Digital Commons Network^™

Parametric, Nonparametric, And Semiparametric Linear Regression In Classical And Bayesian Statistical Quality Control, Chelsea L. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Statistical process control (SPC) is used in many fields to understand and monitor desired processes, such as manufacturing, public health, and network traffic. SPC is categorized into two phases; in Phase I historical data is used to inform parameter estimates for a statistical model and Phase II implements this statistical model to monitor a live ongoing process. Within both phases, profile monitoring is a method to understand the functional relationship between response and explanatory variables by estimating and tracking its parameters. In profile monitoring, control charts are often used as graphical tools to visually observe process behaviors. We construct a …

Learning-Based Predictive Control Approach For Real-Time Management Of Cyber-Physical Systems, Roja Eini

Theses and Dissertations

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are composed of heterogeneous, and networked hardware and software components tightly integrated with physical elements [72]. Large-scale CPSs are composed of complex components, subject to uncertainties [89], as though their design and development is a challenging task. Achieving reliability and real-time adaptation to changing environments are some of the challenges involved in large-scale CPSs development [51]. Addressing these challenges requires deep insights into control theory and machine learning. This research presents a learning-based control approach for CPSs management, considering their requirements, specifications, and constraints. Model-based control approaches, such as model predictive control (MPC), are proven to be …

Effects Of Abiotic And Biotic Factors On Hornworm Distributions, Emelia O. Kusi

Theses and Dissertations

Determining the drivers of species occurrences is a central topic in ecology. Both abiotic and biotic factors are important predictors of species distributions, yet most species distribution models consider abiotic variables only. In this study, the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on current distributions of herbivores, Manduca sexta, and Manduca quinquemaculata, their major cultivated and wild host plants, and a parasitoid, Cotesia congregata, was quantified using an ensemble of three models (generalized linear model, maximum entropy, and random forest). The predictive ability of abiotic-only, biotic-only, and abiotic-biotic models was evaluated. Winter temperatures and precipitation (i.e., precipitation of …

Palindromic Products, Jamie Shive

Theses and Dissertations

We investigate a number of open problems related to products of palindromic graphs. The notion of a palindromic graph was defined by Robert Beeler. A graph G on n vertices is palindromic if there is a vertex-labeling bijection f:V(G) -> {1,..,n} with the property that for any edge vw in E(G), there is an edge xy in E(G) for which f(x)=n-f(v)+1 and f(y)=n-f(w)+1.

Cryogenic Electron-Microscopy (Cryo-Em) Analysis Of Mscs, Ynai, Connexin 26 And Bioinformatic Analysis Of Cysteine And Serine In Experimental Protein Structures, Claudio Catalano

Theses and Dissertations

Functional insights into macromolecules lie in the arrangement of their molecular structures. Investigating the atomic framework of a biomolecule could unwind its biochemical mechanism, providing aid to many relevant biological questions, thus facilitating drug discovery processes. Two approaches have been used to gain knowledge at the atomic level of a protein function: experimental and computational methodologies.

From an experimental perspective, membrane proteins (MPs) were investigated. Such proteins represent ~20% of the human proteome, and ~60% of them are drug targets since they are exposed to the surface of cells and are responsible for a wide range of fundamental functions like …

Characterization Of Cytochrome P450 3a4 Structure And Ligand Binding Mechanism In Anionic Nanodiscs, David T. Sweeney

Theses and Dissertations

The Cytochromes P450 superfamily are ubiquitous throughout life and are present in some viruses. Humans encode for 57 of these enzymes that are involved in the metabolism of ~90% of all chemicals. These membrane-bound monooxygenase enzymes utilize a heme protoporphyrin at their active site to activate molecular oxygen and oxidize their substrates through an intermediate deemed nature's most powerful oxidizer. They are a powerful system at our disposal yet understanding of their structure and ligand binding mechanisms in the presence of a lipid bilayer remains poorly understood. The focus of this work is on Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). We set …

Starting Earnings Of Bachelor’S And Advanced Degree Graduates By Field Of Study: Using Multi-Level Modeling To Estimate The Effects And Early Labor Market Consequences Of Vertical And Horizontal Dimensions Of Higher Education, Qiao Liang

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to better understand early labor market outcomes of higher education and the importance of the vertical and horizontal dimensions of higher education. Using College Scorecard’s institution and field of study levels data and a multilevel modeling approach, it estimated and ranked typical starting earnings associated with a large spectrum of bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, and discussed patterns, variations, and irregularities observed in the ranked earnings. This study also calculated advanced degree effects on the typical starting earnings associated with bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, and set precedence to systematically compare the effects of major, department, …

Learning From Multi-Class Imbalanced Big Data With Apache Spark, William C. Sleeman Iv

Theses and Dissertations

With data becoming a new form of currency, its analysis has become a top priority in both academia and industry, furthering advancements in high-performance computing and machine learning. However, these large, real-world datasets come with additional complications such as noise and class overlap. Problems are magnified when with multi-class data is presented, especially since many of the popular algorithms were originally designed for binary data. Another challenge arises when the number of examples are not evenly distributed across all classes in a dataset. This often causes classifiers to favor the majority class over the minority classes, leading to undesirable results …

The Influence Of Shifting Learning Environments On Teachers’ Data Use Practices, Stephanie M. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

In March of 2020, schools in the United States closed for in-person learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the school year began in the fall of 2020, many schools continued to operate virtually rather than in-person. In response, many teachers’ practices were revised. Although data use has been widely explored, teachers’ use of data in a virtual environment has received limited attention. This study contributes to the existing knowledge by exploring the influence of the shifting learning environments on the data use practices of teachers in four schools in one school district during the 2020 -2021 school year.

Teachers …

Bayesian Techniques For Relating Genetic Polymorphisms To Diffusion Tensor Images Of Cocaine Users, Tmader Alballa

Theses and Dissertations

Past investigations utilizing Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) have demonstrated that cocaine use disorder (CUD) yields white matter changes. We proposed three Bayesian techniques in order to explore the relationship between Fractional Anisotropy (FA), genetic data, and years of cocaine use (YCU). CUD participants exhibit abnormality in different areas of the brain versus non-drug using controls, which is measured by DTI. This dissertation is motivated by a neuroimaging genetic study in cocaine dependence, which found that there were relationships between several genes such as GAD and 5-HT₂R and CUD subjects.

In the first chapter, there is background on the …

The Contribution Of African American Parents’ Stem Racial Socialization And Support To Adolescent Academic Outcomes, Rachel J. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, African Americans have experienced various inequalities in education that have long contributed to overall educational attainment gaps within the African American community (St. Mary, Calhoun, Tejada, & Jenson, 2018). Thus, African American parents are tasked with instilling messages of racial pride into their children and providing educational support that serve as protective factors against racial discrimination in education (Koch, Lundh, & Harris, 2019). Theoretical frameworks provide a basis of understanding how parent socialization contributes to African American educational outcomes, specifically noting the role of parents’ beliefs and values in dictating mechanisms of value transfer (e.g., buying toys or learning …

Applied Machine Learning In Extrusion-Based Bioprinting, Shuyu Tian

Theses and Dissertations

Optimization of extrusion-based bioprinting (EBB) parameters have been systematically conducted through experimentation. However, the process is time and resource-intensive and not easily translatable across different laboratories. A machine learning (ML) approach to EBB parameter optimization can accelerate this process for laboratories across the field through training using data collected from published literature. In this work, regression-based and classification-based ML models were investigated for their abilities to predict printing outcomes of cell viability and filament diameter for cell-containing alginate and gelatin composite hydrogels. Regression-based models were investigated for their ability to predict suitable extrusion pressure given desired cell viability when keeping …

Nebulizer-Based Systems To Improve Pharmaceutical Aerosol Delivery To The Lungs, Benjamin M. Spence

Theses and Dissertations

Combining vibrating mesh nebulizers with additional new technologies leads to substantial improvements in pharmaceutical aerosol delivery to the lungs across therapeutic administration methods. In this dissertation, streamlined components, aerosol administration synchronization, and/or Excipient Enhanced Growth (EEG) technologies were utilized to develop and test several novel devices and aerosol delivery systems. The first focus of this work was to improve the poor delivery efficiency, e.g., 3.6% of nominal dose (Dugernier et al. 2017), of aerosolized medication administration to adult human subjects concurrent with high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy, a form of continuous-flow non-invasive ventilation (NIV). The developed Low-Volume Mixer-Heater (LVMH) …

Computational Study Of Radical Cation Rearrangements, Mi'kayla D. Word

Theses and Dissertations

A radical cation is a molecule that has one unpaired electron that holds a positive charge. The unpaired electron within a radical cation causes the molecule to be reactive. The high reactivity of these species allows for radical cations to be commonly studied experimentally using mass spectrometry and other multi-mass imaging techniques. However, these methods often cannot resolve the reaction mechanisms for these fast reactions. Specifically, radical cation rearrangement mechanisms are particularly unresolved within experiments. For this reason, radical cation rearrangements are computationally investigated to explain complex reaction pathways for processes to understand reactions leading to the initiation of detonation …

Governance ≠ Leadership: What Blockchain And Ai Won't Do For Corporate Lawyers, Jeffrey M. Lipshaw

Suffolk University Law School Faculty Works

This is a contribution to the Journal of Corporation Law’s 2020 symposium on blockchain technology and corporate governance. The thesis is that blockchain technology is well suited to the monitoring function in corporate governance; that monitoring as the primary function of corporate governance is a particularly legal conception; and that the business conception of governance has far more to do with leadership, strategy, and operations. If the legal and business conceptions of governance tend to be ships passing in the night (at least in this somewhat exaggerated rendering), it is because prevailing economic and legal theoretical models have a difficult …

Enhancing Student Learning In Introductory Physics Through Funds Of Knowledge, Liang Zeng, Guang Zeng

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Researchers have reported the funds of knowledge (FK) pedagogical approach effective in engaging minority students in learning. However, there are a lack of studies connecting FK to introductory college physics or physical science classes. By using examples from regional Mexican-American lived experiences at an Hispanic-serving institution located along the recently politicized U.S.-Mexico border, this paper provides evidence to show how physics educators can use FK to engage students in learning introductory college physics concepts.

Reducing Scattered Light In Ligo's Third Observing Run, S. Soni, C. Austin, A. Effler, R. M. S. Schofield, G. Gonzalez, V. V. Frolov, J. C. Driggers, A. Pele, A. L. Urban, G. Valdes, K. E. Ramirez

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Noise due to scattered light has been a frequent disturbance in the advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors, hindering the detection of gravitational waves. The non stationary scatter noise caused by low frequency motion can be recognized as arches in the time-frequency plane of the gravitational wave channel. In this paper, we characterize the scattering noise for LIGO and Virgo's third observing run O3 from April, 2019 to March, 2020. We find at least two different populations of scattering noise and we investigate the multiple origins of one of them as well as its mitigation. We find that relative motion between …

Development Of A Real Time Human Face Recognition Software System, Askar Boranbayev, Seilkhan Boranbayev, Mukhamedzhan Amirtaev, Malik Baimukhamedov, Askar Nurbekov

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

In this study, a system for real-time face recognition was built using the Open Face tools of the Open CV library. The article describes the methodology for creating the system and the results of its testing. The Open CV library has various modules that perform many tasks. In this paper, Open CV modules were used for face recognition in images and face identification in real time. In addition, the HOG method was used to detect a person by the front of his face. After performing the HOG method, 128 face measurements were obtained using the image encoding method. A convolutional …

Grappling With Covid-19 By Imposing And Lifting Nonpharmaceutical Interventions In Sri Lanka: A Modeling Perspective, Mahesh Jayaweera, Chamath Dannongoda, Dilum Dilshan, Janith Dissanayake, Hasini Perera, Jagath Manatunge, Buddhika Gunawardana

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The imposition and lifting of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to avert the COVID19 pandemic have gained popularity worldwide and will continue to be enforced until herd immunity is achieved. We developed a linear regression model to ascertain the nexus between the time-varying reproduction number averaged over a time window of six days (Rts) and seven NPIs: contact tracing, quarantine efforts, social distancing and health checks, hand hygiene, wearing of facemasks, lockdown and isolation, and health-related supports. Our analysis suggests that the second wave that emerged in Sri Lanka in early October 2020 continued despite numerous NPIs. The model indicates that the …

Open Data From The First And Second Observing Runs Of Advanced Ligo And Advanced Virgo, Rich Abbott, Thomas D. Abbott, Amit Aich, Guldauren Bissenbayeva, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Malik Rakhmanov, Karla E. Ramirez, Palash K. Roy, Wenhui Wang, Adam Zadrozny

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo are monitoring the sky and collecting gravitational-wave strain data with sufficient sensitivity to detect signals routinely. In this paper we describe the data recorded by these instruments during their first and second observing runs. The main data products are gravitational-wave strain time series sampled at 16384 Hz. The datasets that include this strain measurement can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at http://gw-openscience.org, together with data-quality information essential for the analysis of LIGO and Virgo data, documentation, tutorials, and supporting software.

The Nanograv 12.5 Yr Data Set: Wideband Timing Of 47 Millisecond Pulsars, Md F. Alam, Zaven Arzoumanian, Paul T. Baker, Harsha Blumer, Keith E. Bohler, Keeisi Caballero, Richard S. Camuccio, Yhamil Garcia, Jing Luo

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a new analysis of the profile data from the 47 millisecond pulsars comprising the 12.5 yr data set of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, which is presented in a parallel paper (Alam et al., hereafter NG12.5). Our reprocessing is performed using “wideband” timing methods, which use frequency-dependent template profiles, simultaneous time-of-arrival (TOA) and dispersion measure (DM) measurements from broadband observations, and novel analysis techniques. In particular, the wideband DM measurements are used to constrain the DM portion of the timing model. We compare the ensemble timing results to those in NG12.5 by examining the …

Prediction Of Equivalent Liquid Permeability From Gas Permeability Measurements: A Recurrent Neural Network Approach, Husam Alkinani, Abo Taleb Al-Hameedi, Shari Dunn-Norman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

One of the most vital reservoir properties is permeability. It is usually measured using core samples with two major measurement methods: using gas or using liquid. The purpose of this work is to use a data-driven recurrent neural network model to estimate the equivalent liquid permeability based on gas permeability. By using this model, the equivalent liquid permeability can be predicted for the permeability of core samples with rich clay minerals measured using gas (or any core sample that is measured using gas). This will give an alternative way to the currently used method (Klinkenberg method). Core sample data measurements …

Will Carbon Dioxide Injection In Shale Reservoirs Produce From The Shale Matrix, Natural Fractures, Or Hydraulic Fractures?, Sherif Fakher, Youssef Elgahawy, Hesham Abdelaal, Abdulmohsin Imqam

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in shale reservoirs has been recently shown to increase oil recovery significantly from this unconventional oil and gas source. One of the most studied EOR methods in shale reservoirs is gas injection, with a focus on carbon Dioxide (CO₂) mainly due to the ability to both enhance oil recovery and store the CO₂ in the formation. Even though several shale plays have reported an increase in oil recovery using CO₂ injection, in some cases this method failed severely. This research attempts to investigate the ability of the CO₂ to mobilize crude …

Characterizing Community-Level Size Spectra In Piedmont Streams Of Virginia (Usa), Giancarlo Racanelli

Theses and Dissertations

Many aquatic communities demonstrate an inverse scaling relationship between average body mass and density. Using quantitative samples of macroinvertebrates and fishes, we modeled this relationship in three Piedmont streams where little empirical research has been conducted. The size spectra (SS) method, in which individuals are identified by size, not taxonomic identity, was used with linear regression to model density as a function of mass. Fish and benthic invertebrate samples were collected on simultaneous days during September, then used to develop community-level SS models (combined fish and invertebrate data) for each stream. Invertebrate samples were also collected from each stream in …

It Is Not Just About Birds: What Do Acoustic Indices Reveal About A Costa Rican Tropical Rainforest?, Mónica Retamosa Izaguirre, Jimy Barrantes-Madrigal, David Segura Sequeira, Manuel Spínola-Parallada, Oscar Ramírez-Alán

Neotropical Biodiversity

Acoustic monitoring is used to assess biodiversity across large spatial and temporal scales. However, extracting meaningful information from large data sets might be exceedingly time consuming. For this reason, acoustic indices have been proposed as proxies for biodiversity monitoring. Although acoustic indices hold great promise for standardizing acoustic data analysis, the complexity of acoustic conditions requires careful examination of the relationship between an index and the underlying process of interest. We evaluated 11 acoustic indices at two operational levels: (1) acoustic community level (an aggregation of species that produces sound), using birds as an example to assess how well acoustic …

Taxonomic Diversity And Ecological Attributes Of Copepods Of The Colombian Caribbean Sea, Edgar Fernando Dorado-Roncancio, Johanna Medellín-Mora, José Ernesto Mancera-Pineda

Neotropical Biodiversity

Seven oceanographic expeditions were carried out between 2013 and 2018 to explore the taxonomic diversity and ecological attributes of copepods of the Caribbean Oceanic Ecoregion (CAO). One hundred and forty zooplankton samples were collected in four depth ranges, between 0 and 1000 m depth. A total of 133 species were identified, 33 of which are new records for the Colombian Caribbean Sea and 50 species have amplified their geographical distribution. This information increasing the list of species of marine copepods recorded for the Colombian Caribbean Sea from 214 to 247 species. Carnivorous species (32.33%) and herbivorous-omnivorous species (27.06%) were the …

An Examination Of The Integration Of Augmented Reality In Science Curriculum, Cathleen A. Bierman

Masters Theses

This study examines students’ success rate and level of engagement in a science classroom by using augmented reality (AR) specifically merge cube. Students’ success rate is measured by their grades, which can determine if the student understands the material. Engagement is measured by observing whether or not the students are asking questions, volunteering information, working well with others, paying attention in class, and participates actively in discussions. The two research questions guided the study:1. Does the use of a merge cube in the science classroom improve participants’ success rate in learning science? and 2. Does using a merge cube increase …

5g Security Challenges And Solutions: A Review By Osi Layers, S. Sullivan, Alessandro Brighente, Sathish Kumar

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The Fifth Generation of Communication Networks (5G) envisions a broader range of servicescompared to previous generations, supporting an increased number of use cases and applications. Thebroader application domain leads to increase in consumer use and, in turn, increased hacker activity. Dueto this chain of events, strong and efficient security measures are required to create a secure and trustedenvironment for users. In this paper, we provide an objective overview of5G security issues and theexisting and newly proposed technologies designed to secure the5G environment. We categorize securitytechnologies usingOpen Systems Interconnection (OSI)layers and, for each layer, we discuss vulnerabilities,threats, security solutions, challenges, gaps …

Identifying Characteristics That Lead To Better Academic Performance For International Students In U.S. Colleges, Hadi Rajabbeigi

Theses and Dissertations

A large proportion of students in the United States is international students. Thus, educational leaders need to facilitate the learning process for this population. This study investigated the characteristics of international students that affect their academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine how individual characteristics of international students affect the learning strategies they choose and how it affects their academic performance. For this purpose, the survey was designed according to the literature, which measures characteristic variables based on VIA character strengths (Peterson & Seligman, 2004), learning strategies (MSLQ) developed by Pintrich et al. (1991), and academic performance …

Can The Circular Economy Concretize Sustainability? A Construal Level Approach To Encourage Sustainable Consumption., Jolie Gutentag

Theses and Dissertations

Despite a growing awareness and understanding of the impact our lifestyles have on the environment, most people have not adequately changed their consumption patterns. One possibility for the disconnect is the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Drawing on construal level theory, this research proposes that framing environmental sustainability as circularity, using the principles of the circular economy, reduces the perceived abstractness of sustainability. Four studies investigate the effects of circular framing on sustainable consumption behavior, including the moderating role of consumers’ chronic level of construal, an innate mindset reflecting a tendency to view information more concretely or abstractly. Findings provide initial …