Digital Commons Network^™

A Data Link Layer Protocol For Hybrid Vehicular Sensor Networks Using Practical Mobility Models With Real Maps, Sarah Madi

Theses

Safety applications in Hybrid Vehicular Sensor Networks (HVSN) require robust transmission of messages in order to deliver safety to roads and drivers as intended. Since moving vehicles are equipped with wireless sensors that utilize and share the unreliable wireless channel for communication, the transmission of safety messages must be coordinated to minimize or completely eliminate collision of exchanged packets. The first step on the way of achieving that is through the Media Access Control (MAC) layer which is responsible for managing the access to the shared media safely and without collisions.

This thesis aims at designing and implementing a HVSN …

Dreams And Memories, Sarah Arditti

Theses

In this document I analyze my work, process, and the success or failure of each piece in a body of artwork completed for the Masters of Fine Arts in Fine Arts Studio at Rochester Institute of Technology. My artwork explores personal dreams and memories through experimentation with material, color, technique and form. The works, a combination of paintings and objects, are each connected to a dream or memory and convey a paradox between reality versus illusion, or a sense of detachment from the real world.

Mimicking Mesh Refinement To Construct Initial Data For A Binary Black Hole System, Bradley James

Theses

In order to perform an evolutionary calculation in General Relativity, accurate initial data is needed. A pseudospectral numerical method to solve both linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equations is introduced. We then calculate solutions to the Hamiltonian and momentum constraints for a binary black hole system utilizing such a pseudospectral method. The error resulting from the implementation is discussed at three locations in space: near the black holes, far from the black holes, and in between. A method to mimic mesh refinement through appropriate coordinate transforms is introduced with the result of lowering the maximum error in the system.

Production Of Stable Bcs Class Ii Drug Suspensions By Melt Emulsification And Subsequent Incorporation Into Polymer Strip Films, Emanuel Joseph Vizzotti

Theses

One of the ways to improve the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs is to produce fine drug particles with increased surface area. This increase will lead to bioavailability enhancement. However, smaller drug particles are thermodynamically unstable and tend to aggregate or grow. Therefore, proper formulation and process parameters must be chosen to keep the particles small. In this study, fine drug particles of two model drugs, fenofibrate and ibuprofen, are prepared by the melt emulsification technique. The influence of suspension formulation (i.e., the inclusion of polymers and surface-active agents) on particle stability is investigated. Moreover, different agitation techniques during …

Batch Foaming Of Hot Melt Extruded Excipient/Disintegrant/Api Pharmaceutical Formulations And The Study Of The Effects Of The Resulting Cellular Structures On Api Dissolution, Na Yao

Theses

This thesis focuses on the impact of a disintegrant included in a foamed immediate release system composed of a polymer excipient and an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API). Indomethacin (INM) is used as model API; Eudragit® EPO (EPO) is used as polymer excipient; AcDiSol and Crospovidone (Cros) are used as two kinds of disintegrant. The main objectives are to gain an understanding of the resulting morphologies, as well as the impact of disintegrants on drug release from foamed polymeric matrices.

In the first part of this research, the Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) process is used to compound the following pharmaceutical formulations: …

Heterogeneous Combustion Of Condensed Particles In Transition Regime, Deniz Yildiz

Theses

A steady-state model of heterogeneous combustion for a spherical particle is developed accounting for the transition regime of heat and mass transfer. The model assumes formation of condensed products and reaction rate controlled by the transport of oxidizer to the particle surface. The model is based on the Fuchs’ limiting sphere approach. Calculations are performed for combustion of zirconium particles of different sizes. Temperature and oxygen concentration profiles are calculated and compared to those predicted by the continuous medium transfer model. It is shown that for particles in the range from 100 nm up to 30 gm heat and mass …

Effect Of Tablet Compression On The Dissolution Of Aspirin Tablets Using A Novel Off-Center Paddle Impeller (Opi) Dissolution Testing System, Chuan Sun

Theses

In the pharmaceutical industry, dissolution testing is routinely carried out to determine the dissolution rate of oral solid dosage forms. Among several testing devices, the USP Dissolution Apparatus 2 is the device most commonly used. However, despite its widespread use, this apparatus has been shown to produce test failures and to be very sensitive to a number of small geometry changes.

The objective of this study was to determine whether a novel dissolution system termed “OPI” for “off-center paddle impeller” was sensitive enough to determine differences in tablet dissolution profiles caused by different compression pressure during the tablet manufacturing process. …

Nir Light Transmission Through Skin And Muscle, Deniz Ozgulbas

Theses

Light has been used extensively in the medical field for both therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Tissue optical window or therapeutic window defines the range of wavelengths where the light has the maximum transmittance through tissue. In this range, absorption and scattering effects are relatively lower when compared to the visible or middle infrared wavelengths. Knowledge of the transmittance through tissue can help determine the effective light intensities in medical applications.

The objective of this thesis is to determine the NIR light transmission through different thicknesses of animal tissue and its spatial spread due to the scattering effect. Primarily pork skin …

Hydrodynamic Effects Of A Cannula In A Usp Dissolution Testing Apparatus 2, Qianqian Liu

Theses

Dissolution testing is routinely used in the pharmaceutical industry to provide in vitro drug release information for drug development and quality control purposes. The USP Testing Apparatus 2 is the most common dissolution testing system for solid dosage forms. Usually, sampling cannulas are used to take samples manually from the dissolution medium. However, the inserted cannula can alter the normal fluid flow within the vessel and produce different dissolution testing results.

The hydrodynamic effects introduced by a permanently inserted cannula in a USP Dissolution Testing Apparatus 2 were evaluated by two approaches. Firstly, the dissolution tests were conducted with two …

Effects Of Api Particle Size On The Dissolution Rate In Molten Polymer Excipient Matrices During Hot Melt Extrusion, Conducted In A Co-Rotating Twin-Screw Extruder, Meng Li

Theses

The effect of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) particle size on the dissolution rate in the polymer excipient during hot melt extrusion is investigated using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder with three different screw configurations. Acetaminophen (APAP) and amphiphilic polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer (PVCap-PVAc-PEG) (Soluplus) are chosen as the model API and water- soluble polymer excipient, respectively. APAP is milled using a fluid energy mill (FEM) into two different particle sizes. The thermal properties of processed samples are characterized by TGA and DSC. SEM and optical microscopy are also used in the morphological studies. Under quiescent conditions, API particles …

Online Resources For Technical Communication In Writing Across The Curriculum At Technological Universities - A Case Study, Deborah A. Hulse-Miksiewicz

Theses

Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) initiatives have begun to embrace multiple resources to aid in the evolution of writing and technology. WAC initiatives enhance the teaching of writing across the disciplines by incorporating the writing instruction directly into the discipline courses, in addition to providing guidance designed to complement the instruction provided in the technical classroom. This thesis will explore the WAC initiative, discuss why this initiative is important, and examine case studies of successful implementations in technological universities.

Dissolution Of Different Commercial Aspirin Tablets Using A Novel Off-Center Paddle Impeller (Opi) Dissolution Testing System, Yang Qu

Theses

Dissolution testing is routinely conducted in the pharmaceutical industry to provide in vitro drug release information for quality control purposes. The most common dissolution testing system for solid dosage forms is the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Dissolution Testing Apparatus 2. In this work, a modified Apparatus 2, termed "OPI" System for "off-center paddle impeller," in which the impeller is placed 8 mm off center in the vessel is tested to determine its sensitivity to differentiate between the dissolution profiles of differently formulated and manufactured tablets. Dissolution tests are conducted with both the OPI System and the Standard System using three …

Http Man-In-The-Middle Code Execution, Brian Adeloye

Theses

As the Internet continues to mature, users are faced with an increasingly hostile environment on the World Wide Web. Additionally, public WiFi networks continue to become more popular, hackers infiltrate corporate networks with regularity, and oppressive governments continue to intercept and modify their citizens' web traffic. The concept of using an untrusted network is becoming more familiar. Accordingly, it is no longer acceptable to design and build systems under the assumption that they will only operate in trusted environments, or that they are not important enough to warrant basic security measures. This thesis describes a relatively basic HTTP man-in-the-middle attack …

Lady Bits, Kristina Starr

Theses

In this thesis, the focus is on issues of identity, feminism, notions of beauty, the gendered body, and performance. I created an alter ego Lily de L'Etoile based on the Jewish Mythology of Lilith, to act as the performer in this work. Through the use of photography, video and performance I explore the notion that one's identity is formed and affected by outside factors, such as the media, and pop culture. I look at how these outside factors affect one's self-perception and permeate our lives. Key artists discussed in dialog with this work are Joan Jonas, Cindy Sherman, Libby Rowe, …

Allegories Through Material, Ian Bassett

Theses

Through my experience I have found that all things have a function. I am particularly drawn to the utilitarian object and it's ability to transform the world around us. Nails, bricks, writing quills and various other functional objects have had a profound affect on the development of humans. These objects, which were created out of need, have propelled humans on an evolutionary process allowing for mechanical advantages, that then allow for growth. The utilitarian object has the ability, through symbol and metaphor, to articulate my personal interests in words, language, labor, time, perceptions, and value. I am re-interpreting and re-contextualizing …

Sobject, Lloyd Warren Iii

Theses

Attempting to find a solution to the problem of how to make art that is both critical yet participatory, sobject explores subject/object relations within the development of the medical gaze in the history of medico-clinical perception and Modern Art. Sobject works both analytically, tracing these apparently parallel developments, and synthetically as it forms a methodological approach from the interpolating spaces of each. It locates and analyzes histories of objective instrumentation between subjects and objects, then works to open and redistribute these into new possibilities. It does this by developing an artistic practice that engages with contemporary forms of institutionalized instrumentation, …

Systems Evaluation For Computer Graphics Rendering Of The Total Appearance Of Paintings, Lin Chen

Theses

One of the challenges when imaging paintings is recording total appearance, that is, the object's color, surface microstructure (gloss), and surface macrostructure (topography). In this thesis, various systems were used to achieve this task, and a psychophysical paired comparison experiment was conducted to evaluate their performance. A pair of strobe lights arranged at 60° from the normal on either side of the painting captured color information where the strobes produced either directional or diffuse illumination geometry. By adding a third strobe, arranging them 120° apart annularly, and cross polarizing, diffuse color and surface normal maps were measured. A fourth strobe …

Sobject, Warren Iii Lloyd

Theses

Attempting to find a solution to the problem of how to make art that is both critical yet participatory, sobject explores subject/object relations within the development of the medical gaze in the history of medico-clinical perception and Modern Art. Sobject works both analytically, tracing these apparently parallel developments, and synthetically as it forms a methodological approach from the interpolating spaces of each. It locates and analyzes histories of objective instrumentation between subjects and objects, then works to open and redistribute these into new possibilities. It does this by developing an artistic practice that engages with contemporary forms of institutionalized instrumentation, …

Deconstruction In Nature, Joseph Tarantelli

Theses

This paper describes the development of the artwork I created for my Thesis exhibition for an MFA in Fine Arts Studio at Rochester Institute of Technology. My initial inspiration to create came from the landscape. After finding a local scene that showed the growth of life in nature, I would paint the scene outside, or inside using a photo reference. In the winter of 2010, I used warm brown under paintings to contrast the subsequent layers of paint needed to depict the cold climate. As I painted, I worked to convey a unique interpretation of nature. The palette knife allowed …

Thermal & Electrical Simulation For The Development Of Solid-Phase Polycrystalline Silicon Tfts, Seth Slavin

Theses

Solid phase crystallization (SPC) is a processing technique used for conversion of amorphous silicon (a-Si) to polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si). SPC can potentially be used as an alternative to excimer laser annealing to fabricate the semiconductor layer for thin-film transistors (TFTs) in active-matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD). It is a technique suitable for large-area applications since it involves easily scalable thermal processes in the form of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and furnace annealing (FA). The SPC parameter space involves the time and temperature of the FA, and the time, temperature, and number of pulses in the RTA process. In developing new …

Living Fossil, Ben Gilberg

Theses

Living Fossil is a series of still lifes and portraits exploring the language of photography with curiosity and play, formal vision and descriptive candor. It looks at the speculative of materiality and spectacle in image making. This series prescribes new functionality to familiar subjects, challenging a viewer's perceptions of scale, time, significance and artfulness. The photographs document improvised temporal combinations in the construction of narrative and visual puns. Depicting the ordinary in an unfamiliar way, this series looks for beauty in indeterminacy and moments of personal catharsis in the absurd.

Emotion In Motion: A Study On Representation Of Sculpture And Body Form By The Theme Of Human Emotion In Motion, Jiwon Han

Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between human emotion and physical expression. The ultimate objective is to communicate essential aspects of the human condition in order to improve understanding and appreciation of our common attributes. In this way, this study is intended to establish artistic identity of the human being through imaginative expressions. In the introduction, essential aspects of specific human emotions and the corresponding physical expressions will be identified. For my initial research, I studied the work of various inspiring artists in their portrayal of human emotions. I attempted to identify the expressions and techniques they used to communicate human …

Flutter-By Interactive Butterfly: Using Interactivity To Excite And Educate Children About Butterflies And The National Museum Of Play At The Strong’S Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, Lydia Powers

Theses

The National Museum of Play at The Strong's Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden is a tropical rainforest that allows visitors to step into the world of butterflies, but lacks a more comprehensive educational element to teach visitors additional information about butterflies. Flutter-by Interactive Butterfly is a thesis project designed to enhance younger visitors' experience of the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden with an interactive educational application that aligns with The Strong's mission of encouraging learning, creativity, and discovery. This was accomplished through a series of fun and educational games and animations, designed for use as a kiosk outside the garden and as …

Using Word And Phrase Abbreviation Patterns To Extract Age From Twitter Microtexts, Nathaniel Moseley

Theses

The wealth of texts available publicly online for analysis is ever increasing. Much work in computational linguistics focuses on syntactic, contextual, morphological and phonetic analysis on written documents, vocal recordings, or texts on the internet. Twitter messages present a unique challenge for computational linguistic analysis due to their constrained size. The constraint of 140 characters often prompts users to abbreviate words and phrases. Additionally, as an informal writing medium, messages are not expected to adhere to grammatically or orthographically standard English. As such, Twitter messages are noisy and do not necessarily conform to standard writing conventions of linguistic corpora, often …

A Comparison Of Wide Area Network Performance Using Virtualized And Non-Virtualized Client Architectures, John Gustafson

Theses

The goal of this thesis is to determine if there is a significant performance difference between two network computer architecture models. The study will measure latency and throughput for both client-server and virtualized client architectures. In the client server environment, the client computer performs a significant portion of the work and frequently requires downloading uploading files to and from a remote location. Virtual client architecture turns the client machine into a terminal, sending only keystrokes and mouse clicks and receiving only display pixel or sound changes. I accomplished the goal of comparing these architectures by comparing completion times for ping …

First Steps Towards Minimizing Lead Exposure In An At-Risk Community In Mitrovica, Kosovo, Maxwell Scott

Theses

The city of Mitrovica, in northern Kosovo, has historically been a heavily contaminated city due to its lead mining industry. The long history of heavy metal mining and processing, combined with the violent break-up of Former Yugoslavia, has created a slew of human health, environmental, and social impacts. High levels of lead exposure in the minority communities (Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian) of Mitrovica has arisen as one of the greatest health issues in the area. There have been a number of studies conducted by governmental and non-governmental organizations, many international, to assess the severity of the issue. There have also been …

Identifying Medical Resident Stress With Work Domain Representation, Daniel Nystrom

Theses

Resident physicians must endure substantial amounts of stress to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to become competent, certified physicians. Multiple factors that contribute to high levels of stress in different areas of the healthcare domain have been identified, but stress continues to be a major problem despite this knowledge and efforts to reduce it. This thesis describes a holistic approach to the problem of resident stress by employing methods of Cognitive Work Analysis to systematically review and organize relevant research literature, observations, interview responses, and survey information according to the area of the work domain where each stressor is …

Coup D'Oeil, Stephanie Quarto

Theses

coup d'oeil translates as "stroke of eye;" it also means a sudden blink or glimpse. It was used as a military term referring to a general's ability to assess with a single glance the advantages and disadvantages of a battlefield. I have titled this thesis coup d'oeil because it addresses the general lack of strategy and analysis by viewers of popular images. Images are omnipresent; they guide and influence humanity. They are not inherently adversarial, but when they assault both our conscious and unconscious minds, they can be extremely influential and destructive. The images in this thesis are similarly made …

Tailored Type: Studying The Effects Of Typography In Clothing Brand Personalities, Rita Yu

Theses

Understanding how typography influences consumer perception and brand reception is important to successfully employ typographic strategies that positively influence consumers. Utilizing typography to effectively express the intended meaning through text and perception requires extensive thought and skill. The purpose of this thesis was to examine whether specific typefaces used for clothing brands deliver particular brand personality traits. An online survey investigating this relationship between typography and clothing brand personality was created and made available to voluntary participants. A total of 251 usable data sets were collected and statistically analyzed. The findings of this study provided an insight on the association …

Towards A Characterization Of Wetland Invasive Vegetation Using A Combination Of Field And Remote Sensing Techniques, Nicole Dutcher

Theses

Creation of compensatory wetlands has been required in the U.S. since the late 1980s in an attempt to offset the massive decline in freshwater wetlands. To meet permitting requirements, vegetation composition in mitigation wetlands must be monitored for a minimum of five years following creation. Unfortunately, mitigated wetlands often lack the functionality of natural wetlands and may form hotspots for invasive plant species. However, wetland assessment is a time-consuming process that may also disturb fragile nascent plant communities. Thus there is a need for approaches that minimize disturbance, but still enable the collection of data over large portions of the …