Digital Commons Network^™

Boolean Reasoning And Informed Search In The Minimization Of Logic Circuits, James J. Kainec

Theses and Dissertations

The minimization of logic circuits has been an important area of research for more than a half century. The approaches taken in this field, however, have for the most part been ad hoc. Boolean techniques have been employed to manipulate formulas, but not to perform symbolic reasoning. Boolean equations are employed principally as icons; they are never solved. The first objective of this dissertation is to apply Boolean reasoning systematically and uniformly to the minimization problem. Boolean reasoning entails the reduction of systems of Boolean equations to a single equation; the single equation is an abstraction, independent of the form …

Experimental Feedback Of Fractional Order States Of A Lightly Damped Structure, Robert C. Mccall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using fractional order time derivatives of position feedback signals in the active control of vibration. To that end, circuitry was built and evaluated that finds the half order derivative of an input signal. The magnitude responses of the fractional derivative circuits is very good, but there are large phase shifts present that may degrade the performance of the controllers. Two methods of incorporating the fractional derivative signals into the controller were examined. One method involved developing a similarity transformation that transforms an integer order state controller into an equivalent …

Hardware-Verification Through Logic Extraction, Michael A. Dukes

Theses and Dissertations

A Prolog-based system is described which employs logic-extraction to perform hardware-verification. The extraction rules are built automatically from hierarchical structural VHDL models, enabling the equivalence of a structural VHDL description and a layout specification to be verified. Pin-to-pin critical- path analysis is performed within the logic-extraction process; many noncritical paths are pruned early, making pin-to-pin critical path analysis of large circuits feasible. It is demonstrated that a design methodology based on logic extraction, VHDL, and a layout tool can provide a fabricated functionally- correct IC design without circuit-level or switch-level simulation. This methodology is shown to be practical for VLSI …

A Computer Based Educational Aid For The Instruction Of Combat Modeling, Richard S. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Institute of Technology is one of few institutions that teaches combat modeling. Combat models are typically dynamic computer simulations of specialized dynamic processes. Great difficulty exists in portraying these dynamic and recurrent processes with conventional static diagrams. This thesis produced a computer-based instructional aid which presents animated examples of processes common to combat models, demonstrates a simple few-on-few aerial combat model, and encourages student exploration and interaction with these presentations. This aid provides dynamic examples of random number generation, detection processes, target selection, and target destruction. A complete combat model demonstrating a few-on-few air duel is animated …

An Examination Of Wing Rock For The F-15, Michael T. Davison

Theses and Dissertations

Wing rock in the F-15 was examined both analytically and experimentally. Using a previously developed model for the F-15, bifurcation analysis and continuation techniques were used to map out the periodic wing rock solutions and the equilibrium solutions leading up to wing rock. this was done for four maneuvers; a 1 g stall, rudder sweeps, constant bank turns and a symmetric pullup. To supplement this research, time history simulations were used to examine. the time history of wing rock. A study of stability derivatives was also done, to determine the critical parameters in wing rock. Bifurcation was also used to …

Amy Brown Lyman And Social Service Work In The Relief Society, David Roy Hall

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the life and accomplishments of Amy Brown Lyman, particularly as they relate to charity activities and social service work of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It considers her early life, her call to the General Board in 1909, her contributions to the creation of the Relief Society Social Services Department in 1919, her association with national and international leaders of reform, and her efforts in sponsoring and supporting social welfare legislation in Utah. Also examined are her work with the Social Services Department during the Great Depression, her mission to …

Participative Decision Making In Bismarck Public Schools, Ruth Huovinen

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Writing In The Math Classroom: A Writing Across The Curriculum Project, Paul Steven Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Interpretative Team for the Fourth Mathematics Assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (Silver, Lindquist, Carpenter, Brown, Kouba, and Swafford, 1988) reports that performance levels for thirteen year-olds has not changed between the last two assessments. At the same time seventeen year-olds have made significant gains (Silver et al., 1988). The Interpretative Team cautions that the seventeen year-old population which made gains was the population that showed gains as thirteen year-olds. Thus, any attribution of these gains to educational reforms at the secondary level should be made with caution (Silver et …

Assessing And Describing Sixth-Grade Students Use Of Number Sense To Demonstrate An Understanding Of Mathematics Concepts, Deborah B. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Eighteen sixth-grade students in a selected elementary school of a large school district were chosen to participate in a study to individually assess and describe their use of number sense, which demonstrated their understanding of mathematics concepts. The instrument used was teacher made and consisted of nine mathematics problems. The instrument was given to each student in a one-on-one interview. The findings suggested that developing number sense is essential for improving mathematics performance.

A Study Of Virginia Public-School Affiliated Ged Instructors Who Teach Writing Skills For The Essay Component Of The Ged Writing Skills Test, Rodger Leonard Doss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic characteristics, instructional approach, perceptions toward inservice training, and awareness and use of adult education theory/principles of public-school affiliated GED instructors in Virginia who teach writing skills for the essay component of the GED Writing Skills Test. An additional purpose of the study was to compare student performance on a sample of GED essays to determine the relationship of student performance with teacher demographic characteristics and teacher instructional approach as identified by the product and process scale scores.

The GED teachers who participated in the study were identified through the cooperation …

I Have Kept My Heart Yellow: Stories, Eileen A. Joy

Theses and Dissertations

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Resonance Raman Spectra Of Chloroperoxidase Reaction Intermediates, Ann Marie G. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Chloroperoxidase is an enzyme that exhibits spectroscopic and structural properties similar to cytochrome P-450. Chloroperoxidase is studied using resonance Raman spectroscopy to characterize the reaction intermediates of the physiological mechanism, known as compounds I and II. Compound I is formed by a two electron oxidation of the resting enzyme and contains an Fe(IV) porphyrin ℼ cation radical. A one electron reduction of compound I produces the compound II intermediate which contains an oxy-ferryl [Fe(IV)=O] iron heme.

Chloroperoxidase is a heme enzyme of substantial interest because of its structural similarity to cytochrome P-450 and because of its diverse reactivity. Chloroperoxidase can …

Missing Data In Repeated Measurement Studies, Kejian Niu

Theses and Dissertations

Repeated measurement data or longitudinal data occur often in statistical applications. For example, in a clinical trial comparing the efficacy of a new treatment with that of a standard treatment, rather than measuring the main response variable only once on each patient, or subject, we can take several measurements over time on each subject.

A Repeated measurement study differs from a longitudinal study. The latter generally refers to any study in which one or more response variables are repeatedly measured over time. The former usually imposes some restrictions on the data. One common restriction is that each response variable must …

Distributed Ray Casting For High-Speed Volume Rendering, Patricia L. Brightbill

Theses and Dissertations

The volume rendering technique known as ray casting or ray tracing is notoriously slow for large volume sizes, yet provides superior images. A technique is needed to accelerate ray tracing volumes without depending on special purpose or parallel computers. The realization and improvements in distributed computing over the past two decades has motivated its use in this work. This thesis explores a technique to speedup ray casting by distributed programming. The work investigates the possibility of dividing the volume among general purpose workstations and casting rays (using Levoy's front-to-back algorithm) through each subvolume independently. The final step being the composition …

The Effect Of Body Position Changes On Arterial Oxygen Saturation In Obesity As Measured Noninvasively By Pulse Oximetry, Anna Marie Angela Klosterman

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design that compared the effect of body position changes on arterial oxygen saturation in obesity as measured noninvasively by pulse oximetry. The null hypothesis, that there would be no difference between oxygen saturation values measured by pulse oximetry with position change from sitting to supine in obese subjects as compared to nonobese subjects, was tested. Fourteen obese, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical class status II subjects and 14 nonobese ASA physical class status I subjects were included in the sample population. Thirteen of the obese subjects were further classified as morbidly obese. After …

Denitrification In The Elk Valley Aquifer, Northeastern North Dakota, Gale G. Mayer

Theses and Dissertations

Biological denitrification controls nitrate distribution in the Elk Valley aquifer, which underlies approximately 725 square kilometres of northeastern North Dakota and provides drinking water for farms and rural communities in the area. Increased irrigation has raised concerns over potential contamination from agricultural practices. The purpose of this study was to establish the role of biological denitrification in minimizing concentration and distribution of nitrate and to determine the effect irrigation practices have on groundwater flow and nitrate distribution in the saturated zone.

The aquifer is unconfined and consists of up to 20 metres of glacial outwash and deltaic shale-rich sand deposits. …

Effect Of Sinkholes On Soil Moisture And Ground Water Recharge At An Abandoned Underground Coal Mine Near Wilton, North Dakota, Michael M. Sonderman

Theses and Dissertations

Subsidence at abandoned underground mines in south-central and southwest North Dakota has produced numerous sinkholes. Previous studies in the Northern Great Plains have suggested depression-focused recharge may be a significant ground water recharge mechanism in this region. Thus, sinkholes may increase soil moisture and ground water recharge. Current reclamation practices include filling sinkholes with non-topsoil fill material. However, the benefits of increases in soil moisture and ground water supplies may outweigh the benefits of expensive reclamation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether soil moisture and, hence, the potential for ground water recharge, was greater in sinkholes than …

Hydrogeologic Characterization Of A Discharge Wetland In Northeastern Grand Forks County, North Dakota, Dean R. Goebel

Theses and Dissertations

Soil salinization associated with saline groundwater discharge results in decreased agricultural production in the central glacial Lake Agassiz plain of North Dakota. Saline discharge occurs in a belt of ephemeral wetlands in the lake plain. The physical and chemical hydrology of .the Lunby-stewart saline discharge wetland were investigated in order to provide information which could facilitate land management strategies applicable to this and other discharge wetlands.

Hydrologic data used to characterize the wetland were obtained from monitoring wells, staff gages, precipitation gages, borings, and earth electrical resistivity soundings. Temporal and spatial variations were observed in the water table, the vertical …

The Stratigraphy And Sedimentology Of The Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) In South-Central Williams County, North Dakota, Wesley D. Peck

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 163 meters (535 feet) of the Paleocene Sentinel Butte Formation crop out in southcentral Williams county, North Dakota. To determine their mode of deposition and stratigraphic position within the formation, twelve stratigraphic sections were measured. These strata were deposited in alternating fluvial and lacustrine environments as determined by sedimentary structures, lithology, lithologic sequences, and fossil occurrences. A fining upward trend in grain size of the tabular sandstones, and the identification of epsilon cross-stratification in the tabular sandstones support a fluvial origin for some of the strata. The strongest evidence for the interpretation of lacustrine deposition is the presence of …

A Study Of The Perceived Impact Of The North Dakota Governor's School Upon The High School Student Participant, Elaine Joyce Brauer

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Metamorphic Petrology And Gravity Studies Of The Archean English River Subprovince, Western Superior Province, Manitoba And Ontario, Canada, Moira E. Campion

Theses and Dissertations

The tectonic development of the English River Subprovince (ERSP) of the Superior Province in Ontario and Manitoba, as with other Archean medium-high grade metasedimentary/gneiss terranes, is an area of active research. Geochemical and geophysical data were collected during this study to determine the metamorphic conditions of formation, and the relationship between surface and subsurface geology. The results of metamorphic studies by Henke (1984), Baumann (1985), Chipera (1985) and Roob (1987) were also integrated with those of this study. The temperatures and pressures of formation, as well as detailed gravity characteristics, constrain the postulated tectonic model for the ERSP.

Chemical data …

The Relationship Of Female Students In Electronics Course Work To Bsri, Recruitment, And Academic Support, Lillian MartíNez Mack

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Radial Stellar Pulsation Theory, Michelle J. Creech-Eakman

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Writing Apprehension : A Study Of Learning Disabled Students' Anxiety Toward Composing, Andrew T. Freeman

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Measured Learning In Selected Classes Of An Interactive Television Network In Six Northwestern Minnesota High Schools., Virginia T. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The intention of the researcher was to study the effect of interactive television (ITV) in selected high school classes, using both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. The ITV network chosen for study was the Northwest Educational Technology Cooperative (NETC) operated by seven school districts in northwestern Minnesota (Argyle, Hallock, Kennedy, Stephen, Valley North (Alvarado and Oslo), and Warren). This system uses two-way interactive video and audio technology networked by fiber optics. Classes selected included Spanish I, Spanish II, and probability and statistics. Data collection was done during the fall semester, 1990.Quantitative methods compared means of scores achieved on pre-tests and …

An Historical Approach To The Study Of The English Language : A Six Week Educational Unit In The Secondary English Curriculum, Peggy L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Test Development : A Case Study Of The Language Instrument For Preschool Screening, Helen M. Sommer

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Exact Solution To The Abmchf Equation, Cynthia A. Weyenberg

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Economic Base And Industrial Development Directions For Devils Lake, North Dakota, Kirk D. Jenson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Approximations For The Distributed Ac Resistances And Internal Inductances Of Circular Tubular Conductors, David L. Heckmann

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.