Digital Commons Network^™

Statistical Power In Meta-Analysis, Jin Liu

Theses and Dissertations

Statistical power is important in a meta-analysis study, although few studies have examined the performance of simulated power in meta-analysis. The purpose of this study is to inform researchers about statistical power estimation on two sample mean difference test under different situations: (1) the discrepancy between the analytical power and the actual power and (2) the influence of unequal sample size and unbalanced design on the power. Results indicated that there are noticeable discrepancies between the estimated power and actual power under certain conditions. In general, unbalanced design decreases the statistical power in the meta-analysis. Recommendations are provided for researchers …

Simulation Of An Axion Search Experiment, Yipeng Jiang

Theses and Dissertations

The resolution of the strong CP problem postulates a new dark matter candidate known as the axion. Axions can couple with photons in the presence of a strong magnetic field. Light shining through wall method (LSW) uses a lead wall inside a cavity with a strong magnetic field to coupled axions with photons then detect axions when the axions cross the lead wall and convert back to photons. The axion signal and thermal noise are simulated and by comparing the simulated signals after they have been rectified and integrated, the sensitivity of the planned experiment was determined.

Dynamic Vehicle Routing In Emergency Evacuation, Yi Wen

Theses and Dissertations

Since Hurricane Katrina, extensive studies have been conducted aiming to optimize the transit vehicle routing in the event of an emergency evacuation. However, the vast majority of the studies focus on solving the deterministic vehicle routing problem that all the evacuation data are known in advance. These studies are generally not practical in dealing with real-world problems which involve considerable uncertainty in the evacuation data set. In this dissertation, a SmartEvac system is developed for dynamic vehicle routing optimization in emergency evacuation. The SmartEvac system is capable of processing dynamic evacuation data in real time, such as random pickup requests, …

Thermodynamic And Kinetic Simulation Of Transient Liquid-Phase Bonding, Brad Allen Lindner

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THERMODYNAMIC AND KINETIC SIMULATION OF TRANSIENT LIQUID-PHASE BONDING

by

Brad Lindner

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2015

Under the Supervision of Professor Benjamin C. Church

The use of numeric computational methods for the simulation of materials systems is becoming more prevalent and an understanding of these tools may soon be a necessity for Materials Engineers and Scientists. The applicability of numerical simulation methods to transient liquid-phase (TLP) bonding is evaluated using a type 316L/MBF-51 material system. The comparisons involve the calculation of bulk diffusivities, tracking of interface positions during dissolution, widening, and isothermal solidification stages, as well as comparison of …

Does Simulation Improve Nursing Student Knowledge, Skills, And Attitudes In Identifying Delirium Superimposed On Dementia?, Sheryl A. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three manuscripts, to be submitted for publication, exploring the use of simulation in geriatric nursing education. The first manuscript is a literature review. Although, a number of articles exist on the use of simulation in nursing education, there is a paucity of research using simulation emphasizing the care of patients with dementia and delirium as a pedagogical strategy or those using a stringent research design.

The second manuscript provides an overview of two conceptual frameworks (National League for Nursing (NLN)/Jeffries Simulation Framework and situated cognition learning framework) and recommends merging them to guide researchers as …

Facilitating And Enhancing Biomedical Knowledge Translation: An In Silico Approach To Patient-Centered Pharmacogenomic Outcomes Research, Kourosh Ravvaz

Theses and Dissertations

Current research paradigms such as traditional randomized control trials mostly rely on relatively narrow efficacy data which results in high internal validity and low external validity. Given this fact and the need to address many complex real-world healthcare questions in short periods of time, alternative research designs and approaches should be considered in translational research. In silico modeling studies, along with longitudinal observational studies, are considered as appropriate feasible means to address the slow pace of translational research. Taking into consideration this fact, there is a need for an approach that tests newly discovered genetic tests, via an in silico …

Modeling And Simulation Of Evacuation Plan For Hancock Stadium, Nirmal Neranjan Weerasekara

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to use Modeling and Simulation of Evacuation Plan (MSEP) to support management to execute proper evacuation plan in case of emergency at Hancock Stadium in Illinois State University. Analyses of the research literature and evacuation scenarios are used to build a simulation system that will connect a description of emergency and evacuation situation with its context. It shows how an evacuation plan actually functions. The results of the study will help safety managers to understand the current situations of evacuation according to the specific simulation scenarios. The evacuation simulation is categorized according to the …

Experimental And Numerical Study Of High-Speed Friction Stir Spot Welding Of Advanced High-Strength Steel, Utsab Karki

Theses and Dissertations

With the desire to lighten the frame while keeping or increasing the strength, Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) have been developed for use in the automotive industry. AHSS meet many vehicle functional requirements because of their excellent strength and acceptable ductility. But joining AHSS is a challenge, because weldability is lower than that of mild steels. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a solid state joining process that can provide a solution to the weldability issues in AHSS, but FSSW has not been studied in great detail for this application. In this work, Si3N4 tools were used for FSSW experiments on …

The Programmatic Generation Of Discrete-Event Simulation Models From Production Tracking Data, Christopher Rand Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Discrete-event simulation can be a useful tool in analyzing complex system dynamics in various industries. However, it is difficult for entry-level users of discrete-event simulation software to both collect the appropriate data to create a model and to actually generate the base-case simulation model. These difficulties decrease the usefulness of simulation software and limit its application in areas in which it could be potentially useful. This research proposes and evaluates a data collection and analysis methodology that would allow for the programmatic generation of simulation models using production tracking data. It uses data collected from a GPS device that follows …

Compressibility Measurement And Modeling To Optimize Flow Simulation Of Vacuum Infusion Processing For Composite Materials, Paul Hannibal

Theses and Dissertations

Out-of-autoclave manufacturing processes for composite materials are increasing in importance for aerospace and automotive industries. Vacuum Infusion processes are leading the push to move out of the autoclave. An understanding of the various process parameters associated with resin infusion is necessary to produce quality product. Variance in compaction, resin, and vacuum pressures are studied, concentrating on developing a compaction pressure profile as it relates to fiber volume fraction. The purpose of this research is twofold: (1) to show and quantify the existence of a resin pressure gradient in compression testing using rigid tooling, and (2) to use measured test data …

Considerations For Screening Designs And Follow-Up Experimentation, Robert D. Leonard

Theses and Dissertations

The success of screening experiments hinges on the effect sparsity assumption, which states that only a few of the factorial effects of interest actually have an impact on the system being investigated. The development of a screening methodology to harness this assumption requires careful consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of a proposed experimental design in addition to the ability of an analysis procedure to properly detect the major influences on the response. However, for the most part, screening designs and their complementing analysis procedures have been proposed separately in the literature without clear consideration of their ability to perform …