Digital Commons Network^™

Survey Of Internet And At-Risk Behaviors, Samuel C. Mcquade Iii, Neel Sampat

Articles

In May 2007 though January 2008 fourteen Monroe County school districts in New York State participated in a major research study undertaken by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). A major portion of the study was an online survey. It was designed to:

• Measure the nature and extent of online victimization and offending experiences of K-12th grade students
• Determine types and levels of supervision and role modeling employed by parents pertaining to the use of computers and portable electronic devices by their children; and
• Obtain information from teachers about their perceptions of school-related cyber abuse and crime, along with the …

Motivating Individuals: Growing Research From A Fragile Base, Ellen Hazelkorn

Articles

Faculty around the world are experiencing changes in their academic work. While “traditional” universities are responding to demands for greater accountability and increased and timely outputs from research, faculty within new higher education institutions (HEIs) are undergoing a paradigm shift within three concentric circles of change. Not only do they have to alter their own academic practice, but their HEI is also undergoing a revolution at a time when higher education is itself being transformed. The article documents these changes, challenging the assumption that there is a homogeneous or “single academic profession” with a common experience of academic change, and …

Data Points And Duration For Estimating Fuel Consumption Of A Diesel Engine, Dennis G. Watson, Tony V. Harrison, Richard W. Steffen

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Accurate measurement of fuel consumption is required to quantify the efficiency of an engine or predict emissions. As part of a larger project, accurate instantaneous fuel consumption data was required for a John Deere 4045T diesel engine. While establishing test criteria, it became evident that literature did not provide clear recommendations on the number of data points or time duration for data collection, for a diesel engine. Fuel consumption tests were conducted using up to 15 data points of percent fuel rate and up to 15 min of data collection. Based on statistical analysis of test results, at least 2 …

The Development Of A Qualitative Real-Time Rt-Pcr Assay For The Detection Of Hepatitis C Virus, Celine Herra, A. Clancy, B. Crowley, H. Niesters

Articles

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represents a favourable option for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV). A real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RTPCR) assay was developed as a qualitative diagnostic screening method for the detection of HCV using the ABI PRISM 7500 Sequence Detection System. The primers and probe were designed to target the 5′ untranslated region of the hepatitis C viral genome. A second heterologous probe assay was developed for the detection of the haemagglutinin gene of phocine distemper virus (PDV) and was used as an internal control. A semi-automated HCV extraction method was also implemented using the ABI …

Ejection Of Supermassive Black Holes From Galaxy Cores, Alessia Gualandris, David Merritt

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Recent numerical relativity simulations have shown that the emission of gravitational waves during the merger of two supermassive black holes (SMBHs) delivers a kick to the final hole, with a magnitude as large as 4000kms-1. We study the motion of SMBHs ejected from galaxy cores by such kicks and the effects on the stellar distribution using high-accuracy direct N-body simulations. Following the kick, the motion of the SMBH exhibits three distinct phases. (1) The SMBH oscillates with decreasing amplitude, losing energy via dynamical friction each time it passes through the core. Chandrasekhar’s theory accurately reproduces the motion of the SMBH …

Impact Of Channel Errors On Decentralized Detection Performance Of Wireless Sensor Networks: A Study Of Binary Modulations, Rayleigh-Fading And Nonfading Channels, And Fusion-Combiners, Venkateshwara R. Kanchumarthy, Ramanarayanan Viswanathan, Madhulika Madishetty

Articles

We provide new results on the performance of wireless sensor networks in which a number of identical sensor nodes transmit their binary decisions, regarding a binary hypothesis, to a fusion center (FC) by means of a modulation scheme. Each link between a sensor and the fusion center is modeled independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) either as slow Rayleigh-fading or as nonfading. The FC employs a counting rule (CR) or another combining scheme to make a final decision. Main results obtained are the following: 1) in slow fading, a) the correctness of using an average bit error rate of a link, …

Towards A Model Of Critical Ethics To Inform The Research Process In Postgraduate Research, Aidan Kenny

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The ethics narrative has become embedded in the contemporary research process, as evident in the emergence of Ethical Committees in faculty and both public and private organisations. Ethics have been codified, made visible and accessible as text artefacts in the forms of (both voluntary and regulatory) codes, statements, conventions, guidelines, principles, procedures, practices. In this short paper I explore this codification of ethics from the period post WWII, detailing some of the milestone text artefacts.

The Interface Between Academic Knowledge And Working Knowledge: Implications For Curriculum Design And Pedagogic Practice, Anne Murphy

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This paper considers some aspects of the theory and practice of work-based learning (WBL) that may be of interest to academic staff in higher education who have responsibility for negotiating, designing, delivering and assessing programmes for, and with, Irish workplaces, companies, organisations and sectors of the workforce. The paper does not claim to be breaking significant new ground: rather it is trying to connect aspects of the field to inform underpinning of WBL curriculum design and related pedagogic practice as the start of a conversation rather than the last word.

Discourse Analysis As An Approach To Intercultural Competence In The Advanced Efl Classroom, Sue Norton

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In 1991 Michael McCarthy wrote in his Preface to Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers that discourse analysis is ‘not a method of teaching languages; it is a way of describing and understanding how language is used’. By 1994 he had reformulated his position and, with Ronald Carter, published Language as Discourse: Perspectives for Language Teaching, which argued in favour of providing students with a metalanguage by which to analyse the language they were learning. These days, owing to the work of McCarthy, Carter, and others, the basics of discourse analysis can indeed comprise an appropriate subject matter for the advanced …

Robots Assist In Treatment Of Stroke Patients, Philip Deering, David Kennedy, James Conlon

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Robotic rehabilitation is a field of biomedical engineering which combines precise mechanical design with control technology through the interaction of medical and engineering professionalss to produce a new tool in medical rehabilitation. This article provides an overview of an interactive robot for the medical rehabilitation of stroke victims.

Property Rules, Liability Rules, And Uncertainty About Property Rights, Stewart E. Sterk

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Clarity can be a considerable virtue in property rights. But even when property rights are defined clearly in the abstract, ascertaining the scope of those rights in concrete situations often entails significant cost. In some instances, the cost of acquiring information about the scope of property rights will exceed the social value of that information. In those circumstances, further search for information about the scope of rights is inefficient; the social harm avoided by further search does not justify the costs of the search. Potential resource users, however; make decisions based on private costs and benefits, not social costs and …

Real-Time Plasma Controlled Chemistry In A Two-Frequency, Confined Plasma Etcher, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Albert R. Ellingboe, Cezar Gaman, John V. Ringwood

Articles

The physics issues of developing model-based control of plasma etching are presented. A novel methodology for incorporating real-time model-based control of plasma processing systems is developed. The methodology is developed for control of two dependent variables (ion flux and chemical densities) by two independent controls (27 MHz power and O2flow). A phenomenological physics model of the nonlinear coupling between the independent controls and the dependent variables of the plasma is presented. By using a design of experiment, the functional dependencies of the response surface are determined. In conjunction with the physical model, the dependencies are used to deconvolve the sensor …

Cyberspace Or Face-To-Face: The Teachable Moment And Changing Reference Mediums., Christina M. Desai, Stephanie J. Graves

Articles

This article considers the teaching role of reference librarians by studying the teachable moment in reference transactions, and users’ response to that instruction. An empirical study of instruction was conducted in both virtual and traditional reference milieus, examining the following three services: IM (Instant Messaging), chat, and face-to-face reference. The authors used the same criteria in separate studies of all three services to determine if librarians provided analogous levels of instruction and what factors influenced the likelihood of instruction. Methodology employed included transcript analysis, observation, and patron surveys. Findings indicated that patrons wanted instruction in their reference transactions, regardless of …

Aaas And Jstor: Anatomy Of A Successful Initiative, David H. Carlson

Articles

The article recounts the process followed that led to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to reverse its public decision to withdraw its premier publication, Science Magazine, from the JSTOR platform.

Wfpc2 Lrf Imaging Of Emission Line Nebulae In 3cr Radio Galaxies, G. C. Privon, Christopher P. O'Dea, Stefi A. Baum, David J. Axom, P. Kharb, C. L. Buchanan, W. Sparks, M. Chiaberge

Articles

We present HST/WFPC2 Linear Ramp Filter images of high surface brightness emission lines (either [OII], [OIII], or H +[NII]) in 80 3CR radio sources. We overlay the emission line images on high resolution VLA radio images (eight of which are new reductions of archival data) in order to examine the spatial relationship between the optical and radio emission. We confirm that the radio and optical emission line structures are consistent with weak alignment at low redshift (z < 0.6) except in the Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) radio galaxies where both the radio source and the emission line nebulae are on galactic scales and strong alignment is seen at all redshifts. There are weak trends for the aligned emission line nebulae to be more luminous, and for the emission line nebula size to increase with redshift and/or radio power. The combination of these results suggests that there is a limited but real capacity for the radio source to influence the properties of the emission line nebulae at these low redshifts (z < 0.6). Our results are consistent with previous suggestions that both mechanical and radiant energy are responsible for generating alignment between the radio source and emission line gas.

Leaving More Than Money: Mediation Clauses In Estate Planning Documents, Lela P. Love, Stewart E. Sterk

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When probate disputes arise, an increasing number of courts have been referring those disputes to mediation. Estate planners, however, have been less proactive about drafting wills to include mediation clauses that would anticipate estate disputes and channel them away from litigation. When a will mandates mediation, the will provides a dispute resolution mechanism designed to preserve family harmony, conserve estate assets, and avoid airing the family's "dirty laundry "-objectives common to many testator. Mediation clauses in wills are no panacea. They are of little value to testators who exalt control over estate assets above all other concerns, and they are …

Gauging The Acceptability Of Fuels Management: A Matter Of Trust, Mark W. Brunson

Articles

There is a significant gap between the acceptability of management practices in theory and the confidence that citizens have in land managers' abilities to use those practices safely and effectively. But since most citizens are willing to accept the use of multiple practices on a small scale, opportunities exist for land managers to build citizens’ confidence in their activities while gradually reducing the risk of wildfire to the Great Basin’s most susceptible communities.

Report To The American Bankruptcy Institute: Prevalence Of Substantive Consolidation In Large Public Company Bankruptcies From 2000 To 2005, William H. Widen

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No abstract provided.

Design Of A Multiple Component Geometric Breast Phantom, Karl G. Baum, Kevin Mcnamara, María Helguera

Articles

The quality and realism of simulated images is currently limited by the quality of the digital phantoms used for the simulations. The transition from simple raster based phantoms to more detailed geometric (mesh) based phantoms has the potential to increase the usefulness of the simulated data. A preliminary breast phantom which contains 12 distinct tissue classes along with the tissue properties necessary for the simulation of dynamic positron emission tomography scans was created (activity and attenuation). The phantom contains multiple components which can be separately manipulated, utilizing geometric transformations, to represent populations or a single individual being imaged in multiple …

Finding Hidden Treasures In Special Collections, Stacy Etheredge

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No abstract provided.

An Fio Calculus For Marine Seismic Imaging: Folds And Cross Caps, Raluca Felea, Allan Greenleaf

Articles

We consider a linearized inverse problem, arising in offshore seismic exploration, for an isotropic wave equation with sound speed assumed to be a small, singular perturbation of a smooth background. Under an assumption of at most fold caustics for the background, we identify the geometry of the canonical relation underlying the linearization, F, which is a Fourier integral operator, and establish a composition calculus sufficient to describe the normal operator F^*F. The resulting artifacts are 1/2 derivative smoother than in the case of a single-source seismic experiment. Refer to PDF file for exact formula.)

Finally: An Ombudsman, Press Council And Code Of Conduct For Ireland, Michael Foley

Articles

Ireland finally produced a Press Council following many years of discussion and debate. Much of this debate surrounded the issue of reforming defamation legislation. A Press Council was seen as a concession by newspaper proprietors in return for new libel laws. The Council as finally agreed included members representing civil society as well as journalists.

Influence Of Fiber Manufacturing Tolerances On The Spectral Response Of A Bend Loss Based All-Fiber Edge Filter, Pengfei Wang, Gerald Farrell, Yuliya Semenova, Ginu Rajan

Articles

It is shown that manufacturing tolerances of the fiber parameters bend radius and NA significantly influence the fiber bend loss performance and spectral response of a fiber-based edge filter. A theoretical model, validated by experimental results, is used to determine the changes in key spectral parameters for an edge filter, resulting from changes within their manufacturing tolerance range, for both the bend radius and NA. Finally is shown that bend-radius tuning during fabrication of such filters is a means of mitigating the effect of manufacturing variations.

Ossification’S Demise? An Empirical Analysis Of Epa Rulemaking From 2001-2005,, Stephen M. Johnson

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For more than a decade, academics have suggested agencies are increasingly avoiding notice and comment rulemaking because the process has become “ossified” by procedures imposed by Congress, courts and the Executive Branch, and because the rules ultimately issued by agencies are frequently challenged. This article reviews the rules the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued between 2001 and 2005 to determine the validity of those criticisms. With regard to judicial challenges, 75% of EPA’s most important (“economically significant”) rules issued between 2001 and 2005 were challenged in court. This is consistent with the anecdotal claims of former EPA Administrators …

Study On Safety And Liability Issues Relating To Package Travel, Frank Alleweldt, Klaus Tonner, Marc Mcdonald

Articles

This study on safety and liability issues relating to package travel, package holidays and package tours highlights some of the gaps in the EU package travel law by answering a number of specific questions related to statistical evidence, Community legislation, and US legislation. It also suggests possible solutions to fill these gaps. The study was prepared by Civic Consulting and is based on a legal analysis, a literature review, an evaluation of statistical data, and on interviews with European and national travel and tour operator associations, individual tour operators, European and national associations of insurers, individual insurance companies, and European …

Group Velocity Dispersion Reduction In Fibre-Based Slow-Light Systems Via Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, Ronny Henker, A. Wiatrek, K. U. Lauterbach, Max Ammann, Andreas Schwarzbacher, Thomas Schneider

Articles

Presented are theoretical investigations and simulations of a reduction of the group velocity dispersion (GVD) in slow-light systems by an optimisation of the gain spectrum of the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). A comparison between a natural Brillouin gain spectrum and a broadened Brillouin gain spectrum with and without two additional losses at its wings is demonstrated. The focus of the theoretical examination was set on the superposition of a gain and two losses with an equal magnitude. Therefore, a low GVD and a high group index change could be achieved and hence, a small pulse distortion and a high time …

Novel Calixarene-Schiff Bases That Bind Silver(I) Ion, Mary Deasy, Bernadette Creaven, Brian A. Murray, John Mcginley, Paul M. Flood

Articles

Two novel calix[4]arene-Schiff base receptors have been synthesized. One of the new compounds has two pendant aldimines, while the second has been prepared by two-point attachment of a calixarene-dialdehyde onto a calixarene-diamine to form a “calix-tube”. Preliminary binding studies with AgClO₄ show large complexation-induced shifts in ¹H NMR positions.

Separate Loci Underlie Resistance To Root Infection And Leaf Scorch During Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome, Samreen Kazi, Jeffry Shultz, Jawad Afzal, J. Johnson, V. N. Njiti, David A. Lightfoot

Articles

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars show differences in their resistance to both the leaf scorch and root rot of sudden death syndrome (SDS). The syndrome is caused by root colonization by Fusarium virguliforme (ex. F. solani f. sp. glycines). Root susceptibility combined with reduced leaf scorch resistance has been associated with resistance to Heterodera glycines HG Type 1.3.6.7 (race 14) of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN). In contrast, the rhg1 locus underlying resistance to Hg Type 0 was found clustered with three loci for resistance to SDS leaf scorch and one for root infection. The aims of this study …

Island Culture: The Role Of The Blasket Autobiographies In The Preservation Of A Traditional Way Of Life, Eamon Maher

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The Blasket Islands, located off the west coast of Kerry, are remarkable for having inspired a flourishing literature, mainly autobiographical in nature, which is generally acknowledged as being of great anthropological value, as well as of significant literary merit. When one considers that the islands never had a population of more than around 160 persons (with an average of closer to half that number) during the years covered by the autobiographies, the existence of such an important chronicle of the simple and at times perilous life on these Atlantic outposts is all the more noteworthy. The language spoken on the …

Technology-Aided Participative Methods In Environmental Assessment: An International Perspective, Ainhoa Gonzalez, Alan Gilmer, Ronan Foley, John Sweeney, John Fry

Articles

Provisions for citizen involvement in the assessment of potential environmental effects of certain plans, programmes and projects are present in current legislation. An international survey revealed that public participation is common practice in European and some other countries worldwide. However, a number of issues are observed to affect public involvement in EIA/SEA processes and expert opinion differs when evaluating the effectiveness of existing participative methods. Results suggest that technology-aided methods can improve traditional participation processes. In particular, GIS has the potential to increase community knowledge and enhance involvement by communicating information more effectively. Variable accessibility to technology and data quality …