Digital Commons Network^™

Alternative Language Sample Analyses For The Assessment Of Low-Income African American Children, Christy Gayle Wynn

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical utility of three language sample analyses when working with low-income, African American (AA) children. Eighteen normally developing and three at-risk AA three-year-old preschoolers participated in the study. Language samples were elicited from each child during a 15-20 minute play interaction. Three language sample analyses, contrastive analysis, average sentence length, and complex syntax use, were completed on each language sample. Also coded was each child’s use of nonmainstream African American English (AAE) patterns. Only the contrastive analysis generated reliable differences between the at-risk children and the normally developing children. Other group …

An Integrated Approach To Judicial Decision Making: The Death Penalty In South Africa, Stephenie E. Franks

LSU Master's Theses

Existing judicial research has firmly established the role of the law and the courts in the political system of the United States. Yet very little systematic empirical research has been conducted to fully explore the extent to which theories of judicial behavior based upon the American judicial system are applicable to other legal systems. As a result, these theories lack generalizability and, moreover, have failed to determine if the U.S. judiciary is comparable to other court systems or simply an anomaly within a broader comparative framework. Given this void within the existing literature, this study extends several theories of judicial …

The Role Of Killer Joe In Tracy Letts' Killer Joe: A Production Thesis In Acting, Christopher C. Cariker

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis covers the experience of Christopher C. Cariker in his portrayal of the character Killer Joe Cooper in the play Killer Joe. It contains a character analysis, a daily record of the rehearsal process, an interview with the actor who played the original Killer Joe, Paul Dillon, a breakdown of the fight at the end of the show, acknowledgments, and thoughts/conclusions on the lessons learned throughout the experience of doing the play.

"You Stupid, Lazy Kid": Perceptions Of Verbal Aggressiveness In Older Adults, Jon M. Croghan

LSU Master's Theses

Young adults' stereotypes of older adults has been well-documented in communication literature, however, there has been a lack of research on the impact of message strategy on intergenerational interactions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among three factors that previous research suggests should influence the activation of stereotypes toward a target: age, relational level, and message strategy. This study examines the role that message strategy, in this case, verbal aggressiveness, plays in activating young adults' (n = 186) negative stereotypes of older adults. The young adults' self-reported levels of trait verbal aggressiveness was positively correlated with …

A Stellar Parameter Calibration Of Iue Data For The Determination Of The Present Day Mass Function Of High Mass Stars, Kenneth Thomas Taylor

LSU Master's Theses

A study of stellar atmosphere models and the photometric quantity R is presented here, with R being the ratio of the integrated de-reddened fluxes from the two wavelength regions of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite cameras. The effective temperatures and surface gravities of the stellar atmospheres were calibrated against R and absolute magnitude, using stellar evolution tracks from the literature, and applied to over 156 LMC stars whose masses and mass function are then derived from the results. The results show that the effective temperatures and surface gravities of stars derived from R and absolute magnitude correlate well with …

Development And Implementation Of Fine Structure Aerosol Spectrum Coagulation Kernels And Deposition Mechanisms Using Advanced Nodal Method In The Caerot Code, Hyeongkae Park

LSU Master's Theses

Aerosol transport in confined spaces was studied via numerical simulation using the dynamic aerosol equation, which is Boltzmann?s transport equation at the hydrodynamic limit. Until recent years, there existed no comprehensive computational tool to predict the spatial distribution and time evolution of aerosol size spectrum. A previously developed code, INDASOL3D, solves the dynamic aerosol equation by using a homogenized control-volume based finite difference method applying the group sectional method on the coagulation dynamics. However, quantitative correctness has not been satisfactory. In this thesis, two new codes (SAEROSA, and CAEROT) were developed. SAEROSA computes the time evolution of the size spectrum …

A Comparative Study Of Two Treatment Approaches For Improving Middle School Students' Reading Comprehension, Vessa Annette Cartmill

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of having material read to and discussed with learning disabled students (i.e., a compensatory approach termed Accommodated Reading in this study) compared to teaching the literate language of text structures to students (i.e., a language intervention approach termed Communicative Reading Strategies). Participants were two 5th grade students and three 6th grade students, classified as learning disabled according to criteria of the State of Louisiana. Students took part in the study 3 times per week, 40 minutes per day for 5 ½ weeks during their regular speech-language therapy time. After each …

Phosphorus Transport And Variability In Two Louisiana Coastal Plain Soils, Gregory Joseph Waldron

LSU Master's Theses

Soil phosphorus (P) build-up from long-term application of poultry litter may increase P loss in surface and subsurface water and lead to eutrophication. Anoxic conditions during water saturation may aggravate the problem by increasing P solubility and mobility. However, the same level of soil P at different locations may not yield equal runoff P if the capacity of the soil to retain P varies across the landscape. This study examined: 1) effects of soil water oxygenation and concentration of soil organic matter (SOM) on development of anoxic conditions leading to decreased P sorption and increased mobility in a Ruston (fine-loamy, …

Hard Questions Concerning Structure And Values In The New North American Aboriginal Church, Randy Woodley

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

No abstract provided.

A Search Into Time, History, And Relevance: Clay/ Steel/ Fiberglass, Brad Spencer

Theses

Not provided.

A Biooptical Model Of Irradiance Distribution And Photosynthesis In Seagrass Canopies, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Although extremely vulnerable to coastal eutrophication, seagrasses represent important structuring elements and sources of primary production in shallow waters. They also generate an optical signature that can be tracked remotely. Accurate knowledge of light absorption and scattering by submerged plant canopies permits the calculation of important plant- and ecosystem-level properties, including rates of photosynthesis, vegetation abundance, and distribution. The objectives of this study were to develop a realistic, yet simply parameterized two-flow model of plane irradiance distribution through a seagrass canopy submerged in an optically active water column, to evaluate its performance against in situ measurements, and to explore the …

Linking Dispersal To Local Population Dynamics: A Case Study Using A Headwater Salamander System, Winsor H. Lowe

Dartmouth Scholarship

Dispersal can strongly influence local population dynamics and may be critical to species persistence in fragmented landscapes. Theory predicts that dispersal by resident stream organisms is necessary to offset the loss of individuals to downstream drift. However, there is a lack of empirical data linking dispersal and drift to local population dynamics in streams, leading to uncertainty regarding the general demographic significance of these processes and the power of drift to explain observed dispersal patterns. I assessed the contribution of dispersal along a first-order stream to population dynamics of the headwater salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus (Plethodontidae). I conducted mark–recapture surveys of …

Self-Management And Social Skills Training For Persons With Developmental Disabilities: Tools For The Rehabilitation Counselor To Facilitate Success In Community Settings: A Literature Review, Tina M. Anctil Peterman, Charles Edmund Degeneffe

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

People with developmental disabilities often display deficiencies in self-management and social skills in community based settings. Difficulties with self-management and social skills tend to pose particular difficulties for performing valued adult roles. Tools from behavior therapy have the potential to assist rehabilitation counselors in their work with consumers with developmental disabilities to overcome the negative impacts of functional limitations on expressing behaviors needed for success in community-based settings. This article presents a review of the behavior therapy literature regarding self-management and social skills training techniques rehabilitation counselors can use in their work with consumers with developmental disabilities in areas including …

Contraflow Evacuation On The Westbound I-10 Out Of The City Of New Orleans, Gregoris Theodoulou

LSU Master's Theses

In this study, CORSIM 5.0 simulation model results were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the contraflow segment on westbound I-10 out of the City of New Orleans. The Louisiana State Police plan for the contraflow segment was used to construct the CORSIM network. Alternative plans were also developed in this study to compare the effectiveness of the contraflow operation. With the use of CORSIM, traffic flow on the contraflow segment was determined based on the amount of evacuating vehicles leaving the exit nodes. In addition the time and speed to travel the contraflow segment was estimated. The results showed …

Tensile Strength And Bonding Characteristics Of Self-Compacting Concrete, Cristian Druta

LSU Master's Theses

Self-compacting concrete, also referred to as self-consolidating concrete, is able to flow and consolidate under its own weight and is deaerated almost completely while flowing in the formwork. It is cohesive enough to fill the spaces of almost any size and shape without segregation or bleeding. This makes SCC particularly useful wherever placing is difficult, such as in heavily-reinforced concrete members or in complicated workforms. The objectives of this research were to compare the Splitting Tensile Strength and Compressive Strength values of self-compacting and normal concrete specimens and to examine the bonding between the coarse aggregate and the cement paste …

"Argument Is War"-Or Is It A Game Of Chess? : Multiple Meanings In The Analysis Of Implicit Metaphors, L. David Ritchie

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Both Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and Vervaeke and Kennedy (1996), in their critique of Lakoff and Johnson, drew narrowly from a broad range of reasonable interpretations of the metaphors they analyzed. Expanding the interpretations vitiates many of Vervaeke and Kennedy's criticisms, but it supports their call for an open interpretation of groups of metaphors and points toward a more complex elaboration of the theories put forth by Lakoff and Johnson. The results of applying this approach to "ARGUMENT IS WAR" suggest that war is not necessarily the primary conceptual metaphor for contentious argument, as Lakoff and Johnson claimed. Rather, there …

Use Of Dea To Evaluate Non-Linear And Imprecise Information In Construction Contractor Performance, Gerald H. Williams, Timothy R. Anderson

Engineering and Technology Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper explores the use of Data Envelopment Analysis as a tool to evaluate the efficiency of building construction projects in Oregon where the inputs, including, "reported information" available prior to pricing and contractor selection is imprecise or at least, cannot be entirely or accurately captured by exogenous measures. This work builds on prior work in the field that evaluated missing, imprecise or non-existent information in DEA models and has broad application to the service sector of the economy where information is the prime input in the system.

Beavers, Firs, Salmon, And Falling Water: Pacific Northwest Regionalism And The Environment, William L. Lang

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

Discusses the importance of salmon in defining environmental understanding in the Pacific Northwest. Dam construction, population influx, economic development, and politics have dramatically changed the geography of Oregon Country since 1850. The technological alterations and population growth redefined the sense of place. However, salmon has remained the most important icon of the Pacific Northwest, both for Native Americans and for nonnatives have who worked to save the salmon from extinction. Salmon have become a "living metaphor" for the region, and their fate reflects an understanding of historical context and the role of people in their relationship to the environment in …

Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published 2-3 times a year. In this issue: Distinct history, politics, and social customs—not Western-style democracy—dominate this region; the comic twists and turns of one man discovering his niche; little is known of the black servant William Clark brought on his historic exploration of America; a biology professor shares the thrill of a new species discovery; and more.

Book Review Of, Tribute Of Blood: Army, Honor, Race, And Nation In Brazil, 1864-1945, Shawn Smallman

International & Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reviews the non-fiction book "The Tribute of Blood: Army, Honor, Race, and Nation in Brazil, 1864-1945," by Peter M. Beattie.

Choral Music Education: A Survey Of Research 1996-2002, Amber Turcott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review and summarize selected choral music education research published between 1996-2002. Four major research surveys in this area were previously published by Gonzo (1973), Hylton (1983), Phillips (1992), and Grant and Norris (1998). Each of these authors stressed a need for research in all areas of choral music education beyond the dissertation level and called for research that mimicked "real-world" experiences that would benefit choral music educators.

This study investigated the following: (a) whether research studies in choral music education have increased beyond doctoral dissertation studies; (b) whether previous research studies have been …

Fergie's Prescience: The Changing Nature Of Diglossia In Tunisia, Keith Walters

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite criticisms it has received, Ferguson's (1959b) account of diglossia should be recognized for its prescience. It offered not only an admittedly idealized characterization of diglossia in Arabic, but also pointed out how and why it might change. Focusing on Tunisia, this article demonstrates the many ways in which Fergie was right. It examines the changing demographics of Tunisians' access to the high variety of Arabic; the complex ways in which Tunisians, and Arabs more generally, deal with the "communicative tensions" diglossia creates; and considers the changing nature of Arabic in what is, in many ways, a postdiglossic Tunisia.

The Interactive Work Of Prosody In The Irf Exchange: Teacher Repetition In Feedback Moves, John Hellermann

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines the interactive import of prosody from a perspective of participants' orientation to talk in interaction, taking advantage of data from institutional discourse to focus on the prosodic packaging of recurring turn sequences of the same discourse activity. The analysis focuses on the third slot of a ubiquitous three-part classroom discourse sequence, the IRF exchange (Sinclair & Coulthard 1975), a site in which teachers make repetitive feedback moves following student responses. Examination of more than 25 hours of classroom discourse and more than 300 third-turn teacher feedback types uncovered a systematic use of prosody for these teacher repetitions …

Making The Internet Transition: Assessing The Needs Of Secondary Public School Teachers, Nancy Matt

LSU Master's Theses

Since the introduction of Internet technology in public schools, teachers who are enthusiastic about computer and Internet training have responded to school districts’ offers of off-site training and take part in grant-based programs to promote the use of technology. The first phase of promotion by attraction has been completed. The remaining teachers are not as enthusiastic and look to the school district to provide them with the type of training they require in order to incorporate Internet technology. Access to the Internet is just one of many elements involved in the overall problems that public high school teachers face using …

Modeling Intracranial Fluid Flows And Volumes During Traumatic Brain Injury To Better Understand Pressure Dynamics, Wayne W. Wakeland, James Mcnames, Mateo Aboy, D. Hollemon, Brahm Goldstein

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

See additional files below for the Presentation.

We describe a computer model of intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics that evaluates clinical treatment options for elevated ICP during traumatic brain injury (TBI). The model uses fluid volumes as primary state variables and explicitly models fluid flows as well as the resistance, compliance, and pressure associated with each intra - and extracranial compartment (arteries and arterioles, capillary bed, veins, venous sinus, ventricles, and brain parenchyma). The model evaluates clinical events and therapies such as intra - and extra-parenchymal hemorrhage, cerebral edema, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, mannitol administration, head elevation, and mild hyperventilation. The model …

Performance Verification Of Personal Aerosol Sampling Devices, Steven T. Luecke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

International standards establish criteria for size-selective aerosol sampling for industrial hygiene. Commercially available aerosol samplers are designed to conform to these criteria. This study uses semi-monodispersed aerosols generated in a vertically aligned test chamber to compare the performance of three commercially available respirable dust samplers, one of which can simultaneously sample for thoracic and inhalable dust fractions. Comparison methods are used to calculate a theoretical fractional value based on the appropriate sampling conventions of the total dust concentration and size distribution of test materials. Performance of actual samplers can be conducted by comparing observed results to the theoretical value. Results …

Body Image As A Function Of Colorism: Testing A Theoretical Model, Alicia V. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A Covariate Structure Model was used to examine a possible relationship between colorism as a component of body image and global psychological functioning in the hypothesized model. Two hundred-fifty-five African-American women were recruited from undergraduate psychology and social work classes to participate in the current study from state and community colleges in the southeastern United States, and from social groups and church organizations. The results indicated that the hypothesized model was not a good fit to the data; therefore, the model was re-evaluated. The results of the analysis of the revised model indicated that the revised model was not plausible. …

Evaluation And Implementation Of A Molecular-Based Protocol For The Identification Of Enteroviruses At The Florida Department Of Health – Tampa Laboratory, Matthew Adams Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Enterovirus genus within the family Picornaviridae contains over 100 serotypes, of which sixty-four are known to be human pathogens. Infection with this group of RNA viruses produces a myriad of clinical conditions including poliomyelitis, meningitis, encephalitis, respiratory illnesses, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Outbreaks have been documented worldwide; significant morbidity and mortality exist to warrant laboratory surveillance.

Traditionally, enteroviruses have been identified to the level of serotype by the serum neutralization assay. However, numerous problems are associated with this assay. The serum neutralization assay is labor intensive, results are often ambiguous, and reagents are becoming difficult to obtain. Recently, molecular-based typing …

2002 Oregon Crime Victims’ Needs Assessment Final Report, Deborah Elliott, Alice Galloway, Karen Cellarius, Mary Louise Mcclintock, Mary Ellen Johnson, Mandy Davis, John Knutson

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

On behalf of the Crime Victims’ Assistance Section of the Oregon Department of Justice, Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute for Human Services conducted an 18-month (July 2001-December 2002) needs assessment of the current state of crime victims’ services and victims’ needs in Oregon. The primary objectives of the needs assessment were to identify:

• Gaps in the current service delivery system, including linkages among agencies
• Range and quality of services
• Barriers to accessing services, particularly among underserved populations
• How well Crime Victims’ Rights are implemented
• Model national and statewide programs

This report is a compilation of the findings gathered from …

Headway Deviation Effects On Bus Passenger Loads: Analysis Of Tri-Met’S Archived Avl-Apc Data, James G. Strathman, Thomas J. Kimpel, Steve Callas

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

In this paper we empirically analyze the relationship between transit service headway deviations and passenger loads, using archived data from Tri-Met’s automatic vehicle location and automatic passenger counter systems. The analysis employs two-stage least squares estimation to account for the simultaneous relationship between headway deviations and loads. Controlling for the effects of passenger activity on delay, the results indicate that the observed incidence of excess passenger loads is systematically attributable to deviations from scheduled headways. In turn, analysis of the causes of headway deviations served to identify possible operations control actions that would improve service regularity and, consequently, reduce incidences …