Digital Commons Network^™

Biofunctional Coatings Using Direct-Write Fabrication Technique For Surgical Implant Devices, Jessica L. Perkins

Dissertations

Surface modification of biomaterials is of critical value to attain desired functionality of biomedical devices and implants. Many of the conventional manufacturing methods used for the fabrication of thin film coatings lack the ability to precisely dispense biological compounds without compromising its chemical integrity. This research investigates the use of direct-write inkjet technique for the deposition of multi-layer coatings of biodegradable polymers. The Direct Write inkjet method provides selective deposition and patterning capability for depositing multi-material coatings on biomaterials for a vast array of surgical implant devices (e.g. stents for cardiovascular applications and orthopedic implants). In the first phase of …

Synthesis And Photoluminescence (Pl) Of Gold (I) And Silver (I) Metal Complexes With 1-Methylbenzimidazole Diphenylphosphine (Mbdp): Potential Sensing Applications For Volatile Organic Compounds, Darkus Elizabeth Jenkins

Dissertations

Volatile organic compound(s), VOC(s), detection have become a highly demanding area of research due to potential harmful effects to the ecosystem. The search for methods of VOC sensor devices has led to the examination of photoluminescence and photoluminescent materials such as metal complexes. Their luminescent properties markedly with phosphine and/or nitrogen based ligands, bridging ligands, have the ability to accommodate metal atoms with short metal – metal distances. It is of great interest to accomplish short metal interactions as the photoluminescent properties can be altered. We show the synthesis and structural characterization of the bridging ligand, 1-methylbenzimidazole diphenylphosphine. We examined …

Numerical Studies Of Orographic Effects On Tropical Weather Systems, Yi-Chih Huang

Dissertations

With Geophysical Fluid Dynamic Model and Weather Research and Forecasting model, two tropical weather systems, African easterly wave (AEW) and Typhoon Morakot (2009), are studied, respectively. With regards to AEW, wave-like disturbances were generated on the lee side by vortex shedding for an easterly flow over an idealized mountain, with a wavelength of about 2000 km, a period of ~2-3 days, and a propagating speed of ~9.6 ms-1 which mimic an AEW. Thus an AEW may be generated by vortex shedding. Furthermore, these orographically generated hydrostatic, continuously stratified inertia-gravity waves on a β-plane are characterized as mixed Rossby-gravity waves based …

An Empirical Look At Recipient Benefits Associated With A University-Issued Student Leadership Award, Robyn L. Adams Phd

Dissertations

Within academia there is an elaborate and extensive system of awards for both students and faculty (Frey, 2006). Although the majority of student-based awards are for outstanding leadership and related accomplishments, there has been virtually no research on the impact of receiving such a leadership award (Frey, 2006). Due to the conspicuous absence of empirical studies in this area, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding the possible value or positive effects associated with winning a university-issued student leadership award. To begin to fill this knowledge gap, this study examined the San Diego State University (SDSU) Quest for the Best award …

Juvenile Injustice: Disproportionate Minority Contact In Oklahoma's Juvenile Justice System, Patrick M. Polasek

Dissertations

Statistics show that minority overrepresentation in the juvenile justice system is not a new phenomenon. The problem, however, is not going away and might even be getting worse. In 2008, the FBI's Uniform Crime Report showed that 52% of juvenile Violent Crime Index arrests, and 33% of juvenile Property Crime Index arrests, are black youths. This occurring while black youth only accounted for 16% of the youth population. These statistics illustrate disproportionate minority contact. The question is whether disproportionate minority contact has improved, and what is influencing minority overrepresentation.

In this dissertation, I examine whether minorities are overrepresented in Oklahoma's …

The Logic Of Divine-Human Reconciliation: A Critical Analysis Of Penal Substitution As An Explanatory Feature Of Atonement, Blaine Swen

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to offer an analysis of the major conceptual and ethical problems facing penal substitution insofar as it is utilized as an explanatory feature of Christ's contribution to divine-human reconciliation. I present fourteen problems and argue that penal substitution can overcome these problems by embracing a "divine-manifest offering" approach to atonement. On this approach, God mercifully chooses to require satisfaction for sin through penal substitution in order to give God's Self the opportunity to meet this requirement by satisfaction through penal self-substitution. This divine self-substitution is intended by God to elicit a free human response …

A Multiple-Case Study Describing Collaborative Relations Between Adventist Pastors And Teachers In The Eastern United States, Pamela Consuegra

Dissertations

Introduction. Adventist schools and churches are embedded within a system that provides them with rich opportunities to achieve their missional goals. However, this is possible only through collaboration and the use of available social networks. The purpose of this study was to identify situations where the church and school work together collaboratively and then to describe the collaborative practices between those selected Adventist pastors and teachers. In the context of Adventist elementary schools, the school principal also fulfills a teaching role. Therefore, inthis study, the term "teacher" also refers to the principal. The broad research question was, How do Adventist …

An Ex Post Facto Study On The Relationship Between Self-Reported Peer-To-Peer Mentoring Experiences And Instructor Confidence, Institutional Loyalty, And Student Satisfaction Among Part-Time Instructors, Carolyn A. Watson

Dissertations

Problem. The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Educational Statistics estimate that part-time faculty now comprises almost half of the faculty labor force; many believe this statistic has been gravely underestimated. Powerful unions like the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) believe that universities are relying too heavily on part-time faculty members and that this over-reliance threatens the quality of higher education today. The debate surrounding the use of part-time faculty seems to focus on issues of instructor confidence, loyalty, and student satisfaction. Many question whether a part-time faculty …

A Survey Of Leadership Standards For Professional Preparation Of Public School Principals In Kuwait, Amal Eehe Alansari

Dissertations

Problem. Over the last decade, the Ministry of Education in Kuwait undertook the responsibility of reforming the Kuwaiti education system. While it noted the importance of school principals in this reform process, it has not yet focused on the development of school leaders through formal preparation. There were no standards set to guide school leadership development programs in Kuwait. The purpose of this study was to survey Kuwaiti educators to identify the professional educational program standards they believed were needed and important for public school principals. It surveyed their suggestions on which institutions would be best at providing training in …

The Relationship Between Liturgical Practice And Spirituality In The Church Of The Nazarene With Special Reference To John Wesley's Doctrine Of Christian Perfection, Dirk Ray Ellis

Dissertations

The Church of the Nazarene, following the pattern of the American holiness movement that gave it birth, adopted a modified version of Wesley's doctrine of Christian perfection. During the early years of the denomination Christian perfection was promoted feverishly through revivalism and worship structured after the camp meeting model; however, over time the promotion and propagation of holiness began to wane. Currently, the belief in and pursuit of inward holiness among both clergy and laity are rapidly vanishing. For more than a decade scholars and denominational leaders have recognized that this loss of spiritual vitality has placed the Church of …

Effects Of Binge Alcohol Exposure On Canonical Wnt Signaling During Fracture Repair, Kristen Leigh Lauing

Dissertations

Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with increased fracture risk, delayed bone healing and fracture non-union. Binge alcohol consumption has occurred in 25-40% of all orthopaedic trauma cases. The canonical Wnt pathway, through tight regulation of stabilized beta-catenin, plays an essential and pivotal role in the formation of new bone and cartilage to initiate bone repair. We sought to determine the molecular mechanisms behind alcohol-related fracture complications by testing the hypothesis that binge alcohol exposure deregulates canonical Wnt signaling in the fracture callus, leading to impaired healing.

To test this, C57BL/6 or beta-catenin/TCF-reporter male mice were exposed to intraperitoneal alcohol or …

Redefining Sisterhood: The New Nuns, Laywomen And Catholic Feminist Activism, 1953-1992, Alexandra Elizabeth Michaelides

Dissertations

The involvement of American Catholic women in the feminist movement after 1960 is considered an anomaly. Yet, Catholic feminist activism thrived in large American cities like Chicago. This dissertation works to explain the origins, trajectory, methods, and eventual radicalization of the Catholic feminist movement in the United States. I argue that the events of the Second Vatican Council and the Sister Formation Movement (an organized effort to educate American nuns) set the stage for unprecedented reforms, brought an excitement and optimism to women religious and laywomen, and led to unintended revolutionary consequences. Nuns and laywomen were optimistic that the church …

Parents' Perceptions Of Teenage Pregnancy, Mayra Nava

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to shed light on Latino/a parents' perceptions and attitudes about adolescent pregnancy. This study aims to reveal how parental perceptions and attitudes may impact parental communication with their children about teen pregnancy. Considering that parents play in important role in adolescent pregnancy prevention, this research study attempts to shed light on the nature of how parents perceive adolescent pregnancy and communication about teen pregnancy. The goal of this study was to answer the following two questions: 1.What are some of the variables that influence how Latino/a parents of high school students at an urban …

The Development Of Trust In The Nurse-Patient Relationship With Hospitalized Mexican American Patients, Sharon M. Jones

Dissertations

The Hispanic population in the United States is growing and this population experiences health care disparities compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Mexican Americans are the largest sub-group of Hispanics and providing nursing care that is patient-centered and culturally competent is important when caring for this population. Trust is an important component of patient-centered care and culturally competent care as well as a major element , (confianza) in the Hispanic culture. Although nursing researchers have identified the need for trust in culturally competent care with Mexican American patients, none have explored how trust develops between the nurse and the Mexican American patient. …

Aliens Found In Waiting: Women Of The Ku Klux Klan In Suburban Chicago, 1870-1930, Sarah Elizabeth Doherty

Dissertations

"Aliens Found in Waiting" is a case study of the Walosas Club chapter of the Women of the Ku Klux Klan in the suburban Chicago community of Oak Park, Illinois. Through the use of a rare manuscript collection this study provides a glimpse into the daily lives of suburban Klanswomen grappling with changing demographics in the village where they lived. Examination of the Walosas Club also provides a new context for the study of suburban history. New suburban historians have traditionally viewed suburbs as battlegrounds for the intersection of race, class and gender. Oak Park adds religion as an agent …

The Effects Of Deposition Conditions On Rf Sputtered Gallium Tin Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistors, Tanina Bradley

Dissertations

Thin film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated with a transparent amorphous gallium tin zinc oxide (GSZO) channel layer. GSZO is a promising, low cost replacement for the commonly used indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).The transistors were fabricated on Si substrates to optimize performance prior to transferring device production to flexible substrates. This dissertation will address the effects of deposition and post-deposition parameters on the film properties and interface traps. It will also address the parameters’ resultant effects on device performance and stability with the use of various characterization techniques. Film properties were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission measurements to …

Evaluation Of Information Visualization For Decision Making Support In An Emergency Department Information System., Quaneisha L. Jenkins-Penha

Dissertations

Emergency departments collect large amounts of data to make decisions regarding patient care. New technologies are used to support the decision-making process. Various information visualization (IV) techniques can be used to support healthcare professionals in visualizing patterns that can be helpful in the decision-making process. Implementation of decision support tools with IV techniques in EDIS is difficult to achieve and thus an evaluation of the techniques is needed. The purpose of this dissertation is to propose an evaluation framework to assess various IV techniques in EDIS and provide recommendations for developers. A comprehensive assessment framework was developed based on performance …

Agricultural Land And Energy Use Implications Of Changes In Energy Prices, Stephen Michael Randall

Dissertations

Field level farm management decisions such as crop rotation, tillage, and nitrogen application are impacted by the energy and other input costs, by the land quality, and by the anticipated grain prices. These decisions can significantly impact the acres planted, the yield, and the crop production, as well as both the fertilizer and energy use. This study develops an Excel based profit-maximizing optimization model for these farm management decisions, all varying by the field level Corn Suitability Rating land quality indicator for the agricultural land in the State of Iowa. The model developed for this analysis incorporates production costs, production …

Self-Time Circuit Size Optimization For An Input Data Distribution, Evelyn Sowells

Dissertations

New design techniques with energy-delay characteristics that are superior to that of the synchronous timing and control approach are needed today because the throughput of systems realized with this method is limited by the power dissipation of nanometer scale devices and the power management strategies developed to insure that they do not exceed device thermal constraints. A circuit timing approach that is not dependent only on the propagation delay of the critical path is required to achieve this for a specified technology and supply voltage. Optimized self-timed circuits have this characteristic and therefore outperform synchronous designs for a given energy …

Genetic And Evolutionary Biometrics:Multiobjective, Multimodal, Feature Selection/Weighting For Tightly Coupled Periocular And Face Recognition, Aniesha Alford

Dissertations

The Genetic & Evolutionary Computation (GEC) research community has seen the emergence of a new subarea, referred to as Genetic & Evolutionary Biometrics (GEB), as GECs have been applied to solve a variety of biometric problems. In this dissertation, we present three new GEB techniques for multibiometric recognition: Genetic & Evolutionary Feature Selection (GEFeS), Weighting (GEFeW), and Weighting/Selection (GEFeWS). Instead of selecting the most salient individual features, these techniques evolve subsets of the most salient combinations of features and/or weight features based on their discriminative ability in an effort to increase accuracy while decreasing the overall number of features needed …

Mitigation Of Edge Delamination In Polymeric Composites By Polymer Nanofiber Interleaving, Ebonni Joyell Adams

Dissertations

The objective of this research was to assess the effect of polymer nanofiber interleaving on the onset of edge delamination and propagation under both static and cyclic loading conditions. The material selected was AS4/3501-6 carbon fiber/epoxy laminate, an aerospace grade autoclave processed composite. The interleaving fabric was Nylon-66 produced by an electrospinning process. The equivalent thickness was 0.82 u­m, average areal density was 0.93 g/m2, and diameter range was 75 - 200 nm. The stacking sequence selected was the (0n/90n)s laminate with n = 2 and 6 which possess high interlaminar transverse and normal stresses at the edges. Both non-interleaved …

Elementary School Teachers' Reasons For Staying In Their Current Schools: A Comparison Study, Luzmila Beanira Adrianzen

Dissertations

This study examines elementary school teachers' reasons for staying in their current schools, specifically, comparing two schools, one from a low-income district and one from a high-income district. The researcher assesses similarities and differences among teacher's perceptions of these factors in these two schools.

The researcher reviews literature on factors that explain teacher turnover and retention. Furthermore, literature on theories of motivation, such as Herzberg's two-factor theory and Vroom's expectancy theory to motivation was reviewed and also used as a methodological approach to analyze the data.

To examine elementary school teachers' reasons for staying in their current schools a quantitative …

Building A Climate That Supports And Protects Mandated Reporters: School Principals And Their Perceived Roles And Policies And Procedures In K-8 Schools, Gina Bartucci

Dissertations

Schools are designed to be safe and healthy places for children to grow and learn, and principals are the instructional leader charged with creating this climate. The role of the mandated reporter, which is the role assigned to all individuals who work in schools, is intended to protect children. The mandated reporter is supposed to be the voice for children-not just for the child who actually speaks out against the individual who is perpetrating against them, but also for the child who does not have the words to report the abuse. A suspicion is all a mandated reporter needs to …

Cultural Competence--Does It Matter?: Lessons From A Mixed-Methods Study Of Wraparound Practice, Jennifer James Rose

Dissertations

This mixed methods study investigated whether caregivers' ratings of wraparound fidelity and satisfaction with the wraparound process differed based upon their facilitators' self-assessed cultural competence and caregivers' reported stress. An explanatory sequential design was used. The quantitative phase was completed first. Survey methodology was used to measure reported cultural competence, wraparound fidelity, satisfaction with the wraparound process, and parental stress. Facilitators (n=58) completed a self-assessment instrument, the Multicultural Counseling Knowledge and Awareness Scale (MCKAS; Ponterotto, 1997). The MCKAS survey yielded a 43% response rate. The MCKAS descriptive data found levels of reported cultural competence comparable to previously published studies. Telephone …

Imprisoning Chicago: Incarceration, The Chicago City Council, Prisoners, And Reform, 1832-1915, Susan Marie Garneau

Dissertations

The Chicago Bridewell and the Chicago House of Correction were unique institutions which illuminate the development of nineteenth-century city incarceration from a fluid to a rigid status. Both institutions detained misdemeanants and violators of city ordinances. They shared similarities with jails and prisons, but emerged as a hybrid institution: a city prison.

Physically and philosophically, city structures, and the inmates detained inside, shifted from being part of the city to one separate of Chicago and its residents. The Chicago City Council Proceeding Files, rarely used by historians, provide a rare glimpse into city leaders' administration of the carceral facilities. Economic …

Effective Knowledge Management System Implementation In Small Organisations., Orna Nicholl

Dissertations

Much of the key research in the field of Knowledge Management carries an inherent set of assumptions as to the nature of the organisations under investigation, such as the fact that the organisation is a large one. As a consequence of this, Knowledge Management papers tend to focus on the distinctions such as: management-led initiatives versus grassroots initiatives, and the importance of inter-departmental communications, but for smaller organisations these types of issues are minimised or completely absent. This project will look at models and techniques from the existing body of Knowledge Management literature (with its focus on larger organisations) and …

Can A Self Assessement Tool For Environmental Controls Which Has Been Informed By Users Be Of Benefit To Potential Users, Sean Loughran

Dissertations

This dissertation looks at the area of environmental control systems (ECS) also known as electronic aids for daily living for people with disabilities. These systems allow an individual with a disability to control devices such as a television, music player, telephone as well as a door, window or curtain controllers. A self-assessment tool was developed for potential users, which was informed by the feedback of (i) users who use or who have used environmental control systems, (ii) Enable Ireland staff who were involved in the service delivery of ECS and (iii) companies who install ECS for individuals with disabilities. These …

Recommendations For “Kiwi” Exploring Different Techniques For Recommendations In A Kazakh Online Video Website, Tair Kuanyshev

Dissertations

The aim of this project is to build a recommender system for an online website based on an empirical study using real-world data. The real world data was taken from the website Www.kiwi.kz which is an online video sharing website, providing online video, broadcast and radio to users since 2009. The research problem sought to develop the most suitable recommender system for an online video sharing website and to evaluate the effectiveness of this model on the real world data. This research attempts to develop the recommender system which will suggest possibly interesting video clips for users on an online …

Testing Mobile Web Applications For W3c Best Practice Compliance, Sean Mee

Dissertations

Adherence to best practices and standards when developing mobile web applications is important to achieving a quality outcome. As smartphones and tablet PCs continue to proliferate in the consumer electronics market, businesses and individuals are increasingly turning from the native application paradigm to HTML 5-based web applications as a means of software development and distribution. With an everincreasing reliance by users on the correct functioning of such applications, the requirement for stringent and comprehensive quality assurance measures is also brought sharply into focus. This research investigates the increasing trend towards mobile web application development in the mobile software domain, and …

Biometric Alternatives To Captcha: Exploring Accessible Interface Options, Anita Foley

Dissertations

In the computing domain the relationship between accessibility and security is a complex and evolving one; accessibility attempts to ensure that as wide a range of individuals as possible are granted access to systems, whereas security attempts to restrict access only to individuals who are entitled to access those systems. A key security concern is to determine whether or not the system is being accessed by a software agent or a real human being, and a number of approaches have been developed to determine the answer to this question. This issue has been discussed throughout the history of computer science …