Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Key Elements Of Effective Adolescent Literacy Practices And Literacy Assessment Proficiencies, Martha Elaine Dodson

Theses and Dissertations

Learning to read and write is critical to a child's success in school and later in life. Although most funding for literacy education has been centralized in the primary grades in the past, the concern for the growing numbers of adolescents continuing to struggle in literacy has gained attention. This is especially true when considering the high stakes accountability measures in place at grades 3-8. The pressure mounted by the No Child Left Behind Act for improved literacy gains for all students is growing more and more intense as school districts are challenged to meet adequate yearly progress. The literacy …

Relationship Between Green School Design And Student Achievement, Attendance, And Student Behaviors, Deborah Lynn Bruick

Theses and Dissertations

Literature is replete with the harmful effects of poorly maintained facilities on building occupants. School district officials are charged with constructing schools of quality while also serving as conscientious stewards of public monies, therefore, school leaders need facility research to support decision-making. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact that schools constructed following Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards have on student achievement, student attendance, and teacher's perceptions compared to non-LEED schools. The analysis revealed no significant difference for academic achievement or attendance but revealed a statistically significant difference between LEED and non-LEED teachers …

Missing-Sensor-Fault-Tolerant Control For Sssc Facts Device With Real-Time Implementation, Wei Qiao, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Ronald Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Control of power systems relies on the availability and quality of sensor measurements. However, measurements are inevitably subjected to faults caused by sensor failure, broken or bad connections, bad communication, or malfunction of some hardware or software. These faults in turn may cause the failure of power system controllers and consequently severe contingencies in the power system. to avoid such contingencies, this paper presents a sensor evaluation and (missing sensor) restoration scheme (SERS) by using auto-associative neural networks (auto-encoders) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). based on the SERS, a missing-sensor-fault-tolerant control (MSFTC) is developed for controlling a static synchronous series …

Jorgensen V. Coppedge Clerk's Record V. 1 Dckt. 35575

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

State V. Shultz Respondent's Brief Dckt. 33310

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

Total Serum Immunoglobulin Y In Steller's Eiders And A Surrogate Species As A Marker Of Humoral Immune Status And Viral Response, Maryann Bozza

Marine Biology

"Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and other sea duck species have undergone population declines in recent decades, and the causes for the declines remain largely unknown. As part of a study to investigate the role of disease in sea duck population declines, I further characterized Steller's eider humoral immunity by quantifying total serum immunoglobulin Y (IgY). Baseline values of total serum IgY were determined for a captive flock of Steller's eiders housed at the Alaska SeaLife Center using species-specific assays. There were no significant differences in total serum IgY between males and females or between seasons (molt and winter) for captive …

State Aid N 677/2009 - United Kingdom Prolongation Of The Financial Support Measures To The Banking Industry In The United Kingdom, European Commission

Documents

No abstract provided.

Annual Report And Accounts 2009, Royal Bank Of Scotland (Rbs)

Documents

No abstract provided.

Guatemala: A Killer's Paradise, Louisa Reynolds

NotiCen

No abstract provided.

Studies On Inositol Polyphosphates And Their Role In Programmed Cell Death, Rakhee Agarwal

Theses and Dissertations

The agents that induce apoptosis in cancerous cells are considered as potential candidates for cancer therapy. Inositol polyphosphates, the naturally occurring compounds, regulate diverse cellular processes including induction of apoptosis in certain cancerous cells and hence can be considered as potential anticancer agents. The aim of this research dissertation was to establish firmly the role of inositol polyphosphates in induction of apoptosis by examining their mechanism of action. The overall hypothesis was that alterations in intracellular levels of inositol polyphosphates would bring about apoptotic changes. The hypothesis was tested by changing endogenous inositol polyphosphates by way of chemical treatments known …

Application Of 3d Zernike Descriptors To Shape-Based Ligand Similarity Searching., Vishwesh Venkatraman, Padmasini Ramji Chakravarthy, Daisuke Kihara

Department of Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

The identification of promising drug leads from a large database of compounds is an important step in the preliminary stages of drug design. Although shape is known to play a key role in the molecular recognition process, its application to virtual screening poses significant hurdles both in terms of the encoding scheme and speed.

Results

In this study, we have examined the efficacy of the alignment independent three-dimensional Zernike descriptor (3DZD) for fast shape based similarity searching. Performance of this approach was compared with several other methods including the statistical moments based ultrafast shape recognition scheme (USR) and SIMCOMP, …

Influence Of Soil Water Repellency On Post-Fire Revegetation Success And Management Techniques To Improve Establishment Of Desired Species, Matthew D. Madsen

Theses and Dissertations

The influence of soil water repellency (WR) on vegetation recovery after a fire is poorly understood. This dissertation presents strategies to broaden opportunities for enhanced post-fire rangeland restoration and monitoring of burned piñon and juniper (P-J) woodlands by: 1) mapping the extent and severity of critical and subcritical WR, 2) determining the influence of WR on soil ecohydrologic properties and revegetation success, and 3) evaluating the suitability of a wetting agent composed of alkylpolyglycoside-ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers as a post-fire restoration tool for ameliorating the effects of soil WR and increasing seedling establishment. Results indicate that:

• Post-fire patterns …

A Closer Look At One Elementary School's Use Of Informational Text In Classroom Instruction, Marjean Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to explore the use of informational text in kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms in one elementary school. The research was based on analyzing responses given by teachers on a self-report survey; which addressed various aspects of their use of informational texts. The survey included questions about the sources teachers used to find informational texts, the criteria used in selection of such texts, and the frequency and purposes for informational text use. These data were then compared according to teachers' years of teaching experience and grade level taught to see the influence of …

Ecological Linkages Between Headwater Streams And Riparian And Downstream Habitats In The Eastern Cascade Range, Washington, Usa, Elizabeth C. Green

Biological Sciences

"I examined how headwater streams are ecologically linked with the terrestrial environment and upstream waters. I examined relationships between fish (rainbow and cutthroat trout), invertebrates, and habitat in 15 headwater streams in two ecoregions (wet, dry) and timber harvest scenarios (logged, unlogged) in the Wenatchee River sub-basin in the eastern Cascade Mountain Range, Washington state, USA. Fish biomass, density, and size were not related to ecoregion or to logging history. Invertebrate drift manipulations in 13 streams influenced fish movement (fish moved downstream in sites that were not supplemented with food) and diet (fish consumed less prey when drifting invertebrates were …

Reproductive Patterns In King Eiders, Rebecca L. Bentzen

Biological Sciences

Mammalian predation, avian predation, female body condition and food availability on the breeding ground are likely the main factors influencing nesting success in tundra-nesting waterfowl. These driving factors are mediated by the primary life history characteristics; incubation behavior, female body size, nesting associations, and nest site selection. I created a conceptual model illustrating how these factors are interrelated and how they impact nest success through a variety of pathways to better understand the evolution of a species' nesting strategy and patterns observed in the field. The importance of the driving factors likely varies between sites and with the species nesting …

The Eastern Echo, December 17, 2009, Section B, Eastern Michigan University

EMU Student Newspaper: The Normal News & The Eastern Echo

No abstract provided.

Hybrid Matching And Risk Assessment Of The Misspelled Names Hmra, Cihan Varol

Theses and Dissertations

Companies acquire personal information from phone, World Wide Web, or email in order to sell or send an advertisement about their product. However, when this information is acquired, moved, copied or edited, the data may loose its quality. Often, the use of data administrators or a tool that has limited capabilities to correct the mistyped information can cause many problems. Moreover, most of the correction techniques are particularly implemented for the words used in daily conversations. Since personal names have different characteristics compared to general text, firstly, we proposed a hybrid matching algorithm (PNRS) which employs phonetic encoding, string matching …

Controls On Radial Growth Of Mountain Big Sagebrush And Implications For Climate Change, Rebecca E. Poore, Christine A. Lamanna, James J. Ebersole, Brian J. Enquist

Western North American Naturalist

Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana) covers large areas in arid regions of western North America. Climate-change models predict a decrease in the range of sagebrush, but few studies have examined details of predicted changes on sagebrush growth and the potential impacts of these changes on the community. We analyzed effects of temperature, precipitation, and snow depth on sagebrush annual ring width for 1969 to 2007 in the Gunnison Basin of Colorado. Temperature at all times of year except winter had negative correlations with ring widths; summer temperature had the strongest negative relationship. Ring widths correlated …

Estimating Root Biomass And Distribution After Fire In A Great Basin Woodland Using Cores And Pits, Benjamin M. Rau, Dale W. Johnson, Jeanne C. Chambers, Robert R. Blank, Annmarie Lucchesi

Western North American Naturalist

Quantifying root biomass is critical to an estimation and understanding of ecosystem net primary production, biomass partitioning, and belowground competition. We compared 2 methods for determining root biomass: a new soil-coring technique and traditional excavation of quantitative pits. We conducted the study in an existing Joint Fire Sciences demonstration area in the central Great Basin. This area is representative of a shrub (sagebrush) ecosystem exhibiting tree (pinyon and juniper) encroachment. The demonstration area had a prescribed burn implemented 4 years prior to our study, and we sampled both control and burned plots. The samples were stratified across 3 microsites (interspace, …

Differential Phytosociological Interactions Involving Male And Female Atriplex Bonnevillensis, Jordan Sinclair, John M. Emlen, Matthew Rinella, Jessica Snelgrove, D. Carl Freeman

Western North American Naturalist

Wind-pollinated dioecious plants often exhibit spatial segregation of the sexes. This partial niche separation has most often been explored using abiotic niche axes. However, if the sexes are truly separated in space, then they are apt to encounter different plant species that may heavily affect growth and reproduction. Also, to the extent that their niches differ, the sexes may respond differently to the same co-occurring species. Here we examine interspecific interactions that influence male and female reproductive potential in Atriplex bonnevillensis. Using Emlen's interaction assessment, a technique which assesses species interactions based on cover classes, we show that Salsola species …

Distribution And Postbreeding Environmental Relationships Of Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana [Lithobates] Pipiens) In Washington, Stephen S. Germaine, Dave W. Hays

Western North American Naturalist

Northern leopard frogs (Rana [Lithobates] pipiens) are considered sensitive, threatened, or endangered in all western states and western Canadian provinces. Historically present in eastern Washington in 6 major river drainages, leopard frogs are now only known to occur at 2 localized areas in the Crab Creek drainage in Grant County. During the summers of 2002–2005, we surveyed both areas to document extent of leopard frog distributions and to describe habitat and vertebrate community characteristics associated with leopard frog site occupancy. At Gloyd Seeps, 2 juvenile leopard frogs were observed in a total of 8.2 person-days of …

Synoptic Climatology Of The Eastern Brooks Range, Alaska: A Data Legacy Of The International Geophysical Year, Jennifer R. March

Atmospheric Sciences

"Data from three International Geophysical Year (1957-1958) expeditions and one International Hydrological Decade National Science Foundation project (1969-1972) to the eastern Alaska North Slope have been rescued and made available in digital form: Chamberlain Glacier, Lake Peters, and McCall Glacier. Comparisons between these sites and US and Canadian Weather Service stations within 500km of McCall Glacier were conducted to determine the broad temperature climatology of the region. McCall Glacier is generally a swing site, and the climatology of the region often was linked most closely to the Beaufort Sea coast, though on some occasions, was more closely related to the …

Deliberation Versus Dispute: The Impact Of Argumentative Discourse Goals On Learning And Reasoning In The Science Classroom, Mark Felton, Merce Garcia-Mila, Sandra Gilabert

Faculty Publications

Researchers in science education have converged on the view that argumentation can be an effective intervention for promoting knowledge construction in science classrooms.However, the impact of such interventions may be mediated by individuals’ task goals while arguing. In argumentative discourse, one can distinguish two overlapping but distinct kinds of activity: dispute and deliberation. In dispute the goal is to defend a conclusion by undermining alternatives, whereas in deliberation the goal is to arrive at a conclusion by contrasting alternatives. In this study, we examine the impact of these discourse goals on both content learning and argument quality in science.

Psychometrics Of The Missouri Student Survey: Examining Validity, Reliability And Consent, Susan Marie Depue

Dissertations

Risk and protective factors for adolescent drug and alcohol abuse have gained prominence in the prevention field as a framework for prevention. Communities that Care® is the original survey that collected data on risk and protective factors in the adolescent community. The Missouri Student Survey is based upon the Communities that Care® survey and is administered to students across the state of Missouri every two years. This study examines the reliability and validity of the Missouri Student Survey in a sample of 126,923 students from across the state of Missouri. In addition, this study also considers the question of active …

Identification And Characterization Of Inconnu Spawning Habitat In The Sulukna River, Alaska, Jonathon D. Gerken

Fisheries

Inconnu (Stenodus leucichthys) is present throughout much of the Yukon River drainage in Alaska, but only five spawning areas have been identified. Spawning habitat requirements are therefore thought to be very specific; however, the physical qualities of these habitats have only been characterized in general terms. The Sulukna River is one of five identified inconnu spawning areas within the Yukon River drainage. A systematic sampling design was used in September and October of 2007-2008 to define Sulukna River spawning locations. Presence of inconnu was identified using hook and line sampling methods and spawning was verified by catching broadcast eggs in …

Environmental Gradients And Prey Availability Relative To Glacial Features In Kittlitz's Murrelet Foraging Habitat, Mayumi L. Arimitsu

Fisheries

"The goal of this study was to characterize Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) foraging habitat relative to prey availability and oceanography in Kenai Fjords National Park, a glacial-marine system. I conducted oceanographic, hydroacoustic, trawl, beach seine, and marine bird surveys monthly from June-August in 2007 and 2008. High sediment load from glacial river runoff shaped the marine ecosystem, and this appeared critically important to Kittlitz's murrelets at sea. Submerged moraines influenced inner fjord habitat that was characterized by cool, fresh, stratified, and silt-laden waters. This silty glacial runoff limited light availability to chlorophyll near tidewater glaciers, but zooplankton abundance was enhanced …

Age, Growth And Productivity Of Juvenile Sockeye Salmon In Two High Latitude Lakes, Alaska, Lorna I. Wilson

Fisheries

"The growth of Seward Peninsula sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from Salmon and Glacial lakes is related to their physical environment. Dermal scales collected over many years were measured to document the annual age specific growth of smolts and adults. The effect of fertilization on fry growth was examined using the first year of growth. The growth histories of Salmon Lake sockeye salmon were compared to Glacial Lake sockeye salmon through smolting and in the marine environment. Annual age specific fry growth had no direct relationship to fertilization; however, there were interactions between biomass of salmon prey and fertilization, and between …

Theoretical And Experimental Investigations Of Resonance Fluorescence Lidar For Measurements Of N₂ In The Auroral Atmosphere, Agatha S. Light

Atmospheric Sciences

"In this thesis, a series of experimental and theoretical studies of the resonance fluorescence lidar system at Poker Flat Research Range (located in Chatanika, Alaska) for use in obtaining measurements of aurorally produced molecular nitrogen ions (N₂) are presented. Obtaining measurements of N₂ is made challenging by both the operational performance of the resonance lidar system and the high degree of geophysical variability inherent in the aurora. Analyses are conducted of measurements obtained by the operational sodium and iron resonance lidar systems to verify the lidar system performance. To increase the strength and quality of the lidar measurements, the telescope …

The Girl-Wife And The Alienists: The Forgotten Murder Trial Of Josephine Terranova, Jacob M. Appel

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.

Constitutional Law—You Can't Take It With You: The Constitutionality Of Workers' Compensation Rules Based On Residency, Michelle L. Himes

Western New England Law Review

No abstract provided.