This mixed methods study examined secondary teachers’ technology selfefficacy, their professional development activities regarding mobile handheld devices, and how those activities affect their use of mobile devices as instructional tools. Additionally, this study also explored teachers’ perceptions of other factors that act as barriers or enablers to their use of such devices. The study included 104 middle and high school teachers who taught in a large, urban public school district in the Southeastern United States. Data were collected through the administration of an electronic survey and semi-structured interviews. The researcher utilized multiple regression and moderator analyses, as well as qualitative analysis of the interview data. The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed teachers’ technologyrelated self-efficacy to be a significant predictor of their instructional use of mobile handheld devices. However, secondary teachers’ level of professional development was found not to contribute significantly to the model. The moderator analysis too revealed professional development to be a nonsignificant factor. The findings of the qualitative phase of the study revealed secondary teachers’ awareness of their varied and fluid technology-related self-efficacy, as well as those factors that modify it. Qualitative data also revealed four categories of essential elements that teachers must have in order to most effectively implement mobile handheld devices within their pedagogy: intellectual capital, emotional capital, social-cultural capital, and technological capital. When lacking, these elements can represent barriers to teachers’ implementation of mobile handheld devices. Targeted professional development and increased funding to minimize the digital divide are recommended to reduce these barriers. The findings of the study inform designers of professional development programs, school and district and secondary teachers, as they are all stakeholders in the process of increasing the effective implementation of mobile handheld devices as instructional tools. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

As handheld devices have become increasingly popular, powerful programmable graphics hardware for mobile and handheld devices has been deployed. While many resources on mobile devices are limited, the predominant problem for mobile devices is their limited battery power. Several techniques have been proposed to increase the energy efficiency of mobile applications and improve battery life. In this thesis, we propose a new dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) on Graphics Processing Units (GPU). In most cases, cues within the graphics appli- cation can be used to predict portions of a GPU that will be used or unused when the application is run. We partition the GPU into six clock domains that can be clocked at different rates. Specifically, each domain it has its own voltage and frequency set- ting based on its predicted workload to save energy without reducing applications frame rates. In addition, we propose an signature-based algorithm for predicting the workload offered to our six clock domains by a given application to decide voltage and frequency settings. We conduct experiments and compare the results of our new signature based workload prediction algorithm with some other traditional interval based workload prediction algorithms. Our results show that our signature-based prediction can save 30-50% energy without afecting application frame rates.

Les parasites de la classe des Kinetoplastidae, comprenant notamment les trypanosomes et les leishmanies, sont responsables pour plusieurs maladies d’importance socio-économique et de santé publique. La maladie du sommeil, la maladie de Chagas et la leishmaniose, classées comme maladies tropicales négligées (NTD) par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) et la Surra, reportée par l’Organisation pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture, des Nations Unies (FAO). La Trypanosomiase Animale Africain sub-saharienne entraîne la mort de 3 millions bovins par an accompagné d'une perte annuelle de l'économie de 4,5 milliards de dollars américains. La leishmaniose cutanée, une maladie zoonose, présente 1,5 millions de nouveaux cas chaque année.Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) est un ancien eucaryote, utilisé comme organisme modèle dans le laboratoire pour l’étude des cils et des flagelles. Le remodelage du cytosquelette des trypanosomes est essentiel pour la morphologie cellulaire, le positionnement et la division des organites. L’étude des protéines essentielles du cytosquelette permet de mieux comprendre les processus cellulaires. Ces protéines pourraient également constituer des cibles potentielles pour des traitements thérapeutiques. Les trypanosomes échappent au système immunitaire de l’hôte en modifiant périodiquement les antigènes de présent à leur surface. En effet ces antigènes de surface sont endocytés, ainsi que les anticorps de l’hôte qui y sont attachés, au niveau d’une structure appelée la poche flagellaire (FP). TbBILBO1 est une protéine structurelle du collier de la poche flagellaire (FPC), essentielle à la biogenèse du FPC et à la survie du parasite. En raison du rôle majeur de la protéine TbBILBO1 dans le parasite, des partenaires de TbBILBO1 ont été recherchés.Dans ce travail, j’ai pu caractériser une nouvelle protéine essentielle du cytoskelette, la protéine FPC6, partenaire de TbBILBO1, qui se situe au niveau du complexe FPC/Complexe du Hook de T. brucei. L’ARN interférence de FPC6 conduit à une mort rapide des formes sanguines des trypanosomes, accompagnée d’un blocage de l’endocytose. Ensuite, j’ai produit un nanobody (Nb48), dirigé contre TbBILBO1, dans le système d’expression bactérien. Je l’ai également exprimé dans les lignées de trypanosomes. Le Nb48 reconnait TbBILBO1 sur les trypanosomes fixés par immunofluorescence et dans les extraits totaux de protéines dénaturées. L’analyse par résonance plasmonique de surface (SPR) a confirmé une haute affinité du Nb48 pour TbBILBO1. L’expression de Nb48 dans le parasite T. brucei en tant qu’intrabody demontrant que ce nanobody pouvait être exprimé de manière fonctionnelle, capable de reconnaitre spécifiquement sa cible protéique, TbBILBO1, intra-cellulaire et de bloquer sa fonction conduit à un effet trypanocide rapide. Ces études ouvrant ainsi la voie pour de nouvelles utilisations potentielles thérapeutiques dans le traitement des trypanosomiases. / Kinetoplastid parasites, including trypanosomes and leishmania, are responsible for several diseases of socio-economic and public health importance worldwide. These include the Neglected Tropical Diseases: Sleeping Sickness, Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis, as classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the global wasting disease of animals, Surra, as reported by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Animal African Trypanosomiais (AAT) causes the death of 3 million cattle per year in sub-Saharan Africa, with an annual loss of 4.5 billion US dollars to the African economy. Cutaneaous leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease, with 1.5 million new cases reported globally each year.Trypanosoma brucei is an ancient, early diverging eukaryote, used as a model organism in the laboratory for studying eukaryotic cilia and flagella. Remodelling of the trypanosome cytoskeleton is essential for cell morphology, organelle positioning and division. Study of essential proteins of the cytoskeleton provides insight into intracellular processes and could provide potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Trypanosomes evade the host immune system by periodically changing their external surface coat, which is endocytosed, along with any attached host antibodies, via a structure called the flagellar pocket. TbBILBO1 is a structural protein of the Flagellar Pocket Collar (FPC) that is essential for FPC biogenesis and parasite survival. Due to the importance of TbBILBO1 for the parasite, protein partners were investigated.In my thesis, I describe, firstly, the characterisation of a novel and essential cytoskeletal protein, FPC6, of the FPC/Hook complex of T. brucei; FPC6 is a partner of TbBILBO1. RNAi Knock-down of FPC6 protein leads to rapid cell death in the blood-stream form of the parasite accompanied with a block in endocytosis. Secondly, I describe the purification and intracellular expression of a nanobody (Nb48), raised against TbBILBO1. The purified Nb is able to identify TbBILBO1 in fixed trypanosomes and denatured protein. Surface Plasmon Resonance analysis confirmed a high affinity of Nb48 to TbBILBO1. Expression of Nb48 as an intrabody in T. brucei, reveals that it binds precisely to its target, TbBILBO1 and leads to rapid cell death. Further exploration of the potential uses of this trypanocidal nanobody is warranted.

The rising cost of health care in the Philippines is a concern for the Department of Defense and TRICARE beneficiaries. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional research study was to determine the efficacy and acceptability of a different method to deliver health care to increase access to health care and decrease out-of-pocket costs while maintaining quality of care for TOP Standard beneficiaries who receive health care under the Philippine Demonstration. Secondary data was used to determine the acceptability of an alternative reimbursement methodology to decrease cost but maintain access to quality care. The Andersen's behavioral health care model and the Donabedian quality health care model were used to interpret the study results. A data set of 180 participants was evaluated using a cross-sectional quantitative methodology. Two Spearman correlations were used to examine the relationship between financial burden and satisfaction (r = .41, p < .001) and financial burden and confidence (r = .44, p < .001). Linear and binary regressions assessed the effects of age and gender on satisfaction with health care finder functionality when requesting a waiver (F (2,26) = 1.22, p = .313, R2 = .09). A computation of one-sample t-tests to determine the impact of a closed network, beneficiary out-of-pocket cost, and quality health care in Demonstration areas found the beneficiaries were satisfied with the demonstration. An analysis of the claims data pre and post demonstration showed a difference in the patients' out-of-pocket expenses and the acceptability and preference for a closed network. Social change was demonstrated by a decrease in the cost for TRICARE standard beneficiaries in the Philippines.

Over the past 50 years, several advancements have been made in the research area of the mechanics of unsaturated soils. These advancements can be categorized into two groups; (i) development (or improvement) of testing techniques (or apparatus) to determine the mechanical properties of unsaturated soils and (ii) development of (numerical, empirical or semi-empirical) models to estimate the variation of mechanical properties of unsaturated soils with respect to suction based on the experimental results. Implementation of the mechanics of unsaturated soils in conventional geotechnical engineering practice, however, has been rather limited. The key reasons for the limited practical applications may be attributed to the lack of simple and reliable methods for (i) measuring soil suction in the field quickly and reliably and (ii) estimating the variation of mechanical properties of unsaturated soils with respect to suction. The main objective of this thesis research is to develop simple and reliable techniques, models or approaches that can be used in geotechnical engineering practice to estimate sol suction and the mechanical properties of unsaturated soils. This research can be categorized into three parts. In the First Part, simple techniques are proposed to estimate the suction values of as-compacted unsaturated fine-grained soils using a pocket penetrometer and a conventional tensiometer. The suction values less than 300 kPa can be estimated using a strong relationship between the compressive strength measured using a pocket penetrometer and matric suction value. The high suction values in the range of 1,200 kPa to 60,000 kPa can be estimated using the unique relationship between the initial tangent of conventional tensiometer response versus time behavior and suction value. In the Second Part, approaches or semi-empirical models are proposed to estimate the variation of mechanical properties of unsaturated soils with respect to suction, which include: - Bearing capacity of unsaturated fine-grained soils - Variation of bearing capacity of unsaturated fine-grained soils with respect to matric suction - Variation of initial tangent elastic modulus of unsaturated soils below shallow foundations with respect to matric suction - Variation of maximum shear modulus with respect to matric suction for unsaturated non-plastic sandy soils (i.e. plasticity index, Ip = 0 %) In the Third Part, approaches (or methodologies) are suggested to simulate the vertically applied stress versus surface settlement behavior of shallow foundations in unsaturated coarse-grained soils assuming elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. These methodologies are extended to simulate the stress versus settlement behavior of both model footings and in-situ plates in unsaturated coarse-grained soils. The results show that there is a reasonably good comparison between the measured values (i.e. soil suction, bearing capacity, elastic and shear modulus) and those estimated using the techniques or models proposed in this thesis research. The models (or methodologies) proposed in this thesis research are promising and encouraging for modeling studies and practicing engineers to estimate the variation of mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils with respect to matric suction.

Confined coasts in general, and pocket beach environments in particular, are under huge development pressures worldwide, not least due to their sheltered nature and perceived shoreline stability. However, understanding of their physical functioning is poor in comparison to that of open coast beaches. This study aims to improve understanding in terms of the existing gaps in knowledge of wave processes and nearshore currents, and also to examine the importance of local wind and tide factors in generating nearshore currents, in micro-tidal pocket beaches. The boundaries of embayments are generally recognized as important controls of their beach processes and responses, yet little detailed knowledge exists of how the exact embayment dimensions and characteristics influences these processes. One key embayment feature the influence of which is poorly understood is the downcoast headland. In this thesis, field observations plus Zanuttigh and Van der Meer’s (2008) approach, and the SWAN wave model were used to evaluate the downcoast headland effects on wave processes within Okains Bay, an example pocket beach environment. The results showed that incident wave heights and directions were significantly influenced by wave reflection processes from the downcoast headland inside the bay. The intensity of reflection effects on wave characteristics inside the pocket beach varied according to approaching wave direction. Reflection effects reduced when waves approached from angles close to parallel to the headlands, increasing towards headland-perpendicular wave approaches. Field observations and the XBeach model were used to examine whether or not tides can significantly influence nearshore currents within example and model pocket beach environments. Results indicated that tides can be the primary driver of nearshore currents close to the bed inside micro-tidal pocket beaches, depending on incident wave conditions. In areas of micro-tidal pocket beaches exposed to direct approaching waves, currents were wave driven, while in areas further into the bay that experienced headland filtering of their wave environment, currents were mainly tide generated. The results of this study demonstrated how the current circulation system within micro-tidal pocket beaches is related to the incoming directions of offshore waves. If high energy waves approach oblique or normal to the shoreline (with the assumption that the shoreline is at 90° to the headlands), the current system was found to consist of longshore currents influenced by headlands, plus a rip current in the center of the shoreline or a toporip in proximity to headlands. The location of the rip current or toporip was determined by the direction of approaching incident waves. This study also examined the behavior of local winds in a pocket beach environment and their consequent effects on nearshore currents. Results for Okains Bay show that local winds tended to blow in offshore and onshore directions, as the bay is located in a valley, so orographic effects channel and shift the wind directions to angles close to offshore and onshore directions inside the bay. Results also indicated that local winds influence the hydrodynamic currents of pocket beaches that are confined by elevated topography, producing semi-cross shore influences since the winds are topographically channelled to blow in predominantly offshore and onshore directions. This research significantly refines our understanding of micro-tidal pocket beach wave and current processes, including quantification of the filtering effects of headlands on their wave environments, revealing the various and variable influences of tides and winds compared to in open coast beaches; and, significantly, highlighting the role of downcoast headland wave reflection effects. With regard to the latter, this research elucidates some key process differences between pocket and embayed beaches and clarifies reasons why the application of embayed beach models that include refraction and diffraction but exclude reflection effects to the study of pocket beaches is inappropriate for studying pocket beaches. This research also provides methodological and topic suggestions for future research on pocket beach environments, including how to use the improved hydrodynamic knowledge of this study in future studies seeking to better understand pocket beach sediment systems, a topic that was beyond the scope of the current research.

Sensor devices and the emergent networks that they enable are capable of transmitting information between data sources and a permanent data sink. Since these devices have low-power and intermittent connectivity, latency of the data may be tolerated in an effort to save energy for certain classes of data. The BUBBLE routing algorithm developed by Hui et al. in 2008 provides consistent routing by employing a model which computes individual nodes popularity from sets of nodes and then uses these popularity values for forwarding decisions. This thesis considers enhancements to BUBBLE based on the hypothesis that nodes do form groups and certain centrality values of nodes within these groups can be used to improve routing decisions further. Built on this insight, there are two algorithms proposed in this thesis. First is the Community-Based- Forwarding (CBF), which uses pairwise group interactions and pairwise node-to-group interactions as a measure of popularity for routing messages. By having a different measure of popularity than BUBBLE, as an additional factor in determining message forwarding, CBF is a more conservative routing scheme than BUBBLE. Thus, it provides consistently superior message transmission and delivery performance at an acceptable delay cost in resource constrained environments. To overcome this drawback, the concept of unique interaction pattern within groups of nodes is introduced in CBF and it is further renewed into an enhanced algorithm known as Hybrid-Community-Based- Forwarding (HCBF). Utilizing this factor will channel messages along the entire path with consideration for higher probability of contact with the destination group and the destination node. Overall, the major contribution of this thesis is to design and evaluate an enhanced social based routing algorithm for resource-constrained Pocket Switched Networks (PSNs), which will optimize energy consumption related to data transfer. It will do so by explicitly considering features of communities in order to reduce packet loss while maintaining high delivery ratio and reduced delay.

If air is entrained in a bottom outlet of a dam in an uncontrolled way, the resulting air pockets may cause problems such as blowback, blowout and loss of discharge capacity. In order to provide guidance for bottom outlet design and operation, this study examines how governing parameters affect air entrainment, air-pocket transport and de-aeration and the surrounding flow structure in pipe flows. Both experimental and numerical approaches are used. Air can be entrained into the bottom outlet conduit due to vortex formation at the intake if the intake submergence is not sufficient. The influent of the intake entrance profiles and channel width on the critical submergence were studied in the experiment. The experimental study was performed to investigate the incipient motion of air pockets in pipes with rectangular and circular cross sections. The critical velocity is dependent on pipe slope, pipe diameter, pipe roughness and air-pocket volume. If the pipe is horizontal, air removal is generally easier in a rectangular pipe than in a circular pipe. However, if the pipe is downward-inclined, air removal is easier in a circular pipe. When a bottom outlet gate opens, air can become entrained into the conduit in the gate shaft downstream of the gate. Using FLUENT software, the transient process of air entrainment into a prototype bottom outlet during gate opening is simulated in three dimensions. The simulations show in the flow-pattern changes in the conduit and the amount of air entrainment in the gate shaft. The initial conduit water level affects the degree of air entrainment. A de-aeration chamber is effective in reducing water surface fluctuations at blowout. High-speed particle image velocimetry (HSPIV) were applied to investigate the characteristics of the flow field around a stationary air pocket in a fully developed horizontal pipe flow. The air pocket generates a horseshoe vortex upstream and a reverse flow downstream. A shear layer forms from the separation point. Flow reattachment is observed for large air pockets. The air―water interface moves with the adjacent flow. A similarity profile is obtained for the mean streamwise velocity in the shear layer beneath the air pocket. / <p>QC 20140211</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Title from PDF cover (viewed May 15, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-100)