Digital Commons Network^™

Unified Role Assignment Framework For Wireless Sensor Networks, Manish Mahendra Kumar Kochhal

Wayne State University Dissertations

Wireless sensor networks are made possible by the continuing improvements in embedded sensor, VLSI, and wireless radio technologies. Currently, one of the important challenges in sensor networks is the design of a systematic network management framework that allows localized and collaborative resource control uniformly across all application services such as sensing, monitoring, tracking, data aggregation, and routing.

The research in wireless sensor networks is currently oriented toward a cross-layer network abstraction that supports appropriate fine or course grained resource controls for energy efficiency. In that regard, we have designed a unified role-based service paradigm for wireless sensor networks. We pursue …

The Social Interactions Of Students With Disabilties In A 5th Grade Level Inclusive Classroom And The Effect On Academic Achievement, Estella Marshall-Reed

Wayne State University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Minor Courts And Communities At The Frontier: The Justice Of The Peace In Early Missouri, Bonnie Aileen Speck

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MINOR COURTS AND COMMUNITIES AT THE FRONTIER JUSTICES OF THE PEACE IN EARLY MISSOURI

by

BONNIE A. SPECK

May 2011

Advisor: Sandra VanBurkleo

Major: American Legal and Constitutional History

Degree: History

This study focused on local and county courts operated by Missouri's justices of the peace between the Louisiana Purchase and roughly 1875. Its purpose was to investigate the role of township justices’ courts and county courts of commissioners in terms of interactions with local residents; effects of rulings and other court actions on everyday affairs; and wider impacts on Missouri society. Sources included territorial and …

The Fourier Spectrum Element Method For Vibration And Power Flow Analysis Of Complex Dynamic Systems, Hongan Xu

Wayne State University Dissertations

A general numerical method, the so-called Fourier-Space Element Method (FSEM), is proposed for the vibration and power flow analyses of complex built-up structures. In a FSEM model, a complex structure is considered as a number of interconnected basic structural elements such as beams and plates. The essence of this method is to invariably express each of displacement functions as an improved Fourier series which consists of a standard Fourier cosine series plus several supplementary series/functions used to ensure and improve the uniform convergence of the series representation. Thus, the series expansions of the displacement functions and their relevant derivatives are …

Enzymology And Medicinal Chemistry Of N5-Carboxyaminoimidazole Ribonucleotide Synthetase : A Novel Antibacterial Target, Hanumantharao Paritala

Wayne State University Dissertations

N5-Carboxyaminoimidazole ribonucleotide synthetase (N5-CAIR synthetase), a key enzyme in microbial de novo purine biosynthesis, catalyzes the conversion of aminoimidazole ribonucleotide (AIR) to N5-CAIR. To date, this enzyme has been observed only in microorganisms, and thus, it represents an ideal target for antimicrobial drug development. Here we report structural and functional studies on the Aspergillus clavatus N5-CAIR synthetase and identification of inhibitors for the enzyme. In collaboration with Dr. Hazel Holden of the University of Wisconsin, the three-dimensional structure of Aspergillus clavatus N5-CAIR synthetase was solved in the presence of either Mg2ATP or MgADP and AIR. These structures, determined to 2.1 …

A Study Of The Associations Between Childhood Obesity And Three Forms Of Social Capital, Cynthia Bala-Brusilow

Wayne State University Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to expand the understanding of childhood obesity in American children by examining the associations between obesity in children and measures of social capital.

Context: Persons between 2 and 20 years of age are categorized as "obese" if their BMI is in 95th percentile or above for their age and sex using the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI-for-age growth charts. Obesity prevalence has more than quadrupled in the last 40 years in the United States for children. Social capital, in the study of health, can be defined as resources accrued and/or …

Alcohol Use Disorders And Labor Market Outcomes: An Analysis Using 2001-02 National Epidemiology Survey On Alcohol And Related Conditions, Shammima Jesmin

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS AND LABOR MARKET OUTCOMES: AN ANALYSIS USING 2001-02 NATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY SURVEY ON ALCOHOL AND RELATED CONDITIONS

by

SHAMMIMA JESMIN

May 2010

Advisor: Dr. Allen Goodman

Major: Economics

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

BACKGROUND

Attempt of this research to explore the impact of alcohol use disorders on labor market outcomes is justified on the following grounds. First, alcohol use disorders (alcohol abuse and dependence) became more prevalent among the working age population over the decades (NIAAA: 2004). Second, existence of a large body of research on the nature and extent of relationship between alcohol use and labor market …

Photodissociation Dynamics In Titan's Atmosphere, Welvidanalage Ruchira Silva

Wayne State University Dissertations

Photodissociation dynamics of molecules relevant to understanding Titan's atmosphere (diacetylene, cyanoacetylene and heptane isomers) are carried out under collisionless condition using the DC slice imaging technique. In diacetylene photodissociation, two-photon processes dominate at 243 nm and 212 nm whereas at 121.6 nm, a one-photon dissociation process dominates. Direct measurement of the lifetime of metastable triplet diacetylene confirms sub-microsecond lifetimes. Photodissociation of cyanoacetylene at 193.3 nm proceeds on the S1 potential energy surface with an exit barrier. In heptane photodissociation, the dissociation occurs on the ground state or low-lying triplet states with nonradiative electronic relaxation. Time-of-flight mass spectroscopy studies in this …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy, Locus Of Control, And Perceived Parental Influence On The Academic Performance Of Low And High Achieving African-American High School Students, Frances Ernestine Curtis-Fields

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of self-efficacy, locus of control, and perceived parental influence on the academic achievement of African-American high school students from low socioeconomic levels. A nonexperimental, descriptive research study was used to collect the data needed to address the research questions posed for this study. High school students enrolled in one high school in a large urban school district were asked to participate in the study. These students completed three instruments, Self in School, Importance of Parent Involvement, and the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility questionnaire (IAR), along with a short demographic survey developed …

The Effects Of Gestalt And Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Group Interventions On The Assertiveness And Self-Esteem Of Women With Physical Disabilities Facing Abuse, Cilene Susan Adam Rita

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the differential effects of Gestalt and Cognitive-Behavioral group therapy interventions on assertiveness and self-esteem among women with physical disabilities facing abuse. The eleven women, who met the study criteria, were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions, Gestalt Therapy (GT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) group interventions. The Demographic Questionnaire (Adam Rita, 2009) documented personal characteristics of the participants. The criterion instruments were: a) RAS (Rathus, 1973), and b) CFSEI-2 (Form AD, Battle, 1992) measuring assertiveness and self-esteem respectively and were administered pre-and-post treatment. The research was conducted over a period of …

Argument Construction, Argument Evaluation, And Decision-Making: A Content Analysis Of Argumentation And Debate Textbooks, Neil Stuart Butt

Wayne State University Dissertations

Critical thinking abilities, especially the advanced critical thinking abilities required for decision-making, are important to both individuals and democratic policy making processes. Previous studies have indicated that argumentation and debate instruction can improve critical thinking abilities, but there are reasons to believe that current approaches are not as effective at developing decision-making ability as they could be, in part because they focus too heavily on argument construction, rather than argument evaluation and decision-making. In order to test which approaches to teaching argumentation and debate best encourage decision-making abilities, researchers need to know which elements are included in current argumentation and …

Augmented Reality Navigation Interfaces Improve Human Performance In End-Effector Controlled Telerobotics, Keshav Chintamani

Wayne State University Dissertations

On the International Space Station (ISS) and space shuttles, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has used robotic manipulators extensively to perform payload handling and maintenance tasks. Teleoperating robots require expert skills and optimal performance is crucial to mission completion and crew safety. Degradation in performance is observed when manual control is mediated through remote camera views, resulting in poor end-effector navigation quality and extended task completion times. This thesis explores the application of three-dimensional augmented reality (AR) interfaces specifically designed to improve human performance during end-effector controlled teleoperations. A modular telerobotic test bed was developed for this purpose …

The Impact Of Mitochondria On Preimplantation Development In The Rhesus Macaque, Tiffini Charieace Gibson

Wayne State University Dissertations

Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ART) have been used to treat infertility since 1790. In the centuries following, dramatic advances have been made in the field of infertility research through the employment of a variety of species. Despite these advances, determination of oocyte and embryo quality remains largely subjective. Ascertainment of methods to measure oocyte and embryo quality to improve selection in ART clinics and increase pregnancy success rates is imperative. These methods are only possible with a more comprehensive understanding of the cellular and molecular properties of oocytes and preimplantation embryos. A key component of all cells, including oocytes and embryos, …

Computer-Based Brief Motivational Intervention For Medication Adherence In Schizophrenia, Robert Kender

Wayne State University Dissertations

Despite the documented efficacy of medication treatments for individuals suffering from schizophrenia, many individuals suffering from this disorder are unable or unwilling to adhere to their medication regimen. This may be due to the inability of providers to differentially address the individual motivation levels of their patients. The few interventions that have shown promise are both costly and difficult to disseminate. The current study is a randomized controlled trial which utilizes motivational interviewing, delivered with an interactive computer based delivery system to address attitudes about adherence. Feasibility, acceptability and efficacy were examined as outcomes. While both feasibility and efficacy were …

Distributed Cinema: Interactive, Networked Spectatorship In The Age Of Digital Media, Erik Wayne Marshall

Wayne State University Dissertations

Digital media has changed much of how people watch, consume and interact with digital media. The loss of indexicality, or the potential infidelity between an image and its source, contributes to a distrust of images. The ubiquity of interactive media changes aesthetics of images, as viewers begin to expect interactivity. Networked media changes not only the ways in which viewers access media, but also how they communicate with each other about this media. The Tulse Luper Suitcases encapsulates all of these phenomena.

College Students' Perceptions Of An Uncomfortable Sexual Experience, Sandra Lee Parent

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate college students' perception of an uncomfortable sexual experience and identify factors that may reinforce revictimization of rape victims. An additional purpose was to compare perceptions of rape victims to perceptions of those who have never been raped, but because the sample size of rape victims was too small, and the data could not be analyzed and data from rape victims were eliminated from further analyses. In the final sample, data were collected from 296 college students attending a large commuter campus university. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of four scenarios …

Investigating The Metal Binding Sites In Znta, A Zinc Transporting Atpase, Sandhya Muralidharan

Wayne State University Dissertations

ZntA from Escherichia coli is a member of the P_IBtype ATPase family of transporters. The P_IB-type ATPase pumps maintain cellular homeostasis of heavy metals such as Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cu⁺, and mediate resistance to toxic metals such as Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ag⁺. ZntA confers resistance to Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Zn²⁺ by pumping these ions out of the cytoplasm. ZntA has two metal binding sites, one in the hydrophilic N-terminal domain and the other in the transmembrane region. The …

University Students' Attitudes Towards Body Hair And Hair Removal: An Exploration Of The Effects Of Background Characteristics, Socialization, And Societal Pressures, Bessie Rigakos

Wayne State University Dissertations

Body hair removal is a behavior that is taken for granted by many women in the United States. Existing feminist literature suggests that body hair removal is a major component of societal norms. This study aimed to contribute to the literature by exploring the social factors that influence the extent of women's depilation from public/visible body areas and private/hidden body areas, and the number of depilatory methods utilized. A total of 303 female students from Wayne State University completed questionnaires asking about their attitudes towards body hair/hair removal. It was confirmed that the vast majority (291 or 96%) remove their …

Activation Of Tumor Cell Death Program By Targeting The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway: Significance In Cancer Treatment And Prevention, Michael Joseph Frezza

Wayne State University Dissertations

ACTIVATION OF TUMOR CELL DEATH PROGRAM BY TARGETING THE UBIQUITIN-PROTEASOME PATHWAY: SIGNIFICANCE IN CANCER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

by

MICHAEL FREZZA

August 2010

Advisor: Dr. Q. Ping Dou

Major: Cancer Biology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway serves as a quality control mechanism to regulate the degradation of intracellular proteins involved in a wide array of cellular processes including tumorigeneis. Thus targeting key features of protein turnover responsible for the growth and proliferation of cancer have emerged as a favorable approach in cancer therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental and clinical results have demonstrated the potential use of …

Accelerated Lattice Boltzmann Method For Colloidal Suspensions Rheology And Interface Morphology, Hassan Farhat

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ACCELERATED LATTICE BOLTZMANN MODEL FOR COLLOIDAL SUSPENSIONS RHEOLOGY AND INTERFACE MORPHOLOGY

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HASSAN FARHAT

July 2010

Advisor: Dr. Singh Trilochan

Co-Advisor: Dr. Joon Sang Lee

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Colloids are ubiquitous in the food, medical, cosmetic, polymer, water purification and pharmaceutical industries. Colloids thermal, mechanical and storage properties are highly dependent on their interface morphology and their rheological behavior.

Numerical methods provide a cheap and reliable virtual laboratory for the study of colloids. However efficiency is a major concern to address when using numerical methods for practical applications.

This work introduces the main building-blocks for …

Robust Observers And Controllers For Marine Surface Vessels Undergoing Maneuvering And Course-Keeping Tasks, Nassim Khaled

Wayne State University Dissertations

The dynamic behavior of marine surface vessels is highly nonlinear. Moreover, it is significantly influenced by environmental disturbances induced by winds, random sea waves and currents. To yield a desired response of the ship, the guidance and control system of the ship should be robust to both modeling imprecision and significant environmental disturbances.

The focus of the current work is threefold. First, a six degree-of-freedom nonlinear model for a marine surface vessel is developed. It accounts for the coriolis and centripetal acceleration terms, added mass and wave damping terms, wave excitation forces, so-called "memory" effect terms, nonlinear restoring forces, wind …

The Effects Of Web-Based Interactive Emotional Disclosure On Stress And Health: A Randomized, Controlled Study, Jonathan Beyer

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the relative effectiveness of two novel alternatives to standard written emotional disclosure for coping with stressful traumatic experiences. In addition to standard emotional disclosure and time management writing control conditions, two guided feedback conditions were created with a goal of enhancing the disclosure paradigm by eliciting the most effective components of disclosure writing. All of the writing conditions in the study utilized the internet for both completion of the writing and receipt of feedback in the indicated conditions. The guided conditions included a feedback writing condition in which guidance was …

Evaluating Outcomes And Response Profiles Of A Psychological Treatment For People With Chronic Pain, Amanda J. Burger

Wayne State University Dissertations

Chronic pain is a leading cause of suffering, disability, and high health care costs. Traditional treatment approaches such as medical or cognitive-behavioral interventions have produced variable and often limited results. Research has suggested

that increased rates of stressful life events, emotional disorders, and emotion regulation deficits contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain problems that lack clear, peripheral, biological causes. This study examined the effectiveness of an

innovative, emotion-focused treatment that directly targets patients' unresolved stress and emotional avoidance and sought to identify predictors of treatment outcome. Additionally, this study explored the effects of a novel, emotional assessment …

A Comparative Study Of Robert Lewis, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler And Sanford Meisner In The Context Of Current Research About The Stanislavsky System, Ruthel Honey-Ellen Darvas

Wayne State University Dissertations

Decades of interpretation based on incorrect and incomplete information regarding Stanislavsky and his System have erroneously guided the advent of modern acting theory in the United States. This study, using current research about the Stanislavsky System, examines four notable acting teachers--Robert Lewis, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner--to determine whose philosophy most accurately reflects the Stanislavsky System as it is now understood. The concepts of action, imagination, bits, tasks, emotion memory and active analysis are each explored independently. Each concept is examined as it relates to the System and then compared to the concepts as interpreted and put into …

The Cultural Memory Of German Victimhood In Post-1990 Popular German Literature And Television, Pauline Ebert

Wayne State University Dissertations

My dissertation analyzes the representation of Germans as victims of the Third Reich and the Second World War in post-1990 German memory. After unification, there no longer were two states that could each blame the other as the heir of National Socialism and this past had to be renegotiated. The claim that many Germans had been victims became central as evidenced by the vast number of popular literature, commercial cinema and television programs of this subject. I argue with Wulf Kansteiner (2006) that to understand collective memory, we should explore mass media representations. As the majority of highbrow artifacts do …

Imaging The Vasculature With Susceptibility Weighted Imaging: Applications And Analysis, Samuel Barnes

Wayne State University Dissertations

Modern magnetic resonance imaging sequences allow detailed non-invasive imaging of both the arteries and veins. This work is divided into four sections that examine different applications and analysis of these sequences.

Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) typically generates excellent negative venous contrast. Techniques to generate positive arterial contrast in SWI images without degrading the venous contrast with a single echo are examined. By using high isotropic resolution and high readout bandwidth flow losses can be minimized (generating good arterial contrast) even at the long echo times required for good venous contrast. A downsampling filter is then used to restore lost venous …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Pressure-Stimulated Cancer Cell Signaling, Christina Downey

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF PRESSURE-STIMULATED CANCER CELL SIGNALING

by

CHRISTINA DOWNEY

June 2010

Advisor: Dr. Marc Basson, MD, PhD

Major: Cancer Biology

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Increased extracellular pressure stimulates cancer cell adhesion by a mechanism that is dependent upon beta-1-integrin activation, an intact cytoskeleton, and FAK and Src activation. By a different mechanism, increased extracellular pressure modulates cancer cell proliferation in a manner that is regulated by protein kinase C, but not Src or an intact cytoskeleton. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that paxillin is a necessary mediator in the pathway by which pressure stimulates adhesion; however, …

Molecular And Therapeutic Implications Of Notch1 Signaling In Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Amanda Larson Gedman

Wayne State University Dissertations

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) accounts for 15% of pediatric ALL cases and is associated with early relapse and inferior outcome. The poorer prognosis of T-ALL compared to B-precursor ALL may in part reflect the lack of unique features on which to base therapy. NOTCH1 mutations are of particular interest since these were reported in 37-71% of T-ALLs. The prognostic value of NOTCH1 mutations remains controversial as both favorable and unfavorable associations were reported, whereas in other studies, there were no associations between NOTCH1 mutations and treatment outcome. We explored the impact of mutations in NOTCH1, FBW7 and PTEN on …

Two Particle Correlations And The Ridge In Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions, George Stevens Moschelli

Wayne State University Dissertations

Measurements at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) find an enhancement of two particle correlations in relativistic heavy ion collisions, not present in proton-proton collisions. Because the correlation structure is wide in relative pseudorapidity and narrow in relative azimuthal angle, it is known as the ridge. The most striking feature of the ridge is that it seems to extend to a long range in relative pseudorapidity where causality limits interaction. Similar ridge structures are observed in correlations of particles associated with and without a jet trigger. We argue that the untriggered ridge arises when particles formed in an early Glasma …

Creg1 And Its Enhancement Of P16ink4a-Induced Senescence, Benchamart Moolmuang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Bypassing cellular senescence, an irreversible growth arrest of cells that is activated in normal cells to become immortal is one of the prerequisites for carcinogenesis. Cellular senescence can be triggered by shortening of telomeres and certain cellular stresses. Using spontaneously immortalized Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) fibroblasts, we found that CREG1 (Cellular Repressor of E1A-stimulated Genes1) is one of genes whose expression fit the criteria of senescence-associated genes, decreased expression during immortalization and increased in senescence. Moreover, we found that epigenetic mechanisms regulate CREG1 expression in LFS fibroblasts. CREG1 is a secreted glycoprotein that was shown to bind Rb-family pocket proteins and …