There are many systems for processing audiovisual data. These systems tend to be composed of components, which can be configured in many different ways, thus creating vast configuration space of the systems. In order to find an optimal configuration across many components, automatic configuration space exploration is required. However there are no such existing tools which would suit our requirements. In this thesis we propose a component model and domain specific language designed to allow for automatic configuration space exploration. Additionally we integrate this language and additional tooling into a browser-based environment. 1

The subject of this diploma thesis is study of the impacts of different implementations of turbulence and convection in the Regional Climate Model (RegCM, version 4.6) on the ability to predict the chemical pollution of the troposphere in Europe, which was simulated by the chemical transport model CAMx (Comprehensive Air quality Model with extensions, version 6.50) driven by RegCM meteorology using offline coupling of theese two models. Thesis also includes a brief description of the tropospheric chemistry, a discussion of the influence of meteorological conditions on changes in pollutant concentrations in the troposphere, a brief introduction to the regional climate modeling, a description of both models and method of their coupling. The main focus of the thesis is the analysis of the impacts of different parameterizations in RegCM model simulations on some climatic elements, validation of air temperature and precipitation, analysis of the impacts of changes in driving meteorology on ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and fine aerosol, validation of model concentrations of these pollutants with measurements at rural monitoring stations and comparison of column concentrations of nitrogen dioxide with satellite measurements.

NR 20140805

archives@tulane.edu / The thalamocortical network generates rhythmic oscillations of various frequencies that underlie different brain states. Importantly, the transition from a faster frequency of firing, spindle, to slower oscillations, spike and wave discharges, is indicative of the pathological epileptic seizure development. Previous investigations have shown that the complex interactions between neurons in the thalamocortical network based on intrinsic and synaptic properties give rise to the observed frequency changes. However, the exact mechanism of how perturbations in this circuit disrupt the oscillations is not known. In this project, we used a well-established thalamocortical network computational model to perform receptor conductance changes to see how the oscillatory activity in the thalamocortical network changes. Computational methods can be used to provide some mathematical explanations regarding the mechanism of oscillations. Therefore, we generated several phase resetting curves by perturbing neurons during its oscillating period. Our results showed that the frequency reduction under the pathological state in the thalamocortical network might be caused by hyper-synchronization of neuronal activities in this circuit mediated by glutamatergic AMPA receptors. Notably, thalamic reticular neurons are capable of firing at a faster or slower frequency depending on the timing of the input that they receive from other neurons. Overall, our results provided evidence to support the hypothesis that thalamic reticular neurons might be the ultimate pacemakers in the thalamocortical network. / 1 / Hanyun Wang

One of the impacts of the rising demand for community health services, primarily used by seniors, is that hospitals are often faced with the challenge of having patients finish the acute phase of their treatment and yet are unable to discharge them due to the lack of a bed in a more appropriate community care setting. The frequency of this challenge has led to the designation of “alternative level of care” (ALC) being ascribed to patients who remain in the hospitals due to insufficient capacity downstream. The thesis focuses on a model that seeks to address patient flow through the community care network (CCN) and finding capacity allocation policies for the different facilities that resolves the ALC challenge using scenario analysis. A queuing network model with general routings and nodes’ blocking has been developed and a heuristic approximation method has been employed for solving the model. Blocking probabilities and the number of blocked patients are derived as performance metrics of the CCN. We test the accuracy of the queuing model through a simulation model and the behaviours of the system in different scenarios are investigated in the simulation model and our policy insights and conclusions are provided.

archives@tulane.edu / BRCA1 faithfully repairs damaged DNA by promoting homology-directed repair (HDR). Loss of Brca1 and other HDR genes are incompatible with embryonic viability and cause severe genomic instability. Cells lacking BRCA1 are sensitive to cellular stresses such as DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation (IR). Homozygous loss of Brca1 is embryonic lethal in mice, and the few tissue-specific knockouts generated develop abnormally. Therefore, we created an inducible Cre mouse model to study Brca1 loss in all adult mouse tissues allowing for examination of viability, longevity, and stress response in the absence of HDR and the importance of HDR in different tissues of an adult mouse. After validating the inducible Cre system using a reporter allele in mice, we generated mice with alleles of the inducible Cre system and floxed Brca1 alleles. Cre was induced in adult mice at ten weeks of age, resulting in extensive, widespread deletion of Brca1. Contrary to the embryonic lethality observed in all previously tested germline Brca1 knockout mouse models, adult mice with Brca1 deletion displayed no overt phenotypes. Brca1Δ/Δ mice showed extensive, widespread deletion of Brca1 and survived up to 1 year after Brca1 recombination. Targeted, high-depth sequencing of recombined tissues indicated mutations accumulated in both the mammary gland and the intestine. However, only the mammary gland had an HDR deficiency signature. Next, we examined Brca1Δ/Δ mice survival after exposure to ionizing radiation and mitomycin C (MMC). Surprisingly, Brca1Δ/Δ mice responses are DNA damage specific. Brca1Δ/Δ mice deficient for HDR showed no increased sensitivity to IR but died four to eight days following MMC exposure. Our results show that BRCA1 is not required for long-term viability or DNA double-strand break repair, but BRCA1 is essential for DNA crosslink repair to maintain viability in an adult mouse. / 1 / JoyOlayiwola

In this paper we introduce a new model which we apply to Discrete Mathematics, but could be applied to other courses as well. The model uses homework, lectures and quizzes. The key factor and design is centered on the quizzes which are given daily. We also discuss how lectures and homework question sessions can be shortened slightly to allow for twenty-five minute quizzes without sacrificing content. The model assumes a course which meets two days a week lecture, each of which is ninety minutes with no recitations. A three hour lecture could also be applied to this model.

The New Economics of Labour Migration theory, recognizes family participation in migration decisions as a strategy for moving out of poverty, thus signaling potential welfare linkages between migrants and family members left behind. The current study investigates the impact of migration on welfare of migrant sending households in rural Zimbabwe using cross-sectional data. The study employed a Counterfactual approach and utilized two stage Heckman selection model to control for selection bias. The results indicated that on average, migration impacts household welfare positively but the welfare gains are not evenly distributed among households. Overall, the welfare of households with migrants would have been 5 percentage points lower if migrant members had stayed at home. Based on the findings, the main recommendation is that policy makers need to consider the removal of de facto and de jure migration restrictions.

Many studies investigating the validity of the Tripartite model of affect in children have been supportive of the model. However, few studies have examined if older and younger children structure affect similarly. The current study used confirmatory factor analytic techniques (SEM) to test the validity of the tripartite model in two developmentally distinct populations of children (third and sixth grade). Confirmatory factor analytic methods examined one-factor, two-factor correlated, and two-factor uncorrelated models. Furthermore, the pattern of correlations between positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and dependent measures of anxiety and depression was calculated. The results indicated the two-factor correlated and two-factor uncorrelated models demonstrated adequate fit across samples. However, in the younger sample the correlation between NA and PA was larger and statistically significant compared to the older sample, thus supporting the hypothesis that older and younger children structure affect differently. Limitations of the study and clinical/developmental implications are discussed.

Few model reduction techniques exist for dynamical systems whose parameters vary with time. We have particular interest here in linear time-periodic dynamical systems; we seek a structure-preserving algorithm for model reduction of linear time-periodic (LTP) dynamical systems of large scale that generalizes from the linear time-invariant (LTI) model reduction problem. We extend the familiar LTI system theory to analogous concepts in the LTP setting. First, we represent the LTP system as a convolution operator of a bivariate periodic kernel function. The kernel suggests a representation of the system as a frequency operator, called the Harmonic Transfer Function. Second, we exploit the Hilbert space structure of the family of LTP systems to develop necessary conditions for optimal approximations. Additionally, we show an a posteriori error bound written in terms of the $\\mathcal H_2$ norm of related LTI multiple input/multiple output system. This bound inspires an algorithm to construct approximations of reduced order. To verify the efficacy of this algorithm we apply it to three models: (1) fluid flow around a cylinder by a finite element discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations, (2) thermal diffusion through a plate modeled by the heat equation, and (3) structural model of component 1r of the Russian service module of the International Space Station. / Master of Science