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Hemingway, Sartre, And Secularization: Finding Religion Without God, Marcos Antonio Norris

Dissertations

This dissertation intervenes in the critical debate over Ernest Hemingway’s religious orientation. One camp of Hemingway scholars argues that he was a practicing Catholic, while the other camp argues that Hemingway was an existential atheist. Rather than side with either camp in this binary debate, my research offers a third option that bridges the gap between these opposing positions. Examining Hemingway’s life and works through the eyes of contemporary political philosopher Giorgio Agamben, I argue that Hemingway is, properly speaking, neither a secularist nor a theist, but a secularized theist, whose “religion” takes the form of masculine volition, or sovereign, …

Private Military And Security Corporations In Civil Conflicts, Paul Robert Olander

Dissertations

Paul R. Olander

Loyola University Chicago

PRIVATE MILITARY AND SECURITY CORPORATIONS IN CIVIL CONFLICTS

Why do states fighting civil conflicts hire Private Military and Security Corporations (PMSCs)? Does doing so hasten state victory? Many states have turned to PMSCs for help defeating rebels, yet we lack a broad understanding of the causes and outcomes of this choice. I build upon insights from principal-agent theory and utilize statistical analyses to explain when states delegate tasks to PMSCs during civil conflicts, and what conditions affect when PMSCs help states achieve victory. I also examine the Nigerian government’s decision to hire the PMSC …

An Eco-Theology For Korean American Presbyterian Churches, Yale Park

Dissertations

Although Asian perspectives and philosophical heritage may carry ecological values, the Korean American Protestant Churches (KAPC) seem uncaring the current global climate crisis. Nor have their theological views on nature been developed adequately. I hypothesize that one of the reasons for the disinterest is KAPC’s anthropocentric views on humans. The Korean American immigrant churches, taught by traditional and conservative theology, recognize humans as disconnected from the rest of creation. Humans are treated and emphasized almost as the telos of God’s whole creation. The worthlessness of humans before God is affirmed, but ironically humans are always seen higher than any other …

Promoting Information Exchange: Open-Minded Group Cognition And A Function Of Motivation And Task Type, Jeremy Ryan Winget

Dissertations

Open-minded cognition is a cognitive processing style that influences the manner inwhich individuals select and process information. An open-minded cognitive style is marked by a willingness to consider a variety of intellectual perspectives, values, attitudes, opinions, or beliefs, even those that contradict the individual’s prior opinion. However, people also process information and make decisions within groups, and their individual cognitive styles can influence how the overall group processes and shares information. Therefore, the present paper integrates the open-minded cognition and group decision making literatures, proposes and agent- based model of open-minded group cognition, and empirically tests the antecedents and consequences …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Conflict In African Immigrant And African American Marriages, Cornelius Ayodeji Osuntade

Dissertations

Problem

There has been a high level of marital conflict in immigrant families from patriarchal cultures. There are negative attitudes toward women that contribute to couple conflict. Coupled with this are issues relating to immigration challenges that confront marriage stability among immigrant couples in North America. In the same vein, African American couples experience conflicts that militate against the stability of their marriages. Most of these marital upheavals stem from historical antecedents relating to this ethnic group, as well as the societal dialectics confronting them. By and large, regarding couple conflict, a better understanding of the challenges facing African immigrant …

Solving The Continual Improvement And Innovation Challenge For The Benefit Of Patients: How An Effective Pharmaceutical Quality System (Pqs) And Risk-Based Approach Could Transform Post-Approval Change (Pac) Management, Emabelle Ramnarine

Dissertations

Patients deserve their medicines on time every time. Regulators safeguard public health by ensuring availability of safe, effective, high-quality medicines. Pharmaceutical companies must continually improve and innovate to deliver such medicines. In spite of these patient-centric objectives, drug shortages have continued to grow as a global public health concern. The drug shortage problem has existed for decades though there has been no shortage of effort, recommendations, papers, and expectations to resolve it. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic even exceptional measures were rapidly implemented to prevent shortages, yet no long-term solutions have been found.

This research hypothesis was that due to …

Feasibility Of Online Nutritional Counseling And/Or Remote Self Weighing In Pregnant Women With Obesity, Rebecca Mattson

Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this feasibility study is to determine the magnitude of effect using a combination of weekly weights and an online registered dietician to control excessive gestational weight gain in pregnant women with obesity using a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Specific Aims

There are three specific aims. Aim 1: Describe the study population in terms of sociodemographic influences (e.g., ethnicity, age, weight, and height) and obstetrical influences (i.e., parity and pregnancy weight). Aim 2: Measure participant satisfaction with the study interventions of weekly weighing and online nutrition counselling. Aim 3: (a) Explore the differences in gestational weight …

Time To Medical Help-Seeking For Adults Who Experience Symptoms Of Stroke In A California-Mexico Border Region, Jean Rockwell

Dissertations

Background: Acute thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke must be administered within 4.5 hours of stroke symptom onset. Despite its proven efficacy fewer than 12% of those suffering acute ischemic stroke receive this treatment. The most common reason for low utilization is late medical help-seeking. Though the relationship among predictor variables and time to medical help-seeking have been explored in previous studies, it stills remains uncertain which predictors are most influential. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with time to medical help-seeking for patients who experienced symptoms of stroke within a U.S. Southern California-Mexico border region. This …

Machine Learning For Auditory Hierarchy, William Coleman

Dissertations

Coleman, W. (2021). Machine Learning for Auditory Hierarchy. This dissertation is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Technological University Dublin. Audio content is predominantly delivered in a stereo audio file of a static, pre-formed mix. The content creator makes volume, position and effects decisions, generally for presentation in stereo speakers, but has no control ultimately over how the content will be consumed. This leads to poor listener experience when, for example, a feature film is mixed such that the dialogue is at a low level relative to the sound effects. Consumers can complain that they must turn …

Study Of Mm-Wave Fixed Beam And Frequency Beam-Scanning Antenna Arrays, Zeeshan Ahmed

Dissertations

Millimeter-wave frequencies are anticipated to be widely adapted for future wireless communication systems to resolve the demand of high data-rate and capacity issues. The millimeter-wave frequency range offers wide spectrum and a shift for most newly developing technologies as the microwave and lower frequency bands are becoming overcrowded and congested. These high frequency bands offer short wavelengths which has enabled the researchers to design and implement compact and adaptable antenna solutions. This research focuses on the implementation, transformation and modification of antenna structures used in lower frequency bands to millimeter-wave applications with high gain and multi-band and wideband performances.

The …

Cough Monitoring Through Audio Analysis, Thomas Snella

Dissertations

The detection of cough events in audio recordings requires the analysis of a significant amount of data as cough is typically monitored continuously over several hours to capture naturally occurring cough events. The recorded data is mostly composed of undesired sound events such as silence, background noise, and speech. To reduce computational costs and to address the ethical concerns raised from the collection of audio data in public environments, the data requires pre-processing prior to any further analysis.

Current cough detection algorithms typically use pre-processing methods to remove undesired audio segments from the collected data but do not preserve the …

Analysis Of Power Quality Constrained Consumer-Friendly Demand Response In Low Voltage Distributions Network, Chittesh Veni Chandran

Dissertations

Load management using demand response (DR) in a low voltage distribution network (LVDN) offers an economically profitable business platform with peak load management. However, the inconvenience caused to the consumer in depriving their devices and the low levels of associated incentive have contributed to lower consumer acceptance for DR programs in the community. However, with the increasing number of controllable consumer loads, a residential-level DR program is highly plausible in the short to medium term. Further, additional DR capabilities (including ancillary services) are likely to improve the remuneration potential for participants in DR. Considering the perspective of a distribution network …

A Comparison Of Instructional Efficiency Models In Third Level Education, Murali Rajendran

Dissertations

This study investigates the validity and sensitivity of a novel model of instructional efficiency: the parabolic model. The novel model is compared against state-of-the-art models present in instructional design today; Likelihood model, Deviational model and Multidimensional model. This models is based on the assumption that optimal mental workload and high performance leads to high efficiency, while other models assume that low mental workload and high performance leads to high efficiency. The investigation makes use of two instructional design conditions: a direct instructions approach to learning and its extension with a collaborative activity. A control group received the former instructional design …

Stellar Classification Of Folded Spectra Using The Mk Classification Scheme And Convolutional Neural Networks, John Magee

Dissertations

The year 1943 saw the introduction of the Morgan-Keenan (MK) classification scheme and this replaced the existing Harvard Classification scheme. Both stellar classification scheme are fundamentally grounded in the field of spectroscopy. The Harvard Classification scheme classified stars based on stellar surface temperature. The MK Classification scheme introduced the concept of a luminosity class that is intrinsically linked to the surface gravity of a star. Temperature and luminosity class values are estimated directly from the stellar spectrum.

Machine learning is a well-established technique in astronomy. Traditionally, a spectrum is treated as a one-dimensional sequence of data. Techniques such as artificial …

Human Age And Gender Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Eamon Kelliher

Dissertations

In a world relying ever more on human classification, this papers aims to improve on age and gender image classification through the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). Age and gender classification has become a popular area of study in the past number of years however there are still improvements to be made, particularly in the area of age classification. This research paper aims to test the currently accepted fact that CNN models are the superior model type for image classification by comparing CNN performance against Support Vector Machine performance on the same dataset. Using the Adience image classification dataset, …

Examining University Stakeholders' Perception Of The Implementation Of Internationalization In Higher Education Institutions In The Uae, Mohammed Madi Yousif

Dissertations

The globalization of economies and societies worldwide, has brought massive transformations in the field of higher education, creating a context to include an ‘international’ dimension in higher education institutions (HEIs). Global learning is essential in the development of cognitive skills, as well as for increased success among academics, hence institutional stakeholders such as administrators, faculty, and students are key participants in initiatives to internationalize academia. The current study examines the perspectives of institutional stakeholders (top administrators, faculty, and students) concerning the process and implementation of internationalization of higher education in the UAE, revealing its potential benefits and challenges. In a …

Family, School And Community Educational Partnerships: Development Of A Comprehensive Program For The United Arab Emirates, Sherin M. Abu Shamon

Dissertations

Family, school and community educational partnerships (FSCEPs) contribute significantly to the development and growth of students. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this has not received due consideration. This study aimed to evaluate current FSCEPs practices and develop a comprehensive, culturally appropriate program for the UAE. A three-phase mixed method design was used: exploratory sequential design phase, developmental phase using the Delphi Method, and a pilot to test the proposed model. Structured and semi-structured interviews, observation and case study surveys were used to investigate current FSCEPs implementation; barriers and opportunities influencing practices and partnerships, and recommendations from participants. Data was …

Recovering Untold Stories: Everyday Lives Of Women In Republican Istanbul, 1930-1960, Zehra Betul Atasoy

Dissertations

This research explores the everyday lives of urban women from various social strata in Istanbul between 1930 and 1960. It designates the implications of the Republican reforms in urban spaces and concentrates on untold stories of women who belonged to varying social settings and professions. The everyday life of the city became more complex with the increase in participation of women during these decades. This research examines the myriad ways in which women asserted themselves in the urban fabric, following three threads. First, women's leisure and economic activities in the newly built public squares are investigated. Then, industrial workers and …

Molecular Mechanism Of Cyanobacteria Circadian Clock Oscillator And Effect Of Co Factors On Its Oscillation, Manpreet Kaur

Dissertations

The circadian rhythms arise as an adaptation to the environmental 24-hour day and night cycle due to Earth's rotation. These rhythms prepare organisms to align their internal biological activities and day to day behavior or events with the environmental change of the 24-hour day and night cycle. Circadian rhythms are found widely in all living kingdoms of life on Earth. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes which first used to study these circadian rhythms. Among cyanobacterial species, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (henceforth, S. Elongatus) is the simplest organism with a durable and sturdy circadian clock and is study as a model organism. …

Coordination, Adaptation, And Complexity In Decision Fusion, Weiqiang Dong

Dissertations

A parallel decentralized binary decision fusion architecture employs a bank of local detectors (LDs) that access a commonly-observed phenomenon. The system makes a binary decision about the phenomenon, accepting one of two hypotheses (H0 (“absent”) or H1 (“present”)). The k 1 LD uses a local decision rule to compress its local observations yk into a binary local decision uk; uk = 0 if the k 1 LD accepts H0 and uk = 1 if it accepts H1. The k 1 LD sends its decision uk over a noiseless dedicated channel to a Data Fusion Center (DFC). The DFC combines the …

Development Of Novel Inks And Approaches For Printing Tissues And Organs, Shen Ji

Dissertations

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that investigates and develops new methods to repair, regenerate and replace damaged tissues and organs, or to develop biomaterial platforms as in vitro models. Tissue engineering approaches require the fabrication of scaffolds using biomaterials or fabrication of living tissues using cells. As the demands of customized, implantable tissue/organs are increasing and becoming more urgent, conventional scaffold fabrication approaches are difficult to meet the requirements, especially for complex large-scale tissue fabrication. In this regard, three-dimensional (3D) printing attracted more interest over the past decades due to its unrivaled ability to fabricate highly customized tissues or …

Drone-Assisted Emergency Communications, Di Wu

Dissertations

Drone-mounted base stations (DBSs) have been proposed to extend coverage and improve communications between mobile users (MUs) and their corresponding macro base stations (MBSs). Different from the base stations on the ground, DBSs can flexibly fly over and close to MUs to establish a better vantage for communications. Thus, the pathloss between a DBS and an MU can be much smaller than that between the MU and MBS. In addition, by hovering in the air, the DBS can likely establish a Line-of-Sight link to the MBS. DBSs can be leveraged to recover communications in a large natural disaster struck area …

A Deep Machine Learning Approach For Predicting Freeway Work Zone Delay Using Big Data, Abdullah Shabarek

Dissertations

The introduction of deep learning and big data analytics may significantly elevate the performance of traffic speed prediction. Work zones become one of the most critical factors causing congestion impact, which reduces the mobility as well as traffic safety. A comprehensive literature review on existing work zone delay prediction models (i.e., parametric, simulation and non-parametric models) is conducted in this research. The research shows the limitations of each model. Moreover, most previous modeling approaches did not consider user delay for connected freeways when predicting traffic speed under work zone conditions. This research proposes Deep Artificial Neural Network (Deep ANN) and …

Human-Robot Interaction For Assistive Robotics, Jiawei Li

Dissertations

This dissertation presents an in-depth study of human-robot interaction (HRI) withapplication to assistive robotics. In various studies, dexterous in-hand manipulation is included, assistive robots for Sit-To-stand (STS) assistance along with the human intention estimation. In Chapter 1, the background and issues of HRI are explicitly discussed. In Chapter 2, the literature review introduces the recent state-of-the-art research on HRI, such as physical Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), robot STS assistance, dexterous in hand manipulation and human intention estimation. In Chapter 3, various models and control algorithms are described in detail. Chapter 4 introduces the research equipment. Chapter 5 presents innovative theories and …

Experiments And Modeling Of The Chemo-Mechanically Coupled Behavior Of Polymeric Gels, Nikola Bosnjak

Dissertations

Polymeric materials consist of mutually entangled or chemically crosslinked long njitmolecular chains which form a polymer network. Due to their molecular structure, the njitpolymeric materials are known to undergo large deformation in response to various njitenvironmental stimuli, such as temperature, chemical potential and light.

When a polymer network is exposed to a suitable chemical solvent, the solvent molecules are able to diffuse inside the network, causing it to undergo a large volumetric deformation, known as swelling. In addition to volumetric deformation, this process involves the chemical mixing of the polymer network and solvent molecules, and is typically environmentally responsive. A …

High-Speed Rail Safety Analysis Based On Dual-Weighted Complex Network, Liu Lv

Dissertations

This study uses a complex network model to analyze the causes of accidents in high-speed railway operations. By identifying the key factors that led to high-speed railway accidents, hidden safety hazards were discovered. This will help improve the operational safety of the U.S. high-speed rail line under construction.

The analysis uses the regional high-speed railway network in Guangzhou, China as a case study, including the railway (including high-speed railway) accidents that occurred in the company's jurisdiction from 2013 to 2017. With comparative analysis between general railways and high-speed railways, the changes of high-speed railway safety factors are explored. Data analysis …

Supporting User Interaction And Social Relationship Formation In A Collaborative Online Shopping Context, Yu Xu

Dissertations

The combination of online shopping and social media allow people with similar shopping interests and experiences to share, comment, and discuss about shopping from anywhere and at any time, which also leads to the emergence of online shopping communities. Today, more people turn to online platforms to share their opinions about products, solicit various opinions from their friends, family members, and other customers, and have fun through interactions with others with similar interests. This dissertation explores how collaborative online shopping presents itself as a context and platform for users' interpersonal interactions and social relationship formation through a series of studies. …

Dances And Escape Of The Vortex Quartet, Brandon Behring

Dissertations

This dissertation considers the linear stability of a one-parameter family of periodic solutions of the four-vortex problem known as 'leapfrogging' orbits. These solutions, which consist of two pairs of identical yet oppositely-signed vortices, were known to W. Gröbli (1877) and A. E. H. Love (1883) and can be parameterized by a dimensionless parameter related to the geometry of the initial configuration. Simulations by Acheson and numerical Floquet analysis by Tophøj and Aref both indicate, to many digits, that the bifurcation occurs at a value related to the inverse square of the golen ratio. Acheson observed that, after an initial period …

Online Fulfillment: F-Warehouse Order Consolidation And Bops Store Picking Problems, Wen Zhu

Dissertations

Fulfillment of online retail orders is a critical challenge for retailers since the legacy infrastructure and control methods are ill suited for online retail. The primary performance goal of online fulfillment is speed or fast fulfillment, requiring received orders to be shipped or ready for pickup within a few hours. Several novel numerical problems characterize fast fulfillment operations and this research solves two such problems. Order fulfillment warehouses (F-Warehouses) are a critical component of the physical internet behind online retail supply chains. Two key distinguishing features of an F-Warehouse are (i) Explosive Storage Policy – A unique item can be …

Characterizing Reactive Iron Mineral Coatings And Their Roles In Natural Attenuation At A Site With Historical Contamination, Han Hua

Dissertations

Reactive iron mineral coatings in redox transition zones play an important role in contaminant attenuation. These mineral coatings include poorly crystalline to crystalline iron sulfides, carbonates, and oxyhydroxides, and are a signature of the biogeochemical processes occurring. To better understand these processes, reactive iron mineral coatings are characterized in an 18-m Anaerobic Core collected from a contaminated industrial site. This study targets redox transition zones uncovered in the core. A suite of complementary analyses is applied to distinguish the surface coating mineralogy using X-ray Diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX). In …