Digital Commons Network^™

Teaching The Fall Of Adam And Eve, Douglas C. Ladle

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

Fast Registration Of Tabular Document Images Using The Fourier-Mellin Transform, Luke Alexander Daysh Hutchison

Theses and Dissertations

Image registration, the process of finding the transformation that best maps one image to another, is an important tool in document image processing. Having properly-aligned microfilm images can help in manual and automated content extraction, zoning, and batch compression of images. An image registration algorithm is presented that quickly identifies the global affine transformation (rotation, scale, translation and/or shear) that maps one tabular document image to another, using the Fourier-Mellin Transform. Each component of the affine transform is recovered independantly from the others, dramatically reducing the parameter space of the problem, and improving upon standard Fourier-Mellin Image Registration (FMIR), which …

Coordinated Uav Target Assignment Using Distributed Calculation Of Target-Task Tours, David H. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the improvement of cooperative task allocation to vehicles in multiple-vehicle, multiple-target scenarios through the use of more effective preplanned tours. Effective allocation of vehicles to targets requires knowledge of both the team objectives and the contributions that individual vehicles can make toward accomplishing team goals. This is primarily an issue of individual vehicle path planning --- determining the path the vehicles will follow to accomplish individual and team goals. Conventional methods plan optimal point-to-point path segments that often result in lengthy and suboptimal tours because the trajectory neither considers future tasks nor the overall path. However, cooperation …

Dynamic Autonomous Transport Selection In Heterogeneous Wireless Environments, Jeffrey M. Brown, Heidi R. Duffin, Charles D. Knutson, Shannon B. Barnes, Ryan W. Woodings

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we introduce Quality of Transport (QoT), an architecture for synergistically and autonomously managing session-layer protocol access to multiple transports in heterogeneous wireless environments. We present an overview of the QoT architecture including: 1) transport discovery, 2) service discovery, 3) object exchange, 4) transport switching, and 5) intelligent transport selection. Preliminary successes with our design and implementation of QoT suggest that dynamic intelligent autonomous transport switching can help to optimize user experience and session layer performance in multi-transport environments.

The Perception And Production Of Portuguese Mid-Vowels By Native Speakers Of American English, Richard Ryan Kendall

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the difficulties that beginning and advanced American learners of Portuguese have correctly perceiving and producing the Portuguese mid-vowels {o} and {e}. The beginning learners were enrolled in their second semester of Portuguese and had rudimentary knowledge of Portuguese. The advanced learners had all lived in Brazil for nearly two years and were enrolled in a more advanced Portuguese course.

To test for production, informants were asked to read a group of sentences that contained one hundred occurrences of the Portuguese mid-vowels. Each production occurrence was evaluated as being correct or incorrect by linguistically trained native Brazilians. To …

Body Image And Beliefs About Appearance: Maternal Influences And Resulting Constraints On Leisure Of College-Age Women, Toni Liechty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between body image, attitudes about appearance, and levels of constrained leisure for college-age women and their mothers. It also examined how the body image concerns of young women are influenced by their mothers'. Thompson and Gray's Body-Image Assessment Scale (BIAS) was used to assess body image while Spangler's Beliefs About Appearance Scale (BAAS) was used to assess the participants' beliefs about appearance. Raymore's hierarchical leisure constraints scale was used to measure levels of leisure constraints. The sample was taken from female students at a private western American university and consisted …

A Team-Based Approach To The Design And Development Of A Customer Service Training Program For Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators, Donna M. Ure

Theses and Dissertations

This report describes the design and development processes used in creating a customer service training program for Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators (DMBA) by three Instructional Psychology and Technology graduate students from Brigham Young University (the BYU design team). This paper reviews both the product and the process of developing the product. It also contains a formative evaluation of the product and provides a summative evaluation plan to be utilized by DMBA trainers once the product is fully implemented. The strengths and weaknesses of the training program are critiqued and recommendations for improvement are made. Finally, BYU design team members describe …

Ironic Multiplicity: Fernando's "Pessoas" Suspended In Kierkegaardian Irony, Michelle Pulsipher Hale

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis applies Søren Kierkegaard's understanding of irony as outlined in his master's thesis, The Concept of Irony, to the literary works of Fernando Pessoa. Recently Kierkegaardian scholarship has opened possibilities for non-traditional interpretation of Kierkegaard's dissertation and pseudonymous "aesthetic" texts by reading them in the ironic tone in which they were written. This paper offers a similar re-reading of the poetic and prose works Pessoa attributes to his heteronyms.

Kierkegaard's presentation of Socrates as irony serves as a model for how Pessoa sustains the heteronymic project by balancing the use of rhetorical irony within the works of the heteronyms …

The Effect Of Wearing Mouthguards On Vo2, Ventilation, And Perceived Exertion At Two Different Exercise Intensities, Jeffrey Scott Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To assess the effects of wearing a protective mouthguard during exercise on ventilation and oxygen consumption.
Design and Setting: All participants performed a graded maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer to determine peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Each participant also performed 6 submaximal exercise tests while wearing one of two facemasks (nasal or non-nasal breathing) and one of three mouthguard conditions (no mouthguard, boil and bite, custom-fit). Steady-state VO2, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and other ventilatory values were measured at 60% and 80% of VO2max during each submaximal exercise test. All 6 submaximal exercise tests were completed within …

The Pueblitos Of Palluche Canyon: An Examination Of The Ethnic Affiliation Of The Pueblito Inhabitants And Results Of Archaeological Survey At La 9073, La 10732 And La 86895, New Mexico, Leslie-Lynne Sinkey

Theses and Dissertations

The small, above-ground masonry structures of northwestern New Mexico called "pueblitos" first came to the attention of anthropologists in over a century ago. In 1920, the noted archaeologist A.V. Kidder hypothesized that these masonry structures might have been built by Puebloan refugees fleeing Spanish reprisals in the wake of the Spanish reconquest of New Mexico after the Pueblo Revolt, and he proposed that this hypothesis be tested. Over the next several decades, however, the hypothesis remained untested, but it became both accepted as established fact and the basis for most anthropological, archaeological, and historical reconstructions of Navajo history and cultural …

The Contextable: Building And Testing An Intelligent, Context-Aware Kitchen Table, Daniel Matthew Hoopes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to design and evaluate The ContexTable, a context-aware system built into a kitchen table. After establishing the current status of the field of context-aware systems and the hurdles and problems being faced, a functioning prototype system was designed and built. The prototype makes it possible to explore established, untested theory and novel solutions to problems faced in the field.

A Comprehensive Model For Technology Push Product Development, Gregory Loren Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

Successful product development has been a fundamental part of many of today's companies and their continued prosperity depends on continuing to develop new products in the future. There are many models of product development. The two most common classes of development are market pull (MP) and technology push (TP). TP product development differs from MP in that the development begins with a specified technology rather than a specified customer. Because TP development is generally considered more difficult and challenging, most of the product development research has focused on MP development and many researchers and practitioners favor MP development over TP …

Satire's Liminal Space: The Conservative Function Of Eighteenth-Century Satiric Drama, Sheila Ann Morton

Theses and Dissertations

The eighteenth century is famous for producing literary satire, primarily in verse (and later prose) form. However, during this period, a new dramatic form also arose of which satire was the controlling element. And like the writers of prose and verse satires, playwrights of dramatic satire claimed that their primary aim was the correction of moral faults and failings. Of course, they did not always succeed in this aim. History has shown a few, however, to have had a significant impact on the ideas and lives of their audiences. This thesis is an attempt to demonstrate how these satiric dramas …

Transmission Strategies For Wireless Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output Communication Channels, Quentin H. Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO) processing techniques for wireless communication are of interest for next-generation systems because of their potential to dramatically improve capacity in some propagation environments. When used in applications such as wireless LAN and cellular telephony, the MIMO processing methods must be adapted for the situation where a base station is communicating with many users simultaneously. This dissertation focuses on the downlink of such a channel, where the base station and all of the users have antenna arrays. If the transmitter has advance knowledge of the users' channel transfer functions, it can use that information to minimize the interuser …

High-Torque Capacity Compliant Centrifugal Clutches, Ryan G. Weight

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis developed high-torque-capacity floating opposing arm clutches that are manufactured with standard economical manufacturing processes, while maintaining critical performance characteristics. Contact engagement speed and torque capacity models were created for the Hoffco-Comet, floating-opposing-arm (FOA), and floating 1 (F1) clutches. Sensitivity analyses were performed to identify key design parameters. A robust compliant FOA clutch was designed by minimizing the tolerance for both contact engagement speed and torque capacity. The robust design insures that the clutch will operate within the prescribed application constraints. Additional modeling showed that using a layered clutch would significantly tighten the contact engagement speed and torque performance …

Floodplain Risk Analysis Using Flood Probability And Annual Exceedance Probability Maps, Christopher M. Smemoe

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents two approaches to determining the effects of natural variability and model uncertainty on the extents of computed floodplain boundaries. The first approach represents the floodplain boundary as a spatial map of flood probabilities -- with values between 0 and 100%. Instead of representing the floodplain boundary at a certain recurrence interval as a single line, this approach creates a spatial map that shows the probability of flooding at each point in the floodplain. This flood probability map is a useful tool for visualizing the uncertainty of a floodplain boundary. However, engineers are still required to determine a …

Phylogeny Of The Polyneopterous Insects With Emphasis On Plecoptera: Molecular And Morpological Evidence, Matthew Dana Terry

Theses and Dissertations

Polyneoptera is an assemblage of eleven insect orders comprising the "orthopteroid" insects. It includes familiar insects such as grasshoppers, roaches, termites, earwigs and preying mantises; as well as the more obscure web-spinners, angel insects and ice-crawlers. We present a phylogenetic analysis of the polyneopteran orders based on 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, Histone 3, and a coded morphology matrix for an extensive sampling of taxa. We investigate the use of congruence between separate datasets as an a priori measure of alignment quality. Our results support the paraphyly of Polyneoptera, the monophyly of Dictyoptera, sister taxon relationships between Embiidina + Phasmatodea and …

Effects Of A Tape Cast, Air-Stirrup, And An Air-Stirrup Applied Over A Taped Ankle On Dynamic Ankle Inversion, Justin K. Freeman

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To compare the tape cast, and an Air-Stirrup/closed basketweave combination to the Air-Stirrup alone with respect to their effects on dynamic ankle inversion.

Design and Setting: This study used a repeated measures design with the independent variables being the exercise bout and the ankle support method (4 levels: no support, Air-Stirrup only, Air-Stirrup/closed basketweave, and tape cast). The 2 dependent variables were total inversion and maximum inversion velocity. Measurements were taken before and after an exercise bout, and all trials were conducted in the university's human performance laboratory.

Subjects: 16 subjects (11 male, 5 female, age 24.3 ± 1.8 …

An Implementation Of A Drill And Practice System To Assist In The Teaching Of Basic Music Theory, Todd C. Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

In order to help a group of introductory-level music students achieve a foundational understanding of music theory, a series of computer-based instructional modules were developed using a system called Technology-Assisted Language Learning (TALL). This system, though primarily intended to be used in developing natural language-based instruction, was designed to be flexible enough to handle a broad range of academic subjects. The design of the instruction was largely accomplished via formative evaluation, where student and expert reviews of prototypes played a significant role. Students reviewed three separate prototypes of the instruction, and experts in instructional design and evaluation were also asked …

Active Minimization Of Acoustic Energy Density In A Mock Tractor Cab, Benjamin Mahonri Faber

Theses and Dissertations

An active noise control (ANC) system has been applied to the problem of attenuating low-frequency tonal noise inside small enclosures. The intended target application of the system was the reduction of the engine firing frequency inside heavy equipment cabins. The ANC system was based on a version of the filtered-x LMS adaptive algorithm, modified for the minimization of acoustic energy density (ED), rather than the more traditional minimization of squared acoustic pressure (SP). Three loudspeakers produced control signals within a mock cabin composed of a steel frame with plywood sides and a Plexiglas® front. An energy density sensor, capable of …

Examination Of Adolescent Physical Activity And Overweight Levels , Maika Elizabeth Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests declines in physical activity may occur after age 12. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between adolescent physical activity, BMI, and nutrition. Adolescents, ages 12-17 (N = 223), wore pedometers for 11 consecutive days and completed a nutrition survey, the Youth Adolescent Questionnaire. Activity levels did not differ among the ages of 12-17 year old adolescents, and boys were more active than girls. There was a low, but significant relationship between BMI and physical activity levels for both boys and girls. Energy intake was not related to BMI or physical activity levels in boys …

A Forbidden Subgraph Characterization Problem And A Minimal-Element Subset Of Universal Graph Classes, Michael D. Barrus

Theses and Dissertations

The direct sum of a finite number of graph classes H_1, ..., H_k is defined as the set of all graphs formed by taking the union of graphs from each of the H_i. The join of these graph classes is similarly defined as the set of all graphs formed by taking the join of graphs from each of the H_i. In this paper we show that if each H_i has a forbidden subgraph characterization then the direct sum and join of these H_i also have forbidden subgraph characterizations. We provide various results which in many cases allow us to exactly …

Using Graphics, Animations, And Data-Driven Animations To Teach The Principles Of Simple Linear Regression To Graduate Students, Daniel Taylor Rowe

Theses and Dissertations

This report describes the design, development, and evaluation of the Simple Linear Regression Lesson (SLRL), a web-based lesson that uses visual strategies to teach graduate students the principles of simple linear regression. The report includes a literature review on the use of graphics, animations, and data-driven animations in statistics pedagogy and instruction in general. The literature review also summarizes the pertinent instructional design and development theories that informed the creation of the lesson. Following the literature review is a description the SLRL and the methodologies used to develop it. The evaluation section of the report details the methods used during …

Analysis And Design Of Low-Jitter Oscillators, Justin Jennings Fitzpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an examination of the jitter performance of different oscillator types in the presence of flicker noise, white noise and power supply noise. Key results are achieved using time domain simulations to determine cycle jitter of several different oscillator architectures, semiconductor processes and component features. In the end, a design procedure is developed for creating a low-jitter oscillator in a TSMC .25mm CMOS semiconductor process.

Problems Related To The Zermelo And Extended Zermelo Model, Benjamin Zachary Webb

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we consider a few results related to the Zermelo and Extended Zermelo Model as well as outline some partial results and open problems related thereto. First we will analyze a discrete dynamical system considering under what conditions the convergence of this dynamical system predicts the outcome of the Extended Zermelo Model. In the following chapter we will focus on the Zermelo Model by giving a method for simplifying the derivation of Zermelo ratings for tournaments in terms of specific types of strongly connected components. Following this, the idea of stability of a tournament will be discussed and …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effectiveness Of The Cpj In Defending Journalists And Press Freedom Ideals In Latin America: Transnational Advocacy In The International Sphere, Leticia A. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is one of many nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that work to defend press freedom and the safety of journalists in Latin America. Based on qualitative interviews with employees at the CPJ, open surveys with journalists who have been helped by the CPJ, historical archive research, and informal participant observation, this study shows that organized domestic and international nongovernmental groups can and do make improvements on behalf of journalists and press freedom in Latin America. The CPJ's activities raise issues and place them on the agenda, and they influence discourse, policy, institutional procedures, and state behavior. …

Full-Scale Lateral-Load Tests Of A 3x5 Pile Group In Soft Clays And Silts, Jeffrey L. Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

A series of static lateral load tests were conducted on a group of fifteen piles arranged in a 3x5 pattern. The piles were placed at a center-to-center spacing of 3.92 pile diameters. A single isolated pile was also tested for comparison to the group response. The subsurface profile consisted of cohesive layers of soft to medium consistency underlain by interbedded layers of sands and fine-grained soils. The piles were instrumented to measure pile-head deflection, rotation, and load, as well as strain versus pile depth.

Phylogenetic Systematics And Evolution Within The Family Scincidae, Alison Swindle Whiting

Theses and Dissertations

Scincidae (skinks) comprise one of the largest families of lizards, and the more than 1300 species show great variation in body size and form, and are found worldwide in a diversity of habitats. The group presents many interesting questions ranging from the colonization of oceanic islands, to the evolution of limb loss, yet most of these and other questions remain understudied. The purpose of this dissertation is to use multiple mitochonidrial and nuclear DNA markers in connection with current cladistic methods to address evolutionary questions at many levels within Scincidae. In chapter one, a molecular phylogenetic study, based on six …

Perspectives Of Pro-Revivalism: The Christian History And The Great Awakening, Lisa Thurston Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The Christian History was a pro-revivalist magazine printed in Boston from 1743-1745 during what is known as the Great Awakening. It contained accounts of revivalism written by pro-revivalist ministers from throughout the American colonies, England and Scotland. These ministers believed that the Holy Spirit was being poured out upon the land in a shower of grace, causing unprecedented numbers of people to convert to Christ. In The Christian History, pro-revivalist ministers expressed their support for the revivals and shared their experiences. Thus the magazine has typically been viewed as religious propaganda advocating a single, polemical viewpoint. However, in spite …

Autonomous Landing Of A Rotary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle In A Non-Cooperative Environment Using Machine Vision, Joshua Martin Hintze

Theses and Dissertations

Landing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a non-trivial problem. Removing the ability to cooperate with the landing site further increases the complexity. This thesis develops a multi-stage process that allows a UAV to locate the safest landing site, and then land without a georeference. Machine vision is the vehicle sensor used to locate potential landing hazards and generate an estimated UAV position. A description of the algorithms, along with validation results, are presented. The thesis shows that software-simulated landing performs adequately, and that future hardware integration looks promising.