Digital Commons Network^™

Successful Weight Loss, Weight Loss Maintenance And Psychological Characteristics In Minority Men And Women Attending An Inner-City Weight Loss Program, Julie Ann Hall

Masters Theses

Inner-city communities are disproportionately impacted by obesity and chronic disease. The LOSE BIG Challenge is a motivational physical activity and nutrition education program offered to inner-city Grand Rapids, Michigan residents with diabetes or hypertension. Twenty-eight participants (26 women, 2 men) in a 12-week culturallybased weight loss program were studied. Before and after the intervention, height, weight, lifestyle information, readiness to change, eating behaviors, depression scores, and quality of life scores were measured. Participants were followed 4 and 6 months post intervention. At baseline, 86% of the participants were obese (BMI >30 kg/m²), 54% watched more than ten hours …

The Church Of Craiglockhart: Wilfred Owen And Siegfried Sassoon‘S Critique And Use Of Religion In Their World War I Poetry, Brian Karsten

Masters Theses

Throughout history, faith and religious principles have been used as motivation for war. Accordingly, political leaders, religious leaders, and writers all used religion-themed propaganda to encourage enlistment in World War I. Two soldier poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, after meeting in the asylum of Craiglockhart, together recognized the injustice represented in using faith to promote warfare. Subsequently, they wrote poetry which criticized the religious and political hierarchy, countered the theology used in propaganda, and attempted to reveal the atrocities in battle. Although Sassoon‘s poetry remained satirical of the use of religion, Owen recognized its power and used religion and …

Laboratory And Field Performance Of The Biosand Point Of Use Water Filtration System In The Artibonite Valley, Haiti, Andrew John Sisson

Masters Theses

The research presented here is summary two years of studying the Biosand filter (BSF) both in Haiti during March 2011 and in the laboratory. In Chapter 2, we examined the long term use and sustainability 55 BSF systems near Deschapelles, Haiti and 47% were found to be no longer in use. Interviews with BSF owners revealed problems related to intermittent filter use. A review of 17 BSF field studies also was included to compare and substantiate observations made in Haiti. Together, previous field studies and our observations point toward the importance of providing culturally appropriate technologies and education materials explaining …

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 …

The Role Of Saturated Fatty Acids In Connexin Expression On Endothelial Cells And Eosinophils, Kurt Anthony Ashack

Masters Theses

Eotaxin is a potent chemoattractant for eosinophils that becomes elevated in the tissues in response to inflammation and increased adiposity. Therefore, eosinophil migration into adipose tissue should increase in diet-induced obese individuals, yet it does not. This suggested to us that something within the cellular microenvironment of diet-induced obese individuals might be altering the endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules (ELAM) such as VCAM-1 or selectins on the endothelial cells, thus preventing eosinophils from entering the inflamed tissue. Connexons are gap junctions in endothelial cells and on immune cells such as macrophages that are composed of connexins and have been shown to …

Synthesis Of Palladium-Based Electrocatalysis—From Pure Metal To Bimetallic Nanoparticles, Haijun Gao

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on synthesis and characterization of palladium-based nanoparticles. Background information of the research in this thesis is provided in Chapter 1. Preparation and characterization of pure palladium nanoparticles are presented in Chapter 2. A fast and convenient method to prepare ultra small Pd nanoparticles via Pluronic P123 reduction is discussed in detail. Impregnation method and poly method are also studied in this chapter. Chapter 3 reports the studies of these methods to prepare ultra small bimetallic (bimetallic means a mixture of two metals) palladium-based nanoparticles. Oleylamine-mediated method used Pd nanoparticles prepared via P123 reduction as precursor. Ultra small …

Online Social Network Friends And Spatio-Temporal Proximity Of Their Geotagged Photos – A Case Study Of Flickr Data, Sumang Liu

Masters Theses

This empirical study aims to analyze relationships between online social network (OSN) friends and spatio-temporal proximity of their geotagged photos, using Flickr data as a case study. First, this study analyzes whether Flickr friends tend to post geotagged photos that are closer to each other compared to Flickr non-friends in space and time. Second, this study investigates whether the number of geotagged photos posted by users is related to the distance and time difference between their geotagged photos. Third, this study examines the spatial distributions of geotagged photos of Flickr friends within specific distance intervals to further understand the geographic …

"Lost Shadows", Julle Oksanen

Masters Theses

There are thousands of pages of technical argumentation on lighting. We could say that there is already a legacy of technical lighting. It is the result of the activity of technically oriented people. In the 1900, CIE was founded to research oil socks and their properties. Standardization got a huge boost in 1931 when CIE introduced international trichromatic colorimetry system, known as “CIE System”. Engineers became active in illumination engineering societies. Sadly, the more visual skills of the lighting designer started to ebb. The lighting design work shifted from the hands of visually oriented people to the hands of technically …

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.

Die Rolle Des Opfers In Der Fiktionalen Darstellung Der „Landshut“- Entfuehrung In Literatur & Film, Annica Esther Eisenhofer

Masters Theses

In this thesis I examine the cinematic and literary portrayal of victims during the hijacking of the Lufthansa plane, Landshut by Palestinian terrorists in October 1977. I discuss the book, Mogadischu Fensterplatz by the German author Friedrich Christian Delius and two films, the docudrama Todesspiel by the director Heinrich Breloer, and the film Mogadischu by the director Roland Suso Richter.

The study compares and contrasts alternate means of portraying the plight of the hijacking victims through different forms of media. Mogadischu Fensterplatz is a book whose text comprises a single victim’s personal narrative. The backbone of Todesspiel is a chronology …

Agriculture, Influence, And Instability Under The Ancien Régime: 1708-1768, Adam J. Polk

Masters Theses

The French Revolution has been studied from myriad perspectives. The majority of scholarship focuses on the political and urban chaos of the times. Agricultural conditions and the influence of onerous taxation and stagnant agricultural options are given only a cursory examination in most research. This thesis aims to investigate the relationship between agronomic and environmental conditions and the eruption of violence in urban centers during the French Revolution and the years leading up to it (1708-1768). This period prior to the French Revolution serves as a template to investigate the nature of the rural-agricultural influences, with a particular focus paid …

The Implementation Of A Versatile Pseudodynamic Hybrid Simulation For Seismic Evaluation Of Structural Systems, Chelsea Griffith

Masters Theses

Pseudodynamic hybrid simulation technique was developed to evaluate structural seismic performance by physically testing the critical portion with the remaining structure simulated using a numerical model in the computer. An incremental approach was adopted in developing the control scheme to suit multiple testing facilities and test specimens. First the small scale, predictable specimen was utilized to investigate techniques of improving stability, slowing down the loading rate and triggering the accurate force measurement in a series of at benchmark scale experiments in the Laboratory of Earthquake and Structural Simulation at Western Michigan University (WMU). A step/hold command scheme was developed and …

Equipment Qualification Of Ion Mobility Spectrometry And Method Development And Validation For Pharmaceutical Equipment Cleaning Validation, Amy Lee Heiser

Masters Theses

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) instrumentation has been identified as a suitable technology for the detection and reporting of drug product and detergent residues from pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment. Ion mobility is not a new technology, but is entering the field of cleaning validation because of tightened requirements from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The purpose of this thesis is to outline a practical implementation of the analytical technique, Ion Mobility Spectrometry in a cleaning validation program. Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is fast and specific for the analysis of small organic molecules and has been gaining popularity in the pharmaceutical …

Tropisetron As A Neuroprotective Agent Against Glutamate-Induced Excitotoxicity: Potential Mechanisms Of Neuroprotection, Michael M. Swartz

Masters Theses

Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity has been shown to play a key role in a number of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system. Activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) significantly protects various types of neuronal tissues from excitotoxic cell death (Kaneko et al., 1997; Dajas-Bailador et al., 2000; Wehrwein et al., 2004; Thompson et al., 2006). Tropisetron is a highly selective 5-HT3 class serotonin receptor antagonist that is also a partial acetylcholine (ACh) agonist of the α7 nAChR (Papke et al., 2005). In the current study we aim to determine if tropisetron offers protection to adult pig RGCs. We further aim to …

Faunal Distribution And Relative Abundance In A Silurian (Wenlock) Pinnacle Reef Complex - Ray Reef, Macomb County, Michigan, Jennifer L. Trout

Masters Theses

Niagaran (Silurian) reefs are important sources of hydrocarbons in the Michigan Basin. In addition, some of these reservoirs have been used for gas storage and may be potential CO2 sequestration sites.

Despite extensive research on Niagaran reefs, most studies concerning faunal abundance and distribution have been qualitative studies conducted by paleontologists with an emphasis on taxonomy, paleoecology, and evolution.

This study is the first quantitative study of relative abundance and general distribution of fauna throughout a single Wenlock reef located in the southern trend of the Michigan Basin. This study will build on previous work done by WMU students and …

Privacy And Security Issues In Iot Healthcare Applications For The Disabled Users A Survey, Wassnaa Al-Mawee

Masters Theses

Aging of the population resulted in new challenges for the society and healthcare systems. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that depends on Internet of Things (IoT) provides assistance to the disabled people and supports their vital daily life activities. Affordability of and accessibility to AAL and the usage of IoT starts revolutionizing healthcare services. This Thesis is a survey of the privacy and security issues in IoT healthcare applications for the disabled users. Introduction includes definitions of privacy and security terms, and discusses their relationship. Then, it presents an overview of the IoT, including its architecture and components. Next, the Thesis …

Experimental Determination Of Colburn And Friction Factors In Small Plate Heat Exchangers With High Surface Enlargement Factors, Andrew H. Pike

Masters Theses

Experiments were conducted to measure the performance of several small brazed plate heat exchangers. A test apparatus was designed and constructed that allowed for the easy switching of the plate heat exchangers, as well as having the ability to electronically monitor and record the inlet and outlet temperatures, pressures, and flow rates. The flow rates and applied electrical power were controlled electronically by the same program which recorded the data. De-ionized water was used as the heat transfer medium to reduce the uncertainty related to fluid properties.

An existing mathematical model was used to create Colburn and friction factors based …

How Facebook Friendship Transforms The Superior-Subordinate Relationship: A View From Relational Dialectics Theory, Raquel Hellenga

Masters Theses

This thesis project explores how Facebook friendship transforms the relationship between superior-subordinate dyads in the workplace through the lens of relational dialectics theory. A convenience sample of five superior-subordinate dyads (N=10) was used. Criteria for participation included: the superior must be full time and must be the subordinate's direct superior, the subordinate must work at least part time, both must have worked in the organization for at least three months, and the two must be friends on Facebook who communicate at least weekly through the site. This study utilizes qualitative, face-to-face, in-depth participant interviews. The interview questions are open-ended in …

The Effects Of Altering Response Effort During Data Collection On Observer Accuracy: Data Collection Procedures On Hand Hygeine Compliance, Krista Hinz

Masters Theses

When dealing with human observers and error, tight control in data collection and methodology is essential for accurate representation of compliance. Although observational studies are popular, little has been done to study the integrity of human observers and the data collection process. Incomplete analysis of data collection integrity threatens functional findings, leading to problematic interpretation and decreased replication. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether manipulating the response effort associated with data collection has an effect on the accuracy of data collection. Participants of the study were undergraduate psychology students at a Midwestern university who were enrolled …

Superintendent Leadership And School Governance Performance, Ronald Drzewicki

Masters Theses

This action research project examined the link between school board governance and effective school district operation. In particular, the link between superintendent leadership, board of education professional development, and community support was studied. The three-year project focused on positive board-superintendent relations and effective board governance. The goals of the project were to establish roles, responsibilities, and procedures for board relations, improve the public image of the school district, improve evaluation systems of school programs, and develop and communicate a district mission and vision. The project documented improvement in community support in multiple areas.

Laboratory Measures Of Aggression In Methadone Patients, Catherine M. Gayman

Masters Theses

Research suggests that current heroin users and individuals with a prior history of heroin dependence tend to be more aggressive than nonusers. No study has yet investigated whether opioid withdrawal affects aggressive responses on a laboratory task. The present study investigates whether mild opioid withdrawal affects aggression in six males and six females (N=12) undergoing methadone maintenance therapy. Aggressive behavior is measured using the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (Cherek, 1981) computer task. Participants press buttons to earn money towards gift certificates. Money subtractions occur periodically and these are attributed to the behavior of a partner who is actually fictitious. Participants …

Stratigraphic Framework For Deposits Of The Saginaw Lobe, Barry And Calhoun Counties, Michigan, Usa, Stephanie K. Ewald

Masters Theses

Between 2006 and 2012, twelve rotasonic borings were drilled in Barry and Calhoun Counties, south central Michigan, as part of several Great Lakes Geological Mapping Coalition projects. Natural gamma ray logs were collected at every location and a detailed description and textural analysis was completed for seven of these cores. Five of the seven analyzed cores reached bedrock. Six of the seven borings were drilled north of the Kalamazoo Moraine of the Saginaw Lobe, which was constructed during retreat of the lobe after the Late Glacial Maximum. Five borings, drilled in tunnel valleys, indicate an increase in depth of tunnel …

Characterizing The Internal Architecture Of Upper Bone Spring Limestone Turbidites And Mass-Transport Deposits (Mtds) Utilizing High-Resolution Image Log Technology, Jason J. Asmus

Masters Theses

Characterization of reservoir scale (less than 1 meter thick) turbidites and mass-transport deposits (MTDs) using conventional subsurface data is complex, due to millimeter-centimeter scale architectural heterogeneity exhibited by these deposits.

Limited studies of the Bone Spring carbonate turbidites and MTDs within the Delaware Basin subsurface emphasized the use of conventional wire-line log and seismic data to evaluate reservoir potential of such strata. As a result, limited resolution offered by these data sets do not allow for accurate characterization of reservoir, and sub-reservoir scale, architectural and compositional variations.

The present investigation integrates high-resolution (centimeter scale) electrical borehole image logs with conventional …

Early Arrest Mutant Ogre: A Defect In Cytokineis Caused By A Mutation In The Gene Racgap1, April Wicklund

Masters Theses

The early arrest mutant ogre, isolated in the Tübingen screen, has a block in cytokinesis (Kane et al., 1996). Here I use genetic and molecular techniques to demonstrate that the ogre phenotype is caused by a lesion in the gene encoding Racgap1. I performed fine mapping studies using microsatellite markers to a 0.15 cM region containing the ogre locus. DNA sequence data revealed a nonsense mutation in the Racgap1 gene of ogre mutants, and in situ hybridization experiments showed a loss of racgap1 mRNA at later stages of development, likely by nonsense mediated decay. This evidence supports the abolishment …