Digital Commons Network^™

Numerical Approximations Of Differential Equations And Applications In Maple, Joyce Zimmerman

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this work was as an aid for students taking an elemenentary differential equations course, or for students that may be trying to find approximate solutions to a differential equation without solving it. This work covers numererical methods of approximating differential equations. There are three types of methods covered, Euler's method, Runge-Kutta method, and Picard method. Also, in each of these sections there is a biography to introduce students to the various mathematicians covered. In the Appendix, there are several Maple worksheets that can be implemented into a differential equations course. These worksheets contain some programming language …

Gateway Program: Perceptions Of The Second Year Student, Makesha Harris

Masters Theses

This study was designed to understand the perception of sophomore students who were successfully released from the Gateway Program and are now progressing through their college careers at Eastern Illinois University. They are doing so without the extra resources and intrusive assistance of first year Gateway advisors and support services during their sophomore year. The primary investigator conducted one on one interviews with a selected sample of former Gateway students using qualitative methods (Lincoln & Guba 1985) regarding their relationship with their Gateway advisor and their second year academic advisor and campus resources. Interview findings were triangulated and themes and …

An Assessment Of The Crawl Program: A Brief Alcohol Intervention For First Time Alcohol Offenders At Eastern Illinois University, Catherine T. Passananti

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an alcohol intervention program instituted at Eastern Illinois University. More specifically, the purpose was to assess how much knowledge student participants gained about their personal drinking behavior and how it affected other individuals. Results from the study include that the program had a positive educational effect on some, while other participants were in need of more individual and intensive alcohol education and counseling.

A Formative Evaluation Of The 2005-2006 Eastern Illinois University Resident Assistant Selection Process, Brian O'Neal Johnson

Masters Theses

The present study was conducted as a formative evaluation of the 2005-2006 Eastern Illinois University Resident Assistant Selection Process. The purpose of the present project was two-fold: 1) to assess participates' perceptions, candidates and instructors, of the five-week Resident Assistant workshop course; and, 2) to generate potential recommendations from research participants for future resident assistant selection processes.

September 11th, 2001: Immediate And Short Run Effects On U. S. Commodity Markets, Financial Statistics, And Macroeconomic Variables, Katie E. Lotz

Masters Theses

In an attempt to identify and quantify the economic impacts of 9/11 on U.S. markets, this study individually examines a wide range of U.S. economic variables. Macroeconomic indicators, commodity prices, and financial statistics are the three main focuses of the project. Econometric analysis-ranging from simple ordinary least squares regression to more advanced techniques such as autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic models-is used to identify the various impacts. The analysis finds that September 11th did have a wide array of impacts on the U.S. economy. Some variables appear to have been affected both immediately and in the short run, while others seem to …

The Myth, Paul Meske

Masters Theses

The Myth chronicles a few days in the life of a young man in search of his place in the world. Through flashbacks and discussions concerning choice and purpose, Adam tries to carve out a life for himself after everyone he knows melts away. Adam discovers many things about himself and how the people around him come to embrace their choices. In the end, Adam attempts to make his own choice and to land somewhere nice and peaceful.

Home Invasions: Victorian Domestic Space And The Figure Of The Outsider, Kathleen Rodems

Masters Theses

Victorian fiction often represents a domestic space that is designed both architecturally and psychologically to protect its residents from the external harsh and hostile world. Novelists ofthe period perceived a weakness in the domestic fortress and incorporated characters that could enter these homes in various ways, whether invited or not, and threatened to expose the families to the world they represented. This thesis investigates characters able to disrupt this domestic idea ofprivacy including the orphaned outsider Heathcliff from Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (1847), the impostor Lucy Graham in Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Lady Audley 's Secret (1862), and the detective Sergeant …

Existential Anxiety And Religious Commitment, Daniel J. Pelak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Paul Tillich's theory of existential anxiety and religious commitment. The study attempted to determine if there was type of existential anxiety that religion might perpetuate or alleviate. Two hundred and twenty-nine individuals who endorsed a Christian or Catholic belief system completed a series of surveys on an internet website; participants were recruited through various Christian message boards or a standardized email that was sent to various church leaders; the measures of the assessment were Tillich's theory of existential anxiety, death anxiety, moral anxiety, meaninglessness anxiety, religious commitment, and personality …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Prayer And Subjective Well-Being, Brandon L. Whittington

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between types of prayer (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, reception, and obligation) and self-esteem, life satisfaction, and life meaning, while testing optimism, belief in prayer, and spiritual support as mediators. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships. Optimism was confirmed as a mediator between adoration and life satisfaction, thanksgiving and life satisfaction, and thanksgiving and self-esteem. Spiritual support was confirmed as a mediator between reception and life meaning. As hypothesized, optimism played a large role in predicting well-being, especially in adoration and thanksgiving, prayer focused on positive themes. Overall, prayer was shown to predict …

Factors Influencing Early Literacy Skill Acquisition Among At-Risk Kindergarten Children, Jill E. Feller

Masters Theses

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 placed federal mandates on education in which all children will be expected to read grade-level text by the 3rd grade in the academic year of 2013-2014. Risk factors that can be linked to interventions in order to reach the goals of NCLB were investigated. In this study, the risk factors of parental involvement (Reading Minute Index), parental literacy interaction style (Home Questionnaire), and Overactive and Underactive problem behaviors (ASCA composite scores) were analyzed in relation to the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills kindergarten spring benchmarks.

This study was conducted in …

Spatial And Temporal Distribution Of Total Heterotroph And Fecal Coliform Bacteria In An Urban Stream, Heather R. English

Masters Theses

Total heterotroph bacteria populations in the Sangamon River in east central Illinois, U.S.A. were monitored during a period between June and October in 2003 and 2004. Fecal coliforms (FC) were also monitored during this period in 2004. The four sites monitored were upstream and downstream of the Sanitary District of Decatur (SOD). All areas ofthe river monitored showed similar populations ofboth total heterotrophs and FCs. No correlations could be made between increases in populations of total heterotrophs or FC in relation to flow rate, dissolved oxygen, or total solids. Most sites were found to exceed the recommended amount ofFC for …

Long Term Population Dynamics For Rosa Multiflora In A Successional System, Stephen Eugene Banasiak

Masters Theses

There is a real need for long term studies of invasions to develop a more complete understanding of the factors that influence species spread. Rosa multiflora was chosen to study to address this issue due to its pervasiveness throughout the study site's successional history. The study-site was composed of 10 abandoned agricultural fields near an old growth forest with fifty years of annual vegetation data collection. R. multiflora colonization and extinction rates were examined along with frequency and coefficient of variance since field abandonment. Environmental factors such as rainfall, tree cover, and common species and their effects on R. multiflora …

The Influence Of Extreme Hydrologic Events On Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Decatur, Illinois, Catherine E. Ciak

Masters Theses

One of the most extreme disturbances to aquatic systems is river impoundment. Dams alter a river's ecological processes by changing the flow of water, nutrients, sediment, biota and energy. Anthropogenic flow variability can lead to changes in natural seasonal variation, which has subsequent effects on biological assemblages within the ecosystem. This study investigated the influence of extreme hydrologic events on benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages within the Sangamon River in Decatur, Illinois. Four sites were sampled from June-August 2006 using the EPA 20 jab method. Samples were processed and macroinvertebrates were identified to family or lowest identifiable taxonomic group. Primer 6.1.6 was …

Zinc(Ii) Incorporation Into Porphyrin Cytochrome C As A Function Of Temperature, Urea Concentration And Zinc(Ii) Acetate Concentration And The Urea And Guanidine Hydrochloride Induced Unfolding Of Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Sireesha Potula

Masters Theses

The objective of this thesis is to address the question of whether the removal of the native iron(II) ion in cytochrome c (cyt c) and substitution by a different metal ion affects the overall structural stability. We have studied the incorporation of zinc(II) into metal-free porphyrin cytochrome с (H2cyt) and investigated the structural stability of cyt c in the absence of the iron(II) ion and in the presence of the zinc(II) ion by different spectroscopic techniques. Compared to H2cyt, zinc-substituted cytochrome c (Zncyt) has a significantly different absorbance spectrum, so we monitor over time the change in absorbance upon addition …

Metal-Substituted Cytochrome C: Manganese (Ii) Incorporation Kinetics And Structural Stability Studies Of Native Iron Cytochrome C, Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Zinc Cytochrome C And Manganese Cytochrome C, Vineela Gundala

Masters Theses

Metalloproteins have the capacity to bind various metal ions. In spite of this seemingly diverse choice of cofactors, metalloproteins generally bind only their cognate metal in vivo. Cytochrome c (cyt c) binds Fe porphyrin in vivo. The main objective of this thesis is to investigate why nature selects Fe porphyrin as the prosthetic group in heme proteins and how removal of the native Fe in cyt c and substitution by different metal ions affects the local coordination environment, overall structural stability, and biological function. Our goal is to prepare and characterize metal-free cytochrome c, socalled porphyrin cytochrome c (H2cyt), and …

Assessing Effectiveness Of The Differential Assessment Of Autism And Other Developmental Disorders (Daadd) As A Diagnostic Screening Instrument, Caroline Dahlstrom

Masters Theses

Children with developmental disorders were thought to be more similar than different in the past (Greenspan & Wieder, 1998). Many developmental disorders are a result of neurological differences and/or delays in a child's acquisition of general skills and can present similarly at a young age (Richard & Calvert, 2003). Therefore, there has recently been an emphasis on the need for developmental disorders to be differentiated because of the differences being noted. Many assessment tools, including specialized checklists, interview formats, and standardized tests used to assist in the diagnosis of developmental disorders are available. The Differential Assessment of Autism and other …

Methodological Variables For Eliciting Maximum Phonational Frequency Range In Adults, K. Lenee Moseley

Masters Theses

The current study employed an experimental research design to compare the effect of elicitation tasks (glissando versus discrete-steps) and the integration of visual feedback (auditory-only model versus visual feedback with an auditory model) on obtaining an individual's maximum phonational frequency range (MFPR). Participants included forty normal speaking males and females. A one-way ANOVA indicated the glissando elicitation task yielded a significantly higher MPFR than the discrete-steps elicitation task. [F (1,159) = 34.39; p < .01]. A one-way ANOVA approached but did not reach statistical significance [F (1,159) = 3.104, p = .08] for the difference between the auditory-only model and the auditory model with visual feedback. However, the frequency means depicted a larger MPFR when visual feedback was included within each of the elicitation tasks.

The Effects Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication On The Communication Attempts And Disruptive Behavior Of A Child With Autism, Natalie Arp

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the use of augmentative and alternative communication as a means to decrease disruptive behavior for a child in the autism spectrum. A case study with a training and treatment period was implemented. The dependent variables were the disruptive behaviors and the increased communication that occurred during a speech therapy treatment session. The independent variable was the implementation of augmentative and alternative communication, specifically, a modified Picture Exchange Communication System, (PECS) (Bondy & Frost, 1998) in combination with a VOCA (Twin Talk). The participant was a 3 1/2 year old female diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder at …

The Effect Of Objective Data In Narrative Observation Notes On Changing Supervisee Behavior, Rudyard C. Watson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research study was to determine if two different types of narrative observation notes impacted supervisee clinical behaviors. Narrative observation notes alone and narrative observation notes coupled with objective data were used as the independent variables. Sixteen supervisees and 5 supervisors participated in the study. The supervisees were divided into two numerically even groups of eight and provided with one of the independent variables.

The study consisted of eleven total therapy sessions, with the first three sessions providing baseline data and the following eight involved administration of the independent variables. Group one received narrative observation notes alone …

A Comparison Of School-Aged Children Who Stutter And Do Not Stutter In Difficult Phonological Tasks, Christopher Lading

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the phonology skills of school-aged children who stutter using tasks that task the speech system. Participants included 11 children who stuttered and 10 normally fluent children. The results suggested that no differences exist in the phonology of children who stutter and children who are normally fluent when presented with complex phonological tasks.

Casimir Effect In Quantum Physics, Matthew James Urfer

Masters Theses

The Casimir Effect while over 60 years old, still holds profound implications for several branches of Physics, including but not limited too, Quantum Field Theory, Mathematical Physics, and Cosmology. This paper offers a review of Casimir Physics in regard to Quantum Physics.

Dynamic Modeling And Simulations Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells For Grid-Tied Applications, Nagasmitha Akkinapragada

Masters Theses

"As energy consumption rises, one must find suitable alternative means of generation to supplement conventional existing generation facilities. In this regard, distributed generation (DG) will continue to play a critical role in the energy supply-demand realm. The common technologies available as DG are micro-turbines, solar photovoltaic systems, fuel cells stack and wind energy systems. In this thesis, a dynamic model of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is presented. Fuel cells operate at low voltages and hence need to be boosted and inverted in order to be connected to the utility grid. The interconnection of the SOFC with a DC-DC converter …

Ph Effect On Adsorption Of Saxititoxin On Powdered Activated Carbon, Jie Ding

Masters Theses

"The presence of algal toxins, or cyanotoxins, in surface water has been increasingly reported. These highly hazardous toxins are potential threat to both human health and animals by contaminating drinking water sources over the world. In this study, the removal efficiency of saxitoxin from water using powered activated carbon was tested at different pH values for deionized water and natural surface water. The results of this study showed that pH has a strong impact on removal efficiency of saxitoxin using powdered activated carbon. Specifically, the removal efficiency of saxitoxin is significantly increased at higher pH from 5.7 to pH 10.7. …

Process Development And Applications Of A Dry Film Photoresist, Phaninder R. Kanikella

Masters Theses

"In this study, dry film photoresist was patterned using UV lithography and the sidewall profile was optimized to achieve vertical sidewalls. Sidewall verticality of dry film is very important for better pattern transfer"--Abstract, page iv.

Fine Particle Classification Using Dilute Fluidized Beds, Rajasekharan Pillai Annapoorneswari

Masters Theses

"The main objective of this project is to classify spherical soda-lime glass particles based on their size using a dilute fluidized bed system. The influence of inclined plates in the column, plate separation, plate inclination, and number of plates on the overall separation efficiency of particles will be investigated. The effect of column shape on the classification efficiency will also be assessed"--Introduction, page 3.

Performance Improvement Of Adaptive Filters For Echo Cancellation Applications, Deepak Challa

Masters Theses

"This work focuses on performance improvement of adaptive algorithms for both line and acoustic echo cancellation applications. Echo in telephone networks, Line Echo, is observed naturally due to impedance mismatches at the long-distance/local-loop interface. Acoustic echo is due to the acoustic coupling between the microphone and the speaker of a speakerphone. The Affine Projection (APA) and the Fast Affine Projection (FAP) algorithms are two examples of reliable and efficient adaptive filters used for echo cancellation...This thesis presents, Variable Regularized Fast Affine Projections (VR-FAP) algorithm, with a varying, optimal regularization value which provides the desirable property of both fast and low …

Transient Performance Of Closed Loop Thermosyphons Incorporating Thermal Storage, Kyle S. Benne

Masters Theses

This thesis considers a unique application of a thermosyphon to a conventional thermal storage deice. In such an application, the dynamics of the thermosyphon are coupled with the condition of the storage volume. This thesis specifically focuses on the transient energy addition or charge process, where heat accumulated within the storage volume continuously decreases the driving buoyant force and volumetric flow rate"--Abstract, page iv.

Delay-Insensitive Ternary Logic (Ditl), Ravi Sankar Parameswaran Nair

Masters Theses

"This thesis focuses on development of a Single Rail Ternary Voltage Delay-Insensitive paradigm called Delay-Insensitive Ternary Logic (DITL), which is based on NULL Convention Logic (NCL). Single rail asynchronous logic has potential advantages over Dual-Rail logic such as reduction of Power and Interconnect as well as Logic Area. The DITL concept is developed in steps of individual circuit components. These components are designed at the transistor level and are connected together to form a registered pipeline system. Some variations in pipeline design are also investigated"--Abstract, page iii.

Antimicrobial Activities Of Aldehydes And Ketones Produced During Rapid Volatilization Of Biogenic Oils, Aruna Lamba

Masters Theses

"The overall objective of the research presented in this thesis was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of commercially available neat compounds in order to validate the analytes which were found in the smoke generated during rapid volatilization of biogenic oil esters and mineral oils. To attain this objective various analytes were selected from the analytical data provided for the smoke, and neat compounds were purchased. A special desiccator was designed to conduct experiments. Simultaneously vapor phase concentration of the neat compounds was determined to establish relation between neat compounds and the analytes found in smoke. Other part of the thesis …

Characterization Of Coarse Aggregate Angularity Using Digital Image Processing, Gregory Allen Swift

Masters Theses

"This thesis involves a comparative analysis between well-established physically performed measurements for coarse aggregate and an image-based system. A thorough literature review was conducted, focusing on the importance of aggregate shape and how it is measured. In addition, state of the art in image-based aggregate measurement was reviewed along with the impacts and difficulties of an image-based methodology. Physical testing, consisting of Uncompacted Void Content, Index of Particle Shape and Texture (Compacted Voids), and Percent of Fractured Particles (fractured face or crush counts), was performed on aggregate control samples prior to testing on bulk aggregate samples. All aggregate samples were …