MS, University of Cincinnati, 2015, Engineering and Applied Science: Electrical Engineering

Microwave Tomography (MWT) is being developed as an accurate detection of hemorrhagic strokes using microwaves. A transmission line technique is used to measure the relative permittivity of blood as a function of frequency and is presented to provide insight on an appropriate operating frequency for MWT. A response calibration method is used on a coaxial sample holder to accurately measure the scattering parameters of and characterization of liquid samples. This thesis will demonstrate the ability to accurately measure liquid samples by replacing the coaxial line dielectric with air. Two methods are used to verify the transmission line measurements. Experimental results from water and 99% isopropyl alcohol are compared against known values to provide verification of the coaxial airline to accurately measure blood samples in the microwave region.

Committee: Altan Ferendeci Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Punit Boolchand Ph.D. (Committee Member); George Shaw Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Electromagnetism

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2014, Environmental Studies (Voinovich)

Great Lakes beaches have a high number of beach action days (advisory or closure of beach) each swimming season, many of which are inaccurate. Sampling design and data analysis methods therefore need to be optimized to improve pollutant source identification and accelerate remediation efforts. The effect of sampling frequency (once-weekly versus four times-weekly), sampling duration (one to three years), and spatial representation (individual transects versus an average of all transects) of routine beach sanitary survey data was investigated at three beaches in Racine, Wisconsin to determine differences in microbial pollutant source identification. Virtual Beach 3.0, primarily utilized for predictive modeling, was found to have limitations for routine beach sanitary survey data analysis, but is the best current option. This study determined that more frequent data collection, for longer duration, at the maximal spatial representation provided more consistent and increased microbial pollutant source identification.

Committee: Natalie Kruse Daniels (Advisor); Holly Raffle (Committee Member); Willem Roosenburg (Committee Member); Julie Kinzelman (Committee Member) Subjects: Environmental Health; Environmental Management; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Water Resource Management

Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, Youngstown State University, 2013, Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling

The purpose of the present study was to compare simple and complex samples during conditional discrimination training to teach spelling and typing on a keyboard to students with a diagnosis of autism. Two students, ages 5 and 8, were recruited. Using an adapted alternating treatment design, participants were exposed to a simple sample (visual image) and complex sample (image and word) stimulus set to determine the effectiveness of both procedures to establish untrained relations. Participants were directly trained in two relations during the simple sample condition: 1) matching words to their corresponding pictures, and 2) typing letters to spell words presented on the computer screen. Participants were directly trained in one relation during the complex sample condition: typing letters when given the corresponding picture and word on the computer screen. Three untrained relations were assessed using a pre-posttest design: 1) typing words when shown corresponding pictures, 2) typing words when provided with the dictated name of the picture, and 3) matching pictures to their corresponding words. Results indicate both simple and complex samples were effective in producing the untrained relation, but the use of complex samples required fewer trials to meet mastery criterion for both participants.

Committee: Rocio Rosales Ph.D. (Advisor); Stephen Flora Ph.D. (Committee Member); Karen Giorgetti Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Families and Family Life