Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

An Evaluation Of Decision Tree And Survival Analysis Techniques For Business Failure Prediction, Adrian Gepp

Adrian Gepp

Accurate business failure prediction models would be extremely valuable to many industry sectors, particularly in financial investment and lending. The potential value of such models has been recently emphasised by the extremely costly failure of high profile businesses in both Australia and overseas, such as HIH (Australia) and Enron (USA). Consequently, there has been a significant increase in interest in business failure prediction, from both industry and academia. Statistical models attempt to predict the failure or success of a business based on publicly available information about that business (or its industry and the overall economy), such as accounting ratios from …

Stressed Liquid-Crystal Optical Phased Array For Fast Tip-Tilt Wavefront Correction, Bin Wang, Guoqiang Zhang, Anatoliy Glushchenko, John L. West, Philip Bos, Paul F. Mcmanamon

Philip J. Bos

A liquid-crystal optical phased-array technology that uses stressed liquid crystals provides a new type of tip-tilt wavefront corrector. It demonstrates a very fast time response (10 kHz) and high beam-steering efficiency (similar to 91%). The new technology presented here will allow for a nonmechanical, high-speed correction with simple device construction.

The Centrality Of Awareness In The Formation Of User Behavioral Intention Toward Preventive Technologies In The Context Of Voluntary Use, Tamara Dinev, Qing Hu

Qing Hu

Little is known about user behavior toward what we call preventive computer technologies that have become increasingly important in the networked economy and society to secure data and systems from viruses, unauthorized access, disruptions, spyware, and similar harmful technologies. We present the results of a study of user behavior toward preventive technologies based on the frameworks of theory of planned behavior in the context of anti-spyware technologies. We find that the user awareness of the issues and threats from harmful technologies is a strong predictor of user behavioral intention toward the use of preventive technologies. In the presence of awareness, …

Biosecurity And The Role Of Statisticians, Ron Brookmeyer

Ron Brookmeyer

No abstract provided.

Online Teaching Practices (Both Best And Worst), Michael Nelson, Bhagyavati, Gail Miles, Amber Settle, Dale Shaffer, Jake Watts, Robert P. Webber

Amber Settle

Thursday Test, Sid Twentythree

Sidney Twentythree Sr.

1,4-Dimethyl-1,4-Diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]Octane Diiodide Acetonitrile Solvate, Daron E. Janzen, Paul C. Ewbank, Kent R. Mann

Daron E Janzen, Ph.D.

No abstract provided.

High-Efficiency, Liquid-Crystal-Based, Controllable Diffraction Grating, Yanli Zhang, Bin Wang, Philip J. Bos, Jennifer Colegrove, David B. Chung

Philip J. Bos

We propose a new reflective liquid-crystal diffraction grating design attained by combining the use of a polymer wall to reduce the detrimental effect of the fringing electric field in a high-resolution grating and a quarterwave plate to make the device polarization independent. This design could offer significant performance advantages in a projection display system. Results of calculations are compared with experimental data. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Building A Classification Cascade For Visual Identification From One Example, Andras Ferencz, Erik G. Learned-Miller, Jitendra Malik

Erik G Learned-Miller

Object identification (OID) is specialized recognition where the category is known (e.g. cars) and the algorithm recognizes an object's exact identity (e.g. Bob's BMW). Two special challenges characterize OID. (1) Interclass variation is often small (many cars look alike) and may be dwarfed by illumination or pose changes. (2) There may be many classes but few or just one positive "training" examples per class. Due to (1), a solution must locate possibly subtle object-specific salient features (a door handle) while avoiding distracting ones (a specular highlight). However, (2) rules out direct techniques of feature selection. We describe an online algorithm …

Spatial Sampling Design For Parameter Estimation Of The Covariance Function, Zhengyuan Zhu, Michael L. Stein

Zhengyuan Zhu

The Future Of Journal Publishing, Gordon C. Tibbitts

Gordon C. Tibbitts III

The seminar helped publishing neophytes understand where they can add value. It also focused on the challenges of the day and likely challenges in the future. Some predictions include a complete move to e-journals, article-at-a-time publishing, an increase in "meta" articles, and the demise of general search engine prominence.

First Glimpse Results On The Stellar Structure Of The Galaxy., R. A. Benjamin, E. Churchwell, B. L. Babler, R. Indebetouw, M. R. Meade, B. A. Whitney, C. Watson, M. G. Wolfire, M. J. Wolff, R. Ignace, T. M. Bania, S. Bracker, D. P. Clemens, L. Chomiuk, M. Cohen, J. M. Dickey, J. M. Jackson, H. A. Kobulnicky, E. P. Mercer, J. S. Mathis, S. R. Stolovy, B. Uzpen

Richard Ignace

The GLIMPSE (Galactic Legacy Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire) Point Source Catalog of ~ 30 million mid-infrared sources towards the inner Galaxy, 10 < |l| < 65 degrees and |b| < 1 degree, was used to determine the distribution of stars in Galactic longitude, latitude, and apparent magnitude. The counts versus longitude can be approximated by the modified Bessel function N=N_0*(l/l_0)*K_1(l/l_0), where l_0 is insensitive to limiting magnitude, band choice, and side of Galactic center: l_0= 17-30 degrees with a best fit value in the the 4.5 micron band of l_0=24 +/- 4 degrees. Modeling the source distribution as an exponential disk yields a radial scale length of H= 3.9 +/- 0.6 kpc. There is a pronounced north-south asymmetry in source counts for |l| < 30 degrees, with ~ 25% more stars in the north. For l=10-30 degrees, there is a strong enhancement of stars of m= 11.5-13.5 mag. A linear bar passing through the Galactic center with half-length R_bar=4.4 +/- 0.5 kpc, tilted by phi=44 +/- 10 degrees to the Sun-Galactic Center line, provides the simplest interpretation of this data. We examine the possibility that enhanced source counts at l=26-28 degrees, 31.5-34 degrees, and 306-309 degrees are related to Galactic spiral structure. Total source counts are depressed in regions where the counts of red objects (m_K-m_[8.0] >3) peak. In these areas, the counts are reduced by extinction due to molecular gas and/or high diffuse backgrounds associated with star formation.

Graduate Colloquium, Borbala Mazzag

Borbala Mazzag

No abstract provided.

Root Causes Of Lost Time And User Stress In A Simple Dialog System, Nigel Ward, Anais Rivera, Karen Ward, David G. Novick

David G. Novick

As a priority-setting exercise, we compared interactions between users and a simple spoken dialog system to interactions between users and a human operator. We observed usability events, places in which system behavior differed from human behavior, and for each we noted the impact, root causes, and prospects for improvement. We suggest some priority issues for research, involving not only such core areas as speech recognition and synthesis and language understanding and generation, but also less-studied topics such as adaptive or flexible timeouts, turn-taking and speaking rate.

The Feasibility And Effectiveness Of A Common Consumer Device As An Electromagnetic Interference (Emi) Source, George H. Baker, Nathan L. Olive, Joseph M. Darragh, Joseph D. Rudmin

George H Baker

Because the operation and control of most critical infrastructures are highly dependent on electronics, it is important to understand the feasibility and effectiveness of devices that may be used to intentionally interfere with electronic system operation. This research project investigated (1) the feasibility of building a high power electromagnetic interference source from a common consumer item and (2) the effects of this source on the operation of personal computers. We were successful in fabricating a “shop-expedient” high power microwave (HPM) source by modifying a common microwave oven. Project results confirm that, with straightforward modifications, a common microwave oven can be …

Application Of Correlation-Gas Chromatography To Evaluate The Vaporization Enthalpy Of A Component In An Equilibrium Mixture, Manuel Temprado, James S. Chickos

James Chickos

No abstract provided.

Co-Generation Of Text And Graphics, David G. Novick, Brian Lowe

David G. Novick

content in documentation, it is possible to produce both text and graphics from a single common source. One approach to co-generation of text and graphics uses a single logical specification; a second approach starts with CAD-based representation and produces a corresponding textual account. This paper explores these two different approaches, reports the results of using prototypes embodying the approaches to represent simple figures, and discusses issues that were identified through use of the prototypes. While it appears feasible to co-generate text and graphics automatically, the process raises deep issues of design of communications, including the intent of the producer of …

Using Containers To Enforce Smart Constraints For Performance In Industrial Systems, Scott A. Hissam, Gabriel A. Moreno, Kurt C. Wallnau

Gabriel A. Moreno

Criteria Analysis And Validation Of The Reliability Of Web Services-Oriented Systems,, Jia Zhang, Liang-Jie Zhang

Jia Zhang

No abstract provided.

Bridging Units And Business Incubation In A Technology Research Lab, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu

Arcot Desai NARASIMHALU

This paper describes a new model of incubation practices at Singapore’s Kent Ridge Digital Labs from 1998 till 2002. The model deviates from previously known models where by research institutions including institutions of higher learning license their technologies to companies or entrepreneurs who wished to either productize the technology or start a new company using the technology. The model was successfully applied towards the creation of more than fifteen start ups. These start ups attracted significant investments from venture capitalists from Singapore and elsewhere. Several of these companies are still in business.

Polymers With Pendant Coumarins: Synthesis And Characterization Of Polystyrenes And Polymethacrylates With Pendant Coumarin Moieties, T. Christopher Corkery

Chris Corkery

No abstract provided.

A Case For Exhaustive Optimization, Sanza Kazadi, Michele Lee, Lauren Lee

Sanza Kazadi

Compression Of Laser Radiation In Plasmas Using Electromagnetic Cascading, Serguei Y. Kalmykov, Gennady Shvets

Serge Youri Kalmykov

Compressing high-power laser beams in plasmas via generation of a coherent cascade of electromagnetic sidebands is described. The technique requires two copropagating beams detuned by a near-resonant frequency, \Omega < \omega_{p}. The ponderomotive force of the laser beat wave drives an electron plasma wave which modifies the refractive index of plasma so as to produce a periodic phase modulation of the laser field with the beat period t_b = 2\pi/\Omega. A train of chirped laser beat notes (each of duration t_b) is thus created. The group velocity dispersion of radiation in plasma can then compress each beat note to a few-laser-cycle duration. As a result, a train of sharp electromagnetic spikes separated in time by t_b is formed. Depending on the plasma and laser parameters, chirping and compression can be implemented either concurrently in the same plasma or sequentially in different plasmas.

Innovation Cube: Triggers, Drivers And Enablers For Successful Innovations, Arcot Desai Narasimhalu

Arcot Desai NARASIMHALU

Research on innovation has explained the relationships between institutions of higher learning, companies and the markets from both market driven and resource driven perspectives. However, innovation still remains more of an art than a science. Key researchers have lamented that it is difficult for most companies to scan the market place to identify new innovation opportunities. This paper describes a framework called Innovation Cube that is the building block for helping companies identify new innovation opportunities. This cube is constructed using three attribute-pairs called drivers, triggers and enablers of innovation. The paper discusses examples of the types of innovations represented …

Stationary States And Energy Cascades In Inelastic Gases, E. Ben-Naim, J. Machta

Eli Ben-Naim

We find a general class of nontrivial stationary states in inelastic gases where, due to dissipation, energy is transfered from large velocity scales to small velocity scales. These steady-states exist for arbitrary collision rules and arbitrary dimension. Their signature is a stationary velocity distribution f(v) with an algebraic high-energy tail, f(v) ~ v^{-sigma}. The exponent sigma is obtained analytically and it varies continuously with the spatial dimension, the homogeneity index characterizing the collision rate, and the restitution coefficient. We observe these stationary states in numerical simulations in which energy is injected into the system by infrequently boosting particles to high …

Strongly Coupled Large-Angle Stimulated Raman Scattering Of Short Laser Pulse In Plasma-Filled Capillary, Serguei Y. Kalmykov, Patrick Mora

Serge Youri Kalmykov

Strongly coupled large-angle stimulated Raman scattering sLA SRSd of a short intense laser pulse develops in a plane plasma-filled capillary differently than in a plasma with open boundaries. Coupling the laser pulse to a capillary seeds the LA SRS in the forward direction (scattering angle smaller than \pi / 2 ) and can thus produce a high instability level in the vicinity of the entrance plane. In addition, oblique mirror reflections off capillary walls partly suppress the lateral convection of scattered radiation and increase the growth rate of the SRS under arbitrary (not too small) angle. Hence, the saturated convective …

Citizen Based Public Health Surveillance, Monitoring And Post-Event Assessments, Thomas Lyons Carr Iii

Thomas Lyons (Thom) Carr III Appl.Sc., CEM

When a sudden on-set emergency or disaster affects a region or the whole country, communities and neighborhoods should plan for the possibility that emergency and other civic services will be disrupted and unavailable (District of Columbia 2003a, 2003b, 2004; Doyle 2004; Siskiyou County Public Health/NorCalBT.com 2004). The event may be severe enough that the routine public health surveillance and monitoring system will be disrupted or the system will not be able to provide data quickly enough to support state and local decisionmaking. A temporary post-disaster system should be planned for and implemented. The epidemiologist supporting the local decision makers must …

Additivity Of Information Value In Two-Act Linear Loss Decisions With Normal Priors, Jeffrey Keisler

Jeffrey Keisler

For the two-act linear loss decision problem with normal priors, conditions are derived for which the expected value of perfect information about two independent risks is super-additive in value. Several applications show how a variety of decision problems can reduce to the canonical problem, and how the general results obtained here can be translated simply to prescriptions for specific situations.

The Importance Of Experimental Design In Proteomic Mass Spectrometry Experiments: Some Cautionary Tales, Jeffrey S. Morris, Jianhua Hu, Kevin R. Coombes, Keith A. Baggerly

Jeffrey S. Morris

Proteomic expression patterns derived from mass spectrometry have been put forward as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of cancer and other diseases. This approach has generated much excitement and has led to a large number of new experiments and vast amounts of new data. The data, derived at great expense, can have very little value if careful attention is not paid to the experimental design and analysis. Using examples from surfaceenhanced laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) and matrix-assisted laser desorption–ionisation/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) experiments, we describe several experimental design issues that can corrupt a dataset. Fortunately, the problems we identify can be …

A Service-Oriented Multimedia Componentization Model, Jia Zhang, Liang-Jie Zhang, Francis Quek, Jen-Yao Chung

Jia Zhang

As Web services become more and more popular, how to manage multimedia Web services that can be composed as value-added service solutions remains challenging. This paper presents a service-oriented multimedia componentization model to support Quality of Service (QoS)-centered, device-independent multimedia Web services, which seamlessly incorporates cuttingedge technologies relating to Web services. A multimedia Web service is divided into control flow and data flow, each can be delivered via different infrastructures and channels. Enhancements are proposed to facilitate Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Composite Capability/Preference Profiles (CC/PP) protocols to improve their flexibility to serve multimedia Web services. We present a …