Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Invoice Processing With Rpa, Maheen Sohail

MSCS Research Projects

This project aims to develop an automated invoice processing system leveraging Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technologies to streamline invoice management, reduce manual effort, and minimize errors. The system captures invoice images via a mobile application and validates the vendor against a predefined vendor list. Recognized vendor’s invoices are uploaded to SharePoint and sent for further processing with OCR to extract data, while others are routed for approval before being processed further. This dual-path workflow ensures both speed and accuracy in handling invoices.

Developed with Microsoft Power Apps and automated using Microsoft Power Automate, the system …

Erratum: Toward Standardization, Harmonization, And Integration Of Social Determinants Of Health Data: A Texas Clinical And Translational Science Award Institutions Collaboration - Corrigendum, Catherine K Craven, Linda Highfield, Mujeeb Basit, Elmer V Bernstam, Byeong Yeob Choi, Robert L Ferrer, Jonathan A Gelfond, Sandi L Pruitt, Vaishnavi Kannan, Paula K Shireman, Heidi Spratt, Kayla J Torres Morales, Chen-Pin Wang, Zhan Wang, Meredith N Zozus, Edward C Sankary, Susanne Schmidt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This corrects the article "Toward standardization, harmonization, and integration of social determinants of health data: A Texas Clinical and Translational Science Award institutions collaboration" in volume 8, e17.

Linking Artificial Sweetener Intake With Kidney Function: Insights From Nhanes 2003-2006 And Findings From Mendelian Randomization Research, Zhuoling Ran, Yuxuan Zheng, Lin Yu, Yuxian Zhang, Zhenjiang Zhang, Huijie Li, Xuhan Li, Jing Song, Li Zhang, Ran Zhang, Chang Lu, Yang Gong, Jian Gong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The current investigation examines the association between artificial sweetener (AS) consumption and the likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), along with its impact on kidney function.

METHODS: We utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003-2006 to conduct covariance analysis and weighted adjusted logistic regression, aiming to assess the association between artificial sweetener intake and CKD risk, as well as kidney function indicators. Subsequently, we employed Mendelian randomization methods to validate the causal relationship between the intake of artificial sweeteners, CKD risk, and kidney function indicators. Instrumental variable analysis using inverse-variance weighting and Robust …

Siglec15, Negatively Correlated With Pd-L1 In Hcc, Could Induce Cd8+ T Cell Apoptosis To Promote Immune Evasion, Zheng Chen, Mincheng Yu, Bo Zhang, Lei Jin, Qiang Yu, Shuang Liu, Binghai Zhou, Jiuliang Yan, Wentao Zhang, Xiaoqiang Li, Yongfeng Xu, Yongsheng Xiao, Jian Zhou, Jia Fan, Mien-Chie Hung, Qinghai Ye, Hui Li, Lei Guo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Functional roles of SIGLEC15 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were not clear, which was recently found to be an immune inhibitor with similar structure of inhibitory B7 family members. SIGLEC15 expression in HCC was explored in public databases and further examined by PCR analysis. SIGLEC15 and PD-L1 expression patterns were examined in HCC samples through immunohistochemistry. SIGLEC15 expression was knocked-down or over-expressed in HCC cell lines, and CCK8 tests were used to examine cell proliferative ability in vitro. Influences of SIGLEC15 expression on tumor growth were examined in immune deficient and immunocompetent mice respectively. Co-culture system of HCC cell lines and …

Modernizing And Harmonizing Regulatory Data Requirements For Genetically Modified Crops-Perspectives From A Workshop, Nicholas P Storer, Abigail R Simmons, Jordan Sottosanto, Jennifer A Anderson, Ming Hua Huang, Debbie Mahadeo, Carey A Mathesius, Mitscheli Sanches Da Rocha, Shuang Song, Ewa Urbanczyk-Wochniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genetically modified (GM) crops that have been engineered to express transgenes have been in commercial use since 1995 and are annually grown on 200 million hectares globally. These crops have provided documented benefits to food security, rural economies, and the environment, with no substantiated case of food, feed, or environmental harm attributable to cultivation or consumption. Despite this extensive history of advantages and safety, the level of regulatory scrutiny has continually increased, placing undue burdens on regulators, developers, and society, while reinforcing consumer distrust of the technology. CropLife International held a workshop at the 16th International Society of Biosafety Research …

Vagus Nerve Stimulation For The Therapy Of Dravet Syndrome: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Shuang Chen, Man Li, Ming Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: Dravet syndrome (DS) is a refractory developmental and epileptic encephalopathy characterized by seizures, developmental delay and cognitive impairment with a variety of comorbidities, including autism-like behavior, speech dysfunction, and ataxia. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is one of the common therapies for DS. Here, we aim to perform a meta-analysis and systematic review of the efficacy of VNS in DS patients.

METHODS: We systematically searched four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and CNKI) to identify potentially eligible studies from their inception to January 2024. These studies provided the effective rate of VNS in treating patients with DS. The proportions of DS …

Sequencing Conversational Turns In Peer Interactions: An Integrated Approach For Evidence-Based Conversational Agent For Just-In-Time Nicotine Cravings Intervention, Tavleen Singh, Michael Truong, Kirk Roberts, Sahiti Myneni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Risky health behaviors place an enormous toll on public health systems. While relapse prevention support is integrated with most behavior modification programs, the results are suboptimal. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) applications provide us with unique opportunities to develop just-in-time adaptive behavior change solutions.

METHODS: In this study, we present an innovative framework, grounded in behavioral theory, and enhanced with social media sequencing and communications scenario builder to architect a conversational agent (CA) specialized in the prevention of relapses in the context of tobacco cessation. We modeled peer interaction data (n = 1000) using the taxonomy of behavior …

Linking Cancer Clinical Trials To Their Result Publications, Evan Pan, Kirk Roberts

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The results of clinical trials are a valuable source of evidence for researchers, policy makers, and healthcare professionals. However, online trial registries do not always contain links to the publications that report on their results, instead requiring a time-consuming manual search. Here, we explored the application of pre-trained transformer-based language models to automatically identify result-reporting publications of cancer clinical trials by computing dense vectors and performing semantic search. Models were fine-tuned on text data from trial registry fields and article metadata using a contrastive learning approach. The best performing model was PubMedBERT, which achieved a mean average precision of 0.592 …

Community Scientist Program Provides Bi-Directional Communication And Co-Learning Between Researchers And Community Members, Jessica Alvarado, Larkin L Strong, Birnur Buzcu-Guven, Leonetta B Thompson, Erica Cantu, Chelsea C Carrier, Chiamaka D Chukwu, Cassandra L Harris, Luz K Melendez, Crystal L Roberson, Angela M Ross, Sophia C Russell, Pablo Sanchez, Amirali Tahanan, Blair C Zdenek, Belinda M Reininger, Lorna H Mcneill

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Community involvement in research is key to translating science into practice, and new approaches to engaging community members in research design and implementation are needed. The Community Scientist Program, established at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 2018 and expanded to two other Texas institutions in 2021, provides researchers with rapid feedback from community members on study feasibility and design, cultural appropriateness, participant recruitment, and research implementation. This paper aims to describe the Community Scientist Program and assess Community Scientists' and researchers' satisfaction with the program. We present the analysis of the data collected from 116 Community Scientists …

Effect Of S-Ketamine On Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting In Patients Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Yu Qi, Meiyan Zhou, Wenting Zheng, Yaqi Dong, Weihua Li, Long Wang, Haijun Xu, Miao Zhang, Dunpeng Yang, Liwei Wang, Hai Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) frequently occur in patients after surgery. In this study, the authors investigated whether perioperative S-ketamine infusion could decrease the incidence of PONV in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study was conducted a total of 420 patients from September 2021 to May 2023 at Xuzhou Central Hospital in China, who underwent elective VATS lobectomy under general anesthesia with tracheal intubation. The patients were randomly assigned to either the S-ketamine group or the control group. The S-ketamine group received a bolus injection of 0.5 mg/kg S-ketamine …

Descriptor:Benchmarking Secure Neural Network Evaluation Methods For Protein Sequence Classification (Idash24), Arif Harmanci, Luyao Chen, Miran Kim, Xiaoqian Jiang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To uniformly test and benchmark the secure evaluation of transformer-based models, we designed the iDASH24 homomorphic encryption track dataset. The dataset comprises a protein family classification model with a transformer architecture and an example dataset that is used to build and test the secure evaluation strategies. This dataset was used in the challenge period of iDASH24 Genomic Privacy Competition, where the teams designed secure evaluation of the classification model using a homomorphic encryption scheme. Combined with the benchmarking results and companion methods, iDASH24 dataset is a unique resource that can be used to benchmark secure evaluation of neural network models.

A Transformer-Based Deep Learning Approach For Fairly Predicting Post-Liver Transplant Risk Factors, Can Li, Xiaoqian Jiang, Kai Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Liver transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage liver disease. There are two main challenges in liver transplant: finding the best matching patient for a donor and ensuring transplant equity among different subpopulations. The current MELD scoring system evaluates a patient's mortality risk if not receiving an organ within 90 days. However, the donor-patient matching should also consider post-transplant risk factors, such as cardiovascular disease, chronic rejection, etc., which are all common complications after transplant. Accurate prediction of these risk scores remains a significant challenge. In this study, we used predictive models to solve the above challenges. Specifically, …

Bridging The Gap: Understanding Socio-Economic Determinants Of Climate-Smart Agricultural (Csa) Technologies Adoption Among Rice Farmers In Chachoengsao, Thailand, Stephen Maynard Manaoat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Agriculture both contributes to and suffers from climate change, while climate-smart agriculture (CSA) aims to create environmentally friendly and resilient agri-food systems through enhanced productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. This research, focusing on Chachoengsao province, analyzes the socio-economic factors influencing rice farmers' adoption of CSA technologies, evaluates the effectiveness of current technological solutions in mitigating climate change impacts on agriculture, and identifies strategies for promoting the adoption of CSA technology. By combining the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory, this quantitative research collected surveys from 346 rice farmers across 11 districts in Chachoengsao province. Findings revealed …

Barriers To Smart Irrigation Technologies Adoption In The Thailand Agricultural Sector, Mahroo Aghaabbasi

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study identifies the barriers hindering the adoption of smart irrigation technologies in the Thai agricultural sector. Utilizing three categories: innovation characteristics derived from the Diffusion of Innovation theory, innovation determinants, and the consequences of agricultural digitalization derived from the literature reviews, this research conducts a mixed method, including qualitative and quantitative approaches through surveys of 210 farmers and interviews with 2 non-adopter farmers, 2 adopter farmers, 3 institutional experts, 2 technology providers, and 2 NGO and farmer organization specialists. The quantitative analysis reveals that financial, informational, institutional, and technological barriers, including high installation and maintenance costs, lack of knowledge, …

Assessing The Socioeconomic Impacts Of Solar Irrigation In Myanmar: A Case Study Of Smallholder Farmers, May Thi Thi Moe

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study addresses the critical challenge of enhancing agricultural sustainability in Myanmar’s Central Dry Zone (CDZ), a region characterized by water scarcity and a high reliance on costly diesel irrigation. To address the knowledge gap on the localized impacts of solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS), this research assesses their socioeconomic benefits and adoption barriers among smallholder farmers in Pyawbwe Township. Guided by a revitalized 21st-Century Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, the study employed a qualitative design, conducting in-depth interviews with 27 farmers and four experts. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, complemented by economic calculations (ROI, PBP, NPV) to provide robust evidence of …

Optimization Of Process Parameters For Carbon Dioxide Capture With K2co3/Al2o3 Solid Sorbent In Internally Circulating Fluidized Bed Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Kaung Sat Han -

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry totaled 37.15 billion metric tons in 2022. Therefore, it is a priority to consider a method or a solution for reducing CO2 emission while the global energy sector is still dependent on hydrocarbon fuels. Among carbon capturing concepts, there are a lot of recent studies on the application of reversible gas-solid adsorption of CO2 on K2CO3/Al2O3 with reliable efficiency and reusability. The adsorption and desorption capacities of the sorbent are influenced by the operation parameters such as temperature, pressure, water vapor and flow patterns. Computational fluid dynamics software (CFD), which is …

Effects Of An Electrokinetic Barrier To Inhibit Heavy Metal Absorption In Rhizophora Mucronata Seedlings, Ivan Deleon De La Grange

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Developing an electrokinetic (EK) barrier to hinder mangrove seedlings from heavy metal (HM) absorption is a novel technology for conducting mangrove reforestation within contaminated environments. The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate mangrove seedlings in a saltwater environment under the presence of a micro-electric field with HM exposure, and (2) Discover the effects of HM exposure on the morphological changes of the seedlings in accordance with time. The experiment consisted of Rhizophora mucronata plants grown in a brackish hydroponic solution (HS) and analyzed for HM absorption and morphological changes over a period of four days as young seedlings …

Effects Of Water Chemistry On Interaction Between Organic Contaminants And Microplastics And Their Passage In Microfiltration Membrane, Chutiporn Inchana

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The agricultural activity is a critical source of organic contaminants and microplastics (MPs). Typically, the agricultural soil is contaminated by an abundance of MPs, leaching chemicals during weathering process, and pesticides, which subsequently end up in surface water through agricultural runoff. Polymers that are most frequently used in crop production and detected in surface water are PE and PET MPs. Bisphenol (A) and atrazine are frequently detected in surface water. Nevertheless, the fate and distribution of organic pollutants in water treatment as a consequent on MP-aided transport is constrained by little knowledge on photoaged PE and PET MPs. In this …

Effects Of Fertilizers Usage In Conventional And Organic Cocoa Plantation In Thailand, Rusali Agrawal

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This paper explores the effects of conventional and organic farming practices on crops with similar cultivation methods, focusing on cocoa plantations in Thailand. Through a comprehensive review of literature and life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, this research investigates the carbon emissions from different agricultural systems and provides insights into sustainable farming practices. The study aims to elucidate the environmental consequences of conventional farming methods, including the heavy reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and benefits of transitioning to an organic heavy farming method.The analysis begins with an overview of conventional farming methods, highlighting their historical evolution and widespread adoption in …

Development Of A Forest Fire Detection Device Based On Agent-Based Simulation, Teerapat Tappanom

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study had three main objectives: to identify the factors influencing forest fire spread, to design and develop a forest fire spread model, and to design and develop a forest fire detection device. The researcher utilized scatter plots, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis based on climatic data collected from the Chiang Mai Meteorological Station between 1998 and 2021 to investigate the parameters affecting fire spread. A forest fire spread model was developed using an Agent-Based Model (ABM) in AnyLogic 8.8.3 Personal Learning Edition to estimate the burned area under different scenarios with wind directions set to the north …

Assessing Low Carbon Practices Of Thai Sugarcane Cultivation, Sahajanee Thaisonthi

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research provides a comprehensive analysis of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Thailand’s sugarcane farming sector through policy scenario planning. Using scenario analysis, the study evaluates potential developments and informs adaptive policy frameworks to enhance the sector's sustainability and resilience. It assesses GHG emissions across Thailand's agricultural sector using data from government reports, academic studies, and industry sources. A structured life cycle framework was applied, focusing on soil preparation, plantation, maintenance, and harvesting stages. Key findings identified the “Clear Sky” scenario as the most promising for emission reduction, proposing policies such as full financial support for low-carbon …

Environmental Impact Of Aluminium Industry Waste Management In Thailand Using Life Cycle Assessment (Lca), Pimchanok Kumnoonsate

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The aluminium industry plays a crucial role in Thailand's economy with numerous studies exploring its various facets. While the environmental impacts of aluminum production have been extensively researched, this study focuses on the industry's waste management practices, utilizing data from 2017 to 2020 that provided the most comprehensive dataset available for analyzing waste generation and disposal methods. Employing material flow analysis (MFA) through STAN, the study examined waste disposal options in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Industry of Thailand. Results indicated that 48.14% of waste from the aluminium industry was recycled (method 04), followed by sorting 41.71% and …

Stakeholder Information Interdependence Mapping For Area-Business Continuity Management: A Case Study Of Flood In Industrial Areas In Thailand, Penpitcha Arayachookiat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The great flood of 2011 in Thailand significantly disrupted supply chains and caused substantial economic damage. The concept of Area-Business Continuity Management (Area-BCM) was developed. This concept aims to enable vulnerable areas to maintain operations during crises. This research focuses on understanding the information interdependence among stakeholders involved in Area-BCM. Its objective is to develop an information interdependence map for Area-BCM, using a case study of flood events in three industrial areas in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The study employed a qualitative research approach, collecting and analyzing data through in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The data analyzed was then …

Leveraging Finite-Precision Errors In Chaotic Systems For Enhanced Image Encryption, B. M. El-Den, Saad Aldosary, Haitham Khaled, Tarek M. Hassan, Walid Raslan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This research explores the application of chaotic systems in generating pseudo-random numbers for encryption protocols, offering a novel perspective on addressing the challenges posed by limited computer precision in cryptographic applications. Chaotic systems, while promising for encryption, often suffer from degradation in their chaotic properties when implemented on computers with finite precision. Previous studies have primarily aimed to mitigate this issue, with limited consideration of harnessing finite-precision errors as a potential source of randomness. In this study, we propose an innovative encryption method that leverages finite-precision errors within chaotic systems. The algorithm generates a keystream based on lower bound error …

A Facile Auto-Combustion Pathway For Creating Mn- And Fe-Doped Tio2 Nanostructures And Their Photocatalytic Activity, Gharieb Meselhy

Dentistry

Using a combination of two fuels, an auto-combustion method was used to synthesize pure TiO2 and doped TiO2 with different concentrations of iron(III) (Fe) and manganese(II) (Mn) (1, 3, 5, and 7 mol%). The as-prepared materials were characterized using different techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The XRD results showed that both pure TiO2 and all doped TiO2 samples had the anatase phase, indicating the crystalline nature of all the as-prepared nanomaterials. Crystal violet decolorization under UV irradiation was used to …

Exact Testing For Heteroscedasticity In A Two-Way Layout In Variety Frost Trials When Incorporating A Covariate, Angelika A. Pilkington, Brenton R. Clarke, Dean A. Diepeveen

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Two-way layouts are common in grain industry research where it is often the case that there are one or more covariates. It is widely recognised that when estimating fixed effect parameters, one should also examine for possible extra error variance structure. An exact test for heteroscedasticity, when there is a covariate, is illustrated for a data set from frost trials in Western Australia. While the general algebra for the test is known, albeit in past literature, there are computational aspects of implementing the test for the two way when there are covariates. In this scenario the test is shown to …

Federated Learning: Overview, Strategies, Applications, Tools And Future Directions, Betul Yurdem, Murat Kuzlu, Mehmet Kemal Gullu, Maliha Tabassum

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Federated learning (FL) is a distributed machine learning process, which allows multiple nodes to work together to train a shared model without exchanging raw data. It offers several key advantages, such as data privacy, security, efficiency, and scalability, by keeping data local and only exchanging model updates through the communication network. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of federated learning, including its principles, strategies, applications, and tools along with opportunities, challenges, and future research directions. The findings of this paper emphasize that federated learning strategies can significantly help overcome privacy and confidentiality concerns, particularly for high-risk applications.

Invasive Wild Pig (Sus Scrofa) Diets On Barrier Islands In The Southeastern United States, Vienna R. Canright, Antoinette J. Piaggio, James C. Beasley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background

Biological invasions are a leading cause of reductions in global biodiversity. Islands are particularly sensitive to invasions, which often result in cascading impacts throughout island communities. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are globally invasive and pose threats to numerous taxa and ecosystems, particularly for islands where they have contributed to declines of many endemic species. However, the impacts of wild pig diet on the flora and fauna remain understudied in many island systems.

Results

We used DNA metabarcoding of wild pig fecal samples to quantify the seasonal diet composition of wild pigs on three barrier islands in the …

Characterizing Feral Swine Movement Across The Contiguous United States Using Neural Networks And Genetic Data, Rachael M. Giglio, Courtney F. Bowden, Ryan K. Brook, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Timothy J. Smyser

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Globalization has led to the frequent movement of species out of their native habitat. Some of these species become highly invasive and capable of profoundly altering invaded ecosystems. Feral swine (Sus scrofa × domesticus) are recognized as being among the most destructive invasive species, with populations established on all continents except Antarctica. Within the United States (US), feral swine are responsible for extensive crop damage, the destruction of native ecosystems, and the spread of disease. Purposeful human-mediated movement of feral swine has contributed to their rapid range expansion over the past 30 years. Patterns of deliberate introduction of …

Discovery Of A Novel Invasive Rodent Species On Wake Atoll With A Desert Southwest Usa Origin, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Eric Lanners, Daniel R. Taylor, Aaron B. Shiels, Marjorie Matocq, John Eisemann

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species, particularly omnivorous rodents, have damaged island ecosystems around the world. The unique flora and fauna of island systems have typically not evolved with omnivorous rodents and are heavily impacted by their introduction. Wake Atoll of the southern Pacific Ocean is a 707-hectare coral island complex of three islands managed by the United States Department of Defense (DoD). DoD restricts civilian access to the atoll but aircraft and seacraft regularly visit the island to transport military equipment and to sustain the year-round military and contractor personnel stationed on the atoll. Wake Atoll had been invaded by Rattus rattus complex …