Digital Commons Network^™

Spatial And Demographic Patterns Of Two Threatened Turtle Species In An Urban Environment, Carly E. Brouwers

Masters Theses

Urban development is a global threat to native wildlife. The process of urbanization reduces and degrades the useable habitat of a region, and creates novel “urban ecosystems” that possess new threats and stressors to local species. Turtles are one of the most threatened vertebrate groups worldwide, and are particularly at risk of decline in urban ecosystems due to reduced nesting success, increased road mortality events, altered movement patterns, and increased predation rates. Eastern box and Blanding’s turtles are two at-risk turtle species in the state of Michigan, USA, primarily due to land use change. Presently, there are urban populations of …

Fecal Findings: Investigating Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Diet Using Dna Metabarcoding, Alyssa Swinehart

Masters Theses

Characterizing the diet of imperiled species using minimally invasive methods is crucial to understanding their conservation requirements. DNA metabarcoding methods have been used to characterize the diet primarily in mammalian systems, while reptiles are heavily underrepresented in this literature. Here, we apply a DNA metabarcoding approach to study the diet of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus); a Federally Threatened snake found throughout the Great Lakes Region. Eighty-three fecal samples collected across 10 different massasauga populations located in Michigan were sequenced. We use universal metazoan primers and develop a host-specific oligonucleotide blocker to uncover the full potential diet …

Impacts Of Racial Bias On Student Conduct Processes In Higher Education, Kaylin M. Zocharski

Masters Theses

Current research presents evidence of racial bias’ impacts on student conduct in education, yet most of the research focuses on K-12 schools. This thesis explores the impacts of racial bias on alcohol and other drug relate student conduct at the higher education level. Bias in student conduct can impact feelings of social isolation, lack of support, and identity crises that often increase the likelihood of academic attrition and mental health concerns. A content analysis of student conduct records at medium sized Predominantly White Institution (PWI) will examine the potential impacts of racial bias on this institution’s restorative justice student conduct …

“Am I Wrong To Want Justice?”: How J. M. Coetzee’S Disgrace Forces Readers To Think Through The Problem Of Law, Nicholas Langenberg

Masters Theses

Since the publication of J. M. Coetzee’s first post-apartheid novel, Disgrace, a number of scholars have noted the ways that this text encourages its readers to re-think their understanding of law. Many other scholars have also noted the ways that Disgrace explores the ideas of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. However, up until this point, there has been no analysis written that considers the legal explorations of Disgrace alongside the legal philosophies of Deleuze, and in this thesis, precisely such an analysis will be offered.

By considering these two bodies of work in light of one another, it will be …

A Descriptive Study Of Serial Killers And The Presence Of Macdonald Triad Symptoms, Vivian A. Zuniga

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an increased likelihood of the presence of Macdonald Triad symptoms (animal cruelty, bedwetting, and firesetting) based on different types of abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological) among serial killers. The sample of this study was of 149 serial killers, all of whom met the requirements of being male and having killed 3 or more victims. The results support the three hypotheses that serial killers who have faced physical, sexual, or psychological abuse were more likely to display Macdonald Triad symptoms compared to those who were not abused. In addition, the …

Recovery Effects On The Performance Of Athletic Shoes, Erich B. Hagen

Masters Theses

The materials used in running shoe midsoles are viscoelastic. Following a training session, a period of rest is required for the midsoles to undergo shape recovery and regain their energy absorption capability. It is common to think that a shoe will need two days of rest following a run to be adequately recovered in order to minimize the risk of running related injury and to maximize shoe performance while also maximizing the useful life of the shoe. Mechanical aging studies were done to investigate the effects of intermittent recovery periods on performance of an athletic shoe, the Nike Pegasus Turbo …

The Voyage Of The Reunion, Hamilton Keller Bright

Masters Theses

The Voyage of the Reunion is a collection of short stories centered around three men, Captain Adams, Mr. Freire, and Reverend Kaff, on a mission to reunite Earth’s lost colonies with the galaxy at large. However, not all is well on these lost worlds, and many dangers await them in the darkness of space. In the course of their journey, they wrestle with questions of mankind’s relation to technology, personal identity, and what it means to be human.

A Pilot Study For The Effectiveness Of A Forgiveness Discussion Program Among College-Age Couples, Mary Jo Oliver

Masters Theses

A forgiveness discussion guide- a self-guided intervention for affective, behavioral, and cognitive forgiveness- is a tool with preliminary evidence showing its robust effects on prosocial orientation. Here, using an 8-week forgiveness discussion intervention for college-age couples at a Christian university, this study demonstrates statistically insignificant yet meaningful attenuations in levels of forgiveness and compassionate love. Eight heterosexual couples from the Liberty University undergraduate population consented to be randomly placed in a no-contact control group or experimental group. Before random assignment, the couples completed a pretest measurement consisting of demographic questions, The Enright Forgiveness Inventory, Compassionate Love for Humanity Scale, The …

Government Intervention In The National Economy Of America, Rachel Wallace

Masters Theses

In an effort to have an established knowledge about schools of thought around interventionism, there will be a brief overview of recent literatures surrounding the topic. In response to the global pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the legislative and executive branches of the American government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES). This research aims to review the nation’s economy and analyze whether the CARES Act was able to foster a stable economy that could thrive, even under unprecedented conditions. Data was collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and transferred into Statistical Package for the Social …

The Effects Of State-Level Firearm Restrictions On Homicide, Adrian Joseph Sentiger

Masters Theses

From Cain and Able with rocks in a field, to automatic weapons and nuclear warheads--man employs weaponry to safeguard not just individual freedom, but national security. As America was formed, principles from England were incorporated and improved upon. This resulted in a unique culmination of philosophy and political thought, which birthed the Second Amendment. Whether one is for or against the right to bear arms, there is much history and debate concerning this topic. Currently, the United States heavily considers Supreme Court cases, as well as results of policy, to shape firearm legislation. This thesis will build a historical context …

The Writer’S Grit Guide: Practical Methods For Effective Writing, Victoria Renee Gomez

Masters Theses

Successful writing practices involve confidence, idea generation, and productivity habits. Writers can lack confidence about their abilities or about the quality of their writing when pitted against the creative and technical challenges that come with writing. Fear—which leads to both insecurity and egotism—is often what drives confidence issues in writing. True confidence emerges from the middle ground—or balance—between insecurity and ego. Writers can also struggle to develop new ideas when the competition to come up with original material results in writer’s block. Writers must improve their productivity and follow through on their goals by developing grit. This thesis will reveal …

An Evaluation Of Rapture Theology, Steven Dale Smith

Masters Theses

In the realm of scholarly debates regarding eschatology, a prominent divisive topic is the Rapture. Entire books and articles elaborate on the biblical support for and against the role that the Rapture plays within pretribulationism, midtribulationism, and posttribulationism. Such works contain the ongoing clash between interpreters, often with each side claiming that the same passages constitute absolute proof of their respective belief systems. Arguments frequently include the possibility of a seven-year tribulation, an antichrist, and a Rapture: terms not found in the book of Revelation and therefore difficult to explain. A central question that continues to draw a line between …

Going Deeper With God Than King David: Cultivating Intimacy Using Hymns, Classical Sacred Songs, And Contemporary Christian Music, Ivy Elizabeth Cole

Masters Theses

In the time of King David, a worshipper did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit to enhance worship as worshippers have today. At present, the modern church age worship leader utilizes mostly contemporary Christian music to help lead a congregation into the presence of God. However, the Psalms, hymns, and classical sacred songs may also be used in the exploration of enhancing a worship experience. This study explores the concept of music evoking an emotional response that may allow a worshipper to surrender to an intimate relationship with God. With studies in emotion related to music, Scriptural references, professional writings …

Animal Assisted Intervention And How It Can Improve Attention And Positive Emotion, Alexis D. Mcintosh

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine if animal-assisted intervention, known as ATT, can improve a person's attention span and assist with a better emotional state. In this study, attention is being measured by a facial recognition attention task, and emotional state is being measured by a portion of the Watson and Clark (1994) Emotional State-Adult Protocol. Animals may not have words with which to communicate; however, they can, and do, respond to emotional distress when they have been correctly trained. There have been numerous studies in which this kind of therapy has successfully helped a client to improve …

What In Hell Conflicts With God? The Divine Promulgation View Of Hell Confirms The Reality Of Hell Does Not Make God A Moral Monster, Kara Y. Harris

Masters Theses

The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate that God is not morally at fault for humans consigned to eternal punishment in hell. In this work, I contribute to the ongoing conversation of hell in the following ways: (1) I provide an exposition on the words translated as hell in the Bible; (2) I uncover the progressive nature of the doctrine of hell as sin increases and God advances His plan of salvation to rescue humans from such an eternal fate; (3) I argue that Christianity and the biblical doctrine of hell are bound principally as Christ’s work on the …

Immortality Through Mind Uploading And Resurrection, Adam M. Leis

Masters Theses

Technology in the last century has flourished exponentially. Previous fantasies are becoming cutting-edge discoveries like global communications, encyclopedic knowledge at the average person’s fingertips, and even medical advances used to improve and extend one’s quality of life and life expectancy. As technology pushes the boundaries of what is possible, ambitious visionaries look to solve the arguably greatest problem known to humanity: death. Transhumanists aiming to use technology to overcome this great human limitation, mortality, present the newest proposed solutions to life’s oldest challenge. One of these solutions, mind uploading, is perhaps the most ambitious, but it is not without its …

Preclassic Cultural Eutrophication Of Lake Petén Itzá, Lowland Guatemala, By The Early Maya Of Nixtun-Ch'ich', Brooke A. Birkett

Masters Theses

"Paleolimnological evidence indicates the ancient Maya transformed lowland terrestrial ecosystems by felling forest vegetation to construct large civic-ceremonial centers and expand agriculture. The effects of prehistoric Maya land alterations on lake trophic status, however, remain poorly understood. We analyzed a 515-cm-long sediment core from Lake Petén Itzá, lowland Guatemala, to infer paleoenvironmental changes resulting from Maya occupation of the riparian archaeological site of Nixtun-Ch'ich'. Substantial increases in charcoal and fecal stanol concentrations indicate Maya occupation of the Candelaria Peninsula by the late Early Preclassic period beginning ca. 1400 cal yr Before the Common Era (hereafter BCE), despite scant archaeological evidence …

Variational Inference For Morphological Modification To 3d Geometry : An Application To The Support Generation For Metal Additive Manufacturing, Mugdha Swanand Joshi

Masters Theses

"A key issue in metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes is the optimization of support geometry. Correct selection of support strategy can reduce build time, improve surface finish, reduce support removal time, and maximize build success. Strategies used to design support structure are time consuming and need skilled personnel. In this research we have deployed a deep generative model capable of making morphological modifications to the part. However, it is not similar to topology optimization where the aim is to reduce or eliminate support structure. The proposed model can make necessary changes to the part in order to transform it into …

The Validation Of Predicted Biological Age Of Drosophila Melanogaster From Combined Statistical Modeling, Lauren Francis

Masters Theses

"Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind and is associated with aging and aging related diseases. There are individual differences in fly as well as human sleep behavior and lifespan. Between and within individuals, sleep varies in characteristics including consolidation, rhythmicity, continuity, duration, and more. Various evidence in the literature suggests there are many molecular pathways involved with aging and they may be different for individuals. Our research is interested in a possible restorative mechanism of sleep and the ramifications of that mechanism to aging. We have developed two predictive models of aging using the fruit fly …

Design And Development Of A Variable Resistance Hand Exerciser Using A Compliant Mechanism, Jyothi Komatireddy

Masters Theses

"Rehabilitation exercise plays a vital role in recovering from an injury or illness condition by improving flexibility and restoring muscle strength. If not done correctly, exercising can cause more damage to the health condition than in healing. Understanding the muscle’s resistance level while performing an exercise helps design the exercising equipment not to overstrain the muscle during operation. This research presents a methodology to develop a variable-resistance hand exerciser by using a compliant cam-follower mechanism. The proposed design comprised a compliant follower and a rigid cam. The rigid cam is synthesized using the human hand force-deflection profile as an input …

Adapting To Change: Transitional Experiences Of Vertical Transfer Students, Anna K. Goldberg

Masters Theses

Vertical transfer students, defined as those who transfer after graduating from a community college to a four-year university, are on the increase in the United States. While there are numerous studies on the logistical parts of transferring, there are fewer that have examined the adjustments and transitions that vertical transfer students face. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with vertical transfer students at a rural, mid-sized, Midwestern institution to understand these students' experiences. Another important area examined was how student affairs professionals can best assist vertical transfer students. Thematic material was analyzed through the lens of Schlossberg's (2011) transition theory. …

Korean War Coverage In High School History Textbooks, Zarek Nolen

Masters Theses

This content analysis investigated coverage of the Korean War in recent high school U.S. history textbooks. Open coding techniques applied to six textbooks yielded data for the following categories: background of the war, the outbreak of the war, the sequence of the war, the conclusion of the war, the devastation of war, the effects of the war, U.N. and U.S. politics, the Chinese intervention, General Douglas MacArthur, and African Americans in the military. Data from these categories were compared and scrutinized against historians’ knowledge using axial coding techniques. This study's findings support past research on Korean War coverage in high …

Genome-Wide Characterization Of Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain Genes In Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.), Saleh M. Aljurbua

Masters Theses

Lateral Organ Boundaries (LBD) gene family encodes transcription factors found only in plants with essential roles in growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic factors. The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., Asteraceae family) LBD genes were studied using different in silico and phylogenetic approaches including four major steps: gene identification, phylogenic analysis, structural analysis, and expression analysis. Sixty-four sunflower LBD genes (HaLBDs) were identified using query search of all Arabidopsis LBD genes against sunflower genome (version r1.2) followed by LBD domain sequence verification. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using MEGA-X program. The identified genes were phylogenetically classified into two main …

Mindfulness Increases Help-Seeking By Buffering Against Self-Stigma, Sami Boomgarden

Masters Theses

Mindfulness has many psychological benefits, including less stress, improved sleep, increased resiliency, and reduced psychological distress, making it a focus of mental health research (Dvorakova et al., 2017; Mzarek, Franklin, Phillips, Baird, & Schooler, 2013; Vidico & Cherup, 2019). Mindfulness may also limit the formation of self-stigma, which comes from internalized stereotypes about oneself (Barr, Davis, Diguiseppi, Keeling, & Castro, 2019). When people experience self-stigma, they are less likely to seek help when they might need it, exacerbating current problems (Wilson, Bushnell, & Caputi, 2011). The present study explored the relationship between these three constructs of mindfulness, self-stigma, and help-seeking. …

Student-Centered Learning Spaces During A Pandemic, Rebeccah J. Maley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the experience second year, live on students study habits in outside academic spaces during a pandemic from 2020-2021 academic year. Through gathered testimonies of residents it was found students value their communities, appreciate localized spaces for collaboration, and acknowledged various influences that can enhance or inhibit their ability to study. Additionally, they shared the impact COVID-19 had on their personal lives, academics, and how they interacted with others. It was found that holistic measures are needed for students to be successful in outside academic spaces. This study brought attention to these measures …

Imaginary Things, Heather Gardewine

Masters Theses

Imaginary Things is a coming-of-age memoir about growing apart from one’s family and struggling with identity and independence. This story draws from predecessors in the family dysfunction subgenre of memoir, such as Educated by Tara Westover, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. The narrator tries to find her own identity in the things she loves while navigating familial opposition and rejection. “Imaginary things” such as films, plays, and video games become markers of identity and guide the reader through the story and towards growth, resolution, and sense of self.

Identifying Scotomata In Hazard Identification Caused By Ignorance And Overconfidence, Allen Johanson

Masters Theses

The manufacturing and construction industries are two of the most dangerous professions, and employees are frequently exposed to hazards and hazardous conditions which can lead to serious injury or even death. An observed phenomenon, frequently called the Dunning-Kruger Effect states that unskilled people are often unaware of their shortcomings and those with the higher-level skills often underestimate their abilities. This study examines employees’ training, years of experience, and performance to gauge any correlations among these variables in the area of hazard awareness. The goal of this study is to help individuals to recognize blind spots in their knowledge to identify …

Feels Like Home: On Campus Housing And Its Effect On Sense Of Belonging, Makenzie Joseph

Masters Theses

There has been substantial research done on sense of belonging for college students. This study explored the on-campus experience of upperclassman on-campus residents at a mid-sized Midwestern university. This research was a qualitative study that examined the impact on-campus housing had on a student’s sense of belonging and their intentions to reenroll in their institution. The findings of this study supported many of the previous findings in relation to on-campus housing and a sense of belonging, as well it presented new findings. Many different themes emerged such as the importance of faculty and staff relationships, institutional size, and personal and …

Branding Small Businesses In Small Communities, Lacey Jenkins

Masters Theses

Branding has grown into a vital part of communicating a brand to its audience members. Unfortunately, large portions of branding tactics are geared towards large corporations in large communities. Small and mid-sized businesses require different tactics in order to create a brand that effectively communicates its purpose and values to its consumers. Because of this, this thesis is looking at the branding tactics of a small business in Charleston, Illinois. This business, Phoenix Elite, showed weaknesses in multiple areas of its branding package. Using a literature review, the goal is to create a better understanding of what branding is, as …

Student Athletes’ Perception Of Hazing, Faith Bradbury

Masters Theses

Over the years hazing has been seen as a rite of passage or a tradition among college athletes and almost an expectation for the athletes (Stuart, 2013). There is a lack of information surrounding athlete’s perceptions on hazing and how this affects their confidence in addressing hazing situations. Most studies focus on what hazing is and the effects it has on students on a college campus. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore the athlete’s perceptions surrounding hazing at a rural mid-sized university in the Midwest. The research showed that the athletes had a disconnect with the information they …