Digital Commons Network^™

Rock Physics Based Velocity-Porosity Correlations Developed For Estimation Of The Elastic Properties Of The Bakken Formations Of The Williston Basin, North Dakota, Lynn D. Helms

Theses and Dissertations

Oil production from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota has benefitted from significant technological advancements since its beginning approximately two decades ago. Most of the advancements resulted from better characterization of shales, which are very heterogeneous and their properties vary at different scales. The need for costly operations such as drilling long laterals and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing for production from these unconventional reservoirs, signifies the importance of understanding the physical and mechanical properties of these formations in order to reduce the risk margins and improve project economics at diffetent phases of the life of the field. Rock physics is a …

Physical Therapists' Decision To Practice In Vestibular Rehabilitation And Concussion Management: A Qualitative Study Of Influences, Michelle Lea Keller

Theses and Dissertations

Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) and concussion management (CM) is currently not a specialty area of physical therapy practice, but it is an area that many physical therapists (PTs) choose as their primary clinical practice area. Because there is a need for vestibular rehabilitation practitioners, it is important to understand the factors that influence a PT’s decision to practice vestibular rehabilitation and concussion management physical therapy. On May 19th, 2021, the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) announced that it denied the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy’s request to create a Vestibular Clinical Specialist Certification. The ABPTS stated that vestibular practice …

Factors Influencing Levels Of Secondary Traumatic Stress In Non-Offending Caregivers Of Children With Sexual Or Physical Abuse Histories, Ani Mangold

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined factors influencing levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS) in non-offending caregivers (NOCs) of children with histories of sexual or physical abuse. These factors included the nature of the abuse, NOCs’ relationships with the initiators of the abuse, children’s ages and genders, NOCs’ genders, NOCs’ personal trauma histories, familial structures, and the elapsed time between children’s disclosures of abuse and their trauma assessments. As a secondary objective, the present study examined the interactions between children’s self-reports of their own posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, NOCs’ estimates of their children’s PTSD symptomatology, and NOCs’ self-reports of their own …

The Role Of Tribal Funding In American Indian Postsecondary Success: Inquiry Into The Problem Of Practice, Delana Lynn Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

The rising costs of college attendance and the diminishing availability of viable funding sources cause students to incur debt in order to pursue postsecondary education. This dissertation in practice examines how one tribal education funding program contributed to the successful transition between high school and college for the enrolled members of the Mandan Hidatsa Arikara (MHA) Nation in North Dakota. I used a quantitative method to examine which pre-college and in-college characteristics were associated with the success outcomes, such as retention and academic achievement (as measured by the first-year college GPA) after the first year of transition to a postsecondary …

Effects Of Temperature And Feedstock Composition On Product Distribution Of Mixed Plastic Waste Pyrolysis, Zachary William Meduna

Theses and Dissertations

Plastic is one of the most widely used packaging materials; however, there are limited processes in place for recycling at the end of its life, especially for plastics 3-7 including: PVC, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Pyrolysis, or chemical recycling, has shown to be promising to break plastics down to fuels, monomers, or other chemicals. This has been shown to also make use of mixed plastic. This work studies the interactions during fast pyrolysis between commonly unrecyclable plastics. Chapter II investigates the interaction of PS and PP in fast pyrolysis at temperatures of 450, 500, and 550 …

The Impact Of Traumatic Experiences On Women's Mental Health: The Moderating Effect Of Violent Media Consumption, Erika Meierding

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Prior research informs us that negative mental health outcomes are associated with childhood trauma (Chapman et al., 2004; Widom, 1999) and with exposure to violence in the media (Hopwood & Schutte, 2017). Given the prevalence of violence against women (VAW) both in the media and in society in general, it is important to understand how VAW in the media may uniquely impact the mental health of women who have previous experiences of childhood trauma. Objective: Drawing from cultivation theory and the diathesis stress model of mental health, this study examined the moderating role of exposure to VAW in the …

Higher Education Professional Staff Engagement: Looking In And Beyond The Great Resignation, Sarah Owens

Theses and Dissertations

In 2021, there were 68.9 million job separations. Of those, 47.4 million people willingly left their jobs (Romans, 2022). As the “Great Resignation” in the COVID-19 era continues, many professional staff in higher education are re-examining their relationship with work (McClure, 2021). Higher education professional staff, often feeling undervalued and unappreciated, are less likely to engage and more likely to intend to turnover; leaving institutions to bear the costs of lost productivity and staff replacement. This study examines the relationship between university professional staff members’ self-reported levels of psychological engagement (meaningfulness, safety, and availability), employee engagement (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral), …

Observations Of Chain Aggregates In Florida Cirrus Cloud Anvils On 3 August 2019 During Capeex19, Christian Michael Nairy

Theses and Dissertations

Elongated chain-like aggregates have been observed in cirrus cloud anvils produced by electrified thunderstorms. Cloud chamber experiments have also been able to generate chain aggregates while applying strong electric fields (> 60 kV m-1) to environments with ice crystal concentrations between 3.0 x 106 – 4.0 x 106 m-3 and over a range of temperatures. While it is believed that electric fields are important for chain aggregate formation, exactly where and how the chain aggregation process occurs with thunderstorm is not well understood, which inhibits inclusion in cloud models. Not having chain aggregates in models causes inaccuracies to cloud radiative …

Characterization Of Vertical Growth Of Fractures In Layered Formations, Vibhas Jagdish Pandey

Theses and Dissertations

Hydraulic fracturing treatments are routinely pumped in oil and gas wells worldwide to enhance production and manage the economic recovery of hydrocarbon reserves. The uplift in the production after a fracture stimulation job depends on several parameters, of which optimal coverage of the payzone by the treatment is one of the more important ones. The vertical growth of hydraulic fractures thus is a topic of great interest amongst researchers because of its ability to influence the outcome of a stimulation treatment.

The modeling and prediction of fracture height, especially in layered formations, is a challenging task given the associated complexities …

Design Of Novel High-Performance Materials For Sliding Applications, Caleb Michael Matzke

Theses and Dissertations

Break down of a material due to mechanical usage, otherwise known as wear, is a common issue that affects almost every industry as well as many commonly used goods. Components, such as bearings, can have major damage over time, especially if they are not protected by a lubricant. This thesis investigates the friction and wear behavior of high-performance materials lubricated by fuel-based lubricants. This work is divided into two parts; The first focuses on polymer matrix composites, and the second focuses on advanced ceramics. Polymers are of interest due to the ease of production and the polymer of choice for …

Effective Differentiation Strategies For Engaging English Language Learners In The General Education Classroom: An Implementation Study, Renee Ullom

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the growing population of English Language Learners (ELL) (U.S. Department of Education, 2020) and lack of time, training, and resources for teachers, there is an intense need for identification of effective differentiation strategies for teachers to implement in the general education classroom, which allows ELL students to engage in grade-level curriculum while acquiring English. This mixed methods research study examines who ELL students are, barriers to success faced by ELL students, barriers to teachers when planning and delivering curriculum in the general education classroom. The investigation additionally explores the identification and implementation of effective differentiation strategies for ELL …

Road To Recovery: Social Acknowledgement, Disclosure And Self-Labeling Of Victims/Survivors Of Sexual Violence, Madison Waldron

Theses and Dissertations

Object: Sexual violence affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of social acknowledgement, self-labeling, and disclosure on active coping after experiencing sexual violence. Method: A sample of 174 young adults completed an online study which included questionnaires about past unwanted sexual experiences, social acknowledgment, disclosure, self-label, a timeline follow-back, and coping. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant main effect for social acknowledgement scores based upon label (p = .009). Participants who chose the “both” label felt more socially acknowledged compared to those who …

Assessing Learning In Simulation Experiences In Graduate Programs For Speech-Language Pathology: A Phenomenological Study, Robyn Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Simulation learning experiences have become an accepted form of andragogy in speech-language pathology following a revision of the 2016 American Speech-Language-HearingAssociation (ASHA) Standards allowing students to count simulation hours towards their required hours for graduation. There is a lack of research in the field of speech-language pathology in assessment of student learning in simulation learning experiences used to meet these clinical hours. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative inquiry to further explore how faculty assess student learning in clinical simulation learning experiences used to demonstrate clinical competence in graduate programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders: Speech-Language Pathology …

Retired Indigenous And Non-Indigenous College Student Athletes' Mental Health Relating To Athletic Identity, Cultural Identity, And Career Transition, Victoria Williams

Theses and Dissertations

To date, empirical studies have investigated the transition or retirement phase, following the conclusion of a student-athletes’ four-year career as a comparison between student-athletes and non-athletes. Specifically, when investigating these constructs, researchers have failed to thoroughly investigate the role cultural identity may play in mitigating psychological symptoms during the transition phase. As such, this study will seek to investigate both Indigenous and non-Indigenous retired college student- athletes, during the transition phase, in terms of the degree to which they identified with their athletic identity, cultural identity and career transition. It is expected those retired Indigenous and non-Indigenous student- athletes who …

Development Of A Piezo-Mechanical Battery, Caleb Aba-Onukaogu Aba-Onukaogu

Theses and Dissertations

The piezo-mechanical battery is designed to store energy in a flat spiral spring and harvest the kinetic energy of the unwinding spring using piezoelectric unimorph cantilever beams. The system, initially proposed on a micro scale, was designed to function on a macro scale. The power spring of the system was designed to deliver enough torque to run the system and provide enough force to the escapement mechanism to excite the cantilever beams. The gear system is designed as a compound epicyclic gear system with a gear ratio of 55:1. The cantilever beams were designed to act as springs as well …

Role Of Aurora Kinase A, Rab4a, And Endolysosomes In The Development Of Alzheimer’S Disease-Like Pathology, Zahra Afghah

Theses and Dissertations

Endosomes and lysosomes (endolysosomes) are organelles that play key roles in cell survival and cell death. These acidic intracellular organelles are the principal sites for intracellular hydrolytic activity required for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Endolysosomes are involved in the degradation of plasma membrane components, extracellular macromolecules, as well as intracellular macromolecules and cellular fragments. Understanding the physiological significance and pathological relevance of endolysosomes is now complicated by relatively recent findings of physical and functional interactions between endolysosomes and other intracellular organelles including endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, plasma membranes, and peroxisomes. Indeed, evidence clearly indicates that endolysosome dysfunction and inter-organellar signaling …

Clinical Teaching And Learning In Respiratory Therapy: An Analysis Of Student And Clinical Instructor Expectations Using The Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory, Jessica Jane Arndt

Theses and Dissertations

Quality clinical education is an essential element of respiratory therapy education yet, many respiratory therapists who serve as clinical instructors lack formal pedagogical training. To enhance clinical education and align expectations, other healthcare disciplines have utilized the Cognitive Apprenticeship Theory (CAT). The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to learn more about clinical education in respiratory therapy by examining the expectations of both clinical instructors and students regarding the CAT teaching methods. Since the required entry level education, credentials, and licensing have been a recent source of controversy within the profession, the impact of these variables was also assessed. …

Energy Harvesting & Wing Morphing Design Using Piezoelectric Macro Fiber Composites, Md Saifuddin Ahmed Atique

Theses and Dissertations

Energy harvesting from vibration sources was a very promising field of research throughout the last few decades among the engineers and scientist as considering the necessity of renewable/green energy for the welfare of mankind. Unused vibration energy exists in the surrounding or machineries was always tried to be utilized. Since then, by using piezoelectric transduction, researchers started to harvest the vibration energy. However, after the invention of piezo ceramics Macro Fiber Composites (MFC) by NASA, the research in this field augmented a lot due to its high efficiency to convert mechanical strain or vibration to useful electrical power and vice …

Real-Time Machine Learning Models To Detect Cyber And Physical Anomalies In Power Systems, Zakaria El Mrabet

Theses and Dissertations

A Smart Grid is a cyber-physical system (CPS) that tightly integrates computation and networking with physical processes to provide reliable two-way communication between electricity companies and customers. However, the grid availability and integrity are constantly threatened by both physical faults and cyber-attacks which may have a detrimental socio-economic impact. The frequency of the faults and attacks is increasing every year due to the extreme weather events and strong reliance on the open internet architecture that is vulnerable to cyber-attacks. In May 2021, for instance, Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest pipeline operators in the U.S., transports refined gasoline and jet …

P&I Club Membership As Potential Incentivization For Adherence To Best Space Traffic Management Practices: A Maritime Analogue, Cristin M. Finnigan

Theses and Dissertations

It has been said that the space environment is becoming so accessible, we are at risk of depleting it as a resource, thereby risking society’s space-dependent functions. Law, regulations, policies, and guidelines exist to guide entities to act to preserve the space environment. However, best space traffic management (STM) practice implementation and regulatory compliance could be costly and resource-intensive, especially for a small business. Some entities may not undertake innovative space endeavors at all, or worse, ignore laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines. A question arises of how space actors could be persuaded to work toward meeting STM laws, regulations, policies, …

Fostering Emerging Online Learner Persistence In Teacher Candidates: The Role Of Online Discussions, Staci Ann Gilpin

Theses and Dissertations

As the popularity of online learning continues to grow, so do concerns about online student success. This study aims to contribute to the continuous improvement of online learning and improve outcomes for a distinct group of online learners. Utilizing social presence, the expectancy-value theory of motivation, and capitalizing on innovative technologies, I advance a new framework that expands online discussions for emerging online learners, undergraduates enrolled in online and on-campus courses, and the predominant consumer of online courses. The emerging online learners in this study were also prospective teachers (n=80) enrolled in a teacher preparation course at a small midwestern …

The Influence Of Attachment Security Priming On Relationship Social Comparison Interpretations, Alex James Holte

Theses and Dissertations

Relationship social comparisons occur when an individual compares their relationship to another. These comparisons are unavoidable and the interpretation of them can influence how an individual feels about their relationship. Dispositional attachment style may influence how these comparisons are interpreted. Furthermore, research has shown individuals can be temporarily primed for specific attachment styles which results in cognitions and behaviors consistent with that attachment style. The current study examined the efficacy of priming attachment security on how an individual interprets relationship social comparison interpretations (RSCIs) and relationship satisfaction. A final sample of 505 individuals in a dating relationship were recruited from …

The Driving Forces Of Academic Integrity: A Survey Of Communication Disorder Students, Mary Ellen Huston

Theses and Dissertations

Academic dishonesty has been a pervasive problem in universities for decades, however, there has been limited research linking allied health students to specific cheating behaviors. For students studying to enter allied health fields, academic dishonesty is problematic as the health and safety of their clients is at risk. To date, there has been no research focused on the academic integrity of students enrolled in programs leading to a career in speech language pathology. This quantitative study explored the theories of reasoned action, neutralization, and motivation as they relate to academic dishonesty among SLP students. The study combined a slightly modified …

A Novel Numerical Model For Transient Mixed-Flow Analysis In Pipe And Conduit Systems, David B. Khani

Theses and Dissertations

While responding to a wet weather flow event, stormwater pipe systems experience complex transient flow in which both open channel and pressurized flow regimes may coexist. The resulting transient flows may induce significant positive and negative pressure surges that can be intense enough to compromise the integrity of the system such as pipe rupture or flooding the streets and damage to properties. Unfortunately, available off-the-shelf software such as InfoWorks, Mike Urban, etc. are not comprehensive enough to capture all features of the resulting transient flows. When the elastic feature of the flow system becomes of significant importance, these models fail …

Examining Attitudes Toward Transgender Defendants, Kendall Ann Klein

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals who identify as transgender are overrepresented in the criminal justice system due to their increased risk of victimization and contact with law enforcement. Ringger (2018) and Ringger (2020) are two of the few studies that have examined juror perceptions and decisions related to transgender defendants specifically as compared to cisgender defendants. The current study sought to fill this gap by further exploring juror decisions in cases involving transgender defendants. Additionally, the proposed study sought to identify potential attitudinal predictors of guilt and blame for transgender defendants. In this study, participants read crime vignettes featuring transgender and cisgender male and …

Associations Between Handgrip Strength Asymmetry And Health Related Quality Of Life Among Canadian Adults: An Analysis Of The Canadian Health Measures Survey, Jessica Lembke

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL), a measure of perceived quality of health is significantly related to current and future health. Handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry is an aspect of muscle function that can be measured using handheld dynamometry. While several studies have examined relationships between HGS asymmetry and HRQOL, few have used nationally-representative data, and none have used Canadian data. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the association between HGS asymmetry and HRQOL in a nationally-representative sample of Canadian adults.

Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from cycles 5 and 6 (2016–17 and 2018–19) of …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between The Use Of Modern Digital Technologies, Language Learning Strategies, And Development Of Second Language Skills, Volodymyr Lazar

Theses and Dissertations

Like many other areas of human knowledge, the field of language learning has undergone changes as a consequence of the application of digital technologies. Extensive exposure and anytime and anywhere access availability to data in a second or foreign language (L2) bring almost unlimited learning opportunities for digital age students, which affects their learning behaviors also known as language learning strategies (LLS). The purpose of the present study is to define preferred LLS patterns of digitally native L2 learners and to establish relationships between types of existing digital technologies, learners’ demographic characteristics, and the use of learning strategies to support …

The Architecture And Dynamics Of Gene Regulatory Networks Directing Cell-Fate Choice During Murine Hematopoiesis, Joanna Handzlik

Theses and Dissertations

Mammals produce hundreds of billions of new blood cells every day througha process known as hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts with stem cells that develop into all the different types of cells found in blood by changing their genome-wide gene expression. The remodeling of genome-wide gene expression can be primarily attributed to a special class of proteins called transcription factors (TFs) that can activate or repress other genes, including genes encoding TFs. TFs and their targets therefore form recurrent networks called gene regulatory networks (GRNs). GRNs are crucial during physiological developmental processes, such as hematopoiesis, while abnormalities in the regulatory interactions of …

Engaging Undergraduate Students In Classroom Discussion: Exploring Impacts On Reflective Judgment Skills, Aubrey Mae Madler

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions are to teach advanced thinking skills that help students process information, make judgments, and justify associated beliefs. Such skills are necessary for reflective judgment according to the reflective judgment model (RJM). The purpose of this study was to explore whether engaging undergraduate students in classroom discussion surrounding ill-structured problems impacted these advanced thinking skills. It implemented a quasi-experimental, posttest-only control-group design using the validated semi-structured Reflective Judgment Interview (RJI) protocol to score reflective judgment skills of sixteen undergraduate students. The RJM and its RJI protocol, developed by King and Kitchener (1994) categorizes thinking into three main areas: …

Ms. Pearl Irma Young: "Raising Hell" For Women In Stem Fields And Women At Nasa, 1914 - 1968, Caitlin Milera

Theses and Dissertations

Women are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Women’s underrepresentation in these fields is largely due to the countless barriers they face at K-12 levels, in higher education environments, and in the workforce. This historical analysis explored the academic and professional journey of a woman who persisted through these systemic and structural barriers, Ms. Pearl Irma Young.Through this research, I examined Ms. Young’s experiences in higher education, at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and at NASA. To do so required robust data collection of archival resources, …