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Habilitation Thesis on STT and Higgs searches in WH Rroduction (open access)

Habilitation Thesis on STT and Higgs searches in WH Rroduction

The detector of the D0 experiment at the proton anti-proton collider Tevatron in Run II is discussed in detail. The performance of the collider and the experiment is presented. Standard model Higgs searches with integrated luminosities between 260 pb{sup -1} and 950 pb{sup -1} and their combination are performed. No deviation from SM background expectation has been observed. Sensitivity prospects at the Tevatron are shown.
Date: December 1, 2006
Creator: Sonnenschein, Lars
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hiring preferences of employers of entry-level biomedical equipment technicians in Texas. (open access)

Hiring preferences of employers of entry-level biomedical equipment technicians in Texas.

This study examined the signaling strength, or marketing power, of the most common qualifications of entry-level biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) in Texas, based on stated hiring preferences of BMET managers, using order ranking of fictitious resumes. This study also sought to determine whether certification status, education background, military training background as a BMET, or type of employer [hospital or ISO] of the hiring manager had an effect on hiring preference for applicant qualifications of associate degree, military training as a BMET, or certified biomedical equipment technician (CBET) certification candidacy. Participants were asked to rank 16 fictitious resumes representing the most common qualifications of entry-level BMETs and to fill out a background questionnaire regarding their education, military, certification, and employer. The number of times each resume ranked in first place was tabulated and inter-rater reliability was calculated. Resumes with qualifications of associate degree versus military training as a BMET were compared at three levels of work experience. A chi-square test for independence was conducted for the comparisons to determine whether work experience influenced preference. Chi-square tests were also conducted for comparisons of associate degree with candidacy for CBET certification versus associate degree and military training with CBET candidacy versus military training. …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Bowles, Roger A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
History of Childhood Abuse and Posttraumatic Growth's Effects on Reactions to Subsequent Traumatic Events (open access)

History of Childhood Abuse and Posttraumatic Growth's Effects on Reactions to Subsequent Traumatic Events

Previous research indicates that those with a history of abuse have an increased risk to experience subsequent traumatic events. This study utilized a convenience sample of undergraduate students to examine the reaction of those with a history of abuse to subsequent traumatic experiences. In addition, the study assessed the level of posttraumatic growth an individual experiences following childhood abuse. The level of posttraumatic growth was examined to determine if the growth allowed for participants to better handle successive traumas. Those with a history of abuse experienced higher levels of symptomology following a successive traumatic event. Results did not support the hypothesis that among those with a history of abuse, lower levels of posttraumatic growth would predict higher levels of symptoms following a later trauma. Implications and limitations of the study, as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Bezner, Stephanie K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
How Classroom Cultural Influences Second Language Acquisition for Two Four-Year-Olds in a Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities (open access)

How Classroom Cultural Influences Second Language Acquisition for Two Four-Year-Olds in a Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities

As states begin to highlight the system supports used to include English language learners with disabilities in standards-based assessments and accountability programs, implementation of those supports will be closely examined by school districts. This case study investigates the classroom culture in an early childhood preschool program for four-year-old children with disabilities. Classroom observations were used to determine how two young children with disabilities were acquiring English as a second language. Specific focus was given to activities that allowed for second language acquisition, native language development, the attainment of developmental skills, and alternative communication skills such as sign language and a communication board. An investigation took place into current theories to create a knowledge base for understanding how young children acquire linguistic skills in English and how classroom culture was created.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Casey, Susan Denise
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iconographic Analysis of the Armadillo and Cosmic Imagery within Art Associated with the Armadillo World Headquarters, 1970 - 1980 (open access)

Iconographic Analysis of the Armadillo and Cosmic Imagery within Art Associated with the Armadillo World Headquarters, 1970 - 1980

This thesis draws upon recent, art historical scholarship in iconography and semiotics to identify and analyze key images in an iconographic program associated with murals, paintings, and posters related to the Austin, Texas music venue, the Armadillo World Headquarters, 1970-1980. Resources include South Austin Museum of Popular Culture, the Center for American History at the University of Texas, Austin, personal communications, and publications concerning the artists, music and history of Austin and the Armadillo World Headquarters. There are five chapters as follows: Introduction, History of the Armadillo World Headquarters, Analysis of the Armadillo Mural and Freddie King Painting, Analysis of Posters for the Grand Opening and the Michael Murphey Cosmic Cowboy Concert, and Conclusion.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Richmond, Jennifer Lynn
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Impact of a Father and Son on Texas: Isaac Van Zandt and Khleber Miller Van Zandt (open access)

The Impact of a Father and Son on Texas: Isaac Van Zandt and Khleber Miller Van Zandt

Isaac Van Zandt and his son Khleber Miller Van Zandt were instrumental figures in the growth of Texas and the development of the town of Fort Worth, Texas. Isaac Van Zandt was one of the main members of the delegation from Texas to the United States who negotiated for annexation. He also played a major part in the Texas Constitutional Convention of 1845 and made a run for governor before his death in 1847. His son, Khleber Miller Van Zandt was a Confederate soldier and businessman who saw something in the outpost of Fort Worth that was worth developing. Along with an influential group of other businessmen he was a part of every major development that occurred in Fort Worth until his death in 1930. Both Van Zandts' roles are discussed and the importance of their actions is brought to light.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Cranz, Jane Sloan
System: The UNT Digital Library
The impact of child teacher relationship training on teachers' and aides' use of relationship-building skills and the effect on student classroom behavior. (open access)

The impact of child teacher relationship training on teachers' and aides' use of relationship-building skills and the effect on student classroom behavior.

This study examined the impact of child teacher relationship training (CTRT) on teachers' and aides' use of relationship- building skills in the classroom and the correlation between teachers' and aides' demonstration of relationship- building skills and the effect on student behavior. CTRT was modeled after Landreth and Bratton's (2006) 10-session filial therapy model titled child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) which is based on the principles and procedures of child -centered play therapy. The CPRT manual was adapted slightly for use with teachers and aides for this project. In this quasi-experimental design, 12 teacher aide dyads (n = 24) were assigned to the experimental (n = 12) or active control groups (n = 12). Children who scored in the Borderline/Clinical range on at least one scale of the Child Behavior Checklist-Caregiver/Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) at pretest qualified for the study (N = 32). During the first phase of treatment, teachers and aides participated in the equivalent of 10 training/supervision sessions consistent with the principles and procedures of CPRT. During CTRT Phase II, teachers and aides participated in 10 weeks of coaching/modeling to facilitate the use of CTRT skills in the classroom environment and continued to participate in weekly 1-hour group training/supervision …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Helker, Wendy Pretz
System: The UNT Digital Library
Impact of Teachers' Common Planning Time on the Academic Performance of Students in a Middle School Setting (open access)

Impact of Teachers' Common Planning Time on the Academic Performance of Students in a Middle School Setting

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the common planning time for a team of middle school teachers by comparing the standardized test scores of middle school students selected from two school districts located in North Texas. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) 2 * 4 design was utilized to measure the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) math and reading scale score for 7th grade students from the test administered in spring 2005. The data for this study were compared by the variables of school, gender, and ethnicity. The measuring tool utilized in this study determined the ratio of the amount of variance of the scores for individuals of between-groups as opposed to the amount of variance of within-groups, indicating if there were a statistically significant difference on the scores in any one particular variable compared to the variances of scores for the other variables in this study. The statistical results indicated that there were no statistical significant differences in the scores of students attending a middle school where the teachers received a common planning time. However, there was a noted difference in the percentage ratings on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) report published …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Smitt, Shauna M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Improving management systems in a public school in-home autism services program. (open access)

Improving management systems in a public school in-home autism services program.

The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the effects of enhanced training and performance management methods for an autism coordinator who managed several paraprofessional therapists providing in-home behavior therapy for young children with autism. Intervention included task clarification, targeted skill development, and improved feedback from the coordinator to the therapists. Results showed that service delivery performance of in-home trainers increased and/or became more consistent after the intervention was implemented. The intervention provided the autism coordinator with an empirically validated training and feedback system that can be successfully utilized in a sporadically supervised environment.
Date: December 2006
Creator: White, Victoria Anne
System: The UNT Digital Library
Improving self-efficacy in college students: A modified adventure therapy program. (open access)

Improving self-efficacy in college students: A modified adventure therapy program.

Adventure therapy employs a technique in which therapists use controlled amounts of stress to bring about change in the behavior of clients. One of the domains in which adventure therapy reports improvement is that of self-efficacy. Perceived self-efficacy is the belief that individuals have in their ability to overcome and change their situation in life. This study examines the effect of a modified adventure therapy program on the perceived self-efficacy of college students who were enrolled in an Outdoor Pursuits course at a major metropolitan university. Students received 16 weeks of outdoor adventure therapy programming that culminated in a voluntary weekend camping trip. The students were administered the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) scale on the second day of class to determine a baseline level of self-efficacy to be compared to the posttest completed on the last day of class. The study examined 3 consecutive semesters of archival data collected by the researcher while instructing the course. Fifty-six participants across the 3 semesters were usable for data analysis. The results show there is a significant difference between students' level of perceived self-efficacy from pre- to posttest, and no difference in the effect on gender, classification of students, or the participation of the …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Peebles, Larry Mason
System: The UNT Digital Library

Influence of Sediment Exposure and Water Depth on Torpedograss Invasion of Lake Okeechobee, Florida

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Torpedograss (Panicum repens) was first observed in Lake Okeechobee in the 1970s and appears to have displaced an estimated 6,400 ha of native plants, such as spikerush (Eleocharis cellulosa), where inundation depths are often less than 50 cm. Two series of studies evaluated substrate exposure and water depth influences on torpedograss establishment and competitiveness. Results revealed that fragments remain buoyant for extended periods and so facilitate dispersal. Once anchored to exposed substrate fragments can readily root and establish. Subsequently, torpedograss thrives when subjected to inundations to 75 cm and survives prolonged exposure to depths greater than 1 m. These findings suggest that fluctuating water levels contribute to torpedograss dispersal and colonization patterns and that low water levels increase marsh area susceptible to invasion. The competition study found that spikerush grown in monoculture produces significantly more biomass when continually inundated to shallow depths (10 to 20 cm) than when subjected to drier conditions (-25 cm) or greater inundations (80 cm). In contrast, torpedograss establishes more readily on exposed substrate (-25 to 0 cm) compared to inundate substrates. During the first growing season biomass production increases as substrate exposure interval increases. However, during the second year, established torpedograss produces more biomass when …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Smith, Dian H.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Institutional Misconduct Among Gang Related and Non-Gang Related Institutionalized Delinquents (open access)

Institutional Misconduct Among Gang Related and Non-Gang Related Institutionalized Delinquents

The problems that gang members create within adult correctional facilities continue to receive attention in the literature. Gang members within juvenile institutions have received far less attention from researchers, and misconduct of these juveniles, both serious and non-serious, is relatively unexplored. This study explored the institutional misconduct of 4,309 male delinquents released from the Texas Youth Commission. Youths younger at commitment, those with a higher TYC risk score, and those youths with emotional problems were found more likely to commit both serious and non-serious institutional misconduct, regardless of gang membership. This thesis concludes with suggestions for additional research on gang members within juvenile institutions and the relationship of gang membership to institutional misconduct.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Kawucha, Soraya K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Interpretive performance techniques and lyrical innovations on the bass trombone: A study of recorded performances by George Roberts, "Mr. Bass Trombone." (open access)

Interpretive performance techniques and lyrical innovations on the bass trombone: A study of recorded performances by George Roberts, "Mr. Bass Trombone."

Nicknamed "Mr. Bass Trombone" for his role as a prominent, trailblazing recording artist, George Roberts (b. 1928) has often been recognized as redefining the role of the bass trombone in popular music as well as setting new standards for technical refinement and expressive possibilities of the instrument. Through two interviews and a comparison between ten recorded performances by Roberts and corresponding lead sheets, I make observations about Roberts' performance techniques and illustrate various examples of those techniques. The document includes 35 pp. of interview transcriptions.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Yeager, Jonathan K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
It's a Different World: Gender Variations in the Satisfaction of African American College Students (open access)

It's a Different World: Gender Variations in the Satisfaction of African American College Students

The purpose of this research study was to explore gender variances in the satisfaction levels of African American students at UNT toward the goal of increasing the retention of these students. Variances in satisfaction levels were measured using information obtained from African American students that participated in the fall 2004 administration of the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). In addition, the UNT Customer Satisfaction Survey (UNT-CSS), which applies Hom's Basic Model of Customer Satisfaction, was used to further examine areas of interest identified by the Noel Levitz SSI. Analysis of the SSI data indicated that no statistical significance existed amongst any of the correlates of satisfaction as a function of gender. In fact, African American students appeared to have very similar ideas on what services were important to them and on how satisfied they were with the services provided to them by the university. African American males and females were most satisfied with Campus Support Services, Academic Advising/Counseling, and Instructional Effectiveness at UNT. The UNT-CSS further examined the above areas. African American males and females were measured against each other to discern if differences occur in how African American students process the customer service model as a function of …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Washington, Latanya
System: The UNT Digital Library
Jewish Hidden Children in Belgium during the Holocaust: A Comparative Study of Their Hiding Places at Christian Establishments, Private Families, and Jewish Orphanages (open access)

Jewish Hidden Children in Belgium during the Holocaust: A Comparative Study of Their Hiding Places at Christian Establishments, Private Families, and Jewish Orphanages

This thesis compares the different trauma received at the three major hiding places for Jewish children in Belgium during the Holocaust: Christian establishments, private families, and Jewish orphanages. Jewish children hidden at Christian establishments received mainly religious trauma and nutritional, sanitary, and medical neglect. Hiding with private families caused separation trauma and extreme hiding situations. Children staying at Jewish orphanages lived with a continuous fear of being deported, because these institutions were under constant supervision of the German occupiers. No Jewish child survived their hiding experience without receiving some major trauma that would affect them for the rest of their life. This thesis is based on video interviews at Shoah Visual History Foundation and Blum Archives, as well as autobiographies published by hidden children.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Decoster, Charlotte
System: The UNT Digital Library

A Language and Visual Interface to Specify Complex Spatial Pattern Mining

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
The emerging interests in spatial pattern mining leads to the demand for a flexible spatial pattern mining language, on which easy to use and understand visual pattern language could be built. It is worthwhile to define a pattern mining language called LCSPM to allow users to specify complex spatial patterns. I describe a proposed pattern mining language in this paper. A visual interface which allows users to specify the patterns visually is developed. Visual pattern queries are translated into the LCSPM language by a parser and data mining process can be triggered afterwards. The visual language is based on and goes beyond the visual language proposed in literature. I implemented a prototype system based on the open source JUMP framework.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Li, Xiaohui
System: The UNT Digital Library

The Leadership Path of R. Jan LeCroy

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Recent studies reveal that a considerable number of U.S. community college leaders will be retiring in the next several years. The concern is that with the large turnover, history, culture, and important lessons of leadership will be lost. The current research on the lives of presidents, their career paths, and experiences in community college leadership centers on approaches to the study of leadership at the macro level. Limited research exists in the published literature that reports and analyzes the development of individuals as community college leaders at the micro level. This results in a gap regarding understanding leadership development and strategies to prepare leaders. This study addresses this gap by providing a critical description of the leadership development of one individual who became a community college chancellor and who the literature on the community context indicates contributed to the local and national context for community colleges. Biography is gaining prominence as a legitimate and viable tool in the study of leadership. Few biographical studies currently exist which focus on leadership development in context at the micro level. This dissertation is a biographical, qualitative study of the leadership path and legacy of R. Jan LeCroy, a community college leader. The study …
Date: December 2006
Creator: Blankenbaker, Zarina A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Low Temperature Polymeric Precursor Derived Zinc Oxide Thin Films (open access)

Low Temperature Polymeric Precursor Derived Zinc Oxide Thin Films

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a versatile environmentally benign II-VI direct wide band gap semiconductor with several technologically plausible applications such as transparent conducting oxide in flat panel and flexible displays. Hence, ZnO thin films have to be processed below the glass transition temperatures of polymeric substrates used in flexible displays. ZnO thin films were synthesized via aqueous polymeric precursor process by different metallic salt routes using ethylene glycol, glycerol, citric acid, and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) as chelating agents. ZnO thin films, derived from ethylene glycol based polymeric precursor, exhibit flower-like morphology whereas thin films derived of other precursors illustrate crack free nanocrystalline films. ZnO thin films on sapphire substrates show an increase in preferential orientation along the (002) plane with increase in annealing temperature. The polymeric precursors have also been used in fabricating maskless patterned ZnO thin films in a single step using the commercial Maskless Mesoscale Materials Deposition system.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Choppali, Uma
System: The UNT Digital Library
Marcel Mihalovici: A Critical Evaluation of His Solo and Chamber Works for Clarinet, A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works by Bozza, Uhl, Martino, Sowerby, Kalliwoda, Bax, and Others (open access)

Marcel Mihalovici: A Critical Evaluation of His Solo and Chamber Works for Clarinet, A Lecture Recital, Together with Three Recitals of Selected Works by Bozza, Uhl, Martino, Sowerby, Kalliwoda, Bax, and Others

The clarinet works of Marcel Mihalovici (1898-1985) represent significant contributions to the twentieth-century clarinet repertoire. Metric and rhythmic variability, melodic primacy, counterpoint, structural clarity, and elements of Romanian folk music permeate his writing and reflect a highly developed musical language. Mihalovici's educational background and cultural heritage provide important clues toward understanding his artistic legacy. His clarinet works are musically demanding and contain some of the most technically challenging passages in the repertoire, while at the same time, exhibit a distinctively French style influenced by traditional Romanian music. Mihalovici's writing follows familiar but variable formal procedures and conveys a diverse, modally influenced approach to tonality. While his harmonic language is frequently dissonant, his clarinet music offers a unique variety of musically rewarding styles.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Evans, Garry Windel
System: The UNT Digital Library
Marital satisfaction among newly married couples: Associations with religiosity and romantic attachment style. (open access)

Marital satisfaction among newly married couples: Associations with religiosity and romantic attachment style.

The marriage and family literature has identified a host of factors that contribute to a satisfactory marital union. For example, research on religious congruency has indicated that the more similar partners are in their religious beliefs the higher their reported marital satisfaction. Another construct studied in conjunction with marital satisfaction is adult attachment style. The attachment literature has consistently shown that secure couples tend to report higher marital satisfaction than couples with at least one insecure partner. The purpose of this study was to examine the combined role of religious commitment and attachment in marital satisfaction. Heterosexual couples (N = 184; 92 husbands, 92 wives) without children and married 1-5 years were administered a background information questionnaire, the Religious Commitment Inventory-10, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory. Results indicated that couples with congruent religious commitment reported higher marital satisfaction than couples with large discrepancies in religious commitment. Religious commitment did not mediate the relationship between attachment and marital satisfaction, but instead was found to moderate this relationship. Results of this study will benefit clinicians working in the field to help newly married couples negotiate the marital relationship.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Haseley, Jamie L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement and Utility of Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans in Classrooms for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (open access)

Measurement and Utility of Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans in Classrooms for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This research study examined how education service providers conduct functional behavioral assessments and utilize behavior intervention plans to address the social and emotional needs of students with challenging behaviors. The data are based on a 20-item survey administered to educators who identified themselves as working with students diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders. The results and implications of the survey are discussed and evaluated to the review of literature conducted prior to the study. Recommendations for future research are also explored.
Date: December 2006
Creator: Couvillon, Michael A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section using the midpoint algorithm in Run II at CDF (open access)

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section using the midpoint algorithm in Run II at CDF

A measurement is presented of the inclusive jet cross section using the Midpoint jet clustering algorithm in five different rapidity regions. This is the first analysis which measures the inclusive jet cross section using the Midpoint algorithm in the forward region of the detector. The measurement is based on more than 1 fb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity of Run II data taken by the CDF experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The results are consistent with the predictions of perturbative quantum chromodynamics.
Date: December 1, 2006
Creator: Group, Robert Craig
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement of the t-tbar production cross section in p-pbar collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV using lepton+jets events in the CDF detector at Fermilab (open access)

Measurement of the t-tbar production cross section in p-pbar collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV using lepton+jets events in the CDF detector at Fermilab

The top quark is the most massive fundamental particle observed so far, and the study of its properties is interesting for several reasons ranging from its possible special role in electroweak symmetry breaking to its sensitivity to physics beyond the standard model (SM). In particular, the measurement of the top quark pair production cross section {sigma}{sub t{bar t}} is of interest as a test of QCD predictions. Recent QCD calculations done with perturbation theory to next-to-leading order predict {sigma}{sub t{bar t}} with an uncertainty of less than 15%, which motivate measurements of comparable precision. In this thesis, the author reports a measurement of the cross section for pair production of top quarks in the lepton+jets channel in 318 pb{sup -1} of p{bar p} collision data at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. The data were recorded between March 2002 and September 2004, during Run II of the Tevatron, by the CDF II detector, a general purpose detector which combines charged particle trackers, sampling calorimeters, and muon detectors. processes in which a W boson is produced in association with several jets with large transverse momentum can be misidentified at t{bar t}, since they have the same signature. In order to separate the t{bar …
Date: December 1, 2006
Creator: Palencia, Enrique
System: The UNT Digital Library
A measurement of the top-antitop production cross section in the dimuon final state with the D0 detector for proton-antiproton collisions as s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV (open access)

A measurement of the top-antitop production cross section in the dimuon final state with the D0 detector for proton-antiproton collisions as s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV

A measurement of the top pair production cross section in the dimuon final state for proton-antiproton collisions at ps = 1:96 TeV is presented. Approximately 420 pb{sup -1} of data collected with the Run II D{O} detector are used for this measurement. Two data events are observed with a total expected signal plus background yield of 3.6 events. Assuming a top mass of 175 GeV, the measured cross section is: {sigma}{sub {bar u}} = 3.13{sup +4.17}{sub -2.60}(stat){sup +0.92}{sub -0.86}(sys){+-}0.19(lumi)pb, which is consistent with a NNLO prediction of 6.77 {+-} 0.42 pb.
Date: December 1, 2006
Creator: Burke, Susan Elizabeth
System: The UNT Digital Library