Digital Commons Network^™

Preparation And Analysis Of Evaporatively Bonded Superalloys For Use In Hydrogen Burning Gas Turbines, Serges Eric Tatsinkou Nguelo

Theses and Dissertations

Superalloys for use in hydrogen-burning gas turbines must demonstrate long-term durability in environments that may be more corrosive than typical turbines due to the presence of impurities in the combusted syngas. This long-term durability implies high oxidation and spallation resistance to different types of corrosion attacks as well as a high strength to be able to withstand the residual stresses induced by the temperature gradients. The performance of these superalloys in these environments can only be realistically assessed if their design involves a good understanding of the types of microcontaminants present in the syngas as well as resulting stresses induced …

The Effect Of Non-Weight And Shape-Related Appearance Dissatisfaction On Eating Disordered Behaviors, Terra Towne

Theses and Dissertations

Studies have found that greater dissatisfaction with non-weight-related body parts is associated with drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction, suggesting that eating disorder behaviors may be compensatory mechanisms for less malleable aspects of appearance. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between non-weight and shape-related appearance dissatisfaction (NWSAD), perceived malleability, and eating disorder and appearance-related behaviors. Participants were students enrolled in undergraduate psychology courses at a mid-size midwestern university. All participants completed the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire, Drive for Muscularity Scale, Body Shape Questionnaire, visual analogue scales assessing NWSAD, appearance-related behaviors checklist, and a measure assessing …

Determining The Origin And Possible Mechanisms Of Qpos In X-Ray Emissions Of Neutron Stars And Black Holes, Brent Thomson

Theses and Dissertations

QPOs (Quasi-Periodic Oscillations) are time oscillations that appear in the light curve of observational data in x-ray bands. They are of mysterious origin although they are believed to be a result of the intense gravity around neutron stars and black holes and emit x-rays from accretion disks. I investigate a derived ratio between two periods has been found in the QPO data. The two periods, which appear as peaks in the power density spectrum have been found to be in a 3:2 ratio and can possibly distinguish theoretical models. In the work presented here, two physical approaches are developed that …

The Impact Of Transgenerational Child Sexual Abuse And Victim-Perpetrator Relationship In A Case Of Child Sexual Abuse, Carolyn Ann Uhl

Theses and Dissertations

Research findings suggest that children born to mothers who were sexually abused as a child are at an increased risk of becoming a victim of childhood sexual abuse. Due to the correlational nature of this research, causal links establishing maternal blame are tenuous. Despite this, many of the theories attempting to explain this phenomenon place blame upon the mother. To this end, the current study examined the impact of mother's personal history of child sexual abuse had on the amount of blame she received upon her daughter's disclosure of abuse, while also varying the victim-perpetrator relationship. Participants read one of …

Down By The Riverside: Recovery Efforts Of The Minot Community And School District After The Souris River Flood Of 2011, Mark Milton Vollmer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the flood recovery process for the Minot Public School District after the devastating Souris River Flood of 2011, and to provide a definitive study of the recovery of a school district after a natural disaster. This study identified the school community's processes involved with financial, emotional, and social aspects of recovery, and identified key players in the recovery process.

The research consisted of nine focus groups; three groups of teachers, three groups of parents, and three groups of community members. Formal interviews were also conducted with community leaders and subject matter …

Output Gap As A Predictor Of Risk-Premium In The North American Financial Markets, Ryan Richard Wolbeck

Theses and Dissertations

I examine the relationship between output gap and value premiums in North American financial markets between January, 1977 and December, 2013. My analysis contributes to the literature by analyzing the influence of output gap on the specific investment strategy of value and growth stocks, whereas previous literature looked at the effect of output gap on major US stock market indices. I compare the influence of output gap on value and growth stocks in full period as well as in up and down markets. My results suggest that value and growth stocks are not sensitive to output gap in the full …

Whiteness Of A Name: Is “White” The Baseline?, John L. Cotton, Bonnie S. O'Neill, Andrea E.C. Griffin

Management Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the hypothesis that Whiteness is used as a normative standard when comparing a variety of first names.

Design/methodology/approach– Respondents (full- and part-time business students) evaluated names that sounded common, African-American, Russian, and unusual.

Findings– Results from two studies suggest that “common” or “neutral” names are perceived to be white, and to be more American than African-American, Russian or unusual-sounding names. Results also demonstrate that the common names have more positive attributes, including socio-economic class.

Research limitations/implications– The study found that the basic comparison of American respondents will be to a white …

The Axe Without The Handle: An Exploratory Analysis Of Eco-Terrorism And Its Relationships To U.S. Public Policy Towards Terrorism:1990-2010, Phillip Andrew Smith

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

From 1990-2010 ecoterrorist attacks by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) created an anomaly in the U.S. with millions of dollars in property destruction. Interestingly, in a post 9/11 era, the FBI warns that the number one threat to U.S. national security is not religious terrorism, but rather environmental-group terrorism. When examining this topic further, there is a void in analysis between examining ecoterrorist attacks and U.S. public policy. Is there a statistical significant relationship between terrorist attacks by ALF/ELF and U.S. public policy towards terrorism? Is per capita income an influence on the attacks occurring …

Identifying The Factors That Influence Changes In Aggregate Sentiment Among The Masses: An Analysis Of The Measure Of Consumer Sentiment Through A Conflict Analysis And Resolution Lens, Michael Carl Letamendi

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The University of Michigan's Survey Research Center developed a tool to quantify how people feel towards the state of the economy. Dr. George Katona, a psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan developed the Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) in the 1940s. As decades of data were collected on aggregate consumer sentiment through the 50s and 60s, a discovery was made. The ICS seemed to indirectly predict the direction of the economy by accurately anticipating aggregate purchasing versus saving decisions. The index is even used today by the U.S. Government to measure consumer confidence and has been noted to …

Academic Ethics Conflict In The Age Of Wikipedia And Turnitin.Com: A Study Assessing The Opinions Of Exiting College Students, Consuelo Doria Kelley

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Technology has wrought paradigmatic shifts in societal, institutional, and individual power to instantly share and collaboratively produce knowledge, influencing the definition and perceived significance of academic ethics (AE), a continually evolving social construct. Student disregard of AE can generate wide-ranging conflicts affecting multiple student-success stakeholders: students, their families, instructors, administrators, schools, employers of graduates, and society. Dominant AE higher education institutional strategies typically position the individual student as the problem, leaving contextual influences on their academic conduct outside the AE conflict resolution discourse. The researcher conducted an exploratory research study to ascertain undergraduate students' opinions about AE at a university …

Sex Tourism In St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands: An Exploratory Study, Elizabeth Estes

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, is similar to other tourism dependent Caribbean nations where the tourism industry is dependent upon the `4 S's'- sun, sand, sea, and sex. This researcher posited that the phenomenon of sex tourism exists in St. Thomas as it does in other tourist destinations in the Caribbean like Jamaica, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Barbados (Bailey and Ricketts, 2003; de Albuquerque, 1998; Munshi, 2006; Ryan and Kinder, 1996). The lacuna of any U.S. Virgin Islands sex tourism literature prompted this researcher to conduct an exploratory case study in St. Thomas to learn whether or …

The New Drug War Or The New Race War: Incarceration's Impact On Minority Children, Families, And Communities, Karen P. Lawrence

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental study examines the issues of over-representation of minorities in the criminal justice system due to drug-related incidences, race relations, and the impact such representation has on families, children, and communities. The exploration of the current criminal justice efforts against drugs is presented through a meta-analysis qualitative lens in an effort to disseminate the information on those arrested, sentenced, and subsequently incarcerated for various drug offenses. In an attempt to understand the encyclical racial disparities that promulgate the criminal justice system, the study relies on information from several key theorists to cement the discussions in the research. Qualitative data …

The Relationship Between Emotional & Social Intelligence And Conflict Management Behavior In Leadership, Suzzette A. Harriott

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the relationship between emotional and social intelligence (ESI) and the conflict management behavior (CMB) of lower level members of management or managers in training in a public sector organization in a country in the British Caribbean. The instruments that were utilized were SPSS, the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal-Me Version, and the Conflict Dynamic Profile-Individual (CDP-I). In all cases, due to non-normality, Spearman's rho was used in order to test the five hypotheses incorporated within this study. The Spearman rho, which is also known as the Pearson correlation coefficient between ranked variables, is a …

The Human Robot: A Narrative Study Of Identity Change In Mexico Through An Analysis Of Mexican Films, Cesar Vela-Beltran-Del-Rio

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In order to succeed in an intellectually, economically, socially, and politically controlled system, as México, one has to develop a sense of inner direction and empowerment, where critical thinking is vital yet patriarchy becomes an impediment to the development of an inner compass and empowerment when it shapes and controls the masses’ identity and behavior through different strategies, methods, and institutions. One of the most powerful and popular identity shaping strategies is film making. Film is considered by most as a source of entertainment portraying social interactions. Yet it is a powerful identity-shaping tool for the establishment. It has been …

Lightweight Data Compression In Wireless Sensor Networks Using Huffman Coding, Henry P. Medeiros, Marcos C. Maciel, Richard D. Souza, Marcelo E. Pellenz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper presents a lightweight data compression method for wireless sensor networks monitoring environmental parameters with low resolution sensors. Instead of attempting to devise novel ad hoc algorithms, we show that, given general knowledge of the parameters that must be monitored, it is possible to efficiently employ conventional Huffman coding to represent the same parameter when measured at different locations and time periods. When the data collected by the sensor nodes consists of integer measurements, the Huffman dictionary computed using statistics inferred from public datasets often approaches the entropy of the data. Results using temperature and relative humidity measurements show …

Antenna Selection And Mimo Capacity Estimation For Vehicular Communication Systems, Nischal Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

Vehicular communication is one of the promising prospects of wireless communication capable of addressing the issues related to road safety, providing the framework for "smart" or "intelligent" cars. To provide a reliable wireless link for vehicular communication extensive channel modeling and measurements are required. In this thesis a novel cost-effective implementation of vehicular channel capacity measuring system using off-the-shelf devices is proposed. Then using the proposed system, various channel measurements are performed. The measurement results are utilized to examine multi-antenna systems for vehicular communication.

The challenge in developing an efficient network between cars is to understand the nature of random …

Vocabulary Assessment: A Comparison Between Clinical And Academic Measures, Lindsay Mae Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have shown vocabulary knowledge to be highly linked to reading comprehension, and ultimately a strong predictor of academic success. Therefore, students' vocabulary skills should be carefully monitored and assessed as the demands of education increase.

The purpose of this study was to compare 28 fourth grade students' vocabulary scores on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test with scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4) (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and Expressive Vocabulary Test-2 (EVT-2) (Williams, 2007), two clinically used vocabulary measures with established validity. Strong correlations would potentially allow for the use of the MAP vocabulary test when …

Design And Optimization Of Organic Rankine Cycle For Low Temperature Geothermal Power Plant, Kirtipal Barse

Theses and Dissertations

Rising oil prices and environmental concerns have increased attention to renewable energy. Geothermal energy is a very attractive source of renewable energy. Although low temperature resources (90C to 150C) are the most common and most abundant source of geothermal energy, they were not considered economical and technologically feasible for commercial power generation. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology makes it feasible to use low temperature resources to generate power by using low boiling temperature organic liquids. The first hypothesis for this research is that using ORC is technologically and economically feasible to generate electricity from low temperature geothermal resources. The second …

Role Of Bipa As A Modulator Of Gene Expression And Ribosome Assembly In Escherichia Coli, Promisree Choudhury

Theses and Dissertations

In Escherichia coli, ribosomes are the basic protein-synthesizing cellular machines. Hence, regulation of ribosome synthesis and assembly as well as regulation of protein translation are very important for bacterial cells. However, the cellular mechanisms of both these processes are not yet completely understood and thus both are active fields of research. It has been suggested that the BipA protein is involved in the regulation of both these processes. The research described here focused on understanding the cellular function(s) of BipA in regulating protein synthesis and ribosome assembly.

BipA is a member of the elongation factor family of translational GTPases …

Evaluation Of Selected Spectral Vegetation Indices In Senescent Rangeland Canopy Using Landsat Imagery, Marla Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland birds are diminishing more steadily and rapidly than other North American birds in general. The nesting success of some grassland bird species depends on the amount of nonproductive vegetation (NPV). To estimate NPV land managers are currently using the Robel pole visual obstruction reading methods. Researchers with the USDA Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, ND, recently established statistical relationships between photosynthetic vegetation (PV), NPV and spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) derived from more sensitive and more detailed, but less accessible and more costly hyperspectral aerial imagery. This study is an extension of this previous …

American Exceptionalism And The Antebellum Slavery Debate, Travis Cormier

Theses and Dissertations

American exceptionalism is the idea that America is or was somehow unique or different compared to other nations throughout history. Many Americans also believed that America had a special mission to be an example to the rest of the world. Many politicians and intellectuals have debated America's exceptionality since the founding of the country. The debate over American slavery during the antebellum era was in many ways a debate over American exceptionalism. Could America claim American exceptionality while they held on to slavery? George Fitzhugh, an ardent supporter of slavery during the antebellum period, argued that America was not exceptional …

Geometry Of Quivers, Patrick Andrew Durkin

Theses and Dissertations

A quiver is a directed graph, but the term usually implies such a graph is being considered along with representations. These representations consist of vector spaces and linear transformations. We explore some the connections between quivers and geometric structures. To begin, we consider a theorem that says every projective variety can be considered as a quiver Grassmannian. The reasoning of the proof is demonstrated by example. We then prove the existence of a countable quiver containing every finite quiver as a subquiver. Following this we consider some properties of its category of representations. Finally, we give an overview of quiver …

Application Of Method Developed For The Identification And Quantification Of Polar Components In Organic Liquid Products Of Selected Crop Oils And Deciphering The Mechanistic Aspects Of Cracking, Ashwini Geetla

Theses and Dissertations

Pyrolysis is a fundamental thermochemical process that can be used to convert triacylglycerides (TGs) in crop oils into valuable chemicals that may replace petroleum products. Biofuels, complex mixtures containing hundreds of species, are generated by the pyrolysis of crop oils. Presence of fatty acids (FAs) will limit the applicability of plant oils as biofuels since they are corrosive and form wax-like crystals at a cloud point that would plug filters. However, short chain FAs have a high commercial value as byproducts of biofuel production. The understanding of mechanism of pyrolysis may reveal pathways for production of favorable products. These pathways …

Employment Characteristics And Mental Health: A Quantitative Study, Keegan Charles August Hahn

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature suggests that certain job characteristics may influence a person's mental health in a negative way. Work is an important part of every American's life. It is how they make money and can be how they identify themselves. This thesis examines that relationship further with new data and variables and also looks at the effect that the 2007 to 2009 U.S. recession had on increasing poor mental health among individuals. Americans' jobs were influenced by this national recession in multiple ways. This thesis explores the relationship between the national economy and how job characteristics impact American's poor mental health. …

Role Of The Α1a-Adrenergic Receptor In Synaptic Plasticity, Cognition & Neurogenesis, Brianna Lynn Goldenstein

Theses and Dissertations

Norepinephrine (NE) is a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory. NE activates adrenergic receptors (ARs) and stimulating the α1A-AR subtype has been known to increase adult neurogenesis (ANG). We hypothesized that α1A-AR-induced ANG would enhance learning and memory. Constitutively active mutant (CAM) α1A-AR, α1A-AR knock-out (KO), normal wild type (WT) mice, and mice treated with the α1A-AR selective agonist cirazoline (CRZ) were tested on the Barnes maze. CAM α1A-AR and CRZ-treated mice performed better and α1A-AR KO mice performed poorer than WT. Long-term potentiation (LTP) experiments on aged CAM α1A-AR mice revealed enhanced LTP in CAM α1A-AR mice versus WT. …

Assessing Student Learning: A U.S./U.K. International Comparative Study, Kristin Anne Garaas-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the role of assessments of student learning in the United States, specifically a school system in North Dakota, comparatively to that of a school system in Surrey, England. Using a conceptual framework that is influenced by the work of Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis with the Assessment Training Institute (2011) and the Assessment Reform Group (2002) on creating effective, balanced assessments for learning, three questions guided my study:

1. What are secondary (students ages 14-18) educators' beliefs about what, why, how, and for whom school systems are assessing students' learning?

2. What is the difference between educators' …

The Effects Of Whole Body Vibrations On Salivary Cortisol In Young Females In Squat Position, Rohini Gawande

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Despite the catabolic effect of cortisol on bone metabolism, and the potentially counteracting anabolic effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on bone, only a few studies have explored the effects of WBV on cortisol, the findings of which have

been inconclusive. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an acute bout of WBV on salivary cortisol levels in women. Method: This study utilized a randomized cross-over design, consisting of two individual treatment days: the vibration

intervention (V) and the non-vibration control (NV), with a washout period of 2-3 days between the two. Participants consisted …

Predicting Motivation, Exercise Behavior And The Reciprocal Relationship With Obesity Perceptions In College Students, Kylee Jo Heston

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is an increasing problem worldwide, often described as an epidemic. Approximately 70% of men and women nationwide are overweight and/or obese, with roughly 34% meeting criteria for obesity. Women are increasing obesity rates faster than men and more women than men are currently obese nationwide and worldwide. Obesity leads to numerous physical, psychological, and social consequences and often a poor quality of life. Women are at risk for increased health complications, and college in particular has been associated with weight gain. Improper energy balance is a significant contributor. Achieving adequate exercise each week has been proven effective in obesity …

Software Documentation Guidelines For Maintainability, Justin Roger Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Software maintenance is the final stage in the software engineering process; and can also be the longest and most costly. The ability of, and ease in which software upkeep and change is performed is an important software quality attribute called maintainability. Software maintenance however is an expensive process in both time and financial cost and can account for a majority of a system's overall lifetime cost. It would be beneficial then to have a set of guidelines for obtaining a higher degree of maintainability in software before and after its release and evolution stage in order to limit the cost …

Successful Reorganization Of Rural North Dakota Schools With Declining Enrollment, Steven Lewis Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of North Dakota leaders who had been involved in successfully reorganized school districts resulting from declining enrollments and reduced resources. All reorganized districts in this study were affected by serious declining enrollments in their respective rural communities. These successfully reorganized school districts developed reorganization plans and positive cultures within their communities that resulted in each plan being passed by a voting citizenship. The school districts studied laid the groundwork for reorganization with neighboring districts by forming cooperative agreements in athletics, shared staff, and shared special education services.

The researcher sought answers …