Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Toxicology Of Nio And Ni(Oh)₂ Nanoparticles, Melissa Hope Cambre

Masters Theses

“Understanding the potential toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) is important to ensure that these new products do not impose harmful effects to human and environmental health. Paper I is a literature review in which we discuss characteristics of nanomaterials, with an emphasis on transition metal oxide nanoparticles that influence cytotoxicity. Identification of those properties may lead to the design of more efficient and safer nanosized products for various industrial purposes and provide guidance for assessment of human and environmental health risk. We then investigate biochemical and molecular mechanisms of cytotoxicity that include oxidative stress-induced cellular events and alteration of the pathways …

Distributed Fiber Optic Sensors For Monitoring Spatially Continuous Strain And Quasi-Distributed Refractive Index Using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry, Sasi Jothibasu

Masters Theses

"This thesis is comprised of two papers and they describe distributed fiber optic sensing using an optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) instrumentation system.

The first paper presents about distributed fiber optic sensor embedded within the layers of a composite laminates to monitor the continuous profile of strain using the optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system. The OFDR system was used to analyze the Rayleigh backscattered signal. The shift in the Rayleigh backscattered spectrum (RBS) was observed to be linearly related to the change in strain of the composite material. The continuous strain sensing using OFDR was demonstrated by an INSTRON …

The Effects Of Temperature On Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Resistance And Heart Rate In The Polymorphic Eastern Red-Backed Salamanders, Plethodon Cinereus, Joseph Alan Demarchi

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Efficient Implementation Of Ieee 802.11i Wi-Fi Security (Wpa2-Psk) Standard Using Fpga, Atal Bajracharya

Masters Theses

The rationale behind the thesis was to design efficient implementations of cryptography algorithms used for Wi-Fi Security as per IEEE 802.11i Wi-Fi Security (WPA2-PSK) standard. The focus was on software implementation of Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2 (PBKDF2) using Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC)-SHA1, which is used for authentication, and, hardware implementation of AES-256 cipher, which is used for data confidentiality.

In this thesis, PBKDF2 based on HMAC-SHA1 was implemented on software using C programming language, and, AES-256 was implemented on hardware using Verilog HDL. The overall implementation was designed and tested on Nexys4 FPGA board. The performance of the …

Trade Openness, Government Spending, Institutions And Their Effects On Economic Growth In Selected Mena Countries, Saif Mohammad Alqahtani

Masters Theses

The objective of this study to examine how import, export, government spending, and institutions impact on economic growth. Of the four selected North African countries, (Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia), six periods of five years from 1985-2015, we used the panel data model. In this model, we used panel data which consist of random effect and fixed effect, based on Hausman test, we selected one of them. The GDP per capita growth was used as a dependent and import, export, government spending as independent main variables. Also, gross capital formation (GCF), inflation, population growth, and HDI which consist of life …

An Analysis Of Extended Strings Of Hits And Misses In A Mental Telepathy Task, Gregory R. Peck

Masters Theses

The current study was designed to reanalyze archival data from the Eastern Illinois University parapsychology lab to determine the frequency of strings of hits and misses. Four datasets were included in the analyses, comprising a total of 348 participants. It was hypothesized that there would be more strings of hits and/or misses than expected by chance; there would be a difference between the number of strings of hits and the number of strings of misses; and participant scores on a 7-point belief in psi scale would be related to the frequency of hits and misses. Results indicated that no significant …

Assessment And Analysis Of Receptive And Expressive English Language Development In Spanish Speaking Ells And Native English Speakers Using The Pre-Klba, Candace Laprairie

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the trends and differences in receptive and expressive English language development in native English speakers and Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELL). It also aims to analyze the relationship between auditory comprehension and narrative production skills and semantic skills and narrative production skills in native English-speakers and Spanish-speaking ELLs. Eighty-three preschool-aged children (17 Spanish-speaking ELLs and 66 Native English-speakers) were administered the Pre-Kindergarten Language Benchmark Assessment (Pre-KLBA) in Fall 2015, Winter 2016, and Spring 2016. This study utilized a three by two ANOVA to evaluate and determine: 1) If there are differences in …

An Analysis Of The Meaning, Barriers, And Value Of Developmental Education For First-Generation Minority Students At A Community College, Molly Murphy

Masters Theses

This qualitative, phenomenological study was designed to learn more about how first-generation, minority community college students perceive the meaning, barriers, and value of developmental education. Five participants were interviewed in a semi-structured format. The results provided nuanced and personal accounts from students who revealed that developmental education affects their feelings of self-efficacy, that systemic financial challenges are consistent barriers to success, and that the connections between teachers and their students, or lack thereof, are perceived to have an impact on the usefulness of developmental education. Finally, results indicated the importance of working with students individually to understand how their ethnic …

An Efficient Protocol For Root Studies In The Common Sunflower Using Composite Plants, Tyler Parks

Masters Theses

Sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is one of the most important oilseed crop in the world. Oil from the seeds is prized for its' exceptional quality and flavor. Despite this, sunflowers have been forced onto marginal lands often on semi-arid and non-fertile soil, due to disease pressures and economics making it critical to produce more resilient lines and varieties to withstand these new stresses. The recent availability of the sunflower genome can allow genome-wide characterization of gene families. Stable transformation protocols, which can be used for characterization studies, have been developed for H. annuus using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but they produce …

Fighting Poverty With Passion: Americorps Vista As A Replicable Solution To Local Poverty, Jonathan M. Williams

Masters Theses

This study examines the replicability and effectiveness of AmeriCorps VISTA projects in fighting poverty at the state and local levels. AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is the chief domestic program of the Federal Government's Corporation for National and Community Service. The scope of this study focuses on the seven states that comprise the Corporation's North Central Cluster, (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) and the AmeriCorps VISTA projects that operated in these states due to funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The selected region offers a microcosm of the nation's geographical and political …

Understanding The Transition To College For Students With Learning Disabilities, Breanna Rehor

Masters Theses

This study sought to investigate the transition to college for students with learning disabilities at a mid-size Midwestern university. A qualitative approach was used to provide insight in student's perspectives on the transition from high school to college. Three undergraduate students with learning disabilities were individually interviewed to gain understanding of the transition to college. The results demonstrated a critical need for institutions to address the transition to college for students with learning disabilities and create incentives that guide support for student success. Students utilizing various support systems like academic student services, and peers. The transitions to college for students …

The Impact Of Government Debt On Macroeconomic Indicators: Evidence From G7 And Asean Countries, Amani Ahmed Alzahrani

Masters Theses

Government debt continues to be a critical economic policy issue, which largely affects both developed and developing countries, due to elevated level of debt. From a general viewpoint, government debt is a crucial feature of a country's financial system and a major indicator that contributes to the formation of a country's reputation in the international market.

This paper investigates the impact of government debt on certain macroeconomic and wellbeing indicators in a group of industrialized and developing countries. That is, the study seeks to examine how government debt influences GDP per capita, domestic and foreign investment, and HDI in both …

An Examination Of Teachers' Natural Praise-To-Reprimand Ratios And Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy And Stress, Sara Hayn

Masters Theses

The current study examined teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand in middle and high school (sixth through twelfth grade) general education classrooms. In addition, the relations between praise and reprimand and teacher stress and self-efficacy were examined. Praise and reprimand data were collected via 20-minute, direct observation (940 total observation minutes). On average, middle and high school teachers delivered 11.7 total praises per hour and 10.4 total reprimands per hour (1.1 to 1 praise-to-reprimand ratio). Middle school teachers delivered 12.8 total praises per hour and 14.5 total reprimands per hour (0.9 to 1 praise-to-reprimand ratio) and high school teachers …

The Potential Benefits Of Using Humor To Reduce Prejudice And Violence, Ethan Radatz

Masters Theses

In the field of social psychology, there have been multiple sources of research demonstrating the proposed links between prejudice and humor. The breadth of this research appears to hold the common theme of observing how the use of negative humor can disenfranchise different outgroups, or groups that seem to be at the bottom of the social ladder (e.g. the poor, marginalized ethnic/racial groups, sex, gender, and so on). Furthermore, the concepts of prejudice, as well as humor have been rarely observed through any nonviolence framework. The present study examined any relationship between humor (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating), nonviolence (physical …

Why A Negative Body Image? A Study On Gender, Social Media, And Mass Media, Taryn Bland Teeters

Masters Theses

This study was designed to identify the contributors to body image (BI) dissatisfaction. The factors affecting the adult body image and the extent of their consequences were examined. This study attempted to determine the extent to which these individual's peers, the mass media, and social media affect their BI, body shaming, and the individual's shame of others.

An anonymous online questionnaire was utilized and sent to participants by snowballing through the use of Facebook and email. Participants were asked to identify their age, gender, pleasing and displeasing body parts, their use of social media, and an overall rating of their …

The Role Of Contact And Empathy In Stigma Toward Individuals With Mental Illness Among Mental Health And Non-Mental Health Professionals, Quincy A. Knolhoff

Masters Theses

This study was designed to help identify the factors that predict people's stigmatized attitudes toward individuals with mental illness. Corrigan (2002) suggested that stigmatized beliefs about individuals with mental illness may be detrimental to the potential recovery of these individuals, their self-esteem, empowerment, and their integration into society. One factor that has been found to reduce this stigma is personal contact with mentally ill individuals (Corrigan et al., 2002). Additionally, research has shown that empathy and principled moral reasoning are negatively correlated with prejudice, or stigma (McFarland, 2010). The current study examined level of contact, employment in a mental health …

Social Anxiety And Problematic Drinking In College Students: Examining Potential Mediators, Carissa Gutsmiedl

Masters Theses

Social anxiety and problematic drinking are among the most prevalent disorders present in the college population. Having one or both of these disorders while in college can be detrimental to academic performance and can increase dropout rates. Social anxiety has been found to precede problematic drinking in previous research. The purpose of this study was to help determine what variables may explain this relationship (i.e., mediators). The current study tested whether emotion regulation difficulties, drinking motives, alcohol outcome expectancies, and self-discrepancy mediated the relationship between social anxiety and problematic drinking among college undergraduates (N = 135). Results indicated that emotion …

Student And Instructor Attitudes Toward 21st Century Writing Technologies In The Rural Secondary English Classroom, Casey Crowhurst

Masters Theses

This thesis focuses on how students and teachers feel about the current use of technologies like Chromebooks and laptops in the rural secondary English classroom. Chapter one describes my personal journey as a student and educator using various technologies in the classroom, and how I came upon the idea for this study while observing one of the first high schools to implement full 1:1 Chromebook technology in the United States. Then, I discuss my review of the current literature on the subject, and find that there is a lack of knowledge about the emergence of these types of technologies, and …

A Qualitative Case Study On Best Practices Of Emotional Support Animal Policies, Jordan E. Dadez

Masters Theses

This study sought to understand the best practices and protocols of Emotional Support Animal policies in residential life. A qualitative case study was conducted to provide insight on the best practices of residential life Emotional Support Animal Policies. Four participants from institutions with established policies were interviewed to gain understanding of these protocols and policies, what is involved in the approval and accommodations process, and what challenges the participants face. The results showed a need to evaluate and change the current process that most institutions utilize for Emotional Support Animal approval. The approval process and accommodations process are two separate …

The Impact Of Fiscal Policy On Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence From Four South Asian Countries, Tasnia Symoom

Masters Theses

There is a constant debate about the effectiveness of fiscal policy on economic growth of developing countries. Policy makers in developing countries generally attempt to address socioeconomic issues such as poverty, unemployment, hunger, poor investment, and illiteracy while adjusting the levels of public spending and determining tax rates. This thesis examines the impact of fiscal policy on economic growth in four countries of South Asia. For reasons of data availability I choose four of these countries – Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – for the period 1980 to 2016. I use the Error Correction Model (ECM) and Autoregressive Distributed …

Shocks Pass-Through To Prices In U.S. And Canada: Evidence From Oil And Exchange Rate Markets, Eiman Aiyash

Masters Theses

This paper investigates the degree of exchange rate and oil prices pass-through to import prices, producer prices, and consumer prices in Canada and United States over the period from 1980 to 2017 using a Structural Vector Auto-Regression (SVAR) model. The results indicate a robust evidence of a positive long-run correlation between exchange rate & oil prices and aggregate price levels. Impulse response function reveals a persistent and incomplete pass-through for both exchange rates and oil prices i.e. 0.20 and 0.04 for Canada and 0.27 and 0.25 for the U.S. That is, greater pass-through exist in an economy which has a …

Defense In Depth Network Perimeter Security, Anuoluwapo Ope Fatokun

Masters Theses

Defense in depth network perimeter security has always be a topic of discussion for a long time as an efficient way of mitigating cyber-attacks. While there are no 100% mitigating method against cyber-attacks, a layered defense in depth network perimeter security can be used to mitigate against cyber-attacks. Research have shown a massive growth in cyber-crimes and there are limited number of cyber security expert to counter this attacks. EIU as an institution is taking up the responsibility of producing cyber security graduates with the new Master of Science in Cyber Security program that started in Fall 2017.

This research …

The Meaning Of A Woman's Work: Refugees, Statelessness, Nationality, And The Women's International League For Peace And Freedom, 1918-1931, Monica Burney

Masters Theses

This work analyzes how the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) sought to influence how the League of Nations approached questions of nationality and statelessness between 1918 and 1931. Especially important were the WILPF's efforts to aid women and children who remained in Turkey following the Armenian genocide, as well as the organization's efforts to address the statelessness crisis that arose following the dissolution of Austria-Hungary. Their activism helped to pressure the League of Nations into creating the Commission of Enquiry on Deported Women and Children in Turkey and Asia Minor. Their efforts to end statelessness culminated in …

Professional And Technical Writing In The High School Setting, Kristy C. Bennett

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Peer Accountability Within Social Greek Organizations And Violations Of The Student Conduct Code, Danielle L. Burden

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between violations of the student conduct code and the perception of peer accountability within social Greek organizations. The researcher hypothesized that members of Greek organizations would report high perceptions of peer accountability within their organizations, and because of that there would be an effect on violations of the student conduct code. A quantitative study was conducted, surveying the entire Greek population at a mid-sized, Midwestern, 4-year, public institution. A Likert scale was used to measure questions about perceived peer accountability within organizations, students also provided demographics and self-reported violations of …

Influences On International Students' Selection Of A Regional U.S. Institution: A Descriptive Study, Yazmin Rodriguez

Masters Theses

This study examined the factors influencing international students' election to study in the United States in general and at a regional four-year institution, specifically. Furthermore, it was designed to gather descriptive information about the barriers and challenges they face. A triangulation mixed methods approach was utilized based on a previously described push-pull model. The findings indicated that Availability of scholarships or work, cost and fees, and Visa processing and visa cost are the most difficult factors that international students face when making the decision to study in the U.S. This corresponded well with the qualitative responses from the …

Students' Perceptions Of Safety On A Campus In Relation To Firearms, Porfirio Gallegos Jr.

Masters Theses

This study will utilize a qualitative approach to better understand students' perceptions of safety on-campus in relation to firearms. Results found that participants felt safe on-campus due to its rural setting. Determination of geographical upbringing was noted as influential overall in perceptions of firearms. Participants were more confident with faculty having concealed firearms than students. Results also indicated that students have a lack of knowledge when it came to state legislation, their university's policies, and the protocol in place at their university in response to a mass shooting. Students reflected Perry's (2010) multiplicity stage of development appropriate for this age …

Branding & Style Guides: Editing For Usability (A Project For Lake Land College), Baylor D. Gardner

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Construct Validity Of The Learning-To-Learn Scales (Ltls) With A Preschool And Kindergarten Sample, Kassandra Jane Charles

Masters Theses

Learning behaviors, "observable behavior patterns that children display as they approach and undertake school learning tasks" (Yen, Konold, and McDermott, 2004, p. 159) and "the degree to which children adopt beneficial approaches to learning" (Rikoon, McDermott, & Fantuzzo, 2012, p. 273) have been shown to account for a substantial amount of variance in academic achievement and add predictive validity for future academic achievement. Prediction of academic achievement is vital when making individual decisions concerning academic placement, diagnosis, early intervention, and student selection (Yen, Konold, & McDermott, 2004). The current study assessed the concurrent criterion validity of the Learning-to-Learn Scales (LTLS) …

Promoting A Galaxy Far, Far Away: Changes In Promotional Strategies Seen In Star Wars Marketing Campaigns, Michael Fenton

Masters Theses

This piece examines promotional material from the Star Wars campaigns for The Phantom Menace in 1999 and The Force Awakens in 2015 to find differences in promotional strategies with regards to globalization, fandom and fan perception and the use of online spaces. Trailers, tie-in product materials and websites are given visual and textual analysis to find how the films have evolved to accommodate a larger, more culturally diverse audience. In doing so this piece seeks to understand how the changing consumer landscape is impacting the way product are advertised, and how prospective advertisers can maximize their audience through adjusting their …