Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Advancements In Time Resolved Spectroscopy And Nonlinear Microscopy, Bryan Semon

Theses and Dissertations

Non-linear optical processes such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and sum frequency generation offer a view into the chemical and biological interactions of molecules that is distinctly different from linear techniques like near infra-red and fluorescence. This insight comes at a cost: non-linear techniques are more sensitive to external perturbations of the system, increasing the noise and decreasing the repeatability of the data. We work here on both aspects of these non-linear techniques, taking advantage of their power to offer new imaging techniques as well as working to quantify and reduce the non-resonant noise inherent to the system. In pursuit …

Study Of Augmentations On Historical Manuscripts Using Trocr, Erez Meoded

Theses and Dissertations

Historical manuscripts are an essential source of original content. For many reasons, it is hard to recognize these manuscripts as text. This thesis used a state-of-the-art Handwritten Text Recognizer, TrOCR, to recognize a 16^th-century manuscript. TrOCR uses a vision transformer to encode the input images and a language transformer to decode them back to text. We showed that carefully preprocessed images and designed augmentations can improve the performance of TrOCR. We suggest an ensemble of augmented models to achieve an even better performance.

High Temperature Materials From Bis-Ortho-Diynylarene (Boda)-Derived Resins And Perfluorocyclobutyl (Pfcb) Aryl Ether Polymers, Ernesto Isaac Borrego

Theses and Dissertations

This work expands the current understanding of materials chemistry and engineering capabilities of two synthetic platforms: 1.) bis-ortho-diynylarenes (BODA) and 2.) trifluorovinylaryl ethers (TFVE). Each platform possesses a unique chemistry which paradoxically enables the development of high-performance materials therefrom while simultaneously retaining exceptional melt and solution processability. Leveraging the apparent dichotomy in properties (performance/processability) obtainable from these two synthetics platforms, we have pursued and achieved a practical approach to high-temperature resistant materials with an immense potential for technology transfer and commercialization:

1.) BODA-derived resins (BDR) constitute a versatile platform of melt-processable resins capable of rapidly producing high performance …

Designing An Artificial Immune Inspired Intrusion Detection System, William Hosier Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The domain of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) has witnessed growing interest in recent years due to the escalating threats posed by cyberattacks. As Internet of Things (IoT) becomes increasingly integrated into our every day lives, we widen our attack surface and expose more of our personal lives to risk. In the same way the Human Immune System (HIS) safeguards our physical self, a similar solution is needed to safeguard our digital self. This thesis presents the Artificial Immune inspired Intrusion Detection System (AIS-IDS), an IDS modeled after the HIS. This thesis proposes an architecture for AIS-IDS, instantiates an AIS-IDS model …

Green Wood Composites With Natural Preservatives, Thomas Frank Norman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to test the mechanical, dimensional stability, and weathering durability of OSB (oriented strand board) panels that have been treated with varying natural wood preservatives that were chosen from an array of natural antimicrobial compounds. Wood is increasing in popularity for new construction projects but has been limited by its vulnerability to biological degradation. The addition of natural antimicrobial compounds will increase the use life of wood-based strand board allowing its use to expand with the growing construction demand but has little data on how natural antimicrobial compounds impact different properties of the OSB. The …

Phenotyping Cotton Compactness Using Machine Learning And Uas Multispectral Imagery, Joshua Carl Waldbieser

Theses and Dissertations

Breeding compact cotton plants is desirable for many reasons, but current research for this is restricted by manual data collection. Using unmanned aircraft system imagery shows potential for high-throughput automation of this process. Using multispectral orthomosaics and ground truth measurements, I developed supervised models with a wide range of hyperparameters to predict three compactness traits. Extreme gradient boosting using a feature matrix as input was able to predict the height-related metric with R2=0.829 and RMSE=0.331. The breadth metrics require higher-detailed data and more complex models to predict accurately.

Of Changing Climate And Habitat: Range-Wide Individual Growth And Local Patterns Of Phenology And Landscape Use In A Threatened Pit-Viper, James Helferich

Theses and Dissertations

Over the 21st century, climate change and wetland habitat loss will pose major threats to the Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus), a federally threatened and Great Lakes region endemic rattlesnake. I collected capture-recapture data from sites across the range and modeled the effect of climatic variables on growth rate and asymptotic size. I found that high snow residence time was associated with larger asymptotic sizes but slower growth, while high spring precipitation increased growth rate. I then projected future growth and size under different carbon emission scenarios. Given the threat posed by successional encroachment of woody vegetation, I used spatially explicit …

Occupational And Environmental Factors Influencing Morale Of United States Federal Wildland Firefighters, Rachel M. Granberg, Ting Shen, Seth W. Pearson, Robin M. Verble

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background. Wildland firefighters have physically and psychologically demanding jobs that can result in social, economic and health-related stress. Previous studies have examined the physiological and physical effects of a career in wildland fire, but fewer studies have addressed psychological effects, and to date, none have directly analyzed the hiring and work experiences of wildland firefighters. Aims. We surveyed work experiences, health and well-being, and morale of wildland firefighters, explored factors that can improve recruitment and retention, and summarized broad patterns. Methods. We conducted a voluntary anonymous survey of 708 federal wildland firefighters via an online platform over 2 months in …

Advancing Air Filtration Analysis: A Comprehensive Approach To Particle Loading Models, Gentry Nathaniel Berry

Theses and Dissertations

Fibrous air filters are commonly used to capture airborne particles due to their potential for a relatively high capture efficiency and low airflow resistance. Their performance characteristics make them ideal candidates in many instances, spanning a wide range from residential to sensitive industrial applications. However, as more particles are captured, the performance of the filter will evolve. This evolution of performance typically manifests as a higher capture efficiency and higher airflow resistance resulting from the additional particulate deposits. The prediction of fibrous filter performance has been the focus of research for many decades, resulting in numerous analytical, numerical, and empirical …

Scalable And Explainable Self-Supervised Motif Discovery In Temporal Data, Somayeh Bakhtiari Ramezani

Theses and Dissertations

The availability of a scalable and explainable rule extraction technique via motif discovery is crucial for identifying the health states of a system. Such a technique can enable the creation of a repository of normal and abnormal states of the system and identify the system’s state as we receive data. In complex systems such as ECG, each activity session can consist of a long sequence of motifs that form different global structures. As a result, applying machine learning algorithms without first identifying the local patterns is not feasible and would result in low performance. Thus, extracting unique local motifs and …

A Conceptual Decentralized Identity Solution For State Government, Martin Duclos

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, state governments, exemplified by Mississippi, have significantly expanded their online service offerings to reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, this shift has led to challenges in managing digital identities effectively, with multiple fragmented solutions in use. This paper proposes a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework based on distributed ledger technology. SSI grants individuals control over their digital identities, enhancing privacy and security without relying on a centralized authority. The contributions of this research include increased efficiency, improved privacy and security, enhanced user satisfaction, and reduced costs in state government digital identity management. The paper provides background on digital …

Morphological And Structural Characterization Of Shortening Landforms On Mars, Leta Mccullough

Theses and Dissertations

The lithosphere of Mars accommodates shortening through folding and faulting, producing landforms qualitatively categorized as wrinkle ridges or lobate scarps. However, we lack a deep understanding of the morphological differences between these landforms. This study aimed to develop a quantitative model for shortening landform classification based on surface morphology and subsurface architecture. We developed this model by mapping 100 landforms in a GIS, recording parameters for each landform. We conducted a Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) using these morphometrics. This DFA produced a predictive linear function for categorizing wrinkle ridges and lobate scarps. We then modeled the subsurface structural geology of …

An Investigation Into Applications Of Canonical Polyadic Decomposition & Ensemble Learning In Forecasting Thermal Data Streams In Direct Laser Deposition Processes, Jonathan Storey

Theses and Dissertations

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process of creating objects from 3D model data by adding layers of material. AM technologies present several advantages compared to traditional manufacturing technologies, such as producing less material waste and being capable of producing parts with greater geometric complexity. However, deficiencies in the printing process due to high process uncertainty can affect the microstructural properties of a fabricated part leading to defects. In metal AM, previous studies have linked defects in parts with melt pool temperature fluctuations, with the size of the melt pool and the scan pattern being key factors associated with part defects. …

Draft Final 2023 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Type B Borrow Material Submittal #1, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final 2023 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Type B Borrow Material Submittal #1, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Data In 'Development At The University Of North Dakota Of A Digital Thermosonde Instrument For The Study Of Atmospheric Optical Turbulence (C_N^2)', Blake T. Sorenson, David J. Delene

Datasets

A thermosonde, an instrument that measures very high resolution temperature difference between two fine-wire platinum thermocouples, was attached to a weather balloon and lifted through the atmosphere, collecting observations of optical turbulence, in the spring of 2018 and 2019. The thermosonde collected raw temperature difference measurements, while an onboard Graw DFM-09 radiosonde observed standard meteorological parameters (temperature, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, and altitude). The Graw meteorological observations are housed in the .txt files, while the raw radiosonde data (containing the raw, encoded thermosonde measurements) are housed in the .gsf files. The decoded voltage and temperature difference …

2023 December 7 - Tennessee Weekly Drought Summary, Tennessee Climate Office, East Tennessee State University

Tennessee Climate Office Weekly Drought Summaries

No abstract provided.

Deep Learning Approaches For Chaotic Dynamics And High-Resolution Weather Simulations In The Us Midwest, Vlada Volyanskaya, Kabir Batra, Shubham Shrivastava

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Weather prediction is indispensable across various sectors, from agriculture to disaster forecasting, deeply influencing daily life and work. Recent advancement of AI foundation models for weather and climate predictions makes it possible to perform a large number of predictions in reasonable time to support timesensitive policy- and decision-making. However, the uncertainty quantification, validation, and attribution of these models have not been well explored, and the lack of knowledge can eventually hinder the improvement of their prediction accuracy and precision. Our project is embarking on a two-fold approach leveraging deep learning techniques (LSTM and Transformer) architectures. Firstly, we model the Lorenz …

View Dependent Simplification And Tessellation For Real-Time High Quality Rendering Of 3d Meshes, Dallin M. Hagman

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing complexity of 3D meshes and growing disparity in performance between high and low-end hardware necessitates more efficient rendering techniques that do not sacrifice visual quality. To support as many hardware configurations as possible, producers of 3D content provide several resolutions of each mesh. Low-end hardware is typically restricted to low-resolution meshes to maintain performance similar to their high-end counterparts, sacrificing visual appeal. However, the presence of hardware tessellation in nearly all modern GPUs presents the opportunity to render high-resolution versions of simplified meshes on low-end hardware with little computational cost. Some research has been conducted into this opportunity, …

Jwst: Deuterated Pahs, Pah-Nitriles, And Pah 4 Overtone And Combination Bands I: Program Description And First Look, C. Boersma, L. J. Allamandola, Vincent J. Esposito, A. Maragkoudakis, J. D. Bregman, P. Temi, T. J. Lee, R. C. Fortenberry, E. Peeters

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

A first look is taken at the NIRSpec 1–5 μm observations from James Webb Space Telescope program 1591 that targets seven objects along the low-mass stellar life cycle with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission. Spectra extracted from a 1'.'5 radius circular aperture are explored, showing a wealth of features, including the 3 μm PAH complex, the PAH continuum, and atomic and molecular emission lines from H i, He, H₂, and other species. CO₂- and H₂O-ice absorption and CO emission is also seen. Focusing on the bright-PDR position in M17, the PAH CH stretch falls …

Investigating The Magnetic And Electronic Properties Of Cobalt(Ii) Heteroscorpionate Isomers, Jamie Dawn Freeman

Theses and Dissertations

Cobalt(II) scorpionates possess distinct electronic and magnetic properties in comparison to other first-row transition metal complexes in this ligand class. One unique property is their significantly downfield paramagnetically shifted 11B NMR signals. The utilization of a heteroscorpionate ligand Tp’ introduces asymmetry to metal scorpionates, producing cis and trans isomers. cis- and trans-Co(Tp’)2 were synthesized and separated by column chromatography. 11B NMR data show cobalt(II) homoscorpionates resonances in a narrow 20 ppm shift range around 270 ppm while cis- and trans-Co(Tp’)2 differ with signals at 230 ppm and 140 ppm, respectively. Paramagnetic NMR studies indicate both isomers maintain the same spin …

Interfacial Properties Of Hybrid Lipid-Polymer Bilayers: Applications In Drug Delivery And Biosensors, Keith L. Willes

Theses and Dissertations

Amphiphilic block copolymers are unique macro-molecules capable of self-assembling into bilayers analogous to naturally occurring lipid membranes. When combined with lipids, these copolymers form hybrid membranes with unique and sometimes unpredictable properties, including increased chemical and mechanical stability. These synthetically enhanced biological structures represent a versatile platform suitable for a wide range of applications, from advanced biosensing devices to drug delivery systems. The realization of these advancements necessitates a deep understanding of material properties, including the ability to predict and control interfacial behaviors. It has been shown that in the case of pure lipid membranes, interfacial behaviors are dominated by …

Biophysical Factors Affecting Habitat Suitability For Crassostrea Virginica, Jason D. Tilley

Dissertations

Oyster reefs provide a variety of important ecosystem services. However, the mortality rate of eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, the dominant species that produces oyster reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico, is increasing at an alarming rate due to a variety of abiotic and biological factors. I examined how biophysical factors, including the less-studied fatty acid profiles of the suspended particulate matter on which oysters feed, influenced morphometric condition of C. virginica.

I sampled suspended particulate matter (SPM) and oysters in-situ in the western Mississippi Sound, which historically supported the majority of oyster production in Mississippi waters. Sampling …

Optimal Stopping And Related Topics, Jackson Scott Hebner

Honors Scholar Theses

Suppose we are observing a randomly evolving system and have the ability to freeze it at any time. If we want to maximize some function of the state of the system, how can we determine the best time to freeze the system based on observations only up until the present moment? That is, without seeing the future, how can we form a rule for stopping the system such that we optimize the expected value of the function of interest to us? This is an informal statement of the concept of optimal stopping, a topic with deep theory and numerous applications. …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit - Final Solid Media Management Program Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effects Of A Southward Flow In The Southeastern Florida Shelf Using Robotic Instruments, Alfredo Quezada

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

We deployed a Slocum G3 glider fitted with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP), a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth sensor (CTD), optics sensor channels, and a propeller on the Southeastern Florida shelf. The ADCP and CTD provide continuous measurements of Northern and Eastern current velocity components, salinity, temperature, and density, throughout the water column in a high-current environment. The optics sensor channels are able to provide measurements of chlorophyll concentrations, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and backscatter particle counts. Additionally, for one of the glider deployments, we deployed a Wirewalker wave-powered profiling platform system also fitted with an ADCP and a CTD in …

Climate Change Impact On Bridge Scour Risk In Ny State: A Gis-Based Risk Analysis Model, Muhammad Hassan Butt

Publications and Research

Bridge scour, the primary cause of bridge failure in the United States, escalates post-severe storms, necessitating effective mitigation. This study employs a GIS-based risk analysis model to assess climate change's impact on bridge scour and associated risks in New York State. Data from the National Bridge Inventory, climate hazard maps, and geospatial data are integrated.

Mitochondrial Dna Variants At Low-Level Heteroplasmy And Decreased Copy Numbers In Chronic Kidney Disease (Ckd) Tissues With Kidney Cancer, Yuki Kanazashi, Kazuhiro Maejima, Todd A Johnson, Shota Sasagawa, Ryosuke Jikuya, Hisashi Hasumi, Naomichi Matsumoto, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Wataru Obara, Hidewaki Nakagawa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The human mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is a circular DNA molecule with a length of 16.6 kb, which contains a total of 37 genes. Somatic mtDNA mutations accumulate with age and environmental exposure, and some types of mtDNA variants may play a role in carcinogenesis. Recent studies observed mtDNA variants not only in kidney tumors but also in adjacent kidney tissues, and mtDNA dysfunction results in kidney injury, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). To investigate whether a relationship exists between heteroplasmic mtDNA variants and kidney function, we performed ultra-deep sequencing (30,000×) based on long-range PCR of DNA from 77 non-tumor kidney …

Seeing In The Dark: Towards Robust Pedestrian Detection At Nighttime, Afnan Althoupety

Dissertations and Theses

"At some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian" a message from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about pedestrian safety. In 2020, NHTSA reported that 6,516 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes and a pedestrian was killed every 81 minutes on average in the United States. In relation to light condition, 77% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in the dark, 20% in daylight, 2% in dusk, and 2% in dawn.

To tackle the issue from a technological perspective, this dissertation addresses the problem of pedestrian detection robustness in dark conditions, benefiting from image processing and learning-based approaches by: …

Unmasking Shadows: Unraveling Crime Patterns In Nyc's Boroughs, Jack Hachicho, Muhammad Hassan Butt

Publications and Research

New York City's crime dynamics have been on the rise for decades. Brooklyn and The Bronx have been disproportionately affected. This research aims to understand the crime landscape in these boroughs to formulate effective policies. Using crime data from official sources, statistical analyses, and data visualizations, the study identifies patterns and trends. The data encompasses over 400,000 reported incidents collected over the past 10 years, meticulously categorized by borough, crime type, and demographic information. Brooklyn has the highest overall crime rate, followed by The Bronx. Most shooting victims are Black. This highlights the need for holistic community programs to address …