Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Paid Maternity Leave On The Gender Wage Gap, Rachel Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

The persistence of the gender wage gap in countries throughout the world has sparked several theories as to its cause and possible solutions. One theory centers on the decisions faced by a woman regarding children and fertility throughout her career. Typically, as the primary caregivers for children, women are more likely to interrupt their careers or leave the labor force entirely as a result. This thesis uses a fixed-effects model using a panel dataset of 18 countries with observations from 2000 to 2010 to evaluate whether paid maternity leave has an effect on the breadth of the gender wage gap. …

Development Of Second Generation Rolling Contact Fatigue Tester, Satyam Ulhas Deshmukh

Theses and Dissertations

Contact fatigue failure has been in research since the early twentieth century. The need for a second generation sliding-rolling contact fatigue tester was proposed by Gregory Dvorak and Dr. Marcellin Zahui. The first generation RCF tester was used for testing super finishing processes for gear surfaces. The second generation RCF tester was funded by the Advanced Engineering Materials lab of University of North Dakota.

Verification of the second generation Rolling Contact Fatigue Tester will be discussed in this thesis including the design details, assembly and testing procedure and to discuss its different parameters. The tester will have the capability of …

Informal Alliance: Royal Navy And U.S. Navy Co-Operation Against Republican France During The Quasi-War And Wars Of The French Revolution, Jon Paul Eclov

Theses and Dissertations

The Quasi-War was an undeclared conflict fought between the young United States of America and the French Republic at sea during the years 1798-1801. It began when the French mounted a guerre de course against the significant American blue-water merchant marine in response to America concluding Jay's Treaty with Great Britain. At the time, the U.S. had no navy whatsoever with which to combat these French corsairs primarily operating from bases in the West Indies. Seeing there was little hope of immediately ending the matter diplomatically after the infamous XYZ Affair, President John Adams convinced a normally divided Congress to …

Nurse Educators' Consensus Opinion On Using An Academic Electronic Health Record: A Delphi Study, Darlene S. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of nurse educators in the state of North Dakota (ND) who were using the academic Electronic Health Record (EHR) known as SimChart. In this dissertation research study, factors that either hindered or facilitated the introduction of SimChart in nursing programs in ND were examined. Additionally, opinions were sought from nurse educators regarding whether or not SimChart contributed to student learning.

Seventy-five nurse educators from the state of ND participated in this mixed-methods study. E-mail addresses were obtained through website searches, and links to Qualtrics® surveys were e-mailed in three separate …

Inhibition Of The Ysc Type Iii Secretion System Of Yersinia Pestis By Compound D And Interaction Of Type Iii Secretion System Needle Proteins With Host Receptors, Danielle L. Jessen

Theses and Dissertations

The type III secretion system of gram-negative bacterial pathogens is a major virulence factor and functions to modulate host immune responses. Immune modulation occurs in many ways, including direct injection of effector proteins or indirect methods such as the detection of bacterial components by host immune receptors. Knowledge of these immune modulations allows for development of treatment options in an ever-increasing antibiotic-resistance climate. The studies presented here explore both areas of immune modulation. We identify Compound D as a potent inhibitor of the type III secretion system of Yersinia pestis. Through evaluation of effector secretion by bacteria grown in the …

Towards More Efficient Enhanced Sampling Methods To Study Phase Transitions, Kenneth Ndumbe Ngale

Theses and Dissertations

The most familiar phase transitions observed in nature are associated with a change in the state of matter (solid, liquid, and gas). In some rare cases this may involve the plasma phase. Such transitions are often referred to as first order phase transitions and often occur commonly such as during the melting of snow or freezing of lakes and rivers during winter. This project focuses on the most ubiquitous phase changes such as, liquid-solid and vapor-liquid as well as the less prevalent vapor-solid transitions. These types of phase transitions are also known as classical phase transitions. They usually involve symmetry …

The Utilization Of Local History In Teaching American Religious History: A Gilded Age And Progressive Era North Dakota Case Study, Christopher Neal Price

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers of college-level courses on American religious history generally leave out the importance of local and regional histories when telling the story of religion in America. The study of local history provides a fertile ground for understanding broad national trends in a local context. This dissertation focuses upon a little-studied religious body in North Dakota to see how Anglo settlers on the prairie viewed their religious experience in a Gilded Age and Progressive Era context. By emphasizing the records of the North Dakota Baptist State Convention at the North Dakota State Archives in Bismarck and the First Baptist Church of …

Historical Genetic Analysis Of Horned Lark (Eremophila Alpestris) Specimens From The Prairie Pothole Region, Gregory Omar Cain

Theses and Dissertations

The Horned Lark (Eremphila alpestris) is a generalist bird species with a global distribution. A previous phylogeographic study of this species from western North America has been completed and identified three distinct mitochondrial DNA clades. This study aims to genetically characterize Horned Larks from the North Dakota region using the mtDNA NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene. Horned Larks were sampled from museum collections, with ages ranging from 13 - 120 years old. 5mm x 1mm feather cuttings were removed using a non-invasive feather sampling method from each specimen for genetic analysis.

This sampling method was verified on 15 total …

Air Circulation Under Reduced Atmospheric Pressures, Lendell E. Hillhouse

Theses and Dissertations

The control of heat exchange is vital for plant life in off-world, low pressure,

greenhouses. The ability to control this process was limited by methodology and

technology. Mathematical models, based on classical mechanics are created to enhance

our control capabilities. Data is collected using various sensors placed inside the Low

Pressure Test Bed (LPTB) Chamber at Kennedy Space Center. Data from those sensors

became non-linear at various pressures below 25 kPa. We introduced mathematical

calibration corrections and found that sensor data linearity could be extended to a greater

range of pressures. These calibration corrections allow for sensor calibration corrections

in …

Examining The Continuity Of The Long-Lived (Triassic-Recent) Freshwater Mussel Genus Diplodon (Family Hyriidae), Matt Burton-Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

This paper addresses the question of how strong the record of contiguity is for the 250 million-year-old Diplodon lineage by examining the geographic and temporal distribution of fossil specimens identified as Diplodon.

Diplodon (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Unionoida, Hyriidae) has a fossil record extending back to the Middle Triassic (Anisian Stage). The known distribution of fossil specimens identified as this genus occurs on four continents (North America, South America, Australasia, and Antarctica). The place of origin and pathways of range expansion through time are far from well explained. Both fossil and extant freshwater mussel taxa are subject to evolutionary and phenotypic …

Should Girls Play Hockey With Boys? Perspectives From The Usa Women's Olympic Hockey Team, Jocelyne Nicole Lamoureux

Theses and Dissertations

An exploratory descriptive analysis on USA Women's Olympic hockey team player's perspectives on playing with boys during their developmental years was conducted. Fifteen elite women American hockey players completed a questionnaire about their experiences playing on boys' teams, making the transition to girls' hockey, and how they thought playing with boys effected their physical and psychological development. Data analysis included both qualitative and quantitative data. Results showed that all participants had played with both boys and girls. They all started playing on boys' teams and transitioned to girls' teams mainly for safety reasons. Participants reported positive effects from playing with …

The Role Of Trickster Humor In Social Evolution, William Gearty Murtha

Theses and Dissertations

Trickster humor is ubiquitous. Every society has some version of trickster and each society tells the stories of trickster over and over again to both enlighten and entertain. This thesis argues that trickster humor plays a fundamental role in helping society adapt by challenging social norms. Because trickster stories are humorous they are entertaining, because they critique social behaviors they are instructive. Tricksters break social rules, leaving society to remake them. This thesis examines the works of American Humorists Tom Robbins and Edward Abbey, particularly Still Life with Woodpecker and The Monkey Wrench Gang, arguing that these authors are contemporary …

The Effect Of The Military On Political Instability, Chikezie Kenneth Okoli

Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between the military and political instability is often measured qualitatively, with emphasis on country specific cases. This paper differs from other papers on two fronts. First, the measurement of political instability as a combination of state failure and political violence allows for a more in-depth analysis than would be available if instability was examined as the onset of only one event. Second, by using panel data and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) techniques, this paper is able to make general conclusions about the effect of the military on instability. The findings of this paper show that the various military …

Mennonite Music Education In Southern Manitoba: A Descriptive Study Of Mennonite Collegiate Institute And Steinbach Christian High School, Troy Landon Toavs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the music programs at Mennonite Collegiate Institute (MCI) founded in 1889 and Steinbach Christian High School (SCHS) which has its origins in Steinbach Bible College founded in 1936. The Kanadier, Mennonites who came to Manitoba in 1874 (e.g., Kleine Gemeinde and Bergthaler), had previously rejected part-singing in Russia. However, they became more open to part-singing after they came to Manitoba. The Bergthaler in Gretna helped establish MCI. The Mennonite Brethren (MB) and Evangelical Mennonite Brethren (EMB) were influential in promoting choral music among the Kleine Gemeinde in Steinbach. Steinbach Bible …

Online Self-Injury Forums, Social Support, And Psychological Distress, Kirsten Louise Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a behavior being seen with increasing frequency among clinicians and the general population. Internet forums where people who engage in the behavior may discuss topics related to NSSI have become widespread. The effects of those websites on people who engage in the behavior have not been researched. This study used structural equation modeling to better understand the relationship between identification with these groups, time online, comfort discussing NSSI, social support, and psychological distress. The final model suggests a complicated relationship between Internet use and offline effects. Identification with such an online group appears to lead to …

Creating The Role Of Iago: An Analysis Of The Pre-Rehearsal Process, Jordan Brent Wolfe

Theses and Dissertations

The process of creating a character entails much more than memorizing a few lines, learning blocking, and repeating them on stage. An important aspect for an actor passionate about improving their craft as an artist comes during the pre-rehearsal process. Before the audience enters the theatre, or the director has taken control of the actors on stage, it is important, as an actor, to begin to develop the many aspects of the character that he or she will bring to the play. This thesis is a character study of Iago, from Othello. The first chapter will explore a textual analysis …

Is There A Disconnect? Comparing North Dakota And National Geography Standards, Lori Jean Young

Theses and Dissertations

In 1994, Geography for Life was published. From this publication the national geography and state geography standards were developed. These national standards were the basis of the state standards.

North Dakota Studies is a Grade 9-12 course offered in North Dakota high schools. This course is offered under mandate in North Dakota high schools, so a broad range of data could be obtained by contacting those teachers.

Prior research has shown that students exposed to 3-D geographic technologies have better spatial abilities than students without a technologic background. A recent study showed that adults wanted to know more about geography …

Efficient Regeneration Of Chemical Solvents For Carbon Dioxide Capture By Polymeric Membrane Contactors, Xuefei Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Although extensive research attention has been drawn to using membranes for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from flue gas, the use of membranes for stripping CO2 solvents has rarely been studied. The technical feasibility of using polymeric membrane based separation technology to recover CO2 from CO2 saturated chemical solvents such as monoethanolamine is investigated in the present research. A membrane system was built to study the performance of several common polymeric porous membranes for the recovery of CO2 from saturated aqueous MEA solution by the thermal swing process. The stripped CO2 gas was swept by mass flow controlled N2 reference gas …

Impact Of Choices When Creating Average Proximity Soundings As Applied To Lp/Cl/Hp Supercell Environments, Alexander Zarnowski

Theses and Dissertations

The first half of this two-part study explores two ways of producing composite environmental soundings (feature averaging versus height averaging; FA vs. HA), why those composites differ from one another, how the compositing technique itself affects the resulting thermodynamic and wind parameters, and which technique results in preserving features. This exploration was applied to three groups of supercell proximity soundings: low-precipitation (LP), classic (CL), and high precipitation (HP) and the HA analysis from the Rasmusssen and Straka (RS98) paper are reanalyzed in both the FA and HA framework. The second half of this study investigates how well previously reported LP, …

Evaluating The Impact Of Above-Cloud Aerosols On Cloud Optical Depth Retrievals From Modis, Ricardo Alfaro

Theses and Dissertations

Using two different operational Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud optical depth (COD) retrievals (visible and shortwave infrared), the impacts of above-cloud absorbing aerosols on the standard COD retrievals are evaluated. For fine-mode aerosol particles, aerosol optical depth (AOD) values diminish sharply from the visible to the shortwave infrared channels. Thus, a suppressed above-cloud particle radiance aliasing effect occurs for COD retrievals using shortwave infrared channels. Aerosol Index (AI) from the spatially and temporally collocated Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) are used to identify above-cloud aerosol particle loading over the southern Atlantic Ocean, including both smoke and dust from the …

The Influence Of Brief Mindfulness Exercise On Encoding Of Novel Words, Kristin Bonamo

Theses and Dissertations

Based on research associating mindfulness with improvements in well-being, attention, and memory processes, brief mindfulness exercises may be helpful in enhancing the encoding of novel semantic information. A Swahili-English word pair association task was used to examine whether engaging in a brief mindfulness exercise enhanced the encoding of Swahili-English word pairs, thus improving long-term recall. Participants recruited from the undergraduate population at a Midwestern university were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: engaging in a 20 minute body scan meditation, a 45 minute body scan meditation, or a control group prior to learning Swahili-English word pairs. Separate analyses of …

From "The Dead Center Of This Place That Is No Place": The Novel Of Abjection, Alexander Cavanaugh

Theses and Dissertations

This essay is a comparative reading of Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood as examples of abjection in the novel form. This subgenre, termed the Novel of Abjection, exemplifies Julia Kristeva's notion of abjection as occurring after a distinct separation from social norms and a movement toward destruction, violence, and insanity. This breaking-off occurs through catastrophe on the part of tragic characters, anomie, and the collection of a group sensibility through a first-person narrator. By carefully reading the two novels and exploring these common themes, the narrative mechanisms of the novels operate around abjection. As …

Mechanical Characterization Of Composite Repairs For Fiber-Glass Wind Turbine Blades, Tanveer Singh Chawla

Theses and Dissertations

While in service, wind turbine blades experience various modes of loading. An example is impact loading in the form of hail or bird strikes, which might lead to localized damage or formation of cracks a few plies deep on the blade surface. One of the methods to conduct repairs on wind turbine blades that are damaged while in service is hand lay-up of the repair part after grinding out the damaged portion and some of its surrounding area. The resin used for such repairs usually differs from the parent plate resin in composition and properties such as gel time, viscosity, …

Self-Objectification, Eating Attitudes, And Sexual Coercion In College Women, Lauren Alexis Henrikson

Theses and Dissertations

The theory of self-objectification, developed by Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) explains how women view their bodies as objects. Studies have looked at self-objectification and its associated negative effects, such as cognitive decline, body shame, disordered eating, and low self-esteem in a number of different populations; however, no study to date has utilized path analysis to examine the role that self-objectification plays in unwanted sexual contact. If self-objectification does lead to decreases in self-esteem and increases in viewing one's body as a sexual object, then women may feel they have little choice when faced with sexual coercion. The present study examined …

Using Social Influence To Enhance Post-Experimental Inquiry Success, Travis Daryl Clark

Theses and Dissertations

An experiment was performed to assess the efficacy of Post-experimental Inquiry (PEI) questions. Experiments involving deception assume participant naiveté to the study protocol. The present study implemented a PEI to assess the influence of an ethnic prime on stereotyped attitudes in order to assess PEI accuracy. A confederate (posting as another participant) additionally informed some participants as to the true purpose of the study, a violation of study integrity. The PEI was used to assess accuracy in two ways: awareness of the study hypotheses and admission to receiving information. The PEI was itself manipulated in one of two ways; the …

Effect Of Candidate Spending On Vote Share, Charles Denowh

Theses and Dissertations

Prior research on the effect that candidate spending has on vote share has produced conflicting results, with some research finding that only spending by challenger candidates has an effect on the vote outcome and other research finding incumbent and challenger spending roughly equally effective. The paper explores two suspected causes of the discrepancy in prior results: measurement error and endogeneity in the spending variables. Using new spending data from the Federal Election Commission that can readily be categorized into different spending types, I find evidence of significant amounts of inconsequential spending that should be excluded from candidate spending totals. Additionally, …

Perceptions Of Legal Policy And Sex Offender Treatment, Kirsten Sierra Engel

Theses and Dissertations

Sex offender policy, treatment, and public perception are greatly intertwined in the numerous policies in place regarding sex offenders. These policies tend to reflect the underlying perceptions and myths about sex offenders than the reality of sexual offenses and treatment. These perceptions have also had a role in shaping psychological treatment of sex offenders through enacted policies and public support, or dissent, for community treatment centers, half-way houses, or residency restriction laws. With the sizeable potential impact of the public's perceptions of these issues, examination of their perceptions of sex offenders, sex offender policies, and sex offender treatment, and whether …

Conflict In Couples Therapy: Enhancing Relationships Through A Video Tape Feedback Intervention Intending To Develop Effective Conflict Communication Skills, Chasidy I. Faith

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effectiveness of a Gottman-based intervention (2007) aimed to increase effective conflict communication. The study utilized a single case design to examine two couple's conflict interactions through the use of a video tape feedback intervention and psychoeducation about effective and ineffective conflict communication. Couples completed a four week pre-test measurement phase, three sessions of video tape feedback, and four week post-test measurement phase. Through visual analysis, the study investigated the effect that this conflict management intervention had on relational satisfaction and adjustment, life satisfaction, overall distress levels, and conflict abilities. Findings of the current study were …

Theoretical Studies Of Oxides Relevant To The Combustion Of Fossil Fuels, Jason Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic pollution has greatly increased since the industrial revolution and continues to increase as more of the world becomes dependent upon fossil fuels for important applications like transportation and power production. In a general case, whenever a fossil fuel is consumed, a primary product of a complete combustion reaction is carbon dioxide. In a more specific case, the collection, processing and combustion of coal for power production are one of the primary ways by which trace elements, such as arsenic and selenium, are released into the environment. All of these pollutants are known to have harmful effects, whether on the …

Targeted Overexpression Of Metallothionein In Endothelial Cells Mitigates Pulmonary Alveolar Basement Membrane Thickening In Transgenic Diabetic Ove Mice: An Unbiased Tem Morphometric Analysis, Holly M. Hewitt

Theses and Dissertations

Damage to small blood vessels in diabetes mellitus (DM) is largely the result of hyperglycemia-driven oxidative stress. This is manifested morphologically by capillary basement membrane (BM) thickening, the hallmark feature of chronic complications of DM. In an effort to demonstrate pulmonary alveolar BM (PABM) thickness increase in DM and to demonstrate for the first time, mitigation of the increase utilizing antioxidant therapy, we crossed the severely diabetic transgenic mouse (OVE) with Jtmt, our recently developed transgenic animal model that overexpresses the antioxidant metallothionein (MT) in endothelial cells. Unbiased TEM morphometry demonstrated that PABM widths in diabetic (OVE) mice were significantly …