Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Comparative Study Of Bayesian Model Selection Criteria For Capture-Recapture Models For Closed Populations, Ross M. Gosky, Sujit K. Ghosh

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Capture-Recapture models estimate unknown population sizes. Eight standard closed population models exist, allowing for time, behavioral, and heterogeneity effects. Bayesian versions of these models are presented and use of Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) and the Deviance Information Criterion (DIC) are explored as model selection tools, through simulation and real dataset analysis.

Aligned Rank Tests For Interactions In Split-Plot Designs: Distributional Assumptions And Stochastic Heterogeneity, T. Mark Beasley, Bruno D. Zumbo

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Three aligned rank methods for transforming data from multiple group repeated measures (split-plot) designs are reviewed. Univariate and multivariate statistics for testing the interaction in split-plot designs are elaborated. Computational examples are presented to provide a context for performing these ranking procedures and statistical tests. SAS/IML and SPSS syntax code to perform the procedures is included in the Appendix.

Multiple Regression In Pair Correlation Solution, Stan Lipovetsky

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Behavior of the coefficients of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression with the coefficients regularized by the one-parameter ridge (Ridge-1) and two-parameter ridge (Ridge-2) regressions are compared. The ridge models are not prone to multicollinearity. The fit quality of Ridge-2 does not decrease with the profile parameter increase, but the Ridge-2 model converges to a solution proportional to the coefficients of pair correlation between the dependent variable and predictors. The Correlation-Regression (CORE) model suggests meaningful coefficients and net effects for the individual impact of the predictors, high quality model fit, and convenient analysis and interpretation of the regression. Simulation with three …

A Monte Carlo Comparison Of Regression Estimators When The Error Distribution Is Long-Tailed Symmetric, Oya Can Mutan, Birdal Şenoğlu

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The performances of the ordinary least squares (OLS), modified maximum likelihood (MML), least absolute deviations (LAD), Winsorized least squares (WIN), trimmed least squares (TLS), Theil’s (Theil) and weighted Theil’s (Weighted Theil) estimators are compared under the simple linear regression model in terms of their bias and efficiency when the distribution of error terms is long-tailed symmetric.

Improved Confidence Intervals For The Difference Between Two Proportions, James F. Reed Iii

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Wald-z asymptotic methods, with and without a continuity correction, have less than nominal coverage probability characteristics but continue to be used. Newcombe's hybrid method and the Agresti-Caffo methods have coverage probabilities that are near nominal for either equal or unequal samples. Newcombe's hybrid and Agresti-Caffo methods demonstrate superior coverage properties.

Which Is The Best Parametric Statistical Method For Analyzing Delphi Data?, Hiral A. Shah, Sema A. Kalaian

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This study compares the three parametric statistical methods: coefficient of variation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and F-test to obtain reliability in a Delphi study that involved more than 100 participants. The results of this study indicated that coefficient of variation was the best procedure to obtain reliability in such a study.

Bayesian Inference On The Variance Of Normal Distribution Using Moving Extremes Ranked Set Sampling, Said Ali Al-Hadhrami, Amer Ibrahim Al-Omari

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Bayesian inference of the variance of the normal distribution is considered using moving extremes ranked set sampling (MERSS) and is compared with the simple random sampling (SRS) method. Generalized maximum likelihood estimators (GMLE), confidence intervals (CI), and different testing hypotheses are considered using simple hypothesis versus simple hypothesis, simple hypothesis versus composite alternative, and composite hypothesis versus composite alternative based on MERSS and compared with SRS. It is shown that modified inferences using MERSS are more efficient than their counterparts based on SRS.

Ecotourism In Dominica: Studying The Potential For Economic Development, Environmental Protection And Cultural Conservation, Vanessa Slinger-Friedman

Faculty Articles

Over the last 20 years, the government of the small Caribbean island nation of Dominica has pursued the development of ecotourism on the island. The hope is that this industry will promote dispersed economic development while providing environmental protection and cultural conservation. However, not enough has been done to determine whether or not the industry is achieving the desired results. To this end, this study explores the growth of the tourism industry on Dominica and shows that, while not perfect, ecotourism is providing some definite benefits to the island in this regard.

Combinatorial And Commutative Manipulations In Feynman's Operational Calculi For Noncommuting Operators, Duane Einfeld

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In Feynman's Operational Calculi, a function of indeterminates in a commutative space is mapped to an operator expression in a space of (generally) noncommuting operators; the image of the map is determined by a choice of measures associated with the operators, by which the operators are 'disentangled.' Results in this area of research include formulas for disentangling in particular cases of operators and measures. We consider two ways in which this process might be facilitated. First, we develop a set of notations and operations for handling the combinatorial arguments that tend to arise. Second, we develop an intermediate space for …

Treatment Of Ion-Atom Collisions Using A Partial-Wave Expansion Of The Projectile Wavefunction, T. G. Wong, M. Foster, J. Colgan, Don H. Madison

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present calculations of ion-atom collisions using a partial-wave expansion of the projectile wavefunction. Most calculations of ion-atom collisions have typically used classical or plane-wave approximations for the projectile wavefunction, since partial-wave expansions are expected to require prohibitively large numbers of terms to converge scattering quantities. Here we show that such calculations are possible using modern high-performance computing. We demonstrate the utility of our method by examining elastic scattering of protons by hydrogen and helium atoms, problems familiar to undergraduate students of atomic scattering. Application to ionization of helium using partial-wave expansions of the projectile wavefunction, which has long been …

Feasibility Of Coherent Xuv Spectroscopy On The 1s-2s Transition In Singly Ionized Helium, Maximilian Herrmann, Martin K. Haas, Ulrich D. Jentschura, Franz Kottmann, Dietrich Leibfried, Guido Saathoff, Christoph Gohle, Akira Ozawa, V. Batteiger, S. Knunz, Nikolai N. Kolachevsky, H. A. Schussler, Theodor Wolfgang Hansch, Th H. Udem

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The 1S-2S two-photon transition in singly ionized helium is a highly interesting candidate for precision tests of bound-state quantum electrodynamics (QED). With the recent advent of extreme ultraviolet frequency combs, highly coherent quasi-continuous-wave light sources at 61 nm have become available, and precision spectroscopy of this transition now comes into reach for the first time. We discuss quantitatively the feasibility of such an experiment by analyzing excitation and ionization rates, propose an experimental scheme, and explore the potential for QED tests.

Quantifying Bimodality Part 2: A Likelihood Ratio Test For The Comparison Of A Unimodal Normal Distribution And A Bimodal Mixture Of Two Normal Distributions. Bruno D. Zumbo Is, B. W. Frankland, Bruno D. Zumbo

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Scientists in a variety of fields are often faced with the question of whether a sample is best described as unimodal or bimodal. In an earlier paper (Frankland & Zumbo, 2002), a simple and convenient method for assessing bimodality was described. That method is extended by developing and demonstrating a likelihood ratio test (LRT) for bimodality for the comparison of a unimodal normal distribution and a bimodal mixture of two normal distributions. As in Frankland and Zumbo (2002), the LRT approach is demonstrated using algorithms in SPSS.

Email: A Note On Hypothesis Tests After Correction For Autocorrelation: Solace For The Cochrane-Orcutt Method?, Terry E. Dielman

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The behavior of the t test in small samples for coefficient significance in time-series regressions is examined after using the Prais-Winsten (PW) and Cochrane-Orcutt (CO) corrections for autocorrelation. Results are compared to ordinary least squares and generalized least squares.

Industrialization In Animal Agriculture: A Kalman Filter Analysis, Oya S. Erdogdu, Levent Ozbek

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Studies discussing the effects of technological developments on (animal) agricultural production argue that the effective usage of chemicals and genetic engineering increase control over production processes, which in turn decreases seasonality (one significant factor defining agricultural production) significantly and brings standardization to production. Studies on broilery also show that production is not limited by nature determined seasons. Supply side changes accompanied by changes in demand have led to more healthier, standardized products. Using tools of economics and statistics, this study documents this transformation in animal agricultural production of beef, pork and milk. Results indicate decreasing seasonality, thus the industralization of …

A Socratic Dialogue, Vance W. Berger

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Socrates has found some aspects of medical biostatistics a bit confusing, and wishes to discuss some of these issues with Simplicio, a prominent medical researcher. This Socratic dialogue will shed some light on the errant use of parametric analyses in clinical trials.

A Comparison Of Maximum Likelihood And Expected A Posteriori Estimation For Polychoric Correlation Using Monte Carlo Simulation, Jinsong Chen, Jaehwa Choi

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

This study aims to compare the maximum likelihood (ML) and expected a posterior (EAP) estimation for polychoric correlation (PCC) under diverse conditions, especially when considering a sample size. As the ML is the classical solution to estimate PCC, the EAP is a new method based on Bayes’ theorem. Different types of prior distributions are also adapted to investigate the sensitivity of prior distribution onto the PCC estimate for the EAP case. The Monte Carlo simulation is used for this comparison by a specialized program code in MATLAB.

Inverting Color–Magnitude Diagrams To Access Precise Star Cluster Parameters: A New White Dwarf Age For The Hyades, Steven Degennaro, Ted Von Hippel, Et Al.

Publications

We have extended our Bayesian modeling of stellar clusters—which uses main-sequence stellar evolution models, a mapping between initial masses and white dwarf (WD) masses, WD cooling models, and WD atmospheres—to include binary stars, field stars, and two additional main-sequence stellar evolution models. As a critical test of our Bayesian modeling technique, we apply it to Hyades UBV photometry, with membership priors based on proper motions and radial velocities, where available. Under the assumption of a particular set of WD cooling models and atmosphere models, we estimate the age of the Hyades based on cooling WDs to be 648 ± 45 …

Impact Of Flash Animation In Learning Concepts Of Matter Among Elementary Students, Rhodora S. Santos

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examines the instructional effect of flash animation on students' achievement in learning specific concepts of matter. The subjects used in this study were 5th-grade students of the researcher from Dan Ramirez Elementary. Each class or section of these students was randomly assigned as the control group (n = 20) and the experimental group (n =20). The subjects in the control group were exposed to traditional textbook reading while the subjects in the experimental group were exposed to flash animation. To measure the students' achievement from the concepts learned, a pre-test and a post test were both administered to …

Watershed-Scale Analysis Of Riparian Buffer Function, Molly Van Appledorn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The ability of riparian buffers to filter undesirable nutrients from upland sources has long been recognized as an important ecosystem service for maintaining or improving water quality, and as a result, many land management strategies have been built around the preservation or restoration of buffer zones. Newly derived flow-path metrics have shown great promise as a way to assess riparian buffer function at the watershed scale but a thorough investigation of metric performance was necessary. The goals of this study were to: 1) test the independence of flow-path metrics from traditional metrics using a spatially extensive, independent sample of watersheds, …

Nitrogen Transport, Transformation And Cycling Through A Mountain Lake, Bull Trout Lake, Idaho, Usa, Ryan Settle Lockwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of a mountain lake on nitrogen dynamics in a sub-alpine watershed were examined via watershed monitoring, mesocosm experiments, microcosm experiments, and enzymatic assays during spring and summer of a single year. Our study addressed the questions: (1) How does hydrologic transport through the lake affect the net fluxes of dissolved nitrogen (N) species? (2) What are the net effects of the littoral zone biota on dissolved N fluxes? (3) What are the seston and benthic uptake rates of nitrate? (4) What is the magnitude of N retention in littoral zone sediments? (5) What role does microbial hydrolysis of …

Soil Organic Carbon And Site Characteristics In Aspen And Evaluation Of The Potential Effects Of Conifer Encroachment On Soil Properties In Northern Utah, Mical K. Woldeselassie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the Intermountain West, aspen (Populus tremuloides) has declined mainly due to a combination of successional processes, fire suppression and long-term use of ungulates which has led to replacement by conifers, sagebrush or other shrub communities. Conifer encroachment is believed to cause critical changes in the ecosystem properties. In order to understand the impacts of conifer encroachment on soil properties such as soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, soil morphology, and soil chemical properties, and the implications of such changes, it is very important to assess the soil properties under the two vegetation types. The objectives of this study …

Measurement And Modeling Of Reduced-Gravity Fluid Distribution And Transport In Unsaturated Porous Plant-Growth Media, Robert Heinse

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effect of reduced gravity on the balanced management of liquid, gaseous and ionic fluxes in unsaturated porous media remains a central challenge for plant-based bio-regenerative life support systems needed for long-duration space missions. This research investigated how shifting capillary and gravitational forces alter the sample-scale transport and distribution of fluids in mm-sized porous ceramic aggregates. Measurements in variably saturated media conducted on the International Space Station in microgravity (~1⋅10^-3 g_earth) and measurements during parabolic flight in variable gravity encompassing microgravity, terrestrial gravity and hypergravity (~1.8g_earth) were supported by numerical modeling based on fundamental, …

Predicting The Growth Potential Of A Shallow, Warm-Water Sport Fishery: A Spatially Explicit Bioenergetics Approach, Samuel Kirk Dahle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Capturing the range of fish consumption and growth potential of large, heterogeneous lentic systems can be challenging due to strong gradients in productivity, the diversity of habits types present, and in some cases, site-specific water quality issues. Cutler Reservoir (Utah, USA) displays a high degree of spatial and temporal variation in physical conditions and potential water quality limitations for fish, including high summertime water temperature and large, diel fluctuations in dissolved oxygen concentrations. The combination of bioenergetics modeling and GIS spatial analysis offers a promising interface for quantifying the fish consumptive and growth potential across a spatially and temporally heterogeneous …

Predicting Rna Secondary Structures By Folding Simulation: Software And Experiments, Joel Omni Gillespie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We present a new method for predicting the secondary structure of RNA sequences. Using our method, each RNA nucleotide of an RNA Sequence is represented as a point on a 3D triangular lattice. Using the Simulated Annealing technique, we manipulate the location of the points on the lattice. We explore various scoring functions for judging the relative quality of the structures created by these manipulations. After near optimal configurations on the lattice have been found, we describe how the lattice locations of the nucleotides can be used to predict a secondary structure for the sequence. This prediction can be further …

Correlation, Paleogeography, And Provenance Of The Neoproterozoic Eastern Uinta Mountain Group, Goslin Mountain Area, Northeastern Utah, Daniel J. Rybczynski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Geologic mapping, facies analysis, sedimentary petrography, and detrital zircon analyses of undivided eastern Uinta Mountain Group stratigraphy are presented to better understand the depositional environments and tectonic setting of the Uinta Mountain Group basin. Subdivided units have been modified and correlated from previous work and include the Red Pine Shale, Hades Pass, Crouse Canyon, Outlaw Trail, and Diamond Breaks formations. Three lower-order maximum flooding surfaces associated with the lower Outlaw Trail formation, lower Hades Pass formation, and Red Pine Shale are interpreted. The relative magnitude of each lower-order transgression increases up section along with increasing diversity of palynomorph assemblages found …

A Geologic And Hydrochemical Investigation Of The Suitability Of Central Utah's Navajo Sandstone For The Disposal Of Saline Process Water And Co2, Kevin L. Randall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Salt water is produced from the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale in central Utah as part of the production of coalbed methane (CBM) and is disposed of by injection predominantly into the Navajo Sandstone between 4,500 feet to 7,300 feet and is considered to be a hazardous waste. Local government agencies are concerned about the potential impacts on shallow groundwater because of this disposal method.

Water samples were gathered from four shallow water-supply wells, and nine salt water disposal (SWD) wells to compare hydrochemistries as an indicator of potential mixing. Shallow water-supply wells are likely recharged by local …

Optimal Candidate Generation In Spatial Co-Location Mining, Zhongshan Lin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Existing spatial co-location algorithms based on levels suffer from generating extra, nonclique candidate instances. Thus, they require cliqueness checking at every level. In this thesis, a novel, spatial co-location mining algorithm that automatically generates co-located spatial features without generating any nonclique candidates at any level is proposed. Subsequently, this algorithm generates fewer candidates than other existing level-wise, co-location algorithms without losing any pertinent information. The benefits of this algorithm have been clearly observed at early stages in the mining process.

A River Transformed: Historic Geomorphic Changes Of The Lower Rio Grande In The Big Bend Region Of Texas, Chihuahua, And Coahuila, David James Dean

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Over the last century, the construction and management of large dams and stream-flow diversions, and periodic drought have resulted in significant declines in stream flow of the lower Rio Grande in the Big Bend region. Reductions in mean annual flow and peak discharge have resulted in channel narrowing by the formation of vertically accreting inset floodplains. Narrowing has been temporarily interrupted by infrequent large dam releases greater than 1000 m³/s that have temporarily widened the channel; however, after each of these events, narrowing has resumed. Prior to 1942, floods of this magnitude occurred approximately once every 4 years …

Modeling The Evolution Of Insect Phenology With Particular Reference To Mountain Pine Beetle, Brian P. Yurk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change is likely to disrupt the timing of developmental events (phenology) in insect populations in which development time is largely determined by temperature. Shifting phenology puts insects at risk of being exposed to seasonal weather extremes during sensitive life stages and losing synchrony with biotic resources. Additionally, warming may result in loss of developmental synchronization within a population, making it difficult to find mates or mount mass attacks against well-defended resources at low population densities. It is unknown whether genetic evolution of development time can occur rapidly enough to moderate these effects.

The work presented here is largely motivated …

Exploring The Spawning Dynamics And Identifying Limitations To The Early Life-History Survival Of An Important, Endemic Fish Species, Sara Elizabeth Seidel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For many native, imperiled salmonid species, the prioritization of recovery and conservation efforts hinges upon the identification of a species most limiting life stage. The early life-history stage can be a limiting life stage for fish, and given the importance of the reproductive stage to overall persistence, there is a need to better understand the spawning ecology and early life history of many salmonids. The Logan River, in northern Utah, contains one of the largest metapopulations of imperiled Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) throughout the Bonneville Basin. Little research has evaluated the temporal and spatial distribution of BCT spawning nor quantified …