Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Quality Function Deployment In New Product And Service Development, Anusha Uppalanchi

Masters Theses

"Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a systematic process to integrate customer requirements into every aspect of the design and delivery of products and services. Understanding the customers wants or needs from a product or service is crucial to the successful design and development of new products and services. QFD is a system that utilizes customer demands to meet client missions by outlining what the customer wants in a service or product. QFD was used in this research to determine customer needs and thus to ensure that customer demands are met. This methodology is demonstrated using two case studies: Hydrogen Fuel …

Adaptive User Interface For Vehicle Swarm Control, Paul Robinette

Masters Theses

"An algorithm to automatically generate behaviors for robotic vehicles has been created and tested in a laboratory setting. This system is designed to be applied in situations where a large number of robotic vehicles must be controlled by a single operator. The system learns what behaviors the operator typically issues and offers these behaviors to the operator in future missions. This algorithm uses the symbolic clustering method Gram-ART to generate these behaviors. Gram-ART has been shown to be successful at clustering such standard symbolic problems as the mushroom dataset and the Unix commands dataset. The algorithm was tested by having …

Experimental Study On Thermal Treatment Of Used Printed Wiring Boards (Pwbs), Xiangjun Zuo

Masters Theses

The availability of cheaper and better electronic products as a result of the rapid innovation in technology in past decades has driven the production of e-waste forward. Printed wiring board (PWB) is a component made of one or more layers of insulating material with electrical conductors. The existing processes of recycling PWBs use pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical methods, which generate atmospheric pollution. Green recycling has obvious benefits to decrease the amount of PWBs. Green recycling includes two features, 1) little or zero pollution of toxic gases and heavy metals, and 2) efficient (quick and economical) recycling.

The aim of this work …

Maskless Additive Manufacturing Of Micro Structures By Laser Sintering Of Nanoparticles, Vivekram Ramanathan

Masters Theses

"The focus of this study was to investigate an alternate microfabrication process of sintering nanoparticles using a patterned laser light to generate two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) geometries. With trends of producing electronic and medical devices using cheaper and faster technologies, a new procedure was developed to deposit and bond miniature patterns of silver nanoparticles onto silicon substrates.

The process consists of spraying silver nanoparticles onto the substrate while a patterned or modulated laser beam is focused onto the sprayed nanoparticles. These nanoparticles exposed under the modulated laser light undergo partial melting or sintering and adhere to the …

Seismic Interpretation And Reservoir Characterization Of The Middle Frio Formation In The Stratton Field Gulf Coast Basin Of South Texas Using Three-Dimensional Seismic And Well Log Data, Uchenna H. Aboaja

Masters Theses

"The Stratton field is a large mature gas field located between Nueces County and Kleberg County in the northwest Gulf Coast Basin of south Texas. The Oligocene middle Frio Formation is one of the major progradational units within the Stratton field. It is characterized by rapid deposition and high subsidence rates that create complex internal facies architecture. The reservoir facies architecture of the middle Frio Formation is described as channel-fill deposits, crevasses-splay deposits, and floodplain mudstones. Previous two-dimensional seismic studies indicate some level of compartmentalization. Three-dimensional seismic and well log data provided by the Bureau of Economic Geology at the …

Decentralized Coordinated Ilc System Design And Transient Growth Control Using Iteration-Varying Filter, Qing Liu

Masters Theses

"In automation control area, with the increasing demand in task complexity and high control precision, coordination between systems is required. There are mainly two types of coordinated systems, decentralized and centralized. This thesis is focused on a large array of coordinated systems, and the decentralized structure is preferred. To achieve high control precision in a coordinated system, many existing approaches may work, and in the system performing the repeating process, Iterative Learning Control (ILC) is a useful approach. Therefore, in this thesis, a decentralized coordinated ILC system is proposed and analyzed. The proposed control system is especially useful in coordinating …

Christ The Redeemer And The Best Of All Possibly Created Worlds: Using Alvin Plantinga's 'O Felix Culpa' Theodicy As A Response To William Rowe's 'Can God Be Free?' And The Underlying Evidential Argument From Evil, P. Roger Turner

Masters Theses

In his "The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism," William Rowe famously argues that there are no God justifying goods that we know of that can excuse God's allowing the very many widespread evils and horrors there are in our world. I argue that this forms the backbone of his 2004 volume entitled Can God be Free? in which he posits two further arguments: (1) God must create the best of necessity and is thereby not free and so not praiseworthy, and (2) God cannot create a best world (since there is no best) and so always does …

Effects On Digital Image Quality When Photographing Through A Transparent Material Used To Hold Or Flatten An Original Object, Paul E. Howell

Masters Theses

An increasing number of libraries and archives are initiating projects where new and updated technologies make it practical to digitize materials containing color and fine detail. Many of the imaging systems and methods used for this process require that some type of glass or plastic be placed over the original to hold it flat and in the correct position during image capture. The physical properties of a material placed between an original object and the capture system or camera, during digitization, could possibly affect the accuracy of image color and quality being reproduced by the system. This investigation provides an …

A Christian Apologetic To A Buddhist Christ, David James Forbes

Masters Theses

This is a paper that expands on the concept that Jesus may have been a Buddhist "bodhisattva". It then gives a Christian apologetic as to why this cannot be true. This is accomplished by referencing the historical origins of Christianity and the differences between the lives of a bodhisattva and Jesus Christ.

An Integrated Database Management System And Building Information Modeling For Sustainable Design, Sultan Althobaiti

Masters Theses

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with sustainable design is getting widespread since it helped architects, engineers, and contractors in achieving the sustainability goal. The present work is using green and certified products and materials to be integrated with Building Information Model (BIM) to simulate and generate a conceptual design for green and sustainable design. The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) would help achieving sustainability, which would be predictable and possible. Revit Architecture is a tool of BIM technology that can be used for building designing and modeling.

The research represents a database system for green building products …

Thai Buddhism And Women With A Christian Response, Alice K. Terrell

Masters Theses

Thai Buddhism is a subset of Theravada Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism is one of two main branches of Buddhism which was founded by Siddartha Gautama around 560 B.C. Theravada is the strictest branch of the two. Thai Buddhism is a mixture of Theravada, local folklore and superstitions. Thai Buddhism is practiced by ninety-five percent of the population of Thailand. Within Thai Buddhism, men and women participate in the religion differently. Men are given the opportunity to be ordained into the sangha and serve as a monk. Through this path, men are able to achieve nirvana. Women are not given the same …

Integrating A Variety Of Cultures And Diversity Into The Upper Elementary Curriculum, Tammy Joy Hamlin

Masters Theses

Research has overwhelmingly shown that something needs to be done to combat the increasing problem of high minority drop-out rates. Many people still do not acknowledge that schools need to do anything differently. Instead the problem is blamed on the home life and economics. Some teachers feel that low-income inner city, minority students, simply are not capable of being successful academically. Society often does not realize how poor the minority drop out rates are in their school districts. Some administrations have chosen to hide the statistics. For instance one New York school district in this research promoted that almost all …

Exposing Romantic Folly: Comic Performance In Mark Twain's Foreign Travel Writing, Andrew Cessna Jones

Masters Theses

This thesis explores Mark Twain's three works of foreign travel literature, The Innocents Abroad, A Tramp Abroad, and Following the Equator using the rhetorical tool of comic performance. Comic performance as a tool of rhetorical analysis is defined using Kenneth Burke's conception of the comic frame and Richard Bauman's framework for performance. This tool is then used to explore Twain's descriptions of foreign place, culture, and people in representative passages from each work in order to show how Twain uses his descriptive passages as a means to elicit social change.

Disenchantment: The Formation, Distortion, And Transformation Of Identity In Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, Lydia K. Christoph

Masters Theses

Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (1861) stands apart from his other works as a powerful expression of his later social and theological views. Rife with rich characterizations, fairy-tale elements, grotesque and bizarre plot twists, Victorian social issues, and a beautifully thoughtful and imaginative commentary on the universal human themes of loss, guilt, abuse, identity, money, social status, and love, this novel remains an outstanding example of truly great art, both popular and classic. This story of identity formation in a nineteenth-century English context demonstrates how Dickens' life and writings, influenced by spurious and inconsistent theological beliefs, express the idea that sin …

Christian Yoga As A Product Of Hinduism And The New Age Movement, Injib Kim

Masters Theses

This thesis is divided into four main parts. Part one examines the origin of Hindu yoga practice. It will focus on the ancient Hindu origins of modern Yoga practice. Part two deals with the introduction of yoga into the western world. It examines the socio-cultural-religious phenomenon that Yoga has become. Chapter three inspects yoga in American churches. It concerns the origins, meaning, and detailed methods of Christian Yoga. The last part formulates a biblical response to Christian yoga. It is an apologetic for biblical Christianity.

The Use Of Music In Early Childhood Centers In British Columbia: A Survey Of The Perceptions And Practices Of Early Childhood Educators, Michelle Lawrence

Masters Theses

This study explored the current practices of early childhood educators' utilization and perception about music in their classrooms. Early childhood educators are defined as individuals who have completed post-secondary training at an accredited college or university in early childhood education and are registered with the ECEBC Registry. Early childhood centers are defined as either preschools or licensed group child care centers. An online survey was been designed to obtain information regarding demographics and characteristics of early childhood centers in British Columbia, relevant musical and educational training, comfort level of the early childhood educator leading group music activities, implementation of the …

The Altercatio Ecclesiae Et Synagogae As A Late Antique Anti-Jewish Polemic, Michael J. Brinks

Masters Theses

The Catholic Church's newfound influence in late antiquity led to the political marginalization of the empire's Jewish community, a marginalization that is evident in Christian polemic against Judaism written after the Empire's religious transformation had largely been consolidated. This thesis is an analysis of the Altercatio Ecclesiae et Synagogae, written anonymously in the fifth century. Its primary intention is to discover what earlier writers influenced its author, what can be known about him, when the text was written, and what kind of arguments against Judaism he used.

The thesis begins by comparing and contrasting the anti-Jewish writing of Cyprian …

A Possible Positive Feedback Modulation Of Acetylcholine Release Through The Stimulation Of Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors On Bipolar Neurons In Pig Retina, Viralkumar M. Patel

Masters Theses

Glaucoma is associated with excitotoxicity in which increased glutamate release leads to apoptotic death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Acetylcholine (ACh) has shown neuroprotection of RGCs through the stimulation of RGCs’ nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The cholinergic amacrine cells are the only cells in retina which synthesize and release ACh. They get excitatory inputs from bipolar cells. The presence of α7nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) on the cholinergic amacrines, bipolar cells and RGCs is documented. Recently, stimulation of presynaptic nAChRs of cholinergic cells was shown to enhance ACh release in the rat superior cervical ganglion. Therefore, we hypothesized that α7nAChRs stimulation …

The Sherwood Method: Creating An Independent Christian Feature Film, Jacob H. Johnston

Masters Theses

This thesis will define the Sherwood Method for creating independent Christian feature-length films by researching the success of the film Facing The Giants (2006) produced by Sherwood Pictures. In order to understand the method, the essay has laid out the definitions of key words such as film, independent film and Christian film, and the background of the film industry. It also chronicles the formation of Sherwood Pictures and its effect on the film business. Finally the essay will break down what the key elements of the Sherwood Method are and how Christian filmmakers can use them in their future projects.

Fish Assemblages In Manistee River Tributaries: Longitudinal Distribution Analysis, Seasonal Variation, And Riparian Improvement Evaluation, Nicholas J. Gressick

Masters Theses

Sedimentation affects both stream physical and biological integrity. Improperly designed stream passage accompanied with sedimentation and altered hydrology can impede fish passage and reduce fish assemblage integrity. The purpose of this study was to: 1) quantify impacts of poorly constructed road stream crossings and eroding banks on fish assemblages, and 2) assess these sites as sediment sources and connectivity breaks on entire fish assemblages and individual fish species. Electrofishing was conducted during spring and fall 2004 and 2005. A total of 29 electrofishing reaches were sampled which included 5 road-stream and streambank restoration sites. Sickle Creek (1st order) had reduced …

A Study Of The Effect Of Splinting On Pain During Tip Pinch For Osteoarthritis Of The First Carpometacarpal Joint, Leana Tank

Masters Theses

The following research project focused on the effect of a prefabricated neoprene first carpometacarpal splint on osteoarthritis pain with tip-pinch, strength measurements of tip-pinch and functional performance. The following questions were explored throughout this study:

1. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels when the subject’s hand is splinted as compared to mean pain levels when the hand is not splinted.

2. There will be a significant decrease in mean pain levels for the second session as compared to the first.

3. There will be a significant increase in mean tip pinch strength measurements when the subject’s …

Forming Process : Design Through Layered Visual Systems And Multiple Collection Methods : A Thesis, Jen Magathan

Masters Theses

"Do not hide the structure, celebrate it in the form" ; "Approach design from multiple points of view."

These adages, so important in my architectural training, reverberate with intricate practicality in my work as a graphic designer, both as a way of building my design and as a means of developing a design process which explores multiple ways of organizing content through visual systems. Forming Process is defined by three conditions: celebrating the visual systems which organize the design, archiving content from multiple ways of collecting, and creating work by which the process of design is implicit in the design …

Virginia’S Steward: A Re-Examination Of The Life And Work Of Thornton Stringfellow 1788-1869, Justin Stowe

Masters Theses

Historians have done a tremendous job at their inquiries into biblical proslavery ideology, even though their focus is primarily on the apologists’ arguments in regard to slavery. These historians gave the scholarly world a clear understanding of how and why men defended slavery, but they only focus on their proslavery thought, which creates an incomplete picture of the apologist.

This work focuses on a minister named Thornton Stringfellow who lived in Culpeper, Virginia during the nineteenth century, in the tumultuous time leading up to the American Civil War. By examining Stringfellow’s personal background, the historical events that took place during …

John Damascene In Context: An Examination Of "The Heresy Of The Ishmaelites" With Special Consideration Given To The Religious, Political, And Social Contexts During The Seventh And Eighth Century Arab Conquests, D. Bryan Rhodes

Masters Theses

John Damascene's work concerning "The Heresy of the Ishmaelites" confronts Islam--a heresy according to John--with respect to fundamental disagreements between Christians and Muslims concerning the deity of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity and the authenticity of Muhammad's prophethood and revelation. I argue that John's work was prompted and influenced by his context in seventh-and eighth-century Byzantium. More specifically, my argument is that John's firsthand understanding of Islam, the new rhetoric of a heavenward focus within what had been the Roman empire, the development of apologies and disputations concerning Islam, and the growing tensions in Christian-Arab relations in eighth-century Byzantium …

Christianity And Communication: Kierkegaard, Hamann, And The Necessity Of Indirect Communication, Benjamin D. Cates

Masters Theses

In 1849, Kierkegaard praised Hamann's dedication to written and spoken language as derived from the Divine Logos. This thesis examines Hamann and Kierkegaard in order to understand both thinkers' impact upon verbal and written communication. Hamann's dedication to the idea of communication as given graciously and solely by God is apparent in his authorship. Kierkegaard's model of indirect communication is ultimately one of Christian existence. Given the fact that Kierkegaard owed much to Hamann and was perhaps even led back to faith in God through his exhaustive reading of the German linguist, this thesis examines the possibility of a Hamannian …

Viewing The World Through Oprah's Eyes: A Framing Analysis Of The Spiritual Views Of Oprah Winfrey, Marianne Jeanette Crosby

Masters Theses

Oprah Winfrey is an American icon. She has a hand in almost every form of media: movies, television, books, Internet, and radio. In her rise to success, another place that she has infiltrated is the church. Because of her wide range of influence, her thoughts and teaching on spirituality have made their way into both the home and church. Over ten years ago, talk shows had a reputation for portraying mainly negative topics. To combat this stereotype, she made a push to encourage more positive topics of discussion on her show. Yet after receiving criticism for "preaching," she withdrew from …

Hauntings In The Church: Counterfeit Christianity Through The Fin De Siècle Gothic Novel, Melissa Ann West

Masters Theses

The lengthy Victorian period, extending from 1832 until 1901, was a time of cultural turmoil. New scientific discoveries were being made daily, and Christianity was forced to deal with issues of Darwinism, occultism, and growing disbelief in God. By the start of the fin de siècle, God was an impartial deity sitting on His almighty throne, and man was nothing more than a highly evolved animal. The church, both Catholic and Anglican, did not exist to lead man toward salvation, but existed because of a dated adherence to cultural tradition.

No one genre captured the religious upheavals of the age …

A Community Ecology And Stable Isotope Study Of Plankton, Macroinvertebrate, And Fish Communities Surrounding Groundwater Vents In Lake Huron, Michigan, Thomas Garrison Sanders Jr.

Masters Theses

Extreme environments can create ecotones with uncharacteristic physicochemical conditions and ecological communities. Recently, several submerged sinkholes were discovered in Lake Huron where hypoxic groundwater that is rich with dissolved ions intrudes into surrounding lake water. Researchers have documented large growths of cyanobacteria and chemosynthetic bacteria surrounding these groundwater vents, but little is known if this production is utilized by upper trophic level organisms and how the environmental conditions affect local community density and diversity. My objectives were threefold: (1) I wanted to confirm the presence and describe the nature and extent of chemical and physical gradients in the sublacustrine sinkhole …

Hesitation: An Analysis Of Candide, Jared T. Mink

Masters Theses

Candide calls into question its merit as literature or philosophy because it draws its reader into eisegesis. The act of interpreting Candide is never a cool judgment. The enigmatic ending forces the reader to see that acts of judgment are appetitive: Desires shape judgment; judgment plies desire. Candide's behavior reveals eighteenth century interest in "the body," which was the scientist's chief tool in entering "the void" to explore the integrity of new knowledge. We see this body interest in Locke's Essay and, through a concept of "hesitation," we can see that Voltaire absorbed Lock's view of the interconnection between judgment …

I Read My Mind Through You: Designing Personal Communication In The Public Realm, Or, I Made This Thesis For You, Mary Banas

Masters Theses

As graphic designers, we're trained to be rational, systematic, and concise. In contrast, human emotion is irrational, passionate, and complex. By projecting personal experience into the public sphere, this study explores the tension between these two mindsets. I Read My Mind Through You elevates the voice of the banal to a call for empathy and renewed sentimentality.

I Read My Mind Through You elevated the voice of the banal to a call for empathy and renewed sentimentality.

This body of work originates from a love affair with turns of phrase, an affinity for the absurd, and the current cultural obsession …