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Maximum Likelihood Solution For The Linear Structural Relationship With Three Parameters Known, Androulla Michaeloudis

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A maximum likelihood solution is obtained for the simple linear structural relation model where the underlying incidental distribution and one error variance are assumed known. Expressions for the asymptotic standard errors of the maximum likelihood estimates are obtained and these are verified using a simulation study.

Expression Of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 And Connective Tissue Growth Factor In Women With Pelvic Organ Prolapse., Xiao-Ying Qi, Li Hong, Feng-Qin Guo, Qiong Fu, Lu Chen, Bing-Shu Li

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the presence of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). METHODS: This study was conducted from May to December 2009. Fifty patients with POP that underwent vaginal hysterectomy in the Department of Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Hubei, Wuhan, China were enrolled in this study. They were divided into: Group 1 (n=10); Group 2 (n=10); and Group 3 (n=10) according to Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitation (POP-Q). Meanwhile, 20 cases treated by vaginal hysterectomy for other benign gynecological diseases were selected as the control group. Immunohistochemical …

Sounds And Stories Of The Shawnee Forest, Kevin E. Boucher

Research Papers

AN ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER OF

Kevin E. Boucher, for the Master of Science degree in Professional Media & Media Management Studies , presented on March 9, 2011, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

TITLE:  SOUNDS AND STORIES OF THE SHAWNEE FOREST

MAJOR PROFESSOR:  Jan Thompson, Radio-TV Department

My central thesis is that in today’s highly technological civilization with its constant bombardment of stimuli   - especially sounds - people need to regularly get away to natural areas and surround themselves with the peaceful and soothing sounds of nature.  Through my research I have found that humans have had this need …

Boys And Writing: Strategies To Support Struggling Boy Writers, Dionne Corinne Ellingsen

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a guide for elementary teachers to improve writing strategies and motivation of boys. Nationally, boys are more likely than girls to struggle with writing in the elementary classroom. Teachers need to understand the differences that boys and girls bring to their classroom and develop strategies and lessons that make writing more inviting to boys. The project discusses current research about why boys are more likely to struggle than girls, because of innate differences in the brain, the classroom arrangement, and issues of motivation. It also provides a guide of activities and strategies …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Demographic Characteristics And Their Influence On Student Attendance At Programming Board Events, Kayla Person

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to analyze selected demographic characteristics of students who attended programming board events at a medium size, four-year, public institution located in the upper Midwest to determine if statistically significant differences were present between attendees and the full-time undergraduate population. The study tested for: (a) significant differences in the demographic characteristics of full-time undergraduate students who attended one or more programming board events versus fulltime undergraduate students who did not attend programming board events, (b) significant differences in the demographic characteristics of students who attended more than one programming board event versus those who attended …

Examining The Role Of The Introductory Video In The Development Of Teaching Presence In Online Instruction, Bojan Lazarevic

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

This study presents and discusses findings regarding the benefits of video delivery in online instruction.  Specifically, the study addresses whether the implementation of a short asynchronous introductory video in a primarily text-based online course has an effect on students’ perception of teaching presence.  In addition, the second aim of this study is to test whether an asynchronous introductory video can enhance student’s course engagement and performance.  Finally, the study seeks answer if there is an interrelationship between teaching presence, student’s engagement and student’s performance.

This study utilizes a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design.  The study also includes elements of …

Investigation Of The Use Of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Tools For Management Of An Urbanizing Watershed, Reed C. Colton

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The regulation of non-point pollution sources (e.g. agricultural runoff and stormwater discharges) as mandated by the 1972 Clean Water Act, forced a fundamental paradigm shift from “end of the pipe” pollution control to a watershed management approach. Multiple jurisdictions and often conflicting objectives make it difficult to reach stakeholder consensus and execute watershed management decisions. To facilitate decision making when multiple and/or conflicting objectives exist, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) tools were developed for diverse applications, and potentially could be used to facilitate watershed management.

The overall objective of this thesis was to evaluate MCDM tool use to facilitate community-based management of …

Protein Structure-Based Method For Identification Of Horizontal Gene Transfer In Bacteria, Swetha Billa

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Horizontal Gene Transfer is defined as the movement of genetic material from one strain of species to another. Bacteria, being an asexual organism were always believed to transfer genes vertically. But recent studies provide evidence that shows bacteria can also transfer genes horizontally.

HGT plays a major role in evolution and medicine. It is the major contributor in bacterial evolution, enabling species to acquire genes to adapt to the new environments. Bacteria are also believed to develop drug resistance to antibiotics through the phenomenon of HGT. Therefore further study of HGT and its implications is necessary to understand the effects …

Sponges Of The Caribbean: Linking Sponge Morphology And Associated Bacterial Communities, Ericka Ann Poppell

Master's Theses

The ecological and evolutionary relationship between sponges and their symbiotic microflora remains poorly understood, which limits our ability to understand broad scale patterns in benthic-pelagic coupling on coral reefs. Previous research classified sponges into two different categories of sponge microbial associations: High Microbial Abundance (HMA) and Low Microbial Abundance (LMA) sponges. Choanocyte chamber morphology and density was characterized in representatives of HMA and LMA sponges using scanning electron microscopy from freeze-fractured tissue. Denaturing Gradient Gel Elextrophoresis was used to examine taxonomic differences among the bacterial communities present in a variety of tropical sponges. The results supported the hypothesis that choanocyte …

The Effects Of Climate Change On Public Health And The Healthcare Provider's Role In Addressing Climate Change, Allyson J. Pfeiffer

Senior Honors Projects

“Climate change is a term that refers to major changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer.  Both human-made and natural factors contribute to climate change” (EPA, p. 1, 2011).  Some examples of human-made causes of global warming include burning fossil fuels (e.g., petroleum, coal, diesel), cutting down forests, and developing land for farms, cities, and roads, because these activities all release green house gases into the atmosphere.  Green house gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.  There are some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that occur naturally and are emitted into …

Seasonality On The Oregon Coast: Avian Faunal Remains From Whale Cove (35-Lnc-60), Jessica Watson

Senior Honors Projects

The northwest coast of the United States was one of the first regions to receive Homo sapiens immigrants in the Western hemisphere and is rich in archaeological sites.  The Whale Cove site, first excavated in 1985, was initially analyzed by Ann C. Bennett-Rogers and R. Lee Lyman.  Their findings included an introductory analysis of lithic, bone, antler, and shell artifacts and general inventory of all pieces examined.  Bennett-Rogers found preliminary evidence for changes in vegetation and shellfish taxa at the Whale Cove site over time and has hypothesized that these changes were due to a tsunami event. Robert J. Losey …

Care Of The Self And The Will To Freedom: Michel Foucault, Critique And Ethics, Stephanie M. Batters

Senior Honors Projects

Care of the Self and the Will to Freedom

Stephanie Batters

Faculty Sponsor:  Stephen Barber, English

What do subjectivity, power and ethics have in common?  For French philosopher Michel Foucault, each of these concepts inherently resides within the others.  His works, spanning from the mid-1950s to his death in 1984, offer a profound theoretical approach to the complex questions that obtain between the individual and society.  Foucault’s works present careful and intricate theories about the relationships of the past with the present, the individual with society, and power with truth.  Many of his writings explore how the individual is made …

Carbon And Nitrogen Stable Isotopes In Fruits And Arthropods That Are Eaten By Songbirds During Migration, Sarah E. Donlan

Senior Honors Projects

The use of stable isotope analysis is becoming more common in all areas of animal ecology. In particular, natural variation in the abundance of stable isotopes makes them useful in studies of foraging ecology. For example, nitrogen stable isotopes can offer insight into trophic relationships and carbon stable isotopes tend to trace the original source of carbon in a system (e.g. - photosynthetic pathway).  This natural variation is potentially useful for quantifying resource use because the isotopic composition of an animal’s diet is assimilated somewhat predictably into the animal’s tissues. In fact, the ratio of naturally-occurring isotopes in animal tissues …

Cloning And Characterization Of The Promoter For The Ovarian-Specific Inhibin Alpha Gene Form Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Caitlin Marie Ament

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) is an important regulator of folliculogenesis as it regulates the nuclear response to gonadotropins in ovarian tissue. Studies in mice demonstrated a 3.0 kb region of the alpha inhibin (INHa) promoter is a site of transcriptional activation in response to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The purpose of this study was to isolate and construct an ICER transgene and characterize the putative 3.0 kb promoter region of the ovarian-specific INHa gene in Danio rerio (zebrafish).

The sequences for ICER and the INHa promoter in zebrafish were identified using BLAST searches with the known sequences from mouse and …

Effect Of Black Tea Extract On Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Propagation, Anthony Cantatore

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if flavanol compounds, called theaflavins, found only in black tea and black tea extract (BTE) could inhibit herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in cultured A549 human epithelial cells. The effect of BTE both on A549 cultured cells and HSV-1 was assessed by using phase contrast and fluorescent microscopy, as well as trypan blue and WST-1 assays and gel electrophoresis; the effect of infectivity was quantified by plaque assays and compared using a spectrophotometer to examine the extracted DNA and PCR products. Results indicated that HSV-1 did not cause cytopathic effects …

Combining Bioinformatics And Chemical Biological Approaches To The Study Of Signaling Pathways In Parasitic Nematodes, William R. De Martini

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Lymphatic filariasis (elephantitis) is a disfiguring disease caused by thread-like nematodes. This disease affects the lives of over 120 million people and over one billion people are at risk for infection in endemic regions. Drugs used to treat this disease suffer from toxicity and emerging resistance and new therapies need to be identified. Our laboratory has been studying the filarial parasite, Brugia malayi (B. malayi), one of the causative agents of this disease. The laboratory is focused on the study of critical protein kinase signaling pathways, necessary for parasite protective anti-oxidative responses, as potential therapeutic targets. We have previously determined, …

Modified Green Tea Polyphenol, Egcg-Ester, As A Novel Approach To Inhibit Herpes Simplex Virus Infections, Aline Moraes De Oliveira

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

HSV-1 DNA with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) introduced into the UL46 gene was used to investigate the effects of green tea polyphenols on the virus. Two different green tea extracts have been isolated and modified, EGCG and EGCG-ester. These extracts with concentration of 12.5, 25, 50, 75 and 100uM were used to determine its effects on cell morphology, cell proliferation and cell viability. The results indicated that the maximum non-toxic concentration is 75uM for both polyphenols. GFP expression, DAPI DNA stain and Lysosome activation stain were also used to observe the morphological, and cellular changes in the infected cells. …

Ethics Optional? How Ethics Are Understood, Defined, And Enacted In The Practice Of Public Relations, Prudence A. Kaufman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This present historical moment is characterized, to a large extent, by ethical transgressions that pervade many institutions and sectors of society, including politics, industry, religion, entertainment, and media, among others - all of which are related to the functions of public relations. Public relations itself, though taught in the degree programs of numerous colleges and universities, suffers from a reputation such that the words PR ethics are considered an oxymoron or simply unfeasible by many. This study addressed several key issues central to this subject: Concepts of ethics regarding public relations; the role of education in influencing concepts of ethics; …

Ectoparasites Of American Kestrel Nestlings In Northern New Jersey And Their Relationship To Nestling Growth And Breeding Success, Mark Joseph Lesko

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

American kestrel (Falco sparverius) populations throughout much of the United States have exhibited a substantial decline during recent years. Prompted by this decline, I designed this study to determine if removing arthropod parasites from nestlings was an effective strategy in increasing the breeding success of American kestrels, as well as to identify and quantify the ectoparasites found on nestlings. I conducted the study in Sussex and Warren counties in northwestern New Jersey in conjunction with a nest box program established and monitored by J. A. Smallwood and his students (hereafter referred to as we). I removed parasites periodically from all …

The Applications Of Graphene And Its Derivatives For Heavy Metal Removal, Clemonne John Madarang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Heavy metal pollution is very prevalent in our environment. The entire removal of heavy metal and organic contaminants in natural water resources will not only affect the environment itself, but also can block the toxic contaminant transfers in food chains. Currently, there are many studies being done to remove these heavy metal ions from our water, such as reduction reactions, chemical precipitation, reverse osmosis and electrolytic recovery. One of the promising techniques is adsorption. The focus of this research is using graphene and its derivatives, such as silylated graphene oxide (GO), to adsorb heavy metals, specifically, lead. This research describes …

Comparison Of Wild Type And Mutant Forms Of Ret Down-Regulation, Shani Yevgeniya Maslovski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The ret proto-oncogene encodes a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that plays a key role in neural differentiation as well as development of the enteric nervous system and kidneys. RET is activated through interaction with members of the ligand-binding co-receptors GFRa 1-4 and its corresponding neurotrophic factors consisting of Glial Cell Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), neurturin (NTN), artemm (ART), or persephin (PSP) forming a heterodimer structure. Upon activation, RET undergoes autophosphorylation at select tyrosine residues in the intercellular catalytic domain, creating docking sites for proteins involved in signal transduction. While several laboratories have studied the activation of RET, little is …

Burning Down The House : Reclaiming Homeplace In Gloria Naylor’S Linden Hills And Mama Day, Jenny Elizabeth Mundell

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The last eighty years have been marked by a large body of work by black American women authors who contemplate the effects of place on character. These authors both use and transform the notion of space itself as a way to bring to light traditionally marginalized voices that have been denied a place amongst the annals of history and in literature. Gloria Naylor, whose body of work spans the 1980’s through the present day, is one such contemporary revisionist. My analysis of Naylor’s novels, Linden Hills and Mama Day, considers how Naylor employs geographic structure and landscape to expos e …

Investigation Of Charge Recombination In Escherichia Coli Photolyase And Vibrio Cholera Cryptochrome Dash, Agnieszka Zieba

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Proton-coupled electron-transfer (PCET) is a mechanism of great importance in protein electron transfer and enzyme catalysis, and the involvement of aromatic amino acids in this process is of much interest. The DNA repair enzyme photolyase provides a natural system that allows for the study of PCET using a neutral radical tryptophan (Trp‘). In Escherichia coli photolyase, photoreduction of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor in its neutral radical semiquinone form (FADH') results in the formation of FADH and Trp . Charge recombination between these two intermediates requires O A/T # the uptake of a proton by ~ Trp . The …

Physician-Assisted Suicide Within A Kantian Framework, Daksha Bhatia

Philosophy

The highly polarized debate over the practice of physician-assisted suicide is relatively new to the realm of ethical issues. Physician-assisted suicide was first explicitly legalized in the United States in 1994, when Oregon passed its Death with Dignity Act. Although the Act stipulates that a doctor “may prescribe a lethal dose of medication to terminally ill people under certain conditions,” the term physician-assisted suicide also encompasses giving a patient information on how to commit suicide, or giving them the means to do so in a form other than a prescription. Physician-assisted suicide is different from euthanasia in that the patient, …

Psychosocial Needs Of Refugees From Burma: A Social Work Perspective, Audrey Tyszka

Social Welfare

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the need for increased awareness regarding the psychosocial needs of refugees from Burma and the services they may require. Due to the current influx in resettlement of Burmese refugees, a greater focus needs to be placed on effective social work with culturally diverse groups. Refugees from Burma have experienced an immense amount of trauma and loss, which must be understood in order to foster the recovery process. This paper draws on the literature, my experience as a social work intern at the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and my …

A Review Of The Alteration Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls In The Aquatic Environment With An Analysis Of The Pcb Contamination Of The St. Lawrence River Fish, Kate Bennett

Public Health Undergraduate Program

No abstract provided.

Commencement 2011 (Program And Video), Illinois Wesleyan University

Commencement Ceremonies

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Study Of Carbon Offsets As A Source Of Revenue For A Land Trust Using The Climate Action Reserve's Avoided Conversion Protocol, Jennifer Marie Sexton

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In 2008, 279 million hectares of forest land contained 45,337 teragrams (Tg) of carbon. Changes in land use and forestry practices in 2008 resulted in a net carbon sequestration of 940.3 Tg of carbon dioxide equivalent, or 13.5% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2008, making forests a net sink for carbon. With increasing development pressures, organizations such as land trusts, that protect forest land and prevent deforestation, are positioned to become key players in climate change mitigation. There are 21 land trusts in Tennessee protecting over 165,000 acres of land. One such land trust, the Tennessee River Gorge …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Why Immigrant Reunification Decisions Should Be Based On The Best Interest Of The Child, Marcia Zug

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Prescribed Burning On Grassland Nesting Birds On Conservation Reserve Program Areas In Gove County, Kansas, Justin Vern Hamilton

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Great Plains grasslands were once one of the largest ecosystems in North America. However, farming, ranching, urban development, widespread fire suppression, and numerous other factors have created a great loss of this habitat in central North America. Organisms that depend on that habitat, such as grassland nesting birds, also have declined. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which was established in 1985, paid landowners to remove land with highly erodible soils from production and plant it with perennial vegetation. Increases in CRP acreages brought about increases in numbers of several bird species that were in decline before the program existed. Prescribed …