Digital Commons Network^™

Competitive Balance In Division 1 College Hockey: An Economic Analysis, Christopher Decarlo

Honors Theses

This paper seeks to determine the levels of competitive balance in Division I college hockey using several well known measures of competitive balance. It focuses on the five hockey conferences, specifically on win percentages and concentration of conference and national championships. This paper also seeks to determine any correlation between university actions, specifically athletic spending, and successful hockey programs. Finally, it suggests possible areas of future research and ways to improve on the current research.

Cost Accounting Applied To Farming In Southwest Michigan, Toni Fisher

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to discuss how cost accounting is applied to the farming process. Specifically, this study evaluates and defines costs incurred within the farming industry where products are produced and sold after being generated from raw materials. Successful farmers must know the costs of raw materials acquired to produce cash corps.

While there are many types of crops farmed in southwest Michigan, this study specializes in cash crops, specifically corn and soybean production. Cost accounting methods applicable to the farming industry are introduced, discussed and applied in this study. A spreadsheet is presented which displays typical …

The Evolution Of Brassiere In The 20th Century, Jolene Khor

Honors Theses

It is common knowledge that a brassiere, more widely known as a bra, is an important if not a vital part of a modern woman’s wardrobe today. In the 21^st century, a brassiere is no more worn for function as it is for fashion. In order to understand the evolution of function to fashion of a brassiere, it is necessary to account for its historical journey from the beginning to where it is today. This thesis paper, titled The Evolution of Brassiere in the 20^th Century will explore the history of brassiere in the last 100 years. While …

Economic Effects Of A Lifo Reserve Rollover, Michael Eubanks

Honors Theses

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have been working together toward the convergence of accounting standards to provide a single set of high quality global standards. Companies who are currently in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) will need to make necessary adjustments as those standards converge with International Standards. GAAP uses a rules based approach while the IFRS is more principle based. These contrasting approaches create differences that need to be reconciled at various levels of the two standards’ applications. Perhaps the most telling example, under AIS 2 Inventories, the …

The Roof With No Ceiling: Couch Surfing And The New Vagabond's Trek Through Nation-States, Cyberspace, And Global Consciousness, Kathryn Giroux

Honors Theses

In an era of "stranger danger" where society indoctrinates fear of "the other," hospitality exchange and social networking website www.couchsurfing.org offers an alternative movement to these trends. Couchsurfing.org connects travelers with locals offering free accommodation in exchange for meaningful connection, cultural exchange, and the opportunity to "create inspiring experiences" within a rapidly growing, transnational community encompassing over 5 million members. This thesis takes a creative journalism approach to uncovering CouchSurfing's inner workings and impacts, understanding its historical context within globalization and the growth of hospitality exchange networks, and discovering its implications for the global community and global consciousness of vagabonds …

A Beginning Education In The Anatomy And Function Of The Human Visual Apparatus For Grades 2-4, Evan Andrews

Honors Theses

The human visual apparatus is a remarkable feat of evolution that is nearly a complete mystery to many in the general population. Introducing such a challenging topic is difficult, but, if done in an enjoyable and interactive way to a young audience, the eye can become exciting instead of confusing. The primary objective of this project was to create a short lesson for elementary school students that gave an understanding of the eye's basic anatomy and functions. A fast-paced, interactive format was decided on that included units on the major eye components; color vision and how it can be affected; …

Salary Determination In The National Hockey League: Restricted, Unrestricted, Forwards, And Defensemen, Kevin Peck

Honors Theses

This thesis will attempt to estimate the relationships between salary and measures of the marginal productivity of hockey players, or performance indicators. Salary determination, as in most other sports leagues, is determined in a labor market. Each player has a marginal revenue product of labor (MRPL) and this MRPL varies from player to player, and from team to team. Firms, in this case teams, seek to add players with a high MRPLin order to increase the quantity and quality of product they sell, in this case wins. Among other things, a player has a MRPLthat will equate to the additional …

The Adverse Effects Periodontal Disease Has On Women, Jennifer Long

Honors Theses

The Adverse Effects Periodontal Diseases Has on Women Periodontal diseases are challenging to define given the number and variety of different oral diseases. This review sought to answer the question: How does a periodontal disease impact a woman throughout the life span? Specifically, this document discussed how, because of the cycling hormones and the effects those hormones have on the different bacteria, women's periodontal diseases differ from men's. Diseases of the mouth were first discovered during the Egyptian period and the information and knowledge about the different diseases advanced as time progressed. From here, non-surgical and surgical treatments were discussed …

Can Public Education Be Saved? An Argument For Educational Reform, Kathrine Hyatt

Honors Theses

Education, a key to later success, needs to be the number one priority. However, the American of public education has many systemic problems that are inhibiting children from reaching their full potential. This literature review first examines the colonial roots of American education and briefly tracks the development. Then, four major systemic problems are addressed: the over reliance on standardized testing, teaching methods and curriculum, lack of creativity, and how the cycle of poverty impacts learning. Finally solutions are discussed, with the ultimate recommendation being to adapt the Montessori Method.

The Effects Of Climate Change And Overexploitation On Birds And Mammals: Phenological Shifts, Range Shifts, And Population Changes, Rachel Denny

Honors Theses

Our world is changing more than many individuals could imagine. Climate change is not a hoax. Comprehensive empirical records of changes since 1900 in local, regional, and global temperature clearly indicate that Earth is warming more rapidly than ever in recorded history. In response, some bird species are already shifting, both phenologically (timing) and geographically. However, the majority of birds are not shifting or not shifting fast enough, and this is resulting in population declines. A much smaller number of studies suggest that mammals are also shifting phenologically and geographically.

If we do not alter our current behaviors soon, Earth …

Integrating Alternative Energy Production Into The Public School Science Curriculum, Benjamin Overbeek

Honors Theses

In the next few years, many teachers will be challenged in new ways. Student engagement will be at a premium and state standards will be more specific, shifting their focus towards college readiness, integration of curriculum, and developing sound reasoning and critical thinking skills. While the education field is accustomed to adapting and adjusting “on the go”, it may be ill-prepared for this fresh round of changes. Teachers and curriculum directors need resources to help them adapt the classrooms to reflect the more comprehensive design implied by the new standards (Next Generation Science Standards, 2012). This paper promotes a spiral …

The History And Evolution Of Athletic Uniforms And Equipment 1800s - Present: Basketball, Baseball, Football, And Hockey, Emily Anderson

Honors Theses

For my Lee Honors College Thesis at Western Michigan University, I researched the history and evolution of athletic uniforms and equipment. I choose this topic because not only does it relate to my major in Textile & Apparel Studies, it also appealed to me, a lifelong sports fan. I utilized various resources while conducting my research. These resources included books as well as communication with the curator at the WMU Archives and Regional History Collections. I was also in direct contact with the equipment directors for various WMU athletic teams. I presented all of my findings in an exhibit format …

The Rise And Fall Of Kin Structure In The Neotropical, Family-Living Buff-Breasted Wren (Cantorchilus Leucotis) In Gamboa, Panama, Sarah C. Alessi

Masters Theses

Family-living species provide an exciting model to examine how natal dispersal and kin structure influence genetic structuring within local populations. Juvenile buff-breasted wrens (Cantorchilus leucotis) of both sexes delay dispersal and exhibit short-distance natal dispersal, which should lead to kin-structured populations in which relatives of both sexes occupy neighboring territories. Blood samples collected from juvenile and adult wrens in Gamboa, Panama were analyzed using microsatellite markers to determine whether related individuals are spatially clustered on neighboring territories, spatial clusters of relatives change over time, and if kin structure is sex-specific. Global and local spatial autocorrelation analyses detected genetic …

Assessment Of The Discriminative Stimulus Effects And Time Courses Of Salvinorin A And Two Synthetic Salvinorin B Derivatives, Methoxylmethyl (Mom) And Ethoxymethyl (Eom), Ethers In Rats Trained To Discriminate U69,593, Lisa M. Bell

Masters Theses

Research regarding the psychopharmacology of salvinorin A, the main psychoactive ingredient in the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum, has been motivated largely by a recent increase in its recreational use and widespread media attention focused on this plant and its extracts. In addition, there is considerable evidence that drugs acting on kappa opioid receptors (KOR) may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of some neuropsychiatric conditions, including drug dependence and mood disorders. Although the neuropharmacological actions of salvinorin A are well established, only a few studies have explored the behavioral effects of this substance in comparison to the KOR agonist, …

High Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Characterization For Vehicular Applications, Sazzad Hossain Ahmed

Masters Theses

A lithium-ion battery is one of the key research topics in energy storage technologies. Major characterization tests such as static capacity, open circuit voltage (OCV), hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) have been conducted on two different chemistries, LiMnNi and LiFePO₄, high capacity lithium-ion batteries over a wide range of temperatures from 50ºC to -30ºC. Detail analysis of temperature effects on battery capacity and simple models of direct current resistance (DCR) increment and power decrement over temperatures have been proposed using the test results. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests have been performed to find out the dominant internal resistances …

Music Therapy And Quality Of Life: The Effects Of Musical Interventions On Self-Reported And Caregiver-Reported Quality Of Life In Older Adults With Symptoms Of Dementia, Alisha Snyder

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of music therapy on the quality of life of people with symptoms of dementia. Both self-reported and caregiver-reported quality of life scores were recorded before and after an eight-week treatment period. A control group of discussion and an experimental group of music therapy were included in the study, with a sample size of N = 13. Analysis of the data was done with t tests. No statistical significance was found when comparing the average quality of life scores in the discussion group or the music therapy group from pretest to …

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Descriptive Study, Erica Jex Gergely

Dissertations

The current study seeks to examine the program operations and treatment practices of individuals and organizations providing equine-assisted therapy services nationwide. Currently, there are several hundred programs across the United States that utilize equine-assisted therapy to treat common mental health problems in children, adolescents, and adults. Not all equine therapy programs function under the same theoretical model and therefore do not deliver treatment services using equivalent principles or techniques. In addition, program policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines of each provider vary. To date, there exists a paucity of research regarding equine-assisted therapy including both qualitative and quantitative data.

The present …

Examining The Role Of Research Mentoring In Predicting Research Self-Efficacy Among Minority Professional Psychology Doctoral Students, Donald Edward Knight

Dissertations

The involvement of racial/ethnic minority doctoral students in the conduct of psychological research is of significance in meeting the mental health challenges of an increasingly diverse US population. However, scant empirical evidence exists regarding the mentored research experiences and resulting increases or decreases in confidence these students encounter in conducting research. The purpose of this study is to examine predictors [i.e., Research Mentoring Experiences (RME), perceptions of the Research Training Environment (RTE), and Interest in Research (IRQ)] of research self-efficacy among a sample of racial/ethnic minority PhD students in APA-accredited clinical and counseling psychology programs. The study is guided by …

Scopolamine-Induced Dry Eye Model In Female Rats, Ryan Alderson

Masters Theses

The objective of this study will be to establish, validate, and characterize a dry eye model in female rats induced by continuous systemic administration of scopolamine via Alzet® osmotic pumps for 28 days. This study will use female rats as a model for dry eye and will be implanted with osmotic pumps that will continuously distribute scopolamine or saline systemically over 28 days. Scopolamine will be used to induce the dry eye condition and saline will be used as a negative control. The clinical signs of dry eye will be evaluated by tear volume measurements with sterilized phenol-red thread (FCI …

Music Therapy In The Nicu: Interventions And Techniques In Current Practice And A Survey Of Experience And Designation Implications, Suzanna A. Peczeniuk-Hoffman

Masters Theses

While researchers have documented the clinical use of music in medical settings, little is known about music therapists working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The purpose of the study was to examine the demographics, educational training (NICU-MT designation), employment conditions, and music therapy interventions/techniques used by professional music therapists in the NICU. A 15- item survey was designed and electronically mailed to music therapists (N = 318) identified by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), and Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy Institute at Florida State University as potentially working with …

Direct Analysis Of Hops By Leaf Spray And Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry, Kari Blain

Masters Theses

The objective of this research is to develop a new and innovative method of hops analysis, which is much faster than standard testing methods, as well as reduce the amount of consumables and solvent used. A detailed discussion on the development of an ambient ionization mass spectrometry method called paper spray (PS-MS) and leaf spray (LS-MS) mass spectrometry will be presented. This research investigates the use of PS-MS and LS-MS techniques to determine the α- and β- acids present in hops. PS-MS and LS-MS provide a fast way to analyze hops samples by delivering data as rapidly as a UV-Vis …

"His Head Rolled Forth Onto The Floor:" Women, The Abject, And The Male Gaze In Old English Poetry, Jaime Michelle Myers

Masters Theses

Old English poetry features several female characters who challenge androcentric authority by violently killing men. I argue in this thesis that three of these women—Modthryth, Grendel’s mother, and Judith—are linked together by their rejection or reversal of the male gaze. In their forceful refusal to be visually objectified, each character is portrayed as abject—outside of normal and outcast from community. They cause disorder, illustrate the fragility of androcentric control, and force a confrontation with death. In so doing, they create ambiguity and, at times, reverse the subject/object and masculine/feminine gender binaries.

Varieties Of Politics, Varieties Of Capitalism: The Effects Of Political Institutions On Capitalist Diversity, Matthew P. Arsenault

Dissertations

A strong correlation exists between varieties of political regimes and varieties of capitalism (VOC). Majoritarian political regimes are correlated with liberal market economies (LMEs) and consensus political regimes are correlated with coordinated market economies (CMEs). Still, correlation is not causation. The purpose of this project is to open the “black box” and identify mechanisms linking political institutions and variation in capitalist systems. Empirical findings illustrate that partisanship and policy legacies, the number of political parties, electoral rules, and constitutional constraints are significant indicators of LMEs and CMEs. I find that majoritarian institutions are conducive to an environment of adversarial politics …

An Evaluation Of Social Capital's Effect On Depression Among Adolescents, Ezechukwu Awgu

Dissertations

Mental illness has been described as a “global burden of disease,” and depression accounts for a large part of the burden (Aslund, Starrin, Nilsson, 2010). In 2009, 35.7 percent of the adolescent population in the United States who reported past-year symptoms of a major depressive episode, for example, feelings of sadness, discouragement, loss of feelings of self-worth, and loss of interest in social activities, also used illicit drugs including marijuana, inhalants, hallucinogens, cocaine, heroin, and prescription-type psychotherapeutics for non-medical purposes (SAMHSA, 2009, APA, 1994). Additionally, substance abuse due to alcoholism was among the major causes of death for adolescents aged …

Effects Of D-Galactose Treatment And Moderate Exercise On Spatial Memory In Rats, Amanda R. Austin

Dissertations

Cognitive decline is a process frequently associated with aging. Physical exercise appears to counteract cognitive decline, specifically spatial abilities, and decreases the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with aging. In addition, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are well recognized as chemical mediators of the neurophysiological benefits of exercise.

In order to study the impact of exercise on spatial memory and neurotrophic factors, this study utilized an animal model of accelerated aging involving chronic d-galactose administration. Specifically, previous research indicates daily injections of d-galactose for 6-10 weeks may increase ROS in mice and …

Radiative Double Electron Capture In Collisions Of Fully-Stripped Fluorine Ions With Thin Carbon Foils, Tamer Mohammad Samy Elkafrawy

Dissertations

Radiative double electron capture (RDEC) is a one-step process in ion-atom collisions occurring when two target electrons are captured to a bound state of the projectile simultaneously with the emission of a single photon. The emitted photon has approximately double the energy of the photon emitted due to radiative electron capture (REC), which occurs when a target electron is captured to a projectile bound state with simultaneous emission of a photon. REC and RDEC can be treated as timereversed photoionization (PI) and double photoionization (DPI), respectively, if loosely-bound target electrons are captured. This concept can be formulated with the principle …

Health And Relationship Variables Impacting Psychological And Social Well-Being Among Predominantly White Middle Class Adults 65 And Older Who Receive Assistance With Their Care From Family Members, Alyssa C. Ford

Dissertations

The majority of care to persons 65 and older in the United States is provided by family members. Previous research among older adults who receive assistance with their care from family or friends, while sparse, has identified variables that appear to impact the well-being of such persons. These variables include reciprocity, dignity, self-perceived burden, mental health status, and physical health or disability status. However, these variables have not been studied together. The purpose of this dissertation research was to examine these variables individually and collectively as they relate to well-being.

A sample of 71 adults, ages 68 to 97, who …

Using Box-Jenkins Modeling Techniques To Forecast Future Disease Burden And Identify Disease Aberrations In Public Health Surveillance Report, Larry C. Garrett

Dissertations

The analysis of public health surveillance data to identify departures from historical patterns of disease is required to facilitate the timely identification of potential outbreaks. Using the Box-Jenkins forecasting model, this study examines the potential to predict future disease burden based upon the historical record within local public health jurisdictions. Box-Jenkins forecasting was developed as a direct result of forecast problems in the business, economic, and control-engineering applications, yet it has not been systematically examined for use with public heath surveillance data.

Box-Jenkins forecast models are constructed by stratifying 84,029 disease reports from the State of Utah by year (n …

Rule-Based Precise Localization Services In Mobile Environments, Mohammed Elbes

Dissertations

In recent years there has been great interest in the positioning of people and assets in indoor and outdoor environments. Many systems were constructed to accomplish this. The application of these systems depends on the environment and the precision required for localization. The Global Positioning System (GPS) cannot be used for a precise indoor localization due to the attenuation and scattering of the signals. For indoor environments, other technologies like Wireless LAN, laser, camera images and motion sensors are used in precise localization. GPS can be used in outdoor environments but if localization accuracy is a critical requirement, other technologies …

Female Head Athletic Trainers In Ncaa Division I (Ia Football) Athletics: How They Made It To The Top, Joanne Gorant

Dissertations

The profession of athletic training has opened its doors to women, who now slightly outnumber men in the profession (Shingles, 2001; WATC, 1997, 2005). Unfortunately, this representation does not carry over into positions of high rank. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of female head athletic trainers in NCAA Division I (IA football) institutions to focus on the issues of barriers to advancement and their ability to overcome them.

Using Hakim’s “preference theory” as a lens, this interpretive qualitative investigation utilized semi-structured, open-ended interviews to learn how participants advanced in the field of athletic …