Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Discussing The Future Outlook Of Reits After The Reit Modernization Act, Amit Verma

Theses

Real Estate Investment Trust, which originated in 1960, gained popularity since 1991, when a large number of real estate companies went public. Paired Share structure, has been underscored throughout this thesis, as the whole research was limited to few companies named Starwood, Patriot American, Meditrust, and First Union who used this structure aggressively to acquire corporations. Paired Share REIT Structure refers to the REIT and a C-corporation being traded together under one symbol in the stock market. So, the investors get the combined profits from both the companies, which makes this structure extremely popular among the shareholders. Paired Share REIT …

The Impact Of Political And Socio-Economic Strategies On Crime And Service In Developing Countries; A Focus On South Africa, Marna Van Deventer

Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation of crime and service in South Africa and the various factors influencing it. Strategies and measures taken to address these problems are discussed. Data gathered shows crime rates as compared to the United States of America and major capitals throughout the world. This study shows the impact crime and bad service has had on the tourism industry in South Africa and the necessity to find and implement a holistic plan for the future. Most developing countries in the world are faced with similar issues that are impacting the success …

Numerical Ode Solvers That Preserve First Integrals, Thuya Aung

Theses

The measurement of the change in energy by a force from a dynamical action is central for study of modern dynamical mechanics. By analyzing energy along with variational calculus, the disciplines of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics have emerged. This thesis describes these systems, and discusses numerical solutions to a system of equations by Lagrangian, Hamiltonian, and First Integral solutions.

Pod, Margaret Slinker

Theses

This thesis explores the themes which motivate the creation of abstract sculpture, searching for common forms and universal shapes throughout the pieces examined in the thesis. The examples presented were created by other artists and by the author, which include ceramic sculpture and earthenware oxides and glazes.

Masters Thesis, Susan Lovejoy

Theses

Not listed.

Improvement Of Reconciliation For Quantum Key Distribution, Keath Chen

Theses

Quantum Key Distribution is meant to be an ultimate computer security system that will not need upgrade/overhaul from time to time. QKD allows the generation of long key length on demand. QKD, coupled with the unconditional secure "one-time pad" encryption system, will be unbreakable for eavesdropper with infinite resources. Numerous experimental QKD prototypes have demonstrated that QKD is likely to be a reality before quantum computer. One of the steps in a Quantum Key Distribution protocol is to remove the transmission errors from quantum communication, which typically has a high error rate (one percent or higher). An interactive error control …

Graph Coloring Heuristics From Investigation Of Smallest Hard To Color Graphs, Andrew Radin

Theses

Vertex coloring of graphs is an NP-complete problem. No polynomial time algorithm is known to color graphs optimally. The best we can do to handle vertex coloring of graphs is to create heuristics which provide a guess as to an optimal coloring. This thesis examines a number of known vertex coloring heuristics, and compares their performance to a brute-force optimal coloring. These comparisons are made for relatively small graphs with low numbers of vertices. The behaviors of the existing heuristics is examined to aid in the creation of new heuristics. The new heuristics are compared against the existing heuristics for …

Awareness Of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, Gayle Brosseau

Theses

This study was an attempt to identify the awareness of principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) by individuals who completed an eight-hour food handlers' class at Los Angeles Mission College. A six-item questionnaire was distributed to one hundred eighty individuals enrolled in the food handlers' classes during the winter of 1999-2000. One hundred twenty-five questionnaires were returned and tabulated during the spring 2000. Data analysis revealed that there is limited awareness of HACCP principles by trainees. The study, coupled with the literature review, indicates that there is a need for HACCP training. Other research showed a correlation between …

Patient Satisfacation At Visiting Nurse Service, Richard Williams

Theses

Home Health Care is one of the fastest growing industries in the health field. The potential customers are the largest growing new population - the elderly. Quality service and patient satisfaction will be a big issue with the baby boomers as they move into the senior citizen arena. The purpose of this thesis is to describe the relationship between patient satisfaction and employee satisfaction at Visiting Nurse Service using the elements of the Service Profit Chain.

The Evolution Of Internet Interconnections, Sean Butler

Theses

In 1995, the NSF officially shut down the NSFNet backbone, thereby ending the nascent Internets early architecture as a single backbone network. Today, the Internet is a group of loosely interconnected networks run by many diverse companies. These interconnections are in no way controlled by any industry or government agency, and are therefore held together only by the market demands of the Internet community. Although the FCC has traditionally maintained a stance of "unregulation" of all information and computer networks, they have increasingly show interest in ensuring the rapid deployment of Internet access. In addition, as more and more critical …

Traditional Classroom Versus Distance Learning Approaches In Providing Eduactaion For Students At The College Of Applied Science And Technology At Rit, Ryan Griske

Theses

This thesis discusses the current controversial issue of traditional classroom vs. distance learning approaches in higher education institutions using a case study in the College of Applied Science and Technology at RIT. The most important question addressed in the thesis is, "Are distance learning methods effective for addressing university-level learning goals?" (Kathleen Davey, 1999, p. 45). There are currently many disputes between educational researchers on this issue. The first four chapters cover details of the proposal stage as previously approved by the Thesis Committee. Chapter One briefly introduces this issue and several important terms used throughout the thesis (e.g., distance …

Internet Protocol Version 6 And The Future Of Home Networking, Laurie Blumsack

Theses

Home networking will be more of a necessity in the future than it is today. The homes of the future will make our lives easier in many ways. As microprocessors become less expensive and require less power they will be implanted into many of the common household items used everyday. Appliances and components will evolve into smart devices that communicate with each other. Connecting these devices will become more important as devices incorporate new technologies. It will be necessary to build a network that can handle the needs of this type of computing environment. The home networks of the future …

Evaluation Of Packaging Materials Under Vacuum For Potential Use As Internal Cushioning For Semiconductor Industry Vacuum Machinery, Andrew Baisch

Theses

This study explores a concept for applying basic packaging materials to an environment of high vacuum. This study identified three basic packaging materials and exposed them to a high vacuum environment to identify visual effects caused by the vacuum. In semiconductor and data storage industries, the machinery needed to ultimately create a computer chip often contains vacuum chambers. A common practice of the industry is to ship this machinery while under a state of high vacuum. There are parts inside these vacuum chambers that need protection from the effects of shock and vibration. By placing a sample of packaging material …

Reconstructing Air, Mathieu Poster

Theses

Not provided.

Characterization Of The Earth's Surface And Atmosphere For Multispectral And Hyperspectral Thermal Imagery, Erich Hernandez-Baquero

Theses

The goal of this research was to develop a new approach to solve the inverse problem of thermal remote sensing of the Earth. This problem falls under a large class of inverse problems that are ill-conditioned because there are many more unknowns than observations. The approach is based on a multivariate analysis technique known as Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). By collecting two ensembles of observations, it is possible to find the latent dimensionality where the data are maximally correlated. This produces a reduced and orthogonal space where the problem is not ill-conditioned. In this research, CCA was used to extract …

The Causes And Effects Of Job Dissatisfacation Among Emergency Room Nurses, Karen Shuptar

Theses

Statistics point to the fact that there is a nursing shortage. The number of people entering the field of nursing is declining and the number of nurses leaving the field is increasing. According to past studies, one of the reasons nurses are leaving the field is due to job dissatisfaction. This paper focuses on emergency room nurses at Strong Memorial Hospital, in Rochester, New York. The causes of their job dissatisfaction are studied as well as the effect their dissatisfaction has on their nursing careers. The results of this study indicate that emergency department nurses at Strong do not want …

Black Coffee Before Armageddon, Sotirios Rasiotis

Theses

Not provided.

Hyperspectral Imaging For Bottom Type Classification And Water Depth Determination, Nikole L. Wilson

Theses

Many recreational, military, and commercial activities take place in shallow coastal waters; therefore, interest is high in characterizing these areas. A variety of methods have been employed to determine water depths and classify the bottom using remote sensing. This research proposes to apply Philpot's principal components algorithm for bathymetric mapping to a MISI hyperspectral image, whereas previously this approach has been used on synthetic data. A description of the principal components algorithm is presented along with an outline of how it was applied to airborne hyperspectral images. The algorithm takes advantage of the ability to implement a deep-water correction, and …

Using Δe Distribution As A Predictor Of Digital Proofing Performance, Raul Eduardo Gonzalez Dorbecker

Theses

The performance of color matching in ICC-based Color Management Systems (CMS) is being improved, and its workflow established. As part of the digital workflow, digital proofing plays an important roll in the control of color from capture to the printed page, but its method of evaluation is not clearly understood.

To evaluate the degree of color matching by digital proofing in an ICC-based CMS between a reference image and a sample image, the [formula] calculated by averaging the individual color differences is being used. Doing a qualitative evaluation, ICC-based CMS should be able to stand behind the statement that the …

Machine Tool Spindle Design, Jamie Hoyt

Theses

In modern machine tool applications the performance of a machine tool is judged by its ability to produce work-pieces accurately and efficiently. The stiffness of the machine tool spindle has a profound impact on the overall machine performance. The work presented here provides a tool for machine tool spindle designers to develop spindles that are sufficiently stiff to meet their needs. The analysis presented here is divided into three main sections. The first portion is a static analysis. The static analysis calculates the lateral deflection of the spindle-bearing system. AMatlab program was developed that aiiows the user to enter the …

Optimization Of Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements Using The In-Cylinder Velocity Flow Fields In An Optical Engine, David Chmiel

Theses

Research work was performed in cooperation with Delphi Automotive Systems to optimize Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements using the in-cylinder velocity flow fields in Delphi's optical engine. It entailed comprehending PIV theory, making a purchased PIV system work on Delphi's optical engine, investigation of PIV seeding techniques, applying PIV to steady-state liquid and air flow fields, calibrating/validating the PIV system operation, understanding the operation of Delphi's optical engine, performing optical engine velocity flow field measurements, comparing measurement results with Delphi's computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model, and optimizing the measurement technique for varying 2-D velocity flow fields. All the mentioned targets …

Comparison And Evaluation Of The Moral Significance Of Emotions In Aquinas, The Manualists And Catholic Moral Theology 1960-1990, Thomas Ryan

Theses

This is a comparative study of the moral significance of emotions in Catholic Moral Theology. It is done with reference to Thomas Aquinas, to selected Manualist authors immediately prior to Vatican II, to representative Catholic theologians 1960-1990 and to a sample of contemporary writers from other disciplines. The project argues five points. Firstly, Aquinas sees emotions as designed to have a necessary and constructive significance in moral reasoning and moral development. In their habituated form as affective virtues, they enable a person to have the right emotional responses in terms of their object and intensity. Secondly, the Manualists, by a …

The Molecular Epidemiology Of Rotavirus In Ireland, Fiona O'Halloran

Theses

Between 1997 and 1998, 3,136 cases of rotavirus diarrhoea were detected in Irish children less than 2 years of age. Hospital inpatients accounted for 80% of these infections, with the remainder being diagnosed in general practice. A large percentage of infections were detected in neonates, suggesting a possible inadequate maternal derived protection from existing indigenous strains. This feature suggested the possible existence of ‘novel’ strains circulating in Ireland. No data describing the epidemiology of rotavirus strains in this country currently exists. Furthermore no assessment of the potential health-economic impact or quantitation of potential disease burden was ever undertaken

Three hundred …

Practice Placement In Social Care Education, Lillian Byrne

Theses

This research had two objectives first, to identify Applied Social Studies students' experience of practice placement and second, to identify their practice teachers experience of practice placement. The objectives were met by completing four Studies. To understand the context and purpose of practice placement during the education of Social Care workers the first three chapters focus on outlining the developments in Irish Social Care, providing an understanding of practice placement and the role of supervision during practice placement. The following four chapters outline and discuss each of the studies in detail and the final chapters discusses the findings in the …

Pruning And Nutrition Of Outdoor Cut Foliage Crops, Andy Whelton

Theses

The rapidly expanding cut foliage industry in the South of Ireland aims to satisfy the demands of an exacting market requiring well furnished quality stems for use in the manufacture of foliage and flower bouquets. The studies examined, in detail, aspects of pruning and nutrition of genera currently important to this evolving industry. Recommendations for the optimum time of pruning Eucalyptus pulverulenta and Pittosporum tenujolium are given. Pruning regimes for Eucalyptus parv,folia and E. glaucescens, Pittosporum tenufolium, Ozothamnus rosmarinfolius ‘Silver Jubilee’ and Rhododendron ponticum were examined and guidelines on best practices are outlined. A nutrition experiment to examine the effect …

Education Virtual Communities, Stanley Andersen

Theses

Distance Learning is a prime area for expansion of a new internet business/community model since there is currently no broad-based application servicing this function. The goal of this project is to investigate and prepare the basis for a proposal to a financial backer such as AT&T or one of the large internet service providers. A major part of the paper will investigate the current state of the distance learning internet environment and how to improve it. One of the main improvements concerns the need for a standard interface, which should include a learning tool such as RIT's colloquy software. Continuing/lifelong …

A Comparative Pricing Analysis Of Sabre Versus Travelocity, Kathleen Muldermans

Theses

The scope of the problem [presented in this thesis] is a comparative study on costs for the traveling public using an Internet travel site versus the traditional computer reservation system...this study will strictly look at price differences between one CRS and one Internet travel site.

An Assessment Of On-Line Package Customization For Sheet Size Products Packaged In Paperboard Envelopes, Kevin Kennedy

Theses

This study evaluates the on-line printing of paperboard envelopes as a means of supporting the need to provide customized packaging. Market forces and new business models are contributing to the need for customized packaging and rapid response to orders. Large retailers are demanding unique packaging presentations and global marketing requires localized packaging for different regions of the world. A business environment ofjust-intime delivery and minimal inventory levels demand flexibility to react to unpredictable product mix and volumes. These conditions require customized packaging within short cycle times. The traditional carton printing process using offset lithography does not respond quickly enough to …

Where Do We Go From Here, Ishak Gaffar

Theses

Not provided.

A Research Study To Determine Customer Service At Universities In The Dominican Republic, Thelma Roman

Theses

This study was conducted at Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), to determine customer service at universities in the Dominican Republic. The sample population consisted of 250 undergraduate students and 16 academic and administrative head of departments. As results indicate, there is lack of evaluating mechanisms to determine customer satisfaction in all departments at PUCMM. The only evaluation in place is a survey done by students every semester to evaluate faculty' s performance and academic quality; nevertheless, such evaluation does not determine customer satisfaction. Furthermore, there are few evaluations to determine students' needs . On the other hand, according …