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176 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 30.
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1.
Everding, Vanessa Quigley.
Stability Analysis of Human Walking.
Degree: Master of Sciences (Engineering), Biomedical Engineering, 2009, Case Western Reserve University
► Stability analyses of human walking could be used to prevent falling by…
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▼ Stability analyses of human walking could be used to prevent falling by improving stability with assistive or restorative devices. Traditionally, walking stability measures have been defined by logical assumptions about what causes falls. However, the current trend in stability research is toward the use of non-traditional measures based on the idea that human walking is a nonlinear system. This study compares emerging non-traditional stability measures, Lyapunov exponents and Floquet multipliers, and a traditional measure, mean standard deviation. The study was conducted in two phases including the analyses of: (1) healthy walking with constraints; and (2) brace and FES-based interventions for multiple sclerosis. Results showed that (1) the Lyapunov exponents were the most sensitive measure across constraints and assistive devices; (2) traditional and non-traditional measures did not reveal the same stability effects of the imposed constraints and devices; and (3) there was significant intersubject variability for all constraints and measures.
Advisors/Committee Members: Durand, Dominique.
Subjects: Biomedical research
Keywords: stability, Lyapunov exponents, Floquet Multipliers, multiple sclerosis, funtional electrical stimulation (FES)
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2.
Ereditario, daniel.
M3A5UR1NG (V1D30 P03TRY & 0TH3RW15E).
Degree: Master of Arts, Creative Writing, 2009, Miami University
► This thesis is a collection of poems written for the page and…
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▼ This thesis is a collection of poems written for the page and the screen between Fall 2005 and Spring 2009. The thesis, which roughly follows a chronological order of production, with the most recent coming last, appears in two parts: the first consists of video poems made independent of each other; and the second is a sequence of forty-five sonnets relying on the recycled language of other texts. The latest version of Adobe Reader should be installed to play the videos.
Advisors/Committee Members: cheek, cris.
Keywords: Video; Poetry; Video Poetry; Electronic Poetry; Population Studies
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3.
Eicher, Rachel.
Analysis of Second and Third Grade Basal Readers as Related To Interests of Boy Readers.
Degree: Master of Education (MEd), Reading, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► Motivation and positive attitudes toward reading have declined among male readers (Sainsbury…
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▼ Motivation and positive attitudes toward reading have declined among male readers (Sainsbury and Schagan, 2004; Tyre, 2008). Various researchers have speculated as to why this has occurred. One notion is that male readers are not provided with reading material that is of interest to them. Therefore, this investigation sought to address the following research question: To what extent are second and third grade basal readers providing male readers with interesting material? By posing this question, two sets of data were collected. The first set involved a content analysis of three current second and third grade basal readers. The second data set involved identifying the interests of male readers at the primary levels. Once these two data sets were collected, it was possible to determine the nature of the relationship between the material offered in the basal readers and the interests of male readers at the primary levels. From the list generated regarding the interests of boys, all three series are not including science fiction and comic/cartoon selections to any great degree. The themes offered varied by publisher. Harcourt did not include any scary stories in either grade level. Sports stories were less than 10% in all of the analyzed texts. The researcher acknowledged the list of boys' interests is varied and general and interests within the list may not appeal to every boy reader in the same way. So by offering more humorous selections, a publisher may reach a percentage of boy readers, but not all. Balance within the text would appeal to the greatest male audience and none of the series were balanced in offerings. From the research by Brozo (2002), the role of the male lead character can appeal to different readers. SRA/McGraw-Hill, in the third grade text, was the only publisher to offer more than 25% of the fictional selections with a male lead character. The researcher concluded some the interests of boy readers are represented in all of the published series but limited.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hendricks, Cindy.
Subjects: Education; Reading instruction
Keywords: motivation; basal; male readers
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4.
Eckhart, Tami Marie.
Good Strategies for "Bad" Books.
Degree: Master of Education (MEd), Reading, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► Debates often arise about the most suitable way teachers should present information…
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▼ Debates often arise about the most suitable way teachers should present information to their students. Sensitive issues like violence, sex, race, and religion sometimes appear in adolescent literature, which can stir conflicts among teachers, parents, and administrators. This study argues that teachers should not simply refrain from teaching significant pieces of literature due to their controversy. Theories in motivation and reader response maintain that students greatly benefit from reading and discussing some commonly censored literature. This research topic addressed the approaches that educators can use while teaching controversial books in the middle school classroom. Ten frequently challenged books were analyzed to further understand the grievances made against popular adolescent literature. Interviews with reading teachers then followed, which uncovered strategies that are put into effect to enhance reading instruction using books with sensitive content. These data were collected and analyzed to provide teachers with insight about censorship in schools and ways in which controversial literature can be effectively taught to middle school students.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hendricks, Cindy.
Subjects: Education; Reading instruction
Keywords: Motivation; Adolescent Literature; Middle School; Censorship
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5.
Esker, Donald Anton.
An Analysis of the Morrison Formation's Terrestrial Faunal Diversity Across Disparate Environments of Deposition, Including the Aaron Scott Site Dinosaur Quarry in Central Utah.
Degree: MS, Arts and Sciences : Geology, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► – The Aaron Scott Site dinosaur quarry (Quarry) in the Morrison Formation…
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▼ – The Aaron Scott Site dinosaur quarry (Quarry) in the Morrison Formation of Utah offers a unique view of Late Jurassic patterns of terrestrial diversity. The Quarry represents a rare perennial lacustrine environment of deposition, preserving a diverse population of large and small vertebrate and invertebrate fauna. The null hypotheses state that patterns of diversity at the Quarry do not differ significantly from those found at ephemeral lacustrine sites elsewhere in the Morrison, and an even spread of terrestrial diversity across the Late Jurassic Morrison Basin. While evidence has revealed a similarity between the Quarry and ephemeral lacustrine sites, multivariate analysis reveals distinct patterns in terrestrial diversity of the Morrison Formation, most prominently, a division between wetland and dry land taxa, and between ornithischian and sauropod dominated environments. Unusual patterns found among several taxa pairs hint that two (or more) Morrison genera may be sexual dimorphs or organisms at different stages in their ontogeny. While the Quarry itself may not be wholly unique, the Morrison was far more complex than traditionally portrayed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Storrs, Glenn.
Subjects: Earth; Freshwater ecology; Geology; Paleoecology; Paleontology
Keywords: vertebrate paleontology; multivariate analysis; Morrison Formation; Jurassic; dinosaurs; Paleobiology Database; paleoecology; Aaron Scott Site; lacustrine; palustrine; sphenodont; sexual dimorphism; geology; Utah; lagerstatten
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6.
Ellersick, Linda J.
Expanding Fair Trade to Garment Production in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua.
Degree: Master of Arts (MA), Latin American Studies (International Studies), 2009, Ohio University
► Despite challenges the movement is having and may continue to have, fair…
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▼ Despite challenges the movement is having and may continue to have, fair trade has proved itself a viable grassroots alternative to neoliberal free trade for farmers in the Global South and has gained legitimacy in both literature and consumer markets. Producers and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of fair trade as an economic and social alternative. While there exist set standards for fair trade agricultural products, no standards yet exist for fair trade garment manufacturing. Through a case study of COMAMNUVI (Cooperativa Maquiladora Mujeres de Nueva Vida) in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua, this research analyzes the application of fair trade principles to the garment production industry. Claiming to be the first garment production cooperative in the world to operate within both the fair trade and free trade markets, COMAMNUVI has contributed an unprecedented prototype of how fair trade garment production may extend to other communities. However, the cooperative has yet to be considered a success and has encountered many problems that challenge the very goal they set out to achieve.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kim, Yeong-Hyun.
Subjects: American studies; Economic history; Economic theory; Geography; International relations; Labor economics; Labor relations; Latin American history; Social research; Sociology; Textile research
Keywords: fair trade; COMAMNUVI; Latin America; Nicaragua; garment production; Nueva Vida; Ciudad Sandino; Latin American Studies; alternative development; cooperative; garments; developing countries; NGO; nongovernmental organizations; co-ops; fair labor
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7.
Ernie-Steighner, Jennifer A.
Beyond the Summit: Traversing the Historical Landscape of Annie S. Peck's and Fanny Bullock Workman's High-Altitude Ascents, 1890-1915.
Degree: Master of Arts, History, 2009, Miami University
► On May 16, 1903, Annie S. Peck, a professional mountaineer from the…
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▼ On May 16, 1903, Annie S. Peck, a professional mountaineer from the United States, ventured the open-waters of the Atlantic in her quest for the tallest mountain of the Western Hemisphere. Nine years later, on June 5, 1912, her contemporary, Fanny Bullock Workman, made final preparations for an upcoming excursion to the Siachen Glacier of modern-day Pakistan. While following patterns of Victorian female travel, Peck and Bullock Workman displayed distinctive bodily performances of impressive athletic endurance that pushed the bounds of the emerging “New Woman” in terms of physicality and professionalism. Consequently, Peck’s and Bullock Workman’s lives demonstrate that female mountaineers were very much a part of a Western discourse obsessed with debates of proper gender roles and women’s rights during the dawn of the twentieth century.
Advisors/Committee Members: Frederickson, Mary.
Subjects: American history; Gender; History; Womens studies
Keywords: gender; women; Annie S. Peck; Fanny Bullock Workman; mountaineering; Victorian; New Woman; athleticism; nineteenth century; twentieth century; mountaineers
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8.
Ellis, Erin Jean.
The "German" and "Nazi" In Chaplin's the Great Dictator, Capra's the Nazis Strike and Hitchcock's Lifeboat.
Degree: Master of Arts (MA), German, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► The purpose of this study was to examine the portrayal of the…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to examine the portrayal of the World War Two “Nazi” figure and the World War Two “German” figure as portrayed in Chaplin's The Great Dictator, Capra's The Nazis Strike, and Hitchcock's Lifeboat. Research of each figure's portrayal in media through the late nineteenth and early twentieth century revealed that “Germans” possess strength, are portrayed as the non-enemy, are focused, and are able to solve problems. In contrast the “Nazi” is barbaric, militaristic, villainous, the enemy, and uses vile brutality to fulfill the mission of the war. By examining the three films I determined that although each film is of a different genre and year, each director similarly portrays the “German” characteristics and “Nazi” characteristics through different aspects of propaganda including the polarization of the enemy, a call for action and the American victory. In addition to the portrayal of the “German” and “Nazi” figures through propaganda techniques, I illustrated how each director uses interactions of other figures with these characters to show the differences between the “German” and “Nazi.” Finally I offered suggestions for additional research on images of the enemy that would further extend the concepts analyzed in this thesis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Howes, Geoffrey.
Subjects: Motion Pictures
Keywords: characteristics; German; Nazi; characteristics; propaganda; polarization of the enemy; call for action; Chaplin; The Great Dictator; Capra; The Nazis Strike; Hitchcock; Lifeboat; World War Two
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9.
ElHibir, Sandi.
Dynamic Analysis Of A Rotor Bearing System.
Degree: Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Fenn College of Engineering, 2009, Cleveland State University
► This thesis presents the results of the finite element analysis (FEA) approach…
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▼ This thesis presents the results of the finite element analysis (FEA) approach for designing a Permanent Magnet Alternator (PMA). The PMA is configured as a cantilever hollow shaft supported by two identical rolling contact bearings. The performance requirements of the PMA are a maximum operating speed of 16,000 rpm, with a maximum shaft displacement of less than 0.010 in at its free end. The static and dynamic results of a cantilever beam was predicted by closed form solutions and verified to those results obtained from FEA for code validation. A mathematical model of a rotor-bearing system was proposed and analyzed for its dynamic unbalance response when subjected to a harmonic excitation force at the free end. The proposed design for a rotor-bearing geometry was modeled by SolidWorks, and then analyzed in COSMOSWorks using second order tetrahedral solid elements. Lastly, the FEA results of six parametric studies of a rotor-bearing system are presented. In these parametric studies, the rotor-bearing configuration from parametric study No.5 proved to satisfy the PMA first natural frequency and displacement requirements. The first natural frequency was determined to be 358,171 rpm, which is 22 times of the maximum operating speed of the PMA. Additionally, the maximum steady-state UX and UY displacements were obtained at 2.35E-06 in and 1.06E-05 in, respectively, which is less than the maximum allowable shaft displacement.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rashidi, Majid.
Subjects: Mechanical engineering
Keywords: Rotor bearing system; FEA; finite element analysis; permanent magnet alternator; PMA
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10.
Esselburn, Jason Dennis.
Porosity and Permeability in Ternary Sediment Mixtures.
Degree: Master of Science (MS), Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2009, Wright State University
► Porosity and permeability were measured in mixtures of fine, medium, and coarse…
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▼ Porosity and permeability were measured in mixtures of fine, medium, and coarse sand, where the volume fraction of each of the three components was systematically varied. The porosity varies non-linearly with the volume fractions, and can be modeled with a piecewise-linear approach. The permeability also varies non-linearly with the volume fractions. Permeability can be modeled with the Kozeny-Carman equation using a recursive approach for computing the representative grain size from those of the components in the mixture.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ritzi, Robert.
Subjects: Geology; Hydrology; Soil sciences
Keywords: Porosity; Permeability; Hydrogeology; Kozeny-Carman; Fractional-Packing
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11.
Engel, Amy M.
The Impact of Body Mass Index on Hospital Outcomes following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.
Degree: MS, Medicine : Epidemiology (Environmental Health), 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Objective: More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese.…
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▼ Objective: More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has become necessary for many obese individuals. We evaluate the effect of this procedure on in-hospital mortality and morbidity of patients based on their body mass index (BMI). Methods: Data in a cardiac surgery database was examined retrospectively. Data selected from the database included CABG surgery from January 2003 to December 2007. The resulting cohort included a total of 10,590 patients. BMI was grouped into four categories: underweight (BMI ≤ 19), normal weight (BMI 20 to 29), obese (BMI 30 to 39), morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 40). Regression analysis was conducted to determine whether body mass index was an independent predictor of mortality and morbidity following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Results: Logistic regression analysis found that CABG patients in the underweight body mass index group had a great risk of mortality, prolonged ventilation, reoperation for bleeding, and renal failure. Linear regression indicated length of hospital stay and intensive care unit stay following surgery were the longest in patients with an underweight body mass index. Conclusion: Despite the co-morbidities that are often present with obesity, the underweight patients are at greater risk for mortality and complications following coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Individuals with the highest risk for in hospital mortality following CABG surgery were underweight, older, non-Caucasian females with COPD.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dietrich, Kim.
Subjects: Surgery
Keywords: body mass Index; coronary artery bypass graft surgery; mortality
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12.
Eberhardt, Sarah.
Colores Culturales: Weaving Patterns of Education in Guatemala.
Degree: MARCH, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of), 2009, University of Cincinnati
► The global economy is growing competitive, yet poverty and illiteracy prevail in…
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▼ The global economy is growing competitive, yet poverty and illiteracy prevail in rural Guatemala where indigenous cultures fight extinction. Peasants struggle for freedom from a system of corrupt law that has bound them to practices that do not celebrate their own traditions and culture. The place in the landscape itself bespeaks intensity - of color, of weather and of climate - that requires a sensitive built approach. Locals can exploit their existing materials and methodologies to arrive at more sensible strategies, relating back to native practices of weaving, harvesting, following sun movement, and gathering in communal workgroups. Tulan, a non-profit organization working to educate indigenous adults in the rural areas, has limited funding but is in need of an insightful, meaningful space to strengthen their mission. This thesis proposes strategies they can use to establish building workshops for their own students to come together and fabricate the new building. Through empowerment and education in a new headquarters for indigenous-run Tulan, their own cultural colors can shine through, weaving new patterns across Guatemala.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sansalone, Vincent.
Subjects: Architecture
Keywords: culture; tradition; color; weaving; pattern; texture; education; Guatemala; indigenous rights; critical regionalism; rural community
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13.
Ebert, Daniel C.
Embodied Act.
Degree: MARCH, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of), 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Recent decades have seen increasing rates in the decimation of biological and…
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▼ Recent decades have seen increasing rates in the decimation of biological and cultural diversity: these phenomena are well documented and their consequences have been debated in many circles. However, the loss of experiential diversity is largely ignored. It is true that in many ways experience is tied inextricably to both environment and society, but experience transcends each in that it demarcates the level of human interaction with both. One major social ramification of the post-modern world is the change from a society of production and agriculture to one of consumption. The result is that the average citizen of the western world has little effect on molding his or her environment beyond consumer purchase. The common man has become detached from the labor of constructing his habitat and simple environmental functions and interactions. This thesis argues that the craftsman is essential to creating an environment that provokes human interaction and multi-sensory experience. The awareness of architecture as a human-made element allows the viewer to connect to its creator. Through this connection the human vicariously engages in the act of construction, entering into a maker’s relationship with his or her environment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Williamson, Rebecca.
Subjects: Architecture; Design
Keywords: Craft; Architecture Materials; Concrete Design; Architecture Sterile
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14.
Emery, David Austin.
Lost in Translation: Where Are the Planners? A Study of K-12 Public Schools in Hamilton County, Ohio.
Degree: MCP, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning, 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Ohio’s funding system for K-12 public education has been ruled unconstitutional by…
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▼ Ohio’s funding system for K-12 public education has been ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court four times within the last eleven years, yet state-level legislators have yet to make significant changes. Instead, the citizens of Ohio have been given a patchwork of solutions which, in an attempt to treat the source of the problem, have only treated the symptoms thereof. This has resulted in a confounding of the issues, a breakdown of communication between politician and constituent, and a still-broken funding system. Using Hamilton County’s public school districts as a microcosm of this situation, this paper will provide quantitative evidence to support the existence of real and perceived barriers to achieving consensus and constitutionality. Analyzing this evidence and using principles of communicative planning theory, it will explain why there is an informational disconnect between policy-makers and their respective constituents as well as how the planning community can constructively contribute.
Advisors/Committee Members: Auffrey, Christopher.
Subjects: Education; Political science; Public administration; Secondary education; Urban planning
Keywords: communicative action; communicative planning; consensus planning; information use in planning; Ohio public schools; school funding
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15.
Eveler, Jesse B.
Knowledge Creation.
Degree: MARCH, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of), 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Despite the ever-increasing reliance of knowledge-based work, workplace design is still an…
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▼ Despite the ever-increasing reliance of knowledge-based work, workplace design is still an exercise of information processing efficiency more than it is a place to nurture the creation of knowledge. Office design resolves itself to a formal organizational structure of space defined by an associated objective work task, ignoring the important aspect of subjective dialectic interaction among organization members and between organization members and the environment, critical to the process of knowledge creation. Knowledge is created in a repetitive four step process of exchanging tacit and explicit knowledge that results in a continuous spiral ascending successive ontological levels of understanding. The concept of Ba attempts to define the context in which each of these unique knowledge exchanges occur. Through studying the theories of Kazua Ichijo and Ikujiro Nonaka, this thesis will examine how knowledge is created, how Ba nurtures knowledge creation, and how to design for Ba in order to enhance knowledge creation.
Advisors/Committee Members: Larson, Gerald.
Subjects: Architecture
Keywords: Knowledge Creation; Knowledge; Office Building
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16.
Everett, Brittney Lynn.
Urban Inflection: Negotiating Liminal Borders in New Orleans.
Degree: MARCH, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of), 2009, University of Cincinnati
► Borders have virtually gone extinct. That is, the significance of the border…
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▼ Borders have virtually gone extinct. That is, the significance of the border in the urban landscape is becoming increasingly marginalized by the escalating flux of the city. As mobilities of people, capital, culture, and the physical environment continuously accelerate, it is imperative to establish a new conception of urban borders that is responsive to these transformations. This requires an exploration of the nature of the border beyond its physicality. Borders have extensively complex social and political implications because they signify the moment in the city at which unique forms, functions, and identities of communities intersect. Since these flows have varying paths, intensities, and speeds, as well as influences that percolate beyond their edges, the border becomes an amalgamation of flows, or an urban inflection that, in itself, must be flexible. The methodology for designing the border as a complex urban inflection must include the hybridization of elements from each of the surrounding communities, recognizing their dynamic nature and spontaneity while still maintaining stringency in the site. The thesis design proposal, located in New Orleans, attempts to reaffirm the significance of the contested border in responding to social injustice. The design approach creates a narrative of these contentious issues around the site, using their forces to manipulate the surface of the border. The stretching, sculpting, and layering of the site creates spaces into which food-related functions and activities can be inserted. The program, which includes urban agriculture, markets, a culinary learning center, and a job training facility, uses health and wellness to foster equality, pride, and community empowerment in the border. This paradoxical narrative, in which violence and destruction are seamed with hope and optimism, exposes the inherent complexity of the border as well as the ambiguous nature of New Orleans.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hancock, John.
Subjects: Architecture
Keywords: urbanism; urban renewal; border; New Orleans; social justice; architecture; narrative; race; Kevin Lynch; Situationists; Archigram; conceptual project
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17.
Enchakalody, Binu Eapen.
Timing-Pulse Measurement and Detector Calibration of the OsteoQuant.
Degree: Master of Science in Engineering (MSEgr), Biomedical Engineering, 2009, Wright State University
► The OsteoQuant is a second-generation pQCT scanner, which can provide precise density…
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▼ The OsteoQuant is a second-generation pQCT scanner, which can provide precise density assessment of bone. The scanner is being upgraded with an x-ray tube radiation source and a semiconductor CZT detector. This thesis provides solutions for two issues: motion-detector timing and dead-time/beam-hardening corrections. During translation, the motion-control system of the scanner repositions the source and detector by small intervals. However, the detector collects photon counts asynchronously with respect to the motor-timing pulses and reads photon counts (frames) at regular intervals based on its own clock. Since there needs to be correspondence between source/detector location and detector readout, the first part of this project deals with relating the motor- and detector-timing pulses to each other. The goal is to implement a system capable of registering these pulses in microsecond resolution using a common time base. These time stamps can then be used to accurately relate each detector frame to a motor position. The measurement of the timing pulses is achieved by using two 32-bit counters, controlled by a common time base and supervised by a LabVIEW program. This counter system is capable of measuring a signal with a time period of 2.22 ms with a maximum error of ±3 μs. The second part of this project deals with methods to correct the effects of dead time and beam hardening. The dead time is related to the properties of the detector system, whereas beam hardening is a result of the attenuation of the poly-energetic spectrum of the x-ray beam. The aim is to correct the photon-count loss due to dead time to an error level of less than 0.5% of the maximum expected photon counts and the non-linearity of the projection values due to beam hardening to an error level of less than 1% of the expected maximum projection value. The measured photon counts vs. current curves were described using a fourth-degree polynomial and then linearized to their expected counts. This provided corrected photon counts within the set error level. For the beam-hardening correction, the absorber was simulated by aluminum / Plexiglas slabs up to the equivalent thickness of the forearm and the lower part of the leg. The projection-vs.-thickness curves were mathematically modeled using a fifth degree polynomial and a bimodal-energy model and then linearized. Both corrections supplied satisfactory results if applied to data sets measured the same day. However, the measurement of slabs to calculate the correction parameters is tedious. To avoid daily measurement of all the slabs, a simplified approach was developed by applying the primary corrections from one particular date to the data sets collected on other dates followed by a secondary correction based only on a few plates measured on the specific date. This secondary correction, based on a third-degree polynomial, resulted in residuals within the desired error range. The largest of these residuals for the bimodal primary corrections were less than 0.012 projection value units and those for the polynomial primary corrections less than 0.017 projection value units for the 10- slab data set, which simulated the forearm thickness. For the 19-slab data-set, which simulated the leg thickness, the maximum residuals were 0.03 and 0.04 projection value units for the bimodal and polynomial primary corrections, respectively. Thus, the bimodal-energy model performed better than the polynomial model for the beam hardening correction.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hangartner, Thomas.
Subjects: Biomedical research
Keywords: Beam Hardening Correction; Dead Time Correction; Timing Pulse Measurement; Detector Callibration; Micro second counter; OsteoQuant; BMD; USB 4301
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18.
Edwards, Jason.
Modeling and Feedback Control of a MEMS Electrostatic Actuator.
Degree: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Fenn College of Engineering, 2009, Cleveland State University
► This thesis describes the mathematical modeling and closed-loop voltage control of a…
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▼ This thesis describes the mathematical modeling and closed-loop voltage control of a MEMS electrostatic actuator. The control goal is to extend the travel range of the actuator beyond the open-loop pull-in limit of one third of the initial gap. Three controller designs are presented to reach the control goal. The first controller design utilizes a regular fourth order Active Disturbance Rejection Controller (ADRC) and is able to achieve 97% of the maximum travel range. The second design also uses a fourth order ADRC, while additional modeling information is included in an Extended State Observer (ESO), which is part of the ADRC, to improve control performance. This controller achieved 99% of the travel range. The third design is a multi-loop controller with a second order ADRC in an inner loop and a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller in an outer loop. This design achieved 100% of the travel range. Transfer function representations of the three controller designs are developed. The controllers are successfully applied and simulated in a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator model. The simulation results and frequency domain analyses verified the effectiveness of the controllers in extending the travel range of the actuator and in noise attenuation.
Advisors/Committee Members: Dong, Lili.
Subjects: Engineering
Keywords: MEMS; electrostatic actuator; feedback control
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19.
Elkins, Alan P.
Last Castle.
Degree: Master of Music (MM), Music Composition, 2009, Bowling Green State University
► In partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Composition I…
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▼ In partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Composition I have written a single-movement work entitled Last Castle, whose program depicts a battle between an archetypal hero and his adversary. It is scored for orchestra with double woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, harp, timpani, two percussionists, and strings. The work lasts approximately nine minutes. Many of Last Castle's musical elements are derived from a programmatic narrative structure. A hero stands outside his adversary's castle on a foggy, moonlit night. He draws closer to the entrance, and the castle's massive doors open. As the hero steps inside, the doors suddenly slam behind him, and the hero slowly ascends a staircase leading to his adversary's chamber. When he arrives, a long, intense battle ensues, the outcome of which is inconclusive. Although the work ends with a dissonant, climactic gesture, it is not certain who deals the final blow in this battle. Last Castle's formal structure, which parallels the above program, contains two primary sections: the events leading up to the battle, and the battle itself. The tension built throughout the first section culminates in the arrival of the battle sequence, which in turn escalates toward the work's final climax. Between the two sections there is an overall shift from slow to fast tempi, from sparse to dense orchestration, and from soft to loud dynamics. Juxtaposed against this shift is a harmonic language that fluctuates frequently between consonance and dissonance. These components further highlight the intensity of the battle and the conflict between the hero and his adversary.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lillios, Elainie.
Subjects: Music
Keywords: Last Castle; orchestra; video game; final boss; hero
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20.
Eames, Kerri A.
A Case Study of Third-Age Adult Women and Education in Costa Rica: A Catalyst for Social Change.
Degree: Master of Arts (MA), Latin American Studies (International Studies), 2009, Ohio University
► Education affects both the individual and the nation. Educational programs strengthen community…
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▼ Education affects both the individual and the nation. Educational programs strengthen community desires and outcomes, and promote the understanding of a community's culture and history. At the turn of the 21st century Costa Rica is forging new paths in adult education. Adult education programs sponsored by universities have a profound impact on the lives of the older adults, particularly women, who participate in them. This is due to the fact that the educational atmosphere provides a space in which each individual can discover, express and appreciate new ideas, values and beliefs. This is very important to ensure that development is effective at the national, personal and community levels. Women's participation in the adult education program at the University of Costa Rica entitled, Integral Education for Older Adults, demonstrates the actions women take to integrate education into their lives, and the societal implications of this phenomenon.
Advisors/Committee Members: Whitson, Risa C.
Subjects: Adult education; Gerontology
Keywords: women; adult education; costa rica; social change; development
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21.
Enck, Gavin G.
A Comparison of Two Bioethical Theories.
Degree: Master of Arts (MA), Philosophy (Arts and Sciences), 2009, Ohio University
► This thesis compares two bioethical theories in order to determine which theory…
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▼ This thesis compares two bioethical theories in order to determine which theory is better for use by medical professionals. The two theories are Tom L. Beauchamp and James Childress's "Principlism" and Bernard Gert, K. Danner Clouser, and Charles M. Culver's "Moral Rules." The structure of the paper is as follows: an explication of both theories, an examination of the similarities and differences between the theories, an evaluation of criticisms of both theories, and identification of the three advantages the Moral Rules theory has over Principlism. In the conclusion, I claim the Moral Rules is the better bioethical theory for the medical profession.
Advisors/Committee Members: Zucker, Arthur.
Subjects: Philosophy
Keywords: Common Morality; Principlism; Beauchamp; Gert; moral rules; moral ethics
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22.
Ellis, Gary D.
Psychosocial Correlates of Medication Adherence in African American and Caucasian Headache Patients: An Exploratory Study.
Degree: Master of Science (MS), Psychology (Arts and Sciences), 2009, Ohio University
► Study Objectives: To examine predictors of medication non-adherence in a racially diverse…
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▼ Study Objectives: To examine predictors of medication non-adherence in a racially diverse sample of patients receiving specialty treatment for headache disorders. Methods: Using a longitudinal naturalistic study design, data from 33 African American and 79 Caucasian headache patients were collected to characterize patterns and predictors of non-adherence to daily headache preventive medication. Patients completed 30-day headache diaries that assessed daily preventive medication use, headache frequency, and headache severity during the 30-days following their six month follow-up medical visit with their physician at headache specialty clinics in four major cities in Ohio. At pre-treatment and 6-month follow-up, patients provided data on headache-specific quality of life and headache disability. Results: African Americans (73%) and Caucasians (83%) were equally adherent to their preventive headache medication. A within-group examination of predictors of non-adherence to preventive medication revealed that greater headache severity and poorer quality of life at baseline predicted lower levels of non-adherence at 6-month follow-up for African Americans. Among Caucasians, the presence of a comorbid psychiatric disorder at baseline predicted greater non-adherence at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Adherence to preventive medications in headache patients in specialty care clinics appears to be good. Poorer quality of life and greater headache severity predicted non-adherence in African Americans while psychiatric comorbidity predicted non-adherence in Caucasians. Racial differences in predictors of adherence suggest that adherence-improvement interventions in this clinical population should consider racial- and culturally-specific factors.
Advisors/Committee Members: Heckman, Bernadette D.
Subjects: Health
Keywords: Headache Medication Adherence; Predictors of Adherence to Headache Medication
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23.
Ensign, Kristine A.
Heterosexual Athletic Trainers' Attitudes Toward Lesbian, Gay Men, and Bisexual Athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Degree: Master of Science (MS), Athletic Training Education (Health and Human Services), 2009, Ohio University
► The profession of athletic training has set the foundation for equal treatment…
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▼ The profession of athletic training has set the foundation for equal treatment of athletes through the National Athletic Trainers' Association's Code of Ethics; however,additional research and policies are needed to provide support services and education to current and future athletic trainers (Maurer-Starks, 2008). The purpose of this study was to report heterosexual athletic trainers' attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual student-athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians Scale (Herek, 1988) was relied upon to develop scales to assess attitudes toward lesbian, gay men, and bisexual athletes. Statistical analyses revealed significance when relating attitude scores to gender, religion, and contact with lesbian, gay men, or bisexual (LGB) family members. Statistical significance was also found when comparing attitude scores between certified athletic trainers who are in contact with LGB student athletes and those who are not.
Advisors/Committee Members: White, Kristi M.
Subjects: Gender; Health care
Keywords: Attitudes; Gay men; Lesbians; Bisexuals; Student Athletes
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24.
Elstro, Stephanie Jo.
25 Random Things About Me.
Degree: Master of Arts, Creative Writing, 2009, Miami University
► These poems address the evolution of personal identity and interpersonal communication in…
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▼ These poems address the evolution of personal identity and interpersonal communication in an increasingly technological and scientific world. Often humorous, sampling from pop culture and everyday life, the poems probe communication styles and social constructs. The performance of subjectivity is explored through chance processes, textual manipulation and collage. Poems constructed of manipulated dream material investigate textual materiality and the authenticity of poetic voicing.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wagner, Catherine.
Subjects: Language arts
Keywords: poetry, manipulated dream material, process poems
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25.
Ellis, Kathryn S.
An Economic Assessment of the Emerging Renewable Chemical and Polymer Cluster in Ohio With Estimated Economic Impact on the State's Economy.
Degree: Master of Science, Agricultural, Environmental Development Economics, 2009, Ohio State University
► The economic impact of the chemical and polymer cluster in Ohio in…
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▼ The economic impact of the chemical and polymer cluster in Ohio in terms of output, gross state product, income and employment is analyzed in this research. The chemical and polymer cluster positively affects the state’s economy, representing 5.5 percent of Ohio’s gross state product, 9 percent of its output, over 6 percent of its income and 3 percent of the state’s employment. The chemical and polymer cluster represents 2,729 establishments in Ohio. This research employs the methods of input-output analysis to determine the chemical and polymer cluster state impact. The emerging renewable polymer industry, which provides benefits such as reducing environmental impacts and employing biomass as opposed to crude oil feedstock, is important to Ohio’s future. This industry has the potential to increase output, income, gross state product, and most importantly employment in Ohio. This research utilizes growth rates in three scenarios to determine renewable polymer industry’s affect in Ohio. The renewable polymer industry is estimated at representing over a 12 percent share of Ohio’s polymer sector in the year 2020 in terms of gross state product and employment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sporleder, Thomas.
Subjects: Economics
Keywords: Input-output modeling; industry cluster; renewable polymers; multipliers
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26.
Eisenberg, Dana J.
Information Amount and Patient Empowerment: Participation in the HPV Vaccination Decision-Making Process.
Degree: Master of Arts, Communication, 2009, Ohio State University
► Health information is more often than not viewed as an efficient tool…
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▼ Health information is more often than not viewed as an efficient tool in enabling patients to become more active participants in health decision-making processes. This study investigates the effects of information amount on perceptions of patient empowerment (subjective empowerment self-efficacy) and behavioral intention. The proposed relationships are applied within the context of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination decision-making process to assess the effects of information amount on college students’ (N = 101) intentions regarding vaccination. Results demonstrated that females have greater intention to discuss HPV vaccination with a physician than males. Participants in general preferred to discuss HPV vaccination with a physician prior to deciding whether to be vaccinated. Implications for understanding the effects of information amount and patient participation are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Slater, Michael.
Subjects: Communication; Health
Keywords: Information amount; overload; empowerment; self-efficacy; human papillomavirus (HPV)
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27.
Eguchi, Sumiko.
Being a Person: the Ethics of Watsuji Tetsurō and Immanuel Kant.
Degree: Master of Arts, Comparative Studies, 2009, Ohio State University
► This thesis comparatively analyzes the ethical theories of Watsuji Tetsurō (1889-1960) and…
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▼ This thesis comparatively analyzes the ethical theories of Watsuji Tetsurō (1889-1960) and of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Central to this comparison are their respective philosophical anthropologies. One of Japan’s most prominent modern philosophers and ethicists, Watsuji’s philosophy is often analyzed in light of that of his contemporary, Martin Heidegger (1889-1976). Watsuji studied in Germany in the late 1920s and used rhetorical devices such as etymological discussions of key terms reminiscent of Heidegger’s Sein und Zeit. Yet, from the beginning, Watsuji was a critic of Heidegger’s philosophical anthropology and a careful reading of Watsuji shows conclusively that Kant was the most dominant Western influence in the formation of Watsuji’s ethical theory. Watsuji wrote two important works focused on Kant: one a detailed study of the Critique of Practical Reason and the other on Kant’s view of personhood. He wrote those works at about the same time as he was writing his own foundational works in ethics, Ningen no gaku to shite no rinirigaku and Rinrigaku. In his books on Kant, Watsuji analyzes variants of the categorical imperative, emphasizing the duality in the Kantian person as simultaneously both a means and an end. According to Watsuji, this duality is the ground on which Kant establishes his ethics. Watsuji’s own ethical theory has a very similar ground. Through a detailed analysis of their fundamental understanding of the study of human existence as the study of ethics, the thesis illustrates how Watsuji understood his own view of human existence to resonate with Kant’s, especially in their common insistence on the twofold structure of the individual vs. the social. This evidence shows that the intent of Watsuji’s ethical theory was not to develop a theory of “Japanese ethics,” but rather, a universal theory of ethics in line with Kant’s own aspirations.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kasulis, Thomas P.
Subjects: Cultural anthropology; Philosophy
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28.
Evenson, Grey.
Empirical Investigations of Coupled System Relationships: Water Quality, Amenity-Based Growth, and Urbanization within and around Lake Erie.
Degree: Master of Arts, Geography, 2009, Ohio State University
► Using a simplified conceptual model of the Lake Erie system, this study…
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▼ Using a simplified conceptual model of the Lake Erie system, this study presents a set of empirical analysis intended to verify and parameterize salient process interrelationships. Two empirical investigations are presented examining (1) a hypothesized negative relationship between urban land use change and water quality within the lake; and (2) a hypothesized nonlinear and ‘U-shaped’ relationship between amenity-based economic growth and water quality within the lake. Several regional land use, economic, and water quality datasets are employed in statistical investigations of these relationships. Yet these investigations are only partially successful. The first affirms a negative relationship between urban land use and water quality but does not provide robust results and is therefore only weakly capable of parameterization. The second is unable to find a significant correlation between measures of economic activity and water quality. A discussion of the conceptual and technical limitations associated with coupled systems empirical work, however, implies an opportunity for improved investigations. Specifically, alternative conceptual frameworks reveal complementary relationship conceptualizations that may inform a more complete investigation. Additionally, the prospect of added relationship accuracy is revealed via consideration of the many dimensions of complexity within coupled systems.
Advisors/Committee Members: Munroe, Darla.
Subjects: Geography
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29.
Evensen, Erik A.
Making it Fun: Uncovering a Design Research Model for Educational Board Game Design.
Degree: Master of Fine Arts, Industrial, Interior, and Visual Communications Design, 2009, Ohio State University
► This study discusses the importance of rigorous design research in the development…
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▼ This study discusses the importance of rigorous design research in the development of an educational game for an academic research project sponsored by an established non-profit diabetes association. The goal of this project was to create a board game to engage children with diabetes, their friends and parents in the diabetic’s daily personal health management, the self-management requirements of which are hard to understand and maintain. The board game format was perceived as a highly appropriate form of communication because of its capacity to simplify large concepts, making them appropriate for the experiential learning required to master complex information. Research and design process of this case study involved collaborations with graduate student researchers, sponsor clients, subject experts, and faculty advisors. The design team collaborated during several stages of research, and developed a research model for educational board game design encompassing many design research methods, starting with a data gathering stage including interviews and literature review, a creative stage including participatory research methods and generative tools, and an evaluative stage including usability testing and pilot testing. The research model is designed to follow an iterative design process, allowing for the most informative participation from all participants. This study summarizes the collaborative and rigorous research process used in the identification and development of relevant content that informed the design development of an emotionally connective and engaging game that was fun, educational, and significant to the management of diabetes.
Advisors/Committee Members: Chan, Peter.
Subjects: Design
Keywords: design; design research; participatory research; board games; game design; research model; case study; information design; communication design; systems design; education design; diabetes
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30.
ElDahdah, Hamid Joseph.
DEVELOPMENT OF A HANDHELD INTEGRATED DYNAMIC IMAGING SYSTEM AND REMOTE VESSEL OCCLUDER FOR CANCER DETECTION AND TREATMENT.
Degree: Master of Science, Biomedical Engineering, 2009, Ohio State University
► The first part of the research is dedicated to the diagnosis of…
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▼ The first part of the research is dedicated to the diagnosis of breast cancer with the aid of imaging technologies. The Dynamic Breast Imaging System (DBIS) is an innovative medical device for analyzing the structural and physiologic characteristics of breast tissue and for characterizing/differentiating malignant tumors, benign tumors, and normal breast tissue. This research constructed a handheld probe and corresponding software that simultaneously uses ultrasound and near-infrared light in a dynamic fashion to detect and characterize tissue properties. The combined usage of physiologic and structural data provides a holistic view of the properties of breast tissue and suspicious lesions and aid in image reconstruction. The DBIS probe incorporates pressure sensors to allow the operator to make cyclic compression patterns for breast tissue characterization. Several benchtop tests were conducted to test the system's efficiency, reliability and reproducibility. We are currently planning gathering data through clinical trials at the James Cancer Hospital in Dublin Ohio. The second part of the research focuses on cancer treatment with the development of an innovative occlusion device used in conjunction with ablation processes. It is observed, by controlling the blood flow to a region of interest, one can significantly affect the coagulation lesion size during cancer ablation procedures. We describe the design, development and validation of a remote vessel occlusion device that quantitatively controls vascular perfusion in a repeatable fashion. The occlusion device consists of a flexible cannula containing a shape memory alloy wire with its proximal end tied to a surgical suture and its distal end connected to a driver circuit. The electronic circuit regulates the voltage in the memory alloy wire controlling its amount of reduction in length, tightening the surgical suture. To validate the quantitative control of blood flow, the vessel occluder ligated a vessel simulator that underwent perfusion with dilute porcine blood at five different occlusion levels. The ligation device was then tested for repeatability on a wild type mouse where a cyclic pattern of vessel occlusion and release was performed on the mouse‟s femur artery. The device was further tested on a cancer mouse model that had a cancerous growth on its leg. During ligation of the simulated vessel, a linear correlation between the occluder voltage and the resultant vascular blood flow was observed. For the tests on the wild type mouse and cancer mouse model, corresponding changes in tissue oxygen and hemoglobin concentrations were detected using an oximeter. Future work includes a wider range of occlusion levels to achieve a continuous change in blood flow and better portability.
Advisors/Committee Members: Xu, Ronald.
Subjects: Biomedical research
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