Digital Commons Network^™

Simultaneous Electrochemical Determination Of Tryptamine And Barbituric Acid, Luxshani Thangarajah

Masters Theses

The ability to analyze mixtures of two or more red-ox active components "on-the-spot" without the need to carry the sample into a laboratory is typically limited by the fact that various components need to be separated before they can be quantified. Reducing the two-step protocol (separation and detection) to a single one (detection) would markedly shorten the analysis time and simplify the analysis.

Egg Recognition And Cowbird Egg Ejection Behavior In The American Robin (Turdus Migratorius), Allison Karlien Lang

Masters Theses

American Robins (Turdus migratorius) typically eject parasitic cowbird eggs from their nests. In order to successfully remove parasitic eggs, robins must first be able to differentiate between their own and foreign eggs and then remove the unwanted egg(s). This study addressed these behaviors. A robin's ability to recognize its own eggs was tested by adding artificial cowbird eggs to robin nests at various parasite-tohost egg ratios which created three treatments: (1) a majority of robin eggs in the nest, (2) an equal number of robin and cowbird eggs, and (3) a majority of cowbird eggs. At 89% of nests (51 …

Effects Of Positive Bedtime Routines On Sleep In Toddlers, Mallory Osterloo

Masters Theses

Establishment of a consistent bedtime routine is often recommended to parents of toddlers. Few studies have investigated the efficacy of implementing a bedtime routine, without additional behavioral intervention. Sixty-one parents and their toddler (ages 18- 48 months, n = 61) were given written information regarding a positive bedtime routine to examine the effects on bedtime-resistance and improving parent mood. This study found that institution of a consistent nightly bedtime routine with non sleep-disordered toddlers may improve some aspects of bedtime resistance (i.e., calling out), increase sleep duration during the night, and improve parent's negative mood. However, there was no change …

Comparison Of Silver Carp Population Demographics In An Impounded And A Free Flowing River, Jason G. Stuck

Masters Theses

The silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, is an invasive species that has received increased attention due to the proximity of the population in the Illinois River to the economically important Great Lakes and the species ability to dominate the aquatic biomass of an ecosystem. We sought to assess the population demographics of silver carp on two different river ecosystems, the Illinois River and Wabash River. The Illinois River is channelized and dammed for commercial barges, whereas the Wabash River is the longest free flowing river east of the Mississippi River and is still connected to its natural flood plain. Silver carp …

Exploring Phenyl Embrace Interactions In Trityloxy And Tritylamino Aromatic Compounds, Premnath Basa

Masters Theses

The area of supramolecular chemistry seeks to understand the organization of molecular structures and the interactions that hold such assemblies together by non-covalent interactions such as electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking interactions, and hydrophobic or solvatophobic effects. One such example that comes under supramolecular chemistry is the phenyl embrace interaction. These interactions occur due to the cooperative participation of at least three or more neighboring phenyl groups arranged as an interlocking propeller configuration to give complementary edge-to-face or offset face-to-face interactions. In order to understand the effect of functional groups on the tendencies of organic compounds to form phenyl embrace …

Sprouty2 Deficiency In Mice Leads To The Development Of Achalasia, Benjamin Lee Staal

Masters Theses

Sprouty 2 (Spry2), one of the four mammalian Spry family members, is a negative feedback regulator of many receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) signaling including Met. It fine-tunes RTKs signaling through multiple levels of regulations starting from RTK itself to several downstream molecules that are crucial for signal transduction. To understand what role Spry2 might play during developmental processes, we created a Spry2 conventional knockout mouse in which Spry2 expression is replaced by enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter. Spry2 appears to be expressed in mouse embryo and in many adult tissues, and Spry2- deficient mice have smaller body size and …

The Possibility Of Buddhist Virtue: A Christian Response, Jonathan Royce Pruitt

Masters Theses

The heart of Buddhism is ethics. This is evident even in the legendary accounts of the Buddha's life. The Buddha first encountered the problem of suffering after he finally escaped the isolation of the palace he had grown up in. His father, a powerful ruler, wanted to force his son into a life of politics and war. He had been warned that if his son was exposed to the kind of life people experience every day, a life marked by suffering, that his son would likely become a great teacher instead of a ruler. However, despite his father's best efforts, …

Nutrition And Stature: The Residents Of The Island Of Gotland, Sweden Killed In The Battle Of Wisby, 1361, Michelle A. Miller

Masters Theses

This research examines stature in order to assess the socio-economic status of Gotland, an island (and municipality) off the coast of Sweden, before the 1360's. Gotland was known as a wealthy and autonomous peasant republic although it was loosely ruled by the Swedish Crown. In 1361, the Danish Army laid siege on the seaport city of Wisby to obtain its riches. Three days after the battle, the approximately 1800 dead Gotlanders were tossed haphazardly into five common graves. Archaeological excavations took place from 1905-1930 by Bendt Thordeman, among others. The human remains were analyzed in 1937. Osteological analysis in the …

Holy Horror: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Use Of Religion In The Yearly Top Grossing Horror Films From 2000 To 2009, Jason Duane Wheeler

Masters Theses

The yearly top-grossing films from 2000 to 2009 were analyzed to see if correlation exists between overt religious content and box office success. Also, the films were analyzed to see if correlation exists between overt religious content and IMDb.com user ratings. Neither box office success nor IMDb.com user ratings were found to be correlated with over religious content.

Social Tensions And Acculturation: Portrayals Of German Integration Discourse, Soeren Wendland

Masters Theses

This Master Thesis deals with the portrayal of social tensions and acculturation perceptions resulting from German integration discourse. Wester, Pleijter, and Renckstorf's (2004) model for interpretative content analysis was applied to examine the portrayal of migrants and integration from three German online magazines. Germany's struggle with its multicultural aspect is described, a history of Germany as a multicultural society is provided, acculturation theory is described, the meaning of integration in Germany is illustrated, perceptions of Germans and foreigners on life in Germany are explored, and the role of the media in the integration discourse is introduced. Results show magazine portrayals …

Ancient Mitochondrial Dna From Pre-Historic Southeastern Europe: The Presence Of East Eurasian Haplogroups Provides Evidence Of Interactions With South Siberians Across The Central Asian Steppe Belt, Jeremy R. Newton

Masters Theses

Studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism have provided valuable insights for understanding patterns of human migration and interaction. The ability to recover ancient mtDNA sequence data from post-mortem bone and tissue samples allows us to view snapshots of historic gene pools firsthand, provided that great care is taken to prevent sample contamination. In this study, we analyzed the DNA sequence of the first hypervariable segment (HVSI) of the mtDNA control region, as well as a portion of the coding region, in 14 individuals from three collective burials from the Neolithic Dnieper-Donetz culture and three individuals from Bronze Age Kurgan burials, …

"One Man In His Time Plays Many Parts": The Causes And Effects Of Cognitive Dissonance Upon The Actor, Rachel Joy Blomquist

Masters Theses

Actors in general are passionate about their art. It is a constant balancing act for actors to keep their lives separate from the roles they play on the stage. This paper focuses upon role-play performance, cognitive dissonance, and self-concept development in theater education. The focus of this study is specifically upon the causes and effects of cognitive dissonance in female theater students from three colleges in the central Virginia area. Qualitative research was obtained through the use of interviews. Ten students were each asked a set of six questions based on the roles they played and performances they were a …

Prediction Of Petrophysical Properties Of Trenton-Black River (Ordovician) Reservoirs By Comparing Pore Architecture And Permeability To Sonic Velocity, John E. Thornton

Masters Theses

Reservoir characterization of carbonate rocks is complicated by heterogeneous pore architecture related to primary depositional facies and subsequent diagenesis; this is especially true in diagenetically-altered and structurually-influenced Trenton-Black River reservoirs of the Michigan Basin. Accurate and reliable prediction of reservoir properties within hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs through the use of acoustic properties would aid exploration and characterization both within and outside of the Michigan Basin.

Results indicate that measures of pore architecture when integrated with measures of physical properties into multiple variable linear regression can accurately predict permeability of core plugs. However, due to the highly-heterogeneous distribution of pore architecture and …

An Exploratory Study Of Predictors Of Academic Success In A Graduate Nursing Program, Lori B. Brown

Masters Theses

Identifying qualified students who are most likely to be successful in their graduate nursing studies is the goal of the admission process. Because fiscal and human resources are often limited, it is important that universities admit students who have the academic capabilities necessary to complete the degree requirements. This study attempted to determine whether the established admission criteria for graduate nursing students at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) reliably predict success within the graduate nursing program and if so, whether any one criterion is a better predictor of success. For the purpose of this study, success was defined as completion …

Synthesis And Toxicity Studies Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids, Ninu Madria

Masters Theses

"There is a considerable recent interest in the applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as green solvents in organic synthesis and as nonvolatile electrolytes in lithium ion batteries. A variety of commercially available imidazolium based RTILs have been used for these applications, mainly due to their negligible vapor pressures, high thermal stabilities, wide liquid range, wide electrochemical windows and high anodic stability. The state of the art lithium ion batteries require the use of electrolytes that have relatively low viscosities at temperatures as low as -35°C. This thesis describes the synthesis of novel oxygenated and fluorinated imidazolium based RTILs …

Millennial Music Students: Perceptions Of General Stress, Performance Stress, Physical Health, And Mental Health, Elizabeth Plapp

Masters Theses

The participants in the current study were examined utilizing qualitative research. Focus groups were conducted to examine the experience of music majors in relation to general stress, performance stress, physical health, mental health, and well-being strategies.

Results found participants perceived stress as ambient due to excessive non-credit course, studio and private practice loads, expectations for participation outside of coursework, practicing toward an ill-defined concept of 'success', and poor time management skills. Participants discussed a continuum of stress from performance before private instructor and peers (more stressful) to a general audience (less stressful). Participants expressed a moderate amount of physical health …

The Mis-Education Of Fraternity-Sorority Life Professionals: Moving Towards Effective Support And Development Of Nphc Advisors At Predominantly White Institutions, Sunni Lee Solomon Ii

Masters Theses

National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations have existed at Predominantly White Institutions since the early 20tl' century, and the actual council was formed during the 1930s. Since their inception these organizations have struggled to obtain equal facilities, campus advisorship, and support on PWI campuses. On many fronts the needs of NPHC organizations have been ignored or poorly addressed on many campuses. Through the usage of the qualitative inquiry method of phenomenology, the present study highlights the more successful experiences of student affairs professionals who have succeeded in developing strong NPHC communities on their campuses, the difficulties they encountered, and the valuable lessons …

Knowing Whose [Sic] Calling: Telephone Telepathy, Clint Harvey

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the possible role of mental telepathy in perceiving the identity of telephone callers before the caller is known through the normal senses. Many people report that this phenomenon occurs frequently in their day-to-day lives prompting controlled laboratory experimentation. The data was collected during the summer of 2010. One of the most important goals in determining the existence of mental telepathy involves the replication of different modes of research in different laboratory settings. This research attempts to replicate data Rupert Sheldrake collected during the beginning part of this century, in which he reported significant findings from studies …

Of Music, Mathematics, And Magic: Why Math Is All Made Up And Why It Works So Well, Gregory A. Leach

Masters Theses

The purpose of my study was to answer the philosophical question of whether mathematics is invented or discovered. This question is an age-old and important one with many implications regarding the understanding of mathematics, logic, science, and truth. Answering this question correctly can inform us not only about the nature of what is known, but even what is possible to know. In the field of mathematics itself, the answer to this question could change the way that mathematics is taught, learned, and implemented in the future. The problem was addressed through research, comparison, and analysis of books and articles where …

Student Athletes' Perceptions Of Academic Support, Career Support And Personal Support, Chandra R. Golden

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of student athletes concerning self identity, academic support, career support, and personal support. Qualitative methodology was used to gather information through in-depth focus groups. Participants were male and female student athletes from a mid-size Midwestern Public University.

Findings indicated there is an inherent struggle to balance multiple roles with one usually elevated over the other. Second, participants appreciated the academic support of the university, but indicated its influence ranged from extremely helpful and appreciated (Athletic Academic Support Staff) to moderately helpful (Major Specific Academic Advisors) to least helpful (Regular Academic …

Submissive And Dominant Sexual Cognitions Of College Women With A History Of Sexual Abuse, Jisun Kelly Park

Masters Theses

The study investigated the effect of timing of sexual abuse on sexual cognitions of submission and dominance. Female college students completed questionnaires containing reports of history of sexual abuse, sex guilt, social desirability, and sexual cognitions. The results show that the childhood and the adulthood abused group have more frequent positive sexual cognitions, more frequent arousal to sexual cognitions, and higher intensity of sexual arousal to these sexual cognitions. The frequency of overall cognitions was the most significant predictor in predicting all submission and dominance sexual cognitions variables. This study while replicating previous findings that survivors of sexual abuse tend …

Social Dimensions Of Lake Ecology: Stakeholder Perception Surveys Used To Design Effective Lake Management Plans, Laurie Nannini

Masters Theses

Lake conservation management plans have exhibited varying levels of success through out Illinois. Recent research, in eutrophic lakes shows that pollution at any level stabilizes when stakeholder cooperation is enhanced by high conformist tendency and social concern. Involving stakeholders in preliminary stages of lake management plans creates more legitimacy and connectedness with the local government as well as stakeholder involvement with management plans. Public opinion data also allows policy makers to sustainably involve stakeholders in management plans. Members of the Illinois Lake Management Association were surveyed on their perceived threats to lakes, preferences on lake facilities and activities. Responses were …

Is Anthropogenic Habitat Change The Driving Force Of Rapid Evolution Of Southeastern U.S. Coastal Deer Populations?, Nicole L. Storm

Masters Theses

Many factors, such as genetics, food availability and the exact food species, can affect the growth rate and asymptotic size of animals. Since the I 960's, the coastal areas and islands in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina have become vacation destinations with large and lavish resort communities built to accommodate the large number of visitors to areas that were once called home by just a small number of residents. These developments brought with them non-native plants and improved soil quality for both native and non-native plants. During this same time period, the whitetailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) native to …

Catalytic Activity Of Titania And Titania-Containing Nanomaterials: And, Spatial Distribution Of Silica Surface Groups Using A Tethered Amine Catalyst, Ramkumar Samala

Masters Theses

Titania and titania-containing nanomaterials are semiconductor photocatalysts and are widely used to degrade (i.e. oxidize) organic matter. The adsorption and catalytic properties of highly dispersed titania prepared using sulfate and pyrogenic methods, and fumed containing mixed oxides, were studied using catalytic decomposition of methylene blue primarily by kinetic methods. Commercial ultrafine titania (PC-100, PC-105 and PC-500), fumed Ti 02, and the mixed oxide of 80% Silica/20% Titania (ST20) were studied. Catalytic activity as measured by methylene blue decomposition kinetics was highest per gram for non-treated ultrafine titania PC- 500 which has the highest SsET and smallest particle size. However this …

Relationship Between Indirect Aggression And Social Anxiety In A College Sample, Jennifer A. Kusy

Masters Theses

Indirect aggression, a nonphysical form of aggression, has received increased attention in research because of the manipulative nature of the act. While it usually occurs during the preadolescent and adolescent years, research has started to examine its effects in young adult and adult populations. This study examined the link between indirect aggression and social anxiety and social avoidance in a sample of college students. Four distinct groups of aggressors were identified (perpetrator, victim, both, neither), with the majority of students indicating they have had no experience with indirect aggression. Results indicated that those who experienced indirect aggression in some form …

Children's Emotion Regulation And Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, And Depressive Symptoms, Monica Renee Karsai

Masters Theses

Emotion regulation is necessary for a child to adapt to and function well in the environment. Problems in child emotion regulation have been linked with numerous negative outcomes. This paper reviews the current literature linking child social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression to emotion regulation. In addition, the relationship between parent symptomatology and child emotion regulation is discussed. A mediated model that examines the association between maternal social anxiety and the three symptom clusters (i.e., social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depressive symptoms), with child emotion regulation as a mediator, was tested. Contrary to the hypotheses, child emotion regulation did not …

Panic!: Anxiety Sensitivity, Perceived Stress, And Social Support As Predictors Of Uncued Panic Attacks In College Students, Julie Lynn Kaspar

Masters Theses

Uncued panic attacks are prevalent in the college student population. In the current study, anxiety sensitivity, perceived stress, and social support were explored as predictors of uncued panic frequency. Additionally, family support and close friend support were compared. A sample of 117 college students from Eastern Illinois University were assessed using an online survey that included a one-item uncued panic frequency measure, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale-College Version (College CASSS). Results indicated that all three predictors were significant when tested independently. When placed in a hierarchical regression, …

Role Of Exercise On Psychological Health Of College Students, Shannon L. Goering

Masters Theses

Campus recreation centers have been gradually developing within the past decade to not only serve as recruitment tools for perspective students, but to promote better physical health in college students. Also throughout recent years, researchers have linked participation in physical activity to improved mental health. Targeting the college-aged population, the present study examined the relationship between physical activity and psychological well-being in college students, specifically those who use the student recreation center (SRC) on campus. A sample of 210 university students completed various measures to assess overall psychological well-being (i.e., level of mood, selfesteem, stress, & life satisfaction) and regular …

Perceptions Of Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Treatment Acceptability: Cultural Trends, Sarah Girresch

Masters Theses

A survey study, usmg a convenience sample, was conducted to assess relationships between adult perceptions of childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and treatment acceptability. Trends in perceptions about ADHD were also examined among African Americans, European Americans, and Hispanics. Ninety (90) participants completed questionnaires developed by the authors that evaluated beliefs about the etiology of ADHD, sources of information used to learn about ADHD, perceptions of stigma associated with ADHD, trust in the system, and attitudes about treatments. Participants overwhelmingly expressed a neutral perspective regarding ADHD-related perceptions. However, beliefs about etiology, endorsement of nonprofessional information sources, and trust in the system …

Bi-Harmonic Atomic Force Microscopy, Santosh R. Kodandarama

Masters Theses

"In tapping mode atomic force microscopy, surface features are measured indirectly via the amplitude of the tapping cantilever. A change in surface profile is detectable only if it results in an amplitude change that is significant enough to be measured by the optics. Previous works have focused on improving sensitivity through the system's Q-factor, either by changing physical cantilever properties or using feedback control, but those approaches undesirably slow down the dynamic response. In this work we take a novel approach to sensitivity amplification by reshaping the tapping trajectory. By shaping the trajectory so that the probe spends a greater …