ScholarWorks Copyright (c) 2012 Boise State University All rights reserved. http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu Recent documents in ScholarWorks en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 07:29:06 PDT 3600 Anisotropies in the Diffuse Gamma-Ray Background Measured by the Fermi LAT http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/physics_facpubs/102 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/physics_facpubs/102 Tue, 15 May 2012 11:54:06 PDT The contribution of unresolved sources to the diffuse gamma-ray background could induce anisotropies in this emission on small angular scales. We analyze the angular power spectrum of the diffuse emission measured by the Fermi Large Area Telescope at Galactic latitudes |b|>30° in four energy bins spanning 1–50 GeV. At multipoles ℓ≥155, corresponding to angular scales ≲2°, angular power above the photon noise level is detected at >99.99%  confidence level in the 1–2 GeV, 2–5 GeV, and 5–10 GeV energy bins, and at >99% confidence level at 10–50 GeV. Within each energy bin the measured angular power takes approximately the same value at all multipoles ℓ≥155, suggesting that it originates from the contribution of one or more unclustered source populations. The amplitude of the angular power normalized to the mean intensity in each energy bin is consistent with a constant value at all energies, CP/⟨I⟩2=9.05±0.84×10-6  sr, while the energy dependence of CP is consistent with the anisotropy arising from one or more source populations with power-law photon spectra with spectral index Γs=2.40±0.07. We discuss the implications of the measured angular power for gamma-ray source populations that may provide a contribution to the diffuse gamma-ray background.

]]> Jay Norris Limits on Large Extra Dimensions Based on Observations of Neutron Stars with the Fermi-LAT http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/physics_facpubs/101 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/physics_facpubs/101 Tue, 15 May 2012 11:44:19 PDT We present limits for the compactification scale in the theory of Large Extra Dimensions (LED) proposed by Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos, and Dvali. We use 11 months of data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi-LAT) to set gamma ray flux limits for 6 gamma-ray faint neutron stars (NS). To set limits on LED we use the model of Hannestad and Raffelt (HR) that calculates the Kaluza-Klein (KK) graviton production in supernova cores and the large fraction subsequently gravitationally bound around the resulting NS. The predicted decay of the bound KK gravitons to γγ should contribute to the flux from NSs. Considering 2 to 7 extra dimensions of the same size in the context of the HR model, we use Monte Carlo techniques to calculate the expected differential flux of gamma-rays arising from these KK gravitons, including the effects of the age of the NS, graviton orbit, and absorption of gamma-rays in the magnetosphere of the NS. We compare our Monte Carlo-based differential flux to the experimental differential flux using maximum likelihood techniques to obtain our limits on LED. Our limits are more restrictive than past EGRET-based optimistic limits that do not include these important corrections. Additionally, our limits are more stringent than LHC based limits for 3 or fewer LED, and comparable for 4 LED. We conclude that if the effective Planck scale is around a TeV, then for 2 or 3 LED the compactification topology must be more complicated than a torus.

]]> Jay Norris Tweeting the Night Away: Using Twitter to Enhance Social Presence http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/edtech_facpubs/39 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/edtech_facpubs/39 Fri, 11 May 2012 14:18:09 PDT Many online educators tend to design the scope, structure, and function of an online course based on the tools available within a learning management system (LMS); that is, an LMS (eg. eCollege, Blackboard, WebCT, Moodle) can constrain how online educators design and develop their online courses (Lane, 2007; Morgan, 2003; Siemens, 2006). While adequate for some basic learning activities (e.g., information and document sharing, asynchronous and synchronous discussion, and assessment via quizzes), LMSs are modeled after classroom settings with drop boxes, grade books, announcements, and so on. What tends to be missing is the just-in-time, and sometimes playful, interactions that happen before and after class, during a break, and when students and faculty bump into each other between class meetings. Out-of-the-classroom interactions like these and many others have potential instructional value (Kuh, 1995) and can help strengthen interpersonal relationships between and among students and faculty that enhance the learning community inside the classroom.

In this teaching tip, we describe our use of Twitter (2009)--a Web 2.0 microblogging tool--to enhance social presence in an online course by providing a mechanism for just-in-time social interactions. We also touch on some other instructional benefits of using Twitter in online courses and conclude with guidelines to consider when using Twitter with students.

]]> Joanna Dunlap et al. Reinterpreting Cinematic Utopia in Coline Serreau's <em>Chaos</em> (2001) http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/lang_facpubs/36 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/lang_facpubs/36 Fri, 11 May 2012 12:33:02 PDT In French filmmaker Coline Serreau’s Chaos, female characters flee the urban status quo, live through (and thrive in) moments of chaos, and finally end their travels in a pastoral seaside home. In depicting a cinematic trip to a seemingly feminine utopia, the film addresses a societal problem that remains under-represented in mainstream cinema: gender inequality and, in particular, transcultural gender inequality. In analyzing Serreau’s gendered approach to utopian fiction, I demonstrate how Chaos manipulates seemingly classic Hollywood narrative form and style to question the gendered status quo of modern Parisian society.

]]> Mariah Devereux Herbeck Hyperbolic Alternating Virtual Link Groups http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/math_facpubs/98 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/math_facpubs/98 Fri, 11 May 2012 12:24:42 PDT We study the topology and geometry of virtual link complements and groups. We show that the groups defined by the Wirtinger presentation of certain prime dense alternating virtual links are CAT(0) and hyperbolic.

]]> Jens Harlander Evaluation of the Supportive Needs of Adolescents During Childbirth Intrapartum Nursing Intervention on Adolescents’ Childbirth Satisfaction and Breastfeeding Rates http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/nursing_facpubs/83 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/nursing_facpubs/83 Fri, 11 May 2012 12:23:33 PDT Objective

To evaluate the effect of the Supportive Needs of Adolescents during Childbirth (SNAC) intrapartum nursing intervention on adolescents’ childbirth satisfaction and breastfeeding rates.

Design

Separate sample posttest quasi-experimental.

Setting

A tertiary hospital intrapartum unit.

Participants

A convenience sample of 106 parturient adolescents.

Methods

During Phase 1 the control group received current standard of intrapartum care. During Phase 2, the interventionist nurses provided the SNAC intervention and standard of care to the intervention group.

Results

The t test indicated higher childbirth satisfaction in the intervention group. Chi-square analysis indicated that the intervention group was more likely to breastfeed within the first hour after birth. There was no significant relationship between childbirth satisfaction and breastfeeding at three months and no differences between the groups in breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge and three months.

Conclusions

These results suggest that learning the SNAC intervention may help nurses positively influence adolescents’ childbirth experience and timing of breastfeeding initiation. Replication of the study is needed to further explore whether the intervention can significantly influence breastfeeding duration.

]]> Jane S. Grassley et al. Situational Qualities Exhibited by Exceptional Presenters http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/edtech_facpubs/38 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/edtech_facpubs/38 Fri, 11 May 2012 11:54:42 PDT Bad presentations are commonplace, but rather than focus on what is wrong with bad presentations, the authors looked at what makes an exceptional presentation. They referenced recent work on the aesthetic qualities of learning experiences by Patrick Parrish and others, which describe aesthetic learning experiences as those that involve learners in the right level of challenge and heightened engagement. Aesthetic learning experiences are memorable and often transformative, leaving learners with enhanced confidence and capabilities—the very definition of exceptional. By attending to the situational qualities of aesthetic learning experiences, presenters are more likely to create exceptional presentations that establish relevance and engagement—and, therefore, have a better chance at achieving specific learning objectives and outcomes. To do this, the authors identified the most viewed presentations on the TED website as the sample for their study. They created a matrix based on the situational qualities of aesthetic learning experiences and analyzed the top six "most viewed" presentations (as of July 15, 2011).

]]> Joanna Dunlap et al. Pavement Thickness Evaluation by GPR Survey in Idaho http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/civileng_facpubs/35 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/civileng_facpubs/35 Thu, 10 May 2012 15:25:31 PDT In 1995 and 1996, the Idaho Transportation Department (lTD) conducted a series of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys as a nondestructive testing (NDT) method to evaluate the thickness of asphalt and Portland cement concrete (AC/PCC) pavements in Idaho. GPR surveys employed both air-coupled and combination air and ground coupled systems with their associated equipment and software. A total of 30 miles of AC/PCC pavements were evaluated by GPR surveys. The results obtained were correlated with the site-specific ground-truth data from borings.

Knowledge of pavement layer thickness is needed to predict pavement performance, establish load carrying capacities and develop maintenance and rehabilitation priorities. In addition, for new construction, it is important to ensure that the thickness of materials being placed by the contractor is acceptably close to specification. Core sampling and test pits are destructive to the pavement system, expensive, time consuming and intrusive to traffic. The objective of the lTD study was to evaluate, compare and assess the ability of these two GPR systems to accurately measure the thickness of multiple pavement layers, and document the data nondestructively. This paper reviews the findings of these surveys and provides statistically based data for both AC and PCC pavements.

The overall study has shown that reasonably accurate, dependable determination of pavement thickness can be achieved by using GPR survey for conditions encountered in Idaho.

]]> Joseph C. Sener et al. Treatment for Childhood Refugee Trauma: A Randomized, Controlled Trial http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/counsel_facpubs/55 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/counsel_facpubs/55 Thu, 10 May 2012 12:53:10 PDT The authors investigated the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) in comparison with an evidence-based intervention, trauma-focused cognitive–behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) with traumatized refugee children aged 6 to 13. Thirty-one traumatized refugee children were randomly assigned to participate in CCPT or TF-CBT in the elementary school setting in the northwest United States. Results indicated that both CCPT and TF-CBT were effective in reducing trauma symptoms according to child and parent report. Findings support the use of CCPT in treating traumatized refugee children.

]]> April A. Schottelkorb et al. Childhood Neglect, Attachment to Companion Animals, and Stuffed Animals as Attachment Objects in Women and Men http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/psych_facpubs/156 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/psych_facpubs/156 Thu, 10 May 2012 12:43:11 PDT Childhood neglect has severe, pervasive, negative outcomes that often continue into adulthood. As a potential source of support for both children and adults, companion animals (pets) can both give and receive affection and therefore may be sources of healthy attachment for people who were raised in negative situations. Toy stuffed animals, in contrast, can only receive affection but may still be useful as transitional objects, particularly for people who experienced interpersonal neglect in childhood and who are in the midst of a transition away from the family home and into college. The current study examined the relationships among childhood neglect, companion animal attachment, and attachment to toy stuffed animals. Undergraduate participants (n = 457) from a large regional university answered questionnaires online. The first hypothesis, that self-reported childhood neglect would be positively related to attachment to companion animals, was supported for women only. Neglected women were more attached to companion animals than were non-neglected women, with a medium effect size. For men, there was no significant effect. The second hypothesis was that childhood neglect would be positively related to attachment to stuffed animals; this hypothesis was not supported. The third hypothesis, that women would be more attached to both companion animals and stuffed animals than would men, was supported. Attachment to companion animals and attachment to stuffed animals were positively related. Results are discussed within a framework of attachment and transitional objects as potential aids to therapy in people who were neglected in childhood.

]]> M. Rose Barlow et al. Presence in Context: Teachers’ Negotiations with the Relational Environment of School http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/uar2012/5 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/uar2012/5 Thu, 10 May 2012 12:38:23 PDT This inquiry research builds on the theory of presence in teaching (Rodgers & Raider-Roth, 2006) adding nuanced understandings of how school contexts play into teachers’ abilities to support students’ learning. Findings are drawn from multiple interviews with five veteran middle school teachers, teachers’ written work, and field observations. Illustrating these findings is the compelling story of an exemplary teacher’s negotiations of her practice in response to the school’s relational environment. Our findings point to the teacher’s sense of isolation and vulnerability–indicators of the relational context in the school as a threat to undermining her presence. They also create a compelling argument for the importance of a healthy relational context to support teachers’ most powerful teaching, hence students’ learning.

]]> Vicki Stieha et al. Rupture and Repair: Episodes of Resistance and Resilience in Teachers’ Learning http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/uar2012/4 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/uar2012/4 Thu, 10 May 2012 11:45:24 PDT This action inquiry article examines veteran teachers’ learning in a week-long professional development seminar. We describe moments of disconnection in key learning relationships (teacher, learner, text) and analyze relational–cultural dynamics that contributed to the disconnections. We investigate the dynamics that facilitate repair within the relationships. We argue that disconnections were often acts of resistance which preserve teachers’ sense of self as learner. We aver that moments of reconnection were acts of resilience. This study’s significance demonstrates the inherent links between resistance and resilience. Implications point to the centrality of taking an inquiry stance in the study of professional development experiences.

]]> Miriam Raider-Roth et al. Investigation of Inter-Diffusion in Bilayer GeTe/SnSe Phase Change Memory Films http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/electrical_facpubs/190 http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/electrical_facpubs/190 Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:22 PDT A metal-chalcogenide layer, SnSe, is inserted between the memory layer GeTe and the top electrode to form a phase change memory cell. The GeTe layer exhibits ovonic threshold switching at a threshold field of ~ 110 V/μm. For subsequent implementation into applications and reliability, material inter-diffusion and sublimation are examined in bilayer phase change films of GeTe/SnSe. Transmission electron microscopy and parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses reveal Sn migration to the GeTe layer, which is responsible for lowering the rhombohedral to cubic structural transformation temperature in GeTe. Incongruent sublimation of SnSe and GeTe is observed at temperatures higher than 500 °C. Severe volatilization of Se results in the separation of a metallic Sn phase. The use of Al2O3 as a capping layer has been found to mitigate these effects.

]]> Archana Devasia et al.