Digital Commons Network^™

Emerging Technologies And Approaches For In Situ, Autonomous Observing In The Arctic, Craig M. Lee, Michael Degrandpre, John Guthrie, Victoria Hill, Ron Kwok, James Morison, Christopher J. Cox, Hanumant Singh, Timothy P. Stanton, Jeremy Wilkinson

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Understanding and predicting Arctic change and its impacts on global climate requires broad, sustained observations of the atmosphere-ice-ocean system, yet technological and logistical challenges severely restrict the temporal and spatial scope of observing efforts. Satellite remote sensing provides unprecedented, pan-Arctic measurements of the surface, but complementary in situ observations are required to complete the picture. Over the past few decades, a diverse range of autonomous platforms have been developed to make broad, sustained observations of the ice-free ocean, often with near-real-time data delivery. Though these technologies are well suited to the difficult environmental conditions and remote logistics that complicate Arctic …

Word Embeddings For Fake Malware Generation, Quang Duy Tran, Fabio Di Troia

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Signature and anomaly-based techniques are the fundamental methods to detect malware. However, in recent years this type of threat has advanced to become more complex and sophisticated, making these techniques less effective. For this reason, researchers have resorted to state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to combat the threat of information security. Nevertheless, despite the integration of the machine learning models, there is still a shortage of data in training that prevents these models from performing at their peak. In the past, generative models have been found to be highly effective at generating image-like data that are similar to the actual data …

Robustness Of Image-Based Malware Analysis, Katrina Tran, Fabio Di Troia, Mark Stamp

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In previous work, “gist descriptor” features extracted from images have been used in malware classification problems and have shown promising results. In this research, we determine whether gist descriptors are robust with respect to malware obfuscation techniques, as compared to Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) trained directly on malware images. Using the Python Image Library (PIL), we create images from malware executables and from malware that we obfuscate. We conduct experiments to compare classifying these images with a CNN as opposed to extracting the gist descriptor features from these images to use in classification. For the gist descriptors, we consider a …

Fake Malware Generation Using Hmm And Gan, Harshit Trehan, Fabio Di Troia

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In the past decade, the number of malware attacks have grown considerably and, more importantly, evolved. Many researchers have successfully integrated state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to combat this ever present and rising threat to information security. However, the lack of enough data to appropriately train these machine learning models is one big challenge that is still present. Generative modelling has proven to be very efficient at generating image-like synthesized data that can match the actual data distribution. In this paper, we aim to generate malware samples as opcode sequences and attempt to differentiate them from the real ones with the …

On Fatigue Detection For Air Traffic Controllers Based On Fuzzy Fusion Of Multiple Features, Yi Hu, Zhuo Liu, Aiqin Hou, Chase Wu, Wenbin Wei, Yanjun Wang, Min Liu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Fatigue detection for air traffic controllers is an important yet challenging problem in aviation safety research. Most of the existing methods for this problem are based on facial features. In this paper, we propose an ensemble learning model that combines both facial features and voice features and design a fatigue detection method through multifeature fusion, referred to as Facial and Voice Stacking (FV-Stacking). Specifically, for facial features, we first use OpenCV and Dlib libraries to extract mouth and eye areas and then employ a combination of M-Convolutional Neural Network (M-CNN) and E-Convolutional Neural Network (E-CNN) to determine the state of …

Stress-Associated Metabolites Vary With Both Season And Habitat Across Populations Of A Climate Sentinel Species, A. L. Whipple, C. Ray, J. Varner, J. N. Kitchens, A. A. Hove, J. A. Castillo Vardaro, J. L. Wilkening

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Relating physiological stress to habitat quality could refine conservation efforts. Habitat quality, which is often inferred from patch occupancy or demographic rates, might be measured in a more timely and nuanced way using metrics of physiological stress. To understand whether stress-associated hormones vary with metrics of habitat quality, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels in the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small mammal with well-defined habitat (talus), which can vary in quality depending on the presence of subsurface ice features. In spring and fall 2018, we collected feces noninvasively from pika territories in taluses “with” or “without” subsurface ice …

Control-Core: A Framework For Simulation And Design Of Closed-Loop Peripheral Neuromodulation Control Systems, Pradeeban Kathiravelu, Mark Arnold, Jake Fleischer, Yuyu Yao, Shubham Awasthi, Aviral Kumar Goel, Andrew Branen, Parisa Sarikhani, Gautam Kumar, Mayuresh V. Kothare, Babak Mahmoudi

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Closed-loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) based on physiological feedback signals is a promising approach to regulate organ functions and develop therapeutic devices. Designing closed-loop neurostimulation systems requires simulation environments and computing infrastructures that support i) modeling the physiological responses of organs under neuromodulation, also known as physiological models, and ii) the interaction between the physiological models and the neuromodulation control algorithms. However, existing simulation platforms do not support closed-loop VNS control systems modeling without extensive rewriting of computer code and manual deployment and configuration of programs. The CONTROL-CORE project aims to develop a flexible software platform for designing and implementing …

Predicting Cervical Cancer Biopsy Results Using Demographic And Epidemiological Parameters: A Custom Stacked Ensemble Machine Learning Approach, Krishnaraj Chadaga, Srikanth Prabhu, Niranjana Sampathila, Rajagopala Chadaga, S. Swathi, Saptarshi Sengupta

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cervical cancer cases worldwide. This gynecological carcinoma causes many deaths, even though it can be treated by removing malignant tissues at a preliminary stage. In many developing countries, patients do not undertake medical examinations due to the lack of awareness, hospital resources and high testing costs. Hence, it is vital to design a computer aided diagnostic method which can screen cervical cancer patients. In this research, we predict the probability risk of contracting this deadly disease using a custom stacked ensemble machine learning approach. The technique combines the results of several machine …

Eocene Dike Orientations Across The Washington Cascades In Response To A Major Strike-Slip Faulting Episode And Ridge-Trench Interaction, Robert B. Miller, Kathleen I. Bryant, Brigid Doran, Michael P. Eddy, Franco P. Raviola, Nicholas Sylva, Paul J. Umhoefer

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The northern Cascade Mountains in Washington (USA) preserve an exceptional shallow to mid-crustal record of Eocene transtension marked by dextral strike-slip faulting, intrusion of dike swarms and plutons, rapid non-marine sedimentation, and ductile flow and rapid cooling in parts of the North Cascades crystalline core. Transtension occurred during ridge-trench interaction with the formation of a slab window, and slab rollback and break-off occurred shortly after collision of the Siletzia oceanic plateau at ca. 50 Ma. Dike swarms intruded a >1250 km2 region between ca. 49.3 Ma and 44.9 Ma, and orientations of more than 1500 measured dikes coupled with geochronologic …

In-Vehicle Human Machine Interface: Investigating The Effects Of Tactile Displays On Information Presentation In Automated Vehicles, Kimberly D. Martinez, Gaojian Huang

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: Semi-autonomous vehicles still require human drivers to take over when the automated systems can no longer perform the driving task. Objective: The goal of this study was to design and test the effects of six meaningful tactile signal types, representing six driving scenarios (i.e., navigation, speed, surrounding vehicles, over the speed limit, headway reductions, and pedestrian status) respectively, and two pattern durations (lower and higher urgencies), on drivers' perception and performance during automated driving. Methods: Sixteen volunteers participated in an experiment utilizing a medium-fidelity driving simulator presenting vibrotactile signals via 20 tactors embedded in the seat back, pan, and …

Prediction Of Length Of Stay In The Emergency Department For Covid-19 Patients: A Machine Learning Approach, Egbe Etu Etu, Leslie Monplaisir, Suzan Arslanturk, Sara Masoud, Celestine Aguwa, Ihor Markevych, Joseph Miller

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has become a global public health threat. The influx of COVID-19 patients has prolonged the length of stay (LOS) in the emergency department (ED) in the United States. Our objective is to develop a reliable prediction model for COVID-19 patient ED LOS and identify clinical factors, such as age and comorbidities, associated with LOS within a '4-hour target.' Data were collected from an urban, demographically diverse hospital in Detroit for all COVID-19 patients' ED presentations from March 16 to December 29, 2020. We trained four machine learning models, namely logistic regression (LR), gradient boosting (GB), …

On The Possibility Оf A Dual-Natured Self, Anand Jayprakash Vaidya

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this paper I examine compatibilism and incompatibilism about whether the self can be both a subject and an object in the same awareness at the same time. While this is an old debate that many traditions of philosophy have contributed to, my point of departure is the work of A.C. Mukerji (an Indian philosopher of the modern era) who worked on the possibility of self-awareness by articulating, what he called, the paradox of ego-centricity. I also consider Patañjali (an Indian philosopher of the classical era), Maurice Merleau-Ponty (a phenomenologist), and Arindam Chakrabarti (a contemporary Indian and Analytic philosopher) on …

Spatially Resolved Stellar Spectroscopy Of The Ultra-Diffuse Galaxy Dragonfly 44. Iii. Evidence For An Unexpected Star Formation History Under Conventional Galaxy Evolution Processes, Alexa Villaume, Aaron J. Romanowsky, Jean Brodie, Pieter Van Dokkum, Charlie Conroy, Duncan A. Forbes, Shany Danieli, Christopher Martin, Matt Matuszewski

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We use the Keck Cosmic Web Imager integral field unit spectrograph to (1) measure the global stellar population parameters for the ultra-diffuse galaxy (UDG) Dragonfly 44 (DF44) to much higher precision than previously possible for any UDG and (2) for the first time measure spatially resolved stellar population parameters of a UDG. We find that DF44 falls below the mass-metallicity relation established by canonical dwarf galaxies both in and beyond the Local Group. We measure a flat radial age gradient ( log Gyr kpc-1) and a flat to positive metallicity gradient ( dex kpc-1), which are inconsistent with the gradients …

Impact Of Location Spoofing Attacks On Performance Prediction In Mobile Networks, Nikhil Sai Kanuri, Sang Yoon Chang, Younghee Park, Jonghyun Kim, Jinoh Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Performance prediction in wireless mobile networks is essential for diverse purposes in network management and operation. Particularly, the position of mobile devices is crucial to estimating the performance in the mobile communication setting. With its importance, this paper investigates mobile communication performance based on the coordinate information of mobile devices. We analyze a recent 5G data collection and examine the feasibility of location-based performance prediction. As location information is key to performance prediction, the basic assumption of making a relevant prediction is the correctness of the coordinate information of devices given. With its criticality, this paper also investigates the impact …

A Blockchain-Based Tamper-Resistant Logging Framework, Thomas H. Austin, Fabio Di Troia

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Since its introduction in Bitcoin, the blockchain has proven to be a versatile data structure. In its role as an immutable ledger, it has grown beyond its initial use in financial transactions to be used in recording a wide variety of other useful information. In this paper, we explore the application of the blockchain outside of its traditional decentralized, financial domain. We show how, even with only a single “mining” node, a proof-of-work blockchain can be the cornerstone of a tamper resistant logging framework. By attaching a proof-of-work to blocks of logging messages, we make it increasingly difficult for an …

Crowdfunding Non-Fungible Tokens On The Blockchain, Sean Basu, Kimaya Basu, Thomas H. Austin

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been used as a way of rewarding content creators. Artists publish their works on the blockchain as NFTs, which they can then sell. The buyer of an NFT then holds ownership of a unique digital asset, which can be resold in much the same way that real-world art collectors might trade paintings. However, while a deal of effort has been spent on selling works of art on the blockchain, very little attention has been paid to using the blockchain as a means of fundraising to help finance the artist’s work in the first place. Additionally, while …

Blackcurrants: A Nutrient-Rich Source For The Development Of Functional Foods For Improved Athletic Performance, Ali Ali Redha, Shahida Anusha Siddiqui, Reza Zare, Daniele Spadaccini, Silvia Guazzotti, Xi Feng, Nur Alim Bahmid, Yuan Seng Wu, Fathima Zahraa Ozeer, Rotimi E. Aluko

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Blackcurrants are nutrient-rich fruits with a significant amount of bioactive compounds including vitamin C and polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. The high phytochemical content of blackcurrants promotes this fruit to become a valuable functional food ingredient with varying health-promoting activities targeting different consumers including athletes. Athletes experience oxidative stress during intense exercise, which can result in inflammation and reduced exercise performance. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and polyphenols can restore the regular oxidative status of the body. Blackcurrant supplementation has shown potential ergogenic activity to improve athlete performance during high-intensity training. Clinical trials have evaluated the effectiveness of blackcurrant supplementation on exercise …

Sieve Or Shield? High Tech Firms And Entrepreneurs And The Impacts Of Covid 19 On North American Border Regions, Kathrine Eileen Richardson, Francesco Cappellano

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study examines the role of international borders in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to unprecedented national decisions to close borders in order to contain the domestic contagion. The idea that borders act as shields conflicts with the needs of cross-border regions, as they rely on networks straddling the borders for goods and services’ provisions. This paper explores different approaches at individual, local, and regional policy levels used to counterbalance such impacts. As evidenced by North American border closures to most non-citizens seeking entry (shield effects), it is important to understand how professionals, firms, and their networks …

Law And Recordkeeping: A Tale Of Four African Countries, Darra Hofman, Shadrack Katuu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Initial Cognitive Load To Predict User Response To Complex Visual Tasks, Reem Albaghli, Yaman Jandali, Sarah Almahmid, Nada Attar

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this study, we were able to show how cognitive load measurement during the initiation of a complex visual task can predict user response. We measured cognitive load using pupil size and microsaccade rate. The initial phase of task was defined as the first 25 percent of the trial Reaction Time (RT), which was variable up to 50 seconds. The complex visual task entailed a set of twelve words that could be grouped based into 1, 2, or 3 categories or sets, e.g., the words bed, pillow, headboard, etc. can be grouped into a single set that is bedroom. We …

Tracking The Functions Of Ai As Paradata & Pursuing Archival Accountability, Jeremy Davet, Babak Hamidzadeh, Patricia Franks, Jenny Bunn

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

While a familiar term in fields like social science research and digital cultural heritage, 'paradata' has not yet been introduced conceptually into the archival realm. In response to an increasing number of experiments with machine learning and artificial intelligence, the InterPARES Trust AI research group proposes the definition of paradata as 'information about the procedure(s) and tools used to create and process information resources, along with information about the persons carrying out those procedures.' The utilization of this concept in archives can help to ensure that AI-driven systems are designed from the outset to honor the archival ethic, and to …

Verification Of Risc-V Processor Beyond Rv32i Isa, Yamini Santosh Awasthi, Aishwarya Mahesh, Lili He

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

The RISC-V processor's open-source architecture provides designers with flexibility in implementing the architecture for a variety of applications. The same advantage, however, makes the verification process difficult because all variations must be verified. The proposed project will create a verification environment for the extended RISC V architecture. RISC-V supports both the "M" standard extension for integer multiplication and division and the "Zicsr" standard extension for control and status register instructions. The above-mentioned ISA classes will be tested using the RV32I ISA-based DUT with a UVM environment around the DUT to verify the M and Zicsr functionalities. The M and Zicsr …

Verification Of Nand Flash Controller, M. J. Prajwala, Kush Desai, Lili He

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

NAND structure-based Flash memory-made SSDs are turning more popular than HDDs in several applications notably in consumer microelectronics devices and enterprise memory storage devices. The NAND controller is the heart of this system. It acts as a bridge for communication between the host system (usually the Personal Computer system) and the NAND Flash memory storage device. Unarguably, it can be said that it is an essential part of the NAND flash-based memory device and it helps to manage the directory containing file systems. The controller is also accountable for managing system features like wear levelling, error code correction (through ECC), …

“Don't Downvote A$$$$$$S!!”: An Exploration Of Reddit's Advice Communities, Emily Cannon, Bianca Crouse, Souvick Ghosh, Nicholas Rihn, Kristen Chua

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Advice forums are a crowdsourced way to reinforce cultural norms and moral behavior. Sites like Reddit contain massive amounts of natural language human interaction, with rules and norms unique to each individual subreddit community. To explore this data, we created a dataset with top 1000 posts from each of two such forums, r/AmItheAsshole and r/relationships, and extracted natural language features including sentiment, similarity, word frequency, and demographics using both algorithmic and manual methods. Further, we developed a method to extract demographic information from the subreddits, examined how the post authors' self-disclosures reflect the unique communities in which their posts are …

Towards Advanced Data Skills For Information Systems Graduates, Ashraf Shirani

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study aims to explore advanced data skills -in particular technical skills expected of a data engineering (DE) professional. Descriptions and requirements for the DE jobs, one each from 50 US companies, were collected from three job sites. An automated text analysis was performed on the job descriptions to extract a list of technical skills and competencies required for the DE job in the industry. The extracted information was then manually synthesized and categorized by the author. Findings of the study are intended to be of use by information systems graduates looking to pursue advanced data education and for curricula …

2022 Silicon Valley Pain Index, Scott Myers-Lipton, William Armaline

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Library Revitalization: Best Practice In Village Libraries, Dyah Puspitasari Srirahayu, Esti Putri Anugrah, Trisa Berlianasari, Thomi Reza Irfanda, Thantrie Jawi Insani, Ferdisa Rahma Retanti

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Village libraries do have a major contribution in improving the quality of village communities, both through the collections provided and through the empowerment programs held. However, many village libraries that are in suspended animation are not managed properly by the village government. This resulted in the village community being unable to utilize the services of the village library. The purpose of this study is to identify the village library revitalization process so that the village library can carry out library operational activities. The research method used is a qualitative approach. The revitalization process was carried out at the Moyoketen Village …

Information Literacy Skills, Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Use Of Information Resources By Secondary School Teachers In Selected Secondary Schools In Ijebu Ode Local Government, Ogun State., Opeyemi Ebenezer Afolabi, Oluwaseyi Esther Afolabi, Marcus Oladotun Aragbaye

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study examined the information literacy skills, self-efficacy and use of information resources by secondary school teachers in selected secondary schools in Ijebu ode local government, Ogun state. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. Total enumeration technique was used in selecting the respondents for the research. A validated, self-designed and close-ended questionnaire was used as the instrument in gathering data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) were used to analyze the data gathered through questionnaire.

Findings revealed that the major information literacy skills possessed by teachers are using electronic …

Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy And Entrepreneurial Intention In Medical Library And Information Science Students: An Iranian Perspective, Ronak Hamzehei, Mohammad Karim Saberi, Zahra Moradi, Zhaleh Moradveysi, Mahdi Shaghaghi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention of students in the field of medical library and information science.

Methods: This study quantitatively examined seven hypotheses through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. Using the census method, 79 students of medical library and information science of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were studied. Data was collected using the Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy Questionnaire proposed by De Noble et al. (1999) and the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire presented by the Linan and Chen (2011). Descriptive and inferential data analysis was performed using SPSS and …

Evaluating Institutional Repositories’ (Ir) Capabilities For Long-Term Preservation With A Focus On Content, File Format And Metadata Practices In Selected Public University Libraries In Kenya, Hellen M. Ndegwa, Emily Bosire Dr., Damaris Odero Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The type of content and file format influences the success of digital preservation strategies. Institutional repositories are custodians of digital resources that are to be held in perpetuity necessitating the need to consider long term preservation of these resources. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of digital content and its metadata for long term digital preservation. The study was qualitative in nature utilizing interviews as well as document analysis. websites and IR database investigations were utilized to check on content, format and metadata adequacy. The findings revealed great inadequacies in the IRs’ capabilities to support long …