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Women's Autonomy In Late Anglo-Saxon England Based On The Place-Name Evidence, Norman B. Frost

Masters Theses

My thesis discusses two related and highly significant points and then demonstrates the usefulness of a new methodology, in the form of place names. Firstly it elaborates the importance of presenting accurate women's history to both women and the historical profession as a whole and the necessity for making every attempt to explore any possible resource for accomplishing that goal.

Secondly it addresses the importance of language as an historical tool that can represent a very broad base of a past society in revealing the common cultural thoughts, morals, and ethics of the population within a specific area and time …

The Implications Of Deweyan Pragmatism For Liberal Democracies, Robert B. Fenneuff

Masters Theses

My research explores John Dewey's political theory in order to determine what practical and theoretical significance it has for liberal democratic nation-states that face significant problems in a number of areas. The problems Dewey's political theory is most concerned with stem from the impact of highly complex modern technology upon the ability of a democratic society to strive closer towards its ideals of freedom , equality, and community. My research shows that Dewey's theory calls for an experimental re-creation of social and political institutions with the purpose of creating an effective means by which society can organize the complex technology …

Changes In Channel Morphology And Flood-Plain Ecosystems Of The Green River Between The Flaming Gorge Dam, Utah And The Gates Of Lodore, Colorado, Gloria Christine Celeste Britton

Masters Theses

Closure of Flaming Gorge Dam in 1962 reduced the flow rate and variability of discharge on the Green River below this dam. These changes, coupled with the decreased sediment load due to stilling and sporadic peaking in response to demand for hydroelectric power and controlled releases of up to 4500 cfs to cope with snowmelt have impacted the channel morphology and ecosystems of the main stem Green River between the Dam and the Gates of Lodore. Detailed comparative analysis of channel shape and riparian ecosystems or pre-dam and post-dam aerial photographs revealed that significant changes occurred after closure. Channel width …

Little Golden Bookstm: An Analysis Of Every Child’S Literature, Sandra Ballman-Burke

Masters Theses

Modeling theory proposes that consequences received by the model are considered critical in determining whether or not modeled behaviors will be imitated (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961).

Despite the apparent significance of consequences, analyses of children's literature have failed to explore this link. Utilizing feminist research perspectives, I sought to examine variables explored in previous analyses of picture books, with emphasis on consequences received by models. I was interested in (a) consequences received by female and male characters when engaged in instrumental/independent activities (Kortenhaus & Demarest, 1993); (b) the ways in which female and male characters are stereotyped; and (c) …

Assessing The Pragmatic Skills Of Adolescents With And Without Learning Disabilities On A Dramatization Task, Amy L. Juergens

Masters Theses

This study was designed to compare the pragmatic skills of adolescents with and without learning disabilities as measured by a dramatization task. Seventeen high school students with learning disabilities and 17 normal-achieving high school students participated in this study. Twenty scenes were presented verbally to the participants who were instructed to act out the part of a character in each scene, making up the dialogue to fit the scene. The responses were scored for their pragmatic appropriateness and linguistic quality. Task reliability and validity analyses indicated that the dramatization task was an effective measure of key aspects of pragmatic skills. …

Synthesis Of Biologically Active Substituted Chalcones, Kiel Steven Hoff

Masters Theses

Two different synthetic routes to poly-hydroxylated chalcones are investigated. The wittig synthesis and protection of the hydroxyl functionalities by forming the methyl ether followed by the base catalyzed Claissen-schmidt reaction and then deprotection were investigated. It was demonstrated that the protection-condensation- deprotection route was more efficient. The antiviral activity of 2,2', 4' - trihydroxychalcone against the HIV virus is also presented.

Constraints To "Gay Lifestyle": Functioning Within The Social Environment, Valerie A. Paget

Masters Theses

“Gay lifestyle" is a phrase which carries with it many limitations and negative perceptions. In this paper, Adlerian psychology is used to facilitate a more broad understanding of lesbian, gay and bisexual lifestyles. To accomplish this, individual functioning is examined within the context of the social environment. Review of the literature examines the areas of cultural values; moral thought; theories on the etiology of homosexuality; attitudes as cognitive, affective, and behavioral reactions; development of gay and lesbian subcultures; and actual lifestyle functioning of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons. Sociological theories of feminism, constructionism, essentialism. and interactionism are all used to …

The White Extremist Movement: A Metatheoretical Analysis, Suzanne Vanweelde

Masters Theses

This study is a metatheoretical analysis of the white extremist movement in the United States. Five separate major and several smaller white extremist organizations were examined with respect to updated information as to the organizational levels, membership profiles and activities of: (1) the Ku Klux Klan, (2) the Militia, (3) Skinheads, (4) Aryan Nations, (5) the Neo-Nazi and (6) other organizations.

Several theories developed by foundational, developmental and contemporary sociologists were analyzed for their individual concepts. Pertinent and significant concepts were noted as being applicable to a theory of white extremism. Specific examples of the concepts' usage within the extremist …

Analysis Of Organic Nitrates In Artic Outflow, Deanna Elyea-Piper

Masters Theses

The Arctic Outflow Study (AOS) was a project funded by the National Science Foundation to assess the impact of tropospheric ozone concentrations by the measurement of oxidized nitrogen. Measurements of arctic outflow were made to assess the seasonal cycle of compounds in arctic air and the partitioning of NOy during transport to the North Atlantic region. These photochemically active compounds are elevated in the arctic during the winter and spring because of the lack of photochemical processes to destroy them.

Measurements of PAN, Alkyl nitrates, NOy, NO, NO₂, CO, HNO₃, O₃, and particulate nitrate …

Aboriginal Autonomy: The Future Of Indigenous Development In Western Australia, Matthew B. Eugster

Masters Theses

The prospects for development within the Aboriginal society of Western Australia were the focus of this study. The Primary intent of the study was to examine the causes behind an apparent lack of development within Aboriginal society. Next, the study examined possible remedies for the situation.

The study determined that the lack of development in Aboriginal society can be attributed primarily to social dysfunction ( or social dislocation). Furthermore, social dislocation could be attributed to cultural deprivation or the inability to practice one's culture. It was proposed and established that cultural and political autonomy would provide an environment more suitable …

Kanpo Consumption Among Japanese Students At Western Michigan University: Case Studies In Medical Pluralism, Joseph Paul Siuda

Masters Theses

Many societies have pluralistic medical systems in which biomedicine and alternative therapies coexist. Some anthropologists view medical pluralism adaptively, where the strengths of various therapies complement each other. Others highlight the hegemonic power of biomedicine and its tendency to suppress or co-opt alternative therapies. To understand medical pluralism, one must examine alternative therapies in particular cultural contexts.

Kanpo, or Japanese herbalism, has survived political and legal suppression resulting from Japan's 19th century attempts at westernization and now poses a challenge to the biomedical model of health and illness. Since the 1970's more Japanese are turning to kanpo rather than …

Childhood Health And Nutrition: An Exploration Of Enamel Hypoplasia Studies Using The Milwaukee County Institutional Grounds Cemetery, 1882-1925, Maura K. Polli

Masters Theses

The focus of this study is the dentition of a Midwestern United States historic almshouse population, the Milwaukee County Institutional Grounds cemetery (MCIG), 1882-1925. A survey of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) in the anterior dentition of a subsample of this population has been conducted to demonstrate incidences of childhood stress. LEH is symptomatic of extended periods of disease or nutritional stress experienced during the formative years of tooth development.

A subsample of 140 individuals was examined for LEH. The labial surface of the anterior dentition was examined for the frequency and chronological distribution of LEH. The frequency of LEH ranges …

Assessment Of The Discriminative Properties Of A Selective D3 Antagonist, Mary-Jo E. Miller

Masters Theses

Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats (n= 16) were used in a drug discrimination assay to assess the stimulus properties of PNU-99194A, currently the most selective D₃ dopamine antagonist. Eight rats were trained to discriminate cocaine-HCL (10 mg/kg) from saline and remaining eight rats were trained to discriminate PNU-99194A-HCL (10 mg/kg) from saline. PNU-99194A was tested for substitution (0-40 mg/kg, i.p and s.c.),. antagonism (5-20 mg/kg), and potentiation (5-20 mg/kg) in the animals trained with cocaine. PNU-99194A did not substitute for cocaine at any dose tested. PNU-99194A did not alter cocaine discrimination when administered in combination with the training …

Thermal Studies Of Complex Formations Of First Row Transition Metals With Phenolic Compounds In Aqueous Solution, Nabil Adnan Amro

Masters Theses

The coordination chemistry of protocatechuic acid and catechols with the first row of transition metals was studied as a model for the more complicated natural humic substance.

The reaction between Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and the phenols, catechol and protocatechuic acid in aqueous solution was studied by the spectrophotometric method. The composition of the complexes formed was determined by continuous variation, iso-molar series and molar ratio methods. The presence of complexes with metal:ligand ratio of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 was established in the pH range 3 to …

Remote Sensing Of Freshwater Coastal Wetland Changes In Tuscola County, Michigan: An Evaluation Of Noaa’S C-Cap Program, Theodore S. Krumbach

Masters Theses

Coastal wetland protection and monitoring in the United States is becoming an increasingly important issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) has been developed to provide a protocol for satellite monitoring of the coastal regions of the United States. This research evaluated the effectiveness of the C-CAP program when being applied to a freshwater Great Lakes ecosystem in the Saginaw Bay region by investigating four components of the protocol: (1) suitable classification methodology, (2) suitable change detection logic, (3) accuracy assessment, and (4) source of digital data. Using two dates of satellite imagery, it was …

Thermal Characterization Of Ground And Surface Waters At The Upjohn Company's Portage Road Manufacturing Facility, William K. Hunsberger

Masters Theses

This study focused on thermal characteristics of the ground water and recharged surface water at The Upjohn Company's (now Pharmacia and Upjohn) Portage Road manufacturing facility. Major objectives were: (a) a compilation and graphical evaluation of historical lower aquifer ground water temperatures; (b) estimates of thermal energy introduced into the ground water system through recharge from Upjohn Pond, and predictions of future production well discharge temperatures; (c) an evaluation of hydraulic conductivity related to changes in water density and viscosity influenced by variable temperature; and (d) the stratigraphy beneath Upjohn Pond.

Records reveal increasing ground water temperatures through time in …

Adaptive Significance Of Re-Nesting Following Nest Abandonment In The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila Caerulea), Melissa Nicole Helton

Masters Theses

We studied the adaptive significance of nest abandonment and re-nesting in the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) in east-central Illinois from 1995 through 1997. This Neotropical migrant is widely distributed and highly persistent in re-nesting following nest abandonment. Nest abandonment may be a response to brood parasitism, predation or other nest disturbances. We studied the nesting behavior of gnatcatchers and investigated the cues which may elicit nest abandonment. We monitored 57 pairs of gnatcatchers which built a total of 98 nests. Twenty pairs successfully fledged a total of 63 young and overall nest success was only 8.5%. Daily mortality rates for …

Life History Characteristics Of Daphnia Lumholtzi And Its Susceptibility To An Invertebrate Predator, Eden L. Rawski

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Biological Species Concepts In Eastern North American Populations Of Lentinellus Ursinus, Andrew N. Miller

Masters Theses

As part of a biosystematic study of the Lentinellus ursinus species complex, field and herbarium specimens from North America, Central America, and Europe were examined. Single basidiospore isolates from basidiomata collected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Costa Rica, and Austria were crossed in all possible combinations to determine the mating system operating in each population. All populations exhibited bifactorial or tetrapolar mating systems. Tester strains were then crossed to identify intercompatible populations and to determine if morphological species in the L. ursinus species complex are congruent with biological species. Three biological species were recognized …

An Expeditious Synthesis Of Β,Γ-Unsaturated Δ-Lactones: Useful Pharmacological Synthetic Intermediates, Li Xiong

Masters Theses

Two-carbon ring expansions of vinyl β-lactones, were carried out by Lewis acids (BF₃-Et₂O or Et₂AlCl) via an ionization/cation rearrangement. β,γ-unsaturated δ-lactones were produced as efficient protocols for the synthesis of bioactive substances.

Vinyl β-lactones were prepared via ring closure of corresponding unsaturated β-hydroxy acids. Differently structured substrates were examined to study the influence of the substituents on the rearrangement. Other factors, such as temperature, solvent and catalyst were also studied in search of suitable reaction conditions.

This method is moderately successful in providing fused-ring δ-lactones, but higher yields (so far total yield of 24.8%) …

Father's Parenting Style And Childhood Mealtime Experiences: Predictors Of Bulimia, Marci C. Smith

Masters Theses

Although many factors may contribute to the etiology of bulimia (Killian, 1994; Root et al., 1986; Striegel-Moore et al., 1986; Weiss et al., 1994), only a few factors differentiate between individuals who will or will not develop bulimia nervosa. There is a need to further explore and narrow the determinants of bulimia nervosa in order to develop a universal model to understand and treat the disorder. This study investigates the extent that childhood mealtime experiences and father's parenting style contribute to the manifestation of bulimic symptoms. The Bulimia Test-Revised (Thelen & Farmer, 1991) is used to classify 146 college-age females …

Comparisons Of Genetic Variance And Physiological Responses In Two Populations Of Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia Affinis, Brett Egger

Masters Theses

The study was conducted to determine the effects of lowered genetic variance in the Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) on the physiological parameters of critical thermal maximum and minimum pH. Mosquitofish were obtained from two small central Illinois ponds, Lost Pond and Shadow Pond, by seines and dip nets. Once caught, fish were returned to the laboratory and acclimated for a minimum of five days at a temperature of 27°C and a pH of 8.25. At the beginning of each experimental run, fish were subjected to the physiological experiments for determination of critical thermal maximum and minimum pH, and then measured …

Roost Site Selection Of The Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis), Kenneth J. Mager

Masters Theses

I monitored the roosting activity and evaluated roost site selection of red bats (Lasiurus borealis) at study sites in Coles County during the summer of 1996. Red bats were mist-netted and radio transmitters were affixed to 12 individuals. A total of 105 transmitter-days were recorded with 75 roost locations identified. The roost types consisted of eight different species of trees, prairie grass, and residential structures but the vast majority of roosts (92%) were in large, deciduous trees. The height of the roosts ranged from 0.5 to 21.4 m, but 54.7% were between 5-10 m. Movement between consecutive roosts ranged from …

Giving Voice To Women Of God: Uniting The Methodist Church, Jennifer M. Clark

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the experience of three female clergy in The United Methodist Church. Historically, women have had a voice in the church, but it has been muted as a result of the traditionally male dominated structure. The purpose of this study is to give voice to these stories and experiences, which is essential to understanding of the past, present, and future of the church. Interviews were recorded with each woman, and the transcripts revealed four common themes among the responses: 1) style of female clergy, 2) calling of female clergy by God, 3) acceptance of female clergy, and …

The Effects Of Machining On Structure And Tribological Properties Of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene For Artificial Joint Prostheses, Jinshan Song

Masters Theses

Understanding the effect of machining on the structure and property of subsurface layer of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) can significantly facilitate the increase in longevity of artificial joints. This study was performed to investigate the machining effects on the polymeric structure and tribological properties. Machining parameters include cutting speed, tool feed rate and depth of cut. Temperature rise was studied during machining to assess the extent of thermal degradation due to machining. Polymeric structure of the semicrystalline polymer was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in terms of melting enthalpy, crystallinity and melting temperature. Surface texture and hardness …

A Comparison Of The Knowledge, Misconceptions, And Attitudes Toward The Elderly Of First Versus Final Year Students In Accredited Physical Therapy Programs, Christina J. Fleming, Mark A. Kandes, Jennifer E. Shultz

Masters Theses

Physical therapy is one of the many professions that must respond to the increase of health care utilization by the rapidly growing elderly population. The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to compare first and final year physical therapy students’ knowledge, misconceptions, and attitudes toward the elderly and to determine if knowledge correlates with attitudes. Students in their first year (N=168) and final year (N=149) of accredited Master’s level physical therapy programs were surveyed. Questionnaires consisted of: a short demographic sheet, Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz 1 with a “don’t know” response added, and a modified Aging Semantic Differential by …

Knowledge Of Pre-Physical Therapy Students Regarding Admission Criteria At Grand Valley State University, Kerry Randolph, Beth Wieber

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine how informed pre-P.T. students at G.V.S.U. are about the admission criteria for the P.T. program. A qualitative design was used.

Twenty pre-P.T. students from G.V.S.U. participated in the survey portion of this study. Eight of these students participated in follow-up interviews.

The survey was used to collect information regarding knowledge of admission requirements and sources of information. A personal interview was used to further probe and clarify survey responses. Data was analyzed to identify common themes.

Results indicate that academic advisors for pre-P.T. students at G.V.S.U. are not used as a major …

Women's Perceptions Of Postpartum Appointment Keeping Barriers, Carol L. Czuk

Masters Theses

An exploratory, descriptive design was used to examine women's perceptions of barriers that inhibited them from keeping their postpartum appointments. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was used as a theoretical framework, with special attention to the barriers dimension. A three-part survey consisting of basic demographic questions, a five point response scale for assessment of perceived barriers, and open-ended questions were used for data collection. A convenience sample of 15 women in a rural southwestern Michigan community who had not kept their postpartum appointment by the sixth week after delivery were included in the study. Data were collected by a structured …

Stress, Coping, Adaptation, And Family Hardiness In Families With An Adult Child Who Is Developmentally Disabled And Living In The Parental Home, Joan M. Vansolkema

Masters Theses

Families who successfully cope and adapt to having a child with a developmental disability are of interest to health professionals. The Typology Model of Adjustment and Adaptation and family hardiness provided the conceptual framework to explore and describe the relationships between family hardiness and family coping and adaptation. Sixty-three families returned a mailed survey that included the Family Hardiness Index, Coping Health Inventory for Parents, and Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II. Higher levels of family hardiness were associated with better family coping and adaptation. Results of ANOVAs and multiple regression indicate the level of mental retardation of the …

Environmental Requirements For Sporocarp Germination In Marsileaceae, Kevin J. Kruep

Masters Theses

Experiments were conducted on sporocarps of Marsilea quadrifolia L. to determine whether temperature had any influence on the length of the reproductive period and initial sperm emergence from microgametophytes. Data were then compared to results of similar studies undertaken with the species M. vestita Hooker and Greville to determine whether there was any variation between them. A slight variation was recorded, ranging from 1 to 1.5 hours for initial emergence.

An additional set of experiments was performed with 58 year old sporocarps and approximately two-year-old sporocarps of M. quadrifolia. A difference of 2-6.5 hours for initial sperm emergence occurred between …