Digital Commons Network^™

Does Foot Have A Leg To Stand On?: A Dilemma For An Attempt To Ground Evaluative Judgment In Biological Teleology, Emalee Popoff

Theses

In Natural Goodness, Philippa Foot aims to give an account of goodness and badness in action in terms of natural goodness and defect. In this paper I argue that Foot’s account of natural goodness fails as an attempt to ground the evaluation of living things in their life forms, even before its extension to moral evaluation. Foot’s overall project depends on her characterization of a life form, and she gives an account of life forms in terms of a theory of biological teleology. Teleological propositions, for Foot, give an answer to the question “What part does it play in the …

Comparison Of Geochemical And Biological Characteristics Of Natural And Constructed Wetlands In Western Ny, Katrina Scheiner

Theses

To protect wetlands and the critical ecosystem functions and services they provide, federal law mandates creation of new wetlands for wetlands that are destroyed. However, we don't yet fully understand if created wetlands are functionally equivalent to their natural counterparts. In this study of two natural (N1, N2) and two created (C1, C2) wetlands in western New York state, interdependent biological and geochemical characteristics were measured to assess equivalency of ecosystem function. With the exception of Typha sp, all wetlands contained unique vegetation zones. We sampled within these vegetation zones during the growing season of 2010. Overall cover of plant …

Scaling-Up In Estuaries: The Feasibility Of Using Small Scale Results To Draw Large Scale Conclusions, Christopher Scheiner

Theses

Estuarine ecosystems are dynamic, heterogeneous ecosystems that are increasingly impacted by human activities, particularly excess nutrient loading and the resulting eutrophication. Much of the descriptive research investigating large-scale eutrophication is performed using field surveys and small-scale, manipulative microcosm experiments. To investigate confounding effects of scale and heterogeneity, we conducted a large-scale field survey of benthic conditions in West Falmouth Harbor (WFH), Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and compared our results to those observed in microcosm studies that utilized sediments and macrofauna from WFH. We used geographic information systems to estimate field condition heterogeneity and design an appropriate sampling strategy, and geostatistical interpolation …

Late Medieval Women: Ascetic Performance And Subversive Mysticism, Deirdre A. Riley

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Werewolf Pride Movement: A Step Back From Queer Medieval Tradition, Caitlin B. Giacopasi

Theses

No abstract provided.

Yard 21, Yunfei Zhang

Theses

Yard 21 by Yunfei Zhang, M.F.A. Thesis, Rochester Institute of Technology 2011 An overview of the process of the proposal, production, and ultimate result of the live-action documentary film，Yard 21. The goal of Yard 21 on the technical level was to generate a story idea, develop the idea, and produce and finish the film. The aesthetic purpose of Yard 21 is to evoke a spiritual response from the audience as they watch these un-acclaimed characters' lives. Included are the original proposal and developed proposal, schedule breakdown, budget, editing schedule, final script, animation sequence samples, and frame style samples.

An Investigation Of Facial Rigging For Animation, Patrick Clarke

Theses

The project " An investigation of facial rigging for animation " explores possible rigging methods for developing a stylistic 3D head that is both expressive and mimics realistic movements with animation. This project is broken into two parts: the modeling and rigging stage where most of the research and exploration takes place, and the animation stage that presents the final result of the rigging exploration. The first stage of this project explores developing an animatable head that resembles all basic emotions of the human face. The main focus of the project is on the formation of joint deformers and blendshapes, …

Effecr Of An Enriched Environment On Morphine Conditioned Place Preference In Rats, Gina E. Difeo

Theses

No abstract provided.

Fredrick Ii: Anti-Papal Or Papal Manipulator? A Study Into The Cause Of Conflict Between Emperor Frederick Ii And Pope Gregory Ix, Daniel Lauri

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Cell Biology Of Multi-Nucleated Giant Cell Formation, Johnathan L. Bartee

Theses

.

An Investigation Of The Composition, Microbial Digestion And Potential Applications Of An Industrial By-Product Of Seaweed Extraction, Juncal Nogales Esteban

Theses

Commercial preparation of seaweed extract from Ascophyllum nodosum, for use as fertilizer and soil improver, produces a residue which requires remediation. This residue is rich in nutrients and offers potential for other added-value products. The residue’s composition and microbial flora were studied, a microbial digestion system was developed, and extracts were screened for anti-hyaluronidase and anti-elastase activities.

The residue had a pH of 8.61±0.39, 16% (w/w) TS which comprised 40.6% minerals, 29.5% fibre, 20.9% lipid, 4.9% protein and 0.48% polyphenols. The microbial digestion included an initial 3-day anaerobic phase during which pH decreased from 9.12 to 7.89. At day 3, …

Characterization Of Two Distinct Hfq Genes In Burkholderia Cenocepacia Hi2424, Samantha Sue Sellers

Theses

Species in the genus Burkholderia are found in a wide variety of environments ranging from plant rhizospheres to the human respiratory tract. Even though they have great biotechnological and bioremediative potential in preventing some plant diseases, promoting crop production, and degrading toxic compounds, some species of Burkholderia can be serious pathogens to those who have compromised immune systems, particularly those with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Many Burkholderia species have two distinct copies of the hfq gene, a rare phenomenon in bacteria studied to date. As a global regulatory protein, Hfq has been shown to act as an RNA chaperone involved in …

Distribution Patterns Of River Otters, Lontra Canadensis, Within Monroe County, New York, Darren Doherty

Theses

River Otters, Lontra canadensis were reintroduced to western NY after being extirpated in the early 1900's. The goal of this project was to understand what environmental variables influence habitat selection of river otters, within Monroe County, New York. Water chemistry and the use of benthic macroinvertebrates were investigated to assess the water quality and human impacts. The research area included three tributaries of the Genesee River: Black, Honeoye, and Oatka Creeks. At identified latrine sites, I collected macroinvertebrates at 9 sites and water chemistry at 30 sites to provide an index of the water quality. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was …

A Comparison Of Native And Colonial American Conceptions Of Self: Implications For Competing World-Views, Marjorie R. Cavey

Theses

Native and Colonial Americans had vastly different approaches to the world, and viewed nature and other people in quite dissimilar ways. The concept of self is central to this project because personal values and attitudes toward others are grounded in agency - actions that emerge from the self and define the way that one treats his or her surroundings and everyone or thing in it. The way that one's self is perceived is necessarily communicated within the context of social settings. Situation in a world of other people (and of nature) requires that actions be weighed in accordance with agency. …

Quantifying And Manipulating Spatiotemporal Trends In Rodent Space Use And Consumption Rates On Incidentally Encountered Prey, Tyler Evan Schartel

Theses

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in predator activity can generate and influence the availability of refugia to prey. In eastern forests, white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) are abundant generalist rodents, and large-scale removal experiments have confirmed they are important predators of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) pupae and songbird nests and eggs. Models predict the extinction of gypsy moth populations when confronted with abundant mouse populations, but small-scale (10s of m) heterogeneity in rodent activity may allow for the persistence of moth populations. I quantified the magnitude, variability, temporal persistence, and spatial structure of white-footed mouse and eastern chipmunk activity, …

Transformative Reflections, Jose Portas

Theses

These written words represent the internal experiences that have comprised my inner self since my early childhood growing up in Montortal, Spain. In my mind there is an endless battle between the reality of consciousness and the surreality of the subconscious. I am trying to manage the challenges of the past, live in the present, and give the future a new understanding of how to connect and communicate through different genres with an emphasis on painting. The production of my work is meant to change how art is created and viewed today.

Towards A Human Centered Economy, Joseph Featherall

Theses

Not included

Multiple Scale Landscape Pattern Index Interpretation For The Persistent Monitoring Of Land-Cover And Land-Use, Alvin Spivey

Theses

Mapping land-cover land-use change (LCLUC) over regional and continental scales, and long time scales (years and decades), can be accomplished using thematically identified classification maps of a landscape--a LCLU class map. Observations of a landscape's LCLU class map pattern can indicate the most relevant process, like hydrologic or ecologic function, causing landscape scale environmental change. Quantified as Landscape Pattern Metrics (LPM), emergent landscape pat- terns act as Landscape Indicators (LI) when physically interpreted. The common mathematical approach to quantifying observed landscape scale pattern is to have LPM measure how connected a class exists within the landscape, through nonlinear local kernel …

Tangipaint: Interactive Tangible Media, Anthony Blatner

Theses

Currently, there is a wide disconnection between the real and virtual worlds in computer graphics. Art created with textured paints on canvases have visual effects which naturally supplement simple color. Real paint exhibits shadows and highlights, which change in response to viewing and lighting directions. The colors interact with this environment and can produce very noticeable effects. Additionally, the traditional means of human-computer interaction using a keyboard and mouse is unnatural and inefficient---gestures and actions are not performed on the objects themselves. These visual effects and natural interactions are missing from digital media in the virtual world. The absence of …

Design For Good: The Philosophical Alignment Of The Arts And Crafts, Modernist, And Handmade Movements, Kate Palermo

Theses

The early 1990's marked the beginning of the digital age when a transformation in graphic design technology and practice began to occur. For many graphic designers, the tactile approach to assembling a composition was abandoned as computer software advanced. While this shift in production technique saved time, it contributed (in many cases) to an unfortunate waning of interest in skill and craft. Perhaps as a reaction to this technologically- reliant era of design, many contemporary artists have returned to traditional processes (letterpress, etching, hand-rendered illustration, hand-written type) in order to reconnect with viewers and with their own work. This `Handmade' …

The Twelve Animals: An Interactive Guide To The Chinese Zodiac Signs, Yanzi Chen

Theses

The Chinese Zodiac signs are determined by the lunar year in which you were born. The Chinese believe the animal ruling one's birth year has a profound influence on personality, and destiny. Unlike Western astrology, which is based on the months of the year, the Chinese Zodiac,traditionally referred to as the Sheng Xiao, is based on a twelve-year cycle with each year represented by an animal. The twelve animals are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The Chinese Zodiac is found in several East Asian countries besides China. My thesis is an exploration …

Beauty Of Taiwan, Yu-Chung Chang

Theses

The term "Multimedia" refers to not only the materials used in creating art, but also the devices used for presenting the content. In the present time, artists can practice computer softwares as the media. They use audio and video tracks to display artwork. Various formats of technological or digital multimedia enhance the user's experience in entertainment or art, and transcend everyday experience. "Beauty of Taiwan", my MFA Thesis, is a Flash-based program which offers users interactivity to control the way to view art piece as used in video games. This program allows the presented film, made from my pencil drawings …

Explaining Volition In The Ta'aliqat: Avicenna's View Of Free Will, Anthony Ruffus

Theses

While a great deal of work has been produced on the free will debate amongst medieval Latin philosophers, very little has been generated in regards to the medieval Arabic world. As a prominent medieval Aristotelian, Avicenna’s Neoplatonically inspired philosophy greatly influenced his contemporaries. Accordingly, Avicenna’s contribution to the dialogue concerning free will deserves special attention. The ultimate purpose of this investigation is to enter into the academic discourse in hopes of advancing a broader understanding of Avicenna’s view of free will. Those few scholars who have presented Avicenna’s position on free will in the past have done so in one …

A History Of Weinbau In The Lower Missouri Valley: From Dutzow To Hermann, Missouri, Todd J. Brown

Theses

The thesis presented is a history focusing on the rise of German immigration, wine growing and production or Weinbau, in the lower Missouri valley from Dutzow, Missouri to Hermann, Missouri, and the connection between the nineteenth century Missouri Germans and the rise of the Missouri wine industry.

History Of The Observatory As An Institution: From Maragha To Mount Wilson, Rihab Sawah

Theses

The astronomical observatory has existed since ancient times and has served a number of public causes—religious, astrological, practical, and, more recently, scientific. In this thesis, I show how the observatory underwent three major transitions, beginning with its “institutionalization” in the thirteenth century, with the founding of the Maragha Observatory. I discuss how the Maragha observatory (located in the northwestern part of Persia) became a model for future observatories, including the Mount Wilson Observatory. The Maragha Observatory produced a revolutionary school of thought known as the “Maragha School.” This school marked a sharp departure from Ptolemaic Greek astronomy. I argue that …

The Long Road Home, Kim Mailes

Theses

The Long Road Home is the first half of a novel consisting of 113 pages of narrative prose divided into nine chapters. Fiction-writing techniques utilized include exposition, character development, and action. These techniques are designed to produce conflict within the protagonist. The rising action of the narrative reaches climax at the close of this document. This climax serves as the turning point for the continued development of the novel.

Against Normative Nationalism, Ashish George

Theses

Normative nationalism is the view that national boundaries represent more than an accumulation of tradition and history. Borders are morally significant insofar as the communities they create may appropriately be construed as composed of individuals with particular obligations to one another that they do not have to people outside the communities. I reject normative nationalism in this paper and seek to highlight the defects in criticisms of cosmopolitanism that presume or defend the legitimacy of normative nationalism. I utilize a distinction between demands of activity and demands of justification to point to some flaws in the normative nationalist framework preferred …

Like I'M Dead, Brit Blasingame

Theses

Like I’m Dead is a collection of poetry tracing the separate lives of one speaker from the other side of catastrophe—the survivor’s side; an epitaph for a past life. The speaker’s disaster is divorce — one that has triggered in the speaker a fracturing floe of identity, a cumulatively dimming source in the process of defracturing at the demands of ongoing life, materiality, parenting, dating—

Life goes on, certainly, but where did the other go? the other life? self? Some of the poems depict the speaker coming to grips with moving on, with the fact that his daughter was born …

Turing Instability In Discrete Replicator Systems, Alex Bryce

Theses

When analyzing a discrete reaction-diffusion dynamical system, one primary area of interest is locating where in the parameter space Turing instabilities occur. It will be shown that Turing instabilities cannot occur in the react then diffuse equations if all diffusion coefficients are equal. The replicator dynamic is a system of equations that is used in evolutionary game theory applications to study behavior types in animal populations. Conditions for a Turing instability in first order discrete replicator systems will be discussed and illustrated with computer simulations of the results.

Illuminating Anti-Luminosity, Tudor Alexandru Seserman

Theses

In this essay I argue that the anti-luminosity argument Timothy Williamson presents in Knowledge and Action runs into problems in trying to establish its conclusion. Anti-luminosity is the position that we sometimes do not know our current mental states, for example I can feel cold and not know that I do. Williamson’s argument initially seems plausible; however, it relies on an inadequately supported premise. Williamson needs to assume that the process by which we come to know our current inner states is fallible, but in doing so begs the question. Without assuming a fallible inner sense, the anti- luminosity argument …