Arts and Humanities Commons^™

La Muerte De Mi Madre, Jorge Rodriguez-Florido

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No abstract provided.

Restless Sleep, Brittany Gignac

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No abstract provided.

Denied Truth, Jacqueline Dorantes

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No abstract provided.

"Survivor", Jacqueline Dorantes

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No abstract provided.

From Slavery To Freedom In Brazil Review, John T. Karam

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No abstract provided.

The Stroessner Regime And Indigenous Resistance In Paraguay, Sylvia Escarcega

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Community Snapshot

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Creating Knowledge, Volume 1, 2008

Creating Knowledge

A little over a year ago, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences committed itself to a number of new strategic initiatives that would reflect our commitment to enhance and enrich the academic quality of the student experience within the College. In league with the University’s Vision Twenty12 Strategic Plan, these initiatives were particularly aimed at improving upon the existing programs in the College and augmenting the opportunities for students to reach the very highest academic and career goals that they were capable of achieving.

Chief among those was the initiative that we labeled “Students Creating Knowledge” – a set …

Human-Centered Semantic Retrieval In Multimedia Databases, Xin Chen

All ETDs from UAB

The research described in this dissertation has proposed a human-centered retrieval framework that can automatically retrieve multimedia data based on their semantic content. In particular, the framework queries and searches images and videos in a multimedia database according to their visual content. In order for computers to understand the semantic contents of images and videos, human guidance is necessary. By incorporating the user’s Relevance Feedback (RF) on the retrieval results into the learning and retrieval mechanism, the semantic gap between humans and computers can be gradually bridged. High-dimensional feature vectors of multimedia data can cause a dramatic increase in computation …

Transition Metal Complexes Of Bis(Phosphorus) Donor Ligands Derived From Multifunctional Diols: Synthesis, Isomerization, Cation Binding, And Catalysis., Samuel Britt Owens

All ETDs from UAB

In Chapter 1, the metallacrown ethers cis-[PdCl2{Ph2P(CH2CH2O)3CH2CH2PPh2-P,P’}] and trans-PtCl2{Ph2P(CH2CH2O)3CH2CH2PPh2-P,P’} were studied. These metallacrown ethers are ideal candidates for the study of the kinetics and thermodynamics of cis-trans isomerizations because of their highly flexible backbones. We have carried out these studies using 31P NMR spectroscopy, and the equilibrium constants and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for these reactions are reported. Chapter 2 of this dissertation explores the cation binding ability of the tartaric acid backbone proposed as the building block for the ligands developed herein for the hydroformylation of styrene. Binding studies and crystallographic analysis confirmed that incorporating the tartaric acid backbone …

Genaweave: A Generic Aspect Weaver Framework Based On Model -Driven Program Transformation, Suman Roychoudhury

All ETDs from UAB

Legacy software affects critical functions of our daily lives (e.g., general commercial transactions, scientific applications and military defense systems), and represents a significant investment by government, scientific and corporate institutions. As a consequence of the longevity of such systems, existing legacy software is subject to decay over a period of time, making it increasingly difficult to address changing stakeholder requirements. Modern research approaches for software engineering and programming language design, such as aspect-oriented software development (AOSD), have been investigated as effective techniques for improving modularization of software. However, a general trend in research for supporting aspects has focused primarily on …

Gender Difference In Cardiovascular Risk Indicator And Cardiovascular Disease Among Veterans With Ptsd, Elizabeth Frazier

All ETDs from UAB

Using the allostatic load model of disease processes, this study investigated gender differences on cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular disease among PTSD and MDD veterans. Cross-sectional analysis of 884 de-identified veteran's data from four VISN7 primary care clinics was completed via ANCOVAs and binary logistic regression analyses. Veterans with PTSD had significantly higher levels of SBP. Among female veterans without PTSD, MDD was associated with increased DBP. Among veterans with neither PTSD nor MDD, male veterans had higher levels of DBP. Veterans without PTSD and men had higher rates of cardiovascular disease. Study results support continued focus on gender differences in …

Characterizing Semantic Memory In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Kelli L. Netson

All ETDs from UAB

Episodic memory is clearly impaired in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), although recent studies have revealed deficits in other cognitive domains such as attention, executive function, and semantic memory. Studies of semantic memory in MCI have been limited by inconsistent use of diagnostic criteria and variability in the measures used. The purpose of this study was to examine semantic memory in a sample of individuals diagnosed with amnestic MCI using Mayo criteria. Performance of individuals with consensus-diagnosed MCI (n=12) was compared to that of normal controls (n=15) on a battery of semantic memory tasks. MANOVA results indicated that the MCI group …

Development Of Method For Measurement Of Passive Losses In Cr2+:Znse And Cr2+:Zns Laser Crystals Using Polarized Laser Beam, Anitha Arumugam

All ETDs from UAB

Measurement of total attenuation in transition metal doped crystals is still an opened field and needs further research and development. In this investigation we developed a method for measurement of passive losses in Cr2+:ZnSe and Cr2+:ZnS laser crystals using polarized laser beam. A method for loss measurement, the Transmission Comparison Method, has been taken into consideration and modified to quantify the sample loss which in our case is larger than the extremely small loss measured in the Transmission Comparison Method. The developed method was then used to measure the surface reflectivity losses, intrinsic material absorption, and internal volumetric scattering, all …

Degradation Of The Huntingtin Polyglutamine Domain By The Proteasome: Implication To Huntington’S Disease, Marie Antoinette Blaize

All ETDs from UAB

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a progressive autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder. HD results from the genetic mutation that leads to an abnormally expanded polyglutamine (PolyQ) sequence within the protein. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of ubiquitinated mutant htt, suggesting dysfunction of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Interestingly, there is data suggesting that the proteasome may not have the ability to efficiently degrade abnormally expanded polyglutamine. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that there is proteasome impairment in HD and in cell models that expressed mutant htt, suggesting that mutant htt may cause dysfunction of the proteasome. Therefore, in this study, we further …

The Relationship Between Pornography And Rape Rates: Does The Distribution Of Pornography Increase The Incidence Of Rape?, Jamie Lee Blalock

All ETDs from UAB

This study was conducted to test consumption of pornographic material, specifi-cally Playboy, increases the likelihood of rape at the county level. To do this, a cross-sectional design was used to examine this relationship in 3,133 counties in the United States. Overall, the findings suggest that when households headed by females with child-ren, persons 15 and older who are divorced, percent of the population with a high school education or higher, percent of the population who are unemployed, percent of the popu-lation living in urban areas, percent of the population ages 18 to 24, percent of the popu-lation that are black, …

Picking Up Rocks, Frankie M. Bradley

All ETDs from UAB

The five short stories in this collection focus thematically on the experiences of a fictional character named Elizabeth Fuller. Each story presents an episode in Fuller’s life in which she develops as an autonomous individual, making independent choices, recognizing her relationships to the surrounding world and other people. At the beginning of the writing process I proposed creating a collection in which transcendentalism served as the philosophical undercurrent in Fuller’s progression through various life stages, working in the literary and philosophical traditions of Thoreau, Hawthorne, Jewett, Alcott, Stoddard, and Dillard. Initially I tried too hard to create ‘transcendentalist’ writing, inundating …

Feed Comparison For Dietary Standardization Of The Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus And Assessment Of Parental Dietary Copper Toxicity By Fertilization And Embryological Tests, Heath W. Garris

All ETDs from UAB

Toxicity tests monitoring the effects of anthropogenic substances on marine systems are considered an important part of environmental management. Sea urchin fertilization and embryological toxicity tests are successful in producing a graded response to toxicants, but standards for controlling the quality of parental urchins have not been developed. In Chapter 1, experimental populations of Lytechinus variegatus were fed either organic romaine lettuce and organic carrots, or a feed formulated for sea urchins for 13 weeks. Growth demographics were assessed and F1 progeny were compared for sensitivity to the toxicants copper sulfate, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, and sodium dodecyl sulfate by acute embryonic and …

Detection Of Total And Pathogenic Salmonella In Oysters Using Real-Time Pcr With Internal Amplification Control And Study Of Their Antibiotic Resistance Profile, Maulshree Gangwar

All ETDs from UAB

Salmonella is a causative agent for food and water borne gastroenteritis in humans. A multiplex PCR-based detection revealing total and potentially virulent strains of Salmonellae was developed using oligonucleotide primers. These primers targeted chromosomally located invA gene generating a 274 bp and Salmonella virulence plasmid-borne spvB gene generating 561 bp amplified DNA fragments. The invA gene product brings about the invasion of the cells on the intestinal epithelium and is used as the marker for total Salmonella detection. The occurrence and distribution of these genes in 90 strains exhibited 100% amplification of invA gene whereas only 22% of spvB gene …

Thermal Stability Of Defects In Strontium Titante Substrates For Multiferroic Materials, Shehnaz Jeddy

All ETDs from UAB

In this investigation we studied the thermal stability of defects in as-received (100) strontium titanate substrate during isochronal and isothermal anneals in vacuum and oxygen ambients. Using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, our purpose was to correlate the responses of the Fe+3Vo associate defect to either oxygen movement in substrates or to changes in the charge states of the Fe+3Vo defect. Isochronal vacuum anneals at T < 600 0C show increases in the relative EPR intensity of Fe+3Vo, implying increases in oxygen vacancies, but the decreases at T > 600 0C are not as yet clear. Isochronal oxygen anneals were conducted to compare/contrast responses of Fe+3Vo to thermal treatments in different ambients. Vacuum and oxygen anneals produced surprisingly similar results, suggesting that similar effects …

Micro-Raman Spectroscopy And Dry Turning Evaluations Of Nanostructured Diamond Films Deposited On Tungsten-Carbide Lathe Inserts, Thomas Ryan Lawson

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Synthetic diamond is increasingly called upon to play important roles in high-tech machining. This thesis follows the progress of nanostructured diamond films deposited on tungsten-carbide lathe inserts by means of MPCVD. Testing of films was done under the rigors of dry turning. Comparisons were made to the performance of uncoated WCCo, polycrystalline diamond compacts (PCD) and microcrystalline diamond (MCD) coated lathe inserts in the categories of surface finish and lifespan. Attempts were also made to correlate nanodiamond film performance to indentation tests and Raman spectroscopy. Raman results indicate that specifically the peak at 1556 cm-1 is detrimental to film lifespan …

Heroes, Jacob Melvin

All ETDs from UAB

This thesis is a collection of five personal essays dealing with moral ambiguity. The essays fit into the genre of Creative Nonfiction. Moral ambiguity is a theme that can be traced throughout the history of literature. This thesis blends the elements of literature and nonfiction in order to craft essays around a theme of moral complexity.

The Defect Level Of Carbon Vacancy Carbon Antisite Pair In 4h-Sic Using Photo Induced Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Geoffrey Ngetich

All ETDs from UAB

Due to its physical and electrical properties, silicon carbide (SiC) has attracted much attention recently for its possible applications in high power devices. Point defects and the associated defect levels are important to understand if we are to produce high quality SiC wafers. While a lot has been done to understand point defects using electrical measurements, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) reveals more detailed information. EPR gives us both the number of defects and also their specific structure and charge state while photo-EPR helps to determine their defect level. EPR measurements were done at 80 K in the dark and during …

The Barbary Wars: Ideology And Politics In Post-Revolutionary America, Christopher R. Null

All ETDs from UAB

This thesis examines the build-up to and the events of the First Barbary War (1801-1805) with the purpose of demonstrating that ideological factors significantly influenced the decision to go to war – specifically the republican ideology of Thomas Jefferson and his belief that this ideology represented the essence of the United States and its Revolutionary heritage. As such, Jefferson will be the main focus of this analysis. This focus is justified because it is Jefferson who broke with the policies set by his predecessors and directly engaged the Barbary States with military force. Therefore, to understand why the United States …

A Descriptive Overview Of The Jefferson County Mental Health Court, Crystal Rena Null

All ETDs from UAB

Mental health courts have been established to help meet the treatment needs of the mentally ill offender. If mentally ill offenders commit crimes because of their mental illness, then “by treating [them], society may benefit through reduced recidivism and improvements in social outcomes” (Mears, 2004, 258). This study focuses on the Jefferson County Mental Health Court and its participants. It addresses two main research questions: 1) Who participants in the Jefferson County Mental Health Court; and 2) What factors exist to help predict who successfully completes the Jefferson County Mental Health Court? Unlike the majority of other mental health courts, …

A Rhetoric Of Resolution: The Limits Of Competition, Michael Schandorf

All ETDs from UAB

The idea of competition underlies most all Western cultural practices making conflict inevitable, but understanding the world in terms of constant, perpetual competition limits the development of lasting, adaptive, and constructive solutions to human problems and conflicts. While competition serves the vital functions of quality control and the identification of best practices, the function of “Competition” as a god term betrays a misunderstanding of both the value and process of competition as an instrument, and demonstrates how human conceptualization, mediated by language, can direct the development and acquisition of knowledge into narrow channels and exclude ways of understanding that are …

A Simple Plan, A Simple Faith: Chaplain And Local Congregant Strategies For Sharing Faith In The Prison Context, Jessica P. Shoemaker

All ETDs from UAB

As the prison population in the United States continues to expand, so too has the use of faith-based prison programs as tools for correctional treatment. Using in-depth interviews with thirty current prison chaplains and local religious congregants in Mississippi, I explore the strategies and techniques used by prison ministry workers in their work with inmates. Two overarching themes emerged from the narratives of prison ministry work. The first is that the ministry workers were careful to avoid setting or focusing on numeric goals for religious conversions before interacting with the inmates. They reported that this approach was based on their …

Night Moves, Jason Edward Slatton

All ETDs from UAB

Night Moves, the title of this collection of poetry, will most likely be familiar to readers as derived from the FM radio staple by Detroit songwriter Bob Seger. Seger’s song is an attempt to understand and navigate a past that is essentially lost to him, and I see each of these poems as “night moves” in that I am writing to a past that is lost to me and that I am fervently attempting to in some way record. That this title is born of the rock and roll ethos is also certainly intentional; I spent a great deal of …

Conservational Implications Of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, Corie L. Therrien

All ETDs from UAB

A variety of reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), where incubation temperature determines gender. This form of sex determination has significant conservational implications because it has the potential of producing highly biased sex ratios which can affect the reproductive output of a population. TSD is of particular interest to conservation programs that use hatcheries to artificially incubate the eggs of endangered sea turtles because such programs need to select specific incubation temperatures in an effort to produce a desired sex ratio. This type of sex determination also has evolutionary implications as it may be advantageous for an animal to produce …

Study Of Nano-Mechanical Properties Of 3d Scaffolds Prepared From Polycaprolactone And Hydroxyapatite, Parul Tyagi

All ETDs from UAB

Nanocomposite scaffolds based on nanofibrous polycaprolactone (PCL) and nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHA) with fixed polymer compositions (7.5wt%) but different total wt% were prepared by electrostatic co-spinning to mimic the nanofeatures of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) for natural bone tissue. Electrospinning is used to produce ultra-fine fibers using a high-voltage electrostatic field. The proposed concentrations of NanoHA in polymer were 0wt%, 10wt%, 20wt%, 30wt%, 40wt%, 50wt%. NanoHA was found to be well dispersed in polymers up to the addition of 30wt%, whereas substantial beading, electro-spraying and agglomeration of HA particles was observed in 40wt% and 50wt%. There are several factors which may …