Digital Commons Network^™

Birds And Beaches: The Affective Geographies And Sense Of Place Of Participants In The Coasst Citizen Science Program, Benjamin Kent Haywood

Theses and Dissertations

Participatory science research initiatives within the natural sciences like citizen science or crowd sourcing have enjoyed a recent explosion in popularity due to the efficient and expansive data collection processes they foster and the opportunities for general science outreach and education they provide. Now often the tool of choice among informal science outreach practitioners, Public Participation in Scientific Research (PPSR) programs are purported to expand knowledge and understanding of science and ecology, increase the relevancy of science for society, and cultivate more environmentally sustainable attitudes and behaviors. Despite such claims, the influence and impact of participatory science engagement is still …

Drinking To Belong: The Effects Of Friendship Interactions On College Student Drinking, Hannah R. Hamilton

Master's Theses

Previous research shows that college students consume large quantities of alcohol (Fillmore & Jude, 2011; Wechsler et al., 2002). One theory suggests that this may be a means of regulating negative emotions (Cooper, Frone, Russell, & Mudar, 1995), which may include unmet belongingness needs. However, implicit self-esteem has also been found to affect how people respond to relationship interactions (Longua Peterson & DeHart, 2013). Therefore, the current study examines the moderating influence of implicit self-esteem on the relation between belongingness needs and alcohol consumption among college students. A 2 (belongingness threat condition: threat or control) by continuous (implicit self-esteem) between-participants …

Identification Of Clinical Markers That Predict The Outcomes Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infections And Identification Of Synergistic Antibiotic Combinations For The Treatment Of These Infections, Virginia Long

Master's Theses

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) is a prominent nosocomial infection. Vancomycin is the mainstay of treatment, but it has a high rate of failure. Combination therapies can be used, but synergy is often not tested in clinical laboratories. Physicians are at a disadvantage because they cannot predict MRSA outcomes. The first aim of the study was to identify clinical and demographic markers that could predict infection recurrence or prolonged bacteremia. This was accomplished using retrospective chart review and statistical analysis. The second aim of the study was to identify which combinations, of those commonly used for MRSA treatment at Loyola, demonstrate the …

Mindful Mending: The Repair Of Thought And Action Amidst Technologies, Bryan Kibbe

Dissertations

My thesis is that the concept and practice of repair, properly understood and circumscribed, can serve to: (1) specify a responsibility to care for individuals who are cognitively dependent on particular configurations of technologies and suffer cognitively significant harms following damage to various technologies, and (2) to act as a standard by which to regulate the design, implementation, and selection of technologies available for human use and appropriation. I begin (Chapters One and Two) by providing a critical investigation of the concept and practice of repair. In Chapters Three and Four, I set forth a proposal to consider what I …

Impact Of First Disclosure Experience And Internalized Stigma On Disclosure Patterns In The Hiv+ Community, Mary Elizabeth Talbot

Dissertations

The present study examined possible antecedent factors that contribute to the type of discloser (HIV status) one becomes as well as the relation between discloser type, social support, and CD4 count. This study builds off previous research by Stutterheim et al. (2011) that examined differences between disclosure groups on a variety of variables, but the study did not examine variables that may contribute to the type of discloser a person becomes. The present study examined two variables that previous research suggests may influence the type of discloser (relative non-discloser, selective discloser, full discloser) a person becomes, first-disclosure experience, and internalized …

Empowering Homeless Youth In Transitional Living Programs: A Transformative Mixed Methods Approach To Understanding Their Transition To Adulthood, Ashley Etzel Ausikaitis

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to gain insight into the journeys of homeless youth residing in transitional living programs in the Chicago area. There are multiple factors that can lead youth to homelessness as well as various risks made greater by living on the street that can lead to negative life outcomes. There is a dearth of research on outcomes of youth in transitional living programs, particularly research that includes the perspectives of those receiving services. This researcher partnered with three transitional living sites that serve homeless youth ages 18 to 24. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods, the …

Brandy Nan And Farmer George: Public Perceptions Of Royal Health And The Demystification Of English Monarchy During The Long Eighteenth Century, Steven Catania

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how public comments related to the body natural and the body politic of the English monarchs, particularly in newspapers and other forms of print culture, changed between 1688 and 1789. It argues that by examining the depth and type of reportage on royal health and the sovereign's body, coupled with Parliament's increasing involvement in such activities, it is possible to see the irregular trajectory of how the English monarchy was demystified during the long eighteenth century. Additionally, this work shows how the topic of monarchical health went from being an illicit subject, to one associated with a …

Urban Agriculture And Sustainability In Chicago, Matthew Hoffmann

Dissertations

Sustainability is increasingly informing the organization of urban life. In the past 15 years, cities have sought to alleviate the dual effects of environmental degradation and a changing economy by introducing sustainable development initiatives. Policy makers and environmental activists have often praised these efforts, pointing to the enhancement of quality of life, the mitigation of industrial pollution, and these initiatives' capacity to address poverty in a post-welfare state. Most popular depictions of the experiences of sustainability come from the perspective of white, middle class, college-educated volunteers and, increasingly, social entrepreneurs such as artisans, farmers, and other producers connected to "local" …

Practitioners' Evaluations Of Theraplay As An Effective Tool In Serving Foster And Adopted Children And Their Families, Rana Hong

Dissertations

Several studies have shown that foster and adopted children have high risk of developing severe mental health problems (Blome & Steib, 2004; Golden, 2009; Leslie, Hurlburt, Landsverk, Barth, & Slyman, 2004; McMillen. Scott, Zima, Ollie, Munson, & Spitznagel, 2004). On the other hand, evidence-based models are limited and less accessible for practitioners working with foster and adopted children (Dorsey, Kerns, Trupin, Conover, & Berliner, 2012). The goal for this study is to explore the practitioners' evaluations of Theraplay®, which is a relationship based model for meeting the pervasive clinical needs of foster and adopted children and their families. Exploring Theraplay …

The Symptom Experience Of Patients Receiving Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors, Josephine Ann Howard-Ruben

Dissertations

This study explored the symptom experience of patients receiving epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) for breast, colon, head and neck, and colon cancer. EGFRIs are targeted therapies used at various points along the treatment continuum for these solid tumors, and may be first, second or third-line agents which can be used as single agents or in combination with other therapies. The most common side effect of these agents include dermatologic effects, such as rashes, hair, and nail changes, but they can also contribute to other side effects such as fatigue, anxiety and diarrhea. Most previous work has addressed the …

Investigating The Professional Values Of Teachers: The Differential Impact Of Accountability On Teachers' Career Decisions, Cortney Rowland King

Dissertations

Education reform and policy efforts have focused a great deal on teachers over the past decade or more. Reform efforts focused on accountability have altered how teachers are paid, how they spend their time, how they are evaluated, what they are accountable for, and what sort of control they have over their daily tasks. At the same time, teacher attrition continues to rise. This study employed principal component analysis (PCA) on a subset of questions from the National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) 2007-2008 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) and 2008-2009 Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) data. I examined the extent …

The Impact Of Insulin Management On Quality Of Life In Type 2 Diabetes, Sandra Ellen Mccormick

Dissertations

Complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are severe but can be minimized through excellent glycemic control, optimally achieved by using intensive, or basal-bolus, insulin management. The quality of life (QOL) effects of basal-bolus insulin management are not fully known. This cross-sectional, observational study was based on the Revised Wilson and Cleary Model for Health Related Quality of Life, which measures five QOL domains (biological function, symptoms, functional status, general health perceptions, and overall QOL). The study aims were to describe, compare, and predict QOL in persons with T2DM based on type of insulin management (oral meds only, basal insulin only, …

Moderating Variables In The Treatment Effects Of Second Step, Gregory Eugene Moy

Dissertations

Youth violence is a problem which has been studied through theoretical frameworks based on social ecological models of development. This has coincided with the development of programs intended to prevent and reduce the occurrence of youth violence and its negative effects. One approach to preventing youth violence has been to deliver social emotional learning programs to children and adolescents in school settings. Social emotional learning programs are designed to provide children with skills and strategies for increasing self awareness, social awareness, emotion management, problem solving, and thoughtful decision making. Increasing students' familiarity and use of these prosocial strategies are thought …

The Backgrounds And Outcomes Of Allopathic Medical School Applicants: Exploring Stratification And Inequality, Sunshine Nakae

Dissertations

A career in medicine remains one of the most rigorous and arduous journeys in higher education. The time and cost to train coupled with the academic and extracurricular requirements have resulted in challenges in diversifying the profession. This study utilizes an HLM and HGLM to model the influences of individual and institutional predictors on acceptance to medical school. Full descriptive analysis of individual and institutional predictors are also included.

Peripubertal Binge Ethanol, Age And Sex Modulate Microrna Expression In The Ventral And Dorsal Hippocampus Of The Adolescent Rat, Sarah Arianne Prins

Dissertations

Adolescent binge ethanol (EtOH) abuse induces long-term changes in gene expression, resulting in an increased risk for the development of adult mood disorders. microRNAs (microRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by translational repression. microRNA altered in response to EtOH and puberty in the developing brain. The biogenesis of mature 22-24 nucleotide (nt), single-stranded microRNAs involves Drosha and Dicer enzymatic processing of microRNA precursors. A mature microRNA imperfectly base pairs with messenger RNA (mRNA) target genes,which leads to mRNA cleavage or translational repression. Our lab has found that repeated binge EtOH exposure alters gene expression in the hypothalamus …

How Do District Level And Building Level Leaders Collaborate To Implement Mandated Change?, Gwendolyn Zimmermann

Dissertations

This research study examined how school leaders, in particular the associate superintendent of curriculum and a junior high school principal, in the same district collaborated to plan for and implement mandated change. In this research study, the mandated change was that of the State's adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

This study utilized a case study methodology. The case study included one case of an associate superintendent of curriculum for the district and a junior high school principal located in suburban Cook County bounded within the timeframe of August 2012 to October 2013. The district identified had …

The Hidden Costs Of Success: A Mixed Methods Approach To Examining Achievement Pressures In Affluent Youth, Lea Ventura Travers

Dissertations

Within the last ten years, researchers have begun to recognize that youth from affluent backgrounds report elevated adjustment problems (Csikszentmihalyi & Schneider 2001; Luthar & Lantendresse 2005a), yet contributing factors have rarely been investigated. The present study explored various parenting variables and their influence on adolescents from affluent communities, including two parent-focused parenting variables (i.e., parental perfectionism and parent life satisfaction) and three adolescent-focused parenting variables (i.e., perceived parental pressure, parents' future goals for their children, and parental involvement in their children's lives). Using a mixed methods approach (i.e., quantitative and qualitative data), both linear and curvilinear relations between parenting …

Investigating The Role Of The Pgf2 Alpha/Calcineurin-Signaling Pathway In The Regulation Of Adipogenesis, Damodaran Annamalai

Dissertations

Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is a potent physiological inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation. In previous studies, we demonstrated that PGF2α inhibits adipogenesis via activation of the calcium-regulated protein phosphatase, calcineurin. In this current study, we have now extended these findings to identify the IL-11 cytokine and the Nurr1 orphan nuclear hormone receptor as functionally important downstream transcriptional targets of the PGF2α/calcineurin-pathway involved in the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation. In the case of IL-11, we show that this cytokine acts in an autocrine fashion to inhibit adipogenesis via the essential actions of the gp130 cytokine co-receptor signaling subunit. Further, by using a well-characterized …

English Cottage Style Homes In America: Expressions Of Architectural, Technological And Social Innovation, Audra Bellmore

Dissertations

This dissertation examines contemporary English Cottage Style dwellings in America. First developed in Britain by English domestic architect Charles Voysey in the late 19th century, this house style was characterized by a simplification of design, a rationalism of plan, and a structural integrity reminiscent of rural medieval buildings. English Cottage Style homes gained popularity in Britain and later in America as a middle-class house type, promoted by Progressive Era housing reformers, including Gustave Stickley. Sheathed in concrete, to mimic the naturally occurring stuccos used in the 13th and 14th centuries, English Cottage Style dwellings utilized the latest in concrete reinforcement …

Speaking Of Right And Wrong: Black Girls And Moral Development, Tonya Bibbs

Dissertations

Our current approaches to moral development were generalized from the experiences of white males and females. This study draws upon existing theory in order to consider its relevance to Black girls' everyday lives. The study draws upon the moral reasoning gathered from ethnographic dilemma interviews with 8-11 year old girls and their mothers to develop a grounded theory of moral development. The contents of the resulting theory suggest that, while there are aspects of existing moral development theory that appear to be consistent across contexts, the particularity of Black community and middle childhood culminate in a theory of moral development …

Predicting Emotion Regulation In Early Childhood: The Impact Of Maternal Well-Being, Infant Crying, And Dyadic Mutuality, Tiffany Burkhardt

Dissertations

Learning adaptive emotion regulation skills in early childhood has been identified as fundamental to social competence, academic success, and psychological well-being. Because children learn to regulate their emotions through interactions with their caregivers, dyadic mutuality between the mother and infant may influence child emotion regulation capacity more than maternal behavior alone. To better understand the impact of maternal well-being and infant crying on the development of emotion regulation, parenting stress, maternal self-efficacy, maternal depression, and infant crying were examined with dyadic mutuality in the parent-child interaction to predict emotion regulation capacity.

A racially and socioeconomically diverse community sample of 149 …

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Neonatal Pain, Agitation, And Sedation Scale (N-Pass) Tool In Infants And Children Age One To Thirty-Six Months In The Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Patricia A. Hummel

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale (N-PASS) tool for evidence of validity and reliability in infants and children aged one to thirty-six months in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). This study design was a prospective, non-experimental psychometric evaluation of the N-PASS tool.

The research was conducted at a Midwestern Medical Center. The sample analyzed comprised forty subjects aged one to thirty-six months.

Data collection involved the evaluation of participants every five minutes, utilizing the N-PASS sedation subscale along with the University of Michigan Sedation Scale (UMSS) and the N-PASS pain/agitation subscale …

Adenovirus Vectors As Potent Adjuvants In Vaccine Development, Kathleen Ann Mcguire

Dissertations

Due to their ability to activate the immune system, replication-defective Adenoviruses (Ad) are potential vaccine vectors for several pathogens. The proinflammatory response to Ad contributes to the response to vaccine antigens. We found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important signal in the proinflammatory response to Ad. We identified that serotype 5 adenovirus (Ad5) elicits ROS by inducing mitochondrial membrane damage, a process that is dependent on endosomal membrane rupture and Cathepsin release. This mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to NLRP3 inflammasome- and NFκB-dependent innate immune activation. The ROS-dependent inflammatory response likely contributes to the adaptive immune response by supporting DC …

The Molecular Components Of Estrogen Receptor Beta (Erβ) Signaling In Neuronal Sytems, Natasha Mott

Dissertations

With increasing life expectancy, women are now living upwards of 50 years without circulating estrogens, therefore, it is essential to investigate how the brain is changed by estrogen deprivation and also how aging influences these changes. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study spurred rigorous debate regarding estrogen therapy for postmenopausal women due to dichotomous effects of estrogens in menopausal and post-menopausal women. Meta-analyses of the WHI study revealed that after circulating estrogens are depleted for many years re-exposure may cause aberrant, negative health effects, indicating that there is an age-related `switch' in estrogen signaling around menopause. These age-related effects of …

Superintendent Leadership And Collective Bargaining Processes, Procedures, And Outcomes, Kevin David Rubenstein

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between superintendent leadership practices and collective bargaining processes and procedures using a sequential explanatory, mixed methods approach. In phase one of the study, superintendents in the State of Illinois were asked to complete the Leadership Practices Inventory - Self Assessment (2013) (LPISelf) and a demographic profile to identify the type of bargaining that had been used in the most recent negotiations with the teacher's union in their district. The LPI-Self yields data to identify a dominant leadership practice among five leadership practices including "Model the Way," "Inspire a Shared Vision," "Challenge the Process," "Enable Others …

Fitting Things Together: A Grounded Theory Study Of Clinical Judgment In Nursing, Mary Elizabeth Wilber

Dissertations

Safe and appropriate patient care hinges on the nurse's skill in assessment and interpretation of data to support accurate clinical judgments; however, a review of nursing literature reveals the lack of an empirically derived theory of clinical judgment or methods to teach the skill. Progress has been limited because of the difficulties inherent in measuring cognitive work in complex practice environments, as well as the tendency of nursing authors and researchers to substitute a wide variety of terms for clinical judgment. Knowledge development in any discipline is hampered when terms are not clearly defined and the distinction between related concepts …

An Ethnographic Study Of Psychiatric Assistants: The Social Processes Involved In The Subordination Of Workers In A Psychiatric Hospital, Terrence Allison

Dissertations

This research examined how the structure of a modern day psychiatric institution shapes the work experiences of subordinated, non-licensed-workers. I found that that the work experiences of PAs are shaped by their institutional positions. The PA position by default is one of subjugation and servitude, and these carry meanings. PAs are positioned on the ward to service and control patients. In spite of their absolute importance to the day-to-day running of the hospital, frontline PA work is devalued institutionally. This devaluation is internalized rationally (what bureaucracies do) by PAs, who often work understaffed and underappreciated. I found that PAs lack …

Treatment Of Asthma Exacerbations With The Human-Powered Nebuliser: A Randomised Parallel-Group Clinical Trial, M Therese Lysaught, Christopher J. Hallberg, Rene Antonio Najarro, Fausto Cea Gill, Clara Villatoro, Ana Celia Diaz De Uriarte, Lars E. Olson

Institute of Pastoral Studies: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare a low-cost, human-powered nebuliser compressor with an electric nebuliser compressor for the treatment of mild to moderate asthma exacerbations in adults and children.

Methods: This was a non-blinded, parallel-group, equivalence study, with 110 subjects between 6 and 65 years of age, conducted in the emergency department of a district hospital in Ilopango, El Salvador. Participants were assigned by random allocation to receive a 2.5-mg dose of salbutamol from the experimental human-powered nebuliser or the electric nebuliser control. All assigned participants completed treatment and were included in analysis. The study was not …

The Effect Of Dietary Fat Intake On Hepatic Gene Expression In Lg/J And Sm/J Mice, Charlyn G. Partridge, Gloria L. Fawcett, Bing Wang, Clay F. Semenkovich, James M. Cheverud

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background

The liver plays a major role in regulating metabolic homeostasis and is vital for nutrient metabolism. Identifying the genetic factors regulating these processes could lead to a greater understanding of how liver function responds to a high-fat diet and how that response may influence susceptibilities to obesity and metabolic syndrome. In this study we examine differences in hepatic gene expression between the LG/J and SM/J inbred mouse strains and how gene expression in these strains is affected by high-fat diet. LG/J and SM/J are known to differ in their responses to a high-fat diet for a variety of obesity- …

Situating Practice In Schools And Communities: Case Studies Of Teacher Candidates In Diverse Clinical Experiences With English Language Learners, Amy J. Heineke, Kristin Davin

Education: School of Education Faculty Publications and Other Works

With climbing percentages of linguistic diversity within the United States population, teachers must be prepared to work with English language learners in school and community settings. In this paper, we utilized a multiple-case study design to describe and explore the learning of four undergraduate teacher candidates enrolled in a university course on the assessment of English language learners. Working to fulfill the course and clinical requirements for the English as a Second Language endorsement, candidates engaged in fieldwork and conducted authentic language assessments to glean the unique sociocultural and linguistic backgrounds, abilities, and needs of students to inform subsequent instruction. …