Digital Commons Network^™

A Method For Enhancing The Snapshot Performance In San Volume Manager, Chang-Soo Kim, Dong-Jae Kang, Young-Ho Kim, Hag-Young Kim, Myoung-Jun Kim, Yu-Hyeon Bak

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

A New Estimative Current Mode Control Technique For Dc-Dc Converters Operating In Discontinuous Conduction Mode, Mehdi Ferdowsi, Zhong Nie, Ali Emadi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new digital control technique for power converters operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) is introduced and applied to a boost converter. In contrast to the conventional analogue control methods, the principal idea of this new control scheme is to use real-time analysis and estimate the required on-time of the switch based on the dynamic of the system. The proposed control algorithm can easily be programmed in a digital signal processor (DSP). This novel technique is applicable to any converter operating in DCM including power factor correctors (PFC). However, this work mainly focuses on the boost topology. In this paper, …

Death Of A Mother, Mary Moynihan

Books/Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

The Social Effects Of Psychism: Spiritual Experience And The Construction Of Privatized Religion, Marty Laubach

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Research

What is the relationship between spiritual experiences and privatized religion? This study defines spiritual experiences in terms of “psychism,” or psychic intrusions in the stream of consciousness that are not perceived by the actor as originating within the “self.” Intrusions interpreted as psychism are regarded by the actor as having the same facticity as empirical experience and are regarded as “proof” of an esoteric belief system. Psychism originated beliefs are therefore resistant to refutation or change, and support spiritual autonomy. Psychism theory is tested using 1988 GSS data on religious beliefs, where psychism is measured using GSS questions on “paranormal” …

Real-Time Sound Source Separation: Azimuth Discrimination And Resynthesis, Dan Barry, Robert Lawlor, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

We present a real-time sound source separation algorithm which performs the task of source separation based on the lateral displacement of a source within the stereo field. The algorithm exploits the use of the pan pot as a means to achieve image localisation within stereophonic recordings. As such, only an interaural intensity difference exists between left and right channels for a single source. Gain scaling and phase cancellation techniques are used in the frequency domain to expose frequency dependent nulls across the Azimuth plane. The position of these nulls in conjuction with magnitude estimation and grouping techniques are then used …

Harmonic Sound Source Separation Using Fir Comb Filters, Mikel Gainza, Robert Lawlor, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

A technique for separating harmonic sound sources using FIR comb filters is presented. First, a pre-processing task is performed by a multipitch estimator to detect the pitches that the signal is composed of. Then, a method based on the Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) is utilized to iteratively extract the harmonics belonging to a given source by using FIR comb filters. The presented approach improves upon exising sinusoidal model approaches in terms of the perceptual quality of the extracted signal.

Henrietta Street Conservation Plan, Tracy Pickerill, John Montague, Shaffrey Associates (Architects), Carrig Conservation Ltd., Lee Mccullough & Partners (Engineers), Boylan Farrelly (Quantity Surveyors)

Reports

The objectives behind the Henrietta Street Conservation Plan are to re-affirm the significance of Henrietta Street; to identify the issues that undermine the importance of the street and to set out policies aimed at protecting the aspects of the street which are of importance into the future.

Perspectives On Epidemic: The Yellow Fever In 1793 Philadelphia, Katherine Polak

Constructing the Past

This article discusses the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1793, and how there are several different accounts of what happened then. It also notes that the official descriptions given by the doctors of the time are not the entire story and that they leave some important things out.

Efficient Path Search In Intermodal Transportation Optimization, Daniel Y. Yankov

Theses

As the economies of the world become more interrelated and Supply Chains are globalizing, the need arises to create efficient transportation network. This reality in conjunction with conservation of fuel and environmental friendliness gives rise to the research of Efficient Intermodal Transportation System. In particular, the underutilization of railroads in the United States motivates us to research the development of optimal procedures in the transportation of containers in a rail network. With this thesis we search for a cost, time and capacity effective algorithm for solving transportation problem in a graph of intermodal centers (IMC's). We consider discrete model of …

A Change Impact Dependency Measure For Predicting The Maintainability Of Source Code, Xiaoqing Frank Liu

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

We first articulate the theoretic difficulties with the existing metrics designed for predicting software maintainability. To overcome the difficulties, we propose to measure a purely internal and objective attribute of code, namely change impact dependency, and show how it can be modeled to predict real change impact. The proposed base measure can be further elaborated for evaluating software maintainability.

A Generic Oo Architecture Language For Semantics Analysis Of Oo Specification, Xiaoqing Frank Liu

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Formal specification enables a rigorous analysis and model checking for ensuring the correctness of specification. Formal OO specification methods are of mathematical nature and the semantics of specification is purposely defined such that it is not related to the semantics of code. We propose a new language, which will lay a common semantics ground for both specification and code.

Ergodic Capacity Of Mimo Triply Selective Rayleigh Fading Channels, Chengshan Xiao, Y. Rosa Zheng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

New results are presented for the ergodic capacity of spatially-correlated, time-varying and frequency-selective (i.e., triply selective) MIMO Rayleigh fading channels. Simplified capacity formulas are also derived for special cases such as SIMO and MISO triply selective fading channels. A closed form formula is proposed that quantifies the effect of the frequency-selective fading on the ergodic capacity into an intersymbol interference (ISI) degradation factor. It is discovered that, in general frequency-selective MIMO channels, the ISI inter-tap correlations reduce the ergodic capacity compared to the frequency flat fading channel. Only in the special case when the fading does not have ISI inter-tap …

Neural Network Based Classification Of Road Pavement Structures, V. Venayagamoorthy, D. Allopi, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Roads have formed the basic infrastructure of commerce since flints and other tools and artifacts were first exchanged along the trade routes of prehistory. Roadways are very large, in volume, in extent, and in value. They also wear out, and their useful life is directly proportional to their initial strength and inversely proportional to the number of heavy goods vehicles using them. Therefore, the increasing complexity of road transportation needs advanced techniques for effective design of pavements. This paper proposes an intelligent technique using neural networks to classify different types of road pavement structures, which is essential in estimating bearing …

Data Mining Of Substation Relay Data, Badrul H. Chowdhury, Mythili Chaganti

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Data mining aims to make sense of data by revealing meaningful relationships. This paper discusses data mining techniques applied to data recorded by over current relays at several substations. The purpose is to classify faults, verify relay settings and determine fault induced trip per substations. One of the most demanding tasks at hand is to study the data residing in the relays on a statistical basis. C4.5 approach of data mining (decision tree induction) is discussed in this paper.

An Improved Optimal Elemental Method For Updating Finite Element Models, Zhongdong Duan, B. F. Spencer, Guirong Yan, Jinping Ou

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Optimal Matrix Method and Optimal Elemental Method Used to Update Finite Element Models May Not Provide Accurate Results. This Situation Occurs When the Test Modal Model is Incomplete, as is Often the Case in Practice. an Improved Optimal Elemental Method is Presented that Defines a New Objective Function, and as a Byproduct, Circumvents the Need for Mass Normalized Modal Shapes, Which Are Also Not Readily Available in Practice. to Solve the Group of Nonlinear Equations Created by the Improved Optimal Method, the Lagrange Multiplier Method and Matlab Function Fmincon Are Employed. to Deal with Actual Complex Structures, the Float-Encoding …

Learning To Learn-Concepts In A First Power Engineering Course, Badrul H. Chowdhury

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Three well-known and widely accepted concepts in educational psychology are revisited. These are "inventory of learning styles," "taxonomy of educational objectives," and "metacognition." Relationships among these concepts are highlighted. Often, a student can develop his (or her) own learning style by the process of metacognition. Ideas are borrowed from these concepts for use in a first-level power systems course. It is beyond a doubt that both cognitive and metacognitive skills are necessary for students to succeed in any course. While a semester-long power systems course leaves little time for critical thinking and passive reflection for students, certain activities may very …

Neural Network Controller For Manipulation Of Micro-Scale Objects, Vijayakumar Janardhan, Pingan He, Jagannathan Sarangapani

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel reinforcement learning-based neural network (RLNN) controller is presented for the manipulation and handling of micro-scale objects in a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). In MEMS, adhesive, surface tension, friction and van der Waals forces are dominant. Moreover, these forces are typically unknown. The RLNN controller consists of an action NN for compensating the unkoown system dynamics, and a critic NN to tune the weights of the action NN. Using the Lyapunov approach, the uniformly ultimate houndedness (UUB) of the closed-loop tracking error and weight estimates are shown by using a novel weight updates. Simulation results are presented to substantiate the …

Neuroidentification Of System Parameters Of The Upfc In A Multimachine Power System, Radha P. Kalyani, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The crucial factor affecting the modern power systems today is load flow control. The Unified Power Flow Controller is an effective means for controlling the power flow. The UPFC is controlled conventionally using PI controllers. This paper presents the designs of neuroidentifiers that models the system dynamics one-time step ahead making the pathway for the design of adaptive neurocontrollers. Two neuroidentifiers are used for identifying the nonlinear dynamics of a multimachine power system and UPFC, one neuroidentifier for the shunt inverter and another for the series inverter. Simulation results carried out in the PSCAD/EMTDC environments on multimachine power system are …

Deformation Analysis Of Missouri Bridge Approach Embankments, Jonathan L. Robison, Ronaldo Luna

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Missouri has recently experienced below expectation performance or "the bump-at-the-end of the bridge" phenomena at bridge approach slab transitions. Information on approach slab performance was collected state wide to assess if the problem was limited to regional or geological distribution. Finite element analysis was then used to explore the soil embankment-bridge structure differential settlement in two Missouri bridges; MoDOT Bridge A6031 in Livingston County, and MoDOT Bridge A5834 in Pulaski County. These two cases are indicative of the types of soil conditions encountered in the Northern Glaciated Plains region (deeper compressible foundation soils) and the Southern Ozarks region (shallow rocky …

Boost Integrated Push-Pull Rectifier With Power Factor Correction And Output Voltage Regulation Using A New Digital Control Technique, Zhong Nie, Mehdi Ferdowsi, Ali Emadi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An integrated converter is a synthesized converter based on the overall system integration, which is simplified by the system objective and can implement the system functions similar to the discrete converters. An integrated converter consists of converter sets; each converter set has a special function defined by the designer. A family of DC/DC Boost based integrated rectifiers with two active switches can be derived by the integration concept. In this paper, Boost + Push-Pull integrated converter is introduced and derived. To regulate the output voltage and shape the input current, a new simple digital control method is applied. In contrast …

Cause And Effects Of Voltage Collapse -- Case Studies With Dynamic Simulations, Feng Dong, Mariesa Crow, Badrul H. Chowdhury, Levent Acar

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Voltage collapse studies are made to gain an insight into mechanisms that drive a system into collapse. The inter-play of generator controls in local and external areas are explored. Simulations are carried out on a medium sized network by a transient dynamic simulation program. Simulation results help to better understand remediation strategies. The time dependent characteristics of corrective controls are investigated.

Characterization Of Human Metal Esd Reference Discharge Event And Correlation Of Generator Parameters To Failure Levels-Part I: Reference Event, Ramachandran Chundru, David Pommerenke, Kai Wang, Thomas Van Doren, Jiu Sheng Huang, Federico Centola

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) generators are used for testing the robustness of electronics toward ESD. Most generators are built in accordance with the IEC 61000-4-2 specifications. Using only a few parameters, this standard specifies the peak current, the rise time and the falling edge. Lacking a transient field specification, test results vary depending on which generator is used, even if the currents are quite similar. Such a specification is needed to improve the test repeatability. As for the current, the specification should be based on a reference human metal ESD event. While keeping the presently set peak current and rise time …

Space-Time Fading Correlation Functions Of A 3-D Mimo Channel Model, Sang-Yick Leong, Y. Rosa Zheng, Chengshan Xiao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Space-time correlation functions between the links of MIMO Rayleigh fading channels are derived using a new three-dimensional (3-D) cylinder scattering model. Closed form, mathematically tractable formulas are obtained for the space-time correlation functions for general MIMO systems where the base station and mobile station antennas may be arranged in 3-D space. It is shown that the correlation functions computed by the 3-D cylinder model are of significant difference than those of the conventional 2-D Clarke''s isotropic scattering model for vertically placed antennas. The general formulas of the correlation functions includes the 2-D Clarke''s model and the 3-D SIMO, MISO models …

Dastar Corp. V. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., Carrie Jones

Computer Law Review and Technology Journal

The Trademark Act of 19461 codified select portions of the common law on trademark and unfair competition. Section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, as it is more commonly known, protects consumers and competitors from the "reverse passing off' of one's work as another's. In Dastar v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., the United States Supreme Court recently considered whether section 43(a) prohibits the unattributed copying of works available in the public domain. The Ninth Circuit had found that Fox could bring a claim against Dastar (which had copied and repackaged without attribution a Fox video series) under the Lanham …

Copyright Under Siege: The First Amendment Front, Lackland H. Bloom Jr.

Computer Law Review and Technology Journal

For the past twenty-five years, I have taught courses in both Copyright and Freedom of Speech. Until quite recently, these two tangentially-related subjects have co-existed in peaceful harmony. Over the years, I have traditionally devoted about ten minutes of Copyright class time to the free speech issue and no time at all in Freedom of Speech class to issues of copyright. That was then; the old world has changed. Now, we have collectively become embroiled in what some are calling the "copyright wars", with the First Amendment (specifically, freedom of speech) as one of the central battlegrounds. In 1970, two …

Personality Characteristics Of Bulimic Behavior In College Women Analyzed With The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Lori Lyn Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eating disorders are a growing phenomenon in today's society, and adolescent women are prime candidates for this disorder. The present research study is designed to analyze bulimic behavior in college age women by administrating the Eating Disorder Inventory- 2 (Gamer, 1991), specifically focusing on the bulimia sub scale of this self-reported inventory. The purpose of the study is to measure specialized temperamental characteristics of persons demonstrating bulimic behavior as analyzed using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (Myers-Briggs & McCaulley, 1986). The researcher surveyed 221 women from psychology classes at a private Midwest university, and each woman completed both the Eating …

Improving Performance On Standardized Tests Through Planned Interventions At Independence Alternative High School, Josephine Bell Jones

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This study was an investigation of the effects of a tutorial intervention on the grades and standardized test scores of low-performing students in an alternative school setting in the Winston-Salem Forsyth County System. Students in this study attended Independence Alternative High School (IAHSP) because of low test scores, declining grades, and behavioral problems. There had been a continuous decline in the end-of-course tests scores for these students for 3 consecutive years.

During the 1998-2000 school years, the academic performance of these students declined by 10.8%. These students were discouraged learners who did not achieve in the standard high school program. …

Colorado Superintendency Attrition And Its Effects On The Fourth-Grade Reading Achievement: A Reflective Practitioner’S Investigation, Rod L. Blunck

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to gather a greater understanding of the impact of superintendent turnover and the effect on student achievement. The data-based accountability systems in place in Colorado place a great deal of pressure on superintendents to produce empirical results indicating increased student achievement.

The author gathered data from the Colorado Department of Education for student achievement results for the 4th grade reading assessment as measured by the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) for academic years 2001, 2002, and 2003 and for superintendent turnover as measured during academic years 2001 and 2002. Randomly selected, 5 superintendents were to …

The Development Of An Instructional Leadership Training Seminar For Elementary Assistant Principals, Lisa R. Buffaloe

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this project was to supply first or second year elementary assistant principals with a school-based training seminar that would strengthen their instructional leadership skills and provide a network of professional support to beginning administrators. The product was a human resource development activity. The goal of the seminar, while providing leadership theory and practical strategies, was to advance the understanding of the connection between effective leadership and improved student learning.

A nonexperimental, descriptive research design that incorporated survey methodology to collect the data needed to identify common areas of concern and to develop the curriculum for a seminar …

Moving Toward A Strength Perspective: A Case Study Of Counselor Change, Candis Carr

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

According to their mission statement, employees of the Family and Youth Counseling Agency, Inc., (FYCA) operated on the assumption that all individuals possessed the ability to solve their own challenges and live full and healthy lives when support was available. In practice, however, agency counseling reflected a deficit-based, hierarchical framework, wherein counselors expanded on clients’ deficits and failings, defined the goals of counseling, and regarded counselors as more knowing than clients about how best to change. By discrediting the client’s voice, counselors failed to put into action the agency’s guiding principle.

To develop a strength-based practice, counselors met on a …