Digital Commons Network^™

Defining Risk Assessment Confidence Levels For Use In Project Management Communications, Gary Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A review of the literature regarding risk management and effective risk communications identified that very few researchers have addressed risk assessment confidence levels when using risk scoring methods. The focus of this research is to develop a definition of risk assessment confidence levels for use in internal project management communications and to evaluate its usefulness. This research defines risk assessment confidence level as "The degree of certainty that the likelihood or consequence score (assigned by the risk assessor) reflects reality." A specific level of confidence is defined based on the types of analyses that were conducted to determine the risk …

Taming Crowded Visual Scenes, Saad Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computer vision algorithms have played a pivotal role in commercial video surveillance systems for a number of years. However, a common weakness among these systems is their inability to handle crowded scenes. In this thesis, we have developed algorithms that overcome some of the challenges encountered in videos of crowded environments such as sporting events, religious festivals, parades, concerts, train stations, airports, and malls. We adopt a top-down approach by first performing a global-level analysis that locates dynamically distinct crowd regions within the video. This knowledge is then employed in the detection of abnormal behaviors and tracking of individual targets …

Stable Optical Frequency Comb Generation And Applications In Arbitrary Waveform Generation, Signal Processing And Optical Data M, Sarper Ozharar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis focuses on the generation and applications of stable optical frequency combs. Optical frequency combs are defined as equally spaced optical frequencies with a fixed phase relation among themselves. The conventional source of optical frequency combs is the optical spectrum of the modelocked lasers. In this work, we investigated alternative methods for optical comb generation, such as dual sine wave phase modulation, which is more practical and cost effective compared to modelocked lasers stabilized to a reference. Incorporating these comblines, we have generated tunable RF tones using the serrodyne technique. The tuning range was ±1 MHz, limited by the …

Digital Signal Processing Techniques For Coherent Optical Communication, Gilad Goldfarb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coherent detection with subsequent digital signal processing (DSP) is developed, analyzed theoretically and numerically and experimentally demonstrated in various fiber-optic transmission scenarios. The use of DSP in conjunction with coherent detection unleashes the benefits of coherent detection which rely on the preservation of full information of the incoming field. These benefits include high receiver sensitivity, the ability to achieve high spectral-efficiency and the use of advanced modulation formats. With the immense advancements in DSP speeds, many of the problems hindering the use of coherent detection in optical transmission systems have been eliminated. Most notably, DSP alleviates the need for hardware …

Meshfree Approximation Methods For Free-Form Optical Surfaces With Applications To Head-Worn Displays, Ozan Cakmakci

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Compact and lightweight optical designs achieving acceptable image quality, field of view, eye clearance, eyebox size, operating across the visible spectrum, are the key to the success of next generation head-worn displays. The first part of this thesis reports on the design, fabrication, and analysis of off-axis magnifier designs. The first design is catadioptric and consists of two elements. The lens utilizes a diffractive optical element and the mirror has a free-form surface described with an x-y polynomial. A comparison of color correction between doublets and single layer diffractive optical elements in an eyepiece as a function of eye clearance …

Solution Processible Aromatic Polyimides Via Diels Alder Precursor, Saral Shah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aromatic polyimides are interesting materials since they possess outstanding key properties such as thermoxidative stability, high mechanical strength, high modulus, excellent electrical properties, and superior chemical resistance. However, their low solubility makes them difficult to characterize, process and obtain high molecular weight polymer. In this report, we synthesized a series of precursor polymers that contains Diels-Alder (DA) adducts of anthracene. Different dienophiles were tried. These precursor polymers are soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform and can be easily processed to thin films. Heating the film above 215 degree induce retro-DA reaction, which generated the fully aromatic polyimides in …

Integrability Of A Singularly Perturbed Model Describing Gravity Water Waves On A Surface Of Finite Depth, Steven Little

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our work is closely connected with the problem of splitting of separatrices (breaking of homoclinic orbits) in a singularly perturbed model describing gravity water waves on a surface of finite depth. The singularly perturbed model is a family of singularly perturbed fourth-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, parametrized by an external parameter (in addition to the small parameter of the perturbations). It is known that in general separatrices will not survive a singular perturbation. However, it was proven by Tovbis and Pelinovsky that there is a discrete set of exceptional values of the external parameter for which separatrices do survive the …

Virtually Abstract, Michael Kappers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My most recent body of work frees me from traditional animation and graphic design principles that had become second nature in my creative practice over years of commercial work in industry. I now find myself unconsciously creating shape and form without a preconceived vision of the final outcome. This allows for a free-flowing approach to my canvas. The canvas in which my forms are created is virtual space and can be described as an infinite cube. The first step I take in each of my pieces is creating a cube with the center residing at Cartesian coordinates 0,0,0. From there, …

Taking Another Look: Light N-Capture Element Abundances In Metal-Poor Halo Stars, D. Burris, E. Jones, J. Lusk

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Elements are produced in stars through a variety of processes; some are well known, others are still the object of active research. The elements Zirconium (Zr) and Yttrium (Y) are produced via neutron capture (ncapture). These elements reside in the mass range where there is uncertainty about the production mechanism at early time. The rapid n-capture process (r-process) was believed to be responsible for the production, but no study (Burris et al 2000, Gilroy et al 1988 and others) has been able to successfully use the r-process to reproduce the abundance signature for elements in this mass range for metal-poor …

Title Of A Paper Prepared For The Arkansas Academy Of Science Journal [Instructions For Prospective Authors], Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program (December 2008), Csusb

CSUSB Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Commencement Program (June 2008), Csusb

CSUSB Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Redox-Active Ruthenium(Ii) Polypyridyl Complexes As Potential Anti-Cancer Drugs, Abhishek Yadav

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

Stereospecific binding of ruthenium metallointercalators with DNA is of particular interest because of the potential for improved targeting of specific sites in DNA. The present studies are focused on new metallointercalator, ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complex [(phen) 2 Ru(tatpp)(phen) 2 ]Cl 4 , [P p ] 4+ , and it's structural analog [Ru(phen) 2 (tatpp)]Cl 2 , [MP p ] 2+ ; the latter contains a redox active bridging ligand tatpp (where tatpp = 9,11,20,22-tetraazatetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3'',2''-l:2''',3'''-n]-pentacene and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). Complex [P p ] 4+ exists as a mixture of ΔΔ-, ΔΔ- and ΔΔ- stereisomers whereas [MP p ] 2+ exists as …

Ranking Competencies For Software Developers In Thailand, Nantaporn Booneka, Paiboon Kiattikomol

EDU-COM International Conference

The purpose of this study was to prioritize/rank 12 existing software developer competencies and to find the pattern correlation among these competencies. A survey was designed to elicit responses from a target group (N=350) of software developers, system analysts, lecturers in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), ICT managers and others related to software industry (e.g. information technologist, software architect, computer technicians) in 14 organizations in Thailand. The return rate was 80.57% or 282 out of 350. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Factor analysis was used to identify correlations among the 12 competencies. The 12 competencies were previously identified in …

Teaching Sustainable Stormwater Management Using Project Based Learning, Niranjali Jayasuriya

EDU-COM International Conference

Project Based Learning (PBL) is increasingly becoming popular as a teaching aid in many universities across Australia. The theory associated with the Stormwater Management course is taught to students by solving practical problems associated with real life situations. Persistent drought has resulted in treating stormwater as a valuable resource when securing sustainable water futures for capital cities across Australia; including Melbourne. Based on feedback from potential employers of Civil and Environmental Engineering graduates the Stormwater Management course at RMIT University was reorganized to be structured around a major stormwater project to facilitate learning. The project involves arrangements to manage stormwater …

Postgraduate Students And Critical Thinking: Some Validation, Mike Johnstone

EDU-COM International Conference

Sustainability in higher education is an interesting idea because the nature of the concept changes depending on the viewpoint of the stakeholder. For an academic, a key aspect of sustainability is about facilitating life-long learning. One way to do that is to provide students with opportunities to think for themselves and to nurture that ability. This paper describes the second stage of a research programme whose focus was critical thinking (CT) and explores how information technology (IT) Masters-level students model problems. Results from a prior study suggested that IT students appear to improve their problem-solving ability by undertaking structured CT …

Exploring The Use Of Mathematics Manipulative Materials: Is It What We Think It Is?, Linda Marshall, Paul Swan

EDU-COM International Conference

The use of mathematics manipulative materials such as counters and Base Ten Blocks is common in many Australian classrooms. Seemingly there is an unchallenged assumption that the use of manipulative materials in the teaching of mathematics is a key to learning about mathematics concepts, and this is supported by the mathematics manipulatives industry. Teachers who are time poor and under pressure are either looking for a miracle manipulative to solve all their problems with teaching a particular topic such as fractions, or have abandoned the use of manipulatives in favour of textbooks. This paper reports on a survey and follow-up …

Management Framework For Hybrid Wireless Networks, Chong Shen

Theses

The objective of the Hybrid Wireless Network with dedicated Relay Nodes (HWN*) architecture is to interface the Base Station (BS) Oriented Mobile Network (BSON) and the 802.fix based Mobile Ad hoc Wireless Network (MANET) so that one system can be utilised as an alternative radio access network for data transmissions, while the incorporation of Relay Nodes (RN) is to extend the communication coverage, optimise medium resource sharing, increase spatial reuse opportunity, stabilise MANET link and create more micro-cells. The HWN* keeps the existing cellular infrastructure and a Mobile Terminal (MT) can borrow radio resources from other cells via secure multi-hop …

Maths Attainment Through Curriculum Based Multimedia In A Vle, Brenda Walsh

Theses

The growth of virtual learning environments (VLE) and learning management systems (LMS) in the European and British educational sector is a trend that is continuing to grow. There are indications that education in Ireland will follow a similar trend. This study investigated whether a curriculum aligned multimedia application in a MOODLE VLE encouraged students to improve their scores in the standardized tests, in particular the primary school SIGMA-T test. Participants’ attitude and self-efficacy in relation to maths were also included in the study.

The areas of learning and in particular e-leaming in the context of a VLE were researched. As …

Interannual Variation In Larval Yellow Perch Abundance In Eastern South Dakota Glacial Lakes And Relation To Sympatric Walleye Populations, Andrew C. Jansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Yellow perch Perca flavescens are a popular sportfish in eastern South Dakota glacial lakes. In addition to their recreational importance, yellow perch serve as a prey species for predators. Thus, understanding the factors that affect yellow perch population dynamics is a top priority among fishery managers in South Dakota. The objectives of this study were to 1) estimate the magnitude and duration for a decrease in water temperature that would induce mortality of yellow perch eggs, 2) investigate the relation between climatological variables and larval perch abundance in six eastern South Dakota glacial lakes, and 3) relate long-term larval perch …

Evaluation Of An Augmentation Of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep At Badlands National Park, South Dakota, Teresa J. Zimmerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Audubon’s (a.k.a. Badlands) bighorn (Ovis canadensis auduboni [Merriam 1901] now O. c. Canadensis [Shaw 1804]), described as a subspecies of bighorn sheep, was extirpated from its range by 1924. In 1964, 22 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep were translocated from Pikes Peak, Colorado, to Badlands National Park (BNP) in southwestern South Dakota. Based on the estimated effective population size and analysis of molecular data, the bighorn sheep population at BNP underwent a population bottleneck at founding. Recommendations to restore genetic diversity in the BNP population included a mixed-sex augmentation (n > 30) from an outbred, native population of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. …

The Iowa Caucuses: Effects Of Presidential Campaigns On State Politicians, Amy Kathleen Meyers

Honors Program Theses

The Iowa caucuses have been a topic of fascination for many political scientists, the media, and political junkies. Their prominent nature attracts media from all over the United States and can significantly impact the day-to-day lives of Iowans. In studying this topic, close attention must be paid to how campaigns necessarily treat elected state officials differently than ordinary Iowans. More specifically, legislators are treated differently in the processes by which campaigns lobby state legislators for support, the benefits officials receive, and the ways in which such lobbying can detract from their roles as state legislators. All of these factors are …

Restoration Of Defocused Imagery From Incoherently Illuminated Imaging Systems With Modeled Point Spread Functions And Wiener Filters, Mark R. Burky

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Modulation Instabilities In Media With Relaxational Nonlinearities And Applications To Optical Limiting In A Photonic Bandgap Structure, Xue Liu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Loose Lips Sink Attorney-Client Ships: Unintended Technological Disclosure Of Confidential Communications Essay., Bill Piatt, Paula Dewitte

St. Mary's Law Journal

In general, attorneys must not reveal confidential information relating to the representation of their clients. Attorneys must make reasonable efforts to ensure the attorneys they supervise, as well as their nonlawyer employees, maintain client confidences. In modern days, technology virtually guarantees attorneys and clients will communicate electronically. While most attorneys would not knowingly disclose client confidences, there is a growing problem of unintended disclosure through electronic means. On a practical level, maintaining confidence is of utmost importance to both attorneys and clients. Attorneys may believe they are using good faith and competent, reasonable actions to protect their clients’ information from …

Mississippi River Towns: From Dubuque, Iowa To Hamilton, Illinois, Bonnie Jean Lawhorn

Graduate Research Papers

Knowing and learning about local history is considered to be important by both Iowa and Illinois State Departments of Education. School Districts have directed their teachers to teach the history of the state as well as the local community. The Mississippi River acts as a border between the two states and has played an important part in the development of villages and towns up and down the river. Living in towns that border the Mississippi River most of my life, I recognize the history that has played out in many of the locations from both sides of the river. Having …

Clark University Academic Catalog [2007-2008], Clark University

Clark University Academic Catalogs

Annual academic catalog for the 2007-2008 academic year at Clark University.

Clark University academic catalogs contain academic announcements, course listings and descriptions, degrees and degree requirements, registers of instructor and administrator names, information on buildings and grounds, Clark history, and more. They have had various titles throughout the decades, but for consistency we collectively refer to them as academic catalogs across all titles.

Bryant University Undergraduate Course Catalog 2008 - 2009

Bryant University Undergraduate Course Catalog

No abstract provided.

The Naep Long-Term Trend Assessment: A Review Of Its Transformation, Use, And Findings, Lawrence C. Stedman

Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership Faculty Scholarship

During the past 25 years, the country witnessed a dramatic transformation of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Actions by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), Congress, and the National Assessment Governing Board fundamentally changed NAEP's role in federal educational policy and the nation's schools. Developed in the 1960s through a privately funded initiative, NAEP began as a voluntary program run by a state consortium with financial support from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. It later became a congressionally legislated program administered by one of the country's premier testing organizations and overseen by a federally mandated public board. …

Spatio-Spectral Sampling And Color Filter Array Design, Keigo Hirakawa, Patrick J. Wolfe

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Owing to the growing ubiquity of digital image acquisition and display, several factors must be considered when developing systems to meet future color image processing needs, including improved quality, increased throughput, and greater cost-effectiveness. In consumer still-camera and video applications, color images are typically obtained via a spatial subsampling procedure implemented as a color filter array (CFA), a physical construction whereby only a single component of the color space is measured at each pixel location. Substantial work in both industry and academia has been dedicated to post-processing this acquired raw image data as part of the so-called image processing pipeline, …