Digital Commons Network^™

Modular Machine Learning Methods For Computer-Aided Diagnosis Of Breast Cancer, Mia Kathleen Markey '94

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to improve breast cancer diagnosis by reducing the number of benign biopsies performed. To this end, we investigated modular and ensemble systems of machine learning methods for computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) of breast cancer. A modular system partitions the input space into smaller domains, each of which is handled by a local model. An ensemble system uses multiple models for the same cases and combines the models' predictions.

Five supervised machine learning techniques (LDA, SVM, BP-ANN, CBR, CART) were trained to predict the biopsy outcome from mammographic findings (BIRADS™) and patient age based on a …

Asp -Pricing: A Black -Scholes Option Pricing Formulation, Chaitanya Singh

Doctoral Dissertations

The Applications Service Provider (ASP) arrangement has engendered a revolution in the area of corporate information technology (IT) by transforming software from a packaged off-the-shelf product to an on-line virtual service.

The focus of this study is to establish a sound mathematical foundation for evaluating software rental agreements (embedding exit flexibility) by incorporating a real options framework (based upon the Black-Scholes approach) into the traditional capital budgeting technique. The static discounted cash flow or net present value analysis may not adequately serve as a ‘barometer’ of outsourcing value due to its inherent weaknesses. On the other hand, the options approach …

Air Quality Impact Evaluation Of A Hypothetical Fire-Fighter Training Facility, William Glenn Fuller

Doctoral Dissertations

Human Health Risk Assessments (HHRAs) have become a required component in the permitting process for hazardous waste incinerators and boilers and for closure or evaluation of chemical and petroleum facilities. However, although not currently required, these evaluations are also essential for additional daily processes having the potential to adversely impact the environment. One such process includes emissions produced from a firefighter training facility. Firefighter training facilities perform scenarios to enhance the firefighting ability of the trainees. Three typical scenarios conducted at such a facility include air rescue and firefighting, building fire simulation, and propane system fires. During the course of …