Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Study Of The Science Literacy Assessment: A Measure To Assess Middle School Students' Attitudes Toward Science And Ability To Think Scientifically, Tammy Mckeown

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated validity evidence for the Science Literacy Assessment, an instrument designed to assess middle school students’ ability to think scientifically as well as their motivation and beliefs about science (Fives, Huebner, Birnbaum, & Nicolich, 2014). Specifically, three sources of evidence were considered; internal structure, concurrent criterion-related, and predictive criterion-related. Exploratory factor analysis was utilized to examine the underlying factor structure of each of the instrument’s two components, motivation and beliefs related to science and demonstrated scientific literacy. Pearson product-moment correlations were calculated to determine the relationship between scores on the motivation and belief component of the Science Literacy …

Developing Conceptual Understanding And Procedural Fluency In Algebra For High School Students With Intellectual Disability, Andrew J. Wojcik

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching students with Intellectual Disability (ID) is a relatively new endeavor. Beginning in 2001 with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, the general education curriculum integrated algebra across the K-12 curriculum (Kendall, 2011; National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010), and expansion of the curriculum included five intertwined skills (productive disposition, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and conceptual understanding) (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001). Researchers are just beginning to explore the potential of students with ID with algebra (Browder, Spooner, Ahlgrim-Delzell, Harris & Wakeman, 2008; Creech-Galloway, Collins, Knight, …

Electrospraying Extracellular Matrix To Form Nanoparticles, Patrick Link

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. Alveolar wall destruction is a significant contributor to COPD. Inflammatory macrophages are a major source of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) proteolysis. ECM breakdown causes air to get trapped in the alveoli, obstructing airflow. One step in curing COPD may be to convert inflammatory to pro-regenerative macrophages. Recently, decellularized ECM scaffolds have shown the ability to induce a pro-regenerative phenotype.

Yet these scaffolds are incapable for reaching the alveolar region of the lungs. To reach the alveolar region particles need a diameter of 1-5 μm or smaller than 300 …

A Computational Study Of The Kinematics Of Femoroacetabular Morphology During A Sit-To-Stand Transfer, Brandon K. Marine

Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling in the field of biomechanics is becoming increasingly popular and successful in practice for its ability to predict function and provide information that would otherwise be unobtainable. Through the application of these new and constantly improving methods, kinematics and joint contact characteristics in pathological conditions of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) were studied using a lower extremity computational model. Patients presenting with FAI exhibit abnormal contact between the femoral neck and acetabular rim leading to surrounding tissue damage in daily use. THA is the replacement of both the proximal femur and acetabular region of the …

The Effects Of Disturbance And Species Specific Interactions On Diversity In An Agent Based Forest Simulation, Matthew E. Mills

Theses and Dissertations

In ecology literature, there is much data which suggests that conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) and abiotic disturbances increase biodiversity in forests. This thesis elucidates the notion that not only do these two forces increase diversity, but they may also interact with one another in order to achieve higher levels of biodiversity. Abiotic disturbances, like fires and hurricanes, can indirectly impact conspecific effects because when these forces remove individuals from the landscape, the role of the conspecific effects will change. The interaction of these two factors in biodiversity are explored in an agent based forest simulation through a resource surface. …

Mathematical Models Of The Inflammatory Response In The Lungs, Sarah B. Minucci

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation in the lungs can occur for many reasons, from bacterial infections to stretch by mechanical ventilation. In this work we compare and contrast various mathematical models for lung injuries in the categories of acute infection, latent versus active infection, and particulate inhalation. We focus on systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), agent-based models (ABMs), and Boolean networks. Each type of model provides different insight into the immune response to damage in the lungs. This knowledge includes a better understanding of the complex dynamics of immune cells, proteins, and cytokines, recommendations for treatment with antibiotics, and a foundation for more …

Comparing The Structural Components Variance Estimator And U-Statistics Variance Estimator When Assessing The Difference Between Correlated Aucs With Finite Samples, Anna L. Bosse

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The structural components variance estimator proposed by DeLong et al. (1988) is a popular approach used when comparing two correlated AUCs. However, this variance estimator is biased and could be problematic with small sample sizes.

Methods: A U-statistics based variance estimator approach is presented and compared with the structural components variance estimator through a large-scale simulation study under different finite-sample size configurations.

Results: The U-statistics variance estimator was unbiased for the true variance of the difference between correlated AUCs regardless of the sample size and had lower RMSE than the structural components variance estimator, providing better type 1 error …

Optical Spectroscopy Of Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Heterostructures And Group-Iv Alloy Quantum Dots, Tanner A. Nakagawara

Theses and Dissertations

Efficient and robust blue InGaN multiple quantum well (MQW) light emitters have become ubiquitous; however, they still have unattained theoretical potential. It is widely accepted that “localization” of carriers due to indium fluctuations theoretically enhance their efficiency by moderating defect-associated nonradiative recombination. To help develop a complete understanding of localization effects on carrier dynamics, this thesis explores degree of localization in InGaN MQWs and its dependence on well thickness and number of wells, through temperature and power dependent photoluminescence measurements. Additionally, silicon-compatible, nontoxic, colloidally synthesizable 2-5 nm Ge_1-xSn_x alloy quantum-dots (QDs) are explored for potential visible to …

Big Data Visualization Platform For Mixed Reality, Aliakbar Panahi

Theses and Dissertations

The visualization of data helps to provide faster and deeper insight into the data. In this work, a system for visualizing and analyzing big data in an interactive mixed reality environment is proposed. Such a system can be used for representing different types of data such as temporal, geospatial, network graph, and high dimensional. Also, an implementation of this system for four different data types are created. The data types include network data, volumetric data, high dimensional, and spectral data for different mixed reality devices such as Microsoft HoloLens, Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and Android ARCore were created. It …

Nanopore Thermodynamics Via Infrared Laser Heating, Christopher Angevine

Theses and Dissertations

Single molecule nanopore spectroscopy is a label-free method for characterizing a wide variety of water-soluble molecules. Recently there have been efforts to expand nanopore sensing to new areas of study. Forensic investigators require an easy to deploy method to identify an unknown number of contributors in a solution. Currently there is no easily available method to distinguish between a single or multiple contributor solution of DNA before being processed by more advanced analytical techniques which has led to wasted time and resources increasing the backlog of samples waiting to be processed. In this work we present a new nanopore technique …

Upper Elementary Reading Instruction In The Age Of Accountability: Balancing Best Practices With Pressures To Achieve On High-Stakes Tests, Christina H. Saunders

Theses and Dissertations

The present study identifies reading instructional practices used in upper elementary classrooms during the age of high-stakes test accountability and compares reading practices among schools of varying accreditation status and socio-economic status (SES). The current study partially replicates and extends a study conducted by Baumann, Hoffman, Duffy-Hester, and Ro in 2000. The Baumann et al. (2000) study provides a frame of reference to compare instructional practices prior to high stakes testing with those used in the current high stakes testing environment. Third- through fifth-grade teachers in seven school districts in central Virginia were asked to complete an electronic survey. Descriptive …

Good As We Know It: Goodness In Design Discourse Since 1870, Garreth C. Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the ways in which design and design practitioners have defined value in the design discourse through the vocabulary and concept of goodness since 1870. These definitions of value have been central to design discourse both past and present and deal with the impact and purpose of design work as well as its role in the creation of the approaching future. Since before the coalescence of graphic design as a separate field of design, these questions have been tied to the form, function or social impact of the objects created by designers. Despite the prevalence of this line …

Weighted Quantile Sum Regression For Analyzing Correlated Predictors Acting Through A Mediation Pathway On A Biological Outcome, Bhanu M. Evani

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Weighted Quantile Sum Regression for Analyzing Correlated Predictors Acting Through a Mediation Pathway on a Biological Outcome

By

Bhanu M. Evani, Ph.D.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017.

Major Director: Robert A. Perera, Asst. Professor, Department of Biostatistics

This work examines mediated effects of a set of correlated predictors using the recently developed Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression method. Traditionally, mediation analysis has been conducted using the multiple regression method, first proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986), which has since …

Series Solutions Of Polarized Gowdy Universes, Doniray Brusaferro

Theses and Dissertations

Einstein's field equations are a system of ten partial differential equations. For a special class of spacetimes known as Gowdy spacetimes, the number of equations is reduced due to additional structure of two dimensional isometry groups with mutually orthogonal Killing vectors. In this thesis, we focus on a particular model of Gowdy spacetimes known as the polarized T³ model, and provide an explicit solution to Einstein's equations.

Low-Temperature Fabrication Process For Integrated High-Aspect Ratio Metal Oxide Nanostructure Semiconductor Gas Sensors, William Paul Clavijo

Theses and Dissertations

This work presents a new low-temperature fabrication process of metal oxide nanostructures that allows high-aspect ratio zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanowires and nanotubes to be readily integrated with microelectronic devices for sensor applications. This process relies on a new method of forming a close-packed array of self-assembled high-aspect-ratio nanopores in an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) template in a thin (2.5 µm) aluminum film deposited on a silicon and lithium niobate substrate (LiNbO₃). This technique is in sharp contrast to traditional free-standing thick film methods and the use of an integrated thin aluminum film …

Effects Of Hydraulic Dredging And Vessel Operation On Atlantic Sturgeon Behavior In A Large Coastal River, Michael R. Barber

Theses and Dissertations

The tidal James River, a focus of VCU's Atlantic Sturgeon program, supports both commercial shipping and hydraulic dredging. These anthropogenic threats present documented but preventable sources of mortality to the endangered species. Using three separate VEMCO Positioning System (VPS) receiver arrays, spatial data of previously-tagged fish were collected. ArcGIS and Programita software were used to analyze fish spatial distributions in the presence and absence of potential threats, using additional data including automatic identification system (AIS) vessel locations, vessel passages compiled using camera footage, and dredge records provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The data showed a change in …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Metallic Nanoparticles For Catalytic Applications, Sarah Smith

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, research has focused on reducing the cost of catalysts in a variety of ways including using less expensive materials, improving the synthetic method, and increasing the catalytic activity, recovery, and recyclability. Typically with nanoparticles, the size, shape, composition, and surface coating have an effect on catalytic activity.^1-2 In this work, we focused on reducing the cost of precious metal based catalysts by altering the synthetic methods.

One way to lower the cost of synthesizing precious metal nanoparticles is by debasing the precious metal with a second cheaper more abundant metal. CuPd nanoparticles were synthesized in oleylamine …

Positions Of Place: Converging Viewpoints In Visual Communication, Gregory J. Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis includes a body of work that explores our visual relationship to the physical spaces and places we inhabit in our everyday lives. Today we live in a complex world where we are bombarded with fragments of information and inundated with distractions. As designers, we are equipped with tools and methods that allow us to experience and interpret our environment through multi-faceted perspectives and from different viewpoints. My approach to graphic design adopts techniques and practices from a mix of different disciplines. The work focuses on a design process that alternates between the parallel depiction of first-person and third-person …

Effect Of Charged Species On The Gradient Properties, Kayesh Ashraf

Theses and Dissertations

Surface chemical gradients are materials that exhibit continuous, gradually varying chemical or physical properties along and across the length of a substrate. As a result, each point on the gradient surface can represent an individual sample. They are broadly classified as chemical and physical gradients depending upon the properties that the gradient exhibits. A physical gradient involves a continuous variation of physical properties such as surface roughness and film porosity on the micrometer scale. Chemical gradients involve a gradual variation of chemical properties such as polarity, acidity and basicity, etc. Such gradients have found various applications in cell adhesion, nanoparticle …

Sol-Gel Chemistry: An Advanced Technique To Produce Macroscopic Nanostructures Of Metal And Semiconductor Colloids, Lamia Nahar

Theses and Dissertations

The fascinating physical properties that arise in materials limited to dimensions of 1-100 nm have gained noteworthy interest from the scientific community. Accordingly, there has been a lot of attention paid to the synthesis of discrete nanoparticles (NPs) and they are being investigated for a range of advanced technologies. Nonetheless, efficient use of nanomaterials in device applications require them to be assembled into solid state macro-structures while retaining their unique, nanoparticulate properties. To date, most commonly investigated assembling techniques include: covalent coupling of NPs surface groups, control evaporation of the solvent to produce ordered supercrystals or non-ordered glassy films, and …

A Novel Synthesis And Subsequent Decyclization Of Iminothiozolidinones: Expansion Of Thiourea Chemistry For Biological Applications, Constance D. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

Small molecule synthesis has become a valuable tool in the study of biological systems. Biologically active compounds can be designed based on well-characterized endogenous systems or they can be found through the screening of large libraries of small molecules. This work involves the development of a small library of cyclic thiourea-based small molecules by use of an unreported synthetic pathway. Briefly, parent thioureas were cyclized by reaction with bromoacetyl bromide, and one or two isomeric heterocycles were found to form. Further studies indicated that the reaction could be easily manipulated by temperature or solvent to effectively control the product distribution. …

Sub For More, Chelsea Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This written thesis unpacks the thoughts and motivations behind the decisions I have made in my artistic practice that have ultimately culminated in my M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition: Sub for More. By merging images of my own work as well as internet sourced images of the culture that drives my work, I have created a platform to begin to understand my experience during graduate school. This text examines and explores my belief in the inherent power in pop culture, my obsession with fame, celebrity, and my self-identity as a participant in current pop-culture.

Development Of My Footprint Calculator, Karthik Mummidisetti

Theses and Dissertations

The Environmental footprint is a very powerful tool that helps an individual to understand how their everyday activities are impacting environmental surroundings. Data shows that global climate change, which is a growing concern for nations all over the world, is already affecting humankind, plants and animals through raising ocean levels, droughts & desertification and changing weather patterns. In addition to a wide range of policy measures implemented by national and state governments, it is necessary for individuals to understand the impact that their lifestyle may have on their personal environmental footprint, and thus over the global climate change. “My Footprint …

Synthetic Modeling Of Power Grids Based On Statistical Analysis, Seyyed Hamid Elyas 8045266

Theses and Dissertations

The development of new concepts and methods for improving the efficiency of power networks needs performance evaluation with realistic grid topology. However, much of the realistic grid data needed by researchers cannot be shared publicly due to the security and privacy challenges. With this in mind, power researchers studied statistical properties of power grids and introduced synthetic power grid topology as appropriate methodology to provide enough realistic power grid case studies. If the synthetic networks are truly representative and if the concepts or methods test well in this environment they would test well on any instance of such a network …

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam: The Jesuits In Albania, Ines A. Murzaku

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

When Pope Francis addressed students, teachers, and parents of the Jesuit schools of Italy and Albania in 2013, he discussed the core and the value of a Jesuit-Catholic education, which in essence follows St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises and the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus. The Jesuits in all multifarious activities and apostolates put Jesus in the center, thereby making him the prototype. It was Jesus who had trodden a novel way for the Society of Jesus to follow and that meant to live a meaningful life, live well, and live joyfully among the people they were serving. …

Cybersecurity Stovepiping, David Thaw

Nebraska Law Review

I. Introduction

II. The Concept of Stovepiping

III. Stovepiping in Cybersecurity ... A. Policy Making, Complexity, and Change ... B. Complex Passwords: A Case Study ... 1. Fundamentals of Password Complexity ... 2. “Guessability”—the False Assumption ... a. Password Guessing via Authentication (Login) Interfaces ... b. Password Guessing via Unprotected/Unsanitized Service ... c. Offline Password Attacks ... 3. “Defense in Depth”—Measuring Marginal Benefit

IV. Implications of the Stovepiping Disjuncture ... A. Addressing the Same Question … B. Overcoming Policy Entrenchment ... C. Risk-Analytic Framework for Cybersecurity

V. Conclusion

Application Of Agisoft Photoscan And Sediment Transport Modeling For The Analysis Of Sediment Wave Propagation Succeeding Gravel Augmentation, Oak Grove Fork Of The Clackamas River, Oregon, Mindi Lea Curran

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Application of agisoft photoscan and sediment transport modeling for the analysis of sediment wave propagation succeeding gravel augmentation, oak grove fork of the clackamas river, oregon

Mindi Lea Curran

Physical features in alluvial rivers such as riffles, gravel bars, pools, and side channels provide refugia, nutrients, and spawning and rearing habitat for anadromous fish and other aquatic organisms. The downstream transport of gravels that continuously replenish these features is prevented by dams, and often leads to a coarsened channel bed condition and other geomorphic changes that have negative impacts on aquatic organisms. Geomorphic change in rivers can be challenging to …

Psychological Consequences Of Genetic Testing, Jack Allen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing describes genetic testing which is done using online or mail in services, without the direct supervision of a counselor or physician. Individuals can order information about their ancestry, trait information, and even disease risk information. Online testing services have previously been prevented from offering certain types of genetic self-knowledge to consumers due to government regulation, however, there is little information available about how genetic self-knowledge may affect consumers. The present study evaluated whether simply believing oneself to be genetically disadvantaged could cause an individual to perform poorly on a working memory task.

University students participated in a …

Modeling The Spread Of Sudden Oak Death Across A Heterogeneous Landscape In Redwood National Park Using A Spatially-Explicit Epidemiological Model, Laura A. Morgan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death (SOD), is responsible for the deaths of millions of oak (Quercus spp.) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) trees in California and Oregon (USA). A recent infection in Redwood National Park (RNP) in California (USA) provided an opportunity to adapt an existing SOD model to assess the efficacy of current and proposed management strategies. A common method of SOD treatment includes killing both infected and uninfected hosts in the area of infection, as well as the area surrounding the infection to create buffers to account for undetected …

The Differences In Academic Achievement In Fit, Healthy, And Unfit 7th Grade Students, David Pauls

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

There is an abundance of research showing significant positive relationships between academic achievement and physical fitness. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between academic achievement and different levels of physical fitness. The participants were 283 7^th grade students from a small, rural middle school in Northern California during 2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15 academic school years. Academic achievement data came from the STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) test and CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Learning and Progress) test. Physical fitness data came from the FITNESSGRAM Physical Fitness Test. A MANOVA was performed on the academic achievement and …