Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Temperature-Performance Trade-Offs In Wireless Network-On-Chip Architectures, Nishad Nerurkar

Theses

Continued scaling of device geometries according to Moore's Law is enabling complete end-user systems on a single chip. Massive multicore processors are enablers for many information and communication technology (ICT) innovations spanning various domains, including healthcare, defense, and entertainment. In the design of high-performance massive multicore chips, power and heat are dominant constraints. Temperature hotspots witnessed in multicore systems exacerbate the problem of reliability in deep submicron technologies. Hence, there is a great need to explore holistic power and thermal optimization and management strategies for the massive multicore chips. High power consumption not only raises chip temperature and cooling cost, …

Assessment Of Bio-Fuel Options For Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Applications, Jiefeng Lin

Theses

Rising concerns of inadequate petroleum supply, volatile crude oil price, and adverse environmental impacts from using fossil fuels have spurred the United States to promote bio-fuel domestic production and develop advanced energy systems such as fuel cells. The present dissertation analyzed the bio-fuel applications in a solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit from environmental, economic, and technological perspectives. Life cycle assessment integrated with thermodynamics was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emission, fossil energy consumption) of producing bio-fuels from waste biomass. Landfill gas from municipal solid wastes and biodiesel from waste cooking oil are both suggested …

Expect Resistance, Shane Burley

Theses

The documentary process is one that puts experimentation above structure, almost to the antithesis of conventional narrative storytelling. With the documentary thesis project Expect Resistance, Shane Burley took on a complex set of political ideas and experiences and attempted to thread them together into a common narrative. This made the project evolve over time, taking on new forms, and adapting to the conditions of the actual filmmaking process. Here he discusses the changes in the project, the challenges that were implicit with this type of film, and how the final film attempted to challenge perception about political involvement and the …

Modeling And Condition Monitoring Of Fully Floating Reciprocating Compressor Main Bearings Using Data Driven Classification, Markus Holzenkamp

Theses

Condition monitoring reduces maintenance costs on industrial machinery by reducing downtime and allowing for need-based maintenance instead of schedule-based maintenance. Currently, condition monitoring is not as widely applied on reciprocating compressors as compared to rotating compressors. However, research for monitoring various components of reciprocating compressors such as inlet and outlet valves and piston rings is conducted. There is industry interest into expanding this research to the main bearings of the compressor. Previous research on bearings focuses on either rolling element bearings or traditional journal bearings with not much information available on low speed applications of fully floating ring journal bearings …

Christianity In Egypt, Nevine Isaak

Theses

Christianity in Egypt is an interactive kiosk application focusing on Christian Holy Places since the Journey of the Holy Family into Egypt to the Present Day. It covers four main topics: * Places visited by the Holy Family * Places of famous Saints * Churches * Monasteries In my design, I used a map of Egypt and a timeline to visualize the spatial and temporal coverage of Christianity in Egypt from the first century and till now. For each Holy Place, the user can learn the following: * Description: information to describe the place. * Construction: information about the construction …

The Effects Of Propagule Source, Soil Amendment, And Stock Type On The Survival And Growth Of Giant Cane (Arundinaria Gigantea (Walt.) Muhl.) Established As A Low Maintenance Nursery, David Dalzotto

Theses

Giant cane [Arundinaria gigantea (Walter) Muhl.] is a native bamboo species that was once widely distributed within bottomland forests and as extensive monotypic stands (canebrakes) along waterways of the southeastern United States. Land conversion to agriculture greatly decreased the distribution of canebrakes. Limited to less than two percent of its historic range, canebrakes are now considered an endangered ecosystem. A 0.24 hectare low maintenance experimental nursery of giant cane was established at Southern Illinois University to examine the effect of planting stock type, soil amendments, and four collection sources on cane survival and growth (number of culms, height and diameter …

"Because I Like It? No, They Made Me Do It!!" Why Juveniles Engage In Sexting, Jennifer Ann Haegele

Theses

Developments in technology have changed the way we do everything; advanced our research capabilities, enhanced our communication abilities and speeds, even the way people commit crimes. It provides perpetrators with a new way to commit traditional crimes as well as new forms of crime. One of the many opportunities involved with increased communication devices is known as sexting. Adolescent sexting has received national and local attention due to possible long-term implications such as registering as a sex offender and even suicide. Sexting, which is considered an antisocial behavior among adolescents, has progressively become implicated in peer pressure as well. Peer …

Deviant Peers, Opportunity, And Cyberbullying: A Theoretical Examination Of A New Deviance, Charern Lee

Theses

Scholars of cybercrime have used social learning theory (SLT) and routine activities theory (RAT) to explain the variation in offending and victimization; however, to date, only RAT has been used to explain the specific behavior of cyberbullying. Therefore, this study combines SLT and RAT concepts to explain the cyberbullying phenomenon. Today's adolescents are exposed early to cyberspace and this has given them more opportunities to bully their peers, especially in an environment that is difficult to monitor by adults. The results from this study of a sample of Southeastern middle and high school students suggest that the opportunity component of …

Life Is Good, Namdoo Kim

Theses

I want to investigate contemporary Korean society and its effect on people, particularly children as they represent the future of the Korean culture and society. Today, humans have entered into a contemporary society that values a marked individuality, but the parent's generation, which controls the society, is still conservative. Parents want to get satisfaction from their children by infusing their values. The children meanwhile are in chaos, confused between a rapidly changing society and the conservative values of their parents.

Toys represent the purity and innocence of childhood and it is through this purity and innocence of toys that people …

This Is The Best I Can Do, Amy Renee Milton

Theses

“This Is the Best I Can Do” is a collection of short stories and poems that explores the psychology of lost ideals. The characters in these stories hold convictions about how the world is and how people should be that are altered when they are placed in situations that prove reality is far more complex. With shaken faith comes the necessity of building a new understanding not only of the world around them as a whole but of their own lives and identities. These revisions are not necessarily improvements, but they are necessary. Whether the faith is in a deity, …

A Case Study Of Religious Engagement Online: How Malaysian Muslim Students Access Islamic Information, Mohd Mahadi

Theses

The spread of digital technology has expanded how people engage with religious information. Religious activities are no longer restricted to physical spaces as the Internet allows users to customize their religious experiences. This study, grounded in the uses and gratifications theory, explores how Malaysian Muslim students access religious information across two mediums: print and electronic media; as well as investigating the relationship between the preferred medium for accessing information and religious engagement. Malaysian Muslim students studying in Malaysia and the United States were recruited online for preliminary and in-depth interviews. The results show that access to the Internet, availability of …

Folding Space, Karen Mahardy

Theses

I am interested in the place where an object is in a state of becoming and contains action, as if movement were frozen in time. I believe that an object can have both two-dimensional and three-dimensional qualities within it that cause perception to be manipulated. What our perception tells us when it is challenged, and the lines between two-dimensional and three-dimensional space are blurred, offers an opportunity for the viewer to be still, contemplate, and appreciate a moment away from the mundane. I intended to create a body of work that explored this and asks the viewer to pay attention …

Determining A Substitution Matrix For The Alignment Of Disordered Proteins, Dong Kim

Theses

As the research of disordered proteins progresses and more disordered protein sequences are discovered, an optimal substitution matrix for the alignment of these sequences must be elucidated. The currently used substitution matrices, PAM and BLOSUM, are ideal for the alignment of general protein sequences. But it is discovered that this set of matrices is not adequate for the specific alignment of disordered protein sequences. By implementing genetic algorithms, a substitution matrix improved for the alignment of disordered proteins has been achieved. The genetic algorithm determined matrix performed two times better when compared to BLOSUM62 and PAM250.

Determining A Substitution Matrix For The Alignment Of Disordered Proteins, Dong Kim

Theses

As the research of disordered proteins progresses and more disordered protein sequences are discovered, an optimal substitution matrix for the alignment of these sequences must be elucidated. The currently used substitution matrices, PAM and BLOSUM, are ideal for the alignment of general protein sequences. But it is discovered that this set of matrices is not adequate for the specific alignment of disordered protein sequences. By implementing genetic algorithms, a substitution matrix improved for the alignment of disordered proteins has been achieved. The genetic algorithm determined matrix performed two times better when compared to BLOSUM62 and PAM250.

A Defense Of The Kalam Cosmological Argument And The B-Theory Of Time, Curtis John Metcalfe

Theses

William Lane Craig is the most recognizable contemporary defender of the kalam cosmological argument. The argument, in its simplest form, is that (i) Whatever begins to exist has a cause of its existence, (ii) The universe began to exist, and (iii) Therefore, the universe has a cause of its existence. In defending this argument, he claims that it presupposes the theory of time commonly referred to as the A-theory of time, which is roughly the view that time really does flow from the nonexistent future into the present, and then out of existence into the past. Though this may be …

Within The Walls, Nina Ramadan

Theses

Within the Walls looks at the way in which nature is collected and represented within the domestic space. The images employ a quiet and introspective gaze, carefully examining our relationship to these environments. As the home expanded from a simple shelter to escape the elements into a farther removed, more complex and personalized space, we continuously found methods to stay connected to nature. The work explores this connection, as well as the relationship between written and visual language, by using photography and text gleaned from travel postcards.

Analysis And Optimization Of Patient Bed Assignments Within A Hospital Unit While Considering Isolation Requirements, Christina Cignarale

Theses

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections acquired by patients admitted in healthcare facilities. These infections can be contagious or even worse, fatal, which has prompted the medical community to put guidelines in place to isolate patients who may pose a risk of spreading or be susceptible to an infection(s). These isolation practices also have the unwanted consequence of constraining the options for inpatient bed assignments since infected patients cannot be assigned to a room where uninfected patients reside. Historically, hospitals in the United States have been built with single and double bedrooms to provide inpatient care. As long as demand …

Using Multimedia To Promote Environmental Protection, Min-Wan Chiu

Theses

This interactive project allows users to explore what causes and affects environmental problems on Earth using papervision 3D. The purpose of this project is to provide a simple platform for users to be aware of the environmental issues and know how to improve the environment. Moreover, these environmental issues are discussed by scientists and environmental protection agencies. The environmental issues discussed are global warming, acid rain, and air pollution, which impact the quality of human life. Reading helps us learn so much truth that we may not be aware of. The traditional pop-up books give readers a deeper impression of …

Multiple-Target Tracking Using Spectropolarimetric Imagery, Tingfang Zhang

Theses

Detection and tracking methods are two hot research topics in the field of multiple target tracking. Often change detection and motion tracking are used to detect and track moving vehicles, but in this thesis new approaches are provided to improve these two aspects. In the detection aspect, a combined detection method is presented to improve target detection techniques. The method of combining RX (Reed-Xiaoli) with change detection has demonstrated good performance in highly cluttered, dynamic ground-based scenes. In the tracking aspect, Kalman filter and Global Nearest Neighbor are applied in motion tracking to predict the location and implement data association …

Pattern Changing Clothing, Yong Kwon

Theses

People's styles and characters are changed by their environment and their relationship throughout their lifetime. However, the garment that we wear has just one look without accessories because once we wear clothing its appearance doesn't change, even though it is an essential medium to express ourselves. This thesis project's main goal is to make a piece of responsive clothing and to provide users the pleasure of creating their own style. When the clothing is an active medium through interactive communication between a wearer and a garment, it will be a responsive living object for a user. By the use of …

Joint Optimization Of Manifold Learning And Sparse Representations For Face And Gesture Analysis, Raymond Ptucha

Theses

Face and gesture understanding algorithms are powerful enablers in intelligent vision systems for surveillance, security, entertainment, and smart spaces. In the future, complex networks of sensors and cameras may disperse directions to lost tourists, perform directory lookups in the office lobby, or contact the proper authorities in case of an emergency. To be effective, these systems will need to embrace human subtleties while interacting with people in their natural conditions. Computer vision and machine learning techniques have recently become adept at solving face and gesture tasks using posed datasets in controlled conditions. However, spontaneous human behavior under unconstrained conditions, or …

A Case Study Of Value Streams And Lean Implementation For A Small Print Shop, Alexis Austin

Theses

The growing use of portable Internet devices (smart phones, iPads, laptops, etc.) has caused a huge shift toward digital distribution of content over traditional print processes. Poor economic conditions have contributed to increased customer price sensitivity and higher costs of goods involved in printing. These factors have changed demand for traditional printed products. Many printers have been unable to adapt to the new market environment, leading to dwindling profit margins and thousands of shop closures. Many strategies have been touted as the "best" way to stay profitable in the new market environment, including value-added services, new machinery, and software packages. …

Nanocluster Production For Solar Cell Applications, Haila M Aldosari

Theses

No abstract provided.

Fusing Art And Science, Steven Tippin

Theses

In this thesis, I will demonstrate how I incorporate scientific theory to produce varying aesthetics in my artwork. By discussing the foundations on which I have built this notion, in addition to my childhood interests, I will assert that my artwork is firmly grounded and entrenched in my interests in both science and art.

Fancy Nancy Blues, Xuemei Song

Theses

"Fancy Nancy Blues" is an animated graduate thesis film that is three minutes and thirty seconds long, based on sound cues that lead into images. It tells the story of a woman that plays the piano. She finds herself dreaming of romance, until other sounds interrupt her. This continues until her normal-looking husband returns home. He is a normal working man -- not the one she dreams of -- but she accepts her reality and meets him with a kiss. This film is a hand-drawn animation that was produced in TV Paint Animation, Photoshop, and traditional watercolor. The film was …

736940, May Alkharafi

Theses

736,940 is the number of females in Kuwait between the ages of 15 and 64 as of July 2012, the general age range that I address in my work. 736,940 is a visual exploration of the social status of Kuwaiti women in relation to tradition, religion, authority, and their physical and emotional negotiation of Kuwaiti society. The work explores the role of Kuwaiti traditions that create and maintain a lower status for Kuwaiti women. Through visualizing women's anonymity and representations of cultural authority I deconstruct the power struggle in a disconnected and unequal society. I employ various media to define, …

Design For Long Distance Relationships, Chen An

Theses

Does holding on to the mantra "distance makes the heart grow fonder" begin to give you some doubts? If you are troubled by your long distance relationship, you are not alone. According to Ezinearticles.com, "an estimated 2.9% of US marriages were considered long distance, with 1 in 10 marriages reported to have included a period at long distance within the first 3 years. Between 25-40% of all romantic relationships among students attending colleges across the US are Long Distances. " Every day on the planet, millions of people have no choice but to deal with being miles apart from their …

Development Of Nanowire Structures On 2d And 3d Substrates For Pool Boiling Heat Transfer Enhancement, Zhonghua Yao

Theses

Boiling is a common mechanism for liquid-vapor phase transition and is widely exploited in power generation, refrigeration and many other systems. The efficacy of boiling heat transfer is characterized by two parameters: (a) heat transfer coefficient (HTC) or the thermal conductance; (b) the critical heat flux (CHF). Increasing the CHF and the HTC has significant impacts on system-level energy efficiency, safety and cost. As the surface modification at nano-scale has proven to be an effective approach to improve pool boiling heat transfer, the enhancement due to combination of nanomaterials with micro-scale structures on boiling heat transfer is an area of …

Toward Privacy-Preserving Emergency Access In Ehr Systems With Data Auditing, Muhannad Darnasser

Theses

Widespread adoption of health information sharing is claimed to improve healthcare quality at reduced cost due to the ability for providers to share healthcare information rapidly, reliably, and securely. During emergency access, however, such sharing may affect patient privacy adversely and steps must be taken to ensure privacy is preserved. Australia and the US have taken different approaches toward health information sharing. The Australian approach broadly uses a "push" model where a summary record is extracted from local health records, and pushed into a centralized system accessed by providers. Under the US approach, providers during emergency access generally "pull" health …

Satori, Fahan Mcdonagh

Theses

Walking as a meditative practice strengthens a state of attention to the present moment and connects me to nature. In a moment of presence, nature discloses the interconnection of all things. These connections embody a feeling of oneness and provide a context to the world around me. Through acute observation and intuitive response, I record and contemplate specific information about my experience and translate it into space. By investigating form and space relationships created by light, I observe a bit of magic; emptiness with purpose, a portal for communal transcendence, the essence of beauty within and around form. Stimulated by …