Digital Commons Network^™

The Measurement Of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme In Human Serum, Andrew P. Kenny

Theses

The measurement of angiotensin converting enzyme using the substrate FAPGG was investigated with a view to optimising its performance. It was found that a 100 mnol/l triethanolamine-HCl buffer gave a significantly higher absorbance change then the existing TRIS-HCl in the method. As this buffer has not been previously described in the measurement of ACE it was decided to introduce this buffer into a kinetic procedure and evaluate the modified method. The reference interval for the triethanolamine Method was determined by measuring the ACE activity on 200 serum from blood donors and a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the SACE activity of male and female donors was observed.

The modified method was found …

The Place Of Automation In National Healthcare, Ted J. Macinski

Theses

This cumulating project will focus on the development of the current U.S. healthcare system and the involvement of government, especially the federal government in this process.

The focus is on the proposal to use advanced information systems technology to establish cost control for the healthcare sector of the economy.

The issues which are addressed are what role the federal government plays in the current healthcare system, the proposed use of a comprehensive federal health data bank which would include data on all U.S. residents, and alternative applications of systems technology which are operational or under development by private and state …

A Study Of Body Dissatisfaction And Drive For Thinness Between African-American And Caucasian College Women, Suzanne M. Monroe

Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the similarities and/or differences in body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness between Caucasian and African-American college women. The Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) as well as questions measuring hours spent reading women's magazines and family, close friends, and significant other's view on the importance of physical thinness was distributed to 18 to 25 year old African-American and Caucasian college women at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE). The EDI-2 is a self-report questionnaire that consists of 91 questions which generate 11 independent subscales. Only 3 of the II subscales were analyzed: I) Drive …

The Link Between Established Psychological Type Preferences And Academic Achievement In Elementary School Students, Shelley Nacke

Theses

Sixty-four third through eighth grade students from a rural parochial school were tested using the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children (MMTIC). Students were divided into three groups on the basis of the MMTIC scores: those showing no undetermined preferences, those showing one undetermined preference and those showing two or more undetermined preference. Grade point averages (GPA) were used to determine academic achievement for these students. Mean GP A scores for the three groups were compared using the t-test. Those students with two or more undetermined preferences showed significantly lower mean GP A scores than those students with no undetermined preferences.

Organizational And Social Systems, Ronald James Snelson

Theses

This project explores systems theory and practice as applied to Communications. A system is an organized or complex whole; an assemblage or combination of things, or parts forming a complex or unitary whole. A system is made up of (1) inputs, (2) operations (or processes), (3) outputs. Each interacts with, and is dependent on the proper functioning of the other. If something happens to one part the others parts are affected. Thus, within an organization, what happens to one can affect the whole.

An organization is a system. The systems approach has three goals: ( 1) to define relationships both …

The Impact Of Community Violence On African American Children And Families, Simeon J. Williams

Theses

This thesis will attempt to increase awareness of the significant impact of community violence on the social and emotional development of African American children and families and to examine the role that mental health and maternal and child health agencies could play in the implementation of effective prevention and intervention strategies.

The purpose of the study is to give an overview of the scope of the problem, identifying the extent, prevalence, and nature of the community violence in African American communities. Additionally, the study will review the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that have guided research in the area of violence …

Survival Of Women In The Business World Into The Twenty-First Century, Barbara Bradford

Theses

This thesis is a review of the current literature that pertains to the everyday experiences of women in the male dominated working world. This study focuses on the barriers preventing women from advancing where men succeed.

When women enter the workforce, they are naïve about the organizational culture surrounding them. The natural feminine instincts and behaviors of women are not considered as valuable in the corporate world as male instincts and behaviors.

Women are unaware of the subtle and underlying rules of the corporate game in this "man's world." They see men adapting easily and advancing up the corporate ladder. …

Spirituality And Counseling In Holistic Health: Toward Integration In Actualizing Full Potential, Mary Ann Kniess

Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between spirituality and counseling in holistic health . Forty clients and forty therapists, both male and female, from varying economic and educational backgrounds completed a one- page self-report attitudinal survey regarding the place of religion and spirituality in their life and therapeutic sessions. Each ranked issues such as forgiveness, prayer, healing in relationships, grief, death, and afterlife as to the frequency with which they arose in therapy . Participants who returned surveys on site or by mail from Missouri and Illinois were volunteers who attended Joseph Zinker ' s Gestalt …

Examining The Parental Authority Style Of Fathers Within Various Family Configurations, Michael E. Laws

Theses

The discipline style of one's parents is often discussed as a factor toward various behavioral outcomes of their children. In some literature, certain types of families, "step"- families for example, have been labeled as exhibiting a particular parenting style perhaps more than some other type of family. In this project 3 parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive) are reviewed and examined in relation to 3 types of families (blended families, single parent families, and families with 2 biological parents present in the home). In particular, the parenting style of the fathers or stepfathers was examined. Parenting style was determined in …

Marital Status And The Parent-Child Relationship: Contentment With The Parent-Child Relationship Of Single Parents And Married Parents, Jennifer Marie Reinsch

Theses

A study was completed looking at marital status as it relates to parental contentment with the parent-child relationship. This varied from previous studies which looked at the quality of the marital relationship or measured the child's satisfaction with the parent-child relationship. A total sample of 48 parents participated, comprised of 34 married parents and 14 single parents. All participants were Caucasian, had children ages five to 14 attending a Midwest, urban, Catholic elementary school, and were between the ages of 27 and 49. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The Index of Parental Attitudes (IP A) was utilized to measure parental …

Cultural Transformation: Desire To Change?, Arthur L. Seaman

Theses

Gaining knowledge about what motivates people working in an environment afflicted with laws, statutes, policies, regulations, procedures, standards and jobs threatened by political movements is considered valuable information. This thesis is a focused study of human motivation theory, with the intent of learning why past attempts to change the culture of the United States Army Aviation and Troop Command (ATCOM) and the co-located Aviation Program Executive Office (PEO) organizations have failed to produce lasting results.

It is theorized that past attempts to bring about lasting change to the culture of ATCOM and the PEO organizations have failed in part because …

Three-Dimensional Acquisition And Display System For Ultrasonic Imaging, Rajeev Raman

Theses

Three Dimensional biomedical ultrasonic imaging is relatively in its infancy and many areas for application like tumor detection and identification, virtual surgery planning, among others are being explored. These techniques are expected to provide the medical community with improved diagnostic and analysis capabilities. In order to better understand the image capture and processing issues in these environments, it is necessary to design and implement a reference three dimensional image capture and processing system. In a research environment, the most optimal approach to designing such systems is to leverage existing two dimensional capture technologies and enhance their capabilities for three dimensional …

The Effects Of 50 Beat Per Minute Music To Decrease Anxiety And Lower Heart Rates In A Select Group Of College Students, Laura E. Burnell

Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the affect of experimenter chosen 50 beat per minute music composed especially for stress and anxiety reduction on a select group of college students, and to examine its usefulness in promoting relaxation. The rationale for the study was based on research done in the area of using music to promote relaxation, and on the composer's claims that this music has been effective on a variety of populations for such purposes. Thirty subjects comprised of 17 males and 13 females ranging in age from 18 to 25 years participated in the study. This …

An Examination Of Personality Type And Anger Expression, James Brian Carroll

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference at the alpha level .05 in the means of the Anger-ln. Anger-Out, and Anger Control scales scores of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory reported by extraverted and introverted participants. Thirty-nine undergraduate students enrolled in a community living course from a small, private, midwestern college served as participants in the present study. There were 16 males and 23 females who volunteered to participate in the present stud_ (mean age- 18.21 ). Participants completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory. Three independent t-tests on …

An Assessment Of The Prevalence Of Trichomonas Sp. In The Domestic Pigeon (Columba Livia) Population, In The Emirates Of Abu Dhabi And Dubai, Theresa Caroline Bailey

Theses

A survey of 250 captive (animal market) and free-flying (trapped at a sheep farm) pigeons was conducted to assess the prevalence of Trichomonas sp. in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia) population, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Oropharyngeal swabs demonstrated that 52% of all pigeons were found with Trichomonas sp. in their oropharynx, of which 60%, 68% and 35% of pigeons were Trichomonas sp. positive in the AI Ain and Abu Dhabi animal markets and AI Ain sheep farm respectively. Captive birds had a significantly higher infection rate than the free-flying pigeons. Inspection of the oropharynx of live pigeons positive …

Effect Of Oil Pollution On Juvenile And Adult Rabbitfish (Siganus Canaliculatus), Mohammed Abdul Rahim Hassan Al Zarouni

Theses

The possible toxic effect of crude oil and dispersant on the reproduction and performance of common marine fish in the United Arab Emirates coasts were investigated. Adult female and juvenile rabbitfish (Siganus canaliculatus) were exposed to different concentration of Sharjah light crude oil (0, 4, 6 ml crude oil/l) in the presence or absence of 0.3 mI/l Nalfleet dispersant (Maxi-Clean 2) dissolved in sea water. Juvenile fish were exposed to treatments for 3, 6, 9 or 15 days and adult female were treated for 18 days. At the end of each experimental period histopathological changes in the skin, gills, liver …

High-Resolution Microscopy: Application To Detector Characterization And A New Super-Resolution Technique, Daniel Kavaldjiev

Theses

The research, presented in this dissertation, consists of two parts. In the first half of the work a novel microscopy method, Frequency-domain Field- confined Scanning Optical Microscopy (FFSOM), capable of a resolution below the classical diffraction limit, is introduced. An experimental verification in the case of fluorescence microscopy is also presented, suggesting the biological microscopy research as an important application field. The second half of the thesis is devoted to an experimental measurement of the subpixel spatial variations in solid-state light detectors, namely in a Charge-Coupled Devices (CCD). A specialized high-resolution scanning optical microscope, is described. With the help of …

Lived Body Architecture : An Argument For Lived Bodies In Architecture And An Exploration Of Women's Lived Bodies In Society, Sherri A. Scribner

Theses

This thesis is about architecture's current disregard for the lived body and about the lived bodily experiences of women in Western society. Although these seem to be two different themes, they are connected. Architecture disregards the lived body, but it can never escape it. Architects design buildings from their own lived experiences of the world and architectural theorists most often write about architecture from their experience of being in the buildings they discuss. But because architecture has been built and discussed predominantly by men, Western theories of architecture reflect mainly a male interpretation. I begin by analyzing the paradigms of …

Evaluation Of Carcinogenic Potential Of Benzo(Α)Pyrene And Dimethylbenzanthracene In Mouse Leukemic Cells, Mohammad Sharif Sultan Al Ulama

Theses

The carcinogenic potential of benzo[α]pyrene (B(α)P) and dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) was tested using mouse leukemic cell lines L-5178 R and S types in tissue culture condition. It was found that B(α)P and DMBA inhibited the synthesis of DNA of R and S types of cells to about 34%, at 10 mM concentration. While B(α)P and DMBA did not show any acute toxic effect on mouse cell line Rand S types at 1 mM concentration separately. Both R and S types of cells were allowed to grow for several days in the presence of 1 mM DMBA and B(α)P respectively. Several independent …

Scatterbrain, James Dingilian

Theses

None provided.

Time-Frequency Distribution Analysis Of Heart Rate And Blood Velocity Variabilities In Stage 24/34 Chick Embryos, Andrew Bonacci

Theses

Time-frequency distribution (TFD) analysis is a relatively new process for decomposing a complex signal to understand its spectral content Traditional signal spectral analysis examines both temporal and spectral contents distinctly. This method of analysis is suitable for signals where the spectral content is stationary and time-invariant. However, many naturally occurring signals are not only multicomponent, but are also highly time-variable, such as speech, heart rate variability, and other biological signals. Typically, the Fourier transform exposes sinusoidal frequencies present in a signal. It cannot, however, tell when these frequencies existed temporally. This is where timefrequency analysis excels over traditional spectral processing …

Biodegradation And Landfill Settlement, Shailesh Pisolkar

Theses

The most widely used method for the final disposal of solid waste is landfilling, which is also economical and simpler than most other disposal systems. Long term settlement in a landfill occurs mainly due to biodegradation of the refuse which is a very slow microbiological process. However, if the rate of biodegradation is enhanced, it may be possible to achieve early stabilization, faster settlement, consequently more capacity of the landfill to handle waste.

The objective of this research is to study the effects of enhanced biodegradation on settlement and to compare these results to other models used for predicting landfill …

Development Of A Gel Content Analysis Protocol For Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, Max Harold Jeanty

Theses

A modified procedure based upon ASTM (D 2765 - 90) to determine the gel content of crosslinked polyethylene plastics was developed. The new procedure was applied to ram extruded Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMWPE) implant components processed under different manufacturing conditions. This new evaluation tool provides consistent results with greater accuracy and consistency compared to the American Society for the Testing of Materials (ASTM) method. Using the same tool, several relationships between the UHMWPE processing conditions and gel content were established. The amount of gel content is related to the crosslinked material. It has been shown that the more crosslinking …

The In Vitro Evaluation Of Various Biodegradable Composites Used In Internal Fixation Devices, Hui-Chen Hsieh

Theses

In vitro degradation kinetics and mechanical properties of various composites, comprising a polycarbonate (DTE polymer) reinforced with CaP glass fiber, synthetic ceramic and non-ceramic hydroxyapatite (HA-500,OsteoGen HA) were investigated.

They were soaked in the SBF solution with a constant pH of 7.4 at 37°C for 5 days. The DTE/CaP composite degraded in an acid manner such that a large amount of NaOH was required but with a small decrease in calcium ion concentration. By contrast, the DTE/OsteoGen HA composite required comparable amounts of NaOH, but with a concomitantly large decrease in calcium ion concentration. This showed that the OsteoGen HA …

Solidification/Stabilization Of Petroleum Contaminated Soils With Cold Mix Asphalt Concrete, Nazhat Aboobaker

Theses

In this research Petroleum Contaminated Soils (PCSs) are recycled in Cold Mix Asphalt (CMA), to produce a useful product that can control potential environmental threats. The stability, durability, and hydraulic conductivity are three important engineering parameters that need to be considered when using petroleum contaminated soils (PCSs) in cold mix asphalt (CMA). In this research, stability, durability, and hydraulic conductivity due to the addition of six different PCSs into CMA is investigated. The stability test were performed to determine if cold mix asphalt made with petroleum contaminated soil can withstand heavy traffic. The freeze-thaw, and wet-dry tests were performed to …

Facial Rejuvenation With Aesthetic Surgeries, Landy Lin

Theses

None provided.

Modeling Ventricular-Vascular Coupling In The Developing Embryo, Michael Bauman

Theses

Congenital cardiovascular malformations are one of the major contributors to infant mortality in the United States today. Defects in the cardiovascular system are evident at very early stages in the developing embryo, yet there exists no substantial diagnostic tool(s) for recognizing defects at these early stages. Cardiac morphogensis occurs throughout the pre-innervated period of embryonic development. It is speculated that the flow of blood during the early embryonic stages plays an important role in the development of the cardiovascular system. Blood flow is a possible mechanism for communication between the heart and vasculature, contributing to cardiac development. The objective of …

The Symbolic Use Of Sea Shells In Design, Sunah Ahn

Theses

This thesis report details the various stages taken in the process of selecting a suitable topic for my graduate thesis, and moving through the various stages to complete an exhibition and an art book on the topic, The symbolic use of sea shells in design. Sea shells are an important design component in all of the visual arts. My thesis is an investigation into how four types of shells (scallop, nautilus, conch, and cowrie) have been used as signifiers in a variety of applications. My goal was to create a book that could be used by designers as a quick …

Almost True Stories, Paul Porell

Theses

None provided.

Missa Cantata, Kevin Mann

Theses

None provided.