Digital Commons Network^™

Système, Trupti Pomaje

Theses

In today’s throwaway world, the rate at which and the amount of goods that are getting discarded has developed an alarming situation. Electronic industry has evolved rapidly since the invention of transistors in 1947. From these days onwards, efforts have been taken to make the products more efficient in terms of their performance, reduce design and production cost and have higher profit margins. However, this has led to products being designed in a way which makes people want to dispose them early, in turn making them part of waste after usage. Electronic products contain certain materials and components which are …

Daily Artefact: A Record Of Making And Maker, Aprille Nace

Theses

Reacting to the inherent qualities of clay this thesis is an exploration into how mass, color, expressionistic textures, quiet neutral planes, and the materiality of clay can embody extreme contradiction and tension in abstract ceramic sculpture. The body of work begins as a massive blank canvas awaiting my response of the moment. Each form is acted upon differently but holds in common a stretching of the expressivist potential of clay. This exploration is driven by my struggles with the extreme highs and lows of bipolar disorder.

That was the premise of my thesis before I began working on it. As …

An Empirical Evaluation Of The Indicators For Performance Regression Test Selection, Kevin Hannigan

Theses

As a software application is developed and maintained, changes to the source code may cause unintentional slowdowns in functionality. These slowdowns are known as performance regressions. Projects which are concerned about performance oftentimes create performance regression tests, which can be run to detect performance regressions. Ideally we would run these tests on every commit, however, these tests usually need a large amount of time or resources in order to simulate realistic scenarios.

The paper entitled "Perphecy: Performance Regression Test Selection Made Simple but Effective" presents a technique to solve this problem by attempting to predict the likelihood that a commit …

Evaluation Of Perennial Plant Success On A Green Roof, Chris White

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF: CHRISTOPHER M. WHITE, for the Master of Science degree in PLANT, SOIL AND AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, presented in 2017 at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. TITLE: EVALUATION OF PERENNIAL PLANT SUCCESS ON A GREEN ROOF MAJOR PROFESSORS: Karen Stoelzle Midden, S. Alan Walters A two-year study (2011-2012) was conducted on a section of an extensive green roof of the Agriculture Building at Southern Illinois University to evaluate the adaptability of four plant species to green roof culture. Extensive green roof survival, growth, and general success of four plant species (Allium schoenoprasum L., Dianthus gratianopolitanus ‘Grandiflorus’ Vill., …

Heaven & Earth, Nelson Caliguia Jr.

Theses

Heaven & Earth is a graduate animated thesis film with a runtime of four minutes and 58 seconds. This animated short film is a playful take on the eternal struggle between humans and the heavenly forces that dictate weather conditions. Heaven & Earth combines elements from both Philippine folk art and classic American cartoons, exploring a stylistic hybrid borne out of influences that I have genuine affinity for.

This animated short is in full color, and was produced using digital 2D animation. It was entirely animated in TVPaint, while the backgrounds were drawn and painted in Photoshop. For compositing and …

Compelling, Fatmah Bamashmous

Theses

As a woman from Saudi Arabia learning the craft of woodworking in America, I intend to embrace the opportunity to blend Arabic art and design with my knowledge of making furniture to create a body of work that is uniquely mine.

In my thesis, I created a body of work that helped me define my voice as an Arabic designer and maker. I have seen and researched Islamic art and graphic details such as Arabesque (عربسكي), which is an ornamental design consisting of intertwined flowing lines, and architectural details found in Mashrabiya (مشربية) arches, doors,..etc., and incorporated these aspects into …

24 Jie Qi Journey: Learning Jie Qi Culture And Living A Healthy Life, Yuqi Xiao

Theses

This project aims to explore new ways to spread traditional culture of Jie Qi and to teach a healthy lifestyle according the theory of Jie Qi. The project provides comprehensive design solutions through a website to remedy the problem of ineffective learning of complex knowledge from books and lack of communication. The website creates a virtual visual environment through interactive design that offer users a playful journey through an introduction of Jie Qi.

Jie Qi is a historic and significant invention. Based on observations of the sun’s movement integrated with natural phenomenon, starting about 3000 years ago, the ancient Chinese …

Adaptive Water Governance And Community Resilience: Assessing The Impact Of The Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership On Communities In The Cache River Watershed Of Southern Illinois, Rachel Emeline Boucher

Theses

Resilience is a concept that is becoming heavily researched in the sustainability and resource management literature. For rural resource-dependent communities, community resilience is the ability to adapt to various drivers of change while maintaining or enhancing community well-being. In recent decades, the field of water resource governance has been transitioning from a reliance on command-and-control institutional structures toward adaptive multi-level institutions, such as adaptive co-management and adaptive governance. These transitions offer potential opportunities for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of resource-dependent communities. However, the relationship between these emerging governance approaches and community resilience is not fully understood. The Cache River …

Special Interest Magazine Publishers’ Digital Strategies For Reader Engagement, Patricia Axford

Theses

This research study is intended to examine the strategies that special interest magazine publishers are utilizing to develop engaging reader experiences. In addition, the role of reader input in the curation and creation of interactive content for these publications is also investigated. Published research has indicated that reader interest in specific topics increases the likelihood of engagement with the publication, resulting in prolonged readership. Furthermore, studies suggest that interactivity has a positive effect on entertainment value, visual appeal, service excellence, and a return on investment with regard to readers. Digital technologies enable publishers to provide readers with bundled offerings with …

The Impact Of Perceived Leadership Styles On Hotel Employee Job Engagement, Abutaleb Zarban

Theses

Engaged employees have a positive impact on organizational outcomes. In fact, employees who are highly committed to their jobs tend to perform better, and such employees are less likely to quit. Leaders in the workplace have the potential to influence employee work engagement. Different leadership styles might drive employee engagement to different extents. The purposes of this study are twofold: to identify the leadership styles and drivers that lead to engaged employees, and to contribute to the literature of employee engagement in the context of hospitality and tourism. This study used a quantitative method, specifically survey that was distributed to …

Fissures And Fractures: An Investigation In Natural Breakdowns, Joshua Dewall

Theses

Growing up in a mostly rural area in the Midwest, I spent great lengths outside as a child. Sure, I was born into the era of arcade games and Nintendo, but I remember preferring more active experiences rather than the stationary ones held within doors. Maybe it was hard to keep my focus; maybe I was a bit hyperactive. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t inside when I didn’t have to be. I recall escaping into the woods for hours when I was younger. I would take long bike rides or escape into the horse pasture deep behind our house. Not …

Heymoe: Leveraging Virtual Robot And Game Mechanics In Mobile Prototype Application Design For Chinese Language Learning, Boxiao Gong

Theses

With the growth of internet technology, individuals currently have a better experience in using interactive systems like desktop computer software or mobile device applications than ever before. Moreover, using mobile phones in learning activities is becoming increasingly popular. However, the learning applications today do not fully meet the learner’s needs, especially for young adults who have some interest but lack fundamental knowledge in their study subjects. Combining mobile phone technology and game elements could make it possible to solve this problem. In this way, the limitations of location and the sometimes boring nature of the learning activities could be efficiently …

The Graphic Design Archive: Generating Higher Levels Of Scholarship Through A User Experience Approach To Scholarly Image Database Design, Jenna Shay

Theses

Innovations in the user experiences of digital image collections have taken image-based searching from the realm of basic one-way searches and sorts and delivered users a new world of dynamic and interactive explorations that offer mechanisms for higher-level cognitive functions such as comparing, analyzing, sorting, sharing, designing, and creating in an intuitive environment. While innovations in image search functionality often occur first in non-academic applications (e.g., social media), image archives meant to amasse and preserve visual information for the ages would benefit by adopting and adapting search innovations.

Students and scholars that access image-based archives of information to gather resources …

Transcriptomics Of Learning, Pablo Iturralde

Theses

Learning is a basic and important component of behavior yet we have very little empirical information about the interaction between mechanisms of learning and evolution. In our work, we are testing hypotheses about the neurogenetic mechanisms through which animal learning abilities evolve. We are able to test this directly by using experimentally evolved populations of flies, which differ in learning ability. These populations were previously evolved within the lab by creating worlds with different patterns of change following theoretically predicted effects on which enhanced learning will evolve. How has evolution acted to modulate genes and gene expression in the brain …

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.

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 …

The Psychology Behind Voting Behavior In Kosovo, Fjolla Qorri

Theses

The extent to which voting is a rational behavior is highly debated among social psychologists and political scientists. This paper aims to answer the question of what guides the voting behavior in Kosovo. Firstly, it suggests that the voters’ rationality is limited and that implicit biases override policy analysis. Secondly, it argues that social identity, family voting, gender bias, ideology, and emotions are all significant in its own way in guiding the voting behavior in Kosovo. It does this through a combination of secondary and primary research that includes one survey of 250 respondents and the Implicit Association Test (IAT). …

A Study Of The Lightfastness Of High-Chroma Water-Based Flexographic Printing Inks, Nuanjan Narakornpijit

Theses

The study of new material for package printing is critical because packaging is not only about visual aesthetics, but also function. Technologies such as High-chroma ink that aid expanded gamut printing can be especially useful in package printing.

The thesis experiment examined the lightfastness characteristics of High-chroma water-based flexographic printing inks sets within the context of package printing applicability. Using conventional water-based flexographic printing inks as a standard, the study examined whether High-chroma inks exhibit different lightfastness characteristics. First, the researcher chose yellow and magenta process color water-based flexographic inks because of the traditional process colors, they are the least …

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 …

Highly Ordered Titanium And Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes Electrode Development And Electrochemical Application, Xiang Li

Theses

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the most extensively studied compounds in materials science. Since the first successful fabrication of highly ordered TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) arrays via electrochemical anodization in ’90s, thousands of publications have focused on the growth, properties, and applications of these versatile nanostructures. In the present study, anodization conditions were found to be the key determinants for TiO2-NTs’ structures and properties. In fact, this work demonstrates that tuning anodization conditions leads to tailoring TiO2-NTs’ for distinctive electrochemical applications. Deconvoluting myriad factors, for example temperature, electrolyte, reaction time, and potential, which govern the anodized products properties, was possible …

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 …

Mechanochemical Nitration Of Aromatic Compounds, Oleg Shlomo Lagoviyer

Theses

Aromatic compounds such as toluene are commercially nitrated using a combination of nitric acid with other strong acids. This process relies on the use of highly corrosive chemicals and generates environmentally harmful waste, which is difficult to handle and dispose of. In this study aromatic nitration using solvent-free mechanochemical processing of environmentally benign precursors has been achieved and investigated. Mononitrotoluene was synthesized by milling toluene with sodium nitrate and molybdenum trioxide as a catalyst. Several parameters affecting the desired product yield and selectivity were identified and varied. MNT yields in excess of 60% have been achieved in different tests. 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 …

Modelling Of Oxygen Diffusion In Cork, Swapnil Shivputra Rane

Theses

The primary objective of this project is to better understand gas diffusion through natural cork structures by comparing simulations of gas diffusion through natural cork to experimental measurements of oxygen gas diffusion through the same structure. The cork's internal structure is measured using x-ray computed tomography (CT). From the measured internal structure, a simple mapping is assumed converting the measured x-ray computed tomography images into a 3D map of local diffusion coefficient. Specifically, it is assured that the x-ray CT pixel value is inversely proportional to the diffusion coefficient of oxygen through the cork. A diffusion model for the cork …

Intense Ultrasonic Waves In Fluids: Nonlinear Behaviour, Jitendra Kewalramani

Theses

High-intensity ultrasonic wave has several engineering, biological, medical and chemical applications. High intensity acoustic waves can lead to a desired change in a medium by initiating one or more diverse mechanisms such as acoustic cavitation, heating, radiation pressure, or chemical reactions. Nonlinear nature of intense acoustic waves opens an entire new spectrum of applications. Hence there is need to understand and model the mechanism of nonlinear wave motion for practical applications of intense acoustic waves.

In this research, one-dimensional motion of shock waves in an ideal fluid is studied to include nonlinearity. In nonlinear acoustics, the propagation velocity of different …

Knowledge Management In New Product Development (Npd), Luca Maria Mancinelli

Theses

This thesis analyses features that, in New Product Development process (NPD), foster knowledge, and their contribution to the creation and application of knowledge with the aim of increasing both global performance and organizational effectiveness. Since knowledge is becoming more important to achieve competitive advantage, companies have already started to focus on their ability to generate new competencies and create new opportunities for producing new knowledge.

One of the issues compelling knowledge management understands what aspects of the organization's work system and organizational design affect its ability to acquire, create and apply knowledge. In fact, the way that workers are organized …

Justice By Any Means: The Relationship Between Societal Stress And The Rise Of Vigilantism In Comic Books, Gregory Heerkens

Theses

The following study used sales data to ascertain the presence of a link between current socio-political tensions (as measured by the Bulletin of Atomic Sciences’ Doomsday Clock and national crime statistics) and the prevalence and acceptance of so-called “vigilante justice” portrayed in the top-selling comic books during the period between 1989 and 2001. The purpose of this study is to understand what, if any, relationship exists between dark times and desperate measures; between a feeling of powerlessness in world affairs, and the belief that justice outside of the system is acceptable when that system, at home or abroad, fails to …