Rapid Non-Destructive Assessment Of Southern Yellow Pine Lumber Properties By Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Ignacio Diaz

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last several years questions about the strength of structural lumber have been raised. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physically measured wood properties using Near Infrared spectroscopy. Physical properties were determined from (2 x 4 x 2 in.) cut samples. Destructive mechanical testing was performed on 744; 8 feet long, No.2 grade 2x4’s. Diffuse reflectance NIR spectra was collected from the cross-sectional face of each block using FOSS NIR Systems Inc. Model 5000 scanning spectrometer. Calibrations were then created between measured properties and NIR estimates. Density, specific gravity, latewood percentage, MOE and MOR …

Is It A Small World After All: An Examination Of Scientific Collaborations In Public Administration, James Earl Orr Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Peer reviewed journal articles are one way in which scholars communicate with each other and the public. Such publications create networks of collaboration. This study uses social network analysis techniques and theory to examine the network of collaborations that occur in public administration. Social network analysis is a perspective that takes into account the structure of relationships that can exist among individuals, organizations or other entities (Wellman, 2008). The small world theory is the specific theoretical framework that guides this study. The small world theory is based on the notion that despite a population being very large, individuals in that …

Determining The Etiology Of Decreased Tensile Strength In Tissues Of Quarter Horses With Hereditary Regional Dermal Asthenia (Herda), Jacquelyn Elizabeth Bowser

Theses and Dissertations

Hereditary Equine Regional Derma Asthenia (HERDA) is a painful disfiguring autosomal recessive skin disorder of Quarter Horse lineages. Affected horses cannot be ridden and most are humanely destroyed. Five years following homozygosity mapping of a putative causal mutation responsible for HERDA, it remains unclear how this mutation causes the HERDA syndrome. HERDA horses have a missense mutation in peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B (PPIB) which encodes cyclophilin B (CYPB) and alters folding and post-translational modifications of fibrillar collagen. Loss of function mutations in CYPB recognized in other species classically present as the debilitating bone disease, severe to lethal osteogenesis imperfect (OI). …

Combined Heat And Power Systems For Commercial Buildings: Investigating Cost, Emissions, And Primary Energy Reduction Based On System Components, Amanda D. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems produce electricity and useful heat from fuel. When power is produced near a building which consumes power, transmission losses are averted, and heat which is a byproduct of power production may be useful to the building. That thermal energy can be used for hot water or space heating, among other applications. This dissertation focuses on CHP systems using natural gas, a common fuel, and systems serving commercial buildings in the United States. First, the necessary price difference between purchased electricity and purchased fuel is analyzed in terms of the efficiencies of system components by …

Evaluation Of B-Mode And Color Doppler Ultrasound As Alternative Tools For The Study Of Reproduction, Temperament, And Milk Production- Related Variables In The Bovine, Hector Luis Sanchez-Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

An adequate vascular perfusion status is essential not only to maintain life, but to ensure the proper physiology of the different systems that form the animal’s body. Due to its role in the transport of oxygen and nutrients toward, and the removal of cellular waste products away from the body’s tissues, the circulatory system is responsible for the maintenance of body homeostasis. Production related functions in farm animals are not an exception, and directly depend on sufficient vascular physiology. In the past, the study of blood flow in large domestic species was restricted to highly invasive techniques. However, even when …

Block Compressed Sensing Of Images And Video, Sungkwang Mun

Theses and Dissertations

Compressed sensing is an emerging approach for signal acquisition wherein theory has shown that a small number of linear, random projection of a signal contains enough information for reconstruction of the signal. Despite its potential to enable lightweight and inexpensive sensing hardware that simultaneously combines signal acquisition and dimensionality reduction, the compressed sensing of images and video still entails several challenges, in particular, a sensing-measurement operator which is difficult to apply in practice due to the heavy memory and computational burdens. Block-based random image sampling coupled with a projection-driven compressed-sensing recovery is proposed to address this challenge. For images, the …

Syngas Production From Biomass Pellets In A Downdraft Gasifier And The Removal Of Oxygen From Syngas, Rui Li

Theses and Dissertations

In pellet production, the parameters, such as densification pressure, temperature, feed moisture content, and coal and biomass concentration, that affected pelletizing and pellet quality were investigated. Gasification was carried out in a downdraft gasifier by using red oak hard wood as the feedstock. The raw syngas primarily contained carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen (N2) as well as contaminants such as ash, water vapor, ammonia, and oxygen. Ash was removed with the filter bag. Water vapor was removed by desiccant absorption. Ammonia was removed by water scrubbing. Oxygen was removed by a CuO/CeO2-Al2O3 catalyst …

Low-Temperature Hydrothermal Liquefaction Of Giant Miscanthus With Alcohol As Cosolvent, Islam Hassan Hafez

Theses and Dissertations

Energy issues in the United States are currently receiving a very high priority. There is a strong desire to replace fossil fuels with alternative sources of energy since fuel prices are rising dramatically, and for the harming effect on the environment. Biomass is one of the most promising alternative sources of energy. In this study, hydrothermal liquefaction with alcohol co-solvents was applied on giant miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus) feedstock. All liquefaction experiments were conducted in 5500 series Parr® reactor. The most important parameters that affect the liquefaction process were studied. The yield of the liquefaction process was determined gravimetrically and the …

Genomic And Functional Analysis Of Next-Generation Sequencing Data, Philippe Chouvarine

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have resulted in significant reduction of cost per sequenced base pair and increase in sequence data volume. On the other hand, most currently used NGS technologies produce relatively short sequence reads (50 - 150 bp) compared to Sanger sequencing (~700 bp). This represents an additional challenge in data analysis, because shorter reads are more difficult to assemble. At this point, production of sequencing data outpaces our capacity to analyze them. Newer NGS technologies capable of producing longer reads are emerging, which should simplify and speed up genome assembly. However, this will only increase the …

Experiments And Simulation For 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy Resistance Spot Welded Lap Joints, Radu Stefanel Florea

Theses and Dissertations

This comprehensive study is the first to quantify the fatigue performance, failure loads, and microstructure of resistance spot welding (RSW) in 6061-T6 aluminum (Al) alloy according to welding parameters and process sensitivity. The extensive experimental, theoretical and simulated analyses will provide a framework to optimize the welding of lightweight structures for more fuel-efficient automotive and military applications. The research was executed in four primary components. The first section involved using electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) scanning, tensile testing, laser beam profilometry (LBP) measurements, and optical microscopy(OM) images to experimentally investigate failure loads and deformation of the Al-alloy resistance spot welded …

A Platform Independent Investigative Process Model For Smartphones, Frances Chevonne Dancer

Theses and Dissertations

A properly conducted forensic examination is one of the most fundamental aspects of a digital investigation. Examiners are obligated to obtain the skills necessary to use forensic tools and methodologies and rely on sound judgment when analyzing a digital device. Anytime during this process, the quality of the methods, skills, and expertise of the examiner may be challenged, thus, placing the forensic value of the evidence collected during the process in jeopardy. In order to combat the potential challenges posed as a result of the forensic examination process, the digital forensics community must ensure that suitable protocols are used throughout …

Factors That Influence The Participation Of Immigrant Latino Parents In The Special Education Process Of Their Children With Disabilities, Maria Isolina Ruiz

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act emphasized the importance of parents’ participation in all educational decisions concerning their children with disabilities. However, parents’ ability to actively participate in, and contribute to, their children’s special education process is influenced by a variety of parent and school related factors. For immigrant Latino parents, these factors may include additional issues related to cultural and linguistic diversity not experienced by most parents. This study examined the experiences of immigrant Latino parents when navigating the special education system as well as the impact that such experiences had on parents’ participation in the special education process …

Values-Based Leadership: A Shift In Attitude, Joseph Hester

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

To genuinely refer to leadership as “values-based,” a shift in attitude is required and the “ethics of care” must be embraced. This modification will ostensibly involve a subjective commitment to reason consistently and prudently, to care for others, and to dedicate oneself to reconsider his or her actions and behaviors.

School Environmental Factors And Mathematics Teaching Effectiveness: Implication For E-Learning, Sikiru A. Amoo, Akeem B. Disu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Mathematics occupies a central position in the school curriculum. It is a core subject from the primary through the junior secondary to the senior secondary school levels of the educational system. This important position occupied by the subject in the school curricula is borne out of the role of mathematics in scientific and technological development, a sine-qua-non in national building. However, the teaching of this important subject is beset with problems of societal values for it, there is the problem of inadequate and substandard learning materials and general attitudes among others. Therefore, the study investigated the pre-professional mathematics teachers’ beliefs …

Data Integration: A Case Study In The Financial Services Industry, Louis Epie

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Current economic conditions result in banks participating in multiple mergers and acquisitions. This results in banks inheriting silo and heterogeneous systems. For banks to remain competitive, they must create a strategy to integrate data from these acquired systems in a dynamic, efficient, and consumable manner. This research considers a case study of a large financial services company that has successfully integrated data from different sources. In addition this research investigates endeavors that experts in the field have undertaken to develop architectures that address the problems with data integration and appropriate solutions.

Murray Ledger And Times, December 14, 2012, Murray Ledger And Times

The Murray Ledger & Times

No abstract provided.

Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns And Predation Influence On Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon Spp., Haemulidae), Lance K. B. Jordan, Kenyon C. Lindeman, Richard E. Spieler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf distributional patterns exhibited by newly settled stages of grunts (<2 cm total length), we examined: 1) depth-specific distributions of congeners at settlement among sites at 8 m, 12 m, and 21 m, and 2) depth-variable predation pressure on newly settled individuals (species pooled). Of the six species identified from collections of newly settled specimens (n = 2125), Haemulon aurolineatum (tomtate), H. flavolineatum(French grunt), and H. striatum (striped grunt) comprised 98% of the total abundance; with the first two species present at all sites. Prevalence of H. aurolineatum and H. flavolineatumdecreased substantially from the 8-m site to the two deeper sites. In contrast, …

The Effect Of Co-Teaching On Student Achievement In Ninth Grade Physical Science Classrooms, Karen M. Lafever

Dissertations

Co-teaching is a method that is increasing within schools across the US as educators strive to leave no child behind. It is a costly method, having two paid instructors in one classroom, with an average of 24 students shared between them. If it significantly increases the achievement of all students, it is well worth the costs involved. However, few studies have analyzed the effectiveness of this method on student achievement. This research follows the academic accomplishments of students in a ninth grade physical science course. Nine sections of the course “Force and Motion” were taught with a single teacher, and …

Examining Institutional Climate In Higher Education: Administering The Nilie-Pace Instrument At A Private University In Central China, Linda Fraser Jacobsen

Dissertations

The first known campus climate study in central China was conducted for purposes of formative assessment by mixed methods, utilizing an instrument called the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) developed by the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (NILIE) at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Surveys were translated into Mandarin and distributed in bilingual format to 1,170 campus employees at Central China University (a pseudonym) in Henan Province, and 945 surveys were returned, a rate of 80.8%. Participants who self-identified included both Chinese and foreign faculty, administrators and staff. Because the North American-normed instrument was administered …

2012 Fall Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Fall 2012 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, December 14, 2012.

Harbor Notes, December 14, 2012, Tom Scherberger

Harbor Notes

The December 14, 2012, issue of Harbor Notes.

Melaleuca, Inc. V. Foeller Appellant's Brief Dckt. 39757

Idaho Supreme Court Records & Briefs, All

No abstract provided.

Current Unrestricted Operating Budgets, Fiscal Year 2013, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of Administration And Finance

University of Montana Current Unrestricted Operating Budgets, 1993-2017

The unrestricted operating budget of the University of Montana, issued by the Office of University Planning, Budgeting and Analysis under the Office of Administration and Finance.

Resonance In Anisotropic Layered Media, Stephen P. Shipman, Aaron Welters

Faculty Publications

When a periodic anisotropic layered medium is interrupted by a slab of contrasting material, electromagnetic resonance can be manifest in a variety of ways. In one scenario, anisotropy allows for frequency intervals in which waves propagating perpendicular to the layers coexist with evanescent waves. This permits energy to be trapped within the slab at frequencies embedded in the continuous spectrum. These are unstable states that result in resonance under small perturbations. In another scenario, a stationary inflection point in the dispersion relation of an ambient magnetic anisotropic layered medium leads to unidirectional propagation and resonant interaction between Bloch waves and …

Spatiotemporal Capacity Management For The Last Level Caches Of Chip Multiprocessors, Dongyuan Zhan

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Judicious management of on-chip last-level caches (LLC) is critical to alleviating the memory wall of chip multiprocessors (CMP). Although there already exist many LLC management proposals, belonging to either the spatial or temporal dimension, they fail to capture and utilize the inherent interplays between the two dimensions in capacity management. Therefore, this dissertation is targeted at exploring and exploiting the spatiotemporal interactions in LLC capacity management to improve CMPs' performance. Based on this general idea, we address four specific research problems in the dissertation.

For the private LLC organization, prior-art proposals can improve the efficacy of inter-core cooperative caching at …

Winter Commencement: December 14, 2012, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Winter Commencement program from December 14, 2012.

Visual Storybooks: Connecting The Lives Of Students To Core Knowledge, Keven Dell Proud

Theses and Dissertations

In order to help students find connections to the Core Knowledge curriculum and the principles of Discipline-Based Art Education, the author uses narrative and visual storytelling in the form of altered books to make meaning and relate the lives of students to the art content. The author uses methods of action research to plan a curriculum intervention, work with the students to create their visual stories, reflect on his instruction along with student learning, and collect students' responses through surveys. The author also gathers data through the students' journals and artworks. Through the project the author is able to give …

Breaking Weak 1024-Bit Rsa Keys Using Cuda, Kerry Scharfglass, Darrin Weng, Joseph White, Christopher Lupo

Computer Science and Software Engineering

An exploit involving the greatest common divisor (GCD) of RSA moduli was recently discovered [1]. This paper presents a tool that can efficiently and completely compare a large number of 1024-bit RSA public keys, and identify any keys that are susceptible to this weakness. NVIDIA's graphics processing units (GPU) and the CUDA massively-parallel programming model are powerful tools that can be used to accelerate this tool. Our method using CUDA has a measured performance speedup of 27.5 compared to a sequential CPU implementation, making it a more practical method to compare large sets of keys. A computation for finding GCDs …

Plantar Measurements To Determine Success Of Surgical Correction Of Stage Iib Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity, Erika Matheis

Theses and Dissertations

Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity (AAFD) is a progressive disease characterized by mechanical degeneration of the soft tissue structure in the arch of the foot that leads to changes in joint alignment. Surgical intervention commonly via tendon transfer and bony osteotomy is used to restore arch architecture, however there is a lack of quantitative assessments that measure the success of the surgical correction in vivo. Using plantar pressures via Tekscan® HR Mat and surveys (SF-36, FAOS), pre-operative and post-operative measures for six participants were defined, analyzed and compared. A paired t-test showed significant lateral shift for percent body weight during walking …

Evaluation Of The Survival Effect For Various Treatment Modalities Among Stage Ii And Iii Rectal Cancer Patients In California, 1994-2009, Myung Mi Cho

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: European trials evaluating the effect of preoperative (PreOP) versus postoperative chemoradiotherapy (PostOP CRT) found no survival benefit. However, the effect of a change from PostOP to PreOP CRT has not been evaluated in a population-based setting. We sought to evaluate multimodal treatment changes and overall survival for perioperative (PeriOP) CRT versus surgery alone and for PreOP versus PostOP CRT from 1994 through 2009 among patients receiving radical surgery for stage II and III rectal cancer (RC).

Patients and Methods: We conducted a nonconcurrent cohort study evaluating demographic predictors of multimodal therapy for stage II and III RC using …