Digital Commons Network^™

The Budgeting Process Of Kosovo: A Critical Analysis, Arber Maxhuni

Theses

The budgeting process is one of the most important macroeconomic tools of the Government. Throughout the budget cycle, strategic allocations of public money to budget organizations are conducted in aspiration of financial stability and economic prosperity. This study attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of Kosovo’s contemporary budgetary practices and underpin some of its weaknesses. It discusses both legislative and executive viewpoints of the process and proposes recommendations which would improve the budgeting process in terms of quality, transparency, and efficiency.

Cryogenic Operation Of Scmos Image Sensors, Benjamin P. Stewart

Theses

Scientific CMOS image sensors have lower read noise and dark current than charge coupled devices. They are also uniquely qualified for operation at cryogenic temperatures due to their MOSFET pixel architecture. This paper follows the design of a cryogenic imaging system to be used as a star tracking rocket attitude regulation system. The detector was proven to retain almost all its sensitivity at cryogenic temperatures with acceptably low read noise. Once the star tracker successfully maintains rocket attitude during the flight of the CIBER-2 experiment, the technology readiness level of scientific CMOS detectors will advance enough that they could see …

Tactile Painting Easel: For People With Limited Vision, Yue Zhang

Theses

Visual art is probably the oldest art. But people with vision challenges have been held back, perhaps for many years by avoiding making art. However, it is never late to start and this painting system helps to paint with ease and joy. Through the researching about the behavior of people with visual disability, the conclusions are: Painting can help people with limited vision to face life in a more positive way; vision and touch are closely related. After the shape symbolism experiment and interview, the conclusion is people with visual disability understand the metaphors of the pictures. The mock blind …

Outsourcing In Kosovo: An Analysis Of Kosovo's Comparative Advantage And The Potential For Growth, Yllza Hoti

Theses

The main focus of this research project is to explore the implications of outsourcing on the service provider countries, specifically for the case of Kosovo. With the emergence of globalization, international markets are more interconnected than ever. Technology has facilitated businesses with different ways of reducing costs, one of them being outsourcing part of their business processes internationally, also known as offshore outsourcing. While the impact of such strategies on the client countries is controversial, there is almost universal agreement that the impact on provider countries, especially when they are developing countries, is positive. Being a developing country, Kosovo can …

An Analysis Of The State Matura Exam In Kosovo, Vjolla Gashi

Theses

This paper’s aim is to analyze the State Matura Exam. The focus of the analysis is in particular on the administration process of the exam. The analysis is conducted by relying on both primary and secondary research. The research discusses the issues with the administration process of the test, whereby it identifies organized cheating as one of the most problematic issues. It also identifies methods of cheating by relying on primary research e.g. surveys and focus groups. Thus, the study analyzes whether the State Matura Exam fulfills the criteria needed to be considered a standardized test.

To conclude, the purpose …

Effects Of Fullerenes On A Freshwater Benthic Community: Toxicity And Implications For Ecological Functions And Services, Sarah Ponte Cabral

Theses

Production of engineered carbon-based nanomaterials (CNM) is rising, with increased risk of release to the environment during production, transportation, use, and disposal. This trend highlights a need to understand potential impacts of CNM on the natural environment. Fullerenes (n-C60) are insoluble in water, and form aggregates that settle quickly, suggesting higher relative vulnerability of aquatic benthic ecosystems. This study aimed to determine eco-toxicity of fullerene and its functionalized derivatives on functionally representative benthic organisms, and evaluate how the potential lethal and sub-lethal effects of fullerene on these organisms indirectly impact benthic ecosystem function, including decomposition, primary productivity and nutrient cycling. …

Social Media And Its Impact On Users’ Decision Making To Visit A Fine Dining Restaurant, Petra Malbasa

Theses

This study focused on exploring what factors and social media tactics are important to consider when creating an effective social media strategy for a fine dining restaurant in Zagreb for Facebook and Instagram. The important factors to consider when creating an effective social media strategy and useful social media tactics to use for a fine dining restaurant in Zagreb were defined. The study used a qualitative research approach and in-depth research questions. Ten participants shared their personal experiences connected to social media and fine dining restaurants. Fifty percent of the participants were experts in marketing and the food industry who …

Anatomy Of The Rotator Cuff, Shevon Barnes

Theses

Health literacy is the level at which an individual can obtain, comprehend, and retain general health information and available health services. Health literacy determines more than just how well a person understands medical information. It affects how well they can navigate the medical world. There are problems that often reoccur in patient education materials. Most patient education materials should be written at a 5th or 6th grade level (Health Literacy, NIH 2015) whereas most materials are written at an 11th grade level, or higher. Many illustrations included in resources are complex and not designed to give a general overview of …

Impact Of Snap Fruit And Vegetable Incentive Programs: An Analysis Of Usda Fini Projects, Katherine Engel

Theses

As diet-related chronic diseases continue to jeopardize public health in the United States, improving the dietary quality of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants is essential. One strategy that has been proposed as a means of doing so is utilizing fruit and vegetable incentives. Incentives serve to lower the cost of these foods for participants and thus theoretically encourage and enable them to purchase and consume more fruits and vegetables. The existing research indicates that incentives are an effective approach for increasing fruit and vegetable purchase and consumption. However, there is lack of research on the factors that influence the …

Head Impacts In The A7fl, Stephen Mcgeever

Theses

The American 7s Football League (A7FL) is a semi professional football league that does not use helmets or pads. The theory is that the game is safer without helmets and pads because players feel more vulnerable and use a different tackling technique to protect themselves. Rather than lowering and leading with their head when the players tackle, as many helmeted football players do, A7FL players primarily use their arms to wrap the opponent up. A7FL players were given Vector mouth guards designed by Athlete Intelligence to wear. These mouth guards have built in tri-axial accelerometers to record impact data, which …

Halal Certification For An Industrial Machine Intended To Come In Contact With Food, Luca Caffarelli

Theses

Halal Certification is a worldwide recognition that the products are permissible under Islamic law. These products are thus edible, drinkable or usable by Muslims. It can be extended to industrial machinery and tools. This Certification must be issued by a Notified Body under the supervision of an IMAM. Focus of the Certification are GMPs and Food Contact Materials and Articles. Four main phases to achieve Certification (the scheme is the same of ISO 14001, ISO 18001 and ISO 9001):

• Pre-Audit - The activity is to evaluate the documentation describing our internal system.
• Audit - The activity is to evaluate how …

The Impact Of Copper On Non-Indigenous And Native Species Of Suspension-Feeding Bivalves In Mission Bay, San Diego, California, Brian Juhl

Theses

Native (Chione californiensis) and non-indigenous bivalve species [Musculista senhousia (now known as Arcuatula senhousia), and Venerupis philippinarum] were collected from Mission Bay, San Diego, California and exposed to copper contaminated water at estimated concentrations of 0 ppb, 25 ppb, and 50 ppb over the course of two experimental periods of 18 days and 12 days. Bivalves were placed in tanks in a temperature controlled environment, and measurements of a number of parameters were taken during and after the exposure to copper: survivorship, feeding rates, growth, mucus production, and tissue copper concentrations for the entire body, …

Understanding The Language Learning Strategies Of English Language Learners In The Community College System, Steven Kean

Theses

This study focused on English language teaching and learning through the lens of language-learning strategies, and how strategies-based instruction is implemented within the community college system. The intent of this study was to determine the extent to which language-learning strategies are taught to second-language learners in a community college district, the specific strategies that language-learners use, and whether improvements to strategies-based instruction in the community college system are needed. This research used a customized version of Rebecca Oxford’s Strategies Inventory for Language Learners. It also queried instructors who teach English as a Second Language (ESL), and it analyzed ESL course …

A Passive Solar Retrofit In A Gloomy Climate, James Russell Fugate

Theses

A common perception with solar technologies is that they are practical only in sunny regions of the country. The sun is a source of clean and plentiful energy, but for regions of the country that experience frequent cloud cover, solar energy is typically not considered a worthwhile endeavor. In addition to the problem of limited sunshine, solar energy is often deemed to be too expensive for the average homeowner, particularly without significant government incentives. For solar technology to be adopted on a broad scale, it must make practical sense to the homeowner, not just economically, but also for an improved …

College Students’ Use Of Digital And Traditional Media: Uses And Gratifications Approach, Kelly M. Bodine

Theses

In the higher education field marketers need to better understand how to keep abreast with the trends of their current and future audiences. With ever-evolving technologies, students’ have multiple methods in which to acquire campus related information. The aims of this study were to discover what communication methodologies students employ when learning about campus information and what methodologies they employ when actively searching. Based on a uses and gratifications framework, this study involved conducting an online survey to compare college students’ use and level of influence from traditional or digital media marketing. The findings of this study show that both …

Modeling Health Effects Of Particulate Matter Emissions From Heavy Duty Diesel Trucks Involved In High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing With Benmap-Ce, Katelijn Van Munster

Theses

The use of high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) has grown substantially in the past decade, and with it the number of heavy duty diesel trucks (HDDTs) used to transport HVHF materials and wastes. This research is a pilot study for the third phase of a three-phase project to determine the potential negative health effects caused by these HDDTs. This pilot study developed the methodology of modeling health effects, subsequent costs, and their spatial distribution with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program – Community Edition (BenMAP-CE), using data from previous phases of the project and focusing on …

Online News Coverage About Fraud And Self-Defensive Behavior In China, Congxi Wang

Theses

This study explores the role of online news media in directing people’s behavior in China. Previous literature shows that Chinese tend to be suspicious or hostile towards strangers and those outside their network. This study assumes that this self-defensive behavior was caused by negative portrayal of strangers in Chinese online news media. A survey and a qualitative content analysis were conducted to understand how the exposure to crime news affects people’s perception of strangers and public safety in China, then causes self-defensive behavior in China. The finding shows consistency between survey responses and media coverages about strangers, which establishes the …

Why Day Zero Matters In Early Ambulation For Postoperative Patients: An Evidence-Based Project, Danielle Tekolste, Danielle Currier, Mary Anne Wheatley

Theses

The purpose of this evidence-based practice project is to review the literature to determine if ambulation on postoperative day zero improved patient outcomes when compared to ambulation on postoperative day one. The PICOT question used in this research project was: In adult patients in a postoperative setting, how does ambulation within twelve hours of surgery compare to non-early ambulation after twelve hours of surgery improve patient outcomes during the first thirty days following surgery? This topic addressed both quality improvement and evidence based practice in nursing.

Modeling The Health Effects And Economic Costs Of Particulate Matter Emissions From High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing, Marissa Steinheimer

Theses

With natural gas drilling on the rise (Penn State, 2012), there is a general lack of data on the emissions from the entire lifecycle of hydraulic fracturing. This research project is designed to study the health impacts of emissions from high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) production and at HVHF well sites. Using data from previous research (Korfmacher et al., 2015 and Korfmacher et al., 2016) and the Environmental Protections Agency's Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program - Community Edition (BenMAP-CE), estimated health impacts and economic costs of emissions are analyzed. This study models the health impacts and economic costs of …

Designing For Embodied Energy: An Examination Of Bim Integrated Lca Using Residential Architecture In Rochester, Ny, Thomas Shreve

Theses

The energy consumed by a building can be divided into two types. Operational energy (use phase) and embodied energy (energy consumed during the production, construction and replacement of building components). Typically, overshadowed by operational energy, embodied energy has slowly increased for a variety of reasons. A major reason for the increase in embodied energy is the surge in the Low-Energy and Net Zero Energy Building movement.

One of the primary tools used to measure embodied energy in buildings is through whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA modeling in architecture is a complex and timeconsuming process, that presents a variety …

Investigation Of The Role Of Gene Clusters In Terpene Biosynthesis In Sorghum Bicolor, Rebecca Hay

Theses

The staple crop Sorghum bicolor shows potential as a source of secondary metabolite-based biofuels due to its diverse phenotype and chemical profile. S. bicolor produces a variety of high-energy metabolites, including terpenes which are a potential renewable source of fuel additives. Information on the biosynthetic and genetic pathways by which S. bicolor terpenes are produced is limited and these pathways must be better understood before they can be engineered for human applications. Recent work on plant biosynthetic pathways has shown that terpenes can be modified by the products of clustered genes. Identification of biosynthetic gene clusters may accelerate the elucidation …

Learning From The Past: An Analysis Of The Sustainable Features Of Hakka Tulou, Bixiao Shen

Theses

The Hakka tulou represent an ancient form of Chinese architecture common in Southeast China. In 2008, several of the tulou were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A tulou is usually an earthen building with an enclosed circular shape serving hundreds of residents. People have inhabited such structures for centuries due, in part, to their ability to passively moderate temperature. This particular form of architecture represents an ancient wisdom: it is a sustainable design concept that has thrived for centuries. The global energy crisis has become a problem for all. The ancient concept of the Hakka tulou, which has the …

Catpanion: A Ui/Ux Ios-Based App Design To Support Cat Adoptions, Chenchen Ji

Theses

Homeless and abandoned cats are becoming an issue in urban areas around the world: a majority of them may carry illnesses that may lead to infectious diseases. Once back in the wild, cats may also harm the ecological equilibrium of urban areas as they are known to be hunters of birds and smaller mammals.

The popularity of online cat-related material has ballooned over the past decade. Within the confines of social media, cat-related matters have gained an enormous amount of attention. Due to the increase in cat enthusiasts, celebrities occasionally help post information about cats and have even helped ask …

Effect Of Lead Contaminated Soils On Lycopene And Mineral Contents Of Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum), Andrea T. Amati

Theses

Eating fruits and vegetables is beneficial to human health, not just because they provide essential nutrients and vitamins, but also because phytochemicals scavenge free radicals and can reduce the risk of developing cancer and other diseases. However, not all people have access to affordable fresh fruits and vegetables. People who live in “food deserts” often are limited to smaller stores where prices are higher and the quality and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce. Urban gardens have been proposed as a potential solution to the issue of food deserts and as a way to promote nutrition in low …

Cyclist Safety In Urban Areas, Limin He

Theses

Cycling as an alternative means of transport is encouraged in urban areas because of the societal and environmental benefits it brings to most cities. However, the conflicts between cyclists and motorists become more obvious in complex urban areas, which places cyclists in a dangerous situation- a higher chance to get involved in serious injuries. To analyze how the problem happens, this paper talks about the user research, environment and collisions analysis. Then, this paper presents survey procedure and results related to user demands for cycling safety. The visibility limitation was found to be the main reason for the conflicts. In …

A New Graphene Quantum Dot Sensor For Estimating An Antibiotic Concentration, Nuzhet Nihaar Nasir Ahamed

Theses

The antibiotics have impacted the human ailments by curtailing the growth of microbes and by providing relief from microbial diseases. While there are a large number of analytical methods available for the determination of antibiotics concentration, they are time consuming and impractical for usage in the fields. This thesis is aimed at overcoming the deficiencies of those methods in developing a new sensor. It reports a study of graphene quantum dots (GQD) bound ferric ion for sensing an antibiotic, ciprofloxacin (CP). The interaction of ferric ion with CP was used as a probe for the analytical estimation of CP using …

Sing For Your Costumes: A Costume Design Thesis On The Boys From Syracuse, Terry Baker

Theses

This thesis document is a presentation and exploration of the process involving the costume design for The Boys from Syracuse (music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart, book by George Abbott) in the McLeod Theatre at Southern Illinois University Carbondale during February 2018. This light-hearted, farcical musical reminds us that life doesn’t have to be so serious. It explores our ability to be consumed by our own responsibilities, which causes us to escape to the theater and just enjoy a show. Chapter 1 contains the research, background information, and script analysis that was conducted to further enhance and inform …

Consumer Preferences In Food Interactive Packaging, Nuchjarin Pareeratanasomporn

Theses

Interactive packaging is an innovation that has been adopted by the packaging design industry. It enables consumers to interact with packaging through their smart devices. Although the technology is already available, it is uncertain how many consumers use it or will ever find it useful.

This research measured the young Millennial (18-24 years old) consumers’ perspectives and their preferences for interactive feature on food packaging. College students between 18 to 24 years old were chosen by using a purposive sampling method. First, a questionnaire asked for information about the participants’ behavior surrounding two topics. The first topic asked about their …

Nutrition Knowledge Among Adolescent Athletes, Caregivers, And Coaches, Ann-Kathrin Puschkasch

Theses

The thesis, Nutrition Knowledge Among Adolescent Athletes, Caregivers, and Coaches, explores the nutritional knowledge of these three groups and highlights gaps that may impact young athletes' performance and health. Conducted in Missouri, the study used customized online surveys to evaluate participants' understanding of general and sports nutrition, including macronutrients, hydration, and supplementation. A total of 306 participants, comprising 47 athletes, 117 caregivers, and 142 coaches, completed the surveys.

Findings revealed significant gaps in knowledge across all groups, though coaches scored the highest, followed by caregivers and then athletes. For example, many athletes lacked awareness of basic nutritional concepts like …

The Use Of Predicates In Fda Regulation Of Medical Devices: A Case Study Of Robotic Surgical Devices, Charlotte Lefkovich

Theses

In the last decade, a number of high profile medical device recalls have drawn attention to the regulatory approval process, particularly the streamlined process for devices considered “lower risk” known as the 510(k). Approval of medical devices through the 510(k) Process is not based on clinical data, but rather on “substantial equivalence” to predicate devices approved pre-1976 or legally marketed thereafter. A predicate device is one that shares the same intended use as the new device and technological characteristics which are either the same or different without introducing new safety hazards. Many scholars believe that the premise of approving medical …