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"The Leprosy Of Unreality": The Capacity Of Suffering To Deform Or Redeem In Dickens's Great Expectations, A Tale Of Two Cities, And Little Dorrit, Kathryne Marie Hoyle-Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This thesis examines the ramifications of suffering in Dickensian transformation. Ideally, suffering should reveal the best aspects of human nature, and this thesis suggests that while it is possible to have pain without heroism, it is impossible to have heroism without pain. Couched within Dickens's discourse on suffering and redemption are both overt and covert messages to his Victorian audience as Dickens urges them to strip away their masks of pretense, "the leprosy of unreality"that enslaves them. Dickens delights in blurring apparently dichotomous boundaries as he paradoxically seeks reality through his fiction. For him, redemption is a discursive structure that …

Minnie Evans: Art Of The Gatekeeper, Michelle Dawn Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Minnie Evans: Art of the Gatekeeper focuses on African American early to mid-twentieth-century social and cultural issues that were experienced by the self-taught artist Minnie Evans (1892-1987). Evans was the gatekeeper at Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, North Carolina and is known for having experienced visions and dreams, which she attributed to her deep Christian faith. This study provides an extensive overview of past scholarship and offers previously undocumented oral histories and photographs that were acquired while visiting Airlie Gardens and St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington. The subjects discussed include the Airlie Gardens gate, gates to dreams, African …

Not Quite Natural: Stories From The Edges Of Humanity, Patrick Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This thesis, entitled “Not Quite Natural: Stories From the Edges of Humanity,” is a collection of creative nonfiction essays. It features stories about people who exist on the fringes of the human experience, from a man who infects himself with hookworms in an effort to cure his severe allergies to a woman who discovers a deaf man who has no language. It also features stories about groups of people on the edges of the human experience, including a community that refuses to leave its town, even though a fire is burning a hundred and fifty feet beneath it and a …

Cole Train | V.9, No.1 (Fall 2010), Houston Cole Library

Library Annual Reports & Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Automobile Exhaust Gas Detection Based On Fuzzy Temperature Compensation System, Zhiyong Wang, Hao Ding, Fufei Hao, Zhaoxia Wang, Zhen Sun, Shujin Li

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A temperature compensation scheme of detecting automobile exhaust gas based on fuzzy logic inference is presented in this paper. The principles of the infrared automobile exhaust gas analyzer and the influence of the environmental temperature on analyzer are discussed. A fuzzy inference system is designed to improve the measurement accuracy of the measurement equipment by reducing the measurement errors caused by environmental temperature. The case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The fuzzy compensation scheme is promising as demonstrated by the simulation results in this paper.

Ensemble-Based Method For Task 2: Predicting Traffic Jam, Jingrui He, Qing He, Grzegorz Swirszcz, Yiannis Kamarianakis, Rick Lawrence, Wei Shen, Laura Wynter

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we describe our solution for ICDM 2010 Contest Task 2 (Jams), where the task is to predict future where the next traffic jams will occur in morning rush hour, given data gathered during the initial phase of this peak period. Our solution, which is based on an ensemble approach, finished Second in the final evaluation.

Rrh Library Newsletter, December 2010, Libraries At Rochester Regional Health

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Newsletter sections include: Holiday Accidents & Holiday Stress; Additional Management Books

Is Punishment Relevant After All? A Prescription For Informing Juries Of The Consequence Of Conviction, Jeffrey Bellin

Faculty Publications

The American jury, once heralded as “the great corrective of law in its actual administration,” has suffered numerous setbacks in the modern era. As a result, jurors have largely become bystanders in a criminal justice system that relies on increasingly severe punishments to incarcerate tens of thousands of offenders each year. The overwhelming majority of cases are resolved short of trial and, even when trials occur, jurors are instructed to find only the facts necessary for legal guilt. Apart from this narrow task, jurors need not, in the eyes of the law, concern themselves with whether a conviction and subsequent …

A Test-Bed For Secure Hierarchical Data Aggregation In Wireless Sensor Networks, Vimal Kumar, Joshua Mccarville-Schueths, Sanjay Madria

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Data aggregation is a technique used to conserve battery power in wireless sensor networks (WSN). When securing such a network, it is important that we minimize the number of computationally expensive security operations without compromising on the security. This paper deals with the test-bed implementation of our end-to-end secure data aggregation algorithm. Unlike previous algorithms which required separate phases for secure aggregation and integrity verification, ours does not require an additional phase for verification. This saves energy by avoiding additional transmissions and computation overhead on the sensor nodes. We have implemented our secure data aggregation algorithms on mica2 motes. ©2010 …

Polymer (Su-8) Optofluidic Device With Embedded Hydrogel Oxygen Sensing Elements, Zhan Gao, David B. Henthorn, Chang-Soo Kim

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The SU-8 photopolymer is an excellent alternative for traditional materials used in fluidic devices such as glass- or silicon-Based inorganic materials. We describe a new chemically anchored, lithographically patterned hydrogel sensing element embedded in a completed SU-8 fluidic channel structure after the channel bonding process. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel films incorporating oxygen-responsive ruthenium-complex fluorophores are grafted and patterned by photopolymerization of solution-phase precursors on the modified SU-8 channel surface. the optofluidic sensing platform with this embedded sensing elements exhibited excellent performance in measuring dissolved oxygen content. a unique advantage of this method is the selective growth of various functional films …

Active Bundles For Protecting Confidentiality Of Sensitive Data Throughout Their Lifecycle, Lotfi Ben Othmane

Dissertations

Protecting confidentiality of shared sensitive data requires satisfying conflicting needs for disseminating data and preventing unauthorized data disclosures. We propose a solution named the active bundles scheme for protecting sensitive data from their disclosures to unauthorized parties during their dissemination. The scheme protects data throughout their entire lifecycle, from data creation through their dissemination to their evaporation or apoptosis (a partial or complete self-destruction, respectively).

An active bundle packages together sensitive data, metadata, and a virtual machine (VM) specific to the bundle. Metadata contain information related to the use of data, including data access control and dissemination policies. A VM …

Rare Earth Element Transport In The Yucca Mountain Region, Liqiong Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In sync with environmental pollution of solutes in nature, from source, process to consequence, geochemical processes (leaching and sorption) and hydraulic transportation of the rare earth elements (REEs) have been investigated at Yucca Mountain (YM), Nevada. This research includes the leaching behavior of trace elements (including REEs) from aquifer rocks, the surface complexation reactions of REEs in synthetic groundwater, and transportation of reactive REEs in the local-scale groundwater system of YM. This dissertation includes three projects. These studies indicate that surface complexation reactions may retard the transportation of REEs along groundwater paths in YM, which suggests a similar behavior of …

Still Flying: The Communicative Constitution Of Browncoat Fandom As Culture, Jonathon Nicholas Lundy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In contemporary western culture, fandom is common. Many academics and members of the general public alike conceive of fandom as outside the norms of spectatorship; to be a spectator is to enjoy an interest individually and passively. However, others contend that fandom is a more significant cultural achievement.

This study qualitatively investigated how Browncoats, or fans of the cancelled television series Firefly , communicatively construct their fandom culture. Methods included participant observation, semi-structured interviews, data analysis through Grounded Theory, and a comparative thematic analysis of the original Firefly source texts and Browncoat cultural data in order to discover meaningful themes …

Defining The Problem Of Cost In Federal Civil Litigation, Emery G. Lee Iii, Thomas E. Willging

Duke Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Re-Examining Customary International Law And The Federal Courts: An Introduction, Anthony J. Bellia Jr.

Journal Articles

Legal scholars have debated intensely the role of customary international law in the American federal system. The debate involves serious questions surrounding the United States's constitutional structure, foreign relations, and human rights. Despite an impressive body of scholarship, the debate has stood at an impasse in recent years, without either side garnering a consensus. This symposium–Re-examining Customary International Law and the Federal Courts–aspires to help advance the debate over the status of customary international law in the federal courts.

The symposium received thoughtful and constructive contributions from Professors Curtis A. Bradley, Bradford R. Clark, Andrew Kent, Carlos M. Vizquez, and …

The Political Branches And The Law Of Nations, Bradford R. Clark, Anthony J. Bellia Jr.

Journal Articles

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the U.S. Supreme Court went out of its way to follow background rules of the law of nations, particularly the law of state-state relations. As we have recently argued, the Court followed the law of nations because adherence to such law preserved the constitutional prerogatives of the political branches to conduct foreign relations and decide momentous questions of war and peace. Although we focused primarily on the extent to which the Constitution obligated courts to follow the law of nations in the early republic, the explanation we offered rested on an important, …

The Experiences Of Expatriate Teachers In International Schools: Five Ethnographic Case Studies, James S. Anderson Edd

Dissertations

An increasingly global economy has produced a growing demand for teachers to work in international schools. However, data about teachers who elect to move abroad and work in international settings are limited. The lack of research in this area is surprising, given the relatively large number of expatriate teachers who work in international schools. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how expatriate teachers perceive their experiences in international schools and the role that these perceptions may play in their decisions to continue at a school or to seek other employment. In order to explore …

Consumers' Attitudes Towards Traceability Of Food And Meat Products, Kulmani Rana

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to survey consumers on their support for Radio Frequency Identification tags on fruit and vegetable containers and their willingness to pay for traceability of meat products. Ironically, there is no single universally accepted definition of traceability. There is evidence that the US has fallen behind its major trading partners in terms of implementing a nationwide food traceability system. Researchers in the past have concluded that consumers' WTP for traceability increases significantly when bundled with additional assurances. There is real concern among consumers about implementation of traceability systems in food as well as meat products. …

Army Supply Chain Management: Trends And Parellels With Industry, Matthew C. Olson

Honors Theses

Documents assembled as part of a supply chain management study to compare the tools and concepts used by private industry with the public sector, specifically the Department of Defense and the United States Army.

An Investigation Of High School Dual Enrollment Participation And Allied Health Program Enrollment In A South Texas University, Martina Flores

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The shortage of allied health professionals has caught the attention of legislators and higher education institution administrators. The current study used a concurrent embedded mixed method design to investigate factors that motivated students to participate in health science technology (HST) dual enrollment courses while still in high school. It sought to identify the factors or variables students believed helped them be successful in the health science courses. Additionally, the quantitative portion of the study investigated academic achievement as a function of high school achievement (HSAch), high school performance (HSPerf), Aptitude (Apt), and ProActive measures taken by students. Two focus groups …

Majoritarian Difficulty And Theories Of Constitutional Decision Making, Michael C. Dorf

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Recent scholarship in political science and law challenges the view that judicial review in the United States poses what Alexander Bickel famously called the "counter-majoritarian difficulty." Although courts do regularly invalidate state and federal action on constitutional grounds, they rarely depart substantially from the median of public opinion. When they do so depart, if public opinion does not eventually come in line with the judicial view, constitutional amendment, changes in judicial personnel, and/or changes in judicial doctrine typically bring judicial understandings closer to public opinion. But if the modesty of courts dissolves Bickel's worry, it raises a distinct one: Are …

The Impact Of Network Parameters On The Quality Of Voice Calls In Voice Over Internet Protocol (Voip) Services, Olugbenga Bamidele Olumuyiwa

Theses (Pre-2016)

Many residential as well as business customers have been switching to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone services. VoIP phone services are based on the transmission of voice over packet switched IP networks. VoIP customers use their internet connection not only to connect to the Internet but also to make phone calls. VoIP service providers have always faced the challenge of providing customers with good call quality even though the IP network that carries call traffic does not provide any Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees. Delays, packet loss, jitter, and out of sequence packets are some sources of poor VoIP …

Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria In A General Intensive Care Unit In Saudi Arabia, Nermin K. Saeed, Abdulmageed M. Kambal, Noura A. El-Khizzi

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria causing infections in patients at the intensive care units (ICUs) of Riyadh Military Hospital (RMH), as well as their antimicrobial resistance patterns for one year. METHODS: A retrospective, cohort investigation was performed. Laboratory records from January to December 2009 were studied for the prevalence of MDR Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and their antimicrobial resistance in ICU patients from RMH, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: A total of 1210 isolates were collected from various specimens such as: respiratory (469), blood (400), wound/tissue (235), urinary (56), nasal swabs (35), and cerebro-spinal …

Preserving Republican Governance: An Essential Government Functions Exception To Direct Democratic Measures, William R. Leinen

William & Mary Law Review

No abstract provided.

Reducing Alcohol Risk In Adjudicated Male College Students: Further Validation Of A Group Motivational Enhancement Intervention, Joseph W. Labrie, Jessica Cail, Eric R. Pedersen, Savannah Migliuri

Heads Up!

This study examined the effectiveness of a single-session group motivational enhancement alcohol intervention on adjudicated male college students. Over two sequential academic years, 230 students sanctioned by the university for alcohol-related infractions attended a 60- to 75-minute group intervention. The intervention consisted of a timeline followback, social norms education, decisional balance for behavioral change, blood alcohol content (BAC) information, expectancy challenge, and generation of behavioral goals. Participants were followed weekly for three months and showed reductions in drinking (29%) and alcohol-related consequences (32%) at three-month follow-up. The intervention was successful in reducing drinking for both first-year students and upperclassmen, with …

Sexual Experience And Risky Alcohol Consumption Among Incoming First-Year College Females, Joseph W. Labrie, Shannon R. Kenney, Savannah Millbury, Andrew Lac

Heads Up!

This study examines the relationship between sexual experience and various drinking measures in 550 incoming first-year college females. During this transition period, sexually experienced participants reported stronger alcohol expectancies and endorsed higher drinking motives, and drank more frequently and in greater quantities than sexually inexperienced participants. Sexual status was also a significant predictor of alcohol-related nonsexual consequences, over and above amount consumed. Furthermore, controlling for drinking, sexual status moderated the relationship between coping motives and consequences. Among women who endorsed strong coping motives for drinking, sexual experience was linked to greater nonsexual alcohol-related consequences. Implications for prevention and intervention are …

Factors Associated With General And Sexual Alcohol-Related Consequences: An Examination Of College Students Studying Abroad, Justin F. Hummer, Eric R. Pedersen, Tehniat Mirza, Joseph W. Labrie

Heads Up!

This study contributes to the scarce research on U.S. college students studying abroad by documenting general and sexual negative alcohol-related risks and factors associated with such risk. The manner of drinking (quantity vs. frequency), predeparture expectations surrounding alcohol use while abroad, culture-related social anxiety, and perceived disparity between home and host cultures differentially predicted consequences abroad. The findings include important implications for student affairs professionals in developing study abroad–specific interventions and resources to maintain student well-being while abroad.

Recognition Of Posed And Spontaneous Dynamic Smiles In Younger And Older Adults, Nora A. Murphy, Jonathan M. Lehrfeld, Derek M. Isaacowitz

Psychological Science Faculty Works

In two studies, we investigated age effects in the ability to recognize dynamic posed and spontaneous smiles. Study 1 found that both younger and older adult participants were above-chance in their ability to distinguish between posed and spontaneous younger adult smiles. Study 2 found that younger adult participant performance declined when judging a combination of both younger and older adult target smiles, while older adult participants outperformed younger adult participants in distinguishing between posed and spontaneous smiles. A synthesis of results across the two studies showed a small-to-medium age effect (d = −0.40) suggesting an older adult advantage when …

Memory-Keepers: An Ethnographic Look At Female Agency Among Italian-Americans, Hannah Burgwyn

Southern Anthropologist

(2010 Undergraduate Prize Winner.) While doing ethnographic research in Bayonne New Jersey among my extended Italian-American family over the summer of 2008 I began to see how deeply memories were valued within Italian-American communities. From fall 2008 to fall 2009, I continued my research in Asheville and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, also with people of Italian ancestry. These interviews supported the idea that memory aids in the construction and maintenance of Italian-American identity and works as a defining feature of female agency within the community. While studying gender roles of Italian-American women it became apparent that an important aspect of …

'You Have To Go North To Find The South': Situating Central Florida In The South For Birth Research, Erica Gibson

Southern Anthropologist

This paper reports on situating Central Florida as a part of the South for birth research among midwives, a physician, and their clients. A comparison is made between historical and modern beliefs about what is represented by Southern values and ideals, and how the women and birth practitioners in this study do or do not conform to those ideals.