The efficacies of two anti-inflammatory drugs in ankylosing spondylitis and related complaints were studied at a single medical clinic over a period of twenty-eight weeks. The purposes of this project were: (1) -To determine .any significant differences within and between the two drug groups using well-known nonparametric procedures, and (2) To illustrate the use of the bootstrap method and determine whether it is appropriate and useful for this data set. Some statistically significant changes indicative of improvement occurred among both groups of patients for primary efficacy variables. No definite trend was found for most of the laboratory variables. Both drugs demonstrated effective pain relief. Regarding the variables of day and night pain relief as well as pulse, the Experimental Drug proved to be clinically but not statistically superior to the other commonly used drug. Analyses of safety data indicated some statistically significant changes in both drug groups. There was a statistically significant difference between drug groups at baseline. / Thesis / Master of Science (MS)

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No / Many datasets are available in the form of conventional databases, or simplified comma separated values. The machines do not adequately handle these types of unstructured data. There are compatibility issues as well, which are not addressed well to manage the transformation. The literature describes several rigid techniques that do the transformation from unstructured or conventional data sources to Resource Description Framework (RDF) with data loss and limited customization. These techniques do not present any remote way that helps to avoid compatibility issues among these data forms simultaneous utilization. In this article, a new approach has been introduced that allows data mapping. This mapping can be used to understand their differences at the level of data representations. The mapping is done using Extensible Markup Language (XML) based data structures as intermediate data presenter. This approach also allows bi-directional data transformation from conventional data format and RDF without data loss and with improved remote availability of data. This is a solution to the issue concerning update when dealing with any change in the remote environment for the data. Thus, traditional systems can easily be transformed into Semantic Web-based system. The same is true when transforming data back to conventional data format, i.e. Database (DB). This bidirectional transformation results in no data loss, which creates compatibility between both traditional and semantic form of data. It will allow applying inference and reasoning on conventional systems. The census un-employment dataset is used which is being collected from US different states. Remote bi-directional transformation is mapped on the dataset and developed linkage using relationships between data elements. This approach will help to handle both types of data formats to co-exist at the same time, which will create opportunities for data compatibility, statistical powers and inference on linked data found in remote areas.

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With the dominance of Android in the smartphone market, malware targeting Android users has increased over time. Android applications are now being used to control unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) making smartphones the storehouse for all the data that is generated by the UAS. This data can be sensitive in nature which puts the user at the risk of data exfiltration. As most Android-hosted UAS applications are proprietary software, their source code cannot be studied or modified. This thesis discusses an external monitoring system which is devised in order to assess the threat of data exfiltration. The system is further used to analyze the network behavior of the popular Android-hosted UAS application, DJI GO 4. Current methods to limit data exfiltration are discussed along with their limitations and are categorized based on the ease of deployment. Even though the Android framework provides a permission system which helps to limit the capabilities of an application, this security mechanism is coarse-grain in nature. The user either allows access to the required permissions or the application fails to function. Moreover, there is no system in place to provide finer control over the existing permissions that are granted to an application. This thesis proposes a fine-grain and application-specific access control mechanism based on system call interposition. The solution focuses on limiting the I/O operations of the target application without any framework or application modification. / Master of Science / Advances in smartphone technology has led major consumer and commercial unmanned aircraft system (UAS) manufacturers to provide users with the feature to fly the UAS using their smartphones. The UAS generate and store large amounts of data which may be sensitive in nature. This has led the U.S. Department of Defense to ban the use of all commercial off-the-shelf UAS due to the threat of data leakage. This thesis discusses an external monitoring system which maps the network behavior of an Android-hosted UAS application, along with the existing methods to limit data leakage. To overcome the limitations of existing techniques, a fine-grain and application-specific access control mechanism is proposed. The solution provides users with the ability to enforce custom security policies to safeguard their data.

In many US homes, 15% of the energy that can be saved is hidden beneath complex mathematical calculations. Hidden energy savings can be revealed by converting mathematical calculations to data visualizations, creating a story for residents to see how they are consuming energy. Cloud-based data visualization platforms offer the ability to appropriately communicate complex building energy data to a broad set of stakeholders. Unfortunately, proprietary solutions are too expensive and open-source options lack standardization for cloud-based energy monitoring. This study aims to create a comprehensive energy dashboard display to increase residents' energy awareness of how energy is consumed throughout their homes. But before energy dashboards can be created, a content analysis of current visualization chart types used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices were discovered to see how energy data has been visualized in the energy domain. Next, a literature review was conducted to reveal other visualization chart types outside of the energy domain that could be used to visualize energy data. The content analysis results identified eight visualization chart types that are used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices. In addition, the literature review uncovered eight additional visualization chart types that have the functionality to visualize energy data. Next, the visualization chart types were combined with data modeling design techniques to create prototype energy dashboard displays to communicate energy insights to residents. Soon utility companies will begin to provide data visualizations for the majority of their customers. The insights from this study can help to inform and lead the development of commercially used data visualizations. In addition, this research can provide utility companies with a blueprint on how to share energy consumption data with customers. / Master of Science / For residents to live an energy-efficient lifestyle, they must first begin by learning about one's energy consumption behaviors in the home. Unfortunately, utility bills miss out on communicating energy insights to customers based on how the energy data appears on the utility bill. Graphs on utility bills that display aggregate monthly energy consumption do not provide enough information for residents to comprehend how energy is consumed through their homes or provide information on how to lower energy consumption. There are commercial energy consumption devices on the market such as CURB and eGauge that provide an energy dashboard display, but the visuals are too complex to draw conclusions. This study aims to create an energy dashboard display that allows residents to see how energy is consumed throughout their homes. But before energy dashboards can be created, a content analysis of current visualization chart types used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices were discovered to see how energy data has been visualized in the energy domain. Next, a literature review was conducted to reveal other visualization chart types outside of the energy domain that could be used to visualize energy data. The content analysis results identified eight chart types used of utility bills and energy monitoring devices. In addition, the literature review results uncovered eight additional chart types not used on utility bills and energy monitoring devices that have the potential to visualize energy data. Next, the identified and uncovered chart types were combined with data modeling design techniques to create example energy dashboard displays. Changing the way energy data is displayed to residents, can educate residents on how energy is consumed throughout their home. In addition, the insights from this study can provide utility companies with a model for displaying energy data to increase their customers' energy awareness. Living an energy-efficient lifestyle, first began by understanding how energy is consumed throughout one's home.

School leaders and principals have an obligation to use every tool at their disposal to maximize student achievement. All students deserve the best use of data to inform the decision-making of those entrusted to deliver the finest education available to them. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions of principals in Los Angeles Archdiocesan high schools about the use of assessment data in their schools by finding how they were using assessment data to inform curricular and pedagogical decisions, and then determining what factors affect the use of assessment data to inform their curricular decision-making. This study was a mixed-method investigation using a quantitative survey to find processes in Archdiocesan high schools that capture and utilize assessment data to inform decision-making, as well as to determine the principals’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges related to assessment data usage. The qualitative aspect of this study consisted of interviews of Archdiocesan high school principals meant to expand upon the findings of the survey. The findings of the study, viewed through the lens of a conceptual framework, suggest a breakdown in the use of data from the very beginning of the process. Standardized assessment data are the information used to drive curricular decisions while data from formative assessments and curriculum maps, are utilized less frequently. The study also found that, while principals feel that their teachers valued the use of data, there was room for growth in the protocols enlisted to analyze assessment data, and in the cultivation of a culture of collaboration and learning.

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The Wake Forest University Physiology/Pharmacology (WFU Phys./Pharm.) electrophysiology research labs currently carry out memory research by recording neural signals from laboratory animals tethered to nearby signal conditioning and recording equipment. A wireless neural signal recording system is desirable because it removes the cumbersome wires from the animal, allowing it to roam more freely. The result is an animal that is more able to behave as it would in its natural habitat, thus opening the possibility of testing procedures that are not possible with wired recording systems. Sampling rates obtained by conventional RF wireless systems tend to be very low (800Hz) since the bandwidth of these RF wireless systems is low. This is because interfacing methods (RS-232) needed to develop RF systems are slow (57.6Kbps). Another shortcoming of RF systems is the high power consumption. This thesis presents development of embedded wireless system to replace wired systems. RF wireless system is developed to replace wired electrophysiology system. An infrared wireless system development is discussed to achieve higher sampling rates unachievable by RF wireless system. Infrared operate at data rates 4Mbps and high sampling rates can be achieved. For this thesis, Infrared system is interfaced to microcontroller using ISA interface. ISA bus is chosen as it operates (at rate of 8Mbytes/sec) faster than RS-232 and easy to program compared to other buses such as PCI. Also, Infrared systems consume low power than RF systems. Power consumption is an important consideration as application in hand is battery powered. / Master of Science