Digital Commons Network^™

Truth's Veil: Language And Meaning In Merleau-Ponty And Derrida, Helen Troy Mellon

LSU Master's Theses

The linguistic structuralism of Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) attracted the attention of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, prompting what is thought to be Merleau-Ponty’s “linguistic turn” of 1947. Saussure’s theory of the self-referential structure of linguistic signs as constitutive of value, was tied by Merleau-Ponty to his conception of the structure of intercommunication as constitutive of human value and meaning. Jacques Derrida, in the 1960s, also appealed to Saussure’s theory in formulating his thesis of a deferring and differing relationship between linguistic signs as constitutive of meaning, but rejected what he saw as the privileging of a metaphysics of presence-to-meaning in Saussure. One …

The Effects Of Expansion On Objective And Subjective Benefit In Hearing-Impaired Listeners, Ashley B. Hill

LSU Master's Theses

The present research involves two studies. Twenty hearing-impaired participants were divided into two groups depending on their audiometric data and binaurally fit with the Starkey Endeavour 3211 hearing instruments. Experiment I was designed to determine if the use of expansion technology affected objective and subjective benefit in hearing-impaired listeners. Probe microphone measures were obtained at 40, 50, and 60 dB SPL and with the speaker deactivated to ensure that the expansion feature was functioning. Listener performance was measured in quite using the Connected Speech Test (CST) and in noise using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) at 40, 50, and …

Thermohydrodynamic Analysis Of Compressible Gas Flow In Compliant Foil Bearings, Zhengchun Peng

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis deals with the development of mathematical models and numerical schemes for simulating the hydrodynamic pressure and temperature rise of compliant foil bearings lubricated by a thin gas film in between its compliant bearing surface and the rotating shaft. The model accounts for the compressibility of gas, the compliance of the bearing surface, and the interaction between the pressure field and temperature field of the gas film in the bearing system. Numerical solutions obtained over a fairly large range of operating speeds show excellent agreement with existing experimental data from both load performance test and bearing temperature measurement. A …

Shenpi (Licensing) Reform From The Perspective Of One Municipal Jurisdiction: Ideologies, Institutions, And Law, Wei Cui

All Faculty Publications

The Administrative Licensing Law (xingzheng xuke fa) will constitute a major addition to Chinese administrative law, and the rhetoric surrounding its drafting promises path-breaking reform of the Chinese regulatory state. This report critically assesses that promise by chronicling the actual course of shenpi (licensing) reform carried out in Shenzhen in 2001. Shenpi reform derives its novelty from questioning the rationale of regulatory policies and not just the procedures by which they are carried out. In Shenzhen, however, the reform revolved around an effort to achieve quantitative reduction in the number of shenpi procedures, which could reflect either changes in the …

A Search Into Time, History, And Relevance: Clay/ Steel/ Fiberglass, Brad Spencer

Theses

Not provided.

Creative Accounting: Are We A 21st Century Greenwich Village?, Michael Mcgregor

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Examines the rise of the "creative class" in Portland, and attempts to answer the question of what makes Portland alluring to young creative people. Also looks into the economic and social impact of the creative class, and what the future may hold in store, and examines Portland's future as a creative services center.

The Attack Will Go On The 317th Infantry Regiment In World War Ii, Dean James Dominique

LSU Master's Theses

The 317th Infantry Regiment was reactivated on July 15, 1942 as a subordinate element of the 80th Infantry Division. The regiment trained for two years in Tennessee, Kansas, Arizona, California, and finally New Jersey before departing for England in June 1944. Entering the European continent after D-Day, the regiment experienced its first combat in August 1944 when it assisted in closing the gap at Falaise and spearheaded Third Army's attack on Nancy. The 317th sat through the logistics shortfall that stopped the Third Army's advance during the "October Pause" in the fall of 1944. But then in November the regiment …

Contraflow Evacuation On The Westbound I-10 Out Of The City Of New Orleans, Gregoris Theodoulou

LSU Master's Theses

In this study, CORSIM 5.0 simulation model results were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the contraflow segment on westbound I-10 out of the City of New Orleans. The Louisiana State Police plan for the contraflow segment was used to construct the CORSIM network. Alternative plans were also developed in this study to compare the effectiveness of the contraflow operation. With the use of CORSIM, traffic flow on the contraflow segment was determined based on the amount of evacuating vehicles leaving the exit nodes. In addition the time and speed to travel the contraflow segment was estimated. The results showed …

"Argument Is War"-Or Is It A Game Of Chess? : Multiple Meanings In The Analysis Of Implicit Metaphors, L. David Ritchie

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

Both Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and Vervaeke and Kennedy (1996), in their critique of Lakoff and Johnson, drew narrowly from a broad range of reasonable interpretations of the metaphors they analyzed. Expanding the interpretations vitiates many of Vervaeke and Kennedy's criticisms, but it supports their call for an open interpretation of groups of metaphors and points toward a more complex elaboration of the theories put forth by Lakoff and Johnson. The results of applying this approach to "ARGUMENT IS WAR" suggest that war is not necessarily the primary conceptual metaphor for contentious argument, as Lakoff and Johnson claimed. Rather, there …

Census 2000: The Latino Population And The Transformation Of Metropolitan New York, Laird W. Bergad

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction: This study examines demographic and socioeconomic aspects of the Latino population of the New York City area according to the 2000 census.

Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: New York City’s Latino population increased from 23.7% of all New Yorkers in 1990 to 27% in 2000. If growth rates between 1990 and 2000 continue for the remainder of the decade, Latinos …

Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published 2-3 times a year. In this issue: Distinct history, politics, and social customs—not Western-style democracy—dominate this region; the comic twists and turns of one man discovering his niche; little is known of the black servant William Clark brought on his historic exploration of America; a biology professor shares the thrill of a new species discovery; and more.

A Natural Analogue For Long-Term Passivity, Raymond E. Monson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been engaged in a viability study for a potential underground geological repository in Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The repository is being designed for disposal of high level nuclear waste. A reference design for the repository has focused on the use of natural and manmade barriers to assure that radionucleide release will not be significant though an extended time period on the order of 10,000 years. The reference design utilizes manmade metallic components that are expected to last for this time period. The specified metallic materials depend on a phenomenon known as metallic passivity to …

Choral Music Education: A Survey Of Research 1996-2002, Amber Turcott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review and summarize selected choral music education research published between 1996-2002. Four major research surveys in this area were previously published by Gonzo (1973), Hylton (1983), Phillips (1992), and Grant and Norris (1998). Each of these authors stressed a need for research in all areas of choral music education beyond the dissertation level and called for research that mimicked "real-world" experiences that would benefit choral music educators.

This study investigated the following: (a) whether research studies in choral music education have increased beyond doctoral dissertation studies; (b) whether previous research studies have been …

Fergie's Prescience: The Changing Nature Of Diglossia In Tunisia, Keith Walters

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite criticisms it has received, Ferguson's (1959b) account of diglossia should be recognized for its prescience. It offered not only an admittedly idealized characterization of diglossia in Arabic, but also pointed out how and why it might change. Focusing on Tunisia, this article demonstrates the many ways in which Fergie was right. It examines the changing demographics of Tunisians' access to the high variety of Arabic; the complex ways in which Tunisians, and Arabs more generally, deal with the "communicative tensions" diglossia creates; and considers the changing nature of Arabic in what is, in many ways, a postdiglossic Tunisia.

The Interactive Work Of Prosody In The Irf Exchange: Teacher Repetition In Feedback Moves, John Hellermann

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article examines the interactive import of prosody from a perspective of participants' orientation to talk in interaction, taking advantage of data from institutional discourse to focus on the prosodic packaging of recurring turn sequences of the same discourse activity. The analysis focuses on the third slot of a ubiquitous three-part classroom discourse sequence, the IRF exchange (Sinclair & Coulthard 1975), a site in which teachers make repetitive feedback moves following student responses. Examination of more than 25 hours of classroom discourse and more than 300 third-turn teacher feedback types uncovered a systematic use of prosody for these teacher repetitions …

Making The Internet Transition: Assessing The Needs Of Secondary Public School Teachers, Nancy Matt

LSU Master's Theses

Since the introduction of Internet technology in public schools, teachers who are enthusiastic about computer and Internet training have responded to school districts’ offers of off-site training and take part in grant-based programs to promote the use of technology. The first phase of promotion by attraction has been completed. The remaining teachers are not as enthusiastic and look to the school district to provide them with the type of training they require in order to incorporate Internet technology. Access to the Internet is just one of many elements involved in the overall problems that public high school teachers face using …

Access To Care Among Vulnerable Populations Enrolled In Commercial Hmos, Matthew J. Carlson, Jan Blustein

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Abstract: This cross-sectional study compares self-reported access to care among a representative sample of 13,952 HMO enrollees in New Jersey. Using multivariate logistic regression, this study found that compared with college graduates, those with less than a high school education reported more difficulty obtaining tests or treatment. Compared with whites, Hispanics were more likely to report difficulty seeing their primary care provider, and African Americans reported greater difficulty seeing a specialist and obtaining tests and treatment. Enrollees in poor health were more likely to report problems seeing a specialist and obtaining tests and treatment than enrollees in excellent health. Income …

Book Review Of Arabic Language Handbook By Mary Catherine Bateson, Kristen Kern

Library Faculty and Staff Publications and Presentations

Review of the book Arabic Language Handbook by Mary Catherine Bateson.

Performance Verification Of Personal Aerosol Sampling Devices, Steven T. Luecke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

International standards establish criteria for size-selective aerosol sampling for industrial hygiene. Commercially available aerosol samplers are designed to conform to these criteria. This study uses semi-monodispersed aerosols generated in a vertically aligned test chamber to compare the performance of three commercially available respirable dust samplers, one of which can simultaneously sample for thoracic and inhalable dust fractions. Comparison methods are used to calculate a theoretical fractional value based on the appropriate sampling conventions of the total dust concentration and size distribution of test materials. Performance of actual samplers can be conducted by comparing observed results to the theoretical value. Results …

Factors Associated With Adolescent Suicidal Gestures, Heidi Jennifer Liss

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Incidence of suicide has been shown to increase dramatically during adolescence. Despite an established pattern of depression and hopelessness leading to suicide in adults, no such pattern emerges in the adolescent literature. Recent investigations suggest that impulsivity may play a key role in adolescent suicide attempts. This study examined the role of impulsivity in adolescent suicidal gestures, as well as the relationships among demographic variables, anger expression, impulsivity, and suicidal behavior. A total of 100 participants (ages 11-17; 71 females and 29 males) were recruited from 2 inpatient crisis centers for children. The Children’s Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale for Children, …

Body Image As A Function Of Colorism: Testing A Theoretical Model, Alicia V. Hall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A Covariate Structure Model was used to examine a possible relationship between colorism as a component of body image and global psychological functioning in the hypothesized model. Two hundred-fifty-five African-American women were recruited from undergraduate psychology and social work classes to participate in the current study from state and community colleges in the southeastern United States, and from social groups and church organizations. The results indicated that the hypothesized model was not a good fit to the data; therefore, the model was re-evaluated. The results of the analysis of the revised model indicated that the revised model was not plausible. …

Leading Learning Through Imposition Of Leadership Learning Standards, Raymond D. Jorgensen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact of an imposed standards movement on attitudes and behaviors of a team of line leaders. A case method was employed to describe, to explain, and to draw conclusions about results of standards imposition. Standards were designed and implemented by an executive leadership team frustrated with lack of effective leadership practices of a line leaders team under their supervision. The investigation took an historical perspective, chronicling the story of the company, emerging leadership challenges, and executive leadership responses leading up to the research.

The line or team leaders of an educational software company served as participants. …

Evaluation And Implementation Of A Molecular-Based Protocol For The Identification Of Enteroviruses At The Florida Department Of Health – Tampa Laboratory, Matthew Adams Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Enterovirus genus within the family Picornaviridae contains over 100 serotypes, of which sixty-four are known to be human pathogens. Infection with this group of RNA viruses produces a myriad of clinical conditions including poliomyelitis, meningitis, encephalitis, respiratory illnesses, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Outbreaks have been documented worldwide; significant morbidity and mortality exist to warrant laboratory surveillance.

Traditionally, enteroviruses have been identified to the level of serotype by the serum neutralization assay. However, numerous problems are associated with this assay. The serum neutralization assay is labor intensive, results are often ambiguous, and reagents are becoming difficult to obtain. Recently, molecular-based typing …

2002 Oregon Crime Victims’ Needs Assessment Final Report, Deborah Elliott, Alice Galloway, Karen Cellarius, Mary Louise Mcclintock, Mary Ellen Johnson, Mandy Davis, John Knutson

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

On behalf of the Crime Victims’ Assistance Section of the Oregon Department of Justice, Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute for Human Services conducted an 18-month (July 2001-December 2002) needs assessment of the current state of crime victims’ services and victims’ needs in Oregon. The primary objectives of the needs assessment were to identify:

• Gaps in the current service delivery system, including linkages among agencies
• Range and quality of services
• Barriers to accessing services, particularly among underserved populations
• How well Crime Victims’ Rights are implemented
• Model national and statewide programs

This report is a compilation of the findings gathered from …

Distress Under Duress: The Relationship Between Campus Climate And Depression In Asian American College Students, Christine M. Cress, Elaine Kimiko Ikeda

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Student perceptions of negative campus climate were predictive of Asian American students’ depression levels in spite of students’ entering proclivities toward depression and in spite of varying institutional types. In addition, these findings were consistent whether individual Asian American perceptions of campus climate were entered into the equation or whether institutional levels of campus perceptions (which included all racial and ethnic groups) were entered into the equation. Therefore, higher education institutions that are perceived by students to discriminate against individuals based on race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability may put their Asian American students at risk for severe …

Small Intimate Affairs, Alice R. Barry

Theses

Not Included

Assessing Sample Bias And Establishing Standardized Procedures For Weighting And Expansion Of Travel Survey Data, Fahmida Nilufar

LSU Master's Theses

Recent household travel surveys are encountering problems with non-response, non-coverage, non-reporting, and even incorrect or incomplete reporting of trips. In addition, data from survey samples are affected by the social, and economic conditions of the respondents, as well as the survey instrument used to collect the data. As a result, household travel survey data are invariably associated with some level of bias. These threats to the integrity of the data are often ignored while analyzing the sample survey data. However, considering the importance of information derived from such surveys, it is necessary that the survey must provide an accurate reflection …

Perspectives On Comparative Literature, Alexandru Boldor

LSU Master's Theses

The main objective of this dissertation was to provide researchers interested in the history and evolution of "comparative literature" with a collection of references delineating the evolution of the concept and the development of academic departments dedicated to its study. The paper includes a first section describing the main issues contributing to the "identity crisis" with which studies and departments defining themselves as "comparative" were consistently confronted ever since the term was coined. The "preliminary concepts" section offers an overview of the elements that usually confer a "comparative" quality to a literary study, such as interdisciplinarity and multiculturalism, together with …

No Child Left Behind And The Louisiana School Accountability System: A Comparative Study Of Accountability Systems, Rani Coleman

LSU Master's Theses

In the educational field, accountability is one of the key issues in the media. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has made a definite impact in the political and social realm of society. However, many people do not understand what it fully means to education on all levels. The aim of this thesis is to compare and contrast the Louisiana School Accountability System with the new Federal government's No Child Left Behind. Of key interest in this comparative study is: long-term goals, flagging methods, disaggregation of subgroups, starting out - index/proficiency rate, modification/corrective plans, number of tests, indicators, and high stakes …

Graceful Death: The Use Of Victorian Elements In Grace Episcopal Churchyard, St. Francisville, Louisiana And St. Helena's Churchyard, Beaufort, South Carolina, Marian Patricia Colquette

LSU Master's Theses

In 1966 James Deetz and Edwin Dethlefsen illustrated how changes in tombstone iconography could be correlated to the spread of changing Puritan beliefs about death. This thesis addresses the possibilities that the adoption of Victorian tombstone style and iconography can be used to trace the spread of Victorian ideas. The theoretical arguments on funerary behavior and attitudes toward death as well as the development of the Victorian cemetery and its association to the rural cemetery movement are discussed. In addition, Victorian styles in funerary architecture and iconography are defined. As originally addressed, the problem involved establishing that adoption of Victorian …