Digital Commons Network^™

Asserting Treaty Rights To Harness The Wind On The Great Lakes, Gerald Carr

American Indian Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Transformational Leadership, Experiential Learning, And Reflective Journaling On The Conservation Ethic Of Tertiary-Level Non-Science Majors, Bradley Robert Reynolds

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The impact of transformational leadership, experiential learning, and reflective journaling on the conservation ethic of non-science majors in a general education survey course was investigated. The main research questions were: (1) Is the Conservation of Biodiversity professor a transformational leader? (2) Is there a difference in the conservation ethic of non-science majors at the beginning of the semester versus the end, within and between lecture and field groups? During fall 2012, students could attend lecture and take a traditional final or attend lecture, assist with a real-life amphibian monitoring project, and in lieu of the traditional final, keep a reflective …

An Investigation Of The Bioavailability Of Heavy Metals In Tailing Run-Off Sediment At Devon Great Consols, Chan Yin Chi

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This project focuses on the environmental geochemistry of the Devon Great Consols by determination of the concentrations of chromium, copper, nickel, lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, manganese and iron. BCR®701 is a certified reference material (CRM) which was treated by Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) sequential extraction to determine the accuracy and precision of the experiment. Moreover, the CRM was also employed to compare performance of instruments, namely ICP-AES and ICP-MS. The T-test was used to determine any significance of difference between experimental values and certified values. The F- test was used to determine any significance of difference between ICP-AES and …

The Bending Of Beams And The Second Moment Of Area, Chris Bailey, Tim Bull, Aaron Lawrence

The Plymouth Student Scientist

We present an overview of the laws governing the bending of beams and of beam theory. Particular emphasis is put on beam stiffness associated with different cross section shapes using the concept of the second moment of area.

An Audio Analysis Framework For Xna Developers, Stephen Hoult

The Plymouth Student Scientist

To those that are not specialists in the area, audio analysis can seem a daunting subject. This is particularly the case when creating software which draws upon the subject. There are many frameworks available which aid in the development of audio-driven software, yet few that cater to those with a limited knowledge of audio analysis. The aim of this project was to develop an audio analysis framework, specifically for implementation into C# XNA projects, which will enable developers with little to no understanding of audio analysis to develop audio-driven games. The result of this project has seen the completion of …

Investigating The Relative Importance Of Parentage Versus Environmental Factors On Heterochrony In Basommatophoran Freshwater Snails, Myriam Vanderzwalmen

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The importance of genetics in inter-specific heterochrony is long known; however, intra-specific heterochrony was believed to be driven by environmental variation. Recent studies on Radix balthica showed higher similarity in developmental timing across generations in genetically similar embryos than in distantly related individuals. In the present study, the relative importance of parentage and egg-mass origin is compared with the environmental importance in generating the heterochrony in Radix balthica. Six developmental events were recorded daily. The analysis of the variations showed that parentage influencing variation in developmental timing to be more important than environmental conditions. Only hatching was affected by the …

Evaluation Of Cave And Karst Programs And Issues At Us National Parks National Cave And Karst Research Institute Report Of Investigation 4, National Cave And Karst Research Institute

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

A New Software Framework For Unstructured Mesh Representation And Manipulation, Craig R. Tanis

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This research presents a unique new software framework for representing and manipulating unstructured meshes in parallel, for use in modern scientific simulation codes. Due to the central nature of the unstructured mesh, this framework provides a variety of functionality, desirable throughout the lifecycle of an application, such as IO, parallel partitioning, phantom node data updates, adaptive refinement, derefinement and load balancing. What makes the framework unique is a focus on generality: like a database, the user provides a programmatic schema defining the structure of the mesh, including topological descriptions of the valid mesh entities. The system extracts adjacency information from …

Language And Literacy Supports In Early Childhood Classrooms: Comparing Ratings Of Teachers And Observers, Kayla Polk

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A number of early literacy skills, including oral language skills, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and print knowledge, have been identified as precursor skills to later literacy skills and outcomes. Previous research has documented that many early childhood educators lack adequate knowledge and skills to implement practices necessary to foster emergent language and literacy development. This research was conducted to examine early childhood educators’ awareness of their classroom practices supporting language and literacy skills. A 48-item self-rating survey was created based upon dimensions measured by a widely used reliable and valid observation tool. The observation tool was used in 34 teachers’ …

2-D Cfd Design Of The Cross-Sectional Shape Of Arterial Stents, Kristen Karman

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

An approach for desigining arterial stents to maximize wall shear stress is presented. A cost equation to maximize wall shear stress is derived and then inverted into a minimization problem for the optimizer. A 2-D mixed-element finite-volume scheme for solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is implemented. A paramaterization of the cross- sectional shape of the stent wire using Hicks-Henne functions is described. The strategies used in the commercial optimization software, DAKOTA, to minimize the cost equation are described. The solver is validated using well known fluid flow test cases and is shown to match other published computed results for bloodflow …

The Wutc Threshold Test: A New Perspective In Olfactory Assessment, William A. Tewalt

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The WUTC Threshold Test is a new test of olfactory ability that focuses on the idea that deficits in olfactory ability are not necessarily generalizable to all odors. Though numerous diseases and disorders have been shown to lead to a loss of olfaction, tests of olfactory sensitivity have been limited to performance detecting a single odor. The WUTC is comprised of five odors that were selected based on differences in how they interact with the olfactory system and the chemical properties they possess. By utilizing a diverse odor profile, relationships between olfactory deficits to certain odors and specific diseases can …

Fake News, Real Hip: Rhetorical Dimensions Of Ironic Communication In Mass Media, Paige L. Broussard

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper explores the growing genre of fake news, a blend of information, entertainment, and satire, in main stream mass media, specifically examining the work of Stephen Colbert. First, this work examines classic definitions of satire and contemporary definitions and usages of irony in an effort to understand how they function in the fake news genre. Using a theory of postmodern knowledge, this work aims to illustrate how satiric news functions epistemologically using both logical and narrative paradigms. Specific artifacts are examined from Colbert’s speech in an effort to understand how rhetorical strategies function during his performances.

All The Web's A Stage: The Dramaturgy Of Young Adult Social Media Use, Jaime R. Riccio

Theses - ALL

This study presents an in-depth, qualitative examination of dramaturgy in young adult interactions on the social networking sites, Facebook and Twitter. The dramaturgical perspective introduced by Erving Goffman in the study of sociology and symbolic interactionism is applied to a new media setting, wherein the interpersonal interactions of users are influenced by a mass media context. The author ventures into the field of dramaturgy as part of a broader sphere of hyperdramatic acculturation that millennials are growing up in, with constant access to one another through social media and the prevalence of dramatic and attention-seeking behaviors in entertainment media. A …

The Conceptions And Practices Of Motherhood Among Indo-Caribbean Immigrant Mothers In The United States: A Qualitative Study, Darshini T. Roopnarine

Dissertations - ALL

No abstract provided.

In Search Of A Single Voice: The Politics Of Form, Use And Belief In The Kernewek Language, Jesse Owen Harasta

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation is based upon fieldwork performed between 2007 and 2011 in Cornwall, a region of Southwestern Britain notable for its ambiguous ethnic identity - caught between England and the Celtic nations - and its unique, revived Celtic language, Kernewek. During the course of the research, work focused upon the role of the language revival movement as a tool for ethnic identification: hardening boundaries, shoring up faltering communities and nationalist purification. However, the language movement is divided into three primary factions, which take differing approaches to the language, and to their corresponding language ideology based upon their relationship to Cornish …

The Gating Charge Should Not Be Estimated By Fitting A Two-State Model To A Q-V Curve, Francisco Bezanilla, Carlos A. Villalba-Galea

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

The voltage dependence of charges in voltage-sensitive proteins, typically displayed as charge versus voltage (Q-V) curves, is often quantified by fitting it to a simple two-state Boltzmann function. This procedure overlooks the fact that the fitted parameters, including the total charge, may be incorrect if the charge is moving in multiple steps. We present here the derivation of a general formulation for Q-V curves from multistate sequential models, including the case of infinite number of states. We demonstrate that the commonly used method to estimate the charge per molecule using a simple Boltzmann fit is not only inadequate, but in …

The Effectiveness Of Computer-Assisted Instruction For Teaching Mathematics To Students With Specific Learning Disability, Sherry L. Stultz

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Using computers to teach students is not a new idea. Computers have been utilized for educational purposes for over 80 years. However, the effectiveness of these programs for teaching mathematics to students with specific learning disability is unclear. This study was undertaken to determine if computer-assisted instruction was as effective as other methods of instruction that do not use computers for teaching mathematics to these students. A two-week experimental research study with 36 male and 22 female participants was conducted to determine if a difference existed in the learning of high school students with specific learning disability who were taught …

An Evaluation Of The Quality Assurance Plan At East Tennessee State University’S Dental Hygiene Program, Jennifer E. Fielden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quality assurance in healthcare is fundamental in ensuring the achievement of desired outcomes for patients. In 2011 a quality assurance plan was created at the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) dental hygiene program in order to meet accreditation standards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this plan in order to determine its effectiveness in improving the quality of patient care indicators. One hundred fifty patient charts were selected and audited. Deficiencies were counted in the categories of assessment, treatment, documentation, referral, caries management, perio management, patient education, and follow-up. Research findings were varied; however, external variables with the …

Retention Strategies For Medical Technologists: Addressing The Shortages And Vacancies In The Clinical Laboratory, Kathy S. Small

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is important to have well-trained and qualified laboratory professionals. Seventy percent of patient care is based on decisions made from laboratory results, yet there is a growing shortage of medical technologists. Although some baby boomers are delaying retirement, worsening of the shortage crisis is inevitable. Retention of medical technologists has become more important than recruitment. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate innovative retention strategies used by clinical laboratory managers throughout the United States.

A significant finding of this study was the lack of qualified medical technologists entering the ranks of laboratory managers. This study identified …

Ebbing Winds: Life Rituals At Home And Abroad, Asya Fergiani

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis was to write a memoir of my five month trip to Libya that explores cultural differences through my experiences as an American with Western ideals. This memoir is focused on the cultural norms of marriage in the rural town of Msalata, in the central rural farming belt north of the ever expanding Sahara Desert of North Africa. My goal was to produce a work that is informational while showing the humanity of the local people through my perceptions as an outsider with different expectations. It was a time of discovery for me about the value …

An Examination Of Delay Discounting In Sex Offenders With Dual Diagnoses, Chad A. Poncinie

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF CHAD A. PONCINIE. For the Master of Science degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy, presented on 21 June 2013. TITLE: AN EXAMINATION OF DELAY DISCOUNTING IN SEX OFFENDERS WITH DUAL DIAGNOSES MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark R. Dixon Discounting of delayed rewards by sex offenders with dual diagnoses was compared to discounting of delayed rewards by matched control non-offenders with dual diagnoses. All participants completed a hypothetical choice task in which they made repeated choices between 10 dollars/servings after a delay and an equal or lesser amount available immediately. The delay to the large reward …

Perfection: United Goal Or Divisive Myth? A Look Into The Concept Of Posthumanism And Its Theoretical Outcomes In Science Fiction, Rebecca Leah Mccarthy

Theses

As science races to keep up with science fiction, many scientists are beginning to believe that the next step in human evolution will be a combination of human and machine and look a lot like something out of Star Trek. The constant pursuit of perfection is a part of the human condition, but if we begin to stretch beyond the natural human form can we still consider ourselves human? Transhumanism and posthumanism are only theories for now, but they are theories that threaten to permanently displace the human race, possibly pushing it into extinction. This thesis will look at the …

Contesting The Mainstream? Citizen News Platforms, The Alternative Paradigm, And The Bp Oil Spill, Benjamin A. Lyons

Theses

With emerging content forums blurring the distinctions between journalistic paradigms, this study helps illuminate those which best promote alternative practice. A content analysis of Deepwater Horizon oil spill coverage compared three platforms for online citizen journalism: corporate (CNN iReport), alternative (Indymedia), and independent blogs. News stories were coded for sources, links, author-reader interaction, mobilizing information, tone for the liable parties' ability and intent in handling the disaster, and contestation of official information. Results show that Indymedia was the most alternative in inclusion of mobilizing information, critical tone, contestation of mainstream versions, ratio of alternative links to mainstream, and total usage …

Thermodynamic Function Of Valineacid In N-N Dimethyl Formamide Mixtures From Conductance Measurement, Sanaa T. Sarhan

Baghdad Science Journal

Some physical properties enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (Δs), free energy (ΔG),capacities(Δcp°) and Pka values) for valine in dimethyl foramideover the temperature range 293.15-318.15K, were determined by direct conductance measurements. The acid dissociation at six temperature was examined at solvent composition x2) involving 0.141 of dimethyl foramide . As results, calculated values have been used to determine the dissociation constant and the associated thermodynamic function for the valine in the solvent mixture over temperatures in the range 293.15-318.15 k. The Pka1, and Pka2 were increased with increasing temperature.

Food Safety Knowledge, Behavior, And Attitudes Of Vendors Of Poultry Products Sold At Pennsylvania Farmers' Markets, Joshua Scheinberg, Rama Radhakrishna, Catherine N. Cutter

Journal of Extension

A needs assessment survey was developed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of poultry vendors at farmers' markets in Pennsylvania, on food safety, regulation, and poultry production. Vendors were administered a 32-question paper survey, in person, during market hours. The results revealed critical vendor practices and identified important vendor knowledge gaps and attitudes on food safety and poultry processing. The data obtained from the study will aid in the development of future farmers' market research, as well as generating training and outreach materials on food safety for vendors selling meat and poultry products at farmers' markets.

Plan For Applying Total Quality Management In Education For Torbat Heydariyeh University Of Medical Sciences, Mohsen Keshavarz, Seyed H. Khademi, Javad Mohamadipour, Mehran Farajollahi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

In this study, the appropriateness of existing quality standards and their use in practice in educational organizations were discussed. The study shows how the quality standard of TQM and QMTL and the possibility of their articulation to develop a holistic model can contribute to change this situation. The study alsoinvestigated whether this standard is an adequate basis for quality development in organizations. To implement a quality system in an educational organization, four main steps are necessary: context setting, model adaptation, model implementation/adoption, and quality development. Each step should be performed with a broad range of actors to raise awareness and …

The Societal Acceptance Of Online Degrees In The Arab World: Evidence From Two Countries, Alaa Sadik

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the societal acceptance of degrees earned wholly online and to define the factors that affect the perceived value of these degrees in two Arab countries; Egypt and Oman. To achieve this purpose, a societal acceptance of online distance education degrees questionnaire was developed and administered online to a sample of 479 participants from different business sectors in Egypt and Oman. The responses to the rating scales and open-ended questions were organized, analyzed, and coded to address pattern of responses. Quantitative data and open-ended responses showed that the overall perception expressed by respondents …

Investigation Into The Effects Of Pegylation On The Thermodynamic Stability Of The Ww Domain, Sam S. Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The covalent attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to a protein surface (known as PEGylation), has been demonstrated to increase the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins by reducing kidney clearance and immunogenicity and by protecting against proteolysis. Theses beneficial effects could be further enhanced if PEGylation consistently increased protein conformational stability (i.e. the difference in free energy between the folded and unfolded states). However, the effects of PEGylation on protein conformational stability are unpredictable; PEGylation has been reported to increase, decrease, or have no effect on the conformational stability of medicinal proteins.This thesis details the results of two studies aimed at …

Pretext Searches And Seizures: In Search Of Solid Ground, Jeff D. May, Rob Duke, Sean Gueco

Alaska Law Review

Despite numerous attempts to subject the use of pretext law enforcement stops to Alaska Constitutional scrutiny, the issue has never been thoroughly reviewed. Alaska courts currently allow pretext investigative stops so long as a reasonable officer following permissible police practices could have made the stop for the proffered reason. This is a minority position, inconsistent with federal law which deems pretext motivations constitutionally irrelevant. It is also far less protective of individual rights than an outright ban on officer pretext. This reasonable officer standard, however, offers some advantages over banning all types of pretext. This Article explores Alaska's historical treatment …

Giving Up The Ghost: Alaska Bar Ethics Opinion 93-1 And Undisclosed Attorney Assistance Revisited, Howard Burgoyne Rhodes

Alaska Law Review

Twenty years ago, the Alaska Bar Association adopted Ethics Opinion No. 93-1 which permitted attorneys to "ghostwrite" pleadings and provide other undisclosed services to pro se litigants. The goal of this ethical guidance was to enable attorneys to assist low-income individuals who could not otherwise afford representation. Ethics Opinion No. 93-1 construed "ghostwriting" broadly as an attorney's undisclosed assistance to a pro se client whether by providing legal advice or drafting pleadings or other documents. This Note argues that, despite the moral allure of its theoretical justifications, ghostwriting is unnecessary, provides little demonstrable benefit to pro se litigants, and potentially …