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Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Compressive Sampling For Phenotype Classification, Eric L. Brooks Aug 2018

Compressive Sampling For Phenotype Classification, Eric L. Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

Phenotype classification has become an increasingly important genomic research method for disease identification and treatment. Phenotype classification is the investigation into the genetic information concerned with locating biomarkers (features) in order to identify an observed effect. The primary challenge associated with phenotype classification is with analyzing the data due to the inherent high-dimensionality of DNA data. As a result, phenotype classification faces challenges with feature selection, and consequently, classification accuracy. This research developed a methodology to alleviate these challenges while improving classification performance. The methodology leverages concepts of compressive sampling, to arrive at a process that identifies features most relevant …


Numerical Simulation Of High Energy Laser Propagation, Dana F. Morrill Aug 2018

Numerical Simulation Of High Energy Laser Propagation, Dana F. Morrill

Theses and Dissertations

High energy lasers have many applications, such as in aerospace, weapons, wireless power transfer, and manufacturing. Fluid-laser interaction is important to predicting power at receiver, and other measures of laser beam quality. Typically the carrying medium of the laser is modeled statistically. This dissertation describes a novel method of coupling fluid dynamics to beam propagation in free space. The coupled laser-fluid solver captures dynamic interaction of fluid temperature and beam intensity. Ultimately, the model captures the effects of fluid convection in the laser intensity-field. Boundary conditions play an important role for fluid dynamics, more so than for beam dynamics. Simulation …


Statistical Inference To Evaluate And Compare The Performance Of Correlated Multi-State Classification Systems, Beau A. Nunnally Aug 2018

Statistical Inference To Evaluate And Compare The Performance Of Correlated Multi-State Classification Systems, Beau A. Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

The current emphasis on including correlation when comparing diagnostic test performance is quite important, however, there are cases in which correlation effects may be negligible with respect to inference. This proposed work examines the impact of including correlation between classification systems with continuous features by comparing the optimal performance of two diagnostic tests with multiple outcomes as well as providing inference for a sequence of tests. We define the optimal point using Bayes Cost, a metric that sums the weighted misclassifications within a diagnostic test using a cost/benefit structure. Through simulation, we quantify the impact of correlation on standard errors …


Improving Annual Fixed Wing Maintenance Cost Estimates Through Cost Estimating Relationships, Kirsten Bunecke Mar 2018

Improving Annual Fixed Wing Maintenance Cost Estimates Through Cost Estimating Relationships, Kirsten Bunecke

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force executes its mission primarily through the use of fixed-wing aircrafts. Maintaining these aircrafts represents approximately one-third of annual Operating and Support costs; which in turn, make up the majority of Life Cycle Costs. The current approach to estimating aircraft maintenance costs does not take into consideration programmatic data available in the Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) database. The four maintenance cost subcategories researched in this thesis are Consumable Materials and Repair Parts, Depot Level Repairables (DLRs), Depot Maintenance, and Contractor Logistic Support. Each of these cost categories must first be standardized to be able to compare …


An Analysis Of The Estimate At Complete For Department Of Defense Contracts, Deborah B. Kim Mar 2018

An Analysis Of The Estimate At Complete For Department Of Defense Contracts, Deborah B. Kim

Theses and Dissertations

When contractors provide timely and reliable information on the status of a contract, both contractors and government program offices can provide an accurate estimate of a contract’s completion costs. This research shows that the cumulative cost performance indices provided by contractors and program offices are high and less accurate than those of previous years and/or that a significant amount of ACWP is being documented in the final portion of a contract. The high performance indices resulted in EACs that were low-balled during the majority of a contract’s life which shows a need to improve the use of EVM metrics for …


Radial Basis Function Generated Finite Differences For The Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation, Justin Ng Mar 2018

Radial Basis Function Generated Finite Differences For The Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation, Justin Ng

Theses and Dissertations

Solutions to the one-dimensional and two-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation are obtained numerically using methods based on radial basis functions (RBFs). Periodic boundary conditions are enforced with a non-periodic initial condition over varying domain sizes. The spatial structure of the solutions is represented using RBFs while several explicit and implicit iterative methods for solving ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are used in temporal discretization for the approximate solutions to the NLS equation. Splitting schemes, integration factors and hyperviscosity are used to stabilize the time-stepping schemes and are compared with one another in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy. This thesis shows …


Analysis Of Temperature And Humidity Effects On Horizontal Photovoltaic Panels, Corey J. Booker Mar 2018

Analysis Of Temperature And Humidity Effects On Horizontal Photovoltaic Panels, Corey J. Booker

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force seeks to address power grid vulnerability and bolster energy resilience through the use of renewable energy sources. Air Force Institute of Technology engineers designed and manufactured control systems to monitor power production from the most widely-used silicon-based solar cells at 38 testing locations around the globe spanning the majority of climate types. Researchers conducted multivariate regression analysis to establish a statistical relationship between photovoltaic power output, ambient temperature, and humidity pertaining to monocrystalline and polycrystalline photovoltaic panels. Formulated models first characterized power output globally, then by specific climate type with general inaccuracy. Location-specific models are …


Modeling Multimodal Failure Effects Of Complex Systems Using Polyweibull Distribution, Daniel A. Timme Mar 2018

Modeling Multimodal Failure Effects Of Complex Systems Using Polyweibull Distribution, Daniel A. Timme

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense (DoD) enlists multiple complex systems across each of their departments. Between the aging systems going through an overhaul and emerging new systems, quality assurance to complete the mission and secure the nation‘s objectives is an absolute necessity. The U.S. Air Force‘s increased interest in Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and the Space Warfighting domain are current examples of complex systems that must maintain high reliability and sustainability in order to complete missions moving forward. DoD systems continue to grow in complexity with an increasing number of components and parts in more complex arrangements. Bathtub-shaped hazard functions arise …


Lightning Prediction Using Artificial Neural Networks And Electric Field Mill Data, Daniel E. Hill Mar 2018

Lightning Prediction Using Artificial Neural Networks And Electric Field Mill Data, Daniel E. Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Electric Field Mills (EFMs) located in the region surrounding Cape Canaveral record the electrification of the atmosphere near them. Research studying how these sensors could improve lightning warnings has had mixed results. This paper used a Convolutional Recurrent Neural Network (CRNN) and data from 30 EFMs from May-July of 2012-2016. The mean was calculated for every 60 second period and 30 minutes of this summarized data was used to create a lightning prediction with a warning period of 15 minutes. This method achieved a True Positive Rate (TPR) of 77.6%, a False Positive Rate (FPR) of 8.3%, a False Discovery …


Analysis Of A Medical Center's Cardiac Risk Screening Protocol Using Propensity Score Matching, Jake E. Johnson Mar 2018

Analysis Of A Medical Center's Cardiac Risk Screening Protocol Using Propensity Score Matching, Jake E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore have developed a cardiac risk stratification protocol in the hopes of reducing the time-from arrival-to-first-operation for geriatric orthopedic patients. They collected observational data for two years prior to and following the October 2014 implementation of the new screening protocol. Therefore, advanced analytical techniques are required to isolate the treatment effect of the new screening protocol. Propensity score matching (PSM) is used to handle the observational data in order to reduce the bias attributable to the confounding covariates. In addition to PSM, various regression techniques are used to help the researchers …


Quasi-Static Nonlinear Analysis Of A Celestial Icosahedron Shaped Vacuum Lighter Than Air Vehicle, Kyle D. Moore Mar 2018

Quasi-Static Nonlinear Analysis Of A Celestial Icosahedron Shaped Vacuum Lighter Than Air Vehicle, Kyle D. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the many drawbacks associated with a traditional lighter than air vehicle (LTAV), there is a desire for a LTAV which generates lift from an internal vacuum. To date, two feasible designs (the icosahedron and the hexakis icosahedron) for this so called vacuum lighter than air vehicle (VLTAV) have been studied at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). This research looks to show the feasibility of a new design for a VLTAV, the celestial icosahedron. This research includes a boundary condition study which proves the symmetric nature of the celestial icosahedron's frame with laterally constrained and unconstrained vertices. …