Digital Commons Network^™

Development And Deployment Of A Point-Source Digital Inline Holographic Microscope For The Study Of Plankton And Particles To A Depth Of 6000 M, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Manfred H. Jericho, Gerhard J. Herndl

OES Faculty Publications

Bochdansky, A. B., Jericho, M. H., & Herndl, G. J. (2013). Development and deployment of a point-source digital inline holographic microscope for the study of plankton and particles to a depth of 6000 m. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 11, 28-40. doi: 10.4319/lom.2013.11.28

Effect Of Laser Ablation Depth In Otolith Life History Scans, Renée R. Hoover, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

Life history scans of fish otoliths are bringing new insight into the structure, connectivity, and movement of fish populations. Data obtained from such scans, however, possess in-herent limitations that have not yet been fully addressed or understood. For example, several investigators have noted delays in otolith elemental uptake that do not appear to reflect habitat exposure. We hypothesized that the 3-dimensional structure of otoliths may produce sampling artifacts in the results obtained from laser ablation scans. To test this hypothesis, we sampled sagittal otoliths from juvenile Atlantic croaker Micropogonias undulatus with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to obtain …

Distributions Of Particulate Heme B In The Atlantic And Southern Oceans- Implications For Electron Transport In Phytoplankton, Martha Gledhill, Eric P. Achterberg, David J. Honey, Maria C. Nielsdottir, Micha J.A. Rijkenberg

OES Faculty Publications

Concentrations of heme b, the iron-containing component of b-type hemoproteins, ranged from b concentrations were enhanced in the photic zone and decreased with depth. Heme b concentrations correlated positively with chlorophyll a (chl a) in the TNA (r=0.41, pb did not correlate with chl a in the IB or SS. In the IB and SS, stations with high-chlorophyll and low-nutrient (Fe and/or Si) concentrations exhibited low heme bconcentrations relative to particulate organic carbon (< 0.1 μmolmol^-1, and high chl a:heme b ratios (> 500). High chl a:heme b ratios resulted from relative decreases in …

Stromatolites And Miss—Differences Between Relatives, N. Noffke, S. M. Awramik

OES Faculty Publications

Benthic microorganisms form highly organized communities called “biofilms.” A biofilm consists of the individual cells plus their extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). In marine and non-marine environments, benthic microbial communities interact with the physical sediment dynamics and other factors in the environment in order to survive. This interaction can produce distinctive sedimentary structures called microbialites. Binding, biostabilization, baffling, and trapping of sediment particles by microorganisms result in the formation of microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS); however, if carbonate precipitation occurs in EPS, and these processes happen in a repetitive manner, a multilayered build-up can form—stromatolites. Stromatolites and MISS are first found …

An Analysis Of The Effect Of A 21st-Century-Designed Middle School On Student Achievement, Gary David Schwartz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Considering the billions of dollars invested in school buildings and the accountability for improving student achievement, there has been the lingering question about how the physical learning environment impacts student achievement. This study explored the impact of a new 21st-century-designed middle school facility on student academic achievement in mathematics and science. This case study used a mixed methods approach to examine the student achievement of 158 middle school students and the perceptions from 13 teachers and two administrators about the impact of the new facility on teaching and student learning. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect …

Analysis Of Wind Power Generation With Application Of Wind Tunnel Attachment, Ulan Dakeev

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study presents an empirical method for developing a new approach in which a wind tunnel apparatus is used to improve the efficiency of power output by a small-scale wind turbine. A custom-designed wind tunnel attachment was constructed to record, analyze, and interpret both incoming and outgoing wind velocity readings. Moreover, the dissertation project addresses a significant issue concerning the power generation of an experimental wind turbine while the wind tunnel is attached. Wind power characteristics that indicate power output versus wind velocity were obtained by performing a number of case studies. The case studies included normal operation of the …

Aquatic Strategies And Techniques And Their Benefit On Children With Autism, James G. Hall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Swimming lessons are recommended as a useful health promotion intervention and life-saving skills for individuals with ASD. This qualitative study examined the perceived benefits of swimming lessons for children with ASD, with particular focus on aspects that can potentially help maximize the instruction of lessons for this population. This study utilized multiple methods to gain an in-depth perspective on the implementation of strategies and techniques for learn-to-swim programs for the six subjects with ASD. Semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with two instructors, the parents of the six children along with observational data collected from the researcher. Thematic analysis of the …

Perceptions Of Dimensions Of Service Quality And Recreational Benefits In Collegiate Recreational Sports Programs, Christopher Berne Denison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

An enduring and essential element of collegiate recreational sports programs is an emphasis on providing high quality, high impact programs and services. In addition, participants in collegiate recreation settings have an expectation to receive benefits as a result of their participation. If recreational sport programs cannot meet the expectations of participants in their pursuit of these benefits, continued participation is unlikely. As collegiate recreational professionals work to continually improve their programs and services, they should also understand the needs and wants of their participants. Understanding what participant needs and wants are should allow leisure service providers to improve the programs …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development For The Use Of Interactive White Boards In Turkey, Erkan Taskin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate Turkish public school teachers’ and principals’ perceptions regarding professional development opportunities and practices that may be available for interactive whiteboard (IWB) use. The study aims at investigating the following questions: (1) What are Turkish teachers’ perceptions of the quantity and quality of IWB training they receive? (2) How does professional development affect teachers’ use of an IWB in a Turkish K-12 classroom? (3) What type of professional development do teachers have before and after the installation of the IWB in their classroom? (4) What differences, if any, are there among teachers …

"The Most Deadly Spot On The Face Of The Earth": The United States And Antimodern Images Of "Darkest Africa" 1880-1910, Melinda Stump

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth-centuries in the United States, images of Africa and Africans were prevalent throughout society. Africans were described as primitive or child-like and were contrasted with the so-called high civilization of middle-class Anglo-Saxons. This thesis will look at these images and attempt to complicate the current historiography on United States images of Africa. Furthering Jackson Lears’s theories of antimodernism in Progressive Era United States, I argue that the images produced of Africa and Africans were attempts at regeneration and intense experiences. Due to the huge progress made due to the Industrial Revolution and the urbanization …

A Midwestern Culture Of Civility: Student Activism At The University Of Northern Iowa During The Maucker Years (1967-1970), Christopher J. Shackelford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This project examines the changing social dynamic of those affiliated with the University of Northern Iowa during the latter half of the 1960s, with special emphasis on student activism and the changing attitudes of administrators and community members. This project intends to use the medium of alternative newspapers as a central component in the analysis of the time studied and as an unfiltered voice of student dissent. By narrowing the focus of this project to an individual university and community, an intimate narrative emerges that acts as a testament of the overwhelming atmosphere of change that engulfed American colleges throughout …

Writing Supports For Older Students With Significant Disabilities: Examining Two Students' Journeys Towards Becoming Writers, Emily Helen Freeman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study describes the changes in linguistic and social communicative competencies that occurred when two older students with significant disabilities where provided with writing opportunities, instruction, and supports over a semester of the academic year. The goals of the study were to identify themes and patterns in the skills associated with linguistic and social communicative competence as evidenced in writing over time. A second aim of this study was to identify instruction methods and assistive technology supports being used in the classroom and describes the themes and patterns that emerged in the students’ writing given the presence of these curriculum …

Understanding The Critical Role Of A Wetland In Maintaining The Ecosystem: A Case Study, Sushil Tuladhar

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Beaver Valley Wetland in north-east Iowa was studied to determine its functionality in filtering incoming contaminants from the surrounding agricultural fields. The study was conducted from May through November of 2011. Altogether 78 water samples (from 13 sites), 84 soil samples (from 14 sites), and some sediment samples were collected for chemical analysis. Heavy metals in three different soil categories, such as surface, 6” deep, and sediments were found to be at or below the acceptable concentrations, indicating no immediate concern for metal toxicity in the wetland environment. The chemical tracers that were used to study the sub-surface flow regime …

Recalcitrant Arguments, Kiranjeet Kaur Dhillon

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On January 26, 2011, Reuters photojournalist Amr Abdallah Dalsh took an image of a unknown veiled woman gesturing at Dalsh and his camera. Using TinEye, a reverse image search engine, I found that 86 circulations and 22 recirculations of the photo were primarily in the United States. US graphic artist Nick Bygon created one of the recirculations, which primarily appeared on US blogs. The photo achieved this level of circulation in the US because it is consistent with, and therefore legible within the symbolic language, of the liberal democratic order. Similar to “Migrant Mother” and “Tank Man”, the photo is …

Mental Illness And Schools: An Examination Of How Schools Are Providing Supports And Services To Students With Mental Health Concerns, Nikki Leigh King

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of an individual entitled to services through the labels of an intellectual disability and a mental health concern. The study employed qualitative methodologies and methods, through the use of a life/oral history, which allowed the researcher to interview the participant to gain a deeper understanding of the school experiences pertaining to a student with a mental health concern. The study concluded that authentic and individualized supports and services are needed as well as promoting meaningful relationships. Study considerations and future studies are discussed at the end.

Investigating Blended Learning In The High School Science Classroom, Holly Cassandra Hinkhouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Blended learning combines the best practices of online learning with face-to-face learning and some research has shown it to have positive benefits for students at the postsecondary level. However, few studies have reported the use of blended learning in the high school setting. This study used quantitative methods to measure student attitudes and learning of science content in both a treatment and control group consisting of 9th grade Physical Science classes. Students in the treatment group experienced one semester of blended learning by using online science modules to supplement their in-class learning while the control group continued to have only …

From Sidebets To Sideshow: The Influence Of Gambling On The Development Of Professional Wrestling In America, 1870-1911, Lee Casebolt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

While boxing and baseball have been common subjects of historical study, other sports of the nineteenth century have been comparatively neglected by historians. Professional wrestling, in particular, has received very little attention as a sport, as opposed to its twentieth century “sports entertainment” incarnation. What attention it has received has most commonly been through the lens of social history, focusing on wrestling as theater or its psychosexual overtones. Missing from its history is any consideration of the economic factors which influence the evolution of any professional endeavor. This paper explores the relationship between a wrestler’s payment and performance. Specifically, it …

Effect Of Limb Circumference On Intramuscular Cooling During And Following An Ice Bag Application After Exercise, Marcus A. Sojka

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: Ice bags are commonly applied following exercise, but the effect of limb size on cooling duration and rewarming has not been documented. Objective: Investigate the effect of limb circumference on cooling duration to 10°C below resting baseline and examine the subsequent rewarming trends. Design: Two separate designs were used: a 1 X 2 cross-over design on limb circumference (large circumference [LC: 58-63.5cm] and small circumference [SC: 50-54cm]) and duration of treatment (time to 10°C below baseline) and a 2 X 7 cross-over design on the two limb circumference groups (LC and SC) and the rewarming trend at time Imd, …

Comparing Sixth Grade Students' Creativity In Word Play To Spatial Construction With Integrated Academic Content Eliciting A Distal Or Proximal Perspective, Ksenia S. Zhbanova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Pressing global problems require solutions from innovative ideas that depend upon educating a new generation to think creatively. The current study aimed at assisting 24 sixth grade students in a summer program develop their creativity skills in two different areas while integrating academic content. Student performance was examined for transfer of skills across domains and for support of Construal Level Theory, which holds that addressing topics distant in space, time, probability or experience leads to abstract thought supporting greater creativity.

The study was a counterbalanced, repeated measures, two-experimental condition study with students divided into two groups of 12 each. In …

Effects Of Prazosin On Nightmares In Adults With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Laurie A. Tefft

Theses and Dissertations

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000) estimates that in the United States, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 8% of adults at some point during their life. Nightmares have a severe impact and can cause great distress for individuals with PTSD (Ohayon & Shapiro, 2000). Spoormaker and Montgomery (2008) suggested that sleep problems may be more of a risk factor for PTSD then a symptom of the disorder. Either way, it is evident that sleep needs to be addressed in those with this diagnosis. Posttraumatic nightmares are seldom the topic of PTSD studies utilizing …

The Effects Of One-To-One Computing For Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Language Arts Class, Billie Jo Cowley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Technology has become increasingly prominent in schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of technology with students with disabilities, particularly the use of one-to-one computing when used in inclusive classrooms. This study took a qualitative approach exploring how one teacher integrated one-to-one computing into her curriculum and how students with disabilities perceived that integration.

The nine week study took place in a rural, Midwest, eighth grade inclusive language arts classroom. The general education language arts teacher and two students who received special education services were participants in the study. Data were collected from teacher interviews, student …

Predicting Commitment For Those In Military Relationships, Darrina Sofia Bledsoe

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Little research has been conducted concerning how deployments affect spouses' and service members' commitment to their relationships (Merolla, 2010). The current study investigated relationship commitment of military spouses and service members in long-distance relationships (LDR) and geographically close relationships (GCR). The investment model (IM; Rusbult, Martz, & Agnew, 1998) predicts that relational commitment is influenced by three factors: satisfaction, alternatives, and investment. Additionally, the perceived stress scale (PSS; Cohen, Kamarack, & Mermelstein, 1983), which focuses on levels of stress influenced by daily hassles, major events, and changes in coping resources, was utilized as a means to predict commitment in conjunction …

The Impact Of Imprecision In Hcv Viral Load Test Results On Clinicians’ Therapeutic Management Decisions And On The Economic Value Of The Test, Roberta M. Madej

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical laboratory test results are integral to patient management. Important aspects of laboratory tests’ contributions are the use of the test information and the role they have in facilitating efficient and effective use of healthcare resources. Methods of measuring those contributions were examined using quantitative HCV RNA test results (HCV VL) in therapeutic management decisions as a model. Test precision is important in those decisions; therefore, the clinical use was evaluated by studying the impact that knowledge of inherent assay imprecision had on clinicians’ decisions. A survey describing a simulated patient at a decision point for HCV triple-combination therapy management …

Development And Validation Of A Predictive Model Of Return-To-Work Outcomes Of Injured Employees In Minnesota, A. Bentley Hankins

Theses and Dissertations

In Minnesota’s workers’ compensation system, injured employees at risk for sustaining permanent disability may be eligible for receipt of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services if they are determined to be capable of benefitting from such services. VR services can be a valuable resource to injured employees who need assistance minimizing their work disability and maximizing their residual wage-earning capacity. However, for VR services to be effective at a system level, it is necessary to precisely and accurately identify an injured employee’s rehabilitation potential. Failure to do so is likely to result in the misallocation of a scarce and costly resource. Given …

Geophysical Investigation And Assessment Of The Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area, Rye Patch, Nevada, Mark Richmond Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

A gravity and ground-based magnetic survey was conducted at the Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area located at Rye Patch, Nevada. The purpose of the study was to attempt to further delineate the geothermal reservoir and/or to identify potential drilling targets. The survey consisted of collecting data at 264 new stations to augment data from 203 stations collected in 2008. Information from previous seismic, aeromagnetic and geochemical investigations was also examined and incorporated. Filtering methods including removal of a polynomial trend surface and wavelength filtering were utilized on the gravity data to remove the strong regional overprint caused by the …

Correcting Heat Flow Data In The United States To Account For Climate Change, Godswill Njoku

Theses and Dissertations

Heat flow measurements may require correction for both recent warming and post-glacial warming signals. Warming during the last century can be detected in borehole temperature profiles. Both climate warming signals during the past century and post-glacial warming signals during the past 10 millennia are greatest near the surface and diminish with depth.

Both atmospheric data and borehole temperature data show that recent warming varies systematically with latitude along a north-south transect in the United States. The systematic increase with latitude from +0.7 oC at 41.6oN to +2.3 oC at 49oN during the last century is consistent with the prediction that …

Geomechanics And Elastic Anisotropy Of The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Mehdi Ostadhassan

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the earth’s rocks exhibit anisotropic characteristics. Anisotropy is particularly common in many sedimentary rocks, such as shales. Anisotropy is defined as the spatial alignment of mineral grains, layers, fractures and stresses which causes elastic wave velocity and other elastic properties to vary with direction. There are two types of anisotropy: intrinsic and stress-induced. Intrinsic anisotropy is caused by beddings, microstructures or aligned fractures formed during deposition. Stress-induced anisotropy is caused by strain associated with external stresses. Intrinsic anisotropy originates in the absence of external stresses, while stress-induced anisotropy results from tectonic and overburden stresses. The style of earth …

Lithological And Sequence Stratigraphic Examination Of The Madison Group Marker Beds, Eastern Williston Basin Margin, North Dakota, Troy Jd. Skitt

Theses and Dissertations

The Frobisher-Alida interval consists of eight log-defined subintervals or “beds” within the Mississippian upper Mission Canyon and lower Charles Formations of the Madison Group in the Williston Basin. The subintervals are composed of predominantly evaporite and carbonate lithologies, and include in descending order: 1) Midale, 2) Rival, 3) Bluell, 4) Sherwood, 5) Mohall, 6) Glenburn, 7) Wayne, and 8) Landa. The top of the lower six subintervals are separated by thin but areal extensive log-defined markers of contrasting lithologies and include in descending order: 1) State A, 2) Sherwood Argillaceous Marker (S.A.M.), 3) K-1, 4) K-2, 5) K-3, and 6) …

Research About Low Permeability Measurement, Jun He

Theses and Dissertations

Petroleum exploration and production from shale formations have gained great attention throughout the world in the last decade. Producing the hydrocarbons from shale is challenging because of the low porosity and permeability. It is imperative to investigate permeability of the shale formations in order to better understand the performance of wells that are producing hydrocarbons from shale. Permeability is also one of key parameters in modeling fluids flow in matrix in reservoir simulation. Due to the low or very low permeability, the measurement of permeability is time consuming and expensive. These factors often limited the ability to perform permeability measurement …

Hydraulic Fracturing Design For Horizontal Wells In The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Hadi Jabbari

Theses and Dissertations

Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs have proved to be challenging in terms of reservoir characterization, predicting production potential, estimating ultimate recovery, and optimizing hydraulic fracture stimulations. The methods by which these resources are extracted use progressive, or unconventional, technologies. Today, through the use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, extraordinary amounts of oil and natural gas from deep shale formations across the United States and around the world are being safely produced.

Performing a hydraulic fracture design requires modeling of fracture propagation and tracking the fluid front in the created fracture. In this dissertation, the roles of all effective parameters and properties …