Behavioral interactions among individuals can have complex effects on trait evolution. In this study I quantify the strength of correlation between aggressive and advertisement calls in the chorus frog, Pseudacris feriarum, to assess whether male-male aggressive interactions may have contributed to observed patterns of reproductive character displacement (RCD) in the advertisement call. Male frogs use aggressive vocal signals in defense of calling sites and to facilitate spacing in breeding choruses. Males that successfully defend their calling site likely benefit from higher reproductive success. Consequently, intrasexual selection may act on the evolution of aggressive signals. Selection acting on one call type (aggressive or advertisement) could promote evolution of other calls in the vocal repertoire via indirect selection. If call types are evolving together, selection on aggressive signals may indirectly cause RCD of advertisement calls. Given the similarities of aggressive call characteristics to the displaced traits of advertisement call characteristics in Pseudacris feriarum, I hypothesize that male-male aggressive interactions may have influenced the observed RCD in advertisement signals. To assess whether this is a possible mechanism of observed RCD in populations of P. feriarum, I compare aggressive and advertisement vocalizations among individuals and across populations to determine if call types covary and may be evolving together. Both advertisement and aggressive calls were recorded from the same individual and an average of 15 individuals were recorded per population. Populations targeted include those where RCD has been observed (FL, GA and SC - sympatry) and where it has not been observed (AL, NC, VA and SC - allopatry). I find that all homologous signal traits measured between call types are positively correlated, and that patterns of character displacement are largely consistent between call types. Furthermore, evidence suggests strong selection on both signal types, supporting a role for intrasexual selection in contributing to character divergence in this species. This research has important implications for our understanding of the mechanisms of character displacement and the evolution of vocal signals in anuran amphibians. Intra- and intersexual selection may not be mutually exclusive forces driving character divergence (Berglund 1996). This research contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of character displacement by exploring an understudied potential agent of selection in promoting signal divergence: intrasexual selection via male-male competition. Research in reproductive character displacement has long focused on inter-species interactions. Few studies have examined the role of aggression in reproductive character displacement (but see Adams 2004; Grether 2009 for interspecific aggression studies) and to my knowledge no study has probed the role of intraspecific competition in influencing reinforcement. If traits contributing to RCD exhibit correlated evolution with other secondary sexual traits, then it becomes necessary to re-evaluate the target(s) of selection. This system is ideal for addressing these questions because it has multiple lines of evidence in support of RCD via reinforcement, asymmetric character displacement resulting in study populations of high variability in the traits of interest, a lek breeding system in which it is likely that both female choice and male-male competition play a role in mating success, and structurally similar secondary sexual characteristics used in mate choice and conspecific competition (acoustic signals) which may evolve together given the likelihood of constraints on anuran call production. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Biological Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2015. / March 25, 2015. / bioacoustics, indirect selection, reproductive character displacement, sexual selection / Includes bibliographical references. / Emily Lemmon, Professor Directing Thesis; Scott Steppan, Committee Member; Peter Beerli, Committee Member.

Political narratives have entertained human beings since times immemorial. The political narratives in the form of drama, novel, ballads, and contemporary televisual and filmic stories revolved around various characters that served as role models. Citizens tended to identify with good, morally ambiguous, and sometimes bad characters depending on the context and a host of personal motives, which subsequently determined the enjoyment of the entertainment narratives and absorption into the storyline. Storylines and characters in political entertainment has also been a great source of enjoyable entertainment for the audience. However, female lead characters in political roles were marginalized and frequently represented in conventional roles that were uninspiring and cultivated negative sentiments about females in various leadership roles. In the past few decades, the representation of female lead characters has considerably changed due to the entry of several notable female politicians in the corridors of power across the globe. Since females are visible in different leadership roles, they are attracting attention of the news and entertainment media and their increased visibility is positively influencing attitudes of female and male citizens toward feminine role models. This dissertation focused on the portrayal of female politicians in semifictional and fictional political narratives and explored if enjoyment, character identification, and narrative transportation influenced the attitudes of the audiences toward female protagonists in political entertainment. As political entertainment became a dominant pattern to involve uninterested voters in democratic processes, entertainment psychology research paid attention to the dual process model of entertainment, and several scholars investigated the "serious" nature of enjoyment experience associated with the consumption of political narratives. Several other studies reported that audiences identified with positive political role models featured as the protagonists in "meaningful" semifictional or fictional narratives. Audience were likely to enjoy such narratives by transporting them into the storyline that reduced critical evaluation of the narratives and subsequently influenced their attitudes and beliefs. By designing and conducting two studies to explore the serious nature of political entertainment, this dissertation empirically tested the relationship between exposure to semifictional and fictional narrative and audiences' attitudes toward female protagonists playing the role of a politician, which was not adequately addressed in extant research. Study one served as a pilot study that tested the causal associations between exposure to semifictional biographical political movies and attitude of the audiences toward female politicians, followed by an exploration of the mediating role of a few variables such as enjoyment and narrative transportation. Study two, on the other hand, scrutinized similar relationships between exposure to fictional political drama and viewers' attitude toward female role models featured as political protagonists in the drama narratives. Both studies found significantly insightful results and paved the way for future inquiry into the effects of fictional entertainment, as was advocated by Holbert (2005) in his "typology for the study of entertainment television and politics". Exposure motives with meaningful intentions proved to be a significant exogenous variable due to their potential to elicit cognitive and elaborative processing of the entertainment narratives. This dissertation addressed significant questions surrounding political communication and entertainment psychology research. The studies conducted for this research offered plausible results and paved the way for continued research on fictional political entertainment and its effects on attitudes. Various conceptual models were examined (using SEM) to understand the effects of political entertainment and consistent with the previous research, this dissertation developed a plausible and replicable model that reasonably established causal links between different constructs frequently tested in entertainment psychology research. This research followed and confirmed the results of a relatively new approach based on the dual process model of entertainment experience. In agreement with current research in this area, studies in the dissertation found that biographical political movies and primetime drama engendered meaningful entertainment experience that subsequently paved the way for a story-consistent attitudinal change. This line of research also supported the use of entertainment to involve citizens in political processes, not approved by a stream of research arguing that entertainment weakened democratic ethos. Contrariwise, studies in this dissertation confirmed that entertainment was not a negative emotion, and in a postmodern world, entertainment should be effectively used for political well-being and ensuring the existence of a healthy public sphere. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / March 30, 2015. / Attitudes, Enjoyment, Entertainment, Female politicians, Narrative transporation, Political self-efficacy / Includes bibliographical references. / Arthur A. Raney, Professor Directing Dissertation; Betsy J. Becker, University Representative; Laura Arpan, Committee Member; Jennifer M. Proffitt, Committee Member.

Systems with a priori unknown, and time-varying dynamic behavior pose a significant challenge in the field of Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC). When both the identification of the nonlinear system and the optimization of control inputs are done robustly and efficiently, NMPC may be applied to control such systems. This dissertation presents a novel method for adaptive NMPC, called Adaptive Sampling Based Model Predictive Control (SBMPC), that combines a radial basis function neural network identification algorithm with a nonlinear optimization method based on graph search. Unlike other NMPC methods, it does not rely on linearizing the system or gradient based optimization. Instead, it discretizes the input space to the model via pseudo-random sampling and feeds the sampled inputs through the nonlinear model, producing a searchable graph. An optimal path is found using an efficient graph search method. Adaptive SBMPC is used in simulation to identify and control a simple plant with clearly visualized nonlinear dynamics. In these simulations, both fixed and time-varying dynamic systems are considered. Next, a power plant combustion simulation demonstrates successful control of a more realistic Multiple-Input Multiple-Output system. The simulated results are compared with an adaptive version of Neural GPC, an existing NMPC algorithm based on Netwon-Raphson optimization and a back propagation neural network model. When the cost function exhibits many local minima, Adaptive SBMPC is successful in finding a globally optimal solution while Neural GPC converges to a solution that is only locally optimal. Finally, an application to flow separation control is presented with experimental wind tunnel results. These results demonstrate real time feasibility, as the control updates are computed at 100 Hz, and highlight the robustness of Adaptive SBMPC to plant changes and the ability to adapt online. The experiments demonstrate separation control for a NACA 0025 airfoil with Reynolds Numbers ranging from 90,000 to 150,000 for both fixed and pitching (.33 deg/s) angles of attack. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 2, 2015. / Adaptive Control, Flow Control, Model Predictive Control, Neural Network, Nonlinear, Power Plant Control / Includes bibliographical references. / Emmanuel G. Collins, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Farrukh S. Alvi, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Simon Y. Foo, University Representative; Louis N. Cattafesta, Committee Member; William S. Oates, Committee Member.

Aging (senescence) is characterized by a decline in an individual's performances, including decreased fertility, increased mortality, and higher susceptibility to parasites and disease. Previous research has shown that aging is influenced by both genetic and epigenomic factors, My dissertation work use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study both the genetic and epigenomic mechanisms of aging by using two approaches: a) investigating the role of gene Vitellogenin in regulating lifespan and fecundity in Drosophila and b) identifying the functional chromatin regulatory features associated with the innate immune response. In the first approach, I measured and compared the lifespan and fecundity of Vitellogenin-overexpressed and normal flies. I found that Vitellogenin overexpression did not extend fly lifespan or fecundity; however, the transgenic construct itself had a side effect of extending lifespan in these fly strains. In the second approach, I measured epigenomic changes. I stimulated hemocyte-like Drosophila S2 cells with heat-killed Gram-positive bacteria, Staphyloccocus aureus, and Gram-negative bacteria, Salmonella typhimurium, respectively, and sampled at 0hr (unstimulated), 30min, 1hr and 4hr after stimulation. I built genome-wide nucleosome distribution maps in these samples, and identified that nucleosomes went through a dynamic change during the immune response. In addition, by varying the degree of nuclease digestion, I identified a group of nucleosomes that were particularly sensitive to digestion (sensitive nucleosomes), and suggested that these sensitive nucleosomes were related with response-specific regulatory potentials. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / March 26, 2015. / aging, chromatin, Drosophila, immunity, MNase, nucleosome / Includes bibliographical references. / Kimberly Hughes, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Jonathan Dennis, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Jamila Horabin, University Representative; David Houle, Committee Member; Nora Underwood, Committee Member.

Polyamorous relationships are a type of ethical non-monogamous relationship where individuals have multiple romantic, sexual, and/or emotional partners. Focusing on monogamous relationships, past studies have demonstrated that men exercise greater power in sexual relationships, but little is known about whether gender inequality applies to polyamorous relationships. The availability of multiple sexual partners may increase an overall level of freedom and autonomy among participants, which may contribute to greater gender equality in these relationships. However, it is possible that gender inequality persists in unique ways within polyamorous relationships. Data for this dissertation comes from interviews with 22 men and women who are currently practicing polyamory or have been involved in a polyamorous relationship before. Polyamorous individuals reject the societal norm of monogamy, and they claim that their relationships are more egalitarian than monogamous relationships. Additionally, polyamorous women claim that polyamorous relationships improve opportunities for autonomy and polyamorous men claim that polyamorous relationships open up new communication avenues with partners. Finally, polyamorous individuals develop new ways to maintain these relationships regarding the practical, social, and sexual aspects of their relationships. This suggests that polyamorous relationships may be transformative for these individuals as they provide a new relationship model apart from their previous monogamous relationships. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sociology in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 3, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Koji Ueno, Professor Directing Dissertation; Felecia Jordan Jackson, University Representative; Doug Schrock, Committee Member.

This dissertation explores the applicability of musical narrative models to the genre of theme and variations focusing on large-scale structural transformations in nineteenth- and twentieth-century theme-and-variation sets. Narrative archetypes proposed by Byron Almén (2008) are useful frameworks for understanding and interpreting the types of transformations that are typical in this genre, despite the paratactic and repetitive nature of the variations. My analysis focuses on three variation sets all based on the same theme (Paganini's Twenty-Four Caprices, Op. 1, No. 24): Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35 Book I; Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, and Rochberg's Caprice Variations. This invariant theme enables me to demonstrate not only the possibility of diverse narrative readings of these works, but also how each composer treated the theme in his own setting. Chapter one provides a review of literature on the genre of variations and the sub-discipline of musical narrative. I discuss my eclectic methodological approach, one that includes Almén's theory of musical narrative in conjunction with musical agency, Schenkerian analysis, musical borrowing, topic theory, and integration models. A short analysis of Paganini's Caprice no. 24 from Op. 1 provides context for the remaining works and demonstrates a simple narrative interpretation as a preview of the analysis in the remaining chapters. Chapters two through four offer detailed analyses of the variations by Brahms and Rachmaninoff. The second chapter explores the application of a single narrative archetype to the first book of Brahms's variations, while chapters three and four expand the narrative model to include interpretations of multiple narrative archetypes within Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody. These two chapters focus on intra- and extra-musical narratives and present the notion of embedded narrative models, which provide nuance to an analytical interpretation. Chapter five summarizes my findings from chapters two to four and includes a sample analysis of Rochberg's Caprice Variations in order to demonstrate analytical questions pertinent to a post-modernist theme-and-variation set as well as the narrative or "anti-narrative" possibilities in twentieth-century Western art music. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 6, 2015. / George Rochberg, Johannes Brahms, Musical Narrative, Nicolò Paganini, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Theme-and-variation sets / Includes bibliographical references. / Joseph Kraus, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Matthew Shaftel, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Read Gainsford, University Representative; James Mathes, Committee Member.

William Kraft's Encounters II for Solo Tuba is a masterwork for tuba inspired by and composed for the now iconic tuba player Roger Bobo. The challenges provided by this piece of music can be daunting. Through the use of a performer's guide, this document attempts to help tuba players with the challenges of this work, offering analysis, solutions to problems, and more. This document will also clarify the differences between the three different editions of the work. After discussion of this piece, the author provides an annotated bibliography of other unaccompanied works and works for tuba and electronic media written for Roger Bobo. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Music. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 3, 2015. / bobo, encounters, tuba / Includes bibliographical references. / Paul Ebbers, Professor Directing Treatise; Richard Clary, University Representative; John Drew, Committee Member; Christopher Moore, Committee Member.

This thesis looks at the intertextuality among Lessing's Nathan der Weise, Kleist's Der Findling and Kafka's Das Urteil. Focus is laid on the repeated deployment of specific character types: an elderly, morally minded merchant and his adopted children. By tracing the similarities and differences of these literary works, themes of economics and adoption come to be understood as central motifs in these texts, and the different depictions of these motifs are shown to reflect differing notions of the self. The analyses in this thesis draw heavily upon the theory of the abject as portrayed in Julia Kristeva's Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. Whereas Kristeva understands abjection as functioning within the context of a "social economy," this thesis tracks its treatment within other economic structures, starting with a moral economy in Lessing's drama, moving to an emotional economy in Kleist's novella, and ending with a semiotic economy in Kafka's novella. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 3, 2015. / Abjection, Adoption, Kafka, Kleist, Lessing / Includes bibliographical references. / Christian Weber, Professor Directing Thesis; Alina Weber, Committee Member; Birgit Maier-Katkin, Committee Member.

My thesis explores how Napoleon and his bureaucrats crafted justifications for five sensitive shifts in domestic policy from 1804 to 1815. More specifically, how the Napoleonic state used the official press organ of the French government, the Gazette Nationale ou le Moniteur Universel, to present those justifications for public consumption is the central aim of this thesis. While largely assumed to be an instrument of propaganda for the Napoleonic regime, Le Moniteur has received few detailed studies as to the language, timing, and frequency of articles inserted into the political section of the official journal; of how the Napoleonic state used language to influence public opinion. My thesis will rectify this conspicuous absence and illustrate how Napoleon's government explained its increasingly monarchical character through several key examples: (1) the creation of the hereditary empire in 1804; (2) the creation of an imperial noblesse from 1806 to 1808; (3) the elevation of Joseph Bonaparte to the throne of Spain in 1808; and (4) Napoleon's marriage to Austrian archduchess Marie-Louise in 1810. The fifth chapter on Napoleon's return to France in 1815 during the Cent-Jours is the exception that proves the rule. Returning from Elba, Napoleon used Le Moniteur to justify his return in a new "liberal" light, abandoning the overt monarchical character of his previous rule. This is a story of how the Napoleonic state attempted to carefully package meticulous justifications and extensive explanations for these sensitive changes that marked significant departures from previous domestic policy, for the French reading public. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of History in partial fulfillment of the Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 13, 2015. / Justifications, Le Moniteur, Napoleonic, Newspapers, official journal, Propaganda / Includes bibliographical references. / Rafe Blaufarb, Professor Directing Thesis; G. Kurt Piehler, Committee Member; Jonathan Grant, Committee Member.

The title of this composition, Forge, is based on two distinct applications of the word. First, it represents the compositional process of combining and balancing the relationships of a handful of originally separate musical ideas into a single work. The style of these sources includes influences from Olivier Messiaen, Igor Stravinsky, and the romantic orchestral tradition. The second meaning relates, metaphorically, to that of a blacksmith's forge, pertaining to the "heated" and fast writing style of my compositional process for this particular piece. This one movement orchestral work grows from the cycle of harmonically lush chords, which provide the foundation for facilitation and development of other materials up to the final resolution. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Spring Semester, 2015. / April 10, 2015. / composition, orchestra / Includes bibliographical references. / Ladislav Kubik, Professor Directing Thesis; Clifton Callender, Committee Member; Mark Wingate, Committee Member.