Digital Commons Network^™

Weak Decay Studies From An Effective Theory Standpoint, Aditya Yechan Gunja

Wayne State University Dissertations

In this doctoral dissertation I discuss the phenomenology of some weak interaction decays using a model independent approach by employing effective field theories. I discuss the soft photon contribution and background effect to the rare dimuonic decay of the neutral B meson. I also study some radiative exclusive W boson decays in the standard model in the context of pQCD and SCET. Additionally I invoke leptonic decays of charged mesons to constrain two general models of light dark matter.

Coupled Sediment Yield And Sediment Transport Model To Support Navigation Planning In Northeast Brazil, Calvin Trebor Creech

Wayne State University Dissertations

Deposition of sediment (shoaling) in commercial waterways is a major obstacle to maintaining sustainable riverine transportation of bulk goods (primarily agricultural and mining commodities). The rate of aggradation of sediment in a waterway is directly related to both the rate of sediment erosion from upland and river bank sources (sediment yield) and the energy in the river to effectively transport the sediment through the waterway system (sediment transport). Historically, methods used for waterway development have included trial and error or rules of thumb associated with river training structures and chute cut-off canals or engineering of navigation locks and dams. More …

Theoretical And Experimental Studies Of Noncovalent Metal Cation Binding And Base Pairing Interactions Of Cytosine And Modified Cytosines, Bo Yang

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF NONCOVALENT METAL CATION BINDING AND BASE PARING INTERACTIONS OF CYTOSINE AND MODIFIED CYTOSINES

by

BO YANG

December 2014

Advisor: Professor Mary T. Rodgers

Major: Analytical Chemistry

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Binding of metal cations to the nucleobases can lead to formation of rare tautomers of the nucleobases. The infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy of five alkali metal cation-cytosine complexes, M⁺(cytosine), where M⁺ = Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, and Cs⁺, are examined using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Discrete Fexni2-Xp Nanoparticles; Assembly Of Phosphide Nanoparticles Into Porous Networks, Asha Hitihami Mudiyanselage

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation research is focused on synthesis, characterization and assembly of metal phosphide nanoparticles of relevance to catalysis, magnetism, and optoelectronic applications. These include (1) synthesis of discrete FexNi2-xP ternary nanocrystals of relevance to hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysis and magnetism, and (2) 3-dimensional nanostructures (gels and aerogels) of InP and Ni2P.

A three-step solution-phase arrested precipitation method was employed for bimetallic nanocrystal synthesis. The synthesis of nanocrystals involves preparation of amorphous NixPy amorphous particles, introduction of the Fe precursor to form amorphous Fe-Ni-P particles, and high temperature conversion of Fe-Ni-P particles into crystalline ternary phosphide nanocrystals. Ternary FexNi2-xP nanocrystals crystalize in …

Analysis Of A Dual Scissored-Pair,Variable-Speed, Control Moment Gyroscope Driven Spherical Robot, Richard Chase

Wayne State University Dissertations

The objective of this research is to compare barycenter offset based designs of spherical robots to control moment gyroscope (CMG) based designs in order to determine which approach is most effective. The first objective was to develop a list of current state of the art designs in order to gain an overall understanding of what the obstacles in this area of research were. The investigation showed that barycenter offset designs can produce a low, continuous output torque, whereas CMG based designs can usually only produce a high, momentary output torque. The second objective was to develop a CMG based design …

Inclusive Education For Students With Emotional Impairments: Factors For Success, Jessica Cohen

Wayne State University Dissertations

Special education policy and practice are ever evolving to best meet the needs of all students in an inclusive environment. Since the implementation the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) thirty years ago, students with special needs have moved from restrictive, exclusionary placements to being educated alongside their same aged non-disabled peers. As we have moved towards viewing special education as a service, not a place, including more students with disabilities in the general education setting and curriculum has become the expected practice in the majority of public schools in the United States. Despite this progress, students with emotional impairments …

The Role Of Academic Factors, Self-Efficacy, Mentoring Relationships, And Learning Communities In Persistance And Academic Success Of Freshmen College Students, Stefanie Theresia Baier

Wayne State University Dissertations

Many U.S. universities are concerned with student retention. The current study surveyed 237 first time college students at a Midwestern university to determine the extent to which social-cognitive factors, such as high school GPA, ACT scores, first semester college GPA, college self-efficacy and perceptions of mentorship support influence freshmen's intent to persist and academic success.

Pearson Correlations, Standard Multiple Regression Analyses, PROCESS for Mediation and Moderation, and a MANOVA were performed. The study's findings show that college self-efficacy and perceptions of mentorship were the strongest predictors for intentions to persist past the first college semester. High school GPA was the …

Nanostrucured Lithium Iron Phosphate As Cathode Material For Lithium Ion-Batteries, Khadije Bazzi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Lithium-ion batteries are the power source of choice for portable electronics, power tools and electric-based transportation. This outstanding commercial success has spawned great international interest in applying this technology to systems that demand higher power, such as the electric component of hybrid, extended range, and electric vehicles. This would require new electrode materials that are less expensive, more energetic, and more environmentally friendly than the present ones. Of particular interest is the olivine-structured LiFePO4 cathode developed by Goodenough and co-workers, which offers several appealing features, such as a high, flat voltage profile and relatively high theoretical specific capacity (170 mAhg−1), …

Text Extraction In Natural Scenes Using Region-Based Method, Zhihu Huang, Jinsong Leng

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Text in images is a very important clue for image indexing and retrieving. Unfortunately, it is a challenging work to accurately and robustly extract text from a complex background image. In this paper, a novel region-based text extraction method is proposed. In doing so, the candidate text regions are detected by 8-connected objects detection algorithm based on the edge image. Then the non-text regions are filtered out using shape, texture and stroke width rules. Finally, the remaining regions are grouped into text lines. Since stroke width is the intrinsic and particular characteristics of the text, the accuracy of the non-text …

Pax Genes: Regulators Of Lineage Specification And Progenitor Cell Maintenance, Judith A. Blake, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Pax genes encode a family of transcription factors that orchestrate complex processes of lineage determination in the developing embryo. Their key role is to specify and maintain progenitor cells through use of complex molecular mechanisms such as alternate RNA splice forms and gene activation or inhibition in conjunction with protein co-factors. The significance of Pax genes in development is highlighted by abnormalities that arise from the expression of mutant Pax genes. Here, we review the molecular functions of Pax genes during development and detail the regulatory mechanisms by which they specify and maintain progenitor cells across various tissue lineages. We …

Frequency Estimation Of Single-Tone Sinusoids Under Additive And Phase Noise, Asmaa Nazar Almoosawy, Zahir Hussain, Fadel A. Murad

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We investigate the performance of main frequency estimation methods for a single-component complex sinusoid under complex additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) as well as phase noise (PN). Two methods are under test: Maximum Likelihood (ML) method using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and the autocorrelation method (Corr). Simulation results showed that FFT-method has superior performance as compared to the Corr-method in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (affecting the amplitude) and phase noise, with almost 20dB difference.

An Information-Theoretic Measure For Face Recognition: Comparison With Structural Similarity, Asmhan Flieh Hassan, Zahir Hussain, Dong Cai-Lin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Automatic recognition of people faces is a challenging problem that has received significant attention from signal processing researchers in recent years. This is due to its several applications in different fields, including security and forensic analysis. Despite this attention, face recognition is still one among the most challenging problems. Up to this moment, there is no technique that provides a reliable solution to all situations. In this paper a novel technique for face recognition is presented. This technique, which is called ISSIM, is derived from our recently published information - theoretic similarity measure HSSIM, which was based on joint histogram. …

A Master's Recital In Piano, Min Jeong Kim

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On March 14, 2014, Min Jeong Kim presented a recital in completion of her Master’s degree in Piano Performance. The recital was held at 6 p.m. in Davis Hall at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music. Pieces on the program included: Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 871 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Klavierstücke, Op. 118 by Johannes Brahms, Rain Tree Sketch II by Toru Takemitsu, and Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Ru/C: A Simple Heterogeneous Catalyst For The Amination Of Azoles Under Ligand Free Conditions, K. Harsha Vardhan Reddy, B. S.P. Anil Kumar, V. Prakash Reddy, R. Uday Kumar, Y. V.D. Nageswar

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

A ligand free Ru/C-catalyzed amination of 2-halo azoles with a broad scope of aminating reagents has been developed. A variety of 2-aminoazole derivatives were synthesized in moderate to good yields by utilizing this protocol. The methodology is operationally simple and not sensitive to air and moisture. It provides potentially useful products by using an inexpensive and recyclable catalytic system under ligand free conditions without significant loss of its catalytic activity up to four cycles. This journal is

Interaction Of Positrons And Electrons With Atoms, Robert D. Dubois

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Progress in differential studies of ionization resulting from positron and electron impact being performed at the Missouri University of Science and Technology is described. Examples of doubly and triply (fully) differential single ionization data for the ejected electron and the scattered projectile channels are presented. Energy loss data for double ionization, plus estimates for the first-order interaction, shake off, SO, and TS1, are also presented.

Scale-Up And On-Line Monitoring Of Gas-Solid Systems Using Advanced And Non-Invasive Measurement Techniques, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan, Shreekanta Aradhya, Faraj Zaid, Neven Ali, Thaar Aljuwaya

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Industry relies on gas-solid systems for numerous processes. Flow dynamics play an important role in achieving the desired results. The present study proposes, validates and demonstrates a novel mechanistic scale-up approach based on maintaining similar radial profile or cross sectional distribution of gas holdup in two different gas-solid systems in order to achieve hydrodynamics similarity using advanced measurement techniques. This new methodology for scale-up and design has been implemented on gas-solid spouted bed which has been used for drying, granulation and coating. The development can be extrapolated to other gas-solid systems encountered in phosphate processes.

Rmse-Elm: Recursive Model Based Selective Ensemble Of Extreme Learning Machines For Robustness Improvement, Bo Han, Bo He, Mengmeng Ma, Tingting Sun, Tianhong Yan, Amaury Lendasse

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

For Blended Data, the Robustness of Extreme Learning Machine (Elm) is So Weak Because the Coefficients (Weights and Biases) of Hidden Nodes Are Set Randomly and the Noisy Data Exert a Negative Effect. to Solve This Problem, a New Framework Called "RMSE-ELM" is Proposed in This Paper. It is a Two-Layer Recursive Model. in the First Layer, the Framework Trains Lots of Elms in Different Ensemble Groups Concurrently and Then Employs Selective Ensemble Approach to Pick Out an Optimal Set of Elms in Each Group, Which Can Be Merged into a Large Group of Elms Called Candidate Pool. in the …

Mapreduce Based Parallel Suffix Tree Construction For Human Genome, Umesh Chandra Satish, Praveenkumar Kondikoppa, Seung Jong Park, Manish Patil, Rahul Shah

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Genome indexing is the basis for many bioinformatics applications. Read mapping (sequence alignment) is one such application where the goal is to align millions of short reads against reference genome. Several tools are available for read mapping which rely on different indexing techniques to expedite the alignment process. However, many of these contemporary alignment programs are sequential, memory intensive and cannot be easily scaled for larger genomes. Suffix tree is one of the most widely used data structures for indexing strings (genomes). Building a scalable suffix-tree based tool is particularly challenging due to the difficulties involved in parallel construction of …

Mapreduce-Based Restmd: Enabling Large-Scale Sampling Tasks With Distributed Hpc Systems, Praveenkumar Kondikoppa, Richard Platania, Seung Jong Park, Tom Keyes, Jaegil Kim, Nayong Kim, Joohyun Kim, Shuju Bai

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel implementation of Replica Exchange Statistical Temperature Molecular Dynamics (RESTMD), belonging to a generalized ensemble method and also known as parallel tempering, is presented. Our implementation employs the MapReduce (MR)-based iterative framework for launching RESTMD over high performance computing (HPC) clusters including our test bed system, Cyber-infrastructure for Reconfigurable Optical Networks (CRON) simulating a network-connected distributed system. Our main contribution is a new implementation of STMD plugged into the well-known CHARMM molecular dynamics package as well as the RESTMD implementation powered by the Hadoop that scales out in a cluster and across distributed systems effectively. To address challenges for …

Impact Of Loss Synchronization On Reliable High Speed Networks: A Model Based Simulation, Suman Kumar, Lin Xue, Seung Jong Park

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Contemporary nature of network evolution demands for simulation models which are flexible, scalable, and easily implementable. In this paper, we propose a fluid-based model for performance analysis of reliable high-speed networks. In particular, this paper aims to study the dynamic relationship between congestion control algorithms and queue management schemes, in order to develop a better understanding of the causal linkages between the two. We propose a loss synchronization module which is user configurable. We validate our model through simulations under controlled settings. Also, we present a performance analysis to provide insights into two important issues concerning 10 Gbps high speed …

Joint Decisions On Inventory Replenishment And Emission Reduction Investment Under Different Emission Regulations, Ayşegül Toptal, Haşim Özlü, Dinçer Konur

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Carbon emission regulation policies have emerged as mechanisms to control firms' carbon emissions. To meet regulatory requirements, firms can make changes in their production planning decisions or invest in green technologies. In this study, we analyze a retailer's joint decisions on inventory replenishment and carbon emission reduction investment under three carbon emission regulation policies. Particularly, we extend the economic order quantity model to consider carbon emissions reduction investment availability under carbon cap, tax and cap-and-trade policies. We analytically show that carbon emission reduction investment opportunities, additional to reducing emissions as per regulations, further reduce carbon emissions while reducing costs. We …

Our Graduates - Their Success, Institute For Educational Development

Institute for Educational Development Pakistan (IED-PK) Archives

This publication captures narratives shared by our graduates on their experiences at AKU-IED, their thoughts on education in the East African region, and on how the University has helped them in shaping their current careers.

Personalizing Software Development Practice Using Mastery-Based Coaching, Chris Boesch, Sandra Boesch

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The authors previously developed a system to facilitate the self-directed learning and practicing of software languages in Singapore. One of the goals of this self-directed learning was to enable the development of student mentors who would then be able to assist other students during classroom sessions. Building on this work, the authors extended the platform to support personalized coaching with the goals of further enabling and preparing students to mentor their peers. This paper covers the challenges, insights, and features that were developed in order to develop and deploy this mastery-based coaching feature.

Online Portfolio Selection: A Survey, Bin Li, Steven C. H. Hoi

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Online portfolio selection is a fundamental problem in computational finance, which has been extensively studied across several research communities, including finance, statistics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data mining. This article aims to provide a comprehensive survey and a structural understanding of online portfolio selection techniques published in the literature. From an online machine learning perspective, we first formulate online portfolio selection as a sequential decision problem, and then we survey a variety of state-of-the-art approaches, which are grouped into several major categories, including benchmarks, Follow-the-Winner approaches, Follow-the-Loser approaches, Pattern-Matching--based approaches, and Meta-Learning Algorithms. In addition to the problem formulation …

Measuring And Modelling The Thermal Performance Of The Tamar Suspension Bridge Using A Wireless Sensor Network, Nicholas De Battista, James M. W. Brownjohn, Hwee-Pink Tan, Ki Young Koo

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A study on the thermal performance of the Tamar Suspension Bridge deck in Plymouth, UK, is presented in this paper. Ambient air, suspension cable, deck and truss temperatures were acquired using a wired sensor system. Deck extension data were acquired using a two-hop wireless sensor network. Empirical models relating the deck extension to various combinations of temperatures were derived and compared. The most accurate model, which used all the four temperature variables, predicted the deck extension with an accuracy of 99.4%. Time delays ranging from 10 to 66 min were identified between the daily cycles of the air temperature and …

Educational Programmes For Spatial Information Sciences In The Technological University Of Dublin, William Prendergast, Eamonn Murphy, Audrey Martin, Avril Behan

Conference papers

The ever increasing spatial information needs of society, the rapid development of new surveying technologies, and the global demand for appropriately qualified surveyors, have triggered a radical re-evaluation of geomatics education worldwide. Significant enhancements have been made to the educational programmes in the spatial information science discipline in the Technological University of Dublin’s (DIT) during the last decade including the provision of a BSc in Geomatics and various masters’ programmes to cater for the increasingly specialised needs of the Geographic Information sector in Ireland.

An Exploration Into The Potential Of Irish Films (1896-1962) For Empathic Approaches To The History Classroom, Thomas Mcgraw Lewis

Doctoral

This thesis applies historical empathy as a lens through which Ireland’s filmic heritage can be explored within the teaching of history. In its approach, the research asserts that critical perspective recognition and affective exploration can be achieved through a sustained model of historical narrative inquiry. Undertaking textual analysis of a series of pre-televisual films from the National Film Archive, it argues that there is value in these records for understanding the formulation and assessment of political and social representation in the nascent Republic. While remaining cognizant of the constraints placed on both the educational and archival professions in Ireland, the …

Pda, Ebooks, Print Books Usage And Expenditures: Knowledge Ecosystem Remix, Antje Mays

Dacus Library Faculty Publications

This article presents data-rich findings of a comprehensive follow-up study on the patron-driven/demand-driven ebook acquisitions (DDA) plan chronicled in two prior articles from the DDA ebook plan's October 2011 inception. Into the third fiscal year, print vs. ebook usage preferences have begun to emerge, and the results broken out by discipline are presented.

Concern-Driven Integrated Toxicity Testing Strategies For Nanomaterials - Report Of The Nanosafety Cluster Working Group 10, Hugh Byrne, Agnes G. Oomen, Peter M.J. Bos, Teresa F. Fernandes, Kerstin Hund-Rinke, Diana Boraschi, Karin Aschberger, Stefania Gottardo, Frank Von Der Kammer, Dana Kühnel, Danail Hristozov, Antonio Marcomini, Lucia Migliore

Articles

Bringing together topic-related European Union-(EU)-funded projects, the so-called “NanoSafety Cluster” aims at identifying key areas for further research on risk assessment procedures for nanomaterials (NM). The outcome of NanoSafety Cluster Working Group 10, this commentary presents a vision for concern-driven integrated approaches for the (eco-)toxicological testing and assessment (IATA) of NM. Such approaches should start out by determining concerns, i.e. specific information needs for a given NM based on realistic exposure scenarios. Recognized concerns can be addressed in a set of tiers using standardized protocols for NM preparation and testing. Tier 1 includes determining physico-chemical properties, non-testing (e.g. structure …

Effect Of Substrate Choice And Tissue Type On Tissue Preparation For Spectral Histopathology By Raman Microspectroscopy, Hugh Byrne, Leanne M. Fullwood, Dave Griffiths, Katherine Ashton, Timothy Dawson, Robert W. Lea, Charles Davis, Franck Bonnier, Matthew J. Baker

Articles

Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive, non-invasive, rapid and economical technique which has the potential to be an excellent method for the diagnosis of cancer and understanding disease progression through retrospective studies of archived tissue samples. Historically, biobanks are generally comprised of formalin fixed paraffin preserved tissue and as a result these specimens are often used in spectroscopic research. Tissue in this state has to be dewaxed prior to Raman analysis to reduce paraffin contributions in the spectra. However, although the procedures are derived from histopathological clinical practice, the efficacy of the dewaxing procedures that are currently employed is questionable. Ineffective …