Digital Commons Network^™

Procedures For Student Rating Of Teaching Survey, University Of Minnesota - Morris

Institutional Effectiveness and Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of Exposure To Toxic Releases Using Spatial Interaction Modeling, Jamison F. Conley

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data are frequently used to estimate a community's exposure to pollution. However, this estimation process often uses underdeveloped geographic theory. Spatial interaction modeling provides a more realistic approach to this estimation process. This paper uses four sets of data: lung cancer age-adjusted mortality rates from the years 1990 through 2006 inclusive from the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, TRI releases of carcinogens from 1987 to 1996, covariates associated with lung cancer, and the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model.

Results

The impact of the …

Analysis Of Peer Intersection Data For Arterial Traffic Signal Coordination Decisions, Christopher M. Day, Thomas M. Brennan Jr, Hiromal Premachandra, James R. Sturdevant, Darcy M. Bullock

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

This is the author-accepted manuscript version of Day, C.M., T.M. Brennan, H. Premachandra, J.R. Sturdevant, and D.M. Bullock, “Analysis of Peer Data on Intersections for Decisions About Coordination of Arterial Traffic Signal,”Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2259, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C., pp. 23–36, 2011, copyright National Academy of Sciences.http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2259-03

Its corresponding poster can be found here:http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/atspmw/2016/Posters/3/

Reliability, Flexibility, And Environmental Impact Of Alternative Arterial Offset Optimization Objective Functions, Christopher M. Day, Thomas M. Brennan Jr, Alexander M. Hainen, Stephen M. Remias, Hiromal Premachandra, James R. Sturdevant, Greg Richards, Jason S. Wasson, Darcy M. Bullock

Lyles School of Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Jewish Identity And Interaction In The American South, Amelia Bartlett Gamble

Honors Theses

There once was a significant Jewish population that settled throughout the South and made a life as prominent members of their communities. I wanted to know what life was like for these people, and I wanted to know why the Jewish population dwindled over time in the South. In short, I wanted to learn about the Southern Jewish experience. I read many scholarly articles about Jews in the South in order to see Jews in a historical context, and I relied on memoirs and autobiographies to provide personal accounts. I also watched documentaries on Jews in the South in order …

Seek Justice. Love Your Neighbor’: An Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign For International Justice Mission, Emily Jane Laird

Honors Theses

I luman trafficking, slavery, and similar forms of oppression plague millions ot people around tlie world—yet these problems are virtually unknown to much of the American population. International Justice Mission (IJM), a non-profit human rights agency based in Washington. D.C.. is working to defeat these issues in foreign nations by raising both funds and awareness of the issues within the United States. Like all non-profit organizations, IJM serves two types ot clients—those that receive assistance through its services and those that provide the resources necessary to serve the other client group. Finding the right balance to successfully serve both groups …

Policies Addressing Obesity: A Comparison Of South Korea And The United States, Sarah Elizabeth Rogers

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to compare the actions taken by South Korea, one of the countries with the lowest obesity rate, and the United States, one of the countries with the highest obesity rate, and analyze the programs to draw lessons from which we can learn. Through this thesis project, I address the problem of the increasing prevalence of obesity in the United States, present information from available literature, compare the current programs and nutrition policies in South Korea and the United States, and justify ethical government intervention into nutrition. From the comparison between these countries and their …

Making A Difference Through Design, Haley Brooke Hill

Honors Theses

In this thesis, I discuss the following four novels: Meridian by Alice Walker, Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell, The Summer We Got Saved by Pat Cunningham Devoto, and Four Spirits by Sena Jeter Naslund. In these novels, I look at the relationships between black female characters and white female characters. I analyze the ways in which their relationships are formed, the historic background that provides the setting for their relationships, and the author’s personal relationship with the text. Looking at cross-racial relationships among women in these novels shows that the authors attempt to reconcile relationships in …

Undervaluing Indeterminacy: Translating Social Science Into Law, Elizabeth Mertz

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

Plaintiffs' Lawyers: Dealing With The Possible But Not Certain, Stephen Daniels, Joanne Martin

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Shifting Terrain Of Risk And Uncertainty On The Liability Insurance Field, Tom Baker

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

Snyder V. Phelps, Outrageousness, And The Open Texture Of Tort Law, Benjamin C. Zipursky

DePaul Law Review

No abstract provided.

Keeping Up Appearances: Analysis Of The Look-At-Me Generation, Sarah Rose Gardner

Honors Theses

My thesis consists of a series of mixed media sculptures exaggeratedly depicting the affects of technology that allows humans to instantly communicate with one another, such as the social networking tool, Facebook. My works deal with the idea of a preoccupation with creating an image of oneself to project to other people. I wanted to explore how now with the ability to instantly update one another on what is happening in our everyday lives, every mundane detail becomes important and more important situations we deal with become less so. My work is similar to that of the artist Red Grooms …

Mississippi: Striving For Average, Policies And Suggestions To Combat The State's Obesity Epidemic, Emily Marie Morton

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Urbanization Fo Chinese Citizenship: A Case Study Of Shanghai And Suzhou, Ryan James Parsons

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Role Reversals And The Generation-Defining Quest For Identity: A Study In Four Plays Of The Realism Of Sam Shepard, Grant Gardner Robinson

Honors Theses

In the contents of this thesis can be found an analysis of the work of Sam Shepard, modern American playwright. The analysis includes a look at a quartet of family plays: A Lie of the Mind, True West, Buried Child, and Curse of the Starving Class. In analyzing the action in each, I pose the problem of Identity crisis as it Is found in the role reversals that take place, how they are a reflection of the life of Shepard himself, how they are. In turn a reflection of young generations, and how a positive conclusion can be derived from …

Water, Water Everywhere: An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of World Bank's And Unicef's Efforts To Provide Access To Clean Water In Nigeria, Jessica-Phillips Tyson

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the debate surrounding the effectiveness of international aid organizations’ efforts to reduce poverty and promote economic development. Its goal is consider two major international organizations, World Bank and UNICEF, in order to make a judgment on which approach is more effective: direct government aid or community-based efforts. Specifically, this thesis examines World Bank’s and UNICEF’s efforts to provide access to clean water in Nigeria. In the first chapter, it reports on the significance of clean water to an individual, the United States, developing nations, and the world at large. This thesis provides its own criteria for an …

The Function Of Indigenous Law In A Modern Economic And Political State: The Cameroon Scenario, Victoria M. Time

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Using Cameroon as a case study, this research examines if a legal system built primarily upon indigenous laws can serve modern economic, political, and social realities. Indigenous laws have several attractive advantages (such as expediency in dispute resolution, and fostering community cohesiveness), and may fully thrive in a homogenous society. However, after examining the realities in Cameroon, the study concludes that since the society has dozens of tribes with values and traditions which are invariably different, and because the country relies on foreign aid, what is advocated is a system whereby indigenous and formal laws co-exist.

Reconstructing The Southern Populists: Alabama Farmers Before Political Revolt, 1874-1889, Joshua Hodge

All ETDs from UAB

The traditional story of the Populist movement begins in 1887 where by the leadership of the Farmers' Alliance, agricultural organizations combined to initiate formal political action on behalf of farmers and laborers alike. But proper understanding of the Populists, this study suggests, must begin earlier, in the fluid era of Reconstruction when farmers first began to articulate their concerns and grapple with possible solutions. This study explores earlier manifestations of farmer solidarity, describing the community of like-minded farmers that organized into agricultural groups in the immediate post-Civil War period. Well before the political revolt of the 1890s, southern farmers participated …

Radiological Population Monitoring: Views Of Public Health Professionals In The Southeastern United States, Gwendolyn N. Hudson

All ETDs from UAB

In the immediate aftermath of a radiological disaster, it is essential to rapidly screen the population to identify contaminated persons, those needing urgent medical treatment, and those requiring long-term follow-up. This process, known as "radiological population monitoring," is vital to reducing morbidity and mortality and effectively addressing people's health needs and concerns. Radiological population monitoring has become a significant new focus of attention and responsibility for government agencies in recent years, due in large part to growing concerns about the possibility of a terrorist attack involving radioactive materials. The primary responsibility for radiological population monitoring resides within state and local …

Neighborhood Characteristics And Weight Status In Preschool Children, Cynthia Irwin Joiner

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate particularly among minority and low-income populations. More than 12 million children and adolescents are obese (Ogden, Carroll, Curtin, Lamb, & Flegal, 2010). Research on the neighborhood and built environment is relatively new. Few studies have examined the relationship of neighborhood characteristics and weight status, and studies in the preschool population are limited. Study Purpose: The study had three aims: 1) to examine the relationship between neighborhood characteristics (number of grocery stores and fast food restaurants, and number and quality of parks) and weight status (overweight and obese) in low income, preschool …

Explaining Racial Differences In Mci Classification In The Active Sample, Bridgett Hill Kennedy

All ETDs from UAB

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is 2 to 5 times more common than dementia and can be a predisposing marker for the development of dementia. African Americans are reported to be at an increased risk for developing MCI when compared to Caucasians. The purpose of the present study was to examine reasons for racial disparity in rates of MCI classification and, in particular, whether preservation of functional abilities over time occurs among African Americans so classified, suggesting possible misclassification. Level and quality of education and prevalence of vascular disease were examined as mediators of the racial disparity in MCI classification. Previously …

Hole Patching In Unstructured Mesh And Parallelization Using Graphics Processing Units, Amitesh Kumar

All ETDs from UAB

Engineering analysis of a three-dimensional geometric model using mesh-based computational technologies requires the model to be topologically watertight. However, achieving watertight geometry is considered to be a challenging task in the field of computational engineering due to the potential presence of geometric deficiencies, such as gaps and holes on the surfaces. This dissertation aims to repair the defective geometric model with the presence of holes irrespective of their complexities. Presented in this dissertation are novel research and implementation of a hybrid surface and volume-based technique for geometry repair. It utilizes a NURBS-based surface-patching algorithm for topologically simple holes and incorporates …

Factors Associated With Prescribing Antiviral Medications For Treatment Of Influenza Among Primary Care Physicians In The United States, Payal Patel

All ETDs from UAB

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that affects millions each year. The illness, if not contained, can be a paramount public health threat in the U.S. and the world. Primary care physicians play an essential role in administering antiviral medications as a treatment for influenza yet the factors that influence their prescribing of these medications remain unclear. The present study aims to identify factors associated with physicians' prescribing of antiviral medications in the ambulatory care setting. The data utilized for this study were obtained from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for each influenza season between the years of 2005-2008. …

A Psychometric Analysis Of The Leader Resilience Profile©, Pamela E. Paustian

All ETDs from UAB

This study assesses the validity and reliability of the Leader Resilience Profile (LRP©), a quantitative survey instrument designed to measure the strength of multiple dimensions of resilience typically evident in leaders. Although content of the LRP© was initially tested for construct validity by a panel of experts, reliability and internal validity were not tested. The current research uses data gathered in a cross-sectional survey to analyze the individual instrument items and the instrument as a whole for internal consistency, validity, and reliability utilizing exploratory factor analysis. The study sample consisted of 327 LRP© surveys completed from January 2011 through August …

Knowledge Of Management Of Musculoskeletal Problems: Assessment Of Students Enrolled In Four Professional Programs At The University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Patricia Lee Perez

All ETDs from UAB

Background: Previous studies point to inadequate knowledge of musculoskeletal medicine for both student and practicing physicians and physical therapists. Professions with practice regulations that allow direct access by the consumer to healthcare should be assessed to determine competence in managing musculoskeletal conditions. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if there is a difference in knowledge of the management of musculoskeletal conditions in students enrolled in four professional programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Methods: Students enrolled in the last semester of medical school (MD), adult nurse practitioner (NP), physical therapy (PT) and physician assistant …

The Graphic Novel: A Frontier Literary Form Edges Towards The English Classroom, Malgorzata Pflueger-Pieczynska

All ETDs from UAB

Graphic novels, as not yet fully researched and examined forms under academia, suffer from their association in the public mind with the advertisement industry and cheap subject matter. This negative affiliation is especially popular in teachers' circles that use the graphic novel mostly as an instrument to improve reading skills rather than to present it as an extraordinary example of a frontier literary form. The graphic novel is one of many products that took off dynamically with the technological revolution using the visual as a communication's medium. Visual communication is not only one of the leading forms of passing information, …

The Association Between The Body Mass Index (Bmi) Of African American College Women And Their Exposure To Magazine Advertisements, Candice P. Prince

All ETDs from UAB

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and exposure to magazine advertisements among African-American college women aged 19 to 29. This study also sought to determine how personal, behavioral, and environmental factors affect the BMI of African-American college women. A sample of 252 African-American college women enrolled in undergraduate degree programs in the Southeast United States completed a web-based survey on their weight-related health behaviors and magazine usage. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multivariable regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Bivariate correlations showed significant associations between BMI and several …

How Do Proponents And Opponents Of The United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child Explain Their Views Regarding Children's Participatory Rights? A Multiple Case Study, Marilee Manning Ransom

All ETDs from UAB

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), an international human rights treaty, has been ratified by every State except the United States and Somalia. It contains enumerated rights, including five articles pertaining to children's participation rights such as the right to speech, privacy, association, and religion. Ratification of the CRC is controversial, particularly because religious and social conservatives deem the CRC potentially harmful to families. Major education groups are among the myriad of CRC supporters in the Untied States. Thus far, supporters have been unable to achieve ratification. The purpose of this multiple case study was …

Proper Orthogonal Decomposition For Parameter Estimation In Oscillating Biological Networks, Amanda Marie Rehm

All ETDs from UAB

Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is frequently applied to estimate parameters of partial differential equations. This study examines the application of the POD method in estimating the parameters of an Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) model of stable oscillating biological networks. The model is related to the Lotka-Volterra equations. The findings reveal that POD generates accurate estimates of the parameters; furthermore, extrapolating biologically measured data points to a number of oscillations improves the curve fits, C1 approximations, and parameter estimations. KEYWORDS: Proper Orthogonal Decomposition, Ordinary Differential Equations, Biological Networks, Oscillations, Parameters.