Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Computer Mediated Communication Strategies For Organization During Covid-19 Pandemic, Paul A. Lucas

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Seed Mix Design, Planting Time, And First-Year Mowing Management To Improve Multifunctionality And Cost-Effectiveness Of Tallgrass Prairie Reconstructions, Alec James Glidden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The conversion of the Midwestern United States’ tallgrass prairies to agriculture has resulted in extensive habitat loss and degradation and a decline in the provisioning of ecosystem services. To restore these services the United States Department of Agriculture created the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) which provides incentives to agricultural landowners to implement conservation practices designed to meet goals pertaining to single ecosystem services. We studied the effects of seed mix design, planting time, and first-year management on the multifunctionality and cost-effectiveness of prairie reconstructions. We established research plots planted with one of three seed mixes either in the dormant (fall) …

Community Diversity Influences Selection On Nutrient Resorption In Panicum Virgatum, Michael J. Lashbrook

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) is a bioenergy crop shown to conserve and recycle nutrients through a process known as nutrient resorption. While there are many studies looking at various aspects of nutrient cycling in switchgrass, it remains unclear whether selection is acting upon increased nutrient resorption in this species. Further, there are no phenotypic selection studies coupling empirical sexual and asexual reproduction data.

A field study and a modeling study were conducted to determine phenotypic selection on nutrient resorption and the influence of resorption on asexual reproduction in switchgrass. For the field study of phenotypic selection, I hypothesized selection favors …

Front Matter - Table Of Contents - Preface

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 53, Number 1, Fall 2021 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Communication Ethics Literacy: Dialogue & Difference, Maryl Mcginley

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

The Systematics Of Physaria Sensu Stricto From Wyoming And Surrounding Areas, Jason Ratcliff

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Two genera of Brassicaceae – Lesquerella and Physaria – were recently united on the basis of monophyly. Classically, these genera have been distinguished based on morphology with 'traditional” Physaria species having doubly inflated (didymous) fruits. Molecular data consisting of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences indicate Physaria has evolved from the larger Lesquerella genus, thus making Lesquerella a paraphyletic grouping as previously described. A revised treatment of the combined Physaria recognized 106 species within the genus, of which 26 taxa occur in Wyoming. Of the Wyoming taxa, those traditionally described as belonging to Physaria (i.e.Physaria sensu stricto) have …

Front Matter - Table Of Contents - Preface

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 53, Number 2, Fall 2021 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Welcome From The Editor, Kristen L. Majocha

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Facebook Top Fans, Opinion Leadership, & Percieved News Bias: A Modern Application Of Two-Step Flow To Online News Distribution, Sherice Gearhart, Bingbing Zhang, Sydney E. Brammer

Iowa Journal of Communication

News distributed via Facebook feature comments, which influence audiences. Integrating hostile media bias and two-step flow, this study tests whether an individual’s issue positions, experiences, and exposure to comments influence how Top Fans and others perceive news bias. A survey experiment using a nationwide sample of Facebook users (N = 319) tested the influence of the opinion climate on COVID-19 vaccinations and federal student loan forgiveness. Results show visible opinion leaders (i.e., Top Fans) differently perceived bias in news content.

Consideration Of The Ethical Implications Of Artificial Intelligence In The Audit Profession, Marcy Kim Uglum

Honors Program Theses

Given its burgeoning development and powerful use of data interpretation and analyses, AI is important to the future of the auditing profession. These new and emerging tools are needed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of tasks (Baldwin, Brown, & Trinkle, 2007). Firms that provide these auditing services are looking for ways to use AI to assess the risk of unstructured and semi-structured, repetitive, decisions. Although AI is currently playing a prominent role in various aspects of our modern society, the use of this technology is still in the earlier stages of development for the auditing profession. Therefore, this research …

Fraud And Covid-19: An Unintended Downside Of Government Aid During The Pandemic, Derek Labarge

Honors Program Theses

Last year, COVID-19 brought an unprecedented global crisis to the world. As experts continue to analyze the virus itself, it is also necessary to study the aftermath of the pandemic. This includes any unforeseen consequences from the actions taken by people and governments trying to navigate their way through the chaos. This project aims to focus on one of these consequences: fraud. Past disasters and crises have unfortunately shown that these times of need for people are often when third parties, businesses, or even victims themselves take advantage of the situation for personal gain, often at the expense of those …

Evaluating College Students' Attitudes And Understanding Of Recycling, Taylor Shipley

Honors Program Theses

Individuals have different habits, beliefs, and knowledge regarding recycling. These can be due to a variety of reasons such as peers, upbringing, accessibility of recycling, or prior knowledge of what can be recycled. A school setting, in particular, can be influential to a student’s motivation to recycle; schools can provide an environment for students to learn about the importance of recycling and other various sustainability initiatives. Like most campuses, students’ recycling behaviors on the University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) campus are likely to be affected to some degree by the reasons listed above as well as other life experiences.

Recycling …

Creating An Optimal Portfolio With Covariance Adjustments For Moving Average Trends, Jayden Moore

Honors Program Theses

In this analysis, I investigate whether combining these two traditional methods of portfolio construction, mean-variance optimization and trend following, enhance the performance of a portfolio. Specifically, I consider whether stock trends within a pool of stock mechanically influences the covariance matrix for this pool of assets–a crucial input for mean-variance optimization. I then use these trend modified covariances to form a new mean-variance optimized portfolio and then evaluate performance. Instead of using the trends to determine whether or not to invest in a stock, as trend analysis postulates, I will be using trends to create new covariances between assets that …

Converging Artificial Intelligence And Blockchain Technologies For Security And Risk Management In Banking, Van Binh Hai Tran

Honors Program Theses

The focus of this thesis is on understanding the potential applications of blockchain and AI technologies in the banking and finance sector for better risk management and cybersecurity. In this thesis, I will do an extensive literature review of research on AI and Blockchain in the top eight information systems journals and some top-rated computer science journals. The intention is to examine the use of blockchain and AI to enhance remote work security and fraud detection in the Banking and Finance sector.

Gilti Regulations: The Intended Effects Compared To The Actual Results, Carson Lee Ehrenberg

Honors Program Theses

In this thesis, the proposed effects of GILTI have been analyzed and compared to the true effects of GILTI. Research has been done to see if GILTI is actually influencing firm’s choices on investment location, if companies are involving themselves in even more creative tax 2 planning, or if firms are simply absorbing the cost. This research will be important to show whether or not the current U.S. tax system is achieving its proposed goals. This research will also be useful for those that are looking to assess the success of Congress’ actions when it comes enacting new tax legislation. …

Spreading Awareness And Gaining Donor Support For Uni Dance Marathon, Hannah Marie Dash

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover new ways to spread awareness of UNI DM in order to increase support for children and families connected to the local CMN hospital - The UI Stead Hospital. The project explored how nonprofit organizations effectively teach others about their missions, as well as fundraising efforts that contribute to a donor’s decision on if and where to give donations. This new information will help UNI DM discover new and improved ways to expand knowledge of the cause and increase donor participation, which will enhance the financial and emotional support that the organization offers …

Homeownership By Race: Factors That Explain The Homeownership Gap Between Blacks And Whites, Sarah Madsen

Honors Program Theses

A key source of wealth and a symbol of hard work, homeownership is at the heart of the American Dream. The disparity of homeownership between whites and blacks has existed for decades and has only increased. The homeownership rate gap is wider now than before the 1968 Fair Housing Act, with about a 30-percentage point gap. This paper investigates the reasons for the homeownership rate gap by discussing policies history, discriminatory practices, and other minority disadvantages.

Jacob Brandenburg Master Of Music Recital Abstract, Jacob Brandenburg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This recital abstract serves as supplemental material to the Master of Music degree recital by Jacob Brandenburg. The recital will take place on March 26, 2021,at 8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time in Bengtson Auditorium at the University of Northern Iowa. Works by composers Paul Hindemith, Ida Gotkovsky, Daniel Asia, and Joan Tower will be performed. Performers Andrea Verburg and Dr. Robin Guy will collaborate with Brandenburg for this recital. In addition to providing musical and historical context, this document will address specific considerations regarding performance practice for each piece.

Activity Recognition Based On Thermopile Imaging Array Sensors, Qingshan Liang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With aging population, the importance of caring for elderly people is getting more and more attention. In this paper, a low resolution thermopile array sensor is used to develop an activity recognition system for elderly people. The sensor is composed of a 32x32 thermopile array with the corresponding 33° × 33° field of view. The outputs of the sensor are sequential images in which each pixel contains a temperature value. According to the thermopile images, the activity recognition system first determines whether the target is within the tracking area; if the target is within the tracking area, the location of …

Geospatially-Intelligent Three-Dimensional Multivariate Methods For Multiscale Dasymetric Mapping Of Urban Population: Application And Performance In The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area, Nikolay Golosov

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The wide availability of remote sensing data, the development of computer technology, and the accessibility of census data in the digital form created new opportunities for highly accurate population estimates. Of particular scientific interest is the method of dasymetric mapping, which can significantly improve the spatial accuracy of mapping socio-demographic processes. In addition to population density, the method has considerable potential in mapping the distribution of other social, economic and demographic variables, such as income level, crime, ethnicity, etc. Another significant gap in the existing studies is the development of three-dimensional dasymetric mapping methods.

This study is focused on developing …

School Speech-Language Pathologists' Identification, Use, And Need Of Resources And Materials, Emily Michael, Melissa Tranel, Hannah Fahey

Graduate Research Papers

School speech-language pathologists participated in a survey to determine use of materials and limitations related to access. Participants ranked the communication areas lacking resources and identified materials needed. Areas noted included handouts, evaluation information, and therapy materials/activities. A summary of results and a compilation of resources will be presented.

Viability Of A Proposed Transparent Fluid Model For Analog Metal Casting Filling Process, Andres Segura Irazoqui

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research work was conducted to develop a proposed transparent fluid model to mimic dross formation and dispersion in metal castings during the mold filling process. The major cause for dross formation includes the air entrainment, surface turbulence, and bubbles, which create oxide films inside the molten metal. The oxide films are trapped inside the casting after solidification causing detrimental effects on the mechanical properties of the casting.

The objective of the investigation was to explore the feasibility using phenolic urethane as a transparent fluid material to investigate air entrainment mechanism. The experimentation consists of the following materials: the phenolic …

Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Of The Motor Cortex On Cycling Time Trial Performance And Prefrontal Cortex Activation, Abigail Hope Auten

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that delivers low levels of a constant current via scalp electrodes to specifically targeted areas of the brain. The effects of tDCS on whole-body exercise performance has been of interest in recent literature. Purpose: To investigate if tDCS, administered via Halo Sport, influences time trial performance in trained cyclists, and if changes in exercise performance are associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and/or muscle oxygenation (SmO2). Methods: Twelve recreationally trained cyclists volunteered to participate in two 10km time trials following 20 minutes of tDCS or a sham condition. Results: T-tests showed …

How Hpa Stress Response Relates To Anxiety: Sex Differences And Estradiol, Carrie Shea

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Cortisol is a stress hormone secreted during activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a system within the body that shows increased activation in response to stress. Cortisol is often assumed to be related to anxiety. However, previous research on the relationship between cortisol and anxiety is mixed. The present research examined the moderating effects of sex differences and estrogen on the relationship between cortisol reactivity and anxiety. Participants (n = 54) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and completed measures of anxiety. Consistent with previous research, it was hypothesized that men will exhibit increased cortisol reactivity compared to women. …

The Zones Of Regulation In Schools, Kyle Andrew-Kelly Wiebers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Emotion regulation is a concept that has existed within the literature for decades, but the presence of emotion regulation programs in schools is a relatively new concept in research (Durlak et al., 2011). Research suggests that emotional regulation skills are related to improved peer relationships and academic success (Denham & Brown, 2010; Durlak et al., 2011). Students who exhibited well-adjusted, or adaptive, emotion regulation had better peer relationships and were more productive and accurate when completing academic tasks (Denham & Brown, 2010; Dvir et al., 2014; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010; Kim‐Spoon et al., 2013; Lereya et al., 2015). For this …

Arthropod Fauna Of Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys Bursarius) Burrow Systems, Brett Lyle Gourley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Pocket gophers are among the most asocial mammals, living a solitary existence except for mating and the rearing of offspring. They create expansive burrow systems underground while foraging for food and rarely surfacing above ground. As gophers burrow, excess soil is pushed to the surface or placed in older tunnels. This behavior creates a cave-like ecosystem where pocket gophers and associated arthropods live.

Few studies have been done on the arthropod fauna cohabitating with pocket gophers in these burrows. Most of these studies have focused on a family of arthropods over several sites. Many have focused on the southern United …

Financial Literacy On College Campuses And Its Relationship To Student Retention, Completion, And Debt, Jaclyn K. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study asked Directors of Financial Aid Office at colleges and universities in Iowa to complete a questionnaire and share how they were implementing collaborative financial literacy programs at their institution. The study sought to answer three questions: (1) To what extent are institutions in Iowa working cross-departmentally to incorporate financial literacy into programming on their campus?, (2) What is the connection between cross-departmental financial literacy programming and student graduation and retention?, and (3) How is cross-departmental financial literacy programming reflected in federal student loan data?

The study found that each of the institutions that participated collaborated with at least …

Understanding The Use Of Crisis Communication In Clery Act Compliance, Allyson L. Rafanello

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research explores the experiences of eight individuals with positional responsibility for the implementation of the Clery Act as a part of a college or university campus community, specifically seeking to understand the use of crisis communication theory in the issuance of timely warnings. Qualitative methods, specifically semi-structured interviews and a content analysis of previously issued timely warnings,were employed. These methods allowed the researcher to explore and seek understanding of a focused area of Clery Act compliance while hearing directly from the individuals charged with managing a detailed and ever complicated process in their efforts to protect their campus communities. …