Ground-Motion Prediction Equations for Central and Eastern North America, with Emphasis on Site Effects

The works presented in this thesis are aimed at understanding and modeling earthquake ground motions in central and eastern North America (CENA), with an emphasis on the modeling of site effects. A number of approaches are taken, beginning with analysing of the observed ground-motion amplitudes with respect to a ground-motion prediction equation model (GMPE) of a well recorded region (California) (referenced empirical approach). In this work, we show that the ground-motion amplitudes of CENA earthquakes are very similar to the equivalent California values of Boore et al. (2014; BSSA14) at close distances, at low to moderate frequencies. At regional distances and at high frequencies the ground-motion amplitudes are larger in CENA than for the BSSA14 reference model, presumably due to lower attenuation and higher stress forCENA events relative to those in active tectonic regions. Next, a modeling approach is taken to develop a simulation-guided generic GMPE model for southern Ontario, examining regional site effects.Then, in a collaborative study with colleagues, we use the regional model in a technique that inverts ShakeMaps parameters (e.g. response spectra at selected frequencies) to estimate moment magnitude and stress parameter in near-real-time, for earthquakes of small to moderate earthquake (M ~3 to 6). Finally, we explore site response more deeply, building on the empirical findings of the ground-motion modeling work. We examine the applicability of the site fundamental frequency (fpeak) as a descriptive variable for site response in CENA. We introduce a new fpeak-based proxy measure for VS30 (time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the upper 30 m) for sites in CENA; this is useful because VS30 is a standard site response parameter for building code and other applications. We also examine the applicability of the Next-Generation-West2 VS30-based site effects model (Seyhan and Stewart, 2014; SS14) for the recording stations in CENA. We develop a newfpeak-based model for site amplification in CENA to address inadequacies in the VS30-based site effects model, and show that use of the new model reduced ground-motion prediction variability by a significant amount

Facial Expression Recognition from World Wild Web

Recognizing facial expression in a wild setting has remained a challenging task in computer vision. The World Wide Web is a good source of facial images which most of them are captured in uncontrolled conditions. In fact, the Internet is a Word Wild Web of facial images with expressions. This paper presents the results of a new study on collecting, annotating, and analyzing wild facial expressions from the web. Three search engines were queried using 1250 emotion related keywords in six different languages and the retrieved images were mapped by two annotators to six basic expressions and neutral. Deep neural networks and noise modeling were used in three different training scenarios to find how accurately facial expressions can be recognized when trained on noisy images collected from the web using query terms (e.g. happy face, laughing man, etc)? The results of our experiments show that deep neural networks can recognize wild facial expressions with an accuracy of 82.12%

New insight into the allosteric effect of L-tyrosine on mushroom tyrosinase during L-dopa production

The final publication is available at Elsevier via https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.03.185 © 2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Kinetics studies of L-tyrosine (LTy) ortho-hydroxylation by mushroom tyrosinase (MT) confirmed that MT was severely, but not completely, inhibited at higher concentrations of LTy. Despite the availability of the crystal structure reports, no allosteric site has been identified on MT. To examine the assumption that a non-specific binding site works as a regulatory site, docking simulations were run for the second molecule of L-tyrosine (LTy(2)) on the complexes of the first L-tyrosine molecule (LTy(1)) with the heavy chain (H) of MT (LTy(1)/HMT) and its dimer with the light chain (Ty(1)/LHMT). In both, LTy(2) occupied a non-specific binding site (MTPc). MD simulations revealed LTy(2)/HMT/LTy(1) and LTy(2)/LHMT/LTy(1) were stable. Binding free-energy analysis supported the formation of LTy(2)/HMT/LTy(1) and LTy(2)/LHMT/LTy(1) at higher concentrations of LTy and disclosed the importance of Delta E-elec and Delta G(polar) during binding of LTy(2) to MTPc. Upon LTy(2) binding to MTPc, the Cu-Cu distance remained unchanged while the spatial position of LTy(1) in the active site (MTPa) changed so that it would not be able to participate in ortho-hydroxylation. This study suggests a tuning role for L chain during binding of the ligands to MTPa and MTPc. Given these results, a plausible mechanism was proposed for the MT substrate inhibition.Iran National Science Foundation [93031596

Troponin utilization in patients presenting with atrial fibrillation/flutter to the emergency department: retrospective chart review

Abstract Background There are few recommendations about the use of cardiac markers in the investigation and management of atrial fibrillation/flutter. Currently, it is unknown how many patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter undergo troponin testing, and how positive troponin results are managed in the emergency department. We sought to look at the emergency department troponin utilization patterns. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter presenting to the emergency department at three centers. Outcome measures included the rates of troponins ordered by emergency doctors, number of positive troponins, and those with positive troponins treated as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) by consulting services. Results Four hundred fifty-one charts were reviewed. A total of 388 (86%) of the patients had troponins ordered, 13.7% had positive results, and 4.9% were treated for ACS. Conclusions Troponin tests are ordered in a high percentage of patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter presenting to emergency departments. Five percent of our total patient cohort was diagnosed as having acute coronary syndrome by consulting services

The Survey of The Relationship between Exports, Degree and Export Credits Guarantee

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of how the export credit worthiness of an importing country affects export sales of agricultural and other manufactured products and how export credit guarantee or insurance can mitigate risk of nonpayment. This paper makes a contribution to specific literature on how export credit risk affect agricultural and other exports, and also contributes to the broader literature on international trade theory by showing that risk is indeed an economically significant factor in trade.  Data on export values per capita were obtained from three different source data for 2007 Iranian export values for all industries and for agricultural and related services industries were obtained from statistic of Iran׳s trade data online. This data set consists of over 117 different countries matched to their credit scores. To confirm the generality of the result, also trade data were obtained for Iran, Canada and Australia from the international trade statistics yearbook published by the World Bank. A theoretical model is developed. It shows how risk mitigation through export credit insurance could increase exports to high-risk importing countries. Results show that there is a significant positive  relationship between credit worthiness and export values

Factors Affecting Private Car Choice in High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (Case Study: Shahid Chamran Highway, Tehran

The construction of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane is one the methods for urban traffic management, and the tendency to construct these lanes has attracted many developing countries in recent years. One of the important issues in constructing these lanes is to examine the factors affecting the choice of these lanes by individuals. Therefore, in this study, using stated preference, people were asked whether or not they use their own private car in HOV lane in Shahid Chamran highway (whether they are carpooling or they pay toll). A binary logit model was created for people's choice. Modeling results show that, in addition to the individuals' characteristics, their travel characteristics have an impact on the choice of these lanes. The results of this study can be used for the feasibility study of the construction of HOV lane on Shahid Chamran highway

Comparison of pulseoximetry oxygen saturation and arterial oxygen saturation in open heart intensive care unit

Background: Pulseoximetry is widely used in the critical care setting, currently used to guide therapeutic interventions. Few studies have evaluated the accuracy of SPO2 (puls-eoximetry oxygen saturation) in intensive care unit after cardiac surgery. Our objective was to compare pulseoximetry with arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) during clinical routine in such patients, and to examine the effect of mild acidosis on this relationship.Methods: In an observational prospective study 80 patients were evaluated in intensive care unit after cardiac surgery. SPO2 was recorded and compared with SaO2 obtained by blood gas analysis. One or serial arterial blood gas analyses (ABGs) were performed via a radial artery line while a reliable pulseoximeter signal was present. One hundred thirty seven samples were collected and for each blood gas analyses, SaO2 and SPO2 we recorded.Results: O2 saturation as a marker of peripheral perfusion was measured by Pulseoxim-etry (SPO2). The mean difference between arterial oxygen saturation and pulseoximetry oxygen saturation was 0.12%±1.6%. A total of 137 paired readings demonstrated good correlation (r=0.754; P<0.0001) between changes in SPO2 and those in SaO2 in samples with normal hemoglobin. Also in forty seven samples with mild acidosis, paired readings demonstrated good correlation (r=0.799; P<0.0001) and the mean difference between SaO2 and SPO2 was 0.05%±1.5%.Conclusion: Data showed that in patients with stable hemodynamic and good signal quality, changes in pulseoximetry oxygen saturation reliably predict equivalent changes in arterial oxygen saturation. Mild acidosis doesn’t alter the relation between SPO2 and SaO2 to any clinically important extent. In conclusion, the pulse oximeter is useful to monitor oxygen saturation in patients with stable hemodynamic

Investigating Students Trip Behavior Using Activity Based Approach

developing travel demand models since this places’ trip pattern are difference from standard places. Investigating the trip behavior of Imam Khomeini International University’s students, by using activity based approach, is the main object of this study. Since new modeling approaches such as activity based model, which is based on persons’ behavior, seem to be more appropriate than four step model. Therefore according to surveyed questionnaire, which is special for collecting activities data, persons are grouped and then activity pattern choice model are provided. The results of this paper showed that women living in dormitory and employed student living in Qazvin are more likely to do more activities after studying rather than students who have the same location they have. The results of models and variable used in models can be used for transportation facilities’ policy and scheduling classes’ management with respect to students’ social-economic features