An investigation of the relationship between academic achievement and high school students\u27 perceived level of satisfaction of needs in selected Southeast Tennessee schools

“Lack of motivation is a real and pressing problem. Upwards of 40 percent of high school students are chronically disengaged from school” (Crotty, 2013, para. 3). This problem highlights the purpose of this research, which was twofold. First, the research was designed to develop an assessment to measure students’ level of needs satisfaction using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Secondly, the assessment instrument was used to investigate the relationship between the level of satisfaction of needs and the academic achievement of high school students. The theoretical basis for this research was Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which was classified as an aspect of humanistic motivation theory (Schunk, 2011; Weiner, 1992). Humanistic motivation is based on the study of the whole person, including self-awareness and personal choices (Schunk, 2011). The Hierarchy of Needs is a pyramid with the most primal needs at the base, and the more complex toward the top. This hierarchy consists of five tiers of needs: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization (Maslow, 1943; Schunk, 2011; Weiner, 1992). The Need Satisfaction Assessment for Students (NSAS) was developed based on the seminal work of Abraham Maslow (1943) and his Hierarchy of Needs. A pilot was conducted in one high school in 2013 to ensure reliability and validity. This assessment was used to identify which of the students’ need(s) were satisfied. These needs and items from the NSAS were then analyzed with the students’ academic achievement in an attempt to find relationships. The results from this research revealed statistically significant findings. Two items from the NSAS had a statistically significant relationship with academic achievement: “When I use the bathroom it is not because I feel sick (p = .003).” and “I do not eat enough to stay healthy (p = .008).” There was also a statistically significant relationship between the father’s education level and the student’s academic achievement (p = .016). Another statistically significant relationship was found between athletic participation and the following need domains: Safety and Relationship Needs (p = .001) and Esteem and Physiological Needs (p = .008)

Micro-scale Plasma Arc Gasification for Waste Treatment and Energy Production Project

As NASA continues to develop technology for spaceflight beyond low earth orbit, we must develop the right systems for sustaining human life on a long duration or planetary mission. Plasma arc gasification (PAG) is an energy efficient mechanism of waste management for power generation and synthetic gas(syngas) production

Investigation of bio-regenerative life support and Trash-to-gas experiment on a 4 month mars simulation mission

Future crewed missions to other planets or deep space locations will require regenerative Life Support Systems (LSS) as well as recycling processes for mission waste. Constant resupply of many commodity materials will not be a sustainable option for deep space missions, nor will stowing trash on board a vehicle or at a lunar or Martian outpost. The habitable volume will decline as the volume of waste increases. A complete regenerative environmentally controlled life support system (ECLSS) on an extra-terrestrial outpost will likely include physico-chemical and biological technologies, such as bioreactors and greenhouse modules. Physico-chemical LSS do not enable food production and bio-regenerative LSS are not stable enough to be used alone in space. Mission waste that cannot be recycled into the bio-regenerative ECLSS can include excess food, food packaging, clothing, tape, urine and fecal waste. This waste will be sent to a system for converting the trash into high value products. Two crew members on a 120 day Mars analog simulation, in collaboration with Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) Trash to Gas (TtG) project investigated a semi-closed loop system that treated non-edible biomass and other logistical waste for volume reduction and conversion into useful commodities. The purpose of this study is to show how plant growth affects the amount of resources required by the habitat and how spent plant material can be recycled. Real-time data was sent to the reactor at KSC in Florida for replicating the analog mission waste for laboratory operation. This paper discusses the 120 day mission plant growth activity, logistical and plant waste management, power and water consumption effects of the plant and logistical waste, and potential energy conversion techniques using KSC’s TtG technology

Performance analysis of queueing systems with resequencing

2014 - 2015The service sector lies at the heart of industrialized nations and continues to serve as a major contributor to the world economy. Over the years, the service industry has given rise to an enor- mous amount of technological, scienti c, and managerial chal- lenges. Among all challenges, operational service quality, service efficiency, and the tradeoffs between the two have always been at the center of service managers' attention and are likely to be so more in the future. Queueing theory attempts to address these challenges from a mathematical perspective. Every service station of a queueing network is characterized by two major components: the external arrival process and the service process. The external arrival process governs the timing of service request arrivals to that station from outside, and the service process concerns the duration of service transactions in that station... [edited by author]XIV n.s

Trash-to-Gas: Converting Space Trash into Useful Products

NASA's Logistical Reduction and Repurposing (LRR) project is a collaborative effort in which NASA is determined to reduce total logistical mass through reduction, reuse and recycling of various wastes and components of long duration space missions and habitats. LRR is focusing on four distinct advanced areas of study: Advanced Clothing System, Logistics-to-Living, Heat Melt Compactor and Trash to Supply Gas (TtSG). The objective of TtSG is to develop technologies that convert material waste, human waste and food waste into high-value products. High-value products include life support oxygen and water, rocket fuels, raw material production feedstocks, and other energy sources. There are multiple pathways for converting waste to products involving single or multi-step processes. This paper discusses thermal oxidation methods of converting waste to methane. Different wastes, including food, food packaging, Maximum Absorbent Garments (MAGs), human waste simulants, and cotton washcloths have been evaluated in a thermal degradation reactor under conditions promoting pyrolysis, gasification or incineration. The goal was to evaluate the degradation processes at varying temperatures and ramp cycles and to maximize production of desirable products and minimize high molecular weight hydrocarbon (tar) production. Catalytic cracking was also evaluated to minimize tar production. The quantities of CO2, CO, CH4, and H2O were measured under the different thermal degradation conditions. The conversion efficiencies of these products were used to determine the best methods for producing desired products

La rinuncia all'azione sociale di responsabilita degli amministratori nelle s.p.a.: dismissione di un diritto.

L'elaborato approfondisce la questione della responsabilità degli amministratori, in particolare l'aspetto della rinuncia (o transazione) all'esercizio dell'azione sociale di responsabilità, nell'ipotesi in cui siano stati commessi atti di mala gestio da parte degli amministratori stessi. Sono stati presi in considerazione i tre diversi modelli societari (sistema tradizionale, dualistico e monistico), il caso delle procedure concorsuali ed infine la questione è stata analizzata facendo riferimento alle s.r.l. il tutto per dimostrare la disponibilità o meno di un diritto sostanziale che sottostà alla rinuncia all'azione. Infine è stato analizzato il potere di opposizione dei soci di minoranza

INTEGRATED SURVEY AND SMART NAVIGATION OF COMPLEX TERRITORIAL MODELS

Abstract. The study examines the numerous medieval fortified sites that are in ruins throughout the Sicilian territory. Their landscape and historical value is significant, but they are unfortunately abandoned, not in stable conditions and often no metrically reliable graphic representation exists.The methodology we chose required a combined 3D survey campaign and data processing aimed at obtaining 2D and 3D drawings, as well as a virtual reality application to provide knowledge and virtual fruition of the sites.The entire experimental procedure was optimised to provide multi-scalar readings of the sites under investigation, that include their details, the location, territory, and landscape.The article presents the results of a case study carried out on the Maletto Castle in Sicily (Italy)

Investigation of Bio-Regenerative Life Support and Trash-To-Gas Experiment on a 4 Month Mars Simulation Mission

Future crewed missions to other planets or deep space locations will require regenerative Life Support Systems (LSS) as well as recycling processes for mission waste. Constant resupply of many commodity materials will not be a sustainable option for deep space missions, nor will storing trash on board a vehicle or at a lunar or Martian outpost. The habitable volume will decline as the volume of waste increases. A complete regenerative environmentally controlled life support system (ECLSS) on an extra-terrestrial outpost will likely include physico-chemical and biological technologies, such as bioreactors and greenhouse modules. Physico-chemical LSS do not enable food production and bio-regenerative LSS are not stable enough to be used alone in space. Mission waste that cannot be recycled into the bio-regenerative ECLSS can include excess food, food packaging, clothing, tape, urine and fecal waste. This waste will be sent to a system for converting the trash into the high value products. Two crew members on a 120 day Mars analog simulation, in collaboration with Kennedy Space Centers (KSC) Trash to Gas (TtG) project investigated a semi-closed loop system that treated non-edible biomass and other logistical waste for volume reduction and conversion into useful commodities. The purposes of this study are to show the how plant growth affects the amount of resources required by the habitat and how spent plant material can be recycled. Real-time data was sent to the reactor at KSC in Florida for replicating the analog mission waste for laboratory operation. This paper discusses the 120 day mission plant growth activity, logistical and plant waste management, power and water consumption effects of the plant and logistical waste, and potential energy conversion techniques using KSCs TtG reactor technology

An evaluation of teachers\u27 perceptions of a state developed educational portal

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions use of a state developed educational portal. The research evaluated the differences in the quality, usefulness, and relevance of learning objects found on the website based on teachers’ gender and grade level they taught. Grade level taught referred to those grades that are the focus of a participant’s position: primary (K-2), elementary (3-5), middle school (6-8) and high school (9-12). The learning objects included: frameworks, tasks, standards, and videos. The researcher also reviewed the relationship between teachers’ use of the learning objects and the teachers’ level of technology integration according to the Apple Computer of Tomorrow technology integration scale. The research also investigated the change in the teachers’ classroom pedagogy after using the website. The instrument used was a 20-question online Likert-scale survey administered to 900 teachers in Walton County Public Schools (grades K-12). The return rate on the survey was 419, or 46.5%. All survey returns were calculated for the statistical analysis. The data from the survey revealed a significant difference in the variables used in the study (quality, usefulness, relevance of frameworks, tasks, standards, and videos) based on gender and grade level taught. Other demographics were analyzed and those items (age, years taught, and academic area) did not show a significant difference. The survey questions dealing with extent of usage and teacher pedagogy assist both the researcher and Walton County. The questions followed the growth of the teachers and the expectations of the changes in use of technology following their redelivery training on using the state-developed educational portal. Finally, the website is a living document, so information gathered from this study will be used to make changes for all teachers in the state

Medieval Glassworks in the City of Ferrara (North Eastern Italy): The Case Study of Piazza Municipale

Compositional and structural characterization was carried out on transparent glass fragments found in a brick rubbish pit discovered in basal floor of the ducal palace of Ferrara, during the excavation of Piazza Municipale. This study aims to identify raw materials and glass-working techniques through X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) quantitative chemical analyses and semi-quantitative Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations. The studied fragments were produced using siliceous-lime sands with natron as flux, and allowed us to better understand the production technologies in a historical period of great innovation for European glass art. The numerous findings of glass fragments discovered in brick underground cellars built for the specific purpose of household rubbish of wealthy complexes in Ferrara testify a consolidated system of separate discharge of solid waste into underground containers, which were closed and sealed once filled. The high volume of the finds indicates the absence of recycling of accumulated materials due to the well-being of the city. Compositional analysis confirmed the local production of glass shops in Ferrara during the late Middle Ages, characterized by differences with the glasses of the nearby city of Venice. Morphological analyses also defined the nature and relative abundance of the products, exploring the types and compositions of the Ferrara glass art