Using a Class-Wide, Semester-Long Project to Teach Software Engineering Principles

A senior-level, project-based Software Engineeringcourse taught at the University of Central Arkansas serves asthe capstone course for the Computer Science Program andintroduces students to the theory, tools, and techniques used tobuild large-scale software systems in a project-driven setting.Foundational to the course is the use of a class-wide, semesterlongcourse project to emphasize the theoretical aspects of thesoftware process and the system used for scoring studentperformance on the project. One project is selected for theentire class with students divided into teams of four to sixstudents to support different functional requirement areas. Amilestone-driven approach is used following a modifiedversion of the Unified Process for project development.Student scores on the project are divided into a group score,assignable via a rubric-like grade sheet, and an individualscore which is determined by the individual’s effort asassigned using the task-management tool, Issue-Tracker.Experiences gained and lessons learned in teaching the courseare provided as a guide for those wishing to follow a similarapproach to teaching Software Engineering in the future

Coastal cliff ground motions and response to extreme storm waves

Coastal cliff erosion from storm waves is observed worldwide, but the processes are notoriously difficult to measure during extreme storm wave conditions when most erosion normally occurs, limiting our understanding of cliff processes. Over January–February 2014, during the largest Atlantic storms in at least 60 years with deepwater significant wave heights of 6–8 m, cliff-top ground motions showed vertical ground displacements in excess of 50–100 µm; an order of magnitude larger than observations made previously. Repeat terrestrial laser scanner surveys over a 2 week period encompassing the extreme storms gave a cliff face volume loss of 2 orders of magnitude larger than the long-term erosion rate. The results imply that erosion of coastal cliffs exposed to extreme storm waves is highly episodic and that long-term rates of cliff erosion will depend on the frequency and severity of extreme storm wave impacts

Electron beam induced damage in PECVD Si3N4 and SiO2 films on InP

Phosphorus rich plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films on n-type indium phosphide (InP) substrates were exposed to electron beam irradiation in the 5 to 40 keV range for the purpose of characterizing the damage induced in the dielectic. The electron beam exposure was on the range of 10(exp -7) to 10(exp -3) C/sq cm. The damage to the devices was characterized by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements of the metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) capacitors. These results were compared to results obtained for radiation damage of thermal silicon dioxide on silicon (Si) MOS capacitors with similar exposures. The radiation induced damage in the PECVD silicon nitride films on InP was successfully annealed out in an hydrogen/nitrogen (H2/N2) ambient at 400 C for 15 min. The PECVD silicon dioxide films on InP had the least radiation damage, while the thermal silicon dioxide films on Si had the most radiation damage

Yeast actin patches are networks of branched actin filaments

Cortical actin patches are the most prominent actin structure in budding and fission yeast. Patches assemble, move, and disassemble rapidly. We investigated the mechanisms underlying patch actin assembly and motility by studying actin filament ultrastructure within a patch. Actin patches were partially purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and examined by negative-stain electron microscopy (EM). To identify patches in the EM, we correlated fluorescence and EM images of GFP-labeled patches. Patches contained a network of actin filaments with branches characteristic of Arp2/3 complex. An average patch contained 85 filaments. The average filament was only 50-nm (20 actin subunits) long, and the filament to branch ratio was 3:1. Patches lacking Sac6/fimbrin were unstable, and patches lacking capping protein were relatively normal. Our results are consistent with Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization driving yeast actin patch assembly and motility, as described by a variation of the dendritic nucleation model

TB30: A Critical Evaluation of Results from Spectographic Analysis of Plan Tissue

For this study, samples of wheat, corn, timothy, orchardgrass, alfalfa, Bermuda grass, and tomato were analyzed for eleven elements. A statistical study of these data was undertaken to determine the precision of the spectrographic analyses and to determine the precision that could be expected from analyses by this method.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1169/thumbnail.jp

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for the construction of a Federation Interoperability Object Model (FIOM)

Advances in computer communications technology, the recognition of common areas of functionality in related systems, and an increased awareness of how enhanced information access can lead to improved capability, are driving an interest toward integration of current stand-alone systems to meet future system requirements. However, differences in hardware platforms, software architectures, operating systems, host languages, and data representation have resulted in scores of stand-alone systems that are unable to interoperate properly. Youngαs Object Oriented Model for Interoperability (OOMI) defines an architecture and suite of software tools for resolving data representational differences between systems in order to achieve the desired system interoperability. The Federation Interoperability Object Model (FIOM) Integrated Development Environment (IDE) detailed in this thesis is a toolset that provides computer aid to the task of creating and managing an interoperable federation of systems. This thesis describes the vision and requirements for this tool along with an initial prototype demonstrating how emerging technologies such as XML and Data Binding are utilized to capture the necessary information required to resolve data representational differences between systems. The material presented in this thesis has the potential to significantly reduce the cost and effort required for achieving interoperability between DoD systems.http://archive.org/details/integrateddevelo109451739ARO DMSO NAVSEAUS Navy (USN) autho

TB20: Preliminary Tables of Some Chemical Elements in Seven Tree Species in Maine

These tables show the amount in grams for each of twelve elements for the complete tree and the merchantable bole, for seven tree species (red spruce, balsam fir, hemlock, white pine, white birch, red maple, aspen) in terms of five height classes and ten diameter classes.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1180/thumbnail.jp

Modification of the spontaneous emission rate of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond by coupling to plasmons

Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond are widely studied both as a testbed for solid state quantum optics and for their applications in quantum information processing and magnetometry. Here we demonstrate coupling of the nitrogen-vacancy centers to gap plasmons in metal nano-slits. We use diamond samples where nitrogen-vacancy centers are implanted tens of nanometers under the surface. Silver nano-slits are patterned on the sample such that diamond ridges tens of nanometers wide fill the slit gap. We measure enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate of the zero photon line by a factor of 3 at a temperature of 8K