Digital Commons Network^™

String Quartet, Brut, Bernie Walasavage

Masters Theses

l’Art Brut , also commonly referred to as “outsider art,” is comprised of a variety of visual media by untrained or mentally ill artists. The string quartet is subtitled this because it takes inspiration from the work of these artists; with its jagged edges, vibrant colors, and horrid scenes, there is an organic beauty inherent in such eclectic and divergent art. Another factor which drew me to the artwork of the mentally ill was the commonality of Kenophobia: an abnormal fear of empty spaces. Schizophrenic, Swiss artists, Adolf Wölfli (18641930) and Aloïse Corbaz (18861964) were noted for suffering this phobia …

Control Of Cation Ordering In Zinc Tin Nitride And In-Situ Monitoring Of Growth, Brian Christopher Durant

Masters Theses

Semiconducting materials with a band gap around 1.5 eV are very much sought after due to their close match to the solar spectrum. However, some compounds that have shown promise for highly efficient solar cells contain rare, expensive, and sometimes toxic elements, such as indium and gallium. As such, a search for earth abundant materials has become more prominent recently. One such earth abundant semiconducting material that has garnered interest is ZnSnN₂. It has been shown through previous studies that there is the possibility of continuously tuning the band gap between 1.0 and 2.0 eV by controlling the …

Patterns In Faunal Remains At Fort St. Joseph, A French Fur Trade Post In The Western Great Lakes, Joseph Hearns

Masters Theses

Faunal studies have the potential to detect a variety of patterns in animal processing activities at an archaeological site. The spatial relationships of taphonomic mechanisms observed within the animal bone assemblage illuminate the use of space on a site as well as the patterns of waste discard. Patterns within the formation processes influencing the distribution of faunal remains serve as the basis for interpretation of animal processing behaviors. This study analyzes a sample of animal bones from Fort St. Joseph (20BE23), an eighteenth-century French fur trade post in the western Great Lakes region. This post was a hub of exchange …

Morphology Based Framework For Improved Driver's Visibility In Inclement Weather Conditions, Saleem Farhood Hussein

Masters Theses

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that on average there are 5,870,000 vehicle accidents each year. Twenty-three percent (23%) of these accidents are attributed to weather conditions with an annual average of more than 6,000 people are killed and 480,000 people are injured. Weather-related accidents occur mainly because of the low visibility on the roads under inclement conditions such as snow, rain and fog. While these conditions can be predictable and individuals try to avoid driving in inclement weather, there are circumstances that require driving in such conditions such as emergency responders or when the severity of the storm has …

The Color Of The Year: A Textual Analysis Of Pantone’S Color Communication Techniques Through The Application Of Barthes’ Semiotic, Kyung Lee

Masters Theses

This research analyzes the content of Pantone’s color of the year in 2000, 2002, 2009, 2014 and 2015 utilizing Barthes’ semiological system from a communication perspective. This study scrutinizes the announcement of Pantone’s color of the year as well as its color story to discover the purpose and the effectiveness of the verbalized nomination. The result reveals the significance of the semantic nature, which directs individuals’ viewpoint and creates a new connotation to alter their preconception. Also, Pantone’s color of 2014, Radiant Orchid, verified that the consolidation of the visual image and verbal content can maximize the influences that the …

The War On Drugs: An Analysis Of The Rhetoric According To Richard Weaver’S Theory Of Ultimate Terms, Cristina Peniche

Masters Theses

The language associated with President Nixon’s ‘war on drugs’ has sparked considerable debate in the political struggle against narcotics' abuse and crime, as well as within scholarly research. There is a language associated with the debate and it reflects the primary considerations of policy makers- economics, criminal behavior, and morality. The present study discusses these qualities as well as the rhetorical ideas of Richard Weaver, specifically his theory of ultimate terms. Then, discussions within research show the discontent that scholars bear towards narcotics'-related language. Specifically, there is concern that the rhetoric may stigmatize certain populations and hinder better outcomes. As …

Cultural Influence Of Storytelling: An Examination Of The Use Of Narratives In Political Campaigns, Charla Bansley

Masters Theses

Television has changed political discourse. The thirty second commercial has replaced typography and rhetoric. After losing the popular vote in 5 of the last 6 presidential elections, the Republican National Committee concluded that the GOP has lost the ability to persuade. Walter Fisher's Narrative Paradigm states that meaningful communication is in the form of storytelling, which enables public discourse to observe not only differences, but commonalities. In a postmodern culture that does not believe in absolute truth, this study asked the following question: Are conservatives still using statistics and facts to communicate conservative principles? The rhetorical research conducted here examined …

Jazz And Puerto Rican Traditional Music: A New Generation Of Musical Exploration, Pedro Lavezzari

Masters Theses

Many musical styles around the world have been born from struggle and search for cultural identity. The same idea applies to Jazz and the Afro-Caribbean music created within the African diaspora and influenced by Latin and European styles in the United States. More recently, the meaning of diaspora has been used to refer to a group of people and some aspects of their culture (Rivera 2010, 104). For older and newer generations of Puerto Rican musicians two traditions have intersected to create a modern form of expression that reaffirms Puerto Rico’s musical creativity and contemporary tendency. In 1989 Warren Pinckney …

Canonical Development And The Early Church Fathers: Establishing The Validity And Elevating The Weight Of Accurate Textual Citations, Chris Davis

Masters Theses

The predominant theory of textual criticism known as “reasoned eclecticism” often engages the NT manuscripts in a manner that is not truly eclectic. Instead, the modus operandi is often to overlook textual witnesses from manuscript families that do not agree with the favored Alexandrian text-type. At the same time, in cases where the early church fathers seem to cite passages from these other known families, their words are often discounted and removed as evidence for a particular reading. This thesis deals predominantly with the second issue, and it addresses a number of foundational issues that lead to such a flawed …

How Church Commitment To At-Risk Black Male Youth Helps Prevent Them From Being Incarcerated At Percentage Rates Higher Than Other Races, Barbara Pierson

Masters Theses

Between the years 2006 and 2014, the percentage of young Black men between the ages of 13 and 21 in Ohio prisons increased more than any other race according to statistics given by the Department of Youth Services (DYS) located in the city of Columbus, Ohio. While the entire Black race only consisted of 12.5% of the population in Ohio, 56.7% of Black males were imprisoned as opposed to 43% of White males, and 3% of all other races that were incarcerated during the same time period. Young people are more involved with the justice system which allows a greater …

The Spirit Molecule: Dmt, Brains, And A Theoneurological Model To Explain Spiritual Experiences, Shaun Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis attempts to address the philosophical implications of the N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) research of Dr. Rick Strassman. Strassman concludes that the psychedelic properties of DMT represent a proper biological starting point for discussing spiritual and near-death experiences. My research attempts to incorporate philosophical elements from the philosophy of mind and philosophy of religion/mysticism to give an accurate account of some of the philosophical issues worth exploring for future research. One of the essential patterns in this thesis is to trace the research and conclusions of Strassman, compare them with the philosophical issues in the contemporary philosophy of mind and …

Evaluating Accuracy And Bias In Genetic Monitoring Under Scenarios Of Population Decline, Susan K. Munster

Masters Theses

Accurate and unbiased estimates of current effective population size are of primary importance in making informed decisions for conservation purposes. One species of concern, the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), is experiencing ongoing population losses due to wind turbine collisions. The proportion of the population being affected is currently unknown, although recent estimates of total fatalities at wind turbines over the time from 2000-2011 are in the hundreds of thousands for this species alone. The roosting habits of eastern red bats make it difficult to monitor their census population size (Nc); thus, genetic estimates of effective population size (Ne) may …

Oxidized Phospholipids Regulation Of The Monocyte Recruitment Parthway In Human Aortic Endothelial Cells, Piao Jian Tan

Masters Theses

Low-density lipoprotein particles in blood plasma invade the endothelium and become oxidized, creating risk of CHD associated with atherosclerosis, the main underlying condition in coronary heart disease. Oxidation products of the phospholipid 1-palmitoyl- 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine (PAPC) are bioactive components of minimally oxidized LDL that stimulate endothelial cells that line the artery, leading to monocyte binding and atherosclerosis. It is hypothesized that the regulation of the monocyte recruitment pathway by these oxidized phospholipids is mediated by the binding of OxPAPC to one or more mediating proteins. Human recombinant VEGFR2, GRP78, and EP2bind to OxPNB, a biotinylated analog of OxPAPC, demonstrated using Western …

Mad Hero In A Box: Christianity, Secular Humanism, And The Monomyth In Doctor Who, Sabrina Hardy

Masters Theses

Doctor Who is a long-running, incredibly popular work of television science-fiction, with a devoted fanbase across the Western world. Like all science fiction, it deals with the weighty questions posed by the culture around it, particularly in regards to ethics, politics, faith/belief, and the idea of the soul. These concepts are dealt with through the lens of the Secular Humanist ideology held by the showrunners and by many of the people who watch the show; however, in many areas, elements of the Christian worldview seep through. The conflict between these two worldviews has serious ramifications for the show itself, as …

Evaluation Of The Safety Effectiveness Of Clearview Font And Fluorescent Yellow Sheeting On Michigan Freeways And Non-Freeways, Lusanni Mercedes Acosta Rodrieuez

Masters Theses

Halation or irradiation makes guide sign fonts difficult to read. Missing the necessary guide sign information causes anxiety and confusion to drivers, and hence may lead to crashes. In order to avoid or mitigate the situation a newer font, Clearview, is used to provide better readability at long distances. In a similar context the lack of brightness in sheeting material for warning signs reduces conspicuity of sings. Installation of fluorescent yellow sheeting has been done to provide signs with more noticeable and brighter materials. This observational before and after study is an evaluation of the safety and economic benefits of …

Tourism And Organic Food Production In Croatia: Case Study Of The Cetina Region, Marina Pavletic

Masters Theses

Croatia is an emerging tourist destination where attractive beaches, rich culture and culinary delights form a perfect combination for a great vacation. As the number of tourists visiting Croatia continues to grow, their demand for food is following suit. However, more than half of the food purchased in Croatia is imported, while agricultural land in many Croatian regions is neglected. As the largest number of Croatia’s tourists comes from the European Union, which spent €22 billion on organic food in 2014, this study looks at opportunities and challenges for organic farming in Croatia as an alternative to conventional agriculture in …

The Adoption And Diffusion Of Leed Certification In The Great Lakes Region: 2008-2015, Douglas Vander Hulst

Masters Theses

This research examines multiple factors that were previously used to describe where LEED-certified homes locations from 2008 to 2015 in the Great Lakes states. This study includes an analysis of 1,040 buildings located in 144 cities across six Great Lakes states. Along with the data in the LEED homes dataset, LEED homes locations are compared using three climate factors: heating degree days, cooling degree days, and average annual temperature. Socioenvironmental factors hypothesized to influence the location of LEED-verified buildings included the city population, the city’s total area, water area, percent water area, land area, population density, and housing density. Two …

The Design Of Nanostructures From The Blending Of Flowing Agents Influencing Critical Properties Of A Pharmaceutical Formulation, Casey F. Kick

Masters Theses

In the pharmaceutical manufacturing process, it is well known that flowing agents such as MgSt and Cab-O-Sil widely affect critical flow properties that influence the finished product performance of oral dosage tablets. Though the effects of flowing agents are beneficial to some extent, the sensitivity of the pharmaceutical formulation to process shearing of flowing agents during blending can be catastrophic which often results in product and batch failures. Hence it is essential to study the concentration of flowing agents and chemical nature of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with respect to applied process shear on formulations. Previous studies have shown that …

Families, General Strain, Social Control And Adolescent Pain Killer Use, Melinda S. Furtaw

Masters Theses

This study determines whether family structure or transitions alone influence adolescent use of pain killers, as previous studies in delinquency and substance use would suggest, or if there are potentially mediating factors. The theories of general strain and social control are drawn upon to create mediating variables of abuse and failing grade (general strain) as well as attachment and school suspension (social control). The study will use data from the National Survey of Adolescents (1995).

Binary logistic regression was used to estimate if family structure leads to increased odds of being abused, having a failing grade, and being suspended from …

Sociodemographic Characteristics Of Heart Failure Associated Hospital Readmissions In Michigan Medicare Patients, Kelsey A. Peterson

Masters Theses

Repeated hospital admissions constitute a large proportion of healthcare expenses, but are incurred by a small minority of chronically ill patients. Rising healthcare expenditures and the link between readmissions and quality of care make readmission rates a high priority for clinicians as well as insurance payers. Though hospital readmissions have many components, one of the relationships which is still inconclusive is that between socioeconomic status and hospital readmission rates.

Investigating the conditions which have a substantial impact on the rate of hospital readmissions, heart failure stands out as it is the leading cause of death in the United States. This …

Synthesis Of New Platinum-Based Anti-Cancer Drugs, Saud O. Albaroodi Yasser

Masters Theses

Cancer is considered the second leading cause of death after heart attack. Different treatments have been applied to kill cancer cells such as chemotherapy, which is the use of chemicals or drugs in order to treat cancer cells. Platinum-based anti cancer drugs are the backbone of chemotherapy, they play a crucial role in treating various malignant tumor. However, the disadvantages of these drugs are very painful on patients, such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. In the last four decades, thousands of platinum-based anticancer drugs have been synthesized for hope in find a new drug with higher efficacy and less side effects.In …

Geological Controls On Stratigraphy And Sedimentation Of The Mississippian Marshall Formation, Michigan Basin, U.S.A., Joseph G. Adducci

Masters Theses

An understanding of regional orogenic, climatic, and eustatic processes is critical to the interbasinal correlation of Paleozoic strata in eastern North America. Tectonic activity associated with the culmination of Appalachian Orogenic events has been shown to have regional influence on paleostructure and sediment dispersal in the Appalachian foreland basin and adjacent intracratonic Illinois and Michigan basins. The culmination of the Acadian Orogeny at the end of the Devonian represents the beginning of a period of general tectonic quiescence extending throughout the early and middle Mississippian in eastern North America. Early Mississippian strata in the Michigan basin is distinctive and marks …

Breastfeeding With The Bronson Mothers’ Milk Bank, Marykate Bodnar

Masters Theses

Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo is home to one of only 15 certified breast milk banks in the United States. Women have shared breast milk for centuries through wet nurses, but this institutionalized and regulated version of sharing is distinct from previous forms. Breastfeeding has become a symbol of successful motherhood; donor milk adds a new dimension to this aspect of idealized motherhood. This study explores how the milk bank works: its organizational structure within a hospital, how donors are selected, and how recipients qualify for donor milk. It is grounded in Feminist and Medical Anthropology literature. Using semi-structured interviews …

Phase Change Lines, Scale Breaks And Trend Lines Using Excel 2013Tm, Neil Deochand

Masters Theses

The development of graphing skills for the behavior analyst is an ongoing process. Specialized graphing software is often expensive, not widely disseminated, and may require specific training. Dixon, et al. (2009) provided an updated task analysis (Carr & Burkholder, 1998) in the widely used platform Excel 2007. Vanselow and Bourret (2012) provided online tutorials outlining some alternate methods also using Office 2007. This article serves as an update to those task analyses with alternative and under-utilized methods in Excel 2013. To examine the utility of our recommendations twelve psychology graduate students were presented with the task analyses and the experimenters …

The Experience Of Social Flow In Vocal Jazz Improvisation, Brittany Neuser

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of experimental research procedures and gather initial data in studying the experience of social flow within the context of group music production tasks. Participants completed two different group vocal music production tasks: Performance of a pre-composed song and an improvised performance. The Flow State Scale-2 (FSS-2), a 36-item survey in which a mean score of 45 implies the ultimate flow experience and a score of 9 implies that no flow was experienced during the event in question, was used to assess the level of social flow experienced by the participants …

Acceleration Of Agent-Based Pandemicmodeling On Multiple Gpus, Barzan Shekh

Masters Theses

Epidemiology computation models are crucial for the assessment and control of public health crises. Agent-based simulations of pandemic inuenza are useful for forecasting the infectious disease spreading in order to help public health policy makers during emergencies. In such emergencies decisions are required for public health preparedness in cycles of less than a day, and the agent-based model should be adaptable and tractable for quick and simple calibration with low computational overhead.

GPU accelerated computing involves the use of a graphics processing unit (GPU) in combination with the CPU to perform heterogeneous computing by o_oading a compute-expensive portion of the …

Development And Verification Of A Method To Determine The Long Term Load Carrying Performance Of A Double Sided Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Tape, Rahal Rasheed

Masters Theses

Acrylic foam pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes are used in various applications as an alternative of mechanical fasteners, especially in areas like structural bonding which requires demanding bond strength and durability.

This research focuses on comparing design values of acrylic foam PSA using static shear test method and dynamic shear test method in accordance of J0MP0164 standard specification. Static shear test has lots of disadvantages; but on the other hand it is the test that mimics the real life usage of a tape in a real life application. Dynamic shear test is a faster way of testing and gives a …

Language Policy In Turkey And Its Effect On The Kurdish Language, Sevda Arslan

Masters Theses

For many decades the Kurdish language was ignored and banned from public use and Turkish became the lingua franca for all citizens to speak. This way, the Turkish state sought to create a nation-state based on one language and attempted to eliminate the use of other languages, particularly Kurdish, through severe regulations and prohibitions.

Firstly, this thesis traces the language planning policies in the 20th century which resulted in the invisibilization and denial of Kurdish through an attempted linguicide. Through decade long oppressions which resulted in mass killings, arrests, re-location of Kurds, monopolization of education in Turkish and eventually the …

Canning Jars And Patterns Of Canning Behavior: A Study Of Households On The Hector Backbone, New York. 1850-1940, Jayne Ann Michaels

Masters Theses

Typically, late 19^th or early 20^th century domestic sites contain fragments of a common item: canning jars. Such is the case regarding 21 sites along the Hector Backbone in New York State. These sites, investigated by the Finger Lakes National Forest Farmstead Archaeology Project, produced a rich sample of over 250,000 artifacts and thousands related to canning.

The objective of this thesis is to explore the potential of these common artifacts to yield important information about these Backbone households. Specifically, my questions include: when did these households adopt canning and who were they?

The intentional decision to include …

Recent Seismicity And Regional Extension Aithin Southwestern Montana, Usa, Jessica Szkody

Masters Theses

Southwestern Montana has experienced several large damaging earthquakes over the last 100 years, but many minor ones that unveil the nature of the intraplate seismicity. The region in this study is part of two distinct Late Cretaceous tectonic provinces, the Rocky Mountain Foreland Basement (RMFB) and the Cordilleran Fold and Thrust Belt (CFTB). Relationships between the two provinces and their faults show that the focal mechanisms are different. Deep focal mechanisms (between 8 and 10 km) within the RMFB can be placed on a specific fault, with many smaller events falling within the hanging wall. The hypocenters within the hanging …