Digital Commons Network^™

Automatic Data-Driven Partitioned Modeling Of Power System Dynamics With Smart Power Electronic Inverters, Sunil Subedi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary aim of this dissertation is to provide an efficient statistical modeling and simulation technique for extracting the dynamics of converter-dominated power systems (CDPS) with the device level details using the least amount of computation time while maintaining a reasonable level of accuracy. These test cases are intended for use by power system researchers that need to develop test cases that can perform accurate dynamic analysis on a high integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) for stability analysis while speeding up simulation time and reducing computational complexity. Additionally, utilities/grid operators must properly plan, operate, and dispatch. Case studies that can …

The Impact Of Cluster Strength On Wages: An Empirical Analysis, Devan Schaefer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I examine the relationship between clusters (i.e., the grouping of competitive, interconnected industries within a geographical area) and wages, building upon the work of Marshall (1890) and Porter (2003) on the importance of clusters for regional economic development. I seek to answer two research questions. First, after accounting for robustness tests, do clusters continue to affect wages positively? Second, is labor force productivity the only channel through which this relationship occurs? In my analysis, I employ ordinary least squares, two-stage least squares, and fixed effects regression analyses using panel data from 2009 to 2014 for every U.S. …

Response Of Bed Shear Stress In Open-Channel Flow To A Sudden Change In Bed Roughness, Muhammad Farrukh Jamil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The estimation of bed shear stress plays a pivotal role in understanding the complexities of flow dynamics in both natural and engineered channels. The commonly employed log law formula offers a mechanism to compute the bed shear stress in open channel flows. However, its applicability in flow transition remains relatively unexplored. In this thesis, an in-depth investigation into the behavior of the velocity profiles and bed shear stress during the transition from Rough to Smooth (RTS) and Smooth to Rough (STR) beds is undertaken. Experiments were conducted on smooth-to-rough (STR) and rough-to-smooth (RTS) transitions in an open channel flume under …

The Effects Of Residue Amounts And Variety Selection On The Development Of Wheat Fungal Pathogens In South Dakota, Abrielle Tembreull

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roughly 50% of South Dakota cropland is under the practice of no-till, with large increases in acres of no-till in the last 20 or so years. No-till is beneficial for Great Plains states, such as South Dakota, as soil residues are withheld. Residues are shown to increase soil health through retention of moisture and increase of microorganisms, but residues can serve as a source of inoculum for fungal pathogens that can overwinter on them. As wheat is one of the most important food crops in the world, it is important to protect this vital crop from diseases. Diseases of wheat …

Effect Of Foliar And Preplant Sulfur Application On Soybean Nutrient Uptake, Yield, And Seed Protein And Oil Content, Gena Ram Mahato

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, Sulfur (S) deficiency has been observed in soybean producing regions in the US and different parts of the world. The major factors behind the frequent occurrence of S deficiency are reduced atmospheric S deposition due to strict regulations on emissions from fossil fuels, large S removal from high yielding crops, less use of fertilizers containing S, and intensive cultivation practices. To test S limitations, I conducted two independent studies from 2019 to 2021 at two locations in Eastern South Dakota to determine the effect of foliar and preplant S application on soybean. The objectives of this research …

Soil Profile Properties And Greenhouse Gas Emissions As Influenced By Long-Term Cattle Manure And Inorganic Fertilizer Applications Under Corn-Soybean-Spring Wheat Rotation In Eastern South Dakota, Anuoluwa Ojonoka Sangotayo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The application of manure and inorganic fertilizer in row crops may significantly influence soil and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Understanding the long-term influence of these management practices on soil pore characteristics, hydro-physical properties and greenhouse gas emission is essential in developing proper conservation practices. However, there is limited information on the impact of cattle manure and inorganic fertilizer application on soil hydro-physical properties, soil pore characteristics at lower depths and surface GHGs emissions. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to; (i) utilize X-ray computed tomography (XCT) technique to quantify the impact of manure and fertilizer amendments under a corn …

Surface Reflectance Product Generated From Mss Using Smacaa And Validation With Respect To Ledaps, Rahul Kumar Shah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Landsat MSS 1-5 sensors were the only sensors that provided systematic global multispectral space-based observation of the Earth’s surface from early 1970s, but they lack Level-2 Collection 2 surface reflectance (L2C2 SR) products. This research proposes a method of generating L2C2 SR products for the MSS 1-5 sensors going back to the 1970s. The primary motivation behind this project was to validate the SMACAA model ability to operate on MSS sensors. SMACAA is based on the inversion of MODTRAN and the automated application of SDSU meteorological database, and does not require a SWIR band. First, the performance of SMACAA model …

Modulatory Effects Of Deacetylated Sialic Acids On Breast Cancer Resistance Protein-Mediated Multidrug Resistance And Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-Targeted Therapy, Isaac Tuffour

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major challenge in cancer treatment, accounting for over 90% of chemotherapeutic failures. Cancers utilize sugar residues to engage in multidrug resistance. The underlying mechanism of action involving glycans, specifically the glycan sialic acid (Sia) and its various functional group alterations, has not been explored. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins, key proteins utilized by cancers to engage in MDR pathways, contain Sias in their extracellular domains. Modulating the expression of acetylated-Sias on Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP), a significant ABC transporter implicated in MDR, in lung and colon cancer cells directly impacted the ability of cancer …

Ecological Impacts Of Anthropogenic Chemicals On Non-Target Species And The Role Of Plant Diversity In Ecosystem Restoration And Resilience, Shiva Torabian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding ecosystem processes in rangelands is of paramount importance for ensuring global food security, given their pivotal role in sustaining forage and livestock production. Central to this understanding are fundamental processes such as nutrient cycling, decomposition, and plant biomass dynamics. However, the use of anthropogenic chemicals in agricultural practices has the potential to exert significant influence on these critical ecosystem functions. A pivotal factor in this context is the plant diversity inherent to these rangeland ecosystems. Plant diversity not only provides essential ecosystem functions but also enhances them with the capacity to withstand and recover from perturbations. Ecosystems characterized by …

Advancement Via Individual Determination And Its Impact On The Academic Achievement Of African American Male Students, Christerpher L. Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and its impact on the academic achievement of African American and White male students. A causal-comparative quantitative design was used as the methodology for this study. For this study, the academic achievement of AVID and non-AVID African American and White male students was measured by comparing their Algebra 1 scores. The sample included data from approximately 550 African American and White male high school students in a suburban school district in Texas. Student achievement data were collected and analyzed using a statistical …

Perceptions Of Organizational Politics And Interpersonal Relationships In Black Women's Organizations And Sororities, Mitzi S. Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although much research has addressed the relationships between leaders and followers, none has focused on these relationships between Black women—specifically, in the context of Black women’s social service organizations and sororities—and the impact the leader’s chosen style of leadership has on the followers’ use of voice. Self silencing is a prominent response to the power dynamic in many leader–follower relationships. The purpose of this study was to describe the interactions between leaders and followers in Black women’s social service organizations and sororities and identify the influence leadership style has on follower engagement. This study extends the application of silencing the …

Technological Content Knowledge And Technological Pedagogical Knowledge In Secondary Science Teachers: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Stefanie Graban

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in K-12 education are increasingly using technology in their courses. However, teachers may struggle to implement technology effectively in their specific subject areas. Existing research demonstrates that there was a need to better support in-service science teachers’ technological content knowledge. Accordingly, the purpose of this practitioner research study was to examine how, why, and to what extent in-service secondary science teachers report using technology as part of instructional practices. The TPACK framework was used as the theoretical lens for a mixed methods study exploring secondary science teachers’ technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK) and technological content knowledge (TCK). Multiple data sources …

An Assessment Of Improvement Challenges & Lessons Learned From Feeding Students Of A Large Urban School District During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jamar King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation study took place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to examine the work of school food service professionals as this has implications for all school food service staff. Specifically, this study focused on the role of the cafeteria managers, through their practices, beliefs, the support needed, and challenges they faced during a complicated reality of meeting student needs, and to contribute to the improvement practices in school food service for future emergencies. The research questions, methods, and data analysis are framed using the first three principles of Improvement Science described …

The Health And Health Care Needs And Experiences Of Mexican Heritage Individuals In A Nonmetro Location: An Ethnonursing Study, Karla Adu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The population of Mexican heritage individuals has grown significantly in nonmetro, emerging communities. The purpose of this study was to explore the health and health care needs and experiences of this population in the Midwest. Methods: Leininger’s Culture Care Theory and Ethnonursing Research Methods were used as the guiding theory and methodology for the qualitative study. Interviews were conducted with 27 informants. Recordings were transcribed and analyzed according to Leininger’s phases of data analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the data: 1. living a better life in a nonmetro community with and for family, 2. barriers to understanding …

Revelations In The Blood: Determination Of Biomarkers And Analytes, Jeremiah Jamrom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Changes in body chemistry have long been utilized as a tool for medical diagnosis. Whether blood panel, toxin level, antigen testing or any of the myriad other tests performed annually, searching for molecules which confer health status is a long-established practice. These tests give physicians more information and allow them to make a more accurate diagnosis, from which appropriate treatment can stem. Awareness of, and the subsequent search for, biomarkers for disease states have grown substantially in the past years as analytical, biochemical, and instrumental techniques have become more precises and powerful. In an era of increasingly personalized medicine, novel …

Speciated Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry In Combination With Thor’S Hammer Metaspike Technology For The Assessment Of Low-Level Biomarkers For Human Health Evaluation, Ashley Ebert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our research team has been focused on quantifying important biological analytes in human blood samples to delineate the biochemical processes underlying certain states of dysfunction and evaluate treatment efficacy. These efforts have been guided by laboratory measurements with the input of medical experts. Speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS) explained in detail in EPA Method 6800 has been successfully applied in the quantification of an important biomarker analyte for immune function and detoxification processes: glutathione. Past research has proven the molecule a biomarker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the form of the reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio, and literature has …

The Ethical Imperative Of Inclusion In Healthcare Innovation: Scaling And Sustaining Digital Health Equity, Lukas E. Chandler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the harm of digital health exclusion. Excluded groups could not benefit from virtual care due to device access gaps, broadband connectivity, and digital and language literacy levels. A lack of engagement with historically excluded populations in digital health innovation is an ethical harm and a maleficent form of social exclusion. Digital tools in healthcare delivery represent more than just a strategy for promoting health equity; they signify an opportunity to address health inequities in the health technology design process.

The historical focus of healthcare ethics on bedside decision-making issues largely explains why the field lacks concerted …

A Qualitative Study Into Modern Psychoanalytic Joining And Mirroring Through Psychotherapeutic Exchanges, Tricia Shihui Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation intends to address current deficits in knowledge regarding the modern psychoanalytic interventions of joining and mirroring, including substantial definition issues in the literature and the absence of current writings on the psychotherapeutic interventions of joining and mirroring in practice. The focus of the study was on the ever-dynamic landscape between modern analytically-informed practitioners and their clients in psychotherapeutic exchange(s) that the practitioners believed encompassed joining and/or mirroring interventions. Participants were six experienced practitioners who described their clinical work as being informed by modern psychoanalysis and who have engaged or were currently engaging in individual psychotherapy with a client. …

Quantum Computations And Molecular Dynamics Simulations: From The Fundamentals Of Antimicrobial Resistance To Neurological Diseases, Angel Tamez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biophysical phenomena are modeled using a combination of quantum and classical methods to interpret and supplement three distinct and diverse problems in this dissertation. In the first project, decarboxylation reactions are ubiquitous across chemical and biological disciplines, yet the origin of non-catalytic solvent effects remains elusive. Specific solvent structure and energetics have not been well described for the monoanion of malonate, nor corrected from the gas-phase charge-assisted intramolecular hydrogen bond model known as “pseudochair”. In the aqueous phase, a low-lying energy conformer known as the “orthogonal conformation” is computed to be preferred by a three-water cluster of hydrogen bonding over …

Examining The Effects Of An Early Mand Training Intervention On Mand Acquisition In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Maram Alnahari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show language delays. Their limited communication skill may lead them to engage in the same disruptive behavior that previously got them what they wanted. Verbal behavior (VB), specifically mand training (MT), is one of the early language intervention strategies used to target language development and facilitate functional communication with young children with autism. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an early mand training intervention on mand acquisition in children with ASD. This study specifically targeted the application, the implementation, and their effects. A multiple baseline across participants research design was used …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Traditional Taped-Problems Intervention With A Remote Delivery Version For Increasing Math Fact Fluency, Cortney Chelecki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The knowledge of math fact fluency skills is crucial for children to develop both related and subsequent necessary math skills. Students require fluency in basic math facts in order to successfully understand and perform more complicated math problems. Research has shown that students demonstrating math skill deficits are likely to have limited cognitive capacity to devote to higher math tasks, and also suffer from math-related anxiety, a lack of engagement, and limited vocational and career opportunities (Delli Sante et al., 2001; Gersten & Chard, 1999; Parkhurst et al., 2010; Poncy et al., 2007; Riconscente, 2013). During the COVID-19 pandemic, all …

Facial Expression Recognition Deficits In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Zachary Friedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are an umbrella term for lifelong neurobehavioral disorders characterized by a set of social (verbal and nonverbal) communication challenges and behaviors and restricted, repetitive behaviors. Emotions serve many functions, but primarily they help with the appraisal of stimuli and driving of responses. Emotional processing and facial recognition are integral abilities that influence the acquisition of social skills. For individuals with ASD, it is hypothesized that facial recognition deficits contribute to social communication traits. The bulk of previously conducted research has utilized static images of facial expressions. This study utilized videos of spontaneous expressions. Participants were tasked …

Covenant-Apocalyptic Soteriology: N. T. Wright’S Apocalyptic Jesus In Conversation With The Liberationist Critique Of Atonement, Joseph Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops a theory of atonement in accordance with N. T. Wright’s covenant-apocalyptic interpretation of the ministry and message of the historical Jesus. A covenant-apocalyptic atonement theory, in opposition to the trajectory of contemporary soteriology, prioritizes divine causality in the means of salvation, because, as is generally expected from an apocalyptic hermeneutic, it peers behind systems of violence and oppression to the intangible powers that underlie them. Unlike other strands of apocalyptic theology, though, a covenant-apocalyptic soteriology can stand up to a liberationist critique of the escapism and the divine sadism of a certain popular form of Christian soteriology, …

Thirdspace Leadership: Depicting Fbcoai Leaders’ Transitional Identities And Expe- Riences Of Breaking “Fbcoai Bamboo Ceiling” In Chinese Immersion Programs, Shengnan Yue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores how the transitional identities and experiences of Foreign Born Chinese Origin Asian Immigrant (FBCOAI) leaders influence their leadership practices in American Immersive Chinese Language Program. In the Chinese immersion programs, FBCOAI leaders are those with ethnicity Chinese who entered the United States during adulthood, and immigrated during their adulthood. This study is to explore the Thirdspace leadership, an actual-and-virtual place, where the FBCOAI leaders reconcile their professional development and leadership into practice. FBCOAI leaders are bilingual, experiencing a transitional stage of immigration status, and geographical/cultural/occupational changes. This study stands on “an-Other” perspective to know the FBCOAI …

Microplastic Accumulation In The Digestive Tract Of Young-Of-Year Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) In The Grand Strand, Sc, Andrew Curtis Sitlinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the presence and accumulation of microplastic fibers in the digestive tract and livers of young-of-year Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizopriondon terraenovae) from two sampling locations along the Grand Strand of South Carolina. R. terraenovae is a small, mesopredatory elasmobranch found abundantly along northwestern Atlantic Ocean coastlines. Thirty specimens of R. terraenovae were collected from May through August of 2020. Microplastics were found in all specimens. A total of 672 plastic particles were identified over the course of the study, with an average of 22.4 ± 10.5 (SD) plastics per specimen. The majority of the plastics were classified …

Next-Generation Sequencing Shows Increasing Temperatures Affect Stream Fungal Communities, Regan Hodgson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Under climate change predictions, surface air temperature is expected to continue to rise and will likely affect functioning of stream ecosystems and microbial communities. Aquatic hyphomycetes are key fungal decomposers of plant litter in headwater streams controlling carbon, energy, and nutrient flows to higher trophic levels. This project addressed the effects of temperature on stream fungal communities in two recently conducted experiments (microcosm and streamside channel studies) using Illumina sequencing. The objectives were to determine (1) if temperature affects community structure of stream fungi based on relative abundances of ITS2 rDNA sequences, (2) if the effects of temperature on aquatic …

Extraction, Analysis, And Comparison Of Microplastics In Sc Marsh Substrates, Austin G. Sige

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global, rapid increase in plastic production is a widespread problem for coastal environments such as marshes that present favorable conditions for plastic retention. This study looked at the microplastic abundance within three previously unstudied South Carolina marshes located in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Waties Island. A comparison between the microplastic types and abundances between locations provided knowledge about the impacts of sediment composition (sand, silt, clay, and organic matter) on microplastic sequestration. This study also produced a novel microplastic extraction methodology for cohesive marsh sediment that used elutriation to effectively break apart aggregates prior to chemical digestion and …

Improving Near Surface Refractivity Estimates In Marine Environments, Sarah Evelyn Wessinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study utilizes in-situ measurements and numerical weather prediction datasets collected during the Coupled Air-Sea Processes Electromagnetic Ducting Research East field campaign to assess how thermodynamic properties in the marine atmospheric surface layer influence evaporation duct shape and to develop a simple near-surface modified refractivity estimation method. This study utilizes a logarithmic linear parametric model, which describes evaporation ducts via three main parameters: evaporation duct height, evaporation duct curvature, and mixed layer slope. Notably, most studies utilizing this type of model assume the curvature, C0, to be a theoretical value derived assuming neutral atmospheric stability; a thermodynamic regime that is …

Distribution And Soil Characteristics Associated With The Neches River Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus Dasycalyx), Morgan E. Langlinais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Neches River rose-mallow, Hibiscus dasycalyx, is a rare herbaceous perennial endemic to East Texas. The threatened, obligate wetland species is currently at risk of being lost in the wild due to habitat loss, encroachment of nonnative and native plant species, and hybridization with two other Hibiscus congeners, Hibiscus laevis and Hibiscus moscheutos. Known locations of each of the three Hibiscus species were used to measure select soil characteristics and habitat variables associated with each of the rose-mallows. H. dasycalyx was concluded to be associated with more fertile soils and slightly more canopy coverage than H. laevis and …

A Comparison Of Logistic, Ridge, And Lasso Regression With Heart Failure Risk Data: Effects Of Sample Size, Predictor Correlation, And Predictor Weight On Outcome Accuracy, Mahmoud M. Aljuhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Logistic Regression (LR), LASSO regression, and RIDGE regression are standard classification techniques for predicting a dichotomous output. Since these methods are applied for similar purposes and have different features, it is crucial to evaluate the performance of these methods under different controlled conditions. With this information, researchers can apply the optimal method for specific conditions.

Following previous research, which reported the effects of conditions such as sample size and multicollinearity on the performance of the classification methods, this research focused on the effects of when sample size, level of predictor collinearity, and predictor variable weight are controlled on the performance …