Digital Commons Network^™

Giving Up The Microphone: The White Racial Framing Of Race, Kimberly Lane

Theses

Drawing from Joe Feagin’s white racial frame, the study employs critical discourse and framing analysis to examine ways in which two national newsprints- the New York Times and Washington Post- reinforced the framing of race in coverage of Trayvon Martin and the Black Lives Matter movement. Results showed that the news coverage reflected an encompassing pro-white/anti-Black master-frame that presented Black Americans as: inadequate, lawless, criminal, sassy, hypersexual, threatening, and biologically different. The news stories also contributed to the media’s conceptualization of race within a paradigm of a liberty-and-justice American myth narrative. Conversely, whites were presented favorably as “protectors” and “virtuous.” …

The Power Of Word-Of-Mouth: A Study On The Impact Of Interpersonal Communication Using Arts Festivals As A Case Study, Holly Ní Ghráda

Theses

The purpose of this study is to investigate the importance of interpersonal communication tactics in building and maintaining key relationships in the arts festival context, using two Irish traditional music festivals as its case studies. The main objective of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of word-of-mouth endorsements among stakeholders for small organisations.

This research undertook three stages of study. The first stage of this thesis took the form of a literature review - also known as the secondary research phase. Throughout this stage the author found relevant academic opinions and definitions based on selected public relations, culture, and …

An Investigation Into The Obstacles And Barriers Preventing Farmers In Rural Areas Using Information Communication Technologies, David O'Leary

Theses

Technology and in particular, mobile devices can help farmers both from a social and business perspective. This study focuses on the areas preventing farmers using smart phones and the downfalls they might be facing on a regular basis in the adoption of mobile devices. The objectives of this study were to identify what devices are being used and for what purpose, identify who helps the farmer when they are in difficulty with their device, identify if broadband is an obstacle and to develop a set of recommendations based on my research for the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) …

Metabolic Characteristics Of Macrophage Activation With Phenotype Microarrays, Tanya Kathryn D'Souza

Theses

Inflammation is a natural protective response and is characterised by the activation of numerous immune cells, including macrophages which can release a variety of inflammatory mediators. Macrophages play a flexible role in the initiation and effector phases of the immune response and change their behaviour to respond to environmental stimuli. The main objectives in this study were to create and characterise different macrophage behaviours and employ a novel metabolic characterisation platform the Phenotype Microarray^TM to attribute additional characteristics to the currently well recognised phenotypes. Five activated macrophage states were demonstrated and characterised. Unactivated macrophages (MO) demonstrated undetectable levels of …

The Socioeconomic Impact Of Indian Gaming On Kumeyaay Nations: A Case Study Of Barona, Viejas, And Sycuan, 1982 - 2016, Ethan L. Banegas

Theses

This study will use the reservations of Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan to measure the socioeconomic impacts of gaming within the Kumeyaay nation. It will also draw on information available from other gaming tribes. To organize my research, I will use the following categories: health, education, economics and infrastructure. Within these four topics I will cover: investment capital, poverty, higher education, internet access, alcohol addiction, suicide rates, obesity, diabetes, and other socioeconomic indicators. Once this is accomplished I will assess the social and economic impact of gaming on Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan and include the possible implications to heal historical trauma …

Reliability Of Micro Mechanical Low Frequency Energy Harvesters For Implanted Cardiac Pacemakers, Sunny Jay

Theses

The aim of this project was to develop methods to assess the suitability and reliability of silicon-based piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanicai systems (MEMS) energy harvesters to capture the kinetic energy of the heartbeat in an implanted cardiac pacemaker. The major challenges of the work were that harvesters for vibration frequencies below 100 Hz have not been widely reported and the system requires reliable operation over a long lifetime. In this work device modelling was used for harvester design assessment. Experimental test methods and equipment were developed to produce data to validate the device models and to assess device reliability. A 2D analytical …

Automating The Milking Process Within A Grass-Based System, John Shortall

Theses

The successful integration of automatic milking (AM) and grazing has resulted in AM becoming a feasible alternative to conventional milking (CM) in pasture-based systems. The objective of this thesis was to establish (i) the social, environmental and economic effects of adopting AM technology and (ii) the factors affecting cow traffic, which once the AM is adopted, can also impact on the sustainability of AM. A theme across this thesis is the examination of AM in the context of a seasonal pasture-based milk production system. Electricity and water meters were installed on seven AM fanns. Milking and livestock/^miscellaneous processes were the …

A Diagnostic And Control Programme For Johne’S Disease On Irish Dairy Farms, Aideen Kennedy

Theses

Johne’s disease (JD) is an enteritis of ruminants with potential zoonotic implications. JD diagnosis and control present difficulties given JDs prolonged subclinical nature. In order to improve JD control in Ireland, PhD aims included conducting a national survey documenting high-risk husbandry practices employed on Irish farms, thereby targeting areas for improved management. Furthermore as JD has been associated with on-farm economic losses internationally, this research programme aimed to analyse production losses associated with testing JD ELISA positive on Irish dairy farms. A longitudinal study was also conducted to assess if successful JD control can be achieved using gold-standard protocols. Due …

The Development Of New Molecular Tools To Detect Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis From A Bovine Faecal Environment By Real-Time Pcr, Marcel De Kruijf

Theses

The slow-growing intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne’s disease in domesticated and wild ruminants. Johne’s disease inflicts severe annual economic losses to the dairy industry worldwide. This thesis is divided into five chapters that consist of a literature review' chapter and four experimental chapters focusing on MAP strain genotyping and the development of novel molecular MAP detection tools using real-time PCR. Chapter 1 describes published information regarding MAP characteristics, Johne’s disease, MAP genomes, available MAP detection methods, MAP epidemiology and genotyping.

To efficiently control and monitor MAP infection, molecular t>ping of MAP strains provides extensive knowledge …

Implementing Sensory And Emotional Intelligence Into Architectural Design Education In Ireland., Aoife Hayes

Theses

The 21^st century, as a whole, has seen massive developments in smart technologies, environmental strategies and architectural form. The 3D built environment is advancing on a daily basis, but has become a very two dimensional experience, frontloaded with screened imagery and visual stimuli, which has encouraged a trend of ocular-centric dominance. Unfortunately, as a result of this, the human experience is often lost. The prioritisation of the multi-sensorial human experience is not only at threat from this visual predominance, but also environmental concerns and economy seem to hold a greater place on the hierarchy. Research carried out by the …

In Vitro Three-Dimensional Skin Tissue Constructs, Tinashe Dereck Gombedza

Theses

Human skin provides fortification against peripheral threats which may compromise the integrity and health of the human body. Its presence as the largest human organ forms a protective barrier making it an effective first line of defence against pathogenic, chemical and physical damage. Tissue engineering technology has enabled the development of in vitro three-dimensional (3D) organotypic skin cultures in order to understand the skin's physiology and architecture. This advancement has enabled the use of 3D skin model platforms to study skin diseases and conditions as well as facilitate drug discovery, clinical research and cosmetic product development.

In this study, an …

Coattails & Paradise, Knhik Haefner

Theses

This paper is about the construction and process of the MFA animation, Coattails & Paradise, a Stop-Motion animated musical about bodies and choices. This film was made over the final year of my MFA at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where I had the opportunity to make use of space, equipment and resources to make an animated film.

Coattails & Paradise is a film about bodies and souls and the choices we make that impact the experiences we have with our bodies and minds. The project was created as a musical where the sung plot points follow the main character, …

Assessment Of The Neuroprotective Potential Of Poly-Arginine Peptides In Stroke Models, Diego Milani

Theses

Currently, there is no available neuroprotective treatment for reducing acute brain injury following stroke. Recent studies have demonstrated that poly-arginine and arginine-rich peptides (e.g. R18; R = arginine residues) exhibit potent neuroprotective properties in both in vitro and in vivo stroke models, and therefore have the potential to be developed into a neuroprotective treatment for stroke.

Consequently, the aim of this thesis was to further assess the neuroprotective efficacy of several poly-arginine and arginine-rich peptides in permanent and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) stroke models in the rat.

The poly-arginine peptides R12, R15, R18 and the arginine-rich peptide protamine …

From The Garden Of Eden To The New Creation In Christ : A Theological Investigation Into The Significance And Function Of The Old Testament Imagery Of Eden Within The New Testament, James Cregan

Theses

The thesis is intended as an analytical and critical introduction to a developing theology of Eden. It compares a range of Old Testament understandings pertaining to the imagery of the Garden of Eden, as the basis for a study of the appropriation, integration and transformation of Edenic imagery in the New Testament. It does so in the context of Christian theology which, for a variety reasons, has been generally subdued, if not ambivalent, in articulating the relationship between the imagery of Eden and the representation of the New Creation in Christ. The purpose of the thesis, then, is not just …

A Chemical Foundation For Native American Use Of Cercis Canadensis And Zanthoxylum Clava-Herculis, Kelly Marie Steinberg

Theses

This thesis project studied the bark of North American plants, Cercis canadensis and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, plants used medicinally by the Cherokee Indians. The C. canadensis bark was analyzed through Soxhlet extraction, column chromatography, and thin layer chromatography to isolate its nonvolatile components. Collection and analysis of NMR experiments- proton, carbon, HSQC, HMBC, and COSY, led to identification of the compound lupeol. The C. canadensis and Z. clava-herculis bark essential oil was collected with Likens-Nickerson hydrodistillation and analyzed through GC-MS and chiral GC-MS. Major components of the C. canadensis bark oil include 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, (2E)-hexenoic acid, oleic acid amide, and …

Investigating The Parameters That Influence The Particle Mass Concentration Rates In A Grade C Cleanroom., Nazar H. Baker

Theses

The cleanroom design engineers use the guidelines tables, in which the Air Change Rates (ACHs) are determined based on the room cleanliness class. These guidelines are based on experience and do not fully address many other critical variables that influence the particulate level and particle distribution. These simplified approaches could often cause significant energy waste. In the last five decades, a number of mathematical models were developed to determine the airflow required in cleanrooms. As a consequence of the approximation of many critical variables in these models, these models can only be used as a qualitative indicator of the airflow …

American Civil War Reenactments: Race And Masculinity In Modern Images And Memory, Austin C. English

Theses

The celebration of past wars and warriors is not a uniquely American notion. For centuries nations and individuals have celebrated and revered those who went to war. Similarly, modern Civil War reenactments represent one ritual where Americans honor the War and its participants. But is there something distinctive about the way Americans commemorate and remember the Civil War? Do reenactments hide, forget, or obscure certain elements of the War as much as they commemorate?

Variation In Larval Behavior Across The Ecologically Distinct Host Populations Of The Cactophilic Drosophila Mojavensis, Joshua Coleman

Theses

Ecological host shifts likely have a major impact on the evolution of species. The host shift can result in an organism being faced with significant chemical, nutritional, volumetric, and other challenges, which may lead to adaptation. Host shifts can lead to speciation by prezygotic isolation, and even reinforcement through postzygotic isolation. This study looks at behavioral differences in terms of larval activity in populations of Drosophila mojavensis which have experienced host shifts. The mean speed of the four populations of D. mojavensis larvae were measured, and considered in the ecological context. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA library was prepared …

From Logology To Dramatism : Kenneth Burke And Kurt Vonnegut As Critical Companions, Eryn Johnson

Theses

Although Kenneth Burke originally theorized language as symbolic action and Dramatism with literary analysis in mind, he remains unthought of by literary scholars. With the aim of reclaiming Dramatism for literary analysis, I grapple with Fredric Jameson’s criticisms of Burke in order to show how Dramatism maintains potential for productive literary analysis, particularly in regard to ideology. In doing so, I apply Burke’s Dramatistic method to a series of Kurt Vonnegut novels in order to investigate the similarities between Burke and Vonnegut as well as to demonstrate a fruitful literary analysis by way of Burke’s method.Though their writings differ generically, …

Utilizing Sysml Viewpoints To Improve Understanding And Communication Of Human Mental Models Within System Design Teams, Elizabeth Anne Patterson

Theses

In modern design of complex systems, there is lack of consideration of social elements in Socio-Technical Systems. The Human Mental Model is a vital part of multidisciplinary system design, and can contribute to the potential for system failure when not considered during the design phase. This thesis will examine the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) viewpoints and views to determine whether they illustrate elements of human mental models, and increase communication between individuals holding different perspectives. Two models were created in SysML, the first comparing SysML to mental model graphs, and the second was the Lynx X-ray Observatory, a project in …

Short-Term Retention Of Location-Identity Bindings For Complex Objects, Alexander Nalbandian

Theses

Knowing what is where is an essential and complex component of human perception. This ability refers to the concept of Situation Awareness (SA). The underlying mechanisms for this ability show parallels to the tracking of a set of identical objects moving on a screen, a theory known as Multiple Object Tracking (MOT) (Pylyshyn & Storm, 1988). This theory was useful for investigating the fundamental factors of visual tracking, but lacked a connection to real-world scenarios. In an attempt to bridge that gap, Oksama and Hyönä (2008) created the Model of Multiple Identity Tracking (MOMIT), which includes unique identities for each …

Harvesting A Sustainable Energy Future: Examining The Effect Of Chemical Composition On The Electromechanical Properties Of Polymer Gel Beads, Kaushik Kudtarkar

Theses

Clean energy is required to ensure global prosperity and economic growth. Increased industrialization is expected to increase energy demand by 50% by 2035. This will result in increased air pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions have been linked to global warming and other pollution related problems. These emissions can be reduced by recapturing the waste energy in the form of heat, vibration, and friction.

Common applications like transportation can lose as much as 78% of the energy they generate. Energy harvesters can be used to recapture energy lost through vibration, heat, etc. This recaptured energy will be reused and hence, we don’t …

Survival Of Various Pathogenic Microorganisms In Surface Waters And Sediments In Western New York, Lorne Farovitch

Theses

In 2005-2006, 87% of all reported cases of disease outbreak in the United States related to recreational water use was caused by bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract. Several locations featuring recreational bodies of water in Western New York include: Durand Eastman Beach, Charlotte Beach, the Genesee River, Black Creek, Irondequoit Bay and Oatka Creek. Adequate monitoring of water quality is necessary due to contamination with pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Shigella sonnei that can threaten the safety of swimming in these recreational waters. Except for P. aeruginosa, which …

Live-Action And Animated Disney Films: An Analysis Of Themes And Family Structures Over Time, Meghan Moran

Theses

The themes and family structures of Disney’s live-action and animated films have significantly changed over time. This study addressed the following research questions: 1) What are the thematic differences between live-action and animated Disney films? 2) What are the differences in family structure comparing live-action and animated Disney films? and 3) What are the differences between theme and family structure in relation to the film’s release date? A random sample of live-action and animated Disney films was content analyzed by theme and family structure. The results indicate that the majority of the films analyzed demonstrated the theme of growth and …

Investigating Visual Differences Between Japanese And American Animation, Boyao Dai

Theses

This study looked at animation produced in the US and Japan, in order to discover the visual differences between the two. After sampling from four distinct animations of the US and Japan, over 300 screenshots were captured. A visual content analysis of the 300 screenshots was conducted, focusing on differences in character psychological status and environment rendering. Results revealed that Japanese animation contained at least three times more psychological depictions and used more subdued coloring than American animation. Lastly, using semiotic analysis, the findings from the content analysis were interpreted and potential reasons for the differences between the two animations …

3d Subject-Atlas Image Registration For Micro-Computed Tomography Based Characterization Of Drug Delivery In The Murine Cochlea, Zhenlin Xu

Theses

A wide variety of hearing problems can potentially be treated with local drug delivery systems capable of delivering drugs directly to the cochlea over extended periods of time. Developing and testing such systems requires accurate quantification of drug concentration over time. A variety of techniques have been proposed for both direct and indirect measurement of drug pharmacokinetics; direct techniques are invasive, whereas many indirect techniques are imprecise because they rely on assumptions about the relationship between physiological response and drug concentrations. One indirect technique, however, is capable of quantifying drug pharmacokinetics very precisely: Micro-Computed tomography (micro-CT) can provide a non-invasive …

Feminist Complaint Department, Sarah Taavola

Theses

This body of work and research is focused upon finding connections between the artist’s personal trajectory, Surrealist ideology, and Feminist texts. Starting with the Surrealist’s ideology of the unconscious, dreams, and use of objects, the artist investigates the eroticism and fetishization of female imagery. Surrealist work is brimming with portrayals of women as man’s mediator, muse, femme-enfant [child-woman], source and object of man’s desire, and the embodiment of l’amour fou [crazy love]. These representations of women depicted through fragmented female bodies transform into objects to be easily used and consumed, like furniture or food. The artist investigates how Surrealist women …

Wemingle - Meet-Ups Simplified, Amith Rajagopal Kozhipuram

Theses

Today’s ever-changing social life and work life demand frequent and sometimes impromptu interactions & meetings. Arranging a meeting at short notice among people poses innumerable challenges for finalization of a rendezvous and time involving back and forth communication among people involved. A plethora of social platforms mushrooming around is not able to address the challenges posed in collaboratively organizing or scheduling a meeting of people from within the city or from different cities.

A few platforms are available currently which serve varied purposes such as get-together among a group of friends, scheduling of meet ups, browsing and rating POIs. However, …

Mechanical And Physical Characterization Of Foams Made Of Gelatinized Starch And Pre-Polymer Polyurethane, Baxter J. Lansing

Theses

Previous work in this field of research has proven that the intrinsic properties of native starch can be modified to have desirable traits. For example there are two widely researched natural properties of native starch: physically brittle and hydrophilic. Researchers have been successful at mixing native starch with various polyols or water to yield a modified starch with viscoelastic behavior. Furthermore low miscibility of native starch with other polymers has made it the topic of polymer blend studies to help alleviate its hydrophilic nature.

For this study materials were selected based on both previous research and ability to create test …

Possible Past Hybridization Among Desmognathus Ochrophaeus In Canadice Lake: An Ecological Survey Exploring Desmognathine Salamanders And The Competitive Exclusion Hypothesis In The Western Finger Lakes Of New York State, Aisha L. Gadson

Theses

Dusky Salamanders are a varied group of sister taxa found in Northeastern North America. Two species, Desmognathus fuscus and Desmognathus ochrophaeus, have geographically overlapping ranges. In addition, they are very morphologically similar, share many niche requirements, and are found in extremely similar or even the same salamander communities. These shared traits have been posited to arise from the influence of niche conservatism during their species’ evolutions. Also, despite their physical similarities they are historically found not to hybridize on a large scale, nor have ever had a full population merge recorded. Therefore, it appears that the community ecology of these …