Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Aerosol Climatology Over Nile Delta Based On Modis, Misr And Omi Satellite Data, H. S. Marey, J. C. Gille, Hesham El-Askary, E. A. Shalaby, Mohamed El Raey

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Since 1999 Cairo and the Nile delta region have suffered from air pollution episodes called the “black cloud” during the fall season. These have been attributed to either burning of agriculture waste or long-range transport of desert dust. Here we present a detailed analysis of the optical and microphysical aerosol properties, based on satellite data. Monthly mean values of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm were examined for the 10 yr period from 2000–2009. Significant monthly variability is observed in the AOD with maxima in April or May (_0.5) and October (_0.45), and a …

Two-Language, Two-Paradigm Introductory Computing Curriculum Model And Its Implementation, Vladimir Zanev, Atanas Radenski

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This paper analyzes difficulties with the introduction of object-oriented concepts in introductory computing education and then proposes a two-language, two-paradigm curriculum model that alleviates such difficulties. Our two-language, two-paradigm curriculum model begins with teaching imperative programming using Python programming language, continues with teaching object-oriented computing using Java, and concludes with teaching object-oriented data structures with Java.

Aerosol Properties Over The Indo‐Gangetic Plain: A Mesoscale Perspective From The Tigerz Experiment, D. M. Giles, B. N. Holben, Sachchida N. Tripathi, Thomas F. Eck, W. Wayne Newcomb, Ilya Slutsker, Russell R. Dickerson, Anne M. Thompson, Shana Mattoo, Sheng-Hsiang Wang, Ramesh P. Singh, Aliaksandyr Sinyuk, Joel S. Schafer

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

High aerosol loading over the northern Indian subcontinent can result in poor air quality leading to human health consequences and climate perturbations. The international 2008 TIGERZ experiment intensive operational period (IOP) was conducted in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) around the industrial city of Kanpur (26.51 degrees N, 80.23 degrees E), India, during the premonsoon (April-June). Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Sun photometers performed frequent measurements of aerosol properties at temporary sites distributed within an area covering similar to 50 km(2) around Kanpur to characterize pollution and dust in a region where complex aerosol mixtures and semi-bright surface effects complicate satellite retrieval …

Quaternionic Hermitian Spinor Systems And Compatibility Conditions, Alberto Damiano, David Eelbode, Irene Sabadini

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper we show that the systems introduced in [12] and [22] are equivalent, both giving the notion of quaternionic Hermitian monogenic functions. This makes it possible to prove that the free resolution associated to the system is linear in any dimension, and that the first cohomology module is nontrivial, thus generalizing the results in [22]. Furthermore, exploiting the decomposition of the spinor space into sp(m)-irreducibles, we find a certain number of "algebraic" compatibility conditions for the system, suggesting that the usual spinor reduction is not applicable.

Dynamical Features Of Interference Phenomena In The Presence Of Entanglement, Tirzah Kaufherr, Yakir Aharonov, Shmuel Nussinov, Sandu Popescu, Jeff Tollaksen

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

A strongly interacting, and entangling, heavy nonrecoiling external particle effects a significant change of the environment. Described locally, the corresponding entanglement event is a generalized electric Aharonov-Bohm effect, which differs from the original one in a crucial way. We propose a gedanken interference experiment. The predicted shift of the interference pattern is due to a self-induced or "private" potential difference experienced while the particle is in vacuum. We show that all nontrivial Born-Oppenheimer potentials are "private" potentials. We apply the Born-Oppenheimer approximation to interference states. Using our approach, we calculate the relative phase of the external heavy particle as well …

Superluminal Neutrinos At Opera Confront Pion Decay Kinematics, Ramanath Cowsick, Shmuel Nussinov, Utpal Sarkar

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Violation of Lorentz invariance (VLI) has been suggested as an explanation of the superluminal velocities of muon neutrinos reported by OPERA. In this Letter, we show that the amount of VLI required to explain this result poses severe difficulties with the kinematics of the pion decay, extending its lifetime and reducing the momentum carried away by the neutrinos. We show that the OPERA experiment limits alpha = (upsilon(v) - c)/c < 4 x 10(-6). We then take recourse to cosmic-ray data on the spectrum of muons and neutrinos generated in Earth's atmosphere to provide a stronger bound on VLI: (upsilon - c)/c < 10(-12).

A Class Of Gaussian Processes With Fractional Spectral Measures, Daniel Alpay, Palle Jorgensen, David Levanony

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We study a family of stationary increment Gaussian processes, indexed by time. These processes are determined by certain measures σ (generalized spectral measures), and our focus here is on the case when the measure σ is a singular measure. We characterize the processes arising from when σ is in one of the classes of affine self-similar measures. Our analysis makes use of Kondratiev-white noise spaces. With the use of a priori estimates and the Wick calculus, we extend and sharpen (see Theorem 7.1) earlier computations of Ito stochastic integration developed for the special case of stationary increment processes having absolutely …

The Positive Real Lemma And Construction Of All Realizations Of Generalized Positive Rational Functions, Daniel Alpay, Izchak Lewkowicz

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We here extend the well known Positive Real Lemma (also known as the Kalman-Yakubovich-Popov Lemma) to complex matrix-valued generalized positive rational function, when non-minimal realizations are considered. All state space realizations are partitioned into subsets, each is identified with a set of matrices satisfying the same Lyapunov inclusion. Thus, each subset forms a convex invertible cone, cic in short, and is in fact is replica of all realizations of positive functions of the same dimensions. We then exploit this result to provide an easy construction procedure of all (not necessarily minimal) state space realizations of generalized positive functions. As a …

An Empirical Study On User Acceptance Of Simulation Techniques For Business Process, Olurotimi Adeboye Ladeinde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Non acceptance of technology may result in serious damages to organizations. For example, non acceptance of simulation technology cost Merrill Lynch Bank over {dollar}50 billion in 2008, while statistics in 2 separate studies showed that non acceptance of technology was responsible for a 57% decrease in performance level for physicians practicing in public tertiary hospitals in Hong Kong, and a 39% decrease in productivity for hotel workers in Seoul, Korea. The problem addressed in this research was non acceptance of simulation technology by project managers. This research investigated the correlation among personal innovativeness, organizational innovativeness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of …

Entropy In Postmerger And Acquisition Integration From An Information Technology Perspective, Gloria S. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions have historically experienced failure rates from 50% to more than 80%. Successful integration of information technology (IT) systems can be the difference between postmerger success or failure. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the entropy phenomenon during postmerger IT integration. To that end, a purposive sample of 14 midlevel and first-line managers in a manufacturing environment was interviewed to understand how the negative effects of entropy affect the ultimate success of the IT integration process. Using the theoretical framework of the process school of thought, interview data were iteratively examined by using keywords, phrases, …

Asset Reuse Of Images From A Repository, Deirdre Herman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to Markus's theory of reuse, when digital repositories are deployed to collect and distribute organizational assets, they supposedly help ensure accountability, extend information exchange, and improve productivity. Such repositories require a large investment due to the continuing costs of hardware, software, user licenses, training, and technical support. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of evidence in the literature on whether users in fact reused enough digital assets in repositories to justify the investment. The objective of the study was to investigate the organizational value of repositories to better inform architectural, construction, software and other industries whether …

Lsuhsc Facilities Biweekly Update: January 2011, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates: 2011

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates from January 14 and 28, 2011.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

Lsuhsc Facilities Daily Updates: January 2011, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Daily Updates: 2011

LSUHSC Facilities Daily Updates from January 2011.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

Preparation And Crystal Structures Of Chiral And Non-Chiral Mixed Ligand Copper Complexes Containing N-Methyl Imidazole And Various N-Phthaloylalanines, Hiral Patel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

A quasiracemate is the cocrystallization of two similarly shaped but chemically distinct molecules of opposite handedness. There has been extensive work done in the field of organic quasiracemates by Dr. Kraig A. Wheeler. Limited work has been done in inorganic quasiracemates. The goal of this study was to prepare various metal based enantiomers, racemates, and quasiracemates using A-phthaloylalanines, and TV-methylimidazole as ligands bound to copper arranged in a centrosymmetric pattern. In this study, we developed a method to prepare A-phthaloylalanines and its copper complexes. Three complexes have yielded crystal structures: a racemate, bis(7V-methylimidazole) bis(D,L-3-chloro-7V-phthaloylalanato)copper(II); a quasiracemate, bis(A-methyhmidazole)(L-3-chloro-iV-phthaloylalanato)(D-3-methyl-7V-phthaloylalanato) copper(II); and an …

A Laplacian Energy For Document Binarization, Nicholas Howe

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

This paper describes a new algorithm for document binarization, building upon recent work in energy-based segmentation methods. It uses the Laplacian operator to assess the local likelihood of foreground and background labels, Canny edge detection to identify likely discontinuities, and a graph cut implementation to efficiently find the minimum energy solution of an objective function combining these concepts. The results of this algorithm place it near the top on both the DIBCO-09 and H-DIBCO assessments.

Style-Based Retrieval For Ancient Syriac Manuscripts, Emma Dalton, Nicholas Howe

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

Thousands of documents written in Syriac script by early Christian theologians are of unknown provenance and uncertain date, partly due to a shortage of human expertise. This paper addresses the problem of attribution by developing a novel algorithm for offline handwriting style identification and document retrieval, demonstrated on a set of documents in the Estrangelo variant of Syriac writing. The method employs a feature vector based upon the estimated affine transformation of actual observed characters, character parts, and voids within characters as compared to a hypothetical average or ideal form. Experiments on seventy-six pages from nineteen Syriac manuscripts written by …

Natural Realizations Of Sparsity Matroids, Ileana Streinu, Louis Theran

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

A hypergraph G with n vertices and m hyperedges with d endpoints each is (k; ℓ)- sparse if for all sub-hypergraphs G′ on n′ vertices and m′ edges, m′ < kn′ - ℓ. For integers k and ℓ satisfying 0 ≤ ℓ ≤ dk - 1, this is known to be a linearly representable matroidal family. Motivated by problems in rigidity theory, we give a new linear representation theorem for the (k; ℓ)-sparse hypergraphs that is natural; i.e., the representing matrix captures the vertex-edge incidence structure of the underlying hypergraph G. Copyright © 2011 DMFA Slovenije.

Numerical Calculation Of Lyapunov Exponents For Three-Dimensional Systems Of Ordinary Differential Equations, Clyde-Emmanuel Estorninho Meador

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

We consider two algorithms for the computation of Lyapunov exponents for systems of ordinary dierential equations: orbit separation and continuous Gram-Schmidt orthonormal-ization. We also consider two Runge-Kutta methods for the solution of ordinary dierential equations. These algorithms and methods are applied to four three-dimensional systems of ordinary dierential equations, and the results are discussed.

Hořava Gravity: Symmetries And Generalized Particle Dynamics, Dario Capasso

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the search for a theory of Quantum Gravity a new proposal was recently made by P. Hořava. The main feature of this new proposed theory is that it is power-counting renormalizable by construction, and could prove to be truly renormalizable, although more work is needed in this direction.

The renormalizability of the theory is a central issue. Indeed, General Relativity does not have this property, implying that to construct its quantum version we need to “complete” the theory in the UV. Hořava suggested a possible way to provide a UV completion of GR by giving up full spacetime reparametrization …

Finding Haystacks With Needles: Ranked Search For Data Using Geospatial And Temporal Characteristics, Veronika Margaret Megler, David Maier

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The past decade has seen an explosion in the number and types of environmental sensors deployed, many of which provide a continuous stream of observations. Each individual observation consists of one or more sensor measurements, a geographic location, and a time. With billions of historical observations stored in diverse databases and in thousands of datasets, scientists have difficulty finding relevant observations. We present an approach that creates consistent geospatial-temporal metadata from large repositories of diverse data by blending curated and automated extracts. We describe a novel query method over this metadata that returns ranked search results to a query with …

Superplastic Boronizing On Duplex Stainless Steel (Dss) Using Compression Method., Yong Siu Fung

Student Works (2010-2019)

The formation and growth of boride phases on duplex stainless steel (DSS) during superplastic boronizing (SPB) were studied in comparison with conventional boronizing (CB) from previous research. SPB is a surface hardening technique that combines boronizing with superplastic deformation. It utilizes the ultra high plasticity phenomenon in metal while carrying out boronizing in which boron atoms are diffused into the metal substrate to form hard boronized layer. The SPB process was conducted under compression mode at a strain rate of 2 × 10-4 s-1, at three different temperature conditions (1223 K, 1273 K, 1373 K) and strains (0.2 to 0.6). …

Biomimetic Synthesis Of Oligostilbenoids And Its Mechanistic Implications., Saraswati S. Velu

Student Works (2010-2019)

Oligostilbenoids are a class of polyphenolic compounds known for their interesting biological activities and structural diversities. They are found in abundance in Malaysian timber trees. Oligostilbenoids syntheses were undertaken in the hope of mimicking what nature does. This study was initiated by preparing 15 different stilbene monomer analogues possessing resorcinol i.e. 3,5-dihydroxy or methoxy substitution, and 3-hydroxy or methoxy pattern (resveratrol analogues) via the commonly used Heck cross coupling. To obtain analogues of natural dimers from stilbene monomers, two different oxidation techniques were employed: anodic oxidations and chemical oxidation mainly by means of various one electron oxidants. Firstly, constant …

The Role Of Leadership In Safety Performance And Results, Halina E. Caravello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee injury rates in U.S. land-based operations in the energy industry are 2 to 3 times higher relative to other regions in the world. Although a rich literature exists on drivers of safety performance, no previous studies investigated factors influencing this elevated rate. Leadership has been identified as a key contributor to safety outcomes and this grounded theory study drew upon the full range leadership model, situational leadership, and leader-member exchange theories for the conceptual framework. Leadership aspects influencing safety performance were investigated through guided interviews of 27 study participants; data analyses included open and axial coding, and constant comparisons …

Biometrics Technology: Understanding Dynamics Influencing Adoption For Control Of Identification Deception Within Nigeria, Gideon U. Nwatu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the objectives of any government is the establishment of an effective solution to significantly control crime. Identity fraud in Nigeria has generated global attention and negative publicity toward its citizens. The research problem addressed in this study was the lack of understanding of the dynamics that influenced the adoption and usability of biometrics technology for reliable identification and authentication to control identity deception. The support for this study was found in the theoretical framework of the technology acceptance model (TAM). The purpose of the study was to provide scholarly research about the factors that influenced the adoption of …

Using Organizational, Coordination, And Contingency Theories To Examine Project Manager Insights On Agile And Traditional Success Factors For Information Technology Projects, Michael J. Doherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Two dominant research views addressing disappointing success rates for information technology (IT) projects suggest project success may depend on the presence of a large number of critical success factors or advocate for agile project management as an alternative to traditional practice. However, after two decades of research, success rates remain low, and the role of critical success factors or project management approach remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to use views of experienced project managers to explore the contribution of success factors and management approach to project success. Applying organizational, coordination, and contingency theories, the research questions examined …

Middle School Mathematics Students' Perspectives On The Study Of Mathematics, Christy H. Vaughn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study addressed the perceptions toward the study of mathematics by middle school students who had formerly been in a remedial mathematics program. The purpose of the study was to explore the past experiences of nine students in order to determine what is needed for them to feel successful in mathematics. The conceptual framework of the study was grounded in philosophies of motivation, including achievement goal theory, self-worth theory, self-efficacy theory, expectancy-value theory, and attribution theory. The study used a phenomenological research design to answer the key research question, which focused upon the experiences of students and the meaning …

An Examination Of Small Businesses' Propensity To Adopt Cloud-Computing Innovation, Steven E. Powelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem researched was small business leaders' early and limited adoption of cloud computing. Business leaders that do not use cloud computing may forfeit the benefits of its lower capital costs and ubiquitous accessibility. Anchored in a diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey study was to examine if there is a relationship between small business leaders' view of cloud-computing attributes of compatibility, complexity, observability, relative advantage, results demonstrable, trialability, and voluntariness and intent to use cloud computing. The central research question involved understanding the extent to which each cloud-computing attribute relate to small business leaders' …

Investigating Student Gender And Grade Level Differences In Digital Citizenship Behavior, Robert Lyons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid rise of technology, which has become embedded in all facets of 21st century society during the past decade, has fostered a corresponding rise in its misuse. Digital citizenship abuse, a relatively new phenomenon of this electronic age, is a rapidly growing global problem. Parents, schools, and society play roles in supporting appropriate online behavior. Schools must take the lead role to assess and address digital citizenship issues. This ex post facto study investigated the online actions of students in a medium-sized K-12 school district and explored possible causal relationships between online misbehavior and student grade and gender based …

Acceptance And Usage Of Electronic Health Record Systems In Small Medical Practices, Ritu Tannan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the objectives of the U.S. government has been the development of a nationwide health information infrastructure, including adoption and use of an electronic health records (EHR) system. However, a 2008 survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics indicated a 41.5% usage of the EHR system by physicians in office-based practices. The purpose of this study was to explore opinions and beliefs on the barriers to the diffusion of an ERH system using Q-methodology. Specifically, the research questions examined the subjectivity in the patterns of perspectives at the preadoption stage of the nonusers and at the postadoption …

The Potential Role Of Business Intelligence In Church Organizations, Charmaine Felder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business intelligence (BI) involves transforming data into actionable information to make better business decisions that may help improve operations. Although businesses have experienced success with BI, how leaders of church organizations might be able to exploit the advantages of BI in church organizations remains largely unexplored. The purpose of the phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of pastoral leaders concerning the potential usefulness of BI in church organizations. Conceptual support for the study was based on the premise that churches may also benefit from BI that helps improve decision making and organizational performance. Three research questions were used to …