Digital Commons Network^™

A Watershed Moment: Reversals Of Tort Theory In The Nineteenth Century, Jed Handelsman Shugerman

Faculty Scholarship

This article offers a new assessment of the stages in the development of fault and strict liability and their justifications in American history. Building from the evidence that a wide majority of state courts adopted Fletcher v. Rylands and strict liability for unnatural or hazardous activities in the late nineteenth century, a watershed moment turns to the surprising reversals in tort ideology in the wake of flooding disasters.

An established view of American tort law is that the fault rule supposedly prevailed over strict liability in the nineteenth century, with some arguing that it was based on instrumental arguments to …

Structural Validity Of The Mood And Behavior Rating Scale For Youth – Parent Form (Mbrsy-Pf): A Parent Informant Questionnaire To Assess Bipolar Disorder In Children And Adolescents, Laura A. Nemcek

Theses

Empirically validated techniques to reliably assess for bipolar disorder in children and adolescents are crucial toward timely and effective treatment efforts. Rating scales and behavior checklists are often considered a valuable alternative to the semi-structured interview, as they can provide quantified information regarding symptom experience, and values can be compared to both age and gender norms as a supplement to clinical expertise (Kahana, Youngstrom, Findling, & Calabrese, 2003). Converse to semistructured interviews, rating scales are brief and time efficient, inexpensive, simple to administer, require much less training to deliver and interpret, and can be utilized for screening purpose by a …

Transmute, Joseph Montroy

Theses

Man has an enduring subconscious connection with anthropological imagery and narrative. This association extends to the methods and practices that place importance on certain objects over others. In every culture throughout history the shared understanding of existence has been determined by images, symbols and archetypes. Intuitive logic and shared unconscious knowledge pervaded the daily lives of pre-modern man. Early people maintained a stronger connection with nature, spirituality and the subconscious. Archaic man acknowledged one stone among many as possessing spiritual properties. That stone could become a sacred receptacle that differentiated it from all others and saturated it with meaning and …

Recollection, Erika Tada

Theses

My central thesis meaning is seeking to recollect my authentic experiences and memories, and to encapsulate my emotions and any "small happiness" I encounter. For the concept of preservation of my memories, I intend to document important times and places by recalling my childhood and family history, and to make my memories eternal. During the process of creating my glass art, I can signify my personal experience in relation to my inner life. I am working with my feelings, and I make objects important and of great reverence in my life. Moreover, this process helps me assimilate a new culture …

Vivum Excoriari, Kristina Marie Stafford

Theses

My inspirations for this body of sculpture are implements of torture and antique tools. I am interested in the relationship between historical value and psychological response; the push and pull of the terrible and beautiful. I am exploring the emotive substance of the objects by choosing implements that evoke an emotional and psychological response. I am obsessed with objects that crush, grasp, cut, constrict, and bind such as axes, meat hooks and, most recently, medieval torture devices. I find them simultaneously beautiful and unsettling. These objects express themselves so clearly as a threat through their form, allowing the viewers to …

Learning Styles Of Myers-Briggs Type Indicators, Juanita Jane Cohen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study illustrated that personlaity type influences learning type.The study compared the personalities expressed in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI)to Felder and Silverman's(1998)Index of Learning Styles(ILS).Phase one was a combined MBTI and ILS assessment that was administered to 105 participants.To further define learning style,phase two was a follw-up questionnaire administered to 37 participants and was based on Goley's(1982)Learning Pattern(LP)assessment.The research did indicate a correlation between specific dichotomies of MBTI,ILS and LP.The Extravert and Introvert dichotomy in MTBI appeared to correlate with the Active and Reflective dichotomy in ILS.Furthermore,a relationship emerged for MBTI Sensing and the ILS Sensory dichotomy,although no connection appeared …

Characteristics Of State Trial Court Judges And Self-Reported Extralegal Factors That Influence Their Sentencing Decisions With Older Offenders, Martha S. Smith

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Archival research demonstrates that older offenders are treated more leniently in the criminal system by judges. More specifically, older offenders are less likely to be incarcerated, and when they are incarcerated, they receive shorter sentences. However, to date, no research has directly examined why such leniency occurs. A total of 1,005 surveys were sent to state trial court judges across the United States. Two hundred twelve surveys were returned. The surveys contained two questionnaires, the Judicial Attitudes Survey (JAS) and the Aging Opinion survey (AOS). The JAS was created specifically for this study, and it assesses the types of information …

Collaborative Teaching Strategies And Methods Used Between Specialeducation And Generaleducation Teachers In Collaborative Classrooms, Alexandra M. Kanellis

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the implementation of No Child Left Behind (2004) and the requirements set by Article 7 and IDEIA (2004), collaborative teaching has become a requirement for most specialEducation and generalEducation teachers. GeneralEducation and specialEducation teachers are asked to cooperate to successfully meet the needs of all students in their classroom and to ensure the execution of differentiated instruction in the inclusive classroom. This qualitative research involves the observation and interview of veteran generalEducation and specialEducation teachers. Specifically, the study was designed to verify these teachers' perceptions of collaboration and how collaboration between generalEducation and specialEducation teachers is applied into the …

Comparing The Health Belief Model And Theory Of Planned Behavior In Predicting Intent To Vaccinate Against The Human Papillomavirus In College Women, Juli A. Buchanan

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a group of viruses that currently infect approximately 25 million American women, is a serious health threat that has been directly linked to cervical cancer, as well as to other gynecological, sex organ, and oropharyngeal cancers (Syrjanen, 2007). In 2006, the FDA approved a controversial vaccine that would prevent two of the strains most often linked to HPV-related cancers, but the vaccine must be administered to pre-sexual girls between the ages of 9 and 12 in order to be most effective. Little attention has been focused on college-age women who are also at risk for dangerous HPV …

Learning Styles Of Myers-Briggs Type Indicators, Juanita Jane Cohen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study illustrated that personality type influences learning style. The study compared the personalities expressed in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to Felder and Silverman's (1988) Index of Learning Styles (ILS). Phase one was a combined MBTI and ILS assessment that was administered to 105 participants. To further define learning style, phase two was a follow-up questionnaire administered to 37 participants and was based on Goley's (1982) Learning Pattern (LP) assessment. The research did indicate a correlation between specific dichotomies of MBTI, ILS, and LP. The Extravert and Introvert dichotomy in MBTI appeared to correlate with the Active and Reflective …

Teachers’ Knowledge Of English Phonology And Attitudes Toward Reading Instruction As Related To Student Outcomes, Casey L. Lewis

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers’ knowledge of English phonology and attitudes toward explicit and implicit reading instruction were related to student growth in reading. First-grade teachers completed a knowledge assessment and attitudes survey, and their students were administered reading measures in the spring of kindergarten and first grade. The data were analyzed to determine relationships between teacher variables and student achievement. Moderate correlations emerged between teachers’ knowledge, attitudes toward explicit instruction, and student achievement, but there were no significant correlations between these teacher variables and student reading growth. Teachers with higher levels of knowledge were …

The Use Of Career Assessments In Transition Planning: An Exploratory Study, Annmarie J. Schimmel

Theses

The Self Directed Search (SDS) and the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) were administered to a group of college age students who were either School Psychology graduate students or undergraduate students enrolled in a Career Exploration course at a local, private university. It was hypothesized that the SDS and the 16PF profiles for the students would differ between the two groups, showing that the profiles for those enrolled as School Psychology graduate students would be similar to the career summary codes previously identified for their chosen careers. Independent t-tests showed that on the SDS the School Psychology graduate students scored …

Carlos Luna: Cuban Artist At The Crossroads, Curtis L. Carter

Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications

Carlos Luna: Cuban Artist at the Crossroads is an essay appearing in the exhibition catalogue Pablo Picasso Ceramics, Carlos Luna Paintings for the exhibit of the same title installed at the Museum of Art/Fort Lauderdale from October 2, 2008 through February 23, 2009.

The Relationship Between Christian Character And Christian Faith Exhibited In The Leadership Of Illinois Public School District Superintendents, Tyler Brown

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study compiled foundational information and research as well as investigated the unexplored areas of Christian faith and Christian character of the Illinois public school district superintendency. The overall guiding questions of this study were "Is there a significant relationship between the total Christian faith score and the total Christian character score of Christian and Non-Christian public school superintendents?" and "Is there a significant relationship between the total Christian faith score and each of the ten Christian character categories of Christian and Non-Christian public school superintendents?" This was a significant study since it answered the guiding questions and found statistically …

Hardware Implementation Of Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement Scheme In Gf(P), Zerene Sangma

Theses

With the advent of technology there are many applications that require secure communication. Elliptic Curve Public-key Cryptosystems are increasingly becoming popular due to their small key size and efficient algorithm. Elliptic curves are widely used in various key exchange techniques including Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement scheme. Modular multiplication and modular division are one of the basic operations in elliptic curve cryptography. Much effort has been made in developing efficient modular multiplication designs, however few works has been proposed for the modular division. Nevertheless, these operations are needed in various cryptographic systems. This thesis examines various scalable implementations of elliptic curve scalar …

A Computational Investigation Of Graph Reconstruction, David Rivshin

Theses

First proposed in 1941 by Kelly and Ulam, the Graph Reconstruction Conjecture has been called the major open problem in the field of Graph Theory. While the Graph Reconstruction Conjecture is still unproven it has spawned a number of related questions. In the classical vertex graph reconstruction number problem a vertex is deleted in every possible way from a graph G, and then it can be asked how many (both minimum and maximum values) of these subgraphs are required to uniquely reconstruct G (up to isomorphism). This problem can then be extended to k-vertex deletion (for 1 ≤ k ≤ …

Solving An Mri Spin Relaxometry Problem Using Parallel Java, Hardik Parikh

Theses

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique used primarily in the medical profession to produce high quality images of the inside of the human body, without using x-rays. The process of obtaining the spin density spectrum from the time samples of the spin signal for each pixel of a magnetic resonance image is known as MRI spin relaxometry. The spin density spectrum is obtained by performing linear regularization on samples of magnetic resonance images obtained at different times. The spin density spectrum obtained from the body is used by radiologists to diagnose disease in its early stage. However, the …

Cognitive Dimensions Usability Assessment Of Textual And Visual Vhdl Environments, George Kontos

Theses

Visual programming languages promise to make programming easier with simpler graphical methods, broadening access to computing by lessening the need for would-be users to become proficient with textual programming languages, with their somewhat arcane grammars and methods removed from the problem space of the user. However, after more than forty years of research in the field, visual methods remain in the margins of use and programming remains the bailiwick of people devoted to the endeavor. VPL designers need to understand the mechanisms of usability that pertain to complex systems like programming language environments. Effective research tools for studying usability, and …

Introducing Legacy Program Scripting To Molecular Biology Toolkit (Mbt), Todd Newell

Theses

Successful navigating of the ever-changing landscape of molecular visualization programs requires a common thread that can offer users an oasis from the maelstrom of new languages, proprietary applications, and miniscule software life-cycles. Crossapplication scripting remains the benchmark, allowing scientists and researchers to speak a common tongue. The introduction of a new, powerful visualization language, Molecular Biology Toolkit (MBT), has tempted many users to abandon previous methodologies and adopt a new mode of research. MBT, however, is not without drawbacks. Its lack of scripting capabilities creates unmanageable complexity for unsophisticated end-users, namely those without the ability to program. MBT, thus, lacks …

Lc Sensor For Biological Tissue Characterization, Marie Yvanoff

Theses

Over the past few decades, there has been growing interest and increased research on bio-implantable devices using RF telemetry links, enabling the continuous monitoring and recording of physiological data. However the dispersive properties of tissues make this a formidable task. In the present work, a novel technique for tissue characterization using an LC sensor is developed which allows for the extraction of the relative permittivity, and the conductivity of dispersive tissues. The resonant frequency of the sensor is monitored by measuring the input impedance of an external antenna, and correlated to the desired quantities. The impact of multi-layered dispersive tissues …

Sculptural Jewelry In Line Composition, Jaesun Won

Theses

As a contemporary female Asian artist I want to create sculptural jewelry to be a bridge between western and eastern culture. The most concern for my thesis is developing line work which is one of the most interesting works to me. I created contemporary sculptural jewelry by engaging with the body line compositions. My intention to create jewelry that can be associated with both the body and also stand on its own as a sculptural form. Movement, pattern, rhythm, intersection, space, boundaries, scale, symmetry and asymmetry engage the body within the line compositions revealed in my works.

A Distributed Public Key Creation System For Ad-Hoc Groups, Brian Padalino

Theses

Ad-hoc networks are on the forefront of technological advances as more embedded devices allow for wireless communications without necessarily requiring a network infrastructure to connect to. One of the larger problems associated with such ad-hoc networks is the lack of being able to access a PKI to create individual secure sessions for these groups being created. For this project, an implementation generating the public and private keys for an RSA public-key protocol has been created on top of the M2MI middleware developed at RIT. In this implementation, as originally described by Dan Boneh, all parties help contribute to the generation …

Interactive Television: Advancing Television Through Integrated Technology, Stephen Gallo

Theses

Television has been struggling to find its position in the evolving world of media. It remains mostly one directional output of content and it needs to fit into a world where people are growing to expect more and more interactivity in their experience. Adding a dense component of interactive options into the television experience could cater to revitalizing this centerpiece of entertainment and sustain its dominant place in our households’ entertainment center. There is a vast array of technology that has arisen that television could easily play off of and integrate into the main experience to revitalize itself. The goal …

Exploring A Transformative Pedagogy With Blended Learning For Emirati Higher Education Students, Laurence Hedley-Brown

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Titled: Exploring a Transformative Pedagogy with Blended Learning for Emirati Higher Education Students, this portfolio relates a process of reflective praxis with the development of a pedagogy which was co-constructed with Emirati students. These students were studying in the first cycle of a bachelor's degree in Communications and Media Management at the United Arab Emirate's Higher Colleges of Technology between 2001 and 2004. The portfolio describes this collaborative instructional design project using English as a Second Language (ESL) and constructivist theory, exploratory and web based learning within the formation of a community of !earners via asynchronous !earning networks. Dilemmas of …

The 'Good Mother Syndrome' And Playgroup: The Lived Experience Of A Group Of Mothers, Bronwyn Harman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Using a qualitative approach, utilising a semi-structured narrative interviewing technique, I interviewed 21 participants through one-on-one interviews and focus groups to examine how participants experience parenting and playgroup. The good mother syndrome refers to the social, historical and cultural determination of how mothers are supposed to act. It defines what a good mother is supposed to be, subject to political, cultural and economic influences. Further, the good mother syndrome is inextricably linked to challenges to identity, support in the mothering role, and expectations of motherhood. Playgroups are communities of women bounded by internal and external demands, where they support each …

A Framework For Integrating Dna Sequenced Data, Prabin Dutta

Theses

The Human Genome Project generated vast amounts of DNA sequenced data scattered in disparate data sources in a variety of formats. Integrating biological data and extracting information held in DNA sequences are major ongoing tasks for biologists and software professionals. This thesis explored issues of finding, extracting, merging and synthesizing information from multiple disparate data sources containing DNA sequenced data, which is composed of 3 billion chemical building blocks of bases. We proposed a biological data integration framework based on typical usage patterns to simplify these issues for biologists. The framework uses a relational database management system at the backend, …

Infant Feeding Practices And Beliefs Among Women In Podor, West Africa, Heather Lyn Schwartz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

In Search Of Unity For The Methodist Church In Indonesia, Paw Liang The

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Dietary Supplement Use Amongst Junior College Athletes, Eliseo R. MuñOz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Self-Assembled Layer-By-Layer Star Polymers By Electrostatic Interactions, Cecile Semana Bonifacio

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.