Digital Commons Network^™

A Scalable Correlation Aware Aggregation Strategy For Wireless Sensor Networks, Yujie Zhu, Ramanuja Vedantham, Seung Jong Park, Raghupathy Sivakumar

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sensors-to-sink data in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are typically correlated with each other. Exploiting such correlation when performing data aggregation can result in considerable improvements in the bandwidth and energy performance of WSNs. In order to exploit such correlation, we present a scalable and distributed correlation-aware aggregation structure that addresses the practical challenges in the context of aggregation in WSNs. Through simulations and analysis, we evaluate the performance of the proposed approach with centralized and distributed correlation aware and unaware structures.

A Generic Object-Oriented Tabu Search Framework, Hoong Chuin Lau, Xiaomin Jia, Wee Chong Wan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Presently, most tabu search designers devise their applications without considering the potential of design and code reuse, which consequently prolong the development of subsequent applications. In this paper, we propose a software solution known as Tabu Search Framework (TSF), which is a generic C++ software framework for tabu search implementation. The framework excels in code recycling through the use of a well- designed set of generic abstract classes that clearly define their collaborative roles in the algorithm. Additionally, the framework incorporates a centralized process and control mechanism that enhances the search with intelligence. This results in a generic framework that …

Transformation For What?, John White Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

One of the most significant of global security reassessments is currently underway, driven by Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, continuing technological developments, budget constraints, and the debate associated with the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review. To provide senior defense leaders with ideas on security transformation, the Strategic Studies Institute has joined with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government to bring together top experts on an annual basis. For the third meeting in this series—held in November 2004—the National Defense University joined as a partner. The informed and …

A Qualitative Modeling Method For Platform Design, Michael Van Wie, Robert B. Stone, Asli Sahin, Janis Terpenny, Fabrice Alizon, Steve Shooter, Timothy Simpson

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of a collection of related products sharing a common platform represents an important approach in modern product design. an ongoing problem is the application of design methods toward a limited set of evolving product data and archived design knowledge to search and explore alternative platform options. with the goal of maximizing the reuse of end item artifacts and supply chain elements, we propose a design modeling method using basic qualitative relationships among relevant performance, design, and noise parameters in the system of interest. by using qualitative models related to multiple levels of design data, the method provides a …

The Missouri Miner, December 1, 2005

The Missouri Miner Newspaper

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Redirecting Strategy On Self Injurious Behavior Manifested By A Subject With Multiple Disabilities, Maria Estevanes Strickland

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a strategy involving redirection would reduce or extinguish self-injurious behavior (SIB). The subject, a ten-year-old girl, diagnosed with a seizure disorder, functioned at as eight month old level is confined to a wheel chair and is completely dependent on others for transportation and self-care needs. A single subject, ABAB design was used. The study was aimed at measuring SIB episodes during the baseline and treatment phases. A communication board was used during the treatment phases. The results indicate that the use of the communication board successfully reduced the episodes of self-injurious …

Radar - A Novel Admission Control And Handoff Management Scheme For Multimedia Leo Satellite Networks, Syed Rashidali Rizvi

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks are deployed as an enhancement to terrestrial wireless networks in order to provide broadband services to users regardless of their location. In addition to global coverage, these satellite systems support communications with hand-held devices and offer low cost-per-minute access cost, making them promising platforms for Personal Communication Services (PCS). LEO satellites are expected to support multimedia traffic and to provide their users with some form of Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees. However, the limited bandwidth of the satellite channel, satellite rotation around the Earth and mobility of end-users makes QoS provisioning and mobility management …

University Of Northern Iowa Graduate Council Minutes, December 1, 2005, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate Council.

Documents - Graduate Council

Meeting minutes from the Graduate Council of the University of Northern Iowa.

Cryptanalysis Of A Forward Secure Blind Signature Scheme With Provable Security, Shuhong Wang, Feng Bao, Robert H. Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A forward secure blind signature scheme was proposed by Duc, Cheon and Kim, in ICICS 2003. The security of the scheme was proved to be equivalent to the strong RSA assumption in the random oracle model. In this paper we present an attack to the scheme by forging valid signatures with public keys only. The attack is so efficient that forging a valid signature needs less computation than legally generating a signature, even considering only the user side. Our result implies that the security proof of the scheme must be invalid. Furthermore we point out the fault of the proof …

The Caenorhabditis Elegans Heterochronic Regulator Lin-14 Is A Novel Transcription Factor That Controls The Developmental Timing Of Transcription From The Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor Gene Ins-33 By Direct Dna Binding, Marta Hristova, Darcy Birse, Yang Hong, Victor Ambros

Dartmouth Scholarship

A temporal gradient of the novel nuclear protein LIN-14 specifies the timing and sequence of stage-specific developmental events in Caenorhabditis elegans. The profound effects of lin-14 mutations on worm development suggest that LIN-14 directly or indirectly regulates stage-specific gene expression. We show that LIN-14 can associate with chromatin in vivo and has in vitro DNA binding activity. A bacterially expressed C-terminal domain of LIN-14 was used to select DNA sequences that contain a putative consensus binding site from a pool of randomized double-stranded oligonucleotides. To identify candidates for genes directly regulated by lin-14, we employed DNA microarray hybridization to compare …

Are Specific Language Impairment And Dyslexia Distinct Disorders?, Hugh W. Catts, Suzanne M. Adlof, Tiffany Hogan, Susan Ellis Weismer

Faculty Publications

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to determine whether specific language impairment (SLI) and dyslexia are distinct developmental disorders.

Method - Study 1 investigated the overlap between SLI identified in kindergarten and dyslexia identified in 2nd, 4th, or 8th grades in a representative sample of 527 children. Study 2 examined phonological processing in a subsample of participants, including 21 children with dyslexia only, and 43 children with SLI only, 18 children with SLI and dyslexia, and 165 children with typical language/reading development. Measures of phonological awareness and nonword repetition were considered.

Results - Study 1 showed limited but …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Sensationalism In Media, William B. Frye

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sensationalism is a much discussed and examined topic in journalism. This study examines many aspects of sensationalism from its variety of different definitions to its possible effects on the media audience. It briefly touches upon its history and how it has evolved as a concept in the media.;Sensationalism was examined and quantified through a research methodology that inspected three different media markets. This research is an attempt to explore new areas of sensationalism that will need to be studied. The study shows which markets have more sensational content than others; demonstrating the use of sensationalism among different newspapers with varying …

Cooperative Diversity For The Cellular Uplink: Sharing Strategies, Performance Analysis, And Receiver Design, Kanchan G. Vardhe

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this thesis, we propose data sharing schemes for the cooperative diversity in a cellular uplink to exploit diversity and enhance throughput performance of the system. Particularly, we consider new two and three-or-more user decode and forward (DF) protocols using space time block codes. We discuss two-user and three-user amplify and forward (AF) protocols and evaluate the performance of the above mentioned data sharing protocols in terms of the bit error rate and the throughput in an asynchronous code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular uplink. We develop a linear receiver for joint space-time decoding and multiuser detection that provides full …

Implications For The Small Mammal And Earthworm Communities In A Degraded Ecosystem, Jennifer Aaron Edalgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Pennsylvania, we trapped small mammals in areas dominated by Morrow's honeysuckle, an invasive shrub, and we determined that prebaiting 1 and 2 days before the actual trapping period did not improve trapping success. We do not recommend using the added resources (i.e., time, money, personnel, and equipment) to incorporate prebaiting into trapping regimes because trapping success was not improved. We fluorescent powdertracked mice in old field and forested areas with Morrow's honeysuckle encroachment to determine the microhabitat they selected. Mice selected paths with high shrub and tree cover and low herbaceous cover. They selected native …

Exploring Career Satisfaction, Burnout, And Compassion Fatigue As Indicators Of The Quality Of Career Engagement Of Public School Educators, Beth Colleen Robinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study explored the experiences of career satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue in public school educators working with students in Primary/Kindergarten through grade 12 in schools in Nova Scotia and West Virginia. The research participants included 184 teachers, counselors, and administrators employed by the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board in Nova Scotia and Monongalia County Board of Education in West Virginia. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing the constructs of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue that have been conceptualized in this study as indicators of healthy career engagement, career disengagement, and career overengagement, respectively. Participants also responded to a demographic …

Cellular Mechanisms Of Luteal Regression In The Bovine Corpus Luteum (Cl), Aritro Sen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The corpus luteum (CL) is a transient endocrine gland that produces progesterone (P4) for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. In absence of pregnancy, timely regression of the CL is essential for normal ovarian cyclicity. Several factors are known to participate in luteal regression. In this study, two factors, PGF2 alpha and endothelin (ET-1) are being studied. Protein kinase C (PKC) and calcium are the two main intracellular mediators of PGF2 alpha. The role of ET-1 in the regulation of luteal regression is unclear. The early CL is insensitive to the luteolytic actions of PGF2 alpha and the cellular mechanism(s) …

The Influence Of Beaver Impoundments On Vegetative Composition, And Modeling Habitat Suitability As A Tool For Wildlife Management And Conservation, Jerry Leanne Bonner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Beavers (Castor canadensis) can have dramatic effects on vegetative communities through impounding streams and wetlands. These alterations may influence rare plant species where beaver create ponds. We found that the youngest and oldest beaver ponds in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, USA had similar species richness. Rare plant species occurred most in oldest ponds, although no significant differences were detected. Species composition around ponds was found to be different between areas influenced by ponds versus those not affected, creating more obligate wetland communities when influenced by beaver. This information should be incorporated into management decisions when rare plant species conservation is …

Adoption Of Resource -Conserving Agricultural Technologies: An Economic And *Policy Analysis For South Africa, Daniel Vusanani Dlamini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Land degradation continues to be a threat to the agricultural sector of South Africa. Land degradation induced by agricultural production activities is considered to be among the major factors responsible for a decline in land productivity. Conservation efforts through government intervention and voluntary efforts have produced minimal success compared to the desired targets. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors that influence the adoption decisions of resource conserving technologies in the context of commercial farmers in South Africa.;Adoption of conservation-oriented agricultural technologies in South Africa is influenced by a wide range of economic and social factors, and …

The Impact Of Points Of Impasse On Conflict Escalation During The Special Education Conflict Resolution Process, Deedra Jane Lundeen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Current literature reveals the disparity between the knowledge that strong parent-school partnerships are integral to planning and implementing educational programming for exceptional children, and the ability of parents and school personnel to identify and deescalate conflict when it occurs. Several studies acknowledged variables that helped build and maintain strong parent-school collaboration, and identified factors that escalated or de-escalated parent conflict. However, the research is sparse regarding factors that impact points of impasse on conflict escalation between parents and school districts during the special education conflict resolution process. Such information could provide stakeholders with deeper insight into the dynamic aspects of …

Understanding Mindfulness: Implications For Instruction And Learning, Todd Lyle Stoops

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This Dissertation examines the literature concerning Mindfulness as it relates to Educational Psychology and overviews a research study conducted to add empirical research on Mindfulness instruction and learning. The literature review is divided into three categories of Mindfulness which are defined and discussed according to applications and implications for education. These three categories are (a) Mindfulness as a meditative practice for teachers and in its use in teacher education programs, (b) clinical and therapeutic applications of Mindfulness in contemporary psychology, and (c) Mindfulness in Educational Psychology. Established constructs from the literature of psychology and education are related to the concepts …

Learner Satisfaction And Learning Performance In Online Courses On Bioterrorism And Weapons Of Mass Destruction, Tatiana I. Solovieva

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relationships between measures of (a) learner satisfaction with online courses on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and bioterrorism intended to address the educational needs of responder Communities of Practice (CoP) and (b) degrees of accomplishment by the learner with those online courses. Provided that course design characteristics were similar between courses and that content was different, it was important to examine learner satisfaction with course common aspects in relation to learning outcomes and identify the predictors of effectiveness and relations between the learner satisfaction with the course characteristics and the learner achievement for potential design improvements …

Perceptions Of Directors Of Special Education Related To Their Knowledge And Training, Francis J. Super

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigates the perceptions of the knowledge base that are held by directors of special education. The study focuses on one main research question: What is the knowledge base special education directors feel they need to know in the field of special education? Mixed methodology, constant comparative method as described by Maycut and Morehouse (1994) and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, is used to analyze data from a survey and interviews. Survey data was collected from 45 current special education administrators along with in-depth interview data from 6 directors. The interviewees were chosen randomly using selective sampling based …

Software Tools For Real-Time Simulation And Control, Raghu Sankarayogi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this thesis is to design and simulate a multi-agent based energy management system for a shipboard power system in hard real-time environment. The automatic reconfiguration of shipboard power systems is essential to improve survivability. Multi-agent technology is used in designing the reconfigurable energy management system using a self-stabilizing maximum flow algorithm. The agent based energy management system is designed in a Matlab/Simulink environment. Reconfiguration is performed for several situations including start-up, loss of an agent, limited available power, and distribution to priority ranked loads. The number of steps taken to reach the global solution and the time …

Action Research Analysis Of The Forces Affecting Farmer Participation In A West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Farmer Education Program, John Robert Edalgo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study uses action research principles and Kurt Lewin's field theory to investigate the forces dictating farmer participation in the Decision Enabling Data Collection and Management System Initiative (DEDCMSI). These forces were classified in Chapter IV under the following project categories: Hardware, Software, Perception of DEDCMSI, Perception of Technology, and Sociocultural. This West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service (WVUCES) initiative organized four farm finance groups located in the following counties: Ohio, Jefferson, Mineral, and Monroe. Data collection methods used to identify forces occurring within this seven-month pilot project is listed here as follows: structured, semi-structured, and un-structured interviews. A total …

Software Project Management Plan For System Management Tool (Smt), Diana J. Marrs

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The University of Kansas Edwards Campus expanded from one building with three computer labs to two buildings with six computer labs, doubling the number of computers that must be managed, yet there is no funding for additional IT staff. The campus will add a third building in the next five years. The current method for maintaining computers, service packs, updates, and software is to manually check them. There is no systematic method for keeping track of license counts and maintaining virus protection and updates. A more efficient method of managing computers was needed. We examined commercial products and determined that …

Economics Of Information Security - Developing A Model For Information Security Cost Minimization, Solomon Ogara

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

In an increasingly global environment, any organization and or individual who seek to make a positive difference cannot ignore the need for an information strategy that would position them to be winners rather than losers in the market place. Given the growing scarcity of resources, such a strategy has to be carefully planned in such a way that it is cost effective and financially sustainable. The internal security measures should be such that they don't consume the resources of the organization and leave it unable to build a sustainable information security base. On the other hand there is always the …

Sioux Valley Intensive Air Web-Based Scheduling Application, Chad Breidenbach

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The pilots of the Sioux Valley Intensive Air Program currently maintain their schedule on a static calendar. They cannot directly update the schedule and upon taking the shift of another pilot, the pilot taking a shift must notify the pilot whose shift he or she took. The change must also be reported as a courtesy to the Program Manager. The pilots of the Sioux Valley Intensive Air Program wish to implement a Web-Based Scheduling Application that will give them up-to-date scheduling information and allow them to make shift changes online while providing automatic notification of a shift change to the …

Selecting And Implementing A Large Scalable File System At Mayo Clinic, Charles S. Brust

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

In the healthcare field, information is paramount to making correct decisions. Thus, healthcare organizations have historically kept all possible data, and applied it toward diagnosis, and later to research. In past years, the storage of these records meant large warehouses filled with folders of papers. In the early 1990s, healthcare companies began a conversion to electronic medical record keeping. With this conversion the stacks of records took on a new form: millions of files spread over many servers. The proliferation of these files has, over time, become unmanageable due to the large volume and the aging of support infrastructure. As …

Website Development For E-Gardening Nursery Online Store, Jun Mou

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

This project successfully develops a web-based database-driven information system (an E-commerce website) with good quality. This website is developed for a small virtual online store and the key goal of this project is that the project must be completed at quite low developing cost. The project design and implementation are superior, because the project goal is very well achieved at a very low developing cost, by appropriately using some high-quality open­source resources (such as MySQL, JSP, Java Servlet, and Tomcat server). This website also realizes quite low maintenance cost, because of its effective "code-reuse implementation". In addition, the whole project …

Wireless Protected Access, Abhishek Neelakanata

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The researcher identified security issues in the wireless network, and discussed methods and the importance of a securing wireless network. Wireless network encryption in use today were examined for their vulnerabilities and the researcher determined that most of the wireless security features in use today do not provide adequate security measure. The researcher recommended that home or Small Office/ Home Office (SOHO) environment users to make the best of what is available for securing wireless networks i.e. upgrade to WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2), or use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) with truly random value with minimum 20 characters of PSK …