Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Nanomaterials On Binder And Mix Performance, Bishal Karki

Theses and Dissertations

Nanotechnology has been increasingly used in asphalt modification for its remarkable effect in improving the binder and mix performance. Rheological properties of binder play major roles in rutting, fatigue cracking and low-temperature cracking resistance of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) pavement. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Nanomaterials (NMs) on the rheological characteristics of asphalt binders and rutting and cracking resistance of HMA mixes. NMs, Nanoclay and Nanoalumina, were mixed separately into Performance Grade (PG) 58-28 and 64-28 asphalt binder at control (0% NM), 1, 5 and 7% by binder weight. Rolling Thin Film Oven (RTFO) and Pressure …

Employment Effects Of The 2015 Minimum Wage Increase In Johnson County, Iowa, Joseph Charles Pastorino

Theses and Dissertations

This paper studies the employment effects of the November 2015 minimum wage increase in Johnson County, Iowa from $7.25 per hour to $8.25 per hour. It was the first of three incremental minimum wage increases implemented by the county to raise its minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. The paper uses a difference-in-difference approach to compare the experience of the Johnson County labor market with that of contiguous border counties to estimate the impact of the policy change. The study’s results yielded employment comparison estimates which were not statistically significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis that the policy effect of the …

The Problem-Solving Approach Of Health And Education Professionals Who Have Experience In The Arts As An Artist And Personal Experience In Trauma, Chanel Myers

Theses and Dissertations

Clients face many different obstacles within healthcare and education settings. Professionals in health and education fields are in a position to be a problem-solving resource to clients, students, and patients. The subset of professionals being examined are problem-solving professionals, who work with clients/students/patients, within the health and education fields, who self-identify as an artist, and also have experienced trauma with chronic struggling. How do problem-solving professionals in health and education fields who self-identify as an artist and have experienced trauma with chronic struggling approach problem-solving in their profession? This study used qualitative methods and interviewed ten participants. This study found …

Athletic Trainers Describe Their Use Of Imagery: What, Where, When, And Why, Rachel Phelps

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Conduct an in-depth exploration of imagery use by ATs by investigating if ATs use imagery and what, where, when, and why they image.

Design: Qualitative design.

Setting: Online questionnaire.

Participants: 219 ATs (94 females, 124 males, 1 unknown) representing 6 different position titles.

Main Outcome Measure: Modified Imagery Use by Athletic Trainers Questionnaire.

Results: ATs believed instructors should be the ones to teach them how to use imagery. Results showed that 81% of the sample used imagery but 19% did not use imagery for a variety of reasons (i.e., time, lack of education). Images used by ATs fell into …

A Comparison Of Starting Techniques Out Of An Athletic Stance Position, Aaron Schwenzfeier Schwenzfeier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the false step (FS) to the straight out step (SOS) out of a parallel athletic stance (PAS) in Division I college athletes. 30 Division I college athletes from football, baseball, softball, and volleyball performed three repetitions each of the FS and SOS. Each trial was timed at 5 and 10 yards using the TC Brower Timing System as well filmed from two vantage points for kinematic data collection using the Ariel Performance Analysis System (APAS). From this, the velocity of the center of mass (VCM), projection angle of the center of mass …

Buckling Of Liquid-Filled Steel Storage Tanks Under Earthquake Loading, Wiriyachai Roopkumdee

Theses and Dissertations

The static and dynamic buckling loads of cylindrical liquid storage tanks were studied in this thesis. Finite element analysis was performed using ANSYS computer program. Twelve different geometries of the cylindrical tanks were analyzed with height to diameter (H/D) ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 and the diameter to thickness (D/t) ratios of 1000, 1500, and 2000 to cover tall and short cylindrical tanks. The transient dynamic analysis was performed to find the dynamic buckling loads. Applied dynamic loads in this study are horizontal earthquake excitations in terms of acceleration (g) due to gravity. Budiansky and Roth procedure was …

Are Firearms Causing An Increase In Gun Crimes? A Granger Causality Test Of Dallas' Street Gun Arsenal, Dustin Dean Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

From 1980 to 1992, Dallas, Texas saw an increase in both gun violence and the number of firearms. Nine firearm measures that define Dallas, Texas’ street gun arsenal along with two gun violence measures are used to test whether firearms are causing an increase in gun violence or gun violence is causing an increase in firearms. By estimating vector autoregressions and employing Granger causality tests on one firearm measure and one gun violence measure, the result is that the rising number of homicides committed with a gun are causing an increase in the total number of firearms. There is little …

Effect Of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment On Rivers And Drainage Basins In The Red River Valley, North Dakota And Minnesota, U.S.A., Benjamin Charles York

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the relationship between glacial isostatic adjustment and watershed asymmetry of tributaries in the Red River Valley, North Dakota, U.S.A. After the draining of glacial Lake Agassiz, drainage networks began to develop and were affected by isostatic adjustment. This adjustment began after the receding of the Laurentide Ice Sheet and is still occurring today, but on a lesser degree. Adjustment in the Red River Valley, which has varied since the ice sheet retreated, is determined from differences in the elevation of the horizontally deposited beach ridges which are the ancestral beaches of glacial Lake Agassiz. The Red River …

A Comprehensive Reservoir Characterization Of The Bakken Formation: Blue Buttes Field, Williston Basin, Alan Alexeyev

Theses and Dissertations

The Bakken Formation is an unconventional reservoir in North Dakota’s Williston Basin. A complex lithology of the producing formation requires a better understanding of its rock properties and mineralogy, as well as further analysis such as geologic modelling and reservoir simulation. It is important to analyze its properties to manage production efficiently.

The work started with analyzing petrophysical properties of the Middle Bakken. It included porosity, permeability, water saturation, shale volume, and lithology. Individual logs were obtained from a database and then run through well logging software to obtain the properties. Available core samples were analyzed using XRD. Construction of …

Novel Approaches In Lignomics Employing Liquid Chromatography And Mass Spectrometry, Anastasia Alekseyevna Andrianova

Theses and Dissertations

Characterization of lignin and its degradation products, more specifically determination of their molecular weight (MW) distribution, is essential for assessment and applications of these potentially renewable phenolics. In this dissertation a suite of lignomics approaches allowing for comprehensive and accurate characterization of lignin focusing on the low and high MW species was developed. These methods may be used either in combination or independently. The methods were validated and applied to characterizing lignin and the products of its transformation.

Several size exclusion chromatography (SEC) systems were previously deemed to be suitable for MW-based separations and thus are frequently used for lignin …

A Phenomenological Study Of Bullying Experienced By Graduate Students And Faculty Through The Lens Of Power, Anne Bodensteiner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of graduate students and faculty members who experienced bullying as a result of their role in higher education. Phenomenological exploration of this topic involved interviews with 14 participants; seven graduate students and seven faculty members. Power as described by Foucault (1994) was used as theoretical framework for this research. Findings from the study revealed institutions of higher education exploit power through differentiation, institutionalization, instrumental modes, types of objectives, and rationalization. Age, gender, life experiences, and positional rank were differentials found between the subject and aggressor. Institutionalization was expressed through …

Geophysical Analysis Of The Paleogeothermal Gradient And Heat Flow In The Williston Basin, Nd, Daniel Burke Brunson

Theses and Dissertations

Past researchers have suggested that elevated heat flow once existed in the Williston Basin during the Eocene Epoch or younger time frame, based on petroleum maturity indices data. Further, they have argued that those attempting to computationally model the region have incorrectly assumed constant heat flow through time. The present work attempts to address the different positions taken by updating geophysical modeling evidence concerning heat flow in the Williston Basin in which paleogeothermal conditions are variable over geologic time. After conducting the investigation, present research demonstrates that elevated heat flow may have existed in the Williston Basin in the geologic …

The Effects Of Social Capital On The Educational Attainment Of Second-Generation Immigrants, Sean Cleary

Theses and Dissertations

With a growing focus on immigration to the United States, it is paramount to understand the factors that influence the educational outcomes of the immigrant population. In this paper, I focus on how the social capital of second-generation immigrant students affects their post-secondary educational enrollment. Using data from the Children of Immigrant Longitudinal Survey (1991-2006), I found that the students in the survey were significantly more likely to enroll in post-secondary education if they had a social group in high school that had college aspirations. The converse was also true, with students who had a social group with no college …

A Comparison Study Of American Indian And Caucasian Sex Offenders On Trauma And Selected Trauma Effects, Regina Sioux Ertz

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) have a long history of documented trauma experiences. In addition, AI/AN individuals are likely to have fewer economic resources and are faced with increased traumatic experiences in comparison to the general population. Further, the American Indian population is also affected by overrepresentation with incarceration rates in federal and state government detention centers. These data support the need to address non-sexual recidivism issues in the American Indian population. Little research has examined trauma experiences, selected trauma effects, and unique differences for American Indian sex offenders. Treatment employed for American Indian sex offenders is conducted based on data …

Mapping Groundwater Discharge Along Lake Margins Using Satellite And Uav Thermal Imagery, Kelsey A. Forward

Theses and Dissertations

Effective watershed management decisions depend on understanding groundwater-surface water interactions. Traditional hydrogeological investigations are invasive, time-consuming, and expensive; therefore, regions that lack accessibility or agency funding need other ways of evaluating groundwater-lake interactions. Heat has long been known to be an effective groundwater tracer. Groundwater is insulated from most solar radiation, and its temperature does not fluctuate greatly from the annual average air temperature year-round in higher latitudes. In contrast, lakes are directly exposed to solar radiation, and water temperature fluctuates greatly both seasonally and diurnally. The winter and summer seasons produce the greatest contrast between groundwater and surface water …

Calibration Uncertainties In The Droplet Measurement Technologies Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter, Kurt James Hibert

Theses and Dissertations

Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) serve as the nucleation sites for the condensation of water vapor in Earth's atmosphere and are important for their effect on climate and weather. The influence of CCN on cloud radiative properties (aerosol indirect effect) is the most uncertain of quantified radiative forcing changes that have occurred since pre-industrial times. CCN influence the weather because intrinsic and extrinsic aerosol properties affect cloud formation and precipitation development. To quantify these effects, it is necessary to accurately measure CCN, which requires accurate calibrations using a consistent methodology. Furthermore, the calibration uncertainties are required to compare measurements from different …

"A Degree Is A Part Of The Puzzle, But Only A Piece.” Understanding How Employers Determine The Value Of Academic Credentials, Brenda Kaspari

Theses and Dissertations

With the skyrocketing costs of higher education and the increased scrutiny of how educational institutions prepare graduates for the workplace, this dissertation explored how the “outsiders,” or employers, view and determine the value of academic credentials. Using the premise of credentialism, this grounded theory, qualitative study addressed two major questions; first, how do employees evaluate academic credentials, and second, what factors are important to employers?

Through the interviews, it was discovered that there were gray areas when determining the value of a college credential. There were three critical findings. First, college degrees are a valuable credential, yet there are issues …

Perceptions Of Dress Code Compliance, Kristen Nicole Leighton

Theses and Dissertations

Recent media coverage of middle and high school dress code controversies has called into question the fairness of such regulations on students’ clothing. The current study investigated gender differences in reactions to dress code violations and how reactions varied based on the race of the student who violated the dress code. The current study also explored how individual differences in hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and social dominance orientation influenced judgments about dress code violations. Judgments about dress code violations were not found to vary based on the gender of the participant or race of the target. Social dominance orientation, however, …

Theory And Application Development Of Electronic Structure Methods Involving Heavy Computation, Run Li

Theses and Dissertations

The propargyl radical, the most stable isomer of C3H3, is very important in combustion reactions. However, theoretical calculations have never been able to find a strong absorption around 242 nm as seen in experiments. In this study, we calculated the electronic energy levels of the propargyl radical using highly accurate multireference methods, including multireference configuration interaction singles and doubles method with triples and quadruples treated perturbatively [denoted as MRCISD(TQ)], as well as second and third order generalized Van Vleck perturbation theories (GVVPT2 and GVVPT3). Calculations indicate that this absorption can be solely attributed to a Franck-Condon-allowed transition from the ground …

Sensitivity Of Cross-Tropopause Convective Transport To Tropopause Definition, Emily Maddox

Theses and Dissertations

An idealized three-dimensional cloud-resolving model is used to investigate the sensitivity of cross-tropopause convective mass transport to tropopause definition. A ten-hour simulation is conducted to encompass the growth and decay cycle, with focus on irreversible transport above the tropopause. Six previously published tropopause definitions are evaluated. These definitions include specific values of altitude, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) temperature lapse rate, potential vorticity, stratospheric tracer concentration, static stability, and curvature of the Brunt-Vaisala Frequency. This investigation highlights the challenge of defining a tropopause during active deep convection, and demonstrates the need of clearly communicating calculation methods and threshold choices in the …

Failure Analysis Of Rotating Equipment Using Vibration Studies And Signal Processing Techniques, Ashkan Nejadpak

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on failure analysis of rotating machines based on vibration analysis and signal processing techniques. The main objectives are: identifying machine’s condition, determining the faults specific response, creating methods to correct the faults, and investigating available statistical analysis methods for automatic fault detection and classification. In vibration analysis, the accelerometer data is analyzed in time and frequency domain which will determine the machine’s condition by identifying the characteristic frequencies of the faults. These fault frequencies are specific for each type of machine’s faults. Therefore, they are referred to as faults’ signatures. The most common faults of the rotating …

The Effect Of Perpetrator Remorse, Victim Gender, And Photographer On Victim Blame In A Case Of Nonconsensual Photograph Sharing, Katlin J. Rhyner

Theses and Dissertations

Emotional expression is often used as a way to determine a person’s intent for social situations. In a courtroom, when a perpetrator expresses (or fails to express) remorse, not only the perception of the perpetrator may be altered, but also the perception of the victim. This difference may especially be the case in a situation where the victim is viewed as having a high level of culpability for the crime, such as if the victim took the picture and sent it. Furthermore, the gender of the victim of the crime may influence how the victim is perceived, such that women …

Enhanced Optical Wireless Channel For Indoor And Intravehicle Communications: Power Distribution And Signal To Noise Ratio Analysis, Rana Rageh Shaaban

Theses and Dissertations

Visible light communication—(VLC) provides wide bandwidth and high security

capabilities for free space optical communication. This thesis presents the key concepts,

underlying principles and practical applications of visible light communications. In

particular, this thesis focuses on the received power distribution pattern and signal to noise

ratio for line-of-sight indoor and vehicular applications. Several methods are used to

modify the SNR and power distribution levels. It is shown that in the absence of

obstruction, the optical footprint is nearly circular and offers a platform for large- scale

deployment in commercial environments, which is similar to micro and Pico cells.

By studying …

Inner Strength In Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Oral Histories, Jennifer Weathersbee Steinberg

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this oral history study was to describe the lived experiences of mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and to further inform the Theory of Inner Strength in Women (TIS) (Dingley & Roux, 2014). Postmodern feminist oral history methods were used to answer the research questions which included: 1) What are the lived experiences of mothers of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? and 2) How do these experiences further inform TIS?

Interviews were manually coded directly onto the digital audio files using NVivo11Plus qualitative data management software. Three chronologic phases were identified among …

Performance Analysis Of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (Ads-B) And Breakdown Of Anomalies, Asma Tabassum

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis work analyzes the performance of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data received from Grand Forks International Airport, detects anomalies in the data and quantifies the associated potential risk. This work also assesses severity associated anomalous data in Detect and Avoid (DAA) for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The received data were raw and archived in GDL-90 format. A python module is developed to parse the raw data into readable data in a .csv file. The anomaly detection algorithm is based on Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ADS-B performance assessment report. An extensive study is carried out on two main types of …

Testing Theoretical Models Of Binge Eating: An Examination Of Escape Theory And Affect Regulation Model, Terra Lee Towne

Theses and Dissertations

The present study tested two theoretical models of binge eating (i.e., escape theory and the affect regulation model of binge eating) by combining an experimental design with ecological momentary assessment. After undergoing a negative affect induction, 139 participants, all of whom were current binge eaters, were instructed to eat a pint of ice cream (binge eating condition) or to eat as much as they would during a typical snack (control condition). Participants assigned to the binge eating condition ate either with (binge eating + self-awareness condition) or without (binge eating condition) a visible video camera pointed in their direction. Participants …

The Relationship Of Fidelity On Simulation Performance, Gail Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The literature is limited and conflicting regarding the effect of simulation fidelity on nurse performance during simulation. Limited publications were found that addressed all aspects of simulation in health care: mannequin, environment, equipment, scenario, and psychological.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fidelity and nurse experience on performance in simulation. The NLN/Jeffries Simulation Framework provided the theoretical foundation for this study

Design and Sample: For this descriptive study, 35 registered nurses were randomly assigned to participate in a high fidelity or low fidelity simulation scenario. A 12-minute scenario was administered and identical for …

Subpopulations Of Dopamine Transporters Show Enrichment In Phosphorylation Or Palmitoylation, Michael Storandt

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Sports Analytics : Using Logistic Regression To Explore The Determining Factors Of The Nfl, Ethan Doll

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Rural Primary Care Providers Level Of Stigma On Recognition Of Suicidal Ideation In Patients, Megan Obert

Theses and Dissertations

Although there has been an abundance of research in the last thirty years about primary care providers (PCPs) last contact with patients before they completed suicide, little is known about what may impede a PCPs ability to identify suicidal ideation in patients. The current study investigated implicit and explicit bias toward mental illness compared to physical illness among PCPs and students and how this may affect clinical decision making and identification of suicidal ideation in patients. The participants completed an online survey which assessed implicit stigma, explicit stigma, and clinical decision making in regard to a vignette that depicted a …