Digital Commons Network^™

Derivatization And Separation Of Natural Estrogens (Estrone, 17Β-Estradiol, And Estriol) Using Gas Chromatography With Flame Ionization Detection (Gc-Fid), Dena L. Guptill

Masters Theses

A major cause of concern for estrogens found in the environment is that even at very low concentrations (10-100 ng/L) they can have a negative effect on aquatic ecosystems by disrupting endocrine systems. Due to the increasing importance of monitoring the levels of estrogens in the environment, a detection method was developed to identify and quantify three natural estrogens (estrone, 17β-estradiol and estriol) using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). In addition, the efficacy of two derivatizing agents, N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl) acetamide (BSTA) and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA), was evaluated. The GC detector (FID) was most responsive with E3, followed by E1 and …

Channel Morphology At A Meander Bend Chute Cutoff Partially Obstructed By Woody Debris, Drew Sobczak

Masters Theses

Field and flume experiments have examined the conceptual model for a meander bend in depth. Large woody debris piles are often associated with the development of a chute cutoff due to local aggradation and deflection of flow. This paper examines the bed morphology of a meander bend chute cutoff that is partially obstructed by woody debris. The bed morphology of the channel around the woody debris pile as well as the head of the cutoff are mapped. The pile is shielding the point bar immediately behind it and causing a narrow, deep channel on either side of the pile. The …

Hyperbolic Geometry With And Without Models, Chad Kelterborn

Masters Theses

We explore the development of hyperbolic geometry in the 18th and early 19th following the works of Legendre, Lambert, Saccheri, Bolyai, Lobachevsky, and Gauss. In their attempts to prove Euclid's parallel postulate, they developed hyperbolic geometry without a model. It was not until later in the 19th century, when Felix Klein provided a method (which was influenced by projective geometry) for viewing the hyperbolic plane as a disk in the Euclidean plane, appropriately named the "Klein disk model". Later other models for viewing the hyperbolic plane as a subset of the Euclidean plane were created, namely the Poincaré disk model, …

Ghana's E-Zwich System And The Characteristics Of Innovation, James T. Arthur

Masters Theses

In 2008, the Central Bank of Ghana launched the first ever biometric money, e-zwich, in hopes of promoting branchless banking and financial inclusion. Despite been hailed as an innovative policy aimed at transforming the financial industry of the country e-zwich has yet to realize its full potential. A number of studies has been conducted to highlight the many challenges the system faces. This study was also aimed at seeking an explanation to the relative ineffectiveness or failures of e-zwich system but through a theoretical framework. Using Rogers' (2003) framework on the characteristics of innovation, the study seeks to explain why …

Investigation Of Β-Cyclodextrin's Ability In Differentiating Chiral Guest Molecules And Synthesis Of 1,6-Diphenyl-2,4-Hexadiene-1,6-Dione, Guang Yang

Masters Theses

This research work comprised two projects. The first one mainly focused on the synthesis of 12 alanine derivatives and analysis of their interactions with β-cyclodextrin through ¹H NMR titration. And the other project was an investigation of the conjugation effect of alkynones in its addition reactions with tributyltin hydride.

The synthesis of the alanine derivatives involved methyl esterification of alanine and then the substitution of an NH hydrogen with a benzoyl group. A total of 4 different substitution groups, labeled as the "A" groups, were introduced on the para-position of the benzoyl's phenyl group. Since alanine has one chiral …

Collaboration Portal For Researchers At Eastern Illinois University, Fatemeh Khastkhodaardekani

Masters Theses

This thesis addresses a need for an online collaboration environment for the researchers at Eastern Illinois University (EIU). As the solution, it provides a portal for researchers (students and faculties) who wish to explore and collaborate on projects based on ideas from those who may not have the necessary skills. This is considered to help developing projects based on the ideas as well as making teams, and teach different groups of people different perspectives. Therefore, it offers a learning environment. I started off by examining existing tools and methodologies to satisfy this purpose. As the result, the deliverable project is …

Novel Bodipy Dyes For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Hafsah Klfout

Masters Theses

Dyes-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are of importance to efficient conversion of solar energy to electricity. The modern version of a DSC is a titanium dioxide nanoparticles-based electrochemical device, in which solar energy is absorbed by dye molecules and electrons from excited dye molecules are injected into the conduction band of titanium dioxide nanoparticle. The electrons are then transported through a network of interconnected TiO₂ particles to the fluorine- tin -oxide layer to the external circuit. In this process dye molecules are crucial to the device's energy conversion efficiency.

Boron-dipyrromethenes, known as BODIPY dyes, show strong absorption in the visible …

The Effects Of Industrial Biomass Gasification Ash As A Soil Amendment On The Earthworm Eisenia Fetida, Michael J. Blackowicz

Masters Theses

Soil application of solid residues from thermal conversion of biomass (i.e. combustion and pyrolysis) has become a topic of interest in recent years. However, there exists a gap in the literature with regard to soil application of gasification residues and their effects on soil health and soil macroorganisms. This study investigates the effects of three different ashes (hardwood oak/hickory, hardwood willow, corn stover), collected from industrial biomass gasification reactors (University of Minnesota Morris, Eastern Illinois University), as a soil amendment on the composting worm Eisenia fetida. Additionally, ash samples were analyzed for total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and potentially toxic …

Characteristics Of A Modern Ballet: The Adoption Of Sonic Vocabulary And Textual Treatment In The Earth Without Water (2014), Mark Luke Rheaume

Masters Theses

The modern ballet, as an orchestral genre, owes much of its status and value to composers of the early 20th century. Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky’s groundbreaking works, Prélude à l'apres-midi d'un faune and Le Sacre du Printemps respectively, revolutionized the sonic landscape of ballet and expanded the ideas of interaction with texts and scenarios. This paper demonstrates the continued use of these innovations in the author's composition, The Earth Without Water. This analysis identifies three categories—harmonic vocabulary, rhythmic/formal organization, and textual treatment—by which The Earth derives content or technique from Prélude and Le Sacre.

Attention Regulation, Emotion Regulation, And Cognitive Flexibility As Mediators Of The Relationship Between Mindfulness And Academic Achievement In High School Students, Andrew Baginski

Masters Theses

Mindfulness is defined as a process of purposefully paying attention to one’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences in the present moment while taking a nonjudgmental stance on them (Kabat-Zinn, 2009). While originally an Eastern approach technique in spirituality and philosophy, mindfulness has been incorporated into or served as a basis for numerous psychological therapies and treatments (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002; Kabat-Zinn, 1982, 1990). Research into mindfulness has expanded to the context of learning, where studies have demonstrated that facilitative states of mindfulness can improve the abilities of students to focus, attend, and recall information in an educational setting (Langer, 1997). …

The Lyric And The Lathe: Dreams Of Perfect Poetic Efficiency, 1800-1917, Steven A. Nathaniel

Masters Theses

This study examines patterns of efficiency in the poetry and theory of William Wordsworth, Hilda Doolittle, and other figures from the Modernist and Romantic periods. I begin by defining perfect efficiency as occurring when energy transforms, without loss, inside a closed energy system, and I offer perpetual motion machines as hypothetical examples of this impossible state. I then demonstrate the process of efficiency in William Wordsworth's poetry, which begins with circumlocutory poetic cycles but contracts into terse repetitions. Since technical efficiency is calculated by the formula output/input, poetry's subjectivity makes poetic efficiency difficult to measure. However, I suggest that repetitions …

Computer Aided Diagnosis Of Oral Cancer: Using Time-Step Ct Images, Jonathan T. Scott

Masters Theses

"In medical imaging it is a very common practice to use a technique known as Time-Step imaging in patients who might develop cancer. Time-Step imaging it a very powerful technique, however it can lead to unmanageable amounts of image data. Previously the only way to search all of this data was to manually look through all of the files. This had to be done by trained professionals who knew what to look for within the images and make a judgment about the patient based on the images. This paper discusses the development of an algorithm to have a computer search …

A Cost-Effective Haptic Device For Assistive And Rehabilitation Purposes, Archana Pradeep

Masters Theses

With the growing population of elderly, the need for assistance has also increased considerably especially for the tasks such as cleaning, reaching and grasping objects among others. There are numerous assistive devices in the market for this group of people. However, they are either too expensive or require overwhelming user effort for manipulation. Therefore, the presented research is primarily concerned with developing a low-cost, easy to use assistive device for elderly to reach and grasp objects through intuitive interface for the control of a slave anthropomorphic robotic arm (tele operator). The system also implements haptic feedback technology that enables the …

Construct Validity Of The Learning Behaviors Scale And The Academic Competence Evaluation Scales, Taryn L. Smith

Masters Theses

This research examined the convergent and discriminant validity of the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES; DiPerna & Elliott, 2000) and the Learning Behaviors Scale (LBS; McDermott, Green, Francis, & Stott, 2001). The Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; McDermott, Stott, & Marston, 1993) was compared with the ACES and LBS to examine discriminant validity. Pearson product moment correlations were obtained to examine convergent and discriminant validity. Paired samples t-tests were conducted on the ACES and LBS total and subscale scores to compare the mean scores. The ACES Academic Enabler (ACES-AE) total score was significantly, positively correlated with the …

Examination Of Teachers' Perceptions Of The Importance Of Academic Enablers, Feasibility Of Academic Enabler Instruction, And Academic Enabler Instruction Practices, Amy M. Whitcomb

Masters Theses

Academic enablers are beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that help an individual to succeed academically. The four academic enablers identified by DiPerna and Elliott (2000) and measured by the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (DiPerna & Elliott, 2000) include engagement, interpersonal skills, motivation, and study skills. A wealth of literature has detailed the critical importance of academic enablers to academic success, as well as identified specific ways which teachers can instruct students in development of these skills. While DiPerna and Elliott (2000) note that teachers' perceptions of the importance of these skills and related behaviors can assist in informing intervention for individual …

Effects Of Treated Wastewater Effluent On Microbial Community Structure In A Natural Receiving Aquatic System, Matthew D. Hladilek

Masters Theses

Despite our dependency on treatment facilities to condition wastewater for eventual release to the environment, our knowledge regarding the effects of treated water on the local watershed is extremely limited. Responses of these lotic systems to the treated wastewater effluent have been traditionally investigated by examining the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and community structure; however, these studies do not address the microbial diversity of the water systems. In the present study, planktonic and benthic bacterial community structure were examined at fourteen sites (from 60 m upstream to 12,100 m downstream) and at two time points along an aquatic system receiving treated …

Comparing Persistence Of Upward Transfer And Native Students Pursuing A Bachelor's Degree, Jacob W. Deters

Masters Theses

This study, which was conducted at a rural, Midwestern, four-year, public institution, compared the predicted persistence and factors of persistence of successful upward transfer students, transfer students who started at a community college and then transferred to the four-year institution, and native students, students who start at a four-year institution. To be considered for participation in the study, subjects had to have at least one successful semester at the research site. A quantitative study was designed using Davidson, Beck, and Milligan's (2009) questionnaire which measures predicted persistence as well as ten factors of persistence, such as social integration and academic …

Comparison Of Agency And Volunteer Stream Assessments Using Macroinvertebrate Assemblages, David William Petry

Masters Theses

Professional stream assessments can be both time and cost intensive. Many states have developed citizen science programs in an effort to provide reliable data to supplement agency assessments. To test how two of these protocols and their conclusions compare, I sampled 16 sites in seven streams within east central Illinois using techniques from two different organizations: Illinois RiverWatch and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Overall, spring RiverWatch, fall RiverWatch, and fall IEPA sampling all produced unique results and conclusions. Compared to fall IEPA assessments, spring RiverWatch was affected by differences in both sampling protocol and season. RiverWatch sampling in fall reduced …

Dysfunctional Text Messaging As Related To Social Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence, And Attentional Control, Sean E. Nelson

Masters Theses

Despite the widespread and increasing use and popularity of text messaging since the mid 1990's, the extent of the psychological literature regarding this technology is scarce. Chief amongst these underexplored areas is the relationship that text messaging, as a mode of Nonverbal Asynchronous Communication, has with Verbal Synchronous Communication abilities. For this study, these abilities have been operationalized as social anxiety, self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and attentional control. The available research implies a relationship between these concepts. Despite mostly theoretical links in the literature, no study had attempted to measure many of these relationships empirically. This study examined the relationship between …

Contextual Conditions Related To The Undergraduate Experience And The Nature Of Alumni Involvement: A Qualitative Study, Kasey G. Evans

Masters Theses

The researcher used qualitative methodology to analyze the perspectives of 5 alumni of a mid-sized Midwestern institution regarding their experiences as an undergraduate at the institution and the context of their current relationship with their alma mater. Overall, participants placed a value on giving back to the organizations and groups that they were most involved with as an undergraduate. The participants do not currently give to the institution financially but would like to in the future. The study suggests that undergraduate context is vital to future involvement with the institution.

Morphological And Surface Chemistry Characteristics Of Silica Nanoparticle Based Cryogels From Specific Processing Parameters, Ben Walusiak

Masters Theses

The goal of this research was to determine the effects of processing conditions on the morphology and surface chemistry of silica nanoparticle based cryogels. All processing conditions resulted in a change in morphology or surface chemistry compared to the starting material, CAB-O-SIL HS5 fumed silica. N₂ adsorption isotherms were used to characterize surface area and pore size distributions of fumed silica and silica cryogels. TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) was performed on all samples in order to characterize the adsorbed water and hydroxyl group content of the silica surface. Solid state ²⁹Si NMR was also used to evaluate surface chemistry …

Some Combinatorial Applications Of Sage, An Open Source Program, Jessica Ruth Chowning

Masters Theses

"In this thesis, we consider the usefulness of Sage, an online and open-source program, in analyzing permutation puzzles such as the Rubik's cube and a specific combinatorial structure called the projective plane. Many programs exist to expedite calculations in research and provide previously-unavailable solutions; some require purchase, while others, such as Sage, are available for free online. Sage is asked to handle a small permutation puzzle called Swap, and then we explore how it calculates solutions for a Rubik's cube. We then discuss projective planes, Sage's library of functions for dealing with projective planes, and how they relate to the …

Dependability Analysis And Recovery Support For Smart Grids, Isam Abdulmunem Alobaidi

Masters Theses

"The increasing scale and complexity of power grids exacerbate concerns about failure propagation. A single contingency, such as outage of a transmission line due to overload or weather-related damage, can cause cascading failures that manifest as blackouts. One objective of smart grids is to reduce the likelihood of cascading failure through the use of power electronics devices that can prevent, isolate, and mitigate the effects of faults. Given that these devices are themselves prone to failure, we seek to quantify the effects of their use on dependability attributes of smart grid. This thesis articulates analytical methods for analyzing two dependability …

Estimation Of Tip-Sample Force In Tapping Mode Atomic Force Microscopy Using Neural-Network And Repetitive Control Approaches, Alireza Toghraee

Masters Theses

"Atomic Force Microscopy is one of the most powerful tools for imaging, measuring and manipulating materials at nanometer scale. Among different modes of AFM, tapping mode, in which the oscillating tip touches the sample periodically, is most common mode. During the tip approach and retract, the tip interacts with sample and experiences different force regimes. This tip-sample interaction force contains information about the sample topology, material properties and tip geometry. However, quantitative measurement of the time-varying tip-sample interaction forcing function is challenging in the tapping mode because of the combined dynamic complexities of the cantilever and nonlinear complexity of the …

Experimental Study Of Crude Oil Emulsion Stability By Surfactants And Nanoparticles, Zainab Alabdulmohsen

Masters Theses

"Surfactants and nanoparticles are materials being widely used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Surfactants are mainly used to reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water which could form a stable film of emulsion between these two immiscible fluids. Also, nanotechnology is a potential candidate to offer another solution to improve oil recovery. Nanoparticles can form a solid layer at the droplet's interface and stand as resistant stabilizer under harsh reservoir conditions.

This research investigates whether the combination of surfactants and nanoparticles can provide a more stable emulsion than surfactants only. Two parts of experimental study have been done in …

Online Diagnosis Of Diabetes With Twitter Data, Farheen Ali

Masters Theses

"Innovation in technology enables people to communicate, share information and look for their needs by just sitting in rooms and going through some clicks. While social media has played a very important role in connecting people worldwide, its potential has stretched beyond the innovative idea of connecting people through their social networks. While many thought there was no meeting point for the healthcare sector and social media, it was a surprise when research and innovations have shown that social media could lay a very significant role in the health care sector.

Research has been done in developing models that could …

Determining Rockfall Volumes In Three Sites Along Habs Mountain Road In Southwestern Saudi Arabia, Using Lidar Technology, Abdullah Ayed Al-Otaibi

Masters Theses

"The rugged elevated topography is a characteristic feature of the western and southwestern regions of Saudi Arabia. Few arterial roads connect the scattered villages of these regions to major cities, such as Habs Road in Jazan region. Rock fall poses a serious hazard to people, property and animals along the rock cuts of this road. Although no traditional Rockfall studies have previously been applied to this road, accessibility and rock formation shape and structure variability influenced the choice of using Terrestrial Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) technology to calculate the volume of rockfall at selected sites along this road.

Software …

Numerical Study Of Upstream And Downstream Regions Of One Dimensional Detonation Wave In A Dusty Gas Medium, Shubhadeep Banik

Masters Theses

"In detonative combustion very high temperatures are attained by the burned gases. As a result, a large amount of thermal energy is produced during the combustion process. This heat can affect the state of the unburned fuel through radiation of heat from the burned gases. In this study a one-dimensional model was deemed appropriate to gain insight into the fundamental structure of the detonation wave. In this model, the detonation wave divides the fluid stream into an upstream region, consisting of fuel and oxidant, and a downstream region, consisting of burned gases. A set of computer programs, some developed during …

Palynological Interpretations Of Deep Sea Drilling Projects Cores In The Gulf Of Mexico And Bahamian Platform, Adam Patrick Barron

Masters Theses

"One hundred drill core samples were from Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Sites 94, 98, and 540 were investigated for their palynological contents (pollen, spores, acritarchs, dinoflagellate cysts, and dispersed organic matter) to infer the paleoenvironmental and paleoceanographic history of the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamian Platform during the middle Eocene to middle Miocene interval. At Sites 94 and 540, abundant dinoflagellate cysts (chiefly Operculodinium centrocarpum, Lingulodinium machaerophorum, Impagidinium sp., Nematosphaeropsis sp., and Spiniferites spp.) were used as paleoenvironmental indicators. Two alternating palynofacies assemblages were identified from dispersed organic matter analysis: terrestrially influenced assemblage A and marine dominated assemblage …

Impact Of Configuration Variations On Small Modular Reactor Core Performance, William Kirby Compton

Masters Theses

"One of the most promising new reactor designs is the Small Modular Reactor (SMR). These reactors, which operate under 300 MWe, will help bring cheap and safe nuclear energy to remote and centralized locations alike. Their ease of construction, advanced passive safety features, and cost effectiveness make these reactors an intriguing option for the near future.

In the work presented here, a neutronics analysis of the Westinghouse SMR was performed. Westinghouse's SMR design is a scaled down version of their AP1000 plant and will produce about 225 MWe of power. Though the parameters of the reactor core will be modeled …