Digital Commons Network^™

Forensic Investigation Of Building Failure – The Harbour Cay Condominium Disaster, John Airis

Publications and Research

When a building suffers collapse, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is tasked with conducting an investigation into the cause. Often OSHA will request technical assistance from the National Institute for Standards and Technology to assist in the forensic technical aspects determining a most probable cause. This forensic effort entails many actions. The Harbour Cay Condominium disaster occurred on March 28, 1981 in Cocoa Beach, Florida. It was a total collapse of a five story reinforced concrete structure during the last stage of roof construction, resulting in 11 deaths and 24 injuries. The investigation report revealed structural design …

The Ethical Implications Of Bioengineering Advancements, Mainstream Media Coverage Of Those Developments, And The Future Of Motherhood, Aliff Abad, Katherine Gregory

Publications and Research

How do the media interpret reproductive interventions that involve genetic testing? When a scientist performed the first known genetic editing on twins, Lulu and Nana, he ignored ethical considerations of CRISPR use. This project provides a content analysis based on a review of popular science and newspaper articles. Our interpretation of these articles suggest that there is a lack of critical understanding of this unethical procedure and a similar attitude towards future genetic developments. While the public is curious about the repercussions of genetic editing, not enough focus is applied to the ethics of conducting such a procedure.

Fabrication And Imaging Characterization Of Poly (Dimethyl Siloxane)/Sic Nano-Fillers Samples As Model Biomaterials, Tetiana Soloviova, Viorica Gutu, Zoya Vinokur, Akm S. Rahman, Subhendra Sarkar

Publications and Research

Biopolymers are being developed with embedded nanostructures for in vivo drug delivery to treat various diseases including cancers. In the current project we developed fabrication steps to prepare two biopolymers, poly di-methoxy siloxane (PDMS) with 0-0.9 vol% of SiC nano whisker (fillers) followed by non- destructive characterization. Optical reflection microscopy (5-100X) was performed to ensure loading and distribution of increasing SiC content. Optical microscopy showed progressively higher SiC distribution as filler loading was increased from 0-0.9 vol%. X-ray imaging at low kV (kilovoltage) and low mAs (milliamperage per second) were optimized to allow distinction between filled PDMS with SiC concentration …

Static Analysis Of Circular Plates Under Mechanical Loads, Harpreet Lalia

Publications and Research

In this research statics analysis of circular plates is performed using SolidWorks.

Circular plates with different material properties, thickness to radius ratios, and boundary conditions under mechanical loads are modeled and analyzed in SolidWorks.

The results are obtained for deflections of circular plates under uniform and point loads.

A three-dimensional (3D) model of circular plates is first created in SolidWorks. Then the material properties, mechanical loads and boundary conditions are defined for the plate.

It is found deflection of plates is depended on magnitude of mechanical loads, geometrical parameters, boundary conditions and material properties. Responses of SolidWorks for deflections of …

Income Disparities Between Levels Of Management Within The Workplace In The Us, Cerlyn K. Ellis

Publications and Research

The continuous rise of inequality particularly in the growing concentration of income at the top level of distribution in the United States has become a great focus of assessment for economists and policy makers. Skilled workers struggle to improve their income compensation by integrating higher level of schooling with on-the-job experience to boost their opportunity and gain the edge in this competitive labor market. Understanding the factors behind this phenomenon is essential to determine whether policy action is needed to reduce income inequality while taking into account other policy objectives. Since the problem won’t be solved without understanding the origin …

The Privacy Preserving Framework With Virtual Ring And Identity-Based Cryptography For Smart Grid, Leonard Sutanto

Publications and Research

One of the main challenges in the smart grid is how to efficiently manage the high-volume data from smart meters and sensors and preserve the privacy from the consumption data to avoid potential attacks (e.g., identity theft) for the involved prosumers, retail electricity providers and other clusters of distributed energy resources. This poster proposes a two-layer framework with the cloud computing infrastructure. The virtual ring and identity-based cryptography are utilized in each layer to preserve privacy efficiently. The methods of the virtual ring and identity-based cryptography are introduced. The purposes and needs are discussed at the end of this poster.

Physico-Chemical Modeling, Optical Microscopy And Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Characterization Of Model Biomaterials., Amina Shahbaz, Subhendra N. Sarkar, Zoya Vinokur, Aldona Gjoni

Publications and Research

Biopolymers are being developed with nanostructures which acts as a carriers for drug delivery to treat different diseases including cancers. In this project, the authors made one biopolymer PDMS with 0-0.9% of SiC filler a novel characterization was demonstrated. Characterization included optical surface microscopy (5-100X) and 2D X-ray imaging at low kVp and low mAs to ensure proper loading and uniform distribution of SiC filler content in PDMS matrix distinguishable within 0.2 vol% of SiC. MR measurements also seemed to be very promising.

Static Analysis Of Structural Members, Amani Calderon, Alexis Villalona, Farhad Alinaghizadeh

Publications and Research

This research is devoted to statics analysis of structural members under mechanical loads. Static analysis of beams under uniform transverse mechanical loads is presented. The beams are supported by simply supported boundary condition at both sides. The equilibrium equation of the beams is obtained and solved using analytical method and numerical method. The numerical method employed in this work is generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method. The type of differential quadrature method used for numerical solution is the polynomial-based GDQ method. The differential equation is discretized into algebraic equations based on the GDQ technique. The algebraic equations are then solved to …

Information Design, Rana A. Abdelnaby

Publications and Research

To apply statistical information with visual data graphics that use information to tell a story. The poster must have numerical info that you can compare and use in a chart or a graph. Poster must present ‘the problem’ and then explain or explore ‘the problem’ through data.

Design And Manufacturing Of A Walking Machine, Aneita L. Torres

Publications and Research

Advancements and research in technology takes influence from several different sources, some of which is from nature. For example, vehicles and wheeled machines face the challenge of terrain that is not smooth or small obstacles that animals and humans can simple walk through. Thus, the motivation of our project is to build a quadruped robot that will be able to travel through areas it wouldn’t be able to with wheels. This sort of robot can be used to carry needed supplies through areas dangerous for humans without being hindered by the types of obstacles land and air vehicles are held …

Green Roof System Integrated Soil Methods, Jude R. Vallon, Ivan L. Guzman

Publications and Research

Large metropolitan areas like NYC are seeking to integrate sustainability into retrofitting buildings for the development of green infrastructure. Among the many environmental issues of urbanization, the UHI (urban heat island) effect and storm water runoff are of particular interest when it comes building structures. Individual buildings can contribute towards mitigating these effects with implementation of vegetative rooftops, i.e. Green Roofs. Commercial buildings are currently receiving government incentives and new constructions are required to include green roof installations. However, if existing buildings are considering the addition of a green roof on an existing roof, they have to factor in the …

Low-Cost Near Infrared Diffuse Optical Imaging System, Mohammed Z. Shakil, Chen Xu

Publications and Research

Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) and Optical Spectroscopy using near-infrared (NIR) diffused light has demonstrated great potential for the initial diagnosis of tumors and in the assessment of tumor vasculature response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The NIR technique utilizes intrinsic hemoglobin contrast, which is directly related to tumor angiogenesis development, a key process required for tumor growth and metastasis. The NIR diffuse tomography holds great promise in distinguishing early-stage invasive breast cancers from benign lesions. This technique also provides insight into tumor metabolism and tumor hypoxia, important indicators of tumor response to various forms of therapy. Currently, the high cost of the …

Correlation Of Open Lab X And Students' Final Grades, Fahameda Hassan, Zoya Vinokur, Mary Lee

Publications and Research

Open ended laboratory or open lab as it is known to the Radiological Technology students is an invaluable tool that the Radiological Technology and Medical Imaging Department provides to help the students become better radiographers. One way to ensure students use this resource is to make it a weekly requirement for some classes, other classes have no weekly requirements or may have a set total hour requirement per semester. We hope to study how utilizing this department resource impacts the students final grades over a multi-year study. Does making it mandatory help the students succeed in improving their skills and …

Augmented Reality Gaming: Harnessing Real-World Environment With Game Interactions, Steven Li

Publications and Research

Augmented Reality (AR) technologies enhance the version of the physical environment with computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, or graphics overlaid on top of the real-world view. AR can also be used to improve the user experience while interacting with the world. Today, some examples of AR games consist of Pokémon Go and Zombies Run!. These games display virtual characters in the real-world using smartphones, capturing the surrounding environment, and embedding the virtual characters as if they were real ones. In these games, players are also able to interact and play against each other. AR has other uses beyond …

An Overview Of The Health Delivery System In The State Of Mississippi, Cerlyn K. Ellis

Publications and Research

Imagine residing in a high-income country that doesn’t provide access to necessary healthcare. The state of Mississippi remains one of the poorest states in the United States. This has resulted in poor health outcomes and chronic access barriers. Residents of Mississippi ranks poorly in most health indicators, including Infectious Disease, Infant Mortality, Clinic Care, Obesity, Diabetes, and Premature Death.

With half of all rural hospitals in Mississippi threatened with closure, access and quality of care barriers will become more challenging to resolve. This comes partly as a result of the state largely governed by Republicans and the legislators refusing to …

The Psychology Of Hurricane Warnings: Why They Are Sometimes Ignored, Christina Bhawanidin

Publications and Research

Why do some people heed evacuation orders given before an impending major disaster such as a hurricane, while others do not? Failure to comply with departure instructions puts the individual at personal peril, as well as the first responders responsible for rescue and evacuation during those dangerous times. For example, during Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey, 72% of people refused to evacuate their homes, whereas during Hurricane Rita in the Gulf of Mexico, 53% of people disobeyed orders to evacuate. The purpose of this research is to begin the process of investigating the psychological factors that contribute to individual differences …

An Application Of The Ising Model, Juliano A. Everett

Publications and Research

Understanding how the Ising model works,what it represents, and how it can be applied to neurology. Given that an Ising model is an Entropy model that could be representative of the firing of neurons, some assumptions of the system are made and then the process is simulated through Monte Carlo methods.

Case Presentation On Urinary Bladder Cancer And Cysto-Prostatectomy, Tetiana Soloviova

Publications and Research

Patients who have invasive bladder cancer (spread to different tissues and organs) may need to have a radical cystectomy type of surgery. In male patients, the surgeon usually removes the prostate and seminal vesicles in addition to the bladder, parts of the ureters, and lymph nodes (Nicholson, 2017, ¶ 1)

In our case a reconstructive surgery followed right after removing of the bladder and prostate gland. A different way of urine to be stored and passed from the patient’s body was created by the surgeon. A part of small intestine was used to make up a reservoir that will serve …

Interchangeable All Fiber-Based Passive Voa/Voc System, Andrei Statchevschi

Publications and Research

A passive interchangeable variable optical coupler and attenuator system is demonstrated. A maximum coupling ratio of 99.94/0.06 and attenuation of up to 30 dB were achieved respectively.

Promoting Discipline Specific Literacy For Law & Paralegal Studies Students: Libguides As Transitional & Professional Tools, Marissa Moran, Kimberly Abrams

Publications and Research

Developing LibGuides for Law and Paralegal Studies students at New York City College of Technology arose from the following question: how do we change the way legal studies students think of the Library as a resource to better assist them in their transition to college level-research and a future career as a paralegal. At the heart of this question is the importance of discipline-specific information literacy at the college and professional levels. Many students have difficulty with locating relevant information to complete course assignments partly because library resources are both fragmented and cohesive. Thus, while part of the transition to …

Finding Connections: Making An Existing Biology Course Interdisciplinary And Using The Experience For The Traditional Course And Oers, Tatiana Voza

Publications and Research

Adapting an existing introductory biology course to make it interdisciplinary and successful is an interesting experience and process. With imperatives such as lecture and lab components, a dense curriculum, preexisting learning outcomes and students with different levels of interest, adding material to provide relevant context show how both scientific and social knowledge relate to broader aspects of the human experience, can be challenging. However, once achieved such a course provides epistemological value, real-world context and a rewarding and enriching experience for both students and faculty. In this presentation, the steps involved in designing and implementing an interdisciplinary biology course (Biology …

Flexi Discs: The Audio Format That Time Forgot And Remembered Again, Junior R. Tidal

Publications and Research

Flexi discs, also known as phonosheets and Soundsheets, are “flexible” plastic sheets that can be played on turntables. This audio format was used for a wide variety of purposes including promotional materials, giveaways, and inserts into magazines, stemming from their origins in playable chocolate discs in the early 1900s (Parks, 2018). At one point in time it was a $9 million dollar business, with the U.S. government as one of the top users of the technology (Penchansky, 1979). Their disposable nature, weight, ability to print directly on material, and affordable manufacturing made the flexi disc an alternative to vinyl pressings. …

"Our Stories" Developing A Virtual Community Of First-Year Voices, Sandra Cheng, Jennifer Sears, Karen Goodlad, Ashwin Satyanarayana, Mery Diaz, Philip Kreniske

Publications and Research

First Year Learning Communities (FYLC) at City Tech is structured to provide first-year students in linked courses an interdisciplinary learning experience. This approach creates opportunities for students to form bonds within the college community. A shared belief among faculty leaders in the potential for writing to transform the student experience led to the development of the “Our Stories” digital writing project. “Our Stories” offers FYLC students the opportunity to express their experiences in classes, seminars, lectures, study groups, and labs on the OpenLab, a digital platform for teaching, learning, and sharing. Through this project, students shared their stories and revealed …

Awareness Of Emotions Leads To Self-Efficacy Among College Students, Amy Lee, Emily M. Delacruz

Publications and Research

Self-efficacy is one’s belief in their own ability to succeed in a particular situation or accomplish a task (Bandura, 1977). Previous research has shown that the effort one puts into achieving goals, coping abilities, and behavior in the face of opposition are all heavily influenced by efficacy beliefs. Self reflection and knowledge of inner feelings, areas in which one excel, areas in which one do poorly, and areas in which one need to improve aid in the establishment of goals (Bandura, 1977 & Cervone, 2004). Inner feelings are bound to occur when one make sense of what one can and …

Genetic Diversity Of Local Canines Assessed By Derived Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences, Nicole Benmoshe, Jeremy Seto

Publications and Research

Breeding of the dog, Canis Iupus familiaris, over centuries has given rise to the selection of certain traits including size, shape, coat length, color and many behavioral traits. Inbreeding within dog breeds has resulted in the increase of genetic diseases, many of which are similar to human diseases making the dog an exemplary model organism to study. Using dCAPS (Derived Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences) we can identify SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) in the dog genome using buccal samples collected from four local dogs of different breeds, both large and small. After performing DNA extractions, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), restriction enzyme …

A Comparative Study Of Incidence Of Domestic Violence Between Immigrant And Non-Immigrant Women In The United States Of America, Nadia A. Gordon, Urmi Ghosh-Dastidar, Janet Liou-Mark, Shamita Dasgupta

Publications and Research

Immigrant women in the USA come from various socio-economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Some of these women suffer from domestic violence; however, due to their strict cultural or social structure, they often stay quiet and rarely report these incidents to the authorities. Additionally, since these immigrant women face more challenges than their non-immigrant peers, they are more reluctant or unlikely to leave their abusive partners. An analysis was completed using published data as an attempt to establish if any statistically significant differences exist between reported incidences among immigrant women and non-immigrant women. A chi-square analysis (χ² = 14.53; p-value …

Cultural Competence: Issues And Benefits In Healthcare Delivery, Tetiana Soloviova, Amina Shahbaz, Fahaneda Hassan, Zoya Vinokur

Publications and Research

The extreme growth of New York State population causes to bring more challenges and opportunities for healthcare organization to provide culturally competent service to meet the need of diverse population. According to data from the US Census Bureau, minority groups are projected to make up nearly 50% of the population by the year 2050 compared with 30% in 2000. Outside of ethnicity, there are also many cultural and social groups with which people identify that may affect how they view or receive healthcare. It is very difficult to provide quality service for a diverse population due to language barriers, health …

Students' Perspective On Enjoyment In Mathematics Classes, Yasmine A. Soofi, Miralia Moreou, Nadia Kennedy

Publications and Research

The project will focus on students’ perspective of enjoyment in mathematics. The research questions that will be explored are: 1) Do students enjoy math classes? If so, what aspects of the classes they find enjoyable and why? If not, what aspects they do not enjoy and why? and 2) What do students think would make the math classes more enjoyable? Data will be collected by administrating surveys to students from two mathematics courses. The data will be organized, analyzed and presented at the poster session.

3d Printed Smart Mobile, Bingfang Chen

Publications and Research

The goal of this research project is to design and build a prototype of a smart mobile robot to participate and compete in IEEE Micro-mouse and similar competitions. The robot has to find its way out of a maze as quickly as possible, by exploring and learning the paths in the maze. 3D printing technology will be used to build a lightweight robot frame so that it can move at a fast speed.

The Impact Of Peer-Led Workshops In An Intermediate Algebra Course For Women, Minorities, And First-Generation College Students, Malika Ikramova

Publications and Research

The implementation of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) instructional model have shown to increase student pass rates and decrease failure and withdrawal rates in foundational mathematics courses. New York City College of Technology has implemented mandatory PLTL workshops in selected sections of MAT 1275: Intermediate Algebra and Trigonometry. Students spend an hour working collaboratively with their classmates guided by peer leader. Results from this study showed gender, ethnicity, and first-generation college student differences in their responses on the effectiveness of peer supported groups in this fundamental mathematics course.