Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis And Characterization Of Doped Core/Shell Quantum Dots, Elizabeth J. Sodt

Masters Theses

The central theme of the research performed is the systematic modification of the optical properties of quantum dots by the formation of a shell of another quantum dot of a different band gap energy. Core/shell quantum dots such as CdS:Mn/CdS, CdS:Mn/ZnS, and ZnS:Mn/CdS with various concentrations of dopant Mn²⁺ in the core and shell concentrations have been synthesized under mild conditions in the aqueous phase using stoichiometric amounts of the surfactant stabilizer dodecyl sulfate. These quantum dots exhibit UV-vis, emission, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectral behavior that is dependent on the concentration of the shell and the dopant …

An Unequal Consumption? Sex And Gender Differences In Tuberculosis, Sarah K. W. Avink

Masters Theses

In the developing world today, tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 26% of avoidable deaths (Holmes et al 1998). Poverty is considered to be a main risk factor for TB, and since some estimates show that women make up 70% of the world's poor (Thorson and Diwan 1998:11), one might conclude that the incidence of TB worldwide would be much higher for women than men. However, reports reviewed in this thesis show the reverse to be true, with an adult annual male notification ratio for TB at 1.5 to 2.1 times higher than that of females. Both biological reasons and social factors …

The Use Of Verbal And Written Emotional Expression For Empowerment And Healing In Clinical Social Work Practice, Laurie Lynn Dix Schmit

Masters Theses

Social work practice often demonstrates ambivalence about emotions and emotional expression. Forced by managed care to keep clinical work short-term, and having removed the depth of psychoanalytic and other psychodynamic approaches, social workers have retreated from attending to the emotional life of clients, and now focus mainly in the realm of thoughts and behaviors. By integrating literature from other disciplines with social work, and incorporating contemporary thought on the topic, this paper addresses the importance, challenges and rewards of utilizing emotional expression in clinical social work practice. We find that, by addressing the emotions of our clients, we begin to …

Relational Maintenance Behaviors Between College Freshmen And Their Parents Via Instant Messaging, Jason Earl Leverett

Masters Theses

The present project provides insight concerning possible relational maintenance behaviors (RMB) college freshmen may initiate when communicating with a parent via Instant Messaging (IM). In addressing this topic, the researcher divided the present project into three studies. Study 1 addressed possible RMB within the college freshmen-parent relationship. Study 2 investigated if college freshmen correspond with at least one parent via IM. And Study 3 investigated which RMB from Study 1 were most common in college freshmen-parent interactions via IM. The researcher observed seven RMB in Study 1: openness, assurance, social networks, positivity, shared tasks, advice seeking and worry avoidance. In …

Constraining Protein Structure Simulation With Aggregate Data Using Robotic Techniques, Eric Bracey

Masters Theses

This approach to protein simulation uses Protein Data Bank information to construct useful, simple, geometric constraints that can be applied to a protein simulation. We compiled experimental data for proteins with between 30-90 residues and analyzed the relationship between their sizes, defined as the radius of a sphere that encloses the 3D structure; the maximum distance between any two residues and the number of residues in the protein. A significant relationship was found and the analysis was used to predict the ranges that the size and maximum distance between residues would have for a protein with a given number of …

Development Of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy For Studying Electron Transport In Lipid Monolayers And Gold Nanoparticle Films, Violeta Stoycheva

Masters Theses

The focus of this thesis is the scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) investigation of the electron transport in lipid monolayers and in films of gold nanoparticles. The quality and stability of lipid monolayers were characterized by various analytical techniques such as fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, contact angle, and electrochemistry using a monolayer modified electrode. In the SECM measurement, the monolayer electron transport was not detected. The microscopic monolayer quality turned out to be not suitable for studying the electron transport.

The conductivity of mono layer protected gold clusters (MPCs) with different core sizes (1-3 nm diameter) were investigated using SECM. These …

Banish Belly Bulge And Chisel Your Bis: A Semiotic Analysis Of Gender Representations In Fitness Magazine Advertising, Lauren A. Teal

Masters Theses

This study examined gender ideologies in the advertising of two popular fitness magazines, Shape and Men's Fitness, using Kress and van Leeuwen's visual semiotic theory (1996). The aim of this study was to determine how fitness magazine advertising participates in the construction of gender identities, and to identify what rhetorical and visual strategies are commonly employed.

Through an examination of the way gender identities are constructed by fitness magazines my research has concluded that advertising within both magazines promotes idealized body types and stereotypical gender identities for men and women. In Shape's advertisements, women are wives and homemakers; they …

Transcriptional Regulation Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pdh) By Glucose, Pramod U. Thekkat

Masters Theses

In liver, insulin and glucose regulate the expression of important genes for lipid and carbohydrate homeostasis. Studies on the effects of glucose and insulin, including effects on cell signaling, are vital since deficiencies in glucose utilization in cells and/or insulin secretion contribute to conditions like obesity and diabetes. In liver, the pentose phosphate pathway is one of the primary pathways that can utilize the excess carbohydrate. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is an important rate limiting enzyme in this pathway. Our laboratory has shown that both insulin and glucose induce the expression of G6PDH, although the mechanism by which this transcriptional regulation …

Heterogeneous Formation Of Hono On Hno3 Pre-Conditioned Hydrophobic, Hydrophilic And Ionic Surfaces At Various Relative Humidities, Dustin S. Wier

Masters Theses

Nitric acid (HNO₃) is a major sink for NO_x (NO+NO₂ ) and is known to be removed from the atmosphere as a result of wet and dry deposition where it is then deposited on various surfaces in the environment. As these surfaces are photolyzed HONO is produced which affects the overlying troposphere. This study examines the amount of HONO (Nitrous Acid) produced by the photolysis of adsorbed HNO₃ as a function of changing relative humidity on hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and inorganic ionic salt surfaces. The amount of HONO produced was measured in long path cell using …

Educating Fourth Grade Students In Michigan About Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) Using A Teaching Trunk, Jessica Marie Wesel

Masters Theses

The Michigan Gray Wolf Recovery and Management Plan was signed on December 1997, and made residents aware that the population of gray wolves in Michigan would be on the rise. Because the number of wolf-human interactions eventually will increase, it is essential that people are educated about wolves to avoid the stereotyping and misconceptions that often are associated with wolves. A good place to start with this type of education is with children in elementary school.

A teaching trunk was used in two schools, one in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, and one in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Three classrooms from each school …

Cheating Death: The Demedicalization Of Cpr, Michelle Nicole Erwin

Masters Theses

My research explores cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as a case study of demedicalization. I will use an instrumental case study method to examine the history and setting of CPR. In order to gain a stronger understanding of CPR in particular, I will look in depth at the actors and organizations involved in the development, medicalization, and demedicalization of CPR. The purpose of this study is to better grasp how demedicalization occurs in a more general context by looking through the lens of CPR. I will adapt a framework that is used for examining medicalization authored by Peter Conrad (1980), to allow …

Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Variation And Phylogenetic Relationships Among Michigan Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) Strains, Shleby S. Johnson

Masters Theses

Despite the extensive use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in studies of European brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations, little information is available regarding the genetic composition or phylogenetic relationships among strains of Michigan brown trout. The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of polymorphism among three strains of Michigan brown trout at the mtDNA level and to infer genetic relatedness among representative individuals of these strains. This was accomplished by sequencing the ND1 region of mtDNA and constructing phylogenetic trees based on detected sequence variation. A total of 23 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in …

Development Of A Needs Assessment For Youth Violence Prevention Programs In A Large Midwestern City, Laura Lynn Savel

Masters Theses

This research project was designed to examine the relationship between the needs for violence prevention programs and the qualities of occupational therapists. A needs assessment relevant to violence prevention program could not be located. One was therefore created based on the literature available as well as professional input. A pilot study was conducted, revisions were made and the needs assessment was distributed when approval was granted. The assessment was distributed to elementary, middle and high school principals, assistant principals, occupational therapists, guidance counselors/psychologists, and support staff from two western Michigan school systems. A model program was created based on the …

The Importance And Influence Of Groundwater Fluctuations In Phytoremediation, Jeff A. Weishaar

Masters Theses

"The primary purpose of this research is to study the relationship between microbial degradation and plant uptake of volatile hydrocarbons, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene. While these compounds are known to biodegrade and are capable of transport into plant tissue, any relationship between the two removal mechanisms remains largely unknown. The goal of this work is to better understand the interactions of these multiple biological processes within a phtytoremediation effort"--Introduction, page 3.

Physicochemical Properties Of Individual And Mixed Oxides Of Sio2, Al203, Tio2‚ And Photocatalytic Behaviour Of Organosilane Modified St Samples, Kalyani Gude

Masters Theses

A variety of oxides such as silica, alumina, titania and mixed oxides such as silica/alumina (SA), silica/titania (ST) and alumina/silica/titania (AST) are investigated by TGA and FTIR. These mixed oxides are analyzed because of their applications as catalysts. Thermogravimetric analysis is done on all the samples to determine the temperature at which the weakly adsorbed water is lost and the surface is left with only surface hydroxyls. TGA data showed the loss of most of the adsorbed water at around 100°C.

From the diffuse reflectance FTIR spectra taken at 200 and 300°C the silanol content is estimated from the 3740 …

Fathers' And Young Sons' Everyday Talk: A Conversation Analytic Study Of Topic Initiation And Development, Stacia Jayne Ozier

Masters Theses

As Floyd and Morman (1999) argue, "there are few male-male relationships that may be more socially significant than that between father and son"(p. 310). This study is an introduction to the exploration of topic in father-young son interaction. Using the method of conversation analysis we have identified how three father-young son groups initiate topic in actual everyday conversation. Both fathers and sons used aspects of the physical environment and social activities as resources for topic initiation. In addition, one father used other-focused questions to initiate topics with his young sons. In the examination of the practices used by the fathers …

Presenting Problems And Treatment Outcome Of College Counseling Center Clients: The Role Of Gender And Academic Major, Erik Lennart Timothy Fister

Masters Theses

The current study examined whether gender and/or academic specialization had any relationship to students presenting issues, symptom severity, and treatment outcome at a university counseling center. The participants were 484 clients and the data were collected at an East Coast university counseling center. Clients were included for the analyses if they were a new intake, clearly fit into one of six categories for academic major, and attended more than one session. Each client filled out both the Personal Information Form (PIF) and Behavioral Health Questionnaire (BHQ) at intake, and was administered the BHQ prior to each subsequent session. Based on …

Science And Application: A Comparison Of Graduate Training In Counseling And Clinical Psychology, Nupur Jain

Masters Theses

Often times, when considering training and careers in psychology, students have difficulty deciding whether to pursue clinical psychology or counseling psychology as a career. The decision made might be a result of limited or biased information. Additionally, students often fail to make important distinctions between counseling psychology and the professional field of counseling, which has implications for the career path they pursue. The purpose of the current literature review is to provide readers with the range of knowledge and ideas, including contrasting perspectives and viewpoints that have been established in this area.

Students also often fail to make important distinctions …

The Philosophical Quest Of Tom Joad In The Grapes Of Wrath, Eun-Young Lim

Masters Theses

When the merciless Dust Bowl sweeps through Oklahoma in The Grapes of Wrath, the major questions of what can be achieved by thinking and how can ordinary men overcome these critical circumstances pervade the entire novel. This thesis focuses on how Tom Joad, the protagonist in this novel, grows in his philosophical quest, based mainly on Steinbeck's assertion that "Need is the stimulus to concept, concept to action."

Although Tom Joad is portrayed as a cynical, convicted killer who responds to stimuli or from impulse at first, he undergoes his journey both literally and metaphorically from Oklahoma to the promised …

The Influence Of Physical Activity, Eating Habits, And Social Physique Anxiety On Obesity In Adolescent Females, Rachel Marie Hardesty

Masters Theses

Childhood obesity is becoming a more serious problem as time goes by. A large part of the problem is adolescent children are less active, have poor eating habits, and have negative feelings regarding their body shape. PURPOSE: In order to identify those factors most closely associated with obesity. This study compared the eating patterns, activity patterns, and social physique anxiety in non-obese to over weight and obese adolescent females. Also, this study investigated the relationships between eating patterns, activity patterns, and social physique anxiety to body mass index in adolescent females in order to identify those factors most closely associated …

Gateway Program: Perceptions Of The Second Year Student, Makesha Harris

Masters Theses

This study was designed to understand the perception of sophomore students who were successfully released from the Gateway Program and are now progressing through their college careers at Eastern Illinois University. They are doing so without the extra resources and intrusive assistance of first year Gateway advisors and support services during their sophomore year. The primary investigator conducted one on one interviews with a selected sample of former Gateway students using qualitative methods (Lincoln & Guba 1985) regarding their relationship with their Gateway advisor and their second year academic advisor and campus resources. Interview findings were triangulated and themes and …

Existential Anxiety And Religious Commitment, Daniel J. Pelak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Paul Tillich's theory of existential anxiety and religious commitment. The study attempted to determine if there was type of existential anxiety that religion might perpetuate or alleviate. Two hundred and twenty-nine individuals who endorsed a Christian or Catholic belief system completed a series of surveys on an internet website; participants were recruited through various Christian message boards or a standardized email that was sent to various church leaders; the measures of the assessment were Tillich's theory of existential anxiety, death anxiety, moral anxiety, meaninglessness anxiety, religious commitment, and personality …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Total Heterotroph And Fecal Coliform Bacteria In An Urban Stream, Heather R. English

Masters Theses

Total heterotroph bacteria populations in the Sangamon River in east central Illinois, U.S.A. were monitored during a period between June and October in 2003 and 2004. Fecal coliforms (FC) were also monitored during this period in 2004. The four sites monitored were upstream and downstream of the Sanitary District of Decatur (SOD). All areas ofthe river monitored showed similar populations ofboth total heterotrophs and FCs. No correlations could be made between increases in populations of total heterotrophs or FC in relation to flow rate, dissolved oxygen, or total solids. Most sites were found to exceed the recommended amount ofFC for …

Long Term Population Dynamics For Rosa Multiflora In A Successional System, Stephen Eugene Banasiak

Masters Theses

There is a real need for long term studies of invasions to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that influence species spread. Rosa multiflora was chosen to study to address this issue due to its pervasiveness throughout the study site's successional history. The study-site was composed of 10 abandoned agricultural fields near an old growth forest with fifty years of annual vegetation data collection. R. multiflora colonization and extinction rates were examined along with frequency and coefficient of variance since field abandonment. Environmental factors such as rainfall, tree cover, and common species and their effects on R. multiflora …

The Influence Of Extreme Hydrologic Events On Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Decatur, Illinois, Catherine E. Ciak

Masters Theses

One of the most extreme disturbances to aquatic systems is river impoundment. Dams alter a river's ecological processes by changing the flow of water, nutrients, sediment, biota and energy. Anthropogenic flow variability can lead to changes in natural seasonal variation, which has subsequent effects on biological assemblages within the ecosystem. This study investigated the influence of extreme hydrologic events on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages within the Sangamon River in Decatur, Illinois. Four sites were sampled from June-August 2006 using the EPA 20 jab method. Samples were processed and macroinvertebrates were identified to family or lowest identifiable taxonomic group. Primer 6.1.6 was …

Zinc(Ii) Incorporation Into Porphyrin Cytochrome C As A Function Of Temperature, Urea Concentration And Zinc(Ii) Acetate Concentration And The Urea And Guanidine Hydrochloride Induced Unfolding Of Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Sireesha Potula

Masters Theses

The objective of this thesis is to address the question of whether the removal of the native iron(II) ion in cytochrome c (cyt c) and substitution by a different metal ion affects the overall structural stability. We have studied the incorporation of zinc(II) into metal-free porphyrin cytochrome с (H2cyt) and investigated the structural stability of cyt c in the absence of the iron(II) ion and in the presence of the zinc(II) ion by different spectroscopic techniques. Compared to H2cyt, zinc-substituted cytochrome c (Zncyt) has a significantly different absorbance spectrum, so we monitor over time the change in absorbance upon addition …

Metal-Substituted Cytochrome C: Manganese (Ii) Incorporation Kinetics And Structural Stability Studies Of Native Iron Cytochrome C, Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Zinc Cytochrome C And Manganese Cytochrome C, Vineela Gundala

Masters Theses

Metalloproteins have the capacity to bind various metal ions. In spite of this seemingly diverse choice of cofactors, metalloproteins generally bind only their cognate metal in vivo. Cytochrome c (cyt c) binds Fe porphyrin in vivo. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate why nature selects Fe porphyrin as the prosthetic group in heme proteins and how removal of the native Fe in cyt c and substitution by different metal ions affects the local coordination environment, overall structural stability, and biological function. Our goal is to prepare and characterize metal-free cytochrome c, socalled porphyrin cytochrome c (H2cyt), and …

Fine Particle Classification Using Dilute Fluidized Beds, Rajasekharan Pillai Annapoorneswari

Masters Theses

"The main objective of this project is to classify spherical soda-lime glass particles based on their size using a dilute fluidized bed system. The influence of inclined plates in the column, plate separation, plate inclination, and number of plates on the overall separation efficiency of particles will be investigated. The effect of column shape on the classification efficiency will also be assessed"--Introduction, page 3.

Security Architecture Methodology For Large Net-Centric Systems, Njideka Adaku Umeh

Masters Theses

"This thesis describes an over-arching security architecture methodology for large network enabled systems that can be scaled down for smaller network centric operations such as present at the University of Missouri-Rolla. By leveraging the five elements of security policy & standards, security risk management, security auditing, security federation and security management, of the proposed security architecture and addressing the specific needs of UMR, the methodology was used to determine places of improvement for UMR"--Abstract, page iii.

Bridge Damage Detection Using An Intelligent Engineering System, Dionysios N. Danilatos

Masters Theses

"This thesis concerns the design of an algorithm that is capable to detect structural damage in civil infrastructure bridges. The algorithm, which will be dubbed Damage Diagnostics System throughout the thesis, is the software component of a broader Bridge Health Monitoring System. This broader system integrates software and hardware,such as sensors and data acquisition components...The rationale for the Structural Damage Diagnosis is based on the principle of the structural vibration testing. The Health Monitoring System captures the vibration signals, as the bridge responds to excitation from various sources. The purpose of the Diagnostic System is to extract information from the …