Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of The Harvesting Costs And Productivity Of Logging Contractors Within The Eastern United States, Jeffrey Jaudon Smith

Theses and Dissertations

A data set was compiled from detailed information provided from 26 independent logging contractors from throughout the Eastern United States over a five year period from 2000 to 2004. The age distribution of the logging contractors in the study has increased over time with the percentage of contactors over the age of 55 rising from 15% to 32%. The median age of all equipment including feller-bunchers, skidders, loaders, bulldozers, service vehicles, and haul trucks increased over the period. While the median age of all equipment increased, the age of service and support equipment saw the greatest increase. The total average …

Analysis Of Mammoth Cave Pre-Park Communities, Matthew Brunt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Before the creation of Mammoth Cave National Park, this area was home to numerous communities, each with a sense of identity. To prepare for the creation of the National Park, all residents living within these communities were relocated, and many of these communities were lost to the passage of time. Today, public memory of these lost communities is being fostered by the descendents of the pre-park area.

Through the use of a Historical Geographic Information System, 1920 Edmonson County manuscript census data, and statistical analysis, the demographic composition of these lost communities was explored. This project not only brought to …

Tigard-Tualatin School District Enrollment Forecast Update, 2010-11 To 2019-20, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

This report presents the results of a demographic study conducted by the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC). The study includes analysis of population, housing and enrollment trends affecting the District in recent years, estimates of the impacts of housing development on TTSD enrollment, and forecasts of districtwide and individual school enrollments for the 2010-11 to 2019-20 school years. The Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) enrolled 12,467 students in Fall 2009, a decrease of 128 students (1.0 percent) from Fall 2008. The loss occurred at both the elementary and high school levels, with decreases of 88 students (1.5 percent) in …

Predictors And Influences Of Graduation Rates In Mississippi Public Schools, Donna Rebekah Holden Chiasson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if possible predictors of graduation rates in Mississippi existed. This study included 10 independent variables and one dependent variable. The independent variables consisted of average daily attendance, algebra I scores, teacher salary, socioeconomic status (as expressed in the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch within a school), eighth grade math MCT scores, eighth grade language MCT scores, the number of teachers with advanced degrees, the school's outcome of Adequate Yearly Progress, school size, and principal leadership style.

The dependent variable was graduation rate. A total of 100 schools were …

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, November 9, 2009, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

November

No abstract provided.

Hyperspectral Clustering And Unmixing Of Satellite Imagery For The Study Of Complex Society State Formation, Justin Kwong

Theses

This project is an application of remote sensing techniques to the field of archaeology. Clustering and unmixing algorithms are applied to hyperspectral Hyperion imagery over Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is the birthplace of the Zapotec civilization, the earliest state-level society in Mesoamerica. A passionate debate is ongoing over whether the Zapotecs' evolution was environmentally deterministic or socioeconomic. Previous archaeological remote sensing has focused on the difficult tasks of feature detection using low spatial resolution imagery or visual inspection of spectral data. This project attempts to learn about a civilization on the macro level, using unsupervised land classification techniques. Overlapping 158 band …

Portland Public Schools Enrollment Forecasts, 2009-10 To 2020-21, Based On October 2008 Enrollments, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu, Danan Gu, Richard Lycan, Kenneth Radin

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

The Enrollment Forecasts in this report were prepared in Spring and Summer 2009, based on historic enrollment data from Fall 2008 and previous years. However, the entire report was not ready for publication until after preliminary Fall 2009 enrollment data became available. This preface briefly addresses the district-wide trends observed in Fall 2009 and evaluates the forecasts in the short term. The next report will include more analysis of enrollment trends with respect to area demographics and trends within subareas such as high school clusters. All 2009-10 enrollment figures are preliminary figures as of October 1, tabulated by the District …

Current Medical Research Winter 2008–Spring 2009, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Note that the “Current Medical Research” feature focuses on issues relevant to natural family planning and the beginning of life. This piece is complemented by medical reviews published in The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly, which focus more on other areas of general medical interest including end-of-life issues.—Ed.

Incarcerated Male Adolescent Suicide In Utah: A Case Study, Kristy Straubhaar

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent suicide has been described as a major public health problem calling for the aid of researchers willing to better identify factors related to suicide risk. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds. Despite the fact incarcerated adolescents act in self-destructive ways, minimal research has focused on suicide behavior among incarcerated adolescents. Existing data indicates that suicide among adolescent males is especially prevalent in the juvenile justice system. Several variables have been identified as risk factors for suicidal behavior, including interpersonal relationship dysfunction, substance abuse, and psychological variables such as depression and dichotomous thinking. …

Post Partum Anxiety And Depression In Peri-Urban Communities Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Niloufer Sultan Ali, Badar S. Ali, Iqbal Azam Syed

Department of Family Medicine

Background: Postpartum anxiety and depression is a major public health concern because of its adverse effects on the cognitive and social development of the infant. Globally postpartum depression has been widely investigated but as anxiety is a more prominent feature of postpartum depression we assessed the prevalence of anxiety and depression and their associated factors in post partum women.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study investigating the impact of postpartum anxiety and depression on child growth and development was conducted in two peri-urban, multiethnic, communities of Karachi, a mega city of Pakistan. A house to house questionnaire based survey was done by …

"Co-Opetition?" Can It Exist Between Extension And Agricultural Education?—A Study On Interdisciplinary Cooperation, Kristina G. Ricketts, Jacklyn A. Bruce

Journal of Extension

Interdisciplinary cooperation was explored between agriculture teachers and Extension educators in a northeastern state. A researcher-designed questionnaire that focused on three factors—perceptions toward interdisciplinary cooperation, behavioral intentions, and individual cooperative experiences—was used to determine the current cooperative environment. Results indicated that even though agriculture teachers and Extension educators appeared to have similar ideas involving personal perceptions, motivations, and experiences regarding cooperation, much less cooperation is occurring than is ideal. Recommendations include joint preparation for teachers and educators, pre-service and in-service incorporation of various facets of cooperation, and assembling an integrated discussion group where future interdisciplinary associations could be discussed.

Research Methods In Old Testament Interpretation, Bill Arnold

Syllabi

No abstract provided.

Detection Of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases In Patients With Celiac Disease, Rana S. Aboud, Haidar J. Mohammad, Nawal M. Jawad

Baghdad Science Journal

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder induced by gluten intake in genetically susceptible individuals. The incidence of celiac disease in various autoimmune disorders is increased 10-30 fold in comparison to the general population and the prevalence of celiac disease was noted to be 2-5% in autoimmune thyroid disease. To detect the autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with celiac disease, we investigated 22 patients suspected with celiac disease of age 1-13 years old and 20 healthy controls. IgA and IgG antigliadin antibodies were measured in serum with celiac disease sample. The patients which were positive to gliadin antibody were carried out …

Ethnobotanical Studies On Bamboo (Bambusa Vulgaris) In Ekiti State, Nigeria, J. Kayode

Ethnobotanical Leaflets

The study identified the factors responsible for the decrease in the number of Bamboo individuals in Ekiti State, Nigeria from the relevant stakeholders. Reasons attributed to this decline included sporadic increase in the rates of deforestation, construction and burning activities. Strategies proposed, by the respondents in the study area, that could conserve the species were documented.

Development And Evaluation Of Health And Wellness Exhibits At The Jefferson Occupational Therapy Education Center In Second Life, Susan Toth-Cohen, Therese Gallagher

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Virtual worlds such as Second Life are increasingly used for consumer health and higher education. The present paper will describe the development and evaluation of public exhibits on health and wellness at the Jefferson occupational therapy education center in Second Life.

Investigating Efforts To Change Educator Attitudes And Teaching Strategies Through Professional Development Focused On The Use Of Backward Design Curriculum And The Principles Of Efficacy: Educator Beliefs And Attitudes, Cynthia R. Allen

Dissertations

A specific assessment for testing readiness skills is lacking for children entering kindergarten. This study investigates the influence of early education programs on school readiness and differences between male and female school readiness screening scores upon students‘ entrance into kindergarten. The study uses 321 school readiness screening scores of students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade from a rural school district with the population of approximately 540 students located in Southwest Missouri. A causal-comparative study was performed on the data compiled from student records. An unpaired t-test using a two-tailed P-value hypothesis test revealed there is a significant difference between …

Population Ecology Of The Floodplain Herb Macbridea Caroliniana (Lamiaceae) With Investigations On The Species' Habitat, Breeding System And Genetic Diversity, Katherine Weeks

All Dissertations

The perennial herbaceous mint Macbridea caroliniana is known from 36 locations in discrete watersheds of the Carolinas and Georgia. It is one of relatively few conspicuously flowering herbs that occupy bottomland hardwood forests. The general project goal was to gain knowledge that is applicable to the species' conservation both at the Congaree National Park (CNP) where the largest known population of this species occurs and range-wide. Specific objectives were to (1) quantify the population size and describe the distribution of M. caroliniana within CNP, and determine the extent of co-occurrence with wild hogs and the non-native Murdannia keisak; (2) identify …

Transitioning The Local Church From A Rural To Suburban Context, Jeremy Paul Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current literature demonstrates that very little material is available to assist pastors and church leaders in transitioning their churches from a rural to suburban context. This project will serve as a tool to assist pastors in leading their churches to transition from a rural to suburban context. Based on demographic studies, an historical analysis, the development of a plan to move the church forward, analyzing potential disruptions, and seeing the end result of the rural to suburban transition, the goal of the project will be fulfilled.

Patterns Of Differential Involvement In Terrorist Activities: Evidence From Dhkp/C And Turkish Hezbollah, Ismail Yilmaz

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the patterns of involvement in terrorist activities for the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) and Turkish Hezbollah members. The study is based on the assumption that terrorists differ in terms of their involvement in terrorist activities. In this sense, there are full-time and part-time terrorists. Full-time terrorists act professionally and do the assignments given by their commanders. Part-time terrorists, on the other hand, act on a non-professional basis and have their own motivations to participate in terrorist activities. For part-timers, there are various factors that may have an effect on their degree of involvement in terrorist activities. …

City Management Theory And Practice: A Foundation For Educating The Next Generation Of Local Government Administrators, Scott Douglas Lazenby

Dissertations and Theses

Due to the retirement of the baby boom generation, many individuals, in a relatively short period of time, will need to be trained and educated to step into local government senior leadership positions. Ideally, the education and training of this new leadership cadre should be guided by a well known and proven body of theory that helps us understand the competencies the next generation of public service need to possess in order to be effective in their work. The purpose of this research is to assess whether such a body of work exists and, if so, whether it is successfully …

We Latter-Day Saints Are Methodists: The Influence Of Methodism On Early Mormon Religiosity, Christopher C. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Historians have long noted Joseph Smith's early interest in Methodism. Demographic studies of early Mormon converts have demonstrated further that many of those attracted to the Mormon message on both sides of the Atlantic came from Methodist backgrounds. These two points, and the many similarities between Methodist and Mormon beliefs and practices, have led many scholars to suggest that Smith's church was influenced by the Methodists who joined the movement. This thesis explores the Methodist backgrounds of those Methodists who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830, when Joseph Smith formally organized his church(originally called …

Change And Continuity In East Asian 1800-2000 : Dynamism And Transformation Of Geo-Political China Region, Takeshi Hamashita

Conference on “Improving the Human Destiny"

It has long been the practice to analyze modern Asia from the viewpoint of nations and international relationships. Through this bipartite framework, much historiographical labor has been expended examining the degree of so-called "nation-building" and the acceptance of "international" law (萬國公法) in the respective Asian countries.

This approach has also been understood to reveal the degree of "modernization" of Asian countries. After much controversy concerning the adaptability of this Western-oriented modernization model to Asia, however, it has also been argued that "areas" or "regions" - an intermediate category between the nation and the world generally - should be analyzed in …

Marital Satisfaction Among Married Couples In Which One Or Both Members Play A Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (Mmorpg), A Michelle Elton Ahlstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the gaming behaviors of married individuals and couples who play Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game(s) (MMORPGs) including gaming addiction, time spent gaming, satisfaction in gaming participation, gaming interaction (between joint gaming spouses), and socio-demographic variables and the subsequent marital satisfaction levels of both individuals in the couple. Hypotheses were generally supported, excluding the hours spent gaming. 685 couples were separated and analyzed according to whether both individuals in the marriage gamed or just one individual gamed (couple-gaming type). Couples in which only one individual gamed (individual-gamer couples) had …

Massachusetts Immigrants By The Numbers: Demographic Characteristics And Economic Footprint, Alan Clayton-Matthews, Faye Karp, Paul Watanabe

Institute for Asian American Studies Publications

An analysis of data on the impact of immigrants on the Massachusetts economy. Along with demographic characteristics, the study examines variables such as income, poverty status, occupation, and home-ownership. In addition, the report addresses the impact of immigrants on taxes, social services, and transfer payments.

Oregon City School District Enrollment Forecast Update, 2009-10 To 2013-14, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

This report presents the results of a demographic study conducted by the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC). The study includes analysis of population, housing and enrollment trends affecting the District in recent years and forecasts of district-wide and individual school enrollments for the 2009-10 to 2013-14 school years. The Oregon City School District (OCSD) enrolled 7,635 students in Fall 2008, a decrease of 77 students (1.0 percent) from Fall 2007. This was the fourth consecutive year of declining K-12 enrollment, following seven years of enrollment gains. In spite of the overall loss, more students were enrolled in District’s …

What Will You Name It? Dordt College Commencement Address, May 9, 2008, Jeri Schelhaas

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Phylogeographic And Phylogenetic Exploration Of Plethodon (Plethodontidae, Caudata) Salamanders In The Pacific Northwest, Tara Anne Pelletier

Dissertations and Theses

Genetic studies of amphibians often reveal substantial population structure due to either historical demographics from changing climate and geographic features over varying timeframes. Eight species of terrestrial salamanders (Family: Plethodontidae, Genus: Plethodon) reside in forests of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Plethodon vehiculum is the most widespread and abundant terrestrial salamander in the PNW yet evolutionary studies are lacking. Using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data (D-loop and cytb) questions regarding the phylogeography of P. vehiculum and phylogenetics of western Plethodons are explored. Two major clades were defined in P. vehiculum, a southern clade in the Klamath-Siskiyou region and a …

A Panax-Centric View Of Invasive Species And A Case Study On The Effects Of Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Kerry Lynn Wixted

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a long-lived, valuable herb found throughout the eastern United States. Habitat degradation, harvest pressures, overbrowsing by deer and reduced genetic diversity are believed to be the primary causes of decline for this rare species; however the widespread threat of invasive species has yet to be investigated. Therefore, my research focused on examining the level of exposure of individuals and populations of ginseng to invasive plant species as well as partitioning the effects of a particular invasive, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata ), into those owing to competition and allelopathy. For my first study, I used …

Reducing Stillbirths: Behavioural And Nutritional Interventions Before And During Pregnancy., Mohammad Yawar Yakoob, Esme V Menezes, Tanya Soomro, Rachel A Haws, Gary L Darmstadt, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Woman and Child Health

Background:The vast majority of global stillbirths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and in many settings, the majority of stillbirths occur antenatally, prior to the onset of labour. Poor nutritional status, lack of antenatal care and a number of behaviours increase women's risk of stillbirth in many resource-poor settings. Interventions to reduce these risks could reduce the resulting burden of stillbirths, but the evidence for the impact of such interventions has not yet been comprehensively evaluated.

Methods:

This second paper of a systematic review of interventions that could plausibly impact stillbirth rates covers 12 different interventions relating to behavioural …

The Star Math Test As A Predictor Of Arkansas Benchmark Test Scores, Patricia Anne Conner

Dissertations

With the failure of the legislative branch to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind law in 2007 and recent reports that more schools than ever are failing to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress, educators are reviewing practices and curriculum. As a result of federal and state laws, it is necessary to identify an accurate predictor of student achievement prior to the administration of the state-mandated test. For this study, student samples were drawn from sixth, seventh, and eighth grade populations of a Northwest Arkansas Middle School. Samples were separated by grade level and ranked according to the grade equivalency on the …