[Review of] Eric Wertheimer. Imagined Empires: Incas, Aztecs, and the New World of American Literature

Eric Wertheimer convincingly argues that inaccuracy and omission in historical narratives made an indelible mark on American identity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The ethnic diversity of America, even though sparingly portrayed in the historical writing of the time, also had an important effect on American identity. Wertheimer concludes that while American identity has a public concept, individuals determine the real meaning in private spheres. He examines five Anglo, male authors (Philip Freneau, Joel Barlow, William Prescott, Herman Melville, and Walt Whitman) to ascertain what they thought of as American history and who should be represented in it. These authors incorporated the glorious civilizations of the Incas and Aztecs to draw upon their republican precepts and counterbalance the United States against the imperial nations of Great Britain and Spain; however they erased these indigenous groups when the problem of race crept into the American identity and when the United States began pursuing its own expansionist doctrines of Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine (which resulted in the less than justifiable Mexican American War and annexation of Texas). Wertheimer argues that Melville was only one among the five to highlight the humanity of the vanquished, although Whitman should be included as well. Melville included the subaltern perspective through the use of silence as a means of their resistance. Melville along with Whitman did not allow glorification of the past to eclipse the reality of the agents and specifically the suffering of the victims

Computational Fluid Dynamics Applied to the Analysis of Blood Flow Through Central Aortic to Pulmonary Artery Shunts

This research utilizes CFD to analyze blood flow through pathways representative of central shunts, commonly used as part of the Fontan procedure to treat cyanotic heart disease. In the first part of this research, a parametric study of steady, Newtonian blood flow through parabolic pathways was performed to demonstrate the effect that flow pathway curvature has on wall shear stress distribution and flow energy losses. In the second part, blood flow through two shunts obtained via biplane angiograms is simulated. Pressure boundary conditions were obtained via catheterization. Results showed that wall shear stresses were of sufficient magnitude to initiate platelet activation, a precursor for thrombus formation. Steady results utilizing time-averaged boundary conditions showed excellent agreement with the time-averaged results obtained from pulsatile simulations. For the points of interest in this research, namely wall shear stress distribution and flow energy loss, the Newtonian viscosity model was found to yield acceptable results

The Effect of Wet Strength Resins on the Dimensional Stability of Paper

Introduction For many grades of paper, dimensional stability is very important in order for the paper to serve its specific purpose. Included in this category are such papers as map paper, template paper, printing papers, and chart paper. Dimensional stability may be improved by subjecting the fibers to less refining, but strength and other properties suffer as a result. Thus, any material which could be added to the fibers to increase dimensional stability would be welcomed by the paper industry. The purpose of this thesis is to establish whether a particular type of material, wet strength resins, will improve dimensional stability. Wet strength resins can be added in the beater and are, therefore, easily added without special equipment. Three wet strength resins were chosen to be investigated; Parez 607, a melamine-formaldehyde resin; Uformite 700, a urea formaldehyde resin; and Kymene 557, a new resin on the market. It was decided to add these three resins to the pulp in various percentages to determine any effect they might have upon dimensional stability

Computational Fluid Dynamics Applied to the Analysis of Blood Flow Through Central Aortic to Pulmonary Artery Shunts

This research utilizes CFD to analyze blood flow through pathways representative of central shunts, commonly used as part of the Fontan procedure to treat cyanotic heart disease. In the first part of this research, a parametric study of steady, Newtonian blood flow through parabolic pathways was performed to demonstrate the effect that flow pathway curvature has on wall shear stress distribution and flow energy losses. In the second part, blood flow through two shunts obtained via biplane angiograms is simulated. Pressure boundary conditions were obtained via catheterization. Results showed that wall shear stresses were of sufficient magnitude to initiate platelet activation, a precursor for thrombus formation. Steady results utilizing time-averaged boundary conditions showed excellent agreement with the time-averaged results obtained from pulsatile simulations. For the points of interest in this research, namely wall shear stress distribution and flow energy loss, the Newtonian viscosity model was found to yield acceptable results

Review of the Nieman Foundation with special reference to the report of the committee to review the Nieman Foundation

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University, 195

Function and diversity of the Ship, Trinity, and Tiger Shoal Complex, with emphasis on macrofauna and spawning blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus)

The ecological and economic value of sandy shoals off the Louisiana coast is not well understood. During three years of comprehensive benthic sampling and environmental measurements I studied the Ship, Trinity, Tiger Shoal Complex (STTSC), which comprises changing and discrete benthic habitats including high relief sandy shoals, and muddier, mostly deeper off-shoal areas, prone to hypoxia. Benthic macrofaunal assemblages of shoals included endemic species, and shoal communities were significantly different from each other and the muddier offshoal habitat, contributing to northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) regional biodiversity. Sand percentage was the most influential environmental parameter shaping macrofaunal community composition across the region. My study revealed several more potential shoal-based functions such as providing a conduit for GoM sandy-habitat metapopulations, serving as an oxygenated benthic refuge from seasonal bottom water hypoxia, and functioning as offshore blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) spawning grounds. I discovered unexpectedly high concentrations of spawning female blue crabs, greatly expanding what was previously understood about blue crab reproductive migrations. Blue crab abundances were significantly higher on Ship and Trinity Shoals than the surrounding muddier and deeper seafloor. STTSC blue crabs compared favorably with those from nationally recognized spawning grounds in terms of condition factor (an index of health), abundance, and fecundity. This work is the first to use an ecological field study to predict the number of days (~21) between successive spawns for blue crabs, suggesting STTSC blue crabs produce at least seven broods per spawning season (~April– October). My morphometric predictors of crab weight were 12 to 16% better than the traditionally used method. In addition, I used natural abundance isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) to link blue crabs from the STTSC to the inshore blue crab fishery. I analyzed isotopic variations in crab muscle and ovary tissue and found relationships with salinity and proximity to the Atchafalaya River, indicating that crabs predominately migrate directly offshore from their home estuary, including from low salinity environments. Isotopic analysis also suggests that crabs utilize offshore prey resources and do not re-enter inshore estuaries during the spawning season but rather remain offshore for the season, continually spawning and hatching their eggs

FIELD IMPLEMENTATION OF \u3cem\u3ePHANEROCHAETE CHRYSOSPORIUM\u3c/em\u3e BIOMASS PRETREATMENT: FUNGAL IDENTIFICATION AND INOCULATION TECHNIQUES

Scaling biological pretreatment from the bench scale to the production scale may be more economical if unsterilized feedstock are used, however these allow for microbial competition from contaminates. An accurate and rapid method for identifying the desired biological pretreatment organism is necessary to confirm the presence of the desired organism when contaminates are morphologically similar to the target organism. Traditional methods, such as visual identification, sequencing, and selective plating can be time consuming and are sometimes still inconclusive. Based on methods described in the literature, plasmid DNA containing the marker genes gus (�-glucuronidase), LacZ, and gfp (green fluorescence protein) incorporated into the lignin-degrading basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium would result in a rapid genetic test for the desired organism. The presence of these genes can be confirmed either through an X-Gluc (cyclohexylammonia salt), X-Gal histochemical assay or observing the gfp’s fluorescence by a specially equipped confocal microscope. Each reporter systems will allow for rapid, reliable identification of the target species. This study will report on the success of the transformation methods in creating a transformed fungus to be used in the context of a large-scale fermentation operation. Additionally, a novel in-harvest lignocellulose feedstock biological pretreatment inoculation trial was performed comparing lignolytic performance between fungal inoculum application techniques. Optimization of carbohydrate availability for enhanced saccharification was determined by analyzing glucose release by treated and non-treated unsterilized switchgrass. This study also focused on identifying parameters to enhance saccharification efficacy at the farm-scale

Quick Termination of Insubstantial Civil Rights Claims: Qualified Immunity and Procedural Fairness

The Harlow Court both altered the substantive law of qualified immunity and established a procedural goal for implementing the defense. This Note will focus primarily on the procedural aspects of the decision. In the three years that have elapsed since Harlow, lower courts have struggled to carry out the Supreme Court\u27s directive to resolve the qualified immunity issue, if possible, on summary judgment. As a consequence, three distinct but First, what are the outer bounds of the ban on factual inquiry into an official\u27s subjective state of mind? Second, which party, plaintiff or defendant, should bear the burden of proof on the issue of qualified immunity? Last, if the district court denies summary judgment to officials claiming qualified immunity, should officials be able to appeal the adverse decision immediately? In addressing these areas of uncertainty, this Note will focus on Harlow\u27s stated goal of the quick termination of insubstantial claims. This Note will emphasize that this procedural goal is not merely a logical consequence of Harlow\u27s substantive holding, but also a means to maintain a fair balance between Harlow\u27s competing substantive policies of (1) providing for the vindication of meritorious constitutional claims and (2) protecting governmental and judicial efficiency. In part 2 this Note will present in greater detail the key holdings of the Harlow opinion and its overall policy orientation. Part III will identify the ways in which lower courts have differed in their reading of Harlow on these three procedural questions; it will reexamine the questions in light of the policies underlying both the Harlow opinion and the relevant procedural vehicles-summary judgment, discovery, burdens of proof, and appeal ability of decisions. Part III, section A will focus on the scope of subjective discovery permissible before summary judgment, section B on the allocation of the burden of proof, and section C on the appeal ability of summary judgment denial.\u27 The Note also will analyze the effect of the recent Mitchell v. Forsyth decision not only on appeal ability but also on the interdependent issues of discovery and burden of proof.\u27 In conclusion, this Note will propose that the federal courts can best implement the balance of policies inherent in Harlow v. Fitzgerald by a coordinated approach of (1) permitting limited and sometimes supervised discovery before summary judgment, (2) placing upon plaintiffs the burden of proving that the law protecting their rights was clearly established at the time of the asserted violation, and (3) limiting the use of automatic immediate appeal by defendants denied summary judgment, but permitting them enhanced use of certified interlocutory appeal