The results from a bibliometric analysis of reading research journal literature are reported in this investigation. The major purposes of the study were to: establish a sample of reading research literature; determine the core journal structure of the sample; describe developmental characteristics of the reading research journal literature; and illustrate disciplinary connections among journals reporting reading research. Summaries from the Annual Summary of Research on Reading (ASHR) for the years 1959, 1964, 1968 and 1972 — representing the years 1959 to 1972 — provided the literature for analysis, 768 (84 percent of the total) of the journal articles appearing in the four summaries were collected and provided the referencing and cited sets of journal titles. Three major analyses were performed. In the first, the referencing collection of journal articles was described and sets of core journals listed. Developmental characteristics of reading research were described in the second using a number of bibliometric measures including average number of references per article, age of cited materials, type of publication cited, frequency of author self-cites, and patterns of multiple authorship both in the referencing and cited set of journals. In the third analysis, two clustering programs (UBC C-Group and Osiris Hiclust) were used to statistically group the core cited journal titles. Core Journal Structure. Core journals were identified using three criteria: number of articles appearing in the ASRR, quantity of references produced by the articles, and volume of citation in the referencing set of journals. For all three lists, the most productive journals accounting for 50 and 80 percent of the total articles, references and citations in the two sets of journal titles are identified. The journals isolated as the cores for the three lists fellow the general Pareto distribution, confirming earlier work by Price (1965), Garfield (1972) and others, thus demonstrating the predominance of small cores of highly productive journals in the reading research information network. Comparison revealed the three core lists represent subject areas such as reading, growth and development, curriculum, educational research, general education, educational psychology and several areas of psychology. The discipline diversity of the journal titles increased markedly with the selection criterion based on volume of citation in the referencing set of journals. Developmental Characteristics. Based on the results of the study, and comparison with research using other literatures, the following developmental characteristics for reading emerged. Reading research is becoming a more scholarly field using quantity of citations per article as a criterion. There is a slight movement toward a more immediate research front, indicated by age of cited materials, but this is not strong and the field still relies heavily on archival and near archival resources in its research. A movement toward generation of science-like paradigms may DS developing, based on proportion of serial and monographic usage, but this is tentative at best and not yet a pronounced trend, Beading research may be becoming more cumulative as indicated by increasing author self-citation. Finally, based on multiple authorship data, reading research is definitely becoming more collaborative. Clustering of Journal Titles Two statistical algorithms, one using correlational techniques and the other Euclidian distances in n-dimensional space, were applied to the 36 core cited journal titles. Intuitively acceptable journal groupings were produced in the cluster analysis with the two programs generally confirming each other. Ten journal groupings emerged. Three were somewhat ambiguous with the remaining seven illustrating strong interrelationships suggesting the existence of clusters of ideationally related content among subjects in journals reporting reading research. Recommendations for further research include; statistical analysis of the dispersion of the identified core journal listings; comparison of the core cited' journals with recent issues of the ASBR and ERIC's CIJE ; further study of author productivity in reading research; development of a Journal of Really Important Papers , analysis of conceptual research fronts in reading research; broader analysis of the extent to which archival sources are used in reading research; analysis of cited journal titles which emerged as clusters to delineate conceptual maps related to reading research; and development of a Reading Research Literature Citation Index based on the annual summary of research. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

Establishing stable, high quality romantic relationships is an important developmental task during emerging adulthood with prognostic significance for future relationship development such as marriage (Fincham & Cui, 2011). Studies suggest that considerable challenges exist for African American men in developing and maintaining healthy romantic relationships. These studies suggest that man African American men may be more likely to pursue a sexual partnership trajectory that involves multiple and/or concurrent sexual partners at the expense of committed monogamous romantic relationships (Bowleg, 2004). Such patterns of involvement increase the likelihood that as young adults, African American men will place themselves at risk of contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS (Adimora et al., 2004). Individuals enter into romantic relationships already having exposure to numerous developmental influences that affect their behavior. Exposure to adversity during childhood, such as abuse, neglect, and other stressors, is one important factor in understanding the development of satisfying and committed romantic relationships (Miller et al., 2011; Walker, Holman, & Busby, 2009). Informed by the internal working model persepctive (Hazan &Shaver, 1987) and research on abuse and other adversities (e.g. Burton & Jarrett, 2000; McLoyd, et al., 2000; Umberson, Williams, Thomas, Liu, & Thomeer, 2014), we hypothesized that young men with elevated levels of adversity would evince relationships characterized by one of two patterns. The first involves avoiding deeper levels of commitment and participating in relatively superficial romantic relationships. The second pattern involves participating highly committed relationships, but projecting their anxieties and fears in ways that create volatile and conflictual interactions. For men with low levels of adversity I expected that there relationships would conform to a more healthy pattern as characterized by commitment, low levels of conflict and supportive relationships. Hypotheses were tested with data from men in committed relationships in the African American Men's Health Project (AMP), which included 361 African American men between the ages of 19 and 22 years. To better understand the kinds of relationships that young, African American men participate in, I conducted a person-centered analysis which confirmed the expected relationship patterns. I identified three profiles or relationship types: (1) healthy relationships, (2) volatile relationships, and (3) superficial relationships. The participants in healthy romantic relationships are characterized by high commitment and support and low criticism and conflict. The volatile group is characterized by high commitment, criticism, conflict, and low support. The superficial group is characterized by low commitment, support, criticism, and conflict. Further analysis confirmed that more adverse childhood experiences predicted increased odds of belonging to a volatile instead of a healthy relationship. Findings suggest targets for preventive interventions designed to foster healthy relationships among African American men. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2015. / June 17, 2015. / African American Men, Childhood Adversity, Romantic Relationships, Schema, Street Code / Includes bibliographical references. / Melinda Gonzales-Backen, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Steven Kogan, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Karin Brewster, University Representative; Marsha Rehm, Committee Member; Ming Cui, Committee Member.

abstract: People who have been incarcerated struggle to find access to quality housing in the United States, which leads to over 600,000 people a year facing an extreme housing crisis with an increased risk of homelessness. People who have been incarcerated face barriers that keep them from securing employment, earning an income, and gaining financial stability, which can have a major impact on housing quality and home ownership. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this thesis examines ex-offenders’ access to quality housing and the impact incarceration has on home ownership. Results from Ordinary Least Squares regression indicate that households of fathers who have been incarcerated are at higher risk of living in poor quality housing compared to households of fathers who have never been incarcerated. Likewise, results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of owning a home were lower for households in which the father had been incarcerated than for families in which the father had not been incarcerated. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Justice Studies 2020

The primary focus of this research is to develop an integrated methodology for Adaptable Evacuation Planning (AEP). In case of regional evacuation caused by a hazardous event, one of main objectives of AEP is the optimal design and analysis of evacuation routes in transportation networks that will minimize total clearance time, traveled distance, and potential congestion on roads to ensure overall safety of the evacuated population. The problem under analysis is complex and challenging due to its multi-objective nature, potential congestion, blocking and queueing along routes. In addition, the hazardous event, which caused the evacuation may evolve and affect the population on egress routes, deplete the capacity of the road network and therefore make the initial assumptions of the evacuation policy invalid. To cope with the complexity of the problem, we consider it as an interaction of events in two overlapping and orthogonal networks. The first network represents a surface wild-fire propagation through a complex landscape. The second is a regional evacuation network for which route assignment optimization models are suggested. The first model utilizes a Delaunay triangulation to represent surface fire spread as movement of the fire event within the network. A data dependent procedure to construct the triangulation and estimate the rate of spread along the edges of the network is discussed. After the Delaunay triangulation is constructed, a two pass shortest path algorithm is incorporated to estimate the minimum travel time paths and fire event arrival times. In the next part of the dissertation, an integer programming (IP) formulation and model for optimal route assignment is presented, which utilizes state dependent queueing models to cope with congestion and time delays on road links. State dependent simulation software is used to evaluate performance measures of the evacuation plan: clearance time, total distance travelled and blocking probabilities. The resulting methodology allows a decision maker to adapt routing policies effectively, in case of change in hazardous event behavior, road infrastructure failure, or traffic incidents. The third model integrates the evacuation model and the fire event model and allows one to reroute the population dynamically. Finally, in the third model demonstration we illustrate proposed methodology with a case study, where regional evacuation for the Western Massachusetts is modeled.

Filamentous bulking in nutrient (N & P) removal activated sludge systems is a problem of considerable magnitude - three quarters of 45 plants surveyed were found to have bulking sludges to the extent that sludge settleability (DSVI) was adversely affected. If filamentous organism proliferation could be controlled and thereby sludge settleability improved to below DSVI of 100 ml/g, then with provision for factors such as additional aeration capacity, between 50% and 7 5% more wastewater could be treated in existing nutrient removing activated sludge plants. Anoxic-aerobic (AA) or low F/M filaments appear to proliferate in activated sludge plants that incorporate biological nitrogen removal. From earlier research, Casey et al. (1992a) showed that the cause for AA filament proliferation lay in the denitrification behaviour of the N removal systems. They hypothesized that filamentous and floe-forming organisms have different denitrification behaviour - the former reducing nitrate only as far as nitrite whereas the latter reducing nitrate all the way to nitrogen gas via the denitrification intermediates nitrite, nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). If nitrate and nitrite removal to nitrogen gas is not complete in the anoxic reactor, then, when conditions become aerobic, the accumulated denitrification intermediates, in particular NO, inhibit oxygen uptake in the floc-formers. The filaments do not experience this inhibition because by reducing nitrate only to nitrite, no denitrification intermediates accumulate in their cytoplasmic membrane and consequently they can successfully compete against the floe-formers and proliferate in the N removal systems. If denitrification is complete, no residual intracellular denitrification intermediates remain in the floc-formers. Therefore, when conditions become aerobic, the floc-formers are not inhibited in their oxygen uptake and can successfully compete against the filamentous organisms which cause the bulking.

Particle fracture is the elementary process that governs comminution. In industrial machines particle breakage occurs mainly through three mechanisms: impact, abrasion and attrition. Of these mechanisms, impact breakage is known to be the most basic form of particle size reduction. Comminution devices are highly inefficient, as the energy used for particle breakage relative to that consumed by the equipment is low and reported to be between 1-2 %. As such, understanding the fundamentals of particle fracture is crucial for the development of energy efficient particle size reduction methods. Research done towards investigating particle fracture under impact loading has led to the development of several devices which include the twin pendulum device, drop weight tester, Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar, Rotary Breakage Tester and the Short Impact Load Cell. In this study the Short Impact Load Cell (SILC) was used to conduct bed breakage experiments on partially confined particles. Breakage tests using this device were conducted by vertically releasing a steel ball of known mass onto a bed of particles from a known height. The bed rested on a steel rod which was fitted with strain gauges to measure the particle response to impact loading. Tests were conducted on two ores, blue stone and UG2, to investigate the effect of three variables: steel ball mass, drop height and bed depth on the breakage behaviour of particles. The effect of each variable was investigated by evaluating the peak forces obtained, the particle fracture energy and the degree of particle breakage attained. For both ores it was found that the peak force increased linearly with increasing steel ball mass and drop height, and it was found that the drop height had a greater effect on the peak force than the steel ball mass. The maximum peak forces were obtained at one layer of particles and increasing the bed depth generally led to a reduction in the peak force. An exponential relationship was found between the peak force and bed depth, where the peak force decreased with increasing bed depth. It was found that the blue stone particles did not break at the range of input energies used in this work, therefore no fracture energy results were reported for blue stone. The fracture energy values for UG2 were low, where the maximum energy used for particle fracture was 2.7 % of the input energy. There was no direct correlation between the fracture energy and the steel ball mass, drop height and bed depth; however it was found that the bed depth had a larger effect on the fracture energy compared to both the steel ball mass and drop height. The greatest amount of energy used for fracture was generally obtained at the largest input energies using the 357 and 510 g balls. The optimum drop height which resulted in the highest fracture energy was generally found to be either 240 or 300 mm. A bed depth of five layers was found to be the optimum bed depth that allowed for the highest amount of energy to be utilized for breakage. No breakage results were obtained for blue stone due to the hardness and stiffness of the ore. For UG2, tests conducted at the same bed depth showed a trend in which the breakage initially increased greatly with increasing input energy; however at larger input energies the breakage obtained approached a constant value. Although the input energy was varied by changing both the steel ball mass and the drop height, the results showed that the degree of breakage was more dependent on the steel ball mass compared to the drop height. For all tests conducted, the maximum breakage was obtained at one layer of particles and increasing the bed depth led to a decrease in the breakage obtained. The results showed that the fracture energy and the degree of breakage were not directly related. It was found that there is an optimum amount of energy utilized for fracture that leads to the greatest breakage, where an in increase in the energy beyond the optimum point does not significantly affect the breakage obtained.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the development of South Africa's liquid fuels industry from 1930s to the present and the various ways in which the state has extended subsidies and other measures of support to liquid fuels producers. The nature and extent of government support to the South African liquid fuels industry has remained hidden for many years, due to the veil of secrecy surrounding the industry prior to the country's transition to democracy. The study expands past analyses to identify and estimate the magnitude of subsidies to liquid fuels production in South Africa in the present. Using the historical institutional approach, the study then places these measures of support in the South African political economy environment so as to understand the institutional barriers to their reform. In doing so, the study sheds light on the drivers informing the endurance of the liquid fuels subsidy regime and state support to the liquid fuels industry following the transition to democracy.

The Multi-Mode Resource Investment Problem (MMRIP), which is a specific class of project scheduling problems, is the topic of this dissertation. A project consists of tasks that follow a specific precedence order, with each task being executed in one of its available modes. Modes for each task are different alternatives for completing a task, and may differ in their resource consumption and duration. The goal in the MMRIP is to select a mode and starting time for each task so that the project due date is met with minimal resource investment. This research is inspired by a real scheduling problem from a large engineering organization, but has applications in many other areas such as service industry and production scheduling. Even with such wide spread applicability, a review of the literature in project scheduling and related areas shows that work in the MMRIP is limited and no practical and effective methods is discovered. The opportunity exists to make both a theoretical and practical contribution in project scheduling research. In this dissertation an effective heuristic for this computationally intractable problem is developed and documented. This enhanced priority rule heuristic simultaneously considers both due date constraints and resource usage to select and schedule tasks in one decision step. This differs from previous priority rule heuristics that require two decision steps. Modifications, including stochastic search and local improvement techniques, are also developed and tested. Computational tests of the new heuristics and comparisons to existing heuristic are conducted. With 600 test instances, the best of the new heuristics performs 15% better than the best existing heuristic. The new heuristic (without stochastic search, or local improvement implemented) performs, on average, 12.6% above optimal in 30 test instances. Computation times with the new heuristic are negligible on a typical personal computer (1999 processor), for a real size problem of 35 tasks. The inclusion of stochastic search techniques takes the computation times up to several minutes.

Abstract not available

In the past two decades collaboration has been proposed as a means for reducing alienation in the workplace, for increasing productivity, and for increasing the capacity of organizations to adapt to fast-changing environments. However, to date very few thorough studies have investigated precisely what collaboration is and how it functions in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to describe collaboration in enough detail so that practitioners will be able to vary specific aspects within the organization, thereby increasing the likelihood of collaboration occurring. A three-sided analytical model was developed in this study that looked at work groups according to the type of unit involved (individual, small group, organization, society), the perspective taken (purpose, structure, process), and the degree of collaboration (more collaborative, less collaborative). Using this model it was proposed that collaboration has six general characteristics: (1) It meets group purposes requiring creativity and innovation. (2) It meets individual purposes for self-actualization and social interchange. (3) It takes place in small group settings. (4) The small groups exist within a larger context which fosters both autonomy and interdependence. (5) Processes foster formation of goals and productivity. (6) Processes are synergetic. It was further demonstrated that these six characteristics are based on some basic assumptions and beliefs which, taken together, form a coherent value structure. The elements are a belief in human potential, a belief in living in harmony with nature, a present and future time perspective, a "being-in-becoming" action modality, and a value on both individual and cooperative relationships. General terms describing this value structure are synergy and holism. The six characteristics and underlying values were then used a framework to explore the literature on small group and organizational structures and processes. It was demonstrated that small group variables which support collaboration are: the conceptualization of power as empowerment; a small sized group with stable boundaries and a heterogeneous membership; roles differentiated by function; norms supportive of collaboration; leadership seen as empowering and differentiated; decision making, efficient, creative and shared; conflict resolution, confrontive and constructive; and communication widely shared. Furthermore, group processes that facilitate change (socialization, termination, learning, and group development) are exercised in ways congruent with collaborative principles. Systems variables that support collaboration include the existence of many small groups within the system, norms of forming and disbanding groups regularly, and an organizational structure based on the definition of power as a nonscarce resource. Models of organizational structures, which act to increase power in the system, were explored, including the matrix and network organization. Furthermore, the systems concept was used to differentiate among freestanding collaboratives, intraagency, and interagency collaboratives. This more detailed analysis of collaboration was then used as an analytical model in three practical applications. First, four familiar case studies were analyzed, using the model to deepen understanding of successes and failures. Next, the model was used to diagnose and make suggestions to an on-going work group. Third, the model was used as a basis for a training design which had, as one of its purposes, the increase of collaborative functioning. These three applications proved promising enough to suggest that more long-term comprehensive research be designed to test various components of the model. Specific designs were proposed that would address the three expressed needs for collaboration: the need to reduce alienation, to increase productivity and to increase the ability of organization to adapt to a change environment.