Design and implementation of a multisite data repository for pediatric epilepsy

This dissertation established a software-hardware integrated design for a multisite data repository in pediatric epilepsy. A total of 16 institutions formed a consortium for this web-based application. This innovative fully operational web application allows users to upload and retrieve information through a unique human-computer graphical interface that is remotely accessible to all users of the consortium. A solution based on a Linux platform with My-SQL and Personal Home Page scripts (PHP) has been selected. Research was conducted to evaluate mechanisms to electronically transfer diverse datasets from different hospitals and collect the clinical data in concert with their related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). What was unique in the approach considered is that all pertinent clinical information about patients is synthesized with input from clinical experts into 4 different forms, which were: Clinical, fMRI scoring, Image information, and Neuropsychological data entry forms. A first contribution of this dissertation was in proposing an integrated processing platform that was site and scanner independent in order to uniformly process the varied fMRI datasets and to generate comparative brain activation patterns. The data collection from the consortium complied with the IRB requirements and provides all the safeguards for security and confidentiality requirements. An 1-MR1-based software library was used to perform data processing and statistical analysis to obtain the brain activation maps. Lateralization Index (LI) of healthy control (HC) subjects in contrast to localization-related epilepsy (LRE) subjects were evaluated. Over 110 activation maps were generated, and their respective LIs were computed yielding the following groups: (a) strong right lateralization: (HC=0%, LRE=18%), (b) right lateralization: (HC=2%, LRE=10%), (c) bilateral: (HC=20%, LRE=15%), (d) left lateralization: (HC=42%, LRE=26%), e) strong left lateralization: (HC=36%, LRE=31%). Moreover, nonlinear-multidimensional decision functions were used to seek an optimal separation between typical and atypical brain activations on the basis of the demographics as well as the extent and intensity of these brain activations. The intent was not to seek the highest output measures given the inherent overlap of the data, but rather to assess which of the many dimensions were critical in the overall assessment of typical and atypical language activations with the freedom to select any number of dimensions and impose any degree of complexity in the nonlinearity of the decision space.

Frameworks for Systemic and Structural Analysis of Financial Innovations in Infrastructure

Financial innovations have emerged globally to close the gap between the rising global demand for infrastructures and the availability of financing sources offered by traditional financing mechanisms such as fuel taxation, tax-exempt bonds, and federal and state funds. The key to sustainable innovative financing mechanisms is effective policymaking. This paper discusses the theoretical framework of a research study whose objective is to structurally and systemically assess financial innovations in global infrastructures. The research aims to create analysis frameworks, taxonomies and constructs, and simulation models pertaining to the dynamics of the innovation process to be used in policy analysis. Structural assessment of innovative financing focuses on the typologies and loci of innovations and evaluates the performance of different types of innovative financing mechanisms. Systemic analysis of innovative financing explores the determinants of the innovation process using the System of Innovation approach. The final deliverables of the research include propositions pertaining to the constituents of System of Innovation for infrastructure finance which include the players, institutions, activities, and networks. These static constructs are used to develop a hybrid Agent-Based/System Dynamics simulation model to derive propositions regarding the emergent dynamics of the system. The initial outcomes of the research study are presented in this paper and include: (a) an archetype for mapping innovative financing mechanisms, (b) a System of Systems-based analysis framework to identify the dimensions of Systems of Innovation analyses, and (c) initial observations regarding the players, institutions, activities, and networks of the System of Innovation in the context of the U.S. transportation infrastructure financing.

Evaluating the Appropriateness of Project Delivery Systems for Different Trenchless Methods

Trenchless methods have been considered to be a viable solution for pipeline projects in urban areas. Their applicability in pipeline projects is expected to increase with the rapid advancements in technology and emerging concerns regarding social costs related to trenching methods. Selecting appropriate project delivery system (PDS) is a key to the success of trenchless projects. To ensure success of the project, the selected project delivery should be tailored to trenchless project specific characteristics and owner needs, since the effectiveness of project delivery systems differs based on different project characteristics and owners requirements. Since different trenchless methods have specific characteristics such rate of installation, lengths of installation, and accuracy, the same project delivery systems may not be equally effective for different methods. The intent of this paper is to evaluate the appropriateness of different PDS for different trenchless methods. PDS are examined through a structured decision-making process called Fuzzy Delivery System Selection Model (FDSSM). The process of incorporating the impacts of: (a) the characteristics of trenchless projects and (b) owners’ needs in the FDSSM is performed by collecting data using questionnaires deployed to professionals involved in the trenchless industry in order to determine the importance of delivery systems selection attributes for different trenchless methods, and then analyzing this data. The sensitivity of PDS rankings with respect to trenchless methods is considered in order to evaluate whether similar project delivery systems are equally effective in different trenchless methods. The effectiveness of PDS with respect to attributes is defined as follows: a project delivery system is most effective with respect to an attribute (e.g., ability to control growth in costs ) if there is no project delivery system that is more effective than that PDS. The results of this study may assist trenchless project owners to select the appropriate PDS for the trenchless method selected.