While the Bay Area’s history has shaped today’s culture, there is little written about how corporations affect their immediate communities. This thesis focuses on the largest corporations in the Bay Area to determine if these corporations have any effect on the surrounding communities. The study focuses on Fortune 500’s list of Largest Corporations for 2011, and within that list, the top 30 companies located in the nine Bay Area counties. These nine counties include: Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, Napa Country, San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Solano Country, and Sonoma County. Using each corporations’ headquarter address as the reference point, a 1-mile radius surrounding each of the 30 companies was assessed. Data was gathered for the years 2000, 2010, and projected 2015. These data are available via ESRI’s Business Analyst Online application, which is accessible through the Texas A&M University Library’s website. Demographic information such as population, income, education, and related characteristics were reviewed. To understand the population’s lifestyle and possible implications for real estate development opportunities, the study reviewed the local demographic spending patterns, what these people do for recreation, their occupations, whether they rent or own their home, how they travel to work and their commute times, and other lifestyle variables. There were 40 variables tested and 53-percent of those variables produced statistically significant results. While the Demographic variable yielded a 56-percent statistical significance rate and the Consumer Spending variable yielded a 43-percent statistical significance rate, the Business variable did not produce any statistical significance. The most significant variables drawn from the reports were Demographics and Income Comparison, House and Home Expenditures, and Recreation Expenditures. This analysis provides important information regarding whether there is a statistical significance between characteristics within these companies’ 1-mile radii and the overall MSA. In the future, if a company would like to expand and build another headquarters, this analysis may provide insight on what metrics to focus on for future development. There may also be important information for future development opportunities around these 30-companies.

Feedback contextualized to curriculum content and misconceptions is a crucial piece in any learning experience. However, looking through student code and giving feedback requires more time and resources than an instructor typically has available, delaying feedback delivery. Intelligent Tutors for teaching Programming (ITPs) are designed to immediately deliver contextualized feedback of high quality to several students. However, they take significant effort and expertise to develop courses and practice problems, making them difficult to adapt to new situations. Because of this, the most frequently used feedback techniques for immediate feedback systems focus on highlighting incorrect output or pointing out errors in student code. These systems allow for quick development of practice problems and are easily adaptable to new contexts, however, the feedback isn't contextualized to curriculum content and misconceptions. This dissertation explores the implications of the Misconception-Driven Student Model (MDSM) as a model for developing alternatives to the aforementioned methods. I explore the implications and impact of MDSM with relation to feedback through the following thesis: Authoring feedback using a cognitive student model supports student learning of programming. In this dissertation I review relevant cognitive theory and feedback systems and two quasi-experimental studies examining the efficacy of MDSM. / Doctor of Philosophy / Feedback contextualized to curriculum content and misconceptions is a crucial piece in any learning experience. However, looking through student code and giving feedback requires more time and resources than an instructor typically has available, delaying feedback delivery. Intelligent Tutors for teaching Programming (ITPs) are designed to immediately deliver contextualized feedback of high quality to several students. However, they take significant effort and expertise to develop courses and practice problems, making them difficult to adapt to new situations. Because of this, the most frequently used feedback techniques for immediate feedback systems focus on highlighting incorrect output or pointing out errors in student code. These systems allow for quick development of practice problems and are easily adaptable to new contexts, however, the feedback isn't contextualized to curriculum content and misconceptions. This dissertation explores the implications of the Misconception-Driven Student Model (MDSM) as a model for developing alternatives to the aforementioned methods. I explore the implications and impact of MDSM with relation to feedback through the following thesis: Authoring feedback using a cognitive student model supports student learning of programming. In this dissertation I review relevant cognitive theory and feedback systems and two quasi-experimental studies examining the efficacy of MDSM.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Workplace harassment is a major problem in all employment relationships. It has negative implications for employee satisfaction, performance and productivity. This in turn leads to poor organisational performance, and often causes formal grievances and labour disputes which are not in the best interest of the employee or the employer. The constitution of the Republic of South Africa and other related acts like Employment Equity Act (EEA) protect employees against any form of unfair discrimination. Harassment within the workplace is also classified as form of unfair discrimination and is clearly prohibited in the constitution and other related statutes. Immediate supervisors are the face of the employer and they play an important role in employment relationships. They are responsible for representing the employer's dealings within the workplace agreements. The immediate supervisors' can impact negatively or positively on employee behaviour within the workplace. Many labour disputes arise because supervisors and subordinates in South Africa lack the necessary knowledge, appreciation- and sensitivity for applicable legal prescriptions and acceptable behavior norms required within workplace environment. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2013

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: It has recently been shown that intensive prophylactic dietary and environmental control measures during early infancy may reduce the incidence and/or postpone the onset of atopic disease. In order to institute this prophylactic regime, early identification of the infants genetically "at risk" for atopic disease is essential, since sensitisation begins at birth, or even during intra-uterine life. European and Scandinavian studies have shown that a raised concentration of cord blood serum immunoglobulin E (CBsIgE) is an excellent predictive marker for the subsequent development of atopic disease. Other potential predictive atopic markers such as cord blood eosinophils, platelets and anti-cow's milk serum IgG have also been suggested as having possible predictive relevance for newborns in terms of the development of subsequent atopic disease. PROBLEM DEFINITION: Most of the work in this field has been done on Caucasian neonates, in Westernised, First World countries. In South Africa, it has been shown that the Black adult ethnic group has serum immunoglobulin E concentrations (sIgE) which are significantly higher than that found in the South African White adult ethnic group. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the elevated sIgE in the adult Blacks may be raised independently of allergic disease. It is, therefore, important to ascertain whether this elevation of sIgE in Black South African adults is evident already at birth in the cord blood sera of Black South African newborns. If so, it is imperative to ascertain whether any such elevation is reflective of a high genetic load for atopy in these Black newborns, and furthermore whether these Black newborns are consequently "high-risk" for the development of subsequent atopic disease, as has been previously reported in the literature for White newborns. Arising from an awareness of these specific South African problems, the following hypothesis was developed. HYPOTHESIS: The hypothesis states that: "Black South African newborns without an atopic family history (aFH) have significantly higher CBslgE values than similar White and Mixed newborns. An aFH does not influence the CBsIgE values in the Black newborns, as it does in the White and Mixed newborns. The CBsIgE values in Black newborns are not, furthermore, predictive for the development of subsequent atopy in infancy, as they are in the other ethnic groups". A description of the three South African ethnic groups considered in this study is provided in Section IV, (Pg. 74). AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aims of the study were three-fold: 1. To test the hypothesis. 2. To assess the relevance of alternative cord blood markers (eosinophils, platelets and anti-cow's milk serum IgG) as predictive atopic markers in each of the three ethnic groups. 3. To provide epidemiological information with regard to genetic and environmental influences on CBslgE, cord blood total eosinophil counts (CBTEC's) cord blood platelet counts (CBPlC's) and cord blood anti-cow's milk serum IgG concentrations (CBacmlgG).

Thirty years of empirical research on visual aids have produced inconsistent results--perhaps because the quality and color of those visuals were inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to determine what effects quality and color of instructional transparencies used in an informative speech have on listener recall and attitudes toward speaker and speech. A total of 709 community college and university students in 36 intact classes were randomly assigned to one of four visual treatment groups (poor-quality black/white, high-quality black/white, poor-quality color, or high-quality color) or one of two control groups (no-speech or no-visuals). A videotaped speech was projected onto a large screen at the right of the room; visual aids (each shown for approximately 30 seconds) were projected onto another screen set immediately to the left. Recall was measured by a 10-item multiple choice test; attitude toward speech and speaker were each measured by six seven-item semantic differential scales. Analysis of variance indicated that the type of transparencies used in an informative speech have a definite effect on immediate recall and attitude toward the speech, but no effect on attitude toward speaker. All four treatment groups scored significantly higher on recall than the no-speech and no-visual control groups. Log percent of change showed poor color to produce the lowest scores (still 13% better than control) and quality color to produce the highest scores (19.5'% better). Analysis found listeners to have a more positive attitude toward the speech when quality color, quality black/white, or poor black/white visuals were used. It appears that any visual (even a poor quality one) produces better recall than no visuals. Speakers with the time to produce quality visuals should add color; speakers who pay little attention to quality would be advised to use black/white visuals. Implications for future research are suggested.

Christine Douglass. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-86). / Bibliography --- p.5 / Summary --- p.6 / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1 --- The problem --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2 --- The purpose of the study --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3 --- Study Design --- p.11 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.12 / Chapter 2.1 --- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness --- p.12 / Chapter 2.12 --- "Asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and respiratory symptoms suggestive of asthma" --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- Atopy --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- Genetics and the environment --- p.21 / Chapter 2.4 --- Environmental influences --- p.24 / Chapter 2.41 --- Smoking --- p.24 / Chapter 2.42 --- Passive smoking --- p.25 / Chapter 2.43 --- Pollution --- p.28 / Chapter 2.44 --- Upper respiratory tract infection --- p.31 / Chapter 3 --- Hong Kong --- p.34 / Chapter 4. --- Ethical approval --- p.35 / Chapter 5 --- Methods --- p.36 / Chapter 5.1 --- Subjects and study period --- p.36 / Chapter 5.2 --- Questionnaires --- p.36 / Chapter 5.3 --- Bronchial provocation --- p.38 / Chapter 5.31 --- Agents for provocation --- p.38 / Chapter 5.311 --- Histamine --- p.39 / Chapter 5.312 --- Guidelines for the storage and preparation of histamine --- p.39 / Chapter 5.32 --- Route of administration --- p.39 / Chapter 5.321 --- Inhalation provocation tests --- p.40 / Chapter 5.33 --- Parameters used to measure response and expression of results --- p.41 / Chapter 5.34 --- Preconditions for bronchial provocation testing- nontechnical factors --- p.43 / Chapter 5.35 --- A rapid method for measurement of bronchial responsiveness --- p.43 / Chapter 5.351 --- Nebulizer output --- p.43 / Chapter 5.352 --- Histamine solution preparation --- p.44 / Chapter 5.353 --- Lung function measurement --- p.44 / Chapter 5.354 --- Challenge procedure --- p.44 / Chapter 5.4 --- Measurement of atopic status --- p.46 / Chapter 6 --- Expression and analysis of data --- p.48 / Chapter 7 --- Results --- p.51 / Chapter 7.1 --- Repeatability of questionnaires --- p.51 / Chapter 7.2 --- Results from questionnaires --- p.51 / Chapter 7.21 --- Lifetime symptoms --- p.51 / Chapter 7.22 --- Symptoms within the past year --- p.52 / Chapter 7.23 --- Classification of groups for random selection --- p.54 / Chapter 7.3 --- Nebulizer output --- p.54 / Chapter 7.4 --- Computer generated random selection --- p.55 / Chapter 7.5 --- "Recording of ""yes"" when unsure of answers" --- p.55 / Chapter 7.6 --- Univariate statistical analysis --- p.56 / Chapter 7.61 --- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness of asthma --- p.56 / Chapter 7.66 --- "Respiratory symptoms suggestive of asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and doctors diagnosis of asthma" --- p.58 / Chapter 7.67 --- Air quality and passive smoking --- p.58 / Chapter 7.68 --- Place of birth --- p.58 / Chapter 8. --- Discussion --- p.60 / Chapter 9. --- Conclusion and Recommendations --- p.73 / Acknowledgements --- p.75 / References --- p.76 / Tables --- p.87 / Figures --- p.113 / Appendix --- p.119

Thèse (Ph. D.)--Université Laval, 2007. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 14 mai 2007). Bibliogr.

In an immediate serial recall task, participants are asked to recall lists of items in order. In the Hebb repeating-list variant of the task, subjects are read a series of lists, and every third list is repeated. Performance improves across repetitions but is stable for the non-repeated trials. The repetition advantage—the increased accuracy for the repeated list—is known as the Hebb effect. Several models have been advanced to explain how participants order successive items, but how participants take advantage of the repetition has largely been ignored. Although the task is usually discussed in terms of recall of verbal items, the Hebb effect has been observed with sequences of visuo-spatial positions. The present work assesses whether immediate serial recall of verbal material benefits from visuo-spatial context. Sequences of letters were presented in different spatial positions in a visual version of the Hebb task. Presenting lists in random spatial positions on the periphery of an imaginary circle did not boost performance, but if the sequence was predictable, overall accuracy increased. The spatial path of successive items influenced the Hebb effect. When the distance between successive positions was minimized, participants were able to exploit the repetition early in practice. The results deny an account based on item distinctiveness. I discuss the results in terms of contemporary models of ISR. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2007-10-03 13:01:00.716