Digital Commons Network^™

Routing And Scheduling For A Last-Mile Transportation System, Hai Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The last-mile problem concerns the provision of travel services from the nearest public transportation node to a passenger’s home or other destination. We study the operation of an emerging last-mile transportation system (LMTS) with batch demands that result from the arrival of groups of passengers who desire last-mile service at urban metro stations or bus stops. Routes and schedules are determined for a multivehicle fleet of delivery vehicles, with the objective of minimizing passenger waiting time and riding time. An exact mixed-integer programming (MIP) model for LMTS operations is presented first, which is difficult to solve optimally within acceptable computational …

Analysis Of Bus Ride Comfort Using Smartphone Sensor Data, Hoong-Chor Chin, Xingting Pang, Zhaoxia Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Passenger comfort is an important indicator that is often used to measure the quality of public transport services. It may also be a crucial factor in the passenger’s choice of transport mode. The typical method of assessing passenger comfort is through a passenger interview survey which can be tedious. This study aims to investigate the relationship between bus ride comfort based on ride smoothness and the vehicle’s motion detected by the smartphone sensors. An experiment was carried out on a bus fixed route within the University campus where comfort levels were rated on a 3-point scale and recorded at 5-second …

Knowledge And Practices Of Pesticides Use Against The Bean Fly (Ophyiomyia Phaseoli) And Associated Health Effects Among Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Smallholder Farmers In Kabaru Location, Nyeri County, Beritah Mumbi Mutune

All Master’s Theses

Farmers' knowledge on pesticides use, the practices and the associated health effects is of great importance. The effect of pesticides on human health and the environment is a major global public health issue. The main objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and practices on pesticide use against the bean fly and the associated health effects among bean smallholder farmers in Kabaru location, Nyeri County. A cross-sectional study design was used in which a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to three hundred and eighty-five study respondents who were selected using systematic random sampling method. The selection was based on …

Dengue Serotype-2 And Sindbis-Like Viruses Circulating In Zoophilic Mosquitoes At Human-Wildlife Interfaces In Kenya., Ali Abdulahi Musa

All Master’s Theses

Zoophilic mosquitoes play an important role in the transmission of arboviruses of medical importance at human-wildlife interfaces, yet arbovirus surveillance efforts have been focused mostly on anthropophilic mosquitoes. Besides pathogen identification, knowing mosquito blood-meal sources aids in identifying disease transmission trends and reservoir hosts during inter-epidemic periods, which can inform appropriate vector control strategies. We morphologically identified mosquito species collected from two game reserves, the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) and locations near the Shimba Hills National Reserve (SHNR), in Kenya. Subsequently, representative mosquitoes sampled from both sites were identified by cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcode sequencing. In …

Pcr-High Resolution Melting Analysis Of The Coi, Cyt B And 16s Rrna Mini-Barcode Genes: A Tool For Species Identification And Discrimination In Illegal Bushmeat Trade, Daniel Obado Sunga Ouso

All Master’s Theses

Reliable molecular identification of vertebrate species from morphologically unidentifiable tissue is critical to the prosecution of illegally traded wildlife products to limit their trade, as well us for surveillance to inform conservation policies and identification of blood-meal hosts. Currently, this is mainly dependent on sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) ‘barcode' genes, which remains costly for purposes of screening large numbers of unknown samples and routine surveillance. High-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was optimized as a cheaper supplement to conventional sequencing. Here, we adopted HRM analysis of COI, cytochrome b and 16S ribosomal RNA mini-barcode genes Polymerase chain …

Winter 2019

The Weldon Times

A student-run publication from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University.

Editors in Chief: Emma Chapple, Joel Tichinoff

Graphic Design & Layout: Luke MacGillivray

Photography: Luke MacGillivray

Vireo @ Video Browser Showdown 2019, Phuong Anh Nguyen, Chong-Wah Ngo, Danny Francis, Benoit Huet

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, the VIREO team video retrieval tool is described in details. As learned from Video Browser Showdown (VBS) 2018, the visualization of video frames is a critical need to improve the browsing effectiveness. Based on this observation, a hierarchical structure that represents the video frame clusters has been built automatically using k-means and self-organizing-map and used for visualization. Also, the relevance feedback module which relies on real-time supportvector-machine classification becomes unfeasible with the large dataset provided in VBS 2019 and has been replaced by a browsing module with pre-calculated nearest neighbors. The preliminary user study results on IACC.3 …

Task Relation Networks, Jianshu Li, Pan Zhou, Yunpeng Chen, Jian Zhao, Sujoy Roy, Shuicheng Yan, Jiashi Feng, Terence Sim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Multi-task learning is popular in machine learning and computer vision. In multitask learning, properly modeling task relations is important for boosting the performance of jointly learned tasks. Task covariance modeling has been successfully used to model the relations of tasks but is limited to homogeneous multi-task learning. In this paper, we propose a feature based task relation modeling approach, suitable for both homogeneous and heterogeneous multi-task learning. First, we propose a new metric to quantify the relations between tasks. Based on the quantitative metric, we then develop the task relation layer, which can be combined with any deep learning architecture …

Overcoming Institutional And Legal Barriers That Prevent Abused Females From Accessing Justice In Fragile Nigerian Regions, Valentina Okaru-Bisant

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Following The Fifth Circuit: Title Vii As The Sole Remedy For Employment Discrimination On The Basis Of Sex In Educational Institutions Receiving Federal Funds, Alicia Martinez

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Legislator-Led Prayer: A Harmless Historical Tradition Or An Unconstitutional Establishment Of Religion?, Krista Ellis

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

There Isn't Any Dumpster, Jill C. Engle

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Forgotten Children: Rethinking The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Behavior Provisions, Margaret A. Dalton

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Mitigating The "Lgbt Disconnect": Title Ix's Protection Of Transgender Students, Birth Certificate Correction Statutes, And The Transformative Potential Of Connecting The Two, Kyle Velte

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Paypal Or Plastic, Don't Matter The Court Won't Have It: Why The Case For Removing "In God We Trust" From The Dollar May Still Gain Traction Under The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Olivia Firmand

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

The Right To Be An Asshole: The Need For Increased First Amendment Public Employment Protections In The Age Of Social Media, Alexis Martinez

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Music Therapy To Enhance Competency Restoration Treatment, Cory Linder

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

In Dusky v. the United States (1960), the Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution requires all defendants to be competent to proceed before the judge issues a verdict. Specifically, to stand trial, defendants must have a factual and rational understanding of court proceedings and the capacity to work with their attorneys. Those who are found incompetent to proceed frequently have severe and persistent mental illness and often exhibit cognitive deficits (Mossman et al., 2007). Competency restoration utilizes therapeutic services to treat symptoms that inhibit defendants from being opined competent to proceed. Existing research suggests music therapy can be used …

Brief For The R Street Institute As Amicus Curiae In Support Of Respondents, Charles Duan

Amicus Briefs & Court Filings

The government and its agencies should be treated as a “person” that may petition to institute post-issuance review proceedings under the America Invents Act, for two reasons. First, permitting the government to seek review of patents under these proceedings best realizes the intent of Congress to make those proceedings widely available. Second, compared to the government’s alternative option for administratively challenging patents, AIA post-issuance review better serves important norms of procedure and governance, including transparency, due process, and separation of functions.

B.F. Skinner's Theory Of Performance Excellence: A Radical Behavioral Perspective, Thomas Fritze

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Burrhus Frederic (B.F.) Skinner was a revolutionary in the field of psychology, particularly noted for his development of a philosophy of science and an approach to psychological study labeled radical behaviorism (Rachlin, 1995). To Skinner, psychology was synonymous with an organism's interactions between its environment and its own behavior - and behavior was defined accordingly. This way of studying psychology differed greatly from preceding behavioral iterations in psychology and kept up with advances in ·established fields of science. Due to the deficiencies of the behavioral tradition coming before Skinner, misunderstandings by many psychologists and scientists of the Skinnerian approach were …

Implementation Of Screening And Outcome Measures At A Cancer Specific Mental Health Clinic, Hannah Katz

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

There is limited research examining the overall distress levels of cancer patients and caregivers longitudinally, as well as how to best implement distress surveys into a general community clinic. This study had two aims: (1) To implement surveys in a community-based clinic that serves cancer patients and their family members; and (2) To gain an understanding of the outcome of psychotherapy. The study included 15 participants—eight patients and seven student therapists—over a five-month period in the Center for Oncology Psychology clinic. Patients and therapists were matched in dyads. Surveys were provided to patients at three time points. Additionally, an outcome …

Sex Topics In Therapy: A Literature Review And Proposal For Continuing Education, Courtney Gallagher

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Sex topics should be welcome in the therapy room. Sexual identity, practices, concerns and questions should not be considered a "taboo" subject in the therapy room, yet clients remain reluctant to bring up such topics with their therapists. In order to ensure that clients feel free to bring into the room such themes that are a large part of their life, clinicians need to be trained and competent in sex topics. The following literature review examines the history of femininity and masculinity and what "facts" have continued to permeate into our profession, the history of sex expectations, language about sex …

Becoming A Better Therapist: Eight Lessons From Running, Kelsey Hyde

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper seeks to identify lessons that can be taken from the sport of running to serve as a map for learning skills needed to become a better therapist. The practice of running mirrors the practice of learning therapy skills. This paper takes the lens of how to practice to become a better runner and applies it as a new approach to skill development for therapists. Additionally, this paper incorporates self-reflection and disclosure as I myself identify as a female runner and therapist. I will use personal examples to highlight the ways that lessons from running have served as a …

A Behavior Analytic Translation Of Erving Goffman's Frame Analysis, Tim Chi

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The sociologist Erving Goffman's 1974 work, "Frame Analysis," is an attempt to account for how people construct and organize meaning in their experiences. The central principle in this approach is that of the frame: An abstractive concept that refers to the totality of environmental events and stimuli exerting some influence on how people behave in a particular setting and time, with respect to the expectations, roles, and norms to be observed.

Though Frame Analysis was developed within the discipline of sociology, it converges in apparently useful ways with the work of clinical psychology, both in its content and epistemology. Goffman's …

The Utility Of Neuropsychological Measures On The Differential Diagnosis Of Adhd-Inattentive Type Versus Anxiety In A Pediatric Outpatient Behavioral Health Population, Emily Stapleton

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This study examined the differences in inattention and executive function between a group of children diagnosed with ADHD and a group diagnosed with anxiety disorders to establish differential profiles for these two disorders. This study evaluated the differences among children with ADHD and anxiety disorders, using parent-report and performance-based measures of inattention and anxiety. A retrospective chart review was completed for a total of 58 patients who met the criteria for an anxiety disorder or for ADHD-C and ADHD-I at the completion of the neuropsychological assessment. Analyses compared the ADHD group and the Anxiety group on select scales and subscales …

Telebehavioral Health Program Needs Assessment Conducted At Aurora Mental Health Center, Iwei Wang

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs assessment for a Telebehavioral Health Program at Aurora Mental Health Center (AuMHC) to determine how telebehavioral health aligns with the organization’s interests, needs, services, target population, and readiness for telebehavioral health services. This investigator used survey and content analysis methods to conduct this investigation. Findings of this assessment showed that both literature and existing programs at AuMHC were supportive of moving forward with telebehavioral health services. Considerations of AuMHC’s contextual conditions and recommendations for successful implementation are provided.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Neuroadaptation, And Resilience: Does Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Go Far Enough?, Tracie Abbott

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) pose a significant public health risk. Current literature suggests ACEs have the potential to significantly disrupt sensitive periods of neurodevelopment. These neuroadaptations can result in social, emotional, and cognitive impairments that place a child at a significantly greater risk for adopting health risk behaviors and lifestyle factors that lead to the major causes of disease, disability, social problems, and early death in adults. Mental health clinicians have a unique opportunity to intervene by working with families to alter the trajectories of the child’s health risk behaviors and lifestyle factors. Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a …

Broken Bones And Pepper Spray: The State-Sanctioned Abuse Of Immigrant Juveniles In Custody, Alex Bruce

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

Examining The Unconstitutionality Of Dilution By Tarnishment After Tam, Ryder Hogan

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

A Watershed Moment In The Education Of American Indians: A Judicial Strategy To Mandate The State Of New Mexico To Meet The Unique Cultural And Linguistic Needs Of American Indians In New Mexico Public Schools, Preston Sanchez, Rebecca Blum-Martinez

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.

The Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project: An Introduction, Stephen Wermiel

American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law

No abstract provided.