Variational calculations of rotation-vibration spectra for small molecules of astrophysical interest

Variational calculations of rotation-vibration spectra are presented for a range of four- and five-atom molecules of atmospheric and astrophysical importance. Using state-of-the-art electronic structure methods, new nine-dimensional potential energy and dipole moment surfaces are constructed for methyl chloride (CH3Cl), silane (SiH4), and methane (CH4). The respective surfaces are rigorously evaluated against high-resolution spectroscopic data from a variety of experimental sources. The ab initio potential energy surfaces represent some of the most accurate to date, whilst intensity simulations utilizing the dipole moment surfaces show good agreement with experiment. A novel application of rotation-vibration computations is introduced to investigate the sensitivity of spectral lines to a possible space-time variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ. The approach relies on finding the mass dependence of the computed energy levels and is only possible because of the remarkable accuracy of variational calculations. Highly sensitive transitions are uncovered for ammonia (NH3) and the hydronium cation (H3O+) which could lead to a tighter constraint on a varying μ. An advantage of the variational approach is that Einstein A coefficients can be determined to help guide future laboratory and astronomical observations. This thesis demonstrates the current capabilities of variational calculations of rotation-vibration spectra and highlights the challenges faced by the field

SECURING THE DATA STORAGE AND PROCESSING IN CLOUD COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

Organizations increasingly utilize cloud computing architectures to reduce costs and en- ergy consumption both in the data warehouse and on mobile devices by better utilizing the computing resources available. However, the security and privacy issues with publicly available cloud computing infrastructures have not been studied to a sufficient depth for or- ganizations and individuals to be fully informed of the risks; neither are private nor public clouds prepared to properly secure their connections as middle-men between mobile de- vices which use encryption and external data providers which neglect to encrypt their data. Furthermore, cloud computing providers are not well informed of the risks associated with policy and techniques they could implement to mitigate those risks. In this dissertation, we present a new layered understanding of public cloud comput- ing. On the high level, we concentrate on the overall architecture and how information is processed and transmitted. The key idea is to secure information from outside attack and monitoring. We use techniques such as separating virtual machine roles, re-spawning virtual machines in high succession, and cryptography-based access control to achieve a high-level assurance of public cloud computing security and privacy. On the low level, we explore security and privacy issues on the memory management level. We present a mechanism for the prevention of automatic virtual machine memory guessing attacks

Preparing vocational teachers to effectively serve special needs students : an inservice education model

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate an inservice education model for home economics teachers in the areas of diagnoses, causes, intervention and remediation, instructional, and behavior management techniques for learning disabled, mentally handicapped, and behaviorally emotionally handicapped learners. The sample consisted of 14 middle and secondary level home economics teachers employed by the Wake County School System during the 1989-90 school year. The model included (a) assessment interviews which were conducted with each teacher to identify teacher perceived needs, problems, and concerns; (b) a pre and post-assessment of the teachers' knowledge of handicapping conditions, instructional strategies, behavior management techniques, and attitudes toward mildly handicapped learners; (c) two full days of inservice training; and (d) follow up observations in the classrooms

Body knowledge and repetition: re-conceiving ability through students' visual narratives of sport, physical education and fitness

The purpose of this dissertation study was to investigate how students enrolled in two different undergraduate core kinesiology courses conceived knowledge of the body through visual storytelling, a mode of writing that uses visual elements, like photographs, to tell a story. For the purposes of the study, body knowledge (Evans and Davies, 2004) was constrained to sport, physical education and fitness. This dissertation study had three research questions and one practical purpose. One, how did students chose to tell their stories, what images and storylines were included and which were left out? In other words, what repetitive or reoccurring themes about the body in the contexts of exercise, physical education and sport emerged from these visual narratives? Two, how did these repetitions (Kumashiro, 2003) construct knowledge of active body and what were the obstacles to addressing them? In other words, did the students select images or themes that overemphasized particular gender, racial, or economic groups, or body sizes, and if so what are potential road blocks to remedying them? Three, why are these repetitions of body knowledge needed? After addressing these three questions, this study aimed to provide kinesiology and HPE educators with practical pedagogical strategies for addressing (visual) repetitions of body knowledge within the curriculum. Following Norman Fairclough's (2005) critical discourse analysis (CDA) methodology, this study analyzed 18 visual narratives and found that gender and physical ability was an overarching theme in the students' narratives

Time in the novels of Eudora Welty

In her essays and stories, and particularly in her novels, Eudora Welty examines how human beings relate to time. Miss Welty's concern with time is reflected in the imagery, structure, and theme of her novels, and indeed should be viewed as crucial to her artistic vision. To Miss Welty, time is quite different from chronology—man's rather futile attempts to measure and control time. Although her novels are filled with references to clocks, watches, pendulums, and other such devices, Welty always endeavors to demonstrate the inaccuracy and perversity of these contrivances. She portrays time as often dilated or compressed, and she regards the past, present, and future as one continuous flux. Her characters, however, usually fragment time and become preoccupied with the past, or with the present, or with the future. Consequently, Welty's characters seldom live in harmony with the world around them

A descriptive study of the personality of selected amateur golfers

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether there were similar personality patterns among women amateur golfers. The secondary purpose was to compare the group of women amateur golfers with a group of women Pan-American athletes whose scores on the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule were reported by Neal. The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule was administered to subjects from two groups of women amateur golfers. An amateur golfer was defined as one who had a handicap of eight or less and who qualified to participate in USGA tournaments. One group was composed of thirteen collegiate amateur golfers who were currently enrolled in a college or university. The second group was composed of twenty amateur golfers who were members of the Virginias' and Carolinas' golf teams who compete bi-annually. The Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance was used to determine if differences in personality existed among amateur golfers

SPAE: A Scratch Project Analysis Tool For Educators

Middle school and high school educators are always seeking new ways to offer differentiation and personalization of learning to their students. Computer programming can provide a differentiation technique as well as strengthen mathematical and problem solving skills. However, text-based computer programming languages are difficult for younger students to learn. Scratch is a visual, block-based programming environment that targets these younger novice learners. Scratch has been very successful at breaking down this learning barrier, evidenced by the 35 million projects created by 33 million unique users in twelve years. Educators that wish to use Scratch in the classroom now have a new problem in understanding how to evaluate and assess student projects. This thesis describes the Scratch Project Analysis for Educators tool (SPAE). SPAE is an easy to use web application that provides a summary of Scratch project characteristics that teachers can use in evaluating student work. SPAE is implemented on a variety of hardware and software platforms to ensure accessibility to any teacher. The reliability of SPAE was demonstrated through the analysis of nearly one million Scratch projects

The role of identification with a joke target in perceptions of disparaging humor

In the present research I focus on identifying the variables that affect women’s perceptions of sexist humor. Previous research and theory have identified attitude toward women as the critical predictor of amusement with sexist humor; I propose that the degree of dis-identification with women as a social category is also an important predictor. I conducted two studies to investigate the role that dis-identification with women plays in predicting women's perceptions of sexist humor. In support of my hypothesis, results of Study 1 showed that more dis-identification with women predicted more amusement with sexist humor. Further, in addition to gender attitudes, degree of dis-identification with women mediated the effect of gender on amusement with sexist humor. In Study 2 I found that hostile sexism was related to dis-identification with feminists to a greater degree than with women in general or housewives, and that insofar as women are high in hostile sexism, they interpret the message of humor disparaging feminists less critically than humor disparaging other subgroups of women. Overall, my findings provide support for the hypothesis that women perceive sexist humor more positively to the extent that they dis-identify with women as a social category

Increasing retention rates of black women in gateway STEM courses: an intervention at NCCU

The purpose of this disquisition is to improve the persistence of African American women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) gateway courses at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) through the implementation of a series of interventions. In this disquisition, I give a brief overview of the multiple barriers that have hindered many African American women from persisting in STEM fields. I explore the roots of student apathy, the roles of supplemental instruction leaders and tutors and the impact each has on student success. I also examine the intervention of incorporating early alert warning systems at an historically Black college and university (HBCU). My intervention includes (1) re-structured training of supplemental instruction leaders and tutors, (2) the consistent and accurate use of Grades First at NCCU, and (3) follow-up communication with supplemental instruction leaders and tutors to increase the pass rates of African American women in STEM gateway courses and increase their persistence in STEM programs at the institution

Growth, reproduction and survivorship responses to food enhancements for two species of estuarine polychaetes: Streblospio benedicti and Laeonereis culveri

Previous studies evaluating effects of eutrophication in estuarine systems have produced mixed results, sometimes showing weak linkages between resource enhancement and infaunal population responses. A general lack of life history information for many benthic infaunal species, and variable links between trophic controls and population responses, indicate a need to evaluate species-specific responses to specific food resources of varying quantities. This study examined growth, reproduction and survivorship responses to varying food sources for two estuarine polychaetes, Streblospio benedicti and Laeonereis culveri, common to southeastern North Carolina. I compared responses to ten food sources fed at specific quantities: ground Ulva, enhanced benthic microalgae, organic mud slurry, Tetramen fish flakes (high quality food control), azoic sediment and a starvation control for both species, with the additional inclusion of Spartina alterniflora, Phaeosphaeria spartinicola (fungal decomposer), Phaeosphaeria-infused Spartina and an agar control for S. benedicti. Multiple twenty-one day feeding assays were run with 2-3 levels of food, based on N content or volume, fed to field densities of each species. Response variables included survivorship, growth, total length, reproductive condition, and total biomass. S. benedicti showed significant growth and reproductive responses to the benthic microalgae and mud slurry treatments, but little response to other treatments. L. culveri showed variable responses to several treatments. The results suggest that S. benedicti will respond with increased growth, survivorship and oocyte production to enhanced food in the laboratory and may be food-limited in the field. The results for L. culveri illustrate the opportunism utilized by this species and suggest that it may be able to grow similarly among a variety of food sources. The combined results for these species demonstrate the variability in responses to food enhancement and suggest that some aspect of food limitation, either availability or nutrient content, plays a role in regulating growth, abundance and reproduction in benthic communities