Digital Commons Network^™

Secondary Electronic And Solvent Effects On Regiospecific P-Bromination Of Aromatic Systems, Selahaddin Gumus

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Bromoarenes are important aromatic building blocks that are commonly used to synthesize various functional compounds in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and related industries.^1,2 This great demand for bromoarenes makes their preparation a widely studied area of synthetic organic chemistry. However, further understanding of the reactivity and regiochemistry of aromatic functionalization reactions is still necessary, as much about the secondary substitution and solvent effects remain unknown.

Resonance Theory is a widely used theoretical model to predict the regiospecifity and reactivity of the bromination of various aromatic compounds.³ The reactivity and regiospecificity of many substituted aromatic compounds is well explained using resonance …

Aging And The Perception Of Coherent Motion, Lindsey Marie Shain

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The aperture problem describes an effect by which a contoured stimulus, moving behind an aperture with both ends occluded, appears to move in a direction perpendicular to its own orientation. Mechanisms within the human visual system allow us to overcome this problem and integrate many of these locally ambiguous signals into the perception of globally coherent motion. In the current experiment, younger and older observers viewed displays composed of either 64 or 9 straight contours, arranged in varying orientations and moving behind circular apertures. Because these lines moved behind apertures, their individual local motions were ambiguous with respect to direction …

Clinical Measurement Of Problem Solving In Children With Autism, Megan Nicole Martin

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined verbal and non-verbal problem skills in twenty-seven male children 10-16 years of age, twelve with autism and fifteen children who were neurotypical. The goal of this study was to assess problem solving abilities of children with autism when compared to gender and age matched peers. The twenty-seven participants completed two assessments of the Rapid Assessment of Problem Solving and one online assessment of Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices. Results of this study showed a .92 reliability of the RAPS for all twenty-seven participants. Correlation between the RAPS and RPM was .419 for all participants. The results of …

Impacts Of Leadership On Tqm In Food Industry In India, Abhir Anil Joshi

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

To improve an organizations competitive edge, leadership has adopted a conventional and organized approach known as TQM to improve the quality of its products and services. Implementation of TQM varies from one organization to another. This study determined the various impacts of leadership on TQM in the food industry in India. The continuous decrement of India's economy has led organizations to hire nonskilled people who lack the basic knowledge of the process and thus do not work efficiently and thus ensuring failure of TQM. Another problem faced was the lack of a healthy management which ensures a positive environment and …

The Effect Of Classroom Context On Head Start Teacher Feedback, Jasmine Renee Ernst

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS, LaParo, Pianta, & Stuhlman, 2004) assesses quality of teacher social and instructional interactions with children, and classroom management and productivity. Prior research indicated low quality of feedback scores in programs serving low-income children (Early et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to compare the quantity and quality of managing interaction utterances (i.e. a type of feedback) provided by Head Start teachers (N = 8) in two classroom contexts. Video-recorded book-reading and 20-minute center-time sessions in the fall and spring of a school year were used to assess managing interaction utterances in structured …

"Turn In Your Bible To...": Examining Rhetorical Agency In Sermonic Discourse, Marshall Thomas Covert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Rhetorical agency is an ideologically contentious facet within communication and rhetorical research. While its importance in scholarship can be traced back to early works by Kenneth Burke and Pierre Bourdieu, debate continues regarding the source of agency, how it is enacted in rhetorical application and communication, and who/what can claim responsibility for the communication practices one may utilize in enacting their respective levels of agency. Thus, the ways in which the rhetoric of popular, influential individuals/antecedents affects the rhetorical agency and invention practices of those without significant levels of influence must be examined. American Christianity, in particular the culture created …

Emotion Discrimination In Peripheral Vision, Hayley M. Lambert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The recognition accuracy of emotion in faces varies depending on the discrete emotion being expressed and the location of the stimulus. More specifically, emotion detection performance declines as facial stimuli are presented further out in the periphery. Interestingly, this is not always true for faces depicting happy emotional expressions, which can be associated with maintained levels of detection. The current study examined neurophysiological responses to emotional face discrimination in the periphery. Two event-related potentials (ERPs) that can be sensitive to the perception of emotion in faces, P1 and N170, were examined using EEG data recorded from electrodes at occipitotemporal sites …

A Review Of Supreme Court Cases Involving Workplace Retaliation: 2006-2018, Rachel Quinn Pearson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Employers want to reduce or eliminate claims of employee retaliation whenever possible because of associated negative organizational consequences such as legal liability, various financial costs for the organization, and negative effect on employee morale. As such, it is important to identify the factors that impact the court’s decision to rule in favor of the plaintiff or the defendant. The purpose of the present study is to identify factors driving the court’s decision, as well as to review the implications of recent Supreme Court holdings for retaliation issues. Supreme Court cases involving a claim of employee retaliation from BNSF v. White …

Imidazolium Ionic Liquids As Multifunctional Solvents, Ligands, And Reducing Agents For Noble Metal Deposition Onto Well-Defined Heterostructures And The Effect Of Synthetic History On Catalytic Performance, Michael Drake Ballentine

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM]Tf2N) was investigated as a multifunctional solvent, ligand, and reducing agent for platinum deposition onto well-defined CdSe@CdS nanorods. Platinum deposition was carried out thermally and photochemically using Pt(acac)2 as the metal precursor. Thermal deposition was investigated in [BMIM]Tf2N with and without addition of a sacrificial reducing agent, and product topology was compared with the products obtained from polyol reduction using 1,2-hexadecanediol, oleic acid, and oleylamine in diphenyl ether. Photochemically induced platinum deposition was carried out at room temperature in [BMIM]Tf2N, and product topology was compared with the photodeposition products obtained from a toluene dispersion. Thermal deposition of platinum …

Cayley Graphs Of Psl(2) Over Finite Commutative Rings, Kathleen Bell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Hadwiger's conjecture is one of the deepest open questions in graph theory, and Cayley graphs are an applicable and useful subtopic of algebra.

Chapter 1 will introduce Hadwiger's conjecture and Cayley graphs, providing a summary of background information on those topics, and continuing by introducing our problem. Chapter 2 will provide necessary definitions. Chapter 3 will give a brief survey of background information and of the existing literature on Hadwiger's conjecture, Hamiltonicity, and the isoperimetric number; in this chapter we will explore what cases are already shown and what the most recent results are. Chapter 4 will give our decomposition …

The Impact Of Exercising At A Self-Selected Intensity On Concurrent Academic Task Performance, Carrie Ann French

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The goal of this study was to examine the impact of exercising while completing an academic task on performance on the academic tasks. Participants were 71 undergraduate students at a midsized southern university who were asked to complete reading and math tasks while exercising on a stationary bike. Performance on reading and math tasks completed on the stationary bike was compared within-subjects to performance on parallel tasks while seated. Working memory scores were assessed as potential covariates. Order of experimental tasks was evaluated as a between-subjects factor. Within-subjects ANCOVA’s indicated that performance on math tasks was significantly worse while exercising. …

On Being Trans: Narrative, Identity, Performance, And Community, Chloe Jo Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis focuses on various topics related to transgender identity and culture. Through a combination of ethnographic and secondary research, I studied transgender coming out narratives, trans media representation, transgender performance and identity, and conceptualizations of group and chosen family in a community of trans students, the WKU Transgender and Non-Binary Student Group.

The three chapters of my thesis address some of the traditional milestones of a trans person’s acculturation: coming out, constructing one’s newly discovered trans identity, and finding community. Chapter 1 explores coming out as transgender, and the way in in which coming out is valued and discussed …

Assessment Of Ergonomics In Indian Dental Practice: A Workplace Analysis, Divya Gadde

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Dental practice requires unique working conditions such as prolonged working hours, strained body postures and laborious, high finesse dental techniques. However, it can be more efficiently performed by the application of ergonomics, rather than physically forcing the worker's body to fit the job. Posture is highly influenced by factors such as inadequate working level, incorrect patient positioning, and poor visual comfort. In order to eliminate musculoskeletal disorders it is necessary to control these and other factors, and design the human work environment to be more ergonomic. The aim of this study was to assess ergonomics within Indian dental practice and …

Interactions Between Aerobic Exercise Volume, Academic Stress, And Immune Function, Teresa Wiczynski

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many college students exercise individually or participate in collegiate and intramural sports in addition to fulfilling their stressful academic requirements. The combination of accumulated stress and vigorous exercise could result in an impaired immune system, prompting the onset of disease and absences in class and sports practice.

Twenty-six male and female participants aged 18 to 23 were recruited for this study. Over the course of an academic semester, participants completed weekly electronic surveys documenting stress levels, aerobic exercise, and symptoms related to upper respiratory tract infections. Participants were evaluated at four different time points (Baseline, Post-Midterm Exam, Baseline Reassessment, and …

The Mechanism Of Biotremor Production In The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus), Samuel Tegge

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Vibratory communication has evolved in numerous animal groups, including insects, spiders, fishes, mammals, and was recently discovered in veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus). I examined the mechanism by which C. calyptratus produce these biotremors. Muscle activity data were gathered during simulated anti-predator responses via electromyography (EMG) with simultaneous recordings of biotremor production using an accelerometer. I correlated EMG data with the accelerometer data to implicate the muscles responsible for the production of the biotremors. Mixed-effect linear regression models described the mechanism, and a model selection framework determined which model fit the data best. I then used an analysis of variance to …

Practice Standards For Initial Adhd Assessment: A Review, Lauren Spencer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There are many challenges that come with diagnosing attentiondeficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including shared symptoms with many similar disorders, high comorbidity of other mental disorders, and subjective bias from informant reports. Three clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD currently exist, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). However, these guidelines are outdated as they are based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and do not include more recent research. This project was intended to update …

The Dixit Method Of Language Sampling In Early Adolescence, Tanner Smith

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined two methods of language sampling (interview and the Dixit Method) in early adolescents with typical language development. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the two procedures in eliciting lexical diversity in spoken language samples in the early adolescent population. To examine lexical diversity, traditional methods of analysis (type token ratio, average type token ratio, and mean length of utterance) were applied. However, because literature historically alludes to flaws in these traditional methods, the researchers also applied an ecological approach to analysis of lexical diversity proposed by Scott Jarvis (2013). Student participants …

Transcriptomic Response To Immune Challenge In Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Guttata) Using Rna-Seq, Cassandra Scalf

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Despite the convergence of rapid technological advances in genomics and the maturing field of ecoimmunology, our understanding of the genes that regulate immunity in wild populations is still nascent. Previous work to assess immune function has relied upon relatively crude measures of immunocompetence. However, with next-generation RNA-sequencing, it is now possible to create a profile of gene expression in response to an immune challenge. In this study, captive zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata; adult males) were challenged with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (2 mg/Kg BW; dissolved in 0.9% saline) or vehicle (0.9% saline) to stimulate the immune system. Two hours after injection, birds …

The Effect Of The Type Of Mental Disorder On Mental Health Stigma, Kristina Conkright Peterson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mental health stigma is an important topic as it has an influence on the care clients receive, as well as resources allocated by society. Previous research has primarily investigated the topic of stigma associated with schizophrenia and various factors that may influence the endorsement of stigmatizing beliefs. Few studies have investigated whether the type of mental disorder has an influence on the level of stigma. The current study evaluated the difference in the level of stereotypes endorsed across three conditions: schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, and a typical person. Additionally, this study evaluated the reliability of using a global stereotype score …

The Effects Of Bingocize® On Cognitive Aging: A Health Promotion Intervention, Rilee Pauline Mathews

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research has suggested that physical exercise can play a role in not only improving functional performance, but also cognitive function. In this study, adults age 60 and older participated in a health promotion intervention that included two groups: (a) a Bingocize® group, who exercised and learned about relevant health information while playing bingo, and (b) a control group who only learned about relevant health information while playing bingo. The intervention was completed over the course of 10- weeks at community senior centers. Cognitive function, functional fitness, and health knowledge were assessed before and after the intervention to test for …

Repeatability Case Study Of The 3d Printer In The School Of Engineering And Applied Science Lab, Naif Faleh S. Albaiji

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

3DP (three-dimensional printing) technologies have become more than just a tool to help companies with prototyping and designing in the pre-production stage. Some firms have already implemented 3DP technology to produce parts and end-use products. However, there are several challenges and barriers that this technology must overcome to replace traditional manufacturing methods. One of the most significant obstacles associated with 3D printing is its low level of accuracy in variable repeatability when it comes to making separate batches of the same product. There are several arguable reasons behind this variation. Some of the factors that can influence repeatability are the …

Effects Of Self-Affirmation On Anti-Terror Related Worldview Defense Following Mortality Salience, Haley Jewel Ramsey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research has demonstrated that self-affirmation via values affirmations seem to buffer the self against perceived threats (Steele, 1988). An example of such a threat is opposing worldviews regarding civil liberties in counterterrorism policies. The present study uses the threat of worldview opposition in regards to counterterrorism policies in conjunction with an experimental induction of mortality salience to explore whether self-affirmation can attenuate increases in worldview defense following mortality salience. It was hypothesized that mortality salience would increase worldview defense, but that self-affirmation would decrease worldview defense following exposure to a worldview threat. When extremity of attitudes toward civil liberties …

Ua19/16/2 Womens' Basketball Press Releases, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

Press releases, photos and game statistics related to WKU women's basketball team from January to June 2018.

Ua52/1 Out Of The Box, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Archives and the records management program.

Educator Perceptions Of Gifted English Language Learners, Michelle C. Lynch

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This paper explores educator perceptions of gifted and talented (GT) English language (ELL) students. This study identifies barriers for identification and service for GT/ELL students and highlights ways to support students through current efforts for students who fit these criteria. Educators from two elementary schools were interviewed in this qualitative study. The schools were chosen due to their high population of ELL students. The roles of professional development (PD) and best practices for identification of underrepresented students are discussed. Five main themes emerged from interviews of educators that work with GT/ELL students. The themes are obstacles, perception, referral, professional development, …

Teacher Attitudes Towards Gifted Education In Rural School Districts, Jennifer Smith Sheffield

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of teachers in rural locales towards giftedness and gifted education. Gagné and Nadeau’s (1991) Opinions About the Gifted and Their Education was used as the survey instrument. A total of 78 teachers from four public school districts in Kentucky classified as rural participated in the study. The respondents indicated slightly positive attitudes toward the need for specialized instruction for gifted students and the social value of giftedness but slightly negative mindsets towards acceleration. These results as a whole mirrored the findings of several previous studies utilizing the same survey instrument. …

An Evaluation Of Induction Heating In Healthcare Food Industry, Barrett Alexander Hampton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis addresses the problem healthcare facilities are having in maintaining proper food temperatures while transporting meals to patients after food has left the kitchen area. Induction heat has been a known method for generating heat for many years. The commercial food industry currently uses this technology, which is beginning to appear in the residential sector as well because of developments made by manufacturers. This study focuses on the top commercial brand models of induction heaters and the supporting materials currently used to create heat sources to maintain food temperatures in hospitals and long term care facilities.

The research in …

Perceptions Of Uncivil And Sexual Harassment Perceptions By Gender, Employment Status, And Likelihood To Sexually Harass, John Schroader

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research examined gender and employment status (full-time worker or student) differences in perceptions of workplace sexual harassment and incivility. Previous and recent meta-analyses suggested small effects by gender. The current research introduced a method of measuring perceptions by forcing a choice of identifying a behavior as sexual harassment, incivility, or neither. The instrument was designed in this way to determine if small effects existed because males tended to have overlapping definitions of sexual harassment and incivility. Propensity to sexually harass was also measured. Results suggest no gender or employment status effects on the method, but propensity to sexually harass …

Application Of Huffman Data Compression Algorithm In Hashing Computation, Lakshmi Narasimha Devulapalli Venkata,

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Cryptography is the art of protecting information by encrypting the original message into an unreadable format. A cryptographic hash function is a hash function which takes an arbitrary length of the text message as input and converts that text into a fixed length of encrypted characters which is infeasible to invert. The values returned by the hash function are called as the message digest or simply hash values. Because of its versatility, hash functions are used in many applications such as message authentication, digital signatures, and password hashing [Thomsen and Knudsen, 2005].

The purpose of this study is to apply …

After Vatican Ii: Renegotiating The Roles Of Women, Sexual Ethics, And Homosexuality In The Roman Catholic Church, Kenneth Brian Nauert Jr.

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Vatican II was one of the most seminal councils in Roman Catholic Church history, having far reaching effects on the universal institution.¹ One of the most important outcomes of Vatican II was not the reforming of orthopraxy, but the dialogue that developed regarding three specific issues – the transforming of women’s roles in Church life, Catholic sexual ethics, and the Church’s relationship with LGBTQ+ individuals.² The decades following Vatican II became a new era of religious dialogue among Catholic scholars and theologians, which established new discussions on women’s ordination, sexual ethics, and attitudes towards homosexuality in the contemporary …