Digital Commons Network^™

A Construct Validation Of The Neutral Objects Satisfaction Questionnaire (Nosq), Kevin J. Eschleman

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The current study is a construct validation of the Neutral Objects Satisfaction Questionnaire (NOSQ). The study includes tests of convergent and discriminant validity. Specifically, the NOSQ had more empirical overlap with affective-oriented dispositions (i.e., positive affectivity, negative affectivity, neuroticism, extraversion, trait anxiety, trait anger, trait depression, and cheerfulness) than with cognitive-oriented dispositions (i.e., need for cognition, general self-efficacy, and locus of control). In addition, the NOSQ had greater empirical overlap with the aforementioned affective-oriented dispositions than with a measure of temporal affect (i.e., mood). Correlations between the NOSQ and both job satisfaction and job cognitions were also compared, but no …

A Stochastic Production Planning Model Under Uncertain Demand, Meenakshi Prajapati

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Production planning plays a vital role in the management of manufacturingfacilities. The problem is to determine the production loading plan consisting of the quantity of production and the workforce level - to fulfill a future demand. Although the deterministic version of the problem has been widely studied in the literature, the stochastic production planning problem has not. The application of production planning models could be limited if the stochastic nature of the problem, for example, uncertainty in future demand, is not addressed. This study addresses such a stochastic production planning problem under uncertain demand and its application in an enclosure …

Biomechanical Evaluation Of Locked And Non-Locked Constructs Under Axial And Torsion Loading, Vinit A. Patel

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Locking compression plates are proven to be safe for use in open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The ORIF is a procedure performed to treat fractures. It has various combination of holes, the system provides more options for clinicians to use either locking screw or non-locking screws. This thesis investigates and determines the best construct with special locking and non-locking screws under both axial and torsion loading. Twenty femur constructs were assembled with 2 cm osteotomy gap between femur shaft and condyle, bridged with 4.5 mm - 10 holes condyle plates. Femurs were divided in to 4 groups according to …

Dynamic Characterization Of A Pneumatic Muscle Actuator And Its Application To A Resistive Training Device, Jennifer L. Serres

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Research described in this dissertation expands the use of a biomechanical phenomenological model to a commercially available pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA). Due to the nonlinearities of the device, achieving accurate control is challenging. Experiments have been conducted that define boundaries of operation where linear approximations can be used to describe the dynamics of the PMA. Empirical data presented in this dissertation show that nonlinearities exist more prevalently at higher loads (on average >70% contractile force value). When the PMA is under high loads, low displacement occurs. Therefore, these regions are of less interest to design engineers. Once conditions of nonlinearities …

A Novel Accurate Approximation Method Of Lognormal Sum Random Variables, Xue Li

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Sums of lognormal random variables occur in many problems in wireless communications due to large-scale signal shadowing from multiple transmitters. With the emerging of cognitive radio technology, accurate analysis of interferences from multiple primary users and multiple secondary users is required. Such interferences are well modeled by the lognormal sum distribution. The lognormal sum distribution is known to have no close-form and is difficult to compute numerically. Several approximations to the lognormal sum distribution have been proposed and employed in literature. However, these approximation methods are not without their drawbacks. Some widely used approximation methods are not accurate at the …

Availability And Toxicity Of Nickel To Lotic Periphyton And Macroinvertebrates, Stephanie Marie Bessom

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There is a lack of information regarding the bioaccumulation and toxicity of nickel (Ni) to lotic ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the source, uptake, and toxicity of Ni by periphyton and macroinvertebrates (Hyalella azteca and Daphnia magna) in simulated stream ecosystems that included sediment and water. Periphyton were exposed to two types of sediment, a low-organic sandy mixture and a high organic silt, treated with varying levels of Ni. After 96 h, Ni levels in overlying water and periphyton were related to those in sediments, although differences existed between sediment types. Tests with 64Ni added to …

Motion-Control System Of Bench-Top Ct Scanner, Tarpit Kaushikbhai Patel

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Computed Tomography (CT) imaging has found applications in many areas such as diagnostic visualization, quantitative estimation, and therapeutic verification. In this wide range of applications, a CT scanner that can provide the data collection schemes of both second- and third-generation data-collection geometries will be an asset for laboratory research. In this thesis project, we developed a mechanical design and constructed a dual-generation CT scanner that provides flexibility in accommodating a wide range of object sizes with minimum scan time. Using 3-D graphical design software, models of the current second-generation CT scanner and possible solutions for modification were simulated. Based on …

Exploring Team Dynamics: The Evolution Of Coordination In A Complex Command And Control Environment, Daniel H. Schwartz

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The present study explores the dynamic and emergent behavior of two teams, separately working through a synthetic task environment representing a battle management command and control domain under two levels of organizational centralization. While the manipulation of centralization had minimal effects on overall performance, evidence suggested that the need to seek authorization for actions from a central authority was a source of frustration. Both teams adapted over time, changing patterns of coordination to better meet the task demands. The results are discussed in the context of the concepts of normal accidents, high reliability organizations, and self-organization in complex organizations. Specific …

Finite Element Optimization Of Hip Implant Geometrical Parameters To Determine Safe Zones And Resist Dislocation, Himanshu K. Bhatt

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A computational study was performed using finite element analysis (FEA) of three dimensional solid hip implant models. Twelve different hip implant models were designed to investigate the performance of geometrical parameters affecting hip stability. The parameters examined were head diameter, neck diameter, head-to-neck ratio, neck angle and acetabular liner thickness. Component orientations included cup anatomical inclination and cup anteversion, which should be accounted for during total hip implant design as well as in the practice of arthroplasties. A static analysis was performed for all 12 hip designs using stainless steel 316L. von Mises stress, contact stress, contact penetration, and sliding …

Two Dimensional Localization Of Passive Uhf Rfid Tags, Bhavik Contractor

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The advent of GPS has redefined the need of a positioning system in today*#8217;s ubiquitous computing world. While GPS works satisfactorily and is quite a norm in an outdoor environment, it fails to work indoors due to the inherent complexity of an indoor environment. There is an ever increasing need to develop an indoor positioning system and a lot of research has been done to solve the problem of indoor localization. These solutions differ on the basis of cost, dependency on environment, line of sight requirements and so on.

Passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags pose an interesting solution to …

A Low-Cost Acoustic Array For Detecting And Tracking Multiple Acoustic Targets, Ellen E. Case

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A wide variety of real-world targets emit distinct acoustic signatures that not only distinguish them from one another but also provide spectral separation from background clutter. While acoustic signatures are distinct, they can also be highly variable, even for an individual target, making detection and tracking a challenging problem. This thesis presents a low-cost acoustic array using commercial off-the shelf (COTS) hardware to detect and track multiple small, moving, acoustic targets. It implements a cross-correlation method for calibration, delay-and-sum beamforming, CA-CFAR detection, a discrete Kalman filter for tracking, and nearest neighbor data association. In addition, the array is designed to …

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation And Honeysuckle Invasion On Forest Lepidoptera In Southwest Ohio, Annie Lynn Doyle

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Habitat loss and exotic species invasion is a rapidly growing threat facing forest animal communities worldwide. The goal of the current study is to assess the impact of forest fragmentation and the associated invasion of honeysuckle on immature tree-feeding Lepidoptera communities in southwestern Ohio. Caterpillar abundance, richness, and honeysuckle density were sampled along 100 meter transects conducted in ten forest fragments. Generalized linear models were developed to determine the effects of fragment area, landscape forest cover, and honeysuckle density on caterpillar abundance and richness. Caterpillar abundance and richness was positively related to landscape forest cover and fragment area. However, these …

An Algorithm For The Detection Of Handguns In Terahertz Images, Andrew J. Lingg

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This paper presents an algorithm for detecting handguns in terahertz images. Terahertz radiation is capable of penetrating certain materials which are opaque atoptical wavelengths, such as clothing, without the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. The approach taken is to segment objects of interest and classify them based on shape. We use a modified version of an active contour algorithm found in the open literature. Modifications include: a pre-processing step that includes clutter filtering and seeding of an initial contour; and a post-processing step that removes clutter pixels from the segmentation. The features used for classification are moment-based and Fourier shape …

Automated Analysis Of Metacarpal Cortical Thickness In Serial Hand Radiographs, Aarti Raheja

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To understand the roles of various genes that influence skeletal bone accumulation and loss, accurate measurement of bone mineralization is needed. However, it is a challenging task to accurately assess bone growth over a person's lifetime. Traditionally, manual analysis of hand radiographs has been used to quantify bone growth, but these measurements are tedious and may be impractical for a large-scale growth study. The aim of this project was to develop a tool to automate the measurement of metacarpal cortical bone thickness in standard hand-wrist radiographs of humans aged 3 months to 70+ years that would be more accurate, precise …

Investigating Nickel Flux And Toxicity In Clay Sediments With Batch And Stream Recirculating Flume Experiments, Christina Elizabeth Cloran

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Using batch and stream recirculating flume experiments to compare and contrast one clayey sediment (Warden Ditch) and two analytical grade clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite), the dynamic interactions between two aquatic stressors (suspended solids and nickel) were explored. Aldrich humic acid was incorporated to demonstrate the mitigating effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on Ni toxicity. The flux of Ni between compartments (dissolved and sorbed) was quantified as a partition/distribution coefficient. The USEPA test organism Daphnia magna (neonates, < 24 h) was utilized to evaluate toxicity in dynamic non-renewal, short-term bioassays. Generally, toxicity showed a linear relationship with turbidity level. Conversely, sorption coefficients were experiment specific, making them difficult to predict and assess. Clay functioned as an adsorbent, scavenging Ni. Results support the hypotheses that solids and metals act as stressors in streams, DOC attenuates the toxicity of Ni, and Ni fluxes quickly between system compartments.

The Role Of Phospholipase D (Pld) And Grb2 In Chemotaxis, Katie J. Knapek

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Phospholipase D (PLD) is an enzyme that hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine yielding choline and phosphatidic acid. PLD is activated by mitogens (lead to cell division) and motogens (leading to cell migration). PLD is known to contribute to cellular proliferation and deregulated expression of PLD has been implicated in several human cancers. PLD has been found to play a role in leukocyte chemotaxis and adhesion as studied through the formation of chemokine gradients. We have established a model of cell migration comprising three cell lines: macrophages RAW 264.7 and LR-5 (for innate defense), and fibroblast COS-7 cells (for wound healing). COS-7 cells respond …

Implementation Of Null Conventional Logic In Cots Fpga's, Mohamad Rajgara

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The digital world has been dominated by the growth of synchronous digital design techniques for last few decades. Traditional Boolean logic is symbolically incomplete since it has a separate control logic, time in the form of clock signal which be carefully integrated with the logic design, but with digital clock signal already in the GHz range, this integration is further complicated. One approach to address post GHz digital logic design is to use clockless or asynchronous digital design techniques. In the mid '90s Theaseus Logic Inc. proposed a method to design Asynchronous circuits using Null Convention Logic (NCL).This thesis introduces …

An Overview Of Three American Choral Symphonies, Derek M. Davis

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During the 20th century, serious composers in the United States increasingly wrote symphonies, and a few of these composers expanded the form with the use of chorus. Three key examples are Marc Blitzstein's The Airborne Symphony, Peter Mennin's Symphony No. 4 ("Cycle"), and Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 ("Kaddish"). Although all three are choral symphonies each composer took a much different approach to the form. The paper will focus on analysis of these three symphonies and examination of their place in the history of the American symphony.

Item And Person Characteristics As Predictors Of Faking, Nicholas Tyler Day

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Applicants may be more motivated to fake than incumbents and may fake more on some items than others. The present study investigated both item and person characteristics as predictors of faking. At the item level, both item transparency and job-relevance were hypothesized to be associated with higher levels of faking. In contrast, item verifiability was hypothesized to be associated with lower levels of faking. At the person level, applicants were expected to have a higher prevalence of faking than incumbents. Data was taken from an existing pool of applicants (n = 507) and incumbents (n = 302) at a customer …

The Community Structure Of Methanogenic, Methanotrophic, And Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria In Vertical Flow Greenhouse Wetland Mesocosms Exposed To Pce, William Evan Gruner

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Chlorinated ethenes are among the top contaminants on the EPA National Priorities List due to their abundance in contaminated sites and their recalcitrant nature. These compounds, which are used in large scale degreasing and textile processes, are known liver and kidney toxins, and suspected carcinogens. Wetland ecosystems are capable of degrading PCE and its breakdown products TCE, DCE, and VC by providing anaerobic and aerobic growth conditions for microbes that express enzymes such as dehalogenases and monooxygenases with dual affinity for chlorinated solvents. Greenhouse mesocosms at Wright State University are used to mimic field conditions at a treatment wetland at …

Regulation Of Calcium Entry Pathway In Jurkat T Cells, Petronilla A. Fruasaha

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Calcium release-activated calcium channels (CRAC) control influx of calcium in human T lymphocytes. Hour-long calcium elevations are necessary for efficient gene expression during T cell activation and proliferation. We report here that, the time course for store-operated Ca2+ entry is short-lived (3-4 min) and therefore, cannot account for the prolonged Ca2+ elevations necessary for NFAT translocation into nucleus. Previous findings strongly suggest that T cell activation is accompanied by cytosolic alkalinization. Here, we show that pH changes in Jurkat T cells following activation with mitogenic lectin, phytohemagglutinin (PHA), depends on the length of time of exposure and the concentration (potency) …

Gypsy Soul, Wolf Spirit, Pamela Marie Davis-Allen

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Gypsy Soul, Wolf Spirit is a collection of thirty-six poems; the majority of the poems are written in - or evolved from drafts written in - iambic pentameter. Writing formal poetry was a challenge I decided to embrace because I believed that it would allow me to evolve as a poet.

The themes that connect these poems are represented by the collection's title: Gypsy Soul, Wolf Spirit. There is the dominant thematic presence of both the natural world and the spiritual realm within the collection. My intention was to lift the reader to a state of mind, through language, where …

Multi-Uav Control: An Envisioned World Design Problem, Mona T. Stilson

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Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle assets are in high demand in the theater of operations for supporting the Global War on Terror and this demand is expected to increase. This work involved exploratory case study research into the envisioned world design problem of networked Predator multi-UAV control, as a candidate for meeting higher Predator sortie requirements without the need for a one for one increase in pilots. The concept involves the development of a potential new position for controlling multiple UAVs, called the Multi-Aircraft Manager (MAM). The goal was to analyze work requirements and develop representational models of the structure of …

Fundamental Study Of A Miniaturized Disk-Type Electrostatic Aerosol Precipitator For A Personal Nanoparticle Sizer, Chaolong Qi, Da-Ren Chen, Paul Greenberg

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Publications

We have developed a low-cost, miniaturized disk-type electrostatic aerosol precipitator for a personal nanoparticle sizer, often needed in applications requiring spatially distributed measurement or personal exposure monitoring. The performance of prototype mini-disk precipitator was evaluated in this study. Measurement of particle transmission through the precipitator for both neutral and singly charged particles shows that the compact size of the disk precipitator does not lead to serious particle loss resulting from particle diffusion and/or electrical image force. The transmission of singly charged particles of 10 nm is 64% at an aerosol flowrate of 0.3 lpm. The device consists of two precipitation …

Cenozoic Antarctic Diatomware/Bugcam: An Aid For Research And Teaching, Sherwood W. Wise, M. Olney, J. M. Covington, V. M. Egerton, S. Jiang, D. K. Kulhanek, S. Ramdeen, H. Schrader, P. A. Sims, A. S. Wood, A. Davis, D. R. Davenport, N. Doepler, W. Falcon, C. Lopez, T. Pressley, O. L. Swedberg, David M. Harwood

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare/BugCam^© is an interactive, icon-driven digital-image
database/software package that displays over 500 illustrated Cenozoic Antarctic diatom taxa along with original descriptions (including over 100 generic and 20 family-group descriptions). This digital catalog is designed primarily for use by micropaleontologists working in the field (at sea or on the Antarctic continent) where hard-copy literature resources are limited. This new package will also be useful for classroom/lab teaching as well as for any paleontologists making or refining taxonomic identifications at the microscope. The database (Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare) is displayed via a custom software program (BugCam) …

New Approaches And Progress In The Use Of Polar Marine Diatoms In Reconstructing Sea Ice Distribution, A. Leventer, L. Armand, David M. Harwood, R. Jordan, R. Ligowski

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Reconstructing the paleo-latitudinal extent of sea ice in the Southern Ocean over time can be accomplished using modern diatom data. However, it is more difficult to extend the utility of diatom proxies farther back in time, to time periods characterized by species that are now extinct, since we are uncertain of the paleoenvironmental affiliation of those species we can’t observe in modern assemblages. We propose several research strategies to strengthen our ability to use diatom data to reconstruct sea ice history. These tactics include the evaluation of specific morphologic characteristics and distinct taxa, as well as the identification of specific …

On Well-Balanced Schemes For Non-Equilibrium Flow With Stiff Source Terms, W. Wang, C.-W. Shu, Helen Yee

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Publications

In the modeling of unsteady reactive problems, the interaction of turbulence with finiterate chemistry introduces a wide range of space and time scales, leading to additional numerical difficulties. A main difficulty stems from the fact that most numerical algorithms used in reacting flows were originally designed to solve non-reacting fluids. As a result, spatial stiffness due to reacting source terms and turbulence/chemistry interaction are major stumbling blocks to numerical algorithm development. One of the important numerical issues is the proper numerical treatment of a system of highly coupled stiff non-linear source terms, which will result in possible spurious steady state …

Toward The Development Of Cancer Literacy Assessment Tools, Karen Patricia Williams, Mark Reckase, Omara Rivera-Vazquez

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Background: This study represented the first that documents the development of breast and cervical cancer literacy assessments that can be administered orally by laypersons. Methods: Critical indicators of cancer literacy were identified through a review of pertinent literature and interviews with ethnically diverse women. The pilot-test consisted of a 29- question assessment for language appropriateness. A score of 75% was established as the threshold for functional cancer literacy. Results: The assessment tools demonstrated a high level of internal consistency. Paired t-test analysis of pre- and post-intervention tests showed that the instrument was sensitive to changes in literacy of breast and …

Under Arrest: Immigrants' Rights And The Rule Of Law, Shoba S. Wadhia

Faculty Scholarship

The discussion is broken down into four parts. First, I will review some basic historical points and terminology. Second, I will describe some of the government's immigration enforcement policies following the comprehensive immigration reform ("CIR") debate and the human consequences and concerns behind such policies. Third, I will describe the relevant legal authorities for arresting and detaining noncitizens. Finally, I will provide some recommendations for moving forward.

Criminal Procedure In Perspective, Kit Kinports

Faculty Scholarship

This Article attempts to situate the Supreme Court's constitutional criminal procedure jurisprudence in the academic debates surrounding the reasonable person standard, in particular, the extent to which objective standards should incorporate a particular individual's subjective characteristics. Analyzing the Supreme Court's search and seizure and confessions opinions, I find that the Court shifts opportunistically from case to case between subjective and objective tests, and between whose point of view - the police officer's or the defendant's - it views as controlling. Moreover, these deviations cannot be explained either by the principles the Court claims underlie the various constitutional provisions at issue …