"Enter the Man" is a study of representations of sexual violence that focuses on the trope of male/male rape as it has gained prominence as a linguistic and cultural metaphor in USAmerican, British, and Canadian society. This dissertation attempts to disaggregate the assumptions that adhere to representations of male/male rape, and to discuss the various uses to which representations of male/male rape have been asked to work by artists working in theatre, film, literature, and television. "Enter the Man" uses gender theory, queer theory, theories of violence, and trauma theory, to explore why male/male rape has become a popular literary, theatrical, and cinematic trope within Anglo-American media. "Enter the Man" is also a history text, detailing and analyzing the development of this trope. The dissertation follows a chronology of these representations beginning with the productions of Canadian dramatist John Herbert's playFortune and Men's Eyes. This document also considers James Dickey'sDeliveranceboth as a book and in its film version. Other texts analyzed include Miguel Piñero'sShort Eyes, Rick Cluchey'sThe Cage, John Schlesinger'sMidnight Cowboy, and Howard Brenton'sThe Romans in Britain. "Enter the Man" ends with the new movement of British playwriting in the 1990s with an examination of Anthony Neilson'sPenetrator, Sarah Kane'sBlasted, and Mark Ravenhill'sShopping and Fucking. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Theatre in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 19, 2012. / deliverance, masculinity, rape, sexuality, violence / Includes bibliographical references. / Mary Karen Dahl, Professor Directing Dissertation; Patricia Warren Hightower, University Representative; Elizabeth A. Osborne, Committee Member; Leigh H. Edwards, Committee Member.

Adella Hunt Logan was a woman trapped between two worlds. She was a mulatto who suffered from the pressures and injustices of Jim Crow America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The impact of Adella Logan's life is seen beginning in 1883 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She maintained a large family while making a lasting impact on the Tuskegee community, as well as the women's suffrage movement. Adella often led a life full of contradictions that can be attributed to her social status as well as her mixed racial heritage. Nonetheless, her efforts at advancing the cause of lower-class blacks and the students and teachers at Tuskegee Institute cannot be denied. This study discusses Adella Logan in terms of race, class, and gender. It is the story of an African American woman, an unusual American family, and the world she lived in. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 31, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references. / Maxine D. Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine Montgomery, University Representative; James P. Jones, Committee Member; Jennifer L. Koslow, Committee Member; Richard Mizelle, Committee Member.

In the US, 0.2% children and 0.5% adults are suffering from tree nut allergies while almond allergy ranks the third among tree nut allergies. Several allergenic proteins are identified in almond. The major protein in almond, amandin, which accounts for ~65% of soluble proteins, is highly thermal stable. In liquid system, fifteen phenolic compounds (1) tannic acid (2) tannin (3) ellagic acid (4) (+)-catechin (5) phenol (6) grape skin extract (7) grape seed extract (8) red wine concentrate (9) tea tannins (10) coffee (11) coffee tannins (12) pinto bean tannins (13) almond skin tannins (14) walnut tannins (15) small red bean tannins were mixed with whole almond extract with a concentration (2 mg/ml) ratio 1:1. Only grape skin tannins and tea tannins can reduce immunoreactivity of almond proteins in room temperature incubation while after 100ºC heating, different phenolic compounds had different effects on immunoreactivity. Among the 15 polyphenols, tannic acid, tannin, ellagic acid, grape skin, red wine, tea tannins and walnut were able to retain or even increase the immunoreactivity. On the other hand, addition of coffee tannins, small red bean tannins, phenol, grape skin tannins, coffee, and pinto bean tannins can further reduce the immunoreactivity significantly compared to cooked whole almond (WA) extract without any phenolics. In solid system, almond flours were subjected to dry roasting, microwaving, autoclaving, and blanching. Among these processing methods, autoclaving and blanching managed to destroy 4C10 reactive epitope while others cannot. After most of the thermal processing tested, amandin immunoreactivity can recover and remain unchanged. Maillard reactions between sugars and almond proteins can significantly reduce immunoreactivity in presence of 20% sugars, especially corn syrup with higher aw, compared to processing alone. Moreover, adding of phenolics (e.g. ellagic acid and grape seed tannins) showed the similar effect as adding sugars. In conclusion, the loss of amandin immunoreactivity was most likely due to the chemical modifications of these matrix constituents such as sugars and phenolics instead of thermal processing alone. Nonetheless, during processing with a more intensive Maillard reaction (dry roasting with 20% sugar or corn syrup or microwaving 3 min), ellagic acid can hinder the effect of Maillard reaction by anti-glycation and decreasing system pH. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2012. / October 15, 2012. / Almond, Immunoreactivity, Maillard reaction, Phenolic compounds, Thermal processing / Includes bibliographical references. / Shridhar K. Sathe, Professor Directing Thesis; Yun-Hwa Peggy Hsieh, Committee Member; Mary Ann Moore, Committee Member.

There are two objectives of the present study. The primary objective is to undertake the following research projects involving the Arctic Oscillation (AO), the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO): (1) an assessment of the utility of using Cyclo-stationary empirical orthogonal function (CSEOF) analysis to define the AO, (2) an empirical analysis of ENSO impacts based on varying indicator and impact regions, (3) detection and extraction of the MJO signal from QuikSCAT, and (4) the development of a general algorithm for determining optimal filter weights for time series endpoints. A secondary objective is to enumerate the statistical and analytical treatments of the AO, ENSO, and the MJO. This will include comparisons of how these three modes are defined (including their indices) and extracted from geophysical data sets. The AO is defined using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of sea level pressure north of 20'N. The resulting spatial pattern and time series captures the regional influence of its precursor, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which is a measure of mid-latitude zonal winds over the North Atlantic. ENSO was originally defined as the pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin, Australia: the Southern Oscillation Index. Scientists now primarily use sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies averaged over one of the Ni'o regions as ENSO indices. The MJO was originally observed using spectral analysis of zonal wind time series in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. Present day researchers use extensions of EOF analysis to construct MJO time series. For all three climate modes, the creation of high quality space-time data sets has allowed for more sophisticated indices, supplanting the simpler point-based metrics. For the AO project, the cyclo-stationarity of Northern Hemisphere sea level pressure variability is considered. CSEOF analysis is an extension of EOF analysis that allows multiple spatial maps per mode. It accomplishes this by cyclically extending the covariance matrix based on a parameter called the nested period. By using a nested period of 12, a climate mode can be decomposed into a series of 12 monthly maps and an associated time series. Unlike EOF PC time series, which typically have larger amplitudes during winter months, CSEOF PC time series do not favor a particular season because the physical evolution of the climate mode is posited in the loading vectors (the maps) rather than the time series. This is impossible to accomplish with regular EOF analysis because it relegates each mode to one single map. A compelling case is made for a cyclo-stationary interpretation of AO variability. The leading CSEOF mode includes AO-type variability during a winter regime, as well as a summer regime characterized by pressure anomalies centered over Mongolia and associated with rainfall variability in the vicinity of the Ganges delta and eastern China. EOF modes that contribute to the resulting maps of the leading CSEOF mode are identified, including the eighth mode, which is deemed responsible for the summertime Asian pattern. CSEOF analysis of the AO mode only exemplifies the power of CSEOF analysis with regard to transferring a mode's physical evolution from a PC time series to a series of loading vectors. For the ENSO project, traditional ENSO impact analysis was recast to investigate the teleconnections between U.S. climate and varying indicator regions of SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific. This serves the dual purpose of finding a targeted indicator region for a particular impact zone (i.e. a localization of the teleconnection pattern) and indirectly assessing the viability of well-established ENSO indices (i.e. the Ni'o indices). Based on a selection of impact grid points with known ENSO responses, it appears that the most appropriate indicator region often varies from one impact grid point to another, as well as from warm SST phase to cold SST phase. In addition, air temperature composites behave differently than precipitation composites. In order to simultaneously consider the 'impact perspective' detailed above with the typical 'indicator perspective' (in which climate impacts are computed based on the well-established Ni'o indices), EOF analysis of composited climate fields, conditioned on SST phase, as functions of indicator region and impact zone was performed. The resulting modes represent indicator-impact pairs. Each mode has an impact amplitude function (a spatial temperature or precipitation anomaly signature over the impact region) and an associated indicator weighting function, which modulates the impact amplitude function based on the location of the indicator region. Based on this approach, the unusual yet well-established La Ni'a air temperature impact over the U.S. when using the Ni'o 1+2 region is accounted for as the superposition of two EOF modes. In addition, a teleconnection between tropical Pacific SST and Southeastern U.S. temperature anomalies is documented that is not related to ENSO. For the MJO project, wind data from the SeaWinds instrument on the QuikSCAT satellite are investigated to ascertain how well the surface manifestation of the MJO can be resolved. The MJO signal is detected in non-filtered gridded data using Extended EOF analysis of the zonal wind field, overshadowed by annual, semi-annual, and monsoon-related modes. After bandpass filtering with Lanczos weights, MJO signals are clearly detected in several kinematic quantities, including the zonal wind speed, the zonal pseudostress, and the velocity potential. Extraction of the MJO using QuikSCAT winds compares favorably with extraction using NCEP Reanalysis 2, except that the QuikSCAT signal appears to be more robust. For the filtering project, least squares techniques are utilized to retain endpoint intervals that are normally discarded due to filtering with convolutions in the time domain. The techniques minimize the errors between the pre-determined frequency response function (FRF) of interior points with FRF's that are to be determined for each position in the endpoint zone. The least squares techniques are differentiated by their constraints: (1) unconstrained, (2) equal-mean constraint, and (3) an equal-variance constraint. The equal-mean constraint forces the new weights to sum up to the same value as the pre-determined weights. The equal-variance constraint forces the new weights to be such that, after convolved with the input values, the expected variance is identical to the expected variance of the interior points. These 3 least squares methods are tested under three separate filtering scenarios and compared to each other as well as to the spectral filtering method, which is the standard of comparison. The results indicate that all 4 methods (including the spectral method) possess skill at determining suitable endpoints estimates. However, both the unconstrained and equal-mean schemes exhibit bias toward zero near the terminal ends due to problems with appropriating variance. The equal-variance and spectral techniques do not show evidence of this attribute and were never the worst performers. The equal-variance method showed great promise in the ENSO project involving a 5-month running mean filter, and performed at least on par with the other methods for virtually all time series positions in all three filtering scenarios. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Meteorology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2005. / November 7, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / James J. O’Brien, Professor Directing Dissertation; James B. Elsner, Outside Committee Member; Fei-Fei Jin, Committee Member; Kwang-Yul Kim, Committee Member; Guosheng Liu, Committee Member; Sharon E. Nicholson, Committee Member.

This study determined whether differences existed between the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who teach online. It was significant because distance education literature highlights a learner-centered teaching style as the appropriate method for teaching online, but limited empirical research exists to support this stance. In order to appropriately answer the research questions posed in this study, I implemented a basic correlational research design. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) was used to measure overall teaching style and seven factors related to teaching style (Conti, 1979). Conti developed PALS in order to assess teaching style through positive and negative behaviors. Teaching experience, discipline, level of education, and employment status, which also have the potential to impact whether community college instructors favor a learner-centered style or a teacher-centered style, were considered in this study. The population consisted of all instructors at Florida's 28 community colleges who were teaching in an online distance education environment. MANOVA and ANOVA were used to analyze the data which was collected through a web-based administration of PALS. Effect size was also included. Results depicted a difference in the teaching styles of male and female community college instructors who taught online. Women demonstrated a more learner-centered style than men in terms of their overall teaching style. Differences were also apparent based on the second factor, Personalizing Instruction, in which case, women were more likely than men to implement a more learner-centered teaching style. In terms of the demographic variables, differences in teaching styles were noted based on discipline and whether the instructor taught full or part-time. Those instructors who taught in disciplines considered soft/applied implemented a more learner-centered style. Instructors in the hard/pure disciplines demonstrated a greater use of a teacher-centered style. Contrary to prior research, part-time instructors used a more learner-centered style. A difference in the teaching styles of men and women depicted teaching styles that are below the original norms of PALS, highlighting an online teaching style that is more teacher-centered. Even though women take a more learner-centered approach to teaching than men, the online environment has yet to evolve into a truly learner-centered environment. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2004. / July 21, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. / Beverly Bower, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert Branson, Outside Committee Member; Barbara Mann, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

This study examined the determinants of parenting behaviors and recognized the change or stability in parenting behaviors within and across early childhood. To this end the study investigated the stability and change in parenting behaviors across early childhood and its impact on the growth of young children's cognitive development and subsequent readiness for school. Furthermore, the longitudinal reciprocal associations between parent behaviors and children's cognitive development were explored. Finally, the effects of parenting behaviors and cognitive development on school readiness were investigated within the full model, which includes multiple determinants of parenting behaviors. Data for the study were collected from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort kindergarten 2006/07 database (ECLS-B) conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Data about the same children were collected when they were 9 months, 24 months, and preschool age (about 4 years). Participants included approximately 3,300 children and their parents. Structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. Children's sex and age at each assessment and parent respondents' SES and race/ethnicity were entered as covariates measures in the study model. From the findings, positive parenting behaviors can be explained by three dimensions: sensitivity, cognitive stimulation, and positive regard (or socio-emotional development) when children were 9-and 24-months. The lack of relative stability of positive parenting behaviors during two points in time (9-to 24-months) is confirmed. Parenting is a complex set of behaviors that are influenced by multiple factors, including parent, child, and contextual sources of support for child-rearing. There were unique reciprocal effects between positive parenting and child's cognitive abilities were found at 9-and 24-months, controlling for family SES, mother's race, and child gender and age at each assessment. The effects of positive parenting on a child's cognitive ability can be explained in two different ways over time: a cross-lagged effect (or direct effect) and mediated effect (or indirect effect). In terms of cross-lagged effect (direct path-way), positive parenting at 9-months directly impacted child cognitive abilities at 24-months, it provided evidence that there was the cross-lagged effects between positive parenting and child cognitive abilities. In response to mediated effects (indirect path-way), there were two separate processes. In the first process, increases in positive parenting across 9-months and 24-months predict increases in positive parenting during the same period. Then, this growth predicts the increase in children's cognitive abilities across the same time periods. In the second process, positive parenting at 9-months predicts child cognitive abilities at 9-months. This growth, in turn predicts increases in child cognitive development at 24-months. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2012. / April 9, 2012. / Child's cognitive development, Early Childhood, Nature of parenting behaviors in early childhood, Parenting Behaviors, Reciprocal association between parenting and child's cognitive abilities / Includes bibliographical references. / Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ann Mullis, University Representative; Pamela Sissi Carroll, Committee Member; Diana Rice, Committee Member; Young-Suk Kim, Committee Member.

Extensive research in the fields of biochemistry, biological sciences, genetics and molecular biology has helped scientists delve into the molecular machinery of cell function. However, the unity and common features of living organisms that have evolved over millennia suggests that more general principles may dictate how cell components are arranged in space and time. In this context, analysis of the mechanisms governing cellular organization forms the central theme of the present research. Muscle fibers being highly plastic and the most organized cells in the biological world are chosen for the present study. The primary goal of this research is to develop mathematical models to analyze governing factors of organization of mitochondria in muscle fibers. Knowledge of such governing principles on muscles from a wide spectrum of animals provides vital insights to engineer new muscle, to develop tissue and metabolic engineering approaches for muscle regeneration and to develop gene therapy strategies to directly treat muscle diseases. A major challenge is that there exists no mathematical model governing mitochondrial spatial organization within the context of both energy metabolism and mitochondrial life cycles. Moreover, since muscle fibers are highly adaptive, experimental studies of their organization are limited. The present work provides a detailed analysis of mitochondrial spatial distribution and life-cycle dynamics performed for fibers subjected to various conditions, including metabolic demand for ATP, oxygen supply from surrounding capillaries, and fiber size. The mathematical modeling approach uses a reaction-diffusion analysis of oxygen, ATP, ADP and PCr involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function as governed by oxygen supply, volume fraction of mitochondria, and rates of reaction. Superimposed upon and coupled to the continuum species material balances is a cellular automata (CA) approach describing the mitochondrial life cycle. The CA is a discrete computational approach within a defined lattice framework. The fate of the discrete entities is governed by a set of local rules pertinent to the system. Proposing rules in order to mimic mitochondrial dynamics in muscle fibers is another area in theoretical muscle biology that has not been explored. The developed mathematical model is solved numerically with a code specifically written in MATLAB and run on high performance computing. The continuum species material balances are solved using an alternating direction implicit finite difference scheme. Probabilistic Gaussian distribution functions simulating important biological phenomenon such as targeted mitophagy and mitochondrial fission are proposed as CA rules to describe the lifecycle of mitochondria. In order to assess diffusional constraints in the fiber, the effectiveness factor, defined as the ratio of the reaction rate in the system with finite rates of diffusion to that in the absence of diffusion limits is evaluated. The model results show significant shifts and redistribution of mitochondria near the capillaries where there is an increased availability of oxygen. The shifts in mitochondrial distribution allow the fiber to function more efficiently, i.e. with minimal diffusion limitations and higher cellular energy state and greater aerobic capacity. The model results describing the spatial distribution of mitochondria effectively predicted the experimentally observed heterogeneous distributions. The experimentally validated model is used to study mitochondrial distribution in a wide range of fiber types, and to analyze the growth of fibers and the effects of hypoxia. The utilization of a quantitative bioengineering analysis in the present work demonstrates the importance of reaction and diffusion processes in muscle organization and function. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2012. / February 10, 2012. / Cellular Automata, Effectiveness factor, Mitochondrial Biogenesis, Mitochondrial distribution, Reaction - diffusion model, Skeletal Muscle / Includes bibliographical references. / Bruce R. Locke, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stephen T. Kinsey, Committee Member; Teng Ma, Committee Member; Samuel C. Grant, Committee Member.

Northern peatlands are the most effective terrestrial ecosystems for storing carbon. While covering only 3% (>350 million ha) of the Earth's surface, they account for about 1/3 of the carbon stored in global soils. Although the formation of this large carbon sink would tend to dampen climatic warming, peatlands are an important source for the greenhouse gas methane. The chemical and biochemical processes that link solid phase peat and dissolved organic matter (DOM) within peatland porewaters are not well understood, and thus the response of these large carbon reservoirs to climate change remains uncertain. It is therefore important to investigate the composition of bog and fen peatland DOM to better understand its role and effect on the carbon cycle with global warming. In this dissertation, I will be describing the results of experiments designed to identify the differences in the reactive and refractory DOM pools from two distinctly different peatland formations within the Glacial Lake Agassiz Peatlands (GLAP) of northern Minnesota: bogs and fens. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Excitation/Emission Matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy and ultrahigh resolution Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) were used for DOM characterization. Although DOM, an extremely heterogeneous mixture of organic compounds, plays a versatile role in many important natural processes, its real chemical structure has remained hitherto unknown. With continuing advances in readily available highly developed mass spectrometers, the amount of information generated for analysis is steadily rising. Currently, FT-ICR MS at high magnetic fields (> 9 Tesla), is the only advanced analytical technique capable of ultrahigh resolution and mass accuracy that can distinguish upwards of 10,000 spectral peaks. This technique facilitates the identification of thousands of unambiguous molecular formulas for complex DOM. The most commonly used ionization method, Electrospray Ionization (ESI), has proven to be an excellent source for DOM ionization prior to MS analysis. ESI coupled to FT-ICR MS provides an ideal combination necessary for investigating and characterizing DOM from unique natural environments. Chapter 1 is divided into two parts. The first part provides an introduction to DOM sources, composition, sinks and the different methods used for DOM characterization so far. The second part provides an introduction to peatlands, their distribution and characteristics and the impacts of future climate change on them. In Chapter 2, a brief introduction to UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, FT-ICR principles and the figures of merit which make them indispensable for complex DOM mixtures. Chapter 3 investigates acidification as a preservation technique for DOM samples that cannot be analyzed quickly or for archiving DOM samples for later analysis. Here, we show that acidification of dissolved organic matter samples prior to analytical characterization can lead to changes in the composition and optical properties of the samples. The two DOM isolation methods, dialysis and solid-phase extraction (SPE), are compared in Chapter 4. The isolates from both methods are characterized using ESI FT-ICR MS. In this study, we show that the SPE method is not very effective in extracting several major classes of DOM compounds that have high ESI efficiencies, including carboxylic acids and organo-sulfur compounds, and that out compete other less functionalized compounds (e.g. carbohydrates) for charge in the ESI source. The large abundance of carboxylic acids, likely the result of in-situ microbial production, in the dialysis-extracted DOM makes it difficult to see other (mainly hydrophilic) compounds with high O/C ratios. Our results indicate that, while dialysis is generally preferable for the isolation of DOM, for samples with high microbial inputs, the use of both isolation methods is recommended for a more accurate molecular representation. Chapter 5 shows the importance of investigating the molecular characterization of terrestrial (DOM) from the GLAP of northern Minnesota, to reveal the potentially pivotal role it plays in global carbon cycling. EEMS fluorescence spectroscopy and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy are used to identify changes in the optical properties associated with the chromophoric fractions of DOM (CDOM) in fen and bog porewaters of the Red Lake II system in the GLAP. EEMS and absorption spectra results were also found to be in agreement with molecular characterization determined previously by others. Here, we suggest that optical spectroscopy techniques represent an effective surrogate approach to characterizing DOM provided some detailed molecular information is available for calibrating the observed correlations. In chapter 6, the three analytical techniques ESI FT-ICR MS, EEMS fluorescence spectroscopy and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy are used to characterize the composition, reactivity, and dynamics of DOM porewaters from a fen and bog in the Red Lake IV complex of the GLAP of northern Minnesota. Compared to fen DOM, a large fraction of bog DOM appeared to be unreactive. SUVA values indicated less aromaticity in deep fen samples relative to deep bog samples. FT-ICR MS data showed high abundance of compounds with low O/C and high H/C elemental ratios in deep fen samples. Those compounds were absent in both surface fen and surface and deep bog samples, providing further evidence of qualitative differences between fen and bog DOM. These differences were attributed to either differences in vegetation and organic production or environmental factors that render DOM less reactive in the bog sites and/or more reactive in the fen sites. In chapter 7 the optical and molecular composition data of porewater DOM collected from different bog and fen sites in the GLAP are compared using the three analytical techniques ESI FT-ICR MS, PARAFAC-EEMS fluorescence spectroscopy and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. Our objective was to (1) compare the reactivity of fens and bogs porewater DOM from different bog and fen sites in the GLAP and see if the low reactivity of bog DOM compared to the more reactive fen DOM is valid across different fens and bogs and (2) compare between the composition of bog and fen DOM from different sites. We used PARAFAC modeling of fluorescence EEMS, SUVA254 measurements, and FT-ICR MS to investigate the chemical quality and molecular composition of DOM from 4 different bog and 4 different fen sites in the GLAP. We believe this will provide an improved understanding of the role that peatland DOM plays in the global carbon cycle and its response to climate change. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that correlates fluorescence components identified from PARAFAC analysis with compositional information developed by ultrahigh resolution FT-ICR mass spectrometry. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2011. / November 4, 2011. / Bog, Dissolved organic matter, Fen, FT-ICR MS, PARAFAC-EEM, Peatlands / Includes bibliographical references. / William T. Cooper, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeffery Chanton, University Representative; Alan Marshall, Committee Member; Ken Knappenberger, Committee Member.

This study explores the role of the assassination of President James Abram Garfield and the midterm election of 1882 in compelling the 47th Congress to pass the Pendleton Civil Service Act in January 1883. Relying on the manuscript collections of major Gilded Age political figures and contemporary newspapers/periodicals, this thesis showcases the rapid changes in public opinion regarding the civil service reform movement, specifically from the inauguration of President Garfield in 1881 to the passage of the Pendleton Act. During his few short months as president, Garfield, like most presidents of the late nineteenth century, became consumed with distributing the spoils to his supporters. Unfortunately, Garfield, a Republican, faced the growing divide of two factions in his party: the Stalwarts and the Half-Breeds. Garfield's actions in the spring and early summer of 1881 demonstrated his alliance with the Half-Breeds, led by his Secretary of State, James G. Blaine, a group that opposed the Stalwarts, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York. By early July 1881, Garfield defeated Conkling, who resigned from the Senate in protest; however, Garfield's short-lived victory ended when Charles Julius Guiteau, an assassin, shot the president in a Washington train depot on 2 July 1881. Garfield lingered along for almost three months, until his wounds finally overpowered him on 19 September 1881. During the eighty days that he struggled to survive, the public closely followed their chief executive's condition and frequently suggested various treatments to aid in Garfield's recovery. After Garfield's death, his vice-president, Chester Alan Arthur, assumed the presidency amidst the skepticism of many Republicans and reformers. Arthur, a longtime friend and crony of Senator Conkling, attempted to remain neutral during his first months in office, primarily in an effort to calm the public's tensions. As the summer of 1882 approached, the civil service reformers continued whipping up public outrage toward patronage. The political dealings of Representative Jay A. Hubbell of Michigan, who chaired a committee that asked for voluntary contributions from government employees, provided additional fuel for the public's anger. As the election season began late in the summer of 1882, widespread disapproval toward the spoils system began influencing the campaigns in many critical states. After the November elections, the majority in the House of Representatives shifted from the Republicans to the Democrats. Meeting in December 1882, the Republican-controlled 47th Congress began seriously considering legislation to reform the civil service before their terms expired. Senator George Hunt Pendleton of Ohio, who a year earlier introduced his bill to the Senate, once again put his measure on the floor. Over the course of two weeks, the Senate debated and amended various aspects of the bill, which they passed in late December. A few days later, in early January, the House passed the bill and sent it off to President Arthur. On 16 January 1883, Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Act into law, the first major piece of civil service reform legislation. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2011. / October 26, 2011. / Civil Service Reform, Gilded Age, James Abram Garfield, Midterm Election of 1882, Patronage, Pendleton Civil Service Act / Includes bibliographical references. / James P. Jones, Professor Directing Thesis; Jonathan Grant, Committee Member; Neil Jumonville, Committee Member.

This thesis examines the national resistance movements in Eastern and Western Europe during World War II and their relationship with Jewish resistors. The areas under consideration include the 1940 territory of the Soviet Union in the East as well as France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the West. It argues that there is a relationship between the national resistors and Jewish resistance, and the idea that Jews went meekly to their deaths in the Holocaust does not withstand investigation. In the East the Soviet partisans have been considered anti-Semitic and with good reason. However, the actions of Jewish-centric organizations and their members in the partisan war have been neglected. Resistance in Western Europe had a more integrated approach to membership and thus many Jews served in the national resistance. This helps to explain why Jews saw themselves more as Frenchmen, Dutch or Belgian citizens and less as Jews. This study departs from others in that the integration of Jewish resistance within national resistance movements has not been attempted on this scale. There are some micro-histories that deal with this combination in one country or one region but not a comparative analysis of multiple countries over two different regions. Placing primary emphasis on the Jewish struggle within the various resistance units allows historians a deeper understanding of the complexities of the partisan war. In addition, it counters the stubborn belief that the majority of Jews did not resist the Holocaust. This also aids in understanding the connection between Jewish and national resistance movements that were ongoing throughout the entirety of the Nazi occupation of Europe. This also means that Jewish resistance is much more complicated than the ghetto uprisings so frequently mentioned. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer Semester, 2012. / April 18, 2012. / Holocaust, Jewish Resistance, Maquis, Soviet Partisans, Underground, World War II / Includes bibliographical references. / Jonathan Grant, Professor Directing Thesis; James Jones, Committee Member; Michael Creswell, Committee Member.