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Horn Concerto in E-flat Major (C41) by Antonio Rosetti: A Critical Edition

Description: This project delivers to the scholar and performer a critical edition of a little-known horn concerto by Antonio Rosetti. Standing in contrast to performance or practical editions, critical editions demand that the editor exerts a non-trivial measure of authority over the state of the text. Performers often find this fact to be uncomfortable given the normal tendency to revere the perceived intent of the composers based upon the text that they set down. When engaging with sources, it is rarely clear what that intent is, or which of the available sources most closely represents that intent. Those available sources often disagree with one another, even those in the composer's own hand. It is vital for the editor to know, as precisely as is possible, who created the source material, when they created these sources, and why they created these sources. At that point the editor must decide which sources will best fit his or her framework for the creation of the critical edition. At that point the editor will grapple with numerous inconsistencies and ambiguities within those sources, and then use his or her own authority to fix the text of the composer's work into a single version for today's use. The Horn Concerto in E-flat Major (C41) by Rosetti presents a unique case to the editor, scholar, and performer, in that it exists in two versions that carry substantial differences in the solo part. These differences are so great that it is often difficult to consider them as representative of the same work. This edition presents both versions, as each have different original purposes, and edits them in parallel so that the performer may determine which usage is most appropriate for his or her needs.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Stewart, Brandon Gregory
Partner: UNT Libraries

Famine Fighters: American Veterans, the American Relief Administration, and the 1921 Russian Famine

Description: This study argues that the American Relief Administration (ARA) operationally and culturally was defined by the character and experiences of First World War American military veterans. The historiography of the American Relief Administration in the last half-century has painted the ARA as a purely civilian organization greatly detached from the military sphere. By examining the military veterans of the ARA scholars can more accurately assess the image of the ARA, including what motivated their personnel and determined their relief mission conduct. Additionally, this study will properly explain how the ARA as an organization mutually benefited and suffered from its connection to the U.S. military throughout its European missions, in particular, the 1921 Russian famine relief expedition.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Huebner, Andrew Brooks
Partner: UNT Libraries

The Acceptance and Usage Intention of Menstrual Underwear

Description: This research aims to study the consumer perception, acceptance and adoption of menstrual underwear as it provides a sustainable option to the current feminine hygiene management solutions widely used in the consumer market in the U.S. In addition to the functional and utilitarian aspect of the underwear, I further delve into studying the social psychological effect the usage of the underwear (i.e., hedonic) has on consumer adoption. A longitudinal, qualitative study employing a three-step approach was conducted. The findings suggest that participants have never heard of menstrual underwear and did not fully understand the phenomenon. Contradicting responses between subject's attitudes and behavior towards the environment were revealed although, menstrual underwear had a positive psychological effect on the participants. Overall, menstrual underwear was most accepted amongst participants in the study.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Phan, Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries

Examining the Impact of Community Policing on Public Attitudes toward Fear of Terrorism, Resilience, and Satisfaction with Police in the Face of New Terrorism

Description: This dissertation examines the impact of citizen's perception of community policing on public attitudes toward fear of terrorism, resilience for a future terrorist attack, and satisfaction with the police in the face of new terrorism. In particular, considering the changing nature of terrorism in recent years as a response to the centralized homeland security efforts, this dissertation attempts to develop our understanding about the extent to which community policing could be a strategy in dealing with terrorism fear among citizens, in building up resilience for future terrorist attacks, and to increase citizens' satisfaction with the police in order to enhance the quality of life in the face of new terrorism. Additionally, this dissertation examines the impact of the variation in the level of community policing implementation on public attitudes toward fear of terrorism, resilience for a future terrorist attack, and satisfaction with the police. Data was collected through an online survey conducted in the cities of Arlington and Frisco, Texas. The survey distributed to the citizens through the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform. These cities were selected based on a community policing scale which was created through the help of the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey. Results suggest significant association between the citizen's perception of community policing and fear of terrorism, resilience, and satisfaction with the police respectively, highlighting the importance of community policing philosophy as a framework for a comprehensive proactive strategy in response to the existing and ongoing terrorism threat.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Ayazma, Tayfun
Partner: UNT Libraries

Flexibility in Emergency Management: Exploring the Roles of Spontaneous Planning and Improvisation in Disaster Response

Description: One of the long-standing debates in disaster science and practice is the tension between planning and structure on the one hand and flexibility and adaptation on the other in maximizing the effectiveness of response operations. This research aims to reconcile the divide that currently exists among scholars and practitioners and present a continuum that bridges the above models and ties planning, improvisation, and spontaneous planning together. The main questions that were examined with this research are: First, what role did spontaneous planning and improvisation play in responding to the two disasters. Second, in what ways do hazard characteristics (e.g. speed of onset and scope of impact) influence the roles played by spontaneous planning and improvisation? This is a qualitative study that employed a comparative case study to examine the characteristics of spontaneous planning. The major findings are that spontaneous planning does occur and that variables such as speed of onset, scope, magnitude, and number of organizations involved impact the visibility of spontaneous planning characteristics.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Gutierrez, Miguel
Partner: UNT Libraries

A Shaping Procedure for Introducing Horses to Clipping

Description: The purpose of the current study is to evaluate a procedure that can be used to introduce horses to clipping. Negative reinforcement was used in a shaping paradigm. Shaping steps were conducted by the handler, starting with touching the horse with the hand, then touching the horse with the clippers while they are off, culminating with touching the horse with the clippers while they are on. When a horse broke contact with either the hand or the clippers, the hand or the clippers were held at that point until the horse emitted an appropriate response. When the horse emitted an appropriate response, the clippers were removed, and the handler stepped away from the horse. For all eight horses, this shaping plan was effective in enabling the clipping of each horse with minimal inappropriate behavior and without additional restraint. The entire process took under an hour for each horse.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Hardaway, Alison K
Partner: UNT Libraries

Understanding Factors that Contribute to Career Commitment in New Student Affairs Professionals

Description: Early career attrition in student affairs is a topic of interest for hiring and supervising managers, graduate preparation programs, as well as new professionals. Contributions to the growing body of research on the topic potentially informs bets practices in curriculum development, hiring, onboarding, and professional development for new student affairs employees. This study involved 352 new student affairs professionals in the field's largest professional association. With Rhodes and Doering's integrated model of career change as a framework, the research study was designed to identify individual and environmental factors influencing new student affairs professionals' person-environment fit and, subsequently, career commitment. The result was an eight-factor structural equation model that included graduate curriculum, pay satisfaction, mentoring, student interaction, connection to institutional mission/vision, collegiality, and person-environment fit as independent variables, and career commitment as the dependent variable. The study suggests that these eight variables, to varying degrees, indirectly and directly influence career commitment in new student affairs professionals.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Lynch, Creston Cornell Holloway
Partner: UNT Libraries

Analysis of Regional Magazine Content and Engagement on Twitter

Description: This two-part mixed-methods study analyzed the Twitter activity of two regional magazines – D Magazine and Texas Monthly – and how social media editors implement strategies to maintain journalistic integrity (news values, topics, and ethical standards) while increasing engagement.
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Date: December 2019
Creator: Higgins, Claire Corinne
Partner: UNT Libraries

An Alternative Operationalization of Betrayal Trauma using Perceived Betrayal

Description: There are many identified factors that correlate with whether an individual experiences adverse symptoms following a traumatic event. Research indicates that betrayal, where the victim is betrayed by another individual, may be one of these factors. Betrayal Trauma Theory (BTT) posits that betrayal during trauma increases the likelihood of developing adverse psychological symptoms. BTT objectively dichotomizes traumas as high betrayal or low betrayal traumas based on details of the event. Though literature finds those who experience high betrayals experience more severe symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and dissociation than those who experience low betrayals, this objective classification is limited as it is based solely on the circumstances of the trauma and does not give the victim the option of indicating whether they felt betrayed. We believe perceptions of betrayal, whether the event meets the objective criteria of betrayal put forth by BTT or not, is an important predictor of trauma-related outcomes. This study (N = 244) found that perceived betrayal predicts symptoms of PTSD and depression independently, as well as when controlling for objective betrayal, dependence on the perpetrator, event centrality, anxiety, and dissociation. These findings indicate perceived betrayal is a unique construct that should be included in the operationalization of betrayal in future research. Objective betrayal is limited in that it is a permanent classification based on the circumstances of the traumatic event. Perceived betrayal, however, can be addressed and reduced by skilled clinicians and betrayal-specific treatments, thus reducing the effect betrayal has on trauma-related outcomes.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Bedford, Lee
Partner: UNT Libraries

Effects of Customer's Evaluation about Instagram Attributes towards Purchase Intentions for Small Apparel Retailers: Application of Social Capital Theory

Description: Small apparel retailers face extreme competition with larger retailers. Large retailers have the upper hand in resources to stay updated with various trends, specifically social media. Social media has lowered the barriers to enter the retail industry. However, once these small retailers enter, half of them fail because they don't attract and retain customers. Small-medium enterprises (SMEs) greatly impact the economy, so it is important to study various facets of their business to increase performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate customer's development of social capital (i.e. affiliation, responsiveness, shared values, norm of reciprocity) in small apparel retailer's Instagram page that ultimately lead to purchase intentions for the retailer. Perceived benefits (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment) are also investigated in relation to purchase intentions. More specifically, social bonding, brand identification and trust are examined as mediating variables between the perceived level of social capital, perceived benefits and purchase intentions. Over a 3-month period, 200 responses were collected from students at a southern university. The findings reveal that younger customers develop a relationship with retailers on Instagram and it transfers to behavioral outcomes towards the retailer. The theoretical contribution of this study draws from the lack of literature for small apparel retailer and social capital built in Instagram, leading to purchase intentions. Managers can implement the findings into their social media marketing strategies to improve business performance. Lastly, this study has methodological limitations that creates opportunity for future studies.
Date: December 2019
Creator: McKneely, Brittany R
Partner: UNT Libraries

Determining the Diagnostic Accuracy of and Interpretation Guidelines for the Complex Trauma Inventory [CTI]

Description: The work group in charge of editing the trauma disorders in the upcoming edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) made several changes to the trauma criteria. Specifically, they simplified the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and added a new trauma disorder called complex PTSD (CPTSD). To assess the new and newly defined trauma disorders, Litvin, Kaminski and Riggs developed a self-report trauma measure called the Complex Trauma Inventory (CTI). Although the reliability and validity of the CTI has been supported, no empirically-derived cutoff scores exist. We determined the optimal CTI cutoff scores using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses in a diverse sample of 82 participants who experienced trauma and were recruited from an inpatient trauma unit, student veteran organizations, and university classrooms. We used the Clinician-Administered Interview for Trauma Disorders (CAIT) to diagnose the presence of an ICD-11 trauma disorder, and we correlated the results of the CAIT with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for the DSM-5 to establish the convergent validity of the CAIT, r = .945, p < .001. For the ROC analyses, the CTI was used as the index test and the CAIT was used as the criterion test. The area under the curve (AUC) analyses indicated good to excellent effect sizes, AUC = .879 to .904. We identified two sets of cutoff scores for the CTI: the first set prioritized the sensitivity of the CTI scores and ranged from .884 to .962; the second set prioritized the specificity of the CTI scores and the false-positive scores (1-specificity) ranged from .054 to .143. Our study enhanced the utility of the CTI and addressed another need in the trauma field by developing a structured clinical interview (CAIT) that can be used to diagnose the ICD-11 trauma disorders.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Litvin, Justin M
Partner: UNT Libraries

The Impact of Early Childhood Education on Academic Achievement

Description: Two groups of students were compared to determine the impact of early intervention at the Early Childhood School on academic outcomes in later elementary school years for both math and reading. Students who were determined to be disadvantaged in some way, either by income, limited English proficiency, or having been identified as needing specialized instruction and who attended an early intervention program, prior to kindergarten, were compared to a similar group who did not attend the intervention program. Scores on district level assessments in math and reading were tracked for both groups of students through the third grade. Scores on high stakes standardized testing of the students in third grade were also analyzed. Results indicated that students in the control group outperformed students in the treatment group on the majority of district level assessments. However, the opposite was true for high stakes testing where the treatment group outperformed the control group on a consistent basis. These results were consistent, regardless of the nature of the disadvantage. Students who attended the prekindergarten program at the Early Childhood School had higher scores on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exam than disadvantaged students who did not attend. Since this was not the case for district level assessments, it is recommended that the district revisit their local assessments and testing administration practices. It is also recommended that this cohort of students continue to be studied to see of the outcomes last beyond the third grade.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Davis, Jodi
Partner: UNT Libraries

Uncovering Fanny Hensel's "Das Jahr": Creating an Urtext Edition that Addresses Selected Technical and Interpretive Issues through Added Fingerings and Pedal Markings

Description: Das Jahr is considered Fanny Hensel's most impressive accomplishment of piano solo work. However, the only modern edition that is extant includes many additional editorial markings. By further analyzing the sections that are technically challenging or musically demanding from an interpretive standpoint, pianists wishing to perform the work will have to find workable fingerings and pedal markings to learn this piano cycle. For this reason, this dissertation will not only provide readers with an original text of Das Jahr, but also assist pianists in finding practical solutions that can help them to interpret this distinctive work successfully on the modern piano.
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Date: December 2019
Creator: Huang, Szu Ying
Partner: UNT Libraries

Deep Learning Approach for Sensing Cognitive Radio Channel Status

Description: Cognitive Radio (CR) technology creates the opportunity for unlicensed users to make use of the spectral band provided it does not interfere with any licensed user. It is a prominent tool with spectrum sensing functionality to identify idle channels and let the unlicensed users avail them. Thus, the CR technology provides the consumers access to a very large spectrum, quality spectral utilization, and energy efficiency due to spectral load balancing. However, the full potential of the CR technology can be realized only with CRs equipped with accurate mechanisms to predict/sense the spectral holes and vacant spectral bands without any prior knowledge about the characteristics of traffic in a real-time environment. Multi-layered perception (MLP), the popular neural network trained with the back-propagation (BP) learning algorithm, is a keen tool for classification of the spectral bands into "busy" or "idle" states without any a priori knowledge about the user system features. In this dissertation, we proposed the use of an evolutionary algorithm, Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm (BFOA), for the training of the MLP NN. We have compared the performance of the proposed system with the traditional algorithm and with the Hybrid GA-PSO method. With the results of a simulation experiment that this new learning algorithm for prediction of channel states outperforms the traditional BP algorithm and Hybrid GA-PSO method with respect to classification accuracy, probability of misdetection, and Probability of false alarm.
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Date: December 2019
Creator: Gottapu, Srinivasa Kiran
Partner: UNT Libraries

Perceptions of Public Health Professionals and Emergency Managers: Using the Institutional Collective Action Framework to Better Understand Coordination during Health Crisis

Description: The objective of this dissertation is to test the Institutional Collective Action framework and examine the governance arrangements during health emergency. Basically, the dissertation argues that due to collaborative risks, transaction costs, barriers to collective action, governance arrangement provides avenues for action and a force for driving coordination across jurisdictional boundaries. The dissertation adopts two studies to investigate the governance arrangements represented by lead agency, emergency plans, Emergency Operation Center and city council mandates and coordination when it comes to health emergencies such as Ebola. The qualitative approach investigates the causal relationship between governance arrangements and coordination. The second study investigates to what extent do formal mechanisms and informal mechanisms affects the outcome of collaboration during a health emergency. This study uses a quantitative research approach to examine the patterns of collaborative arrangement used during health emergency. The findings of the study demonstrate the pattern used in health emergencies is dependent on the application of formal mechanisms represented by higher authority, emergency plans. Both studies indicate that due to collaboration risks, self-governance arrangements or higher authority mandates provides a venue for collective action. The survey data was collected from local, state and federal governments during the summer 2015 on the Ebola virus disease in Dallas Forth Worth region. The findings for the study indicate that due to collaboration risks and inaction by local governments, governance arrangements clear the path to collective action.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Soujaa, Ismail
Partner: UNT Libraries

A Performance-and-Analysis Approach to a Cadential Ambiguity: Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35, First Movement

Description: Pianists often have trouble in determining where a phrase ends, or in other words, cadence identification. This is especially true of certain cadences that can be considered either as half cadences or authentic cadences. This analytically ambiguous cadential point can result in different performance decisions, so pianists should make informed decisions about what kind of cadence it is. This study aims to investigate such cadential ambiguity shown at points of phrase boundaries by focusing on Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35, first movement. I offer both possibilities (a half cadence or an authentic cadence) at the phrase ending, suggesting a performance-related strategy based on each possibility. My objective is not to support only one cadential status, but to bring up the cadential problem from the analytical perspective and to demonstrate how cadence identification affects performance results. The dissertation is divided into two parts: analysis and performance, so it relies on a combined method of analytical terminologies and performance-related musical elements. In the analysis, the terminology of William Caplin is employed. The performance part refers to several method books written by prestigious piano pedagogues. After an introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 reviews some literature on cadences. Chapter 3 specifically analyzes the first movement of Chopin's second sonata by means of Caplin's terminologies. Chapter 4 provides a performance-related method and Chapter 5 deals with a practical performance strategy.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Kim, Yereum
Partner: UNT Libraries

Exploring Psychosocial Correlates of Disordered Eating among Male Collegiate Athletes

Description: In research on disordered eating in female collegiate athletes, psychosocial correlates including elevated scores on measures of body image concerns, weight pressures, sociocultural internalization, and mood state were found significantly more often in either the eating disorder or symptomatic group as opposed to the asymptomatic group. Unique or nuanced pressures exist for male athletes as well, specifically a different ideal for body image, often described by a drive for muscularity. I examined these effects in a sample of 698 male collegiate athletes. All participants completed questionnaires, which provided measures of drive for muscularity, social desirability, body satisfaction, negative affect, sociocultural pressures, sport weight pressures, and internalization and social comparison among other factors not pertinent for this analysis as part of a larger study. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the existence of five factors (general and sport pressures, internalization, body dissatisfaction, negative affect and drive for muscularity) to which a sixth was added to reflect dietary intent, all of which are explained in the Petrie and Greenleaf sociocultural model. A logistic regression showed that dietary intent and drive for muscularity differentiated significantly between the symptomatic/eating disordered athletes and those who were asymptomatic.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Mack, Dalton L
Partner: UNT Libraries

Spectral, Electrochemical, Electron Transfer, and Photoelectrochemical Studies of Tetrapyrrole Derived Supramolecular Systems

Description: Energy- and electron-transfer processes in molecular and supramolecular donor-acceptor systems are of current interest in order to develop light-energy harvesting systems through designing covalently linked donor-acceptor systems or utilizing self-assembled donor-acceptor systems. The research presented in this dissertation deals with the electrochemical, anion binding, and photochemical studies of various oxoporphyrinogen (OxPs), porphyrin, corrole, and phenothiazine systems. The first chapter provides a brief introduction to the material discussed in the subsequent chapters. The second chapter discusses the bromination of meso-tetraarylporphyrings and how that affects their electrochemical, catalytic, and other properties. Bromination of these porphyrins and oxoporphyrinogens allow the HOMO-LUMO gap to increase revealing blue-shifted absorption. Brominated OxPs and bis-crown ether OxP self-assembled with anions depending on strength of the anion and size of the binding site. The addition of crown ethers allows a cation binding site which makes a self-assembled donor-acceptor supramolecular system.Chapters 5 and 6 discuss a series of donor-acceptor conjugates based on zinc porphyrin as the electron donor and copper(III) corrole as the electron acceptor. These studies illustrate the importance of copper(III) corrole as a potent electron acceptor for the construction of energy harvesting model compounds, and constitute the first definitive proof of charge separation in ZnP-CuIIIC systems.Chapter 7 summarizes several interesting observations made in the present study on DSSCs built on two types of phenothiazine dyes having one or two cyanocinnamic acid groups.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Webre, Whitney Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries

Design Method of Cold-Formed Steel Framed Shear Wall Sheathed by Structural Concrete Panel

Description: The objective of this research is developing a new method of design for cold-formed steel framed shear wall sheathed by ¾" thick USG structural panel concrete subfloor using a predictive analytical model and comparing the results obtained from the model with those achieved from real testing to verify the analytical model and predicted lateral load-carrying capacity resulted from that. Moreover, investigating the impact of various screw spacings on shear wall design parameter such as ultimate strength, yield strength, elastic stiffness, ductility ratio and amount of energy dissipation is another purpose of this research.
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Date: December 2019
Creator: Ashkanalam, Aida
Partner: UNT Libraries

Marc-André Hamelin's "Variations on a Theme of Paganini": The Effect of Polystylism through Pastiche and Musical Borrowing in Variations

Description: Paganini's 24th caprice still remains to this day one of the most celebrated themes in classical music history. Many composers have used this theme to create variations and each composer attempted to produce stylistically unique variations on this piece. Hamelin's Variations on a Theme of Paganini stands out because his piece incorporates musical borrowing and many different composers' styles. His variations integrate music from different centuries, using pastiche and musical borrowing from figures such as Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff. More provocatively, Hamelin's variations reach outside of Classical music, even adopting elements from salsa and friska. The spectrum of composers and styles included in this set are so radical and shocking that it creates a parody of not only Paganini's theme, but also the tradition of theme and variation pieces it has inspired. Due to its multiple variations juxtaposing extremely different styles, Hamelin's Variations on a Theme of Paganini presents the listener with a musical puzzle that is designed to invoke surprise. The juxtapositions of extremely different styles in these variations create disjointed variations with polystylism. The polystylism in this work diversifies his variations, while unifying these seemingly unbalanced movements through broad musical references. As such, both performers and listeners stand to benefit from a detailed, critical examination of the piece. I consider not just the musical sources themselves, but also the ways in which they interact, paying close attention to Hamelin's use of parody and humor.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Kim, Warren
Partner: UNT Libraries

Exploration of Explanatory Variables in the Creation of Linear Regression Models and Logistic Regression Models to Predict the Performance of Preservice Teachers on the Science Portion of the EC-6 TExES Certification Examination

Description: The purpose of this study was to analyze the current and pre-service conditions that can affect student teachers' preparedness to pass the science portion of the EC-6 Texas Examinations for Educator Standards (TExES), one of the mandatory certification exam to become a teacher in Texas. Two types of prediction models were employed in this study: binomial logistic regression and multiple linear regression. The independent variables used in this study were: final grade in BIOL 1082, classification of students, transfer status, taken college biology, taken college chemistry, taken college physics, taken college environmental science, taken college earth science, attending college part-time, number of credits taken during the semester, first-generation college student, relatives with degree in education, and current GPA. The dependent variable of this study was the posttest score on science portion of the EC-6 TExES practice exam. A total of 170 preservice teachers participated this study. This study used students enrolled in BIOL 1082, who volunteered to take a Biology for Educators QualtricsTM survey and the EC-6 TExES practice exam in a pretest (start of semester) and posttest (end of semester) form. The findings of this study revealed that the single best predictor of preservice teachers' performance on the science portion of EC-6 TExES practice certification examination was the Grade in BIOL 1082.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Alexis, Naudin
Partner: UNT Libraries

Creating the Character of North Texas: Demographics and Geography, 1841-1861

Description: Several historians have identified North Texas as constituting a unique cultural region in antebellum Texas, due to the more limited cotton and slave economies and greater opposition to secession. Different settlement patterns have been put forward as an explanation for the distinct "character" of North Texas, with North Texas being portrayed as being settled largely by migrants from the Upper South while the rest of the state was primarily settled by Lower Southerners. The argument rests on the assumption of differing economic and political cultures between Upper and Lower Southerners. This study investigates migration into North Texas counties and the economic life and secession vote in those counties. It challenges the simplistic dichotomy between migrants from the Upper and Lower South by demonstrating the similar rates at which these two groups grew cotton and owned slaves. It also illustrates how geographic considerations better explain the apparent distinctions between North Texas and the rest of the state. Transportation limitations are likely the reason for the more limited cultivation of cotton and, consequently, the lowered importance of slavery in North Texas. Concerns about Indian depredations following the removal of federal troops in the case of secession also seem to have promoted Unionist turnout in the secession vote. The seemingly unique qualities of North Texas appear to have been more practical than political.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Stites, Russell
Partner: UNT Libraries

Nano-Manufacturing of Catalytic Amorphous Alloys

Description: In this dissertation, nano-manufacturing of amorphous alloys for electro-catalytic applications is reported and the role of chemistry and active surface area on catalytic behavior is discussed. The catalytic activity of recently developed platinum and palladium-based metallic glasses was studied using cyclic voltammetry and localized electrochemical techniques. The synergistic effect between platinum and palladium was shown for amorphous alloys containing both these elements. The mechanism for superior catalytic behavior was investigated through electronic structure and surface chemical state of the alloys. A correlation between the work function and catalytic performance of the amorphous alloys with widely varying chemistries was established. To address the high cost associated with the noble-metal containing catalysts, the performance of non-noble Ni-P amorphous catalyst was evaluated for electro-catalysis. A facile pulsed electrodeposition approach was used for the nano-manufacturing of these amorphous catalysts. This nano-manufacturing route allowed the synthesis of fully amorphous nano-wires at room temperature for alloys with little or no noble-metal content. A wide range of nano-wires with varying aspect ratios from 25 to 120 was synthesized using commercially obtained anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nano-molds. Cyclic voltammetry and chrono-amperometry demonstrated superior performance in terms of electrocatalytic activity and stability of the metallic glass nano-wires towards electro-oxidation of methanol. The mechanism for amorphization during pulsed electrodeposition is discussed and compared with the conventional approach of rapid quenching of the liquid melt.
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Date: December 2019
Creator: Hasannaeimi, Vahid
Partner: UNT Libraries

María Teresa Prieto's "Seis Melodías": An Analysis of Its Historical Background and Text-Music Relationship

Description: Spanish composer María Teresa Prieto (1895-1982) belongs to a group of Spanish exiles who left their country for Mexico as a result of the Spanish Civil War. She arrived in Mexico in 1936 and developed her compositional career in there. Her first composition after her arrival in the new country was the song cycle Seis Melodías, a work that includes six songs with poetry by Ricardo de Alcázar, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Federico García Lorca, and María Teresa Prieto herself. This document analyzes each one of the songs, both musically and poetically, as well as the relationship between music and text. Seis Melodías' structural organization as a cycle is very particular, since Prieto organized the cycle in pairs—namely I and II, III and IV, and V and VI—each group with strong poetic and thematic unity. The songs belonging to this cycle, present the duality of being independent and dependent at the same time, given that each song stands by itself, but together they create a meta-narrative that progresses from hope to desolation, not as a political statement, but as a homage to, as well as a lament, for the Spanish land and freedom. The cyclical nature of this work is accomplished by Prieto through motivic unity, a clear harmonic plan, and poetic relationships between the songs.
Date: December 2019
Creator: Monsalve Mejia, Juana
Partner: UNT Libraries