4353 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 30.
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] … [146]
1.
Saanthalingam, Karthik Raj.
Parallelization of a Dissipative Particle Dynamics Application in a Partitioned Global Address Space Environment.
Degree: MS, Computer Science and Engineering, 2012, Ohio State University
► Molecular dynamics simulation provides the methodology for detailed microscopic modeling on the…
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▼ Molecular dynamics simulation provides the methodology for detailed microscopic modeling on the molecular scale. The nature of matter is to be found in the structure and motion of its constituent building blocks, and the dynamics is contained in the solution to the N-body problem. Given that the classical N-body problem lacks a general analytical solution, the only path open is the numerical one. Scientists engaged in studying matter at this level require computational tools to allow them to follow the movement of individual molecules and it is this need that the molecular dynamics approach aims to fulfill. The Molecular Dynamics method follows a constructive approach by trying to reproduce the microscopic behavior of matter using model systems rather than deduce the behavior directly from experiment. Dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) is a stochastic simulation method for soft materials and has been applied to a variety of simulations. Doubts about its adequacy due to upper coarse-graining limitations, which could prevent the method from being applicable to the whole mesoscopic range has led to the proposal for a modified coarse-grained level tunable DPD method that demonstrates its performance for linear polymeric systems. The proposed method models the system through the interaction between the particles as a result of interparticle forces. The calculation region size is non-trivial and can vary depending on the simulation strategy adopted and hence greatly affects the performance of the application. Simulations of very large systems, approaching a cubic micron for milliseconds, are possible using a parallel implementation of DPD running on multiple processors. Because of the short-range nature of forces in DPD an efficient way to parallelize the application is to adopt a special decomposition technique. In this scheme, the total simulation space is divided into a number of cuboidal regions which are distributed across the processes in the cluster. Each processor is responsible for integrating the equations of motion of all particles that lie within its region of space. Only particles lying near the boundaries of each processor's space require communication between processors. In order to ensure that the simulation is efficient, the crucial requirement is that the number of particle-particle interactions that require inter-processor communication be much smaller than the number of particle-particle interactions within the bulk of each processor's region of space. In this thesis we outline the various alternatives to increase the per-node utilization and reduce the communication bottlenecks in each time step of the computation so as to achieve a near uniform distribution of work among the processes. A partitioned global address space (PGAS) model is deployed in the parallelization strategy so that the system can be logically portioned among the processors. The novelty of PGAS is that the portions of the shared memory space may have an affinity for a particular thread, thereby exploiting locality of reference and thereby reducing the communication overhead.
Advisors/Committee Members: Ponnuswamy, Sadayappan.
Subjects: Computer Engineering; Computer Science
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2.
Saatcioglu, Argun.
Latent Conflict in Urban Public Education: Silent Domination and the Institutionalization of Discriminatory Organizational Forms.
Degree: PhD, Organizational Behavior, 2007, Case Western Reserve University
► Why is there no controversy concerning inequality in urban education? Segregation and…
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▼ Why is there no controversy concerning inequality in urban education? Segregation and entrenched non-school problems (poverty, neighborhood deterioration, and family dissolution) in urban districts are key drivers of inequality in a society that views public education as the “great equalizer.” The problem is the failure of the predominantly white affluent to sacrifice their privileges, which has subverted the interests of poor black children, resulting in latent conflict. Urban school desegregation was aimed at equalizing education by replacing the “neighborhood school” with the “integrated school.” It failed because it was banned from expanding into the suburbs and was undermined by worsening non-school problems. However, desegregation must be evaluated in terms of the effectiveness of the schools to counteract non-school problems. To this end, a model and several hypotheses, drawing upon the sociology of education and the neo-ecological approach to poverty, are proposed. School desegregation also offers a chance to extend organizational neo-institutionalism. This theory emphasizes manifest conflict in the examination of the politics of organizational legitimacy. However, the prevailing legitimacy of the “neighborhood school” indicates latent conflict. It is hypothesized that neighborhood schools were re-institutionalized in the 1990s due to restricted opportunity for manifest conflict and were legitimated through a discourse cloaking the nature of inequality. Hypotheses were tested on data from the Cleveland Municipal School District (CMSD), which implemented desegregation between 1979 and 1993, re-segregating between 1994 and 1998. Yearly records for 305,706 students were available. Also, 1,557 articles on schools from the Cleveland Plain Dealer (CPD) between 1993 and 1998 were collected to examine the discourse. CMSD archives were used for econometric analysis. CPD content was used for frame analysis. As hypothesized, desegregation made the schools more effective in counteracting the non-school problems of blacks, while whites were largely unharmed. The policy failed only when non-school deprivation reached extreme levels in the late 1980s. However, instead of expanding desegregation into the suburbs and addressing non-school problems, CMSD was allowed to re-segregate. The discourse in the 1990s justified inequality by emphasizing individual initiative in educational success, along with several inconsequential reforms. Eventually, segregated neighborhood schools became a taken-for-granted organizational form.
Advisors/Committee Members: Neilsen, Eric H.
Keywords: Urban education, school desegregation, power, organizational institutionalism
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3.
Sabag-Daigle, Anice.
Nitrogen Metabolism of the Haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii.
Degree: PhD, Microbiology, 2009, Ohio State University
► Cells in all domains of life have developed complex regulatory schemes to…
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▼ Cells in all domains of life have developed complex regulatory schemes to ensure nitrogen homeostasis. The mechanisms associated with nitrogen homeostasis have been examined in a wide variety of organisms and the molecular aspects of these regulatory systems present a view of an essential global regulatory program for each organism. Recognizing that a similar complex regulatory scheme was most likely present in the Archaea, we chose to investigate the response of Haloferax volcanii to variations in the amount and the quality of its nitrogen source as a model of global regulation in the Archaea. Analysis of the recently sequenced H. volcanii genome showed that this organism encodes enzymes for the core ammonia assimilation pathways found in all organisms and several enzymes for the assimilation of nitrogen from alternative substrates. Phyletic distribution studies and phylogenetic analyses indicate that many of these alternative nitrogen assimilation pathways are absent in other Archaea and that they many have been acquired by the haloarchaea through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacterial genomes. To investigate the global transcriptome response of H. volcanii to changes in nitrogen availability, a genome-wide tiled array was constructed and used to characterize the RNA populations of cells undergoing balanced growth, during growth with a poor nitrogen source and under conditions of nitrogen starvation. Changes in the RNA populations indicated that genes encoding core nitrogen assimilation pathways showed differential expression. However, the regulatory proteins common to the bacterial systems, and those described for Archaea, were absent in H. volcanii. An analysis of the RNAs identified a specific regulatory protein of the AsnC family in the negative regulation of the glnA gene and showed that the general transcription factor (GTF) genes, tbp and tfb, also exhibited differential expression. These data also uncovered the regulated expression of numerous genes encoding uncharacterized proteins. A notable example was a gene encoding a serine/threonine protein kinase, prkA, which is present only in the haloarchaea. This gene exhibited high levels of RNA during nitrogen starvation, and other conditions of nutrient limitation, suggesting that this novel enzyme plays an important role in the physiological response to starvation in the haloarchaea. Expression of the histidine utilization genes, hutUGIH, was examined in vivo as a model for the regulation of nitrogen assimilation genes that were acquired by HGT. In vivo studies established that the positive transcription regulator, HutR, regulated the hut operon genes when histidine or urocanate was provided to cells. The HutR protein is a member of the bacterio-opsin activator (BOA) family of regulators and this class of regulator has not previously been associated with nitrogen regulation in any other organism. The results of this study provide a detailed view of the response of the haloarchaeon H. volcanii to nitrogen limitation and they have uncovered associations to genes of uncharacterized functions. These results have also established the specific regulatory mode of the hut genes, which have been acquired by HGT and are functionally assimilated into the metabolism of this haloarchaeon.
Advisors/Committee Members: Daniels, Dr. Charles.
Subjects: Microbiology
Keywords: Archaea, halophiles, nitrogen metabolism, microarray, horizontal gene transfer, histidine metabolism
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4.
Sabala, Ryan J.
Satellite Attitude Determination Using Laser Communication Systems.
Degree: MS, Electrical Engineering (Engineering and Technology), 2008, Ohio University
► Satellite laser communication systems provide measurements that can be further processed to…
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▼ Satellite laser communication systems provide measurements that can be further processed to provide relative attitude estimates of each satellite in the constellation. This suggests a dual-use potential yielding benefits such as the use of lower-cost inertial measurement units, achieving improved fault-tolerance, and facilitating the implementation of orbital control systems. This thesis presents a static attitude determination scheme that provides relative attitude estimates using azimuth and elevation angles provided by the laser communication system. These measurements are corrupted by noise and error sources, several of which are characterized herein, and so this thesis also presents a sensitivity analysis intended to characterize the impact that these errors have on the attitude solution. This analysis reveals a high degree of sensitivity which indicates that a dynamic attitude estimation scheme may be required that incorporates the static estimation scheme in a nonlinear filtering architecture.
Advisors/Committee Members: Lawrence, Douglas A.
Subjects: Electrical engineering
Keywords: Satellite Attitude Determination; Laser Communication System; Satellite Laser Communication; Sensitivity Analysis; Static Estimation; Error Sources
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5.
SABANAYAGAM, SENTHIL.
EURALILLE PROJECT: ISSUES OF PLACE, FORM AND SPACE IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION.
Degree: MS ARCH, Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning : Architecture, 2001, University of Cincinnati
► Issues of identity, context and place are central to the discussions on…
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▼ Issues of identity, context and place are central to the discussions on urbanism and urban design projects. In its role as the physical reflection of contemporary culture, the city form is closely linked to these issues. Consequently the approach to these issues forms the core area of theory, criticism and practice of urban design. The recent growth of globalization as a cultural, economic and social phenomenon has significantly affected these issues and triggered a revaluation of their role and significance in the design of cities. This study is an analysis of changing perspectives on issues of place and context in relation to the newly emerging global condition with reference to the design of cities. It is an attempt to understand the recent trends in the architectural expression of forms and spaces that can be linked to the influences of globalization. The particular case of the design for the new city center for Lille, a city in northern France is taken as the primary case study subject for its active relationship with the issues of place and context and the close ties of its programming with events of globalization. Analysis of this project is divided topically into the study of its way of contending with the issue of place, form and space. The framework for studying the project is derived from the writings by Marc Auge on non-places, Edward Relph's 'Place and Placelessness' and Hans Ibelings ideas on the architecture for globalization. The study also considers the ideas of Rem Koolhaas, the master architect for the Euralille project and certain recent architectural works that seem to have similarities in their radical approach to place and treatment of form and space. The overall aim of the thesis is to develop an understanding of contemporary issues in architecture and urbanism that are under the influence of the forces of globalization.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hancock, John.
Subjects: Architecture
Keywords: urban design; globalization; place; architecture; euralille
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6.
Sabangan, Rainier Monteclaro.
Identification and Estimation of Location and Dispersion Effects in Unreplicated 2k-p Designs Using Generalized Linear Models.
Degree: MS, Applied Statistics (ASOR), 2010, Bowling Green State University
► Unreplicated fractional factorial experiments are sometimes used as screening experiments whenever replication…
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▼ Unreplicated fractional factorial experiments are sometimes used as screening experiments whenever replication is not practical due to cost or time constraints. It is then important to be prudent when choosing which factors are to be included in the model. This study suggests a method in identifying significant location and dispersion effects using generalized linear modeling approach. A critical values table was generated and the difference in the minus twice the log-likelihood of two different joint models is compared against the critical values to determine significance.
Advisors/Committee Members: McGrath, Richard.
Subjects: Statistics
Keywords: model test, estimation, identification, location model, dispersion model, -2L, -2R, R code, generalized linear modeling, fractional factorial, multi-modal
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7.
Sabatini, Gerald Andrew.
Graffiti Architecture: Alternative Methodologies for the Appropriation of Space.
Degree: M. Arch., Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of), 2008, University of Cincinnati
► Post-war socioeconomic shifts have reconfigured the built environment to complex networks of…
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▼ Post-war socioeconomic shifts have reconfigured the built environment to complex networks of private, commodified zones masquerading as public space. These spaces are inextricably linked to marketing strategies, financial gains, sustained economic growth. Here, actual uses and potential new uses of space are forcefully suppressed. This is evidenced by the War on Graffiti.Graffiti causes no structural damage; because it disrupts the image of space it is fought and suppressed. An investigation into its constructs might unveil a complex political infrastructure which implicates society, consumerism, and architecture. Thus, the goal of this thesis is to investigate the disconnect between mediated use of space built from image and the actual use of space built from need, to establish a methodology that translates the politics of graffiti from visual/graphic to spatial/occupiable. The found paradigms will be applied to three designs: a rural cycling lane, privacy shells in suburbia, and an urban workplace.
Advisors/Committee Members: McInturf, Michael.
Subjects: Architecture; Art History; Art education; Design
Keywords: graffiti; appropriation; destruction; creation; art; society consumerism; architecture design; sixties modernism; post-modernism; consumer related design; lebbeus woods baudrillard; guy debord detournment
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9.
Sabbaghan, Masoud.
Non-coalescent minimal distal flows.
Degree: PhD, Mathematics, 1993, Case Western Reserve University
► In 1970, W. Parry and P. Walters constructed an example of a…
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▼ In 1970, W. Parry and P. Walters constructed an example of a non-coalescent minimal distal flow, that is, a minimal distal flow with an endomorphism which is not an automorphism (7). In this dissertation we give a general construction of such examples in a systematic way.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wu, Ta-Sun.
Subjects: Mathematics
Keywords: Non-coalescent minimal distal flows
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10.
Sabens, David Michael.
SELECTIVE DEPOSITION OF DIAMOND FILMS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN POLYMER BASED ELECTRODE ARRAYS.
Degree: PhD, Chemical Engineering, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► Patterning processes combined metal masking and selective diamond growth to fabricate conductive…
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▼ Patterning processes combined metal masking and selective diamond growth to fabricate conductive diamond patterns on various substrates, allowing either the growth or nucleation surfaces to be applied as electrodes. These processes enable novel applications of diamond electrodes integrating diamond films into existing sensor systems and novel, temperature intolerant, polymer-based systems. A patterning process was initially developed for thermally oxidized silicon. Two nucleation (BEN and sonication seeding) and two growth (HFCVD and MPCVD) methods were evaluated. Feature dimensions and spacing down to 8 μm were obtained, having a minimal thickness of 1 μm. The films were high-quality polycrystalline diamond, as analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. As electrochemical sensors, the films detected dopamine (10 μM in PBS) with redox properties typical of microcrystalline diamond. Attempts using BEN to selectively deposit diamond on insulating surfaces (alumina, high-temperature borosilicate glass) required metal coating of the back and sides of substrates. With alumina, adhesion problems prevented growth of complete films (or patterns). With glass, interactions between the tungsten and substrate prevented etching of the mask, compromising the pattern. Patterns on silicon dioxide were transferred to a polynorbornene polymer support with metal (Au, or Cr/Au/Cr) contacts to create the first diamond-on-polymer sensors - making the smooth, diamond nucleation surface the active electrode surface. The patterning process was scaled from ¼” chips to 3” wafers, to fabricate multi-electrode arrays (10 singly addressable pads). Sonication seeding was used to seed wafer-scale substrates due to limitations in implementing BEN with larger scale substrates. As-fabricated, diamond-on-polymer electrodes from the wafer-scale process showed a highly capacitive dielectric response. XPS depth profiling revealed a SiOxCy layer on the electrode (diamond nucleation) surface, an issue introduced by the diamond transfer process (i.e. choice of nucleation method). After removing this insulating layer by fluorine plasma etch, electrochemical behavior more typical of a conductive diamond microelectrode was observed. Ferrocyanide oxidation was detected at 100pM (in PBS) using background-subtracted, fast scan cyclic voltammetry. These data confirmed that the plasma-treated nucleation surface was suitable as a microelectrode, showing the usefulness of these new patterning processes to develop novel diamond electrodes, e.g., in a polymer support.
Advisors/Committee Members: Martin, Heidi B.
Subjects: Chemical Engineering
Keywords: Diamond; Electrochemistry; Diamond-on-polymer; photolithography; thin film; flexible electronics; BEN; Microwave Plasma CVD; Hot Filament CVD; fast scan cyclic voltammetry; Avatrel; selective deposition
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11.
Sabens, Elizabeth Ann.
Levodopa Drug Induced Alteration of Thiol Homeostasis in Model Neurons Activates Apoptosis Signaling Kinase 1: Implications for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease.
Degree: PhD, Pharmacology, 2010, Case Western Reserve University
► Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized…
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▼ Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by dopaminergic neuron loss, increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and protein aggregation. Treatment of PD involves chronic administration of Levodopa (L-DOPA) which paradoxically induces cell death in cellular models of PD. We hypothesized that L-DOPA-induced cell death occurs due to increased oxidative stress disrupting sulfhydryl homeostasis through modification of homeostatic enzymes, glutaredoxin (Grx), GSSG reductase (GR), thioredoxin (Trx), and thioredoxin reductase (TR). Indeed, L-DOPA inhibited Grx in a dose-dependent fashion; however, its content was unaffected. GR activity was not altered. L-DOPA treatments also led to decreased activities of Trx and TR, usually concomitant with diminution of their cellular levels. Experiments involving treatment of the isolated enzymes with oxidized L-DOPA established that only Grx is inactivated in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion, corresponding to irreversible adduction of dopaquinone to the active site cysteine (Cys 22). Furthermore, selective knockdown of Grx or chemical inhibition of TR resulted in increased apoptosis, documenting the neuroblastoma cell’s dependence on both the Grx and Trx systems for survival. In order to further elucidate the mechanism(s) of L-DOPA induced cell death, our studies focused on cell fate pathways regulated by both Grx and Trx. NFκB, normally a prosurvival transcription factor, is regulated by both Grx and Trx where oxidation of various proteins within its activation pathway results in decreased function. Apoptosis signaling kinase 1 (ASK1), a pro-apoptotic MAPKKK, is activated by oxidative stress leading to phosphorylation of downstream MAPKs, p38 and JNK, and initiation of apoptosis. Consistent with this mechanism, L-DOPA treatment of SHSY5Y cells leads to increased phosphorylation of the downstream ASK1 targets, JNK and p38. Furthermore, inhibition of JNK and p38 activity is sufficient to nearly abolish L-DOPA-induced cell death. Knockdown of ASK1 conferred near complete protection from L-DOPA-induced apoptosis, implicating the ASK1 pro-apoptotic pathway as the major effector of L-DOPA-induced cell death. These results elucidate a distinct mechanism of L-DOPA-induced apoptosis and provide the ability to develop new therapeutics aimed at preventing the unwanted side effect of L-DOPA in Parkinson’s disease therapy.
Advisors/Committee Members: Mieyal, John.
Subjects: Biochemistry; Cellular biology; Pharmacology
Keywords: Parkinson's disease; apoptosis; levodopa; cell signaling; enzyme kinetics; thiol homeostasis; mitogen activated protein kinase
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12.
Saberi, Iftekhar Ali.
Merge: As it relates to computer integrated manufacturing environment.
Degree: MS, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering (Engineering), 2001, Ohio University
Merge: As it relates to computer integrated manufacturing environment.
Advisors/Committee Members: Judd, Robert P.
Subjects: Engineering, Industrial
Keywords: merge; computer integrated manufacturing; environment
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13.
Sabiers, Michael P.
Generating Critical Organizational States: Bridges between sociotechnical design features and high performance.
Degree: PhD, Organizational Behavior, 1992, Case Western Reserve University
► This study conceptualizes the organizational change process as consisting of two stages.…
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▼ This study conceptualizes the organizational change process as consisting of two stages. The first stage is the introduction of changes in organizational structure, technology or human relationships (action levers) that Sociotechnical Systems principles predict should result in desirable organizational outcomes. In sufficient number these action levers foster a broad realignment of underlying assumptions and inter-locking behavioral response sets within the organization. This study identifies groups of these response sets as "Critical Organizational States" that can be measured using a questionnaire developed for the purpose. These Critical Organizational States are theorized to interact synergistically and in their turn lead to increased organizational effectiveness and efficiency, decreased turnover and absenteeism, and increased employee commitment and satisfaction. An analysis of survey results from 10 manufacturing plants lends some support for the two-stage conceptualization of organizational change. The usefulness of the concept of Critical Organizational States in evaluating change efforts is also supported. Data imply that desired organizational outcomes may be reduced or eliminated when firms are unwilling or unable to remove enough hierar chical control mechanisms to allow shop floor subsystems to become self-correcting. Because of limitations in the data, an evaluation of relationships between Critical Organizational States and organizational effectiveness was not possible.
Advisors/Committee Members: Pasmore, William A.
Keywords: sociotechnical performance
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14.
Sabin, Gerald M.
Unfairness in parallel job scheduling.
Degree: PhD, Computer and Information Science, 2006, Ohio State University
► Job scheduling has been an active area of research for many years.…
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▼ Job scheduling has been an active area of research for many years. Most modern schedulers implement a form of space shared scheduling known as backfilling. Backfilling is a technique used to allow jobs to start out of order, which results in higher utilization and lower average turnaround times. An area that has not been addressed is the impact of these backfilling schemes on the fairness of jobs and users. It is of interest to quantify and study the impact of backfilling on various fairness metrics. Sociology, computer networking and operations research provide evidence of the importance of fairness in queuing disciplines. Currently, there is no accepted model for characterizing fairness in parallel job scheduling. We introduce two types of fairness metrics intended for parallel job schedulers, both of which are based on models from sociology, networking, and/or operations research. The first metric type is motivated by social justice, where serving using in arrival order is considered fair. Therefore, the metric attempts to measure the deviation from arrival order. The second metric type is based on resource equality and compares the resources consumed by a job with the resources deserved by the job. These metrics are orthogonal to traditional metrics, such as turnaround time and utilization. To this end, we develop and introduce fairness metrics which are as independent as possible from current metrics such as utilization and turnaround time. The intent of the fairness metrics is to evaluate how fairly jobs or users are treated, in contrast to the quality of the generated schedule. Further, we plan to use these metrics to study the unfairness of backfilling strategies that have been proposed (and possibly implemented) by past job scheduling research and (where feasible) suggest changes to these strategies to improve fairness. The metrics are used to investigate a new moldable scheduler. An iterative moldable scheduler is introduced and compared to other moldable scheduling algorithms. The metrics are also used to evaluate the Ross/CPlant supercomputer from Sandia National Laboratory. The metrics provide insight to scheduling policy that would provide acceptable fairness to the community.
Advisors/Committee Members: Sadayappan, P.
Subjects: Computer Science
Keywords: Parallel Job Scheduling, Backfilling, User Estimation, Moldability, Fairness
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15.
Sableski, Mary Catherine.
The development of literate identities in students identified as struggling readers.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the interactions between teachers and students within a summer one-to-one tutoring situation on the identity development of students identified as struggling readers. The summer one-to-one tutoring program was part of a master’s level course on assessment and evaluation of reading difficulties at a Midwestern university. A qualitative multi-case study approach was used to collect and analyze data. Data were collected over a 6-month period and included observations of tutoring sessions, interviews of both teachers and students, work samples from teachers and students, transcripts of both in-class and on-line university class discussions, and observations and interviews of the students and their new teachers in the fall. Data analysis included thematic coding and microanalysis and revealed two types of interactions between the teachers and the students: those at the point of difficulty and the asking of questions by the teacher. At the point of difficulty, the teachers interacted with the students to scaffold instruction and to teach the use of reading strategies. Teachers asked questions using various forms, and the forms used reflected the teaching style that they relied upon. The teachers’ perspectives on the assessment, evaluation, and instruction of struggling readers played a role in the types of interactions that occurred. Students responded to the teachers using resistance and coping behaviors. Resistance occurred when the interactions did not match students’ existing literate identities, and coping behaviors occurred when the students reached points of difficulty that challenged their literate identities. When students’ coping behaviors were acknowledged by the teachers, students were able to use them to maintain existing literate identities, while resistance was not a successful means of inserting previous literate identities into the interactions. These findings demonstrate that students bring literate identities to academic interactions from previous contexts, and the extent to which these identities are honored by their teachers has implications for the development of their literate identities. Struggling readers who find their literate identities reflected within academic interactions are better able to resolve their previous literate identities with the ones presented to them by their teachers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scharer, Patricia L.
Keywords: struggling readers; identity; tutoring; in-service teacher education; reading
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16.
SABNEKAR, SHIVESH.
DYNAMIC MODELS FOR COMPLEX SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES USING VHDL-AMS.
Degree: MS, Engineering : Computer Science and Engineering, 2001, University of Cincinnati
► With intensive research being conducted in the field of VHDL-AMS modeling, the…
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▼ With intensive research being conducted in the field of VHDL-AMS modeling, the need for a library of simple primitive semiconductor devices has been recognized. These devices can then be used to develop complex devices of higher abstraction level. VHDL-AMS with its unique features such as representation of ordinary differential-algebraic equations, discontinuity identification and processing, simultaneous representation of continuous-time and discrete-time descriptions presents itself as a powerful language to model analog and mixed signal systems. Previous works on assessing the capabilities of VHDL-AMS to model primitive device models such as diodes and static transistor models yielded cogent results. Hence, to further assess the capabilities of VHDL-AMS, devices that exhibit dynamic characteristics have to be modeled. The intent of the research described in this thesis is to assess the ability of VHDL-AMS to model dynamic behavior of complex semiconductor devices. The models thus developed were validated using SPICE.
Advisors/Committee Members: Carter, Dr. Harold W.
Subjects: Computer Science
Keywords: MODELING; VHDL-AMS; TRANSISTORS; DYNAMIC; SIMULATION
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17.
SABNIS, SUDEEP SUHAS.
AN APPROACH TO FACILITATING VERIFICATION OF LINEAR CONSTRAINTS.
Degree: MS, Engineering : Computer Science, 2003, University of Cincinnati
► The notion of dependent types has been around for more than three…
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▼ The notion of dependent types has been around for more than three decades, but a major complication resulting from introducing such a type discipline is that pure type inference for the enriched system is no longer possible. However, in the late nineties, a restricted form of dependent types was introduced in practical programming to capture more program properties through types and thereby detect more program errors at compile-time than effected by the strong type discipline in Standard ML or Java. Xanadu, a dependently typed imperative programming language, was the result of enriching the type system of imperative programming paradigm with a restricted form of dependent types. For the effective compilation of Xanadu program, it is crucial to successfully solve the linear constraints generated during its type-checking. This study is focussed on solving and verifying the linear integer constraints generated during the type-checking of Xanadu program. We present a two-tier constraint solver, based on the well-known linear programming algorithm, the Simplex method. The first tier uses the two-phase Simplex method to find a rational solution for a given set of constraints. If no rational solution exists, then no integer solution could be found. However, if a rational solution exists, the second tier uses branch and bound method, an integer programming algorithm, to seek an integer solution. As a significant application, we also study the use of our solver in eliminating the need for array bounds checking at runtime. The solver also generates a data structure, which we designate as history matrix, that records the operations of the Simplex algorithm. We claim that verifying the constraints using this data structure is faster than verifying them through the solver. Several constraints, gathered from the type-checking of Xanadu programs are solved and verified using the history matrix. The results presented, validate our claim. Moreover, we regard this matrix as a representation of a proof, which along with the compiled code would form an effort aimed towards producing a certifying code or a proof carrying code for Xanadu.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tomko, Dr. Karen.
Subjects: Computer Science
Keywords: simplex algorithm; verification; linear constraints; Xanadu; dependent types
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18.
Sabo, Carl William.
The impact of state-federal agency structure on service delivery and outcomes for individuals with visual impairments.
Degree: PhD, Physical Activity and Educational Services, 2005, Ohio State University
► The purpose of this study was to examine service delivery and outcomes…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to examine service delivery and outcomes for individuals with visual impairments. The study sought to examine whether differences existed in service delivery and outcomes based on agency structure within the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system. Within the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system there are two major agency structures that serve as service delivery vehicles for persons with visual impairments. There is a combined agency structure, providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals of all disability types, including those with visual impairments. The other major service delivery system is the separate/blind agency structure. This system provides vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who have visual impairments. This ex-post facto study utilized national data from the state-federal vocational rehabilitation system in federal fiscal year 2002. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was selected for evaluating the relationship between agency type and variables such as weekly earnings, hours worked, number of types of services, case expenditures, and number of services. Furthermore, chi-square analysis was utilized to study any statistical differences in the type of services that individuals with visual impairments received from the agency structures providing vocational rehabilitation services to that population. The MANOVA and chi-square results of the study showed that statistical differences existed between the agency structures in vocational rehabilitation outcomes and service delivery for individuals with visual impairments. MANOVA analysis found that consumers of combined agencies had higher means on all variables studied. Of note was that consumers of combined agencies had higher weekly earnings, $365.54 vs. $354.73, and more hours worked per week, 34.09 vs. 31.93. Ths chi-square analysis found statistical significance in virtually every type of service category with consumers of combined agencies receiving disproportionately more type of services than individuals with visual impairments working with separate agencies. There is a dearth of empirical data in this area. This study's aim is to add meaningful information to the body of research on this topic.
Advisors/Committee Members: Klein, Michael.
Subjects: Education, Guidance and Counseling
Keywords: state-federal vocational rehabilitation; state-federal agency structure; visual impairments; disability agencies; vocational rehabilitation; blind vocational rehabilitation; state vocational rehabilitation; rehabilitation services
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19.
Sabo, Chelsea.
UAV Two-Dimensional Path Planning In Real-Time Using Fuzzy Logic.
Degree: MS, Engineering and Applied Science: Aerospace Engineering, 2011, University of Cincinnati
► There are a variety of scenarios in which the mission objectives rely…
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▼ There are a variety of scenarios in which the mission objectives rely on a UAV being capable of maneuvering in an environment containing obstacles in which there is little prior knowledge of the surroundings. In these situations, not only can these obstacles be dynamic, but sometimes there is no way to plan ahead of the mission to avoid them. Additionally, there are many situations in which it is desirable to send in an exploratory robot where the environment is dangerous/ contaminated and there is a great deal of uncertainty. These scenarios could either be too risky to send people or not available to humans. With an appropriate dynamic motion planning algorithm in these situations, robots or UAVs would be able to maneuver in any unknown and/or dynamic environment towards a target in real-time. An autonomous system that can handle these varying conditions rapidly and efficiently without failure is imperative to the future of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This paper presents a methodology for two-dimensional path planning of a UAV using fuzzy logic. This approach is selected due to its ability to emulate human decision making and relative ease of implementation. The fuzzy inference system takes information in real time about obstacles (if within the agent’s sensing range) and target location and outputs a change in heading angle and speed. The FL controller was validated for both simple (polygon obstacles in a sparse space) and complex environments (i.e. non-polygon obstacles, symmetrical/concave obstacles, dense environments, etc). Additionally, Monte Carlo testing was completed to evaluate the performance of the control method. Not only was the path traversed by the UAV often the exact path computed using an optimal method, the low failure rate makes the Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) feasible for exploration. The FLC showed only a total of 3% failure rate, whereas an Artificial Potential Field (APF) solution, a commonly used intelligent control method, had an average of 18% failure rate. Also, the APF method failed about 1/3 of the time for very dense environments (the FLC only had 5% failure rate). These results highlighted one of the advantages of the FLC method: its adaptability to additional rules while maintaining low control effort. Furthermore, the solutions showed superior results when compared to the APF solutions when compared to distance traversed. Overall, the FLC produced solutions that were on average only about 7.7% greater distance traveled (as opposed to 9.7% for the APF).
Advisors/Committee Members: Cohen, Kelly.
Subjects: Aerospace Materials
Keywords: UAV; Path Planning; Fuzzy Logic; Online; Real-Time; Motion Planning
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20.
Sabo, Garth Jerome.
“Almost lifeless, like the teller”: The instructive performances of Samuel Beckett’s self-aware novels.
Degree: MA, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English, 2011, Kent State University
► Samuel Beckett’s novels have been well noted for the level…
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▼ Samuel Beckett’s novels have been well noted for the level of self-reflection they contain; Watt, for example, is as much about reading Watt as it is about anything else. The traditional critical response to this reflective characteristic of Beckett’s prose has been to frame it solely as an indicator of meaninglessness and cognitive emptiness. While Beckett clearly intends for his reader to understand the universe as inherently meaningless and devoid of any metaphysical resonance, his novels instruct their audiences in a rigid and specific interpretation of that meaninglessness; that is, though Beckett’s novels endorse Nothing, he takes great care to insure that his readers arrive at the Nothing he intended. In pursuit of this, Beckett makes liberal use of what I have identified as “instructive performances” throughout his novels. Through moments of instantaneous meta-commentary, Beckett’s novels simultaneously instruct their readers in the proper response to the text and act out those intended interpretive gestures. This engenders a unique relationship between author and audience in response to the Beckettian text, as both parties become equally entangled in the ultimate production of textual meaning. The purpose of this thesis is to trace the appearance of instructive performances throughout Beckett’s early novels Murphy, Watt, Molloy, Malone Dies, and The Unnamable. These moments typically manifest in three distinct ways. In the first, Beckett draws attention to the artistic process of creating the text, and in doing so makes the reaction intended by his efforts explicit to the reader. In the second manifestation, Beckett implicates the text as a physical object with which the reader interacts; in doing so, he models for the reader how the physical act of reading should correspond to specific mental events. Finally, Beckett compares the text to scatological processes and products, with the result being that the processes of writing and reading become expressions of some pressing physical instinct for expression, even despite the knowledge that such expression results solely in excreted waste. By establishing the importance placed upon these instructive moments in the text, a new critical understanding of the artist-art-audience relationship in Beckett can be arrived at and embraced as a new direction for the field of Beckett studies.
Advisors/Committee Members: Culleton, Claire.
Subjects: Literature
Keywords: Samuel Beckett; meta; scatology; physical; self-aware; commentary
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21.
Sabo, Jason D.
National Print and Electronic News Coverage of Self Management Behaviors and Efficacy for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Degree: MA, College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies, 2011, Kent State University
► This study addressed the question: “How do news media portray the self-management…
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▼ This study addressed the question: “How do news media portray the self-management behaviors for type 2 diabetes mellitus?” Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of death in the U.S. Disease rates are increasing despite the potential for preventing and delaying disease progression via lifestyle intervention and self-management. This chronic disease has reached epidemic proportions in terms of both diagnosed cases and financial costs. Guided by Witte’s (1992) extended parallel processing model, the study implemented a quantitative content analysis of self-management and efficacy messages in national print and electronic news coverage of type 2 diabetes mellitus from 2009 to 2011. Of 666 stories referencing diabetes in that time frame, 14 % (n = 96) discussed self-management. Findings suggest that news stories rarely address self-management behaviors for type 2 diabetes mellitus; the little coverage that does occur does not meet its health-related potential to influence adaptive behavior change for primary and secondary prevention. Less than one third of analyzed stories referenced multiple (three or more) self-management behaviors related to primary and secondary prevention and only one news story explicitly used self-management terminology. Results suggest that self-management for type 2 diabetes has yet to become a newsworthy topic and saliency on the public agenda. Additionally, by failing to address both response efficacy and self-efficacy, stories on diabetes self-management may not effectively motivate relevant health knowledge acquisition and/or health behavior change. Communication processes and trends in news messages on self-management and prevention in type 2 diabetes are discussed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Cline, Rebecca J. W.
Subjects: Communication; Health; Health Education; Mass Media; Public Health; Public Health Education
Keywords: type 2 diabetes; self-mangagement; chronic disease; content analysis; news coverage
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22.
Sabo, Joseph Michael.
We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident: The Need for Animal Rights in the United States of America.
Degree: BA, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Justice Studies, 2012, Kent State University Honors College
► The early history of the United States was plagued by the presence…
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▼ The early history of the United States was plagued by the presence of inequality against others based on a non-exhaustive list that included, but was not limited to, race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age and disability. Could the oppression of animals be another form of unjust inequality? In Western society, animal products and by-products are no longer needed for survival. Rather than acting out of necessity, the American consumer is instead driven by a schizophrenic morality. Pets are treated like family members and welfare laws are passed with unwavering support; however, animal use has increased substantially in the U.S., generating 10.153 billion deaths every year in meat production alone. Western society’s current relationship with the nonhuman is a product of religious beliefs, literary representation, historical exploitation and scientific discoveries. The Judeo-Christian faith has firmly established man’s superiority in the Universe. Literary works have aided religion by emphasizing the degraded nature of the nonhuman. In addition, past societies have justified slavery and genocide by assigning animal characteristics to humans. Despite the scientific evidence verifying animal sentience, humans prefer to visualize nonhumans as unconscious machines that can neither think nor feel pain. Currently, the law regards animals as personal property that can be sold, bought and destroyed. For most Americans, animal consciousness, even when acknowledged, is still not enough to validate a major lifestyle change. Beginning at birth, children are improperly exposed to animals through anthropomorphic methods. As adults, men and women are constantly encouraged to participate in activities that directly cause animal suffering. Accordingly, when compassion is absent, the law must require a person’s rights to be recognized. The ability to feel pain should be the only condition necessary in order to receive basic moral status and equal consideration within Western society. Until animals are granted legal personhood status, they will remain nothing more than expendable pieces of property.
Advisors/Committee Members: Cutting, Sara.
Subjects: Animals
Keywords: animal; rights; human; nonhuman; equal; consideration; welfare; interests; inalienable; consciousness; intelligence; sentience; Western; society; law; America; vegan; vegetarian; suffering; slavery; genocide; equality; slaughter; agriculture; meat; dairy
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23.
Saboowala, Abbas Firoz.
Performance Analysis of Asymmetric Constellation in Concatenation with Trellis Coded Modulation for use in Intelligent Systems.
Degree: MS, College of Engineering, 2011, University of Toledo
► This thesis is on trellis coded modulation (TCM) schemes with asymmetrical constellation.…
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▼ This thesis is on trellis coded modulation (TCM) schemes with asymmetrical constellation. This modulation technique can be easily adapted to the intelligent systems like Cognitive Radio and Software Defined Radio (SDR) with improved error performance. Different types of asymmetric constellation methods for QPSK, 8-PSK and 16-PSK are used, which result in better performance compared to the case of standard symmetrical constellation assignment. In a cognitive radio environment, the channel conditions change frequently. Thus it suggests the requirement for a non-linear adaptive modulation technique with variable parameters. This requirement can be met by using trellis coded modulation with asymmetrical constellation [15,16]. The approach to this thesis is to use digital modulation techniques namely M-ary Phase Shift Keying (MPSK), in combination with convolutional codes of specific code rate, and then combining these convolutional codes to a TCM mapper, and finally carrying out TCM encoding and decoding. Towards this, the following steps are performed; designing the convolutional encoder based on Ungerboeck‟s design scheme, using a signal mapper to map the modulation scheme, making use of Ungerboeck's set partitioning technique to obtain the maximum distance between signals [2], obtaining the trellis which maximizes the performance, and carrying out decoding using the Viterbi algorithm [18]. The method used in this thesis yields an improvement in error, minimum distance and coding gain as compared to those of conventional trellis coded modulation technique.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kim, Junghwan.
Subjects: Electrical Engineering
Keywords: Trellis Coded Modulation; Asymmetric Constellation; Intelligent Systems
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24.
Saborse, Jacob A.
Cultural Breakdown of Learned Avian Alarm Calls: Implications to Management and Conservation.
Degree: MS, Department of Biological Sciences, 2011, Youngstown State University
► Mobbing is a common response of prey birds to aggressively displace potential…
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▼ Mobbing is a common response of prey birds to aggressively displace potential predatory birds. This behavior transcends lineages and empirical evidence indicates that auditory cues from one species elicit mobbing responses in the same and/or different species. The black-capped chickadee (Pocile atricapillus) varies the number and length of D notes in the "chick-a-dee" mobbing call to denote information about the threat level a potential predator poses, with more numerous, shorter D notes designating a high threat. However, their limited natal dispersal may result in restricted transmission of culturally important vocalizations, which are known to quickly diminish in songbird populations that become isolated or are small in size, potentially exacerbating their decline. Whereas the black-capped chickadee and associated mixed flock members are common, we use this system as a model to study the cultural transmission of information important to prey survivorship and as a model of cultural breakdown in bird populations that are threatened by isolation. This project was replicated in areas containing persistent populations of Eastern screech owls (Megascops asio) and in those historically lacking them to assess whether black-capped chickadee alarm calls have a site-specific learned cultural component. Regional dialects are not hard-wired but learned in many songbirds, and locale-specific calls may uniquely convey information to members of the same mixed flock. Our data show that “chick-a-dee” warning calls differ in response to eastern screech owl presence. Where black-capped chickadees co-occurred with eastern screech owls, the average number of D notes was 5.25 but in areas lacking them, the average number of D notes was 2.25. Moreover, the length of the first D note was 40% shorter in areas with a persistent screech owl population. This indicates a breakdown in their vocal culture and suggests management that increases the connectivity of otherwise isolated populations can be of strong conservation value to many songbirds in decline.
Advisors/Committee Members: Renne, Ian.
Subjects: Acoustics; Animals; Biology; Ecology
Keywords: antipredator behavior; cultural transmission; ornithology; conservation
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25.
Sabo, Stephen Henry.
Evaluation of Capacitively-Coupled Electrical Resistivity for Locating Solution Cavities Overlain by Clay-rich Soils.
Degree: MS, Geology, 2008, Bowling Green State University
► The introduction of capacitively-coupled resistivity instruments has greatly decreased the amount of…
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▼ The introduction of capacitively-coupled resistivity instruments has greatly decreased the amount of time required for the collection of high quality resistivity data. To date, most studies using this equipment have been done in areas with resistive overburden, which enhances the depth of penetration. Much less is known about the performance of this equipment in areas with conductive overburden. The purpose of this study is to test the capacitively-coupled resistivity method for the detection of cavities in areas overlain by clay-rich soils.Two sites were investigated: Crystal Rock Cave in Erie County, Ohio consists of a sandy clay soil overlying a known cave system; and Dunbridge in Wood County, Ohio, which has a dense clay till overlying a single solution cavity that most likely is a product of oilfield activity. Data were collected with a Geometrics OhmMapper capacitively-coupled resistivity system along traverses at each site and processed using the Geometrics MagMapTM2000 software. Res2Dinv software was then used to invert the field data and produce resistivity cross sections along the traverses. Resistivity traverses at the Crystal Rock Cave site were completed with transmitter-receiver separation distances of up to 40 m, which correspond to depths of approximately 12 m. When inverted, the data showed a number of suspected sinkholes and cavities, some of which correspond to known cave locations. Traverses at the Dunbridge site were completed with transmitter-receiver separation distances of only 15 m, which limited the depth of penetration to approximately 4 m. Although the survey yielded apparent resistivity values consistent with clay-rich soils, it failed to unequivocally locate the solution cavity. This study has shown that while capacitively-coupled resistivity systems have the potential to perform well in light clay soils or resistive overburden, this method would not be the preferred method of data collection in areas with thick, clay-rich overburden. Although this method was effective in finding buried cavities at the Crystal Rock Cave Site, it failed to provide an unambiguous interpretation of the subsurface at the Dunbridge location.
Advisors/Committee Members: Onasch, Charles.
Subjects: Geology; Geophysics
Keywords: Electrical Resistivity; Capacitively-Coupled Resistivity; Ohmmapper
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26.
Sabree, Benjamin David.
A Pedagogical Investigation of the Development of General Relativity Using Differential Forms.
Degree: MS, Mathematics, 2008, Case Western Reserve University
► General relativity is widely applicable to many areas of current physics research.…
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▼ General relativity is widely applicable to many areas of current physics research. Some ‘math first’ treatments of the subject employ differential forms while others do not. This paper advocates those approaches that utilize differential forms by first outlining some of the general mathematical advantages of forms and then by comparing developments of selected topics from the different treatments.
Advisors/Committee Members: Singer, David.
Subjects: Mathematics; Physics
Keywords: general relativity; pedagogy; differential forms
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27.
Sacco, Donald F. Jr.
Experiencing Power or Powerlessness And Memory for Own and Other Race Faces.
Degree: MA, Psychology, 2007, Miami University
► Research exploring the Cross Race Effect (CRE) indicates that individuals show better…
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▼ Research exploring the Cross Race Effect (CRE) indicates that individuals show better recognition accuracy for same-race faces compared to cross-race faces (Malpass, 1981), an effect thought to be due to a reduction in motivation to individuate cross-race faces (Hugenberg, Miller, and Claypool, 2007). Furthermore, research indicates that power reduces the motivation to individuate others while powerlessness increases the motivation to individuate others (Stevens and Fiske, 2000). Combining these research domains, the current study primed participants with either high or low power and had them complete a traditional CRE recognition task. The results indicated that compared to control participants, individuals primed with low power showed a larger CRE effect. High power participants, however, did not differ from control participants. Furthermore, the effect power on the CRE was not related to participants’ information processing style, which did not vary by power condition.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hugenberg, Kurt.
Subjects: Psychology, Social
Keywords: Memory; Social Cognition; Social Categorization; Motivation; Power
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28.
Sacco, Donald F. Jr.
Facial Attractiveness and Helping Behavior Attributions: Attractive and Unattractive Persons Are Perceived of as Unhelpful.
Degree: PhD, Psychology, 2010, Miami University
► Three studies explored the relationship between facial attractiveness and attributions of prosocial…
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▼ Three studies explored the relationship between facial attractiveness and attributions of prosocial behavior. On a between-subjects (Study 1) and within-subjects (Study 2) basis, participants were shown images of targets possessing low, average and high facial attractiveness and were asked to indicate their impressions of how helpful these targets should be as well as how helpful these targets actually are. In both studies, attractive and unattractive targets were seen as actually engaging is less helping behavior than targets of average attractiveness; participants also perceived a consistent gap in unattractive and attractive targets’ actual helping behavior compared to how much they should help. Study 3 extended these findings by indicating that attractive and average targets are seen as more capable of helping than unattractive targets whereas both attractive and unattractive targets are seen as less willing to help than targets of neutral attractiveness. Perceptions of both attractive and unattractive targets’ willingness to help mediated perceptions of how much these targets actually help. Perceptions of unattractive targets willingness to help also mediated perceptions of how much these targets should help. Finally, perceptions of unattractive targets’ capability of helping mediated perceptions of how much they actually help and should help.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hugenberg, Kurt.
Subjects: Behaviorial sciences; Experiments; Psychology; Social psychology
Keywords: physical attractiveness; face perception; prosocial behavior; stereotyping; attribution theory
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29.
Sacco, John D.
Validation of a System to Analyze Jump Kinetics during Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation.
Degree: MS, Mechanical Engineering, 2009, Ohio State University
► The Shuttle System leg exercise machine, instrumented with force-sensing kickplates and a…
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▼ The Shuttle System leg exercise machine, instrumented with force-sensing kickplates and a body position-sensing distance transducer, is a useful tool in measuring individual leg parameters in coordination with total body kinematics during jumping exercises. The Shuttle is more compact, more economical, creates lesser joint loads, and causes the subject to have longer contact times with kickplates than conventional jump analysis systems. 10 adult subjects were tested performing 4 different jumping exercises on both ground-based and Shuttle-based systems. Work performed in either system was roughly equivalent. Differences between launch and landing forces were not distinguishable in any ground-based test, but were distinguishable in several Shuttle-based tests. Minimal variation was observed between dominant and non-dominant leg performance in those with an observed bias. Peak forces correlated to impulses in some subjects but not in others, lending to the idea that this relationship may be critical in future studies to identify injury risk.
Advisors/Committee Members: Berme, Necip.
Subjects: Biomedical research; Engineering; Mechanical engineering; Rehabilitation; Sports medicine
Keywords: Shuttle System; biomechanics; jumping
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30.
Sachelarie, Vlad.
Improvements on the equity indexed annuity market.
Degree: PhD, Mathematics, 2002, Ohio State University
► Equity indexed annuities (EIA's) were introduced to the market in the early…
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▼ Equity indexed annuities (EIA's) were introduced to the market in the early 1995 and ever since then they have been producing a lot of interest and excitement in the option market. An EIA is an equity linked annuity whose return is based on the performance of an equity mutual fund or a stock index. These annuities have some really nice features such as: minimum guaranteed return, tax-deferral, and locking in of a credited interest rate, and also each EIA customer takes part in some way in the stock market. A typical example of an EIA is a point-to-point design. If SandP 500 has a realized 5-year return of 8% and the participation rate is set at 90%, then the actual interest rate credited to the policy will be 8%*90%=7.2% if this is bigger than the minimum guaranteed rate (usually around 3%). There are also some other classic designs like annual reset and continuous lookback that we discuss in Chapter 2. The problem the EIA market is facing today is the increased volatility of the market as well as an abrupt stop in the phenomenal growth of the stock market. Insurers aren't able to offer the same participation rates as they used to in the late 90's, and lower participation rates mean lower sale numbers. The need for some new designs or models of EIA's is clear and that's what this thesis will answer. We will show how to improve the classic EIA designs using a multibarrier approach and we will also introduce a few other new designs that perform much better then the classic ones in today's volatile market. These last designs are based on a path-dependence approach where we look at the value of the respective index throughout the period of the policy or just on an arbitrary period. So we introduced 5 new types of EIA's and derived closed form formulae for the price of these new designs. We also provide tables and plots of the classic designs versus the new design which show that the new ones are better than the old ones and also show how much better they are in terms of actual numbers for the participation rates for different prices.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wyman, Bostwick F.
Subjects: Mathematics
Keywords: equity indexed annuity
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