Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Analyzing The Behavior Of Rats By Repeated Measurements, Kenita A. Hall

Mathematics Theses

Longitudinal data, which is also known as repeated measures, has grown increasingly within the past years because of its ability to monitor change both within and between subjects. Statisticians in many fields of study have chosen this way of collecting data because it is cost effective and it minimizes the number of subjects required to produce a meaningful outcome. This thesis will explore the world of longitudinal studies to gain a thorough understanding of why this type of collecting data has grown so rapidly. This study will also describe several methods to analyze repeated measures using data collected on the …

Omnibus Tests For Comparison Of Competing Risks With Covariate Effects Via Additive Risk Model, Duytrac Vu Nguyen

Mathematics Theses

It is of interest that researchers study competing risks in which subjects may fail from any one of K causes. Comparing any two competing risks with covariate effects is very important in medical studies. This thesis develops omnibus tests for comparing cause-specific hazard rates and cumulative incidence functions at specified covariate levels. In the thesis, the omnibus tests are derived under the additive risk model, that is an alternative to the proportional hazard model, with by a weighted difference of estimates of cumulative cause-specific hazard rates. Simultaneous confidence bands for the difference of two conditional cumulative incidence functions are also …

Spectrally Arbitrary And Inertially Arbitrary Sign Pattern Matrices, Nilay Sezin Demir

Mathematics Theses

A sign pattern(matrix) is a matrix whose entries are from the set {+,-,0}. An n x n sign pattern matrix is a spectrally arbitrary pattern(SAP) if for every monic real polynomial p(x) of degree n, there exists a real matrix B whose entries agree in sign with A such that the characteristic polynomial of B is p(x). An n x n pattern A is an inertialy arbitrary pattern(IAP) if (r,s,t) belongs to the inertia set of A for every nonnegative triple (r,s,t) with r+s+t=n. Some elementary results on these two classes of patterns are first exhibited. Tree sign patterns are …

Review Of The Maximum Likelihood Functions For Right Censored Data. A New Elementary Derivation., Stefano Patti, Elia Biganzoli, Patrizia Boracchi

COBRA Preprint Series

Censoring is a well known feature recurrent in the analysis of lifetime data, occurring in the model when exact lifetimes can be collected for only a representative portion of the surveyed individuals. If lifetimes are known only to exceed some given values, it is referred to as right censoring. In this paper we propose a systematization and a new derivation of the likelihood function for right censored sampling schemes; calculations are reported and assumptions are carefully stated. The sampling schemes considered (Type I, II and Random Censoring) give rise to the same ML function. Only the knowledge of elementary probability …

Minimo: A Search For Mini Proper Motion Stars In The Southern Sky, Charlie Thomas Finch

Physics and Astronomy Theses

I report 1684 new proper motion systems in the southern sky (declinations -90 degrees to -47 degrees) with 0.50 arcsec/yr > mu >= 0.18 arcsec/yr. This effort is a continuation of the SuperCOSMOS-RECONS (SCR) proper motion search to lower proper motions than reported in Hambly et al. (2004); Henry et al. (2004); Subasavage et al. (2005a,b). Distance estimates are presented for the new systems, assuming that all stars are on the main sequence. I find that 34 systems are within 25 pc, including three systems --- SCR 0838-5855, SCR 1826-6542, and SCR 0630-7643AB --- anticipated to be within 10 pc. These …

Coupled Precession Modes In Indirect Exchange-Coupled [Pt/Co]–Co Thin Films, Steven A. Michalski, Jian Zhou, Ralph Skomski, Roger D. Kirby

Ralph Skomski Publications

No abstract provided.

Robot-In-The-Loop Simulation To Support Multi-Robot System Development: A Dynamic Team Formation Example, Ehsan Azarnasab

Computer Science Theses

Modeling and simulation provides a powerful technology for engineers and managers to understand, design, and evaluate a system under development. Traditionally, simulation is only used in early stages of a system design. However, with the advances of hardware and software technology, it is now possible to extend simulation to late stages for supporting a full life cycle simulation-based development. Robot-in-the-loop simulation, where real robots work together with virtual ones, has been developed to support such a development process to bridge the gap between simulation and reality.

An Automated Xml-Based Webform Management System, Piyaphol Phoungphol

Computer Science Theses

In a web application, “webform” plays an important role in providing interactions between users and a server. To develop a webform in conventional method, developers have to create many files including HTML-JavaScript, SQL script, and many server-side programs to process to data. In this thesis, we propose a new language, Webform Language (WFL). WFL can considerably decrease developing time of webform by describing it in XML and a parser will automatically generate all necessary files. In addition, we give an option for user to describe a webform in another language, called Simple Webform Language (SWFL). The syntax of a SWFL …

New Techniques For The Qualitative And Quantitative Measurement Of Naturally-Ocurring Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogues By Mass Spectrometry, Tanya R. Myers

Chemistry Dissertations

GnRH peptides have been discovered in a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms, and work is ongoing to characterize additional unique isoforms. This dissertation describes the investigation of reversed-phase chromatographic and mass spectrometric behavior of GnRH peptides, the development and application of an LC-MS/MS method for qualitative identification of GnRH peptides, and the comprehensive validation of an LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous, quantitative measurement of hydroxyproline9GnRH (Hyp9GnRH) and mammalian GnRH (mGnRH) in rat brain tissues. Chromatographic and mass spectrometric behavior of GnRH isoforms was characterized for six GnRH model peptides. Using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nearly complete separation …

An Energy-Efficient Distributed Algorithm For K-Coverage Problem In Wireless Sensor Networks, Chinh Trung Vu

Computer Science Theses

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have recently achieved a great deal of attention due to its numerous attractive applications in many different fields. Sensors and WSNs possesses a number of special characteristics that make them very promising in many applications, but also put on them lots of constraints that make issues in sensor network particularly difficult. These issues may include topology control, routing, coverage, security, and data management. In this thesis, we focus our attention on the coverage problem. Firstly, we define the Sensor Energy-efficient Scheduling for k-coverage (SESK) problem. We then solve it by proposing a novel, completely localized and …

Distributed Algorithms For Improving Wireless Sensor Network Lifetime With Adjustable Sensing Range, Aung Aung

Computer Science Theses

Wireless sensor networks are made up of a large number of sensors deployed randomly in an ad-hoc manner in the area/target to be monitored. Due to their weight and size limitations, the energy conservation is the most critical issue. Energy saving in a wireless sensor network can be achieved by scheduling a subset of sensor nodes to activate and allowing others to go into low power sleep mode, or adjusting the transmission or sensing range of wireless sensor nodes. In this thesis, we focus on improving the lifetime of wireless sensor networks using both smart scheduling and adjusting sensing ranges. …

Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Using Support Vector Machines, Nueral Networks And Genetic Algorithms, Anjum B. Reyaz-Ahmed

Computer Science Theses

Bioinformatics techniques to protein secondary structure prediction mostly depend on the information available in amino acid sequence. Support vector machines (SVM) have shown strong generalization ability in a number of application areas, including protein structure prediction. In this study, a new sliding window scheme is introduced with multiple windows to form the protein data for training and testing SVM. Orthogonal encoding scheme coupled with BLOSUM62 matrix is used to make the prediction. First the prediction of binary classifiers using multiple windows is compared with single window scheme, the results shows single window not to be good in all cases. Two …

Evolutionary Granular Kernel Machines, Bo Jin

Computer Science Dissertations

Kernel machines such as Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have been widely used in various data mining applications with good generalization properties. Performance of SVMs for solving nonlinear problems is highly affected by kernel functions. The complexity of SVMs training is mainly related to the size of a training dataset. How to design a powerful kernel, how to speed up SVMs training and how to train SVMs with millions of examples are still challenging problems in the SVMs research. For these important problems, powerful and flexible kernel trees called Evolutionary Granular Kernel Trees (EGKTs) are designed to incorporate prior domain knowledge. …

Formal Object Interaction Language: Modeling And Verification Of Sequential And Concurrent Object-Oriented Software, Jason Andrew Pamplin

Computer Science Dissertations

As software systems become larger and more complex, developers require the ability to model abstract concepts while ensuring consistency across the entire project. The internet has changed the nature of software by increasing the desire for software deployment across multiple distributed platforms. Finally, increased dependence on technology requires assurance that designed software will perform its intended function. This thesis introduces the Formal Object Interaction Language (FOIL). FOIL is a new object-oriented modeling language specifically designed to address the cumulative shortcomings of existing modeling techniques. FOIL graphically displays software structure, sequential and concurrent behavior, process, and interaction in a simple unified …

Lighting With Sketches, Alexander Wakefield Steinberg

Dartmouth College Undergraduate Theses

Lighting design is a fundamental aspect of computer cinematography, where it is used to support storytelling by affecting the mood, style, and believability of a scene. Traditionally, lighting has requred the tedious adjustment of large set parameters that describe complex lighting setups, including lights positions, colors, shapes, etc. This work presents an interactive user interface that facilitates lighting workflow by using a sketching paradigm for light creation. Lights are specified by a series of strokes that define various properties of illumination such as shape of the light and position of illuminated and shadowed areass. The system will them perform a …

Following Fall Brook

Watershed Access Lab Projects

This was a study of two sites along Fall Brook, located in Middleborough, MA. Fall Brook has been monitored by MHS students over the past 10 years and is a major tributary of the Taunton River Watershed. The purpose of the study completed this year was to determine how land use affects the nitrate and phosphate levels of Fall Brook. The Wareham Street Site is located next to a horse farm and downstream from several cranberry bogs in a heavily wooded area. The Wood Street Site is located in conservation land, downstream from the Wareham Street Site and has a …

Is The Nemasket River Stressed Out?

Watershed Access Lab Projects

What is the effect of the waste water treatment plant on the water quality of the Nemasket River? Students chose three sites to study. These were located at the headwaters near Assawompset Pond, Route 105 (reference site), and Murdock Street (impact site). Murdock Street had a greater expanse of aquatic vegetation than the Route 105 site. The treatment plant is located between these two sites and deposits nitrates and phosphates into the river with its effluent. Phosphates are more readily removed from effluent via chemical reactions, while nitrates are more difficult to remove. Nitrates can be removed using BNR (biological …

Agawam River Project – Year 6 – River Water And Eel Grass

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The Agawam River begins in Long Pond in Plymouth, Masssachusetts and travels 13 miles downstream converging with the Wankinco River in Wareham. This brackish water then flows into Wareham River and finally, into the salt waters of Buzzards Bay.

Six different groups of 7th and 8th grade students have waded into the Agawam River to collect data over the past six years, with the expert and dedicated assistance of Dr. Curry and Kim McCoy. Our project has focused on the quality of the river ecosystem at two sites, about one mile apart, upstream from the Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF). …

Abbott Run River Study

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The purpose of our study was to make certain that the river met the Massachusetts water quality standards of a Class A river. We are concerned that the Abbott Run remains a Class A river because it is the source of the drinking water for Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Abbott Run is located in the western section of North Attleboro within the Blackstone River Watershed. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the west, Plainville to the north and Attleboro to the south. The watershed section in North Attleboro is approximately four square miles.

Land use is predominately single-family, residential except …

River Characterization Of The Assonet River

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Students conducted a characterization study of the Assonet River above Locust Street in Assonet, MA. They chose three sites in a third order segment of the river. Malbone Street was the most accessible site near the headwaters and was downstream from the confluence of the Cedar Swamp River and the Assonet River. The Cedar Swamp River drains a large area of wetlands (Cedar Swamp). Beechwood Street is downstream from another small wetlands and is close to Malbone Street. Locust is downstream from the Quaker Brook confluence and a section of the Assonet River called Forge Pond. The pH of all …

Footprints

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High School now occupies a new facility which was opened in September of 2005. The school was built as a “green school,” with numerous energy saving and environmentally beneficial features. Several new wetlands were created to deal with runoff from the grounds and building. Students in the RiverNet Club began investigating the on site wetlands which were being utilized by vernal pool animals for breeding. The observations led to questions about our environmental footprint. The runoff from the roof is collected and is used to flush the toilets. There are solar collectors on the roof. The parking …

Rivernet Watershed Access Lab Program Overview 2007, Kevin Curry

Watershed Access Lab Projects

Brief overview of the RiverNet Watershed Access program - its history and the achievements of the many participating teachers and students from throughout Southeastern Massachusetts.

Kinematic And Tectonic Significance Of The Fold- And Fault- Related Fracture Systems In The Zagros Mountains, Southern Iran, Katayoun Mobasher

Geosciences Dissertations

Enhancement methods applied on various satellite images (ASTER, ETM and RADAR SAT-1) facilitated the identification and mapping of tectonic fractures in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in southwest Iran. The results of the fracture analysis on these enhanced images reveal four principal fracture sets within each fold structure: (i) an axial set defined by normal faults oriented parallel to the fold axial trace, (ii) a cross-axial, extensional fracture set oriented perpendicular to the fold axial trace, (iii) and two sets of intersecting shear fractures, oriented at an acute angle to the cross-axial set. Study of the enhanced images also revealed five …

Ecologic Studies Revisited, Jon Wakefield

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Ecologic studies use data aggregated over groups, rather than data on individuals. Such studies are popular since they may make use of existing data bases, and can offer large exposure variation if based on broad geographical areas. Unfortunately the aggregation of data that defines ecologic studies results in a loss of information that can lead to ecologic bias. Specifically, ecologic bias arises from the inability of ecologic data to characterize within-area variability in exposures and confounders. We describe in detail particular forms of ecologic bias so that their potential impact on any particular study may be assessed. The only way …

Gamma Generalized Linear Models For Pharmacokinetic Data, Ruth Salway, Jon Wakefield

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

This paper considers the modeling of single dose pharmacoki- netic data. Traditionally, so-called compartmental models have been used to analyze such data. Unfortunately the mean function of such models are sums of exponentials for which inference and computation may not be straightfor- ward. We present an alternative to these models based on generalized linear models, for which desirable statistical properties exist, with a logarithmic link and gamma distribution. The latter has a constant coefficient of variation which is often appropriate for pharmacokinetic data. Inference is convenient from either a likelihood or a Bayesian perspective. We consider models for both single …

J2components: A Java Web Application Framework, Samuel Hughes

Computer Science Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Capacitive Probe To Investigate Surface Charge On Gravitational-Wave Detector Optics, Robert Mckinney

Physics & Astronomy Honors Theses

The accumulation and fluctuation of surface charge on the highly reflective optics in the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has been determined to be a potential source of noise in the detection of gravitational waves. To test this, a capacitive probe was built using a tuning-fork optical chopper with grounded blades to modulate the capacitance. This probe was used to measure the amount of surface charge and the time it takes for that surface charge to decay on a fused-silica optical substrate in a vacuum environment of 10-5 torr. The probe was determined to have a sensitivity of (2.3±.3)•105 e-/cm2. …

The Extent Of Perturbation Of Skin Models By Transdermal Penetration Enhancers Investigated By 31p Nmr And Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Charmita Patricia Burch

Chemistry Dissertations

The molecular basis of the potent transdermal enhancement activity of a series of iminosulfuranes, structure provided where X = H, Cl, Br, and I, is being investigated skin models. It has been shown (J. Lipid Res. 46(2005), 2192-2201.) that correlations exist between the activity of the aforementioned transdermal penetration enhancers (TPE) and the extent to which these agents bind to DMPC vesicles and perturb the gel to liquid crystal phase transition measured by calorimetry. The degree to which the perturbation of these compounds extends into the bilayer interior in contrast to surface activity is unclear. To gain insight into this …

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2007, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge.

The senior design competition helps to focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects …

High-Resolution Stratigraphy At A Coastal Drillhole, Beth Wrege

All Theses

Lithologic descriptions of continuous core interpreted in conjunction with borehole geophysical logs were used to determine thicknesses of hydrologic and geologic units at CR-622 in the coastal plain of North Carolina. Borehole geophysics was used to adjust the position of core loss within each cored interval and to supplement lithology to determine the stratigraphy of missing segments of core. Although some geophysical logs produce non-unique lithologic solutions, a complete normal stratigraphic profile may be obtained with the addition of continuous core. Curve characteristics within geophysical logs provide precise identification of transitional sequences and can be used to calibrate lithostratigraphy. The …