Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of The High Schools Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Levels Of The Cognitive Questions In Esl Classes In The Uae, Badee Abdelkareem Alsheik

Theses

This study investigated English language teachers’ perceptions of the level of the cognitive questions in the UAE high school. A survey was randomly distributed to the English language teachers in Al Ain high schools to find out their perceptions of the levels of the cognitive questions they ask in the classrooms. From a population of 250 English language teachers in Al Ain, 128 teachers participated in filling the survey. The survey is based on Bloom’s Cognitive levels Taxonomy and includes thirty statements representing the six cognitive levels of questions. In the study, the levels of cognitive questions of the entire …

A Comparative Analysis Of Machine Learning Algorithms For Genome Wide Association Studies, Neha Singh

Theses

Variations present in human genome play a vital role in the emergence of genetic disorders and abnormal traits. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) is considered as the most common source of genetic variations. Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) probe these variations present in human population and find their association with complex genetic disorders. Now these days, recent advances in technology and drastic reduction in costs of Genome Wide Association Studies provide the opportunity to have a plethora of genomic data that delivers huge information of these variations to analyze. In fact, there is significant difference in pace of data generation and …

Heterogeneity-Aware And Energy-Aware Scheduling And Routing In Wireless Sensor Networks, Mahesh Kumar Vasanthu Somashekar

Theses

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a group of specialized transducers, called sensor nodes, with a communication infrastructure intended to monitor and record conditions at diverse locations. Since WSN applications are usually deployed in an open environment, the network is exposed to rough weather conditions, such as rain and snow. Another problem that WSN applications need to deal with is the energy constraints of sensor nodes. Both problems adversely affect the lifetime of WSN applications. A lot of research has been conducted to prolong the lifetime of WSN applications considering energy constraints of sensor nodes, but not much research has …

Phenotype Prediction And Feature Selection In Genome-Wide Association Studies, Andrew Roberts

Theses

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) search for correlations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a subject genome and an observed phenotype. GWAS can be used to generate models for predicting phenotype based on genotype, as well as aiding in identification of specific genes affecting the biological mechanism underlying the phenotype.

In this investigation, phenotype prediction models are constructed from GWAS training data and are evaluated for performance on test data. Three methods are used to rank SNPs by their correlation with the phenotype: the univariate Wald test, a multivariate, support vector machine (SVM) based technique, and a hybrid method where …

Reducing The Risk Of Software Cost Estimation, Shixian Yang

Theses

Inaccurate cost estimation is a well-known problem in software development. The common cost estimation models are point estimates that are unable to quantify uncertainties. Furthermore, it is difficult to calibrate the uncertainties in cost estimation due to the lack of information. The purpose of this thesis is to prove that probability techniques could be synthesized into COCOMO (Constructive Cost Model) to quantify uncertainties. Another aim is to find out how to get more insight on reducing the risk of cost estimation. In this thesis, some historical data is presented to show the variance in factors of COCOMO. Monte Carlo simulation …

Design And Synthesis Studies Of New S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine Analogues, Shanshan Wu

Theses

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAM), which is involved in methyl group transfers, is the second most abundant coenzyme in the human body. It is made from adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) and methionine catalyzed by adenosyltransferase. Methyltransferases (MTs) transfer the activated methyl group from the sulfur center to a specific position in a variety of substrates, e.g., DNA, RNA, proteins, and secondary metabolites. Methyltransferases have been linked to various diseases, including cancer.

In recent years, more and more SAM analogues have been reported. These analogues show activities in biological target labeling. The purpose of this thesis is to design and synthesize new SAM analogues to inhibit …

Data Mining Of Tetraloop-Tetraloop Receptors In Rna Xml Files, Sinan Ramazanoglu

Theses

RNA (Ribonucleic acid) Motifs are tertiary structures that play an important role in the folding mechanism of the RNA molecule. The overall function of a RNA Motif depends on its specific bp (base pairs) sequence that constitutes the secondary structure. Data mining is a novel method in both discovering potential tertiary structures within DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA, and protein molecules and storing the information in databases. The RNA Motif of interest is the tetraloop-tetraloop receptor, which is composed of a highly conserved 11 nt (nucleotide) sequence and a tetraloop with the generic form of GNRA (where N = any base …

Quantifying Prehension In Persons With Stroke Post Rehabilitation, Saumya Sara Puthenveettil

Theses

This study describes the analysis of reaching and grasping abilities of the hemiparetic arm and hand of patients post stroke after a series of interactive virtual reality (VR) simulated training sessions and conventional physical therapy of similar intensity. Six subjects participated in VR training and five subjects in clinical rehabilitation for two weeks. Subjects’ finger joint angles were measured during a kinematic reach to grasp test using CyberGlove® and arm joint angles were measured using the trackSTARTM system prior to training and after training. Downward force applied to the object during grasping was assessed using Nano17TM, a force/torque sensor system …

Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characteristics, Magnetic Behavior, And Biomedical Applications, Chengyin Fu

Theses

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are attracting increasing attention due to their interesting properties that can be applied in a great number of applications such as catalysis and biomedicine. This thesis focuses on the synthesis, characteristics, and biomedical applications of iron oxide nanoparticles. The two most common iron oxides, including magnetite and maghemite, are discussed in this thesis.

For most of their applications, the magnetic behavior of iron oxide nanoparticles in a fluid is very important, especially, the high gradient magnetic separation of the particles from a nonmagnetic liquid medium, such as blood in the human body. A 2D model, which …

Experimental Evaluation Of Near Infrared Light Penetration Into Neural Tissue, Ujwal Anil Parikh

Theses

Near infrared (NIR) lasers find applications in medicine both for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Penetration depth into the tissue is a critical parameter to be considered in these NIR laser applications. Published data on the optical properties of rodent neural tissue are rare, despite the frequent use of rats as animal models. The aim of this study was to directly measure the light intensity profile inside the rat brain gray matter that is illuminated by an NIR laser beam. The local light intensities were sampled using an optical fiber inserted into the brain. The intensity profile in the axial direction …

Fmri Assessment Of Ischemic Stroke In Humans, Rui Yuan

Theses

Cerebral ischemia, or brain ischemia is a kind of stroke where the blood flow is insufficient to the metabolic demand of brain. The lack of oxygen supply will directly lead to the death of brain tissue. There are two major injury regions: the infarct and penumbra. Mostly, since the infarct regions became dead tissues rapidly after stroke, there is a tiny possibility to rescue them in time. But penumbra parts are different. Tissues there will be viable for hours after ischemia. Hence, both theoretically and practically, it is possible to salvage those cells in the penumbra region. Diffusion weighted image …

Exploring Si/Sige Quantum-Well Thin-Film Thermoelectric Devices Using Tcad Simulation, Shaoting Hu

Theses

There is an increasing demand for energy as a result of industrial development and rapid growth in global population. To date, most energy supply comes from traditional sources like coal and gas, which are nonrenewable energy sources. The combustion of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases and pollution, which deteriorates our ecosystem. Extensive attention and research has been given to the development of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, tides, geothermal heat, hydroelectricity, thermoelectricity and et al. Thermoelectric (TE) applications can be categorized mainly into power generation and cooling operation utilizing Seebeck and Peltier effects, respectively. The further development of TE …

Demarcating Computer Science, Dana Burkart

Theses

Despite its relative youth, computer science has become a well-established discipline, granting over 2% of the bachelors degrees in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). For this reason, it is important that we understand the nature of computer science and the likely direction for the development of inquiry in computer science in the future. This paper examines several perspectives on the nature of the methods of computer science inquiry. These are empiricist methods, rationalist methods, and an engineering stance. It argues that empiricist and rationalist stances play identifiable roles in the scientific nature of computer science reasoning but …

Emulating The Volume Of Pulminary Nodules: A Quantitative Approach, Meagan Kuhfahl

Theses

Doubling time for small pulmonary nodules is an important indicator used to diagnose lung cancer, a leading cause of death in the United States. The volume of the nodules is measured using computed tomography (CT) scans. Each volume measurement comes with a degree of uncertainty, which in turn increases the uncertainty for the doubling time measurement. Decisions regarding risky and expensive patient treatment depend on doubling time, so accuracy is important. The volume of nodules is estimated by taking a series of points marked on CT scans by radiologists and connecting these points to make a boundary. This boundary includes …

A Benchmarking Assessment Of Known Visual Cryptography Algorithms, Disa Walden

Theses

With the growth of digital media, it is becoming more prevalent to find a method to protect the security of that media. An effective method for securely transmitting images is found in the field of Visual Cryptography. While this method is effective for securely transmitting images, many methods have been developed since the first algorithm was proposed in 1994 by Naor and Shamir. A benchmarking scheme is proposed to give the algorithm capabilities, understand the implementation method, evaluate the algorithm development, and provide image reconstruction information. Additionally, the algorithms are ranked according to a Visual Cryptography standard. This would allow …

Dynamic Pricing Strategy To Optimally Allocate Vaccines, Mauricio Pommier Gasser

Theses

In the United States, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) makes recommendations as to which cohorts (identified groups of individuals) ought to have higher priority access to vaccines when their supply is insufficient to immunize all susceptible individuals in the country. Typically, cohorts are determined based on susceptibility to contracting seasonal influenza and on the resulting consequences of infection for different age groups. For seasonal influenza, high-risk cohorts commonly include children, teenagers, pregnant women and people with different chronic diseases. This study proposes the application of revenue management theory to better allocate seasonal influenza vaccines among different risk-based population …

On Representations Of Integers By The Quadratic Form X2 − Dy2, Christopher Thomas

Theses

The representation of integers in binary quadratic forms has been a penchant for mathematicians throughout history including the well known Pierre de Fermat and Charles Hermite. The area has grown from simple representations as the sum of squares to representations of the form x²-Dy² where D>1 and square-free. Based on congruence relations we will provide a classification criterion for the integers that can be represented in the form x²-Dy² for various values of D (specifically D=10 and 11). We will also discuss methods for constructing such representations using the theory of continued fractions, quadratic reciprocity and solutions to Pell's …

The Infinity And Beyond : Museum-School Partnerships Beyond The Field Trip, Jennifer R. Elliot

Theses

No abstract provided.

Alteration Of Protein Kinases' Activities By Hypoxic Mimic Compounds, Lawerence Rasmussen

Theses

No abstract provided.

The Abridged Autobiography Of Yousef R., Joseph G. Rathgeber

Theses

No abstract provided.

Ipsilesional Neglect: Its Anaotmical And Behavioral Correlates, Daniela Sacchetti

Theses

No abstract provided.

Modeling Total Suspended Solids In Combined Sewer Systems, Weilan Zhang

Theses

The untreated overflow of combined sewer system contains a variety of pollutants that can contaminate the receiving water body. Total suspended solids (TSS) transported in the sewer networks can adsorb these pollutants and become the main contaminant source. Existing models contain a numerous formulas that make the calculation process complex and time consuming. A simplified model was presented in this thesis to simulate the process of TSS transport in combined sewer pipes. The combined sewer system evaluated was a combination of an existing sewer system in Le Marais and an example system provided with the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). …

Scalable Gpu Acceleration Of B-Spline Signal Processing Operations, Alexander Karantza

Theses

B-Splines are a useful tool in signal processing, and are widely used in the analysis of two and three-dimensional images. B-Splines provide a continuous representation of the signal, image, or volume, which is useful for interpolation, resampling, noise removal, and differentiation - all important steps in many signal processing algorithms. These splines are defined entirely by an array of coefficients that is roughly the same size as the original signal and of values in the same order of magnitude, making storage and representation trivial. What is not trivial, however, is the quick calculation and processing of those coefficients, especially for …

Investigation Of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies And Motivational Beliefs In Mathematics Achievement, Hanan Shaher Saadeh Almarashdeh

Theses

This study aimed to investigate how mathematics achievement can be explained in terms of motivational beliefs (intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value, control and learning beliefs, self-efficacy for learning and performance, and test anxiety), cognitive and metacognitive (rehearsal, elaboration, organization, metacognitive self-regulatory, time and study environment, effort regulation, peer learning, and help seeking). In addition, it sought to investigate any statistically significant differences between male and female students on motivational beliefs, self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies, and achievement in mathematics. The study was conducted in Al Ain, with 402 students of 12^th scientific stream grades (199 males, 203 …

Error Analysis Of Sequence Modeling For Projecting Cyber Attacks, Venkata Mudireddy

Theses

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) has become an integral component in the field of network security. Prior research has focused on developing efficient IDSs and correlating attacks as Attack Tracks. To enhance the network analyst's situational awareness, sequence modeling techniques like Variable Length Markov Models (VLMM) have been used to project likely future attacks. However, such projections are made assuming that the IDSs detect each and every attack action, which is not viable in reality. An IDS could miss an attack due to loss of packets or improper traffic analysis, or when an attacker evades detection by employing obfuscation techniques. Such …

Public Safety Application For Approaching Emergency Vehicle Alert And Accident Reporting In Vanets Using Wave, Harshad Phule

Theses

Today's transport system has evolved from horse driven carriages and paved roads to a more complex road transport system made up of a variety of vehicles and other infrastructure, all put in place in order to support safe and efficient mobility of vehicles. The next step to further improve the transportation system of today is to make the vehicles and roadside infrastructure more intelligent by making them communicate with each other. This new ability will help find new solutions to current problems like traffic congestion, vehicular collisions, monitoring of adherence to traffic rules and alerting the drivers of hazardous conditions. …

Simulated Trading In A Two-Good Economy On A Network, Ke Shi

Theses

With the upturn in living standards and increasing work stress, people have started to pay more attention to how happy they feel in their daily lives. Evaluating people's happiness is becoming increasingly important in scientific fields. The focus of this thesis is to build a rational happiness function and to do simulations on several kinds of social networks related to the real world in a trading model with only two types of goods but no common currency. The purpose of the simulations is to seek the equilibrium points of the trading system. For this model, the parameters in the function …

Verification And Validation Of A Theoretical Model Of A Direct Drive Valve-Controlled Electrohydrostatic Actuator For Primary Flight Control, Heather Hussain

Theses

In this work, a theoretical parametric nonlinear model for a hybrid variable pressure actuator was verified through dynamic system modeling techniques and validated using experimental data. The hybrid configuration under investigation combines design features of a valve-controlled hydraulic actuator and an electrohydrostatic actuator resulting in a variable pressure hydraulic actuator. A comparison analysis is conducted to determine the performance and, more specifically, power characteristics of the hybrid configuration relative to the two types of conventional flight control actuation - valve-controlled actuators and electrohydrostatic actuators. The hybrid configuration is unique in the sense that it allows for independent localized hydraulic system …

A Statistical Phonon Transport Model For Thermal Transport In Cyrstalline Materials From The Diffuse To Ballistic Regime, Thomas Iii Brown

Theses

Phonon transport in micro- nanoscale crystalline materials can be well modeled by the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE). The complexities associated with solving the BTE have led to the development of various numerical models to simulate phonon transport. These models have been applied to predict thermal transport from the di¤use to ballistic regime. While some success using techniques such as the Monte Carlo method has been achieved, there are still a significant number of approximations related to the intricacies of phonon transport that must be more accurately modeled for better predictions of thermal transport at reduced length scales. The objective of …

Force, Lee Crowley

Theses

Energy, force, matter and volume are fundamental characteristics of the universe. These defining characteristics exist in all scales and can be found throughout space. My work considers the actions and reactions of forces and how movements are challenged by various energies. My creative investigations began by looking at the world in its entirety and considering both natural and man-made forces. I approached the work with the intent to alter what we recognize as structure and strength, and to act upon it, to challenge its integrity and create a progression of an implied action. Influenced by pioneers in the photographic capture …