Digital Commons Network^™

Design Of Neuromemristive Systems For Visual Information Processing, Cory E. Merkel

Theses

Neuromemristive systems (NMSs) are brain-inspired, adaptive computer architectures based on emerging resistive memory technology (memristors). NMSs adopt a mixed-signal design approach with closely-coupled memory and processing, resulting in high area and energy efficiencies. Previous work suggests that NMSs could even supplant conventional architectures in niche application domains such as visual information processing. However, given the infancy of the field, there are still several obstacles impeding the transition of these systems from theory to practice. This dissertation advances the state of NMS research by addressing open design problems spanning circuit, architecture, and system levels. Novel synapse, neuron, and plasticity circuits are …

Virginia's Water Resource Law: A System Of Exemptions And Preferences Challenging The Future Of Public Health, The Environment, And Economic Development, Jefferson D. Reynolds

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Socioeconomic Integration And The Greater Richmond School District: The Feasibility Of Interdistrict Consolidation, Barry Gabay

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Technology And Information Fusion Needs To Address The Food, Energy, Water Systems (Fews) Nexus Challenges, David Ebert, Christian Butzke, Melba Crawford, Philip Owens, Dimitrios Peroulis

Purdue VACCINE workshop reports

In response to the Food, Energy, Water Systems (FEWS) Nexus Challenge grant awarded by NSF, the team of investigators led by David Ebert, along with Christian Butzke, Melba Crawford, Phillip Owens, and Dimitrios Peroulis conducted a two-day workshop in Napa, California on November 5th and 6th, 2015. The workshop addressed the emerging issues in the food/energy/water systems throughout the diverse geography of the United States and over various crops and environmental conditions to better understand and model and ultimately devise a solution for the challenges to the FEWS nexus. One of the intended outcomes of the workshop was to generate …

Extended Capability To Support Multiple Watersheds In Stepl Web, Larry Theller, Kean Jye Tan

Purdue GIS Day

The STEPL model is a web-based spreadsheet tool designed for the estimation / of pollutant load and to analyze how creation or practicing certain sustainable / activities will reduce pollution in a watershed. For example, leaving a strip of / grass between a farm field and a water feature like stream of lake, will have an / estimated impact on the amount of soil and fertilizer which runs off in to the / river. / The model uses soil properties database, precipitation database and other / factors to make an estimate of pollution reduction after an action. It can then …

Rising Substance Abuse And Indiana Families: What Are Legislators To Do?, Center For Families

Center for Families Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating A Process To Make An Online Environmental Model Accessible Under Ada, Kehara Taylor, Larry Theller

Purdue GIS Day

Assure compliance with federal (ADA) and international accessibility guidelines to reduce the risk of litigation and penalties. / / Increase site usage by making all of your Web properties accessible to people with disabilities (WCAG, Section 508, AODA, Canada's Standard on Accessibility). / / Prevent privacy breaches involving personal and health information. / / Protect confidential company and OPSEC information from leaking to the public through online exposure. / / Web content and applications, as well as Microsoft Office and PDF documents can be validated for any compliance regulation including custom rules. /

Map-Based Mobile Apps For Ios And Android, Larry Theller, Hemil Desai

Purdue GIS Day

The STEPL model is a web-based spreadsheet tool designed for the estimation / of pollutant load and to analyze how creation or practicing certain sustainable / activities will reduce pollution in a watershed. For example, leaving a strip of / grass between a farm field and a water feature like stream of lake, will have an / estimated impact on the amount of soil and fertilizer which runs off in to the / river. / The model uses soil properties database, precipitation database and other / factors to make an estimate of pollution reduction after an action. It can then …

Naturalized Daily Streamflow Reconstruction For The Upper Wabash River, Sanoar Rahman, Laura C. Bowling

Purdue GIS Day

During the 1960s, the United States Army Corps of Engineers constructed a number of dams in the Upper Wabash watershed in Indiana, primarily for flood control, hydropower and recreation. In order to investigate the impact of other environmental changes, such as changes in land management and climate on streamflow, it is necessary to reconstruct what the natural flow of the impounded river would be without the influence of the upstream reservoirs.

User Interface Design Evaluation For L-Thia Watershed Analysis Tool., Lakshya Garg, Larry Theller, Yichen Zhong

Purdue GIS Day

This project is a semester-long analysis of the user interface deign of the ABE web-Based Decision support tool "L-THIA Watershed Management System". The goal is to evaluate the components such as user inputs, logical flow, graphical display, navigation, operational feasibility and technical feasibility. The process includes comparison to the interface of other of other well-known online mapping web tools. The student team will be evaluating under GIS specialist Larry Theller (Purdue ABE) some other online watershed analysis tools. The result of this study will be incorporated in the next phase of tool development for L-thia and several other ABE web …

The Scholarly Publishing Scene--Multi-Client Studies, Myer Kutz

Against the Grain

No abstract provided.

Summer Internships In Software Engineering In Abe, Larry Theller

Purdue GIS Day

We discuss the various software engineering projects which were assigned to a group of 8 undrgrad computer science interns who worked in Agricultural and Biological Engineering this summer. All projects involved mapping, mobile apps, REST services or online map-based decision support services. All students completed soem ESRI Virtual Campus training.

Indiana Freshwater Use Projection And Spatial Analysis For Renewable Water Supply, Sanoar Rahman, Laura Bowling

Purdue GIS Day

Often, when governmental and non-governmental entities attempt to make plans for future water supply and environmental flows they fall into the trap of developing strategies for specific locations rather than working together and approaching a problem from a basin or regional scale. The problem persists when lack of knowledge of local situations and confining management plans with city and county lines merge together. The purpose of this study is to project future water use and then to reveal if there is any pattern in renewable water supply in Indiana to provide a basis for policy makers and stakeholders to consider …

Rain Garden Inventory Responsive And Mobile Site, Larry Theller, Richard Andreas

Purdue GIS Day

This project is to create a responsive website to allow the public to input their various rainscaping practices into a database and viewed on a map. In addition, their data will be calculated and capacity will be shown.

This inventory website is responsive and will change between desktop and mobile view automatically based on the parameters of the browser.

Gouldian Finch Non Breeding Counts 2015: Ord-East Kimberley Expansion Project - Weaber Plain Development Area, Sarah R. Pryke

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

As part of the requirement for State approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, an assessment and regular monitoring of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrura gouldiae) is required during the operation of the Ord River Irrigation Area Weaber Plain Development Project in Kimberley, Western Australia. This report details the findings from surveys of non-breeding Gouldian finches.

In accordance with the EPBC Act (6AIV) and GFMP (3-4) conditions, this work specifically provides:

1) Gouldian finch counts of the non-breeding population.

Prostatic Diseases Under Focus In A University Hospital In Eastern Saudi Arabia: A 15-Year Experience, Reem B. Aldamanhori

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the spectrum of pathologies diagnosed in prostatic biopsies of Saudi men, and test whether the frequency of diagnosing the malignant fraction has been changed over the last 15 years, and assess the association between chronic inflammation (CI) with both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and cancer (PCa), and investigate the histological findings of cases presented with acute urinary retention (AUR) clinically. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study including all prostatic biopsies accessed in the files in the Surgical Pathology Laboratory of King Fahd University Hospital, Alkhobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over 15 years (1999-2013) for Saudi men. …

Mental Illness And Demonization, L. Ann Hamel

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Cultural Influence Of Storytelling: An Examination Of The Use Of Narratives In Political Campaigns, Charla Bansley

Masters Theses

Television has changed political discourse. The thirty second commercial has replaced typography and rhetoric. After losing the popular vote in 5 of the last 6 presidential elections, the Republican National Committee concluded that the GOP has lost the ability to persuade. Walter Fisher's Narrative Paradigm states that meaningful communication is in the form of storytelling, which enables public discourse to observe not only differences, but commonalities. In a postmodern culture that does not believe in absolute truth, this study asked the following question: Are conservatives still using statistics and facts to communicate conservative principles? The rhetorical research conducted here examined …

Wrl Newsletter November 2015, Rebecca Seipp

WRL Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Discovery Of Novel Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors And Survivin Inhibitors As Potential Anticancer Agents, Min Xiao

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and accounts for the majority of skin cancer death. Although considerable advances have been made in melanoma treatment in recent years, there are many problems associated with current therapies. Drug resistance to targeted therapies is almost inevitable after short term treatment. Immunotherapies generally have low response rate and the effects vary among patients. Therefore, the need to develop new and more effective treatment for melanoma is high.

The work presented here focuses on discovery of novel anticancer agents for melanoma by targeting two important cancer targets: tubulin and survivin. Microtubules play …

Lyme Disease Ecology In San Luis Obispo County: The Role Of The Western Gray Squirrel, Ryan William Baker-Branstetter

Master's Theses

Despite the fact that eight cases of Lyme disease were diagnosed in San Luis Obispo County between 2005-2013, the identity of wildlife hosts serving as sources for tick infection in this region remained unidentified. The primary cause of Lyme disease in the U.S. is the spirochetal bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and this agent had not been previously isolated from the region. Borrelia bissettii, a related species that has not been implicated as a common causative agent of Lyme disease, was isolated in small rodents inhabiting coastal scrub and chaparral habitats in a previous San Luis Obispo County study. However, …

8000 Years Of Environmental Evolution Of Barrier–Lagoon Systems Emplaced In Coastal Embayments (Nw Iberia), Rita González-Villanueva, Marta Pérez-Arlucea, Susana Costas, Roberto Bao, Xose L. Otero, Ronald J. Goble

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The rocky and indented coast of NW Iberia is characterized by the presence of highly valuable and vulnerable, small and shallow barrier– lagoon systems structurally controlled. The case study was selected to analyse barrier–lagoon evolution based on detailed sedimentary architecture, chronology, geochemical and biological proxies. The main objective is to test the hypothesis of structural control and the significance at regional scale of any highenergy event recorded. This work is also aimed at identifying general patterns and conceptualizing the formation and evolution of this type of coastal systems. The results allowed us to establish a conceptual model of Holocene evolution …

Resistant Starches For The Management Of Metabolic Diseases, Laure B. Bindels, Jens Walter, Amanda E. Ramer-Tait

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Purpose of review—Recent clinical trials and animal studies indicate that resistant starches (RS) may be beneficial therapeutic tools for the management of metabolic diseases. The purpose of this review is to summarize these findings and discuss the established and proposed mechanisms by which RS exert their benefits. We also examine open questions regarding how RS improve metabolism and propose future research directions for the field.

Recent findings—Data from both humans and animal models clearly support a role for RS in improving a variety of metabolic features; however, discrepancies do exist regarding specific effects. Concomitant improvements in both insulin …

Potential Irrigation Reductions From Increasing Precipitation Utilization With Variable Rate Irrigation, Tsz Him Lo, Derek M. Heeren, Luciano Mateos, Joe D. Luck, Derrel L. Martin, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Much of the previous research quantifying the potential benefits of variable rate irrigation (VRI) consists of case studies with simulations using data from small numbers of intensely sampled fields. In this study, an indicator of the amount of root zone available water capacity that is unutilized by uniform rate irrigation was calculated for 49,224 center pivot irrigated fields in Nebraska using publicly available data exclusively. Based on the values of this indicator, potential seasonal irrigation reductions from increasing precipitation utilization with VRI were estimated to be high for a small fraction of analyzed center pivots but low on a regional …

Evaluation Of A Hybrid Remote Sensing Evapotranspiration Model For Variable Rate Irrigation Management, J. Burdette Barker, Christopher M. U. Neale, Derek M. Heeren

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate generation of spatial irrigation prescriptions is essential for implementation and evaluation of variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology. A hybrid remote sensing evapotranspiration (ET) model was evaluated for use in developing irrigation prescriptions for a VRI center pivot. The model is a combination of a two-source energy balance model and a reflectance based crop coefficient water balance model. Spatial ET and soil water depletion were modeled for a 10 km² area consisting of rainfed and irrigated maize fields in eastern Nebraska for 2013. Multispectral images from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor were used as model …

Review Of Robotic Technology For Strawberry Production, S. G. Defterli, Yeyin Shi, Yunjun Xu

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With an increasing world population in need of food and a limited amount of land for cultivation, higher efficiency in agricultural production, especially fruits and vegetables, is increasingly required. The success of agricultural production in the marketplace depends on its quality and cost. The cost of labor for crop production, harvesting, and post-harvesting operations is a major portion of the overall production cost, especially for specialty crops such as strawberry. As a result, a multitude of automation technologies involving semi-autonomous and autonomous robots have been utilized, with an aim of minimizing labor costs and operation time to achieve a considerable …

Chemical Inhibition Of Fatty Acid Absorption And Cellular Uptake Limits Lipotoxic Cell Death, Constance Ahowesso, Paul N. Black, Nipun Saini, David Montefusco, Jessica Chekal, Chrysa Malosh, Craig W. Lindsley, Shaun R. Stauffer, Concetta Dirusso

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Chronic elevation of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels is commonly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Experimental evidence indicates FFA and their metabolites contribute to disease development through lipotoxicity. Previously, we identified a specific fatty acid transport inhibitor CB16.2, a.k.a. Lipofermata, using high throughput screening methods. In this study, efficacy of transport inhibition was measured in four cell lines that are models for myocytes (mmC2C12), pancreatic ß-cells (rnINS-1E), intestinal epithelial cells (hsCaco-2), and hepatocytes (hsHepG2), as well as primary human adipocytes. The compound was effective in inhibiting uptake with IC₅₀s between 3 …

The Effect Of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure On Inflammatory Cytokines During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy, Firdevs Yılmazlar, Safinaz Karabayırlı, Muhammet Gözdemir, Burhanettin Usta, Murat Peker, Mehmet Namuslu, Hüsamettin Erdamar

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate effects of the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) application of 10 cm H 2 O on the plasma levels of cytokines during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 40 patients who presented to the Department of General Surgery, Medical Faculty, Turgut Özal University, Ankara, Turkey scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation during a 10 month period from September 2012 to June 2013. Forty patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation were randomly divided into 2 groups; ventilation through zero end-expiratory pressure (ZEEP) (0 cm H 2 O PEEP) (n=20), and PEEP (10 cm H 2 O PEEP) …

The Pathogenesis Of The Clinical Features Of Oral-Facial-Digital Syndrome Type I, Wael M. Alkattan, Mohammad M. Al-Qattan, Sameer A. Bafaqeeh

Saudi Medical Journal

Oral-facial-digital syndrome type I (OFDI) is an X-linked syndrome, which has several craniofacial and limb features; and hence, patients frequently present to craniofacial and plastic surgeons. Oral-facial-digital syndrome type I is caused by mutations in the CXORF5 gene. The gene product is one of the basal body proteins of a slim microtubule-based organelle called the “primary cilium”. Most of the clinical features of OFDI patients are related to dysfunctions of the primary cilium leading to abnormal Hedgehog signal transduction, depressed planar cell polarity pathway, and errors in cell cycle control.

Decline In Menarcheal Age Among Saudi Girls, Areej A. Ibrahim, Motasim A. Badri, Bassam S. Bin-Abbas

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To estimate age at menarche and to assess trends in menarcheal age among Saudi women. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted among healthy prepubertal female school children and adolescents from September 2006 to July 2012 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Study participants were invited from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Tanner stage, height, weight, body mass index, and socioeconomic parameters including parent’s level of education were collected. Age at menarche was compared with maternal age at menarche. Results: The study included 265 girls and mothers. Mean±standard deviation (SD) age at menarche for girls was 13.08 ± 1.1 years, and …