The basal ganglia operate largely in closed parallel loops, including an associative circuit for goal-directed behavior originating from the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and a somatosensory circuit important for habit formation originating from the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). An exception to this parallel circuit organization was proposed to explain how information is...
Super-resolution (SR) has become one of the most critical problems in image and video processing. In Chapter 2 of this thesis, a detailed review of existing Deep Learning (DL) techniques for addressing the SR task, with an emphasis on how DL and analytical techniques can be combined, is provided. Chapter...
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in US and non-invasive cardiac imaging has vital importance for early detection and diagnosis of heart disease. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is arguably the most versatile imaging modality and capable of a comprehensive evaluation of heart disease without ionization radiation. Despite the...
Regulatory T (Treg) cells are required to control immune responses and maintain homeostasis, but are a significant barrier to antitumor immunity. Conversely, Treg instability, characterized by loss of the master transcription factor Foxp3 and acquisition of proinflammatory properties, can promote autoimmunity and/or facilitate more effective tumor immunity. A comprehensive understanding...
Interfacial science brings together diverse areas of interest such as electronic materials, quantum materials, bio-membranes and catalysts. In-situ X-ray characterization techniques can be used to understand the assembly of atoms, molecules and supported nanoparticles at interfaces in complex environments. This thesis work focuses on the use of various X-ray characterization...
NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) has drawn a great deal of attention for its various applications in the medical field (orthodontics, cardiovascular stents technology, etc.) and in other engineering fields (aerospace, aircraft, automotive, etc.) as it shows shape memory effect, superelasticity and biocompatibility. The fatigue-related issues, however, are pronounced in...
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that can detect single molecules and simultaneously obtain structural information. When an analyte molecule binds to a nanostructured noble metal surface, the otherwise weak normal Raman signal is enhanced by as much as a factor of 108. This makes SERS the...
This dissertation contains three empirical studies in economic history and labor economics. The first chapter discusses two sources of historical data on work stoppages in the United States: the Third Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor (1888) and the Tenth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor (1896). It...
The leptonic and inclusive hadronic decay branching fractions of the W boson are studied using 35.9 $fb^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data collected at $\sqrt{s}=13~TeV$ during the 2016 run of the CMS experiment. Events characterized by the production of pairs of W bosons from \ttbar and \tW processes are selected. Multiple...
Recent discoveries in vitamin D research indicate that vitamin D is a necessary component to several organs and tissues that extends beyond bone formation Furthermore, recent research indicates that vitamin D deficiency is rampant across the globe. Historically, anthropological research has focused on the adaptive significance of skin color to...