Digital Commons Network^™

Sudden Gains: A Pluralistic Approach To The Patient And Therapist Experience, Brian P. Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to study instances of sudden gains within the case load of a private practice practitioner. Five clients whose progress was marked by such changes were contrasted with the views of five clients whose progress was marked by significant setbacks. Results from the quantitative analyses indicated that clients who experienced sudden gains during therapy tended to retain their therapeutic gains over a 2-year time period. In contrast, individuals who experienced setbacks in therapy generally continued to be distressed at the 2-year reassessment. Clients who experienced sudden gains were more distressed prior to treatment and …

Importance Of Placement Depth In Evaluating Soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Sulfur Using Ion Exchange Resin Capsules In Semi-Arid, Low Fertility Soils, Rachel Lynn Buck

Theses and Dissertations

Ion exchange resin capsules provide a possible alternative to conventional soil testing procedures. Previous studies with semi-arid, low fertility soils observed poor relationships with poorly mobile nutrients such as phosphorus (P). We propose that placement depth may improve those relationships. Our objective was to (1) determine if placement depth could improve resin capsule estimation of the bioavailability of nitrogen (N), P, and sulfur (S) and (2) to determine if resin capsules can effectively estimate S availability in semi-arid, low fertility soils. Field sites were established in Rush and Skull Valleys, Utah on loam and sandy loam soils, respectively. Fertilizer was …

Involvement Of Ampk And Ap-1 Biochemical Pathways In Il-6 Regulation Of Steroidogenic Enzymes In The Adrenal Cortex, Matharage Shenali De Silva

Theses and Dissertations

The adrenal cortex is a crucial endocrine gland in the mammalian stress response. In chronic inflammatory stress, cortisol is elevated whereas adrenal androgens are decreased. Furthermore, ACTH levels have poor correlation with the plasma cortisol in these conditions, thus suggesting that other factors are driving the stress response during chronic inflammatory stress. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine which is released during chronic inflammatory stress, is assumed to be one such factor. Thus the biochemical pathways by which IL-6 increases cortisol release from the zona fasciculata (ZF), and decreases adrenal androgen release from the zona reticularis (ZR) were investigated. Since IL-6 activates …

Ferritin-Based Photo-Oxidation Of Biomass For Nanoparticle Synthesis, Bioremediation, And Hydrogen Evolution, Oscar Petrucci

Theses and Dissertations

The cell is the basic unit of all living organisms. It is an amazing machine capable of self-replicating, growing, and synthesizing and shuttling thousands of compounds. To perform all of these activities the cell needs energy. The original source of energy for all living beings is the Sun. The energy of the sun is collected by the autotrophs (mostly plants) through photosynthesis and stored in the chemical bonds of carbohydrates and lipids through carboxylic acid intermediates; animals use these compounds to obtain the energy for their cells. Most of the energy extracted by the cell comes from the citric acid …

Fgf4 Induced Wnt5a Gradient In The Limb Bud Mediates Mesenchymal Cell Directed Migration And Division, John C. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

The AER has a vital role in directing embryonic limb development. Several models have been developed that attempt to explain how the AER directs limb development, but none of them are fully supported by existing data. I provide evidence that FGFs secreted from the AER induce a gradient of Wnt5a. I also demonstrate that limb mesenchyme grows toward increasing concentrations of Wnt5a. We hypothesize that the changing shape of the AER is critical for patterning the limb along the proximal to distal axis. To better understand the pathway through which Wnt5a elicits its effects, we have performed various genetic studies. …

The Effects Of Video Prompting Via An Ipad On Vocational Skill Development Of Secondary Students With Developmental Disabilities, Patricia D. Lund

Theses and Dissertations

Current laws stress the importance of using research-based practices to teach transition and vocational skills to students with disabilities. Some of the evidence-based practices include the use of videos to prompt students through a task. Much research has been done concerning the effectiveness of video prompts to teach daily living skills, academic skills and social skills. Transitional skills that have been taught often include simple, entry level skills such as watering plants, cooking soup in the microwave or setting a table. To date, there is little research regarding the use of video prompts to teach complex employment skills that can …

The Effect Of Age On Interhemispheric Transfer Time: An Event Related Potential Study, Amy Boyson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The present study sought to investigate the effects of aging on interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT). Poffenberger (1912) devised a behavioural paradigm thought to be a measure of IHTT. In this paradigm IHTT is estimated by calculating the crossed-uncrossed difference (CUD); the difference in speed of response between responses made in response to stimuli contralateral to responding hand (crossed) and those made by hands ipsilateral to the stimuli (uncrossed). IHTT can also be estimated through event related potentials (ERPs) by calculating latency differences between the waveforms over the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres. Results from previous experiments comparing younger and older participants …

The Legitimacy Of Selected Watershed Organizations In The Midwestern United States, Bruce Martin Hall

Dissertations

Legitimacy in natural resource management refers to the degree to which citizens accept and comply with stated goals and policies. Lack of legitimacy can threaten collaborative-based watershed groups that rely on voluntary compliance to achieve their water quality goals. These groups are locally-based, and sprouted up due to the complexities and political barriers that have prevented better control of non-point, or diffuse, pollution off the landscape and into streams and lakes. One of the most cited requirements for legitimacy in natural resource collaborations is inclusive representation. An exploratory study of several watershed groups in Wisconsin and Illinois uncovered a worrisome …

Investigating The Impact Of Orientation And Detected Characteristics Of First-Time Online Students On Their Success Rate In A Community College Setting, Reginald C. Akpom

Dissertations

It is evident that the failure rate is higher among online students than in-class students at Hopkinsville Community College. An analysis of the academic records of students who enrolled in online courses for the first time at Hopkinsville indicated a 13% higher withdrawal and failure rate than those who took in-class courses over the same period between 2000 and 2010. Colleges are taking potentially all of the necessary steps to reduce the student failure rates among online students because high withdrawal and failure rates often reflect badly on the quality of education by the providing institutions (C. Segura, personal communication, …

Algorithms For The Implementation Of A Dynamic Energy Pricing Policy, Manek Biswas

Theses - ALL

In the upcoming smart grid era, dynamic pricing using primarily data collected from smart meters installed in homes and businesses is a virtual certainty. The possibilities this feature may offer are many, and we examine in this study how subunits of the electricity grid may implement load scheduling given a model for predicting ever-changing energy prices over a day. We present a realistic linear model that utilities may use for implementing dynamic pricing, and argue how accurate prediction of this model by its customers may be profitable both for the utilities and their customers.

The thesis provides algorithms for achieving …

Raman Spectroscopic Investigation Of Chondroitinase Abc Treatment After Spinal Cord Injury In An Organotypic Model, Shane Ruberto

Theses - ALL

This study investigated (1) the ability of an organotypic model of spinal cord injury (SCI) to recapitulate significant pathobiological events of in vivo SCI from a Raman spectroscopic perspective, and (2) the Raman spectroscopic effects of chondroitinase ABC (cABC) treatment on said model of SCI. Tissue from mouse spinal cords was excised, sectioned, and placed into culture, before being systematically injured to induce trauma. Cultures with and without cABC treatment were assessed using Raman spectroscopy at varying times post-injury. We demonstrate that Raman spectral phenomena characteristic of SCI can be observed using an organotypic model. By comparing these phenomena with …

Nature Of Science Conceptions, Attitudes Towards Evolution And Global Climate Change, And Course Achievement In An Introductory Biology Course, Benjamin Elijah Carter

Theses - ALL

Many researchers have studied student attitudes toward and knowledge of evolutionary science, attitudes towards global climate change (GCC), conceptions about the nature of science (NOS), and course success. However, at the time of this writing, no studies explicitly link these topics.

It is overwhelmingly acknowledged by the scientific community that evolution and global climate change (GCC) are undeniably supported by physical evidence. And yet, both topics remain very politically contentious in the United States. Efforts to mitigate the disconnects between the scientific community and the general public on these issues are imperative to science education. Such undertakings need to examine …

A Physicochemical Evaluation Of The Compressibility And Dewatering Behavior Of Dredged Sediments, George F. Segré

Theses - ALL

The dewatering of low percent solids wastes from tailings ponds, harbors, and waterways presents a challenge in the U.S. and abroad, given the vast amounts that need to be dewatered annually. The United Stated Corps of Engineers estimate about 8.5x109 ft3 of dredged sediments are removed annually in order to keep waterways functional. Dewatering may be achieved with the aid of high strength synthetic textiles, such as geotextiles, which may be sewn lengthwise to form a geotextile tube. Typically, dredged material is mixed with flocculants such as polyacrylamide (PAM), and then pumped into geotextile tubes. In doing so, the flocculants …

Creating A Maturity Model For Business Intelligence In Healthcare, Patti Brooks

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Healthcare is a very complex, knowledge-driven industry. The accumulation of data is quickly outpacing the capacity to use the information to improve the efficiency and quality of healthcare. At the same time, the demand for higher level knowledge to manage consumer information and to predict outcomes of care continues to rise. Business intelligence (BI) can help organizations improve efficiency in managing information and can provide decision makers with timely and accurate information. The use of a business intelligence maturity model can provide organizations with a systematic method for assessing their maturity level relative to important process areas critical to the …

Segregation, Inequality, Demographic Change, And School Consolidation, William England, Edmund T. Hamann

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

We describe a rural/micropolitan example of the intertwining of school consolidation and demographic change with exacerbated segregation and inequality. To do this we consider Dawson County, Nebraska, which hosts the state's most Latino/a school district (Lexington) and which saw its number of schools decline from 37 to 19 during this century's first decade, and the number of local school districts lessened from 18 to 5. In particular, we call attention to the irony that consolidation was pursued with an explicit call for more equality in schooling in Dawson County (Swidler 2013) and yet population concentrations and variation in expenditures seemed …

Match Made In Heaven: Blackboard Vista, Information Literacy, And College Freshmen, Julie Nichols, Kristin Johnson

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2011

Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) serves over 6000 students in the greater San Antonio area. Our diverse student body includes many "first generation" students. To address the needs of a growing library instruction program and to introduce students to academic research, NLC librarians developed a program, using Blackboard Vista (BBV) to deliver library instruction to first semester freshmen English students. The highly interactive, self-paced BBV tutorials emphasize basic information literacy skills that are reinforced with a follow-up face-to-face library instruction session. Since Fall 2009, we have evolved these tutorials from an optional, self-registration model to a listed course in our college …

Reducing Digestible Tidbits From Meaty Stock: Satisfying Varied Tastes With An Attractive Instructional Assessment Menu, Erika Bennett, Jennie Simning, Kim Staley

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2011

Do you collect streams of data that never see the light of day? Libraries are more frequently being held accountable for metrics via scorecards, dashboards, and other short snapshots of performance. Information Literacy practitioners have meanwhile moved away from tick-marks to a learning outcome assessment culture. This means that the full array of evaluative, formative and summative approaches-- competencies, tests, self-reports and rubrics-- can leave new librarians' heads spinning.

Learning outcomes data are hard to wrangle, let alone, in a digestible format, but fresh assessment approaches can fully illustrate the benefits of our varied media and modes of instruction. Instead …

Amplify The Active Learning: Revamping Course-Integrated Library Instruction To Be Student Centered, Malia Willey

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2011

Get ready to turn the dial to eleven! Course-integrated library instruction for Introduction to Music Industry Studies classes was redesigned to be student centered. Based upon student feedback and student-centered pedagogy, the research sessions and accompanying assignments were revamped for more meaningful and active learning. Database demonstrations and lectures were transformed into hands-on research workshops and problem-based learning activities. The content and number of assignments now better align with the students' semester project to allow for authentic learning. This presentation provides adaptable examples of how to amplify the active and student-centered learning in your library instruction.

The Ase Process Model: An Evidence-Based Approach To Information Literacy Instruction, Don Latham, Melissa Gross

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2011

This presentation will describe an innovative approach to information literacy instruction developed through an IMLS National Leadership Research Grant. The instruction is driven by data gathered from first-year college students with below-proficient information literacy skills. Session participants will be introduced to the ASE Process Model. ASE is an acronym for both the process itself (Analyze, Search, Evaluate) and the means by which it was developed (Asking Students about their Experiences). Participants will also be shown how they can implement the ASE Process Model in various types of information literacy instruction in their home institutions.

Knowledge-Based Assessment For Library Instruction, Laura Saunders

LOEX Conference Proceedings 2011

Authentic assessment remains a challenge for many information literacy programs. Despite progress developing and integrating learning outcomes into curricula, many programs fail to demonstrate changes in knowledge or behavior as a result of their instruction. Instead, the majority of programs rely on indirect measures such as surveys and self-reporting, or tests that rely on student regurgitation of information. Through hands-on exercises and demonstrations, participants in this interactive workshop will rework indirect measures into authentic forms of assessment directly connected to student learning. Participants should bring examples of existing tools to use as a basis for developing authentic assessment measures

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: How Do Special Education Administrators Prevent And Resolve Conflict With Families?, Tracy Gershwin Mueller, Shawn Piantoni

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Conflict between parents of children with disabilities and school district members has been an ongoing issue for decades. Special education administrators are often designated to address conflict with the intent to find an amicable resolution. Otherwise, conflict can lead to due process hearings that move valuable time and money away from general district funds. Understanding how administrators informally address such conflict can guide leaders as they promote collaboration between the home and school. This paper presents a qualitative interview study of special education directors’ experiences with conflict prevention and resolution. Seven key action-based strategies that prevent and resolve conflict with …

Examining Co-Teaching Through A Socio-Technical Systems Lens, Robert S. Isherwood, Richael Barger-Anderson, Matthew Erickson

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

Qualitative research was conducted in a large suburban school district implementing co-teaching as a new service delivery model for special education. Researchers examined the changes that resulted from the new service delivery model using a socio-technical systems lens. This framework views schools as open systems that contain a structural, task, human, and technical subsystem. The intent of the study was to document the changes in each of these subsystems resulting from the implementation of co-teaching and to provide educators with strategies to implement co-teaching in a seamless and effective manner. Unanticipated challenges included scheduling, teacher work ethic, personality compatibility, classroom …

No Teacher Left Behind: Educating Students With Asd And Adhd In The Inclusion Classroom, Michaela N. Jones, Kimberly P. Weber, T.F. Mclaughlin

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a token economy on on-task behaviors by two seventh grade boys with varying disabilities within a public school inclusion classroom setting. At the end of the study, the participant identified with ASD increased his on-task behaviors approximately 52%. The participant identified with ADHD increased about 59% and decreased an average of 3.3 talk-outs per minute, although there were environmental limitations that impacted the design and confounded the ability to determine an educational effect. One specific limitation was the lack of support for the general education teacher to influence …

Teacher Needs For Educating Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders In The General Education Classroom, Kim Finch, Robert Watson, Cynthia Macgregor, Natalie Precise

The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship

The purpose of this study was to gather information on experiences of general education teachers concerning inclusion practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In this case study third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in a rural Southwest Missouri school district provided the data source to keep a narrowed focus on the needs of education teachers for inclusion. The sample accounted for 16 elementary education teachers. Surveys were sent to all third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in the district. Perceptions of general education teachers on proper inclusion training were identified as necessary for the …

Influence Of Hydrogel Substrate On Cell Growth And Virus Infection, Fan Yang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The interaction of cells with their extracellular matrix is of great importance when cells adapt to their environment. The purpose of this thesis is to design substrates with controllable properties and to study cellular interaction on these substrates. Firstly, enzymatically cross-linked gelatin hydrogels with different elastic modulus were prepared. Then, we studied the condition of cell growth and virus infection on these hydrogels as a followed-up. In the first part of the study, we made enzymatically cross-linked gelatin hydrogels with five different elastic modulus. As a parameter of stiffness, elastic modulus varies from 2.4 KPa to 7.5 KPa based on …

A Study On Two Optimal Planning Problems In Smart Grid, Eting Yuan

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Optimized planning of power devices and power generators is essential for saving energy and reducing costs in smart grid. Many of these optimization problems share a common characteristic and seek to optimize accumulated rewards or costs within a finite time planning horizon. For this reason, some of those problems can be formulated as finite horizon optimal planning problems. This dissertation performs detailed investigation on two representative finite horizon optimal planning problems: the Unit Commitment problem (UCP) and the Voltage and Reactive Power Control (VVC) Problem. UCP is an important optimal power planning problems in electric grids. The purpose of UCP …

Dynamic Behavior Of Cellular Architectures And The Role Of Topology, Vincent Brick

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This work investigates the dependence of strength and energy absorbance characteristics of cellular solids on inner topological features under high-strain-rate normal and mixed mode loading conditions. Topological features investigated in this work include cellular geometry, connectivity, in-plane and out-of-plane cellular aspect ratios. Varying the cellular geometry and connectivity is achieved by investigating cellular specimens with hexagonal, triangular, and square core cell geometries. This work utilizes explicit dynamic finite element simulations to examine the relationships among strength, energy absorbance, cellular geometry, and the underlying deformation mechanisms. Results over the length scales examined strongly indicate that hexagonal geometry has higher specific and …

Energy Performance Evaluation And Energy Savings Opportunities For Manufacturing Systems, Shiyao Wang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Presently, with the development of modern manufacturing system, the usage of energy is growing rapidly. Since most of fuel we use are non-renewable resources, fuel becomes a very big part of cost. How to use the energy more efficiently is the main concern now. This thesis provides a systematic method to evaluate the energy efficiency of a production system and decompose the unnecessary energy waste of a manufacturing facility from the measured data with stochastic frontier analysis model. A new energy efficiency indicator is developed for the energy consumption level and efficiency of machines and production lines. Energy savings opportunity …

Computer Aided Design Of Planar Four-Bar Linkages On Ios Using A Novel Svd Algorithm, Xin Ge

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Motion synthesis has been a practical topic existing for a long time. Various methods have been tried and put into practice. It is well done by the scientists and engineers to solve large equations of matrix. Although it can be done and get the good result, the efficiency is low and labor is very much consuming. Comparatively, our methods are much more easier and efficient, it is more suitable for the software to realize the calculation by itself. It is mature in PCs to have a motion synthesis software, but since the mobile system is going into everyday life and …

Lack Of Csk-Mediated Negative Regulation In A Unicellular Src Kinase, Kira Schultheiss

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Tyrosine kinases play important roles in cellular communication in animals. c-Src is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that is involved in survival, angiogenesis, proliferation, and invasion pathways. There are 9 Src family kinases, and they have a conserved domain arrangement (SH3-SH2-kinase) that is necessary for regulation. The basal activity of c-Src is normally kept low due to phosphorylation by C-terminal Src kinase (Csk). This regulatory relationship has been conserved throughout the evolution of animals. Until recently, it was thought that complex signaling molecules, such as the tyrosine kinases, did not exist outside of multicellular animals. Newly discovered unicellular precursors to mammalian …