Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 14 of 14
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
A Cold Plasma-Enabled Reduction Process For The Fabrication Of Metallic Nanostructures Onto Polymeric Biomaterials, Gerardo Hernandez-Moreno
A Cold Plasma-Enabled Reduction Process For The Fabrication Of Metallic Nanostructures Onto Polymeric Biomaterials, Gerardo Hernandez-Moreno
All ETDs from UAB
The design and manufacture of novel materials has served as the bedrock for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. There exists a need for more biocompatible implantable materials in the biomedical device space. The approach to developing biomaterials fit for biomedical devices has been focused on decreasing overall physiological interaction with the local environment. However, the development of more biomechanically favorable materials has placed an emphasis on designing materials that display biomimetic and biomechanical properties resembling that of the host tissue at the implant site. As biomaterials engineering has progressed, the race to find materials that interact at the nano- and …
Analytical Fundamentals For Advancing Aero-Road/Terrain Multibody Morphing Dynamics And Stability Of Autonomous Utility Truck In Hazardous Environments, Parth Y. Patel
All ETDs from UAB
Severe weather conditions have steadily increased over the last two decades. Therefore, the safety of the rescue and repair team is of paramount importance while they attend to emergencies due to these severe weather conditions. Utility trucks are the first responders in these extreme climate and weather situations for cutting trees to restore traffic, recovering life beings from destroyed properties, repairing electric posts, and restoring power. Such trucks with morphing capabilities of the boom equipment can increase the possibility of road accidents in several ways and create hazardous situations on the roads and off-road conditions while moving and performing critical …
A Value-Based Modeling Framework For Solar Energy Utilization And Monitoring, Muslat A. Alanizi
A Value-Based Modeling Framework For Solar Energy Utilization And Monitoring, Muslat A. Alanizi
All ETDs from UAB
We have developed and presented a value-based modeling (VBM) framework for optimal solar energy utilization and monitoring. Our model adopts a universal approach that prioritizes values to ensuring a comprehensive analysis of solar energy systems by recognizing the complexities and intricacies of the renewable energy landscape. To determine the robustness and applicability of our VBM framework, we subjected it to a real-world test through a detailed case study focusing on Net-Metering Monitoring System. This validation reinforced the model's efficacy and showcased its potential as a dynamic tool for decision-making in solar energy. Using Shannon's entropy method, we recorded the optimal …
Study Of The Processing-Structure-Property Relationship In Recycled Thermoplastic Composites, Carlos Gerardo Angulo Ruiz
Study Of The Processing-Structure-Property Relationship In Recycled Thermoplastic Composites, Carlos Gerardo Angulo Ruiz
All ETDs from UAB
The quest for sustainable materials and manufacturing techniques has spurred research into distinct composite materials that utilizes recycled thermoplastics in combination with natural hemp fibers and recycled carbon fibers. This dissertation delves into the processing of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) with hemp fiber and separately, with recycled carbon fiber (rCF), scrutinizing their suitability as environmentally friendly and economically viable materials. The study focuses on distinct processing methods used for hemp fiber and recycled carbon fiber: compression molding with hemp mats as well as extrusion compression molding, additive manufacturing, and injection molding for recycled carbon fiber, while the recycled carbon fiber …
Conceptual Architecture For Digital Twin Implementation In A Smart City Framework, Wesley Conwell
Conceptual Architecture For Digital Twin Implementation In A Smart City Framework, Wesley Conwell
All ETDs from UAB
More than 9 billion people are expected to live on the planet in 2050, about two-thirds in cities. This substantial population growth in urban areas increases demands on cities' resources, services, and infrastructure. Hence, many cities leverage intelligent technologies to ensure urban communities' efficiency in integrating massive infrastructure components and services. Cities define this reconstruction of their operational framework as a smart city. Effective resource consumption management in a smart city integrative structure presents a problem with solutions concerning the distribution of city services. This dissertation aims to establish a conceptual framework to effectively manage resource consumption in a smart …
Mechanisms Linking The Circadian Clock To Cardiac Physiology, Lamario J. Williams
Mechanisms Linking The Circadian Clock To Cardiac Physiology, Lamario J. Williams
All ETDs from UAB
Rationale: Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in America. Many aspects of both cardiovascular physiology (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate) and pathophysiology (e.g., myocardial infarctions, sudden cardiac death) exhibit time-of-day dependent fluctuations (termed diurnal variations). Circadian clocks consist of transcriptional feedback cascades directly modulating expression of genes involved in processes such as metabolism, signaling, and ion transport. Interestingly, genetic deletion of a core circadian clock component in the heart (cardiomyocyte-specific Bmal1 knockout mice) leads to chronic induction of the transcriptional repressor E4 Promoter-Binding Protein 4 (E4BP4) associated with early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy, metabolic inflexibility, and electrophysiologic disturbances. …
Development And Evaluation Of A Nanomatrix Coated Stent Using A Vascular Sheet With Atherosclerosis Model, Xixi Zhang
Development And Evaluation Of A Nanomatrix Coated Stent Using A Vascular Sheet With Atherosclerosis Model, Xixi Zhang
All ETDs from UAB
While cardiovascular stent technology has considerable advances, there are hurdles to overcome due to the dysfunctional stented arteries which fail to maintain vascular homeostasis. Current stent designs ignored the significance of promoting functional artery healing (pro-healing). Therefore, we developed a pro-healing nanomatrix coating for stent. Previous studies investigated its effect on individual vascular cell type. In natural artery, there are multiple vascular cell types that strongly affect stent performance. Thus, an in vitro vascular double-layer (VDL) system was used to observe stent effects on different vascular cell types. And the pro-healing ability and mechanism of the nanomatrix coated stent were …
Impacts Of Transportation Network Companies On Urban Congestion In A Medium-Sized City, Furat Shakir Salman
Impacts Of Transportation Network Companies On Urban Congestion In A Medium-Sized City, Furat Shakir Salman
All ETDs from UAB
The rise of ride-hailing and on-demand transportation services offered by Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) (such as Uber and Lyft) has been one of the key factors contributing to the growth of shared mobility services in recent years. The presence of contradictory findings on the impacts of TNCs necessitates the undertaking of an investigation into the shifts in mode choice that occur in the context of TNC services and their impacts on urban congestion. As a result of difficulties in gathering TNCs field data, it is still not possible to fully assess the impact of these services on urban congestion. Moreover, …
Investigation Of Fish Gelatin/Polycaprolactone Nanofibrous Materials Alternating Field Electrospinning Fabrication And Characterization, Hannah A. Lacy
Investigation Of Fish Gelatin/Polycaprolactone Nanofibrous Materials Alternating Field Electrospinning Fabrication And Characterization, Hannah A. Lacy
All ETDs from UAB
As human needs and purposes continue to evolve, it has become crucial that the materials with which we address these new applications and challenges evolve in stride. Specifically, the medical field’s need for advanced materials has led to the drive for biomaterial synthesis and processing methods which produce adaptable material characteristics to satisfy application specific needs. Research response has been to expand viable natural/ synthetic biomaterial resources, design innovative nanofiber fabrication techniques with high levels of productivity, ease of access, and cost efficiency, and explore crosslinking and surface treatments/modifications to enhance material characteristics for improved performance. This research employs select …
Renal Proximal Tubule Tissue Chips For Disease Modeling And Drug Toxicity Testing, Leslie Donoghue
Renal Proximal Tubule Tissue Chips For Disease Modeling And Drug Toxicity Testing, Leslie Donoghue
All ETDs from UAB
The current pathway for drug discovery is associated with costs of $2.55 billion and between 10-15 years of development for a single drug to reach the market. The challenges in predicting drug toxicities and efficacies are attributed to inherent species differences in drug-metabolizing enzyme activities and cell-type-specific sensitivities to toxicants. Organs-on-a-chip are an emerging technology in disease modeling and screening therapeutics to address discrepancies between animal models and human clinical trials. They utilize tissue engineering, fluid mechanics, and biomaterials to replicate in vivo architectures and functions of complex organs and tissues. Herein, the effect of pressure and stretch on bioengineered …
Analytical Methods Using Cardiac Mri To Assess Systolic And Diastolic Ventricular Function, Muhammad Rifqi Aufan
Analytical Methods Using Cardiac Mri To Assess Systolic And Diastolic Ventricular Function, Muhammad Rifqi Aufan
All ETDs from UAB
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven invaluable for clinical and research investigations due to its minimal invasiveness and excellent measurement precision and reproducibility. In particular, Cardiac MRI (CMR) is a powerful tool for evaluating anatomical and functional properties of the left ventricle (LV). In this study, two aspects of CMR applications of the LV are investigated: 1) assessment of diastolic function by quantifying LV stiffness index and related properties as a representation of intrinsic myocardium properties in patients with diastolic dysfunction and 2) evaluation of systolic function by relating myocardial strain and LV geometrical configuration with ejection fraction (EF). The …
Inkjet-Printed Reseroir Computing Network For In Situ Sensor Predictions, Steven D. Gardner
Inkjet-Printed Reseroir Computing Network For In Situ Sensor Predictions, Steven D. Gardner
All ETDs from UAB
The technological achievements made with silicon-based transistors have led to nearly all the computing seen today, complete with benefits such as maximized operating speeds, parallel/tensor processing, minimized power overhead, etc. The silicon electronics industry is foundational to scientific progression with its profound impact on modeling, simulations, and fast/reliable computing. However, silicon-based transistors have evolved to meet their physical limitations and have saturated fields of innovation. New fields in computing outside of silicon-based methods have emerged as exotic materials enter the research domain. The suite of super-performing materials like Graphene, Carbon Nanotubes, and Molybdenum Disulfide have chaotic, non-linear behaviors that make …
Improved Myocardial Infarct Repair Via Cardiac Tissue Engineering And Modified Rna, Lu Wang
Improved Myocardial Infarct Repair Via Cardiac Tissue Engineering And Modified Rna, Lu Wang
All ETDs from UAB
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in the United States and the world. Myocardial infarction (MI) happens when there is an occlusion in the blood vessel. Cardiomyocytes (CM) die quickly after MI and are replaced by a fibrotic scar. Since adult mammalian cardiomyocytes have a limited capacity to regenerate, the damages induced by MI usually deteriorate into more severe symptoms such as heart failure. In order to achieve regeneration of the cardiomyocytes, numerous therapies have been proposed, including cellular therapy and CM cell cycle re-entry. During this dissertation study, we focused on improving myocardial infarct repair via cardiac …
A Simulation Framework For Identity And Access Management Based On Internet Of Things Architecture, Vahid Moghaddasi
A Simulation Framework For Identity And Access Management Based On Internet Of Things Architecture, Vahid Moghaddasi
All ETDs from UAB
The swift progression of the Internet of Things (IoT) architecture has revolutionized various industrial processes, including enterprise Identity and Access Management (IAM). This dissertation develops a dynamic process framework for Identity and Access Management based on the Internet of Things architecture. System analysis with Digital Twin simulation explores the integration of IoT devices to enhance IAM in enterprises. Digital Twin is a virtual service that enabled us the creation of a comprehensive digital IAM environment to explore alternative designs. This dissertation begins by providing an overview of IoT architecture and its impact on enterprise IAM. It discusses the challenges enterprises …