Digital Commons Network^™

Leadership-Influenced Practices That Impact Classroom Instruction Related To Writing: A Case Study Of A Successful Elementary School, Barb Johnson

Dissertations

This research studied the practices of educators at an ethnically diverse suburban elementary school which had demonstrated success in the area of student writing, even among at-risk students. The overall research goal was to examine to what extent and how leadership-related practices impacted classroom instruction in a manner that helped produce successful writing scores. A case study approach was used to explore four key leadership-related practices (supervision, curriculum, professional development, and knowledgeable leaders) and their impact on classroom literacy-based instructional strategies.

The study participants included two leaders and fourteen teachers from a single elementary school located in a metropolitan Michigan …

Exposing Star Teachers Of Children In Poverty, Bobbi Morehead

Dissertations

Public schools have control over whom they choose to hire to serve as teachers. When quality teachers are hired, all students have a better chance at achieving academic success. It is the responsibility of every public school principal to truly understand common patterns, which can assist teachers to become outstanding teachers, defined in this study as Star Teachers. It is also the principals' responsibility to make sure the work conditions of such Star Teachers are conducive to personal and professional renewal.

The passion to educate all children drives the following research questions: (1) How do Star Teachers describe the significant …

Behavioral, Attitudinal, And Decision-Altering Effects Of Aggressive Video Games On Young Adults, Kent Smallwood

Dissertations

Each year, interactive video game technology becomes more and more advanced, offering more lifelike environments, immersive experiences, and realistic situations in which the player must decide how to act. As a result of these technological advancements, the violent content in video games has become increasingly realistic and graphic. Unlike the passive viewing experience of television, video game players adopt roles in which they initiate actions and direct the progression of video game experience. In these active roles, they may engage in and be rewarded for violent acts against fictitious video game characters or other online players. Furthermore, the videogame industry …

A Qualitative Exploration Of First-Generation Asian Indian Women In Cross-Cultural Marriages, Monica Thiagarajan

Dissertations

The literature on Asian Indian women has not adequately addressed the experiences that first generation Asian Indian women face while going through the process of making the decision to marry cross-culturally. The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify, describe, and understand the struggles, challenges, and conflict experienced by Asian Indian women who decide to marry cross-culturally and to understand the consequences of the decision on the lives of these women and their interpersonal relationships.

Initial and follow-up phone interviews were conducted with eight Asian Indian women who had experienced cultural and familial challenges regarding their decision to marry …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Stilbenoids And Their Aza-Analogs As Photoluminescent Materials For The Detection Of Nerve Agent Mimics, Chun Wang

Dissertations

A novel series of stilbenoids and their aza analogs were synthesized, characterized and used as photoluminescent components in the detection of nerve agents. Their structure-property relationship was elucidated through UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The research in this thesis is driven by the hypothesis that the two-block sensor system consisting of a receptor incorporated ruthenium complex and a fluorescent signal molecule of stilbenoids, is capable of detecting chemical warfare agents. The sensor anchored onto nanoparticles and subsequently the nanoparticles were arranged through mediated self-assembly. While photo-induced electron transfer is a well-known mechanism for sensor design, the described system showed that photo-induced …

Vygotsky’S Theory Of The Creative Imagination: A Study Of The Influences On Preservice Teachers’ Creative Thinking Capacities, Stephen J. Worst

Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of formal instruction in the use of creative thinking skills on preservice teachers' capacities for increased creative activity. It emerged from Vygotsky's theory of the creative imagination. Emphasizing the impact of formal schooling on the growth of creative activity, he implied that individuals who are continually adding to accumulation of knowledge develop an abundant imagination from which creativity flows.

This quantitative study used a quasi-experimental design and attempted to test Vygotsky's assumptions within a sample population of 113 preservice teachers. Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking served as the pre- and post-tests that measured the creative …

Defining And Determining Retardation In Texas Capital Murder Defendants: A Proposal To The Texas Legislature., Graham Baker

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Although the Supreme Court of the United States ruled it is cruel and unusual to execute someone with a mental handicap, Texas statutes still do not adequately protect these individuals. Previously, the Court in Penry v. Lynaugh upheld states executing individuals with mental deficiencies. However, individual states began to outlaw such a practice. When the Court heard Atkins v. Virginia, they determined the states created a national consensus against executing persons who possess certain developmental disabilities, thus rendering it cruel and unusual. Atkins did not, however, define mental retardation and left it up to individual states to determine that criteria. …

The Real Id Act And The Negative Impact On Latino Immigrants., Arianna Garcia

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.

Mandatory Reporting In Texas For Domestic Violence Against Vulnerable Adults: The Need For Changes In Statutory Enforcement., Paul Riffe

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.

Revealing The Impurities Of Ivory Soap: A Legal Analysis Of The Validity Of The Implementation Of The No Child Left Behind Act., Andrea Rodriguez

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.

The Mortgage Reform And Anti Predatory Act Of 2007: Paving A Secure Path For Minorities In The Midst Of The Subprime Debacle., Emily Jeffcott

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.

Review Of The Liquidity Requirements For Banks And Building Societies, United Kingdom: Financial Services Authority

Documents

No abstract provided.

Vol 52 #3, Judy Zelenski

MPLA Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Aig Email From Cenci To Cassano Regarding Pwc Year-End Evaluation, Diane Cenci

Documents

No abstract provided.

Research To Action: A Campus-Community Partnership To Address Health Issues Of The Food Insecure, Kimberly Greder, Steven Garasky, Susan Klein

Journal of Extension

A university-community partnership assessed the food security and health status of food pantry participants in a midwestern urban community. Eighty percent of households surveyed were food insecure, and 40% experienced fair or poor health. The sample experienced higher rates of chronic disease than the general population. A nutrition education program designed to meet specific nutrition and health-related needs of pantry participants was developed. Implications include training pantry staff about chronic disease and its relationship to nutrition, identifying pantry foods that provide positive health benefits, and developing consumer publications focused on selecting and preparing pantry foods when one has chronic disease.

Food Allergies: Safe Food Handling To Prevent Triggering An Allergic Reaction, Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, Jaclyn Maurer

Journal of Extension

The prevalence of food allergies is on the rise, especially among children. Safe food handling is important for preventing triggering a food allergic reaction. Guidelines for safe food handling for food allergies are scarce; therefore, data from key-informant interviews with health professionals, food professionals, and the public were used to develop educational factsheets for food service and child caretakers. These factsheets can be used by Extension professionals for both self-education and outreach education on this increasingly important health topic.

Museletter: December 2007, Suzanne Corriell

Museletter

This Issue:

Who's Who Among the University of Richmond School of Law Student Associates, Part II by Kim Wiseman

Welcome!

Protect Yourself From Computer/Data Loss

Copyright As Quasi-Public Property: Reinterpreting The Conflict Between Copyright And The First Amendment., Adrian Liu

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Removing The Greek From Feta And Adding Korbel To Champagne: The Paradox Of Geographical Indications In International Law., Michelle Agdomar

Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Are High School Gpa, Rank In High School Graduating Class Or Act Scores Adequate Predictors Of College Freshmen Success?, Maryann Michel Townsend, Donna Nack

Dissertations

This study was developed to determine if High School Grade Point Average, High School Class Rank or the ACT scores were effective measures of college freshmen success. Procedure 1. Eight hundred twenty one first-time freshmen were admitted to Lindenwood University in 2005-2006. 2. Of those students, the required information was available for 536 students. 3. Fifty-eight students were used for this study. Findings 1. A statistical significance was found in the correlation of High School Grade Point Average and freshmen success. 2. The ACT scores did not result in as significant a correlation as did the High School Grade Point …

Dr. Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsoon, Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsson

Shabbat Shalom: A Journal for Jewish-Christian Reconciliation

No abstract provided.

The Concept Of Forgiveness In The Pentateuch, Gudmundur Olafsson

Shabbat Shalom: A Journal for Jewish-Christian Reconciliation

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of Cognitive Therapy And Pharmacotherapy In Depression: A Meta-Analysis, Daniel B. Michel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A meta-analysis comparing the long-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy in preventing relapse following treatment discontinuation was performed using published studies of depressed participants. Twenty-three articles met inclusionary criteria and were included in the analyses. Weighted effect sizes and moderators, treatment type, were calculated using statistical analysis software. Initially, fixed effects models were applied to the data, but due to significant between-group heterogeneity that could not be fully explained by treatment type, mixed effect models were used to account for the residual heterogeneity. Results indicated that overall, depressed individuals treated to remission with CBT evidence decreased relapse …

Temporal Fatty Acid Fluctuations Of Pachygrapsus Crassipes In Southern California, April Dawn Sjoboen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The current investigation identified fatty acids (FAs) and quantified total and specific FA concentrations in the striped shore crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes. I examined changes in the abundance of individual FAs and FA saturation categories (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) over months and between sexes. Fatty acid fluctuations were compared with reported temperatures from a location near the collection site to determine whether temperature significantly contributed to these changes. The abundances of palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were found to fluctuate significantly on a monthly basis, with a higher abundance in warm months than in cold months. This fluctuation appeared …

Spatial Ecology Of The Desert Tortoise: Sampling Frequency And Biological Influences, Meagan L. Harless

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Understanding the spatial ecology of an animal is crucial for making positive efforts to provide for its recovery. As a part of this understanding, home range estimates are used to answer a variety of questions in ecological studies. However, home range estimates based on a collection of radio-telemetry locations are sensitive to methodological variables, such as sample size, sampling frequency, and the choice of estimator. Further confounding these estimates are a number of physical, social, and ecological factors. Identifying the main determinants of space use patterns by a species may aid conservation efforts.

The Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)of the …

A Study Of The Relationship Between American Evangelicals And Human Rights, Amy Rachel Timmons Stumpf

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Human rights violations and abuses affect every region of the globe. The most recent Amnesty International Annual Report details violations in 149 countries. While there are no simple solutions to a problem of this magnitude and complexity, the support of powerful social groups can help in providing relief to the victims, pressure on abusive governments, legal consequences for abusers, and other resources in combating the violence that seems to chronically plague over our world. One of the most powerful groups, with tremendous social capital, is American evangelicals. Evangelicalism, even given the loose and informal organizational structures, is one of the …

Immediate Implant Placement In Extraction Sites With Periapical Lesions: A Retrospective Study, Yuan-Lung Hung

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Immediate implant placement into fresh extraction sites has become a relatively routine clinical procedure with a favorable prognosis. However, immediate placement into extraction sockets with lesions has not been extensively documented in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively determine the survival rate of implants placed into extraction sockets with visible periapical lesions.

Patient charts of 544 immediately placed implants from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Center for Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry were examined. Eighty-six of the 544 implants had been placed immediately into extraction sockets with periapical lesions and they were included in this study. …

Is Electrical Stimulation A Predictive Tool For Autonomic Dysfunction In Males With Diabetes?, Susan Dorothy Rand

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine whether electrical stimulation can be used as a predictive tool to assess autonomic dysfunction in males with diabetes. The study was designed to better understand the extent of autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in the diabetic population.

Controls and patients with diabetes were recruited from the community at large and the Loma Linda University Diabetes Treatment Center and were managed by a physician. Twelve (12) people with diabetes and thirteen (13) control subjects participated. Mean age (years) for people with diabetes was 52.4 +/- 6.1 and 47.2 +/-11.1 for controls (p =0.05). …

Distraction Of Heterotopic Bone Formed With Bmp-2 In A Rat Model: The Technique, Stacie Dawn Fenderson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Multiple studies have shown that ectopic bone forms when bone morphogenic proteins (for example BMP-2 and BMP-7) and a collagen matrix are surgically placed in a rat model either orthotopically or heterotopically. Bone begins to form by the 14 day, and is at it maximum calcified state by the 21st day. The purpose of this study is to observe and quantify the effect of distraction osteogenesis on the ectopic bone. First, a preliminary procedure was performed by surgically placing a titanium cage into the back of a rat just caudal to the thoracic vertebrae. The anterior corners were sutured to …

The Effects Of The Quadhelix Appliance On The Dentition And Adjacent Buccal Bone, Shannon Hilgers

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Maxillary palatal expansion has long been used in orthodontics as a means of correcting constricted and collapsed dental arches. The quadhelix appliance, developed by Drs. Robert Ricketts and Ruel Bench, expands buccal segments and causes distobuccal rotation in upper first molars. The objective of this study was to assess the direct effects that the quadhelix appliance on the surrounding dentition and buccal bone in the maxillary premolar and molar areas in a finite, measurable manner. This assessment was made using the NewTom 3G. The pre-quadhelix and post-quadhelix NewTom 3G images of twenty patients treated in the Graduate Orthodontic Clinic at …