Digital Commons Network^™

Sensor Data-Based Decision Making, Ahmet Soylemezoglu

Doctoral Dissertations

"Increasing globalization and growing industrial system complexity has amplified the interest in the use of information provided by sensors as a means of improving overall manufacturing system performance and maintainability. However, utilization of sensors can only be effective if the real-time data can be integrated into the necessary business processes, such as production planning, scheduling and execution systems. This integration requires the development of intelligent decision making models that can effectively process the sensor data into information and suggest appropriate actions. To be able to improve the performance of a system, the health of the system also needs to be …

Molecular Effects Of Metolachlor Exposure On Human Cells, Sean Hartnett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Metolachlor is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States of America. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to this herbicide results in decreased cell proliferation, growth and reproductive ability in different organisms. However, pervious studies used high concentrations of metolachlor to see molecular effects. In the study presented here, we investigated the effects of metolachlor on human cells. Previous cell proliferation analysis from our laboratory has shown that metolachlor is capable of significantly inhibiting the growth of normal human fibroblasts and HepG2 cells at 1.6 parts per billion (ppb) and 50 ppb. We assessed cellular effects …

Psychometric Comparisons Of The Reasons For Living Inventory For Young Adults And The College Student Reasons For Living Inventory In A College Sample, Ashley A. Heck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to examine and compare the psychometric properties of two self-report measures designed to assess suicide-related behaviors in college-age populations. Screening for suicidality is important to identify and support individuals who may be at risk for suicide-related behaviors (Joe & Bryant, 2007). Both the Reasons for Living Inventory for Young Adults (Osman, 1998) and the College Students Reasons for Living Inventory (Westefeld, Cardin, & Deaton, 1992) were developed to assess the reasons that young adults may have for refraining from self destructive acts. These measures were analyzed in terms of their factor structure and …

A Study Of Japanese Women Today: Changing Gender Roles And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Shiho Hosokawa

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Japanese women and men are getting married later in life than before and the number of Japanese choosing to live a single person's lifestyle has increased since the 1980's. In the 1970's, the number of women working outside the home was lower than now and most of those who did work, did so only to supplement their husband's income. Today, many Japanese women obtain college degrees and have a paid job, the same as men do. Yet, based on my personal experience and those of others I know, Japanese women often remain the primary caretakers in the home. They are …

Review Of Archives Power: Memory, Accountability, And Social Justice By Randall C. Jimerson, W. Bede Mitchell

University Libraries: Faculty Publications

This review was published in College and Research Libraries.

Understanding Corrosion Of Ni₃(Si,Nb) Alloys In Hot Sulfuric Acid, Jen-Hsien Hsu

Doctoral Dissertations

"The Sulfur-Iodine thermochemical cycle has been proposed as a method for producing large quantities of hydrogen gas from water. However, the extreme operating environments involved limit the possible materials for construction.

Through proper heat treatment and composition control, the modified patented Ni₃(Si,Nb) alloy keeps high temperature strength to greater than 750⁰C and can be deformed by cold rolling more than 50% using multiple passes and intermediate anneals. The corrosion resistance is reproducible and maintains less than 5 mpy for a broad range of boiling sulfuric acid concentrations, including 70 wt%.

In the boiling 70 wt% sulfuric acid corrosion tests, kinetic …

Computational Intelligence Methods In Wireless Sensor Networks, Raghavendra V. Kulkarni

Doctoral Dissertations

"Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are networks of autonomous nodes that sense, compute and communicate in order to monitor an environment collectively. Ad hoc deployment, dynamic environment and resource constraints in nodes need to be considered while addressing WSN challenges such as deployment, localization, routing and scheduling. Adaptive mechanisms that exhibit intelligent behavior in complex and dynamic environments are desirable to address these challenges. The potential of computational intelligence ( CI) based approaches for addressing WSN challenges is investigated in this study. Contributions of this dissertation are in the following three areas: critical literature analysis, new architectures and approaches, and new …

The Role Of Political Skill In The Stressor–Outcome Relationship: Differential Predictions For Self- And Other-Reports Of Political Skill, James A. Meurs, Vickie C. Gallagher, Pamela L. Perrewé

Business Faculty Publications

The beneficial role of political skill in stress reactions and performance evaluations has been demonstrated in a substantial amount of empirical research. Most of the research, however, has focused on self-perceptions of political skill. This study examines the differential moderating effects of self- vs. other-rated political skill in the conflict – emotional burnout and performance relationships, using two samples including non-academic staff employees of a large university (N = 839) and a variety of office and retail employees from an automotive organization (N = 142). We argue that self-reported political skill moderates the relationship between conflict and a self-reported strain-related …

Study Of Catalytic Activities Of Nanostructure Copper And Cobalt Supported Zsm-5 Catalysts For Conversion Of Volatile Organic Compounds, Aligholi Niaei, Dariush Salari, Seyed Ali Hosseini

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

This paper reports the comparison of the activities of nanostructure Cu-ZSM-5 and Co-ZSM-5 catalysts for conversion of ethyl acetate and toluene and deals with the relationship between activity and structure of catalysts. The catalysts were characterized by ICP-AES, XPS, EDX, XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques. Catalytic studies were carried out under atmospheric pressure and in a temperature range of 200-500 °C. Cu-ZSM-5 catalysts showed better activity than Co-ZSM-5, revealing higher activity of copper cations. The higher activity was ascribed to higher electro-negativity, smaller cation radius, good distribution, and specific coordination of copper cations inside Cu-ZSM-5 catalysts. The activity of catalysts …

Electro-Oxidation Of Some Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs On An Alumina Nanoparticle-Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode, Mahla Tabeshnia, Hossein Heli, Ali Jabbari, Ali A. Moosavi-Movahedi

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

The electro-oxidation of mefenamic acid, diclofenac, and indomethacin on glassy carbon and alumina nanoparticle-modified glassy carbon electrodes in a phosphate buffer solution at physiological pH was studied. The techniques of cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, impedance spectroscopy, and steady state polarization measurements were applied. The drugs were irreversibly oxidized on bath electrodes via an anodic peak and the process was controlled by diffusion in the bulk of solution. Alumina nanoparticles increased the oxidation current, and lowered the peak and onset potentials. As such, alumina nanoparticles had an electrocatalytic effect, both kinetically and thermodynamically. The kinetic parameters of heterogeneous electron transfer and diffusion …

Synthesis Of Some Pyridazine Derivatives Carrying Urea, Thiourea, And Sulfonamide Moieties And Their Antimicrobial Activity, Deni̇z S. Doğruer, Şölen Urlu, Ti̇jen Önkol, Berri̇n Özçeli̇k, M. Fethi̇ Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Some pyridazine derivatives carrying urea, thiourea, and sulfonamide groups were synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and fungi by using broth microdilution. The structures of these new compounds were confirmed by ^1H-NMR, mass spectrum, and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds exhibited generally promising inhibitory activity against S. aureus (MIC ranging from 2 to 4 \mu g/mL) and E. coli (MIC ranging from 4 to 16 \mu g/mL). Moreover, all compounds showed antifungal activity against both C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, with a MIC value of 8 \mu g/mL.

Identification Of Virulence Genes In The Corn Pathogen Fusarium Verticillioides, Divya Chouhan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fusarium verticillioides is a pathogenic fungus that causes infection of crops and vegetables such as corn, wheat, potato, cassava, banana, potato and sorghum. It causes various diseases in corn such as seedling blight, root, stalk, and ear rot. Pathogenic Fusarium species have caused billions of dollars of damage through reduced yield. F.verticillioides also produces mycotoxins such as fumonisin. Consumption of contaminated grain can cause various diseases in animals such as pulmonary oedema in pigs and leukoencephalomalacia in horses, and may be associated with esophageal cancer in humans. Identification of virulence genes in F. verticillioides will help in understanding its biology …

How Does The Sf--‐36 Perform In Healthy Populations? A Structured Review Of Longitudinal Studies, Chinekwu A. Obidoa, Susan L. Reisine, Martin Cherniack

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study examined the stability of the Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form (SF-36) in healthy populations. The researchers conducted a structured review of longitudinal studies that reported the use of SF-36 among people in their active working years ages 18 to 65. The cumulative sample size across selected studies comprised 29,868 participants. SF-36 mean scores were similar to published U.S. aggregate norms. Gender-specific changes in SF-36 scores also followed a normative trend, with women having greater declines in scores (poorer health) than men. The SF-36 was stable among healthy populations; however, its use among healthy people requires caution, particularly when considering …

Counseling Athletes Who Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs: A New Conceptual Framework Linked To Clinical Practice, Michael C. Johnson, David N. Sacks, William A. Edmonds

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Doping, the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes, is a major concern that the media have publicized prominently. Sport governing bodies currently use two primary methods to dissuade athletes from doping: punishment and didactic education. Neither of these approaches has eradicated doping from competitive athletics because the practice appears to be increasing. Including clinical interventions in systemic campaigns that address this problem would be efficacious. The current article provides a conceptual framework that addresses doping from a psychologist’s perspective and then operationalizes this framework, all the while identifying the unique environment in which athletes function. Practical interventions for working with …

Consequences Of Work-Family Balance And Comparisons With Work-Family And Family-Work Conflict, Sasha Marie Burnett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The American work environment is quite different than it was just a few decades ago. Researchers, popular media, and employers alike have wondered how the changing labor environment is affecting employees. Participants in this study (N = 171) were 18 years of age or older, employed full-time and had at least one dependent child living at home. Of interest in this study was how well three measures of the work-family interface were able to predict five work-related consequences that would be of interest to employers. Work-family balance predicted both job satisfaction and intentions to quit, work-family conflict predicted job tension/strain …

Substance Use And Injury With College Athletes: Does Injury Affect Perceptions?, Kristine Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Collegiate athletes may perceive the characteristics of substances differently following an injury. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to determine whether perceptions of substance use among collegiate athletes change after an injury occurs. The study also examined differences between sex, scholarship status, and academic level on perceptions of substance use. A total of 141 Division I college athletes participated in this study, with 96 completing the post-test. They were asked to complete a Perceptions of Substance Use Survey in the fall and again in the spring; participants' injury data was collected over a 6 month period from athletic trainers. …

Multichannel Spectrophotometry For Analysis Of Organophosphate Paraoxon In Beverages, Miroslav Pohanka, Jana Zdarova Karasova, Kamil Kuca, Jiri Pikula

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Multichannel spectrophotometry was performed to assay for paraoxon in spiked beverages. A 96-well microplate was used for this purpose. The measuring protocol was based on inhibition of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase by paraoxon that resulted in decreased or no reaction of the enzyme product thiocholine with Ellman's reagent (5,5'-dithiobis [2-nitrobenzoic acid]). The above assay was practically tested using spiked drinking water, mineral water, and coffee. Analytical parameters such as the limit of detection, time, and sample size consumption were adequate. The limit of detection for beverages ranged from 32 to 48 ppb corresponding to 0.32-0.48 ng of paraoxon in absolute values. …

Synthesis, Characterization, Antibacterial And Antifungal Evaluation Of Some New Platinum(Ii) Complexes Of 2-Phenylbenzimidazole Ligands, Semra Utku, Mustafa Topal, Ayli̇n Döğen, Mehmet Sami̇ Seri̇n

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A series of platinum(II) complexes of the type [PtL_2Cl_2] 1, [PtL_2I_2] 2, [PtL_2(oxalato)] 3, and [PtL_2(malonato)] 4 (L= 2-phenylbenzimidazole ligands as ``non-leaving groups'') were synthesized and characterized by their elemental analyses, IR, ^1H NMR, and ESI-LC/MS. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the synthesized compounds has been evaluated by the macrodilution method against gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Enterococcus faecalis; gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumonia; and yeast like fungi, such as Candida glabrata and Candida parapsilosis. In general, based on the data obtained in this study, synthesized complexes 1-4 might …

Cochlear Implants In The Deaf Community: Current Circumstances Of Cochlear Implant Users Among The Deaf Youth In Sweden’S Educational System, Christopher Samp

Theses

Sweden has maintained an environment of equal opportunities and inclusive disability policies for its citizens. In Swedish education, a bilingualism method of Swedish Sign Language and spoken Swedish is used in teaching deaf children. The cochlear implant device is considered an advanced form of hearing technology and is used with deaf youth to assist with speech development. Several medical experts and researchers support the language development theory that there is a "critical period" for a deaf person to acquire natural language and speech development at a young age. Some experts believe that in order to achieve this language acquisition of …

Characterization Of The Effects Of The Human Head On Communication With Implanted Antennas, Michael A. Pecoraro

Theses

Cranially implanted sensors and electrodes have been used in practice for several years; their applications range from the recording of neural signals for use in Brain-Computer Interfaces to help the disabled, to the treatment of diseases and conditions ranging from Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, depression, etc. Current communication methods with implants, however, are lacking; they run the gamut from physical, percutaneous connections that increase the risk of infection, to wireless links that are slow and uncomfortable for patients. The present work focuses on the characterization of the effects of the human head on communication with cranially implanted antennas for its …

High Field Induced Stress Suppression Of Gidl Effects In Tfts, Andrew Mccabe

Theses

Gate-Induced drain leakage (GIDL) is an unwanted short-channel effect that occurs at higher drain biases in an overdriven off state of a transistor. The GIDL is the result of a deep depletion region that forms in the drain at high drain-to-gate biases. The depletion region causes significant band bending which in-turn allows conductive band-to-band tunneling creating excess current. In a PFET, electrons tunnel from the drain to the body while holes tunnel into the drain. By utilizing the effects of high energy, or "hot", electrons, the GIDL current in an accumulation-mode PFET can be suppressed. This suppression is thought to …

Internet Economy: Should The Federal Government Intervene, Sha’Kera Bumbray

Theses

Global citizens choose to engage in electronic business every second of the day. The Internet has allowed for businesses to remain constantly open. All over the world people are able to conduct business quickly and cost effectively. Although the use of the Internet has significant benefits, there are also a number of risks. Most importantly there is a risk of the breach of personal security. This paper will use a patchwork design that consists of a case study and survey techniques to collect data on the use of business technologies by faculty and students at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). …

Analysis Of Symmetric Key Establishment Based On Reciprocal Channel Quantization, David Wagner

Theses

Methods of symmetric key establishment using reciprocal quantization of channel parameters in wireless Rayleigh and Rician fading channels are considered. Two important aspects are addressed through generic analysis: impact of a proximity attack by a passive eavesdropper and achievable key establishing rates. The analysis makes use of the National Institute of Standards and Technology statistical test suite applied to the channel quantization bits as the outputs of a random number generator. For proximity attacks, a passive mobile eavesdropper with an ability to approach one of the communicating parties and a possible signal-to-noise ratio advantage is assumed. The minimal required distance …

Comparison Of Particle Deposition For Realistic Adult And Adolescent Upper Airway Geometries Using Unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics, Jonathan Steffens

Theses

Particle deposition in the respiratory tract is studied in order to better understand the negative health effects due to cigarette smoke inhalation. Until recently, idealized models of the respiratory airways based on the original Weibel model have been used to calculate deposition. These models consist of symmetric bifurcating airways and do not take into account variations of airway diameter, and asymmetry in the human respiratory tract. Until recently, little work has been done to accurately recreate the entire upper respiratory tract including the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Technological improvement has changed the way in which researchers approach this problem. …

Motivation Factors As Indicators Of Academic Achievement: A Comparative Study Of Student-Athletes And Non-Athletes Academic And Social Motivation, Jonell Pedescleaux

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate non-cognitive motivational factors as indicators of academic achievement of male athletes and male non-athletes as measured by a secondary data analysis of the College Student Inventory (CSI) from Fall 2003 to Fall 2005. Deci and Ryan's (2000) self-determination theory provided the conceptual framework for this study.

The CSI was administered through a survey technique. Participants in the survey sample were selected from 142 first semester freshman male athletes and male non-athletes enrolled at a Midwestern University.

The data gathered from the CSI provided information on non-cognitive variables of academic and social motivation …

Risk-Taking Propensity And Its Relationship To Achievement Motivation Among Selected Municipal Parks And Recreation Directors In The State Of Iowa, Jiangong (Brad) Tan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to examine the risk-taking propensity and achievement motivation among selected park and recreation directors in the state of Iowa. More specifically, the study is designed to determine the relationships between risk-taking propensity and achievement motivation. In addition, the study seeks to explore the relationships between various demographic variables such as age, gender, education level, city size, agency size, organizational budget, and years of professional experience in the park and recreation field and either risk-taking propensity or achievement motivation.

Atkinson's Theory of Achievement Motivation and McClelland's Need for Achievement were employed to better understand the …

A Study Of The Adjunct Faculty Experiences In The Creation Of A Teacher Work Sample, Anna L. Conway

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Part-time and adjunct faculty members have been present in institutions of higher learning since the founding of this country. These groups of faculty provide a variety of unique professional experiences to their students; they offer financial savings and scheduling flexibility for their colleges and on many levels, adjuncts offer a range of other valuable contributions to their institutions. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences that community college adjunct faculty had with college teaching and implementation of the Teacher Work Sample. Another objective was to see how the completion of Teacher Work Sample contributed to the adjuncts' …

Photovoice In The Workplace, Marian Flum, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira, Anthony Decaro, Scott Redway

Gastón Institute Publications

Background Photovoice, a photographic participatory action research methodology was used in a workplace setting to assess hazards that were creating extremely high injury and incidents rates for university custodians and to promote the conditions to eliminate or reduce those hazards. Methods University custodians participated in a Photovoice project to identify, categorize, and prioritize occupational hazards and to discuss and propose solutions to these problems. Results were presented to management and to all custodians for further discussion. The effort was led by a worker-based union-sponsored participatory evaluation team in partnership with a university researcher. Results Visual depiction of hazardous tasks and …

Determination Of Trace Element Contents Of Thymus Species From Turkey, Fatümetüzzehra Küçükbay, Ebru Kuyumcu

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

Eleven mineral and trace elements (Mg, Ca, K, Fe, Mn, Al, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni, and Pb) were determined in the Thymus species growing in Turkey. The total concentrations were measured in samples mineralized with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide in a microwave system. The determination of mineral and trace elements in the leaves of the Thymus species was carried out by flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The accuracy of the method was ensured by using standard reference material (NIST-SRM 1515 apple leaves). The concentration of elements in the Thymus species and their biological activity on humans …

Solid Phase Extraction Of Copper, Nickel, And Cobalt In Water Samples After Extraction Using Surfactant Coated Alumina Modified With Indane-1,2,3-Trione 1,2-Dioxime And Determination By Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, Mahdi Hosseini, Nasser Dalali, Ali Karimi, Kourosh Dastanra

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

A simple method for simultaneous pre-concentration of Cu, Ni, and Co metal ions prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry is reported. The method is based on the extraction of target ions via complexation with indane-1,2,3-trione 1,2-dioxime immobilized on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) coated alumina. The metal content on the adsorbent was eluted with 4.5 mL of 2 mol L^{-1} nitric acid. The influences of the analytical parameters including pH, sample volume and flow rate, and eluent type and flow rate were investigated. The effect of matrix ions on the retentions of the analytes was also examined. The …