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Liturgy As Sacramental Mystery: Incarnating Grace In The Space Of Worldly Vulnerability, Philip J. Rossi

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Proteomics And Phosphoproteomics Of Brain: (1) Analyses Of The Pink1 Knockout Model Of Parkinson Disease; (2) Insights Into The Progression Of Alzheimer Disease; And (3) The Naked Mole-Rat Model Of Salubrious Aging, Judy C. Triplett

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Proteomics is the field of science in which proteins produced by an organism (the proteome) are identified. The level of a particular protein can vary with time and the influence of cellular stressors. The study of phosphoproteomics is vital because tyrosine, serine and threonine phosphorylation modulate protein structure and function and is a crucial regulator of cellular signaling pathways. Dysregulation of protein and phosphorylation levels has been reported in multiple neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer disease (AD).

PINK1 is a mitochondrial serine/threonine kinase that polices mitochondrial integrity. Mutations in this protein are associated with familial early-onset PD. …

Development Of An Extraction Method For The Mass Spectral Analysis Of Organic Gunshot Residue From Clothing, Brent Casper

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

This dissertation will focus on the extraction of volatile organic compounds associated with gunshot residue from articles of clothing, followed by analysis with mass spectrometry. During the discharge of a weapon, a cloud of volatile organic gunshot residue (OGSR) is dispersed around a firearm. This will create a high probability of transfer between the OGSR and the clothing of individuals who are near a discharged weapon.

The first part of this dissertation will be the development of a method for removal of volatile OGSR from articles of clothing. Extraction of OGSR will be completed by solid phase microextraction (SPME), followed …

Nanoparticle Behavior In Biological Gels And Biofluids: The Impact Of Interactions With Charged Biogels And The Formation Of Protein Coronas On Nanoparticles, Xiaolu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

With the rapid growth of nanotechnology, situations where nanomaterials will interact with biological systems will unquestionably grow. Therefore, it is increasingly understood that interactions between nanomaterials and biological environments will play an essential role in nanomedicine. Biological polymer networks, including mucus and the extracellular matrix, serve as a filter for the exchange of molecules and nanoparticles. Such polymer networks are complex and heterogeneous hydrogel environments that regulate transport processes through finely tuned particle-network interactions. In chapters 3 and 4, we investigate the role of electrostatics on the basic mechanisms governing the diffusion of charged molecules inside model polymer networks by …

Curbing Corruption, Financial Development And Income Inequality, Sourav Batabyal, Abdur Chowdhury

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

In recent years, many of the Commonwealth countries have experienced a reduction in income inequalities due to the development of financial markets and intermediaries. At the same time, widespread corruption among public officials, civil servants, or politicians from these countries have been well documented. A key public policy question is whether the return to financial sector development at the level of massive corruption, exacerbate income inequality, offsetting the benefits of financial development. Using a panel data of 30 Commonwealth countries over the period of 1995–2008, it is found that the high rates of corruption in the Commonwealth countries are crowding …

Sushi And Sashimi: The Contaminated Bacteria And Helminthes, The Guidelines, Prasert Saichua, Amonrat Jumnainsong

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Sushi and sashimi are the fashionable dishes in Thailand over the last decade. The consumers believe that marine fish and other ingredients are the low calorie food and have various dietaries such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins and vitamins. However, several countries reported that the health risks of consuming sushi and sashimi are bacteria and helminthes infection. The contamination of these pathogens has been reported from many areas. In this paper, the illness from contaminated sushi and sashimi are reviewed. Additionally, the guidelines to control the quality in each step of sushi and sashimi preparing are noted. This paper …

Thermo-Electrical Field Analysis For The Treatment Of Tumors In The Liver, Haritha Reddy Gouru

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Hepatic tumors occur in liver tissue due to the growth of malignant cells. Low Frequency Joule Heating (LFJH) is one of the cancer treatment methods that show tremendous potential to treat hepatic cancer without causing excessive side effects and patience discomfort as other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. In this localized thermal treatment method the tumor in liver tissue is heated to a critical temperature range using Radiofrequency (RF) energy designed to damage malignant cells. An electrode is introduced over the tumor and electric current is passed through it to induce Joule heating. The volume heat generation due to the …

A Validation Study Of The Apta Professionalism In Physical Therapy : Core Values Self-Assessment, Deborah K. Anderson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Measures of student professionalism are being incorporated into both formative and summative assessments of students in medical and health professions education to heighten awareness of professionalism expectations, evaluate change over time, assess outcome of educational activities, and determine competency for progression. The Professionalism in Physical Therapy: Core Values Self-Assessment (PCVSA) was developed to measure the frequency of behaviors that represent professionalism in both students and clinicians. However, psychometric analysis has not been conducted on this tool despite its use in physical therapist education. Using Messick's unified construct-based conceptualization of validity, the investigator gathered evidence to evaluate the validity of PCVSA …

Addressing The Union Of Counselor Education And Military Families : Creating Best Practices, Katherine M. Wix

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how counselor educators infuse military culture in counseling curriculum as public policy suggests professional counselors will be called upon to provide services to military and veteran populations. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 authorized the Department of Defense (DoD) to publish standards allowing Licensed Professional Counselors to practice and bill TRICARE, or The Triple Option Benefit Plan for military families. However, TRICARE requires counselors providing services to military families to be graduates of CACREP accredited programs although CACREP standards do not currently address military culture. In order to effectively and efficiently help military …

Validity And Reliability Evidence Of Smart Start-2 In Preschool-Aged Children With/Without A Developmental Delay And/Or A Disability, Jae-Hun Jung

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate validity and reliability evidence of Smart Start-Second Edition (Zittel, Kim, & Wessel, 2014) (Smart Start-2) in preschoolers with and without a disability. Thirty-two preschoolers with a disability and 28 preschoolers without a disability participated in the study. The mean age of all participants, preschoolers with a disability, and preschoolers without a disability were 50.98 months (SD = 7.86, range 37 -- 64), 53.28 months (SD = 7.28), and 48.35 months (SD = 7.78), respectively. Each participant was asked to perform 12 fundamental movement skills. The participants' fundamental movement skills performances were filmed …

Victimization Among Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder : An Examination Of Youth Anxiety And The Role Of Social Support, Nathan Matthew Elzinga

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research study sought to better understand the relation between high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and victimization from bullying. The literature thus far has identified that youth with high functioning ASD are more likely to be victimized than typically developing peers or peers with other disabilities, yet relatively little work has been done to further understand this relation. The current study sought to better understand parent-child agreement rates regarding child experiences of victimization from bullying as well as how these rates differ depending upon a child's ASD presentation. Because of the way the unique social presentation of youth with …

Economic And Traffic Impacts Following The Installation Of New Bicycle Facilities: A Denver Case Study, Stephen Antonio Rijo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

America is currently experiencing a unique departure from the historical vehicle miles traveled (VMT) trend, often referred to as "peak travel." Decreasing VMT numbers suggest that the US is currently experiencing an unprecedented change in the way individuals utilize transportation systems. The following research calls on a need to understand the importance of improving alternative transportation infrastructure, namely cycling facilities, and how this impacts local businesses and their communities. This research informs the overarching question, "What are the economic and traffic impacts of cycling facilities?" A mixed methods analysis of retail sales tax, traffic count, and RTD transit access data …

Microindentation Of Bi57in26sn17 Lead-Free Alloy, Ruiting Zhao

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

There is great need to understand the mechanical properties of lead-free alloys—an alternative of lead-based alloys—to address the environmental problems associated with the use of lead-based materials in microelectronics. In this work, the microstructures of Bi57In26Sn17 lead-free alloy were examined using Optical Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy analysis. The micro-indentation technique was used to study the mechanical properties of Bi57In26Sn17 lead-free alloy. The experimental results of the hardness and contact modulus were presented and discussed. Local creep during the indentation was observed from the load-displacement curves. The Vickers hardness (HV) increases with the decrease of the indentation depth, suggesting …

Can Consumers Perceive A Difference In Quality When Comparing Whole-Grain Gluten-Free Baked Goods To Refined Gluten-Free Baked Goods At Varying Flour Levels, Jenna R. Carlson

Masters Theses

The prevalence of celiac disease and gluten intolerances has increased drastically in the last few decades, accounting for 1 in 100 individuals, or about 1% of Americans (Mager, Qiao, & Turner, 2012). The only treatment for celiac disease or any other gluten intolerance is the gluten-free diet. The gluten-free diet can lack many essential nutrients. The purpose of this research was to identify if consumers could perceive a difference in quality when comparing whole-grain gluten-free baked goods to refined gluten-free baked goods at varying flour levels of 20%, 50%, and 100%.

The researcher-developed Carlson Acceptability of Gluten-Free Baked Goods Survey …

An Exploration Of College Student Experiences Regarding Healthy Eating At A Midsized Midwestern University: A Qualitative Approach, E. Jordan Stayer

Masters Theses

This study was an exploration of the experiences college students have while eating in on-campus dining centers at a midsized, Midwest, public university. The present study examined college students' (n = 7) experiences of eating in the dining centers with a campus meal plan. Participants were asked a series of questions regarding their individual beliefs, their surrounding environment, and their physical behaviors while dining.

The study concluded that dining habits are very personal to each and every human being in the world. At the higher education level, because each student brings with them a completely different taste, desire, and …

A Study Of The Statutes, Regulations And Judicial Rulings Impacting The Access Of Service Animals To The Public Schools, Jenell A. Mroz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The use of service animals is growing in the United States. Since public schools are a microcosm of society, it is not surprising requests for service animals to attend public school are growing as well. In the absence of a Supreme Court decision on service animals attending public schools, a systematic review of disability legislation, governing agencies' interpretation, and court decisions helps school officials develop appropriate policies and procedures for allowing students to attend school accompanied by a service animal.;This study involved an extensive search for historical and current litigation and legislation addressing issues related to the regulation of service …

A Historical Analysis On The Status Of Unilateral Private Placements In Special Education, Jeremy Lambe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

With the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) in 1975, parents were provided the right to a hearing if they did not agree with the special educational services being provided to their child. However, it was not until the IDEA 1997 amendments that tuition reimbursement was specifically offered when a school district failed to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) to a child with a disability. In current times, when parents disagree about the services provided to their child, they often do not wait for the due process procedure to resolve the issue. Instead, …

A Journey Of Joy- A Biography Of An Excellent Mathematics Teacher : Exploring What Influenced Her Retention In Teaching, Patricia S. Mannion Rowe

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine a retired teacher's reflections on career, professional, and personal influences which contributed to her retention in teaching. This study was guided by the research question: How have career, professional, and personal influences contributed to one teacher's retention? This was explored through a biography of her teaching career and an analysis of the revealed factors using Herzberg's Motivator-Hygiene Theory. Motivators/satisfiers are factors intrinsic to the job itself. The following satisfiers emerged: the work itself (including creativity, classroom management, curriculum, challenge, intellectual stimulation, interpersonal relationships, joy, a sense of purpose, altruism), achievement, growth (including …

A Multimethod Experimental Investigation Of The Relationship Between Hoarding Symptoms And Confidence In Memory, Arielle P. Rogers

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Poor confidence in memory has demonstrated associations with hoarding symptoms but no study has examined the direction of this relationship using an experimental procedure. The current study addresses a gap in the literature by testing the hypothesis that poor confidence in memory causes difficulty discarding possessions during a behavioral hoarding task. Additionally, perfectionism is examined as a potential moderator of the relationship between confidence in memory and difficulty discarding. Consistent with prior research, support was found for a relationship between confidence in memory and hoarding symptoms; however, no support was found for a causal relationship between confidence in memory and …

A Multi-Species Approach To Elucidating The Ecological Function Of Primate Geophagy, Brandon Semel

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Geophagy, or soil consumption, is a behavior observed across a broad diversity of vertebrate species, yet the factors driving this phenomenon remain elusive. Studies of sympatric species that exhibit significant differences in diet can help elucidate the ecological basis of geophagy. Five distinct hypotheses were tested using sympatric species that may best explain the benefit of soil consumption in primates: antacid relief, plant secondary metabolite (PSM) adsorption, parasite mitigation, alleviation of diarrhea, and nutrient supplementation. I conducted observations of diademed sifakas (Propithecus diadema) and common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) in primary rainforest habitats of Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar. I studied animals of …

Applying Frances Fowler's Model To Analyze The History Of Compulsory Attendance Laws In The United States, Deborah Dyer Osborne

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The notion of compelling formal education has been in existence since the 1600's. Subtle differences can be extrapolated from the compulsory school attendance statutes enacted during the past four centuries; however, the core requirements have remained the same. Despite the fact the United States Supreme Court has ruled education is not a fundamental right. Every state has laws mandating school attendance for minor children. For centuries, judicial efforts have wrestled with crafting effective interventions and punishments for students and parents failing to follow these laws. Sadly, truancy continues to be a plague in 21st century education. There continues to be …

As In The Case Of Monsters, The Changing Face Of Representation In America, Aaron R. Kushner

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis outlines the evolution of representation in America, arguing that representation has over time been warped by the encouraged factionalism of political parties. Political parties create partisan forms of the classic delegate and trustee models which do not allow legislators the ability to perform either function simply or completely. Partisan forms of representation have a direct effect on the American telos in that, by allowing and encouraging large party organizations to influence and complicate legislative (and constituent) decision making, those involved may be prevented from acting in pursuit of the well-being of the nation, the protection of natural rights.

Assessment Of Urinary Methylmalonic Acid Levels In Older Adults On Proton Pump Inhibitors, Tashia Sue Warner

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) affect gastric acid secretion. The use of PPIs in the elderly population (>70 years old) may increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because gastric acid is needed for vitamin B12 digestion and absorption. However, it's unclear whether adults ages 50--70 years old that use PPIs chronically are at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Objective: To determine whether chronic use of PPIs results in increased urinary methylmalonic acid (uMMA) levels in adults ages 50--70 years old, indicating vitamin B12 deficiency. Methods: Fifteen men and women who had been taking PPIs daily for a minimum …

Autistic Texts And Textual Accounts Of Autism : The Interdependence Of 20th - And 21st - Century Science And Literature Through The Rhetorical Phenomenon Of Autism, John Joseph Marinan Iv

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In this dissertation, I illustrated how throughout the 20th and 21st centuries the science community has officially identified and objectified autism: first, by connecting it with psychoanalysis through schizophrenia; second, by creating other categories such as infantile autism and Asperger syndrome that focused on psychological and medical factors; third, by pointing to Theory of Mind applications that emphasized brain chemistry; and finally, by tracing recent theories of morphology relating to mirror neurons and rapid early brain growth. Despite attempts to define autism as a diagnostic term imbued with empirical qualities, the process of writing about it also created autism as …

Big Data Analytics For Gas Turbines, Srikanth Kashyap Jandhyala

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Gas turbines have many important variables such as the load, turbine speed, fuel gas flow, and inlet and outlet pressures. The volume, velocity, variability and complexity of the data from various sensors are huge. Monitoring of gas turbines consequently needs big data analytics which is the process of collecting, organizing and analyzing large data sets. The need for big data analytics stems from the need to increase the efficiency, improve operations and predict various trends and comment on the performance. Big data implies that the data sets are too large to be analyzed or even viewed by conventional methods and …

Blaming The Victim : The Role Of Assault Characteristics And Victim Attractiveness, Sapir Sasson

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The current study examined the effect of rape stereotypicality (stereotypical rape vs. non-stereotypical rape) and victim attractiveness on victim blame attributions and encouragement of formal reporting while controlling for individual difference variables (i.e., rape myth acceptance, victim empathy, victimization history, and disclosure receipt history). Participants in the final sample for this study comprised 354 undergraduate students from introductory psychology classes at a Midwestern university and 283 individuals from Amazon.com's Mechanical Turk site. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that both undergraduate and Mechanical Turk participants assigned greater blame to victims of nonstereotypical (vs. stereotypical) rape. Undergraduate, but not Mechanical Turk participants, assigned …

(De) Constructing Students Of Concern : How Chief Student Affairs Officers Make Meaning Regarding Concerning Student Behavior, Melanie V. Tucker

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how Chief Student Affairs Officers make meaning of students demonstrating concerning behavior within large, residential university settings. The problem this study sought to address was the ambiguity of the construct student of concern. Two research questions guided the study, including: 1) how do Chief Student Affairs Officers describe their work with students of concern and; 2) how do Chief Student Affairs Officers describe factors which influence their perception of and responses to students of concern? A constructionist paradigm, student affairs models of practice, and components of organizational theory informed this …

Air Separation And Oxygen Storage Properties Of Hexagonal Rare-Earth Manganites, Castro Abughayada

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents evaluation results of hexagonal Y1-x RxMnO3+delta (R = Er, Y, Dy, Pr, La, Tb and Ho) rare-earth manganites for prospective air separation applications. In these materials, oxygen content is sensitively dependent on the surrounding conditions of temperature and/or oxygen partial pressure, and therefore they exhibit the ability to selectively absorb, store, and release significant amounts of separated oxygen from air. This study presents a full characterization of their thermogravimetric characteristics and air separation capabilities. With the expected potential impact of oxygen content on the physical properties of these materials, the scope of this work is expanded to …

Development Of A Population Density-Based Regression Model To Forecast Discharge-Precipitation Ratios In Midwestern Urbanizing Drainage Basins, Kristopher Martin Kordek

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Wide spread urban development and its associated conversion of natural and agricultural lands to land use types dominated by impervious surfaces such as motorways, car parks, and structures has had and continues to have significant impacts on drainage basin hydrology and fluvial ecosystems. As a drainage basin becomes increasingly developed, the ratio of basin discharge in response to rainfall events increases, leading to a greater frequency and intensity of flood events. The purpose of this study was to develop a population density-based model to forecast discharge-precipitation ratios for drainage basins undergoing changes in degree of urbanization. This model, with its …

Employee Engagement In An Economic Downfall : Perspectives Of First-Line Supervisors, Susan K. Warren

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study explored how the country's recession and road back to normalcy affected employee engagement at the micro or work-results level of the organization. It investigated how employee engagement manifests itself in the workplace, the role of the first-line supervisor in fostering employee engagement, and how tough economic times influenced employee engagement. In the study, supervisors shared examples and provided descriptions of the engaged and disengaged employees within their work settings. They also described changes in their work environments that they attributed to recessionary times.;A qualitative inquiry approach was used to address meaning-making about engagement from the perspectives of supervisors. …