Digital Commons Network^™

Is The Smartphone Smart In Kathmandu?, Seth Bird

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This is the extensive study of the smartphone in the developing country of Nepal, specifically the Kathmandu valley. Throughout my research I conducted various interviews with businesses, Tibetan refugees, and Nepali millennials (18yrs-33yrs) with the goal of identifying how the smartphone is used and understood. I chose the Kathmandu valley as my main area of research because the usage of smartphones in rural Nepal is extremely limited, and the valley represents the economic hub where progressive thinking flourishes. As a main objective I sought to understand how, if at all, the smartphone is used differently between Nepal and America. All …

The Potential Of Exogenous Fatty Acids In Breast Tissue Engineering, Richard Thomas Pace

All Dissertations

More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States, where the majority will undergo a lumpectomy procedure and then radiotherapy as preventative treatment. Both artificial and tissue transplants may obscure the detection of cancer recurrence or limit the effectiveness of radiation treatment. Previous research in our laboratory has been performed to develop injectable lumpectomy void fillers. This body of work seeks to continue and further develop the technology of the void fillers and further investigate the potential of fatty acids in breast tissue engineering.

Literature suggests that lipid peroxidation products from free fatty acids …

Perspectives Of Elementary Teachers And Ethiopian Immigrant Parents On Parent-Teacher Relations And The Education Of Ethiopian Children, Keno Abdeta Nagasa

Dissertations

This multi-case dissertation describes a qualitative inquiry into the experiences of Ethiopian immigrant parents and elementary school teachers with respect to their perspectives on their relationship for serving the educational needs of select Ethiopian children. Data obtained from interviews and observations of three Ethiopian parents and three elementary school teachers in a large school district in the Rocky Mountain region demonstrated that (a) there was similarity across cases regarding lack of teacher preparation in working with diverse students; (b) barriers to communication between parents and teachers include language and cultural differences and parents‘ invisibility in schools; (c) parents are unfamiliar …

Seeing Below The Surface With Electrical Resistivity Tomography: Exploring The Deepest Reaches Of Arkansas' Tallest Prehistoric Mounds, James Robert Zimmer-Dauphinee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite decades of research and over a century of public interest, the most prominent features at Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park, Mound A and Mound B, remain virtually unexamined by modern archaeological techniques, and poorly understood. The tremendous scale and importance of these mounds makes most standard research methods difficult if not impossible. Electrical Resistivity Tomography, a geophysical technique rarely used in North America, was employed to survey both Mound A and Mound B, resulting in models of the subsurface that provide insights into the construction, modification and condition of the mounds.

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine 2014, Fall (Volume 49 No. 2), Noel T. Manning Ii

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine

Gardner-Webb, The Magazine, previously titled The Webb Magazine, focuses on alumni news and campus events from Gardner-Webb College; now Gardner-Webb University. This issue was the Hermes Creative Awards Platinum Winner for print publications: magazine category. The HCA is administered by the Association of Marketing & Communications Professionals (AMCP).

Performance Measures For The Analysis Of Rural Public Transit In Alabama, Michael Anderson, Tahmina Khan

Journal of Public Transportation

As rural public transit systems are vital to the livelihood of rural Americans, improving the operations of these systems is the focus of this work. The use of performance measures to evaluate operation is essential to maintain growth and avoid becoming stagnant. The main goal of this study was to examine existing performance measures (PM) and modify them to allow for comparison of performance among rural transit agencies in Alabama. The tasks presented in this paper are a review of performance measures, data collection, and data analysis for agencies in Alabama. The report concludes that performance measures can be developed …

Onebusaway Multi-Region – Rapidly Expanding Mobile Transit Apps To New Cities, Sean J. Barbeau, Alan Borning, Kari Watkins

Journal of Public Transportation

Real-time transit information offers many benefits to transit riders, including reduced wait times and increased customer satisfaction. However, offering real-time transit services has been challenging for many transit agencies. While mobile applications (apps) have emerged as a preferred dissemination method for real-time information, it is typically cost-prohibitive for transit agencies to fund custom development of native mobile apps for all popular smartphone platforms. Third-party developers can offer services if an agency openly shares real-time data, but these individuals are volunteers whose priorities and deadlines may not be the same as the agency’s. As a result, few cities have full app …

A Transit Technology Selection Model, Jeffrey M. Casello, Geoffrey Mcd. Lewis, Kevin Yeung, Deborah Santiago-Rodríguez

Journal of Public Transportation

This paper presents an easy-to-use model to assist in technology selection for transit planning. The model computes annual costs for two technologies—currently BRT and LRT—for a system with characteristics specified by the user and from “real-world” operating data. The model computes the annualized capital and operating costs over a wide range of demand; it also calculates location-specific, energy-related emissions for both technologies’ operations. Most importantly, the model allows the user to test the sensitivity of the technology selection result to nearly all inputs. The model is applied to a recent case in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, to verify its functionality. The …

Measuring Public-Transport Network Connectivity Using Google Transit With Comparison Across Cities, Subeh Chowdhury, Avishai Ceder, Bruno Velty

Journal of Public Transportation

The aim of the study was to construct a framework to determine interconnectivity among public transport routes using the information provided by Google Transit and to apply this framework to appraise and compare the network connectivity of Auckland, London, and Paris. Google Transit provides both spatial and network data that are sourced directly from transport agencies, thus making it an efficient tool for retrieving the data required to measure connectivity. This study contributes to previously-developed methodologies for determining connectivity by (a) including the qualitative measures, which are smoothness of transfer and information availability, along with the quantitative measures, and (b) …

Evaluating The Performance Of Public Urban Transportation Systems In India, Omkarprasad S. Vaidya

Journal of Public Transportation

Evaluating the performance of public transportation systems facilitates operational improvement and strategic decisions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative performance of 26 public urban transportation organizations in India using various criteria. We grouped these 19 criteria as Operations, Finance, and Accident-based. First, we evaluated the importance of these criteria groups using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Then, we evaluated the organizations (Decision Making Units, DMUs) using various criteria within each criteria group using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Finally, a ransportation Efficiency Number (TEN) was developed that quantified the overall performance of the DMUs considering the 19 …

Agglomerama, Lee Anne Fennell

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

Urbanization presents students of commons dilemmas with a pressing challenge: how to achieve the benefits of proximity among people and land uses while curbing the negative effects of that same proximity. This piece, written for the 2014 BYU Law Review Sy

Inspiration For Muse 2015: Artists' Hands, St. Petersburg Arts Alliance

Marketing, Presentations & Publications

No abstract provided.

Journal Of Cave And Karst Studies, Volume 76, No. 3, December 2014, Malcom S. Field

KIP Articles

Contents: Integrated Geophysical and Geological Investigations of Karst Structures in Komberek, Slovakia -- Possible Cavern-Forming Activity at Millennial Time Scales and Its Impact on Variations in Submarine Cave Environments and Habitat Availability, Okinawa, Japan -- Modern Pollen Record on Bat Guano Deposit from Siju Cave and Its Implication to Palaeoecological Study in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya, India -- Ground Penetrating Radar Investigation of Limestone Karst at the Odstrzelona Cave in Kowala, Swietokrzyskie Mountains, Poland -- Three-Dimensional Mobile Mapping of Caves -- Improved Karst Sinkhole Mapping in Kentucky Using LiDAR Techniques: A Pilot Study in Floyds Fork Watershed -- Sinkholes …

Engineering Design Challenge, Lindsay B. Wheeler, Brooke A. Whitworth, Amanda L. Gonczi

Publications

No abstract provided.

Task Driven Design Of Mechanisms And Robotic Systems Using Kinematic Mapping And Fourier Schemes, Xiangyun Li

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation deals with the problem of task driven design of mechanisms and robotic systems via Fourier and Kinematic Mapping schemes. Task driven design requires that the synthesis process be initiated from the task motion itself rather than from a specific mechanism or robotic system. In other words, extrinsic or intrinsic characteristics of task path or motion is considered as the driving force to the synthesis of mechanisms and robotics systems. Kinematic Mapping approach is applied in the framework of task driven design to synthesize multi-degrees-of-freedom planar and spatial manipulators in a unified way. We present novel, unified, and simultaneous …

The Role Of Matrix Metalloproteinases In Oligodendrocyte Development, Cindy Viviana Leiton

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are characterized by their capacity for proliferation, migration, and maturation into myelinating oligodendrocytes. Among the known molecular mechanisms that regulate OPC development are 1) the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein laminin that is known to regulate OPC development as it is required for timely oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination, and 2) an oligodendroglial laminin receptor, dystroglycan, which regulates oligodendrocyte morphology and maturation. ECM proteins and receptors can be remodeled by proteolytic enzymes known as the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), but little is known regarding these events and their consequent functions in CNS development and regeneration. While the laminin-dystroglycan adhesion …

Photobioreactor Design For Improved Energy Efficiency Of Microalgae Production, Alexander Burns

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Photobioreactor Design for Improved Energy Efficiency of Microalgae Production

Alexander Burns

The objective of this research was to investigate a new photobioreactor (PBR) design for microalgae production that retains the typical advantages of existing tubular PBRs while reducing power consumption by providing simultaneous culture circulation and gas exchange with airlift alone and no centrifugal recirculating pump. Traditional tubular PBR designs feature a compressed air supply and a centrifugal pump for culture circulation and gas exchange. Circulation and gas exchange in a closed-system PBR is necessary to keep the algae suspended and to provide sufficient mass transfer (mainly for the …

Tools For Financing Local Bicycle And Pedestrian Improvements: Moving From Planning To Implementation In A Fiscally Constrained Environment, Elissa Mcdade

Master's Theses

Communities across the United States, of all sizes, have accepted that maintaining the automobile-centric design of their cities is not a sustainable way to plan for the future growth, public health or safety of their cities or citizens. As a result, communities have begun to embrace a shift in their design and engineering standards to allow for pedestrian and bicycle friendly facilities that safely accommodate and encourage mode choice. Through the collective will of the public and city leadership, communities are rapidly moving toward implementing plans and design standards that re-establish the public right of way as safe and accessible …

A Performance Study And Characterization Of A Single Use Pharmaceutical Vibrational Mixer Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Michael C. Eichermueller

Master's Theses

A single use pharmaceutical mixer was analyzed for performance with various system configurations using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The analysis was conducted across a range of oscillation frequencies and liquid fill levels within a fully sealed mixing tank to determine the rate of fluid homogenization, liquid shear, velocity profiles and force application utilizing a single and dual mixer flat plate head configuration. These characteristics are useful for predicting the expected mixing time of a fluid and how much fluid shear is acting on protein cultures that are intended to be grown in the mixing vessel. General trends show that larger fill …

Examining Ambiguities In The Automatic Packet Reporting System, Kenneth W. Finnegan

Master's Theses

The Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is an amateur radio packet network that has evolved over the last several decades in tandem with, and then arguably beyond, the lifetime of other VHF/UHF amateur packet networks, to the point where it is one of very few packet networks left on the amateur VHF/UHF bands. This is proving to be problematic due to the loss of institutional knowledge as older amateur radio operators who designed and built APRS and other AX.25-based packet networks abandon the hobby or pass away. The purpose of this document is to collect and curate a sufficient body …

Growth Media And Lipid Determination Comparison Of High Rate Algae Ponds, Eric Alexander Nicolai

Master's Theses

Growth Media and Lipid Determination Comparison

of High Rate Algae Ponds

Eric Alexander Nicolai

The feasibility of algal biofuel production relies on the use of a non-potable water source. Municipal wastewater is nutrient-rich and a cost effective option as a growth media in algae ponds. However, this resource may be too valuable for algal biomass production, as reclaimed wastewater is needed for surface irrigation and groundwater recharge. This thesis compares the performance of 4.2 m² high rate algal raceway ponds (HRAPs) to 33 m² HRAPs grown on primary settled wastewater during a media recycling study and a growth …

Csbs Kudos, December 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Contents:

-- 2014 CSBS Fall Faculty Meeting
-- 4th Annual Scholarship Event Held
-- Anniversary Honored
-- LIfelong Learning
-- The Next Phase
-- "Big Cats Initiative"
-- Faculty & Staff Kudos
-- Special Guests
-- Student Kudos
-- Alumni Kudos
-- The Semester in Pictures

Dna Chemical Reaction Network Design Synthesis And Compilation, M. Leigh Fanning

Computer Science ETDs

The advantages of biomolecular computing include 1) the ability to interface with, monitor, and intelligently protect and maintain the functionality of living systems, 2) the ability to create computational devices with minimal energy needs and hazardous waste production during manufacture and lifecycle, 3) the ability to store large amounts of information for extremely long time periods, and 4) the ability to create computation analogous to human brain function. To realize these advantages over electronics, biomolecular computing is at a watershed moment in its evolution. Computing with entire molecules presents different challenges and requirements than computing just with electric charge. These …

Advanced Network Inference Techniques Based On Network Protocol Stack Information Leaks, Roya Ensafi

Computer Science ETDs

Side channels are channels of implicit information flow that can be used to find out information that is not allowed to flow through explicit channels. This thesis focuses on network side channels, where information flow occurs in the TCP/IP network stack implementations of operating systems. I will describe three new types of idle scans: a SYN backlog idle scan, a RST rate-limit idle scan, and a hybrid idle scan. Idle scans are special types of side channels that are designed to help someone performing a network measurement (typically an attacker or a researcher) to infer something about the network that …

An Optimal Harvesting Strategy Of A Three Species Syn-Ecosystem With Commensalism And Stochasticity, M. N. Srinivas, A. Sabarmathi, K. S. Reddy, M. A. S. Srinivas

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper we have studied the stability of three typical species syn-ecosystem. The system comprises of one commensal S₁ and two hosts S₂ and S₃ . Both S₂ and S₂ benefit S₁ without getting themselves affected either positively or adversely. Further S₂ is a commensal of S₃ and S₃ is a host of both S₁ and S₂. Limited resources have been considered for all the three species in this case. The model equations of the system constitute a set of three first order non-linear ordinary differential equations. …

Performance Analysis Of A Hybrid Raman Optical Parametric Amplifier In The O- And E-Bands For Cwdm Pons, Sasanthi Peiris, Nicolas Madamopoulos, Neophytos A. Antoniades, Dwight Richards, Roger Dorsinville

Publications and Research

We describe a hybrid Raman-optical parametric amplifier (HROPA) operating at the O- and E-bands and designed for coarse wavelength division multiplexed (CWDM) passive optical networks (PONs). We present the mathematical model and simulation results for the optimization of this HROPA design. Our analysis shows that separating the two amplification processes allows for optimization of each one separately, e.g., proper selection of pump optical powers and wavelengths to achieve maximum gain bandwidth and low gain ripple. Furthermore, we show that the proper design of optical filters incorporated in the HROPA architecture can suppress idlers generated during the OPA process, as well …

Faculty Senate Newsletter, Holiday 2014, Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College

LSU Faculty Senate Publications

Message from President: Christmas, as it was called before it became a generic all-purpose “holiday,” is, at least in the propaganda of western cultures, all about universality: about the day when, so it seemed, the whole world lay at rest, when benefactions went out, if not to all mankind, at least to those on Santa’s good-person list. Christmas, indeed most any winter holiday, depends on the mass distribution of information: on everyone learning (a) that this is the day to keep calm and (b) what it is—what is the cultural and philosophical context—for at least a temporary peace. Everybody’s favorite …

The Economics Of Mitigation Of Water Pollution Externalities From Biomass Production For Energy, Naveen Adusumilli, Taesoo Lee, M. Edward Rister, Ronald D. Lacewell

Faculty Publications

© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. To fulfill the national bioenergy goals of the United States, conversion of marginal lands to intensive biomass crop production and/or application of greater amounts of nutrients to existing cropland could be expected. Such change in agricultural practices could produce unintended environmental consequences such as water quality degradation. Select Best Management Practices (BMPs) are evaluated for water quality mitigation effectiveness as well as for their relative cost-effectiveness, issues that are often ignored in evaluation of biofuels as a sustainable solution for energy demand. The water quality impacts of converting pastureland to intensive …

A Causal Comparative Investigation Into Transactional Versus Transformational Instructional Delivery Style In Two Freshman-Level Humanities Courses At A Southeastern American University, Michael J. Jaynes

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to utilize a causal comparative approach to compare two contrasting instructional delivery styles to determine if there was any difference in final grade outcome between students whose instructors used transactional instructional delivery techniques and students whose instructors used transformational instructional delivery techniques in two lower division undergraduate humanities courses at a southeastern university. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between instructional delivery style and student perception of teacher effectiveness. The primary researcher also examined if student assessment and teacher self-assessment of teacher delivery style would align. The research questions …

A Comparative Analysis Of Instructional Techniques Toward Long-Term Positive Ergonomics Transformation For The Early Career Sonographer, Jody L. Hancock

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The past two decades have demonstrated sonographer work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) rates between 80.0 to 90.4%. A surprising revelation made by sonographers was that educators were not perceived as the primary providers of ergonomics instruction. For these reasons, a mixed methods study was performed, involving a causal-comparative component with a longitudinal perspective, a quasi-experimental element, and limited observations and interviews. The study followed four years of sonography graduates through the early career scan period, comparing transmissional, transactional, and transformational learning results. The study’s goal was to determine whether transformative ergonomics learning in a collaborative and reflective environment could demonstrate a …