Digital Commons Network^™

Hot Melt Inks For Rotogravure - Formulation, Printability And Rheology, James Atkinson

Masters Theses

A new generation of phase change, or hot melt ink will be formulated. This ink was solid at ambient temperature and liquid at the moment of printing. Inks will be formulated on the basis of polyethylene and Ethyl Vinylacetate chemistry. Inks were printed using a Meyer rod for screening printability study. Selection of the best formulations will be done on the basis of reflective density, specular gloss, mottle, and rub resistance. Screened inks having best properties were printed on the Moser laboratory sheetfed proofing press. More detailed printability analysis was done after Moser printing, including dot structure analysis, tone gradation, …

Diversity In The 21st Century: Perceptions Of Minority Professionals In Organizations, Nancy Greer-Williams

Masters Theses

We end this century at a unique moment for the United States, when our power and prosperity are greater than at any time in our history. However, there is one area where U.S. leadership is blighted: effective racial diversity in the workplace. In other words, the law mandates that organizations have a diverse workforce, but if the racial history is any indication, there will be resistance to this order, especially by the group in power: white males. This thesis takes a phenomenological approach and explores the traditional styles that organizations use to approach diversity, as well as the barriers minorities …

Is It Digitall? Who's Invited To The Digital Revolution?, Sarah E. Dempsey

Masters Theses

A significant issue surrounding the increasing dependence of U.S. society on technological products surrounds questions of equity. Research suggests that our increased dependence on technology has acted to further stratify our society in regards to gender. A growing body of literature which takes a critical stance of technology acknowledges that there are gaps between technology 'haves' and 'have-nots' (Aronowitz, 1988; Brosnan, 1998; Harvey, 2000; Loader, 1998; Millar, 1998), suggesting that utopian perspectives of technology need to be re-examined. Research has addressed issues regarding gender politics and technology (Caputi, 1988; Jansen, 1989; Millar, 1998; Zimmerman, 1983), yet little research has examined …

In Situ Biosurfactant Production At Carson City Park, Michigan, Andrew J. Hudak

Masters Theses

Crude oil refining operations conducted by the Crystal Refining Company in Carson City, Michigan have led to the contamination of the soil and groundwater at Carson City Park with petroleum hydrocarbons. In situ biosurfactant production, occurring as a result of the biodegradation activities of hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms, was investigated.

Background hydrogeological and biogeochemical data were collected from the groundwater from thirteen monitoring wells at Carson City Park. Further analysis included the identification of biosurfactant producing microorganisms and biosurfactants present in the soil and groundwater.

Results showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was producing both monorhamnolipids and dirhamnolipids (glycolipid biosurfactants) in the contaminated …

Examining Corrections Policy And Practice In Response To Indiana's Zachary's Law: A Regional Analysis, Janine A. Ralston

Masters Theses

This study provides an analysis of a criminal justice agency's policy and practice to examine if they reflect specific objectives of Indiana registry and notification laws. Prior research suggests that for objectives of sex offender registry and notification laws to be realized, they be reflected system-wide, and in policies and practices of criminal justice agencies. The agency selected for this study is the Indiana Department of Correction. A combination of policy and statistical analysis, interviews with key agency personnel, and compilation of agency documents provides a triangulated approach to addressing this inquiry.

This study found that while some policies and …

The Sense Of Coherence In Adjustment To Widowhood, Nora Dorothy Hartung

Masters Theses

The purpose for this study is to discover if a feature of personality, the Sense of Coherence, is a factor in the adjustment of women to widowhood. It has been suggested that women with a strong Sense of Coherence (SOC) will use adaptive behaviors and resources in their transition to widowhood. My observation at the church I attend is the reason for this inquiry.

The method used in this research is a questionnaire administered at six senior centers of Senior Services Inc., in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A sample (n tested. 50) of widowed women were tested.

A questionnaire was administered to …

Nudists In The Know: Investigating Social Assumptions Of A Clothed Society, Sandra E. Schroer

Masters Theses

This work is an institutional ethnography on the ruling relations of clothing in society. Research was conducted through a standpoint methodology which combines interviews, participant observation and the first hand experiences of the researcher.

The interview data reveals nudists' belief in a social preoccupation with body ideals and the power structures created by some uses of clothing. The subjects in this research apply their experiences in both the clothed world and the non-clothed world to expose the implications of the social structures of clothing which appear to effect interpersonal relationships, gender and disability, inequality, prejudice and ageism.

In addition, the …

An Investigation Of Friedel-Crafts Alkylation Reactions In Super- And Subcritical Carbon Dioxide And Under Solventless Reaction Conditions, Kan Nie

Masters Theses

This study investigates the Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of triphenylmethanol with methoxybenzene (anisole) in supercritical and subcritical carbon dioxide, and under solventless reaction conditions. The reaction was initiated using trifluoroacetic acid to produce triphenylmethylcarbocation as the reaction intermediate. Isolated product yields of the Friedel-Crafts product, p-methoxytetraphenylmethane, are reported. The possibility of using the above reaction as an alternative synthesis in an undergraduate organic laboratory to teach some of the tenets of green chemistry is also presented. Additionally, we have investigated the use of benzhydrol, 9-hydroxyxanthene and 9-phenylxanthen-9- ol as potential carbocation sources for supercritical carbon dioxide synthesis and we report those …

Comparison Of Traditional Pull-Out Therapy Versus Collaborative Classroom-Based Services On Articulation Skills, Pamela S. Davidson

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the improvement of articulation skills of children who received speech services through collaborative classroom-based intervention versus those who were provided services through traditional pull-out therapy. Nine children in first and second grades were treated using a collaborative classroom-based model and eleven first and second grade children were provided treatment in a pull-out setting. All twenty students were assessed using the Secord Contextual Articulation Tests (S-CAT) (Secord & Shine, 1997) at the beginning and end of the study. Children treated in the classroom setting weekly received 30 minutes of intervention time from …

The Convergence Theory: Causal Affects Of Media Violence Communicated To Our Youth, Allan R. Alldredge

Masters Theses

This paper observes present violent activities and how there appears to be a correlation communicated through media and societal influences that we, as natural observers, have noticed affecting our youths. Over 3000 studies have attempted to prove that television, music, film, Internet, even video games, and news is the single cause of violence. This paper does not confirm evidence that any of the mediums are responsible for the violence in our youth alone. Instead this paper expresses a theory that convergence of all the mentioned mediums along with other societal factors contribute to the violence. This paper explores the possibility …

The Effects Of Social Physique Anxiety Levels, Body Mass Index, And Program Type On Exercise Adherence And Reasons For Exercise, Colleen N. Vandever

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare adult females across various age groups, body mass index, and exercise facilities on their levels of social physique anxiety, reasons for exercise, and adherence rates over an 8-week period. Female members of the Eastern Illinois University Adult Fitness Program (n = 14), Curves for Women (n = 19), and the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center Employee Wellness Program (n = 14) took part in the study. Two age group categories were made: 30-50 (n = 21) and 51+ (n = 26) in order to compare female age groups. Specifically, the purposes of …

A Neuropsychological Perspective On The Efficacy Of Typical And Atypical Medication Treatment For Chronic Schizophrenia Regarding Executive Functioning, Eric Hart

Masters Theses

This study investigated the efficacy of current medication treatment procedures for chronic schizophrenics on neuropsychological measures. A total of twenty participants from the Coles County Mental Health Center, who met DSM-IV criteria for chronic schizophrenia, volunteered to be administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-64 card version as a means of assessing neuropsychological executive functioning. A total of twenty participants free of any diagnosable psychological disorder also volunteered to be administered the WSCT-64, which served as a control group. The staff psychiatrist at the Coles County Mental Health Center completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in order to …

School Safety Planning: A Survey Of Bond, Fayette And Effingham County Schools, Teresa A. Wortman

Masters Theses

This study was designed to assess the readiness of Illinois public and parochial schools in Bond, Fayette and Effingham Counties to implement school policies, building security strategies, and violence prevention/intervention programs to improve school safety. The study examined current trends in the school safety planning of the respondents. In addition, the study examined the relationship between the schools' implementation of violence prevention/intervention programs and their use of safety grants, the relationship between the array of safety measures implemented by the responding schools and their involvement of school and community groups in their planning, and the relationship between the array of …

Indicators Of Constructivist Principles In Internet-Based Courses, Karen M. Partlow

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to provide greater assurance of quality in Internet-based courses. Current literature supports the assumption that the inclusion of constructivist principles in online courses adds to course quality. Therefore, identifying indicators of constructivist learning theory is important to the development of online courses. A peer-nominated panel of national experts in constructivism and instructional technology participated in a 3-round Delphi web survey. Through the iterative process, panelists assigned a mean rating of importance of 4.0 or higher (on a 5-point Likert scale) to 40 indicators of constructivist principles in online courses. Three implications for course design …

Cmc Technology In The Classroom: A Look From A Professors Point Of View, Michael J. Shannon

Masters Theses

Technology now influences every aspect of daily life. Education is no exception. This is particularly true for Eastern Illinois University. With the increase of CMC technology on campus, it is important to know how professors feel about it and identify why some professors are not using it.

The specific purpose of this research was to focus on why CMC is beneficial in the classroom. This study discusses the kinds of technology available on campus and discovers the reasons why professors are reluctant to use CMC technology on campus.

This study identified a significant level of technology and assistance available on …

The Effects Of Mentoring On Staff Nurses' Job Satisfaction, Karen Delrue

Masters Theses

The shortage of registered nurses in the nation’s healthcare organizations calls for an exploration of avenues that can impact recruitment and retention. The practice of mentoring has demonstrated a positive impact on job satisfaction in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if RNs would identify having mentors in their professional careers and to examine differences in levels of job satisfaction compared to those without a mentor. This study also explored whether or not the perceived quality of the mentor affected job satisfaction. Data were collected through the use of standardized questionnaires from a probability sample of …

Relationship Between Belief In An Active Satan And Intolerance Of Minority Groups, Jennifer L. Acord

Masters Theses

For years researchers have explored the issue of intolerance of minority groups. Research has suggested that intolerance is related to general religiosity. More recently the focus of investigation has been the relationship between intolerance and specific religious beliefs, such as belief in an active Satan, religious fundamentalism, and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). In a previous study Wilson and Huff (in press) found that belief in an active Satan was related to intolerance of gay men and lesbians and ethnic minority groups. The current study re-examined the relationship between belief in an active Satan and intolerance of various minority groups. In addition, …

System Security In An Open Lab Environment, Erik Quist

Masters Theses

This thesis presents a system security process for computer workstations in a university open lab environment, which was developed and implemented for the Lumpkin Hall Computer Labs at Eastern Illinois University (EIU). The system security includes the use of policies and NTFS permissions, registry hacks and script files. These techniques were applied to a mixture of Windows NT 4.0 service pack 6a and Windows 2000 Professional workstations in the Lumpkin Hall Computer Labs. They were then tested for appropriate security setup using a Network Security Checksheet and a survey. The Network Security Checksheet ensured that all of the workstations were …

Perceptions Of Prison Guards By Prison Visitors And Nonvisitors, Frances N. Huber

Masters Theses

Social interaction has been found to be a large factor in the recidivism of criminals. Many prison inmates have limited access to social interaction with other inmates as well as those outside of prison. This creates tension between inmates, guards, and society. The breakdown of barriers to open communication between inmates and others may be beneficial to the rehabilitation of criminals. Providing more access to visitations, telephone calls, and electronic mail reduces inmate aggression and encourages compliance to the prison and social rules. In addition, interaction with those outside of the prison acts as a continual reminder to an inmate …

Symphony In One Movement: Score And Analysis, Jon Kostal

Masters Theses

This thesis consists of the composition, Symphony In One Movement, accompanied by an analytical study. The piece is composed for large orchestra and has a duration of twelve minutes. It comprises three connected but distinct sections, whose contrasts suggest individual movements. Each section is based on a traditional formal structure: sonata, passacaglia, and rondo-variations. The intention was to acknowledge the traditional symphony through these formal structures while applying more modem approaches to elements such as harmony, melody, and rhythm.

The analytical study that follows the score provides insight to the compositional methods and tools which were employed in the …

Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action, John Summerhill Morris

Masters Theses

This article reports the results of a survey of individuals from Paris, Illinois. The survey was conducted in 1999 regarding their attitudes toward affirmative action.

Based on the survey research, the findings indicate that knowledge of affirmative action is a primary determinant of attitudes toward affirmative action. In addition, misperceptions about affirmative action also appeared to be a strong indicator as well. This study has implications for supporters of affirmative action as well as for the presidential race for 2000.

Adaptive Web Sites By Web Usage Mining, Mario Rodney Creado

Masters Theses

The World Wide Web has become a very popular marketing medium during the recent years. Many businesses use it extensively to publicize their products. Initially it began with static web sites. However as web sites got bigger and better, their maintenance became problematic. Just as business strategies change, so also will the orgainization of their web sites change. Hence the need of the hour is an adaptive web site (i.e. a web site that can organize itself based upon its usage). For this purpose, web usage mining techniques are used. The characteristics of the user's activity on the web site …

Study To Test Nursing Smoking Cessation Interventions On The Stage Of Behavior Change Of Smokers, Barbara J. Goudie

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to test the effect of smoking cessation interventions given by nurses on the stage of behavior change of smokers. Prochaska & Velicer’s (1997) trans-theoretical model of behavior change was used to provide direction for the study. The sample was a convenience sample of ten. The subjects were patients on the medical/surgical floors of a general hospital who met the selection criteria. Demographic information and smoking history were obtained from the patients, and an intervention based on a protocol developed from Prochaska’s health promotion model was given to each subject One month after the intervention …

Does Mutual Goal Setting Make A Difference In Level Of Self-Efficacy For Patients With Congestive Heart Failure Receiving Home Care, Avis A. Rogers

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis evaluated the effect of a mutual goal setting nursing approach on the level of self-efficacy to manage disease in general in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The conceptual frameworks utilized were King's theory of goal attainment and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. The primary study used a convenience sample of 54 patients who had been admitted to two home healthcare agencies with the primary diagnosis of CHF. Data were collected at baseline, 3-months and 6-months. The data collection tool was the Self-Efficacy Tool, which was from Outcome Measures for Health Education and other Health Care Interventions (Lorig, …

Knowledge About Stroke In Adults From Rural Communities, Julie Billett

Masters Theses

Fifty middle to low-income adult clients of a rural family care center were surveyed in a descriptive correlational study in order to determine their abilities to identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke and their knowledge of stroke risk. Additionally, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to ascertain whether the participants’ level of knowledge was related to their actual stroke risk, as identified by the American Heart Association’s Stroke Risk Tool Descriptive analysis of the item responses revealed that the percentage of the sample correctly identifying individual signs and symptoms ranged from 44 to 77%. When actual stroke risk was …

School Nurses Asthma Knowledge And Management, Roles And Functions, Carolyn Levi

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore school nurses’ asthma knowledge, and how they implemented their clinical practice within the school setting. The study also examined the role and functions of the school nurse to compare for continuity. This study examines the relationship of school nurses’ educational level and length of experience upon asthma knowledge.

A self-report survey design was used to collect data. Instrument modification was initiated prior to use. The theoretical basis for this study was the Neuman Systems Model. Results were analyzed in order to investigate relationships and findings. The findings of this study showed no …

Effect Of Size Level And Fiber Coarseness On Ink-Jet Printability Of Size Press Coated Paper, Falguni Mehta

Masters Theses

In recent years, matte coated paper has enjoyed wide spread usage for ink-jet applications. The coating performance is strongly influenced by base sheet properties including fiber coarseness and base sheet absorbency. Base sheet absorbency, which is elevated in terms of internal sizing, is a crucial property of ink-jet paper.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of size level and fiber coarseness on ink-jet print qualities. A secondary objective was to examine the size reversion phenomena and to quantify the effect of size level, pigmented coating, and fiber coarseness on size reversion.

The results showed that the …

Identification And Characterization Of Zinc-Responsive Genes In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Thomas L. Wilson

Masters Theses

Genes responsive to elevated concentrations of zinc were identified via transposon mutagenesis in the common soil bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC13525. Some of these genes were essential to maintain metal homeostasis in the bacterial cell. DNA sequences of the transposon-tagged genes were determined by DNA sequencing of arbitrary PCR products. DNA sequence analysis indicated that one gene was similar to P-type ATPases responsible for transporting metal ions out of the cell. The corresponding mutant was sensitive to zinc, cadmium, and lead indicating that this gene may be responsible for defending Pseudomonas fluorescens against these metal ions. Four zinc-induced genes shared similarity …

Reductive Photocarboxylation Of Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Supercritical Co2: A Mechanistic Investigation, Jingsheng Zhang

Masters Theses

Recent research interest on supercritical CO₂ includes the following three important issues: 1) the development of supercritical CO₂ as an environmental benign reaction medium and as a viable alternative to hazardous organic solvents, 2) the use of supercritical CO₂ as a C₁ feedstock for fixation of CO₂ and 3) characterization of photoinduced electron transfer reactions under supercritical conditions.

The reductive photocarboxylation of aromatic hydrocarbons such as anthracene and phenanthrene in supercritical CO₂, have been chosen for study. Supercritical CO₂ was utilized as both a replacement solvent and as a reacting reagent for …

Cadmium Induced Gene Expression And Signal Transduction Pathway, Daisuke Maki

Masters Theses

Cells respond to cadmium (Cd), a common environmental contaminate, by potentially decreasing reduced intracellular glutathione, as well as, increasing the expression of several antioxidant genes. One of these antioxidant genes, glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), is the rate limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway. This pathway produces NADPH which is used for maintenance of reduced glutathione so, it is hypothesized that Cd should increase G6PDH expression. In this study, we demonstrate that Cd increases the level of G6PDH mRNA in primary rat hepatocytes in culture. In the presence of the antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Trolox, or glutathione monoethyl ester an attenuation …