Digital Commons Network^™

Microwave Reflectometry As A Novel Diagnostic Method For Detection Of Skin Cancers, Kundan Chand, Pratik Mehta, Daryl G. Beetner, R. Zoughi, William V. Stoecker

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

More than one million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the United States and more than ten thousand people die from the disease. Currently, there are some methods for early detection of skin cancers, like visual inspection, but improvements are needed. This paper presents a method involving microwave reflectometry as a diagnostic tool for detection of skin cancers. The results of measurements and simulations for normal and wet skin have been shown to distinguish among skin samples with different properties. Microwave measurements from lesions have also been presented which are used to distinguish between cancerous and benign …

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (Dcis) In Karachi, Naila Kayani, Yasmin Bhurgri

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective:
To study the frequency of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in a large pathology series. DCIS is a proliferation of non-invasive, malignant epithelial cells within the ductolobular system of the breast. It is a heterogeneous entity with several morphologic variants that differ in gross appearance, growth pattern, cytologic features, mammography, and malignant potential.
Methods:
The data of The Aga Khan University' Pathology Department, diagnosed on the basis of histopathology, during a 6-year period (1st January 1998 to 31st December 2003) was reviewed, all cases of DCIS studied, and data was analyzed with the help of analytical software SPSS.
Results: …

Noise And Error Propagation In Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Shital Bipin Desai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is the in vivo visualization and analysis of white matter fiber tracts by measuring the anisotropy of water molecule diffusion in the brain tissue. DTI has been increasingly used in clinical imaging. Diffusion weighted images are affected by noise from the human subject and the MRI scanner. This thesis studies the error propagation in the calculation of the DTI invariant anisotropy, mainly the Fractional Anisotropy (FA) using four methods and their comparison in terms of error, filtering and computational efficiency using simulated and human brain data. These methods were Diffusion Tensor, Diffusion Ellipsoid, Hasan and Platonic …

Text-Independent Speaker Recognition, Smitha Gangisetty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research presents new text-independent speaker recognition system with multivariate tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA) embedded into the recognition system after the feature extraction step. The proposed approach evaluates the performance of such a recognition system when trained and used in clean and noisy environments. Additive white Gaussian noise and convolutive noise are added. Experiments were carried out to investigate the robust ability of PCA and ICA using the designed approach. The application of ICA improved the performance of the speaker recognition model when compared to PCA. Experimental results show that use of …

Methodology To Determine Post Yield Material Mechanical Properties From Spherical Indentation, Bharath Konda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Conventional material testing methods, such as tensile tests require the preparation of specimens and is not applicable for small-size coupons or on-site, in-situ testing. In this research, a method of determining material stress-strain curve based on spherical indentation is studied. Spherical-indentation process is analyzed by finite element (FE) method and a systematic analysis of relationships between indentation parameters and true stress/plastic-strain (sigmat- epsilonp) curve is performed for a range of material properties. A detailed methodology based on Tabor's empirical formula and Meyer's law is developed to determine the material strain hardening properties, Young's modulus and yield strength. It is noticed …

Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction Of The Upper Mississippian Reynolds Limestone In The Central Appalachian Basin Of West Virginia, Simon L. Cole Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Upper Mississippian strata in West Virginia, southern Pennsylvania, and western Maryland are predominantly composed of interbedded limestones and shales. The focus of this study, the Reynolds Limestone, is a formal member of the lower part of the Bluefield Formation, in the Mauch Chunk Group, of the Chesterian Series.;This research addresses fades changes in terms of sea level fluctuations and basinal settings during the deposition of the Reynolds Limestone. Specifically, this research consists of the measurement and description of the seven field localities and thin section analysis of carbonate units within the identified study interval.;Primary objectives were to determine the …

Channel Development On Unreclaimed Surface Mines In The Beaver Creek Watershed, Tucker County, West Virginia, Wendy Dawn Igo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Surface mining has impacted channels in the Beaver Creek watershed of Tucker County, West Virginia. Three streams located in areas with similar geology, topography, climate, and mining disturbances were assessed to define similarities in channel development. Soil properties, vegetation coverage, bank stability, and geomorphology were quantified to determine dominant controls on stream form and process.;Streams were unstable and readjusting as evident by inconsistent width-depth ratios, bank instabilities, variable channel gradients, knickpoints, channel incisions, and erosive channels. Dominant controls on channel form were gradient alteration, bank failures, and vegetation coverage. Six classifications of channel types were established.;Without human intervention, instabilities in …

Localized Double-Quantum Filtered Correlated Spectroscopy On 3t Mri/Mrs Scanner, Senthil Ramamurthy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Standard localized magnetic resonance spectroscopic sequences employ single quantum coherences for excitation and detection. This results in a complex spectra containing large number of resonances. In this thesis we have developed a novel volume localized spectroscopic technique that excites multiple quantum coherences in coupled spin clusters (metabolites) and then reconvert them into single quantum coherences for detection. This results in filtering of uncoupled resonances and also suppresses water with high efficiency. The resulting spectra is reduced in complexity due to the absence of uncoupled resonances.;The technique has been developed in volume localized mode and implemented on a 3T scanner. The …

"The Art To Find The Mind's Construction In The Face," Lombroso's Criminal Anthropology And Literature: The Example Of Zola, Dostoevsky, And Tolstoy, Jeanne Gaakeer

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Conceptual Study Of Employee Self-Limiting Behaviors In Non-Dominant Culture Organizations, Monika L. Hudson

Student Scholarship

In 2005, most large cities in the United States--those with populations of 400,000 or more--find that the majority of their residents are persons of color (US Census, 2000). Various non-profit and/or public sector organizations try to serve these populations; often, these agencies will employ a preponderance of persons from the communities they are attempting to serve to assure that clients can have direct contact with people who "look, speak and act like them". For the purpose of this analysis, when the majority of the employees are non-Euro-Americans, the agencies are called "non-dominant culture" organizations. This paper conceptualizes the impact that …

A Comparison Of Population Sizes And Number Of Captures For The Desert Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) In Two Microhabitats In The Las Vegas Wash, Nevada, Jayson Barangan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Planned removal and eradication of saltcedar in the Las Vegas Wash, Nevada could potentially generate adverse impacts on present desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) populations inhabiting the area. Consequently, research was conducted investigating population sizes of N. lepida in two distinct microhabitat types, saltcedar (Tamarix sp.) and mesquite/quailbush (Prosopis sp./Atriplex lentiformis). The results of this study will aid in gauging the effects of the changes in vegetation once restoration work is completed and assist with logistical scheduling for implementation of control measures. Mark-recapture field techniques were utilized for data collection from July 2002 to June 2003. Population estimates were calculated using …

Streamlining The National Environmental Policy Act Reporting Requirements: A Hard Look At The Healthy Forests Initiative, Jeffrey Alan Geller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has implemented the Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI) (2002), which streamlines the NEPA process for proposed forest fuel reduction projects. A key question is whether the USFS’s streamlined NEPA process produces an adequate environmental document and fulfills regulatory requirements. This thesis evaluates whether the streamlined approach practiced by the USFS under the HFI satisfies the NEPA requirements. A review of four streamlined documents assesses whether these requirements are met. The following NEPA requirements in particular are explored for each project to determine whether the NEPA requirements are met: consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives to …

Repeat Migration In The United States: A Comparison Of Black, Hispanic, And White Return And Onward Migrants, Beth A. Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this study is to examine U.S. repeat migration for blacks, Hispanics, and whites. It investigates the relationships and patterns of these different racial/ethnic groups utilizing the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79). Repeat migration within and across categories of individual characteristics for blacks, Hispanics, and whites, is compared in order to determine if there are differences in the overall rates of repeat migration for these groups, once other factors are controlled.

To do this several statistical procedures are utilized, and the results of selected descriptive and logistic analyses are presented. The descriptive statistics control for …

Comparisons Of Adopted And Non-Adopted Young Adults' Heterosexual Relationships, Bryan W. Winward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adoption has been seen as a good solution for providing each party involved in the traditional adoption (i.e. , young birth parents, infants, and infertile couples) with a positive outcome. Adoptions, however, are generally more complex and diverse than supposed. Variables such as age of placement, levels of abuse and neglect, and foster care have been shown to place adopted children at risk for later struggles and challenges. Research studying outcomes of adopted young adults and their formation of heterosexual relations has been very limited.

Most adoption studies have focused their attention on young school-age or teenage children, or on …

Bedroom Design And Decoration: A Context For Investigating Developmental Theory In Adolescence, Denise E. Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most developmental theories propose reasons for behavior and changes in behavior due to influences from genetic and environmental factors. A behavioral change that occurs during development, from infancy to adulthood, is the increasing number of choices that are made. The purpose of this study was to investigate developmental theory as it relates to adolescent choice (influences, interactions, activity, preference, and acceptance) in the environment most readily controlled by adolescents, their bedrooms.

Two hundred thirty-four eighth- and ninth-grade students responded to the Adolescent Development and Environments Research Survey. The survey assessed gender, grade, pubertal status, negative/positive passive and active genotype-environment …

Information Sources, Willingness To Volunteer, And Attitudes Towards Invasive Plants In The Southwestern United States, Leith Seeley Tidwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examines results of a survey conducted in the Southwestern United States focusing on attitudes towards invasive plants, public preferences for information sources and willingness to volunteer in invasive plant management. This research demonstrates that the public is interested in the problem and control of invasive plants. In a broad context there is agreement among respondents that invasive plants pose a threat to the environment and control efforts, including the use of herbicides, should be allowed to occur. Given the differences between general and specific attitudes towards invasive plants, it is suggested education and awareness programs be designed to …

Learning And Application Of Range Management Innovations Among Ranchers In West-Central Colorado, Caroline A. Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Like many ranchers in the West, ranchers in West-Central Colorado are reevaluating their management strategies in the face of forces like drought, rising land prices, and encroaching development. While ranchers seek answers on alternative management strategies, research and Extension personnel search for adequate means of diffusing needed information. Relative to many rural western communities, ranchers in West-Central Colorado show high interest in alternative range management ideas, and many implement changes to their ranch management based on these ideas. This can partially be attributed to a unique support system of Extension and agency personnel with effective, untraditional outreach and land-management approaches. …

Characteristics Of Ungulate Behavior And Mortality Associated With Wire Fences, Justin L. Harrington

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied the characteristics of fence mortality in pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) along roads in Colorado and Utah from June 2004 to June 2005. I defined a direct-fence mortality as a carcass caught directly in a fence and an indirect-fence mortality as a carcass on the ground within 10 m of a fence. I estimated an average annual direct mortality occurrence of 0.25 mortalities/km (0.078 mule deer mortalities/km, 0.113 pronghorn mortalities/km, and 0.061 elk mortalities/km). The highest fence-mortality rates for ungulates occurred during August, which coincided with …

Bird And Small Mammal Communities Of Sagebrush-Dominated Mountain Meadows: An Examination Of Meadow Characteristics As Part Of A Hierarchical, Multi-Level Study Of The Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Elizabeth Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush shrubsteppe ecosystems have increasingly garnered attention as an endangered ecosystem. Ninety nine percent of all sagebrush ecosystems are thought to have been impacted by humans, and over 50% of grassland and shrubsteppe species are believed to be in decline. Most of the research on sagebrush ecosystems has been conducted at lower elevations and in large expanses of sagebrush. A considerable amount of sagebrush is found at higher elevations, often in meadows found within a forest matrix. The role of this high-elevation habitat is poorly understood. We conducted bird, small mammal, vegetation, and soil surveys in sagebrush-dominated mountain meadows within …

Humic And Fulvic Acids: Effects On Plant Nutrition And Growth, Jason Tew

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humic substances are reported to improve plant growth and nutrient uptake, with iron the most studied nutrient. The most common forms of iron in soils are iron oxides, which are stable under aerobic conditions and unavailable for plant uptake. Iron deficient plants become chlorotic, which reduces growth and yield. To determine if humic substances can reduce iron chlorosis, five commercially available organic acids were tested on maize grown in sand columns at high pH. The dry granular humic acid from Aldrich Chemical Company applied at 84.4 g/liter of sand by volume (5% by mass) and 1 g/liter added with irrigation …

Relationship Between Infant Reactivity And Maternal Emotional Well-Being During The Early Postpartum Period At Two Points In Time, Karen Udy Hansen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the relationship between infants' reactivity and mothers' emotionality during the early postpartum period, specifically during the first days of life and again by three months of age. The Clinical Neonatal Behavioral Scale (CLNBAS) was used to evaluate the infants. The mothers were evaluated at the same time by responding to questions on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

Forty-six mother-infant dyads were recruited from the Logan Regional Hospital childbirth classes for first-time parents. Minimum criteria for participation were that the mother must be married, be at least 18 years of age, have at least a high school …

Occupational Aspirations And Migration: A Comparison Of Rural Youth With High, Medium, And Low Occupational Aspirations And Their Chances For Migration, W. Trevor Brooks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

By using a social psychological approach, this research investigated whether occupational aspirations lead to migration. From the literature, we know that rural youth have lower occupational aspirations than their urban counterparts. We also know that rural youth often lower their occupational aspirations because of the confusion created between the benefits of moving for school and the attachment felt for home. We do not know, however the connection between occupational aspirations and migration. Are young to middle-aged adults in rural areas with higher occupational aspirations more likely to migrate out of rural areas than young to middle-aged adults with lower aspirations? …

Adoptees' Knowledge About And Contact With Birth Parents And Their Adjustment In Adolescence And Young Adulthood, Kyung-Eun Park

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study described adoptees' knowledge of and contact with birth parents in adolescence and young adulthood, and analyzed the relationship between adoptees' knowledge of and contact with birth parents and the adoptees' adjustment in young adulthood. Data for the current study came from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). In total, 487 adoptees were identified for this study in Wave I (1995) and Wave Ill (2 002). Descriptive and multivariate analyses using logistic regression were conducted.

Adoptees were more likely to be aware of their birth mothers than of their birth fathers and the percentage differences between …

The Relationship Between Parental Attitudes And Behaviors And Their Adult Children's Attitudes Toward Marriage, Divorce, And Marital Counseling, Shawnery L. Mathis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research study consisted of eighty-six pairs (young adult and his or her parent) of participants recruited from freshman and sophomore classes in two Northern Utah Universities. The parents ages ranged from 36-80 and the young adult children's ages ranged from 16-25. This research project examined the participants' demographics, marital satisfaction (of the parents), attitudes toward marriage, attitudes toward divorce, and attitudes toward marital counseling.

Three paired t tests were used to determine whether attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and marital counseling were the same for young adult children and their parents. Multiple regression equations were used to determine what effects …

Feminist And Masculine Values And Their Effects On Female Managerial Positions In Nonprofit And Corporate Public Relations, Sarah E. Thomas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the rise of executive women in public relations in both the nonprofit and corporate sectors. The focus of this study was on feminist and masculine values and their effects on female executives. A survey of 121 female executives from the corporate, nonprofit, and agency settings was conducted to analyze their views on feminist and masculine values in public relations and their effects on managerial positions. Results indicated that women who place greater value on masculine traits are more likely to obtain management positions in the corporate sector. Those who place greater value on feminist values do not …

Learning Implicit User Interest Hierarchy For Web Personalization, Hyoung-Rae Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Most web search engines are designed to serve all users in a general way, without considering the interests of individual users. In contrast, personalized web search engines incorporate an individual user's interests when choosing relevant web pages to return. In order to provide a more robust context for personalization, a user interest hierarchy (UIH) is presented. The UIH extracts a continuum of general to specific user interests from web pages and generates a uniquely personalized order to search results. This dissertation consists of five main parts. First, a divisive hierarchical clustering (DHC) algorithm is proposed to group words (topics) into …

Schemas, Jennifer G. Yerdon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The work included in my MFA thesis exhibition entitled Schemas, represent the relationship that objects have to the body via perception. They become a map of understanding that is at once the object and the experience of that things objectness. Strategically composed this experience is translated into texture, color, and pattern. In this thesis statement I will address how we understand objects in the world and the importance of our interaction with said objects. In addition I will discuss the map like processes that I employ to create these works. I will also discuss the influential artists and writing that …

Development Of Constant-Time Correlated Spectroscopy On A 3t Clinical Mri/Mrs Scanner, Srilatha Ainala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) is widely used both as a fundamental research technique, as well as diagnostic tool in medical research providing unique information about the metabolites. In this thesis, we report our work on the development of novel localized constant-time correlated Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic technique for resolving the overlapping metabolites and also to improve the quantification strategies. The new sequence was implemented on a GE 3T MRI/MRS scanner. The underlying spin dynamics is discussed for a two-spin ½ system with a J coupling. We demonstrate the coherence transfer to cross peaks and diagonal peaks by changing the constant time. …

Lamb And Wool Production In An Organic Farming System, Christopher Kiptanui Ruto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A study to evaluate lamb production under organic management was carried out in 2003 and 2004 at the West Virginia University Organic Research Farm. About 0.93 ha of tall fescue-orchard grass-red clover grassland was assigned to three blocks based on soil type, slope and previous treatment. Each block was divided into two main plots and assigned the following treatments: One was fertilized with compost while the other received no fertilizer. Two groups of sheep under organic management were rotationally grazed on the plots; one group on the plots with compost (high input) and the other on the plots with no …

Guilt By "Race": Injustice In Camus's The Stranger, David Carroll

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.