Arts and Humanities Commons^™

An Exploration Of The Study Abroad Experiences Of United States Students In Three Halls Of Residence At A Catholic University In Western Australia, Nicole Schiffer

Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the ways United States students develop through studying abroad at a Catholic university in Western Australia. The significance of the research lies in the belief that host and home universities should be aware of the needs of these study abroad students. The needs of these students were understood through an exploration of the challenges faced, the support received, and the personal and professional development attained.

Four dimensions of the context contributed to an understanding of this study. These four dimensions were the University of Notre Dame Australia Fremantle, the UNDA three halls …

‘Remember The Peasantry’: A Study Of Genocide, Famine, And The Stalinist Holodomor In Soviet Ukraine, 1932-33, As It Was Remembered By Post-War Immigrants In Western Australia Who Experienced It, Lesa Melnyczuk Morgan

Theses

In 1936 Joseph Stalin offered what he called ‘friendly advice’ to his Communist allies in war-torn Spain: ‘One should pay attention to the peasantry, which...is of great importance.’¹ So important, indeed, was the peasantry to the security of the Communist state that Stalin had adopted ruthless, widespread policies in the Soviet Union to ensure their compliance with the centralised regime in Moscow.

The devastating famine experienced in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 was an example of such ruthless policies of Stalin’s government. Some scholars argue that in the space of a year up to ten million people died …

Open: A Narrative Criticism, Suzanne Christine Matzenauer

Communication Studies

How did Andre Agassi overcome his battle with depression and struggles with the media and the pressure he put on himself? Andre eventually found ways to conquer his demons and eventually love himself and the support group around him. In this paper, I am going to explain the struggles Andre dealt with from childhood to the bad choices he made when he hit rock bottom. Then I am going to explain how he overcame these obstacles to become one of the greatest athletes to conquer his demons and eventually was able to educate thousands of young children and teach them …

Three Dimensional Printing: Modern Medical Applications, Devin Peek, Elizabeth Stark

Graphic Communication

3-D printing is an additive printing process based on inkjet printing principles. Using this technology, a variety of materials can be used to create a three-dimensional product. Currently this technology is expensive, however it is slowly becoming more affordable. 3-D printing has the potential to change the future of medical model production and prototyping, due to the beneficial products it can produce. The objective of this research study is to discover the technological advancements in 3-D printing that could greatly affect several aspects of the medical industry. The areas discussed include high-risk surgery, dentistry, and prosthetics. After conducting six interviews …

Effectiveness Of Catalog Printing On Online Consumers, Sarah Chan

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how catalog printing could still have a significant impact on the behavior of online shoppers. It is a common trend in companies to use print catalog as more of a branding vehicle than a selling tool. Often, print catalogs are an essential tool in reinforcing a company’s brand image. Using catalog printing could potentially enhance company brand image and extend services and products being offered to consumers and prospective clients.

Job Satisfaction Of Naia Head Coaches At Small Faith-Based Colleges: The Teacher-Coach Model, Craig L. Stiemsma

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The head coaches at smaller colleges usually have other job responsibilities that include teaching, along with the responsibilities of coaching, recruiting, scheduling, and other coaching-related jobs. There is often a dual role involved for these coaches who try to juggle two different jobs that sometimes require different skill sets and involve different responsibilities that may lead to role conflict. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the level of job satisfaction of coaches in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). This study also sought to determine if there were differences in coaches' levels of job satisfaction based on …

Sir Thomas Wyatt's Rondeaux: Early Modern Perception During And After The English Reformation, Anne Begin Myer

All ETDs from UAB

This paper examines the implications of Sir Thomas Wyatt's use of the rondeaux during the English Reformation and the reception and editorial emendations of that French poetic form in subsequent anti-Reformation publications. The first chapter, "Contemporary Publications and Controversy," explores the two texts by which Wyatt's works would have been disseminated to the public, namely, Tottel's Songes and Sonettes (or Miscellany) and The Court of Venus. In addition to these texts, I also consider the relationship between Wyatt and his deeply Protestant patrons, Sir Thomas Cromwell and Anne Boleyn, and how these relationships would have influenced the public perception of …

Spectral Properties Of Structurally Disordered Media, Roger Allen Nichols

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Central to the study of the motion of an electron in a structurally disordered medium under a tight-binding approximation is the family of discrete Schrodinger operators of the form h +V. The h term models the kinetic energy of the electron and the potential term V models the medium, the environment through which the electron moves. The potential V, indexed by a so-called displacement configuration, is formed by summing identical single-site potentials which have been displaced from the points of a sublattice of Z. The goal of this work is to investigate certain spectral properties of the operators h + …

A Highly Reliable Gpu-Based Raid System, Matthew L. Curry

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In this work, I have shown that current parity-based RAID levels are nearing the end of their usefulness. Further, the widely used parity-based hierarchical RAID levels are not capable of significantly improving reliability over their component parity-based levels without requiring massively increased hardware investment. In response, I have proposed k + m RAID, a family of RAID levels that allow m, the number of parity blocks per stripe, to vary based on the desired reliability of the volume. I have compared its failure rates to those of RAIDs 5 and 6, and RAIDs 1+0, 5+0, and 6+0 with varying numbers …

Third-Wave Feminism In Select Young Adult Literature, Colleen Mckinney

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Imperial Face Of China At Turn Of The Twentieth Century--An Analysis Of Empress Dowager Cixi's Portraits, Qi Tie

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This thesis focuses on the late Qing imperial portraits. Examining representative photographic portraits of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) taken by Yu Xunling (ca.1880s-1943), this thesis explores different concepts associated with portraiture, including representing the ruler's authority, individual identity and self-fashioning, and the function of the monarch's image. I discuss how Cixi's exploited photographs to convey her authority and to establish her identity as a merciful and transcendent ruler by fashioning herself as Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. In addition, I analyze the political function Cixi's photographic portraits served when they were made into multiple copies and more widely circulated. …

Thermodynamic And Hydrodynamic Properties Of Escherichia Coli Clpa Assembly And Correlation With Polypeptide Binding, Phillip Keith Veronese

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Escherichia coli ClpAP, akin to other energy dependent proteases, is constructed from two distinct enzymes, a protein unfoldase, ClpA, and a protease, ClpP. ClpA is responsible for enzyme catalyzed protein unfolding and polypeptide translocation, while ClpP accepts and proteolytically degrades the newly unfolded protein. ClpA is defined as a molecular chaperone since it has been shown to remodel protein complexes in the absence of ClpP. In order for ClpA to bind protein substrates targeted for removal or remodeling, ClpA requires nucleotide binding to assemble into an oligomeric form with protein binding activity. In addition to this nucleotide driven assembly activity, …

Clustering Spam Domains And Hosts: Anti-Spam Forensics With Data Mining, Chun Wei

All ETDs from UAB

Spam related cyber crimes, including phishing, malware and online fraud, are a serious threat to society. Spam filtering has been the major weapon against spam for many years but failed to reduce the number of spam emails. To hinder spammers' capability of sending spam, their supporting infrastructure needs to be disrupted. Terminating spam hosts will greatly reduce spammers' profit and thwart their ability to commit spam-related cyber crimes. This research proposes an algorithm for clustering spam domains based on the hosting IP addresses and related email subjects. The algorithm can also detect significant hosts over a period of time. Experimental …

Studies Of Solid Carbon Dioxide In Interstellar Ice Analogs Subject To Thermal Processing, Douglas Wynne White

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Solid CO2 has been detected in many lines of sight in the interstellar medium from infrared observatories. Spectral profiles from space-based observatories have suggested that CO2 on icy grain mantles is mixed with other common molecules such as H2O and CH3OH in interstellar regions and that thermal annealing has occurred. The vibrational mode at 658 cm-1 (15.2μ) is suspected to be a powerful diagnostic tool as to the composition of species on icy grain mantles as well as thermal histories. However, previous studies have not systematically investigated ice composition and temperature. Laboratory spectra of interstellar ice analogs have been created …

Growth Of Chromium-Doped Zinc Selenide Thin Films By Pulsed Laser Deposition For Mid-Infrared Applications, Jonathan Ezekiel Williams

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Transition metal doped II-VI semiconductor materials features excellent spectroscopic and lasing characteristics in the middle infrared (mid-IR). Among this class of laser material, the most impressive results have been obtained from chromium-doped zinc selenide (Cr2+:ZnSe) crystals. To date, Cr2+:ZnSe materials are arguably the best choice of laser gain material for the advancements of high power mid-IR lasers broadly tunable over the 2-3 μm spectral range. The dissertation objectives are to demonstrate technological advancements in the development Cr2+:ZnSe thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) thus establishing a viable route for the synthesis of mid-IR laser gain media based on Cr2+:ZnSe …

Place-Based Approaches To Rural Economic Revitalization: A Public Funding Analysis And Implications For The Alabama Black Belt, David Sheldon Williams

All ETDs from UAB

Many rural areas in Alabama are underdeveloped and economically depressed. The Black Belt Counties are a subset within Alabama that tend to lag behind other counties and nationwide indicators for social and economic well-being. Targeted place-based policies for economic development and community improvement have resurfaced on the federal policy agenda under the Obama Administration. Place-based policies have the potential to change the condition of places like the Black Belt by adding the place-based approaches to rural development policy. The purpose of this research is to analyze the specific rural needs and policies utilized in the state of Alabama by understanding …

The Comparison Of Mitochondrial Functions Of 2 Drosophila Species: Drosophila Ananassae And Drosophila Subobscura, Hye J. Shin

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Recently, it has been suggested that differences in mitochondrial function enabled Homo sapiens to migrate out of Africa by enabling humans to adapt to colder environments as they migrated to higher latitude areas. Through mitochondrial mutations that partially uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation, humans that moved to colder areas were able to generate more heat for better survival, while producing less energy. However, due to challenges in working with human populations, no specific studies have been able to show the existence of such differences in mitochondrial function within healthy humans. Because of numerous advantages of Drosophila as a developmental model, such as …

H.D.'S Incantations: Reading Trilogy As An Occultist's Creed, Sarah Grace Harrell

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The focus of this thesis is H.D.'s epic poem, Trilogy, composed during 1942-1944, while she was living in World War II London. This project's primary aim is to investigate how the poet's participation in occult spiritual practices impacts the work's language. This reading examines terms, concepts, and ritualistic language from a range of esoteric traditions. While H.D. was involved in a wide range of occult practices, the specific traditions with which this investigation is mainly concerned are: astrology, spiritualism, Kabbalism, and gnostic Christianity. Explicating Trilogy exclusively through this lens places significantly more importance on the poem's metaphysical, historical, and archeological …

The Social Network: An Analysis Of The Use Of Facebook By Nonprofit Organizations In The South, Meghan Ann Hauswirth

All ETDs from UAB

Facebook has become a social networking phenomenon. Investigation into the specific features that Facebook offers nonprofits is vital to determining whether the benefits of having a Facebook presence outweigh the costs. Given the current economic climate and the fact that nonprofits are always looking for ways to expand their client base in the most efficient and cost effective ways possible, alternate ways to interact with constituents and reach new ones should be considered This descriptive analysis seeks to build upon the total body of work by examining nonprofit organizations knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding Facebook. A sam-ple of 400 nonprofit …

Computerized Cognitive Testing Among Older Adults: Exploring The Effect Of Computer Experience, Anxiety, And Attitudes On Performance, Pariya L. Fazeli

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While computerized cognitive testing among older adults has become more common, such tests have not replaced traditional paper and pencil measures due to potential barriers to implementation. One potential barrier of concern is that prior computer attitudes, anxiety, and experience may affect performance. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship of prior computer attitudes, anxiety, and experience on the performance of three computerized cognitive tests: the Useful Field of View (UFOV®) test, the Road Sign Test (RST), and the Stroop Task. Specifically, one objective was to compare the differential effects of these computer variables on the …

An Investigation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Involved In The Generation Of Breast Cancer, Joseph Tyson Deangelis

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Cell culture models of oncogenesis that use cellular reprogramming to generate a neoplastic cell from a normal cell provide one of the few opportunities to study the early stages of breast cancer development. Human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) were induced to undergo a neoplastic transformation using defined genetic elements to generate transformed HMECs (THMECs). We conducted proteomic and transcriptomic analysis of three points in the neoplastic progression of breast cancer. First we monitored alterations in the proteome that revealed a progressive trend towards a metastatic state. Next, we identified a set of genes from transcriptomic analysis that displayed this same …

On Inverse Problem For Left-Definite Discrete Sturm-Liouville Equations, Rami Al Ahmad

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ON INVERSE PROBLEMS FOR LEFT-DEFINITE DISCRETE STURM-LIOUVILLE EQUATIONS RAMI ALAHMAD APPLIED MATHEMATICS ABSTRACT We are interested in studying a class of discrete Sturm-Liouville problems called left-de nite problems corresponding to a positive definite quadratic form associated with the left side of the Sturm-Liouville equations. Important tools for studying Sturm-Liouville equations are the eigenfunction expansions and the corresponding Fourier transforms. Here, we introduce the generalized Fourier transform associated with the left-definite problems. Also, we extend the discussion to inverse problems for discrete Sturm-Liouville equations. In inverse spectral problems, the task is to find a coefficient in the equation using the spectral …

"For Red, For Blue, For Blow": Acquisition Of Gang Membership Among Early Adolescents, Joanna L. Gaines

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Adolescent gang membership is increasing across the United States, and gang membership is associated with multiple negative outcomes including increased morbidity and mortality. Previous research on gangs and gang membership has established the factors of age, gender, poverty, hopelessness, conduct problems, and harsh or inconsistent parenting techniques as contributing towards adolescent gang membership acquisition. Additional factors such as academic achievement and popularity may also affect adolescent risk for gang membership acquisition. Consistent with Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), gang membership likely results from a complex interplay of adolescents' individual characteristics and external factors, such as parent-child relationships and neighborhood …

Project-Induced Displacement, Secondary Stressors, And Health, Yue Cao

All ETDs from UAB

It is estimated that 15 million migrants displaced by development projects every year in the world. However, research on health impacts of project-induced displacement is insufficient. The existing literature concerning the causal effect of migration on health is inconclusive due to the selective nature of migration and other methodological problems. This study employs the stress process model as the major theoretical framework, components from Cernea's IRR model as well as Scudder and Colson's framework are also incorporated to examine the short-term health impact of the displacement resulting from China's Three Gorges Dam Project. I also explore whether the displacement's effect …

Fraspa: A Framework For Synthesizing Parallel Applications, Ritu Arora

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Scientists, engineers and other domain-experts have computational problems that are growing in size and complexity, thereby, increasing the demand for High Performance Computing (HPC). The demand for reduced time-to-solution is also increasing and simulations on high performance computers are being preferred over physical prototype development. Though HPC is gradually becoming indispensible for business growth, the programming challenges associated with HPC application development are a key bottleneck to embracing it on a massive scale. Current high-level approaches for generating HPC applications are either domain-dependent or do not leverage from existing applications. Message Passing Interface (MPI) is the most popular standard for …

Chemically Mediated Macroalgal-Mesograzer Interactions Along The Western Antarctic Peninsula, Craig Farrar Aumack

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In the following dissertation, we explore benthic communities along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, specifically, interactions between the immense macroalgal and mesograzer assemblages and how these relationships are chemically mediated. Despite the widespread production of various chemical feeding deterrents throughout the macroalgal community, the system supports an abundant and diverse array of crustacean amphipods. Gut content analysis and stable isotopic signatures indicate that filamentous macroalgae and epiphytic diatoms probably play an important role as dietary constituents, despite their visible absence in the sub-tidal zones. Subsequent palatability and extract feeding assays revealed that none of the filamentous macroalgal material found in amphipod …

Teaching Literature Online In The 21st Century, Virginia Beale

All ETDs from UAB

Online learning is expanding rapidly in higher education, a development which has led many scholars and educators to examine the benefits and weaknesses of instructional technology. While many scholars have written about the use of technology in teaching composition and English studies in general, there is a lack of scholarly research addressing the specific concerns of college-level literature teachers. In contrast to prevalent practice in the field of literary studies, my thesis addresses both pedagogical and technological questions. I believe that thinking critically about teaching practices in the field of literary studies is particularly important in the 21st century, when …

Challenge Difficulty And Cardiovascular Responses In Mild Cognitive Impairment, Christopher Conley Stewart

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This study examined the effect of challenge difficulty on cardiovascular responses in patients with Alzheimer's disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment. It extended from a model characterizing the determinants and cardiovascular consequences of effort in people confronted with performance challenges. One component of this model holds that ability has the potential to accentuate, attenuate, or have no effect on cardiovascular responses. Specifically, lower ability should accentuate cardiovascular responses so long as performers' view a challenge possible and worthwhile. However, lower ability should attenuate cardiovascular responses when it leads to the perception that a challenge is excessively difficult or impossible. The …

Structural Studies Of The Ligand Binding Domain Of The Human Retinoid X Receptor Bound To Retinoids And The Coactivator Peptide Grip-1, Gang Xia

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Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are ligand-dependent transcription factors which belong to the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily. When a ligand binds to RXRs, it activates the protein allosterically for the recruitment of coactivator proteins and enhancement of gene transcription. RXRs form either homodimers or heterodimers with numerous other NRs. Thus, RXRs are involved in many signaling pathways in vivo. 9cRA, Targretin and UAB retinoids are RXR agonists and found to be effective agents to prevent and treat cancers. The structures of retinoid-bound RXRs will be helpful in designing new retinoids. This dissertation focuses on structural studies of the human retinoid X …

Weapon Brandishment Among Impoverished Adolescents: A Longitudinal Approach, Alexis Magdalene Inabinet

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Violence has become increasingly more difficult to ignore in the United States, with homicide and suicide rates among American adolescents being the highest in the world. Firearm deaths have skyrocketed, including unintentional injuries, homicides and suicides; American adolescents are more likely to die from gunshot wounds than all natural causes combined. With homicide continuing to rank as the second leading cause of death among youth, research must focus on diminishing weapon brandishment. Based on prior research and a developmental systems approach to violent behavior, this study explores individual influences on adolescent weapon carrying, including perception of danger, hopelessness, and conflict …