Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Prediction Of Quantization Based Automatic Target Recognition Algorithms, Matthew Steven Horvath

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The difficulty of designing automatic target recognition (ATR) systems is that there are many sources of potential variation in the data, often referred to as operating conditions (OCs). Typical evaluation methodologies rely on empirical simulations on fixed datasets, where it can be difficult to fully sample the variations the algorithm will see in application. Here we focus on analytic performance prediction approaches to quantization based algorithms where the sources of variation are assumed conditionally independent. We have focused on three algorithms in particular: multinomial pattern matching (MPM), quantized grayscale matching (QGM), and a quantized mean-squared error approach (QMSE). The first …

Bedrock Mapping Using Shear Wave Velocity Characterization And H/V Analysis, James P. Gonsiewski

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An experiment was conducted to constrain the HVSR (Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio) or H/V spectral ratio method at a glaciated site in northeast Ohio. Multiple methods were used to determine the shear wave velocity (Vs) and depth (h) to bedrock in relation to the fundamental resonant frequency (f_o) determined from 3-component seismic data, as defined by the relationship f₀=Vs/4h. The shear wave velocity structure was determined at three sites using MASW (Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves) and shear wave refraction methods, and the fundamental resonant frequency was passively observed using 3-component Guralp broadband seismometers. The …

Design Of A Novel Low - Cost, Portable, 3d Ultrasound System With Extended Imaging Capabilities For Point-Of-Care Applications, Michail Tsakalakis

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Ultrasound Imaging (USI) or Medical Sonography (MS), as it is formally called, has been widely used in biomedical applications over the last decades. USI can provide clinicians with a thorough view of the internal parts of the human body, making use of sound waves of higher frequencies than humans can perceive. USI systems are considered highly portable and of low-cost, compared to other imaging modalities. However, despite those advantages, Ultrasound Systems (US) and especially 3D ones, have not been yet extensively utilized for Point-of-Care (POC) applications, due to numerous restrictions and artifacts that they currently present.

Hardware complexity and real-time …

A Reconfigurable Spice-Based Cmos Lna Design In 90 Nm Technology Using Ads Rfic Dynamic Link, Pushpak Vasanth Rayudu Arja

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In this thesis, a reconfigurable dual band CMOS LNA with a switching-type circuit topology is proposed. The reconfigurable dual-band LNA can be tuned to operating fre- quency of either 1.575 GHz for global positioning system (GPS) or 2.4GHz for WLAN 802.11b standards. The simulated results performed power gain of 11.2 dB and 12.4 dB, noise figure of 3.4 dB and 2.9 dB, input return loss(S11) of -25.26 dB and-21.4 dB, third- order input intercept point of -3.12 dBm and -2.137 dBm and the design dissipates 8.9 mW and 4.68 mW of power at 1.2 V power supply at the two …

Vitamin D Receptor And 1Α, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Mediated Regulation Of Δnp63Α, Hill Tremayne Natasha

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1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3), the ligand for the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), functions to both inhibit cell growth and promote cell survival. High-dose VD3 is being utilized as a cancer preventive therapy for melanoma, breast and colorectal cancers, without a complete understanding of VD3/VDR signaling. DeltaNp63alpha, considered to be a proto-oncogene, is overexpressed in non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), induces VDR gene expression and promotes keratinocyte proliferation, and may serve to exacerbate non-melanoma skin cancer. The objective of this dissertation was to determine whether VDR/VD3 signaling promotes keratinocyte proliferation by up-regulating DeltaNp63alpha. I showed that VDR increases DeltaNp63alpha expression at both …

Knowledge Enabled Location Prediction Of Twitter Users, Revathy Krishnamurthy

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As the popularity of online social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook continues to rise, the volume of textual content generated on the web is increasing rapidly. The mining of user generated content in social media has proven effective in domains ranging from personalization and recommendation systems to crisis management. These applications stand to be further enhanced by incorporating information about the geo-position of social media users in their analysis. Due to privacy concerns, users are largely reluctant to share their location information. As a consequence of this, researchers have focused on automatic inferencing of location information from the …

A Computational Study Of A Photovoltaic Compound Parabolic Concentrator, William M. Vance

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Routines have been written and added to the Wright State developed solar system simulation program called Solar_PVHFC to model incident solar radiation for a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) that uses solar panels (photovoltaic panels) to produce electrical energy. Solar_PVHFC is a program that models a solar energy system composed of solar panels to produce electricity from the sun, hydrogen storage tanks to chemically store the energy produced by the solar panels, and fuel cells to convert between electrical and chemical energy when required. Solar_PVHFC features several adjustable parameters to model a solar panel, hydrogen storage, and fuel cell system. Now …

Polymerization Of Peek Ab Monomers With Oxyalkylene Linkages Via Nas And Friedel-Crafts Reactions, Shannon Theresa Hennelly

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The synthesis of the NAS monomer, 4-fluoro-4'-(2-(4-benzyloxyphenoxy)ethoxy) benzophenone, was envisioned as a two-step process. Thus, the synthesis of 4-fluoro- 4'-(2-(4-benzyloxyphenoxy)ethoxy)benzophenone was accomplished by the reaction of 4-fluoro-4'-hydroxybenzophenone and 1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2bromoethoxy) benzene. Hydrogenation of 4-fluoro-4'-(2-(4-benzyloxyphenoxy)ethoxy) benzophenone with 10% Pd/C was used to successfully remove the benzylic ether protective group, however, the reaction also reduced the benzophenone carbonyl. The synthesis of the EAS monomer, 4-(2-(4-phenoxyphenoxy)ethoxy)benzoic acid, was also a two-step process. The reaction of ethyl p-(2-hydroxyethoxy)benzoate and 4-phenoxyphenol gave ethyl 4-(2-(4-phenoxyphenoxy)ethoxy)benzoate in good yield. This ester could be easily hydrolyzed to 4-(2-(4-pheonxyphenoxy)ethoxybenzoic acid. The polymerization of the EAS monomer, 4-(2-(4-pheonxyphenoxy)ethoxybenzoic acid, was carried …

Algal Quality Controls The Distribution, Behavior And Growth Of Algivorous Cichlids In Lake Tanganyika, Renalda Nanziga Munubi

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The nutritional value of primary producer is dependent on the concentrations of C, N and P. These elements are the building blocks for protein, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and other biochemical compounds. The balance between the supply of dietary elements and the herbivore's demand is crucial for the growth of algivorous organisms, including fish. However, anthropogenic changes in primary producer quality due to sediments may alter the value and quantity of food in the littoral zone of Lake Tanganyika, which may affect both herbivorous near shore and pelagic fisheries. This dissertation focuses on the influence of algae food on herbivore …

Measuring Pulse Rate Variability During Motion Artifact With A Non-Contact, Multi-Imager Photoplethysmography System, Zachary Adam Kiehl

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Non-contact imaging photoplethysmography is an exciting new field based on the principles of traditional photoplethysmography where viable signals can now be acquired without the use of contact equipment. Recent advances regarding non-contact imaging photoplethysmography have permitted a wide range of new possibilities focused on sensing the cardiopulmonary system. Physiological metrics such as pulse rate, respiration rate, and pulse rate variability can be obtained by current photoplethysmographic imaging methods. Although previous systems were challenged by head-motion artifacts, the mitigation of rigid head-motion artifacts has been demonstrated with a multi-imager design. This study investigated the feasibility and accuracy of pulse rate variability …

Duck And Cover: How Print Media, The U.S. Government, And Entertainment Culture Formed America's Understanding Of The Atom Bomb, Daniel P. Wright

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This research project will explore an overview of the different subsections of American post-war society that contributed to the American "atomic reality" in hopes of revealing how and why the American understanding of atomic weapons did not slowly evolve over the course of a generation, but instead materialize rapidly in the years following the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. By analyzing government sources and programs, print media sources such as newspapers and magazines, and the American entertainment culture of the 1940s and 1950s, this research project will answer exactly why and how the American public arrived at its understanding of …

The Influence Of Flow On Standard And Adaptive Performance In Teams, Jennifer N. Baumgartner

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The purpose of this study was to examine flow as it relates to different types of performance in teams. Participants (N = 165) in teams of five engaged in an airport simulation that included an unforeseen change during the second session. Flow was expected to be positively correlated with standard and adaptive performance and predict performance along with cognitive ability and personality. Positive affect was expected to mediate the relationship between flow and performance. Flow was positively correlated with the number of aircraft departed under standard conditions, negatively correlated with aircraft departed under adaptive conditions, and positively correlated with subjective …

Growth Of Sparingly-Soluble Ab-Type Minerals As A Function Of Their A:B Ratio, Jacquelyn N. Bracco

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A fundamental understanding of mineral growth kinetics is necessary to predict mineral reactivity in geologic environments. We use hydrothermal atomic force microscopy (HAFM) to measure step advance speeds and morphological evolution of the sparingly-soluble minerals magnesite (MgCO3), barite (BaSO4) and celestite (SrSO4) while systematically varying the concentrations of their constituent cations and anions in solution. For all three minerals, a maximum step velocity is reached at an aqueous cation:anion concentration (r) near unity and decreases with extreme r despite order of magnitude differences in the water exchange rate for the cations comprising the minerals. Affinity based models fail to reproduce …

Accelerated Degradation Of Chlorinated Solvents By Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Coated With Iron Monosulfide And Stabilized With Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Shirin Ghahghaei Nezamabadi

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Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) injections have proven to be a promising approach for the remediation of aquifers contaminated by chlorinated organic pollutants. This study compares the efficacy of nZVI in sulfidated and unamended forms in degrading selected chlorinated hyrocarbons (CHCs). Results show that nZVI amended with iron monosulfide (FeS) increases the rate of dechlorination of CT, CF and 1,1,1-TCA compared to that by unamended nZVI. The focus of this research was to characterize degradation kinetics and degradation byproduct distributions of CT, CF and 1,1,1-TCA by nZVI coated by iron monosulfide, which is represented as nZVI/FeS. To prevent nZVI particles from …

Immunotherapy For Human Breast Cancer, Nasrah Ali Al Kamal

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Al Kamal, Nasrah. M.S. Program of Microbiology and Immunology, Wright State University, 2015.Immunotherapy for Human Breast Cancer. The study focuses on the methodologies that are used in breast cancer therapy. The review finds major evolutions of these methods and the influence they have made on the increased survival rates in cancer patients. There is also a projection of the processes that are involved in the therapy practices and the way the protocols have been improved over time. The various stages of cancer treatment project the various aspects of better performance articulations in the therapy sector. There is also reference to …

Neural Correlates Of Convergence Eye Movements In Convergence Insufficiency Patients Vs Normal Binocular Vision Controls: An Fmri Study, Chirag Bharatkumar Limbachia

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Convergence Insufficiency is a binocular vision disorder, characterized by reduced ability of performing convergence eye movements. Absence of convergence causes, eye strain, blurred vision, doubled vision, headaches, and difficulty reading due frequent loss of place. These symptoms commonly occur during near work. The purpose of this study was to quantify neural correlates associated with convergence eye movements in convergence insufficient (CI) patients vs. normal binocular vision (NBV) controls, and to examine statistical differences between them. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were collected using a 3T Siemens scanner. A disparity-driven convergence task was designed using a standard block design approach, …

Not All Forms Of Misbehavior Are Created Equal: Perpetrator Personality And Differential Relationships With Cwbs, Caleb Braxton Bragg

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Most research has lumped counterproductive work behaviors into a single or a few categories. The present study, however, used dominance analysis to examine whether aggression, industriousness, dishonesty and self-control had differential predictive relationships with the Gruys and Sacket (2003) 11-Factor CWB model. I hypothesized that various CWBs would be differentially predicted by various personality traits, and that those predictive relationships would be moderated by self-control. The results indicated all CWBs are not created equal and should not be lumped into a single all-inclusive category. Counterproductive work behaviors are multidimensional, with unique predictors and covariates, and are best understood and predicted …

A Workload Balanced Mapreduce Framework On Gpu Platforms, Yue Zhang

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The MapReduce framework is a programming model proposed by Google to process large datasets. It is an efficient framework that can be used in many areas, such as social network, scientific research, electronic business, etc. Hence, more and more MapReduce frameworks are implemented on different platforms, including Phoenix (based on multicore CPU), MapCG (based on GPU), and StreamMR (based on GPU). However, these MapReduce frameworks have limitations, and they cannot handle the collision problem in the map phase, and the unbalanced workload problems in the reduce phase. To improve the performance of the MapReduce framework on GPGPUs, in this thesis, …

Split Ring Resonator Design For Agricultural Based Applications, Joshua David Compaleo

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Recent advances with manufactured electromagnetic materials known as metamaterials are paving the way to use microwave technology in agricultural development and harvesting. It has been proposed that split ring resonators could be placed on the surface of fruit or vegetables such that the resonant behavior may be monitored and used to estimate the ripeness level. The method is non-destructive and could enable monitoring of large quantities of produce or even be tailored to hand-held devices for consumers. However, the understanding of corresponding changes in the proposed device's resonant behaviors and ripeness levels are limited. In addition, fruit and vegetables are …

Strain-Induced Energy Band-Gap Opening Of Silicene, Zhonghang Ji

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Inspired by the success of graphene, various two dimensional (2D) structures on different substrates have been proposed. Among others, an allotropic form of silicon, coined "silicene" was shown to exhibit similar properties with graphene of a zero band gap and a Dirac cone shape at the K point in the Brillouin zone. Similar to its counterpart graphene, one of the main obstacles to applying silicene in modern electronics is the lack of an energy band gap. In this work, a systematic study was presented on the structural and electronic properties of single and bi-layered silicon films under various in-plane biaxial …

Hardware Trojan Detection In Cryptography Ip Cores By Library Encoding Method, Dinesh Varma Penumetcha

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Security is the primary issue in current internet world through both software and hardware. The ever increase in demand of consumer electronics requires less design cycle. To speedup design cycle, companies are approaching third parties for common applications IPs like USB, cryptography, DSP etc. These third parties can introduce a malicious content, which is called Trojan. Trojan in the netlist can activate only with special input/trigger. Available Trojan detection techniques like delay, area, power fingerprinting techniques and Automatic Test Pattern Generator (ATPG) method are not suitable as they take more time, less accurate. This thesis presents a hardware Trojan detection …

Differential Effects Of The Ahr On Immunoglobulin Gene Expression In Human B Cells, Naga Lakshmi Kaulini Burra

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2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent and persistent environmental toxin known to inhibit immunoglobulin (Ig) gene expression in various animal models. TCDD is thought to modulate gene expression through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and thereby a subsequent alteration in gene expression. The AhR is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. The mouse 3'Ig heavy chain regulatory region (3'IghRR) is a sensitive transcriptional target of TCDD that may mediate, in an AhR-dependent manner, the inhibitory effect of TCDD on Ig expression. Human B cells could also be a sensitive target of TCDD. The current study focuses on determining the …

The Role Of Nkcc2a On The Nervous System Activity, Kavya Annu

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The NKCC2A is a splice variant of the Na+K+2Cl- co-transporter 2 (Slc12a1), which is abundantly expressed in macula densa and in the apical membrane of the tubular cells in the kidney. Most of our knowledge regarding NKCC2 function is limited to the kidney, the organ where NKCC2 is abundantly expressed. However, recent studies have demonstrated that NKCC2 is also expressed in extra-renal tissues. This study was designed to determine if NKCC2A, a splice variant of NKCC2 has an impact on behavior and nervous system activity of mice. To these ends, we used mice (wild type, WT), lacking a single or …

High-Efficiency Wideband Class-F Power Amplifier With Electronically Tunable Resonant Network, Alex D. Compton

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This thesis presents a high-efficiency Class-F power amplifier (PA) operating from 30-88 MHz through the use of an electronically tunable resonant network. While conventional Class-F designs are limited to operation over less than an octave, the proposed design utilizes reconfigurable reactive elements in order to cover the entire VHF-FM frequency range. A real circuit implementation using GaN HEMT is designed and simulated, with the notable design considerations examined in detail. A minimum power added efficiency (PAE) of 71.7% is achieved across the band, at output powers = 49.2 dBm. This combination of high output power and high-efficiency operation across a …

Features For Ranking Tweets Based On Credibility And Newsworthiness, Jacob W. Ross

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We create a robust and general feature set for learning to rank algorithms that rank tweets based on credibility and newsworthiness. In previous works, it has been demonstrated that when the training and testing data are from two distinct time periods, the ranker performs poorly. We improve upon previous work by creating a feature set that does not over fit a particular year or set of topics. This is critical given how people utilize social media changes as time progresses, and the topics discussed vary. In addition, we are constantly gaining new tweet data. Thus, it is important to be …

Left Ventricle Volume Reconstruction To Minimize Scanning Time: Slice-Fitting Method, Prateek Kalra

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Assessment of left ventricle volume is usually done for diagnosis and prognosis of heart diseases. Slice-summation method is a standard method used to compute left ventricle volume where region of interest from several short axis (SA) slices are added. There are some limitations to this method, however. It requires short-axis slices to be taken parallel to the mitral valve plane from the base to apex. Moreover, scanning several short-axis slices is a tedious and time consuming process especially for studies that require several hundreds datasets. There are some existing methods to reconstruct left ventricle volume but most of them depend …

Effect Of Somatostatin On Voltage-Gated Calcium Influx In Isolated Neonatal Rat Carotid Body Type I Cells, Eric J. Dunn

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Somatostatin (SST) is a neuropeptide hormone that regulates the release of secondary hormones. Evidence suggests SST plays a neuromodulatory role due to its distribution throughout the central nervous system. Interestingly, SST has been suggested to affect the carotid body, the small peripheral chemoreceptors that regulate breathing. It has been shown that the peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity to CO2 and hypoxia is reduced by SST in humans (Pedersen et al., 1999; Pandit et al., 2014). SST has also been found to inhibit whole cell Ca2+ currents recorded from adult rat carotid body type I cells (e Silva & Lewis, 1995), but the …

Virtual Agent Interaction - Improving Cognitive Abilities And Trust For A Complex Visual Search Task, Heather H. Milecki

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Introduction: This thesis research examined a novel decision support aid ("Spatial Cue + Virtual Agent") on human performance in a simulated complex visual search task. Method: Participants in the "Control" condition did not receive support from an aid. Participants in the "Spatial Cue" condition received support from an aid in the form of a bounding box. Participants in the "Spatial Cue + Virtual Agent" condition received support from an aid in the form of a bounding box and a virtual agent. The aids' reliability was held constant at one level, 70 percent. Image difficulty was based on clutter; clutter was …

Theoretical Throughput Capacity: Capabilities Of Human Information Processing During Multitasking, Aerial N. Camden

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Technological advancements in automation have allowed humans to collect data at exorbitant rates. As a result, human multitasking as become an integral part of many government, industrial, and routine activities. However, multitasking can be difficult to study, primarily due to the lack of objective metrics. The Human Operator Informatic Model (HOIM) is an information-theory based model that has been recently developed to combat these difficulties. The HOIM is based on Shannon information theory and can provide an objective, meaningful measure to describe system complexity and overall multitasking performance. The main goal of this work was to validate the HOIM as …

Individual Differences In The Use Of Remote Vision Stereoscopic Displays, Marc Winterbottom

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With the introduction of the next generation of aerial refueling tankers, such as the KC-46, boom operators will use relatively recently developed indirect view stereo displays in place of direct view crew stations. Existing vision standards for boom operators were developed during the 1950s and may not be adequate for medical screening for KC-46 boom operators. Mild anomalies in binocular alignment, currently allowed by USAF vision standards, may permit stereopsis, but may also predispose those individuals to visual complaints such as eye-strain or headaches when viewing stereoscopic displays.

The purpose of this research was to measure individual differences in performance …