Vehicle, John T. Pope Iii Mar 2006

Discrete Event Simulation Model Of The Ground Maintenance Operations Cycle Of A Reusable Launch Vehicle, John T. Pope Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force uses a family of expendable launch vehicles to meet its spacelift needs. Unfortunately, this method is not responsive: months of preparation are typically required and launch costs are high. Consequently, the Air Force seeks a reusable military launch vehicle that can be launched inexpensively and quickly regenerated between flights. Air Force Research Laboratory personnel desire a tool to help evaluate candidate designs and perform tradeoff studies necessary to acquire a launch vehicle that will achieve Air Force goals. The objective of this research was first to develop a conceptual model of maintenance operations needed to regenerate a …


A Monocular Vision Based Approach To Flocking, Brian Kirchner Mar 2006

A Monocular Vision Based Approach To Flocking, Brian Kirchner

Theses and Dissertations

Flocking is seen in nature as a means for self protection, more efficient foraging, and other search behaviors. Although much research has been done regarding the application of this principle to autonomous vehicles, the majority of the research has relied on GPS information, broadcast communication, an omniscient central controller, or some other form of "global" knowledge. This approach, while effective, has serious drawbacks, especially regarding stealth, reliability, and biological grounding. This research effort uses three Pioneer P2-AT8 robots to achieve flocking behavior without the use of global knowledge. The sensory inputs are limited to two cameras, offset such that the …


Performance Analysis Of A Cooperative Search Algorithm For Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Under Limited Communication Conditions, Kevin M. Morris Mar 2006

Performance Analysis Of A Cooperative Search Algorithm For Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Under Limited Communication Conditions, Kevin M. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the impacts of realistic wireless communications upon a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) utilizing a distributed search algorithm. The UAVs are used to survey an area for mobile targets and they require communication to cooperatively locate the targets. The mobile targets do not continually radiate energy, which exacerbates the search effort; a UAV could fly directly over a target and not detect it. A simulation of cooperative UAVs is implemented using the OPNET Modeler network simulation tool. The search performance of a group of UAVs is observed when communication range, data rate, and the number of …


Detailed Design Of The Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment, Jeremy S. Goodwin Mar 2006

Detailed Design Of The Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment, Jeremy S. Goodwin

Theses and Dissertations

The Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment is a Space Shuttle experiment that will study the effects of the zero-gravity space environment on the deployment and modal analysis of three inflatable and rigidizable tubes using a sub-Tg rigidization technique. In 2004, RIGEX was transitioned from the Space Shuttle's Get-Away-Special (GAS) canister to its Canister for All Payload Ejections (CAPE), requiring several modifications to the design. The results of these modifications, along with further refinements made to previous efforts, combine to form the detailed design of the experiment. In addition to the design modifications, analyses were conducted to determine the containment capabilities of …


The Simulation Of Off-Axis Laser Propagation Using Heleeos, Scott L. Belton Mar 2006

The Simulation Of Off-Axis Laser Propagation Using Heleeos, Scott L. Belton

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging technology high energy laser (HEL) weapon systems create a myriad of new threats to safety as well as security. One of the primary causes of these concerns is off-axis laser propagation caused by ever-present particulate and molecular scattering medium in the atmosphere. The scatter from these aerosols and molecules can redirect some of the HEL's concentrated energy towards unintended targets such as the eyes of pilots, friendly fighters on the surface, or innocent bystanders. Of particular interest to the laser intelligence (LASINT) community is the possibility that off-axis irradiance from HEL weapon systems could be covertly measured with enough …


Structural Health Monitoring Considering Internal Beam Damage, Jessica B. Chronister Mar 2006

Structural Health Monitoring Considering Internal Beam Damage, Jessica B. Chronister

Theses and Dissertations

The present study establishes a nondestructive method of damage detection and assessment in cantilever beams. The specimens used are twelve-inch aluminum 2024-T3 beams with machined notches of varying lengths and locations. Laser Doppler vibrometry is used to obtain the frequency response of vibrating beams. Experimental methods are developed to detect the presence, location and extent of damage by direct observation of the eigenvector in the third through eighth modes. Models in MATLAB and ABAQUS are used to predict and validate the observed data. With this experimental method developed, the validity of the method is tested for specimens that have been …


Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr. Mar 2006

Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated hydrocarbons and their degradation products are among of the most common organic groundwater contaminates in the United States. These compounds attack the central nervous system in animals and can affect the photosynthesis of plants. These compounds are also resistant to degradation in the environment and, because of this, pose a risk to any ecosystem in which they are present. This study identified the dominant microbial species in a constructed treatment wetland at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Samples were taken from three different depths and during each of the four seasons. These samples were …


Exploiting Semi-Directional Transceivers For Localization In Communication Systems, Andrew S. Crockford Mar 2006

Exploiting Semi-Directional Transceivers For Localization In Communication Systems, Andrew S. Crockford

Theses and Dissertations

Localization is the process of determining relative, as well as absolute, positions of communicating devices. Traditionally, the process is conducted using range or directional estimates. In contrast, this research uses weak information to form relatively tight bounds on possible locations of communicating devices. Under certain conditions, achieved location estimation results are strong. However, these results are highly sensitive to the operating conditions of the proposed networks. More significant results were obtained from specialized cases and that the application yields somewhat limited information for a general randomized network topology. Feasible localization results were found to be attainable but not necessarily practical …


Doppler-Only Multistatic Radar, Dustin G. Mixon Mar 2006

Doppler-Only Multistatic Radar, Dustin G. Mixon

Theses and Dissertations

In order to estimate the position and velocity of a target, most multistatic radar systems require multiple independent target measurements, such as angle-of-arrival, time-of-arrival, and Doppler information. Though inexpensive and reliable, Doppler-only systems have not been widely implemented due to the inherent nonlinear problem of determining a target’s position and velocity from their measurements. We solve this problem. In particular, we first establish the lack of observability in the Doppler-only bistatic system, thereby demonstrating the need for multiple transmitters and/or receivers. Next, for a multistatic system with a sufficient number of transmitter-receiver pairs, we invoke classical optimization techniques, such as …


In Vitro Toxicity Of Aluminum Nanoparticles In Rat Alveolar Macrophages, Andrew J. Wagner Mar 2006

In Vitro Toxicity Of Aluminum Nanoparticles In Rat Alveolar Macrophages, Andrew J. Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

Nanomaterials, which are by definition in the 1 - 100 nanometer range, have numerous possible benefits to society, but currently there is a lack of data that characterizes these materials effects on human health and environment. In general nanomaterials are of interest to the Air Force because of their applications in electronics, sensors, munitions and energetic/reactive systems. Nanoparticles such as aluminum have been considered for enhancing propulsion in solid rocket fuel. To date, only a few studies have looked at the toxicological effects of direct exposure to nanoparticles, none with aluminum. It is important to increase the understanding of the …