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A Gift Of Nature And The Source Of Violent Conflict: Land And Boundary Disputes In The North West Region Of Cameroon The Case Of Balikumbat And Bafanji, Moise Oneke Arrah

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Balikumbat and Bafanji are the names of two villages in the Northwest Region of Cameroon that have been warring against one another over Bangang, a tract of fertile land. The conflict hinges on perceived differences about who should have access to this fertile land. Both villages claim ownership. This conflict has persisted from colonial times to the present with no tangible resolution. Understanding the place of land within the political, social, and economic fabric of the lives of both villages prior to and after the arrival of the colonial administration is the centerpiece of this research endeavor. This study sheds …

Constructing Development: A Caribbean-Centered Approach For Security And Growth, Paula Lynne Lockhart

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

For a long time, the Caribbean has experienced underdevelopment even as there have been improvements in living standards. A region is directly linked to the wider global system with historical significances spanning much of the globe, it is important to address this “mis-development” phenomenon in order to advance development that can sustain human security and peace. The case study method employed in this dissertation allowed the opportunity to assess the progress of the issue of peace and development as it occurs across the region. This study tests the development outcome of a number of cases in light of the Millennium …

The State Of Mobile Learning Implementation In Government Cabinet-Level Agencies And Departments, Algernon B. Corbett

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

As mobile technologies have increasingly become a part of personal and work environments, mobile learning is emerging as a viable alternative for training and education needs. Faced with the need for innovative and cost-efficient ways for training government employees, agencies and departments are considering the use of mobile learning. The availability of a wide range of mobile technology provides many options. Other than the Department of Defense, little is known about implementing mobile learning in United States government cabinet level agencies and departments. A concurrent, mixed methods case study was used to examine how organizations decide to use, implement and …

Predicting Scenarios For Successful Autodissemination Of Pyriproxyfen By Malaria Vectors From Their Resting Sites To Aquatic Habitats; Description And Simulation Analysis Of A Field-Parameterizable Model, Samson Sifael Kiware, George F. Corliss, Stephen Merrill, Dickson W. Lwetoijera, Gregor J. Devine, Silas Majambere, Gerry F. Killeen

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Large-cage experiments indicate pyriproxifen (PPF) can be transferred from resting sites to aquatic habitats by Anopheles arabiensis - malaria vector mosquitoes to inhibit emergence of their own offspring. PPF coverage is amplified twice: (1) partial coverage of resting sites with PPF contamination results in far higher contamination coverage of adult mosquitoes because they are mobile and use numerous resting sites per gonotrophic cycle, and (2) even greater contamination coverage of aquatic habitats results from accumulation of PPF from multiple oviposition events.

Methods and Findings

Deterministic mathematical models are described that use only field-measurable input parameters and capture the biological …

Developing A Chronic Pain Vocabulary: Communication Preferences Among Individuals With Chronic Pain, Karin L. Becker

Theses and Dissertations

In order to be acknowledged, chronic pain must be voiced yet disclosing of chronic pain is fraught with social and professional repercussions. Moreover, there is a perceived disinterest in hearing about, and a stigma associated with the experience of chronic pain. This research explores the therapeutic value of communicating about pain. Nineteen individuals with chronic pain participated in a six-week online writing workshop to describe the way chronic pain impacts daily activities. These qualitative responses were analyzed using discourse analysis and four interpretive repertoires emerged which convey the multi-faceted impacts of living with chronic pain. These findings informed the creation …

Refining Transformation Rules For Converting Uml Operations To Z Schema, Tamaike Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The UML (Unified Modeling Language) has its origin in mainstream software engineering and is often used informally by software designers. One of the limitations of UML is the lack of precision in its semantics, which makes its application to safety critical systems unsuitable. A safety critical system is one in which any loss or misinterpretation of data could lead to injury, loss of human lives and/or property. Safety Critical systems are usually specified by very precisely and frequently required formal verification. With the continuous use of UML in the software industry, there is a need to augment the informality of …

Evaluating Sedimentary Basins For Geothermal Power Production Potential And Bottom-Hole Temperature Corrections, Anna Marguerite Crowell

Theses and Dissertations

At present, the risks and costs associated with geothermal energy wildcat exploration are prohibitive. With improved technology, the future may be brighter, and a play fairway analysis, for geothermal exploration can guide development. Comparing geophysical data with geothermal gradient allows identification of potentially economic areas of interest. The play fairway analysis is a common tool used by the petroleum industry to identify areas for potential exploration. The analysis identifies areas in the Denver, Illinois, Michigan, and Williston Basins with the highest development potential. A great deal of data have potential for a play fairway analysis, but data quality is problematic …

Stability And Ductility Evaluation Of Thin-Walled Circular Steel Bridge Piers Under Cyclic Loading, Basha Dorose

Theses and Dissertations

Steel bridge piers have found wide application in highway bridge systems around the globe. Steel tubular bridge piers, compared with concrete ones, are light and ductile. They can be built under severe constructional restrictions, such as in limited spaces throughout urban areas like New York and Tokyo, where the effective use of the limited spaces are desired strictly. They are also applied to locations where heavy superstructures are unfavorable, such as on soft ground, reclaimed land and bay areas.

In general, steel bridge piers are designed as single columns of the cantilever type, or one to three-story frames. Steel columns …

Ixodes Scapularis In North Dakota: Phenology, Population Genetics, And Local Host Reservoir Competency In An Emerging Vector Population, Michael Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

Tick surveillance in eastern North Dakota has revealed the presence of established I. scapularis populations in fragmented forest habitats previously regarded as unsuitable for this species. Understanding I. scapularis phenology, the reservoir competency of local vertebrate hosts, and population structure of blacklegged ticks in this region is essential to determining potential human risk of Lyme disease. Tick surveys were conducted throughout North Dakota by flagging and small mammal trapping. 1,701 ticks were collected, including 297 I. scapularis exhibiting a relatively low Borrelia burgdorferi infection rate (ca. 3-5%). Seasonal abundance varied greatly among life stages, with adult I. scapularis being most …

"A Picture Terrible In Its Significance": Jack Johnson, Interracial Relationships, And Methods Of White Social Control In Early Twentieth-Century America, Aimee M. Duchsherer

Theses and Dissertations

In early twentieth-century America, white society used white female purity, psychological and racial pressures, and intense physical violence as methods by which to control the sexual behavior of black men and white women. An exploration of the case study of African American boxer Jack Johnson reveals the use of these tools in the public response to his relationships with three white women: Belle Schreiber, Etta Duryea, and Lucille Cameron. As Johnson challenged white men in the boxing ring, he further challenged their supposed racial superiority through his blatant, public sexual relationships with and marriages to white women. Using legal documents …

Developing Novel 3d Antennas Using Advanced Additive Manufacturing Technology, Milad Mirzaee

Theses and Dissertations

In today’s world of wireless communication systems, antenna engineering is rapidly advancing as the wireless services continue to expand in support of emerging commercial applications. Antennas play a key role in the performance of advanced transceiver systems where they serve to convert electric power to electromagnetic waves and vice versa. Researchers have held significant interest in developing this crucial component for wireless communication systems by employing a variety of design techniques. In the past few years, demands for electrically small antennas continues to increase, particularly among portable and mobile wireless devices, medical electronics and aerospace systems.

This trend toward smaller …

Listservs, Learning Communities, And Baby Steps: North Dakotan Rural Educators And The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards, Emmanuel Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

The Common Core State Standards mark the latest state-led efforts to standardize K-12 education in the United States. The initiative aims at providing a clear and consistent framework to inspire students to develop strong foundational knowledge and deep conceptual understanding, skills considered critical for shaping students’ college and career readiness and successes. Given the continuing importance of educators’ role in translating the new content standards into achievable goals, it was useful for stakeholders to understand how educators in rural districts in the state of North Dakota were developing the local capacity to navigate the changes.

This qualitative study used a …

Reconceptualizing Privacy: An Examination Of The Developing Regulatory Regime For Facial Recognition Technology, David James Potter

Theses and Dissertations

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration have convened a series of meetings to create a voluntary code of conduct for the commercial use of facial recognition technology. This research asks and answers three questions related to the creation of the voluntary code of conduct: 1) How is the regulatory regime of FRT emerging in the U.S.? 2) What are the roles of the various stakeholders in shaping the commercial regulation of FRT? 3) How does FRT challenge our current conceptions of privacy? Data has been gathered to answer these questions using participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed …

The Role Of Atg7 In The Host Defense Against Bacterial Infection, Yan Ye

Theses and Dissertations

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause serious infections in humans. Autophagy-related gene 7 (Atg7) has been involved in certain bacterial infections; however, the role of Atg7 in macrophage-mediated immunity against Kp infection has not been elucidated. To gain a better understanding of Kp-host interaction which may provide insight into the design of novel and effective therapeutics for this infection, we set out to investigate the potential immune role for autophagy in Kp infection in vitro and in vivo. We found that Atg7 was significantly induced in murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) upon Kp infection, indicating that Atg7 …

Powwow As Spaces Of Public: Circulated Meanings Of A Native Practice For Non-Natives, Joshua Eugene Young

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the status of the relationship between Natives and non-Natives utilizing powwow as the representative anecdote of the intercultural space of interaction between these two groups. Where most scholars ask how Native Americans use powwow to reclaim Native identity, I shift the focus to non-Natives, whose relationship to powwow has gone largely unexamined. I argue that powwow serves as a public space for staging diversity for non-Natives, a fact that has wide-ranging implications for Natives, too. Utilizing rhetorical theories of ritual communication and publicity as a way to interrogate this relationship, I argue that the publics attending to …

Identifying Data Exchange Congestion Through Real-Time Monitoring Of Beowulf Cluster Infiniband Networks, Michael James Aguilar

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to gather data from many types of new information sources has grown quickly using new technologies. The ability to store and retrieve large quantities of data from these new sources has created a need for computing platforms that are able to process the data for information. High Performance Computing Cluster systems have been developed to fulfill a role required for fast processing of large amounts of data for many difficult types of computing applications.

Beowulf Clusters use many separate compute nodes to create a tightly coupled parallel HPCC system. The ability for a Beowulf Cluster HPCC system to …

Local Buckling Restraining Behavior Of Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular Columns Under Seismic Loads, Fokruddin Ahmad

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive investigations have verified that frame systems consist of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns have more benefits than ordinary reinforced concrete and steel systems. The CFST column increases earthquake resistant capabilities due to the concrete filling inside the steel tubes and are ideal for buildings subjected to large compressive stress. The use of CFST columns is drawing attention due to their strength and quake-proof advantages. Local buckling of the steel tube is delayed by the restraint of the concrete, and the strength of concrete is increased by the confining effect of the steel tube.

This thesis deals with the local …

The Effect Of Skydiver Experience On High-Performance Landing Fatalities, Gregory Bodensteiner

Theses and Dissertations

Skydiving fatalities upon landing, especially during high-performance landings, have

overwhelmed the sport as one of the largest categories of fatalities. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of an experienced skydiver on high-performance landing fatalities since the introduction of high-performance canopies. In addition, the study determined if experts in the field see factors of experience as contributors to fatalities. The United States Parachute Association fatality database published online was used to analyze the effect between skydiver experience and high-performance landing fatalities. Five interviews were conducted with industry experts. No statistically significant result was found relating experience to …

Prevalence And Distribution Of Ranavirus, Chytrid Fungus, And Helminths In North Dakota Amphibians, Melanie Paige Firkins

Theses and Dissertations

Worldwide reports of population declines and extinctions of amphibians have continued for at least two decades. Factors frequently reported in association with these declines include habitat loss, infectious diseases, and environmental degradation. Three sources of disease have been a concern for amphibians: chytrid fungus, Ranavirus, and some helminth parasites. Much of the existing reporting on disease results from anecdotal accounts associated with localized outbreaks, but understanding the scope and dynamics of infectious agents in host populations requires a regional perspective. My objectives were to estimate geographic distribution and prevalence of Ranavirus, chytrid fungus, and helminths in amphibians across the state …

Perceptions Of Computer-Generated Child Pornography, Beth Catherine Kliethermes

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined public perceptions of computer-generated child pornography (CGCP) and its association with pornographic material acceptance, usage, and sexual interests, as well as attitudes regarding children and sexual activities. Moral Foundations Theory was utilized to interpret these findings from a morality perspective. Additionally, the study explored public perceptions regarding the use of computer-generated child pornography in treatment and its effect on risk of contact offending. Participants included a community sample recruited using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Results indicated that participants had significantly lower support for illegality of computer-generated child pornography when compared to child pornography; however, support for illegality …

Characterization Of Dopamine Transporter Palmitoylation, Danielle Elizabeth Rastedt

Theses and Dissertations

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is an integral membrane protein that mediates the reuptake of synaptic dopamine and thus regulates the spatio-temporal dynamics of dopaminergic neurotransmission. DAT is also the target of powerful addictive psychostimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine that resulted in dysregulation of dopaminergic signaling. Complex control of DAT is exerted by various regulatory processes, including posttranslational modifications. We previously found that DAT is palmitoylated via the addition of a 16-carbon palmitic acid moiety to Cys 580. Pharmacological and mutagenic studies determined that depalmitoylation conditions led to reductions in Vmax and transporter levels, suggesting palmitoylation controls one or more functions …

Testing The Effect Of Microagressions, Cultural Identity, And Gender On Learning For Northern Plains American Indian College Students, Wanmdiwi Jessi Rose

Theses and Dissertations

Historically the absence of American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) students in large scale data sets has made it extremely difficult to adequately describe the growing educational crisis facing AI/AN students (Faircloth, Tippeconnic, John W., I.,II, & University of California, Los Angeles, Civil Rights Project/Proyecto,Derechos Civiles, 2010). The purpose of this study was to address the effect microaggressions, cultural identity, and gender has on learning in a sample of Northern Plains AI college students. AI students attending a predominantly white postsecondary institution were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups (EMVV, EMSS) or one of two control groups (CVS, …

Dopamine Transporter Phosphorylation, Palmitoylation And Membrane Localization And Mobility In Health And Disease, Madhur Shetty

Theses and Dissertations

The dopaminergic system is a regulatory system of the brain controlling various motor, cognitive and behavioral activities. Neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) plays an important role in modulating brain circuits controlling functions of this system with dopamine transporter (DAT) maintaining its homeostasis. Abnormalities in this homeostasis and/or nucleotide polymorphisms in the DAT structure leads to its association with a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) being one of them.

Disrupting the normal function of DAT, many psychostimulants such as amphetamine (AMPH) upon being transported via DAT into the pre-synaptic neuron alters DAT properties triggering N-terminal DAT …

Role Of Lectins Receptors In Development Of Sepsis During Pulmonary Bacterial Infection, Anthony Lee Steichen

Theses and Dissertations

A major focus of my work has been to understand the mechanism/s of sepsis development during respiratory bacterial infections with the goal of identifying novel alarmins/alarmin receptors. Specifically, I have analyzed the role of C-type lectins as novel alarmin/alarmin receptors likely involved in the development of sepsis resulting from acute pulmonary infection with Gram negative bacteria Francisella novicida and Klebsiella pneumonia (Kpn). In that regard, the first project was built upon a previous observation, made by Dr. Sharma, that two soluble lectins galectin-3 and -9 were upregulated and released in extracellular milieu in lungs of mice upon pulmonary infection with …

Nation-State Personality Theory: A Qualitative Comparative Historical Analysis Of Russian Behavior, During Social/Political Transition, Mark George Bound

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The study theorizes that a nation-state can manifest a condition similar to that of personality commonly associated with humans. Through the identification of consistent behaviors, a personality like condition is recognizable, and the underlining motivations dictate national policy independent of any current social/political influence. The research examines Russia during two historical periods examining the conflict events and social/political transitions of the period, to identify common behavioral characteristics, which indicate the existence of any independent personality like trait.

The study focuses on two historical periods: the Monarch Period of Peter I (The Great), and the Post-Soviet Union period of Vladimir Putin, …

Transition To Independence: A Phenomenological Study Of Foster Care Alumni Pursuing A College Degree, Erica W. Martin

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the experiences of foster care alumni pursuing a college degree and the perceptions and meanings they attribute to those experiences. This phenomenological study explored the conflicts that may impair foster care alumni from achieving postsecondary educational goals. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with 10 foster care alumni in the Central Florida area. The findings were based on the following research question: What are the obstacles to postsecondary achievement for foster care alumni who are currently pursuing or would like to pursue a degree at a two-or-four-year university? Scholarly literature and four theoretical frameworks support the analysis of …

The Lived Experience Of Witnessing Bullying In The Workplace: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Angela E. Dash

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Bullying in the workplace is prevalent in the United States and its impact is harmful not only to targets, but to the organization and its members. Through exploring the experiences of employees who self- identify with having witnessed bullying in the workplace, this transcendental phenomenological study was guided by the following two-part research question: “What is the experience of witnessing bullying in the workplace and how do participants describe their organizations where workplace bullying was witnessed?” The carefully constructed wording of my research question indicates that I was not searching for causal relationships. Instead, I was open to whatever came …

Transcending Thresholds: A Phenomenological Study Of How African American Women Working In The Federal Government Experience Professional Development, Betsy A. Kelly Bell

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the professional development experiences of federally employed African American women and to discover whether and how they perceive race and gender as informing their professional development. The researcher used an existential phenomenological approach, guided by the following research questions: what are the professional development experiences of African American women working in the federal government?; what, if any, challenges to professional development have been experienced by this population, and what meaning do they find in those experiences?; and what are the perceptions of this population regarding how social-organizational constructs inform their professional …

Money And Art : Financial Management Of Arts Organizations, Kristin Canham

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Prose By Rhetorical Structure For Machine Learning Classification, James Java

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Measures of classical rhetorical structure in text can improve accuracy in certain types of stylistic classification tasks such as authorship attribution. This research augments the relatively scarce work in the automated identification of rhetorical figures and uses the resulting statistics to characterize an author's rhetorical style. These characterizations of style can then become part of the feature set of various classification models.

Our Rhetorica software identifies 14 classical rhetorical figures in free English text, with generally good precision and recall, and provides summary measures to use in descriptive or classification tasks. Classification models trained on Rhetorica's rhetorical measures paired with …