Digital Commons Network^™

Water Solubility Characteristics Of Hydrophobically Modified Polyethyleneimines, Jennifer N. Williams

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Commercially available polyethyleneimines varying in molecular weights and viscosities were synthetically modified in order to increase their hydrophobicity when dissolved in water. Used as additives for inkjet industry inks, these polymers have been designed to promote interaction between formulated inks and paper, while increasing the water-fastness of these water-soluble inks once they are dried on bond paper. Waterfastness, the ability of an ink to maintain print integrity once it becomes wet, as well as optical density, solubility, pH, molecular weight, polydispersity and viscosity are amongst the characteristics analyzed. The modifications of these polyethyleneimines (PEis) with alkyl bromides and alkyl epoxides …

Manipulation Of Polystyrene Microparticles On A Microchannel Glass, Ravi Mamillapalli, Henry D. Young

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Bulk quantities of spherical microbeads have various applications in research and industrial fields. Simple techniques are required to be developed in order to manipulate and modify large numbers of these beads simultaneously. In our experiment, a microchannel glass-based microfluidic device is used to actuate large numbers of microbeads in parallel. The microchannel glass used in these experiments contains channels 4.1 μm in diameter. The microbeads are polystyrene beads which are superparamagnetic in nature and 5-6 μm in diameter. An aqueous suspension of microbeads is injected into a 2-chamber fluid cell that contains a separator, microchannel glass. The beads are reversibly …

Multi-Attribute Optimization Based On Conjoint Analysis, Hemanth K. Amarchinta

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Over the last thirty years, there were tremendous advances in multidisciplinary design optimization in reducing computational cost, developing algorithms for efficient sensitivity analysis in reaching an optimum. Most of these efforts assumed a single objective (attribute) function and a multitude of constraints. Very little work has been done in including the designer's preferences as part of the optimization scheme and in addressing the ability to handle multiple attributes simultaneously. This need to develop a systematic method for including designer's preferences is the main focus of this research work. The concept of modeling preferences among multi-attribute alternatives is prevalent in consumer …

Cognitively-Engineered Multisensor Data Fusion Systems For Military Applications, Amanda Christine Muller

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The fusion of imagery from multiple sensors is a field of research that has been gaining prominence in the scientific community in recent years. The technical aspects of combining multisensory information have been and are currently being studied extensively. However, the cognitive aspects of multisensor data fusion have not received so much attention. Prior research in the field of cognitive engineering has shown that the cognitive aspects of any human-machine system should be taken into consideration in order to achieve systems that are both safe and useful. The goal of this research was to model how humans interpret multisensory data, …

Feasibility Analysis Of The Strontium Ratio Obtained From Pennsylvanian Chondricthian Dentary, Cullen John Erbacher

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This research was undertaken to determine the amount of time between transgressive and regressive sequences. One of the methods used to determine the amount of missing time in an unconformity is the 87Sr / 86Sr ratio. The 87Sr / 86Sr ratio will be high around brackish and freshwater environments while it will be lower in open marine conditions. Limestones and their constituent parts are susceptible to diagenetic processes that can contaminate or obliterate isotope values contained within the rocks. The purpose of this research was to discover if reliable isotope information could be pulled from Pennsylvanian aged shark teeth. Nine …

Richard Nixon, Détente, And The Conservative Movement, 1969-1974, Eric Patrick Gilliland

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the relationship between President Richard Nixon and the American conservative movement, 1969-1974. Nixon's anti-communist persona proved pivotal in winning the 1968 Republican nomination, with support from the party's consevative base. The foreign policies orcherstrated by Nixon and his National Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger, however, which sought to reduce tensions with China and the Soviet Union, infuriated the conservatives. In 1971-1972, they suspended their support of the administration and even drafted their own candidate, the Ohio congressman, John Ashbrook, to challenge Nixon in the 1972 primary campaign. Although the Ashbrook campaign had a minimal impact, it set a …

Simulation And Analysis Of Rfid Localization Algorithms, Zubin Shah

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Radio frequency identification (RFID) based localization systems provide a unique approach to localize mobile entities equipped with RFID readers or tagged with RFID tags. UHF RFID systems using passive tags are a good choice considering their cost, reading range, and reliability. With global acceptance and deployment of UHF RFID systems using passive tags for tracking and identification, virtually everything around us can be tagged with small and low-cost passive RFID tags. This thesis describes a Monte Carlo Localization based algorithm to localize a mobile RFID reader within a tagged environment. A software tool is developed to validate this localization process, …

Development Of An Audio Visual Tool For Medical Training At Kennedy Space Center, Rimawi, Nidal El

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

As part of an effort to improve efficiency of space-flight medical support at Kennedy Space Center, a training video was created to replace a series of lectures given before a launch or landing of the Space Shuttle. The video was designed to familiarize volunteer physicians from around the country with the specific emergency response protocols for a Space Shuttle launch or landing emergency at Kennedy Space Center. The methods used were consistent with standard film making techniques as outlined in several film making texts. The Production was divided into three phases; A pre-production phase wherein the research, screenwriting and production …

Flexible Sigma Delta Time-Interleaved Bandpass Analog-To-Digital Converter, Ryan Edward Mcginnis

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Conversion of analog signals to their digital equivalent earlier in a circuit’s topology facilitates faster and more efficient exploitation of the information contained within. Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) form the link between the analog and digital realms. In high frequency circuits ADCs must often be implemented further downstream after several stages of down-conversion, or through the use of more expensive technologies such as Bi-polar Junction Transistors or Gallium Arsenide. This thesis presents a technique to utilize Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology in a parallel time-interleaved architecture. This will reduce circuit complexity and allow the ADC to be placed further upstream reducing …

Implicit Theories Go Applied: Conception Of Ability At Work, Charles N. Thompson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Implicit theories have been extensively studied in educational psychology (e.g. Dweck, 1999; Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Implicit theories have been related to goal orientation, response to failure, attributional style and perception of effort. With a few exceptions (e.g. Heslin, Latham, & VandeWalle, 2005; Martocchio, 1994) the potential applicability of this research to industrial/organizational psychology has been largely ignored. The current study proposed a measure specifically designed to measure implicit theories about work, assessed its relationship to other implicit theory measures, and explored potential relationships with work domain antecedents. Scales assessing conception of ability at work, goal focus, perception of effort, …

Coronary Heart Disease Risk Stratification In Full-Time Miami Valley Hospital Employees, Vicki K. Streng

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States (American Heart Association, 2005). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the results of a twelve-week exercise program on coronary heart disease risk factors in full-time hospital employees. Methods: The participants were given cardiovascular, weight training, and flexibility recommendations to follow during a twelve-week period. The main heart disease risk factors measured before and after the completion of the exercise program were blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and body mass index. The information was put into the Framingham Heart Score to estimate the participants’ 10-year risk of developing …

Designing Computer Agents With Facial Personality To Improve Human-Machine Collaboration, Brian Esley Tidball

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The development of computer agents to enhance human-computer interfaces is an evolving field of study. This study examined whether people perceive personality in static digital faces that portray expressions of emotion, and if the digital faces would influence human performance on a simple human-machine collaborative task. The first experiment measured user-perception of personality, based on the emotional expression in two sets of five static digital faces. The results from this first phase revealed that participants provided different ratings, of the Big-Five personality model sub-traits, based on the emotional expression of a static digital face. This indicates a perception of personality …

Digital Channelized Wide Band Receiver Implemented With A Systolic Array Of Multi-Rate Fir Filters, David M. Rodney

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes the use of a Systolic Array of Multi-Rate FIR Filters to improve performance by eliminating the requirement of the FFT and De-Multiplexer associated with the conventional receiver while achieving the same functionality. The FFT is a major bottle neck for improving system performance for the conventional DCWBR because many complex multiplications and additions are required. The proposed new architecture is designed and evaluated in MATLAB to illustrate its viability. Two approaches for improved channel arbitration are accessed in MATLAB, namely, channel bin’s rms comparison and parallelism of the Systolic Array Multi-Rate FIR Filters. The FIR filters (high-pass …

Developmental Expression Of Calcium-Binding Proteins In The Avcn And Mntb Of Normal Hearing And Congenitally Deaf Mice, John L. Roebel

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This experiment analyzes synaptic differences in the central auditory pathway between normal hearing and congenitally deaf (dn/dn) mice, and provides valuable insight into central changes that correspond with human congenital deafness. Specifically, this experiment analyzes developmental expression of the Calcium (Ca2+)-binding proteins Calretinin (CR), Calbindin D-28k (CB) and Parvalbumin (PV) in large excitatory synapses in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) and the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) of normal and dn/dn mice. Immunofluorescence imaging with primary antibodies detecting CR, CB or PV was used to analyze the expression of each at 9 days, 13 days, 20 days, 30 …

Fpga Frequency Domain Based Gps Coarse Acquisition Processor Using Fft, Cyprian D. Sajabi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The Global Positioning System or GPS is a satellite based technology that has gained widespread use worldwide in civilian and military applications. Direct Sequence Spread spectrum (DSSS) is the method whereby the data transmitted by the satellite and received by user is kept secure, low power and relatively noise-immune. The first step required in the GPS operation is to perform a lock on the incoming signal, both with respect to time synchronization and frequency resolution. Because of the need for reduced time to lock and also reduced hardware, algorithms based in the frequency domain have been developed. These algorithms take …

Human-Centered Time-Pressured Decision Making In Dynamic Complex Systems, Subhashini Ganapathy

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Many real-world applications are complex, dynamic, and uncertain. Human operators play an important role in ensuring the safety and in achieving operational effectiveness in such systems. During task performance, both humans and computerized processes bring in varying strengths and limitations. Research on human-centered automation in aviation, satellite ground control, and nuclear power plant control has resulted in broad guidelines on system design involving human and computerized processes in supervisory control. However, problems such as increased human error, lack of situational awareness, and opacity from poorly automated systems remain, particularly in scenarios where human operators must make decisions in time-pressured planning. …

Dissipated Energy At A Bimaterial Crack Tip Under Cyclic Loading, Jeremy S. Daily

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

A new theory of fatigue crack growth in ductile solids has recently been proposed based on the total plastic energy dissipation per cycle ahead of the crack. This, and previous energy-based approaches in the literature, suggest that the total plastic dissipation per cycle can be closely correlated with fatigue crack growth rates under mode I loading. The goal of the current research is to extend the dissipated energy approach to steady-state crack growth under mixed-mode I/II loading conditions, with application to cyclic delamination of ductile bimaterial interfaces. Such systems can occur in brazing, soldering, welding, and a variety of layered …

Design And Evaluation Of A Discrete Wavelet Transform Based Multi-Signal Receiver, Tony Chiang

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

General purpose receivers of today are designed with a broad bandwidth so that the receiver can accept a wide range of signal frequencies. These receivers usually accept one signal along with any interference that is included. To increase the signal detection capabilities of the wideband receiver, a design for a receiver that can detect two signals is needed. One of the requirements for this receiver is that the second weak signal needs to be processed in a timely manner so that the receiver can recognize it. To remedy the problem, a module was developed using wavelet-based techniques to remove spurs …

In Vitro Toxicity Assessment Of Silver Nanoparticles In Rat Alveolar Macrophages, Cataleya Carlson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The present study was conducted to assess the toxicity of nanosized silver particles (Ag-15nm, 30nm and 55nm) in rat alveolar macrophages. For toxicity evaluations, cellular morphology, mitochondrial function (MTT assay), membrane leakage (LDH assay) and reactive oxygen species generation (ROS) were assessed after a 24h under control and exposed conditions. The morphological appearance of control and exposed cells were observed by an inverted, phase contrast microscope and the uptake of nanoparticles was observed using the CytoViva Ultra Resolution Imaging (URI) system. Morphological images captured at 100x magnification demonstrated that nanoparticle-exposed cells at higher doses became abnormal in size, and most …

Fabrication Of Oxide Superconducting Thin Films Using Colloid Of Nanoparticles As Precursor, Vamsee K. Chintamaneni

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports the development of a new approach for the fabrication of superconducting thin films. Among the liquid phase methods of fabricating high temperature superconductors having critical current density about 1 MA/cm², metalorganic deposition using metal trifluoroacetates (TFA-MOD) is the best known method. In this project, detailed spectroscopic and microscopic analysis was performed at every stage of the TFA-MOD process to understand the evolution of crystalline superconducting film. It was observed that the TFA-MOD has some inherent disadvantages such as long process time, evolution of HF gas and results porosity in films. A new liquid phase process …

Clinical Presentation Of Acute Coronary Syndrome: Does Age Make A Difference? Implications For Emergency Nursing, Iesiah M. Harris

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Accurately recognizing symptoms of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) presents a challenge to Emergency Department (ED) nurses and physicians. Due to the variety of clinical presentations in patients, ACS is frequently missed diagnosed. Studies demonstrate that many patients present with atypical symptoms and presentation varies based on gender. There is, however, a paucity of studies on the presentation of ACS in the elderly. With the older American population growing at exponential rates, it is imperative that studies are conducted to better comprehend ACS clinical presentation in the elderly. By 2020, it is anticipated, that 20% of the population will be 65 …

Implementation Of A Multi-Layered Fuzzy Controller On An Fpga, Ajit Paal Singh Khatra

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The uses of Autonomous Mobile robots range from the teleoperated Sojourner on the Mars Pathfinder mission to cleaning robots in the Paris Metro. They have overtaken tasks which are too difficult or dangerous to perform or require the repetition of the same procedure over and over again and can become dull for a human to perform. The objective of this thesis is to develop and implement a multilayered fuzzy controller on an FPGA for the navigational control of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR). The navigational algorithm assists the robot in navigating through complex environments of passages and hallways. The FPGA …

Direct Digital Frequency Synthesizer Implementation Using A High Speed Rom Alternative In Ibm 0.13u Technology, Matthew R. Gerald

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The direct digital synthesizer is a method of signal generation with many benefits. DDS designs are able to switch frequencies very quickly and also tune precisely to many different frequencies with the use of a constant operating frequency. There is a need for a low power, high speed DDS in the form an ASIC design. One major bottleneck in common DDS systems is the slow access time of a ROM. There is also a need for a high speed ROM alternative. This thesis delivers a high speed ASIC Direct Digital Synthesizer which operates at a 1 GHz operating frequency. This …

Diabetes Self-Management: Patient Cognition And The Development Of Expertise, Katherine D. Lippa

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Expert decision making has been widely researched among professionals, but non-professionals make many equally complex decisions. This study uses the case of type II diabetes to explore complex decision making among non-professionals. It was hypothesized that three cognitive aspects of expertise, problem detection, functional relationships, and problem solving, would be linked with higher levels of self-management (higher adherence and lower glucose). Twenty participants with diabetes were interviewed concerning their knowledge and experiences with diabetes. Participants also completed a questionnaire concerning their self-management practices. Interviews were transcribed and thematically coded. Participants who displayed characteristics of expert cognition reported higher levels of …

Design Of A High-Power, High-Efficiency, Low-Distortion Direct From Digital Amplifier, Weston R. Earick

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

For the process of converting low-power digital signals into their high-power analog counterparts, the functions of digital-to-analog conversion (at low power) and analog power amplification are separately implemented. This thesis proposes a new “STAC-DAC” circuit topology which directly realizes high-power analog output from low-power digital input signals. The ability to achieve a “direct from digital” high-power analog output in a single high-efficient, low-distortion design has significant potential in audio reproduction, and flexible signal generation applications. In this thesis, the “STAC-DAC” is described and its implementation via MATLAB and LTSpice is discussed. The results of simulations are used to prove the …

A Comparison Of Agent-Based Optimization Approaches Applied To The Weapons To Targets Assignment Planning Problem, Hitesh Deepak Soneji

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Real-world complex optimization problems are difficult to solve. Agent-based optimization approaches have proved useful in solving a wide variety of problems including optimization problems. Agent-based techniques can be used in military planning for solving allocation problems such as the weapons to targets assignment problem. Classical methods like linear programming (LP) have been used for solving weapons to targets assignment problems. LP approaches provide optimal solutions quickly, but in real-time planning when there are minor changes to input, LP exhibits widely varied solutions. This can be a problem in practice. This research study considers two agent-based optimization approaches, the Stable Marriage …

Regulation Of Dna Replication Initiation By Histone Acetylation And The Dna Unwinding Element Binding Protein Due-B, Michael George Kemp

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Duplication of the genome during S phase of the mitotic cell cycle begins at thousands of sites along chromosomes termed origins of replication. Although many of the essential protein components catalyzing events at these sites are known and are conserved throughout eukaryotes, the likelihood or efficiency of initiation of DNA synthesis at any given genomic site is expected to be influenced by other novel factors, including aspects of chromatin and DNA structure.

Here I show that increased histone H4 acetylation at replication origin loci occurs after treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA and coincides with a loss of specific …

Successful Social Movements And Political Outcomes: A Case Study Of The Women's Movement In Italy: 1943-48, Francesca Luciana Rubino

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the definition of civil society, social movements and success and then analyzes these variables through a historical case study. It looks at the role of two women’s groups in Italy from 1943-48 as they worked to achieve three political goals (women’s suffrage, greater representation in politics, and the new constitution). The thesis will look at whether the variables necessary to social movement success were present in the movement in helping Italian women in the movement who mobilized and organized to achieve their said goals and objectives. It will conclude with remarks as to the lessons learned from …

The Relationship Between Lactic Acid, Reactive Oxygen Species And The Hypoxia-Induced Acidification Seen In Chemosensitive Neurons Of The Nucleus Tractus Solitarius (Nts), Trevor Downing

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The NTS is one of many sites of chemoreception meaning that it responds to changes in CO2 and pH. NTS neurons also acidify approximately 0.13 pH units in response to hypoxia. Experiments involved brainstem slices exposed to a control hypoxic bout followed by hypoxia in conjunction with different drugs. The drugs included fluorocitrate, 4-hydroxycinnamate, oxygen-glucose deprivation and iodoacetate. Iodoacetate produced the strongest blunting of the hypoxia-induced acidification and decreased the response by ~53%. Results from the studies using the superoxide probe DHE showed an increase in the levels of ROS during the hypoxic exposure prior to reoxygenation. Two ROS scavengers …

Development Of A Fourier Transform Far Infrared (Ftfir) Spectrometer To Characterize Broadband Transmission Properties Of Common Materials In The Terahertz Region, William Paul Ford

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

With sub-millimeter wave or terahertz devices becoming more readily available, there is interest in developing sensors in this region of the spectra. To support this interest, we have developed a Fourier Transform Far InfraRed (FTFIR) spectrometer to characterize broadband transmission and reflectance coefficients of materials. The spectrometer utilizes a broadband blackbody source, a Michelson interferometer, and silicon bolometer. The path difference in the Michelson is obtained using a linear stage and data acquisition and stage control were both implemented in a Labview programming environment. The details of the experimental setup and experimental results are presented in this thesis. The instrument …