Digital Commons Network^™

Black Coffee Before Armageddon, Sotirios Rasiotis

Theses

Not provided.

A Comparative Study Of The Compression Strength Of Corrugated Shipping Containers And Corrugated Board, Based On Different Corrugation Directions, Richard Curatalo

Theses

This study evaluates compression damage to corrugated shipping containers used in the small parcel delivery system. A client is experiencing an unacceptable level of end-to-end compression resistance during shipment through small parcel companies, while never experiencing any top-to-bottom compression damage. According to small parcel company workers, there is a need for more end-to-end compression strength in corrugated shipping containers. This study examines the effect of corrugation direction on corrugated shipping containers and corrugated board. Box compression testing (BCT) is performed on regular-slotted containers with different corrugation directions. Edgewise compression testing (ECT) is also used in comparing the compression strengths of …

Impeaching Lying Parties With Their Statements During Negotiation: Demysticizing The Public Policy Rationale Behind Evidence Rule 408 And The Mediation-Privilege Statutes, Lynne H. Rambo

Faculty Scholarship

Virtually all American jurisdictions have laws-either rules of evidence or mediation-privilege statutes or both-that exclude from evidence statements that parties make during negotiations and mediations. The legislatures (and sometimes courts) that have adopted these exclusionary rules have invoked a public policy rationale: that parties must be able to speak freely to settle disputes, and they will not speak freely if their statements during negotiation can later be admitted against them. This rationale is so widely revered that many courts have relied on it to prohibit the use of negotiation statements to impeach, even when the inconsistency of the negotiation statement …

International Law - New Actors And New Technologies: Center Stage For Ngos, John King Gamble, Charlotte Ku

Faculty Scholarship

Technology and the information age are changing the allocation of power and authority in the international system with non-state actors such as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) assuming decision-making roles previously reserved primarily to states. Professor David Johnston sees the information age as "creating deep and broad disruptive breaches in our society, disruptions equal to those of the agricultural or industrial revolutions." Professors Keohane and Nye believe that the information age will alter the power structure of governments. Jessica Mathews's stimulating article in Foreign Affairs argues both that the information revolution is shaking the foundations of state authority, …

Telemedicine Application At The University Of Rochester Medical Center Strong Memorial Hospital In Conjunction With The New York State Department Of Corrections, Jeannine Christensen

Theses

Telemedicine has been around for several years and it is inevitable that this technology will shape the current healthcare environment. Doctors are often faced with the challenges of the laws of time and distance. With the presence of telemedicine, the idea of having access to a physician at any given time becomes a reality. This paper will present an exciting concept of telemedicine for today and tomorrow with an emphasis on the advancement of health care delivery systems. This thesis will also attempt to present the cost saving factors that telemedicine can provide not only to patient care but also …

Wireless Communications In The New Millennium And Third Generation Wireless Networks, Oz Yakuphanogullarindan

Theses

At the end of the 20 century, and at the beginning of this one, wireless communications are making large advances. The new technologies are on the way to provide a high-speed, high-quality information exchange between handheld terminals, and information repositories. The so called 2,5 generation networks, using the techniques like the HSCSD1, GPRS2, EDGE3, and the 3r generation wireless systems will help the wireless world to reach those goals. In this thesis I will start from the first and second-generation wireless networks, and then look into the 2,5 generation and 3rd generation wireless communications more in detail. The latest advances …

Illusory Coerrelations In School Psychologists' Diagnoses Of Learning Disabilities, Marc Renzoni

Theses

Illusory correlation is the perception of an association between two uncorrected variables such as intersubtest scatter on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Third Edition (WISC-III) and the presence of a learning disability. This study assessed the extent to which school psychologists are influenced by this illusory correlation. Three independent variables were varied systematically. One variable was relevant to the diagnosis of a learning disability (a discrepancy between expected and actual levels of achievement on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)). Another was irrelevant to the diagnosis (intersubtest scatter on the WISC-III). The third independent variable was used as …

Protocol And Etiquette For Doing Business In Italy, Howard Dixon

Theses

This project builds a basic knowledge for the business traveler visiting Italy about protocol and cultural awareness. For those who have not been to Italy or lived there, this guide will enlighten those contemplating a trip to Italy and advise them about what to expect. The protocol and cultural characteristics will be addressed. This will include: country familiarization, culture differences, cultural awareness, language briefing, social dos and don'ts, business practices, procedures and knowledge of business in Italy. In addition, this project builds added awareness from several seasoned travelers. Each of these travelers have spent considerable time doing business in Italy. …

Book Note: Reviewing "Tortured Confessions", Fatma E. Marouf

Faculty Scholarship

Review Extract:

Tortured Confessions presents an innovative perspective on the relationship between torture and propaganda. While much has been written about the way propaganda spurs and sanctifies torture by demonizing "the enemy," few have explored the way torture itself is used to create propaganda. Abrahamian's work explores how the primary purpose of torture in Iran has been to extract ideological recantations from prisoners.

Design Of A Wristwatch Pda, Kun-Chi Wu

Theses

This thesis concerns the design of a Wrist Device for assisting a person in one's daily tasks. Wouldn't it be nice if we could fit all the communication and data management tools we ever needed on our wrist? I personally like the idea. It is not because I am a watch collector that I chose to design a wrist style PDA.1 I think to put a PDA on your wrist is not only a very cool idea, but also the best way of carrying a really personal device with you. Since we are already used to putting a watch on …

Where Do We Go From Here, Ishak Gaffar

Theses

Not provided.

Factors That Generate Effective Teams, Alberto V. Lenz Cesar

Theses

The journey to prosper competitively in the millennium will demand teamwork. The use of a team-based structure in organizations is no longer just a surplus tool to enhance service quality in the operation. In today's developed economies, the use of effective teams has proven to be essential for helping businesses to have continued prosperity and success on a long-term basis. Further, building teams has shown means for organizations to differentiate from competition, once copying human capabilities is not easy as copying technologies advancements. Therefore, in an environment of constant change, organizations must have perseverance and courage to stay on course …

The Destructive Role Of Land Use Planning, Andrew P. Morriss, Roger E. Meiners

Faculty Scholarship

Is land use planning fundamentally different from other forms of central planning? If so, does that difference suggest that land use planning will succeed where other forms of central planning failed? We conclude that land use planning is not fundamentally different from other forms of economic central planning. Further, the working of the market economy, and the long-term success of America's economy, is intertwined in the clear and certain rights and responsibilities generated by the common law of property. The complexity of the modem world does not diminish the need for private property; indeed, it strengthens its imperative. Returning to …

Crop Quality And Utilization: A Twelve-Hour In Vitro Procedure For Sorghum Grain Feed Quality Assessment, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, Todd Milton, R. A. Mass

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Improvedmethods for assessing cereal crop feed value are a prerequisite for the genetic improvement of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] feed value. Rate of starch digestion is now commonly believed to be the limiting factor in sorghum utilization by cattle (Bos taurus). However, techniques to assess this trait are not useful to sorghum breeders because of high labor inputs, lab error associated with starch measurement, and need for high numbers of replications. The objective of this study was to develop a simple technique capable of identifying differences in digestion between sorghum and corn (Zea mays L.) …

The Tale Of The Firefly, Weerana Talodsuk

Theses

This thesis describes the idea conception, story formulation, technical details, and presentation of a computer animated film entitled "The tale of the firefly". The story was produced in 2D animation, then composed into sequences in AfterEffects, then rendered to a Quick Time movie as an individual clip. Sound and music will be recorded and edited with SoundEdit 16 and Deck II. Finally, images and sound editing will be done on an AVID station and then transferred to SVHS videotape.

Applicability Of Ozone In Small Drinking Water Systems, Craig D. Adams, Justin Sutherland

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of ozone in water treatment plants is expanding rapidly in the United States. Ozone offers excellent disinfection properties (including chlorine-resistant pathogens) and does not form trihalomethanes. Additionally, ozone can be used to achieve or control many other water quality parameters such as color, taste and odor, and inorganic and organic contaminant concentrations. Control of ozone's disinfection byproducts such as bromate (formed in high bromide waters) is required. This presentation will review the synergistic effects of ozone applicable to use in small water treatment plants.

Accumulation Of Heavy Metals By Vegetables Grown In Mine Wastes, George P. Cobb, Kristin Sands, Melissa Waters, Bobby G. Wixson, Elaine Dorward-King

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lead, cadmium, arsenic, and zinc were quantified in mine wastes and in soils mixed with mine wastes. Metal concentrations were found to be heterogeneous in the wastes. Iceberg lettuce, Cherry Belle radishes, Roma bush beans, and Better Boy tomatoes were cultivated in mine wastes and in waste-amended soils. Lettuce and radishes had 100% survival in the 100% mine waste treatments compared to 0% and 25% survival for tomatoes and beans, respectively. Metal concentrations were determined in plant tissues to determine uptake and distribution of metals in the edible plant parts. Individual soil samples were collected beneath each plant to assess …

Tuning Parameter Tolerance Design: Foundations, Methods, And Measures, Daniel A. Mcadams, Kristin L. Wood

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a novel technique is presented to solve tolerance design problems. To achieve the desired performance tolerance, the technique uses a subtle, but significant, change in the design: the addition of a tuning parameter in place of an increase in component precision. Statistical models are used to develop a framework for the tuning parameter design method. Also developed is a new, dimensionless design metric which ranks candidate tuning parameters. A step-by-step method is developed for the application of tuning parameters using this metric. The step-by-step tuning parameter design method is applied to a heavy-duty manual stapler as a …

A Heuristic Method For Identifying Modules For Product Architectures, Robert B. Stone, Kristin L. Wood, Richard H. Crawford

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Developing product architectures is a key phase in design and development processes. It encompasses the transformation of product function to alternative product layouts. In this paper, we describe a new approach for identifying modules for product architectures. We begin by reviewing the terminology and motivation for modular products. The new concepts of a functional basis and time ordered function chains are used to formally derive functional models of products. Then, three heuristic methods for identifying modules from functional models are presented. Using the formal functional decomposition and heuristic methods, modular design can be executed earlier in the product development process, …

Using Quantitative Functional Models To Develop Product Architectures, Robert B. Stone, Kristin L. Wood, Richard H. Crawford

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Developing product architectures is a key phase in design and development processes. It encompasses the transformation from functional model to alternative product layouts. In this paper, we introduce a methodology for representing a functional model of a product in a quantitative manner. In addition to describing product functionality, the quantitative functional model also incorporates customer need ratings. Product design knowledge can be archived and transmitted in databases using this novel representation. Numerical manipulations of such a database assist in developing product architectures. In particular, product families and customer need ratings for modules are easily computed. Prior to the methodology, a …

Development Of A Functional Basis For Design, Robert B. Stone, Kristin L. Wood

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Functional models represent a form independent blueprint of a product. As with any blueprint or schematic, a consistent language or coding system is required to ensure others can read it. This paper introduces such a design language, called a functional basis, where product function is characterized in a verb-object (function-flow) format. The set of functions and flows is intended to comprehensively describe the mechanical design space. Clear definitions are provided for each function and flow. The functional basis is compared to previous functional representations and is shown to subsume these attempts as well as offer a more consistent classification scheme. …

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 …

Reconstructing Air, Mathieu Poster

Theses

Not provided.

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 …

Nonlinear Ultrasound Image Modeling: Development Of A Complete End-To-End Model For Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Medical Ultrasound, Kevin Ayer

Theses

Finite amplitude sound propagation undergoes nonlinear distortion due to continuous path interaction with the propagation medium. This distortion tends to defocus the beam causing significant lateral and contrast resolution degradation. Fundamental understanding of this interaction requires development of computational models that accurately predict the nonlinear interaction - development of media-borne harmonics - as well as produce an ultrasound image - introduction of transducer effects, interface transitions, and innovative image processing to extract harmonics. Most computational models of ultrasound propagation assume axial symmetry for computational expediency. Two notable exceptions are the K-Z-K and NLP models. A new endto- end model, NUPROP, …

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 …

Mortar Estimates Independent Of Number Of Subdomains, Jay Gopalakrishnan

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The stability and error estimates for the mortar finite element method are well established. This work examines the dependence of constants in these estimates on shape and number of subdomains. By means of a Poincar´e inequality and some scaling arguments, these estimates are found not to deteriorate with increase in number of subdomains.

Monaural Cue Sound Localizer, John G. Harris, Chiang Jung Pu, Jose C. Principe

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We describe the first single microphone sound localization system and its inspiration from theories of human monaural sound localization. Reflections and diffractions caused by the external ear (pinna) allow humans to estimate sound source elevations using only one ear. Our single microphone localization model relies on a specially shaped reflecting structure that serves the role of the pinna. Specially designed analog VLSI circuitry uses echo-time processing to localize the sound. A CMOS integrated circuit has been designed, fabricated, and successfully demonstrated on actual sounds.

Mechanical Supported Adaptable Wing, Cory Pike

Theses

There are several advantages to the incorporation of an adaptable wing on an aircraft. Among these are increased fuel efficiency, greater maneuverability, and an improved ability to negotiate adverse conditions. This thesis explores the concept of a mechanically supported adaptable wing, where the supports are in the form of virtual spars running lengthwise along a wing of uniform cross-section. With no cross-sectional support to the wing, the skin spanning the area between the virtual spars experiences a certain amount of deflection due to the various aerodynamic forces acting on the wing. This thesis develops a process for optimizing (minimizing) the …

Vibration Field-To-Lab: Impact Of Time Measurement Intervals On Intensity, Frank Magnifico Jr, Jay Gerondale

Theses

The objective of this study was to determine what impact various time measurement intervals would have on intensity levels in the trucking environment. The study was limited to timer triggered data collection associated with semi trailer vibration. The study then examined the relationship between established wake-up time intervals and the resultant intensities and PSD plots for the same field trip. In order to accomplish this, it was necessary to use multiple recorders. Each recorder was to be set with a specific time trigger threshold for recording data. Two vibration environments were analyzed using Saver vibration recording equipment. One environment was …