Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of Institution Type On Self-Regulated Learning Strategies In First Generation College Students, Alex Spalding

Masters Theses

Researchers have investigated the factors related to academic success among first-generation college students (FGS), students the U.S. Government's Educational Opportunities Program defines as those with neither parent having completed a 4-year college degree by the time the student has entered college (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2005). Recent explanations of FGS' academic performance point to the complex relationships among the unique attributes that FGS bring to college, the characteristics of the academic institutions in which they are enrolled, and the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) practices in college students.

The current study explored the relationship between the institution type and …

Montessori Principles: Do Montessori Parents Understand Their Significance And Apply Them To Their Family Lives?, Cody Davis Sanantonio

Masters Theses

This study was designed to offer insight to Montessori educators regarding the grasp that parents who choose Montessori for their children possess of the basic Montessori principles. These principles, which are applied in Montessori schools around the world each day, serve as the underpinning of Montessori philosophy, and since parents are the most significant teachers in their children's lives, it makes sense that parents are working in harmony with the guiding principles of their children's schools. Montessori schools have enjoyed a long history of serving children and families, and have often maintained waiting lists of prospective families who want the …

The Effects Of Chemical Treatment And Light Exposure On Pah Concentrations In Biochar, Fathima Nadheesha Muhammed Khalid

Masters Theses

A series of experiments quantifying extractable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in biochar before and after various treatments were conducted. The analytical approach included solvent extraction of PAHs with toluene, further isolation and column cleanup before gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. The treatment methods include exposing biochar samples to sunlight and UV radiation with and without additives and reacting with hydrogen peroxide.

Two biochar samples from the Eastern Illinois University bench-type gasifier and commercial biochar were analyzed. Analyzing of three biochar types revealed that plant biochar has lower total PAH concentration than wood (W) biochar or wood and plant (giant …

Morphometric Study Of Variation In The Genus Galeopsis (Lamiaceae), Michael T. Hughes

Masters Theses

The genus Galeopsis L. of the family Lamiaceae, also known as hemp-nettle, grows naturally in Europe and Asia, with four species naturalized in North America. The number of real species is in doubt, because of conflict over whether certain taxa are species, subspecies, or synonyms. The genus consists of five to eight taxa. I studied flower and leaf size ratios to clarify the distinctions of taxa in Galeopsis. These data were analyzed statistically, using cluster analysis, Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that although some measurements, such as leaf width in G. angustifolia, …

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

Masters Theses

This research addressed the issues of caregiver stress and feelings towards caregiving. The following research questions were addressed: 1) Do caregivers who participate in yoga exercises feel less stress about their caregiving duties? 2) Do caregivers who participate in yoga view their caregiving duties as a more positive experience than caregivers who do not participate in yoga? 3) Is the relationship between stress level and positive feelings different between the yoga and non- yoga participants? A total of 21 participants had an equal chance of being selected to participate in either a yoga group or a non-yoga group. The subjects …

Short-Term Responses Of Fish Assemblages To Habitat Restoration In A Small Midwestern Stream, John Leon West

Masters Theses

Recent efforts to restore stream habitat have become a common practice, yet evaluations of biotic responses to these practices are not as common. I evaluated fish assemblage response to restoration in a reach of Kickapoo Creek, a fourth order stream southwest of Charleston, Illinois. Restoration included 446 meters of bank stabilization, pool scouring keys, and the creation of two artificial riffles. To have a representation of pre-restoration fish assemblages, I sampled four stream reaches of Kickapoo Creek twice before construction of habitat restoration: two control reaches (upstream and downstream) and two restored reaches within a 0.5 km restoration stretch (upstream …

Characterization Of The Stability And Reactivity Of Mitoneet: A Novel Diabetes Drug Target, Morgan E. Roberts

Masters Theses

MitoNl:ET is a mitochondrial membrane protein discovered in 2004 as a binding partner of the antidiabetic drng pioglitazone. It is sold under the trade name Actos® and used to treat type-2 diabetes. The cellular function(s) of mitoNEET are unknown. Interestingly, the non-covalent homodimer contains two [2Fe-2SJ clusters that support possible functions as an electron-transport protein, an iron-sulfur transfer protein, a mediator in cellular respiration, and a redox-sensor. MitoNEl:T uniquely ligates the [2Fc- 2SJ cluster through a 3Cys-l His ligation. In this thesis, the optimization of the expression and purification of human mitoNEET is described. Possible binding partners were identified using …

Hysteria, Sexuality, And Their Influence On Male Authority In "Carmilla" And "Good Lady Ducayne", Rachel Walls

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Feminist Science Fiction Of The 1970s, Mia Tapella

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Situating The Study Of Messages About Non-Heterosexual Sexual Orientation In Everyday Ordinary Interactions: A Call For Paradigm Change, Clinton Lee Brown

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the motivations that may orient an individual to another' s sexual orientation. Extant literature has traditionally focused on the ways in which individuals "detect" or recognize another's sexual orientation, but has failed to explore the communicative strategies individuals routinely engage in and the reasons he or she may be interested in another' s sexual orientation. As such, this study fits nicely into the interpersonal and intercultural communication literatures that concern themselves with the social construction of identity, which is an ongoing interactional task to which conversationalists orient. The data for this study was collected during the fall …

Hst 2270 : Community Health, Health Studies

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Hst 2000 : Principles Of Human Health, Health Studies

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Psy 5970a : Substance Related Disorders: Etiology, Diagnosis, & Treatment, Psychology

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Mat 3502 : Differential Equations Ii, Mathematics And Computer Science

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Mat 3501 : Differential Equations I, Mathematics And Computer Science

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Ele 2050 : The Whole Child: Teaching And Learning In The Educational Environment, Ec/Ele/Mle

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Afr 4300 : Capstone Seminar, Africana Studies

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Bio 3210 : Immunology, Biological Sciences

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

His 3385 : American Maritime History Since 1400, History

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

Wst 2309g : Women, Men, And Culture, Women's And Gender/Sexuality Studies

Approved Course Proposals

No abstract provided.

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 …

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.

Separating The Whites From The Chaff: Whiteness, Blackness, Racial Exclusion In The Midwest Agrarian Mind, Philip Mohr

Masters Theses

This thesis approaches the construction of race through the vantage of one agrarian magazine, the Prairie Farmer. It analyzes the rhetoric of the people who wrote for this magazine to distinguish changing attitudes toward whiteness and blackness in the rural and agricultural Midwest from the end of the Civil War to the Great Migration. While whiteness was equated with what the Prairie Farmer saw as the active, progressive farmer, blackness was associated with stupidity, laziness, and threat to property. From this, the thesis argues we can build a base of knowledge from which to analyze the roots of racism …

Demographics Of A Commercially Exploited Population Of Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis Olivaris) In The Wabash River, Cassi Jo Moody-Carpenter

Masters Theses

Flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris, are a popular game and commercial fish in the Midwestern United States. In the lower 322 km of the Wabash River, flathead catfish are commercially and recreationally harvested by Illinois and Indiana fishers. Current management regulations are different between the two states; Illinois and Indiana have minimum length limits of 381 and 254 mm, respectively. Indiana has proposed changing their minimum length limit to 381 mm and allowing only one fish> 889 mm to be harvested per day. My study examined the current status of flathead catfish in the Wabash River to determine a standardized …

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 …

Chemical Transformations Of Arylsulfonamide Molecular Crystals, Rajan Giri

Masters Theses

The pursuit of chemical specificity and efficiency of chemical reaction in molecular crystals has attracted considerable attention over the last decade. The successful control of molecular alignment prior to such transformations continues to provide opportunities for near quantitative yields of new materials. This thesis reports the predictable self-assembly of aryl sulfonamide materials constructed from cinnamic acid and phenylpentadienoic acid fragments capable of forming supramolecular dimers that undergo unique photocyclization reactions. Use of racemic and enantiopure single-component building-blocks provides access to enantiocontrolled [2+2] photodimerized products.

Solid-state reaction precursors were prepared using conventional solution-based synthetic organic techniques. Component chirality (racemic or homochiral) …

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.

Dietary Iron Intake And Knowledge Of Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anemia Among Recreational Female Marathon Runners, Jamie Merritt

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

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 …

Juvenile Delinquency: A Comparative Analysis Between Divorced And Married Homes, Cristina R. Prestin-Latham

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to determine if children being raised in divorced homes are more likely to be juvenile delinquents that children being raised in married homes. Additionally, this study sought to determine if the age of the child during the divorce further contributes to the likelihood of delinquent behavior. The majority of previous studies indicate children from divorced homes are more prone to juvenile delinquency than children from married homes. The sample in this study consisted of 544 participants. Using a self-reporting, anonymous questionnaire, participants were asked questions about their childhood home structure and their adolescent delinquent …