Semi-Supervised Normalized Embeddings for Fusion and Land-Use Classification of Multiple View Data

Land-use classification from multiple data sources is an important problem in remote sensing. Data fusion algorithms like Semi-Supervised Manifold Alignment (SSMA) and Manifold Alignment with Schroedinger Eigenmaps (SEMA) use spectral and/or spatial features from multispectral, multimodal imagery to project each data source into a common latent space in which classification can be performed. However, in order for these algorithms to be well-posed, they require an expert user to either directly identify pairwise dissimilarities in the data or to identify class labels for a subset of points from which pairwise dissimilarities can be derived. In this paper, we propose a related data fusion technique, which we refer to as Semi-Supervised Normalized Embeddings (SSNE). SSNE is defined by modifying the SSMA/SEMA objective functions to incorporate an extra normalization term that enables a latent space to be well-defined even when no pairwise-dissimilarities are provided. Using publicly available data from the 2017 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest, we show that SSNE enables similar land-use classification performance to SSMA/SEMA in scenarios where pairwise dissimilarities are available, but that unlike SSMA/SEMA, it also enables land-use classification in other scenarios. We compare the effect of applying different classification algorithms including a support vector machine (SVM), a linear discriminant analysis classifier (LDA), and a random forest classifier (RF); we show that SSMA/SEMA and SSNE robust to the use of different classifiers. In addition to comparing the classification performance of SSNE to SSMA/SEMA and comparing classification algorithm, we utilize manifold alignment to classify unknown views

Applications of DNA capture in ancient DNA research

Ancient DNA has become an indispensable resource of fundamental research. Especially the combination of DNA capture methods and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has allowed to exploit the full potential of ancient DNA. In this dissertation I present three studies which involve capture of ancient DNA to answer different scientific questions. In my first study I bioinformatically reconstruct the mitochondrial genome of the extinct giant deer Megaloceros giganteus after applying mitochondrial DNA capture and sequencing. Using the giant deer's reconstructed mitochondrial genome I then apply phylogenetic analyses that allow to resolve the giant deer's placement within the cervid family tree and reaffirm the fallow deer being its closest extant relative. Mitochondrial DNA capture also provides the basis for the next study, in which I investigate the effects of X-rays on ancient DNA. Different radiation settings are explored including those commonly used in computed tomography (CT) of anthropological and palaeontological specimens. The results allow to define 200 Gray (Gy) as the maximum absorbed X-ray dose which can still be regarded harmless to ancient DNA molecules. No X-radiation induced effects can be observed below this threshold. In my third study I develop and apply capture of 488 human immunity genes in order to compare the immunogenetic makeup of Late Medieval plague (Yersinia pestis) victims and their modern day successors from Ellwangen, Southern Germany. Applying bioinformatic tools allows me to investigate kinship within both populations, determine genetic continuity between past and present, and reconstruct the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) allelic profiles of both populations. While the majority of HLA alleles do not differ in their frequencies, HLA-B51:01 and HLA-DRB113 show significant frequency differences between both populations, potentially indicative of selective pressure through Yersinia pestis

Zentangles for Mental Health Awareness

The world is starting to see the rise of a stress related epidemic. Finding time to balance the struggles of everyday life, like academics, finances, careers and relationships, while also maintaining personal mental health is becoming increasingly difficult. This is what prompted me to use my project as an opportunity to help people relieve stress and create a community through the use of art, especially during a time where social interaction has been severely limited due to COVID-19. My project is a series of live-streamed Zentangle art classes I hosted personally that were open to the public through Zoom. Zentangle is a meditative art form that promotes focus, relaxation, and creativity through the creation of intricate patterns. It is designed for all levels of artistic experience, ages, and backgrounds. There were four classes total, one for each Saturday of the month. The class format not only provided a designated period of time to be creative and relax each week, but to also teach a skill that participants can use in the future to relieve stress and connect with a broader community. The heart of the Zentangle methodology is the “worldwide mosaic” it creates. Each individual has something uniquely creative to offer to the world, but when put together, something larger and even more beautiful is made

Family Naming Practices and Intergenerational Kinship Affiliations

The study of naming practices has captured the interest of researchers in a variety of related disciplines. Studies of names and naming have led to a body of literature suggesting that naming practices are infused with meaning and reflect emotional ties between family members. This study examined four research hypotheses related to family naming practices in an intergenerational sample of Mormon women. Ninety women from three generations of 30 families participated in the study. Through telephone interviews, each woman completed a survey designed to gather information about sources of children\u27s names, kinship affiliations, and religiosity. The information gathered from the surveys was analyzed using three statistical analyses: descriptive statistics, the chi square test of significance, and multiple regression. Data analyses indicated that there were no significant differences in naming practices in this group and that naming practices were similar across generations. Analyses of the relationship between family closeness and naming indicated that there was no significant relationship between closeness to the family of origin and naming for family members. However, closeness to the family of procreation was found to be inversely related to naming for relatives. Both of the religiosity items --level of church activity and frequency of church attendance for both husbands and wives--were found to be inversely related to naming children for relatives. Further data analyses revealed that child gender was the factor that contributed most heavily to whether or not children were named for relatives