The first objective for this problem in lieu of thesis project was to gather, identify to the lowest practical taxonomic level and organize all available aquatic insects collected from high altitude Colorado aquatic systems during the summers of 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2002 for the University of North Texas Environmental Science Field Course (BIOL 5650). The curated collection will be housed in the Elm Fork Natural History Museum, located at the University of North Texas. The second objective was to provide a summary and discussion of the occurrence and distribution of the aquatic insects collected from Mt. Blanca in 1994, 1996, and 1998 and to create a taxa list of aquatic insects collected from Cochetopa Creek during the summer of 2002.

Machine Learning is the ability of a machine to perform better at a given task, using its previous experience. Various algorithms like decision trees, Bayesian learning, artificial neural networks and instance-based learning algorithms are used widely in machine learning systems. Current applications of machine learning include credit card fraud detection, customer service based on history of purchased products, games and many more. The application of machine learning techniques to natural language processing (NLP) has increased tremendously in recent years. Examples are handwriting recognition and speech recognition. The problem we tackle in this Problem in Lieu of Thesis is applying machine-learning techniques to improve the performance of a conversational agent. The OpenMind repository of common sense, in the form of question-answer pairs is treated as the training data for the machine learning system. WordNet is interfaced with to capture important semantic and syntactic information about the words in the sentences. Further, k-closest neighbors algorithm, an instance based learning algorithm is used to simulate a case based learning system. The resulting system is expected to be able to answer new queries with knowledge gained from the training data it was fed with.

Many organic materials have been studied to be used as semiconductors, few of them being pentacene and polythiophene. Organic semiconductors have been investigated to make organic thin film transistors. Pentacene has been used in the active region of the transistors. Transistors fabricated with pentacene do not have very high mobility. But in some applications, high mobility is not needed. In such application other properties of organic transistors are used, such as, ease of production and flexibility. Organic thin film transistors (OTFT) can find use as low density storage devices, such as smart cards or I.D. tags, and displays. OTFT are compatible with polymeric substrates and hence can find use as flexible computer screens. This project aims at making 'smart clothes', the cheap way, with pentacene based OTFT. This problem in lieu of thesis describes a way to deposit pentacene films and characterize it. Pentacene films were deposited on substrates and characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The substrate used was ~1500Å platinum on silicon wafer or bare silicon wafer. was used. A deposition system for vacuum deposition of pentacene was assembled. The XRD data for deposited pentacene films shows the presence of two phases, single …

Complexity can emerge from extremely simple rules. A paradigmatic example of this is the model of ballistic deposition (BD), a simple model of sedimentary rock growth. In two separate Problem-in-Lieu-of Thesis studies, BD was investigated numerically in (1+1)-D on a lattice. Both studies are combined in this document. For problem I, the global interface roughening (IR) process was studied in terms of effective scaling exponents for a generalized BD model. The model used incorporates a tunable parameter B to change the cooperation between aggregating particles. Scaling was found to depart increasingly from the predictions of Kardar-Parisi-Zhang theory both with decreasing system sizes and with increasing cooperation. For problem II, the local single column evolution during BD rock growth was studied via statistical analysis of time series. Connections were found between single column time series properties and the global IR process.

Through this body of work and this paper the possibilities of using Fashion Design to express the concepts of the circle has been explored. This was done with three questions in mind: How can I use the shape of the circle as inspiration for fashion design? How can I express related words and phrases in my design? and How can I use the colors black and white to emphasize the concept of my design. To answer these questions I have created two groups of garments: one was inspired by circular objects, such as cherries and drops, and the other starting from words and phrases such as "study circle" and "circle the wagons." In the first group the emphasis was on the aesthetics of the garment while the second group was more focused on meaning. All garments are black and white.

The use of copper in my work has opened up an entirely new conceptual and esthetic world. I have expanded my vocabulary of visual imagery based on the nature of how copper reacts with fire. The organic beauty harmonizes so gracefully with the manufactured material. This new material has certainly opened up a refreshing platform on which to further develop my ideas.

This paper describes the general architecture and function of a Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) system implemented with ASP.NET and C#. Microsoft Visual Studio .NET and XML Web Services provide a flexible, standards-based model that allows clients to access data. Web Form Pages offer a powerful programming model for Web-enabled user interface. The system provides a variety of mechanisms and services related to story retrieval and adaptation. Users may browse and search a library of text stories. More advanced CBR capabilities were also implemented, including a multi-factor distance-calculation for matching user interests with stories in the library, recommendations on optimizing search, and adaptation of stories to match user interests.

Not many artists have made a successful connection between art and text. In this installation of four works of art, I have given a new perspective on commerce by combining my poetry with common products. The content of my work is based on experiences I have had throughout my life. I believe that I have successfully combined my poems and art into cohesive works that break through the conventional understanding of products and their packaging.

Competition to lure corporations has become an enormous issue between states. Smaller communities feel unable to participate in economic development opportunities since their budgets do not provide the necessary funding. In 1979, the Texas state legislature passed the Development Corporation Act in an attempt to aid the smaller communities' quest for economic development. The Act allowed for the creation of local development corporations; however, it did not provide a sufficient funding source to assist the corporations. Therefore two local sales options were established. This paper reports the findings of an analysis of per capita income and employment changes after the adoption of an economic development sales tax. The analysis showed no statistically significant impacts on cities adopting an economic development sales tax when compared with non-adopting cities.

The FrameNet database is being used in a variety of NLP research and applications such as word sense disambiguation, machine translation, information extraction and question answering. The database is currently available in XML format. The XML database though a wholesome way of distributing data in its entireness, is not practical for use unless converted to a more application friendly database. In light of this we have successfully converted the XML database to a relational MySQL™ database. This conversion reduced the amount of data storage amount to less than half. Most importantly the new database enables us to perform fast complex querying and facilitates use by applications and research. We show the steps taken to ensure relational integrity of the data during the refactoring process and a simple demo application demonstrating ease of use.

Secure communication is the primary challenge in today's information network. In this project an efficient secret key agreement protocol is described and analyzed along with the other existing protocols. We focus primarily on Leighton and Micali's secret-key agreement without the use of public-key encryption techniques. The Leighton-Micali protocol is extremely efficient when implemented in software and has significant advantages over existing systems like Kerberos. In this method the secret keys are agreed upon using a trusted third party known as the trusted agent. The trusted agent generates the keys and writes them to a public directory before it goes offline. The communicating entities can retrieve the keys either from the online trusted agent or from the public directory service and agree upon a symmetric-key without any public-key procedures. The principal advantage of this method is that the user verifies the authenticity of the trusted agent before using the keys generated by it. The Leighton-Micali scheme is not vulnerable to the present day attacks like fabrication, modification or denial of service etc. The Leighton-Micali protocol can be employed in real-time systems like smart cards. In addition to the security properties and the simplicity of the protocol, our experiments show that in …

This project in lieu of thesis identifies successful methods of fundraising utilized by a sampling of three secondary theater arts programs from North Texas. Programs were evaluated on their ability to fund their programs and provide a quality arts education for their students. Guidelines for fundraising were developed that allow secondary theater programs to flourish without placing an additional burden on already overextended tax system. Findings were framed in a Marxist socio-economic context, seeking to find some relation between supply-side economics and the failure of certain communities to offer quality arts programs. Marxist philosophy, emphasizing the values of community and shared wealth, served to frame findings in the context of arts programs serving and enhancing their own communities.

Through my work, I explored the application of texture and materials as a means to identify specific functions. I show how texture and material selections that specifically engage the sense of touch can aid in effective environments for the elderly. By means of this study, I demonstrated how the sensory perception of the elderly is utilized in designing productive environments for the senior population in regards to the sense of touch. The interior design of senior living environments can greatly enhance the retirement experience for the elderly population. With the information I have gained through my research and work will reflect in my future design projects. I also wish to share this enlightenment with others in my field of study.

This problem in lieu of thesis report presents a study on gate electrode materials on high K dielectrics, including poly-SiGe and Ru. The stability of poly-SiGe in direct contact with Hf silicon-oxynitride (HfSiON) is studied by rapid thermal annealing (RTA), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). By performing a series of RTA treatments we found that as RTA thermal budgets reach 1050 C for 30s, the poly-SiGe layer begins to intermix with the HfSiON film, as observed by TEM. The maximum annealing condition for the Hf0.14Si0.23O0.46N0.17 film to remain stable in contact with poly-SiGe is 1050 C for 20s in high purity N2(99.9%) ambient. We also found that after 1000 C annealing for 60s in a nitrogen ambient, the poly-SiGe crystal phase structure was changed from a columnar structure to a large grain structure. For a metal gate, Ru was studied to determine N2annealing effects on sheet resistance of Ru sample electrodes and electrical characterization of Ru/HfSiOx/Si stack. Results show that a pure Ru metal gate is not a good choice for high k materials since it is hard to etch off, and different annealing conditions can cause large changes in …

The focus of my work is the incorporation of three-dimensional sculptural forms into the design of my garments while still maintaining the functional purpose of the garment. Origami paper folding is the inspiration for the sculptural forms. The major endeavor was to explore and solve the relationship between the organic human forms and the geometric forms created by the origami paper folds. This presented a challenge of exact precision. During this process, I experimented with different fabrics, which can accommodate the sharp creases and retain the shape. A variety of folding patterns were also explored. Although the design should be innovative and creative, the final garment must be wearable and comfortable.

I want to find a balance within the juxtaposition of representational imagery, patterned fabric, stain and found objects, which effectively communicates the ideas of my work, yet still provides a visually interesting object/painting. How do my materials relate to the content and/or meaning of the work? How will focusing on a single subject affect the development and visual content of my painting? How will I choose representational images to use in relation to the aims of my subject? I was struck by the connections between the baby doll and the real baby. The baby doll became a representation of an idealized body. My interest in baby doll source materials evolved through several different stages, beginning with drawings of baby dolls, then actual doll parts, and finally to imagery of babies with genetic defects. Formally, the work was able to progress as the idea or content progressed.

Chapter 1 discusses how the concept of the stitch as art object evolved. The question in the statement of problems concerned the use of design principles on the stitch and the perception of the stitch by the viewer. Chapter 2 discusses the various processes involved in creating the works to answer the proposed questions, and discusses the use of literalism in the concept of the works. Chapter 3 discusses what was learned from the experience.

A genomic clone containing a 16.9-kb segment of cotton DNA was found to encompass a D-12 fatty acid desaturases (FAD2-4) gene. The FAD2-4 gene has a single, large intron of 2,780 bp in its 5'-untranslated region, just 12 bp upstream from the ATG initiation codon of the FAD2-4 opening reading frame. A number of prospective promoter elements, including several light-responsive sequences, occur in the 5'-flanking region. The coding region of the gene is 1155 bp with no introns, and would encode a FAD2-4 polypeptide of 384 amino acids. The putative protein had four membrane-spanning helices, hallmarks of an integral membrane protein, and would probably be located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The FAD2-4 gene is indeed a functional gene, since yeast cells transformed with a plasmid containing the coding region of the gene synthesize an appreciable amount of linoleic acid (18:2), not normally made in wild-type yeast cells. The FAD2-4 gene has many structural similarities to the cotton FAD2-3 gene that was also analyzed in this laboratory.

In 1993, 38.9 million people were covered by a 401(k) plan, up from 7.1 million in 1983. The rapid growth of 401(k) and other defined contribution pension plans may alter retirement patterns of older workers. Previous research showed that the spread of defined benefit plans, with sharp age-related incentives first discouraging and later encouraging retirement, contributed to the early retirement trend of past decades. Defined contribution plans differ along several dimensions, especially in their smooth rate of pension wealth accrual. Data from the Health and Retirement Study show that retirement patterns have begun to change as defined contribution plans have spread. Estimates indicate that the financial incentives in defined benefit pensions lead people to retire almost two years earlier, compared to people with defined contribution plans.

California legislated the restructuring of its electric power industry in 1996. Deregulation was successful until 2000 when crisis, caused by a number of outside forces and flawed legislation, sent wholesale electric prices skyrocketing. Restructuring of the electricity sector in Texas occurred in two phases. The first phase began in 1995, when wholesale markets were opened to competition; the second phase began June 18, 1997, when the 1999 Texas Electric Choice Act, was signed into law. Deregulation has largely been successful in Texas. This analysis examines the legislation of these states and how they differed, setting the stage for one unsuccessful and one successful move to retail competition in the electricity industry.

Security is one of the main concerns of users who need to connect to a remote computer for various purposes, such as checking e-mails or viewing files. However in today's computer networks, privacy, transmission to intended client is not guaranteed. If data is transmitted over the Internet or a local network as plain text it may be captured and viewed by anyone with little technical knowledge. This may include sensitive data such as passwords. Big businesses use firewalls, virtual private networks and encrypt their transmissions to counter this at high costs. Secure shell protocol (SSH) provides an answer to this. SSH is a software protocol for secure communication over an insecure network. SSH not only offers authentication of hosts but also encrypts the sessions between the client and the server and is transparent to the end user. This Problem in Lieu of Thesis makes a study of SSH and creates a sample secure client and server which follows SSH and examines its performance.

The well-being of the American steel industry is vital to the overall health of the United States (U.S.) economy. This belief is, in part, the impetus for the enactment of protective tariffs and quotas. This paper examines the impact of the announcement of the 2001 tariffs. Numerous forces have buffeted the U.S. steel industry over the last decade. Domestic steel firms operate in a highly global, fiercely competitive, and capital-intensive industry. This environment has proven inhospitable to the U.S. steel industry, widely criticized for inefficiency and overcapacity. A regression analysis finds that the announcement of the 2001 tariffs had no statistically significant impact on U.S. domestic raw steel production. Supporting theories are reexamined, and the implications of this finding for trade policy are explored.

Recently my creative process has led to a new area of investigation and exploration. I have discovered that I enjoy the unexpected occurrences that happen while painting. I have an appreciation for the parts of my works that do not follow the preliminary sketch and are produced more subconsciously. While usually this aspect has been restricted by the adherence to a preliminary sketch and narrative, the new works explore these occurrences more fully. In the new works, I worked in a more spontaneous manner to create work that does not focus strictly on narrative but reveals itself more as a journey or exploration.

The objective of the survey is to observe students' perceptions of videoconference courses offered by the University of North Texas (UNT). The perceptions of 348 students enrolled in videoconferencing (VC) courses in the fall 2002 semester were obtained through a 29-item course evaluation questionnaire. From this study, I conclude generally that UNT students perceive videoconference courses as a positive stride in providing classes. While it was expected that students at remote sites would experience greater technological problems and lower levels of student/teacher interaction, evaluations from remote sites indicate higher degrees of student satisfaction than those students taking VC courses at the main campus location.