Digital Commons Network^™

Engineering, Teaching, And Technology: A Nationwide Assessment Of Instructional Internet Use By Engineering Faculty, Alexander Lehman Phd

Dissertations

There has been an explosion of internet use among college students over the last decade for at least two important reasons: the proliferation of available resources and the arrival of a digital native generation to university campuses. Not surprisingly, engineering students are entering undergraduate programs possessing a much different skill set than previous generations, which has led to a decline in the popularity of traditional engineering pedagogy. Numerous conceptual models have been developed in the field of instructional technology, as researchers have attempted to classify and effectively integrate new technology practices into 21st century educational contexts. One of the most …

Social Tipping Points And Earth Systems Dynamics, R.A. Bentley, E. Maddison, P. Ranner, J. Bissell, C. Caiado, P. Bhatanacharoen, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Botha M., Akinbami F., Hollow M., Michie R., Huntley B., Curtis S., Garnett P.

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Recently, Early Warning Signals (EWS) have been developed to predict tipping points in Earth Systems. This discussion highlights the potential to apply EWS to human social and economic systems, which may also undergo similar critical transitions. Social tipping points are particularly difficult to predict, however, and the current formulation of EWS, based on a physical system analogy, may be insufficient. As an alternative set of EWS for social systems, we join with other authors encouraging a focus on heterogeneity, connectivity through social networks and individual thresholds to change.

Tumour-Stroma Crosstalk In The Development Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma., Yok Zuan Lim, Andrew P South

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represents one of the most frequently diagnosed tumours and contributes significant mortality worldwide. Recent deep sequencing of cancer genomes has identified common mutations in SCC arising across different tissues highlighting perturbation of squamous differentiation as a key event. At the same time significant data have been accumulating to show that common tumour-stroma interactions capable of driving disease progression are also evident when comparing SCC arising in different tissues. We and others have shown altered matrix composition surrounding SCC can promote tumour development. This review focuses on some of the emerging data with particular emphasis on SCC …

August 2014 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

A Palm Vein Identification System Based On Gabor Wavelet Features, Ran Wang, Guoyou Wang, Zhong Chen, Zhigang Zeng, Yong Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As a new and promising biometric feature, thermal palm vein pattern has drawn lots of attention in research and application areas. Many algorithms have been proposed for authentication since palm vein has special characteristics, such as liveness detection and hard to forgery. However, the detection accuracy of palm vein quite depends on the preprocessing and feature representation, which is supposed to be translation and rotation invariant to some extent. In this paper, we proposed an effective method for palm vein identification based on Gabor wavelet features which contains five steps: image acquisition, ROI detection, image preprocessing, features extraction, and matching. …

Integrating Motivated Learning And K-Winner-Take-All To Coordinate Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning, Teck-Hou Teng, Ah-Hwee Tan, Janusz Starzyk, Yuan-Sin Tan, Loo-Nin Teow

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This work addresses the coordination issue in distributed optimization problem (DOP) where multiple distinct and time-critical tasks are performed to satisfy a global objective function. The performance of these tasks has to be coordinated due to the sharing of consumable resources and the dependency on non-consumable resources. Knowing that it can be sub-optimal to predefine the performance of the tasks for large DOPs, the multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) framework is adopted wherein an agent is used to learn the performance of each distinct task using reinforcement learning. To coordinate MARL, we propose a novel coordination strategy integrating Motivated Learning (ML) …

Academic Clustering Of Student-Athletes: A Case Study Of Football And Basketball Programs, Matthew Brett Rowland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the topic of academic clustering within the football and men's and women's basketball teams at the University of Arkansas. Given the prominence of collegiate sport in America, this paper examines a relatively understudied topic regarding student-athletes and education. Using a mixed methods approach, the topic of academic clustering is analyzed statistically, as well as through in-depth interviews with student-athletes and academic advisors in the athletic department. Statistical analysis shows significant over- and under-representation of student-athletes in certain University colleges (e.g., Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Walton College of Business, and College of Engineering), the presence of …

Self-Assembly Of Gold Nanosphere Dimers By Inertial Force, George Andrew Christopher Sakhel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The morphology and composition of a nanoparticle (NP) play a critical role in determining the NP's properties and function. To date, researchers have created a myriad of NPs of different shapes, sizes, and compositions with interesting attributes and applications ushering a revolution in medicine, electronics, microscopy, and microfluidics.

In this study, gold (Au) nanosphere dimers (NSDs) have been synthesized through a novel self-assembly method. These particles were created from Au NPs mono-dispersed in aqueous solution via a process of centrifugation and capping agent replacement. Au NSDs consist of two Au NPs combined together with minimal gaps between them. Optical spectral …

Male Privilege, Sexual Double Standard, And Sexual Scripts: College Students' Perceptions And Influences Of Hooking Up, Mary Ellen Hunt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Approximately three-fourths of young adults in college hook up at least once by their senior year (i.e., engage in a casual sexual encounter outside the context of a committed relationship). There are important gender differences which may inform how men and women conceptualize hooking up. Men and women may have different predictors of interest, expectations of sex, or attitudes toward sex. These gender differences are likely culturally constructed by the sexual double standard and traditional sexual scripts which project men to be the aggressive sexual initiators who want sex all the time, and women to be passive gatekeepers who desire …

Lab-Scale Experiment For Assessing The Effect Of Resuspension And Oxygenation On Sediment Oxygen Demand, Grace Richardson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of resuspending lake sediment for different time periods in a lab-scale tank under both oxic and anoxic conditions on sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and other related sediment properties. This lab-scale study was conducted as a first step to determine if a proposed method for reducing SOD by treating sediments in lakes and reservoirs is feasible. SOD is a critical process responsible for the formation of anoxic hypolimnia in lakes and reservoirs. A reduction in SOD may delay or eliminate the onset of anoxia in the hypolimnia, preventing adverse ecosystem effects and improving water quality and …

Transitioning To Writing About Writing: A Consideration Of The Metawriting Teaching Approach At The University Of Arkansas, Katie Michelle Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses case studies of six Teaching Assistants and Instructors to analyze the curricular and pedagogical shift from a writing-through-literature model to the Composition II course to a metawriting approach during the 2014 spring semester at the University of Arkansas. The administrative decision from the Program in Rhetoric and Composition to make this transition came in response to the 2007 article by Elizabeth Wardle and Douglas Downs in College Composition and Communication outlining a "Writing about Writing" approach to teaching composition.

Effects Of Parental Modeling On The Development Of Panic-Relevant Escape And Avoidance Among Adolescents: An Experimental Study Using A Biological Challenge Procedure, Liviu Bunaciu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Escape and avoidance behaviors play a prominent role in the maintenance of panic-spectrum difficulties and may also be implicated in the development of such problems. Although the current state of the literature regarding the etiology of these emotion-regulation strategies is relatively underdeveloped, it appears that learning experiences involving parental modeling of such behaviors may be instrumental in the development of panic-relevant escape and avoidance. Given that no tests of such a conceptualization exist at this time, the current study proposed an initial experimental examination of whether parental modeling of defensive reactivity during a well-established biological challenge could impact panic-relevant escape …

A Novel Cell Based Assay For Mmp Inhibitor Screening, Pantrika Krisanarungson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Up to date, a plethora of protein based materials are used as implants to stimulate tissue regeneration or fillers to alleviate tissue or organ impairment. This includes glottal insufficiency, urinary bladder incontinence and especially in cosmetic industrial to improve facial contour. Once in vivo, protein-based materials are decomposed by cell secreted matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and lose their volume within months. By introducing MMP inhibitor (MMPI), the extent of material degradation over time may be reduced. In this dissertation, the development of cell-based assay capable of identifying MMPI candidates for protein-based implant lifetime prolongation is described. To visualize the degradation, DQ-gelatin, …

Facing The Wreck: Death, Optimism, And The Fragmented Form, Rachael Marie Schaffner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Walter Benjamin described history as a winged angel who faces backwards, staring perpetually into the past as the violent winds of destiny carry him into the future (Illuminations). Despite a western, post-enlightenment myth of eternal progress, the wreckage of human contributions to history is clearly evident in our 21st-century understanding of anthropogenic impact on global ecology. In the context of these ecological crises (and the resulting political and economic questions), postmodern novels reveal a powerful ability to imagine different ways of living and interacting with the world. This thesis traces the relationship between fragmentation, death, and liminal experiences …

Ethnocultural Differences In Motivations For Sex, Arthur Robert Andrews Iii

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Motivations for sex are numerous and varied (Browning, 2004; Meston & Buss, 2007). Using exploratory factor analytic methods, 21 theoretically distinct motivations have been proposed (Browning, 2004; Meston & Buss, 2007). A comprehensive number of motivations for sex has yet to be examined with confirmatory techniques. Theoretical work related to the treatment of sexual dysfunction has suggested that motivations focused on individual and partner pleasure would positively relate to sexual functioning (e.g., Leiblum & Rosen, 1992). Motivations for sex also appear to vary as a function of ethnocultural factors, as some motivations have only been uncovered utilizing qualitative methods with …

The Corrections System Must Make More Accommodations For The Needs Of Motherhood During Incarceration And The Parole Period, Susan Bloom

Theses & Dissertations

While the overall prison population has experienced an unprecedented growth period over the past thirty years, no segment has grown at a faster rate than the female population. Since the majority of female inmates in this country are mothers, it is imperative that the corrections system addresses the unique needs of this subset. This thesis investigates problems women face during the pregnancy period, while in labor and delivery, while their progenies are infants, children and adolescents and reunification issues during the parole period.

The Worship Of Semar: A Claim To "Jus Primordialis", Margaret Chan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

An ethnography of Paguyuban Cahya Buwana (PCB, The Community of the Light of the Universe) at Gunong Srandil, Central Java, a group dedicated to the worship of Semar. The study reveals how a community of Chinese in Central Java has moved beyond limiting ethnic notions such as Peranakan (Chinese born in Indonesia and adopting Indonesian language) and Totok (“newly-arrived” and retaining the Chinese language) to become entirely Javanese through entry into Kejawen (“Javanism”). This entry has been effected through their worship of Semar who has been described as the “father” of the Javanese.

The New Lyrics Of The Old Folks: The Role Of Family Ownership In Corporate Innovation, Po-Hsuan Hsu, Sterling Huang, Massimo Massa, Hong Zhang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

According to conventional wisdom, family ownership, which signals a lack of social capital and trust in an economy, may impede innovation. This argument, however, fails to recognize that modern family firms can benefit from capitalist institutions that promote innovation. Using a comprehensive sample of U.S. family-owned public firms and patents for the period from 2000 to 2010, we show that family ownership promotes innovation and that this positive effect can be attributed to reduced financial constraints, a greater commitment to long-term value, and improved corporate governance. Causality is confirmed by an instrumental variable analysis using the state-level divorce rate and …

Empyema Thoracis In Children: Clinical Presentation, Management And Complications, Ali Faisal Saleem, Abdul Sattar Shaikh, Reema Sajjad Khan, Fazal Khan, Ahmad Vaqas Faruque, Muhammad Arif Mateen Khan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Objective: To determine the etiology, clinical manifestation, management (medical and surgical) and complications of children with empyema thoracis in a tertiary care hospital from Karachi, Pakistan.

Study Design: Descriptive, analytical study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 1996 to December 2010.

Methodology: Medical records of admitted children aged > a month to 15 years with discharge diagnosis of empyema thoracis and data was collected on demographic features, clinical manifestation, management and complications. Children managed medically were compared with those managed surgically by using interquartile range and median comparison. Mann-Whitney U test …

Regulation Of L1 Expression And Retrotransposition By Melatonin And Its Receptor: Implications For Cancer Risk Associated With Light Exposure At Night., Dawn Deharo, Kristine J Kines, Mark Sokolowski, Robert T Dauchy, Vincent A Streva, Steven M Hill, John P Hanifin, George Brainard, David E Blask, Victoria P Belancio

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Expression of long interspersed element-1 (L1) is upregulated in many human malignancies. L1 can introduce genomic instability via insertional mutagenesis and DNA double-strand breaks, both of which may promote cancer. Light exposure at night, a recently recognized carcinogen, is associated with an increased risk of cancer in shift workers. We report that melatonin receptor 1 inhibits mobilization of L1 in cultured cells through downregulation of L1 mRNA and ORF1 protein. The addition of melatonin receptor antagonists abolishes the MT1 effect on retrotransposition in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, melatonin-rich, but not melatonin-poor, human blood collected at different times during the circadian …

Using The Spatial Variability Of Lead In Urban Soils And Demographic Variables To Predict Exposure Risks: An Environmental Justice Analysis In Terre Haute, Indiana, Heather A. Foxx

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Terre Haute, Indiana, is similar to many older cities throughout the United States with a history of manufacturing and industry that relied on extensive road and rail networks. This industrial history has resulted in the presence of over 20 brownfields and even a Superfund Site within the city today. Historic neighborhoods and abundance of pre-1950’s homes is another characteristic of the city. Unfortunately, improper removal and deterioration of lead (Pb) paints, as well as high Pb solder used in gutters, appear to be significant sources of soil Pb in Terre Haute. Despite the fact that most new environmental sources of …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, And Disorders Of Extreme Stress, Not Otherwise Specified; A Vignette Study Exploring Va And Private Sector Clinicians’ Diagnostic Perceptions, Sara B. Lacy

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the role of trauma in the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and disorders of extreme stress, not otherwise specified (DESNOS), and noted similar clinical pictures, it is important to explore differential diagnosis. There is evidence that gender influences the diagnosis of PTSD and BPD and of an “anchoring effect” in which disclosure of childhood trauma early versus late in a case vignette results in more diagnoses of PTSD or BPD, respectively. Additionally, as many veterans seek care within the private sector, it is important to understand possible diagnostic differences between VA and private …

Managing Complexity Through Selective Decoupling, C. Jason Woodard, Eric K. Clemons

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Designers of complex systems are often confounded by the tendency for design changes to increase performance on some dimensions while decreasing it on others. While adopting a more modular architecture may temper these opposing effects, modularization can also deprive designers of opportunities to harness complementarities among system elements. This paper explores this tension using an NK model in which product designers can modify the structure of their fitness landscapes by suppressing or restoring interactions between components. We find that these changes can lead to improved performance by flattening harmful interactions that would otherwise cause search efforts to become trapped on …

Anammox Polishing In Mainstream Wastewater Treatment To Meet Stringent Ammonia And Total Nitrogen Limits, Rebecca Mary Holgate

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

As nitrogen discharge limits are becoming more stringent there is a need for new processes that are sustainable and cost effective. Since anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (anammox) were discovered in the mid 1990s, there has been considerable success implementing anammox in many wastewater treatment plants to treat internally generated nitrogen rich waste streams (e.g. centrate). Recently, there has also been discussion of implementing anammox in mainstream wastewater treatment to exploit the benefits of autotrophic nitrogen removal.

A two stage A/B pilot study was conducted that included a high-rate activated sludge (HRAS) process followed by a two-stage de-ammonification process incorporating nitrite-shunt …

Illinois State, August 2014, Illinois State University, University Marketing And Communications

State: The Magazine of Illinois State University (1999-present)

Illinois State University alumni magazine

Russia And The Caspian Sea: Projecting Power Or Competing For Influence?, Tracey German Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

This monograph examines Russia’s policy toward the Caspian Sea region as Moscow attempts to counterbalance growing American involvement within what it perceives to be its zone of privileged interest. It focuses on the recent expansion of the Caspian Flotilla and the rationale behind it. Moscow has sought to counterbalance the growing involvement of other actors in the region, which has led to rising tension between Russia and its southern neighbors. The primary objectives of the research are to examine Russian perceptions of threat and security in the Caspian region and assess the implications for other actors. This monograph analyzes the …

Backyard Beekeeping, Rachelle Messner, James Strange, Roslynn Brian

All Current Publications

In an effort to become more sustainable, small-scale backyard operations by private citizens have become increasingly popular. This fact sheet provides a basic guideline for those interested in backyard beekeeping, whether just for the enjoyment of tending the bees, or the reward of the delicious honey produced.

Practicing Environmental Etiquette In Utah’S Deserts, Jordan Burningham, Roslynn Brian

All Current Publications

World-renown for its desert climate and recreational opportunities, Utah’s southern desert attracts millions of visitors each year.

Guest Editorial: Special Issue On Brain Inspired Models Of Cognitive Memory, Huajin Tang, Kiruthika Ramanathan, Ning Nign

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Current memory technologies have experienced significant progress in terms of storage capacity, operation speed, integration capability, etc. However, their functions are highly constrained in storing and transferring data in space and time, prompting the need for improvement. In contrast to physical memories, the biological counterpart – cognitive memory – has versatile functions. For instance, human memory stores data associatively such that different modalities of data could be retrieved simultaneously; it can learn different concepts, categorize and store them in an organized manner; it can process and store data concurrently and in a distributed fashion; it can restore content even if …

Three Soil Quality Demonstrations For Educating Extension Clientele, James J. Hoorman

Journal of Extension

There is a renewed interest in educating youth, Master Gardeners, and agricultural producers about soil quality. Three soil demonstrations show how soil organic matter increases water holding capacity, improves soil structure, and increases nutrient retention. Exercise one uses clay bricks and sponges to represent mineral soils and soil organic matter and how soil water is retained. Exercise two demonstrates how soil organic matter cushions the soil to resist soil compaction and improves soil structure. Exercise three uses marbles to represent how soil nutrients are retained by soil organic matter. These demonstrations are useful within a classroom or as field exercises.