Digital Commons Network^™

Real-Time Supply Chain Predictive Metrics, William Scott Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations

"Supply chains drive the production world. Virtually all products use a supply chain to produce them and they can determine the success of companies using them. The ability to manage supply chains is currently a mix of relationship management and science, combining personal and company relationships with data analysis.

The increased dependency on supply chains has increased the need to develop and use predictive real-time metrics to manage supply chain risk, measure suppliers and drive performance. Current metrics used are reactive and stagnant in nature. Real-time metrics will allow supply chain professionals to better manage risk. Current management techniques include …

Real-Time Localization Using Received Signal Strength, Mohammed Rana Basheer

Doctoral Dissertations

"Locating and tracking assets in an indoor environment is a fundamental requirement for several applications which include for instance network enabled manufacturing. However, translating time of flight-based GPS technique for indoor solutions has proven very costly and inaccurate primarily due to the need for high resolution clocks and the non-availability of reliable line of sight condition between the transmitter and receiver. In this dissertation, localization and tracking of wireless devices using radio signal strength (RSS) measurements in an indoor environment is undertaken. This dissertation is presented in the form of five papers.

The first two papers deal with localization and …

Modeling And Synthesis Of Pvdf-Based Dielectrics For Energy Storage Applications, Xuhui Lu

Doctoral Dissertations

"The purpose of this research was to develop dielectric films for high energy density capacitor applications. Also desired was to develop a deeper understanding of dielectric breakdown and electric energy storage related phenomena through simulation, theoretical analysis, and experimental investigation.

An analytical model incorporating Weibull dielectric strength statistics was developed to establish quantitative relationships between material properties and device performance of self-healing capacitors. The model is useful for designing high voltage capacitors and developing dielectric materials where the effects of electric field-dependent permittivity need to be considered.

In the experimental work, solution-cast poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF) homopolymer PVDF films with high …

Modeling Aperture Radiation For Rf Interference Applications, Liehui Ren

Doctoral Dissertations

"The first topic proposes a rigorous method of moments(MoM) solution to evaluate the shielding effectiveness of a metallic enclosure with apertures on top wall by formulating a pair of coupled mixed potential integral equations (MPIEs). Application of Ewald transform to the computation of Green's function in the cavity yields fast convergence of series summation. Good agreements with a commercial tool, EMC studio, have proved the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

The second topic deals with prediction of electromagnetic interference radiation from components or interconnects in a printed circuit board by using convolution of the half-space Green's functions and the equivalent …

Becoming Positive About Being Carbon Neutral:Requiring Public Accountability Forinternet Companies, Alexandra L. Pichette

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Every year, worldwide dependence on Internet and other information technology services grows. In many ways, the increased use of electric energy is positive for the environment; after all, using the Internet to access a document uses less energy than printing and distributing that document. Nonetheless, Internet companies expend a great deal of energy when they, for example, fire up their servers to satisfy a search request. Studies show that Internet companies are disproportionately large energy consumers, and are responsible for a growing number of carbon emissions. As a result, environmentalists are becoming concerned about the effects of these emissions on …

Promoting Trademark's Ends And Means Through Online Contributory Liability, E. Jordan Teague

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Trademark law accomplishes its ultimate end--helping consumers easily find, distinguish between, and trust products and services from different brands--through the means of giving markholders an incentive to develop and cultivate these brands in the first place. While individual trademark laws should serve these ends and means, this is not the case with contributory infringement in the United States as applied to the Internet. First, since the doctrine is based entirely in common law with little case law specifically addressing the online context, contributory infringement gives online service providers (OSPs) little notice as to what types of behaviors could result in …

Eudemonic Intellectual Property: Patents And Related Rights As Engines Of Happiness, Peace, And Sustainability, Estelle Derclaye

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The predominant justification for most intellectual property rights is the incentive theory or utilitarian rationale. Behind this justification lies the Western idea of progress and its derivatives: liberalism, capitalism, and consumerism. After having shown that the predominant justification for intellectual property rights is the incentive theory, which rests on the idea of progress, this Article traces back the history of the idea and shows its parochialism in both time and space. The Article next shows that the progress ideology rests on assumptions that are either wrong or impossible to prove and therefore propounds that it must be abandoned, or if …

"Do-Not-Track" As Contract, Joshua A.T. Fairfield

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Support for enforcement of a do-not-track option in browsers has been gathering steam. Such an option presents a simple method for consumers to protect their privacy. The problem is how to enforce this choice. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) could enforce a do-not-track option in a consumer browser under its section 5 powers. The FTC, however, currently appears to lack the political will to do so. Moreover, the FTC cannot follow the model of its successful do-not-call list since the majority of Internet service providers (ISPs) assign Internet addresses dynamically--telephone numbers do not change, whereas Internet protocol (IP) addresses may …

Three And Out: The Nfl's Concussion Liability And How Players Can Tackle The Problem, Jeremy P. Gove

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

In 1952, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study stating that a player should not continue playing professional football after suffering three concussions. As players continue to get bigger, faster, and stronger, the number of concussions has increased. In response to this problem, the National Football League (NFL) commissioned a study run by scientists and NFL team doctors to determine the long-term effects of concussions. That committee determined that no long-term repercussions exist after experiencing a concussion while playing NFL football. Despite the scientific community's critiques of the study, the NFL used the committee's findings to create the …

A Semiotic Analysis: Developing A New Standard For Scent Marks, Erin M. Reimer

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

In recent years, businesses have discovered a new way to capture consumer loyalty: through their noses. Companies have begun to invest heavily in the development of scent marks and innovative digital scent technology that will disseminate signature scents through the Internet and television; however, the standards surrounding scent mark registration and infringement remain hazy due to a lack of precedent and conflicting global legal standards. While US and European courts have determined that scent marks can exist under current laws, the registration requirements and infringement standards remain unclear.

This Note analyzes the four major issues that arise in scent mark …

Copyright's Creative Hierarchy In The Performing Arts, Michael W. Carroll

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Copyright law grants authors certain rights of creative control over their works. This Article argues that these rights of creative control are too strong when applied to the performing arts because they fail to take account of the mutual dependence between writers and performers to fully realize the work in performance. This failure is particularly problematic in cases in which the author of a source work, such as a play or a choreographic work, imposes content-based restrictions on how a third party may render the work in performance. This Article then explores how Congress might craft a statutory license to …

Three Theories Of Copyright In Ratings, James Grimmelmann

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Are ratings copyrightable? The answer depends on what ratings are. As a history of copyright in ratings shows, some courts treat them as unoriginal facts, some treat them as creative opinions, and some treat them as troubling self-fulfilling prophecies. The push and pull among these three theories explains why ratings are such a difficult boundary case for copyright, both doctrinally and theoretically. The fact-opinion tension creates a perverse incentive for raters: the less useful a rating, the more copyrightable it looks. Self-fulfilling ratings are the most troubling of all: copyright's usual balance between incentives and access becomes indeterminate when ratings …

Digital Originality, Edward Lee

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

This Article examines the doctrine of originality in U.S. copyright law and proposes a reconfigured, three-part test that can better analyze issues of first impression involving works created with new digital technologies. The proposed test, encapsulated by the concept of digital originality, provides much needed guidance to courts to address the increasing complexities of digital creations in the twenty-first century.

Patents 101: Patentable Subject Matter And Separation Of Powers, Max S. Oppenheimer

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The definition of statutory subject matter lies at the heart of the patent system. It is the reflection of Congress's policy decision as to what types of inventions one may patent. While the congressional definition of statutory subject matter (in what is now 35 U.S.C. § 101) has remained fundamentally constant since 1790, the Supreme Court has reinterpreted and redefined statutory subject matter several times, leaving lower courts with the frustrating task of trying to develop a coherent jurisprudence against a changing landscape. This inconstancy has introduced uncertainty for inventors who are trying to make the fundamental decision of whether …

Hacking For Lulzi: Employing Expert Hackers To Combat Cyber Terrorism, Swathi Padmanabhan

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Because hacking collectives Anonymous and LulzSec have routinely breached supposedly secure computer networks--including Visa, MasterCard, and the Central Intelligence Agency--the threat of cyber terrorism has become more prominent. Many US industries and companies depend on online communication and information storage. If terrorists compromise these capabilities, they could cripple the US economy and perhaps even cause widespread fatalities. Members of Anonymous and LulzSec lack the necessary intent to be prosecuted as cyber terrorists because they hack not to cause fear, but rather to create laughter. Their method of posting all necessary instructions and information regarding intended targets on online message boards …

The Sexual Socialization Of Sexual Offenders: How They Learn About Sexuality And How It Influences Their Future Behaviors, Erin Nicole Ditscheit

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Every day, stories of individuals who have been sexually victimized dominate headline news. Despite the large amount of research conducted on sexual offenders, there is no known single etiology for their offense. This study investigates how sexual socialization plays a role in an offender's sexual attitudes and beliefs. Using data from a sample of 71 convicted sexual offenders from a single district in the Midwest, it was found that there is a relationship between certain media sources and negative attitudes towards women and sexuality. Additionally, by comparing the convicting offense of each of the participants and their attitudes, it was …

Lubrication And Wear At Metal/Hdpe Contacts, Aydar Akchurin

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

In the thesis lubrication and wear at metal/HDPE contacts was addressed. In particular this type of contact occurs in artificial joint replacements. Wear of HDPE was recognized as a major factor limiting device performance. In the thesis, fully implicit fully coupled numerical approach was developed to simulate lubrication and wear. Approach allows solving stationary and transient problems for rough surfaces in a wide range of parameters. Wear coefficients were estimated from experimental data. Wear particles formed in wear process were investigated. Particles were found to be approximately 100 nm in diameter and spherical in shape. Considering theoretical solutions, it was …

The Physico-Chemical Investigation Of Interfacial Properties In Natural Fiber/Vinyl Ester Biocomposites, Shanshan Huo

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Bast fibers are one of most widely used types of cellulosic natural fibers. Flax fibers, a specific type of bast fiber, have historically been used as reinforcements in composites because they offer competitive advantages, including environmental and economic benefits, over mineral-based reinforcing materials. However, the poor interfacial properties due to the hydrophilicity of flax fibers and the hydrophobicity of most polymer matrices reduce the mechanical performance of flax thermoset composites. On the other hand, the structure of flax fiber is more complex than synthetic fibers, which causes most of traditional mechanical tests from the transverse direction to evaluate the interfacial …

Development Of Biobased Sandwich Structures For Mass Transit Application, Sethu Raaj Munusamy

Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics

Efforts to increase the biobased content in sandwich composites are being investigated to reduce the dependence on synthetically produced or mined, energy-intensive materials for numerous composite applications. Vegetable oil-based polyurethane foams are gaining recognition as good substitutes for synthetic counter parts while utilizing bast fiber to replace fiberglass is also gaining credence. In this study, soy oil-based polyurethane foam was evaluated as a core in a sandwich construction with facesheets of hybridized kenaf and E-glass fibers in a vinyl ester resin matrix to replace traditionally used plywood sheeting on steel frame for mass transit bus flooring systems. As a first …

Evaluation Of Disconnected Contributions Using Gpus, C Alexandrou, V Drach, K Hadjiyiannakou, K Jansen, G Koutsou, A Strelchenko, A Vaquero

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

We calculate on GPUs the disconnected diagrams associated with the nucleon form factors and moments of generalized parton distributions using Nf=2+1+1 twisted mass fermions. We employ the truncated solver method (TSM) for estimating the all-to-all propagators. Due to the fact that the TSM involves many low precision stochastic estimators, the usage of GPUs is essential to perform efficiently the contractions and the inversions.

Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnostic Test Accuracy For Fetal Sex Using Cell-Free Dna A Review And Meta-Analysis, Caroline F. Wright, Yinghui Wei, Julian Pt Higgins, Gurdeep S. Sagoo

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

AbstractBackgroundCell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) can be detected in maternal blood during pregnancy, opening the possibility of early non-invasive prenatal diagnosis for a variety of genetic conditions. Since 1997, many studies have examined the accuracy of prenatal fetal sex determination using cffDNA, particularly for pregnancies at risk of an X-linked condition. Here we report a review and meta-analysis of the published literature to evaluate the use of cffDNA for prenatal determination (diagnosis) of fetal sex. We applied a sensitive search of multiple bibliographic databases including PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Web of Science.ResultsNinety studies, incorporating 9,965 pregnancies and 10,587 …

Effectiveness Of Grass Filters In Reducing Phosphorus And Sediment Runoff, Ahmed Al-Wadaey, Charles S. Wortmann, Thomas G. Franti, Charles A. Shapiro, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Surface water contamination can often be reduced by passing runoff water through perennial grass filters. Research was conducted in 2006 to 2008 to evaluate the size of cool season grass filters consisting primarily of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) with some orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) relative to drainage area size in reducing runoff sediment and phosphorus (P). The soil was Pohocco silt loam Typic Eutrochrepts with a median slope of 5.5%. The grass filters occupying 1.1 and 4.3% of the plot area were compared with no filter with four replications. The filters were planted in the V-shaped …

Erratum To “Comparative Study Of Apically Extruded Debris Using One Manual And Two Rotary Instrumentation Techniques For Endodontic Retreatment” Journal Of Dental Sciences (2012) 7, 1–6, Alper Kustarci, Demet Altunbas, Kerem Engin Akpinar

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Carbon Footprint Of An Academic Organization: A Case Study Of The Department Of Environmental Of Environmental Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Boonjira Janangkakan, Orathai Chavalparit, Premrudee Kanchanapiya

Applied Environmental Research

This paper presented the carbon footprint evaluation of an academic institution, direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated. The major sources of GHG emissions were classified into four main categories, which were energy use, materials use, transportation, and waste (wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal). The aim of this research was to evaluate the GHG emissions of the Department of Environmental Engineering, Chulalongkorn University and to develop alternative options for reduction of the GHG emissions using the Life Cycle Assessment Methodology as a key factor. The result showed that the total carbon footprint of the department based on …

Occurrence Of Salmonella And Listeria Monocytogenes In Ready To Eat Meats In The United States: 2000-2010, Anthony Wilfred Ntaate

Food Safety

The purpose of this review is to characterize the occurrence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat (RTE) meats in the United States between the years 2000-2010. Data were obtained from the CDC foodborne outbreak online database, morbidity and mortality weekly reports, summary of notifiable diseases and the foodborne outbreaks page. Additional information was obtained from peer reviewed journals. RTE roast pork, turkey deli meat, and Italian type salami meats were the vehicles in the Salmonella outbreaks reported. Half of the eight outbreaks reviewed were multistate in nature affecting many states and the rest were sporadic. The Salmonella …

Phosphate Removal And Recovery Using Iron Nanoparticles And Iron Cross-Linked Biopolymer, Talal Bakheet Almeelbi

Environmental and Conservation Sciences

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles and iron cross-linked alginate (FCA) beads were successfully used for the first time for phosphate removal and recovery. NZVI was successfully used for phosphate removal and recovery. Batch studies indicated a removal of ~96 to 100% phosphate in 30 min (1, 5, and 10 mg PO43--P/L with 400 mg NZVI/L). Phosphate removal efficiency by NZVI was 13.9 times higher compared to Microscale ZVI (MZVI) particles. The successful rapid removal of phosphate by NZVI from aqueous solution is expected to have great ramification for cleaning up nutrient rich waters. The presence of sulfate, nitrate, and humic …

Identification And Characterization Of Fibrous Zeolites In Western North Dakota, Jason Triplett

Environmental and Conservation Sciences

The fibrous zeolite mineral erionite is a concern due to its potential for causing lung disease in humans. Studies have shown that exposure to altered volcanic bedrock containing erionite may be the explanation for a high lung disease rate throughout regions of the world (Metintas et al., 1999). Erionite was reported by Forsman (1986) as occurring in tuffaceous rock units of the Arikaree Formation in the Killdeer Mountains of western North Dakota. Rock and soil samples were collected where zeolite minerals are known or suspected to be present including North and South Killdeer Mountains in Dunn County and West and …

Effective Non-Viral Delivery Of Sirna To Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells With Lipid-Substituted Polyethylenimines, Breanne Landry

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising approach for AML treatment as the siRNA molecule can be designed to specifically target proteins that contribute to aberrant cell proliferation in this disease. However, a clinical-relevant means of delivering siRNA molecules must be developed, as the cellular delivery of siRNA is problematic. Here, we report amphiphilic carriers combining a cationic polymer (2 kDa polyethyleneimine, PEI2) with lipophilic moieties to facilitate intracellular delivery of siRNA to AML cell lines. Complete binding of siRNA by the designed carriers was achieved at a polymer:siRNA ratio of ~0.5 and led to siRNA/polymer complexes of …

Attenuation Of Corneal Myofibroblast Development Through Nanoparticle-Mediated Soluble Transforming Growth Factor-Β Type Ii Receptor (Stgfβrii) Gene Transfer, Ajay Sharma, Jason T. Rodier, Ashish Tandon, Alexander M. Klibanov, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose: To explore (i) the potential of polyethylenimine (PEI)-DNA nanoparticles as a vector for delivering genes into human corneal fibroblasts, and (ii) whether the nanoparticle-mediated soluble extracellular domain of the transforming growth factor–β type II receptor (sTGFβRII) gene therapy could be used to reduce myofibroblasts and fibrosis in the cornea using an in vitro model.

Methods: PEI-DNA nanoparticles were prepared at a nitrogen-to-phosphate ratio of 30 by mixing linear PEI and a plasmid encoding sTGFβRII conjugated to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) portion of human immunoglobulin. The PEI-DNA polyplex formation was confirmed through gel retardation assay. Human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs) were …

Fate And Characteristics Of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen Through Wastewater Treatment Systems, Halis Simsek

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) represents a significant portion (25-80%) of total dissolved nitrogen in the final effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). DON in treated wastewater, once degraded, causes oxygen depletion and/or eutrophication in receiving waters and should be reduced prior to discharge. Biodegradability, bioavailability, and photodegradability are important characteristics of wastewater derived DON and are subjects of research in this dissertation. Four research tasks were performed. In the first task, laboratory-scale chemostat experiments were conducted to examine whether solids retention time (SRT) could be used to control DON and biodegradable DON (BDON) in treated wastewater. Nine different SRTs from …