Digital Commons Network^™

A Geophysical Survey Of Fort St. Joseph (20be23), Niles, Michigan, Daniel P. Lynch

Masters Theses

Fort St. Joseph is a 17th-18th century French (and later English) mission-garrison-trading post complex located in southwest Michigan. A geophysical survey was performed and the results of the survey were tested through archaeological excavation. The geophysical methods included ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction, electrical resistivity, magnetic gradiometry, and magnetic susceptibility. The results of the archaeological excavations demonstrate that magnetic gradiometry was the preferred geophysical method at this particular site. The magnetic gradiometer survey included both terrestrial and possible submerged portions the site. Laboratory analysis of the magnetic susceptibility and magnetic viscosity of soils and rocks demonstrated that the archaeological features …

Nano-Raman Spectroscopy And Surface Nanostructuring Using Near-Field Optics, Kaijun Yi

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

To satisfy the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, techniques to characterize and fabricate nanostructures and nanodevices are in great demand. Laser, as a unique monochromatic and coherent light source, meets the needs because it exhibits the potential to reveal some vital information of the materials. However, the applications of laser technology to nanoscience and nanotechnology are facing a severe challenge: the spatial resolution cannot be further enhanced to achieve nanometer scales due to the optical diffraction limit associated with conventional optics. In response to this challenge, near-field optics has been emerging as a new scientific area to deal with optical …

The Future Of Death At The Temple Of The Inscriptions, C.E. 683, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico, Elizabeth Olton

Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas

No abstract provided.

Text Cube: Computing Ir Measures For Multidimensional Text Database Analysis, Cindy Xinde Lin, Bolin Ding, Jiawei Han, Feida Zhu, Bo Zhao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Since Jim Gray introduced the concept of ”data cube” in 1997, data cube, associated with online analytical processing (OLAP), has become a driving engine in data warehouse industry. Because the boom of Internet has given rise to an ever increasing amount of text data associated with other multidimensional information, it is natural to propose a data cube model that integrates the power of traditional OLAP and IR techniques for text. In this paper, we propose a Text-Cube model on multidimensional text database and study effective OLAP over such data. Two kinds of hierarchies are distinguishable inside: dimensional hierarchy and term …

Explaining Inferences In Bayesian Networks, Ghim-Eng Yap, Ah-Hwee Tan, Hwee Hwa Pang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

While Bayesian network (BN) can achieve accurate predictions even with erroneous or incomplete evidence, explaining the inferences remains a challenge. Existing approaches fall short because they do not exploit variable interactions and cannot account for compensations during inferences. This paper proposes the Explaining BN Inferences (EBI) procedure for explaining how variables interact to reach conclusions. EBI explains the value of a target node in terms of the influential nodes in the target's Markov blanket under specific contexts, where the Markov nodes include the target's parents, children, and the children's other parents. Working back from the target node, EBI shows the …

Distributing Complementary Resources Across Multiple Periods With Stochastic Demand, Shih-Fen Cheng, John Tajan, Hoong Chuin Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we evaluate whether the robustness of a market mechanism that allocates complementary resources could be improved through the aggregation of time periods in which resources are consumed. In particular, we study a multi-round combinatorial auction that is built on a general equilibrium framework. We adopt the general equilibrium framework and the particular combinatorial auction design from the literature, and we investigate the benefits and the limitation of time-period aggregation when demand-side uncertainties are introduced. By using simulation experiments, we show that under stochastic conditions the performance variation of the process decreases as the time frame length (time …

Chosen-Ciphertext Secure Proxy Re-Encryption Without Pairing, Robert H. Deng, Jian Weng, Shengli Liu, Kefei Chen

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In a proxy re-encryption system, a semi-trusted proxy can convert a ciphertext originally intended for Alice into a ciphertext intended for Bob, without learning the underlying plaintext. Proxy re-encryption has found many practical applications, such as encrypted email forwarding, secure distributed file systems, and outsourced filtering of encrypted spam. In ACM CCS'07, Canetti and Hohenberger presented a proxy re-encryption scheme with chosen-ciphertext security, and left an important open problem to construct a chosen-ciphertext secure proxy re-encryption scheme without pairings. In this paper, we solve this open problem by proposing a new proxy re-encryption scheme without resort to bilinear pairings. Based …

Mobitop: Accessing Hierarchically Organized Georeferenced Multimedia Annotations, Thi Nhu Quynh Kim, Khasfariyati Razikin, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Quang Minh Nguyen, Ee Peng Lim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We introduce MobiTOP, a map-based interface for accessing hierarchically organized georeferenced annotations. Each annotation contains multimedia content associated with a location, and users are able to annotate existing annotations, in effect creating a hierarchy.

A Fast Pruned‐Extreme Learning Machine For Classification Problem, Hai-Jun Rong, Yew-Soon Ong, Ah-Hwee Tan, Zexuan Zhu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Extreme learning machine (ELM) represents one of the recent successful approaches in machine learning, particularly for performing pattern classification. One key strength of ELM is the significantly low computational time required for training new classifiers since the weights of the hidden and output nodes are randomly chosen and analytically determined, respectively. In this paper, we address the architectural design of the ELM classifier network, since too few/many hidden nodes employed would lead to underfitting/overfitting issues in pattern classification. In particular, we describe the proposed pruned-ELM (P-ELM) algorithm as a systematic and automated approach for designing ELM classifier network. P-ELM uses …

Metamorphosing Worlds In The Cinema Of The Fantastic, Juan González Etxeberria

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Metamorphosing Worlds in the Cinema of the Fantastic" Juan González Etxeberria reads fantastic films as appealing products of both unconscious psychological and institutionalized sociological anxieties. A result of the binary opposition of rhetorical strategies that shaped modern culture, the genre is an open door to other worlds where to dream of uncertainties and to indulge in our traumas. Its transgressive indeterminacy against the Cartesian system is traced from the origin of creative filmic language to postmodern disturbing fantasies about the unknown, having social control and individual free will as the only limits of its imaginary trips across …

Cinema's Doubles, Their Meaning, And Literary Intertexts, Pilar Andrade

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his paper "Cinema's Doubles, Their Meaning, and Literary Intertexts" Pilar Andrade analyzes the figure of the double as an element of cinema. Andrade does not take under consideration films in which the double is considered merely as a clinical case with no mystery (for example as in David Fincher's Fight Club or Brad Anderson's The Machinist) or in which it is used as a useful piece to make the plot without referring to the fantasy world (as in Joel Schumacher's Bad Company); instead, Andrade focuses on films that make a clear connection between the alter ego and fantasy, including …

Modeling, Analysis And Control Of Flexible Solid-State Hysteretic Actuators, Kushan Vora

All Theses

A distributed parameters modeling and control framework for flexible solid-state hysteretic actuator is presented in this work. For the simplicity of analysis, the actuator dynamic behavior is decoupled and treated separately from the hysteresis nonlinearity. To include the effects of widely-used flexural mechanisms, a mass-spring-damper boundary condition is considered for system. Moreover, the effect of electromechanical actuation is included as a concentrate force at the boundary. The problem is then divided into two parts: first part deals with free motion analysis of system in order to obtain eigenvalues and eigenfunctions using the expansion theorem and a standard eigenvalue problem procedure. …

Application Of Web Services To A Simulation Framework, Matthew Bennink

All Theses

The Joint Semi-Automated Forces (JSAF) simulator is an excellent tool for military training and a great testbed for new SAF behaviors. However, it has the drawback that behaviors must be ported into its own Finite State Machine (FSM) language. Web Services is a growing technology that seamlessly connects service providers to service consumers. This work attempts to merge these two technologies by modeling SAF behaviors as web services. The JSAF simulator is then modeled as a web service consumer.
This approach allows new Semi-Automated Forces (SAF) behaviors to be developed independently of the simulator, which provides the developer with greater …

Insights Into Biogeophysical Signatures Using Polarization Force Microscopy, Elizabeth Bartosik

All Theses

The success of bioremediation strategies is dependent upon effective monitoring of microorganisms in the subsurface. Induced polarization (IP) may represent a cost-effective, complementary technique to existing borehole-based microbe detection schemes. Recent studies show a significant, yet poorly understood IP effect associated with the presence of bacteria in aqueous and porous media. This effect is believed to be rooted in the physicochemical surface interactions between cells and minerals which we probe using polarization force microscopy. Polarization force experiments were conducted on a hydrated mica surface using the gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the gram negative bacterium Escherichia coli. On all …

Transformation Of Sulfonamide Antibiotics On Soil Mineral Oxides, Baishu Guo

All Theses

Determining the occurrence and potential adverse effects of antibiotic pharmaceuticals released into the environment is a critical step towards responsible environmental stewardship. Under aqueous conditions typically found in soils and natural waters, the antibiotic agent sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was transformed in the presence of pyrolusite MnO2 via oxidative pathways. At least 50% loss of SMX was observed after 269 hr in acidic and basic solutions (pH 3-9). A maximum of 100% loss was recorded at pH 3 and 66% loss was recorded at circumneutral pH. Concomitantly, aqueous manganese concentrations increased to around 10 µM at pH 3 and 2 µM at …

Tolerance Intervals In Random-Effects Models, Kakotan Sanogo

Theses and Dissertations

In the pharmaceutical setting, it is often necessary to establish the shelf life of a drug product and sometimes suitable to assess the risk of product failure at the desired expiry period. The current statistical methodology use confidence intervals for the predicted mean to establish the expiry period and prediction intervals for a predicted new assay value or a tolerance interval for a proportion of the population for use in a risk assessment. A major concern is that most methodology treat a homogeneous subpopulation, say batch, either as a fixed effect and therefore uses a fixed-effects regression model (Graybill, 1976) …

Creation Of A Mouse With A Humanized Fpgs Gene Compatible With Normal Development, Linying Xie

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: Folylpoly-γ-glutamate synthetase (FPGS) catalyzes the formation of polyglutamate forms of the reduced folates and antifolates such as methotrexate (MTX) and pemetrexed; this allows the retention of folates and antifolate cancer drugs inside the cell. The enzyme activity of FPGS is essential for cell proliferation and survival. The mouse fpgs gene contains two promoters spaced 10 kb apart which are activated in a tissue-specific manner. The upstream promoter (P1) and exons A1a and A1b are used in some differentiated tissues, mainly liver and kidney, whereas the downstream promoter (P2) and exon 1 are used in rapidly dividing cells. In contrast, …

Time-Domain Receiver Design For Mimo Underwater Acoustic Communications, Jun Tao, Yahong Rosa Zheng, Chengshan Xiao, T. C. Yang, Wen Bin Yang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we propose a time-domain receiver design scheme for high data rate single carrier multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) underwater acoustic communications. in this scheme, each received packet is artificially partitioned into blocks for processing. the MIMO channel is initially estimated using training blocks at the front of transmitted packets from all transducers. with the estimated MIMO channel, one data block following the training blocks is equalized. the phase rotation in the equalized data block is compensated by a group-wise phase correction operation, before symbol detection. the newly detected data block along with K - 1 previous data (or pilot) …

Living Well: National Extension Association Of Family And Consumer Sciences National Media Campaign, Jean Clarkson-Frisbie, Debra Bartman, Carolyn Gregov, Elizabeth Gregory

Journal of Extension

In 2000, a benchmark survey gathered information from the 18-44 age general urban population about where that group seeks Extension information and the level of the group's awareness of the Cooperative Extension Service. The information was used to develop a Family and Consumer Sciences media public relations campaign that allowed all FCS Extension agents in the U.S. to make a programming impact using the same logo, slogan, and items. The campaign has been heavily used by Extension Family and Consumer Sciences educators to educate the public about Cooperative Extension. The results have application for all components of Cooperative Extension.

Hydrological Characterization Of A Riparian Vegetation Zone Using High Resolution Multi-Spectral Airborne Imagery, Osama Zaki Akasheh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Middle Rio Grande River (MRGR) is the main source of fresh water for the state of New Mexico. Located in an arid area with scarce local water resources, this has led to extensive diversions of river water to supply the high demand from municipalities and irrigated agricultural activities. The extensive water diversions over the last few decades have affected the composition of the native riparian vegetation by decreasing the area of cottonwood and coyote willow and increasing the spread of invasive species such as Tamarisk and Russian Olives, harmful to the river system, due to their high transpiration rates, …

Understanding Unfolding Change And The Value Of Strategic Unification In Recent Usu Information Technology Functional Realignment, Eric S. Hawley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This is a qualitative case study of the 2005-2008 Utah State University Information Technology reorganization from the perspective of key change advocates. The study identified and documented the unfolding change process involved in the reorganization in terms of dissatisfaction, executive changes, internal executive strategic planning, implementation and initial impacts, and continuous "in situ" strategic planning. The study also answered a set of supporting concluding questions indicating increased value to the institution in areas of customer service and confidence, organization, financial resources, planning and policy, security, and increased/improved services and service functions.

Mechanisms Of Nutrition Bar Hardening: Effect Of Hydrolyzed Whey Protein And Carbohydrate Source, Shaun P. Adams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The influence of increasing hydrolyzed protein content on the microstructure and hardness of high protein nutrition bars was investigated to determine the mechanism of hardening during storage. Bars with various hydrolyzed protein levels were manufactured using differing ratios of 0, 25, 50, 75, 100% (wt. /wt.) of partially hydrolyzed whey protein isolate (HWPI) to an intact (non-hydrolyzed) whey protein isolate (WPI) which made up approximately 38% of the total bar composition. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (42%) and vegetable shortening (20%) constituted the rest of the ingredients. Accelerated aging was performed by storing bars at 32 ^oC for 36 …

Essays On Investment Fluctuation And Market Volatility, Chaoqun Lai

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation includes two different groups of objects in macroeconomics and financial economics. In macroeconomics, the aggregate investment fluctuation and its relation to an individual firm's behavior have been extensively studied for the past three decades. Most studies on the interdependence behavior of firms' investment focus on the key issue of separating a firm's reaction to others' behavior from reaction to common shocks. However, few researchers have addressed the issue of isolating this endogenous effect from a statistical and econometrical approach. The first essay starts with a comprehensive review of the investment fluctuation and firms' interdependence behavior, followed by an …

Strides Towards Better Application Security, Sathyaraj Balasubramanian

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Static analysis tools analyze source code for vulnerabilities. However, these types of tools suffer from various problems that limit their effectiveness. This thesis examines these static analysis tools and suggests techniques for making them more efficient at detecting different types of vulnerabilities.

The thesis further analyzes possible causes for these vulnerabilities by examining the source code written by programmers of various categories. Finally, this thesis discusses solutions and techniques to improve general security awareness as well as the importance of secure coding among the students and software developers.

Fabrication Of Long-Fiber-Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites Using Ultrasonic Consolidation, Yanzhe Yang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research is a systematic study exploring a new fabrication methodology for long-fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) using a novel additive manufacturing technology. The research is devoted to the manufacture of long-fiber-reinforced MMC structures using the Ultrasonic Consolidation (UC) process. The main objectives of this research are to investigate the bond formation mechanisms and fiber embedment mechanisms during UC, and further to study the effects of processing parameters on bond formation and fiber embedment, and the resultant macroscopic mechanical properties of UC-made MMC structures.

From a fundamental research point of view, bond formation mechanisms and fiber embedment mechanisms have been …

Optimal Irrigation Management For Sloping, Blocked-End Borders, Jorge Jose Escurra

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A robust mathematical model of one-dimensional flow for sloping, blocked-end border irrigation was developed using the four-point implicit method to solve the Saint-Venant equations, the volume-balance solution method, and the implementation of new algorithms to avoid numerical instability and solution divergence. The model has the capability of successfully simulating all surface irrigation phases in blocked-end borders for a range of inflow rates (0.01 - 0.05 m³/s per m), longitudinal slopes (up to 1.00%), and border lengths (100 - 500 m).

To achieve numerical stability over the specified parameter ranges, the model was divided into three parts: (1) advance-phase …

Student Achievement And Affective Traits In Electrical Engineering Laboratories Using Traditional And Computer-Based Instrumentation, Matthew D. Lammi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Distance education has the ability to transcend distance and time, reaching students anywhere at any time, particularly those underrepresented in engineering. Engineering is a practice-oriented profession requiring an interweaving of scientific theory and applied hands-on activities. Despite the need for distance education in engineering, few studies have systematically investigated the impact of student achievement and attitude in distance engineering laboratories. This quasi-experimental research addressed that need by studying the cognitive and affective domains of achievement in engineering laboratories while employing computer-based and traditional oscilloscopes. The students from two courses, electrical engineering for nonmajors and electronic fundamentals, were randomly assigned into …

Soil Moisture Responses In Traditional And Drought Adapted Landscapes In The Intermountain West, James Gregory

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water conservation in the Intermountain West will be an important issue in the future as population and demand for limited water resources increases. In Utah, outdoor water use accounts for up to 60% of total per capita water use with 67% of that outdoor water being used to irrigate non native plant species to maintain a uniform green appearance. The objective of this study was to measure intra landscape changes in soil water potential during a 21.5 day dry down from DOY 215 to 236.5 in the summer of 2005 and 2006. Four, 2 x 2 replicated traditional and drought …

Particle Characterization And Concentration Using Aerodynamic Vectoring, Zac Humes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An experimental demonstration of a new, non-contact particle characterization technique called Aerodynamic Vectoring Particle Sorting (AVPS) is presented. AVPS uses secondary blowing and suction control flows-flows that are a fraction of the jet flow rate-to sharply change the direction of a planar, particle-laden jet. As the jet is vectored, particles present in the flow experience a resultant drag force, dependent upon their size, that balances inertia. Since this balance determines the particle's trajectory, vectoring the flow leads to a separation of particles downstream. This simple, low-pressure-drop sorting technique classifies particles with less risk of damage or contamination than currently available …

Volatilization Of Trichloroethylene From Shallow Subsurface Environments: Trees And Soil, Rachel Melanie Winters

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Results from two previous studies conducted at Operable Unit 2 (OU2) of Hill Air Force Base, Utah indicate that the phytovolatilization (volatilization from leaves and trunk) of TCE by indigenous trees as well as soil surface flux may play a significant role in the removal of TCE from shallow groundwater plumes around the base. Previous studies investigated late summer and early autumn TCE leaf volatilization but no attempt was made to examine potential TCE volatilization seasonal variability and the volatilization of TCE directly from tree trunks. Whole tree transpiration rates were also not directly measured. To address those limitations and …