Digital Commons Network^™

Worship & Sightseeing; Building A Partnership Approach To A Ministry Of Welcome, Peter Wiltshier, Alan Clarke

Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice

This paper explores diverse opportunities for partnerships between the sacred and secular at religious sites. It identifies ways in which tourism suppliers can work collaboratively with sacred sites to enable sites to meet the demands of contemporary secular and sacred stakeholders. In the review of contemporary literature we consider supply and demand issues, site management, key components of partnership, ecumenical co-creation resources, cost-benefit and marketing needs. The paper is predicated on the provision of information and interpretation services for guidance, and development of all of these services. Methodologically, a participant observation approach was employed to confirm that tourism fits the …

Linking The Pilgrimage Experience To Best Practice: The Lessons Of The Recultivatur Project, Alan Clarke, Ágnes Raffay

Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice

This paper will focus on the early findings of the RECULTIVATUR project, a SEE funded partnership which is exploring the inclusion of religious-related cultural values in the planning and development processes of urban centres, systems of settlements and surrounding rural areas. The 15 partners have contributed 35 case studies based on the religious tourism in their areas and the University of Pannonia have been responsible for collating and conducting the initial analysis of these cases. Here we will focus on pilgrimage and the linkages which have emerged from these examples regarding other cultural and heritage tourism experiences. Our analysis of …

Visitors To Religious Sites In South Western Nigeria - Their Experience Of The Physical Infrastructure, Elizabeth Ifeyinwa Benson

Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice

This paper assesses the tourism experience and activities of visitors to religious sites in South Western Nigeria, in order to develop an effective and efficient strategy for the development of religious tourism. Religious tourism is a form of tourism whereby people of faith travel individually or in groups for pilgrimage, missionary, fellowship or leisure purposes. There is a paucity of research on the religious tourism segment in Nigeria. Existing tourism studies focus on ecological, cultural, heritage and historical sites. The paper was born out of my desire for exploratory research on religious tourism in developing countries. Data for this research …

The Use Of Silver Nanoparticles As An Antifungal Coating On Silicone Facial Prosthesis, Zhala Meran

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Abstract Introduction Maxillofacial prostheses are used to substitute lost facial parts, but give variable clinical results due to complications such as contamination and infection. Candida albicans infection remains a significant problem for facial prostheses made of silicone, as the organism causes degradation of the material and infection of the surrounding tissue. This study investigated the antifungal properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as a coating on silicone facial prostheses to eliminate infection. Methods The experimental approach used fibroblast cell cultures to test the biocompatibility of Ag NPs and to demonstrate the safety of Ag NPs compared to AgNO3 at concentrations …

The Assessment Of Selected Novel Feed Ingredients To Replace Fishmeal On The Nutrition And Health Status Of Ornamental Fish, Rawling Mark

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Four investigations were conducted to assess the effects of feeding selected novel feed ingredients on the nutrition and health status of ornamental fish. Each dietary ingredient was assessed by determining the effects on growth performance, feed utilisation, haematological status, serological status and immuno-competence of mirror carp, a model ornamental fish species. The first experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding a tropical earthworm meal (Perionyx escavatus) and soybean meal on the haemato-immunological response and growth performance of mirror carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish were fed diets for a total of 88 days, fishmeal served as the main protein source …

Learning, Self-Organisation And Homeostasis In Spiking Neuron Networks Using Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity, James Humble

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Spike-timing dependent plasticity is a learning mechanism used extensively within neural modelling. The learning rule has been shown to allow a neuron to find the onset of a spatio-temporal pattern repeated among its afferents. In this thesis, the first question addressed is ‘what does this neuron learn?’ With a spiking neuron model and linear prediction, evidence is adduced that the neuron learns two components: (1) the level of average background activity and (2) specific spike times of a pattern. Taking advantage of these findings, a network is developed that can train recognisers for longer spatio-temporal input signals using spike-timing dependent …

Mood, Emotive Content, And Reasoning, Daniel Zahra

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Mood, Emotive Content, and Reasoning - Daniel Zahra Theories of how individuals reason, and how they experience emotion abound in the psychological literature; yet, despite the common lay-theories of how emotions might affect a person’s reasoning, very little empirical work has been conducted on this relationship. The current thesis addresses this knowledge-gap by first distilling from the literature two classes of emotion theory; Information, and Load; and then systematically testing the explanatory power of these theories. A dual-process framework is employed in order to define low (Type One) and high effort (Type Two) strategies. Information theories predict that negative emotion …

Temporal And Vertical Distributions Of Ip25 And Other Lipid Biomarkers In Sea Ice From Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada, Ashleigh Elizabeth Ringrose

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

IP25 (Ice Proxy with 25 carbon atoms) is a highly branched isoprenoid biomarker, specifically produced by marine diatoms in Arctic sea ice. Temporal and vertical IP25 concentrations were measured in sea ice from a second location in the Canadian Arctic, Resolute Bay, Nunavut. Sea ice samples were collected as part of the Arctic ICE project in collaboration with scientists of the University of Manitoba from April to June 2011. Comparisons were made between other established lipid biomarkers of diatom origin and general organic production, along with previously established temporal and vertical distributions in sea ice collected from the Amundsen Gulf, …

The Characterisation Of The Freezing Damage Response During Flowering In European And Middle Eastern Wheat Cultivars (Triticum Aestivum L), Mohammed Hamdan Edan Al-Issawi

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is occasionally exposed to low temperature during flowering and huge economic losses can occur especially in some key production countries such as Australia. Although it is generally predicted that there will be a rise in global temperature there are still predicted to be risks associated with low temperature for temperate crops. Post head emergence frost damage remains a major constraint to increasing wheat production. Five Iraqi varieties (Abu-Ghariab, Fatah, Sham6, IPA95 and IPA99) were screened for their frost hardiness (LT50). Abu-Ghariab was chosen for further investigations along with the European cv. Claire because the acclimated frost …

Advancing The Separation Sciences Through The Delivery Of New Materials, Technology And Methodology., Brett Paull

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Separation science is a multi‐faceted discipline, underpinning almost all other fields of science and technology. Its scope encompasses fundamental and cutting edge processes and technologies, based upon exploitation of the physical distribution of chemical and biochemical species between solid, liquid or gaseous ‘phases’, facilitating their separation, purification, and analysis. Separation science plays a particularly pivotal element within the majority of modern analytical methods, methods which continue to support all manner of cutting edge scientific endeavour, including, for example, the current ‘‐Omics’ scientific revolution.

Molecular Characterisation Of Clinical And Environmental Isolates Of Vibrio Parahaemolyticus, Hadaf Mahdi Kadhim

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

The halophilic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus is widely distributed as a natural inhabitant of marine and estuarine environments. Some strains cause gastroenteritis in humans. Clinical isolates are thought to possess virulence factors that are absent from the majority of environmental isolates. Studies were undertaken to differentiate clinical (virulent) and environmental (mainly avirulent) forms of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Initially, identification and confirmation of a total of 55 V. parahaemolyticus isolates (23 clinical and 32 environmental) was carried out by using selective media, biochemical and nutritional tests. Identity was confirmed by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the toxR gene. In an attempt to …

Visual Images As A Motivational Bridge To Pro-Environmental Behaviour: A Cognitive Approach, Christine Boomsma

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Communicating climate change and other long-term environmental issues to the wider public is a challenging process involving many barriers to action. Visualisations have the ability to overcome these barriers. Furthermore, the benefits of visual images over verbal information have been supported. However, there is a lack of research on how visual images can motivate behaviour. Based on Elaborated Intrusion theory, it is proposed that visual images can be internalised as mental images which can act as a ‘motivational bridge’ for pro-environmental behaviour. Six studies exposed participants to visual pro-environmental messages. Throughout all studies images were internalised as mental images, associated …

The Effect Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy On Osteoclast And Osteoblast Function, Hadil Al-Hadi

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

Bone remodelling, the process by which the skeleton adapts to environmental changes, is dependent on the actions of osteoclasts that resorb bone and osteoblasts which make new bone matrix. Aberrant remodelling underpins bone loss in several debilitating skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, metastatic breast cancer and multiple myeloma. Changes in remodelling activity can also arise as a consequence of therapeutic intervention for instance intravenous bisphosphonate treatment is associated with osteochemonecrosis of the jaw and localised osteoradionecrosis is a common side effect of radiotherapy. Hyperbaric oxygen is often used as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of these disorders. HBO involves …

The Effect Of Environmental Factors On The Physiology, Yield And Oil Composition Of Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.), Shiren Jalal Mohamed

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

This study investigated the effects of drought, nitrogen fertilizer and elevated CO2 and its interaction with nitrogen fertilizer on the physiology, growth, and production of the oil crop safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in a semi-controlled glasshouse environment. Three levels of water stress were imposed: rosette (mid-season drought), stem elongation (terminal drought) and rosette to maturity (mid-season + terminal drought). Results indicated that all drought treatments imposed reduced stomatal conductance, but after the relief of mid-season drought plants recovered and as a result there were no significant differences from control in terms of yield components (branch and capital number) and seed …

Motivated Reasoning And Response Bias: A Signal Detection Approach, Dries Trippas

Other Faculty of Science and Engineering Theses

The aim of this dissertation was to address a theoretical debate on belief bias. Belief bias is the tendency for people to be influenced by their prior beliefs when engaged in deductive reasoning. Deduction is the act of drawing necessary conclusions from premises which are meant to be assumed as true. Given that the logical validity of an argument is independent of its content, being influenced by your prior beliefs in such content is considered a bias. Traditional theories posit there are two belief bias components. Motivated reasoning is the tendency to reason better for arguments with unbelievable conclusions relative …

Beyond The Electronic Connection: The Technologically Manufactured Cyber-Human And Its Physical Human Counterpart In Performance: A Theory Related To Convergence Identities, Yacov Sharir

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis is an investigation of the complex processes and relationships between the physical human performer and the technologically manufactured cyber-human counterpart. I acted as both researcher and the physical human performer, deeply engaged in the moment-to-moment creation of events unfolding within a shared virtual reality environment. As the primary instigator and activator of the cyber-human partner, I maintained a balance between the live and technological performance elements, prioritizing the production of content and meaning. By way of using practice as research, this thesis argues that in considering interactions between cyber-human and human performers, it is crucial to move beyond …

Amplifying Actions - Towards Enactive Sound Design, Karmen Franinović

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Recently, artists and designers have begun to use digital technologies in order to stimulate bodily interaction, while scientists keep revealing new findings about sensorimotor contingencies, changing the way in which we understand human knowledge. However, implicit knowledge generated in artistic projects can become difficult to transfer and scientific research frequently remains isolated due to specific disciplinary languages and methodologies. By mutually enriching holistic creative approaches and highly specific scientific ways of working, this doctoral dissertation aims to set the foundation for Enactive Sound Design. It is focused on sound that engages sensorimotor experience that has been neglected within the existing …

Challenges And Potential Of Technology Integration In Modern Ship Management Practices, Suresh Bhardwaj

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

This thesis explores the challenges and potential of technology integration in current ship management practices. While technology advancements were designed to be contributing to minimising task complexity, issues such as fatigue, increased administrative burden and technology assisted accidents still plague the industry. In spite of the clearly recognisable benefits of using modern technology in the management of ships, in practice its application appears lacking by a considerable margin. The main driver of the study was to appreciate the cause of this disparity. The study first reviewed a wide body of literature on issues involving the use of technology which included …

Public Attitudes Towards Crime And Punishment In Greece And The Factors Underlying Their Construction, Magdalini Pipini

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Public opinion regarding crime-related issues is a challenging matter for researchers and politicians alike. An ill-informed public with regards to crime, punishment and other aspects of the criminal justice system leads to discontent and demands for harsher policies to strengthen public safety. Politicians harness public opinion to secure votes, and this can result in punitive policies that are founded on erroneous beliefs. The objective of this study is to look more deeply into people’s attitudes towards crime and punishment, and to consider why Greek people hold the views that they do and how these views are constructed. A multi-method approach …

Extended Notation. The Depiction Of The Unconventional, Christian Dimpker

Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses

Most extended instrumental playing techniques are still deprived of a conventional method of notation. In order to facilitate the utilisation of these unconventional musical elements, a coherent and consistent notation system is developed in this thesis. It comprises chapters on string instruments, wind instruments, percussion instruments, plucked instruments and keyboard instruments. A systematic notation of unconventional instrumental playing techniques has not yet been attempted, nor have all tech-niques subject to this work yet been explained in detail. In order to coherently depict unconventional playing techniques, a set of criteria is defined. These criteria postulate that all developments are supposed to …

Sayre: Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Undergraduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Weatherford: Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Undergraduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Parents’ Attitudes Toward Their Children’S Heritage Language Maintenance: The Case Of Korean Immigrant Parents In West Michigan, Duckyoung Jung Becker

Masters Theses

Research shows that many immigrant parents in the United States struggle with heritage language maintenance as their children start school in the dominant society. Many studies also reveal that immigrant parents value heritage language maintenance highly and wish their children to maintain home language. Although heritage language research has increased in the recent years, there is still a dearth of research among immigrants who reside outside of large metropolitan cities in the United States. By taking the case study approach, the present study identifies Korean immigrant parents who reside in West Michigan towns and, through interview and observations, explores their …

El Círculo Familiar Bilingüe De Libros / The Bilingual Family Book Club: Creating Translanguaging Spaces With Latin@ Picture Books, Kelli Edenfield Criss

Theses and Dissertations

The study employed a bilingual family book club framework to group parents and children together during bilingual literature discussion and response. Employing a qualitative design and constant comparative analysis, the researcher examined what happened when a bi-monthly bilingual family book club, involving seven emergent bilingual children, their parents, and a researcher/facilitator, was initiated and sustained over a five month period. The study's context was a Florida panhandle elementary school's media center and a public library branch. Through analysis of book club session and interview transcripts, the researcher discovered that students and parents employed their repertoires of linguistic and cultural practices. …

Transitioning From Caregiving To Widowhood, Michelle Digiacomo, Joanne Lewis, Marie T. Nolan, Jane Phillips, Patricia M. Davidson

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Context

Older women commonly assume a caregiving role for their husbands at the end of life and are more vulnerable to poorer health, well-being, and social and economic challenges.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to ascertain older women's experiences of spousal caregiving at the end of life and the ways in which this experience impacts on the transition to widowhood.

Methods

Longitudinal, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with older women three times over a one-year period after the death of their husbands. This report focuses on the initial interviews that examined the transition from caregiving to widowhood. Transcripts …

The Impact Of A Brief Lifestyle Intervention Delivered By Generalist Community Nurses (Cn Snap Trial), M Harris, B Chan, R Laws, A Williams, G Davies, U Jayasinghe, M Fanaian, N Orr, A Milat

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: The risk factors for chronic disease, smoking, poor nutrition, hazardous alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and weight (SNAPW) are common in primary health care (PHC) affording opportunity for preventive interventions. Community nurses are an important component of PHC in Australia. However there has been little research evaluating the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in routine community nursing practice. This study aimed to address this gap in our knowledge.

Methods: The study was a quasi-experimental trial involving four generalist community nursing (CN) services in New South Wales, Australia. Two services were randomly allocated to an ‘early intervention’ and two to a ‘late …

An Evaluation Of Check-In/Check-Out With Accountability Tracking For At-Risk Students In A High-Need Elementary School, Ashley Lauren Barber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A multi-tiered system of supports offers a comprehensive model for the prevention of academic and behavior problems in schools. To date, research has emphasized the impact of universal and intensive interventions. However, the need for research on secondary or targeted group interventions (Tier 2) for those students who do not respond to the universal level of support is growing. This study evaluated CICO, a Tier 2 intervention, in improving student behavior when it is used with three elementary students from a high-need population and in conjunction with student accountability tracking, designed to promote parental involvement. Functional assessments indicated that all …

Utilizing Tagteach To Enhance Proficiency In Dance Movements, Mallory Joanne Quinn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate TAGteach as a training procedure to increase the fluency of three dance movements in a multiple baseline across behaviors design with 4 students of dance. Target behaviors included a pirouette/turn, kick, and a leap/jump, respective of the level of the class. A dance instructor was trained to implement the TAGteach procedure by the primary researcher. The targeted dance movements remained at a stable level during baseline and improved sequentially for each participant following the introduction of the TAGteach training. Implications for future research are discussed.

User-Based Filter Utilization For Multicarrier Schemes, Zekeriyya Esat Ankarali

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Multicarrier modulation is a transmission technique that is quite convenient for high data rates in wireless communication. Information symbols are partitioned and parallelly sent over multiple narrowband subchannels. Pulse shaping filters are critically important in multicarrier

modulation for determining the characteristics of signal in time and frequency domains. In this thesis, we propose a new pulse shaping approach for multicarrier schemes to increase spectral efficiency in multi-user scenarios. Conventionally, the time-frequency lattice and the prototype filter are designed considering the worst-case of time-varying multipath channel. However, this approach ignores to make use of multi-user diversity and leads to excessive spacings …

An Evaluation Of A Parent Implemented In- Situ Pedestrian Safety Skills Intervention For Individuals With Autism, Bethany Ann Harriage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated a parent implemented in-situ pedestrian safety skills intervention for three individuals with autism. Specifically, this study examined the utility of using a behavioral skills training (BST) to help parents implement the most-to-least prompting procedures in training their children with autism pedestrian safety skills in community settings. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess parent implementation of in-situ pedestrian training as well as child participants' independently performed correct skills. Results indicated that parents implemented most-to-least prompting procedures with high levels of accuracy across streets during intervention and fading of BST. All child participants improved their …