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Effects Of Yoga On Caregiver Stress And Feelings Towards Caregiving, Laura M. Castelon

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Crystal Structures Of Metal Sulfonates, Jon Lyle Obrecht

Masters Theses

Designing new materials with predictable chemical and physical properties has long been a goal of synthetic chemists. The functional properties of molecular compounds are intimately tied to the underlying chemical framework. In addition to atom selection and chemical connectivity, the spatial organization of the molecules often contributes to the function of materials. Because crystals are constructed of periodic arrays of components (i.e. atoms or molecules) with structures easily assessed via X-ray diffraction, crystalline materials offer ideal candidates to explore the relationship of component selection and crystal packing to material property.

One such property that has been extensively examined by …

Use Of Community College Student Services And Student Success Outcomes, Lori Beth Morrissette

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to utilize the 2010 Community College Survey of Student Engagement data and enrollment data from a rural mid-sized community college in Illinois, to examine the use of student services on student success outcomes, specifically cumulative grade point average and program completion rate. This research presents findings on student cumulative grade point average and program completion rate compared to how often students used each of the following selected student services: academic advising/planning, career counseling, job placement assistance, financial aid advising, campus computer labs, and transfer credit assistance.

The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine …

The Caterpillar Game: A Classroom-Wide Behavior Intervention, Angela L. Boyle

Masters Theses

The Caterpillar Game, which was developed specifically for this study, is a classroom-wide behavior management system that uses reinforcement principles. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Caterpillar Game on first grade students' disruptive behavior. A concurrent multiple-baseline across settings was used to evaluate this intervention. Changes in disruptive behavior and teacher praise were evaluated through live classroom observations. Results suggest that the Caterpillar Game decreased student disruptive classroom behavior and increased teacher praise. Teacher satisfaction for the Caterpillar Game was also positive.

Assege HaileMariam

Pubs, Temperance, And The Construction Of Irishness In James Joyce's Ulysses, Leslie Sweet Myrick

Masters Theses

Ulysses can be read as a bar crawl; three episodes and part of a fourth are set in public houses, while various characters walk to and from drinking activities and establishments throughout the day. However, Ulysses' main character, Leopold Bloom, is an extremely moderate drinker and not considered "a regular" patron at any public house. His practicing of temperance is one example of how Bloom does not embody the typical Irish masculinity. However, the drinking culture in Ulysses has not been fully explored in context of the temperance movement which was an ongoing cause in 1904 Dublin despite Guinness's Brewery …

Self-Compassion As A Mediator Between Coping Styles And Psychopathology, Yamini Bellare

Masters Theses

Self-compassion helps an individual to respond to suffering or pain with mindfulness, common humanity and self-kindness. It has been identified as a protective factor, which promotes physical and mental health. Self-compassion was examined as a potential mediator in the relationship between coping strategies and psychopathology. A literature review of the existing research on self-compassion and its links with specific coping strategies, depression and anxiety is presented. Findings indicate that self-compassion partially mediates the relationship between avoidance-oriented coping and social-anxiety. Self-compassion also was associated with lower levels of psychopathology and avoidance-oriented coping and higher use of adaptive problem-focused coping. The probable …

Improving The Rate Of Voluntary Compliance In Investigative Police Reporting Through The Application Of A Training Model And Job Aid, Kent D. Martin

Masters Theses

This study examines the immediate effect of a training module and job-aid on the percentage of police reports that lack pertinent information relating to the identity and contact information for suspects, witnesses and victims. A random sampling of reports was examined to determine if the initial responding officer obtained all available information needed to identify and contact these individuals for further investigation.

This analysis resulted in the creation of a training module, which was provided to all members of the patrol division. The module included a job aid to which each officer could refer during the report writing process. An …

Cup Size Effects On Soda Consumption, Lisa Heiser

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Is Nigeria's Conflict Ethnic Or Religious?: Resolving The Escalating Conflict In Nigeria, Ejikeme Nonso Alo

Masters Theses

The history and politics in Nigeria have often been characterized and marred with conflict, ranging from political to religious, ethnic and electoral violence. In this study, Edward Azar's Protracted Social Conflict theory which advocates for a multidimensional analysis of conflict was adopted in an attempt to properly understanding the nature and manifestation of the current Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria. Methodologically, both the qualitative and quantitative methods were deployed. Survey's (questionnaires and evidence from social media) was conducted in the three regions with the aim of comparing and contrasting various perspectives on the root cause of the conflict. While lack …

The Inmate Code: The Stories Lived And The Stories Told Of Men Behind Bars, Pauline Matthey

Masters Theses

Using Coordinated Management of Meaning, this study links socialization and identification with the intricate levels of the inmate code that male prisoners live by, or live with anyway, while being incarcerated. In doing so, the research showed that the more highly identified to the inmate code a prisoner is, the less likely he is to have a desire to coordinate the meaning of his stories lived with the stories told of others. Furthermore, this project uncovered a characteristic of metamorphosis, the TRAP, or Temporary Relapse Alluding to the Past. TRAP takes place when prisoners who have developed the ability to …

Eccentric Resistance Training And Blood Flow Restriction, Zachary Pope

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the muscular strength and hypertrophic response following a four week training intervention involving resistance exercise utilizing only eccentric muscle contractions with, or without blood flow restriction (BFR), as well as a control group maintaining their current training regimen. Sixteen young male volunteers were recruited to participate in this study. Prior to the training intervention, subjects attended three sessions in order to obtain demographic information (age, height, body mass) and familiarize each of the participants with the testing and training equipment. After the familiarization session, muscular strength was assessed via elbow flexion one …

Determination Of Structural Stabilities Of Metal-Free Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Zinc Cytochrome C, And Cobalt Cytochrome C, Usha K. Tottempudi

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Underlying The Interaction Of Apoe And Estrogen In Olfactory Neuronal Growth-Potential Relevance To Alzheimer's Disease, Minh Luong

Masters Theses

In recent years, there have been many studies looking at estrogen therapy (ET) as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Literature review suggests a close relationship between estrogen and apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the central nervous system. The mechanism underlying the interaction of apoE genotype with estrogen in the nervous system is not yet known. Therefore, the objectives of this research are 1) to determine the effects of estradiol treatment on basal cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation and 2) to identify the estrogen receptor subtype (ERα and ERβ) that mediates the increase of apoE levels, neurite outgrowth and neuronal numbers.

Results …

From Half-Rotaxanes To Poly-Rotaxane Architectures, Heather Renee Schoonover

Masters Theses

The host-guest abilities of macrocyclic compounds made them important players in the field of supramolecular chemistry, especially those studying mechanical bonds. Rotaxanes and catenanes are among the most well-known examples of mechanically interlocked molecules. Our approach in the synthesis of poly-rotaxane systems involves the preparation of pseudorotaxanes with donor capabilities and then use metallic centers to assemble the poly-rotaxane architectures.

A pyridine-based half-rotaxane has been synthesized and the subsequent solution studies revealed a large association constant. ¹H-NMR studies show that these interlocked species exhibit a slow exchange on the NMR timescale. Using the single point method and VT-NMR several …

Those Who Slay Together, Stay Together: A Thematic Analysis Of Concert Fan Narratives And The I-57 Youth Punk Music Scene, Michael James Janowski

Masters Theses

This study uses qualitative methods of narrative interviewing and thematic analysis of narrative to explore the communicative phenomenon of youth punk concert fan story-telling. It explores how the phenomenon functions to construct the subculture of the I-57 youth punk concert fan music scene. Through methods of thematic analysis of narrative, the study works to deconstruct numerous implicit understandings and taken-for-granted assumptions that drive and govern interactions among youth punk music fans participating within the I-57 youth punk music scene. The study is broken down into four exploratory categories where meanings are derived and critically analyzed: youth, punk, fandom, and the …

Effects Of Combining Whole Body Vibration And Moderately-Heavy Back Squat On Vertical Jump Height In Collegiate Level Volleyball Players, Franklin M. Benik

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a combination of a low volume, moderately-heavy (80% 1RM) back squat combined with whole body vibration would optimize the post activation potentiation (PAP) response compared to a set of low volume, moderately-heavy back squat without vibration in Division I collegiate female volleyball players. The study design consisted of two groups (n = 5, n = 5) of current Eastern Illinois University female volleyball players matched by 1RM back squat strength. Prior to the experimental intervention, subjects in each group attended two sessions during which standing reach height and demographic information ( …

Sensorimotor Factors Influencing /R/ Production, Jill Vogt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if there was a difference in nonspeech single oral structure and function overall and within subsystems (tongue-jaw, tongue, lips, and jaw) and nonspeech oscillation tasks between children with typical articulation, children with /r/ errors who are stimulable for correct /r/, and children with /r/ errors who are not stimulable for correct /r/, as measured by an oral-motor assessment and subsection scores. A secondary research question explored if there was a difference between the groups in tasks which may be related to type of oral-motor deficit including: sensory/proprioceptive (as measured by an informal …

Mediators Of The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Alcohol Use, Melissa Lafferty

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is the act of "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally" (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p.4). Mindfulness training has been shown to produce beneficial effects for a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms, including substance abuse (Baer, 2003). The current study attempted to test a working model of how mindfulness can enhance psychological well-being developed by Hölzel et al. (2011) within the specific context of alcohol use. It was hypothesized that higher levels of mindfulness would be associated with less alcohol use and less alcohol-related problems experienced. In addition, this study investigated whether …

Consumer Behavior Relationship Between Mothers And Their Adult Daughters, Helen M. Marcotte

Masters Theses

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the consumer behavior relationship between mothers and their adult daughters. Intergenerational influences (IGI), communication patterns, and the length of time adult daughters lived with their mothers are variables explored in this study. The results of this study suggested that, although the adult daughter seems to have a meaningful relationship with her mother, the only significant correlation was between mother-daughter communication patterns and the mother's role in her adult daughter's consumer behavior.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The All Power Labs Power Pallet As A Training Tool For Biomass Gasification Education, Christopher Che Frederick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of classroom training with regard to renewable energies. A lecture series and survey were developed by the principle researcher and presented to students in the Alternative and Renewable Energy Systems class and Machine Design class at Eastern Illinois University. The lecture series introduced students to biomass gasification and its application at Eastern Illinois University. The survey analyzed participant's level of knowledge of gasification technologies. The survey's pre and post test scores were used to validate the effectiveness of the training.

The All Power Labs Power Pallet was utilized as …

Systems Simulation Using Promodel: An Online Teaching Method, Gustavo Sioni Bosoli

Masters Theses

This study was designed with the purpose to create an online method to deploy the concepts and practical knowledge necessary for the course System Simulation {TEC 5523) offered by Eastern Illinois University. The course is currently offered on a hybrid format, with part of it being ministered in the classroom and the remaining on the online environment. This research focused on creating a set of multimedia and step-by-step lessons aimed to substitute the part of the course that demands the students to be present in the classroom. These lessons were developed based on exercises from the textbook currently used for …

The Advancement Of European Security Integration, Rachel Anne Dicke

Masters Theses

For almost a decade and a half the European Union has been steadily developing as a global security actor, attempting to unify disparate national security polices into a more coherent, European security policy. The progress of European Security Integration (ESI) is the subject of this thesis, and has been examined in terms of three critical elements. By studying an EU-level defense institution, several individual member states, and an EU-led crisis management operation, a more comprehensive sense of the process could be obtained. The European Defence Agency is analyzed in Chapter 2, followed by the states Denmark, Sweden, and Finland in …

Examining The Relationship Between Environmental Policy And Economic Competitiveness In The United States And The European Union, Scott A. Trail

Masters Theses

In sum, when considering the findings of all three chapters of this thesis cumulatively, several implications are worth noting in regards to the relationship between environmental policy and economic competitiveness. First, the notion that adopting stringent environmental standards will impede on a state's ability to remain economically competitive was shown to be the exception, rather than the rule in all of the cases surveyed in this thesis. Moreover, the cumulative research throughout this thesis has shown the depth of complexity that exists between environmental and economic policy networks. Each chapter illustrated how the general relationship between government and private interests …

Effects Of Utilizing A Myofascial Foam Roll On Hamstring Flexibility, Elizabeth Sherer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify if using a foam roller on the hamstring muscles would have positive effects and in tum increase hamstring flexibility. Hamstring injuries are prevalent in sports today. Lack of flexibility is seen as a possible cause for these injuries, so this study focused on a potential way of increasing hamstring flexibility. Self-induced myofascial release, using a foam roller, was the type of intervention used to try to have an effect on hamstring muscle flexibility. The use of a foam roller is becoming a popular tool utilized in many settings but there has been …

Seventy Years Of The African American Male Experience At Eastern Illinois University, Rovion D. Reed

Masters Theses

Using qualitative methodology the researcher analyzed the lived experiences of seven African American men who attended Eastern Illinois University over the past seven decades including one who is currently enrolled. Data was collected by conducting archival research as well and semi-structured interviews. Overall participants reported having good experiences at Eastern Illinois University. The participants' experiences were categorized into seven themes including faculty or staff relations, race relations, intra-racial relations, campus involvement, mentoring, campus climate, and Black Greek organizations. In addition, minor themes were also discovered including only-ness, lowered expectations, positive influence of student organizations, and sense of care from mentors.

Freeze Tolerance Conferred By Transgenic Expression Of Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein In Insect Cells, Alyssa N. Walser

Masters Theses

Anhydrobiotic organisms such as the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana have developed strategies to survive and thrive under conditions of limited water availability. One strategy is the accumulation of late embryo genesis abundant (LEA) proteins. Cells of Drosophila melanogaster (Kc167), which had previously been genetically modified to express a group 1 LEA protein (LEA1.3) found in A. franciscana, were used to test the impact of water stress due to freezing to -80°C. Two different freezing devices were used to determine the impact of the freezing protocol on the viability of cells after freezing and thawing. The first method used a 12-well …

A Soldier's Home, Andrew O. Mclaughlin

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Self-Regulated Learning Strategies In College Students With Adhd Tendencies, Christopher Shelton

Masters Theses

College students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are often faced with many challenges throughout their academic careers. While research examining the effects of ADHD on college students is on the rise, much is still unknown. It is thought that significant problems exist even in students with ADHD symptoms below the clinical threshold. Therefore, the present study examined the relationship between self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies and college students with ADHD tendencies. In addition, the study examined the relationship between SRL strategies and GPA, ADHD tendencies and GPA, and ADHD tendency subtypes and SRL strategy use. Participants included of 310 college …

Using Field Studies To Meet The Next Generation Science Standards, Amy Brown

Masters Theses

New science standards, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), recently have been released which require students to use modeling and other process skills and cross-cutting concepts to show understanding of core concepts. Understanding by design approach was used to develop an ecology curriculum in line with the NGSS framework, using field studies to involve students in real science. A schoolyard habitat area on Neoga School District property was used for the field studies. Students were assessed with pre- and post-tests, traditional classroom grades on labs and projects and the Modified ATSI and Children's Science Curiosity Scale. All students showed significant …

Teacher's Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Grade Retention As An Intervention, Timothy G. Snodgrass

Masters Theses

Despite the research demonstrating that grade retention is ineffective for improving students' academic and social-emotional functioning, this practice continues to be used prevalently in schools. This correlational study investigated teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding grade retention. Additionally, this study attempted to understand teachers' past retention practices based on attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as specified by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Participants included 129 teachers. Results showed that teachers had limited knowledge of research and positive attitudes toward retention. Retention practices for the last three years were predicted by the Theory of Planned Behavior, but these variables accounted …