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The Perfect Me: Cosmetic Surgery And The Social Body In Egypt, María S. Muñoz

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing scholarly interest around the popularization of cosmetic surgery in modern society. The medical discipline of plastic surgery is located at the crossroads of a significant number of scholarship disciplines including gender, media, consumer culture, ethics, the body, medical practices and psychology, among others. Hence, a multidisciplinary study is needed to approach the core subject of this research. However, as I find it materially impossible to address all these subtopics in this dissertation, three main sets of literature will inform my project. I will draw on feminist analysis and critique of cosmetic surgery, scholarly on social and …

Constitutional Theory And Political History As Justification For The Gender Quota In Egypt's Legislature, Abir Ahmed El-Menshawy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the conformity of gender quotas with the constitutional concept of equality. The importance of this examination is to answer the question whether gender quotas are constitutional. My argument is that gender quotas are constitutional because they address de facto inequality by making women’s representation equal to men’s representation. I argue that Egypt has a history of adopting quotas to guarantee the representation of disadvantaged groups. I also tie the constitutionality of the gender quota to the current political landscape where the Muslim Brotherhood controls the state. I argue that gender quotas will …

The Construction And Assumptions Made About Egyptian Women By Development Organizations, Christina Gagnier

Theses and Dissertations

Since the inception of international human rights, some activists have argued for a universal framework and this framework has encountered resistance. International feminism is a space where the concept of universal truth begins to unravel. Feminists from the First World, purporting to speak on behalf of all women, essentialized the international woman’s experience and set an agenda based on their First World experience. Third World women critiqued the systematic exclusion of their voices from the dominant feminist discourse. The international human rights agenda shares many goals with economic development. Economic development can be a vehicle through which universal human rights …

Perception Of Women In Egyptian Advertising, Alia Mohamed Arafa

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the relationship between Egyptian Mass Media coverage and the perception of the Egyptian audience towards women’s physical appearance in Egyptian Advertising (TV and Magazines). In TV commercials, stereotypes are associated with women. Research indicates that media can generate a continued negative imagery and stereotypes, in particular towards women. There is an obvious inconsistency in the way women dress demonstrating that they are habitually portrayed as more sexual objects than are men. Hopefully, this research would move ahead feminist view towards disparity in the depiction of sexuality and roles of women along the years. In spite of the …

Ethnicity Homegrown: How The Lebanese-Argentines In Buenos Aires Construct Ethnicity, Bianca Kemp

Theses and Dissertations

This work explores the construction of ethnicity among the Lebanese-Argentine population of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although exact figures for the Lebanese population of Argentina are unknown, estimates hover around one and a half million (the national census does not require specification of ethnicity). The majority of these third-, fourth- and fifth-generation Lebanese-Argentines are descendents of early Syro-Lebanese immigrants. These migrants from Greater Syria culturally assimilated to their new “home” at the insistence of the Argentine government and xenophobic elite of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Consequently, constructing a Lebanese-Argentine ethnic identity today means doing so when distance and …

Gouldian Finch Breeding Surveys 2013: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Sarah R. Pryke, Nina Svedin

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and the Gouldian Finch Management Plan (GFMP), a baseline assessment and on-going monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the construction and operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in the eastern Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from surveys of Gouldian finches during their annual breeding season (Feb-May 2013).

Cervical Cerclage For Preventing Preterm Birth In Twin Pregnancies. A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Xi R. Liu, Xin Luo, Xiao Q. Xiao, Hong B. Qi

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of cervical cerclage on preventing preterm birth in twin pregnancies. METHODS: We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Current Controlled Trials, China Biology Medicine (CBM), Chinese National Knowlegde Infrastructure (CNKI) and VIP Chinese Journal database (VIP) from April to August 2012. All available randomized trials comparing the effects of cervical cerclage for preventing preterm birth in twin pregnancies with no cerclage were included. The study took place in the First Affiliated Hospital of ChongQing Medical University, Chongqing, People9s Republic of China. RESULTS: Five eligible studies with a total of 310 participants …

Water Quality And The Landscape: Long-Term Monitoring Of Rapidly Developing Suburban Watersheds 2012, William H. Mcdowell

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Participatory Water Quality Assessment Through The Nh Lakes Lay Monitoring Program, Jeffrey Schloss

NH Water Resources Research Center Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Shark Sim: A Procedural Method Of Animating Leopard Sharks Based On Raw Location Data, Katherine S. Blizard

Master's Theses

Fish such as the Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata) can be tagged on their fin, released back into the wild, and their location tracked though technologies such as autonomous robots. Timestamped location data about their target is stored. We present a way to procedurally generate an animated simulation of T. semifasciata using only these timestamped location points.

This simulation utilizes several components. Input timestamps dictate a monotonic time-space curve mapping the simulation clock to the space curve. The space curve connects all the location points as a spline without any sharp folds that are too implausible for shark traversal. We create …

The Influence Of Hekayat Banat On Egyptian Women’S Perceptions Of Ideal Relationships And Couples, Yomna Sallam

Theses and Dissertations

This study is based on feminist theory. It uses critical textual analysis and ethnography-inspired in-depth interviews to examine the influence of Hekayat Banat on women’s expectations and perceptions of ideal couples and gender roles. The textual analysis examines seven series episodes and the title song. Results from the textual analysis suggest that the serial offered several themes that serve as advice for women, including: friendship is important in supporting one’s daily life; women should be strong and self-confident in order to eliminate being the property or under the control of men; women must find and keep men; communication and forgiveness …

The Language Of Contemporary Egyptian Newspapers: Re-Visiting Badawi's Model, Yasser Elshami

Theses and Dissertations

It is believed that the language of newspapers plays a major role in developing and reflecting the reality of the contemporary language in Egypt, where the Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) have become much closer and the gap between them has shrunk (Badawi, 2012). The linguistic reality described in Badawi's model (1973) demonstrates the structure of the contemporary Egyptian community. He gives a horizontal picture of the spoken language used in Egypt at that time. This study aims at re-visiting Badawi's model and focusing on the language used in opinion articles in the current Egyptian newspapers. …

Insect Identification Educational Volunteers Created In Train-The-Trainer Workshops In Oregon And Washington, Mary K. Corp, Silvia I. Rondon, Stephen M. Van Vleet

Journal of Extension

The "train-the-trainer" model successfully created volunteer educators in insect identification. Intensive training programs prepared 71 individuals during 2 1/2-day (20 hour) training sessions. Trainees included university Extension faculty (13), agricultural professionals (13), and certified Master Gardeners (45). The sessions were intense, hands-on learning in insect identification. A post-training survey demonstrated that 1 year post training trainees had conducted insect education (86%) and provided identification services (96%). About 700 community service hours by the trainees had been conducted. The key to success was volunteers with prior training in agronomy and/or gardening, plus an established track record in volunteerism.

Using Stakeholder Needs Assessments And Deliberative Dialogue To Inform Climate Change Outreach Efforts, Claire N. Layman, Julie E. Doll, Cheryl L. Peters

Journal of Extension

Farmers represent a large group of Extension stakeholders who stand to be affected by increased climate variability and change. Yet climate change can be a polarizing topic. In order to be sensitive to this reality, meet stakeholder education needs, and carry out the land-grant mission, we used a participatory decision model known as "deliberation with analysis" to inform climate change programming around agriculture. We designed evaluation tools for each phase of the project. This method strengthened relationships with stakeholders and enabled Michigan State University to move forward with climate change programming.

The Dynamics Of Self-Determined Motivation, Passion, And Athlete Satisfaction Over One Competitive Season In Intercollegiate Athletics, Roy Kaipo Mcguire

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Occurrence Of Entomopathogenic Fungi And Parasitic Nematodes On Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae Collected In Central Chiapas, México, Ramiro E. Ruiz-Najera, Ramiro E. Ruiz-Estudillo, Juan M. Sanchez-Yanex, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, S. R. Skoda, Roberto Coutino-Ruiz, Rene Pinto-Ruiz, Francisco Guevara-Hernandez, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Fall armyworm larvae (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) were collected from whorl-stage corn, Zea mays (L.), between the V₂ and V₄ stages, in 22 localities of Central, Chiapas, México, called “La Frailesca” during late Jun 2009 to determine the occurrence of native entomopathogens and parasitic nematodes, and to determine the most parasitized instars. A total of 1,247 larvae were examined in search of native biological control agents. Overall total larval mortality was 16.36%. The percent larval mortality due to entomopathogens and parasitic nematodes was 12.99%. Hexamermis sp., probably albicans Siebold (Mermitha: Mermithidae) were isolated from 105 FAW …

Experimental Assessment Of The Impact Of Asymptomatic Gas Emboli On The Vessel Wall, Linxia Gu, Eric L. Cutler

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Quantitative evaluation of shear stress in the vessel wall due to the presence of asymptomatic gas emboli is lacking. The goal of this work was to assess the impact of chronic asymptomatic gas emboli on the risk of atherosclerosis through a custom-built cardiovascular flow simulator. Gas bubbles were created by forced air from a syringe pump. The influences of embolism injection rate, pulse rate, and time-averaged flow rate on the wall mean shear stress were investigated at resting and elevated heart rate conditions. The recorded pressure and volumetric flow rate from 24 experimental settings with four repetitions each were used …

Laboratory Evaluation Of A Turn Compensation Control System For A Ground Sprayer, Wesley M. Porter, Jorge A. Rascon, Yeyin Shi, Randal K. Taylor, Paul A. Weckler

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The ability to compensate sprayer nozzle flow across a horizontal boom has the potential to mitigate the problem of inaccurate chemical application rate due to lateral speed differences when sprayers are turning. A laboratory testing platform and procedure were developed and tested with a commercial turn compensation control system for a ground sprayer. Virtual paths consisting of simulated GPS signals representing right and left turns separated by straight segments were simulated with four turning radii (75%, 125%, 250%, and 500%) based on boom width. Actual application rates from 11 nozzles spread across the boom were measured using load cells in …

Spontaneous Male Death And Monogyny In The Dark Fishing Spider, Steven K. Schwartz, William E. Wagner, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Monogyny (male monogamy) is found in a diverse assemblage of taxa, and recent theoretical work reveals that a male-biased sex ratio can favour the evolution of this relatively rare mating system. We integrate this theoretical framework with field observations and laboratory experiments involving the sexually size dimorphic fishing spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus, to test the prediction that this species exhibits monogyny. Field surveys revealed a male-biased sex ratio, likely resulting from different life-history strategies (early male maturation). Results from mating trials supported our prediction of monogyny as we discovered that males mate with a single female. Unexpectedly, however, we observed that …

Drugs For The Treatment Of Malaria In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia, Alexis Nzila, Ibrahim Al-Zahrani

Saudi Medical Journal

Current malaria treatments are based on the use of artemisinin based combinations. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the combination of pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine/artesunate is the first line of treatment of uncomplicated malaria, while lumefantrine/artemether (Coartem) is used as a second option. The treatment of severe malaria rests on the use of quinine or artesunate. In Saudi Arabia, most cases of malaria are imported, mainly from emigrant workers from the Indian subcontinent and the Eastern part of Africa. As a result, most parasites might have been exposed to antimalarials prior to coming to the country. Thus, knowledge of the pattern of resistance …

Biosynthetic Mechanism For Sunscreens Of The Biocontrol Agent Lysobacter Enzymogenes, Yan Wang, Guoliang Qian, Yaoyao Li, Yansheng Wang, Yulan Wang, Stephen Wright, Yuezhong Li, Yuemao Shen, Fengquan Liu, Liangcheng Du

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Lysobacter are ubiquitous environmental bacteria emerging as novel biocontrol agents and new sources of anti-infectives. So far, very little effort has been invested in the study of the biology of these Gram-negative gliding bacteria. Many Lysobacter species are characterized by their yellow-orange appearance. Using transposon mutagenesis, we identified a stand-alone polyketide synthase (PKS) gene cluster required for the pigment production in L. enzymogenes OH11. The yellow pigments were abolished in the ‘‘white’’ mutants generated by target-specific deletions of ketosynthase (KS), acyl carrier protein, or ketoreductase. Spectroscopic data suggested that the pigments belong to xanthomonadin-like aryl polyenes. Polyene-type polyketides are known …

Use Of A Specific Alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist Can Prevent Loss Of Retinal Ganglion Cells In An In Vivo Rat Glaucoma Model, David Mata

Masters Theses

Acetylcholine (ACh) has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in cultured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) through activation of α7 nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs). In this study, the neuroprotective effects of the α7 nAChR agonist, PNU-282987, were investigated using an in vivo model of glaucoma in adult Long Evans rats. Hypertonic saline injections were used to induce a glaucoma model. After one month, retinas were removed, flat mounted, fixed and labeled with an antibody against Thy 1.1 to label RGCs and fluorescently tagged for visualization. Eye drop application of PNU-282987 resulted in neuroprotection against RGC loss in …

Mutation Of Simple In Charcot–Marie–Tooth 1c Alters Production Of Exosomes, Hong Zhu, Sara Guariglia, Raymond Y. L. Yu, Wenjing Li, Deborah Brancho, Hector Peinado, David Lyden, James Salzer, Craig Bennett, Chi-Wing Chow

Publications and Research

Mutations in the protein SIMPLE account for the rare autosomal-dominant demyelination in type 1C CMT patients (CMT1C). SIMPLE plays a role in the production of exosomes. Dysregulated endosomal trafficking and changes in exosome-mediated intercellular communications might account for CMT1C molecular pathogenesis.

Evolutionary Dynamics On Complex Networks, Swami Iyer

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Many complex systems such as the Internet can be represented as networks, with vertices denoting the constituent components of the systems and edges denoting the patterns of interactions among the components. In this thesis, we are interested in how the structural properties of a network, such as its average degree, degree distribution, clustering, and homophily affect the processes that take place on it. In the first part of the thesis we focus on evolutionary game theory models for studying the evolution of cooperation in a population of predominantly selfish individuals. In the second part we turn our attention to an …

The Iranian Nuclear Debate: More Myths Than Facts, Christopher J. Bolan

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Neither A Pedestal Nor A Cage: In Pursuit Of Genuine Gender Equality In The Philippine Workplace, Emily Sanchez Salcedo

Maurer Theses and Dissertations

For seven straight years since 2006, the Philippines ranked among the top ten countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index that rates countries based on their ability to close the gender gap in four fundamental categories, to wit: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. At eighth place, the country leads the rest of Asia and proudly shares the top spot in educational attainment and health and survival while managing to land in the top twenty in terms of economic participation and opportunity and political empowerment. While these rankings warm the …

Explaining The Unexplainable: A New Cultural Outlook On H. P. Lovecraft’S Cthulhu Mythos, Erika L. Mutter

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Although the majority of the scholarship on H. P. Lovecraft focuses on the idea of nihilism as the purpose of the Cthulhu mythos, the exploration of three stories The Nameless City, The Whisperer in Darkness, and The Shadow over Innsmouth disproves this overly basic and irrelevant reasoning. Through a cultural studies lens, there is a parallel between the curiosity and fear surrounding the other within the text and those same emotions felt towards the immigrants coming into America during the 1920s. This argument analyzes the transformation of the relationship between the narrator and the aliens, showcasing how this otherness can …

Reconfigurable Threshold Logic Gates Using Memristive Devices, Adrian Rothenbuhler, Thanh Tran, Elisa H. Barney Smith, Vishal Saxena, Kristy A. Campbell

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present our design exploration of reconfigurable Threshold Logic Gates (TLG) implemented using silver–chalcogenide memristive devices combined with CMOS circuits. Results from simulations and physical circuits are shown. A variety of linearly separable logic functions including AND, OR, NAND, NOR have been realized in discrete hardware using a single-layer TLG. The functionality can be changed between these operations by reprogramming the resistance of the memristive devices.

Improved Reachability Analysis In Dtmc Via Divide And Conquer, Songzheng Song, Lin Gui, Jun Sun, Yang Liu, Jin Song Dong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Discrete Time Markov Chains (DTMCs) are widely used to model probabilistic systems in many domains, such as biology, network and communication protocols. There are two main approaches for probability reachability analysis of DTMCs, i.e., solving linear equations or using value iteration. However, both approaches have drawbacks. On one hand, solving linear equations can generate accurate results, but it can be only applied to relatively small models. On the other hand, value iteration is more scalable, but often suffers from slow convergence. Furthermore, it is unclear how to parallelize (i.e., taking advantage of multi-cores or distributed computers) these two approaches. In …

Race In Juvenile Justice And Sentencing Policy: An Overview Of Research And Policy Recommendations, Michael J. Leiber, Jennifer H. Peck

Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality

No abstract provided.