Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

How Can We Explain Empirical Formulas For Shrinkage Cracking Of Cement-Stabilized Pavement Layers, Edgar Daniel Rodriguez Velasquez, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In pavement construction, one of the frequent defects is shrinkage cracking of the cement-stabilized pavement layer. To minimize this defect, it is important to be able to predict how this cracking depends on the quantities describing the pavement layer and the corresponding environment. Cracking is usually described by two parameters: the average width of the crack and the crack spacing. Empirical analysis shows that the dependence of the width on all related quantities is described by a power law. Power laws are ubiquitous in physics, they describe a frequent case when the dependence is scale-invariant -- i.e., does not change …

Topics In The Study Of The Pragmatic Functions Of Phonetic Reduction In Dialog, Nigel G. Ward, Carlos A. Ortega

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Reduced articulatory precision is common in speech, but for dialog its acoustic properties and pragmatic functions have been little studied. We here try to remedy this gap. This technical report contains content that was omitted from the journal article (Ward et. al, submitted). Specifically, we here report 1) lessons learned about annotating for perceived reduction, 2) the finding that, unlike in read speech, the correlates of reduction in dialog include high pitch, wide pitch range, and intensity, and 3) a baseline model for predicting reduction in dialog, using simple acoustic/prosodic features, that achieves correlations with human perceptions of 0.24 for …

In-Between Frame Generation For 2d Animation Using Generative Adversarial Networks, Francisco Arriaga Pazos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traditional 2D animation remains a largely manual process where each frame in a video is hand-drawn, as no robust algorithmic solutions exist to assist in this process. This project introduces a system that generates intermediate frames in an uncolored 2D animated video sequence using Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), a deep learning approach widely used for tasks within the creative realm. We treat the task as a frame interpolation problem, and show that adding a GAN dynamic to a system significantly improves the perceptual fidelity of the generated images, as measured by perceptual oriented metrics that aim to capture human judgment …

Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Inconel 718 Combustion Behavior In Promoted Oxygen Environments, Dominic George Dieguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Promoted combustion testing is a vital tool for engineers to establish the combustion and flammability characteristics of materials (metallic or otherwise) in oxygen enriched environments. Historically, much of the established data for metallic promoted combustion has been with regards to materials in their cast and wrought forms. However, with the emergence of additive manufacturing as a preferred method of fabrication, the need exists to evaluate how metals in that form behave. Recent testing has demonstrated that even if a metal or alloy is nominally the same with regards to chemistry, flammability between samples in the wrought form can differ significantly …

Study Of Morphology, Structure, And Magnetic Properties Of High Entropy Alloy Systems, Matthew G. Guerrero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract:This thesis presents an investigation into the magnetic properties of high entropy alloy (HEA) samples, focusing primarily on compositions within the FeNiCoMn system and their gallium/chemically doped derivatives. High entropy alloys represent a promising class of materials with unique properties resulting from their complex composition and structural arrangements. The behavior of these alloys, particularly in their magnetic properties, remains an area of significant interest due to their potential applications in magnetic storage, sensing, and other technological domains. The study encompasses an examination of seven distinct HEA samples: FeNiCo, FeNiCoMn0.2, FeNiCoMn0.4, FeNiCoMn0.6, FeNiCoMn0.2Ga0.1, FeNiCoGa0.2, FeNiCoMn0.2Ga0.3. Furthermore, three samples of FeNiCoMn0.2 and …

Microwave Emission Model Parameter Tuning For Surface Soil Moisture Retrieval Using Uav-Mounted Dual Polarization L-Band Radiometer, Santiago Hoyos Echeverri

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Surface soil moisture retrieval from L-band brightness temperature has been developed for the past decades due to multiple beneficial characteristics of 1-2 GHz frequency bands for remote sensing of the environment. Numerous microwave emission models have been proposed for tower and satellite-based operations with successful retrieval of surface soil moisture and vegetation water content. As a result of the development of cost-effective and low-mass microwave L-band radiometers such as the Portable L-band Radiometer (PoLRa), surface soil moisture surveying traditionally developed by satellite missions SMOS and SMAP can now be developed at local scales, bringing these operations to commercial small unmanned …

Synthesis Of Neoglycoproteins As Potential Biomarkers For Chagas Disease And Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused By Leishmania (Viannia) Braziliensis, Eileni Rodriguez Gil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Protozoan parasites are responsible for causing numerous diseases in humans and mammals worldwide. Among them are Chagas disease (CD), caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), and tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL), caused by the parasite Leishmania (Viannia). Both diseases coexist in many regions of Latin America, and current hurdles to differentially diagnose them and determine chemotherapy success need to be overcome. CD can be diagnosed by traditional serological tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but disadvantages of these methods are that they may produce false negatives because the antigens used in commercial CD kits are not conserved across all T.cruzi …

Selective Transfection Of A Transferrin Receptor-Expressing Cell Line With Dna-Lipid Nanoparticles And Synthesis Of Parasite-Derived Glycans As Biomarkers For Leishmaniasis, Irodiel Vinales Lozano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Despite notable progress in lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated gene delivery, achieving selective transfection of specific cell types, such as cancer cells, remains a significant hurdle, hindering the advancement of innovative gene therapies. In this study, we engineered an LNP formulation encapsulating plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding the monomeric Green Lantern (mGL) fluorescent reporter protein. The DT7 peptide ligand targeting human transferrin receptor 1 (hTfR1) was also conjugated to the LNP surface for targeted delivery to hTfR1-expressing cells. Optimization of LNP composition yielded favorable particle diameter, ζ-potential, yield, and pDNA encapsulation efficiency. Evaluation of transfection selectivity using a panel of two engineered cell …

Dynamic Storytelling Algorithms Using Contextual Aspects Of A Large Language Model, Alireza Pasha Nouri

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Storytelling is a set of algorithms used to create narratives by connecting documents in a sequencethat accurately reflects the evolution of events and entities within a particular topic or theme. Early storytelling algorithms face challenges in encoding the progression and interconnections of information between consecutive texts, given that the conventional approaches rely primarily on connecting document pairs based on content overlap. They often neglect critical linguistic features, such as word contexts, semantics, the roles words play across different documents, and attention to the historical contexts of the underlying documents. Many existing storytelling models frequently produce story chains that, while connected …

Water Sufficiency For Organismal Function In Dryland Critical Zones, Lindsey Dacey

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Water availability is crucial for organismal survival and growth in dryland environments, affecting both ecological interactions and carbon dynamics. The goal of this thesis is to develop soil water release curves (SWRCs) that link soil water potentials (Ψ) to soil water content (θ). Using the SWRCs, temporal soil water sufficiency curves are developed, which quantify the amount of time that dryland critical zones have enough water to sustain the physiology of organisms. These curves allow for effectively indicating water availability across different species, coverage types, and soil conditions, enhancing our understanding of water dynamics in drylands and contributing important parameters …

Produced Water: Characterization And Treatment, Ramon Antonio Sanchez Rosario

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, environmental concerns have urged companies in the energy sector to modify their industrial activities to facilitate greater environmental stewardship. For example, the practice of unconventional oil and gas extraction has drawn the ire of regulators and various environmental groups due to its reliance on millions of barrels of fresh water for hydraulic fracturing well stimulation, which is generally withdrawn from natural sources and public water supplies. Additionally, this process generates two substantial waste streams, which are collectively characterized as flowback and produced water. Whereas flowback water is comprised of various chemical additives that are used during hydraulic …

Investigating Changes In Surface Water Chemistry Across The Llano Uplift And The Balcones Fault Zone In Central Texas Using Strontium And Uranium Isotopes, Hao Tuan Pham

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The landscape of central Texas is shaped by over one billion years of Earth's history. An array of lithology lies within central Texas along with two large geological structures. The Llano Uplift, characterized by Proterozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks dating back to 1.37 billion years ago, is encircled by Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. To the southeast of the Llano Uplift lies the Balcones Fault Zone (BFZ), an extensional structural system of mostly normal faults that delineates the transition between Paleozoic-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks and Cenozoic sedimentary cover, which are influential to the regional hydrogeology. This study investigates the hydrogeological dynamics …

Automated Composition Of Multivariable Scientific Workflows Considering Scientific Assumptions, Raul Alejandro Vargas Acosta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Many ground-breaking scientific experiments require the execution of multiple complex scientific computations. Thus, scientific workflows (i.e., a sequence of scientific computations) have received significant attention, more specifically, the automated composition of scientific workflows. Scientific workflows that repurpose data may have unique scientific assumptions that need to be considered when composing a workflow. Workflow composition tools have enabled a wider range of stakeholders (e.g., policymakers, the general public, and researchers) to create and execute workflows; however, domain expertise is still required for these tasks. The overarching goal of this work is to further improve the automatic composition of scientific workflows by …

Analyzing The Impact Of Oil And Gas-Contaminated Fluids On Soil In Eddy And Lea Counties Using Sequential Extraction, Mary Adu-Gyamfi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study investigates the impacts of oil and gas-contaminated fluids on soil within the context of Eddy and Lea Counties in New Mexico, the United States. The increase in oil and gas operations has led to enormous wastewater production that is handled, stored, and transported, leading to thousands of spills yearly. The continuous and accidental release of this wastewater poses several risks to the environment due to its high levels of hazardous pollutants. Several studies were conducted on how to reduce the contaminants; however, the impact caused on the environment and the fate of the spilled fluids is unclear due …

Resource Scarcity Caused By Environmental Changes: Driving Factor In Terrorism Attacks In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Amaris Bustamante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Climate change, resource scarcity, and terrorist attacks are ever-growing crises that disproportionately impact different states. They are crises that can impact the stability and resilience of humanity in the following decades if they are not addressed and mitigated. This study addresses the impact of resource scarcity caused by climate change that can then serve as a driving force in terrorist attacks in climate-sensitive and conflict-prone states. The objective of this mixed-methods study is to identify the correlation between climate changes that lead to resource scarcity such as rainfall and surface temperatures with terrorist attacks when taking into consideration other demographic, …

Promoting Social Sustainability: Implementing A Dynamic Stem Driven Framework To Empower Underrepresented Communities In West Texas Schools, Raquel Haggerty

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores how environmental engineering can utilize STEM education as a strategic tool, enhancing social sustainability and thereby empowering underserved Hispanic communities in West Texas. Responding to significant educational and resource disparities, this research introduces an innovative interdisciplinary framework that combines instruction-initiated resource activation (I2RA), culturally attuned parent engagement (CAPE), and community- centered STEM education (CCSE). This approach uniquely addresses the challenges faced by these communities, integrating environmental solutions with educational advancements to forge a path toward equitable STEM access and achievement.

Additionally, the "Elevate and Empower" case study exemplifies the practical application of this comprehensive framework, demonstrating its …

Assessing Urban Tree Coverage Along The U.S.-Mexico Border: A Gis Analysis Of Paso Del Norte, Melanie Escobar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, researchers have extensively studied the spatial distribution of social demographics and urban tree canopy (UTC) in urban cities, but very few, to this date, address U.S.-Mexico border cities. To date, there is no research that assesses the distribution of urban tree canopy (UTC) in the city of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, along the U.S.- Mexico border. Leveraging advanced mapping techniques and GIS tools, the study performs comparisons between countries (Juárez vs. El Paso urbanized areas and intra-country (within each country). It compares land cover classifications, assesses variations in UTC distribution across census tracts and …

Dispersal And Population Structure Of Euchlanis Chihuahuaensis Via Anemochory In The Chihuahuan Desert, Tristan Chavez-Poeschel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Desert ecosystems present challenges for aquatic organisms as habitats are fragmented, both in space and time; however, diapausing stages of rotifers can travel hundreds of kilometers during wind events. I used the rotifer Euchlanis chihuahuaensis as a model species to investigate the influence of wind dispersal on gene flow and population genetics in Chihuahuan Desert populations. I hypothesized that anemochory facilitates gene flow from source populations in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico and the western United States to habitats in the Trans-Pecos region via delineated wind corridors. To test this hypothesis, the genetic diversity of populations from both inside …

Local Map Of The Interstellar Fuv Field, David Lomeli

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The strength of the far-ultraviolet field is an important parameter in determining the chemistry that takes place in star-forming regions. FUV radiation is produced by bright stars in the galaxy and absorbed by interstellar dust. By using newly available maps of the dust distribution, in conjunction with catalogs of stellar positions and spectra, we created a local map of the FUV field ranging from 6-13.6 eV. We find a value of 6.57*10^-14 erg/cm^3 at the location of the Sun. This value, alongside its spectra, follow previous measurements and estimates of the FUV field at the Sun. We further study the …

Computational Study Of Fluorescent Molecular Probes For The Early Detection Of Alzheimer's Disease, Gabriela Elizabeth Molina Aguirre

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease is a debilitating brain disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most prevalent form of dementia and the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. As, researchers have identified biomarkers that can indicate the presence of the disease many years before the first symptoms appear, so there is an opportunity for early detection and treatment follow-ups, which could significantly improve the quality of life for those affected by this disease.This dissertation investigates the relationship between molecular structure and optical properties of donor-bridge-acceptor (DBA) fluorescent molecular probes designed for detecting Amyloid-β and p-Tau protein …

Modeling The Spatiotemporal Variations Of The Magnetic Field In Active Regions On The Sun Using Deep Neural Networks, Godwill Asare Mensah Mensah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Solar active regions are areas on the Sun's surface that have especially strong magnetic fields. Active regions are usually linked to a number of phenomena that can have serious detrimental consequences on technology and, in turn, human life. Examples of these phenomena include solar flares and coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. The precise predictionof solar flares and coronal mass ejections is still an open problem since the fundamental processes underpinning the formation and development of active regions are still not well understood. One key area of research at the intersection of solar physics and artificial intelligence is deriving insights from …

Assessing Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid Properties And Its Potential Therapeutic Effect For Glioblastoma, Jose Arturo Guerrero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study employs a combination of theoretical and experimental analysis to spectroscopically investigate the biomechanistic structure relationship and therapeutic effects of the Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid (NDGA) chemical derived from the Larrea Tridentata plant. These relationships are crucial for understanding NDGA's efficacy in disease prevention, treatment, and potential toxicological effects. While the medicinal and antiviral properties of the NDGA have been studied extensively, there remains a gap in optically identifying and reporting its structural changes. The current research successfully reveals evident trends in NDGA's vibrational signatures, particularly highlighting the absence of the Raman feature at 780 〖cm〗^(-1) as indicative of a fully …

Combining Green Analytical Methods And Machine Learning To Develop Urinary Fatty Acid Models For Cancer Detection, Elizabeth Noriega Landa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study aimed to explore fatty acids (FAs) as non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) detection and prognosis, and their potential applications in other cancers. The objectives of this study were: 1) Develop a non-invasive urinary FAs-based model for diagnosing PCa; 2) Develop a FAs-based liquid biopsy model for non-invasive monitoring of PCa progression; 3) Investigate FAs composition in periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) collected from PCa positive patients; 4) Investigate the potential of urinary FAs biomarkers for diagnosing clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and ovarian cancer (OC).For the PCa diagnostic model, urine samples from 334 biopsy-confirmed PCa-positive and 232 …

Earth Abundant Catalyst For Evironmental Sustainability Applications, Javier Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The development of experimental methodologies for synthesizing a diverse range of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles tailored for sustainable water treatment applications was investigated. These nanoparticles are prepared using environmentally friendly and scalable synthesis methods, underscoring their potential for large-scale production. Synthesized nanoparticles are harnessed for various processes, including catalysis and electrocatalysis, with a primary objective of degrading and removing organic pollutants from water. Key to this research is the encapsulation of nanoparticles within solid supports. Multiple methodologies are explored to engineer supports that ensure nanoparticle stabilization, monodispersion, and prevent unintended release into the environment. Two alternative approaches were evaluated …

Manipulation Of The Magnetic Properties Of Van Der Waals Materials Through External Stimuli, Luis Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A new revolutionary application dependent on the electron spin to carry information with greater efficiency in data storage, transfer, and processing, will rely heavily on 2D magnets and the ability to effectively control their electron spins and engineer their properties. Previously, magnetic thin films were heavily studied to achieve this goal, however, these materials came with pitfalls and lacked naturally occurring 2D magnetism. The recent discovery of intrinsic magnetism in few-layered van der Waals (vdW) magnets has inspired researchers to extensively study them because of the feasibility to exfoliate them down to a monolayer. Due to this dimensionality factor, vdW …

Shall We Place More Advanced Students In A Separate Class?, Shahnaz Shahbazova, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In every class, we have students who are more advanced and students who are more behind. From this viewpoint, it seems reasonable to place more advanced students in a separate class. This should help advanced students progress faster, and it should help other students as well, since the teachers in the remaining class can better attend to their needs. However, empirically, this does not work: when we form a separate class, the overall amount of gained knowledge decreases. In this paper, we provide a possible explanation for this seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon.

How Difficult Is It To Comprehend A Program That Has Significant Repetitions: Fuzzy-Related Explanations Of Empirical Results, Christian Servin, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In teaching computing and in gauging the programmers' productivity, it is important to property estimate how much time it will take to comprehend a program. There are techniques for estimating this time, but these techniques do not take into account that some program segments are similar, and this similarity decreases the time needed to comprehend the second segment. Recently, experiments were performed to describe this decrease. These experiments found an empirical formula for the corresponding decrease. In this paper, we use fuzzy-related ideas to provide commonsense-based theoretical explanation for this empirical formula.

Mcfadden's Discrete Choice And Softmax Under Interval (And Other) Uncertainty: Revisited, Bartlomiej Jacek Kubica, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Studies of how people actually make decisions have led to an empirical formula that predicts the probability of different decisions based on the utilities of different alternatives. This formula is known as McFadden's formula, after a Nobel prize winning economist who discovered it. A similar formula -- known as softmax -- describes the probability that the classification predicted by a deep neural network is correct, based on the neural network's degrees of confidence in the object belonging to each class. In practice, we usually do not know the exact values of the utilities -- or of the degrees of confidence. …

Why Bernstein Polynomials: Yet Another Explanation, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

In many computational situations -- in particular, in computations under interval or fuzzy uncertainty -- it is convenient to approximate a function by a polynomial. Usually, a polynomial is represented by coefficients at its monomials. However, in many cases, it turns out more efficient to represent a general polynomial by using a different basis -- of so-called Bernstein polynomials. In this paper, we provide a new explanation for the computational efficiency of this basis.

Somewhat Surprisingly, (Subjective) Fuzzy Technique Can Help To Better Combine Measurement Results And Expert Estimates Into A Model With Guaranteed Accuracy: Digital Twins And Beyond, Niklas Winnewisser, Michael Beer, Olga Kosheleva, Vladik Kreinovich

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

To understand how different factors and different control strategies will affect a system -- be it a plant, an airplane, etc. -- it is desirable to form an accurate digital model of this system. Such models are known as digital twins. To make a digital twin as accurate as possible, it is desirable to incorporate all available knowledge of the system into this model. In many cases, a significant part of this knowledge comes in terms of expert statements, statements that are often formulated by using imprecise ("fuzzy") words from natural language such as "small", "very possible", etc. To translate …