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2008

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Identifying The Cis-Acting Sugar Response Elements That Facilitate Glucose Signaling In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Frank Barretta, Jr. Dec 2008

Identifying The Cis-Acting Sugar Response Elements That Facilitate Glucose Signaling In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Frank Barretta, Jr.

All Theses

Identifying the initial sugar sensing and response activating mechanisms in plants has been difficult due to the dual functions of sugars as nutrients and as signaling molecules. In this study, we have examined transcript expression and promoter features of different genes encoding proteins for actin remodeling that have been implicated as targets of plant glucose signaling. Using Reverse Transcription PCR analysis, we confirmed that expression of two actin-associated genes, actin depolymerizing factor 9 (ADF9) and actin related protein 8 (ARP8), are repressed following a short-term glucose treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. Glucose did not repress the expression of other ADF …

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Discarded To The Transcendent, Robert Brownlow Dec 2008

Discarded To The Transcendent, Robert Brownlow

All Theses

My current body of work strives to elevate the discarded to the transcendent, to take the unwanted and bring it to new life. I choose to transform materials in a way that challenges perceptions of space and material. The work also serves to create an experience for the viewer, an experience that may allow an escape from the mundane of every day life and journey, for a moment, to a world that embraces unexpected emotion.
With obsolescence in mind, I tend to use materials that are found throughout scrap yards, surplus warehouses, and anywhere else I may find underutilized materials …

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Temporary Organizational Change And Uncertainty: Applying Uncertainty Reduction Theory And Style Analyses To Email, Vicki Rhodes Dec 2008

Temporary Organizational Change And Uncertainty: Applying Uncertainty Reduction Theory And Style Analyses To Email, Vicki Rhodes

All Theses

This study explores how employees express uncertainty and enact uncertainty reduction techniques through electronic communication, specifically email, during temporary inter-organizational change. The context of the study is within the work environment of a nonprofit entity in the Southern region of the United States that employs just under 20 staff members and coordinates with approximately 135 partner staff affiliates on a daily basis. The Executive Director's medical leave of about three months requires that job responsibilities and organizational roles be temporarily restructured. Because email is the preferred and primary method of communication in this organization, such communications were chosen as the …

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Computational Analysis Of Input-Shaping Control Of Microelectromechanical Mirrors, Thomas Starling Dec 2008

Computational Analysis Of Input-Shaping Control Of Microelectromechanical Mirrors, Thomas Starling

All Theses

Advances in micromachining technology have enabled the design and development of high performance microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). There is a pressing need for control techniques that can be used to improve the dynamic behavior of MEMS such as the response speed and precision. In MEMS applications, open-loop control is attractive as it computes a priori the required system input to achieve desired dynamic behavior without using feedback, thus eliminating the problems associated with closed-loop MEMS control. While the input-shaping control is attractive due to its simplicity, the effectiveness of this control approach depends on the accuracy of the model that is …

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The Effect Of Montmorillonite Nanoclay On Mechanical And Barrier Properties Of Mung Bean Starch Films, Bianca Stiller Dec 2008

The Effect Of Montmorillonite Nanoclay On Mechanical And Barrier Properties Of Mung Bean Starch Films, Bianca Stiller

All Theses

Starch is an interesting biodegradable polymer due to its excellent film forming properties, availability, and low cost. On the other hand, starch films are often limited by their poor mechanical properties, and water resistance. The addition of montmorillonite clays have improved these properties in both petroleum and biodegradable films.
The objective of the research was to determine the effect of montmorillonite clay on the mechanical and barrier properties on mung bean starch films.
The addition of 5% clay yielded the optimum balance between mechanical and barrier properties of these composite films with improved tensile strength (TS) of 20.8763± 0.789 MPa, …

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Early Predictors Of Downward Assimilation In Contemporary Immigration, Katie Holmes Dec 2008

Early Predictors Of Downward Assimilation In Contemporary Immigration, Katie Holmes

All Theses

Abstract: In this paper, I focus on the assimilative paths of second- generation immigrants using data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study. Primarily my goal is to determine early factors that put these youth at risk of downward assimilation. I use incarceration (in early adulthood) as a conservative measure for downward assimilation. While I recognize that this, in actuality, underestimates the extent of downward assimilation, I feel that it is the most efficient theoretical measure because of its extreme negative, long-term occupational, economic, and social effects. I use logistic regression to analyze a number of independent variables in my …

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New American Witches: A Transitioning Figure In The Twentieth Century, Daniel Grafton Dec 2008

New American Witches: A Transitioning Figure In The Twentieth Century, Daniel Grafton

All Theses

This thesis compares the Wiccan faith with fantasy literature of the twentieth century in an effort to reveal the spread of radical feminist thought between 1963 and 1983 by examining how these groups represented the shared figure of the witch. By comparing these different representations it may be determined whether radical feminist thought was promoted through fantasy literature. If the figure of the witch did become radically feminist in this popular setting then this would indicate a broader acceptance of radical feminist thought in American culture. This is examined by establishing a definition of fantasy literature during the late twentieth …

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Physics Of Type Ia Supernovae, Ginger Bryngelson Dec 2008

Physics Of Type Ia Supernovae, Ginger Bryngelson

All Theses

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf, were once considered standard candles. However, increased observations reveal inhomogeneities in chemical composition and luminosity behavior, roughly dividing SNe Ia into three luminosity classes; super-luminous, sub-luminous, and normally-luminous. After introducing the problem in the context of previous observations and modeling, this thesis explores the physical processes occurring in a SN Ia after explosion, and discusses observations of SN light curves.
A simple model of the expanding ejecta calculates the energy deposition from the decay of radioactive Ni56 as well as photon diffusion. It produces light curves that match …

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Revision Of East Palearctic Apatania (Trichoptera: Apataniidae), Suvdtsetseg Chuluunbat Dec 2008

Revision Of East Palearctic Apatania (Trichoptera: Apataniidae), Suvdtsetseg Chuluunbat

All Theses

The East Palearctic genus Apatania Kolenati includes 34 species. Thirty-two of these have been described as adults and the other 2 are known only in the larval life stage. Immature stages of most species are not yet known.
A morphological study of these species suggested that 2 of the nominal species are synonyms of other species, reducing the number of valid East Palearctic Apatania species to 30. A phylogeny and classification of the reviewed 30 species is provided for this work. My work does not support Schmid's (1953) groupings of Apatania species. Although recognition of homologues was problematic among the …

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Probing Grb Environments Through X-Ray Absorption, Hala Eid Dec 2008

Probing Grb Environments Through X-Ray Absorption, Hala Eid

All Theses

Although long-duration GRBs (LGRBs) are highly transient in nature, their early afterglow can in principle be detected to very high redshifts (Lamb & Reichart, 2000). This makes them potent probes of the chemical evolution and content of the high-redshift universe. In this work, we use photoelectric absorption observed in the XRT spectra of LGRBs to investigate the evolution of metallicities and hydrogen column densities of LGRB host galaxies. Using a high-quality sample of LGRBs indicates the presence of a weak anti-correlation between the abundances and redshift. We also find an evolution trend in intrinsic column density. To confirm these correlations, …

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Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Tweel Geometric Parameter Modifications On Spoke Dynamics During High Speed Rolling, Maya Ramachandran Dec 2008

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis Of Tweel Geometric Parameter Modifications On Spoke Dynamics During High Speed Rolling, Maya Ramachandran

All Theses

The acoustic signature and noise produced by non-pnuematic wheels such as the Michelin TWEELTM is a critical design criteria for automotive and other mobility applications. The TWEELTM structure consists of three basic parts: (1) a circular deformable 'shear beam', (2) collapsible spokes and (3) a rigid hub. During high speed rolling the TWEELTM produces acoustic noise which is hypothesized to be due to resonant vibration of the TWEELTM spokes as they enter the contact region, buckle and then snap back into a state of tension. In order to identify and help understand the causes of acoustic noise for a rolling …

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Self-Incrimination Doctrine Is Dead; Long Live Self-Incrimination Doctrine: Confessions, Scientific Evidence, And The Anxieties Of The Liberal State, Kenworthey Bilz Dec 2008

Self-Incrimination Doctrine Is Dead; Long Live Self-Incrimination Doctrine: Confessions, Scientific Evidence, And The Anxieties Of The Liberal State, Kenworthey Bilz

Cardozo Law Review

Confessions have historically been the most compelling evidence the state could offer at a criminal trial. However, improvements in forensic technologies have led to increased use of scientific evidence, such as DNA typing, videotapes, pattern-recognition software, location tracking devices, and the like, with very impressive rates of reliability. The reliability of these methods has become so impressive, in fact, that it far outstrips confessions. This should lead to a reduced reliance on confessions (and other nonscientific evidence, such as eyewitness identifications) over time. However, this does not mean that the doctrine of self-incrimination, which regulates the acquisition and use of …

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Corporate Confessions, Brandon L. Garrett Dec 2008

Corporate Confessions, Brandon L. Garrett

Cardozo Law Review

In corporate crime investigations, when prosecutors pursue charges against both employees and corporations, confessions raise several novel questions without clear answers in constitutional criminal procedure. First, corporations confess. The firm, a target of a criminal investigation, may itself admit to crimes by employees as part of a settlement agreement with prosecutors. While useful to study in their impact and form, as a constitutional matter such confessions can not be coerced, the Supreme Court has adopted a "collective entity rule" that corporate persons may not invoke Fifth Amendment privilege. Second, before itself confessing, the firm may encourage employees to provide statements …

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English Warnings, Mike Redmayne Dec 2008

English Warnings, Mike Redmayne

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Originalism's Expiration Date, Adam M. Samaha Dec 2008

Originalism's Expiration Date, Adam M. Samaha

Cardozo Law Review

The Constitution of the United States declares itself supreme law, but even the amended document is ancient. By 2008, the predicted age of a randomly selected word in this text reached 178 years. The judiciary, for its part, might not interpret the text until decades after ratification. For Article V amendments, the average lag between ratification and Supreme Court interpretation has been about 40 years. The question is how these features of our supreme law might influence the choice of interpretive method and, ultimately, constitutional decision-making. In particular, some scholars indicate that originalism may be a strong force in adjudication …

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The Origin Of The 511 Kev Positron Annihilation Emission Morphology, Bethany Johns Dec 2008

The Origin Of The 511 Kev Positron Annihilation Emission Morphology, Bethany Johns

All Theses

The 511 keV positron annhilation emission from the Galactic bulge has yet to solely be attributed to any astrophysical source of positrons. The 511 keV line, characteristic of electron-positron annihilation, was discovered in 1970 by Johnson and Haymes [1973] almost 40 years ago. Most recently the INTERnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysical Laboratory (INTEGRAL) [Knodlseder 1997] has measured the annihilation rates of both components of the Galaxy. The bulge and disk annihilation rates are (1.5 ± 0.1) x 10^43 e+ s^-1 and(0.3 ± 0.2) x 10^43 e+ s^-1, respectively. The ratio of the bulge rate to that of the disk ranges from 3-9. …

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Developing A Plan To Disciple International Students, Donald E. Bader Dec 2008

Developing A Plan To Disciple International Students, Donald E. Bader

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A current literature review demonstrates that only a limited amount of information is available for missionaries striving to disciple international students attending universities throughout the United States. Therefore, this project attempts to develop a discipleship plan based firmly upon Scripture, focusing particularly on the life and teachings of Jesus as an essential resource for international student ministry. Incorporating these insights, along with the suggestions from discipleship literature and campus missionaries, the plan presents a biblical approach to discipleship that specifically applies to international student ministry in Milwaukee. The project concludes with a thorough evaluation of the plan and several recommended …

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Block Scheduling In High School Mathematics: Effect On Algebra Ii End-Of-Course Grades And Act Assessment Mathematics Scores, Gayle Hawkins Hughes Dec 2008

Block Scheduling In High School Mathematics: Effect On Algebra Ii End-Of-Course Grades And Act Assessment Mathematics Scores, Gayle Hawkins Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a statistical difference between end-of-course grades in Algebra II at three high schools in northeast Tennessee and mathematics content scores on the ACT Assessment at the same three high schools, by comparing a one-semester accelerated (4x4) block schedule, a two-semester accelerated (4x4) block schedule, and a traditional year-long schedule. The purpose was also to determine if a relationship exists between Algebra II grades and ACT Assessment mathematics content scores for all students and for each school, and to determine if a statistically significant difference occurred in the number of …

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Unveiling The Masculinity Of Science: A Journey Into The Reactions And Reflections Of Female Science Teachers To The Nature Of Science, Tina Marie Wilkins Dec 2008

Unveiling The Masculinity Of Science: A Journey Into The Reactions And Reflections Of Female Science Teachers To The Nature Of Science, Tina Marie Wilkins

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated how eight female science teachers in a Consciousness Raising focus group viewed science and how they responded to the message that the nature of science is a masculine, social construct. Using the framework of Feminist Standpoint Theory and Critical Race Feminism, I investigated the reactions and reflections of the participants to the video Asking Different Questions: Women in Science (1993). Prior to the video, the teachers completed a short questionnaire and discussed the nature of science. They viewed, discussed, and related the video's message to their lived experiences. I theorized that some teachers would become more aware …

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Bridging Aesthetics And Community : A Story Of A Successful School, Julie Marie Sessions Dec 2008

Bridging Aesthetics And Community : A Story Of A Successful School, Julie Marie Sessions

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study begins with the construction of a bridge that symbolizes the philosophers that impact this study: John Dewey, Elliot Eisner, Maxine Greene, and Delores Liston. The bridge is the beginning of a journey where I analyze the concepts of aesthetics and community. This in-depth analysis culminates with the study of a school that successfully incorporates aesthetics and community into its curriculum. The study is based on a methodology known as portraiture (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1997) where relationships and community involvement are important elements in telling the story of a school. In order to fully paint this portraiture, interviews were conducted, observations …

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Lessons From The Segregated Classroom: An Oral History Of The Experiences And Practices Of Three Retired African American Teachers, Saundra Melinda Mckoy Dec 2008

Lessons From The Segregated Classroom: An Oral History Of The Experiences And Practices Of Three Retired African American Teachers, Saundra Melinda Mckoy

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

From the very beginning of this nation's history, race has played a major role in the educational opportunities awarded to minorities. And although it has been fifty years since schools were mandated by the U.S Supreme Court to desegregate, discussions about race and culture in the classroom continue to generate controversy and discomfort for many African Americans. In fact, issues of segregation, racism and racial inequality in both schools and society are constantly being raised and voiced within the African American community. Today, the nation is engaged in a great discussion about the differences in academic achievement between African American …

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Seasonal Patterns Of Plasma Testosterone Levels, Bite Force, And Locomotor Performance In Non-Territorial Male Lizards, Aspidoscelis Sexlineata, Timothy Adam Gowan Dec 2008

Seasonal Patterns Of Plasma Testosterone Levels, Bite Force, And Locomotor Performance In Non-Territorial Male Lizards, Aspidoscelis Sexlineata, Timothy Adam Gowan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The ability to perform key behaviors associated with reproduction, such as biting and locomotion in male lizards, has been linked to social dominance and reproductive success. The underlying mechanisms that govern variation in performance capacity, however, remain unclear. The steroid hormone testosterone mediates numerous traits associated with reproduction in male vertebrates and has been hypothesized to mediate variation in performance. This study examined seasonal patterns of circulating testosterone, morphology, bite force, and locomotor performance in a non-territorial lizard species to address this hypothesis. Male Aspidoscelis sexlineata (n=133) were collected throughout the active season, and testosterone levels and performance capacities were …

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Contributing Factors To The Bachelor's Degree Attainment Of Males In The United States, Theresa Carol Novotny Dec 2008

Contributing Factors To The Bachelor's Degree Attainment Of Males In The United States, Theresa Carol Novotny

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The degree attainment of college students is a critical issue that institutions of higher education are considering. Colleges want to improve their retention, progression, and graduation rates for all students. Over the past decades men, based on the literature reviewed, have earned fewer degrees than women. In addition, men are not enrolling in college at the same rates as women. This study uses the NELS Database to analyze the factors that contribute to the degree attainment of men. The research used a logit model to determine the probability for the significant factors.

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Why Are Women With Leadership Certification Not Pursuing School-Level Leadership Positions, Daphney Denise Ivery Dec 2008

Why Are Women With Leadership Certification Not Pursuing School-Level Leadership Positions, Daphney Denise Ivery

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to understand why women with leadership certification do not seek formal administrative roles. More specifically, the study examined why women with leadership certification choose to pursue a program in administrative preparation; assessed the reasons certified women educators are not moving into formal administrative roles; and identified conditions and structural support systems that these women need in order to help them transition to formal administrative roles. In order to answer the study's major questions, the researcher employed a qualitative research approach with thematic analysis as a major strategy. The researcher then conducted an in-depth …

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Lightness Of Being And The Burden Of Gravity, Emily Don Mixon Dec 2008

Lightness Of Being And The Burden Of Gravity, Emily Don Mixon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The challenge of the human condition is to bear the loss that comes with every second, moving forward, breathing without thinking; moving forward, through moments that pass so uneventfully that we will not recall them, along with moments that we experience so profoundly that we begin to use them as landmarks in our personal histories. My view of time is of something that surrounds me and becomes a part of my identity. Yet, as I contemplate what it means to BE, I must face the constancy with which that being also changes. Regardless of the things that I remember, or …

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Rrh Library Newsletter, December 2008, Libraries At Rochester Regional Health Dec 2008

Rrh Library Newsletter, December 2008, Libraries At Rochester Regional Health

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Newsletter sections include: Noteworthy Health Topics of 2008

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Sensitivity Analysis Of Reliability For Structure-Based Software Via Simulation, Jun Xu Dec 2008

Sensitivity Analysis Of Reliability For Structure-Based Software Via Simulation, Jun Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Computer simulation is an appealing approach for the reliability analysis of structure-based software systems as it can accommodate complexities present in realistic systems. When the system is complex, a screening experiment to quickly identify important factors (components) can significantly improve efficiency of the analysis. The challenge is to guarantee the correctness of the screening results with stochastic simulation responses. Control Sequential Bifurcation (CSB) is a new method for factors screening using simulation experiments, when only main effects models are considered. By grouping factors, CSB can identify the importance of factors while reducing the simulation effort. With appropriate hypothesis testing procedures …

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Development And Verification Of A Laboratory For The Emissions Testing Of Locomotive Engines, Michael R. Shahan Dec 2008

Development And Verification Of A Laboratory For The Emissions Testing Of Locomotive Engines, Michael R. Shahan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia University (WVU) currently has a Transportable Emissions Laboratory capable of measuring the exhaust constituents produced by a heavy duty diesel engine. The laboratory has the capability of measuring the exhaust constituents from a partial exhaust stream of a locomotive diesel engine. As the field of locomotive engine emissions testing broadens, it has become desirable for WVU to develop a laboratory that is capable of sampling the gaseous exhaust constituents produced by a locomotive engine from a raw, undiluted gas stream, in tandem with a partial flow dilution tunnel system for particulate matter. This document provides the design philosophy …

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Thermal Analysis Of Tilted Roofs Composed Of Two Separated Surfaces, Orlando J. Ugarte-Almeyda Dec 2008

Thermal Analysis Of Tilted Roofs Composed Of Two Separated Surfaces, Orlando J. Ugarte-Almeyda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to the rising power costs and lack of nonrenewable energy sources, the cooling of houses is becoming more expensive. Looking for alternative methods applicable to this process is becoming not only an option, but also a necessity. Changes in the roof structure of buildings can be applied in order to achieve a more favorable thermal transmission behavior. The utilization of a tilted roof, composed of two separated surfaces, generates natural convection currents in the channel between them. These currents, after driving off part of the transferred heat, decrease the temperature of the lower surfaces and consequently, the heat flux …

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Development Of Outdoor Recreation Resource Amenity Indices For West Virginia, Jing Wang Dec 2008

Development Of Outdoor Recreation Resource Amenity Indices For West Virginia, Jing Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tourism has been playing an increasingly important role in the economic development and promotion for the state of West Virginia. However, how tourism resources are spatially distributed across all the states' 55 counties and have not received much attention. This study could be among the first of its kind in West Virginia to create an inventory database for 21 types of major outdoor recreation/nature-based tourism resources, and spatially examine their distribution across counties. The quantity of tourism resources is determined by measuring their actual size, length, or number, and the quality of the resources is determined by using the Analytic …

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