Digital Commons Network^™

Singapore Consumer’S Inflation Expectations And Creation Of Singapore Index Of Inflation Expectations, Aurobindo Ghosh, Jun Yu

Research Collection School Of Economics

The aim of this report is to highlight a broad spectrum of issues that brings about the measurement of the disagreement and the uncertainity and the formation of inflation expectations among economic agents in Singapore.

Lake Water Quality, Recreation, & Restoration: The Importance Of Stakeholder Involvement, Biran Gedlinske, Wade Kooiman, Katie Olsen

Other Faculty and Staff Publications

Historically, Iowa’s lakes have been plagued with numerous water quality problems including excessive siltation, nutrients, pesticides, and bacterial contamination. Iowa places a heavy reliance on voluntary efforts to address these problems, largely in the form of best management practices (BMPs). Studies have shown that BMPs can improve lake water quality and, in turn, increase recreational activity and visitor spending. In recognition of the potential economic, recreational, and social benefits of improved lake water quality, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) secured significant legislative funding in 2006 to initiate a state-wide lake restoration program (LRP).

LRP case studies are presented …

Galaxy Browser: Exploratory Search Of Web Videos, Lei Pang, Song Tan, Hung-Khoon Tan, Chong-Wah Ngo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Most search engines return a ranked list of items in response to a query. The list however tells very little about the relationship among items. For videos especially, users often read to spend significant amount of time to navigate the search result. Exploratory search presents a new paradigm for browsing where the browser takes up the role of information exploring and presents a well-organized browsing structure for users to navigate. The proposed interface Galaxy Browser adopts the recent advances in near-duplicate detection and then synchronizes the detected near-duplicate information with comprehensive background knowledge derived from online external resources. The result …

On The Pooling Of Positive Examples With Ontology For Visual Concept Learning, Shiai Zhu, Chong-Wah Ngo, Yu-Gang Jiang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A common obstacle in effective learning of visual concept classifiers is the scarcity of positive training examples due to expensive labeling cost. This paper explores the sampling of weakly tagged web images for concept learning without human assistance. In particular, ontology knowledge is incorporated for semantic pooling of positive examples from ontologically neighboring concepts. This effectively widens the coverage of the positive samples with visually more diversified content, which is important for learning a good concept classifier. We experiment with two learning strategies: aggregate and incremental. The former strategy re-trains a new classifier by combining existing and newly collected examples, …

Vireo@Trecvid 2011: Instance Search, Semantic Indexing, Multimedia Event Detection And Known-Item Search, Chong-Wah Ngo, Shi-Ai Zhu, Wei Zhang, Chun-Chet Tan, Ting Yao, Lei Pang, Hung-Khoon Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The vireo group participated in four tasks: instance search, semantic indexing, multimedia event detection and known-item search. In this paper,we will present our approaches and discuss the evaluation results.

Value Relevance Of Blog Visibility, Nan Hu, Ling Liu, Arindam Tripathy, Lee J. Yao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This study empirically examines the effect of a non-traditional information source, namely a firm's blog visibility on the capital market valuation of firms. After controlling for earnings, book value of equity and other value relevant variables, such as traditional media exposure, R&D spending, and advertising expense, we find a positive association between a firm's blog visibility and its capital market valuation. In addition, we find blog visibility Grange causes trading, not vice versa. Our findings indicate that non-traditional information sources such as blogs help disseminate information and influence consumers' investment decisions by capturing their attention.

Tag-Based Social Image Search With Visual-Text Joint Hypergraph Learning, Yue Gao, Meng Wang, Huanboo Luan, Jialie Shen, Shuicheng Yan, Dacheng Tao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Tag-based social image search has attracted great interest and how to order the search results based on relevance level is a research problem. Visual content of images and tags have both been investigated. However, existing methods usually employ tags and visual content separately or sequentially to learn the image relevance. This paper proposes a tag-based image search with visual-text joint hypergraph learning. We simultaneously investigate the bag-of-words and bag-of-visual-words representations of images and accomplish the relevance estimation with a hypergraph learning approach. Each textual or visual word generates a hyperedge in the constructed hypergraph. We conduct experiments with a real-world …

Modeling 3d Articulated Motions With Conformal Geometry Videos (Cgvs), Dao T. P. Quynh, Ying He, Xiaoming Chen, Jiazhi Xia, Qian Sun, Steven C. H. Hoi

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

3D articulated motions are widely used in entertainment, sports, military, and medical applications. Among various techniques for modeling 3D motions, geometry videos (GVs) are a compact representation in that each frame is parameterized to a 2D domain, which captures the 3D geometry (x, y, z) to a pixel (r, g, b) in the image domain. As a result, the widely studied image/video processing techniques can be directly borrowed for 3D motion. This paper presents conformal geometry videos (CGVs), a novel extension of the traditional geometry videos by taking into the consideration of the isometric nature of 3D articulated motions. We …

Modeling Social Strength In Social Media Community Via Kernel-Based Learning, Jinfeng Zhuang, Tao Mei, Steven C. H. Hoi, Xian-Sheng Hua, Shipeng Li

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Modeling continuous social strength rather than conventional binary social ties in the social network can lead to a more precise and informative description of social relationship among people. In this paper, we study the problem of social strength modeling (SSM) for the users in a social media community, who are typically associated with diverse form of data. In particular, we take Flickr---the most popular online photo sharing community---as an example, in which users are sharing their experiences through substantial amounts of multimodal contents (e.g., photos, tags, geo-locations, friend lists) and social behaviors (e.g., commenting and joining interest groups). Such heterogeneous …

Sire: A Social Image Retrieval Engine, Steven C. H. Hoi, Pengcheng Wu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

With the explosive growth of social media applications on the internet, billions of social images have been made available in many social media web sites nowadays. This has presented an open challenge of web-scale social image search. Unlike existing commercial web search engines that often adopt text based retrieval, in this demo, we present a novel web-based multimodal paradigm for large-scale social image retrieval, termed "Social Image Retrieval Engine" (SIRE), which effectively exploits both textual and visual contents to narrow down the semantic gap between high-level concepts and low-level visual features. A relevance feedback mechanism is also equipped to learn …

Perceptions Of The Online Learning Experience, Michelle Burow

Honors Program Theses

Online education is a relatively new phenomenon that has been developing over the past decade. While the implementation and popularity of online classes have expanded immensely, there is still some debate on whether it is a superior or inferior teaching method when compared to the traditional classroom. Due to society's mixed views on this topic, I had the desire to explore students' perceptions of the online learning experience and find ways to measure its ability to be effective.

The purpose of my thesis was to conduct research that examined the effectiveness of online courses offered at the college level. Furthermore, …

2011-12-01 Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes for December 1, 2011.

Effects Of Globalization On The Gas Engine Manufacturing And Parts Industry In Indiana As Experienced By Those Working In This Sector, Patricia Polastri

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globalization has often been perceived as the culprit in the decline of employment in several manufacturing industries in the United States. The purpose of this research was to investigate how globalization affected the gas engine manufacturing and parts industry in Indiana during the period of 1998 – 2008, in order to assess the perception of industry professionals as to the characteristics that could, or have, led to globalization through offshoring and outsourcing. Additionally factors for the employment decline experienced in this industry were identified and assessed. For this study an anonymous online survey was conducted targeting individuals directly associated with …

But Does It Work? The Impact Of Social Media Use On Interpretive Outcomes And Place Attachments At San Francisco Bay Area Parks, Eric Knackmuhs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many parks are now using social media sites to connect with visitors but little is known about how effective these efforts have been. This study examined the influence of social media use on interpretive outcomes and place attachment. Visitors to four parks in the San Francisco Bay Area were surveyed twice, once as they exited the park (n = 529) and a second time via email (n = 216) six to ten weeks after visiting. In both surveys, respondents were asked how they use social media to experience parks and to what extent they experienced interpretive outcomes (intellectual and emotional …

Note – Fashioning A New Look In Intellectual Property: Sui Generis Protection For The Innovative Designer, Linna T. Loangkote

UC Law Journal

Fashion design is weaving its way through the fabric of American society by transforming how people think about fashion apparel. The $350 billion fashion industry not only puts the clothes on our backs, but gives individuals an outlet for individual expression as well. More and more, the fashion design process is recognized as a creative process where vision, raw materials, and skill meet to produce fashion apparel that should be worthy of sui generis protection.Current intellectual property regimes fail to adequately equip designers with legal remedies to guard against design piracy, and this affects both innovation and competition. Moreover, even …

A Review On Convolutions Of Gamma Random Variables, Baha-Eldin Khaledi, Subhash C. Kochar

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Due to its wide range of applications, the topic of the distribution theory of convolutions of Gamma random variables has attracted the attention of many researchers. In this paper we review some of the latest developments on this problem.

Mechanics Of Interaction, Ryota Takemura

Theses

My work focuses on the senses that we take for granted when we experience art. We often disregard how our bodies work in relation to living our daily lives. In my piece, the Mechanics of Interaction, I highlight the experience of intertwined senses, in particular sight, touch, and sound. My thesis sculpture, the Mechanics of Interaction, is based on an attempt to avoid a purely visual experience of art. I try to redirect the audience away from the hierarchy of senses where sight is privileged. Many artworks tend to accentuate the combination of vision and thought as an "expression." Sight …

The Effect Of Instructional Program Integrated Into (Moodle) On The Achievement Of A Sample Of Students From Educational Technology Department, Bahrain University, Mohamed Madani, Mustafa Mohamed Al Abbasi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

This study aims at presenting a model of integrating instructional design represented by an instructional program into one of the most current electronic learning environment called (Moodle). The study will also measure the effect of this design on the achievement of university students. The participants of the study were 60 female and male students from the department of Educational Technology at the College of Education, University of Bahrain, during the academic year (2010-2009). This sample was divided into two groups: control group and experimental group. The control group was taught through the traditional (Moodle) environment, whereby the teaching materials were …

Promoting Healthy Eating And Exercise Through Online Messages: A Pilot Study, Helen Nyquist, Yeong Rhee, Ardith Brunt, Julie Garden-Robinson

Journal of Extension

The effectiveness of online messages to change dietary intake and level of physical activity was assessed. Thirty-six volunteers completed a 26-item pre- and post-intervention online survey and received a total of 36 email messages about MyPyramid, food labels, healthier lifestyles, and physical activity. Participants reported increased fiber intake, decreased fat intake, and increased physical activity. Overweight/obese participants lost an average of 8.0 lbs. during the 12-week period. Online messages can contribute to an increase in healthy food consumption and level of physical activity and is a desirable intervention tool for Extension nutrition and health practitioners.

Review: "Sin In The Suburbs: Nevada's Changing Brothel Industry": The State Of Sex: Tourism, Sex And Sin In The New American Heartland, Greggor Mattson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Modeling Studies To Evaluate Performance Of The Horizontal Wells Completed In Shale, Abbas Belyadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The results of the modeling studies to determine the production performance of multiple fractured horizontal wells completed in shale formation has been summarized in this dissertation. A commercial reservoir simulator was utilized to model both single and dual porosity reservoir (with and without adsorption) with multiple layers. The impact of reservoir characteristics including natural fractures and hydraulic fractures properties on the production performance were investigated. In addition, the results were utilized to investigate the flow regimes for horizontal wells with one or multiple hydraulic fractures.;Flow regime identification in low permeability reservoirs is extremely critical to evaluate performance of the horizontal …

Hyperreal Battlefields: Individual Action And The Composition Of Enemy In Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 1 & 2, Jeffrey Allen Yeager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Speculative fictions present us with stories that ask the question "what if?" In the past decades there has been a noticeable increase in the amount of speculative fiction in Western popular media. War-themed video games represent one of the most popular interactive texts that have embraced the speculative fiction genre. There is a multitude of research that examines non-fiction war games and those based loosely on some actual or historical conflict. This research diverges from that path by analyzing the narrative and structure of a series of fictional war games set in the modern era. The game presents a narrative …

The Arts-Integrated Curriculum (Aic) And Its Possible Impact On The Self-Concepts Of Adolescent Girls And Their Perceptions Of Beauty: A Phenomenological Study, Miriam Roth Douglas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines what phenomena may be associated with the self-concept and perceptions of beauty of adolescent girls who completed an Arts-Integrated Curriculum (AIC) in Elementary School. It is designed to add to the descriptive data on the perceptions of beauty that students, teachers, and parents have, especially with regard to girls' concept of self in relation to the AIC learning experiences. This work is driven by a qualitative research method known as phenomenology, which describes the lived experiences of a phenomenon for a group of people (Patton, 2005). The main research data were collected from interviews with ten participants: …

Optimization Of Crime Control Resources In A Society, Steven S. Thompson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This paper looks at the economics of crime control through the Phillips-Votey Societal Cost Function model and mathematically proves that there is a socially optimal point at which society should be devoting resources towards the prevention of crime. This allows the society to minimize the social cost of crime given a theoretical cost constraint. This paper take the model further by conducting comparative analysis to determine the effect that changes in the functional form of crime generation, and crime prevention will have on society as represented in the model. This paper also looks at the counter intuitive effect that growth …

Issues In The Care Of Farm Animals: Current History Of The Movement In Selected States, Jennifer N. Dunn

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many animal care practices commonly accepted as a regular part of the agricultural industry are being questioned by organizations advocating for the care of farm and companion animals. The use of gestation crates for pregnant sows, veal crates for veal calves, and battery cages for egg-laying hens are being banned in some states in the United States. While appearing to be a modern phenomenon, animal rights/animal welfare issues actually can be found throughout history. The purpose of the study was to trace the history of the care of farm and companion animals movement in the United States. This included the …

The Social Transformation Of Coffee Houses: The Emergence Of Chain Establishments And The Private Nature Of Usage, Dawn Marie Lozzi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Much attention is given to Ray Oldenburg's (1989) concept of third places as environments that offer visitors friendship and a sense of community. However, given that coffee houses have moved from small-scale businesses to chain-owned and many people now use them to work on laptops, this idealized image of the coffee house also may be changing. Few empirical studies have addressed such possibilities. Using unobtrusive observation data on three independently-owned coffee houses and three chain-based coffee houses, this research examines the concept of third places to better understand the ways in which modern coffee houses live up to Oldenburg's social …

Solidarity Versus Sisterhood: Women's Issues, Feminism And Potential In Poland, Abigail E. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exploring the history and trajectory of women's issues and activism in Poland, this work begins discussing the early twentieth century, moving through to the time period of the Solidarity trade union movement, continuing through the political transitions during the 1990s and ending in the present day. By examining a multitude of issues which affect women's lives (in the quotidian and overall senses), the existence, development and necessity of women's organizations and feminist activism in Poland becomes apparent. Labor, social, legal, and economic issues are of primary concern in contextualizing Polish women's place in society.;The introductory chapter begins by examining Polish …

West Virginia 4-H Camp Songs And Music Traditions, Jason A. Burnside

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of music in 4-H traditions from the beginning of the organization to the present. In addition to the overall 4-H traditions, the research focused on traditions in the 4-H camping program. The research examined songs, song quality, and the role they played in the 4-H tradition and/or the 4-H camp experience. Differences and similarities of 4-H music from the beginning of the 4-H program in West Virginia to the present day were explored. The study also examined the origins of the songs used in the West Virginia 4-H program discerning …

Characterization And Antibiotic Resistance Profile Of Staphylococci In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Diana E. Trevino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Staphylococci from part of the natural flora of humans and some, like Staphylococcus aureus, appear to be evolving antibiotic resistance. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) is an area of interest due to its proximity to the US/Mexico border where antibiotics could recently be purchased without prescription. Two libraries from community association (CA-S) and environmental association (E-S) have been collected and the staphylococci isolated. We hypothesize that their SCCmec type, which aids the staphylococci in antibiotic resistance, will not display classically defined association schemes and will surface in many species of staphylococci. This study generates antibiotic resistance profiles via antibiotic …

Multicomponent Reactions For The Preparation Of Fluorous Taged Pyrimidines And Thiopyrimidines And Their Derivatisation To Obtain Biaryl-Substituted Heterocycles, Bruno Piqani

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis presents a work in the field of multicomponent reactions (MCRs), one-step condensation between a fluorous tagged aldehyde, β-keto ester and urea derivatives. This process in literature is known as "Biginelli Reaction". This dissertation describes a new Biginelli reaction element, using fluorous component as a limiting agent.

Chapter one is an introduction of MCRs. A brief historical review, key principles as well as applications in different fields such as academic research, synthetic organic chemistry, and medicinal applications are presented.

Chapter two discusses the general features of the Biginelli reaction, microwave, and fluorous chemistry with a distinctive look from the …