Digital Commons Network^™

Integration Of Probabilistic Graphic Models For Decision Support, Jiang C., Poh K., Tze-Yun Leong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

It is a frequently encountered problem that new knowledge arrived when making decisions in a dynamic world. Usually, domain experts cannot afford enough time and knowledge to effectively assess and combine both qualitative and quantitative information in these models. Existing approaches can solve only one of two tasks instead of both. We propose a four-step algorithm to integrate multiple probabilistic graphic models, which can effectively update existing models with newly acquired models. In this algorithm, the qualitative part of model integration is performed first, followed by the quantitative combination. We illustrate our method with an example of combining three models. …

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Hearing And Hearing-Impaired Children’S Human Figure Drawings, Chia-Liang Timothy Hu

EVMS School of Health Professions Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to further the research of human figure drawings as useful assessment tools and add to the understanding of children’s human figure drawings from a cross-cultural perspective.

In this quantitative study, 147 human figure drawings made by 59 hearing and 64 hearing-impaired Taiwanese children and 24 hearing-impaired American children were collected. In addition, 50 drawings done by hearing American children were randomly chosen from the children’s drawing database of Eastern Virginia Medical School Graduate Art Therapy Program. Five Formal Elements Art Therapy Scales (FEATS) scales were modified for use with human figure drawings and were …

Theorizing Agency, Susan Carle

American University Law Review

Progressive legal scholars today exhibit contrasting views on the scope of legal actors' agency in making "choices" about how to lead their lives. Feminist legal scholar Joan C. Williams, for example, challenges claims that women who leave the paid workforce to stay home with children have made a voluntary choice to take this path. Critical race scholar Ian Haney López, on the other hand, argues that the social construction of racial identity occurs precisely through the many voluntary choices members of both subordinated and dominant racial groups make about matters that implicate racial meanings. Williams contests the idea of voluntary …

The "New Judicial Federalism" Before Its Time: A Comprehensive Review Of Economic Substantive Due Process Under State Constitutional Law Since 1940 And The Reasons For Its Recent Decline, Anthony B. Sanders

American University Law Review

The coming of the New Deal may have spelled the end of the Lochner era in the federal courts, but in the state courts Lochner's doctrine of economic substantive due process lives on. Since the New Deal, courts in almost every state have rebuffed the United States Supreme Court and have interpreted their own state constitutions' due process clauses to provide substantive protections to economic liberties. This Article presents a comprehensive survey of state court use of economic substantive due process since the New Deal. It includes an enumeration of every instance since 1940 of a state court of highest …

Homegrown Child Pornography And The Commerce Clause: Where To Draw The Line On Interstate Production Of Child Pornography, Lauren Bianchini

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Novel Method For Determination Of Dielectric Properties Of Materials Using A Combined Embedded Modulated Scattering And Near-Field Microwave Techniques-Part Ii: Dielectric Property Recalculation, R. Zoughi, Dana Hughes

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of combined embedded modulated scattering technique and near-field microwave nondestructive testing techniques is investigated as a novel method for evaluating the dielectric properties of a material. The forward formulation for determining the reflection coefficient at the aperture of a waveguide radiating into a dielectric half-space in which a PIN diode-loaded dipole (i.e., modulated scattering technique probe) is embedded was presented in Part I of this paper. Here, in Part II, the recalculation of the dielectric properties, using the results of the forward model, is presented along with some associated experimental results.

A Block Oriented Fingerprinting Scheme In Relational Database, Siyuan Liu, Shuhong Wang, Robert H. Deng, Weizhong Shao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The need for protecting rights over relational data is of ever increasing concern. There have recently been some pioneering works in this area. In this paper, we propose an effective fingerprinting scheme based on the idea of block method in the area of multimedia fingerprinting. The scheme ensures that certain bit positions of the data contain specific values. The bit positions are determined by the keys known only to the owner of the data and different buyers of the database have different bit positions and different specific values for those bit positions. The detection of the fingerprint can be completed …

Gamma-Ray Induced Photoconductivity In Pyrex, Quartz, And Vycor, Shoaib Usman, Lubna Shoaib, James N. Anno

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Results of an experimental investigation are reported on photoconductive response of Pyrex, Quartz and Vycor. This research was conducted as a feasibility study for developing a new gamma dose measurement device based on the principle of photoconductivity. However, data collected in this study are equally valuable for various other applications where these materials are to be used in high radiation field. Our experiments and analyzes indicated that the selected dosimeter materials exhibit photoconductivity and respond to changes in gamma dose rate within a useful range. Pyrex glass suffered radiation damage at a relatively high dose rate of 0.25 Gys/sup -1/. …

Reliability Measurement Of Mass Storage System For Onboard Instrumentation, Minsu Choi, Nohpill Park, Vincenzo Piuri, Fabrizio Lombardi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Advances in spaceborne vehicular technology have made possible the long-life duration of the mission in harsh cosmic environments. Reliability and data integrity are the commonly emphasized requirements of spaceborne solid-state mass storage systems, because faults due to the harsh cosmic environments, such as extreme radiation, can be experienced throughout the mission. Acceptable dependability for these instruments has been achieved by using redundancy and repair. Reconfiguration (repair) of memory arrays using spare memory lines is the most common technique for reliability enhancement of memories with faults. Faulty cells in memory arrays are known to show spatial locality. This physical phenomenon is …

An Improvement And A Generalization Of Zippel's Sparse Multivariate Polynomial Interpolation Algorithm, Michael D. Brazier

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The algorithm most often used for the problem of interpolating sparse multivariate polynomials from their values is Zippel's probabilistic algorithm (1988). The algorithm evaluates the function to be interpolated at a significant number of points, and for many problems of interest processing evaluations dominates the running time. This thesis presents an improvement of Zippel's algorithm, which decreases the number of evaluations needed for an interpolation by using transposed Vandermonde systems for the univariate interpolation step of Zippel's algorithm. The technique also allows a more general form of the algorithm: it becomes possible to interpolate more than one variable within a …

Improving The Performance Of Nested Loop Algorithm Using Separators, Nachiappan N. Nachiappan

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This thesis studies the properties of distance-based outliers and a better detection method for large multi-dimensional datasets. Outlier detection is an important task to find out the objects that deviate in a high ratio from the rest of the objects. The proposed algorithm breaks the data set into divisions and sets the area of access for each division, thus reducing the unnecessary access for a major set of elements. This algorithm reduces the run time of the existing algorithm by using separators. Datasets of varying sizes have been tested to analyze the empirical values of these procedures. Effective data structures …

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 …

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 …

A Framework To Learn Bayesian Network From Changing, Multiple-Source Biomedical Data, Li G., Tze-Yun Leong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Structure learning in Bayesian network is a big issue. Many efforts have tried to solve this problem and quite a few algorithms have been proposed. However, when we attempt to apply the existing methods to microarray data, there are three main challenges: 1) there are many variables in the data set, 2) the sample size is small, and 3) microarray data are changing from experiment to experiment and new data are available quickly. To address these three problems, we assume that the major functions of a kind of cells do not change too much in different experiments, and propose a …

Remote Physiological Monitoring: Clinical, Financial, And Behavioral Outcomes In A Heart Failure Population, Laurel R. Hudson Msn, Rn, G. Brent Hamar Dds, Mph, Patty Orr Rn, Edd, Jeffrey H. Johnson Bs, Amy Neftzger Ma, Richard S. Chung Md, Myra L. Williams Mph, William M. Gandy Edd, Albert Crawford Phd, Mba, Msis, Janice L. Clarke Rn, Bba, Neil I. Goldfarb

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

This article reports on the outcomes associated with remote physiological monitoring (RPM) conducted as part of a heart failure disease management program. Claims data, medical records, data transmission records, and survey results for 91 individuals ages 50–92 (mean 74 years) successfully completing a heart failure RPM program were analyzed for time periods before, during, and after the monitoring intervention. The program was associated with significant reductions in per member per month costs and emergency room and hospital utilization. More detailed analyses were performed for specific gender and age subgroups. Participant surveys indicated high levels of satisfaction, and improvements in self-perceived …

Opting Out Of Liability: The Forthcoming, Near-Total Demise Of The Modern Class Action, Myriam E. Gilles

Articles

It is reasonable to expect that courts will demonstrate great solicitude for the recent innovation that I term "collective action waivers" - i.e., contractual provisions contained within arbitration agreements whereby consumers and others waive their rights to participate in any form of collective litigation or class arbitration. The history of mass tort class actions and the hegemonic expansion of pro-arbitration jurisprudence compel this conclusion. And, as the now-dominant economic model of contract law has moved the focus of courts from the value of consent to the value of efficiency, arbitration agreements found in all manner of shrink-wrap, scroll-text and bill-stuffer …

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 …

Characterization Of Binary Offset Carrier (Boc) Systems Coexisting With Other Wideband Signals, John M. Hedenberg

Theses and Dissertations

Results for modeling, simulation, and analysis of interference effects that modern interfering signals have on the system performance of the Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) signals, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) Military System (M-Code signal) are addressed in this work. Three signals are addressed as potential interferers. These include the current GPS clear/acquisition code (C/A-Code) signal, the current GPS precision code (P-Code) signal, and an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) signal. All of these potential interferers are modeled as coexisting within the same bandwidth as the M-Code signal. Interference effects are characterized by comparing the bit error performance of …

Gaussian Mixture Reduction For Bayesian Target Tracking In Clutter, David J. Petrucci

Theses and Dissertations

The Bayesian solution for tracking a target in clutter results naturally in a target state Gaussian mixture probability density function (pdf) which is a sum of weighted Gaussian pdf's, or mixture components. As new tracking measurements are received, the number of mixture components increases without bound, and eventually a reduced-component approximation of the original Gaussian mixture pdf is necessary to evaluate the target state pdf efficiently while maintaining good tracking performance. Many approximation methods exist, but these methods are either ad hoc or use rather crude approximation techniques. Recent studies have shown that a measure-function-based mixture reduction algorithm (MRA) may …

Performance Measurements Of Direct Air Injection In A Cavity-Based Flameholder For A Supersonic Combustor, Scott G. Edens

Theses and Dissertations

For several years the Air Force Research Lab Propulsion Directorate has been studying the difficulties in fueling supersonic combustion ramjet engines with hydrocarbon based fuels. Recent investigations have focused on the use of direct air injection into a directly-fueled cavity-based flameholder. Direct air injection has been shown qualitatively to be a valuable tool for improving cavity combustion. Little quantitative data is available that characterizes the performance of cavity-based flameholders. The objective of this research was to quantitatively determine the specific advantages and disadvantages of the direct air injection scheme. This was accomplished via intrusive probing into a supersonic free stream …

Modeling, Stability, And Control Of A Rotatable Tail On A Micro Air Vehicle, Travis J. Higgs

Theses and Dissertations

This research uses existing experimental wind tunnel data to develop a non-linear model that is used to characterize the stability of a flexible wing Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) with a rotatable tail. The experimental data are curve fit based on either angle of attack or angle of sideslip, and the coupled effect of tail rotation and tail deflection on the force and moment coefficients. Static optimization trims the input and state variables for Steady Level Unaccelerated Flight (SLUF). The resulting initial conditions are fed to an open loop non-linear Simulink/Matlab simulation. The study found that the bare MAV design is …

The Application Of Category Theory And Analysis Of Receiver Operating Characteristics To Information Fusion, Steven N. Thorsen

Theses and Dissertations

Multisensor data fusion is presented in a rigorous mathematical format, with definitions consistent with the desires of the data fusion community. A model of event-state fusion is developed and described. Definitions of fusion rules and fusors are introduced, along with the functor categories of which they are objects. Defining fusors and competing fusion rules involves the use of an objective function of the researcher's choice. One such objective function, a functional on families of classification systems, and in particular, receiver operating characteristics (ROCs), is introduced. Its use as an objective function is demonstrated in that the argument that minimizes it …

Genetic And Molecular Analysis Of Phytochromes From The Filamentous Fungus Neurospora Crassa, Allan C. Froehlich, Bosl Noh, Richard D. Vierstra, Jennifer Loros, Jay C. Dunlap

Dartmouth Scholarship

Phytochromes (Phys) comprise a superfamily of red-/far-red-light-sensing proteins. Whereas higher-plant Phys that control numerous growth and developmental processes have been well described, the biochemical characteristics and functions of the microbial forms are largely unknown. Here, we describe analyses of the expression, regulation, and activities of two Phys in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. In addition to containing the signature N-terminal domain predicted to covalently associate with a bilin chromophore, PHY-1 and PHY-2 contain C-terminal histidine kinase and response regulator motifs, implying that they function as hybrid two-component sensor kinases activated by light. A bacterially expressed N-terminal fragment of PHY-2 covalently …

Men As Caregivers At The End Of Life, Erik K. Fromme, Linda L. Drach, Susan W. Tolle, Patricia Ebert, Pamela Miller, Nancy Perrin, Virginia P. Tilden

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Few studies have focused on men as caregivers at the end-of-life. The objective of this secondary data analysis was to examine the experiences of men involved in end-oflife caregiving, focusing on caregiver strain.

Methods: We used a random sample of Oregon death certificates to telephone survey family caregivers of Oregonians who had died 2 to 5 months earlier in private homes, nursing homes, and other community-based settings. Measurements included single-item indicators and embedded scales to measure caregiver strain and perceived decedent symptom distress. For the 25 husbands, sons, wives, and daughters who reported the highest levels of strain, we …

Testing Linearity In Cointegrating Relations With An Application To Purchasing Power Parity, Seung Hyun Hong, Peter C.B. Phillips

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops a linearity test that can be applied to cointegrating relations. We consider the widely used RESET specification test and show that when this test is applied to nonstationary time series its asymptotic distribution involves a mixture of noncentral chi-squared distributions, which leads to severe size distortions in conventional testing based on the central chi-squared. Nonstationarity is shown to introduce two bias terms in the limit distribution, which are the source of the size distortion in testing. Appropriate corrections for this asymptotic bias leads to a modified version of the RESET test which has a central chi-squared limit …

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 …

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 …

Real-Time Measurements Of Space Potential In Magnetized Plasma Using A Baffled Langmuir Probe, Sean M. Finnegan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An electrostatic probe for real-time measurements of space potential in magnetized plasma is tested in fully ionized, barium, Q-machine plasma. The tungsten wire probe tip, oriented perpendicular to the magnetic field, is partially shielded by ceramic baffles (masks). Rotation of the probe about its cylindrical axis, changes the fraction of electrons that can reach the probe tip along the magnetic field, enabling the ratio between the electron and ion saturation currents to be adjusted without changing the probe bias. When optimally shielded, accurate, real-time measurements of space potential can be acquired.

Size, Age Composition, And Upstream Migration Of American Eels At The Millville Dam Eel Ladder, Shenandoah River, West Virginia, Heather Hildebrand

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abundances of American eel (Anguilla rostrata) are declining along the east coast of the United States and Canada, possibly due to habitat loss and barriers to migration. In Atlantic coast watersheds, dams detain upstream migration of juveniles, and little is known about age class composition, age-length relationships, or environmental cues to upstream migration of yellow-phase eels. An eel ladder was installed on the Millville hydroelectric dam, lower Shenandoah River, WV, to facilitate and monitor the upstream movement of yellow phase eels. Daily length measurements (TL cm) and weights (g) were taken on eels using the ladder during three sampling periods; …

Culvert Inventory And Effects On Fish Assemblages In A Central Appalachian Watershed, Ira O. Poplar-Jeffers

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We surveyed 120 state-owned culverts within the upper Cheat River basin, West Virginia, and used a fish passage evaluation filter to quantify passage barriers. We quantified the length of stream and weighted potential brook trout recruitment area isolated by each culvert. We also sampled fish communities upstream and downstream of 24 culverts to quantify the impacts of culvert-related isolation on fish assemblages. We found 69% of culverts to be completely impassable. We determined that 17% of the stream length and 23% of weighted potential recruitment area in the study area were isolated by impassable culverts. We found that impassable culverts …