Digital Commons Network^™

Renewable Portfolio Standard: An Analysis Of Design And Implementation Issues, Tigran Parvanyan

Theses

The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a policy tool that requires a certain percentage of renewable energy to be included in the portfolio of electricity resources serving a state or a country. The main purpose of an RPS is to foster the development of renewable energy market, increase the energy security by reducing the dependence on the imported energy sources (oil, etc.), and, to provide environmental benefits from using more renewable energy. There are different approaches to the design and implementation of RPS in different states in U.S. and the degree of achieving a success of the policy differs also, …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2005 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2005 is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.635, “every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.” The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth. Data contained in this report are based solely on the observations …

Measurement Of Lipid Peroxidation In Biology Models Using Gas-Chromatography-Aass Spectrometry, Madhavi Lokireddy

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

C2C12 mouse myoblast cells, grown in glass vials, were connected to a cryofocusing unit to trap volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOCs were eluted from the trap by capacitive discharge into a gas chromatograph with time-of-flight mass spectral capabilities (GC-TOFMS) and were found to include the lipid peroxidation product hexanal. The pro-oxidant cumene hydroperoxide elevated the levels of these lipid peroxidation products, whereas the anti-oxidant butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) impaired their production. Derivatization of the aldehyde products of lipid peroxidation in the same myoblast cells with pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFB) provided evidence for formation of non-volatile products of lipid peroxidation …

The Effects Of Variable Practice And Subjective Estimation On Error-Detection Capabilities, Colleen E. Donakowski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Retention and transfer for ballistic open motor skills may best be achieved through specific + variable practice along with error estimation. Inconsistent support for the variability of practice hypothesis warrants a cross-testing of this hypothesis. Estimation had been used and found beneficial on ballistic closed motor skills, but what about ballistic open motor skills?

This study tests ballistic open motor skills on an anticipation timer. Specific and specific + variable practice groups coupled estimation and no-estimation conditions for testing purposes.

The results indicated that although there were no significant differences during acquisition, significant differences did exist for retention and transfer …

Aircraft Cabin Noise Minimization Via Neural Network Inverse Model, Xiao Hu, G. Clark, M. Travis, J. L. Vian, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper describes research to investigate an artificial neural network (ANN) approach to minimize aircraft cabin noise in flight. The ANN approach is shown to be able to accurately model the non-linear relationships between engine unbalance, airframe vibration, and cabin noise to overcome limitations associated with traditional linear influence coefficient methods. ANN system inverse models are developed using engine test-stand vibration data and on-airplane vibration and noise data supplemented with influence coefficient empirical data. The inverse models are able to determine balance solutions that satisfy cabin noise specifications. The accuracy of the ANN model with respect to the real system …

Microbubble-Based Model Analysis Of Liquid Breakdown Initiation By A Submicrosecond Pulse, J. Qian, R. P. Joshi, K. H. Schoenbach, J. Dickens, A. Neuber, M. Butcher, M. Cevallos, H. Krompholz, E. Schamiloglu, J. Gaudet

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An electrical breakdown model for liquids in response to a submicrosecond(∼100ns) voltage pulse is presented, and quantitative evaluations carried out. It is proposed that breakdown is initiated by field emission at the interface of pre-existing microbubbles. Impact ionization within the microbubble gas then contributes to plasma development, with cathode injection having a delayed and secondary role. Continuous field emission at the streamer tip contributes to filament growth and propagation. This model can adequately explain almost all of the experimentally observed features, including dendritic structures and fluctuations in the prebreakdown current. Two-dimensional, time-dependent simulations have been carried out based on a …

Leaf Radiative Properties And The Leaf Energy Budget, Timothy J. Arkebauer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Leaf radiative properties are the physical properties of leaves that characterize radiant energy exchange with their surroundings. Radiant energy exchange is an important consideration in studies of plant function since, for example, absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) leads to the transformation of this energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis. Thus, plant productivity, and hence, agricultural production, ultimately depend on leaf radiative properties.

Leaf temperature is an additional, very important, parameter in intimate association with leaf radiant energy exchange. This association occurs since energy gained via radiation must be in balance with energy lost through various processes and energy loss …

Reactive Power And Voltage Control Of The Nigerian Grid System Using Micro-Genetic Algorithm, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, G. A. Bakare, U. O. Aliyu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a micro-genetic based approach to the optimization of reactive power and voltage profiles improvement and real power loss minimization is presented. The reactive power control devices such as generators, tap positions of on-load tap changer of transformers, shunt reactors are used to correct voltage limits violations while simultaneously reducing the system real power losses. Genetic algorithms (GAs) are well-known global search techniques anchored on the mechanisms of natural selection and genetics. Because of the time intensive nature of the conventional GA, the micro-GA is proposed as a more time efficient alternative. The feasibility and effectiveness of the …

Block Phase Correlation-Based Automatic Drift Compensation For Atomic Force Microscopes, Qinmin Yang, Eric W. Bohannan, Jagannathan Sarangapani

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Automatic nanomanipulation and nanofabrication with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a precursor for nanomanufacturing. In ambient conditions without stringent environmental controls, nanomanipulation tasks require extensive human intervention to compensate for the many spatial uncertainties of the AFM. Among these uncertainties, thermal drift is especially hard to solve because it tends to increase with time and cannot be compensated simultaneously by feedback. In this paper, an automatic compensation scheme is introduced to measure and estimate drift. This information can be subsequently utilized to compensate for the thermal drift so that a real-time controller for nanomanipulation can be designed as if …

Estimation Of Additive Noise Variance For Multiuser Cdma Systems, Jingxian Wu, Chengshan Xiao, Khaled Ben Letaief

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a novel additive noise variance estimation algorithm is proposed for multiuser CDMA systems experiencing time varying and frequency selective fading. The algorithm is developed by exploring the eigen-structure of the receive signal correlation matrix, which is characterized by the statistid properties of both the fading channeI and the additive white Gaussian noise. Relying only on the knowledge of the receiver signal samples, the algorithm can accurately estimate the variance of the additive noise present at the receiver of multiuser CDMA systems. The estimated noise variance can be employed along with other receiver algorithms to improve system performance.

Indium Growth On Si(100)-2 X 1 By Femtosecond Pulsed Laser Deposition, M. A. Hafez, M. S. Hegazy, H. E. Elsayed-Ali

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Indium was grown on Si (100) -2×1 at room temperature by femtosecond pulsed laser deposition. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) was performed in situ to study film morphology and in-plane lattice spacing. Indium was found to grow on Si (100) -2×1 by the Stranski-Krastanov mode. The initial two-dimensional In layer formed in the In-2×1 structure with a lattice constant of 3.65 Å. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the specular peak decreased during the growth, indicating an increase of the In islands size. Further In growth on the initial In-2×1 layer showed the formation of hexagonal, elongated, and hemispherical islands …

Infrastructure Roots: Evolution Of Electric Power In The United States, Mariesa Crow

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electricity holds a unique place in the US infrastructure. It is a commodity, a technology, and a necessity. Electric utilities must walk a fine line to balance each of these aspects. While electricity is a commodity that may be bought and sold, it must also be regulated to remain affordable for the general population. Reliability is continually balanced against the cost of upgrades and maintenance. This paper discusses the interconnection of regional area power systems in the US and the benefits such interconnection brings.

Marketing Locally Produced Foods: Consumer And Farmer Opinions In Washington County, Nebraska, Mindi L. Schneider, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Local food system potentials were studied in Washington County, Nebraska, United States. As a departure from most studies of locally based systems, farmers were surveyed in addition to consumers for potential participation. Data about the current food system and opinions and preferences for local production, marketing, and purchasing of food were collected using self-administered mail questionnaires. The response rate was 35% for the farmer survey and 37% for the consumer survey. Results indicated that, on the farming side of the food system, conventional corn and soybean production and marketing predominated in Washington County, and farmer interest in producing for local …

Use Of The Hybrid-Maize Model To Improve Management Decisions, Achim R. Dobermann, Haishun Yang, Daniel T. Walters, Kenneth G. Cassman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Yield potential and yield gaps

Basic structure of Hybrid-Maize

Model inputs

Model applications

Validation, uncertainties & future improvements

Species Diversity And Functional Composition Of Pastures That Vary In Landscape Position And Grazing Management, John A. Guretzky, Kenneth J. Moore, E. Charles Brummer, C. Lee Burras

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The productivity of grasslands depends in part on their diversity of species and functional composition. Our objective was to examine the effects of three landscape positions (summit, backslope, and toe-slope) and three stocking systems (continuous, rotational, and non-grazed) on species diversity and percentage of cover of grass, legume, and weed species functional types in southeastern Iowa pastures.Data were collected in 0.2-m² plots randomly distributed throughout each of four replicate pastures in spring and summer 2000 and 2001. Backslope landscape positions within pastures managed with either continuous or rotational stocking contained the greatest overall diversity of species. Across years, overall …

Effects Of Ph On Biomass Allocation In Acer Rubrum Seedlings, Marc C. Wingett

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Through the analysis of the data collected from the uniform growing parameters across all control and treatment pottings, the following hypothesis was considered: 1. From a neutral pH of 7, there is a positive correlation between the lowered pH of precipitation and the above and below ground biomass allocation in Acer rubrum seedlings.

Knowledge Management In Training In Hampton Roads, Virginia, Stephanie Mckinney

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this study, the following research goals were developed: 1. Determine the number of Hampton Roads, Virginia businesses using knowledge management as an integral part of training; 2. Determine what types of knowledge management processes are currently being used; 3. Determine the importance of knowledge management as an area for current and future training

Change And Persistence In An Independent Nonprofit College: A Case Study, John Selmon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Private independent nonprofit colleges and universities serve millions of students annually, yet very little is written about this group. Most of the literature and research concern large public institutions of higher learning. Davenport College, a private independent nonprofit college system in Michigan and northern Indiana, serving 15,000 students, was the focus of the case study that offers a historical view of how the college evolved and changed over the institution’s 134-year history. The study highlights the influence of the five leaders and significant environmental events that that led to change and persistence in Davenport College from its inception on January …

Optimization Of Ultraviolet Emission And Chemical Species Generation From A Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge At Atmospheric Pressure, Xinpei Lu, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

One of the attractive features of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasmas is the ability to achieve enhanced gas phase chemistry without the need for elevated gas temperatures. This attractive characteristic recently led to their extensive use in applications that require low temperatures, such as material processing and biomedical applications. The agents responsible for the efficient plasma reactivity are the ultraviolet (UV) photons and the chemically reactive species. In this paper, in order to optimize the UV radiation and reactive species generation efficiency, the plasma was generated by a dielectric barrier discharge driven by unipolar submicrosecond square pulses. To keep the discharge …

An Experimental Investigation Into The Effect Of Surfactants On Air-Water Two-Phase Flow In Minichannels, Nathan J. English

Theses

The complex interfacial phenomena involved in two-phase gas-liquid flow have defied mathematical simplification and modeling. However, the systems are used in heat exchangers, condensers, chemical processing plants, and nuclear reactor systems. The present work considers a 1 mm square minichannel and adiabatic flows corresponding to practical PEM fuel cell conditions. Pressure drop data is collected in experimentation covering mass fluxes of 4.0-33.6 kg/m2s, which correspond to superficial gas and liquid velocities of 3.4-10 m/s and 0.001-0.02 m/s respectively. The experiments are repeated with water of reduced surface tension, caused by the addition of surfactant, in order to quantify the surface …

Hardware And Software Multi-Precision Implementations Of Cryptographic Algorithms, Muhammad A. Janjua

Theses

The software implementations of cryptographic algorithms are considered to be very slow, when there are requirements of multi-precision arithmetic operations on very long integers. These arithmetic operations may include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and exponentiation. Several research papers have been published providing different solutions to make these operations faster. Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) is a cryptographic application that requires multi-precision arithmetic operations. These arithmetic operations are mostly based upon modular multiplication and exponentiation on integers of the size of 1024 bits. The use of such numbers is an essential part of providing high security against the cryptanalytic attacks on the …

Real-Time Control System Framework, Nishant Thakkar

Theses

Computer based controllers are being used increasingly in every aspect of modern life and have been integrated into everything from simple thermostats to the most complicated fighter jets. Multiple methodologies can be used within these controllers including differential equations, discrete difference equations, and fuzzy logic. Also, they can run on platforms ranging from scaled down versions of consumer operating systems to directly on embedded processors. What's missing is a low cost framework that links the variety of methodologies used in controllers and the variety of platforms that controllers can run on. My thesis is that it is possible to create …

An Historical Retrospective On The Origin Of And Changes To The Worker's Compensation Insurance Industry, Gary Eure

Theses

Workers' compensation insurance companies have been at the vanguard of workplace safety initiatives maintaining laboratories, training facilities, intern programs, and hierarchical structures. Up until the late 1980's, risk control services were provided to clients as a customer service, with the costs hidden in the premiums. Many companies estimated 4-5 percent of the premium amount was devoted to risk control departments. The late 1980s brought about a change that some attribute to a misapplication of Deming's Total Quality Management (TQM) philosophy. Insurance companies tried to make the move to accountability, thinking that it would drive customer service to a "Deming" level …

Realm Of Possibilities: The Portrayal Of Women In Futuristic Science Fiction Movies, Aru Basu

Theses

This study examines the portrayal of women in 50 science-fiction films produced in the U.S. The method was content analysis and the unit of analysis was the film scene. Presentations of women were analyzed by examining demographic variables and behavioral traits. For a further insight, comparisons have been made between older women (40 years and above) and younger women (below 40 years) and between "human" women and "other" women. This study reveals that there are few differences with previous studies undertaken on portrayal of women. Overall, women in the sciencefiction future have not been portrayed in a significantly different way …

Sexual Conflict And Density Dependence In The Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia Affinis (Poeciliidae), Chad Smith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Sexual conflict occurs when individuals of one sex express traits that reduce the fitness of their mates. Males of many species harass females to gain copulations, which benefits males by increasing the number of offspring they sire but imposes energetic and opportunity costs on the females they harass. This thesis examined the fitness costs of sexual harassment to females, the energetic costs of mating to males, and the factors influencing the intensity of male competition for mates in the western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis. I quantified male and female behavior, four female fitness components (number of offspring per female, embryo number, …

Railroad Track Pressure Measurements At The Rail/Tie Interface Using Tekscan Sensors, Jason C. Stith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

It has been desirable for years to develop non-intrusive/non-invasiveprocedures to determine the pressures and stresses at various levels andinterfaces in the railroad track structure in order to optimize track designs andimprove subsequent track performance. Recent research has developedsatisfactory procedures for measuring pressures in the track structure at theballast/subballast/subgrade levels using earth pressure cells. The researchreported in this thesis documents the development of a technique for measuringthe pressures in the track, at the rail/tie plate/tie interfaces, using a very thinpressure sensitive Tekscan sensor. The Tekscan Measurement System uses asensor composed of a matrix-based array of force sensitive cells, similar to ministrain …

Predicting The Location And Duration Of Transient Induced Low Or Negative Pressures Within A Large Water Distribution System, Richard C. Svindland

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Surge modeling is a tool used by engineers and utility owners in determining the surge pressures or transients that may result from routine pump and valve operations. Recent surge modeling work has focused on low and/or negative pressures within water distribution systems and how those occurrences could lead to intrusions. Effective surge modeling is needed in order to determine if the intrusion potential exists and what mitigation is needed to prevent intrusions. This work focuses on the generally unexplored area of using surge models to predict the location and duration of transient induced low and/or negative pressures within large complex …

A Comparison Between Masticatory Muscle And Temporomandibular Joint Pain Patients With Regard To The Prevalence And Impact Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Elizangela Bertoli

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate masticatory muscle (MM) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain patients regarding the prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and evaluate the level of psychological dysfunction and its relationship to PTSD symptoms in these patients. This study included 445 adult patients (male = 42, female = 403). Psychological questionnaires included the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Multidimensional Pain Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the PTSD Check List Civilian. The total sample of patients was divided into two major groups: The MM group (n=242) and TMJ group (n=203). Each group was divided …

New Readings, Gi Dong Lee

Theses

This thesis explores the search for a creative process for my photographic studies over the past two years at Rochester Institute of Technology. It explains the thought behind the artwork such as why I am interested in the genre of still life, inspiration, process, and my future artistic goals.

The subject matter of my thesis exhibition motivated me to explore the world of still life. By painting on an object, my imagery has evolved into a new reading that led to a new interpretation of the still life both physically and psychologically. My thesis images emphasize a new aesthetic experience …

An Evaluation Of A Multigrid Algorithm Error Spike Correction Method, Erika L. Mcmichael

Theses

This study is an evaluation of a method of improving the multigrid process by cor recting error spikes which are generated when moving from a coarser to finer level. The correction method was tested on nine one-dimensional problems governed by second order differential equations. Tests were performed with an accomodative, full approximation scheme, full multi-grid algorithm.

Results indicate that appropriate implementation of the correction can increase so lution accuracy. Accuracy was increased in 75% of cases in which a single correction was applied to a point in the central portion of the grid. Single corrections performed on points with error …