Masters Theses

Wind Energy Assessment using a Wind Turbine with Dynamic Yaw Control

Md Nahid Pervez — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:43:30 PDT

The goal of this project was to analyze the wind energy potential over Lake Michigan. For this purpose, a dynamic model of a utility-scale wind turbine was developed to estimate the potential electrical energy that could be generated. The dynamic model was supported by wind data collected by an unmanned buoy based Laser Wind Sensor data acquisition system that has been deployed in Lake Michigan since October, 2011. Data summarization tools were also developed to help profile the wind resource based on the collected data.

Perceptions of Creativity among Faculty in Higher Education

Ellie Melissa Potter — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:03:08 PDT

Higher education instructors do not sufficiently incorporate creativity in the teaching and learning environments within which they operate. While there is a great deal of research available regarding creativity and primary or secondary education, there is little research available regarding creativity and higher education. This study contributes to that gap of knowledge by surveying faculty members in one institution of higher education in order to understand their perspectives regarding creativity, both as it relates to being a creative individual and to teaching others to be creative themselves. There were 358 faculty members who participated in the online survey designed specifically for this study. Those participants were tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty from eight different academic units at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The survey instrument asked participants to answer six demographic questions, eleven Likert scale statements, and two short answer questions. The results of the surveys were gathered and organized by response, allowing the researcher to identify similarities and tabulate percentages of responses. The majority of faculty participants believed creativity to be a positive concept that should be incorporated in higher education. However, when asked if they believed their faculty peers engaged in creative action, most participants did not perceive that to be the case. Several barriers to creativity, along with factors that could potentially promote creativity, were identified in this survey as well. The results have important implications for institutions of higher education if they are seeking to incorporate creativity. There is still a significant amount of research needed that could further promote this field of knowledge.

Content Analysis of British Petroleum and Tokyo Electric Power Company's Crisis Communication Messages. Comparative Analysis of Crisis Communication Strategies

Viktoryia Abramenka — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:43:21 PDT

This research analyzes the crisis communication messages of the two organizations British Petroleum (BP) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The study looks at organizations' press-releases, Facebook updates and tweets. The research looks at detecting four main themes in the companies' crisis communication messages: trust, collaboration, commitment, and interactivity. This study then goes on to look at the crisis communication strategies.

BP's 60 press releases and 70 Facebook updates along with TEPCO's 60 press releases and 65 tweets were analyzed. The findings of the research showed that BP mainly addressed the company's commitment to resolve the crisis. Additionally, the organization emphasized collaboration, and its financial losses. The company both emphasized its financial losses incurred during the crisis, and the amount of the compensation paid to victims of the crisis. TEPCO stressed commitment and collaboration. Additionally, the organization expressed apologies. In most cases, the company started press releases with apologies for the inconveniences caused by the accident and their commitment to do their best to tackle the impact of the crisis as soon as possible. Yet, TEPCO did not provide any information about the cost of their corrective actions or any compensation paid, if any, to victims of the crisis compared to BP.

Real-time Stage 1 Sleep Detection and Warning System Using a Low-Cost EEG Headset

Bryan Van Hal — Wed, 08 May 2013 13:11:39 PDT

The goal of this thesis is to design and test a real-time Stage 1 sleep detection and warning system using a low-cost single dry-sensor EEG headset. Such a system would allow aircraft pilots or truck drivers to receive an auditory warning when they are beginning to fall asleep. The device designed in this study records a single EEG signal and filters it into low Alpha (7.5 - 9.25 Hz), high Alpha (10 - 11.75 Hz), low Beta (13 - 16.75 Hz), and high Beta (18 - 29.75 Hz) frequency bands. When the EEG transitions to match that of Stage 1 sleep for a short period of time, the device produces an audible alarm.

The system proved 81% effective at detecting sleep in a small sample group. All failures were due to false alarms. Compared to tradition sleep scoring, this device predicted and responded to the onset of drowsiness preceding stage 1 sleep.

Egyptian Diasporas, Social Media, and the 2011 Egyptian Revolution: How Egyptians Living in Saudi Arabia used Social Media during the Revolution

Maisoon O. Al-sebaei — Mon, 06 May 2013 05:54:47 PDT

In the last few years, the Arab world has been shifting to new technology, particularly social media, to create new connections and spaces for public engagement. This technology has opened new prospects in freedom of expression, especially in political reforms. Through the recent Arab Spring events, social media platforms have been helping cyberactivists for social changes. The 2011 Egyptian revolution is a prime example to show how social media platforms were used to ignite strikers and overthrow the autocratic regime. At the same time, the number and size of diasporas in the Middle East are increasing. Yet scholars have not explored how diasporic communities in the region are engaged with recent political changes, namely the Arab Spring.

This study reports the results of interviews with Egyptians living in Saudi Arabia during the 2011 Egyptian revolution in order to explore how that diaspora used social media platforms during that time. Grounded theory is used to analyze these interviews. The study concludes that social media was a proper platform for the Egyptian diaspora to collect new political information, connect with people in Egypt, and discuss and share it with people in their homeland and other communities. This Egyptian diaspora used social media to sustain strong ties to people in their homeland, increase their sense of political participation, and to confirm political activity in their homeland.

Investigation of the Closing Forces Involved in Re-Approximation of the Renal Remnant Following Partial Nephrectomy

Donald M. Endres II — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:27:16 PDT

Partial nephrectomy has become the preferred method of treatment in certain renal diseases, including small, peripheral tumors. However, re-establishment of hemostasis in the remaining tissue remains a challenging procedure. To better understand the forces involved in re-approximation of the renal remnant, this study measures the suture tensions reached in sliding clip renorrhaphy, as well as the ability of the tissue to support those tensions, and reviews how long suture material might be expected to survive those forces.

Three separate groups of experiments were conducted on fresh, porcine kidney tissue. Treatment groups were compared using commercially available software to compute appropriate descriptive statistics and generate regression lines.

Suture tension was measured at 2.8 ± 0.7 Newtons (N) (mean ± standard deviation) in ischemic organs, 3.2 ± 0.7 N in kidneys at normal perfusion and 3.4 ± 0.7 N at perfusion levels over 200 mm Hg (107 inches H₂O).

Other experiments measured the tension required to cause tissue in both complete sutures (terminated on both ends with surgical clips) and half sutures (placed in a hemisphere of tissue and terminated with a clip only on the trailing end) to be torn from the organ. Positive relationships were shown between the amount of enclosed tissue (margin size) and the tension at failure for both complete and partial sutures. Margins below 1 cm in size failed at levels which could affect their usefulness in closing the parenchyma. Also, a positive correlation between failure tension and angle of applied force relative to the capsule surface was observed for angles in the range of 0º to 90º. In a related experiment, different diameter sutures were tested on standard sized specimens. Differences in the force required to cause the suture to cut through the samples were not shown in the small sample.

The tensile strengths of suture material at eight different durations of exposure to select environmental conditions were tabulated so that materials appropriate for renorrhaphy can be identified. Tensile strength before and after exposure, size, and environmental conditions were listed. Data indicates that appropriate materials can be selected from available suture.

Future Foreign Language Teachers’ Intercultural Competence

Andrew Baalerud — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:26:40 PDT

There is a lack of research regarding the implications for foreign language study and intercultural competence. Scholars suggest that foreign language proficiency plays a role in cultivating intercultural competence, but agree that there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting this notion. Research also shows that foreign language teachers are ethnocentric. Many educators and foreign language programs use a framework developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) to promote language learning. This framework also possesses key elements in promoting intercultural competence. This study addressed whether a pre-service, ACTFL-guided teaching component of the curriculum had an influence on the intercultural competence of seven student teachers from a master’s large institution in the Midwestern U.S. The intercultural competence was scored using the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory as an assessment tool. The findings revealed no significant differences in their levels, but did find differences in how the correlations within intercultural competence’s different dimensions interconnected. The conclusions indicate connections to student development theory and recommendations for further study.

A System for Preclinical Imaging Facility Management and Data Processing

Ryan Anthony Bozio — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 07:06:01 PDT

Introduction: Preclinical imaging laboratories are unique and specialized facilities that generally operate as service cores within large research institutions. The facilities offer non-invasive imaging to researchers to answer scientific questions. Facilities, such as the one located within the Van Andel Institute, have multiple imaging modalities including PET, CT, SPECT, ultrasound, and optical. These modalities often times come from different manufacturers involving various image formats. Imaging facility managers are responsible for managing collaborative projects, coordinating different groups, scheduling machine and technician time, billing customers, as well as providing meaningful and reliable results to the researchers. These challenges underscore the need for a management system that provides automated tools for designing, scheduling and overseeing the efficient completion of studies. We have developed a system for managing most aspects of an imaging facility to optimize efficiency, decrease errors, provide reliable results and to potentially lay the foundation and framework for other preclinical imaging facilities.

Methods: An entirely web-based architecture was chosen for the system to allow for ease of access from any location. The system includes tools for managing projects, data management and finance management. Project management using the system includes scheduling longitudinal studies and personnel coordination such as automated emailing services for tasks and next steps in the project. Data management within the system allows for DICOM image storage, backup, retrieval and post analysis. Post analysis techniques include region of interest (ROI) drawing, image manipulation and SUV for PET data. To evaluate the system for efficiency, PET/CT studies were completed using the system as well as without the system. Scheduling, billing, and post analysis was timed for both scenarios.

Results: It was found that the designed system increased scheduling efficiency by 93%, billing by 87.3% and post analysis by 75%. Manual intervention from the SAIF manager and SAIF members for PET/CT studies was also decreased by 82%.

Conclusions: The system increased efficiency within a preclinical imaging facility and can be a used to promote a new concept of managing for other facilities as well. As a web-based system it is open architecture allowing for continual expansion as needs grow more complex.

Information Technology Effects on Tunisian College Students; Tunisian English Majors as a Case Study

Ahmed Lachheb — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:54:39 PDT

Tunisia has been recently in the worldwide news since December 2010. A country where the “Arab Spring” started that lead to a major political, economic and social shift in the Middle East and North Africa’s region. Change in all the country’s systems and dynamics is occurring on a daily basis during the current post-revolutionary period. However, Tunisia’s profile in academic journals and research is absent due to the lack of research work. In a country peopled with about 10 million, almost half a million students are attending 239 public and private higher educational institutions¹. Seeking higher education is the only option for Tunisian youths due to the lack of natural resources and economic booming in the country. The need for a case study research to bring an authentic description of Tunisian academia has never been crucial than before. Indeed, scientific research is needed to start the country’s profile in academic journals and to provide accurate findings for decision makers in planning and implementing change/reforms. This study aimed at investigating the technology situation in the Tunisia’s higher educational system through a case study approach. The finding of this study revealed that Tunisian English language majors observed have positive attitudes and perfections toward information technology, despite the limited technology resources being used at the university where the study took place. Also, Tunisian students studied have a high technology literacy level as information technology positively impacted their motivation, performance and interest in learning.

¹ Based on the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education’ Report of 2011-2012, published at http://www.mes.tn/anglais/donnees_de_base/2012/dep_an2011_2012.pdf

The African American/Black Male Experience at Grand Valley State University: Implications for the Future

Reba Loret Oguntokun — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:23:58 PDT

Researchers note that African American male students are disadvantaged by several social, psychosocial, and institutional factors. These factors affect their enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. This study, guided by Critical Race Theory in education, explores the lived experiences of African American male students at Grand Valley State University through in-depth interviews and the utilization of qualitative data analysis. Findings reveal that social, psychosocial, and institutional factors had the ability to positively or negatively affect the academic success of the participants. The issues most frequently mentioned by participants were public school education, minority status stressors (MSS), stereotype threat, environmental incongruency, differential treatment, low expectations, and a desire to prove misconceptions wrong. These findings reveal the salience of MSS at Grand Valley and Black men’s desire to be successful and accepted at Grand Valley. They also indicate some ways in which Grand Valley can support its African American male students.

Demographic and Reproductive Status of Lake Sturgeon in the Muskegon River System, Michigan

Alex C. Wieten — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:13:15 PDT

My study focused on a threatened population of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Muskegon River system, Michigan. I assessed the condition, growth and population dynamics of lake sturgeon and compared them to nearby populations using a lengthweight relationship and the von Bertalanffy growth model. I also estimated the abundance of adult lake sturgeon in the Muskegon River system during the spawning run using closed-population models, analyzed movements of adult lake sturgeon during their spawning migrations using ultrasonic telemetry in 2011, and verified reproductive success by capturing larvae with drift nets in 2010 and 2011. The capture of adult lake sturgeon was performed using boat electrofishing and large-mesh gill netting in the spring, and juvenile lake sturgeon were captured using small-mesh gill netting in the fall. From 2008 to 2011, 141 individual lake sturgeon (24.9 – 191.0 cm total length; 0.05- 59.50 kg weight) were captured. Of these, 116 lake sturgeon were aged using pectoral fin rays, representing 24 age cohorts. The weight-length relationship for captured lake sturgeon, where W is weight (kg) and TL is total length (cm), is log10(W) = -6.13 + 3.42•log₁₀(TL) and the von Bertalanffy growth model is TL = 177.62 (1-e^{-0.0985(t-1.0035)}), where t is age. Compared to nearby systems, a 100-cm individual from the Muskegon system tended to weigh less (average: -0.98 kg), and individuals age 23-27 years tended to be longer at age (average: +18.0 cm). Abundances were estimated for the 2009 and 2010 spawning migrations, which were 46 (95% CI: 37-67) and 39 (95% CI: 27-67) individuals, respectively. Successful reproduction in the Muskegon River was confirmed by the capture of 16 larval lake sturgeon in 2010 and 2 individuals in 2011. Consistent with other studies, the onset of larval drift was at a water temperature of 16 °C. The number of larvae drifting downstream appeared to become heavily diluted with increasing distance downstream of a known spawning site. Overall, my results suggest the Muskegon River supports a small (in terms of annual population numbers), healthy (in terms of individual growth rates and proportion of individuals less than age 5), naturally-reproducing population of lake sturgeon. Nevertheless, the small size of the annual spawning run suggests the population should continue to be protected and be the focus of restoration.

The Experience of Being a Foster Parent in Non-Kinship Placements: Emotional and Psychological Impacts

Lindsay Michelle Tryc — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:01:36 PDT

With a significant number of children in the foster care system in need of safe and stable homes, caregivers who are willing to provide such a home are vital. In 2010, almost fifty percent of foster homes were non-kinship placements with caregivers who had no biological relation to the child (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011). As these caregivers voluntarily open their homes, they are also likely to encounter challenges with foster children due to previous traumas. The specific challenges addressed in this research study included the integration into the family, the management of behaviors, and the ability to make/break attachments. The intent was to identify the emotional and psychological impacts on foster parents as a result of these challenges, which was accomplished through the discussion of experiences. Given the volume of literature about attachment and foster care, the purpose of the study was to focus solely on the experiences and the identifiable emotional and psychological impacts as shared by foster parents, rather than an exploration of each potential risk and protective factor related to both attachment and foster care.

The data collection consisted of interviews conducted with foster parents, with an established interview protocol. The sample included fourteen participants, comprised of two single females, five heterosexual couples and one couple identified as house parents. The participants were Caucasian and broadly characterized as middle socio-economic status, employed, and educated with adopted/biological children. The interviews were transcribed and assessed for emerging themes, commonalities and discrepancies; psychological and emotional impacts were identified and discussed also. As the findings indicate, despite the intensity, these impacts did not serve to deter participants from continuing their role as foster parents in the future. Overall, the findings were largely consistent with previously cited research and provided important implications including more stringent policies applicable to practice, continuous trainings for foster parents, and increased accountability, communication and sharing of evidence-based practices between families and the agency. In addition, the findings helped to determine if these impacts served as deterrents to foster in the future, and provided insight into how caregivers may better be supported for their invaluable service.

School Adult and Student Perceptions of Bullying in Middle School: A Mixed Methods Case Study

Michelle L. Barrows — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:28:58 PDT

This mixed-methods case study examined the perceptions of students and school adults regarding bullying at one urban middle school (grades 6-8) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Participants completed a two-part survey. Part one contained open-ended questions regarding the respondent’s experiences at the school and part two used a questionnaire from Maunder, Harrop and Tattersall, (2010) containing a set of twelve scenarios with questions asking participants to indicate whether or not it is bullying, the frequency seen in the school, and the severity if it happened to a girl or a boy. This study showed that awareness of the school district’s anti-bullying policy is limited among both students and school adults. Student and adult descriptions of bullying behaviors and perceptions of frequency were consistent; however, their perceptions of the severity of bullying were not, with students choosing “less severe,” in greater percentages than the adults. Regarding the identification of specific scenarios as bullying, students and school adults had some different perceptions of the indirect bullying and ambiguous scenarios. This study confirms Maunder et al.’s finding of significant differences when taking into account the seriousness for gender, with bullying scenarios perceived as more serious when they happen to a girl. Recommendations for further study, practice, and for school counselors are included.

Understanding High-Achieving African American Students: A Quantitative Study at Grand Valley State University

John A. Gipson Jr. — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:09:19 PDT

The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of high-achieving African American students attending Grand Valley State University (GVSU).

A target population of 353 undergraduate students identifying as African American were invited to voluntarily participate in this study. These students possessed sophomore or higher status and maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater at the time of survey distribution. 101 students completed the survey resulting in a response rate of 28.6%.

Due to the nature of the survey, descriptive statistics were utilized to report a majority of the results. However, a Chi Square Test of Independence with an alpha level of .05 was utilized, where applicable, to determine significant and non-significant relationships.

Statistically significant findings include: that high-achieving African American students who live within one hour of GVSU are more likely to possess a 3.75 to 4.00 GPA; and as GPA increases, one is less likely to consider leaving GVSU. Many additional findings are also discussed.

Expanding upon existing research, results from this study suggest that high-achieving African American students are most-frequently participating in the high-impact practices of service learning and internships. Additional expansions and affirmations of existing research are also discussed.

The Other In Henry Roth's Call It Sleep

Pauline Bleuse — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:44:09 PST

This thesis project focuses on the notion of the Other in Henry Roth's 1934 novel Call It Sleep. The novel follows David as his family moves to New York and struggles in poor areas. David's inner world is rendered through a style which is reminiscent of a modernist stream of consciousness while retaining the realism of the 1930s proletarian novel. Call It Sleep is a rich text for the study of immigration and multi-culturalism and approaching the novel through the theme of the Other allows for multiple interpretations. The first chapter uses Jacques Lacan's theories on Desire and analyzes David's obsessive behavior toward objects representing purity. Lacanian Desire stems from lack and is transferred to objects that cannot bring satisfaction once attained. Lacan's theories explain David's quests and can be used to understand the 'American Dream' migrants followed as a spatial localization of this unattainable desire. The second chapter looks at Roth's treatment of languages and identification of and with the Other. David is an Other for the two cultures he is in contact with and is either included or excluded by different languages. David's identity as an Other fluctuates depending on which culture he is in contact with. Roth's treatment of language and identities is still relevant as we struggle to find a balance between assimilation and multi-culturalism. The last chapter looks at Call It Sleep from a feminist point of view. In her essay 'Women on the Market', Luce Irigaray analyzes our society's treatment of women as commodities and their exchanges. Irigaray's theory allows for a unique perspective on the transition between a patriarchal society to a consumerist American society v where women are objectified. These different approaches allow for a comprehensive study of the Other in the text and inform on the different manifestations of the Other in our world, between the alienation of our desires, fragmentation of the self, the Otherness experienced in a multi-cultural society and the Othering of women. Analyzing Call It Sleep under these different lenses allow for a better understanding of the relation of the self and the Other for multi-cultural individuals.

Successful Weight Loss, Weight Loss Maintenance and Psychological Characteristics in Minority Men and Women Attending an Inner-city Weight Loss Program

Julie Ann Hall — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 07:32:37 PST

Inner-city communities are disproportionately impacted by obesity and chronic disease. The LOSE BIG Challenge is a motivational physical activity and nutrition education program offered to inner-city Grand Rapids, Michigan residents with diabetes or hypertension. Twenty-eight participants (26 women, 2 men) in a 12-week culturallybased weight loss program were studied. Before and after the intervention, height, weight, lifestyle information, readiness to change, eating behaviors, depression scores, and quality of life scores were measured. Participants were followed 4 and 6 months post intervention. At baseline, 86% of the participants were obese (BMI >30 kg/m²), 54% watched more than ten hours of television per week, 89% did not eat breakfast, and 82% did not weigh themselves at least once a week. While mean cognitive restraint scores for men and women were relatively close, women had much higher emotional eating, uncontrolled eating and inhibition mean scores at baseline. Participants showed significant decreases in mean BMI at the completion of the 12-week program (p<.001) and during the maintenance period, 4 months (p=.005) and 6 months (p=.001) postintervention. Quality of life, depression, cognitive restraint, emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and inhibition scores all showed improvement. The results suggest that this motivational program may provide health benefits, improve quality of life and change eating habits of the participants for up to 6 months. Attendance was variable, indicating the challenges of reaching the inner-city minority community. We plan on following participants in the next LOSE BIG Challenge. The focus will be to provide financial incentives in hopes of decreasing the attrition and variability in attendance. The program will also be adjusted to provide a stronger focus on behavioral changes such as monitoring weight, eating breakfast and decreasing TV time.

The Role of Saturated Fatty Acids in Connexin Expression on Endothelial Cells and Eosinophils

Kurt Anthony Ashack — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:04:29 PST

Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils that becomes elevated in the tissues in response to inflammation and increased adiposity. Therefore, eosinophil migration into adipose tissue should increase in diet-induced obese individuals, yet it does not. This suggested to us that something within the cellular microenvironment of diet-induced obese individuals might be altering the endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules (ELAM) such as VCAM-1 or selectins on the endothelial cells, thus preventing eosinophils from entering the inflamed tissue. Connexons are gap junctions in endothelial cells and on immune cells such as macrophages that are composed of connexins and have been shown to alter ELAM expression. In this study, we investigated whether connexin 43 expression can be modulated by saturated or unsaturated fatty acids. We found that the saturated fatty acids, palmitic and lauric acid, increased expression of connexin 43 in bEnd.3 endothelial cells over a 24-hour period at concentrations ranging from 100μM to 400μM. Conversely, linoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, decreased the expression of connexin 43 over a 24-hour period at concentrations from 400μM to 800μM. Connexins 37 and 40 were also examined but were not detected under the conditions used. These results suggest that the concentration and type of fatty acids in the blood can significantly impact connexin expression by vascular endothelial cells and the subsequent regulation of adhesion molecule expression necessary for eosinophil migration into inflamed tissues.

Origin of Great Lakes Brown Trout, Salmo trutta: A Phylogeographic Analysis Using mtDNA Sequence Variation

David Baisch — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:23:30 PST

The brown trout, Salmo trutta, was first introduced to the Laurentian Great Lakes in 1887 from European broodstocks to found a recreational salmonid fishery; however, the origins of these progenitor lineages remain largely unknown. Trout from these regions are very specialized to their native habitats and matching North American stocks to similar watersheds may help increase survivability by introducing the stock to a more appropriate environment. The objective of this study was to determine the European origins of brown trout found in the Great Lakes. We analyzed 144 brown trout from ten watersheds across Michigan and Wisconsin and identified their strain assignment according to the MIDNR classification using their mtDNA ND-1 sequences. European progenitor lineages occurring within these strain assignments were then identified using the first 309 base pairs of the mtDNA control region. Nine ND-1 haplotypes were found in the four most recently stocked strains. A total of four different European lineages were identified by 5 SNPs in the mtDNA control region in the 144 brown trout samples. One unique control region haplotype which has not been described was observed and a phylogeny was constructed with known sequences. We found that the Sturgeon River strain largely shares the same progenitor lineage as Gilchrist Creek. Fishery managers can use this information to make informed decisions about stocking watersheds where certain strains might prosper or to choose to not stock strains due to poor performance and great dissimilarity between North American watersheds and the European progenitor’s native watershed.

Laboratory and Field Performance of the Biosand Point of Use Water Filtration System in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti

Andrew John Sisson — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 06:45:54 PST

The research presented here is summary two years of studying the Biosand filter (BSF) both in Haiti during March 2011 and in the laboratory. In Chapter 2, we examined the long term use and sustainability 55 BSF systems near Deschapelles, Haiti and 47% were found to be no longer in use. Interviews with BSF owners revealed problems related to intermittent filter use. A review of 17 BSF field studies also was included to compare and substantiate observations made in Haiti. Together, previous field studies and our observations point toward the importance of providing culturally appropriate technologies and education materials explaining proper maintenance and operation for improved filter performance and sustainability.

In Chapter 3, we assessed the E. coli removal efficiency of the 29 functioning BSFs studied in Haiti. Filtered water from 86% of functioning filters contained E. coli concentrations less than 0-10 MPN/100 mL. Bacterial removal efficiency was 94.7% (SE=4.8%). Duration of filter use ranged from <1 to 12 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis of filter lifespans revealed that filter usage remained high (>85%) up to 7 years after installation. Comparable results from previous studies in the same region and elsewhere show that BSF technology continues to be an effective and sustainable water treatment method in developing countries world-wide.

Finally in Chapter 4, we conducted controlled laboratory experiments to analyze filtration efficiencies of the HydrAid® BSF using two field use practices observed while in Haiti: daily filtering more water than the filter media pore space and extended pause periods of 1 to 4 weeks. Six HydrAid® BSFs were divided into two groups of three replicates each to examine both scenarios. Significantly lower filtration efficiencies occurred when dosing volume exceeded the filter media pore space of 15 liters and extended pause periods up to one month had negative effects on filtration efficiencies for about 4 days before returning to normal. Recommendations were made that filter manuals should more accurately reflect the scientific literature that supports these results to limit the amount of potable water per 12 hour period to 15 liters and more strongly encourage daily use of filters without extended pause periods.

The Church of Craiglockhart: Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon‘s Critique and Use of Religion in their World War I Poetry

Brian Karsten — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 06:23:12 PDT

Throughout history, faith and religious principles have been used as motivation for war. Accordingly, political leaders, religious leaders, and writers all used religion-themed propaganda to encourage enlistment in World War I. Two soldier poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, after meeting in the asylum of Craiglockhart, together recognized the injustice represented in using faith to promote warfare. Subsequently, they wrote poetry which criticized the religious and political hierarchy, countered the theology used in propaganda, and attempted to reveal the atrocities in battle. Although Sassoon‘s poetry remained satirical of the use of religion, Owen recognized its power and used religion and a connection to God as a medium for building empathy for and understanding of those called to serve.