Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Polyvinylether Polymers Produced Using Carbocationic Polymerization, Samim Alam

Coatings and Polymeric Materials

Using carbocationic polymerization, a series of novel polyvinylether polymers and copolymers were synthesized and characterized. A series of polysiloxane copolymers containing polymer grafts possessing Triclosan moieties (PTVE) were synthesized using living carbocationic polymerization followed by hydrosilylation and investigated for potential application as environmental friendly coatings to control biofouling on marine vessels and biomedical devices. Copolymers possessing a relatively low molecular weight polysiloxane backbone and relatively high PTVE content exhibited very high reductions in biofilm retention for S. epidermidis and moderate reductions for C. lytica and C. albicans. In the second example, a novel monoallyl-functional initiator that was capable of producing …

Novel Biobased Resins Using Sucrose Esters Of Plant Oils, Xiao Pan

Coatings and Polymeric Materials

Interest in using renewable raw materials to prepare biobased monomers, polymers, and materials is rapidly increasing. The goal of the research described is to develop branched polyesters of plant oil fatty acids, using different core pol yo ls (i.e. sucrose, dipentaerythritol, and tripentaerythritol) and plant oils (i.e. linseed, safflower, and soybean), into curing systems that have potential uses in applications such as coatings, composites, and adhesives. This study is mainly focused on the use of sucrose as the core polyol in the soyate resins. Sucrose esters and their derivatives have a compact structure, high density, and high functionality-double bonds, epoxides, …

Minimum Entropy Generation In The Cardiovascular System, Niccole Stephanie Schaible

Electrical and Computer Engineering

This study was performed under the motivation to find a scheme that could describe the complex behavior of cardiovascular homeostasis. This is hypothesized to be manifested in a thermodynamic description of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Seen from a thermodynamic framework, the mechanics of blood flow can be gauged in similar terms as metabolic exchange at the capillaries - thereby providing a holistic and novel perspective on overall CVS function. Entropy generation, a thermodynamic calculation, represents lost work and is hypothesized to reveal something about the "optimal" state of the CVS. In particular, it is hypothesized that the CVS state that …

The Effects Of Spatial And Temporal Properties On A Viscoelastic Model Of The Dyssynchronous Canine Heart, Cody Michael Satterlee

Electrical and Computer Engineering

In this study, lumped parameter cardiovascular modeling has been used to understand the influence of muscle properties on mechanical dyssynchrony (MD) as well as general muscle dynamics. Incorporating viscous influence into the model allowed for an expanded view when analyzing muscle parameter response to MD. A unique method of ventricle segmentation was introduced that allowed fast analysis of regional and global ventricular properties. This segmentation process produced a ventricle with four identical sections each consisting of separately tunable muscle properties in the form of minimum and maximum elastance, elastance waveform delay, and myocardial viscous friction, yet these regional sections remained …

Body Shape Divergence Among Wild And Experimental Populations Of White Sands Pupfish (Cyprinodon Tularosa), Brandon Michael Kowalski

Environmental and Conservation Sciences

Reports of contemporary evolution have become ubiquitous, but replicated studies of phenotypic divergence for wild populations are exceptionally rare. In 2001, a series of experimental populations were established to replicate a historic translocation event that led to a case of contemporary body shape evolution in the White Sands pupfish. Using landmark-based geometric morphometric techniques I examined phenotypic variation for seven of these populations, and two wild populations over a 5 year period (5-10 generations) in the field. Significant body shape divergence was observed, but divergence patterns were not parallel, suggesting that the ponds were ecologically dissimilar. Considerable body shape variation …

Multi-Element Fingerprinting Of River Sediments To Identify Diffuse Pollution Sources, Dimuthu Nilmini Wijeyaratne

Environmental and Conservation Sciences

This study was carried out in the Souris and Turtle Rivers in North Dakota. The aim of this study was to develop multi-element fingerprints of the Souris River and Turtle River sediments and to evaluate the suitability of these fingerprints to assess the geographic origin of potential pollutants of the two rivers. Preliminary analysis of Souris River sediment samples confirmed that the multi-element fingerprinting can be used to assess the sediment and contaminant loading patterns. Laboratory experiments were performed to assess the validity of linear mixing assumption in multi-element fingerprinting studies. The results of these experiments verified the assumptions and …

Learning For Legislation And A Lifetime: Using Ubd, Workshop Model, And Technology To Create 21st Century Learners, Codi Lyn Austreim

English

This paper discusses the issues surrounding No Child Left Behind legislation, gives a review of research surrounding best practices, details what educators can do to satisfy the requirements of the law while still engaging their students in the course content and teaching them critical, 21st century skills. Further, using Understanding by Design, the Workshop Model, and technology, this project provides a sample 9-week unit that meets multiple standards and benchmarks and emphasizes 21st century skills. With a combination of researched pedagogies, this paper argues that educators can prepare their students for state assessments and life beyond their formal education.

Evaluating Methods For Optimizing Classification Success From Otolith Tracers For Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion Nebulosus) In The Chesapeake Bay, Stacy Kavita Beharry

OES Theses and Dissertations

Identifying the natal sources of fish is an important step in understanding its population dynamics. Adult recruits are often sourced from multiple nursery areas, with good quality locations contributing disproportionately more fish to the adult stock. Because population persistence is strongly influenced by nursery habitat, methods that correctly identify the source of recruits are necessary for effective management. Within the last decade, otolith chemistry signatures have been increasingly used as a natural marker to delineate fish from a mixture of nursery sources. Despite the widespread use of otolith trace element and stable isotope ratios as habitat markers, the statistical approaches …

Persistence To An Associate Of Applied Science Registered Nurse Degree: The Impact Of Placing Into Developmental Education Courses On Student Success, Caroline Clark Rivera

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Student retention and success in nursing school has gained favor in educational research due to an increasing shortage of Registered Nurses. The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of student placement recommendation into developmental education courses on persistence to an Associate of Applied Science Registered Nurse degree. Using ex post facto research methodology rooted in the retention theories of Tinto, Bean and Metzner, and Jeffreys, this study aims to measure the effect of high school diploma type, age, race/ethnicity, and pre-requisite courses on student placement recommendation in developmental education and persistence to an Associate of Applied Science …

Understanding The Elements Of Executable Architectures Through A Multi-Dimensional Analysis Framework, Edwin A. Shuman Iv

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation study is to conduct a holistic investigation into the elements of executable architectures. Current research in the field of Executable Architectures has provided valuable solution-specific demonstrations and has also shown the value derived from such an endeavor. However, a common theory underlying their applications has been missing.

This dissertation develops and explores a method for holistically developing an Executable Architecture Specification (EAS), i.e., a meta-model containing both semantic and syntactic information, using a conceptual framework for guiding data coding, analysis, and validation. Utilization of this method resulted in the description of the elements of executable …

Shaker Table Vibration Testing Of A Microsatellite, Tonya Michelle Sanders

Masters Theses

"In the satellite development process, structural testing is a means to gain confidence in analytical models and ultimately support qualification of the spacecraft for flight. Vibration testing, in particular, is motivated by the safety considerations of crew or launch personnel, the survivability of delicate hardware and electronics, and the avoidance of large stresses that cause structural fatigue or failure. The subject of this thesis is concerned with the shaker table vibration testing of a microsatellite pair designed and built by students at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri. A finite element model (FEM) used in structural …

Comparison Of Matrix Pencil And Prony Analysis For Estimating Electromechanical Modes In Noisy Signals For Power System Applications, Lisa L. Grant

Masters Theses

"As modern power systems continue to grow and evolve, accurate system stability analysis and oscillation control become increasingly important to guarantee system security. Network instability due to power system oscillations caused by the natural modes of the system is becoming a common occurrence. Modal analysis techniques can estimate the eigenvalues of large nonlinear systems from their dynamics responses. The extracted modal information can be applied to detect low frequency oscillations and assess stability margins for power system monitoring and preventive control. Modal information is also useful for low-frequency oscillation damping controller design. This thesis examines two techniques for modal identification …

Geological And Geomorphological Evolution Of The Egyptian Nile Between Aswan And Kom Ombo: A Remote Sensing And Field Study Approach, Leslie Lansbery

Masters Theses

"This work uses field and remote sensing studies to examine structural controls of the Egyptian Nile between Aswan and Kom Ombo (referred here to as AKN). This segment of the Egyptian Nile incises through Cretaceous Nubian sandstone and Precambrian crystalline rocks separated by a shallowly-dipping to theN unconformity. It was only 0.8 Ma that the Egyptian Nile connected to the rest of the sub-Sahara Africa drainage system. Prior to this time, the Egyptian Nile evolved independently through 8 phases: Pre-Eonile (Ma), Eonile (6.0-5. 4 Ma), Gulf Phase (5.4-3.3 Ma), Paleonile Phase (3.3-1.8 Ma), Desert Phase (1.8-0.8 Ma), Prenile Phase (0.8-0.4 …

Mesh Optimization Of Finite Element Models Of Wellbore Stress Analysis, Ming-Yen Lee

Masters Theses

"Numerical modeling methods such as the widely used finite element method provide an excellent opportunity to analyze the wellbore state of stress for a variety of applications such as wellbore integrity, wellbore design or hydraulic fracturing. However, numerical modeling methods introduce errors by nature and may not precisely match the analytical solution if the meshing of the numerical model is not carefully taken care of. This study presents a parametric study of the meshing parameters mesh density, element type, and model size for 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional vertical wellbore models under three different types of boundary conditions, and a guideline for …

The Subterranean Fauna Of A Biodiversity Hotspot Region - Portugal: An Overview And Its Conservation, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira, Paulo A.V. Borges, Fernando Gonçalves, Artur R.M. Serrano, Pedro Oromí

International Journal of Speleology

An overview of the obligate hypogean fauna in Portugal (including Azores and Madeira archipelagos) is provided, with a list of obligated cave-dwelling species and subspecies, and a general perspective about its conservation. All the available literature on subterranean Biology of Portugal since the first written record in 1870 until today has been revised. A total of 43 troglobiont and 67 stygobiont species and subspecies from 12 orders have been described so far in these areas, included in the so-called Mediterranean hotspot of biodiversity. The subterranean fauna in Portugal has been considered moderately poor with some endemic relicts and it remains …

Speleothems In The Dry Cave Parts Of The Gamslöcher-Kolowrat Cave, Untersberg Near Salzburg (Austria), Anna Bieniok, Georg Zagler, Uwe Brendel, Franz Neubauer

International Journal of Speleology

New, remarkably dry parts of the Gamslöcher-Kolowrat Cave at 728 to 853 m depth have been explored in the Untersberg near Salzburg in Austria. This region is called the Desert, its greatest cavity is called the White Hall. The new cave part is characterized by various white speleothems. The predominant ones are snow-like calcite powder with an extremely low density, and fine gypsum needles. Gypsum also occurs in the form of balls stuck to vertical walls. In addition, fluorescent hydromagnesite crusts, Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂·4H₂O, as well as the sodium sulfate mineral mirabilite …

Secondary Halite Deposits In The Iranian Salt Karst: General Description And Origin, Michal Filippi, Jiří Bruthans, Lukáš Palatinus, Mohammad Zare, Naser Asadi

International Journal of Speleology

This paper summaries 12 years of documentation of secondary halite deposits in the Iranian salt karst.

A variety of secondary halite deposits was distinguished and classified into several groups, on the basis of the site and mechanism of their origin. Deposits formed: i) via crystallization in/on streams and pools, ii) from dripping, splashing and aerosol water, iii) from evaporation of seepage and capillary water, and iv) other types of deposits. The following examples of halite forms were distinguished in each of the above mentioned group: i) euhedral crystals, floating rafts (raft cones), thin brine surface crusts and films; ii) straw …

Iron Oxide And Calcite Associated With Leptothrix Sp. Biofilms Within An Estavelle In The Upper Floridan Aquifer, Lee J. Florea, Chasity L. Stinson, Josh Brewer, Rick Fowler, B Joe Kearns, Anthony M. Greco

International Journal of Speleology

In Thornton’s Cave, an estavelle in west-central Florida, SEM, EDS, and XRD data reveal biofilms that are predominantly comprised of FeOOH-encrusted hollow sheaths that are overgrown and intercalated with calcite. Fragments of this crystalline biofilm adhere to the walls and ceiling as water levels vary within the cave. Those on the wall have a ‘cornflake’ appearance and those affixed to the ceiling hang as fibrous membranes. PCR of DNA in the active biofilm, combined with morphologic data from the tubes in SEM micrographs, point to Leptothrix sp., a common Fe-oxidizing bacteria, as the primary organism in the biofilm. Recent discoveries …

Automated Tool For Software Requirements Inspection, Pradeep Amaran

Computer Science

The software inspection process is a very cost effective method of identifying defects in documents produced during the software life cycle, leading to higher quality software with lower field failures. Manual inspections are labor intensive and dependent on human factors (e.g., preparation, moderation, and cooperation among development and quality assurance teams). An automated software inspection tool replaces a labor intensive manual approach of performing the inspection process. An automated inspection tool will offer greater efficiencies than any techniques involving manual inspections. Automation allows stakeholders (e.g., authors, inspectors) to closely work in coordination using the tool. Authors can host documents, view …

Algorithms For Coverage Improvement In A Sensor Network, Sunil Reddy Maddi

Computer Science

Sensors are devices which have the ability to receive and respond to a signal. These sensors, when used as a group, form a sensor network. Sensors in a sensor network can communicate and transmit data. In the early stages of research on sensor networks, only static sensors were used to form a sensor network. As research advanced, a combination of static and mobile sensors was used to form a wireless sensor network instead of just static sensors. The primary advantage of this type of sensor network over a sensor network with static sensors is the ability of mobile sensors to …

Job Aggregation Search Engine, Anita Sundaram

Computer Science

In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a Job Aggregation Search Engine (JASE) that acts as a one-stop-shop for listing recently posted jobs across top multiple job search engines. There are multiple job search engines available that receive and present jobs posted by employers. The JASE system extracts data from multiple websites and presents the job data in a consistent and presentable format. The objective of this paper is to implement a job search tool that seeks to reduce the browsing time of the user querying multiple job websites for the same job criteria. It also aims …

Pomdp Planning In Service Composition, Chen Min

Computer Science

Automated vVeb service composition is becoming an increasingly important research topic. It describes the automatic process of composing atomic services into a chain of services that provide a specific functionality that could not be achieved by atomic services alone. A service-oriented environment is dynamic in nature, meaning that services come online and go offiine, services change their functionality, etc. Current classical AI planning techniques suffer from the assumption of deterministic behavior of \Veb services and require execution monitoring for service failures. To address this concern, Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDP) in workflow composition has been used. POMDPs provide a …

Bayesian Approach For Detection Classification, Anupama Reddy Annapureddy

Computer Science

The objective of this paper is to develop and test a software system that uses incomplete information from a collection of sensors to classify different objects present in a particular area with a pre-specified probability. The objects in the study are referred to as vehicles called the Bus and the Truck. Intruding vehicles move across a designated geographical area. Sensors that have been placed in that area detect vehicles and calculate probabilities that a vehicle is of a specific type conditioned on the type of vehicle that is actually detected. The goal is to determine unconditional probabilities that a given …

Multi-Agent Based Simulation Of An Unmanned Aerial Vehicles System, Karthiksivaram Murugesan

Computer Science

The rapid growth of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for civilian and military applications has promoted the development of research in many areas. Most of the unmanned aerial vehicles in use are manually controlled. Often, UAVs require highly trained pilot operators. Hence, the main challenge faced by researchers has been to make UAVs autonomous or semiautonomous. The goal of this research project is to develop and implement a simulation for a user-defined environment allowing UAVs to maneuver in free environments and obstacle-laden environments using Boid's algorithm of flocking with obstacle avoidance. The users are permitted to analyze the maneuvering area …

Shortest Path In A Wireless Sensor Network With Multiple Sensor Failures, Sandeep Reddy Poreddy

Computer Science

This paper shows how a shortest path can be obtained in a wireless sensor network, between a source sensor and a destination sensor, in a hop-by-hop fashion, considering multiple sensor failures along the path of data transmission. A wireless sensor network consists of a number of sensors spread across a geographical area; these sensors are distributed either randomly or systematically. Every sensor possesses the capability to communicate with other sensors, and each sensor possesses some level of intelligence to perform processing of the signals. Efficiency of a sensor network depends on the design of the network topology. The network must …

Graduate School Application Archive System (Gsaas), Nazeer Ahmed Khan Fazal

Computer Science

The advent of using web applications has dramatically changed the way people access data and understand these concepts. Users have expressed problems involved with accessing the data in an easy and effective way with control for users. Therefore, many reviews agree that the issue warrants attention; however, consensus dissolves around how to respond to the problem. The literature review examines one approach to solving this problem. The purpose of this paper is to explain how to implement a comprehensive solution for a behavioral approach to the complex problem and also to explain how to build a web-application system from the …

The Grid Scan Heuristic For Extending Lifetime In Wireless Sensor Networks, Srikar Pachva

Computer Science

Wireless Sensor Networks, consisting of sensing devices which sense the environment and communicate information among each other, is an emergent field in wireless networking with many potential applications. Efficiency of energy consumption is an important objective in these wireless sensor networks. All these sensor nodes have limited battery supplies and limited sensing capabilities. Network Lifetime of wireless sensor networks has a strong dependence on sensors' battery power. Since these sensor networks have large numbers of nodes, allowing some nodes to sleep for particular intervals of time can result in an increase of network lifetime. In this paper, a sleep scheduling …

Maximizing Sensor Coverage Using Displacement To Remove Overlaps, Kareemullah Khan Fazal

Computer Science

Sensor networks are wireless networks with small, low-cost sensors which collect and disseminate environmental data. They are used for monitoring and controlling physical environments from remote locations with better accuracy. Sensors have a lot of constraints and challenges. One of the main concerns is the coverage and redistribution of the sensors, without any overlap, in order to achieve maximum coverage with limited usage of energy. The first section of the paper gives a brief overview of the sensors, the sensor network, the various applications where sensors are used, and challenges faced in setting up a sensor network. The next section …

Genetic Search For Multi School Routing, Arjun Sivaram Kumar Ganesan

Computer Science

In genetic search for multi school routing, a set of commonly shared school buses and vans with capacity, travel speed and travel time limitations are used to service students from their pick up locations to their respective schools. The goal is to reduce the number of buses used, the total travel time of the students and the total operating cost of the school buses. This paper focuses on the optimization of the routes using genetic algorithm that is widely applied for combinatorial optimization problems including vehicle routing problems with time windows. The proposed genetic algorithm uses the genetic representation of …

Multi-Style Web Content Restructuring For Efficient Mobile Web Browsing, Xiaojun Xia

Computer Science

Mobile devices such as smart phones, PDAs, and tablets are getting more and more popular every day. As a result, more people tend to use mobile devices to access Web contents. Therefore, mobile browsing becomes an important means of Internet access for daily life. In order to have smooth and user-friendly Web browsing experiences, Web designers should consider the limitations of mobile devices, such as a small screen size. However, most Web sites do not provide a mobile version, which makes it difficult to browse the contents on the small screens of mobile devices. This study presents a novel approach …