Digital Commons Network^™

Validating And Optimizing A Crowdsourced Method For Gradient Measures Of Child Speech, Tara Mcallister Byun, Elaine Hitchcock, Daphna Harel

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

There is broad consensus that speech sound development is a gradual process, with acoustic measures frequently revealing covert contrast between sounds perceived as identical. Well-constructed perceptual tasks using Visual Analog Scaling (VAS) can draw out these gradient differences. However, this method has not seen widespread uptake in speech acquisition research, possibly due to the time-intensive character of VAS data collection. This project tested the validity of streamlined VAS data collection via crowdsourcing. It also addressed a methodological question that would be challenging to answer through conventional data collection: when collecting ratings of speech samples elicited from multiple individuals, should those …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Truancy Reduction Program For Middle And High School Students, Jan R. Parrish

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a mixed methods design. The study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase of the study, a secondary data analysis of data were collected from a sample (n = 390) of middle and high school students who participated in a truancy pilot program launched during the 2012-2013 school year with follow-up services provided through June 2014. The sample was divided into two groups (treatment and control). The treatment group was diverted from court referral and participated in an intervention consisting of in-home counseling and case management services. The control group was referred to …

Sustainable Design Of Buildings Using Semantic Bim And Semantic Web Services, Mehrdad Niknam, Saeed Karshenas

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In response to the growing concerns about climate change and the environment, sustainable design of buildings is increasingly demanded by building owners and users. However, fast evaluation of various design options and identification of the optimized design requires application of design analysis tools such as energy modeling, daylight simulations, and natural ventilation analysis software. Energy analysis requires access to distributed sources of information such as building element material properties provided by designers, mechanical equipment information provided by equipment manufacturers, weather data provided by weather reporting agencies, and energy cost data from energy providers. Gathering energy related information from different sources …

Earthmoving Productivity In Urban Bridge Construction, Seonghoon Kim, Yong Bai

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Earthmoving operations in urban bridge reconstruction projects are analyzed to identify significant factors that impact relatively low productivity. The research project was conducted in the urban interchange reconstruction of Interstate Highway 235 (I-235) in Des Moines, Iowa. By using observational studies and a statistical analysis method, the factors were identified, including match factor, number of passes, and loading cycle time per bucket. Number of truck, match factor, travel time, and hauling distance were identified as the unique factors for the off-site earthmoving project, while the start time and travel time were significant factors for the on-site project. This research also …

Stress’ Impact Of Supervisory Styles In U.S. Navy Reservists In Central New York During The Military Fiscal Year 2013-2014, Miguel A. Reyes-Mariano

Public Administration Master’s Projects

Recent studies on stress have paid close attention to the outcomes of global trends like the wars on terrorism. In this convulsed world of the 21st Century, civilians and military are exposed to a myriad of drawbacks, and everyone has to manage to carry out their lives and duties. The resulting work-related stress is present in a significant number of complaints in medical centers and hospitals; public, private or military. Although the United States Ready Reserve has not received much attention in the past, they are getting it now, given its more active interactions on foreign and domestic public policies. …

Situating Information Literacy In The Disciplines: A Practical And Systematic Approach For Academic Librarians, Robert Farrell, William Badke

Publications and Research

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to consider the current barriers to situating in the disciplines and to offer a possible strategy for so doing.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews current challenges facing librarians who seek to situate information literacy in the disciplines and offers and practical model for those wishing to do so. Phenomenographic evidence from disciplinary faculty focus groups is presented in the context of the model put forward.

Findings – Disciplinary faculty do not have generic conceptions of information literacy but rather understand information-related behaviors as part of embodied disciplinary practice.

Practical implications – Librarians …

Selected Student Research - Ignite: Research The Sea, Kelly Whealan-George, Aaron D. Clevenger

Publications

Selected Student Research - Ignite: Research the SEA is an introduction to selected undergraduate research articles that focus on the Southeast Asian aviation community. This section of the text also introduces readers to the concept of short-term undergraduate research abroad and the methodologies that were taught to students doing rapid research during one such program.

A Swirl In The Clouds Near Santa Cruz Island (Images Of Note), Bradley M. Muller, Christopher G. Herbster

Publications

The authors discuss a rare photograph of an atmospheric eddy produced by marine boundary layer flow past terrain.

Actra - A Case Study For Threat Information Sharing, Jon C. Haass, Gail-Joon Ahn, Frank Grimmelmann

Publications

This paper provides a case study for information sharing within a public/private not-for-profit partnership organization called ACTRA – Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance, Inc.. This initiative is comprised of public and private entities with government agencies as invited guests aligned around the goal of improved response to cyber security events. Technical, political, legal and organizational issues arise when multiple parties attempt to exchange information in a formal setting. Benefits and specific solutions developed are discussed. The study concludes with several areas for future improvement and investigation as well as recommendations for newly forming sharing groups.

New Environmental Demands And The Future Of The Helsinki−Tallinn Freight Route, Olli-Pekka Hilmola, Harri Lorentz, Dawna L. Rhoades

Publications

The environmental friendliness of short sea shipping has been justified in Europe by the ensuing lower congestion at hinterlands and unneeded large-scale infrastructure investments on roads and railways. However, the attractiveness of short sea shipping is about to change. This is because of increasing environmental regulations (International Maritime Organization (IMO) sulfur regulation in the Baltic Sea and planned CO2 emissions trading) and increased world market oil prices. In this research, we analyze this potential change using data envelopment analysis on the existing transportation chain alternatives in the Helsinki (Finland)−Tallinn (Estonia) short sea route (chains using either roro, ropax or container …

Sustaining An Organization In The Midst Of Chaos, Steven M. Walker, Matthew P. Earnhardt

Publications

Sustainability is a popular topic that influences almost every area of life and industry. Using the 2008 recession as the crisis examined, we will take a look at how several leaders have handled economic, environmental, and organizational responsibility and sustainability in the midst of chaos. We will then tie those examples together within the realm of systems thinking, highlighting how leaders need to see the interconnected nature of systems in order to effectively respond to crises.

Exploring How Social Media Can Be Used To Promote Space Awareness: A Case Study Of The Yuri's Night Web 2.0, Alan Steinberg, Jeffrey Alles, Ryan L. Kobrick

Publications

Despite the importance of social media as an inexpensive and efficient means of communication, it is not clear to what degree space advocacy groups are making a strong organized effort to use the resources available to them. Moreover, there is no previous literature that specifically examines the use of social media tools by space organizations. This study seeks to start a larger dialog regarding how the space advocacy community can make use of these tools to promote their mission. Using a case study approach, this article focuses specifically on the organization of Yuri’s Night to explore how this group is …

Influence Of Learner Factors On Soldier Attitude Toward Army Serious Gaming, Mitchell L. Bonnett

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This study determined the influence of the learner factors on Soldier attitudes toward the use of serious gaming for U.S. Army training and leader development. It extended Selwyn's work (Selwyn, 1997a, 1997b, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2013; Selwyn, Gorard, Furlong, & Madden, 2003) identifying or measuring attitude toward using a technology and Bonanno and Kommers (2008) work extending Selwyn's work to measure the influence of learner factors on those attitude components toward the use of Army serious gaming for instructional purposes. The population studied was 709 Active duty U.S. Army Soldiers.

This quantitative non-experimental descriptive research design methodology used a 21-item …

Are Mobile Device Examinations Practiced Like 'Forensics'?, Gary Kessler

Publications

"Mobile device forensics is sometimes disparaged as not really being ‘forensics.’ This paper discusses the relationship between digital forensics and other forensic sciences, and the relationship of mobile device forensics to the broader field of digital forensics. It specifically addresses the question of whether mobile device forensics processes – and practices – rise to the level of suitable forensics quality."

Temporal Arbitrariness: A Back To The Future Look At A Twenty-Five-Year-Old Death Penalty Trial, Mary Kelly Tate

Law Faculty Publications

his essay grapples with a previously unexamined feature of the death penalty: temporal arbitrariness. How does the circumstance of time affect capital defendants? What might this mean for the stability of our notions of justice? I explore these questions using a 25-year-old death penalty trial as a case study, examining the procedural and factual highlights of the case and situating it in its temporal milieu. I then explore how the roles of doctrine, policy, and cultural attitudes would dramatically alter the nature and probable outcome of the case today, illustrating how temporal arbitrariness further exposes the death penalty’s unsteady administration …

Panel 3: Chronic Pain, Psychogenic Pain, And Emotion, Robert Dinerstein

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Increasing Women’S Political Participation In Lebanon: Reflections On Hurdles, Opportunities, And Hope, Camille Nelson, Zeina Chemali, Tanya Henderson

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Lebanon stands out in the Middle East for its relative political openness, religious freedom, and the academic and professional achievements of Lebanese women. Yet, paradoxically, it has one of the lowest rates of women's political participation in the region. This paper is the result of an initiative undertaken by the Lebanese government in July 2012 to increase women's political participation. Through this initiative, sex-segregated workshops on women's political empowerment were held for male and female representatives of Lebanon's political parties. The goal was to start a productive conversation that would ultimately lead to progress from the 2012 status quo of …

A Novel Fmri Paradigm Suggests That Pedaling-Related Brain Activation Is Altered After Stroke, Nutta-On Promjunyakul, Brian D. Schmit, Sheila M. Schindler-Ivens

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure pedaling-related brain activation in individuals with stroke and age-matched controls. We also sought to identify stroke-related changes in brain activation associated with pedaling. Fourteen stroke and 12 control subjects were asked to pedal a custom, MRI-compatible device during fMRI. Subjects also performed lower limb tapping to localize brain regions involved in lower limb movement. All stroke and control subjects were able to pedal while positioned for fMRI. Two control subjects were withdrawn due to claustrophobia, and one control data set was …

Considering Trademark And Speech Rights Through The Lens Of Regulating Tobacco, Christine Farley

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Many tobacco company trademarks, such as MARLBORO, are extremely valuable. But valuable trademarks are often vulnerable both to copyists and to parodists. Tobacco trademarks face the additional vulnerability of onerous public health regulations, which can limit their appearance and use. When tobacco companies challenge these health regulations they do so on the grounds that the regulations violate their First Amendment speech rights. The law that is applied in these challenges is well developed, clear and predictable. When tobacco companies challenge unauthorized third-party uses of their marks, the speech rights involved are dealt with in a distinctly different manner. Under trademark …

Hoop Dreams Deferred: The Wnba, The Nba, And The Long-Standing Gender Inequity At The Game’S Highest Level, N. Jeremi Duru

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Introduction: The top three picks in the 2013 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft were perhaps the most talented top three picks in league history, and they were certainly the most celebrated.' Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne, and Skylar Diggins were phenomenal youth players, attracting attention from collegiate coaches shortly after they began playing competitively. Delle Donne received her first major university scholarship offer when she was in the seventh grade, and Diggins received her first in the eighth. Griner did not start playing competitive basketball until her freshman year of high school, but before long, she too was receiving …

Mirnas As Biomarkers For Prostate Cancer Progression, Gene C. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer is one of the most challenging global medical issues today. In 2011, prostate cancer was the most diagnosed malignancy in the United States, making up 29% of new cancer cases. In that year it was the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among men in the USA and the second most common cause of cancer related death overall from the EU. The prostate remains, however, an under studied organ, making insights into the anatomy and biology of prostate cancer difficult to achieve. After 30 years, PSA screening of men of the appropriate age is still the first …

An Examination Of Weight, Weight Bias, And Health Care Utilization And Attitudes Among Emerging Adults, Jessica M. Mccauley

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with overweight/obesity have been found to exhibit more negative attitudes toward health care and disproportionate rates of health care delay and avoidance, compared to their healthy weight peers. The present study sought to examine potential mechanisms through which weight status influences health care utilization and attitudes. Six hundred and thirty-three students completed a questionnaire measuring weight status, perceived weight bias, patient-provider relationship, and health care utilization and attitudes. Although the majority of the paths in the proposed theoretical mediation model were supported by the present findings, there was no support for the anticipated link between perceived weight bias and …

Evaluation And Comparison Of Theoretical Models’ Abilities To Explain And Predict Colorectal Cancer Screening Behaviors, Anthony J. Molisani

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common and second most deadly cancer in the United States. However, it is highly preventable and treatable if detected at the precancerous or local stage of development. There exists multiple screening methods each with varying sensitivity, required effort, and recommended frequency of use. Complete adherence to screening guidelines by the recommended, at-risk population would halve the current mortality rate. Unfortunately, screening adherence remains the lowest of all screened cancers with a median state screening adherence rate of about 65%. To understand what individual-level factors influence an individual’s decision to be screened, health …

Avatar, Cyborg, Icevorg: Simulacra’S Scion, Guido E. Alvarez

Theses and Dissertations

I propose a theoretical framework that describes how avatars incorporate media as an inherent part of their nature and find a hosting body in cyborgs to navigate and spawn in media. I propose the birth of a new scion that combines avatar, medium and cyborg into a conceptual being that I call “ICEVORG.”

The ICEVORG expands beyond representation into the actual physical world by means of media transgression—more specifically, by the use of the Strange Loop also known as Metalepsis ICEVORG find an effective soil to thrive and interrogate our ideas of reality by means of iteration, expansion, fragmentation and …

Elucidating The Role Of Endogenous Electric Fields In Regulating The Astrocytic Response To Injury In The Mammalian Central Nervous System, Matthew L. Baer

Theses and Dissertations

Endogenous bioelectric fields guide morphogenesis during embryonic development and regeneration by directly regulating the cellular functions responsible for these phenomena. Although this role has been extensively explored in many peripheral tissues, the ability of electric fields to regulate wound repair and stimulate regeneration in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) has not been convincingly established. This dissertation explores the role of electric fields in regulating the injury response and controlling the regenerative potential of the mammalian CNS. We place particular emphasis on their influence on astrocytes, as specific differences in their injury-induced behaviors have been associated with differences in the …

The Fatal Lamp And The Nightmare After Christmas: The 1811 Richmond Theatre Fire, Amber Marie Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE FATAL LAMP AND THE NIGHTMARE AFTER CHRISTMAS: THE RICHMOND THEATRE FIRE OF 1811

By Amber Marie Martinez, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Pedagogy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015

Director: Dr. Noreen C. Barnes, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Theatre

“How strange a preface the loud laughter excited by a pantomime, to volumes of smoke and fire” (The American Standard, 27 December 1811). Building fires were not exactly uncommon back in the …

Factors That Influence Breast Cancer Diagnoses In Virginia Women 40-64 Years Old Who Utlized The Every Woman’S Life Program 1998-2012, Melanie C. Dempsey

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines sociodemographic determinants and preventive health behaviors among women 40-64 years of age who participated in the Virginia Department of Health’s Every Woman’s Life breast cancer screening program. Utilizing secondary data, this research sought to explore patterns of breast cancer incidence, mammography screening utilization and sources of health information among low-income women.

The Virginia Department of Health provided a large sample size (N=34,942) on which to perform binary logistic regression analyses. Sociodemographic determinants and preventive health behaviors were analyzed as potential influencing factors in the diagnosis of breast cancer, the stage at the time of diagnosis and source …

Censoring And Fusion In Non-Linear Distributed Tracking Systems With Application To 2d Radar, Armond S. Conte Ii

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to study various methods for censoring state estimate updates generated from radar measurements. The generated 2-D radar data are sent to a fusion center using the J-Divergence metric as the means to assess the quality of the data. Three different distributed sensor network architectures are considered which include different levels of feedback. The Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and the Gaussian Particle Filter (GPF) were used in order to test the censoring methods in scenarios which vary in their degrees of non-linearity. A derivation for the direct calculation of the J-Divergence using a particle filter …

Examining The Parent-Adolescent Bond And Parent-Offspring Marijuana Communication On Marijuana Use And Problems: A Test Of Primary Socialization Theory, Nikola Zaharakis

Theses and Dissertations

Marijuana use among American young adults is rising, and perceptions of harm are declining. Individual states continue to enact more lenient marijuana use and possession laws. Marijuana use is associated with many serious negative outcomes. Thus, marijuana use among this age group has become a public health concern. According to Primary Socialization Theory, parents exert their influence on youth behavior through the parent-adolescent bond and through communication. Previous researchers have identified parent-offspring communication about alcohol and tobacco as a potentially important target of prevention efforts. Little research has yet explored marijuana communication and its potential influence on use-related outcomes. This …

Workplace Discrimination And Visual Impairment: An Analysis Of Eeoc Charges And Resolutions, Jane Mcneil

Theses and Dissertations

Workplace discrimination for individuals with visual impairments in the U.S. is an ongoing issue dating before the founding of the EEOC and the enactment of the ADA. Despite laws enacted to protect against unequal treatment in the workplace, the EEOC continues to receive submissions of formal discrimination charges from individuals with visual impairments.

The workplace is experiencing changes with increasing amounts of older adults, women, minorities, and the use of technology and the Internet. By examining characteristics of the discrimination charges and the resulting outcomes, the knowledge gained can describe the current situation and the historical progression of workplace discrimination …