Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Neurosymbolic Ai Approach To Attribution In Large Language Models, Deepa Tilwani, Revathy Venkataramanan, Amit P. Sheth

Faculty Publications

Attribution in large language models (LLMs) remains a significant challenge, particularly in ensuring the factual accuracy and reliability of the generated outputs. Current methods for citation or attribution, such as those employed by tools like Perplexity.ai and Bing Search-integrated LLMs, attempt to ground responses by providing real-time search results and citations. However, so far, these approaches suffer from issues such as hallucinations, biases, surface-level relevance matching, and the complexity of managing vast, unfiltered knowledge sources. While tools like Perplexity.ai dynamically integrate web-based information and citations, they often rely on inconsistent sources such as blog posts or unreliable sources, which limits …

Non-Carathéodory Analytic Functions With Respect To Symmetric Points, Daniel Breaz, Kadhavoor R. Karthikeyan, Elangho Umadevi

All Works

The authors introduce new classes of analytic function with respect (Formula presented.) -symmetric points subordinate to a domain that is not Carathéodory. To use the existing infrastructure or framework, usually, the study of analytic function have been limited to a differential characterization subordinate to functions which are Carathéodory. Here, we try to obtain various interesting properties of functions which are not Carathéodory. Integral representation, interesting conditions for starlikeness and inclusion relations for functions in these classes are obtained.

A New Cache Replacement Policy In Named Data Network Based On Fib Table Information, Mehran Hosseinzadeh, Neda Moghim, Samira Taheri, Nasrin Gholami

VMASC Publications

Named Data Network (NDN) is proposed for the Internet as an information-centric architecture. Content storing in the router’s cache plays a significant role in NDN. When a router’s cache becomes full, a cache replacement policy determines which content should be discarded for the new content storage. This paper proposes a new cache replacement policy called Discard of Fast Retrievable Content (DFRC). In DFRC, the retrieval time of the content is evaluated using the FIB table information, and the content with less retrieval time receives more discard priority. An impact weight is also used to involve both the grade of retrieval …

Automated In Situ Segmentation Of Sugarcane Roots, Joseph Salas-Leon

Computer Science and Engineering Theses - Archive

Sugarcane roots are not understood and previous methods of collecting and processing data have proved to be laborious and time consuming. Using Minirhizotrons, Researchers observe and photograph roots without disturbing the soil and are useful for studying root growth over time. Software such as Rhyzovision exists to allow quick processing of root images. These software tools require clean or well annotated images of only the roots to provide accurate information. Current annotations of the images are done manually and requires a Scientist with domain knowledge of roots to accurately annotate the root images. We are employing the use of CNN …

Aggregation And Oligomerization Characterization Of Ss-Lactoglobulin Protein Using A Solid-State Nanopore Sensor, Mitu C. Acharjee, Brad Ledden, Brian Thomas, Xianglan He, Troy Messina, Jason Giurleo, David Talaga, Jiali Li

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Protein aggregation is linked to many chronic and devastating neurodegenerative human diseases and is strongly associated with aging. This work demonstrates that protein aggregation and oligomerization can be evaluated by a solid-state nanopore method at the single molecule level. A silicon nitride nanopore sensor was used to characterize both the amyloidogenic and native-state oligomerization of a model protein ß-lactoglobulin variant A (βLGa). The findings from the nanopore measurements are validated against atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) data, comparing βLGa aggregation from the same samples at various stages. By calibrating with linear and circular dsDNA, this study …

Hydrogeomorphic Response To Flooding In Northern Yellowstone National Park, Zachary P. Deluca

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding and predicting flood-induced geomorphic change, and the relative influences of fluvial forces and valley-bottom geometry on system response, are persistent quandaries in geomorphic process studies. We combine field surveys, remote sensing, and hydraulic modeling to assess the hydrogeomorphic effects of historic flooding in northern Yellowstone National Park (YNP) in a variety of channel configurations. We compare impulse, a metric that incorporates a flow duration threshold based on threshold channel theory, grain size, channel-bed slope, and flood depth and stream power estimates with hydrogeomorphic response. Measurements of pre- and post-flood active-channel width change in aerial photos captured geomorphic response associated …

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan For Landslides For The Big Sandy Area Development District, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch

Contract Reports--KGS

Landslides are a complex geologic hazard that occurs worldwide, impacting lives, infrastructure, and property. The Big Sandy Area Development District, Kentucky incurs high landslide activity impacting several municipalities. This hazard mitigation planning project includes landslide susceptibility and risk assessments for the Big Sandy Area Development District. We based the landslide susceptibility model on statistics of hillslope morphological features such as slope, curvature, roughness, aspect, and elevation. Using a dual machine learning approach, we modeled the probability of landslide occurrence, defined as an area that is occupied, or might be occupied in the future, by a landslide. We also developed the …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Smiths Grove 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Meredith Swallom, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Matthew Massey, Hannah Hayes, Charles Wells Iii, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Assessing Plastic Pollution On Shorelines And In Coastal Sediments, Victoria Madison Fulfer

Open Access Dissertations

Plastics have become pollutants around the world, entering the marine environment predominantly from many land-based sources. A small proportion of plastics in the marine environment also come from sea-based activities such as fishing, boating, and shipping. Once in the environment, the low density of most plastic polymers allows transport around the globe by winds, rivers, currents, waves, floodwaters, and tides. As a result, the ultimate fate of present and past plastic pollution is poorly constrained; however, much material in the sea is thought to accumulate in marine sediment over time.

Plastics in the environment have a wide range of morphologies …

02.19.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

UM Library Training for Researchers, Kendra Sampey spotlight, School of Pharmacy's Research Day, MS Aerospace and Defense Symposium on March 29

Distal Urogenital Anatomy And Epithelial Morphology In The Male Cajun Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Fouquettei (Anura: Hylidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system in male Cajun Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris fouquettei) from a small sample (n = 6) collected in central Arkansas in March 2018 and February 2023. Specifically, my primary objectives were to investigate the following: (1) the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, (2) the structure of seminal vesicles (if present), and (3) the epithelial morphologies among the distal urogenital tract, the posterior alimentary canal, and cloaca. My histological analysis confirmed the presence of ampullae (sperm storage structures) as mid-duct expansions of …

Use Of Google Earth Streetview To Evaluate Nesting By The Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon Pyrrhonota) In Lowlands Of Eastern Arkansas, With Reports Of New Records, R. Tumlison, Z. Autrey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) typically construct their mud nests under the overhangs of cliffs. However, construction of concrete bridges and overpasses has provided suitable nesting structure in the last few decades. As the number of such nesting sites have increased, the breeding range also has expanded. We evaluated the use of Google Earth Streetview as a means of cheaply harvesting data regarding nesting distribution. The gourd-shaped nests of Cliff Swallows were easily discernible via available imagery, and we were able to document previously unreported nest sites of this species in 6 counties in eastern Arkansas (5 from imagery, 1 from …

Shell Damage Patterns In Limpkin Mussel Middens At Bois D’Arc Lake, Arkansas, G.R. Graves

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) is rapidly colonizing the lower Mississippi Valley from recently established Gulf Coast populations. Anecdotal reports indicate that it feeds on freshwater mussels and gastropods in Arkansas, but without documentation. Here I report an analysis of Limpkin shell middens from Bois d’Arc Lake in Hempstead Co. Limpkins at this location preyed heavily on Pyganodon grandis (Giant Floater), a large mussel species widely distributed in the Mississippi Valley. Limpkins employ vigorous bill blows to pierce holes in mussels and usually attack the anterior end of the shell. Video and photographs of feeding birds provide new insight on the …

X-Ray Diffraction And Petrographic Analysis Of Magnet Cove Carbonatite Core, Arkansas, R.E. Mero, D. Mayo, M.P. Testa

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Geothermal activity such as hot springs are known to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals, producing rocks such as tufa, travertine and sometimes associated with carbonatite. The precipitation of CaCO is caused by the reduction of CO, which is less soluble in warmer waters. Geothermal heating of water in natural springs drives this precipitation of CaCO3 in areas of Arkansas including Magnet Cove. Magnet Cove, Arkansas is an alkalic igneous rock complex that is composed of a series of ring dikes post-Mississippian in age. These dikes have intruded into faulted and folded Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. One of these igneous dikes is …

A Strategic Framework For Estimating International Container Flows: An Empirical Study, Dung-Ying Lin, Hsin-Chun Huang, Steven Travis Waller, Xiang Zhang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Maritime transportation is a highly complex transportation system that plays a pivotal role in international trade. Its low-cost and high-volume advantages have enabled it to cover most of the world’s cargo transportation. However, with the trend of global trade volume increasing almost every year and the recent congestion of ports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the chaos in global supply chains not only increases operating costs for shippers but also makes it difficult for countries that rely heavily on port trade to plan for their ports’ future. To develop a strategic analytic tool to estimate container flow in liner shipping, …

When And Where Can Coastal Wetland Restoration Increase Carbon Sequestration As A Natural Climate Solution, Scott F. Jones, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Dennis Baldocchi, Meagan Eagle, Daniel A. Friess, Catrina Gore, Greg Noe, Stefanie Nolte, Patty Oikawa, Adina Paytan, Jacqueline L. Raw, Brian J. Roberts, Kerrylee Rogers, Charles Schutte, Camille L. Stagg, Karen M. Thorne, Eric J. Ward, Lisamarie Windham-Myers, Erik S. Yando

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coastal wetlands are hotspots of carbon sequestration, and their conservation and restoration can help to mitigate climate change. However, there remains uncertainty on when and where coastal wetland restoration can most effectively act as natural climate solutions (NCS). Here, we synthesize current understanding to illustrate the requirements for coastal wetland restoration to benefit climate, and discuss potential paths forward that address key uncertainties impeding implementation. To be effective as NCS, coastal wetland restoration projects will accrue climate cooling benefits that would not occur without management action (additionality), will be implementable (feasibility) and will persist over management-relevant timeframes (permanence). Several issues …

Response Of Helenium Amarum To Environmental Stressors In The Presence Of Mycorrhizal Fungi And Its Role As A Pollinator Resource, Austin Jameson, Lisa Horth

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Globally, climate change is causing shifts in precipitation patterns. Shifting precipitation patterns can be a stressor for many species. One species that is experiencing such stress is Helenium amarum Raf (H. Rock). H. amarum, thrives in dry upland pastures and low-lying grassy and sandy habitat in the mid-Atlantic (USA), where it persists despite storm-driven standing water. Helenium amarum is a species that is toxic to livestock and has been found outside its native range. Temperature and light impacts on germination are already known, but the role of water availability and potential ameliorating effects of mycorrhizae during water stress have …

Wildfire Effects On The Fate Of Deposited Nitrogen In A Boreal Larch Forest, Weili Liu, Jiaxing Zu, B. Liu, Lin Qi, Wei Huang, Yunting Fang, Jian Yang

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on forests largely depend on the ecosystem N status and the fates of deposited N. Boreal forests are typically N-limited ecosystems and are considered to be more efficient in retaining deposited N relative to temper- ate and tropical forests. As a primary disturbance in boreal forests, wildfires may alleviate N limitation in the burned ecosystem and increase mineralization, resulting in the altered outcomes of the N deposition.

An Experiment To Determine Mineral-Associated Organic Matter Turnover In A Sandy Clay Loam, Samantha Abel

All Master's Theses

Soil is an important terrestrial carbon sink. Through regenerative land management, which includes minimizing soil disturbance, the carbon content of soil can be raised towards preindustrial levels. This feat requires effectively storing carbon in a natural system that is inclined to cyclicity. The most stable form of soil organic matter is mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). This carbon labelling experiment was designed to identify short-term CO₂ fluxes within the soil-plant-atmosphere system, particularly those related to MAOM turnover in the rhizosphere. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) was planted on a plot at the campus farm at Central Washington University. Another plot …

Fire-Vegetation-Climate Interactions: An 8,000- Year Long Paleoecological Reconstruction From Round Lake, Idaho (Usa), Audrey Scott

All Master's Theses

The Idaho Transportation Department recently contracted archeologists from Eastern Washington University (EWU) to assess potential impacts to cultural resources near McArthur Lake in Bonner County, Idaho, as the result of rerouting U.S. Route 95. The goal of this research is to aid EWU archeologists in their interpretation of the artifacts recovered from the McArthur Lake site by providing them with a local paleoecological reconstruction. Lake sediment-based paleoecological reconstructions provide detailed information on fire history and vegetation change through time and indicate how landscapes responded to past climate variability and human activities. In summer 2022, a sediment core was extracted from …

The Surface Chemistry And Binding Interactions Of Lignin With Polymer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles Acting As Model Microplastics, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Akinsola

All Master's Theses

This study investigates the surface chemistry and molecular-level interactions between lignin, a special type of natural organic matter, and polymer-capped gold nanoparticles, shedding light on the strength of adsorption between lignin and nanoscale polymer surfaces. Specifically, the study presents a variety of nanoscale polymer surfaces displaying different charged functional groups, using layer-by-layer assembly of three polyelectrolytes (polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH)), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC)) on 90 nm citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This approach provides a library of polymer-encapsulated AuNPs for investigating the binding interactions of lignin to nanoscale polymers via spectroscopic techniques. ζ-potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), …

River Response To Removal Of A Small Dam And Replacement With A Roughened Channel, Chandler Sabin

All Master's Theses

Relatively few studies have analyzed how the removal of small dams and re-engineering of the channel affect river channel processes. The low-head Nelson Dam was built in 1920 on the Naches River in central Washington, causing two miles of aggraded sediments. This resulted in upstream flooding and excessive downstream incision that led to ineffective irrigation diversions, and hindered fish spawning. Nelson Dam was removed in 2021 and replaced with a graded, roughened, nature-like channel and a newly engineered diversion that was completed in 2023. The research presented here quantifies the effects of the Nelson Dam removal and channel redesign on …

Stereocontrolled Synthesis Of Lactam-Fused Tetrahydropyrans As Potential Antidiabetic Agents, Ifeyinwa Stella Anosike

All Master's Theses

Functionalized tetrahydropyrans are structural motifs in diverse natural products, including polyether antibiotics, marine toxins, pheromones, and pharmaceuticals. They are frequently used as versatile building blocks for accessing stereochemically sophisticated biologically active compounds. Specifically, functionalized bicyclic tetrahydropyrans bearing contiguous stereocenters have garnered interest in the synthesis and medicinal chemistry communities. Thus far, some synthetic methods have been developed for their construction and functionalization. These methods include Prins' cyclization reactions, intramolecular oxa-Michael reactions, hetero-Diels-Alder cyclization, ring-closing metathesis, radical cyclization, and halocycloetherification. However, these methods have some drawbacks such as the need for expensive reagents and catalysts, substrate limitations, and environmentally unfriendly conditions. …

Gnss Radio Propagation Through Trapped Atmospheric Lee Waves In The San Bernardino Valley, Ca, Logan Grey

All Master's Theses

Atmospheric lee waves, also known as mountain waves, are a type of gravity wave that form as air that is forced over a mountain creates turbulence downstream. Trapped, or stationary, lee waves located directly over a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver on Earth’s surface appear to lead to anomalies in the receiver’s position estimate, usually skewed toward the neighboring mountain range. The exact mechanism by which trapped lee waves might cause these anomalies is not known, and so my research aims to understand this. GNSS station P612 located in the lee of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California …

Assessing The Ore Mineralization Depth And Crustal History Of Plutons In Northeastern Washington Using Thermodynamic Modeling Of Wall Rock Assemblages, David William Miller

All Master's Theses

Critical minerals are essential for advanced technologies across all economic sectors, but domestic deposits are unconstrained and underutilized, leaving the U.S. economy vulnerable to disruption. In northeastern WA, several ore-bearing plutons may be a significant resource; however, their formation depths, a component responsible for ore genesis, are unknown. To constrain regional ore formation depths, the mineral assemblages of calc-silicate and pelitic rocks from the contact aureoles of two Cretaceous plutons, located in the Adams Mountain and Hunters (AMH) quadrangles in the hangingwall of the Kettle detachment fault (KDF), were quantitatively constrained with scanning electron microscopy and XMapTools and compared to …

Eruption Initiation Mechanisms And Timescales At A Very-High-Threat Washington Volcano: Clues From Crystal Cargo In Lavas From Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), Emily Yoder

All Master's Theses

Understanding the timescales of pre-eruptive processes is key for improving forecast models of future eruptions. Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), WA, is part of the northern Cascade volcanic arc and classified as a very high threat volcano. However, we lack an understanding of the duration of time between the final magmatic process before eruption (potentially the process that initiated the eruption) and the eruption itself. This study focuses on (1) estimating eruption initiation timescales via diffusion chronometry and (2) determining eruption initiation mechanisms for three andesitic lava flows from Mount Baker: Dobbs Creek (~119 ka), Dobbs Cleaver (~105 ka), and Swift …

Timescales Of Magma Storage And The Pre-Eruptive History For The Most Recent Lava Flow At Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan), Wa, Desiree Cunningham

All Master's Theses

Mount Baker, ranked as a very-high threat volcano in the United States, is in a well-populated area in northern WA, putting many at risk in the event of a future eruption. Previous work on Mount Baker focused on understanding the magmatic architecture beneath the volcano and has identified multiple magmatic components that contributed to different eruptions throughout its history. The youngest lava flow in the Mount Baker Volcanic Field is the 9.8 ka Sulphur Creek lava flow. The last study conducted on this flow by Garvey (2022) determined the most recent magma mush configuration that was tapped for this eruption. …

A Comparison Of Sediment Accumulation Effectiveness Behind Beaver Dam Analogues, One Rock Dams, And Post-Assisted Log Structures On East Foster Creek, Douglas County, Wa, Griffin Hansen

All Master's Theses

Waterways are valuable resources for communities and habitats, but are subject to degradation in the form of incision. This is a type of streambed erosion where streams narrow and deepen. Sediment control dams were placed on East Foster Creek in Douglas County, WA to control incision following the 2020 Pearl Hill fire. This study examined sediment capture in the ponds behind these dams, which included beaver dam analogues (BDAs), one rock dams (ORDs), and post-assisted log structures (PALS). Sediment capture may be influenced by several factors, including dam type, height, width, distance between dams, vegetation, land use, topography, soil type, …

Adaptive Neh With Constrained Nearest Neighbor Subtours For The Electric Vehicle Routing Problem With Time Windows, Andrew Struthers

All Master's Theses

The development of electric vehicles is currently considered one of the most innovative areas in manufacturing. Largely driven by the desire to reduce greenhouse emissions, electric vehicles are seen as a viable alternative to internal combustion engine cars. Starting from consumer cars, a dedicated effort is being made to translate this into commercial vehicles for freight and delivery. This research introduces a novel adaptive Nawaz, Enscore, Ham (NEH) algorithm with constrained nearest neighbor subtour (NEH-NN). This algorithm is tested on the standard benchmark problems in literature and used as a seed solution for the Genetic Algorithm (GA). The performance and …

Human-Centered Machine Learning With Interpretable Visual Knowledge Discovery, Lincoln Huber

All Master's Theses

This research advances interpretable machine learning (ML) by introducing hyperblocks (HBs) as a structured, rule-based approach for creating transparent and accurate models using meaningful numeric attributes directly interpretable to end users. Key techniques, including Parallel Hyperblock Creation, Interactive Hyperblock Creation, Level n Hyperblock Creation, and k-Nearest Neighbor Hyperblock, provide a framework that ensures domain experts can meaningfully engage with the model’s decision-making process through lossless visualizations using General Line Coordinates (GLC). Case studies with the Wisconsin Breast Cancer and MNIST datasets demonstrated HBs' effectiveness in handling high-risk and complex classification tasks, offering interpretable accuracy that traditional models struggle to achieve. …