Digital Commons Network^™

Computationally Efficient Methods For Shift-Variant Image Restoration In Two And Three Dimensions, Shekhar Bangalore Sastry

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

Shift-variant image restoration or image deblurring is useful in many applications including Machine Vision, Image Processing, 3D Microscopy, medical image analysis, etc. Currently, several shift-variant restoration approaches exist. However, they are either computationally expensive or inaccurate leading to poor image quality. This thesis proposes and investigates computationally efficient techniques that produce high quality restoration, even in the presence of noise. The methods presented here are general in that they are not limited to certain types of kernels to be computationally efficient. Detailed analysis and computational algorithms for implementing the methods are provided. This thesis addresses blurring in linear shift-variant imaging …

Data-Adaptive Hierarchical Protocols For Wireless Sensor Networks And Health Monitoring Systems, Guofeng Hou

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

Recent advances in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology, wireless communications, and digital electronics have enabled the development of low-cost, low-power wireless sensor nodes that are small in size and communicate untethered over short distances. Networking together hundreds or thousands of wireless sensor nodes allows users to accurately monitor a remote environment by intelligently combining data from the individual nodes. Such networks require robust wireless communication protocols that are energy efficient, data transmission efficient and support long network lifetime. In this Ph.D. dissertation, we analyzed and implemented the Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol, a leading protocol architecture for wireless sensor networks. …

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2011, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Co2 Sequestration In Basalt: Carbonate Mineralization And Fluid Substitution, Thomas L. Otheim, Ludmila Adam, Kasper Van Wijk, Michael L. Batzle, Travis Mcling, Robert Podgorney

CGISS Publications and Presentations

Geologicalsequestration of carbon dioxide in deep reservoirs may provide alarge-scale option for reducing the emissions of this gas intothe atmosphere. The effectiveness of sequestration depends on the storagecapacity and stability of the reservoir and risk of leakageinto the overburden. Reservoir rocks can react with a CO₂-watermixture, potentially resulting in the precipitation of minerals in theavailable matrix pore space and within pre-existing fractures. This inducedmineralization may form internal seals that could help mitigate theleakage of CO₂ into the overburden. For basaltic host rocks,carbonic acid partially dissolves minerals in the host rock, suchas the calcium plagioclase mineral, freeing various …

Empirical Problems Using The Efficient Frontier To Find Optimal Weights In Asset Classes, Matthew Maher, Harry White, Phil Fry

Marketing Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study documents the transitory nature of "efficient" weights in six commonly employed asset classes, going beyond a simple stock and bond classes and using a 30 year data window. We review the literature on asset class diversification, including its failures during the recent credit crisis. Results show that asset class diversification benefits are inconsistent and, contrary to common academic wisdom before recent times, historical asset class covariances (even estimated with decades of data) are poor estimates of future values.

Missouri National Recreational River, Natural Resource Condition Assessment, Kevin J. Stark, Lucas J. Danzinger, Michael R. Komp, Andy J. Nadeau, Shannon Amberg, Eric J. Iverson, David Kadlec, Barry Drazkowski

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

As a unit in the National Park Service (NPS), Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) is responsible for the management and conservation of natural resources within its boundaries. This mandate is supported by the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, which directs the NPS to:

conserve the scenery and natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

In 2003, NPS Water Resources Division received funding through the Natural Resource Challenge …

The Fate Of The Davao Penal Colony #502 "Branch" Of The Lds Church, 1944, David L. Clark, Bart J. Kowallis

BYU Studies

On September 7, 1944, 668 American POWs were killed when the unmarked Japanese ship in which they were being transported was hit by friendly fire. Among those POWs were several members of an unofficial LDS "branch" that had formed in a penal colony near Davao, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The branch of POWs had contraband scriptures and a hymnbook and met together weekly. This article tells as much of their story as has come to light: who they were, their service, and their capture. The article ends with a discussion of the theological implications of their …

Approaches And Training In The Education Of The Performing Arts For Pre-Tertiary Schools In Malaysia, R. Johari Md Khir

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

My paper will look at Malaysia's recent effort grooming future generations of artist to be leaders of the arts. Two Arts Schools are set up in the last five year in the country by the Ministry of education for school children, 13 to 18years of age, who have an interest and talent in the visual and performing arts. The curriculum offers a dedicated development path, providing students with a new teaching and learning environment where both their artistic and academic potential are to be realized. The Arts Schools aim to provide quality education for preparing education leaders of the future …

Development Of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Through Project–Based Learning, Z. Hosseini, M.Y. Tee

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The aim of this case study was to better understand how TPCK can be developed through Project-based Learning (PjBL). Accordingly, a course was designed and a purposively sampled group was selected for collecting in-depth data. The findings of the study demonstrated that teachers' knowledge and conception of using technology for teaching developed in three levels. With each level, there was an improvement of teachers' TPCK and its components as a result of performing PjBL activities. First level was limited to using technology for exhibiting curriculum information. The participants used software and Internet facilities for exhibiting curriculum information corresponding to the …

Equity: Problems In The Implementation Of Education Policies And Reforms In Malaysia, A.B. Nordin

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Democratization of education implied that all children of school age should have the right to be in schools and also have the right to be assisted to achieve as much as what their cohorts have achieved or what has been specified by the curriculum. This is in line with the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child (1989 & 1990). However, owing to variations in factors such as family economic and education backgrounds, ethnicity, school locations, school and teacher distributations, allocation of school funds, diversity in the implementations of specific reforms, the presence of physically and mentally handicapped …

Pemahaman Murid Tahun Lima Tentang Luas Segi Empat: Kajian Awal, M. Subramaniam, N.A. Nik Pa

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Kajian ini berlandaskan konstruktivisme radikal, bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti pemahaman murid Tahun Lima tentang luas segi empat dan kedua untuk mengenal. posit bagaimana pemahaman tentang luas yang dimiliki oleh murid Tahun Lima digunakan dalam menyelesaikan masalah membabitkan luas segi empat. Dalam konteks ini, kontruktivisme radikal membantu untuk menjawab persoalan kajian tentang pemahaman yang dipunyai oleh murid melalui aktiviti berbeza membabitkan gambaran mental tentang segi empat, pentafsiran rajah segi empat, perwakilan segi empat, gambaran mental tentang luas segi empat, makna tentang luas segi empat, dan penyelesaian masalah membabitkan luas segi empat. Data bagi kajian .ini merangkumi maklumat lisan dan bukan lisan …

Progression Of Science Learning During Transition From Primary To Secondary School, H. Mohd Fadzil, R. Mohd. Saat

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

School transition is a challenging process for students whereby they have to adapt with social issues to fit into new environment. Students themselves are experiencing a dramatic process of transformation from child to young adult stage. Although most of the pupils experience a smooth and successful transition and be able to adapt to their new learning environment, some of them find that transition is very difficult and problematic especially for those who are considered to be "at-risk". Previous research have shown a significance negative impact on students' attitude and attainment towards science learning, during the phase of transition from primary …

Shifting Malaysian Primary Science Teachers' Assessment Literacy For A World Class Education, R.V. Sathasivam, E.G.S. Daniel

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

One of the challenges for science teachers in the 21st Century is to ensure high standards in the process of student assessment. Assessment literacy is important because teachers spend up to 50% (Plake, 1993) of time in their profession assessing students. Assessment literacy does not only cover the technical aspects of testing but has moved on to encompass almost all interactions that teachers have with their students, school authorities and parents. This paper will describe part of bigger study conducted to ascertain the assessment literacy of selected Malaysian primary science teachers. Using qualitative data collection techniques such as teacher journals …

Teachers Challenging Experiences In Executing New Policy Initiatives: Implications For Refining Policy Implementation Towards Achieving World-Class Education, A.Z. Abdul Razak

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

The aim of this study was to identify the challenges that teachers faced in implementing new educational policies. Data were Collected through interviews with selected teachers in two secondary Schools in Malaysia. In total 24 participants were involved in this study. Data analysis was carried out through analytic categories based on hermeneutics philosophy. The findings indicated that teachers face various challenges during the implementation of the national education Policy that derived from The attitudes and abilities of students, School work environment, Parents placing excessive demands on teachers, challenges arising from the Ministry of Education and The actions of the Senior …

The Effect Of Video Based Mobile Learning On Students' Writing Skill, B. Asra, A. Siregar, Saedah Siraj

Research Publications (2011 to 2015)

Mobile learning is as the acquisition of any knowledge and skills in the process of learning and teaching for accessing the communications and multimedia such as video as the main tool through using mobile and technology, anywhere, anytime, The facilitate device has been helping the activity of teaching for teachers, especially teachers teaching English in secondary schools as well as facilitate and accelerate the acceptance of students, A study conducted to find out the effects of video based mobile learning on students' writing skills in Indonesia and examined limits on contents and mechanics in writing and module used in the …

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, December 1, 2011, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

• New Course
• Credit Hour Change
• Title Change, Course Description Change
• Credit Hour Change, Course Description Change
• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Course Description Change
• Inactivate Course
• Delete Course

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences

• Credit Hour Change

School of Applied Sciences, Technology and Education

• Title Change, Prerequisite Change, Description Change
• Title Change, Description Change
• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Prerequisite Change, Description Change
• Title Change

Department of Art and Design

• University Studies Request

Department of Theatre Arts

• Prerequisite Change
• Title Change, Prerequisite Change
• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description …

Looping Mathematics Instruction At The High School Level: An Examination Of Success Indicators, John M. Lachance Jr.

Dissertations

Success in high school and high school mathematics has long-term implications for students‟ college and career readiness and achievement. As the United States and many other nations examine ways to enhance the high school experience for young people and increase student achievement in mathematics every aspect of instruction needs close examination to determine best practices. This study helped determine the outcomes of looped instruction for high school students in the content area of mathematics and a comprehensive examination of success indicators for students in high school mathematics including standardized test scores, grades, common assessment scores, and attendance, discipline, as well …

A New Approach To Dynamic Modeling Of Continuum Robots, Nivedhitha Giri

All Theses

ABSTRACT
In this thesis, a new approach for developing practically realizable dynamic models for continuum robots is proposed. Based on the new dynamic models developed, a novel technique for analyzing the capabilities of continuum manipulators to be employed in various real world applications has also been proposed and developed.
A section of a continuum arm is modeled using lumped model elements (masses, springs and dampers). It is shown that this model, although an approximation to a continuum structure, can be used to conveniently analyze the dynamics of the arm with suitable tradeoff in accuracy of modeling. This relatively simple model …

Do The Ethics Of Authorship Matter?: Exploring The Implications Of The Office Of Research Integrity's Narrow Definition Of Research Misconduct, Caroline Linvill

All Theses

Over the past 25 years, federal government entities have become involved in defining and regulating misconduct in scientific research. Consistently, these definitions of research misconduct forbid three key actions--falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism--but do not take into account other professional communication issues, mainly authorship. This lack of acknowledgement and regulation of authorship--particularly from the Office of Research Integrity, the nation's highest research ethics body--seems to imply and communicate that the ethics of authorship are not important in science. However, this thesis demonstrates, through rhetorical, historical and interview research, that authorship ethics do matter to scientists; in fact, authorship is a leading …

Fault-Tree Model For Bridge Collapse Risk Analysis, Caitlyn Davis-Mcdaniel

All Theses

Bridges are vital components of the United States surface transportation infrastructure and, moreover, support the growth of our nation's economy. However, over the past few decades the design capacity and service condition of many bridges in the U.S. has been challenged. Numerous incidents of bridge collapse call for an urgent need to develop a systematic method of assessing the failure risks and identifying the initiating events that can lead to a bridge collapse. This thesis presents a process of bridge failure risk analysis through fault-tree modeling and identification of specific countermeasures, to minimize failure risk, related to structural health monitoring …

Teacher Collaboration And Student Achievement, Cordie E. Wimberley

Dissertations

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement. The pedagogical model espoused by Howland and Picciotto (2003b) defined teacher collaboration as a pedagogy that involves two or more teachers who regularly discuss teaching and learning, including learning activities, lesson plans, assignments, pacing, course design, evaluating, and revising the program. Five hundred twenty three school districts were invited to be part of this study. Then, 100 public school districts were randomly selected from 201 responses to an online survey addressed to Professional Development Chairpersons in Missouri. School districts were divided into two groups, collaborative and …

Plcs: Student Outcomes Evaluation In Midwest High School, Kelly E. Dickinson

Dissertations

This study was an evaluation of student outcomes following a five year implementation of PLCs at Midwest High School in the U.S. Three research questions were addressed: (1) Has student achievement increased during the course of implementing PLCs? If so, is there evidence that this is a result of a contribution from PLC implementation from 2006-2011? (2) Have teacher attitudes toward curriculum rigor, public image, quality of education, and post-high school preparedness changed during the implementation of PLCs from 2006-2011? (3) Is the staff, in April 2011, a mature PLC? For research question one, eight hypotheses resulted in the evaluation …

A Comparison Of Student Performance In Single-Sex Education And Coeducational Settings In Urban Middle Schools, Craig Erico Ogden

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Since amendments to NCLB in 2004, public schools have not only established single-sex schools, but have also established single-sex classrooms within coeducational schools. Most of these modifications were adopted as a means to provide support to lowachieving students, many of who reside in urban settings. Proponents of single-sex instruction state that mostly African Americans, Hispanics, and females benefit most from this type of instructional setting because single-sex environments help to reduce gender stereotypes students encounter in coeducational settings. Opponents of single-sex instruction believe that accomplishments achieved in single-sex environments can be achieved in coeducational environments if the proper teaching strategies …

Supporting Quality Teaching With Recognition, Hans A. Andrews

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Abstract

Value has been found in providing recognition and awards programs for excellent teachers. Research has also found a major lack of these programs in both the USA and in Australia. Teachers receiving recognition and awards for their teaching have praised recognition programs as providing motivation for them to continue high-level instruction. Motivational theories provide a solid foundation for these programs. Teacher educators should find ‘recognition’ as an important part of their curriculum in terms of teaching the research behind motivational theories. They can also encourage K-12 schools to provide recognition to the excellent teachers working with university teacher educators …

Stochastic Policy Search For Variance-Penalized Semi-Markov Control, Abhijit Gosavi, Mandar Purohit

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The variance-penalized metric in Markov decision processes (MDPs) seeks to maximize the average reward minus a scalar time the variance of rewards. in this paper, our goal is to study the same metric in the context of the semi-Markov decision process (SMDP). in the SMDP, unlike the MDP, the time spent in each transition is not identical and may in fact be a random variable. We first develop an expression for the variance of rewards in the SMDPs, and then formulate the VP-SMDP. Our interest here is in solving the problem without generating the underlying transition probabilities of the Markov …

Executable System Architecting Using Systems Modeling Language In Conjunction With Colored Petri Nets In A Model-Driven Systems Development Process, Renzhong Wang, Cihan H. Dagli

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work proposes an executable system architecting paradigm for discrete-event system modeling and analysis through integration of a set of modeling tools, executable formalisms, analytical tools, and animation tools. the essential step is converting SysML-Based specifications into colored Petri nets through a conversion scheme proposed here. Such a paradigm permits rigorous static and dynamic system analysis, as well as formal verification of the behavior and functionality of the SysML-Based design. This paper also compares the capabilities of the proposed executable system architecting paradigm with other executable formalisms. Further, it discusses the basic principles of executable architecture specification and analysis for …

Cooper’S Hawk Nest Site Characteristics In The Pineywoods Region, Richard R. Schaefer, D. Craig Rudolph, Josh B. Pierce, Jesse F. Fagan

Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society

No abstract provided.

Adaptation By Group Selection: Elimination Acts On All Levels, Jeremy Khai Tran

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

Due to criticisms of early na?Ève group selection arguments, most evolutionary biologists hesitate to invoke selection at any level higher than the individual. Subsequent group selection arguments, while attempting to address conflicts between individual and group interests, have remained focused on individuals as units and have consequently been limited in scope. By focusing on groups as evolutionary units while avoiding the errors of earlier arguments, a simple, yet informative view emerges in which selection for groups capable of persisting favors those that are both superior in terms of group formation/extinction rates and stable with respect to individual selection. Hence, apparent …

Discrete Metric Design And Discrete Tangent Bundles: From Surfaces To 3-Manifolds, Xiaotian Yin

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

One of the fundamental tasks in geometric modeling and computer graphics is to study shapes, such as surfaces and volumes, and differential objects associated with them, such as vector fields. For the study of shapes, the challenge in many cases comes from the need of a parameter domain that has a canonical and simple shape, which is equivalent to designing a metric of special properties. For differential objects, a fundamental problem is how to represent tangent bundles in a discrete setting, so that covariant differentiation and connections can be computed accordingly. This dissertation aims to design rigorous and practical methods …

New Test Set For Video Quality Benchmarking, Joaquin Raventos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A new test set design and benchmarking approach (US Patent pending) allows a "standard observer" to assess the end-to-end image quality characteristics of video imaging systems operating in day time or low-light conditions.

It uses randomized targets based on extensive application of Photometry, Geometrical Optics, and Digital Media.

The benchmarking takes into account the target’s contrast sensitivity, its color characteristics, and several aspects of human vision such as visual acuity and dynamic response. The standard observer is part of the "extended video imaging system" (EVIS).

The new test set allows image quality benchmarking by a panel of standard observers at …