Digital Commons Network^™

Pathfinding In Vrml, Jason Richard Pearce

Theses : Honours

Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) is a scene description language which describes three dimensional (3D) space to a computer. Thus the three axis of space that is inherent in our dimension X Y and Z is represented inside a computer. To many people VRML represents a new beginning for the World Wide Web (WWW) because it behaves more like the real world. VRML is experimental, interactive, continuous and of course, three dimensional. Algorithms in computing have been designed for 2D problem solving and this does not necessarily translate to problem solving on a 3D level. The aim of this project …

Reefs As Contributors To The Diversity Of Epiphytic Algal Communities In Seagrass Meadows, B. R. Van Elvan

Theses : Honours

It has recently become dogma that reef systems arc a source of diversity to algal epiphyte communities in adjacent seagrass meadows. While this theory had not been tested, it was often cited as the reason for unexpected results in algal studies and marine pollution monitoring. This study examined whether reefs do in fact contribute to the diversity of seagrass epiphytes by testing the effect of distance from reef on seagrass epiphyte communities. The study was conducted in the vicinity of Carnac and Garden Islands and Parmelia Bank, off the coast of Fremantle, Western Australia. Three habitat types were selected as …

Behaviour Of Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous Gilbertii Gould) In Captivity, Kylie Dijon Burke

Theses : Honours

In late 1994, Gilbert's Potoroo was rediscovered almost 120 years after it was believed to have become extinct. It was found at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, near Albany, Western Australia. Since then, it has become urgent that detailed studies of the potoroo's behaviour and ecology be undertaken, so as to increase the understanding of the needs of 'this critically endangered marsupial. Due to its critical status, increasing the number of animals is of paramount importance to the continued survival of this species. An understanding of the behavioural repertoire of the species will aid in its recovery and provide the …

A Cave Of Their Own: A Comparative Examination Of Recurring Social And Psychological Themes In Gothic Fiction And Gothic Youth Subculture Through The Song Lyrics And Fiction Of Nick Cave, Bradley M. Hunter

Theses : Honours

The aim of this thesis is to examine the Gothic phenomenon as it pertains to late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century fiction, and extrapolate its social and psychological concerns as they relate to the Gothic revival in the late nineteenth-century Decadent movement and late twentieth-century gothic subculture. This examination focuses on recurrent social and psychological themes in eighteenth/nineteenth-century Gothic fiction, the late nineteenth-century Decadent movement and twentieth-century gothic music and subculture, which, in turn, are compared to the themes and motifs of the song lyrics and fiction of Nick Cave. Within this context, the recurring theme of the psychological exploration of …

Dsp Implementation Of A Quadrature Phase Shift Keying Transmitter, Andrew Phoon

Theses : Honours

The aim of this project is to develop a DSP implementation of a QPSK transmitter. This transmitter is to process digital signals in real-time and modulate it with sinusoidal and cosinusoidal signals to produce the required QPSK waveform. This thesis is mainly divided into three sections. The first section deals with the theory of modulation. Phase shift keying, in particular binary phase shift keying, is explained in some detail, with references to the generation of quadrature phase shift keying. In the second section, a brief overview of the SIMULINK package from MATLAB is given, as simulations of ideal and nonideal …

The In Vitro Propagation Of Seagrasses : Halophila Ovalis, Ruppia Megacarpa And Posidonia Coriacea, Melissa Grace Henry

Theses : Honours

Seagrass communities are of high ecological and economic significance. They provide a nursery area for commercial and recreational juvenile fish and crustacea. Seagrasses also play an important role in influencing the structure and function of many estuarine and nearshore marine environments. Unfortunately, the decline of seagrasses, as a result of human impact, has increased in recent years. This decline has become a major problem throughout the world. Current methods used to restore degraded seagrass beds are limited, the most promising being transplanting material from healthy donor beds. This approach is expensive because it is labor intensive and damages the donor …

Software Flexibility In A Web Environment, Michael Layng

Theses : Honours

Flexible software systems are designed to be able to adapt to changes in their environment without the need for programmer intervention. This allows companies and institutions to avoid the cost of hiring a programmer every time a business rule changes or a data structure is modified. The techniques of designing and implementing flexible 3GL software systems have been proven as a means of reducing the high cost of software maintenance caused by the changing of systems requirements. Such systems have been in operation in the European finance sector since the early 1980's. Edith Cowan University is participating in current research …

Perceptions Of Seagrass Ecosystem Health And Potential Indicators For Monitoring, Nick Wood

Theses : Honours

A range of seagrass characteristics were assessed for potential use as indicators of ecosystem health. Shoot density, shoot width, maximum shoot length, above and below ground biomass, percentage canopy cover, leaf area index, leaf extension rate, meadow productivity, epiphyte biomass, epiphyte species richness, percentage of calcium carbonate in epiphytic material and percentage of nitrogen in leaf tissue were all measured in “healthy~ and unhealthy" Posidonia augustifolia meadows in Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds, from June through to August 1998. A questionnaire was used to determine which meadows researchers and managers in the seagrass ecology field in Perth perceived to be healthy …

The Participant's Perception Of The Contribution Of Lyengar Yoga To Their Health And Well-Being, Ann Dragon

Theses : Honours

To date little research has been conducted to substantiate the many anecdotal claims that yoga improves both physical and mental health. Berger and Owen (1992) demonstrated that yoga practice could enhance mood state. Mind-body exercise modalities, such as tai chi and yoga, potentially offer significant benefit in the areas of exercise rehabilitation and health promotion strategy (LaForge, 1997). Yoga is steadily gaining popularity amongst western culture with an increasing number of people participating in this mind-body exercise modality. Investigating the perceived contribution of regular yoga practice to health and well-being could uncover a number of positive 'indicators towards exercise adherence …

Parent And Teacher Attitudes To Pharmacological Management Of Medically Diagnosed Attention Deficit Primary School Children, K. J. Angel

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes of parents and teachers to the use of pharmacological management or intervention for the child with ADHD in the classroom. Particular focus was placed on differences in attitude toward the use of stimulants, for the management of emotional/behavioural, cognitive/academic, social and classroom organizational behaviours of children with ADHD. Thirty female Western Australian primary school teachers and 90 female parents participated in the present investigation. Participants included: (a) parents of non-medicated children with ADHD, (b) parents of medicated children with ADHD, (c) teachers in regular primary schools, and (d) parents of …

Women On The Move: A Qualitative Study Of Relocation To A Remote Area, Ann Jones

Theses : Honours

This study uses a feminist framework to explore women's experiences of relocating from a city or large regional centre to a small and isolated town. It comes in response to my personal and professional experience of remote relocation and to the dearth of feminist discussion in this area. The site of the study is a town of 2,500 people, situated in Northern Australia over 1200 kilometres from the nearest capital city and 800 kilometres from the nearest regional centre. Six women who relocated within the previous 18 months participated in the study. Two of the women were single and four …

The Spinster (1998), Hollins College

The Spinster

Yearbook of Hollins College (later University)

The Effect Of A Flat Tax On The Individual Taxpayer, Sarah Allen

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

The 1996 presidential election brought the subject of the U.S. tax system up for debate. Politicians and citizens alike disagree over whether our tax system should be restructured, and if so whether a flat tax is the policy to impose. This paper examines our tax structure, explains the components of a flat tax, and presents support and opposition for a flat tax policy.

Information Resource Management In Emergency Room Medicine: A Case Study, Karmen Seavey

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

The emergency room is one of the fastest-paced, intense places a person can find. Because many of the cases in the ER involve life-or-death decisions, accurate data in a useful format is critical for immediate access of necessary information. Over the last several years, this simple fact has sparked major interest in emergency room information resource management. While traditional paper methods are still widely used, the electronic capabilities provided by information technology are revolutionizing the way emergency rooms and trauma centers function.

An ideal state-of-the-art emergency department is integrated with the rest of the healthcare enterprise for access to all …

Solving The Problem Of Evil, Matt Perman

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

We are all aware of the great amount of tragedy in the world. Natural disasters have brought massive devastation on entire communities. Death and illness have brought grief and suffering upon every family at some point in time. Severe accidents and physical ailments have altered the lives of numerous individuals. And the list could go on.

It seems as if such suffering is random. And it is clear that such suffering is not distributed on the basis of good or evil that people have done. Both the godly and the wicked suffer. Christian philosopher William Lane Craig writes, "I think …

A Tale Of Two Chickens: Exploring The Social And Economic Implications Of Our Food Choices, Laura Bainbridge

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

A century ago chicken was considered a luxury item. In fact, people would eat steak or lobster when they could not afford chicken and ladies' magazines advised on how to substitute veal for chicken in recipes (Gordon, 1996). In 1928, President Hoover promised "a chicken in every pot", but it was not until the 1960's that the poultry industry really took off. Today, there are 15 chickens in every pot; the average American consumes 71.8 pounds of broiler meat annually (Oberholtzer, 1997). Where does all of this chicken come from? Who grows the chicken we eat and how do they …

Dealing With Death And The Grieving Process, David M. Gabel

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

There are two things that our society doesn't really openly discuss. Oddly enough, they are things that will affect everyone on this planet regardless of race, religion, gender, class, or nationality. I am speaking of the beginning of life, and the end of life. The subject of how life begins is for some reason "taboo" in our society. Children are told absurd things like children are brought to their parents by birds, such as a stork. Another popular tale is that children are "grown" in gardens and are discovered under leaves. The subject of sex seems to be one that …

"Why Can't The English" . . . Learn To Get Along?: Musical Reinforcement Of Negative Personal Characteristics In My Fair Lady, Gretchen Hundling

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Although the matter of adaptation is a delicate one, a majority of Shaw's original work is retained in My Fair Lady--over half of the show is the original Pygmalion script (Lerner Street 23). With the exception of the altered ending, almost all of Shaw's poke at English society is intact. But in this case, the songs of the musical serve an even greater function than just relaying what is on the characters' minds when the orchestra starts to play. The characters of this show are sometimes lovable, yet often detestable, for a great deal of their negative issues and …

The Use Of Medication In The Management Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, Abigail S. Natvig

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

As Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder is a newly characterized disorder, and only beginning to be fully recognized, there are a multitude of options for its management and treatment. The purpose of this paper is to weigh the benefits and risks of medications and nonpharmacological treatments used for ADHD management.

Laureate, 1998, Old Dominion University

University Yearbooks

1998 yearbook of Old Dominion University

Rights, Wrongs, And Recourse In The Law Of Torts, Benjamin C. Zipursky

Vanderbilt Law Review

Cardozo's opinion in Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co.' hinges on a stark assertion about rights and wrongs: A plaintiff has no right of action unless she can show "'a wrong' to herself; i.e., a violation of her own right." Cardozo himself made this principle the core of his analysis, yet scholars typically regard it as impenetrable, circular, vacuous, or, as Posner put it, "eloquent bluff." Small wonder, then, that readers typically turn to "reasonable foreseeability" as the essence of the case. Leading scholars treat Palsgraf as a proximate cause case, despite Cardozo's pronouncement that "W[the law of causation, remote …

The Effect Prone Positioning Has Upon The Oxygen Ratio Of Ventilated Children, Mary Schira

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of prone positioning on oxygen ratios for ventilated children. A retrospective research design was implemented to study the effect that changing ventilated children from the supine position to the prone position had upon their oxygen ratio two hours after the intervention. Twenty-three ventilated children admitted to an eight bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in Southwest Nfichigan between January 1998 and July 1998 and were proned, had their medical records reviewed. Data analysis using a T-test for paired samples was performed to compare oxygen ratios just prior to proning and …

Emergency Nurse Self Perception Of The Benefit Of The Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course, Diana Lynn Ropele

Masters Theses

This study evaluated whether emergency nurses perceived an increase in knowledge and skill in caring for pediatric emergency patients after taking the Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC). Also it evaluated whether non-certified nurses reported a greater increase in knowledge and skill after the ENPC than the certified nurse.

A cross-sectional, retrospective, correlational design was used with a random sample of 333 registered nurses living in Michigan who completed the ENPC in 1995 or 1996. Ninety-three nurses practicing in emergency care returned the demographic sheet and the ENPC perception questionnaire (EPQ).

Analysis compared knowledge and skill scores before and after taking …

Effects Of Education On Disease Management And Prevention Of Complications In Diabetic Patients, Debbie K. Provoast

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of two specific methods of providing diabetic education employed by two different health clinics in Northern Michigan; Clinic A, which provided an intense program of diabetic education offered through a preventive services program or Clinic B, which provided brief office-based education where patients received all education at the time of the visit.

An ex-post facto retrospective chart review was done on a total of 40 charts, 20 from each clinic for the purpose of obtaining laboratory values for glycohemoglobin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen, at the beginning and end …

Medication Administration In Schools, Stephanie A. Painter

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe current practice of medication administration to children during school attendance in a district in Michigan. Information was collected by an audit of the policy and procedure manuals and medication records to assess a number of variables. It was found that 213 doses of medications were administered in 8 schools (enrollment 6,000) on the day of the study. Most of these were administered by nurses (40.8%) and secretaries (12.2%). While 25 different medications were administered, the medication most frequently administered was methylphenidate (60%). Medications were administered orally, per inhaler, nebulizer, topically or injected. …

Psychiatric Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Social Support, Elizabeth V.L. Howell

Masters Theses

This study investigated psychiatric nurses’ perceptions of their social support while working in a public psychiatric hospital. A descriptive correlational research design using a mailed self-administered questionnaire was employed for this study. Data collection and measurement of the phenomenon of perceived social support was done using the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (Norbeck, Lindsey, & Carrieri, 1995). The sample consisted of 57 registered nurses who had been employed for at least six months.

Data analyses consisted of reporting means, standard deviations, percentages, and range of scores for perceived social support. Results indicated emotional support (affect and affirmation) rated the highest among …

Barriers To Implementing Inclusion Practices, Sara Ann Sposaro, Julie Mara Lensink

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Concept Of Death Education On Children's Understanding Of Death, Diana K. Clark Schramm

Masters Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if death education has an impact on children's understanding of death. This study was a non-randomized trial of a single educational session on death concepts of 38 second grade children (mean age 7.78 years). The Smilansky Death Concept Questionnaire, a validated and published interviewing tool, was administered pre and post intervention to all study subjects to evaluate their understanding of death. This intervention was a story on death and a peer group discussion.

Post-test scores were significantly higher than pretest scores for human death concept, and animal death concept, as well as …

Quality Nursing Care: The Nursing Home Residents' Perspective, Brenda L. Larsen

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to determine what nursing home residents consider quality nursing care. The information obtained can provide nurses with knowledge about quality care perceptions in this population. Care thus could be planned and provided that would promote resident centered quality.

For this qualitative study a phenomenological approach was used. The investigator collected data via audio-taped interviews and field note observations. A grounded theory approach was used to uncover residents' perceptions of quality nursing care. The meaning was then disclosed by the process of description and thematic interpretation.

The shared experience of living in a nursing home …

The Effect Of Discharge Intervention Provided By An Advanced Practice Nurse On The Post-Discharge Self-Care Agency Of Clients Admitted With Congestive Heart Failure, Theresa Dawson

Masters Theses

This study used a quasi-experimental design using a two-group comparison to evaluate the effects of advanced practice nurse interventions on client compliance to self-care regimens (diet, meds, and established appointments). The conceptual framework was based upon Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Model.

This study used the premise of Ashby's (1988) "Self-Care Outcome Measurement" tool to ascertain the frequency of the clients'performance of self-care activities. The frequency was measured using a 4-point summated rating scale. The study site was a 400 bed acute care hospital in Southcentral Michigan. The convenience sample of 10 adult clients with congestive heart failure were interviewed by phone …