Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis Of Polyethylene/Starch Hybrids Using Aqueous Mini Emulsion Polymerization, Brinda Shah

Theses

Sustainability regarding the most produced plastic, polyethylene, was the main motivation factor behind research of this thesis. The aim was to synthesize hybrids of polyethylene and starch in an aqueous mini emulsion polymerization process using single-site catalysts. Two types of water soluble starches were applied: potato and hydroxyethyl starch. A trifluoromethane bearing nickel enolate catalyst and a 5-halo 3-methoxy salicyl aldiminate nickel pyridyl catalyst (with Cl and Br as halogen atoms) were used as polymerization catalysts, the latter two known to results in higher molecular weight polymer. The first catalyst turned to be sufficiently active with increased loads of starch …

A Visual Understanding: An Interactive Learning Application, Joanna Ward

Theses

As a thesis project, A Visual Understanding can be defined as a contextual experiment portraying the relationship between traditional composition techniques and visual communication online. This project focuses on the issue of significance when viewing photography online and the ways in which Computer Graphics Design can solve this problem. The educational application address the problems with the way in which photography is being portrayed by first, creating awareness about this concern and second, educating the online user in attempt to solve this problem. The interactive application developed educates users on traditional composition theories that have proven to be successful means …

Taking The Punch: Utilizing Unfortunate Circumstances To Reexamine Personal Identity, David Schnuckel

Theses

In this Thesis I will discuss my current body of work in regards to my interest in the essence of human fallibility and its role within personal transformation. In referencing historical glass, contemporary craft, and popular culture I discuss the virtues of crafting the mishap and of utilizing imagery within a sculptural context. The investigation questions what establishes personal identity and finds answers by reexamining my own within my studio practice.

The Nhanes Iii Database: Design And A Retrospective Study To Identify Associations Between Vitamin D And Hypertension, Brandon J. Marzullo

Theses

The results from government surveys are often available wholly or in part to the general public. However the format of this information is not always optimal for distribution or analysis, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, NHANES III, is one such example. This survey is released as data sets containing a Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) program, a column delimited data file, and documentation. This limits access to the data by requiring a license to read in and query the data. By taking the data in its available format and parsing it into a MySQL database the wealth of …

Verbal Disputes And The Internalism/Externalism Debate In Epistemology, John M. Fraiser

Theses

Looking at those debates which are commonly regarded as verbal disputes we can detect two kinds of verbal disputes: (STDC) cases in which disputing parties apply the Same Term or phrase to Different Concepts; (DTSC) cases in which disputing parties apply Different Terms or phrases to the Same Concept. While cases of (STDC) or (DTSC) may be verbal disputes, I will argue that (STDC) and (DTSC) are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions for a verbal dispute. I will explore the identity of a verbal dispute, the conditions for its occurrence, and methods for detecting it. I develop a condition for …

Deaf Cuban-American Male Making Art, Jeremy Quiroga

Theses

I am an artist who harvests from nature and the industrial remains of humans. As in Esiaks: "The dust shall return to earth as it was." Before becoming dust I hope to give the remains a new life. Breathing a new life into visual language is the opportunity to be shamanic which is a welcoming thought. Shamans are known as people who understand their culture and community well and respond to it by using symbols and meanings. They are also known as intermediaries between human and spirit world, people like Beuys, Kandinsky, Smithson, Rauschenberg and Duchamp themselves are known shamanic …

Scalability Study For Robotic Hand Platform, Melissa Monahan

Theses

The goal of this thesis project was to determine the lower limit of scale for the RIT robotic grasping hand. This was accomplished using a combination of computer simulation and experimental studies. A force analysis was conducted to determine the size of air muscles required to achieve appropriate contact forces at a smaller scale. Input variables, such as the actuation force and tendon return force, were determined experimentally. A dynamic computer model of the hand system was then created using Recurdyn. This was used to predict the contact (grasping) force of the fingers at full-scale, half-scale, and quarter-scale. Correlation between …

Transclusion Of Document Fragments From Dynamic Text, Manu Choudhury

Theses

Transclusion is a concept that allows users to reuse document fragments from different source pages, not by duplicating it, but by including a reference to the original work. Thus, transclusion provides an interesting platform for authors to quote text from other documents in a way such that the quoted text can be compared alongside its original context, and changes in the original document are reflected automatically in the user document. Several researchers have partially implemented transclusion using various techniques and technologies. The issue of transcluding text from a dynamic source page still persists because dynamic content changes have not been …

A Place Of Origin, Jessica L. Foley

Theses

History has always been an interest of mine, whether it was that of other cultures or my own, I have always loved learning about the lives of others. Currently, my work has stemmed from the concept of the forgotten or lost memory and the importance that my heritage and the legacy of my family has upon me. The exploration of this connection between my past and my present has led me to experiment with, not only my knowledge of my own heritage, but also to delve into the history of more traditional methods of expression and creativity. Stemming from this …

There Is A Frozen Land, Zeeone Kang

Theses

This film is a poetic documentary about the sad relationship between North and South Korea. One day, a South Korean filmmaker encounters North Korean defectors and starts to think about what North Korea means to her. North Korea is the closest country to South Korea in terms of distance, but it is often the farthest thing from the minds of South Koreans. This film takes a journey through the minds of South Koreans and asks what they think and feel about North Korea with the hope to raise awareness of the land to the north before the distance in their …

The Environmental Concern Of Youth At A Ymca Youth Adventure Camp, Sarah A. Schneider

Theses

This study was conducted to examine and report on the environmental concern of the youth participants of the Teen Adventure program at YMCA Camp Jones Gulch to determine if those ideas altered over the course of the campers' chosen summer camp experience. Campers and their guardians were asked to provide consent and assent to participate. Forty-three participants completed both a pre and posttest survey which included 15 items on a Likert-type scale asking participants to rate their agreement with statements about the environment. Results indicated that neither activity nor age was significant in explaining differences. However, further examination showed a …

Female Reaction To Male Urine Scents As Potential Indicator Of Mate Choice In Captive Cheetahs (Acinonyx Jubatus), Regina Helen Mossotti

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF REGINA HELEN MOSSOTTI, for the Master of Science degree in ZOOLOGY, presented 23 October 2009, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: FEMALE REACTION TO MALE URINE SCENTS AS POTENTIAL INDICATOR OF MATE CHOICE IN CAPTIVE CHEETAHS (ACINONYX JUBATUS) MAJOR PROFESSOR: GEORGE A. FELDHAMER Genetic variation in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) has become dangerously low because of dramatic population decline and fragmentation. Zoos throughout the world manage captive cheetahs with breeding programs to maximize genetic heterozygosity. Unfortunately, the zoo community has not accomplished consistent breeding success with cheetahs, possibly because of a general lack of …

Impacts Of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid On Tsuga Canadensis Forest Communities In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Usa, Kurt J. Krapfl

Theses

Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. (eastern hemlock), a long lived and shade tolerant coniferous tree species native to eastern North America, is currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand, HWA). This exotic, invasive insect poses a serious threat to T. canadensis stands throughout their native range. The loss of this unique tree species is often coupled with numerous ecological consequences. HWA-induced mortality has exceeded 95% in some forest types, and will likely continue to decimate T. canadensis populations in the coming years. Shortly after HWA was found in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), long-term monitoring plots …

Evaluation Of The Tab-Simco Acid Mine Drainage Treatment System: Water Chemistry, Performance And Treatment Processes, Yosief Teklehaimanot Segid

Theses

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Attitudes Toward Hazaragi, Abedin Jamal

Theses

This study examined the attitudes of young educated Hazaras towards Hazaragi, a politically low-prestigious language spoken in Afghanistan. The instrument included a questionnaire made of Attitude questions and Descriptive questions. The respondents expressed their beliefs about the linguistic entity of Hazaragi, desire to maintain Hazaragi, value of Hazaragi, and domains of use of Hazaragi. The results showed that half of the Hazaras who participated in the study considered Hazaragi to be a language whereas the other half did not. The majority of the participants demonstrated a commitment to maintain Hazaragi and to speak Hazaragi. With regards to domains of use, …

American Sign Language Finger Challenge, Jeffrey Cougler

Theses

In current websites and computer assisted learning programs, there are no interactive products that truly present real time fingerspelling in American Sign Language (ASL). At best, a site dislpays an array of illustrated static manual letters, which are displayed side by side like the roman alphabet letters to form a word. Another site flashes sequential photos of manual letters, as in the word, "S-W-E-A-T-E-R" , after which you type what you think you saw. In either case this is not real-time fingerspelling. Using the publication reference "Expressive and Receptive Fingerspelling for Hearing Adults" by Lavera M. Guillory, Macromedia Director MX …

The Culling, Nikolos Sardos

Theses

The Culling is an animated, short film graduate thesis. It explores ideas of perception by examining an anthropomorphic tribal group of lobsters that live in the fish tank of a New England seafood restaurant. The story is told through the experiences of a new comer to this lobster tribe. It focuses on his reactions to the odd traditions and beliefs of his peers in this new and strange place. The film is a 2D animation that has been produced digitally using various video, audio and animation software. The goal of this paper is to outline the production of this thesis …

Galapagos Hawk: Demographic And Social Effects In A Changing Environment, Jose Luis Rivera

Theses

The Galapagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, where it is the top predator and only resident diurnal raptor. On most islands, Galapagos hawks form polyandrous breeding groups with one female with up to eight males. Before entering a breeding group, individuals spend 3-4 years as non-breeding floaters. I studied the hawks on Santiago Island, where introduced goats had been recently eradicated, leading to drastic changes in the ecology of the island. Using mark-recapture procedures, we assessed the size of the juvenile component of the population over time. In addition, using software MARK with a 12-year demographic …

An Attempt At Understanding Nietzsche's "On Truth And Lying In An Extra-Moral Sense", John David Lee

Theses

This thesis is a reflection upon and evaluation of Nietzsche’s conception of language as presented in his early and posthumously published essay On Truth and Lying in an Extra-Moral Sense. I take Nietzsche in On Truth and Lying to be launching a full scale attack on traditional accounts of language and truth. He counters such conceptions by presenting what he takes to be the “forgotten” origin of language, which he presents as consisting of a threefold process of metaphor formation. This conception of the origin of language is rather technical and, as I will try to show, is doing quite …

Motivating Change: An Interactive Journey In Sustainability In Environmental Concerns, Brittany Lamb

Theses

Despite the grave environmental issues facing the world, little is being done to educate our future generation of "consumers" on resource consumption and waste generation. There is a need for major change in the approach to education about sustainability. In the classroom, environmental education has been presented statically through traditional teaching methods. Environmental education is evolving to include information on how a person's efforts and behavior can affect global change. However, changes in education are not happening as rapidly as the deterioration of the environment. The sustainability of the environment requires action and reaction, therefore it requires a more interactive …

Categorial Intentions, James Leo Virtel

Theses

Hypothetical intentionalism splits artistic intentions into two types: semantic intentions—which are concerned with the meaning of an artwork—and categorial intentions—which are concerned with how an artwork should be classified. Categorial intentions are a necessary condition for properly interpreting an artwork; without them, an artwork can have an infinite number of interpretations. Jerrold Levinson argues that categorial intentions are extrinsic to the artwork while Mark Rollins argues that microintentions—small scale representations that are intrinsic to paintings and other visual forms of art—are intrinsic to the artwork and sufficient to determine the artwork’s category. I argue against Rollins by showing that microintentions …

Interactive Wiiart, Naichieh Yu

Theses

This interactive project allows users to explore modern graphics and traditional Chinese ink painting by using a Nintendo WiiRemote control. The purpose of this project is to provide an effortless platform for users to create an artwork with simple control. Moreover, the default patterns let users have multiple choices to paint the scene, and even though users do not have any art, design background, or experience, they can still create their own masterpiece easily.

Fore Majeure And Other Stories, Jennifer Megan Nord

Theses

Force Majeure and Other Stories explores the imperfect way people often make life-altering decisions. Many times, this results from circumstance — an unexpected situation requiring an immediate decision presents itself — but we also often bring the need for such decisions upon ourselves, when our dissatisfaction with the banality of everyday life leads to the desire to pursue an imagined, and many times idealized, alternate reality. This collection of short stories explores the factors that shape our decisions — from inertia to the strength of emotional ties. Each story in this collection follows a character who encounters such a decision …

Corda Na Bretha: Cord Of Life, Elizabeth Kelly

Theses

Through the creation of images of imaginary solar systems my thesis will explore the development of space through the processes of collograph and four-color intaglio-type inversion printmaking with painting. I am interested in the possibility of what we know and can touch, so I create my own visual universes for exploration. Kasimir Malevich influenced my personal exploration. Malevich created his own movement of Suprematism, which enabled him to construct images that had no reference at all to reality. Suprematism refers to the pure feeling in art over art's objectivity. I began treating the surface of the imprinted paper by creating …

Locomotion Of Circular Robots With Diametrically Translating Legs: Design, Analysis, And Fabrication, Eric R. Steffan

Theses

This work develops an analytical basis for designing the locomotion of mobile robots with a circular core and equispaced diametral legs which actuate linearly. Two elementary regimes of motion are first developed using the intrinsic geometry of the mechanism, then combined for fluid motion. The first and primary gait has a path trajectory defined by its kinematic constraints. Dynamics are explored to assist actuator design and understand the mechanism's constraint forces. Simulation results are provided in support of the design concept and geometric optimization. The proposed robot, or Locomotive Amoebic Device (LAD), bears resemblance with certain cellular locomotion, and thus …

Natural Synthesis, Karrie Swanson

Theses

The intention of this thesis is to chronicle my journey within the ever expanding and fascinating realm of non-toxic printmaking. This document will showcase the 'Howard Four Color Inversion Intaglio-Type Printmaking Technique' and at the same time bring the reader's attention the plight of one of humankind's oldest and arguably most vulnerable companions trees. "Always in the big woods, when you leave familiar ground and step off into a place, there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is the ancient fear of the unknown, and it is your first bond …

The Nature Of Fictional Characters, Katherine Celeste Tullmann

Theses

This paper explores the ramifications of a central question concerning our everyday experience with film and other art forms: how it is possible to recognize a character in a sequel or related artwork as the exact same character as that found in the original or previous artwork. My main goal is to determine necessary and sufficient identity conditions for fictional film characters which may adequately account for our everyday discussion of these characters. After addressing several intuitions which any theory of fictional characters must address, I propose that film and other characters should be best understood as “abstract artifacts” following …

Internet Television Use: Motivations And Preferences For Watching Television Online Among College Students, Christen Steinkamp

Theses

The present study examined the television viewing habits of college students to determine differences between motivations and preferences for watching television online versus on a broadcast receiver. A convenience sample of 136 RIT students responded to an online survey. The study found that like the TV viewers of the 1980s, television viewers today are still motivated by relaxation, escape, and the desire to pass the time and to socially interact with companions-- no matter which medium. The ability to control the television experience, to choose when to watch programming, and the convenience that Internet television offers are reasons why college …

Vegetation Characterization For The Lake Ontario Stopover Project, Erin E. Strobl

Theses

Avian conservation is imperative because birds provide many beneficial ecosystem services. Bird mortality is highest during the migratory period due to habitat loss from anthropogenic land cover change. On the way to and from breeding grounds, migrants make many stopovers to refuel and rest for the next leg of their journey. The abundance, distribution, and quality of the stopover habitat are important for a successful migration. The southern shore of Lake Ontario in Western New York has received attention for conservation, because it provides critical stopover habitats for migrants. Performing vegetation and bird surveys, at specific stopover locations, provides useful …

Social Media As A Marketing Tool For Business Operations, Katharina Jung

Theses

The purpose of this study was to elaborate different social media tools and their benefits as well as their risk for marketers.

An increasing number of companies use social media for their purposes and Internet users spend plenty of time with social media.

The use of social media is on the rise and cannot be ignored anymore. It is more cost-effective than traditional media marketing and distribution as well as other interactive marketing. Traditional media is struggling, but there is a connection between traditional and social media, which shows that these two relate to each other and influence the overall …