Digital Commons Network^™

Real-Time Scheduling Algorithms, Task Visualization, Kevin Churnetski

Theses

Real-time systems are computer systems that require responses to events within specified time limits or constraints. Many real-time systems are digital control systems comprised entirely of binary logic or a microprocessor dedicated to one software application that is its own operating system. In recent years, the reliability of general-purpose real-time operating systems (RTOS) consisting of a scheduler and system resource management have improved. In this project, I write a real-time simulator, a workload generator, analysis tools, several test cases, and run and interpret results. My experiments focus on providing evidence to support the claim that for the Rate Monotonic scheduling …

Emotion In Flocking, Katherine Law

Theses

Behavioral animation is a category of computer animation that enables objects to determine their own actions. This saves an animator from having to determine every detail of movement for each object in the animation. As the number of objects within an animation increases, specifying the position of each object becomes increasingly difficult. Flocking is an example of behavioral animation. Some examples of flocking can be seen in movies, such as the stampede of the antelopes in The Lion King, the herds of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and the massive battle scenes in The Lord of the Rings. In this project, …

Algorithms For Bounding Folkman Numbers, Jonathan Coles

Theses

For an undirected, simple graph G, we write G -> (a_1,...,a_k)^v (G -> (a_1,...,a_k)^e) if for every vertex (edge) k-coloring, a monochromatic K_(a_i) is forced in some color i in {1,...,k}. The vertex (edge) Folkman number is defined as F_v(a_1,...,a_k;p) = min{|V(G)| : G -> (a_1,...,a_k;p)^v, K_p not in G} F_e(a_1,...,a_k;p) = min{|V(G)| : G -> (a_1,...,a_k;p)^e, K_p not in G} for p > max{a_1,...,a_k}. Folkman showed in 1970 that these numbers always exist for valid values of p. This thesis concerns the computation of a new result in Folkman number theory, namely that F_v(2,2,3;4)=14. Previously, the bounds stood at 10 <= F_v(2,2,3;4) <= 14, proven by Nenov in 2000. To achieve this new result, specialized algorithms were executed on the computers of the Computer Science network in a distributed processing effort. We discuss the mathematics and algorithms used in the computation. We also discuss ongoing research into the computation of the value of F_e(3,3;4). The current bounds stand at 16 <= F_e(3,3;4) <= 3e10^9. This number was once the subject of an Erd s prize---claimed by Spencer in 1988.

M2mimud, Robert Whitcomb

Theses

M2MIMud is a simple MUD (multi-user dungeon) type game that is designed to run on an ad hoc network of devices without the presence of any central server. It runs over Many-to-Many Invocation (M2MI), a distributed object system API that uses broadcasts and handles, rather than IP addresses, to communicate. Most existing multi-user computer games rely on a client-server architecture with a central server storing and maintaining the state of the game. In contrast, M2MIMud runs on an ad hoc network of devices with no central server. This paper describes M2MI and its use for serverless multi-user applications, discusses the …

Ad Hoc Collaborative Photo Sharing With A Tuple Board, Yutao Cheng

Theses

The tuple board is a new distributed computing paradigm based on the tuple space concept invented by Gelernter in 1985. Designed for ad hoc mobile wireless networks, tuple board is a serverless architecture that differs from the original client-server paradigm proposed in tuple space. In this project, Tuple Board, a tuple board implementation has been developed based on the M2MP protocol. Comparing to the previous implementation in Bondada's work, the following improvements have been made: (1) M2MP, instead of M2MI, is used as the underlying network protocol for data communication, (2) notification is available in the tuple board implementation for …

Ad Hoc File System, Swarup Datta

Theses

Ad hoc File System (AFS) is middleware for peers wishing to share and access data in ad hoc fashion. AFS permits processes to export local files and import files shared by other processes. Communication between hosts is facilitated by the M2MI Framework, a novel paradigm for building collaborative systems. The API provided by AFS allows for data to be exported to the middleware, which become accessible to hosts running AFS. Interested peers can import exported data to their local system, allowing uniform access to local and remote files. Peers can also unexport and unimport data undoing effects of export and …

Hf-Dsr: Dynamic Source Routing For High Frequency Radio Networks, Michael Stringer

Theses

HF-DSR is an ad hoc routing protocol designed to operate efficiently over high frequency (HF) radio networks. Ad hoc routing protocols allow networks to provide dynamic routing between endpoints. In contrast, static routing schemes require networks to be configured with potential routes in advance. As such, ad hoc routing mechanisms can compensate for unanticipated factors such as radio frequency (RF) interference or node mobility. HF-DSR is largely based on Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), a level 3 ad hoc networking protocol that emits network control information on demand. HF-DSR incorporates portions of DSR which minimize the quantity of control information transmitted. …

Faculty Scheduling Using Genetic Algorithms, Kevin Soule

Theses

The problem of developing a class schedule for a faculty has been proven to be NP-complete. Therefore when the schedule is large enough, finding just one feasible solution can be impossible for any direct search algorithm within a reasonable time. This project is geared toward investigating the possibility of using genetic-based algorithms to solve faculty scheduling problems of 100 courses or larger quickly. Multiple versions of genetic algorithms and heuristics are tested. Many parameter levels for these algorithms are optimized for fastest convergence.

Habitat And Fauna Of Deep-Water Lophelia Pertusa Coral Reefs Off The Southeastern Us: Blake Plateau, Straits Of Florida, And Gulf Of Mexico., John K. Reed, Doug C. Weaver, Shirley A. Pomponi

Faculty Scholarship

Expeditions from 1999 to 2004 for biomedical research explored various deep-sea coral ecosystems (DSCE) off the southeastern U.S. (Blake Plateau, Straits of Florida, and eastern Gulf of Mexico). Habitat and benthos were documented from 57 dives with human occupied submersibles and three with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and resulted in ~100 hrs of videotapes, 259 in situ digital images, 621 museum specimens, and > 400 microbial isolates. These were the first dives to document the habitat, benthic fauna, and fish diversity of some of these poorly known deepwater reefs. Fifty-eight fish species and 142 benthic invertebrate taxa were identified. High-definition …

Experimental Study Of Flow Boiling Heat Transfer And Critical Heat Flux In Microchannels, Wai Keat Kuan

Theses

Advancements in microprocessors and other high power electronics have resulted in increased heat dissipation from those devices. In addition, to reduce cost, the functionality of microprocessor per unit area has been increasing. The increase in functionality accompanied by reduction in chip size has caused its thermal management to be challenging. In order to dissipate the increase in heat generation, the size of conventional fin-type heat sinks has to be increased. As a result, the performance of these high heat flux generating electronics is often limited by the available cooling technology and space to accommodate the larger conventional air-cooled heat sinks. …

Development And Characterization Of High Performance Transistors On Glass, Robert Saxer

Theses

Currently, the electrical drivers behind active-matrix flat-panel displays are polysilicon or amorphous silicon based thin-film transistors (TFTs). The ability to integrate transistors onto the glass substrate offers certain design and performance advantages over package-level integration with bulk silicon ICs; this is commonly referred to as system-on-glass (SOG) or system-on-panel (SOP). System on glass may also lower the manufacturing costs of the entire product. Cell phones, personal digital assistants, and entertainment systems are examples of applications that would benefit from system on glass integration. This project is a joint effort between the Microelectronic Engineering Department at RIT and Corning Incorporated. Thin- …

The Effects Of Focused Deterrence On Gang Homicide: An Evaluation Of Rochester's Ceasefire Program, Christopher Delaney

Theses

In the late 1990’s, a problem-oriented policing initiative in Boston, “Operation: Ceasefire”, achieved significant reductions in youth homicide by focusing on gang behavior. The program was driven by a concept known as “Focused Deterrence”. Gang members are typically frequent offenders for whom general deterrence mechanisms have little effect. Additionally, the social norms of gangs often encourage offending behavior, making typical attempts to deter futile. Focused deterrence attempts to modify individual behavior and group norms with a credible and severe threat of collective punishment for an individual offending behavior. In “Operation Ceasefire”, when a gang member committed a homicide, his gang …

Development Of Single Nanoparticle Optical Assays For Imaging Single Living Cells, William John Brownlow

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) has been reported in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes; the pathogenic gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa can extrude a variety of structurally and functionally diverse substrates via a number of membrane transport systems leading to MDR. We have developed a novel nanoparticle assay to characterize both the membrane transport system composed of the MexAB-OprM efflux pump and the membrane permeability induced by antibiotics. Gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles were investigated for use as probes to explore membrane transport in P. aeruginosa.

The surface plasmon absorption (color) of Au nanoparticle solutions was found to change in the presence …

The ²H(E, E'P)N Reaction At High Four-Momentum Transfer, Hassan F. Ibrahim

Physics Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents the highest four-momentum transfer, Q², quasielastic (x_Bj = 1) results from Experiment E01-020 which systematically explored the 2H(e, e'p)n reaction ("Electro-disintegration" of the deuteron) at three different four-momentum transfers, Q² = 0.8, 2.1, and 3.5 GeV² and missing momenta, p_miss = 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 GeV including separations of the longitudinal-transverse interference response function, R_LT, and extraction of the longitudinal-transverse asymmetry, A_LT. This systematic approach will help to understand the reaction mechanism and the deuteron structure down to the short …

Age Validation And Reproductive Biology Of Bluefish, Pomatomus Saltatrix, Along The East Coast Of United States, Eric Robillard

OES Theses and Dissertations

I describe a new preparation technique that increases readability of otoliths, along with criteria for the interpretation of otolith microstructure of bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix, collected from Florida to New York during 2001-2003 (n = 2652). I validated annulus formation in otoliths for ages 1 to 8 using marginal increment analysis and thus extended validation by four years to include the preponderance of age classes in the catch. Although otoliths are typically superior for ageing, bluefish are routinely aged with scales; thus a side-by-side comparison of otoliths versus scales is necessary before otoliths can supplant scales. When compared, precision …

Diverse Effects Of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields On Mammalian Cells, Jody Anne White

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

The continuing effort to manipulate cell-signaling pathways for therapeutic benefit has lead to the exploration of electric field effects on cells. Current electric field applications include electroporation of the plasma membrane for introduction of drugs, genes, or other macromolecules into cells. Modeling of how these pulsed electric fields affect cells depicts the cell as an excitable circuit. In this model, the electric fields, administered in short pulses to a cell, charge the plasma and internal membranes, which act as dielectric layers, and between these the cytoplasm acts as a conductive medium. The pulse lengths of this treatment are traditionally in …

Streak Detection In Mottled And Noisy Images, Hector Santos

Theses

This thesis describes an algorithm for detecting streaks in printed images using adaptive window-based image projections and maximization of mutual information. To this effect, projections are computed across the entire image at different window sizes. The traces collected from the projections are correlated using maximization of mutual information to pinpoint streak locations and widths using a peak detection algorithm. Finally, for a given peak, the window size is changed adaptively to identify and locate the intensity and length of the corresponding streak while maximizing signal to noise ratio. Results on synthetic and real-life images are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness …

Development And Test Of A Kinematical Method For Estimating Rotation Using The Acceleration Of A Rigid Body, Douglas A. Carr

Theses

In this work, the feasibility of a novel method for combining inertial information gathered from accelerometers to calculate an estimate for rotational information independent of rate gyro measurements is investigated. The concept uses two, distinctly placed, parallel accelerometers on a rigid body to estimate rotational acceleration by comparing the difference in sensed acceleration caused by rotation. Since the estimation is independent of available rate gyro data, optimization of drift and scale factors can be used to calibrate the accelerometers in a real time fashion. Experimental trials were conducted on a small mobile robotic platform, due to the eventual objective of …

Upgrade, Aharon Charnov

Theses

Description of the creation of a computer-animated film, "Upgrade," a project whose goal was to create a visually acceptable story that was enjoyable and coherent, without the benefit of substantive collaborators. The film depicts a young man's relationship with his new computer, as the (anthropomorphized) operating system loses her initial attractiveness and becomes bloated, slow, jealous and vengeful. Includes thesis proposal, revised script, original story boards, color stills, and code for generating facial expressions.

Maxwell-Wagner Relaxations And Their Contributions To The High Permittivity Of Calcium Copper Titanate Ceramics, Wei Li, Robert W. Schwartz

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Calcium copper titanate ceramics were fabricated by cold isostatic pressing at various calcination and sintering conditions. Depending on fabrication condition, three electrical responses were observed in the combined modulus and impedance plots, indicating the presence of two Maxwell-Wagner relaxations. These electrical responses show different response to temperature and applied field. The activation energies, as well as the driving force factors, were calculated for these relations. The determined activation energy values are in the range of 0.57 to 0.65 eV. The contribution of Maxwell-Wagner relaxations to the high permittivity of CCTO and related materials is briefly discussed.

Plasma Modeling For Ultrashort Laser Ablation Of Dielectrics, Lan Jiang, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In ultrashort pulse (<10 ps) laser ablation of dielectrics, affected materials are first transformed into absorbing plasma with metallic properties and, then, the subsequent laser-plasma interaction causes material removals. For ultrashort-pulse laser ablation of dielectrics, this study proposes a model using the Fokker-Planck equation for electron density distribution, a plasma model for the optical properties of ionized dielectrics, and quantum treatments for electron heating and relaxation time. The free electron density distribution of the plasma within the pulse duration is then used to determine the ablation crater shape. The predicted threshold fluences and ablation depths for barium aluminum borosilicate and fused silica are in agreement with published experimental data. It is found that the significantly varying optical properties in time and space are the key factors determining the ablation crater shape. The effects of fluence and pulse duration are also studied.

Statistically Steady Measurements Of Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing In A Gas Channel, Malcolm J. Andrews, Arindam Banerjee

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel gas channel experiment is described to study the development of high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor mixing. Two gas streams, one containing air and the other containing a helium-air mixture, flow parallel to each other separated by a thin splitter plate. The streams meet at the end of a splitter plate leading to the formation of an unstable interface and of buoyancy driven mixing. This buoyancy driven mixing experiment allows for long data collection times, has short transients, and is statistically steady. The facility was designed to be capable of large Atwood number studies (At~0.75). We describe initial validation work …

Magnetically Filtered Faraday Probe For Measuring The Ion Current Density Profile Of A Hall Thruster., Joshua L. Rovey, Mitchell L. R. Walker, Alec D. Gallimore, Peter Y. Peterson

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The ability of a magnetically filtered Faraday probe (MFFP) to obtain the ion current density profile of a Hall thruster is investigated. The MFFP is designed to eliminate the collection of low-energy, charge-exchange (CEX) ions by using a variable magnetic field as an ion filter. In this study, a MFFP, Faraday probe with a reduced acceptance angle (BFP), and nude Faraday probe are used to measure the ion current density profile of a 5 kW Hall thruster operating over the range of 300-500 V and 5-10 mg/s. The probes are evaluated on a xenon propellant Hall thruster in the University …

Promoting Positive Behavior: What Works And What Doesn’T, Marilyn Likins Ph.D., D. Andrews

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ramadan Fasting Induces Modifications Of Certain Serum Components In Obese Women With Type 2 Diabetes, Boumediene M. Khaled, Malika Bendahmane, Slimane Belbraouet

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of fasting during Ramadan on certain serum components such as fasting serum glucose (FSG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high density lipoproteins (HDL-C), and low density lipoproteins (LDL-C) parameters in obese women patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We conducted the study in Petit-Vichy Diabetology Center, Sidi-Bel-Abbes, Algeria from October 2003 to March 2004, on 60 obese outpatient women (BMI = 35.41 ± 3.64 kg/m2), aged 51 ± 10 years, who had diabetes for 5 ± 2.5 years. The patients followed no specific diet, on medications, and presenting no degenerative complications. We …

The Use Of Endovascular Stent-Grafts For The Treatment Of Common Carotid-Internal Jugular Fistula, Mohammed A. Bawazeer, Mohammed S. Al-Jared, Khalid A. Al-Brekeit, Wedad M. Al-Harbi

Saudi Medical Journal

We report a case of a fistula between the common carotid artery and the internal jugular vein due to a hemodialysis catheter insertion. We managed the fistula by the insertion of a covered-stent at the common carotid artery, and completely sealed the fistula without immediate complications. We present this case to highlight this new successful method of treatment.

Clinical Paradox. Man Versus Machine, Shabih Manzar

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Intraligamentary Solid-Cystic Neoplasia With Histomorphological Features Of Sclerosing Stromal Tumor, Zuhal Gucin

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Etoricoxib In Patients With Bronchial Asthma Associated With Aspirin Sensitivity, Ibrahim K. Nahar, Abdulaziz T. Muqim, Bassmah I. Al-Qhouti, Adeeba A. Al-Herz, Diaa K. Shehab, Singh S. Uppal, Mousa E. Khadadah

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Anti-Terrorist Finance In The United Kingdom And United States, Laura K. Donohue

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This article adopts a two-tiered approach: it provides a detailed, historical account of anti-terrorist finance initiatives in the United Kingdom and United States—two states driving global norms in this area. It then proceeds to a critique of these laws. The analysis assumes—and accepts—the goals of the two states in adopting these provisions. It questions how well the measures achieve their aim. Specifically, it highlights how the transfer of money laundering tools undermines the effectiveness of the states' counterterrorist efforts—flooding the systems with suspicious activity reports, driving money out of the regulated sector, and using inappropriate metrics to gauge success. This …