We present results from a modeling effort of simple shock phenomena in the Cygnus Loop and Cassiopeia A. Using multi-epoch MDM observations of a small, isolated cloud in the southwest region of the Cygnus Loop, we measure the velocity of the...
We present new forensic tools that are capable of detecting traces of tampering in digital images without the use of watermarks or specialized hardware. These tools operate under the assumption that images contain natural properties from a variety...
Antennas (Electronics); ; Thermotherapy. ; Cancer -- Treatment.
Engineers have devised many techniques by which to raise the temperature of a cancer tumor 8 degrees above body temperature. Such treatment is called hyperthermia; experiments in vitro suggest it may be an effective adjunct to standard radition...
Magnetic resonance imaging. ; Nuclear magnetic resonance.
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides unique contrast reflecting the translational motion of water in its microscopic environment. This imaging modality has been shown to highlight infarcted regions within minutes after an...
Hyperthermia, the elevation of tissue temperature from 42°C to 50°C, is currently being investigated as an adjunct to radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer. The interstitial microwave antenna array hyperthermia (IMAAH) system is designed...
Production of fuel ethanol from cellulosic materials is a potentially attractive way to meet sustainability, energy security, and environmental goals. However, the high cost of processing using current technology has thus far prevented...
The purpose of this thesis is to describe methods for detecting hidden crevasses on glaciers in Polar regions. Crevasses form in ice sheets as a result of forces imposed upon the brittle ice. The crevasses are hidden from view by bridges of soft...
Opinion dynamics is a complex procedure that entails a cognitive process when it deals with how a person integrates influential opinions to form revised opinion. Early research on opinion formation and social influence can be traced back to the...
The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is responding sensitively to climate change and its meltwater has the potential to influence global sea level. Recently, large changes in the GrIS have occurred including increased velocities of outlet glaciers and...
Metal ions confer structural stability and reactivity to a large number of proteins that use the amino acids histidine (His) and cysteine (Cys) to form stable metal-ligand complexes. The stability of metal-His and metal-Cys interactions and their...
The auroral zone is a rich source of natural radio emissions that can be observed in space and at ground-level. By studying these waves, scientists can gain insight into the plasma processes that generate them and use the near-Earth space...
Molecular imaging of cancer features is a critical part of advancing better tools for oncology management and drug discovery, yet it is still evolving as a useful tool. Diffuse Fluorescence Tomography (FT) is one approach to molecular imaging, used...
Wireless communication systems. Computer network protocols.
We evaluate mobility predictors in wireless networks. Handoff prediction in wireless networks has long been considered as a mechanism to improve the quality of service provided to mobile wireless users. Most prior studies, however, were based on...
The present thesis is focused on developing a better understanding of factors driving disease biology and overall risk using cancers of the bladder and breast as model systems. As no single approach was likely to unravel the complexities of these...
Ice mechanics. Compressibility. Fracture mechanics. Strains and stresses. Brittleness.
This work describes the effect of triaxial compressive confinement on the strength of columnar S2 ice loaded under conditions leading to brittle failure. Cubes of columnar S2 ice were tested at -10 °C under triaxial (proportional) loading where...
Nutrients play fundamental roles in biological systems, affecting plant growth and quality, community structure, and species interactions. Although the effects of nutrients on primary and secondary production have been well documented, their...
I investigate the kinematics and space densities of the local cataclysmic variable (CV) population. CVs are close binary star systems composed of a white dwarf that accretes matter from a less compact companion star in Roche lobe overflow....
In this dissertation, I present an examination of the role of two biotic interactions in the population dynamics of Vibrio cholerae. Traits with a genetic basis such as size, physiological processes, stress tolerance, and even behavior, are key...
While Cherenkov emission was discovered more than eighty years ago, the potential applications of imaging this during radiation therapy have just recently been explored. With approximately half of all cancer patients being treated by radiation at...
Staphylococcus aureus is a formidable pathogen, and its high morbidity and mortality rates are compounded by its ability to quickly develop antibiotic resistance. The current antimicrobial pipeline is inadequate to curb this mounting public health...
Morbidity and complexity involved in lymph node staging via surgical resection and biopsy could ideally be overcome using node assay techniques that are non-invasive. Visible blue dyes, fluorophores and radio-tracers are often used to locate the...
While plant-plant interactions define community patterns in alpine tundra around the world, topography and elevation and the resulting physical changes that occur when moving down-slope play a greater role in community formation and maintenance in...