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2012

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Articles 13861 - 13890 of 14307

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Review Of Michael S. Moore, Wealth Watch: A Study Of Socioeconomic Conflict In The Bible, Daniel L. Smith-Christopher Jan 2012

Review Of Michael S. Moore, Wealth Watch: A Study Of Socioeconomic Conflict In The Bible, Daniel L. Smith-Christopher

Theological Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.


Torah In Triclinia: The Rabbinic Banquet And The Significance Of Architecture, Gil P. Klein Jan 2012

Torah In Triclinia: The Rabbinic Banquet And The Significance Of Architecture, Gil P. Klein

Theological Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.


The Atheistic Imagination, Amir Hussain Jan 2012

The Atheistic Imagination, Amir Hussain

Theological Studies Faculty Works

No abstract provided.


A Permutational Triadic Approach To Jazz Harmony And The Chord/Scale Relationship, John Bishop Jan 2012

A Permutational Triadic Approach To Jazz Harmony And The Chord/Scale Relationship, John Bishop

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study provides an original triadic theory that combines existing jazz theory, in particular the chord/scale relationship, and mathematical permutation group theory to analyze repertoire, act as a pedagogical tool, and provide a system to create new music. Permutations are defined as group actions on sets, and the sets used here are the constituent consonant triads derived from certain scales. Group structures provide a model by which to understand the relationships held between the triadic set elements as defined by the generating functions. The findings are both descriptive and prescriptive, as triadic permutations offer new insights into existing repertoire. Further, …


New Orleans Center For Creative Arts: A History In Progress, Suzanne Michelle Blanchard Chambliss Jan 2012

New Orleans Center For Creative Arts: A History In Progress, Suzanne Michelle Blanchard Chambliss

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the state of Louisiana, a quality education for secondary school students can be hard to come by in any area of study much less in the areas of the arts. The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) provides a quality education to those talented students who audition and are accepted into the program. NOCCA has only existed since 1974 and in its relatively short life it has become a model for half-day pre-professional training programs throughout the United States and it has proven that it is possible to receive a quality education in Louisiana.


Queer Utopian Geographies And Cold War Poetry, Brigitte Natalie Mccray Jan 2012

Queer Utopian Geographies And Cold War Poetry, Brigitte Natalie Mccray

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Queer Utopian Geographies and Cold War Poetry intervenes in the general narrative about Cold War culture, made even more famous by such recent popular shows like Mad Men and Pan Am, that describes the era as a repressed society in desperate need of liberation. While indeed Cold War America was a time of paranoia and loyalty oaths, even before the Stonewall Riots of 1969 gay men and lesbians found subtle ways to resist popular media and government discourse that perpetuated the myth that the homosexual was the anti-citizen. A number of gay men and lesbians traveled extensively to escape this …


Der Deutsche Geist Am Scheideweg: Anthroposophen In Auseinandersetzung Mit Volkischer Bewegung Un Nationalsozialismus, Peter Staudenmaier Jan 2012

Der Deutsche Geist Am Scheideweg: Anthroposophen In Auseinandersetzung Mit Volkischer Bewegung Un Nationalsozialismus, Peter Staudenmaier

History Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.


Methylxanthine-Induced Neuroprotection In Neural Stem Cells, Stacy I. Ejem Jan 2012

Methylxanthine-Induced Neuroprotection In Neural Stem Cells, Stacy I. Ejem

All ETDs from UAB

Neonatal brain injury is a significant health concern of premature low birth weight babies that often leads to devastating developmental complications. Many of these babies do not survive and those that survive could end up with social and mental disorders. Premature babies are susceptible to brain injury due to their unique and underdeveloped anatomy. The insufficiency of the neonatal defense and antioxidant system prevents the body from buffering against ROS, causing oxidative stress. Adenosine, known as a modulator of cerebral blood flow, has been shown to be neuroprotective; it prevents excessive neuronal firing. However, depending on the cell type and …


Neighborhood Context And Birth Outcomes: Preconception Diet And Physical Activity Level As Intervening Behavioral Variables, Lee Anne Flagg Jan 2012

Neighborhood Context And Birth Outcomes: Preconception Diet And Physical Activity Level As Intervening Behavioral Variables, Lee Anne Flagg

All ETDs from UAB

Using a human ecological model of health, preconception diet and physical activity level were hypothesized to mediate the association between neighborhood disadvantage and disorder and birth weight. It was also hypothesized that these factors would mediate the association between neighborhood disadvantage and disorder and preterm birth. Secondary data analyses were conducted using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The final analytic sample consisted of 523 adolescent and young adult mothers giving singleton live births between 1997 and 1998. The primary dependent variables were birth weight (grams) and gestational age (weeks). An index of various census tract-level indicators …


Frances Benjamin Johnston: Imaging The New Woman Through Photography, Kelsey Frady Jan 2012

Frances Benjamin Johnston: Imaging The New Woman Through Photography, Kelsey Frady

All ETDs from UAB

At the end of the nineteenth century, Frances Benjamin Johnston's photographs offer alternative images of the American woman that posed a stark contrast to the contrived illustrations found in magazines and the paintings by American artists found on museum and gallery walls. At the same time that illustrators and artists sought to reign in or tame women's new freedoms, Johnston's photographs presented another type of woman for real American women to identify with as well as giving the New Woman an outlet for representing herself. As a New Woman herself, Johnston was able to document the changing society and the …


Parental Influences On Driving Behavior In Adolescents With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Annie Artiga Garner Jan 2012

Parental Influences On Driving Behavior In Adolescents With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Annie Artiga Garner

All ETDs from UAB

Drivers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are approximately six times more likely to become involved in a motor vehicle crash (MVC) than drivers without the disorder. Moreover, adolescent drivers with ADHD are likely at greater risk because their attention regulation difficulties are exacerbated by their driving inexperience. Research has primarily focused on the impact of ADHD on driving outcomes among adults. Thus, there is little literature assessing the role of parents in influencing driving outcomes of adolescents with ADHD. The present study was conducted to examine the impact of parenting practices during middle adolescence on the driving outcomes of adolescents with …


Does Homophily Predict Similarities In The Frequency Of Heroin Use? An Analysis Of Heroin-Using Dyads, Ben Gibson Jan 2012

Does Homophily Predict Similarities In The Frequency Of Heroin Use? An Analysis Of Heroin-Using Dyads, Ben Gibson

All ETDs from UAB

Recent work in social network analysis has focused on the spread of health behaviors, including smoking, obesity, and exercise, through social networks (Fowler and Christakis 2007, 2008; Centola 2011). Studies suggest that health behaviors are often "contagious," particularly when respondents share similar characteristics, such as race, education, and BMI. In this study, I extend recent work on the spread of health behavior through social networks to a hard-to-study population - heroin users. I aim to compare the frequency of injection (FOI) for dyads of users who share the same race, education, or age (i.e., homophilous ties) versus those who do …


A Minimally Invasive Multifunctional Nano-Enabled Approach For Selective Targeting, Imaging, And Near Infrared Photothermal Therapy Of Malignant Tumors, Hadiyah-Nicole Green Jan 2012

A Minimally Invasive Multifunctional Nano-Enabled Approach For Selective Targeting, Imaging, And Near Infrared Photothermal Therapy Of Malignant Tumors, Hadiyah-Nicole Green

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation describes how the mastery of active tumor targeting and subsequent tumor regression is a great challenge for cancer therapy. Near infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy (PTT) as a localized minimally invasive therapy utilizes nanoparticles (NPs) as a physical contrast agent. The NIR laser irradiation, transparent to normal tissue, overlaps with plasmon resonance absorption of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The AuNPs convert the absorbed NIR light energy into thermal energy and cause localized destruction of surrounding tissue. To improve efficiency for targeting of AuNPs to malignant tumors, we developed a technique for conjugating gold nanoparticles to tumor-specific antibodies. We demonstrated that …


Mental Health Disparities In Racial And Ethnic Minorities: The Impact Of Nativity And Ethnicity On Depression And Anxiety, Henna Budhwani Jan 2012

Mental Health Disparities In Racial And Ethnic Minorities: The Impact Of Nativity And Ethnicity On Depression And Anxiety, Henna Budhwani

All ETDs from UAB

This research examined factors associated with mental health outcomes for minority groups residing in the United States, with an emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities and a further segmentation between those born in the United States and those born outside the United States. Two theories were used: the Healthy Migrant Theory and Health Lifestyles Theory. In combination, they identified important elements, such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, exposure to discrimination, and health lifestyle behaviors, thought to influence mental health outcomes. Nine hypotheses were presented; support was mixed. Some support was found to support the idea that nativity, independently, influenced mental health …


Effects Of Mobile Internet Use On College Student Pedestrian Injury Risk, Katherine Walker Byington Jan 2012

Effects Of Mobile Internet Use On College Student Pedestrian Injury Risk, Katherine Walker Byington

All ETDs from UAB

Unintentional pedestrian injury is a leading cause of death in the United States. Given the complexity of accurately judging the safety of a street crossing, the task likely becomes even more challenging when pedestrians become distracted by attempting to multitask. Newly introduced cell phone functionalities such as mobile internet may introduce distraction that goes beyond the basic cognitive demand of a phone conversation or even text messaging, both of which distract pedestrians and increase unsafe behavior. The present study examined participants' pedestrian behavior while distracted by mobile internet applications. In addition, we aimed to explore college students' perceptions of the …


Analysis Of Abundance And Biodiversity Of Mosquitoes And Their Epidemiological Implications In Three Urban Neighborhoods In The Southeastern United States, Erick Xavier Caamano Jan 2012

Analysis Of Abundance And Biodiversity Of Mosquitoes And Their Epidemiological Implications In Three Urban Neighborhoods In The Southeastern United States, Erick Xavier Caamano

All ETDs from UAB

Birmingham, Alabama has experienced several mosquito-borne epidemics, including Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) and West Nile virus (WNV). Despite the outbreak of these diseases, the city lacks a mosquito surveillance program that would assist in vector control efforts. In order to assess the possible advantages of implementing a surveillance system for the city, three neighborhoods were chosen for surveys based on the fact that past epidemics have been concentrated in these areas. During the two surveillance years, 2009 had more abundance of mosquitoes and more species variability than the 2010 season. Overall, as abundance of mosquitoes increased in a particular site, …


Multiple Object Retrieval In Image Databases Using Hierarchical Segmentation Tree, Wei-Bang Chen Jan 2012

Multiple Object Retrieval In Image Databases Using Hierarchical Segmentation Tree, Wei-Bang Chen

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this research is to develop a new visual information analysis, representation, and retrieval framework for automatic discovery of salient objects of user's interest in large-scale image databases. In particular, this dissertation describes a content-based image retrieval framework which supports multiple-object retrieval. The proposed research, unlike most existing works that are designed for single object retrieval or adopt heuristic multiple object matching scheme, aims at contributing to this field through the development of an image retrieval system that enables effective and efficient multiple-object retrieval and automatic discovery of the objects of interest through users' relevance feedback. The key …


Internet Use, Social Integration, And Psychological Well-Being In Older Adults, Ronald William Berkowsky Jan 2012

Internet Use, Social Integration, And Psychological Well-Being In Older Adults, Ronald William Berkowsky

All ETDs from UAB

Previous studies examining the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and mental health provide conflicting evidence regarding the possible benefits and detriments of ICT use on mental well-being. While ICTs may enhance social cohesion and motivate individuals to engage in new communication methods to strengthen social bonds and develop new social relationships, ICTs may also motivate individuals to retreat from the real world into a virtual one, thus severing established social ties. These positive and negative changes in social integration can have significant effects on mental health, as research has shown that social relationships and social engagement can drastically …


Postpartum Health Outcomes Of Male Partners: The Paternity Role, Carrie Ann Betcher Jan 2012

Postpartum Health Outcomes Of Male Partners: The Paternity Role, Carrie Ann Betcher

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to investigate how assuming a paternal role for the first time affects the mental and physical health of males, and identify the key characteristics of the paternal role. The characteristics deemed most important by first-time fathers were providing love (51.3%), being a teacher (19.9%), participating in childcare responsibilities (11.8%), providing financially (9.6%), providing protection (3.7%), and being an authority figure (3.7%). Conversely, 21.1% of fathers stated financial obligations were not important, and 18.7% of fathers deemed participating in childcare not important. All fathers within this study self-reported being at least moderately active in their …


Executive Functioning And Behavior Among Very Low Birth Weight Children At School-Age, Desiree Maria De Jong Jan 2012

Executive Functioning And Behavior Among Very Low Birth Weight Children At School-Age, Desiree Maria De Jong

All ETDs from UAB

Children born prematurely and/or with low birth weight (LBW) are at significantly higher risk than their full-term peers for developing cognitive, behavioral, attention, and executive functioning (EF) difficulties by school-age. The difficulties experienced by this population typically persist well into adolescence and vary as a function of birth weight, with infants weighing less at significantly higher risk for long-term problems. However, there is little consensus with regard to the specific factors that place preterm and LBW children at greatest risk for EF and behavioral impairments. A primary purpose of the current study was to examine the degree to which neonatal/ …


The Effects Of Mucoid Phenotype And Cftr Genotype On Pneumococcal Lung Disease And Biofilm Development, Evida Adiko Dennis Jan 2012

The Effects Of Mucoid Phenotype And Cftr Genotype On Pneumococcal Lung Disease And Biofilm Development, Evida Adiko Dennis

All ETDs from UAB

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is a respiratory pathogen and leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, but its role in cystic fibrosis (CF) has not been well studied. While prospectively examining the incidence of SP infection, a high number of SP were recovered from the sputum of pediatric CF patients. The predominant serotypes identified were 3, 19A, and 19F. Serotype 3 was isolated more readily in CF patients than from patients without CF (P=0.0159). All serotype 3 isolates were mucoid and produced high levels of polysaccharide capsule compared to others in the collection. Mucoid bacteria, predominately Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are commonly associated …


An Information Theory Based Representation Of Software Systems And Design, Zekai Demirezen Jan 2012

An Information Theory Based Representation Of Software Systems And Design, Zekai Demirezen

All ETDs from UAB

Software designers can benefit from the experience of engineering designers and information theory formalism. Every design starts with uncertainty and the art of software design involves uncertainty reduction. Information theory enables software designers to adopt a systems view that facilitates intellectual control over a given software design. Since design imposes organization through successive transformations in reaching the final product, it is possible to formalize design with information theory. We investigated software design as a hierarchical decomposition of design spaces. We realized that before initiating the software design process there is minimal organization, representing higher entropy. The design decisions carrying out …


The Impact Of Speed Of Processing Training On Physical Function And Mobility Trajectories In Old Age., Joan Elizabeth Dodson Jan 2012

The Impact Of Speed Of Processing Training On Physical Function And Mobility Trajectories In Old Age., Joan Elizabeth Dodson

All ETDs from UAB

Multiple research studies have shown transfer effects in everyday functioning with speed of processing training. Research has also shown that processing speed predicts physical function and mobility trajectories, with declining speed predicting weaker physical capacities and smaller life space. Additionally, it is well established that processing speed declines in older adults. As processing speed is a modifable cognitive ability, it is possible that speed of processing training may be useful to improve physical function and mobility outcomes in the aging population. The current study examined 5-year trajectories of mobility and physical function in 1400 older adults to ascertain if speed …


Perceptions Of Rural America: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Protest Elements In Popular Country Music, Natalee Denise Singleton Jan 2012

Perceptions Of Rural America: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Protest Elements In Popular Country Music, Natalee Denise Singleton

All ETDs from UAB

As rural America evolves from its agrarian roots, an onslaught of economic, geographic, and societal changes affect cultural tensions. During every significant cultural shift in America, pop culture and mass media outlets have been there to interpret it, commentate on it, and sometimes provoke it. Country music is no exception. A rhetorical analysis of popular contemporary country music shows that country artists are seeking expression on the topics of rural identity, cultural endangerment, and methods of cultural sustention. An exploration of the lyrical and musical elements of select songs, examined against scholarly studies of the protest and propaganda music of …


Catherine Jeffrey Jones's Idyl: The Comic Strip In Science Fiction And Art, Stephen Hudson Smith Jan 2012

Catherine Jeffrey Jones's Idyl: The Comic Strip In Science Fiction And Art, Stephen Hudson Smith

All ETDs from UAB

Catherine Jeffrey Jones's comic strip Idyl ran for forty-four installments in the National Lampoon from January 1972 through February 1976. The work was typically published as one-page vignettes revolving around the meanderings of nude female figures, talking animals, and sentient vegetation. The large distribution of the magazine resulted in Idyl having an unusual reach and influence. Jones is one of the most recognizable artists in the fields of comic strip and science fiction art. The innovations she spearheaded would have a lasting influence and be critical in the evolution of these genres in the decade following the publication of Idyl. …


Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis, Kristi Lynn Stringer Jan 2012

Stigma As A Barrier To Formal Treatment For Substance Use: A Gendered Analysis, Kristi Lynn Stringer

All ETDs from UAB

It is estimated that approximately 22 million Americans are in need of treatment for substance related disorders each year; however 20 million of those in need of substance treatment fail to utilize formal treatment services. The large gap between those who need formal treatment services and those who receive such services indicates that a better understanding of factors affecting treatment utilization is needed. Researchers have shown that stigmatizing attitudes towards substance use disorders are a leading cause for treatment delay and avoidance. Furthermore, gender role theories suggest that women may experience greater stigma (double stigma or triple stigma) related to …


Examination Of Bafilomycin And Atp6v0c As Putative Mediators Of App Clearance In A Pre-Clinical Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Alan Taylor Jan 2012

Examination Of Bafilomycin And Atp6v0c As Putative Mediators Of App Clearance In A Pre-Clinical Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Charles Alan Taylor

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia. Fundamental hallmarks of AD include progressive hippocampal neuron death, neurofibrillary tangles associated with tau deposits, and accumulation of amyloid plaques containing amyloid beta (Aß), a cleavage product derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). Deficits in the clearance of APP, due to lysosomal dysfunction for instance, result in the accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments (APP-CTFs) and toxic species of Aß (Aß40-42) (1). Defective lysosomal proteolysis represents a mechanism that may contribute to AD pathologies, including protein aggregation and neuronal cell death. Therefore the lysosome represents an …


Lonesome And Maybe With Other Problems, Daniel Townsend Jan 2012

Lonesome And Maybe With Other Problems, Daniel Townsend

All ETDs from UAB

Lonesome and Maybe with Other Problems is a collection of short stories thematically centered on isolation and masculinity set in East Texas. These stories aim to explore the contradictory desires for social connection and unique identity. Through the use of humor and digressive narrative style, the stories capture the characters' struggles to maintain their independent identities while overcoming obstacles that keep them from ever fully participating in their families and communities. Each of these characters, though realized to the reader, must confront how they will become the men they perceive themselves to be.


Nanocomposite Coatings Based On Quaternary Metal-Nitrogen And Nanocarbon Systems, Michael James Walock Jan 2012

Nanocomposite Coatings Based On Quaternary Metal-Nitrogen And Nanocarbon Systems, Michael James Walock

All ETDs from UAB

For this project, CrN-WC coatings are investigated as a hybrid hard and tough material. The use of a hard-carbide with a corrosion-resistant nitride may produce tailored coatings with the desired combination of properties for use as a stand-alone protective coating, or as a basis for nanocrystalline diamond deposition. The work is divided into three stages. The initial study determined the viability of the CrN-WC system, and its use as an interlayer for nanocrystalline diamond. This successful study was followed by a variation of deposition conditions at low deposition temperature. By varying the deposition parameters, the microstructure, chemical, mechanical, and tribological …


Fiber Optic Sensors For Detection Of Biomarkers, Chun-Wei Wang Jan 2012

Fiber Optic Sensors For Detection Of Biomarkers, Chun-Wei Wang

All ETDs from UAB

A combination tapered fiber-optic biosensor (CTFOB) dip-probe for rapid and cost effective quantification of proteins in serum samples has been developed. This device relies on diode laser excitation and a charged coupled device (CCD) spectrometer, and functions on a technique of sandwich immunoassay. As a proof-of-principle, this technique was applied in a quantitative estimation of interleukin (IL-6) and Carcinoembyonic antigen (CEA) in human sera. The probes detected IL-6 at picomolar levels in serum samples obtained from a patient with lupus, an autoimmune disease, and a patient with lymphoma. The estimated concentration of IL-6 in lupus sample was 5.9 +/- 0.6 …