Digital Commons Network^™

A Structured And Personalized Listening Program For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing High School Students: A Curriculum Development Project, Susan Bregman

Theses

There are many different kinds of auditory training programs available for use by children who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, there are only a few that are appropriate to be used by high school students and even fewer still that relate to the student's academic courses. An auditory training curriculum for deaf and hard of hearing high school students was developed relating to a New York State regents course in biology using the CardMaster 2020 from Califone. Fifteen key vocabulary words from three biology units were chosen for use in this curriculum. Five of these fifteen words were …

Ritsim: Distributed Systemc Simulation, David Richard Cox

Theses

Parallel or distributed simulation is becoming more than a novel way to speedup design evaluation; it is becoming necessary for simulating modern processors in a reasonable timeframe. As architectural features become faster, smaller, and more complex, designers are interested in obtaining detailed and accurate performance and power estimations. Uniprocessor simulators may not be able to meet such demands. The RITSim project uses SystemC to model a processor microarchitecture and memory subsystem in great detail. SystemC is a C++ library built on a discrete-event simulation kernel. Many projects have successfully implemented parallel discrete-event simulation (PDES) frameworks to distribute simulation among several …

It's More Than Just Numbers And Symbols: The Use Of Writing In Mathematics, Sandra Stiles

Theses

Mathematics education in the United States has long been seen as lacking when compared to the achievements of students in other countries. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) developed a handbook of standards for teachers to follow in hopes of raising the standards of mathematics education. The focus of this paper is on the section for the development of 9-12 standards, specifically, "Standard 2: Mathematics as Communication" (NCTM, 1989). This standard is concerned with the inclusion within high school mathematics curriculum of techniques and activities that promote continued development of language skills used to communicate mathematical ideas. The …

A Study Of Multimedia In An Environmental Science Course, Matthew Stefano

Theses

This study examined the use of sign movies, content movies, and adjunct questions in an instructional unit for Deaf students taking an environmental science course. Pre and post tests of factual recall as well as an attitude measure were administered to detennine if web-based technology benefits Deaf students taking environmental science courses. The results indicate that deaf students learning through web-based technology benefit from embedded American Sign Language explanations and questions as adjunct instructional aids. Implications of using webbased technology are discussed for science teachers having deaf students in their classes.

Characteristics Of Schools For The Deaf That Offer Comprehensive Science Programs: A Descriptive Profile, Patrick Freivald

Theses

Studies documenting the state of science education for deaf students are two decades old. However, these studies give insight into many of the reasons that science education is lacking in so many areas. The present study examined the differences in characteristics between schools for the deaf that offer higher level sciences such as chemistry and physics and schools for the deaf that do not. To this end, a survey was distributed to a sample of schools for the deaf in New York and Pennsylvania in an attempt to identify these differences. The primary finding of this study is that the …

Object Detection And Tracking Using A Parts-Based Approach, Daniel S. Clark

Theses

One of the main goals of artificial intelligence is to allow computers to understand the world around them. As humans we extract a large amount of knowledge about the world from our visual perception, and the field of computer vision is determined to give computers access to this same wealth of knowledge. One of the fundamental steps in understanding the world is finding specific objects within our field of view, and the related task of following these objects as they move.

In this thesis the Implicit Shape Model algorithm, a local feature-based object detection algorithm, is implemented and used to …

A Professional Development Curriculum For Educators Of Deaf Students: Comparative Linguistics, Sharon Staehle

Theses

The teachers at Rochester School for the Deaf (RSD) find a challenge: their ability to translate fluently between two languages grammatically, American Sign Language (ASL) and English providing the instructions related to the literacy. Almost all of the teachers have been rated at the Advanced level of Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI), an assessment measurement. The indication is that they do not demonstrate complete bilingual competence. For the literacy skills, it is important for the teachers to be able to switch fluidly between the two langues of instruction - ASL and English - while teaching deaf and hard of hearing …

Grant Proposal For A Study On Moral Development Of Deaf Children, Amber Marchut

Theses

This proposal is a request for financial support to study the moral development of deaf and hearing children. The project has two foci; the first is on analyzing various existing biases in Kohlberg's moral development stage theory and research methodology; the second is on understanding better the impact of communication parent-child and culture on moral development on deaf and hearing children. Five different groups of children who will be interviewed and studied: deaf children of deaf parents fluent in American Sign Language (ASL), deaf children of hearing parents where at least one parent is a fluent signer, deaf children of …

A Proteomic Study Of Pseudomonas Putida By Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis: Establishing Quantitative Standards For Intra-Laboratory Results, Kelly Fowlkes

Theses

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) is the most commonly employed technique in the field of proteomics. The technique is designed to separate thousands proteins in highly complex biological samples. It is largely because of the diversity of the sample that 2DE has encountered problems with reproducibility. This study was designed to address and alleviate many of these problems and also to establish quantitative standards for intra-laboratory results. A universal standard gel of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was created and tested. The universal standard gel will serve as an intra-laboratory reference to which future experiments will be compared. An acceptable coefficient of variation …

A Movement Towards A New Modernism, Ira Kusnetzky

Theses

None provided.

Wireless Technology And Its Application In Wireless Local Area Networks Using The Ieee 802.11 Standards, Philip Curneen

Theses

This research thesis examines the area of wireless communication and its use in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). It examines the Spread Spectrum methods of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) and Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) used in WLANs. The International Governing body, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) have devised standards and protocols called 802.11 to be used as guidelines for semiconductor chip and WLAN equipment manufacturers. These protocols have been adopted in implementing WLANs. Their specifications, which address data rates, bandwidth, power requirements, quality of service, spectrum management and security, are discussed in this thesis.

This …

A Sensitivity Study Of A Polychromatic Sparse-Aperture System, Noah Block

Theses

Sparse-aperture telescopes are a promising technology to increase the resolution of a telescope without the costs of creating very large optics. The individual subapertures in a sparse-aperture system capture a portion of the incoming wavefront to synthesize a monolithic telescope with a larger diameter. This allows higher resolutions to be recorded than any of the individual subapertures are capable of. The resulting image quality of a sparse-aperture system is poorer than obtained from a Cassegrain system that has the same effective diameter. Published research to date on sparse-aperture systems has focused on panchromatic imaging using a “gray-world” model where the …

A Piecewise Linear Approximation D/A Converter For Small Format Lcd Applications, Mark Reisiger

Theses

Low power operation is a driving requirement for the advancement of portable consumer electronics. As products get smaller and have more functionality the device integration requirements get tighter. This is certainly true of small format LCD applications like PDAs and cell phones. Recent advances in LCD technology have allowed for advanced circuitry to be built on the glass. This allows for the unique opportunity to integrate the LCD column driver with other circuitry rather than the traditional flip chip mounting on the glass. The integration of these D/A converters with digital circuitry presents a new set of design considerations. These …

High-Reflectance, Sputter-Deposited Aluminum Alloy Thin Thin Films For Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, Lance Barron

Theses

This study comprises an investigation of highly reflective thin film for microelectro- mechanical systems (MEMS) consisting of reflective components. For these applications, the desired film system must have (1) low stress, (2) high specular reflectivity, (3) improved nano-hardness relative to pure aluminum, (4) compatibility with traditional semiconductor fabrication techniques. This study is an in depth investigation of both the specular reflectance and mechanical properties of thin film reflectors formed by low-thermal (<200°C) processing. Six different aluminum films (containing Cu, Ti, Cr) were chosen based on extensive literature research. Each film was characterized by a variety of optical, electrical, and mechanical analytical techniques to obtain data relating microstructure to the film’s reflectivity and mechanical properties. A complete dielectric function for each deposited aluminum alloy has been developed utilizing Drude-Lorentz parameters and effective media approximations (EMA) to account for film surface topography. Results show that copper solute addition generate films that maintain much of the bulk reflectance of pure aluminum while refining surface morphology to create a more specular surface consisting of smaller, more uniform grains. Electron and atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction studies reveal that copper inclusion into the aluminum lattice cause both a reduction in the preferred orientation of the film and change in the lattice parameter. Copper concentrations of 1.0% and above lead to spatial variation in copper content within the films, with copper precipitating out of solution. Film hardness, resistivity, and stress increase as a function of copper content, with the absolute magnitude of stress being acceptable for MEMS applications. The addition of titanium and chromium to Al-1.0%Cu films cause further microstructure refinement as well as increased stress, resistivity, and hardness. Al-2.0%Ti-1.0%Cu and Al-2.0%Cr-1.0%Cu exhibit reflectivity spectra that differ significantly in both inter- and intraband absorption from that of pure aluminum. The Drude-Lorentz/EMA dielectric function model has been successfully applied to all alloy films explaining the observed reflectivity and showing an excellent agreement between measured and Drude resistivity. This study will enable to model and predict the optical response of thin films in terms of their intrinsic and extrinsic properties

The Psychological/Social Impact Of Cochlear Implants, Bonnie Bell

Theses

As technology keeps advancing, more and more young deaf children will be given a cochlear implant. Yet, how will this decision influence their future lives? This research project focused on the perceptions that cochlear implant users, deaf professors, and future teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing have of the cochlear implant, for their reactions or opinions could influence the user’s potential benefit from the device. Its purpose was to provide some insights into what perceptions future generations of cochlear implant users may encounter through the use of questionnaires that consist of demographic and open-ended questions. One of the …

Introducing Deaf Children To The Mainstreamed Classroom Through Literature, Shannon Seleen

Theses

This project creates a product that teachers can use in the classroom to help introduce a Deaf or Hard of Hearing student to a mainstream class. As I started researching I discovered that there was are no similar products and that many teachers are not aware of deafness and the related issues. In order to create a children's book to help address this gap, I took a class about how to write children's books. For background I researched why Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are mainstreamed, as well as the problems with integrating Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. …

Investigation Of Solid Polymeric Hollow Fiber Heat Exchange Devices For Use In Thermally-Driven Desalination Processes, Saskia Christian

Theses

The heat exchange between hot brine (4 wt% NaCl) and cold water as well as between condensing steam and cold water without direct fluid-fluid contact using modules made out of solid polymeric hollow fibers of polypropylene (PP) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been studied. The solid hollow fiber dimensions were 425μm/575μm (ID/OD) for PP and 420μm/570μm (ID/OD) for PEEK. Extensive heat transfer measurements have been performed and the experimentally-determined overall heat transfer coefficients utilized to isolate the wall heat transfer coefficient, the inside heat transfer coefficient and the outside heat transfer coefficient. The heat exchange between hot brine and cold water …

Haptic Induced Motor Learning And The Extension Of Its Benefits To Stroke Patients, Adrienne M. Coppa

Theses

In this research, the Haptic Master robotic arm and virtual environments are used to induce motor learning in subjects with no known musculoskeletal or neurological disorders. It is found in this research that both perception and performance of the subject are increased through the haptic and visual feedback delivered through the Haptic Master. These system benefits may be extended to enhance therapies for patients with loss of motor skills due to neurological disease or brain injury.

Force and visual feedback were manipulated within virtual environment scenarios to facilitate learning. In one force feedback condition, the subject is required to maneuver …

Growth Behavior Of Fibroblasts Influenced By Small Changes In Polymer Structure, Saraswathi Doddi

Theses

Polymers are a promising class of biomaterials that can be engineered to meet specific end use requirements. The order and processing history of the polymer, which would alter the molecular orientation of the material could have a significant contribution towards cellular attachment and in turn, cell growth on the particular polymer. Surface properties of the material were considered to directly influence the properties of the adherent cells including cellular growth and reorganization. The present study is aimed at comparing cell growth on polyarylates with that of polylactic acid in their original state or by introducing small changes in the surface …

An Analytical Model Of Mac Protocol Dependant Power Consumption In Multi-Hop Ad Hoc Wireless Sensor Networks, Komlan Egoh

Theses

Power efficiency is the most constraining requirement for viable operation of battery-powered networked sensors. Conventionally, dynamic power management (DPM) is used to put sensor nodes into different states such as active, idle, and sleep, each consuming a certain level of power. Within the active state, communication operational states, such as receive and transmit consume different levels of nodal power. This thesis shows how DPM states and protocol operational states can be combined into a single stochastic model to finely evaluate the power consumption performance of a medium access control (MAC) protocol. The model is formulated as a semi-Markov decision process …

Evaluation Of Coding Scheme For Mimo Radar, Suresh Kumar Harikrishnan

Theses

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna systems have shown a great potential for wireless communication. These systems support high capacity, increased diversity and interference suppression. Recently it has been proposed MIMO constellations for Radar. MIMO Radar is not only a new research field, but also a very promising approach in terms of overcoming Radar Cross Section (RCS) fluctuations with diversity. This thesis explores the potential of coding schemes for MIMO Radar.

The ambiguity functions measures related to MIMO Radar are used to evaluate how much diversity gain can be coherently achieved with certain coding schemes. The results of this analysis …

Multifractal Analysis Of Heart Rate Variability Using Wavelet-Transform Modulus-Maxima Method, Chirag Jani

Theses

Physiological signals are complex and carry information of human health. Recent studies reveal that under normal conditions, the heart rate time series shows multifractal behavior. In contrast, HRV in the pathological state such as congestive heart failure exhibits more monofractal-like structure. Recent advances in the assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) uses a nonlinear dynamics approach. In this study, the main objective is to use the wavelet-transform modulus-maxima method for the multifractal analysis of the heart rate time senes.

The degree of the multifractality is defined by the singularities (a point in time series where a mathematical function is not …

In Vitro Evaluation Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Neural Differentiation On Tyrsine-Derived Polyarylates And Polycarbonates, Yee-Shuan Lee

Theses

Present spinal cord injury treatments cannot restore motor and sensory functions caused by the injury. These functions can return in the hopes of repairing the neural cells with a tissue engineered designed scaffold complex. The scaffold complex will include cells to repair and replace the damaged cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent adult stem ells that are capable of differentiating along several lineage pathways. Neural stem cell and MSC differentiating along the neural lineage bave been investigated both in vivo and in vitro depicting its feasibility. MSC for neural differentiation can be achieved by microenvironmental signaling. Substrate surface characteristics …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polymer Nanocomposites, Nirav S. Patel

Theses

Polymer nanocomposites were produced by solution mixing of a commercial flexible acrylic polymer paint, with nanofillers of different size, shape, aspect ratio and purity such as hydrotalcite (HT), sodium montmorillonite (MMT), single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and fullerenes (FUL), at 5 and 10 wt% loading. Structural characteristics and mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by different techniques and compared to those of the unfilled polymer.

The presence of partially exfoliated and intercalated nanoplatelets in the polymer resulted in increased 2% secant tensile modulus, and decreased tensile strength and elongation at break, to different extents. While the …

Emissivity Of Patterned Silicon Wafers In Rapid Thermal Processing, Markus Rabus

Theses

The influence of patterns on emissivity in silicon wafers in rapid thermal processing systems has been investigated. In this study, two experiments with layered and patterned silicon wafers were conducted. The main difference in the experiments is the way in which the temperature was controlled. The first experiment was performed under Open Loop Intensity Control (OLIC). For OLIC, no feedback from the wafer is returned. It is assumed that supplying a certain power level will lead to the desired temperature. The other experiment used the Closed Loop Intensity Control. In this case, a feedback, in the form of temperature deviation …

Deposition Of Tantalum Thin Films By Rf Sputtering With Substrate Bias, Savita Raina

Theses

The effects of energetic ion bombardment on the crystallographic structure of RF sputtered tantalum thin films on different substrates, particularly aluminum and silicon, have been studied. The effect of substrate biasing on ion current and film thickness has been investigated. The study included comparison between substrate ion current of DC sputtering and RF sputtering and also was aimed at finding the process parameters, which could influence the crystallographic phase of Ta film. The characterization of Ta films is carried by RBS and x-ray diffraction techniques.

A magnetron sputtering system with a matching network between the source and the RF generator …

Quantification Of Long-Range Power Law Correlations Among Healthy And Pathologic Subjects Using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis And Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis, Hardick Raval

Theses

The healthy heartbeat is traditionally thought to be regulated according to the classical principle of homeostasis whereby physiologic systems operate to reduce variability and achieve an equilibrium-like state. However recent studies reveal that under normal conditions, beat-to-beat fluctuation in heart rate display the kind of long-range correlations typically exhibited by the dynamical system far away from equilibrium. In contrast, heart rate time series from patients with severe congestive heart failure show a breakdown of this long-range correlation behavior. Two different non-linear dynamic methods namely Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) and Multifractal (MF) DFA are used for the quantification of this correlation …

The Creation And Testing Of A Mock Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility For Pain Patients, Gladstone Vincent Reid

Theses

Unfamiliarity with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) facilities leads to unwanted stress-related disturbances in the processing of fMRI data. A mock fMRI facility was developed to increase familiarization among subjects participating in fiviRI studies and to alleviate the time and cost of familiarizing each subject in an actual fMRI facility. A decommissioned Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit was remodeled to visually and aurally resemble the Siemens Magnetom Allegra 3 Telsa fMRI machine currently used at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Newark, New Jersey. Instrumentation was developed using LabVIEW software which presented subjects with recreated sounds …

Snp Auto-Calling Using Artificial Neural Networks, Damien Spivak

Theses

In recent years feedforward artificial neural networks (ANN) and their training algorithms have become an effective methodology for the construction of nonlinear systems that solve the statistical problem of classification. The ability of ANNs to solve this problem is highly germane to making progress in the refinement of DNA microarray analysis and techniques regarding this issue. This study attempts to deal with the classification of microarray data and the comparison and validation of simple feedforward ANNs in partitioning high dimensional data. In doing this the efficacy of using ANNs as a genotyping tool will be proven. Furthermore, it has been …

Quantification Of Regularity In Rr-Interval Time Series Using Approximate Entropy, Sample Entropy, And Multi-Scale Entropy, Nirvish Shah

Theses

Heart rate variability (HRV) has proven to be a useful noninvasive tool to study the neuronal control of the heart. Recently, nonlinear dynamic methods based on chaos theory and fractal dynamics have been developed to uncover the nonlinear fluctuations in heart rate. Approximate Entropy (ApEn), Sample Entropy (SampEn) and Multi-scale Entropy (MSE) are measures based on chaos theory that quantify the regularity in time series. This study has been designed to examine the ability of these measures to distinguish the RR-interval time series of normal subjects (NSR) from subjects with congestive heart failure (CHF). The study was conducted on the …