Simulating Government Institutions In Networked Societies, Michael Richards

Theses and Dissertations

Modern human societies give rise to the expression of complex group dynamics between the members of said society due to the abundance of continued interactions. Of particular interest are how institutions affect these interactions between societal members, alter the resulting group dynamics, and impact society as a whole through their rules. Simulating these dynamics allows for greater insight into how these institutions function and allows researchers to pose interesting questions and test hypotheses within a laboratory setting. We present a novel approach to simulating institutions, particularly governments, within a networked society. This approach builds upon the Junior High Game, which …

A Closer Look At Our Ever-Changing Solar System, Erik Johnson

Natural Science Faculty

What is a planet? It's a question that was controversial when Pluto was reclassified in 2006. The definition has changed over time as people have learned more about the universe. There are still unresolved differences between the cultural usage and its various scientific uses.

Tiny Machine Learning For Underwater Image Enhancement: Pruning And Quantizaition Approach, Dr Khaled Nagaty, The British University In Egypt, Andreas Pester Dr

Computer Science

Many people have expressed an interest in underwater image processing in a variety of fields, including underwater vehicle control, archaeology, marine biological studies, etc. Underwater exploration is becoming an increasingly important element of our lives, with applications ranging from underwater marine and creature research to pipeline and communication logistics, military use, touristic and entertainment use. Underwater images suffer from poor visibility, distortion, and poor quality for a variety of causes, including light propagation. The major issue arises when these images must be captured at depths greater than 500 feet and artificial lighting needs to be provided. Efficient algorithms and models …

Dryland Vegetation Mapping Using High Spatial-Temporal Resolution Satellite Imagery In New Mexico: A Comparison Of Phenological Time-Series Transformation Methods, Pratistha Sharma

Geography ETDs

New Mexico's drylands are undergoing notable vegetation changes due to rising aridity, higher temperatures, and shifts in precipitation with changing climate. Mapping drylands through remote sensing is challenging compared to mesic systems due to the irregular patterns of rainfall-driven phenology and weaker vegetation absorption signals. This study aims to enhance vegetation mapping in New Mexico, utilizing a high-resolution, frequently revisited PlanetScope dataset with multispectral capabilities, specifically chosen for its suitability for time-series analysis. The challenge with high spatial and temporal data lies in the overwhelming volume, leading to issues like the curse of dimensionality, overfitting, data redundancy, collinearity, and visualization …

Comparative Lineament And Geomorphic Analysis Of Chaotic Terrains And Noctis Labyrinthus, Mars, Sarah A. Walton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Noctis Labyrinthus (NL) is an extensional trough network connecting the Tharsis rise and Valles Marineris on Mars. Chaotic terrains are a group of polygonally-fractured surface features commonly associated with subsidence due to rapid fluid loss within the subsurface. Polygonal surface patterns are seen at both sites, where geometric topographic highs are bounded by low troughs. Lineaments, topography, and geomorphology of NL and chaotic terrains were analyzed to determine tectonics and fluid influence in the formation and evolution of both sites. NL shows preferential fracture patterns associated with regional extension. Lineaments within chaotic terrains do not show cumulative preferential trends but …

Radio Insights Into Gamma-Ray Mysteries, Seth M. Bruzewski

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

In the time since its launch, the \textit{Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope} has provided new and unparalleled views of the $\gamma$-ray sky, dramatically increasing our understanding of sources of high-energy radiation. During that same time, however, its ``unassociated'' sources have provided a consistent mystery: approximately one third of the modern gamma-ray sky remains completely unaccounted for in other electromagnetic regimes. While some of the fainter sources simply pose challenges in achieving the necessary signal-to-noise ratio, others are well constrained and have resisted traditional investigations for years, and in some cases, for over a decade. Radio astronomy has traditionally been the best …

Interpretable Word-Level Sentiment Analysis With Attention-Based Multiple Instance Classification Models, Chenyu Yang

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

In this study, our main objective is to tackle the black-box nature of popular machine learning models in sentiment analysis and enhance model interpretability. We aim to gain more insight into the decision-making process of sentiment analysis models, which is often obscure in those complex models. To achieve this goal, we introduce two word-level sentiment analysis models.

The first model is called the attention-based multiple instance classification (AMIC) model. It combines the transparent model structure of multiple instance classification and the self-attention mechanism in deep learning to incorporate the contextual information from documents. As demonstrated by a wine review dataset …

Deep Learning For Microbiome-Based Integrative Modeling And Microbial Biomarkers Identification, Sen Yang

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

The human microbiome, comprising trillions of microorganisms, plays a pivotal role in modulating host physiology via molecular and metabolite exchanges. One of the major challenges in this field lies in the effective integration of microbiome and metabolomics data, an achievement that holds the promise of substantially enhancing the precision of disease prediction. However, many datasets prioritize microbiome data while neglecting paired metabolome information. Additionally, the prevalent analytical tools face challenges in effectively merging these intricate datasets, leading to possible misinterpretations and reduced prediction accuracies.

To address these challenges, the first part of this research introduces the Microbiome-based Supervised Contrastive Learning …

Bitcoin Price Modeling Using Machine Learning Algorithms, Azadeh Golduzian

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Forecasting in financial markets with various technologies is critical nowadays. The Bitcoin cryptocurrency has grown in popularity in recent years, and as a result, many people all around the world have attempted to forecast its price. To improve forecast accuracy, we must employ multiple types of data and diverse approaches. This thesis combines textual and financial data and employs statistical methods and machine learning to forecast Bitcoin's price as precisely as possible. We show the performance of each strategy using Bitcoin data at the end of each chapter.

Environmental Fate Of Sulfur In Sulphur Creek, Valles Caldera, Nm: Implications For Metal Transport And Water Quality, Daniel Lavery

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The 1.2 Ma Valles Caldera in north-central New Mexico hosts a young igneous volcanic hydrothermal system after the model proposed in Goff and Janik (2000). The Sulphur Springs area within Valles Caldera is an acid-sulfate area typical of this model, discharging acidic waters (pH 1.5-3) formed by oxidation of magmatic H₂S at the surface. We report on samples obtained from springs and streams collected between October 2021 and May 2023 in the Sulphur Creek and Alamo watersheds. Sulphur Creek receives input from Sulphur Springs and exhibits low pH (2-4) and high concentrations of Al (≤110 mg/L), Fe (≤60 …

Smart Applications And Resource Management In Internet Of Things, Zeinab Akhavan

Computer Science ETDs

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are currently the principal solutions driving smart cities. These new technologies such as Cyber Physical Systems, 5G and data analytic have emerged to address various cities' infrastructure issues ranging from transportation and energy management to healthcare systems. An IoT setting primarily consists of a wide range of users and devices as a massive network interacting with different layers of the city infrastructure resulting in generating sheer volume of data to enable smart city services. The goal of smart city services is to create value for the entire ecosystem, whether this is health, education, transportation, energy, …

Transport And Mixing Of Water Masses Across The Southeast Caribbean Ocean Imaged By Seismic Reflection Data, Joseph Renzaglia

Earth Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The Caribbean Sea serves as a major pathway for global thermohaline circulation (THC), which is a complex and vital component of the Earth’s climate system, influencing global heat distribution and oceanic circulation. Though relatively stratified, it is the boundary layer that distributes mass and temperature between the surface waters and the deep ocean where we observe various multiscale mixing processes from mesoscale to fine-scale. In regions where bathymetry is shallower and mechanical mixing forces, such as winds and tides, are more dominant, diapycnal diffusivity is typically stronger, driving vertical mixing. This type of mixing occurs at small scales, typically as …

Quantifying The Influences Of Abiotic And Biotic Factors On Post-Fire Vegetation In The Southwestern Us, Joseph Lafayette Crockett

Biology ETDs

The ongoing warming associated with climate change is increasing the flammability of southwestern US dry forests. As larger fractions of the landscape are impacted by high-severity fire, the potential exists for forests to convert to non-forest. Given that the forested area in the southwestern US is an important contributor of ecosystem services, quantifying limitations to vegetation establishment is critical to informing post-fire recovery efforts and understanding how ongoing climate change will limit seedling establishment in the future. To that end, this dissertation focuses on post-fire vegetation recovery of southwestern forests. First, I report on the influence of precipitation and topography …

Roadside Lidar Data Processing For Intelligent Transportation System, Md Parvez Mollah

Computer Science ETDs

Roadside LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors are recently being explored for Intelligent Transportation System aiming at safer and faster traffic management and vehicular operations. However, massive data volume, occlusion, and limited viewing angles are significant obstacles to the widespread use of roadside LiDARs. In this dissertation, we address three major challenges to enable applications of Intelligent Transportation System through roadside LiDAR data: (i) real-time transmission of the massive point-cloud data from the roadside LiDAR devices to the cloud using 5G network, (ii) mitigating sensor occlusion problem to increase coverage and detect events occurred in occluded regions of a sensor, …

Computational Study Of The Effect Of Geometry On Molecular Interactions, Sarika Kumar

Computer Science ETDs

The specificity and predictability of DNA make it an excellent programmable material and have allowed bio-programmers to build sophisticated molecular circuits. These molecular devices should be precise, correct, and function as intended. In order to implement these circuits, the challenge is to build a robust, reliable, and scalable logic circuit with ideally minimum unwanted signal release. Performing experiments are expensive and time-consuming, so modeling and analyzing these bio-molecular systems become crucial in designing molecular circuits. This dissertation aimed to develop algorithms and build computational tools for automated analysis of molecular circuits that incorporate the molecular geometry of nanostructures. Molecular circuits …

Rolling The Crypto Dice: The Interplay Of Legal Environments, Market Uncertainty, And Gambling Attitudes On Users’ Behavioral Intentions, Ayman Abdalmajeed Alsmadi, Ahmed Shuhaiber, Khaled Saleh Al-Omoush

All Works

The high volatility and inherent high-risk nature of cryptocurrency investments promote the study of the determinants of value perception and the various factors influencing individuals’ intentions regarding whether to adopt, abstain from, or continue their investments in these dynamic cryptocurrency markets. The main aim of this study is to examine the determinants of behavioral intention to continue using cryptocurrencies. In addition, it is aimed at exploring the effect of gambling attitudes on the perceived benefits and legal environment in the cryptocurrency context. An online questionnaire was developed in order to gather data from 258 respondents in the United Arab Emirates …

Volumetric Imaging Using The Pupil-Matched Remote Focusing Technique In Light-Sheet Microscopy, Sayed Hassan Dibaji Foroushani

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

ABSTRACT

The dissertation explores innovative techniques in light sheet microscopy, a pivotal tool in biomedical imaging, to enhance its speed, resolution, and efficiency in capturing dynamic biological processes. Light sheet microscopy allows for quick 3D imaging of biological specimens ranging from cells to organs with high spatiotemporal resolution, large field-of-view, and minimal damage, making it vital for in vivo imaging.

The first project introduces a novel optical concept designed to optimize Axially Swept Light Sheet Microscopy (ASLM). This technique is crucial for imaging specimens ranging from live cells to chemically cleared organs due to its versatility across different immersion media. …

Modeling Lithographic Quantum Dots And Donors For Quantum Computation And Simulation, Mitchell Ian Brickson

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Our first focus is on few-hole quantum dots in germanium. We use discontinous Galerkin methods to discretize and solve the equations of a highly detailed k·p model that describes these systems, enabling a better understanding of experimental magnetospectroscopy results. We confirm the expected anisotropy of single-hole g-factors and describe mechanisms by which different orbital states have different g-factors. Building on this, we show that the g-factors in Ge holes are suciently sensitive to details of the device electrostatics that magnetospectroscopy data can be used to make a prediction of the underlying confinement potential. The second focus is on designing quantum …

A Preliminary Study On Floating Flexible Otec Cold Water Pipe, Nai Kuang Liang, Hai Kuan Peng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) requires a large amount of cold seawater. The traditional rigid pipe, semi-rigidly fixed onto the ship bottom is not easy to install and disassemble, so the Floating Flexible Cold Water Pipe (FFCWP) flexibly connected to the ship is proposed. A small FFCWP was designed, fabricated, and successfully installed and recovered in the sea. The flexible pipe adopts commercially available fire ventilation snake pipe. The pipe wall material strength must be improved in the future. Assuming that the drag coefficient Cd value is 1.5, a numerical calculation is employed to simulate the FFCWP attitude from the …

Machine Learning With Multi-Source Data To Predict And Explain Marine Pilot Occupational Accidents, Gokhan Camliyurt, Youngsoo Park, Daewon Kim, Won Sik Kang, Sangwon Park

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Marine pilot occupational accidents during transfer to/from ships are the primary concern of the International Marine Pilots’ Association (IMPA) and industry professionals. There are multiple transfer methods for marine pilots, with the most common being the pilot boat. To reach the mother ship bridge, the following stages must be safely completed: car transfer, walking on the pier, pier to pilot boat, pilot transfer by boat, cutter to pilot ladder, mother ship freeboard climbing, and ship deck to the bridge. Each stage has its own risk. Previous accident records and expert opinions are commonly used to conduct a risk analysis and …

Evaluation Of Operational Performance Of Wusongkou Cruise Port Through Network Data Envelopment Analysis, Qian-Feng Wang, Guo-Ya Gan, Xin-Liang Ye, Hsuan-Shih Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

As major hubs for cruise berthing and passenger transfers, cruise ports in China were developing rapidly in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic because of an ever-growing regional market. Wusongkou Cruise Port is the most important port for cruise ships in China, and this study evaluated the operational performance of this port during 2011–2020. To this end, two-stage network data envelopment analysis was conducted to evaluate the port’s operation performance; subsequently, the change trajectory of the port’s operational efficiency during 2011–2020 was determined, and the potential reasons for the identified changes are discussed. Finally, suggestions for improving the operational performance …

An Analysis Of The Debate And How It Changed Everything: Narratology Vs. Ludology, Robert Veloya

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Video games will rot your brain. Something that people have told us during its inception into the modern world; however, little did they know that the video game industry will one day take its place in the world as one of the best mediums to tell a story and challenge its audience. The video game industry is an ever-growing industry where innovation flows through its veins causing it to grow into a field that is more immersive and compelling. Video games have also evolved into a field of study, a discipline that dives deep into what makes them a unique …

Exploring The Shift In Player Enthusiasm Towards Games, David Daniel

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

Video games, providing a constant source of excitement have been an integral part of the lives of many enthusiasts, helping shape childhoods and providing a source of entertainment and social interaction between friends and strangers. From the joy of unboxing the Wii with siblings back in the day, all the way to playing multiplayer battle royales and among us with our friends over the pandemic, the gaming platform has been an ever changing and dynamic experience. However, with time, a noticeable split emerged among peers who once shared the same joy of running home and putting on the headset. Some …

From Pong To Narrative: The Evolution Of Ai In Gaming, Muhammad Assaf

ART 108: Introduction to Games Studies

As video games evolve, the role of artificial intelligence also referred to as AI has been essential. Games have come a long way from being small and having rudimentary logic to being extremely complex and narrative-driven. This research paper will dive into the vast history of AI in gaming, following its path from the simple ball-paddle mechanics of Pong, to the intricate entanglements presented in modern games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and more. The interplay between game design and AI development doesn’t just show how far we have come in technological advancement, but rather it …

Novel Integrated Sachs-Wolfe Effect From Early Dark Energy, Tristan L. Smith, J. T. Giblin Jr., M. Amin, M. Gerhardinger, E. Florio, M. Cerep, S. Daniels

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

We study the nonlinear effects of minimally coupled, massless, cosmological scalar fields on the cosmic microwave background (CMB). These fields can exhibit postrecombination parametric resonance and subsequent nonlinear evolution leading to novel contributions to the gravitational potential. We compute the resulting contributions to the CMB temperature anisotropies through the time variation of the gravitational potential (i.e., the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect). We find that fields that constitute 5% of the total energy density and become dynamical at z_c ≃ 10⁴ can produce marginally observable ISW signals at multipoles ℓ ≃ 2000. Fields that become dynamical at earlier times …

Comparative Analysis Of Interacting Stepped Dark Radiation, N. Schöneberg, G. F. Abellán, T. Simon, A. Bartlett, Y. Patel, Tristan L. Smith

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

Models that address both the Hubble and S₈ tensions with the same mechanism generically cause a prerecombination suppression of the small scale matter power spectrum. Here we focus on two such models. Both models introduce a self-interacting dark radiation fluid scattering with dark matter, which has a step in its abundance around some transition redshift. In one model, the interaction is weak and with all of the dark matter whereas in the other it is strong but with only a fraction of the dark matter. The weakly interacting case is able to address both tensions simultaneously and provide a …

Wind Erosion After Fire In Western Australia - Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

These are some common questions after serious fires in the agricultural areas of south-west Western Australia. Staff of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), agronomists and farmers with experience have contributed to the answers.

Please note that these answers are general in nature, and land managers wanting advice for a specific property will need to ask local professionals or experienced land managers.

For more information about recovering from fire and wind erosion, see the DPIRD website.

Clean Energy Transition Threatens Indigenous Land Rights, Jonnathan M. Pulla

Capstones

Indigenous communities in Jujuy, Argentina are protesting a constitutional reform that could lead to their displacement without consultation or exposure to contamination from extractive projects. The story is told from the perspective of Milagros Lamas, a 19-year-old indigenous woman who joined the movement known as the Third Malón de la Paz.

Investigation Of Zinc And Iron In Wildflower Honey, Savannah Simpson

Honors Theses

Honey acts as a valuable food source for both animals and humans. When found in contaminated environments, there is an increased likelihood that honey samples will have high metal concentrations. It has been discovered that honey concentrations in metals can be different based on location. This experiment aims to determine the amount of two valuable metals, zinc, and iron, in various honey sources. These metals can be important to the human body because they help boost immunity and allow the body to carry out the functions required for survival. However, if these elements are present in copious quantities, then it …

Regular Ideals, Ideal Intersections, And Quotients, Jonathan H. Brown, Adam H. Fuller, David R. Pitts, Sarah A. Reznikoff

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Let B ⊆ A be an inclusion of C^∗ -algebras. We study the relationship between the regular ideals of B and regular ideals of A.We show that if B ⊆ A is a regular C^∗ -inclusion and there is a faithful invariant conditional expectation from A onto B, then there is an isomorphism between the lattice of regular ideals of A and invariant regular ideals of B. We study properties of inclusions preserved under quotients by regular ideals. This includes showing that if D ⊆ A is a Cartan inclusion and J is a regular ideal in A, …