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Thermokarst Evolution And Sediment Transport Study In The Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed, Alaska, Prathap Kodial

Engineering

The role of sediment transport processes in the development and evolution of cryogenic features like thermo karsts have been overlooked by researchers. The current study is an attempt to better understand sediment transport and associated processes underlying the rapid growth of a thermokarst located in the Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed. Within a short span of two warm summers, the study area has progressed from a hummocky terrain to a well incised channel configuration. Suspended sediment concentration and discharge analyses indicate high sediment flow following precipitation events, which play a major part in the sediment transport process. Mass sediment flows due …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Assessments Used In Online Courses In Western North Carolina Community Colleges., Kim Marie Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the most appropriate methods of assessment for online courses. Internet instructors were surveyed and asked which methods of assessment they use in the online courses that they teach and how effective they perceive those methods to be in determining if the learning objectives have been met for the course(s) that they teach online.

The findings of this study indicated that there is a difference between some academic disciplines in relation to the type of assessment methods being used in online courses. There is a difference in perceived effectiveness of assessment methods among …

"Inspired Industry.", Amanda M. Dock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition entitled "Inspired Industry" at Johnson City Area Arts Council, Johnson City, Tennessee, from November 14 - December 22, 2005. It is the culmination of studies and research affected by the artist's own industry vis-à-vis personal inspirations, including: discussion of aesthetics and personal utilization of the techniques learned in relation to both functional and non-functional ceramic forms. This is a self-evaluation of personal preferences and how this body of ceramic work evolved.

2005 Fall Commencement, Harding University

Commencement Programs

Program for the Commencement on December 17.

Commencement Speaker: Frank Mills

Physical Controls Of Nitrogen Supply In Early Successional Riparian Ecosystems Along The Tanana River, Alaska, Nicholas J. Lisuzzo

Biological Sciences

Accumulation of nitrogen in the early successional vegetation on the Tanana River floodplain cannot be explained by conventional measurements of soil nitrogen dynamics. This study examined these riparian areas and the effect on nitrogen cycling created by interactions among the aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments. Two hypotheses were tested; one centered on hydrologic, and one on atmospheric, mechanisms of nitrogen supply. We experimentally tested contributions of nitrogen from the hyporheic zone by measuring nitrogen-flux in the presence and absence of moving water. We then characterized hydrologic properties and ground-water chemistry along three ground-water well transects. In addition, we conducted a …

Size-Fractionation And Characterization Of Cryoturbated Soil Organic Matter In Arctic Tundra, Alaska, Chunhao Xu

Plant, Animal and Soil Sciences

Recent studies indicated a second layer of organic matter often accumulates in the lower active layer and upper permafrost in arctic tundra soils due to cryoturbation. The objective of this study is to characterize cryoturbated organic matter by the combination of physical size-fractionation approaches with modern analytical techniques. The results of elemental composition (C, N), stable isotope (¹³C, ¹⁵N), radiocarbon age (¹⁴C), and molecular fingerprints (Py-GC/MS) analysis indicated cryoturbated organic matters are little humified and highly bioavailable. SOM (soil organic matter) associated with fine sand size particles was considered to be the organic carbon pool most sensitive to the changing …

Assessing The Generalizability Of Study Results: An Outdoor Recreation Application, Stephen C. Taylor

Natural Resources

Onsite surveys of visitors have become a common method of providing information regarding recreation area visitors' norms, attitudes, motivations, management preferences, etc. Study results are often implied to be representative of a future time period for management planning purposes. One enduring method is segmenting visitors based on motivations and examining preferences for management actions/settings by group. When such a study is directly intended to guide management actions, the 'groups' must offer some degree of insight into future visitors, i.e., generalize across time. Data gathered during 2004 at the Kennecott National Historic Landmark within Wrangell- St. Elias National Park and Preserve …

Changing Strategies In Seward Peninsula Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus Tarandus) Management, Heather J. Oleson

Natural Resources

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) management techniques have changed since the founding of the reindeer industry on the Seward Peninsula in 1891. From 1891-1915, herds were small and management was intensive. Between 1915 and 1944, community herds and joint stock companies were formed. Herd management was extensive and herds were large and relatively free roaming. A period of re-privatization followed from 1944 to 1960, during which a limited number of moderately stocked ranges were established. The era after 1960 saw the introduction of several new forms of technology, some of which became catalysts for broad changes in reindeer management. Snow machines …

Characteristic Behavior Of The Dayside Aurora In The Minutes Leading Up To Substorm Onset: Evidence For External Triggering Of Substorms By The Interplanetary Magnetic Field, Carl Stephen Andersen

Physics

Two meridian scanning photometers, one located in Alaska and one in Svalbard, are used to examine the behavior of the dayside aurora just before the onset of the expansion phase of 61 substorms. In a strong majority of cases (80%), a poleward movement of the dayside aurora is seen in the minutes preceding sub storm onset. For the cases examined where a poleward movement of the dayside aurora is seen, a northward turning of the (generally southward) IMF is usually, but not always, seen. This suggests that for a majority of substorms, the 'trigger' is, or is related to, a …

Addressing Feasibility Of Using Microdialysis To Monitor Adenosine In Arctic Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus Parryii), Bongchu Chi

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Both hibernation and anapyrexia are important physiological adaptations. In addition, there is a strong relationship between survival rate and hypothermia during metabolic trauma. Evidence shows that adenosine might be one of the mediators, both of hibernation and anapyrexia. Adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator that suppresses neuronal activity when energy stores are low. This inhibitory activity makes adenosine a good candidate for neuroprotection via the suppression of neural activity during metabolic trauma. The main objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using microdialysis to monitor extracellular adenosine in the brains of Arctic ground squirrels (AGS), Spermophilus parryii, throughout …

Regulation Of Ecdysteroid And Vitellogenin Levels During The Molt And Reproductive Cycles Of Female Dungeness Crab, Cancer Magister, Jamie David Thomton

Marine Biology

The reproductive cycle of Dungeness crabs is complicated by the requirement for molting prior to mating. The temporal requirements for molting and ovarian maturation may prohibit an annual reproductive cycle in a proportion of crabs. The goal of this study was to quantify temporal concentrations of circulating ecdysteroids and vitellogenins in female crabs during an annual cycle. Hemolymph in laboratory maintained crabs was sampled to assess physiological state (molting or reproduction). In laboratory crabs, ecdysteroid concentrations were low during intermolt (20.3 ng/ml), increased to maximal levels 15 days before ecdysis (1,886.5 ng/ml), and declined to low concentrations (<90 ng/ml) 5 days before ecdysis. Premolt duration was 150 days, with peak molting in November. Vitellogenin concentrations increased 6-fold during induced (via eyestalk ablation) ovarian maturation over a 90 ± 7.4 day vitellogenic period, and 4-fold for natural ovarian maturation over a 75 to 100 day period. The capability to predict ecdysis 150 days before molt and spawning 100 days before egg extrusion through hemolymph analysis is useful in molt and reproductive assessment of Dungeness crab populations. Additionally, in a preliminary study, reproductive failure and shell-disease were induced by physiological stress due to captive environmental conditions

Leadership Styles Of Entrepreneurs In Small Land Surveying Businesses., Jerry Wayne Nave

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to analyze the leadership styles of owners of small land surveying businesses in the states of Tennessee and Virginia to determine what leadership style was currently being employed by the majority of those owners. The participants in this study were chosen from members of the Virginia Association of Surveyors and the Tennessee Association of Professional Surveyors. The respondents to the questionnaire were licensed land surveyors who owned small firms of fewer than 101 employees. In addition, a corollary purpose was to flesh out the skeletal literature available on small business leadership styles and …

Eating Disorder Symptoms, Body Image Attitudes, And Risk Factors In Non-Traditional And Traditional Age Female College Students., Jennifer E. Caldwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates whether there are certain age groups in college that are more susceptible to eating problems and the contributing factors for eating disorders. The participants were 144 college women divided into traditional and non-traditional age groups. The EDI-2, BSI, RSE, and additional items were administered. The results show that non-traditional age college women were as likely to have eating disorder symptoms and more likely to possess body dissatisfaction than traditional age college students. The data support body dissatisfaction, aging concerns, perfectionism, depression, anxiety, and having children as potential risk factors for eating disturbances. This study suggests that there …

Multiple Stable Isotopic Analyses ([Delta]¹³C, [Delta]¹⁵N, [Delta]¹⁸O, And [Delta]D) Of The Boulder Patch, A High Arctic Kelp Community: Trophic And Temporal Perspectives, Casey William Debenham

Marine Biology

The Boulder Patch, a high Arctic kelp community, is a rarity in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. Considered a biodiversity oasis, this area provides habitat for many organisms. Trophic relationships, spatial patterns, and isotopic changes over time were examined within the Boulder Patch using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes. 394 samples, representing over 55 species were analyzed. Isotope values showed considerable variability in the food web base, particularly for the kelp Laminaria solidungula. Isotopic values for most animals fit their known feeding strategies. Little spatial variation was observed in isotope values, however temporal differences were found in L. solidungula isotope values …

Foraging Patterns Of Northern Fulmars In Alaska Inferred From Fatty Acid Signature Analysis, Shiway W. Wang

Marine Biology

Diets of Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) in the North Pacific are poorly known, and thus relationships of fulmars to supporting food webs and their potential sensitivity to ecosystem variability, such as that driven by a changing climate, also are uncertain. I employed a new technique, fatty acid (FA) signature analysis, to examine dietary differences among fulmars at three colonies in Alaska. I predicted that 1) signatures of adipose tissue and stomach oils would differ because the time scale each depot reflects differ and/or because adipose tissue FAs may be influenced by predator metabolism, while stomach oil FAs may be influenced …

An Analysis Of Tennessee Gateway Exams And The Variables Related To Student Results., Judy W. Webb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the variables that are associated with the percentage of students who pass Tennessee's Gateway exams in high school. Associations were examined between the Gateway exams and variables such as: socioeconomic status, ethnicity, dropout rate, graduation rate, attendance, average daily membership, per-pupil expenditure, teachers' salary, and elementary-school reading scores.

Pearson correlations between school characteristics and pass rates of three Gateway exams were calculated. Schools were divided into quartiles based upon socioeconomic status and ethnicity in order to examine pass rates of the Gateway exams among different quartiles. Independent samples t tests were performed …

Indefinite Ethnicity In Fact And Fiction: "Invisible Color" Or "Honkified Meanderings"?, Anita Louise Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Passing, both standard and reverse, is the process of changing ethnicity. The methodology of reverse passing varies, but claiming "no color" is ineffective in fact and fiction as can be seen in James McBride's The Color of Water, Shirlee Taylor Haizlip's The Sweeter the Juice, Danzy Senna's Caucasia, and Rosellen Brown's Half a Heart. The characters in these texts attempt indefinite ethnicity by denying color and are prone to restlessness and failure until they accept racial duality.

The Formation Of Pore Ice In Coarse Grained Soils, Walter Fourie

Engineering

Understanding the formation of pore ice in coarse grained soils is important to geotechnical and geo-environmental projects such as the construction of roads, airstrips and gravel foundations as well as the treatment of contaminated soils in the arctic, sub-arctic, alpine and northern regions. The amount of pore ice present controls the strength characteristics of the soils as well as the flow of fluid through the soil. Tests have been conducted to qualify the impact of gradation, temperature, compaction and initial moisture content on the formation of pore ice in coarse grained soils. The purpose of this study was to prepare …

Automated Processing System For Tidal Analysis Of Mf Radar Winds, Sreenivas Vemula

Engineering

The medium frequency (MF) radar at Platteville, Colorado (40.18° N, 104.7° W) is used to estimate the zonal and meridional wind motions in the middle atmosphere. This radar has been in operation since January 2000. We currently have four years of wind estimates sampled every five minutes. An automated processing system has been developed in IDL to process these estimates and obtain the monthly mean winds and tidal parameters. The automated processing currently processes the wind estimates in time domain analysis using a least square fitting technique. The criteria for determining when the estimated tidal parameters are valid have been …

Pretreatment Of Aqueous Phase Of Mine Plant Tailings For Submarine Disposal, Abhishek Choudhury

Engineering

Submarine disposal of mine tailings is a relatively recent technology that holds the promise of solving the recurring problems that the mining industry has had with tailings disposal. The system has been successfully implemented in many mines around the world. Before implementation, however, a decision needs to be made whether the biogeochemical characteristics of the area selected for submarine disposal and characteristics of the tailings are conducive to implement submarine disposal of tailings. While an expert system can decide the feasibility of submarine tailings disposal (STD) based on its database of information and decision loops for the critical factors, tailings …

Layout And Fabrication Process From Generic To High Speed Printed Circuit Boards (Pcbs), Indrani Reddy

Engineering

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are exceeding the limits of the classic board design. The goal of this thesis is to inform the reader about the layout and fabrication of PCBs from generic to high speed designs. In chapter 2, Basic Design and Layout, I provide the generic PCB design that will give a basic understanding of board layout and fabrication using Cadence® software tools, which will simplify understanding of the high speed PCB design. Cadence® provides a path to designing PCBs, but to rapidly prototype the design we need to implement simulations. We accomplished the simulations using the Advanced Design …

Exploration And Estimation Of Gravel Resource Potential In Southeast Chukchi Sea Continental Shelf Off Kivalina, Alaska, Abhijith T. D'Souza

Engineering

Frequent storm surges in the Alaskan arctic result in washovers and high erosion of barrier islands. The village council of Kivalina has resolved to relocate from its present location on a barrier island in Northwest arctic Alaska to an adjacent onshore site. The relocation plan envisages excavation of upper 4 meter of the 25 km² onshore permafrost ground and construction of a foundation pad. The objective of this research is to estimate the gravel resource potential in the continental shelf off Kivalina. In this context seismic surveys and sediment sampling were conducted. The seismic surveys were of limited use as …

Properties And Performance Evaluation Of Syntroleum Synthetic Diesel Fuels, Kanthikiran Sastry

Engineering

Synthetic fuels derived from natural gas or coal have been proposed as a replacement for the diminishing stock of fuels distilled from crude oil, and in addition offer significant environmental benefits. Fuels of this type are currently being produced and tested for their compatibility with existing diesel engines. This study examines the physical properties of the Syntroleum synthetic fuel produced by Syntroleum Corporation of Tulsa, OK, and its performance and energy balance in a Detroit Diesel series 50 engine generator. This is a high cetane fuel that contains predominately paraffins, and is essentially free of sulfur, olefins, metals, aromatics or …

The Murray Ledger And Times, December 17, 2005, The Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Illinois State University, One Hundred And Forty-Seventh Annual Commencement, December 17, 2005, Illinois State University

Commencement Programs

Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
One Hundred and Forty-Seventh Annual Commencement
December 17, 2005

The Associations Of Student Achievement And Classroom Practices Among Third Grade Teachers In Upper East Tennessee., Tausha Lynn Clay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if an association existed between student achievement scores and classroom practices used among third-grade teachers in Upper East Tennessee. The variables included classroom environment, instructional context, and social context, employing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Teacher characteristics, including type of degree, highest degree, years of experience, level of DAP knowledge, and degree granting institution, were analyzed for characteristics influencing developmentally appropriate practices. The instrument, Assessment of Practices in Early Elementary Classrooms (APEEC), was used to gather information; the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP/CRT) Reading/Language and Mathematics scores were used to determine student' achievement …

A Psychological Literary Critique From A Jungian Perspective Of E. M. Forster's A Passage To India., David W. Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper is a psychological reading of E. M. Forster's A Pasage to India. It uses the psychological theories of C. G. Jung and the methodological postulates of Jungian literary critic, Terence Dawson, to examine the psychological implications of the text, especially in relation to the novel's characters. Attention is given to biographical material related to Forster, particularly his homosexuality, that is important for understanding the psychological implications of the text as well as Forster's art. The paper concludes that the Marabar Caves is the the central psychological symbol of the narrative, representing what Jung calls the collective unconscious. Both …

Monitoring Pc Hardware Sounds In Linux Systems Using The Daubechies D4 Wavelet., Robert Karns Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Users of high availability (HA) computing require systems that run continuously, with little or no downtime. Modern PCs address HA needs by monitoring operating system parameters such as voltage, temperature, and hard drive status in order to anticipate possible system failure. However, one modality for PC monitoring that has been underutilized is sound. The application described here uses wavelet theory to analyze sounds produced by PC hard drives during standard operation. When twenty-nine hard drives were tested with the application and the results compared with the drives' Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) data, the binomial distribution's low p-value of …

Principal Leadership, Teacher Morale, And Student Achievement In Seven Schools In Mitchell County, North Carolina., Morgen A. Houchard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand and measure principal leadership practices and teacher morale as it relates to student achievement in Mitchell County at two elementary schools, four middle schools, and one high school. First, a review of the related literature attempted to define teacher morale as much as possible given that it is an ever-changing individual characteristic. Second, the researcher tried to understand teacher morale and distinguish between high and low elements and characteristics of teacher morale. Third, the researcher examined the difficult task of measuring the morale of teachers in public education today. Fourth, an attempt …

Comparison Of The Stress Levels And Gpa Of African American College Students At Historically Black And Predominantly White Institutions., Yashica Dearcie Woods

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stress levels of African American college students attending Historically Black and Predominantly White Institutions were compared. The GPAs of the students were correlated with their stress levels. Racism and social support were explored as factors contributing to stress. Results indicated that African American students attending the Predominantly White institution had higher stress than African American students attending the Historically Black institution and White students attending the Predominantly White institution. The results also indicated that GPA and stress were negatively correlated; as stress levels decreased, GPA increased. A negative correlation was found to be significant with social support and stress; as …