Digital Commons Network^™

Producing Biocomposites From Hemp Residues, Mohammad Faghani

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The significant environmental challenges posed by traditional fossil fuel-derived plastics necessitate the exploration of sustainable alternatives. The global production of plastic has dramatically increased from 2 million tons in 1950 to 368 million tons in 2019, with projections exceeding 600 million tons by 2025. By 2040, the greenhouse gas emissions from the lifecycle of these plastics are expected to consume 19% of the global carbon budget. The United States alone produces nearly twice as much plastic waste as China and more than the entire European Union combined, highlighting the urgency of finding eco-friendly solutions.

Biocomposites, combining natural fibers with either …

Re-Feminizing The Divine: Understanding The Cultural Constructs Of Gender And Sexuality In A Church-Based Christian Community, Cameron K. Thomas

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Historically, Christianity has sought to maintain rigid separation between men and women. Christianity often views women as secondary to men, particularly in relation to authority under Jesus Christ. These ideals have led to the restrictions of rights and roles of people who choose not to adhere to strictly defined or enforced gender roles. For this ethnography, I examined one church community; namely Barbwire Baptist Church in northern Illinois and how its members used scripture and doctrine beyond simply worship to reinforce norms and expectations of self and others regarding gender and sexuality. I draw on scholarship in gender studies, and …

Motivation, Engagement, And The Student-Teacher Relationship As Predictors Of Academic Outcomes, Courtney Weaver

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Motivation and engagement have long been studied in educational literature as factors that contribute to student academic achievement. The student-teacher relationship has also gained attention as a factor that exerts influence on students’ performance in the classroom. Models that consider context, or the ways in which these student- and teacher-level factors work together, are lacking in the literature. The current study employed an ecological systems framework with concepts from two related theories, attachment and self-determination, to investigate the roles of motivation, engagement, closeness and conflict in the student-teacher relationship as influences on student academic outcomes. Data for the current study …

Bidirectional In-Situ Analysis And Visualization Of Fluid Structure Interactions With Applications In Blood Flow, Nazariy Tishchenko

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Interactive blood flow simulation has applications in the understanding of complex fluids,training medical professionals, diagnostics, and surgical procedure planning. Bidirectional in situ visualization and analysis are much needed to streamline the analysis of large-scale patient-specific blood flow simulations. The in situ component ensures the live visualization of the simulation results while the simulation is running, and the bidirectional component allows for real-time control and configuration of the simulation parameters (i.e., setting and retrieving the simulation parameters and data based on need). In this project, a highly accurate multiphysics simulation was instrumented to work with an existing bidirectional in situ framework. …

Estradiol’S Role In Timely Puberty Onset In The Ewe, Eliana Gerardine Aerts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In female sheep, the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus triggers luteinizing hormone (LH) to be released from the pituitary. Luteinizing hormone, in turn, acts on the ovaries to elicit estradiol (E₂) release. E₂ acts in a negative feedback manner to control the amount of LH released. The increase in LH release that drives puberty onset results from a decrease in sensitivity to E₂ as the animal ages. However, the neural mechanisms mediating this change in sensitivity are not known, as is where in the hypothalamus E₂-negative feedback occurs. In the arcuate …

Examining Invalid Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory Profiles Within A Randomized Controlled Trial For Toddler-Aged Children And Their Parents, Lindsay Rebecca Druskin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Child abuse is a significant public health concern that impacts children worldwide. Efforts to connect at-risk parents with prevention and intervention programs require the use of high-quality measures that evaluate child abuse potential. Researchers frequently use the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (Milner, 1986) and the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAP; Ondersma et al., 2005) which contain Validity indices that evaluate response patterns such as social desirability responding. The measure developers recommended that abuse risk scores from invalid profiles be disregarded in clinical and research settings; however, little is known about factors that may relate to invalid responses and whether …

Social Gender Norms And Depression In College Students, Derek Deeney

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a relationship between the conformity to social gender norms (masculine and feminine) and depression among male and female college students at a mid-sized, four-year public institution in the Midwest. A secondary purpose was to investigate if there was a difference in depression between males and females, and if a there was a difference in conformity to social gender norms (masculine and feminine) between males and females. Understanding the trends in social norm conformity and depression can lead to changes in how faculty and staff in higher education …

Taking A Look At The Chicago Renaissance: A Cultural And Influential Movement, Shannon Watkins

Masters Theses

A resource guide for educators to allow students to explore literature from the Chicago Renaissance; while bridging the gap between Social Studies and English/Language Arts. This guide has lesson plans, curricular resources, and references for Intermediate Elementary teachers and students. Lesson plans are aligned with Bloom’s Taxonomy, Illinois State & National Standards. This guide implements Common Core State Standards with interdisciplinary subject areas while developing and emerging critical thinkers in students.

Are Elaeagnus Umbellata Invasions Limited By Microbial Interactions?, Cody Anderson Leverette

Masters Theses

Mutualistic interactions with soil microbes are a key component of plant invasions. Mutualists such as ectomycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobia bacteria often limit invasive plant establishment and performance, but the role of nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria in invasions remains largely unexplored. In this study, I quantified the net effects of positive and negative plant-soil feedbacks, including Frankia nodulation, on invasive Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive; hereafter AO) seedling performance and traits at varying distances from focal shrubs using live soil and sterilized soil. The expectation was that seedling performance would decrease with further distance from shrubs as Frankia abundance decreased. Contrary to expectations, …

Investigating Sleep Education Criteria In Illinois Public Schools And Its Alignment With Evidence-Based Practices, Bayleigh T. Pasley

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to examine high school health curricula regarding sleep prevention and intervention practices and whether instructional content aligned with best practice for this age group. Specifically, the Primary Investigator and her thesis chair developed the Sleep Education and Preventative Practices Checklist/Questionnaire (SEPPC and SEPPQ) as tools to evaluate the sleep content covered in different public high schools across Illinois. The SEPPC and SEPPQ were identical in that they contained 17 different items which looked at different sleep topics reviewed by current literature. The SEPPC/Q contained two main topics: adolescent sleep knowledge (11 topics/items) and …

Population Demographics Of Channel Catfish In The Lower Wabash River, Valerie J. Thompson

Masters Theses

Inland fisheries are experiencing increasing demands due to anthropogenic stressors, especially within large river systems that support both recreational and commercial fisheries. Riverine species are sensitive to habitat degradation, species introductions, and exploitation, so continued monitoring and management of these communities are vital to maintain abundance and diversity within these systems. The North American catfish family, Ictaluridae, supports both recreational and commercial fisheries throughout the United States. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus are heavily studied and managed compared to other sport catfishes in this family because of their economic and ecological significance. One important Channel Catfish fishery exists in the lower …

Shedding Light On Ester Drug Metabolism: Investigating Carboxylesterases In Live Cells With Fluorogenic Chemical Tools, Carolyn J. Karns

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Acute And Chronic Impacts Of A Biofilm, Activated Sludge, And Ultraviolet Radiation Treatment On The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales Promelas, Julia Fitch

Masters Theses

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a point source of pollution that have potentially damaging effects on downstream fish populations, including reduced growth and survival and reproductive complications. To examine these possible effects, fathead minnows were exposed to effluent of three wastewater treatment processes at the Charleston Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Charleston, Illinois. These three treatments included two secondary treatments, a biofilm treatment and an activated sludge treatment, and one tertiary U.V. treatment. Two trials took place during this project: an acute, two-week exposure trial, and a chronic 119 day exposure trial. Upon completion of each trial, fish were assessed …

The Role Of Study Abroad Directors In The Internationalization Of Higher Education, Alexandra Tserenova

Masters Theses

This study looks at the preparation and job description for those serving as directors of study abroad on the college campus. For this study three professionals who work in director positions were interviewed as well as their job descriptions were analyzed to determine what the expectations are for those in these positions. Study abroad professionals engage with students, faculty, external agencies, and other educational institutions worldwide. They are required to collaborate with many different constituents in the areas of program development, recruitment, risk management, program implementation, as well as pre- and post-departure orientations.

Exploring A Medicinal Strain Of White-Rot Fungus For Biofuel Applications, Kortney L. Lucius

Masters Theses

The major limitation to producing biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass, such as miscanthus straw, is the difficulty in accessing fermentable carbohydrates encased in lignin. Traditional methods for separating lignin are economically and environmentally costly. Biological pretreatment using white-rot fungi, such as Trametes versicolor, has been demonstrated to potentially reduce the need for harsh chemical and physical pretreatment methods. Despite these efforts, the process of converting lignocellulose to ethanol remains financially challenging. To explore a potential co-product for the process, this study evaluated the efficacy of T. versicolor strain CM-101, known for producing the valuable medicinal macromolecule polysaccharide-K (PSK), as a …

Cell-Type-Specific Effects Of Synaptic Zinc In Mouse Auditory Cortex, Mason Mccollum

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Synaptic zinc signaling modulates synaptic activity and is present in specific populations of cortical neurons, suggesting that synaptic zinc contributes to the diversity of intracortical synaptic microcircuits and their auditory tuning properties. Stimulus-specific adaptation is a hallmark of sensory processing in which a repeated stimulus results in diminished successive neuronal responses, but a deviant stimulus will still elicit robust responses from the same neurons. Recent work has established that synaptically released zinc is an endogenous mechanism that shapes neuronal responses to sounds in the auditory cortex. Here, to understand the role of zinc signaling in the auditory cortex and the …

Characterizing Prescribed Fire With Terrestrial Lidar In The New Jersey Pine Barrens, Samuel Rhule Stockton

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Prescribed burning has become a commonly used tool in the mitigation of wildfire, though monitoring the way it changes ecosystems has historically been a time-intensive process. Rapid change across ecosystems has necessitated advancements in remote sensing technologies to quantify the changes taking place. Single-scan terrestrial LiDAR scanning is one such method of monitoring these changes through the quantification of ecosystem structural characteristics. Acute disturbance events such as fire can transform the structure of an ecosystem, and by extension, change the way that ecosystem functions. The purpose of this study is to analyze the changes in vegetation density and distribution following …

Molecular Investigation Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) From Seven Us States, Sofiane Aiche

Masters Theses

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) have been proposed as part of the lifecycles of multiple tickborne pathogens (TBP). This is a result of the increase in feral swine populations and increased tick populations and geographic ranges. Few surveys exist on the TBP relevant to human and wildlife of feral swine in the US. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of 10 TBP: Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., Cytauxzoon felis, Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Yersinia pestis, and Rickettsia spp. A total of 87 feral swine blood samples …

Synthesis Of A Basket-Shaped Host Molecule Based On P-Tert-Butylcalix[4]Arene Featuring Pyridinyl Groups For Volatile Guest Molecule, Boluwatife S. Ajewole

Masters Theses

Supramolecular and Molecular chemistry offer an expanding array of applications for the development of smart devices, with calixarene-based molecular baskets playing a pivotal role in host-guest chemistry. A key concept in this field is the design of "smart" molecules with gate-like features, which can selectively transport chemical or biochemical species that are volatile, reactive, or sensitive to typical solution environments. These molecular hosts are engineered with predefined groups that respond to external stimuli, such as changes in concentration, temperature, or pH.

Molecular baskets are synthetic host molecules designed to capture guest molecules selectively through adjustable gates. In our study, we …

Sars-Cov-2 Immunogenicity Models Inform Novel Strategies That Can Improve Mrna Vaccines, Katherine S. Lee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The onset of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, issued a call to action in the fields of biomedical science and public health to implement strategies to contain and protect against the viral threat. In record times, pharmaceutical companies produced antiviral therapies and novel mRNA vaccines that were approved by the FDA for human use. With time, these vaccines were able to assist in ending the pandemic. However, time also showed the limits of mRNA vaccine induced immunity. Despite antibody responses being initially robust, titers dramatically wane with time and are limited in cross-neutralizing ability. As …

Putting The “Proof” In The Pudding: Ingredients To Consider In Executing An Effective And Sustainable Diversity Management Strategy Within Esg Conscious Organizations, Diamond D. Dubose

Theses and Dissertations

ESG exchange-trade fund inflows increased to a total of 22 billion dollars in 2020; three times their amount as compared to 2019, reflecting increasing capital market prominence (Wagner & Ballentine, 2020). Many organizations have since engaged in DEI practices because of the appeal Environment, Social, and Governance (also known as ESG) investment ratings provide (Henisz et al., 2019). However, companies must go beyond publishing organizational commitments to diversity to ‘check the box’ if they want to remain in the good graces of their internal and external stakeholders, ultimately validating their financial performance (S. J. Singh, 2021). An obstacle also emerged …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Empathy Trait As A Moderator Of Leadership Behavior, Barbara N. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

There are indications that empathic concern for others has been declining around the world (Konrath et al., 2014). Empathy has long been recognized as a component of social functioning that significantly influences behavior that impacts relationships with others on both personal and societal levels (Batson, 2009; Davis, 2017; M. L. Hoffman, 2000; Stilwell, 2001). Leaders who apply empathy in their leadership can promote stronger connections with others (Gentry & Sadri, 2007), and foster social closeness and well-being (Morelli et al., 2015). While traits and behaviors are helpful predictors of effective leadership (Judge & Piccolo, 2004; Mumford et al., 2000), there …

Investigating The Behavior Of Redox–Active Organic Molecules In Electrochemical Energy Storage Through Experiment–Guided Computational Simulations, Anton Perera

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

The long–anticipated implementation of using renewable sources such as solar and wind to meet the world’s energy demand is still limited by not having appropriate grid–level energy storage systems on a global scale. When considering grid–scale energy storage solutions, environmental concerns, and techno–economic viability play a crucial role in the practical implementation of such technology. To address this, redox–active organic molecules (ROMs) have been explored for many uses including serving as redox–active molecules in redox flow batteries (RFBs) and providing overcharge protection in lithium–ion batteries (LIBs).

Nevertheless, in order to be a major player in electrochemical energy storage, further optimization …

Addition Reactions Of Olefinic Heterocycles And 4-Hydroxycoumarins, Benjamin Goka

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The work outlined in this dissertation describes acid-base catalyzed projects facilitating the construction of key synthetic analogs with vast therapeutic applications. Three major projects have been covered demonstrating various synthetic routes developed by our research group to furnish key derivatives of heterocyclic compounds, including coumarins, carbohydrate moieties, and beta-lactams. By their catalytic nature, acids, and bases are known to enhance the reactivities of compounds. This allows synthetic chemists to design or chart new and better reaction pathways leading to the delivery of desired reaction products. The first chapter features a summary of the main concepts underpinning the projects.

Chapter 2 …

Superelectrophile Promoted Syntheses Of Aromatic Spirocycles, Jeffrey Caz Ferreira

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Aromatic spirocycles are crucial organic scaffolds that are at the forefront of innovation in various fields of organic electronics, as well as in drug design. The synthesis of these compounds is challenging, especially on an industrial scale and often have suboptimal yields in many traditional syntheses. New synthetic methodologies are being continually explored for the installation of sp3 hydridized spiro junctions. Our research group, as well as other groups, have done exploration of using superelectrophilic synthetic routes that are nicely applied to the formation of aromatic spirocycles. Most relevant to the results discussed in this dissertation are condensation chemistry using …

The Glutamine-Asparagine Interplay: Exploring The Role Of Asparagine Synthetase In Hepatocellular Cancer Cells, Babatunde George Olawuni

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a liver cancer that accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-related deaths globally; likewise, as the primary metabolic regulatory center in the body, the liver undergoes profound metabolic shifts in carcinogenesis, with net glucose and glutamine consumption. Much attention has been focused on the myriad roles of glutamine in supporting cellular growth over the past several decades, but more recently, the relationship between glutamine and the other amide-bearing amino acid, asparagine, has garnered attention. Asparagine is synthesized from glutamine, aspartic acid, and ATP via the enzyme Asparagine Synthetase (ASNS). Extracellular asparagine reliance has been targeted in …

Race-Based Stressors And Racial Trauma: The Moderating Role Of Parental Racial Socialization, Jessica S. Philip

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Experiences of race-based stressors are linked with worse psychological outcomes for racial/ethnic minority individuals (e.g., Ferdinand et al., 2015). The way in which parents talk to their children about race (i.e., racial/ethnic socialization; RES) may exacerbate or buffer against the strength of this link (e.g., Keum & Ahn, 2021). Therefore, the present study examined the links between race-based stressors, RES, and psychological outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, racial trauma) across multiple racial/ethnic minority groups. The present study also explored the different RES messages as potential moderators for the link between race-based stressors and outcomes, as well as differences in these …

Exploring The Connection: Field Ecology Research And Student Wellbeing, Elizabeth Small

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Field work is essential in ecological research, offering the opportunity to gather firsthand data, observe natural processes, and deepen our understanding of ecosystems. In my study on small mammal trophic niche dynamics, I investigate how small mammals—critical players in grassland food webs—adapt their diets in response to environmental disturbances. By examining the drivers of variation in trophic niche among three common small mammal species, I aim to uncover how these animals coexist despite similar dietary requirements. Understanding these dynamics is critical for informing global conservation efforts, especially as we work to reverse the biodiversity crisis and restore damaged ecosystems.However, the …

Leveraging Bioinformatics To Understand Chlorophyll D Biosynthesis In Acaryochloris Spp., Dikshyant Gautam

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Acaryochloris strains can adapt into far red region of the visible spectrum by utilizing its unique chlorophyll called chlorophyll d (Chl d). The genetic machinery behind Chl d has not been discovered yet. Biosynthetic pathway for other chlorophylls like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll f found in cyanobacteria are however well known. This research aims to understand the biosynthetic pathway responsible for chlorophyll d production. Bioinformatics approaches like comparative genomics, machine learning, and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were central in this study to identify candidate genes and regulatory mechanisms potentially involved in chlorophyll d synthesis.

An important …

Development And Characterization Of Transparent Soil Using Biodegradable Polysaccharides, Said Badshah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.