Takeuchi's Information Criteria as a form of Regularization

Takeuchi's Information Criteria (TIC) is a linearization of maximum likelihood estimator bias which shrinks the model parameters towards the maximum entropy distribution, even when the model is mis-specified. In statistical machine learning, $L_2$ regularization (a.k.a. ridge regression) also introduces a parameterized bias term with the goal of minimizing out-of-sample entropy, but generally requires a numerical solver to find the regularization parameter. This paper presents a novel regularization approach based on TIC; the approach does not assume a data generation process and results in a higher entropy distribution through more efficient sample noise suppression. The resulting objective function can be directly minimized to estimate and select the best model, without the need to select a regularization parameter, as in ridge regression. Numerical results applied to a synthetic high dimensional dataset generated from a logistic regression model demonstrate superior model performance when using the TIC based regularization over a $L_1$ and a $L_2$ penalty term

Development of Detection and Tracking Systems for Autonomous Vehicle using Machine Learning

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Tyler Ward on April 25, 2023

Understanding Regenerative Medicine and Its Position in Healthcare

Abstract: Regenerative medicine is an emerging field of the healthcare industry that has the potential to treat a myriad of health conditions. Induced pluripotent stem cells, human embryonic stem cells, and tissue engineering are a few of the treatment methods that may be delivered by healthcare professionals in personalized medicine. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval is necessary within the United States before any of these treatment options are available. Specific cellular therapies are currently undergoing clinical trials and it may be years before approval is acquired. The National Institute of Health is proactively working to ensure that healthcare policies, costs, regulations, protocols, and provisions are implemented to ensure that risks are minimized in the case of FDA approval. Regenerative rehabilitation will improve traditional healthcare delivery, increasing health, function, and quality of life for patients with a variety of conditions

Out To Get Us: Contemporary Evangelical Expressions Of Identity In Interaction

Evangelical Christianity occupies a dominant position in American culture and politics. This thesis extends previous research on evangelicalism in America by identifying how evangelicals collectively construct their distinction and uniqueness in small group settings. By conducting an ethnography of bible study meetings organized by an evangelical church in North Mississippi, Mercy Church, I examine how church participants collectively differentiate themselves from the rest of the world. Rather than imagining themselves at odds with a single, monolithic Other, this study shows that evangelical identity is formed and crystallized through small battles with numerous outsiders, both Christian and non-Christian. Specifically, I find that evangelicals at Mercy Church not only differentiate themselves from groups that they feel are a threat to their faith, but also groups that they hope to bring to salvation. The first and second findings chapters of my thesis show that non-Christians are described as belonging to one of two distinct out-groups: what I call “the unsaveable” and “the unsaved.” At Mercy Church, the unsaveable are people who are politically or socially liberal and should be eschewed; the unsaved are global Others who are not like them but are in need of the gospel. The third findings chapter shows how evangelicals at Mercy Church come to see themselves as good Christians by pointing out who does Christianity wrong and what is not a Christian thing to do. By examining how evangelicals construct a collective identity in small group settings, my thesis extends previous work on the politics of evangelical identity. However, unlike previous research, my study shows that the battle lines evangelicals draw between them and ‘everybody else’ are not uniform. My findings suggest that evangelicals may be thriving in the US because they envision and engage a multitude of groups that are seldom neatly defined

Development of Detection and Tracking Systems for Autonomous Vehicles using Machine Learning

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science by Tyler Ward April 25, 2023

Adding Support for Delay Tolerance to IPv6 Networks

AbstractAs we continue to connect ever lower power and more power constrained devices to the Internet of Things the problem of main- taining constant end to end connectivity becomes harder. Accepting that continuous end to end connectivity cannot be maintained, we are forced to seek solutions to allow good operating function. Delay Tolerant Networking, an evolution of existing store and forward systems is a candidate for resolving this issue, however, current implementations are not ideal for use in constrained Inter- net of Things environments. We propose a solution to this by integrating the capabilities of Delay Tolerant Networking into the IP layer, in such a way as to maintain compatibility with existing and future systems and minimising additional overhead. This has been achieved by developing a new IPv6 Hop by Hop option header which contains the information required for messages to be delayed. This solution is then demonstrated to be implementable within the limitations of current Internet of Things hardware

Soil-Bentonite Slurry Trench Cutoff Wall Final Design Report

Technical report includes background information on the project, site borings, several laboratory tests that were performed, and designs for the cutoff wall

“Everybody But Us”: Constructing Evangelical Identities by Defining the Skeptic

Pew research shows that 25.4% of American Christians identify as evangelical Protestants, accounting for the highest percentage of Christians in America (20.8% identify as Catholic and 14.7% identify as mainline Protestants). Evangelical Protestantism may be the strongest religious force in the U.S. but defining the movement has proven difficult. Researchers have used a variety of definitions to develop a better understanding of evangelical demographics, geographies, or religious strength. My interests and the goal of this research deals more with the performance of these identities; I wanted to know how members of Welcome Church “do” their Christianity. This research focused on observations of a “community group,” rather than church services. I wanted to observe members of Welcome church in a less formal setting, where members could interact more freely and more often. I chose a group that focused on Apologetics because I understood that the practice centered around defending the faith through theological and philosophical discourse. This seemed like the optimal setting to try to understand how Christian identities are constructed through interaction using participant observation, and which beliefs determine one’s own Christian identity, as well as others’. However, I found that in this group the practice of Apologetics seems to have shifted from formal defense to a tactical method of naming who and what is not Christian. By focusing on interactions and discussions during these community group meetings, I found that these evangelical Apologists focused less on their own beliefs, and more on who they cast as religious outsiders. The bulk of my data gathered from participant observation of this Apologetics group shows a dissolution of non-evangelical identities that extends beyond religious Others. This research shows how groups including, but not limited to students, professors, women, and homosexuals have become indistinguishable from religious outsiders. Because each of these groups are identified as not evangelical, they have become one and the same. In turn, these evangelical Apologists understand their own Christian identities by identifying who they are not: the salient group of non-evangelicals, or skeptics