Digital Commons Network^™

Azerbaijan: How Equitable Is Access To Higher Education?, Rashan Aliyev

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This paper aims to shed light on some of the issues that impede the development of higher education sector in Azerbaijan, focusing on the growing inequality in the educational outcomes at the secondary level and the ensuing unequal access in higher education. It assesses the performance of the education sector in the Republic of Azerbaijan in terms of ensuring equitable access in higher education (H.E.) across the country. A comparison of university admission rates among different groups in question acts as a fairly good proxy for most aspects of equity in access in higher education. For that reason, this analysis …

Institutional Discrimination Against The Minority Groups In Bosnia And Herzegovina: Barrier To Eu Membership, Bedrudin Brljavac

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

extensive European Union-related reform process, the country is still facing serious democratic deficit. In particular, the post-Dayton public sphere has been dominated by ethno-nationalist political elites which are doing everything to exclude non-nationalists and members of minority groups from the decision-making process. This is a clear paradox since one of the main objectives behind the integration of the European countries into the European Community was to reduce disintegrative and dangerous influences of nationalists and establish a peaceful, prosperous, and secure community. In this article, we analyze the process of the post-Dayton ethno-nationalization resulting in a widespread discrimination against the so-called …

What The Spiritual Caregiver Should Know While Dealing With Survivors Of Ethnic Violence, Nazila Isgandarova

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Ethnic cleansing and genocide are different terms but both involve violence as a main tool, and many women and girls suffer from this kind of violence. The challenge for the spiritual caregiver is to define the major emotional turmoil of the patient and offer a helping hand. The main terminology involves the words „ethnic cleansing‟, „genocide‟ and „violence.‟ The case study is the Khojali genocide, which was recognized in the US Congress as the “biggest tragedy of the year” (Extensions of Remarks from Congressional Record E463). The paper discusses the role of spirituality and the major spiritual challenges of the …

Calorific Values Of Building Materials And Their Effect On The Structural Environment, Graham Doyle

Theses

As materials are seen to be a distinct source of fire and to avoid the destructive effects of fire to people and the environment, there is certainly a need for an assessment of building materials, internal finishes and contents to be conducted in a fire engineering context. This report examines the effect of these materials on the structural environment with a view of ultimately determining compartmental fire loads.

Research has shown that there is a significant lack of information available in regards to the calorific values of materials, and in particular building materials. In addition, material calorific values and generic …

Does Marketing Have An Image Problem? An Empirical Study In To The Opinion Of Marketing From The Perspective Of Business And Consumers., Tony Ferguson

Theses

In the 50 year period since the marketing concept was first introduced to business strategy, we have witnessed a shift from the post-World War 2 austerity of supply shortages, to a modern day consumerist society, where maturing markets and an excess supply of goods and services pose serious challenges, in a highly competitive business environment. As competition has intensified, businesses have endeavoured to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Billions of dollars have been invested in research to gain an insight in to what motivates a highly sophisticated and increasingly cynical consumer. These challenges have been exacerbated since 2008, by the …

A Machine-Learning Approach For Workflow Identification From Low-Level Monitoring Information, Thorsten Stein

Theses

Knowing which workflows are executed within Service Oriented Architectures (SOA) is essential for successful IT management. In many cases, SOAs grew out of previous existing IT architectures; existing components are used as single services and therefore as parts of newly created workflows. Since such workflows consist of newly developed and legacy services, traditional workflow management systems often cannot be applied. This thesis presents a method for gathering information about the executed workflows within such heterogeneous environments. An implementation of a framework is presented. This framework allows the training of machine-learning algorithms with workflow models and the mapping of low-level monitoring …

Composition - Structure - Property Relationships In Strontium / Zinc Doped Glass-Ceramics., Mark Looney

Theses

Calcium silicate ceramics are amongst a group of ceramic materials currently utilised as bone graft materials. However, current calcium silicate grafts offer little therapeutic potential and poor mechanical properties. The objective of this project was to examine the composition-structure-property relationships arising from the incorporation of therapeutic ions of strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn) into calcium silicate glass-ceramics (GC) in order to allow for healthy bone regeneration and antibacterial efficacy. Five compositions were studied with varying mole fractions of Sr and Zn. The GC’s were characterised using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffraction (XRD) at room and ascending temperatures, x-ray tomography …

Semi-Automatic Management Of Knowledge Bases Using Formal Ontologies, Andreas Textor

Theses

This thesis presents an approach that deals with the ever-growing amount of data in knowledge bases, especially concerning knowledge interoperability and formal representation of domain knowledge. There arc multiple issues that must be addressed with current systems. A multitude of different formats, sources and tools exist in a domain, and it is desirable to develop their use further towards a standardised environment. Such an environment should support both the representation and processing of data from this domain, and the connection to other domains, where necessary. In order to manage large amounts of data, it should be possible to perform whatever …

Composition-Structure-Property Relationships For Experimental Composite Nerve Guidance Conduits, Xiaofang Zhang

Theses

Many Nerve Guidance Conduits (NGCs) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an alternative to nerve autografting for guiding peripheral nerve regeneration. However these materials offer little therapeutic potential for favourable axon growth environment, and difficulty in balancing the mechanical properties and the degradation rate of the implanted material is also a contemporary challenge. This project involved the design of experimental composite NGCs comprising glass particles and Pluronic FI27 in the copolymer (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) and examined the composition-structure-property relationships for such materials. Three glasses (0.5Si-(x) Na-0.2Ca-0.13Zn-(0.17-x) Ce) (0.0.04 > x > 0.14) were produced. Glasses were characterised using …

A Qos Aware Framework For Wireless Sensor Networks In Industrial Environments, Berta Carballido Villaverde

Theses

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are a key enabling technology for industrial monitoring applications where the use of wireless infrastructure allows high adaptivity and low cost in terms of installation and retrofitting. Although WSNs present several advantages over traditional wired monitoring systems, there is significant concern as to the reliability of wireless communications due to the unpredictability of the wireless channel, which is inhibiting the widespread adoption of the technology. Furthermore, due to the diverse range of monitoring applications that are found in industrial environments and their differing requirements, there is a need for quality of service (QoS) provisioning so that …

Model Based Test Suite Minimization Using Metaheuristics, Usman Farooq

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Software testing is one of the most widely used methods for quality assurance and fault detection purposes. However, it is one of the most expensive, tedious and time consuming activities in software development life cycle. Code-based and specification-based testing has been going on for almost four decades. Model-based testing (MBT) is a relatively new approach to software testing where the software models as opposed to other artifacts (i.e. source code) are used as primary source of test cases. Models are simplified representation of a software system and are cheaper to execute than the original or deployed system. The main objective …

A Musical Instrument Using In Vitro Neural Networks., Eduardo R. Miranda, Slawomir J. Nasuto, Anna R. Troisi, Julia H. Downes, Antonino Chiaramonte, Matthew C. Spencer, Mark W. Hammond, Dimitris Xydas, Benjamin J. Whalley, Victor M. Becerra, Kevin Warwick

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This paper presents a musical instrument, which uses in vitro neuronal networks to synthesise sounds. Cultures of dissociated neurons are grown on a dish with an embedded rectangular array of electrodes (MEA). Isolated neurons reconnect with one another via an extensive network of synaptically connected projections to form a dense monolayer of neurons. Cultures are provided with stimulation, which influences their activity, and can modify the culture’s state. The core of the sound synthesis engine of our musical instrument is a monophonic additive synthesizer using sinusoidal oscillators. We devised a method to generate frequencies, phase and amplitude values for the …

Degradation Of Mechanical Properties Of Vinylester And Carbon Fiber/Vinylester Composites Due To Environmental Exposure, Alexander M. Figliolini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

An experimental investigation was undertaken to determine the effects of marine environmental exposure on the mechanical properties of vinylester resins (VE510A and VE8084) and carbon fiber/VE510A vinylester composites. The effect of carbon fiber sizing on the composite strengths was also examined. Neat resins were exposed to marine environments until moisture content reached a point of saturation after which they were tested in tension, compression and shear. Compared to the baseline dry specimens, specimens subjected to moisture showed overall increased ductility and a reduction in strength. Dry and moisture saturated composite specimens were tested in tension and compression in different orientations. …

Investigation Of Trapped Vortex Combustion Using Hydrogen-Rich Fuels, Khaled. Zbeeb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The combustion process of a fuel is a challenging subject when it comes to analyze its performance and resultant emissions. The main task of this study is to optimize the selection of a hydrogen-rich fuel based on its performance and emissions. Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis is performed to test the combustion performance and emissions from the vortex trapped combustor when natural gas fuel (methane) is replaced with renewable and alternative fuels such as hydrogen and synthesis gas. Correlation graphs for the trapped vortex combustor performance and NOx, CO, and CO2 emissions for various types of fuels with different compositions and …

The Moisture Performance Of Straw Bale Construction In A Temperate Maritime Climate, Jim Carfrae

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

This thesis is an investigation into the moisture performance of straw bales used in the construction of buildings. The principle of taking bales of straw off the field and stacking them up on themselves to form the walls of a simple building is a practise that started over a hundred years ago. The modern form of this building method is more sophisticated, and is spreading world wide from its origins in the arid regions of America. Despite advances in modern methods of construction there has been concern and doubt over the suitability of straw bale for use as a building …

The Flexural Strength Of Earth Block Masonry For Sustainable Walling In The Uk, C Williams, S Goodhew, R Griffiths

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Identifying An Appropriate Approach To Judge Low Carbon Buildings, C Isiadinso, S Goodhew, J Marsh, M Hoxley

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.

Is The "Post" In Post-Racial The "Blind" In Colorblind?, Ian F. Haney López

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Shall We Play A Game?, Craig Caulfield

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In response to real and perceived short-comings in the quality and productivity of software engineering practices and projects, professionally-endorsed graduate and post-graduate curriculum guides have been developed to meet evolving technical developments and industry demands. Each of these curriculum guidelines identifies better software engineering management skills and soft, peopleware skills as critical for all graduating students, but they provide little guidance on how to achieve this. One possible way is to use a serious game — a game designed to educate players about some of the dynamic complexities of the field in a safe and inexpensive environment. This thesis presents …

An Investigation Into Internetworking Education, Woratat Makasiranondh

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Computer network technology and the Internet grew rapidly in recent years. Their growth created a large demand from industry for the development of IT and internetworking professionals. These professionals need to be equipped with both technical hands-on skills and non-technical or soft skills. In order to supply new professionals to the industry, educational institutions need to address these skills training in their curricula. Technical hands-on skills in internetworking education can be emphasised through the practical use of equipment in classrooms. The provision of the networking equipment to the internetworking students is a challenge. Particularly, university students in developing countries may …

They Reckon I Need A Dramaturg : Examining The Value Of A Dramaturg To Both The Playwright And The Professional Theatre Company In Australia, Polly Low

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines aspects of dramaturgy delivered by a dramaturg, and the practical contributions of dramaturgs to both the writer and the theatre industry in Australia. It investigates elements of the working relationship between dramaturgs and playwrights, looks at the chameleon-like nature of the theatre dramaturg and examines how Australian writers, directors and dramaturgs perceive the role/s of the dramaturg. The thesis is partly a reflective investigation of personal practice, partly an historical investigation of the emergence of Australian ideas about dramaturgy, and partly an active investigation into what can help to make a constructive playwright/dramaturg relationship. A major aim …

Purification, Characterisation And Applications Of A Cloned Staphylococcal Bacteriophage Lysin For The Control Of Multi-Drug Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Including Mrsa, Mark Fenton

Theses

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the purification, characterisation and practical applications of an anti-staphylococcal lysin (LysK) and its single-domain truncated derivative (CHAP_k) against pathogenic staphylococci including meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Both proteins were purified to greater than 90% homogeneity. Affinity chromatography was applied as the optimum method for LysK purification and ion-exchange chromatography was successfully applied to CHAP_k. The lytic spectrum of LysK was investigated by zymogram analysis where the enzyme exhibited strong activity against a range of staphylococci regardless of their origin, sequence type (ST) or antibiotic resistant profile. This analysis …

The Latin American Tradition Of Legal Failure, Jorge L. Esquirol

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

January 2011 Newsletter, Career Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

Career Connections Newsletter

Issue Highlights:

• Alumni Profile of Robert Rave, Class of 1996: Publicist and Author of Spin and Waxed
• The Realities of a Changing Job Market
• Cleaning Up Your Online Presence: Why and How?

Ultra-Sensitive High-Precision Spectroscopy Of A Fast Molecular Ion Beam, A. Mills, B. Stiller, M. Porambo, Manori Perera, H. Kreckel, B. Mccall

Scholarship

Direct spectroscopy of a fast molecular ion beam offers many advantages over competing techniques, including the generality of the approach to any molecular ion, the complete elimination of spectral confusion due to neutral molecules, and the mass identification of individual spectral lines. The major challenge is the intrinsic weakness of absorption or dispersion signals resulting from the relatively low number density of ions in the beam. Direct spectroscopy of an ion beam was pioneered by Saykally and co-workers in the late 1980s, but has not been attempted since that time. Here, we present the design and construction of an ion …

Latino Students’ Perceptions Of The Academic Library, Dallas Long

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Library use is strongly linked with student persistence in higher education, and Latino students have lower rates of academic library use and proficiency than other racial/ethnic groups of students. This study explores Latino undergraduate students’ perceptions of the academic library and library staff and identifies the conditions which impede or facilitate the students’ use of the library. Using a multiple case study design, this study describes the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate students who identify as Latino and attend a four-year public research-intensive university in the Midwest. The findings suggest that Latino students use the library through the influence of …

Food To Love, Edward Hayden

Cookery Books

Published by The O'Brien Press Ltd. 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6 in 2011. Photographs by Carol Marks, food styled by Edward Hayden.

Dublin Institute Of Technology's Programme For Students Learning With Communities: A Critical Account Of Practice, Catherine Bates, Elena Gamble

Staff Articles and Research Papers

Purpose – This paper aims to focus on the process of critically evaluating Technological University City's Programme for Students Learning With Communities after its first year of operation. The programme supports and promotes community-based learning/service-learning across DIT.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper is presented in the form of a case study, wherein the context for the work is outlined, addressing both strengths and weaknesses of the practice to date, and comment briefly on wider implications.

Findings – After nine months an evaluation of the programme was carried out. It identified four main areas where it was felt there was potential for …

Alternatives To Industrial Work Placement At Technological University City, Catherine Bates, Elena Gamble

Staff Articles and Research Papers

In the current economic crisis, higher education graduates need transferable professional skills more than ever. They need resourcefulness, an ability to work reflectively, a sense of civic awareness and an impressive curriculum vitae. This case study analyses how Technological University City’s Programme for Students Learning With Communities provides cost-effective, sustainable solutions to these needs, offering an alternative to industrial work placement. Community-based learning and research involve collaboration between staff and/or students and community partners to design real-life, course-based projects which meet the learning needs of the students and those of the community. The programme not only enriches the curriculum; it …

Successful Engineering And Technology Student Mobility: Key Student Perspectives And Quality Determinants Before, During And After Student Exchange Under The Atlantis Programme, Mike Murphy, Donal Mchale, Michael Dyrenfurth, James Barnes

Articles

The EU-US Agreement through the Atlantis Programmes supports consortia of higher education and training institutions working together at undergraduate or graduate level to improve their educational services, to compare and modernise curricula and to develop joint study programmes with full recognition of credits and qualifications. The EU-US Atlantis Programme funds innovative projects across three strands: mobility projects, double or joint “transatlantic degrees” for students in the EU and US and policy-oriented measures. The main focus of activities must be on transatlantic rather than intra-European or intra-American interactions. Funded activities, such as the development of curricula, joint study programmes, exchanges and …