College Readiness in California High Schools: Access, Opportunities, Guidance, and Barriers

Smoot, Shanda L University of Southern California 2013 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

This dissertation explores California's current A-G requirements and investigates whether or not students are more college ready now than they were in previous years. This study also investigates whether or not students have adequate opportunities to access the rigorous coursework in an urban high school largely populated by minority students. The purpose of this study was to explore if students are provided with the information necessary to make informed decisions that may lead to fulfillment of the requirements and for eligibility into either the California State University or University of California college system. This study focused on student college readiness from 1994-2012 to see if California was graduating students from high school that were college ready through exploring course taking patterns, reviewing student characteristic data, and looking at college readiness as defined by the number of students eligible to attend a California State University or University of California school. Findings from this study indicate that while there have been improvements in the overall college readiness of students the gains are slight. The findings also show that African American students are falling behind Caucasian students with regard to college readiness.

Analyzing, exploring, and visualizing near-optimal protein sequence alignments

Smoot, Michael Elliott University of Virginia 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

This dissertation describes my research into supporting the use of near-optimal protein sequence alignments by biologists. The research involves contributions to bioinformatics (investigating the relationship of near-optimal alignments to structural alignments) and cognitive systems engineering (developing a near-optimal sequence alignment solution space analysis system). The bioinformatics contributions show that the variation between structural alignments compares favorably with that of near-optimal alignments. The results indicate that analyzing near-optimal alignments can be used for developing higher quality homology models for sequences without known tertiary structure. This research further explores the relationship between structural and near-optimal alignments by developing a logistic regression model that predicts whether or not aligned pairs of amino acids in a set of near-optimal alignments are likely to be found in structural alignments. This work adds to cognitive systems engineering by demonstrating an effective system for supporting biologists in the exploration of large sets of near-optimal alignments. This support comes in the form of alignment visualization techniques and facilities for mixed-initiative interaction. Two visualizations were created, an animated pairwise alignment and a zoomable path graph, which provide alternative perspectives on sets of near-optimal alignments. A mixed-initiative interaction scenario is created by allowing users to dynamically edit and adjust alignments, which creates a feedback loop. This provides further insight into the alignment generation algorithms. The visualization techniques take advantage of the biological insights developed in the first section of this research to further increase the usefulness of the system. Two case studies demonstrate the utility of the near-optimal alignment solution space analysis system. One case study describes the use of our visualization and analysis system to confirm the homology of two distantly related proteins, Lacritin and Dermcidin. The second case study describes how the visualization options, filtering, and mixed-initiative features of the system facilitated the development of an O(n) space near-optimal alignment generation algorithm.

Methods for Effectively Combining Group- and Individual-Level Data

Smoot, Elizabeth Harvard University 2015 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

In observational studies researchers often have access to multiple sources of information but ultimately choose to apply well-established statistical methods that do not take advantage of the full range of information available. In this dissertation I discuss three methods that are able to incorporate this additional data and show how using each improves the quality of the analysis. First, in Chapters 1 and 2, I focus on methods for improving estimator efficiency in studies in which both population (group) and individual-level data is available. In such settings, the hybrid design for ecological inference efficiently combines the two sources of information; however, in practice, maximizing the likelihood is often computationally intractable. I propose and develop an alternative, computationally efficient representation of the hybrid likelihood. I then demonstrate that this approximation incurs no penalty in terms of increased bias or reduced efficiency. Second, in Chapters 3 and 4, I highlight the problem of applying standard analyses to outcome-dependent sampling schemes in settings in which study units are cluster-correlated. I demonstrate that incorporating known outcome totals into the likelihood via inverse probability weights results in valid estimation and inference. I further discuss the applicability of outcome-dependent sampling schemes in resource-limited settings, specifically to the analysis of national ART programs in sub-Saharan Africa. I propose the cluster-stratified case-control study as a valid and logistically reasonable study design in such resource-poor settings, discuss balanced versus unbalanced sampling techniques, and address the practical trade-off between logistic considerations and statistical efficiency of cluster-stratified case-control versus case-control studies. Finally, in Chapter 5, I demonstrate the benefit of incorporating the full-range of possible outcomes into an observational data analysis, as opposed to running the analysis on a pre-selected set of outcomes. Testing all possible outcomes for associations with the exposure inherently incorporates negative controls into the analysis and further validates a study's statistically significant results. I apply this technique to an investigation of the relationship between particulate air pollution and hospital admission causes.

Middle college high school programs in California as perceived by students and as compared for academic achievement with continuation high school programs

Smoot, Jane M Azusa Pacific University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether middle college high school programs are effective in educating students as compared with continuation schools in California. A secondary purpose is to investigate students' perceptions of the middle college high school program and factors which led to their academic success. The study employed a mixed research methodology. The quantitative section used data from the California Department of Education website to compare demographic and academic test scores from middle college high school programs and continuation high school programs. Statistical analyses were conducted on standardized test scores for 11th grade students tested during the 2002-2003 school year. The scores included the California Assessment Test/Version 6 (CAT/6) in the areas of reading, language arts, and math, and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in the areas of English/Language arts and math. In the analyses, the independent variable type of school showed statistically significant results in CAT/6 reading, CAT/6 language arts, and math, and the CAHSEE in math. The middle college high school programs had higher test scores than the continuation high school programs and the state score. The qualitative section employed reflective phenomenology to gather and analyze data used to establish emergent patterns and themes. The sample included 12 students enrolled in two different middle college high school programs located in Southern California. Open-ended interview questions were used in one-on-one interviews with follow-up telephone interviews. The information sought pertained to the students' perspective of the middle college program, and the factors which contributed to their success. Several themes emerged: (a) the value of public alternative schools, (b) the importance of support from another person, (c) the importance of intrinsic motivation, and (d) the value of goal setting and planning for the future. The results of the study demonstrate the value of the middle college high school program serving at-risk students. Alternative schools can be designed to emphasize academic achievement. The school can teach at-risk students the skills needed to develop a plan, not only to complete high school, but to provide the necessary skills for students to continue in postsecondary education.

New Developments and Perspectives in General Relativity and Cosmology

Smoot, Dennis G University of Illinois at Chicago 2011 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

General Relativity is almost 100 years old. Classically, Einstein's theory, is a geometric theory with a metric equating gravity and acceleration. This Principle of Equivalence determines the kinematics. Padmanabhan uses accelerated Rindler frames to derive general relativistic actions, including the Einstein-Hilbert action, and the Einstein equations. This determines the dynamics. There is another formulation of General Relativity due to Göckeler and Schücker, a gauge theory in terms of differential forms, which reduces to the Einstein-Hilbert action and implies the Einstein equations including torsion. My thesis, “New Developments and Perspectives in General Relativity and Cosmology”, contains, in part. • Padmanabhan discovered a differential relation between the volume and surface terms for generalized Lagrangians in Einstein-Hilbert type actions. I found a generalization of this using the Göckeler and Schücker form from which Padmanabhan's relations can be deduced under contraction. The new formulation constrains the curvature and torsion and allows other generalizations. • Padmanabhan has recently derived Einstein's Equations from thermodynamical assumptions on the surface term in the Action. Horizons which block information are a relatively new feature in Physics. Padmanabhan has done alot in advancing the goal of elucidating the relation between General Relativity, Thermodynamics, and Quantum Theory. • Hawking found that black holes radiate in a thermal spectrum and calculated the temperature. This (nonquantum) temperature is novel in General Relativity. • Unruh and others found vacuum states which exhibit thermal properties dependent on the motion of the observer. Vacuums are nonunique in noninertial frames and curved spacetimes. • Recent observations indicate the presence of an unclustered material acting like a fluid with negative pressure causing the acceleration of the Universe and amounting to about 70% of its energy density. The simplest explanation for this Dark Energy is the Cosmological Constant. Padmanabhan has derived the correct value for this vacuum energy by gauging away the bulk value and evaluating the vacuum fluctuations in terms of surface dimensions. • There has been considerable progress recently in understanding the History on the Universe, although there remains much is unknown. This is the Standard Model of Cosmology. The Standard Model of Particle Physics and the gauge theory of General Theory of Relativity are not only the current fundamental theories of physics but also the way the Universe has evolved. • Despite the progress of the Ashtekar formulation, the development of spin foams, and String theory with its spin-2 graviton, there does not exist a complete theory of Quantum Gravity. The search continues for the microscopic spacetime degrees of freedom and the gravitational notions of energy and entropy.

Upper extremity function following treatment for breast cancer

Smoot, Betty University of California, San Francisco 2009 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Background. Breast-cancer-related lymphedema affects ∼25% of the 2 million breast cancer survivors in the US and may impact function and quality of life. Purpose. (1) To compare upper extremity (UE) function between women with and without lymphedema after breast cancer treatment; (2) To determine the impact of impairments on arm function and quality of life (QOL). Subjects. 144 women post breast cancer treatment, 73 diagnosed with lymphedema. Methods/materials. Demographic, symptom, Disability of Arm-Shoulder-Hand (DASH), and QOL questionnaires were completed. Objective measures included Purdue pegboard, finger tapper, Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, vibration perception threshold, strength, range of motion (ROM), and volume. Analysis. T-tests, Mann-Whitney ranked sum analysis, and chi square for significance of differences between groups were performed. Analysis-of-variance was carried out for within and between group comparisons. Linear regression was used to assess the contribution of variables to the variance in DASH and QOL scores. Results. Women with lymphedema had more lymph nodes removed (p < .001), more frequent reports of UE symptoms (p < .001), higher BMI (p = .041), and higher DASH scores (greater disability) (p < .001). There were no differences in QOL scores between groups. For all participants there was less strength (elbow flexion, wrist flexion, grip), less shoulder ROM (abduction, flexion, ER), decreased sensation at the medial upper arm, and greater volume in the affected arm (p < .05). The differences between sides were greater in the women with lymphedema, particularly in shoulder abduction ROM. (p < .05). Women with lymphedema had bilaterally less elbow flexion strength and shoulder ROM (flexion, abduction, ER) (p < .05). Variables found to significantly contribute to the variance of the DASH scores were past diagnosis of lymphedema, affected UE grip strength, affected UE shoulder abduction ROM, and number of comorbidities (R 0.681, R2 of 0.463, p < .001). Age and number of comorbidities explained 33% of the variance in the QOL total score. Affected UE summed strength score contributed to the variance in 3 QOL subscale scores: physical (16%), psychological (8%), and social (11%). Conclusions. Women with lymphedema have greater UE impairment than women without, which negatively impacts arm function.

The Effect of the Arizona Aims Scholarship on Undergraduate Student Outcomes

Lewis, LaCinda Smoot ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Northern Arizona U 2023 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

This study examined the effect of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) Scholarship on college cohort retention, college cohort completion, and college cohort time to completion—important student performance markers in an era of fiscal accountability. Over the six-year span (2006 – 2012) of this one year, renewable) full-tuition (waiver) merit-based award, a total of 25,357 Arizona high school graduates received this scholarship to attend one of Arizona’s three public universities—at a cost of $153.6 million.This quantitative research study followed Mesa Public School (MPS) graduates from 2009-2011 academic years. They were matched with Arizona State University (ASU) student directory information. The anonymized file provided student-level data from MPS through the students ASU careers. To estimate the causal effect of the AIMS Scholarship on undergraduate student performance outcomes, the researcher employed a quasi-experimental design to match students who received the AIMS Scholarship with those who did not on all the pre-treatment characteristics such as gender, minority status, socioeconomic status (SES), high school Grade Point Average (GPA), American Collee Testing (ACT) Composite, and the AIMS requirements. The only difference between the two groups (122 per group) was that one received the AIMS Scholarship, and one did not. This quasi-experimental design reduced the potential for omitted variable bias (i.e., individual motivation, familial support, etc.) and allowed for estimating the true causal effect of the AIMS Scholarship.The results of this research indicated that receiving the AIMS Scholarship appeared to have no effect on the likelihood of retention for women but had a strong positive effect on the likelihood of retention for men—a predictor for graduation. In addition, the AIMS Scholarship had a strong positive effect on the likelihood of retention for high and low SES students, but a much stronger effect for those with low SES than those with high SES. Lastly, receiving the AIMS Scholarship appeared to have no effect on the number of semesters taken to graduate for women, but appeared to increase the time to graduation for men by approximately 1.6 semesters—all important effects in an era of increased accountability for undergraduate performance outcomes and fiscal accountability.