Digital Commons Network^™

Second Language Acquisition And Acculturation Differences Between Immigrants And Refugees, Ali Jasemi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The main difference between refugees and immigrants lies in the reason for their migration. Economic immigrants migrate to other countries voluntarily, while refugees are forced to leave their countries due to fear of death or persecution (UNHCR, 2018). Such fears may lead to psychological trauma among refugees. Research has shown that the presence of trauma can negatively impact language learning (Iversen, Sveaass, & Morken, 2014), which may have important implications for both second language (L2) acquisition and acculturation, particularly in refugees. In addition, strong linguistic abilities in a first language (L1) may be beneficial to acquire other languages (Cook, 2003). …

Environmental Factors Associated With Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities In Arctic Lakes, Northwest Territories, Rachel Cohen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Lake water quality and the macroinvertebrate communities in Arctic regions are threatened by increased development and climate change. In order to understand how macroinvertebrate communities may respond to their changing environment, I performed a biological and water quality survey of 46 Arctic lakes located in the Gwich’in Settlement Area and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories. Using these survey data, I performed two interrelated studies that asked: 1) how artificial pit lakes associated with gravel extraction for road development compared with natural lakes in terms of their water quality, morphometry, and macroinvertebrate communities; and 2) how water quality …

Exploring The Personhood And Citizenship Of Persons With Disabilities Among Konkombas In Rural Ghana, Festus Moasun

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are susceptible to various forms of mistreatments, particularly in the developing world, such that their personhoods are called to question. It was for this purpose that I set out to explore the personhood and citizenship of PWDs in rural Ghana. I used the constructivist paradigm in addition to the personhood and critical disability theories to guide the study which was conducted using an interpretive phenomenological research approach. To make the findings of the study participant driven, semi-structured interviews were held with PWDs. The findings revealed personhood to be perceived in a rank order of three semi-fluid …

Transformative Discipleship : Effective Discipleship Of Young Adults At Christ Is The Answer Ministries (Citam), Kenya, Juddy Karei

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Estimating The Spectrum In Computed Tomography Via Kullback–Leibler Divergence Constrained Optimization, Wooseok Ha, Emil Y. Sidky, Rina Foygel Barber, Taly Gilat Schmidt, Xiaochuan Pan

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

We study the problem of spectrum estimation from transmission data of a known phantom. The goal is to reconstruct an x‐ray spectrum that can accurately model the x‐ray transmission curves and reflects a realistic shape of the typical energy spectra of the CT system.

Methods

Spectrum estimation is posed as an optimization problem with x‐ray spectrum as unknown variables, and a Kullback–Leibler (KL)‐divergence constraint is employed to incorporate prior knowledge of the spectrum and enhance numerical stability of the estimation process. The formulated constrained optimization problem is convex and can be solved efficiently by use of the exponentiated‐gradient (EG) …

Spatial And Temporal Influences On Discrimination Of Vibrotactile Stimuli On The Arm, Valay Shah, Maura Casadio, Robert A. Scheidt, Leigh A. Mrotek

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Body–machine interfaces (BMIs) provide a non-invasive way to control devices. Vibrotactile stimulation has been used by BMIs to provide performance feedback to the user, thereby reducing visual demands. To advance the goal of developing a compact, multivariate vibrotactile display for BMIs, we performed two psychophysical experiments to determine the acuity of vibrotactile perception across the arm. The first experiment assessed vibration intensity discrimination of sequentially presented stimuli within four dermatomes of the arm (C5, C7, C8, and T1) and on the ulnar head. The second experiment compared vibration intensity discrimination when pairs of vibrotactile stimuli were presented simultaneously vs. sequentially …

Ct Automated Exposure Control Using A Generalized Detectability Index, P. Khobragade, Franco Rupcich, Jiahua Fan, Dominic J. Crotty, Naveen M. Kulkarni, Stacy D. O'Connor, W. Dennis Foley, Taly Gilat Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Identifying an appropriate tube current setting can be challenging when using iterative reconstruction due to the varying relationship between spatial resolution, contrast, noise, and dose across different algorithms. This study developed and investigated the application of a generalized detectability index (d'_gen) to determine the noise parameter to input to existing automated exposure control (AEC) systems to provide consistent image quality (IQ) across different reconstruction approaches.

Methods

This study proposes a task‐based automated exposure control (AEC) method using a generalized detectability index (d'_gen). The proposed method leverages existing AEC methods that are based on a prescribed …

Computational Characterization Of The Cellular Origins Of Electroencephalography, Shane Hesprich, Scott A. Beardsley

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Despite the widespread use of Electroecephalography (EEG) as an imaging modality, neural generators of current dipoles measured by EEG at the scalp are not fully understood. Here, we use two morphologically accurate multicompartments neuron models (layer IV pyramidal cell and layer V spiny stellate cell) to characterize how spiking neurons generate current dipoles in response to synaptic input. The simulations indicate that the dipole generated by synaptic inputs required to drive a pyramidal cell to threshold is smaller than the dipole associated the action potential itself. These results suggest a greater role of spiking neural activity toward EEG signals measured …

Uas Flight Operations In Complex Terrain: Assessing The Agricultural Impact From Hurricane Maria In The Central Mountainous Region Of Puerto Rico, Kevin Adkins

Publications

Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm causing major damage to infrastructure, agriculture and natural ecosystems, as well as the loss of many lives. Among the crops hardest hit was coffee, one of the most important crops in Puerto Rico. As a perennial system, coffee takes various production forms along a gradient from high shade/biodiversity coffee farms to low shade coffee monocultures and therefore offers an ideal means for the study of resistance and resilience of an agroecosystem to weather and climate disturbance. During the summer of 2018, 14 impacted farms across the production …

Vortex: A New Rocketexperiment To Studymesoscale Dynamics At The Turbopause, Gerald A. Lehmacher, Miguel F. Larsen, Michael J. Taylor, Jonathan B. Snively, Aroh Barjatya, Franz-Josef Lübken, Jorge L. Chau

Publications

The goal of this new investigation is to better understand gravity waves and their interactions as they propagate from the mesosphere into the lower thermosphere, to characterize the mesoscale wind field, and to identify regions of divergence, vorticity, and stratified turbulence. The Vorticity Experiment (VortEx) will comprise two salvoes of each two sounding rockets scheduled to be launched from Andøya Space Center, Norway in February 2022. The rockets will observe horizontally spaced wind profiles, neutral density and temperature profiles, and plasma densities. Additional information about the background conditions and mesoscale dynamics will be obtained by lidars, meteor radars and a …

Arriving At A Better Answer: A Decision Matrix For Science Lab Course Format, Emily K. Faulconer, Laura S. Faulconer, James R. Hanamean

Publications

At first glance, scientific laboratory experiences might appear to be challenging to move to the cloud. Skeptics may point to sensory feedback limitations and inequivalence of student outcomes. However, emerging data increasingly provide evidence that scientific laboratory courses are not only amenable to online learning, but also can deliver student outcomes at or above traditional in-person courses. In identifying a science lab format, each institution weighs factors like lab course goals, budget, program growth, access, and safety. This article presents a single case study and a decision matrix for how one institution informed their choice for the modality of a …

In Support Of Scholarly Teaching, Emily K. Faulconer

Publications

Whether you are a college science teacher who has embraced education as a second discipline or you are teaching science teachers, the SoTL (scholarship of teaching and learning) and DBER (discipline-based educational research) publications are key resources to support your scholarly teaching, providing actionable ideas for your classroom.

An Investigation Of The Magneto-Active Slosh Control For Cylindrical Propellant Tanks Using Floating Membranes, Manikandan Vairamani, Pedro Llanos, Balaji Sivasubramanian, Somnath Nagendra, Kevin Crosby

Publications

The phenomenon of sloshing is a substantial challenge in propellant management, particularly in reduced gravity where surface tension-driven flows result in large slosh amplitudes and relatively long decay time scales. Propellant Management Devices (PMDs) such as the rigid baffles and elastomeric membranes are often employed to counteract motion of the free surface. In the present study, we investigate an active PMD that utilizes a free-floating membrane that, under an applied static magnetic field, becomes rigid and suppresses slosh. This semi-rigid structural layer can thereby replace bulky baffle structures and reduce the overall weight of the tank. In this paper, the …

Sprinting Toward Genre Knowledge: Scaffolding Graduate Student Communication Through "Sprints" In Finance And Engineering Courses, Lindsey Ives, Jayendra Gokhale, William C. Barott, Michael V. Perez

Publications

This article evaluates the use of biweekly deadlines called “Sprints” to scaffold the development of conference papers in graduate-level courses in econometric modeling and electrical engineering through analysis of faculty assessment reports, observation notes, and transcripts of two audio-recorded class sessions. Data were analyzed to identify Tardy’s (2009) four dimensions of genre knowledge: subject-matter, rhetorical, process, and formal knowledge. We found that Sprints provide consistent opportunities for students to provide and receive helpful formative feedback that builds disciplinary genre knowledge in each of the four dimensions. We conclude by recommending strategies for maximizing Sprints’ benefits while minimizing potential drawbacks in …

The Rhetorical Situation Meets Adult Education: A Public Speaking Workshop For B-School Graduate Students, Lindsey Ives, Janet Tinoco, Sally Blomstrom

Publications

Extant research indicates that there continues to be a gap between employer expectations and the oral presentation skills of B-school graduate students. In order to address this gap, the authors undertook a three-year effort to research, develop, and administer a public speaking workshop focused on preparing new business graduate students to meet industry demands for presentation skills and strategies. Survey and focus group data informed several revisions to the workshop plan. The series of revisions and participant responses point toward the importance of adjusting the elements of the rhetorical situation in order to account for the principles of andragogy when …

Syllabus Design For Place-Based Gen-Ed Courses, Andy Oler, Yunxiao Liu

Publications

No abstract provided.

Instilling An Entrepreneurial Mindset In A New Generation Of First-Year Engineering Students Through A Graphics Course Project, Lulu Sun, Leroy Long Iii

Publications

Each year, an increasing number of engineering start-up companies emerge in the U.S. and around the world. Innovation and entrepreneurship have never been so pronounced, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. How can we train engineering students to be more entrepreneurially-minded so they are well-equipped to become global innovators? Engineering educators can use entrepreneurially-minded learning activities to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset, which is a set of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. At a mid-sized Southeastern private institution, we used an open-ended team project and an end-of-semester poster competition within a freshman-level engineering graphics course to encourage …

Infographic: Enhancing Engineering Students’ Communication Skills Through A Team-Based Graphics Course Project, Leroy Long Iii, Kari L. Jordan, William Wanyagah

Publications

This infographic supports the article Enhancing Engineering Students’ Communication Skills through a Team-Based Graphics Course Project which can be accessed here: https://commons.erau.edu/asee-edgd/conference70/papers-2016/5/

Narcissism And Social Media Usage: Is There No Longer A Relationship?, Christina M. Frederick, Tianxin Zhang

Publications

In previous studies, narcissism has been found to relate to social media behaviors, such as how often one posts and how many friends or followers one has (McCain & Campbell, 2016; Singh, Farley, and Donahue, 2018). The present study attempted to create a model of social media use predicted by narcissism and selfconsciousness. A sample of 397 adults with a mean age of 29 years was collected using MTurk. Participants completed a social media use survey, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (Raskin & Hall, 1979) and the Self-Consciousness Scale (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Results showed that while narcissism and selfconsciousness were …

Infographic: Career Competencies Of Erau Student-Athletes, Melanie Canfield, Leroy Long Iii, James J. Pembridge

Publications

This infographic includes five word clouds containing the perceived career competencies of student-athletes at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). Embry-Riddle is a mid-sized private Southeastern university that competes in the Sunshine State Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division II. Findings from one-on-one interviews with 16 current or past ERAU student-athletes led to the creation of the infographic's five word clouds. Among ERAU student-athletes, the most commonly perceived career competencies are a) career preparation, b) professionalism, c) communication and d) collaboration.

Infographic: Stem And Medical Careers Related To Sports, Melanie Canfield, Leroy Long Iii

Publications

This infographic includes science, technology, engineering, math and medical (STEMM) careers related to sports. The targeted audience for the infographic is college counselors, professors, coaches and student-athletes who pursue STEMM degrees while playing a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport. The infographic may also be useful to K-12 students, parents, teachers and coaches. A job description, average salary, and undergraduate major are listed for a variety of careers such as data scientist, video game designer, sports engineer, sports economist, physical therapist, and mental health clinician.

Field Expertise: How To Create An Effective Travel Risk Policy, Aaron D. Clevenger

Publications

Aaron Clevenger, Assistant Provost, Dean of International Programs, and Senior International Officer at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, has worked within higher education for 17 years. After a mudslide accident where student and faculty travelers may have been nearby, the President of the university called Clevenger's office to find out traveler locations. Not having the ability to answer his questions, Clevenger wanted to ensure that in the future, he had a better answer than "I don't know." Through conversations with other experts in the field, Clevenger discovered there were few comprehensive sources available with advice on how to author a travel policy. …

Students' Understanding Of The Concepts Involved In One-Sample Hypothesis Testing, Harrison Stalvey, Annie Burns-Childers, Darryl Chamberlain, Aubrey Kemp, Leslie Meadows, Draga Vidakovic

Publications

Hypothesis testing is a prevalent method of inference used to test a claim about a population parameter based on sample data, and it is a central concept in many introductory statistics courses. At the same time, the use of hypothesis testing to interpret experimental data has raised concerns due to common misunderstandings by both scientists and students. With statistics education reform on the rise, as well as an increasing number of students enrolling in introductory statistics courses each year, there is a need for research to investigate students’ understanding of hypothesis testing. In this study we used APOS Theory to …

Lipoprotein Sub-Fractions By Ion-Mobility Analysis And Its Association With Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis In High-Risk Individuals, Emeka Osondu, Theodore Feldman, Emir Veledar

All Publications

AIMS:

There is limited knowledge about the association of lipoprotein particles and markers of coronary atherosclerosis such as coronary artery calcification (CAC) in relatively young high-risk persons. This study examines the association of lipoprotein subfractions and CAC in high cardiometabolic risk individuals.

METHODS:

The study presents analysis from baseline data of a randomized trial targeted at high-risk workers. Employees of Baptist Health South Florida with metabolic syndrome or diabetes were recruited. At baseline, all 182 participants had lipoprotein subfraction analysis using the ion mobility technique and participants above 35 years (N=170) had CAC test done. Principal components (PC) were computed …

Influence Of Ligand Complexation On Nickel Toxicity, Speciation And Bioavailability In Marine Waters, Samantha Sherman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Currently there are no site-specific bioavailability-based prediction models for assessing the impacts of nickel (Ni) in marine environments although there are indications that these may be warranted. The aim of this research was to characterize the complexation of Ni in relation to toxicity and speciation. Various complexing ligands were used, and it was predicted that the binding affinity (logKf) of ligands would be inversely correlated to toxicity based on dissolved Ni concentrations ([NiD]) but that on a free ion concentration ([Ni2+]) basis, toxicity would not vary. A two-phased approach was used; the first was a proof of principle where synthetic …

The Facilitators And Barriers For Active Seniors Attending Physiotherapy, Derek Wood

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Physiotherapists are healthcare professionals who can be utilized by the senior population to maintain or improve their health (CPA, 2012). This research examined the experiences of physically active, injured seniors receiving treatment from a physiotherapist in order to understand the barriers and facilitators to treatment and recovery. The study also examined this population’s experiences with physiotherapy (PT) as well as their physical activity (PA) levels and the effect PA had on them.

The study employed a qualitative design which used background questionnaires and semi-structured interviews for data collection. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was used to analyze the …

Structural Investigation Of Bcsc: Insight Into Periplasmic Transport During Cellulose Export, William Scott, Joel T. Weadge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A biofilm can be defined by a community of microbes coexisting within a self-produced protective polymeric matrix. Exopolysaccharide (EPS) is a key component in biofilms and a contributor to their virulence and pathogenicity. The cellulose bacterial synthesis complex is one such EPS system that is found in many Enterobacteriaceae,including Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp., and is responsible for the production and secretion of the EPS cellulose. BcsC is the periplasmic protein responsible for the export of the exopolysaccharide cellulose and was the focus of this research. Sequence homology comparisons and structural predictions between BcsC, and the previously characterized alginate …

Cosmic Ray Sensors For The Continuous Measurement Of Arctic Snow Accumulation And Melt, Anton Jitnikovitch

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In the Arctic, winter persists for much of the year, resulting in a hydrological system that is primarily regulated by snow and snowmelt runoff, and has important implications on vegetation, animals, and on the thermal regime of the active layer and permafrost. Snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements such as remote sensing techniques provide coarse resolution data, while snow surveys and snow-pits are labour intensive, have limited spatial coverage and do not provide a continuous reading. Over the last few decades, cosmic ray sensors (CRS) have been proposed as a way to provide much improved snow data, but few studies have …

An In-Depth Analysis Of The Health And Wellbeing Of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brianne Redquest, Paula Fletcher Dr., Pam Bryden Dr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Over five studies, this thesis aimed to investigate the overall health and wellbeing of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary objectives were to: (a) explore the areas of concern among individuals with ASD across the spectrum; (b) understand the differences pertaining to the overall health, social and motor functioning between high functioning and low functioning individuals; (c) understand the sex differences pertaining to the overall health, social, and motor functioning among high and low functioning individuals with ASD; (d) gain in-depth detail regarding the social and motor functioning of children and youth with ASD through the perspectives of …

A Design Of A Material Assembly In Space-Time Generating And Storing Energy, Mihhail Berezovski, Stan Elektrov, Konstantin Lurie

Publications

The paper introduces a theoretical background of the mechanism of electromagnetic energy and power accumulation and its focusing in narrow pulses travelling along a transmission line with material parameters variable in 1D-space and time. This mechanism may be implemented due to a special material geometry- a distribution of two different dielectrics in a spatio-temporal checkerboard. We concentrate on the practically reasonable means to bring this mechanism into action in a device that may work both as energy generator and energy storage. The basic ideas discussed below appear to be fairly general; we have chosen their electromagnetic implementation as an excellent …