Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Behavior Of System Of Systems Through Computational Intelligence Techniques, Nil H. Kilicay, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The world is facing an increasing level of systems integration leading towards systems of systems (SoS) that adapt to changing environmental conditions. The number of connections between components, the diversity of the components and the way the components are organized can lead to different emergent system behavior. Therefore, the need to focus on overall system behavior is becoming an unavoidable issue. The problem is to develop methodologies appropriate for better understanding behavior of system of systems before the design and implementation phase. This paper focuses on computational intelligence techniques used for analysis of complex adaptive systems with the aim of …

Analysis Of Interaction Between A Crystallographically Uniaxial Ferrite Resonator And A Hall-Effect Transducer, Marina Koledintseva, Alexander A. Kitaytsev

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a number of physical phenomena taking place at the interaction of a crystallographically uniaxial ferrite resonator (UFR) with a semiconductor element, such as a Hall-effect transducer (HET), are analyzed. The UFR in this study is in a direct contact with an unpackaged HET. The interaction is studied in the vicinity of the ferromagnetic resonance in the UFR. The analytical model based on the combination of the problem of interaction of an arbitrarily orientated and shaped UFR with electromagnetic field of a multimode transmission line (waveguide) and thermal balance equations is proposed. A number of thermo/electro/magnetic phenomena that …

Coordinated Machine Learning And Decision Support For Situation Awareness, Timothy Draelos, Pengchu Zhang, Donald C. Wunsch, John E. Seiffertt Iv, Gregory Conrad, Nathan Brannon

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

For applications such as force protection, an effective decision maker needs to maintain an unambiguous grasp of the environment. Opportunities exist to leverage computational mechanisms for the adaptive fusion of diverse information sources. The current research employs neural networks and Markov chains to process information from sources including sensors, weather data, and law enforcement. Furthermore, the system operator's input is used as a point of reference for the machine learning algorithms. More detailed features of the approach are provided, along with an example force protection scenario.

Characterization Of Stress Ulcer Model In Mice, Abeer Hamed Rubayea Hamed Aldhaheri

Theses

Stress ulcer is a common problem in critically ill patients. Recent statistics indicated that bleeding from stress ulcer is a common cause of death in patients admitted to intensive care units. Little is known about the cellular changes that occur in the gastric mucosa during stress ulcer formation. The aim of this study is to define the changes that occur in the mouse stomach during development of stress ulcer by using different microscopy techniques.

The cold-restraint mouse model of stress ulcer was used in this study. Mice of both sexes were restrained and maintained in a cold (4°C) room for …

Analytical Studies On Some Antiviral Drugs And Their Derivatives Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance And Uv-Vis Spectrophotometry, Habiba Saleh Saif Alawi Jahri Al Yafei

Theses

Cyclodextrin chemistry involves non-covalent molecular interactions between the interacting species. The majority of these interactions are of the host-guest type. In the present work, UV-Vis spectrophotometry and ¹H-NMR studies were used to study the interaction between amantadine hydrochloride, acyclovir and their derivatives with β­cyclodextrin. Additionally, quantification of amantadine hydrochloride and acyclovir by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy were carried out.

This study is based on preparing amantadine hydrochloride and acyclovir derivatives. Anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid and benzoyl chloride were used as derivatizing agents for amantadine hydrochloride and acyclovir, respectively. Derivatization procedure was based on nucleophilic displacement by an amino group (amantadine or acyclovir) …

Comparison Of Efficiency Of An Advanced Oxidation Process For Degrading Major Classes Of Dyes, Fatima Hasan Abdullah Ai-Hamedi

Theses

Synthetic dyes are a major part of our life. Products ranging from clothes to leather

Accessories to furniture all depend on extensive use of organic dyes.

There are numerous classes of these dyes. However, azo, anthraquinonoid,

Triarylmethane, diarylmethane, acridine, quinine, xanthane and nitro represent the major

Classes and are most commonly used dyes.

An unfortunate side effect of their widespread use is the fact that up to 12% of these dyes are

Wasted during the dyeing process, and that approximately 20% of this waste enters the environment (mostly in water supply). The effluents from these industries cause the water bodies …

Forecasting Consumer Adoption Of Technological Innovation: Choosing The Appropriate Diffusion Models For New Products And Services Before Launch, Roger Calantone, Lance Gentry

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are many good articles on various forecasting models. There is consensus that no single diffusion model is best for every situation. Experts in the field have asked for studies to provide empirical-based guidelines for recommending when various models should be used. This research investigates multiple diffusion models and provides recommendations for which diffusion models are appropriate for radical and really new products and services before the launch of the innovation.

A Scent-Station Survey Of Medium-Size Mammals On The Callaway Preserve, Harris County, Georgia, Anna-Maria Giacobello

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this project was to determine the relative abundance of medium- sized mammals on the Callaway Preserve in Harris County, Georgia, using the scent- station technique, to determine species preference in regard to habitat, to compare relative abundance of species in regard to habitat, and to compare habitats in terms of the species present. Thirty-six scent-stations were established on the property and monitored to observe the presence of coyotes, raccoons, armadillos, foxes, opossums, and skunks. Of the total number of visits to the scent-stations, 36.36 % were coyotes, 18.18% were foxes 22.73% were armadillos, and 22.73% were raccoons. …

Reactive Oxygen Emission From Microwave Discharge Plasmas, S. Popovic, M. Rašković, S. P. Kuo, L. Vuskovic

Physics Faculty Publications

Metastable oxygen atoms and molecules have received increased interest because of their function in surface modification, bio-decontamination and many other industrial applications, in addition to the role in the upper atmospheric layer chemistry. We review work on production and detection of metastable oxygen and we describe our experiments, including the development of techniques for measurement of metastable molecular oxygen. We show that either metastable oxygen molecules or metastable oxygen atoms can be produced in large quantities in electrical discharges, carefully tailored to promote the required kinetics. Although the two species may coexist, colder discharge regimes favor production of molecules, while …

Sustainable Shoe Design With A Single Material, Jungyun Lee

Theses

People tend to throw away a shoe rather than repair it for further use. This means more and more shoes are thrown away, and since a shoe is made out of many kinds of materials that are all glued or stitched together, it is difficult to recycle or reuse the shoe. Additionally, there is a symbolic relation between the land and shoe; a shoe is the product that connects people to the ground. It is ironic that a shoe, which provides the connection, has a negative effect on the land. If we wear a shoe longer, we can reduce the …

Using Organic Modeling Techniques To Create Scientific Models For Flow Analysis In Biomechanical Research: Exploring 3-D Software Typically Used In Creative Media For Model Creation., Jessica L. Weisman

Theses

Biomedical Engineering research utilizes digital three-dimensional models of human anatomical systems that are used as components in specific types of simulation. The data collected from the simulations provide quantifiable information that has a physical basis. The use of the digital models allows engineers the freedom of experimentation that may not be possible in the real world and allows them to quickly change the parameters. Although these models can provide reliable information, the models represent a mechanical ideal and therefore do not accurately represent organic matter. The consequence of using an ideal model to represent tissue may give flawed data, since …

Emotional And Domain Concept Enhancements To Alicebot, Alvin Cho

Master's Projects

Extensive research and development have been done in the area of human simulation and artificial intelligence and their related fields, such as common sense knowledge bases, chatterbots, natural language parsing, semantic analysis, synthetic actors, and cognitive sciences. This paper takes part in that extensive research by focusing on the improvement of human simulation in chatterbots, specifically in Alicebot, a prominent non-emotional pattern-matching chatbot. An emotion and personality model is added to Alicebot so that it can make decisions based on its emotions and personality. Alicebot is also augmented with the ability to determine what it likes or does not like …

Assessing Executive Functioning In Children With A Hearing Loss, Elizabeth Oberg

Theses

This study examined a variety of executive functioning assessment methods with a group of deaf children. The relationship between parent/teacher reports of 22 deaf and hard of hearing students' executive functioning, students' performance on cognitive tests and students' performance on selected achievement domains was studied. The findings showed significant positive correlations (p<.01) between the parent/teacher Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) on six of the eight clinical scales. Secondly, there were significantly positive correlations between the parent/teacher BRIEF reports and the students' scores on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the (Children's) Color Trails Test and the Woodcock- Johnson: Writing Fluency subtest. Lastly the importance of considering etiology when assessing deaf children was examined. Students with genetic deafness were rated as significantly different (p<.05) on BRIEF scales and performed significantly different on select student measures than students with other causes of deafness.

Parallelizing The Cluster Rank Analysis Application, Anthony G. Esposito Jr.

Theses

A wide range of researchers is beginning to utilize customized statistical methods for analyzing data as hardware and software become cheaper and more widely available. Cluster Rank Analysis (CRA) is an existing multivariate statistical algorithm that existed as an inefficient service-oriented application. Here it is described how CRA was optimized and parallelized using an available computing cluster and both open source and custom software. This was followed by the development of a command-line submission system for CRA jobs, as well as a Web retrieval system for the results of analyses. A subsequent timing study revealed speedup that quickly rose to …

The Manta Project: Conception, Implementation, And Reflections On A Cable Array Robot And Its Interfaces, Brian Ballsun-Stanton

Theses

We have created and flown a cable array robot based flying sculpture. This sculp ture, in its various versions, flew in both Rochester, New York and London, England. This thesis both explores the construction of the flying sculpture and presents a pub lished paper wherein an Human-Robotic Interaction design space is proposed to facilitate discussion of robotic interfaces.

Parental Perceptions Of School Climate And Middle School Students' Performance, Christine Demart

Theses

This research study explored the relationship between parental perceptions of school climate and middle school students' academic and social success. In particular, this study investigated what specific school climate factors may have the greatest impact on students' academic achievement, disciplinary referrals, and school attendance.

Mutually Adaptive Distributed Heterogeneous Agents For Data Classification, Joshua Alan Harlow

Theses

Efficient and effective data classification is one of the most fundamental problems of computer science due to a huge number of important applications. As such, there have been many models that are capable of doing some form of data classification using a large number of varied algorithms and architectures. However, few share properties that implicitly take advantage of the distributed environment where classification has its most potential.

Therefore, to resolve this dilemma in this thesis a generic classification architecture com posed of mutually adaptive distributed heterogeneous agents was designed, implemented and experimentally analyzed. The system defined creates a multi-agent distributed …

The Soap Box Ipm And Iwdm: Is There A Difference?, Michael J. Bodenchuk

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Columns The Changing Face Of Wildlife Damage Management, William H. Clay

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Drive-By Netting: A Technique For Capturing Grebes And Other Diving Waterfowl, Joe N. Caudell, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We describe a new method (drive-by netting) for capturing grebes (Podiceps spp.) and other birds that dive under water to escape capture. We used a floating gill net to capture 203 eared grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) in 20 days in 1999 on the Great Salt Lake (GSL), 652 eared grebes in 41 days on the GSL in 2000, and 409 grebes in 20 days in 2001. Other species captured during the 2000 and 2001 fi eld seasons included 1 western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis), 9 ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis), and 1 Canada goose (Branta …

Comparison Of Sampling Strategies To Estimate Abundance Of Double-Crested Cormorants In Western Mississippi, Aaron T. Pearse, Brian S. Dorr, Stephen J. Dinsmore, Richard M. Kaminski

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We compared 2 sampling strategies designed to estimate abundance of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus, hereafter cormorants) on aquaculture ponds in western Mississippi. Cormorants are a major predator of cultured channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in this region; thus, estimating cormorant abundance is needed to better determine their economic impact. We independently designed a species-specific survey (i.e., cluster sampling) and a general survey (i.e., transect sampling) based on robust probability sampling theory to estimate abundance of this target population. During winters 2002–2003 and 2003–2004, we conducted 8 pairs of surveys and compared estimates of cormorant abundance and associated …

Public Opinion, The Leopold Report, And The Reform Of Federal Predator Control Policy, James W. Feldman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This paper explores the role of public opinion in a landmark shift in the federal predator control program. In 1963, the Leopold Committee recommended extensive reform in the federal predator control program, predicting that growing public support for the environmental movement would force such a move if the government did not initiate a change. In the years following the publication of the Leopold Report, the U.S. Division of Wildlife Services reformed its predator control program and tried to improve its public image. Meanwhile, both environmentalists and ranchers fought to control public opinion about the issue. The 1972 ban on predacides …

The Soap Box Birth Control Is Not For Everyone: A Response, Allen T. Rutberg

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Long Term Monitoring Of A Deep-Water Coral Reef: Effects Of Bottom Trawling., John K. Reed, Christopher C. Koenig, Andrew N. Shepard, R. G. Gilmore

Faculty Scholarship

The deep-water Oculina coral reef ecosystem is unique and exists solely off the east coast of central Florida. Oculina varicosa forms azooxanthellate colonies up to 2 m in diameter which coalesce into dense thickets on 20-m tall mounds that are thousands of years old. Recently restored videotapes that were made in the 1970s with the Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles show large breeding aggregations of grouper associated with the coral habitat. Historical photographic surveys provide evidence of the status and health of the reefs prior to heavy fishing and trawling activities of the 1980s and 1990s. Recent quantitative analyses by point count of …

Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management Of Seamount And Deep-Sea Coral Reefs In U.S. Waters: Conceptual Models For Proactive Decisions., R. Y. George, T. A. Okey, John K. Reed, R. P. Stone

Faculty Scholarship

Commercial fishing activities, primarily bottom trawling, have severely damaged vulnerable sea-floor communities such as undersea coral gardens and the summits of seamounts. Recreational fishing can also affect ecosystems adversely. The United States Ocean Commission (2004) recommended that fisheries be managed to protect marine ecosystems and their functions. The eight regional fisheries management councils in the United States under the jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service lack a sufficiently detailed understanding of ecosystem structure and function and of the target stocks and managed fisheries for making decisions that protect the stocks and ecosystems while allowing fisheries to proceed. Because the …

Final Oculina Evaluation Team Report, Oculina Experimental Closed Area (Oeca)., John K. Reed, Christopher C. Koenig, R. G. Gilmore, M. Miller, Andrew N. Shepard, C. Werner

Faculty Scholarship

The Council established the Oculina Evaluation Team (OET) as part of its Evaluation Plan for the Oculina Experimental Closed Area (OECA). The team -- comprising law enforcement representatives, research scientists, resource managers, commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, outreach experts, and non-governmental organization representatives -- was charged with reviewing and providing recommendations for the ongoing research and monitoring, outreach, and law enforcement components of the Evaluation Plan. These recommendations will assist the Council in completing a required 3-year size and configuration evaluation and a 10-year complete evaluation of the OECA. The OET convened for the first time August 21-23, 2006 in Port …

Ivee: Interesting Video Event Extraction, Jeremy Paskali

Theses

The Video Exploitation and Novelty Understanding in Streams (VENUS) system is a complete software solution for video surveillance, which consists of motion detection, motion tracking, novel event detection, missed expected event detection, object recognition, scene description, and database mining. This research focuses on the assignment of degrees of interest for events in motion and at rest for the VENUS system. The Interesting Video Event Extraction (IVEE) system is the second module in the processing pipeline of the VENUS system. The novel features of the IVEE sysem include the ability to assign a degree of interest to an event, to develop …

Effective Approaches To Minimize The Problem Of Pharmaceuticals And Other Personal Care Products In The Environment, Papun Pramanick

Theses

Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals and other personal care products (PPCPs) are present in the environment, especially in water, due to different human activities. Some of these compounds are toxic to our eco-system. Although there is no evidence of adverse human health effect from the presence of PPCPs in the environment to date , some adverse effects on aquatic life cycle already have been found. Therefore, protecting our environment as well as human health from adverse effect(s) of PPCPs is a growing concern. The objective of this thesis work was to collect information about the principal approaches available to pharmaceutical …

Visualization Analysis Of Astrophysics N-Bodied Problem Using Image Morphological Processing Techniques, Thomas J. Borrelli

Theses

This project’s primary goal is to detect points of interest within the output data resulting from running a simulation of the Astrophysics N-Bodied problem (GRAPEcluster). Morphological Image Processing techniques will be applied to the visualized data in order to detect areas of interest within the original data. Several Morphological Image Processing techniques will be used and the results compared in the analysis. The final output of the VRAD (Visualization of Raw Astrophysics Data) System will be two-fold: first, the VRAD system will output a text file that contains the x, y and z coordinates of each region of interest in …

Gender Differences In Perceived Value Of A Program To Promote Academic And Career Success For Students With Disabilities, Sheryl Burgstahler, Chuan Chang

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This article reports the results of a retrospective survey of participants in an exemplary transition program for college-bound youth with disabilities. The study compared how male and female participants perceived changes in themselves in the areas of academic skills, social skills, Internet skills, levels of preparation for college and employment, levels of awareness of career options, and personal characteristics during the course of their participation; values of program components; and impact of program participation on their lives. In accordance with conventional gender stereotypes, significantly more boys indicated initial interests and/or career goals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and …