Digital Commons Network^™

Bio-Mass To Bio-Oil: Direct Conversion Vs Companion Coal Gasification, Gabriel Hayes

Honors Theses

Biomass is produced in agriculture and forestry, and can be converted to use as a fuel substitute for petroleum. Direct conversion of biomass to bio-oil is conventionally accomplished with a process called fast pyrolysis, in which the biomass is heated to promote the chemical breakdown of its components. This produces some condensable vapors which, when condensed, yield bio-oil. Such a process was compared to a process that gains heat from companion coal gasification instead of traditional heating media such as heated sand. The conversions were then compared to determine the more cost-effective method for producing bio-oil. Additional parameters investigated include …

Evaluating Contamination And Remediation At A Northeast Texas Hi-Yield Chemical Site, 1960- 1996, Aaron Ferrell

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Pretreatment Methods For The Production Of Ethanol, Emily Schulte

Honors Theses

Bioethanol provides a great alternative to regular ethanol sources because it uses secondary substrates that are byproducts of other industries, rather than substrates that compete with food products. The technology is available for industrial bioethanol production, but the production costs just aren’t competitive enough with traditional ethanol production. The goal of this project was not to prepare a proposal for a bio-ethanol plant with all of the associated costs and financial calculations, but rather to provide a direct comparison of two pretreatment methods to highlight which factors could make one method less costly than the other. Pretreatment is a critical …

Sunseeker Display And Driver Controller, Alec Kwapis

Honors Theses

Digital dashboard displays with critical driver information are found in all modern vehicles. Examples of such information available to the driver include a speedometer, odometer, engine RPM, fuel gauge and more. The current 2016 Sunseeker solar car already has numerous displays that can show critical information to the driver, however, there are several problems that exist. Each display itself is less than two inches in size, the text on the screens is difficult to read, and the measurements have no units. Furthermore, these displays were made by a company that no longer exists, thus preventing the solar car team from …

Glut5 And Fructose Metabolism Inhibition In A Simulated Small Intestine Environment, Isabella Trainor

Honors Theses

This thesis describes an experiment that was designed in order to obtain information that could be useful for treating individuals with HFI. The author hypothesized that MSNBA would inhibit GLUT5 and fructose metabolism in the small intestine. The final experimental design involves exposing a small intestine cell line to fructose and MSNBA. The cell line would be exposed to MSNBA over the course of three different periods, and data was intended to be obtained using western blotting and a fructose assay kit. Although the final experimental design project was not fully carried out due to circumstances surrounding COVID-19, a plausible …

Mental Health Inpatient Hospitalization: What Nursing Can Learn From "Sensory Rooms.", Haley Wilson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this undergraduate thesis is to explore the use of sensory rooms in the psychiatric inpatient care setting. Mental illness is a serious issue, affecting millions each year. In 2018 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that one in five, or 19.6% of U.S. adults experienced some form of mental illness. Inpatient hospitalization is limited to those individuals posing a risk for serious harm to themselves or others. A census conducted by SAMHSA on April 30th, 2018, indicated 129,115 patients in the U.S. were receiving mental health care treatment in the inpatient setting. An …

Gender And Socioeconomic Disparities In Iatrogenic In-Hospital Torsades De Points, Bradley Reinoehl

Honors Theses

It has been well established for decades that women are at increased risk for torsades de pointes (TdP). Additionally, it has been well documented that patients of lower socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have inferior health outcomes compared to other patient populations. In this study we investigate the incidence of iatrogenic in-hospital TdP among these two demographic groups. Iatrogenic in-hospital TdP is a complex combination of medical issues and including danger from QT prolonging medications. In theory, a combination of identifiable, demographic risk factors coupled with specific clinical settings could be used to identify patients at high risk for iatrogenic …

Design Of A Carbon Fiber Composite Monocoque Chassis For A Formula-Style Vehicle, Alexander Carline

Honors Theses

Western Michigan University’s Formula SAE team, Bronco Racing, designs and manufactures a formula-style vehicle to compete annually at an international collegiate design and racing competition. In order to remain competitive, Bronco Racing required a lighter chassis for the 2021 vehicle. To achieve this, the full 2020 carbon fiber monocoque chassis system was redesigned to be lightweight while considering packaging constraints, the Formula SAE rules, and design parameters set by Bronco Racing. The monocoque geometry was modeled using SolidWorks and the carbon composite was simulated, tested, and verified using ANSYS and quasi-static load frame testing. The newly designed 2021 monocoque chassis …

Development Of A Flexible Printed Paper-Based Battery, Justone Crosby

Honors Theses

Market demand for flexible electronics continues to grow, which, in turn, increases the demand for flexible energy storage devices. There are several types of energy storage devices available, including the alkaline (Zn-MnO₂) battery, which is the subject of this project. This project's objective was to develop a flexible, printed paper-based battery, which may be a sustainable solution to the increasing market demand. This device is low-cost and can be manufactured commercially using a scalable process.

The proposed device is an alkaline flexible cell, whose components can be printed onto paper. This alkaline system includes a zinc-based negative electrode …

Steam Valve Thermo-Performance Analysis, Benjamin Evans

Honors Theses

Steam leaks occur in aging power systems due to heat energy loss in the valves of that system. A model was developed to determine the amount of heat energy lost in Donald C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant’s steam pipe valve system. Several methods were used to determine the mass flow rate and used to model the system in PEPSE. The PEPSE model determined the estimated energy that was lost due to seal leakage and general valve degradation. A program was created for use of plant employees to easily calculate the lost generation in MWe due to these leaks using the …

Comparison Of Pretreatment Methods For Cellulosic Ethanol, Michael Eaton

Honors Theses

Bioethanol provides a great alternative to regular ethanol sources because it uses secondary substrates that are byproducts of other industries, rather than substrates that compete with food products. The technology is available for industrial bioethanol production, but the production costs just aren’t competitive enough with traditional ethanol production. The goal of this project was not to prepare a proposal for a bio-ethanol plant with all of the associated costs and financial calculations, but rather to provide a direct comparison of two pretreatment methods to highlight which factors could make one method less costly than the other. Pretreatment is a critical …

Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture, William Hettel

Honors Theses

The goal of the Yoda Chemical Company Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture project and subsequent report was to identify and recommend plant optimization opportunities associated with the potential recovery of five waste streams. Additionally, an analysis of the upgrade’s design was completed in order to determine the economic viability of fiber recapture. Beginning the analysis, the five waste streams were identified and analyzed. The waste streams include the top liner, back liner, and filler liner primary cleaner rejects on the K1 machine, the common rejects from under the K3 paper machine, and the tertiary cleaner rejects from stock preparation.

Two different …

Cost-Effective Diy Electrometer, Emily R. Johnson

Honors Theses

An electrometer is a critical electrophysiology instrument used to generate minuscule currents for intracellular stimulation of biological neurons. An electrometer also enables simultaneous measurement of the neuron membrane voltage response. This device is necessary to perform accurate stimulation of neurons. However, the cost of commercial electrometers, around $5000, is prohibitive to many researchers, particularly at the high-school or introductory college level. A recent Western Michigan University graduate student, Lucas Essenburg, designed a basic electrometer for $210. His thesis proved that quality electrometers can be constructed for a fraction of the price of commercial-grade equipment.

This project focused on the improvement …

Design Of A Carbon Fiber Composite Monocoque Chassis For A Formula Style Vehicle, Mitchell Hiller

Honors Theses

Western Michigan University’s Formula SAE team, Bronco Racing, designs and manufactures a formula-style vehicle to compete annually at an international collegiate design and racing competition. In order to remain competitive, Bronco Racing required a lighter chassis for the 2021 vehicle. To achieve this, the full 2020 carbon fiber monocoque chassis system was redesigned to be lightweight while considering packaging constraints, the Formula SAE rules, and design parameters set by Bronco Racing. The monocoque geometry was modeled using SolidWorks and the carbon composite was simulated, tested, and verified using ANSYS and quasi-static load frame testing. The newly designed 2021 monocoque chassis …

Aerodynamics Of Wind Loading On Buildings, Kayla Burch

Honors Theses

A three-dimensional model of a one-story residential home, with an emphasis on the roof style and structure, was modeled using CATIA and then built and tested in the wind tunnel at Western Michigan University. The wind tunnel allowed an airflow over different style roofs to be tested at 100 mile per hour winds, strengths typical for hurricanes and other natural phenomena. The measured results show the lift and drag, along with the pressure gradient and the skin friction over the roofs. The effect of these aerodynamic characteristics of the building due to adding solar panel prototypes were also evaluated. The …

Understanding Stem Instructors’ Experiences With And Perceptions Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students: The First Step Towards Increasing Access And Inclusivity, Makayla Long

Honors Theses

Through an anonymous survey we analyzed Western Michigan University (WMU) STEM instructors’ experience with and understanding of teaching and interacting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) students. The goal of this study was to capture the experiences of WMU STEM instructors and the resources available to them given their direct impact on Deaf/HoH students’ ability to succeed and receive a post-secondary education. The findings of this study support the claim that instructors are not well supported or aware of the needs of Deaf/HoH students, and do not have access to adequate resources to resolve the issue.

The first steps …

Sunseeker Solar Car Display And Driver Unit, Conner Mccarthy

Honors Theses

Digital dashboard displays with critical driver information are found in all modern vehicles. Examples of such information available to the driver include a speedometer, odometer, engine RPM, fuel gauge and more. The current 2016 Sunseeker solar car already has numerous displays that can show critical information to the driver, however, there are several problems that exist. Each display itself is less than two inches in size, the text on the screens is difficult to read, and the measurements have no units. Furthermore, these displays were made by a company that no longer exists, thus preventing the solar car team from …

Self-Disclosure Of Stuttering To Various Social Referent Groups And Its Relationships With Psychological Distress, Katrina Rourke

Honors Theses

Purpose: Research has shown that there are benefits associated with verbal disclosure of stuttering. However, most of the existing literature on stuttering disclosure has focused on how it affects listener perceptions of people who stutter, and little is known about speaker-focused outcomes of verbal stuttering disclosure. The purpose of the current study was to investigate who people who stutter verbally disclose to (e.g. friends, co-workers, neighbors) and if relationships between extent of disclosure and distress vary depending on the confidant’s social referent group. The seven social referent groups of focus were family, friends, romantic partners, people in the workplace, healthcare …

Steam Valve Thermo-Performance Analysis, Turner Slaughter

Honors Theses

Steam leaks occur in aging power systems due to heat energy loss in the valves of that system. A model was developed and programmed using Excel to determine the amount of heat energy lost in an aging power plant steam pipe valve system. This model was tested using data from an existing model called PEPSE. The PEPSE model determined the estimated energy that was lost due to seal leakage and general valve degradation. The energy from the steam was quantified using downstream temperature measurement data that was processed with multiple calculation methods to ensure accuracy in the model. The excel …

Ece Senior Design Project - Cost-Effective Diy Electrometer, Benjamin Hahn

Honors Theses

An electrometer is a critical electrophysiology instrument used to generate minuscule currents for intracellular stimulation of biological neurons. An electrometer also enables simultaneous measurement of the neuron membrane voltage response. This device is necessary to perform accurate stimulation of neurons. However, the cost of commercial electrometers, around $5000, is prohibitive to many researchers, particularly at the high-school or introductory college level. A recent Western Michigan University graduate student, Lucas Essenburg, designed a basic electrometer for $210. His thesis proved that quality electrometers can be constructed for a fraction of the price of commercial-grade equipment.

This project focused on the improvement …

Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture, Abigail Cortright

Honors Theses

The goal of the Yoda Chemical Company Paper Recycling Fiber Recapture project and subsequent report was to identify and recommend plant optimization opportunities associated with the potential recovery of five waste streams. Additionally, an analysis of the upgrade’s design was completed in order to determine the economic viability of fiber recapture. Beginning the analysis, the five waste streams were identified and analyzed. The waste streams include the top liner, back liner, and filler liner primary cleaner rejects on the K1 machine, the common rejects from under the K3 paper machine, and the tertiary cleaner rejects from stock preparation.

Two different …

A Comparison Study Of Naming, Kassidi Krzykwa

Honors Theses

Bidirectional naming is the ability to acquire a listener response or tact for a stimulus and then emit the other operant without further training. Incidental naming refers to the ability to emit the listener response and tact for the item without direct reinforcement after just being exposed to the name of the item. The development of naming could allow a child to learn more readily from the natural environment. However, it is unclear if bidirectional naming and incidental naming are two separate skills, or if one is potentially a prerequisite for the other. For this project, procedures outlined by Greer …

Stimulus Fading On Teaching Receptive Identification, Dennis Pomorski

Honors Theses

Many of the skills needed to live happily and independently are not in the repertoires of children diagnosed with autism, and they do not learn these skills through exposure to others (MacDuff, 2001). One of the skills children diagnosed with ASD struggle to develop is receptive identification. There is often a risk of prompt dependence or failure to transfer stimulus control to the desired stimuli when using LTM prompting methods. Children with autism spectrum disorder may require a different approach in developing a receptive language repertoire. The purpose of this study was to teach a child diagnosed with ASD receptive …

Social Work Students' Attitudes Towards Using Yoga, Alexis Freed

Honors Theses

Current social work students are in the position of becoming future professionals who will be providing treatment and referrals to clients. It is crucial that social workers are aware of effective treatments and utilize evidence-based practices. The present study aimed to assess opinions and knowledge of social work students towards using yoga in general and as a therapeutic intervention, which is known as trauma sensitive yoga (TSY). An anonymous survey was created in order to determine this. Participants in this study were male and female students at Western Michigan University within the College of Health and Human Services who were …

Effects Of Maternal Chemotherapy On Fetal And Childhood Development, Payton May

Honors Theses

The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy is uncommon. It is estimated that only 3,500 cases of cancer during pregnancy are diagnosed each year, which correlates to one case per 1,000 pregnancies (Pavlidis, 2000). The management of cancer during pregnancy is complex since it involves both the expecting mother and the fetus. Although there are several treatment options available, they are commonly aggressive. The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy can create dilemmas for patients and health care providers. Pregnant women may be hesitant to receive cancer treatment due to the potential effects it may have on their developing fetus. On the …

Synthesis Of Novel Temozolomide-Fatty Acid Imide Hybrid Compounds For The Chemotherapeutic Treatment Of Glioblastoma Multiforme, Janice Pakkianathan

Honors Theses

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive form of brain cancer that originates from glial cells, which make up the supportive tissue surrounding neurons. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the current chemotherapeutic drug administered to treat GBM as it works to inhibit the growth of the cancer cells. This research study focused on developing a method for synthesizing novel hybrid compounds that combines TMZ with various fatty acids known to have anticancer properties, forming a series of imide compounds with potential chemotherapeutic effects. Before synthesizing the compounds, various methods for synthesizing an imide from a primary amide were tested to ensure that TMZ …

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Among Nursing Students, Emily M. Johnson

Honors Theses

Objective

The purpose of this presentation is to exhibit the synthesis of research on the prevalence of sexual harassment against nursing students in clinical and academic settings. This presentation will also address research findings on to the effectiveness of programs to combat this problem.

Data Sources

Gather data from the databases CINAHL, ClinicalKey, PubMed, OVID and Scopus using the search terms “sexual harassment in nurs*”, “patient initiated sexual harassment”, “sexual harassment healthcare workers”, and “sexual harassment healthcare environment”.

Data Extraction

Inclusion criteria: published between the years 2009 -2019, primary research, nursing students as participants, sexual harassment experiences, harassment occurrences inside …

Teaching Echoics To A Student With Autism: Video Model Vs Live Model, Dana Waddell

Honors Theses

Learning a language is not always an easy task for all children. Typically, language is a skill that comes naturally very young in a child’s life, but for children with autism, the path to learning language is very different. The first stages of learning language involve many skills, one of which are called “echoic skills,” because the child directly echoes a sound a person elicits. This is fundamental to learning language, especially in children with autism. The field of behavior analysis has conducted great amounts of research on this topic and has found that using technology in therapy sessions can …

Matching-To-Sample Using A Tablet, Karina Salazar-Ponce

Honors Theses

Kids with autism tend to have a difficult time with one-to-one correspondence matching. Matching-to-sample is the process of pairing an identical stimulus to its corresponding stimulus, for example, matching a physical object to its corresponding picture. This is an important skill because it is the first step in teaching individuals with developmental delays visual discrimination skills and generalization of matching. The use of technology is beneficial because it helps with attending in instructional learning. Technology is also becoming more advanced and is being used more in classrooms. The purpose of this study was to teach matching-to-sample using a tablet. There …

Increasing The Echoic Repertoire Of A Child With Autism Using An Imitation And Echoic Sequence, Rose Bridges

Honors Theses

A prerequisite to many things in life is the ability to communicate. Although this may mean many different things, such as verbal language, sign language, written language, and even icons, there must be some form of communication that may be utilized to get needs across. Many young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are non-verbal, however there are also many children with ASD who have the ability to say words but are still not independently speaking. Reinforcing approximations to word sounds has been previously used as an effective way of increasing the child’s verbal repertoire (Shane, 2017). The present study …