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The impact of Rayleigh fading channel effects on the RF-DNA fingerprinting process
Get PDFThe Internet of Things (IoT) consists of many electronic and electromechanical devices connected to the Internet. It is estimated that the number of connected IoT devices will be between 20 and 50 billion by the year 2020. The need for mechanisms to secure IoT networks will increase dramatically as 70% of the edge devices have no encryption. Previous research has proposed RF-DNA fingerprinting to provide wireless network access security through the exploitation of PHY layer features. RF-DNA fingerprinting takes advantage of unique and distinct characteristics that unintentionally occur within a given radio’s transmit chain during waveform generation. In this work, the application of RF-DNA fingerprinting is extended by developing a Nelder-Mead-based algorithm that estimates the coefficients of an indoor Rayleigh fading channel. The performance of the Nelder-Mead estimator is compared to the Least Square estimator and is assessed with degrading signal-to-noise ratio. The Rayleigh channel coefficients set estimated by the Nelder-Mead estimator is used to remove the multipath channel effects from the radio signal. The resulting channel-compensated signal is the region where the RF-DNA fingerprints are generated and classified. For a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 21 decibels, an average percent correct classification of more than 95% was achieved in a two-reflector channel
A quick, free, somewhat easy-to-read introduction to empirical social science research methods
Get PDFA free, brief textbook to introduce students to the core concepts of empirical social science research methods. This textbook has been used as the main textbook in an undergraduate social science research methods course (supplemented by many in-class exercises and research reports) and as the basis of a review in preparation for graduate-level study in research methods and program evaluation. A note to instructors: If you use this text in any way, whether as the primary text, a supplemental text, or a recommended resource, I ask only two small favors: (1) When you make it available to students, please always include a link back to the text’s download site, https://scholar.utc.edu/oer/1/. While you are free to download and distribute the text under the Creative Commons 4.0 license, my preference is that you point students to this website to download it themselves. Seeing the download numbers tick up is a treat, and I plan to add additional appendices over time, so the download file will be updated occasionally. (2) Please send me a quick email at [email protected] letting me know you’re using it. I welcome your feedback as well. Thank you, and best wishes for successful research methods instruction
Expectations of student achievement among primary school teachers in Togo, West Africa: An analysis of beliefs and cultural values
Get PDFThe purpose of this research study was to analyze and explore the beliefs and cultural values that influence teacher expectations of student achievement in Togo, West Africa. A census was conducted of 93 teachers from the faculties of 15 Christian primary schools partnered with a U.S. based Baptist missions organization. Among partnered schools at the time of this study, teacher training in the area of expectations was often generalized due to the absence of scientific research and published data regarding teacher beliefs and expectations in West Africa. A case study approach was used with multiple data collection methods. The The qualitative data were collected through a twenty-question Likert-type questionnaire and a forced-choice locus of control questionnaire. The qualitative aspect of this study included a series of video-taped ethnographic interviews conducted in focus-groups at each school. The results from the quantitative instruments did not indicate any significant relationships between the teacher responses and the independent variables. The primary independent variable tracked in this study was the school location for each teacher (either rural or urban). The secondary independent variables analyzed were teacher education equivalency, years of teacher experience, teacher certification, grade level taught, class size, teacher gender, teacher age, and teacher ethnicity. The qualitative analysis indentified themes within which the teachers expressed their expectations of student achievement such as a lack of resources, perceived teacher efficacy, communal and national responsibility for education, financial resources and encouragement of students at home. An analysis of the results found that the participating teachers indicated that they highly valued teacher competence, familial financial resources, student nutrition, and innate student abilities as influential factors for student achievement. The findings suggest that the teachers in this study placed a high value upon teacher training and student health-related interventions as means to positively impact student achievement. The results of this study are of interest to education professionals and researchers working in Francophone West Africa
Terror management theory: The effect of death on criminogenic thought patterns
Get PDFTerror Management Theory has been applied with judges and juries in the courtroom, but not yet with criminals themselves. The current study looks for an association between criminogenic thought patterns and worldviews of criminal behavior. Thought patterns were assessed with the Measure of Criminogenic Thinking Styles (MOCTS), while worldviews were measured with the associate section of the Measures of Criminal Attitudes and Associates. Results indicated that mortality salience did not increase criminogenic thinking. However, criminogenic thinking scores from the MOCTS were correlated with scores on the associate scale under mortality salience. These findings may suggest that participants with a worldview of criminal behavior resort to their worldview with complementarily high levels of criminogenic thinking following anxiety from a mortality salience
The influence of harasser-victim dyads and observer sex on perceived sexual harassment
Get PDFThis study investigated how sex of an observer, harasser, and victim may influence perceptions of sexual harassment (SH). We hypothesized that (1) women would perceive more sexual harassment than men, across all study conditions, (2) the most sexual harassment would be perceived in male harasser-female victim vignettes, (3) the least sexual harassment would be perceived in female harasser-male victim vignettes, (4) Men in the no definition control group would report the most perceived SH, those in the MacKinnon (more inclusive) definition condition would perceive slightly less SH than those in the control condition, but more than those in the EEOC. Four hundred and thirteen participants, 186 males and 227 females, age 18-25, were recruited via MTURK. Participants were invited to complete an electronic questionnaire asking them to rate the extent to which different vignettes qualified as SH. The vignettes differed in the level of their SH, from superficial, verbal comments to derogatory attitudes. Univariate ANOVAs indicate that that female participants were more likely to perceive SH than male participants across the vignettes. Additionally, more SH was perceived when the harasser was male and when the victim was female. Interactions were found between harasser sex and victim sex, between harasser sex, victim sex, and participant sex, and between definition condition, participant sex, and victim sex. The results help to further understanding of how individuals think of and perceive SH in a variety of work settings and situations. Applications range from legal proceedings to SH training in the workplac
The Effects of Resilience on Mindfulness and Stress in Students
Get PDFThis study tested part of a theoretical model on resilience in the workplace proposed by Rees, Breen, Cusack, and Hegney (2015). We hypothesized that resilience would mediate the relationship between mindfulness and perceived stress. Using an online Qualtrics survey, we measured 127 student participants’ levels of mindfulness, resilience, and perceived stress. The results supported a positive relationship between mindfulness and resilience. In addition, there was a positive relationship between resilience and perceived stress. As a result, the proposed mediation was not supported. Resilience did not mediate the relationship between mindfulness and perceived stress. Future research should test alternative measures of psychological adjustment within the model (e.g., job burnout)
Damming the attrition flood of specialized talent: a comprehensive approach
No full textThe average cost of losing an employee is estimated anywhere from .75 to 2X annual salary. Bottom line impacts swing toward the higher end of that range when an organization experiences attrition of specialized roles that require increased effort and investment to acquire and develop. At Unum, we found our standard employee retention program was not sufficient to retain actuarial talent, a critical business role in the insurance industry. We were experiencing attrition roughly 4X our historical rate. We convened a core team, sponsored by our Chief Actuary and HR Business Partner, that was accountable for designing, developing, and implementing a comprehensive strategy to attack our problem (“dam the flood”). Focus groups and employee surveys provided insight into attrition drivers as well as motivating factors that contributed to retention. Using that information, we took a multi-faceted and holistic approach to address the problem. Our plan included an in-depth talent assessment, creative comp/reward strategies, acknowledging advancement opportunities through meaningful career conversations, and offering more robust professional development. In this presentation we will explore: \u3e the importance of tailored retention strategies (versus one size fits all for all employees) \u3e a practical and comprehensive way to respond to (or ideally head off) heightened attrition – including problem identification, solution development, implementation and measurement \u3e your successes (or failures!) with retention of specialized roles and how the group can learn from the collective experienc
Who\u27s Ready to Lead? The Impact of Developmental Readiness on a State Leadership Development Program
Get PDFAccording to McKinsey & Company (2014), US companies are spending almost $14 billion annually on leadership development, only 7% of senior managers think their companies are effectively developing their leaders, and 30% of US companies believe their leaders lack the right capabilities. The current research addresses the leadership development issue from the antecedent perspective, and we are extending Avolio & Hannah’s (2008) theory of developmental readiness. They argue that individuals who possess higher levels of developmental readiness will be more likely to maximize their development when exposed to a developmental experience. However, there has been little empirical research on the combined components of developmental readiness in a true representative sample of leaders. This study is looking to add empirical findings to this theory demonstrating that leaders who score higher on scales of developmental readiness components benefit more from leadership training. More specifically, we will be assessing trainees from a Tennessee state leadership program (LEAD TN) on six different scales related to developmental readiness. We will also record levels of perceived improvement across the course of the program in attempt to find positive relationships between developmental readiness and this criterion. If the relationships found between developmental readiness and trainee perceived improvement are significant, it should inform organizations about the importance of assessing these characteristics as antecedents to leadership growth. The results should answer the following question: why invest time and money into developing a leader if he or is she is not ready, willing, or able to engage in such development? Best practice would be to assess the leaders’ developmental readiness using a standardized tool of validated measures and provide these leaders with individualized feedback before beginning the developmental experience. Therefore, they would have time to work on their individual motivation and abilities needed to have a positive training experience
SDS-PAGE analysis of modified lysozyme by substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones
Get PDFQuinones are molecules that are commonly found in the environment, as cofactors for proteins or an electron carrier in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. However, quinones also can come from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as their metabolites, harming cellular integrity. In this study, we investigated protein modification of lysozyme in the presence of substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones. To simulate physiological conditions, all reactions used phosphate buffer (50.0 mM). While the majority of the experiments were performed at 37 C and pH 7.0, there were also temperature dependence (27 C and 42 C) and pH dependence (6.0 and 8.0) reactions included. SDS-PAGE was used to visualize protein modification of samples that were incubated with the quinones at specific time intervals. SDS-PAGE showed that the substituted benzoquinones and naphthoquinones caused protein modification at different levels of efficiency. Results also showed that the increase of pH and temperature caused an increase in modification as well. These results give a better understanding of toxic effects of PAH-quinones that are found in the environment
A content analysis of LGBT representation on broadcast and streaming television
Get PDFThis content analysis of nine television shows from the 2016-2017 season across broadcast and streaming platforms seeks to understand the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters. The study updates a content analysis published in 2006 by Amber Raley and Jennifer Lucas that studied the 2001 television season. This study aims to understand how the representation of LGBT characters on television has changed since 2001, how representation of bisexual and transgender characters differs from homosexual characters, and how representation on streaming platforms differs from broadcast shows. The findings suggest that representation of bisexual and transgender characters has increased since 2001 and that LGBT characters are portrayed making displays of affection more than was seen in 2001. The analysis also shows that representation of bisexual and transgender characters still lags behind lesbians and gay men in some ways and that overall there is more LGBT representation on streaming platforms than on broadcast television