Digital Commons Network^™

The Forest Seer, David H. Gordon

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Robust Variogram Estimation Via Rank Correlation And Median Absolute Deviation Correlation, Isaac C. Grenfell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Screening Level Study Of Pharmaceuticals In Septic Tanks, Ground Water, And Surface Water In Missoula, Montana, Emily Godfrey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Telling All: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act And The Ideal Of Transparency, David A. Westbrook

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

The Voyage Of The Neptune Jade: The Perils And Promises Of Transnational Labor Solidarity, James B. Atleson

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Leaky Boundaries And The Decline Of The Autonomous Law School Library, James G. Milles

Journal Articles

Academic law librarians have long insisted on the value of autonomy from the university library system, usually basing their arguments on strict adherence to ABA standards. However, law librarians have failed to construct an explicit and consistent definition of autonomy. Lacking such a definition, they have tended to rely on an outmoded Langdellian view of the law as a closed system. This view has long been discredited, as approaches such as law and economics and sociolegal research have become mainstream, and courts increasingly resort to nonlegal sources of information. Blind attachment to autonomy as a goal rather than a means …

Keeping Wetlands Wet: Are Existing Protections Enough?, Kim Diana Connolly

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Banti's Syndrome: Case Report And Review Of Literature, S. N. Waqar, S. Jindhani, N. S. Baig, M. A. Waqar, Faisal Wasim Ismail, Muhammad Tariq

Section of Internal Medicine

No abstract provided.

Optimal Pso For Collective Robotic Search Applications, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Venu Gopal Gudise, Sheetal Doctor

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Unmanned vehicles/mobile robots are of particular interest in target tracing applications since there are many areas where a human cannot explore. Different means of control have been investigated for unmanned vehicles with various algorithms like genetic algorithms, evolutionary computations, neural networks etc. This work presents the application of particle swarm optimization (PSO) for collective robotic search. The performance of the PSO algorithm depends on various parameters called quality factors and these parameters are determined using a secondary PSO. Results are presented to show that the performance of PSO algorithm and search is improved for a single and multiple target searches.

A Distributed Power Control Mac Protocol For Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks., Maciej Jan Zawodniok, Jagannathan Sarangapani

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel distributed power control (DPC)⋅ scheme and a MAC protocol for wireless ad hoc networks in the presence of radio channel uncertainties such as path loss, Shadowing and Rayleigh fading is presented. The DPC quickly estimates the time-varying nature of the channel and uses the information to select a suitable transmitter power value in order to maintain a target Signal-to-Interference ratio (SIR) at the receiver. The standard assumption of a constant interference during a link's power update used in other works is relaxed. The performance of the proposed DPC is demonstrated analytically. The power used for all RTS-CTS-DATA-ACK frames …

Cost Allocation For Transmission Investment Using Agent-Based Game Theory, Jakapun Mepokee, David Lee Enke, Badrul H. Chowdhury

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Due to electrical power restructuring, a dramatic change has been made to the generation and transmission sectors of the power industry. Rules and legislation are continuously changing. To promote more competition, transmission has to be expanded or upgraded to remove congestion and market power. The cost allocation of new investment in transmission has to be recalculated. The socialization methods of the past have been shown to be unfair to some market and network participants. The decentralization of cost allocation must be considered. The proposed paper provides a comparison between traditional cost allocation methods and a new cost allocation method based …

A Taxonomy Of Network Computing Systems, Muthucumaru Maheswaran, Shoukat Ali

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rapid advances in networking and microprocessor technologies have led to the emergence of Internet-wide distributed computing systems ranging from simple LAN-based clusters to planetary-scale networks. As these network computing systems evolve by combining the best features of existing systems, differences among NCs are blurring. To address this problem, researchers have proposed formal taxonomies of NC systems. We propose a new taxonomy that is both broad enough to encompass all NC systems and simple enough to be widely used.

Adaptive Critics For Dynamic Particle Swarm Optimization, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work introduces a novel technique for dynamic particle swarm optimization (DPSO) using adaptive critic designs. The adaptation between global and local search in an optimization algorithm is critical for optimization problems especially in a dynamically changing environment or process over time. The inertia weight in particle swarm optimization (PSO) is dynamically adjusted in this paper in order to provide a nonlinear search capability for the PSO algorithm. Results on benchmark functions in the literature are provided.

Laboratory Automation Education, James D. Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Power Flow And Stability Models For Induction Generators Used In Wind Turbines, Kiran K. Nandigam, Badrul H. Chowdhury

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Model initialization of the induction generator for the wind power generation is investigated. Incorrect initialization may lead to numerical instability problems, not to mention erroneous result from dynamic simulation. The machine model is studied from the perspective of slip and reactive power calculation and tested for various cases. The dynamic reactive power calculation in well-know software package is discussed and the deviation of dynamic reactive power from the steady state reactive power is highlighted.

In-Situ Apparent Conductivity Measurements And Microbial Population Distribution At A Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Site, Estella A. Atekwana, D. Dale Werkema, Joseph W. Duris, Silvia Rossbach, Eliot A. Atekwana, William A. Sauck, Daniel P. Cassidy, Jay Means, Franklyn D. Legall

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We investigated the bulk electrical conductivity and microbial population distribution in sediments at a site contaminated with light nonaqueous-phase liquid (LNAPL). The bulk conductivity was measured using in-situ vertical resistivity probes; the most probable number method was used to characterize the spatial distribution of aerobic heterotrophic and oil-degrading microbial populations. The purpose of this study was to assess if high conductivity observed at aged LNAPL-impacted sites may be related to microbial degradation of LNAPL. The results show higher bulk conductivity coincident with LNAPL-impacted zones, in contrast to geoelectrical models that predict lower conductivity in such zones. The highest bulk conductivity …

Evaluating The Disparity Of Female Breast Cancer Mortality Among Racial Groups - A Spatiotemporal Analysis, Chiehwen E. Hsu, Holly Jacobson, Francisco Soto Mas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background The literature suggests that the distribution of female breast cancer mortality demonstrates spatial concentration. There remains a lack of studies on how the mortality burden may impact racial groups across space and over time. The present study evaluated the geographic variations in breast cancer mortality in Texas females according to three predominant racial groups (non-Hispanic White, Black, and Hispanic females) over a twelve-year period. It sought to clarify whether the spatiotemporal trend might place an uneven burden on particular racial groups, and whether the excess trend has persisted into the current decade.

Methods The Spatial Scan Statistic was employed …

The First Amendment And Public Sector Labor Relations, William A. Herbert

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Shophouse: A Mixed Use Building Type, Tung Vy Tran

Master's Projects

For the last half of the century, it has been obvious that the most popular building type built in America is the single-family house. Effectively ingrained in many as the preferred habitat style, this building type is the main appeal in the idealized American dream of a suburban house with white picket fence. Architects, urban planners, designers. writers and even some citizens understand this dream is also the epitome of sprawl. Driven by capitalistic policies and the apathetic media that often encourage wasteful consumptions and wanton disregard for the environment, sprawl is undoubtedly a complex problem to solve. In city …

Residential Design Review: A Comparative Analysis Of Three Bay Area Cities, Sarah H. Kirchgessner

Master's Projects

In the past 40 years, city officials have started to look at new ways to regulate private development in order to create a sense of community, as well as to maintain and enhance the historic qualities and desirability of their cities for residents. Many cities adopted zoning ordinances in the early 1900s because officials believed that the segregation of uses would improve the quality of life.' However, regulating uses did little to ensure that the aesthetics of new development would be satisfactory to residents and city officials. Zoning ordinances alone have not been able to compel developers, architects, and residents …

Theory And History Of Social Indicators With Demonstration, David Edward Roemer

Master's Projects

This planning report outlines the history and evolution of social indicators into community indicators and examines their use in regional and urban planning. Second, this planning report is a study of the uses and types of indicators that have been, and are being, used for planning at the regional and community level. As such, this report also examines what it means for indicators to be appropriate” and describes how they may also be misused. Third, this report demonstrates the recreation of a Santa Clara County social indicator index based on a 1984 published report updated to the year 2000. The …

Smart Growth And Its Effects On Enhancing The Quality Of Life In San Jose Neighborhoods, Ellen Oteng Nsiah

Master's Projects

This report discusses smart growth principles in the development of two urban neighborhoods in San Jose. The focus of the report is to address the question of whether or not the principles have improved the quality of life in each of the neighborhoods. The report starts with definition of quality of life and smart growth, a profile of the neighborhoods, the smart growth principles used for the development and or revitalization of the neighborhoods and the physical, economic and demographic characteristics of the neighborhoods. An evaluation of these characteristics will be completed and conclusions drawn in order to determine whether …

Bioactive Secondary Metabolites Produced By Marine Microorganisms: Their Isolation, Structural Elucidation And Function, Jiayuan Liu

Open Access Master's Theses

Compared to their terrestrial counterparts, marine microorganisms seem to be a relatively unexplored resource for novel bioactive metabolites. This thesis research aimed to discover new bioactive compounds of pharmaceutical value from the secondary metabolites produced by marine bacteria and fungi. The ecological role of marine bacteria involving the production of antibacterial metabolites was also investigated.

This thesis describes three different studies, all of which are focused on the secondary metabolites produced by marine bacteria or fungi. First, bacteria-bacteria antagonism as a mechanism limiting the spread of Vibrio cholerae in the ocean was investigated using a marine particle-attached bacterial model, SWAT3, …

Assessment Of Problem-Solving Abilities In Normal Adolescents, Kelley Ann Crownover

Open Access Master's Theses

This study examined the problem-solving abilities of adolescents, using a newly designed test, RAPS (the Rapid Assessment of Problem-Solving), by Marshall & Karow (2001). The tool is a modified version of the Twenty Questions Test that measures performance based on the number of questions asked to solve each problem, the percent of constraint-seeking questions used, and the efficiency or the amount of information gained from the first four questions asked. Participants included a total of 20 children with no history of neurological or psychiatric disorders who were categorized by age groups (10-11, 12-13, 14-15, and 16-17) with five subjects in …

Sarcastic Family Climates: Self-Reported Evaluations Of Family Interaction, Effect Of Non-Literal Communication, And Attachment Style, Gary Alan Beck

Open Access Master's Theses

The non-literal aspect of sarcastic utterance meaning opens up multiple perspectives regarding its interpretation, ultimately depending on the context and the relationship between those that use it. Self-reports from 151 young adults indicated that there was significant correlation between father's typical intensity of sarcasm use and subject verbal aggression, with significantly less father intensity of typical sarcasm use reported by subjects with low levels of verbal aggression. These findings suggested that sarcasm use is more prevalent in typical father young-adult directed communication with subjects that report themselves as being moderate and high verbally aggressive communicators. When observing actual communicative episodes …

An Assessment Of Predation By The Lobate Ctenophore Mnemiopsis Leidyi (Agassiz, 1865) On Ichthyoplankton In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, Angela R. Allen

Open Access Master's Theses

I investigated the importance of predation on fish eggs and larvae by the lo bate ctenophore, Mnemiopsis leidyi, in Narragansett Bay, RI, USA, by measuring the abundance and distribution of M. leidyi and its ichthyoplankton prey at five stations in the East and West Passages of the bay from May to August, 2002. During early-June, the M. leidyi population reached an abundance of 682 m^-3 in the mid-bay, while fish egg densities were 3.2 m^-3 and fish larvae were absent. In late June, a maximum larval fish density of 34 100m^-3 was observed, and ctenophore abundance …

The East Wing Beat: The Changing Role Of First Lady, Jacqueline M. Scheible

Theses

First Ladies take on highly visible public roles within the American political system. They serve as role models for American women, symbolically representing the upper-middle-class-white American woman. The mass media cover extensively the women who become first ladies and symbolism associated with the firstladyship. The purpose of the present study is to provide a systematic examination of New York Times coverage of first ladies to understand and interpret change that has occurred in coverage. The findings suggest that first ladies have the opportunity to take advantage of the first lady podium and use it to meet public expectations and fulfill …

Spirituality Of Labor, Krisaya Luenganantakul

Theses

Not Included

Synthetic Landmine Scene Development And Validation In Dirsig, Erin D. Peterson

Theses

Detection and neutralization of surface-laid and buried landmines has been a slow and dangerous endeavor for military forces and humanitarian organizations throughout the world. In an effort to make the process faster and safer, scientists have begun to exploit the ever-evolving passive electro-optical realm of detectors, both from a broadband perspective and a multi or hyperspectral perspective. Carried with this exploitation is the development of mine detection algorithms that take advantage of spectral features exhibited by mine targets, only available in a multi or hyperspectral data set. Difficulty in algorithm development arises from a lack of robust data, which is …

The Muddy Trail, Jonathan Kohles

Theses

Not Included