Digital Commons Network^™

Robustness Of Rasch Fit Statistics In Dichotomous And Rating Scale Data, Samantha Estrada Aguilera

Dissertations

To understand the role of fit statistics in Rasch measurement, it is necessary to comprehend why fit is important in measurement. The answer to this question is simple: applied researchers can only benefit from the desirable properties of the Rasch model when the data fit the model; however, the currently available fit statistics are flawed. A problem with fit statistics which are based on residuals is that they are based on unknown distributional properties (Masters & Wright, 1997; Ostini & Nering, 2006). Rost and von Davier (1994) developed the Q-Index. The Q-Index makes use of the statistical properties of the …

A Com Parison Of Classical And Quantum Implement Ations Of A Random Number Generator: An Introduction To Quantum Computing, Charlotte Coffin

Honors College Theses

Quantum computers have potential to contribute to advancements in many disciplines including chemistry, material science, and artificial intelligence. As quantum computers become more accessible, there is a greater need for people to understand quantum computation to spearhead such advancements. This thesis discusses the basics of quantum computing, including fundamental concepts and a literature review. In order to demonstrate how quantum computation works, a random number generator is implemented on a quantum computer simulator and compared to a random number generator implemented on a classical computer. The results of the two experiments are compared. The results show that a quantum random …

A Remote Observatory For Geocoronal Hydrogen Emissions, Margaret A. Gallant

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The Investigating Near Space Interaction Regions (INSpIRe) observatory is an adaptable research facility that is designed to use Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) to study the faint Balmer series emissions of the terrestrial upper thermosphere and exosphere, collectively known as the geocorona. This instrumentation is designed to be deployable to a clear-air site, necessitating remote operations of the entire observatory, including control and monitoring. The facility currently employs a siderostat to allow for pointing at sky targets, a pressure-tuned dual-etalon FPI to allow for high spectral resolution (R_80,000) measurements, and several charge-coupled device (CCD) imagers for guiding and collecting data. The environment …

Nonlinear Sliding Mode Observer Applied To Microalgae Growth, Rebecca J. Griffith

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Modeling biological processes, such as algae growth, is an area of ongoing research. The ability to understand the multitude of parameters that influence this system provides a platform for better understanding the dynamics of microalgae growth. Empirical modeling efforts look to understand sources of driving nutrients that influence harmful algal blooms (HABs). These harmful algal blooms are dense aggregates that have an increasingly negative impact on local economics, marine and freshwater systems, and public health. They result from a high influx of nitrogen and nutrients that drive the algae biomass to exponentially grow. This growth blocks out the sun, potentially …

Design And Implementation Of Intelligent Guidance Algorithms For Uav Mission Protection, Karina Rivera

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In recent years, the interest of investigating intelligent systems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have increased in popularity due to their large range of capabilities such as on-line obstacle avoidance, autonomy, search and rescue, fast prototyping and integration in the National Air Space (NAS). Many research efforts currently focus on system robustness against uncertainties but do not consider the probability of readjusting tasks based on the remaining resources to successfully complete the mission. In this thesis, an intelligent algorithm approach is proposed along with decision-making capabilities to enhance UAVs post-failure performance. This intelligent algorithm integrates a set of path planning …

Control Driven Scaling Effects Of Motor And Rotors For Urban Air Mobility Design, Agustin A. Giovagnoli

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Through this thesis research the problem of controllability and propulsion associated with scaling-up consumer drones to vehicles that may carry significantly larger payloads, including passenger will be analyzed and tested. Controllability is mainly compromised due to the increasing response time of a larger rpm controlled rotor. This requires a more powerful motor, which translates into heavier and larger devices compromising the thrust-to-weight ratio. Collective pitch control at constant rpm is proposed as a first approach to mitigate the controllability problem, and it is tested in a MATLAB Simulink environment. This solution, linked to a Non-linear Dynamic Inversion controller, is simulated …

The Goldilocks Approach: A Review Of Employing Design Of Experiments In Prokaryotic Recombinant Protein Production, Barry Ryan, Albert Uhoraningoga, Gemma K. Kinsella, Gary T. .. Henehan

Articles

The production of high yields of soluble recombinant protein is one of the main objectives of protein biotechnology. Several factors, such as expression system, vector, host, media composition and induction conditions can influence recombinant protein yield. Identifying the most important factors for optimum protein expression may involve significant investment of time and considerable cost. To address this problem statistical models, such as Design of Experiments (DoE), have been used to optimise recombinant protein production. This review explores the application of DoE in the production of recombinant proteins, focusing on prokaryotic expression systems with a specific emphasis on media composition and …

Exploring Potential Water-Ice Occurrence On Asteroid 4 Vesta Using Orbital Radar Observations By The Dawn Mission, Elizabeth M. Palmer

Dissertations

Airless, differentiated planetesimals in the inner solar system were presumed to have been depleted of most of their initial volatile content during formation. However, water-ice has been discovered at the lunar poles (Li et al., 2018), is inferred to exist in polar craters on Mercury (e.g., Butler, Slade & Muhleman, 1993, and suggested to survive beneath the dusty regolith of objects in the main asteroid belt if buried at sufficient depths—at least one meter for small-bodies in the outer main-belt (Schorghofer, 2008). Hence, the study of volatile occurrence, past or present, on airless, desiccated small-bodies provides insights into the timing, …

The Debye Temperature Of A Single Crystal Thorium–Uranium Dioxide Alloy, Christina L. Dugan, Christopher M. Young, Rodney Carmona, Mitchell Schneider, James C. Petrosky, James Mann, Eric Hunt, John W. Mcclory

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Strong Mutation-Based Test Generation Of Xacml Policies, Roshan Shrestha

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

There exist various testing methods for XACML policies which vary in their overall fault detection ability and none of them can detect all the (killable) injected faults except for the simple policies. Further, it is unclear that what is essential for the fault detection of XACML policies. To address these issues, we formalized the fault detection conditions in the well-studied fault model of XACML policies so that it becomes clear what is essential for the fault detection. We formalized fault detection conditions in the form of reachability, necessity and propagation constraint. We, then, exploit these constraints to generate a mutation-based …

Numerical Study Of Singular And Delta Shock Solutions Using A Large Time Step Method, Ilija Jegdic

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

We illustrate recently proposed large time step method for hyperbolic conservation laws. In the scalar case, it was proved earlier that if the approximate solutions converge boundedly, then they converge to the entropy solution. The main goal of this paper is to consider the large time step method for several systems of hyperbolic conservation laws. We compute approximate solutions to Riemann problems for three genuinely nonlinear one-dimensional systems (the Keyfitz-Kranzer system, the isentropic generalized Chaplygin gas dynamics equations, and the isentropic gas dynamics equations for polytropic gases with vanishing pressure). Besides approximating solutions that contain shocks and rarefaction waves, the …

Montclair Magazine (Fall/Winter 2018), Montclair State University

Montclair: The magazine of Montclair State University

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Special Issue: Entrepreneurial Universities And Emerging Scholars 2018

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Case Study Of Engineering Phd Students’ Career Decision-Making Processes Using A Bounded Agency Model

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

An Analytical Model Of Material Deformation In Rotary Friction Welding Of Thin-Walled Tubes, Caleb James Brown

Theses and Dissertations

A new model of the material flow in rotary friction welding of tubes is proposed. The material flow proposed is based on 3D scans of welds performed with tungsten tracers. The tracers indicate a bifurcation of flow into two deformation paths. A different analysis is performed on each path.The material in Path 1 interacts with the weld interface and exhibits large amounts of azimuthal flow. Previous analytical investigations that have analytically modelled the weld interface as a non-Newtonian fluid are used to calculate the strain rate in this zone.The material in Path 2 transitions from axial to primarily radial flow. …

Cake Cam: Take Your Photo And Be In It Too, Candice Lynn Davis

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we explore a different kind of computer-mediated collaboration (CMC) in which two people collaborate to perform a single task in a time-sensitive asymmetric situation wherein one person is more invested in the outcome than the other is. Our conjecture is that interactive computing can quickly communicate intent, which may help mediate time-sensitive asymmetric tasks between two people. We explore this idea specifically in the context of asking a stranger to take one's picture at a tourist site. Consider a tourist handing a cell phone to a complete stranger and asking the stranger to take the tourist's picture …

The Bird And The Fish: Motion Field-Based Frame Interpolation In The Context Of A Story, Thomas Sterling Ellsworth

Theses and Dissertations

Animating by hand can be a long and challenging process in part because of the necessity of drawing every frame by hand. 3D animation media minimize this problem with the use of automatically interpolated frames, but despite significant research no universally acceptable techniques have been demonstrated for 2 dimensional interpolation. In this paper we explore computer-assisted optimizations to the animation pipeline. Specifically, we utilize 3D motion fields to create more realistic in-between frames for sets of 2D ``key frames.'' We demonstrate our method by using it to create 2D special effects for a 30-second clip of an animated short film.

Internal Deformation Measurements And Optimization Of Synthetic Vocal Fold Models, Cassandra Jeanne Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Developing lifelike vocal fold models is challenging due to various associatedbiomechanical complexities. Nevertheless, the development and analysis of improved vocal foldmodels is worthwhile since they are valuable tools for gaining insight into human vocal foldvibratory, aerodynamic, and acoustic response characteristics. This thesis seeks to contribute tothe development of computational and physical vocal fold modeling in two ways. First is byintroducing a method of obtaining internal deformation fields within vibrating synthetic vocal foldmodels; second is by presenting an optimization algorithm coupled with a computational vocalfold model to optimize geometry and stiffness of a synthetic vocal fold model to achieve morerealistic vibration …

Usable Security And Privacy For Secure Messaging Applications, Elham Vaziripour

Theses and Dissertations

The threat of government and corporate surveillance around the world, as well as the publicity surrounding major cybersecurity attacks, have increased interest in secure and private end-to-end communications. In response to this demand, numerous secure messaging applications have been developed in recent years. These applications have been welcomed and publically used not just by political activists and journalists but by everyday users as well. Most of these popular secure messaging applications are usable because they hide many of the details of how encryption is provided. The strength of the security properties of these applications relies on the authentication ceremony, wherein …

Improving The Quality Of Neural Machine Translation Using Terminology Injection, Duane K. Dougal

Theses and Dissertations

Most organizations use an increasing number of domain- or organization-specific words and phrases. A translation process, whether human or automated, must also be able to accurately and efficiently use these specific multilingual terminology collections. However, comparatively little has been done to explore the use of vetted terminology as an input to machine translation (MT) for improved results. In fact, no single established process currently exists to integrate terminology into MT as a general practice, and especially no established process for neural machine translation (NMT) exists to ensure that the translation of individual terms is consistent with an approved terminology collection. …

Penetration Depth Variation In Atomic Layer Deposition On Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Forests, David Alan Kane

Theses and Dissertations

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) of Al2O3 on tall multiwalled carbon nanotube forests shows concentration variation with the depth in the form of discrete steps. While ALD is capable of extremely conformal deposition in high aspect ratio structures, decreasing penetration depth has been observed over multiple thermal ALD cycles on 1.3 mm tall multiwalled carbon nanotube forests. SEM imaging with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy elemental analysis shows steps of decreasing intensity corresponding to decreasing concentrations of Al2O3. A study of these steps suggests that they are produced by a combination of diffusion limited delivery of precursors with increasing precursor adsorption site …

Origami-Based Design Of Fold States And Stability, Alex Avila

Theses and Dissertations

Origami is a potentially elegant and powerful source of inspiration for many engineering designs. The viable shapes (fold states) of a single device allow it to perform multiple, seemingly contradictory, functions. The fold state is a large factor in the device's performance, but there are challenges in selecting and maintaining those fold states. In this thesis we analyze existing concepts for overcoming these challenges. Those concepts are compared with those that occur in origami-based devices. From this analysis fundamental gaps were identified, specifically, shortcoming in the terminology used to refer to (1) non-flat origami states and (2) sets of facets …

The Design, Construction, And Thermal Diffusivity Measurements Of The Fluorescent Scanning Thermal Microscope (Fstm), Samuel Hunter Hayden

Theses and Dissertations

Over the life of nuclear fuel, inhomogeneous structures develop, negatively impacting thermal properties. New fuels are under development, but require more accurate knowledge of how the properties change to model performance and determine safe operational conditions. Measurement systems capable of small–scale, pointwise thermal property measurements and low cost are necessary to measure these properties and integrate into hot cells where electronics are likely to fail during fuel investigation. This project develops a cheaper, smaller, and easily replaceable Fluorescent Scanning Thermal Microscope (FSTM) using the blue laser and focusing circuitry from an Xbox HD-DVD player. The FSTM also incorporates novel fluorescent …

Flow Adaptive Video Object Segmentation, Fanqing Lin

Theses and Dissertations

We tackle the task of semi-supervised video object segmentation, i.e, pixel-level object classification of the images in video sequences using very limited ground truth training data of its corresponding video. Recently introduced online adaptation of convolutional neural networks for video object segmentation (OnAVOS) has achieved good results by pretraining the network, fine-tuning on the first frame and training the network at test time using its approximate prediction as newly obtained ground truth. We propose Flow Adaptive Video Object Segmentation (FAVOS) that refines the generated adaptive ground truth for online updates and utilizes temporal consistency between video frames with the help …

Oxidation Of Carbon Monoxide Over Ceria And Alumina Supported Palladium Catalysts, John Davis Gary

Theses and Dissertations

Palladium catalysts on both Al2O3 and CeO2, supports were studied for efficacy in low temperature carbon monoxide oxidation. Calcination temperatures were varied between 500-900°C for alumina supported catalysts and shown to have no significant difference in activity. X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy studies revealed structural changes associated with palladium states and reacted catalysts and displayed a change from palladium oxide (PdO) to native palladium oxide (PdOx) and elemental palladium (Pd). Activity studies were conducted on all catalysts synthesized and indicated that Pd/Al2O3 achieved 100% CO conversion at 150°C when calcined at 500°C and pretreated with reduction process. Pd/CeO2 showed higher activity and …

Let’S Talk About It: Special Education Communication Barriers With General Education Teachers, Claire Going, Edith Diaz, Clarissa Carrillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focus of this Capstone Project is the communication barriers between Special Education and General Education educators. The importance of this issue is the lack of time given in order for all subject departments to have efficient time to collaborate during the school year. The negative effects on teachers are then reflected on students academic achievements. Unfortunately, this has issue has been around for decades yet no effective methods have been put in place. Methods that have been considered are more teacher training, peer-mediated instruction, and time allotment between Special Education and General Education teachers. Data was collected from interviews …

Free Trade And Corporate Social Responsibility: Ethical Dilemmas In Global Economic Development, Sarah Papion

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Through the lens of the free-trade-optimist, it is black and white: corporations bring jobs, and jobs equal a happy and healthy economy. A major oversight in this neoliberal Utopian ideology is that corporations are not in the business of building communities, nor do they have an interest in keeping their operations stationary enough to allow economic growth to occur over a span of years. Corporations abandon communities as quickly as they arrive to find their next cheap labor hub. Quite contradictory to the original purpose of free trade, economic growth in Free Trade Zones is not long term or secure. …

Robust Secure Transmission Of Using Main-Lobe-Integration-Based Leakage Beamforming In Directional Modulation Mu-Mimo Systems, Feng Shu, Wei Zhu, Xiangwei Zhou, Jun Li, Jinhui Lu

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we make an investigation of robust beamforming for secure directional modulation in the multiuser multiple-input and multiple-output systems in the presence of direction angle measurement errors. When statistical knowledge of direction angle measurement errors is unavailable, a novel robust beamforming scheme of combining main-lobe-integration and leakage is proposed to simultaneously transmit multiple different independent parallel confidential message streams to the associated multiple distinct desired users. The proposed scheme includes two steps: designing the beamforming vectors of the useful confidential messages and constructing artificial noise (AN) projection matrix. Here, in its first step, the beamforming vectors for the …

A Novel Ultrasound Imaging Technique Using Random Signals, Anahita Khalilzadeh

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Ultrasound imaging has been used extensively because of its benign nature and relatively low cost implementation. The most common approach for forming an image is Brightness Mode (B-Mode), which uses an array with dynamic focusing. Focus is performed through Phase Shifters that are bulky and complicated components which increases the device cost.

This research describes a new method to form an Ultrasound image, without relying on phase shifting. The proposed method offers a lower cost solution compared to the B-Mode systems and overcomes some of their inherent limitations.

Cooperative Learning In Math Education, Leah Kane

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine whether cooperative learning benefits students in the content area of math. Data was collected for this project over a two-week period of time. Qualitative data in the form of observation was taken while students worked in their cooperative learning groups. Quantitative data was incorporated by looking at the progress of students towards their math-learning goal. The math-learning goal being assessed throughout the following research is on subitizing. More specifically, students will be able to subitize the number of dots seen on a ten frame after having looked at the ten …