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Power Series Rings Over Noncommutative Rings: Symmetry, Reversibility, And Semicommutativity, Nolan Ison
Power Series Rings Over Noncommutative Rings: Symmetry, Reversibility, And Semicommutativity, Nolan Ison
Theses and Dissertations
Let R be an associative, unital ring. One topic of interest is to assert R has some property, then determine what properties the polynomial ring R[x] and the power series ring R[[x]] are guaranteed to have. There are many relaxations of commutativity in rings. For example, a ring is said to be symmetric if abc = 0 implies acb = 0 for all a, b, c ∈ R. We discuss a certain construction of symmetric rings that we hope will yield the existence of a symmetric ring R such that the set of nilpotent elements in the power series ring …
Sample Preparation And Acquisition Strategies To Improve Accessibility And Proteome Depth In Single-Cell And Low-Input Proteomics, Sara Madisyn Johnston
Sample Preparation And Acquisition Strategies To Improve Accessibility And Proteome Depth In Single-Cell And Low-Input Proteomics, Sara Madisyn Johnston
Theses and Dissertations
Proteins are responsible for important cellular functions and processes including regulation, structural integrity, signaling, transport, and immune functions. Proteomics directly identifies these proteins and enables deeper characterization of the dynamic cellular environment beyond the capabilities of genomics and transcriptomics. Single-cell proteomics further enhances this approach by capturing cellular heterogeneity, which bulk proteomics obscures due to averaging protein expression across large cell populations. Despite significant advances in single-cell proteomics, continued innovation is necessary to increase workflow accessibility and throughput, minimize peptide losses, and achieve comprehensive coverage of the proteome. This dissertation addresses these challenges by developing improved sample preparation methods, two-dimensional …
Non-Destructive Testing Of Stressed Materials Using X-Ray Diffraction And Second-Harmonic Generation, Melissa Nguyen Lumogdang
Non-Destructive Testing Of Stressed Materials Using X-Ray Diffraction And Second-Harmonic Generation, Melissa Nguyen Lumogdang
Theses and Dissertations
A material in use, anywhere from a plastic bag to common infrastructure, will eventually fail from deformation. When strained, the material chemical structure can change, and that change is dependent on many factors, including the amount of strain and strain rate. Understanding the relationship between physical properties and structural changes due to deformation can allow structural manipulation to achieve the desired physical properties. Additionally, research into non-destructive testing (NDT) methods can be used as supporting evidence for replacing destructive testing methods and possible infield stress monitoring. In this dissertation, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) are the main NDT …
Homomorphisms Of Peano Continua To Berbered Peano Continua, Logan Kennedy
Homomorphisms Of Peano Continua To Berbered Peano Continua, Logan Kennedy
Theses and Dissertations
The study of wild spaces, Peano continua that contain points that are not semi-locally simply connected, has been of integral importance in the study of low-dimensional wild topology. Mainly investigated from the view point of algebraic topology, the fundamental group has been found to be an indespensible tool in describing these spaces, and their local behavior. In particular, using methods developed by Cannon, Conner, Eda, and Kent demonstrated that all maps from Peano continua to planar or one-dimensional Peano continua are determined uniquely up to homotopy class by their induced homomorphisms on fundamental groups, and that fundamental groups are a …
Innovations In Sample Handling Automation To Increase Accessibility Of Sample-Limited Proteomics, Nathaniel Ben Axtell
Innovations In Sample Handling Automation To Increase Accessibility Of Sample-Limited Proteomics, Nathaniel Ben Axtell
Theses and Dissertations
Innovation is the vehicle that drives scientific research forward in virtually every field. Advances in genome sequencing propelled the human genome project to completion in 2003 and set the stage for the era of proteomics. Now decades of innovation in liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) have improved sensitivity sufficiently to enable single-cell proteomics and other sample-limited studies. Single-cell proteomics reveal patterns of gene expression that are often obscured by bulk-scale proteomics, leading to the identification of new protein biomarker candidates. Sensitive targeted proteomics is the key to successful translation of low-abundance protein assays into clinical applications. With a …
Influence Of The Duchesne Fault Zone On Oil Production In The Uinta Basin, Utah, Alan Matthew Ketring
Influence Of The Duchesne Fault Zone On Oil Production In The Uinta Basin, Utah, Alan Matthew Ketring
Theses and Dissertations
The Duchesne Fault Zone (DFZ) is a series of east-west trending en echelon faults that developed synchronously above the neutral surface of the Duchesne Anticline during the Laramide Orogeny. The Duchesne Graben (DG) formed by decrease in displacement downward toward the neutral surface. Lake Canyon, a region that exposes the subsurface geology on the western portion of the DFZ, serves as an analog for fold formation within the saline facies of the lower Green River Formation, while Indian Canyon, an area created from the dip-slip faulting of the DG, provides clear exposures of the faulting within the sandstone-limestone facies of …
Reconnaissance Investigation Of Soil-Structure Harmonics And Building Collapse Patterns In The 2024 Noto And 2016 Kumamoto Japan Earthquakes, Nathan Cole Chesnut
Reconnaissance Investigation Of Soil-Structure Harmonics And Building Collapse Patterns In The 2024 Noto And 2016 Kumamoto Japan Earthquakes, Nathan Cole Chesnut
Theses and Dissertations
This study used ambient vibration data collected during a reconnaissance mission to assess whether harmonics between structures and the underlying soil played a significant role in the pattern of buildings that collapsed in the magnitude 7.5 Noto Japan earthquake on January 1, 2024, and the magnitude 6.2 to 7.0 Kumamoto Japan earthquake series that occurred between April 14 and 16, 2016. Portable seismometers were used to measure the natural soil and structural frequencies of vibration under ambient loading at sites in Wajima, a city located on the Noto Peninsula, and in four locations in and around Kumamoto City. Soil frequency …
Improving Efficiency Of Wind Flow Modeling For Wildfire Applications Using Analytical Parameterization And Neural Networks, Laura Jane Housley
Improving Efficiency Of Wind Flow Modeling For Wildfire Applications Using Analytical Parameterization And Neural Networks, Laura Jane Housley
Theses and Dissertations
We model wind velocity fields for applications in wildfire modeling. We improve the accuracy of the mass-conserving WindNinja solver without compromising efficient temporal complexity. We consider two approaches: the parameterization method and the neural network method. In the parameterization method, we analyze eddies in the wake of obstacles by parameterizing cavity zones as inspired by the research by Kaplan & Dinar in 1996. Kaplan & Dinar parameterize cavity zones around rectangular buildings, and we approximate a continuous landscape with rectangular buildings in order to extend this parameterization to complex terrains. In the neural network method, we train a U-net CNN …
Language Choice And Russian Course Enrollment Among University Students, Emma Calderwood
Language Choice And Russian Course Enrollment Among University Students, Emma Calderwood
Theses and Dissertations
University Russian enrollments have been steadily declining in the United States since 2009 (MLA, 2023). No research has been done to examine student motivation for studying Russian since long before the 2022 increase in conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This study surveys two groups of students at the university level: students enrolled in BYU 101-level language classes, and students enrolled in Russian classes at six universities in the United States. The findings report that the most common reasons students choose to take university Russian classes is because they have a general interest in the language, they want to travel to …
Studying Cultural Change With Transhistorical Semantic Directions, Travis Daichi Ashby
Studying Cultural Change With Transhistorical Semantic Directions, Travis Daichi Ashby
Theses and Dissertations
This study advances the use of diachronic word embeddings in cultural sociology, contributing both methodologically and substantively. Methodologically, it synthesizes best practices for constructing semantic directions and addresses challenges arising from diachronic embeddings, including missing data and semantic drift. Substantively, it examines historical changes in schemas and conceptual metaphors related to "processing." By analyzing the changing associations between processing-related words (e.g., "raw" and "refined") and evaluative categories like authenticity, valence, and aesthetics, the study examines whether word-level changes amongst schematically-related words indicate deeper cultural shifts at the schematic level. Findings indicate a growing association between processed states and inauthenticity, a …
Inquiry-Style Planetarium Activities, Emma Rasmussen Groberg
Inquiry-Style Planetarium Activities, Emma Rasmussen Groberg
Theses and Dissertations
Introductory astronomy students often face challenges in exploring their own ideas and investigating astronomical phenomena due to the limitations of nighttime observation and weather conditions. Planetariums overcome these barriers by simulating the night sky, making it accessible during class sessions regardless of external conditions. This provides an opportunity to engage students in inquiry-based activities, where they are presented with a scenario and encouraged to use their own reasoning to reach conclusions. In this study, we implemented inquiry-based activities in PHSCS 127 using the planetarium as an investigative tool. We developed four activities designed to help students explore their ideas and …
Reconstruction Of Cad Models Into Single Trimmed Surfaces, Rebecca Rasmussen
Reconstruction Of Cad Models Into Single Trimmed Surfaces, Rebecca Rasmussen
Theses and Dissertations
Classical methods by which computer-aided design (CAD) geometries are represented for both design and analysis involve meshing. However, the current process of converting a CAD model into an analysis-suitable surface mesh for the automotive industry takes a significant amount of time and labor, results in a faceted representation of the original smooth geometry, and generates representations that are prohibitively expensive for use in high-order explicit dynamics computations. This research focuses on accurately and efficiently rebuilding given CAD surfaces or meshes, such as shell-like components of automotive vehicles, into smooth, single trimmed spline surface approximations (rather than typical piecewise-linear approximations), making …
Modeling The Kepler Systems With Multiple Transiting Planets, Daniel Kempton Jones
Modeling The Kepler Systems With Multiple Transiting Planets, Daniel Kempton Jones
Theses and Dissertations
As the study of exoplanets, planets not in our solar system, has developed, new observational constraints have illuminated the formation and evolution of planetary systems. Among these observations, the true distributions of planetary mass, radius, and density are at the forefront. NASA's Kepler Space Telescope has provided an enormous wealth of data on the exoplanet radius distribution as well as a significant fraction of mass measurements through the detection of planet-planet dynamical interactions. The best method for studying these exoplanetary systems is with a photodynamical model which combines an n-body integrator with lightcurve model to generate synthetic lightcurves. To support …
Organismal Classification And The Phylogenetic Tree: Improving Its Teaching Using Decision-Based Learning, Melissa Cavan
Organismal Classification And The Phylogenetic Tree: Improving Its Teaching Using Decision-Based Learning, Melissa Cavan
Theses and Dissertations
For a lot of students, learning biology is like learning a new language. There are new terms and concepts that a lot of new students have never heard of. Evolution is the cornerstone for understanding biology, yet it is one of the more misunderstood topics. In combination with learning new terms and concepts some students come in with preconceived ideas about evolution or misunderstandings about how evolution and the phylogenetic tree work. The research indicates instructors attempting active learning techniques to increase understanding of the phylogenetic tree with mixed results, where there appears to be some improvement but nothing significant. …
Prime Factors Of The Third Cyclotomic Polynomial Of The Same Form And Inequalities Related To Odd Perfect Numbers, Cody Stenberg Hansen
Prime Factors Of The Third Cyclotomic Polynomial Of The Same Form And Inequalities Related To Odd Perfect Numbers, Cody Stenberg Hansen
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis relates some results about odd perfect numbers and factorizations of cyclotomic polynomials evaluated on integers. In Chapter 2 we parameterize solutions to the equality $\Phi_3(x)=\Phi_3(a_1)\Phi_3(a_2)\cdots\Phi_3(a_n)$, where $x,a_i\in \Z_{>0}$ for $1\leq i\leq n$, $\Phi_3$ is the third cyclotomic polynomial, and each $\Phi_3(a_i)$ is prime, in the cases that $n=2,3,4,5$. Let $N$ be an odd perfect number. Let $\omega(N)$ be the number of distinct prime factors of $N$ and let $\Omega(N)$ be the total number (counting multiplicity) of prime factors of $N$. In Chapter 3, we use a result from Chapter 2 to show that $\frac{99}{37}\omega(N) - \frac{187}{37} \leq …
A Novel Approach To Detect Shapes Of Constant Width, Ian D. Monk
A Novel Approach To Detect Shapes Of Constant Width, Ian D. Monk
Theses and Dissertations
Bodies of constant width have been studied mathematically since Euler and have found various applications in engineering and other areas. In this paper, we seek to develop novel tools to gain deeper insights into these shapes and to better be able to analyze them. The idea which motivates the development in this paper is as follows: a body has constant width if and only if the chord connecting the intersections of the boundary of the body with each pair of parallel hyper planes which lie tangent to a body lies perpendicular to the hyper planes.This is a known fact and …
The Crystal Ball Is Cloudy: Teacher Preparation Programs' Challenges In Predicting Effective Teaching From Teacher Characteristics, Benjamin Pacini
The Crystal Ball Is Cloudy: Teacher Preparation Programs' Challenges In Predicting Effective Teaching From Teacher Characteristics, Benjamin Pacini
Theses and Dissertations
Teacher preparation programs (TPPs) stand to benefit if they can reliably link pre-service teacher characteristics with later teaching quality--for example, by better supporting underperformers and spotting high-potential candidates early. In this study, I use data from a university in the Mountain West to analyze the relationships between pre-college student characteristics and teaching evaluation scores during student teaching, as scored on Danielson's Framework for Teaching (FFT) rubric. My findings suggest that no significant relationship exists between FFT scores and demographic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, or poverty. Pre-college academic variables (i.e., GPA and standardized test scores) show small but …
A Complete Guide To Multi-Fidelity No-U-Turn Sampling With Application To An Inverse Wave Problem, Paul Smith
A Complete Guide To Multi-Fidelity No-U-Turn Sampling With Application To An Inverse Wave Problem, Paul Smith
Theses and Dissertations
We employ a Bayesian framework to solve an inverse problem that aims to identify the initial condition distribution of wave propagation, given a limited set of observable data. To optimize sampling efficiency, we introduce a multi-fidelity No-U-Turn Sampler (MF-NUTS) with an adaptive mass matrix. Maximizing sampling efficiency is crucial, as our ultimate goal is to extend this methodology to a large-scale inverse problem to identify the source parameters of historical tsunami-generating earthquakes. The forward model for tsunami propagation (GeoClaw) requires over 20 minutes of supercomputer time on 24 cores to evaluate each sample for a triple-fault rupture, necessitating a strategy …
Studies Evaluating Practices For Water Conservation: In-Situ Sensors For Determining Soil Field Capacity And Water Application Savings From Rebate-Driven Residential Landscape Transformations, Madison E. Martini
Theses and Dissertations
Water conservation is a critical issue that requires solutions to address growing water scarcity. In both agricultural and urban settings, targeting conservation efforts is essential for lasting progress as well as protection of communities and ecosystems. This research focuses on identifying practical means to reduce water use by studying separate conservation strategies in urban and agricultural contexts. Given their interdependence, addressing water use in both sectors is essential for achieving meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. Agricultural water conservation relies on efficient irrigation practices, which depend on accurately determining soil field capacity (FC)--the amount of water soil can retain after excess …
Optimizing Aircraft Taxi Processes: A Novel Cost-Minimizing Queue Discipline For The Pushback To Runway Process, Kevin James
Optimizing Aircraft Taxi Processes: A Novel Cost-Minimizing Queue Discipline For The Pushback To Runway Process, Kevin James
Theses and Dissertations
Optimization of the aircraft taxi process can significantly decrease operating costs for air carriers, especially at major airports where congestion on the ramp is a primary contributor to taxi times. To improve the efficiency of this process, we propose a novel queue discipline which mitigates pushback delays through a dynamic reordering of clearance deliveries. As an alternative to FIFO, the proposed discipline accounts for aircraft delays at the gate before the aircraft enters the queueing system. Our proposed system implements pushback control to allow for controller-imposed variability in runway queueing. To validate our proposed queue discipline, we provide a computational …
Measuring The Effects Of The Leaves On Stalk Strength And Dynamic Response In Maize, Grant C. Ogilvie
Measuring The Effects Of The Leaves On Stalk Strength And Dynamic Response In Maize, Grant C. Ogilvie
Theses and Dissertations
Maize is one of the most widely cultivated grains in the world, making it crucial to world food security and important economically. One major problem in maize production is stalk lodging (greensnap), which results in billions of dollars in lost harvests annually for maize farmers in the US alone. Understanding the mechanical properties of maize plants is crucial to addressing this problem. Previous studies have suggested that the leaf blades and leaf sheaths affect maize mechanical properties. The objectives of this thesis are twofold: to present measurement techniques for the stalk bending strength, damping ratio, and natural frequency of maize …
A Novel Wrench Decomposition And Development Of A Large-Scale Soft Robot For Displacement-Based Human-Robot Collaborative Manipulation, Dallin Cordon
A Novel Wrench Decomposition And Development Of A Large-Scale Soft Robot For Displacement-Based Human-Robot Collaborative Manipulation, Dallin Cordon
Theses and Dissertations
This work represents an examination of various facets of physical human-robot collaborative manipulation and the implementation of compliant, soft-robotic manipulators. A survey of physical human-human interaction and haptic communication is presented, alongside an investigation into the decomposition of force and torque components that enable effective human-robot collaboration. To address the inconsistent terminology found in previous literature, a standardized framework for force decomposition is proposed. A new taxonomy is introduced to categorize the force components involved in collaborative manipulation tasks. This taxonomy clarifies the role of each component in an agent's applied force during task execution and provides a structured framework …
Testing And Modeling Of Nonlinearities In Riveted And Bolted Structures, Joshua E. Blackham
Testing And Modeling Of Nonlinearities In Riveted And Bolted Structures, Joshua E. Blackham
Theses and Dissertations
Joints are difficult to model because of various small-scale and nonlinear features, such as local geometry, preload, friction and contact. These features cause a local change in stiffness and energy dissipation which result in changes in the effective natural frequency and damping of the whole structure. Past studies have found good success using nonlinear Iwan elements as whole joint models for bolted joints in a few different structures. In Chapter 3, a similar approach is proposed for modeling riveted joints, which seeks to capture the vibrational response of a test structure including changes in the effective modal frequency and damping …
Wind Collapse Risk And Serviceability Drift Of Steel Concentrically Braced Frame Buildings, Sarah Corrinne Partington Cluff
Wind Collapse Risk And Serviceability Drift Of Steel Concentrically Braced Frame Buildings, Sarah Corrinne Partington Cluff
Theses and Dissertations
Seismic design provisions use the ductility and reserve strength of the lateral structural system to reduce the loads used in design, making the structural design more economical while maintaining life safety. In contrast, current wind design provisions do not. Conventional wind design relies primarily on elastic behavior. The objective of this study is to determine a wind response modification factor for steel concentrically braced frames that could be applied to reduce wind design loads based on ductility and reserve strength, while still meeting drift requirements for serviceability of the structure. To achieve the objective, three types of ductile braced frames …
Steps Towards Effective Human-Robot Co-Manipulation Through Real-Time Modus Detection And Effects Of Stiffness Variation For Human-Soft-Robot Dyads, Shaden Moss
Theses and Dissertations
A group of individuals can coordinate very easily to carry a large or heavy object together. This act of collaborative carrying is called co-manipulation. Unlike human teammates, robots cannot easily detect and respond to the intent of human partners during co-manipulation tasks. This shortcoming can be compensated for via the physical design and the software design of robots. This work treats software design with a neural net that detects human modus (or the manner in which a team moves an object together) in real time. This work treats physical design with the use of a soft robot in human-robot co-manipulation, …
Improving Devices To Measure The Thermal Conductivity Of Molten Halide Salts, Ryan J. Ruth
Improving Devices To Measure The Thermal Conductivity Of Molten Halide Salts, Ryan J. Ruth
Theses and Dissertations
Molten salts are of high interest for use in nuclear reactors, though their thermophysical properties are notoriously hard to measure due to the extreme conditions created by them. Significant gaps remain in thermal conductivity and heat capacity data, which this work seeks to fill by improving the Needle Probe-a modified transient hot wire probe originally used by Merritt et al to measure the thermal conductivity of FLiNaK- measuring two new salts, and exploring new materials for use with molten salts. Improvements made to the Needle Probe include automation to reduce human error, more accurate heat generation modeling, a more thorough …
Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva
Integrating Temperature-Dependent Tissue Properties Into Hifu Computational Models For Enhanced Treatment Planning, Christian Kevin Valencia Narva
Theses and Dissertations
Objective: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive therapy that ablates diseased tissues with high precision. Computational simulations using the Pennes Bioheat Transfer Equation (PBTE) can guide HIFU treatment by predicting temperature distributions and thermal dose volumes. Traditional simulations assume constant thermal and acoustic properties, which may oversimplify tissue behavior. Methods: This study evaluates the impact of integrating temperature-dependent thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and perfusion) in finite-difference time-domain HIFU simulations. Three scenarios were simulated: (1) a homogeneous liver with both high- and low-power sonications, (2) a rabbit thigh muscle validated against preclinical MRTI data, and (3) an …
Reservoir Characterization And Basin Modeling Of Mesozoic Siliciclastic Strata For Sedimentary Geothermal Exploration, Iron County, Utah, Theodore L. Morgan
Reservoir Characterization And Basin Modeling Of Mesozoic Siliciclastic Strata For Sedimentary Geothermal Exploration, Iron County, Utah, Theodore L. Morgan
Theses and Dissertations
The transition zone between the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range provinces of southwestern Utah provides excellent opportunities for future geothermal resource development. A combination of large fault-controlled extensional basins with outcrop analogs along basin margins, an elevated heat flow and thermal regime and the presence of porous and permeable sedimentary formations within extensional sedimentary basins allow for sedimentary geothermal exploration and development. Utilizing a reservoir-centered approach has the potential to dramatically expand the economic limits of geothermal plays in both established and frontier basins. This study characterizes a sedimentary geothermal system in Iron County Utah, centered on the Escalante …
Aesthetics In Instructional Design, Dennis M. West
Aesthetics In Instructional Design, Dennis M. West
Theses and Dissertations
This multi-article dissertation examines how aesthetics enhances instructional design to foster engaging, transformative learning experiences. Despite its potential, aesthetics is often granted a secondary status in design practice, being seen as less important than functionality. The first article explores philosopher Monroe Beardsley's five aesthetic criteria--object-directedness, felt freedom, detached affect, active discovery, and wholeness--through a theoretical literature review, proposing their application to elevate learner engagement and interest. The second article, a qualitative investigation, analyzed the Cybermatics Playable Case Study (PCS; a cybersecurity simulation) from the perspective of Beardsley's aesthetic criteria. This investigation involved four students and two designers interviewed hermeneutically over …
Building And Understanding Cryptographic Authentication Systems, James S. Conners
Building And Understanding Cryptographic Authentication Systems, James S. Conners
Theses and Dissertations
The security and usability challenges of password-based authentication have driven ongoing research into alternative cryptographic authentication systems. This dissertation explores the design, implementation, and evaluation of authentication mechanisms that enhance security while maintaining usability. Specifically, we investigate the limitations of existing passwordless authentication systems, such as FIDO2, and propose novel solutions that improve account recovery, user mental models, and adoption rates. We introduce Let's Authenticate, a certificate-based authentication system designed to address usability and security concerns inherent in existing models. Through iterative development and empirical studies, we compare this approach against contemporary methods like passkeys and password managers. Additionally, we …