Digital Commons Network^™

The Reemergence Of The Goddess Image In Contemporary Art, Tara E. Patrick

Honors Theses

The goddess image, and its use in art and life, has a long history. The historical uses are explored through a brief history, followed by an expansion and discussion of the contemporary uses of the goddess image in the art of three Michigan artists: Ann Burian, Katheryn Trenshaw, and Ruth Zachary. The goddess image in art reflects a change in the spirituality of contemporary times.

The Effect Of Viscosity In Beveled Blade Coating, Salih Cebe

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of several types of coating viscosity on coat weight development during the beveled blade coating process. In this study, the effects of several types of coating viscosity were experimentally investigated at the applicator roll, before and underneath the blade. Coating color viscosities were changed through two methods. The first method involved changing the temperature of coating color at constant carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) concentration, while the second method consisted of varying the CMC concentration in coating formula at constant coating temperature.

Coating viscosity had an influencing effect both on the amount of …

The Slip Velocity Of Coating Formulations Using The High-Shear Viscometer, Daniel Parker Krieger

Masters Theses

When using a cup and bob viscometer, it has long been recognized that errors in the viscosity measurement can arise from several factors, among them slip. Slip is a phenomenon which occurs when there are slipping layers in the fluid under shear, causing a non-uniform velocity gradient to be generated across the gap of the cup and bob viscometer. A layer of fluid at either the bob or cup wall moves faster than the adjoining layers, causing the slipping effect. This leads to a low viscosity calculation for the fluid.

In this study, experiments with coating formulations were conducted using …

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Risk Factors Among Hand Therapists, Suzanne Makielski

Masters Theses

The following study examined the presence of risk factors among hand therapists for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. A review of the literature indicated a significant relationship between the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome and manual workers whose occupational tasks involve repetitive wrist and hand movements. Hand therapists were characterized as manual workers while possessing specialized knowledge and skill in the evaluation and treatment of hand and wrist disorders. Biomechanical analysis of various "hands on" techniques revealed repetitive wrist and hand movements including the use of force and increased risk for injury associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. In order to determine …

The Effect Of Poly-Aluminum Silicate Sulfate Retention Of Colored Papers, Tami Frederick

Paper Engineering Senior Theses

The purpose of this thesis experiment was to study the effect of Poly-Aluminum Silicate Sulfate (PASS) on the retention of colored papers. This was performed to reduce the usage of Melamine Formaldehyde based retention aids due to their negative environmental impacts as well as to reduce the usage of Sodium Aluminate, a cationic additive and pH buffer, due to it's negative fade impact on colored papers.

This was accomplished using PASS as the retention aid mechanism and caustic soda as well as soda ash as pH buffers and cationic additives. Paper was made under alkaline conditions. Colored pigments were utilized …

Evaluation And Implementation Of Asynchronous Adders, Poornima Y. Shankarreddy

Masters Theses

The need for high speed addition is forcing digital system designers to trade off space. If speed is used as a criterion to judge adders, then the Ripple Carry Adder (RCA) and the Carry Look Ahead Adders (CLAAD) will rank last and first respectively. On the other hand, if space is used, then the order of these two is reversed. The rest of the adders rank between these two. This paper evaluates RCA, CLAAD, and some of the other well documented adders. Both space and speed are used to judge the merits of each of these, and whether or not …

Development Of A Systematic Approach To The Implementation Of A Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Cim) For Small To Medium Sized Companies, G. Steven Trimmer

Masters Theses

CIM technology is rapidly becoming an essential part of businesses of all types and sizes. The impact on the culture of the enterprise is possibly of even greater complexity. Most existing implementations have been done by large businesses large teams of specialized talent.

The unique scope of this work is to simplify the implementation of CIM for small companies. The basic research derived from the WMU/IBM CIM Management Center, a fully functioning CIM facility that provides hands on experience to students and regional businesses.

The cultural references concerning CIM are derived from reading and personal experiences with industry while setting …

Primary Coolant Flow Characteristics As It Exits The Palisades Reactor, Gregory Alan Baustian

Masters Theses

During fuel cycles 9 and 10 at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, new phenomena have been observed using the resistance temperature devices installed in the reactor coolant piping. Oscillations in the temperature readings have been observed leading to the assumptions that there is temperature stratification of the coolant in the reactor hot-legs and that the coolant rotates as it leaves the reactor. In addition, oscillations in the bulk coolant flow within the two hot legs have been postulated. This report outlines work performed using computational fluid dynamics modelling which predict the observed and assumed flow characteristics of the Palisades reactor …

Thermodynamic Properties Of Mixtures Of Aqueous Solutions Of Hydrochloric Acid And Cadmium Chloride, Copper Chloride, Manganese Chloride, And Zinc Chloride, Samia A. Kosa

Masters Theses

The densities of mixtures of aqueous solutions of hydrochloric acid and cadmium chloride, copper chloride, manganese chloride, and zinc chloride have been measured at constant ionic strengths of 1.0 and 3.0 molal at 25 °C. In the case of HCl, CdCl₂ , and ZnCl₂ the literature data were refit using Pitzer' s apparent molal volume equation and the binary solution parameters were determined. Density data were used to determine the volume of mixing (∆V_m). Data from Torok and Berecs were combined with our data for the mixtures with CuCl₂ and MnCl₂. Pitzer's volume …

Complete Nucleotide Sequence Of Psti-L Fragment Of Tanapox Virus Genomic Dna, Sarah J. Neering

Masters Theses

Tanapox virus (TPV), of the genus Yatapoxvirus, is a human poxvirus that was originally isolated from the Tana River Valley in Kenya in 1962. TPV produces a mild disease characterized by a short febrile illness associated with one or more nodular skin lesions. Although there have been limited studies on TPV, other poxviruses such as vaccinia virus, have been extensively characterized and their genomic DNAs sequenced. In order to examine the molecular features of TPV, we have cloned approximately 17% of the genomic DNA. TPV DNA was digested with Pstl restriction endonuclease and cloned into pUC19. The Pst …

The Effects Of Public Commitment And Group Feedback Of Curbside Recycling, Iser Guillermo Deleón

Masters Theses

Several methods for increasing recycling have been presented in the psychology literature. However, many rely on incentive systems that require individual response monitoring for differential delivery of consequences, thus rendering them prohibitively expensive on a community-wide scale. This study examined the effects of three community interventions which may circumvent this limitation: public commitment, group feedback, and a combination of both. The Commitment Only intervention produced no substantial increase in recycling when superimposed upon a curbside recycling baseline. The Feedback Only intervention and the Combined Intervention produced increases of 25.47% and 40.00%, respectively. A no-intervention Control Group decreased in amount recycled …

An Empirical Investigation Of Quality And Productivity Management Practices In Manufacturing Firms, Kiran Vuppalapati

Masters Theses

A growing number of firms are implementing the concept of Just In Time (JlT) manufacturing and Total Quality Management (TQM). This research examines the impact of these management philosophies in manufacturing firms.

This research identifies a set of critical organizational variables necessary for a successful . implementation and the organizational problems faced during their implementation. The major object is to test the performance of firms implementing both JlT and TQM against firms implementing none of these philosophies. Results show that JIT-TQM firms are more customer focused and have better employee relations than traditional firms. This study also compares the performance …

The Concept Of The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences And An Interdisciplinary, Arts Inclusive Curriculum: A Model For Teaching Whose Time Has Come, Loraine W. Cowe

Masters Theses

The biting critique of A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) caused the nation to initiate school reform on federal and state levels. The initiatives have defined education's deficiencies in meeting the needs of students in a rapidly changing, technological society. Students and the society in which they live are the premise and focus for the new outcome-based curriculum. Educators and researchers are developing new concepts of teaching that radically change the traditionally accepted curriculum, instructional delivery, and assessment. Many of these changes are based on new knowledge of the mind's capacity to function in several …

Assassination In Modern America: Political Participation Through A Gun Barrel?, Richard Grossenbacher

Masters Theses

Assassination has been a constant companion of the world's societies from the beginning of recorded history. Only relatively recently have social scientists begun empirical study of these acts in an effort to reveal any commonalties and possible predictive traits. Investigation of the assassination phenomenon assumed a special urgency in America as violence seemed to escalate in the 1960s, which resulted in some notable research.

The present research collected data of presidential and non-presidential assassinations and attempts that occurred from 1969 through 1992 and compared the findings with the results of earlier studies.

The data indicate that presidential assaults increased in …

Continuous Quality Improvement And Music Therapy: An Analysis Of Importance, Training, Familiarity, And Involvement, Jane E. Mclaren

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparative Effectiveness Of Therapeutic Strategies On Drug Knowledge And Drug Attitude In Inpatient Psychiatric Substance Abuse Population, Amber Haque

Dissertations

This study examined the effects of instructional strategies on the change of knowledge and attitude scores in mentally ill subjects with a history of substance abuse. Twenty subjects from a state psychiatric hospital were randomly divided into one control and three experimental groups. The study period was ten weeks with each session lasting forty five minutes, twice per week. Subjects studied issues relating to drug abuse outside scheduled sessions as they pleased. Pre- and post-test scores were measured by a drug abuse questionnaire developed at the Pennsylvania State University. Hypotheses formed were: (a) drug education improves knowledge and attitude in …

Productivity And Perceived Work Environment Of Work Groups In Poland, Donald L. Gusfa

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relation between levels of productivity and perceptions of autonomy among similar work groups. The analysis of data obtained did not support a tendency for perceptions of high autonomy among workers to be directly related to high levels of productivity. Data were obtained from workers at six carbide tool manufacturing plants in Poland who were administered the Work Environment Scale (WES) Form R (Moos, 1981) to measure perception of autonomy. The data were collected in February 1991. Analysis of the WES data used the Kendall tau test to investigate the relation …

Adaptive Leadership Style And Sales Performance: A Test Of The Social Style Model, Frank M. Gambino

Dissertations

The Social Style Model served as the central theoretical framework of this study. The purpose of this study was twofold:

1. To assess whether performance evaluations of salespeople are related (a) to their social styles, (b) to the social styles of the sales managers who supervise their work, or (c) to the differences between their social styles and the styles of their sales supervisors.

2. To test the assumption that self-evaluations of social style are often significantly different from evaluations supplied by others who are familiar with a person’s behavior.

Two types of empirical data were collected: <1) measures of three social style variables—assertiveness, responsiveness, and versatility—for salespeople and sales supervisors, and (2) measures of salespeople’s overall job performance. Job performance was assessed using both self-ratings and supervisory ratings on five constructs of sales performance: (1) ability to meet sales objectives, (2) technical knowledge and application of that knowledge, (3) control of company expenses, (4) information processing, and (5) presentation skills. Social style was assessed using self-, peer and supervisory ratings.

Mail surveys were …

Transformational Leadership: The Relationship Between Consciousness, Values, And Skills, John E . Schmidt

Dissertations

Leadership is one of the most important, yet least understood, phenomena on earth. Many researchers have investigated leadership traits, activities, behaviors, and processes; yet, until B u m s (1978), few researchers distinguished between leadership that is "transactional" and leadership that is "transformational." Transformational leadership, says Bums, occurs "when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality" (p. 20) .

Since Bums, few studies of transformational leadership have examined leaders who appeal to higher values or leaders who challenge individuals, organizations, and societies …

The Maintenance Of Statistical Process Control (Spc) With Organizational Behavior Management (Obm) Techniques, Pollis Robertson

Dissertations

Many organizations have implemented statistical process control (SPC) programs in response to demands in the marketplace for high-quality products that are efficiently built. Many of these organizations have been unhappy with the difficulty of getting their statistical process (SPC) control programs started and the long-term economic success of these programs.

This study systematically investigated for two years various components of statistical process control programs and attempted to enhance economic effectiveness by buttressing SPC methods with Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) techniques. This study was conducted in a Gray Ductile Iron Foundry that employed 87 employees.

Positive results were observed when OBM …

An Examination Of Depression In A Subclinical Eating Disorder Female Population, Christine Hill-Melton

Dissertations

This study examined depression and disordered eating symptoms in a population at high risk for the development of eating disorders. The level and prevalence of depression were compared between three groups of women with increasing severity of eating disordered symptoms.

Female undergraduate college students enrolled in psychology courses at four small colleges and one mid-sized university in Michigan completed a Biographical Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and an Eating Assessment Rating Scale (EARS). Participants were placed into one of three groups according to severity of disordered eating symptoms based on their responses on the EARS. The three groups were: …

A Comparative Study Of The Coping Ability Of Mobile And Nonmobile Elementary Pupils, Solomon Mokone Lebese

Dissertations

Frequent moves by parents of elementary-aged children can cause these children a considerable amount of stress, thus creating adjustment problems and straining their coping abilities to the limits. How do these children cope with such problems compared to those who do not move frequently?

The above question was the focus of investigation to determine whether or not there was a difference between the mobile (children whose parents have moved at least once in the past 3 years) and nonmobile (children whose parents have not moved from a particular school district in the past 3 years) elementary children in the way …

The Relationship Between Dependency, Gender, And Personality Style As It Impacts Adolescent Inpatient Depression, Cathy L. Kubik

Dissertations

The role of dependent personality traits in increased vulnerability to depression has been studied extensively. However,this issue remains controversial, and limited research has been done involving adolescent inpatients. In addition, limited research has been done regarding the possible interaction effects of gender and level of dependency upon depression and specific depressive symptoms in an adolescent inpatient population.

symptoms in an adolescent inpatient population. In this study, 92 inpatient adolescents from a private, not-for-profit psychiatric hospital had completed both the Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (Millon, 1976, 1982), and the Multiscore Depression Inventory (Berndt, 1986).

One group consisted of 46 adolescents who …

Adolescent Substance Use Patterns: Testing A Multidimensional Sociogenic Model, Eric O. Johnson

Dissertations

This dissertation begins with the understanding that behavior is a product of a variegated and complex web of social factors. Bringing this approach to the subfield of adolescent substance use, both substance use itself (alcohol, cigarettes and a broad range of illicit drugs) and the factors that influence such use are viewed as existing within the complex of demographic/structural, social contextual, attitudinal, and behavioral layers of adolescents' social worlds.

The Patterns of Adolescent Substance Use Typology, developed by Stanley S. Robin and me (1992a), is used to categories the overall level and kind of substance use, over time, that adolescents …

An Assessment Of Vocational Technical Education Students' Literacy Levels And Awareness Of Employer Expectations, Toni Woolfork

Dissertations

This is a correlational study designed to determine the readiness of high school students to pursue employment upon graduation. The study consisted of 137 subjects in grades 10-12, enrolled in 11 vocational education classes within the Kalamazoo Public School System in Kalamazoo County. Subjects were administered both a literacy instrument designed to measure literacy levels; and a self-awareness inventory, designed to obtain demographic information and to assess each subject’s knowledge or awareness of employer expectations as well as skills necessary for the workplace. Each teacher also complemented an inventory, which allowed the researcher to determine the similarities between subject’s and …

The Effect Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On The Development Of Diagnostic Reasoning Skills Among Occupational Therapy Students, Judith Lynn Freeman

Masters Theses

Diagnostic reasoning is an essential feature of the occupational therapy treatment process. Acquisition of diagnostic reasoning skills is difficult for students, however, because of paradoxical developmental limitations faced during transition from classroom to clinical learning environments. Educators in pre-professional occupational therapy curriculums are searching for educational methods to prepare students for diagnostic reasoning tasks inherent in practice.

This experimental study compared a computer-simulated diagnostic reasoning activity with a more traditional case study reviewing activity in terms of effect on accuracy of problem identification among occupational therapy students. Results found no significant difference between the effect of computer-assisted instruction and case …

A Study Of Aquifer Sensitivity And Vulnerability In Kalamazoo County, Michigan Based On Hydrogeologic And Agricultural Factors, Steven Douglas Chidester

Masters Theses

Groundwater in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has been impacted by human activities. This study presents a statistical method for predicting aquifer sensitivity/vulnerability within a glacio-hydrogeologic system.

Computerized data including 3620 water well records with partial chemical analyses, soil surveys, land use maps, and hydrogeologic reports were used to quantify aquifer parameters, nitrate-N contaminant concentrations, soil factors, and agricultural practices. Statistical analyses included simple t-tests , correlation, ANOV A, and multiple regression analyses.

The results indicate that there are statistically significant relationships between nitrate-N concentrations and depth of well submergence, well depth, clay thickness, partial clay thickness, land use, and soil slope. …

An Experimental Study Into The Role Of Routing Flexibility In The Justification Of Advanced Manufacturing Systems, Sanjay Pathak

Masters Theses

Increased competition in manufacturing has focused attention on advanced technologies. These costly technologies lead to difficulty in purchase justification using traditional methods. New methods quantify attributes relating to the flexibility of advanced systems. One such attribute is routing flexibility.

This thesis presents results of experiments into evaluation of routing flexibility. The performance of conventional dedicated machinery when compared with that of machines having routing flexibility indicates an advantage of flexible machinery. The thesis indicates a procedure for evaluation of different flexibilities and their comparison with conventional machinery in reality.

An empirical formula is developed that helps in quantifying routing flexibility …

Design And Development Of A Heterogeneous Parallel Computing System, Eruch R. Rustomji

Masters Theses

A parallel and distributed processing environment can be defined as one where a set of workstations is configured in a certain topology (such as completely connected linear chain) to simulate the working of a particular parallel architecture. Such an environment provides an extremely useful means of experimenting with parallel algorithms, without the use of expensive dedicated parallel machines.

Several parallel and distributed processing environments exist, such as Parallel Virtual Machine, The Condor System and the Reactive Kernel System/ Cosmic Environment System. Each of these systems has some unique features and limitations. Other systems include p4, Hermes, Linda and Express.

This …

The Biomechanical Analysis Of Two Types Of Place Kicks: The Toe And Instep Kicks, Kaylynn Albers

Masters Theses

This study described the biomechanical differences between two styles of the place kick; the toe kick and instep kick. The biomechanical variables included joint angles, velocities, and displacements. Five high school age subjects kicked five trials of the toe kick and five trials of the instep kick at both 20 and 35 yards. The place kicks were filmed with a high speed camera, digitized and analyzed with peak 4.2 computer software.

The findings for joint angles were consistent with those found in the literature. The velocity for the kicking foot and the ball were lower in this study than found …