VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Digital Panopticons: The Carceral Logics of Surveillance in Neighborhood Safety Apps
Keywords: Consumer surveillance
Carceral
Text
Thesis

As technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, home security systems have become increasingly common. These systems offer homeowners a sense of safety and peace of mind, as they provide real-time monitoring and the ability to respond to potential threats. With the advent of smart home technology, homeowners can control their security systems remotely, receiving alerts and even controlling access to their homes through their mobile devices. In recent years, one notable evolution in home security is the rise in popularity of neighborhood social networking sites that promise to help make the user feel safer. The most notable apps in this category include Nextdoor, Neighbors by Ring, and Citizen. These social networking apps allow users to share videos, photos, and text posts with other camera owners that live nearby. 
In this thesis, I will be exploring how this genre of consumer surveillance fits into a broader history of surveillance being used as a tool for the control and classification of marginalized communities. Specifically, my research seeks to highlight the carceral logic underlying these technologies and the assumptions they create about what is needed to ensure true public safety. The purpose is to analyze how surveillance practices in the US have become necessitated through inflated fears of crime and what implications this offers as we consider how technology industries continue to innovate and develop new apparatuses for surveillance.
My research analyzes marketing videos by Ring used to promote its reveals three key findings. First, Neighbors seeks to amplify fear of crime, regardless of actual crime rates in a neighborhood and causes hyper-vigilance. Second, the marketing of Ring’s Neighbors app encourages an incarceration mindset in the domestic spheres of the home and neighborhood that is accompanied by unnecessary policing and criminal punishment. Finally, Amazon’s marketing of Ring frames surveillance as a public service.
Dimensionality reduction of embedded boundary models for nonlinear fluid-structure interaction
Keywords: Engineering.
Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Embedded (sometimes immersed) boundary methods (EBMs) for CFD and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) -- also known as immersed boundary methods, Cartesian methods, or fictitious domain methods -- are the most robust solution methods for flow problems past obstacles that undergo large motions, deformations, shape changes, and/or surface topology changes. They can also introduce a high degree of automation in the task of mesh generation and significant flexibility in the meshing of complex geometries. However, despite massive advancements in compute power, the application of CFD- or FSI-based EBMs to the simulation of many realistic engineering systems can still take days or weeks on many cores of a supercomputer, rendering the use of such models in many-query applications challenging, impractical or simply infeasible. The application of projection-based model order reduction (PMOR) to nonlinear CFD and FSI models has been shown in recent years to produce low-dimensional projection-based reduced order models (PROMs) which can be queried in real-time, without sacrificing the accuracy of the underlying high-fidelity, high-dimensional computational model. However, the application of PMOR to EBMs for CFD and FSI remains a challenge, primarily because EBMs dynamically partition the computational fluid domain into real and fictitious subdomains. Consequently, despite their myriad benefits, EBMs hamper the acceleration of the solution of computationally intensive problems by these types of physics-based surrogate models. This dissertation addresses several issues stemming from the real/fictitious partitioning of the computational fluid domain to pave the way for the PMOR of EBMs. Specifically, it motivates, presents, and illustrates a computational framework for constructing EBM-PROMs that incorporates state-of-the-art methodologies for mitigating computational bottlenecks associated with strong nonlinearities in the underlying high-dimensional model. This framework includes a weighted low-rank matrix factorization approach for computing suitable reduced-order bases; and adaptations of the energy-conserving sampling and weighting hyperreduction procedure as well as the piecewise-affine approximation method that account for the real/fictitious dynamic partitioning of the nodes of the embedding CFD mesh. It also employs an adaptive sampling approach for choosing an optimal set of parameter points on which to train a parametric EBM-PROM, based on a novel error indicator. Finally, the performance of the proposed computational framework for the PMOR of embedded boundary models is investigated for two representative, unsteady, nonlinear, turbulent flow problems that necessitate the use of an EBM; as well as two prototypical steady-state, shape-parametric studies of relevance to MDAO.
Direct & indirect effects of extreme weather in a warming world
Keywords: Engineering.
Management Science and Engineering.

Extreme weather seems to be becoming more common and more extreme. A new literature on production networks shows that direct effects from extreme weather spread over supply chains and lead to indirect effects at distant companies. However, existing papers have not driven home their relevance for climate damage estimates. We examine the direct and indirect effects of extreme heat and extreme precipitation on public companies in the U.S. We use 20 years of quarterly financial data and more than 600,000 firm location records to econometrically estimate the direct effect of extreme weather at a company's establishments. We next estimate the indirect effect of extreme weather at a company's suppliers' establishments. We use data from the latest Climate Model Intercomparison Project, CMIP6, to project changes in the incidence of extreme heat and extreme precipitation at company establishments over the next twenty years. We find that the projected indirect effects are roughly half the size of the projected direct effects. We then estimate the direct effects for different subgroups, and we compare the effects of extremes with the effects of warmer or wetter weather than average. We find substantial heterogeneity in how different types of firms are affected by extreme weather. We close by reviewing climate modeling for near-term predictions as the climate changes from its historical norms. We use the climate projections data from our firm analysis to review the accuracy and uncertainty of these models, with the goal of helping provide an operational guide to individuals who will be using these climate data for adaptation and planning
Direct measurement of eddy viscosity and analysis of non-boussinesq effects in wall-bounded turbulent flows
Keywords: Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering.

This work presents studies of momentum mixing by turbulence in a channel flow, a separated boundary layer flow, and a separated boundary layer with sweep using direct numerical simulation (DNS) and the macroscopic forcing method (MFM, Mani and Park, Physical Review Fluids, 2021, p.054607) to quantify the non-Boussinesq effects of momentum mixing from turbulent eddies. The key goal of our investigation is to develop a quantitative understanding of the anisotropy and nonlocality of the eddy viscosity operator in wall-bounded turbulent flows. These studies provide important perspectives on the macroscopic behavior of turbulence in diverse flow setups, and they supply valuable data for enhancing turbulence closure models. Furthermore, they encourage a reevaluation of previous works in turbulence modeling and provide a foundation for enhancing the effectiveness of current RANS models.
A discrete adjoint framework for turbulent hypersonic flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium
Keywords: Engineering.
Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Hypersonic vehicle design and analysis continues to challenge the aerospace community. These systems operate in a unique flow environment characterized by thermochemical nonequilibrium effects, adding constraints and complexity not observed in other flow regimes. Numerical simulations must resolve these high-temperature, atomic-scale physical phenomena to accurately predict vehicle performance parameters such as lift, drag, control authority, and surface heat transfer. As a result, expensive CFD simulation models are substituted with low-fidelity correlation-based models in the design process. This yields, at best conservative vehicle configurations and, at worst, failed designs. Consequently, despite the rapid growth of computational power, hypersonic vehicle design has stagnated without the proper methods to efficiently incorporate CFD into the design process. This dissertation presents, to the author's knowledge, the first discrete adjoint framework for the efficient computation of aerothermodynamic sensitivities of turbulent hypersonic flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium to reintegrate high-fidelity simulations into the preliminary design phases for hypersonic vehicle systems
Dissecting the function of astrocytic synaptic cell adhesion molecules
Keywords: Medicine.

Information is transmitted through synapses in the nervous system. Efforts have been made to visualize synaptic connectivity and understand synapse formation. While essential synaptic molecules have mainly been studied in neurons, astrocytes also play a role in synapse interactions. Astrocytes express synaptic cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) like neuroligins (Nlgns), which could regulate astrocyte-neuron interactions. A recent study suggested that loss of astrocytic Nlgn2 affects astrocyte size and excitatory synaptogenesis, which conflicts with previous studies reporting that constitutive deletion of Nlgns does not affect synapse number. To investigate the role of astrocytic Nlgns, we genetically deleted Nlgns 1-3 in astrocytes and observed no impairment in synaptic protein expression or synapse number. Electrophysiological measurements and 3D astrocyte reconstruction showed no impact on synaptic function or astrocyte volume, respectively. Therefore, astrocytic Nlgns are not crucial for synaptogenesis or astrocyte morphogenesis. Further, monosynaptic rabies virus (RV) tracing methods have been developed to identify the molecules involved in synapse development. However, synapse number as measured by RV tracing does not always align with that as reported by traditional immunohistochemistry techniques. This discrepancy may be due to synaptic activity influencing RV tracing. Thus, we investigated whether RV tracing methods simply require structural synapses or if synaptic transmission is also necessary for neuronal labeling with RV. By eliminating evoked transmission, we found that spontaneous release is sufficient for RV spread. Loss of both evoked and spontaneous synaptic transmission halted retrograde labeling entirely. Our studies improve the understanding of astrocyte-mediated synapse maintenance and the techniques used to study them, supporting further research on the molecular and cellular aspects of synapses
Dissecting the Parasympathetic Neural Circuits of the Heart
Keywords:  Department of Biology
parasympathetic
cardiopulmonary
Neural circuits
intrinsic cardiac neurons
Text
Thesis

The autonomic nervous system carefully balances its sympathetic “fight or flight” and parasympathetic “rest and digest” divisions to mediate critical cardiopulmonary functions. Dysfunction between and within these divisions causes a broad range of disease, including heart failure, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here we examine postganglionic parasympathetic or intrinsic neurons, which are exceedingly rare and fragile and housed within the organ they innervate. Recent work has shown that activation of a major subset of cardiac intrinsic neurons by nucleus ambiguus cardiovascular (ACV) neurons evokes bradycardia, whereas activation of another subset of cardiac intrinsic neurons and lung intrinsic neurons that are jointly innervated by nucleus ambiguus cardiopulmonary (ACP) neurons evokes simultaneous bradycardia and bronchoconstriction1, demonstrating their role in controlling and coordinating critical cardiac and cardiopulmonary responses. Despite their functional importance, the molecular diversity and organization of these neural circuits, especially those under parasympathetic control, remain largely unknown. To characterize the anatomical, cellular, molecular, and functional properties of intrinsic lung and cardiac neurons, we use single-cell RNA- sequencing, immunohistochemistry, and single-molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH). We reveal molecularly distinct populations of lung and cardiac intrinsic neurons and offer optimized protocols for procuring and analyzing these rare and fragile neurons. These studies aim to elucidate the characteristics and roles of intrinsic lung and cardiac neurons in mediating precise cardiopulmonary regulation and interrogate their interactions with neighboring neuronal populations.
Distributed and certifiable optimization for multi-robot systems
Keywords: Engineering.
Mechanical Engineering.

This thesis addresses two key challenges in applying optimization methods to multi-robot systems. First, the need for distributed optimization arises in unstructured and remote environments in which centralized coordination is impractical or infeasible. Second, the nonconvexity of many relevant problems necessitates certifiable optimization, which provides provable bounds on the quality of a solution. We present new techniques for both distributed optimization and certifiable optimization, as well as a unified framework for distributed and certifiable multi-robot optimization. Several tools presented in this thesis enable robots to achieve system-wide coordination through pairwise communication. The ability to cooperatively solve optimization problems through distributed robot-to-robot communication is a crucial component of multi-robot autonomy. We introduce a communication-efficient general-purpose distributed optimization method, Separable Optimization Variable ADMM, and demonstrate its scalability and robustness. Additionally, an optimization-based approach to distributed estimation replicates the performance of the centralized Kalman Filter. We prove that our Distributed Rolling-Window Tracking algorithm maintains consistent estimates without communicating covariance matrices as alternative methods require. Our approach to certifiable optimization considers a broad class of synchronization problems that admit a semidefinite relaxation. We present a novel reformulation of the distance-based localization problem, showing for the first time that it belongs to this same class of certifiable optimization problems. Compared to other distance-based localization algorithms, our method recovers good solutions over a range of problem instantiations. Finally, we present a new approach to distributed certifiable optimization. Our technique for solving a decomposition of a sparse semidefinite program introduces a novel "dualized agreement" constraint. This formulation allows networked robots to iteratively solve for their individual components in a large semidefinite program. Together, these contributions provide a general framework for fully distributed and provably optimal multi-robot coordination.
Divergence in ecological and sexual traits shapes the evolution of swordtail fish and their naturally occurring hybrids
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Biology.

In this thesis, I explore the consequences of hybridization, or genetic exchange between species, with a focus on divergent traits that have evolved between species. I performed these studies leveraging a system where natural hybridization is ongoing between species that vary in their sexual displays and ecology: the swordtail fishes \emph{Xiphophorus malinche} and \emph{X. birchmanni}. In my first chapter, I provide an introduction to the genomic consequences of hybridization, highlighting open questions around predicting the effects of different and interacting selective forces on hybrid genomes. In my second chapter, I explore the genetic basis of a sexually-selected ornament, called the sword. In my third and fourth chapters, I focused on divergence between species in thermal tolerance and offspring size. These two traits can be viewed as models of evolved differences between these species in response to the environment and allow me to explore the interplay between ecological adaptations in species and their breakdown in hybrids.
Diversity and Community Dynamics of Ammonia-Oxidizing Microorganisms in Monterey Bay Aquarium Biofilters
Keywords: nitrifiers
archaea
aquarium biofilter
ammonia oxidation
Bacteria
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Text
Thesis

In aquaria, biofilters are used to prevent the accumulation of ammonia by fostering communities of nitrifying microbes, including ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Previous studies have shown that aquarium biofilters are usually dominated by AOA rather than AOB, but have not yet fully characterized the microbial communities living in those biofilters. In this study, we analyze the microbial communities within the Fluidized Bed (FB) biofilter systems at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) and investigate how those communities change over time and are influenced by the microbial community of Monterey Bay, which directly supplies seawater to the aquarium. We focus on the dynamics of nitrifier communities, AOA in particular, to investigate which microbes are most important to the biofilter’s function. Using high throughput sequencing of the archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA gene, we investigated the microbial communities in water and sand samples for the FB systems at MBA over a 3 month period, during the establishment of a new FB. FB samples were compared to microbial communities associated with Filter 1 (F1), the biofilter treating incoming water from Monterey Bay. Further analysis of AOA abundance was conducted using quantitative PCR (qPCR). We found that the FBs had a distinct microbial community from F1 and that the microbial communities in FB sand samples were more stable over time than those in the FB water samples. When it comes to nitrifiers, the FBs were dominated by AOA and NOB, and their populations remained stable over time in sand samples. Of the AOA in the FBs, 99% came from a single operational taxonomic unit (OTU2) with close phylogenetic affiliation to AOA from Monterey Bay. Overall, this study supports previous findings about AOA dominance in aquarium biofilters, and represents the first in-depth characterization of the microbial community in a MBA biofilter.
Diversity, learning, and knowledge : a study across institutions
Keywords: Education.

My dissertation, titled 'Diversity, Learning, and Knowledge: A Study Across Institutions', delves into the intricate dynamics of diversity within the realms of educational institutions and the Internet. This research underscores the multifaceted nature of diversity and is segmented into three chapters. The first chapter investigates student interactions within the framework of India's extensive affirmative action program, revealing the persistent nature of caste-based segregation in higher education and the positive influence of classmate diversity in reducing such segregation. The second chapter, set within the same affirmative action context, examines the impact of faculty diversity on student learning. Contrary to common criticisms of affirmative action, the findings suggest that faculty hired under reservation categories, despite having lower qualifications, do not compromise on (and in fact provide slightly better) quality of instruction. The third chapter transitions to the digital realm, introducing a novel metric to quantify 'information completeness' on the Internet. By analyzing 6.5 trillion search results, I highlight the challenges posed by consistent consumption of ranked information and its implications for open-mindedness and informed decision-making. Collectively, this dissertation underscores the importance of fostering diversity in both traditional and digital spaces, emphasizing its potential to enhance learning, promote intellectual growth, and contribute to a more inclusive and harmonious global community.
The domestic politics of defense in the U.S. Congress
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Political Science.

The US defense budget is one of the few pieces of legislation that regularly passes the US Congress, but current scholarship in American politics and US foreign policy struggle to explain precisely why this happens. Existing theories of Congressional behavior that explain other issue areas— like the influence of a member's districts or his or her personal history— have a history of null results when applied to defense votes. My dissertation addresses the question of why the US defense budget is so popular in Congress, and how this varies across members and time. I decompose support for the defense budget into a member's engagement, or work on this issue, and their voting record, and show that existing theories explain well members' engagement— members with military industry in their district tend to work on defense issues more than other members— but does not explain a members' vote pattern. This is largely because of the large number of unengaged congressmembers who vote in favor of defense bills despite not having these characteristics. I suggest that this occurs because members of Congress are concerned about the domestic political consequences of being labeled soft on defense, and engage in strategic voting in support of defense, particularly in times of national threat. I use survey experiments and 80 years of Congressional behavior to support this claim. My final paper compares two instances in which soft on defense criticism were used to change the politics of missile defense and demonstrates how a perception of threat in Congress is a precondition for this effect
"The drama of our world : spectator and subject in medieval Kashmir and early modern Europe
Keywords: Humanities and Sciences.
Comparative Literature.

Is all the world a stage? How do we as subjects and spectators perceive the world? How do we take pleasure in watching plays? At surface level, one might not think that thinkers from two cultures as removed from each other as the long tenth century in Kashmir and the long seventeenth century in France and England might have much to say to each other on these abstract questions. And yet, in examining the thought of philosophers, playwrights, and literary critics from the long seventeenth century in France and England and the long tenth century in Kashmir, this dissertation argues otherwise. On questions of epistemology and metaphysics on the one hand and dramatic theory and poetics on the other, they shared surprisingly many common perspectives, including the critical intuition of the interdependence of these disciplines. These common threads enable us to create a conversation between them as equals at a table, precisely the kind made impossible by colonization and its legacy. In a broad sense, then, the goals of this intervention are threefold: historical (to change the narrative about where certain ideas originated), political (to make room at this conversational table), and intellectual (to ensure that these ideas do not remain the property of a certain civilization but as shared cultural property). In doing so, this dissertation offers a methodological model that can be useful for creating conversations among cultures from across the world, not despite but because of their radical alterity and seeming irrelevance to our modern world