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Venturi Meter Performance When Installed On The Branch Of A Tee Junction With Converging Run Flow, E. Elliot Naulu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Venturi flow meters are often installed downstream of disturbances such as a tee junction, valve, or elbow. In such a case, a laboratory calibration may be needed to measure the Venturi meter’s performance under said limitations so that accurate metering is achieved. However, in some cases, laboratory calibration may not be possible.The purpose of this research was to investigate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) ability to simulate a Venturi meter installed on the branch of a tee junction with converging run flow.

This study used CFD to compare against laboratory results to illustrate CFD’s capability as a calibration method. The results …

Fitting Cell-Based Biomechanical Models From Spatiotemporal Data: A Gradient Descent Approach, Namita Raghuvanshi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Biological systems that contain multiple living cells exhibit complex self-organization during development of an embryo as individual cells coordinate their behaviors to form intricate patterns. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie this emergent behavior is within reach because of advances in cell imaging that can now track hundreds of cells’ states and positions in real time. However, computational methods are needed that can fit physical scientific models to these observations in space and time. This work introduces a new method to solve this problem that applies automatic differentiation and gradient descent, techniques that underlie deep-learning advances. The method fits a biomechanical …

Investigating The Habits Of Mind Of Practicing Engineers, Theresa K. Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One goal of undergraduate engineering education is to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and decision-making strategies that are necessary for success in engineering practice. One proposed method to teach students these skills is to incorporate habits of mind into K-12 and undergraduate curricula. Habits of mind are the intelligent, social behaviors that engineers should aspire to have when solving problems, engaging with others, and dealing with uncertainty. Previous literature has suggested that incorporating ideas about habits of mind in educational curricula can teach students the disciplinary skills, technical knowledge, and social values that would help prepare them to enter …

A Mixed-Methods Approach To Explore Student Perceived Needs For Peer Mentorship In A College Of Engineering, Darcie Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

“Nobody makes it alone. Nobody has made it alone” (NOVA SHRM & Dulles SHRM, 2012, p. 5). Mentoring generally has positive outcomes, such as increasing output, staying in work or school, increasing confidence, and others (Campbell & Campbell, 2007; Crisp & Cruz, 2009; Eby et al., 2008; NASEM, 2019; Pfund et al., 2016). This dissertation study focused on student perceived needs for peer mentorship in engineering, which can fill in gaps of traditional mentorship by pairing mentors and mentees at similar levels, increasing comfort and emotional support to mentees (Allen et al., 2017; Haggard et al., 2011; Kram & Isabella, …

Insights On Reticulate Evolution In Ferns, With Special Emphasis On The Genus Ceratopteris, Sylvia P. Kinosian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The history of life is often viewed as a evenly branching tree; however, in reality it is more like a tangled hedgerow. Many groups of organisms are known to have such a net-like or reticulate evolutionary history, but it is particularly common in ferns and lycophytes (also known as pteridophytes). This dissertation investigates how net-like evolution affects different groups of ferns, with a special emphasis on the model species C-fern (Ceratopteris richardii, also called the antler or water sprite fern). Genomic data are utilized to under-stand hybridization, cryptic species and reticulate evolution in two groups of ferns. The …

The Effects Of An Active Learning Intervention On Increasing Parental Efficacy Regarding Sexual Communication With Toddlers And Young Children, Melissa M. Ferguson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 5 children will experience sexual abuse before the age of 18. To reduce child sexual abuse more effectively and to increase positive sex attitudes and behaviors, a change is needed in how individuals and society view and discuss sexual health and sex education. Parents are in a powerful and readily available role to teach sexual topics in a positive way, but many are lacking sexual knowledge and confidence in their ability to address sexual topics with their children. This study looked at how personal and contextual factors relate to confidence …

A Multilevel Meta-Analysis Of Paired Oral Reading Methods In Elementary Classrooms, Jacob D. Downs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For decades, researchers and practitioners have supported developing readers via synchronous oral reader with a stronger peer or adult tutor. These methods–collectively known as Paired Oral Reading—are purported to promote reading achievement for tutee readers. However, despite nearly 60 years of investigation, no known research has adequately reviewed and synthesized the effects of similar practices commonly known as Paired Oral Reading. This dissertation systematically reviewed the published literature on the various methods of Paired Oral Reading with elementary-age students then meta-analyzed the quantitative studies that met pre-established inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis calculated the effect of Paired Oral Reading outcomes on …

Computational Techniques For Elucidating Plant-Pathogen Interactions: A Case Study On Citrus-Hlb Interactome, Cristian D. Loaiza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Citrus fruit industry in the United States has been affected during the last two decades because of the outbreak of the citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB). Many people and organizations are working in therapeutics to help mitigate the impact of this disease, unfortunately there is not a cure yet. There are many mechanisms that needs to be understood about this disease, especially at the molecular level. Not only HLB, but many other infectious diseases are controlled by the interaction of proteins from the host (Citrus in this case) and from the pathogen that causes the disease. …

Active Stability Monitoring And Stability Control Of Dc Microgrids Using Incremental Continuous Injection, Rohail Hassan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Electrified transportation and integration of renewable energy in the electric power grid requires the use of power electronic converters for integrating different forms of power; from ac to dc, dc to ac, dc to dc, etc. Recent trend towards electrifying automobiles, aircraft and ships, and increasing penetration of renewable energy has increased the required power levels and number of the power electronics converters connected together in a dc microgrid system. Stable operation of these interfacing converters for all operating conditions has been a topic of renewed interest in the last couple of decades. Traditionally, dc microgrids have been designed conservatively …

Relationships Between High School Students' Performance In Aleks Placement, Preparation, And Learning (Ppl) Modules And Performance On The Aleks College Mathematics Placement Exam, Jenny V. Nehring

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The misalignment between the mathematics taught in high school and the mathematics expected at colleges and universities has created a difficult transition for high school students in the U.S. from high school to college level mathematics. Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) have been used to help high school students transition from the mathematics taught in high school to the mathematics expected at colleges and universities across the country. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between high school students’ performance in Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) Placement, Preparation, and Learning (PPL) Modules and …

Predator Defense And Host Selection Behavior Of Billbugs (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), Desireè M. Wickwar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Billbugs are a complex of weevils that feed on the roots of turfgrass, causing severe damage to the plants. These pests are traditionally managed with applications of insecticides. However, there is a need for non-chemical management tools. Here I investigate billbug behavior in relation to two potential avenues for more sustainable management: using resident predators to suppress billbugs (Chapter II) and selecting specific turfgrasses that resist billbug damage (Chapter III). In Chapter II, I investigate the effects of predator presence and cues associated with their presence on billbug behavior. Though resident predators contribute very little to billbug suppression through directly …

Multi-Proxy Approach To Robustly Capture Earthquake Temperature Rise At The Punchbowl Fault, California, Emma M. Armstrong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Earthquakes produce heat along a fault surface from friction created as two blocks of rock move past each other. The amount of heat generated depends on a variety of factors, including rock type, stresses, and thickness of the fault zone. Identifying evidence for and quantifying this earthquake (coseismic) temperature rise are essential for identifying past earthquakes in the rock record. Indirect methods, such as textures and geochemical signatures that change with temperature, can serve as paleothermometers. Here we compare two paleothermometers, biomarkers and thermochronometry, from two transects across the Punchbowl fault (PF), California. The PF is an ancient fault strand …

Control Of Series Connected Battery Powered Modules, Joshua K. Wooten

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Batteries are a very common type of power source used for all sorts of applications. However, these batteries do not last forever. The purpose of this thesis is to explain and implement a strategy which allows batteries to have a second life; to be able to be re-charged and re-used for another set period of time once they no longer meet a system’s requirements. The preferable way to do this is to make each cell have the same state of charge (SOC) which will lead to a longer lasting battery pack. These batteries will be hooked up to a battery …

Phytochrome Physiology And Plant Perception Of Far-Red Photons, Paul Kusuma

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Photons are the primary energy source for most life on Earth, as they drive photosynthesis, a process that turns the CO₂ in air into food. One crucial parameters for the optimization of growth is leaf area, which determines the ability of a plant to capture photons for photosynthesis. In order to gain access to photons in shaded environments, plants have evolved unique sensors, called photoreceptors, which respond to changes in the color and intensity of light.

Far-red photons (photons at the edge of human vision that appear as dim red light) hold particular promise in regulating plant shape and …

Comparing Theoretical Explanations Regarding United States Decision-Making On Regime Change In Peru And In Chile From 1968 To 1973, Lauren Roberts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined the common idea that the CIA is a regime change advocate by testing the merits of two competing political science theories, one focused on internal (endogenous) influences within CIA and one focused on external (exogenous) pressures on CIA emanating from the American public and elected officials. This was accomplished through two case studies – one where the CIA conducted covert regime change operations and one where it did not. Of the two hypotheses, public choice theory, which focused on the external pressure on the CIA, offers the most potential as an explanatory tool for CIA involvement in …

Analysis Of Large Embankment Dam In Case Of Rapid Drawdown And Earthquake Aftershock, Pothikul Vivithkeyoonvong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dams and reservoirs are important as a source of freshwater as well as for regulating flooding and producing hydroelectricity. The same as with any other manmade structure, dams need to monitored and maintained to prevent disastrous failure.

One of the events that can reduce the stability of an embankment dam is rapid drawdown. Rapid drawdown is when the water level decreases at such a rapid rate that the dam material(s) cannot drain and adjust to the change in time. Without the buttressing effect of the water, the upstream slope of the dam becomes less stable. Another threat to dam stability …

3d-Printed Morphing Wings For Controlling Yaw On Flying-Wing Aircraft, Benjamin C. Moulton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The flaps on an airplane wing are used to control the aircraft during flight. These flaps traditionally have at most three articulation or hinge points. Recent studies have shown improved flap efficiency using a conformal flap, which deforms following a curved shape. Much of aircraft improvement comes through increasing its efficiency during flight. This efficiency is generally improved by decreasing the drag force on the aircraft. A potential solution to decrease drag is to remove additional lifting surfaces, such as the horizontal and vertical stabilizer ubiquitous on general aviation aircraft. These additional lifting surfaces are used to trim and control …

Neurotrophic Factor Genetics Of Cognitive Progression And Neuropsychiatric Symptom Presentation In Alzheimer's Disease And Related Disorders, Joshua Matthew Matyi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Cache County Study on Memory in Aging (CCSMA) and subsequent Dementia Progression Study (DPS) were two research studies that took place in Cache County, Utah. These studies followed 5092 participants aged 65 or older for approximately 12 years and looked at risk and protective factors for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. One of the factors investigated was genes that are known to influence brain health, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein found in the brain that helps with the survival of brain cells.

BDNF genes have been shown to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) …

Blessed Are The Poor (In Spirit): Wealth And Poverty In The Writings Of The Greek Christian Fathers Of The Second Century, Jacob D. Hayden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper examines how Greek Christian authors engaged with the topics of poverty and wealth during the second and third centuries CE - a period of major transition for the Christian Church. Beginning with the latest documents in the Greek New Testament (c. 90 - 120), this study traces these themes through the works of the Apostolic Fathers, including Clement of Rome (c. 35 - 99), Ignatius of Antioch (c. 34 - 108), and Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69 - 155). It then addresses to the apologetic authors Justin Martyr (c. 100 - 165) and Irenaeus (c. 130 - 202). …

Attitude And Reflection Parameter Estimation Of Resident Space Objects Using Ground-Based Photometry, Arun J. Bernard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

There are currently thousands of objects orbiting Earth, and this number is only going to increase. Larger number of satellites will require that operators have a greater knowledge of the state their assets. Electro-optical telescopes are currently being used to observe and track many of these objects. When using these telescopes to take images of satellites, they often appear as dots in the image. Depending on the surface properties of the satellite, and its orientation at a given time, the dots in the image can appear brighter or dimmer. Photometry measurements are a quantification of how bright the object appears. …

Plug-And-Play Sql, Shubham Swami

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We present an efficient model to retrieve data from a database by implementing plug-and-play queries using the query guards. The model is efficient in the sense that it saves time when writing a query and promotes query portability and reuse. A plug-and-play query is a freestanding query that can couple to any data socket and self determine whether it can be evaluated reliably on the data. We use hierarchies to improve SQL querying in a way that eliminates the need to write a view to construct virtual tables or a set of tables to run a query. The hierarchy is …

A Phenological Model For A Southern Population Of Mountain Pine Beetle, Catherine E. Wangen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The mountain pine beetle (MPB, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) attacks living Pinus trees across a widespread area of western North America, causing significant ecological and economic damage. The ability to make accurate predictions of how MPB populations across this range will respond to temperatures, which affect MPB progress through life stages, is essential. Northern and southern populations of MPB are genetically different in response to temperature, requiring geographic-specific model parameters. There is not currently a predictive model for the southern MPB life cycle, despite concerns that those populations may be more susceptible to increased numbers of generations per year, which would …

Determination Of The Structure, Function, And Mechanism Of Type Iv Crispr-Cas Prokaryotic Defense Systems, Hannah Nicole Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bacteria are under constant threat of invasion by bacteriophage (viruses which infect bacteria). To prevent bacteriophage from entering and overtaking the bacteria, bacteria utilize defense systems to identify and destroy foreign elements. One method of defense is called CRISPR-Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats – CRISPR-Associated). Many different bacteria and most archaea use CRISPR-Cas systems. There are many diverse types of CRISPR-Cas systems, each of which provides defense in a slightly different way. One such CRISPR-Cas type is called type IV. The type IV CRISPR-Cas system is poorly understood and there are very few studies published on type IV …

Metaxmorph: Hierarchical Transformation Of Data With Metadata, Shubham Airan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research is about transforming data. Data comes in different shapes; it can be structured as a graph, a tree, a collection of tables, or some other shape. In this thesis, we focus on data structured as a tree, which is known as hierarchical data. The same data could be structured in many different tree shapes. Previously it was shown how to transform data from one tree shape, one hierarchy to another without losing any information. But sometimes the pieces of the hierarchy are annotated or associated with metadata, that is, with data about the data itself. The metadata can …

Utilization Of Protective Cultures To Reduce Late Gas Formation By Paucilactobacillus Wasatchensis, Ireland R. Green

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cheesemaking is a process susceptible to defects caused by microbes not purposefully added by the manufacturer. While these bacteria are not a health concern, they can cause problems such as producing carbon dioxide inside the cheese. This can cause slits and cracks in cheese making cheese unsuitable for slicing. One such bacteria identified by cheese researchers at Utah State University and Weber State University is Paucilactobacillus wasatchensis. When present in cheese, it can cause gas formation by using galactose to supply its energy. In doing so, it takes this six-carbon sugar and converts it into a five-carbon sugar and …

Social Media Usage And Psychological Well-Being In Adolescents: A Comparison Among Demographics, Heather A. Mccall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine social media use of adolescents in the U.S. and their psychological well-being to expand the research of this quickly changing topic. The researcher collected online responses from 409 adolescents between the ages of 13-17 years old concerning their social media use and psychological well-being.

Variables in the research included time spent on social media, number of platforms used, active use, parental mediation, and emotional connection. The two variables that had a statistically significant relationship with psychological well-being included parental mediation and emotional connection to social media.

Recommendations for continued research could include …

A Research Project To Investigate The Instructional Preferences Of Alternatively Certified Career And Technical Education Teachers, Jessica Deceuster

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Industry career workers that have transitioned to teaching within the education sector have the knowledge base to develop “what” needs to be taught in Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum; however, they do not have adequate knowledge about instructional strategies or “how” the curriculum content should be taught. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to document the instructional strategies, techniques, and coursework that were taught through the Utah State University Career and Technical Education Academy, to Career and Technical Education teachers that have transitioned from industry to education, and to assess how well the instructional strategies, techniques, and coursework …

Test-Retest Of The 5-Minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test, Katharine Dennison

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of many variables in the 5-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). Many studies have looked at the validity of a 5-minute PVT, but few so far have looked at reliability. For this study, 13 adult females who worked 12-hr shifts were recruited to complete a two trial day study. The first trial day, the subjects submitted health questionnaire followed by a self-reported sleepiness scale and then a 5-minute PVT. The second trial session the subjects only competed the sleepiness scale followed by the 5-minute PVT. After analyzing the data, it was …

Meeting The Needs Of Adult Language Learners: A Focus On Communication And Literacy, Jessica Hercules

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This portfolio is a compilation of the author’s perspectives and reflections about teaching and language acquisition during her time in the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University. The portfolio includes samples of writing on a variety of topics surrounding second language teaching and acquisition developed through study and teaching experience.

This collection of papers begins with the author’s perspectives on teaching, including a description of her desired professional environment, a reflection on her experiences observing other language teachers, and the author’s teaching philosophy statement. In the second section, the author presents two research papers and …

A Teacher's Guide In Creating Linguistic Diverse Classroom: Code-Meshing And Translingual Practice In First-Year Composition, Yvonne Liu

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This thesis and portfolio are inspired by the recent code-meshing pedagogy movement to promote linguistic justice in the composition classroom along with the author’s personal journey in English learning. The traditional, monolingual practice in the composition classroom often isolates international students who have multilingual abilities above the rest of the students. The idea that there is only one correct use of English—standard English—assumes that one type of English is better than others. However, most native speakers cannot explain the rules and mechanism of standard English, which leaves international students often feeling frustrated and lowers their confidence in English writing and …