Digital Commons Network^™

Segregation And Heat Treatment Response Of Cast Quench And Partition Steels, Mujeeb Hussain Shaik

Masters Theses

Quench and partition (Q&P) steels have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional quenching and tempering methods, offering a superior balance of strength and ductility due to their unique microstructure of martensite, and retained austenite. This literature review examines the development and optimization of Q&P steels, focusing on their mechanical properties, heat treatment processes, and applications in various industries. This study explores the application and effectiveness of the Quench and Partition (Q&P) heat treatment process on cast steels and examines segregation phenomena in cast medium Mn steels. Medium Mn steels were employed for various Q&P cycles on cast specimens to investigate …

Network Level Detection Of Iot Attacks Via Time Series Shape Mining, Srijani Basu

Masters Theses

This research proposes a method, for detecting intrusions in the Internet of Things (IoT) realm. This approach was specifically tested using datasets containing both benign, and attacks on smart home devices like the Belkin Wemo Power Switch, Lifx Smart Bulb, Amazon Echo, and Netatmo Welcome Camera. These attacks consist of specification-compliant volumetric DDoS attacks, which can be both direct and reflective, with very low traffic volumes implemented in an ON-OFF pattern. Here, the ON-OFF pattern can be referred to as a pulse attack strategy.

We combined non-linear statistical moving averages, and Dynamic Time Warping into a single framework that can …

Spirit Marches West: An Application Of Hegel’S Historical Methodology To The American Frontier, Magnus Imber

Masters Theses

The philosophy of history developed by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel incorporates the systematicity and speculative rationalizations that characterize his other major philosophical endeavors. Despite this, far less investigative work has been directed toward the contemporary applicability of Hegel’s philosophy of history than has been for his other major projects. Considering scholars’ much-diminished interest in speculative, overarching accounts of world history, this is not particularly surprising. Given, however, that the concept of rational historical progress is central to Hegel’s system, the contemporary applicability of the Hegelian conception of history seems to be a matter of significant importance. Can the methodology that …

Spatiotemporal Changes Of Urban Growth And Particulate Matter2.5 Concentrations: A Regional Study Using Gis-Remote Sensing Techniques, Mizanur Rahman

Masters Theses

Rapid urbanization and its environmental repercussions present profound challenges for developing countries. This study investigates the spatiotemporal relationship between urban growth and airborne particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentrations in four upazilas of Bangladesh from 2001 to 2019. Utilizing GIS and remote sensing techniques, this research explores the transitions in land cover and their impact on air quality, focusing on the escalating levels of PM_2.5 — a critical pollutant associated with numerous health risks. The study delineated land cover changes using satellite imagery; PM_2.5 concentration levels were derived from NASA's Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center while ground-truthing validated …

Design And Simulation Of Flow Channel Of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (Pemfc), Rishya Shringhan Ravichandran

Masters Theses

In Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), flow channel plays an important role on the performance of the cell. This study mainly focuses on the simulation of flow channel under various conditions. A three-dimensional mode of PEMFC with 25cm² of active area was employed to simulate the flow channel of PEMFC which has various designs. The flow channel designs such as single serpentine, bi-serpentine and tri-serpentine channels were investigated using ANSYS FLUENT software. Initially, the flow channel width of 2mm was examined. The obtained results were compared to the experimental data to validate the model. Then, the dimension of …

Diagnosing Discharge Events Within A Novel Miniature Simplified Coaxial Ion Trap Mass Analyzer, David Virgil Sirbescu-Stanley

Masters Theses

Mass spectrometry is a technique that organizes material samples by mass to reveal their chemical composition by forming a spectrum. Since their invention, ion trap mass spectrometers have undergone significant enhancements. This work, funded by the National Science Foundation and in collaboration with Brigham Young University, the Simplified Coaxial Ion Trap (SCIT), attempts to simplify ion trap geometry and combine three ion traps into one device. Successful demonstration of the SCIT functionality could reduce costs, reduce manufacturing complexity, and shrink total instrument volume. At the same time, trapping capacity and analytical efficiency will be increased. However, as discussed within, challenges …

Three Years With Buffalo Bill, Russell Storman

Masters Theses

John Muir is the father of modern creative nonfiction in the outdoor adventure/nature genre. His passion inspired generations of Christian writers, especially within the genre, to draw connections between the God of their faith and His hand that they see in the natural world. Set in a forty-two-mile hike through northwest Wyoming’s Buffalo Bill State Park and continuing in the example set by Muir, the manuscript Three Years with Buffalo Bill establishes that faith is an essential element of modern life.

Shaping Character: The Role Of Mythology In Society, Jaclyn Weist

Masters Theses

Throughout history, man has told stories. Some stories were written on walls, tablets, or bits of parchment. Others have been passed down to posterity through oral tradition. Every culture worldwide has a rich tapestry of legends and myths. It is my intent to demonstrate that these stories use the tools of character development within their various plot lines to both express and shape beliefs, superstitions, and life lessons. Whether they are religious in nature or simply trying to make sense of the world, these stories, myths, and legends have played a part in shaping society into what it is today.

Truth And Fiction, Rachel Michele Schroeder

Masters Theses

This literary review explains the importance of literature in helping to indirectly describe reality. The review takes the reader through a plethora of literary examples and gives brief psychological and philosophical argumentation to showcase the importance of literature in the lives of children and adults. The Function of Fiction describes the ways in which fiction is intended to be employed. On the Psychology of Stories discusses how stories impact behavior. On Myths examines the ways in which myths connect to history and culture. On Fables and Fairytales dissects how stories often have a moral and encourage the best in humanity. …

Training The Volunteer Technical Artist For Their Role In Worship Ministry, Stephanie Wilkinson

Masters Theses

Church technical artists have an integral role in modern worship services due to the use of technology in church production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of different aspects of the role a technical artist has in worship ministry, as well as to explore current training practices and determine effective ways to train the volunteer technical artist holistically beyond their technical role. Church technical directors, technical volunteers, and worship pastors were interviewed and surveyed to collect data used to determine the level of importance of a volunteer’s different roles and responsibilities and how they affect worship …

Tiktok’S Influence On Generation Z Female’S Comparative Behavior, Brookelynn Dinkler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to address TikTok’s role in the comparative behaviors among Generation Z females. This study specifically evaluated the communication of society’s perception of beauty standards and how it resonates with and influences TikTok users. A qualitative approach was taken to gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of participants and fill the gap in qualitative media effects research. The research question being addressed was: How has TikTok influenced society's idea of physical beauty and body image concerns among Generation Z females? Through the lens of social comparison theory, the research found that the application …

Fish Assemblage Structure In Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Over Ten Years, Matthew S. Silverhart

Masters Theses

Coastal wetlands in the Laurentian Great Lakes are important habitats for many fish species. The geographic scale of the watershed and the diversity of land uses in the region result in substantial environmental variation among coastal wetlands. During 2011-2020, annual surveys were conducted as part of the Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Monitoring Program (GLCWMP) to better understand the status and trends of coastal wetlands. Fish sampling consisted of fyke netting in monodominant vegetation zones. During this time, 1225 unique monodominant plant zones in coastal wetlands were sampled, resulting in 584,125 fishes captured that consisted of 113 different species. Yellow Perch …

A Global Synthesis Of The Relative Impacts Of Habitat Amount, Fragmentation, And Matrix Quality On Forest Biodiversity, Antoinette Esposito

Masters Theses

Aim To assess the relative impact of different landscape variables on species richness and to determine whether species richness declines more rapidly below an extinction threshold of remaining habitat. The results of this study will help to better inform future conservation strategies. Location Global Time period 1997 – 2013 Major taxa studied Amphibians, birds, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles Methods Data from 71 studies published in the global BioFrag database were used to determine species richness across multiple landscapes and biomes. The Hansen dataset was used to collect data on habitat amount (forest area), fragmentation (patch density), and matrix quality (mean …

Estimating Daily Growth Of Age-0 Channel Catfish In A Free-Flowing, Commercially Exploited Midwestern River, Kaleb B. Wood

Masters Theses

The larval stage in fishes is an important stage in the life history, as their survival dictates the ability of the population to sustain itself as an adult population. While there is a plethora of information available for juvenile and adult life stages of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), very little is understood about their larval life stage. This study sought to determine overall density, growth rates, and size structure of cohorts of age-0 Channel Catfish during a study year on the Wabash River. In 2018, I sampled age-0 Channel Catfish using a benthic trawl from May to September. …

Influence Of Seeding Strategy On Insect Communities Within Utility Lands, Kylee E. Nissen

Masters Theses

Pollinator populations are in decline globally due to anthropogenic changes, particularly in areas affected by agricultural expansion and urbanization. Utility lands - managed to prevent tall vegetation encroachment - represent an opportunity to establish native grasslands and support pollinator communities. This study investigates how different seeding strategies used by utility companies influence pollinator community composition within a 15-acre electric right-of-way (ROW) outside St. Louis, Illinois. Despite the logical benefits of native seeding to pollinators, utility companies are often hesitant to do this, often favoring seeding to turf. Seeded in late 2021, the site incorporates randomized plots with turfgrass seeding (no …

Using Community Science To Monitor Eastern Box Turtles And Engage Public In Conservation, Sarah Zoppa

Masters Theses

The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina; EBT) is a charismatic species with populations in decline due to habitat loss, disease, and other anthropogenic factors. However, due to their cryptic nature, studying an EBT population can be a difficult and intensive process. To investigate EBT populations in Coles County, Illinois, we used a combination of community science and computer-based pattern analysis to develop an approach to tracking individual turtles. Citizen volunteers submitted photos of encountered eastern box turtle carapaces for shell pattern analysis along with GPS coordinates of the encounter. We have received 220 submissions from 47 community volunteers. …

Effects Of Hemp Fibers On The Mechanical Performance Of Concrete, Hamida Baassou

Masters Theses

The construction industry is known to be globally the number one contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and energy consumption. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential use of hemp as a concrete reinforcement, its mechanical properties and strength, its environmental and socio-economic advantages, and its limitations. To examine the mechanical performance of hemp fiber, 54 specimens will be tested for compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. This was done in two parts. In the first part hemp fibers in two different ratios (0.5v% and 1v%), and two different treatments (water and 5% sodium hydroxide) were added to …

Edison Elliot And The Midas Files, Brianne Hankes

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Liver-Specific Transcription Factor Hnf4 In Reprogramming Of Fibroblasts, Mary Odubote

Masters Theses

The mammalian liver, a vital organ with complex functions, relies on a network of transcription factors to regulate gene expression. Fusion of hepatoma cells with fibroblasts often leads to gene extinction, silencing approximately 400 liver-enriched genes, including critical transcription factors such as HNF4. Previous studies revealed that ectopic expression of HNF4 in fibroblasts failed to prevent the extinction of SERPINA1, a liver-specific gene, upon subsequent fusion with hepatoma cells. Here, we sought to investigate the extent to which ectopic expression of HNF4 can reprogram fibroblast cells and prevent gene extinction in hybrid cells.

Using whole-genome expression analysis, we compared RAT1 …

Tunable Metasurface For Efficient Harmonic Generation And Amplitude Modulation, Steve Mares

Masters Theses

The manipulation of microwave signals is critical in the information and communication technology industry. This research investigates the application of time-coding techniques on metasurfaces to achieve tunable control of electromagnetic signal transmission. The integration of mounted PIN diodes facilitates dynamic modulation of signal behavior. Both passive (without PIN diodes) and active (with PIN diodes) metasurfaces were analyzed through simulations using Ansys HFSS and validated with experimental measurements. A major contribution of this work is the design and testing of active metasurfaces that leverage PIN diodes for harmonic generation and amplitude modulation. The study reveals a clear relationship between modulating signal …

The Sewage Microbiome Dynamics Of Different Serving Neighborhoods In Charleston, Illinois, Sandra Chiamaka Okoye

Masters Theses

The complex microbial ecosystem within sewage systems holds significant implications for environmental and public health. Unlike studies on wastewater treatment plant microbiomes, upstream sewage systems have not been studied widely. This research investigated the dynamic sewage microbiome across diverse serving neighborhoods in Charleston, Illinois, encompassing residential, hospital, industrial, and university areas. Drawing upon recent advancements in microbiome research, the study aimed to unravel the spatial and temporal variations in microbial structures. Three times between June to December 2023 sewage samples were collected from manholes in the areas mentioned above. Community DNA was extracted and sequenced for the V4-V5 region of …

Does Health Oriented Leadership And Access To On-Demand Mental Health Therapists Via Employee Assistance Programs Improve Employee Well-Being And Engagement?, Amber Rachelle Davis

Masters Theses

"Employee mental health effects are informally relevant in all facets of working adults’ lives. Considering the life-altering effects of the 2019 pandemic on work and society, mental health and work share applicability in conversations related to organizational outcomes. Based on the job demands-resource theory, personal demands are high in organizations where workers must adjust to returning to onsite work, in settings occupied by varying personalities, and ever-present political tension. These adjustments can be stressful for people and add new workplace challenges.

Work stress was found to be an antecedent for burnout (Tummers & Bakker, 2021), and leaders play an essential …

Open-Ended Hollow Coaxial Cable Resonance Sensing Via Permittivity Fluctuations For Applications To Exhaled Breath Health Monitoring, Peter Henry Holtmann

Masters Theses

"We report a pre-diagnostics breath analyzer based on the open-ended hollow coaxial cable resonator (OE-HCCR) to achieve real-time differentiation of healthy and compromised lung function through electromagnetic analysis of exhaled breath matter. A two-phase amplification scheme of electromagnetic signatures metered via the S11 phase curve offers high sensitivity to permittivity fluctuations in exposed airflow. The mathematical model of the breath analyzer is explained, followed by experimental validation of numerical findings from previous work. The collection of breath transient signals is performed through monitoring the reflected power magnitude and phase of the scattering parameter (S11) at the resonance frequency. Material fluctuations …

Investigation Of The Relationships Between Hydraulic, Physical, And Biological Soil Parameters At A Vineyard In Saint James, Missouri, Lyndsey Bennett

Masters Theses

"Soil is a living, dynamic system that performs vital functions such as crop production, organic matter decomposition, and the flow and transport of water. Given the pressures of food and in some locales water security, climate change, and sustainability, farmers, scientists, and other related specialists and stakeholders must have access to understandable soil health indicators as well as the soil hydraulic function parameters to maximize crop growth while maintaining soil health. Although biological and physical soil parameters are different, we aim to evaluate their relationship at the field scale. Hydraulic conductivity in the vadose zone may be especially important, as …

Fiber Assisted Re-Assembly Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control, Zhe Sun

Masters Theses

"In Enhanced Oil Recovery technology today, gel treatments have been implemented as a cost-effective method to improve the oil sweep efficiency in reservoirs by plugging the high permeability zones. This study presents a novel gel composition to be used in conformance control in order to improve oil recovery for mature oilfields.

The product is a fiber-assist re-assembly preformed particle gel which could be generalized to the preformed particle gels (PPG). The product developed in this study could be injected into the reservoir act as a conformance control agent by plugging water thief zones and channels in the beginning process. Due …

Production Of Glass-To-Metal Seals Using Additive Manufacturing Techniques, Aaron Read

Masters Theses

"Glass-to-metal (GtM) seals are hermetic barriers between glass and metal components, often used in the electronic and vacuum industries. Creating the seals traditionally requires heating all the components to the glass melting temperature, where the glass will flow and bond to the metal. Due to the manufacturing constraints of the individual components and sealing conditions there are geometric and material restrictions. Additive manufacturing techniques were used to make GtM seals to reduce these restrictions.

Hermetic, single pin seals were produced using printed metal shells, by selective laser melting (SLM), and digital light processing (DLP) printed glass preforms. Glass preforms were …

Development Of A Novel Bioink For Human Vascularized Organoids, Bradley Allen Bromet

Masters Theses

"There is a need for a model to better mimic human physiology in the clinic, so the objective was to develop a novel bioink for a 3D tissue model to study human disease and development in a dynamic 3D environment. The results from each corresponding study helped in developing a novel bioink for use in a bio printed human vascularized organoid. The bioink composed of alginate with other natural hydrogels to function as extracellular matrix and with the addition of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) to replace growth factors, can be used with multiple cell types to bio print the proposed …

Low Finesse Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometer (Efpi) Demodulation For High Temperature Gap Measurements, Abhishek Prakash Hungund

Masters Theses

"In continuous casting steel industries, mold flux is added to provide thermal and chemical insulation for molten steel. The mold flux absorbs detrimental inclusions from the steel and promotes uniform heat distribution to prevent sticking. To promote flux infiltration, mold oscillation is used, but this creates oscillation marks that reduce local shell growth and increase temperatures. Wide (2-3 mm) and deep (0.5-0.9 mm) oscillation marks with areas of 1.1-2.5 mm² are observed, affecting the steel quality, which results in a loss of 6% per billet to the industry. To address this challenge, we propose an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) sensor …

Directed Energy Deposition Processing-Performance Relationship Of Af9628, Mianqing Yang

Masters Theses

"AF9628 low alloy steel is a novel steel known for its low cost, high hardness, and outstanding tensile performance. However, the processing methods of AF9628 have been less studied in the additive manufacturing field. As the balance of hardness and tensile results is closely related to the cooling process during manufacturing process window and its relationship to resultant tensile properties is explored. By using the DED method, specimens of this steel are successfully fabricated, and tensile test results are obtained. The AF9628 steel can be manufactured for tailored properties with the DED process by controlling the cooling method. This work …

High-Pressure Infiltration Process For Additively Manufactured Ceramic Matrix Composites, Samuel Weiler

Masters Theses

"Ceramic matrix composites were developed in order to increase the fracture toughness, thermal shock resistance, and elongation of ceramic materials, while maintaining the very high temperature capabilities of these materials. A renewed focus has been placed on ceramic matrix composites due to the need for materials that maintain good mechanical strength at very high temperatures, for use in the extreme environments encountered by hypersonic vehicles, jet turbine blades, and the like. However, conventional methods to manufacture CMCs are costly and time consuming. The aim of this work is to develop a method for creating additively manufactured ceramic matrix composites using …