Digital Commons Network^™

Deep Fingerprint Matching From Contactless To Contact Fingerprints For Increased Interoperability, Alexander James Wilson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Contactless fingerprint matching is a common form of biometric security today. Most smartphones and associated apps now let users opt into using this form of biometric security. However, it’s difficult to match a finger-photo to a fingerprint because of perspective distortion occurring at the edges of the finger-photo, so direct matching using conventional methods will not be as accurate due to a lack of sufficient matching minutiae points. To address this issue, we propose a deep model, Perspective Distortion Rectification Model (PDRM), to estimate the fingerprint correspondence for finger-photo images in order to recover more minutiae points. Not only do …

Reservoir Characteristics And Lateral Variability Of The Marcellus Formation At The Allegheny Mountain Front, Bruno J. Abersold

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Marcellus Formation, a large shale gas reservoir located within in the Appalachian basin, produces the energy that fuels the economy across the United States. Well data and rock core for the Coastal 1H well, found in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, provides the basis to understand reservoir characteristics and depositional processes of the Marcellus Formation across the basin. The well is located near along the eastern edge of the productive fairway and adjacent to the Allegheny mountain front. We used characteristics, such as total organic carbon (TOC), geomechanical properties, and lithology, to integrate with ten other available wells across the basin. …

Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …

Enhancing Negative-Ion Native Mass Spectrometry With Field-Assisted Capillary Vibrating Sharp-Edge Spray Ionization (Cvssi), Kushani Udeshika Attanayake

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although the birth of native mass spectrometry (native MS) occurred only several years after the development of electrospray ionization (ESI), it is yet considered an emerging technique for MS-based studies. This stems in part from challenges associated with efficient ionization of biopolymers. Although steady gains in ion production for native structure characterization have been secured primarily with the use of nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI), under negative polarity, the ionization efficiency can be extensively reduced due to an effect called “corona discharge”. The corona discharge occurs at the tip of ESI emitters because of free electron acceleration in the high-field region produced …

Development Of Synthetic Coal Char Simulant For Microwave Conversion Studies: A Computationally-Driven Approach, Kevin A. Hager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent experimental demonstration of new reaction windows for coal char/methane reactions that are less energy-intensive, provides innovation for modular reactors. However, the correlation of the exact mechanism for the enhancement of these reaction windows is not certain. This study investigates the simplification of these experimental studies by developing a well-characterized coal char simulant. The approach involves using a computational approach to screen macroscopic composition to replicate the dielectric and compositional response of actual char. This study is focused on PRB coal char. A discrete element method (DEM) technique was used to simulate the packing of coal chars to give the …

Evaluation Of Lidar Systems For Rock Mass Discontinuity Identification In Underground Stone Mines From 3d Point Cloud Data, Mario Alejandro Bendezu De La Cruz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The goal of this thesis is to compare the accuracy and precision of the discontinuity identification results obtained by three active remote sensing technologies along with a point cloud processing program, and the results obtained by conventional methods. For this research, the active remote sensing devices were terrestrial LIDAR, mobile LiDAR with Simultaneous localization, and mapping (SLAM), and LIDAR/Camera on an autonomous UAV. The open-source point cloud data processing programs Discontinuity Set Extractor (DSE) and the Cloud Compare were used to process point cloud data.

The results of this research found that it is possible to identify certain geological structures …

Accuracy Of Implant Placement Utilizing Stereolithographic Guides Printed With And Without Cross-Arch Stabilization Struts, Caitlin Libby Dds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of implant placement using stereolithographic guides printed with and without stabilization struts by comparing the post-operative position to the planned implant position.

Methods: A pre-operative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of a drillable maxillary model was obtained and data was uploaded into coDiagnostiX for preoperative planning. The implant position was planned in an edentulous space of #5 using a 3.3x10mm Bone Level Tapered (BLT) implant (Straumann). Ten surgical guides were designed utilizing a stabilization strut (Group A), while ten guides were designed without the stabilization strut (Group B). Twenty guides …

Gas Phase Reactions Of Cyclopentadiene With Ch And Oh Radicals, Kacee Lynn Caster

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbon-based nanoparticles in combustion environments is driven by the pyrolysis and oxidation of abundant fuel molecules. The subsequent growth of these pyrolytic byproducts is then propagated by reactions with small free radical species like OH, CH, O atoms, and C₂H. Cyclopentadiene (C₅H₆) is a significant five-member combustion intermediate that has been detected in many high temperature reactions, such as in the pyrolysis of jet fuels like JP-10. Experimental and theoretical investigations in the reactions of cyclopentadiene with these small free radical species are necessary towards understanding …

Improving Deep Learning Models In Weakly Supervised Learning Paradigms, Fariborz Taherkhani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have provided promising achievements for image classification problems. However, training a CNN model relies on a large number of labeled data. Considering the vast amount of unlabeled data available on the web, it is important to make use of these data in conjunction with a small set of labeled data to train a deep learning model. In this thesis, we aim to develop some methods that can make use of unlabeled data along with partially labeled data to obtain a better generalization performance for CNN models. Moreover, it is also often easier to collect labels that …

The Impact Of Unsaturated Zone Thickness On The Severity Of Saltwater Intrusion In Coastal Aquifers From Overtopping, Dennis Jesse Carpinello

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Storm-surge inundation and wave overwash, collectively overtopping, causes the land surface to be inundated with seawater, resulting in vertical infiltration of saline waters into underlying coastal aquifers, which can have severe consequences on freshwater resources. Unsaturated zone thickness plays an important role in determining the severity of saltwater contamination resulting from an overtopping event. This study uses numerical modeling to investigate vertical saltwater infiltration and salinization, and the subsequent aquifer recovery to overtopping events for coastal aquifers with different unsaturated zone thicknesses. Groundwater models were developed using the numerical code SUTRA to solve saturated-unsaturated, density-dependent groundwater flow and solute …

Topic Modeling And Cultural Nature Of Citations, Marie Coraline Dumaz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ever since the beginning of research journals, the number of academic publications has been increasing steadily. Nowadays, especially, with the new importance of online open-access journals and databases, research papers are more easily available to read and share. It also becomes harder to keep up with novelties and grasp an idea of the general impact of a given researcher, institution, journal, or field. For this reason, different bibliometric indicators are now routinely used to classify and evaluate the impact or significance of individual researchers, conferences, journals, or entire scientific communities. In this thesis, we provide tools to study trends in …

Putting Policy In Its Place: Policy Enactment And Engagement Through A Multiscalar Policy-Shed Framework, Barbara L. Maclennan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this research is to examine the spatial components integral to policy formation, implementation, and evaluation. The research uses solid waste as a case study to explore a multiscalar GIS policy-shed framework. To this end, the goal of this dissertation is to examine the spatial nature of public policy. The research applies spatial concepts and multiscalar methodological applications embedded within GIS and geovisualization to explore the complex spaces surrounding public policy implementation and evaluation.

Plant Species Identification In The Wild Based On Images Of Organs, Meghana Kovur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Image-based plant species identification in the wild is a difficult problem for several reasons. First, the input data is subject to a very high degree of variability because it is captured under fully unconstrained conditions. The same plant species may look very different in different images, while different species can often appear very similar, challenging even the recognition skills of human experts in the field. The large intra-class and small inter-class image variability makes this a fine-grained visual classification problem. One way to cope with this variability and to reduce image background noise is to predict species based on the …

Uncertainty Estimation For Stereo Visual Odometry, Derek W. Ross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Over the past few decades, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been increasingly popular for use in locations that are lacking, or have unreliable global navigation satellite system (GNSS) availability. One of the more popular localization techniques for quadrotors is the use of visual odometry (VO) through monocular, RGB-D, or stereo cameras. With primary applications in the context of Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) and indoor navigation, VO is largely used in combination with other sensors through Bayesian filters, namely Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) or Particle Filter. This work investigates the accuracy of two standard covariance estimation techniques for a feature-based …

Models And Solution Approaches For Integrated Student To School Assignment And School Bus Routing Problem Focusing On Special Needs Students, Azadeh Ansari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation addresses the integrated problem of assigning students to schools and generating school bus routes particularly focusing on the special needs students is addressed. Special needs students generally require supplementary accommodations and must be picked up from and dropped off at their home addresses. This will increase the number of nodes in the network and therefore introduces additional complexities to the problems of assignment and routing for students. An integrated single objective mathematical model is first developed that simultaneously assigns the students to schools based on their needs and generates efficient bus routes to deliver the students to their …

Effects Of Multiple Stressors On Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities In A Mixed-Land-Use Watershed, Joellen Stivala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As urbanization continues, there is a need to identify and understand environmental stressors that impact stream condition in mixed-land-use watersheds. This study analyzed four years of aquatic macroinvertebrate community and environmental data collected from ten sites located at the mouths of first-order tributaries and along the main stem creek of a 23-km², mixed-land-use watershed in central Appalachia. The main objectives were to 1) determine stream ecological integrity by analyzing stream macroinvertebrate taxonomic and trait-based composition and 2) assess which of 23 environmental variables explained significant variability in common community composition metrics (WVSCI, GLIMPSS, Biotic Index, % clingers, etc.). …

Active Localization For Robotic Systems: Algorithms And Cost Metrics, Jared Strader

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the real world, a robotic system must operate in the presence of motion and sensing uncertainty. This is caused by the fact that the motion of a robotic system is stochastic due to disturbances from the environment, and the states are only partially observable due noise in the sensor measurements. As a result, the true state of a robotic system is unknown, and estimation techniques must be used to infer the states from the belief, which is the probability distribution over all possible states. Accordingly, a robotic system must be capable of reasoning about the quality of the belief …

Evaluation Of A Low-Cost Uas And Phenocams For Measuring Grapevine Greenness, Timothy J. Hoheneder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Unpersoned aerial systems (UAS) could provide winegrowers with the potential to monitor vineyard productivity with ultra-high-resolution imagery and low operational costs. This ability could prove particularly valuable in the challenging cool-climate viticultural areas of Appalachia. Especially in this mountainous region of increasingly variable microclimates, there could be of great value from an ability to use UAS-measured greenness to monitor wine grape phenology and predict harvest quality and quantity. In this study, I assess how UAS-measured greenness relates to three complementary measures of field-based: leaf angle measurements, phenocam measured greenness, and leaf spectral measurements of greenness. After correlating these field-based measures …

Majorana Nanostructures And Their Electrostatic Environment, Benjamin David Woods

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Majorana zero modes (MZMs) are zero-energy excitations emerging in one- and two-dimensional topological superconductors. These exotic modes have attracted much attention in the last decade due to their topological protection and non-Abelian statistics, which make them possible building blocks for topological quantum computation. In particular, semiconductor-superconductor (SM-SC) nanostructures have attracted the most attention with several measurements being consistent with the presence of MZMs. Debate continues, however, whether MZMs or topologically-trivial Andreev bound states are responsible for such measurements.

In order to interpret experimental results distinguishing MZMs from Andreev bound states and gain a better understanding of what conditions need to …

Non-Monetary Economies: A Study On Different Governing Principles, Richard Perry Vest Ii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines a new economic system with a focus on non-monetary (primarily automation) aspects. Currency has been used in exchange for goods and services and this exchange has often resulted in benefits gained by any given individual. What if that wasn’t the case? How might society function if it was not influenced by currency? This thesis explores this hypothetical concept of an economy without currency with a focus given to automation. Using utility and production functions, discussion is given on how supply and demand functions behave in a non-monetary economy, how governing policy could be handled, and how society …

Process Modeling And Techno-Economic Analysis Of Micro- Encapsulated Carbon Sorbents (Mecs) For Co2 Capture In A Fixed Bed And Moving Bed Reactors, Goutham Kotamreddy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is seen as a suite of technologies to curb the carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and plays a crucial role to meet the net zero emissions target for many countries by 2050. One of the major sources for CO₂ emissions is combustion of fossil fuels. Various innovative capture technologies are being explored because the state-of-the-art monoethanolamine (MEA) based carbon capture technology has drawbacks such as corrosion, energy penalty. There are several potential solvents that have lower energy penalty, but they are highly viscous or may turn into solid phase in the absorber …

The Origin Of Novel Trait Inferred From Transcriptomic Analysis And A Targeted Gene Approach In The Beetle Horns., Naureen Fatima

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The origin of the evolutionary new trait (evolutionary novelty) and its subsequent evolution is of great interest for biologists in various fields, and beetle horns have been used to address this fundamental biological question. Previous studies on one of the horned beetle species, Onthophagus taurus, that utilized comparative gene expression analyses, suggested legs to be a strong candidate of the origin of horns. At the same time, their horns are secondary sexual traits whose development is regulated by the same gene (doublesex) as genitalia, which also originates from paired appendages such as legs. However, little is known …

Sustainability Assessment Of Direct Energy Deposition (Ded) Based Hybrid Manufacturing Using Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) Method, Faujia Islam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As sustainability has emerged as a highlight for almost every field over the last few decades, the manufacturing field is no exception. Generally, additive manufacturing performs better than traditional manufacturing in terms of sustainability because of its lean energy- and material usage. Previous studies have compared the sustainability performance between traditional and additive manufacturing, but hybrid manufacturing was not focused upon much. In this paper, the life cycle assessment method is used to analyze and compare the energy consumption and environmental impact of direct energy deposition (DED) based hybrid manufacturing and traditional manufacturing “CNC milling” process for a turbine blade. …

Ensemble Encoder-Decoder Models For Predicting Land Transformation, Pariya Pourmohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In studying dynamic and complex processes which are influenced by a system of inter-connected driving variables, it is crucial to apply models that can learn the complexity of the interactions. Land transformation is one of such complex processes, prediction of which can help to mitigate severe climate situations and improve the resiliency of communities. In this study, a multi-spectral set of data cubes is used to capture various characteristics of a geographic region. Based on the data cube, a feature space is constructed using socio-economic attributes, terrain characteristics, and landscape traits of the study region. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional convolutional neural …

Harnessing Acoustic Streaming For Bioanalysis In Microfluidics, Xiaojun Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In the past few decades, microfluidic technology has been developed rapidly in both fabrication methods and multifunctionality integrations, making it a powerful tool for a wider variety of biological applications. The device fabrication method has expanded from conventional polymer-based micro devices to 3D-printed micro devices, and allows multiple functions such as electric, optic, magnetic and acoustic to be integrated on a single platform. This dissertation focuses on method development of acoustic streaming-based microfluidics in bioanalysis such as immunoassay, enzyme kinetics and DNA fragmentation analysis. In this dissertation, a micromixer was developed based on acoustic streaming generated from sharp-edge structure vibration …

Learning And Workers In Transition (Wit), Jeffrey Burgazzoli Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study utilized autoethnography to generate new understandings about learning and workplace transitions. I journaled the first 90 days in a new job, writing about the notable learning events that occurred and collecting work artifacts to create a rich storyboard of the transition scene. Qualitative analysis of the storyboard revealed four broader dimensions of learning that must be considered: 1) knowledge growth and development, 2) cognition, 3) situational context, and 4) emotion. The results of the study illuminated key inflection points that happened during the transition process, conceptualized how my learning changed over time, and showed how I processed and …

Analyzing Applied Calculus Student Understanding Of Definite Integrals In Real-Life Applications, Cody Hood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

An individual’s knowledge of definite integrals can range from rote memorization to a strong foundational connection harkening back to its Riemann sum limit definition. In my research, I conducted seven task-based face-to-face interviews with Applied Calculus students. Through the use of real-life examples and guided reinvention, I analyzed ways in which these students, who all initially demonstrated rote memorization, could exhibit a Riemann sum based level of comprehension. This research was conducted in the confines of a student population with definite integral experience, but no formal instruction on limits. My results show that the lack of computational emphasis in class …

Bypassing The Blood-Brain Barrier: A Physical And Pharmacological Approach For The Treatment Of Metastatic Brain Tumors, Samuel A. Sprowls

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation (a) provided an in depth literature review of methods to disrupt the BBB/BTB and improve therapeutic distribution to brain tumors, (b) evaluated the use of azacitidine as a single agent therapy for the treatment of brain metastasis of breast cancer and a potential molecular mechanism by which brain tropic cells are sensitized to hypomethylating agents, (c) determined the impact cannabidiol has on P-glycoprotein mediated efflux at the blood-brain barrier and its potential for use as a single agent treatment for metastatic brain tumors, (d) developed a preclinical radiation therapy protocol for use in small animals and in vitro …

An Equest Based Building Energy Modeling Analysis For Energy Efficiency Of Buildings, Saroj Lamichhane

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Building energy performance is a function of numerous building parameters. In this study, sensitivity analysis on twenty parameters is performed to determine the top three parameters which have the most significant impact on the energy performance of buildings. Actual data from two fully operational commercial buildings were collected and used to develop a building energy model in eQUEST. The model is calibrated using Normalized Mean Bias Error (NMBE) and Coefficient of Variation of Root Mean Square Error (CV(RMSE)) method. The model satisfies the NMBE and CV(RMSE) criteria set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE) Guideline 14, …

A Snapshot Of Ancient Microbial Life: Microorganisms And Organic Compounds In Primary Fluid Inclusions In Bedded Halite, Neoproterozoic Browne Formation Of Central Australia, Sara I. Schreder-Gomes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Modern shallow brine environments contain an abundance of microorganisms. Microorganisms, mineral crystals, and air bubbles can be trapped with those brines in primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite as it grows in shallow saline surface waters. Primary fluid inclusions and their contents can be preserved, unaltered, for millions of years.

The ~830 million-year-old Browne Formation of central Australia contains intervals of bedded halite with unaltered primary fluid inclusions. Intervals of bedded halite were sampled in the Empress 1A core from ~1480 m – 1520 m depths. Here, I used petrography to describe suspect microorganisms and organic compounds that were trapped …