Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Apolipoprotein E On Olfactory Nerve Plasticity In Mice, Jody L. Short

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Saxo Grammaticus: History And The Rise Of National Identity In Medieval Denmark, Christopher L. Bailey

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Internet And Traditional Media Displacement, Jessica Cartledge

Masters Theses

This study consists of a survey that measures how much of the Internet college students are using and why they are using it. Using the uses and gratifications perspective and an adapted version of Rubin's 1984 Television Motives Scale this study analyzes what gratifications media consumers are actively seeking to satisfy their communication needs. 217 students were surveyed and results showed that high Internet users were using traditional media less. The study also concluded that high and low Internet users have similar reasons for using the Internet.

A Comparison Of Vertical Velocity Profiles From The Balloon Borne Sounding System And The 915/50 Mhz Radar Wind Profiler/Radio Acoustic Sounding System To Parcel Theory At The Arm Sgp Site, Joshua R. Ravenscraft

Masters Theses

In this study we characterized vertical wind velocity profiles in the troposphere using the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) equipment facility at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site in Lamont OK established by the Department of Energy (DOE) and administered through Argonne National Laboratories (ANL). Using the Balloon Borne Radio Sonde (BBSS) system launched four times per day, we collected ambient temperature profiles and lapse rates from the period of June to September of

2001. Concurrently the Rass Radar Wind Profiler collected vertical wind speed data at 915 MHz continuously throughout this period. The BBSS data is visualized using a Skew-T …

Regional Specific Brain Apoe Modulation By The Estrous Cycle And Exogenous Estrogen, Emily Rosario

Masters Theses

Previous studies have demonstrated that 17β-estradiol can modify apolipoprotein E (apoE) expression. I found that apoE protein varied as a function of the estrous cycle and 17β-estradiol (E2) in a region specific manner in the mouse brain. I also found that apoE concentration was lowest on estrus in the hippocampus, cingulate cortex and frontal cortex; apoE concentration was highest on estrus in the olfactory bulb and cerebellum. No changes in apoE were found in the striatum throughout the estrous cycle. Exogenous E2 significantly raised tissue levels in the olfactory bulb and cerebellum, but did not increase apoE in cortical samples …

Phylogeography And Genetic Diversity Of The Seal Salamander (Desmognathus Monticola), Erin D. Casey

Masters Theses

Phylogeography is defined as the spatial distribution of taxa with respect to geologic and geographic events. It is well documented that the distributions of many taxa have been affected by glacial events during the Pleistocene Era. The patterns generated can be very complex and result from shifts in climate and/or vegetation.

The Seal salamander, (Desmognathus monticola), is one species that still has questions pertaining to its phylogeography. The range of this species extends from southwestern Pennsylvania to northern Alabama and Georgia, with a highly disjunct, state-endangered population in the Red Hills of Alabama. The main goal of this study …

Mitochondrial Dna And Microsatellite Genetic Variation Of Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis Marginatus), Nancy A. Schable

Masters Theses

Dollar sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) at the Savannah River Site were sampled from two radiocesium contaminated ponds with a history of thermal elevation and from reference ponds with no history of radioactive or thermal contamination. Fluorescent sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial control region showed no genetic variation within or between populations. Centrarchidae microsatellite loci Lma 120 (6 alleles, N=124 from 5 populations), Lma 20 (10 alleles, N=37 from 3 populations) and Rb 7 (14 alleles. N=17 from 2 populations) were variable for dollar sunfish. An additional 9 microsatellite primer pairs were designed for dollar sunfish. Testing of the designed …

Phylogenetics Of Lymnaeidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) With Emphasis On The Evolution Of Susceptibility To Fascioloides Magna Infection, Sarah Renee Joyce

Masters Theses

Snails in Lymnaeidae serve as intermediate hosts in the transmission of many trematode species, including Fascioloides magna that is responsible for disease and death in domestic livestock in North America. Previous classifications of lymnaeid snails have relied primarily on morphological characters that exhibit high levels of homoplasy; thereby, impeding a sound assessment of relationships in this group. The present study provides a phylogenetic hypothesis for lymnaeid snails employing sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nrDNA, and addresses the evolution of susceptibility to Fascioloides infection in lymnaeid snails. The final data set, comprising ten species of lymnaeid snails …

Analyses Of Prairie Restorations At Rock Springs Environmental Center, Decatur, Illinois, Jennifer A. Ward

Masters Theses

Rock Springs Environmental Center was acquired in 1969 by the Macon County Conservation District. Several tracts totaling 1.6 hectares were developed as prairie restorations of varying ages on former farmland starting in 1977. During the summers of 1999 to 2001, 123 species were collected at Rock Springs. Of these, 56 species were collected within the sampling transects. The largest number of species (36 out of 56) was collected in the 1983 tract. The highest importance value of all tracts for any species was 42.6 for Andropogon gerardii. Sorensen's Index of Similarity between tracts ranged from 53.97- 72.97. The coefficient …

Asset-Base: New Reserve Requirements For A New Banking Industry, James Robert Bryans

Masters Theses

This paper discusses a regulatory plan known as asset-based reserve requirements. By examining the history of reserve requirements in the United States and of current regulatory proposals and practices, I argue that a system of asset-based reserve requirements may provide a useful, though not often considered alternative to the current structures of liability based reserve requirements and capital requirements. Required reserves based on assets provide the Federal Reserve with a powerful, versatile, and adaptable policy tool for monetary policy. Additionally, they ensure risk-assessment, reduce the moral hazard problem associated with deposit insurance, and when applied to all fmancial institutions create …

The Effects Of Habitat Fragmentation On Fish Developmental Stability, Matthew W. Gosses

Masters Theses

In nature, organisms exist in less than ideal conditions making stress a constant factor throughout their life. These stressful environments may disturb developmental processes, causing long-term, detrimental changes to an organism expressed as bilateral variation in morphology or fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Fluctuating asymmetry has been shown to be associated with accidents during morphogenesis due to environmental factors and hence is considered a measure of developmental instability.

One environmental stressor that may affect aquatic organisms is stream habitat fragmentation. Stream habitat fragmentation is the lack of connectivity between upstream and downstream populations or sites. Stream fragmentation can create distinct patches of …

A Comparison Of Goal Orientation By Gender And Level Of Competition Among High School And Collegiate Basketball Players And Its Relationship To The Motivational Climate, April Frost

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a difference in goal orientation among athletes across gender and levels of competition. A second purpose was to determine if perceived motivational climate was correlated with the type of goal orientation that basketball players of both gender and different levels of competition developed. The subjects in this study consisted of 191 basketball players. Specifically, (n)= 25 male collegiate athletes, (n)= 55 high school males, (n)= 47 female collegiate athletes, and (n)= 64 high school females. The Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) was used to assess the …

Changes In Female Athletes' Physical Self-Esteem Across A Competitive Cycle And As A Function Of Athletic Identity, Michelle C. Reed

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine if female athletes' physical self-perceptions are different when comparing their Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) scores within their competitive season with their scores during the off-season. The second purpose was to determine if physical self-perception varied as a function of their athletic identity. A secondary objective was to evaluate female athletes' physical self-esteem in an individual sport setting compared to a team sport setting. Eastern Illinois University female collegiate athletes in six different sports, track (n=15), softball (n=16), soccer (n=11), tennis (n=3), volleyball (n=5), and rugby (n=19) were given the Athletic Identity Measurement …

Learning Styles Of Teachers And Usage Of Technology, Kiranmayi Padmaraju

Masters Theses

'Every child can learn' is the mantra being advocated today. The Multiple Intelligences theory put forth by Gardner has revolutionized the perceptions of learning styles. Currently more and more teachers are accepting the reality that children learn differently and in this context, their own learning style should not be a limiting factor for using multiple modes of instruction in their classrooms. A correlational study will be done to determine if there is a relationship between learning styles of the teacher and technology usage, particularly computer-based technology. The subjects in this study will be inservice teachers (N = 30). The MIDAS …

Keyboard Basics: A Comprehensive Group Approach For Adults, Brenda Siefferman

Masters Theses

Keyboard Basics is a beginning level group course for adults in a classroom setting, using electronic keyboards. The course was born of necessity, because no existing textbooks fully meet the needs of this particular group of learners. It is designed for non-music majors with little or no previous musical experience. The goals of this text are to: 1. introduce students to the world of music and its language; 2. give students several musical experiences to help develop a love and appreciation of music; 3. enable them to think and play musically and with expression; 4. teach students to read music; …

A Web Content Management And Personalization Model Using One-To-One Strategy For Higher Educational Institutions, Yee Pong Ng

Masters Theses

This research explored a Web content management and personalization model for higher educational institutions. Through a review of literature and data collected from users, it formulated a conceptual model for Web content management and personalization. The study used the Web site of School of Technology at Eastern Illinois University as a typical case from which to develop the model for higher educational institutions. Understanding the factors influencing user attitudes about the adoption of new Web technologies is extremely important. Such an understanding can help Web developers develop a theoretical framework for a Web model as well as identify its components. …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between Profitability And Iso 9000 Certification For Fortune 500 Companies, Teng-Yun Chiang

Masters Theses

This study examined the relationship between ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems and profitability to determine if there is any relationship between implementation of ISO 9000 and their profit or loss. Fortune 500 companies in the United States were selected as the research population.

Data were collected from Fortune magazine, Quality magazine, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ISO Survey, ISO Secretariat, Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB), and ISO Directory of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 Accreditation and Certifications Bodies. Companies that remajned on the Fortune 500 list from 1990 to 2000 were selected for this study.

The research utilized a …

Effects Of Choice Versus Task Preference On Students With Behavioral Problems, Jean A. Mcgrath

Masters Theses

This study compared the effects of choice and assignment of preferred academic tasks on disruptive behaviors and task engagement within the regular education classroom. Two first grade students, identified by their teacher for frequent off-task and disruptive behaviors, participated in this study. After formally assessing academic task preferences, a multielement design was used to evaluate three conditions: (a) assigning a non-preferred academic task, (b) assigning a preferred academic task, (c) providing a choice of academic tasks. Results indicated that both assignment of a preferred task and provision of a choice in tasks had minimal effects on disruptive behavior and task …

The Effect Of Exercise Ball Training On Balance In Older Adults, Stephanie Happ

Masters Theses

Prevention of falls through balance training is of great interest to the aging population. Falls can cause debilitating injuries, such as fractures, and can also lead to the beginning of a series of health complications. These resulting complications can cause the older individual to become feeble, and susceptible to future recurring falls. There is no previous research on the effects of Swiss Ball exercises on the balance of older adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise regimen involving the use of Swiss Balls to improve the balance of older adults.

Eleven apparently healthy …

Pheidippides Revisited, James C. Stockwell

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Convergent, Discriminant, And Construct Validity Of The Acters And Asca, Katie Sprouls

Masters Theses

The present study examined the convergent, discriminant, and construct validity of the ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher's Rating Scale, Second Edition (ACTeRS) and Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA). Participants included 106 children between in first through sixth grade for the ACTeRS and ASCA comparison of teacher ratings. The children assessed were 53 children meeting DSM-4 criteria for ADHD and 53 randomly matched control group children. Results of this study indicated moderate correlations between similar scales of the ACTeRS and ASCA. Discriminant function analysis and diagnostic efficiency estimates revealed significantly high capabilities for both instruments in accurately differentiating between known groups. …

A Comparison Of The Level Of Maturity Of Manufacturers In The Lake Land College School District In Lean Manufacturing Techniques As Compared To Goodson's Survey Data, Mark W. Henderson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if manufacturers in the Lake Land College School District have implemented Lean Manufacturing techniques and score as high as the manufacturers in Goodson's Michigan study. Lean Manufacturing techniques have revolutionized the auto industry, with the Toyota Production system the benchmark in Lean Manufacturing techniques. A survey using Goodson's Rapid Plant Assessment compares the level of maturity in the utilization of the Lean Manufacturing techniques with the manufacturers in the Lake Land College School District and Goodson's survey of manufacturers in Michigan. The mean score of 57.67 for the manufacturers in the Lake …

Institutional Representation Of Student Presentations At Psychology Research Conferences: Trends And Implications, Cathy D. Schoonover

Masters Theses

Student participation in psychology undergraduate research conferences has pedagogical benefits encompassing experiential and collaborative learning, and enhancement of critical thinking skills. This project was designed to determine whether more conference participants originate from baccalaureate colleges than from research universities and what topics they present. Archival data were gathered from five geographically diverse undergraduate conferences and information extracted to determine institutions of origin. Institutions were categorized according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, then compared using chi-square tests. Information concerning topics presented were categorized according to six content domains of psychology and also analyzed with chi-square tests. The …

Relating The Concepts Of Personality, Temperament And Self-Esteem, Julie Anne Koetters

Masters Theses

Investigating the relationships between personality and temperament was the primary focus of this study. Personality was measured using the NEO-Pl-R, a 240-item measure, based on the five-factor model of personality. The Dimensions of Temperament Survey-Revised (DOTS-R), a 54-item survey exploring temperament across ten dimensions was also administered in this study. A secondary focus of this study was to identify how the concept of self-esteem is related to the differing dimensions of both personality and temperament. The short form of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, a 25-item survey, was used to measure this construct. Eighty adults participated in this study and completed …

Correlations Between The Wide Range Intelligence Test (Writ) And The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale Of Intelligence (Wasi): Global And Subtest Comparisons, Jason M. Collins

Masters Theses

To assess the convergent validity of the Wide Range Intelligence Test (WRIT) and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), two new brief IQ measures, 66 participants from five rural Illinois public schools were administered both measures in counterbalanced order. All correlations between the WRIT and the WASI were significant. Correlations between the WRIT and the WASI were moderate to high, ranging from .50 (r² = .25) to .85 (r² = .72). The WRIT and the WASI appear to be measuring very similar constructs, indicating strong evidence of convergent validity.

Home Health Care Nurses' Knowledge Of Advance Directives, Jennifer L. Zoeteman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe home health care nurses' knowledge of advance directives. Dorothea Orem's Theory of Self-Care guided this descriptive correlational study which investigated the relationship between knowledge of advance directives and the variables of nursing educational preparation and years of nursing experience. A convenience sample of 40 subjects employed by a Michigan home care agency completed a 39 item questionnaire adapted from Crego and Lipp (1998). The mean knowledge score was 84.68%. Analysis of the demographic profile showed no significant difference in knowledge levels by educational preparation. Years of nursing experience was found to have …

Examination Of Therapeutic Alliance And Dependent-Care Agency In The Context Of Complementary And Alternative Therapy Utilization By Mothers For Their Children With Asthma, Mary C. Vanderwal

Masters Theses

Complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) are being used by increasing numbers of individuals as both self-care and dependent-care strategies. Nursing leadership is needed to provide guidance and support to individuals using CAT Nurse-client relationships that center on therapeutic alliance may be a vehicle for supporting appropriate use of CAT as self-care and dependent care modalities. Eighty-seven mothers whose asthmatic children were involved in a 6-month glyconutritional supplementation trial were surveyed to evaluate their perceptions of therapeutic alliance using the Kim Alliance Scale (KAS). Greater that 90% of the sample perceived therapeutic alliance most of the time in relationship with the …

The Effect Of Supportive Education, As A Tertiary Nursing Intervention, On The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Heart Failure, Julie A. Switek

Masters Theses

Quality of life in patients with heart failure is poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a supportive educational nursing intervention on quality of life. The quality of life of two groups of patients with heart failure were compared, the control group that received placebo interventions and the experimental group that received a supportive educational intervention. The instrument utilized in this study was the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index; Cardiac Version III. Betty Neuman’s systems model was the theoretical framework that guided this research. Independent and paired T-tests were utilized to analyze the …

Comparison Of Maternal Perception Of Birth: Labor Induced By Misoprostol Vs Spontaneous Labor, Kristine E. Barber

Masters Theses

This study was a comparison of the maternal perception of birth with spontaneous labor vs. labor induced by misoprostol. Perception of control, a primary factor linked with satisfaction in childbirth, was also evaluated.

Levine’s Conservation Principles guided this study. Many studies have evaluated misoprostol’s effectiveness and safety, but none have evaluated patients’ perception of their birth experience when receiving the drug. An awareness of this aspect is essential to evaluate the drug’s effect on the integrity of the whole individual.

A convenience sample of women who delivered at one regional hospital were given two questionnaires to complete before discharge. There …

The Relationship Between Exercise Knowledge And Exercise Self-Efficacy For The Prevention Of Osteoporosis, Suzanne M. Leclaire

Masters Theses

The conceptual framework for this study was Self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), based on Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986). The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between exercise knowledge and exercise self-efficacy for the prevention of osteoporosis in young adults. Population selection was based on clinical research findings that bone health is affected by habits early in life, such as calcium intake and establishing regular exercise, which affect bone health in later years. The study was a secondary data analysis of 353 females and males 18 to 35 years of age, primarily Caucasian (92.9%). Results from …