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Background: Chronic pain is a major health problem due to both its prevalence and the difficulties associated with its adequate diagnosis and treatment. The field of medical physiology has offered possible answers to those difficulties, namely; physiological pressure algometry and electro-physiological neuromodulation. Aims: To explore the diagnostic potential of a physiological pressure algometry device in patient populations suffering from hyperalgesia due to chronic pain; and to use this device to, both, assess and quantify the therapeutic response of patients undergoing various electrophysiological neuromodulation therapies for chronic pain. Methods: Five clinical phases, I–V, conducted on a total of two hundred and seven patients suffering from chronic pain. Results: Phase I; there was a highly significant negative correlation between the pressure pain threshold (PPT) values and each of the visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS) scores; for PPT and VAS; ρ= -0.453 and for PPT and NRS; ρ= -0.413 (p<0.0005 in both cases). Phase II; there were clinically and statistically significant improvements in each of the VAS and NRS scores, and PPT following the activation of the spinal cord stimulation equipment (p<0.0005 in all three cases). Phase III; for the active percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) treatments, there were clinically and statistically significant improvements in the NRS scores and PPT after therapy (p<0.0005 in both cases). For the sham treatments, there were neither clinically nor statistically significant changes (p=0.317 and p=0.055 respectively). Phase IV; there were clinically and statistically significant reductions in the median NRS scores; from 7.25 before PENS therapy to 3 after therapy (p<0.05). Phase V; there were clinically significant improvements in the PPT and NRS/VAS scores following the activation of the peripheral nerve stimulation equipment. Key Words: chronic pain, medical physiology, physiological pressure algometry, electrophysiological neuromodulation.

The design of modern buildings has become an increasingly complex activity. This is because of greater demands by Clients in terms of performance, quality, economy and time. These demands coupled with the complex iterative nature of design have resulted in increasing challenges in building design and in the management of the design process. The design process is information driven. Initial research by the writer showed that the main difficulties encountered during the management of the design process are information related. Information transfer and communication issues have been identified as key factors in the successful management of the process. It was concluded that current planning techniques are ill-suited for planning, monitoring and controlling building design because they neither accommodate the iterative nature of design nor permit the choice of alternatives. This research sought to develop better tools to aid design managers in improving the management of the process. Although all phases of the design process were examined, the main focus of this research was the Conceptual and Schematic design stages. To investigate these stages a generic data flow model was developed using the structured analysis diagramming technique of Data Flow Diagrams. The model was based on data from preliminary case studies and was validated by interviews with construction industry professionals. Industry feedback showed that improved management of the design process should not only include better techniques for planning and scheduling but also allow design managers to investigate the iterations between design tasks and predict the effects of different scenarios. Matrix partitioning techniques were used to identify ioops of iterative design tasks in the data flow model. A Discrete Event Simulation Model was developed to predict the effects of different scenarios. This model was based on data from the Data Flow Model and the identified iterative design loops. In addition, dynamic factors input by the user such as the durations and resources of the design tasks allowed the examination of the effects of different scenarios of information related criteria. These criteria were identified from industry survey and interviews. The simulation model was rigorously tested and validated through subsequent case studies and review by industry practitioners. The thesis concludes that the use of Data Flow Modelling in conjunction with Matrix Analysis and Discrete Event Simulation techniques provides a powerful tool for assessing the impact of change within the design process and could form the basis for managing and planning multi-disciplinary design work.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) has been actively deployed in search and rescue mission,surveillance, and many other applications [1, 2]. To realize UASs fully autonomous, it is essential that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are equipped with collision avoidance techniques. One of the major challenges for autonomous UAV is that there is a high degree of uncertainty when interacting with moving objects; thus, increasing the likelihood of a collision. This dissertation aims to address these challenges through the following two objectives: 1. Minimize collision scenarios for indoor navigation through a Bayesian network topology. 2. Reduce the costs of path planning in 2D/3D environments for multi-object scenarios. An object's level of uncertainty can be reduced by classifying the object then using a proposed network architecture that is based on the Bayesian probabilistic model topology to determine the possible region of existence within the scene. Object classification finds an object and identifies it using a trained model. The network architecture is then utilized for each detected object using the detected object's type, orientation, and velocity inputs. The output of the network architecture identifies a Safety-Occupied Region (SOR) for the detected objects. The simulation results indicate that the safety occupied region changes with respect to the detected object's state as a function of time. The main contribution of this dissertation is to design a hybrid methodology that takes the proposed network architecture based on the Bayesian network topology to calculate objects' space occupancy binary map and integrates it with 2D/3D path planning algorithms for collision avoidance. This method facilitates alternative collision-free efficient path determinations so the host UAV can reach its destination, allowing it to maneuver safely and closely to other objects. The Hybrid A* algorithm's simulation results show higher efficiency than the PRM algorithm in finding the shortest feasible path in the 2D environment. The proposed multiple 2D combined methodologies based on the Hybrid A* and the 3D A* algorithms are compared to evaluate the effectiveness of collision avoidance with dynamic objects in a 3D environment. Simulation results indicate that the proposed methodologies are effective for collision-free autonomous UAVs.

Roads are major public assets. The USA spends billions of dollars each year on road construction and maintenance. To keep these roads in a healthy condition and for better planning and allocation of maintenance budgets, knowledge of distressed locations is needed. Roads develop cracks when they are subjected to stresses that exceed their designed criteria or their materials properties. Early detection and repair of cracks has proven to be the most cost-effective strategy in limiting the damage to roads and reducing expenditures. Various methodologies of crack detection were developed and significant techniques were made in the last few years. One of the most important recent technologies is the infrared thermography, which allows the use of infrared waves for crack detection. Another important technology is the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) which currently includes the GPS and GLONASS constellations. With the help of these systems, accurate location coordinates (longitude, latitude and altitude) up to a few centimeters were located. The objective of this research is to test the combined use of GNSS and infrared thermography in an automated system for the detection of asphalt cracks and their locations. To achieve this goal, two tests have been conducted. The first one, regarding the location tagging, was done using two pairs of GPS receivers which can detect signals from both GPS and GLONASS navigation systems in single and dual frequencies (L1 and L2). Different modes have been set to the receiver and comparison graphs were developed to compare accuracies against modes. The second test involves an infrared camera mounted on a car and moving in speeds approaching highway speed limit. The images obtained from the camera were processed using cracks detection software to analyze cracks properties (length, width, density and severity). It was found that the images that were taken by a moving infrared camera were recognized by crack detection software for moving speeds up to 50 mph. At speeds higher than 50 mph, images were blurred. As for location test, The GLONASS combined by GPS receivers got slightly better results than GPS only in both dual and single frequencies. The GLONASS satellites are not always available in view and when they are there, the number of satellites that can be detected by receiver range from one to three satellites at the most and for only a short period of time. It is recommended that future research be conducted to investigate the effect of using different camera lenses on the clarity of the images obtained as well as the effect of raising the camera level above the pavement surface in such a way that the whole lane width (12 ft.) would be covered in one image. Also the total reliance on GPS only receivers in determining cracks location has proven to be enough for this application.

This thesis examined the implications and ramifications of the advent of online communication technologies, such as the Internet, on the profession of public relations. As brokers of information, public relations professionals must adapt to and incorporate online tools into their arsenals. As the consumer public takes to the Internet in search of information, the Internet provides a means by which organizations can gauge which issues are of concern. It is the only alternative to falling out of touch with a restless consumer public that demands ever-higher levels of customer service. The author presented a case study of the Pentium microprocessor imbroglio that compromised Intel Corporation during 1994 and 1995. Implications of the case study were carried over into an analysis of the state of two-way symmetric communication in public relations. Interview sessions with selected public relations professionals revealed that the practice of two-way symmetric communication has become a necessity. Two way symmetric communication can no longer be regarded as a luxury by business organizations. Demanding increasing sophistication, society has progressed into the era of "feedback upon demand."