Digital Commons Network^™

Attenuation Of Ultrasonic Waves In Rolled Metals, Liyong Yang, Joseph A. Turner

Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience: Faculty Publications

Scattering of ultrasonic waves in polycrystals with texture is studied in this article. The attenuations of the three wave modes are determined as a function of dimensionless frequency and propagation direction, respectively, for given orientation distribution coefficients (ODCs). The calculation is done in the case of a statistically orthorhombic sample made up of cubic crystallites. The wave propagation and scattering model is formulated by the Dyson equation using an anisotropic Green’s function approach.Within the limits of the first-order smoothing approximation, the Dyson equation is solved in the spatial Fourier transform domain. The results presented are shown to be directional dependent, …

A Study Of Education Reform In Texas: State Mandated Testing Results, Effects, And The University Of Texas-Pan American, Monica M. Trevino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The study will use scores on TASP, and ACT as predictors of first year college success. First year college success will be measured by first-year year college grade point average and number of class hours dropped. We expect to find a high correlation between standardized test scores and college success. In order to continue yearly state test administration efforts, data needs to be found supporting that these efforts are sufficient. If this evidence is not present, then state mandated achievement testing needs to be reconsidered for use as a requirement for receipt of a high school diploma, school accountability, and …

Automatic Model Structuring From Text Using Biomedical Ontology, Joshi R., Li X., Ramachandaran S., Tze-Yun Leong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Bayesian Networks and Influence Diagrams are effective methods for structuring clinical problems. Constructing a relevant structure without the numerical probabilities in itself is a challenging task. In addition, due to the rapid rate of innovations and new findings in the biomedical domain, constructing a relevant graphical model becomes even more challenging. Building a model structure from text with minimum intervention from domain experts and minimum training examples has always been a challenge for the researchers. In the biomedical domain, numerous advances have been made which may make this dream a possibility now. We are currently trying to build a general …

Design Lessons On Access Features In Paper, Yin-Leng Theng, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Ming Yin, Eng-Kai Suen, Ee Peng Lim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Using Nielsen's Heuristic Evaluation, this paper reports a user study with six usability-trained subjects to evaluate PAPER's access features in assisting users to retrieve information efficiently, part of an on-going design partnership with stakeholders and designers/developers. PAPER (Personalised Adaptive Pathways for Exam Resources) is an improved version evolving from an earlier implementation of GeogDL built upon G-Portal, a geospatial digital library infrastructure. After two initial evaluations with student and teacher design partners, PAPER has evolved into a system containing a new bundle of personalized, interactive services with four modules: mock exam; personal coach (practice and review); trend analysis and performance …

Supporting Field Study With Personalized Project Spaces In A Geographical Digital Library, Ee Peng Lim, Aixin Sun, Zehua Liu, John Hedberg, Chew-Hung Chang, Tiong-Sa Teh, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Yin-Leng Theng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Digital libraries have been rather successful in supporting learning activities by providing learners with access to information and knowledge. However, this level of support is passive to learners and interactive and collaborative learning cannot be easily achieved. In this paper, we study how digital libraries could be extended to serve a more active role in collaborative learning activities. We focus on developing new services to support a common type of learning activity, field study, in a geospatial context. We propose the concept of personal project space that allows individuals to work in their personalized environment with a mix of private …

Analysis Of Hostile Network Reconnaissance To Anticipate And Mitigate Network Attacks, Luis Angel Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

Network security systems today such as current intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems and firewalls are good at reacting to attacks as they occur or shortly after they occur. Current security systems lack the ability to identify and detect the activity that usually precedes an attack. This activity is known as network reconnaissance. In this thesis we have developed a technique that can assist current security systems to detect hostile network reconnaissance to anticipate and mitigate network attacks.

Justilm: Few-Shot Justification Generation For Explainable Fact-Checking Of Real-World Claims, Fengzhu Zeng, Wei Gao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Justification is an explanation that supports the verdict assigned to a claim in fact-checking. However, the task of justification generation is previously oversimplified as summarization of fact-check article authored by professional checkers. In this work, we propose a realistic approach to generate justification based on retrieved evidence. We present a new benchmark dataset called ExClaim for Explainable Claim verification, and introduce JustiLM, a novel few-shot retrieval-augmented language model to learn justification generation by leveraging fact-check articles as auxiliary resource during training. Our results show that JustiLM outperforms in-context learning (ICL)-enabled LMs including Flan-T5 and Llama2, and the retrieval-augmented model Atlas …

The Value Of Mobile Commerce To Customers, Keng Siau, H. Sheng, Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This research studies the values of m-commerce using a qualitative means-ends approach, called Value-Focused Thinking. The conceptual foundation for this research is the Work System Framework. By interviewing both current and potential m-commerce users, we captured the values of m-commerce and develop a means-ends objective network to illustrate the relationships among these values. As one of the first empirical research to assess the values of m-commerce, this research contributes to an increased understanding of mcommerce. The means-ends objective network also serves as a theoretical foundation for future research in mcommerce. For practitioners, our findings highlight the concerns and issues of …

Theoretical And Practical Complexity Of Unified Modeling Language: Delphi Study And Metrics Analyses, J. Erickson, Keng Siau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Systems have become increasingly complex, and as a result development methods have become more complex as well. The unified modeling language (UML) has been criticized for the often cited and sometimes over- whelming complexity it presents to its users, and those seeking to learn to use it. Using Rossi and Brinkkemper’s (1996) complexity metrics, Siau and Cao (2001) completed a complexity analysis of UML and 36 other modeling techniques, finding that UML is indeed more complex than other techniques. Siau, Erickson and Lee (2002) proposed that Rossi and Brinkkemper’s metrics present the theoretical maximum complexity, known as theoretical complexity. This …

High Stakes Assessment And The American College Test (Act): Relationships Between Two Assessments And High School Coursework, Gaylynn L. Becker

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on some of the problems school districts face in implementing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. NCLB requires that by the year 2013-2014 all students must score at the proficient level or above in state assessments. This requirement poses unique problems for school districts in achieving 100% of the students scoring at or above the proficient level.

Some of the problems this study examined were: What was the relationship between the number of mathematics courses taken and performance on the North Dakota Mathematics Assessment? What was the relationship between achievement on the North Dakota …

Access To Learning: A Handbook For Parents, Teachers, And Paraeducators For Preschool Children With Visual Impairments, Mariah D. Thiel

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv October Through December, 2004, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects, activities and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas supports the AFCI through research and development of technologies for economic and environmentally sound refinement of spent nuclear fuel. The UNLV program has four components: infrastructure, international collaboration, student-based research, and management and program support. Management and program support highlights are the following: the UNLV TRP hosted the Eighth Annual IAEA Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning & Transmutation Information Exchange Meeting (Nov. 9 – 11). 120 people from 22 countries …

Fundamental And Applied Experimental Investigations Of Corrosion Of Steel By Lbe Under Controlled Conditions: Kinetics, Chemistry, Morphology, And Surface Preparation: Quarterly Report (October-December 2004), Allen L. Johnson, John Farley, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

This project has four components:

(1) the fabrication of a materials test apparatus with unique capabilities,

(2) comparative studies of steel corrosion under gas phase conditions comparable to the Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) oxygen control conditions,

(3) isotope labeling studies, and

(4) collaborative efforts with other workers in the field.

Reactor Physics Studies For The Afci Race Project: Reactor-Accelerator Coupling Experiments Project: Quarterly Progress Report September-December 2004, Denis Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

In the RACE Project of the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), a series of accelerator driven subcritical systems (ADSS) experiments will be conducted at the Idaho State University’s Idaho Accelerator Center (ISU-IAC), at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, and at the Texas A&M University. In these experiments we will use electron accelerators to induce bremsstrahlung photon-neutron reactions in heavy-metal targets; this source of about 10¹² to 10¹³ n/s will then initiate fission reactions in the subcritical systems. These systems will include a compact, transportable assembly at ISU and TRIGA reactors at UT-Austin and Texas A&M. …

The Electrochemical Separation Of Curium And Americium: Quaterly Report August-December 2004, David W. Hatchett, Kenneth Czerwinski

Separations Campaign (TRP)

This research report outlines the current status and progress associated with the electrochemical separation of Curium and Americium. The following pages outline the progress on our project to date. We have been actively performing research on this project for three months and are currently on schedule in terms of the proposed timelines.

The initial focus of the project involved setting up the laboratories for the studies outlined in the grant proposal. The instrumentation needed included an electrochemical work station that will perform the bulk of the electrochemical studies. This instrument will complement the electrochemical instrumentation in Dr. Hatchett’s laboratory and …

Inside Unlv, Erin O'Donnell, Carol C. Harter, Diane Russell, Jennifer Vaughan

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Quarterly Report, October 2004 To December 2004, Earl Wolfram, Thomas Hartmann, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This project will examine inert matrix fuels containing ZrO₂ and MgO as the inert matrix, with the relative amount of MgO varied from 30% to 70% in ZrO₂. Reactor physics calculations will be used to examine suitable quantities of burnable poisons from the candidate elements Gd, Er, or Hf with reactor grade Pu providing the fissile component, with up to 10% of ²³⁹Pu. Ceramics will be synthesized and characterized based on the reactor physics results. The solubility the fuel ceramics, in reactor conditions, reprocessing conditions, and repository conditions, will be investigated in a manner to provide …

Perceived Indicators Of Support Leading To The Successful Attainment Of The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards Certification., Richard W. Bales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been limited research completed to identify supports or supporting behaviors that assisted candidates while they were completing the national board certification process. Identifying support factors that assisted national board certified teachers to the successful completion of the process was the primary focus of this study.

A qualitative research method was used to interview national board certified teachers, their teaching colleagues, and their administrators. Questions were posed from the interview guides developed for each of the three targeted groups. Information derived from the interviews focused on the perceived supports that lead to the successful attainment of the national board …

Green Card, Blood Card, Or June 4 Card: The Chinese Student Protection Act Of 1992, Linxiang Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will detail the actual reasons behind the passage of the Chinese Student Protection Act (CSPA) of 1992. It will demonstrate that the passage of this act is rooted in American political desires, American partisan conflicts, and a sophisticated lobbying effort on the part of Chinese students and scholars, who had their own, often complicated, reasons for not wishing to return to China.

To set the stage for this work, it will provide significant background information on three topics: Chinese-American immigration history prior to 1989, the "Crisis of 1989" itself, and the respective responses of the American Congress and …

Undergraduate Academic Success During The Semester Of Reinstatement Following Academic Dismissal, Michael F. Cogan

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the success patterns of academically dismissed undergraduate students who were subsequently reinstated at a mid-sized research university the following semester. The academic dismissals in this study occurred between the fall of 1999 and the spring of 2003. The university reinstatement policies provided the researcher with a unique opportunity to measure a relatively large sample (N=973).

Two regression techniques were utilized to identify significant predictor variables that could be utilized to make administrative decisions regarding future reinstatement activities. Linear regression results indicated that honor point deficiency accrual during the semester of dismissal was a significant predictor of term …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Emotional Intelligence In-Service Program For Secondary School Teachers, Seval Fer

The Qualitative Report

This paper is an attempt to evaluate the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) In-Service Program on the basis of experiences of 20 secondary school teachers who attended the program in a private school in Turkey. A phenomenological approach, with a focus group method was used. The first objective of this study was to evaluate EQ program on the basis of teachers’ experiences. The second was to explore the teachers’ perceptions about the implications of EQ skills in classroom situations. The results were discussed in terms of the evaluation of the EQ program and its implications for learning and teaching activities in the …

Phd Students Perceptions Of The Relationship Between Philosophy And Research: A Qualitative Investigation, Joan Efinger, Nancy Maldonado, Geri Mcardle

The Qualitative Report

This study explored, described, and discovered meaning in the lived experiences of PhD students regarding two courses: Philosophy of Science and Qualitative Methods. The philosophical underpinning was constructivism. The phenomenological methodology employed a structured questionnaire to collect data. It involved mailed computer disks with questions. Twenty of 43 students returned the disks. Content analysis and QSR N6 software were employed in data analysis. Findings included three broad areas: Thinking about Thinking, The Ah-Ha of Me and Thee, and The Never-Ending Journey of Darkness to Light. Philosophy of Science appears to have value for students in every aspect of their lives. …

Ab Initio Calculation Of Electronic And Optical Properties Of Beryllium Chalcogenides (Bes, Bese, And Bete) Under The Effect Of Pressure, Aisha Ali Saif Bannan Al-Kaabi

Theses

There are several methods for materials simulation. Ab initio or first principles methods are used to solve the quantum mechanical equation which govern the behavior of a system. Ab initio calculation of the optical and electronic properties of solids is fundamental in solid state physics. APW+lo is used to examine different properties of BeS, BeSe and BeTe. Beryllium compounds show different features in structure under different pressures, and they also show a phase transition from Zinc blende to Hexagonal transitions in II-VI semiconductors. Little is known about the ground state properties of Beryllium Chalcogenides. The aim of this work is …

Magmatic Sources, Setting And Causes Of Eocene To Recent Patagonian Plateau Magmatism (36°S To 52°S Latitude), Suzanne M. Kay, Matthew Gorring, Victor A. Ramos

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Continental back-arc and within-plate basaltic volcanic provinces provide a view into the evolution of the mantle beneath continents and the mass flux of materials that are subducted, but not extracted by arc volcanism. One of the largest continental mafic provinces is the Patagonian province where large mafic plateau volcanic events ranging in age from late Paleocene to Recent have occurred in the absence of major extension. The largest events produced the Eocene Posadas Formation (∼46°S to 50°S), the late Oligocene to early Miocene Somuncura magmatic province (41°S to 43°S plus similar age magmas up to 46°S), the late Miocene to …

A Watershed-Based Classification System For Lakes In Agriculturally-Dominated Ecosystems: A Case Study Of Nebraska Reservoirs, Henry N. N. Bulley

Department of Geography: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In recent decades substantial progress has been made in improving the quality of surface waters in the United States (Hawkins et al., 2000; EPA, 2000; EPA, 2001); nevertheless, much work remains to be done in assessing the state of impairment of lake waters. Impairment implies that the existing water quality of a lake, as measured by selected criteria (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, Secchi depth), exceeds a threshold value or standard that presumably reflects optimal attainable lake water quality conditions (or "reference" conditions) (Hughes, 1995; EPA, 2000; EPA, 2001). Such impaired waters are not suitable for designated uses such as drinking, …

Contextual Biometric Watermarking Of Fingerprint Images, Nikhil C. Tungala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research presents contextual digital watermarking techniques using face and demographic text data as multiple watermarks for protecting the evidentiary integrity of fingerprint image. The proposed techniques embed the watermarks into selected regions of fingerprint image in MDCT and DWT domains. A general image watermarking algorithm is developed to investigate the application of MDCT in the elimination of blocking artifacts. The application of MDCT has improved the performance of the watermarking technique compared to DCT. Experimental results show that modifications to fingerprint image are visually imperceptible and maintain the minutiae detail. The integrity of the fingerprint image is verified through …

Models Of High-Temperature Desulfurization Using Zinc-Based Sorbents, Yong Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study focuses on determining models that are currently available to describe gas-solid reactions to predict the observed (experimental) results from a series of TGA experiments. Variations of the GPM (Grainy Pellet Model) were used and shown to give good agreement with experimental conversion histories of zinc oxide particle undergoing sulfidation using H2S at temperature in the range of 482 to 593 degree centigrade.;By using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and Visilog(TM) imaging analysis software, the grain size distribution and grain sphericity can be obtained.;The basic forms of the SCM (Shrinking Core Model) and GPM models could not predict correctly the …

Women And Social Services In Saudi Arabia, Khadija Nasseef

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This master thesis talks about social services for women that provided by social welfare agencies in Saudi Arabia. This thesis is a descriptive study that uses the content analysis as a method to investigate social services agencies that provides special services for women. This thesis also had special interest in social services that improve women's lives in Saudi Arabia. The content analysis is made on documents and brochures of 4 main social services agencies that offer services for women. The content analysis was made in term of these agencies main aim and target, their main massage, their programs for women, …

Use Of Commercial Cfd Software For Assessing The Performance Of Personal Aerosol Samplers, Aaron J. Bird

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Accurate performance of personal aerosol samplers is critical for industrial hygienists' successful efforts to protect workers. Performance assessments of personal samplers are necessarily conducted in controlled environments so unknown sources of variability will not influence the results. This is done in order that samplers may be used with confidence for monitoring workplace air quality. These performance evaluations are usually conducted in wind tunnels. However, recent advances in high-performance cluster computing---together with advanced flow modeling software---have made it possible to evaluate sampler performance with computer simulations. This was done in the current research. Simulations were conducted for air and particle behavior …

Strength Evaluation Of Honeycomb Frp Sandwich Panels With Sinusoidal Core Geometry, An Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, the demands in civil infrastructure have provided opportunities for development and implementation of Honeycomb Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (HFRP) sandwich panels, both in rehabilitation projects and new constructions.;This dissertation is the first study on strength evaluation of HFRP sandwich panels with sinusoidal core geometry. Core materials for sandwich structures are primarily subjected to out-of-plane compression and shear. Therefore, three major contributions are included in this dissertation: out-of-plane compression, out-of-plane shear, and study on facesheet laminates. Two analytical models, corresponding to pure compression and elastic buckling failure, respectively, are provided for panels subject to out-of-plane compression. The facesheet and core …