Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Of Adaptive Wireless Systems With Feedback, Sirisha Koduri

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Future generations of wireless systems will employ versatile transmitters and receivers based on software defined radios that are capable of adapting in response to changes in the operating environment to meet the specified quality of service requirements. In adaptive wireless systems, transmitters use feedback from the receiver to update characteristics of the transmitted signal to changing patterns of interference. In this thesis, the performance of transmitter adaptation algorithms with limited feedback and the system performance as a function in which the interference information is quantized for transmission over the feedback channel are analyzed. The results of this thesis were presented …

Detecting Portable Electronic Devices Onboard Commercial Aircraft, Randy Woods

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The need to detect unauthorized usage of intentionally transmitting portable electronic devices (PEDs) onboard commercial aircraft is growing while still allowing passengers to use selected unintentionally transmitting devices, such as laptop computers and CD players, during non-critical stages of flight. This thesis presents the development and testing of an installed system for detecting PEDs over multiple frequency bands. Additionally, the advantages of a fixed versus mobile system are discussed.

Data is presented to cover the frequency range of 20 MHz to 6.5 GHz with special attention given to the cellular and PCS telephone bands, Bluetooth, and the family radio service …

Lord Baltimore's Charter And The Definition Of The English-Colonial Relationship In The Seventeenth Century, Christopher D. Purnell

History Theses & Dissertations

In the years 1650 to 1658 the Maryland colony faced severe political instability as a result of the conflict between Proprietor Cecilius Calvert and the Puritan population settled in Ann Arundel County. The roots of the conflict were found in the colony's royal charter, which conferred the Catholic proprietor with extensive powers of government. The Puritan population found this concentration of authority in the hands of a Catholic government intolerable and appealed to the English Commonwealth to void Baltimore's colonial charter. Instead Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell allowed the charter to stand, and in doing so ratified the differences in conditions …

Shades Of Green: The Use Of Force Debate In The German Green Party, 1990--2002, Scott H. Brunstetter

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Utilizing an heuristic model that incorporates aspects from several theoretical perspectives this dissertation examines the German Green Party debate on the use of military force from 1990-2002. From the absolute rejection of any use of force to evict Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War in 1991, the Greens evolved over the course of a decade to support the deployment of German forces to Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This dissertation argues that this evolution was the result of a conscious will to govern by German political leaders in particular and external shocks—Srebrenica, Kosovo, and 9/11. It …

Drawbridge Diplomacy: Romanian-American Relations, 1963-1968, Brett A. Jerasa

History Theses & Dissertations

Entering the White House in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson pursued a policy of "bridge building" to Eastern Europe, finding agreement on small issues of economics and foreign relations in order to decrease tension between East and West. Johnson targeted Romania as the show case for bridge building because of its growing autonomy from the Soviet Union. Romania's policies of rapid industrialization and foreign policy independence offered potent possibilities. However, Johnson's bridge building faced many difficulties. His administration pursued a dual Cold War policy: he fought communist belligerency in Vietnam while affirming the positive behavior of Eastern European satellites. Despite the …

Experimental Analysis And Modeling Validation Of A Knee Brace In Shock Mitigation, Manish Prakash Dhekane

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

An experimental setup simulating the dynamic environment in a high sea state is developed for the lower extremities to study the mitigation of shock impact. A single degree of freedom machine is equipped with six linear induction motors to produce impact acceleration ranging from 0.5G to 4G. The experiments are carried out along the dummy leg by using two configurations, one without a knee brace and one with a knee brace. Force and acceleration data is collected using a data acquisition system.

To develop the analytical model of the same experimental setup, the knee brace and dummy leg were scanned …

Oil And Remittances In The Middle East, Azza El-Sharabassy

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation constructs a framework for understanding the determinants of remittances. It develops the effects of multiple macro economic variables in one area in the Middle East on the remittances flows and the future development of (another Arab neighboring country) Egypt. The framework will explore the relationship between oil prices and remittances from oil based economies (mainly Saudi-Arabia, Kuwait and the Arab Emirates) to a labor exporting country (Egypt). It also highlights the impact of multiple variables affecting the flow of remittances from labor exporting Arab countries: (1) Prices of oil. (2) Oil revenues. (3) Differentials in deposit interest rate …

Examination Of A Nomological Network Of Team Leadership: A Construct Validation Study, Kari R. Strobel

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the construct-related validity evidence for team leadership measurement within the United States Navy. Drawing on literature from industrial/organizational, sport, and military psychology, the current research specified one nomological network for officer team leadership appraisal. The proposed model tested the idea that Naval team leaders engaging in transformational behaviors would be more likely to use and encourage the use of teamwork processes, increase cohesion among team members, and maintain superior mission readiness. The hypotheses were tested with performance appraisal data from 900 Commanders, Lieutenant Commanders, and Lieutenants from aviation, surface, and subsurface warfare communities. The relationships between the …

Developing A Repeatable And Reliable Methodology To Determine Return-On-Investment, Mark Cullen Nesselrode

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The high costs of modern weapons systems, fuel, personnel, and increasing environmental awareness is forcing U.S. forces to rely on simulation for training. Further, the need to train in a robust and theater specific environment is critical to ensure operational readiness immediately upon reaching the combat theater. Finally, the rapidly changing nature of the conflicts, crises, or contingencies in which U.S. forces are involved requires a new approach to training.

The purpose of this research is to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a methodology that can provide a reliable, consistent method for determining ROI in various forms, focusing on …

Generals In Three-Piece Suits—Contractors In Camouflage: A Critical Assessment Of Contractors In Iraq, Wyman E. Shuler Iii

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Contractors compose part of the total force for U.S. warfare capability in Iraq.

Some augment U.S. warfare capability; others do not. Some of the contractors are controlled by the military; others are controlled by civilian (nonmilitary/political) government agencies. The problem: Who are the contractors and how has the nature of government oversight and control over contractors determined whether contractor contributions augment or diminish U.S. warfare capability in the Iraq War?

Argument: It is the degree of government control over contractors that determines whether the contractors' contributions have a positive or negative impact on warfare capability. Ultimately the findings support …

Evaluation Of The Applicability Of Jc3iedm Based Information Exchange Standardization Efforts To Link-16 Based Systems, Anthony Devivi

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Command and Control (C2) systems are critical components in decision-making systems in both the military and civilian domains. These systems act as the data evaluation and dissemination tools for larger Command, Control, Computer, Communication, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Recognizance (C4ISR) systems. Typical C2 systems accept a wide variety of inputs from many sources such as radars, weapons systems, simulators, operators, and other C2 systems. The C2 system processes the input data and presents to the user information with which decisions are made. The C2 system also determines what information should be translated and disseminated to other C2 platforms.

The basis for …

"They Are Gone And I Am Going": The Battle Of Memphis 6 June 1862, Matthew T. Eng

History Theses & Dissertations

This thesis examines the 6 June 1862 naval battle of Memphis between the Confederate River Defense Fleet and Union Ram Fleet and Western Flotilla. In just under two hours, the crowded and anxious populace lined along the Memphis bluffs witnessed the complete destruction of the last remaining Confederate fleet along the Mississippi River. Within the combined Union army and navy operations throughout the late winter and spring of 1862, the clash of iron-wielded rams and gunboats that occurred on a casually warm June morning tells much of the scope of the western war and its importance in ultimately securing the …

The Shepherd Goes To War: Santo Domingo Revisited, Martha Daas

World Languages and Cultures Faculty Publications

The thirteenth century was witness to a revolution in personal piety and the Camino de Santiago represented this new age. Pilgrimage in the Middle Ages became not only a symbol of devotion, but also a powerful method of active participation in one’s own salvation.¹ The importance of this burgeoning individualism is reflected by the miracle tales of a saint who is connected both spiritually and geographically to Santiago and his trail. Like the miracles attributed to the patron saint, the miracles of Santo Domingo de Silos, as they are interpreted by Gonzalo de Berceo, reflect this revolution in personal …

Revolutionary Industry And Digital Colonialism, Dylan E. Wittkower

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Copyright-based industries have become revolutionary. That is, the machinery of production of digital wares has itself taken on the role of the revolutionary class within the political economy of digital production. The progress of capitalist production in this industry has undermined the conditions of its own possibility, not because it has driven the proletariat to rise against an oppressive system, but because the means of production, through digital media, have simultaneously made communist production possible, and the continued separation of the means of production from the laborer impracticable.

Sublethal And Killing Effects Of Atmospheric-Pressure, Nonthermal Plasma On Eukaryotic Microalgae In Aqueous Media, Ying Zhong Tang, Xin Pei Lu, Mounir Laroussi, Fred C. Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

In-depth studies on the interaction of nonthermal plasmas with microorganisms usually focus on bacteria; only little attention has been given to their effects on more complex eukaryotic cells. We report here nonthermal plasma's effects on cell motility, viability staining, and morphology of eukaryotic microalgae, with three marine dinoflagellates and a marine diatom as major targets. The effects on motility and viability staining depended on the time of exposure to plasma and the species of microalgae. We observed a strong pH decrease in aqueous samples (marine and freshwater algal cultures, their culture media, and deionized water) after exposure to plasma, and …

Our History Of Political Repression: An Interview With Ellen Schrecker, Victor Cohen

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Ellen Schrecker, an historian who teaches and lives in New York City, is the author of two seminal works on the impact of McCarthyism. No Ivory Tower (New York: Oxford UP, 1986) provides an invaluable look into the workings of McCarthyism in a single institution - academia in the United States - and Many are the Crimes (Boston: Little, Brown and Co, 1998) expanded that analysis into a comprehensive look into the history of McCarthyism as a whole. She has recently edited a collection of essays on the impact of the Cold War on American life - Cold War Triumphalism …

What Is The Opposite Of Bullshit? Possibilities Of Intellectual Engagement, Since Sartre: An Interview With Bill Martin - Part 2, Joseph G. Ramsey

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Part 2 of interview with Bill Martin.

So Far From Political Punditry: Everyday Digital Storytelling In Italy, Enrico Maria Milič, Enrico Marchetto, Roberto Costa

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

Through on-line quantitative research, this paper analyses, what can be considered some of the political dimensions of blogs. The analysis cross-compares some of the narratives emerging in the on-line debate about this research (and blogging in general), and the quantitative data that resulted from a questionnaire and other studies about blogs outside Italy. After an overview of the composition of the sample, the paper outlines some of the recurrent genres used by bloggers and how these are related to political discourses. Particular relevance is given to data about female bloggers that counters the gendered focus by journalists and scholars about …

Reconstructing The 'Humanscape' Of Left Culture And Commitment: An Interview With Alan Wald, Joseph G. Ramsey

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[From Introduction]

Alan Waldis H. Chandler Davis Collegiate Professor in the Department of English and the Program in American Culture and the University of Michigan. (Note: H. Chandler Davis was a University of Michigan faculty member fired in 1954 and subsequently imprisoned for refusing to co-operate with the House Committee on Un-American Activities.) Renowned among established and emerging scholars of the U.S. literary left for his "encyclopedic" grasp of the field - not just as it stands embodied in published works, but as it lies hidden in private papers, personal correspondence, oral histories, and other subaltern sources scattered throughout the …

The New Yorker's 'Hiroshima': Tiffany Diamonds, Caribbean Cruises, And The Atomic Bomb, Christopher D. Craig

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

This article explores the limitations of John Hersey's influential account of the effects of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan. This is done by foregrounding the consumerist iconography of New Yorker advertisements, which ran alongside "Hiroshima" in August 1946, as a symbol of the contradictions of post-war liberalism. Hersey’s journalistic ethic and aesthetic of "immediacy" runs up against a dominant discourse capable of framing even socially critical sentiment as but one more commodity.

Alan Wald's The New York Intellectuals And The Discourse Of Shifting Alliances: Anticommunist Liberalism, Neo-Conservatism, And The Rise Of Israelism As A Manifestation Of Jewish Nationalism, Matthew Abraham

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

[First paragraph]

The U.S. invasion of Iraq and its resulting occupation have placed American Jewry in a difficult - and largely undeserved - position, resulting in an unfortunate caricaturing of American Jews' political perspectives, which are presumably as diverse as any ethno-religious groups' might be [1]. Such caricaturing enables reactionaries to resurrect, and to deploy with great effectiveness, the nasty "dual loyalty" charge against prominent American Jews who have served in the Bush administration, unfairly suggesting that - within the context of formulating Middle East policy as U.S. officials - these American Jews will always place Israel's interests ahead of …

Integrating Game Technology And Discrete Event Simulation To Analyze Mass Casualty Scenarios, Jason Loveland

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In the last 10 years, video games have become complex simulation environments with high resolution 3D graphics enabled by powerhouse rendering engines, multi-player client server networks, user friendly displays and graphical user interface , while remaining relatively inexpensive. There is a critical need for systems engineering analysis and rapid trade studies due to changes in operations caused by current events such as terrorist attacks, asymmetric threats, natural disasters, etc. Modem games provide a unique way to visualize and interact with these complex environments, scenarios, missions, and operations. A discrete event simulator (DES) provides an environment to model system architecture behavior, …

Salt Fluxes At The Chesapeake Bay Entrance, Ruth Lane

OES Theses and Dissertations

Underway measurements of salinity and flow profiles were used to compute salt fluxes at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in spring and summer. Waters were sampled along a cross-bay transect over four tidal cycles in 1997: at the end of April, during neap tides, and in mid-July, during spring tides. Data were interpolated onto a uniform grid along the transect area. A least squares regression with semidiurnal and diurnal harmonics was fit on both salinity and flow at each point of the grid to separate tidal from non-tidal influences. The results of the least squares fit were used to …

Learning To Fly: Military Aviation Training At Middle Tennessee State University And The Transformation Of Southern Higher Education In World War Ii, Christopher T. Crawford Jr.

History Theses & Dissertations

In December 1942 the Army Air Forces created the Army Air Forces College Training Program (AAFTP) to reduce the backlog of aviation recruits. This program, designed to provide recruits with basic flight instruction and education, established 153 units known as College Training Detachments (CTD) on college campuses throughout the U.S. This thesis provides a history of the AAFTP and examines the wartime role of universities and the effect of military training on colleges in the American South. The first chapter examines the AAFTP from the military perspective, the state of the AAF leading into WWII, and the forces that drove …

The United States Information Agency And The "New Look": France And India, 1953-1961, Leanne Alicia Sutton

History Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the creation of the United States Information Agency (USIA) under the guidance of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and looks at the place of the Agency in the "New Look." The US Information Agency was an important "soft" tool in the American struggle with the Soviet Union for preponderant influence around the world and played a part in the American effort to maintain the balance between the Communist and Free worlds. This study takes a deeper look at the work of the Agency in two case studies, which examine the work of the USIA in France, a reluctant …

Abstracts Of Papers, 85th Annual Meeting Of The Virginia Academy Of Science, May 24-26, 2007, James Madison University, Harrisonburg Va

Virginia Journal of Science

Full abstracts of the 85th Annual Meeting of the Virginia Academy of Science, May 24-26, 2007, James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Thinking Like A God: Nature Imagery In Advertising, Catherine M. Roach

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

This essay examines selected recent imagery from American advertising that evinces a "negative" sense of nature as hostile other - often portrayed as a persecuting and conquered female - and of humans as its/her master. Examples to be examined of nature as this "Bad Mother" include TV commercials, print advertisements, and a comic strip. I argue that these images spring from a fundamental ambivalence toward nature and that they assuage the anxiety aroused by such ambivalence through a fantasy that casts humans as gods. More specifically, I use the medieval Christian scholastic concept of 'aseity' to suggest that these media …

Can Nature's Language Be Written, Spoken, And Heard? Mahasweta Devi's "Pterodactyl" And Marlene Nourbese Philip's Looking For Livingstone, Lori Martindale

Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture

How do traditional western epistemologies affect natures' subjectivity? This essay deconstructs the status of nature as silent Other. I argue Mahasweta Devi's The Pterodactyl and Marlene Nourbese Philip's epic Looking for Dr. Livingstone translate nature, or the radical Other, as subject. Scientific, xenophobic, and imperial behaviors have affected the status of natures' subjectivity in the naming, mapping, and exploitation of land, during colonial and commodity enterprise. As a result, nature’s language has become increasingly radical and is one to be translated for an awareness and avoidance of imposition; nature is a language yet to be understood.

Coopetition (Contemporaneous Cooperation And Competition) Among Nonprofit Arts Organizations: The Case Of Symphony Orchestras, Theresa A. Kirchner

Theses and Dissertations in Business Administration

Coopetition was formalized as a strategic management concept in the early 1990s by Ray Noorda, CEO of Novell, who coined the term and proposed that often, in order to achieve growth in an organization or industry, "You have to cooperate and compete at the same time" (Davis 1993). Although the individual ideas of cooperation and competition in the business environment have been well-established for some time, the formal idea of contemporaneous cooperation and competition, or cooperation among competitors, is relatively new in business and academic literature. Why is this hybrid concept important? The literature to date on coopetition and its …

The Tactical Flexibility Of The Union Cavalry: How Modern Firearms Changed The Federal Cavalry, Peter J. Francione

History Theses & Dissertations

The history of warfare is replete with episodes chronicling the struggle between developing tactics with technological advances. From the bow to the smoothbore musket, military leaders have always been forced to alter their tactics in order to take advantage of technological advances. During the American Civil War the Union cavalry was able to achieve great heights by wedding their tactics to the advanced firearms their troopers carried. Realizing the potential of breech-loading and repeating firearms the Union cavalry, from 1861-1865, developed a flexible set of tactics that took advantage of those modern weapons. Their efforts came to fruition as the …