Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Batch-Produced, Gis-Informed Range Maps For Birds Based On Provenanced, Crowd-Sourced Data Inform Conservation Assessments, Ryan M. Huang, Wilderson Medina, Thomas M. Brooks, Stuart H. M. Butchart, John W. Fitzpatrick, Claudia Hermes, Clinton N. Jenkins, Alison Johnston, Daniel J. Lebbin, Binbin V. Li, Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela, Mike Parr, Hannah Wheatley, David A. Wiedenfeld, Christopher Wood, Stuart L. Pimm

Department of Earth and Environment

Accurate maps of species ranges are essential to inform conservation, but time-consuming to produce and update. Given the pace of change of knowledge about species distributions and shifts in ranges under climate change and land use, a need exists for timely mapping approaches that enable batch processing employing widely available data. We develop a systematic approach of batch-processing range maps and derived Area of Habitat maps for terrestrial bird species with published ranges below 125,000 km2 in Central and South America. (Area of Habitat is the habitat available to a species within its range.) We combine existing range maps with …

Selected Tropical Cyclone Satellite Analyses With An Emphasis On 37 Ghz Color Composite Imagery, Margaret Kieper

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research expanded the understanding of the 37 GHz color composite imagery of tropical cyclones (using the Naval Research Lab Monterey image archive), by improved identification of precipitation types uniquely observed on this imagery, aided by creation of a conceptual model. This model distinguished between stratiform and convective rain, and identified the cyan color on this imagery as being warm rain from shallow and moderate convection, or "SAM." Patterns of SAM on this imagery uniquely identify tropical cyclone features: an early indicator of the onset of rapid intensification and early eyewall replacement cycles, both previously unobserved. These are identified by …

Evaluating Changes In Visible To Short-Wave Infrared Spectral Reflectance Of Arctic Mosses In Response To Experimental Drying To Find The Best Predictors Of Moisture Content, Steven L. Unger

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mosses are a dominant understory component in the Arctic and because of sparse canopy cover, contribute to spectral signals used in remote sensing estimates of various ecologically important characteristics such as productivity, phenology, and vegetation mapping. However, little is known about their contributions to community level spectra or how moisture content influences those spectral signals. Unlike vascular plants, mosses cannot actively regulate moisture content and are highly susceptible to desiccation. Previous research has shown that moss reflectance is sensitive to tissue moisture content. Here, a lab-controlled drying experiment was conducted to identify the best spectral predictors of moisture content of …

Deep Learning For Multiclass Classification, Predictive Modeling And Segmentation Of Disease Prone Regions In Alzheimer’S Disease, Maryamossadat Aghili

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the challenges facing accurate diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is identifying the subtle changes that define the early onset of the disease. This dissertation investigates three of the main challenges confronted when such subtle changes are to be identified in the most meaningful way. These are (1) the missing data challenge, (2) longitudinal modeling of disease progression, and (3) the segmentation and volumetric calculation of disease-prone brain areas in medical images. The scarcity of sufficient data compounded by the missing data challenge in many longitudinal samples exacerbates the problem as we seek statistical meaningfulness in multiclass …

In-Vitro Micropropagation And Acclimatization Of Selected Florida Native Orchids, Andrew Mullin

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florida is home to 106 native orchid species with the majority of them being endangered or critically imperiled, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Institute for Regional Conservation (IRC). In nature orchid germination rates are very low because they lack an endosperm, instead depending on an obligate relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus for nutrients. Most orchid seeds can be germinated in-vitro without the need for specific mycorrhizal fungi and therefore high rates of germination can be achieved. This study aims are a) to establish the fastest and most efficient in-vitro seed germination media and …

Temperature Dependent Protein-Chromophore Hydrogen Bond Dynamics In The Far-Red Fluorescent Proteins By Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation And Quantum Calculationtemperature Dependent Protein-Chromophore Hydrogen Bond Dynamics In The Far-Red Fluorescent Proteins By Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation And Quantum Calculation, Chandra Prasad Dhakal

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorescent proteins are valuable tools as biochemical markers in molecular and cell biology research for studying cellular processes. Red Fluorescent Proteins (RFPs) are highly desirable for in vivo applications in living cell imaging because they absorb and emit light in the red region of the spectrum where cellular autofluorescence. Naturally occurring fluorescent proteins with emission peaks in this region of the spectrum occur in dimeric or tetrameric forms. For their use as biochemical markers, several monomeric variants of RFP have been developed which include mCherry, dsRed, and mStrawberry. Far red-emitting FPs with large Stokes shift are especially valuables for in …

Aptamer-Based Voltammetric Biosensing For The Detection Of Codeine And Fentanyl In Sweat And Saliva, Rosa Lashantez Cromartie

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the many governmental and medicinal restrictions created to combat the opioid epidemic in the United States, opioid abuse and overdose rates continue to rise. The development of an aptamer-based voltammetric sensor and biosensor is described in this dissertation. The aim was to develop a low-cost, sensitive, and specific aptamer-based sensor for on-site, label-free determination of codeine and fentanyl in biological fluids. To do this, the surfaces of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) were modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), followed by the addition of single-stranded DNA aptamers. These were covalently bound to the electrode surface. Operations of the sensors were collected …

Characterization Of Biological Samples Using Multi-Modal Mass Spectrometry, Yarixa L. Cintron-Diaz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a need for fast, accurate and cost-effective protocols capable of assessing biomolecules at the molecular level (e.g., proteins, lipids and metabolites) from biological specimens. Mass spectrometry (MS) based techniques have become the analytical gold standard for identification and characterization of biomarkers in biological samples. The high throughput and short analysis time scales enables to follow biological processes while providing detailed chemical and spatial characterization. One of the current challenges in biological MS, is the high molecular complexity, chemical diversity and dynamic range. In this dissertation, the use of multi-modal mass spectrometry workflows -mass spectrometry imaging and ion mobility …

Drivers Of Extracellular Polysaccharide Production By A Mat-Forming Diatom, Kaitlin A. Stansbury

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbial biofilms are held together by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which can be secreted by many organisms. EPS production can facilitate intercellular communication and inter-guild microbial mutualisms, intraspecific gamete exchange, nutrient sequestration, and desiccation resistance. Benthic microbial mats (periphyton) of the Florida Everglades and other karstic wetlands contain abundant EPS generated by mat-producing filamentous blue-green algae and many other species of mat-dwelling algae, cyanobacteria, and bacteria, including the most abundant Everglades diatom, Mastagloia calcarea. The benthic diatom genus Mastogloia is characterized by several morphological and physiological features that foster production of a ‘halo’ of EPS around the frustule, but the …

Non-Target Analysis Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry To Characterize And Remediate Urban Waters, Brian Ng

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first part of this dissertation will focus on the development of a simple, robust online solid phase extraction liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (SPE LC-HRMS) method followed by the use of computational software workflows for non-target analysis (NTA) of environmental samples (development). The benchmarks to assess reproducibility are not well defined for non-target analysis. Parameters to evaluate analytical performance, such as accuracy, precision and selectivity, are well defined for target analysis, but remain elusive for non-target screening analysis. In this study, quality control (QC) guidelines are proposed to assure reliable data in NTA methodologies using a simple …

Ligands For Complexation, Extraction, And Sensing Of Mercury(Ii) For Application To High-Level Waste (Hlw) At The Savannah River Site (Srs), Adenike O. Fasiku

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mercury (Hg) separation and sensing is of high significance due to Hg^(II) environmental mobility and toxicity. Furthermore, the use of Hg in nuclear applications has resulted in its accumulation in several DOE sites, such as in Oak Ridge and Savannah River reservations. Organic mercury species have been found in low activity waste (LAW) streams resulting from high-level waste (HLW) processing at the Savannah River Site (SRS), therefore posing a threat to humans and the environment. Mercury, being a soft Lewis acid, has a strong affinity for softer Lewis bases, such as S- or N-donor ligands. Therefore, we focus on …

Options For Prioritizing Sites For Biodiversity Conservation With Implications For “30 By 30”, R. Travis Belote, Kevin Barnett, Matthew S. Dietz, Laura Burkle, Clinton Jenkins, Lindsay Dreiss, Jocelyn L. Aycrigg, Gregory H. Aplet

Department of Earth and Environment

International and national initiatives aim to conserve at least 30% of lands and waters by 2030. To safeguard biodiversity, conservation actions must be distributed in places that represent ecosystem and species diversity. Various methods of prioritizing sites for conservation have been used in local and global assessments. However, the performance and consequences of alternative methods are usually unknown. Such comparisons are needed to confidently implement national and international conservation initiatives. Here, we compared four widely-used methods of prioritizing sites in the contiguous United States for conserving species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Specifically, we calculated and mapped species richness, …

Integrating Compound Flood Conditions Through 2d Hydraulic Modeling For Simulating Flood Risk Processes In Coastal Cities, Francisco Pena Guerra Mr.

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Low elevation coastal karst environments are highly vulnerable to flooding conditions due to climate change. Trends in rising global temperatures have increased the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation, hydrometeorological phenomena and sea level rise, exacerbating the impact of pluvial, fluvial, coastal and groundwater flood hazards. Compound flooding events amplify flood hazards and pose a higher threat to residents and infrastructure in unison compared to independent phenomena. Recent advancements in coupling hydrologic and hydraulic modeling frameworks have improved our ability to account for the combined effects of extreme pluvial, fluvial, and coastal flood hazards. This innovation in the hydroinformatics field …

Quantifying How Coastal Flooding And Stormwater Runoff Drive Spatiotemporal Variability In Carbon And Nutrient Processing In Urban Aquatic Ecosystems, Matthew A. Smith

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal river networks alter the transport and transformation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic matter (DOM), which can vary in concentration and composition across spatiotemporal scales. Given climate-induced shifts in rainfall and tidal variation in low-lying coastal regions, there is an increasing need to quantify effects of flooding on biogeochemical cycling. Specifically, urban flooding is becoming increasingly common due to biophysical alterations to hydrology from urbanization and climate change. Urban ecosystems have been characterized as having a distinct biogeochemistry compared to other systems, largely due to increased frequency and magnitude of riverine and coastal flooding. Consequently, the role …

A Study Of The Mammalian High Mobility Group Protein At-Hook 2 (Hmga2) And Its Interactions With Dna, Linjia Su

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mammalian high-mobility-group protein AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) is a small DNA-binding protein and consists of three positively charged “AT-hooks” and a negatively charged C-terminal motif. It is a multifunctional nuclear protein linked to obesity, human height, stem cell youth, human intelligence, and tumorigenesis. Previous results showed that HMGA2 is a potential therapeutic target of anticancer and anti‐obesity drugs through inhibiting its DNA‐binding activities. Here a miniaturized, automated AlphaScreen ultra‐high‐throughput screening assay is developed to identify inhibitors targeting HMGA2‐DNA interactions. After screening the LOPAC1280 library, several compounds are identified that strongly inhibit HMGA2‐DNA interactions including suramin, a negatively charged antiparasitic drug. …

Optical Two-Dimensional Coherent Spectroscopy Of Many-Body Dynamics In Quantum Materials, Maria Fernanda Munoz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the rise of the concept of quantum materials (QM), these materials described as many-body quantum systems (interacting atoms, molecules, or electrons) have been suitable for many optoelectronic and quantum applications. Additionally, there has been significant interest in the research of QM to understand the underlying physics behind their extraordinary optical properties. Examples of QM are ultracold atoms, layered 2D semiconductors, supramolecular materials, and more. In 2012, a high energy conversion efficiency of over 10% was reported for the first time for metal-halide perovskite (MHP) solar cells, opening a new era for photovoltaics research. The reported efficiencies have been improved …

An Exploration Of Controlling The Content Learned By Deep Neural Networks, Liqun Yang

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the great success of the Deep Neural Network (DNN), how to get a trustworthy model attracts more and more attention. Generally, people intend to provide the raw data to the DNN directly in training. However, the entire training process is in a black box, in which the knowledge learned by the DNN is out of control. There are many risks inside. The most common one is overfitting. With the deepening of research on neural networks, additional and probably greater risks were discovered recently. The related research shows that unknown clues can hide in the training data because of the …

Towards Understanding The Temporal Accuracy Of Openstreetmap: A Quantitative Experiment, Levente Juhasz

GIS Center

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Sparse Representation Of Boolean Functions, Yekun Xu

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Boolean function is one of the most fundamental computation models in theoretical computer science. The two most common representations of Boolean functions are Fourier transform and real polynomial form. Applying analytic tools under these representations to the study Boolean functions has led to fruitful research in many areas such as complexity theory, learning theory, inapproximability, pseudorandomness, metric embedding, property testing, threshold phenomena, social choice, etc. In this thesis, we focus on \emph{sparse representations} of Boolean function in both Fourier transform and polynomial form, and obtain the following new results. A classical result of Rothschild and van Lint asserts that if …

Probing The Structure Of Deuteron At Very Short Distances, Frank Vera

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We study the electro-disintegration of deuteron at quasi-elastic kinematics and high transferred momentum as a probe for the short distance structure in nuclei. In this reaction, an electron hits a nucleus of deuterium, which breaks up into a pair of nucleons (proton-neutron). We focus our attention on events where fast nucleons emerge, corresponding to nuclear configurations where the bound nucleons have a high relative momentum (exceeding 700 MeV/c). The present research is relevant to physical systems where high-density nuclear matter is present. This condition covers a wide range of physics, from neutron stars to nuclei stability and the repulsive nuclear …

High And Low Toxin Producing Strains Of Karenia Brevis Differ Significantly In The Redox Proteome, Lipid Profiles, And Xanthophyll Cycle Pigments, Ricardo Colon

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, blooms annually in the Gulf of Mexico, producing a suite of neurotoxins known as the brevetoxins. The cellular toxin content of K. brevis, however, is highly variable between or even within strains. I investigated biochemical differences between high (KbHT) and low (KbLT) toxin producing cultures both derived from the Wilson strain, related to energy-dependent quenching (qE) by photosystem II, and the content of reduced thiols of the proteome. By characterizing the xanthophyll content of the two strains I was able to determine that KbLT performs qE inconsistently. To investigate the …

A Study Of Magnetism And Possible Mixed-State Superconductivity In Phosphorus-Doped Graphene, Julian E. Gil Pinzon

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evidence of superconducting vortices, and consequently mixed-state superconductivity, has been observed in phosphorus-doped graphene at temperatures as high as 260 K. The evidence includes transport measurements in the form of resistance versus temperature curves, and magnetic measurements in the form of susceptibility and magnetic Nernst effect measurements. The drops in resistance, periodic steps in resistance, the appearance of Nernst peaks and hysteresis all point to phosphorus-doped graphene having a broad resistive region due to flux flow as well as a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition at lower temperatures.

The observation of irreversible behavior in phosphorus-doped graphene under the influence of a thermal …

The Coordination Chemistry Of The Rhodizonate Dianion And Its Decomposition Products, Joshua A. Silverman

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rhodizonate dianion is of importance for forensic testing, specifically with regard to the sodium rhodizonate test for lead in gunpowder residues. In an effort to understand this test from a chemical perspective, the coordination of rhodizonate and its decomposition products, croconate and oxalate, with several metals has been investigated with a variety of structural and spectroscopic methods.

FT-IR data of the three sequential steps of the sodium rhodizonate test show coordination between Pb(II) atoms, tartrate anions, and rhodizonate dianions, with the tartrate being substituted for Cl^- once a 5% HCl solution is added to produce the confirmatory blue-purple …

Interpretability Of Ai In Computer Systems And Public Policy, Farzana Beente Yusuf

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have led to spectacular innovations and sophisticated systems for tasks that were thought to be capable only by humans. Examples include playing chess and Go, face and voice recognition, driving vehicles, and more. In recent years, the impact of AI has moved beyond offering mere predictive models into building interpretable models that appeal to human logic and intuition because they ensure transparency and simplicity and can be used to make meaningful decisions in real-world applications. A second trend in AI is characterized by important advancements in the realm of causal reasoning. Identifying causal relationships is …

Purine Nucleosides Modified At C8 Or C2 Position With (Β-Halo)Vinylsulfone And Β-Ketosulfone Reactive Groups And Their Incorporation Into Dna: Synthesis Of The Organoarsenical Antibiotic Arsinothricin And Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, Md Abu Hasan Howlader

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modified nucleosides gained great attention as potential anticancer and antiviral therapeutics. In this dissertation, synthesis and reactivity of (β-iodovinyl)sulfone and β-ketosulfone groups incorporated into purine nucleosides at C8 or C2 positions and DNA incorporation of their 5' triphosphates have been developed. Moreover, synthesis of novel antibiotic arsinothricin (AST) as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been discussed. The 8-(1-iodo-2-tosylvinyl)-2'-deoxyadenosine and 8-(1-Iodo-2-tosylvinyl)adenosine were synthesized employing iodovinylsulfonation of 8-ethynyl precursors with TsNa/I₂/NaOAc. The 8-(β-iodovinyl)sulfonyl-2'-deoxyguanosine was prepared via radical mediated iodovinylsulfonation of 8-ethynyl-2'-deoxyguanosine with TsNHNH₂/KI/(BzO)₂. Conformationally different C2 substituted isomeric adenosine analogues were prepared by iodovinylsulfonation …

Geometric Quantizations Related To The Laplace Eigenspectra Of Compact Riemannian Symmetric Spaces Via Borel-Weil-Bott Theory, Camilo Montoya

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to suggest a geometric relation between the Laplace-Beltrami spectra and eigenfunctions on compact Riemannian symmetric spaces and the Borel-Weil theory using ideas from symplectic geometry and geometric quantization. This is done by associating to each compact Riemannian symmetric space, via Marsden-Weinstein reduction, a generalized flag manifold which covers the space parametrizing all of its maximal totally geodesic tori. In the process we notice a direct relation between the Satake diagram of the symmetric space and the painted Dynkin diagram of its associated flag manifold. We consider in detail the examples of the classical simply-connected …

Lanthanide Interactions With Ligands And Biomolecules: Spectroscopic And Extraction Studies, Setareh Sakhdari

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lanthanides (Ln), also known as rare earth metals, have been utilized for industrial and biological purposes and are commonly encountered in the 3+ oxidation state as Ln³⁺. The presence of Ln in spent nuclear fuel introduces problems during the transmutation and partitioning of actinides (An) due to the Ln high neutron cross-sections. Therefore, designing ligands for Ln³⁺ complexation, can be helpful for their separation from An³⁺ in nuclear technology. Also, the biomimetic roles of Ln³⁺ could be suitable for studying the biological macromolecules, such as the Ca²⁺-binding EF-hand proteins that are otherwise inaccessible …

A Review Of Logistic Regression And Its Application, Sultana Mubarika Rahman Chowdhury

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to do an in-depth review of logistic regression and its application. Additionally, comparison of four different methods of coefficient standardization was done using Heart Disease Dataset. These methods were compared based on testing accuracy, training accuracy, area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was applied to National Longitudinal Study of Adolescence Health Survey (Add health) dataset to examine the relationship between anxiety or panic disorder and history of childhood maltreatment, medical conditions such as ADHD, PTSD, some socio-economic conditions and addiction. Results indicated; history of abuse has a significant effect …

Inducing Stereotypical Character Roles From Plot Structure, Labiba Jahan

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

If we are to understand stories, we must understand characters: characters are central to every narrative and drive the action forward. Critically, many stories (especially cultural ones) employ stereotypical character roles in their stories for different purposes, including efficient communication among bundles of default characteristics and associations, ease understanding of those characters' role in the overall narrative, and many more. These roles include ideas such as hero, villain, or victim, as well as culturally-specific roles such as, for example, the donor (in Russian tales) or the trickster (in Native American tales). My thesis aims to learn these roles automatically, inducing …

Facing Truths: Facial Recognition Software In Digital Archives, Rebecca Bakker, Kelley Flannery Rowan

Works of the FIU Libraries

This presentation discusses research conducted on various facial recognition software and was funded by a LYRASIS Catalyst Fund grant. The goal of the research was to determine whether facial recognition software could be adapted to work with older, often faded or discolored historical photos and still accurately identify faces in photographs. Such software capabilities would be highly beneficial for librarians and archivists in creating quality metadata by identifying unknown people in photos. It would also assist archivists in finding the photos patrons and partners are seeking. The research brought to light the many ethical controversies associated with facial recognition technology, …