Digital Commons Network^™

Deforestation Rhetoric And Japan's Timber Trade., Mari Yoshimura

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Are Humans Risk-Sensitive Foragers? An Experimental Model, Heide K. Deditius-Island

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

The Single Row Routing Problem Revisited: A Solution Based On Genetic Algorithms, Albert Y. Zomaya, Roger Karpin, Stephan Olariu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

With the advent of VLSI technology, circuits with more than one million transistors have been integrated onto a single chip. As the complexity of ICs grows, the time and money spent on designing the circuits become more important. A large, often dominant, part of the cost and time required to design an IC is consumed in the routing operation. The routing of carriers, such as in IC chips and printed circuit boards, is a classical problem in Computer Aided Design. With the complexity inherent in VLSI circuits, high performance routers are necessary. In this paper, a crucial step in the …

Toward A Women-Centred Approach To Infant Feeding Research, Lynne Callaghan

School of Psychology Theses

This thesis aimed to provide an integrated model of infant feeding, centred on women's experiences. Two studies were employed in order to meet this aim. Firstly, a questionnaire-based longitudinal study within a Social Cognitive framework was carried out in order to understand the internal and external processes involved in the infant feeding experience. Eighty-five first time mothers participated in this study. Participants were assessed at three stages; once during pregnancy, once at six to eight, and again at four to six moths postpartum. The results of the longitudinal study supported the use of the Social Cognitive framework, and more specifically …

No Free Lunch: Why Specified Complexity Cannot Be Purchased Without Intelligence [Review] / William A. Dembski., Erno Gyeresi

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

No abstract provided.

The Adaptive Advantage Of Symbolic Theft Over Sensorimotor Toil: Grounding Language In Perceptual Categories, A Cangelosi, S Harnad

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Using neural nets to simulate learning and the genetic algorithm to simulate evolution in a toy world of mushrooms and mushroom-foragers, we place two ways of acquiring categories into direct competition with one another: In (1) "sensorimotor toil,” new categories are acquired through real-time, feedbackcorrected, trial and error experience in sorting them. In (2) "symbolic theft,” new categories are acquired by hearsay from propositions – boolean combinations of symbols describing them. In competition, symbolic theft always beats sensorimotor toil. We hypothesize that this is the basis of the adaptive advantage of language. Entry-level categories must still be learned by toil, …

Protecting The Endangered Human: Toward An International Treaty Prohibiting Cloning And Inheritable Alterations, George J. Annas, Lori B. Andrews, Rosario M. Isasi

Faculty Scholarship

We humans tend to worry first about our own happiness, then about our families, then about our communities. In times of great stress, such as war or natural disaster, we may focus temporarily on our country but we rarely think about Earth as a whole or the human species as a whole. This narrow perspective, perhaps best exemplified by the American consumer, has led to the environmental degradation of our planet, a grossly widening gap in living standards between rich and poor people and nations and a scientific research agenda that focuses almost exclusively on the needs and desires of …

Acute Myeloid Leukemia In Children In Pakistan: An Audit, S. Zaki, I. A. Burney, Mohammad Khurshid

Section of Haematology/Oncology

Objective: To see the clinical features and treatment of children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in Pakistan. Setting: Tertiary referral at a specialist Hematology/Oncology center.
Methods: Retrospective, chart-based review of children (less than 14 years) admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of AML between January 1987 and August 1997.
Results: A total of 23 patients were admitted. There were 18 males and 5 females. The mean age was 8 5 years. M3 was the commonest morphological subtype (43%). Twenty- two percent of the patients presented with hyperleucocytosis (TLC> 100 x i09 /L) and 95% with an elevated …

Foreword: Phase Ii Of The Genetics Revolution: Sophisticated Issues For Home And Abroad, Frances H. Miller

Faculty Scholarship

The distinguished health law and policy scholars we invite to contribute to the American Journal of Law & Medicine's annual symposium issue are given carte blanche to write about any aspect of the designated topic that appeals to them. The authors in this year's genetics symposium, The Genetic Revolution: Conflicts, Challenges and Conundra, are already well known for their work in the field-in fact three of them have just co-authored the only casebook specifically dedicated to the law, policy and ethics of geneticsl-and we deliberately asked them for relatively short pieces on the theory that taken together their articles would …

Business Method Patents And Patent Floods, Michael J. Meurer

Faculty Scholarship

Technological breakthroughs occasionally set off floods of inventions and associated patents. The decline of the business method exception to patentability is likely to increase the frequency of patent floods. Future technological breakthroughs might now cause two different patent floods: a flood of patents covering the relevant technology, and a flood of patents covering business methods in the new market opened by the breakthrough. Furthermore, a technological breakthrough is no longer a precondition for a patent flood. Any factor that opens a new market might cause a future flood of business method patents.

A flood of related patents in a new …

Causes Of Student Underachievement In Northside New Era Secondary School In Ghana, Edward Larbi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the causes of student underachievement in a selected high school in Ghana. The anonymous name chosen for the school was Northside New Era Secondary School. The participants in the study were administrators, teachers, and students. They were selected from the same school where the researcher conducted the study. The school was located in the Northern Region of Ghana. It had proven records of underachievement compared to other schools in the country according to the Ministry of Education's recent statistical report on education. The criterion for measurement was based on the results of the final examination conducted …

Effect Of Tio₂-Mediated Photocatalytic Degradation On The Toxicity Of Orange Ii, Arnaud Eric Nicolas Goutard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

C.I. Acid Orange 7 (15510) is the sodium salt of p-[(2-hydroxy-1-naphtalenyl)azo] benzenesulfonic acid. This azo dye is commonly known as Orange II and has been used to dye soaps, shoes, wood and paper (Ramchandani et al., 1994). In the United States and Europe, this dye is not allowed in foodstuffs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficiency of a TiO2-mediated photocatalytic oxidation process to degrade Orange II and to determine if Orange II is cytotoxic to certain types of cells. The role of UV radiation and TiO2 particles were examined, as well as the importance of oxygen …

Academic Attribution Style Of Tenth Grade Students With Attachment Problems, Kimberly Conrad

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between attachment and attribution in adolescents. The question that will be answered in this study is is there a relationship between attachment (as measured by the Adolescent Attachment Questionnaire) and attribution ( as measured by the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire). There is not enough data in the literature at the present time to clearly support that there is a relationship. Data were collected by using two instruments, Adolescent Attachment Questionnaire (AAQ), (West, Rose, Spreng, Sheldon-Keller, & Adam, 1998), and Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire (Crandall, Katkovosky, & Crandall, …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Sexuality Education In The State Of Iowa : What Content Is Being Delivered To Secondary Students?, Brian Poncy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study investigated what content in the area of human sexuality was being delivered to secondary students in the state of Iowa. The study was a descriptive study, which investigated the lesson plans used by the teacher(s) who delivered the participating school's sexuality education component. Specifically, the study compared what information schools cited that they were delivering to secondary students with a preset coding system developed by Ogletree, Rienzo, Drolet & Fetro (1995) to evaluate sexuality education curricula. Three areas were looked at which included sexually related content, skill building strategies, and teaching strategies. Results indicated that the participating …

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks To Sensitivity Analysis And Modeling Of Small Office Buildings, Quan Tang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Sensitivity analysis and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) are the most extensively used techniques in studying the input-output relationship in building thermal systems. However, both MLR and most methods for sensitivity analysis do not account for nonlinear components embedded in building energy systems. Thus, their results might be distorted.

In this study, the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) technique was applied to sensitivity analysis and modeling of an imaginary small office in order to (a) examine how the annual energy consumption responded to 40 building design parameters and evaluate relative contributions of these parameters to the variation of the building energy performance, …

A Pneumatically Actuated Manipulandum For Neuromotor Control Research, Aaron J Suminski, Kristina M. Ropella, Robert A. Scheidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques have great potential for identifying which neural structures are involved in the control of goal-directed reaching movements. However, fMRI techniques alone are not capable of probing the neural mechanisms involved in acquisition of novel motor behaviors because such studies require that the moving limb be perturbed in a controlled fashion. We outline a plan to design and develop a non-metallic, pneumatically actuated tool that, along with systems identification techniques and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), will characterize and quantify how the human central nervous system uses sensory information during practice-based motor learning.

An Evaluation Of The Availability Of Courses At Bevill State Community College, Teresa L. Johnson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to determine whether courses are offered at Bevill State Community College (BSCC) to allow a student to complete an associate degree within two years. The problem was that a significant number of students transfer to four-year institutions without completing an associate degree at BSCC.

There was one research question for this study: "Does the schedule of courses at BSCC allow students to complete an associate degree within two years?''

The procedures consisted of a literature review, establishment of criteria, selection and validation of evaluation model, selection and administration of a needs assessment instrument to …

Assessment Of The Validity Of Course And Non-Course Prerequisites In Predicting Success Of Associate Degree Nursing Students At Monterey Peninsula College, Debra Schulte

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was that the nursing program was not in compliance with the mandate from the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges that each mandatory prerequisite be a valid predictor of student success in the program. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of each course and non-course prerequisite as meaningful predictors of success for Associate Degree Nursing students.

Four research questions were under consideration. The first is "Which course prerequisites have content validity as prerequisites for the Associate Degree Nursing program?" The second was "Is each of the course prerequisites for the Associate …

Development And Validation Of A Guide To Improve The Management Of Family Stressors During Pregnancy, Elena E. Jones

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem under investigation was the developing of practical coping strategies for adolescent pregnant mothers that improved the management of family stressors during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to develop and to verify the content and design of a guide to improve the management of family stressors during pregnancy for adolescent mothers. Five research questions to address the problem were related to the development and validation of the content and design of a guide and the implementation and evaluation of a guide to improve the management of family stressors during pregnancy.

The development methodology was used to answer …

Fostering Deep Connection: Emotional Learning, Spiritual Education, And Peer Mentoring For Adolescents, Johh A. Venturella

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This report describes an intervention in a Catholic, college preparatory junior-senior high school of 700 students designed to help students connect with other members of the school community and with God.

A survey of the 553 students in Grades 7 through 11 was administered in May 2000 to determine whether students were experiencing a lack of connection to the school community and to God that would warrant intervention. Participating in the student survey were the following groups: (a) 110 Grade 7 students, (b) 121 Grade 8 students, (c) 119 Grade 9 students, (d) 126 Grade 10 students, and (e) 77 …

Factors Associated With Elevated Blood Lead Concentrations In Children In Karachi, Pakistan, Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, Franklin White, Mubina Agboatwalla, Siroos Hozhabri, Stephen Luby

Community Health Sciences

Objectives: To confirm whether blood lead concentrations in Karachi were as high as reported in 1989 and to identify which types of exposure to lead contribute most to elevated blood lead concentrations in children in Karachi.
Methods: A total of 430 children aged 36-60 months were selected through a geographically stratified design from the city centre, two suburbs, a rural community and an island situated within the harbour at Karachi. Blood samples were collected from children and a pretested questionnaire was administered to assess the effect of various types of exposure. Cooked food, drinking-water and house dust samples were collected …

A Christian Parent’S Guide To Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’S Stone, Gina Louise Burkart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A Christian Parent's Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone provides parents with a variety of activities and opportunities for discussing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone through the Christian lens. The guide is founded and supported by educational theorists such as Kohlberg and Piaget and is built on the principle that parents can help their children sort out fantasy and reality and moral issues by discussing literature with their children. Each chapter is broken down into four sections: Bridging the Gap, Talking About It at Home, Scripture Connection, and Activities. Bridging the Gap allows parents and children to …

Improving Student Achievement And Attitude In Middle Grade Social Studies Classes Through Learning Style Instruction And Design, Jennifer D. Vincent

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to improve student achievement and attitude in a middle school social studies class. Students were not performing well on tests and exams after experiencing traditional visual and auditory instructional methods. The Jack of diversity and creativity in delivery of instruction resulted in limited academic achievement and poor attitude towards social studies learning. Furthermore, long-term memory was also negatively affected because the traditional teaching approaches did not emphasize higher level thinking that promotes greater retention. The study integrates theoretical research concerning how students learn to the development of a strong historical rationale for implementing learning styles …

Peer Mediation: A Means To Success In Managing Student Behavior At Bradshaw High School, Randy J. Pettus

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The applied dissertation process included the study of whether peer mediation is effective in reducing student suspensions. It also included a search for means to increase positive behaviors and to reduce violent behaviors and negative attitudes of students. It sought to increase students’ communication skills, helping them to respond to others in a more positive manner. The outcome of this applied dissertation appeared to result in increased positive social skills among students.

This applied dissertation study focused on behaviors of students at Bradshaw High School in Florence, Alabama, a 750-student school serving Grades 9-12 at the time of the research. …

Identifying And Comparing Misconceptions Held By American And Russian University Students In Mechanics, Alexandra Sokolova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper reports on a study of misconceptions held by undergraduate students completing an introductory physics course at the University of Northern Iowa and first-year undergraduate students taking a mechanics course at the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia. Existence of misconceptions in mechanics among Russian and American students was investigated prior to instruction and at the completion of the one-semester course. Different teaching approaches were used to introduce the students to mechanics. An activity-based approach was emphasized at UNI and a traditional lecture-lab approach was used at Herzen University. The emphasis of the study was placed on identifying misconceptions …

Depression And Social Support As Moderators Of Withon-Person Relationships Between Daily Events And Daily Adjustments During Adolescence, Rebecca M. Plesko

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Everyday for 2 weeks, adolescents described the events that occurred each day and provided measures of their daily self-esteem and depressogenic adjustment. Adolescents also provided trait measures of depression and social support. Within-person relationships were found between social and achievement, positive and negative daily events and daily adjustment. Depression and social support moderated specific within-person relationships. Less well-adjusted adolescents were more reactive to social positive events than better-adjusted adolescents, but surprisingly, better-adjusted adolescents were more reactive to social negative events than less well-adjusted adolescents. Better-adjusted adolescents were also more reactive to achievement positive events than less well-adjusted adolescents. Girls were …

Emergence And Mortality Of Native Prairie Forbs Seeded Into An Established Stand Of Grasses, Dave Williams

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Thousands of hectares of warm-season grass plantings in Iowa have few to no native forbs. Diversifying these species poor plant communities with native prairie forbs could result in increased resistance to climatic extremes, increased biodiversity, reduced noxious "weedy" plant invasion, and reduced geographic isolation between existing native prairie remnants.

I hypothesized that frequent mowing in the first one or two years after broadcasting forb seed into an established stand of warm-season grasses can increase forb emergence and reduce forb mortality. I further hypothesized that fall seeded forbs would establish better that those seeded in spring.

To test my hypothesis, I …

Suitability Of Hsp70 As A Biomarker For Pesticide Contamination Of Aquatic Systems: A Laboratory Investigation Using Chironomus Tentans As A Model, Lori Rae Covington

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Though the use of pesticides has resulted in increased crop production and other benefits, concerns have been raised about potential adverse effects on the environment, especially the hydrologic system which supports aquatic life. To chemically analyze for all possible contaminants at all at-risk sites would not only be costly, but practically infeasible and would yield no information about biological effects. Therefore, a significant portion of the scientific community has turned their investigative focus to biomarkers as a measurement of sublethal contaminant exposure and effect. A biomarker that has been the recent focus of much research is the family of heat …

Defining Imaginary Audience Scores Via Gender Attributes Versus Biological Gender, George M. Freeman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Imaginary audience scores for males and females have not demonstrated consistent differences in the literature. In this study, scores on the Imaginary Audience Scale (lAS) and on the Imaginary Audience subscale of the Adolescent Egocentrism-Sociocentrism scale (ABS) were compared to self-rating of gender attributes on the Personality Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). Results for 64 females and 32 males surveyed at a southeastern university indicate that one's self-rating of gender attributes correlates with imaginary audience scores while biological gender does not. As masculine attribute scores increase, lAS scores and Abiding Self subscale scores decrease. As masculine-feminine attribute scores (traits favored by both …

The Constitution As Family Arbiter: A Moral In The Mess?, Janet L. Dolgin

Hofstra Law Faculty Scholarship

Two interconnected social upheavals that occurred in the second half of the twentieth century underlie an intensifying legal debate about the conception of family. First, Western culture openly challenged a set of assumptions that supported a vision of family as hierarchical, holistic, and almost completely separate from the marketplace. Second, a group of social institutions (including schools, churches, and voluntary communal groups) that once anchored moral debate began to recede in significance. To these upheavals, American law has increasingly responded by eliding traditional legal responses to family issues and by seeking moral direction from constitutional principles. The second of these …