Digital Commons Network^™

Fall 2012

University of Richmond Magazine

No abstract provided.

Important Information Literacy Standards For Life And Health Sciences, Betsy S. Hopkins

Faculty Publications

Information literacy in the life and health sciences is a dynamic field, with challenges, opportunities, and rewards for the successful practitioner. This chapter will describe the big picture of information literacy in these disciplines, list relevant performance indicators from the ALA/ACRL/STS Task Force on Information Literacy for Science and Technology [STS-TFILST] (2006) Information Literacy Standards for Science and Technology (hereafter Standards), and give some practical advice for life and health sciences librarians and librarians with instructional responsibilities in those disciplines. The focus is on undergraduates at research universities, although many principles and strategies will apply to other circumstances.

Second Grade Students' Cognitive Understanding Of Heart Rate Monitors And Pedometers, Carolyn Lee Tozer

Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity has become a significant health problem in the United States (Dietz, 1998, Blair et al., 2007, Robinson, Wadsworth, 2010). In children, obesity is defined as being at or above the 95th percentile for BMI according to age growth charts (Carroll, 2006). There are several approaches to combating the epidemic of obesity. In physical education classes, teachers are using are heart rate monitors and pedometers to assess the students' levels of physical activity (Blair et al., 2007). However, it is uncertain if elementary students better understand the results from the pedometer, or the heart rate monitor. A study of …

Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis And Age Related Macular Degeneration, Bhanu Chandar Dasari

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation work focused on retinal modifications that are relevant to Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in cholesterol-fed rabbit model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as AD and AMD share common features. It is unknown whether cholesterol-fed rabbit model of AD displays any AMD features in retina. Previous research showed 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) involvement in AD like pathology in organotypic hippocampal slices of rabbit brain and human SHSY-5Y neuroblastoma cells. The extent to which and the mechanisms by which 27-OHC may also cause pathological hallmarks related to AMD are not known. Various studies suggested estrogen's (E2) role in AMD development. 27-OHC is a …

Adult Enrichment Learners In St. Cloud, Minnesota: Motivational Reasons For Participation, Scott Wallner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify reasons and motivation of adult stakeholders that influence participation in adult community education enrichment classes in the St. Cloud Public School District, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The study also examined the perceptions about adult learners held by leaders, planners, and facilitators of these programs, and identified similarities and differences between perceptions by district staff and program participants.

Participants were 289 adult learners who had taken at least one adult enrichment course during the 2009 or 2010 calendar year. 284 participants completed the online Education Participation Scale-Form A, a 42-item survey developed by Boshier …

Effects Of A Large-Scale Wind Farm In The Prairie Pothole Region Of North And South Dakota On Survival And Habitat Use Of Breeding Female Mallards (Anas Platyrhynchos) And Blue-Winged Teal (A. Discors), Charles Tanner Gue

Theses and Dissertations

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is the most important breeding habitat for North American ducks. However, much of the PPR is suitable for large-scale wind energy development and conflicts for waterfowl populations may occur if wind energy alters habitat in a way that reduces survival or productivity. Adult survival of breeding female ducks has a disproportionately large effect on population growth. Thus, populations might be particularly sensitive to increased mortality in this cohort because of direct collisions with wind turbines. Additionally, large home ranges are energetically taxing. If females avoid resources near wind turbines during breeding season activities, females may …

The Beliefs And Perceived Experiences Of Preservice And Early Service Teachers Who Use Facebook, Nathan Foss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify commonly held beliefs and perceived experiences of preservice and early service teachers with regard to their use of the social networking site Facebook. This study included recorded and transcribed interviews of 14 participants as well as observations of their Facebook accounts. The participants in this study consisted of six males and eight females who were in various stages of their educational careers. All participants were either members, or recent graduates, of the same Midwestern university. Each was either pursuing a degree in education or had recently received their education degree. …

Workplace Characteristics, Work-To-Life Conflict, And Psychological Distress Among Medical Workers, Marissa S. Gravelle

Theses and Dissertations

The medical industry is the fastest growing job sector and is projected to be the largest job sector by 2018. This group of workers tends to experience heightened stressors in the workplace. The key purpose of this study was to address whether work-to-life conflict mediates the relationship between workplace characteristics and psychological distress for workers in the medical industry. Drawing on data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce (N = 329), relationships were explored using stepwise OLS regression analysis. Findings from the first model (which excludes the mediating variable of work-to-life conflict) suggest that as both coworker …

The Process Of Writing "Wind", A Play Inspired By An Actual Event, Matthew J. Hegdahl

Theses and Dissertations

In August of 2007, the Klondike Wind Farm suffered a catastrophic failure of a wind turbine that killed one man and injured another. This accident was the first of its kind in the United States and is the inspiration for the original play "Wind". This thesis will describe the aspects of the Klondike Accident, as well as the personal experiences, that aided in the development of the original play.

Genetic Relationships Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The United States: Geographic Origins And Genotypic Distribution Of The Species With Implications For Management, Blake Eugene Mccann

Theses and Dissertations

Wild pigs are a damaging invasive species with a long history in the United States. However, during the last 30 years wild pigs have drastically expanded their invasive range and are now present in 44 U.S. states. Though historic records provide insights regarding original introduction histories in areas where pigs are long-established, little is known regarding sources for new populations. To develop a better understanding of recent invasions, I utilized an array of molecular markers (mitochondrial DNA sequence, nuclear microsatellites, and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms) to evaluate both the evolutionary history of introduced pigs and gene flow between populations indicative …

Mining Aircraft Telemetry Data With Evolutionary Algorithms, Kirk Anders Ogaard

Theses and Dissertations

The Ganged Phased Array Radar - Risk Mitigation System (GPAR-RMS) was a

mobile ground-based sense-and-avoid system for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)

operations developed by the University of North Dakota. GPAR-RMS detected proximate

aircraft with various sensor systems, including a 2D radar and an Automatic Dependent

Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver. Information about those aircraft was then

displayed to UAS operators via visualization software developed by the University of

North Dakota. The Risk Mitigation (RM) subsystem for GPAR-RMS was designed to

estimate the current risk of midair collision, between the Unmanned Aircraft (UA) and a

General Aviation (GA) aircraft flying under …

Reflected Appraisals And Racial And Sexual Identity Development In The Lives Of Black Lesbian And Bisexual Women, Konjit Vonetta Page

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a grounded theory about the relationship between racial identity statuses and the experience of reflected appraisals in the lives of Black lesbian and bisexual women. Black lesbian and bisexual women were specifically selected in this study due to the unique and multiple issues Black lesbian and bisexual women face as members of multiple marginalized and oppressed groups.

Participants in this study included 13 self-identified Black lesbian and bisexual women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant. In accordance with grounded theory approaches, follow-up interviews were conducted and enabled participants to provide …

That Was Then And This Is Now: The Changing Roles Of Veteran Special Education Teachers As A Result Of Response To Intervention, Tricia Kaye Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how the process of Response to Intervention (RTI) has changed the roles of three veteran special educators. The background knowledge of these teachers that helped make the initiative successful, as well as the "building blocks" that were present in the initial implementation of RTI models in their settings, were described. The essential components that contributed to successful RTI processes in K-12 settings were described by the participants. In addition, the successes, challenges, and recommendations of these veteran special educators for the future of RTI implementation were explored. The experiences of three veteran special education teachers who participated …

Intonation Processing In Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Alanna Friedman

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in structures that make up the basal ganglia. Previous research has shown that damage to the basal ganglia can result in deficient (Cheang et al, 2004; Ma et al, 2007) production and perception of intonation in non-emotional (Cheang et al., 2004; Ma et al., 2007) and emotional (e.g., Breitenstein et al., 1998; Cancelliere & Kertesz, 1990) contexts. Studies on perception have shown evidence that individuals with Parkinson's disease have difficulty discriminating intonation patterns when compared to healthy controls, and that these difficulties are due to higher …

Portraying The Role Of Giuseppe Zangara In Sondheim's Assassins, Casey Paradies

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a look at the process an actor goes through in creating a fictional character based on a historical person. It is not intended to be a guide for other actors but instead a look at the work of one particular actor in portraying Giuseppe Zangara in Sondheim and Weidman's Assassins. This thesis consists of historical research, character and script analysis, as well as a personal reflection of the performance.

Perceived Deployment Stressors And Well-Being Among Veterans Of Iraq And Afghanistan, Abigail Fuller

Theses and Dissertations

The current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are unlike previous wars and present new challenges for service members post deployment. Currently, service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing a number of stressors that may have implications during their post deployment adjustment (Kline et al., 2010; La Bash et al., 2009; McNulty, 2005). Few studies were found that examined the stressors of deployment and their relationship to the health and well-being of veterans upon return home. Therefore, a more complete understanding of the deployment experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is needed in order to have an adequate understanding …

Factors That Influence Program Completion: Predicting Kentucky Drug Court Completion Outcomes, Elizabeth R. Hagensen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines data collected from Kentucky Drug Court to determine factors associated with program completion outcomes. Extant research on drug court completion outcomes is generally limited to individual drug courts and includes small numbers of observations. This research uses more than three thousand participant records spanning over three years from all Kentucky Drug Courts. Multiple logistic regression is used to determine which factors predict program completion. Participant characteristics, problem behaviors, and drug court variables are examined. Increase in age, earning at least a high school diploma, indicating methamphetamine or other stimulant as a drug of choice, and being married …

Peer Mentoring And Empathy, Ronald Wayne Hochstatter

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impacts of mentoring training, empathy training and sex difference on peer mentoring relationships. Mentoring training was conducted by the investigator and empathy training was provided by the University of North Dakota's Conflict Resolution Center. A total of 174 participants enrolled in an eight-week peer mentoring program. Participants were randomly selected and placed in four groups, no training, mentoring training, empathy training and both mentoring and empathy training. Mentors were asked to complete the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Prosocial Personality Battery. Protégés were asked to complete the Protégé Satisfaction Scale and the Relational Assessment Scale. Findings …

College Women And Social Networking Sites: Reasons For Use And Related Mental Health Constructs, Jo Michelle Ellison

Theses and Dissertations

Existing research on use of social networking sites (SNSs) suggests that the hours of use and the impact of use on mood is staggering, especially among the university population. The present study builds off of an exploratory analysis of factors that influence individuals' usage of SNSs. In the initial study female university students demonstrated a clearer structure of such factors than did male university students. The present study sought to replicate the factor structure of these influences on SNS use. Existing research has explored little in terms of the relationship between personality factors and SNS use. The extant literature is …

Endorsement Clauses In A Post-White Legal System: Why These Restrictions Do Not Violate A Judicial Candidate's First Amendment Right To Free Speech, Shawna M. Portner

Georgia Law Review

Elections have remained an integral method of state
judicial appointments for over two centuries. However,
because the Founding Fathers imposed upon judges the
duty to neutrally uphold the U.S. and state constitutions,
state legislatures, per the recommendation of the ABA,
have imposed certain restrictions on the speech and
actions of judicial candidates to maintain impartiality. In
2002, the Supreme Court struck down one category of
these provisions in Republican Party of Minnesota v.
White. The Court declared Minnesota's announce clause,
which prohibited judicial candidates from voicing their
opinions on issues likely to come before the bench, to be an
unconstitutional …

Discrimination Under A Description, Patrick S. Shin

Georgia Law Review

Discrimination Under a Description .......................... Patrick S. Shin 1
In debates about the permissibility of certain kinds of
differential treatment, our judgments often seem to depend
on how to conduct in question is described. For example,
legal prohibitions on same-sex marriage seem clearly
impermissible insofar as they can be described as a form of
sex discrimination, less clearly so, at least under federal
law, if described simply as sexual-orientation
discrimination, and arguably not discriminatory at all
insofar as they constitute a universally imposed disability
on marryingwithin one's own sex. It seems, in other words,
that the prohibitionof same-sex marriage constitutes …

Gvsu Undergraduate And Graduate Catalog, 2012-2013, Grand Valley State University

Course Catalogs, 1963 - Current

Grand Valley State University 2012-2013 undergraduate and/or graduate course catalog published annually to provide students with information and guidance for enrollment.

Columbia Crossroads, Chad Deitchley

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Although often overlooked by residents of the urban centers that surround it, Hayden Island -- located in the midst of the Columbia River between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington -- exemplifies the kind of diverse community that defines the metroscape. With a local population of well over 2,000 and a sizable retail shopping district, Hayden Island struggles to be recognized as a destination location known for a distinctive mix of commercial, residential, and natural attributes. Its unique geographical position, however, offers both the possibility of prosperity and the threat of exploitation.

Institutions For Managing Ecosystem Services, Jennifer H. Allen, Jenny Duvander, Ida Kubiszewski, Elinor Ostrom

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Two decades of research into the management of what economists call common-pool resources suggests that, under the right conditions, local communities can manage shared resources sustainably and successfully. These revolutionary findings challenge the long-held belief in the "tragedy of the commons." Instead, we have found that tragedy is not inevitable when a shared resource is at stake, provided that people communicate. In many places—from Swiss pastures to Japanese forests—communities have come together for the sake of the environment and their own long-term well-being. Common-pool resources have two features: first, they are shared resources whose use by one person makes them …

A Fair Share Of The Information Commons, Ida Kubiszewski, Robert Costanza

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

In this chapter we discuss the special characteristics of information as a type of commons that needs special institutions to manage its production and use effectively and create greater overall economic efficiency, social justice and ecological sustainability. These methods include monetary prizes, publicly funded research from which the produced information is released into the public domain, and status driven incentive structures like those in academia and the open-source community.

Changing The Narrative Of Child Welfare, Matthew I. Fraidin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

In child welfare, the difference we can make as lawyers for parents, children, and the state, and as judges, is to prevent children from entering foster care unnecessarily. And we can end a child’s stay in foster care as quickly as possible. To do that, we have to fight against a powerful narrative of child welfare and against the accepted “top-down” paradigm of legal services.

In this essay, Professor Fraidin suggests that we can achieve our goals of limiting entries to foster care and speeding exits from it by looking for the strengths of the people involved in our cases, …

The Structural Exceptionalism Of Bankruptcy Administration, Rafael I. Pardo, Kathryn A. Watts

Articles

The current system of administration of the Bankruptcy Code is highly anomalous. It stands as one of the few major federal civil statutory regimes administered almost exclusively through adjudication in the courts—not through a federal regulatory agency. This means that rather than fitting bankruptcy into a regulatory model, the U.S. Congress has chosen to give the courts primary interpretive authority in the field of bankruptcy, delegating to courts the power to engage in residual policymaking.

Although scholars have noted some narrow aspects of the structural exceptionalism of bankruptcy administration, Congress’s decision to locate responsibility for bankruptcy policymaking almost exclusively with …

Giving Voice To Rachel Carson: Putting Science Into Environmental Law, William H. Rodgers, Jr.

Articles

Certainly, the most pressing issue of modern times is to develop a body of environmental law (that includes climate change) that is highly responsive to science. Without demeaning the many distinctions between the exercise of science and the practice of law, let me cut to the chase and declare that science is mostly about the “pursuit of truth” and law is mostly about “who wins.” Anybody who doubts this proposition should examine the radical differences between the “Supreme Court of Science” in the United States and the Supreme Court of Law.

The Supreme Court of Science, the National Research Council, …

Serious Flaw Of Employee Invention Ownership Under The Bayh-Dole Act In Stanford V. Roche: Finding The Missing Piece Of The Puzzle In The German Employee Invention Act, Toshiko Takenaka

Articles

This article argues that the current Bayh-Dole Act is incomplete because the Act fails to provide a mechanism for contractors to secure the ownership of federally funded inventions from their employees. Part I of this Article discusses this flaw in the current Bayh-Dole Act, highlighted by Stanford v. Roche, and argues that a historical accident resulted in this flaw due to Congress's failure to pass a series of bills based on the German EIA. Passages in the Bayh-Dole Act suggest that the Act assumes a transfer by operation of law to secure the ownership of federally funded inventions through …

The Relationship Between Atmospheric Circulation Patterns And Water Surface Elevation In Devils Lake, North Dakota: 1965-2010, Emily Ann Knish

Theses and Dissertations

The Devils Lake Basin is a sub-basin of the larger Red River Basin located in east-central North Dakota. It is a terminal saline lake, which lacks an outlet until the lake level reaches a water surface elevation (WSE) of 1,458 ft asl (444.4 m). Lake levels have fluctuated continuously since the last glaciation, in response to natural climatic variations. The lake has risen steadily since 1993, severely affecting the infrastructure and residents living within the area. There has been much debate over whether the rising waters are caused by natural climatic variations or by the drainage of wetlands and agricultural …