Engineering Commons^™

Control On Platelet Adhesion And Activation Events By Selective And Specific Binding Of Plasma Protein On Peptide-Coupled Surface, Anuradha Subramanian, Sanjukta Guha-Thankruta

Anuradha Subramanian Publications

Implantable material surfaces suffer from unavoidable major events of blood–biomaterial interactions leading to thrombus formation and finally foreign material rejection. An albuminated surface can minimize the platelet adhesion and activation that reduces the chance of thrombus formation. The main objective of our work was to design surfaces having maximum human serum albumin (HSA) binding capacity over other plasma proteins in blood by covalently grafting custom made peptides having selectivity and specificity towards HSA. First, silicon wafer surfaces were chemically treated to generate –NH2 terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM). SAMs were then covalently coupled with (a) peptides using 1- ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride and …

Importance Of Annealing Times In The Pcr Amplification Of Gc-Rich Genes, Anuradha Subramanian, Tarlan Mamedov, Elsje Pinnear, Hendrik J. Viljoen

Anuradha Subramanian Publications

This combined theoretical and experimental study conclusively demonstrates that annealing times play a crucial role in the PCR amplification of GC-rich templates. To assist with the DNA amplification of GC-rich targets, a theory has been developed that evaluates the fraction of annealed primer/polymerase complex at the correct binding site as a function of annealing temperature and annealing period. Optimum annealing times lie in the range of 3 to 6 s, and annealing times greater than 10 s yield smeared PCR amplified products. The theory has been applied to the PCR amplification of the following human cDNA templates: ARX gene (78.2%, …

Performance Evaluation Of Safety Grates For Cross-Drainage Culverts, Karla A. Polivka, Dean L. Sicking, Robert W. Bielenberg, John R. Rohde, Ronald K. Faller, John D. Reid

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Ultraviolet And Pulsed Electric Field Treatments Have Additive Effect On Inactivation Of E. Coli In Apple Juice, T. K. Gachovska, Saurabh Kumar, Harshanardhan Thippareddi, F. Williams

P. F. (Paul Frazer) Williams Publications

Apple juice inoculated with Escherichia coli ATCC 23472 was processed continuously using either ultraviolet (UV), high-voltage pulsed electric field (PEF), or a combination of the PEF and UV treatment systems. Apple juice was pumped through either of the systems at 3 flow rates (8, 14, and 20 mL/min). E. coli was reduced by 3.46 log CFU/mL when exposed in a 50 cm length of UV treatment chamber at 8 mL/min (2.94 s treatment time with a product temperature increase of 13 °C). E. coli inactivation of 4.87 log CFU/mL was achieved with a peak electric field strength of 60 kV/cm …

Engineering@Nebraska - Fall 2008

Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine)

Table of Contents:

Front & Center
A Welcome Home: Zero Net Energy Test House unites university and industry as students' learning is caught green-handed
Making their mark on mars: Huskers at Honeybee, a New York City robotics firm, work on Mars missions
Epigenetics: A dialogue between biologists and engineers: Joe Turner, professor and chair of the Department of Engineering Mechanics, collaborates with UNL plant scientist Sally McKenzie on nanoscale work with huge potential
Energy monitoring on the home front: Together with OPPD, Nebraska Engineering studies devices to promote efficiency
Wave of the future: Biological Systems Engineering professor Greg Bashford creates …

Surface Magnetoelectric Effect In Ferromagnetic Metal Films, Chun-Gang Duan, Julian P. Velev, Renat F. Sabirianov, Ziqiang Zhu, Junhao Chu, Sitaram Jaswal, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience: Faculty Publications

A surface magnetoelectric effect is revealed by density-functional calculations that are applied to ferromagnetic Fe(001), Ni(001), and Co(0001) films in the presence of an external electric field. The effect originates from spin-dependent screening of the electric field which leads to notable changes in the surface magnetization and the surface magnetocrystalline anisotropy. These results are of considerable interest in the area of electrically controlled magnetism and magnetoelectric phenomena.

Lester Larsen: Progress Of Tractor Test Work 1946 -1956, Tractor Museum

Individuals Associated with the Nebraska Tractor Test

When Lester F. Larsen was hired as Engineer in Charge of the Nebraska Tractor Test, the laboratory had been inactive since 1941 due to World War II. Much of the test equipment was out of order and in need of repair. He kept a journal called the Progress of Tractor Test Work. This journal of day to day activities extended from 1946 through 1956.

Description Of Versatile Optical Polarimetric Scatterometer That Measures All 16 Elements Of The Mueller Matrix For Reflection And Transmission: Application To Measurements Of Scatter Cross Sections, Ellipsometric Parameters, Optical Activity, And The Complex Chiral Parameters, Ezekiel Bahar, Robert D. Kubik

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

A detailed description of an optical polarimetric scatterometer, its capabilities, and special application are presented. This instrument measures the 44 Mueller matrix elements as well as bidirectional reflective distribution functions scatter cross sectionsfor light that is scattered from a target. Incident polarized light at wavelengths =0.6328 and =1.06 m can be directed toward the target in an arbitrary direction. The receiver can be located anywhere in the solid angle 4. Backscatter measurements, most commonly used in remote sensing, can also be obtained. The scatterometer has been used to validate different analytical/numerical solutions to a broad class of electromagnetic scattering problems, …

Application Of The Modified Log-Wake Law In Open-Channels, Junke Guo, Pierre Y. Julien

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The modified log-wake law, which was developed for turbulent boundary layers and pipe flows, is extended to turbulent flows in open-channels. Turbulent velocity profiles in open-channels can be approximated with three components: (1) the law of the wall that results from the constant bed shear stress; (2) the law of the wake that reflects the effects of gravity, secondary currents and bed roughness; and (3) the cubic correction near the maximum velocity. A procedure to determine the four model parameters from velocity measurements while keeping κ = 0.41 is presented. The modified log-wake law compares very well with experimental data …

Acuta Enews September 2008, Vol. 37, No. 9

ACUTA Newsletters

In This lssue

From ACUTA Headquarters: Ramped-up Schedule................Jeri A. Semer, CAE, Executive Director

New Section on ACUTA Website

Audio Seminar: Technology-Related lmptications of the 2008 Higher Ed Opportunities Act

Tech Talk: ACUTA Member Schools Are Mostly in the Green ........ Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR

DC Update ......... Dave Ostrom, Washington State University

lP PBX Witt Reign: Converged PBX Will Slowly Fade Away........................Gary Audin, Delphi, lnc.

Get Your ACUTA Logo here

Look on the Light Side

lnfo Links ............. Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern lowa

Welcome New Members

Check lt Out: RFls/RFPs, Job Postings, Press Releases

Finite Element Analysis Using Nonconforming Mesh, Ashok V. Kumar, Ravi Buria, Sanjeev Padmanabhan, Linxia Gu

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A method for finite element analysis using a regular or structured grid is described that eliminates the need for generating conforming mesh for the geometry. The geometry of the domain is represented using implicit equations, which can be generated from traditional solid models. Solution structures are constructed using implicit equations such that the essential boundary conditions are satisfied exactly. This approach is used to solve boundary value problems arising in thermal and structural analysis. Convergence analysis is performed for several numerical examples and the results are compared with analytical and finite element analysis solutions to show that the method gives …

High-Impact, Energy-Absorbing Vehicle Barrier System : United States Patent 7,410,320 B2, Ronald K. Faller, Dean L. Sicking, John R. Rohde, John D. Reid, Robert W. Bielenberg, James C. Holloway, Karla A. Polivka

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A high-impact, energy-absorbing vehicle barrier system generally includes a substantially rigid outer containment wall coupled via strap assemblies with an energy-absorbing inner impact wall, and energy-absorbing cartridges strategically positioned between the impact wall and containment wall. The impact wall is constructed of a number of tubes coupled with one another to present a substantially smooth, unifonn surface to passing vehicles. The energy-absorbing cartridges generally consist of a foam member or a number of foam sheets which compress and crush between the containment wall and impact wall to absorb energy from an errant vehicle striking the face of the impact wall, …

Self-Encoded Spread Spectrum Synchronization And Cooperative Diversity, Kun Hua

Department of Computer Electronics and Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation research concerns a novel self-encoded spread spectrum. It provides a feasible practical implementation for random spreading codes. The traditional transmit and receive PN code generators are not needed. Instead, the spreading codes are extracted from the user's information bits itself. Comparing to conventional CDMA, SESS completely abandons the use of pseudo-random spreading codes. The code variability doesn't depend on the spreading length like pseudo-random codes.

But because the self-encoded spreading sequence is random and time varying, data recovery requires that the despreading sequence be identical with the spreading sequence at the start of the transmission. Synchronization is one …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Vol. 4 No. 1, August 2008

BSE Department Magazine

Contents:
New Biomedical Lab Makes Debut
From the Department Head
The Dean's List
Meet the Faculty
Alumni News
Student News
UCARE
Graduates
John Miller: A Success Story
Discover Your Career Mechanized Systems Management
Alumnus Profile
Faculty and Staff News
Comings and Goings
Spreading the word about No-till

Acuta Enews August 2008, Vol. 37, No. 8

ACUTA Newsletters

ln This lssue

Report from the 37th Annual Conference & Exhibition

From the President.......Corinne Hoch, Columbia Univ., ACUTA President

Board Report............ Riny Ledgerwood, San Diego State Univ., ACUTA Secretary/Treasurer

Tech Talk: Disks Will Fail, but how Do You Know When?.......... ...Kevin Tanzillo, Dux PR

lnfo Links ............. Randy Hayes, Univ. of Northern Iowa

DC Update ...........Dove Ostrom, Washington State University

Welcome New Members

Check lt Out: RFls/RFPs, Job Postings, Press Releases

Conference Sessions Online

Treasure Chest Winners

Green Survey Winner

Strategic Plan For Industrial And Management Systems Engineering, Paul Savory

Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Reports

The role of this strategic plan is to map out a range of department goals, offer objectives for achieving each goal, and list potential strategies for meeting an objective. It also lists performance metrics for measuring progress for each goal. Each year, a subset of goals and objectives will be identified by the IMSE department as a priority for the coming year. Detailed metrics for measuring improvement for the department’s priorities areas will then be defined. The department committee to develop the plan consisted of Dr. Paul Savory (committee chair), Dr. Susan Hallbeck, and Dr. Erick Jones.

Exploring Potential U.S. Switchgrass Production For Lignocellulosic Ethanol, Ethan B. Davis, Henriette I. Jager, Tristram O. West, Robert D. Perlack, Craig C. Brandt, Stan D. Wullschleger, Latha M. Baskaran, Erin G. Wilkerson, Mark E. Downing, Carla A. Gunderson

United States Department of Energy: Publications

In response to concerns about oil dependency and the contributions of fossil fuel use to climatic change, the U.S. Department of Energy has begun a research initiative to make 20% of motor fuels biofuel based in 10 years, and make 30% of fuels bio-based by 2030. Fundamental to this objective is developing an understanding of feedstock dynamics of crops suitable for cellulosic ethanol production. This report focuses on switchgrass, reviewing the existing literature from field trials across the United States, and compiling it for the first time into a single database. Data available from the literature included cultivar and crop …

A Design Aid For Determining Width Of Filter Strips, Michael G. Dosskey, M. J. Helmers, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Watershed planners need a tool for determining width of filter strips that is accurate enough for developing cost-effective site designs and easy enough to use for making quick determinations on a large number and variety of sites. This study employed the process-based Vegetative Filter Strip Model to evaluate the relationship between filter strip width and trap¬ping efficiency for sediment and water and to produce a design aid for use where specific water quality targets must be met. Model simulations illustrate that relatively narrow filter strips can have high impact in some situations, while in others even a modest impact cannot …

Implementing Scc Technology In Nebraska—All About Working Together, Mark D. Lafferty

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

In October 2001, Concrete Industries, Inc. (CI) was working with its admixture supplier to improve our form finish for precast concrete products. They brought us a new product and before long the concrete slump became a 26‐in. (660‐mm) diameter circle. Obviously, this generated a lot of excitement with our production personnel, but we also had to consider what it would take to get architects and engineers comfortable with using it.

Preparing, Characterizing, On-Line Digital Image Processing Of Residence Time Distribution And Modeling Of Mechanical Properties Of Nanocomposite Foams, Siew Yoong Lee

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations and Theses

The objectives of this research were to prepare, characterize and to study the effects of organoclay and extrusion variables on the physical, mechanical, structural, thermal and functional properties of tapioca starch (TS)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanocomposite foams. On-line digital imaging processing was used to determine residence time distribution (RTD). Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was used to model the mechanical properties of nanocomposite foams.

Four different organoclays (Cloisite 10A, 25A, 93A, 15A) were used to produce nanocomposite foams by melt-intercalation. The properties were characterized using Xray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetric, and Instron universal testing machine. The properties were …

Method And Apparatus For Noncontact Relative Rail Displacement, Track Modulus And Stiffness Measurement By A Moving Rail Vehicle: Us Patent No. Us 7,403,296 B2, Shane Farritor, Richard Arnold, Chris Norman

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

An on-board, noncontact measurement system and method is disclosed for measuring track quality, vertical track stiffness and vertical track modulus for a portion of track underlying the rail vehicle. The system comprises first and second optical emitters mounted to the vehicle and configured to emit beams of light that are detectable on the underlying surface; a camera mounted to the vehicle for recording the distance between the beams of light as the vehicle travels along the surface, a mechanism for measuring the distance between the beams of light for a particular portion of the surface; and a mechanism for determining …

Randomly Generating Manufacturing Flow Line Models Using Mathematica, Paul Savory

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

To test heuristic algorithms and techniques, researchers need numerous datasets so as to measure effectiveness and improve approaches. This paper discusses using Mathematica, a mathematical programming language, for randomly generating the specifications for manufacturing flow line models. Important issues include determining an arrival rate to a flow line, the number of flow line stations, the number of parallel servers for each production station, and specifying the service time distributions and their associated parameters. The paper concludes with a discussion on generating more general types of simulation models.

Facilitating Use Of The Odor Footprint Tool By Nebraska Pork Producers, Rick R. Stowell

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

The goal of this project was to make Odor Footprint Tool (OFT) resources readily usable by pork producers and their technical advisors as a planning and screening tool when siting swine facilities. Detailed odor footprints for five specified sizes of swine facilities were developed for twenty-four locations throughout Nebraska: six regional sites and three “localized” sites within each region. Each odor footprint shows the predicted odor annoyance-free frequency as a function of the distance from the facility. Footprints developed using localized weather data differed only slightly from footprints produced using weather data from a regional site when the general topography …

Effects Of Narrow Grass Hedges On Nutrient Transport From Land Application Areas, John E. Gilley, Bahman Eghball, David B. Marx

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

The placement of stiff-stemmed grass hedges on the contour along a hill slope has been shown to decrease runoff nutrient transport. This study was conducted to measure the effectiveness of a narrow grass hedge in reducing runoff nutrient transport from plots with a range of soil nutrient values. Composted beef cattle manure was applied at dry weights of 0, 68, 105, 142, and 178 Mg ha^-1 to a silty clay loam soil and then incorporated by disking. Soil samples were collected 243 days later for analysis of water-soluble phosphorus (WSP), Bray and Kurtz No.1 phosphorus (Bray-1 P), NO_{3 …}

Design Evaluation Of A Low-Tension Cable Guardrail End Terminal System, Cody S. Stolle, Karla A. Polivka, Ronald K. Faller, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking, Rebecca A. Hitz, Kirk J. Molacek, John D. Reid

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Conductive Concrete For Deicing (Roca Bridge), Christopher Y. Tuan

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Climate Models: An Assessment Of Strengths And Limitations, David Bader, Curt Covey, William Gutowski, Isaac Held, Kenneth Kunkel, Ronald Miller, Robin Tokmakian, Minghua Zhang

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Scientists extensively use mathematical models of Earth’s climate, executed on the most powerful computers available, to examine hypotheses about past and present-day climates. Development of climate models is fully consistent with approaches being taken in many other fields of science dealing with very complex systems. These climate simulations provide a framework within which enhanced understanding of climate-relevant processes, along with improved observations, are merged into coherent projections of future climate change. This report describes the models and their ability to simulate current climate.
The science of climate modeling has matured through finer spatial resolution, the inclusion of a greater number …

Integrated Science Assessment For Oxides Of Nitrogen — Health Criteria, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to meet requirements set forth in Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). These sections require the EPA Administrator (1) to list widespread air pollutants that reasonably may be expected to endanger public health or welfare; (2) to issue air quality criteria that assess the latest available scientific information on the nature and effects of ambient exposure to the criteria pollutants; (3) to set “primary” NAAQS to protect human health with adequate margin of safety and to set “secondary” NAAQS to protect …

Nebraska Water Map

Nebraska Water Center: Literature

Nebraska Water is a full-color, 24"x36" poster, that is appropriate for educational use. The information presented on the maps is the best available as of July 2008. The content and level of detail of each map is based on available space and map scale.

Nutrient And Microbial Transport From Feedlot Surfaces, John E. Gilley, Elaine D. Berry, Roger A. Eigenberg, David B. Marx, Bryan L. Woodbury

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Nutrient and microbial transport by runoff may vary at different locations within a beef cattle feedlot. If the areas making the largest contributions to nutrient and microbial transport can be identified, it may be possible to institute site-specific management practices to reduce runoff nutrient and microbial transport. The objectives of this study were to: a) measure selected feedlot soil properties, and nutrient and microbial transport in runoff from various feedlot locations b) compare the effects of unconsolidated surface materials (USM) (loose manure pack) and consolidated subsurface materials (CSM) (compacted manure and underlying layers) on nutrient and microbial transport, and c) …