Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Effect Of Species Choice, Seed Mix Composition, And Microtopography On Native Plant Restoration In Great Salt Lake Wetlands, Coryna Hebert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wetlands are important ecosystems that improve water quality, prevent floods, and provide wildlife habitat. As such, restoring native plants that promote wetland health is a high priority for land managers. However, there are many challenges to the restoration of native plants. In our study system (Great Salt Lake wetlands), many areas are invaded by the European grass, Phragmites australis. Phragmites grows in dense stands and displaces native plants. The reduction of native plant communities in Great Salt Lake wetlands is a major concern because these ecosystems provide habitat for millions of native birds. Managers have made successful efforts to …

On Continuity Of Multiplication In The Fundamental Group, Eric Steadman

Theses and Dissertations

For a topological space X, the fundamental group can be topologized as a quotient of the path space with the compact-open topology. For one-dimensional or planar Peano continua, the fundamental group with this topology is a topological group if and only if it is semilocally simply connected. In particular, we demonstrate that the group operation is not continuous in this setting.

Identification And Quantitation Of Unspecified Impurities Discovered In Novel Oral Irinotecan By Lc-Ms/Ms And Uhplc, Laura B. Miller

Forensic Science Master's Projects

Irinotecan is a cancer medication approved for medical use in the United States in 1996. It is currently administered via intravenous injection. However, intravenous dosing has disadvantages such as requirement of administration by a trained professional in a medical facility, possible severe adverse effects, pain at the injection site, and possible hemolysis if injected too rapidly. Previously oral administration was not feasible because the p-glycoprotein (p-GP) on the cell membrane of stomach cells acts as a defense mechanism against harmful substances by pumping the irinotecan back into the intestinal lumen for excretion. With the discovery of the p-GP inhibitor encequidar …

Chromosome Number Evolution, Phylogeography, And The Effects Of Climate Change On Species Distributions In Polyploid Plant Systems, Courtney H. Babin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, a term used to describe organisms with cells having more than two paired sets of chromosomes, is a significant driver of diversification among land plants. Over a century of research has advanced our understanding of polyploidization in some taxa, but polyploid organisms remain understudied. In this dissertation, I investigate chromosome number evolution, phylogeographic structure, genetic differentiation, and the effects of climate change on ploidy level distribution using polyploid plant systems. In the first chapter, I inferred a molecular phylogeny of Allium, an economically important genus that includes cultivated crops and ornamentals, to investigate evolutionary transitions in chromosome number …

The Role Of Fracture Branching In The Evolution Of Fracture Networks: An Outcrop Study Of The Jurassic Navajo Sandstone, Southern Utah, Benjamin E. Surpless, Caroline Mckeighan

Earth and Environmental Geosciences Faculty Research

Fractures strongly influence the permeability of geologic formations, and because most fractures in the subsurface are below the resolution of geophysical methods, predicting the spatial evolution of fracture networks is important for groundwater resources, oil and gas production, and geothermal energy. Previous researchers have established that variations in lithologic mechanical properties influence the propagation of joints and fractures in layered rocks under stable stress conditions, but few studies have addressed how instabilities in local stress fields, in conjunction with variations in rock mechanical properties, lead to fracture branching.

We investigate NE-striking fractures in the footwall of the west-dipping Sevier fault …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, July & August 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 5

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Resources for Student Success
Page 4 Welcome to New Faculty & Staff
Page 5 Summer Activities in CNS
Page 9 Celebrating the lives of those who touched the College
Page 10 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 12 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 13 Snaps from he start of the semester
Page 14 Science as Art Competition

Examining The Expression Patterns Of Desulfotalea Psychrophila Dsrab Operon And Pit At Subfreezing Temperatures And Different Concentrations Of Sulfate Salts As A Model For Mars And Icy Worlds Survival And Colonization, Sergio Luis Mosquera Mora

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since ancient times, Humanity has been fascinated with the idea of what lies beyond the borders of our planet. Fortunately, the combined efforts of many nations have made it possible to send unmanned spacecraft to orbit planets located close to Earth. These missions have the principal goal to collect data that could help us understand the basic environmental conditions that persist on those planets, or for evidence of past or present life. Equally important, landers and rovers have been successfully deployed to start the in-situ exploration of many planets of the Solar System. Among them, Mars has been extensively studied …

Upland Migration Of Coastal Marshes As A Response To Sea Level Rise And Fire Management: Past, Present, And Predicted, Devin Jen

Master's Theses

Coastal marshes are one of the most productive and intensively used ecosystems in the world. However, they are under threat due to natural and anthropogenic stressors, such as sea level rise (SLR). SLR can cause marshes to drown, converting them to open water. Marshes can respond to SLR through landward migration when suitable habitat is available. My research focuses on the landward migration pattern and mechanisms. I evaluated the historical land cover changes at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Pascagoula River delta over two-time intervals since 1955 and focused on the forest-marsh dynamics. I found that …

Dynamic Path Planning For Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Under Deadline And Sector Capacity Constraints, Sudharsan Vaidhun, Zhishan Guo, Jiang Bian, Haoyi Xiong, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The US National Airspace System is currently operating at a level close to its maximum potential. The limitation comes from the workload demand on the air traffic controllers. Currently, the air traffic flow management is based on the flight path requests by the airline operators, whereas the minimum separation assurance between flights is handled strategically by air traffic control personnel. In this paper, we propose a scalable framework that allows path planning for a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) taking into account the deadline and weather constraints. Our proposed solution has a polynomial-time computational complexity that is also …

Automating Defeasible Reasoning In Law With Answer Set Programming, How Khang Lim, Avishkar Mahajar, Martin Strecker, Meng Weng Wong

Centre for Computational Law (2022-2025)

The paper studies defeasible reasoning in rule-based systems, in particular about legal norms and contracts. We identify rule modifiers that specify how rules interact and how they can be overridden. We then define rule transformations that eliminate these modifiers, leading in the end to a translation of rules to formulas. For reasoning with and about rules, we contrast two approaches, one in a classical logic with SMT solvers, which is only briefly sketched, and one using non-monotonic logic with Answer Set Programming solvers, described in more detail.

A Computational Model Of The Line-1 Retrotransposon Life Cycle And Visualization Of Metabolic Networks In 3-Dimensions., Michael D. Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling of metabolic reactions and cellular systems is evolving as a tool for quantitative prediction of metabolic parameters and reaction pathway analysis. In this work, the basics of computational cell biology are presented as well as a summary of physical processes within the cell, and the algorithmic methods used to find time dependent solutions. Protein-protein and enzyme-substrate interactions are mathematically represented via mass action kinetics to construct sets of linear differential equations that describe reaction rates and formation of protein complexes. Using mass action methods, examples of reaction networks and their solutions are presented within the Virtual Cell simulation …

Effects Of Monovalent And Divalent Ions In Factor Xiii Activation And Crosslinking., Richard Laporca Lumata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factor XIII (FXIII) is an emerging target for treating blood clotting and cardiovascular related diseases. FXIII can be activated non-proteolytically by the presence of elevated Ca²⁺ levels (2-100 mM) or proteolytically by thrombin-cleavage of the Activation Peptide along with low mM Ca²⁺. The studies herein utilized fluorescence to examine how monovalent and divalent ions influence the transglutaminase activity and conformation of FXIII. Monodansylcadaverine assays revealed that increasing ionic radius (Cs⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ > Li⁺) and increasing ionic strength (XCl^- levels and SO₄^2- > Cl^-) elevated FXIII-A transglutaminase activity. Intrinsic …

An Economical And Repeatable Method For Mapping Shade Cast On Water Channels, Eric M. Nielsen

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

The motivation of this work is to provide insights toward determining a viable strategy for statewide monitoring of riparian vegetation condition, with particular focus on developing a repeatable, costeffective method for assessment of progress toward achieving temperature-based water quality standards mandated by the federal Clean Water Act. A reliable monitoring strategy could in turn support a datadriven prioritization and assessment framework to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of riparian restoration efforts. In this project we developed and tested a method for mapping shade cast on water channels by riparian vegetation using optical imagery sources that are affordable and regularly …

Equilibria: Sustainability And Eco-Awareness In Music Production, Ashley A. Kahl-Placek

University Honors Theses

Cross-disciplinary exploration between science and the arts is one tool to help solve some of the biggest issues facing humans. Climate change and loss of biodiversity can be represented via sound art and contemporary music composition. Wholistic eco-awareness and sustainability are possible when projects are based in unique species-inspired soundscapes, the cultivation of targeted, action-inspiring lyricism, and a sustainable navigation of the marketing and distribution pathways of the music industry. From the fall of 2021 to summer of 2022, field recordings of unique ecosystems were collected and combined with songwriting rooted in a love and hope for the future of …

Efficient Resource Allocation With Fairness Constraints In Restless Multi-Armed Bandits, Dexun Li, Pradeep Varakantham

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Restless Multi-Armed Bandits (RMAB) is an apt model to represent decision-making problems in public health interventions (e.g., tuberculosis, maternal, and child care), anti-poaching planning, sensor monitoring, personalized recommendations and many more. Existing research in RMAB has contributed mechanisms and theoretical results to a wide variety of settings, where the focus is on maximizing expected value. In this paper, we are interested in ensuring that RMAB decision making is also fair to different arms while maximizing expected value. In the context of public health settings, this would ensure that different people and/or communities are fairly represented while making public health intervention …

Joint Chance-Constrained Staffing Optimization In Multi-Skill Call Centers, Tien Thanh Dam, Thuy Anh Ta, Tien Mai

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper concerns the staffing optimization problem in multi-skill call centers. The objective is to find a minimal cost staffing solution while meeting a target level for the quality of service (QoS) to customers. We consider a staffing problem in which joint chance constraints are imposed on the QoS of the day. Our joint chance-constrained formulation is more rational capturing the correlation between different call types, as compared to separate chance-constrained versions considered in previous studies. We show that, in general, the probability functions in the joint-chance constraints display S-shaped curves, and the optimal solutions should belong to the concave …

Self-Adaptive Systems: A Systematic Literature Review Across Categories And Domains, Terence Wong, Markus Wagner, Christoph Treude

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Context: Championed by IBM’s vision of autonomic computing paper in 2003, the autonomic computing research field has seen increased research activity over the last 20 years. Several conferences (SEAMS, SASO, ICAC) and workshops (SISSY) have been established and have contributed to the autonomic computing knowledge base in search of a new kind of system — a self-adaptive system (SAS). These systems are characterized by being context-aware and can act on that awareness. The actions carried out could be on the system or on the context (or environment). The underlying goal of a SAS is the sustained achievement of its goals …

An Innovative Algorithm Based On Wavelets For Solving Three-Dimensional Nanofluid Bio-Convection Model Near A Stagnation Point, Mutaz Mohammad, Alexander Trounev, Mohammed Alshbool, En-Bing Lin

All Works

In this article, we are mainly targeting a new numerical algorithm based on Euler wavelets for solving a system of partial differential equations (PDEs) represented a 3D nanofluid bio convection model near a stagnation point. The model expresses the conservation of momentum, microorganisms, thermal energy, nanoparticles and total mass via a set of governing equations. We use Buongiorno’s setting to obtain a generated system and reduce it to nonlinear ordinary differential equations (NODEs). This initial system of PDEs that transferred to NODEs is solved based on the collocation discretization and tackled through the Euler wavelet truncated representation generated by a …

Climate Risk Perceptions And Perceived Yield Loss Increases Agricultural Technology Adoption In The Polder Areas Of Bangladesh, Zobaer Ahmed, Aaron Shew, Manoranjan K. Mondal, Sudhir Yadav, S.V. Krishna Jagadish, P.V. Vara Prasad, Marie-Charlotte Buisson, Mahanambrota Das, Mustafa Bakuluzzaman

Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies Publications and Presentations

The effects of climate change are likely to increase the frequency of flood, drought, and salinity events in the coastal areas of Bangladesh, posing many challenges for agrarian communities. Sustainable intensification in the form of improved agricultural management practices and new technologies may help farmers cope with stress and adapt to changing conditions. In this study, we explore how climate change perceptions of agricultural risk affect adaptation to climate change through technology adoption in a unique landscape: the polders of Bangladesh. In 2016, a survey was conducted in 1003 households living on these artificial, leveed islands facing the Bay of …

Chirality In Quantum Field Theory And Its Role In The Standard Model And Beyond, Timothy Blake Watson

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Chirality as a symmetry of particle physics occupies a unique role in the standard model. It arises from general space-time principles yet remains central to the formulation of local gauge theories. This work explores the complexities arising from a physically comprehensive treatment of this topic. We present the origins of the property from first principles by deriving the chiral Dirac equation (CDE). We demonstrate how the resulting chiral degrees of freedom for spin-1/2 objects may be employed in constructing composite chiral objects through the Bargmann-Wigner formalism, leading to novel couplings. We then consider means by which the degrees of chiral …

Tree Ring Reconstructions Of Streamflow For The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Adedolapo Mutiyat Adeyanju

Theses and Dissertations

The Rio Grande River is a major water source for people living within the USA-Mexico border. The Rio Grande River has its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico before flowing into Texas through El-Paso. The water supply issues facing the Lower Rio Grande Basin (LRGB) are extremely complex from international restrictions to severe climate change. The river shares its flow between the U.S.A and Mexico based on the provisions of the 1944 treaty between the U.S.A and Mexico. The LRGB flow is regulated by releases from Falcon and Amistad Reservoirs managed …

Synthesis And Processing Of Polymeric Materials For Hydrogen Storage, Dominic Adrewie

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen is one of the most promising alternatives and clean fuel sources, but it has faced several hurdles due to storage and transportation issues. Several methods have been proposed, developed, and are being improved. Key among these is the use of polymers as safe hydrogen storage media.

This work investigated the polymerization of methyl vinyl ketone using different concentrations 2,2’-Azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) as the initiator in a free radical polymerization mechanism. There was a subsequent analysis of the effect of the initiator concentration on the conversion rate and the molecular weight of the polymers produced with the help of Gel permeation chromatography. …

Effects Of Macronutrients Intake And Physical Activity On Childhood Obesity Of Hispanic Children, Prosanta Barai

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity has become more ubiquitous during the past few decades, and still, its prevalence is increasing. It is in every population in the world and all regions, including rural parts of low and middle-income countries. In the USA, regardless of age, the severity of obesity is no different from the global trend. Although numerous pieces of literature are available, that tried to find answers to some pressing issues like how obesity can be controlled, but there is little to no study focused on younger children, especially the 4-6-year-old Hispanic population. Our study aimed to determine the causal path among literature …

Quantization For A Nonuniform Triadic Cantor Distribution, Asha Barua

Theses and Dissertations

The quantization scheme in probability theory deals with finding a best approximation of a given probability distribution by a probability distribution that is supported on finitely many points. Let P be a Borel probability measure on R such that P := 1/4 P◦ S1−1 + 1\2 P◦ S2−1 + 1/4 P◦ S3−1, where S1, S2 and S3 are three contractive similarity mappings such that Sj(x) = 1/5x+2(j−1)/5, for all x ∈ R. For this probability measure, in this thesis, we determine the optimal sets of n-means and the nth quantization errors for …

Quantifying And Predicting Drought Performance In Woody Semi-Arid Seedlings In South Texas: Implications For Enhancing Drought Resilience In Restoration, Zarek Contreras

Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly frequent and severe droughts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge have been observed to cause large variation in species-specific mortality patterns in young seedlings, spanning 6 – 43 % mortality within the first year. To understand the underlying mechanisms behind this, we subjected seedlings of five woody semi-arid species (Celtis pallida, Forestiera angustifolia, Sideroxylon celastrinum, Phaulothalmnus spinescens, and Zanthoxylum fagara) to a point-of-no-return drought experiment in order to (1) identify potential metrics capable of predicting species wilting and mortality responses, and (2) to understand the underlying mechanisms that correspond to species drought performance …

Rotational Spectroscopy Of Nonafluoro-Tert-Butyl Alcohol, Zayra Leticia Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Nonafluoro-tert-butyl alcohol (NFTBA) is an alcohol being used in medicine and for the analysis of physiochemical and biological properties. Quantum chemical calculations on NFTBA were carried out using cluster computers from the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at Austin, TX. We scanned the C–C–O–H dihedral angle for 36 steps with each step at 10 degrees at the B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ level in order to identify the stable conformations and the energy barriers. The geometry of nonafluoro-tert-butyl was studied using MP2 and B3LYP Density Functional Theory (DFT) with an aug-cc- pVTZ basis set. The calculated rotational constants and dipole moments were used to …

Tap Water Disinfection In The Electrochemical Precipitation Process By Using Novel Conductive Concrete, Md Shoriful Islam

Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical precipitation (EP) is tested to learn about its impact on disinfectants in tap water. The EP process involves applying electricity through electrodes submerged in water to precipitate dissolved metals like water hardness out without chemical additives. In the study, tap water was tested to learn about EP’s impact on disinfectants. Tap water contains not only hardness but also residual disinfectants. It is very essential for the safety of drinking water against the potential ingress of pathogens before the water reaches the end-users. USEPA mandates that the free chlorine level in drinking water should be 0.2mg/L to 4 mg/L. …

Thermal Convection In A Cylindrical Annulus Filled With Porous Material, Anirban Ray

Theses and Dissertations

Here a study on thermal convection in a porous vertical cylindrical annulus which is heated from below is carried out. The walls are considered to be impermeable that is the velocity is 0 at the boundary walls. The cylindrical annulus is radially insulated. The governing system consists of the continuity equation, Darcy-Boussinesq equation, heat equation and the equation of state. Employing weakly non-linear approach, the basic state system and the perturbed system are derived. After obtaining the solutions to the basic state system, the pressure term in perturbed system is eliminated by taking double curl, and then eliminating the velocity, …

Network Analysis Of Scientific Research In The Gulf Of Mexico, Juliet S. Vallejo

Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf of Mexico ecosystem represents a significant management challenge in its 3,423-mile coastline and transnational regulatory setting, along five states from the United States, six states from Mexico, and Cuba which borders the southeastern quadrant. Providing various resources to the regional economies, the continued success of these resources depends on the collaboration among transnational participants in bringing together complementary skills and multidisciplinary approaches to producing, circulating, and utilizing scientific knowledge. Using bibliometric analysis of Gulf of Mexico-related published research over 18 years from 2000 to 2018 allows for identifying organizations, their connections, and trends in the production of scientific …

Neural Networks And Stochastic Differential Equations, Stephanie L. Flores

Theses and Dissertations

Influenced by the seminal work, “Physics Informed Neural Networks” by Raissi et al., 2017, there has been a growing interest in solving and parameter estimation of Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations (PDE) with Deep Neural networks in recent years. In fact, this has broadened the pathways and shed light on deep learning of stochastic differential equations (SDE) and stochastic PDE’s (SPDE).In this work, we intend to investigate the current approaches of solving and parameter estimation of the SDE/SPDE with deep neural networks and the possibility of extending them to obtain more accurate/stable solutions with residual systems and/or generative adversarial neural networks. …