Comparison of Transition Matrices Between Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Areas in the State of Utah Using Juvenile Court Data

The purpose of this paper is to use Markov Chains for the study of youths referred to the juvenile court in the metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas of the state of Utah. Two computer programs were written for creating case histories for each person referred to the court and for testing for the significance of the difference among several transition matrices. Another computer program, which was written by Soo Hong Uh, was used for analyzing realizations of a Markov chains up to the 4th order; a third computer program, originally written by David White, was used for interpreting Markov chains. The paper is divided into SIX chapters: introduction and thesis goals, definition of SMSA (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area), statistical background, methodology, analysis and summary and conclusions

Proclamation in Cross-Cultural Context: Missiological Implications of the Book of Daniel

This study attempts to explore the biblical foundation ofsalvific mission as revealed in God\u27s purposes for the nations (missio Dei ) in the book of Daniel and to investigate the means that Daniel employed in his ministry as an overt missionary who was sent to witness to God\u27s salvific purpose in the cross-cultural context of heathen kingdoms. The main objective of this research is to validate the book of Daniel as a missionary document and show that its missiological implications are still relevant to present-day missions. Chapter 2 explores the salvific purpose of missio Dei in the book of Daniel including God\u27s initiative for salvation in human history, God\u27s salvific purpose for all people. The chapter demonstrates that Daniel was aware of the sovereignty of God in the process of the exile as a means to achieve God\u27s salvific purpose for all people through his human agents. Chapter 3 researches the strategies of missio Dei , showing how God used committed individuals, dreams, visions, and spiritual conflict. The chapter shows that God\u27s strategy involves not only calling people to serve for his salvific purpose but also demonstrates God\u27s direct intervention in human history through dreams, visions, and spiritual conflict. Chapter 4 focuses on the cultural perspective of Daniel\u27s ministry by analyzing the process of cultural learning and symbolism within the book of Daniel. Furthermore, Daniel\u27s witness to Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius is examined and analyzed from a cross-cultural perspective. The chapter reveals that Daniel and his friends were sensitive to the local culture as they communicated God\u27s truth in a cross-cultural context without sacrificing the content of that truth. Chapter 5 suggests missiological implications from the book of Daniel for current cross-cultural missionary work. The elucidation of practical implications demonstrates that the book of Daniel should be treated as a missionary document to develop for the present-day cross-cultural mission practices as well as theology

Flux Noise in MgB2 Thin Films

We have performed flux noise and AC-susceptibility measurements on two 400 nm thick MgB$_2$ films. Both measurement techniques give information about the vortex dynamics in the sample, and hence the superconducting transition, and can be linked to each other through the fluctuation-dissipation-theorem. The transition widths for the two films are 0.3 and 0.8 K, respectively, and the transitions show a multi step-like behavior in the AC-susceptibility measurements. The same phenomenon is observed in the flux noise measurements through a change in the frequency dependence of the spectral density at each step in the transition. The results are discussed and interpreted in terms of vortices carrying an arbitrary fraction of a flux quantum as well as in terms of different macroscopic regions in the films having slightly different compositions, and hence, different critical temperatures.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, conference contribution to "Fluctuations and Noise", Santa Fe, New mexico 1-4 june 200