Digital Commons Network^™

"Getting America Told": The Black Press And Its Dialogue With White America, 1914-1919, William George Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the role of African-American newspapers as a forum for interracial discourse during World War I. The black press addressed itself to white America, arguing that African-Americans' participation in the war made them worthy of full citizenship, pointing out the similarity between the nation's aim of championing democracy in Europe and the goal of creating racial justice in America, and drawing parallels between atrocities against civilians in Europe and the lynching of African Americans in the Southern states. Some influential white Americans paid attention to these arguments and responded to them. In doing so, they sought to use …

Transitions To U.S. Private Schools: Perceptions Of Six Immigrant Elementary School Boys, Philip Manwell

Doctoral Dissertations

"The United States is faced with the privilege and challenge of educating immigrant children, not only in a second language and other skills, but also in the many and varied dimensions of life in this country" (London, 1990; p. 287).

Whether these children have fled rigid dictatorial regimes or wars, whether they came to the U.S. directly or spent time in refugee camps or detention centers, whether they have little more than what they are wearing at the time, or their families have planned the migration carefully, leaving their countries of origin legally and peacefully, bringing currency and the promise …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Conditions Present In Managers' Families Of Origin And The Behavior Of Managers In Workplace Relationships, Jane Henderson-Loney

Doctoral Dissertations

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Analysis And Design Considerations Of A High-Power Density, Dual Air Gap, Axial-Field, Brushless, Permanent Magnet Motor, Chahee Peter Cho

Doctoral Dissertations

Until recently, brush dc motors have been the dominant drive system because they provide easily controlled motor speed over a wide range, rapid acceleration and deceleration, convenient control of position, and lower product cost. Despite these capabilities, the brush dc motor configuration does not satisfy the design requirements for the U.S. Navy's underwater propulsion applications.

Technical advances in rare-earth permanent magnet materials, in high-power semiconductor transistor technology, and in various rotor position-sensing devices have made using brushless permanent magnet motors a viable alternative. This research investigates brushless permanent magnet motor technology, studying the merits of dual-air gap, axial-field, brushless, permanent …

Professionalization Of Occupational Therapists: A Study Of Emergent Identities, Lou Ann Sooy Griswold

Doctoral Dissertations

The unprecedented demand for occupational therapists and resulting growth in student numbers necessitates the need to understand how students acquire professional ideology, learn expected role behavior, and identify themselves as occupational therapists. This ethnographic study includes interview data from a series of three interviews with 37 trainees, from freshmen to the first year of employment, who had been or were in the occupational therapy program at Worcester State College, in central Massachusetts. Students included women and men who were preparing for either a first or second career. Interviews with six academic faculty and seven fieldwork supervisors in three areas of …

Locations And Spectra Of Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts, Richard Marc Kippen

Doctoral Dissertations

The COMPTEL instrument aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is used to study the phenomena of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. Three years of observations from April 1991 through April 1994 reveal 18 significant gamma-ray burst detections. The locations (mean accuracy $\sim$1$\sp\circ$) and spectra (0.75-30 MeV) of these bursts are measured and are used to investigate the spatial distribution of burst sources and the characteristics of their emission at MeV energies. Rapidly determined COMPTEL burst localizations obtained through direct imaging are used to search for fading burst counterpart emission in a coordinated effort with ground-based optical and radio telescopes.

The COMPTEL burst …

Forest Floor Leachate Biogeochemistry And Decomposition Dynamics, William S. Currie

Doctoral Dissertations

Forest floor biogeochemistry was studied in combined field and modeling research in ecosystems representative of forests of the Northeastern U.S. The field study, conducted at the Harvard Forest, MA, focused on changes to organic and inorganic chemistry of forest-floor leachate under experimentally elevated N inputs meant to simulate effects of acid deposition in the region.

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC and DON) increased substantially in N treatments in the first year of the study. I attributed this to an increase in production of soluble organics in the forest floor due to an interaction between increased N availability …

Parametric Instabilities Of Alfven Waves In The Solar Wind, Venku Babu Jayanti

Doctoral Dissertations

We consider the stability of a circularly-polarized Alfven wave (the pump wave) propagating along a uniform ambient magnetic field B$\sb{\rm O}$. The system is linearly perturbed to study the stability of the Alfven wave. The perturbations are also assumed to propagate along the ambient field. Four different problems are addressed relating to the stability of the Alfven wave. The first involves using Floquet's theorem to obtain a dispersion relation for studying the stability. The result is a hierarchy of dispersion relations. However, all the dispersion relations are found to be equivalent. This technique showed that some results of other workers …

The Nation-State And Its Ideology: A Study Of School Children's Views Of Nationalism, Politics, And Enmity, Linda June Olson

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the reproduction and ideological legitimization of the nation-state in the eyes of successive generations. There are two components to this study. The first is a socio-historical analysis of the formation of nation-state ideology, a formation which seems to necessitate creation of "in-groups" and "out-groups." It is a socio-historical analysis of victimization, of the tendency to justify colonialism, expansionism, imperialism, and brutality to outsiders.

The second component of this study is concerned with how the ideology of the nation-state regarding nationalism, patriotism, and especially classification of enemy groups, is reproduced and legitimized for future generations. For this purpose, …

The Stability Of Flow Over An Elastic Boundary, Paul Joseph Schall

Doctoral Dissertations

Experiments with printing presses show unusual behavior when a fluid flows between rubber and rigid roller. For better understanding of this behavior, three problems which address the stability near fluid interfaces are considered. First, the stability of a viscous flow between a rigid boundary and an elastic layer is studied. Of particular interest are cases with large Froude number modeling rotational effect, and cases with an elastic layer thin as compared to the depth of the fluid. Linear stability is considered using a spectral method. Second, the inviscid flow between a rigid boundary and an elastic layer is studied. Two …

Experiments On Transient Natural Convection In Inclined Enclosures Using Calibrated Multichannel Electronic Interferometry And Digital Particle Image Velocimetry, Timothy David Upton

Doctoral Dissertations

Simultaneous quantitative measurements are made of both the temperature and velocity fields for two-dimensional transient natural convection in an inclined rectangular enclosure. The fluid in the enclosure is initially stationary and isothermal. The transient boundary conditions are initiated by instantaneously heating and cooling two opposing walls. All other walls are insulated and nonconducting. The evolution of the flow to steady state is determined for a Prandtl number of 6.38, a Rayleigh number of 1.5 $\times$ 10$\sp5$, and an aspect ratio of 1.0, at angles of inclination of $\pi$/4, $\pi$/2, and 3$\pi$/4. The temperature is measured using calibrated multichannel electronic interferometry, …

I Synthesis And Dynamic Studies Of Bifunctional Compounds Having Potential Intramolecular Interactions Ii Controlled Release Antifouling Coatings: Approaches To Controlled Release Of Gamma-Decanolactone And 2-Hexanoylfuran Into Seawater, Craig Anthony West

Doctoral Dissertations

I. Potentially reactive, bifunctional compounds 1 and 127 have been studied, and both compounds have been found to undergo rapid base-catalyzed degenerate topomerization. The topomerization processes, which in the case of 1 represents a degenerate transamidation and in the case of 127 a degenerate transesterification, have been studied in acetonitrile-d$\sb3$ and D$\sb2$O under a variety of conditions by the DNMR method. In both cases, the presence of a stable tetrahedral anion intermediate can be inferred from analysis of NMR and IR spectra. In the case of 1, the unusually high rate of topomerization can be attributed to the presence of …

A Search For Radiative Neutrino Decay And Its Potential Contribution To The Cosmic Diffuse Gamma-Ray Flux, Richard Scott Miller

Doctoral Dissertations

We have performed a sensitive search for a massive neutrino species. The premise of the search is the existence of an unstable massive neutrino that decays radiatively. Because of its electromagnetic daughter product, a radiative decay may be the only mode that can be observed directly. Using core collapse supernovae--known to be copious producers of neutrinos--as a cosmic neutrino laboratory, a detailed model has been developed to predict the decay-produced photon energy spectrum as a function of neutrino mass $m\sb{\nu}$ and lifetime $\tau\sb{\nu}$. Using the COMPTEL instrument aboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, observations of two recent nearby type-II supernovae (SN1987A, …

An Investigation Into Students' Conceptual Understandings Of The Graphical Representation Of Polynomial Functions, Judith Ellen Curran

Doctoral Dissertations

Mathematics educators are realizing the impact that technology is having on the way mathematical functions can be represented and manipulated. The increased use of graphing technology in the classroom is paralleled by an increased emphasis on the role of the graphical representation of a function to solve problems. These changes together with a recognition of the significance and complexity of developing a rich understanding of the graphical representations of polynomial functions are the motivation behind this research.

The study was designed to explore students' conceptual understandings of the graphs of polynomial functions. Guided by a constructivist approach to conceptual change, …

Reflected Light Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Electron Spectroscopy, And X-Ray Diffraction Mineralogical Characterization Of Electric Arc Furnace (Eaf) Dusts, Ann M. Hagni

Doctoral Dissertations

"The secondary steel industry in the United States generates 600,000 tons of electric arc furnace (EAF) dust each year. Over 5,000,000 tons of EAF dust are generated annually world wide. The dust, which is removed from off-gasses from the high temperature furnaces, is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be hazardous waste due to its leachable lead, cadmium, and chromium. In addition to hazardous components, EAF dust contains valuable zinc, averaging 19%. This study was initiated to determine the mineralogy and characterization of the dust to aid in the processing of the dust for metals recovery and rendering the …

The Role Of Opsonin-Independent Bacterial Adherence In The Pathogenesis Of Legionnaires' Disease, Frank Clinton Gibson

Doctoral Dissertations

Legionella pneumophila is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen which initiates infection of the human host by adhering to macrophages in the alveoli of the lung following which internalization and intracellular multiplication occurs. In this study a novel mechanism of opsonin-independent attachment for this organism to host cells was identified. L. pneumophila serogroup 1, strain Nottingham N7, and U-937 cells as well as primary guinea pig alveolar macrophages were used to study this adherence phenomenon.

A variety of assay methods were used to evaluate the nature of this binding event: transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to visualize …

Exports, Imports And Technology In The Us Industry Of Motor Vehicles And Equipment, Wei Heng Chen

Doctoral Dissertations

During the past two decades a system-wide approach to the analysis of multi-input, multi-output technology has been developed as the result of the application of the duality theory to the production and the development of the flexible functional forms. For empirical research, this system-wide approach has been widely applied to both industrial and national level economic problems. The industry applications usually work in the framework of a closed economy, failing to incorporate foreign trade flows, whereas the national economy applications attempt to consider only the primary factor inputs although foreign trade flows have been incorporated.

In this thesis the system-wide …

The Contemporary Work Ethic: An Exploration Of Culture And Structure In Post-Industrial Society, Marcia J. Ghipina

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation the relationship between structure and culture is explored in the context of the American work ethic. This analysis has two components. The first involves a socio-historical examination of the evolution of conceptions of work. Work is first viewed as lacking any positive qualities but with the emergence of the Protestant ethic and its later secularized versions, work took on positive meaning. These conceptions are analyzed in relation to their structural context, particularly early capitalist industrial society.

To further explore the relationship between culture and structure, a second component is included in this research. In order to characterize …

The Detection Of Enteric Viruses By Nylon-Based And In Situ Nonisotopic Probe Assays And Their Use In Treated And Untreated Waters, Norman James Moore

Doctoral Dissertations

Potable water is a primary need of humankind. In the interest of public health, the water should be free of infectious agents, such as bacteria, intestinal parasites, and viruses. The current method for assaying water for viruses is cell culture, which is expensive, labor intensive, and time consuming. Nucleic acid probes offer an alternative method which is less costly, more rapid, and requires less training and experience. Consequently, this study provides alternatives to viral monitoring of water sources.

Three nonradioactive nucleic acid probe assays were developed and evaluated by colormetric and chemiluminescent signals. A biotin-tailed probe was able to detect …

Work And Power In Post-Fordist Production: A Case Study Of Four Machine Shops, Stephen A. Sweet

Doctoral Dissertations

American industry is shifting to a "post-Fordist" approach to production. The post-Fordist approach includes expanding use of advanced manufacturing technologies, decreasing organizational sizes, decreasing bureaucratization of the work place, and the abandonment of Tayloristic managerial practices in favor of increasing worker participation in decision making processes. This study examines the effects of the post-Fordist approach upon power relations in four work places in the machining industry.

Interviews with 44 machinists, employers and community leaders in the case study site "Machinist Valley" show that the shift to post-Fordism is accompanied by declining incomes, fewer employment opportunities, lower benefits, and less job …

Final Vows: Organizational Dilemmas And Emergent Status-Reconstruction Of The Contemporary American Nun, Mary Anne Wichroski

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the effects of societal, institutional, and structural change on the status of Roman Catholic nuns. Based on interviews with 34 members of female religious orders, archival materials, Church documents, and participant observation, two case study orders (apostolic and cloistered) are compared in terms of structural change since Vatican II and their relative viability in the 1990s. As members of declining organizations, apostolic sisters are reconstructing their roles by drawing upon sources that pre-date formal hierarchical structures, as well as aspects of gender-status. Although active sisters show some congruence with feminist beliefs on work-related issues, other aspects of …

Neutral Gas Plasma Interactions In Space Plasma, Kan Liou

Doctoral Dissertations

A sounding rocket experiment, CRIT-II, involving the injection of shaped-charge barium in ionospheric plasma was conducted on May 7, 1989, to investigate Alfven's critical ionization velocity (CIV) hypothesis in space. The CRIT-II main payload was instrumented to make in situ measurements within the neutral barium beam. Among the detectors, UNH provided three energetic particle detectors and two photometers. The data from these detectors are presented. The typical features of the CIV effect were observed including plasma density enhancement, energy and momentum loss of a fast ion beam, excitation of plasma waves, and electron heating. It was found by optical observations …

A Thorn In The Text: Shakerism And The Marriage Narrative, Robert Michael Pugh

Doctoral Dissertations

Since 1824, fiction writers have attempted to treat the celibate communalist life of the American Shakers within narrative plot patterns that privilege marriage. The resulting stories and novels show Shakerism continually resisting this appropriation. Nevertheless, unable or unwilling to accept Shakerism's subversion of the necessary centrality of marriage, most of these writers have struggled to contain Shakerism's counter-structures of family and of narrative by reducing Shakerism's complexity. Shakerism, however, remains irreducible--a thorn in the text.

This study focuses on fifteen fictions in which well-known and lesser-known writers try to bring Shakerism and marriage together.

The Preface summarizes the Shakers' history …

Characterization Of Radical Formation And Iron Oxidation/Hydrolysis During Iron Deposition In Ferritin, Yu Chen Barrett

Doctoral Dissertations

The functional roles of ferritin H and L subunits in ferrous iron oxidation and ferric iron hydrolytic polymerization were studied by combination of electrode oximetry and pH stat utilizing horse spleen and recombinant human H and L ferritins. Previous work has investigated ferrous ion oxidation kinetics, but no information on ferric core formation and its relationship to ferrous ion oxidation had been obtained. The kinetic pattern of iron oxidation/hydrolysis in H-chain homopolymer ferritin showed that the rate of iron hydrolysis is regulated by the rate of iron oxidation, and that both follow the iron ferroxidation pathway. In the early stage …

Energy Conservation Potential Uncertainty Analysis, Gregory Allen Norris

Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies which have generated estimates of the potential for cost-effective gains in energy efficiency have generally acknowledged the uncertainty in their inputs and conclusions, but none have gone beyond simple scenario analysis to quantify the uncertainties in their inputs or conclusions. This research develops and demonstrates methods for the explicit treatment of uncertainty in energy conservation potential analysis. New methods and critical data requirements are highlighted through application to the study of current weatherization potential.

Sensitivity analysis finds that, contrary to claims appearing in the literature, estimates of cost-effective conservation potential are more sensitive to uncertainties in empirical inputs …

Wind-Driven Observation And Modelling In The Strait Of Gibraltar, Benabdeljelil Abdelkader

Doctoral Dissertations

Meteorological forcing has been found to be responsible for 65% of the subtidal current variance through Gibraltar Strait. However this value does not discriminate between atmospheric pressure and wind. Conditional coherences applied to a 2-input/single output system are computed to distribute the total variance of current data from the Gibraltar Experiment into wind-only, pressure-only, noise and shared forcings. Evidence is presented which shows that, within the subtidal range, wind and atmospheric pressure force the flow equally.

This study focuses on understanding the dynamics of the wind-driven circulation in a 2-layer channel. A channel jet model proves to be very useful …

Punitiveness And Public Opinion On Abortion And Capital Punishment In The United States, Kimberly Joyce Cook

Doctoral Dissertations

The intriguing paradox of opposition to abortion and support for capital punishment is the central concern of this dissertation. Others have argued that these are inconsistent life views. However, there is some evidence that these views are rooted in traditional morality and political conservatism. Beyond traditionalism, is the desire to punish those who violate the social order. Punitive respondents desire to secure obedience to the law or moral code by means of punishment. Criminal abortion laws allow the authority of the state to punish those who have or perform abortions. Capital punishment is one means of punishing those who are …

Nitrous Oxide Emissions From Tropical Soils, Antonio Donato Nobre

Doctoral Dissertations

Nitrous oxide ($\rm N\sb2O$), the third most important greenhouse trace gas in the troposphere and one contributor to ozone destruction in the stratosphere, has its concentration in the atmosphere increasing steadily over the last few decades. This study measured sources from tropical soils, potentially the highest and least studied $\rm N\sb2O$ production areas in the world.

For two tropical volcanic soils in Costa Rica the effect of water, nitrate and glucose additions on episodic emissions of nitrous oxide were studied. Magnitudes of episodic $\rm N\sb2O$ pulses, as well as overall $\rm N\sb2O$ emissions, varied considerably and consistently, depending on soil …

The Rhetoric Of Realism: American Psychology And American Literature, 1860-1910, Sandra Webster

Doctoral Dissertations

The period following the end of the Civil War in America and extending to just after the turn of the century witnessed the emergence of an independent discipline of psychology as well as the emergence of a uniquely American literary tradition. Though these developments occurred independently and operated out of different traditions, they shared a common interest in the concept of "consciousness." The present study is a comparison of models of consciousness expressed in psychological and literary texts of two periods: The first period covers the emergence of literary realism and American philosophical psychology (1865-1885); the second period covers literary …

Physical Studies Of Limulus Coagulogen, The Coagulin Gel And Coagulin Gel Formation, Thomas Paul Moody

Doctoral Dissertations

The blood of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus gels upon contact with gram negative bacterial endotoxin. Such contact induces the discrete proteolytic cleavage of a single protein, coagulogen. The product, coagulin, then assembles into a highly turbid gel. An investigation of the gelation and the physical properties of coagulogen and coagulin is described here. Except where noted, polymerization was induced by limited trypsinolysis of coagulogen.

Analytical centrifugation demonstrates that coagulogen only weakly self-associates. Fluorescence quenching indicates that the single tryptophan of coagulogen lies near the surface of the protein. The effective charge of coagulogen at pH 8, measured by equilibrium …