Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Plant Species Identification In The Wild Based On Images Of Organs, Meghana Kovur

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Image-based plant species identification in the wild is a difficult problem for several reasons. First, the input data is subject to a very high degree of variability because it is captured under fully unconstrained conditions. The same plant species may look very different in different images, while different species can often appear very similar, challenging even the recognition skills of human experts in the field. The large intra-class and small inter-class image variability makes this a fine-grained visual classification problem. One way to cope with this variability and to reduce image background noise is to predict species based on the …

Effects Of Multiple Stressors On Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities In A Mixed-Land-Use Watershed, Joellen Stivala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

As urbanization continues, there is a need to identify and understand environmental stressors that impact stream condition in mixed-land-use watersheds. This study analyzed four years of aquatic macroinvertebrate community and environmental data collected from ten sites located at the mouths of first-order tributaries and along the main stem creek of a 23-km², mixed-land-use watershed in central Appalachia. The main objectives were to 1) determine stream ecological integrity by analyzing stream macroinvertebrate taxonomic and trait-based composition and 2) assess which of 23 environmental variables explained significant variability in common community composition metrics (WVSCI, GLIMPSS, Biotic Index, % clingers, etc.). …

Evaluation Of A Low-Cost Uas And Phenocams For Measuring Grapevine Greenness, Timothy J. Hoheneder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Unpersoned aerial systems (UAS) could provide winegrowers with the potential to monitor vineyard productivity with ultra-high-resolution imagery and low operational costs. This ability could prove particularly valuable in the challenging cool-climate viticultural areas of Appalachia. Especially in this mountainous region of increasingly variable microclimates, there could be of great value from an ability to use UAS-measured greenness to monitor wine grape phenology and predict harvest quality and quantity. In this study, I assess how UAS-measured greenness relates to three complementary measures of field-based: leaf angle measurements, phenocam measured greenness, and leaf spectral measurements of greenness. After correlating these field-based measures …

Estimating The Azimuthal Mode Structure Of Ultra Low Frequency Waves And Its Effects On The Radial Diffusion Of Radiation Belt Electrons, Mohammad Barani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Characterizing the azimuthal mode number 𝑚 of Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves is critical to quantifying the radial diffusion of radiation belt electrons. A Wavelet cross-spectral technique is applied to the compressional ULF waves observed by multiple pairs of GOES and MMS satellites to estimate the mode structure of ULF waves. A more realistic distribution of mode numbers is achieved by inclusion of the modes corresponding to different wave propagation directions as well as at 𝑚 higher than fundamental mode number. For the event study of a geomagnetic storm using GOES data, ULF wave power is found to dominate at …

Sustainability Assessment Of Direct Energy Deposition (Ded) Based Hybrid Manufacturing Using Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) Method, Faujia Islam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

As sustainability has emerged as a highlight for almost every field over the last few decades, the manufacturing field is no exception. Generally, additive manufacturing performs better than traditional manufacturing in terms of sustainability because of its lean energy- and material usage. Previous studies have compared the sustainability performance between traditional and additive manufacturing, but hybrid manufacturing was not focused upon much. In this paper, the life cycle assessment method is used to analyze and compare the energy consumption and environmental impact of direct energy deposition (DED) based hybrid manufacturing and traditional manufacturing “CNC milling” process for a turbine blade. …

Ensemble Encoder-Decoder Models For Predicting Land Transformation, Pariya Pourmohammadi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In studying dynamic and complex processes which are influenced by a system of inter-connected driving variables, it is crucial to apply models that can learn the complexity of the interactions. Land transformation is one of such complex processes, prediction of which can help to mitigate severe climate situations and improve the resiliency of communities. In this study, a multi-spectral set of data cubes is used to capture various characteristics of a geographic region. Based on the data cube, a feature space is constructed using socio-economic attributes, terrain characteristics, and landscape traits of the study region. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional convolutional neural …

Harnessing Acoustic Streaming For Bioanalysis In Microfluidics, Xiaojun Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In the past few decades, microfluidic technology has been developed rapidly in both fabrication methods and multifunctionality integrations, making it a powerful tool for a wider variety of biological applications. The device fabrication method has expanded from conventional polymer-based micro devices to 3D-printed micro devices, and allows multiple functions such as electric, optic, magnetic and acoustic to be integrated on a single platform. This dissertation focuses on method development of acoustic streaming-based microfluidics in bioanalysis such as immunoassay, enzyme kinetics and DNA fragmentation analysis. In this dissertation, a micromixer was developed based on acoustic streaming generated from sharp-edge structure vibration …

Analyzing Applied Calculus Student Understanding Of Definite Integrals In Real-Life Applications, Cody Hood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

An individual’s knowledge of definite integrals can range from rote memorization to a strong foundational connection harkening back to its Riemann sum limit definition. In my research, I conducted seven task-based face-to-face interviews with Applied Calculus students. Through the use of real-life examples and guided reinvention, I analyzed ways in which these students, who all initially demonstrated rote memorization, could exhibit a Riemann sum based level of comprehension. This research was conducted in the confines of a student population with definite integral experience, but no formal instruction on limits. My results show that the lack of computational emphasis in class …

Bypassing The Blood-Brain Barrier: A Physical And Pharmacological Approach For The Treatment Of Metastatic Brain Tumors, Samuel A. Sprowls

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation (a) provided an in depth literature review of methods to disrupt the BBB/BTB and improve therapeutic distribution to brain tumors, (b) evaluated the use of azacitidine as a single agent therapy for the treatment of brain metastasis of breast cancer and a potential molecular mechanism by which brain tropic cells are sensitized to hypomethylating agents, (c) determined the impact cannabidiol has on P-glycoprotein mediated efflux at the blood-brain barrier and its potential for use as a single agent treatment for metastatic brain tumors, (d) developed a preclinical radiation therapy protocol for use in small animals and in vitro …

A Snapshot Of Ancient Microbial Life: Microorganisms And Organic Compounds In Primary Fluid Inclusions In Bedded Halite, Neoproterozoic Browne Formation Of Central Australia, Sara I. Schreder-Gomes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Modern shallow brine environments contain an abundance of microorganisms. Microorganisms, mineral crystals, and air bubbles can be trapped with those brines in primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite as it grows in shallow saline surface waters. Primary fluid inclusions and their contents can be preserved, unaltered, for millions of years.

The ~830 million-year-old Browne Formation of central Australia contains intervals of bedded halite with unaltered primary fluid inclusions. Intervals of bedded halite were sampled in the Empress 1A core from ~1480 m – 1520 m depths. Here, I used petrography to describe suspect microorganisms and organic compounds that were trapped …

Independent, Semi-Automated Classification Of Petrographic Features In Volcanic Rocks Using Fiji And Weka, Holly Danielle Pettus

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Traditional methods of collecting quantitative petrographic data from thin sections (modal mineralogy, size distribution, shapes, etc.) are time- and labor-intensive, and rarely have sample sizes adequate to statistically describe complex rocks (i.e. volcanic rocks). Although manual counting and measurements are now routinely supplemented by digital image analysis, the majority of quantitative petrographic studies still go through a manual digitization stage where object classes are traced before further analyses. This is a major rate-limiting step that reproduces the same problems of small n-values resulting from significant effort. We have valuated the potential and limitations of using the Trainable Weka Segmentation (TWS) …

Recovery Of Phosphorus From Florida Phosphatic Waste Clay, Amir Eskanlou

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This MS thesis examines the recovery of phosphorus (P) from Florida waste clay (WC). A comprehensive literature review revealed that: (i)-The most important values being lost to WC are P and rare earth elements (REEs). For the recovery of these values from WC, two crucial attempts are the removal of extremely fine-sized clays, followed by the recovery of phosphate content, which can pave the path for the recovery of REEs; (ii)-Any scientific/ technological solution should, at the same time, be economically and environmentally attractive to the industry. As such, moving from mostly chemical separation processes to the primarily physical/ physicochemical …

Transform Based Approaches For The Detection Of Astrophysical Signals, Marwan Mahfud Alkhweldi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Development of new algorithms for the detection of isolated astrophysical pulses is of interest to radio astronomers. Both Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and several Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs) were detected through the application of a single pulse search algorithm. The conventional approach to detect astronomical pulses requires an exhaustive search for the correct dispersion measure. Its accelerated versions involve signal processing in Fourier transform space.

In this dissertation, we present several new transform-based approaches for the detection and analysis of astrophysical signals with the latest being the most effective and advanced of all. It is implemented in several steps. First, …

Grouping Algorithms For Informative Array Testing In Disease Surveillance, David Sokolov

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In order to maintain normal operations and prevent unnecessary morbidity and mortality during times of disease outbreak, institutions find a need to conduct frequent and widespread testing of their constituents, often under significantly limited testing resource constraints. Faced with the challenge of how best to allo- cate these limited resources to maximum effect, institutions are increasingly turning to group (or “pooled”) testing, which involves testing strategically-chosen groups of patient samples rather than individual samples, producing significant testing resource savings under certain regimes of disease prevalence. While group test- ing can be conducted without any a priori knowledge of individual disease …

Using Molecular Dynamics To Characterize The Relationship Between Membrane Components And Dynamics And Supramolecular Organization Of Membrane Proteins, Eric Sefah

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have gained impetus as a technique for elucidating structural and dynamical information about membrane proteins (MP). In particular, coarse-grained (CG) MD simulations have provided valuable information about the relationship between membrane components and supramolecular organization of MPs. In this work MD simulations are used to characterize the effects of hopanoids on bacterial membrane dynamics and association in a model protein proteorhodopsin (PR), as well as the role of the extended C-terminus of the human adenosine receptor (A_2AR) on its dimerization. PR is found to dimerize in a manner that is dependent on both the …

Arrow Spaces: A Unified Algebraic Approach To Euclidean Geometry And Inner Product Spaces, Hussin M. Albahboh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Given a postulated set of points, an algebraic system of axioms is proposed for an ``arrow space". An arrow is defined to be an ordered set of two points (T,H), named respectively Tail and Head. The set of arrows is an arrow space. The arrow space is axiomatically endowed with an arrow space ``pre-inner product" which is analogous to the inner product of an inner product vector space over R. Using this arrow space pre-inner product, various properties of the arrow space are derived and contrasted with the properties of a vector space over R. The axioms …

Magnetic Properties Of Lsmo/Sto Thin Films: Magnetocaloric, Spin Dynamics And Magnetic Viscosity Investigations, Navid Mottaghi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

While other films are discussed, this dissertation will focus on detailed studies of the dc and ac bulk magnetometry in a characteristic 7.6 nm thin film of La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃ grown on SrTiO₃ (001). The dc bulk magnetometry measurements show that the sample is magnetically inhomogeneous. Temperature variation of magnetization (M vs. T) was measured in zero-field-cooled and field-cooled protocols to determine the blocking temperature T_B in different applied magnetic fields. The field variation of T_B is interpreted as the presence of embedded spin clusters of 1.4 nm. Moreover, the M vs. …

Algebraic, Analytic, And Combinatorial Properties Of Power Product Expansions In Two Independent Variables., Mohamed Ammar Elewoday

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Let $F(x,y)=I+\hspace{-.3cm}\sum\limits_{\substack{p=1\\m+n=p}}^{\infty}\hspace{-.3cm}A_{m,n}x^my^n$ be a formal power series, where the coefficients $A_{m,n}$ are either all matrices or all scalars. We expand $F(x,y)$ into the formal products $\prod\limits_{\substack{p=1\\m+n=p}}^{\infty}\hspace{-.3cm}(I+G_{m,n}x^m y^n)$, $\prod\limits_{\substack{p=1\\m+n=p}}^{\infty}\hspace{-.3cm}(I-H_{m,n}x^m y^n)^{-1}$, namely the \textit{ power product expansion in two independent variables} and \textit{inverse power product expansion in two independent variables} respectively. By developing new machinery involving the majorizing infinite product, we provide estimates on the domain of absolute convergence of the infinite product via the Taylor series coefficients of $F(x,y)$. This machinery introduces a myriad of "mixed expansions", uncovers various algebraic connections between the $(A_{m,n})$ and the $(G_{m,n})$, and uncovers various algebraic …

Huntingtin Aggregation At Interfaces Associated With Membranes And Organelles, Adewale Vincent Adegbuyiro

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion of polyglutamine (polyQ) domain within the first exon (exon1) of the huntingtin (htt) protein. Due to this mutation within the polyQ domain, htt aggregates into various toxic species such as oligomers, fibrils, and other amorphous aggregates. While the aggregation of htt strongly correlates with polyQ length, other factors, e.g. interaction with membranes or organelles and posttranslational modifications (PTMs), modulate aggregation. The first 17 N-terminal amino acids (Nt17) that precede the polyQ in htt-exon1 enhances aggregation and facilitated binding of htt to membranous organelles, promoting morphological changes and disfunction. …

Heterogeneous Generalizations Of Vertex Coloring, Lucian Ciletti Mazza

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation proves a collection of results in some heterogeneous generalizations of vertex coloring, i.e. generalizations in which the relationship between the colors of two adjacent vertices may differ throughout the graph. For the most part, the results are from group coloring, group list coloring, and DP coloring. The main results are as follows: a group list coloring analogue of Brooks' Theorem for multigraphs, a result linking group structure (rather than only group size) with group coloring, some results involving coloring edge-disjoint unions, and an examination of the relationship between the group and DP coloring numbers of a multigraph and …

Regional Correlation And Depositional History Using Well Log And Core Data Of The Middle Devonian Marcellus Poseidon 8m Well, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Usa, Emily R. Jackson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The Marcellus Shale is the largest natural gas producing formation in the Appalachian basin, and as such, presents a unique opportunity for continued research on an area that is critical to meeting the energy needs of the current society. Although the Marcellus has historically been extensively researched, acquisition of well log and core data from the Marcellus Poseidon 8M well in Westmoreland County, PA, allows for application of a new method of data integration, which was utilized in this project to specifically understand the depositional environment and create a correlation with other study wells throughout the basin. This integration was …

Characterization Of Modern Ammunition And Background Profiles: A Novel Approach And Probabilistic Interpretation Of Inorganic Gunshot Residue, Korina Layli Menking-Hoggatt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Gunshot residue (GSR) can provide essential clues in gun-related investigations. The standard practice for GSR analysis uses SEM-EDS, with the capability for single particle elemental and morphological analysis. However, the method is time-consuming and based on categorical classification models without considering case circumstances. Therefore, complementary and more encompassing methods are needed to improve evidence interpretation of modern ammunition. This research aims to fill these demands by developing standard materials and alternative methods to characterize and interpret IGSR.

This study developed primer GSR (pGSR) standards from sixty discharged primers that were fully characterized by three techniques. The number of GSR particles, …

Hexagon Tilings Of The Plane That Are Not Edge-To-Edge, D. Frettlöh, Alexey Glazyrin, Z. Lángi

School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

An irregular vertex in a tiling by polygons is a vertex of one tile and belongs to the interior of an edge of another tile. In this paper we show that for any integer k≥3, there exists a normal tiling of the Euclidean plane by convex hexagons of unit area with exactly k irregular vertices. Using the same approach we show that there are normal edge-to-edge tilings of the plane by hexagons of unit area and exactly k many n-gons (n>6) of unit area. A result of Akopyan yields an upper bound for k depending on the maximal diameter …

Combining Assumptions And Graphical Network Into Gene Expression Data Analysis, Demba Fofana, E. O. George, Dale Brown

School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Analyzing gene expression data rigorously requires taking assumptions into consideration but also relies on using information about network relations that exist among genes. Combining these different elements cannot only improve statistical power, but also provide a better framework through which gene expression can be properly analyzed.

Material and methods

We propose a novel statistical model that combines assumptions and gene network information into the analysis. Assumptions are important since every test statistic is valid only when required assumptions hold. So, we propose hybrid p-values and show that, under the null hypothesis of primary interest, these p-values are …

Multivariate Distributions Of Correlated Binary Variables Generated By Pair-Copulas, Huihui Lin, N. Rao Chaganty

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Correlated binary data are prevalent in a wide range of scientific disciplines, including healthcare and medicine. The generalized estimating equations (GEEs) and the multivariate probit (MP) model are two of the popular methods for analyzing such data. However, both methods have some significant drawbacks. The GEEs may not have an underlying likelihood and the MP model may fail to generate a multivariate binary distribution with specified marginals and bivariate correlations. In this paper, we study multivariate binary distributions that are based on D-vine pair-copula models as a superior alternative to these methods. We elucidate the construction of these binary distributions …

Numerical Simulations Of Capsule Deformation Using A Dual Time-Stepping Lattice Boltzmann Method, Charles Armstrong, Yan Peng

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

In this work a quasisteady, dual time-stepping lattice Boltzmann method is proposed for simulation of capsule deformation. At each time step the steady-state lattice Boltzmann equation is solved using the full approximation storage multigrid scheme for nonlinear equations. The capsule membrane is modeled as an infinitely thin shell suspended in an ambient fluid domain with the fluid structure interaction computed using the immersed boundary method. A finite element method is used to compute the elastic forces exerted by the capsule membrane. Results for a wide range of parameters and initial configurations are presented. The proposed method is found to reduce …

Interaction Between Genetic Risk Scores For Reduced Pulmonary Function And Smoking, Asthma And Endotoxin, Sinjini Sikdar, Annah B. Wyss, Mi Kyeong Lee, Thanh T. Hoang, Marie Richards, Laura E. Beane Freeman, Christine Parks, Peter S. Thorne, John L. Hankinson, David M. Umbach, Alison Motsinger-Reif, Stephanie J. London

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Rationale Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified numerous loci associated with lower pulmonary function. Pulmonary function is strongly related to smoking and has also been associated with asthma and dust endotoxin. At the individual SNP level, genome-wide analyses of pulmonary function have not identified appreciable evidence for gene by environment interactions. Genetic Risk Scores (GRSs) may enhance power to identify gene–environment interactions, but studies are few.

Methods We analysed 2844 individuals of European ancestry with 1000 Genomes imputed GWAS data from a case–control study of adult asthma nested within a US agricultural cohort. Pulmonary function traits were FEV₁, …

Predicting The Winning Percentage Of Limited-Overs Cricket Using The Pythagorean Formula, Hasika K. W. Senevirathne, Ananda B.W. Manage

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

The Pythagorean Win-Loss formula can be effectively used to estimate winning percentages for sporting events. This formula was initially developed by baseball statistician Bill James and later was extended by other researchers to sports such as football, basketball, and ice hockey. Although one can calculate actual winning percentages based on the outcomes of played games, that approach does not take into account the margin of victory. The key benefit of the Pythagorean formula is its utilization of actual average runs scored and actual average runs allowed. This article presents the application of the Pythagorean Win-Loss formula to two different types …

Stable And Convergent Difference Schemes For Weakly Singular Convolution Integrals, Wesley Davis, Richard D. Noren

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

We obtain new numerical schemes for weakly singular integrals of convolution type called Caputo fractional order integrals using Taylor and fractional Taylor series expansions and grouping terms in a novel manner. A fractional Taylor series expansion argument is utilized to provide fractional-order approximations for functions with minimal regularity. The resulting schemes allow for the approximation of functions in C^γ [0, T], where 0 < γ <= 5. A mild invertibility criterion is provided for the implicit schemes. Consistency and stability are proven separately for the whole-number-order approximations and the fractional-order approximations. The rate of convergence in the time variable is shown …

Using Ai For Management Of Field Emission In Srf Linacs, A. Carpenter, P. Degtiarenko, R. Suleiman, C. Tennant, D. Turner, L. S. Vidyaratne, Khan Iftekharuddin, Md. Monibor Rahman

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Field emission control, mitigation, and reduction is critical for reliable operation of high gradient superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerators. With the SRF cavities at high gradients, the field emission of electrons from cavity walls can occur and will impact the operational gradient, radiological environment via activated components, and reliability of CEBAF’s two linacs. A new effort has started to minimize field emission in the CEBAF linacs by re-distributing cavity gradients. To measure radiation levels, newly designed neutron and gamma radiation dose rate monitors have been installed in both linacs. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques will be used to identify cavities with high …