The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research, 2017

Modeling temporal sequences plays a fundamental role in various modern applications and has drawn more and more attentions in the machine learning community. Among those efforts on improving the capability to represent temporal data, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) has achieved great success in many areas. Although the LSTM can capture long-range dependency in the time domain, it does not explicitly model the pattern occurrences in the frequency domain that plays an important role in tracking and predicting data points over various time cycles. We propose the State-Frequency Memory (SFM), a novel recurrent architecture that allows to separate dynamic patterns across different frequency components and their impacts on modeling the temporal contexts of input sequences. By jointly decomposing memorized dynamics into state-frequency components, the SFM is able to offer a fine-grained analysis of temporal sequences by capturing the dependency of uncovered patterns in both time and frequency domains. Evaluations on several temporal modeling tasks demonstrate the SFM can yield…

We built an acoustic, gesture-based recognition system called Multiwave, which leverages the Doppler Effect to translate multidimensional movements into user interface commands. Our system only requires the use of a speaker and microphone to be operational, but can be augmented with more speakers. Since these components are already included in most end user systems, our design makes gesture-based input more accessible to a wider range of end users. We are able to detect complex gestures by generating a known high frequency tone from multiple speakers and detecting movement using changes in the sound waves. We present the results of a user study of Multiwave to evaluate recognition rates for different gestures and report error rates comparable to or better than the current state of the art despite additional complexity. We also report subjective user feedback and some lessons learned from our system that provide additional insight for future applications of multidimensional acoustic gesture recognition.

This paper presents a new scalable approach, termed Innovation Pursuit (iPursuit), to the problem of subspace clustering. iPursuit rests on a new geometrical idea whereby each subspace is identified based on its novelty with respect to the other subspaces. The subspaces are identified consecutively by solving a series of simple linear optimization problems, each searching for a direction of innovation in the span of the data. A detailed mathematical analysis is provided establishing sufficient conditions for the proposed approach to correctly cluster the data points. Moreover, the proposed direction search approach can be integrated with spectral clustering to yield a new variant of spectral-clustering-based algorithms. Remarkably, the proposed approach can provably yield exact clustering even when the subspaces have significant intersections. The numerical simulations demonstrate that iPursuit can often outperform the state-of-the-art subspace clustering algorithms - more so for subspaces with significant intersections - Along with substantial reductions in computational complexity.

This paper focuses on modeling and predicting human driving behavior, with the long term goal of anticipating the behavior of the driver before dangerous situations occur. We formulate this problem as a Learning from Demonstration problem, and show how standard supervised learning methods do not perform well in this task. The main contribution of this paper is a new approach we call indirect prediction. The key idea of indirect prediction is not to predict the behavior directly, but rather to build a model that predicts how certain features of the world state will change over time, and then use those to predict the necessary behavior in order to achieve those changes. We show how this apparently counterintuitive idea directly addresses one of the key reasons for which supervised learning does not perform well for LfD. In addition, we show how using ideas from context-based reasoning can also improve the accuracy of behavior modeling.

A remarkably simple, yet powerful, algorithm termed Coherence Pursuit for robust Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is presented. In the proposed approach, an outlier is set apart from an inlier by comparing their coherence with the rest of the data points. As inliers lie in a low dimensional subspace, they are likely to have strong mutual coherence provided there are enough inliers. By contrast, outliers do not typically admit low dimensional structures, wherefore an outlier is unlikely to bear strong resemblance with a large number of data points. As Coherence Pursuit only involves one simple matrix multiplication, it is significantly faster than the stateof- the-art robust PCA algorithms. We provide a mathematical analysis of the proposed algorithm under a random model for the distribution of the inliers and outliers. It is shown that the proposed method can recover the correct subspace even if the data is predominantly outliers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first provable robust PCA algorithm that is simultaneously noniterative, can tolerate a large number of…

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This study examined the cognitive and affective factors that influence users' post-adoption behavioral intention. Specifically, based on the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) (Bhattacherjee, 2001b) the impact of cognitive factors (i.e., perceived usefulness, confirmation of expectations, mobility, personalization and responsiveness) and affective factors (i.e., satisfaction, perceived enjoyment) on hotel branded mobile applications (apps) users' continuance intention and WOM were examined. Hospitality firms invest considerable resources on technology solutions that are aimed at improving the consumer experience. However, for investments to be profitable firms must ensure that technology solutions are continuously used and ensure post-adoptive behaviors such as continuance intention and WOM. Data for the study were collected from 550 hotel branded mobile app users. After data were collected and cleaned, Partial Least-Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. The results of the structural model indicated that continuance intention and WOM were…

Stereoscopic projection-based augmented reality (AR) is a promising technology for creating an effective illusion of virtual and real objects coexisting within the same space. By using projection technology, two-dimensional (2D) textures as well as three-dimensional (3D) virtual objects can be displayed on arbitrary physical objects. However, depending on the geometry of the projection surface, even a single virtual object could be projected with varying depths, orientations, and forms. For these reasons, it is an open question whether or not a geometrically-correct projection leads to a consistent depth perception of the AR environment. We performed an experiment to analyze how humans perceive depths of objects that are stereoscopically projected at different surfaces in a projection-based AR environment. In a perceptual matching task the participants had to adjust the depth of one of two visual stimuli, which were displayed at different depths with varying parallaxes, until they estimated the depths of both stimuli to match. The results indicate that the effect of parallax on the…

With advancement in technology, building structures are becoming bigger and more complex. Incidences of horrifying fires that occur in such complex structures resulting in loss of property as well as lives are recorded worldwide. Emergency evacuation training can play a crucial role in mitigating damage not only in cases of fire, explosion or chemical spill but also in cases of natural calamities like floods and hurricanes. Conventional safety training provided in industries mostly comprises of unidirectional flow of information. Due to this passive learning style, response of employees in real life emergency situations is known to be ineffective. The proposed research focuses on the development of virtual emergency evacuation safety training for residents, workers and employees. This research developed a 3 dimensional (3D) virtual fire safety and emergency evacuation training for building occupants. A 3D model of a real engineering college building in the University of Central Florida (UCF) was developed in a virtual world and participants could interact with various objects and…

Researchers have argued that teacher education programs fail to prepare effective teachers for the increasing English language learner (ELL). In response to the under preparedness of pre-service teachers (PSTs) for ELLs, the authors designed a six-module online lab course for a group of 22 TESOL minor PSTs. The content of the modules included knowledge of ELLs and their parents, the socio-political context of teaching ELLs, and strategies of teaching knowledge and content to ELLs. PSTs reported they benefited from the learning opportunities these modules provided, including: familiarizing them with the challenges ELLs faced, the importance of and ideas for involving ELLs' families in teaching, and acquiring practical strategies of teaching/interacting with ELLs

This research study examined the work conditions, ergonomic problems, and prevalence of pain among low wage hotel room cleaners in Orlando. In most hotels, the cleanliness of guestrooms is one of the most important service standards expected by customers. The role of the housekeeper is thus critical to service provision and hotel profitability. The hospitality industry is a major recruiter of low wage workers with the majority working in housekeeping departments. Due to the nature of the research problem, a positivist quantitative approach was adopted although the survey instrument included space for qualitative comments to some of the latter open-ended questions. The survey instrument used in this study was adapted from validated survey instruments used in previous studies about the occupational health of hotel housekeepers. Data was collected from 177 hotel housekeepers. The local union of hotel housekeepers assisted with data collection from hotel housekeepers in local hotels in Orlando. The questions were specific and relevant to housekeeping department work conditions. An…

Additive Manufacturing (AM) continues to gain popularity for its ability to produce complexly-shaped final use components that are impractical to manufacture by traditional methods; however, additive manufactured parts contain complex mesostructures that result in directionally-dependent mechanical properties that have yet to be fully characterized. This effort demonstrates a framework of experimental and analytical methods needed to characterize the uniaxial monotonic behavior of fused deposition modeling PLA using tensile and compressive experiments on specimens printed at various orientations. Based on experimental results, the asymmetry and anisotropy of the tensile and compressive response was analyzed for a candidate material. Specimens from different orientations underwent microscopy and failure surface analysis to correlate test data. The material was observed to exhibit tetragonal behavior with tensile-compressive asymmetry. The experimental and simulated results show a strong correlation. Based on the collection of results, analysis, and computations, this work…

Accelerated bridge construction (ABC) is being increasingly used in new bridge construction and repair. ABC typically requires prefabricated elements joined with mechanical couplers. Grouted sleeves (GSs) offer good construction tolerances and load transfer between precast elements. However, previous research identified some performance issues with precast columns employing GS connections for seismic regions. Therefore, there is a need to develop improved connection details. This research consists of three components; testing of six large-scale precast reinforced concrete column models, a series of individual component tests on GS bar splices, and analytical studies. Large-scale, precast column models were designed and experimentally tested using a shifted plastic hinge (SPH) concept to minimize the damage in the capacity-protected elements and retain the column ductility. The column testing matrix considered aspect ratio, moment gradient, and splicing details. Column models were tested in an upright cantilever configuration under quasi-static cyclic load. Results showed that SPH…

We propose to further extend preliminary investigations of the nature of the problem of evolving practice problems for learners. Using a refinement of a previous simple model of interaction between learners and practice problems, we examine some of its properties and experimentally highlight the role played by the number of values each gene may take in our encoding of practice problems. We then experimentally compare both a traditional - P-CHC - and Pareto-based - P-PHC - variants of cevolutionary algorithms. Comparisons are conducted with respect to the presence of noise in fitness evaluations, the number of values genes may take, and two distinct fitness functions. Each fitness captures an aspect of the nature of learner-problem interaction but one has been shown to induce overspecialization pathologies. We then summarize our findings in terms of guidelines on how to adapt evolutionary algorithms to tackle the task of evolving practice problems.

Natural disasters, human errors, and technical issues have caused disastrous blackouts to power systems and resulted in enormous economic losses. Moreover, distributed energy resources have been integrated into distribution systems, which bring extra uncertainty and challenges to system restoration. Therefore, the restoration of power distribution systems requires more efficient and effective methods to provide resilient operation. In the literature, using Q-learning and multiagent system (MAS) to restore power systems has the limitation in real system application, without considering power system operation constraints. In order to adapt to system condition changes quickly, a restoration algorithm using Q-learning and MAS, together with the combination method and battery algorithm is proposed in this study. The developed algorithm considers voltage and current constraints while finding system switching configuration to maximize the load pick-up after faults happen to the given system. The algorithm consists of three parts. First, it finds switching configurations using Q-learning.…

Periodic gratings, such as Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSSs) and EBG (electromagnetic band gap) structures, are used in a wide variety of electromagnetic applications and are typically analyzed under the assumption that they are infinite periodic. Since the real-word structures are necessarily finite, and are derived by truncating the corresponding infinite structures, it is of interest to determine how large the finite structure needs to be so that it mimics its infinite counterpart. A related question is how to extrapolate the simulation results of a finite structure to predict the performance of the corresponding infinite structure in a computationally efficient manner. The objectives of this work are to address both of these questions and to present a novel computational technique which hybridizes analytical and numerical techniques to provide the answers. We illustrate the application of the proposed technique by considering the test case of plane wave scattering by a strip grating and investigate the asymptotic behavior of the solution for the current on a truncated periodic…

Sleep is known to influence basic tasks concerning working memory, reaction time and executive functioning (Silva, Wang, Ronda, Wyatt, & Duffy, 2010; Nebes, Buysse, Halligan, Houck, & Monk, 2009). However, the amount that sleep influences these functions varies from study to study possibly due to differences in age and task design. Aim 1A of this study is to determine if sleep quality affects working memory. Aim 1B of this study is to determine if age affects sleep quality and working memory in comparison of young and old adult populations. Finally, Aim 2 of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between sleep quality, working memory, and decision making in the younger adults. These aims were researched using a validated and commonly used sleep questionnaire: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In addition, the study utilized an n-back test to measure working memory and executive functioning, and an economic decision task to measure decision making accuracy. Results show that sleep quality did not significantly influence accuracy on an n-back test in either age…

In the case of educators of adolescents in the dynamic process of English acquisition, it is our goal to increase the fulfillment and success of the students we are privileged to serve through nurturing their academic, emotional, personal, social, and civic development. It is, therefore, essential that educators understand the implementation and impact of teaching through a framework of care.

This thesis examines the effect of population losses from outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague on capital investment for labor saving technology in England. The cities in Middlesex and Norfolk advance the economy in their surrounding areas. Northumberland's access to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne did not house as much wealth for Coquetdale and Glendale. However, Edward I's constant investment in the recently acquired Scottish territory provided the area with income from the crown. While the decrease in population was catastrophic and presented social turmoil, the surviving population continued to make economic adjustments. The economic adaptations provided relief to a strained population. Trade should have diminished along the same rate as population. Mills, therefore, also should have decreased in a similar manner. However, commerce increased faster than the population in areas of England. As this study has shown, people were extracting loans and maintaining mills in the hundreds and wards. The continued investigations into milling property highlights the interest from local creditors. The number…

Glass-ceramics (GC) are promising candidates for gradient refractive index (GRIN) optics. These multi-phase, composite materials also exhibit improved physical properties as compared to the parent base glass resulting from the formation of a secondary crystalline phase(s). Nanocrystal phase formation in a multi-component chalcogenide glass (ChG), (GeSe2-3As2Se3)(1-x)-(PbSe)x glass where x = 0-40 has been investigated, and the role of the starting material morphology has been correlated to the resulting composite's optical properties including refractive index, transmission, dispersion, and thermo-optic coefficient. Optical property evolution was related to the type and amount of the crystal phases formed, since through control of the local volume fraction of crystalline phase(s), the effective material properties of the composite can locally be varied. Through computational and experimental studies, tailored nanocomposites exhibiting gradient index properties have been realized. A Raman spectroscopic technique was developed as a means to spatially quantify the extent of conversion…

Speakers often refer to context only implicitly when using lan-guage. The utterance “it’s warm outside” could signal it’swarm relative to other days of the year or just relative to thecurrent season (e.g., it’s warm for winter). Warm vaguely con-veys that the temperature is high relative to some contextualcomparison class, but little is known about how a listener de-cides upon such a standard of comparison. Here, we formalizehow world knowledge and listeners’ internal models of speechproduction can drive the resolution of a comparison class incontext. We introduce a Rational Speech Act model and de-rive two novel predictions from it, which we validate using aparaphrase experiment to measure listeners’ beliefs about thelikely comparison class used by a speaker. Our model makesquantitative predictions given prior world knowledge for thedomains in question. We triangulate this knowledge with afollow-up language task in the same domains, using Bayesiandata analysis to infer priors from both data sets

Early alert systems have been recognized as a high impact practice designed to improve student engagement and student success. Early alert is designed to identify students with at-risk behaviors early in the semester before they decide to drop-out, withdraw, or fail their classes, using resources such as a predictive analysis tool or advising. For an early alert to be successful and efficient, faculty should be included in the process of early alert. This qualitative study examined faculty's perspective and experiences when implementing early alert strategies and intervention in a two-year institution. Using Cranton's seven facets of transformative learning as a conceptual framework, this study examined the changes, perception, and experiences of faculty as a result of implementation. The literature reviews best practices that can be considered when faculty designs their early alert strategies and intervention. Participants shared their During and After Implementation Journal experience by completing reflection journals. After careful analysis of their journals and initial…

Nearly one-third of children in the United States (U.S.) are overweight or obese and at a higher risk for numerous comorbidities. School nurses are ideally positioned to contribute to strategic childhood obesity prevention (COP) efforts, but there are substantial variations with their involvement in COP practices. The research question posed was: “Are personal, professional, and/or job-related characteristics associated with school nurse engagement in child-level or school-level childhood obesity prevention practices?” In this descriptive cross-sectional study, Florida school nurses (N = 171) were recruited via email and two professional conferences to complete an anonymous online or paper survey. Items included questions about various characteristics and how often they performed certain COP practices. Engagement in COP practices was measured on a Likert-type scale with response options of 1 = never; 2 = rarely; 3 = sometimes; 4 = often. Data analyses included correlations, t tests, and ANOVA to determine associations between personal, professional, and job-related characteristics…

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Continuous improvement projects (CIPs), such as Kaizen events, Six Sigma projects, Lean Six Sigma projects, and quality improvement projects, have been used to improve processes and system performance in organizations. Although CIPs have a determinant role in continuous improvement initiatives, research concerning the use of CIPs in hospitals is relatively new. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify the main research topics addressed, including research methods and analysis tools used, in scholarly works on CIPs in hospitals. A systematic literature review was conducted, which identified 302 academic publications (journals, conference proceedings, and dissertations/theses). The research design characteristics were evaluated using bibliometric analysis identifying a high concentration of publications focused on describing CIP implementations, using case studies as research methods, and applying several problem-solving tools. These findings suggest that CIPs in hospitals is an emerging research field with opportunities to conduct empirical investigations, increasing the…

Teachers, special and general educators alike, are required to teach a variety of students including students with ASD. With a rise in the prevalence of autism by 119.4% since 2000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016) and 39% of students with ASD being served in general education classrooms for over 80% of the school day (U.S. Department of Education, 2015), teachers need to be prepared to effectively teach this population. To better prepare teachers, the researcher conducted a two-phase study, situated in the framework of the Skill Acquisition Model (Dreyfus & Dreyfus, 1986) to explore the behaviors of novice and expert teachers in a simulated secondary inclusive environment. This classroom included a virtual student with autism. In phase one, the researcher conducted a Delphi Study to determine the best practices, perceived by experts in the field, for teachers who serve students with ASD in inclusive secondary environments. During phase two, the researcher used the list of skills identified as a framework to observe and interview 10 teachers, five novices and…

Agent-based modeling has been criticized for its apparent lack of establishing causality of social phenomena. However, we demonstrate that when coupled with evolutionary computation techniques, agent-based models can be used to evolve plausible agent behaviors that are able to recreate patterns observed in real-world data, from which valuable insights into candidate explanations of the macro-phenomenon can be drawn. Existing methodologies have suggested the manual assembly and comparison or automated selection of pre-built models on their ability to fit patterns in data. We discuss the cons of existing manual approaches and how evolutionary model discovery, an evolutionary approach to explore the space of agent behaviors for plausible rule-sets, can overcome these issues. We couple evolutionary model discovery with concepts from the Agent_Zero framework, ensuring social connectivity, emotional theory components and rational mechanisms. In this study, we revisit the farm-seeking strategy of the Artificial Anasazi model, originally designed to simply select the closest potential farm…

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The effectiveness of monetary policy moving forward from the subprime mortgage crisis has come into question by academics and economists from around the world. The unconventional monetary policy tools implemented have left central banks in a tough spot in terms of an exit from these policies in an environment where economic growth and inflation targets still have not been reached ten years after the onset of the recession. One of the main criticisms by economists is the prolonged easy monetary policy implemented by central banks, which have left interest rates at near zero levels since the recession and are just now beginning to cautiously consider raising rates. In this paper, I examined the relationship between GDP growth and economic variables that could possibly affect it, including interest rates, unemployment, labor force participation rates, shadow interest rates, stock market performance, and bond market performance. I studied the relationship by running regressions on time series data collected from the economies and central banks of the United States, European Union, and…

Statistics is a course that is required for a majority of undergraduate college students in a wide variety of majors. It is not just required for Statistics or Mathematics majors, but also for those undergraduate college students majoring in Biology, Engineering, Sociology, and countless other majors. It can often be seen as a daunting course, especially for those who feel that mathematics is not their strongest subject. Students begin to dislike the course before even starting and this can carry on throughout the entirety of the course. This thesis will focus primarily on students’ perceptions and attitudes toward their statistics courses rather than their performance. Many courses are taught a specific way that is conducive to all learning styles, which may lead to the students not enjoying or understanding their statistics course. The students’ learning style may also be correlated to their attitude and perception of statistics. The goal of this thesis is to better understand the college students in order to adapt the current methods so that student can enjoy the course,…

In this work, we investigate how the order in which tasks are considered to be acted upon by probabilistic agents with time-variant response thresholds within a fully decentralized multiagent system may affect task allocation, task fulfillment levels, specialization tendencies, and system robustness. The tested ordering schemas are: (1) ascending subjective action threshold, (2) descending objective task stimulus, (3) descending action probability P as defined by (Theraulaz, Bonabeau, and Deneubourg 1998) which combines both subjective threshold and objective stimulus, and (4) a random ordering to serve as a baseline for comparison. As the behavior of real-world systems tends to stem from complex interactions of multiple system aspects, we expand our analysis by further breaking down each of these ordering approaches into positive vs. negative reinforcement under different learning and forgetting rates for updating agent response thresholds.

Existing research on the subject of terrorism is vast, spanning causes of terrorism, the membership of terrorist groups, types of terrorist attacks, and more. One area of terrorism research, though, has received only limited consideration: terrorist target selection. What research does exist explains target selection almost exclusively as a function of ideology (Asal et al. 2009, 270 and 274; Drake 1998b, 54-56 and 58). However, such a limited causal focus obscures other possible, and probable, explanations of terrorist target selection. This paper proposes an alternative explanation of terrorist target selection that includes ideological and terrorist group capability variables, as well as a variable measuring the security levels in the geographic areas in which terrorist attacks take place. A research design employing multiple ordinary least squares regression is utilized. The findings demonstrate the importance of the independent variables, as well as the significance of the effects of the two-way and three-way interactions of variables from the three categories. Furthermore, the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school district spending on Internet access and student achievement, defined by graduation rates, in the state of Florida. Internet funding received for Internet access from E-rate funding administered by the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC) and graduation rates of the 67 school districts in the state of Florida were compared. Further, the data were adjusted for socio-economic status (SES) to determine the relationship between school districts' SES and spending on Internet access. Lastly, school district connectivity and bandwidth were examined to determine whether the ConnectED initiative requirements were related to student achievement and the implementation of school district digital learning programs. E-rate funding and graduation rates were not correlated. Regression and multiple regression analyses demonstrated that Internet spending, bandwidth, and ratio of computers to students did not statistically predict graduation rates during the years of the study.

In recent years, traffic agencies have begun to place emphasis on the importance of pedestrian safety. In the United States, nearly 70,000 pedestrians were reported injured in 2015. Although the number only account for 3% of all the people injured in traffic crashes, the number of pedestrian fatalities is still around 15% of total traffic fatalities. Furthermore, the state of Florida has consistently ranked as one of the worst states in terms of pedestrian crashes, injuries and fatalities. Therefore, it is befitting to focus on the pedestrian safety. This dissertation mainly focused on pedestrian safety at both midblock crossings and intersections by using micro-simulation and driving simulator. First, this study examined if the micro-simulation models (VISSIM and SSAM) could estimate pedestrian-vehicle conflicts at signalized intersections. A total of 42 video-hours were recorded at seven signalized intersections for field data collection. The observed conflicts from the field were used to calibrate VISSIM and replicate the conflicts. The calibrated and validated VISSIM model…

This research examined the possibility that personality traits play a part in career longevity and job satisfaction in the education field. The current study examined trends among the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) and their relation to job satisfaction in the elementary classroom. This researcher hypothesized that some common personality traits that are shared by teachers who persist in the classroom for five or more years, who are satisfied with their jobs and do not intend to leave. This researcher hypothesized that more experienced teachers would be high in Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness. This researcher hypothesized that less experienced teachers would have Big Five personality scores that are more diverse than those of experienced teachers and that are more representative of the personalities of the general population. This researcher also hypothesized that teachers who score higher in the areas of Neuroticism and lower on Conscientiousness and Extraversion, would be dissatisfied with…

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a modified judo training program on psychosocial health in both typically developing (TD) and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using a mixed-methods approach. METHODS: The sample consisted of 5 children with ASD and 5 TD children (age=8-11yrs) who participated in 10 sessions of a modified judo program during their typical physical education time for school. Psychosocial factors (enjoyment, perceived competence, benefits of PA) were assessed at baseline and post intervention, with completion of all measures dependent upon the level of comfort expressed by the participant. At the end of the program, children took part in focus group discussions centered around their experience with the program, while key school staff participated in semi-structured interviews based on their observations of the program. All focus group discussions and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. RESULTS: Quantitative results for pre and post psychosocial measures showed no significant differences existed between PA…

This thesis focuses on the development of a flexible, physics-based life prediction approach for steels under complex conditions. Low alloy steels continue to be the materials of choice for large turbomachinery structures experiencing high temperatures for long durations. There has been significant advancement in the research of modern alloys; furthermore, these materials are continue to be utilized in boilers, heat exchanger tubes, and throttle valve bodies in both turbomachinery and pressure-vessel/piping applications. The material 2.25Cr-1Mo is studied in the present work. The resistance of this alloy to deformation and damage under creep and/or fatigue at elevated temperatures make it appropriate for structures required to endure decades of service. Also, this material displays an excellent balance of ductility, corrosion resistance, and creep strength under aggressive operating conditions. Both creep-fatigue (CF) and thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) have been the limiting factor for most turbine components fabricated from various alloys; therefore, a life prediction approach is…

The effect of low visibility on both crash occurrence and severity is a major concern in the traffic safety field. Different approaches were utilized in this research to analyze the effects of fog on traffic safety and evaluate the effectiveness of different fog countermeasures. First, a "Crash Risk Increase Indicator (CRII)" was proposed to explore the differences of crash risk between fog and clear conditions. A binary logistic regression model was applied to link the increase of crash risk with traffic flow characteristics. Second, a new algorithm was proposed to evaluate the rear-end crash risk under fog conditions. Logistic and negative binomial models were estimated in order to explore the relationship between the potential of rear-end crashes and the reduced visibility together with other traffic parameters. Moreover, the effectiveness of real-time fog warning systems was assessed by quantifying and characterizing drivers' speed adjustments through driving simulator experiments. A hierarchical assessment concept was suggested to explore the drivers' speed adjustment…

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Framing is important for specification and verification of object-oriented programs. This dissertation develops the local reasoning approach for framing in the presence of data structures with unrestricted sharing and subtyping. It can verify shared data structures specified in a concise way by unifying fine-grained region logic and separation logic. Then the fine-grained region logic is extended to reason about subtyping. First, fine-grained region logic is adapted from region logic to express regions at the granularity of individual fields. Conditional region expressions are introduced; not only does this allow one to specify more precise frame conditions, it also has the ability to express footprints of separation logic assertions. Second, fine-grained region logic is generalized to a new logic called unified fine-grained region logic by allowing the logic to restrict the heap in which a program runs. This feature allows one to express specifications in separation logic. Third, both fine-grained region logic and separation logic can be encoded to unified fine-grained region…

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This is a comprehensive, but accessible text that introduces students to the fields of human factors and ergonomics. The book is intended for undergraduate students, written from the psychological science perspective along with various pedagogical components that will enhance student comprehension and learning. This book is ideal for those introductory courses that wish to introduce students to the multifaceted areas of human factors and ergonomics along with practical knowledge the students can apply in their own lives.

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This inspiring book shows how the spiritual side of life, with its thoughts, feelings, and aspirations, is intimately bound up with our material technologies. From the wonder of Gothic Cathedrals, to the quiet majesty of lighter than air flight, to the ultimate in luxury of the north Atlantic steamers, Peter Hancock explores how these sequential heights of technology have enabled our dreams of being transported to new and uncharted realms to become reality. Sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively, technology has always been there to make material the visions of our imagination. This book shows how this has essentially been true for all technologies from Stonehenge to space station. But technology is far from perfect. Indeed, the author argues here that some of the most public and tragic of its failures still remain instructive, emblematic, and even inspiring. He reports on examples such as a Cathedral of the Earth (Beauvais), a Cathedral of the Seas (Titanic), and a Cathedral of the Air (Hindenburg) and tells their stories from the viewpoint of material transcendence. By…

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We investigate some relations between number theory and spectral measures related to the harmonic analysis of a Cantor set. Specifically, we explore ways to determine when an odd natural number m generates a complete or incomplete Fourier basis for a Cantor-type measure with scale g.

Arab Muslim immigrant women encounter many stressors and are at risk for depression. Social supports from husbands, family and friends are generally considered mitigating resources for depression. However, changes in social support over time and the effects of such supports on depression at a future time period have not been fully addressed in the literature This thesis investigated the relationship between demographic characteristics, changes in social support, and depression in Arab Muslim immigrant women to the USA. A sample of 454 married Arab Muslim immigrant women provided demographic data, scores on social support variables and depression at three time periods approximately six months apart. Various statistical techniques at our disposal such as boxplots, response curves, descriptive statistics, ANOVA and ANCOVA, simple and multiple linear regressions have been used to see how various factors and variables are associated with changes in social support from husband, extended family and friend over time. Simple and multiple regression analyses are carried out to see if any…