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(1 - 20 of 378)
Pages
- Title
- "Lost space" and "artialised space" : analyzing photographic representations in Paris
- Creator
- Hou, Xiao
- Date
- 2017
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
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"Photographs are ubiquitous, and we seem to understand the world through photographs a lot more. But how does the ubiquitous photographic representation affect our understanding of the urban environment? The main aim of this study was to examine and explore how and why a city is represented in people's photographs differently." -- Abstract.
- Title
- "They always wished to talk to everything" : recovering the border-walking mystics of Middle-Earth
- Creator
- Fontenot, Megan N.
- Date
- 2019
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
The stories of J.R.R. Tolkien overflow with references to the spiritual and the ecological. Often, however, scholars interpret these themes as inherently traditional: spirituality is boiled down to staunch Catholicism and an intellectual interest in paganism; radical environmentalism is translated into the conservative ideal of stewardship, an anthropocentrism that negates the vibrant co-dependency that enlivens Arda. This new exploration of Middle-earth's spirituality and materiality seeks...
Show moreThe stories of J.R.R. Tolkien overflow with references to the spiritual and the ecological. Often, however, scholars interpret these themes as inherently traditional: spirituality is boiled down to staunch Catholicism and an intellectual interest in paganism; radical environmentalism is translated into the conservative ideal of stewardship, an anthropocentrism that negates the vibrant co-dependency that enlivens Arda. This new exploration of Middle-earth's spirituality and materiality seeks to overcome these reductive tendencies by practicing a hospitable mode of critique: one which is open to a variety of voices, interpretations, and ways of being-in-the-world. In it, I deconstruct the term "intercessor" and rebuild it to refer to those persons who stand in the in-between, the gaps. I look at those persons who walk the borders and constantly call us to refocus our attention, to be accountable for our ethics of living. This reversal of our usual mode of attention is facilitated by a unique cast of characters, some of whom are quite popular among critics, and others of whom have often found themselves neglected or excluded. My purpose here is to provide an honest yet hopeful diagnosis of the communion of the spiritual and material, primarily through the lens of The Lord of the Rings, but also other texts as the need arises. Eventually we'll see that both the spiritualities and the environmentalisms represented in Middle-earth are not only often radical or confrontational, but also diverse, complex, and contradictory. In all, they call characters and readers alike into account: they demand a reassessment of the ethics of our being-in-the-world and aspire to a communion of all things, envisioning a riotous celebration of our entanglement in the great becoming-with of our world.
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- Title
- 3-methyl-4-hydroxy diphenylmethane
- Creator
- Wardwell, Gladys Kidder
- Date
- 1924
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A Phenomenological Inquiry of the Holistic Nonmedical Lived Training Experiences of End-of-Life Doulas (EOLDs)
- Creator
- Rozeboom, Angela M.
- Date
- 2021
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
A new generation of aging United States (U.S.) citizens seems to be challenging cultural attitudes toward death and dying. The members of the senior baby-boom cohort are demanding more nonmedical end-of-life (EOL) home care, the right to experience a dignified and peaceful death, and the option of environmentally friendly burials. Subsequently, the field of end-of-life doulas (EOLDs) or death doula care is also emerging. As these practitioners raise awareness and claim to contribute to a...
Show moreA new generation of aging United States (U.S.) citizens seems to be challenging cultural attitudes toward death and dying. The members of the senior baby-boom cohort are demanding more nonmedical end-of-life (EOL) home care, the right to experience a dignified and peaceful death, and the option of environmentally friendly burials. Subsequently, the field of end-of-life doulas (EOLDs) or death doula care is also emerging. As these practitioners raise awareness and claim to contribute to a better quality of EOL care, they add a new dimension to the EOL field. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived training experiences of prospective EOLDs as they sought to aid the dying and their grieving families. Individual interviews with seven trained EOLDs who completed a training program were analyzed. The results showed that those who attended the EOLD training felt strongly “called” to do EOL work. After confronting and accepting their fears and anxieties about their future dying and death experiences, they reported feeling empowered to come alongside EOL individuals and offer genuine comfort on their dying journey and postmortem care to the family.
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- Title
- A RISK BASED USER TOOL TO BUILD USER CENTERED LABELS FOR MEDICAL DEVICES
- Creator
- Estrada, Eric Joseph
- Date
- 2021
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
Herein we develop a user-driven, risk-based tool to inform the design of a standardized label for use with medical devices. Researchers identified 11 labeling inputs found on commercial labels and organized the inputs into a “Device Facts” box at 3 risk levels: high, medium, and low. mock labels and commercial labels were objectively compared by healthcare practitioners using a forced choice methodology where accuracy and response time served as dependent variables. Results suggested that...
Show moreHerein we develop a user-driven, risk-based tool to inform the design of a standardized label for use with medical devices. Researchers identified 11 labeling inputs found on commercial labels and organized the inputs into a “Device Facts” box at 3 risk levels: high, medium, and low. mock labels and commercial labels were objectively compared by healthcare practitioners using a forced choice methodology where accuracy and response time served as dependent variables. Results suggested that pairwise comparisons between labels (mock vs commercial) within a given risk category (e.g. high) yielded statistically significant differences at a confidence level of 95% for time to correct response. For both medium (p=0.0016) and high risk information (p<0.0001), the mock labels yielded a quicker correct response than their commercial counterparts. Only for low risk information were the commercial labels faster (p<0.0001). The gains in speed made in high/moderate risk information were not attributable trade-off. Mock labels were at least as accurate as their commercial counterparts; low and high risk yielded no sign of significant difference when mock and commercial were compared and participants were significantly more accurate with questions requiring medium risk information for the mock labels.
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- Title
- A SIMPLIFIED CALIBRATION METHOD FOR THE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SEISMIC SENSOR
- Creator
- Burk, Daniel R.
- Date
- 2018
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
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We have developed a simplified calibration method that enables anyone to accurately calibrate an Electro-mechanical seismic station with speed, portability and low-cost. Current calibration methods generally require either expensive laboratory based equipment, or significant time and expertise. We have developed a simplified calibration method that uses an affordable industrial laser position sensor to optically track mass motion as a means of determining seismometer response. By comparing...
Show moreWe have developed a simplified calibration method that enables anyone to accurately calibrate an Electro-mechanical seismic station with speed, portability and low-cost. Current calibration methods generally require either expensive laboratory based equipment, or significant time and expertise. We have developed a simplified calibration method that uses an affordable industrial laser position sensor to optically track mass motion as a means of determining seismometer response. By comparing the derivative of mass displacement to seismometer coil voltage, we can determine sensitivity at any frequency within the instrument passband. The method results in the calculation of sensitivity and Poles & Zeros to within five percent. We compare the Mass Displacement Tracking (MDT) calibration method against the standard laboratory vibration table calibration, as well as the against the co-location calibration method to find that it produces equivalent results.
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- Title
- A STUDY ON FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTION OF SWIMMING BEAM USING IMMERSED BOUNDARY- LATTICE BOLTZMANN METHOD
- Creator
- Rahman, Md Towhidur
- Date
- 2021
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) study is of great importance to understand the hydrodynamic coupling of biological swimmers in surrounding environmental domain. Multiple numerical and experimental studies have taken place to capture the behavioral pattern from the environment, explore the physical phenomena and comprehension of dynamics to make contribution in real life applications. In this study, an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM) for fluid-structure interaction...
Show moreFluid-structure interaction (FSI) study is of great importance to understand the hydrodynamic coupling of biological swimmers in surrounding environmental domain. Multiple numerical and experimental studies have taken place to capture the behavioral pattern from the environment, explore the physical phenomena and comprehension of dynamics to make contribution in real life applications. In this study, an immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM) for fluid-structure interaction problems is presented. The impact of solid structure on to the surrounding fluid domain is dealt with by immersed boundary method (IBM), where the structure is assumed to be immersed into surrounding fluid and the effect of the immersed boundary are considered by exertion of Lagrangian force onto the surrounding fluid grid points as body force. The flow dynamics is determined by solving discrete lattice Boltzmann equation of a single relaxation time model. The structural dynamics are solved by the finite difference method. For solving the structural dynamics, inextensibility condition was applied. A staggered grid is used in the Lagrangian coordinate system, where tension force is defined on the interfaces (half-grids) and other variables are defined on the nodes. Tension force is calculated at the intermediate steps and used as inextensibility constraint to obtain filament position at the next time step. In the present study, a detailed derivation and corresponding discretization is done for multiple free-swimming cases for a thin flexible filament. The thin flexible filament is actuated by imposing oscillatory heaving and pitching motion at the leading edge with prescribed control parameters. The flow physics of the system is investigated and pressure on the surfaces of the flexible filament is obtained. The results obtained in this study shows consistency with previous publications. The presented computational modelling may be used in future with multiple obstacles in the domain, to investigate the surface pressure variation of the swimming flexible filament and generated data sets may contribute to optimization of control mechanism of the swimmer.
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- Title
- A SURFACE WATER δ18O BASELINE FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES OF SEASONALITY AND MOBILITY IN THE MAJES VALLEY AND PUCUNCHO BASIN OF SOUTHERN PERU
- Creator
- Milton, Emily Beatrice Peterson
- Date
- 2020
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
Oxygen isotopes in archaeological human and animal teeth provide a potential means to study past migration. In this thesis I evaluate oxygen isotopes as a way to measure highland site occupation seasonality and human movement between elevation zones in the Central Andes. I focus on two questions: 1) Do surface water δ18O values vary predictably with altitude? and 2) Do surface water δ18O values reliably record the wet and dry season? Using water samples collected from the Majes Valley and...
Show moreOxygen isotopes in archaeological human and animal teeth provide a potential means to study past migration. In this thesis I evaluate oxygen isotopes as a way to measure highland site occupation seasonality and human movement between elevation zones in the Central Andes. I focus on two questions: 1) Do surface water δ18O values vary predictably with altitude? and 2) Do surface water δ18O values reliably record the wet and dry season? Using water samples collected from the Majes Valley and Pucuncho Basin of southern Peru, I establish the seasonal and spatial distribution of δ18O. The final dataset represents 98 water samples collected during wet and dry seasons between 2018-2019, from elevations 36 to 4938 meters above sea level. Surface water δ18O and δD values in the study area are consistent with regional and global meteoric waters. Individual water bodies demonstrate relatively higher δ18O values during the dry season and lower δ18O values in the wet season, matching predictions. Lowland and highland surface waters demonstrate overlapping ranges of δ18O, making it impossible to predict the values of surface waters based on elevation alone. Rather, local δ18O appears to reflect evaporative processes influenced by stream order, catchment size, and the geographic position of a waterbody within the watershed. These data suggest oxygen isotopes are not independently suited to resolve questions of human mobility between elevation zones in the western Andes. Further testing is needed to understand the local seasonal and inter-zonal isotopic ecology.
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- Title
- A bacteriological study of the homogenizing process in making ice cream
- Creator
- Fabian, Frederick William, 1888-1963
- Date
- 1924
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A climatology of persistent high relative humidity for the lower peninsula of Michigan : implications for health and agriculture
- Creator
- Komoto, Kara
- Date
- 2019
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
High values of relative humidity have implications for many processes including human health, animal health and production, and crop disease. Despite its importance, little research has been completed about the persistence of high relative humidity. The goals of this study were to 1) create a baseline climatology of the persistence of high relative humidity (HRH), defined as ≥ 60%, and extremely high relative humidity (EHRH), defined as ≥ 85%, for the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and 2)...
Show moreHigh values of relative humidity have implications for many processes including human health, animal health and production, and crop disease. Despite its importance, little research has been completed about the persistence of high relative humidity. The goals of this study were to 1) create a baseline climatology of the persistence of high relative humidity (HRH), defined as ≥ 60%, and extremely high relative humidity (EHRH), defined as ≥ 85%, for the Lower Peninsula of Michigan and 2) examine, using persistent EHRH events as a surrogate for leaf wetness duration, the frequency of favorable environmental conditions for apple scab and cherry leaf spot, major crop diseases in the state. Results demonstrate that although overall persistent relative humidity events often occur throughout the state, their frequency appears to be decreasing with time. Temporal trends in the frequency of favorable environmental conditions for apple scab and cherry leaf spot vary by location and disease, but there is a general trend toward fewer occurrence of favorable environmental conditions. The climatological analyses provide Michigan stakeholders with essential information for long-term planning and management to mitigate and/or adapt to persistent high relative humidity and to assess future changes in persistent high relative humidity as expected with climate change.
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- Title
- A cluster analysis comparison of selected traditional Japanese gardens, classical Chinese gardens and modern Chinese gardens
- Creator
- Chen, Dexin
- Date
- 2018
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
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"Cluster analysis is a useful mathematical method that has been used to examine the differences or similarities between gardens (Xu Y. , 2015). This investigation aims to test the differences and similarities between traditional Japanese gardens in Kyoto, the classical Chinese gardens in Suzhou, and the modern Chinese gardens in Xiamen, by comparing the design elements and design principles of the gardens. A hundred and thirty-four variables are selected based upon a literature review and the...
Show more"Cluster analysis is a useful mathematical method that has been used to examine the differences or similarities between gardens (Xu Y. , 2015). This investigation aims to test the differences and similarities between traditional Japanese gardens in Kyoto, the classical Chinese gardens in Suzhou, and the modern Chinese gardens in Xiamen, by comparing the design elements and design principles of the gardens. A hundred and thirty-four variables are selected based upon a literature review and the author's personal experience in Kyoto, where the first seventy-five variables are adopted from earlier garden research by Yiwen Xu (Xu Y. , 2015). After collecting the variables and applying the Principal Component Analysis by the software SAS, a group of corresponding eigenvalues are generated. According to the Principal Component Analysis, the first two principal components covered 63.81 percent of the sample variance. The first and second principal component together divided the gardens into three groups: the first principal component indicated similarities between the traditional Japanese gardens and classical Chinese gardens; the second principal component indicated similarities between traditional Japanese gardens and modern Chinese gardens. Therefore, the final result is a group of three two-dimensional scatter graphs, where each point represents a garden's character on two coordinate axes, and the dimensions are generated from the meaningful eigenvalues."--Page ii.
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- Title
- A comparative study between the normal bacterial flora of the udder & that of the genital organs of the cow
- Creator
- Justo, Manuel
- Date
- 1917
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A comparison of spring & winter wheat flour as influenced by compressed, dry & liquid yeasts
- Creator
- Hoover, Bessie B.
- Date
- 1915
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A comparison of the standard & commercial methods of cream testing
- Creator
- Stoll, Romine C.
- Date
- 1922
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A consideration of the factors of a city milk ordinance
- Creator
- Hurley, J., Carlton
- Date
- 1913
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A critical disability studies critique of rhetorical normalcy in writing center theory, history, and practice
- Creator
- Appleton Pine, Andrew
- Date
- 2020
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
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This thesis broadly theorizes how to make writing centers more accessible for disabled writers. Specifically, it applies a critical disability studies methodology both to writing center history and research practices. Importantly, this thesis resists impairment-specific approaches to accessibility, and instead seeks to develop the theoretical framework necessary to create lasting reforms in writing center theory and practice so that disabled people are included in both. Central to this thesis...
Show moreThis thesis broadly theorizes how to make writing centers more accessible for disabled writers. Specifically, it applies a critical disability studies methodology both to writing center history and research practices. Importantly, this thesis resists impairment-specific approaches to accessibility, and instead seeks to develop the theoretical framework necessary to create lasting reforms in writing center theory and practice so that disabled people are included in both. Central to this thesis is the idea of "rhetorical normalcy," which is a set of social, behavioral, and rhetorical codes that constitute the deleterious norms that both writing center studies and the larger field of rhetoric and composition have relied on throughout their history. A major claim throughout this thesis is that writing center history, theory, and practice all rely on this conception of rhetorical normalcy, often at the cost of writers with disabilities. Ultimately, this thesis argues that in order for writing centers to become radically accessible for writers with disabilities, writing center administrators and practitioners must first become aware of the role of rhetorical normalcy has always played in writing center practice, and they must look for ways to incorporate disabled writers into their theorizing and research about writing.
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- Title
- A descriptive analysis of beginning specialty crop farmer training programs in Michigan
- Creator
- Comer, Donald M.
- Date
- 2019
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
Michigan's diverse agricultural landscape provides multiple perspectives when considering the need for beginning farmer training. One perspective is a $104 billion industrial agricultural industry, with an ageing and decreasing farming population, and consolidation of land (MDARD, 2019). Another perspective is a growing movement of smaller-scale, regenerative farms with an emphasis on direct marketing, minimizing external inputs and improving ecosystem services. In the middle is an emerging...
Show moreMichigan's diverse agricultural landscape provides multiple perspectives when considering the need for beginning farmer training. One perspective is a $104 billion industrial agricultural industry, with an ageing and decreasing farming population, and consolidation of land (MDARD, 2019). Another perspective is a growing movement of smaller-scale, regenerative farms with an emphasis on direct marketing, minimizing external inputs and improving ecosystem services. In the middle is an emerging population of passionate and inexperienced growers that need training to get started, and farmer training organizations with their own challenges to meet farmers' needs. The purpose of this descriptive study was to survey Michigan's beginning specialty crop farmer training organizations in order to inform educators, policy makers, and beginning farmers. The research provides a description of existing training programs, the types of farmers participating in those programs, and current collaborations among the organizations. The results showed that Michigan has a diverse number of training options, but most operate independently of each other and lack resources to provide the best possible services. Recommendations include developing a state-wide systems approach to training and developing a central body or network that will aid in collaboration, resource allocation, and policy development. With this research as a foundation, it will be possible to complete a more comprehensive analysis, and to begin building a network that will provide future farmers to meet Michigan's agricultural challenges.
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- Title
- A dimensional comparison of selected Japanese gardens, classical Chinese gardens and modern Chinese gardens
- Creator
- Qu, Yige
- Date
- 2019
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
The relationships between Japanese gardens and Chinese gardens have been studied and discussed for a long time. This study focuses on the topic by a quantitative method. A cluster analysis is conducted to define the similarities and differences between these two kinds of gardens. The distinctive varieties in the result shows the elements that presents the relationships most distinctively. For this study, the data is collected in both Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens in order to show more...
Show moreThe relationships between Japanese gardens and Chinese gardens have been studied and discussed for a long time. This study focuses on the topic by a quantitative method. A cluster analysis is conducted to define the similarities and differences between these two kinds of gardens. The distinctive varieties in the result shows the elements that presents the relationships most distinctively. For this study, the data is collected in both Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens in order to show more persuasive results illustrating the relationships between these gardens. Principal component analysis is used to analyze the data, and to show intuitional visual results by graphs. The statistic software output shows a set of principal components. First three principal components contain roughly 59% of the variance. The design elements that distinctively effect the relationship are also indicated in the results, which lead further interpretation about the topic. The scatter graph shows distinct differences between Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens. Major elements divided Chinese gardens and Japanese gardens, traditional gardens and modern gardens, and Japanese gardens. This research can be used by garden designers and researchers to gain a insight concerning of the similarities and differences between Japanese gardens and Chinese gardens.
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- Title
- A forest planting in Michigan
- Creator
- Haines, Paul B.
- Date
- 1914
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Title
- A geometry based approach towards improving the structural integrity of single-walled ti6al4v alloy features fabricated using laser directed energy deposition additive manufacturing
- Creator
- Thakkar, Darshan
- Date
- 2020
- Collection
- Electronic Theses & Dissertations
- Description
-
Presence of sharp turns in the deposition tool-path for Additive Manufacturing (AM) introduces heterogeneity in built-part thereby affecting structural integrity. Slower deposition speeds around turn points or corner leads to defects such as increased wall thickness, porosity, lack of fusion voids, and cracks. Such defects can be minimized by either by optimizing processing parameters or through geometry optimization. Optimizing processing parameters requires extensive and expensive set of...
Show morePresence of sharp turns in the deposition tool-path for Additive Manufacturing (AM) introduces heterogeneity in built-part thereby affecting structural integrity. Slower deposition speeds around turn points or corner leads to defects such as increased wall thickness, porosity, lack of fusion voids, and cracks. Such defects can be minimized by either by optimizing processing parameters or through geometry optimization. Optimizing processing parameters requires extensive and expensive set of experiments. Furthermore, it is challenging to accurately model the process and have closed loop controls because of the impracticality to include all process parameters. This work focuses on optimizing the geometry instead of process parameters to fabricate components with minimum defects. In this work, single walled cubical Ti6Al4V shells with sharp and rounded corners were fabricated using laser Directed Energy Deposition (DED). Cross sectional and build plane coupons were extracted from each sample for microstructure and defect analysis. Results show that inclusion of rounded corners leads to consistent deposition speeds. Defect density measurements, using optical microscope, show reduction of defects from 6.8 ± 0.35% to a virtually defect-free structure for samples with rounded corners. Results indicate that consistent deposition speed around rounded corners improved homogeneity in the resulting microstructure.
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