Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ibuprofen As A Probe Of Lipid Metabolism, Jose Antonio Rosales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The hypothesis that deracemization of racemic ibuprofen (IBU) occurs via the enolization of a Candida rugosa lipase (CRL)-ibuprofen ester (Scheme 1.6.2) was disproven by reacting racemic IBU under the conditions that were used to deracemize ibuprofen methyl ester (IME), namely pH 7.6. At pH 7.6, IME through IBU butyl esters were not formed in-situ and racemic IBU was not deracemized by reacting the corresponding primary alcohol with racemic IBU in the presence of CRL.

At pH 7.6, hexyl through dodecyl IBU esters were formed in-situ by reacting the corresponding primary alcohol with racemic IBU in the presence of CRL. The …

A Quantitative Assessment Of Trace Metals In Subsurface Soils And Groundwater In Agricultural Fields Of El Paso, Texas, Emmanuel Sosa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Intensive agricultural practices such as irrigation, application of pesticides and the use of fertilizers, as well as contamination from urban settings and industrial activities contribute to the input of trace metals onto soils and groundwater. Consequentially, biological uptake and accumulation concentrate these toxic metals in fruits, vegetables, and grains that will be used for human consumption. In southern New Mexico and western Texas, cropland is developed along the Rio Grande valley. These farmers are concerned about the quality of their irrigation water and soils in order to produce adequate crops and maintain healthy soils to maximize revenue. To evaluate loading …

Inverse Gaussian Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Applied To Modeling High Frequency Data, Emmanuel Kofi Kusi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With about 226050 estimated deaths worldwide in 2010, an earthquake is considered as one of the disasters that records a great number of deaths. This thesis develops a model for the estimation of magnitude of future seismic events.

We propose a stochastic differential equation arising on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes driven by IG(a,b) process. IG(a,b) Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes offers analytic flexibility and provides a class of continuous time processes capable of exhibiting long memory

behavior. The stochastic differential equation is applied to geophysics and financial stock markets by fitting the superposed IG(a,b) Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model to earthquake and financial time series.

On The Performance Of Variable Selection And Classification Via Rank-Based Classifier, Md Showaib Rahman None Sarker

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In high-dimensional gene expression data analysis, the accuracy and reliability of cancer classification and selection of important genes play a very crucial role. To identify these important genes and predict future outcomes (tumor vs. non-tumor), various methods have been proposed in the literature. But only few of them take into account correlation patterns and grouping effects among the genes. In this article, we propose a rank-based modification of the popular penalized logistic regression procedure based on a combination of l1 and l2 penalties capable of handling possible correlation among genes in different groups. While the l1 penalty maintains sparsity, the …

Mineral Exploration Investigation In The Northern Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico, Labdan Nijr Alqahtani

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Sierra Madre region is rich in mineralized deposits, but it is hard to access because of the rugged terrain. Remote sensing and GIS can help in mineral exploration and regional structural analysis. The purpose of this project is to study linear, curvilinear, arcuate, and circular features in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico in order to improve exploration possibility. It is of great interest to know the relationship between lineament intersections, caldera features because of the location of potential mineral occurrences. In this study, 4,445 lineaments were mapped manually using directional filters applied to satellite images. A total of …

Geophysical Studies Of The Three Sisters Andesite, West El Paso, Texas, Alexander D'Marco Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Three Sisters andesite intrusion is part of series of three small igneous bodies that crop out in western El Paso to the north of the more extensive intrusions found on the University of Texas at El Paso campus and at Mount Cristo Rey. These Oligocene age intrusions are believed to form part of a deeper, more extensive igneous body that may lie beneath much of western El Paso and the southern Mesilla Valley. I used several geophysical techniques to determine the size and shape of the Three Sisters intrusion to better understand its connection to other andesite outcrops and …

Deciduous Shrub Encroachment Effects On Tundra Soil Properties, Daniela Aguirre

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Deciduous shrub abundance is increasing in tundra ecosystems as an effect of rising temperatures which may change tundra physical properties and, in turn, microbial communities and biogeochemical processes. Two mechanisms through which shrub presence may affect tundra ecosystems were examined in this study; the physical presence of the shrubs and effects of increasing shrub litter inputs. In a sub-arctic alpine tundra ecosystem, dominated by the deciduous shrub Betula glandulosa, both shrub presence (shrub present and removed) and litter quantity (no litter/litter removed, ambient litter, and twice ambient litter) were manipulated; multiple ecosystem properties where measured within the treatment plots over …

Bayesian Analysis Of Variable-Stress Accelerated Life Testing, Richard Okine

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Several authors have over the years studied the art of modeling data from accelerated life testing and making inferences from such data. In this study, we consider a continuously varying stress accelerated life testing procedure which is the limiting case of the multiple stress-level discussed by Doksum and H´oyland [1]. We derive the likelihood function for the life distribution of the continuously increasing stress accelerated life testing model and consequently the Fisher's Information Matrix. We propose a Bayesian analysis for this distribution using the Gibbs Sampling Procedure. We conduct simulation studies and real data analysis to demonstrate the efficiency of …

Towards Analytical Techniques For Systems Engineering Applications, Griselda Valdepeñas Acosta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

One of the main objectives of systems engineering is to design, maintain, and analyze systems that help the users. To design an appropriate system for an application domain, we need to know: what are the users' desires and preferences (so that we know in what direction we should aim to change this domain), what is the current state and what is the dynamics of this application domain, and how to use all this information to select the best alternatives for the system design and maintenance. Designing a system includes selecting numerical values for many of the parameters describing the corresponding …

Forecasting Crashes, Credit Card Default, And Imputation Analysis On Missing Values By The Use Of Neural Networks, Jazmin Quezada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A neural network is a system of hardware and/or software patterned after the operation of neurons in the human brain. Neural networks,- also called Artificial Neural Networks - are a variety of deep learning technology, which also falls under the umbrella of artificial intelligence, or AI. Recent studies shows that Artificial Neural Network has the highest coefficient of determination (i.e. measure to assess how well a model explains and predicts future outcomes.) in comparison to the K-nearest neighbor classifiers, logistic regression, discriminant analysis, naive Bayesian classifier, and classification trees. In this work, the theoretical description of the neural network methodology …

Potential Of Nanoscale Elements To Control Fusarium Wilt Disease In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Enhance Macronutrient Use Efficiency, And Increase Its Yield, Ishaq Olarewaju Adisa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nanotechnology has a great potential in ensuring food production, security and safety globally. Over the past decade, research on the use of nanomaterials to supply nutrient elements and protect plants from pest and diseases has significantly increased. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world and United State is one of its largest producers globally generating billions of dollars annually in revenue.. Tomato plants are affected worldwide by Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. There is growing concern about excessive use of conventional pesticides in controlling Fusarium and other diseases in tomato …

Cantor Sets, Cantorvals, And Their Topological Structure, Ángel Adrián Agüero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With interesting topological properties, the Cantor set is worth studying for itself. In other areas, topological structures arise that are in fact homeomorphic to the Cantor set. In particular, we see sets that are homeomorphic to the Cantor set which result from the subsums of particular series, as well as linear combinations of algebraic sums of Cantor sets. These also result in what has been termed a Cantorval, which we also investigate.

Creating Spaces For Conversations On Conservation: A Case Study Of Joint Forest Management In East Sikkim, India., Paulami Banerjee

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Successful community-based natural resource management should include both resource professionals and local communities. Recognizing this fact, my research seeks to encourage more locally adaptive and collaborative forest governance that facilitates sustainable development by enabling grassroots participation. Specifically, I explore opportunities for developing a more sustainable relationship between India's Joint Forest Management (JFM) program and rural forest-dependent communities in Sikkim-a remote, northeastern state of India bordering Nepal to the west, the Tibet Autonomous region of China to the north and northeast, and Bhutan to the southeast. As an instrument for sustainable forestry management, JFM seeks to develop partnerships between forest user …

Stratigraphic And Structural Characterization And Evolution Of Exposed Megaflaps Flanking Salt Diapirs, Cora Evelyn Gannaway Dalton

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A Neoproterozoic salt system exposed in the Willouran Ranges of South Australia and a Mesozoic salt system in the south-central Pyrenees of Spain provide natural laboratories to investigate the stratigraphic and structural development of megaflaps flanking salt diapirs. Megaflaps are near-vertical to overturned, deep minibasin stratal panels that extend far up the flanks of steep diapirs or their equivalent welds. Megaflaps can form by halokinetic drape-folding, contraction, or a combination of these processes. The existing models of megaflap development are based primarily on seismic data, well penetrations, cross-section restorations, and numerical and analog modeling. Investigation of the sedimentology, stratigraphy, and …

The Illusion Of An Abundant End- A Phenomenological Approach To Sustainability: The Progress Trap And The Transformative Potential Of Dialogue, Shantanu Rojatkar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abundance is a concept according to which a thing is deemed to be in plenty. The feeling of satisfaction and assurance, arising from something that is concretely abundant, serves as a material reason for motivation of a desired action. Just like the stock of food lying in our fridge, ensuring more than just the needs of the moment, the abundance cooks the taste of freedom, freedom from worrying about tomorrow. However, over consumption out of greed as a potential outcome of abundance, could result in the increased capacity of a person in order to reach the initial level of satisfaction. …

Using Two-Photon Microscopy To Analyze Arabidopsis Thaliana Leaves Under Autophagy Conditions And Second Harmonic Generation In Collagen, Andres Martin Reyes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two-photon microscopy has emerged as a highly efficient and effective imaging tool for biological samples. This can be utilized in studying recently emerging technologies and conditions such as the autophagy process in arabidopsis thaliana leaves and second harmonic generation in collagen. Both of these areas of study utilize the two-photon microscopy practice effectively in uncovering more information of the biological nature of examined samples.

Electron Binding Energy Of Polar Molecules Using Fermi Löwdin Orbital Self Interaction Corrected Density Functional Scheme, Peter Obinna Ufondu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Density functional theory (DFT) has become a standard method for electronic structure calculations in physics. The standard approximate density functional usually do not bind this class of anions, due to self-interaction error (SIE). We apply the recently developed Fermi Löwdin orbitals based self-interaction correction method (FLOSIC) with long-range diffuse Gaussian functions to study dipole bound anions and negatively charged water clusters. These calculations are carried out using Perdew-Wang (1992) local spin density PW91-LDA, Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof PBE-GGA, and the recently developed Strongly Constrained and Appropriately Normed SCAN-meta-GGA functional which satisfies all the known constraints for exchange-correlation functional. Plot from FLOSIC density difference …

Amplification Vs The Natural Ear: A Test On The Effectiveness Of The Natural Ear On Adults Ability To Match Pitch In Song, Celeste Orozco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Singing is a natural enjoyment of life; however, individuals tend to isolate themselves from this enjoyment due to their inability to match pitch accurately. A new technology, the Natural Ear provides altered auditory feedback to the user while singing. It is hypothesized that this feedback may aid in the userâ??s ability to match pitch.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the Natural Ear to amplification and no amplification conditions on pitch matching accuracy in song.

Study Design: This study used a complex counterbalance within-subjects design.

Methods: 50 adults from the El Paso Metropolitan …

Dedicated Hardware For Machine/Deep Learning: Domain Specific Architectures, Angel Izael Solis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Artificial intelligence has come a very long way from being a mere spectacle on the silver screen in the 1920s [Hml18]. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, and we begin to develop more sophisticated Artificial Neural Networks, the need for specialized and more efficient machines (less computational strain while maintaining the same performance results) becomes increasingly evident. Though these “new” techniques, such as Multilayer Perceptron’s, Convolutional Neural Networks and Recurrent Neural Networks, may seem as if they are on the cutting edge of technology, many of these ideas are over 60 years old! However, many of these earlier models, at …

Ductile Deformation In The Central Panamint Mountains - A Multi-Disciplinary Approach To A Multi-Dimensional Problem., Tai Antonia Subia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study provides new insights into the geometry and timing of ductile, syn-metamorphic structures in the central Panamint Mountains of eastern California. The study focused on Surprise Canyon, where exposures of Meso- to Neoproterozoic miogeocline rocks, reworked crystalline basement, and syn-metamorphic granitoids record fabric overprints indicative of at least two distinct dynamo-thermal metamorphic events. Prograde metamorphism at greenschist and amphibolite metamorphic facies conditions occurred during Early Jurassic plutonism based on deformation of a dioritic pluton with a U-Pb date reported here of 175.6 ± 3.2 Ma. Mid Jurassic deformation (D1) generated the main continuous cleavage in the rocks (S1) as …

Nonlinear Optics For Nanoparticle Tracking And Materials Characterization, Angela Christina Aguilar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A high-speed 3D imaging method is developed by integrating ultrafast laser pulse shaping, temporal focusing microscopy and defocused imaging. This system does not require mechanical movement of either the stage or laser beam. Axial scanning is achieved by manipulation of group velocity dispersions on the femtosecond laser spectrum via pulse shaping method by applying modulation functions on an acoustic optical modulator which diffracts the laser spectrum. The scanning depth becomes only dependent on electronic signals which can be tuned to kHz speeds. The volumetric high-speed scanning capability was demonstrated on fluorescent microspheres suspended in a volume of 100 x100 x …

Computer-Aided Classification Of Impulse Oscillometric Measures Of Respiratory Small Airways Function In Children, Nancy Selene Avila

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Computer-aided classification of respiratory small airways dysfunction is not an easy task. There is a need to develop more robust classifiers, specifically for children as the classification studies performed to date have the following limitations: 1) they include features derived from tests that are not suitable for children and 2) they cannot distinguish between mild and severe small airway dysfunction.

This Dissertation describes the classification algorithms with high discriminative capacity to distinguish different levels of respiratory small airways function in children (Asthma, Small Airways Impairment, Possible Small Airways Impairment, and Normal lung function). This ability came from innovative feature selection, …

Strategies To Improve The Electrochemical Of Performance Transition Metal Compounds As Anode Materials For Li-Ion Batteries, Noemi Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nowadays, our society depends on fossil fuels as the main energy source. However, depletion, price fluctuations, and other concerns, such as global warming, have led to an exhaustive research for renewable energy resources. Here is where electrochemical energy systems play a critical role since they can provide power when renewable energy is not available. Among these electrochemical energy storage systems Li-ion batteries (LIBs) have shown higher volumetric, gravimetric, and power density capacities over other battery systems.

However, commercial LIBs are still relying on graphite base materials for the anode. However, graphite possesses a low specific capacity. Recently, transition metal compounds …

Dynamic Triggering Of Earthquakes Within The State Of Utah, Usa, David Lewis Guenaga

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the stress state of faults and the stress needed to trigger earthquakes remains a fundamental goal for understanding the earthquake cycle. We focus on deciphering the stress of faults by studying seismic waves from large, distant earthquakes that trigger local seismicity, called remote or dynamic triggering. Utilizing 17 years of waveform and catalog data (2000-2017) from seismic regional networks (i.e., EarthScope USArray Transportable Array, United States Geological Survey, and University of Utah Regional networks), we search for triggered seismicity in the state of Utah following 227 large magnitude (M ≥ 7) distant earthquakes. Utah provides a long-standing regional network …

The Rhetoric Of Low Carbon Energy Technology Scientists And Engineers, Nicolas Cesar Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Scholars in the burgeoning field of Energy Communication have successfully contributed to communication studies and environmental communication practice. However, energy communication scholars have largely focused on energy of media coverage, corporate communication and decision making in the context crisis. While rich and informative, this tendency has left quotidian aspects of energy communication rather understudied. As such, this Thesis contributes to the understanding of the internal, non-untechnical rhetoric of low carbon energy technology (LCET) scientists and engineers (herein LCET professionals). Textual analysis was used to examine LCET professionals' internal rhetoric at professional trade conferences and through long form, semi-structured interviews. Wind …

Stratigraphic Response Of The Differential Rise Of The Gypsum Valley Salt Wall, Jurassic Entrada Formation, Paradox Basin, Colorado, Rafael Andres Delfin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The effect of halokinetic processes on fluvial and marine depositional environments adjacent to salt diapirs have been well established through extensive research, however eolian systems in similar geologic settings have not been documented. This has left a void in our understanding of eolian depositional environments adjacent to salt diapirs. This study is aimed at providing new knowledge and a solid foundation on eolian systems and diapiric processes. Despite our limited understanding of theses interactions, there has been a recent interest in deep water prospectively in the Gulf of Mexico. Successful tests of the Norphlet Formation prove that eolian sandstones deposited …

Structural And Sedimentological Analysis Of The Bear Canyon Conglomerate, Southeastern California: Implications For The Timing And Style Of Miocene Deformation Within The Eastern California Shear Zone, Garrett Goff

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The region between Indian Pass and Picacho State Recreation Area (PSRA) in southeastern California records complex deformation related to the transition from a Paleogene convergent margin to a Neogene transform setting, although the timing and nature of youngest deformation in this region remains incompletely known. A 1.7 km-thick section of Miocene Bear Canyon conglomerate (BCC) was studied to constrain this young period of deformation. These rocks lie unconformably upon 23 Ma volcanic and epiclastic rocks and a Mesozoic metamorphic basement terrane. Near PSRA the BCC contains locally derived clasts and can be further subdivided into three unconformity-bounded sequences, referred to …

Petrophysical, Geostatistical And Geo-Spatial Analysis Of Round Top Mountain Rhyolite (Hudspeth County, West Texas, Usa), Lorraine Marie Negron

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This project consists of three separate projects that all investigate Round Top Mountain, a rhyolite laccolith located in Sierra Blanca, west Texas in Hudspeth County (U.S.A). The three projects will explore and analyze the petrophysical, geostatistical and geo-spatial aspects of this unique deposit.

Project 1:

This petrophysical study examines the porosity and micro-permeability of the Round Top rhyolite at a scale, roughly 5 to 10 mm or pebble sized, similar to anticipated heap leach crush sizes. Large voids and fluid paths, such as faults and joints in the massive rock (meter to km scale, boulder to outcrop size), are not …

Scratching The Surface Of The Isotope Landscape Of An Ore Deposit Molybdenum-Sulfur Isotope Relationships In A Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Deposit (Santa Rita / Chino Mine, Nm), Joshua Roger Peterson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

More than 95% of the world's molybdenum (Mo) is mined from porphyry deposits (Sinclair, 2007). Molybdenum is an important component for the metal industry, as a key ingredient in stainless steel alloys and high-speed heat resistant tools. Despite the importance of porphyry deposits for the supply of this industrially important metal, major questions about Mo mineral precipitation remain unresolved and the process of ore body emplacement and formation remains poorly investigated (Cooke et al., 2014a).

Recent observations have revealed a wide range of Mo isotope compositions in porphyry deposits, both globally and locally (Greber et al., 2014a; Shafiei et al., …

Robust Statistical Inference For The Gaussian Distribution, Andrews Tawiah Anum

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The aim of robust statistics is to develop statistical procedures which are not unduly influenced by outliers or observations that are not representative of the underlying "true" data generating process. This thesis focuses on an estimator with this characteristic. The divergence function is introduced in Chapter 2 with the sole aim of taking the function f to be the univariate normal distribution and α - [0, 1]. The estimator fails when we rely on the classic Newton's method to converge to the minimum of the density power divergence (MDPD) function. There is a tendency of such estimator never to approach …