Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of The Imagination In The Religious Conversion Of Adolescents Attending Catholic Secondary Schools, Richard Patrick Branson

Theses

The mission of the Catholic Church is evangelisation, the purpose of which is conversion. At a diocesan level, the mission is carried out through the agencies of family, parish and school. Every Catholic school is mandated to carry out its part in the Church’s mission through its curriculum that incorporates both Religious Education and planned catechetical experiences. This study was devised to find out some students’ perceptions of their faith, the influences that they perceive on changes to their faith, and to describe how the imagination assisted their faith development and religious conversion. Fifteen Catholic secondary school students from four …

Individual, Behavioural And Environmental Pathways To Adolescent Obesity, Paola Teresa Chivers

Theses

The longitudinal investigations of the contributions of obesogenic variables to developmental pathways of adolescent obesity were examined. Key obesogenic variables were examined from the extensive database of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study. The data set included variables collected in utero (18-20 weeks), at birth, and at ages 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, and 14 years.

The key research question was: How do individual, behavioural and environmental factors in childhood contribute to weight status at early adolescence? Investigation of this key question examined how factors change over time and their respective influence on obesity, identified critical points in …

Other-Centred Love: Diotima’S Lesson To Socrates, Colin A. Redmond

Theses

In this thesis I set out to determine the possible motivations in response to which Diotima agreed to teach Socrates the arts of love. In the process I develop a broader understanding of Diotima and her natural, feminine complexity. This understanding of Diotima suggests an interpretation of her teaching to show that, for all that can be said of love it is, importantly a re-orientation from self-centred interest to other-centred interest and it is this re-orientation which impacted on Socrates and by which he was persuaded.

Such an impact and its explanation offers a clear rationale for the changes which …

Fabrication Of Polymeric Hollow Fiber Membrane For The Production Of Safe Drinking Water, Latifa Obeid Hamad Al-Nuaimi

Theses

Production of safe drinking water by using micro-filtration and ultra-filtration technologies has become more interesting. Water purification or filtration by using membrane began attracting much attention worldwide, because of its good characteristics such as: high efficiency in removing solid particles, viruses and germs and their low cost. This new technology is useful in industrial water treatment. The current studies in this field of polymer membrane manufacturing try to improve the characteristics, water flow rater and remove unwanted particles from water.

The recent project’s aim is to manufacture cellulose acetate hollow fibers. They were prepared by the Non Solvent Induced Phase …

The Genetic Basis Of Familial Hypercholesterolemia In The United Arab Emirates, Shaikha Saif Mohamed Al Mazrooei

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Prevalence Of Epstein Barr Virus In The Tonsils And Adenoids Of United Arab Emirates Nationals, Shamma Sultan Mohamed Al Dhaheri

Theses

Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is often found in human tonsils and adenoids, it remains to be precisely determined in what cells and microenvironment the virus is present. Although generally regarded as a B lymphotropic virus, EBV can infect non B-cells. The aim of this project is to determine the prevalence of EBV in the tonsils and adenoids of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Nationals and to provide a basis for understanding the origin and biology of EBV -infected B and non-B cells, the immunophenotype of all EBV -infected cells in reactive tonsils was determined by subjecting tonsil and adenoid sections …

Effect Of Various Heavy Metals On The Enzymatic Activity Of Bacterial Alkaline Phosphatase, Maithah Maktoom Salmeen Al Nuaimi

Theses

Soil is a natural resource that is utmost importance from an agricultural as well as environmental perspective. Good soil health not only helps improve the quality and yield of agriculture products, but is also important for recycling of significant amounts of organic biomass. However, pollution of soil by various pollutants, such as heavy metals, pesticides or petroleum hydrocarbons, can lead to serious environmental as well as biological effects. This pollution can directly harm animals and human beings, leach into drinking water source, damage plants and vegetation, as well as affect the endemic microorganisms and insects living in the soil.

Microorganisms …

The Effect Of Visfatin And Adiponectin On Metabolic Parameters Of An Animal Model Of Type 2 Diabetes, Thuraya Saeed Ali Alshamisi

Theses

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common exocrine disorders affecting more than 6% of the world’s population. The incidence and prevalence of this chronic disease are on the rise in many parts of the world including the Middle East. DM is caused by defective Insulin production, release and/or function. The causes and nature of abnormal insulin metabolism is less than clear. While defective insulin secretion is observed in type 1 diabetes, insulin resistance is predominant in type 2 diabetes, which affects more than 94% of the diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: Rats between the age of two …

Performance Of Reinforced Concrete Columns Strengthened With Fiber Reinforced Polymers Under Various Loading Conditions, Mohamed Gamal Mohamed El Sayed

Theses

Strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) structures with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites has been a popular subject that attracted considerable attention from researchers for the last two decades. The high specific strength, stiffness, environmental resistance, and ease of application make CFRP composites highly desirable for strengthening and rehabilitation of RC structural components.

For concentrically loaded RC members with a circular cross-section, the lateral CFRP-confinement of concrete results in a substantial increase in load capacity and ductility. CFRP-confinement is less effective for RC compression members with square and rectangular cross-sections due to stress concentration at the corners and lack of …

A Study Of How Social Media Is Being Integrated Into The Irish Pr Industry And The Effects Of This On The Profession., Denise Haran

Theses

This thesis explores the effects that social media is having on the Public Relations (PR) profession in Ireland it also looks at the characteristics of PR 2.0. In this it aims to look at particular aspects of the industry to see how they are being affected by social media including monitoring, reputation management, communication models and traditional media usage as well as looking at which social media platforms are used. The study will also look at PR professionals opinions on social media in Ireland.

A qualitative research design was chosen for this study and the primary method of data collection …

The Influence Of Hydrogen Peroxide On The Static And Fatigue Properties Of Palacos-R Bone Cement, John M. Guerin

Theses

Aseptic loosening is a very costly complication of joint arthroplasty, both in terms of patient quality of life and financially. One potential contributing factor in its development - namely the use of hydrogen peroxide as an effervescent haemostatic agent - was investigated in this study. Clean bone cement samples and samples contaminated with 6% hydrogen peroxide were manufactured and stored either in room air or normal saline prior to testing. Thus four sample types were tested (clean stored wet or dry and contaminated stored wet or dry). Static (tension to failure) and fatigue testing was performed. Analysis was carried out …

The Potential For Gaseous Biofuels In Ireland, Darren Kenneally

Theses

According to the EU Renewables Directive 2009/28/EC, 20% of the energy across Europe needs to be renewable by 2020. This is inclusive of the energy utilised in the transport sector where 10% of this energy needs to be renewable. In order for Ireland to meet the targets set in the Renewables Directive various changes need to be applied. The utilisation of gaseous biofuels produced from the anaerobic digestion of various feedstocks will aid Ireland in meeting this directive.

In this study biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) and energy crops are analysed as potential feedstocks for the production of biomethane. This biomethane …

Phage Lysins - Structure, Genetics And Applications, Jennifer Garry

Theses

Antibiotics are of the utmost importance in the fight against pathogenic bacteria, however, in recent years there has been a continual increase in the development of antibiotic resistance among bacteria. As a result it has become essential to develop new technologies to combat these pathogens. One such technology is the application of phage lysins as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic infections. A promising phage lysin is LysK, a 495 amino-acid protein derived from Staphylococcal Phage K. LysK can lyse a wide range of staphylococcal species including MRSA. It is also capable of killing both live and dead cells increasing its potential …

Biosynthesis Of Exopolysaccharides From Lactic Acid Bacteria And Evaluation Of Their Prebiotic Potential, Colette Ann Forde

Theses

In this study, two strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) namely Weissella kimchii F28 and W. confusa MGl were used for the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from sucrose. Both strains produced glucan polysaccharides. In the case of W. kimchii F28, the EPS isolation procedure was performed six times, making modifications in order to optimize the yield of EPS. The maximum yield of EPS for this strain was 16 g per litre of culture. In the case of W. confusa MGl, the EPS isolation procedure was followed five times, resulting in a maximum yield of EPS for this strain of 34.4 …

Enhanced Pervaporation Using A Novel Pump Configuration, Donough Patrick Shanahan

Theses

The pervaporation process is investigated in this work under the guises of process design improvements and process performance. Several avenues of research were investigated.

The main aim of the project was to investigate the use of liquid ring vacuum pumps for permeate recovery at laboratory and industrial scales. Due to technical and economical issues, these pumps were deemed unsuitable. This analysis then had to be extended further. Previous work investigated the use of dry vacuum pump systems on a lab scale and this work was extended to industrial scale simulations. Results from the lab scale process particularly those relating to …

Detection And Molecular Characterization Of Canine Enteric Viruses In Southern Ireland., Susan Mcelligott

Theses

Enteric viruses, such as canine parvovirus (CPV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV), are a major cause of gastroenteritis in dogs. More serious clinical symptoms occur in young pups, or when both of these viruses infect an animal simultaneously. Caliciviruses and rotaviruses can also cause gastroenteritis in dogs, but these viruses, while causing significant problems in other animal species and humans, are considered to be less significant pathogens of canines. However, on occasion, these viruses have been reported to produce severe clinical symptoms such as vomiting, haemorrhagic enteritis and severe dehydration.

Many viral vaccines for canines are formulated using old vaccine viral …

Safety Data Dissemination Framework For Vehicular Networks, Martin Koubek

Theses

An effective transportation system is essential to modern societies with transportation having a significant influence on economic growth, social development and the environment. But this dependence on road mobility has had serious consequences in terms of rising crash costs that include deaths, injuries, lost productivity, material damage and congestion. The European Union and many other governments worldwide support active safety as being the next logical step in diminishing crash costs after passive safety (safety belt, ABS etc.) where drivers will be warned prior to reaching hazardous situations enabling them to react appropriately. While improving road safety is unanimously considered the …

Automated Interpretation Of The Tandem Mass Spectra Of Peptides Using Artificial Neural Networks, Timothy Patrick Manning

Theses

The manual interpretation of mass spectra is a complex and time consuming task. The problem of manually interpreting this data is further exacerbated by the large numbers of mass spectra which can potentially be produced in a single proteoniics experiment. This shows the need for high throughput approaches to the interpretation of mass spectra. Existing automated approaches are however error prone due to the complexity of the task. Accordingly, this thesis discusses and evaluates the application of neural networks to improving the sensitivity, specificity and robustness of current approaches to the automated interpretation of such mass spectral data.

Several neural …

Composition-Structure-Property Relationships In Multicomponent Bioactive Glasses, Sharon Murphy

Theses

Silicate glasses function effectively as bone grafts by stimulating bone regeneration through gene activation. However these materials offer little therapeutic potential for the regeneration of healthy bone in those suffering from metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Examining the composition-structure-property relationships arising from the incorporation of therapeutic ions such as strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn) into such glasses in order to allow for healthy bone regeneration and antibacterial efficacy, as well as sodium (Na) to allow for controlled ion release was the objective of this work. Eight calcium-strontium-sodium-zinc-silicate glass compositions were produced, based on incremental additions of Sr and Na. …

Parents' Perceptions And Parental Stress Related Obesity Of Children In United Arab Emirates, Salma Omar Sbait Ai-Nuaimi

Theses

Aim: This study aims to explore parents’ perception of obesity in children and stress related to obesity during childhood period in Emirate of Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates.

Background: The prevalence of excess weight among children is increasing in both developed and developing countries. Overweight and obesity are leading cause of the most common health problems in children. The degree of parents’ perception about their child’s weight is likely to play a critical role in the development and management of childhood obesity. Greater parental perception and involvement is likely to encourage more active monitoring and controlling of child’s dietary …

The Application Of Viral Marketing To The Irish Film Industry, Stephen O'Mahony

Theses

The research examines the concept of viral marketing and in particular, its application to the Irish film industry. It explores the merits of viral marketing as a promotional technique for Irish film and the associated online social media channels through which viral messages are disseminated. Further to this, the study identifies the extent to which viral marketing and online social media have been adopted by Irish consumers and enterprise. Given that viral marketing is still in its relative infancy, the research also takes a conceptual approach so that it contributes to the continued understanding of the practice in general.

A …

A Project-Based Learning Approach To Applied Craft Calculations Within Apprenticeship Education: An Action Research Study, Kevin Furlong

Theses

Using an Action Research methodology, this study was based in Technologicl University Dublin and conducted with the cooperation of three groups of Phase Six Plumbing apprentices over a ten-month period (three cycles). The main aim of the research project was to establish if a deeper understanding and application of Building Services Applied Calculations could be achieved through the implementation of Project-Based Learning within Apprenticeship Education? Research literature shows that not only in Ireland but also abroad, third level education is experiencing what is described as a ‘maths problem’. With applied calculations and mathematics being a fundamental and essential part of …

The Effect Of Dietary Supplement On Risk Of Infection In Community Based Patients With Type Two Diabetes Mellitus, Mamoon Ibrahim Abu Haltem

Theses

Background: Type Two diabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing dramatically universally and locally. Diabetic patients have shown higher risk of infections and associated morbidity. Many factors contribute to this, including poor nutritional status of this population. The lack of evidence in this field inspired us to look at the relationship between the dietary supplements and risk of infection in these patients.

Objective: To measure the effect of dietary supplement on risk of infection in community based patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Following informed written consent 100 diabetic patients have been randomly assigned to receive either an oral dose of …

Kosovo Energy Corporation Debt Collection Strategy : [Presentation Given May 24, 2010], Bekim Jakupi

Theses

Not provided.

Retention Fastener Preference For Fisher-Price Toy Packaging, Lakeshia Haynes

Theses

"Wrap Rage" continues to be a growing phenomenon as consumers become increasingly frustrated with toy packaging. Consumers have become dissatisfied with the amount of time and effort it takes to remove product from its packaging. To better meet the needs of consumers, toy company Fisher-Price has implemented several improved consumer-friendly package fastener alternatives. The purpose of this study was to test the three most favorable alternative package fastener concepts executed by Fisher-Price. Interviews were conducted to evaluate the amount of time and effort associated with each fastener and to determine which concept was most preferred. The findings of this study …

Automatic Multi-Resolution Spatio-Frequency Mottle Metric (Sfmm) For Evaluation Of Macrouniformity, Siddharth Khullar

Theses

Evaluation of mottle is an area of on-going research in print quality assessment. We propose an unsupervised evaluation technique and a metric that measures mottle in a hard-copy laser print. The proposed algorithm uses a scanned image to quantify the low frequency variation or mottle in what is supposed to be a uniform field. `Banding' and `Streaking' effects are explicitly ignored and the proposed algorithm scales the test targets from "Flat print" (Good) to "Noisy print" (Bad) based on mottle only. The evaluation procedure is modeled as feature computation in different combinations of spatial, frequency and wavelet domains. The model …

Internet Economy: Should The Federal Government Intervene, Sha’Kera Bumbray

Theses

Global citizens choose to engage in electronic business every second of the day. The Internet has allowed for businesses to remain constantly open. All over the world people are able to conduct business quickly and cost effectively. Although the use of the Internet has significant benefits, there are also a number of risks. Most importantly there is a risk of the breach of personal security. This paper will use a patchwork design that consists of a case study and survey techniques to collect data on the use of business technologies by faculty and students at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). …

Imagining The Imaginary: Finding Mr. Marmalade, Brian Kappler

Theses

Unavailable.

Beginnings, Ending And The Path Between, Daran Kappauff

Theses

This collection of flash fiction stories focuses on the idea that, if left unchecked, the world we live and work in can not only have dramatic effects on the way we live our lives, but also on our personality and type of person we may become. It also looks at how an individual 's personal life often parallels their professional life. And lastly, it stands as a shining testament to the notion that reality is often stranger than fiction.

All of the characters and almost all of the situations and stories presented here are based true events. What little fiction …

My Family, My Open, Deborah A. Herzog

Theses

This collection of poems and non-fiction work focuses on self-reflection and family with all its perfections and imperfections. I believe this collection mirrors the essence of the writer and gives insight to the loved ones who shaped that life. It is a tapestry of emotional revelation derived from introspection and observation of the world.

The author has experienced the joy of reading for over forty years and spent many hours journaling throughout her life. The empty nest syndrome was the catalyst to pursue studies in creative writing. It became a cathartic exploration of life that blossomed into a work that …