Digital Commons Network^™

The Application Of Trajectory Analysis For An Early Warning System In Stem Courses, Un Jung Lee

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

The retention of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors has become a national concern. “Early warning systems†(EWS) are being developed to identify students who perform poorly early in the semester so that interventions can be implemented. The research reported here utilizes clicker scores and review quiz scores collected in every class session for the longitudinal analysis, as well as pre-course concept inventory scores and self-reported student characteristics. Pre course concept inventory scores were significantly predictive of final course grade. Student demographic characteristics had a smaller fraction of final course grade explained. The cumulative average student clicker score was …

Space Acquisition Strategies Of Zostera Marina, Bradley Thomas Furman

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

Seagrasses are a diverse group of clonal marine macrophytes. Their decline in recent decades has been an alarming component of estuarine urbanization, with large portions of historical coverage lost or degraded. Understanding patterns of dispersal and recruitment within and among the remaining populations is now critical to predicting the form and pace of recovery. Working in a developing eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadow in Shinnecock Bay, we combined field manipulations, genotypic surveys and correlative analyses to understand how vegetative growth and seedling recruitment contribute to space acquisition. First, we explored clonal foraging behavior and its effect on patch growth using subterranean …

The Application Of Trajectory Analysis For An Early Warning System In Stem Courses, Un Jung Lee

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

The retention of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors has become a national concern. “Early warning systems†(EWS) are being developed to identify students who perform poorly early in the semester so that interventions can be implemented. The research reported here utilizes clicker scores and review quiz scores collected in every class session for the longitudinal analysis, as well as pre-course concept inventory scores and self-reported student characteristics. Pre course concept inventory scores were significantly predictive of final course grade. Student demographic characteristics had a smaller fraction of final course grade explained. The cumulative average student clicker score was …

Modeling Platelets On Parallel Computers, Seetha Malavika Pothapragada

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

Mechanical Heart Valves (MHV) provides life-saving solutions to patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. But these devices are often plagued by non-physiological flow patterns resulting in increased shear stress conditions. This leads to platelet damage, a precursor of thromboembolism, thus impeding the device usability and demanding lifelong anticoagulation treatments. While the flow and stresses are in the micron level, the platelet behavior is at the nm level, thus presenting a major computational challenge for simulating this multiscale multi-physics modeling problem. This dissertation focuses on using parallel computers to develop a computational framework based on n-particle simulations, defined by Coarse Grained Molecular …

Stress-Assisted Grain Growth In Nanocrystalline Metals Inhibited By Grain Boundary Segregation, Yang Zhang

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

Stress-assisted grain growth in nanocrystalline metals transpires collectively with a number of competing deformation mechanisms. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations of surface nanoindentation were performed to quantify the plastic strain distribution among competing mechanisms as a function of grain size and temperature during stress-assisted grain growth in nanocrystalline Ni and a Ni-1 at. % P alloy. Under identical conditions of rate and temperature in nominally the same grain size structure, stress-assisted grain growth found to be prevalent in pure nanocrystalline Ni was virtually absent in the Ni-P alloy with P enriched grain boundaries. A reduction in the deformation temperature …

Multi-Model Validation Assessment Of Groundwater Flow Simulation Models Using Area Metric Approach, Omkar Aphale

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

A model's validity, or its goodness-of-fit to the real world system, is commonly assessed by quantifying the level of agreement between the observed data and their corresponding model-simulated outputs. However, the observed data could be uncertain given inaccuracies in the observational tools and techniques while the model-simulated outputs may be incomparable since models are simplified versions, and not exact replicas, of the real world system. This limits the abilities of the traditional validation approaches. Here, an alternative approach called the area metric (Ferson et al. 2008) was adopted for multi-model validation assessment. This approach quantifies the level of agreement between …

Class Iii Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Vps34 In Autophagy, Endocytosis, And Nutrient-Induced Signaling, Nadia Jaber

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

Vps34 is the sole member of the Class III phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) identified in mammals thus far. It phosphorylates phosphatidylinositol (PI) to generate PI(3)P on intracellular membranes. Previous work has suggested that Vps34 is important for the protein degradation pathways of autophagy and endocytosis, as well as nutrient-induced mTOR signaling. However, due to the pluripotent nature of available PI3K inhibitors, a clear understanding of the functions of mammalian Vps34 remains to be illustrated. To investigate the precise role of Vps34 in these processes, I have generated and characterized mice with conditional genetic ablation of Vps34. Mice with liver or heart-specific …

An Analysis Of Peer Effects In The Credit Rating Market, Bo He

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

This paper empirically examines the peer eects among credit rating agencies (CRA) and the credit rating shopping behavior by bond issuers in the sub-prime mortgage market. The recent sub-prime mortgage crisis has raised the controversy that CRA's rating decisions might not be independent. For example, Moody's rating decisions might be aected by S&P, and vice versa. My studies analyzes the peer eects on Moody's and S&P's rating decisions, while taking into account the selection of CRAs by bond issuers. This selection process is also called credit rating shopping. At the issuance of mortgage-backed securities, bond issuers solicit ratings from CRAs. …

Writing At The Intersection: Understanding International Student Writers, Soni Adhikari

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

In U.S. colleges and universities, non-native English speaking international students are generally described in terms of their challenges with the English language. Even after the focus of scholarship has recently shifted to these students’ strengths as “multilingual†writers, their challenges and strengths in other areas of their development as writers are still overlooked. This thesis addresses the need to inform and influence teaching/learning practices about international multilingual students by using multidimensional frameworks. Considering that international students’ challenges (and strengths) of language intersect with a variety of other academic skills and also their motivation to learn, I argue that in order …

Festivity And Malvolio In Twelfth Night, Lixian Huang

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

Twelfth Night is a play full of merrymaking, wish fulfillment and laughter because of its close relation to festivity in Elizabethan times. In the overall jolly atmosphere in the Twelfth Night, Malvolio is the one character in this play that acts as an opponent to revelry. This essay aims to study the festival theme in Twelfth Night, and Malvolio’s disruptive role in it. It includes a study of Malvolio’s understanding of himself, his changes through the development of the play and how those work on the audience especially his unresolved ending. I argue that though Malvolio is positioned as the …

Motivating Students With Learning Disabilities To Achieve Through The Use Of Authentic Projects And Technology, Meagan King

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

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate effective methods that help students with learning disabilities achieve better quality writing. The types of methods that were reviewed were authentic writing projects, process writing, and peer work through the analysis of scholarly and personal research. Using technology to enhance understanding was also evaluated in relation to these methods. The study concluded that these effective methods increase student motivation because of their applicability to the real world. The study also concluded that as a result of the motivation produced by authentic writing projects, students develop more confidence in themselves as writers and …

The Modal Use Of The Present Progressive (Estar+Gerundio) In Spanish Speakers Of Lima's Variety, Jessica Cairo-Chrysafi

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

The verbal periphrasis estar+gerundio (EG) conjugated in simple present (estoy viajando) is the aspectual expression of progression in Spanish of an event that develops during the moment that is spoken (speech time S). Within Reichenbach's system of temporal relations, there is a coincidence relation with expression in the present tense between S and its point of reference R, and the relation is represented as S,R. The system identifies another time interval of the event E. With EG of progressive aspect the temporal relation is of coincidence between S and E, and it is represented as S,R,E. EG has also a …

Effects Of A Changing Ocean On Marine Gel Particles And Implications For Aggregation Processes And Poc Export, Carolina Andrea Cisternas Novoa

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

Marine gels are essential catalysts of aggregation and a significant component of the organic carbon pool. There is evidence showing that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) can self-assemble and form porous microgels that can reversibly exchange material with DOC and particulate organic carbon (POC). This abiotic self-assembly of materials results in particles that can sink and eventually sequester organic carbon into the deep ocean; the dissolution and remineralization of POM have important implications for ocean productivity and carbon cycling. Marine gels are hydrogels formed by a three-dimensional network of polymers and seawater. Operationally, transparent gel particles are defined as discrete particles, …

Gap Junctional Conductance Produced By Cx50, But Not Cx46, Is Regulated By The Pi3k Signaling Pathway, Jennifer Marie Martinez

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

Gap junction channels and cell signaling are essential components for proper organ development in multicellular organisms. The ocular lens is one such organ that has been well studied because of its large dependence on intercellular communication. The lens relies heavily on gap junction channels for intercellular communication during growth and differentiation due to the absence of a vascular system. Gap junctions are comprised of hexameric oligomers of connexin subunits that are inserted into the plasma membrane. Genetic knockouts of lens connexins have helped to identify the function of each connexin. Cx46 knockout mice developed severe nuclear cataracts. Targeted deletion of …

Recoding Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Genes By Computer-Aided Design Provides A Live Attenuated Vaccine Candidate, Bingyin Wang

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

Codon pair bias (CPB), which has been observed in all organisms, is a neglected genomic phenomenon that substantially affects gene expression. CPB results from synonymous codons that are paired more or less frequently in ORFeomes regardless of codon bias. The effect of an individual codon pair change is usually small, but when amplified by large-scale genome recoding (simultaneously generating hundreds of synonymous mutations without altering codon usage or amino acid sequence), strikingly altered biological phenotypes are observed. Although the molecular mechanism underlying codon pair bias still remains enigmatic, the utility of codon pair bias in the development of live attenuated …

Ideological Extremity Perception: Causes And Consequences, Karyn Ann Amira

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

This dissertation examines causes and consequences of ideological perception and theorizes that these judgments are fueled by both conscious and subconscious affect, as proposed by the hot cognition model and the motivated reasoning framework. The first empirical chapter, which stands separate from the others, uses fixed effects NES panel data to demonstrate that ideological perceptions of the party in power impact citizen preferences for federal spending. The second empirical chapter uses an experimental survey to demonstrate that conscious and subconscious affect impact ideological perceptions of fictitious candidates while simultaneously testing a previous finding that Democrats are perceived as more ideological …

Formal Verification Of Nonlinear Biological Systems, Md Ariful Islam

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

Abstraction and composition have proved to be particularly useful in extending the reach of formal verification. Abstraction reduces the size of the system under investigation by neglecting details irrelevant to the properties of interest. Compositionality allows us to decompose large-scale system into smaller components and verify each component individually and reason about the verification of entire system from verified components. Together, these two techniques permit us to substitute a component with its equivalent abstraction such that the overall system retains the property of interest. In this thesis, we first show that in the context of the Iyer et al. (IMW) …

Hilltopics: Volume 12, Issue 3, Hilltopics Staff

Hilltopics

No abstract provided.

University Of Dayton Magazine, Winter 2015-16, University Of Dayton Magazine

University of Dayton Alumni Publications

This issue includes articles "Still Crazy After All These Years"; "What the Pope Says (And Why We Care)"; and "Seeking to be Safe".

Mohamed Alduhbani Honors Portfolio, Mohamed Khaled Alduhbani

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Mohamed AlDuhbani's honors portfolio captured in December 2015.

Mariah Haffield Honors Portfolio, Mariah Jean Haffield

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Mariah Haffield's honors portfolio captured in December 2015.

October To December 2015

All Summaries

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of Required Audit Firm Rotation By Public Companies, David Austin Boutwell

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of mandatory audit firm rotation by companies publicly listed in the United States. Currently, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requires lead engagement partners auditing public companies to rotate off public company audit engagements after a period of five years, without returning for an additional five years. Further, SOX also required a mandatory study of the feasibility of mandatory audit firm rotation. Proponents contend that this might enhance independence while increasing objectivity and professional skepticism. The author’s findings suggest that these perceived advantages are greatly outweighed by the disadvantages that might result …

Exploring The Issue Of Drug Shortages In The U.S. And The Impact It Has On The Healthcare Industry, Lenaiya Kydd

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The idea of American hospitals running out of medicine was not perceived to be possible, but it is a current reality. The impact of high demands and low supplies of some drugs has delivered a tough financial blow to healthcare facilities. In recent years, the number of recorded drug shortages has continuously grown and has created challenges in the healthcare industry. Delayed treatments, adverse outcomes or even death, with the use of alternative medicine have led to patients being negatively impacted. The reasons for drug shortages are multi-faceted, ranging from manufacturers challenged by FDA inspections to inadequate access to raw …

Creating A Consolidated Business Systems Toolkit For Enterprise Resource Planning, April Shortt

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

A major problem in many manufacturing facilities revolves around the need to consolidate and streamline production processes. Triumph Aerostructures’ Vought Aircraft Division is experiencing systemic functional redundancies that adversely impacts the efficiency, productivity, and bottom line of the division. An investigation of system usage across all business streams was performed where we analyzed which systems are used for which operational functions, and why these particular systems are utilized. The problem was researched using the DMADV methodology, along with other Six Sigma process analysis tools. Results showed that these problems are due to a lack of lower-level employee training on the …

Professional And Cultural Adjustments Of Nigerian Nurses In America, Darlene Okpegbue

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Nursing is the largest healthcare profession around the world. Nurses frequently are educated in one country, and then migrate to the United States where they practice nursing in the U.S healthcare system. In addition to language, other differences are also noted in educational preparation, clinical experiences, and the healthcare system where these nurses begin practicing. All of these factors may affect a nurses’ ability to adapt to his or her new role in the workplace. I have met several Nigerian staff nurses while in my clinical setting as a University of Texas at Arlington Nursing student. Many of the staff …

The Relationships Among Loneliness, Sleep Quality, And Academic Performance In University Students, Noel Parks

2015 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among loneliness, sleep quality, and academic performance in university students to determine if sleep quality and academic performance are predictors of high levels of loneliness, which is an indicator of depression. A total of 106 students were surveyed, 10 graduate and 96 undergraduate. The UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3 was used to determine perceived loneliness by having participants respond to 14 statements. An example statement was “I am part of a group of friends.” If participants answered “Always” their score for this response would be one, while a response of …

Describing The Prevalence And Awareness Of Sport-Related Concussion In University Intramural And Club Sport Participants, Makenzie L. Brown

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Concussion injuries are growing in number among athletes across the nation. The majority of concussion research to date focuses on collegiate and high school athletes. University athletes make up a small percentage of the student body population compared to the large number of students that participate in club and intramural sports. These students participate in the same sports, assume the same risks, and may experience the same adverse effects of concussion, often without appropriate medical oversight.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if concussion is a problem among intramural and club sport participants, if these participants …

Commencement Program 2015 December: College Of Science, The University Of Texas At Arlington

Commencement Programs, Photos, and Video

No abstract provided.

Combating Anti-Statistical Thinking Using Simulation-Based Methods Throughout The Undergraduate Curriculum, Nathan L. Tintle, Beth Chance, George Cobb, Soma Roy, Todd Swanson, Jill Vanderstoep

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The use of simulation-based methods for introducing inference is growing in popularity for the Stat 101 course, due in part to increasing evidence of the methods ability to improve students’ statistical thinking. This impact comes from simulation-based methods (a) clearly presenting the overarching logic of inference, (b) strengthening ties between statistics and probability/mathematical concepts, (c) encouraging a focus on the entire research process, (d) facilitating student thinking about advanced statistical concepts, (e) allowing more time to explore, do, and talk about real research and messy data, and (f) acting as a firmer foundation on which to build statistical intuition. Thus, …