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Art, The Social Enzyme: The Emergence Of An Art Community In The Rio Grande Valley, Heaven Lashley

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study explores the emergence of an art community in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region of South Texas. In researching this objective, I relied on observations at many gallery public functions where I had the opportunity to observe the interactions between prospective buyers, gallery owners and artists. I also visited with gallery owners and artists many times in small group settings where I raised open ended questions about the region's artists and other historical developments that would allow me to put together a cohesive story about the emergence of the art community

This study began as an unstructured exploration …

Maintaining An Immigrant Heritage Language Other Than Spanish Or English In The Bilingual Culture Of The Rio Grande Valley Of South Texas, Sonia A. Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A 2005 study in the bilingual Spanish/English Rio Grande Valley of South Texas investigates the language strategies used by immigrant families from China, Greece, Hungary, Japan, the Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, and the Ukraine to preserve their heritage languages and pass them on to their children. Personal interviews determine that all the parents are well-educated and from an above average socio-economic level. This investigation categorizes the various strategies used by the parents. All the immigrant parents emphasize that the main reason they want to preserve the heritage language with their children is to insure that the children can continue to communicate …

The Importance Of Continuity In First Language Education For Learning A Second Language, Stephen M. Shepherd

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Scores from the Texas Reading Proficiency Tests in English (RPTE) for ninety-four Newcomer ESL students were analyzed to understand the differences between students who had attended school continuously and those who had discontinuity in their first language (LI) education in their home country. This research was performed in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, a few miles from the border with Mexico. The hypothesis is that students who have gaps in their L1 education will not learn to read as quickly in English as those who had none since the former are lacking cognitive skills which the latter already …

“Let Every One Of Us Take His Gun And Put Himself In The Ranks”: The Louisiana Native Guard's Defiance Of Antebellum Ideas Of Gender And Race, 1861–1863, Jeremy B. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The Louisiana Native Guards are an appropriate topic for the study of the relationship between gender and race in Civil War era America. After Louisiana seceded in 1861, free men of color from New Orleans began an odyssey that led them to fight on both sides of the conflict. They eventually became the first black regiment mustered into the United States military and the only one to have black officers.

This study will attempt to demonstrate how the men of the Louisiana Native Guard helped redefine the nineteenth century ideas of manliness. Through their soldiering these men demonstrated qualities associated …

From Death Valley To The Río Grande Valley: World War Ii And Korean War Prisoners Of War, Juan David Coronado

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to fill the void in scholarly literature on Mexican American Prisoners of War (POWs) from World War II and Korea from the Río Grande Valley in South Texas. This thesis focuses on POWs' experiences while in captivity and their experiences readjusting back home. Former Mexican American POWs have not received the recognition they deserved. Mexican American POWs survived their captivity as they had the will and drive to exit alive. Their humble upbringing in the Río Grande Valley instilled in them a sense of toughness. They showed that toughness and will to survive in …

Culture Effects In The Ethical Decision-Making Process Of Latin American Accountants, Silvia Lopez Palau

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Despite the amount of accounting ethics research conducted over many years, two significant problems remain unsolved. First, there is a need to create accurate measurement instruments capable of predicting behavior within a theoretical framework of ethical decision-making. Second, it is important to develop ways to make measurements appropriate for application in other cultures or countries. Thus, the purpose of this study is twofold. The first objective is to develop a scale to measure the ethical evaluations, judgments, and intentions of Latin American accountants. The second goal is to determine the effects of national culture and gender on the results posited …

Image Up-Sampling Using The Discrete Wavelet Transform, Laleh Asgharian

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Image up-sampling is an effective technique, useful in today's digital image processing applications and rendering devices. In image up-sampling, an image is enhanced from a lower resolution to a higher resolution with the degree of enhancement depending upon application requirements. It is known that the traditional interpolation based approaches for up-sampling, such as the Bilinear or Bicubic interpolations, blur the resultant images along edges and image features. Furthermore, in color imagery, these interpolation-based up-sampling methods may have color infringing artifacts in the areas where the images contain sharp edges and fine textures. We present an interesting up-sampling algorithm based on …

Design And Manufacturing Of Functionally Graded Materials With Polymer Chain And Nano-Reinforcement Orientation For Compressive Applications, Sanjay Varma Kalidindi

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Functionally Graded Materials for compressive applications were designed and manufactured by tailoring the properties of Pure Polyethylene (PE) and Vapor Grown Carbon Nanofiber (VGCNF) Reinforced PE Composites. Properties of NRPC have been extensively studied. Properties are dependent on parameters such as the reinforcement/matrix interaction; reinforcement volume fraction, orientation, dispersion, and packing, and the final matrix microstructure. However, there is limited literature on their properties under compression loading. Compression strength studies for high density PE reinforced with VGCNF for different fiber volume fraction (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) were carried out. The role of interface and alignment was studied. Samples were …

Federico González Garza: A Vanished Hero Of The Mexican Revolution, Mario A. Ferron

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to reveal Federico Gonzalez Garza as a foremost figure of the Mexican Revolution. Chapter I examines the circumstances that gave form to Federico's ideology. Chapters II and III, analyze Federico's transcendental role during the 1910's presidential elections, and his involvement during the consequent revolution. Chapters IV and V analyze the challenges Federico encountered to transform a revolution into a government. Chapter VI reviews Federico's contribution to the insurgency against Victoriano Huerta and Venustiano Carranza. Chapter VII gives closure to this study, summarizing Federico's political and diplomatic achievements, and claiming recognition for his transcendental contribution …

Electrorheology Of Fullerene Suspensions, Maricela Lizcano

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Electrorheological fluids are suspension materials whose rheological behavior changes with an applied voltage. In particular, the material changes from a fluid to a solid behavior with an applied voltage and reverses to its original state when the voltage is removed. This function classifies ER fluids as smart materials. ER fluids may be developed and used as mechanical devices with no mechanical parts such as pumps, actuators, and dampers. Until recently, research was concentrated with micro-particle suspension fluids. This research project investigates the electrorheology of carbon nano-particle suspension.

Verbal Behavior: An Empirical Review Of Establishing Operations, Gary R. Hoerth

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Establishing Operations are steeped in the science Applied Behavior Analysis and verbal behavior. Their principles are utilized daily in schools, clinics and treatment centers. The purpose of this study was to review the research literature of this principle to affirm its scientific base and identify specific strategies that can be used by educators and practitioners. Results affirmed its scientific base and identified numerous strategies for immediate use. As ABA practitioners state, "These principles are thought to be of value only if in the hands of people who use them to improve the lives of others" (Carbone, 2004).

Comparison Of Sliding Mode And State-Feedback Control Applied To A Partially Treated Actively Constrained Layer Damped (Acld) Beam, Jose J. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this research, a sliding mode control (SMC) was utilized in the control of a partially treated, actively constrained layer damped (ACLD), Timoshenko beam model. The resulting vibration control was compared to the vibration control achieved by a state-feedback linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for several loading conditions. An observer was designed and model order reduction (MOR) was performed to achieve a simplified, efficient, and more controllable finite element system model. As a result of model simplification, modeling errors in the form of unstructured uncertainties were introduced into the system. It was determined that the SMC and LQR achieved similar vibration …

A Stochastic Production Cost Model For Remanufacturing Systems, Gaurang S. Patel

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Growing environmental concern throughout this decade coupled with enforced legislation, customer expectations and economic incentives have forced increasing number of manufacturers to take back their products from end user. Managing this reverse flow of products is called reverse logistics. The stochastic nature of returned products complicates the production planning for remanufacturing systems in reverse logistics. In this thesis a stochastic production cost model, considering various costs associated under different situations for remanufacturing systems of returned products is developed. A search algorithm method is recommended to determine optimal production run size, production rate and space for remanufacturing systems in reverse logistics. …

Busted Flat Tire Mobility, Oscar F. Martinez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The work presented in Busted Flat Tire Mobility is an attempt to promote awareness about problems afflicting our modern society. Seizing on the opportunity to present my concerns through artwork addressing the issue of poverty in this culture, I hope to present an emotional and inspiring representation of the lives of those people whom inhabit the "Invisible America". This exhibition paper presents my belief that art can be a revolutionary tool in which to motivate people to act.

Market Orientation And Order Of Entry Strategies: An Empirical Analysis, Anshu Saran

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

While the relationship between market orientation and business performance has been extensively investigated, the mechanisms by which market orientation contributes to performance are still not well understood. To fill this gap in knowledge of how order of entry would affect the relationship between market orientation and performance, this research provides a conceptual framework to link two disparate concepts, or research streams in the marketing/business strategy literature, market orientation and order of entry.

Timing of entry has generated great attention (Green, Barclay, and Ryans 1995). Pioneering new markets is expensive and risky, but also potentially very rewarding. If pioneers have advantages …

Credit Card Debt: A New Class Or A New Culture?, Rebecca Olympia Millan

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis project examines the current situation of credit card debt on college students in two colleges in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas and seeks to understand whether the use of credit cards is the result of an emerging class or an emerging culture. In order to explain this distinction, students' credit card debt will be viewed as being created through three main areas: the result of the current living wage, the presence of a "buy now, save for later" philosophy, and the desire to obtain the means of the cultural capital to bridge from one social class …

Lvn: A Fiction, Jacqueline S. Gill

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This is a creative thesis, the first 87 pages of an original novel divided into 14 chapters. This story takes place along the Mexican-American border and has elements of humor, mystery, witchcraft, and murder. It is written in first person from the point of view of the main character, Matt. Matt's normal life begins to change when he becomes best friends with a flamboyantly gay hairdresser who introduces him to Celeste - a mother of four, Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), and a self proclaimed witch. Celeste practices the dark side of the craft; and when she feels the need for …

Searching Response Of A Wandering Spider To Potential Cues Associated With Lepidopteran Eggs, Rosa Isela Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz), a wandering spider, has been frequently observed feeding on the eggs of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), an important cotton pest. Wandering spiders are known to feed mainly on mobile prey, thus mechanisms used by these spiders to locate sessile prey remain understudied. Vibratory and visual are among the main cues used by spiders to identify prey. However, other sensory modalities such as chemoreception may be used but are poorly understood. This study investigated the types of cues utilized by C. inclusum to locate and identify H. zea eggs as prey. Results show that C. inclusum responds positively to …

Run, Chicano, Run: Efraín Gutiérrez, In Search Of The Individual Within Chicano Cinema, Fred Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Run, Chicano, Run (2006) is about Efraín Gutiérrez, the first Chicano to direct a feature-length film. Because he was active after the Chicano Movement and before the rise of Chicano Studies, his movies are difficult to interpret. His movies are personal, not adhering to ideological formulations. Gutiérrez ceased making movies in 1979 and was not present during the later years of Chicano filmmaking and the emergence of a body of literature dedicated to Chicano cinema.

This thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter One explores Gutiérrez's place within the literature dealing with Chicano cinema. Chapter Two tells the story behind …

A Marionette's Dream, Veronica R. Jaeger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

As an artist, I believe there is an open awareness and sensibility toward everything experienced in life which manifests through the spirit in form and imagery. Jean-Paul Sartre's affirmation, "You are nothing else but what you live", encloses the general concepts of my artwork and the starting point of my continuous questioning about existence and life, making a personal interpretation based on my own experiences and the spiritual concepts of eastern and western philosophies as Buddhism, Taoism, Existentialism, and Christianity. I had been an observer of the outside filtered through my own senses and beliefs, translated into the language of …

Parent Implementation Of The Developmental, Individual Difference, Relationship-Based (Dir) Program: Changes In The Repetitive Behaviors Of Children With Autism, Jessica S. Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study examined the changes in behavioral repetitive/stereotypies based on parent implementation and non-implementation in the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based (DIR) program designed for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An experimental, 2x2 repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to measure the changes in behavioral repetitive/stereotypies such as: rocking or other whole body movements, hand-flapping, ritualism, finger/light stimulation, aggressive behavior to self, and aggressive behavior to others, based on parent implementation or non-implementation of the DIR program. Nine participants were randomly selected and assigned to a DIR treatment group and a control group. The study was conducted over …

Cultivation In Female College Students, Veronica Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the cultivation effects based on the sex of the subject and the amount of television watched. Specifically, this study examines the effect of television viewing on female and male college students in order to understand what affect television viewing may have on the consumer. A modified version of the Cultivation Index Scale was administered to 157 college students. A series of ANOVA's were performed on these data. Results indicate that men and women differ significantly in terms of cultivation effects. The statistical tests also revealed that subjects who watch larger amounts of television displayed more cultivation effects …

Micro_Cosmos, Rachael E. Freyman Brown

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This exhibition thesis and its accompanying exhibition invite the viewer to contemplate large and small connections to nature in our lives. How are backyard gardens a metaphor for the way our culture thinks of or treats nature and the environment? Do we have personal or spiritual connections to the land, plants, and the ecosystem, or do we see them merely as products for our use? The work in micro _COSMOS is an attempt to balance and unite paradoxes: the spiritual within the everyday, the natural and the constructed, and to come to terms with the constant cycle of regeneration in …

“Charley's Aunt” Revisited, Willie Camina

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This is a Creative Study involving the directing of Charley's Aunt . This thesis comprises three elements: Preplanning, the Production Record and an Evaluation. The Preplanning Section will communicate the meaning of the play through an external and internal analysis. The Production Record contains the materials used in the execution of this production. The third chapter is an evaluation of the project. There is an essay reporting the audience's reaction and the quantitative results of an exit survey given to audience members to quantify how effectively "the story" was communicated.

Comparative Pollen Foraging Of Africanized And European Honeybees In A Non-Agricultural Environment, Ruben Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

With the advent of the Africanized honeybee, ways to differentiate it from the European honeybee have been greatly sought in attempts to better understand the role of Africanized bees in pollination. Pollen collecting strategies for both honeybee subspecies have been explored in attempts to exploit their pollinating capabilities. This project examined pollen collected by honeybees from feral and managed European and Africanized colonies in a relatively isolated site. Paired European and Africanized honeybee colonies were used to obtain pollen foragers. Through acetolysis (series acidified Acetic Anhydride washings); the collected pollen from the individual foragers was treated and observed with light …

The Optimization Of Amplifiers For Uwb Applications, Kyoung D. Kim

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Optimizations of 0.18 μm and 0.5 μm MOSFET amplifiers without using inductors for UWB applications are presented. A 3 dB bandwidth from 3.1 GHz to 9.9 GHz with minimum 9.6 dB of transducer gain at 10.6 GHz and approximate 92.8 mWatts of total power consumption are achieved. The source and load impedances were 50 ohms. Also, the number of capacitors and resistors has been minimized. To predict characteristics more precisely, the pad capacitance is added to the output port. In addition, a different feedback topology is presented which gives a lower Noise Figure with maximum 7.73 dB at 10.6 GHz …

Mercury Concentrations In South Texas Game Fishes, E. Anthony Reisinger

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most ubiquitous and controversial metals in the world primarily due to the toxicity of the organic form of the metal, methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg is a neurotoxin at high levels, known to manifest its effects on humans primarily through consumption of certain fish and marine mammals, which tend to bioaccumulate MeHg in their tissues over time. Increased fish consumption and, thus, mercury intake in residents of coastal areas necessitates a better awareness of MeHg content in game fish species, thus the subject of this study.

Three hundred thirty-nine tissue samples were taken from 19 south …