Digital Commons Network^™

Green Roof Water Quality Impacts And Physicochemical Stability, Grace Ella Harper

Masters Theses

"Green roofs can provide environmental benefits and conserve energy; this research evaluated green roof stormwater management, nutrient loading, and erosion prevention for two green roof media. During a pilot study, the runoff quantity and composition from green roof material was evaluated continuously under field conditions for two different media, both tested under planted and unplanted conditions. Water quantity results show over a 40% reduction in runoff from just the growing media and over 60% reduction in runoff with established plants in green roof media over the eight month study. Previous studies have reported a "first flush" of excess nutrients but …

Liquid Phase Sintering Of 20bi(Zn₀.₅Ti₀.₅)O₃-80batio₃ Dielectrics With Bismuth-Zinc-Borate And Bismuth Borosilicate Glasses, David I. Shahin

Masters Theses

"Dielectrics in the Bi(Zn₀.₅Ti₀.₅O₃-BaTiO₃ system (specifically 20BZT-80BT, in mol%) are promising candidates for high energy density capacitor applications due to broad temperature-dependent dielectric constant maxima and a relatively field-independent permittivity. Bulk samples require sintering temperatures of greater than 1180ºC to reach useful densities. Due to incompatibility of Bi with low-pO₂ processing, BZT-BT-based multilayer capacitors must utilize noble metal electrodes that resist oxidation during sintering. Sintering temperatures must be reduced to allow use of less expensive electrode materials (Cu, etc.). This work studies the reduced temperature sintering behavior and dielectric properties of BZT-BT sintered with 30 Bi₂O₃-30ZnO-40B₂O₃ and 50Bi₂O₃-25B₂O₃-25SiO₂ (mol%) liquid …

Communication Protocols For Integrated Fiber Optic Sensor Interrogator, Tameem Ahmed Khan

Masters Theses

"Fiber optic sensors have gained rapid recognition in sensing environmental factors such as strain, stress, acoustics, pressure, temperature among emerging other sensing applications. Major advantages of fiber based systems are small size, light weight, multiplex-ability of sensors on a single fiber, and immunity to Radio Frequency (RF) interference. However, single most major disadvantage of such technology is that traditionally the interrogation systems are typically bulky and heavy lab only equipment. Embed-ability of sensors into different structures and environments requires that the whole systems (sensors + interrogator) be small, modular and portable. This thesis presents such a custom Fiber optic Sensor …

Production Of 1,3-Propanediol From Glycerol Under Haloalkaline Conditions By Halanaerobium Hydrogeniformans, Daniel William Roush

Masters Theses

"With increased demands around the world to make modern lifestyles more environmentally friendly, the chemical commodity market has rapidly shifted. Through new technologies in chemical production, certain high value products have oversaturated the market and have become high-volume, low value waste products. The expansion of biodiesel production offers a prime example; high volumes of glycerol byproduct from this process have shifted glycerol from a high priced commodity to a common waste product. A number of microorganisms are known to synthesize the polymeric precursor 1,3-propanediol from glycerol; however, crude glycerol from biodiesel production creates a harsh environment for most microbes, and …

Insufficient Ct Data Reconstruction Based On Directional Total Variation (Dtv) Regularized Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization (Mlem) Method, Fahima Fahmida Islam

Masters Theses

"Sparse tomography is an efficient technique which saves time as well as minimizes cost. However, due to few angular data it implies the image reconstruction problem as ill-posed. In the ill posed problem, even with exact data constraints, the inversion cannot be uniquely performed. Therefore, selection of suitable method to optimize the reconstruction problems plays an important role in sparse data CT. Use of regularization function is a well-known method to control the artifacts in limited angle data acquisition. In this work, we propose directional total variation regularized ordered subset (OS) type image reconstruction method for neutron limited data CT. …

Tensile Failure During Structural Development Of Single-Layer Buckle Folds, Xiaolong Liu

Masters Theses

"Folds and fold trains of sedimentary strata are among the most common structural traps systems for hydrocarbon reservoirs. The existence of tensile fractures associated to buckle folding is associated to the distribution of extensional strain in the outer arc of the fold hinges. This study investigates the conditions under which tensile stresses develop due to buckling in a realistic in situ stress scenario. By applying a 2D finite element modeling approach, the influence of realistic mechanical stratigraphy (including strain rate, overburden depth, competence contrasts, viscosity, and permeability) on the development of single-layer buckle folds with Newtonian viscous rheology is studied. …

Role Of Nicotine In Oxidative Stress, Rakesh Kacham

Masters Theses

"Nicotine, a major alkaloid, is present in tobacco products as well as in smaller amounts in potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. Although it is the addictive compound in cigarettes, nicotine is believed to play a protective role in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Researchers have found that the short-term administration of nicotine may help improve the memory process by reducing oxidative stress in the brain. Our studies have shown that, by blocking Fenton's reaction, nicotine is able to inhibit free radical generation, so this research has focused on the antioxidant properties of nicotine. The cell lines of the alveoli, blood …

Processing And Properties Of Zrb₂-Zrsi₂ Matrix Composites Reinforced With Continuous Sic Fiber, Benjamin John Bowin Lai

Masters Theses

"The research presented in this thesis focuses on the processing, microstructure, and mechanical properties of ZrB₂-based composites. The main goal was to develop a process that incorporates high strength continuous SiC fiber in a ZrB₂-based matrix. In order to achieve this, the densification, microstructure, and mechanical properties of ZrB₂-ZrSi₂ monolithic ceramics were characterized along with various SiC fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) utilizing the same matrix.

There were two main areas of study in this thesis. The initial study demonstrated that additions of ZrSi₂ into a ZrB₂ ceramic increases densification at significantly reduced processing temperatures ≤1600ºC). This study revealed …

Hyper-Gender Roles In Relation To Sexual Aggression, Jaclyn May D'Andrea

Masters Theses

This study analyzes sexual aggression according to hyper-gender roles and fraternity/sorority membership at a midsize, midwestern university. The question examined through the research was whether hyper-gender roles affect an individual's sexual experience and whether fraternity and sorority communities are more likely to endorse hyper-gender roles. Secondly, it researched the risk factors behind fraternity and sorority groups through membership and traditions concerning these groups such as hypermasculinity male bonding and desensitization of sorority women. Hypermasculinity, hyperfemininity, and sexual aggression were collected using Koss and Gidycz (1985) Sexual Experience Survey, Mosher and Sirkin (1984) Hypermasculinity Inventory and Murne and Byrne (1991) Hyperfemininity …

Students' Consumption Of Healthy Food Items Using A Social Marketing Intervention, Kayla Autumn Dalton

Masters Theses

This study was an analysis of student eating habits in an "all-you-care-to-eat" dining center at a mid-size, four year, Midwest residential institution. The present, quantitative study was replicated based off a study conducted in 2008 at a similar Midwest university by Diana Poovey Duncan. The present study examined college students' (n = 218) eating habits and consumption patterns over a nine-week study period. Participants were solicited to take the pre-intervention survey in person with incentives during the second week of the study while a post-intervention survey was sent electronically during the seventh week only to those whom provided an …

Organizational Identity As A Promotional Tool: The Case Of The Panther Paw, Samantha L. Neal

Masters Theses

This paper examines a promotional campaign that was put together during the fall semester of 2012. The campaign was for a local bar, the Panther Paw Bar and Grill, and after data collection, it was determined that the main issue the bar suffered from was a lack of identity. So, with this knowledge, organizational identity was chosen as the main promotional tool for the campaign. The content of this paper outlines this process from start to finish including data collection, the plan put in place for the bar, and the promotional work that was done throughout the fall semester of …

College Women And Body Image Perception: The Influence Of Peers, Television, And Print Media, Sarah J. Knapp

Masters Theses

This study sought to identify how college women's image of self and their bodies are impacted by their peers, as well as by television and print media. The findings were based on qualitative research methodology by conducting in-depth interviews with four college-aged women at a rural, Midwestern university.

The findings were not substantially different from other researchers findings on women in previous literature. The women in this study faced similar problems that other women had encountered before them: peer influence, body image dissatisfaction, their own college development path, and how they perceive their body image in comparison to other women. …

Suicide Promotion Online: Frequency Of Access By High Risk Individuals, Daniel Stabin

Masters Theses

Online suicide promotion is a recent and potentially problematic phenomenon in which individuals provide detailed instructions for or encouragement to enact self-harm to other internet users. These types of resources are freely available to anyone willing to look for them, and there is no legal hindrance to prevent their continued operations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which people in the general, nonclinical population access these sites with a particular interested in individuals experiencing depressive symptoms and in young adults. Both populations are likely to be influenced by suicide promotion. I predicted that individuals with …

Student Organization Advisors: What Role Do Advisors Play And How Are They Trained?, Tyler J. Micek

Masters Theses

The position of a Registered Student Organization faculty or staff advisor is one that encompasses a wide variety of roles; these roles are ever changing based on the situation and the students involved. With each faculty and staff advisor bringing a different set of previous knowledge and experience, advisors may not be fully prepared for all aspects of the job. Some come in with the knowledge of the organization or an understanding of the goals of the organization, but they are not familiar with the operating procedures at the institution or have any background in student development or group dynamics. …

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

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Internet Accessible Remote Real-Time Laboratory For Computer Networking Curriculum, Oyindamola Idowu

Masters Theses

Despite the availability of equipment required to teach hands-on laboratory practices in a computer networking curriculum, educators are faced with the challenge of extending such practices to students in remote locations. Distance learning has become a substantial part of the current education system, requiring institutes of learning adjusting from traditional face-to-face courses to content that can be carried out over the internet so that students can complete part or all the requirements for certain courses in an online modality. Unfortunately, traditional networking laboratories were designed with the assumption students will be physically present. This research is aimed to provide at …

Pygmalion Music Festival As Alternative Media? A Critical Analysis Of The Intersection Of Independence And Corporatization, Patrick R. Singer

Masters Theses

This study of Pygmalion Music Festival utilizes a theoretical framework of alternative media theory to analyze the festival's position in independent and corporate music festival and concert production. Pygmalion Music Festival is a mid-sized independently owned and operated music festival held annually in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. This research investigates the progression of independent ( or "indie") music culture, how the industry has gradually become co-opted by the corporate music industry, and how Pygmalion Music Festival is situated within the indie/corporate binary. This binary is not black and white, rather an intersection that creates a blurred area between the two. "Indie" artists …

Video Game Cultivation: Sowing The Seeds Of Consumer Behavior, Jonathan K. Mattson

Masters Theses

George Gerbner (1998) dedicated a significant amount of this life attempting to understand the creation and impact of mass media messages on viewers. Out of this research sprang cultivation theory, which holds viewers' realities can be impacted over time by the media environment they inhabit and its overarching messages. While often applied to television, cultivation theory has largely ignored other mediums, specifically video games. Video games have evolved as a medium since the public arcades of the 1980's and now run on high-powered, internet-enabled consoles. These consoles allow producers into the home of the consumer, saturating them with messages. This …

Those Who Slay Together, Stay Together: A Thematic Analysis Of Concert Fan Narratives And The I-57 Youth Punk Music Scene, Michael James Janowski

Masters Theses

This study uses qualitative methods of narrative interviewing and thematic analysis of narrative to explore the communicative phenomenon of youth punk concert fan story-telling. It explores how the phenomenon functions to construct the subculture of the I-57 youth punk concert fan music scene. Through methods of thematic analysis of narrative, the study works to deconstruct numerous implicit understandings and taken-for-granted assumptions that drive and govern interactions among youth punk music fans participating within the I-57 youth punk music scene. The study is broken down into four exploratory categories where meanings are derived and critically analyzed: youth, punk, fandom, and the …

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

Masters Theses

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

Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Underlying The Interaction Of Apoe And Estrogen In Olfactory Neuronal Growth-Potential Relevance To Alzheimer's Disease, Minh Luong

Masters Theses

In recent years, there have been many studies looking at estrogen therapy (ET) as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Literature review suggests a close relationship between estrogen and apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the central nervous system. The mechanism underlying the interaction of apoE genotype with estrogen in the nervous system is not yet known. Therefore, the objectives of this research are 1) to determine the effects of estradiol treatment on basal cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation and 2) to identify the estrogen receptor subtype (ERα and ERβ) that mediates the increase of apoE levels, neurite outgrowth and neuronal numbers.

Results …

Identity Theft Among College Students, Laura B. Lucas

Masters Theses

Identity theft is prominent and is specifically affecting the general population of young adults. There is a void the in research that focuses on parental influence regarding identity theft on their college children. Prior research shows that identity theft is rapidly growing and is a problem. (Winterdyk & Thompson, 2008). The aims of this study are to enhance the awareness of identity theft, and to show the importance of identity theft education. Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory is applied to the study as well, and is used a potential guide to understanding the effects of parental behavior and perceptions of …

"A Few Smooth Moves": Phi Rho Eta Fraternity Inc. National Branding Campaign, Shea E. Brunson

Masters Theses

For my creative thesis, I chose to conduct a public relations campaign for Phi Rho Eta Fraternity Inc. For the past 18 years, Phi Rho Eta Fraternity Inc. has worked towards emphasizing academic excellence, community development, and brotherhood among black men, with all efforts relating to the core fraternity principles of pride, respect, and excellence. As the fraternity nears its second decade of existence and grows at an exponential rate; the need for a cohesive, unified brand has become the focus of the national executive board. It is for this reason that my PR campaign focuses on branding and re-branding. …

Cup Size Effects On Soda Consumption, Lisa Heiser

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Teaching Genre Utilizing The Common Core Standards: A Study Examining Students With Disabilities Within Different Academic Settings, Amber Laquet

Masters Theses

Due to a shift to the Common Core State Standards, many teachers are in a state of transition. This thesis examines this transition by taking an in-depth look into three different classroom settings: an 8th grade general education literature and grammar classroom, an 8th grade special education (resource) literature and grammar classroom, and a co-taught 10th grade English classroom. As the Common Core State Standards require more rigorous and deeper understanding of material, the goal of the study is to look specifically into the role of teaching writing genres to students and the acquisition of the genre based on the …

Is Nigeria's Conflict Ethnic Or Religious?: Resolving The Escalating Conflict In Nigeria, Ejikeme Nonso Alo

Masters Theses

The history and politics in Nigeria have often been characterized and marred with conflict, ranging from political to religious, ethnic and electoral violence. In this study, Edward Azar's Protracted Social Conflict theory which advocates for a multidimensional analysis of conflict was adopted in an attempt to properly understanding the nature and manifestation of the current Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria. Methodologically, both the qualitative and quantitative methods were deployed. Survey's (questionnaires and evidence from social media) was conducted in the three regions with the aim of comparing and contrasting various perspectives on the root cause of the conflict. While lack …

Don't Waist Your College Experience: Administering Nutrition Education Through Facebook, Brittany A. Zaring

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of social media, specifically Face book, as a medium of providing nutrition education and its impact on college students' food choices. A Facebook group was designed, Don't Waist Your College Experience, and college students were invited to join and participate in the nutrition education intervention and complete a pre- and post- revised version of the Rapid Eating Assessment for Patients (REAP). Fortytwo participants (98% Caucasian, 86% females, 60% graduate students) completed the pre-REAP questionnaire and 10 of those also completed the post-REAP questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to assess dietary …

The Construction Of Spiritual Identity: Cmm And Conversion To Catholicism, Stephanie Gruner

Masters Theses

This study uses the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) to examine the spiritual stories of six people who were not raised Catholic, but joined the Catholic faith as adults. The participants' experiences reveal that their spiritual identities have both personal and communal aspects and that they view their identities as both fixed and changing. Additionally, when communicating their spiritualities to others these individuals must balance relationship concerns with the desire to express their spiritual identities. Applying CMM's hierarchy of meaning to the data shows that the levels work together in shaping the participants' understandings of their identities. The participants' relationships …

Effects Of Material Variables And Process Parameters On Properties Of Investment Casting Shells, Priyatham Tumurugoti

Masters Theses

"Manufacture of investment casting shells is a complex process. The choice of raw materials - refractory powders or grains, binders and additives - affects the properties of investment casting shells. In this study, different systems of shells were prepared, according to a design of experiments, with commercially available raw materials that differ in chemistry, particle size or particle size distribution. Shell strength was measured in green, fired and cooled, and hot conditions and the results were analyzed for strength-material property relation. Various microstructures of polished cross sections of these shells were characterized using scanning electron microscope. It was determined that …

Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Properties Of Metal-Ion Doped Borate Bioactive Glasses For Clinical Applications, Megan Ottomeyer

Masters Theses

"Bioactive glasses with antimicrobial properties can be implemented as coatings on medical devices and implants, as well as a treatment for tissue repair and prevention of common hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA A borate-containing glass, B3, is also undergoing clinical trials to assess wound-healing properties. The sensitivities of various bacteria to B3, B3-Ag, B3-Ga, and B3-I bioactive glasses were tested. In addition, the mechanism of action for the glasses was studied by spectroscopic enzyme kinetics experiments, Live-Dead staining fluorescence microscopy, and luminescence assays using two gene fusion strains of Escherichia coli.

It was found that gram-positive bacteria were more …