Digital Commons Network^™

Hanseatic Cogs And Baltic Trade: Interrelations Between Trade Technology And Ecology, Jillian R. Smith

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

The Hanseatic League was the major commercial power in northern Europe from the twelfth through the fifteenth centuries. During this time, it grew to encompass the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas and maintained economic influence over key areas on the European continent. From the inception of the Hanseatic League until the midfifteenth century, one ship type dominated the inland and overseas trade: the Cog. Cog design remained fairly constant throughout the period in spite of the great geographical variation present within the Hanseatic League. Cogs became increasingly larger throughout the period, requiring a greater amount of oak timber …

Linked Sensor Data, Harshal Kamlesh Patni, Cory Andrew Henson, Amit P. Sheth

Kno.e.sis Publications

A number of government, corporate, and academic organizations are collecting enormous amounts of data provided by environmental sensors. However, this data is too often locked within organizations and underutilized by the greater community. In this paper, we present a framework to make this sensor data openly accessible by publishing it on the Linked Open Data (LOD) Cloud. This is accomplished by converting raw sensor observations to RDF and linking with other datasets on LOD. With such a framework, organizations can make large amounts of sensor data openly accessible, thus allowing greater opportunity for utilization and analysis.

Population Dynamics Of The Portland-Vancouver Msa, Webb Sprague, Emily Picha

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This article offers a descriptive overview of population dynamics in the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The MSA includes five of Oregon’s 36 counties–Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill, as well as Clark and Skamania counties in the state of Washington (see Figure 1). (In 2007, the Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton MSA was redefined to include Skamania County in Washington. For the sake of comparability, we have therefore derived all historical data as if this definition has always applied. Because of this change, many of our historical numbers may have shifted since the last report on Oregon demography in the 2007 Metropolitan Briefing …

Population Characteristics Within The Portland-Vancouver Msa, Webb Sprague, Emily Picha, Sheila A. Martin

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

In this article, we will explore population characteristics in different parts of the Portland MSA using Census Public Use Microsample (PUMS) data from 2005-2007. For the spatial component, we will use a Census-defined small area geography called Public Use Microsample Area (PUMA), designed to follow existing county boundaries and contain around 100,000 people. (The Census reports the one-year and three-year ACS data only to the detail of this geography in order to maintain the privacy of survey respondents and to improve the precision of the estimates.)

We will sometimes focus on a couple of example PUMAs to show the interesting …

Chanka Settlement Ecology: Hilltop Sites, Land Use And Warfare In Late Prehispanic Andahuaylas, Peru, Lucas C. Kellett

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation investigates Late Intermediate Period (AD 1000-1400) hilltop settlements of the central Andean highlands. Rather than a traditional warfare-centered political perspective, the research employs primarily an ecological model in which to evaluate the widespread settlement shift to high altitude ridge tops beginning ca. AD 1000. More specifically, the research investigates the multi-faceted role that climate change may have played in the establishment of LIP hilltop settlements. I examine the concomitant shifts in the local ecology and the economic organization of hilltop communities. Using a multi-scalar and methodologically diverse research design, incorporating ethnohistory, field survey, excavation and GIS, I examine …

Renewable Energy Resources And Technologies Practice In Malaysia, Saad Mekhilef

Research Publications (2006 to 2010)

Malaysia is endowed with vast renewable energy resources such as biomass and solar. Besides, hydro and wind power can be considered as potential renewable energy resources. Harnessing these resources appears to be a promising solution for improving the life quality of rural villagers. The government and many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have tried to comprehend and have strived to address the problem of energy. The depleting gas and oil sources is also a problem which the government never took for granted as a number of energy-related policies was proposed since six decades ago to ensure the sustainability and efficiency in energy …

The Once And Future King: A New Approach To Ancient Maya Mortuary Monuments From Palenque, Tikal, And Copan, Elizabeth Drake Olton

Art & Art History ETDs

This dissertation examines the Temple of the Inscriptions, Temple I, and Temple 26 and explores what could have motivated the Maya to construct these large monuments and how they might have been meaningful. Traditional art historical methods of comparative and formal analyses are employed as tools for discussing patterns of meaning among these temples. The structural and decorative programs shared by all three temples signal that they are part of a separate genre of architecture that is specifically mortuary and interactive. Furthermore, these features are also a mode of communication. Messages depicted in the offerings, sculpture, and spaces of the …

The First-Again Generation: A Qualititative Study Of First-Generation College Student Siblings Whose Grandparents Attended College, Rene Couture

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Molecular Phylogenetic Investigation Of Microbial Diversity And Nitrogen Cycling In Lava Tubes, Jennifer Jane Marshall Hathaway

Biology ETDs

Worldwide, lava tubes host colorful microbial mats on their walls and ceilings. Little is known about the diversity and ecological roles of the bacteria communities in the subsurface ecosystem of lava tubes. White and yellow microbial mats were collected from four lava tubes from the Azorean island of Terceira and from four lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii, to compare and contrast the diversity of bacteria found in lava tubes. The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced in order to determine the diversity within these caves, and to begin to elucidate the environmental controls on microbial diversity in the …

Diurnal Temperature Range Variability Due To Land Cover And Airmass Types In The Southeast, Kelsey N. Scheitlin, P. Grady Dixon

Biology & Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

This study examines the relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and land use/land cover (LULC) in a portion of the Southeast. Temperature data for all synoptically weak days within a 10-yr period are gathered from the National Climatic Data Center for 144 weather stations. Each station is classified as one of the following LULC types: urban, agriculture, evergreen forest, deciduous forest, or mixed forest.Athreeway analysis of variance and paired-sample t tests are used to test for significant DTR differences due to LULC, month, and airmass type. The LULC types display two clear groups according to their DTR, with agricultural and …

Public Opinion In The Social Media Era: Toward A New Understanding Of The Spiral Of Silence, Daniel Lemin

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores the intersection of a long-standing public opinion theory – the spiral of silence – and the recent explosion in social publishing tools such as Tumblr and Twitter. It uses real-world discussion settings (including face-to-face focus groups and synchronous online discussions) in tandem with a pre-test/post-test methodology to measure opinion shifts on the topic of corn syrup and childhood nutrition/obesity. This research design is based on well-established criticisms challenging that the spiral of silence may not be fully explained by a national climate of opinion on a topic, suggesting that there are other influences on individual beliefs than …

The Effects Of Media On Collegiate Worldview And Engagement, Micaela Degruy

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Rainbow Family Of Living Light: Anarchy, Individuality And Communitas In A Contemporary Alternative Culture, Joseph Falcon-Freeman

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

2009-2010 General Education Assessment Report, Lindenwood University

General Education Assessment

2009-2010 General Education Assessment Report

Embodying The Current Middle Ages: Gender And Performance In The Society For Creative Anachronism, Chelsea Lewis

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Desire In Marble: Vision, Classical Antiquity, And Homoerotic Spectacle In Melville's Travel Writing, David Greven

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Social Interaction At The Ancient Maya City Of Copan, Honduras: A Multi-Scalar Geographic Information Systems (Gis) Analysis Of Access And Visibility, Heather M. Richards-Rissetto

Anthropology ETDs

This dissertation investigates late eighth and early ninth century social interaction at the archaeological site of Copán, Honduras. Two main research questions are addressed: (1) Did people of different social classes experience different degrees of social connectivity? and (2) Did people living in different parts of the city experience different degrees of social connectivity? A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to quantify social connectivity, that is, degree of social integration or social segregation, using access and visibility as proxy measures for social interaction, and to examine whether Copáns inhabitants influenced social interaction by configuring their city to facilitate or …

Talus Slope Processes In The Appalachian : An Analysis Of Rock Size And Shape On The Shawangunk Ridge, Northwestern New Jersey, Muhammad Hamidul Haque

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Sphericity, hardness, roundness, and size of talus boulders were analyzed to understand the mass wasting process on the Shawangunk Ridge in northwestern New Jersey. Similar studies have been conducted in other localities (e.g., Lassen Peak, California and Spitsbergen, Sweden) but few works were carried out in the eastern United States, particularly in the Appalachian region. During the Pleistocene, ice sheets advanced in North America, and glacial and periglacial (soil and rock affected by ice) environments existed throughout the Appalachians. Although the periglacial climate is not present in this region right now, rock falls are still active where weak joints are …

‘But They Would Not Teach Her To Play’ : Child Heroines, Fantasy, And The Victorian Debate On Female Education, Nicole Papaioannou

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

For England, the nineteenth century was a time of transformation. The landscape of England changed rapidly as industrialization and urbanization took hold of the nation. The population boomed, and children overpopulated cities and towns. With so many youngsters running about, mass education became a major public concern. By the midnineteenth century, the sad state of the nation’s public education system had been exposed by the Newcastle Committee, and reforms were beginning to take place.

In particular, the education available for females came under scrutiny. Many lower class girls left school unable to read, write, or perform basic mathematics, while middle …

Lessons From Nuclear Reversal: Why States Reverse Ballistic Missile Policy, Cyndi Mellen

Political Science

Nuclear reversal is the decision by a state, which has a nuclear weapon or the technical capabilities to produce a nuclear weapon, to give up their nuclear weapons program. This paper employs the tenets of nuclear missile reversal to the dismantling of ballistic missile programs through case studies of the six states (Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, and South Africa) that have abandoned their missile programs since 1987. The study hopes to promote further research concerning the behaviors associated with abandonment of nuclear reversal to that of ballistic missile reversal. This research concludes that the principles of nuclear reversal do …

Fire Effects On Wildlife In Tallgrass Prairie, Maria Gaetani, Kayla Cook, Sherry Leis

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In the tallgrass prairie region of North America, grasslands are often burned on a rotational schedule to prevent the encroachment of woody species and maintain the vigor of plant communities. Although prescribed fire practitioners often consider the effects of fire on plant communities, the effects of fire on wildlife are also important. Practitioners as well as park visitors inquire about the effects of fire on birds, deer, and other animals of interest. Many wildlife species focus on vegetation structure in choosing suitable habitats, and fire can temporarily alter that structure. Wildlife species have varying habitat needs, and therefore, a …

Embryo Fundamentalism, June Carbone, Naomi Cahn

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Power, Structure, Gender Relations And Community-Based Conservation: The Cawswe Study Of The Sariska Region, Rajasthan, India, Maria Costanza Torri

Journal of International Women's Studies

Most current community development projects have a built in gender component. Despite the WID, WED and GAD schools of thought there is still however a long way to go in order to effectively implement these principles in conservation projects. Merely getting women a place on the policy-making agenda is not enough, especially if it comes at the cost of promoting a simplistic and often wildly inaccurate picture of gender-environment relations. This article analyses the repercussions of community-based conservation on women in terms of use, access, and control of natural resources. The area chosen is the Sariska region of Rajasthan, India. …

Making The Significant Significant: A Discourse Analysis Examining The Teacher's Role In Negotiating Meaning Of Text With Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students, Keith Standiford Wheeler

Dissertations

This study reports data from a three-month discourse analysis of a fifth-grade teacher`s language used to negotiate meaning of text with linguistically and culturally diverse students. Specifically, I use Gee`s (2005) discourse analysis methodology to examine the teacher`s language-in-use for seven building tasks of language--significance, activities, identities, relationships, politics (the distribution of social goods), connections, and sign systems and knowledge--in a micro level analysis for eight teaching episodes covering reading and/or social studies instruction. In doing so, I conceptualize categories and subcategories of language use for each of the language building tasks. I find that the teacher used instructional language …

Effects Of Enrollment In Co-Teaching Classes On The Academic Performance Of High School Students Without Disabilities, Linda Elaine Buerck

Dissertations

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Linda Elaine Buerck, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Curriculum and Instruction, presented on November 12, 2009, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: EFFECTS OF ENROLLMENT IN CO-TEACHING CLASSES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES MAJOR PROFESSOR: D. John McIntyre, Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Ed.D., University of Syracuse This study examined the impact of enrollment in co-teaching classes on the grades earned by high school students without disabilities. The study also included analyses of teacher responses to a survey regarding their experience with the co-teaching model at the …

Another Look At Resampling: Replenishing Small Samples With Virtual Data Through S-Smart, Haiyan Bai, Wei Pan, Leigh Lihshing Wang, Phillip Neal Ritchey

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A new resampling method is introduced to generate virtual data through a smoothing technique for replenishing small samples. The replenished analyzable sample retains the statistical properties of the original small sample, has small standard errors and possesses adequate statistical power.

Legal Writing: The View From Within, J. Christopher Rideout, Jill J. Ramsfield

Mercer Law Review

"[Wiriting is an act of identity . . . ."

We have seen that law professors systematically focus their students' attention on layers of textual and legal authority when deciphering the conflict stories at the heart of legal cases. But what happens to the people in these stories? What aspects of their identities and lives remain important when refracted through this legal lens? We can ask as well: What aspects of the law students' and professors' lives and experiences are considered to be salient during the conversation?

Why is writing hard to do? For lots of reasons, most people would …

Center For Real Estate Quarterly, Volume 4, Number 2, Portland State University. Center For Real Estate

Center for Real Estate Quarterly

Table of Contents:
--Editor's Urban Development Journal "Questions of Value & Value of Questions" by Will Macht (pg 3-14)
--"U.S. Observations From Global Demographics" by Leanne Lachman (pg 15-22)
--"Downtown Schools & Real Estate Development" by Gerard Mildner (pg 23-30)
--"Cooperative Housing in Portland" by Atha Mansoory (pg 31-42)
--"KOIN Center History: The Paul Principle" by Eugene Grant (pg 43-52)
--"Sustainable Containers: Cost-Effective Student Housing" by Caroline Uittenbroek & Will Macht (pg 53-60)
--"Food Carts as Retail Real Estate" by April Chastain (pg 61-70)
--"Office Market Analysis" by Kyle Smith (pg 71-82)
--"Retail Market Analysis" by Kyle Smith (pg 83-87) …

Activating Infrastructure, Joanna T. Myers

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

“The City Implant is an urban design project that can be used to strengthen an existing center or create a new one. It is a spatial and programmatic upgrade that gives an area the status of a center or increases the density of an existing center. Rather than intervening in undeveloped land, a City Implant should be a transformer of empty land and even under-exploited traffic junctions. A City Implant should describe the quality of centrality itself.” Alex Wall “Boomtown v. Regiocity: Thinking and designing or the Networked City Region.” (Almy, 286)

Transportation infrastructures across the United States create issues …

Innovation In Academic Institutions: How A Pharmaceutical Company Capitalizes On University Connections In Its Board Of Directors, Ryan Fannon

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This study attempts to identify the types of pharmaceutical companies that utilize university employees as directors on their boards and if in fact having university connections on a pharmaceutical board impacts company performance. Board-level data from 2009 and firm-level data from 2008 was gathered for 109 pharmaceutical companies that varied greatly in size and geographic location. The key findings of this study were that the larger the pharmaceutical company and the greater the R&D expense of that company the more likely the company would have university connections on its board of directors; the larger the company, the better the universities …