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Transformations of the Eighth Century Byzantine Empire
No full textIn the seventh century, the Byzantine empire suffered numerous crises that resulted in its near total collapse. Conflict with the newly formed Arab Caliphate led to the loss of more than two thirds of its territory. By the eighth century, however, the Empire had stabilized. This research will address the transformations of Byzantine institutions during this period. This study of the administrative transformations of the Empire focuses on the transition from civilian administered provinces to the themata system, which brought the Empire\u27s provinces under military governance. Additionally, this study will explore how the themata system contributed to the creation of a powerful, landed aristocracy from the periphery which vied for political control with a civilian bureaucracy centered in Constantinople. Furthermore, this research will explore the changing role of the Byzantine emperors, who were tasked with defending the territorial integrity of the Empire from powerful foes. This research is intended to contribute to the broader understanding of the Byzantine empire\u27s transition from late antiquity to the early Middle Ages
Social History of the Dust Bowl
No full textThe aim of this research paper is to examine the lives of rural, everyday Kansans who experienced the Dust Bowls of the 1930s. Particularly, this paper seeks to explore both the ordinary, through examining the lives of farmers, rural women and the household, community, and the extraordinary, through the participation and aid of the federal government under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt\u27s New Deal programs, especially those of the AAA and SCS, in the lives of those who lived amidst the natural disaster. In exploring these aspects, this paper hopes to provide a detailed picture of the determination and tenacity of rural Kansans who survived the ordeals of the Dust Bowl and to pass on these virtues to the modern reader living in an age of climate crisis. This paper will be using both primary and secondary sources in the form of monographs and articles to achieve its aim. Furthermore, its presentation will be demonstrated through a poster that aims to display the areas and people in Kansas affected by the Dust Bowl and how they responded. In the end, this paper seeks to explore the social history of the Dust Bowl in Kansas by exploring the everyday lives of farmers, rural women and their households, the dissipating communities of those who stayed, and the impact of the federal government, on those living in extraordinary circumstances and to pass on the qualities learned from these people to the modern reader in an age of climate calamity
Enhancing the Usability and Experience for the Pittsburg State University Website
No full textThis study was created in order to enhance the usability and overall user experience of the Pittsburg State University\u27s official website by pinpointing potential problems located throughout the site that may inadvertently deter prospective students from the University, while creating potential frustration and confusion for current students while using the college\u27s website. We specifically investigated the home page layout and information, the scholarship application process, Gus Portal, Gus Classic, accessing of transcripts and the process of transferring credits to the university from other establishments. Through moderated usability sessions we identified recurring pain points and thematic user frustrations, such as outdated pages, insufficient site navigation, and broken links. We found that while the original redesign resolved some issues, it also introduced new navigational concerns and did not fully address critical functionality. Using Figma, we expanded upon our previous research by creating user flows and redesigned targeted portions of the site, focusing on clearer labeling, quicker navigation, as well as dispelling broken links and outdated information. Our proposal aims to reduce frustration and confusion, increase user engagement, and streamline navigation for both new and current PSU community members. We aim to spark discussions on collaborative efforts to regularly enhance the website\u27s performance to increase user satisfaction and overall ease
Sentence Analysis of B. Sokpakbayev\u27s My Name is Kozha
No full textThis study analyzes the sentence structure in the English translation of My Name Is Kozha by B. Sokpakbayev, which was translated by Catherine Fitzpatrick. The focus is to identify and categorize sentences based on the ten basic sentence patterns and analyze the writing style used in the translation. This research\u27s main target is to provide a better understanding of the structure of the translated text and its stylistic characteristics. This research focuses on examining the writing style of B. Sokpakbayev in his novel, specifically looking at the English translation by C.Fitzpatrick. This analysis involves traditional sentence diagramming to classify sentences according to the ten basic patterns. This method helps to break down the structure of each sentence and observe how different patterns appear throughout the book. The results show which sentence patterns are most used, the usage of active and passive voice and how they contribute to the readability and style of the translation. This study helps to understand the sentence structure of the translated work and its stylistic features. It also highlights the importance of sentence patterns in shaping the tone of a literary text. Understanding these patterns can help readers and translators better appreciate the structure of translated literature
Self-Healing and Recyclable Castor Oil-Based Epoxy Vitrimer Based on Dual Dynamic Bonds of Disulfide and Ester Bonds
No full textTo develop a more sustainable and environmentally friendly epoxy resin, castor oil (CO)-based epoxy vitrimers based on dynamic ester bonds and disulfide bonds were prepared through epoxy-carboxylic acid, epoxy-amine, and free-radical polymerization reactions using epoxidized methacrylated castor oil as the epoxy prepolymer, glycerol methacrylate as the reactive diluent, and itaconic acid (IA) and 4,4\u27- dithiodiphenylamine (AFD) as the curing agents. The curing kinetics, curing degree, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and recycling characteristics of the EMCO-GMA-IA-AFD epoxy vitrimers were investigated. When the molar ratio of IA to AFD was 5:5, the EMCO-GMA-IA-AFD5:5 vitrimer exhibited a balanced comprehensive performance with a storage modulus of 1715 MPa, a tensile strength of 16.8 MPa, and a Tg of 44.6C. Meanwhile, the dynamic ester bonds and disulfide bonds within the system endowed the EMCO-GMA-IA-AFD vitrimer with self-healing ability and recyclability; the activation energy of reversible exchange reactions reached 89.29 kJ/mol, and the self-healing efficiency reached 94.6%. In addition, the EMCO-GMA-IA-AFD vitrimer was chemically degradable. Overall, this work provides a promising and feasible route for the preparation of sustainable CO-based epoxy with superior comprehensive properties
Crosslinking effects on high-oleic soybean oil-based anionic polyurethane dispersions
Get PDFWaterborne polyurethane dispersions are known as non-toxic, non-flammable, environmentally friendly products widely used in the coatings industry. We prepared a series of anionic dispersions based on the polyol from high-oleic soybean oil, isophorone diisocyanate and dimethylol propionic acid. Stable anionic dispersions were achieved when the acid content in formulations ranged from 7.7 to 10.8 wt%. All dispersions in this series had average particle sizes of 163–211 nm with unimodal size distribution. Utilization of the high-oleic oil, with three double bonds on average, and the resulting trifunctional polyol, renders crosslinked products with improved hydrophobicity and excellent chemical and physical properties. Also, it is beneficial in the control of the synthesis process since it reduces the chance of gelation during the dispersion preparation, compared to natural oils with higher unsaturation. The network formation in the systems used was analyzed by applying gelation theory to adjust optimal time for the dispersion in water. It was found that the isocyanate reaction with water always produces imperfect networks but the degree of imperfection can be controlled by the reaction time before dispersion in water. The polyurethane formulations with hard segment content of 39–46 wt% resulted in cured elastomeric films, with single glass transitions around room temperature and low phase separation, but good mechanical properties. The films exhibited enhanced hydrophobicity, low water absorption and water contact angle close to 90°, with promising applications in leather, wood, paper and plastic coatings
IMPROVING END-OF-LIFE CARE IN THE MEDICAL INTENSIVE CARE SETTING OF A MIDWEST HOSPITAL THROUGH NURSING PRACTICE ANALYSIS AND EDUCATION
Get PDFThe acuity of patients within the intensive care setting compounded by comorbidities and illness complications can lead to death in a large percentage of ICU admits annually. Increased mortality rates translate into end-of-life care being a prominent part of the critical care scope. Using a mixed methods approach the project looks to examine barriers, supportive measures, interdisciplinary communication, procedures, and leadership styles that determine quality end-of-life care. A comprehensive literature review revealed a number of barriers reported by nurses including a lack of interdisciplinary communication, disagreements on care plans, and a lack of communication with patients and their families about the acuity of their illness. Physicians reported difficulty knowing how to appropriately communicate with patients and their significant others about the severity of their illness and bringing up conversation about end-of-life care. Understanding barriers within end-of-life care in the ICU such as these allows the gap in care to be filled and quality care to be improved. Using a comprehensive literature review, quantitative questionnaires for nurses, implementing an end-of-life educational in-service, and analyzing practice changes and knowledge advancement through those interventions, this research aims to improve quality end-of-life care for patients in the ICU
TRANSITION METAL DISULPHIDE (Co, Ni, Fe) AS ELECTROCATALYST FOR OVERALL WATER SPLITTING
Get PDFIncreasing energy demands and environmental awareness have promoted extensive research on the development of alternative energy conversion and storage technologies that are both highly efficient and environmentally friendly. Among them, water splitting is very appealing, and it is considered as a good renewable and sustainable approach for the generation of green H2 energy, however its implementation at industrial level is hindered due to the requirement of highly active and durable electrode material. Therefore, developing efficient electrocatalysts is of significant importance for high-performance water splitting. In the past few years, much effort has been devoted to the development of alternative electrocatalysts based on transition-metal elements that are low-cost, highly efficient, and have excellent stability. Herein, we developed Fe, Co, and Ni disulfides using microwave synthesis approach. The prepared materials were characterized by using analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, the prepared materials were evaluated for the electrochemical performance towards oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER). Furthermore, catalytic activity for urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is also done for the rational treatment of urea. Among the synthesized catalysts, NiS2 exhibited superior bifunctional activity with the lowest overpotentials for both OER (260 mV) and UOR (1.38 V), along with excellent stability and conductivity. CoS2 demonstrated the best HER performance with an overpotential of 240 mV, while FeS2 showed limited electrocatalytic activity due to its poor conductivity and low active site exposure. These findings highlight the effectiveness of microwave-assisted synthesis for fabricating efficient and stable metal disulfide catalysts for water and urea electrolysis
A Graduate Recital in Organ
Get PDFThis thesis consists of a Graduate Recital in Organ and accompanying notes. The notes include composer biographical information, basic analysis of each piece to be performed, performance considerations, and relevant historical context
Weede Basketball Court, Undated
No full textBlack and white photo of the basketball court inside Weede Gymnasium. Undated, the court is embellished with the split-face logo, designed in 1985.https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/weede_gym/1104/thumbnail.jp