Digital Commons Network^™

Removal Of Blocking Artifacts From Jpeg-Compressed Images Using Neural Network, Md Nurul Amin

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to develop a neural network that will produce considerable improvement in the quality of JPEG compressed images, irrespective of compression level present in the images. In order to develop a computationally efficient algorithm for reducing blocky and Gibbs oscillation artifacts from JPEG compressed images, we integrated artificial intelligence to remove blocky and Gibbs oscillation artifacts. In this approach, alpha blend filter [7] was used to post process JPEG compressed images to reduce noise and artifacts without losing image details. Here alpha blending was controlled by a limit factor that considers the amount of compression …

Nurse Leader Influence And Nurse-Sensitive Outcomes In Critical Access Hospitals, Jennifer Diane Eccles

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Rural residents of the United States are sicker, are at higher risk of death, and have shorter lifespans than those in metropolitan areas (Singh & Siahpush, 2014). Nurse leaders may have the opportunity to influence improved patient outcomes in rural areas. No exploration of nurse leader influence as it relates to nurse-sensitive outcomes in rural healthcare settings was found in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences among nurse leader influence and nurse-sensitive outcome scores in critical access hospitals, which are rural in nature, in North Dakota as compared to other states in the …

Motor Competency's Relationship To Interpersonal Coordination In Stationary Basketball Dribbling, Daniel Bell

Theses and Dissertations

A gold standard for student pairing strategies in a physical education setting has still yet to be discovered and is a widely debated topic in the field. Inclusion and equitable learning environments are areas of emphasis for practitioners while trying to find new ways to elicit these things to benefit students. Interpersonal coordination (IC), a social phenomenon on which this study focused, has direct applications for pairing strategies in physical education. In essence, IC is a state in which two individuals non-consciously mimic each other’s motor patterns. IC was measured between 182 student pairings performing stationary basketball dribbling. Participants included …

Self-Efficacy Of Nacep Accredited Concurrent-Enrollment Program Instructors In Rural Community Colleges, Cecil B. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States, high schools and community colleges are collaborating to offer students non-traditional educational programs that allow them to gain college credit including those accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Those teaching these classes must have high self-efficacy and enjoy their work if they are going to make a positive impact on the students they are educating. The theoretical framework for this research is based on Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory. The methodology for this qualitative research study utilized an integrated approach. Data collection consisted of one-on-one interviews with instructors who teach NACEP courses, administrators who …

The Impact Of Cultural Values In Advertising On Saudi Consumers’ Loyalty, Abdullah Mohammed Bajaber

Theses and Dissertations

Advertising has been one of the most effective elements of marketing communication used to persuade audiences to behave in a certain way. Many studies have examined factors that affect ads positively. Increasing loyalty was classified as the primary goal of companies. Thus, advertisements were commonly used to achieve this goal. On the other hand, even though many studies discussed advertising elements that might generate negative impacts, the possible results of these ads were not sufficiently addressed. Through the theory of planned behavior, this study aimed to explore the role of the cultural value as an element impacting loyalty negatively by …

Geothermal Energy From Repurposed Oil And Gas Wells In Western North Dakota, Sidike Abudureyimu

Theses and Dissertations

Repurposing directional drilled Bakken oil wells to utilize ORC technology for electrical power generation is uneconomical for co-produced fluid in current active oil and gas fields in the Williston Basin. Geothermal power generation requires three crucial factors: heat source, sufficient and sustainable flow rate, and efficient binary technology. This feasibility study focuses on evaluating geothermal co-production fluid for current Sanish, Parshall, and Banks Bakken multi-wells pads. The wells lie within a 2.5-mile (4 km) radius within each field and extend to depths of 9,900 to 11,000 ft. (3 - 3.5 km). Within a 2.5-mile radius area, there are several multi-well …

Parental Practices And Home Environmental Influences On Children’S Physical Activity In A Controlled Lab Setting: An Observational Study, Tia Klein

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a rise of obesity in children, adolescents, and adults over the past decades. This rise in obesity has led to many health concerns such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, some cancers and depression. Physical activity [PA] has been shown to decrease these risks and aid in positive growth and development for children and adolescents. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between parental and child PA in a controlled lab experiment. The secondary aim was to examine parental practices (physical and social home environment) and their influences on children’s PA in a controlled …

Improving Numerical Reproducibility Of Scientific Software In Parallel Systems, Sara Faraji Jalal Apostal

Theses and Dissertations

Recently, numerical reproducibility has received increased emphasis from the scientific community. Software results that are not reproducible make it difficult to examine the science the software supports. A common source of numerical reproducibility errors in computational science occurs during floating-point arithmetic. Finite precisions and limited storage for floating-point numbers require computers to truncate and round results of some math operations. As a consequence, an approximate value is stored instead of the exact result. One programming idiom that is not always reproducible is the global sum reduction of a distributed array. Changing the number of compute units changes the order array …

Pilot Perception Of Automation Use: A Generational Assessment, Ryan Leadens

Theses and Dissertations

As flight deck technology has become more advanced, the pilot–machine interaction has become a larger point of emphasis in pilot training programs. Increasing demand for air travel in future decades will create greater need for highly accurate and reliable navigation systems. These systems reduce a pilots’ exposure to “stick and rudder” skills while increasing the knowledge and situational awareness required to operate safely.

It is imperative that pilots are properly trained on these systems prior to conducting line operations. In order to create an efficient and effective training program, it is important to understand how pilots perceive their role on …

Parental Leave Policies: Implications For Higher Education Policy, Muneka Nwoko

Theses and Dissertations

A persistent disadvantage of individuals and couples navigating and negotiating parental leave policies is often embedded in biased assumptions. Oftentimes, as a result, individuals and couples inherently encounter vastly different parental leave experiences. However, recommendations from the literature and federal policy support the need for gender equity, family-focused initiatives, and workplace interventions related to individuals and couples navigating and negotiating parental leave processes. Yet because of a lack of policy standardization, policy protocols related to these recommendations have proved unsuccessful in addressing the complexities individuals and couples experience when navigating and negotiating parental leave processes. Thus, this study applies a …

A Preliminary Study Of Leo To Geo Transfers For Inclination Changes Using Libration Point Orbits, John Shepard

Theses and Dissertations

The required change in velocity for a satellite to change inclination has prompted studies of efficient orbital transfers. Modeling the motion of a spacecraft by including the gravitational forces associated with the Sun, Earth, and Moon has historically proven effective in obtaining new scientific knowledge. In modeling the motion of satellites, the circular restricted three body problem (CR3BP) demonstrates the interactions from two primary bodies and a satellite. The dynamics created about the equilibrium points within the CR3BP can be used to construct low-energy transfers. The invariant manifolds of the libration point orbits (LPO) can be used to create an …

Contribution Of Intestinal Dysfunction To Alzheimer’S Disease Progression, Mona Sohrabi Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Longer life expectancies, due to advanced medical care, social, and environmental conditions, helped increase the number and percentage of Americans aging to ≥85. The number of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) age 65 or older is projected to be 7.1 and 13.8 million by 2025 and 2050, respectively. The total annual health care expense for AD patients is estimated to increase from $290 billion in 2019 to more than $1.1 trillion in 2050 (Association, 2019). Conclusively, AD is expected to become a more common cause of death and a major public health predicament due to aging of the baby boom …

Effects Of Intrapartum Nitrous Oxide Use On Comfort And Satisfaction With The Birth Experience, Tami Such

Theses and Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Increased availability of intrapartum nitrous oxide in the United States given recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of associated delivery devices has provided women an alternative intrapartum pain management strategy currently underutilized in the United States despite long standing history of effectiveness in other countries (Richardson et al., 2017b). However, the effect of pain on the experience of birth and present emphasis on patient-centered care and shared decision-making, potential improvement of women’s satisfaction with the birth experience when nitrous oxide is used was an understudied concept in extant literature. Also, given the possibility of pain and comfort as …

Elementary And Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Native American Students’ Academic Performances In North Dakota, Andrew Younkam Mangwa

Theses and Dissertations

Low academic performance among Native American students has been a problem for several decades. Some researchers like Bradbury et al. (2012) have studied issues related to education, but have not targeted elementary and secondary school students’ academic performances. More needs to be done, specifically on Native American students’ academic achievements, to understand the problem and provide data that could potentially ameliorate the situation. Data on state assessments from North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction has shown low academic performances for students from kindergarten through 12th grades in school districts with high Native American student enrollments (Insights.nd.gov, 2018). This quantitative study …

How Athletic Trainers Use Goal Setting With Injured Athletes, Jenna Wing

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to identify if current Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) understand the importance of consistent use of sport psychology, specifically goal setting, in the athletic training room with injured athletes. Participants (n = 77) were current ATCs who have been certified by the Board of Certification (BOC), who had proper licensure in their designated districts, and were members of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA). A questionnaire was created to assess the frequency with which they used goal setting, how important and effective they feel goal setting is, and how prepared they feel to use …

Cellphones, Sexting And Crime: An Examination Of College Student Practices, Melissa Spelchen

Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory dissertation research involves assessing the prevalence of sexting (sending, receiving and/or forwarding of sexually explicit images with your smart phone) that is taking place among young adults on a Midwest college campus. Other key findings include: a profile of those who sext whether in a conformist or non-conformist manner, and those who do not sext, profiles of and the toll on self-reported victims of the behavior, sexting motivations, and the possible connection to prevalent smart phone ownership. In addition, North Dakota is one of a few states that has a law prohibiting some forms of sexting; therefore, this …

Narrative Transportation Effects In Relationship With Empathy, Compassion For Students, And Self-Compassion In Student Affairs Professionals, Miriam Margarita Wood Alameda

Theses and Dissertations

Prior studies found that audiences can become more empathic and form a positive view of a character as a result of Narrative Transportation (NT). Thus, the purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of NT on Student Affairs (SA) professionals. 78 SA professionals were randomly assigned to one of two narrative groups (text or video). The results of this study indicated that participants in the video group show greater transportation than those in the text group. Furthermore, SA professionals showed that being familiar with the student experience was more important than sharing an identity with the student …

Mapping Land Use And Land Cover Change And Its Impact On Landscape Structure And Amphibian Functional Connectivity In The Prairie Pothole Region, Taylor Holm

Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring land use and land cover (LULC) change and its effect on habitat availability and connectivity is crucial for species conservation and management. This is most efficiently accomplished at a sufficiently broad scale using remote sensing technology. Current approaches benefit from freely available data sources such as National Land Cover Database (NLCD), derived from 30 m Landsat imagery. However, temporal frequency and spatial resolution of NLCD may be insufficient for some applications. Specifically, 30 m resolution data may not detect small or narrow landscape features that may be important habitat for small animals such as amphibians. Other available data sources, …

The Relationship Between Saudi Citizen Perceptions Of Vision 2030 And Saudi Government Social Media Use To Promote Vision 2030, Essa Saleh Alkathiri

Theses and Dissertations

Public relations (PR) tools have enabled more communication between governments and citizens in the whole world. However, a single communication channel could be widespread among many governments. These PR tools help governments to share national goals, projects, and programs with their citizens. Grunig and Hunt (1984) highlighted that the value of two-way communication channels is better suited to develop an understanding between public organizations (i.e. governments) and citizens to establish both internal and external mutual public-organization or citizen-government understanding. However, the practical implementation of two-way communication channels for the government-citizen relationships and dialog remains is unclear. As a result, the …

Using Mentoring Enactment Theory To Explore How Saudis Receive Mentorship In Public Sector Organizations With Vision 2030, Mhammed Mosleh A Alzahrani

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored mentoring relationships inside Saudi’s public sector organizations by applying Mentoring Enactment Theory (MET), developed by Kalbfleisch (2002), which explored the relationships between mentors and proteges in an informal professional way. Relationships based on this theory are considered unique, and mentors and proteges have close relationships (Kalbfleisch, 2007). This study focused on Saudi employees on public sector organizations (N = 505) and what their perception about informal mentoring relationships in their workplace environment. Informal mentoring relationships in public sector organizations of Saudi Arabia was what this study was developed to explore using MET focusing on the informal mentorship …

Mass Shootings As The New Normal: An Evaluation Of Wikipedia Data And Flashbulb Memories As A Measurement Of Public Perception, Richard Belz

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: As mass shootings have become more frequent in recent years, one question that arises is whether the public’s attention and memory of these mass shootings may be becoming less salient over time. To evaluate changes in the saliency and public interest in these tragedies, this two-part study 1) utilized open access data from Wikipedia and 2) measured the presence of flashbulb memories (FBM) for these events.

Methods: For Part I, changes in byte size and edits in 19 mass shooting Wikipedia articles were examined over 12 months to determine public interest in these events. In Part II, 500 participants …

Juror Perceptions Of Interview Quality From Child Victims With Autism, Megan Blackburn

Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can affect multiple memory abilities, including episodic memory, source monitoring, and relational processing. The possibility of these memory deficits can affect how a child with ASD testifies in court if they are the victim or witness to a crime. These testimonies are especially crucial for Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) cases where one of the biggest challenges is the lack of physical evidence in most cases, which leads to an abundance of trials relying on the initial forensic interview with the victim and victim testimony. Due to this, and the increased chance of affected memory abilities, it …

Mountain Lions In North Dakota: A Public Opinion Survey, Theodore A. Darnell

Theses and Dissertations

Breeding mountain lion (Puma concolor) populations currently inhabit the western portion of North Dakota. In recent years, apparent increases in human-lion interactions across North Dakota, and other Midwest states, have challenged wildlife managers who strive to balance biological and social carrying capacities of these animals. In 2019, we surveyed 2,000 residents of North Dakota, USA, using a self-administered mail survey to discern knowledge of and attitudes towards mountain lions, and to explore whether the presence of these animals would influence decisions to recreate in western North Dakota. Our questionnaire included 12 questions designed to ascertain respondent attitudes towards mountain lions. …

Safety Culture In Collegiate Aviation: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Between Multiple Universities, Robert Foster

Theses and Dissertations

A concurrent-embedded mixed method was used to evaluate observed outcomes of safety culture among multiple collegiate aviation programs in the U.S. A hypothesized model that measures the relationships between scales of safety management systems (SMS), safety motivation (mediator), and safety behaviors (safety compliance, safety reporting, and safety participation) was assessed using structural equation modeling/path analysis (SEM/PA). Demographic differences in safety culture were also evaluated. Semi-structured interviews were used further to understand the impacts of SMS on safety culture. Findings suggest significant predictive relationships between SMS and observed safety culture outcomes. There was also a significant mediation role of safety motivation …

The Impact Of Clinician Attachment Style On Burnout And Job Satisfaction: Introducing Mindfulness As A Mediator, Jill Marie Calderon

Theses and Dissertations

Attachment style is theorized to develop in childhood, as a result of the bonds that develop between child and caregiver. The research has shown individuals with an insecure attachment style are more at risk for job burnout and less satisfied with their jobs. This study proposed, mindfulness may be the internal process influencing the relationship between attachment style, burnout and job satisfaction. Mindfulness is defined as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally and has found to be positively correlated with secure attachment styles. Additionally, mindfulness has shown to have a negative relationship with burnout and a positive …

The Impact Of Safety On Fleet Acquisition And Management In U.S Commercial Airlines, Dinusha Sammani Gunarathna

Theses and Dissertations

The topic of aircraft safety is pervasive in many domains of the airline industry and it influences all types of air transportation operations. Aircraft acquisition and fleet planning are key functions in a commercial airline to ensure the achievement of the airline’s operational goals such as matching capacity with demand. With fluctuations in passenger demand, it is vital to strategically plan an airline’s fleet to best accommodate these changes and to safely do so. Existent literature suggests that aircraft safety is factored into passenger decision to choose an airline which then impacts the economics of an airline. The purpose of …

The Art And Science Of Transition: A Descriptive Case Study Between A Two- And A Four-Year Institution, Kaylyn Marie Bondy

Theses and Dissertations

The vast majority of students who enroll in a two-year college intend to earn a bachelor’s degree. However, only about 14% transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree within six years (Jenkins & Fink, 2016). The need to increase the number of bachelor’s degree holders (Torpey, 2018), and the increasing number of students beginning at two-year institutions demands the creation of smoother transfer pathways (Handel, 2013). Vertical transfer students comprise a majority of transfer-related studies, however, little research has focused on the efficiency and efficacy of that process (Gard, Paton, & Gosselin, 2012). Institutions can strengthen transfer student resources with a …

The Role Of Candidate Gender And Political Support: An Experimental Approach To Understanding Voter Perceptions And Support For Female Presidential Candidates, Jenna Nichole Laurin

Theses and Dissertations

Female candidates are at a disadvantage in the political sphere, facing underrepresentation and stereotype hurdles at all levels of elected office. While female candidates have overcome some of these obstacles and won elections at the state and local levels, there has never been a female candidate elected President. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether female and male candidates are judged differently on measures of competence, warmth, traits, and willingness to vote. Employing a 2 (candidate gender) x 2 (participant gender) x 2 (candidate party) manipulation, 370 participants read a fictitious article about Presidential candidates and rated …

Detection And Characteristics Of Blowing Snow At Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica During The Aware Field Campaign, Nicole Loeb

Theses and Dissertations

Blowing snow is an impactful process in cold climates that affects regional thermodynamics, radiation properties, and the surface mass balance of snow. Though it has significant climatic impacts, the process is still poorly understood and not widely included in weather and climate models. In 2016, the AWARE Field Campaign saw the deployment of a large suite of in situ and remote sensing instruments to McMurdo Station, Antarctica allowing for investigation of blowing snow. A ceilometer-based blowing snow detection algorithm used elsewhere in Antarctica is applied to data from AWARE, yielding a blowing snow frequency of 14.1% compared to 8.2% as …

Influences On The Development Of Ethical Decision-Making In Speech-Language Pathology Students: A Phenomenological Study Of Graduate Students And Clinical Supervisors, Joni K. Mehrhoff

Theses and Dissertations

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) serve as members of the interprofessional team for complex patients. As such, SLPs are required to uphold ethical practices and respond to the needs of patients, their families, healthcare organizations, and the interprofessional team. Speech-language pathology graduates are part of the ethical healthcare team during clinical experiences. Yet, limited research is available to define the development of student ethical decision-making. The purpose of this study was to explore what influences SLP graduate students and clinical supervisors ascribe to in the development of ethical decision-making. Participants included five SLP graduate students and six SLP clinical supervisors from accredited …