Digital Commons Network^™

Second Thoughts: Toward A Critique Of The Digital Divide, David J. Gunkel

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

This article introduces critical perspective into the discussion of the digital divide, which is commonly defined as the gap separating those individuals who have access to new forms of information technology from those who do not. The analysis is distinguished from other undertakings addressing this matter, insofar as it does not document the empirical problems of unequal access but considers the terminology, logical structure, and form that define and direct work on this important social and ethical issue. The investigation employs the tools of critical theory and targets extant texts, reports, and studies. In this way, the analysis does not …

Mediating The Model: Women's Microenterprise And Microcredit In Tobago, West Indies, Cheryl A. Levine

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

From the perspectives of economic anthropology, feminist anthropology, and feminist theory, this applied anthropological study is an evaluation of a popular international development model targeting poor women. Based on the celebrated Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, the so-called "microcredit" model is designed as a poverty alleviation strategy to provide small loans to poor women in rural settings and is designed to facilitate microenterprise development. Due to the popularity of the microcredit model with the international development community, it is being replicated in different settings. Through an analysis of microenterprise development among Afro-Caribbean women, this study presents the argument that successful application …

Hiv Risk Behaviors In Adults With Serious Mental Illness: Testing The Imb Theory Of Hiv Risk Reduction, Leslie D. Bjork

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has proliferated substantially since its initial identification in 1981. Studies ofHIV seroprevalence indicate a recent statistical surge in rural AIDS cases relative to urban locales (McKinney, 1998; Stephenson, 2000). Data also suggest adults with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) evidence higher behavioral risk for HIV infection than individuals in the general population (Carey, Carey, & Kalichman, 1997; McKinnon, Carey & Cournos, 1997). This study examined HIV risk behaviors in rural adults with SPMI, including analyses of sexual behaviors, psychiatric severity, and substance problems. In addition, Fisher and Fisher's (1992) Information-Motivation-Behavior (1MB) theory ofHIV risk …

Spinoza's Identity And Philosophy: Jewish Or Otherwise?, Suzanne Last Stone

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Spinoza As Natural Lawyer, Aaron Garrett

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Retaining The Debtor's Attorney: Preemption Of Voidable Preference Law By Section 329(B), Ilana Kameros Chalfin

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Civil Rights Plaintiffs And John Doe Defendants: A Study In Section 1983 Procedure, Howard M. Wasserman

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Relationship Marketing Elements In Radio Station Websites, Mark L. Atkinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not radio station website designers effectively use relationship marketing to achieve the goals of the stations and their websites. The study is a comparison/content analysis of the websites of 150 radio stations, in three different formats, in the top 50 U.S. population centers. This study compared the results of a content analysis with the results of a 2000 Edison/Arbitron survey which asked respondents to rank 14 website features according to what those replying considered important. This study sought to determine whether the more popular features actually appeared on more websites …

Implementing Software Engineering Practices In Small Industry With A Focus On Requirements Elicitation, James Clifford Fleming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

I have been involved in small industry for 33 years and I have seen how the evolution of computers and software has affected small companies striving to grow in their market place by trying to take advantage of an evolving technology. Many times an individual is assigned the task of developing software to fit the company's needs and begins the process without any formal training in the practices of Software Engineering. My Thesis will discuss my evolving skills, gained through my Masters in Software Engineering degree work, as a Software Engineer and how I have been able to implement proper …

Evaluation Of Concrete Median Barrier Delineation Under Poor Visibility Conditions, Kari A. French

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A nationwide survey, durability test, and visibility test were conducted for concrete median barrier delineation. PENNDOT was encountering with delineators becoming detached due to harsh conditions in the roadside areas, as well as visibility problems in spot locations prone to fog. From the results of the research it was recommended that in areas prone to poor visibility conditions, PENNDOT consider decreasing the longitudinal spacing and providing delineation lower on the barrier than shown in the standards. With respect to the durability, in instances where the "peel-n-stick" delineators are comparable in price to obtaining the delineator and adhesive separately, that special …

Characterization Of In-Use Emissions From On-Highway Heavy-Duty Diesel Engines, Mohan Krishnamurthy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Class-8 trucks with GVWR of 80,000 lbs were tested on different driving routes and in-use brake-specific emissions of NOx and CO2 data were collected using the West Virginia University's Mobile Emissions Measurement System (MEMS). An uncertainty analysis was performed on the MEMS and it was determined the maximum possible error in the measurement of brake-specific emissions of NOx was 8% and CO2 was 6%.;A modal analysis indicated that the cruise mode comprised 70% of the time that the vehicle spent in the Not-to-Exceed (NTE) zone while the acceleration and deceleration modes about 20% and 10% respectively.;In order to reduce the …

Comparison Of Classification Methods For Perspiration-Based Liveness Algorithm, Sujan T. V. Parthasaradhi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the modern world there is a need for security. Biometric technologies provide a means for providing this security. Of the many different available biometric technologies, fingerprint recognition is the most popular. As with all security measures, biometric devices may be subject to attacks on the system. Fingerprint scanners may be susceptible to spoofing using artificial materials, or in the worst case, dismembered fingers. Liveness, i.e. to determine whether the introduced biometric is coming from a live source, has been suggested as a means to circumvent attacks that use spoof fingers. It has been shown that water based casting materials …

Fungi Associated With Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra ) Acorns, Dawn M. Washington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Poor regeneration of northern red oak is widespread in the central hardwood region. A two-part study was conducted to determine what fungi are associated with and cause cotyledon discoloration of northern red oak acorns. The field study determined that simulated small mammal notching, surface sowing, time, and site all play a significant role in the amount of cotyledon discoloration in acorns as well as the number of acorns with discoloration. However, germination rate was only affected by site and surface sowing, while seedling vigor ratings were actually higher when acorns had discolored cotyledons. The five species of fungi isolated most …

National Survey Of Psychological Practices Across Rural And Urban Communities, Craig M. Helbok

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in the practice of psychology across urban and rural communities. The review of the rural literature suggests that psychologists in rural areas are likely to encounter numerous ethical dilemmas and problems that are related specifically to the characteristics of such communities. To date, however, much of this literature has been based on theory and the individual experiences of practitioners. This study sought to quantify any differences in the practice of psychology across communities for such ethical issues as multiple relationships, competency, burnout, confidentiality, and visibility in the community. A survey …

Censusing And Modeling The Dynamics Of A Population Of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis L.) Using Remote Sensing, W. Robert Lamar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A population of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.) was censused from the ground using traditional field methods and from the air using large scale, high-resolution, aerial imagery in the early spring of 1997, 1998 and 1999. A manual crown survey map of the population, prepared from aerial imagery, was compared to a traditional field census. Over 60% of the individuals measured on the ground were not detected in the aerial census. Tree size, crown density and crown position all played roles in determining a crown's visibility from the air. Nearly all large, upper canopy hemlocks were visible in the aerial …

Empirical Development Of A Scale Of Patience, Kenneth C. Dudley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Patience is a construct not directly studied in the literature. Studies in the psychological literature have typically spoken of patience only as the converse of impatience. The assumption of these studies is that patience exists in the absence of impatience. However, other research proposes a multidimensional model of patience based on qualitative studies. It follows from the multidimensional model that patience exists on a continuum with the potential for different levels or amounts of patience across different situations. The purpose of this study was to develop an objective measure of patience.;To develop a measure of patience an item pool was …

Ecology And Management Of Raccoons Within An Intensively Managed Forest In The Central Appalachians, Sheldon F. Owen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), a generalist meso-predator, is commonly found throughout the eastern United States. Many researchers have examined the ecology and spatial requirements of raccoons in agricultural and wetland areas of the mid-western and southeastern United States. However, no studies have quantitatively examined raccoon habits in the forested central Appalachians and their response to forest management. During the fall of 2000 through the spring of 2003, I monitored the spatial movements and den site selection of raccoons within an intensively managed forest.;I investigated the occurrence of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in raccoons (Procyon lotor) within my study area. I …

Sport Psychology Strategies, Types Of Social Support, And Adherence To Injury Rehabilitation Among University Student -Athletes, Kenneth Tubilleja

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined differences between levels of adherence to athletic injury rehabilitation (SIRAS; Brewer, Van Raalte, Petitpas, Sklar, & Ditmar, 1995) among injured student-athletes on their use of sport psychology strategies (TOPS; Thomas, Murphy, & Hardy, 1999) and their perceived social support (SSS-C; Richman, Rosenfeld, & Hardy, 1993). Relationships between adherence to athletic injury rehabilitation and sport psychology strategies and perceived social support were also investigated. In addition, participants' use and training in sport psychology strategies was explored. The sample consisted of 35 student-athletes from 1 NCAA Division I and 3 Division II institutions who sustained athletic injuries that …

Impacts On Terrestrial And Streamside Herpetofauna By Mountaintop Removal Mining In Southern West Virginia, Jennifer Mravintz Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mountaintop removal mining, a mining technique used in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and nearby states, converts mature forests to grassland and shrub-pole habitats. I sampled terrestrial herpetofauna using drift fences with pitfalls and funnel traps from 2000--2002 to evaluate habitat use of unmined native habitat (intact forest), mined habitat (reclaimed grassland, reclaimed shrub-pole habitat, and fragmented forest), and early successional off-mine habitats that were created by other types of disturbance and were structurally similar to reclaimed grasslands and reclaimed shrubpole habitats. I searched transects in valley fill and reference streams from 2001--2002 to evaluate impacts of valley fill …

Numerical Analysis Of Source-Water Dynamics For Stream-Bounded Alluvial Aquifers, Sarah E. Webb

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Alluvial aquifers bounded by streams are water supply sources for numerous communities in the Ohio Valley, West Virginia. Groundwater flow models are tools for estimation of source areas, however, existing analytical solutions apply only in settings involving a single stream boundary. A series of numerical experiments was devised for wells near multiple surface sources examining the controlling aspects of well-location and boundary condition interaction on source areas. Local-scale models were constructed representing an alluvial aquifer bounded by a tributary intersecting a large river. Aquifer behavior was examined in response to variations in pumping well location and tributary gradient. Flow within …

Model Predictive Control Design For Load Frequency Control Problem, Nedzad Atic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Load Frequency Control (LFC) is a mechanism by which power generation and power demand are balanced.;Model Predictive Control (MPC) has been widely accepted as a viable control strategy in the process industry. It is a model based control strategy where an optimization procedure is performed in every sampling interval over a prediction horizon, yielding an optimal control action. The optimization criterion, or objective function, is chosen in such a way as to satisfy the controlled system dynamics and constraints, penalize system output deviation from the desired trajectory, and minimize control efforts. Furthermore, a possibility to incorporate economic objectives into the …

Comparing Math Self-Efficacy In Middle School Girls, Anagloria Rodriguez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There have been no previous studies in the self-efficacy or single-sex schools literature that have looked at the possible relationship between self-efficacy expectations and type of school. This study compared mathematics self-efficacy of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade girls in a single-sex and a co-educational school. Four measures, including a personal background questionnaire, were used to collect data. Results showed a correlation for type of school and importance of mathematics. Contrary to assumptions made by the researcher, girls in the co-educational school scored consistently higher on all measures used. The results of this research suggest that it will take more …

Dynamic Solutions For A Women's Basketball Web Site, Dawn R. Gaffney

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The Dynamic Solutions for a Women's Basketball Web Site project involved taking a previously static web site and making it data driven and dynamic. The previous web site had over a hundred or more unorganized pages linked together. The previous web site worked well for the viewer, but was filled with functional errors and redundant processes for the web master. The Dynamic Solutions project end design - eliminated the functional errors and gave the web master more management capabilities. The following pages trace the process of creating the project from start- project planning, to finish- project implementation.

Data Warehouse Design And Implementation For Fedex Growth & Ranking Reports, Ranjith Boggarapu

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this project is to design and implement a database for a data warehouse meeting the business user's need and requirements for generating a report. This report handles the project right from the requirements gathering, analyzing and developing a data model to support the report requirements. The project is implemented in tiered approach by summarizing the source tables by every tier and at the same time getting all the required data in to a consistent format. During this initial phase of rollout, the data model will support the Growth & Ranking requirements and is designed to be very …

Metrics Application Designed For Dentists In The Office, Eleanor Chan

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Chan software is a well-run system company. We practice with economic efficiency, employee involvement, and a commitment to quality, delivers quality service at affordable prices. lts service is of value to the clients and can improve their business. We can design databases for the web and other applications. We've worked with a variety of databases, such as Oracle, Microsoft Access, and MySQL. We're especially skilled at developing large-scale systems based on MySQL that use replication for high reliability and performance. Chan Software has been contacted by Grafton Family Dentistry ("Grafton") to design and implement a centralized client server Web based …

African American Fugitive Slaves And Freemen In Matamoros, Tamaulipas, 1820–1865, John C. Gassner

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In the years leading up to the American Civil War, northeastern Mexico became a destination for fugitive slaves and African American freemen seeking refuge from the oppressive conditions caused by the expansion of the slave-based cotton economy in the southern United States and Texas. The geographic position of Matamoros, as well as social, economic and political changes in Mexico and the United States, made it one of the main destinations for African American emigrants leaving the Texas and other parts of the United States. This thesis examines the factors that caused different elements of African American fugitives slaves and freemen …

The Mediating Role Of Organizational Learning Between Absorptive Capacity And Performance In Companies Employing Enterprise Resource Planning Software, Edith Galy

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This dissertation focuses on the acquisition of information systems technology and how the acquisition of information systems (IS) can improve the performance of a firm. The central purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the literature that explains the success of IS projects. It addresses the organizational processes that contribute to the successful implementation of IS, and explains why some organizations achieve financial returns and strategic advantages from their IS efforts while others do not.

The population in this dissertation consists of top level IS executives in the US or Canada employed in firms who have implemented enterprise resource …

A Link With Nature: The Healing Of Soul, Kelly B. Kraehe

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This paper accompanies the Master of Fine Arts exhibition titled A Link With Nature. Art cannot divorce itself from its process, from its artist, and from becoming a product. Like the canopy, trunk and roots of a tree, the parts of art are mysteriously interdependent and would not exist alone. So too in my art, the artist, process, and product are woven together to form a visual tapestry that I have defined throughout the thesis paper. As artist, aesthetic experiences have formed the vision that I portray through painting and sculpture. The process of going places, seeing things and …

Indicators Of Teacher Collaboration In Texas Public High Schools, Michael James Mcclure

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study employs both quantitative and qualitative data to extend the work of Rosenholtz (1991) with public elementary schools and the work of Hickey (1994) with public secondary schools in trying to assess the extent to which four pre-defined socio-organizational factors predict teacher collaboration in public schools. The four socio-organizational factors include: teacher certainty about a technical culture and their instructional capability; shared instructional goals; teacher involvement in decision making about instructional matters; and teacher involvement in team teaching. The study also investigates the hypothesis that the academic departments in public secondary schools provide structures that more nearly approach the …

Data Analysis In The Antes System, Yavuz Tor

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that can be used as an indicator for the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Border Health Office, in University of Texas - Pan American, organizes screenings in schools for acanthosis nigricans. Screening results are, then, collected and evaluated in the Border Health Office. The ANTES System is a computer system that stores and manages the data collected in those screenings.

This study is on the analysis of those collected data to track the progress of data entry, to evaluate the progress on obesity and related problems, and to discover the …