Digital Commons Network^™

Testing As Commodification, Katharine B. Silbaugh

Faculty Scholarship

In this Essay, the author addresses criticism of the testing movement by education experts such as Jonathan Kozol. She explores the similarities in the discourses of philosophical discussions of commodification and behavioural economic discussions of intrinsic motivations. One conclusion that the author draws is that the comparison between the testing movement and commodification literature is not perfect, but they have both been counted, compared and measured, and flattened or thinned out of values.

Structural Obstacles To Settlement Of Land Use Disputes, Stewart E. Sterk

Articles

In many states, legal doctrine discourages settlement of land use litigation by requiring that any settlement undergo the same review process as the decision that led to the litigation in the first place. The problem is exacerbated by broad standing rules that allow a variety of parties to challenge the settlement. As a result, municipalities and developers often have an incentive to litigate to judgment, even though both parties would prefer a negotiated or mediated solution.

On the other hand, permitting developers and municipalities to settle litigation behind closed doors could impair both the quality and the legitimacy of the …

Real-Time Behavior-Based Robot Control, Brian G. Woolley, Gilbert L. Peterson, Jared T. Kresge

Faculty Publications

Behavior-based systems form the basis of autonomous control for many robots, but there is a need to ensure these systems respond in a timely manner. Unexpected latency can adversely affect the quality of an autonomous system’s operations, which in turn can affect lives and property in the real-world. A robots ability to detect and handle external events is paramount to providing safe and dependable operation. This paper presents a concurrent version of a behavior-based system called the Real-Time Unified Behavior Framework, which establishes a responsive basis of behavior-based control that does not bind the system developer to any single behavior …

Why Is An Einstein Ring Blue?, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

Albert Einstein predicted the existence of `Einstein rings' as a consequence of his general theory of relativity. The phenomenon is a direct result of the idea that if a mass warps space-time then light (and other electromagnetic waves) will be `lensed' by the strong gravitational field produced by a large cosmological body such as a galaxy. Since 1998, when the first complete Einstein ring was observed, many more complete or partially complete Einstein rings have been observed in the radio and infrared spectra, for example, and by the Hubble Space Telescope in the optical spectrum. However, in the latter case, …

A Generalized Nonlinear Model For The Evolution Of Low Frequency Freak Waves, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

This paper presents a generalized model for simulating wave fields associated with the sea surface. This includes the case when `freak waves' may occur through an effect compounded in the nonlinear (cubic) Schrodinger equation. After providing brief introductions to linear sea wave models, `freak waves' and the linear and nonlinear Schrodinger equations, we present a unified model that provides for a piecewise continuous transition from a linear to a nonlinear state. This is based on introducing a fractional time derivative to develop a fractional nonlinear partial differential equation with a stochastic source function. In order to explore the characteristics of …

Cryptography Using Steganography: New Algorithms And Applications, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

Developing methods for ensuring the secure exchange of information is one of the oldest occupations in history. With the revolution in Information Technology, the need for securing information and the variety of methods that have been developed to do it has expanded rapidly. Much of the technology that forms the basis for many of the techniques used today was originally conceived for use in military communications and has since found a place in a wide range of industrial and commercial sectors. This has led to the development of certain industry standards that are compounded in specific data processing algorithms together …

Application Of Stochastic Diffusion For Hiding High Fidelity Encrypted Images, Jonathan Blackledge, Abdulrahman Al-Rawi

Articles

Cryptography coupled with information hiding has received increased attention in recent years and has become a major research theme because of the importance of protecting encrypted information in any Electronic Data Interchange system in a way that is both discrete and covert. One of the essential limitations in any cryptography system is that the encrypted data provides an indication on its importance which arouses suspicion and makes it vulnerable to attack. Information hiding of Steganography provides a potential solution to this issue by making the data imperceptible, the security of the hidden information being a threat only if its existence …

Non-Gaussian Analysis Of Wind Velocity Data For The Determination Of Power Quality Control, Jonathan Blackledge, Eugene Coyle, Derek Kearney

Articles

The quality of power (i.e. the sustainable power output as a function time) of any wind dependent energy converter (including wind turbines and wave energy converters) is determined by many design and environmental factors but timedependent variations in the wind speed are arguably the most important. In this paper we consider a non-Gaussian model for analysing and then simulating wind velocity data. In particular, we consider a Lévy distribution for the statistical characteristics of wind velocity and show how this distribution can be used to derive a stochastic fractional diffusion equation for the wind velocity as a function of time …

Risk Management Trends: Currency Trading Using The Fractal Market Hypothesis, Jonathan Blackledge, Kieran Murphy

Articles

We report on a research and development programme in financial modelling and economic security undertaken in the Information and Communications Security Research Group (ICSRG, 2011) which has led to the launch of a new company - Currency Traders Ireland Limited - funded by Enterprise Ireland. Currency Traders Ireland Limited (CTI, 2011) has a fifty year exclusive license to develop a new set of indicators for analysing currency exchange rates (Forex trading). We consider the background to the approach taken and present examples of the results obtained to date. In this ‘Introduction’, we provide a background to and brief overview of …

Steganography Using Stochastic Diffusion For The Covert Communication Of Digital Images, Jonathan Blackledge, Abdulrahman Al-Rawi

Articles

This paper is devoted to the study of a method called Stochastic Diffusion for encrypting digital images and embedding the information in another host image or image set. We introduce the theoretical background to the method and the mathematical models upon which it is based. This includes a comprehensive study of the diffusion equation and its properties leading to a convolution model for encrypting data with a stochastic field that is fundamental to the approach considered. Two methods of implementing the approach are then considered. The first method introduces a lossy algorithm for hiding an image in a single host …

Using Virtual Reality To Enhance Electrical Safety And Design In The Built Environment, Martin Barrett, Jonathan Blackledge, Eugene Coyle

Articles

— Electricity and the inherent risks associated with its use in the built environment have long since been a priority for the electrical services industry and also the general public who must live and work in this environment. By its nature virtual reality has the advantage of being safe for both the user and equipment. In addition, it offers the user an opportunity to be exposed to a range of scenarios and conditions that either occur infrequently or are hazardous to replicate. This paper presents a prototype desktop virtual reality model, to enhance electrical safety and design in the built …

The Synchronized Short-Time-Fourier-Transform: Properties And Definitions For Multichannel Source Separation., Ruairí De Fréin, Scott Rickard

Articles

This paper proposes the use of a synchronized linear transform, the synchronized short-time-Fourier-transform (sSTFT), for time-frequency analysis of anechoic mixtures. We address the short comings of the commonly used time-frequency linear transform in multichannel settings, namely the classical short-time-Fourier-transform (cSTFT). We propose a series of desirable properties for the linear transform used in a multichannel source separation scenario: stationary invertibility, relative delay, relative attenuation, and finally delay invariant relative windowed-disjoint orthogonality (DIRWDO). Multisensor source separation techniques which operate in the time-frequency domain, have an inherent error unless consideration is given to the multichannel properties proposed in this paper. The sSTFT …

Friction: How Radicalization Happens To Them And Us. By Clark Mccauley And Sophia Moskalenko (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), Robin L. Thompson

Journal of Strategic Security

No abstract provided.

Four Lessons From The Study Of Fundamentalism And Psychology Of Religion, Sara Savage

Journal of Strategic Security

What lessons can the study of fundamentalism and the psychology of religion teach the newer field of Radicalization and Involvement in Violent Extremism (RIVE)? Four lessons and an intervention are offered in this article: (1) Religion is a robust human experience and cultural product that adopts a defensive shape when its worldview is threatened. (2) This does not mean that all "fundamentalisms" or radical versions of religion are somehow linked or perform similar functions; rather, they reflect the limited human repertoire to threat, yet within different cultural and historical contexts. (3) Causal explanations on the level of the individual are …

Kinetic Solution Of The Structure Of A Shock Wave In A Nonreactive Gas Mixture, Eswar Josyula, Prakash Vedula, William F. Bailey, Casmir J. Suchyta Iii

Faculty Publications

The multispecies Boltzmann equation is numerically integrated to characterize the internal structure of a Mach 3 shock wave in a hard sphere gas. The collision integral is evaluated by the conservative discrete ordinate method [F. G. Tcheremissine, Comput. Math. Math. Phys. 46, 315 (2006)]. There was excellent agreement of macroscopic variables [Kosuge et al., Eur. J. Mech. B/Fluids 20, 87 (2001)]. The effect of species concentration and mass ratio on the behavior of macroscopic variables and distribution functions in the structure of the shock wave is considered for both two- and three-species gas mixtures. In a binary mixture of gases …

Grb071028b, A Burst Behind Large Amounts Of Dust In An Unabsorbed Galaxy, C. Clemens, J. Greiner, T. Krühler, D. Pierini, S. Savaglio, S. Klose, P.M.J. Afonso, R. Filgas, F.E. Olivares, A. Rau, P. Schady, A. Rossi, A. Küpcü Yoldas, Adria Updike, A. Yoldas

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Grb 091127: The Cooling Break Race On Magnetic Fuel, R. Filgas, J. Greiner, P. Schady, T. Krühler, Adria Updike, S. Klose, M. Nardini, D.A. Kann, A. Rossi, V. Sudilovsky, P.M.J. Afonso, C. Clemens, J. Elliott, A. Nicuesa Guelbenzu, F. Olivares E., A. Rau

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

On The Nature Of The Extremely Fast Optical Rebrightening Of The Afterglow Of Grb 081029, M. Nardini, J. Greiner, T. Krühler, R. Filgas, S. Klose, P. Afonso, C. Clemens, A. N. Guelbenzu, F. Olivares E., A. Rau, A. Rossi, Adria Updike, A. Küpcü Yoldas, A. Yoldas, D. Burlon, J. Elliott, D. A. Kann

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Context. After the launch of the Swift satellite, the gamma-ray burst (GRB) optical light-curve smoothness paradigm has been questioned thanks to the faster and better sampled optical follow-up, which has unveiled a very complex behaviour. This complexity is triggering the interest of the whole GRB community. The GROND multi-channel imager is used to study optical and near-infrared (NIR) afterglows of GRBs with unprecedented optical and near-infrared temporal and spectral resolution. The GRB 081029 has a very prominent optical rebrightening event and is an outstanding example of the application of the multi-channel imager to GRB afterglows. Aims. Here we exploit the …

Photometric Redshifts For Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows From Grond And Swift/Uvot, T. Krühler, P. Schady, J. Greiner, P. Afonso, E. Bottacini, C. Clemens, R. Filgas, S. Klose, T. S. Koch, A. Küpcü-Yoldas, S. R. Oates, F. Olivares E., M. J. Page, S. Mcbreen, M. Nardini, A. Nicuesa Guelbenzu, A. Rau, P. W.A. Roming, A. Rossi, Adria Updike, A. Yoldas

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Seds And Host Galaxies Of The Dustiest Grb Afterglows, T. Krühler, J. Greiner, P. Schady, S. Savaglio, P. M.J. Afonso, C. Clemens, J. Elliott, R. Filgas, D. Gruber, D. A. Kann, S. Klose, A. Küpcü-Yoldas, S. Mcbreen, F. Olivares, D. Pierini, A. Rau, A. Rossi, M. Nardini, A. Nicuesa Guelbenzu, V. Sudilovsky, Adria Updike

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Spitzer 24Μm Survey For Dust Disks Around Hot White Dwarfs, You-Hua Chu, Kate Y.L. Su, Jana Bilikova, Robert A. Gruendl, Orsola De Marco, Martin A. Guerrero, Adria Updike, Kevin Volk, Thomas Rauch

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Geriatric Experience Following Cardiac Arrest At Six Interventional Cardiology Centers In The United States 2007-2011, David B. Seder Md, Nainesh Patel Md, John A. Mcpherson Md, Paul W. Mcmullan Md, Karl B. Kern Md, Barbara T. Unger Rn, J Browning, Sudip Nanda Md, Facp, Melkon Hacobian Md, Michael B. Kelley Md, Niklas Nielsen Md, Phd, Michael R. Mooney Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Neurological And Cardiovascular Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest At Six Regional Interventional Cardiology Centers In The United States 2007-2011, David B. Seder Md, Nainesh Patel Md, John Mcpherson Md, Paul W. Mcmullan Md, Karl B. Kern Md, Barbara Unger Rn, J Browning, Sudip Nanda Md, Facp, Melkon Hacobian Md, Michael B. Kelley Md, Niklas Nielsen Md, Phd, Michael R. Mooney Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Post-Resuscitation Care Practices Following Cardiac Arrest At Six Regional Interventional Cardiology Centers In The United States 2007-2011, David B. Seder Md, Nainesh Patel Md, John A. Mcpherson Md, Paul W. Mcmullan Md, Karl B. Kern Md, Barbara T. Unger Rn, J Browning, Sudip Nanda Md, Facp, Melkon Hacobian Md, Michael B. Kelley Md, Niklas Nielsen Md, Phd, Michael R. Mooney Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Neural Mechanisms Of Interference And Storage In Vibrotactile Working Memory, Tyler D. Bancroft

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Vibrotactile working memory has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Substantial research into the neural correlates has been conducted, especially using single-cell paradigms in non-human primates (Romo & Salinas, 2003). The vibrotactile working memory system uses a relatively simple neural code for the representation of stimuli, making it possible to determine when stimulus information is present in the various cortical areas thought to be involved. In humans, vibrotactile working memory displays properties (such as overwriting mechanisms of interference) that make it an ideal system for testing general theories of working memory. In the present study, we demonstrate that vibrotactile working …

The Internalization Of Mathematics Stereotypes In Elementary School Children, Amanda Schell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study investigated mathematics-related gender stereotypes, internalization of these stereotypes in 2nd and 5th grade children, and whether there is a relationship between internalization and the underperformance of girls in mathematics. There is evidence that gender stereotype internalization occurs throughout elementary school with an increasing impact on girls’ mathematical competence and performance (e.g., Muzzatti & Agnoli, 2007). However, there has been no definite determination with respect to the point at which this process begins. Parents and teachers have displayed gender stereotypical beliefs concerning children as young as three years of age (Lee & Schell, under review). This factor can influence …

Perceived Satisfaction Of Counseling Doctoral Students With Their Dissertation Chairperson: Examining Selection Criteria And Chairperson Behaviors, Cheryl Warren Neale-Mcfall

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between doctoral students and their chairperson has been linked to students' successful completion of their dissertation and program of study (Gardner, 2009; Lovitts, 2001). It is often the case that failure to complete the dissertation is what prevents doctoral students from completing their degree. When students do not successfully complete their degrees, attrition rates rise and programs and students feel the burden, both financially and as an investment of time. (Bair & Haworth, 2004). Studies indicate that many students fall short of completing the dissertation, or take much longer than expected, due to a lack of supervision or …

Integrated Computational Intelligence And Japanese Candlestick Method For Short-Term Financial Forecasting, Takenori Kamo

Doctoral Dissertations

"This research presents a study of intelligent stock price forecasting systems using interval type-2 fuzzy logic for analyzing Japanese candlestick techniques. Many intelligent financial forecasting models have been developed to predict stock prices, but many of them do not perform well under unstable market conditions. One reason for poor performance is that stock price forecasting is very complex, and many factors are involved in stock price movement. In this environment, two kinds of information exist, including quantitative data, such as actual stock prices, and qualitative data, such as stock traders' opinions and expertise. Japanese candlestick techniques have been proven to …

Exploratory Study Of Barriers To Use Of Feigenbaum's Quality Cost Strategy Within Design Engineering Firms, David Patrick Loduca

Doctoral Dissertations

"It has been more than a half century since Armand Feigenbaum first conceived of the strategy for the manufacturing sector, yet quality costing strategies have not found a foothold among engineering firms. This study was aimed at constructing a set of theories that explains possible barriers to acceptance of the Feigenbaum strategy by analyzing attitudes and opinions of players in an actual engineering firm and the culture in which they work.

Modeled after the Feigenbaum approach and tailored to the business model of engineering and architectural firms, a system was developed to classify and record costs of quality. A local …

Hardware Emulation Of Wireless Communication Fading Channels, Fei Ren

Doctoral Dissertations

"This dissertation investigates several main challenges to implementing hardware-based wireless fading channel emulators with emphasis on incorporating accurate correlation properties. Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) fading channels are usually triply-selective with three types of correlation: temporal correlation, inter-tap correlation, and spatial correlation. The proposed emulators implement the triply-selective fading Channel Impulse Response (CIR) by incorporating the three types of correlation into multiple uncorrelated frequency-flat Rayleigh fading waveforms while meeting real-time requirements for high data-rate, large-sized MIMO, and/or long CIR channels. Specifically, mixed parallel-serial computational structures are implemented for Kronecker products of the correlation matrices, which makes the best tradeoff between computational speed …