This dissertation expands on the existing disclosure theory by considering the monitoring role of a firm's disclosure as well as recognizing how a firm's disclosure is influenced by the firm's monitoring mechanisms. The first chapter of the dissertation examines the effect of corporate governance on a firm's earnings reporting process....
This dissertation is composed of readings of four novellas: two by the Swiss writer Gottfried Keller and two by the English novelist George Eliot. It focuses on the motif and concept of treasure (Schatz). Beginning with the figurative and rhetorical employment of "treasure" in the stories, each reading proceeds to...
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human gamma-herpesvirus that primarily infects B cells and epithelial cells. While the glycoproteins required for entry into these two cell types differ, the gH/gL glycoprotein complex is essential for entry into both epithelial and B cells. Analysis of gH protein sequences from three gamma-herpesviruses: EBV,...
RNA interference (RNAi) is a newly discovered gene control pathway that silences gene expression in response to double-stranded RNA. This sequence-specific downregulation occurs at the level of mRNA stability, and is directed by the double-stranded RNA trigger itself. RNAi can be separated into two distinct steps; during the initiation phase,...
Self-assembly is the process by which objects autonomously assemble into complexes. It is believed that self-assembly technology will ultimately permit the precise fabrication of complex nanostructures. Of particular interest are self-assembly systems that are highly programmable. That is, we can view a self-assembly system as analogous to a program, the...
This dissertation investigates the ways in which poetry encourages visual images in the reader. This investigation breaks new ground, for in the wake of behaviorist psychology and the linguistic turn in literary theory, literary critics have ignored and often spurned the visual imagination. The project uses Imagist poetry as a...
The study of III-Nitride based optoelectronics devices is a maturing field, but there are still many underdeveloped areas in which to make a contribution of new and original research. This work specifically targets the goals of realizing high-efficiency back-illuminated solar-blind photodetectors, solar-blind focal plane arrays, and visible- and solar-blind Avalanche...
Background: More than 81 percent of African-American women are overweight or obese. In addition to being heavier than Whites, African-Americans have a harder time losing weight and are less likely to engage in physical activity. A growing body of literature suggests several barriers to physical activity that prevent African-American women...
This final report contains information on years 6-7-8 (2004-2007) of TEA-21 funded projects designated A487, W420, and A212. The report was submitted by Morris E. Fine and Semyon Vaynman in 2007.
This essay discusses the role of the ulama (Islamic scholars) in the 2007 Nigerian elections. Based on interviews and the political activities and statements of the twelve members of the ulama, most of whom are from Kano, the author observes four areas of consensus among these scholars: 1) The compatiblity...