Digital Commons Network^™

Why Does The United States Give Foreign Aid?, Abalo Awesso

Masters Theses

This thesis examined many controversies surrounding the distribution of U.S. foreign aid, most precisely the factors explaining the allocation of U.S. foreign aid, the congressional foreign policy behavior related to foreign aid decisions, and the impact of foreign lobbying. The findings suggest that the United States' security interests appear to be the central basis on which the United States distributes its Gross Bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). Meanwhile, the congressional foreign policy behavior reveals that even though the Democrats are more likely to sponsor most foreign aid bills the Democratic Party's control in Congress does not guarantee that all or …

Romantic Conflict: A Problematic Integration, Alyssa Obradovich

Masters Theses

Though conflict is to be expected in most romantic relationships, research determines the amount of conflict within a relationship is likely to peak in the dissolution phase. Ending relationships is rarely easy, and the experience can be wrought with mixed emotions and uncertainty. Problematic integration theory offers a perspective that specifically deals with uncertainty and ambivalence but has yet to be applied to romantic conflict. This thesis examines uncertainty in conflict within the dissolution phase of romantic relationships. This perspective offers a more holistic view of how couples negotiate uncertainty in dissolving conflicts.

Constitutive Walls: The U.S.-Mexico Border Fence And Constructing Identity, Mary Katherine Klipp

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the growing literature of constitutive rhetoric, originally coined by Maurice Charland. Through a case study of the US/Mexico border fence, I illustrate that the communicative tactics of articulation, appropriation and image events have the potential to act as interpellative strategies of identity construction. Through my analysis, I show how these strategies function in constitutive rhetoric in both verbal discourses and in visual rhetoric through image events. I also note that the lack of discourses in an argument may have implications that are equally significant to those that are present.

The Impact Of A Sociology Career Planning Seminar On Students' Perceptions Of Career Barriers, Career Decision-Making Difficulties And Career Decision Self-Efficacy, Wendy M. Downing

Masters Theses

This study examined a sociology career planning seminar's impact on students' perceptions of barriers to career planning, career decision-making difficulties and career decision self-efficacy during the fall 2010 semester. Students enrolled in the career seminar were placed into the treatment group, while students enrolled in a sophomore sociology course were placed in the control group. The Perceptions of Barriers Scale - Modified Version (Luzzo & McWhirter, 2001), the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (Gati, Krausz & Osipow, 1996) and the Career Decision Self-Efficacy. Scale- Short Form (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996) were used to determine the impact of the course. Paired …

The Frequency, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Sexting Among College Students, Amanda Woolard

Masters Theses

Through the use of various forms of media, "sexting" has become a phrase common in contemporary society. Although the definition has varied through the past years, a recent study by Elizabeth Eraker (2010) stated, "sexting refers to the self-production and distribution by cell phone of sexually explicit images in the course of consensual, voluntary activity by teenagers" (p. 557). The purpose of this research was to assess the frequency of sexting, attitudes regarding sexting, and the beliefs to engage in sexting among the college population. The current study ( 1) examined the frequency of sexting among college students, (2) explored …

A Functional Genomics Approach To Analyze Two Methionine-[Gamma]-Lyase Orthologs In "Ferroplasma Acidarmanus" Using In Vitro Enzyme Assays, Md. A. Wadud Khan

Masters Theses

Functional genomics predicts that ferl genome has two candidate genes for the production of two methionine-y-lyase (MGL) orthologs, which are thought to be pivotal for the production of methanethiol. These orthologs show a high level of protein sequence identity ( ~ 3 5%) and similarity (~60%) when compared to known MGLs. In addition, ClustalW2 alignment of ferl MGL orthologs and other known MG Ls showed a high level of similarity in amino acid residues, which are involved for the stabilization of 3D structure of MGL and in forming active site for the substrates. To confirm the predictive functions of these …

Method Developments To Analyze Caffeine And Acesulfame-K Concentrations In Natural Waters In And Around Charleston, Il, Usa, Laleen Bodhipaksha

Masters Theses

Analytical methods using batch solid phase extraction were developed for two chemical markers, caffeine and acesulfame-K, to assess anthropogenic water contamination of natural water bodies in and around Charleston, Illinois.

Measurements were conducted on 12 different extracted samples using reverse phase HPLC. Two creek samples showed the presence of acesulfame-K (0.45 ± 0.10 and 0.25 ± 0.06 ppb) and two creek samples showed the presence of caffeine (3 .1 ± 1.2 and 1.6 ± 0.6 ppb ). Effluent from the Charleston waste water treatment plant showed an acesulfame-K concentration of 0.67 ± 0.15 ppb.

These results indicate measurement of both …

The Graying Of Facebook: Emerging Adults And Their Parents As Facebook Friends (Fbf), Jodi M. Jackson

Masters Theses

Emerging adults and their parents have a unique relationship, especially during the transition into emerging adulthood. More specifically, as emerging adults and their parents navigate the waters of being Face book friends (FBF), they must learn to negotiate dialectical tensions, along with other prominent issues such as boundary management, impression management, managing tensions, and ease of communication Facebook provides. The core of this study centers around Baxter and Montgomery's (1996) theory on Relational Dialectics. Interviews with both emerging adults and their parents were conducted and analyzed to provide the results of this study. This study explores the intersection between social …

Happiness And Me: An Exploratory Study Of Parental And Romantic Attachments And Self-Esteem And Their Effects On Adulthood Body Image Dissatisfaction, Stephanie Kibble

Masters Theses

In this study, the author investigated parental attachments, self-esteem, and romantic satisfaction as they related to the cognitive and affective components of the selfconcept when represented through Body Image Dissatisfaction (BID). The study was a within-subject design with 70 participants. They participants were instructed to report their feelings about each of these variables through 4 questionnaires. Individuals with low self-esteem identified as having increased BID as compared to those individuals with high self-esteem. Compared with those who reported supportive parental attachments, individuals with a highly overprotective mother reported higher BID. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender had no significant impact …

School Attachment And The Use Of Alcohol Among Rural High School Students, Michelle L. Weiler

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between school attachment and alcohol use in rural communities to determine if students with high levels of school attachment were less likely to participate in alcohol use. Participants included 4,768 high schools students in the largest rural geographic educational region in the state of Illinois. The students participated in a program called I Sing the Body Electric and completed a survey which asked questions including how well students are attached to their school and alcohol use. Chi square goodness of fit tests were used to analyze student's reporting of school attachment, how old they …

Does Quantitative Or Qualitative Data Lower Stigma Of Those Suffering From Schizophrenia?, Fred A. Washburn

Masters Theses

This study examines social tolerance and support for legal coercion for people suffering from schizophrenia. Mental illness, defined as a biomedical illness, has decreased stigma and support for legal coercion for other mental illnesses but has the inverse relationship with schizophrenia (Phelan, Yang, Cruz-Rojas, 2006; Schnittker, 2008). This increase in stigma may be linked to scientific quantitative data that places the illness in control of the person. The study examines Eastern Illinois University students' (N=130) level of social tolerance and support for legal coercion for people suffering from schizophrenia after they have been exposed to qualitative data, quantitative data, or …

Eulalee Anderson: Pioneer In International Student Programs At Eastern Illinois University, Bria Phillips

Masters Theses

Eulalee Anderson, a higher education scholar and leader in the office of international students and scholars spent her days tending to the development and support of international students attending college in the United States, specifically at Eastern Illinois University. Born in Port Alegre, Brazil in 1919, she earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Oklahoma and three masters degrees at Eastern Illinois University. The majority of her professional career was at Eastern Illinois University where she first worked in Booth Library at the circulation desk and later joined what was then called the International Programs office as the international …

Perceptions Of Body Image: A Study Of College Women In Sororities And Not In Sororities, Amy L. Piekarski

Masters Theses

College students, especially women, experience several extreme changes during their undergraduate years. These changes occur in areas of physical development, mental capacity, personality expression, and interpersonal relationship development. With these women leaving home and trying to find their place and fit in at their new institution, they seek out various groups of people and organizations to join. One group or organization that many college women engage in is sorority membership. To date, minimal research has been conducted to investigate whether membership in a sorority has a negative or positive effect on their self images. The purpose of the present study …

Evaluation Of College Counseling Websites Regarding Suicide Prevention/Depression Referral Services, Heather L. Zike

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if the 12 public colleges and universities within the state of Illinois contained information on their counseling websites in regards to topics of depression and suicide (2) examine if the websites contained self-evaluations for depression (3) determine if the website contains external links that are highly regarded informative links for depression and suicide among college students, (4) information for faculty/ staff to make referrals, and (5) information for family and loved ones to make referrals.

An Incentive Based Approach To Detect Selfish Nodes In Mobile P2p Network, Hemanth Meka

Masters Theses

"The growth of mobile devices led to the wide use of Mobile P2P networks. These networks are used in a wide variety of areas and hence there is lot of research in the field of mobile networks. Detecting selfish nodes is one of the research topics triggered due to the popularity of mobile P2P networks. It is necessary to detect selfish nodes in such networks to improve the efficiency of the network. In this thesis, an incentive based approach to detect selfish nodes is designed and evaluated. This approach differs from the existing work as it (i) can be used …

3-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Using Different Fuels, Sachin Laxman Puthran

Masters Theses

"Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology has been of great interest over many years due to its flexibility in using different fuels for operation; including the fundamental fuel i.e. Hydrogen. Various computational and numerical models have been developed along with experimental work to evaluate the performance as well as to identify and overcome the problems faced in the development of SOFC's. In an attempt to achieve efficient operation with respect to design and combined thermal and electrochemical perspective, the main objective of the proposed study is to present a three-dimensional computational model, which will serve as a framework for the …

Design, Analysis, And Optimization Of Composite Structures For Aerospace Applications, Tyler Jason Keil

Masters Theses

"This thesis contains three papers that focus on composites that pertain to a variety of structures commonly found in the aerospace industry. The first paper presents an investigation of the stowage and deployment strength of a thin carbon fiber-reinforced polymer shell capable of being rolled and stowed in a tight rolled configuration. The intent of this structure is for use as a segment of a larger deployable reflective aperture. This study involved finite element analysis of several laminates, coupon-level and full-scale prototype testing, which provided a much needed insight and benchmark of composite shells used in this manner.

The second …

Nomadic Amdo Tibetan Glu Folk Songs, Wendolyn Craun

Masters Theses

Tibetan glu folk songs are a literary and musical expression historically passed down from generation to generation. This regional study purposes to define the origins, influences, categories, qualities, and significance of nomadic Amdo Tibetan glu folk songs. These topics are explored within the settings of Tibetan culture, history, theory, and current usage. Recordings of twenty-seven glu folk songs accompanied by transcribed text and music offer contemporary examples of this song genre that is quickly disappearing. The ultimate goal of this study is to answer the question: What are the defining characteristics of nomadic Amdo Tibetan glu folk songs?

Communication In Intercultural Marriages: Managing Cultural Differences And Conflict For Marital Satisfaction, Tiffany G. Renalds

Masters Theses

This qualitative study investigated the phenomenon of intercultural marriages, particularly the unique internal and external elements that impact communication and conflict within intercultural marriages of varying lengths and the intercultural communication competencies utilized by spouses in intercultural marriages. The research focused on three questions: (1) Which internal and external factors impact the effectiveness of communication between spouses in intercultural marriages the most? (2) Which communication competencies do spouses in intercultural marriages develop in order to address cross-cultural differences? (3) How do spouses in intercultural marriages experience and deal with conflict within their intercultural marriages? Data was obtained employing semi-structured interviews. …

Electrodeposition Of Metallic Gas Diffusion Layers For Use In Pem Fuel Cells, Gargi Tandra

Masters Theses

"This work developed a novel method of using Electrodeposition techniques to fabricate metallic gas diffusion layers (GDLs) for application in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. These GDLs improve the electrical and thermal conductivity of the fuel cells, and their straight, noncircular pores remove water efficiently. The Electrodeposition technique used here relies on a sacrificial copper anode and an aluminum sheet 50 µm thick acts as a cathode. Unlike the other laboratory based methods available for the fabrication of metallic GDLs, this method is simple and cost effective. With controlled deposition parameters and a chemical lift-off process that corrodes the aluminum …

Installation And Performance Evaluation Of Coaxial Cable Sensors For Crack And Corrosion Detection, Iana Muchaidze

Masters Theses

"Even under service loads, reinforced concrete (RC) structures can develop cracks that result in excessive deflection of the structures and provide passages for moisture to corrode steel reinforcement. It is thus critical to develop a simple, cost-effective tool for real-time crack monitoring and associated corrosion detection that may affect the engineering maintenance of RC structures. The objectives of this study include: (1) to develop a die-cut manufacturing process of coaxial cables with spiral outer conductors, (2) to quantify the sensing properties of a miniaturized topology-based crack sensor, (3) to investigate the effectiveness of various sensor installation procedures in RC applications, …

Mutation Of The Hof1 Pest Domain Affects Cytokinesis In Budding Yeast, Katherine E. Stockstill

Masters Theses

"Cytokinesis is the division of a cell into two daughter cells. Cytokinesis failure results in polyploidy, which may contribute to tumorigenesis or cause cell death. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Hof1, which is required for efficient cytokinesis, is phosphorylated during mitosis. The hypothesis that MEN (mitotic exit network) dependent phosphorylation regulates Hof1 degradation, triggering completion of cytokinesis was tested. Hof1 contains a PEST sequence, which is rich in proline, glutamic acid, serine, and threonine, and is believed to be involved in protein degradation. To test the hypothesis, we created two non-phosphorylatable mutants of the Hof1 PEST domain tagged with GFP. The …

The History Of Technical Communication Instruction At Missouri University Of Science And Technology: The Evolution Of A Curriculum, Elizabeth Marie Roberson

Masters Theses

"This thesis provides a written record of the history of technical communication instruction at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). Beginning with the school's inception in 1871 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (MSM) through to the year 2005, I have examined course catalogs and department files and conducted interviews to provide an overview of the evolution of technical communication instruction at this institution. To better understand this evolution, I have also provided a framework for the development of the English department from a single course in 1871 to the current Department of English and Technical …

Trait Approach To Leadership In Campus Organizations: The Hogan Personality Inventory As A Predictor, Christyn Nicolle Collum

Masters Theses

"The trait approach to leadership has been researched extensively and applied to several fields. This study examined whether or not student leadership in registered student organizations is related to personality traits on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus from spring semesters 2008, 2009, and 2010. It also explored whether or not traits are related to students joining organizations, during these same semesters. The students' personalities were evaluated using the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPJ), which entering freshmen voluntarily completed. The seven scales of the HPJ are Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitiveness, and Learning Approach. Personality results were …

Relaxation Imaging To Characterize Lightweight Polymer-Crosslinked Aerogels, Emmalou T. Satterfield

Masters Theses

"Silica aerogels are three-dimensional assemblies of silica nanoparticles with extremely low densities. In some instances, the internal void volume is more than 90% of the total volume. The highly porous structure of the aerogels leads to attractive properties for thermal and noise insulation, due to very low thermal conductivity and very high acoustic impedance. The strength of silica aerogels has been substantially improved by casting a thin conformal polymer coating over the entire internal porous surfaces of the nanostructure. The coating reinforces the interparticle connections without significantly compromising the internal void space. To analyze and compare the properties of several …

Social Network Analysis Of The Video Bloggers' Community In Youtube, Anusha Mogallapu

Masters Theses

"This research studied the structure of the social network of the video blogger community on YouTube. It analyzed the social network structure of friends and subscribers of the 187 video bloggers on YouTube and calculated the social network measures. This thesis compares the results to the structure described by Warmbrodt et al. in 2007 and explains the reasons for the distinctions. The number of video bloggers has increased enormously, and the form of their interactions has changed. As a result, the video blogger social network has evolved from a core/periphery structure to one that is centralized. This indicates that the …

Field Programmable Gate Array Based Multiple Input Multiple Output Transmitter, Richa Shekhar

Masters Theses

"MIMO is an advanced antenna technology compared to Single Input Single output (SISO), Multiple Input Single Output (MISO), and Single Input Multiple Output (SIMO) and is used to obtain high data rate in the system. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems have at least two transmitting antennas, each generating unique signals. However some applications may require three, four, or more transmitting devices to achieve the desired system performance. This thesis describes a comparison between different approaches like the microcontroller, ASICs and the FPGA available in the market for baseband signal generation. It also describes the design of a scalable MIMO transmitter, based …

Thermo-Physical Properties Measurement And Steel - Ceramic Shell Interactions In Investment Casting, Chirag Mahimkar

Masters Theses

"Investment casting is a process in which a ceramic shell is prepared on a wax or foam pattern. The wax is melted out or the foam is burnt out and the shell is sintered to have sufficient strength to withstand casting conditions. The investment casting process is very important as it produces near net shape castings which reduce the need for subsequent operations of castings like machining etc. Investment casting shells are subjected to a number of heating cycles during pattern removal, firing, preheating before pouring and finally during solidification. The thermo-physical properties of the shell play an important role …

Effect Of Web Atmospheric Cues On Users' Emotional Responses In Ecommerce, Tanvi Joginapelly

Masters Theses

"The internet has revolutionized the shopping experience. As consumers' emotional responses play an important role in predicting behavioral intentions and satisfaction, it is imperative to study e-commerce from an affective perspective and identify the website design features that influence consumers' emotional responses. This research adopted the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model to examine the effects of web atmospheric cues. mainly vividness and interactivity, on users' emotional responses in e-commerce, and their influence on users' purchasing intentions.

The study had three stages: First, experts in human computer interaction (HCI) were recruited and asked to evaluate and rate 25 different e-commerce websites on interactivity …

Selective Laser Sintering Of 13-93 Bioactive Glass, Krishna C. R. Kolan

Masters Theses

"Bioactive glasses are promising materials for bone scaffolds due to their ability to assist in tissue regeneration. When implanted in vivo, bioactive glasses can convert to hydroxyapatite, the main mineral constituent of human bone and form a strong bond with the surrounding tissues, thus providing an advantage over polymer scaffold materials. Bone scaffold fabrication using additive manufacturing techniques like selective laser sintering (SLS) provide control over pore interconnectivity during the fabrication of scaffold, which helps in mimicking human trabecular bone. 13-93 glass, a third-generation bioactive material designed to accelerate the body's natural ability to heal itself, was used in …