Digital Commons Network^™

The Efficacy Of Teaching Conflict Resolution, Joan E. Grigaitis

Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of Conflict Resolution Programs in an elementary school. The question to be studied was whether incidents of disciplinary referrals would be reduced after implementing a Conflict Resolution Program. The entire student population of Simpson Elementary School for the academic years 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 served as subjects for this study. Disciplinary referrals were tallied for the students for the 1994-1995 academic year (i.e., the "control" group or prior to the Conflict Resolution Program). A Conflict Resolution Program was implemented coincident with the start of the 1995-1996 academic year. Disciplinary referrals were …

Derivation And Modelling Hue Uniformity And Development Of The Ipt Color Space, Fritz Ebner

Theses

Metric color spaces have been determined to be significantly non-uniform in the hue attribute of color appearance. Several independent sources have confirmed the non-uniformity. A data set was obtained during the course of this thesis work that contains the largest sampling of color space to date which can be used to compare models of color appearance. The data set obtained was compared to existing data sets and found to correspond closely. Lookup table methods were employed to test significant differences between data sets. A simple modeling approach was taken based on commonly understood color space models and knowledge of the …

Evolving Hardware With Genetic Algorithms, Kevin Kerr

Theses

Genetic techniques are applied to the problem of electronic circuit design, with an emphasis on VLSI circuits. The goal is to have a tool which has the performance and flexibility to attack a wide range of problems. A genetic algorithm is used to design a circuit specified by the desired input /output characteristics. A software system is implemented to synthesize and optimize circuits using an asynchronous parallel genetic algorithm. The software is designed with object-oriented constructs in order to maintain scalability and provide for future enhancements. The system is executed on a heterogeneous network of workstations ranging from Sun Sparc …

An Approach To Remote Process Monitoring And Control, John Dracos

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to present an approach to remote monitoring and operation of distributed real time process control systems. Conventional monitoring of process control systems currently requires a great deal of close supervision from trained personnel located on-site. In many cases, researchers, developers or maintenance personnel cannot be at every location where such a system is installed. Currently, a standardized architecture for remote access to such systems is not available. In addition, most of these systems are very expensive and under-utilized. Researchers would benefit by having access to different parts of a system concurrently The benefits of …

A Method For The Measurement Of Divalent Cations In Solutions Of Carboxymethylcellulose, J. Todd Henderson

Theses

The purpose of this research was to develop a method that would quantify the divalent cations in aqueous solutions of sodium carboxymethylcellulose. The technique employed for the elemental analysis was Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy (ICP). It was found using multiple filtrations, through filters of different pore sizes, that the polymer could be removed from solution thus allowing the remaining cation concentration to be determined. The data obtained suggest that ICP ES allows precise determination of Magnesium, Calcium, or Strontium concentrations for CMC solutions of varying ionic strengths. The method was then used to look for trends between the percent …

The Effects Of Inorganic Complexes Or Ions On The Mechanical Properties Of Nafion, Jennifer Berdine

Theses

Nation is a perfluoro-sulfonate anionomer. Free-standing and solution cast membranes of Nation have been shown to preferentially incorporate large hydrophobic cations from either aqueous or nonaqueous solutions. The specific type of ion or ionic complex incorporated into the membrane determines the chemical and structural properties of both the - CF2- backbone region and the ether region of Nation. Nation has been used extensively to prepare biosensors and chemically modified electrodes for electrochemical analysis in both classical and chromatographic detection. The physical and chemical effects that an incorporated species could have on film modified electrodes needs to be characterized. The goal …

Aba/Lovaas Treatment For Autism And Pervasive Developmental Disorders In The Monroe County Area, Kelly Byrne

Theses

The purpose of this project was to provide school psychologists, and other professionals, an overview of the ABA/ Lovaas programs being implemented in the Monroe County area (upstate New York). Parents were surveyed, in order to gather information on the Applied Behavior Analysis/ Lovaas method they are using to treat their child. To provide additional information about the children participating in the project, a direct observation of the child was conducted and a rating scale was completed (Childhood Autism Rating Scale). Ten families participated in the project, with the child's ages ranging from 37 months to 66 months. Project results …

Psychological Service Delivery In The Schools: Has There Been Rapid Reform?, Tracey Schrader

Theses

Psychological service delivery in the schools was investigated through a mail survey of eighty-one practicing school psychologists in Central New York State. The response rate was 42%. Actual and preferred practices within both alternative and traditional service deliveries were investigated to discover the extent to which reform has occurred in the field of school psychology in the 1990's. Possible factors that could be perceived as barriers to preferred service delivery were also studied. Significant differences were found between actual and preferred practices, as well as between the average percentage of time spent in both alternative and traditional service deliveries. Results …

Using Impact Group Therapy With Middle School Students With Behavioral Disorders, Jennifer Marafioti

Theses

Middle school students with behavioral disorders offer the greatest challenge to standard group counseling curriculas. Their age places them at the threshold of adolescence which is a notably difficult stage of development. Their disorder places them at risk of peer rejection and school failure. The rationale for developing a group counseling toolbox is to make it easier for counselors to utilize a multi-sensory approach with this unique population of students. This curricula will consist of group counseling activities appropriate for middle school students with behavioral disorders as well as the props needed to facilitate success.

Thinking Outside Of The Box, Christopher May

Theses

Consists of slides and description of the artist's M.F.A. thesis installation.

A Comparative Analysis Of Spectral Band Selection Techniques, Julia Laurenzano

Theses

The ability to determine optimal spectral band sets for the exploitation of multispectral and hyperspectral imagery is of great concern due to data transfer, storage, and computational constraints. This study compares the performance of three band selection techniques across a range of scenarios and image exploitation algorithms. Thresholded Divergence, a technique based on Gaussian Maximum Likelihood classification, Forward Sequential Band Selection, an iterative method based on target identification algorithms, and Spectral Basis Functions, a method independent of end-exploitation, were selected for evaluation. Each of these band selection techniques was applied to two M7 multispectral images and two HYDICE hyperspectral images. …

Designing The Theatre Of The Deaf, Marie L. Collings

Theses

The design, execution, and written evaluation of the play Murderer by Anthony Shaffer will encompass a thesis project by Marie L. Collings. The production will be performed at SL Louis Community College, Florissant Valley, with approval from Donna Spaulding, Department Chair. The production will be scheduled into the regular theatrical season and will be mounted February 23, 24, 25, March 1 and 2 in the year 1996. The production will be in conjunction with Florissant Valley's theatre of the deaf and will be directed by Lisa Gale-Betzler, a deaf faculty member at Florissant Valley.

The play Murderer was chosen due …

Mirroring The Life Of Their Times: The Group Legacy In The Changing Face Of Theatre, Christopher J. Stephens

Theses

Christopher J. Stephens’ thesis, Mirroring the Life of Their Times: The Group Legacy in the Changing Face of Theatre, explores the enduring influence of the Group Theatre on American theatre practice, particularly in actor training and ensemble performance. Founded during the Great Depression, the Group Theatre was inspired by the work of Stanislavski and the Moscow Art Theatre, but evolved its own distinct ideology rooted in realism, political engagement, and emotional truth on stage. Stephens traces the formation of the Group through the efforts of Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasberg, examining their emphasis on ensemble acting, psychological …

Effect Of Peer Mediation Program On Short-Term Suspensions, Alison Sharp

Theses

Peer mediation has been proposed as a means to reduce violence within our schools and improve conflict resolution skills. In this study, peer mediation's effect on short-term suspensions for fighting, both aggregate and individual, was examined. Qualitative data was gathered from student mediators in one school to assess their views of and experiences with mediation. Records kept by two mediation programs were analyzed as well. The number of short-term suspensions for fighting in four urban middle schools was analyzed for 62 middle school students given short-term suspensions for fighting and subsequently mediated within the 1996-97 school year. Significant reductions in …

Utilization Of The Meteorological Data In The Prediction Of The Potential Of The Renewable Energy Resources In The United Arab Emirates, Nasser A.N. Albaloushi

Theses

There has been an increasing world interest in clean renewable energies ( mainly radiation and wind energies ) due to the minimal environmental problems resulting from their use. The continuous depletion of conventional energy resources and the growing world concern about the environment have lead to extensive research and development efforts in order to improve the energy conversion efficiencies and economics of devices utilizing solar energy. However, it is important to identify first the potential of available energy resources in the site where renewable energy is to be utilized.

Meteorological information are critical to the assessment of the energy resources …

Effects Of Shore-Parallel Structures On Meiofauna In The Intertidal Foreshore Of A Sandy Estuarine Beach, Raritan Bay, New Jersey, Usa, Valerie L. Spalding

Theses

Field investigations conducted at three sites on the intertidal sandy foreshore at Cliffwood Beach and Keyport Harbor, Raritan Bay, New Jersey reveal the relationship between meiofaunal density, wave and beach characteristics at sites where bulkheads and seawalls are present and at an adjacent site where they are not.

Wave characteristics were gathered at 2 hz over the tidal cycle with a pressure transducer. Three replicate core samples, to a depth of 0. 10 m, were gathered at four sampling stations across the foreshore at low tide to determine meiofaunal density. A fourth core sample was used to determine grain size, …

Petri Net Modeling And Performance Analysis Of Can Fieldbus, Ji-Qiong Zhou

Theses

The CAN FB (Controller Area Network FieldBus) has been in existence for ten years. It supports automated manufacturing and process control environments to interconnect intelligent devices such as valves, sensors, and actuators. CAN FieldBus has a high bit rate and the ability to detect errors. It is immune to noise and resistant to shock, vibration, and heat. Two recently introduced mechanisms, Distributed Priority Queue (DPQ) and Priority Promotion (PP) enable CAN FieldBus networks to share out the system bandwidth and grant ail upper bound on the transmission times so as to meet the requirements in real-time communications. Modeling and analysis …

Assessment Of Recreation Space Along The Hudson River Waterfront In Jersey City, Nj, Darren M. Davidowich

Theses

For the past decade Jersey City, New Jersey has worked to redevelop its waterfront. The once highly industrialized waterfront is now the location of residential and commercial uses and more projects are slated for the future. Although many improvements to the physical and built environment occurred along the waterfront, many question whether enough emphasis was placed on outdoor recreation. Site assessments, field observations, and surveys of waterfront users in Jersey City, NJ were conducted to determine what uses are possible, and in the greatest demand on the waterfront. A total of (950) field observations were made of waterfront users. This …

The Importance Of Liability For The Redevelopment Of Brownfields : The Developers View, Daniel F. Chachakis

Theses

The thousands of former industrial properties lying vacant in New Jersey are an economic challenge for all areas of government. If these properties are, or are perceived to be, contaminated then they are labeled Brownfields. An important question is whether the threat of liability for contamination by prior owners is a current cause behind the failure of developers to acquire and redevelop Brownfields in the State of New Jersey.

The goal of this work was to discover if there is a link between liability and the developer's decision making process. How important is the liability factor? Fifty-seven variables were examined …

Characteristics Of Expert Web Site Developers : Creativity, Construction Of Meaning, And Problem Solving/Program Development, Nancy E. O'Daniel

Theses

This thesis examines the areas that determine what characteristics produce an expert Web developer. The focus of the study is in the following three areas: creativity, construction of meaning, and problem solving.

To date, no other formal study of this type has been reported. We know much about the World Wide Web itself, but nothing about the people who create the Web sites.

This thesis shows that the idea of an expert Web developer is a misconception. The top-rated sites seem to have been created by a team of developers, each bringing to the group a strength in at least …

Radiative Properties Of Silicon, Anamika Patel

Theses

The objective of this thesis was 1) to study the radiative properties of silicon in the wavelength range of 1 to 20 microns and temperature range of 30 to 1000°C for the development of a multi-wavelength pyrometer 2) to develop a [sic] methodologies for deconvolution of the measured optical properties to yield fundamental optical constants of bulk materials. A novel spectral emissometer has been utilized for measurement of the temperature dependent radiative properties of silicon. The temperature determination capability of the emissometer was tested and verified using a standard thermocouple embedded in a silicon wafer. The temperature measurement accuracy, with …

Protocols For Packet Switched Communication And Reliable Multicasting In Fully-Dynamic Multi-Hop Wireless Networks, James Pelech

Theses

Designing protocols for a fully dynamic wireless packet switched networks pose unique challenges due to the constantly changing topology of the network. A set of protocols is presented that are capable of handling a fully dynamic wireless network in which switching centers and base stations are mobile as well as the end users. The protocols provide basic message delivery, network routing information updates, and support for reliable multicasting.

There are four contributions of this work: (i) a hierarchical architecture for a fully dynamic wireless network, (ii) improved routing and update protocols with reduced control traffic, (iii) a method to provide …

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Of Diamondlike Carbon Films Using Acetylene, Sriram Vishwanathan

Theses

This study is focussed on the synthesis and characterization of diamondlike carbon (DLQ films deposited on silicon wafers and glass by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), using acetylene (C₂H₄) as a precursor. The process parameters, such as temperature, pressure, power and reactant gas flow rate have been systematically varied and their effects on the film growth rate and properties were investigated. The optimized deposition condition appeared to be at 150°C, 200mTorr, 200 Watts and flow rate = 25 sccm. For these conditions, the films were hard and found to have good adhesion to the substrate, …

Incentive Factors That Affect The Redevelopment Of Brownfield Sites In New Jersey, Edison L. Hammond

Theses

This thesis sought to addressthree main questions:

· Are brownfieldsa significant problem in New Jersey and its municipalities?

· What factors havecontributed to brownfields' continued existence?

· What factors aremost important for correcting brownfields in the state?

The study involved surveyingFederal and state agencies, NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) andmunicipalities that work with brownfields. It involved a survey questionnaire,followed by a detailed telephone interview to determine municipalities'satisfaction with actions and policies taken by state agencies on brownfieldredevelopment.

Eight Federal and state agenciesand NGOs participated, along with ten municipalities from around thestate. The major findings were: brownfields are a significant problemat all levels; …

Fluorescence Spectroscopy For The Characterization Of Total Organic Carbon And Disinfection By-Product Formation, Matthew Brendan Washington

Theses

One of the concerns facing the drinking water industry is the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) during the disinfection stage of treatment. Organic DBPs form during the oxidation of the natural organic matter (NOM) found in natural waters by the application of a disinfectant, such as chlorine.

NOM is composed of two aggregate materials, humic and non-humic substances. It is unknown which portions of NOM react with the oxidant to form DBPs. Methods used to predict the formation of DBPs include total organic carbon (TOC) analysis and Trihalomethane Formation Potential (THMFP), which are time consuming and do not give specific …

Development Of A Practical And Effective Technique To Determine The Complete Level Of Autonomic Neural Activity During Stress, Vikki Hazelwood

Theses

Clinical evidence exists to suggest that an individual's level of stress contributes to the state of many physiological and psychological disorders, The autonomic nervous system, by adjusting parasympathetic and sympathetic activity, is attributed with the control over an individual's level of neural stress. Therefore, it is desired to develop a better and quantitative understanding of the stress! autonomic system mechanism.

Previous work has been done to gain a partial understanding of such activity. The primary objective for this study is to complement and advance the previous work by determining whether there is other physiological data which could reveal more about …

Design Of An Effective And Timely Product Development Process For Medical Devices, Jean Benoit Almonor

Theses

Effective product development process is one of the most critical issues facing medical devices manufacturing today. There is a need to search for ways to improve or solve the cross organization and company boundaries to enhance the faster release of new medical products to the market. This thesis presents an integrated set of perspectives on the process of new product development of medical devices with dual goals of achieving marketing speed and meet customer satisfaction.

The Attribute Driven Specifications approach described in this thesis, is one of the most valuable tools in the approach to effective product development in medical …

Control Of Nox In Alkaline Media With Tertiary Butyl Hydroperoxide, David R. Edwards

Theses

Alkaline solutions of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) selectively remove NO from simulated flue gasses. The investigation was conducted in a bubbling scrubber. NO removal efficiency of the scrubbing solutions was evaluated as a function of various operating parameters such as pH, oxidant concentration, oxidant to base mole ratio, residence time, temperature and flue gas compositions.

Alkaline solutions of TBHP show promise of being an economical choice for the selective removal of NO from flue gas. Solutions containing 0.2 M TBHP, 0.03 M NaOH (pH 12.5), and 1 minute NO residence time remove NO to below detectable levels at 53°C. The source, …

Mathematical Model Of Human Sit-To-Stand And Stand-To-Sit Motion Analysis, Jayeshkumar Gandhi

Theses

In designing a device for an amputee, it is important to find those underlying principles which determine the normal human sit-to-stand task. For this purpose we have developed a mathematical model of human sit-to-stand movement, which it is possible to predict the minimum mechanical energy consumption to move from the sit-to-stand position.

To the best of author's knowledge, this thesis represents the first time that the periodic motion of stand-to-sit and sit-to-stand movements have been mathematically modeled by a simple mechanical system. A complex model, such as the one used by Seireg and Arvikar (1973) [1] that contained 31 muscles …

Development Of A Framework For Internet Based Education System, Srinivas Lanka

Theses

Development of a framework for Internet based education has demonstrated the use of Oracle tools for the use of delivery of education on the World Wide Web. This also has proved that for an efficient dynamic education scenario, the use of a database-based system with a proper retrieval system is required.

We have designed the system on an Oracle backend system with Designer/2000. Developer/2000 helped us with the design and development of the system. Oracle Web Server 2.1 helped us with the retrieval of the web pages.

The entire design of the system and the reasoning behind the system has …