Digital Commons Network^™

The Metroburb: American Values In Facebook Culture, Heather Marie Carlson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Using critical discourse analysis, fantasy themes were extracted from user profiles and postings to examine American values found in Facebook culture.

Core values found on Facebook worked to create not only socially recognizable identities enacted and communicated through the participants, but also a particular culture to which participants both reflected and contributed in Facebook. Themes and values extracted from findings indicate that Facebook users should be casual, technologically-aware, social, respectful and fair to others, “good little copers,” financially savvy while at the same time valuing higher education, a healthy lifestyle, family and travel.

Because Facebook is an interestingly fluid cultural …

Linear Electromagnetic Energy Scavenging Device Designed In Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramics, Hope A. Bateman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

For a soldier deployed in a remote location on the earth or a recreational hiker in the wilderness or a wild land firefighter battling a destructive wildfire, access to a power source is problematic. Local and regional communication systems, navigation, lights, imaging: all of these require a power source. For short time periods, batteries may be sufficient but with extended time periods the weight of the batteries and cost of replacement becomes a problem. Energy scavenging devices could fill this need and be used as a secondary power source when solar or batteries are not available.

A linear electromagnetic generator …

An Inertial Measurement System For Hand And Finger Tracking, Edward Nelson Henderson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The primary Human Computer Interfaces (HCI) today are the keyboard and mouse. These interfaces do not facilitate a fluid flow of thought and intent from the operator to the computer. A computer mouse provides only 2 Degrees of Freedom (2DOF). Touch interfaces also provide 2DOF, but with multiple points, making the touch interface far more expressive. The hand has 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DOF)by itself. Combined with the motion of the fingers, the hand has the potential to represent a vast array of differing gestures. Hand gestures must be captured before they can be used as a HCI. Fortunately, advances …

The Smoke Of Battle Pressing, Matthew Bodett

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

the smoke of battle pressing engages the reader by requiring a sacrifice similar to that experienced in the game of chess. During a famous chess match in 1912 between Marshall and Levitsky, Marshall sacrificed his queen, the most powerful piece, in a counter-intuitive way that led to an immediate victory for Marshall. A sacrifice of similar gravity is made when the reader resigns presumptions or expectations in order to have a more meaningful experience. A sacrifice on my part is made when I remove myself from the artwork and give up my authority over the image in much the same …

Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model In Context, Geert Hofstede

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

This article describes briefly the Hofstede model of six dimensions of national cultures: Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity, Long/Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence/Restraint. It shows the conceptual and research efforts that preceded it and led up to it, and once it had become a paradigm for comparing cultures, research efforts that followed and built on it. The article stresses that dimensions depend on the level of aggregation; it describes the six entirely different dimensions found in the Hofstede et al. (2010) research into organizational cultures. It warns against confusion with value differences at the individual level. It concludes …

Fuzzy-Genetic Controller For Congestion Avoidance In Computer Networks, Mohammed Z., Ali M. Mahmood

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

In this paper a fuzzy proportional-Integral (FPI) controller is designed as an Active Queue Management (AQM) in internet routers to improve the performance of PI controller for congestion avoidance in computer networks. Firstly the parameters of FPI controller are selected by trial and error method, but to get the best controller parameters the Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as an optimization method for tuning the FPI parameters. The analytical results for linearized TCP/AQM model are presented in MATLAB version 7.0. From the obtained results, a faster response time as well as the regulation of the output to a constant value …

Cultivating Readiness For Professional Learning Community Through Learning Teams In A Restructuring High School, Cassandra H. Hyacinthe

Education Doctoral

The traditional organizational structure of large comprehensive high schools: departmental divisions, teacher isolation, fragmented subcultures, student alienation, and competing group interests have undermined student and adult learning and have thwarted attempts at school reform. Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a promising strategy for advancing student achievement and school reform. Schools with strong PLCs foster a collaborative culture, focus on learning, promote shared responsibility, and pursue results-oriented goals and assessments to ensure student academic gains. The study investigated the use of learning teams as a preliminary strategy for PLC and to inform school-wide PLC implementation in a restructuring high school. Wenger’s …

The Association Between Reading Comprehension And Prerequisite Skills For Children In Poverty, Hyo Jin Yoon

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reading comprehension and the prerequisite skills typically assessed by a school based speech pathologist with a focus on children raised in poverty. Based upon previous studies, three hypotheses were developed. First, children from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds would not perform as well as children from the standardization sample on norm referenced language tests although the language tests would predict reading comprehension. Second, decoding would not be as good a predictor of reading comprehension for children from low SES backgrounds as it is in typically developing children from middle …

A Study Of Six South Texas Mexican Descent Former Students: Elementary School Experiences And Their Influence On The Students' Decision On High School Completion, Lazaro Ramirez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to explore the interactions between elementary school students and school personnel, family members, and community members to identify factors that contributed to South Texas Mexican descent students dropping out of school. A second purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of Mexican descent former high school dropouts’ middle childhood life experiences. A qualitative methodology was utilized for this study. A three-interview series structure was utilized in conducting three one-on-one semi-structured interviews of six South Texas Mexican descent study participants. The findings of the study indicate that student discipline procedures in South Texas schools attended …

Preservation Without Restoration: The Case For Ruins, Sydney Schoof

Historic Preservation Theses

The ruins are often an overlooked topic in historic preservation. The typical method of treatment is either full restoration or demolition. However, some ruins have gained significance in their own right and this thesis explores appropriate treatment and recognition for these structures. Ruins typically represent a historical trend toward downsizing that would not be otherwise visible and are therefore eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under criterion A, though criterion C may also be applicable as the aesthetics of ruins are often much admired and become the primary reason for local and even national interest in …

¡Adelante Hermanas De La Raza! Josefina Silva De Cintrón, Artes Y Letras, And Puerto Rican Women’S Feminismo In The 1930s, Patricia A. Schechter

History Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article tells the story of Josefina Silva de Cintrón, (1884-1988), Puerto Rican journalist, feminist and arts impresario. Silva de Cintrón moved from San Juan to New York City in 1927. She published the Spanish language journal Artes y Letras from 1933 to 1939, and it circulated in 8 countries throughout the Americas. Artes y Letras was a publication that significantly enabled Spanish-speaking women’s activism in New York City. In its pages, women tested their ideas about feminismo. Their feminismo was Pan American in orientation and anti-racist in purpose, energized by the rhetoric of la raza. This article …

Secular Trend Of Infant Mortality Rate During Wars And Sanctions In Western Iraq., Zaid R. Al-Ani, Sahar J. Al-Hiali, Hussain H. Al-Farraji

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To study the infant mortality rate (IMR) trend during wars and sanction periods in Western Iraq. METHODS: Data collected from the birth and death certificates of Haditha Health Vital Statistics Center, Haditha city (80,000 population), Western Iraq, included name, age, gender, residence, and infant9s place and date of births and deaths, in 5 different sanction and war stages of the country from 1987 to 2010, in a study period from July to December, 2010. The IMRs were analyzed and compared between these stages and with other studies. RESULTS: The IMR of last 2 years of the Iraq-Iran war (1980-1988) …

Examining The Relationships Between Acculturation Orientations, Perceived And Actual Norms, And Drinking Behaviors Of Short-Term American Sojourners In Foreign Environments, Eric R. Pedersen, Rick A. Cruz, Joseph W. Labrie, Justin F. Hummer

Heads Up!

As little research has examined factors influencing increased and heavy drinking behavior among American sojourners abroad, this study was designed to examine how acculturation orientations (i.e., separation versus assimilation), host country per capita drinking rates, and perceptions about the drinking behavior among other sojourners and natives in the host country predicted alcohol risk abroad. A sample of 216 American college students completing study abroad programs completed a pre-abroad questionnaire to document their pre-abroad drinking levels, followed by a post-return questionnaire to assess drinking while abroad, acculturation orientations and perceived norms of drinking behavior within the foreign environment. A dichotomous variable …

Endless Yarns: Interdisciplinary Creative Work In Text And Textile, Louisa Owen Sonstroem

Honors Scholar Theses

In this thesis I explore the relationship between text and textile. What is it that connects them? I engage this question from an aesthetic perspective, through process as much as through theory. The thesis project consists of three components: creative text pieces, creative textile pieces, and an essay that attempts to deal with the questions which arose during my creative process.

Basic Astronomical Estimates, Dan Ward, Emma Sturgess, Joseph Whiteman, Laura Jenkins

The Plymouth Student Scientist

We present astronomical estimates about the Earth, Moon, Sun and the nearest fixed stars, in particular of sizes, distances and masses. Our focus is on the question to which extent those were already known in antiquity.

A Study Of A Translocated Population Of Anguis Fragilis In Cornwall, Uk, Casey Fuke

The Plymouth Student Scientist

A population of slow-worms were monitored throughout August and September 2010 at a roadside location near Dobwalls, Cornwall. The population was released onto the site in 2009 and one of the aims of the study was to determine if the population was surviving in their new habitat. Follow up work post-translocation is rarely done in the UK. The vegetation was predominantly saplings, young shrubs and rough grassland and black roof felt was used as refugia to attract the slow-worms. The site was visited two to three times a week and the temperature, weather, invertebrates present, sex or age and location …

The Use Of Near Infrared Spectroscopy In Measuring Haemodynamic Response Of The Primary Visual Cortex To A Visual Bullseye Stimulus With Various Spatial And Temporal Frequencies, Luke Perkins

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The effects of spatial and temporal frequencies of a visual, sinusoidal bullseye stimulus on haemodynamic responses in V1 were investigated using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Eight psychology undergraduates viewed a reversing bullseye pattern with differing spatial and temporal frequencies and haemodynamic responses in V1 were measured. It was found that optimum responses were recorded when the spatial frequency was 4.00 c/deg and when temporal frequency was 7.55 Hz; however no significant differences between frequencies were found. The mixed findings provided some support for past findings, implying that cells are finely tuned to detect certain stimulus properties, and demonstrated NIRS as a valid …

Social Behaviour In Captive Reticulated Giraffes (Giraffa Camelopardalis Reticulata): Analysis Of Enclosure Use And Social Interactions Between Giraffes Housed At Whipsnade Zoo, Stephanie Perry

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Wild giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) herds have been described as random associations of individuals, but recent research has suggested that giraffe do form social bonds and have a complex social structure. The aims of this investigation were to determine whether a group of three captive giraffe associated randomly or patterned their behaviour and proximity in a way that suggests social relationships. Also to analyse how the giraffe use their enclosure in order for the zoo to develop the enrichment program to encourage the giraffe to use the enclosure more equally. Index of association and maintenance of proximity were used to analyse …

The Invasive Biology Of The Talitrid Amphipod Platorchestia Platensis In North West Europe, Rebekah Simpson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The talitrid amphipod Platorchestia platensis (Kröyer, 1845) is an invasive species which has been spreading along European coasts over the last 150 years. This paper will review what is known of the distribution of P. platensis to date, before discussing potential distribution methods, evaluating potential management strategies and providing a perspective on the future distribution of this species. Despite P. platensis having worldwide distribution, very little is known about its invasive history. It has been established that the most likely methods of dispersal for P. platensis are on currents and in ballast water, though further research is needed. Although dispersal …

Current And Emerging Issues In Nosocomial Infections And Antibiotic Resistance, Zoe Tridgell

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Antibiotic resistant pathogens are a major cause of nosocomial infections and exhibit an extraordinary ability to constantly adapt and acquire resistance determinants to overcome the effects of commonly prescribed antimicrobials. Glycopeptide resistant Enterococcus faecium, multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium difficile and Escherichia coli are all pathogens of clinical interest, increasing in prevalence and causing large outbreaks of infection within hospitals. On the other hand, the emerging potential of vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and linezolid resistance in Gram-positive pathogens to follow suite provides a serious concern for the future treatment of hospital-acquired infections.

Investigation Into Inter-Alpha Trypsin Inhibitor Heavy Chain 4 (Itih4) As A Biomarker For Prenatal Screening Of Down Syndrome Using Maternal Plasma Samples, Jessica Elliott-Friend

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background: Down Syndrome (DS) effects 3 per 1000 births and is a significant cause of fetal loss. Currently screening tests detect ~85% of affected pregnancies, with a 5% false-positive rate, whilst diagnosis requires invasive tests such as amniocentesis which is associated with a ~1% risk of miscarriage. More effective screening methods, or Non Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis (NIPD) methods, are required to reduce the need for invasive diagnostic tests. Aim: This study aims to investigate inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) as a potential biomarker in DS pregnancies. Method: Samples include 8 non-pregnant controls and 7 pregnant women known to …

Endotoxin Tolerance And The Immune System, Elyce Marshfield

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Endotoxin tolerance is a phenomenon known to cause innate immune cells, like macrophages, to produce a decreased pro-inflammatory response to a pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP), like LPS, after pre-stimulation. Innate immune cells involved have thought to be primarily monocytes/macrophages but evidence has been found for involvement of dendritic cells, neutrophils and T cells. The molecular mechanisms of endotoxin tolerance are vague. However, negative regulators such as SOCS1, IRAK-M and SHIP are believed to play a large role, along with the down-regulation of TLR4 on cell surface and gene re-programming. Clinically, sepsis is a major model of endotoxin tolerance due …

The Effect Of Shifting Between Internal And External Foci Of Attention On Throwing Accuracy, Jeremy Lowen

The Plymouth Student Scientist

A vast quantity of research has identified the benefits of an external focus on the performance and learning of motor actions. This study aims to isolate the effects that shifting attention between internal and external foci can have on performance. A within subjects design tested the throwing accuracy of 40 undergraduate psychology students in both internal and external focus conditions. Participants threw a tennis ball towards a target with their non-dominant hand over a period of 3 x 2 (counterbalanced) sets of 15 throws. The main effect of focus condition was significant; external focus eliciting higher scores of accuracy. The …

Marine Invertebrates In Hypoxia: Developmental, Behavioural, Physiological And Fitness Responses, Rebecca Loddington

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Hypoxia is occurring in the marine environment all around the world as a result of human activities and natural biological processes such as eutrophication and water stratification. Low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) can result in mass mortality and disruption for marine organisms. In this paper the effects of hypoxia (<5mg O2 l -1 ) will be reviewed focusing on developmental, behavioural, physiological and fitness responses of marine invertebrates. Differences in the units used and thresholds when measuring hypoxia, by different researchers, make comparisons difficult. It is clear that negative effects are being observed at higher levels than the 2.8mg O2 l -1 threshold previously proposed by Diaz and Rosenberg. Many responses to hypoxia seem to not affect marine invertebrates directly, but result in a decrease in reproductive output and physiological mechanisms for surviving long-term hypoxia seem to be poorly understood. More research should be completed above the 2.8mg O2 l1 threshold, and a priority should be quantifying the effects of hypoxia. Therefore, management targets can be enforced and a positive step can be made to combat hypoxia.

An Examination Of The Present And Future Selves Of Adolescents: Investigating Possible Selves And Self-Esteem In Relation To Gender And Attachment, Charlene Mcclelland

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Gender differences in self-esteem and possible selves have long been documented, in particular girls have been reported to have lower self-esteem and generate more interpersonally oriented possible selves than boys during adolescence. To explore these findings the current study wanted to look at gender differences and relationship factors i.e. attachment, in regards to possible selves. The study investigated the possible selves generated by 52 adolescents aged 13-16 years, as well as measuring their self-esteem and attachment patterns. As predicted the results supported previous findings on gender differences, with the addition of finding attachment differences. In particular insecure participants had lower …

The Effects Of Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Sports Drinks On Performance And Physiological Function During An 8km Cycle Time Trial, Jack Hornsby

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background: Supplementation in the form of sports drinks has in latter years become an integral part of professional and amateur exercise. Currently much of the research is directed at carbohydrate-electrolyte (CE) drink supplementation for exercises lasting one hour or above and has been shown to improve performance. However the effects of supplementation prior to and during intense, short term exercise on performance is less understood. Therefore the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of ingesting different CE drinks prior and during exercise on an 8km time trial (TT) performance against a placebo. Methods: Fifteen male subjects …

Undergraduate Student To Postgraduate Teacher: Reflections From Both Sides Of The Coin, Daniel Zahra

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Guest Editorial from Dr Daniel Zahra

A Review In Overhydration Underlying Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia, Jahn Firth

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) is hyponatremia occurring during or up to 24 hours after prolonged physical activity. There is clear evidence that the primary cause of EAH is overconsumption of fluids relative to fluid losses. The electrolyte imbalance, in particular sodium triggered by overhydration is the aetiologic basis behind the illness. If untreated, hyponatremia causes cerebral and pulmonary edema resulting in seizures, coma and on occasion, death. Current understanding of overhydration underlying EAH is discussed. Aetiology, pathology, diagnosis, the role of sodium and preventive measures are key focal points in this review. The body of research spans more than two decades …

The Effect Of An Invasive Species On Predation Rates Upon Intertidal Barnacles, Rachel Linaker

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Non-indigenous species invasions are considered a large threat to native biota however the effects of which have been relatively understudied with respect to intertidal systems. Current literature surrounds the movement of species, however relatively little attempt has been made to quantify the effect. Using the invasive oyster drill Ocenebra erinacea and the native dogwhelk Nucella lapillus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of an invasive species‟ on predation rates over a one-week period feeding on the intertidal barnacle Chthamalus montagui. This was conducted by testing for the effects of increased conspecific density (abundance increase) and biodiversity (species number/identity) against …

Helping To Promote Psychological Well-Being At Work: The Role Of Work Engagement, Work Stress And Psychological Detachment Using The Job Demands-Resources Model, Emma White

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The job demands-resources model (JD-R model) underpinned the three main aims of this study: to provide support for the JD-R model‟s account of work engagement and work stress in relation to psychological well-being; to suggest the inclusion of the recovery process, psychological detachment as a theoretical refinement; and to produce comparative, predictive models of psychological well-being at work. 48 employees from an organisation that delivers: education; support and care services participated. The results provide strong support for the JD-R model; provide evidence for the inclusion of psychological detachment as a theoretical refinement; and show psychological detachment and work stress to …