Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A New Occurrence Of Archaeoscyphia Pulchra (Bassler) From The Ordovician Of Western Canada, J. Keith Rigby, Godfrey S. Nowlan, Peter A. Rowlands

Faculty Publications

A few specimens of the ornate anthaspidellid demosponge, Archaeoscyphia pulchra (Bassler), have been collected from the Lower Ordovician Outram Formation or Skoki Formation, from a saddle at the head of South Rice Brook in northeastern British Columbia. This is the first report of the flanged-appearing annulate, steeply obconical sponge in western Canada, although it has been reported from the Mingan Islands of Quebec and was initially described from Nevada, in the western United States. The taxon has also been reported as other species of Archaeoscyphia from Ordovician rocks of Missouri and from the San Juan region of Argentina.

Pair Attribute Learning: Network Construction Using Pair Features, Tony R. Martinez, Eric K. Henderson

Faculty Publications

We present the Pair Attribute Learning (PAL) algorithm for the selection of relevant inputs and network topology. Correlations on training instance pairs are used to drive network construction of a single-hidden layer MLP. Results on nine learning problems demonstrate 70% less complexity, on average, without a significant loss of accuracy.

The Algebra And Geometry Of Curve And Surface Inversion, Thomas W. Sederberg, Eng-Wee Chionh, Kent Ridge

Faculty Publications

An inversion equation takes the Cartesian coordinates of a point on a parametric curve or surface and returns the parameter value(s) of that point. A 2-D curve inversion equation has the form t = f(x,y)/g(x,y). This paper shows that practical insight into inversion can be obtained by studying the geometry of the implicit curves f(x,y) = 0 and g(x,y) = 0. For example, the relationship between the singular locus of the parametric curve and the lowest possible degree of an inversion equation can be understood in this way. Also, insight is given into what parameter value will be returned if …

Peppering Knowledge Sources With Salt: Boosting Conceptual Content For Ontology Generation, Deryle W. Lonsdale, Yihong Ding, David W. Embley, Alan Melby

Faculty Publications

This paper describes work done to explore the common ground between two different ongoing research projects: the standardization of lexical and terminological resources, and the use of conceptual ontologies for information extraction and data integration. Specifically, this paper explores improving the generation of extraction ontologies through use of a comprehensive terminology database that has been represented in a standardized format for easy tool-based implementation. We show how, via the successful integration of these two distinct efforts, it is possible to leverage large-scale terminological and conceptual information having relationship-rich semantic resources in order to reformulate, match, and merge retrieved information of …

Fluid Dynamics And Energetics In Ideal Gas Mixtures, John D. Ramshaw

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The generalization of fluid dynamics from pure to multicomponent fluids (fluid mixtures composed of different components or species) requires the introduction of new concepts, some of which are rather subtle and are less widely appreciated than they deserve to be. The purpose of this paper is to provide a simple didactic introduction to some of these concepts based on a detailed analysis of the equations governing the flow of ideal gas mixtures. The treatment is based entirely on a continuum description and makes no explicit use of the kinetic theory of gases. We include a straightforward and physically transparent derivation …

A Note On Interpolation In The Generalized Schur Class. I. Applications Of Realization Theory, Daniel Alpay, T. Constantinescu, A. Dijksma, J. Rovnyak, A. Dijksma

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Realization theory for operator colligations on Pontryagin spaces is used to study interpolation and factorization in generalized Schur classes. Several criteria are derived which imply that a given function is almost the restriction of a generalized Schur function. The role of realization theory in coefficient problems is also discussed; a solution of an indefinite Carathéodory-Fejér problem is obtained, as well as a result that relates the number of negative (positive) squares of the reproducing kernels associated with the canonical coisometric, isometric, and unitary realizations of a generalized Schur function to the number of negative (positive) eigenvalues of matrices derived from …

Stratigraphy And Diagenesis Of The Paleoproterozoic Bushy Park Zinc-Lead Deposit, South Africa, William Daniel Baugaard

Masters Theses

“The Bushy Park zinc-lead deposit is located in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. The sulfides are hosted by karst-related breccias that were formed in carbonate shelf deposits of the Neoarchean (2.55 Ga) Campbellrand Subgroup. These rocks are dolomitized completely and silicified partially but have not undergone major metamorphism and thus display remarkable preservation of depositional fabrics. The stratigraphic interval includes the Papkuil and Klippan Formations (> 210 m), a sequence of cyclic microbial laminates interbedded with domed and columnar stromatolites. The Klippan is distinguished from other formations b intense silicification and brecciation. These strata are overlain by the Kogelbeen …

Performance Evaluation And Comparison Of Corba Implementations For The Java Platform, Irina K. Grant

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Middleware is a software layer between the applications, services and the operating system that provides an abstraction to the application programmer. It masks the heterogeneous nature of the network and provides such services as remote calls, naming service, transaction process abilities, and security services. Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is a middleware design that is implemented through the use of Object Request Broker (ORB), which is a software component that,allows communication between the remote objects and applications that use them in a distributed environment. CORBA applications can run on almost any platform, operating system, and support different languages. There …

Prognostic Model For Terminally Ill Cancer Patients On Laboratory Data, Kenji Hira, Noriaki Aoki, Akitoshi Hayashi, Janez Demsar, Blaz Zupan, Kim Dunn, William Jack Schull, Tsuguya Fukui

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Toward A Cognitive Taxonomy Of Medical Errors, Jiajie Zhang, Vimla L Patel, Todd R Johnson, Edward H Shortliffe

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

One critical step in addressing and resolving the problems associated with human errors is the development of a cognitive taxonomy of such errors. In the case of errors, such a taxonomy may be developed (1) to categorize all types of errors along cognitive dimensions, (2) to associate each type of error with a specific underlying cognitive mechanism, (3) to explain why, and even predict when and where, a specific error will occur, and (4) to generate intervention strategies for each type of error. Based on Reason's (1992) definition of human errors and Norman's (1986) cognitive theory of human action, we …

Tightness Of Slip-Linked Polymer Chains, Ralf Metzler, Andreas Hanke, Paul G. Dommersnes, Yacov Kantor, Mehran Kardar

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We study the interplay between entropy and topological constraints for a polymer chain in which sliding rings (slip links) enforce pair contacts between monomers. These slip links divide a closed ring polymer into a number of subloops which can exchange length among each other. In the ideal chain limit, we find the joint probability density function for the sizes of segments within such a slip-linked polymer chain (paraknot). A particular segment is tight (small in size) or loose (of the order of the overall size of the paraknot) depending on both the number of slip links it incorporates and its …

Group-Fitted Ab Initio Single- And Multiple-Scattering Exafs Debye-Waller Factors, Nicholas Dimakis, Grant Bunker

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy is one of the few direct probes of the structure of metalloprotein binding that is equally applicable to proteins in crystals, solutions, and membranes. Despite considerable progress in the calculation of the photoelectron scattering aspects of XAFS, calculation of the vibrational aspects has lagged because of the difficulty of the calculations. We report here initial results that express single- and multiple-scattering Debye-Waller factors as polynomial functions of first shell radial distance for metal-peptide complexes, enabling quantitatively accurate full multiple-scattering XAFS data analysis of active sites of unknown structure at arbitrary temperatures without the use …

Baseline Limnology And Nutrient Study Of Basin Head Lagoon, Prince Edward Island, With Management Implications, Karen Connolly

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Knowledge of physical and chemical process ongoing within an environment is an important step towards proper environmental management. Basin Head, Prince Edward Island is in the process of becoming a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and therefore a comprehensive management plan will need to be completed. The area contains a unique strain of Irish Moss (Chrondrus crispus Stackhouse) that is an important marine plant used in various industries. A study was conducted during the summer of 2000 to assess the basic physical and chemical conditions within the Basin Head Lagoon and surrounding stream inputs. The purpose of the study was to …

Structural And Sedimentary Characteristics Of The Tsergo Ri Rockslide Breccia, Langtang, Nepal, Himalaya, Mark B. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The high magnitude Tsergo Ri landslide (c. 100ka), Langtang Himal, with a volume in excess of 15km^3 and a vertical displacement of more than 1500m remains the largest crystalline rockslide in Nepal Himalaya. The Quaternary landslide affected rocks in gneissic fancies of the High Himalayan Crystalline Sequence adjacent to the Tibetan Sedimentary Series. Depositional characteristics from exhumed transport slope sites were analysed at both the macroscopic and the microscopic scale to investigate (i) localised fracture in terms of orientation and density, and (ii) petrography of slide induced host rock deformation. Fracture orientation analysis indicate the spatial orientation of preexisting discontinuities …

River Basin Ecosystem Restoration: A Comparison Of Conservation Authority Efforts (Ontario), Wilfred Gregory Tschirhart

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis reviews a series of river basin ecosystem restoration/enhancement projects carried out under the direction of three individual southern Ontario conservation authorities in their respective river basins. The three authorities are the Grand River Conservation Authority, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, and the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. A review from the published literature dealing with river basins, ecosystems, and environmental management supports the analysis of restoration projects. The criterion by which the literature articles were selected was that they have relevance to the type of environmental issues that are common to the river basins in the study areas. …

Dune Morphology Response To Water Level Change, Pinery Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Michael C.A. Bitton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis describes the geomorphological changes to a trough blowout in Pinery Provincial Park's sand dunes. The Park is located on Lake Huron’s southeastern shore where, due to rapid changes in Lake Huron water levels, a study could be completed examining the changes to blowout morphology based on the change in beach sediment supply. The study took place during relative low Lake Huron levels (1999-2000) and was compared to data collected during a period of relative high Lake Huron levels (1994-1995). Field research included erosion pin measurement to monitor and verify morphological change through the throat of the blowout, aeolian …

Ecosystem Health And Sustainable Livelihoods: Exploring The Prospects In Community-Based Resource Management In The East Mamprusi District, Ghana, Wuni P. Dasori

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Institutional processes, social and economic trends play a role in defining the outcomes of people’s interaction with and use of their ecosystems. The resource use decisions of households influence the livelihood and health dimensions of ecological change. This thesis identifies community assets and activities, and examines how they both affect human and ecological health, productivity and community sustainability. It studies the relationship between changing biophysical conditions and community well-being in terms of health and livelihood by examining how agro-ecosystem based resource use systems influence community environmental change and vulnerability to health and livelihood problems inherent in their ecosystem. Three communities …

Seiche Events At The Slave River Delta And Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories: An Assessment Of Process And Impact, James Tobias Gardner

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Seiche events are important hydrodynamic processes that impact the Slave River Delta, during the late summer and autumn. Given the scarcity of previous research on seiche events at river deltas and the physical dimensions and orientation of the Slave River Delta, this location at the southern shore of Great Slave Lake is ideal to study the occurrence and impacts of seiche events at a river delta. Seasonal changes to long-term water level trends and water level variability on Great Slave Lake, correspond to changes to the Slave River flow potentially associated with the impacts of regulation of the Peace River. …

Investigating Spatio-Temporal Variability Of Hydrological Components In The Canadian Rockies (Alberta), Christopher Dennis Hopkinson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis addresses two questions related to the broad topic of mountain hydrology: 1) How do interannual hydrological balancee and pathway components vary in complex temperate high mountain environments at various spatio-temporal scales? 2) a) Is it possible, using dedicated hydrological models, for significant errors in simulated runoff components despite good hydrograph recreations (i.e. right results for wrong reasons)? b) If so, what kinds of errors are encountered? The first question was addressed by undertaking a hydrological tracer and hydrometric study at three basin scales (Banff —2200 km2, Lake Louise —400 km2 and the headwaters —30 km2) within the Bow …

A Baiting System For Delivery Of An Oral Plague Vaccine To Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Terry E. Creekmore, Tonie E. Rocke, Jerry Hurley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Laboratory and field studies were conducted between July and October 1999 to identify bait preference, biomarker efficacy, and bait acceptance rates for delivering an oral plague vaccine to black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Twenty juvenile captive prairie dogs were offered alfalfa baits containing either alfalfa, alfalfa and 5% molasses, or alfalfa, 5% molasses and 4% salt. Based on the results of these trials we selected a bait containing alfalfa, 7% molasses, and 1% salt for field trials to determine bait acceptance rates by free-ranging animals. The biomarkers DuPont Blue dye, iophenoxic acid, and tetracycline hydrochloride were orally administered …

Review Of Determination Of Organic Compounds In Soils, Sediments And Sludges By T. R. Crompton, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

T. R. Crompton has accomplished the Herculean task of summarizing the literature (up to 1998) for the determination of organic and organometallic substances in soils, aquatic, and marine sediments and sludge. Although previous books address the analysis of such compounds in water, this is the first book dedicated to the analysis of pollutants in soils, sediments, and sludges, matrices that typically contain a variety of interfering compounds and offer significant analytical challenges. Overall, the book is relatively easy to read; the “camera ready” manuscript produced by the author contains clear tables, figures, and font. Classes of compounds addressed in this …

Comparing Communication Technology On Chinese, English, And Spanish Diabetes Web Sites, Yanko F Michea, Karen Pancheri, Yang Gong, Elmer Bernstam

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Technological and cultural factors influence access to health information on the web in multifarious ways. We evaluated structural differences and availability of communication services on the web in three diverse language and cultural groups: Chinese, English, and Spanish. A total of 382 web sites were analyzed: 144 were English language sites (38%), 129 were Chinese language sites (34%), and 108 were Spanish language sites (28%). We did not find technical differences in the number of outgoing links per domain or the total availability of communication services between the three groups. There were differences in the distribution of available services between …

The Semantic Web And The Integration Of Health Data Resources, Rachel L. Richesson, James P. Turley, Mark S. Tuttle

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A History Of Health Informatics In The Texas Medical Center, Kirt Walker, Deepak Sagaram, James P. Turley

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

The Feasibility Of Using Propositional Analysis As A Method For Understanding Differences Between Physicians And Nurses Reading Emrs, Constance M. Johnson, Todd Johnson, Vimla L. Patel, James P. Turley

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Open Access Learning At Sea, Dave Well, Joss Richer, Marcelo Santos, Peter Dare, Ian Allen, Denis Wiesenburg, David W. Dodd, Stephan Howden, Jamie Davis, Andy Armstrong, Semme Dijkstra, Lee Alexander, Dave Monahan, Andre Godin, Jimmy Chance, Bret Fruge

Hydrographic Science Research Center

A growing constituency of potential learners (and employers) seek open access postsecondary learning opportunities tailored to part-time students who maintain full-time employment at locations remote from university campuses.  Hydrographers, who spend long periods at sea or in remote locations, often have duties that involve considerable off-duty time.  Providing access to a relevant and rewarding learning activity to occupy some of this off-duty time would benefit both employee and employer.

This paper describes a joint project, involving three universities and two hydrographic employers, to address this need with a plan to provide over time a complete suite of hydrographic modules required …

Continuing Development Of The Fig/Approved Category A "Master Of Science Degree In Hydrographic Science" Program At The University Of Southern Mississippi, David Dodd, Ken Barbor, Stephan Howden, Charles Meador, David Wells

Hydrographic Science Research Center

The International Federation of Surveyors/International Hydrographic Organization (FIG/IHO) Category “A” certified Master of Science (M. S.) degree in Hydrographic Science (HS) Program established by The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) is in its third year of operation. Twenty-two students have graduated from the HS Program with fifteen students in the current Class of 2002.  All HS students in the first two classes entered the program through NAVOCEANO (civilian and uniform navy). They completed the non-thesis M.S. degree option in one intensive year of study that required two semesters of theory and one summer semester …

Automated Medical Algorithms: Issues For Medical Errors, Kathy A. Johnson, John R. Svirbely, Mg Sriram, Jack W. Smith, Gareth Kantor, Jorge R. Rodriquez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Designing Human-Centered Distributed Information Systems, Jiagie Zhang, Vimla L. Patel, Kathy A. Johnson, Jane Malin, Jack W. Smith

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Many computer systems are designed according to engineering and technology principles and are typically difficult to learn and use. The fields of human-computer interaction, interface design, and human factors have made significant contributions to ease of use and are primarily concerned with the interfaces between systems and users, not with the structures that are often more fundamental for designing truly human-centered systems. The emerging paradigm of human-centered computing (HCC)-which has taken many forms-offers a new look at system design. HCC requires more than merely designing an artificial agent to supplement a human agent. The dynamic interactions in a distributed system …

Controlled Software Evaluation Methodology: Case Simulation And Cognitive User Analysis, Kirt Walker, Sridhar Rajappan, Todd R. Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Software for use with patient records is challenging to design and difficult to evaluate because of the tremendous variability of patient circumstances. A method was devised by the authors to overcome a number of difficulties. The method evaluates and compares objectively various software products for use in emergency departments and compares software to conventional methods like dictation and templated chart forms. The technique utilizes oral case simulation and video recording for analysis. The methodology and experiences of executing a study using this case simulation are discussed in this presentation.