Digital Commons Network^™

The Not-So-Quiet Revolution: Cautionary Comments On The Rejection Of Hypothesis Testing In Favor Of A “Causal” Modeling Alternative, Daniel H. Robinson, Joel R. Levin

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Rodgers (2010) recently applauded a revolution involving the increased use of statistical modeling techniques. It is argued that such use may have a downside, citing empirical evidence in educational psychology that modeling techniques are often applied in cross-sectional, correlational studies to produce unjustified causal conclusions and prescriptive statements.

Notes On Hypothesis Testing Under A Single-Stage Design In Phase Ii Trial, Kung-Jong Lui

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A primary objective of a phase II trial is to determine future development is warranted for a new treatment based on whether it has sufficient activity against a specified type of tumor. Limitations exist in the commonly-used hypothesis setting and the standard test procedure for a phase II trial. This study reformats the hypothesis setting to mirror the clinical decision process in practice. Under the proposed hypothesis setting, the critical points and the minimum required sample size for a desired power of finding a superior treatment at a given α -level are presented. An example is provided to illustrate how …

Adjusted Confidence Interval For The Population Median Of The Exponential Distribution, Moustafa Omar Ahmed Abu-Shawiesh

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The median confidence interval is useful for one parameter families, such as the exponential distribution, and it may not need to be adjusted if censored observations are present. In this article, two estimators for the median of the exponential distribution, MD, are considered and compared based on the sample median and the maximum likelihood method. The first estimator is the sample median, MD₁, and the second estimator is the maximum likelihood estimator of the median, MD_MLE. Both estimators are used to propose a modified confidence interval for the population median of the exponential distribution, MD …

Extending The Rit-Dupont Suprathreshold Data Set: Weighted Individual Discrimination Pair Data And New Chroma Dependency Visual Data, Bingxin Hou

Theses

Since the 1980's, the RIT-DuPont dataset has been used extensively for color-difference formula development and testing. In the past, the dataset was published as 156 color median tolerances along specific vector directions about 19 color centers. The median tolerance, referred to as T50, is the estimated absolute magnitude of the color difference at which 50% of the population will accept or reject a pair relative to an anchor pair. 1D Probit analysis, a univariate statistical technique that locates a median threshold from a binary response data, was used to transform judgments of 958 color-difference pairs by 50 observers to 156 …

Merging In The Shadow Of The Law: The Case For Consistent Judicial Efficiency Analysis, Jamie H. Moffitt

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article examines current judicial interpretation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act through the lens of negotiation theory. The research exposes a gap between how courts state they are analyzing efficiency claims in Section 7 Clayton Act enforcement actions and what they are actually doing. During periods of lax antitrust enforcement, this pattern is not readily visible, since almost all proposed merger and acquisition ("M&A") deals are approved. With a shift to more aggressive antitrust policy, however, it is critical that merger review include appropriate weighing of transaction-generated efficiencies-something missing from courts' current antitrust analysis. Although only a small …

5 Writing Trouble Spots For Esl Students Of Arabic, Lina Gomaa-Moulds

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

Teaching writing to ESL learners has many challenges. Almost everybody knows that students’ first language affect their learning of the target language, in this case English. But, not everybody can really realize how far the first language can affect the learner’s English writing. ESL teachers must study about other first languages of their students to comprehend why the students are making certain mistakes and repeating them. During teaching English to Arabic speakers, there are five common mistakes they make while writing; no surprise, its due to effect of their first language. I will explore the five of them who I …

The Supreme Court's "Maverick" Justice: John Paul Stevens And Same-Sex Marriage, Jamie Acree

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

This thesis predicts how United States Supreme Court Associate Justice John Paul Stevens would have ruled on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage if the issue were to have come before him while he was on the Court. The hypothesis is that he would have found a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The hypothesis is substantiated based on an analysis of Stevens‟ record in ten specific cases. The thesis puts forth the argument that these ten cases most accurately predict how Stevens would have voted on the constitutional issue. Stevens‟ opinions and dissents in these cases are examined. Additionally, included is …

Effects Of Sediment Removal Techniques On Avian Communities And Vegetational Attributes In Restored Prairie Pothole Wetlands, Alexander Galt

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

With the loss and degradation of wetlands in some areas of the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) reaching 80-90%, it is critical that resource managers ensure that the habitat that is put back on the landscape is as high quality as possible. Resource managers have been excavating sediment and topsoil, to promote the “hemi-marsh” condition, during the wetland restoration process in the PPR for over 20 years. I refer to the commonly held perception that the hemi-marsh condition supports the most diverse avian communities in small prairie pothole wetlands as the hemi-marsh condition hypothesis. The literature currently does not address the …

Effects Of Flooding On Photosynthesis And Root Respiration In Saltcedar (Tamarix Ramosissima), An Invasive Riparian Shrub, Kristen Polacik

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The introduced shrub Tamarix ramosissima Lebed. invades riparian zones, but loses competitiveness under flooding. This was tested in Tamarix ramosissima by examining responses to flooding by soil type in a greenhouse setting. A field study examined responses of Tamarix ramosissima and other species to natural flooding. Leaf level photosynthesis rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and root alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity were measured weekly to assess oxygen stress. In the field, stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, transpiration, canopy cover, and δ13C were measured as responses to soil water potential, soil moisture, Julian date, relative humidity, and water depth. In the greenhouse study, …

The Parent As (Mere) Educational Trustee: Whose Education Is It, Anyway?, Jeffrey Shulman

Nebraska Law Review

The purpose of this Article is two-fold. First, the Article argues that the parent’s right to educate his or her children is strictly circumscribed by the parent’s duty to ensure that children learn habits of critical reasoning and reflection. The law has long recognized that the state’s duty to educate children is superior to any parental right. Indeed, the “parentalist” position to the contrary rests on an inflation of rights that is, in fact, a radical departure from longstanding legal norms. Indeed, at common law the parent had “a sacred right” to the custody of his child, and the parent’s …

Ratification As An Exception To The § 1983 Causation Requirement: Plaintiff’S Opportunity Or Illusion?, George M. Weaver

Nebraska Law Review

As shown, ratification liability under § 1983 presents a number of difficulties. The elements of ratification, even for tort and contract law purposes, are narrow. Moreover, ratification liability is in fundamental tension with the strict causation requirement under § 1983. As a result, the courts have not resoundingly embraced ratification as a theory of § 1983 liability. In short, they have not treated Praprotnik as a clarion call for a new plaintiffs’ beachhead in civil rights law. Nevertheless, full respect for Praprotnik indicates that ratification, which by its nature involves post-event affirmance, should be a viable theory of § 1983 …

The Silence Of Gideon’S Trumpet: The Court’S Inattention To Systemic Inequities Causing Violations Of Speedy Trial Rights In Vermont V. Brillon, 129 S. Ct. 1283 (2009), Jordan Glaser

Nebraska Law Review

Barker v. Wingo, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Vermont v. Brillon discuss principles and declarations of rights that can be used effectively in future cases. However, the foregoing cases and discussion demonstrate the need for a more responsive jurisprudence regarding speedy trial rights and the indigent defendant’s right to counsel. As a step towards addressing these issues, this Note proposes that future Supreme Court decisions should acknowledge the effects indigent defense systems have on the quality of legal presentation provided to indigent defendants. By doing so, the Court will help realize the promise of Gideon and ensure the protection of constitutional …

War And Peace In The Jury Room: How Capital Juries Reach Unanimity, Scott E. Sundby

UC Law Journal

Using data from the Capital Jury Project, this Article takes a close look inside the jury room at the process by which capital juries reach a unanimous verdict at the penalty phase. The Article first examines the relationship between first ballot voting patterns and the ultimate sentence, then explores the dynamics of group interaction in achieving unanimity. In particular, by using the jurors’ own narratives, the piece delves into the psychological process and arguments through which the majority jurors persuade the holdouts to change their votes. This process is especially intriguing because individual juries do not, of course, have any …

Liability For Unconscious Discrimination? A Thought Experiment In The Theory Of Employment Discrimination Law, Patrick S. Shin

UC Law Journal

Recent scholarship in employment discrimination law has wrestled with the problem of unconscious bias and its implications for antidiscrimination law. This Article addresses what some might regard as a naïve question: Should actions influenced by unconscious bias be regarded as discrimination under Title VII? The question might be considered naïve because any proposal for liability based on unconscious bias would surely be unripe for present implementation, and because there is no accepted method either for detecting such bias in individual cases, or for determining whether such bias actually influenced a person’s decisionmaking. But these practical considerations provide no answer to …

Perceptions Of The Nature Of Science By Geoscience Students Experiencing Two Different Courses Of Study, Louis S. Nadelson, Karen Viskupic

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Student knowledge of the Nature of Science (NOS) is critical to their understanding of science. NOS encapsulates the tenets of how science is regarded and the heuristics by which science is judged to be valid and appropriate. The importance of NOS to science education has lead to curricular and policy development that mandate the construct be taught throughout the K-12 science curriculum. If this curriculum is effective there is an expectation that students would enter post-secondary with foundational knowledge of NOS. Our research examined the perspectives of NOS among two different cohorts of undergraduate geoscience students, one of lower division …

On Same-Sex Marriage And Matters Of Conscience, Mark Strasser

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of "The 'Wild West' Of Reproductive Technology": Ethical And Feminist Perspectives On Sex-Selection Practices In The United States, Meredith Leigh Birdsall

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

A Spouse By Any Other Name, Deborah J. Anthony

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

This article will investigate current state laws regarding the change of a husband’s name to his wife’s upon marriage. Given that tradition, and often law itself, discourage that practice, the lingering gendered norms that perpetuate the historical tradition will be explored. Components of this article will include a brief historical analysis of the origin of surnames and the law as it has developed on that issue, including an examination of the place of tradition in the law both empirically and normatively. A discussion of the psychological importance of names in the identities of men versus women will be addressed, as …

A Case Study In Achieving The Purpose Of Incapacitation-Based Statutes: The Bail Reform Act Of 1984 And Possession Of Child Pornography, J. Elizabeth Mcbath

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents And Masthead (V. 17, No. 1)

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Facing Up: Managing Diversity In Challenging Times, Carol Hardy-Fanta, Paige Ransford

Publications from the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy

Since its launch in 2008, Commonwealth Compact has grown steadily, employing several strategies to promote diversity statewide. The Benchmarks initiative has collected data, analyzed in this report, on a significant portion of the state workforce. Guided by Stephen Crosby, dean of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMass Boston, Commonwealth Compact has conducted newsmaking surveys of public opinion and of boards of directors statewide. In addition, it has convened ongoing coalitions with its higher education partners, and established a collaborative of local business schools aimed specifically at increasing faculty diversity. The Compact has sponsored or co-sponsored …

Ink (2010-11)

Ink, 2008-

The student-run features magazine covering the fashion, art, music and culture worlds at VCU and in Richmond. Published annually in print and updated regularly online.

Survey Of Author Name Disambiguation: 2004 To 2010, Sarah Elliott

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Author name disambiguation methods continue to evolve and grow more sophisticated. This paper surveys a variety of manual and automatic approaches that have developed between 2004 and the beginning of 2010.

Stock Return Synchronicity And Technical Trading Rules, Koon Boon Kee

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

No abstract provided.

Do Abnormally High Audit Fees Impair Audit Quality?, Jong-Hag Choi, Jeong-Bon Kim, Yoonseok Zang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study examines whether and how audit quality proxied by the magnitude of absolute discretionary accruals is associated with abnormal audit fees, that is, the difference between actual audit fee and the expected, normal level of audit fee. The results of various regressions reveal that the association between the two is asymmetric, depending on the sign of the abnormal audit fee. For observations with negative abnormal audit fees, there is no significant association between audit quality and abnormal audit fee. In contrast, abnormal audit fees are negatively associated with audit quality for observations with positive abnormal audit fees. Our findings …

Vireo At Trecvid 2010: Semantic Indexing, Known-Item Search, And Content-Based Copy Detection, Chong-Wah Ngo, Shi-Ai Zhu, Hung-Khoon Tan, Wan-Lei Zhao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper presents our approaches and the comparative analysis of our results for the three TRECVID 2010 tasks that we participated in: semantic indexing, known-item search and content-based copy detection.

Motivation For Vocabulary Learning Of College Students, Qizhen Deng

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this study is to construct and validate an instrument to measure motivation for vocabulary learning, opening the door to more studies on motivation for vocabulary learning in reading and listening. In the new 34-item questionnaire: Motivation for Vocabulary Learning Questionnaire (MVLQ), eleven subscales were examined within two motivational constructs, namely, self-efficacy and attitude. Participants in this study were 121 traditional undergraduate students from a Midwestern research university. Students responded to two self-report questionnaires: the Motivation for Vocabulary Learning Questionnaire (MVLQ), and the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ) (Wigfield & Guthrie,1997). The results suggested that MVLQ had good …

Comparison Of Classical Analytic Hierarchy Process (Ahp) Approach And Fuzzy Ahp Approach In Multiple-Criteria Decision Making For Commercial Vehicle Information Systems And Networks (Cvisn) Project, Liyuan Zhang

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has emerged as an important technology with many possible applications in a wide variety of fields. It is said that RFID can perform well in transportation system. Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (NEDMV) is using this technique to perform an analysis on utilizing RFID license plates to assist with Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) program with the cooperation of many other stakeholders. Previous House of Quality (HOQ) analysis evaluates stakeholders’ needs and provides the pairwise comparison values of six important technical requirements for each stakeholder. Based on these, this research aims to seek for …

Gait Variability Patterns Are Altered In Healthy Young Individuals During The Acute Reperfusion Phase Of Ischemia-Reperfusion, Sara A. Myers, Nikolaos Stergiou, Iraklis Pipinos, Jason Johanning

Journal Articles

Background

The role of ischemia reperfusion contributing to functional impairment in lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients has not previously been elucidated. The evaluation of gait variability patterns has proven useful in many pathologic populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to isolate and determine the specific effect of the acute reperfusion phase of ischemia-reperfusion on gait variability in young individuals with no vascular disease.

Materials and Methods

Thirty healthy young individuals walked on a treadmill during baseline and the acute reperfusion phase of ischemia-reperfusion conditions while lower extremity joint kinematics were captured. Stride to stride variability was …

Acl Reconstructed Patients With A Bptb Graft Present An Impaired Vastus Lateralis Neuromuscular Response During High Intensity Running, Kostas Patras, Giorgos Ziogas, Stavros Ristanis, Elias Tsepis, Nikolaos Stergiou, Anastasios D. Georgoulis

Journal Articles

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the electromyographic response of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed leg is similar to that of the intact contralateral leg and healthy controls, during moderate and high intensity running. Fourteen bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) ACL reconstructed amateur soccer players and fourteen healthy control amateur soccer players volunteered to participate in the study. Electromyographic (EMG) traces from the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle were collected bilaterally, as athletes ran on a treadmill for 10 min on separate occasions, at moderate and high intensity. The dependent variable examined …