Digital Commons Network^™

The Language Of Value: Lot Note Complexity And Auction Performance In Abstract Expressionism, Artur Sharifullin

MA Theses

This thesis asks a simple question: does the language in lot notes relate to price and to whether a lot beats or misses its estimate? I study eight Abstract Expressionist artists: Ad Reinhardt, Adolph Gottlieb, Barnett Newman, Franz Kline, Joan Mitchell, Lee Krasner, Robert Motherwell, and Sam Francis because their works are less representational and often need supporting text to explain the context. The main sample includes only lots sold for more than $1 million at Christie’s or Sotheby’s in New York or London over the past ten years. I measure a small set of writing features that are easy …

Reconstructing The Surreal: Female Artists And The Transformation Of Surrealist Aesthetics, Erin Regan

MA Theses

This thesis examines the role and legacy of female artists who took part in the Surrealist visual art movement of the early 20th century. Canonical accounts have historically privileged the contributions of male artists, marginalizing women to the fringes of the movement by framing female artists as being primarily relevant as muses for their male peers. This study contests this historiographical misconception, relying upon visual analysis and archival research, as well as drawing from psychological, feminist, and postmodern theory, ultimately arguing that their artistic and theoretical innovations fundamentally restructured Surrealism’s visual vocabulary, theoretical objectives, and cultural legacy. This thesis is …

The Collapse Of The New Tendencies: How Did A Movement That Never Existed Cease To Exist, Tonka Protega

MA Theses

This thesis examines the short lifespan of the New  Tendencies. Although the  New Tendencies have gained renewed recognition over the last couple of years, there is still limited research on their final phase. To address this topic, I analyzed the narrative history of the  New Tendencies  , alongside the essays published in the exhibition catalogues. Additionally, I considered the historical and political situation in Croatia during this period, which influenced the manifestations. Ultimately, this thesis argues for the non-existence of the  New Tendencies  as a movement in the history of art and identifies the key reasons that led to its …

The Flavor Of Marketing: How Food Is Revolutionizing Luxury Brand Communication, Aloisa Ruf

MA Theses

This thesis explores how food operates as a cultural, psychological, and strategic instrument within the global luxury industry. Drawing from art history, marketing theory, and sensory studies, it traces how societies across Europe, the Middle East, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States have long used food to express hierarchy, belonging, and emotion—from the banquets of seventeenth-century Versailles to the branded cafes and collaboration of the 2010s and 2020s. Through a comparative and interpretive methodology, the research connects historical visual traditions with contemporary brand strategies, examining case studies such as Gucci Osteria, Louis Vuitton’s Desert Iftar, Dior Café, Loewe’s “Tomato” …

Can Art Function As A Financial Asset Class? Conditions, Risks, And Emerging Solutions, Aurelia Labbé

MA Theses

The art market has grown significantly over recent decades, supported by rising global demand, record auction results and increasing interest from collectors pursuing financial returns. This evolution has encouraged the development of investment-oriented practices and strengthened the notion that artworks can function as financial assets. This shift takes place in a market shaped by subjectivity, opacity and limited regulatory oversight, where valuation methods, provenance documentation and professional standards remain highly uneven. These conditions make art investment particularly complex and raise essential questions about the factors that support or weaken the legitimacy of art as an asset class. This thesis examines …

Calculated Allure: Persuasion And Dramaturgy At Art Auction, Jacqueline Vargas

MA Theses

The art auction, often perceived as a spontaneous, high-stakes marketplace, is, in fact, a meticulously constructed spectacle designed to stimulate desire and encourage buying. Through a systematic use of performance techniques and psychological triggers, the contemporary art auction utilizes dramaturgy and strategic persuasion to directly influence and shape bidder perception and behavior. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this study draws on theories from sociology, psychology, and art business studies to dissect the mechanisms of persuasion and cognitive biases at play within the saleroom. This theoretical framework is enriched by case studies and semi-structured interviews with seasoned auctioneers, providing essential insight into …

From Private Collections To Private Museums: The Evolution Of Art Collecting From Antiquity To The Digital Age, Li Yang

MA Theses

This thesis traces the historical evolution of private art collecting from its origins in antiquity to the emergence of the modern private museum and the rise of digital collecting in the twenty-first century. Through a comparative and historical framework, it examines how the act of collecting—once a symbol of power, devotion, and erudition— gradually transformed into a form of public engagement and cultural authorship. Beginning with the sacred collections of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China, the study explores how early collectors used art to assert identity, spirituality, and social hierarchy. The Renaissance redefined collecting through humanist ideals of knowledge …

Rm Sotheby’S Construction Of Value In The High-End Car Market, Pablo Mijares Musi

MA Theses

The purpose of my thesis is to tell and enlighten any readers how the most prestigious and iconic auction house in the world, RM Sotheby’s sells more than just cars from the high-end car market and how the auction house adds value to through storytelling and provenance from each vehicle.  In today’s luxury market economics, we see somewhat of a radical shift. The high-end car market has moved into a very refined area where these beautiful machines are no longer seen and appraised just for their aesthetic design and mechanical engineering, now we see new value drivers for these works …

Cancel Culture: A Battle Of Headlines, Not Meanings, Nataliia Sapyrkina

MA Theses

This work explores the phenomenon of “cancel culture”, with a specific emphasis on the repercussions for Russian art, artists, and cultural institutions following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022. The study examines “cancel culture” as a reputational sanctions mechanism functioning across the modern media landscape. By analyzing selected case studies this paper addresses cases of performance cancellations, institutional distancing, the termination of cooperation with donors, and the revision of artwork attributions. Crucially, Russia’s exclusion from the dialogue is driven both by direct legal grounds, namely sanctions, and by indirect technical factors or those arising from the internal structure …

Over-Tourism Of Naoshima Island: Comparison With Venice Using Tourists Carrying Capacity Model, Takutaro Onoe

MA Theses

This paper first proves Naoshima’s status as over-tourism in comparison with Venice and then finds out about logistical and infrastructural constraints. My argument will go further to discuss whether eliminating constraints through investment and development is the right direction for the island’s sustainable prosperity. Naoshima is in critical overtourism situation, especially during the year of Setouchi Triennale. The number of tourists per resident demonstrates that the situation is worse than in Venice. It may deteriorate living environment for residents, potentially causing anti-tourism sentiment on the island. As for tourists, their experience on the island may not be favored because of …

From Crisis To Construction: Museum And Institutional Maturation In The Uae, Csilla Brigitta Lazar

MA Theses

This thesis examines the growth of museums and art institutions in the UAE against the backdrop of international debates about museum crisis. While many museums in Europe and North America are struggling with funding pressures, audience disconnection, collection issues and institutional reinvention, the UAE presents a different trajectory: one of rapid cultural investment, state ambition, private support and institutional construction. This thesis argues that the UAE does not represent a single alternative museum model, but a layered ecosystem made up of civic-educational, heritage, cultural diplomacy, philanthropic, creative economy and independent experimental models. Although UAE institutions benefit from financial stability, their …

M+, Beyond A Museum?: The Making Of A New Cultural Paradigm In Hong Kong, Grace Law

MA Theses

This thesis, titled M+, Beyond a Museum? The Making of a New Cultural Paradigm in Hong Kong, is a critical inquiry into whether M+ is a traditional museum or an institution that redefines Hong Kong’s cultural landscape. The study examines the operational and financial challenges encountered by the Museum in the backdrop of its distinguished architecture, meticulous programming, and advanced digital technology. By tracing the Museum’s development through its core exhibitions and international collaborations, this thesis demonstrates how M+ has evolved into a key art institution within the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), and elevated its positioning in the cultural …

Screening Anticancer Activity By Brine Shrimp Lethality Test Of Extracts Of Annona Stenophylla (Engl. & Diels), Strophanthus Petersianus (Klotzsch) And Synadenium Glaucescens (Pax), Roberto Luis Nhamussua, Faith Philemone Mabiki Mabiki, Alinanuswe Joel Mwakalesi, Lyndy Joy Mcgaw

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Cancer continues to be one of the main public health challenges, driving the search for new compounds with therapeutic potential. Medicinal plants represent a valuable promising source of bioactive metabolites, and the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test has been widely used as a preliminary tool to assess the toxicity of natural extracts, providing clues to their possible anticancer activity. In this study, the cytotoxicity of the extracts of Annona stenophylla (Engl. & Diels), Strophanthus petersianus (Klotzsch), and Synadenium glaucescens (Pax) was investigated using the BSLT as a first step in screening for potential anticancer compounds. The plant materials were harvested in …

Variability In Practice And Outcomes Of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy And Bile Duct Exploration (Lcbde) For Treatment Of Bds – A Survey And Multi-Centre Audits Of Practice In The Uk, Andrei Jackson

Peninsula Medical School Theses

AbstractTitle: Variability in Practice and Outcomes of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and Bile Duct Exploration (LCBDE) for Treatment of Bile Duct Stones– a Survey and Multi-Centre Audits of Practice in the UKIntroduction: The practice of managing suspected/confirmed bile duct stones (BDS) can vary significantly in the UK. The optimal management approach for suspected or confirmed BDS in patients with symptomatic gallstones remains unclear. We aimed to assess this variability in practice and outcomes of laparoscopic bile duct exploration in the UK.Methods: A UK-wide survey and two national multicentre audits were conducted. An electronic survey containing 40 questions on various aspects of management …

Metal–Insulator–Insulator–Metal (Miim) Ag/Sno2/Al2o3/Ag Diodes Fabricated By Ultraprecise Dispensing And Atomic Layer Deposition, Aboubacar Savadogo, Klaus Huska, Rohit D. Chavan, Thomas Nyachoti Nyangonda, Jan Feßler, Bernard Odhiambo Aduda, Ulrich Wilhelm Paetzold, Uli Lemmer, Mohamed Hussein

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Currently, high-frequency, ultra-fast, and tunneling diodes are mainly fabricated using traditional lithography and evaporation techniques, typically limited to wafer sizes. This work introduces a new method for fabricating metal–insulator–insulator– metal (MIIM) diodes using ultra-precise dispensing (UPD) printing techniques, providing a practical alternative to traditional lithography. Enabling highly precise material deposition, minimizing waste and boosting manufacturing efficiency. Both bottom and top electrodes of the MIIM diode are silver(Ag) and fabricated via UPD, while atomic layer deposition (ALD) is employed to deposit the insulating layers. 1 nm of tin oxide(SnO2) and 1 nm of aluminum oxide(Al2O3) sandwiched between the electrodes: The Ag/SnO2/Al2O3/Ag …

Forecasting Future Adoption Rates Of Agroecological Innovations Using Machine Learning: Perspectives From Burkina Faso’S 45 Provinces From 2010 To 2020, Theodore Nikiema, Pamela Giselle Katic, Issaka Abdou Razakou Kiribou, Sylvain Kpenavoun Chogou, Eugene C. Ezin

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Implementation of agroecological innovations tends to be long-term processes, with the practices of one year often linked to those of previous years. However, previous studies have focused on understanding drivers of adoption at farm level, with adoption measured at a point in time. In this study, we use a decade of panel data from the Permanent Agricultural Survey in Burkina Faso from 2010 to 2020 and machine learning approaches, to model adoption rates of agroecological innovations at the provincial level as an autoregressive process. This modeling approach allows us to exploit the time series nature of our dataset to forecast …

Assessment Of The Life Cycle Of Photovoltaic Solar Technologies For Sustainable Energy Transitions: Implications For Climate Policy And Low-Carbon System Integration, Wakiang Emile Latchiba, Sebastian Waita, Robert Krueger, Julius M. Mwabora

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

The rapid expansion of photovoltaic (PV) deployment demands integrated environmental and economic evaluation of emerging technologies. This study compares crystalline silicon (c-Si), perovskite, and hybrid perovskite-silicon tandem PV systems using a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) combined with Techno-economic Analysis (TEA) to measure environmental impacts, resource efficiency, and cost performance. Environmental indicators include life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, total energy demand, water use, and overall impact, while economic performance is assessed through levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Sensitivity analysis explores the effects of energy payback time (EPBT), material efficiency, and perovskite stability. Results show manufacturing as the main hotspot, contributing …

Optimizing Machine Learning Algorithms Through Hyper-Parameter Tuning For Accurate Rice Yield Forecasting In North-East, Nigeria. International Journal Of Agricultural And Statistical Sciences, Ezra Daniel Dzarma, Guy Degla, Theophile Komlan Dagba, Nyor Ngutor

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Accurate prediction of rice yield is crucial for strengthening food security and improving agricultural decisionmaking in North-East Nigeria, where production systems are constrained by fluctuating input use and environmental variability. This study applies four machine learning algorithms: Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN)to model rice yield using five primary farm inputs: Labour (B), Fertilizer (F), Herbicides (H), Seeds (S), and land (L)area. All models were optimized through hyper-parameter tuning to ensure reliable performance. The results show that SVM and XGB produced the strongest predictive accuracy, with RF achieving an RMSE of …

Green Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Nio/Sio2 Nanocomposites From Citrus Sinensis Extract As An Emulsion Stabilizer For Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications, Godfrey Osemudiamhen Eseigbe, Sunday Sunday Ikiensikimama

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Orange peels or Citrus sinensis peels are considered plant waste that can be discarded and become a nuisance to the environment. They can be used to create useful products that are economically advantageous. In this paper, Citrus sinensis peels extract was utilized to synthesize NiO/SiO2. The nanoparticles were characterised using various analytical methods including Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Dispersed X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and Thermogravimetric Analysis TGA. Based on the characterisation results, irregular NiO/SiO2 nanocomposites with an average diameter of 16.6 nm were observed via the XRD analysis. The DLS gave …

Evaluating Quahog (Mercenaria Mercenaria) Nursery Methods And Production Costs To Support Diversification Of Maine’S Fisheries And Aquaculture Sector, Hannah G. Wolf

Honors Theses

Populations of wild and farmed quahogs in Maine are expanding, driven by warming waters, declining soft-shell clam populations, and the need to diversify fisheries. The Northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) is a potential species to diversify Maine’s marine sector, as its geographical range is expanding, and they appear more resistant to green crab predation. Enhancing wild quahog stock provides economic and social advantages for both the aquaculture and wild harvest industries. However, there is limited understanding about the commercial viability of producing quahog seed on existing farms for wild shellfish enhancement in Maine. This research, part of a larger NOAA …

An Exploration Of Npte Predictors Of Success In Nontraditional Pta To Dpt Bridge Students, Stefanie Anderson, Nicole Schroeder, Mario Baker, Sean Mcbride

Health Professions Education

Purpose: PTA to DPT Bridge programs are uniquely designed to bridge the skills of a working physical therapy assistant (PTA) and those needed to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT). The purpose of this study is to explore factors predictive of the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) scores unique to the nontraditional PTA to DPT student.

Methods: This study utilized a quantitative, non-experimental design to examine predictive factors associated with DPT students’ performance on the NPTE. Student records from 86 graduates from the 2022 to 2024 cohorts, of a single PTA to DPT Bridge program were collected and …

Integrating Ai-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging Into A First-Semester Dpt Course: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Learner Perceptions And Palpation Self-Efficacy, Michael Morgan, Jeb Helms, John Imundi

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Accurate palpation skills and three-dimensional anatomical understanding are foundational outcomes of entry-level physical therapist education; however, novice learners often struggle to translate static anatomical knowledge into applied palpation experiences. Ultrasound imaging (USI) offers real-time visualization of living anatomy, and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced features may further support novice learners by scaffolding anatomical orientation. The purpose of this study was to examine first-semester Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) learners’ perceptions of AI-enhanced USI integration related to anatomical understanding, palpation self-efficacy, engagement, and perceived relevance to future practice.

Method: A single-group convergent mixed-methods study was conducted with 60 first-semester DPT learners in …

"Cap No Belong To Busha:" Property-In-Labor And Apprenticeship In Jamaica, 1834-1838, Ashley S. Getting

Dissertations and Theses

The four-year period of apprenticeship in Jamaica was a critical period in the transition of labor relations between enslaver/enslaved and master/apprentice. This study examines the Abolition of Slavery Act of 1833 and colonial office records to consider the ways masters and apprentices interpreted property-in-labor and how they employed those interpretations to begin negotiation what a 'free labor' sugar economy might look like post-apprenticeship. Using the lens of freedom practices to examine colonial dispatches and court records, I construct the apprentice understanding of their new labor relation. Apprenticeship meant a new legal status where individuals were no longer chattel, and the …

Painted By Hand, Written In The Sky: Martin Wong’S Fingerspelling As Invented Visual Language, 1982-1985, Bella Clemente

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis examines Martin Wong's (1946-1999) hand-painted fingerspelling as an invented personal visual language and vehicle of self-portraiture, analyzing three paintings created during his time in New York between 1982 and 1985: Attorney Street: Handball Court with Autobiographical Poem by Piñero (1982-1984), Compulsion (1984-1985), and Stanton Near Forsyth Street (1983). Through iconographic analysis of lingual elements in each work, including fingerspelling, graffiti, calligraphy, and poetry, this thesis argues that Wong's stylized adaptation of the American Sign Language manual alphabet reflects an evolving sense of self-identity, drawing on influences from Chinese artistic traditions, calligraphy, Kufic script, and the Nuyorican poetry and …

Deconstructing Parenthood: A Critical Queer Analysis Of Gender, Law, And Bionormativity In India, Jwalika Balaji

National Law School of India Review

Parenthood (the legal connection to one’s child) is often assumed to be a biologically determined and natural status, but in reality, it is a legal and social construct shaped by historical, cultural, and political contexts. This paper critically examines the legal framework of parenthood in India, highlighting how it privileges a bionormative, dyadic, heterosexual parental unit, while marginalising LGBTQ+ individuals, unmarried couples, and alternative family structures. Through a critical queer method, the paper deconstructs the bio-essentialist juxtaposition of gender, conjugality, and reproduction that underpins Indian family law. It explores how the legal framework selectively acknowledges the constructed nature of parenthood …

Glorifying Khaki: Policing, Power, And Copaganda In Hindi Cinema, Stuti Shah, Jyotika Tomar

National Law School of India Review

This article adopts US civil rights advocate Alec Karakatsanis’s conceptualisation of ‘copaganda’ to analyse the commercially successful ‘Cop Universe’ directed by Rohit Shetty, situating it within a broader socio-legal analysis of contemporary policing in India. It argues that copaganda in Hindi cinema recasts police officers not only as vigilantes, but also as embodiments of Hindutva and nationalist virility and a Brahmanical patriarchal order. In doing so, these films normalise extra-legal policing, obscure the structural realities of custodial violence and impunity, and reframe state violence as both necessary and morally desirable. The article situates these cinematic narratives alongside contemporary developments in …

Machine Learning Guided Design Of Doped Lithium Lanthanum Zirconium Oxide (Llzo) For Improved Performance, Bernice Ngwi Abraham, Elvis Twumasi, Desmond Edem Primus Klenam, Tabiri Kwayie Asumadu Asumadu, Abdulhakeem Bello, Vitalis Chioh Anye, Nancy A Burnham, Rodica Neamtu

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

This paper presents a machine-learning approach to the development of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with doped Lithium Lanthanum Zirconium Oxide (LLZO) electrolytes. LLZO electrolytes are promising solid electrolytes that exhibit high ionic conductivities of approximately ~10−3–10−4 S cm−1. However, optimizing the ionic conductivity of LLZO is a multiparametric challenge involving numerous compositional and processing variables. This work employs a data-driven methodology by applying machine learning to a dataset mined from the literature. This approach was used to model the intricate relationships between the compositional and synthesis variables and ionic conductivity. Tree-based and ensemble models, like Decision Tree, Random Forest, Light Gradient …

Steiner Coset Partitions For Five Mutually Commuting Subgroups, Fusun Akman, Papa Sissokho

Faculty Publications – Mathematics

A Steiner coset partition of a group G with respect to pairwise distinct subgroups H1 , …, Hr is a collection of pairwise disjoint cosets g1 H1 , …, gr Hr whose union is G. Motivated by the Herzog–Schönheim Conjecture, we have recently started exploring the groups that admit Steiner coset partitions. In previous work, we completely classified such groups for up to r = 4 mutually commuting subgroups. In this paper, we extend the classification to r = 5 mutually commuting subgroups.

Review Of Current Research Describing The Influence Of Non-Health Care Drivers Of Health In Rural And Urban Populations, Katie Youngen, Julia Cecil, Tyrone F. Borders

Rural & Underserved Health Research Center Publications

Social determinants of health (SDOH) (also called social drivers of health) are the conditions of the environment where people live, learn, work, and play that are known to affect health outcomes.¹ The primary objective of this literature review is to summarize the most recent literature related to the Healthy People 2030 domains of a) economic stability, b) education access and quality, c) neighborhood and built environment, and d) social and community context.² Our particular focus is on non-health care drivers of health. The secondary objective is to identify gaps in literature applied to rural populations.

Hmda Demographics: Racial And Ethnic Discrimination In The Mortgage Application And Approval Process, Paul Arrowood

Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law

No abstract provided.