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2011

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Nuclear Phenomena In Covariant Density Functional Theory, Hazem Abusara Dec 2011

Nuclear Phenomena In Covariant Density Functional Theory, Hazem Abusara

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, covariant density functional theory has been applied to a variety of nuclear phenomena in the ground and excited states of rotating and non-rotating nuclei. It has been applied for the interpretation of excited superdeformed bands in 154Dy using the effective alignmentmethods. The properties of the predicted hyperdeformed nuclei at high spin in the Z = 40−58 region were investigated and the spins at which such configuration become yrast were defined. The moments of inertia, the role of single-particle energies and necking degree of freedom have also been studied. It also predicted that 107Cd is the best nucleus …

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On The Problem Of Arbitrary Projections Onto A Reduced Discrete Set Of States With Applications To Mean First Passage Time Problems, Katja Biswas Dec 2011

On The Problem Of Arbitrary Projections Onto A Reduced Discrete Set Of States With Applications To Mean First Passage Time Problems, Katja Biswas

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a theoretical study of arbitrary discretizations of general nonequilibrium and non-steady-state systems. It will be shown that, without requiring the partitions of the phase-space to fulfill certain assumptions, such as culminating in Markovian partitions, a Markov chain can be constructed which has the same macro-change of probability of the occupation of the states as the original process. This is true for any classical and semiclassical system under any discrete or continuous, deterministic or stochastic, Markovian or non-Markovian dynamics. Restricted to classical and semi-classical systems, a formalism is developed which treats the projection of arbitrary (multidimensional) complex systems …

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Dr. Johnson's Novel Influence: Jane Austen Illuminates Concordia Discors, Heather Ann Tucker Dec 2011

Dr. Johnson's Novel Influence: Jane Austen Illuminates Concordia Discors, Heather Ann Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate Jane Austen’s illumination of Samuel Johnson’s moral precepts in seeking harmony in choice of life. Austen explores the various decisions of her characters and the effects of those choices on happiness through the use of free indirect discourse. Austen and Johnson both contend that marriage is a potential source of great happiness in an individual’s choice of life, and concordia discors between spouses offers the highest form of contentment in marriage. Johnson believed that the novelist had a moral duty to his or her reader to present characters with attainable virtue. Austen’s …

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Dual-Fueling Concepts: A Comparison Of Methane And Propane As Primary Fuels With Biodiesel And Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel As Separate Pilot Fuels, Nicholas Thane Shoemaker Dec 2011

Dual-Fueling Concepts: A Comparison Of Methane And Propane As Primary Fuels With Biodiesel And Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel As Separate Pilot Fuels, Nicholas Thane Shoemaker

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to examine dualueling concepts using two different types of primary fuel, methane and propane; as well as two different pilot fuels, ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and biodiesel (B100). Experiments were performed using a 1.9 liter, turbocharged, 4 cylinder diesel engine at 1800 rev/min with ULSD and B100 being injected as a pilot fuel directly into the combustion chamber, at different brake mean effective pressures (BMEP), and percent energy substitutions of propane and methane. Brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and emissions (NOx, THC, CO, CO2, O2 and smoke) were also measured and analyzed. Maximum PES was …

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Power Supply On Chip Dc-Dc Converter Identification Using Black-Box Modeling Techniques, Charles Craig Bilberry Dec 2011

Power Supply On Chip Dc-Dc Converter Identification Using Black-Box Modeling Techniques, Charles Craig Bilberry

Theses and Dissertations

With recent developments in power conversion technologies and market trends that are driving those technologies toward further miniaturization and greater integration, the need for verifying an empirically based modeling methodology for proprietary power converters such as Power Supply on Chip (PwrSoC) products has risen significantly. This need motivates the investigation of black-box models which require little or no knowledge of the internal workings of a system, for those areas of industry adopting PwrSoC technology as a point-of-load solution. This thesis reports a black-box modeling method tailored to accommodate but not limited to the requirements of a specific commercially available PwrSoC …

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Multi-Scale Roost Site Selection By Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bats And Southeastern Myotis In Mississippi, Heather Lynne Fleming Dec 2011

Multi-Scale Roost Site Selection By Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bats And Southeastern Myotis In Mississippi, Heather Lynne Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

Rafinesque’s big-eared bats (Corynorhinus rafinesquii; RBEB) and southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius; SEM) are listed on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Limited information on roost sites exists. I conducted roost surveys for RBEB and SEM on public forest lands in central Mississippi during winter and spring 2010. During winter, RBEB and SEM roosted in cavity trees with greater trunk diameters. In spring, roost trees used by SEM were located in forested areas of lower elevation, less slope, and greater distances from roads. Because imperfect detection can affect occupancy estimates, I estimated detection probabilities under different survey methods. Detection probability ranged …

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Advancing Li/Cfx Battery Chemistry: A Study On Partially Reduced Cfx As A Primary Li/Cfx Cell Cathode Material, Martin Mathews Dec 2011

Advancing Li/Cfx Battery Chemistry: A Study On Partially Reduced Cfx As A Primary Li/Cfx Cell Cathode Material, Martin Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

Conventional primary Li/CFx batteries employ graphite and polyvinylidene fluoride additives in the cathodes. These additives usher in some un-desired side-effects, such as lower battery capacities (mAh/g) and smaller current densities (mA/g). An innovative pretreatment was developed in this research in which CFx was subject to a “solvated electron” reduction to obtain a thin layer graphitic carbon coating on the CFx particle surfaces. Resistivity tests revealed that these partially reduced CFx particles have a higher conductivity at comparable graphitic carbon contents. Electrochemical discharge reactions demonstrated that batteries made from the reduced CFx were superior to the conventional batteries with higher current …

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Studies On Hexahapto-Dibenzo[A,E]Cyclooctatetraene Complexes Of Chromiumtricarbonyl And Cationic Manganesetricarbonyl, Nilantha Bandara Dec 2011

Studies On Hexahapto-Dibenzo[A,E]Cyclooctatetraene Complexes Of Chromiumtricarbonyl And Cationic Manganesetricarbonyl, Nilantha Bandara

Theses and Dissertations

Mono- and dinuclear chromiumtricarbonyl and manganesetricarbonyl complexes of dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctatetraene (DBCOT) were synthesized and characterized. In the bis(chromiumtricarbonyl)DBCOT synthesis, the main product was the syn,anti isomer where the two Cr(CO)3 moieties coordinate to opposite faces of the DBCOT backbone. This complex exhibits three dynamic processes in solution. A ring inversion of the organic skeleton occurs while the two chromiumtricarbonyl moieties undergo tripod rotation. This is the first study where eight-membered ring inversion is studied for a pi-coordinated metallic system. The rate of inversion at various temperatures was determined by 1H NMR line shape analysis at two different field strengths (300 and …

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Study Of Excited Superdeformed Bands In 154dy And High-Spin Spectroscopy Of 171hf, Qurant Ul Ann Ijaz Dec 2011

Study Of Excited Superdeformed Bands In 154dy And High-Spin Spectroscopy Of 171hf, Qurant Ul Ann Ijaz

Theses and Dissertations

The first project in this dissertation involves the search for and the study of excited superdeformed (SD) rotational bands in 154Dy. The data was obtained from an experiment at the 88-inch cyclotron of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory via the fusion evaporation reaction 122Sn(36S, 4n) and using the Gammasphere spectrometer array to probe the high-spin states in 154Dy. With the help of large Compton-suppressed spectrometers such as GAMMASPHERE in the USA and EUROBALL in Europe, superdeformed nuclei have been identified in several regions of the chart of nuclides including 151Dy, 153Dy, 154Dy and 155Dy. The 154Dy nucleus, located in the …

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Measurement Of Trace Environmental Contaminants Using Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy, Susan Theresa Scherrer Dec 2011

Measurement Of Trace Environmental Contaminants Using Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy, Susan Theresa Scherrer

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental contamination has become a significant threat to the health and well-being of mankind as well as to the environment, prompting the establishment and implementation of stringent environmental regulations. The ability to accurately detect and quantify contaminants, such as mercury (Hg), uranium (U), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in real-time, in situ is of significant importance to monitoring and remediation efforts. In an effort to develop a real-time, fast-response detector that is portable, highly sensitive, and cost efficient, this research explored the feasibility of utilizing cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) in conjunction with various plasma sources and vacuum cavities to accurately …

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Functional Characterization Of The Ocfc Gene And Optimization Of Medium Components And Culture Condition For Occidiofungin Production By Burkholderia Contaminans Strain Ms14, Kuan-Chih Chen Dec 2011

Functional Characterization Of The Ocfc Gene And Optimization Of Medium Components And Culture Condition For Occidiofungin Production By Burkholderia Contaminans Strain Ms14, Kuan-Chih Chen

Theses and Dissertations

he 56-kb ocfC gene cluster is required for occidiofungin production by Burkholderia contaminans strain MS14. However, the function of the ocfC gene remains unknown. Sequence analysis showed the putative protein encoded by ocfC shares significant identities to glycosyltransferase. Plate bioassays showed that occidiofungin production by the ocfC mutant (ocfC::nptII) was significantly reduced as compared with strain MS14. The occidiofungin produced by the ocfC mutant is xyloseree, which suggests the ocfC gene encodes a xylosyltransferase to add a xylose to the peptide backbone. Single variant optimization of culture condition and medium compositions was also performed in this study. The results indicated …

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Human Predation Risk Effects On Adult, Male White-Tailed Deer Antipredator Behavior, Andrew Richard Little Dec 2011

Human Predation Risk Effects On Adult, Male White-Tailed Deer Antipredator Behavior, Andrew Richard Little

Theses and Dissertations

Recreational hunters play an important role in managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus); however, the potential for deer to alter behaviors to avoid hunters has not been addressed within the risk-allocation hypothesis. I evaluated magnitude (i.e., hunter density) and temporal variation (i.e., time of day and initial and prolonged exposure) in human predation risk on movements, resource selection, and observation rates of 37 adult male deer in southern Oklahoma. Deer recognized human predation risk by increasing diel path complexity and use of security cover with greater hunter density. Moreover, deer reduced movement rates and tortuosity while seeking out areas with security …

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Hydrolysis Of Organophosphate And Model Substrates In African American And Caucasian Southerners By Serum Paraoxonase-1 (Pon1) And Its Relationship To Atherosclerosis, Ryan Hunter Coombes Dec 2011

Hydrolysis Of Organophosphate And Model Substrates In African American And Caucasian Southerners By Serum Paraoxonase-1 (Pon1) And Its Relationship To Atherosclerosis, Ryan Hunter Coombes

Theses and Dissertations

Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a high density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme displaying esterase and lactonase activity. PON1 hydrolyzes the oxons of several organophosphorous insecticides (e.g. paraoxon, diazoxon and chlorpyrifos-oxon) and metabolizes lipid peroxides of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and HDL. As such, PON1 plays a relevant role in determining susceptibility of organophosphate toxicity and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine associations of PON1 status (i.e. genotype and activity levels) with atherosclerosis (ATH) in individuals from the Southeastern United States. An additional objective was to determine whether PON1 genotype and/or PON1 activity levels influence the capacity of PON1 to …

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Structures, Energetics And Vibrational Frequency Shifts Of Hydrated Pyrimidine, J. Coleman Howard, Nathan I. Hammer, Gregory S. Tschumper Dec 2011

Structures, Energetics And Vibrational Frequency Shifts Of Hydrated Pyrimidine, J. Coleman Howard, Nathan I. Hammer, Gregory S. Tschumper

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

More than 70 unique micro-hydrated structures of pyrimidine, ranging in size from 1 to 7 water molecules, have been characterized with the B3LYP density functional and the 6-311++G(2df,2pd) triple-ζ split-valence basis set. Explicitly correlated MP2-F12 single-point computations were performed on each structure with a correlation consistent triple-ζ basis set to estimate the relative and dissociation energies at the MP2 complete basis set (CBS) limit. Many of these new structures have significantly lower energies than those previously reported (by as much as 12.66 kcal mol-1). For clusters with 1 and 2 water molecules, the MP2-F12 relative and dissociation energies are virtually …

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Cross-Entropy Approaches To Software Forensics: Source Code Authorship Identification, James Thomas Stinson Dec 2011

Cross-Entropy Approaches To Software Forensics: Source Code Authorship Identification, James Thomas Stinson

Theses and Dissertations

Identification of source code authorship can be a useful tool in the areas of security and forensic investigation by helping to create corroborating evidence that may send a suspected cyber terrorist, hacker, or malicious code writer to jail. When applied to academia, it can also prove a useful tool for professors who suspect students of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, or modification of source code related to programming assignments. The purpose of this dissertation is to determine whether or not cross-entropy approaches to source code authorship analysis will succeed in predicting the correct author of a given piece of source code. If …

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An Investigation Of Institutional Investor And Firm Heterogeneity, Muhammad Arif Qayyum Dec 2011

An Investigation Of Institutional Investor And Firm Heterogeneity, Muhammad Arif Qayyum

Theses and Dissertations

In the first essay, we extend the research of Grinstein and Michaely (2005) on the relation between institutional ownership and payout policy by focusing on the institutions most likely to vote their shares. We account for heterogeneity among institutional investors as well as for firms. This paper accounts for heterogeneity among institutional investors based on their portfolio concentration and investment horizon and firms are differentiated based on their importance for institutional investors (based on percentage of total portfolio invested in the firm), free cash flow and debt-to-equity ratio. We examine the institutional holding data from 1980 to 2006. Like Grinstein …

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Ann-Based Fault Classification And Location On Mvdc Cables Of Shipboard Power Systems, Naveen Kumar Chanda Dec 2011

Ann-Based Fault Classification And Location On Mvdc Cables Of Shipboard Power Systems, Naveen Kumar Chanda

Theses and Dissertations

Uninterrupted power supply is an important requirement for electric ship since it has to confront frequent travel and hostilities. However, the occurrence of faults in the shipboard power systems interrupts the power service continuity and leads to the severe damage on the electrical equipments. Faults need to be quickly detected and isolated in order to restore the power supply and prevent the massive cascading outage effect on the electrical equipments. This thesis presents an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based method for the fault classification and location in MVDC shipboard power systems using the transient information in the fault voltage and …

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Characterization Of Reclaimed Asphalt And Performance Based Evaluation Of Its Use In Recycled Mixtures, Jesse David Doyle Dec 2011

Characterization Of Reclaimed Asphalt And Performance Based Evaluation Of Its Use In Recycled Mixtures, Jesse David Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a valuable resource that can be recycled into new asphalt mixtures. In recent years, the continued rise of raw material costs has generated considerable interest in increasing RAP usage. Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is a modern development in the asphalt industry that can potentially help increase RAP usage and achieve adequate mixture performance. The purpose of this dissertation is to: 1) develop a method to characterize the absorbed, inert and effective bituminous components in RAP; and 2) evaluate performance of high RAP-WMA mixtures for various pavement applications including airfield surfaces, highway surfaces and highway bases. …

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Development Of A Standard Stormwater, Erosion And Sediment Control Training And Certification Program For Contractors Of Construction Sites One Acre Or Larger In Desoto County, Mississippi, Susana Cook Martin-Velazquez Dec 2011

Development Of A Standard Stormwater, Erosion And Sediment Control Training And Certification Program For Contractors Of Construction Sites One Acre Or Larger In Desoto County, Mississippi, Susana Cook Martin-Velazquez

Theses and Dissertations

Polluted runoff has been widely recognized by environmental scientists and regulators as the single largest threat to water quality in the United States. Contractor training and certification are among the four main Best Management Practices that the Environmental Protection Agency recommends to assist contractors in complying with Phase II Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems requirements that regulate construction sites stormwater runoff. The focus of the study is the review of training requirements for construction activities and stormwater permitting requirements in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The review of the various training and …

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Development Of A Short Range Tracking System Using An Inertial Measurement Unit, James Casey Shackelford Dec 2011

Development Of A Short Range Tracking System Using An Inertial Measurement Unit, James Casey Shackelford

Theses and Dissertations

Inertial measurement units, or IMUs, serve as effective tracking devices when used in sophisticated aerospace control and navigational systems. This tracking potential, coupled with ever advancing technology that permits IMUs to become smaller and more compact, is allowing IMUs to gain popularity in a many areas of research beyond the areas of aerospace. Using an IMU based on microelectromechanical (MEMS) technology, this document investigates an IMU’s ability to track complex, short range motions such as golf swings. To prepare the IMU, an accurate, yet quick, calibration procedure is proposed and illustrated to show the tools and equipment necessary for this …

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Diversity And Ecology Of Bean Pod Mottle Virus In Mississippi, Ronald Christian Stephenson Dec 2011

Diversity And Ecology Of Bean Pod Mottle Virus In Mississippi, Ronald Christian Stephenson

Theses and Dissertations

Sequences of 33 Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) isolates collected from Mississippi were obtained from four regions of the viral genome. Sequences were compared mutually and to subgroups I and II type isolates. Mississippi isolates collected have greater similarity to subgroup II. Helicase sequences obtained from Mississippi isolates showed characteristics of isolates producing mild or moderate symptoms. Biological comparison of isolates from Mississippi confirmed predictions from molecular data. Plant species were tested for susceptibility to BPMV. Seven of 52 species tested positive. Desmodium perplexum was infected by beetle feeding and served as an inoculum source for transmission of BPMV to …

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Effect Of Asphalt Emulsion On Surface Treated Flexible Pavements Using The Bending Beam Rheometer, Jason Michael Barham Dec 2011

Effect Of Asphalt Emulsion On Surface Treated Flexible Pavements Using The Bending Beam Rheometer, Jason Michael Barham

Theses and Dissertations

Chip and scrub seal treatments are common pavement preservation practices that use asphalt emulsions. Their performance has been studied for several years, yet many questions remain. The primary thesis objective was to study near surface behaviors of flexible pavements that are candidates for seal treatments. This study investigated the ability of the bending beam rheometer (BBR) to detect pavement surface changes due to the application of asphalt emulsion. Estimated stiffness and m-value data was recorded for three asphalt concrete mixtures using mixture beams approximately 120 mm long by 12 mm wide by 7.7 mm thick sawn from the surface of …

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A Case Study Of The State Takeover Of The Sunflower County School District, Paula Allen Vanderford Dec 2011

A Case Study Of The State Takeover Of The Sunflower County School District, Paula Allen Vanderford

Theses and Dissertations

The performance of the nation‟s public schools continues to be a concern of policymakers, educators, and parents. Stakeholders cite the lack of academic achievement, disruptive student behavior, and failure to provide students with a safe and orderly school environment as evidence of being unsuccessful. To ensure school districts, schools, administrators, teachers, and students meet acceptable performance standards, states are implementing a variety of accountability policies. Two of the more controversial accountability approaches are state takeovers of local school districts and the reconstitution of schools. At least 29 states have enacted policies that allow the takeover of a school district. Changes …

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A Comparison Of The Effects Of Heat Stress On Milk And Component Yields And Somatic Cell Count In Holstein And Jersey Cows, Daniel L. Smith Dec 2011

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Heat Stress On Milk And Component Yields And Somatic Cell Count In Holstein And Jersey Cows, Daniel L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Objective 1 was to investigate effects of heat stress and breed on milk and component yield for Holstein and Jersey cows on the same farm. Objective 2 was to determine the effects of breed on udder health as measured by somatic cell count (SCC) during times of heat stress. Data were collected from DHIA records of 142 Jersey cows and 586 Holstein cows from the University herd at Mississippi State University. During heat stress Jersey milk yield and 4% fat corrected milk (FCM) increased (P<0.01). Holstein milk yield and FCM decreased during heat stress (P<0.01). Heat stress affected somatic cell count (SCC) although effects varied by intensity of heat stress. Breed did not have an affect on SCC. Milk fat and protein percentages declined for both breeds in heat stress conditions. Milk fat but not milk protein of Jersey cows increased as stress increased from mild to severe.

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Activated Sludge As Renewable Fuels And Oleochemicals Feedstock, Emmanuel Durante Revellame Dec 2011

Activated Sludge As Renewable Fuels And Oleochemicals Feedstock, Emmanuel Durante Revellame

Theses and Dissertations

The utilization of activated sludge as feedstock for biofuel and oleochemical production was investigated. Initial studies included optimization of biodiesel production from this feedstock through in situ transesterification. Results of these studies indicated that activated sludge biodiesel is not economically viable. This was primarily due to relatively low yields and the high economics of feedstock dewatering. Strategies to increase biofuel yield from activated sludge were then evaluated. Bacterial species present in activated sludge are known to produce a wide variety of lipidic compounds as carbon and energy storage material and as components of their cellular structures. In addition to lipidic …

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Added Critical Flashover Voltage By Fiberglass Crossarm To 15 Kv Polymer Suspension Insulator, Shravani Talabathula Dec 2011

Added Critical Flashover Voltage By Fiberglass Crossarm To 15 Kv Polymer Suspension Insulator, Shravani Talabathula

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is based on the investigative studies performed on fiberglass crossarm, which will be used in the distribution line structures as an additional insulation component. Lightning impulse voltage tests were conducted on the fiberglass crossarm alone to determine its critical flashover (CFO) voltage, and also the critical flashover voltage of 15 kV polymer suspension insulator plus the fiberglass crossarm. The Added CFO voltage of the fiberglass crossarm to the insulator was determined with polymer suspension insulator as the primary insulation component and the fiberglass crossarm as the secondary insulation component. Added CFO voltage was evaluated for 1 ft through …

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An Economic Analysis Of Health, Savings, And Labor In Relation To Gender, Comfort Febisola Ricketts Dec 2011

An Economic Analysis Of Health, Savings, And Labor In Relation To Gender, Comfort Febisola Ricketts

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is divided into five chapters consisting of three short essays that concentrate on economic analysis of health, savings and labor. The first essay is aimed at investigating the influence of increased work hours on individuals’ health and how this may differ between males and females. It is expected that increased hours of work will have a negative impact on health but this impact may be stronger for females. In the second essay, the relationship between individuals’ health and savings behavior is analyzed. Healthy individuals are expected to be more productive, earn higher incomes, and have lower medical expenditures …

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As The Church Worships So She Believes, Beth Bowers Dec 2011

As The Church Worships So She Believes, Beth Bowers

Leaven

No abstract provided.

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Praise As Resistance: A Reading Of Mary's Song (Luke 1.46-55), Kindalee Pfremmer De Long Dec 2011

Praise As Resistance: A Reading Of Mary's Song (Luke 1.46-55), Kindalee Pfremmer De Long

Leaven

No abstract provided.

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Between Lament And Doxology: 1 Samuel 2.1-10, Mark Manassee, Angela Manassee Dec 2011

Between Lament And Doxology: 1 Samuel 2.1-10, Mark Manassee, Angela Manassee

Leaven

No abstract provided.

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