Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of A Mems Accelerometer For A Highway Health Monitoring Ultra-Low Power Sensor, Karla Cecilia Enriquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, government officials recognized the need to implement automated methods that reduce the cost of assessment projects and provide a long-term solution to monitor the structural health of bridges and highways. Although important research exists in the area of non-destructive evaluation, current road health monitoring efforts continue to be costly and time consuming. This Thesis focuses on the characterization of a MEMS accelerometer intended to be the basis of a novel ultra-low power sensing system to remotely asses the condition of highways. The architecture of a sensor prototype built to validate an algorithm …

Appropriate Prosodic Variation Is Valued By Users, Rafael Escalante-Ruiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Spoken dialog systems today do not vary the prosody of their utterances, although prosody is known to have many useful expressive functions. In a corpus of memory quizzes, I identified eleven dimensions of prosodic variation, each with its own expressive function. I identified the situations in which each was used, and how to detect these situations from the dialog context and the prosody of the interlocutor's previous utterance. I implemented the resulting response rules and had 21 users interact with two versions of the system. Overall they preferred the version in which the prosodic forms of the acknowledgments were chosen …

Suswa Volcano, Kenya Rift: Evidence Of Magma Mixing, Na-F Complexing And Eruptions Triggered By Recharge, Vanessa Veronica Espejel Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Cenozoic East African rift system (EARS) is a sequence of grabens, intraplate transforms, accommodation zones, and abundant magmatism. The Central Kenya Peralkaline Province (CKPP) includes a variety of volcanic rocks -trachyte, pantellerite, comendite, phonolite, trachy-basalt, basaltic trachy-andesite, and basalt- which erupted from volcanoes including: Mount Kenya; Eburru and the Greater Olkaria volcanic complexes; Longonot, Menengai, and Suswa volcanoes; and Ndabibi, Elmenteita, and Tandamara mafic volcanic fields. Only two of the volcanoes, Mount Kenya (on the flank of the central graben) and Suswa (the southernmost of the CKPP volcanoes), have phonolites as part of their assemblage.

The evolution of Suswa …

Sustainable Development Extension Plan (Sudex): Community Mobilization Through Proactive Participation And Synergistic Alliance To Alliviate Poverty And Achieve Sustainable Self Sufficiency, Stephen Forbes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation describes a sustainable development extension plan (Sudex Plan) to help communities in developing countries achieve Goal 1 of the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Goal 1 focuses on reducing poverty and hunger by 50% by the year 2015, but all the MDG are interrelated and one can not be achieved without considering the others, and to attain any is an empty accomplishment without ways to ensure that they can be sustained and continuously improved with the means to pass on the information, knowledge and lessons learned from community to community, generation to generation. The Sudex Plan is …

Three Essays On Chinese Outward Investment, Yan Gao

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Empirical research and theory development have traditionally focused on Western MNEs. The rise of multinational firms from the emerging markets, particularly MNEs from China has attracted limited empirical research attention. In the current research, I attempt to fill this gap by exploring the entry modes strategies, motivation and government interference when Chinese MNEs go abroad. Early international business theories suggested that firms invest abroad on the basis of possessing certain-firm specific competitive advantages. By leveraging these existing firm-specific advantages overseas, firms are able to generate sufficient returns to overcome the "liability of foreignness". These early FDI theories were largely based …

Top Management Team Heterogeneity, Global Strategic Posture, And Firm Performance: Evidence From Mnes Headquartered Around The World, Adrian Gil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study empirically examines the relationship between top management team (TMT) heterogeneity and firm performance for a sample of multinational enterprises (MNEs) headquartered in 31 countries from across the globe. Utilizing the theoretical perspectives of upper echelons (Hambrick & Mason, 1984) and information processing (Daft, Bettenhausen, & Tyler, 1993; Galbraith, 1973), I hypothesize that global strategic posture, a measure of the intensity of a firm's involvement in the multinational business environment, moderates the relationships between TMT heterogeneity and firm performance. My findings reveal an "enhancing" interaction (Cohen, Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2003: 285-286) between the different TMT heterogeneities investigated and …

Insight Into The Physics Of Rupture: Dynamic Triggering Seismicity, Hector Gonzalez-Huizar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Seismic waves can trigger earthquakes and tremor at large distances from the causable event. Dynamic triggering occurs when the surface waves from large earthquakes change the stresses conditions on previously overstressed faults, promoting failure. To understand the causative stresses and environments behind dynamic triggering, we model the change in the stress field that the passing of Rayleigh and Love waves cause on a fault plane of arbitrary orientation relative to the direction of propagation of the waves, and apply a Coulomb failure criterion to calculate the potential of these stress changes to trigger seismicity. We apply our model to three …

Assistive Technology As A Cognitive Developmental Tool For Students With Learning Disabilities Using 2d And 3d Computer Objects, Felipe D. Guevara

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study presented a theory in which assistive technology and body kinesthetic helped students understand concepts taught in the regular education classroom. The study included students already identified and diagnosed with a learning disability (LD). The research is based on cognitive theories that state that cognitive development could use alternative representation to have a deeper impact in the way Students with LD process information by activating different parts of the brain that are involved in the learning process. The study included students from 9th thru 12th grades. Students were selected from the ones receiving services from the special education department …

Identification Of Human Gait Using Genetic Algorithm Tuned Fuzzy Logic, Abdallah Abdel-Rahman Hassan Mahmoud

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Data mining is concerned with the discovery of useful hidden information in large databases. Classification is a data mining task producing rules in which a set of attributes in data predict the value of a class attribute. Classifiers usually produce a large number of rules, most of which are not interesting to the user. Rule interestingness is a decisive factor. However, evaluating rule interestingness is challenging as it involves both objective (data-driven) and subjective (user-driven) aspects.

In this research, a fuzzy genetic algorithm is proposed to discover classification rules that are both accurate and interesting. Continuous attributes are fuzzified so …

Student Price Response: The Effect Of Tuition Deregulation In Texason Student Enrollment Trends In Texas Public Institutions Of Higher Educaiton, Jose Carlos Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between cost of attendance price increases in Texas public higher education institutions and enrollment. This study compared enrollment trends prior to and post deregulation of tuition setting authority in the State. The study focused on first-time full-time state-wide enrollment of all students and Hispanic students, and also analyzed enrollment trends at institutions located along the U.S./Mexico border and non-border for the same grouping of students. Enrollment behavior was tested for statistical significance to cost of attendance for all aforementioned geographic areas and student groups. A simple linear regression of pre-deregulation was used to predict enrollment …

Comparison Of Older Mexican American Upper Extremity Reach Capabilities To Older Anglo Americans, Odi Mike Ikpe

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study aimed to investigate if there are upper extremity reach capability differences in older Mexican Americans and older Anglo Americans. The subjects were recruited and corresponded to the 2000 census track. Upper extremity reach capability was determined by analysis of 20 range of motion variables. A MANOVA analysis utilizing SPSS software was performed with age, gender and ethnicity as independent variables while height and 20 range of motion anthropometric measurements servings as dependent variables (responses). Ethnicity as a function of age was found to be significant in height, horizontal distance from buttock to hand, rotation of head to the …

Directional Analysis And Filtering For Dust Storm Detection In Noaa-Avhrr Imagery, Swapna Janugani

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this research, we propose spatio-spectral processing techniques for the detection of dust storms in 5-band NOAA-AVHRR imagery. The research is mainly focused on locating the dust sources and automatically finding the transport direction of the dust storm. Previous methods that use simple band math analysis have produced promising results but have some drawback in producing consistent results when low SNR images are used. Moreover, in seeking to automate the dust storm detection, the presence of clouds in the vicinity of the dust storm creates a challenge in being able to distinguish these two types of image texture. Our research …

Reduced Dimensionality Hyperspectral Classification Using Finite Mixture Models, Vikram Jayaram

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Classification of HSI data is a challenging problem for two main reasons. First, with limited spatial resolution of HSI sensors and/or the distance of the observed scene, the images invariably contain pixels composed of several materials. It is desirable to resolve the contributions of the constituents from the observed image without relying on high spatial resolution images. Remote sensing cameras have been designed to capture a wide spectral range motivating the use of post-processing techniques to distinguish materials via their spectral signatures. Secondly, available training data for most pattern recognition problems in HSI processing is severely inadequate. Under the framework …

Riding The Borderlands: The Negotiation Of Social And Cultural Boundaries For Rio Grande Valley And Southwestern Motorcycling Groups, 1900-2000, Gary L. Kieffner

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation presents an analysis and interpretation of particular aspects of the social, cultural, and ideological history of motorcycling in the US-Mexican Borderlands from 1900 to 2000. It is based on interviews with historical correspondents, archival and other documents as well as thirty years of participant reflection during which the author was immersed in biker culture. The motorcycle served as a vehicle for personal and group identity, resistance, and liberation. Issues related to identity, gender, race, marginalization and resistance, imagery, and rhetoric become clearer when considering the perspective of riders. This study surveys interactive processes that occurred between historic motorcyclists, …

The Distinctiveness Effect In Fingerprint Identification: How The Role Of Distinctiveness, Information Loss, And Informational Bias Influence Fingerprint Identification, Jessica L. Marcon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Fingerprint misidentification has become a concern for legal professionals, especially after the high profile misidentification of Brandon Mayfield as the Madrid train bomber and the first fingerprint related DNA exoneration of Stephen Cowans. The current studies examined how humans perceive the distinctiveness of fingerprints, whether distinctiveness effects found in face perception research are evident in fingerprint identification, and whether there are conditions under which the distinctiveness effect can be eliminated. Experiment 1 examined the distinctiveness effect and information loss, while Experiment 2 investigated the distinctiveness effect and its interaction with information loss and informational bias. In Experiment 1, results showed …

Spatio-Temporal Ecg Analysis For Localization Of Arrhythmias Using Precordial Ecg Leads And 128-Lead Systems, Eduardo Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A novel and state-of-the-art approach for the analysis of cardiac arrhythmias is proposed. Currently, the analysis of the electrocardiogram is only performed in the time-domain. The proposed method improves the electrocardiogram analysis by adding spatial properties. The spatial properties added to the electrocardiogram allow for the analysis of specific regions inside the human heart where cardiac arrhythmias are suspected to have occurred. In this Dissertation, the concept of electrocardiography was extended using advanced bioelectromagnetism theory. In concrete, the multiple dipole model of the human heart was used to extend the concept of electrocardiography from a temporal analysis to a spatial-temporal …

The Effects Of Psychopathy And Machiavellianism On Cognitive Dissonance, Ashley Anne Murray

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Psychopathic traits include a lack of guilt, a lack of remorse, callousness and antisocial behaviors such as impulsivity and aggression. The current study examined the effects of psychopathic traits as measured by the Psychopathic Personality Inventory - Revised: Short Form (PPI-R: SF; Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005) and the Levenson Primary and Secondary Psychopathy Scales (LPSP; Levenson, Kiehl, & Fitzpatrick, 1995), and of Machiavellianism (MACH), as measured by the MACH-IV (Christie & Geis, 1970), on cognitive dissonance in a sample of 164 participants. The induced compliance paradigm of cognitive dissonance was implemented by instructing each participant to complete a boring task …

Characterization Of The Behavioral And Neurochemical Effects Of Nicotine Withdrawal In Adolescent And Adult Rats., Luis Alberto Natividad

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Previous studies have demonstrated that the behavioral effects of nicotine withdrawal are lower in adolescent versus adult rats. However, the neurochemical mechanisms that mediate these developmental differences are presently unclear. Much work has shown that nicotine reward is mediated via enhanced dopamine neurotransmission in the mesolimbic pathway which originates in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and terminates in several forebrain structures including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). More recently, studies have shown that nicotine withdrawal produces a decrease in NAcc dopamine transmission, an effect that is believed to serve as a neurochemical marker of withdrawal in adult rodents. The goal of …

Towards More Reliable Extrapolation Algorithms With Applications To Organic Chemistry, Jaime Nava

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

One of the main objectives of science and engineering is to predict the results of different situations. For example, in Newton's mechanics, we want to predict the positions and velocities of different objects (e.g., planets) at future moments of time.

In this Thesis, as a case study, we take the problem of predicting the properties of new chemical substances. One of the main objectives of chemistry is to design new molecules (and, more generally, new chemical compounds) which are useful for various practical tasks. New substances have already resulted in new materials for buildings and for spaceships, new explosives and …

The Effect Of Facial Resemblance On Alibi Credibility And Final Verdicts, Claudia Ochoa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine an extra-legal variable that may affect the credibility of a defendant and the alibi corroborator's testimonies. In this study, the facial appearance of the alibi corroborator was manipulated to resemble the defendant or the trial judge to different degrees using facial morphing software. Participants serving as mock jurors provided verdicts for a trial summary and rated the credibility of an alibi corroborator. It was hypothesized that as the facial resemblance shared between an alibi corroborator and a defendant increased, the less credible the alibi corroborator's testimony would be perceived, resulting in an …

Three-Dimensional Electronics Packaging Integration Of Stereolithography And Direct Print, Misael Navarrete

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traditional placement of components and routing in electronic devices has been constrained to two dimensions in printed circuit board technology. Routing of electrical signals in these devices has been extended to two and half dimensions by virtue of additional routing layers which are connected through vertical vias (i.e. four layer printed circuit boards or CMOS chips with seven layers of metal routing), however, truly three dimensional off axis component placement and routing have not yet been explored. Solid freeform fabrication provides the means of creating a dielectric substrate suitable for these electronics with sockets for components and channels for interconnect. …

Investigating Engagement, Thinking, And Learning Among Culturally Diverse, Urban Sixth Graders Experiencing An Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum, Contextualized In The Local Environment, Sybil Schantz Kelley

Dissertations and Theses

This mixed-methods study combined pragmatism, sociocultural perspectives, and systems thinking concepts to investigate students' engagement, thinking, and learning in science in an urban, K-8 arts, science, and technology magnet school. A grant-funded school-university partnership supported the implementation of an inquiry-based science curriculum, contextualized in the local environment through field experiences. The researcher worked as co-teacher of 3 sixth-grade science classes and was deeply involved in the daily routines of the school.The purposes of the study were to build a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that take place in an urban science classroom, including challenges related to implementing culturally-relevant instruction; …

Clarence X?: The Black Nationalist Behind Justice Thomas's Constitutionalism, Stephen F. Smith

Journal Articles

The opinions of Justice Thomas reflect a jurisprudence that is uniquely his own. His well-known commitment to textualism and originalism combines with a weak commitment to stare decisis on constitutional questions. This often puts Thomas at odds with Justice Scalia and other Justices who are far more willing to defer to precedents with which they disagree. The most distinctive aspect of Thomas's jurisprudence, however, involves cases of particular concern to black Americans. In these cases, his originalism and textualism are powerfully supplemented by another -ism—namely, "black nationalism."

Throughout his tenure, Justice Thomas has repeatedly explored the implications of controversial rulings …

Intrapersonal Consequences Of (Un)Forgiving: How Forgiveness Affects The Victim, Edward Eli Kass

Organization, Leadership, and Communication

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Study On Result-Based Financial Mechanisms For Mnch, Shehla Zaidi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Asad Saeed, Ajmal Agha, Ghulam Haider Akhund, Zohra Lassi, Farhan Saeed Vakani, Yasser Kureshi, Mohammad Faisal, Tanweer Hussain, Murad Charania

Community Health Sciences

No abstract provided.

International Human Rights Law And Security Detention, Douglass Cassel

Journal Articles

This article analyzes the grounds, procedures, and conditions required by International Human Rights Law for preventive detention of suspected terrorists as threats to security. Such detention is generally permitted, provided it is based on grounds and procedures previously established by law; is not arbitrary, discriminatory, or disproportionate; is publicly registered and subject to fair and effective judicial review; and the detainee is not mistreated and is compensated for any unlawful detention. In Europe, however, preventive detention for security purposes is generally not permitted. If allowed at all, it is permitted only when a State in time of national emergency formally …

The Effectiveness Of Biodiversity Law, John Copeland Nagle

Journal Articles

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has generated a heated debate between those who believe that the law has succeeded and those who believe that the law has failed. The resolution to that debate depends upon whether the law’s stated purposes or some other criteria provide the basis for judging a law’s effectiveness. Meanwhile, since the enactment of the ESA in 1973, biodiversity protection has received growing attention in the nations of southeastern Asia. So far, the law has been much less effective in protecting Asian biodiversity from habitat loss, commercial exploitation, and other threats, yet southeastern Asia’s biodiversity law has …

Response To Nicholas Boyle, O. Carter Snead

Journal Articles

Response to Nicholas Boyle’s talk “God, Sex, and America: From Decline of the Common Morality to the Emergence of a Global Ethical Life” at The Catholic University of America Center for Law, Philosophy and Culture’s Symposium “A Common Morality for the Global Age: In Gratitude for What We Are Given.”

From Nationalization Of Islam To Privatization Of Nationalism: Islam And Turkish National Identity, Tamer Balci

History Faculty Publications

This article traces the origins of various proposals to nationalize Islam in Turkey. The initial Turkish proposals failed because none of them had a feasible philosophical base to facilitate the co-existence of Islam and secularism. Aside from the previous studies on the nationalization of Islam, this article carries the topic to the Cold War by arguing that the Turkish-Islamic Synthesis was the last stage on the nationalization of Islam. Since TIS had no vision to alter the official ideology, Kemalism, and it claimed the compatibility of Islam, nationalism, secularism as well as Kemalism, it fulfilled the need of a national …

Sharon M. Draper: Reaching Reluctant Readers, Kaavonia Hinton-Johnson

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.