Development of Novel Microparticle and Nanoparticle-Based Controlled Release Formulations for Agriculture

Increasing the productivity of agricultural fields is essential to secure our existing food supplies and provide for the growing world population. In this context, pesticides and fertilizers play an essential role in both increasing crop yields, as well as enhancing crop defenses against environmental stresses such as drought, pests, or diseases. However, the application of […]

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Organo-Tellurium Supramolecular Building Blocks

The student will travel to the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, Brazil, for 12 weeks to develop the chemical synthesis of new organo-tellurium compounds whose molecules will be used as building blocks for large self-assembled structures with functional properties. This project will combine the expertise of I. Vargas-Baca (McMaster) and A L. Braga, […]

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Congestion Prediction in Energy Networks Using Machine Learning

Energy networks are often very complex which results in highly unpredictable congestion patterns in the physical constraints of the network. Most efforts to model congestion in energy networks are made on toy problems. Here, the objective is to model and predict congestion in a real physical energy network using automated machine learning systems, in particular […]

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Assessing comprehensive life history and phenotypic impacts of radiation on a short-lived model of aging and free radical biology: linear versus hormetic dose responses

The goal of our proposal is to clarify the impacts of low doses of radiation on key biological aspects in a short-lived animal model (the cricket). Current assessments of radiation exposure mainly emphasize cancer. Our model will allow us to more broadly assess important features like growth, maturation, survivorship, reproduction and life span as well […]

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Dimensionality, performance, and stress testing of multifactor equity models

A global multi-factor equity model had been previously developed. It employs a group of sector indices for different regions using Dow Jones, MSCI, and indices of local stock exchanges. PCA is used to produce independent factor variables, and then specific equities are regressed against the PCA factors. By transforming factors back into real world variables […]

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Estimating Loss Given Default by Mixture Beta Distribution Model

Although beta distribution models are a well-known tool for evaluating the recovery risk of credit instruments, concerns are raised regarding tractability its analysis and simulation. The project attempts to address such concerns by incorporating a mixture beta distribution model. The project will compare the efficiency of the proposed model with the commonly used beta distribution […]

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Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy as a tool to study the transcription rate of Bicoid targets during Drosophila embryonic development

In embryos, cell differentiation occurs via the formation of spatial gradients of molecules called morphogens, which control the expression of a number of target genes determining cell identity. A common model system to study morphogen is the Bicoid gradient, which determine anterio-posterior patterning in the Drosophila fly. Here we propose to apply novel methods in […]

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Accelerate development of new technologies and applications for advanced water treatment.

Global population growth, urbanization and changing climate patterns have increased the demand for potable water, wastewater reuse and value recovery from wastewater, and treatment of industrial process water. Population growth also results in increased demand for the shipping of goods by ocean freight, with the associated risk of the transport of unwanted marine life from […]

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Battery Management System for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles

Measurement of the SOC is one of the basic functions of BMS for lithium-ion batteries pack in EVs. It is equivalent to fuel gauge in conventional vehicles which will indicate the miles cars can still run and when they should be charged. So the accurate SOC is needed to estimate to prolong the lifetime and […]

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