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2006

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Vibration Tailoring Of Inhomogeneous Beams And Circular Plates, Demetris. Pentaras Jan 2006

Vibration Tailoring Of Inhomogeneous Beams And Circular Plates, Demetris. Pentaras

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The vibrational behavior of inhomogeneous beams and circular plates is studied, utilizing the semi-inverse method developed by I. Elishakoff and extensively discussed in his recent monograph (2005). The main thread of his methodology is that the knowledge of the mode shape is postulated. The candidate mode shapes can be adopted from relevant static, dynamic or buckling problems. In this study, the exact mode shapes are sought as polynomial functions, in the context of vibration tailoring, i.e. designing the structure that possesses the pre-specified value. Apparently for the first time in the literature, several closed-form solutions for vibration tailoring have been …

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Development Of An Intelligent Fuzzy Obstacle Avoidance System Using Sonar Modeling And Simulation, Philip A. Bouxsein Jan 2006

Development Of An Intelligent Fuzzy Obstacle Avoidance System Using Sonar Modeling And Simulation, Philip A. Bouxsein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Response time to a threat or incident for coastline security is an area needing improvement. Currently, the U.S. Coast Guard is tasked with monitoring and responding to threats in coastal and port environments using boats or planes, and SCUBA divers. This can significantly hinder the response time to an incident. A solution to this problem is to use autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to continuously monitor a port. The AUV must be able to navigate the environment without colliding into objects for it to operate effectively. Therefore, an obstacle avoidance system (OAS) is essential to the activity of the AUV. This …

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Cultural Role Of The Court Interpeter: Factors Affecting Bilingual Communication In The Judiciary, Katsiaryna. Buhayeva Jan 2006

Cultural Role Of The Court Interpeter: Factors Affecting Bilingual Communication In The Judiciary, Katsiaryna. Buhayeva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This study investigates the court interpreter's cultural role and factors affecting bilingual communication in judicial settings. It examines court interpreting as communicative activity and as a challenging type of intercultural communication. Locating the study between prescribed standards of conduct and their practical applications in the courtroom, this thesis features the interpreter's performed role and its impact in bilingual interactions. Offering a dynamic perspective on intercultural challenges, the study investigates judicial interpreters' practice in relation to linguistic foundations, communicative strategies, and dual standards toward their performance. For exemplification purposes, the study includes a series of arguments and counterarguments posted on the …

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Development Of An Undergraduate Preceptor Model Of Practice Education For Nursing Students Utilizing Participatory Action Research, Cynthia Ann Blum Jan 2006

Development Of An Undergraduate Preceptor Model Of Practice Education For Nursing Students Utilizing Participatory Action Research, Cynthia Ann Blum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

In the nursing education practice setting, preceptors are a valuable link to assist students in making the connection between nursing theory and its application to patient care. Usually used in the final semester of study, nurse preceptors could be utilized throughout all nursing practice experiences. Nurse preceptors provide a reality based experience for the student caring for patients. Yet, little is known about what is important to the preceptor in this role. The purpose of this study was to generate a new model of nursing practice education reflecting the voice of the participants in the research. Using participatory action research …

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Determining Vegetative Complexity, Biodiversity And Species Richness On Tree Islands Of The Northern Everglades, Irving M Iv Day Jan 2006

Determining Vegetative Complexity, Biodiversity And Species Richness On Tree Islands Of The Northern Everglades, Irving M Iv Day

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Loss of species richness and vegetative biodiversity in the Greater Everglades Area is in large part due to human encroachment and compartmentalization causing altered hydroperiods, water levels and surface sheet flow. This study quantifies vegetative complexity, biodiversity and species richness on four tree islands within a near pristine area of the historical northern Everglades ecosystem. A Complexity Index (CI) was formulated by assessing multiple variables; high CI and low herbaceous species richness values are attributed to mature, late successional stage forests. There are structural and population differences on each of the tree islands studied with the more mature tree islands …

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Does A Lack Of Formal Training In Exercise Prescription Influence The Dieticians' Decision To Recommend Exercise, Mari J. Gross Jan 2006

Does A Lack Of Formal Training In Exercise Prescription Influence The Dieticians' Decision To Recommend Exercise, Mari J. Gross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The purpose of this study was (1) to get a sense of how many dietitians have formal training in exercise prescription or a "certification" in fitness, and (2) to determine if having formal training and/or a fitness certification influenced the dietitians to recommend exercise as part of a nutritional intervention. The names and addresses of 2,000 registered dietitians were purchased from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). The survey contained 20 questions with a cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and an Internet address to access the survey on line. Chi square analysis revealed that dietitians without an …

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Course Scheduling Support System, Jawad Ahmed Khan Jan 2006

Course Scheduling Support System, Jawad Ahmed Khan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The Course Scheduling Support System is designed to facilitate manual generation of the faculty course scheduling process. It aids in assigning faculty to courses and assigning each course section to their time block. It captures historic and current scheduling information in an organized manner making information needed to create new schedules more readily and quickly available. The interaction between user and database is made as friendly as possible so that managing, manipulating, populating and retrieving scheduling data is simple and efficient. We have implemented an open source web-based prototype of the proposed system using PHP, MySQL, and the Apache Web …

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Developing A Relationship Between Nexrad Generated Rainfall Values And Rain Gauge Measurements In South Florida, Courtney L. Skinner Jan 2006

Developing A Relationship Between Nexrad Generated Rainfall Values And Rain Gauge Measurements In South Florida, Courtney L. Skinner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is an agency which relies on a network of nearly 300 rain gauges in order to provide rainfall data for use in operations, modeling, water supply planning, and environmental projects. However, the prevalence of convective and tropical rain events in South Florida during the wet season presents a challenge in that the current rain gauge network may not fully capture rainfall demonstrating high spatial variability. NEXRAD (Next Generation Radar) technology offers water management officials the advantage of providing a spatial account of rainfall, although the relative quality of radar rainfall measurements remains largely …

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Dynamic Analysis Of Single- And Multi-Module Platforms In Waves, Kaylie Ann Kling Jan 2006

Dynamic Analysis Of Single- And Multi-Module Platforms In Waves, Kaylie Ann Kling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The response of single- and multi-module floating platforms to surface waves is investigated theoretically. Wave exciting forces are computed using methods based on the Morrison equation and Froude-Krylov hypothesis. The radiation forces are obtained from experimental results of Vugt and where possible diffraction forces using the Haskind reciprocity relation. Heave and pitch response of a one-module platform and hinge-connected two-module platform are determined by integrating the corresponding equations of rigid-body motion. A structural dynamic analysis is also carried out using the Green's function method to determine the elastic flexural response of the platform to waves. The results are compared with …

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Dynamical Perception: Modeling Framework, Model And Experiment, Felix Almonte Jan 2006

Dynamical Perception: Modeling Framework, Model And Experiment, Felix Almonte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Can a distributed anatomical and functional architecture serve as the basis for sufficiently complex perceptual phenomena? In addressing this question, the conceptual notion of dynamical system and its relation to other paradigms is considered including its definition. The principal goal is to develop a dynamical framework on which to ground the theoretical study of perception and other physical phenomena. As an entry point, the perceptual dynamics of auditory streaming are modeled using a neurally inspired dynamical model of auditory processing. Traditional approaches view streaming as a competition of streams, realized within a tonotopically organized neural network. In contrast, streaming can …

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Enduring Relationship With The Dead: The Corpse, The Feminine And Popular Culture, Suzanne M. Kelly Jan 2006

Enduring Relationship With The Dead: The Corpse, The Feminine And Popular Culture, Suzanne M. Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Feminist theory has long criticized the hierarchical and oppositional thinking responsible for creating the basis of what counts as real knowledge. In questioning how and why the experience of enduring relationship with the dead is not imagined as real, this dissertation will draw from this theoretical tradition. This analysis involves a paradigm shift in thinking about the nature of relationship---one that posits these kinds of experiences as something other than either a psychological remedy to our grief or the requisite belief in the survival of the self. Feminist critiques of dualistic thinking become the cornerstone of Chapter One in order …

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Effect Of Hydroperiod On The Growth Of The Crayfish Species Procambarus Alleni And Procambarus Fallax: Two Keystone Species In The Florida Everglades, Matthew D. Gardner Jan 2006

Effect Of Hydroperiod On The Growth Of The Crayfish Species Procambarus Alleni And Procambarus Fallax: Two Keystone Species In The Florida Everglades, Matthew D. Gardner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The Everglades ecosystem is home to two species of freshwater crayfish: the Everglades crayfish Procambarus alleni and the slough crayfish Procambarus fallax. These species play a key ecological role by transporting energy from primary producers to higher trophic levels. Understanding the factors that regulate crayfish growth is an essential step in restoring their productivity in the Everglades ecosystem. In order to determine the effect of hydroperiod on crayfish growth, I collected crayfish from the Florida Everglades and subjected them to one of three hydroperiod treatments. The growth of both crayfish species in reduced hydroperiod treatments was significantly less than those …

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Effect Of Self-Efficacy On The Decisions To Enroll And Succeed In Internet Accounting Courses, Abdullah I. Al-Moshaigeh Jan 2006

Effect Of Self-Efficacy On The Decisions To Enroll And Succeed In Internet Accounting Courses, Abdullah I. Al-Moshaigeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This study examines whether there are any significant differences between accounting students enrolled in Internet-based courses and accounting students attending campus-based courses in terms of self-efficacy, academic goal, anxiety, gender, and self-assessment of performance. The study is motivated by the many calls for research to apply social cognitive theory to determine factors of motivation and consequently success of accounting students in an online education environment. Social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) is used to develop the hypotheses tested in the current study. Three groups of hypotheses were developed. The first group of hypotheses tests the relationships among academic self-efficacy, computer self-efficacy, …

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Efficient And Effective Searching M Unstructured Filesharing Peer-To-Peer Networks, Xiuqi Li Jan 2006

Efficient And Effective Searching M Unstructured Filesharing Peer-To-Peer Networks, Xiuqi Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networking has been receiving increasing attention from the research community recently. How to conduct efficient and effective searching in such networks has been a challenging research topic. This dissertation focuses on unstructured file-sharing peer-to-peer networks. Three novel searching schemes are proposed, implemented, and evaluated. In the first scheme named ISRL (Intelligent Search by Reinforcement Learning), we propose to systematically learn the best route to desired files through reinforcement learning when topology adaptation is impossible or infeasible. To discover the best path to desired files, ISRL not only explores new paths by forwarding queries to randomly chosen neighbors, but …

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Effects Of High Alkalinity Cements On The Control Of Alkali-Silica Reaction For Reinforced Concrete, Jorge Alejandro Suarez Jan 2006

Effects Of High Alkalinity Cements On The Control Of Alkali-Silica Reaction For Reinforced Concrete, Jorge Alejandro Suarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

In previous research, cements with high alkali content (EqA 1.0-1.2 percent) extended the corrosion initiation time of reinforcing steel in concrete. During this study, laboratory tests were performed to determine the suitability of high alkalinity cements to improve concrete durability without modifying physical properties and to control the risk of alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR). A mix design for the FOOT-Class V concrete served as base material for this study. On a cubic meter basis the cementitious material in this concrete included 363 kg of Type l/ll Portland cement and 83 kg of Class F fly ash. The water-to-cementitious material ratio of …

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Energy-Efficient Target Coverage In Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks, Wael Awada Jan 2006

Energy-Efficient Target Coverage In Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks, Wael Awada

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

We consider a heterogeneous wireless sensor network, which has several supernodes for data relay and a large number of energy-constrained sensor nodes that are deployed randomly to cover certain targets. Since targets are covered by many sensors, we create several cover sets that are active successively to save power. We introduce the Heterogeneous Connected Set Covers (HCSC) which aims to find at least one cover set that covers all the targets and is connected to a data-relaying supernode. A sensor node can participate in different set covers but the sum of energy spent in all sets is constrained by the …

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Exploratory Investigation Of Sources Of Individual Differences In Chemistry Performance: The Potential Role Of Visual And Verbal Working Memory And Student Affect In Chemistry Problem Solving, Jason Klein Jan 2006

Exploratory Investigation Of Sources Of Individual Differences In Chemistry Performance: The Potential Role Of Visual And Verbal Working Memory And Student Affect In Chemistry Problem Solving, Jason Klein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This was an exploratory study of factors that predict individual differences in chemistry learning. Consistent with cognitive learning theory, working memory was assumed to be an important predictor of chemistry knowledge. Measures of chemistry affect, cognitive ability, demographics and mathematical ability were examined in relation to visual/schematic and algebra-like stoichiometry chemistry word problem solving ability and strategy use. 139 undergraduate students (91 females, 48 males) at a major Southeastern university participated in this study (Age ranged from 18 to 39 years (M = 20.70 years of age)). Perceived usefulness of the chemistry material, mathematical ability, GPA, and SGPA uniquely predicted …

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Factors Affecting Success In Organic Chemistry, Andrea Maria Zaplatynski Jan 2006

Factors Affecting Success In Organic Chemistry, Andrea Maria Zaplatynski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

In this study we correlate academic and non-academic descriptors with Organic Chemistry final grades for students enrolled at a Florida public university. Using multiple regression analysis, the following predictors are analyzed for a sample population of 904 students: age, gender, ethnicity, academic classification, SAT scores, major, overall grade point average (GPA), semesters lapsed between courses, institution where General Chemistry was taken, prerequisite grades, and number of math and science courses taken with their respective grades. Results indicate strong correlations exist between final grade in Organic Chemistry, GPA and General Chemistry final grade. Additionally, Organic Chemistry final grades correlate with academic …

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Exploratory Study Of The Multicultural Responsiveness Of Higher Education Faculty At Two South Florida Universities, Juste Edvard St. Jan 2006

Exploratory Study Of The Multicultural Responsiveness Of Higher Education Faculty At Two South Florida Universities, Juste Edvard St.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The study started with a presumed conviction that there was ample evidence in Florida universities and in the community at large that students of color made up a large proportion of the student population. Meanwhile, I observed in classrooms, and realized that the diverse student population offers an opportunity to explore and understand issues of interest about diversity. With the changing demographics in the United States and a more inclusive university system, students of diverse cultures, racial, and ethnic backgrounds are making American education both more exciting and more complex. This qualitative study seeks to uncover the cultural and philosophical …

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Genetic Variation Amongst Different Populations Of Typha Domingensis And Typha Latifolia (Cattails) In The Florida Everglades, Manuel N. Tapia Jan 2006

Genetic Variation Amongst Different Populations Of Typha Domingensis And Typha Latifolia (Cattails) In The Florida Everglades, Manuel N. Tapia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This thesis is intended to explore the genetic variation between cattail species (Typha spp.), within T. domingensis in different locations, anthropoegenic conditions, and possibly discover a hybrid in the Florida Everglades. Typha domingensis is the dominant cattail species in the Everglades, while Typha latifolia a less common species is also present. Five nuclear and chloroplast protein encoding genes from around 20 samples of cattail plants were collected randomly in the Water Conservation Areas of the Everglades Protection Act, cloned and sequenced. The results of sequencing showed differences between the two species studied, using an insertion within an intron of the …

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Figurations Of The Literary Hero, Teresa M. Maybee Jan 2006

Figurations Of The Literary Hero, Teresa M. Maybee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Going back to Gilgamesh and Achilles as foundations for surveying centuries of protagonists we now call heroic, while synthesizing and modifying critical forerunners, this study reviews the patterns and the constituent elements of the literary hero both synchronically and diachronically, in order to trace changing figurations of the heroic ideal in Western literature, from texts of antiquity to modernism, and with particular emphasis on Anglo-American and French traditions.

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Feasibility Of Target Tracking For High Speed High Seas Cargo Transfer, Glenn C. Tucker Jan 2006

Feasibility Of Target Tracking For High Speed High Seas Cargo Transfer, Glenn C. Tucker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

At sea cargo transfer has historically been a logistical challenge for both the military and the offshore industry. Even in moderate seas, three to five foot wave heights, extreme pendulations of cargo and large relative motions between vessels can occur that halts cargo transfer activities. This work develops a six-degree-of-freedom rigid crane dynamics model that is used to investigate the feasibility of crane target tracking which could extend and enhance offshore crane operations. A double girder crane system is developed that easily adapts to different configurations and efficiently supports long reach heavy lift applications. Target tracking is feasible in sea …

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Four Sparks Fall: A Novella, Tiffany. Noonan Jan 2006

Four Sparks Fall: A Novella, Tiffany. Noonan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

four sparks fall is a complex narrative, darting among symbols, languages, puzzles, and styles. There is the story of Susanna, our narrator, and there is a diary of May, Susanna's twin sister---a story within a story. To further complicate matters, both narratives are "interrupted" by May, who manifests an uncanny ability to project her thoughts into Susanna's mind. In a sense, both characters know and do not know what is happening, and their struggle to come to terms with multiple ways of "knowing" is manifested in the structure, which experiments with visual layout and language in new, interesting ways. This …

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From Wise Woman To Mutilated Hag: Witchcraft Violence In Ghana, Laura A. Truxler Jan 2006

From Wise Woman To Mutilated Hag: Witchcraft Violence In Ghana, Laura A. Truxler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Gender based witchcraft violence in Ghana is one of the ways in which violence against women manifests itself in the society. Historical analysis of witchcraft in Africa is widely addressed in the literature, however, there is a comparative neglect of the gender dimensions of witchcraft violence and consequences for such women in terms of human rights violations. Within the northern agriculture regions of Ghana, the legitimacy of female land inheritance, in addition to government pressure to seek out western medical care instead of low-cost traditional herbalists, are threatening power structures and sparking witchcraft violence. Locating witchcraft violence in Ghana within …

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Framing Bad Art: A Semiotic View Of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance, Scott B. Givonetti Jan 2006

Framing Bad Art: A Semiotic View Of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance, Scott B. Givonetti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance has been criticized contemporaneously and subsequently by such figures as F. O. Matthiessen, Mark Van Doren, and Rudolph Von Abele for its lack of romanticism or realism, depending upon the critic. This thesis uses a semiotic approach to explore Hawthorne's deconstruction of his first-person narrator, Miles Coverdale, and the resulting confusion among critics regarding authorial control in what some call his "anti-romance." Coverdale, as a detached artist, is responsible for reality's misinterpretation and misrepresentation, somewhat lampooning Transcendentalism. The triadic relationship of object, sign, and interpretant modeled by Charles Sanders Peirce is discussed using Liszka, Sebeok, …

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Gifts From Home: Material Culture And American Immigrant Women In The 20th Century, Victoria L. Thur Jan 2006

Gifts From Home: Material Culture And American Immigrant Women In The 20th Century, Victoria L. Thur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This thesis will explore material culture by focusing on textiles and needlework of American immigrant women in the twentieth-century. It will feature three textiles: the Fishman bris dress from Britain, traditional Ukrainian embroidery, and refugee Hmong story cloths. Material culture is an interdisciplinary field that incorporates a wide variety of sources, theories, and interpretations. Social history incorporates voices and sources that have been disregarded in the mainstream narrative. Without scholarship in material culture, these sources would be lost forever. Textiles and their study allow for a wider and more inclusive interpretation of the American experience as immigrant and female. Most …

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Hawthorne's Play On Gender And Sexuality In "The Blithedale Romance", Brooke J. Rubin Jan 2006

Hawthorne's Play On Gender And Sexuality In "The Blithedale Romance", Brooke J. Rubin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Feminist critics have primarily concentrated on the character of Zenobia, Nathaniel Hawthorne's premier feminist in The Blithedale Romance, to unravel Hawthorne's stance on the emergent sexual politics of the time. This thesis not only examines the importance of Zenobia but also analyzes the significance of Hawthorne's allusions to gender and sexuality constructs in terms of his other characters: Coverdale, Hollingsworth, Priscilla, Westervelt, and Moodie. In addition, I argue that Hawthorne's purpose is to experiment with societal constructs of gender and sexuality among his central characters, a literary experiment that inadvertently subverts his ostensible traditional, patriarchal perspective. In essence, my reading …

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Heartbeat Of A Caring Leader, Lynn K. Robbins Jan 2006

Heartbeat Of A Caring Leader, Lynn K. Robbins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

This doctoral dissertation explores the life of an African-American female elementary school principal using a unifying qualitative method incorporating biography, portraiture and anthropology called A renaissance method for studying leadership: A caring perspective. A portrait of the principal was derived using this method where verbatim statements were taken from friends, family, teachers, colleagues and supervisors as well as the principal herself at the school site and the town where she was raised to identify emerging themes. The findings indicate that her humanistic approach to leading in high poverty and minority schools was grounded on her ethic of caring, one that …

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Hamiltonian Methods In The Quantization Of Gauge Systems, Ruslan Vaulin Jan 2006

Hamiltonian Methods In The Quantization Of Gauge Systems, Ruslan Vaulin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

The new formalism for quantization of gauge systems based on the concept of the dynamical Hamiltonian recently introduced as a basis for the canonical theory of quantum gravity was considered in the context of general gauge theories. This and other Hamiltonian methods, that include Dirac's theory of extended Hamiltonian and the Hamiltonian reduction formalism were critically examined. It was established that the classical theories of constrained gauge systems formulated within the framework of either of the approaches are equivalent. The central to the proof of equivalence was the fact that the gauge symmetries resuIt in the constraints of the first …

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Heartland Germans: Cultural Maintenance In Mid-Nineteenth Century America, Madelyn Witt Lavigne Jan 2006

Heartland Germans: Cultural Maintenance In Mid-Nineteenth Century America, Madelyn Witt Lavigne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009

Midwestern Germans who populated Indianapolis, St. Louis, Chicago and St. Paul represented a kind of cultural identity that revealed an ethnic pride. Through the church, the press, their language, social organizations and political involvement, these Germans demonstrated the tenacity of a people willing to risk the security of their homeland for a better life in America and in the process established a set of cultural norms that reflected a significant attempt to maintain their ethnic identity. During the years 1830-1870, the pull of cheap and available land fueled the chain migration that led to the largest influx of German immigrants …

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