Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Aspect Mining Using Multiobjective Genetic Clustering Algorithms, David G. Bethelmy

CCE Theses and Dissertations

In legacy software, non-functional concerns tend to cut across the system and manifest themselves as tangled or scattered code. If these crosscutting concerns could be modularized and the system refactored, then the system would become easier to understand, modify, and maintain. Modularized crosscutting concerns are known as aspects and the process of identifying aspect candidates in legacy software is called aspect mining.

One of the techniques used in aspect mining is clustering and there are many clustering algorithms. Current aspect mining clustering algorithms attempt to form clusters by optimizing one objective function. However, the objective function to be optimized tends …

Automatically Defined Templates For Improved Prediction Of Non-Stationary, Nonlinear Time Series In Genetic Programming, David Moskowitz

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Soft methods of artificial intelligence are often used in the prediction of non-deterministic time series that cannot be modeled using standard econometric methods. These series, such as occur in finance, often undergo changes to their underlying data generation process resulting in inaccurate approximations or requiring additional human judgment and input in the process, hindering the potential for automated solutions.

Genetic programming (GP) is a class of nature-inspired algorithms that aims to evolve a population of computer programs to solve a target problem. GP has been applied to time series prediction in finance and other domains. However, most GP-based approaches to …

A Big Idea: The Rollout Of Open Suny, Karen E. Case

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Leveraging technology may be a viable solution in the higher education industry as enrollments decline and institutions have a hard time meeting their projected budgets. One innovative approach to mitigating this problem was approved in March of 2013 by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (SUNY). It is called Open SUNY. Open SUNY consists of nine components: the creation and expansion of online programs to meet workforce development needs, the development of online credit-bearing experiential learning experiences, support for training of faculty who opt to use emerging technologies, support for student access to online courses, …

Blended Learning For Faculty Professional Development Incorporating Knowledge Management Principles, Julie E. Hewitt

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Adjunct faculty comprise a large percentage of part-time faculty for many colleges and universities today. Adjunct faculty are hired because they are experts in their content areas; however, this does not guarantee that they are skilled in effective classroom management. These instructors can become bewildered and frustrated because they lack the knowledge and skills that are needed to run an effective classroom.

While educational organizations have adopted blended learning environments as an effective delivery method for their students, this method has not gained much traction as a way to deliver instruction to their own employees. Thus, there are opportunities to …

Evaluating The Enterprise Resource Planning (Erp) Systems’ Success At The Individual Level Of Analysis In The Middle East, Mohammad Alzoubi

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Although ERP systems have been depicted as a solution in many organizations, there are many negative reports on ERP success, benefits, and effect on user’s performance. Previous research noted that there is a lack of knowledge and awareness of ERP systems and their overall value to ERP organizations. ERP systems have been widely studied during the past decade, yet they often fail to deliver the intended benefits originally expected. One notable reason for their failures is the lack of understanding in users’ requirements. This dissertation study was designed to understand the relative importance of system quality (SQ), IQ (IQ), service …

An Empirical Study Of Authentication Methods To Secure E-Learning System Activities Against Impersonation Fraud, Shauna Beaudin

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Studies have revealed that securing Information Systems (IS) from intentional misuse is a concern among organizations today. The use of Web-based systems has grown dramatically across industries including e-commerce, e-banking, e-government, and e learning to name a few. Web-based systems provide e-services through a number of diverse activities. The demand for e-learning systems in both academic and non-academic organizations has increased the need to improve security against impersonation fraud. Although there are a number of studies focused on securing Web-based systems from Information Systems (IS) misuse, research has recognized the importance of identifying suitable levels of authenticating strength for various …

Mutable Class Design Pattern, Nikolay Malitsky

CCE Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation proposes, presents and analyzes a new design pattern, the Mutable Class pattern, to support the processing of large-scale heterogeneous data models with multiple families of algorithms. Handling data-algorithm associations represents an important topic across a variety of application domains. As a result, it has been addressed by multiple approaches, including the Visitor pattern and the aspect-oriented programming (AOP) paradigm. Existing solutions, however, bring additional constraints and issues. For example, the Visitor pattern freezes the class hierarchies of application models and the AOP-based projects, such as Spring AOP, introduce significant overhead for processing large-scale models with fine-grain objects. The …

An Experimental Study On The Role Of Password Strength And Cognitive Load On Employee Productivity, Stephen Mujeye

CCE Theses and Dissertations

The proliferation of information systems (IS) over the past decades has increased the demand for system authentication. While the majority of system authentications are password-based, it is well documented that passwords have significant limitations. To address this issue, companies have been placing increased requirements on the user to ensure their passwords are more complex and consequently stronger. In addition to meeting a certain complexity threshold, the password must also be changed on a regular basis. As the cognitive load increases on the employees using complex passwords and changing them often, they may have difficulty recalling their passwords. As such, the …

The Effects Of Time-Compression And Learner-Control In Multimedia Instruction, Jason Alan Pittman

CCE Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant gap in the body of knowledge concerning time-compressed multimedia instruction. Although research indicates that there is no loss in learning through well-designed multimedia instruction compressed at 25%, research is lacking that analyzes the effects of time-compression with learner-control included in the multimedia instruction. The aim of the study was to address this gap in the research by integrating learner-control into the interface of a time-compressed multimedia instructional lesson using similar methodologies from previous research.

Effects were analyzed of time-compressed learner-controlled multimedia instruction on learning and perceived cognitive load. Additionally, the researcher employed a participant population from …

Evaluation Of Supervised Machine Learning For Classifying Video Traffic, Farrell R. Taylor

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Operational deployment of machine learning based classifiers in real-world networks has become an important area of research to support automated real-time quality of service decisions by Internet service providers (ISPs) and more generally, network administrators. As the Internet has evolved, multimedia applications, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), gaming, and video streaming, have become commonplace. These traffic types are sensitive to network perturbations, e.g. jitter and delay. Automated quality of service (QoS) capabilities offer a degree of relief by prioritizing network traffic without human intervention; however, they rely on the integration of real-time traffic classification to identify applications. Accordingly, …

Capturing, Eliciting, And Prioritizing (Cep) Non-Functional Requirements Metadata During The Early Stages Of Agile Software Development, Richard Rabin Maiti

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Agile software engineering has been a popular methodology to develop software rapidly and efficiently. However, the Agile methodology often favors Functional Requirements (FRs) due to the nature of agile software development, and strongly neglects Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs). Neglecting NFRs has negative impacts on software products that have resulted in poor quality and higher cost to fix problems in later stages of software development.

This research developed the CEP “Capture Elicit Prioritize” methodology to effectively gather NFRs metadata from software requirement artifacts such as documents and images. Artifact included the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) artifact which gathered metadata from images. The …

Development Of A Cybersecurity Skills Index: A Scenarios-Based, Hands-On Measure Of Non-It Professionals' Cybersecurity Skills, Melissa Carlton

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Completing activities online are a part of everyday life, both professionally and personally. But, conducting daily operations, interacting, and sharing information on the Internet does not come without its risks as well as a potential for harm. Substantial financial and information losses for individuals, organizations, and governments are reported regularly due to vulnerabilities as well as breaches caused by insiders. Although advances in Information Technology (IT) have been significant over the past several decades when it comes to protection of corporate information systems (IS), human errors and social engineering appear to prevail in circumventing such IT protections. While most employees …

Understanding The Impact Of Hacker Innovation Upon Is Security Countermeasures, Sean M. Zadig

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Hackers external to the organization continue to wreak havoc upon the information systems infrastructure of firms through breaches of security defenses, despite constant development of and continual investment in new IS security countermeasures by security professionals and vendors. These breaches are exceedingly costly and damaging to the affected organizations. The continued success of hackers in the face of massive amounts of security investments suggests that the defenders are losing and that the hackers can innovate at a much faster pace.

Underground hacker communities have been shown to be an environment where attackers can learn new techniques and share tools pertaining …

An Investigation Of Factors That Influence Registered Nurses’ Intentions To Use E-Learning Systems In Completing Higher Degrees In Nursing, Pauline G. Little

CCE Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing demand for more baccalaureate- and graduate-prepared registered nurses in the United States, to face the healthcare challenges of the 21st century. As a strategy to meet this need, educational institutions are expanding electronic learning in nursing education; however, technology acceptance in education continues to be a concern for educational institutions. In this context, the goal of the study was to investigate factors that potentially influence registered nurses’ intentions to adopt e-learning systems. A theoretical model was used to determine whether perceived value, attitude toward e-learning systems, and resistance to change influence registered nurses’ intentions to use …

Assessing Knowledge Management Values By Using Intellectual Capital To Measure Organizational Performance, Thuan L. Nguyen

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Measuring knowledge management performance was one of, if not the most challenging knowledge management activities. This study suggested using intellectual capital as a proxy for knowledge management performance in evaluating its impact on organizational performance. The Value Added Intellectual Coefficient model was employed to measure intellectual capital. Although being used widely in research, the model had its limitations. Also, for intellectual capital measurement, there was a lack of guidelines supported by empirical evidence or best practices. The present study aimed to test the classic and a modified version of this model, and based on the results, shed light on whether …

Using Diversity Ensembles With Time Limits To Handle Concept Drift, Robert M. Van Camp

CCE Theses and Dissertations

While traditional supervised learning focuses on static datasets, an increasing amount of data comes in the form of streams, where data is continuous and typically processed only once. A common problem with data streams is that the underlying concept we are trying to learn can be constantly evolving. This concept drift has been of interest to researchers the last few years and there is a need for improved machine learning algorithms that are capable of dealing with concept drifts. A promising approach involves using an ensemble of a diverse set of classifiers. The constituent classifiers are re-trained when a concept …

An Empirical Investigation Of The Willingness Of Us Intelligence Community Analysts To Contribute Knowledge To A Knowledge Management System (Kms) In A Highly Classified And Sensitive Environment, Robert Hambly

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Since September 11, 2001, the United States Government (USG) has possessed unparalleled capability in terms of dedicated intelligence and information collection assets supporting the analysts of the Intelligence Community (IC). The USG IC has sponsored, developed, and borne witness to extraordinary advances in technology, techniques, and procedures focused on knowledge harvesting, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Knowledge, within successful (effective & productive) organizations, exists as a commodity; a commodity that can be created, captured, imparted, shared, and leveraged. The research problem that this study addressed is the challenge of maintaining strong organizational effectiveness and productivity through the use of an information …

Five-Factor Model As A Predictor For Spoken Dialog Systems, Teresa G. Carter

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Human behavior varies widely as does the design of spoken dialog systems (SDS). The search for predictors to match a user’s preference and efficiency for a specific dialog interface type in an SDS was the focus of this research. By using personality as described by the Five-Factor Method (FFM) and the Wizard of Oz technique for delivering three system initiatives of the SDS, participants interacted with each of the SDS initiatives in scheduling an airline flight. The three system initiatives were constructed as strict system, which did not allow the user control of the interaction; mixed system, which allowed the …

Studies Of The Effectiveness Of Bisphosphonate And Vanadium-Bisphosphonate Compounds In Vitro Against Axenic Leishmania Tarentolae, Amy Christensen, Craig C. Mclauchlan, Anne Dolbecq, Pierre Mialane, Marjorie A. Jones

Faculty Publications – Chemistry

Leishmaniasis is a disease that is a significant problem for people, especially in tropical regions of the world. Current drug therapies to treat the disease are expensive, not very effective, and/or of significant side effects. A series of alkyl bisphosphonate compounds and one amino bisphosphonate compound, as well as alendronate and zoledronate, were tested as potential agents against Leishmania tarentolae. Also, two polyoxometalates (POMs) with nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate ligands, vanadium/alendronate (V5(Ale)2) and vanadium/zoledronate (V3(Zol)3), were tested against L. tarentolae and compared to the results of the alendronate and zoledronate ligands alone. Of the compounds evaluated in this study, the V5(Ale)2 …

The Update, January-March 2016, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside This Issue:

--CHAS Briefs
--Spotlight – Faculty Kyle Gray
--CHAS News Diversity Training
--Biology Celeste Underriner
--Featured Story: IEEE Demonstration Awards
--Spotlight – Alumni Meghan Reynolds
--Spotlight – Student Alyssa Adamac
--Theater – Rent
--Spotlight – Student Kyle Spurgeon
--ABC Competition
--UNI Construction
--Management Club

The Wright Message, 2016-2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Alumni and Friends
-- A Tribute for Karen Sabey
-- The 2016 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- Faculty Spotlight
-- Around Wright Hall
-- Alumni Spotlight
-- CTLM News
-- Interview with Allysen Lovstuen
-- Students Spotlight
-- Donor Spotlight
-- Contributions to an Account - Recognition
-- Department Funds

Origin Of Lacustrine Carbonate-Dominated Clinoforms In The Lower-Permian Lucaogou Low-Order Cycle, Southern Bogda Mountains, Nw China, Yiran Lu

Masters Theses

"Lacustrine carbonate clinoforms deposit can reflect ancient lake condition like paleoclimate and lake type. Complex lithofacies of a carbonate-dominated clinoform package in lower Permian Lucaogou low order cycle, Bogda Mountains, NW China, provide clues on clinoform-forming processes in a half-graben lake. The clinoform package is ~5.2 m thick, prograding from S to N for ~200 m with a maximum 15o dip angle, and spans ~4 km laterally. A clinoform consists of a lower siliciclastic-rich and an upper carbonate-rich beds, forming a clinoform cycle. Results of petrographic study of 30 thin sections suggest that the clinoform package is composed of mixed …

Compliance Calendar/Logbook For Bulk Gasoline Plants: Less That 19,999 Gallons/Day Throughput, Iowa Waste Reduction Center

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Book Gallery

EPA has requirements for Gasoline Distribution Bulk Terminals, Bulk Gasoline Plants and Pipeline Facilities under 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart BBBBBB (NESHAP 6B) to reduce air pollution. This calendar has been developed to assist Bulk Gasoline Plants in complying with NESHAP 6B. Additional Iowa specific NESHAP 6B rules are discussed later.

The Monochromatic Column Problem: The Prime Case, Loran Elizabeth Crowell

Online Theses and Dissertations

Let p1, p2, . . . , pn be pairwise coprime positive integers and let P = p1p2 · · · pn. Let 0,1,...,m−1 be a sequence of m different colors. Let A be an n×mP matrix of colors in which row i consists of blocks of pi consecutive entries of the same color, with colors 0 through m − 1 repeated cyclically. The Monochromatic Column problem is to determine the number of columns of A in which every entry is the same color. A partial solution for the case when m is prime is given.

Assessing The Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Foraging Bats At Mammoth Cave National Park After The Arrival Of White-Nose Syndrome, Rachael Elizabeth Griffitts

Online Theses and Dissertations

Habitat use of bats may shift following population level impacts of White-nose Syndrome (WNS). Multiple bat species have experienced unprecedented population declines due to WNS, including federally listed Myotis sodalis (Indiana bat) and Myotis septentrionalis (northern long-eared bat). Specifically, the effect of WNS across forest landscapes is unclear in relation to prescribed fire. Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA) has employed a prescribed fire regime since 2002 and WNS was detected on MACA in 2013. Bat activity was monitored across burned and unburned sites at MACA before (2010-2012) and after the detection of WNS (2013-2016) using transects of acoustic detectors (Anabat …

Anthropogenic Influence On Blackfin Sucker (Thoburnia Atripinnis) Distribution, In The Upper Barren River System, Kentucky And Tennessee, Christa Rose Hurak

Online Theses and Dissertations

We evaluated the effects of land use and cover on endemic blackfin sucker (Thoburnia atripinnis) catch per unit effort and abundance within the Upper Barren River (UBR) system, a priority conservation area, in south-central Kentucky. Anthropogenic impacts have rendered T. atripinnis a “species of greatest conservation need” by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. This study focused on determining if land use surrounding blackfin sucker sampling sites and certain physicochemical parameters could be impacting their inhabitance at these sites. Data collection and ground truthing occurred between September 2015 and June 2016. ArcGIS was used to extract land use …

Smallest Eigenvalues For A Fractional Boundary Value Problem With A Fractional Boundary Condition, Angela Koester

Online Theses and Dissertations

We establish the existence of and then compare smallest eigenvalues for the fractional boundary value problems D_(0^+)^α u+λ_1 p(t)u=0 and $D_(0^+)^α u+λ_2 q(t)u=0,0< t< 1, satisfying the boundary conditions when n-1<α≤ n. First, we consider the case when 0<β

An Examination Of Intrinsic Existence Value Towards Wildlife Of Columbus Zoo And Aquariums Tourists: Evaluating The Impact Of Behind The Scenes Programming, Robert Maxwell Lakes

Online Theses and Dissertations

Changes in climate and the corresponding environmental issues are major concerns facing the world today. Human consumption, which is leading the rapid depletion of the earth’s finite resources and causing a dramatic loss of biodiversity, is largely to blame (Pearson, Lowry, Dorrian, & Litchfield, 2014). American zoos and aquariums are positioned to create positive experiential relationships between zoo tourists and animals that have the potential to positively change the zoo tourists’ conservation behaviors. Challenges to changing the conservation behaviors of zoo tourists are many. One particularly important challenge is conservation/environmental education. Zoos and aquariums aim to provide effective and quality …

An Elliptic Exploration, David Curtis Swart

Online Theses and Dissertations

In this paper I will be giving an introduction to an interesting kind of equation called elliptic curves, and how they can be used to protect our national security through Cryptology. We will explore the unique operation for adding points on elliptic curves and the group structure that it creates, as well as the ECC method, which stands among the RSA and AES methods as one of the modern day's most secure systems of cryptography. In addition, I will also introduce several algorithms and methods that are useful for working with ECC such as Schoof's Algorithm, and I will also …

Effect Of Synthesis On Quality, Electronic Properties And Environmental Stability Of Individual Monolayer Ti3C2 Mxene Flakes, Alexey Lipatov, Mohamed H. Alhabeb, Maria R. Lukatskaya, Alex J. Boson, Yury Gogotsi, Alexander Sinitskii

Chemistry Department: Faculty Publications

2D transition metal carbide Ti₃C₂T_x (T stands for surface termination), the most widely studied MXene, has shown outstanding electrochemical properties and promise for a number of bulk applications. However, electronic properties of individual MXene flakes, which are important for understanding the potential of these materials, remain largely unexplored. Herein, a modified synthetic method is reported for producing high-quality monolayer Ti₃C₂T_x flakes. Field-effect transistors (FETs) based on monolayer Ti₃C₂T_x flakes are fabricated and their electronic properties are measured. Individual Ti₃C₂T_x flakes …