Digital Commons Network^™

A Methodology For Design And Applications Of Parallel Computers, Peng Zhang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation focuses on two aspects of parallel computing, i.e. | development and applications of parallel computers. First, we introduce a new technique by strategically interlacing bypass rings to torus (iBT network) for generating more efficient grid-like interconnection networks. Second, we derive an algebraic formulation of mapping tasks to parallel computers with complex network architectures for realizing their potentials. Compared to the widely adopted mesh and torus network topologies, our new iBT network has many superior characteristics: (1) its network diameter and average node-to-node distances are significantly reduced; (2) the simplicity of a grid-like layout is preserved; (3) it outperforms …

Helping To Start And Stop Myelination: Csk Has Dual Regulatory Functions During Oligodendrocyte Development, Iva Dimitrova Tzvetanova

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The ability of oligodendrocyte progenitors (OPCs) to generate sufficient numbers of myelinating oligodendrocytes is critical both for developmental myelination and for repair following demyelination. The timing and location of gliogenesis are tightly controlled but the molecular mechanisms that underlie this control are poorly understood. Here I report that the C-terminal Src Kinase (Csk) acts as a molecular switch for Src Family Kinase activity in oligodendrocytes, with distinct and opposing roles for Csk in early versus late stages of development. Early in development Csk is critical for the appropriate onset of oligodendrocyte progenitor differentiation. Csk suppresses OPC proliferation such that Csk …

Disorders Of Schizophrenic Embodiment: A Phenomenological Investigation, Krisztina Sajber

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The bodily manifestations of schizophrenia are not commonly in the forefront of scientific research. An investigation of the disorders of schizophrenic embodiment is nevertheless instructive not only for psychotherapeutic advances in the treatment of the schizophrenic condition, but because it offers unusual access to the pre-reflective experience of the body, a topic of great significance in contemporary phenomenology. This dissertation proposes a methodological framework for the systematic analysis of the various disorders of embodiment in schizophrenia, such as the schizophrenic modality of bodily self-alienation, the distortions of the body image experienced by schizophrenics, the processes that drive the conceptualization of …

Impacts On Spartina Alterniflora: Factors Affecting Salt Marsh Edge Loss., James Paul Browne

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Spartina marshes are found on shores along the Atlantic coast of North America. A number of natural and anthropogenic impacts are thought to affect the rate of salt marsh loss. However, few long term assessments of changes in salt marshes are available. This dissertation project characterized and ranked factors that influence the recession of the edge of Spartina alterniflora salt marshes, focusing on Hempstead Bay, the westernmost bay of Long Island's South Shore Estuary reserve. I used 12 sets of aerial photographs of these marshes taken from 1926 to 2007 Using a randomization process, I chose 500 points along the …

Clustering And Network Analysis With Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (Snp), Hongyan Chen

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The goal of the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is to investigate the relationships between disease phenotypes and genotypes, which are usually determined by a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Currently GWAS are often underpowered to identify SNPs with small to moderate effect sizes. In order to overcome this difficulty, two major approaches, (1) meta-analysis by increasing sample size and (2) SNP pre-selection by dimension reduction, are often adopted. Dimension reduction for SNP data has been arduous due to the categorical nature of SNP that renders most association measures such as the Pearson correlation or the Euclidean distance inappropriate. …

External Urethral Sphincter Activity During Micturition In The Adult Female Rat Before And After Spinal Cord Injury, Stephen D'Amico

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The process of micturition is fundamental to life and one of the major ways by which organisms excrete toxic byproducts of metabolism. To function efficiently, micturition requires reciprocal bladder contraction and urethral relaxation that is coordinated by the brainstem. Spinal cord injury (SCI) above the level of the lumbosacral spinal cord results in dysfunction of the lower urinary tract (LUT). One of the most common forms of LUT derangement is detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD), which is characterized by simultaneous contraction of the bladder and the external urethral sphincter (EUS) muscle due to the impairment of reflex and voluntary sphincter control. SCI …

Breast Cancer Survivors' Perception Of Yoga Practice For Different Spans Of Time, Karyn Kirschbaum

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This qualitative study uses an exploratory research design that incorporates both grounded theory and phenomenological approaches in order to gain insight into the meaning of yoga in relation to coping with breast cancer. The study focuses on the individual, lived experience and relies on in-depth interview strategies to capture the subjects' sensations and perceptions of the practice and utility of yoga over the duration of time. By interviewing women who practice yoga for different spans of time, several aspects are explored: if the length of time affects any observed changes; if transitional stages in yoga progression can be identified, and …

Wordsworth's Philosophy Of Wonder: Epistemology, Psychoanalysis, Phenomenology, Matthew Robert Lorenz

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Though scholars in the field of British Romanticism have made much of the opposition between the Enlightenment system genre and the Romantic fragment genre, they have granted comparatively little attention to the epistemological counterpoint to system: the detotalizing attitude of a philosophical wonder. By highlighting the integral yet much neglected role that wonder has played in Romantic epistemology and in Wordsworth's prose and Prelude in particular, this study rectifies the misguided assumptions that have informed modern accounts of Wordsworth's epic aspirations and philosophical practices. While Arnold famously alleged that the British Romantics "did not know enough, this dissertation demonstrates that …

A General Family Of Dual To Ratio-Cum-Product Estimator In Sample Surveys, Florentin Smarandache, Rajesh Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Pankaj Chauhan, Nirmala Sawan

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This paper presents a family of dual to ratio-cum-product estimators for the finite population mean. Under simple random sampling without replacement (SRSWOR) scheme, expressions of the bias and mean-squared error (MSE) up to the first order of approximation are derived. We show that the proposed family is more efficient than usual unbiased estimator, ratio estimator, product estimator, Singh estimator (1967), Srivenkataramana (1980) and Bandyopadhyaya estimator (1980) and Singh et al. (2005) estimator. An empirical study is carried out to illustrate the performance of the constructed estimator over others.

Full Issue, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Graduate Scholar Profiles, The Mcnair Team

McNair Scholars Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Observer, Central Washington University

Student Newspaper

Student newspaper for Central Washington University for December 1, 2011-January 11, 2012. Vol. 89, No. 9.

Digital Distance And Economic Development In Southeast Asia, Patricia Hornback

Faculty Publications - George Fox Digital

In the global financial system the economic strength, competency, and development of national economies and populations is significantly affected by the availability and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). While the wealthier, industrialized nations enjoy the widest availability and use of these key technologies, the capacity and access to ICT is limited in developing nations and least developed countries (LDCs). Consequently, the lack of technology in many Southeast Asian countries may contribute significantly to their status as underdeveloped nations with impoverished economies and populations. This study explores the extent to which key social, economic, ethnolinguistic and infrastructure indicators outlined in …

Prism Vol. 3, No. 1, Center For Complex Operations

PRISM (Full PDF Issues)

This issue of PRISM critically examines the evolving landscape of counterinsurgency, stabilization, and security cooperation in the wake of the Afghanistan conflict. The Features section explores the crisis facing counterinsurgency doctrine, the challenges of negotiating a settlement in Afghanistan, and the limitations of U.S. stabilization and reconstruction efforts. Articles on indirect military approaches, nation-building, and the absence of a "Marshall Plan" for the Middle East offer perspectives on state resilience and post-conflict recovery.

Further analysis delves into the role of military engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa and enduring military-to-military partnerships during the Arab Spring. From the Field provides a case study …

The Induction Of Positive Affect In A Community Setting Using Electronic Communications., Philip Andrew Smeltzer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To evaluate the influence of positive affect inductions on daily and weekly Positive and Negative Affect Scales (PANAS) in a community setting. Methods: Humor messages were distributed to participants four times per day during a treatment week with general health messages distributed in the crossover week. Subjects completed a series of self-report psychosocial and behavioral survey instruments on a weekly basis and daily PANAS responses. Messages were delivered through either email or SMS/text messages. Results: The daily and weekly PANAS scores were higher during treatment periods compared to the neutral periods. The observed trends were suggestive of successful positive …

An Exploration Of Factors Affecting Participation In U.S. Health Information Exchange Networks : A Dual Network Participation Theory Based Case Study., Judah Thornewill 1961-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Failure to achieve their goals of over 200 U.S. Health Information Exchange Networks (HIENs) which formed or operated in the U.S. from 2004 to 2010, lost time, capital and opportunity at individual, organizational and societal levels, and a lack of theory driven research on HIENs underscores a need for research to better understand factors affecting development of these kinds of large, complex collaborations. Purpose: A new dual network participation theory is developed by combining three source theories. The new theory supports integrated consideration of organizational and technological factors which affect participation by individuals and their affiliated organizations in complex …

Determining The Most Effective Way In Which To Manage Congestive Heart Failure Patients., Beatrice Ugiliweneza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: CHF is a chronic disease that affects nearly five million people each year; in which at least 500,000 are newly diagnosed cases. Patients diagnosed with this disease will be under a physician's care for the remainder of their life. It is of great importance that the strategy, used to manage these patients, maximizes their health outcomes in a cost effective manner. Objective: The objective of the current analysis is to compare the health outcomes with the available CHF management methods: the 'Case Management' (CM), the 'Self Management' (SM) and the current 'Standard of Care' (SC). Also, this study aims …

Exploring The Scholar-Practitioner Gap In Personnel Selection Assessments : An Analysis Of Scholarly Versus Practitioner Literature., Whitney L. Martin 1977-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that a gap exists between scholarly findings and practitioner knowledge, beliefs, and practices in the Human Resource field, particularly in the area of employee selection (Deadrick & Gibson, 2007; Rynes, Giluk, & Brown, 2007). This study seeks to explore this gap relative to self-report selection assessments by examining practitioner-oriented versus scholarly literature. Articles published between January 2006 and September 2011 from two scholarly sources (Journal of Applied Psychology and Personnel Psychology) and two practitioner sources (HR Magazine and HR Executive) were reviewed, and 49 articles were selected for inclusion in analysis. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze …

The Effects Of Stereotype Disconfirming Information And Self-Disclosure On Stereotype Endorsement, Prejudice, And Social Tolerance Of Schizophrenia And Major Depressive Disorder., Nicole Leigh Meyer 1983-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined how Disclosure, Stereotype Disconfirming Information, and Stereotype Disconfirming Information and Disclosure Combined) influences an individual's stigma (stereotype endorsement, emotional reactions, and discrimination) against individuals with Schizophrenia and Depression. The results of this experiment suggest that both Stereotype Disconfirming Information and Disclosure are successful in reducing stereotypes, emotional reactions, and social distance in the context of an interpersonal encounter. Self-disclosure, however, is stronger in increasing Pity and decreasing the desire for Social Distance than Stereotype Disconfirming Information. The combination of Stereotype Disconfirming Information and Disclosure provided the strongest stigma reduction, suggesting that Disclosure can benefit from the …

Acquisition Of Mathematical Vocabulary Using Constant Time Delay With Individuals With Moderate And Severe Disabilities., Connie Elaine Morrison 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Constant Time Delay (CST) has been used extensively as a procedure to teach children with disabilities a variety of skills. There is a preponderance of evidence that this instructional strategy is a highly effective (Handen & Zane, 1987; Koscinski & Gast, 1993; & Schuster, Stevens, & Doak, 1990). However, there appears to be a lack of research regarding the use of CTD with children with moderate and/or severe disabilities in learning core content vocabulary. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine if students with moderate and severe disabilities could acquire core mathematical vocabulary content through the use …

A Survey Study Comparing Adult Orthodontic Patient Quality Of Life Between Invisalign And Fixed Appliances., Keith Christopher Nicholson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We aimed to examine differences in treatment impacts and quality of life between adult orthodontic patients with Invisalign and fixed appliances. Adults represent a burgeoning branch of orthodontics yet many prospective patients have been reluctant to pursue orthodontics due to concerns with treatment. It was hypothesized that removable aligners would be better tolerated by adult patients. Sixty-three adult patients (forty Invisalign, twenty-three fixed appliances) were recruited from private practice. The treatment groups were largely comparable although the braces group reported more frequent unplanned appointments and use of auxiliaries. The Invisalign group experienced less negative impacts and these differences were generally …

A Longitudinal View Of The Liberal Arts Curriculum A Decade After Merger : A Multiple Case Study Of Community Colleges In Connecticut, Kentucky, And Louisiana., Ann E. Norton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination of the state of the liberal arts curriculum in community colleges in three geographic regions of the United States. From a constructivist paradigm and using globalization theory as a theoretical framework, this multiple case study examined faculty work life and administrative processes related to curriculum change in merged community and technical colleges. Through an examination of research on globalization, mergers, and trends in the general education and liberal arts curriculum, a gap in the literature emerged in the studies of community college curriculums after merger. This dissertation considers whether the focus on workforce development and …

Characterization Of The Ai-2-Dependent Quorum Sensing Pathway In Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans., Elizabeth A. Novak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Quorum sensing in the oral pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is dependent upon the soluble signaling molecule AI-2, but it is not known how the initial detection of AI-2 is coupled to the downstream regulation of gene expression that confers complex phenotypes such as biofilm formation and iron acquisition. Here we show that expression of a two-component system encoded by qseBC is induced by AI-2 in A. actinomycetemcomitans and that induction of qseBC requires the AI-2 receptors, LsrB and/or RbsB. Inactivation of the sensor kinase gene qseC resulted in a significant reduction of in vitro biofilm growth and in vivo virulence using …

Optimal Charging Scheduling For Battery Electric Vehicles Under Smart Grid., Nur Dayana Abd Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A projected high penetration of battery electric vehicles (BEV s) in the market will introduce an additional load in the electricity grid. Furthermore, uncontrolled BEV charging from residential users will exacerbate the existing peak load during evening hours. In this thesis, we propose two optimization models to alleviate the impact of extra demand from electric vehicles on the power grid. The first is a centralized charging scheduling model that coordinates the charging among BEV users under the goal of minimizing the total electricity cost for all users. The second model uses a decentralized agent-based approach to scheduling the BEV charging. …

Social-Emotional Behaviors In African-American Toddlers : The Role Of Risk And Protective Factors., Paulette Flores 1970-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of risk and protective factors in the family system on toddlers' social-emotional outcomes was examined by exploring the impact of depression and parenting strategies reported by female primary caregivers on toddlers' social-emotional competence and social-emotional problem behaviors. The goal of the research was to extend knowledge concerning how these risk and protective factors relate to social-emotional outcomes in an urban community sample of African-American families. Participants included 103 African-American women and toddlers. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses examined social-emotional problems and social-emotional competence. Results showed that female primary caregivers' depression and annual income were found to significantly predict ratings …

Examining Teachers' Perceptions Of Psychological Gender And Leadership Behavior Of Principals In Public Elementary Schools., Brittany D. Carpenter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that various leadership styles have different impacts on leader outcomes such as satisfaction, extra effort, and effectiveness. Specifically, researchers have found that transformational leadership positively impacts follower perceptions of satisfaction, extra effort, and leader effectiveness (Avolio, Bass, & lung, 1995; Philbin, 1997; Yammarino, Spangler, & Bass, 1993). However, research has shown that not all leaders display transformational leadership. In fact, Eagly, Karau, & lohnson (1992) and their colleagues have shown transformational leadership in education to be linked to the extent to which male and female principals carry out their gender roles - referring to role congruity. Currently, …

The Development Of Deviant Behavior In Adolescents : The Influence Of Student Characteristics And School Climate., Jessica Damron-Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an investigation of the influence of individual characteristics and school climate on the participation in deviant behaviors. The literature review provides a review of adolescent development and theories that guide the understanding of the different social and environmental factors that influence an adolescent's participation in deviant behavior. Additionally, the impact of adolescent participation in deviant behavior will be reviewed. Using data gathered from Middle and High School students who completed surveys administered by a large, Midwestern, urban school district, the influence of gender, ethnicity, age, school level free/reduced lunch status, school level performance on standardized testing, and …

Hazardous Risk Management Survey And Inland Water Survey., Ayodeji Abimbola Lasisi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The trucking industry is the largest freight sector, making up about 70 percent of all domestic shipment in the United States and contributes greatly the American economy. About 10 billion tons of goods are shipped annually and of that, about 800,000 shipments of hazardous materials are transported in the United States each day by trucks, resulting in 300 million annual shipments (Federal Motor Carrier Security Administration). These hazardous materials (HazMat) range from relatively harmless products, such as hair spray and perfumes, to bulk shipments of gasoline by highway cargo tanks, to transportation of poisonous, explosive, and radioactive materials. The complexity …

Microcontroller Based Inductance Meter, David Nguyen

Electrical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Aghoreshwar Bhagawan Ram And The Aghor Tradition, Jishnu Shankar

Anthropology - Dissertations

Aghoreshwar Mahaprabhu Baba Bhagawan Ram Ji, a well-established saint of the holy city of Varanasi in north India, initiated many changes into the erstwhile Aghor tradition of ascetics in India. This tradition is regarded as an ancient system of spiritual or mystical knowledge by its practitioners and at least some of the practices followed in this tradition can certainly be traced back at least to the time of the Buddha. Over the course of the centuries practitioners of this tradition have interacted with groups of other mystical traditions, exchanging ideas and practices so that both parties in the exchange appear …