Digital Commons Network^™

Theoretical And Experimental Investigation Of Water And Nanofluid Flow In Channels With Sudden Area Change, Emmanuel Hitimana

Theses and Dissertations

Sudden area expansions and contractions in channels are encountered in numerous engineering applications such as pipeline, cooling systems, and heat exchangers. Over the last several decades, numerous studies have been done on this subject. However, there is still a lack of proper investigations, especially on quantifying the viscous pressure loss at the singularity as a function of flow rate along the channel with abrupt area expansion or contraction.

In this study, the investigation was done on the behavior of static pressure of water and 9.58% volume concentration silicon dioxide nanofluid in channels with sudden area expansion and contraction. The main …

Impact Of Reverse Ethnocentrism On Competence Regarding Food Related Behaviors As A Function Of Attachment Style, Ethnic Identity, And Locus Of Control, Sheryl Holter Vogel

Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated associations between attachment styles, locus of control (LOC), ethnic identity, and competence regarding food-related behavior (competence) among 168 White and 61 American Indian participants. An experimental manipulation was also conducted in which the concept of reverse ethnocentrism was tested. Attachment style accounted for the most significant variance of competence at 9% followed by ethnicity at 2%. Ethnic identity and LOC accounted for nonsignificant variance at 4% and less than 1% respectively. Prior to the experimental manipulation, results found competence was significantly negatively associated with low anxiety and high avoidance (dismissing attachment style), and American Indian participants …

Channel Estimation And Correction Methods For Ofdma Based Lte Downlink System, Zahirul Islam

Theses and Dissertations

In present era, cellular communication plays a vital role for communicating over long distance. The number of mobile subscribers is increasing tremendously day by day. 3GPP LTE is the evolution of the UMTS in response to ever-increasing demands for high quality multimedia services according to users' expectations. The average data consumption exceeds hundreds of Megabytes per subscriber per month. To introduce, summarize and get acquainted with this new technology LTE is one of the main objectives of my thesis.

The Downlink is always considered an important factor in terms of coverage and capacity aspects in between Downlink and Uplink factors …

Pleas For Partition In Train To Pakistan, Md. Abu Jafor

Theses and Dissertations

Pleas for Partition in Train to Pakistan

Most readers and critics of fictional works about the Partition of British India (that is the division of British India into India and Pakistan upon independence from the British in 1947) agree that writers tend to paint religious differences as the root cause of the communal conflict that eventually led to Partition. This tendency to blame Partition on religion is also found in critics who study Khushwant Singh's novel Train to Pakistan. In contrast, this thesis will demonstrate that instead of blaming communal diversity (in other words "difference of religion") as the root …

Autonomous Spacecraft Control During Close-Proximity Near-Earth Object Operations, Joshua Thomas Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A control scheme is proposed for a satellite orbit controller around a small, irregularly shaped near-Earth object (NEO) combining classical control theory and orbital mechanics into a continuous hybrid control system that achieves and maintains a circular orbit in a perturbed environment. NEOs are asteroids and comets that approach Earth's orbit around the Sun. They are currently being studied for resource allocation and threat mitigation, while providing unique opportunities for control systems. The NEO environment consists of a weak and complex gravity field, as well as other perturbations such as solar radiation pressure (SRP) and third-body gravitational disturbances. This project …

Impact Of Cultural Identity On Mmpi-2 Profiles In Northern Plains American Indians, Colleen Kagan

Theses and Dissertations

American Indian populations experience high rates of psychological distress with 44.5% percent of Northern Plains American Indians reporting experiencing some depressive, anxiety, or substance use disorder over their lifetime. The MMPI-2 is a commonly used psychodiagnostic tool that has become widely used in the mental health treatment of different racial and ethnic groups. Research on the MMPI-2 with minority populations, and American Indian populations in particular, fails to account for the impact of level of acculturation. This study examined the impact of cultural identity on MMPI-2 profiles in Northern Plains American Indians and comparison Caucasian samples. Participants were administered a …

Effect Of Bronsted And Lewis Acids On Biochemical Conversion Of Various Lignocellulosic Feedstocks Into Biofuels And Chemicals, Srinivas Reddy Kamireddy

Theses and Dissertations

A biochemical process was investigated in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels and value added chemicals. Kenaf, two species of sorghum (brown mid rib (BMR) & non brown mid rib (NBMR)), sunn hemp, sunflower hulls, and cornstover were used as feedstocks in this study.

Lignocellulosic biomass primarily consists of three different components, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. In order to separate different fractions, and acid pretreatment is generally employed. This was achieved by using a 300 ml internal volume batch reactor. The heating source used was steam. During acid pretreatment most of the hemicellulose is hydrolyzed into the liquid fraction. …

Tribology Of Novel Multifunctional Max Phase Composites, Ryan Roy Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The Mn+1AXn (MAX) phases (over 60+ phases) are thermodynamically stable nanolaminates displaying unusual, and sometimes unique, properties. MAX phases are also highly damage tolerant, thermal shock resistant, creep resistant, lubricious, readily machinable, may possess Vickers hardness values of 2-8 GPa, and are anomalously soft for transition metal carbides and nitrides. Because of these properties, there is a huge potential for MAX phase's to improve tribological properties when used in composites. Here for the first time Al, Sn, and Epoxy MAX phase composites will be explored to gain a better understanding of the tribological properties of the various composites.

A Remote Sensing Analysis Of The Effects Of Watershed Disturbance And Riparian Integrity On Stream Fish Communities In The Red River Of The North Basin, Nicholas Kludt

Theses and Dissertations

The relationships between fish species guilds, riparian cover, and vegetation disturbances in the surrounding landscape were examined across the 11 western tributaries of the Red River of the North. Archival stream sampling data, collected from 1993-2011 by North Dakota state agencies, were analyzed relative to temporally-appropriate land-cover predictors generated from National Land Cover Database and National Agricultural Imagery Program products.

The 0-30 m riparian cover width was the most influential landscape predictor influencing fish structure. The 0-30 m riparian cover displayed interactive effects with 30-50 m riparian cover width and watershed land-cover disturbance. These riparian scales were identified by a …

Automated Usability Testing Of Websites Using Link Structure, Christoffer Odegaard Korvald

Theses and Dissertations

Websites keeps getting more important in business and other aspects of society. Making the websites as usable as possible is crucial as difficult to use systems tend to frustrate users, which might lead to users leaving or lost revenue for a business. Usability testing is needed to identify and fix those issues. Manual tests in usability labs can be very time consuming and costly. An automated system could reduce time and cost of testing, but are often too focused on one aspect to give a clear view of what needs to be fixed. A system to improve this is needed. …

Depression, Negative Self-Disclosure, And The Response Of Others On Facebook, Daniel Barrett Landauer

Theses and Dissertations

Depression has a number of deleterious effects on the interpersonal functioning of adolescents and emerging adults. The interpersonal theory of depression posits that depression is developed and maintained by both the behaviors of the individual and the responses of others to the individual. Adolescents and emerging adults are spending a significant amount of time interacting on social networking sites, such as Facebook, yet few studies have looked at the interpersonal behavior of depressed youth in the context of the interpersonal theory of depression. This study examined the interpersonal behavior of 328 emerging adult college students on Facebook using questionnaires related …

A Longitudinal Fiscal Neutrality Analysis Of The Minnesota K-12 Public School Funding Formula, Jeremy Larson

Theses and Dissertations

"Efforts to improve our school system must start with equity" (Department of Education's Equity and Excellence Commission, 2012). This study is a statistical analysis of the 2003-2012 Minnesota K-12 pubic school general education (foundation) formula in regard to fiscal equality and wealth neutrality. The analysis utilizes a longitudinal approach to compare the findings of previous equity studies to current relatable data as it pertains to the State of Minnesota. A number of modifications have been imposed on the original Minnesota funding formula over the past decade. This study tests the equity level of a selected number of revenue sources and …

Part I: An Approach To The Synthesis Of Plakortethers A-E Part Ii: Rhodium-Catalyzed Intramolecular C-H Insertion On Diazosulfonates And Its Synthetic Applications, Duminda Shiromalee Liyanage

Theses and Dissertations

This research work consists of two independent studies. The first study is the development of a synthetic route to plakortethers A-E along with possible derivatives. The second study focuses on the synthetic applications of rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular C-H insertion on diazosulfonates.

Plakortethers (A-G) represent a set of marine natural products, which contain of a characteristic tetrasubstituted tetrahydrofuran fragment. This group of compounds was isolated from the Caribbean sponge Plakortis simplex. Their selective cytotoxic activity against the RAW 264-7 cell lines (murine macrophage) makes them promising candidates for biological studies and, along with their unusual structure, warrants the synthesis of these natural …

Investigation Of The Seasonal Variations Of Aerosol Physicochemical Properties And Their Impact On Cloud Condensation Nuclei Number Concentration, Timothy Logan

Theses and Dissertations

Aerosols are among the most complex yet widely studied components of the atmosphere not only due to the seasonal variability of their physical and chemical properties but also their effects on climate change. The three main aerosol types that are known to affect the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere are: mineral dust, anthropogenic pollution, and biomass burning aerosols. In order to understand how these aerosols affect the atmosphere, this dissertation addresses the following three scientific questions through a combination of surface and satellite observations:

SQ1: What are the seasonal and regional variations of aerosol physico-chemical properties at four selected …

Advanced Reactors And Novel Reactions For The Conversion Of Triglyceride Based Oils Into High Quality Renewable Transportation Fuels, Michael James Linnen

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainable energy continues to grow more important to all societies, leading to the research and development of a variety of alternative and renewable energy technologies. Of these, renewable liquid transportation fuels may be the most visible to consumers, and this visibility is further magnified by the long-term trend of increasingly expensive petroleum fuels that the public consumes. While first-generation biofuels such as biodiesel and fuel ethanol have been integrated into the existing fuel infrastructures of several countries, the chemical differences between them and their petroleum counterparts reduce their effectiveness. This gives rise to the development and commercialization of second generation …

Dreaming Of Masculinity: The Middle English "Pearl" And The Masculine Space Of New Jerusalem, Kirby Lund

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the gendering of spaces, particularly the city of New Jerusalem in the fourteenth-century Middle English dream vision Pearl. Earlier scholars have gendered this space as feminine based on the appearance of the city landscape. Instead, I examine the city in terms of both form and function to argue that New Jerusalem is a masculine space. In doing so, I hope to recognize the patriarchal control in the poem to demonstrate the masculine construction of the space, not to reinscribe patriarchy as a construct. This analysis combines the spatial theories of Henri Lefebvre and Doreen Massey with performative …

An Investigation On Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs And Instructional Practice Of Preservice And Inservice Teachers, Jacob Manu

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative research sought to investigate the relationship between epistemological beliefs and instructional practice of preservice and inservice teachers. Despite the vigorous emphasis and investment on the need for teachers to adopt teaching and learning practices that are more authentic, learner-centered, project-based, meaningful, and context-based, there is a growing trend where inservice teachers are trained in constructivist learning environment but end up adopting traditional learning pedagogies. Thus, teachers are constantly struggling to incorporate the tenets of constructivism into the teaching and learning process. With the use of the discipline-focused epistemological beliefs questionnaire and instructional practice scale, preservice and inservice teachers …

Metal Enhanced Fluorescence With Gold Nanoparticles, Shaina Larissa Strating Mattingly

Theses and Dissertations

A novel hybrid nanocomposite of Au nanoparticle-modified silicon nanowire was developed for surface enhanced fluorescence applications. The designed nanocomposite contained a silicon nanowire, gold nanoparticles and a silica layer doped with dye molecules. The hybrid nanomaterial was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), fluorescence measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that the gold nanoparticles were uniformly adhered on the silicon nanowires and covered by a thin silica layer. The nanostructure exhibited strong capacity for surface enhanced fluorescence. Different enhancement factors were obtained by changing synthetic conditions.

The …

Preparing Administrators For Leadership In The Rural Context, Michael David Mcneff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify advantages and disadvantages, such as scarcity of resources, of the rural principalship in North Dakota. The study and review of literature explored availability and lack of resources that impact North Dakota rural principals' leadership. The unique challenges of a rural principalship had an impact and influenced instructional leadership of rural principals. An era of accountability has forced a shift in the principal's role, duties, and expectations (Rice, 2010). This shift has been difficult on both rural and urban principals. This study included a sampling of six rural principals in North Dakota. The …

A "Keeping Place For Souls": Photo, Body, And Narrative Impulse In Cormac Mccarthy's Suttree, Melissa Anne Mondry

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines how the treatment of photographs in Cormac McCarthy's novel Suttree sheds light on its main character's narrative project, his motivation for writing and his approach to his subjects. It extends the work of critics who have identified the character of Suttree as a burgeoning writer in order to examine what this narrative subplot might indicate about the purpose of narrative in McCarthy's world. It also responds to previous readings of the novel's photo album scene, which have focused on photographs as reminders of death. I argue that Suttree's adverse reaction to photographs is more complicated than fear …

Effect Of A Nutrition Program On Eating Habits In Female Collegiate Athletes, Jorid Dagfinrud Oiestad

Theses and Dissertations

In the present study, an intervention took place using two female collegiate NCAA Division 1 (D1) teams. One team was randomized to be the experimental group, receiving the intervention of the 6-week nutrition education class Fueling for Performance (FFP). And the other team served as the control group, receiving no treatment. The purpose was to examine the effect of the FFP intervention on energy balance, body composition and self-efficacy compared to the control group, pre- and post- intervention.

The participants provided pre- and post intervention data through 3-day food records entered in MyPlate Super Tracker, wearing of a BodyMedia Senswear …

Potential Juror Credibility Evaluations Of Gay And Lesbian Witnesses, Lisa Mae Olson

Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at whether the sexual orientation of a witness has an effect on a potential juror's determination of the witness's credibility, and examined traits such as respondent gender and college major, that may predict high levels of sexual prejudice. The sample consisted of 379 undergraduate students at a medium sized, upper Midwestern university. Results did not reveal an overall link between witness credibility ratings and sexual orientation, with the gay male witness receiving the highest credibility rankings followed by the heterosexual male witness, heterosexual female witness, and lastly, the lesbian female witness. It does not appear that the …

Some Versions Of Timon's Epitaph: Performance, Text, And Gift In Shakespeare And Middleton's Timon Of Athens, Silas Frederick Pera

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines how notions of textuality influence the production of William Shakespeare and Thomas Middleton's Timon of Athens in both scholarly, print editions and in theatrical performances of the play. It focuses specifically on the scenes involving Timon's epitaph, which have proven difficult to handle both editorially and theatrically, and seeks to show how changing views of the nature of textuality has significantly altered the way that different readers and audiences encounter this play. These issues regarding the idea of textuality begin with the play itself, which enacts its own ideas about the power of texts to intervene in …

Rodrigo's Equation: Race, Capitalism, And The Search For Reform, Richard Delgado

Articles

No abstract provided.

Banks, Marijuana, And Federalism Symposium: Marijuana, Federal Power, And The States, Julie Andersen Hill

Articles

Although marijuana is illegal under federal law, twenty-three states have legalized some marijuana use. The state-legal marijuana industry is flourishing, but marijuana-related businesses report diffi- culty accessing banking services. Because financial institutions will not allow marijuana-related businesses to open accounts, the mari- juana industry largely operates on a cash-only basis-a situation that attracts thieves and tax cheats. This Article explores the root of the marijuana banking problem as well as possible solutions. It explains that although the United States' dual banking system comprises both federal- and state- chartered institutions, when it comes to marijuana banking, federal regulation is pervasive and …

Estimating The Effect Of Poverty On Violent Crime, Jose Gabriel Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

I examine the effect of poverty on violent crime in the United States during the years between 2000 and 2012. My analysis contributes to the literature by utilizing state-level poverty rates as the main variable of interest, and directly studying its effect on violent crime rates. I use panel data and a group (state) and time fixed effects estimation method in the study. The results confirm prior research that concludes that poverty does not have a significant effect on violent crime.

A Video Game Cycling Intervention Assessing Exercise Enjoyment, Rpe, Heart Rate, And Total Work Output In College Students, Shawn Ryan Reich

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Physical inactivity can lead to numerous health issues. More recently, advances in technology have catered to this area of concern. Activity-promoting video games or exergames, have recently been providing consumers with an innovative and alternative experience to exercise. Traditional exercise modalities such as the cycle ergometer (CE) have utilized video game (VG) play to help increase exercise enjoyment and overall health benefits. However, few studies have examined CE and VG play in this regard.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate if cycling with a non-interactive CE while playing a VG is a viable option to increasing …

Bayesian Modeling For Dealing With Uncertainty In Cognitive Radios, Hector Ivan Reyes Moncayo

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless communication systems can be affected by several factors, including propagation losses, co-channel interference, and multipath fading. Uncertainty affects all of these factors making it even more difficult to model these systems. This dissertation proposes the use of probabilistic graphical models (PGM), such as Bayesian Networks and Influence Diagrams, as the core for reasoning and decision making in adaptive radios operating under uncertainty. PGM constitute a tool to understand and model complex relations among random variables. This dissertation explains how to build effective communication models that perform its functions under uncertainty. In addition, this work also presents a spectrum sensing …

Avian Blood Flukes (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) In North Dakota, Susana Rios

Theses and Dissertations

Avian blood flukes are digeneans belonging to the family Schistosomatidae and inhabit the blood circulatory system of birds. Their life cycle includes an intermediate snail host and a definitive bird host. They are found in representatives of several bird orders, but are most prevalent in waterfowl. North Dakota has a large number of wetlands, which provide important breeding sites for many aquatic birds and serve as stopover sites for migratory birds. The abundance and diversity of bird species that congregate in these wetlands ensures optimal conditions for parasite transmission within and among avian species. However, no study on avian blood …

Novel Sustainable Structural Materials By Using Benign Waste Materials, M Faisal Riyad

Theses and Dissertations

We propose a Green Cement Paradigm (GCPa) for fabricating environmentally friendly cementitious materials. By using GCPa, we report for the first time, the usage of Class C Fly Ash as a sole source of cementitous phase without any activation by alkali. During this study, Class C Fly Ash, and its composites with sand were fabricated at different compaction stresses by maintaining a low w/c (w-water, c-cement) ratio of 0.17-0.24 in the compacts. The porosity and the number of days for curing played a significant role in the evolution of compressive strength. The experimental results indicate that the curing for 28 …