Digital Commons Network^™

Structure- And Ligand-Based Design Of Novel Antimicrobial Agents, Kirk Edward Hevener

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

The use of computer based techniques in the design of novel therapeutic agents is a rapidly emerging field. Although the drug-design techniques utilized by Computational Medicinal Chemists vary greatly, they can roughly be classified into structure-based and ligand-based approaches. Structure-based methods utilize a solved structure of the design target, protein or DNA, usually obtained by X-ray or NMR methods to design or improve compounds with activity against the target. Ligand-based methods use active compounds with known affinity for a target that may yet be unresolved. These methods include Pharmacophore-based searching for novel active compounds or Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) studies. …

Gene Order Phylogeny Of The Genus Prochlorococcus, Haiwei Luo, Jian Shi, William Arndt, Jijun Tang, Robert Friedman

Faculty Publications

Background
Using gene order as a phylogenetic character has the potential to resolve previously unresolved species relationships. This character was used to resolve the evolutionary history within the genus Prochlorococcus, a group of marine cyanobacteria.

Methodology/Principal Findings
Orthologous gene sets and their genomic positions were identified from 12 species of Prochlorococcus and 1 outgroup species of Synechococcus. From this data, inversion and breakpoint distance-based phylogenetic trees were computed by GRAPPA and FastME. Statistical support of the resulting topology was obtained by application of a 50% jackknife resampling technique. The result was consistent and congruent with nucleotide sequence-based and gene-content based …

Development Of An Open Loop Fuzzy Logic Urea Dosage Controller For Use With An Scr Equipped Hdd Engine, Theodore R. Adams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) has been shown to be the most promising exhaust aftertreatment system for reducing oxides of nitrogen in near term in-use applications. SCRs use the ammonia containing compound urea, as a reducing agent. In order to control the urea dosage during transient operation of the engine, sophisticated control strategies are needed. The goal of this study was to design a controller to achieve the maximum NO x emission reduction possible in the transient mode of engine operation, without causing ammonia slip. The development of an open loop, non-sensor based fuzzy logic urea dosage controller is discussed in …

Position Transformation: A Location Privacy Protection Method For Moving Objects, Dan Lin, Elisa Bertino, Reynold Cheng, Sunil Prabhakar

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The expanding use of location-Based services has profound implications on the privacy of personal information. in this paper, we propose a framework for preserving location privacy based on the idea of sending to the service provider suitably modified location information. Agents execute data transformation, and the service provider directly processes the transformed dataset. Our technique not only prevents the service provider from knowing the exact locations of users, but also protects information about user movements and locations from being disclosed to other users who are not authorized to access this information. We also define a privacy model to analyze our …

Teacher And Technology: How Faculty Resource Centers Can Enhance Higher Education Teaching And Learning, John T. Freden

Theses and Dissertations

As many classrooms around the world utilize instructional technology to attempt to enhance student learning, the faculty resource centers that support this instructional technology are sometimes left out of the equation. This study asks the question "What can faculty resource centers do to help teachers integrate instructional technology to improve student learning?" To help answer this question surveys were sent out to educators at two different higher education institutions. Questions were asked in a survey about the educators' background information, instructional technology, and faculty resource centers. The , information gathered from this survey is useful to faculty resource centers as …

Development Of Tracking Systems For Reworked Products, Vaddadi Sri Brahmeshwar Abhishek

Theses and Dissertations

This independent study was carried out at a popular food production company. French fries are one of the most popularly consumed fast food in the entire world. Business empires have been built from the profits. Quality standards in a food production company specific to frozen foods are very high. These standards ensure that the food would be edible until the date promised, if stored under desirable conditions. In addition, companies face a tough task of adhering to the standards set by the customers, who desire a certain cut, and characteristics from their product. As a result companies that supply products …

Analysis Of Factors Affecting Wireless Communication Systems In Underground Coal Mines, David P. Mcgraw

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since recent disasters in the mining industry in 2006 the push for a reliable communication system has became a high priority. This thesis will discuss each "wireless" communication system available and/or being developed for underground mines as well as the frequencies that will be used for each system's operation.;The second part of the investigation will be on the factors affecting these frequencies as well as possible ways to model these factors analytically. It is important to understand these factors in order to make intelligent conclusions as to what communication systems will perform adequately in an underground mining environment.;The third area …

Development Of An Optimized Short-Span Steel Bridge Design Package, Gabor I. Nagy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia Department of Transportation indicates that a significant number of bridges in West Virginia are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. One third of the nation's bridges have similar conditions due to the age of the infrastructure and ever increasing traffic demands. The resources available to replace or rehabilitate those structures are finite, hence cost effective means of replacing the inadequate structures is necessary. One of the solutions intended to ease the increasing demands of replacing those structures are standardized bridge plans by providing a cost effective method to save time and resources. Therefore, the focus of this effort is …

Development And Verification Of A Laboratory For The Emissions Testing Of Locomotive Engines, Michael R. Shahan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia University (WVU) currently has a Transportable Emissions Laboratory capable of measuring the exhaust constituents produced by a heavy duty diesel engine. The laboratory has the capability of measuring the exhaust constituents from a partial exhaust stream of a locomotive diesel engine. As the field of locomotive engine emissions testing broadens, it has become desirable for WVU to develop a laboratory that is capable of sampling the gaseous exhaust constituents produced by a locomotive engine from a raw, undiluted gas stream, in tandem with a partial flow dilution tunnel system for particulate matter. This document provides the design philosophy …

Observations Of The Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance As Compared To A Gravimetric Method For Particulate Matter Measurement, Gregory Shane Thomas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A direct comparison has been made between a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and the traditional gravimetric filter method designed per 40 CFR §1065.145. A repeatability test, consisting of multiple emission tests, was also performed for the TEOM system that shows that the TEOM was a consistent instrument. The TEOM was also tested with and without a diesel particular filter (DPF) during an 8-mode test on a 1997/1998 Kubota 2.2L engine to see if the concentration of the particular matter (PM) flowing through the TEOM has an effect on accuracy. The flow rate was varied to find the optimal setting …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Reliability For Structure-Based Software Via Simulation, Jun Xu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Computer simulation is an appealing approach for the reliability analysis of structure-based software systems as it can accommodate complexities present in realistic systems. When the system is complex, a screening experiment to quickly identify important factors (components) can significantly improve efficiency of the analysis. The challenge is to guarantee the correctness of the screening results with stochastic simulation responses. Control Sequential Bifurcation (CSB) is a new method for factors screening using simulation experiments, when only main effects models are considered. By grouping factors, CSB can identify the importance of factors while reducing the simulation effort. With appropriate hypothesis testing procedures …

Thermal Analysis Of Tilted Roofs Composed Of Two Separated Surfaces, Orlando J. Ugarte-Almeyda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to the rising power costs and lack of nonrenewable energy sources, the cooling of houses is becoming more expensive. Looking for alternative methods applicable to this process is becoming not only an option, but also a necessity. Changes in the roof structure of buildings can be applied in order to achieve a more favorable thermal transmission behavior. The utilization of a tilted roof, composed of two separated surfaces, generates natural convection currents in the channel between them. These currents, after driving off part of the transferred heat, decrease the temperature of the lower surfaces and consequently, the heat flux …

Hemodynamics Of Intracranial Aneurysms: Factors That May Influence Occurrence, Francisco Adolfo Pino Romainville

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The formation and growth of intracranial aneurysms are partly attributed to various hemodynamic factors, such as the wall shear stress and pressure. However, the exact nature of the hemodynamic variables responsible for triggering aneurismal growth is still unknown. The conclusions drawn by various studies in this regard are found to be speculative and sometimes ambiguous. This issue is further investigated in the present work using some new insight gained from passive scalar dispersion in the blood flow for realistic aneurysm geometries. Intracranial aneurysms are best visualized using selective catheter angiogram technique where a contrast agent added to the blood flow …

Quadrupedal Walking Algorithm For The 12-Tet Walker, Kirk A. Ogaard

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Republican Mothers Of And Above Their Time: Abigail Adams And Theodosia Burr Alston, Joanna Lyn Reynolds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Unique in their time, Abigail Adams and Theodosia Burr Alston possessed intellectual accomplishments, social prominence, and economic status. Also, both women enjoyed supportive marriages with influential husbands as well as proximity to leading male figures of the Revolution and the new nation. Yet, similar to other women of their era, Abigail Adams and Theodosia Burr Alston nurtured their children's educational and moral development, supported their husbands' public service, and kept informed about current events. While marked differences in lifestyle, geographic environment, familial dynamics, and the public and political affiliations of their male family members distinguished them from each other, as …

Many Specialists For Suppressing Cortical Excitation, Andreas Burkhalter

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Development And Evaluation Of A Minimally Invasive Sampling Technique To Estimate The Age Of Living Birds, Crissa K. Cooey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Using pest species in initial studies of pentosidine (Ps) aging research for birds may be the catalyst to discovering more effective population control strategies for pest, invasive, and hard to manage birds. Pentosidine is an irreversible, stable, fluorescent, collagen cross-link, created through the Maillard reaction, which has been found to accumulate throughout the lifetime of an organism in various body parts such as skin, lens crystalline, and dura matter. Pentosidine assays are more accurate at determining the age of adult birds in comparison to plumage coloration, eye and mouth color, feather wear, and molt sequences due to the discovery that …

Optimization Of Bit Interleaved Coded Modulation Using Genetic Algorithms, Raghu Chaitanya Doppalapudi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modern wireless communication systems must be optimized with respect to both bandwidth efficiency and energy efficiency. A common approach to achieve these goals is to use multi-level modulation such as quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM) for bandwidth efficiency and an error-control code for energy efficiency. In benign additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels, Ungerboeck proposed trellis-coded modulation (TCM), which combines modulation and coding into a joint operation. However, in fading channels, it is important to maximize diversity. As shown by Zehavi, diversity is maximized by performing coding and modulation separately and interleaving bits that are passed from the encoder to the modulator. …

Development Of A Low Cost Controller And Navigation System For Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Shashidhar Muppidi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research was to develop an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) which is capable of autonomously navigating to user specified Global Positioning System (GPS) waypoints. For rapid design and testing of the UGV, it was initially designed in a distributive approach using independent commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computing modules for control and sensing. Autonomous navigation behavior of the UGV was tested to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the UGV design, using digital compass for heading and GPS for location measurements. The UGV waypoint navigation has been observed to be consistent for smooth terrains. Uneven terrains, however, posed a …

Effect Of Dietary Lysine And Genetics On Indices Of Energy And Protein Metabolism In Rainbow Trout And Alterations In The Mitochondrial Proteome In Broilers Fed A Lysine-Deficient Diet, Stephanie K. Pomeroy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

How an organism reacts to consuming a lysine deficient diet was examined in two different circumstances. First, the responses of ten different genetic lines of rainbow trout were observed while consuming a lysine-deficient (LD) diet, used to mimic a soybean meal-containing diet. The aquaculture industry is investigating the incorporation of soybean meal into carnivorous fish diets to alleviate the need for fishmeal. If soybean meal is incorporated into the diet, an assessment of the genetic strains of fish used in the aquaculture industry today must be performed since differences in genetics have been shown to effect growth. When compared to …

Evaluation Of Weaning Regimen And Seminal Plasma Biology On Reproductive Management In Cattle, John Fredrick Odhiambo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of any reproductive management system in cattle is to ensure that cows breed at the earliest opportune time and maintain their pregnancy to term. However, delayed resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclic activity in primiparous beef cows and pregnancy losses in dairy cows continue to impede progress in obtaining sound reproductive efficiency in these species. Three studies were designed to test the following hypotheses: (1) Does removal of lactational stress in beef cows by early weaning of calves improve cow energy profile and postpartum reproductive performance? (2) Does artificial insemination (AI) with adjunctive seminal plasma (SP) or transforming growth …

Electrical And Optical Properties Of Zinc Oxide For Scintillator Applications, Xiaocheng Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide-band-gap semiconductor suitable for many optical and optoelectronic applications. Among these is to use single crystal, powder, or ceramic forms of ZnO as a fast UV scintillator. In this work, the electrical and optical properties of ZnO were studied using photoluminescence, X-ray-induced luminescence, optical absorption, and Hall Effect techniques. This study included single crystal ZnO and ZnO:Ga samples grown from high-pressure-melt (HPM), seeded chemical-vapor-transport (SCVT), and hydrothermal (HYD) techniques; powder samples synthesized using both solution and solid-state processes, and purchased from different commercial sources; and ceramic samples prepared by hot-uni-axial-pressing and spark-plasma-sintering methods. Temperature-dependent PL …

Complex Stimulus Control In Humans: Merging Functional And Equivalence Classes, Harold E. Lobo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigated the merging of functional and equivalence classes produced by training responding to either simple or conditional discriminations. Experiment 1 targeted the acquisition of three three-member equivalence classes featuring class-specific reinforcers and three three-member functional classes each controlling the occurrence of a nonsense vocal response. Four female college students completed testing for the targeted stimulus classes. Two subjects demonstrated class-consistent emergent responding, but only one of them maintained class-consistent responding across repeated testing. This student withdrew from the experiment before class merging was arranged. Experiment 2 simplified and expedited the procedures for producing independent emergent classes. Four female …

Modeling Natural Fracture Networks: Establishing The Groundwork For Flow Simulation At Teapot Dome, Wyoming, Valerie L. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Local properties of a fractured reservoir are characterized using borehole geophysical logs. These properties are extrapolated to reservoir scale for future use in flow simulation and history matching exercises. The development of a reservoir scale fracture model is undertaken using data for the Tensleep oil reservoir at Teapot Dome, Wyoming. The Tensleep reservoir intervals at Teapot Dome are formed in tight eolian sands that produce primarily from open fracture systems. On the local scale, FMI logs were used to define the dominant systematic fracture sets existing in the reservoir. FMI logs reveal the presence of open fracture systems that consist …

Developing A Plan To Disciple International Students, Donald E. Bader

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A current literature review demonstrates that only a limited amount of information is available for missionaries striving to disciple international students attending universities throughout the United States. Therefore, this project attempts to develop a discipleship plan based firmly upon Scripture, focusing particularly on the life and teachings of Jesus as an essential resource for international student ministry. Incorporating these insights, along with the suggestions from discipleship literature and campus missionaries, the plan presents a biblical approach to discipleship that specifically applies to international student ministry in Milwaukee. The project concludes with a thorough evaluation of the plan and several recommended …

Measurement Of Liquid Water Accumulation In A Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell With Dead-Ended Anode, Jason B. Siegel, Denise A. Mckay, Anna G. Stefanopoulou

Engineering: Faculty Publications

The operation and accumulation of liquid water within the cell structure of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with a dead-ended anode is observed using neutron imaging. The measurements are performed on a single cell with 53 square centimeter active area, Nafion 111-IP membrane and carbon cloth Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL). Even though dry hydrogen is supplied to the anode via pressure regulation, accumulation of liquid water in the anode gas distribution channels was observed for all current densities up to 566 mA cm-2 and 100% cathode humidification. The accumulation of liquid water in the anode channels is followed …

Sex Offense Recidivism, Risk Assessment, And The Adam Walsh Act, Jill S. Levenson

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Self-Incrimination And The Epistemology Of Testimony, Michael S. Pardo

Cardozo Law Review

The Supreme Court's limitation of the privilege against self-incrimination to evidence of a testimonial nature has been controversial. The doctrinal reliance on a distinction between physical and testimonial evidence has proven difficult to apply in practice, and it has been criticized as being descriptively inaccurate, analytically incoherent, and normatively indefensible. This article offers a defense of the distinction on epistemological grounds. The philosophical focus on testimony as a source of knowledge provides some insight into what makes testimony distinct as an epistemic source. These considerations are used to provide a coherent and principled way to distinguish what evidence to treat …

The Freedom Of 3d Thought: The First Amendment In Virtual Reality, Marc Jonathan Blitz

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Efficacy Of Smartmusic® Assessment As A Teaching And Learning Tool, Michael William Buck

Dissertations

This study examined the effects of SmartMusic® assessment on student music performance while integrating research-based teaching and learning components. Over approximately three weeks, 46 high school band students (N=46) received five 15-minute teacher-led music lessons, totaling 75 minutes of instruction. Two groups, teacher-led instruction or teacher-led instruction using SmartMusic® assessment, were determined by randomly splitting pairs of matched-subjects within woodwind, brass, or mallet percussion families. Constant for both groups, instruction and evaluation materials included teaching and learning practice rubrics, a criterion-referenced performance evaluation form, and short lyrical and technical etudes complemented with respective skill development exercises. Pre- and post-test measures …