Digital Commons Network^™

“I Should Have An Eye Single To The Glory Of God”: Joseph Smith’S Account Of The Angel And The Plates, Larry E. Morris

Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 1989–2011

Review of Ronald V. Huggins. “From Captain Kidd’s Treasure Ghost to the Angel Moroni: Changing Dramatis Personae in Early Mormonism.” Dialogue 36/4 (2003): 17–42.

Dietary Isoflavones Alter Regulatory Behaviors, Metabolic Hormones And Neuroendocrine Function In Long-Evans Male Rats, Edwin D. Lephart, James P. Proter, Lihong H. Bu, Trent D. Lund, Kenneth Setchell, Gina Ramoz, William R. Crowley

Faculty Publications

Phytoestrogens derived from soy foods (or isoflavones) have received prevalent usage due to their 'health benefits' of decreasing: a) age-related diseases, b) hormone-dependent cancers and c) postmenopausal symptoms. However, little is known about the influence of dietary phytoestrogens on regulatory behaviors, such as food and water intake, metabolic hormones and neuroendocrine parameters. This study examined important hormonal and metabolic health issues by testing the hypotheses that dietary soy-derived isoflavones influence: 1) body weight and adipose deposition, 2) food and water intake, 3) metabolic hormones (i.e., leptin, insulin, T3 and glucose levels), 4) brain neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels, 5) heat production …

The Effect Of Prostaglandin Inhibitor On Pregnancy Rates Of Heifer Embryo Transfer Recipients, Jared William Mcnaughtan

Theses and Dissertations

Manipulation of the reproductive tract results in increased levels of prostaglandin, which may, in turn, reduce pregnancy rates in embryo recipients. Administration of a prostaglandin inhibitor prior to embryo transfer improves pregnancy rates in cows. Embryo transfer into heifers is more difficult and often requires additional manipulation of the uterus. This study was designed to determine whether administration of the prostaglandin inhibitor, flunixin meglumine, immediately prior to embryo transfer increases pregnancy rates in heifers. Heifers (n=466) were divided into two equal groups based on BCS (range=6-7) and weight (range=256-455). Estrus was synchronized in heifers by giving two injections of prostaglandin …

Variable Resolution Discretization In The Joint Space, Christopher K. Monson, Kevin Seppi, David Wingate, Todd S. Peterson

Faculty Publications

We present JoSTLe, an algorithm that performs value iteration on control problems with continuous actions, allowing this useful reinforcement learning technique to be applied to problems where a priori action discretization is inadequate. The algorithm is an extension of a variable resolution technique that works for problems with continuous states and discrete actions. Results are given that indicate that JoSTLe is a promising step toward reinforcement learning in a fully continuous domain.

A Bayesian Technique For Task Localization In Multiple Goal Markov Decision Processes, James Carroll, Kevin Seppi

Faculty Publications

In a reinforcement learning task library system for Multiple Goal Markov Decision Process (MGMDP), localization in the task space allows the agent to determine whether a given task is already in its library in order to exploit previously learned experience. Task localization in MGMDPs can be accomplished through a Bayesian approach, however a trivial approach fails when the rewards are not distributed normally. This can be overcome through our Bayesian Task Localization Technique (BTLT).

Representations Of Anglo-Saxon England In Children's Literature, Kirsti A. Bobo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis surveys the children's literary accounts of Anglo-Saxon history and literature that have been written since the mid-nineteenth century. Authors of different ages emphasize different aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture as societal need for and interpretation of the past change. In studying these changes, I show not only why children's authors would choose to depict the Saxons in their writing, but why medievalists would want to study the resulting literature.

My second chapter looks at children's historical fiction and nonfiction, charting the trends which appear in the literature written between 1850 and the present day. I survey the changes made …

New Product Launch Decisions Under Competition And Uncertainty: A Real Options And Game-Theoretic Approach To New Product Development, James O. Ostler

Theses and Dissertations

New product development is central to many firms' future success. Not only as a means to continue to maintain their piece of the market, but product development can also be a strategic means for a company to diversify, and/or alter focus to adapt to changing market conditions.

Most of the research in new product development has been on how to do it cheaper and faster than the next guy. However, early commercialization does not guarantee a position of strength in the market. Failures of EMI in CT scanners and Xerox in personal computers illustrate that being first to market does …

Atomic Force Microscope Conductivity Measurements Of Single Ferritin Molecules, Degao Xu

Theses and Dissertations

Conductive Atomic Force Microscope (c-AFM) was used to measure the conductivity of single horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) and azotobacter vinelandii bacterial ferritin (AvBF) molecules deposited on flat gold surfaces. A 500 micron diameter gold ball was also used as a contact probe to measure the conductivity of a thin film of ferritin molecules. The average current measured for holo HoSF was 13 and 5 times larger than that measured for apo HoSF as measured by c-AFM at 1V and gold ball at 2V and respectively, which indicates that the core of ferritin is more conductive than the protein shell and …

The Strength Of Multidimensional Item Response Theory In Exploring Construct Space That Is Multidimensional And Correlated, Steven Gerry Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation compares the parameter estimates obtained from two item response theory (IRT) models: the 1-PL IRT model and the MC1-PL IRT model. Several scenarios were explored in which both unidimensional and multidimensional item-level and personal-level data were used to generate the item responses. The Monte Carlo simulations mirrored the real-life application of the two correlated dimensions of Necessary Operations and Calculations in the basic mathematics domain. In all scenarios, the MC1-PL IRT model showed greater precision in the recovery of the true underlying item difficulty values and person theta values along each primary dimension as well as along a …

Dynamic Stability And Handling Qualities Of Small Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles, Tyler Michael Foster

Theses and Dissertations

General aircraft dynamic stability theory was used to predict the natural frequencies, damping ratios and time constants of the dynamic modes for three specific small UAVs with wingspans on the scale from 0.6 meters to 1.2 meters. Using USAF DatCom methods, a spreadsheet program for predicting the dynamic stability and handling qualities of small UAVs was created for use in the design stage of new small UAV concept development. This program was verified by inputting data for a Cessna-182, and by then comparing the program output with that of a similar program developed by DAR Corporation. Predictions with acceptable errors …

A Finite Element Simulation Of Temperature And Material Flow In Fricton Stir Welding, Mark J. Lasley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to use the Transvalor S.A. product, Forge3, to develop a finite element simulation of the friction stir welding process that improves the predictability of temperature evolution and material flow within the plunge portion of the process. Previous modeling created more heating within the billet than experimental results, probably due to the simplification of the simulation with adiabatic boundary conditions. More realistic tooling temperatures were included in this model as these affect heat evolution which is a determining factor in microcrystalline growth. These results were validated by experimental efforts using a billet and tooling instrumented …

Hyperbolic Sets That Are Not Locally Maximal, Todd L. Fisher

Faculty Publications

This paper addresses the following topics relating to the structure of hyperbolic sets: First, hyperbolic sets that are not contained in locally maximal hyperbolic sets. Second, the existence of a Markov partition for a hyperbolic set. We construct new examples of hyperbolic sets which are not contained in locally maximal hyperbolic sets. The first example is robust under perturbations and can be constructed on any compact manifold of dimension greater than one. The second example is robust, topologically transitive, and constructed on a 4-dimensional manifold. The third example is volume preserving and constructed on R4. We show that every hyperbolic …

Byu Micro-Sar: A Very Small, Low-Power Lfm-Cw Synthetic Aperture Radar, Michael Israel Duersch

Theses and Dissertations

Brigham Young University has developed a low-cost, light-weight, and low power consumption SAR for flight on a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at low altitudes. This micro-SAR, or uSAR, consumes only 18 watts of power, ideal for application on a small UAV. To meet these constraints, a linear frequency modulation-continuous wave (LFM-CW) transmit signal is utilized. Use of an LFM-CW signal introduces some differences from the typical strip map SAR processing model that must be addressed in signal processing algorithms. This thesis presents a derivation of the LFM-CW signal model and the associated image processing algorithms used for the uSAR …

Rituel Du Retour Dans L'Oeuvre De Gabrielle Roy, Eve-Marie Julia David

Theses and Dissertations

The work of Gabrielle Roy cannot be dissociated from the story of her life. Many have already tried to establish a definite connection between these two aspects of her life. Among the themes that are ever present in her texts and of particular interest to readers is her preoccupation with the past. The text of Mircea Eliade is important to the theoretical framework of the following thesis. His postulating that human beings constantly repeat their past to find meaning to their lives is capital to my analysis of Gabrielle Roy's texts. Indeed, her preoccupation with the past stems from a …

A Method For Winding Advanced Composites Of Unconventional Shapes Using Continuous And Aligned Fibers, Abraham K. Allen

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced composites are extremely strong, rigid, and light, even when compared with advanced metals. Advanced composites are replacing high-tech metals as the material of choice for aerospace engineering. However, the processes used to manufacture advanced composites generally lose some of the properties of the materials by their process limitations.

One process that keeps the theoretically awesome qualities of the composite materials in tact is filament winding. Filament wound parts are used as rocket shells, bicycle frame tubes, drive shafts, pressure vessels, etc. Filament winding is an automated process and makes reliable parts to close tolerances. If a straight tube were …

Wave Scattering From Infinite Cylindrical Obstacles Of Arbitrary Cross-Section, Matthew B. Weber

Theses and Dissertations

In this work the scattering of an incident plane wave propagating along a plane perpendicular to the xy-plane is studied. The wave is scattered from an infinitely long cylindrical object of arbitrary cross-section. Due to the arbitrary geometry of the obstacle, a finite differences numerical method is employed to approximate the solution of the scattering problems. The wave equation is expressed in terms of generalized curvilinear coordinates. Boundary conforming grids are generated using elliptic grid generators. Then, a explicit marching in time scheme is implemented over these grids. It is found that as time grows the numerical solution converges to …

A Biomechanical Analysis Of Sprinters Vs. Distance Runners At Equal And Maximal Speeds, Tyler D. Bushnell

Theses and Dissertations

In the sport of track and field, sprinting and distance running represent two major categories of athletes. Sprinting is associated with power and speed, whereas distance running focuses on the economy of movement. With distance running there are elements of sprint technique that overlap. With distance events, there comes a time near the end of the race where economy gives way to speed. If the distance runners knew how to alter their technique in a way to become more sprint-like, this process could possibly be more successful. PURPOSE: This study compared the differences in technique between sprinters and distance runners …

Effects Of Video Modeling On Skill Acquisition In Learning The Golf Swing, Joshua L. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of video modeling on skill acquisition in learning the golf swing. One-hundred-eight college students participated in this study. All participants were pre-tested via videotaping to determine initial skill level. The pre-test videotaping was analyzed using DartTrainer software. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three groups (1) control (2) single-view or (3) multi-view. Participants in the control group viewed a compact disc (CD) with a putting demonstration repeated 40 times. The participants in the single-view group viewed a CD with a front view only demonstration repeated 40 times of …

Sowing The Seeds Of War: The New York Times' Coverage Of Japanese-American Tensions, A Prelude To Conflict In The Pacific, 1920-1941, David Robrt Schreindl

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the New York Times' coverage of unique generational influences between Japan and the United States from 1920 through the start of hostilities at Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The purpose of this project was to see if the Times gave Americans an accurate picture of the relationship between the two countries or to determine if there was a lapse in coverage exhibiting negligence on the part of this prominent paper.

This thesis concludes that the New York Times was not negligent in its coverage of the issues prior to World War II. However, it was the …

Identification Of Proteins Involved In Chloroplast Dna Replication, Matthew G. Lassen

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1

Chloroplast nucleoids (ct-nucleoids) are DNA/protein complexes involved in compacting the chloroplast genome, and may play a role in regulating DNA replication. Ct-nucleoids were isolated from young soybean plants and separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis. Gel spots were excised and analyzed by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry, resulting in several protein identifications. The proteins identified all have functions unrelated to DNA replication. While some of these proteins may be due to contamination, it is possible that some of these proteins are dual-functional, playing direct roles in the regulation of DNA replication.

Chapter 2

A 28 kDa soybean protein was isolated by …

Pride In Our Progress: An Examination Of The John F. Kennedy Administration's Record Concerning Civil Rights And Environmentalism, Benjamin Mudrick

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Ukrainian Political Party Development: A Case Study Of Ukrainian Elections 1994-2002, Clifford Blair

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Legal Indeterminancy, Politics, And The Supreme Court: Ciritical Legal Studies And Lawrence V. Texas, Taylor M. Dix

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

A Land Wherein Thou Art A Stranger: Notes On Ukrainian National Identity, Benjamin J. P. Peters

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Sigma: Journal Of Political And International Studies Studies

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Theories Of Money In Politics: The 2002 Missouri Senate Race, John J. Nielsen

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

The Precedent Of A President: Theodore Roosevelt And Environmental Conservation, Hilary Jan Izatt

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Vol. 22, Sigma: Journal Of Political And International Studies, Sigma: Journal Of Political And International Studies Studies

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Staff Bios, Sigma: Journal Of Political And International Studies Studies

Sigma: Journal of Political and International Studies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Journal Of Microfinance

Journal of Microfinance / ESR Review

No abstract provided.