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Epigenetic Modifications To Cytosine And Alzheimer’S Disease: A Quantitative Analysis Of Post-Mortem Tissue, Elizabeth M. Ellison

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with no therapeutic option to slow or halt disease progression. Development of two characteristic pathologic lesions, amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, in the brain are associated with synaptic dysfunction and neuron loss leading to memory impairment and cognitive decline. Although mutations in genes involved in amyloid beta processing are linked to increased plaque formation in the inherited familial form of AD, the more common idiopathic form, termed sporadic AD, develops in the absence of gene mutations. In contrast, …

Thermal Analysis Of Selective Laser Melting (Slm) Process For Metallic Additive Manufacturing, Shiva Ratakonda

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Additive manufacturing widely known as 3D printing is receiving groundbreaking level of attention from industry and research laboratories. The research and development effort has gained tremendous momentum from simple 3D printers to advanced quick manufacturing systems that create functional parts without the need for tooling. While majority of the current 3D printers available in the market build parts using polymeric materials, recent research and development effort is also concentrated on building parts using metals, ceramics, and composites. Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) are attractive processes for metallic parts. It is one of …

A Utility-Value Intervention : Will It Help Hispanic Parents To Motivate Their Adolescents In Mathematics?, Margaret Molenda-Lesniak

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Academic motivation declines during middle- and high-school years and its diminishing effects are especially evident in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The goal of this study was to examine a possible cause-effect relationship between a utility-value intervention and mathematics motivation of middle-school Hispanic students. Through experimental manipulation, the researcher assisted parents in conveying the importance of mathematics to their adolescents to influence students' mathematics motivation. The four-month long intervention consisted of a brochure that was mailed to parents, a website, and biweekly Facebook posts, all emphasizing the usefulness and importance of mathematics courses. Data were collected using pre- …

Ability Group Configuration For The High School Physics Classroom, Scott Zitnik

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research project looks to investigate the effectiveness of different ability grouping arrangements for the high school physics classroom. Students were first organized based on their academic aptitude in physics into three general groups of high, medium, and low achieving students. They were then divided into both groups of four and dyads that were constructed in one of four arrangements, namely: random, homogeneous, heterogeneous, or student choice. Data was collected based on their academic performance as well as survey responses regarding the group and dyad performance. Students worked in a rotation of these groups and dyads for a unit to …

Acceptance Of Integration Of Mobile Technology In The Higher Education Environment : Instructors' Perception, Shawnice L. Avilez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this survey research was to determine factors that influenced college instructors' behavioral intentions to use mobile technology. The study extended the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, with subjective norm and facilitating conditions acting as potential predictors of instructors' behavioral intention and self-reported intention to use mobile technology (iPads/laptops). A survey instrument was adapted by the author from published guidelines and prior research surveys. The survey was delivered using Qualtrics, a web-based survey tool. The survey instrument included items based on the constructs of the TAM model. The researcher analyzed the data using multiple regression analyses. Utilization of …

Competition And Community Interactions Of Two Generalist Herbivores, Elizabeth Ellen Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Competition can have far-reaching consequences for the fitness and distribution of many organisms. In herbivorous insects, competition mediated by a third organism is more common than direct competition and has a strong effect on insect communities; yet most research on indirect competition among herbivores focuses on dietary specialists, and those studies that do include generalists tend to rear them on agricultural crops. My project examines species interactions at three levels: intraspecific competition (within species), interspecific competition (between species), and ecosystem engineering effects at the community level. I studied competition and community interactions of two temporally-separated species of herbivorous insects, western …

Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs And Mathematical Knowledge For Teaching: How Teachers' Mkt Shifts In Planning And Impacts Their Beliefs And Instructional Practice, Paul Conley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to understand how a teacher developed Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching and how that knowledge can shift teacher's beliefs and instructional practice, I worked with a teacher to deeply plan and implement six mathematical lessons.

The research suggests that planning can be a vehicle to develop a teacher's Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. In addition, as a teacher's Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching started to develop through lesson planning, the teacher's beliefs about her own knowledge of mathematics started to increase which started to shift the teacher's instructional practice.

This combination of a stronger Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching, self confidence …

Formulation And Characterization Of Poly(Β-Amino Ester) Networks For Controlled Delivery Of Antioxidants In Pharmaceutical Applications, Vinod Shivaji Patil

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Oxidative stress, which reflects an imbalance between oxidants and endogenous antioxidants, is known to be a cause as well as an effect of health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Antioxidants have shown promising results in vitro in controlling oxidative stress. However, years of in vitro studies have failed to translate into effective clinical interventions for controlling oxidative stress in the disease conditions. This has been due to low bioavailability and lower stability of antioxidants. Poly(antioxidant β-amino esters) (PABAE) are a recently-developed class of biodegradable polymeric hydrogels that have shown promise in their ability …

Understanding Glycoside Hydrolase Processivity For Improved Biomass Conversion, Suvamay Jana

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

In nature, organisms secrete synergistic enzyme cocktails to deconstruct crystalline polysaccharides, such as cellulose and chitin, to soluble sugars. The cocktails consist of multiple classes of processive and non-processive glycoside hydrolases (GH) that aid in substrate accessibility and reduce product inhibition. Processive GHs attach to chain ends and hydrolyze many glycosidic linkages in sequence to produce disaccharide units before dissociation, and as such, are responsible for the majority of hydrolytic bond cleavages. Accordingly, processive GHs are targets for activity improvements towards efficient and economical biomass conversion. However, the mechanism and factors responsible for processivity are still not understood completely at …

Pore-Confined Carriers And Biomolecules In Mesoporous Silica For Biomimetic Separation And Targeting, Shanshan Zhou

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Selectively permeable biological membranes composed of lipophilic barriers inspire the design of biomimetic carrier-mediated membranes for aqueous solute separation. This work imparts selective permeability to lipid-filled pores of silica thin film composite membranes using carrier molecules that reside in the lipophilic self-assemblies. The lipids confined inside the pores of silica are proven to be a more effective barrier than bilayers formed on the porous surface through vesicle fusion, which is critical for quantifying the function of an immobilized carrier. The ability of a lipophilic carrier embedded in the lipid bilayer to reversibly bind the target solute and transport it through …

Charge Transport In Electronic-Ionic Composites, Long Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

The goal of this thesis is to generate fundamental understandings of charge transport behaviors of composites consisting of garnet structured Al substituted Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) electrolyte and LiCoO₂ electrode. In order to take full advantage of all-solid-state batteries, bulk type composite electrodes should be introduced to increase energy and power density. However, the charge utilization of bulk type composite electrodes is quite low. Understanding ionic conduction behavior is, therefore, important for improving the performance of all-solid-state batteries, because ion conduction within solids depends on effective pathways. Electronic conductivity can be easily compensated by …

Formation Of The Ether Bridge In The Loline Alkaloid Biosynthetic Pathway, Minakshi Bhardwaj

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Lolines are specialized metabolites produced by endophytic fungi, such as Neotyphodium and Epichloë species, that are in symbiotic relationships with cool-season grasses. Lolines are vital for the survival of the grasses because their insecticidal and antifeedant properties protect the plant from insect herbivory. Although lolines have various bioactivities, they do not have any concomitant antimammalian activities.

Lolines have complex structures that are unique among naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Lolines have four contiguous stereocenters, and they contain an ether bridge connecting C(2) and C(7) of the pyrrolizidine ring. An ether bridge connecting bridgehead C atoms is unusual in natural products and …

Photoluminescence Mechanism And Applications Of Graphene Quantum Dots, Yiyang Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are small pieces of graphene oxide whose physical dimensions are so confined (a few to a few tens nm) that they have a finite bandgap due to a quantum confinement effect. The finite bandgap of GQDs grants them pronounced absorption bands and a substantial photoluminescence. These optical properties are rarely observed in traditional carbon materials, since most of carbon materials are metallic with a near-zero bandgap and thus have broad absorption spectra with no photoluminescence. The unique optical properties of GQDs, along with GQDs’ inherited advantages from carbon material family (cheap, abundant, non-toxic), make GQDs an …

Arsenic Removal With A Dithiol Ligand Supported On Magnetic Nanoparticles, John Hamilton Walrod Ii

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Exposure to arsenic (As) in water, the ubiquitous toxin that poses adverse health risks to tens of millions, is the result of both anthropogenic and geochemical mobilization. Despite recent publicity and an increased public awareness, the dangers associated with arsenic exposure rank among the top priorities of public health agencies globally. Existing sequestration applications mainly include reductions and adsorption with zero-valent metals and their oxides. The performance of adsorption media is known to preferentially favor aqueous As(V) over As(III) due to the charge of the dissolved oxyanion. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) have been the focus of multidisciplinary research efforts for the …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Cu(Ii)-Cu(I) Mixed Valence Complexes, Hansani T. Lekam Wasam Liyanage

Masters Theses

Our study was focused on synthesis and characterization of new family of metal complexes that mimic the active site of copper containing enzymes. Our approach focused on preparing a series of metalloligands which vary systematically in structure and use them in combination with additional metallic centers to synthesize our desired complexes.

We synthesized a main ligand, which is named as HL^Q 2Pz, which contain a quinoline body, one amide bond and two pyrazolyl rings. We synthesized a copper complex by deprotonating HL^Q 2Pz using KOH. The ligand coordinated to the copper(II) center through its quinoline nitrogen, two of …

A Lagrangian Relaxation Approach To A Multi-Echelon Consolidation Of Perishable Products, Durga Ravi Kiran Jinagam

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

A consolidation center was established near a set of suppliers with perishable products that have a deterioration rate to consolidate their products and reduce transportation costs. A deterministic demand was considered to solve the model for optimal transportation and holding costs to the suppliers via consolidation center. The products from all suppliers were consolidated at the center to reduce freight transportation costs, which would otherwise have been individually shipped by each supplier. A mixed integer programming (MIP) model was developed to solve the optimal cost of shipping considering the holding cost, transportation cost and deterioration rate. The MIP model was …

A Multi-Objective Robust Algal Biofuel Supply Chain Under Uncertainty, Keivan Ghasemi Nodooshan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Energy has historically been of great importance to the world. Depletion of fossil fuels, growing demand, global warming, and etc. have even accentuated this importance more. Amongst the biomass for production of biofuel which is one of the most promising renewable energy options, algae have been gaining a lot of attention in recent years. This thesis will propose a Biofuel Supply Chain Network Design for the development of algal biofuels. In order to do so, a Mixed Integer Linear Program will be created to design and optimize a biofuel supply chain from raw material procurement to biofuel distribution. Furthermore, a …

A Preliminary Investigation On Hardness Performance Of Lens-Processed 316 Stainless Steel (Ss), Sri Sai Kartheek Meka

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The hardness performance of LENS processed 316 Stainless Steel (SS) is investigated. Hardness performance of LENS processed 316 SS is important to identify its strength, resistance to wear, quality, failure control, predicting life time, determining proper applications and its evaluating performance. Rockwell Hardness test was performed at 100kgf load and 150kgf load respectively. A Finite element model was developed for the indentation process and obtain contact radius and contact pressure was verified with experimental results obtained from white light interferometry. The Rockwell hardness test was performed according to ASTM E18--17e1 test procedure and a Tungsten carbide indenter was used for …

Analysis Of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine With Emphasis On Combustion Timing And Reaction Rate, Arunim Bhattacharya

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

HCCI engines are a class of engines which use high compression ratio to ignite a charge of air-fuel mixture, essentially eliminating the need for spark plugs. This contrasts with diesel engines (although HCCI can be used for diesel engines) where the fuel is injected near the top dead center of the compression stroke regime. Gasoline HCCI engines are of significance because, it attempts to improve the characteristics of the engine for example the thermal efficiency. High compression ratio comes with higher thermal efficiency, yet the peak temperature remains low enough to have low production rates of harmful oxides of nitrogen …

Approximate Bayesian Computation In Nonparametric Bayesian Models, Erina Paul

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Many scientific problems require statistical inference in complex models. Bayesian nonparametric models provide a flexible modeling and inference framework for such problems. There is a substantial literature on Bayesian computational methods for nonparametric models, however, in non-conjugate complex models, they can be difficult or computationally expensive to implement. Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) provides a computational framework for inference in difficult and intractable Bayesian models. The idea behind ABC is to provide an approximate posterior inference without evaluating the likelihood function based on samples drawn from the sampling distribution. We develop a methodology for statistical inference in nonparametric Bayesian models based …

Battery Storage Performance Analysis Using Multiphysics Simulation Through Application Builder And Data Analytics, Tejasree Yenigalla

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are becoming increasingly popular for energy storage in electric vehicles, portable electronic devices and in-grid storage. Compared to alternative battery technologies, Li-ion batteries provide one of the best energy-to-weight ratios, and experience low self-discharge when not in use. Electric vehicle industries are increasingly attractive for their potential to reduce greenhouse gases and decrease dependence on oil. For automakers, the key to this huge shift will be lithium-ion batteries. The main objective of this research is to develop a three-dimensional computer simulation model of lithium-ion battery and performance analysis subject to a range of charge and discharge rates, …

"Invisible Knapsacks" In Education : An Autoethnography Of Privilege And Power Dynamics In Higher Education, Elyzia Powers

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Privilege and power dynamics in higher education settings are examined using an autoethnographic design. To begin with, the need for the study is outlined, followed by research questions. After a brief discussion of the methodology, operational definitions important to conceptualizing privilege are laid out. Reasoning for the study is explained, followed by coverage of a theoretical framework. For this study, critical pedagogy and intersectionality are used, in alignment with autoethnographic thinking. Literature covering privilege in higher education as well as power dynamics and interventions is reviewed. Autoethnography as a method is then explained, followed by a detailed account of data …

(Re)Inventing Mathematical Logic : A Case Study Of Set-Based Meanings For Conditional Truth, Alec William Hub

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The way students interpret mathematical sentences involving logical connectives sometimes differs from the way mathematicians interpret such sentences. This research study identifies and analyzes some understandings that one student constructed while interpreting conditional statements relating to numerical relationships and geometric shape categories. Through a modified teaching experiment, a pair of students were guided to reinvent normative understandings of truth-functional logic, namely that of material conditionals (conditional statements) and their contrapositive's equivalence. Through the case study of Hugo, the researcher identifies shifts in his reasoning about conditional statements that gave rise to set-based meanings for conditional truth, as well as the …

A Comparison Of Variance And Renyi's Entropy With Application To Machine Learning, Adric M. Peccarelli

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research explores parametric and nonparametric similarities and disagreements between variance and the information theoretic measure of entropy, specifically Renyi's entropy. A history and known relationships of the two different uncertainty measures is examined. Then, twenty discrete and continuous parametric families are tabulated with their respective variance and Renyi entropy functions ordered to understand the behavior of these two measures of uncertainty. Finally, an algorithm for variable selection using Renyi's Quadratic Entropy and its kernel estimation is explored and compared to other popular selection methods using real data.

An Investigation On The Thermophysical Properties Of A Binary Molten Salt System Containing Both Aluminum Oxide And Titanium Oxide Nanoparticle Suspensions, Kunal Giridhar

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Molten salts are showing great potential to replace current heat transfer and thermal energy storage fluids in concentrated solar plants because of their capability to maximize thermal energy storage, greater stability, cost effectiveness and significant thermal properties. However one of the major drawbacks of using molten salt as heat transfer fluid is that they are in solid state at room temperature and they have a high freezing point. Hence, significant resources would be required to maintain it in liquid form. If molten salt freezes while in operation, it would eventually damage piping network due to its volume shrinkage along with …

Education Impacts Of Zero-Tolerance Expulsions On Now-Incarcerated Individuals, John D. Suarez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This is a qualitative research study of the educational impacts that a zero-tolerance expulsion has had on now-incarcerated students. The data collected from face-to-face interviews at the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice facility in St. Charles, Illinois. The theoretical framework of the research is built upon Critical Race Theory that provides a setting in which to examine the realities, both long-and short-term that is associated with these expulsions. The researcher interviewed six participants who qualified for this research. The qualifications for participation were that the individual is at least 18 years old, and have been expelled for a zero-tolerance infraction. …

Educational Journey Of First Generation, Foreign-Born Immigrant Students In The U.S. : Transnational Experiences And The Role Of Cultural Capital In Pursuing Higher Education, Gulshirin Orazova

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The central purpose of this qualitative study was to examine, from the transnational and cultural capital perspectives, transition, integration, and success in higher education through the lived experiences of first generation, foreign-born immigrant students legally residing in the U.S. Transnationality and cultural capital theories have been determined as being important for seeking responses to the raised research questions of this study. A transnationality theory allowed me to deeply understand the participants' migration experiences and their influences on the students' educational practices, while acquisition of cultural capital in this study focused on exploring factors such as family background, cultural values and …

Exploring The Transition Experiences Of First Generation Adult Learners To Undergraduate Education : A Qualitative Case Study, Russell D. Wartalski

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Adult learners and first-generation learners, as separate groups, have been matriculating in increasing numbers at colleges and universities over the last few decades. Research indicates that enrollment trends for these two groups are likely to continue to increase in the near future, with a growing number of students being dually classified as first-generation and adult. Separate literature bases exist that capture the learning styles and collegiate experiences of first-generation learners and adult learners, yet limited research exists that addresses the transition experiences of first-generation adult learners. This qualitative case study focused on exploring and describing the transition experiences of 10 …

College Students And The Stigma Of Developmental Reading : Examining Students' Experiences, Perceptions And Academic Performance, J. Schwartz

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Previous research has suggested examining the mindsets, learning beliefs, and academic identity of students enrolled in developmental education could contribute to identifying and describing factors that have a positive impact on students' academic performance and completion of their developmental education courses. Two new, adapted measures were developed, a Stigma Consciousness Questionnaire for Developmental Reading (SCQ-DR) and a Student Mindset Survey for Developmental Reading (SMS-DR), to investigate how community college students experience stigma associated with being enrolled in a developmental reading course, and the relationships between stigma and students' theory of intelligence, learning goals, effort beliefs, and academic performance in a …

Computation Of Common Normal Between Wheelset And Rail : A Comparative Study, Khashayar Namiranian

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Computation of the common normals between wheelset and rail is an important problem in simulation of wheel/rail interaction. Its computational robustness and efficiency is the key in any successful application of simulation for railroad vehicle study. Current approaches use Newton's method. Newton's method converges to only one local minimum. But all common normal must be computed. Therefore, it is necessary to generate one estimate for each common normal. In this study, the large curvature of the track is used to devise a scheme to identify and compute the estimate of each common normal. Newton's method will fail if the Jacobean …