Digital Commons Network^™

A Statistical Solution To A Text Decoding Challenge Problem, Xindi Cai, Rui Xu, Donald C. Wunsch, V. A. Samaranayake

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Given an encoded unknown text message in the form of a three dimensional spatial series generated by the use of four smooth nonlinear functions, we use a method based on simple statistical reasoning to pick up samples for rebuilding the four functions. The estimated functions are then used to decode the sequence. The experimental results show that our method gives a nearly perfect decoding, enabling us to submit a 100% accurate solution to the IJCNN challenge problem

Application Of Geophysical, Hydrogeologic L And Gis Techniques For Investigation Of Groundwater Resources In The Al Dhaid Area, Uae, Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed Al Mulla

Theses

No abstract provided.

Ontologies And Electronic Commerce, Dieter Fensel, Deborah L. Mcguinness, Ellen Schulten, Wee-Keong Ng, Ee Peng Lim, Guanghao Yan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Ontologies are the first step toward realizing the full power of online e-commerce. Ontologies enable machine-understandable semantics of data, and building this data infrastructure will enable completely new kinds of automated services. Software agents can search for products, form buyer and seller coalitions, negotiate about products, or help automatically configure products and services according to specified user requirements. The combination of machine-processable semantics of data based on ontologies and the development of many specialized reasoning services will bring the Web to its full power. The authors discuss: taxonomies; information sources; future issues; business viewpoints; the e-marketplace; and B2B e-commerce standardisation …

A Visual Query System For The Specification And Scientific Analysis Of Continual Queries, Jennifer Leopold, A. Ambler, M. Heimovics, T. Palmer

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The lack of a facility that would allow nonprogrammers to easily formulate temporal ad hoc analyses over a network of heterogeneous, constantly-updated data sources has been a significant impediment to research, particularly in the scientific community. In this paper we describe WebFormulate, an Internet-based system which facilitates the development of analyses using information obtained from databases on the Internet. The main distinction between this system and existing Internet facilities to retrieve information and assimilate it into computations is that WebFormulate provides the necessary facilities to perform continual queries, developing and maintaining dynamic links such that computations and reports automatically maintain …

Concrete Roughness Characterization Using Laser Profilometry For Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Sheet Application, Norbert H. Maerz, Poornima Chepur, John J. Myers, Justin Linz

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The failure of a reinforced concrete member strengthened with fiberreinforced polymer (FRP) laminates may be caused by crushing of concrete, rupture of FRP laminates, or delamination of the FRP sheet. Therefore, the effectiveness and failure mode of FRP sheets applied to beams and columns is related to the degree of adhesion of the epoxy to the concrete surface. When a peeling or delamination failure can be avoided, a more effective engagement of the FRP sheet occurs, which results in more efficient use of the material. One of the principal factors affecting the bond behavior between the concrete and epoxy is …

Mobile Data Management, Sanjay Kumar Madria, Sourav S. Bhowmick

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The management of data in the mobile computing environment offers new challenging problems. Existing software needs to be upgraded to accommodate this environment. To do so, the critical parameters need to be understood and defined. We have surveyed some problems and existing solutions

Electronic Structures And Magnetism Of Lani₅₋ₓfeₓ Compounds, Jinbo Yang, Chiu-Ying Tai, G. K. Marasinghe, George Daniel Waddill, Oran Allan Pringle, William Joseph James

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

A systematic study of the magnetic moments and hyperfine interactions of the LaNi_5-xFe_x compounds was performed using the spin-polarized tight-binding-linear-muffin-tin-orbital methods (TBLMTO). The calculated results were compared with neutron diffraction and Mössbauer experimental data and found to be in good agreement. Fe atoms exhibit more localized magnetic moments in LaNi_5-xFe_x when the Fe content x is lower than 1.0. The calculated magnetic moments of the Fe atoms approach values as large as 2.5μ_B due to the dilution effect. The strong s-d hybridization between the Ni and La atoms and the neighboring Fe in …

Structural, Electronic, And Magnetic Properties Of Lani₅₋ₓtₓ (T = Fe, Mn) Compounds, Jinbo Yang, Chiu-Ying Tai, G. K. Marasinghe, George Daniel Waddill, Oran Allan Pringle, William Joseph James, Y. Kong

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Structures and magnetic properties of the LaNi_5-xFe_x and LaNi_5-xMn_x compounds have been investigated using neutron diffraction and first-principles tight-binding-linear-muffin-tin-orbital methods. Both neutron diffraction refinement data and total energy calculations show that the Fe and Mn atoms preferentially occupy the 3g sites in the hexagonal CaCu₅-type structure. The calculated magnetic moments of Fe and Ni atoms are of 2.4-2.5μ_B and 0.2-0.5μ_B in LaNi_5-xFe_x, respectively. The magnetic structure exhibits more localized moments at Fe atoms in LaNi_5-xFe_x when x ≤ 1.0. Electronic structure calculations indicate …

Dynamics Of Polyacrylates In Concentrated Chloroform Solutions, Frank D. Blum, Raj B. Durairaj

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The dynamics of polymers in polymer solutions have not been probed in great enough detail to provide a coherent picture of the behavior of these polymers, especially in more concentrated solutions. To help understand this behavior further, we have prepared a series of backbone-labeled polymers including poly(n-butyl acrylate)-d1 (PNBA). These provide a basis for comparison of the behavior among a group of related polymers. The dynamics have been probed by using deuterium relaxation times. Since the relaxation times are relatively fast and the quadrupolar relaxation mechanism is well understood, data from this technique provide a convenient means for comparison of …

Glass Transition Behavior Of Pmma Thin Films, Moses T. Kabomo, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the last decade there has been an increased interest in the study of the properties of supported thin polymer films. This has been prompted by the incorporation of thin films into device applications and many other technologies. Although not without controversy, a large body of experimental work indicates departures from bulk behavior by thin films. Strong evidence from both theoretical and experimental work shows that the interaction of polymer with a substrate alters the polymer conformation and mobility. A variety of techniques has been employed to probe the mobility of thin supported polymer films. Some of these techniques indirectly …

Graduated Segmental Mobility In Polymer Layers On Silica, Frank D. Blum, Crystal E. Porter, Wuu-Yung Lin

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The behavior of thin polymer layers on oxide substrates has gotten a great deal of attention as the size of materials, and hence polymer films, has gotten smaller. Indeed, the properties of adsorbed polymers are such that they can be different from those of bulk polymers, especially when the films are very thin. A wide variety of studies have been made on adsorbed polymers and sometimes the results seem contradictory. One of the properties often measured in thin films is the apparent glasstransition temperature, Tg. In principle, many techniques are sensitive to phenomenological changes occurring around Tg and, therefore, can …

Multi-Level Voltage-Source Duty-Cycle Modulation: Analysis And Implementation, Keith Corzine, J. R. Baker

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Multi-level converters have become increasingly popular due to high power quality, high-voltage capability, low switching losses, and low EMC concerns. Considering these advantages, the multi-level converter is a suitable candidate for implementation of future naval ship propulsion systems. This paper focuses on modulation techniques for the multi-level converter. In particular, a novel voltage-source method of multi-level modulation is introduced and compared to existing methods. The proposed method is discrete in nature and can therefore be readily implemented on a digital signal processor (DSP). The method is also readily extendable to any number of voltage levels. Results of experimental implementation are …

Thermal Analysis Of Ultrathin Ps-R-Pmma Copolymer Films On Silica, Bing Zhang, Frank D. Blum

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Composite materials represent a major part of man-made materials that are used in many applications. The interaction of polymers with surfaces plays a crucial role in the final properties of these materials and, by understanding the surface processes and adsorption mechanisms, better systems can be designed. Therefore, the behavior of polymer molecules at interfaces has been the topic of many studies in recent years and a rough picture has been obtained. Keddie et al. Obtained experimental results showing the dependence of the glass transition temperature (Tg) on the thickness of supported polystyrene films using ellipsometry. Later, they also investigated supported …

Power Connector, Stephen L. Clark, Joseph B. Shuey, Jose L. Ortega, John B. Brown Iii

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

A pair of mating connectors includes a receptacle having an insulative housing and at least one conductive receptacle contact with a pair of spaced walls forming a plug contact receiving space. The plug connector has an insulative housing and at least one conductive contact having a pair of spaced walls which converge to form a projection engageable in the plug receiving space of the receptacle contact. In each case, the spaced walls are joined by a bridging structure that unites the walls. The plug and receptacle contacts are retained in the respective housings by engagement of opposed lateral edge portions …

Dual Heuristic Programming Excitation Neurocontrol For Generators In A Multimachine Power System, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Donald C. Wunsch, Ronald G. Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The design of optimal neurocontrollers that replace the conventional automatic voltage regulators for excitation control of turbogenerators in a multimachine power system is presented in this paper. The neurocontroller design is based on dual heuristic programming (DHP), a powerful adaptive critic technique. The feedback variables are completely based on local measurements from the generators. Simulations on a three-machine power system demonstrate that DHP based neurocontrol is much more effective than the conventional PID control for improving dynamic performance and stability of the power grid under small and large disturbances. This paper also shows how to design optimal multiple neurocontrollers for …

Dynamic Re-Optimization Of A Fed-Batch Fermentor Using Adaptive Critic Designs, Donald C. Wunsch, M. S. Iyer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Traditionally, fed-batch biochemical process optimization and control uses complicated off-line optimizers, with no online model adaptation or re-optimization. This study demonstrates the applicability of a class of adaptive critic designs for online re-optimization and control of an aerobic fed-batch fermentor. Specifically, the performance of an entire class of adaptive critic designs, viz., heuristic dynamic programming, dual heuristic programming and generalized dual heuristic programming, was demonstrated to be superior to that of a heuristic random optimizer, on optimization of a fed-batch fermentor operation producing monoclonal antibodies

Detection And Classification Of Impact-Induced Damage In Composite Plates Using Neural Networks, Rohit Dua, Steve Eugene Watkins, Donald C. Wunsch, K. Chandrashekhara, Farhad Akhavan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Artificial neutral networks (ANN) can be used as an online health monitoring systems (involving damage assessment, fatigue monitoring and delamination detection) for composite structures owing to their inherent fast computing speeds, parallel processing and ability to learn and adapt to the experimental data. The amount of impact-induced strain on a composite structure can be found using strain sensors attached to composite structures. Prior work has shown that strain-based ANN can characterize impact energy on composite plates and that strain signatures can be associated with damage types and severity. This paper reports the extension of this approach for damage classification using …

Permeability Performance Of High-Performance Concrete Subjected To Various Curing Regimes, John J. Myers

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Concrete technology has continued to advance throughout the years to meet the demands of designers and innovative structural systems. Traditionally, the most common means to specify durable concrete has been via specifying a maximum water-to-cementitious material ratio or a minimum cement content. With the advent of high-performance concrete (HPC), which often has higher contents of cementitious materials and a variety of admixtures, questions about permeability performance and alternative methods to specify durable concrete have arisen. The study conducted herein comments on the applicability of prescriptive specifications for HPC and investigates the influence of curing regimes and concrete temperature development during …

The Coupling Of Biotechnology With Electrochemistry: Electrodenitrification Of Water Using The Enzyme Nitrate Reductase, Cyril Geyer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Nitrate is a worldwide contaminant that causes environmental (eutrophication) and human health (methemoglobinemia, cancers) concerns. Very few techniques are available to eliminate it from natural environment and they suffer from major drawbacks, such as production of unwanted byproducts (toxins or brine). The electrochemical reduction of nitrate on any electrode is relatively slow and catalysts or electron mediators are needed. The goal of this project was to develop a new process that could overcome these disadvantages. The project demonstrates the feasibility of using an enzyme, nitrate reductase, and a mediator, methyl viologen to transfer the electrons from the electrode to nitrate, …

A Study Of Important Content For Undergraduate Graphic Communications Programs, Tsung-Yu Hao

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was an investigation of important content for undergraduate graphic communications programs in four-year colleges and universities. The findings of this study can help educational professionals as they design curriculum, equip laboratories, and recruit faculty.

Subject categories and content items were initially identified by a review of literature. These content items were then further refined and rated on level of importance by a panel of experts. Modified subject categories and content items were then sent to the panel a second time for rating. Through this process, 15 subject categories and 68 content items were identified.

A questionnaire was developed …

Use And Effectiveness Of Decision Support Systems (Dss): Study Of The Saudi Private Sector, Ibrahim A. Alhunaishel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the industrialized world today, management is characterized by extensive use of computers to manage rapid change, information overload, and complex decision-making. Literature suggests that Decision Support Systems, computer packages offering information retrieval, problem-structuring models, decision alternatives, and other types of decision support, are effective extensions of human decision-making and offer substantial benefits to organizations utilizing them.

In spite of overwhelmingly positive reviews for DSS, empirical literature has produced inconsistent results regarding DSS effectiveness, and definitions of “effectiveness” and of DSS itself are varied and sometimes contradictory. Distinguishing DSS from MIS (management information systems) and other types of managerial computer …

Authentic Assessment In Physical Education: Prevalence Of Use And Perceived Impact On Students' Self-Concept, Motivation, And Skill Achievement, Joseph Kwame Mintah

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The volume of traditional assessments in the public schools of the United States has increased. At the same time, complaints about the use of standardized tests have become louder. The complaints and dissatisfaction have led to a paradigm shift in assessment. Available literature supports the use of alternative assessment. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the type and the extent of authentic assessment used in public school physical education. A second purpose was to investigate physical education teachers' perceptions about the impact of authentic assessment use on students' self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement.

The teachers rated …

Robust Control Of Input Limited Smart Structural Systems, Sridhar Sana, Vittal S. Rao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Integration of controllers with smart structural systems require the controllers to consume less power and to be small in hardware size. These requirements pose as limits on the control input and the order of the controllers. Use of reduced order model of the plant in the controller design can cause spill over problems in the closed-loop system due to possible excitation of the unmodeled dynamics. In this paper, we present a method to design output feedback robust controllers for smart structures in the presence of control input limits considering unmodeled dynamics as additive uncertainty in the design. The performance requirements …

An Evaluation Of The 2000 Census And Census Bureau Efforts To Measure The Gross And Net Rates Of Undercount, Eugene Ericksen

North Dakota Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Look At The Possible Effects Of Genial/Eclectic Learning Environments In Denmark And The United States Of America, Annette Sigrid Wilson

Graduate Research Papers

The intent of this qualitative research is to gain knowledge and understanding of the impact a genial/eclectic environment may have upon creativity and skillful problem solving. Upon invitation from Benedicte Riis, a well-known Danish educator, composer, author, musician, and presenter in Denmark, Bulgaria, Norway, and the United States; I embarked on a trip to Ebeltoft, Denmark in May of2000 to study her pedagogy. My desire was to compare the methodologies, philosophies, and classroom environments of Benedicte's Tante Andante Hus in Denmark with Franklin Elementary School in Council Bluffs, Iowa. My professors at the University of Northern Iowa encouraged me to …

Relationship Between Early Development Of Spelling And Reading, Lorraine S. Hammond

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The research reported in this thesis examined the relationship between beginning spelling and reading. More specifically, it focussed on the relationship between the development of early reading and spelling in a context where the approach to early reading instruction includes systematic phonological awareness and decoding instruction. A critical assumption made by proponents of developmental early literacy models is that transfer of skills and knowledge from reading to spelling will occur spontaneously and without formal instruction (Frith, 1980). By contrast instruction-centred approaches make the assumption that there are critical pre-requisite skills that can and should be taught explicitly (Carnine, Silbert & …

An Evaluation Of Environmental Disclosures Produced In Australian Local Government Annual Reports, Royston J. Tan

Theses : Honours

This thesis is an evaluation of the environmental disclosures published in Australian local governments' annual reports. The study is aimed in identifying disclosures of environmental information by Australian local governments and providing explanations for the variations in the quantity and quality of information disclosed. Various social responsibility theories were used in this study. The theories employed in this study were institutional factors, stakeholder theory, social and political theories. Institutional factors included issues such as local government characteristics and pressures exerted from various government and non·government organizations to implement and disclose environmental measures. A content analysis methodology was used in this …

Bluetooth Software On Linux, Wireless Hand-Held Devices, Teck Khoon Low

Theses : Honours

In order to enable existing computers (non-Bluetooth ready) to connect to a Bluetooth piconet, a Bluetooth hardware device comprising of the Radio antenna, the baseband and control circuit is used. The digital portion of this device is also known as a Host Controller, HC. In the traditional communication lingo, the Bluetooth Hardware functions, as the Data Communication Equipment (DCE) while the Host is the Data terminal Equipment (DTE). This report discusses the theory and implementation of the communication protocol between the Host and the Host Controller, enabling communication between the computer and the Bluetooth hardware

Storage Free Terrain Simulation, Warren Creemers

Theses : Honours

Landscape visualisation is the process of recreating a natural environment and displaying it in an interactive graphical simulation. To do this a terrain is displayed together with accompanying plant life and other objects. Present landscape visualisation software is capable in theory of displaying very detailed and large landscapes. The software is also in theory capable of simulating environments with thousands if not millions of individually structured plants. In practice though, the simulation of such landscapes requires such a large amount of storage space that it is not achievable on personal computers. Even storing small landscapes with a moderate amount plant …

Investigation And Characterisation Of Growth Phases Of Polycrystalline Cadmium Sulfide Thin Films Produced By The Chemical Bath Deposition Method, Peter Duncan

Theses : Honours

This research project investigates the characterisation and morphology of the growth phases of polycrystalline CdS thin films that were created using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) method. One batch of CdS thin films was created by the author (group B) whilst another batch (group A) was obtained from a previous research project. In both cases, the experiments were designed such that successive slides in a set represent successive phases in the growth of these CdS thin films. Therefor analysis of the near surface for all slides in a set gave an accurate representation of conditions on the surface at the …