Digital Commons Network^™

Desperate Doctors And Antitrust Laws: The Best Ways For Lawmakers To Simulate Physician Collective Bargaining, Cristina Olson

Nevada Law Journal

This Note will examine the legality of bills that open up physician collective bargaining—and what kind of provisions lawmakers should include to ensure legality and good policy. Given the current economic downturn, states must look for ways to make health insurance more affordable; a low-cost adjustment of collective bargaining rules may be a good solution. Such an adjustment would not be the only, or necessarily the best, solution to the healthcare cost crisis that exists in America, but it would be worthwhile for legislators to consider. Furthermore, if lawmakers craft legislation that puts state governments in charge of actively supervising …

Verification Of Synchronous Elastic Pipelined Systems, Koushik Sarker

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The constant shrinking of technology has lead to several design challenges that the synchronous design paradigm is unable to cope with. Elastic design is a novel and promising design paradigm that overcomes many of these challenges by using components that are insensitive to the latencies of its inputs. Verification is a critical problem for any design paradigm. The complexity of elastic designs arises when the system is pipelined. We develop formal verification techniques to verify synchronous elastic pipelined systems. Note that the goal of verification is not to establish the correctness of the algorithm for synthesizing elastic circuits, but instead, …

Joint Compression And Encryption, Ahana Ghosh

Electrical and Computer Engineering

This research work proposes two techniques of joint compression and encryption using Shanon Fano Elias coding and Arithmetic coding respectively. The first scheme proposed is called Adaptive Shannon-Fano-Elias code where it has been observed that the complexity of attacks is exponential in m, where m is the length of the string being compressed. Since mis usually very large (> 220 ), the security of our scheme is very high. The main reason why our scheme's security depends on m is the fact that all attacks require the ciphertext to be scanned from left to right. The algorithm proposed does not …

Active Control Of Shocks And Sonic Boom Ground Signal, Bedri Yagiz

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The manipulation of a flow field to obtain a desired change is a much heightened subject. Active flow control has been the subject of the major research areas in fluid mechanics for the past two decades. It offers new solutions for mitigation of shock strength, sonic boom alleviation, drag minimization, reducing blade-vortex interaction noise in helicopters, stall control and the performance maximization of existing designs to meet the increasing requirements of the aircraft industries. Despite the wide variety of the potential applications of active flow control, the majority of studies have been performed at subsonic speeds. The active flow control …

Solution Approximation For Atmospheric Flight Dynamics Using Volterra Theory, Ashraf Mohammed Kandeel Omran

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation introduces a set of novel approaches in order to facilitate and enrich Volterra theory as a nonlinear approximation technique for constructing mathematical solutions from the governing relationships describing aircraft dynamic behavior. These approaches reconnect Volterra theory and flight mechanics research, which has not been addressed in the technical literature for over twenty years. Volterra theory is known to be viable in modeling weak nonlinearities, but is not particularly well suited for directly describing high performance aircraft dynamics. In order to overcome these obstacles and restrictions of Volterra theory, the global Piecewise Volterra Approach has been developed. This new …

Interannual Differences In Nutrient Dynamics During A Brown Tide Bloom (Aureococcus Anophagefferens) And The Interaction Of A. Anophagefferens With Heterotrophic Bacteria, George Eric Boneillo

OES Theses and Dissertations

Blooms of Aureococcus anophagefferens (Brown Tides) in Chincoteague Bay were observed over a six-year period (2002–2007) during which interannual differences in nitrogen and carbon uptake and concentrations of dissolved constituents were compared at two sites, one in Maryland and the other in Virginia. Overall, I observed an increase in bloom intensity and duration over time. No single nitrogen compound was responsible for fueling blooms. Instead, A. anophagefferens demonstrated the ability to use a wide range of nitrogen compounds to meet its nutritional demands. Results show that NO₃-, NH₄+, urea, and DFAA were taken up simultaneously during …

Modeling Decision Making Related To Incident Delays During Hurricane Evacuations, Robert Michael Robinson

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Successful evacuations from metropolitan areas require optimizing the transportation network, monitoring conditions, and adapting to changes. Evacuation plans seek to maximize the city's ability to evacuate traffic to flee the endangered region, but once an evacuation begins, real time events degrade even the best plans.

To better understand behavioral responses made during a hurricane evacuation, a survey of potential evacuees obtained data on demographics, driving characteristics, and the traffic information considered prior to and during an evacuation. Analysis showed significant levels of correlation between demographic factors (e.g., gender, age, social class, etc.) and self-assessed driver characteristics, but limited correlation with …

Where Is The Learning In Smaller Learning Communities? Academic Press, Social Support For Learning, And Academic Engagement In Smaller Learning Community Classrooms, Christopher Michael Fischer

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The extent to which Academic Press and strong social relationships impact Academic Engagement in smaller learning communities (SLCs) situated in large comprehensive urban high schools was investigated. Data were collected through classroom observations, student questionnaires and focus groups with teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and content analysis of focus interview transcripts. Findings from the survey data confirm those found in much of the existing literature, namely that students experiencing high levels of Academic Press were more often the most academically engaged. This finding was also confirmed for African American students in high Academic Press …

Trace Metal Biogeochemistry In The Western North Pacific, Peter Lynn Morton

OES Theses and Dissertations

Dissolved and suspended particulate samples collected during the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission 2002 Contaminant Baseline Survey were analyzed to determine the surface and vertical distributions of Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni Zn and Pb across the western and central North Pacific.

Dissolved trace metal concentrations were measured using a novel isotope dilution-ICP-MS method after extraction over an 8-hydroxyquinoline resin column and validated through the use of the SAFe consensus reference materials. Filtered suspended particulate matter was digested using an HCl/HNO3/HF mixture and analyzed by HR-ICP-MS to obtain total particulate concentrations for the trace metals and other tracer elements such as Al, …

Concentrations, Distributions And Chemical Speciation Of Zinc And Cadmium In The Equatorial And South Atlantic Ocean, Gonzalo G. Carrasco

OES Theses and Dissertations

Certain trace metals are important cofactors in enzymatic systems and are thus, essential for life in the world's oceans. Two of these metals, Zn and Cd, are required by phytoplankton for enzymes that facilitate carbon uptake (Morel and Price, 2003). In seawater the total dissolved concentration of a metal (MTD) is distributed among different chemical species and this chemical speciation dictates a metal's bioavailability. Strong organic metal-binding ligands greatly affect the metal's chemical speciation in the ocean, potentially limiting phytoplankton growth by reducing the concentrations of Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺, the bioavailable forms of these two metals to …

Active Learning In Introductory Economics: Do Myeconlab And Aplia Make Any Difference?, Trien T. Nguyen, Angela Trimarchi

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This paper reports experiment results of teaching large classes of introductory economics with modern learning technology such as MyEconLab or Aplia. This new technology emerges partially in response to the enrollment pressure currently facing many institutions of higher education. Among other things, the technology provides an integrated online teaching and learning environment that allows active learning through student direct participation in the learning process as well as interaction with their instructor, peers, and the outside Internet. Our results showed that, for the classes in the experiment, modern learning technology could make a difference in helping students improve their class mark …

Applying Cognitively Guided Instruction Through Word Problem Probes, James Jackson Ploen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Professional development programs have the opportunity to engage educators with new knowledge and pedagogical implications. Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a teacher professional development program focused on elementary mathematics instruction (Carpenter, Fennema, Franke, Levi, & Empson, 1999). The program's foundation is based upon research of how students learn to solve basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems. Using children's common solutions strategies, CGI leads to teaching practices that support children in generating their own meaningful problem-solving skills while naturally learning mathematics. The paper reviews the literature on CGI and examines the initial findings of interrater reliability of CG I-based …

Synthesis And Reactivity Of Alpha-Azido Acylals, Gretchen Bell

Honors Theses

alpha-Azido -Azido acylals are a novel combination of azide (N3) and acylal [R-C(OOCR)2] functional groups. Since these compounds are new chemical entities, little is known in the chemical literature about their physical, chemical, and biological properties. This synthetic methodology investigation sought to (1) develop a one-pot, two reaction method for preparing alpha-azido acylals and (2) investigate the chemical reactivity of alpha-azido acylals with phosphine reagents. Progress has been made and will be discussed regarding both the synthesis and reactivity of alpha-azido acylals. This work developed methods and processes that will have significant impact in our broader objective of exploring the …

Establishing Workload Limitations For Application In Human Systems Integration, Muhammet Servet Gulum

Masters Theses

"As the amount of technology involved in the typical workplace increases and standard operational procedures become increasingly sophisticated the danger of overloading an operator's mental resources is increasing. As much as these technological developments help operators with daily tasks, for example by providing information via monitors and wireless headsets; it also increased the mental workload due to the bombardment of information. Mental workload is commonly associated with information processing tasks, limits. With all the extra information inputs it is difficult to set limits where excessive information becomes dangerous. The workload optimization is critical as it directly affects system performance and …

Uranium-Series Dating Of Gypsum Speleothems: Methodology And Examples, Laura Sanna, Francisco Saez, Siri Simonsen, Silviu Constantin, José-Maria Calaforra, Paolo Forti, Stein-Erik Lauritzen

International Journal of Speleology

The analytical problems of dating gypsum speleothems with the U-series technique are reviewed. Gypsum speleothems are, in general, very low in U content, challenging the limits of detection methods. Various approaches to dissolving gypsum and isolation of actinides from the matrix include ion-pairing dissolution with magnesium salts and using nitric acid. The most precise dating technique is Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), combined with Fe(OH)₃ scavenging and anionic exchange chromatography. Less satisfactory, but much quicker, is direct retention of actinides from HNO₃ by means of TRU resin and MC-ICP-MS detection. We have tested these methods on gypsum speleothems …

Modern C, O, And H Isotope Composition Of Speleothem And Dripwater From Modrič Cave, Eastern Adriatic Coast (Croatia), Maša Surić, Zvjezdana Roller-Lutz, Magda Mandić, Ines Krajcar Bronić, Mladen Juračić

International Journal of Speleology

Modrič Cave is a shallow horizontal cave situated in the middle of the eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia). The cave entrance is located 120 m from the coast at an altitude of 32 m above sea level, and due to its position on the SW slope of the Dinaridic mountain range, a Mediterranean climatic influence is dominant. Due to the stable environmental conditions [(15.6 ± 0.1) °C] Modrič Cave was recognized as a potential site for detailed palaeoclimatic studies. Isotope analyses of modern carbonate speleothems, rain and dripwater were conducted in order to evaluate the isotopic equilibrium conditions. The δ18O composition …

Age Frequency Distribution And Revised Stable Isotope Curves For New Zealand Speleothems: Palaeoclimatic Implications, Paul W. Williams, Helen L. Neil, Jian-Xin Zhao

International Journal of Speleology

The occurrence of speleothems in New Zealand with reversed magnetism indicates that secondary calcite deposition in caves has occurred for more than 780 thousand years (ka). 394 uranium-series dates on 148 speleothems show that such deposition has taken place somewhere in the country with little interruption for more than 500 ka. A relative probability distribution of speleothem ages indicates that most growth occurred in mild, moist interglacial and interstadial intervals, a conclusion reinforced by comparing peaks and troughs in the distribution with time series curves of speleothem δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values. The stable isotope time series …

Analysis And Occurrence Of Disinfection By-Products In Fresh And Salt Water, Honglan Shi

Doctoral Dissertations

"Haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes, and bromate are important toxic water disinfection by-products (DBPs) that the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulates in drinking water. Iodoacetic acids and halonitromethanes (HNMs) are the unregulated emerging DBPs that have been recently found in the disinfected drinking waters, and which have much higher toxicity than the regulated DBPs. The purpose of this study was to develop new analytical methods for analysis of these emerging DBPs, to study their occurrence in Missouri drinking water systems, and to investigate the occurrence and formation of these DBPs in saltwater and seawater based marine park aquaria. A new rapid …

A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Stakeholders From A School District In Iowa On The Impact Of No Child Left Behind On The Comprehensive High School, Brian Coppess

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The American comprehensive high school was designed for a diverse society (Wraga, 1998, p. 1 ). The concept originated in the 1920s as a result of a report entitled The Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education (Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education [CRSE], 1918). Since the adoption of The Cardinal Principles, the institution of the comprehensive high school has withstood years of continued review and reform efforts. Despite the many attempts to change it, the comprehensive high school has remained a constant of secondary education in America. The nation's most recent educational reform effort-the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, …

Virtual-Experiment-Driven Process Model (Vedpm), Chin Aik Lua

Computer Science

Computer simulations are the last resort for many complex problems such as swarm applications. However, to the best of the author's knowledge, there is no convincing work in proving ''What You Simulate ls What You See'' (WYSIWYS). Many models are built on long, subjective code that is prone to abnormalities, which are about corrupted virtual scientific laws rather than software bugs. Thus, the task of validating scientific simulations is very difficult, if not impossible. This dissertation provides a new process methodology for solving the problems above: Virtual-Experiment-Driven Process Model (VEDPM). VEDPM employs simple yet sound virtual experiments for verifying simple, …

A Network Optimization Solver For Routing In Wireless Sensor Networks, Shaminda Asela Samaraweera

Computer Science

Many wireless sensor network applications require energy efficient communication between nodes in the network. Sensor networks are of limited resources. Due to this limitation, the routing between the nodes is one of the important aspects of the life span of the total network. Optimization of the routing algorithm is therefore an important decision point in the design of the sensor network. Our study establishes that optimization can increase the life span of the network. We implement an optimization algorithm in the total network, which is capable of saving energy on communication. The energy saving in communication helped us to increase …

Post-Deployment Key Management In Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks, Paul Edward Loree

Computer Science

Many wireless sensor network applications require secure communication between nodes in the network. However, establishing pair-wise keys between nodes to provide security is challenging due to the limited resources in sensor nodes and the hostile environments in which they are deployed. Many key establishment schemes have been previously proposed for wireless sensor networks. However, most of these schemes were designed to work in a homogeneous network environment in which the nodes all have similar capabilities. Our work establishes that better performance can be achieved in a heterogeneous sensor network environment. We present a key management scheme for establishing pair-wise keys …

Complex Relation Discovery From The Semantic Web, Mousumi Tanha

Computer Science

The vision or the Semantic Web undertakes an extension or the current Web, in which machines can understand all the data. The nature of Semantic Web data is relationship-centric and is very complex. In this study we aimed to discover those complex but meaningful and concealed relationships between resource entities from the Semantic Web data. We utilized the notion of semantic relation discovery approach which aims to capture meaningful and probable complex relationships between entities in a dataset based on graph search model. We considered three fictitious datasets for the experiment. The outcome showed sequences and connections among the nodes …

Advanced Computational Ratings For College Football Teams, Joel Michael Hensley

Computer Science

This paper explores the subject of rating systems applied to the world of college football. Current rating system methodologies are examined, and four rating systems are developed and evaluated in a program. The Hensley Rating system is introduced as a new method. The details of each of these systems are discussed, and the results are analyzed and evaluated using data from the college football seasons of 2000 - 2009.

Graduate Student Progress Tracking System, Pramodh Kumar Thalloji

Computer Science

In this paper, I propose and implement an application to track the graduate student progress in various Computer Science and Software Engineering graduate programs. This application will provide lists of students who in a given year or semester did not fulfill any of the numbered requirements of their programs. It will provide a list of students who passed the comprehensive or qualifier exams in that year or semester. It will also list the students who have taken longer than the time limit mandated by the Graduate School to complete their plan of study. This application was developed with the assumption …

Kakuro Solver Application, Naomi Takahashi

Computer Science

In this paper, the application called KakuroSolver is presented that solves Kakuro, the popular logical puzzle that combines Sudoku and crossword. The application accepts a Kakuro puzzle with any size; it then either completely solves the puzzle, or lets the user solve it. This paper discusses the algorithms that can be used to solve Kakuro puzzles as well as other logical puzzles such as Sudoku. Kakuro puzzles are NP-complete, where a search is effective to find solutions. Therefore among those algorithms, KakuroSolver employs the backtracking search along with several techniques that minimizes the search to increase the efficiency. The architecture …

An Architecture For The Implementation And Distribution Of Multiuser Virtual Environments., Benjamin James Dischinger

Computer Science

JavaMOO is an architecture for creating multiuser virtual environments focusing on domain-specific design and rapid development. JavaMOO components use best practices and extensible design for system configuration, client-server communication, event handling, object persistence, content delivery, and agent control. Application dependencies such as database and web servers are embedded, promoting wide dissemination by decreasing management overhead. The focus of this thesis is the design and implementation of the JavaMOO architecture and how it helps improve the state of multiuser virtual environments.

Etablatutor - The Electronic Tabla Leaming Game, Dibakar Bhowmick

Computer Science

Tabla is a percussion instrument widely used in Indian classical music both as a solo instrument and as an accompaniment to vocal or instrumental music. Learning Tabla, like learning any musical instrument, is very much a discontinuous process. There are periods where one makes good progress. At other times, it feels that the learner is not making any progress at all. This alternation continues indefinitely. For one who has never learned a musical instrument, the first obstacle is the most critical. It usually occurs between 1 and 3 months. It is at this point that the initial enthusiasm has worn …

Optimization Of Mobile Sensor Movement In Self-Healing Sensor Networks, Samidip Basu

Computer Science

This paper moves forward the key idea as proposed in past research works - a self-healing deployment approach for sensor networks, where a small percentage of mobile sensors are deployed along with the static sensors into a field of concern. Mobile sensors can move to make-up for a coverage holes or sensor failure and significantly boost network performance. However, since there are energy constraints on each individual mobile sensor, potentially receiving multiple requests from network holes, the decision to move a mobile sensor has to be optimum, one that maximizes network benefit. In this paper, I propose a hybrid distributed …

Alternative Clustering Algorithms In Sensor Networks, Divya Gupta

Computer Science

A wireless sensor network is composed of a large number of tiny sensor nodes that can be deployed in a variety of environments like battle fields, water, large fields, and the like, and can transmit data to a Base station (BS). In a clusterbased network organization, sensor nodes are organized into clusters and one sensor node is selected as a sensor head (SH) in each cluster. Each SH denotes a facility and sends useful information to the Base Station (BS) through other SHs via the shortest path. In this paper, we study two clustering techniques, namely kmedian clustering and k-center …