Digital Commons Network^™

Capturing Opportunity: How The Conquest Of James I Shaped The Society And Culture Of Mallorca, 1229-1247, Patrick W. Harris

Masters Theses

The defeat of Muslim forces on the island of Mallorca by James I in 1230 determined the course of medieval history in the western Mediterranean, and later helped propel Spain into the Atlantic world. Because the settlement of Mallorca became a stepping-stone towards later expansion, historians have tended to portray this watershed event within the teleological narrative of the Reconquista. Consequently, we receive the image of James I as a farsighted ruler who is aware of the social and economic impact resulting from the conquest. Furthermore, James' favorable policies towards Jews and Muslims in comparison to those of his successors …

Motivational Factors Of Marathon Running, Donna Lakinger

Masters Theses

This study was created to identify the motivations of marathon runners, that is, why they choose to participate in marathons. It is hypothesized that motives for running a marathon differ depending on experience, age, and gender.

Participants were eligible to complete the questionnaire if they had run at least one full marathon. Age, gender, and amount of experience were not restricted. Volunteers for the study were found at the Health and Fitness Expo for the Chicago Marathon and through various online running groups. The data was collected through an online survey • located at www.myg3.com. The Motivation of Marathoners Scales, …

Word Retrieval Treatment Using Collaborative Referencing, Cassie (Shuemaker) Flack

Masters Theses

The use of collaborative referencing tasks as a supplement to traditional speech therapy for two individuals ( one male and one female) with non:fluent aphasia due to cerebrovascular accident (CVA) was investigated. The participants' spouses served as communication partners for the collaborative referencing task. Stimuli consisted of three sets of ten pictures of individuals performing actions. Participants and spouses alternated serving as director and matcher for six trials each session. Each picture set was targeted until participants reached 80% accuracy across two trials at identifying pictures. Analysis of transcripts showed that participants and communication partners followed the three phases of …

Discussing The Argumentativeness Scale, Jacob A. Sweet

Masters Theses

Studies have shown that people may associate the word "argue" on the argumentativeness scale with concepts associated with verbal aggressiveness, such as name calling or quarrels. The perceptions of the words used in the argumentativeness scale may result in considerable social desirability bias. A possible way of rectifying this problem involves I the substitution of key words. This thesis reports three studies investigating participants' perceptions of the word "argue" and its derivatives as well as synonyms for the word "argue." Findings show that individuals tend to perceive the words "argue" and "argument" in a negative light. Substituting "discuss controversial issues" …

Searching For A Connection: Internet Communication And Mobile Phone Use For Social Membership, Cathy Marie Quast Sowa

Masters Theses

College students struggle to develop successful interpersonal relationships, explore personal identity and establish social group memberships. The purpose of this study was to explore measured levels of social connectedness and social assurance among undergraduate student users of Internet communication and mobile phone. Survey results indicated that the number of hours students used electronic communication tools was not related to their feelings of social connectedness on campus. However, the data indicated that students mixed electronic communication media to make connections, even to simultaneous use of mobile phone and Internet communication. Results supported the researcher's connection attachment theory, which proposed that students …

Influence Of Fluvial Geomorphology On Fish Assemblage Structure Within An Agriculturally Impacted Watershed, Jeffrey D. Fore

Masters Theses

Warmwater stream fish assemblages are often considered limited by instream habitat availability. Thus, much current research has focused on determining habitat features that limit the abundance and persistence of stream fishes. These studies provide valuable information to managers who are concerned with increasing species abundance and persistence, but they may not provide information on the processes structuring the stream fish community. To address this issue, we hypothesized that stream geomorphology differed among stream sizes and types (i.e., channelized vs. unchannelized streams) and that the fish assemblages associated with each geomorphic type would be unique. Fish assemblages were sampled and geomorphic …

Long-Term Functional Trait Dynamics In Abandoned Agricultural Fields, Timothy A. Rye

Masters Theses

A fundamental question of plant succession is whether species within different successional stages differ in terms of functional traits as changes in community-level traits reflect changes in plant strategies over time. Although there are many studies that focus on that question, researchers have not studied the long-term dynamics of those traits within plant communities in depth. We used data from a 49-year study of old-field succession (the Buell-Small Succession Study) to assess the dynamics of important functional traits (height, seed mass, specific leaf area) and compared their dynamics among life forms and between native and non-native species. We assessed communitylevel …

Foraging Site Selection In Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis C. Calligaster): An Experimental Approach, Angela M. Fornell

Masters Theses

A critical component to a predator’s survival is the choice of foraging sites that yield enough predatory success to meet energetic demands. To elucidate cues used to select foraging sites, I examined foraging site selection in Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis c. calligaster), a generalist species whose foraging mode is flexible. My objectives were to determine: the pattern of foraging site selection; the importance of certain cues that kingsnakes use when selecting foraging sites; and, whether or not kingsnakes adjust their foraging patterns in response to alterations in the microhabitat. I tested subjects in a large experimental arena under several treatment conditions …

Terrestrial Macrofungi Of Old-Growth Prairie Groves, Vincent P. Hustad

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and contrast the communities of terrestrial macrofungi of Brownfield and Trelease Woods, Champaign Co., IL; old-growth prairie groves isolated for> 120 years. This study represents the first known analysis of fungal communities in old-growth prairie grove ecosystems in the Midwestern United States, and provides an excellent opportunity to characterize the fungal biodiversity of established old-growth reference communities for comparisons with other sites, both local and distant. Fungal communities were sampled during the fall fruiting seasons of 2006 and 2007 using a plot frequency study of fungal abundance. Several estimators of species richness …

Correlating Phytoplankton Assemblages With Water Quality In Illinois Lakes And Reservoirs: Validating Models Based On Historical Data, Jason D. Allen

Masters Theses

In the last two decades management and monitoring efforts in freshwater systems has shifted from point source pollutants to non-point source pollutants and environmental modification. Long term, large scale sampling projects necessitated by such a shift often are infeasible due to logistical, cost, and time constraints.

In recent years fish and benthic macroinvertebrate indices of biological integrity (IBI's) have been used to survey the quality of flowing (lotic) water systems, which have drastically reduced sampling time and facilitated large scale monitoring projects. However, it is unlikely that these could be adapted to lentic systems. This study was undertaken in an …

The Impact Of Climate On The Leaf Characteristics Of Genus Fraxinus, Brian W. Craven

Masters Theses

Fraxinus (ash) has six species across eastern North America, five of which are found in Illinois (F. americana, F. pennsylvanica, F. nigra, F. quadrangulata, F. profimda). It is also threatened by the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) (BAB). Are climate differences across a north-south distance of 600 km great enough to create differences in the morphological characteristics of Fraxinus species? Studying latitudinal variation in the species of Fraxinus would reveal the impact of climate on the leaf characteristics of a genus of trees which extend over a considerable portion of the continent. The objectives of this study were to determine …

Fourier-Transform Microwave Spectroscopy Of Cyclopropylmethylgermane And Van Der Waals Complexes Of Fluorinated Methanes, Michal M. Serafin

Masters Theses

Background theory and instrumentation utilized in the Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy technique is first introduced followed by the structural and dynamic determination of cyclopropylmethylgermane and two weakly bound van der Waals complexes (difluoromethane-OCS, and fluoromethane-OCS). The minimum energy configuration has been determined for cyclopropylmethylgermane molecule, which has been shown to be the gauche configuration. Internal rotation parameters have been obtained from the rotational spectra of cyclopropylmethylgermane. The rotational spectra have been acquired for difluoromethanecarbonyl sulfide and fluoromethane-carbonyl sulfide and experimental structures have been determined for these weakly bound complexes. Evidence for a very low barrier to internal rotation has been observed …

Synthetic Studies Towards The Stellettins, Tung Yin Lin

Masters Theses

The synthesis of the stellettins, differing in the side chain at the C-13 position of the tricyclic region, was attempted by attaching the C-ring to a Wieland-Miescher ketone core using 1,3-bisphosphonoacetone. The decalin precursor was prepared in 35% from condensing ethyl acetate with acrolein, and a MnO2 oxidation, but too little material was obtained to cyclize this into the decalin. An alternative route involving a 2-step Robinson annulation of 2-methyl-1,3 cyclohexanedione with ethyl or methyl vinyl ketone and L-phenylalanine catalysis, followed by protecting C-9 carbonyl with acetal, gave 29% and 14% yields respectively.

1,3-Bisphosphonoacetone was prepared m a 3-step synthesis …

Barriers Faced By Hispanic Women In Higher Education Institutions In The State Of Illinois, Zoraida Irizarry

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to ascertain the perceptions of Hispanic women concerning barriers to their career advancement to faculty and administrators in higher education institutions in the state of Illinois. Specifically, attention was given to issues of national origin, mentoring relationships, education, gender, culture, socialization, socioeconomic status, and financial compensation.

Qualitative one-on-one interview were conducted with six Hispanic women who were faculty and directors of departments at state universities. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed into computer files, and coded to identify themes.

The findings of the present study revealed that most of the factors, excluding those …

The Impacts Of Economic, Political, And Cultural Globalization On Transnational Terrorism, Bradley J. Murphy

Masters Theses

This paper analyzes the impacts of economic, political, and cultural globalization on transnational terrorism using world-level data in a semi-log structure for the years 1970-2000. There are currently two opposing frameworks, which are explored in this research: destructive globalization and civilizing globalization. The empirical results are evaluated and each variable is classified as support for one of the opposing theories. The economic and cultural facets of globalization are divided among their support for the opposing theories while the spread of democracy produces strong support for the civilizing globalization theory.

Federal Renewable-Energy Research And Development Funding And Innovation, Darrin B. Johnson

Masters Theses

Energy is the largest industry on the planet and necessary for the sustainability of life. As the world's stores of nonrenewable-energy begin to deplete at an increasing rate, the research on feasible sources of renewable-energy becomes essential. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between federal funding for activities of energy research and development for renewable-energy sources and the resulting number of renewable-energy patent applications. Panel and ordinary least squares estimations are applied. Data consists of nineteen countries spanning the years from 1985 through 1997. Results indicate a weak and statistically insignificant relationship between federal renewable-energy R&D …

Driven To Distraction, Carissa Renee Hayden

Masters Theses

This compilation of personal essays is centered on the topic of driving. Many of my stories do not take place in ordinary tourist locations. However, my emphasis in each essay is to highlight details of the traveling experience, regardless of the destination. I chose to structure my thesis as a series of essays because each story has its own particular focus. Together, the subjects of each story interlock as pieces in a jigsaw puzzle to form a unified and overarching theme of appearance vs. reality. Often the appearance, or how we envision the trip, is romanticized, whereas the reality is …

The Beauty Of Her Survival: Being Black And Female In Meridian, The Salt Eaters, Kindred, And The Bluest Eye, Loretta N. Ullrich-Ferguson

Masters Theses

Individuals have been responsible for advocating equality for marginalized American groups since colonial times. From the nation's second First Lady Abigail Adams through former slaves such as Fredrick Douglass and Sojourner Truth to the activists in the social movements of the 20th century, many have fought hard to try to make the wealthy white-male power structure aware of and sympathetic to the rights of all citizens. Throughout these struggles, racist and sexist ideology dictated who the public leaders of these movements would be. The abolitionist movement's prominent leaders were males, most often white. The suffragist movement was led by, and …

"I See By This Woman's Features, That She Is Capable Of Any Wickedness": Murderous Women, Public Justice, And The Social Order In London, 1674-1799, Annie Tock

Masters Theses

Crime held a certain fascination for eighteenth-century Londoners. They devoured case summaries, ballads, broadsides, pamphlets, and collections of criminal biographies. In addition, they flocked to Tyburn Tree to witness the malefactors hang for their crimes. Then, like now, murders were appalling, but murders committed by women were especially shocking. While part of the interest in murderesses is attributable to their relative rarity, eighteenth century Londoners were also concerned with the implications of deviant women on the state of their society. This was a culture that firmly believed that women's subordination to men was critical to the maintenance of order. In …

Evaluation Of The Oxalate-Consuming Activities Of Probiotic Microorganisms, Alexandra E.C. Baluka

Masters Theses

This study identifies the oxalate-consuming capabilities of mixtures of probiotic microorganisms, present as commercial probiotics, as well as in seventeen pure cultures of probiotic microorganisms. Probiotics are sold commercially as powders, tablets, and supplements of live microorganisms that, when taken in large amounts, confer a health benefit to the host. Increased levels of urinary oxalate coincide with the formation of kidney stones, so this study sought to identify organisms capable of oxalate consumption that could potentially be manufactured for those suffering from calcium oxalate kidney stones. This study determined that consumption of oxalate was not directly tied to active growth …

Mating Bias In The Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta, Kendra Carroll

Masters Theses

The two social forms in the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, are believed to be governed by the expression of one specific gene. This gene, known as Gp-9, is responsible for the production of general protein-9, thought to be a pheromone binding protein. Among the social aspects thought to be controlled by this locus is reproduction. Many aspects of breeding within and between the two colonial forms have been investigated over the past years since in introduction of this species to the United States. In this study, several features of the currently accepted model were examined. Newlymated queens were …

Evaluating The Illinois Stream Valley Segment Model As An Effective Management Tool, Stephen S. Warrner

Masters Theses

Stream habitat assessment procedures have been used to monitor logical potential, habitat restoration, and determine anthropogenic impacts on streams. In the past, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) have determined which stream reaches to sample habitat quality based on historical data, accessibility, and whether or not a reach is representative of an area. To develop a consistent and unbiased procedure for choosing sampling locations, the IDNR and INHS have proposed a technique by which watersheds are divided into homogeneous stream segments called valley segments. Valley segments within each watershed are determined by …

Spatial And Ecological Patterns Of Tent Location In The Eastern Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma Americana (Lepidoptera:Lasiocampidae), Jennifer Pleasant

Masters Theses

The eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) is a widely studied social caterpillar. The nests (i.e. tents) of the tent caterpillar are most frequently found on Black Cherry trees (Prunus serotina). However, dispersions of tents are often clumped with one cherry tree having five or more tent caterpillar nests in it and another cherry tree 3 meters away having only one nest, or none at all. I tried to determine why this happens. Because of the short field season, much of the research on the caterpillars has been done in the laboratory. I tried to determine host selection …

A Survey Of Carrion And Burying Beetles (Coleoptera:Silphidae) In Mchenry County, Illinois, David Suhrbur

Masters Theses

This study compared the occurrence of beetles in the family Silphidae using historical collection records with that of field collections from five different sites within McHenry County. The five sites include: Glacial Park, Woodstock, Silver Creek, Rush Creek, and Coral Woods. Historically, 11 known silphid species have been found in McHenry County, compared with seven species found during this study' collection period.

Percentages of silphid species at each site was calculated, as well as total number of individuals sampled, and two indices of diversity (Shannon-Weiner and Simpson's) were applied to both current and historical collection data. The historical collection (when …

Collectively We Unite On Facebook: A Case Study Of Egypt's Collective Action On Facebook Toward Social Change, Basma Botros

Masters Theses

The development of the famous social networking site, Facebook, has been associated with significant challenges to regimes that are characterized by being repressive to its citizens in terms of freedom of speech and expression, and mostly are third world developing countries that suffer. Egypt provides a good case study of Facebook ability to organize a strike among its citizens. April 6, 2008 is curved in the memories of Egyptians as a "general dissent day" that was initiated through Facebook and then was transmitted to almost every Egyptian citizen using other media sources. This paper shows how Facebook facilitates collective identity …

Women Candidates And Television Advertising: An Examination Of The 2006 Mid-Term Elections, Sharlin Aldao

Masters Theses

Television campaign ads are considered by scholars as the primary resource which candidates for national office use to introduce themselves and their views to the public, regardless of whether they are male or female. The majority of research nonetheless has focused on advertising at the Presidential and Congressional level. It has also focused on the use of negativity in their ads. Women candidates as an aggregate have many obstacles in terms of television advertising. The long standing stereotype of women as the homemaker and mother would lead many to believe that they should and only focus on women's issues such …

The Coordination Of Multiple Roles By Female Graduate Students From Three Different Cultures, Smita Srivastava

Masters Theses

This research studied the coordination of multiple roles by female graduate students who are mothers. Zika (2006) reported that working women in the developed world contribute 40 to 50 percent of the gross national product at the same time that they continue to be responsible for most of the household and childcare responsibilities in the home. Some researchers have suggested that having multiple roles can be deleterious, while others have suggested benefits. Because women from around the world today are participating in multiple roles, the present study investigated, using a qualitative research method, how three female graduate students from different …

Automated Estimation Of Time Codes For Captioning Digital Media, Daniel P. Harvey Ii

Masters Theses

Captioning provides accessibility to media resources for deaf and hearingimpaired persons and is mandated by federal and state laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, the process of creating synchronized captions for media is time consuming and labor intensive. Consequently, many content providers still do not incorporate captions into media presentations on the web.

In this research, algorithms were developed to automate part of the captioning process by estimating the timing of captions for web-based audio and video files using plain-text transcripts and their corresponding audio recordings. Recordings used in this study were of professional speakers/readers from American …

Comparison Of Dibels And Aimsweb Fall Benchmarking And Their Identification Of Students In Need Of Tier Ii Service, Lindsay R. Rickelman

Masters Theses

This study investigated the DIBELS and AIMSweb systems of data collection for fall benchmarking and their identification of students in need of Tier II services. One hundred and five students in the second through fifth grade from a Midwestern suburb were administered probes from both assessment systems during the fall benchmarking time period (September - October). The median number of words read correctly and errors committed in a minute from each assessment system were recorded and analyzed. Results revealed that student performance differed significantly, in that they read more reads correctly on AIMSweb probes and committed more errors on DIBELS …

Using Individual Growth And Development Indicators To Track Preschoolers' Early Literacy Development, Deborah Cook Pottle

Masters Theses

Several studies have recently reported the examination of preschoolers' early literacy kills with the purpose of establishing a trajectory of growth that can be expected by age group, socio-economic factors and developmental levels. The purpose of this study was to examine preschoolers' early literacy development to further understand the developmental timeframes in which children establish early literacy skills. The Individual Orowth and Development Indicators (lODI) were used to track the trajectory of early literacy skills in 6J preschool children over a period of four months from .Tanuary to April. The growth trajectories of the preschool participants from differing socio-economic groups …