This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the characteristics of credit card holders and the extent of credit card usage, the level of credit card knowledge, and the consumer's choice perspectives. The characteristics of credit card holders studied were (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital status, (d) education, (e) income, and (f) occupation. Data for this study were collected in Bangkok, Thailand by telephone interviews during July- August 1993. The sample consisted of 150 Bangkok Bank credit card holders. Chi-square and Cramer's V were used to analyze the hypotheses. For all statistical analyses the level of significance was set at .05. As a result of the 18 specific null hypothesis tests, only two independent variables were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the extent of credit card usage. The findings suggested a positive relationship between the extent of credit card usage and occupation and income. Respondents with higher occupational status and income tended to use credit cards to a greater extent than those with lower occupational status and income. Gender, age, marital status, and education were not related to the extent of credit card usage in this study. No significant differences were found among the demographic characteristics of credit card holders and the level of credit card knowledge, and consumer's choice perspectives. Gender, age, marital status. education, occupation, and income were not related to the level of credit card knowledge and the consumer's choice. The results revealed that most Thai credit card holders were not knowledgeable about credit card terms. They were clearly influenced by environmental stimuli, and the effects of society and group norms when they applied for a credit card. They generally chose a card with incomplete information about the alternatives.

The focus of this research was to examine how effectively augmented reality (AR) displays, generated with a wearable computer, could be used for aiding an operator performing a manufacturing assembly task. The research concentrated on comparing two technologies for generating augmented reality displays (opaque vs. see-through), with two current types of assembly instructions (a traditional assembly instruction manual vs. computer aided instruction). The study was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wearable based augmented reality compared to traditional instruction methods, and was also used to compare two types of AR displays in the context of an assembly task. For the experiment, 15 subjects were asked to assemble a computer motherboard using the four types of instruction: paper manual, computer aided, an opaque AR display, and a see-through AR display. The study was run as a within subjects design, where subjects were randomly assigned the order of instruction media. For the AR conditions, the augmented environments were generated with a wearable computer, and viewed through two types of monocular, head-mounted displays (HMD). The first type of HMD was a monocular opaque HMD, and the second was a monocular see-though HMD. Prior to the experiment, all subjects performed a brief training session teaching them how to insert the various components of the motherboard in their respective slots. The time of assembly and assembly errors were measured for each type of media, and a questionnaire was administered to each subject at the end of each condition, and at the end of the experiment to determine the usability of the four instructional media. The results of the experiment indicated that both augmented reality conditions were more effective instructional aids for the assembly task than either the paper instruction manual or the computer aided instruction. The see-through HMD resulted in the fastest assembly times followed by the opaque HMD, the computer aided instruction, and the paper instructions respectively. In addition, subjects made fewer errors using the AR conditions compared to the other two types of instructional media. However, while the two AR conditions were a more effective instructional media when time was the response measure, there were still some important usability issues associated with the AR technology that were not present in the non-AR conditions. Many of the subjects indicated that both types of HMDs were uncomfortable, and over half expressed concerns about poor image contrast with the see-through HMDs. Finally, this thesis discusses the results of this study as well as implications for the design and use of AR and wearable computers for manufacturing assembly tasks. / Master of Science

<p> The transition from the Wapiabi Formation to the Belly River Formation was studied in two outcrops, Highwood 1 and 2, near Longview, Alberta. The lowest units in the stratigraphic sections consist of deep marine, storm-generated density flow deposits interbedded with shales. They are overlain by dominantly crossbedded sandstones deposited in a marine environment which was dominated by shallow water processes. At Highwood 1, the next deposits are those of a braided fluvial system, which consist of crossbedded sandstones and much conglomerate. There is no shale. At Highwood 2, the fluvial deposits consist of thick sandstone units separated by thick dominantly shale units, with some roots. The uppermost units are again marine sandstones and shales. This return to marine conditions has not been mentioned previously in the literature. </p> <p> Paleoflow directions indicate that regional paleoslope dipped northwest at the base of the sections, but northeast in the fluvial parts. It is suggested that the slow rate of deposition in the Coniacian and Santonian, coupled with slow subsidence, permitted topographic expression of a northwest trending trough between the emerging Cordillera and the Aptian Ridge. In the Campanian, the trough was filled in with Belly River sediments, so that the paleoflow swung toward the northeast. </p> <p> Petrographic studies show that these sediments are much like those in the Belly River in the Milk River area, studied by Ogunyemi and Hills (1977) . </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Science (BSc)

No description available.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur den pedagogiska, fysiska och sociala miljön påverkar undervisningen i fritidshemmet samt lärarnas upplevelser av de olika miljöerna. Vilka möjligheter och hinder upplever lärare i fritidshem för att anpassa miljön för alla elever? Studien bygger på semi-struktuerade intervjuer samt ett observationsschema där den fysiska och pedagogiska miljön studerades. Vi har intervjuat sex lärare i fritidshem på tre olika skolor. Resultatet visar att miljön har stor påverkan för hur undervisning kan bedrivas i fritidshemmet. Framförallt lyfts den fysiska miljöns betydelse för undervisningens roll i fritidshemmet. Resultatet visar att det ser väldigt olika ut på fritidshemmen och att det i sin tur påverkar kvalitén. I resultatet synliggörs vilka möjligheter och hinder lärarna upplever i den fysiska, pedagogiska och sociala miljön.

Birds have co-inhabited American cities since the colonial era, and as people have noticed and appreciated them, they have taken steps to make cities even more hospitable for them. This dissertation documents the history of birds in cities and efforts to create more bird-friendly urban areas. The examination starts with the commercial core of modern cities, moving outwards through the residential and industrial zones, taking note of parks and other urban oases as well as the transportation and communications networks that help shape and define American cities. Bird conservation activities in scattered cities across the country make each of these urban zones better for birds. The future of birds in American cities depends on how these zones are managed, and the ability of local governments, nonprofits, corporations, and bird enthusiasts working together to protect birds from hazards and provide additional habitat opportunities within the city. / text

This study investigates the listening environments of hearing aid users by employing the data logging capacity of their hearing aids. The idea that a hearing aid user's listening environments are important in prescribing desired hearing aid features has been discussed in the literature, however, investigation of listening environments has been limited in the past as it has relied mainly on subjective recordings. Data logging, the capacity of a hearing aid to continuously store information regarding time spent in different programs, listening environments, and microphone modes, is now available in a number of hearing aid models, and therefore provides an objective tool for studying a hearing aid user's listening environments. The data logging information from fifty-seven new hearing aid wearers, including 50 males and 7 females (mean age = 68 years, SD = 11.3), was obtained during the first routine clinic follow-up session for each individual. Measures of time spent in different listening environments, microphone modes, and overall sound levels, were analyzed. Hearing aid usage time was found to be highest in "Speech Only" situations (44.8%), followed by "Quiet" (26.7%), "Noise Only" (16.3%) and "Speech in Noise" (12.3%) situations. The majority of the hearing aid users' time was spent in "Surround" microphone mode (74.3%), followed in order by "Split" (22.3%) and "Full" (3.5%) directional modes. Results of two separate two-way ANOVAs revealed no significant age effect either on time spent in different listening environments [F(3,49) = 0.7, p= 0.5] or on time spent in different microphone modes [F(3,20) = 0.6, p= 0.6]. These findings provide empirical evidence regarding the general listening pattern of hearing aid users, which can be used as a starting point when troubleshooting problems experienced by hearing aid clients, or assessing a user's need for various hearing aid features.

Arsenic (As) is a common occurring environmental pollutant. The USEPA has a stricter regulation for arsenic in drinking water (10 ug/L). Small drinking water suppliers from regions with high arsenic backgrounds levels, will need to remove arsenic from drinking water in order to meet the new standard. The proposed treatment by the USEPA is the oxidation of arsenite (AsIII) to arsenate (AsV) followed by the adsorption onto metal oxides (e.g. granular ferrihydrite (GFH)). Large amounts of arsenic-bearing solid waste will be generated and disposed in municipal landfills based on EPA's recommendation. The alkaline and anaerobic conditions prevailing in mature landfills combined with the high content of organic matter and the microbial activity prevailing in landfill could play an important role in the biotransformation and mobilization of sorbed arsenic in landfills. The extensive use of organo arsenical compounds such as pesticides in agriculture has become an emerging source of arsenic contamination in the environment. Roxarsone (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylarsonic acid) is a compound supplemented in the poultry feed to enhance growth by controlling coccidian parasites. Chickens excrete the roxarsone without changes in its chemical structure. Land application of chicken manure in agricultural fields is a common practice. Approximately 900 metric tons of roxarsone is estimated to be released into environment in the U.S. annually. The environmental impact is significant when considering that these quantities of arsenic are spread onto relative small land areas in the direct vicinity of poultry houses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of anaerobic bioconversion on the fate and mobility of inorganic and organic arsenic compounds. The results taken as a whole suggest that arsenic in drinking water residuals is susceptible to enhanced mobilization due to anaerobic microbial activity, and therefore As mobilization should be expected in mature landfills. Roxarsone was readily biotransformed by a methanogenic consortium to its corresponding amino compound, 4-hydroxy-3-aminophenylarsonic acid (HAPA). A fraction of the HAPA went on to be converted to AsIII after long term incubations. Therefore, land application of roxarsone-containing wastes could potentially lead to the formation of more toxic and mobile forms of arsenic which will have negative impact on the environment.

No description available.

This thesis introduces the original idea that it is possible, and productive, to consider the ‘blending’ of (or deliberate creative combining of methods from) the fields of fine art practice and science practice, using selected empirical research methods to investigate constructions of self and self-identity that emerge between disciplines. In particular, the thesis investigates how the scientific aspects of modern computer games, for instance, can be seen to affect emotional responses from viewers and how those responses are, in turn, affected by the ‘blending’ of aesthetic concerns with consideration of alternative cognitive processes that induce relaxation to connect with participant-players’ self-identities. This process created a method to access cognitive processes, hitherto unexplored by computer-game developers. This research locates its arguments primarily in and between the disciplines, Art and Game Studies and supports the findings with examples taken from art practice and with theories of Psychology and Gaming. This thesis documents the creation of the author’s original hybrid ‘art- work-game’, known as ‘Star World’. It describes the process of ‘Star World’s’ creation, with analysis of the efficacy of this environment as a space where the mapping of narrative, and where perceptual and interactive ‘blendings’ of self and self-identity were employed and tested, with both qualitative and empirical studies of the experiences and perceptions of participant-players. The research focuses on how the distinctive abstract environment, ‘Star World’, affords and facilitates personal expression and interaction for computer-game players. It reveals specific cognitive processes undergone by participant-players; evidence that supports and validates the conjecture that participant-players use personal frames of reference when navigating, exploring and interpreting computer games. Teach-back protocols and their impact are shown to improve the interactivity and immersive potential of the environment. Overall, this thesis classifies ‘haute game’ rules that are formulated to identify virtual environments creating unique, alternative ‘blendings’ with participant-players and assembles a framework for developers to pursue, when producing original computer-game genres. It offers an innovative case study of value to future scholars of Game Studies, as well as to game developers, with cautionary examples provided to assist in dealing with situations where emotional states are accessed by game play. This thesis highlights the potential of interactive art and game design to produce beneficial outcomes for its participant-players, moreover, it demonstrates, with empirical evidence, the effect of the virtual environment on its participant-players.