Digital Commons Network^™

No Place To Die: The Poetics Of Roadside Sacred Places In Mexico, Daniel Raymond Weir

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Roadside death memorials are a response to the sudden, tragic death of a loved one; and are appearing with increasing regularity in developed and developing countries across the globe. In Mexico, however, wayside memorials and shrines of religiosity are a centuries-old tradition. This work, an effort to understand why the exact location of a person’s death is so important that a sacred place must be created where no place is intended, is basic and exploratory research. A multi-method, and cross-disciplinary case study, based upon the author’s fieldwork in Mexico, produces massive data and constitutes a robust explanatory triangulation. A geographic …

The Impact Of Institutional Stock Ownership On A Firm's Earnings Management Practice: An Empirical Investigation, Santanu Mitra

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines whether institutional investor shareholdings inhibit firm managers from engaging in earnings management practice. It investigates the empirical association between discretion/flexibility available to managers in managing abnormal non-cash working capital accruals and institutional stock ownership for a sample of 386 New York Stock Exchange firms over a period of 8 years, from 1991 through 1998. The differential institutional influence on the level of accrual management of firms having different information environment, S&P 500 versus non S&P 500, is also examined to see whether the difference in information environment of these two sets of firms has any effect on …

Pay Satisfaction Consequences : Development And Test Of A Theoretical Model, Larry Hugh Faulk Ii

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The considerable research examining pay satisfaction over the past thirty years has focused on antecedents and the conceptualization of the construct. Notably little attention has been given to pay satisfaction consequences. This dissertation incorporates organizational justice literature to develop a model of pay satisfaction consequences and then shows the effect of pay satisfaction on job performance, turnover intentions, organizational commitment, and other variables. Two typologies are created to explain the relationship between pay satisfaction dimensions and consequences. One typology classifies the dimensions of pay satisfaction according to their form and what type of exchange is created with the organization. The …

Peroxynitrite-Mediated Oxidations: Nitration And Nitrosation, Rachel Bolzan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Using a direct ultraviolet second-derivative spectroscopy method, three peroxynitrite preparative methods were investigated for the nitrite and nitrate present either as impurities or produced during peroxynitrite decomposition: (I) ozonation of azide, reaction of hydrogen peroxide with (II) isoamyl nitrite and (III) nitrous acid. The oxidation of morpholine by peroxynitrite in the presence and absence of added carbonate gives N-nitromorpholine and N-nitrosomorpholine. Nitration and nitrosation of morpholine are catalyzed by low levels of CO₂; however, excess CO₂ dramatically reduces the yields of nitrosation but not nitration, and the combined yields of the products are about the same under …

Lawyers, Civil Disobedience, And Equality In The Twenty-First Century: Lessons From Two American Heroes Symposium: Of John Brown: Lawyers, The Law, And Civil Disobedience, U. W. Clemon, Bryan K. Fair

Articles

No abstract provided.

The Sound Of Meaning: Theories Of Voice In Twentieth-Century Thought And Performance, Andrew Mccomb Kimbrough

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the problem of the denigration of the voice in poststructural theory and contemporary performance criticism. The problem has antecedents in twentieth-century language philosophy. Saussure defines language as a compendium of arbitrary words recognized according to the degrees of phonetic difference between them. Since for Saussure the arbitrary words of language also designate arbitrary concepts, he concludes that the sounds of words cannot be thought constituent of their sense. After Saussure, structuralism dislodges the voice from its privileged position in the phonologic discourses of Western thought. Poststructuralism views meaning as a product of socially constructed language systems, and …

Development Of Adapted Yoga Program For Symptom Relief Of Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome With Plans For Implementation And Evaluation, Wendy Lou Gross

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to develop an adapted yoga program for chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and to plan for the implementation and evaluation at the Community Wellness Center of the Palm Beaches. The problem is that a significant number of men a re suffering from CPPS.

Five research questions were addressed. What are the appropriate contents of an adapted yoga program for relief of symptoms associated with CPPS? What is the appropriate design? What are effective methods to raise awareness? How should the proposed program be implemented? What are the appropriate criteria for an evaluation of the …

Georgia Southern University Fact Book, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Fact Books (1976-2022)

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Minutes-2002

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Part 5: Public Social Services In Hampton Roads: A Primer, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

Last year, governments spent nearly $600 million to provide social services within Hampton Roads. These services are part of the "social safety net" of which many regional citizens are ignorant. We detail the programs and their challenges.

Leisure Constraints Among Residents Of A Remote And Isolated Island Environment, Andrea Teresa Criste

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the leisure constraints among resident on a remote and isolate island environment. Individuals living in a remote and isolated environment encounter unique challenges when facing barriers or constraints that comes with living in extreme geographical disposition. Leisure constraint is a distinct subfield in the area of leisure, which was formerly termed, "barriers to participation." Intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints refer to psychological, relationship and intervening factors within the basic leisure constraint construct. The study analyzed leisure constraint data obtained from a leisure needs, attitudes and opinions technical report conducted on Johnston Island …

The Syntheses And Characterizations Of Samarium Arsenic Sulfide Compounds, Chad Michael Delp

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The experiments conducted explored lanthanide-arsenic-sulfide ternary systems with particular emphasis on the lanthanide, samarium. A number of stoichiometric mixtures in the samarium arsenic sulfide ternary system were prepared. The samples were sealed into evacuated silica ampoules and then annealed at 900°C. The final products were identified by characterize by X-ray powder diffraction. The powder analyses were used to construct a portion of the ternary phase diagram at 900°C. Every sample contained three common phases, SmAs, AsS and As4S3. Since these compounds were found in every sample, they were not included in the phase diagram. The phase diagram did split into …

A Case Study Of A Child Presenting Academic And On Task Difficulties, Eric Stephen Weichers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The current study examines a 4th grade, African-American male referred for special education eligibility evaluation. Specific academic difficulties cited on the referred included reading, writing, spelling, and math. A behavioral concern included the student's off task behavior and how it might contribute to his academic difficulties. A special education evaluation was conducted that included the procedures of reviewing the student's records, interviewing those of consequence to the evaluation, classroom observations of the student's behavior, and testing of skills. The testing procedures included nationally normed standardized tests, curriculum based assessment, permanent product review, informal reading inventory scores, and an intelligence test. …

Scientific And Management Perspectives In Wetland Groundwater Hydrology, Lorna Veronica Inniss

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wetland groundwater hydrology was investigated at different spatial scales to assess the usefulness of the information to coastal managers. Specific objectives were to: (1) review studies related to coastal groundwater discharge, evaluating techniques and identifying controls; (2) understand regional trends in groundwater flow along the U.S. East and Gulf coasts; (3) evaluate the applicability of naturally occurring radioisotopes as indicators of groundwater in a shallow deltaic system; and (4) evaluate groundwater-surface water exchange within Barataria Basin, Louisiana. Results of the review confirmed discharge estimates vary over several orders of magnitude, due to differences in precipitation and tidal prisms. In addition, …

Fabricating Microfluidic Devices In Polymers For Bioanalytica Applications, Sean M. Ford

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The research presented in this document focuses on the fabrication, characterization and application of microfluidic systems fabricated in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with the emphasis focused on the fabrication processing steps. Microfluidic devices were produced in PMMA using X-ray lithography. The fabrication methods investigated were sacrificial mask, polyimide membrane mask and embossing techniques. PMMA microfluidic devices fabricated using X-ray lithography were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy, while analytical techniques such as electroosmotic flow determination, separations, and fluorescent microscopy were used to characterize fluid transport in these devices. A novel method for the heat annealing of PMMA to …

Lmx Dyad Agreement: Construct Definition And The Role Of Supervisor/Subordinate Similarity And Communication In Understanding Lmx, Barbara Dale Minsky

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Much LMX research is predicated upon the assumption that the quality of the supervisor-subordinate relationship is predictive of important organizational and individual outcomes. I propose, however, that leader-member agreement in perception about the nature of the relationship as well as the type of relationship itself is important. I have identified and examined some of the theoretically relevant determinants of leader and member perceptual agreement regarding the nature of their LMX relationship. I hypothesized that relational demography, values, perceived similarity, communication, feedback, and role clarity are related to LMX perceptual agreement. Data was collected through surveys personally administered to employees at …

Mode Specific Photoionization Dynamics In Polyatomic Molecules, Gerald Jeffery Rathbone

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation presents new work on polyatomic photoionization. In these investigations, the broad range behavior of both allowed and forbidden vibrational modes in linear triatomic systems were studied to understand mode specific aspects of photoionization. The current study is made possible by the experimental strategy of exploiting high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy and the high brightness of third generation synchrotron radiation sources. The data is taken typically tens of eV’s past the ionization potential. The strategy that I employ is to probe alternative vibrational modes which are frequently affected differently following resonant ionization. Such vibrationally resolved data …

The Relationship Between Author And Audience: Case Study Of A Young-Adult Author And A Student Audience, Keitha Ilene Phares

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

How does author relate to audience? This overarching question guided a case study focused on author Rick Norman and his novel Fielder’s Choice. Specific questions were (1) What was, and is, this author’s conception of his audience for the book? (2) How do members of the audience—specifically five high school students—respond to the novel? (3) How do the audience’s responses relate to the author’s stated intentions? Data came from the following sources: interviews with the author, the student readers, and the editor of the book; students’ written responses to the book and the author’s written reactions to those responses; an …

Sorority Rituals : Rites Of Passage And Their Impact On Contemporary Sorority Women, Mari Ann Callais

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Very little research has been conducted to assess the effects of sorority membership on undergraduate sorority women. While there have been numerous studies conducted concerning fraternity men, there has been limited research concerning sorority women only and no studies that explore the effects of ritual on the sorority experience. Does ritual have an impact on the values and behavior of contemporary sorority women? Addressing this question requires an in-depth understanding of the role of the sorority experience and examination of the experience to determine if it provides to its membership what it is intended to provide. Based on research conducted …

Synthesis And Study Of New Materials For The Visual Detection Of Biomolecules, Ming He

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The visual determination of saccharides has been of interest for well over a century. Sugars are a relatively challenging class of compounds to analyze. They exhibit great structural similarity as well as transparency in the visible region. The sensing of specific saccharides could aid the monitoring of disease or industrial fermentation products. Herein I present new methods allowing for simple and rapid visual detection of sialic acid, fructose and a homologous series of prototypical neutral oligosaccharides, the linear maltodextrins, containing up to seven glucose residues. The new methods allow for selective color detection of fructose in a large excess of …

"Uncouth Shapes" And Sublime Human Forms Of Wordsworth's The Prelude In The Ligh Of Berdyaev's Personalistic Philosophy Of Freedom, Elena V. Haltrin Khalturina

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In complementary response to socio-historisists who discuss the concept of "freedom" in William Wordsworth's poetry as determined from without — be it by socio-historical conditions, gender, or imposed ideology — I draw from the theory of Nicholas Berdyaev, one of the prominent continental existentialists of the twentieth century, tracing the development of Wordsworth's understanding of freedom towards "genuine liberty" as progressively determined from within. Thus focusing on "existentia" rather than "essentia," I pay particular attention to shaping inner efforts and developing visions of the growing and conscious personality as they are described in The Prelude. Wordsworth hinges his ability to …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Contingent Delivery Of Tasks With Different Difficulty And Noncontingent Delivery Of Tasks With Different Preference, Ernest Whitmarsh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This investigation examined instructional strategies derived from the Premack principle and task interspersal strategies for four students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities. In both studies, baseline consisted of massed instruction of thirty trials. During study one, students were given contingent access to preferred easy tasks for correct responding in one condition. In the second condition, students were given contingent access to preferred difficult tasks for correct responding. During study two, students were given noncontingent access to preferred easy tasks for correct responding in one condition. In the second condition, students were given noncontingent access to nonpreferred easy tasks for …

Experience-Based Language Acquisition: A Computational Model Of Human Language Acquisition, Brian Edward Pangburn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Almost from the very beginning of the digital age, people have sought better ways to communicate with computers. This research investigates how computers might be enabled to understand natural language in a more humanlike way. Based, in part, on cognitive development in infants, we introduce an open computational framework for visual perception and grounded language acquisition called Experience-Based Language Acquisition (EBLA). EBLA can “watch” a series of short videos and acquire a simple language of nouns and verbs corresponding to the objects and object-object relations in those videos. Upon acquiring this protolanguage, EBLA can perform basic scene analysis to generate …

Aspects Of The Behavioral Ecology, Life History, Genetics, And Morophology Of The Hawaiian Kuhliid Fishes, Lori Keene Benson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Flagtails, members of the Genus Kuhlia, are Indo-Pacific fishes found in marine and freshwater habitats. Known locally as āholehole, they are important food fishes in the Hawaiian Islands and were often used by Hawaiians in traditional ceremonies. Local fishermen have noted the presence of two morphotypes in Hawai'i, although at the beginning of this study only one species, Kuhlia sandvicensis, was identified in the scientific literature. For this dissertation research, morphological and DNA studies of the two morphotypes determined that two species of the genus Kuhlia do exist in Hawai'i. Subsequently, Randall and Randall (2001) published a revision of this …

Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography, And Population Genetics Of Xiphorhynchus (Aves: Dendrocolaptidae) In The Amazon Basin, Alexandre Aleixo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Among those few hypotheses amenable to falsification by phylogenetic methods concerning the diversification of the Amazonian biota, three can be singled out because of their verifiable predictions: the riverine barrier, the gradient, and the basal trichotomy hypotheses. I used phylogenetic and population genetics methods to reconstruct the diversification history of the genus Xiphorhynchus (aves: Dendrocolaptidae) in Amazonia. First, I estimated the phylogeny of the entire genus Xiphorhynchus to test a key prediction of the gradient hypothesis; secondly, I documented phylogeographies of a superspecies associated with upland forest (X. spixii / elegans) and two species linked to floodplain forest (X. kienerii …

Production Of Transgenic Goats By Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, Brett C. Reggio

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A series of experiments were conducted to produce transgenic goats by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT). In all experiments, donor cells were electrically fused to enucleated metaphase II oocytes, then chemically activated. In a preliminary study to evaluate embryonic development following NT with proliferating or quiescent fibroblast or cumulus cells, significantly more embryos reconstructed with quiescent cumulus cells fused (77%) compared with proliferating cumulus cells (41%), proliferating fibroblasts (36%) or quiescent fibroblasts (37%). Improved development to the eight- to sixteen-cell stage was observed when fibroblast cells were serum starved (serum starved 39% vs. serum fed 15%). However, there was no …

Mixed-Symmetry Shell-Model Calculations In Nuclear Physics, Vesselin Gueorguiev Gueorguiev

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Advances in computer technologies allow calculations in ever larger model spaces. To keep our understanding growing along with this growth in computational power, we consider a novel approach to the nuclear shell model. The one-dimensional harmonic oscillator in a box is used to introduce the concept of an oblique-basis shell-model theory. By implementing the Lanczos method for diagonalization of large matrices, and the Cholesky algorithm for solving generalized eigenvalue problems, the method is applied to nuclei. The mixed-symmetry basis combines traditional spherical shell-model states with SU(3) collective configurations. We test the validity of this mixed-symmetry scheme on ²⁴Mg and …

Radiation Resistance Testing Of Mosfet And Cmos As A Means Of Risk Management, Akira Tokuhiro, Massimo F. Bertino

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Whether for military, research (space, accelerator physics) and/or civilian use, risk avoidance against radiation-induced damage is not possible with COTS parts. Thus the sensible approach is risk management. We recommend a sensible risk management approach as follows: 1) know the radiation environment of the intended application to the extent possible; 2) know the effects of ionizing radiation on the component(s) of interest; 3) know the requirements of the application; 4) identify the candidate or chosen components; 5) test the components; 6) design-in safety factor margins to the extent possible.

Evaluation Of U.S. Army Recruiters’ Satisfaction With Basic Recruiter Training And Their Challenges Encountering Today’S Youth Market, Richard E. Talley Colonel

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Despite the U.S. Army's recent success in recruiting, recruiters have difficulties in communicating with and attracting today's youth to Army service. Army officials reiterate that complacency about recent recruiting figures is misguided, and that, without the Army consistently meeting recruitment quotas, national security could be unduly threatened. The purposes of this study were to evaluate Army recruiters' satisfaction with their basic training course and its application to performance standards, to evaluate challenges recruiters face in attracting today's youth by development and administration of a survey instrument, and to report recommendations for improving the training course and remedying recruiters' difficulties in …

A Model For Evaluation Of Selected Compositions For Unaccompanied Solo Trumpet According To Criteria Of Serious Artistic Merit, Michael Craig Bellinger

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document presents a pilot study for evaluating the serious artistic merit of unaccompanied solo trumpet literature. The model for use in the study was derived from the efforts of two wind band literature researchers, Acton E. Ostling, Jr. and Jay W. Gilbert. Ostling wrote his dissertation in 1978 and Gilbert replicated and updated the research in 1993. The primary element of the Ostling and Gilbert studies was a carefully defined collection of ten criteria used to evaluate the quality of each work. A 5-point Likert scale was the unit of measurement. The outcome of this adaptation was a rank …