Digital Commons Network^™

Dynamic Monte Carlo Modeling Of Protein-Dna Interactions, Aaron Kirchman, Ali Tabei

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

No abstract provided.

Exporting Ideology: Trade With China And Indices Of Democracy, Alissa Johnson

Proceedings of the Jepson Undergraduate Conference on International Economics

China’s practice of employing business sanctions to silence companies and individuals speaking out in favor of the Hong Kong protests has sparked concern among democracy and free speech advocates. This recent phenomenon, combined with Dwight Eisenhower’s rhetoric of “exporting democracy,” prompts the question: if the USA has engaged in policies aimed towards exporting democracy, could China also export autocracy? This paper uses panel data for 180 countries across 22 years (1996-2018) to examine the effect of a country’s trade with China as a proportion of its total trade on common indices of democratic freedom from the World Bank Group, Transparency …

The U.S Dollar And Canada Dollar Exchange Rate, Emily Iehl

Proceedings of the Jepson Undergraduate Conference on International Economics

This paper explores the U.S and Canada Dollar monthly exchange rates from 1/1/1986 to 9/1/2019. The model shows that the U.S Dollar and Canada Dollar monthly exchange rate at time can be estimated using the Canada three month interest rate, U.S inflation rate, the price of oil, and U.S net exports. Ferraro, Rogoff, and Rossi (2011) explore the idea of forecasting exchange rates between Canada solely based on oil prices. Batten and Thornton (1985 p.22-23) discuss theory on inflation and interest rates determining currency exchanges. This paper will show that including all of these variables can be helpful in explaining …

The Influence Of China’S Retaliatory Tariff On Us. Automobile And Parts Exporters During Us - China Trade War, Jiayu Teng

Proceedings of the Jepson Undergraduate Conference on International Economics

The Sino-US trade war began from late 2017 has had large influence on the global economy. After US imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports for illegal unfair trade practice in 2018, China also launched retaliatory tariff to fight back. This study is mainly focus on the automobile and parts industry, which is one of the significant industries influenced by this trade war. Except analyzing the US manufactures, Germany, Korean and Japanese exporters who gain tariff relief are also included to establish a comparison with US firms in this research to analyze how net weight (kg), trade values ($) and unit …

Labor's Unsettled Vagrancy: The Rise And Fall Of The Hobo Labor Movement, 1865-1929, Laura Kathryn Carpenter

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The historiography of the hobo labor movement analyzes the impact of collective activities on the performance of traveling work with particular attention paid to the responsive organizing of the International Brotherhood Welfare Association (IBWA) from 1865 to 1929. Through the application of social theory, the inclusion of representative objects from the National Hobo Museum, narratives of hobos, government-sponsored investigations, and the consideration of prior scholarly works, hoboing nonwork is best understood as an anti-modern, reactionary counterculture to the working-class that managed to deflect the drastic changes in class and economy at the turn of the twentieth century until its gradual …

Crosssections, Summer 2020, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Physics.

CrossSections

Contents:

>-- A Message From the Department Head, Dr. Paul Shand
--Faculty Profile Pavel Lukashev
--Department Happenings
--Focus on Students
--Physics Education
--Alumni Profile Wes Golden
--Alumni News
--Retrospective
--New Physics
--Support the Department

The Combined Effect Of Exercise And Behavioral Therapy For Depression And Anxiety: Systematic Review And Meta−Analysis, Terence Moriarty, Kelsey C. Bourbeau, Akeisha Ayanniyi, Micah Zuhl

Faculty Publications

Behavioral therapy (BT) and exercise are efficacious treatments for depression and anxiety when employed separately. The combination of BT and exercise (BT+Ex) may augment improvements but the combined effect of these therapies is not fully elucidated. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine if BT+Ex yielded a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms compared to BT alone (BT). Randomized controlled studies published prior to September 2019 were searched among several databases (PUBMED, MEDLINE, PsychArticle, and Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials). Studies that measured depression and anxiety symptoms following BT+Ex vs. BT were extracted and analyzed. The effect …

Rural High School Principals And The Challenge Of Standards-Based Grading, Tom Buckmiller, Matt Townsley, Robyn Cooper

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to better understand how principals in rural schools are thinking about assessment and grading practices and if they anticipate implementing policy changes in the near future that may require increased support. Principals of schools in rural areas often face challenges that are significantly different from those of their urban and suburban counterparts. The researchers used a mixed-method survey to better understand if progressive grading policies were a part of the vision for principals of rural high schools, if they possessed conceptual underpinnings of such practices, and if they believed they had the capacity within …

Uni Political Science Newsletter, V15n1, June 2020, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Political Science.

Political Science Newsletter

Contents:

--- From the Department Head
--- Poli Sci Adapts to COVID-19
--- Helping Iowans & the Nation Understand Politics
--- Weekly Coffee Hour
--- #PANTHERSCAUCUS & #PANTHERSVOTE
--- Model United Nations
--- Leading Campus-Wide Civic Engagement Efforts
--- Women's History Month
--- You're Next Women's Leadership Conference
--- Warby Leads Study Abroad to Uganda
--- Stratcom Conference
--- MPP Student Serves Public During Coronavirus Outbreak
--- Student Leadership Awards
--- Weston Essay Prize
--- Purple & Old Gold
--- MPP 2019 Cohort
--- Congratulations 2019-20 Graduates!
--- Alumni News
--- Faculty Updates
--- Faculty Awards
--- Retirement

Uni Scholarworks Readership Snapshot, May 2020, Bepress

Library Documents & Reports (entire collection)

No abstract provided.

An Empirical Analysis On Major League Soccer Player Earnings, Aaron Michael Anderson Iehl

Honors Program Theses

Application of economic and statistical techniques to the sports world has been on the rise for some time. The major sports in the United States (football, basketball, baseball, and hockey) have been thoroughly studied. However, professional soccer in the United States has emerged as a strong sports market in the last 20 years. This paper applies a statistical technique used by Lucifora and Simmons (2003) on an Italian professional soccer league to examine determinants of professional soccer player wages and assess the overall value added. The model is applied to Major League Soccer to determine how the different league structure …

Frauds In K-12 School Districts, Cassandra Lorraine Zinnel

Honors Program Theses

When a child is dropped off at school, thinking a fraud could happen would be the farthest thing from one’s mind. This paper will be examining school frauds happening in five different states to see any trends within the data. The investigated trends included how the frauds were discovered, how the patterns of cases looked in the last 15 years, and which controls were defective that allowed the fraud to occur. The paper analyzes the state auditor reports from several states dealing with school frauds. This paper will demonstrate an understanding of why school frauds happen and why they happen …

"Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses Yearning To Breathe Free": A Case Study Analysis Of U.S. Immigration Policy And Public Perceptions Of Latin American Immigrants, Erin Thomason

Honors Program Theses

Through this analysis, I hope to shed light on how public perceptions of Latin American immigrants can impact United States immigration policy, and likewise, how changes in United States immigration policy can alter how Americans view Latin American immigrants. My findings may provide some explanation for how we have arrived in the state we are in today, with a president who has pledged to build a wall between ourselves and our southern neighbor, even going so far as to declare a national emergency at the border; a deadlocked Congress unable to pass any sort of protections for Dreamers, despite bipartisan …

Levels Of Cyclin B In Thp-1 Cells Incubated In Hibernating And Non-Hibernating Bullfrog Plasma, Lithobates Catesbeianus, Tharuka D. Pathmaperuma

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Hibernation is a process that occurs in nature where organisms undergo dormancy for long periods of time in order to improve their survival during extreme environmental conditions. During this time, organisms undergo physiological changes such as reduction in core body temperature and metabolic rate, as well as cells being impeded from going into mitosis. Alvarado et al. (2015) discovered that genomic DNA methylation is dynamic across torpor-arousal bouts during winter hibernation in thirteen lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), indicating that physiological changes during hibernation are the results of more than simply cold temperatures slowing down metabolism and that …

Graduate Recital In Trombone, Obediah Bauer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This recital partially fulfills the requirements for the Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance. Repertoire was chosen to demonstrate a variety of musical and technical facilities in different historical settings. The program features Launy Grøndahl’s Concert Pour Trombone et Piano ou Orchestre; three movements from Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer); Enrique Crespo’s Improvisation Nr. 1 für Posaune Solo; Paul Craven’s Sonatina for Trombone and Piano; and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Drei Equale für vier Posaunen.

The Impact Of The Use Of Mobile Computing On Vocabulary Learning In The Language Classroom, Lorena Harger

Graduate Research Papers

Mobile computers offer accessibility anytime and anywhere, and they are being used more and more for teaching and learning. The purpose of this review is to explore the impact of using mobile applications and devices in vocabulary learning among language learners. The review also addresses the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the use of mobile computers in the classroom. In this paper, thirty peer-reviewed journal articles published in the last eleven years were critically analyzed. From the reviewed research, it was found that using mobile computers not only enhances vocabulary learning and retention but also contributes to students’ motivation …

Portrayal Of Immigration In Fiction For Grades 4-6, Melissa N. Marwedel

Graduate Research Papers

With an increasing awareness of immigrant students in American schools, this study sought to examine current upper elementary fiction portraying immigrant characters. The purpose of this research was to discover how immigrants are currently portrayed in upper elementary literature. Through engaging with high-quality literature, native-born students could gain a perspective on the experiences of their immigrant classmates and develop empathy for them. Nine upper elementary fiction books were examined and coded for initial and emerging themes. Four major themes emerged: Importance of Family, Language Conflict, Life After Immigration, and Identity Development. This research supports classroom teachers and teacher librarians in …

Characterizing Protagonists In Graphic Novels For Teens, Danielle Lahr

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to utilize qualitative content analysis to examine the main characters in teen graphic novels from 2018. This study is designed to analyze the main protagonist in graphic novels to find patterns to help secondary librarians and teachers choose graphic novels that will appeal to students in grades 9-12. Three questions this study asks are: 1)What traits make a compelling protagonist for high schoolers? 2)Are there any traits shared between protagonists in graphic novels? And 3)What roles do protagonists of graphic novels play in the storyline?

Culture In Transitional Chapter Books: Assimilation Or Inclusion, Jeanette P. White

Graduate Research Papers

In the context of schools experiencing an influx of students from a more diverse range of cultures, and with a goal of assisting librarians to better serve these students, this qualitative research focuses on the presence of cultural diversity in transitional chapter books and, when present, identifies whether characters modify culturally determined behaviors. The cultural diversity within books, especially transitional chapter books, can allow newly independent readers an opportunity to deepen their identification with and connection to reading. The value of identifying with a character in a book is established in prior research (Alter, 2016; Goodale, 2012; McNair & Brooks, …

The Effects Of Intercalating Molecules On The Polymer Properties Of Dna, Joseph Tibbs

Honors Program Theses

This project used Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging to examine the effects of different intercalation conditions upon the elastic properties of intrinsically straight DNA molecules. Three intercalating molecules (chloroquine, ethidium bromide, and acridine) were used to demonstrate the dependence of persistence length and mean polymer extension on the intercalator type. It was found that all three intercalators significantly increased persistence length, and that this effect was most pronounced for ethidium bromide. In addition, an analysis of the normal bending modes of the static molecules corroborated these results. The only intercalator which resulted in significant extension of the DNA polymers was …

Seasonal Habitat Usage Of Iowa Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta), Amanda Stewart

Honors Program Theses

Iowa wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) were tracked using radio telemetry to compare juvenile, male, and female habitat usage during specific seasonal activity periods. Field data collected included: time, geographic location, habitat type, surrounding vegetation type and abundance, ambient weather conditions, turtle body temperature and mass, water depth (when aquatic), distance from water, behavior category, and amount of exposure to UV light. While active in 2017 – 2019, the wood turtle population at three Iowa sites was 53% terrestrial and 47% aquatic, with the most frequent respective habitats being emergent clearings (grasses, forbs, saplings) and lotic (river, stream, creek). …

Testing The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation In Reducing Music Performance Anxiety As Measured By Cortisol And Self-Report, Anya E. Shorey

Honors Program Theses

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a debilitating and career-threatening phenomenon that occurs for many musicians in a public performance setting. As a hormonal measure of stress, cortisol has been shown to increase in musicians who are about to perform in front of an audience. It is important to study ways to keep stress within an optimal range before public performance to help musicians keep their cognitions, behaviors, and autonomic arousal at levels that help rather than hinder their performance. Mindfulness in the form of a brief guided meditation and as yoga has been shown to reduce self-reported anxiety in musicians. …

Literature Review: The Role Of Inflammatory Biomarkers In The Connections Between Sleep And Chronic Health Conditions, Madeline Walker

Honors Program Theses

Decades of research has shown that sleep plays a vital role in our health, and disruptions in sleep can have long term detrimental effects on our lives (Yoo, 2007). The recommended amount of sleep by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) for adults is between 7-9 hours each night (NSF, 2020). It is common knowledge that too few hours of sleep are unhealthy, but scientists are only beginning to understand the mechanisms that explain the connections between sleep patterns and health outcomes (CDC, 2011). Additionally, recent research has shown that excess sleep can be just as detrimental, if not more, to …

Role Of Guns In Child Mortality, Alexandria Bibbs

Honors Program Theses

Gun ownership is a topic which sparks controversy, regardless of what side a person is on. It is something that tends to elicit strong emotion from the public and is a prominent part of American society. But, with freedoms come responsibilities and that leaves room for risk. High levels of gun access and availability have resulted in a high level of gun-related incidents in the United States above other countries around the globe. Unfortunately, young children are a population included in the victims of gun mortality. This thesis analyzes all recorded gun-related deaths of children ages 0 -11 years old …

The Impact Of School-Based Mindfulness Programs On The Externalizing Behavior Of Students, Madison Ruhlmann

Honors Program Theses

Interventions involving mindfulness in schools are becoming increasingly commonplace. Mindfulness is a way of directing attention towards the present moment without passing judgement, and has been adapted as a psychological treatment over the past forty years. The goal of this review is to summarize how schools have used interventions featuring mindfulness; and particularly the impact on externalizing behavior in the classroom. Online database search techniques were utilized in the collection and analysis of these studies. The findings of this review show that mindfulness interventions may be valuable in the reduction of externalizing behavior in the classroom, but the current research …

The Presentation Of Race At Mark Twain Historical Sites In Hannibal, Missouri, Anthony Wayne Birch

Graduate Research Papers

Hannibal, Missouri may not be among the top five or even the top three places to visit, but it is surely getting its share of tourist and revenue. Each year an estimated 350,000 tourists from across the United States and many from around the world visit Hannibal, Missouri to pay homage at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum Annex. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum is located on 206-208 Hill Street, and has been accessible to the public as a museum since 1912, and has been registered as a National Historic Landmark since December 29, 1962.¹ In …

An Exploration In Ramsey Theory, Jake Weber

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

We present several introductory results in the realm of Ramsey Theory, a subfield of Combinatorics and Graph Theory. The proofs in this thesis revolve around identifying substructure amidst chaos. After showing the existence of Ramsey numbers of two types, we exhibit how these two numbers are related. Shifting our focus to one of the Ramsey number types, we provide an argument that establishes the exact Ramsey number for h(k, 3) for k ≥ 3; this result is the highlight of this thesis. We conclude with facts that begin to establish lower bounds on these types of Ramsey …

Life And Death: Quantifying The Risk Of Heart Disease With Machine Learning, Jack Scott Glienke

Honors Program Theses

Coronary heart disease has long been a key area of focus in the discussion of public health. As such, numerous studies have been conducted throughout history with the sole intention of identifying risk factors leading to the onset of cardiovascular conditions. A plethora of statistical procedures can be used to identify an individual’s risk of developing heart disease, yet regression models tend to be the default tool used by researchers. Using the data obtained from the most influential cardiovascular study to date, the Framingham Heart Study, this analysis uses machine learning techniques to generate and test the predictive power of …

Measuring Meaningful Learning In A Chemistry Laboratory, Kylie Engstrom

Honors Program Theses

In the past, students in general chemistry classes at the University of Northern Iowa have struggled with pre-labs due to cognitive overload. To better prepare students for the lab portion of the class and to reduce the amount of cognitive load, professors can provide students with strategies to scaffold information for students. The CLUE General Chemistry curriculum, which emphasizes the use of scientific practices, paired with a new SWH/ADI hybrid laboratory model was implemented in one of the sections of CHEM 1110 in the Fall 2019 semester. The goal of including these new features was to provide more scaffolding for …

The Influence Of State Political Orientation On Firm Environmental Practices, Trisha Coberly

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the correlation between the political environment of the state where a company is headquartered and the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices. Additionally, I add firm specific factors as moderating variables to see if they will positively or negatively influence this relationship. Although there is an abundance of research on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its effects on firm performance this paper will look more narrowly at the environmental aspect of CSR and use state political orientation as the independent variable with firm characteristics acting as the moderating variables. Our results conclude that …