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2012

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Hybrid Model For Optimization Of Cost Operations For A University Transit Service, Palomo Alicia Benazir Portal Jan 2012

Hybrid Model For Optimization Of Cost Operations For A University Transit Service, Palomo Alicia Benazir Portal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The demand on transportation infrastructure is dramatically increasing due to population growth causing the transportation systems to be pushed to their limits. With the projected population growth, not only for the U.S. but especially for the higher education field, university campuses are of great importance for transportation engineers. Urban univeristy campuses are considered major trip generators and with the population forecast many challenges are bound to arise. The implementation of an improved transit system provides a lower-cost solution to the continuously increasing congestion problems in university campus road networks and surrounding areas. This paper presents a methodology focused on the …


Hydrokinetic Resource Assessment Of The Florida Current, Alana E. Smentek-Duerr Jan 2012

Hydrokinetic Resource Assessment Of The Florida Current, Alana E. Smentek-Duerr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The Straits of Florida has been noted as a potential location for extraction of the kydrokinetic energy of the Florida Current, in view of the strength of the current and its proximity to the shore. ... This research explores the Florida Current as a potential renewable energy source. By utilizing historical data, in situ observations of the Florida Current, and computer model data, the hydrokinetic resource of the Florida Current is characterized both spatially and temporally. Subsequently, based on the geographic variability of the hydrokinetic power and other factors that impact the economy of a hydrokinetic turbine array installation, the …


Hypoxia-Regulated Glial Cell-Specific Gene Therapy To Treat Retinal Neovascularization, Manas Ranjan Biswal Jan 2012

Hypoxia-Regulated Glial Cell-Specific Gene Therapy To Treat Retinal Neovascularization, Manas Ranjan Biswal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Diabetic retinopathy is an ischemic retinal neovascular disease causing vision loss among adults. The studies presented involve the design and testing of a gene therapy vector to inhibit retinal revascularization, similar to that found in diabetic retinopathy. Gene therapy has proven to be an effective method to introduce therapeutic proteins to treat retinal diseases. Targeting a specific cell type and expression of therapeutic proteins according to the tissue microenvironment should have an advantage over traditional gene therapy by avoiding unwanted transgene expression. Hypoxia plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of many retinal ischemic diseases. Retinal Mèuller cells provide structural …


Identifiying Cost Savings Through Energy Conservation Measures In Mechanically Aerated Activated Sludge Treatment Processes In Southeast Florida, Eric. Stanley Jan 2012

Identifiying Cost Savings Through Energy Conservation Measures In Mechanically Aerated Activated Sludge Treatment Processes In Southeast Florida, Eric. Stanley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This thesis presents a model which estimates energy and cost savings that can be realized by implementing Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) at mechanically aerated wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in southeast Florida. Historical plant monitoring data is used to estimate savings achieved by implementing innovative aeration technologies which include : 1) Fine Bubble DIffusers ; 2) Single-Stage Turbo Blowers ; 3) Automatic Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Control. Key assumptions for modeling performance of each technology are researched and discussed, such as trends in the future cost of electricity, efficiency of blowers, and practical average DO levels for each scenario. Capital cost estimates …


Impacts Of Queue Jumpers And Transit Signal Priority On Bus Rapid Transit, R.M. Zahid Reza Jan 2012

Impacts Of Queue Jumpers And Transit Signal Priority On Bus Rapid Transit, R.M. Zahid Reza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

Exclusive bus lanes and the Transit Signal Priority are often not effective in saturated peak-traffic conditions. An alternative way of providing priority for transit can be queue jumpers, which allows buses to bypass and then cut out in front of waiting queue by getting an early green signal. Utah Transit authority deployed Bus Rapid Transit system at Salt Lake County, Utah along W 3500 S. This research evaluates the impacts of queue jumpers with TSP on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and private vehicular traffic. Four VISSIM models were developed for analysis : Basic scenario, no TSP with queue jumpers, TSP …


Information-Theoretics Based Technoeconomic Growth Models, Raef Rashad Yassin Jan 2012

Information-Theoretics Based Technoeconomic Growth Models, Raef Rashad Yassin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This research is concerned with algorithmic representation of technoeconomic growth concerning modern and next-generation telecommunications including the Internet service. The goal of this study thereof is to emphasize efforts to establish the associated forecasting and, the envisioned tasks thereof include : (i) Reviewing the technoeconomic considerations prevailing in telecommunication (telco) service industry and their implicating features; (ii) studying relevant aspects of underlying complex system evolution (akin to biological systems), (iii) pursuant co-evolution modeling of competitive business structures using dichotomous (flip-flop) states as seen in predator evolutions ; (iv) conceiving a novel algorithm based on information-theoretic principles toward technoeconomic forecasting on …


Internal Waves On A Continental Shelf, Arjun. Jagannathan Jan 2012

Internal Waves On A Continental Shelf, Arjun. Jagannathan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

In this thesis, a 2D CHebyshev spectral domain decomposition method is developed for simulating the generation and propagation of internal waves over a topography. While the problem of stratified flow over topography is by no means a new one, many aspects of internal wave generation and breaking are still poorly understood. This thesis aims to reproduce certain observed features of internal waves by using a Chebyshev collation method in both spatial directions. The numerical model solves the inviscid, incomprehensible, fully non-linear, non-hydrostatic Boussinesq equations in the vorticity-streamfunction formulation. A number of important features of internal waves over topography are captured …


Patterns For Secure Interactions In Social Networks In Web 2.0, Carolina Marin Jan 2012

Patterns For Secure Interactions In Social Networks In Web 2.0, Carolina Marin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

A social network is a structure of individuals and organizations, which are connected by one or more types of interdependency, such as friendship, affinity, common interests or knowledge. Social networks use Web 2.0 technology, which is mostly based on a service-oriented architecture. We are studying patterns for social networks in this environment. A pattern is an encapsulated solution to a software problem in a given context, secure threats are possible in this context. We present a collection of patterns associated with the most important aspects of social networks, with emphasis on controlling the actions of the users of these networks.


Predicting Removal Efficiency Of Reverse Osmosis Membranes With Respect To Emerging Substances Of Concern Using A Discriminant Function Analysis, Herrera Fernando J Pleitez Jan 2012

Predicting Removal Efficiency Of Reverse Osmosis Membranes With Respect To Emerging Substances Of Concern Using A Discriminant Function Analysis, Herrera Fernando J Pleitez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This paper presents the results of the spike tests performed in the alternative water supply pilot testing program for the City of Pembroke Pines. It establishes the effectiveness of a protocol that can be used to gain further insight on the rejection capacities of RO membranes. An in-depth study of the molecular descriptors affecting rejection by RO membranes is presented and used in the development of a discriminant function analysis. This analysis proved to be an effective way to predict the passage of Emerging Substances of Concern (ESOCs) through RO membrane. Further, a principal component (PC) analysis was performed to …


Proud Elastic Target Discrimination Using Low-Frequency Sonar Signatures, Brenton. Mallen Jan 2012

Proud Elastic Target Discrimination Using Low-Frequency Sonar Signatures, Brenton. Mallen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This thesis presents a comparative analysis of various low-frequency sonar signature representations and their ability to discriminate between proud targets of varying physical parameters. The signature representations used include: synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) beamformed images, acoustic color plot images, and bispectral images. A relative Mean-Square Error (rMSE) performance metric and an effective Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNReff) performance metric have been developed and implemented to quantify the target differentiation. The analysis is performed on a subset of the synthetic sonar stave data provided by the Naval Surface Warfare Center - Panama City Division (NSWC-PCD). The subset is limited to aluminum and stainless …


Proposed Expanded Green Space Plan Using Gis For Natural Areas In Palm Beach County, Corrie. Rainyn Jan 2012

Proposed Expanded Green Space Plan Using Gis For Natural Areas In Palm Beach County, Corrie. Rainyn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

In the past 25 years, Palm Beach County has acquired more than 31 million acres of public preserves consisting of numerous native habitats that are home to threatened and endangered flora and fauna. Both endemic habitats and plant species benefit from expansion and connectivity through the adoption of native plants in surrounding areas. The next step in conserving these protected, larger areas is to identify ways to connect them in order to reduce their isolation and improve their likelihood of continued ecosystem health. This study aims to perform an analysis using a GIS database of Palm Beach County's Eastern urban …


Reducing Impedance Mismatch In Sql Embeddings For Object-Oriented Programming Languages, Jose Luis Hurtado Jan 2012

Reducing Impedance Mismatch In Sql Embeddings For Object-Oriented Programming Languages, Jose Luis Hurtado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

We survey and compare the different major mechanisms for embedding the relational database language SQL in object-oriented programming languages such as Java and C#, with regard to how much impedance mismatch these embeddings suffer. Here impedance mismatch refers to clarity and performance difficulties that arise because of the nature of the embedding. Because of the central position in the information technology industry of object-oriented programs that access SQL-based relational database systems, reducing impedance mismatch is generally recognized in that industry as an important practical problem. We argue for the suitability of SQL as a database language, and hence for the …


Religious Violence In Frank Herbert's Dune Series, Kenton Taylor Howard Jan 2012

Religious Violence In Frank Herbert's Dune Series, Kenton Taylor Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

This thesis examines the first two novels of Frank Herbert's Dune series, Dune and Dune Messiah, in order to consider these two novels from the framework of postcolonial theory and analyze how religious violence becomes a source of subjugation, military power, and colonialism within the works. The three chapters of this thesis chart the creation of a colonial project through epistemic violence, physical power, and cultural control enabled by religion. This thesis argues that, in the Dune novels, religious violence functions as a colonial project that closely resembles the goals of real-world colonial enterprises, and the failure to manage this …


Relationship Bertween Wellness And Burnout Among Novice Counselors, Jennifer. Bilot Jan 2012

Relationship Bertween Wellness And Burnout Among Novice Counselors, Jennifer. Bilot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between wellness and burnout among novice counselors. This research was carried out in order to gain a better understanding of the experience of the novice counselor as well as to gain insight into the effects of wellness and burnout on these experiences. The significance of this research lies in the need to understand the novice counselor's journey, the factors that can contribute to or prevent burnout, and the potential prevention and intervention strategies that can be employed in response to burnout. The data of a final sample of 144 participants' …


Rings Of Integer-Valued Polynomials And Derivatives, Yuri. Villanueva Jan 2012

Rings Of Integer-Valued Polynomials And Derivatives, Yuri. Villanueva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

For D an integral domain with field of fractions K and E a subset of K, the ring Int (E,D) = {f e K[X]lf (E) C D} of integer-valued polynomials on E has been well studies. In particulare, when E is a finite subset of D, Chapman, Loper, and Smith, as well as Boynton and Klingler, obtained a bound on the number of elements needed to generate a finitely generated ideal of Ing (E, D) in terms of the corresponding bound for D. We obtain analogous results for Int (r) (E, D) - {f e K [X]lf(k) (E) c D …


Understanding The Emission From Semiconductor Nanoparticles, Beth Ann Manhat Jan 2012

Understanding The Emission From Semiconductor Nanoparticles, Beth Ann Manhat

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation describes the synthesis and characterization of fluorescent semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) in order to optimize their biomedical utility for imaging and sensing applications. While both direct and indirect bandgap semiconductor NPs have been studied, control over their emission properties vary. Quantum confinement (QC), which primarily controls the emission wavelength of nanosized semiconductors, dictates that as the size of semiconductor NPs decrease, the magnitude of the bandgap increases, resulting in changes in the observed emission wavelength: smaller NPs have a larger bandgap, and thus a bluer emission. However, surface, interfacial, or shell defects can act as non-radiative or radiative recombination …


Relativistic Causal Ordering A Memory Model For Scalable Concurrent Data Structures, Josh Triplett Jan 2012

Relativistic Causal Ordering A Memory Model For Scalable Concurrent Data Structures, Josh Triplett

Dissertations and Theses

High-performance programs and systems require concurrency to take full advantage of available hardware. However, the available concurrent programming models force a difficult choice, between simple models such as mutual exclusion that produce little to no concurrency, or complex models such as Read-Copy Update that can scale to all available resources. Simple concurrent programming models enforce atomicity and causality, and this enforcement limits concurrency. Scalable concurrent programming models expose the weakly ordered hardware memory model, requiring careful and explicit enforcement of causality to preserve correctness, as demonstrated in this dissertation through the manual construction of a scalable hash-table item-move algorithm. Recent …


Designing Wise Communities That Engage In Creative Problem Solving: An Analysis Of An Online Design Model, Charlotte Nirmalani Gunawardena, Ludmila Layne, Casey Frechette Jan 2012

Designing Wise Communities That Engage In Creative Problem Solving: An Analysis Of An Online Design Model, Charlotte Nirmalani Gunawardena, Ludmila Layne, Casey Frechette

University Libraries & Learning Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Addressing the conference theme of “design thinking,” this paper discusses an instructional design model, WisCom (Wisdom Communities) that we developed to build a wise learning community online, to solve open-ended, ill-structured problems such as solving a health crisis or an environmental disaster, which requires the exchange of multiple perspectives, inter-disciplinary thinking, creative problem solving, and social construction of knowledge. Based on socio-constructivist, sociocultural theories of learning and mediated cognition (Vygotsky, 1978), distributed cognition (Hutchins, 1995; Pea, 1993), group cognition (Stahl, 2006), research on how people learn (Bransford, Vye, Bateman, Brophy, & Roselli, 2004), and distance education design principles (Moore & …


Remediation Of Hydrocarbon Contamination In Downtown Mandan, North Dakota, Damien Hesse, Amanda Krieger, Alex Padgett, Derek Zander Jan 2012

Remediation Of Hydrocarbon Contamination In Downtown Mandan, North Dakota, Damien Hesse, Amanda Krieger, Alex Padgett, Derek Zander

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.


Effects Of Ysce And Yscl On Yops Secretion In The Type Iii Secretion System Of Yersinia Pestis, Michael Harsche Jan 2012

Effects Of Ysce And Yscl On Yops Secretion In The Type Iii Secretion System Of Yersinia Pestis, Michael Harsche

Undergraduate Theses and Senior Projects

No abstract provided.


Software Framework For Prognostic Health Monitoring Of Ocean-Based Power Generation, Mark. Bowren Jan 2012

Software Framework For Prognostic Health Monitoring Of Ocean-Based Power Generation, Mark. Bowren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

On August 5, 2010 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has designated the Center for Ocean Energy Technology (COET) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) as a national center for ocean energy research and development of prototypes for open-ocean power generation. Maintenance on ocean-based machinery can be very costly. To avoid unnecessary maintenance it is necessary to monitor the condition of each machine in order to predict problems. This kind of prognostic health monitoring (PHM) requires a condition-based maintenance (CBM) system that supports diagnostic and prognostic analysis of large amounts of data. Research in this field led to the creation of …


Stability Analysis For Nonlinear Systems With Time-Delays, Shanaz Tiwari Jan 2012

Stability Analysis For Nonlinear Systems With Time-Delays, Shanaz Tiwari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

In this work, we investigate input-to-state stability (ISS) and other related stability properties for control systems with time-delays. To overcome the complexity caused by the presence of the delays, we adopt a Razumikhin approach. The underlying idea of this approach is to treat the delayed variables as system uncertainties. The advantage of this approach is that one works in the more familiar territory of stability analysis for delay-free systems in the context of ISS instead of carrying out stability analysis on systems of functional differential equations. Our first step is to provide criteria on ISS and input-to-input stability properties based …


Internationalising Chinese Maritime Higher Education: Developing Content And English Language Integrated Teaching And Learning, Robyn Morgan Pyne Jan 2012

Internationalising Chinese Maritime Higher Education: Developing Content And English Language Integrated Teaching And Learning, Robyn Morgan Pyne

Plymouth Business School Theses

This thesis examines how new maritime nations, which are engaged in the export of seafaring labour, need to respond to the demands of the international maritime industry. In particular, traditional maritime nations are calling for greater internationalisation of maritime education and training. The global labour market for seafarers, which is dominated by employers from traditional maritime nations, demands internationally minded graduates. China’s response to these demands for quality labour exports from new maritime nations is the subject of exploration in this thesis. Within the specific context of Maritime English teaching and learning, a significant opportunity for innovation and change is …


Reflective Practice For Marine Planning: A Case Study Of Marine Nature-Based Tourism Partnerships, Claire Kelly, Stephen Essex, Gillian Glegg Jan 2012

Reflective Practice For Marine Planning: A Case Study Of Marine Nature-Based Tourism Partnerships, Claire Kelly, Stephen Essex, Gillian Glegg

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

An essential component of ecosystem-based approaches in coastal zone management and the emerging field of marine planning are partnerships and collaborations between a range of multi-sector organisations and individuals. Ensuring that partnerships are effective is a priority for those responsible for planning and management in coastal and marine environments. Current partnership evaluation approaches, however, tend to view effectiveness as the cumulative end result of a set of variables acting in a linear process at a specific point in time. Given that governance and participation are acknowledged as non-linear and multifaceted processes, more reflective and nuanced approaches that take account of …


Development Of A Framework For Sustainable Repair Of Adobe Building In An Urban Area In Nigeria, Theophilus Adeyinka Shittu Jan 2012

Development Of A Framework For Sustainable Repair Of Adobe Building In An Urban Area In Nigeria, Theophilus Adeyinka Shittu

School of Art, Design and Architecture Theses

Building with earth is still a living practice in Nigeria most especially in the northern region. Pear shaped sun-dried earth brick (tubali) was used traditionally by the Hausa in northern Nigeria. However, the use of tubali has ceased to exist in favour of the adobe blocks in both the urban and rural settlements in Nigeria. Sabon Gari, the study area is one of the urban areas in this region with buildings constructed with adobe. However, these adobe buildings are in deplorable conditions and in dire need of repair. Sabon Gari in Kaduna was selected as the thesis’ study area because …


Moon Vehicle: Reflections From An Artist-Led Children's Workshop On The Chandrayaan-1 Spacecraft's Mission To The Moon, J Griffin Jan 2012

Moon Vehicle: Reflections From An Artist-Led Children's Workshop On The Chandrayaan-1 Spacecraft's Mission To The Moon, J Griffin

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This article reflects on the journey to the Moon of the spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 as it was interpreted through an artist-led workshop. The workshop participants were a group of children who lived close to where Chandrayaan was built and some of the engineers and scientists responsible for creating the spacecraft. Insights from the workshop show how a mission to the Moon draws on both the technological and the imaginative; they also have bearing on the relative agency of these individuals to contribute to the Moon missions in ways that are personally meaningful to them.


Sustainability Of Solid Brick Walls With Retrofitted External Hemp-Lime Insulation, R Griffiths, S Goodhew Jan 2012

Sustainability Of Solid Brick Walls With Retrofitted External Hemp-Lime Insulation, R Griffiths, S Goodhew

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.


The Socio-Temporary In Architecture: Territories Of Second-Order Cybernetics, S Murrani Jan 2012

The Socio-Temporary In Architecture: Territories Of Second-Order Cybernetics, S Murrani

School of Art, Design and Architecture

No abstract provided.


Investigating E-Commerce Adoption In Small And Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises: A Case Of Travel Agents In Egypt, Mohamed Ahmed Abd-Elraouf Abou-Shouk Jan 2012

Investigating E-Commerce Adoption In Small And Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises: A Case Of Travel Agents In Egypt, Mohamed Ahmed Abd-Elraouf Abou-Shouk

Plymouth Business School Theses

SMEs are often described as slow adopters of technology. However, adopting e-commerce is one of many strategies taken by travel agents to re-intermediate themselves in the global travel market against the threat of disintermediation. Exploratory studies have revealed that Egyptian travel agents are laggards when it comes to technology adoption, although they perceive e-commerce as a beneficial tool that can increase their chances of survival. As many as 59.2% of Egyptian travel agents were found not to have websites (Egyptian Travel Agents Association, 2008), this study investigates the factors affecting e-commerce adoption by travel agents. Past literature has shown that …


Multi-Level Elections In Western Europe: Determinants Of Voting And The Role Of Salience., Jeremy Johns Jan 2012

Multi-Level Elections In Western Europe: Determinants Of Voting And The Role Of Salience., Jeremy Johns

Plymouth Business School Theses

Previous comparative research into the determinants of voting using aggregate data has suffered from two limitations: it relied predominantly on country-level data; and it seldom ventured beyond a consideration of one or two types of elections. In order to overcome these shortcomings, we use an original dataset in which data are aggregated to sub-national units; and include examples of national, sub-national, and supra-national elections. A total of 66 elections between 1995 and 2008 are included, drawn from ten Western European countries: Belgium, England, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden. For each country, the same sub-national geographical …