Digital Commons Network^™

Demodulation Of Fiber-Optic Sensors For Frequency Response Measurement, Abdeq M. Abdi, Steve Eugene Watkins

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The neural-network-based processing of extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) strain sensors was investigated for the special case of sinusoidal strain. The application area is modal or cyclic testing of structures in which the frequency response to periodic actuation must be demodulated. The nonlinear modulation characteristic of EFPI sensors produces well-defined harmonics of the actuation frequency. Relationships between peak strain and harmonic content were analyzed theoretically. A two-stage demodulator was implemented with a Fourier series neural network to separate the harmonic components of an EFPI signal and a backpropagation neural network to predict the peak-to-peak strain from the harmonics. The system performance …

Error Performance Of Double Space Time Transmit Diversity Systems, Jingxian Wu, Y. Rosa Zheng, Ashwin Gumaste, Chengshan Xiao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The theoretical error performance of double space time transmit diversity (DSTTD) system with optimum combining receiver is analyzed in this paper. by employing both spatial multiplexing and transmit diversity in one system, DSTTD provides practical tradeoff between system spectral efficiency and diversity gain. We derive exact analytical expressions to describe the symbol error rate for DSTTD systems. The effects of both diversity gain and antenna interference introduced by spatial multiplexing are quantified in the results. In addition, the performance of DSTTD system with successive interference cancellation is also investigated. Simulation results are in excellent agreement with the theoretical results obtained …

Implementation Of Static And Semi-Static Versions Of A Bit-Wise Pipelined Dual-Rail Ncl 2s Complement Multiplier, R. Sankar, V. Kadiyala, Ravi Bonam, S. Kumar, S. Mohan, F. Kacani, Waleed K. Al-Assadi, Scott C. Smith

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper focuses on implementing a 2s complement 8x8 dual-rail bit-wise pipelined multiplier using the asynchronous NULL Convention Logic (NCL) paradigm. The design utilizes a Wallace tree for partial product summation, and is implemented and simulated in VHDL, the transistor level, and the physical level, using a 1.8V 0.18,um TSMC CMOS process.The multiplier is realized using both static and semi-static Dualversions of the NCL gates; and these two implementations are compared in terms of area, power, and speed.

Hydro-Nexrad Radar-Rainfall Estimation Algorithm Development, Testing And Evaluation, Witold F. Krajewski, Bong Chul Seo, Anton Kruger, Piotr Domaszczynski, Gabriele Villarini, Charles Gunyon

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Hydro-NEXRAD radar-rainfall estimation algorithms involve three main components: 1) preprocessing, 2) rain rate, and 3) rainfall accumulation. The preprocessing algorithm performs the quality control of reflectivity volume data and generates a hybrid scan. That is, reflectivity values for each azimuth and range bin are assigned from the several lowest elevation angles. It optionally estimates an azimuth-dependent vertical reflectivity profile and performs a correction for range effects. The rain rate algorithm converts the corrected reflectivity to rainfall intensity. The user can specify any power-law type empirical relationship between reflectivity and rainfall intensity. The last step of rainfall estimation is to …

Towards Better Utilization Of Nexrad Data In Hydrology: An Overview Of Hydro-Nexrad, Witold F. Krajewski, Anton Kruger, Ramon Lawrence, James A. Smith, A. Allen Bradley, Matthias Steiner, Mary Lynn Baeck, Mohan K. Ramamurthy, Jeffrey Weber, Stephen A. Delgreco, Bong Chul Seo, Piotr Domaszczynski, Charles Gunyon, Radoslaw Goska

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

With a very modest investment in computer hardware and the open-source local data manger (LDM) software from UCAR's Unidata Program Center, an individual researcher can receive a variety of NEXRAD Level III gridded rainfall products, and the unprocessed Level II data in real-time from most NEXRAD radars. Additionally, the National Climatic Data Center has vast archives of these products and Level II data. Still, significant obstacles remain in order to unlock the full potential of the data. One set of obstacles is related to effective management of multi-terabyte data sets: storing, compressing, and backing up. A second set of obstacles, …

Computational Aspects Of Voting: A Literature Survey, Fatima Talib

Theses

Preference aggregation is a topic of study in different fields such as philosophy, mathematics, economics and political science. Recently, computational aspects of preference aggregation have gained especial attention and “computational politics” has emerged as a marked line of research in computer science with a clear concentration on voting protocols. The field of voting systems, rooted in social choice theory, has expanded notably in both depth and breadth in the last few decades. A significant amount of this growth comes from studies concerning the computational aspects of voting systems. This thesis comprehensively reviews the work on voting systems (from a computing …

Evaluation Of Time Independent Rheological Models Applicable To Fresh Self-Compacting Concrete, Dimitri Feys, Ronny Verhoeven, Geert De Schutter

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Self-Compacting Concrete is a New Type of Concrete Which is More Liquid Compared to Traditional Concrete and Which Does Not Need Any Form of External Compaction. as a Result, This Type of Concrete is Suitable for a New Placing Technique: Pumping SCC from the Bottom in the Formwork and Letting It Rise in the Formwork Due to the Applied Pressure. in Order to Understand the Phenomena Occurring during Pumping Operations, the Rheological Properties of SCC Must Be Investigated and Controlled. Tests Have Been Performed with Two Different Rheometers, Which Are Described in This Paper. for the Tattersall MIk-II Rheometer, a …

Optimal Neuro-Controller Synthesis For Impulse-Driven System, Xiaohua Wang, S. N. Balakrishnan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a new controller design technique for systems driven with impulse inputs. Necessary conditions for optimal impulse control are derived. A neural network structure to solve the resulting equations is presented. The solution concepts are illustrated with a few example problems that exhibit increasing levels of difficulty. Two linear problems-one scalar and one vector-and a benchmark nonlinear problem-Van Der Pol oscillator-are used as case studies. Numerical results show the efficacy of the new solution process for impulse driven systems. Since the theoretical development and the design technique are free from restrictive assumptions, this technique is applicable to many …

How Ehs Managers Can Influence Environmental Excellence Within Their Organization, Joseph Whitaker

Theses

The objective of this work is to evaluate the various management styles and systems applicable to the Environmental, Health, and Safety ('EHS') profession; furthermore, it will present ways in which managers will discover how to understand and evaluate projects from a 'business' point of view, allowing them to compete within their organization for capital and human resources. ... This paper will also discuss various evaluations used to ensure proper buy-in from management -- a process that will facilitate the allocation of human and financial resources to environment, health, and safety projects. The evaluation will focus on two primary elements. The …

Development Of A Community Sharps Collection Pilot Program For The Town Of Northampton, Massachusetts: A Review Of The Barriers, Carmela (Deb) Laino

Theses

Not provided.

Extraction Of Text Regions In Natural Images, Sneha Sharma

Theses

The detection and extraction of text regions in an image is a well known problem in the computer vision research area. The goal of this project is to compare two basic approaches to text extraction in natural (non-document) images: edge-based and connected-component based. The algorithms are implemented and evaluated using a set of images of natural scenes that vary along the dimensions of lighting, scale and orientation. Accuracy, precision and recall rates for each approach are analyzed to determine the success and limitations of each approach. Recommendations for improvements are given based on the results.

Preference And Performance Of The Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis Baptisiae) On Its Native Host Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia Tinctoria) And On The Introduced Plant Crown Vetch (Securigera Varia), Susan D. Mcmahon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis baptisiae) shifted from its native host plant Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) to the introduced plant Crown Vetch (Securigera varia). This study examined the effects of this host shift by comparing butterfly preference (larval feeding and female oviposition) and performance (pupal weight and pupation success) of two distinct butterfly populations, on both native and introduced plants. Caterpillars reared on the native plant had significantly greater pupal weight regardless of the population origin. Larval feeding preference was significantly affected by the plant fed upon; larvae from both populations strongly …

Population Ecology Of Pseudacteon Tricuspis Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), An Introduced Parasitoid Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Louisiana, Donald Charles Henne

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aspects of the population ecology of a parasitoid (Pseudacteon tricuspis) of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in Louisiana were studied. The spatio-temporal abundance patterns, dispersal, population spread, aggregation, direct mutual interference and functional response characteristics of this parasitoid were studied to address deficiencies in our knowledge about phorid flies, particularly Pseudacteon parasitoids. This endoparasitoid was discovered to manipulate host ant behavior in ways that benefit its own survival. Laboratory experiments to gain insights into behavioral and functional responses revealed that fly aggregations were density-dependent and interference was not significant when 1-3 females were simultaneously confined with hosts, although …

Emerging Commons And Tragic Institutions, Brigham Daniels

Faculty Scholarship

For the past forty years, scholars have developed an immense literature devoted to understanding and solving the tragedy of the commons. The most prominent solutions to this tragedy have focused on building and maintaining stable institutions. This Article reexamines this foundational literature by exploring the costs of stability. In many cases, far more than is generally recognized, the way we value the commons changes. When values change, stable institutions that once made perfect sense become rigid institutions that block change. This Article explains how institutions most able to solve the tragedy of the commons often cause a tragedy of another …

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 …

Assisting Small And Medium Enterprises Establish Procedures For Verification, Management Review And Continual Improvement Of Iso 14001, Parimala Anthony

Theses

This study addresses the issue of reaching small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with appropriate means to help them establish procedures for verification, management review and continual improvement in accordance to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) standard. The relative contribution of SMEs to the total industrial environmental impact is unknown, but it is likely to be considerable, given their contribution to total production and their dominance in sectors such as information technology, electronics, metals, printing, textiles etc. Therefore, the role of SMEs in protecting and improving the environment, through their production and marketing of environmental technologies (for energy efficiency, …

Light Pollution: A Case For Federal Regulation, Timothy Berthaume

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the body of evidence concerning light pollution and exposure to artificial light and determine if the scientific research warrants regulatory oversight in the United States. The first question that guided this effort was: Does improper artificial lighting and exposure to light-at-night constitute a risk to human health and safety? The follow up question being: Is light pollution a concern to ecological systems, and if so to what extent? A comprehensive literature review was conducted to ascertain the status of the research—if any—in these two areas and what the findings were. The overarching …

Testing Methods And Pass/Fail Rates In Developmental Mathematics Classes At Southwest Virginia Community College, Charlotte Tiller

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To solve this problem the following hypothesis was developed: There is no correlation between examination method and pass/fail rate of students in developmental mathematics at Southwest Virginia Community College.

The Relationship Of College Gpa And Job Performance For Teaching Faculty At Blue Ridge Community College, Tim Nicely

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide a solution to this problem, the following hypothesis was developed: 1. there is no correlation between full-time faculty member college GPA and their overall performance as a faculty member at Blue Ridge Community College.

Route Disruption Analysis, Adam Kirk, Mei Chen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In today’s society, transportation has become a vital component of our economy, our national defense, our emergency response systems, and our day-to-day life. Disruption of major highway systems can have serious social, health, economic, security, and environmental consequences. Disruption of highway systems can result from natural or man-made causes, and it may be intentional or unintentional. Examples of the wide-ranging causes of highway disruption include weather, natural disasters, vehicle crashes, hazardous material spills, barge impacts with bridge piers, and acts of terrorism. Disruption of key transportation chokepoints, such as bridges or tunnels, could have disastrous impacts on Kentucky. With this …

Live Load Stack Testing Of Corrugated Shipping Containers Filled With 12 Hdpe Quart Oil Bottles, Christopher Wemett

Theses

A study was conducted to choose a new resin for the BP Castro( bottle-making process. Four resins were tested using the standard 10-week stack test: ExxonMobil HY A30 I (the control),

Chevron Marlex 9512H, Dow DMDA 6200, and BP Solvay HPS0-25-155. The study focused on five possible defects: bent neck, pushed up base, creased side wall, pushed in bumper, and creased label panel. The goal was to find a resin that performed as well as or better than the control resin. The test required bottles to be made and quality-checked for conformance to specification. The bottles were then put into …

A Normalized Fractionally Lower-Order Moment Algorithm For Space-Time Adaptive Processing, Y. Rosa Zheng, Genshe Chen, Erik Blasch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new space-time adaptive processing algorithm is proposed for clutter suppression in phased array radar systems. In contrast to the commonly used normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm which uses the second order moments of the data for adaptation, the proposed method uses the lower order moments of the data to adapt the weight coefficients. The normalization is also performed based on the data sample dispersion rather than the variance. Processing results using simulated and measured data show that the proposed algorithm converges faster than the NLMS algorithms in Gaussian and non-Gaussian clutter environments. It also provides better clutter suppression …

A Proportional-Integrator Type Adaptive Critic Design-Based Neurocontroller For A Static Compensator In A Multimachine Power System, Salman Mohagheghi, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Yamille Del Valle, Ronald G. Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel nonlinear optimal controller for a static compensator (STATCOM) connected to a power system, using artificial neural networks, is presented in this paper. The action dependent heuristic dynamic programming, a member of the adaptive critic designs family is used for the design of the STATCOM neurocontroller. This neurocontroller provides optimal control based on reinforcement learning and approximate dynamic programming. Using a proportional-integrator approach, the proposed neurocontroller is capable of dealing with actual rather than deviation signals. Simulation results are provided to show that the proposed controller outperforms a conventional PI controller for a STATCOM in a small and large …

Evaluating Bispyribac-Sodium And Sulfosulfuron For Control Of Roughstalk Bluegrass, Debbie Morton, Daniel Weisenberger, Zachary Reicher, Bruce Branham, Bill Sharp, Roch E. Gaussoin, John Stier, Eric Koeritz

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Roughstalk bluegrass (Poa trivialis L.) is a troublesome weed on golf courses, home lawns, and athletic fields from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic states. Bispyribacsodium and sulfosulfuron have recently been labeled for roughstalk bluegrass control, but their use needs to be refined. Our objective was to determine the most effective herbicide strategies for control of roughstalk bluegrass. Initial studies were conducted during 2005 in Illinois and Indiana and follow-up studies in 2006 in Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota (partial shade and full sun), and Wisconsin. Applications starting in the warmer temperatures of late May and June 2005 were more effective …

On The Error Performance Of Wireless Systems With Frequency Selective Fading And Receiver Timing Phase Offset, Jingxian Wu, Y. Rosa Zheng, Khaled Ben Letaief, Chengshan Xiao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Performance Analysis Of Wireless Systems With Doubly Selective Rayleigh Fading, Jingxian Wu, Chengshan Xiao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Theoretical error performances of wireless communication systems suffering from both doubly selective (time varying and frequency selective) Rayleigh fading and sampler timing offset are analyzed in this paper. Single-input-single-output systems with doubly selective fading channels are equivalently represented as discrete-time single-input-multiple-output (SIMO) systems with correlated frequency-flat fading channels, with the correlation information being determined by the combined effects of sampler timing phase, maximum Doppler spread, and power delay profile of the physical fading. Based on the equivalent SIMO system representation, closed-form error-probability expressions are derived as tight lower bounds for linearly modulated systems with fractionally spaced equalizers. The information on …

A Dialogue On Interdisciplinary Collaboration To Bridge The Gap Between Plant Genomics And Crop Sciences, P. C. Struik, Kenneth G. Cassman, M. Koornneef

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In the future, more food needs to be produced with increasingly scarce natural resources. Genomics can play a key role in accelerating yield gains because it helps to improve our understanding of genetic traits and assists in breeding for better crop performance. The scientific muscle of genomics attracted tremendous research investments, but the efficiency with which these investments are paying off is still low. How can we accelerate the application of molecular genetics to our understanding of crop physiology and subsequently to crop improvement? The missing link is a more detailed understanding of the effects of gene function on crop …

Articulation Trends In Allied Health Programs, Felicia M. Toreno

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The educational environment emphasizes student access to instructional opportunities. Many health programs are located in community colleges or hospitals, and in order to advance educational status, students must be able to transfer credits between multiple educational institutions. Unfortunately, programs are not uniform and many fields of study are guided by strict accreditation regulations. These conflicting requirements often make transfer for students cumbersome. Transfer pathways are often considered by institutions on a program by program basis. This research was designed to analyze the existing pathways present in urban Virginian allied health programs in order to establish trends in articulation. These instructional …

Influence Of Questionnaire Format On The Response Rate Of Training Session Evaluations, Yumiao Zhu

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To answer this problem, the following research questions were established: What were respondents' concerns when they completed questionnaires after training? What were the participants' preferences regarding format when responding to a training evaluation questionnaire?

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 …