Digital Commons Network^™

Transforming Traditional Classrooms Into Student-Centered 21 St Century Classrooms: A Developmental Process For Professional Development, Monica Mccartney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This design-based action research study utilized a model of design, implementation, and evaluation across four school semesters to improve the professional development provided to teachers in a new one-to-one computing environment. Data sources collected across all semesters helped guide changes to the design and implementation phases of the professional development. This study had one guiding research question: What are the appropriate professional development sessions and process for designing professional development in order to meet the needs of teachers as they to transform traditional classrooms into student-centered 21 st century classrooms?

A Method Of Pricing European Style Equity Options, David Harris

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The study of option pricing has a very short history, when compared with other elements of economics. Since the publication of a method to price European style equity options by Fischer Black and Myron Scholes in 1973 a vast amount of research on option pricing has occurred. Ultimately, the pricing of equity options depends upon the match of the model and reality. A new method to price option contracts is proposed. It is argued that the distributional assumptions of standard models are uncorrelated with nature. A new model is proposed as a start to a new class of models.

The Use Of Hand Bacteria As A Human Biometric Identifier, Amanda Holbert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Molecular and bio-molecular biometrics are an advancing field that involves the analysis of a person's unique biological markers at a molecular level to ascertain identity. Bacteria communities found on the skin of the human hand have shown to be highly diverse and to have a low percentage of similarity between individuals. The goal of this research effort is to see if a person's demographics, primarily ethnicity, share a relationship with the bacteria communities that exist on their hand. A sample collection was carried out in which the left and right inner palms of 250 individuals were swabbed to obtain a …

Effects Of Slope Geometry Alterations On Rockfall Mitigation Along Highway Rock Cut Slopes In West Virginia, Matthew D. Idleman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This report presents the findings of an analysis of current highway rock cut slope design practices in West Virginia, in terms of rockfall mitigation, using the rockfall simulation computer software Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program Version 4.0. Additionally, this report presents the results of two case studies, conducted on highway rock cut slopes constructed in West Virginia, to determine the feasibility of reducing the number of geotechnical benches currently used in cut slope design and construction while still safely retaining rockfall and remaining structurally stable.;Two case studies were conducted on as-built rock cut slopes in West Virginia. The objective of the …

Effect Of Nmb Voting Change On Airline Unionization, Michael Elsenrath

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

In 2010 the National Mediation Board made two significant changes to the application of the Railway Labor Act. Election rules were revised allowing employees to certify a union as their collective bargaining entity if a majority of the ballots cast are in favor of a particular union. Prior to the change, union certification required the majority vote of an entire populace of a craft or class of employees, not a majority of ballots cast. Additionally, failure to participate in a union election on behalf of a member no longer equates to an automatic vote against. Data from National Mediation Board …

Privacy, Restriction, And Regulation Involving Federal, State And Local Legislation: More Hurdles For Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas) Integration?, David C. Ison, Brent Terwilliger, Dennis Vincenzi

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

With the Congressional mandate for the integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) to begin by 2015, significant interest in UAS investment, operations, and research has taken place. Unfortunately, a complex array of requirements and restrictions have been placed on UAS stakeholders by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Public concerns about privacy in and around UAS operations has also created an additional layer of convolution, with outcries for further restrictions by the citizens who believe this technology may be used in ways that violate their right to privacy and protection against illegal search and seizure. …

Implementing Human Rights In Closed Environments Through The United Nations Convention Against Torture, Claudio Grossman

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Closed environments pose a major challenge to the full and effective implementation of human rights norms and conventions. However, many conventions contain mechanisms that can be used to further advance implementation of human rights in those closed environments. The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention) has several mechanisms in place that play an important role in enforcing and implementing human rights obligations. Along with the creation of a supervisory organ, the Committee against Torture (the Committee), the Convention provides a framework for: State Party reporting and concluding observations (COBs) under …

Droplet Size Effect On Herbicide Used In Cereals To Control Dicotyledonous Weeds, Andrew Nathan Fillmore

Plant Sciences

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of droplet size on the efficacy of translocated and non-translocated herbicides. Translocated and non-translocated herbicides provided similar control when comparing droplet size effect on efficacy. Medium and very coarse droplet sizes gave the greatest visible injury whereas coarse-sized gave the lowest visible injury assessments for most species. However, droplet size generally did not affect contact herbicide efficacy. Overall, droplet size was not a strong factor contributing to herbicide efficacy and often, differences were only between herbicides. Non-ionic surfactant solutions measured by a Sympatec droplet analysis system gave the highest percent of volume in …

Genetic Dissection And Molecular Approaches Of Root Morphology Of Canola, Muhammad Arif Uz Zaman

Plant Sciences

The inheritance of root vigor and days to flowering were studied in the F2 populations derived from winter- and spring-type crosses and their reciprocal crosses. Root vigor was found to be controlled by three genes whereas, a single dominant gene was found to be responsible for days to flowering. Positive and significant correlation was found between seed yield and yield attributing traits, seed yield and root length, days to flowering and root length. Days to flowering was negatively correlated to seed yield. Linkage map was constructed with 262 SNP and 3 SSR markers. Two QTL for both root vigor and …

Phytoremediation Of Soils Contaminated By Oil And Gas Drilling And Production Operations Using Grass Species, Yang Gao

Plant Sciences

Soil contaminated by crude oil or drill cuttings poses a threat to ecosystem. The objective of this study was to test tolerance levels of grass species to drill cuttings and crude oil in seed germination and at the 5-leaf stage. Sixty five grass species were screened for their tolerance to crude oil and drill cuttings at the germination stage. Two species were grouped as tolerant, 18 species as moderately tolerant, 27 species as moderately sensitive, and 18 species as sensitive to drill cuttings. In the test with crude oil, 28 species were classified as tolerant, 29 species as moderately tolerant, …

Defining Western Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera Praeclara) Habitat, Michael David Knudson

Theses and Dissertations

Terrestrial orchids are at the forefront of the discussion about anthropogenically-driven extinction with more species threatened globally than any other plant family, mostly because of loss of habitat. The Western Prairie Fringed Orchid (Platanthera praeclara) is a threatened species found on the Sheyenne National Grassland in southeast North Dakota, USA. This conservation area that is a vital refuge for this species is subject to management for multiple uses including livestock grazing and recreation. Orchids are subject to continuous monitoring, but knowledge of the relationship between landscape indicators and orchid locations is limited. Research is needed to provide a greater understanding …

Converting Benchslaps To Backslaps: Instilling Professional Accountability In New Legal Writers By Teaching And Reinforcing Context, Heidi K. Brown

Articles & Chapters

A search in published and unpublished court decisions for derivations of phrases like "poorly written brief" or "failure to follow court rules" yields an alarming multitude of case opinions in which judges admonish lawyers of all levels of experience for shoddy briefs or for flouting non-negotiable substantive and procedural rules. Legal bloggers have affectionately dubbed these public reprimands "benchslaps."

Section I of this article provides a contextual background that professors and practitioners can share with rookie legal writers, using judicial opinions to demonstrate the eight most-common ways that attorney work product falls short of judges' expectations and, more importantly, how …

Steps Toward A Shared Governance Response For Achieving Good Environmental Status In The Mediterranean Sea, Sergio Cinnirella, R Sarda, Suarez De Vivero J Luis, Ruth Brennan, Alberto Barausse, John Icely, Tiziana Luisetti, David March, Carla Murciano, Alice Newton, T O'Higgins, Luca Palmeri, Maria Giovanna Palmieri, Pascal Raux, Sian Rees, J Albaiges, Nicola Pirrone, Kerry Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Geography Of Marriage, William P. Lapiana

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Improving Hedge Fund Governance, Houman B. Shadab

Articles & Chapters

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the internal governance of hedge funds. The primary components of hedge fund governance are investors with a high propensity to exercise their short-term redemption rights; managers with high pay performance sensitivity, because they are being compensated with an annual performance-based fee plus earnings from their own investment in the funds they manage; sophisticated investors who demand quality governance; and short-term creditors and derivatives counterparties who provide close monitoring. Hedge fund governance needs the most improvement in the areas of performance reporting (valuation) and the timing of performance-fee calculations. Further, counterintuitively, in some circumstances …

The Forgotten Promise Of Professionalism, Rebecca Roiphe

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Backlash And Marriage Equality, Arthur S. Leonard

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Improving Hedge Fund Governance, Houman B. Shadab

Articles & Chapters

This Article provides the first comprehensive scholarly analysis of the internal governance of hedge funds. Hedge fund governance consists of the funds’ underlying legal regime and the practices they adopt in response to lacking permanent capital and to reduce agency costs. Hedge fund governance is important because better governance can improve investor returns and help managers raise and retain capital. I argue that hedge fund governance is best understood as a type of responsive managerialism. It is a type of managerialism because applicable law and contracting structures give managers uniquely wide-ranging control over the fund and its operations. Hedge fund …

A Champion For African Freedom: Paul Robeson And The Struggle Against Apartheid, Penelope Andrews

Articles & Chapters

On February 28, 2013, I was honored to deliver the Paul Robeson lecture at Columbia Law School, an annual event to commemorate the life and legacy of Paul Robeson, a graduate of Columbia Law School (Class of 1923). This article is a slightly expanded version of my lecture.

This article will have four components: first, it will highlight the achievements of this extraordinary man, an advocate for social justice, a world-renowned artist, and an accomplished sportsman. Second, in this article I explore Paul Robeson’s connections and commitment to the African anti-colonial struggle, and in particular the struggle against apartheid in …

Usefulness Of Expired Proprietary (Ex-Pvp) Maize (Zea Mays L.) Germplasm For U.S. Northern Breeding Programs, Md. Abdullah Al Bari

Plant Sciences

Maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines and hybrids are protected by U.S. Patent and/or Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA). Protection lasts 20 years and it affects breeding access in a highly confidential and competitive market. This research assessed the usefulness of patent expired short-season maize inbred lines. The study was conducted i) to understand the nature of gene action of a short-season maize breeding sample for agronomy and grain quality traits ii) to identify ex-PVP inbred lines and hybrids as potential breeding sources for short-season maize breeding programs for agronomic, grain quality, and nutritional traits iii) to identify and validate …

Identification And Genomic Analysis Of Stagonospora Nodorum Blotch Susceptibility Genes In Wheat, Gongjun Shi

Plant Sciences

Parastagonospora nodorum is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes the disease Stagonospora nodorum blotch (SNB) on wheat. The fungus produces necrotrophic effectors (NEs), that when recognized by corresponding host genes, cause cell death leading to disease. A novel NE, designated SnTox7, was identified from culture filtrates of isolate Sn6 of P. nodorum. SnTox7 is a small protein with estimated size less than 30 kDa. The interaction between SnTox7 and its corresponding host sensitivity gene, Snn7, explained 33% of the disease variation among a segregating F2 population. The Snn7 gene governs sensitivity to SnTox7 and was delineated to a 2.7 cM …

Marker Assisted Selection Increases The Efficiency Of Breeding For Potato Virus Y Resistance In Potato, Whitney Ann Harchenko

Plant Sciences

Potato Virus Y (PVY) is an important virus of potato due to the non-persistent mode of transmission by aphids causing yield losses. Genetic resistance is the recommended control since insecticides cannot adequately control the spread of PVY by aphids. The gene Ryadg from S. tuberosum ssp. andigena provides resistance to all strains of PVY. This gene has genetically been mapped to chromosome XI, and linked polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based DNA markers have been identified. This study identified PVY resistant progeny by the use of the molecular sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker RYSC3. The RYSC3 marker allowed a simple and …

Micropropagation Of The Relict Genus Cercidiphyllum (Cercidiphyllaceae), Craig Henry Carlson

Plant Sciences

Focusing on various aspects of micropropagation with respect to well represented genotypes within Cercidiphyllum, this study is an attempt to broaden the experimental knowledge of the genus. The Tertiary relict Cercidiphyllum (Cercidiphyllaceae) is endemic to Japan and China and consists of two deciduous tree species, common katsura, C. japonicum Sieb. & Zucc. and the hiro-ha-katsura, C. magnificum Nakai. To date, there exists no literature on the in vitro requirements of C. magnificum and limited information on C. japonicum. Prized as specimen trees, the importance of Cercidiphyllum extends beyond its ornamental merit and regarded a multifaceted genetic resource. Subsequent protocols and …

Quinclorac And Aminocyclopyrachlor Movement In Sandy Soils Of The Sheyenne National Grassland, And Control Of Yellow Toadflax With Aminocyclopyrachlor, Jason Wayland Adams

Plant Sciences

Quinclorac and aminocyclopyrachlor leaching potential was evaluated in replicated field conditions in soil from five ecological sites of the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG). Herbicide concentration was estimated using bioassays. Quinclorac did not leach past approximately 45 cm following 51 cm of precipitation applied over 9 wk and 15 cm of precipitation applied over 48 h. Aminocyclopyrachlor leaching was greater than quinclorac and moved through all soil types following both precipitation events. Quinclorac is suitable for use at the SNG to control leafy spurge; however, aminocyclopyrachlor will not be recommended. Control of yellow toadflax with aminocyclopyrachlor was evaluated at four growth …

Uncovering The Genetic Basis And Characters Association Of Wheat Spike-Related, Agronomic And Quality Traits, Morgan Echeverry-Solarte

Plant Sciences

Modern wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars are characterized by having spikes with fusiform architecture and rachis nodes with one spikelet. However, genotypes with supernumerary spikelets (SS) in which rachis nodes have more than one spikelet exist in nature. Although this may be a promising trait that increases yield components, detailed knowledge about the molecular basis of SS trait and their influence on other wheat traits is still lacking. In the present study, a population of 163 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from an elite line and an exotic line with SS was used to identify QTL for SS and other …

The Legal Culture Of Appropriation Art: The Future Of Copyright In The Remix Age, Richard H. Chused

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Conservation Easements And The Development Of New Energies: Fracking, Wind Turbines, And Solar Collection, Gerald Korngold

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Book Review Of Theunis Roux’S “The Politics Of Principle: The First South African Constitutional Court 1995-2005, Stephen Ellmann

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

If We Only Knew What We Know: Open Regulatory Review At The Fda (Policy Essay), Beth Simone Noveck

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Deals Or No Deals: Integrating Transactional Skills In The First Year Curriculum, Lynnise E. Pantin

Articles & Chapters

In the wake of criticism of legal education from both outside the academy and within, the mandate for developing and graduating practice-ready attorneys has never been clearer. There is a strong desire for law schools to begin graduating students who are practice-ready, meaning that these new attorneys would be prepared for the real practice of law upon graduation. The question of what type of practice remains. At least half, if not more, of all attorneys engage in some form of transactional practice, rather than litigation, or other form of dispute resolution. Transactional practice refers to the art of “planning, negotiating, …