Digital Commons Network^™

A Multimedia Approach To Game-Based Training: Exploring The Effects Of The Modality And Temporal Contiguity Principles On Learning In A Virtual Environment, Stephen Serge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing interest in using video games as a means to deliver training to individuals learning new skills or tasks. However, current research lacks a clear method of developing effective instructional material when these games are used as training tools and explaining how gameplay may affect learning. The literature contains multiple approaches to training and GBT but generally lacks a foundational-level and theoretically relevant approach to how people learn specifically from video games and how to design instructional guidance within these gaming environments. This study investigated instructional delivery within GBT. Video games are a form of multimedia, consisting …

An Examination Of The Connection Between Genuine Dialogue And Improv, Kathleen O'Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The value of improv training extends beyond the stage. Improv has been successfully utilized and applied in a variety of ways in the workplace, school, and community. This study examines the connection between genuine dialogue and improv to determine if improv exhibits dialogic qualities. Three focus groups were conducted with a total of nineteen improv students. Additionally, an interview was conducted with the director of a hospital's Innovation Lab where improv is used in an organizational setting. The conditions for dialogue set by Gordon (2006) served as a guideline for analyzing data. Thematic analysis generated categories used to analyze data. …

An Analysis Of The Difference Between Assessed Instructional Practices, Value-Added Measures, And Learning Gains Of Secondary Reading Teachers, Ronald Fritz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship that exists among instructional practice scores, value-added measures, and learning gains for the Large Urban School District (LUSD) among reading teachers in Grades 6-12 for the 2012-2013 school year. In addition, this study was also conducted to address the perceptions of secondary school principals and assistant principals regarding the relationship of the three variables and their relevance in making personnel decisions. Quantitative data were obtained from school district databases for observation scores, value-added measures, and standardized assessment achievement data to determine the relationship among the variables. In addition, a perception …

Creation And Application Of Routines For Determining Physical Properties Of Asteroids And Exoplanets From Low Signal-To-Noise Data Sets, Nathaniel Lust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Astronomy is a data heavy field driven by observations of remote sources reflecting or emitting light. These signals are transient in nature, which makes it very important to fully utilize every observation. This however is often difficult due to the faintness of these observations, often are only slightly above the level of observational noise. We present new or adapted methodologies for dealing with these low signal-to-noise scenarios, along with practical examples including determining exoplanet physical properties, periodicities in asteroids, and the rotational and orbital properties of the multiple asteroid system 2577 Litva.

Investigators' Perceptions Of Inter-Jurisdictional Law Enforcement Information Sharing On Criminal Investigative Success: An Exploratory Analysis, Jennifer Freeman-Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Information sharing among law enforcement entities became a national priority after the 9/11 attack (Carter, 2005). Various information systems utilized by law enforcement agencies may be promising; however, there is little extant empirical research to validate the system's effectiveness related to increasing investigative success (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2010). One information system that has tied together numerous Florida law enforcement agencies is the FINDER system. FINDER, the Florida Integrated Network for Data Exchange and Retrieval system, provides agency investigators a wide range of information not previously available (Reynolds, Griset, and Scott, 2006; Scott, 2006). This study's foundation was primarily based …

Philosophy Of Law: Reply To Critics, Andrei Marmor

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

The author addresses issues raised by commentators on his book, Philosophy of Law (2011).

Rethinking And Theorizing Regional Integration In Southern Africa, Luwam G. Dirar

Emory International Law Review

Regional integration studies is characterized by, and normally understood as, a combination of inquiries from various disciplines. Conventionally, integration requires the amalgamation of political and economic policies. Yet, integration projects transcend political and economic cooperation and might even require harmonization of laws and principles. Scholars from legal, economic, and political sciences have studied and engaged in intra-disciplinary conceptualization of integration. Some of the theories that developed in relation to integration schemes in the developed North reflect socio-economic, political and historical factors of the North, casting doubt on the applicability, value, and consistency of those theories to integration schemes in southern …

Religion And Constitutionalism: Lessons From American And Islamic Constitutionalism, Nimer Sultany

Emory International Law Review

This Article examines the role of religious law in constitutionalism by focusing on Egypt and Tunisia as two main case studies: Egypt is an example of the so-called 'Islamic constitutionalism' and Tunisia is an example of a more secular variety. Both cases are analyzed against the backdrop of U.S. constitutional theory and law. I begin by rejecting conceptualist approaches which focus on abstract concepts in order to assess the compatibility of religion, like Islam, with democracy. I show the futility of this kind of debate through a comparison to American debates between 'living constitutionalists' and 'originalists.' I then elaborate a …

The Impact Of Situational Factors On Forum Choice And Criminal Justice System Development In Bangladesh, Kristina Lugo, Elizabeth A.M. Searing

Emory International Law Review

Using a survey by the World Bank's Justice and Development Initiative, Kristina Lugo and Elizabeth Searing examine whether crime victims' choice of dispute resolution forum is more constrained by social factors, such as socioeconomic status, or by event-specific factors, such as direct economic loss from the crime itself. In Bangladesh's pluralist legal environment of competing traditional and state venues, neoinstitutionalist-inspired development strategies overlook important factors and strategies that improve access to justice for those most hurt by crime. This study finds that crime victims who suffer greater economic harm resulting directly from the crime, as well as victims of violent …

The End Of Religious Freedom: What Is At Stake?, Nelson Tebbe

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

In recent work, Steven Smith argues that the American tradition of religious freedom is newly imperiled and may even be nearing exhaustion. This Review puts to one side the substance of that argument and focuses instead on what the stakes might be, should it turn out to be correct. It concludes that the consequences would not be as severe as many people fear.

Recent Development: Blackburn Ltd. P'Ship V. Paul: If A Trespasser Is A Member Of A Specific Class Protected By An Ordinance Or Statute, Property Owners Owe A Duty Of Care Despite Common Law Rule That No Such Duty Is Owed, Ame P. Roberts

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that the Statute or Ordinance Rule might apply, regardless of the common law duty to trespassers. Blackburn Ltd. P’ship v. Paul, 438 Md. 100, 112, 90 A.3d 464, 471 (2014) (citing Brooks v. Lewin Realty III, Inc., 378 Md. 70, 78, 835 A.2d 616, 620-21 (2003)). The court further concluded that Christopher Paul was a member of the class intended to be protected by statute, and suffered those injuries that the statute sought to prevent. Id. at 126, 90 A.3d at 479. Finally, the court held that a genuine issue of material fact …

Stacked Modulation In A Hall Reverberation Algorithm, Kelsey M. Cintorino, Daniel M. Wisniewski, Benjamin D. Mcpheron

Engineering, Computing & Construction Management Faculty Publications

Reverberation is the reflection of sound caused by objects in space, similar to the way the visual world is sensed by the reflection of light. Novel reverberation algorithms are in high demand within the music industry due to changing trends and desire for unique sounds. As DSP hardware has improved, it is easier to implement multiple effects into the same algorithm. This paper presents a hall algorithm augmented with a series of chorus modulation blocks in an attempt to create new sounds. The approach is to add chorus blocks before the early decay phase of the hall algorithm, as well …

Microgrids For Improving Manufacturing Energy Efficiency, Terance J. Harper, William J. Hutzel, Athula Kulatunga, J. Christopher Foreman, Aaron L. Adams

International High Performance Buildings Conference

Thirty-one percent of annual energy consumption in the United States occurs within the industrial sector, where manufacturing processes account for the largest amount of energy consumption and carbon emissions. For this reason, energy efficiency in manufacturing facilities is increasingly important for reducing operating costs and improving profits. Using microgrids to generate local sustainable power should reduce energy consumption from the main utility grid along with energy costs and carbon emissions. Also, microgrids have the potential to serve as reliable energy generators in international locations where the utility grid is often unstable. For this research, a smart microgrid system was designed …

The Impact Of Quantitative Materiality, Perceived Responsibility And Machiavellianism On Tax Professionals’ Decision Making Regarding Fraud Detection And Reporting In The Prc, Qian Yu

Lingnan Theses

Research on fraud detection in accounting has long focused primarily on financial statement fraud and responsibilities of auditors and company management relating to such frauds. While tax fraud is also clearly significant, and tax professionals have responsibilities relating to fraud detection, little prior research has addressed this issue. The current research examines the impact of quantitative materiality, perceived responsibility (based on the triangle model of responsibility) and Machiavellianism on several aspects of tax professionals’ decision making regarding fraud detection and reporting.

I surveyed all tax professionals in the People’s Republic of China working for one of the Big 4 public …

Performance Persistence Of Institutional Investors In Ipo Market : Evidence From China, Sibo Liu

Lingnan Theses

Using a dataset consisting of complete bid information for 477 bookbuilt IPOs that took place during Nov 2010 to Oct 2012 in China, I examine whether the performance of institutional investors demonstrates persistence in the IPO market. Building on the adverse selection model as developed by Rock (1986) and a twoperiod analysis, I develop three hypotheses and obtain empirical results that are consistent with the hypotheses. Firstly, I find that the performance of institutional investors continues into the next period. Secondly, I find that the performance persistence exists only for the investors with good past performance but not for investors …

Efficacy Of Autologous Bone Marrow Buffy Coat Grafting Combined With Core Decompression In Patients With Avascular Necrosis Of Femoral Head: A Prospective, Double-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Study, Yuanchen Ma, Tao Wang, Junxing Liao, Honglin Gu, Xinpeng Lin, Qing Jiang, Max Bulsara, Minghao Zheng, Qiujian Zheng

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Introduction

Avascular necrosis of femoral head (ANFH) is a progressive disease that often leads to hip joint dysfunction and even disability in young patients. Although the standard treatment, which is core decompression, has the advantage of minimal invasion, the efficacy is variable. Recent studies have shown that implantation of bone marrow containing osteogenic precursors into necrotic lesion of ANFH may be promising for the treatment of ANFH.

Methods

A prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effect of bone-marrow buffy coat (BBC) grafting combined with core decompression for the treatment of ANFH. Forty-five patients (53 hips) with …

Novice Science Teachers' Thinking About The Purpose Of Teachers' Questions, Gwyndolyn Crittenden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective teacher questioning during whole group instruction remains an important pedagogy in science education, especially the importance of helping novice teachers to guide student thinking using effective questions. This study examined how novice secondary science teachers’ understand the relationship between student thinking and teacher questioning. The sample was seven novice secondary science teachers’ enrolled in the University of Central Florida’s job embedded Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program (RTP3 ). All participants received instruction and guided practice with the use of questions to elicit, probe, and challenge student ideas in the secondary science pedagogy class. Participants completed a questionnaire describing their …

Techniques For Characterization Of Third Order Optical Nonlinearities, Manuel Ferdinandus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the development of novel techniques for characterization of nonlinear properties of materials. The dissertation is divided into two parts, a background and theory section and a technique development section. In the background and theory section we explain the origins of the nonlinear optical response of materials across many different spatial and temporal scales. The mechanisms that we are most interested in are the electronic nuclear and reorientational responses, which occur on the range of sub-femtosecond to several picoseconds. The electronic mechanism is due to the electrons of a material experiencing a non-parabolic potential well due a strong …

Factors Associated With Information Literacy Competencies Of The Traditional Baccalaureate Nursing Student, Patricia Lafferty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing practice at all levels requires a nurse to use evidence-based nursing to improve the quality of patient care. Registered nurses need information literacy skills to practice evidence-based nursing, therefore, all nursing students need to be information literate upon graduation from nursing programs. There is no empirical research evidence on information literacy skills for students entering nursing programs in four-year colleges. Students seeking to attain a baccalaureate degree through a traditional nursing program, enter with differing demographic and educational factors that may affect their information literacy skills. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine information literacy skills of …

How High School Size Configuration Affects Student Achievement In The State Of Florida, Donald Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to determine if there were any statistically significant differences in student achievement as measured by the 10th-grade Reading and Mathematics Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) at the school level between the configurations of high schools, controlling for the percentage of minority population and SES. A total of 259 large public high schools within Florida were used in the study; 149 traditional schools and 110 large schools using small learning communities. Because prior researchers have indicated that the number of low SES students and the percentage of minority students can have an effect on student achievement, these …

Multimaterial Fibers And Tapers A Platform For Nonlinear Photonics And Nanotechnology, Soroush Shabahang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The development of optical sources and components suitable for the mid-infrared is crucial for applications in this spectral range to reach the maturity level of their counterparts in the visible and near-infrared spectral regimes. The recent commercialization of quantum cascade lasers is leading to further interest in this spectral range. Wideband mid-infrared coherent sources, such as supercontinuum generation, have yet to be fully developed. A mid-infrared supercontinuum source would allow for unique applications in spectroscopy and sensing. Over the last decade, it has been shown that high-index confinement in highly nonlinear fibers pumped with high-peak-power pulses is an excellent approach …

A Time-Course Analysis Of Behavioral Plasticity And Differential Gene Expression Patterns In Response To Density In Schistocerca Americana (Orthoptera: Acrididae), Steven Gotham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of the genotype to express alternative phenotypes in response to different environmental conditions and this is considered to be an adaptation in which a species can survive and persist in a rapidly changing environment. Some grasshoppers and locusts are capable of expressing an extreme form of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity, known as locust phase polyphenism. At low population density, the individuals typically have a cryptic coloration as nymphs, are less active, and only seek out conspecifics for reproductive purposes. At high density, however, they develop a drastically different phenotype in which they have a conspicuous coloration, …

Chemical Differentiation Of Human Osseous, Non-Human Osseous, And Non-Osseous Materials Using Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (Sem/Edx) And Multivariate Statistical Analysis, Cayli Meizel-Lambert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identification of osseous materials is generally established on gross anatomical factors; however, highly fragmented or taphonomically altered materials are often problematic and alternative methods, such as biological, histological, or chemical analysis, must be utilized. Recently, chemical methods have been proposed to sort unknown materials according to their Ca/P ratios. Ubelaker and colleagues (2002) proposed using SEM/EDX to achieve this distinction and Christensen and colleagues (2012) have validated X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) for this application. An alternative method of analysis involves performing principal component analysis (PCA) on element spectra to classify unknown materials based on their trace element composition. Zimmerman (2013) …

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles: Their Phosphatase Activity And Its Control, Atul Dhall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cerium oxide nanoparticles are established scavengers of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. They have many potential biomedical applications that depend on their physicochemical properties and mode of preparation. Recent studies have found these nanoparticles possess phosphatase mimetic activity. Studying such catalytic activities will qualify their biomedical applications and render information on their bioavailability and potential toxicity. Two oxidation states of cerium exist in these nanoparticles (3+ or 4+). It is hypothesized that the oxidation state of cerium in the nanoparticles determines the amount of adsorbed water on the crystal lattices. This in turn governs their activity as phosphatases. Nanoparticles with …

Factors Influencing Material Loss During Iron Ore Pellet Handling, Joseph A. Halt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Iron ore concentrate pellets have the potential to fracture and abrade during transportation and handling, which produces unwanted fine particulates and dust. Consequently, pellet producers characterize the abrasion resistance of their pellets, using an Abrasion Index (AI), to indicate whether their products will produce unacceptable levels of fines. However, no one has ever investigated whether the AI correlates to pellet dustiness.

During the course of this research, we investigated the relationship between AI and iron ore concentrate pellet dustiness using a wide range of industrial and laboratory pellet samples. The results showed that, in general, AI can be used to …

Real Time Fuzzy Controller For Quadrotor Stability Control, Pranav S. Bhatkhande

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In this report, we develop an intelligent adaptive neuro-fuzzy controller by using adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) techniques. We begin by starting with a standard proportional-derivative (PD) controller and use the PD controller data to train the ANFIS system to develop a fuzzy controller. We then propose and validate a method to implement this control strategy on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware.

An analysis is made into the choice of filters for attitude estimation. These choices are limited by the complexity of the filter and the computing ability and memory constraints of the micro-controller. Simplified Kalman filters are found to …

A Study Of Passenger Car Acoustic Cavity Boom Simulation Methods, Shreerang Dhabe

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The project objective is the study of acoustic boom phenomenon at 40 Hz in Chevrolet Cruze LTZ and recommend modeling techniques to improve accuracy of model prediction. Acoustic boom is caused by solid-fluid interaction between car structure and air inside the car cavity.

In this report, finite element analysis software Abaqus 6.12-3 is used to simulate the acoustic-structural coupling. The structural and acoustic mesh for the Chevrolet Cruze LTZ are fully coupled and solved using Abaqus ‘strongly coupled’ solution. In order to understand the physics of acoustic boom in a car simple car box models were designed. Simple box car …

Integration Of Instrumentation And Processing Software Of A Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging System, Jacob James Carrick

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) has the potential to be a powerful tool in medicine, but more research in the field is required so it can be used properly. To help in the progression of Michigan Tech's research in the field, a graphical user interface (GUI) was designed in Matlab to control the instrumentation of the experiments as well as process the raw speckle images into contrast images while they are being acquired. The design of the system was successful and is currently being used by Michigan Tech's Biomedical Engineering department. This thesis describes the development of the LSCI GUI …

Doing More With Short Period Data: Determining Magnitudes From Clipped And Over-Run Seismic Data At Mount St. Helens, John J. Wellik Ii

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

How can we calculate earthquake magnitudes when the signal is clipped and over-run? When a volcano is very active, the seismic record may saturate (i.e., the full amplitude of the signal is not recorded) or be over-run (i.e., the end of one event is covered by the start of a new event). The duration, and sometimes the amplitude, of an earthquake signal are necessary for determining event magnitudes; thus, it may be impossible to calculate earthquake magnitudes when a volcano is very active. This problem is most likely to occur at volcanoes with limited networks of short period seismometers. This …

On The Digital-Political Topography Of Music, Daniel William Lawrence

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The persuasive power of music is often relegated to the dimension of pathos: that which moves us emotionally. Yet, the music commodity is now situated in and around the liminal spaces of digitality. To think about how music functions, how it argues across media, and how it moves us, we must examine its material and immaterial realities as they present themselves to us and as we so create them. This dissertation rethinks the relationship between rhetoric and music by examining the creation, performance, and distribution of music in its material and immaterial forms to demonstrate its persuasive power. While …