Digital Commons Network^™

A Combined Simulated Annealing And Tabu Search Strategy To Solve Network Design Problem With Two Classes Of Users, Qifeng Zeng

Dissertations

A methodology to solve a transportation network design problem (TCNDP) with two classes of users (passenger cars and trucks) is developed. Given an existing highway system, with a capital investment budget constraint, the methodology selects the best links to be expanded by an extra lane by considering one of three types of traffic operations: exclusive for passenger cars, exclusive for trucks, and for both passenger cars and trucks such that the network total user equilibrium (UE) travel time is minimized.

The problem is formulated as an NP-hard combinatorial nonlinear integer programming problem. The classical branch and bound methodology for the …

Space-Time Reduced Rank Methods And Cfar Signal Detection Algorithms With Applications To Hprf Radar, Tareq F. Ayoub

Dissertations

In radar applications, the statistical properties (covariance matrix) of the interference are typically unknown a priori and are estimated from a dataset with limited sample support. Often, the limited sample support leads to numerically ill-conditioned radar detectors. Under such circumstances, classical interference cancellation methods such as sample matrix inversion (SMI) do not perform satisfactorily. In these cases, innovative reduced-rank space-time adaptive processing (STAP) techniques outperform full-rank techniques. The high pulse repetition frequency (HPRF) radar problem is analyzed and it is shown that it is in the class of adaptive radar with limited sample support. Reduced-rank methods are studied for the …

Removal Of Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Vapors In Biotrickling Filters : Process Modeling And Validation With Chlorinated Aromatic Compounds, Christos J. Mpanias

Dissertations

This study dealt with the removal of vapors of volatile organic compounds from airstreams in biotrickling filters (BTFs). A detailed general model was developed for describing the process under steady-state conditions. The model accounts for mass transfer between phases (air, liquid, biofilm) and biodegradation of pollutants in the biofilm. It also accounts for potential kinetic interactions among pollutants as well as potential process limitations by oxygen availability.

The general model was experimentally validated using mono-chlorobenzene (m-CB) and ortho-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) as model compounds either alone or in mixture with each other. Before BTF experiments were undertaken, a systematic kinetic study was …

Robust Fuzzyclustering For Object Recognition And Classification Of Relational Data, Sumit Sen

Dissertations

Prototype based fuzzy clustering algorithms have unique ability to partition the data while detecting multiple clusters simultaneously. However since real data is often contaminated with noise, the clustering methods need to be made robust to be useful in practice. This dissertation focuses on robust detection of multiple clusters from noisy range images for object recognition. Dave's noise clustering (NC) method has been shown to make prototype-based fuzzy clustering techniques robust. In this work, NC is generalized and the new NC membership is shown to be a product of fuzzy c-means (FCM) membership and robust M-estimator weight (or possibilistic membership). Thus …

The Intelligent Browser For Texpros, Chih-Ying Wang

Dissertations

Browsing is a technique, which helps users to formulate their query and retrieve information in the information retrieval system. This technique provides users with capabilities of understanding their information needs and gaining system knowledge during the course of the browsing and thus it eases the users' burden when issuing queries. The basic components of the browser provides an underlying structure which allows users to navigate and a browsing process controller which provides users with the needed assistance during each browsing session.

In this dissertation, a new infrastructure (OP-Net), transformed from the existing object network is proposed. Each object in the …

Modelling Of In-Situ Bioremediation With Emphasis On Inhibitory Kinetics And Biomass Growth, Dilip Kumar Mandal

Dissertations

This thesis was motivated by the need for better engineering tools to predict the extent of contaminant plume migration in the saturated zone. The principal result was a mathematical model analogous to a catalytic packed-bed reactor, in which the subsurface was considered to be composed (conceptually) of soil aggregates (the "catalyst" particles, in which biodegradation, diffusion, and sorption take place), and a mobile phase (groundwater) passing around the aggregates, in which convection, axial diffusion, and mass transfer from the aggregates take place.

The modelling emphasis was on a more detailed exposition of the biokinetics of the system (including an inhibitory …

Knowledge-Based Document Filing For Texpros, Xien Fan

Dissertations

This dissertation presents a knowledge-based document filing system for TEXPROS. The requirements of a. personal document processing system are investigated. In order for the system to be used in various application domains, a flexible, dynamic modeling approach is employed by getting the user involved in document modeling. The office documents are described using a dual-model which consists of a document type hierarchy and a folder organization. The document type hierarchy is used to capture the layout, logical and conceptual structures of documents. The folder organization, which is defined by the user, emulates the real world structure for organizing and storing …

Response To Mcfague, David Hopper

Macalester International

No abstract provided.

Event Marked Birthday, And People's Perseverance, Jim Fisher

Newspapers

Newspaper article from Iola, Kansas discussing the celebration of Ward Chapel A.M.E. church's 125th anniversary and a reflection of life as a black person in the small towns of Iola, Chanute, and Humboldt throughout those 125 years.

A Study Of Educator Health, Motivation, And Satisfaction At Middle Township High School, Karen Buesing

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to increase the effectiveness of communication between administration and faculty within a secondary educational organization. Forty-three educators within a total population of 73 participated in the study and completed a survey instrument that examined teacher health, motivation, and satisfaction. The survey yielded quantitative and qualitative data within the areas of demographics, orientation to teaching, areas of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, commitment to life goals, and health. Quantitative data was computer-generated, and narrative responses were categorized within general areas related to the teaching profession. All data was presented and discussed within the structure of specific framing …

Does The Tunicate Bostrichobranchus Digonas (Abbott) Control The Seasonal Distribution Of Phytoplankton Biomass In Tampa Bay?, The Bay Study Group Department Of Sanitary Sewers

Reports

This report primarily examines relationships between the tunicate B. digonas and several water quality parameters, with emphasis on chlorophyll-a concentrations, for the period September 1996 through March 1998. This study period encompasses two complete September to March periods which, based on surveys in previous years by the BSG, has proven to be the time of year when hatched stages of the tunicate generally can be expected to be present on the bay bottom. However, the report also examines water quality and tunicate information gathered for several years prior to 1996.

A Study Of The Feasibility Of Block Scheduling At Buena Regional High School, Bruce R. Arcurio

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study has been to determine the feasibility of implementing some form of block scheduling at Buena Regional High School. Due to the small scope of the project, the entire population of professionals who would be responsible for the implementation of a block schedule was used. The data collection instruments utilized were a questionnaire and various forms of interviews. Data analysis consisted of calculating percentages for quantitative questions on the questionnaire and an analysis of trends for the qualitative questions and interviews. The research indicates that it is unlikely that a block schedule can be created that …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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; …

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, …

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 …

In Vitro Cytotoxicity Study Of Glutaraldehyde And No-React Treated Bioprosthetic Heart Valves And The Aortic Wall, Roger Ongosi

Theses

Valvular failure due to calcification and leaflet disruption of artificial bioprostheses is still a major concern in valve replacement surgery. Previous studies have shown that Glutaraldehyde, a chemical used in the treatment of artificial valves promotes calcification. In this investigation glutaraldehyde and No-React® treated tissue samples of pericardium, cusp and the aortic wall were tested for cytocompatibility using live mouse fibroblast cultures. The samples were cut into 3 X 3 mm2 washed in phosphate buffered saline solution, transferred into cell culture flask containing cells that had been cultured for 24 hours and incubated at 37 "C in 5 % CO2. …

Samuel Florman And Literature Of Technology, Paul F. Sharke

Theses

In 1996, engineer and author Samuel Florman asked why engineering and technology had been represented only lightly in literature. From a mere handful of books dealing with this topic, he named The Control of Nature (1989), by John McPhee, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974), by Robert Pirsig, and The Soul of a New Machine (1981), by Tracy Kidder, as being among the best examples of a literary expression of engineering. These three works are examined here in light of Florman's own four books on the subject of engineering, The Existential Pleasures of Engineering (1976), Blaming Technology …

A Microcosm Study In The Reductive Dechlorination Of Tetrachloroethylene Using Fermentation Acids And Alcohols As Electron Donors, Anthony Siccard Iii

Theses

Anaerobic microcosms of Arthur Kill (New Jersey) sediment were used to investigate the effects of several electron donors on tetrachloroethylene (PCE) dechlorination activity. The substates tested were methanol, butanol, butyrate, lactate and succinate both by themselves and in various combinations. Different levels of PCE dehalogenation were noticed in all of the microcosms regardless of the electron donor used. Vinyl chloride was the major dehalogenation product detected in the majority of the microcosms. The causitive organism or group that carried our the reductive dehalogenation was not identified. Only the microcosms admended with a mixture of butanol/methanol were able to fully reduce …

Parents As Partners In Progress: A Study Of Parent Involvement In An Urban Elementary School, Janine P. Riggins

Theses and Dissertations

The research project focused on parent involvement in the context of the urban school setting. The target population included one parent or guardian for each BSI student in grades 1-3 during the 1997-98 school year. Subjects completed a pre-survey during the first semester of the 1997-98 school year using a 6 item interest inventory. Responses to individual items were summarized using percentages. This data served as the basis for the development of the internship activities. A post-survey was administered during the second half of the 1997-98 school year using a similar inventory. Post-survey data was summarized and compared to patterns …

Bootstrapping Tsmars Models, Liangzhong Chen

Theses

We investigate bootstrap inference methods for nonlinear time series models obtained using Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines for Time Series (TSMARS), for which theoretical properties are not currently known. We use two different methods of bootstrapping to obtain confidence intervals for the underlying nonlinear function and prediction intervals for future values, based on estimated TSMARS models for the bootstrapped data. We also explore the method of Bootstrap AGGregatING (Bagging), due to Breiman (1996), to investigate whether the residual and prediction mean squared errors from a fitted TSMARS model can be reduced by averaging across the values obtained from each of the …

An Experimental Study On Removal Cadmium From Wastewater By Emulsion Liquid Membrane, Jing-Chi Shiu

Theses

Research was conducted on cadmium, a heavy metal pollutant, extraction out of wastewater by means of an emulsion liquid membrane system. The emulsion liquid membrane was made of a carrier (di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid), a surfactant (ECA 4360J), and a stripping agent (sulfuric acid). The effects of using the following parameters on the membrane to optimize the operating conditions were investigated: type of buffer solutions, initial external phase pH, initial cadmium concentration, internal sulfuric acid concentration, impeller stirring speed, carrier concentration, surfactant concentration, and selectivity between cadmium and sodium ion.

The best performance for the system presented in this thesis was: …

Implementation Of A Geometric Hashing Technique And It's Application To 3d Molecular Structure Search, Jennifer Lynn Cerequas

Theses

This paper proposes the application of a geometric hash technique to the searching of 3D chemical structures. Chemical structures are represented in global XYZ coordinate format. An algorithm is applied to the substructures within the existing chemical structures to hash them into hash tables on disk. A query substructure is then hashed to find matches (hits) of the existing hash tables. The entries in the matching hash tables are compared to the query substructure to find the existing substructures that are an "approximate" match.

The result is a technique which allows existing substructures to be compared to a (new) query …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …