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Evoking Affordances In Virtual Environments Via Sensory-Stimuli Substitution, David C. Gross, Kay M. Stanney, Lt. Joseph Cohn Jan 2005

Evoking Affordances In Virtual Environments Via Sensory-Stimuli Substitution, David C. Gross, Kay M. Stanney, Lt. Joseph Cohn

Faculty Bibliography 2000s

Artifacts in an environment afford to their observers utility and function directly through specific object characteristics (e.g., mediums, surfaces, substances). Virtual environments (VEs) similarly seek to afford specific utility to their users, whether it is for training, education, or entertainment, thus it seems natural to consider basing VE designs on affordances. Such affordance-based design should yield significant benefits by providing designs that behave in more understandable and intuitive manners. These designs should be easier to learn, adapt better to user tasks, and frustrate users less by allowing use of the same skills acquired via real-world interactions. In order to realize …

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Plant-Based Vaccine: Mice Immunized With Chloroplast-Derived Anthrax Protective Antigen Survive Anthrax Lethal Toxin Challenge, Vijay Koya, Mahtab Moayeri, Stephen H. Leppla, Henry Daniell Jan 2005

Plant-Based Vaccine: Mice Immunized With Chloroplast-Derived Anthrax Protective Antigen Survive Anthrax Lethal Toxin Challenge, Vijay Koya, Mahtab Moayeri, Stephen H. Leppla, Henry Daniell

Faculty Bibliography 2000s

The currently available human vaccine for anthrax, derived from the culture supernatant of Bacillus anthracis, contains the protective antigen (PA) and traces of the lethal and edema factors, which may contribute to adverse side effects associated with this vaccine. Therefore, an effective expression system that can provide a clean, safe, and edicacious vaccine is required. In an effort to produce anthrax vaccine in large quantities and free of extraneous bacterial contaminants, PA was expressed in transgenic tobacco chloroplasts by inserting the pagA gene into the chloroplast genome. Chloroplast integration of the pagA gene was confirmed by PCR and Southern analysis. …

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Pinning Effect On The Phase Separation Dynamics Of Thin Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals, Yi-Hsin Lin, Hongwen Ren, Yung-Hsun Wu, Xiao Liang, Shin-Tson Wu Jan 2005

Pinning Effect On The Phase Separation Dynamics Of Thin Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals, Yi-Hsin Lin, Hongwen Ren, Yung-Hsun Wu, Xiao Liang, Shin-Tson Wu

Faculty Bibliography 2000s

The surface pining effects on phase separation dynamics of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) with thin cell gaps are demonstrated. Comparing various boundary conditions, the inner surfaces of the substrates with or without polyimide layers [but no rubbing] cannot provide enough anchoring force, so in either case the liquid crystal (LC) droplets flow and coalesce to form larger and less uniform droplets. However, if the inner surfaces of the substrates are coated with rubbed polyimide layers with anchoring energy > 1 x 10(-4) J/m(2), almost all the nucleated LC droplets grow at a fixed position during phase separation. The appearance of the …

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Multiple Major Increases And Decreases In Mitochondrial Substitution Rates In The Plant Family Geraniaceae, Christopher L. Parkinson, Jeffrey P. Mower, Yin-Long Qiu, Andrew J. Shirk, Keming Song, Nelson D. Young, Claude W. Depamphilis, Jeffrey D. Palmer Jan 2005

Multiple Major Increases And Decreases In Mitochondrial Substitution Rates In The Plant Family Geraniaceae, Christopher L. Parkinson, Jeffrey P. Mower, Yin-Long Qiu, Andrew J. Shirk, Keming Song, Nelson D. Young, Claude W. Depamphilis, Jeffrey D. Palmer

Faculty Bibliography 2000s

Background: Rates of synonymous nucleotide substitutions are, in general, exceptionally low in plant mitochondrial genomes, several times lower than in chloroplast genomes, 10-20 times lower than in plant nuclear genomes, and 50-100 times lower than in many animal mitochondrial genomes. Several cases of moderate variation in mitochondrial substitution rates have been reported in plants, but these mostly involve correlated changes in chloroplast and/or nuclear substitution rates and are therefore thought to reflect whole-organism forces rather than ones impinging directly on the mitochondrial mutation rate. Only a single case of extensive, mitochondrial-specific rate changes has been described, in the angiosperm genus …

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Fluorescent Nanoparticle Probes For Cancer Imaging, Swadeshmukul Santra, Debamitra Dutta, Glenn A. Walter, Brij M. Moudgil Jan 2005

Fluorescent Nanoparticle Probes For Cancer Imaging, Swadeshmukul Santra, Debamitra Dutta, Glenn A. Walter, Brij M. Moudgil

Faculty Bibliography 2000s

Optical imaging technique has strong potential for sensitive cancer diagnosis, particularly at the early stage of cancer development. This is a sensitive, non-invasive, non-ionizing (clinically safe) and relatively inexpensive technique. Cancer imaging with optical technique however greatly relies upon the use of sensitive and stable optical probes. Unlike the traditional organic fluorescent probes, fluorescent nanoparticle probes such as dye-doped nanoparticles and quantum dots (Qdots) are bright and photostable. Fluorescent nanoparticle probes are shown to be very effective for sensitive cancer imaging with greater success in the cellular level. However, cancer imaging in an in vivo setup has been recently realized. …

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The Effects Of A Single Exercise Bout On Plasma Leptin Concentration In Obese Males, George Kyriazis Jan 2005

The Effects Of A Single Exercise Bout On Plasma Leptin Concentration In Obese Males, George Kyriazis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent findings suggest that leptin may be regulated in response to abrupt changes in energy homeostasis. Therefore, it is conceivable that transient changes in energy balance induced by exercise may also regulate leptin synthesis and secretion. As such, we hypothesized that acute increases energy expenditure (i.e. exercise), may regulate leptin concentrations in obese individuals. Fifteen healthy obese males underwent either a single exercise session of moderate intensity (58.4 % ± 4.0 of VO2max) for 60 min (n=8), or served as controls (n=7). The exercise session elicited an energy expenditure of 567±80 Kcal. No significant changes in plasma leptin (pre 23.5± …

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Couple Play As A Predictor Of Couple Bonding, Physical Health And Emotional Health, Linda Vanderbleek Jan 2005

Couple Play As A Predictor Of Couple Bonding, Physical Health And Emotional Health, Linda Vanderbleek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional couple counseling research focused on why people end relationships, with research only recently addressing what factors contribute to relationship satisfaction and stability. Yet, throughout this research, minimal attention has been paid to the role of play in couple counseling. The research available on play in couple counseling had varied definitions of couple play and was not based on current couple counseling theory. The research and anecdotal data on couple play proposed a strong relationship between couple play and the factors that predict successful, long-term couple relationships, individual physical health and emotional health. This study applied current couple counseling theory …

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Effects Of A Mathematics Curriculum Rich In Spatial Reasoning Activities On Fifth Grade Students' Abilities To Spatially Reason: An Action Research Project, Theresa Varn Jan 2005

Effects Of A Mathematics Curriculum Rich In Spatial Reasoning Activities On Fifth Grade Students' Abilities To Spatially Reason: An Action Research Project, Theresa Varn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of a curriculum rich in spatial reasoning activities and experiences on the ability of my fifth grade students to spatially reason. The study was conducted to examine 1) the effects of my practice of incorporating spatial reasoning lessons and activities in my fifth-grade mathematics classroom on the students' ability to spatially reason and 2) the effects of my practice of incorporating spatial reasoning lessons and activities on my students' ability to problem solve. Data were collected over a ten-week period through the use of student interviews, anecdotal records, photos of …

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Non-Acute Cognitive Sequelae Associated With Recreational Ecstasy Use: A Meta-Analysis, Tiffany Leigh Linkovich Kyle Jan 2005

Non-Acute Cognitive Sequelae Associated With Recreational Ecstasy Use: A Meta-Analysis, Tiffany Leigh Linkovich Kyle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies using animal models have found considerable evidence of neurological damage resulting from exposure to 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). Yet, studies comparing the cognitive performance of human recreational ecstasy users to ecstasy naïve controls have produced inconsistent results. The present study is a meta-analysis of the published empirical literature on the cognitive sequelae of human recreational ecstasy use. The pooled effect size estimate for combined cognitive domains was statistically significant and moderate in size. Small to large, statistically significant aggregate effect sizes resulted for eight of the nine cognitive ability domains included in the analysis. Moderator analyses suggested that frequent …

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The Effect Of Technology Acceptance On Post Secondary African- American Students Achievement In Mathematics: A Path Analytic Inquiry, Sulakshana Sen Jan 2005

The Effect Of Technology Acceptance On Post Secondary African- American Students Achievement In Mathematics: A Path Analytic Inquiry, Sulakshana Sen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of technology acceptance on post secondary African American students' achievement in Mathematics. The study was conducted in a historically Black four-year college in Daytona Beach, Florida on students using the computer to enhance their mathematics performance in an introductory algebra mathematics course. By using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) developed by F. Davis (1989), this study focused on variables such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, computer self-efficacy, subjective norms, attitude and actual use of the computer to account the effect towards the achievement in the final exam which is …

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Green Building: Public Opinion, Semantics, And Heuristic Processing, Christina Michelle Webb Jan 2005

Green Building: Public Opinion, Semantics, And Heuristic Processing, Christina Michelle Webb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on public support for green building has, to date, been incomplete. Understanding the demographics of individuals that support green building has remained secondary to merely determining real opinions on the topic. The identity of supporters and the motivation behind their support is the focus of this research. Specifically, is support for green building dependent on the way in which the issue is framed? This research aims to focus on those that are spreading the message about green building, industry experts, and the mass public. By exposing how green building experts talk about the issue, we may begin to understand …

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Empirical Modeling Of A Marijuana Expectancy Memory Network In Children As A Function Of Age And Marijuana Use, Jacqueline Alfonso Jan 2005

Empirical Modeling Of A Marijuana Expectancy Memory Network In Children As A Function Of Age And Marijuana Use, Jacqueline Alfonso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present investigation modeled the expectancy memory organization and likely memory activation patterns of marijuana expectancies of children across age and marijuana use. The first phase of the study surveyed 142 children to obtain their first associate to marijuana use. From their responses, the Marijuana Expectancy Inventory for Children and Adolescents (MEICA) was developed. The second phase of the study administered the MEICA to a second sample of 392 children to model marijuana expectancy organization and probable memory activation paths of marijuana users versus never-users. Results indicated that irrespective of age, adolescents who have used marijuana tend to emphasize positive-negative …

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A Study Of Blended Learning At A Metropolitan Research University, Linda Futch Jan 2005

A Study Of Blended Learning At A Metropolitan Research University, Linda Futch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to better understand blended learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The investigator examined blended learning from the institutional, faculty, and student perspectives in an attempt to capture the complexities of this learning environment. For the institutional perspective, models emerged that were critical to the development of UCF's initiative and ongoing support of both fully online and blended courses. The individual faculty perspective outlined unique characteristics of one blended course, HFT4932 - Exploring Wines of the World. The professor explained his/her choices and reasons for an instructional model as well as why the …

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A Framework To Model Complex Systems Via Distributed Simulation: A Case Study Of The Virtual Test Bed Simulation System Using The High Level Architecture, Jaebok Park Jan 2005

A Framework To Model Complex Systems Via Distributed Simulation: A Case Study Of The Virtual Test Bed Simulation System Using The High Level Architecture, Jaebok Park

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the size, complexity, and functionality of systems we need to model and simulate con-tinue to increase, benefits such as interoperability and reusability enabled by distributed discrete-event simulation are becoming extremely important in many disciplines, not only military but also many engineering disciplines such as distributed manufacturing, supply chain management, and enterprise engineering, etc. In this dissertation we propose a distributed simulation framework for the development of modeling and the simulation of complex systems. The framework is based on the interoperability of a simulation system enabled by distributed simulation and the gateways which enable Com-mercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) simulation packages to …

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In Situ Remediation Of Heavy Metal Contaminated Sediments Using Emulsified Zero-Valent Metal Particles, Kristen Marie Milum Jan 2005

In Situ Remediation Of Heavy Metal Contaminated Sediments Using Emulsified Zero-Valent Metal Particles, Kristen Marie Milum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sediments can act as both a sink for pollutants and a source for aquatic contaminants. Natural and human disturbances of the sediments can release the contaminants to the overlying water where bottom dwelling, or benthic, organisms may be exposed through direct contact, ingestion of sediment particles, or uptake of dissolved contaminants present in the water. Dredging, the most common remediation technology for heavy metals, exacerbates this process. The in situ use of emulsified metal has been studied for its ability to pull heavy metals from aqueous solution and from saturated soils. It has proven successful in the laboratory with removal …

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Evaluation Of Proprietary Stormwater Treatment Devices In Field And Laboratory Conditions, Saheeda Marie Romah Jan 2005

Evaluation Of Proprietary Stormwater Treatment Devices In Field And Laboratory Conditions, Saheeda Marie Romah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proper stormwater management acknowledges both water quantity and water quality. Historically, stormwater quantity and quality have been separately considered; runoff was routed as quickly as possible into the nearest body of water. Although this alleviates potential flooding concerns, water quality is often compromised. Common stormwater quality problems include gross pollutants, sediment, nutrients, and heavy metals. The chronic elevated presence of these pollutants is detrimental to the environment. As a result, the government has passed legislature to protect waterways. The passage of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requires that municipalities implement stormwater treatment techniques, known as Best Management …

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Part I : Isolation Of Dipentyl 2-(4-(Pentan-3-Yl) Phenyl) Malonate From Sanguisorba Officinalis Labill Part Ii: Synthesis Of A Novel Family Of Ethers Of Podocarpic Acid, Manjeera Yalavarty Jan 2005

Part I : Isolation Of Dipentyl 2-(4-(Pentan-3-Yl) Phenyl) Malonate From Sanguisorba Officinalis Labill Part Ii: Synthesis Of A Novel Family Of Ethers Of Podocarpic Acid, Manjeera Yalavarty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of part I of this thesis was to isolate pure anti cancer compounds from the Russian plant Sanguisorba officinalis. This plant was selected for investigation because it showed 100% activity against leukemia (L1210 mouse leukemia cells) during the preliminary screening of approximately 100 Russian plant extracts. This work has resulted in the isolation of novel compound 11 using traditional chromatography techniques. Compound 11 was characterized with spectroscopic techniques such as IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, DEPT, DQCOSY and MS. Compound 11 was assigned the structure dipentyl 2-(4-(pentan-3-yl) phenyl) malonate. The goal of part II of this thesis was …

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Evaluation Of Toxic Cyanobacteria In Central Florida Stormwater Ponds, Robert Miller Jan 2005

Evaluation Of Toxic Cyanobacteria In Central Florida Stormwater Ponds, Robert Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Algal blooms are a common occurrence in water bodies of all shapes and sizes throughout the United States and countries around the world. The State of Florida is no exception to this phenomenon. Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, have proven to be of special concern due to its proliferation and potential to produce toxins that are harmful to humans, livestock and wildlife. A casual drive along the roads and in the neighborhoods of central Florida will confirm algal conditions in many areas. The potential for exposure to harmful and possibly fatal toxins associated with these algal blooms are becoming more evident …

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Speedes: A Case Study Of Space Operations, Amith Paruchuri Jan 2005

Speedes: A Case Study Of Space Operations, Amith Paruchuri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the application of parallel simulation techniques to represent the structured functional parallelism present within the Space Shuttle Operations Flow using the Synchronous Parallel Environment for Emulation and Discrete-Event Simulation (SPEEDES), an object-oriented multi-computing architecture. SPEEDES is a unified parallel simulation environment, which allocates events over multiple processors to get simulation speed up. Its optimistic processing capability minimizes simulation lag time behind wall clock time, or multiples of real-time. SPEEDES accommodates an increase in process complexity with additional parallel computing nodes to allow sharing of processing loads. This thesis focuses on the process of translating a model of …

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Right Turn Split: A New Design To Alleviate Weaving On Arterial Streets, Khaled Shaaban Jan 2005

Right Turn Split: A New Design To Alleviate Weaving On Arterial Streets, Khaled Shaaban

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While weaving maneuvers occur on every type of roadway, most studies have focused on freeway maneuvers. Weaving occurring on non-freeway facilities, such as arterial streets, can cause significant operational problems. Arterial streets weaving typically occur when vehicles coming from a side street at an upstream intersection attempt to enter the main street from one side to reach access points on the opposite site at a downstream intersection by crossing one or more lanes. This dissertation investigates the type of problems occurring on arterial streets due to the weaving movements and recommends a new design to alleviate weaving on arterial streets. …

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Cascading Effects Of Predator Removal On The Ecology Of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches, Brandon Barton Jan 2005

Cascading Effects Of Predator Removal On The Ecology Of Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches, Brandon Barton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional views of food web dynamics have characterized species interactions as linear and direct. However, modern food web theory suggests that interactions can also be nonlinear and indirect, so that disturbance at one trophic level is transmitted throughout the community. Many previous studies have demonstrated that the removal of top predators from terrestrial ecosystems can have broad-scale impacts on community ecology. I examined the direct and indirect effects of raccoon removal from sea turtle nesting beaches in east-central Florida during the summers of 2003 and 2004. Raccoon and ghost crab predation are among the highest causes of egg mortality for …

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Internet Advertising: Are We Breaking Ground Or Moving Dirt?, Jaime Marshall Jan 2005

Internet Advertising: Are We Breaking Ground Or Moving Dirt?, Jaime Marshall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Seeking to validate the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of Persuasion for the online advertising context, a laboratory experiment utilizing 240 undergraduates was conducted at a southeastern university. The quality of banner advertisement contents--product endorser (spokesperson) and arguments (headlines)--were manipulated testing the variables' effect on click-through and attitude toward the advertisement for groups with high and low levels of product category involvement. Exploring a replica of a popular music website, participants were exposed to the test banners on the site's homepage. Due to the limited number of click-throughs, the relationship between the independent variables and click-through could not be established. However, …

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Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano Jan 2005

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorochromes such as tetracycline have been used to label bone for histomorphometric analysis, measuring bone formation, growth, maintenance, and pathology. More recently, similar fluorescence has been observed in ancient human bone. Attributed to tetracycline (TC) exposure, this phenomenon could affect various aspects of health during life and/or preservation of remains postmortem. Standard epifluorescence microscopy is the most common tool employed in the analysis of these labels. Though valuable, this technique is limited by its inability to penetrate bone three-dimensionally and its inclusion of out-of-focus light, possibly disrupting accurate analysis. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has been demonstrated as a valuable …

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Presuppositions In Moral Education Discourse: Developing An Analytic Framework And Applying It To Moral Education Traditions, Maria Sciaino Jan 2005

Presuppositions In Moral Education Discourse: Developing An Analytic Framework And Applying It To Moral Education Traditions, Maria Sciaino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Moral education is ever more important in our schools today, but the various moral education traditions make it difficult to decide which tradition best serves our purpose and population. This dissertation develops and uses an original analytic framework to narrow the choices of moral education curricula. The analytic framework introduced presuppositions that expounded upon one's center of value or source of moral authority, the nature of people and their capacity for rational thought, the nature of society, the time orientation of tradition, and the resulting morality in action. The analytic framework was then applied to ten notable traditions: Catholic religious …

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How Does The Use Of Picture Books During Instruction Improve Student Word Choice In Writing?, Laurie Anne Mcadams Jan 2005

How Does The Use Of Picture Books During Instruction Improve Student Word Choice In Writing?, Laurie Anne Mcadams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of my research was to determine how the use of picture books during instruction would improve student word choice in writing. Donald Graves (2003), a renowned researcher in the teaching of writing, states, "All children need . . . to be surrounded with poetry, stories, information books, biography, science and history, imaginative and factual books." Graves' research presents successful classroom instruction when teachers incorporate literature as a fundamental part of their reading and writing instruction. Likewise, Susan Anderson McElveen and Connie Campbell Dierking (2000) conducted a study with their students using picture books as "precise examples" to teach …

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An Investigation Of High School Geometry Students Proving And Logical Thinking Abilities And The Impact Of Dynamic Geometry Software On Student Performance, Lalitha Subramanian Jan 2005

An Investigation Of High School Geometry Students Proving And Logical Thinking Abilities And The Impact Of Dynamic Geometry Software On Student Performance, Lalitha Subramanian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) the role of a yearlong geometry course on high school geometry students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, (b) the linkage between students' logical thinking and proof construction abilities, and (c) the impact of dynamic geometry software on students' performance. In addition, this study also ventured to determine if the type of geometry course had any impact on students' logical thinking and proof construction achievement. The sample for the study consisted of 1,325 high school geometry students enrolled in regular, honors, and mastery courses in four high schools from the school …

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Time Estimation And Hand Preference, Maria Rodriguez Jan 2005

Time Estimation And Hand Preference, Maria Rodriguez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work examines the effect of participants' gender and handedness on the perception of short intervals of time. The time estimation task consisted of an empty production procedure with forty trials at each of four intervals of one, three, seven, and twenty seconds. The four target intervals represent a natural logarithmic progression and a series that bracket important temporal thresholds. The order of presentation of those intervals was randomized across participants but yoked across the sexes in each of the respective dominant hand groups. The two between-subject factors, with two levels each, were sex and handedness. Participants produced forty estimates …

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Design And Assessment Of Compact Optical Systems Towards Special Effects Imaging, Vesselin Chaoulov Jan 2005

Design And Assessment Of Compact Optical Systems Towards Special Effects Imaging, Vesselin Chaoulov

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A main challenge in the field of special effects is to create special effects in real time in a way that the user can preview the effect before taking the actual picture or movie sequence. There are many techniques currently used to create computer-simulated special effects, however current techniques in computer graphics do not provide the option for the creation of real-time texture synthesis. Thus, while computer graphics is a powerful tool in the field of special effects, it is neither portable nor does it provide work in real-time capabilities. Real-time special effects may, however, be created optically. Such approach …

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A Predictive Model For Benchmarking Academic Programs (Pbap) Using U.S. News Ranking Data For Engineering Colleges Offering Graduate Programs, Lisa Gay Marie Chuck Jan 2005

A Predictive Model For Benchmarking Academic Programs (Pbap) Using U.S. News Ranking Data For Engineering Colleges Offering Graduate Programs, Lisa Gay Marie Chuck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving national ranking is an increasingly important issue for university administrators. While research has been conducted on performance measures in higher education, research designs have lacked a predictive quality. Studies on the U.S. News college rankings have provided insight into the methodology; however, none of them have provided a model to predict what change in variable values would likely cause an institution to improve its standing in the rankings. The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model for benchmarking academic programs (pBAP) for engineering colleges. The 2005 U.S. News ranking data for graduate engineering programs were used …

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Tunable Liquid Crystal Photonic Devices, Yun-Hsing Fan Jan 2005

Tunable Liquid Crystal Photonic Devices, Yun-Hsing Fan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Liquid crystal (LC)-based adaptive optics are important for information processing, optical interconnections, photonics, integrated optics, and optical communications due to their tunable optical properties. In this dissertation, we describe novel liquid crystal photonic devices and their fabrication methods. The devices presented include inhomogeneous polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), polymer network liquid crystals (PNLC) and phase-separated composite film (PSCOF). Liquid crystal/polymer composites could exist in different forms depending on the fabrication conditions. In Chap. 3, we demonstrate a novel nanoscale PDLC device that has inhomogeneous droplet size distribution. In such a PDLC, the inhomogeneous droplet size distribution is obtained by exposing the …

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