Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of High School Academics On Freshman College Mathematics And Science Courses At Suny Oswego, Tolga Hayali

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Familial Allocentrism And Ethnic Identity Salience Among Asian Indians Living In The United States, Vasudev N. Dixit

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Elastic And Inelastic Stability Of Two-Panel Tiered Concentrically Braced Frames, Michael Bloom

Master's Theses (2009 -)

ABSTRACT

ELASTIC AND INELASTIC STABILITY OF TWO-PANEL TIERED CONCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAMES

Michael H. Bloom, B.S.

Marquette University, 2013

Multi-panel, tiered concentrically braced frames are commonly used in the lateral resisting systems of industrial facilities for loads resulting from wind and earthquake. To date, minimal investigation has been performed on the effect of gravity and lateral loads on the local and global (system) stability of these framing systems.

Recent research has evaluated the effects of in-plane and out-of-plane bending moments induced by inelastic brace deformation and transverse notional loads on the stability of columns in a two-panel concentrically braced frame with …

Foot And Ankle Injuries In Variable Energy Impacts, Kathryn Gallenberger

Master's Theses (2009 -)

A total of 60 pendulum impacts to the plantar surface of 15 lower limb PMHS were conducted. Impact conditions were chosen to obtain data from high velocity tests without injury to model an under-vehicle landmine blast. For 19 impacts the specimen was initially positioned in 20-deg of dorsiflexion. The remaining impacts used neutral positioning.

The foot and ankle response was investigated based on impact energy and velocity. Response was characterized by heel pad and ankle joint stiffness. For neutral tests, axial force vs. compression corridors were developed for 2-3 m/s, 4-6 m/s, and 7-63 J impacts. For dorsiflexion tests corridors …

Icanlearn: A Mobile Application For Creating Flashcards And Social StoriesTm For Children With Autistm, Aaron Zaffke

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The number of children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is on the rise, presenting new challenges for their parents and teachers to overcome. At the same time, mobile computing has been seeping its way into every aspect of our lives in the form of smartphones and tablet computers. It seems only natural to harness the unique medium these devices provide and use it in treatment and intervention for children with autism.

This thesis discusses and evaluates iCanLearn, an iOS flashcard app with enough versatility to construct Social Stories^TM. iCanLearn provides an engaging, individualized learning experience to …

Modeling And Testing Of R23/R134a Mixed Refrigerant System With Water Cooled Separator For Low Temperature Refrigeration, Nicholas Hugh

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Low temperature (LT, -35 °C to -50 °C) and ultra low temperature (ULT, -50 °C to -100 °C) refrigeration is required in the life sciences industry for the production and storage of biological systems. The minimum practical storage temperature of a simple, single-stage refrigeration system is -30 °C, and this is incapable of meeting the requirements of biotechnology applications. Current LT and ULT refrigeration systems utilize cascade systems, which are combinations of single-stage refrigeration systems operating at successively lower temperatures. Because they use multiple compressors, cascade systems have higher capital and operating costs than simple single-stage vapor compression refrigeration systems. …

Experimental Determination Of The Pull-Out Strength Of Cast-In Lifting Inserts In Precast Hollow-Core Plank, Salvador Murra

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Hollow-Core precast plank is a commonly used building component. The

common method to lift and erect these planks is through the use of slings. This method

has several drawbacks and has spurred on the current effort to investigate and determine

the capacity of lifting inserts post-installed into the top of precast hollow-core planks.

The insert that was studied is the P-52 "Swift Lift" Insert supplied by Dayton-Superior.

Physical testing of 16 inserts was done to aid in determining the tensile capacity

of the insert. The insert was a 3/4" diameter steel insert by 5 1/2" long and it was post …

Bayesian Estimation For Tracking Of Spiraling Reentry Vehicles, Juan Esteban Tapiero Bernal

Master's Theses (2009 -)

This thesis presents a development of a physics-based dynamics model of a spiraling atmospheric reentry vehicle. An analysis of the trajectory characteristics, using elements from differential geometry lead to a relationship of the state of the vehicle to the spiraling of motion. The Bayesian estimation framework for nonlinear systems is introduced showing the theoretical basis of the estimation techniques. Two estimation algorithms, extended Kalman filter and particle filter are presented, their mathematical formulation and implementation characteristics.

Different trajectories that can be represented by the model are introduced and analyzed, showing the spiraling behavior that can be described by the model. …

Determination Of Optimal Counter-Mass Location In Active Prostheses For Transfemoral Amputees To Replicate Normal Swing, Michael Telwak

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Transfemoral amputees suffer the loss of the knee and ankle joints, as well as partial or complete loss of many of the lower extremity muscle groups involved in ambulation. Recent advances in lower limb prostheses have involved the design of active, powered prosthetic knee and ankle-foot components capable of generating knee and ankle torques similar to that of normal gait. The associated onboard motors, conditioning/processing, and battery units of these active components result in increased mass of the respective prosthesis. While not an issue during stance, this increased mass of the prosthesis affects swing. The goal of this study is …

A Robust Wheel Interface With A Novel Adaptive Controller For Computer/Robot-Assisted Motivating Rehabilitation, Andrew R. Theriault

Master's Theses (2009 -)

TheraDrive is a low-cost robotic system for post-stroke upper extremity rehabilitation. This system uses off-the-shelf computer gaming wheels with force feedback to help reduce motor impairment and improve function in the arms of stroke survivors. Preliminary results show that the TheraDrive system lacks a robust mechanical linkage that can withstand the forces exerted by patients, lacks a patient-specific adaptive controller to deliver personalized therapy, and is not capable of delivering effective therapy to severely low-functioning patients.

A new low-cost, high-force haptic robot with a single degree of freedom has been developed to address these concerns. The resulting TheraDrive consists of …

Energy Efficient Data-Intensive Computing With Mapreduce, Thomas S. Wirtz

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Power and energy consumption are critical constraints in data center design and operation. In data centers, MapReduce data-intensive applications demand significant resources and energy. Recognizing the importance and urgency of optimizing energy usage of MapReduce applications, this work aims to provide instrumental tools to measure and evaluate MapReduce energy efficiency and techniques to conserve energy without impacting performance.

Energy conservation for data-intensive computing requires enabling technology to provide detailed and systemic energy information and to identify in the underlying system hardware and software. To address this need, we present eTune, a fine-grained, scalable energy profiling framework for data-intensive computing on …

Stereotype Threat In The Introductory Science Classroom: Investigating Its Existence And Triggers, Shanda Deleen Lauer

Biological Sciences

Research in undergraduate education has documented achievement gaps between men and women in math and physics that may reflect, in part, a response to perceived stereotype threat. My research efforts aimed to reduce achievement gaps by mediating the impact of stereotype threat in introductory science classrooms with a short, values-affirmation writing exercise. The purpose of this research was to (1) investigate and compare the performance of women and men across introductory science sequences (biology, biochemistry, physics), (2) document endorsement of stereotype threat, (3) investigate the utility of a values-affirmation writing task in reducing achievement gaps, (4) provide a meta-analysis of …

A Technical Framework For Resource Synchronization, Martin Klein, Robert Sanderson, Herbert Van De Sompel, Simeon Warner, Bernhard Haslhofer, Carl Lagoze, Michael L. Nelson

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This is the second paper in D-Lib Magazine about the ResourceSync effort conducted by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) and the Open Archives Initiative (OAI). The first part provided a perspective on the resource synchronization problem and introduced a template that organized possible components of a resource synchronization framework in a modular manner. This paper details a technical framework devised using that template.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2012/2013, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted 2012/13
--- Degree Summary 2012/13
--- Program Certificates 2012/13
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

The Economic Impact Of Des Moines Parks & Recreation Services, Kristine Fleming, Oksana Grybovych, Brian Gedlinske, Wade P. Kooiman, Jill Lankford, Sam Lankford

Other Faculty and Staff Publications

Park and recreation programs provided by the City of Des Moines deliver services that have a range of benefits or values to residents, businesses, economy, and local government. Many of these benefits are often overlooked and rarely quantified. The purpose of this effort is to quantify the economic value received due to the operation of the City of Des Moines’ Parks and Recreation Department. These values are arranged to reflect factors that produce revenue for the city government, wealth increasing factors for citizens and businesses, cost saving factors to citizens, and cost saving factors for the city government.

Included in …

Possessing Brazil In Print, 1630-54, Elizabeth Sutton

Faculty Work

The maps of Brazil published during the tenure of the Dutch Republic’s possession of the territory (1630–54) share common features that demonstrate how existing conventions in rhetoric and iconography were used by publishers to convey Dutch ownership. In the maps, the land was visually controlled by ground plans distinguishing cultivated and occupied lands from uncultivated, unoccupied territory, and the texts drew upon contemporary legal and engineering theories developed from antique precedents. Texts and images of Pernambuco published by Claes Jansz Visscher and by Joan Blaeu served as important means for defining the Dutch nation by reinforcing Dutch conceptions of property …

Does Baby Sign Open The Door To Second Language Learning?, Nicole A. Hulme

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to determine the relationship between an infant's acquisition of Baby Sign and their ability to acquire a second language later in life. An explanation of why infancy is a critical time for language development will be presented and information about the impact of Baby Sign on an infant's development will be provided. There are many research and popular claims regarding Baby Sign that will be discussed, in addition to research findings concerning second language learning. Based on this research, conclusions about the connection between Baby Sign and second language learning will be drawn …

A Study Of The Genes Tfl1 And Lfy As Agents In The Divergent Evolution Of The Plant Species Arabidopsis Thaliana And Carica Papaya, Ryan Lockard

Honors Program Theses

The long term goals of this study are to: (1) To determine if the genes TFLI and LFY perform any role in the divergent evolution and development of these two plant species; (2) If so, begin to assess whether the homologs' functional divergence is a result of gene regulation, protein function, both, or some different genetic mechanism altogether. These goals will be accomplished by genetically transforming Arabidopsis thaliana plants containing TFLI and LFY knockout mutations (those genes removed) with the homologous genes from Carica papaya in order to compare differences in development between the plants resulting from the influence of …

A Bank Erosion Hazard Index (Behi) Study Of Dry Run Creek, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Cara Wright

Honors Program Theses

Dry Run Creek is a watershed located in Cedar Falls; Iowa and it is on a list of the state's impaired waterways. One reason it may be impaired is that there is excessive erosion in the stream. This study assessed the Bank Erosion Hazard Index of portions of the creek to determine erosion hotspots. The majority of the banks in all the branches had a Low score, meaning that the BEHI was less than 11.9. The minimum BEHI score is O and the maximum score is 40. The lower the score, the better the condition of the bank. Portions of …

A Mesh Generation And Machine Learning Framework For Drosophila Gene Expression Pattern Image Analysis, Wenlu Zhang, Daming Feng, Rongjian Li, Andrey Chernikov, Nikos Chrisochoides, Christopher Osgood, Charlotte Konikoff, Stuart Newfeld, Sudhir Kumar, Shuiwang Ji

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: Multicellular organisms consist of cells of many different types that are established during development. Each type of cell is characterized by the unique combination of expressed gene products as a result of spatiotemporal gene regulation. Currently, a fundamental challenge in regulatory biology is to elucidate the gene expression controls that generate the complex body plans during development. Recent advances in high-throughput biotechnologies have generated spatiotemporal expression patterns for thousands of genes in the model organism fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Existing qualitative methods enhanced by a quantitative analysis based on computational tools we present in this paper would provide …

Intensity-Based Skeletonization Of Cryoem Gray-Scale Images Using A True Segmentation-Free Algorithm, Kamal Al Nasr, Chunmei Liu, Mugizi Rwebangira, Legand Burge, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Cryo-electron microscopy is an experimental technique that is able to produce 3D gray-scale images of protein molecules. In contrast to other experimental techniques, cryo-electron microscopy is capable of visualizing large molecular complexes such as viruses and ribosomes. At medium resolution, the positions of the atoms are not visible and the process cannot proceed. The medium-resolution images produced by cryo-electron microscopy are used to derive the atomic structure of the proteins in de novo modeling. The skeletons of the 3D gray-scale images are used to interpret important information that is helpful in de novo modeling. Unfortunately, not all features of the …

Gpu-Optimized Code For Long-Term Simulations Of Beam-Beam Effects In Colliders, Y. Roblin, V. Morozov, B. Terzić, M. Aturban, D. Ranjan, M. Zubair

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We report on the development of the new code for long-term simulation of beam-beam effects in particle colliders. The underlying physical model relies on a matrix-based arbitrary-order symplectic particle tracking for beam transport and the Bassetti-Erskine approximation for beam-beam interaction. The computations are accelerated through a parallel implementation on a hybrid GPU/CPU platform. With the new code, a previously computationally prohibitive long-term simulations become tractable. We use the new code to model the proposed medium-energy electron-ion collider (MEIC) at Jefferson Lab.

The Effect Of Gamma Radiation On Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors When Used As Radiation Dosimeters, Des Baccini

Theses : Honours

The effects of Gamma Radiation on Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs), when used as a radiation dosimeter, was proposed. The focus of this study centred on the FBG performance, and in particular the Bragg Wavelength Shift (BWS) whilst being exposed to ionizing radiation. Current research suggests that certain types of fibres manufactured by varying methods produce different results. The different responses to exposure from gamma irradiation between Germanium (Ge) doped optical fibres, with and without Hydrogen loading, along with the standard SMF-28 fibre with Hydrogen, were used and results noted and compared to previous work. The FBG’s in each fibre were …

Undefined Genre, Or, A Study Into Work Reliant On Visual Art Mediums To Transform The Protagonist Function Of The Human Body In Performance, Tony Currie

Theses : Honours

This thesis is a study into performance art, specifically examples of work in which the artist engages with a physical object or visual arts medium to create a work of art in the presence of an audience. The subsequent work of art created can vary from works on paper, to living structures, or any other physical and tangible structure. I have addressed the audience demographic of performance art, the genre’s conceptual genesis, its ephemeral nature, and its commoditisation to analyse its relevance to the current artistic climate. During my study, an importance has been placed on live performance, not on …

The Stigmatisation Of Alcohol And Other Drug Services, Kim Eaton

Theses : Honours

People who are dependent on alcohol and other drugs (AOD) are often stigmatised. Evidence suggests that the people who provide AOD users with health and welfare supports also feel the stigma experienced by users. However, the literature supporting this proposition consists of inadvertent findings and findings generalised from other populations. A systematic review of the limited research into stigma experienced by people working in the AOD field was conducted. This involved a multi-phase database, journal and website search, with additional hand searching of relevant referenced articles. Overall, 146 relevant studies were found, 38 of which were applicable to this review, …

Communication Disorders And Indigenous Australians : A Synthesis And Critique Of The Available Literature, Jasmyn Hall

Theses : Honours

Purpose: To synthesise and critique the available diverse literature related to communication disorders experienced by Indigenous Australians. This is in order to provide health professionals with a resource guide for evidence based decision making. The review has a specific focus on prevalence, assessment and effective treatment of communication disorders and explores these across the lifespan.

Method: A three phase systematic search process was adopted. A number of key databases, speech pathology journals and grey literature sources were searched to obtain articles relevant to the research aims. Two researchers independently rated articles for inclusion as well as methodological quality using the …

Fathers At Birth : Women's Experiences Of Their Partner's Presence During Childbirth, Sarah Dlugosz

Theses : Honours

Childbirth is an ordeal of nature. It is an experience that elicits a range of emotions for the labouring woman; recognition of which has highlighted women’s needs for psychological support during the birth process. Research has shown that a mother’s perception of a positive birth is influenced by how supported she feels throughout her experience. In Australia it is common practice for the labouring woman’s partner to be her main support person; however research into women’s experiences of this phenomenon is scarce. This research aimed to explore the lived experiences of women in this context, asking the question “what meaning …

Self-Efficacy And Nutrition Knowledge Of Parents In Western Australia, Karen Lombardi

Theses : Honours

Background: Poor dietary choices and increasingly sedentary lifestyles mean childhood obesity is an increasing problem. Parents have the capacity to significantly affect the food choice of children; therefore by improving their self-efficacy, their nutrition knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, and by providing access to sound nutritional information, the health of children may be improved.

Purpose: This research sought to gather preliminary information required to inform the development of nutrition education materials for parents, which will parallel those currently under development for teaching children in schools as part of the Australian curriculum. Research has demonstrated that while educating children about healthy eating …

Improving Functional Outcomes For Children And Adolescents With Anxiety Related Disorders Through Occupational Thrapy : A Narrative Review ; Perceptions Of The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Community Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs), Paula J. Anderson

Theses : Honours

Background/Aim: Children and adolescents experiencing anxiety find it challenging to maintain optimal occupational performance, thus the specific role of occupational therapy in the management of anxiety requires investigation. This narrative review examines the current available literature surrounding the use of occupational therapy approaches for children and adolescents experiencing anxiety.

Methods: Academic journals as well as a variety of sources were considered, due to the paucity of literature surrounding this topic. Articles were included if they discussed the occupational therapy role in treatment of children experiencing anxiety symptoms, including anxiety related disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive …

Speech And Language Processes In Children Who Stutter Compared To Those Who Do Not Within An Oral Narrative Task, Sarah Pillar

Theses : Honours

Background and Purpose: Language ability in children who stutter has been linked to the occurrence of stuttering, however, the validity of research supporting this connection has been recently questioned. Previous research, within this area, has been limited by methodological confounds, such as lack of appropriately matched comparison groups, and the use of measures with insufficient sensitivity to potentially examine the subtle differences between children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS). Frequent hesitations or pauses are defining characteristics of the speech of people who stutter. However, little is known about the nature and frequency of the pauses …