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Articles 1 - 30 of 31
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A Virtual Electric Driveline Concept And Control Design To Advance Maneuvering Of A Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Siyuan Zhang
A Virtual Electric Driveline Concept And Control Design To Advance Maneuvering Of A Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Siyuan Zhang
All ETDs from UAB
The conventional turning principle of wheeled skid-steered vehicles provides different velocities to the wheels of the left and right sides, yet the two wheels at each side have the same angular velocity. As the analysis shows, this principle is not sufficient for improving vehicle maneuverability in severe terrain conditions. Because the resistance to motion and the tire-terrain grip can randomly and drastically vary in the tire contact patches of all wheels, it makes solely relying on this principle inadequate.In this PhD study, a virtual driveline concept is presented to formulate and study a new turning concept for a small wheeled …
Identifying Micro-Level Determinants That Influence The Transportation Network Companies (Tncs) Growth Through Analysis Of Transportation Users’ Preferences And Attitudes, Sahila Sarjana
All ETDs from UAB
In the recent years, the use of Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) such as Uber/Lyft as a mode of travel has been growing at a significant pace. Despite the rapid growth of several TNC markets, analyses of potential and actual impacts of TNCs presence on preferences and travel patterns of TNC-aware users are still very limited. Such analyses require detailed trip data which are not easily available due to privacy concerns, as well as technical and financial feasibility issues. To address some of these issues, the objective of this study was to document the factors that influence transportation users in the …
Analyzing Spinach Growth Using Vertical Garden Techniques And Local Water Sources For Urban Gardens, Julia Ashlyn Manzella
Analyzing Spinach Growth Using Vertical Garden Techniques And Local Water Sources For Urban Gardens, Julia Ashlyn Manzella
All ETDs from UAB
The University of Alabama at Birmingham undergraduate and graduate programs’ continued involvement in the Birmingham-Jefferson County community have identified food insecure areas, known as food deserts, and associated health issues negatively impacting the community due to poor diets and lack of access to healthy foods. Farm stands and community gardens around the Birmingham-metropolitan area have increased healthy food availability during the past several years to encourage healthier eating habits. To combat food insecurity, sustainable alternative growing techniques for urban agriculture need to be implemented and incorporated into local community gardens. Alternative gardening techniques such as vertical gardens maximize yield in …
An Examination Of Welding Inputs And Outputs For The High Frequency Welding Of Steel Pipe, Lindsey Mccall
An Examination Of Welding Inputs And Outputs For The High Frequency Welding Of Steel Pipe, Lindsey Mccall
All ETDs from UAB
Oil and natural gas touch the lives of most people around the world each day in one way or another. As the demand for these products has risen, so has the need for more pipelines. The pipelines that transport oil and natural gas must meet a strict set of criteria to ensure safety. These criteria include mechanical properties and nondestructive testing requirements. The purpose of this study was to determine how to correlate welding inputs and outputs to weld quality, specifically the occurrence of welding discontinuities that are detrimental to the pipe and mechanical properties. The three conclusions of this …
Modeling And Optimization Of Trigeneration System In Daycare Facility, Andres Morales
Modeling And Optimization Of Trigeneration System In Daycare Facility, Andres Morales
All ETDs from UAB
Trigeneration systems, also known as Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power (CCHP), simultaneously provide electric, mechanical, and thermal energy. Compared to traditional systems, they deliver higher fuel efficiencies as waste heat from engine coolant and/or exhaust is recovered and utilized. In heating, ventilation, and air condi-tioning (HVAC) systems, the recycled heat may be used to provide space heating, water heating, and cooling (through absorption chillers). As there are more practical applica-tions for the recovered heat during the heating season than the cooling season, trigenera-tion systems tend to be more attractive in colder weather. This research focuses on the PowerAire 65 by …
Uav Navigation, Tracking, And Interception Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Ali Alhaj Darwish
Uav Navigation, Tracking, And Interception Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Ali Alhaj Darwish
All ETDs from UAB
We propose a self-supervised, model-free deep reinforcement learning architecture with cascade reward for unmanned aerial vehicle navigation and target interception in a 3D environment. The first contribution of the dissertation solves the problem of partial observability when non-linear function approximators are used for learning stochastic policies. The second contribution optimizes the problem of maximizing the total expected rewards. The third contribution trains the agent in a photo-realistic environment with a real physics engine. To achieve these goals, a deep Q-network that combines double and dueling architectures is adopted as a value function approximator, and the prioritized experience replays the sample …
Planning Of Detours For Major Construction Projects And Assessing Their Impacts On Traffic Operations, Md Saiful Arif Khan
Planning Of Detours For Major Construction Projects And Assessing Their Impacts On Traffic Operations, Md Saiful Arif Khan
All ETDs from UAB
Maintenance and Rehabilitation (M&R) works are prevalent in the US highways to preserve an acceptable level of service. In the presence of construction works, detour planning around work zones is often compulsory to carry out the repair works properly and safely while also accommodating the needs of the traveling public. Hence, it becomes important for transportation agencies to develop and implement detour plans that provide diversion options to the road users that minimize their inconvenience and travel delays in the presence of construction works. Thus, evaluating the impact of detouring due to road closure is crucial to corroborate an effective …
The Effects Of Oscillatory Forces On Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Molly Buckley
The Effects Of Oscillatory Forces On Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Molly Buckley
All ETDs from UAB
Oscillatory forces such as blood pressure pulse, interstitial fluid flow, and body movement are present throughout ovarian tumors. These forces have been shown to strongly regulate mechanotransduction signaling, leading to tumor progression, metastasis, and invasion. Mechanotransduction studies are rarely conducted in ovarian cancer. This study is the first of its kind to understand how oscillatory forces impact ovarian tumor progression and the efficacy of a cancer therapeutic under these unique conditions. Herein, a novel oscillating flow bioreactor was developed housing an ovarian cancer tumor model using OVCAR-8 and IHFOT-208 cell lines and compared to the same bioreactor under constant flow. …
Computational Modeling Of Agile Tire Slippage, Chantel Jordi
Computational Modeling Of Agile Tire Slippage, Chantel Jordi
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT Tire slippage dynamics is based on steady state analysis. This poses limits on advances in traction control systems and other vehicle control systems that can improve the safety of a vehicle. Agile tire slippage dynamics is a newer method that uses a smaller time step and time frame. It is typically applied to analyze the transient mode of a tire, which occurs within the first few milliseconds of a torque being applied to a wheel. During this time, the tire is not yet rotating, which can be a potential cause for safety hazards. Using agile tire slippage dynamics to …
Facial Recognition With Image Signaling: Efficacy Of Two Factor Authentication Utilizing A Single Image Input Mechanism On A Smartphone, Jaret Langston
Facial Recognition With Image Signaling: Efficacy Of Two Factor Authentication Utilizing A Single Image Input Mechanism On A Smartphone, Jaret Langston
All ETDs from UAB
Society generates 2.8 quintillion bytes of new data every day. Much of this data is sensitive information that should be protected from unauthorized access. Sensitive information is defined as information that, if compromised or misused, could adversely affect the privacy of the individual or organization. There are many types of information that fit this definition and places it is found, but for this discussion we will focus on: • Personally Identifiable Information (PII) (e.g., birth date, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number). • Medical information (e.g., insurance policy numbers, prescriptions, history). • Consumer information (e.g., credit card, banking, …
Prediction Of The Optimal Catheter Placement Selection For Therapy Infusion To Treat Brain Tumors, Lisa Hope Antoine
Prediction Of The Optimal Catheter Placement Selection For Therapy Infusion To Treat Brain Tumors, Lisa Hope Antoine
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT In 2020, the National Brain Tumor Society reported that physicians would diagnose more than 87,000 new cases of brain tumors. These cases will add to the approximately 700,000 individuals in the United States living with brain and central nervous system tumors. Almost 18,000 of these cases will prove fatal [1]. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) hinders the effective treatment of brain tumors. The task of this barrier is to protect the brain from composition instabilities in blood plasma and shield the brain from agents that may adversely impact brain functionality. However, by performing its tasks the barrier prevents potential effective …
Performance Of Activated Filter Media® (Afm) In Drinking Water Treatment Systems, Jaquice Hughes Boyd
Performance Of Activated Filter Media® (Afm) In Drinking Water Treatment Systems, Jaquice Hughes Boyd
All ETDs from UAB
ABSTRACT This dissertation evaluated the performance of activated filter media (AFM), recycled glass media used as a substitute for conventional sand filtration systems. Activated filter media is a direct replacement for sand filter media typically used during the dual media filtration methods employing sand and anthracite. One grade size of activated filter media was used: grade 1 (0.4 – 1.0 mm) to study its performance as a filtration media. This research was conducted at The Birmingham Water Works Board Experimental Pilot Treatment Facility, located at the Shades Mountain Filter Plant (SMFP). The pilot plant includes two independent treatment trains capable …
An Augmented Framework For Validating Neural Network Predictions Based On Statistical Modeling, William Stonewall Monroe
An Augmented Framework For Validating Neural Network Predictions Based On Statistical Modeling, William Stonewall Monroe
All ETDs from UAB
The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) dataset (which includes several types of imaging datasets) was created to generate biomarkers for diagnosing the presence and severity of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Unlike some conditions, PD is not intuitively diagnosed directly from brain imaging. As such, it is vital to understand as well as classify PD. Deep learning techniques are becoming increasingly prevalent in medical imaging workflows. In some cases, deep learning outperforms human diagnostic ability. However, the black-box nature of many machine learning models can be troubling, particularly in a medical context since the results could imply alternate treatments and a human …
Use Of Connected Vehicle Data In Support Of Signal Control Optimization, Gokmen Pacal
Use Of Connected Vehicle Data In Support Of Signal Control Optimization, Gokmen Pacal
All ETDs from UAB
Traffic control signals are used to assign the right-of-way to traffic movements at intersections. By doing so, they facilitate the orderly movement of vehicles and pedestrians, improve the traffic-handling capacity of intersections and reduce the number of conflicts between movements, thus improving traffic safety. The most widely implemented method of traffic control is the fixed-time signals. Fixed-time traffic controllers use a simple electric mechanism that allow the signals to change at predefined time intervals; however, these simple mechanisms were not able to adjust to changes in traffic demand during the day. To address this issue, contemporary traffic signal controllers are …
Novel Methods For Image Analysis To Evaluate Relationships Between Biomarkers In Alzheimer's Disease, Fabio Raman
Novel Methods For Image Analysis To Evaluate Relationships Between Biomarkers In Alzheimer's Disease, Fabio Raman
All ETDs from UAB
Neuroimaging biomarkers, including pathological amyloid and tau measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and neurodegeneration measured with magnetic res-onance (MR), are part of the research framework for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Abnormal brain amyloid is currently the earliest established phenotypic marker of AD, and other imaging biomarkers such as tau-PET become abnormal later in the progression of AD pathophysiology. The ability to measure amyloid and predict both tau status and cogni-tion using a single amyloid-PET study through a method readily employed in both re-search and clinical settings would provide a valuable tool in assessing AD. The first goal of this dissertation …
Epitranscriptomic Regulation Of Fibroblast Activation In Diseased Heart, Zainab Gbongbo Suleiman
Epitranscriptomic Regulation Of Fibroblast Activation In Diseased Heart, Zainab Gbongbo Suleiman
All ETDs from UAB
Background: Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a chemokine released during cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling. Evidence has shown that it plays a significant role in fibroblast differentiation/activation to myofibroblasts , which ultimately leads to adverse cardiac remodeling. It is previously suggested that m6A methylation plays important role in cardiac pathology in both ischemic and hypertrophic heart failure [1, 2], however, its role in fibroblast activation/differentiation is largely unknown. Therefore, in this study we investigated the relationship between m6A methylation and fibroblast activation using proinflammatory/profibrotic factor, TGFβ. Methods: Fibroblasts were isolated from neonatal rat heart and activated with TGFβ for 48 …
Quantifying Operational Impacts Of Various Work Zone Setups, Traffic Composition, And Driving Behaviors, A B M Tausif Ullah Chy
Quantifying Operational Impacts Of Various Work Zone Setups, Traffic Composition, And Driving Behaviors, A B M Tausif Ullah Chy
All ETDs from UAB
The presence of work zones due to pavement repair and rehabilitation is very common in highway facilities. Lane closures associated with work zones result in capacity reduction, which in turn often leads to increased congestion at such locations. Properly set work zones can minimize the adverse operational impacts. This thesis documents part of a study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that investigated and compared the performance of freeway facilities in the presence of work zones under various Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) and lane closure scenarios while taking under consideration traffic composition and driving behaviors. The study site was …
When It Breaks Us, Tabitha Palmer
When It Breaks Us, Tabitha Palmer
All ETDs from UAB
Twins, Evie and Mel, lost their mother before their senior year of high school. The girls’ father deploys overseas to escape his grief, leaving them with an aunt they barely know to go through this painful grieving process alone in a new town. They are in constant conflict with each other due to how they cope with this unexpected upturn of their lives. Evie choses to remain optimistic, believing she will get through this and things will turn out for the better. While Mel choses to close herself off from her family, turning instead to a pen pal to maintain …
Properties Of Centrifugally Cast Concrete, Matt Laurence Blackstone
Properties Of Centrifugally Cast Concrete, Matt Laurence Blackstone
All ETDs from UAB
Centrifugal casting (spinning) produces concrete which is denser and of higher strength than that produced by traditional static-casting due to the reduced water/cement ratio and lower void content. High-strength concrete is now used commonly in the production of spun prestressed poles due to the resulting increased durability and resistance to weathering, reduction in cross-sectional area, reduced weight (ease of transport), and economic benefits. Correlation factors relating the increased compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of spun high-strength concrete to that of static-cast concrete have primarily been restricted to a cure time of 28 days in existing studies. The primary objective …
Traction Characterization Of Tire And Soil Contributions To Slippage On Deformable Terrain, Jordan A. Whitson
Traction Characterization Of Tire And Soil Contributions To Slippage On Deformable Terrain, Jordan A. Whitson
All ETDs from UAB
Longitudinal slippage analysis is a focus in terrain mobility for further development of mobility enhancement, power optimization, and safety design. This paper discusses the results of the collection and analysis of a database for tire traction characteristics and tire data conscripted of various literature experimental tests from books, journals, and technical papers. The database is utilized to support analysis and reviews of several tires and their behaviours under locomotion on different soils and deformable terrains to demonstrate the effects of the characteristics for mobility. Many experimental tests exist in literature across the technical world, but a centralized collection would benefit …
Oxidation Of Nickel And Nickel-Phosphorous Coated Aisi 430 Alloy: Effects Of Pre-Oxidation And Pre-Reduction, Mark Kevin King
Oxidation Of Nickel And Nickel-Phosphorous Coated Aisi 430 Alloy: Effects Of Pre-Oxidation And Pre-Reduction, Mark Kevin King
All ETDs from UAB
The solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrochemically converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Interconnects are used to provide electrical connection to various individual cells in a stack for drawing useful electrical energy in the kW-MW range. By lowering the operation temperature to 800oC, the chromia-forming ferritic alloy interconnects become applicable. Their corrosion resistant chromia layer at the surface can form gaseous chromium oxides that lower the SOFC output by the cathode poisoning phenomena. Application of protective coatings can mitigate oxidation and form a resistant layer over the chromia. In this study, the electroless and electrolytic deposition methods were used to …
Brownfield Redevelopments In Birmingham, Alabama: An Evaluation Of The Role Of Citizen Participation Utilizing The Framework Of Arnstein's Ladder, Sandra Cutts
All ETDs from UAB
The primary research objective is investigating the extent of citizen participation decision-making in the brownfield redevelopments in Birmingham, Alabama’s downtown revitalization to develop best practices for brownfield redevelopment collaboration. The technical literature affirms the need for citizen participation in project decision-making processes. Limited literature exists on how to best evaluate and incorporate participatory activities in brownfield redevelopments. This research adds to the literature, filling this gap by utilizing Arnstein’s ladder as an evaluative framework to quantify public participation in practice. It is important to understand how the extent of public participation in project decision-making may promote or hinder brownfield redevelopment. …
Quest Towards The Development Of Human Cardiac Tissue Equivalents Made From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiac Cells, Wesley Labarge
Quest Towards The Development Of Human Cardiac Tissue Equivalents Made From Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiac Cells, Wesley Labarge
All ETDs from UAB
The human heart is one of the more complex organs in the body to study and understand given the structural and functional characteristics it possesses. These characteristics work in synchrony to transfer oxygen-rich blood to vital organs throughout the body and oxygen-deficient blood back to the lungs for oxygenation. Furthermore, it can be reasoned that when these complexities are compounded with disease states which negatively affect the structure and function of the heart, determining the best treatments while also limiting adverse side effects becomes increasingly more challenging. While the goal of having patient-specific therapies has not completely been realized, the …
A Computational Method For The Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Images Using Morphological Analysis, Jon Rolf Marstrander
A Computational Method For The Analysis Of Magnetic Resonance Images Using Morphological Analysis, Jon Rolf Marstrander
All ETDs from UAB
Neurodegenerative diseases are an increasingly significant source of health problems in recent years. The prevalence and severity of these diseases is only expected to grow with the aging of the population. There is a large and and growing research effort to understand, diagnose and develop treatments for this class of diseases. Many of these diseases are not well understood, and there is a dearth of approved biomarkers and other techniques to definitively diagnose these diseases. The field of computational neuroimaging has been developed as part of the effort to study and diagnose these diseases. This field has undergone explosive growth …
Microrna Regulation Of Post-Injury Cardiac Remodeling And Heart Failure, John Clark Henderson
Microrna Regulation Of Post-Injury Cardiac Remodeling And Heart Failure, John Clark Henderson
All ETDs from UAB
Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline, is a widely used chemotherapy agent against various forms of cancer; however, it is also known to induce dose-dependent cardiotoxicity leading to adverse outcomes. Investigating the underlying molecular signaling might have clinical implications. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to mediate many diseases and are used as biomarkers for chemotherapy; but currently their role in the regulation of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity is not well understood. Our previous study has shown upregulation of miRNA-377 in the cardiomyocytes (CMs) after cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice. In this dissertation, we discovered that miR-377 was upregulated in the myocardium after DOX treatment, …
Resonance Frequency Bifurcation Based Passive Wireless Sensor Interface Design For Multi-Parameters And Differentially Monitoring, Xinlei Yang
All ETDs from UAB
Many wireless and passive sensors are developed and used in various fields with the growth of Internet-of-Things, IoT, and biomedical technologies. These sensors can measure physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, displacement, etc. These parameters can be converted into corresponding changes in resistance, capacitance, and inductance, and captured by LC tank-based sensors, wirelessly. The passive LC tank-based sensors can only measure a single parameter. By proposing a new technology, multi-resonance sensing mechanism, for measuring multiple parameters differentially in this work. Based on the proposed technology, two sensing systems have been designed and implemented. 1) Estimating human walking gait speed by …
A Second-Order 19-Node Pyramid Finite Element Suitable For Lumped Mass Explicit Dynamic Methods In Nonlinear Solid Mechanics, Robert Sturdivant Browning
A Second-Order 19-Node Pyramid Finite Element Suitable For Lumped Mass Explicit Dynamic Methods In Nonlinear Solid Mechanics, Robert Sturdivant Browning
All ETDs from UAB
A second-order isoparametric 19-node pyramid finite element (PYR19) was developed that is suitable for use in nonlinear solid mechanics, especially with lumped mass explicit dynamics. The pyramid has a quadrilateral base and four triangular sides, and has five vertex nodes, eight mid-edge nodes, five face centroid nodes, and a single body centroid node. The PYR19 shape functions were derived by augmenting Bedrosian’s (1992) 13-node pyramid with the face and body centroid nodes. These functions were implemented into a general-purpose nonlinear explicit dynamics finite element code along with all numerical details (e.g., quadrature, time increment estimation, artificial viscosity, etc.) typically required …
Development Of Mitochondrial-Targeted Genetic Tools To Investigate How Changes In Mitochondrial Function Affect The Heart, Patrick James Ernst
Development Of Mitochondrial-Targeted Genetic Tools To Investigate How Changes In Mitochondrial Function Affect The Heart, Patrick James Ernst
All ETDs from UAB
Mitochondria are an important organelle found in all human cells, they fulfill several crucial roles necessary for cellular function such as energy production, calcium handling, metabolic regulation, and inducing pre-programmed cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with many different diseases such as heart failure, aging, and cancer, as well as multiple neurodegenerative diseases. While there are currently different tools and approaches for studying different aspects of both mitochondrial function and dysfunction, they tend to have major drawbacks that limit their practicality and conclusions that can be drawn using them. We hypothesized that by finding the correct genetic mitochondrial targeting sequence, …
Vehicle-Based Structural Health Monitoring Of Bridges, Zhenhua Shi
Vehicle-Based Structural Health Monitoring Of Bridges, Zhenhua Shi
All ETDs from UAB
Structural health monitoring of bridges serves a critical role in maintaining a safe transportation network. Compared to the traditional resource-consuming direct approaches which usually require labor-intensive inspection and deployment of multiple sensors directly on the bridge, the indirect approach has been gained more and more attention due to its mobility and potential economy characteristics. The indirect approach utilizes the dynamic responses from the vehicle that interacts with the bridge so that the health status of the monitored bridges can be timely and effectively reflected via their structural dynamic characteristics such as frequencies, mode shapes, and damping properties. This research explores …
Assessing The Potential Of Public Transit Utility In Medium-Sized Cities Using Agent-Based Simulation, Taniya Sultana
Assessing The Potential Of Public Transit Utility In Medium-Sized Cities Using Agent-Based Simulation, Taniya Sultana
All ETDs from UAB
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the United States was leading in the public transit sector, but following World War II, private car trips became more affordable and more popular, specially, in the last few decades. Transportation infrastructure investments that increased road capacity enabled the development of suburbs leading to urban sprawl and increase in automobile use at the expense of reduced public transit ridership. With the increase of dependency in automobiles and the continuing growth of private automobile ownership and use, various problems became major challenges in big cities of USA. These include traffic congestion, air pollution, road …