Digital Commons Network^™

Nanoscale Characterization Of Thin Film Coatings Using Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, Guillermo Acosta, Richard Vanfleet, David D. Allred

Faculty Publications

When considering the optical performance of thin films in the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV), developing an accurate physical description of a thin film coating is necessary to be able to successfully model optical performance. With the short wavelengths of the EUV, film interfaces and sample roughness warrant special attention and care. The surfaces of thin film samples are routinely measured by Atomic Force Microscopy, from which roughness can be determined. However, characterizing the quality of interfaces below the surface is much more challenging. In a recent study of scandium oxide thin films, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Annular Dark Field …

Utilizing Phrase-Similarity Measures For Detecting And Clustering Informative Rss News Articles, Yiu-Kai D. Ng, Maria Soledad Pera

Faculty Publications

As the number of RSS news feeds continue to increase over the Internet, it becomes necessary to minimize the workload of the user who is otherwise required to scan through huge numbers of news articles to find related articles of interest, which is a tedious and often an impossible task. In order to solve this problem, we present a novel approach, called InFRSS, which consists of a correlation-based phrase matching (CPM) model and a fuzzy compatibility clustering (FCC) model. CPM can detect RSS news articles containing phrases that are the same as well as semantically alike, and dictate the degrees …

Socially Rational Models For Autonomous Agents, Wynn C. Stirling, James K. Archibald, Matthew S. Nokleby

Faculty Publications

Autonomous multi-agent systems that are to coordinate must be designed according to models that accommodate such complex social behavior as compromise, negotiation, and altruism. In contrast to individually rational models, where each agent seeks to maximize its own welfare without regard for others, socially rational agents have interests beyond themselves. Such models require a new type of utility function a social utility to ensure three desirable properties: (a) conditional preferences agents may adjust their preferences to account for the preferences of others; (b) endogeny group preferences are determined internally by interactions between individual agents; (c) framing invariance reformulations of the …

Employing Adaptive Structuring As A Cognitive Decision Aid In High Reliability Organizations, Karlene H. Roberts, Kuo Frank Yu, Vinit M. Desai, Peter Madsen

Faculty Publications

The article begins by discussing processes contributing to high and low reliability decision making. It then discusses three cases, covering similar processes used in the three situations and notes what managers can take from this. Finally, the article argues for research that does not concentrate on a single organization but examines interactions among geographically distributed units addressing the same problem.

Student Teachers' Interactions With Students During Middle School Physical Education Game Play, David C. Barney, Gary Liguori

Faculty Publications

Teacher/student interactions are a daily occurrence during a class period. What the teachers say, and how they say it, can affect student learning (Ring, 2002). The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of interactions student teachers had with the students during their middle school physical education game play. The subjects were two male senior physical education majors who were concluding their course work with their student teaching experience. For this study students wore a wireless microphone in order for the researcher to hear the types of interactions they had with their students during class time. It was …

Viewpoint: Obstacles That Interfere With Believers From Islam Easily Joining Adventist Churches, Bruce L. Bauer

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

The 1919 Bible Conference And Its Significance For Seventh-Day Adventist History And Theology, Michael W. Campbell

Dissertations

The Topic

The 1919 Bible Conference was held immediately after World War I during a heightened interest in the apocalyptic and soon after the death of Ellen White. Patterned after the Fundamentalist prophetic conferences of 1918 and 1919, it was arguably the first “scholarly” conference held by Seventh-day Adventists. During a theologically turbulent time, Adventists found the emerging Fundamentalist movement attractive for its biblicist theology, its opposition to modernism and evolution, and the apparent popular appeal of its prophetic conferences.

The Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the significance of the 1919 Bible Conference for Seventh-day Adventist …

Diversification To Mitigate Expropriation In The Tobacco Industry, Messod D. Beneish, Ivo Ph. Jansen, Melissa F. Lewis-Western, Nathan V. Stuart

Faculty Publications

While it is well established that diversifying acquisitions by large, cash-rich firms destroy shareholder wealth, we document positive abnormal returns to such acquisitions in the tobacco industry. We show that these abnormal returns are associated with proxies for lower expected expropriation costs. Specifically, we show that wealth creation increases in the degree of domestic geographic expansion afforded by the acquisition (increasing tobacco firms’ influence in more political districts) and in the liquidity of tobacco firms’ assets (converting cash to harder-to-expropriate operating assets). We also show that the threat of expropriation constrains payments to shareholders before expropriation becomes certain in 1998.

Effects Of Friendship In Transactions In An Emerging Market: Empirical Evidence From Brazil, Wesley Mendes-Da-Silva, Thaís Fernanda Salves De Brito, Rubens Famá, Jonathan T. Liljegren

Faculty Publications

This paper considers the inclusion of human behavioral aspects and implications of cognitive psychology and anthropology in decisions relating to the emerging field of behavioral finance. The formulated hypotheses were tested using 400 questionnaires, answered by students enrolled in MBA programs. The principal results suggest that individuals involved in transactions among friends or among strangers assume different behaviors—friends agree about the price attributed to an asset, while strangers show the propensity to bargain.

Cyan Fluorescent Protein Expression In Ganglion And Amacrine Cells In A Thy1-Cfp Transgenic Mouse Retina, Iona D Raymond, Alejandro Vila, Uyen-Chi N Huynh, Nicholas C Brecha

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: To characterize cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) expression in the retina of the thy1-CFP (B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-CFP)23Jrs/J) transgenic mouse line.

METHODS: CFP expression was characterized using morphometric methods and immunohistochemistry with antibodies to neurofilament light (NF-L), neuronal nuclei (NeuN), POU-domain protein (Brn3a) and calretinin, which immunolabel ganglion cells, and syntaxin 1 (HPC-1), glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD(67)), GABA plasma membrane transporter-1 (GAT-1), and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which immunolabel amacrine cells.

RESULTS: CFP was extensively expressed in the inner retina, primarily in the inner plexiform layer (IPL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), nerve fiber layer, and optic nerve. CFP fluorescent cell bodies were in all …

Dominance Of The Proximal Coordinate Frame In Determining The Locations Of Hippocampal Place Cell Activity During Navigation, Jennifer J Siegel, Joshua P Neunuebel, James J Knierim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The place-specific activity of hippocampal cells provides downstream structures with information regarding an animal's position within an environment and, perhaps, the location of goals within that environment. In rodents, recent research has suggested that distal cues primarily set the orientation of the spatial representation, whereas the boundaries of the behavioral apparatus determine the locations of place activity. The current study was designed to address possible biases in some previous research that may have minimized the likelihood of observing place activity bound to distal cues. Hippocampal single-unit activity was recorded from six freely moving rats as they were trained to perform …

Messenger Rna Half-Life Measurements In Mammalian Cells, Chyi-Ying A Chen, Nader Ezzeddine, Ann-Bin Shyu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The recognition of the importance of mRNA turnover in regulating eukaryotic gene expression has mandated the development of reliable, rigorous, and "user-friendly" methods to accurately measure changes in mRNA stability in mammalian cells. Frequently, mRNA stability is studied indirectly by analyzing the steady-state level of mRNA in the cytoplasm; in this case, changes in mRNA abundance are assumed to reflect only mRNA degradation, an assumption that is not always correct. Although direct measurements of mRNA decay rate can be performed with kinetic labeling techniques and transcriptional inhibitors, these techniques often introduce significant changes in cell physiology. Furthermore, many critical mechanistic …

The Role Of Sse1 In The De Novo Formation And Variant Determination Of The [Psi+] Prion, Jaou-Chen Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In several species, a family of nuclear receptors, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) composed of three isotypes, is expressed in somatic cells and germ cells of the ovary as well as the testis. Invalidation of these receptors in mice or stimulation of these receptors in vivo or in vitro showed that each receptor has physiological roles in the gamete maturation or the embryo development. In addition, synthetic PPAR gamma ligands are recently used to induce ovulation in women with polycystic ovary disease. These results reveal the positive actions of PPAR in reproduction. On the other hand, xenobiotics molecules (in herbicides, …

Genes In Glucose Metabolism And Association With Spina Bifida, Christina M Davidson, Hope Northrup, Terri M King, Jack M Fletcher, Irene Townsend, Gayle H Tyerman, Kit Sing Au

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The authors test single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding sequences of 12 candidate genes involved in glucose metabolism and obesity for associations with spina bifida. Genotyping was performed on 507 children with spina bifida and their parents plus anonymous control DNAs from Hispanic and Caucasian individuals. The transmission disequilibrium test was performed to test for genetic associations between transmission of alleles and spina bifida in the offspring (P < .05). A statistically significant association between Lys481 of HK1 (G allele), Arg109Lys of LEPR (G allele), and Pro196 of GLUT1 (A allele) was found ( P = .019, .039, and .040, respectively). Three SNPs on 3 genes involved with glucose metabolism and obesity may be associated with increased susceptibility to spina bifida.

Predation By Crabs On Rocky Shores In North-East Atlantic, Ana Catarina Ferreirada Silva

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

Highly mobile predators are known to have an important influence on shallow-water habitats. There is, however, little information about the role of crabs on the ecology of rocky shores. Here I examine the extent and consequences of predation by crabs on shores in the North-East Atlantic. The specific aims of this thesis are to: investigate spatial variation in use of the intertidal by crabs along a horizontal gradient of exposure to wave action and a vertical gradient of tidal elevation; assess their use of the intertidal as a feeding area by examining stomach content composition; examine the extent of connectivity …

State Policies Matter: The Case Of Outpatient Drug Treatment Program Practices, Jamie Chriqui, Yvonne Terry-Mcelrath, Duane C. Mcbride, D Eidson

Faculty Publications

This study examined relationships between state policy requirements governing outpatient substance abuse treatment services and reported outpatient treatment program practices. State policies effective as of February 1, 2003, and February 1, 2004, were collected and analyzed via primary legal research; data were validated by state officials (88% response rate; > 90% validation rate). Treatment practice data were obtained from the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services for the years 2003 and 2004. Multivariate analyses clustered by state were conducted, controlling for state, program, and state-aggregated client admission characteristics. Results indicated that treatment programs located in states with requirements for comprehensive …

Demography And Genetic Diversity Of The Mexican Black Iguana Ctenosaura Pectinata, Victor Aguirre-Hlidalgo

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The hunting of the black iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) in some regions of Mexico constitutes an acute problem because mature, gravid females arc killed and eaten just before they lay their eggs. This practice thus impacts both the survival of adults and the otherwise imminent recruitment of new individuals to the population. The objective of this project was to compare the demographic behaviour and the genetic variability of two population of the black iguana, one protected and one subject to hunting. This information allowed us to project their population dynamics and investigate the likely population-level consequences of hunting. A clear difference …

Developmental Sequences In Freshwater Pulmonate Gastropods, Jennifer J. Smirthwaite

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The main aims of this thesis were to develop an integrative approach (i.e. one that included physiological as well as traditional morphological events) that allowed the construction of "timelines" of event sequences during development for pulmonate gastropods and to investigate how these sequences varied between (heterochrony) and within (heterokairy) species. Detailed descriptions of development in twelve species from three families (Lymaeidae, Planorbidae and Physidae) highlighted several heterochronies that were confirmed by a phylogenetically explicit analysis (PARSIMOV). These heterochronies involved physiological events (i.e. the first heart beat, appearance of the eye, body flexing, mantle muscle activity, attachment to egg capsule and …

The Text Of The New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, And Restoration, 4th Ed. [Review] / Metzger, Bruce And Bart Ehrman, Terry Dwain Robertson

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

No abstract provided.

The Evaluation Of Midazolam On Head Injured Patients In The Prehospital Setting, Dragana Klinac

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Midazolam (Hypnovel ®) is the only sedating agent used by paramedics at St John Ambulance Service W.A. in the management of many conditions including seizure activities, antisocial or uncontrollable behaviours, back pain incidents and head injuries. Midazolam, with a rapid absorption, fast onset of action and short duration on neurological activity, has been accepted as a safe and effective agent in prehospital treatment since the late-1990s. Often, if a patient is not complying with treatment or is uncontrollable or aggressive, paramedics are required to sedate the individual. This study primarily examines the use of midazolam for the sedation of unmanageable …

The Fetishization Of Independence, Usha Rodrigues

Scholarly Works

According to conventional wisdom, a supermajority independent board of directors is the ideal corporate governance structure. Debate nevertheless continues: empirical evidence suggests that independent boards do not improve firm performance. Independence proponents respond that past studies reflect a flawed definition of independence.

Remarkably, neither side in the independence debate has looked to Delaware, the preeminent state source for corporate law. Comparing Delaware's notions of independence with those of Sarbanes-Oxley and its attendant reforms reveals two fundamentally different conceptions of independence. Sarbanes-Oxley equates independence with outsider status. An independent director is one who lacks financial ties to the corporation and is …

Public Pension Funds As Shareholder Activists: A Comment On Choi And Fisch, Randall S. Thomas

Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc

No abstract provided.

Development Of Teaching And Technology Integration: Focus On Pedagogy, Nancy Wentworth, Charles R. Graham, Tonya Tripp

Faculty Publications

The development, implementation, review, and subsequent revision of a capstone assignment during teacher education candidates’ field experience and the assignments-related rubric was based on research that points teacher education programs to give candidates experiences in rethinking their views of pedagogy as they integrate technology into the curriculum. The initial development of the rubric came as a result of requirements of national accrediting organizations for licensure programs to have performance assessments of their candidates. The review of the assignment by technology experts as well as education faculty showed a disconnect between the goals of the technology faculty and the mentors helping …

The American Public's View Of Congress, John R. Hibbing, Christopher W. Larimer

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

Congress has long been unpopular with the American public, with approval numbers above fifty percent serving as the exception rather than the norm. In this essay we argue that such disapproval stems not from calculated reaction to policy outcomes or partisan attachments. Rather, people tend to disapprove of Congress for exactly the thing it was designed to be: an open and deliberative lawmaking body. The more Congress does its job, the more the public tends to disapprove.

Nonlinear Materials Characterization With Femtosecond Laser Pulses, Geoffrey Drake Jenkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Reflexivity Of Pain And Privilege: An Autoethnography Of (Mestizo) Identity And Other Mestizo Voices, Ellis Hurd

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Approximately 20 million Latinos living in the United States identify as Mestizos. A Mestizo is a person of mixed heritage. Almost half of these Mestizos racially or culturally identify as White, while the other half identify as Hispanic or racially mixed. These racial and cultural identifications have vast effects on educational performance: those identifying themselves as Hispanic or mixed experience lower academic achievement whereas those identifying as White do not. Many communities have experienced an influx of Mestizo-Latinos, but are ill prepared for the educational challenges due to the language and cultural differences Mestizos bring. This researcher himself has experienced …

Gaming Towards Academic And Physical Success, Eric Burt

Graduate Research Papers

This review addresses the potential of serious video games and the benefits that serious video games can have on a student academically as well as physically. Serious video games require strategic thinking, problem solving, planning and decision making. Serious video games enable learners to experience ~eal world situations without the real-life consequences. Exergaming provides potential for combining gaming and exercise, this type of video game has tremendous upside. This review of research.investigates how video games can be used to engage learners and help students learn. Research is needed to determine which features of games and simulation~ are important for learning …

Disability And Difference: Adolescents' Interpretations Based On Television Viewing, Paula Anne Schmidt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was conducted in order to decipher adolescent interpretations of disability that were portrayed on television. Employing qualitative methodology and methods, I conducted focus groups with adolescents during which they viewed television programs containing portrayals of characters with disabilities, or otherwise defining differences. The sixth grade participants freely shared their perspectives of the programs and characters in addition to their thoughts about the nature of difference in general.

Although I originally intended to interpret adolescents' reactions toward characters with disabilities, I found that it was not only characters with disabilities that they viewed in a judgmental manner. As the …

The Impact Of A C.A.R.E. Based Martial Arts Class On Students' Academic Achievement, Peer Relationships, And Social Interactions, David Hite Jr.

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

What is the goal of education in America today? Why is education so important to our society? Why do we spend millions of dollars each year towards the success of America's educational system? What processes and procedures should be employed to insure an efficient and effective education for all individuals? These questions and more arise as we consider the current academic, social, and economic climate of America, as well as the rest of the world; and the role education has played in shaping our past, impacting our present, and directing our future as individuals of a free society. Abraham Lincoln …

2007 Sgrp Report, Terry Messmer

All Current Publications

Information gained will be used to assist private landowners, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Soil Conservation Districts, and state wildlife agency field staff in the planning and implementation of habitat projects and practices on private lands to benefit sage-grouse and other sagebrush-steppe obligate species.