Digital Commons Network^™

The Election Cycle, And The U.S. Withdrawal From Vietnam, Steven Thomas Stoddard

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Few events in American history have proved to be as divisive and controversial as U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Although U.S. policy in Indochina has its roots in the Truman Administration, the two presidents most closely associated with the conflict are Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon. These two are particularly important because they both occupied the White House during the highest levels of direct U.S. involvement in the war. In terms of troop deployments to Southeast Asia, the level and intensity of U.S. involvement peaked under the Johnson Administration and it was at this time that the …

Teaching Children About Social Justice Through Picture Books, Brooke C. Sorenson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

"Boys can't play with dolls!" "A girl can't be a doctor!" "Those people look weird!" "He's to dumb to play with us!" "My mommy says I can't play with you!" Unfortunately, phrases like this can be heard on a typical elementary school playground. As teachers, we have the difficult task of teaching about social justice and working to uproot prejudice and discrimination.

Mathematical Functions: An Interactive Emodule, Sarah Jean Moody

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM, http://nlvm.usu.edu/) is a widely used and highly praised teaching/learning resource for school mathematics. The NLVM is the result of a four-year USU project, funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, Award #9819107, to create a web-based, freely accessible, library of interactive virtual manipulatives to help students learn basic mathematics concepts. During a typical school day, the NLVM server receives more than 3 million hits.

Senior Violin Recital And Notes On The Works, Angela Carpenter

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

It all began with a string of music, a melody. It seemed fitting for strings and so it was decided to begin a work for strings. The first movement was intended to stand alone, but once the idea to complete a string quartet was born it progressed from there. It is easy to see a progression in the compositional style of Juan-Carlos Mackey from the beginning to the end, and it is somehow fitting for the piece as well.

Healthcare Resources For Older Adults In A Medium Sized Community, Ashley Nielson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Healthcare has become a large concern for a number of older Americans. With increases in healthcare costs and complex programs such as, Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap insurance policies and community programs, many older Americans are left worrying where they will find the money and resources to provide for themselves and their healthcare needs. Medicare, Medicaid and community care resources help to offset individual healthcare costs, but they are often not enough. The programs are complex and confusing and are limited in the care they provide.

Synchronized Line-Scan Lidar/Eo Imager For Creating 3d Images Of Dynamic Scenes: Prototype Ii, Donald C. Anderton

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A second prototype integrated lidar/Electro Optical (EO) camera, or 3D Texel™ camera, has been developed by Utah State University (USU) Center for Advanced Imaging Ladar (CAIL) that collocates, both temporally and spatially, a CMOS digital camera readout with a time-of-flight pulsed lidar1. The first prototype uses a flying spot lidar with a double gimbal whereas this prototype uses a single gimbal and rotating mirror. The selection and design of the second prototype hardware components: lidar, EO camera, computer, synchronization box, power source (AC to DC and battery box) and battery charger is discussed and compared with the first prototype. The …

Wavelet Factorization Via A Homogenization Analogy For Solutions Of Linear Systems, Andrea Van Sickle

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A system of linear equations can be solved using a factorization method that produces a wavelet structure and is akin to a homogenization process used in determining the solution of differential equations. The method is dependant on the particular structure of Hadamard matrices and their implementation in a similarity transform. This paper details the development of such a method for systems of size 2n x 2n, including establishing the theoretical underpinnings necessary to define an orthogonal transform. Also, we present the development of an algorithm to implement the method for a simple 2 x 2 system, which will then be …

Simulation Study Of Estimation And Inference In Factor Analysis: Normal And Non-Normal Noise Distributions, Ping Zhang

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Objective: To study the estimation and inference m factor analyses when the data have normal or non-normal noise distributions.

Methods: Population data were created in package R with a specified number of factors, factor structure and observable variables with known loadings. Then, repeated simple random samples (SRS's) were taken from the population, independently. The maximum likelihood method with varimax rotation was used to perform factor analysis and inference on each sampled dataset. Factor loadings were estimated to determine if the estimation of the loadings was (approximately) unbiased and/or efficient for each specified population and chi-square x2-statistics were obtained to test …

Special Classification Models For Lichens In The Pacific Northwest, Janeen Ardito

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A common problem in ecological studies is that of determining where to look for rare species. This paper shows how statistical models, such as classification trees, may be used to assist in the design of probability-based surveys for rare species using information on more abundant species that are associated with the rare species. This model assisted approach to survey design involves first building models for the more abundant species. The models are then used to determine stratifications for the rare species that are associated with the more abundant species. The goal of this approach is to increase the number of …

Aldol Reactions: E-Enolates And Anti-Selectivity, Matthew Grant Anderson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

A common structural motif in complicated natural product molecules is an alkyl group at an alpha position to a carbonyl and an alcohol at the beta position anti to each other. This arrangement occurs in bioactive molecules that are important for medical research such as spongistatin A at the C15-C16 position and in (-)-baconipyrone C at C12-C13. Bioactive molecules such as these generally occur in such a low concentration in the organism in which they originate that deriving them from the natural source for research is not practical so efficient syntheses are sought. Reactions that produce 1,2 syn aldol products …

Cognitive Assessment Of School Age Spanish Speaking English Language Learners, Casey Johnson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The number of students who speak a language other that English in schools across the U.S. is rapidly increasing. The Spanish speaking student population, in particular, has grown considerably in recent years. One way to examine the extent of this growth is to consider demographic data at the national and state levels.

Parent Training Programs, Values, And Related Issues Concerning The Culturally Diverse, Raina Ilen Jones

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Few parent training programs that address the improvement of coercive or negative parent-child interactions in culturally diverse populations exist in the literature; of the few that do exist, there is sparse empirical information on program effectiveness. Because parent training is an effective way to address parent-child interaction, parent training programs are discussed in the context of the values of African Americans, Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans, Latino Americans, and Native Americans. A review of the literature on values and culturally-specific and culturally adapted parenting programs was conducted as was a review of programs that have been modified for culturally diverse groups. …

Minimum Velocities For The Suspension Of Fine Sediment In The Green River Canal, Michael W. Stoeber

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper focuses on a canal in the Gunnison Valley, located in central Utah, which diverts water from the sediment-laden Green River. Grain size analyses were performed on sediment samples taken from the canal. These grain size analyses were used to determine the grain size distribution of the fine sediment, classify the fine sediment, and compare the fine sediment to a sediment deposit in the Green River. The critical incipient velocity for the D₅₀ and D₁₀₀ and the critical grain entrainment velocity corresponding to the D₉₅ were determined through flume experimentation. Two methods, developed by prior researchers, …

Hunger And Satiety In Recovering Eating Disorder Patients, Jenelle T. West

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Desire to eat, hunger, feeling of having enough to eat, and fullness were measured in 11 eating disorder patients in treatment for less than two months, 7 eating disorder patients in treatment for more than two months, and 11 controls. The experimental group was female patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or eating disorder not-otherwise-specified. The experimental and control groups ate a test meal two hours after a preload. The groups answered four questions about desire to eat, hunger, feeling of having enough to eat, and fullness, before they ate, halfway through their meal, immediately upon …

Working Memory Capacity, Temporal Discounting, And Exercise Rates, Kathleen Lambourne

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During decision-making, an individual must weigh the value of the outcomes involved while also considering the amount of time until the outcomes will occur. Discounting occurs when a smaller, immediately available reward is chosen over a larger, more delayed reward. Discounting rates are likely related to working memory capacity, because working memory stores and processes the value of the outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between working memory, temporal discounting, and the decision to engage in physical activity.

The results showed that working memory capacity was related to the physical activity rates. Discounting rates from …

A Review Of School-Based Interventions For Children And Adolescents Who Suffer From Depressive Symptoms, Sherry L. Hlavaty

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper provides a brief review of childhood and adolescent depressive disorders and the importance of treating such symptoms within a school setting. The purpose of this paper was to examine published studies that were conducted in schools and were designed to treat symptoms of depression in children and adolescents. Active treatments utilized in this review were shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression. Most active treatment conditions involved intervention components that are commonly used in conjunction with typical cognitive-behavioral therapies . Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of specific programs and program components. Implications of …

Electronics Design Of The Aglite-Lidar Instrument, Scott S. Cornelsen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The AGLITE-LIDAR instrument is a three-wavelength lidar system being designed and constructed at the Space Dynamics Laboratory under contract from the Agricultural Research Service. Its purpose is to implement a novel new approach to making measurements of gas and particulate pollutants released into the atmosphere by agricultural operations. Once operational, it will provide a means whereby the total flux of pollutants being emitted by agricultural facilities might be measured. This approach is valid even for facilities that may cover several acres. The design of the AGLITE instrument consists of a myriad of different components that are brought together in a …

Wavelet Analysis Of Magnetometer Data, Inga Maslova

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The wavelet analysis of the ground-based magnetograms' records is performed in this project. We explore the records from low, medium and high latitude stations during a calm period and a stormy one. Different methods for detecting and estimating the tail index of heavy-tailed distributions are compared. A detailed analysis of the properties of the distributions of the discrete wavelet transform coefficients of magnetometer data is presented. Conclusions on the tail index estimation techniques and the distribution of the discrete wavelet transform coefficients are made.

Learning And Application Of Range Management Innovations Among Ranchers In West-Central Colorado, Caroline A. Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Like many ranchers in the West, ranchers in West-Central Colorado are reevaluating their management strategies in the face of forces like drought, rising land prices, and encroaching development. While ranchers seek answers on alternative management strategies, research and Extension personnel search for adequate means of diffusing needed information. Relative to many rural western communities, ranchers in West-Central Colorado show high interest in alternative range management ideas, and many implement changes to their ranch management based on these ideas. This can partially be attributed to a unique support system of Extension and agency personnel with effective, untraditional outreach and land-management approaches. …

Effects Of Fire Disturbance On Terrestrial Salamanders In Mixed-Coniferous Forests Of The Klamath/Siskiyou Region Of The Pacific Northwest, Donald J. Major

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An effective examination of fire disturbance on floral and faunal components requires research that integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines to understand the pattern and process controls affecting organisms in a complex system. However, current fire effects research typically focuses on the pattern response of organisms or their habitats with little integration of the dynamic fire process that created the pattern. This dissertation integrates an analysis of the processes of fire disturbance with terrestrial salamander ecology in a fire-dependent forest ecosystem, Klamath Province, California, USA.

In Chapter 1, I begin with a comprehensive review of disturbance ecology, focusing primarily on fire …

"The Darkness Is The Whole Thing": Environment, Belief, And Community In The Wampus Legend Of The Retsof Salt Mine, Ashley Gorrell Purser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

"The Darkness is the Whole Thing" is an examination of a legendary animal known as the wampus that makes its home in the Retsof salt mine. Various forms of wampus creatures found in other settings are introduced, followed by discussion of the ways in which environment influences the adaptation of occupational legend. The article considers how belief in the wampus facilitates the expression of fear, an increased sense of awareness, and the development of community in a unique and dangerous work environment. The telling of the wampus legend is considered a narrative tool for solidifying and preserving occupational identity.

Characteristics Of Ungulate Behavior And Mortality Associated With Wire Fences, Justin L. Harrington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied the characteristics of fence mortality in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) along roads in Colorado and Utah from June 2004 to June 2005. I defined a direct-fence mortality as a carcass caught directly in a fence and an indirect-fence mortality as a carcass on the ground within 10 m of a fence. I estimated an average annual direct mortality occurrence of 0.25 mortalities/km (0.078 mule deer mortalities/km, 0.113 pronghorn mortalities/km, and 0.061 elk mortalities/km). The highest fence-mortality rates for ungulates occurred during August, which coincided with …

Bird And Small Mammal Communities Of Sagebrush-Dominated Mountain Meadows: An Examination Of Meadow Characteristics As Part Of A Hierarchical, Multi-Level Study Of The Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Elizabeth Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush shrubsteppe ecosystems have increasingly garnered attention as an endangered ecosystem. Ninety nine percent of all sagebrush ecosystems are thought to have been impacted by humans, and over 50% of grassland and shrubsteppe species are believed to be in decline. Most of the research on sagebrush ecosystems has been conducted at lower elevations and in large expanses of sagebrush. A considerable amount of sagebrush is found at higher elevations, often in meadows found within a forest matrix. The role of this high-elevation habitat is poorly understood. We conducted bird, small mammal, vegetation, and soil surveys in sagebrush-dominated mountain meadows within …

Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions In Utah: An Analysis Of Wildlife Road Mortality Hotspots, Economic Impacts And Implications For Mitigation And Management, Christine A. Kassar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the US, the roaded landscape has had serious ecological effects. We studied wildlife-vehicle collisions occurring on the 248 state routes in Utah from 1992 to 2002. We tracked trends and patterns in deer-vehicle collisions, evaluated all routes for frequency of deer kills, and identified "hotspots" (segments of road with high concentrations of collisions per mile). We found pronounced patterns: e.g., 61.15% of all collisions occurred on only 10 routes. We studied the effects of posted speed limit and annual average daily traffic flow and found that no relationship existed between traffic volume and/or posted speed limit and the number …

Humic And Fulvic Acids: Effects On Plant Nutrition And Growth, Jason Tew

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humic substances are reported to improve plant growth and nutrient uptake, with iron the most studied nutrient. The most common forms of iron in soils are iron oxides, which are stable under aerobic conditions and unavailable for plant uptake. Iron deficient plants become chlorotic, which reduces growth and yield. To determine if humic substances can reduce iron chlorosis, five commercially available organic acids were tested on maize grown in sand columns at high pH. The dry granular humic acid from Aldrich Chemical Company applied at 84.4 g/liter of sand by volume (5% by mass) and 1 g/liter added with irrigation …

Relating Bedrock Strength To Hydraulic Driving Forces Along The Large-Scale Profile Of The Colorado River In Glen And Grand Canyons, Rob D. Mackley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The role of bedrock on the longitudinal profile of the Colorado River has intrigued workers for over a century. The river's profile exhibits large-scale (10 to 100 km) variations in geomorphology that are qualitatively associated with changes in rock type. This study provides the first bedrock-strength data to quantitatively test the relation of bedrock-resisting to hydraulic-driving forces in Glen and Grand canyons. The intent of this study is to explore the role, if any, that bedrock has on large-scale geomorphic variations along the profile of the Colorado River. Rock-strength data collected at 84 sites along the river corridor in Glen …

The Quaternary Tectonic And Structural Evolution Of The San Felipe Hills, California, Stefan M. Kirby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We examine the transition between extension and strike-s lip in the San Felipe Hills, western Salton Trough, southern California using new and compiled geologic mapping, measured stratigraphic sections, magnetostratigraphy, and structural analysis. A 625 m measured section describes the Borrego, Ocotillo , and Brawley formations in the SE San Felipe Hills and constrains a regional disconformity and correlative angular unconformity at ~ 1 Ma. Sedimentation rates for the Brawley Formation above the disconformity range from 1.0 to 1.2 mm/yr, palcoflow was to the ENE. The Brawley Formation consists of three interbeddcd lithofac ics; (I) fluvial and fluvio-d eltaic, (2) lacustrinc, …

Estimation, Testing, And Monitoring Of Generalized Autoregressive Conditionally Heteroskedastic Time Series, Aonan Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We study in this dissertation Generalized Autoregressive Conditionally Heteroskedastic (GARCH) time series. The research focuses on squared GARCH sequences. Our main results are as follows:

1. We compare three methods of constructing confidence intervals for sample autocorrelations of squared returns modeled by models from the GARCH family. We compare the residual bootstrap, block bootstrap and subsampling methods. The residual bootstrap based on the standard GARCH(l,1) model is seen to perform best. Confidence intervals for cross-correlations of a bivariate GARCH model are also studied.

2. We study a test to discriminate between long memory and volatility changes in financial returns data. …

Occupational Aspirations And Migration: A Comparison Of Rural Youth With High, Medium, And Low Occupational Aspirations And Their Chances For Migration, W. Trevor Brooks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By using a social psychological approach, this research investigated whether occupational aspirations lead to migration. From the literature, we know that rural youth have lower occupational aspirations than their urban counterparts. We also know that rural youth often lower their occupational aspirations because of the confusion created between the benefits of moving for school and the attachment felt for home. We do not know, however the connection between occupational aspirations and migration. Are young to middle-aged adults in rural areas with higher occupational aspirations more likely to migrate out of rural areas than young to middle-aged adults with lower aspirations? …

Calibration And Results Of The Equis Ii Plasma Impedance Probe (Pip), Seth D. Humphries

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis presents the calibration process and analysis results for the two Plasma Impedance Probe (PIP) units that were flown as part of the NASA Equis-I I campaign from the Kwajalein Atoll. The work of calibration that was presented by Krishna Kurra for the PIP on the Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) is improved and extended herein. The sweeping impedance probe (SIP), the instrument formerly known as plasma sweeping probe (PSP), is an integral part of the PIP. For the SIP, the calibration presented in this work, calibration error less than 5% error is achieved. The calibration is applied to …