Digital Commons Network^™

Low African-American Student Enrollment In The Post Secondary Vocational Education Step Ii Program: A Study Of Motivational Factors, Victor Goldstein

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A purposive literature review was used in this study to develop a knowledge base on motivational factors impacting enrollment of African-American students in postsecondary vocational education program specifically in the STEP II program. This study examined books, articles, reports, and data from student interviews to understand what motivational factors influence decisions. It was found that low enrollment of African- American students in post-secondary vocational education is not only dependent on motivational factors emanating from the students themselves, but also stem from the institutions that offer training programs.

Algan/Gan Hemt Topology Investigation Using Measured Data And Device Modeling, Derrick Langley

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Investigation has been done on procedure, development, and verification of transistor topology for Aluminum-Gallium Nitride/Gallium Nitride (AlGaN/GaN) High-Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMTs). To date various models have been published that address modeling issues dealing with AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Many models rely on analytic parameter solutions to help define model behavior. In order to find an optimum transistor at X-band frequency, 8-12 Gigahertz (GHz), layout, testing, modeling and simulation was conducted on various transistor topologies. Theoretical and experimental analysis has been completed for device operating point selection in measurement and modeling to account for self-heating and radio frequency (RF) dispersion effects. The model …

Data Mining And Analysis On Multiple Time Series Object Data, Chunyu Jiang

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Huge amount of data is available in our society and the need for turning such data into useful information and knowledge is urgent. Data mining is an important field addressing that need and significant progress has been achieved in the last decade. In several important application areas, data arises in the format of Multiple Time Series Object (MTSO) data, where each data object is an array of time series over a large set of features and each has an associated class or state. Very little research has been conducted towards this kind of data. Examples include computational toxicology, where each …

High Performance Text Document Clustering, Yanjun Li

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Data mining, also known as knowledge discovery in database (KDD), is the process to discover interesting unknown knowledge from a large amount of data. Text mining is to apply data mining techniques to extract interesting and nontrivial information and knowledge from unstructured text. Text clustering is one of important techniques of text mining, which is the unsupervised classification of similar documents into different groups.

This research focuses on improving the performance of text clustering. We investigated the text clustering algorithms in four aspects: document representation, documents closeness measurement, high dimension reduction and parallelization. We propose a group of high performance …

Molecular Identification Of Chironomid Species Based On Its-1 And Its-2 Regions Of Rdna, Monita Sharma

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Of all major aquatic invertebrate groups, members of family Chironomidae are most abundant and show a wide range of habitat preferences. The importance of correct identification of Chironomids has been realized in many bioassessment studies mainly because of their worldwide distribution, substrate specificities and predictable responses to various pollutants in the water sources. This study establishes that the sequence data from the Intergenic Spacer Regions (ITS) of ribosomal DNA could be used as molecular markers to distinguish between different Chironomidae species and also to identify them. The need to use molecular approaches, to identify various Chironomidae species, comes from the …

Composite Data From Centrifugal Experimentation Regarding Human Information Processing, Ronald K. Butcher

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A cognitive model illustrating decrement in human performance as a function of increased G-forces has been highly sought after by the Department of Defense (DoD) for various reasons. The F-16 and other air combat platforms are super-agile aircraft that are easily capable of imposing G-forces on a pilot that are beyond human physiological limitations. Knowledge of these physiological limits and more importantly the resultant restrictions in cognitive function could prove invaluable to those who design and pilot such aircraft. The model may be utilized in the construction of improved flight simulators that incorporate more realistically performing enemy targets and therefore …

Biochemical Characterization Of Htrf1 And Htep1, Two Proteins Involved In Telomere Maintenance, Kambiz Tahmaseb

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Telomeres are the structures that protect the ends of linear chromosomes from fusion and degradation. The telomere consists of tandem repeated DNA sequences that can range from hundreds of bases to kilo-bases depending on the organism. As the cells of an organism replicate their DNA, these repeats are lost due to the end replication problem, where the ends of linear DNA cannot be fully replicated. As the telomeres are shortened through each round of replication, they eventually reach a critical point. Once the telomeres are too short and the cell risks losing coding sequences, a signaling pathway is initiated that …

Core Content Teachers' Prepardeness And Perception Of Inclusive Education In Central Ohio Schools, Christine Ann Crumbacher

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The purpose of this study was to survey core content teachers' (CCTs) perceptions of working with children with disabilities in the subject areas of English, math, science and social studies in two school districts (referred to as school district 1 and 2). The survey consisted of 3 subscales: internal, external and social and were formatted in a Likert-type scale. The research questions in this study are: 1.) Do CCTs feel prepared to teach students with disabilities across districts and buildings based on the internal subscale? 2.) Do schools prepare CCTs to teach students with disabilities across districts and buildings based …

Effect Of Variable Feedback Delay On Visual Target-Acquisition Performance, Julio Christian Mateo

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Traditionally, private communication channels with stable characteristics have been used in teleoperation situations. However, recently there have been a few attempts at using public communication channels such as the Internet. In spite of their convenience, very little is known about the effect of the variable delays inherent in this type of channel on motor performance. In this thesis, we provide empirical data on the impact of variable feedback delays on a 3D visual target-acquisition task performed in a virtual environment. Target size, distance between targets, mean feedback delay, and feedback-delay variability were manipulated and the number of errors and movement …

Improved Thresholding Technique For The Monobit Receiver, Jonathan Gordon Buck

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Wideband digital receivers typically use a very high sampling rate to capture a signal for near real-time processing. Very robust digital techniques, like the Monobit FFT technique, have been developed to provide near real-time processing of captured timedomain signals. Most of these techniques trade accuracy for processing speed by approximating computationally complex mathematical operations. The approximation sometimes makes it difficult to detect multiple signals if the difference between their amplitudes is more than a few dB. This thesis presents a dynamic thresholding technique for multi-tone signal detection. The technique is based on setting an allowable ratio between the magnitude of …

Parameterizable Channelized Wideband Digital Receiver For High Update Rate, Peter E. Buxa

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Wideband digital receivers are important components used prevalently by the United States Air Force for many modern electronic warfare systems. Currently, many digital receiver architectures are designed for a specific mission requirement and are not parameterizable, modular, or reusable for varying mission requirements. Also, many designs are technology, platform, and vendor dependent which make upgrading existing fielded systems costly and difficult. Additionally, current wideband FFT-based digital receivers must wait until a number of samples equal to the size of the FFT are collected before spectral information can be updated. Achieving a high spectral update rate is important for the accurate …

Design And Performance Evaluation Of 1 Giga Hertz Wideband Digital Receiver, Kiranraj George

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The lack of a priori knowledge about the waveform of interest, the multitudes of signals the receiver might receive, and the noise energy that occupies the same portion of the frequency spectrum as the signal makes the design of a modern wideband receiver very challenging. Especially, the receiver must be able to detect a weak signal in the presence of a strong one, which requires a high two-signal instantaneous dynamic range (IDR). To fulfill this requirement, the receiver must detect genuine weak signals and avoid the detection of strong signals' sidelobes and noise and spurs generated from the receiver system. …

The Value Of Deliberative Democratic Practices To Civic Education, Brooke M. Shannon

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The causal relationship between measures of deliberative democratic practices and quality of citizen participation were examined using selected variables from the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement's (IEA) 1999 Civic Education Study (CivEd). Logit regression for survey data was used to analyze whether a causal relationship existed between two indicators of deliberative democratic practices and a total of four measures of both current and expected student participation using data from three countries, the United States, England, and Australia. One independent variable, the degree to which students believed their teachers encouraged discussion of controversial political or social issues, had …

Rolling Mill Optimization Using An Accurate And Rapid New Model For Mill Deflection And Strip Thickness Profile, Arif Sultan Malik

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This work presents improved technology for attaining high-quality rolled metal strip. The new technology is based on an innovative method to model both the static and dynamic characteristics of rolling mill deflection, and it applies equally to both cluster-type and non cluster-type rolling mill configurations. By effectively combining numerical Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with analytical solid mechanics, the devised approach delivers a rapid, accurate, flexible, high-fidelity model useful for optimizing many important rolling parameters. The associated static deflection model enables computation of the thickness profile and corresponding flatness of the rolled strip. Accurate methods of predicting the strip thickness profile …

Evidence Of A Pre-Mount Simon, Half-Graben In Greene County, Ohio By Reprocessing A Wright State University Seismic Line, John Sink

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The reprocessing of the WSU2002 seismic line indicates the presence of a Precambrian half-graben. Also observed through this reprocessing is the possible presence of Paleozoic structures. Although Paleozoic features have been interpreted, variations in glacial drift thickness evidenced by glacial drift maps also may have contributed to a lower quality of stacked section in comparison to other seismic lines. WSU2002 was originally processed by Lauren Geophysical. The Lauren processing resulted in an image that was of much lower quality than corresponding seismic lines. The Lauren Geophysical processed section revealed many horizontal Paleozoic reflections, with no prominent reflectors beneath the Paleozoic. …

Change Detection Methods For Hyperspectral Imagery, Karmon Marie Vongsy

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This thesis studies the detection of changes using hyperspectral images. Change Detection (CD) is the process of identifying and examining temporal and spectral changes in signals. Detection and analysis of change provide valuable information of possible transformations in a scene. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensors are capable of collecting data at hundreds of narrow spectral bands. Such sensors provide high-resolution spatial and spectrally rich information that can be exploited for CD. This work develops and implements various CD algorithms for detection of changes using Hyperspectral images. The main objectives are to study and develop different HSI change detection algorithms. The explored …

Computational Methods For The Objective Review Of Forensic Dna Testing Results, Jason R. Gilder

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Since the advent of criminal investigations, investigators have sought a "gold standard" for the evaluation of forensic evidence. Currently, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology is the most reliable method of identification. Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA genotyping has the potential for impressive match statistics, but the methodology not infallible. The condition of an evidentiary sample and potential issues with the handling and testing of a sample can lead to significant issues with the interpretation of DNA testing results. Forensic DNA interpretation standards are determined by laboratory validation studies that often involve small sample sizes. This dissertation presents novel methodologies to address …

Acute Toxicity And Immunotoxicity Testing Of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons In Aquatic And Terrestrial Organisms, Andrea Renee Handy

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The acute toxicity and immunotoxicity of JP-8 jet fuel on Chironomus tentans, Hyallela azteca, Lactuca sativa, Eisenia foetida, and Lumbricus terrestris was assessed using standard USEPA acute toxicity and static renewal toxicity tests. Three methods of spiking test soil with jet fuel were evaluated. In one method acetone was utilized as a carrier and the soil was dried in the fume hood; in another the soil was spiked directly with jet fuel and also was dried; and in the last the soil was spiked directly without drying. There was low survival in C. tentans in all treatments, including controls. There …

Investigating The Role Of Subunit Iii In The Structure And Function Of Rhodobacter Sphaeroides Cytochrome C Oxidase, R. Ryan Geyer

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The role of subunit III (SIII) in cytochrome c oxidase structure and function was investigated using enzyme isolated from the bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Energy minimization calculations suggested that in the absence of SIII, subunit I (SI) adopted a more open conformation. This observation was tested through the use of limited proteolysis using, á-chymotrypsin. The results showed that in the absence of SIII the solution structures of wild-type and I/II oxidase were not significantly different, and that proteolysis occurred exclusively at the N and C-termini of SI. Upon inactivation of I/II oxidase by catalytic turnover, and subsequent digestion with the protease …

Geophysical Reconnaissance Of Karst Features Associated With Sinkholes On The Antioch University Campus In Yellow Springs, Ohio: Western Area, Brent Matthew Zerkel

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Antioch University is located in Yellow Springs, OH. This study was conducted on the Antioch University Campus in the commons area and is concentrated on the area west of the easternmost sinkhole. The primary purpose of this study is to locate and identify buried anomalous karst features, such as joints and collapses that may be hazardous to nearby buildings on the Antioch University Campus. The secondary purposes of this study are to identify remaining features in the geophysical data that may be related to manmade structures, and to identify areas for future studies. It is known that an 8-inch steel …

Cognitive Ability, Job Knowledge, And Stereotype Threat: When Does Adverse Impact Result?, Mark V. Palumbo

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This research compared the efficacy of a cognitive ability test and two types of job knowledge tests for predicting job performance. Further, I examined job knowledge as a mechanism through which cognitive ability affects performance. Finally, I examined both types of tests relative to specific propositions from stereotype threat theory. Specifically, I examined the propositions that perceptions of the tests may cause mean score differences between Blacks and Whites and compared the effects of test perceptions relative to both test types. Results demonstrated that job knowledge accounted for significantly more variance in task performance than cognitive ability. Furthermore, job knowledge …

Angiotensin At1 Receptor Blockade Protects The Brain From Ischemic Damage, Madhuri Penchikala

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Angiotensin (Ang) AT1 receptors are considered to play an important role in ischemic stroke via degenerative processes leading to cell death. Recent clinical and basic studies show that systemic blockade of Ang AT1 receptors reduces brain lesion in ischemic stroke. In this study we evaluated whether blockade of central Ang AT1 receptors protects the brain from ischemia and inflammation during ischemic stroke. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups for chronic intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of a selective Ang AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan (Los, n=18, 2 ug/hr) or isotonic saline (Con, n=20) using osmotic minipump. Twelve days post infusion, …

Laser Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy Of Molecular Bromine: Observations Of Emission To High Vibrational Levels In The Ground (X) State, David Jonathan Postell

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The Laser Induced Fluorescence spectrum of the B - X system of molecular bromine was recorded using a Red and Near Infrared sensitive PMT coupled to a scanning monochromator. A 543 nm HeNe laser was used to excite three resonances. Assignment of those resonances was made. A line narrowed Nd:YAG laser was used to excite eight fluorescence progressions, six from the (79,81) bromine isotopomer and one each from the (79,79) bromine and (81,81) bromine isotopomers. Analysis of the visible bands helped determine the resonances excited by the Nd:YAG laser. Fluorescence in the near infrared region, 9500 - 14000 angstroms, was …

Comparative Investigation Of Dosimetric Tools In Imrt, Aaron Nicholas Garcia

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Verification of the isodose distribution delivered to the planned tumor volume is required for quality assurance in the clinic. Verification in this context means ensuring that the actual dose delivered to a volume matches the dose that a computerized planning system intended that volume to receive. The computerized planning is performed by a Computerized Medical Systems (CMS) Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) plan. Two methods of measuring the delivered dose are film dosimetry and diode dosimetry. This project will compare the relative isodose distribution profiles of film dosimetry and MapCheck (Sun Nuclear Corporation, a diode-based dosimetry system) to the relative …

The Effect Of Configural Displays On Pilot Situation Awareness In Helmet-Mounted Displays, Joseph C. Jenkins

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The current research utilized configural displays within the domain of aviation to assess what design features of configural displays contribute to the formation of operator situation awareness (SA). Configural displays map system information relevant to operator goals onto geometric shapes called emergent features. An emergent feature is formed from the combination of individual line segments to produce a global feature more perceptually salient and recognized sooner than the individual parts themselves. Configural displays have been shown in previous research to provide better operator performance for integration tasks where multiple pieces of information must be considered at once, yet the design …

Beneath The Invisibility Cloak: Myth And The Modern World View In J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, Mary Elizabeth Noren

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J.K. Rowling, best selling author of the Harry Potter series, uses mythology to add layers of meaning to her own creative storylines, to provide insight into the characters and plot, and to subtly foreshadow events to come. Rowling reinvents the old myths referred to in her text by creating surprise twists that are a reversal of the reader's expectations. Ultimately, Rowling's reworking of established mythology reveals the author's own modern perspective about what makes a hero, the power of choice, and the nature of evil.

Although Rowling draws from a variety of mythologies, including Arthurian legend, ancient Egyptian mythology and …

Neurodegeneration And Neuroinflammation In A Mouse Model Of Sarin Exposure, Molly Elizabeth Davidson

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Sarin is an organophosphorus (OP) ester chemical warfare agent (CWA) that has been used in past terrorist attacks. It remains a threat today because of its ease of manufacture and dispersal. Sarin acts by irreversibly inactivating acetylcholinesterase and interfering with neurotransmission by allowing acetylcholine to build up at neuro-effector junctions, where it continuously elicits a response. Symptoms of sarin toxicity include seizures, hypersecretions, respiratory distress and death in extreme cases. Previous studies on OP poisoning indicate that sarin exposure causes neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in conjunction with seizure activity. In order to determine the mode of neuronal death and the extent …

Impact Of Land Use On Water Quality In The Indian Lake Watershed: An Integrated Geographic Information Systems Approach, Michael Belke

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Geology and land use and land cover are the most important factors that influence water quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate how these factors operate in a rural watershed. Specifically, this thesis tests the feasibility of a proposed formula to relate how land use affects surface water quality and to infer hydrogeochemical reactions that control water chemistry through hydrogeochemical speciation and mineral stability relationships. Samples were collected from Indian Lake and its watershed in West-Central Ohio. BASINS, produced by the USEPA, was then used to delineate sub-watersheds and find the land use areas of these watersheds. The …

Development Of An Intelligent Autonomous Coffee Maker, Nicholas J. Vanderpool

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Using Intelligent Control Methodology Home coffee machines have improved over time with the addition of features such as self-activating timers and crude temperature controlled heating elements. However, home coffee brewer development has stagnated and has yet to achieve full automation status. Present coffee machines leave the user burdened with the mundane and messy task of preparing the coffee maker every time. Also, should the user decide to prepare less than an entire pot, he/she must estimate the correct amount of water and coffee to add. This can lead to a weak or strong brew, giving undesirable results. In order to …

Cross-Cultural Differences Between Korean And American College Students' Perceptions Of Sexual Harassment In Conversational Appropriateness, Yunekyong Chae

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The purpose of this study was to compare the cross-cultural differences of Korean and American college students' perceptions of their experiences with sexual harassment and how it impacts their thoughts and feelings. This study extends the sexual harassment literature to include Koreans' experiences with this important topic. Therefore, this study addresses four research questions: RQ1: Are there cultural differences between Korean and American students' perceptions of sexual harassment in conversational appropriateness? RQ2: Are there gender differences between Korean and American students' perceptions of sexual harassment in conversational appropriateness? RQ3: Will American students report perceptions of sexually harassing conversations more frequently …