Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

In The Presence Of Evil: Demonic Perception Narratives, Victoria Jaye

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

I offer a new classification system for organizing, understanding, and validating the inhuman demonic encounter by organizing it through the senses the experience is activating. A demonic or inhuman spirit, which can be used interchangeably, is a spirit in that they exist without bodies, possess abilities greater than that of humans (rendering them inhuman), are hyperintelligent, react negatively to Christian religious iconography, and are malevolent in their behavior towards humans.

The system I have created is organized by the sensory perceptions of the narrative (i.e. sight, sound, smell, and feeling of the demonic presence) then is divided further by the …

The Wingate Anaerobic Test: A Comprehensive Literature Review And Update On Reference Values In Athletes, Caleb Christie

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

The Wingate Anaerobic test (WAnT) was developed in the 1970s as a measurement of lower extremity anaerobic power (Ayalon, Inbar, Bar-Or, 1974) and has long been used as a measurement tool in athletes, who are often defined by numbers. While numbers are not able to entirely predict or evaluate athletic ability, they are often used as a tool to predict or rate athletes. The WAnT has long been a gold standard in evaluating lower extremity power, which is a highly valuable aspect of many sprint and power-driven sports (e.g., hockey, football, or track and field). The WAnT was originally developed …

No Evidence Of Stochastic Resonance In Postural Sway Response To Noisy Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation In Healthy Young Adults, Dominique Rice

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

The transcutaneous application of a sub-sensory electrical stimulation to the vestibular afferents, known as noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS), is thought to cause a reduction in postural sway at optimal amplitude intensities due to a mechanism known as stochastic resonance (SR). SR is a phenomenon whereby the addition of low amplitude noise to a non-linear system can be beneficial rather than detrimental. In humans, behavioral markers of SR in postural sway have been inconsistent, potentially due to insufficient power or false positives. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to determine whether the frequency of observing SR-like effects improves …

Covid-19 Outcomes And The Incidence Of Slavery, Amanda Ortega

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

Environmental factors have been shown to correlate with COVID-19 outcomes. This study advances the literature on health economics by examining the importance of socioeconomic factors. In addition to standard economic factors, I consider the relationship between the past incidence of slavery and COVID-19 outcomes. I analyze county-level U.S. Census data and Georgia Department of Public Health county-level COVID-19 data using regression analysis. I find that the Covid-19 county vaccination rate in Georgia is related to 1860 slave concentration. No statistically significant relationship is found between 1860 slave concentration and COVID-19 death rate, case rate, or vaccination rate when health, socioeconomic, …

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 …

Mindfulness-Based Practices For The Impaired Performance Athlete, Mackenzie L. Campbell

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

Mindfulness-based programs are becoming commonly considered for the improvement of athlete's mental and physical state. However, their usage in improving performance in impaired athletes is limited and not fully understood. The purpose of this thesis was to review the standing literature on the topic of the application of mindfulness to improving athletic performance in wellbeing-impaired athletes. Seventy-three articles were included as references for this paper describing functional mechanisms, clinical significance and anecdotal evidence that points to the effectiveness of mindfulness in sport for the treatment of pain, injury recovery, prevention of injury, and chronic illness. Ultimately, this review supports the …

Methane Emission Treatment And Potential Upcycling Using Methylomicrobium Alcaliphilum, Jace Parkinson

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

Anthropogenic methane emissions are harmful to the environment and can be difficult to treat. Use of M. alcaliphilum for bioremediation of methane looks to be one of the most promising methods of reducing the negative environmental impacts of methane emissions while simultaneously providing an economic incentive. Successful bioreactor design for M. alcaliphilum based methane treatment requires biokinetic constants and microbial growth information. Methods were established for determining biokinetic constants, including growth rate, biomass yield, specific methane consumption rate, and a correlation between methane oxidation and carbon dioxide production for M. alcaliphilum. Values determined for these constants were used to …

Drone Technology In Agriculture Appraisal, Cj Johnson

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

The purpose of this project is to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of implementing a UAV/drone technology within agricultural appraisals. This project is categorized into four categories; introduction, literature review, methodology, and conclusions. The methodology portion of the project is a capital budget analysis measuring the effectiveness of UAVs within the appraisal department. The capital budget will be further developed by conducting a Present Value (NPV) analysis. The NPV analysis consists of a five-year NPV analysis measuring changes in productivity and total revenue caused by UAV technology.

Results were found by using @Risk simulation to simulate data gathered during the project. …

It Isn't Easy Speaking Green: The Influence Of Moral Factors On The (Non-) Adoption Of Pro-Environmental Behaviors, Deferral, And Back Again, Alexi Elizabeth Lamm

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is one of the major issues humans face in the 21^st century. This decade is critical in shaping the future of Earth and the way humans live on it (IPCC, 2018). Changes in human behavior are necessary to mitigate and adapt to climate change. This series of studies explored factors important in communicating and implementing environmental behavior. The first study tested the effects of an online, interactive carbon calculator with moral interventions on three self-reported measures and one objective measure of behavior over a period of weeks. The interventions resulted in small changes in self-reported behavior and …

The Role Of Social Movements In Female Candidacy Decisions, Meg Elizabeth Rasmussen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The study of the impact of the 2017 Women’s March and women’s feelings towards President Donald Trump on female candidacy in the 2018 midterm elections was conducted to observe the emergence of new pathways to candidacy and further understanding political ambition in women. This closely follows social movement literature on political opportunities and changes in mobilizing structures as well as literature on nascent political ambition. Understanding the things that encourage more women to run for office can help increase descriptive representation in the United States and create a more representative democracy.

The methods of observing the phenomenon of the 2018 …

Accessing Healthcare In The Intermountain West During The Age Of Precarious Labor, Jordan Hammon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research aims to improve our understanding about the association between precarious employment and healthcare access. Using the framework of neoliberalism and the history of welfare reform in the United States, this thesis investigates the relationship between precarious labor and two outcomes associated with health insurance access, namely Medicaid utilization, and being uninsured. I also examine one potential consequence of Medicaid utilization and lack of insurance, having a usual place of health care in the context of the Intermountain West region of the United States.

Using new survey data and quantitative methodologies, this research shows how economic changes, particularly related …

Relationship Pacing In Adolescents Before And After A Relationship Education Course: Considering The Influence Of Demographics, Relationship History And Well-Being, Sarah Hodgskiss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adolescence is a time when many individuals begin to participate in dating. Adolescent romantic relationships can have benefits for youth but can also be harmful if they do not have the information and skills needed to form and maintain healthy relationships. This study analyzed survey data from a youth relationship education program entitled the Premarital and Interpersonal Choices and Knowledge (PICK) program from a group of 14,468 adolescents. This study examined how different demographics were associated with decision making in relationships, referred to as relationship pacing in this study, before participating in the course. Demographic factors that were included were …

Exploring Analytical Issues Associated With Oxidation Kinetics In Drinking Water, Shadi Haji Eghrari

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation contains two different section that pertain to two different subjects.

Section One (Haloamines): Disinfection with ozone and chlorine is critical in protecting the public and animals from pathogens in pools. Disinfection results in in the formation of haloamines from the unintended reactions of human and animal inputs and bromide/chloride with oxidants and disinfectants which cause health problems.

The purpose of this research was to examine the occurrence of haloamines during the chlorination of saltwaters. In this study, the effect of bromide concentration was observed to exert a significant effect on the stability of Haloamines, and with no bromide …

Effects Of Military And Economic Aid On Terrorism: A Long- And Short-Term Analysis, Haley Parker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper asks whether U.S. aid reduces terrorism. Foreign assistance may be of two types: socio-economic aid (aims to address the root causes of terrorism by improving health care, education, justice systems, infrastructure, etc. in the recipient country) and military aid (designed to fight terrorism with force and manifests as military operations in a recipient country). Most countries receive both military aid and socio-economic US aid for long spells of time. This is why this research asks: 1) how economic and military types of aid influence terrorism over time, and 2) whether and how economic aid and military types of …

School-Based Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Adolescents With Anxiety, Julie M. Petersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mental health problems, particularly anxiety, are a growing problem in adolescents. Some treatments (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy) have been shown effective for youth anxiety, but do not help all adolescents. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a treatment supported for anxiety in adults, has yet to be fully researched in adolescents. ACT is a flexible therapy that is understood to be appropriate, if not ideal, for younger populations and schools. The present study compares a school-based, group ACT for adolescents with anxiety to a waitlist.

Adolescents (N = 26) with anxiety were randomized to a 12 week waitlist or to participate …

Parents' Perceptions Of Life Skill Development And Satisfaction With Utah 4-H, Oakley G. Perry

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The 4-H program is the nation’s largest youth development program with near six million members nationwide. Utah 4-H provides this program to the residents of Utah through Utah State University’s Extension Service. The program focuses on teaching life skills to youth to prepare them for their future using hands on educational programs tied to project areas, or particular topics like equine science or fine arts. Utah 4-H has many different stakeholders, one of which being the parents of its members. For youth programs to continue to be successful, these programs must show stakeholders their significance and ensure that its audience …

Concrete Maturity Method Applied To Rapid-Setting Calcium-Sulfoaluminate (Csa) Concretes For Pavement Repair Under Different Ambient Temperatures, Ryan Nicholas Langford

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With more and more people using roadways the need for fast and efficient repair work is becoming increasingly important. Lane closures impede traffic flow and result in congestion. To further limit the amount of time lane closures are needed for repair work, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement concrete has become an increasing popular construction material for its ability to reach adequate strength requirements within four hours. Because of this accelerated repair time, advanced testing methods are needed to verify that the replaced concrete does indeed meet or exceed the minimum compressive strength requirements.

The maturity method is one test used to …

Big Fires, Big Trees, And Big Plots: Enhancing Our Ecological Understanding Of Fire With Unprecedented Field Data, Tucker J. Furniss

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildfire is an inexorable process in western landscapes, posing a major challenge to land managers: how can we use fire to restore healthy forests without jeopardizing human communities? The purpose of this dissertation is to produce research that will help guide management and support effective wildland fire use in fire-prone forests.

I utilized a longitudinal dataset from a single, large forest plot that burned under serendipitous circumstances during the 2013 Rim Fire. My research revealed that post-fire mortality models under-predict mortality of large trees, and may need to be re-calibrated to perform well under future climates. I used satellite-derived data …

Foliar Photodegradation In Pesticide Environmental Modeling, Sean M. Lyons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The work described here was conducted to better understand how pesticides will behave following their application to crops or soil. This understanding will allow for better use of pesticides which will protect the environment and non-target organisms while remaining effective against pests. The Pesticide Dissipation form Agricultural Land (PeDAL) model was developed to simulate pesticide behavior following application and laboratory experiments focused on the photodegradation of select pesticides on alfalfa leaves were conducted to support this model.

Generation Of Sheep Models Of Cystic Fibrosis By Gene Editing And Cloning, Iuri Viótti Périssé

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects over 80,000 people worldwide and is caused by mutations that disrupt the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene. This gene encodes a channel protein that regulates ion transport in cells. The most common mutation in the human CFTR gene is F508del, which is characterized by the deletion of a phenylalanine amino acid in the CFTR protein. The second most common mutation is G542X, a protein synthesis “stop” mutation that prevents the production of the CFTR channel protein. An impediment that prevents the further understanding CF is the limited …

Understanding Community Resilience Resources And Experiences Of Inequity Within The Lgbtq+ Community: Implications For Identity And Mental Health Disparities, Joshua G. Parmenter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Being a part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer plus (LGBTQ+) community has been linked with positive well-being. Research has established that the LGBTQ+ community has community-level resources (e.g., connection, belonging, shared hardships) that sexual and gender diverse people can utilize to cope in the face of discrimination (i.e., community resilience). However, due to various forms of discrimination and oppression, those with marginalized identities within the LGBTQ+ community (i.e., LGBTQ+ people of color, plurisexual, gender diverse) may not have equal access to LGBTQ+ community resilience resources.

This dissertation is composed of three separate studies aimed at understanding sexual …

Susceptibility Of High-Elevation Forests To Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus Ponderosae Hopkins) Under Climate Change, David N. Soderberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Across western North America, pine forests are important for timber, wildlife habitat, and at high elevations are important for water retention and yield from rain and snowmelt. The mountain pine beetle (MPB) is one of the most significant disturbance agents shaping pine forests, and like all insects, temperature is a major driver of its population success and the dynamics of the landscapes that they inhabit. Changing temperature regimes can therefore directly influence MPB population persistence at a particular location, in addition to potential shifts in the range boundaries that they inhabit. MPB is currently expanding its range northward in British …

The Periaqueductal Grey In Opioid Tolerance And Chronic Pain, Akila Ram

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pain is the body’s natural warning system to indicate one is in an environment highly detrimental to survival. The body’s response to the sensation of pain is to immediately withdraw from this environment, ensuring continued survival. However, when pain lasts beyond the window in which it is useful, it no longer serves as a helpful warning system but instead degrades the quality of life. Chronic pain leads to patients seeking opioids to alleviate their condition and regain control of their lives. A severe negative side effect of the use of opioids to treat chronic pain is the development of tolerance …

Synergistic Effect Of High Intensity Ultrasound, Antimicrobial Compounds, And Uv-A Light On Microbial Quality Of Dairy Products, Bryce Rodney Hales

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Food spoilage and contamination remains a common problem within the food industry. Furthermore, the continued change of consumer demand and perspective on food quality and products has led the food industry and researchers to find new methods of food preservation. Many of these new methods hope to use non-thermal processes since thermal processes tend to decrease the overall quality of the final product. Some new non-thermal methods that have been looked at are the use of high intensity ultrasound (HIU), ultraviolet light, and the use of natural antimicrobials. In this study, UHT milk inoculated with either E. coli K12 or …

The Moderating Effect Of Intraoffice Group Dynamics On The Ambulation Of Sms-Prompted Utah Tech Professionals, David Collins Moore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research examined the extent to which group membership affects the impact of text message activity prompts on daily step count. Two 17-member convenience samples were recruited from various software companies in Utah. The participants in the cohesive group unit sample worked in close proximity to one another in a single office, while the lone participants were recruited from and worked in separate offices. Participants’ daily step count baselines were established during the initial 2 weeks of the experiment, after which they were sent text message activity prompts twice per workweek day for the remaining 4 weeks. Step count data …

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Quantify Erosion Control Measures On A Reclaimed Central Utah Coal Mine, Christopher R. Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For certain landscape reclamation efforts surrounding, the Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining (UDOGM) utilizes a surface roughing technique called “pocking”. The process of pocking establishes closely spaced gouges approximately 1.2 meters in diameter and 0.5 meters deep across a reclaimed landscape in order to reduce surface erosion and promote plant growth on steep terrain in arid regions. Pocks are designed as a series of micro watersheds that trap water to aid in plant establishment and reduces overland flow of water. Over time vegetation grows within the pocks as they infill with sediment. While this method is considered an …

Dietary Shifts Related To Water Availability And The Demographic Response To Changing Prey Abundance Of Carnivores In The West Desert, Utah, Ashley E. Hodge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The decrease in number and range of North American large carnivores, has often all owed smaller carnivores ( < 15 kg) to fill the role of the top predator. This has favored some carnivores such as coyotes (Canis latrans), who have expanded their distribution. Other small carnivores such as kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) have experienced a range shrinkage and their population status throughout the United States is a concern. Historically, western U.S. natural resource management agencies installed artificial water sources to assist desert wildlife, but some researchers believe the access to water allowed more coyotes to live in Utah’s West Desert. In the late-1980s, research proposed that without free drinking water, coyotes would have to triple …

Religious Sexual Minorities And Suicide Risk: The Moderating Role Of Lgbq And Religious Belongingness, Samuel Skidmore

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study aimed to provide insights into the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer/questioning (LGBQ) people within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS), and to explore how aspects of sexuality and religiousness relate to suicidal ideation. Through survey data from 910 participants across two separate studies, several conclusions were drawn. Feelings of belongingness in the CJCLDS may predict decreased suicidal ideation. LGBQ belongingness led CJCLDS service attendance to be more strongly predictive of suicidal ideation, whereas it decreased the negative effects of feeling negatively toward one’s sexual identity. More generally, concealing one’s sexual identity, feeling negatively …