Temporal data analysis and mining has attracted substantial interest due to theproliferation and ubiquity of time series in many fields. Time series clustering isone of the most popular mining methods, and many time series clustering algorithmsprimarily focus on detecting the clusters in a batch fashion that will use alot of memory space and thus limit the scalability and capability for large timeseries.The BIRCH algorithm has been proven to scale well to large datasets,which is characterized by an incrementally clustering data objects using a singlescan. However the Euclidean distance metric employed in BIRCH has beenproven to not be accurate for time series and will degrade the accuracy performance.To overcome this drawback, this work proposes an extended BIRCH algorithmfor large time series. The BIRCH clustering algorithm is extended bychanging the cluster feature vector to the proposed modified cluster feature, replacingthe original Euclidean distance measure with dynamic time warping andemploying DTW barycenter averaging method as the centroid computation approach,which is more suitable for time-series clustering than any other averagingmethods. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, weconducted an extensive evaluation of our algorithm against BIRCH, k-meansand their variants with combinations of competitive distance measures. Experimentalresults show that the extended BIRCH algorithm improves the accuracysignificantly compared to the BIRCH algorithm and its variants, and achievescompetitive and similar accuracy as k-means and its variant, k-DBA. However,unlike k-means and k-DBA, the extended BIRCH algorithm maintains the abilityof incrementally handling continuous incoming data objects, which is thekey to cluster large time-series datasets. Finally the extended BIRCH-based algorithmis applied to solve a subsequence time-series clustering task of a simulationmulti-variate time-series dataset with the help of a sliding window.

The thesis deals with dynamic bandwidth allocation in passive optical networks of NG- PON2 standard. The paper also describes the so-called. triple play services and the practical part is a simulation of these services in passive optical networks NG-PON2 in the simulation environment OMNeT ++. As part of this work modules for passive optical network NG-PON2 were created as an expansion of project INET. Namely ONU, OLT and splitter modules were created. The first four chapters are theoretical and descibe older standards PON networks, further NG-PON2 networks and DBA algorithm then describes triple play services and explains their current status respectively. In another part a description of the programm OMNeT++ a description of the structure of simulation models. The practical part contains a description of modules, implementation of DBA algorithm and its modification, design simulated topology and detailed description of the configuration simulation. At the end of the practical part presents the results of simulations with the corresponding explanations.

Urban green space has been proven by the field of environmental psychology to have high value for human well-being. Green space is also important for biodiversity. However, the management of urban green space is commonly focused on present aesthetic values and not on the level of naturalness and its consequences for humans and biodiversity. This study compares the green space situation in relation to human well-being and biodiversity in Lviv, Ukraine and Stockholm, Sweden. By sampling urban green space gradients, from unnatural to natural, as well as collecting data about visiting people and bird taxa in those areas, comparisons between these two response variables and the level of naturalness were made. The results show correlations between the level of naturalness and the social structure of human visitors as well as to the bird taxa present. The results thus indicate that both human well-being and biodiversity is positively related to the level of naturalness of green space. Since more and more people live in urban areas decision-makers should leave sufficient amounts of green space, for the inhabitants’ well-being, both people and other species, in physical planning. Given generally low levels of green space in urban settings, areas for recreation and rehabilitation should be enhanced further.

According to scholars and organizations that focus on the performance of organizations in the nonprofit sector, retaining loyal and engaged donors has been a critical component of sustainability. Through the conceptual lens of single- and double-loop learning and organizational communications theory, this single-case study explored donor communication strategies used by 3 executive-level leaders of a nonprofit organization in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Data collected from semistructured interviews, organizational documents, and Guidestar, an online information service specializing in reporting on U.S. nonprofit companies, were manually coded and thematically analyzed. Two key themes emerged: effective processes for donor communication strategy development and organizational learning strategy development. Strategy development may assist this Minneapolis company’s organizational leaders with improving retention of donors and participants in the company’s programs and services, increasing action plan completion rates, and integrating the lessons learned process during the development and implementation of communication strategies to increase donor retention. By bridging the gap between performance arts and social responsibility, this company’s leaders may engage both donors and participants, resulting in favorable retention rates. These findings have implications for positive social change. Nonprofit leaders’ models of effective communications strategies and processes to improve participant and donor engagement may ensure leaders’ ability to serve and improve their communities by engaging at-risk youth in programs designed to develop performance arts and leadership skills.

The multigenerational workforce creates leadership challenges for business managers, and the members of each generational group have different factors that motivate them. Failure to motivate a multigenerational workforce can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, high turnover rates, and reduced profits. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies that marketing managers in a Maryland-based marketing firm use to motivate a multigenerational workforce using Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. The study comprised 7 marketing managers who have experience motivating a multigenerational workforce. The data collection process for this study consisted of semistructured interviews, observation, and member checking to explore successful strategies for motivating members of the multigenerational workforce. The data analysis used to examine the research for this study consisted of data coding, organizing, and making conclusions using methodical triangulation. In this study, methodical triangulation was used to confirm findings, increase validity, and enhance understanding. During the analysis, the 4 themes that emerged were communication and connecting, teamwork and collaboration, training and development, and rewards and recognition. By implementing the identified strategies, these marketing managers were able to motivate members of the multigenerational workforce. These findings indicate that there are specific strategies leaders can use to motivate a multigenerational workforce. The implications for positive social change include potential to foster better understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of the members of the multigenerational workforce as well as improved community relations.

This study focused on the development and evaluation of die-attach material and substrate technology for high-temperature applications. For the die-attach material, a low-temperature sintering technique enabled by a nanoscale silver paste was developed for attaching large-area (>100 mm2) semiconductor chips. The nanoscale silver paste can be sintered at a much lower temperature (<300 oC) than in the conventional sintering process (>800 oC), and at the same time reached about 80 vol% bulk density. Analyses of the sintered joints by scanning acoustic imaging and electron microscopy showed that the attachment layer had a uniform microstructure with micron-sized porosity with the potential for high reliability under high temperature applications. We also investigated the effects of a large temperature cycling range on the reliability of direct bonded aluminum (DBA) substrate. DBA substrates with different metallization were thermally cycled between -55 oC and 250 oC. Unlike with the DBC substrate, no delamination of aluminum from the aluminum nitride ceramic base-plate was observed for the DBA substrates. However, aluminum surface became roughened during the thermal cycling test. It was believed that in the high-temperature regime, the significant amount of thermomechanical stress and grain-scale deformation would cause recrystallization and grain-boundary sliding in the aluminum layer, which would further lead to the observed increase in surface roughness. The influence of metallization over the aluminum surface on the extent of surface roughness was also characterized. In addition to evaluating the reliability of nanoscale silver paste and DBA substrate individually, this work also conducted experiments that characterize the compatibility of nanoscale silver paste on DBA substrate in terms of reliability in a high-temperature environment. In the large-area attachment, the sintered silver was found to be very compliant with the deformed aluminum. The device-to-silver and silver-to-substrate interfaces remain intact after up to 800 cycles. No large scale delamination and horizontal cracks were observed. However, some vertical crack lines began to show after certain number of cycles. It was believed that these vertical cracks were caused by the thermomechanical stresses in the sintered silver layer. In addition, with regard to the thermal performance, since most of the heat was generated from the semiconductor devices and were transferred vertically through the die-attach material to substrate, these vertical cracks were also considered more advantageous than horizontal cracks. / Ph. D.

Glucocorticoid hormones modulate acute and chronic behavioral and molecular responses to drugs of abuse including psychostimulants and opioids. Acute ethanol activates the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis causing the release of adrenal glucocorticoid hormones, but following chronic ethanol the HPA axis is dysregulated in both humans and rodents. Thus, there is growing evidence that glucocorticoids might also modulate behavioral and molecular responses to ethanol. Previous microarray studies in the Miles’ laboratory have shown that the well-known glucocorticoid responsive gene, Serum and Glucocorticoid-regulated Kinase 1, Sgk1, is prominently up regulated by acute ethanol (2 g/kg) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of DBA/2J mice. Functionally, Sgk1 is an important focal point of intracellular signaling cross-talk through which the cell surface receptors, nuclear receptors, and cellular stress pathways converge to control many cellular processes including receptor or ion channel trafficking, cell proliferation and/or apoptotic responses. In the aforementioned microarray studies, Sgk1 was accompanied by a highly correlated group of genes, many of which are also known to respond to glucocorticoids. This suggests that stress-related signaling events might play an important role in ethanol regulation of the Sgk1 gene network. Prior work by others showed that Sgk1 plays an important role modulating synaptic plasticity occurring in memory. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that glucocorticoids and glucocorticoid responsive genes are responsible for modulating acute and chronic cellular and behavioral responses to ethanol including locomotor activation and ethanol sensitization. In particular, because Sgk1 is regulated by ethanol, has a well-established role in learning and memory and is responsive to glucocorticoid signaling we hypothesize that Sgk1 is involved in modulating acute and chronic cellular and behavioral responses to ethanol including ethanol sensitization. Our results indicate that the induction of glucocorticoid responsive genes may play a role in regulating acute behavioral and cellular responses to ethanol. Adrenalectomized (ADX) and mifepristone (RU-486) both impaired acute ethanol (2 g/kg) induced locomotor activation in DBA/2J mice without affecting basal locomotor activity. ADX mice showed microarray gene expression changes in the PFC that significantly overlapped with acute ethanol-responsive gene sets derived by our prior microarray studies. Additionally, acute ethanol regulates Sgk1 transcription via glucocorticoid receptor binding to the Sgk1 promoter. Furthermore, increases in Sgk1 may occur to compensate for decreases in SGK1 protein and phosphorylation of SGK1 and its well-known target N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is significantly increased 15 minutes following ethanol administration. Finally, Sgk1 intensifies and prolongs the expression phase of sensitization in D2 mice. Our studies suggest that ethanol’s activation of adrenal glucocorticoid release and subsequent glucocorticoid receptor activation may partially modulate ethanol’s acute locomotor activation in male D2 mice. Furthermore, adrenal glucocorticoid basal tone regulates PFC gene expression. A significant set of acute ethanol-responsive genes are regulated by adrenal glucocorticoid basal tone suggesting that glucocorticoid regulated PFC gene expression may be an important factor modulating acute behavioral responses to ethanol. Sgk1 is acutely regulated following ethanol administration by the glucocorticoid receptor binding to the Sgk1 promoter. Altogether, these results suggest a critical role for the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and Sgk1 in regulating the acute and chronic cellular and behavioral responses to ethanol.

abstract: The integration of passive optical networks (PONs) and wireless mesh networks (WMNs) into Fiber-Wireless (FiWi) networks has recently emerged as a promising strategy for providing flexible network services at relative high transmission rates. This work investigates the effectiveness of localized routing that prioritizes transmissions over the local gateway to the optical network and avoids wireless packet transmissions in radio zones that do not contain the packet source or destination. Existing routing schemes for FiWi networks consider mainly hop-count and delay metrics over a flat WMN node topology and do not specifically prioritize the local network structure. The combination of clustered and localized routing (CluLoR) performs better in terms of throughput-delay compared to routing schemes that are based on minimum hop-count which do not consider traffic localization. Subsequently, this work also investigates the packet delays when relatively low-rate traffic that has traversed a wireless network is mixed with conventional high-rate PON-only traffic. A range of different FiWi network architectures with different dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) mechanisms is considered. The grouping of the optical network units (ONUs) in the double-phase polling (DPP) DBA mechanism in long-range (order of 100~Km) FiWi networks is closely examined, and a novel grouping by cycle length (GCL) strategy that achieves favorable packet delay performance is introduced. At the end, this work proposes a novel backhaul network architecture based on a Smart Gateway (Sm-GW) between the small cell base stations (e.g., LTE eNBs) and the conventional backhaul gateways, e.g., LTE Servicing/Packet Gateway (S/P-GW). The Sm-GW accommodates flexible number of small cells while reducing the infrastructure requirements at the S-GW of LTE backhaul. In contrast to existing methods, the proposed Sm-GW incorporates the scheduling mechanisms to achieve the network fairness while sharing the resources among all the connected small cells base stations. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2016

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Hypothèse : Le nanobroyage d'une suspension de nystatine augmentera son efficacité antifongique in vitro et in vivo. Méthode : Une nanosupension de nystatine a été obtenue en utilisant le broyage humide. Elle a été caractérisée pour sa distribution de taille des particules et pour sa teneur en principe actif. L'activité in vitro a été évaluée contre les souches de C. albicans SC5314 et LAM-1 aux concentrations 12.5 μg/mL jusqu'à 5000 μg/mL. L'efficacité in vivo a été évaluée en utilisant un modèle murin de candidose oropharyngée. Résultats : La taille médiane des particules de la nanosuspension de nystatine a été réduite de 6577 nm à 137 nm. L'analyse CLHP a demontré une teneur de 98.7 ± 0.8%. L'activité in vitro de la nanosuspension était supérieure à la suspension aux concentrations 100 μg/mL à 5000 μg/mL. La charge fongique orale était inférieure dans le groupe traité par la nanosuspension comparativement aux autres groupes. La survie des souris était aussi supérieure. / Hypothesis : Nanomilling of a nystatin suspension will increase its antifungal efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Methods: A nystatin nanosuspension was obtained using wet bead milling. It was characterized for its particle size distribution and for its drug content. In vitro activity was evaluted against C. albicans strains SC5314 and LAM-1 at concentrations of 12.5 μg/mL up to 5000 μg/mL. The in vivo efficacy was evaluated using a murine model of oropharyngeal candidiasis. Results: Median particle size of the nystatin nanosuspension was reduced from 6577 nm to 137 nm. HPLC analysis demonstrated a content assay of 98.7 ± 0.8%. In vitro activity of the nanosuspension was superior to the suspension’s at concentrations ranging from 100 μg/mL to 5000 μg/mL. Oral fungal burdens were inferor in the nanosuspension group compared to the suspension and saline groups. Mice survival was also superior in the nanosuspension group.