Le sacre du printemps, a ballet choreographed in 1913 by Vaslav Nijinsky, played an important part in changing the way the world thought about choreography. Since, modern choreographers such as Graham and Taylor have followed in the tradition of creating their own versions of Le sacre. This thesis outlines the significance of Le sacre. It also describes how Bates created a choreographic project using Nijinsky, Taylor, and Graham influences, and also combining modern dance floor techniques with aerial choreography.

abstract: With improvements in technology, intensive longitudinal studies that permit the investigation of daily and weekly cycles in behavior have increased exponentially over the past few decades. Traditionally, when data have been collected on two variables over time, multivariate time series approaches that remove trends, cycles, and serial dependency have been used. These analyses permit the study of the relationship between random shocks (perturbations) in the presumed causal series and changes in the outcome series, but do not permit the study of the relationships between cycles. Liu and West (2016) proposed a multilevel approach that permitted the study of potential between subject relationships between features of the cycles in two series (e.g., amplitude). However, I show that the application of the Liu and West approach is restricted to a small set of features and types of relationships between the series. Several authors (e.g., Boker & Graham, 1998) proposed a connected mass-spring model that appears to permit modeling of more general cyclic relationships. I showed that the undamped connected mass-spring model is also limited and may be unidentified. To test the severity of the restrictions of the motion trajectories producible by the undamped connected mass-spring model I mathematically derived their connection to the force equations of the undamped connected mass-spring system. The mathematical solution describes the domain of the trajectory pairs that are producible by the undamped connected mass-spring model. The set of producible trajectory pairs is highly restricted, and this restriction sets major limitations on the application of the connected mass-spring model to psychological data. I used a simulation to demonstrate that even if a pair of psychological time-varying variables behaved exactly like two masses in an undamped connected mass-spring system, the connected mass-spring model would not yield adequate parameter estimates. My simulation probed the performance of the connected mass-spring model as a function of several aspects of data quality including number of subjects, series length, sampling rate relative to the cycle, and measurement error in the data. The findings can be extended to damped and nonlinear connected mass-spring systems. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

This research designed and analyzed an innovative structural support system for ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) atrium roofs between buildings. A cable-spring system was conceived, which is much lighter and more flexible than arches, frames, trusses, and beams which usually support ETFE roofs. Flexibility was a desirable property because the displacements may vary significantly among the buildings supporting the ETFE atrium roof during wind and seismic loading. The springs in the cable-spring system allow large differential displacements without exerting large support reactions on the buildings. The flexibility of the cable-spring system was compared to the cable-strut system which is used to support many other roofs. The concept of the cable-spring system was demonstrated by the design of an example problem and an experimental model. The example problem consisted of 20 m roof spans between buildings and differential displacements up to 8.5 cm. Conceptual design of the system consists of an array of intersecting cable-spring trusses that provide adequate drainage, venting, and repeatability. Detailed design includes the design of the ETFE cushion, truss depth, spring stiffness, cable sizes, and the telescoping tubes that enclose the springs. The ETFE cushions were analyzed with the MPanel software which is based on a computational process known as dynamic relaxation. The cable-spring trusses were analyzed using the principles of statics and large displacement geometry. Design curves and formulas were produced for spring sizes. A small scale experimental model was built to demonstrate the flexibility of the cable-spring support system. The weight of the atrium roof was estimated to be about 2.28 psf for the example problem. The analysis revealed that for the same spans and differential support movements the cable-spring support system had a 71% reduction in support reactions when compared to a cable-strut system.

This dissertation explores the role of social media in political activism in authoritarian societies, using as case studies the use of YouTube as an alternative channel of communication and resistance during the political crises in Pakistan, Tunisia, and Egypt. I studied Pakistan because it is one of the few majority Muslim countries in which social media were part of the media mix during the mass uprisings that led to the overthrow of the regime of military leader, General Pervez Musharraf in 2007. Tunisia and Egypt were chosen because these two countries are seen as the iconic nations of the Arab Spring 2011. The study argues that the term "Arab Spring" itself limits the scope of ongoing online and offline political uprisings in the Muslim World, which is spreading beyond the geographical boundaries of the Middle East. The investigation uses "social movements" as defined and theorized by Hirschman (1970), Lohmann (1994), Olson (1965), and Tarrow (1994; 1998) as its theoretical foundation, in order to describe and explain how YouTube was part of the information activism of the social movements that sprang up during the revolutions in Pakistan, Tunisia and Egypt. A comparative methodological approach enables me to analyze the "most viewed" YouTube videos of political protests in the three countries. By examining a purposive sample of 60 most viewed protest-related YouTube videos, the study explores how these videos served as a "voice," (alternative channels of communication) when the authoritarian governments controlled all the media in the three countries. Using quantitative content analysis and thematic analysis approaches, the study investigates YouTube's role and content during Pakistan's political crisis of 2007, and compares it with that platform's role as an alternative avenue of communication, as well as its content in the 2011 political uprising in Tunisia and Egypt, which are the core of the Arab Spring in North Africa. Eight research questions were asked for this investigation. These questions were derived from Hirschman (1970), Lohmann (1994), Tarrow (1998), and Perlmutter's (1998) works. Issues that were investigated in these questions include: identifying the cultural and ideological frames used in the most viewed videos of each revolution, YouTube videos as "informational cascades," Al-Jazeera's role as "informational cascade," YouTube videos as a "Voice," and the most iconic images of each revolution. The findings of these research questions suggest that in the absence of traditional media sources, YouTube can serve as an alternative platform of communication and dissent. The study finds that the social movements in the three countries (The Lawyers' Movement of 2007 in Pakistan, the so-called Jasmine Revolution of Tunisia (2010), and the Arab Spring of Egypt 2011) utilized YouTube as an alternate channel of communication to disseminate information on political protests against the dictatorial regimes for purposes of promoting resistance. The visual content analysis of these videos revealed that the YouTube videos of political protests utilized common religious and national ideologies as a part of cultural and ideological frames to spread the narratives of political protests online. The findings of this study support that the most viewed videos contributed to serve as informational cascades for the observers (YouTube viewers) of these protest-related videos. The findings also highlight that the pan-Arabic TV channel Al-Jazeera utilized YouTube as an alternative platform to disseminate its protest-related videos, particularly when the channel was banned in the three countries. The visual content analysis of the most viewed videos of protests suggest that social movements in Pakistan, Tunisia and Egypt used YouTube to amplify their voice against corruption, unemployment, and authoritarianism in the three countries. The findings of this dissertation identify that three images (one from each country) were treated as the icons of outrage in the 60 most viewed protest-related videos. These icons of outrage include the images of Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation (Tunisia), torture-disfigured face of Khaled Said (Egypt), and the arrest of Pakistani Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudry. Based on its findings, the dissertation argues that the ongoing political struggle in Muslim-majority countries is a much bigger phenomenon than the "Arab Spring." This study also makes a strong case that Pakistan experienced online informational activism long before the Arab Spring of 2011. Since political communication in Pakistan is a relatively under-researched field, academic archives do not provide sufficient information on the role and emergence of social media in the country, including how the new modes of digital communication serve as alternative channels of political activism against dictatorship. This dissertation intends to fill this void. The study also contributes to the existing literature on communication, social movements and political activism, which is predominantly specific to Western settings. Since this study applies Western approaches of social movements to non-Western settings, it helps to explicate the applicability of such approaches to non-Western societies and contexts. Furthermore, it is important to understand the role of social media as alternative channels of communication in closed, authoritarian societies where the traditional media serve only the interests of the ruling elites. In addition, the study helps to explain how the increasingly popular social media, e.g. YouTube, are contributing to civil liberties by challenging the authoritarian regimes of the Muslim World.

Tumbling take-offs on floor exercise apparatuses of varying stiffness properties may contribute to apparatus behaviors that lead to increased injury exposure. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare the kinematics, kinetics, and timing performance characteristics of a springfloor and a spring-floor with an added Air FloorTM. Five male international gymnasts performed a forward handspring to forward somersault and a round off, flic flac, backward somersault on a standard spring-floor and a spring-floor with an Air FloorTM. Performances were measured via high-speed video kinematics (lower extremity joint angles and positions), electromyography of eight lower extremity muscles, mean peak forces on the feet, and timing. Comparisons of spring-floor types, lower extremity joint angles, lower extremity muscle activations, foot forces, and selected durations were determined. The spring floor with Air FloorTM resulted in longer take-off contact durations than spring-floor alone. Dynamic knee angles may indicate an unexpected and potentially injurious motion of the triceps surae musculotendinous structures. This pilot and hypothesis generating study has suggested future research examining dynamic knee position and angle changes, the role of spring-floor vibration and stiffness in take-offs, and take-off muscle activation alignment with the stiffness of the spring-floor. Pragmatically, there appears to be a convergence of evidence indicating that a slower frequency response of the spring floor may assist tumbling performance and reduce stress and strain in the lower extremity.

A series of late Tertiary rhyolitic and dacitic flows, domes, and minor pyroclastic rocks form an elongate volanic mass along the northwestern Utah-northeastern Nevada border . The structure of the flow banding and the linear arrangement of vents indicate that the mass represents a multi-sourced extrusive complex which erupted through many fissure-type conduits. A 39 km2 area at the southern end of the mass was studied in detail in order to gain a better understanding of the eruptive nature and history of these Tertiary volcanic rocks. Age dating reveals that volcanism in the study area was episodic, and covered a period of at least 4 to 5 million years. The silicic volcanic rocks in the study area are similar chemically and mineralogically to other eruptive units within the Rhyolite Mts., which range from dacite (Si0 2 69%) to high-silica rhyolite (SiOz 75-77%). They also exhibit chemical characteristics similar to other silicic volcanic rocks of bimodal association in the western United States. Two-feldspar high-K rhyolite is the dominant volcanic rock in the study area, commonly found overlying rhyolitic vitric tuffs and agglomerates. Rhyolite from the southern portion of the study area is dated at 7.6 to 8.6 m.y.b.p. Dacitic samples contain phenocrysts of plagioclase, quartz, biotite, hornblende, and orthopyroxene. Dacitic volcanism is dated at 12.4 m.y.b.p. By analogy with other "bimodal" volcanic fields in the western U.S., it is assumed that these si 1 icic magmas are products of partial melting of crustal rocks. Evidence from a least squares differentiation model, along with the overall geochemical characteristics, indicates crystal fractionation as the dominant mechanism for the transition from dacite to rhyolite, with plagioclase as the dominant fractionating phase.

A study of the spring and summer habitat preferences of blue grouse was conducted on the Bear River Range in northern Utah. The main objective was to determine the important factors associated with habitat selection by blue grouse during the breeding season. One hundred and two sampling areas, delimited by similarities in vegetation and topography, were thoroughly searched with a dog for blue grouse. Fifty-four bio logical and physical variables were measured for each sampling area. Chi-square tests performed on all variables showed 11 of the 54 variables to be significant at an alpha of 0.20. These 11 variables (li sted below) were considered to be the important factors influencing habitat selection by blue grouse. (1) search area type (2) area exposure (3) elevation (4) percent forested (5) understory density (6) primary cover species (7) secondary cover species (8) percent cover maples (Acer grandidentatum) (9) percent cover mixed brush (10) percent cover sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) (11) total acres The chi-square test only determined if a variable significantly effected habitat selection by blue grouse. To determine whether this effect was positive or negative, the percent occurrence of areas on which blue grouse were present, or absent, was determined. Results indicated that the most favorable blue grouse habitat was draws at 5,500 -6.499 feet elevation. This favorable habitat contained 1-10 percent cover by maples, or a higher percent of maple which provided a large amount of edge effect; the presence of mixed brush or sagebrush, a medium understory, and an area incline of 5-19 percent.

In boreal landscapes, large quantities of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) accumulated in soils are flushed into rivers and streams during snowmelt. These inputs supply energy to aquatic microbes, affect pH, and can promote the transportation of metals to streams and rivers. However, during the spring flood, changes in stream DOC are influenced by the structure of the catchment (e.g., forest vs. wetland cover), where different solutes are stored in soils, and snowmelt hydrology. While these mechanisms have been studied extensively in ‘pristine’ boreal landscapes, the influence of agricultural and urban land use on DOC flushing during snowmelt is poorly understood in this region. To understand these influences, I measured DOC, along with pH, conductivity, and discharge, during snowmelt at three boreal streams draining agricultural and urban lands.  I analyzed chemical patterns using discharge-concentration curves that reveal whether solutes are stable (chemostatic) or change (chemodynamic) during floods. Similar to observations made in forested catchments elsewhere, DOC was chemodynamic at all sites, increasing with discharge; however, two sites did show dilution at the very highest flows. pH declined with discharge at one site, but did not change at the other two. Electrical conductivity declined (was diluted) with increasing discharge for all sites, coinciding with previous studies. These results indicate that the majority of these chemical patterns in boreal streams influenced by agriculture and urban land use are chemodynamic, either increasing or decreasing in concentration with discharge during snowmelt. However more studies are needed to further clarify if patterns human-modified catchments are consistent with models based on boreal forested catchments.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 225-231).

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if the New Lifestyles NL-2000 (NL) and the Digi-Walker SW-200 (DW), waist-mounted devices, yield similar daily step counts as compared to the StepWatch 3 (SW), an ankle-mounted device, worn by adults and children in the free-living environment. For the first study, fifty-six adults (32.7 + 14.5 y) wore the devices for seven consecutive days. There were 20 normal weight, 18 overweight, and 18 obese participants. The NL and DW undercounted (pedometer error) similarly in the normal weight and overweight groups (-15.4% to -18.2%, respectively). However, the DW undercounted more than the NL in the obese group (-32.8% vs -23.9%, respectively). Stepwise regression revealed that both the NL and DW had more error (undercounted more) as a greater percentage steps were accumulated while walking slowly. The DW also had more error with greater BMI. Use of the DW in an obese population will result in twice the error as compared to a normal weight population and thus the DW should not be used to determine relationships between walking volume and adiposity For the second study, 74 children (13 ± 1.1 y) wore the same devices during one weekday. There were 33 normal weight, 21 overweight, and 20 obese participants. The error was determined for the NL and DW, and the values were similar in the normal weight and overweight groups (-10.8% to -15.4%, respectively). The DW undercounted more than the NL in the obese group (-27.3% vs -8.4%, respectively). The NL was very consistent regardless of BMI category, recording 89.1% (-10.8% error), 89.1% (-10.9% error), and 91.6% (-8.4% error) for the normal weight, overweight, and obese participants, respectively. Stepwise regression revealed that the DW undercounted more in participants with a high weight. Using the DW in obese children of this age group will result in significantly more undercounting when compared to normal weight children. The DW should not be used to determine relationships between walking volume and adiposity in this population. The NL undercounted by ~10%, regardless of BMI category.