Digital Commons Network^™

Survidm: An R Package For Inference And Prediction In An Illness-Death Model, Gustavo Soutinho, Marta Sestelo, Luís Meira-Machado

The R Journal

Multi-state models are a useful way of describing a process in which an individual moves through a number of finite states in continuous time. The illness-death model plays a central role in the theory and practice of these models, describing the dynamics of healthy subjects who may move to an intermediate "diseased" state before entering into a terminal absorbing state. In these models, one important goal is the modeling of transition rates which is usually done by studying the relationship between covariates and disease evolution. However, biomedical researchers are also interested in reporting other interpretable results in a simple and …

Lg: An R Package For Local Gaussian Approximations, Håkon Otneim

The R Journal

The package lg for the R programming language provides implementations of recent methodological advances on applications of the local Gaussian correlation. This includes the estimation of the local Gaussian correlation itself, multivariate density estimation, conditional density estimation, various tests for independence and conditional independence, as well as a graphical module for creating dependence maps. This paper describes the lg package, its principles, and its practical use.

Analysis Of Corneal Data In R With The Rpaci Package, Darío Ramos-López, Ana D. Maldonado

The R Journal

In ophthalmology, the early detection of keratoconus is still a crucial problem. Placido disk corneal topographers are essential in clinical practice, and many indices for diagnosing corneal irregularities exist. The main goal of this work is to present the R package rPACI, providing several functions to handle and analyze corneal data. This package implements primary indices of corneal irregularity (based on geometrical properties) and compound indices built from the primary ones, either using a generalized linear model or as a Bayesian classifier using a hybrid Bayesian network and performing approximate inference. rPACI aims to make the analysis of corneal …

We Need Trustworthy R Packages, William Michael Landau

The R Journal

There is a need for rigorous software engineering in R packages, and there is a need for new research to bridge scientific computing with more traditional computing. Automated tools, interdisciplinary graduate courses, code reviews, and a welcoming developer community will continue to democratize best practices. Democratized software engineering will improve the quality, correctness, and integrity of scientific software, and by extension, the disciplines that rely on it

A Unifying Framework For Parallel And Distributed Processing In R Using Futures, Henrik Bengtsson

The R Journal

A future is a programming construct designed for concurrent and asynchronous evaluation of code, making it particularly useful for parallel processing. The future package implements the Future API for programming with futures in R. This minimal API provides sufficient constructs for implementing parallel versions of well-established, high-level map-reduce APIs. The future ecosystem supports exception handling, output and condition relaying, parallel random number generation, and automatic identification of globals lowering the threshold to parallelize code. The Future API bridges parallel frontends with parallel backends, following the philosophy that end-users are the ones who choose the parallel backend while the developer focuses …

Compmodels: A Suite Of Computer Model Test Functions For Bayesian Optimization, Tony Pourmohamad

The R Journal

The CompModels package for R provides a suite of computer model test functions that can be used for computer model prediction/emulation, uncertainty quantification, and calibration. Moreover, the CompModels package is especially well suited for the sequential optimization of computer models. The package is a mix of real-world physics problems, known mathematical functions, and black-box functions that have been converted into computer models with the goal of Bayesian (i.e., sequential) optimization in mind. Likewise, the package contains computer models that represent either the constrained or unconstrained optimization case, each with varying levels of difficulty. In this paper, we illustrate the use …

Generalized Linear Randomized Response Modeling Using Glmmrr, Jean-Paul Fox, Konrad Klotzke, Duco Veen

The R Journal

Randomized response (RR) designs are used to collect response data about sensitive behaviors (e.g., criminal behavior, sexual desires). The modeling of RR data is more complex since it requires a description of the RR process. For the class of generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), the RR process can be represented by an adjusted link function, which relates the expected RR to the linear predictor for most common RR designs. The package GLMMRR includes modified link functions for four different cumulative distributions (i.e., logistic, cumulative normal, Gumbel, Cauchy) for GLMs and GLMMs, where the package lme4 facilitates ML and REML estimation. …

An R Package For Non-Normal Multivariate Distributions: Simulation And Probability Calculations From Multivariate Lomax (Pareto Type Ii) And Other Related Distributions, Zhixin Lun, Ravindra Khattree

The R Journal

Convenient and easy-to-use programs are readily available in R to simulate data from and probability calculations for several common multivariate distributions such as normal and t. However, functions for doing so from other less common multivariate distributions, especially those which are asymmetric, are not as readily available, either in R or otherwise. We introduce the R package NonNorMvtDist to generate random numbers from multivariate Lomax distribution, which constitutes a very flexible family of skewed multivariate distributions. Further, by applying certain useful properties of multivariate Lomax distribution, multivariate cases of generalized Lomax, Mardia’s Pareto of Type I, Logistic, Burr, Cook-Johnson’s uniform, …

Exploring High-Power Distance Among Other Variables In Information Security Policy Compliance, Erasmus Ekpo Etim

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

Information security threat is one of the significant challenges organizations must deal with, and one component of that challenge is information security policy compliance. Data breaches sometimes happen because employees do not adhere to information security policies. The purpose of the exploratory study was to determine if power distance had a role in information security policy compliance; power distance is the understanding that power distribution is unequal. The research required survey data collected from a high-power distance index country, Nigeria. The Nigerian working class was the population sample; a model was developed based on compliance, descriptive norms, moral beliefs, normative …

Khruangbin On Tour, Meghan Eileen Connolly

Graphic Communication

My senior project, Khruangbin On Tour, creates the opportunity to ideate and promote Khruangbin’s, a three-person band, tour through branding and merchandise. The goal is to create visuals, such as a poster or t-shirt design, to complement their songs and the band as a whole through the use of color palettes, typography, objects and illustrations. The music’s feeling and aesthetic should be reflected in the visual aspects as it represents the artist overall and speaks to the audience.

Express Dispute Assessment: A Much-Welcomed Form Of Expert Neutral Evaluation (Ene) At The Stockholm Chamber Of Commerce, Ylli Dautaj, William F. Fox

Journal of International Business and Law

No abstract provided.

Holding Everyone Accountable: The Need For The Creation Of An International Securities Class Action Venue In The Age Of Globalized Economies, Emily Fallon

Journal of International Business and Law

No abstract provided.

Healthy Aging And Older Adults With Autism: A Scoping Review, Mary Kris Stringfellow

Social Work Theses - Archive

Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong diagnosis. While numerous studies have examined the effects of this disorder throughout childhood, not many have considered older adulthood and the differences between the neurotypical population. Likewise there is an abundance of literature regarding healthy aging. Yet the literature is sparse regarding the intersections of older adulthood and ASD. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the state of literature regarding older adults with ASD and healthy aging, utilizing the framework conceived by Arksey and O’Malley: identify the research question; identify the relevant studies, study selection; chart the data; and collate, summarize …

Gpu-Based Monte Carlo Applications In Radiation Medicine, Youfang Lai

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Radiation can be used to image tumor site or kill tumor cells noninvasively, playing an important role in tumor diagnosis and treatment. Because of the increasing burden that cancer brings to the society, there always exists the demand of improving imaging resolution and contrast and improving radiation conformity for therapy. This depends on not only the advances of techniques, but, probably more importantly, the accurate and efficient modelling of radiation transport, enabling research on proof-of-concept for new tech and more complicated physics and chemical process in a quantitative way. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation method has been extensively used in medical …

Application Of Marginal Analysis Using A Decision Tree To Produce An Architectural Magazine, Andre Purge

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Decision tree analysis is typically used to provide quantitative cost benefit analysis of uncertainty associated with options to achieve project objectives. A project to apply marginal analysis using a decision tree to produce an architectural magazine was undertaken to test the value of using this approach for what-if analysis applied to critical risk, quality, schedule, and cost management decisions in that application. Project research included survey to understand stakeholder preferences for content, quality, and distribution of an architectural magazine. Additionally, literature reviews, project observations and interviews with subject matter experts provided insights into the use of decision tree analysis for …

Energy Dissipation During Geomagnetic Storms, Fatemeh Bagheri

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Some fraction of the solar wind energy is transferred to the Earth magnetosphere and ionosphere. Sometimes this transfer of energy is exceptionally large, producing a magnetic storm. Storms occur when the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) turns southward and remains southward for an extended period of time. During the main phase of many magnetic storms, the solar wind Mach number is low, and IMF magnitude is large. Under these conditions, the ionospheric potential saturates, and it becomes relatively insensitive to further increases in the IMF magnitude. On the other hand, the dayside merging rate and the potential become sensitive to the …

The Arecibo Observatory As An Instrument For Investigating Orbital Debris, James Isaiah Murray

Physics Dissertations - Archive

In this dissertation, the Arecibo Observatory, both past and future, as an instrument for investigating orbital debris is investigated. For over three decades, models of the orbital debris environment in low Earth orbit (LEO) have been developed to assess the risk posed by orbital debris to spacecraft. While terrestrial radar measures debris 3 mm and larger and in-situ measurements provide data for debris smaller than 1 mm, no good data sources exist for debris between 1 mm and 3 mm in size. This results in large variations between competing orbital debris models. It also happens to be the size regime …

Electronic And Magnetic Properties Of Metal Doped Silicon-Carbide Fullerene-Type Nanostructures, Hussain Jabreel Alathlawi

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a technologically significant material. A recent report on the abundance of C60 fullerenes in interstellar space, along with the presence of SiC precursors, sparked interest in potentially similar SiC nanostructures. C60 and C70 fullerenes were found experimentally and are an exceptionally stable form of carbon. As Si and C have similar valence electron configurations, it has been long envisioned that Si and SiC could also form similar fullerene-type structures. In this dissertation, Si30C30 fullerene-derived clusters were studied from the first principles theory, starting from an ideal Si60 fullerene template with various arrangements of silicon and carbon …

Is It A Boy Or A Girl? Constructing A Gendered Identity For Our Companion Animals, Jennifer Ann Wellman

Sociology & Anthropology Theses - Archive

A qualitative study of the differences in how we gender our cats and our dogs. Fifty women between the ages of 18 and 50 were interviewed, who kept cats, dogs, or both cats and dogs. Differences were found in how naming cats, with cats being given less humanized gendered names. It was found that cats are treated more as an extension of the self while dogs were given more of a gendered identity of their own.

2021-12-01_Michiganoverview_Covidstats, Michigan Department Of Health & Human Services

Cumulative Michigan COVID-19 Data

The COVID Overview page was obtained from Michigan's main COVID-19 page: https:/www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163-520743--,00.html.

The State of Michigan is working around the clock to test and treat COVID-19 patients. Below is the most recent data healthcare experts across the state have compiled. COVID case and testing data will be posted three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

This report is provisional and subject to change. City of Detroit and Wayne County are reported separately. MDHHS began tracking probable cases April 5, 2020. FCI indicates federal correctional institute. MDOC indicates Michigan Department of Corrections. Diagnostic tests, including nucleic acid amplification/real-time …

Faculty Perceptions Of Using Synchronous Video-Based Communication Technology, Patrick R. Lowenthal, Richard E. West, Leanna Archambault, Jered Borup, Eric S. Belt

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Online learning has traditionally relied on asynchronous text-based communication. The COVID-19 pandemic, though, has provided many faculty members with new and/or additional experience using synchronous video-based communication. Questions remain, though, about how this experience will shape online teaching and learning in the future. We conducted a mixed method study to investigate faculty perceptions of using synchronous video-based communication technology. In this paper, we present the results of our inquiry and implications for future research and practice.

Textual Rules In Criminal Statutes, Joshua Kleinfeld

University of Chicago Law Review

No abstract provided.

3-In-1 Medical Lancet, Jonathan J. Panella, Gage Vogtlin, Marissa Koski, Benjamin Neyland

Mechanical Engineering

First responders need a quick, sterile, and convenient way to sample blood for glucose testing because glucose levels are a vital metric in assessing time-critical emergency situations. The blood sampling process consists of pre-sterilizing the sample site on the skin with an alcohol pad, pricking the skin with a lancet, and lastly, after sampling, putting a bandage over the prick site. The scope of this project is to design a device which integrates and streamlines the use of the three sub-processes (sterilization, lancing, and bandaging) while upholding the necessary requirements of a single-use medical device and considering other factors which …

Project Management Lesson Learned Web Application, Joel Jacobson

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

This project seeks to improve how project managers capture, access, utilize, and benefit from project lessons learned to reduce risks and accelerate higher quality project outcomes. Individuals and organizations might benefit from consolidating project lessons learned into an easily accessible format. However, few organizations researched for this project have implemented such tools. Research conducted included surveys and interviews of project personnel to understand content, structure, and access and usability needs. The project develops a structured web-based application that facilities capturing lessons learned information so that it can be easily accessed and used for current and future projects. The implementation of …

Combatting Mental Illness In Schools: Are Teachers Ready?, Deshonda Payton

Dissertations

If ever there was a time school districts, principals and teachers had to worry about providing a quality education for students, it is now, at the time of this writing. Due to the Nation's current state in dealing with a worldwide pandemic, the education system as a whole has suffered traumatically, both mentally and emotionally. No longer will teachers be solely responsible for providing students with the essentials necessary to be academically, emotionally, and socially successful in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students suffer from some form of mental illness within our schools. And, the teachers who service and support …

Soil Structure And Soil Moisture Dynamics Inferred From Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Travis Nielson, John Bradford, Jen Pierce, Mark Seyfried

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The semi-arid sagebrush steppe in the western United States faces pressures from the agriculture industry, recreation use, invasive grasses, and a changing climate. A key to facilitating the healthy management of this ecosystem is understanding the distribution and behavior of soil moisture in the vadose zone in both natural and agricultural settings. Within unsaturated environments, soil moisture is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and changes in porosity and permeability within arid soils complicate characterization of soil hydrologic properties. Importantly, accumulations of ‘caliche’ or pedogenic calcium carbonate in arid soils can greatly limit permeability; however, observing the role that caliche plays in …

Comparison Of Different Analytical Strategies For Classifying Invasive Wetland Vegetation In Imagery From Unpiloted Aerial Systems (Uas), Louis Will Jochems, Jodi Brandt, Andrew Monks, Megan Cattau, Nicholas Kolarik, Jason Tallant, Shane Lishawa

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

Detecting newly established invasive plants is key to prevent further spread. Traditional field surveys are challenging and often insufficient to identify the presence and extent of invasions. This is particularly true for wetland ecosystems because of difficult access, and because floating and submergent plants may go undetected in the understory of emergent plants. Unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) have the potential to revolutionize how we monitor invasive vegetation in wetlands, but key components of the data collection and analysis workflow have not been defined. In this study, we conducted a rigorous comparison of different methodologies for mapping invasive Emergent (Typha …

Sensor-Based Prediction Of Mental Effort During Learning From Physiological Data: A Longitudinal Case Study, Ankita Agarwal, Josephine Graft, Noah Schroeder, William Romine

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Trackers for activity and physical fitness have become ubiquitous. Although recent work has demonstrated significant relationships between mental effort and physiological data such as skin temperature, heart rate, and electrodermal activity, we have yet to demonstrate their efficacy for the forecasting of mental effort such that a useful mental effort tracker can be developed. Given prior difficulty in extracting relationships between mental effort and physiological responses that are repeatable across individuals, we make the case that fusing self-report measures with physiological data within an internet or smartphone application may provide an effective method for training a useful mental effort tracking …

Building Family Partnerships In A Catholic School By Connecting After-School And Home With Mathematics, Bilge Cerezci

Journal of Catholic Education

Parents need guidance, support, and motivation to learn how to support their young children’s mathematical development in ways that are more foundational and effective. In Addition After School Math Program serves twenty-four students in grades 3, 4, and 5 and their parents in an urban neighborhood at a Catholic elementary school. In In-Addition After School Math Program, we see families as partners and build our after-school program around supporting mathematics thinking and discoveries by engaging the whole family.

Methods Utilized For Music Education And Their Effectiveness, Camryn Roberts

Honor’s College Freeman Research Journal

The purpose of this paper is to educate, inform, and analyze how music is taught within the education system today. Music is a very essential part of the education system and is oftentimes overlooked. The State of Texas has a system that is different from most states when it comes to education and meeting academic standards on all grade levels(Matthew 2006).This alone has placed fear in some educators for teaching within the State of Texas because they just want to be successful overall and give their students the opportunity to do the same. The most frustrating thing to me, is …