Digital Commons Network^™

The Roles Of Digital Libraries In Teaching And Learning Geography, Chew-Hung Chang, John Hedberg, Tiong-Sa Teh, Ee Peng Lim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Adopting a problem-centred approach helps students to learn Geography more effectively as they are able to identify and generalize about where different resources or activities are spatially located and they learn to associate certain patterns and processes with geographical changes. In an era where web-based student-centred inquiry is gaining popularity as a mode of learning Geography, the role of digital libraries as delivery trucks (in Clark’s terminology, 1983) needs to be better understood. An obvious affordance of the digital library is that it organizes information around themes for problems to be solved. This paper describes a developmental project to build …

Multiagent Teamwork: Hybrid Approaches, Praveen Paruchuri, Emma Bowring, Ranjit Nair, Jonathan Pearce, Nathan Schurr, Milind Tambe, Pradeep Varakantham

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Today within the multiagent community, we see at least four competing methods to building multiagent systems: beliefdesireintention (BDI), distributed constraint optimization (DCOP), distributed POMDPs, and auctions or game-theoretic methods. While there is exciting progress within each approach, there is a lack of cross-cutting research. This article highlights the various hybrid techniques for multiagent teamwork developed by the teamcore group. In particular, for the past decade, the TEAMCORE research group has focused on building agent teams in complex, dynamic domains. While our early work was inspired by BDI, we will present an overview of recent research that uses DCOPs and distributed …

Detecting The Socioeconomic Conditions Of Urban Neighborhoods Through Wavelet Analysis Of Remotely Sensed Imagery, Guiyun Zhou

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wavelet analysis is an efficient approach to studying textural patterns at different scales. Artificial neural networks can learn very complex patterns in the data and could be an efficient classifier. However, whether wavelet analysis, in combination with artificial neural networks or other classifiers, can be used to detect the social-economic conditions of urban neighborhood is a key research question that needs further study. The hypotheses of this study were: 1) neural networks yielded higher classification accuracy than linear discriminant analysis and the minimum-distance classifier based on wavelet measures of urban land covers; 2) wavelet textural measures could be used to …

Sight-Reading Versus Repertoire Performance On The Piano: A Case Study Using High-Speed Motion Analysis, Brenda Wristen, Sharon Evans, Nikolaos Stergiou

Journal Articles

The purpose of the study was to examine whether differences exist in the motions employed by pianists when they are sight-reading versus performing repertoire and determine whether these differences could be quantified using high speed motion capture technology. A secondary question of interest was whether or not an improvement in the efficiency of motion could be observed between two sight-reading trials of the same musical excerpt. This case study employed a six digital infrared camera system (Motion Analysis, Inc.) to capture the motion of pianists playing two trials of a repertoire piece and two trials of a sight-reading excerpt. Angular …

Urea: A Natural Cryoprotectant In The Freeze-Tolerant Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica), Elizabeth A. Fincel

Masters Theses

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of only a few vertebrates that are able to withstand freezing of their body fluids. Various organic osmolytes play a central role in physiological adaptation to freezing and other osmotic stresses in diverse taxa, but in R. sylvatica only one cryoprotectant, glucose, has been identified. The objective of this study was to determine whether urea, an osmolyte that naturally accumulates in the tissues of overwintering R. sylvatica, also functions to limit freeze/thaw injury. Secondly, it was investigated whether hyperuremia is associated with increased osmolyte concentration to counteract any negative effect of urea.

Using …

Role Of Apoe In Regeneration, Maturation And Synaptogenesis Of Olfactory Receptor Neurons In Mice, Salina Gairhe

Masters Theses

Previous studies have shown that apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, is involved in the growth and regeneration of injured neurons. apoE is a key molecule involved in lipid transport system associated with compensatory sprouting and synaptic remodeling after neuronal injury. Also, transport of cholesterol and phospholipids in brain is regulated by the coordinated expression of apoE and its main Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) receptors during the different phases of the neuronal reinnervation processes. The discovery of apolipoprotein E4 genotype, a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), is suggestive of involvement of dysfunctional apoE lipid transport system in …

Defining Edge Gradients Using Plant Species Composition In Oak-Hickory Forest Patches, Elise M. Tulloss

Masters Theses

Forest conservation is greatly enhanced with an increased understanding of the transitional nature of edges. Edge characteristics control ecological flows into the forest that may influence its structure and composition. Most forests in east-central Illinois exist as small patches, making the region an ideal location for studying edge effects. The objectives of this study were to identify the mechanisms and processes that determine gradients of plant composition and to develop a predictive model of edge effects using plant species composition as an indicator of edge influence. A data set was gathered to relate understory forest species composition to several environmental …

Relation Between Government Expenditure And Economic Growth, Bibhu Prasad Aryal

Masters Theses

Government expenditure depends upon the available resources and the scope of saving potential of the country. But the same requires a proper expenditure policy, so that the desired objectives of planned economic development could be achieved within a short span of time. In order to formulate the proper economic policy it is very necessary to know the importance of the causal relation of the expenditure and economic variables.

This paper investigates the causal relation between government expenditure and GDP growth. To find out the relationship between the two variables, a sample of eight developing countries from Asia and Africa is …

Unilateral Executive Power: Bush Push Or Congressional Cave? An Examination Of Executive-Legislative Relations During The First Term Of President George W. Bush, 2001-2004, Erika N. Cornelius

Masters Theses

The events of September 11th once again brought the unique power-sharing relationship between the executive and legislative branches into focus. The framers created the presidency to deal with direct threats to the national security of the United States and in situations such as September 11th, American citizens and Congress naturally rally-round the national leader, the president. This thesis examines the interaction between the Bush White House and 107th and 108th Congress, following the events of September 11th.

This study explores the political interplay between Congress and the president in the area of foreign policy, with special emphasis given to war …

Assessing Personality Traits Of Athletic Trainers At Accredited Universities Associated With The Ohio Valley Conference, Dana Patrick Jergens

Masters Theses

The discipline of athletic training is one which deals with the prevention and care of athletic injuries. Athletic training is a competitive field that is oriented towards athletes and sports medicine caregivers. Certain types of personalities mold athletic trainers and the types of lifestyles necessary to do this line of work. To better determine what types of prospective athletic trainers enter this field, it is interesting to find out if they fit certain personality characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine the personality traits of athletic trainers from accredited universities affiliated with the Ohio Valley Conference. A total …

Women Mayors: An Examination Of Leadership Style, Sherikia Lavette Humes

Masters Theses

Studies of women in politics traditionally focus on the state and federal levels. Scholarly literature suggests that women mayors have been largely ignored, even though there has been a significant increase in the number of women mayors. This thesis examines women mayors and their leadership styles through the models of transactional and transformational leadership. For this study, as a point of comparison, male mayors also were examined. This study was conducted through three research methods: elite interviewing and observational and document analysis. The findings of this study suggest that women mayors are more likely than men mayors to be transformational …

The Effects Of Repeated Reading And Goal Setting On Student Reading Fluency, Joann T. Ford

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effect of repeated reading and goal setting on students' oral reading fluency (ORF). Third grade students (n=24) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: repeated reading and goal setting, repeated reading, and no-treatment control group. Treatment groups met for six weeks, four times per week for 20 minutes. A paired repeated reading procedure was used and weekly progress monitoring occurred using third grade DIBELS ORF progress monitoring probes. Repeated reading and goal setting group set weekly goals, graphed fluency data, and received feedback. All groups made gains in reading fluency. Although no significant effects were …

Mental Telepathy And Social Fields: A Within Session Decline Effect, Timothy K. Bunfill

Masters Theses

The current study involves the exploration of several variables relating to the facilitation of mental telepathy from a social field perspective. Groups of participants ranging from 8 to 35 attempted to telepathically send information regarding one of four target locations to a receiver who was selected at random from the group. During each of ten sessions, an average of nine receivers completed 16 trials apiece over a period of two hours. It was hypothesized that since all participants had a previous experience with a telepathy task, they would score above chance initially and that as sessions progressed fatigue or boredom …

Reading Instruction Software Vs. Peer Tutoring For Improving Oral Reading Fluency, Morgan Carlyle

Masters Theses

Research suggests that computer-based instruction program is as effective as peer tutoring in increasing students' oral reading fluency rates. However, few experimental studies have compared these two reading interventions. The present study compared the effect of a computer-based reading instruction program, Reader Rabbit I Can Read with Phonics, with peer tutoring. Second grade students were randomly assigned to computer tutoring, peer tutoring, or control groups; and they read the same reading material for twenty minutes, two times a week for six weeks. Participants in the computer group used a segment of the reading software instruction program, Reader Rabbit I can …

Barriers And Facilitators To Health Seeking Behavior Of Individuals With Social Phobia, Kendra M. Holder Kennedy

Masters Theses

This study explored both the facilitators and barriers to treatment of individuals who have difficulties with anxiety in social situations. These barriers and facilitators to treatment were examined with respect to the participants' level of anxiety and their stage of change. Eleven participants, ten females and one male, completed the study. A screening procedure established that each participant was likely experiencing social phobia. These participants were then interviewed using a semi-structured interview. One of the main goals of the study was to develop an interview and coding procedures that provided reliable data. This goal was accomplished; the procedures used in …

Effects Of Response Card Use On Student Participation And Academic Achievement In An Elementary Classroom, Christina J. Diel

Masters Theses

This study compared the effectiveness of hand raising with the use of response cards in a sixth-grade general education classroom during whole-group social studies instruction. Dependent variables included the frequency of active student responding during instruction and student performance on both weekly quizzes and maintenance tests. Participants included 14 sixth-grade general education students (6 boys and 8 girls), ranging in ages from 11 to 12. An ABAB design was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the experimental condition. Participants were exposed to the hand raising condition during weeks 1 and 3 and the response card condition during weeks 2 and …

Predicting State Standardized Achievement Test Scores Using Curriculum Based Measurement In Third Grade, Lindsey Mitts

Masters Theses

With No Child Left Behind placing strong penalties on schools not making adequate yearly progress, many schools are searching for ways to predict student performance on state standardized achievement tests. The current study provides evidence as to the predictive nature of oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension data taken from a basal reading series, as well as student reading levels from an informal reading inventory, on Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) performance. Multiple regression analyses showed these measures to account for slightly more than one-half of the overall predicted variance in ISAT Reading performance. Furthermore, t-tests showed that a significant …

An Investigation Of The Dynamic Indicators Of Basic Early Literacy Skills (Dibels) And The Illinois Snapshot Of Early Literacy (Isel), Cara Williams

Masters Theses

This longitudinal study was conducted to compare and investigate the predictive power of DIBELS and ISEL measures. Data were collected to determine if ISEL and DIBELS measures similarly identify students as being at-risk. The predictive value of DIBELS and ISEL scores were evaluated in relation to third grade Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) scores and Illinois Standards of Achievement Test (ISAT) scores. Participants included 63 students from one grade level at a Chicago suburban school. Test scores from kindergarten through third grade were obtained for these students. Results indicate that the risk identification of students was significantly different between ISEL …

Age-Related Decrease Of The Chorda Tympani Nerve Terminal Field In The Nucleus Of The Solitary Tract Is Prevented By Dietary Sodium Restriction During Development, Suzanne I. Sollars, B. R. Walker, A. K. Thaw, D. L. Hill

Psychology Faculty Publications

Institution of a low-NaCl diet beginning at embryonic day 3 and continued throughout pre- and postnatal development has widespread effects on the neuroanatomical organization of the first gustatory relay in the nucleus of the solitary tract. To determine when these effects are expressed postnatally, the terminal field of the chorda tympani nerve was compared between sodium-restricted and sodium-replete rats at postnatal days 15–17, postnatal days 25–27, postnatal days 35–37, and adults. Total terminal fields were significantly larger in postnatal days 35–37 and adult sodium-restricted rats compared with aged-matched controls. The group-related differences appear related more to a remodeling of the …

Crossing The Rubicon: The Netherlands' Steady March Towards Involuntary Euthanasia, Mason L. Allen

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

All The Frontiers Of The Rush For Blue Gold: Water Privatization And The Human Right To Water, Violeta Petrova

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Montesquieu On Commerce, Conquest, War And Peace, Robert Howse

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Cases And Controversies: Pregnancy As Proof Of Guilt Under Pakistan's Hudood Laws, Moeen H. Cheema

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Punitive Damages, Liquidated Damages, And Clauses Penales In Contract Actions: A Comparative Analysis Of The American Common Law And The French Civil Code, Charles Calleros

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Internalizing European Court Of Human Rights Interpretations: Russia's Courts Of General Jurisdiction And New Directions In Civil Defamation Law, Peter Krug

Brooklyn Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Exploring Group Behavior, Donelson R. Forsyth

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

When I migrated from the world of constructions and took a position as a college professor and social psychologist, I found myself on the right side of the "good work if you can get it" divide. Granted, professoring is still work. There are politics of the office, bosses who make demands, and duties that must be fulfilled. Nor is it a glamorous occupation, as Hollywood's depictions of Indiana Jones-like professorial types would suggest. But depending on one's goals and perspectives, it is a personally fulfilling pursuit. It is an elite profession that requires special training and skill, and for much …

A Cognitive Theory Of Trust, Erin O'Connor

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Interpersonal trust is currently receiving widespread attention in the academy. Many legal scholars incorrectly assume that interpersonal trust is an unmitigated good (or bad) and that legal policy should therefore be crafted to maximize (or minimize) trust. A more nuanced understanding of trust indicates instead that it should be promoted or discouraged, depending on the context. Such an understanding needs to reflect the fact that trust and distrust can, and often do, coexist. In most relationships, the parties trust one another with regard to some matters and yet distrust one another with regard to other matters. More specifically, developing a …

Differentiating Gatekeepers, Arthur B. Laby

Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law

No abstract provided.

Regulating The Mutual Fund Industry, Donna M. Nagy

Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law

No abstract provided.

The Mutual Fund Board: A Failed Experiment In Regulatory Outsourcing, Alan R. Palmiter

Brooklyn Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law

No abstract provided.