Predicting ODI Cricket Result

Result of one Day International (ODI) cricket match depends on various factors related to scoring as well as the strengths of the two teams. While some of these factors have been well analyzed in the literature, others have yet to be investigated. In this paper, statistical significance for a range of variables that could explain the outcome of an ODI cricket match is explored. In particular, home field advantage, game plan (batting first or fielding first), match type (day or day & night), past performance of team will be key interests in our investigation. For purposes of model-building, logistic regression is applied retrospectively to data already obtained from previously played matches. Keywords: logistic regression, log likelihood, winning margin

Towards Engineering Reliable Keystroke Biometrics Systems

In this thesis, we argue that most of the work in the literature on behavioural-based biometric systems using AI and machine learning is immature and unreliable. Our analysis and experimental results show that designing reliable behavioural-based biometric systems requires a systematic and complicated process. We first discuss the limitation in existing work and the use of conventional machine learning methods. We use the biometric zoos theory to demonstrate the challenge of designing reliable behavioural-based biometric systems. Then, we outline the common problems in engineering reliable biometric systems. In particular, we focus on the need for novelty detection machine learning models and adaptive machine learning algorithms. We provide a systematic approach to design and build reliable behavioural-based biometric systems. In our study, we apply the proposed approach to keystroke dynamics. Keystroke dynamics is behavioural-based biometric that identify individuals by measuring their unique typing behaviours on physical or soft keyboards. Our study shows that it is possible to design reliable behavioral-based biometrics and address the gaps in the literature

Investigation and Control of Filler-Matrix Interactions Applied to Dental Composites

The demand and use of polymer-based dental restorative materials continues to rise as advances in materials research continue to improve their performance. In spite of the many advances, there remain some shortcomings in their behavior. Polymerization shrinkage and the associated shrinkage stress continue to be detrimental to the long term performance of these materials. A majority of the current research is focused on developing low shrinkage resin systems to alleviate the problem of high volumetric shrinkage. There is relatively less focus on developing novel fillers and surface modification techniques to improve material properties. This thesis focuses on studying the effect of fillers on composite properties, mainly shrinkage stress development, and the development of a novel technique to modify the surface of the fillers to control shrinkage stress and optical properties of the composites. The effect of monomer conversion and filler content was studied on the development of shrinkage, modulus and shrinkage stress. Fillers and monomer conversion were found to affect all the properties. Shrinkage stress was found to have a complex relationship with both shrinkage and modulus, with shrinkage apparently dominating the modulus at high values of monomer conversion. A novel surface modification technique was developed, utilizing the concept of polymer brushes, to alleviate shrinkage stress in composites. Oligomers, both commercial and synthesized in the lab, were covalently attached to the surface of fillers and mixed with a model dental resin to form composite pastes. These pastes, when photopolymerized in a shrinkage stress measuring apparatus, showed that the composites with the experimental surface modified fillers outperformed conventional filler-based composites by achieving a reduced final stress. The final stress was found to depend on various characteristics of the oligomers. In general, the higher the molecular weight of the brush, the lower was the shrinkage stress. Increased in reactive group concentration on the oligomer backbone had the effect of increasing the stress. Flexibility of the oligomers appeared to play a less significant role, with low flexibility oligomers showing a slightly lower stress than flexible oligomers. Modern dental composites utilize different filler sizes to optimize material properties. To explore this practical scenario, composites were made with two different sizes of filler, with varying ratios of nano-fillers and submicron-sized fillers. Each filler type was treated with either a conventional silane treatment or with the experimental oligomer. It was found that composites with the experimental oligomer had reduced shrinkage stress and also better light transmission properties. The nano-fillers affected both the properties to a more significant effect than the larger fillers. Stress development in polymerizing composites is a combination of stress increase and stress reduction. Stress reduction occurs by relaxation processes in the composite, even as the composite is polymerizing. There is a potential to increase the magnitude of the stress relaxation leading to a lower final stress. Stress relaxation was measured as a function of monomer conversion and also filler surface treatment, using a standard stress relaxation experiment. The experimental composites exhibited faster stress relaxation as compared to conventional composites, showing potential for utilizing the novel surface treatment in commercial composites

Barriers to and enablers for effective pollution prevention practices in the Air Force

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1997.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-105).by Parag Indra Shah.M.S

A Study of Cerium–Manganese Mixed Oxides for Oxidation Catalysis

Cerium–manganese mixed oxides with compositions of Ce0.5Mn0.5O1.75 and Ce0.8Mn0.2O1.9 were prepared by the citric-acid (Pechini) method and their catalytic properties were compared to CeO2 and Mn2O3. The mixed oxides exhibited higher specific rates than either CeO2 or Mn2O3 for oxidation of both methane and n-butane. While XRD measurements of the mixed oxides suggested that the materials had primarily the fluorite structure, oxygen isotherms, measured by coulometric titration at 973 K, exhibited steps associated with MnO–Mn3O4 and Mn3O4–Mn2O3 equilibria, implying that manganese oxide must exist as separate phases in the solids. The P(O2) for the MnO–Mn3O4 equilibrium is shifted to lower values in the mixed oxides, indicating that the manganese-oxide phase is affected by interactions with ceria