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2015

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Expertise And Disbelief: Post-1945 American Attitudes Toward The Authority Of Knowledge, Terry Wagner Jan 2015

Expertise And Disbelief: Post-1945 American Attitudes Toward The Authority Of Knowledge, Terry Wagner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

“You can’t beat brains,” said President John Kennedy of the intellectuals and technicians he assembled in his cabinet. Kennedy was perhaps the greatest political champion for the virtues of expertise. However, all over America during the 1960s and ‘70s, diverse groups voiced doubts about how much experts, such as social scientists, policy specialists, and others, actually improved life. This dissertation examines how movements on the political left and right, and spiritual ruptures such as the rise of ‘60s counterculture and of evangelicalism, spoke in different language to express a similar point: human mastery over the world is profoundly limited. Many …

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Analysis Of Nonlinear Dispersive Model Equations, Jacob Grey Jan 2015

Analysis Of Nonlinear Dispersive Model Equations, Jacob Grey

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this work we begin with a brief survey of the classical fluid dynamics problem of water waves, and then proceed to derive well known evolution equations via a Hamiltonian Variational approach. This method was first introduced in the seminal work of Walter Craig, et al. \cite{CG}. The distinguishing feature of this scheme is that the Dirichlet-Neumann operator of the fluid domain appears explicitly in the Hamiltonian. In the second and third chapters, we utilize the Hamiltonian perturbation theory introduced in \cite{CG} to derive the Benjamin-Bona-Mahony (BBM) and Benjamin-Bona-Mahony-Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (BBM-KP)equations. Finally, we briefly review the existence theory for their corresponding …

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Correcting The Conversation: An Argument For A Public Health Perspective Approach To University Timely Warnings About Sexual Assault, Ashley Hesson Jan 2015

Correcting The Conversation: An Argument For A Public Health Perspective Approach To University Timely Warnings About Sexual Assault, Ashley Hesson

LSU Master's Theses

Reports of sexual violence should be written from a public health perspective approach to appropriately frame the occurrence and encourage accurate understandings of sexual assault as a larger societal issue. This research consists of two studies to investigate the way universities do (and should) communicate about sexual violence with their students. For Study 1, interviews were conducted with a random sample of public state Universities regarding their emergency alert processes and template usage to determine current emergency communication practices. The majority of universities contacted do not have a template or best practice guidelines in place for creating timely warnings. For …

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Development And Evaluation Of Fiber And Pectin Based Delivery Systems For Delivering Lactobacillus Plantarum , Arranee Chotiko Jan 2015

Development And Evaluation Of Fiber And Pectin Based Delivery Systems For Delivering Lactobacillus Plantarum , Arranee Chotiko

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Probiotics may improve gut microbial composition and immune function. Introduction of probiotics via foods or supplements may result in the probiotics not surviving during processing and passage through the stomach to the large intestine. The overall objective of this study was to develop and investigate three delivery systems for delivering live probiotic cells (Lactobacillus plantarum NRRL B-4496) (LP). The three delivery systems were: (1) immobilized LP (~108-109 CFU/mL LP Free Cells) on purple rice bran fiber (PRF) (Delivery system 1), (2) encapsulated LP with combined pectin-rice bran extract (Delivery system 2), and (3) double encapsulated LP …

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The Effectiveness Of Online Homework Tutorials As Compared To Pen And Paper Tutorials, Molly Shuman Jan 2015

The Effectiveness Of Online Homework Tutorials As Compared To Pen And Paper Tutorials, Molly Shuman

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if students learn more from completing web based homework (WBHW) compared to completing homework by traditional means with pen and paper. Determining the efficacy of WBHW is important because many schools are being pressured to implement technology in the classroom. To determine the effectiveness of WBHW, student normalized learning gains were calculated from pre and post-test scores for 62 students. Learning gains were then compared when students completed WBHW, traditional homework, or did not complete homework at all, over four units in a high school chemistry class. No difference in learning gains …

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Catalysts For The Positional Isomerization Of Internal, Long-Chain Olefins, James Edward Bruno Jan 2015

Catalysts For The Positional Isomerization Of Internal, Long-Chain Olefins, James Edward Bruno

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Double-bond isomerization of internal C16-C18 olefins is a necessary step in the production of paper sizing agents. In this work, the properties that enable long-lasting solid acid catalysts (both commercial and lab-synthesized) were identified, the efficacy of regenerated solid acid catalysts was tested, and the feasibility of organometallic chain-walking catalysts (both homogeneous and polymer-supported) for olefin isomerization was evaluated. Hexadecene isomerization was investigated using perfluorinated ion exchange resins (Nafion®) supported on SiO2 or Al2O3, sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) resins (PS-DVBs), tungstated zirconias, and acidic zeolites. Selected catalysts underwent lifetime studies. Oversulfonated PS-DVBs (e.g., Amberlyst 35) were reasonably selective with long lifetimes, only …

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Developing Co-Current And Counter-Current Spray Drying Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Simulation Studies To Predict The Quality Of Microencapsulated Fish Oil With Egg White Hydrolysates Powders, Kevin Estuardo Mis Solval Jan 2015

Developing Co-Current And Counter-Current Spray Drying Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Simulation Studies To Predict The Quality Of Microencapsulated Fish Oil With Egg White Hydrolysates Powders, Kevin Estuardo Mis Solval

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Eggs are an excellent source of high quality protein containing all essential amino acids (EAA) including leucine. Food-grade protein hydrolysates can enhance the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Thermal degradation of bioactives normally occurs during microencapsulation by spray drying. Spray drying modeling using computational tools is essential to engineer new food powders and to minimize and thermal degradation of bioactives. The first chapter of this work discusses the optimization of an enzymatic process in terms of reaction temperature, pH, enzyme:substrate ratio, and reaction time using a response surface methodology (RSM) to produce food-grade protein hydrolysates from egg whites (EWH). …

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Applications Of Cfd Simulations On Fractal Fluid Distributor, Gongqiang He Jan 2015

Applications Of Cfd Simulations On Fractal Fluid Distributor, Gongqiang He

LSU Master's Theses

Since its emergence in 1970s, process intensification has been attracting extensive research interests from both academic and industrial societies over the years. One good example of process intensification in chemical industry is the optimization of flow distributors. In many chemical processes, the uniformity of flow distributions plays the key role in determining the overall efficiency. Conventional distributors rely on high pressure drop to achieve acceptable flow distribution. With scaling symmetry from fractal, fractal distributors can handle fluid distribution much better than conventional distributors. With the rapid development of computation power and numerical simulation algorithms, Computer Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides us …

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How Local Nonprofit Organizations Can Use Narratives To Build Organizational-Public Relationships On Digital Media, Ryan Patrick Delaune Jan 2015

How Local Nonprofit Organizations Can Use Narratives To Build Organizational-Public Relationships On Digital Media, Ryan Patrick Delaune

LSU Master's Theses

The nonprofit sector’s adaptation and implementation of digital media is one that has received surprisingly little exploration. While some research has been conducted in this area, these studies tend to generalize results across all organization types within the nonprofit sector. Often, these studies overlook specific advantages nonprofits of varying types, sizes, and locations may potentially have in regard to fostering relationships with their communities. This study explores how these differences may impact organizational use of digital media, and how organizations can potentially use these media to more efficiently achieve their goals. Specifically, this study focuses on the use of narratives …

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Optimal Location Of Biomethane Gas Manufacturing Plants And Allocation Of Feedstock And Liquified Carbon Product, Bingqing Wu Jan 2015

Optimal Location Of Biomethane Gas Manufacturing Plants And Allocation Of Feedstock And Liquified Carbon Product, Bingqing Wu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biomethane gas (BMG), known for its sustainability, low environmental impact, and high profitability, has received wide attention in recent years. To facilitate the process of making strategic plans for building a BMG production system, this dissertation leverages the mathematical modeling and optimization techniques to minimize the supply chain cost for such a system. Typical elements in a BMG production system consist of the local farms that produce the feedstock, the hubs that collect and store the feedstock produced by farms, the reactors that generate BMG from the feedstock transported from the hubs, the condensers that liquefy the BMG from the …

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Surface Structure/Property Relationship For (001) Surface Of Magnetite, Fangyang Liu Jan 2015

Surface Structure/Property Relationship For (001) Surface Of Magnetite, Fangyang Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Magnetite (Fe3O4), a well-known magnetic material, is still attracting intense study because of its great application in catalyst and technology development. These useful properties are related to the coexistence and coupling of several degrees of freedom, including charge, lattice, orbital and spin. The interaction between Fe3O4 and hydrogen is one of the most important issues, which guides the development of catalytic efficiency and material practicality. In this work, natural single crystal Fe3O4 (001) surfaces are studied with a variety of techniques. It is discovered that the Fe3O4 (001) surface structure and properties are dependent on the surface preparation methods. Conventional …

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Engagement Across The Pond: The Nfl's Attempts To Increase Social Media Engagement Through The Cultural Targeting Of Messages, Isabelle Moore Jan 2015

Engagement Across The Pond: The Nfl's Attempts To Increase Social Media Engagement Through The Cultural Targeting Of Messages, Isabelle Moore

LSU Master's Theses

With more and more sports organizations reaching saturation points in their current home markets, the search for new, untapped, international audiences is on. Reaching out to these new markets has been made much more simple by the digitization of communication, and particularly the global spread of social media. The NFL, as the United States’ most popular sports league has been targeting the United Kingdom as it’s next market since the mid-2000s, and has gone as far as setting up a separate UK branch of their communications division (NFL UK). The NFL faces several challenges in engaging new fans in this …

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Informal Landscape Architecture: A Tool To Improve Water Quality For Informal Settlements Along Waterways In Bangkok, Jidapa Chayakul Jan 2015

Informal Landscape Architecture: A Tool To Improve Water Quality For Informal Settlements Along Waterways In Bangkok, Jidapa Chayakul

LSU Master's Theses

The canals of Bangkok were a vital form of infrastructure from when the city was founded in 1782 until the 1850s, when the road system was introduced. Built for agricultural irrigation, the canals served as the primary means of transportation and significantly influenced the form and orientation of Bangkok’s early settlements and public institutions. With the implementation of roads, new buildings were constructed to be oriented towards the streets and away from the canals. The canals and their communities subsequently decreased in visibility. Today, most of the land along the waterways is publically owned. As a result, the land adjacent …

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Fish Assemblage Structure, Distribution, And Trophic Ecology At Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico Banks, Todd Langland Jan 2015

Fish Assemblage Structure, Distribution, And Trophic Ecology At Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico Banks, Todd Langland

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The northwest Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) shelf-edge banks both provide unique hard bottom habitat and support the northernmost coral reefs on the North American continental shelf in a region that is generally characterized by low relief, soft sediments. The habitat value of many of these banks has led to their designation as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). However, little is known about the fisheries resources and dynamics of the banks outside the FGBNMS. This study had three main objectives: 1) define reef fish assemblages at northwestern Gulf shelf-edge banks and …

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Biogenesis And Redox Transition Of Iron-Sulfur Clusters In Proteins, Aaron Paul Landry Jan 2015

Biogenesis And Redox Transition Of Iron-Sulfur Clusters In Proteins, Aaron Paul Landry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Iron-sulfur proteins comprise one of the most ubiquitous and conserved classes of proteins in biology. The diverse functions of iron-sulfur clusters in proteins range from electron transfer to redox signaling. The assembly of iron-sulfur clusters in cells requires a complex protein system and acquisition of sulfur and iron. While the sulfur source for iron-sulfur cluster assembly is well-established, the iron source remains elusive. The first part of this work provides new evidence for the hypothesis that the conserved iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein IscA may act as the iron donor for iron-sulfur cluster assembly. Iron-sulfur clusters in proteins are also vulnerable …

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Musical Explorations In Creation And Performance: A School's Alternative Approach To Music Education, Laterence Edward Varnado Jan 2015

Musical Explorations In Creation And Performance: A School's Alternative Approach To Music Education, Laterence Edward Varnado

LSU Master's Theses

Students have various opportunities to participate in school music. The large ensemble model that follows the Western Classical music tradition is the most commonly used model for music education in secondary schools; however, many students in secondary schools do not participate in school music. Recently, alternative approaches (i.e. popular music, world music, guitar, etc.) have been proposed as valuable music experiences that may increase student participation in school music. The aim of this study was to examine the philosophical foundations and pedagogical practices used at a secondary school that has implemented alternative approaches. I also explored student experiences with these …

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Application Of Computational Fluid Dynamics To Near-Wellbore Modeling Of A Gas Well, Oscar Mauricio Molina Jan 2015

Application Of Computational Fluid Dynamics To Near-Wellbore Modeling Of A Gas Well, Oscar Mauricio Molina

LSU Master's Theses

Well completion plays a key role in the economically viable production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir. Therefore, it is of high importance for the production engineer to have as many tools available that aid in the successful design of a proper completion scheme, depending on the type of formation rock, reservoir fluid properties and forecasting of production rates. Because well completion jobs are expensive, most of the completed wells are usually expected to produce as much hydrocarbon and as fast as possible, in order to shorten the time of return of the investment. This research study focused on the evaluation …

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Selective Enrichment Through Capture (Sec): A Technology For Retrieving Specific Dna Sequences From Complex Mixtures, Kelley Gwin Nunez Jan 2015

Selective Enrichment Through Capture (Sec): A Technology For Retrieving Specific Dna Sequences From Complex Mixtures, Kelley Gwin Nunez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The capacity to selectively target DNA sequences within a complex mixture is a useful feature for genomic studies. Several methods aimed at undertaking this feat have utilized biotinylated oligonucleotides and streptavidin beads to capture DNA but have low efficiencies, require PCR, or cannot be combined with high-throughput sequencing. The work presented here developed a protocol referred to as selected enrichment through capture (SEC) that uses a biotinylated “capture primer” to target and concentrate specific DNA sequences at high efficiencies, eliminates the use of PCR, and can be combined with high-throughput sequencing. The effectiveness of SEC was evaluated in a series …

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Mishpacha In The American Diaspora: An Exploratory Study Of Highly-Involved Jewish Families, Trevan Glen Hatch Jan 2015

Mishpacha In The American Diaspora: An Exploratory Study Of Highly-Involved Jewish Families, Trevan Glen Hatch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Both family and religion are important to a large majority of the population in the United States. In the last few decades, research on religious families has significantly increased. Empirical research on Jewish families, however, is scant. The purpose of this study is to explore contemporary American Jewish family life in relation to Judaism, both cultural and religious. Specifically, the two primary objectives of this study are 1) to examine how Jewish culture and religion may influence and shape Jewish family life; and 2) to examine how family relationships may influence observance of Jewish cultural or religious traditions. This reciprocal …

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Boron Functionalization Of Bodipy Dyes, And Their Evaluation As Bioimaging Agents, Alex Long Nguyen Jan 2015

Boron Functionalization Of Bodipy Dyes, And Their Evaluation As Bioimaging Agents, Alex Long Nguyen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

BODIPY, also known as “porphyrin’s little sister,” belongs to a class of fluorescent dyes. It contains a dipyrromethene π-system with a disubstituted boron atom. The basic 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) is known for its numerous useful applications in the fields of biology and materials. Modification of this well-known fluorophore has been shown to change its photophysical and chemical properties. There has been great interest in the modification at the boron center in recent years for synthesizing new dyads and cascade-type dyes. This work focuses on functionalization at the boron center with carbon and oxygen nucleophiles for further investigation as bioimaging agents. Chapter …

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Multiscale Modeling Of Smart Materials Under Static And Dynamic Thermo-Mechanical Loading, Soodabeh Sharafi Jan 2015

Multiscale Modeling Of Smart Materials Under Static And Dynamic Thermo-Mechanical Loading, Soodabeh Sharafi

LSU Master's Theses

Engineering material systems with tailored capabilities are a topic trend in plethora of research. Polymer based Artificial Muscle, PAM, and Shape memory polymer fiber, SMPF, enable structural engineers to incorporate smartness functionality into their design through programming cycles. Smartness functionality leads to the production of artificial muscles with different load carrying capability. SMPF is another category of smart materials, which are capable of being micro-structurally engineered to isolate vibration at different temperature and frequency conditions. The smartness functionality offers the adjustment between inherent properties of these materials with their industrial applications through modeling techniques. Mixture of phenomenological, numerical, mathematical models …

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Sourcing And Framing Analysis Of Source Messages In The Coverage Of Armed Conflicts By American And British Foreign Reporters, Ellada Gamreklidze Jan 2015

Sourcing And Framing Analysis Of Source Messages In The Coverage Of Armed Conflicts By American And British Foreign Reporters, Ellada Gamreklidze

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation contributes to closing several gaps in mass communication scholarship as well as indicates new avenues for further research in the area of sourcing and framing. This study explored whether reliance on official sources in foreign reporting of international crises is as heavy as the hypothesis predicts, and, by studying messages delivered by official sources in this coverage, revealed how those messages were framed. The results showed that officials were dominant sources of information in all the three media outlets studied. The results also supported the argument that the same indexing mechanisms are at force in foreign reporting and …

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Defining Dad: Media Depiction Of The Modern Father In Print Advertising, John Robert Evans Jan 2015

Defining Dad: Media Depiction Of The Modern Father In Print Advertising, John Robert Evans

LSU Master's Theses

From an advertising perspective fathers are a highly attractive consumer demographic. In order to market to this audience it is important to understand how fathers are framed. With an increase in the number of fathers identifying themselves as caregivers according to the 2012 census, effective marketers would be well-served if they understood what type of frame applies when fathers are employed vs. stay at home. This analysis used framing theory to determine how message givers use frames within their advertisements to explain which particular aspects of the father are given salience. This study is a content analysis of father frames …

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Prisoner In The Darkness, Joseph Lee Morris Jan 2015

Prisoner In The Darkness, Joseph Lee Morris

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis details the writing process and performance of the author’s one man show, PRISONER IN THE DARKNESS. Adapted with special permission from Naghmeh Abedini, PRISONER IN THE DARKNESS is based on the letters, correspondences, and reports of Saeed Abedini, an American citizen, imprisoned in Iran. Pastor Saeed went back to his homeland to work on humanitarian efforts; however, he was wrongfully arrested and sent to Evin Prison in September 2012. In January 2013, Saeed was sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiring to undermine the Iranian government. His crime? His Christian faith. This thesis will explain the different …

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Design And Optimization Of Nanoplasmonic Waveguide Devices, Pouya Dastmalchi Jan 2015

Design And Optimization Of Nanoplasmonic Waveguide Devices, Pouya Dastmalchi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, we introduce compact absorption switches consisting of plasmonic metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) waveguides coupled to multisection cavities. The optimized multisection cavity switches lead to greatly enhanced modulation depth compared to optimized conventional Fabry-Perot cavity switches. We find that the modulation depth of the optimized multisection cavity switches is greatly enhanced compared to the optimized conventional Fabry-Perot cavity switches due to the great enhancement of the total electromagnetic field energy in the cavity region. We then investigate how to improve the computational efficiency of the design of nanoplasmonic devices. More specifically, we show that the space mapping algorithm, originally developed …

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Collections Created During Conflict: Preserving The Memory Of The First World War, Rachel Gifford Jan 2015

Collections Created During Conflict: Preserving The Memory Of The First World War, Rachel Gifford

LSU Master's Theses

The Great War (1914-1919) forced society to decide whether cultural heritage institutions, as a whole, had value. An examination of the types of materials gathered during the Great War, the identity of the collectors, and the intended purpose the repositories highlights the shift in the methodological practices of libraries, archives, and museums during this period. This study focuses primarily on three Allied museums created during the conflict: The Imperial War Museum in England, the Bibliothèque-Musée de La Guerre in France, and the Liberty Memorial in the United States. These institutions emphasize how types of repositories were used as they instituted …

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Health Effects Of Dietary Fermentable Fiber (Resistant Starch), Diana Gabriela Carvajal-Aldaz Jan 2015

Health Effects Of Dietary Fermentable Fiber (Resistant Starch), Diana Gabriela Carvajal-Aldaz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Resistant starch (RS) reaches the large intestine for fermentation and is considered a prebiotic. We wanted to determine if we could reduce fermentation for future mechanistic studies and how there is improved insulin sensitivity in human studies with or without increased incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). Two main studies were performed. In the first main study, low potency antibiotics (Ampicillin 1g/L and Neomycin 0.5g/L) were added to the drinking water of rats to reduce fermentation of RS. Antibiotics were used either prior (first) to or during (second) feeding of RS. Results demonstrated that low potency antibiotics given prior to …

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Fabrication And Characterization Of Miniaturized Components Based On Extruded Ceramic-Filled Polymer Blends, Khurshida Sharmin Jan 2015

Fabrication And Characterization Of Miniaturized Components Based On Extruded Ceramic-Filled Polymer Blends, Khurshida Sharmin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this work is to develop an improved manufacturing process for microstructured ceramic components that is based on co-extrusion. Co-extrusion of structured feedrods holds promise for development of multi-layered, functionally graded and/or textured structures. However, it requires a polymer binder that is difficult to remove before structures can be sintered to full density. A two-step debinding is introduced to eliminate debinding defects that are commonly observed in thermal debinding (TD). Cracking is a major issue due to a lack of pore spaces for outgassing of pyrolysis products in traditional TD. In two-step debinding, a soluble binder is removed …

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“Princes Upon Stages”: The Theatricalization Of Monarchy In The Reign Of Elizabeth I, 1558-1569, Kimberly Reynolds Rush Jan 2015

“Princes Upon Stages”: The Theatricalization Of Monarchy In The Reign Of Elizabeth I, 1558-1569, Kimberly Reynolds Rush

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The reign of Elizabeth I of England is one of the most celebrated reigns in history and is renowned for the renaissance of the arts, theater, and culture. Authors, playwrights, and artists venerated her in their art in what became known as the Cult of Gloriana. At her accession, however, her position was far from secure. Many considered her illegitimate and she was a female entering a male-dominated world. In addition, Elizabeth inherited a religiously divided nation. In response to this, Elizabeth and her councilors initiated a propaganda campaign that created an image of Elizabeth as a wise, just, and …

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Work Readiness Among Graduate Students, Raymond Doe Jan 2015

Work Readiness Among Graduate Students, Raymond Doe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored work readiness among graduate program completers at a Research University (RU/VH) in the Southeastern Region of the United States. Work readiness, although a relatively new construct, is defined as the level to which graduate students are perceived as possessing attitudes and attributes that enable them to be prepared for success in the workforce. Graduate degree-seeking students in universities and colleges are projected to surpass bachelor seeking students in the future. Hiring of graduate degree holders by organizations, however, play a major role in recruitment of new employees. Increasingly, organizations report that recent graduate program completers are insufficiently …

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