Determination Of Threshold Adverse Effect Doses Of Percutaneous Vx Exposure In African Green Monkeys,
2011
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Determination Of Threshold Adverse Effect Doses Of Percutaneous Vx Exposure In African Green Monkeys, Raymond F. Genovese, Bernard J. Benton, John L. Oubre, Christopher E. Byers, E. Michael Jakubowski, Robert J. Mioduszewski, Timothy J. Settle, Thomas J. Steinbach
United States Army: Publications
Percutaneous exposure to the chemical warfare nerve agent VX was evaluated in African green monkeys (n = 9). Doses of VX (7.5–100 μg/kg) were applied to the skin for 60 min and residual agent was quantified (before decontamination) to estimate the absorbed dose. Monkeys were evaluated for the presence or absence of clinical signs of toxicity and blood was sampled periodically (30 min–12 weeks) following exposure to measure the degree of circulating acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. Monkeys were also evaluated for behavioral changes fromVXexposure using a serial probe recognition (SPR) task. The lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL) for the production …
Mechanical Response Of Pig Skin Under Dynamic Tensile Loading,
2011
Purdue University
Mechanical Response Of Pig Skin Under Dynamic Tensile Loading, Jaeyoung Lim, Jihye Hong, Weinong W. Chen, Tusit Weerasooriya
United States Army: Publications
Uniaxial tensile experiments were performed on pig skin to investigate the tensile stressestrain response at both quasi-static and dynamic rates of deformation. A Kolsky tension bar, also called a split Hopkinson tension bar (SHTB), was modified to conduct the dynamic experiments. Semiconductor strain gages were used to measure the low levels of the transmitted signal from pig skin. A pulse shaper technique was used for generating a suitable incident pulse to ensure stress equilibrium and approximate constant strain rate in the specimen of a thin skin sheet wrapped around the ends of the bars for minimizing radial inertia. In order …
Detection Of Six Serotypes Of Botulinum Neurotoxin Using Fluorogenic Reporters,
2011
BioSentinel Pharmaceuticals
Detection Of Six Serotypes Of Botulinum Neurotoxin Using Fluorogenic Reporters, Daniel R. Ruge, F. Mark Dunning, Timothy M. Piazza, Brian E. Molles, Michael Adler, Füsûn N. Zeytin, Ward C. Tucker
United States Army: Publications
Methods that do not require animal sacrifice to detect botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are critical for BoNT antagonist discovery and the advancement of quantitative assays for biodefense and pharmaceutical applications. Here we describe the development and optimization of fluorogenic reporters that detect the proteolytic activity of BoNT/A, B, D, E, F, and G serotypes in real time with femtomolar to picomolar sensitivity. Notably, the reporters can detect femtomolar concentrations of BoNT/A in 4 h and BoNT/E in 20 h, sensitivity that equals that of animal-based methods. The reporters can be used to determine the specific activity of BoNT preparations with intra- …
Prophylaxis With Human Serum Butyrylcholinesterase Protects Guinea Pigs Exposed To Multiple Lethal Doses Of Soman Or Vx,
2011
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Prophylaxis With Human Serum Butyrylcholinesterase Protects Guinea Pigs Exposed To Multiple Lethal Doses Of Soman Or Vx, Ashima Saxena, Wei Sun, James M. Fedorko, Irwin Koplovitz, Bhupendra P. Doctor
United States Army: Publications
Human serum butyrylcholinesterase (Hu BChE) is currently under advanced development as a bioscavenger for the prophylaxis of organophosphorus (OP) nerve agent toxicity in humans. It is estimated that a dose of 200 mg will be required to protect a human against 2 × LD50 of soman. To provide data for initiating an investigational new drug application for the use of this enzyme as a bioscavenger in humans, we purified enzyme from Cohn fraction IV-4 paste and initiated safety and efficacy evaluations in mice, guinea pigs, and non-human primates. In mice, we demonstrated that a single dose of enzyme that …
Microstructure And Mechanical Properties At Different Length Scales And Strain Rates Of Nanocrystalline Tantalum Produced By High-Pressure Torsion,
2011
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Microstructure And Mechanical Properties At Different Length Scales And Strain Rates Of Nanocrystalline Tantalum Produced By High-Pressure Torsion, Q. Wei, Z. L. Pan, X. L. Wu, B. E. Schuster, L. J. Kecdkes, R. Z. Valiev
United States Army: Publications
Fully dense, nanocrystalline tantalum (average grain size as small as ~40 nm) has been processed for the first time by high-pressure torsion. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals non-equilibrium grain boundaries and grains decorated with high-density dislocations. Microhardness measurements and instrumented nanoindentation experiments indicate that the mechanical property is quite uniform except for the central area of the disks. Nanoindentation experiments at different strain rates suggest that the strain rate sensitivity of nanocrystalline tantalum is increased compared to the coarse- and ultrafine-grained counterparts and is accompanied by an activation energy of the order of a few ~b3 (b is the magnitude …
Self Learning Strategies For Experimental Design And Response Surface Optimization,
2011
Wayne State University
Self Learning Strategies For Experimental Design And Response Surface Optimization, Adel Alaeddini
Wayne State University Dissertations
Most preset RSM designs offer ease of implementation and good performance over a wide range of process and design optimization applications. These designs often lack the ability to adapt the design based on the characteristics of application and experimental space so as to reduce the number of experiments necessary. Hence, they are not cost effective for applications where the cost of experimentation is high or when the experimentation resources are limited. In this dissertation, we present a number of self-learning strategies for optimization of different types of response surfaces for industrial experiments with noise, high experimentation cost, and requiring high …
Novel Models And Algorithms For Systems Reliability Modeling And Optimization,
2011
Wayne State University
Novel Models And Algorithms For Systems Reliability Modeling And Optimization, Dingzhou Cao
Wayne State University Dissertations
Recent growth in the scale and complexity of products and technologies in the defense and other industries is challenging product development, realization, and sustainment costs. Uncontrolled costs and routine budget overruns are causing all parties involved to seek lean product development processes and treatment of reliability, availability, and maintainability of the system as a true "design parameter". To this effect, accurate estimation and management of the system reliability of a design during the "earliest stages" of new product development is not only critical for managing product development and manufacturing costs but also to control life cycle costs (LCC). In this …
Hazard Rate Models For Early Warranty Issue Detection Using Upstream Supply Chain Information,
2011
Wayne State University
Hazard Rate Models For Early Warranty Issue Detection Using Upstream Supply Chain Information, Chongwen Zhou
Wayne State University Dissertations
This research presents a statistical methodology to construct an early automotive warranty issue detection model based on upstream supply chain information. This is contrary to extant methods that are mostly reactive and only rely on data available from the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). For any upstream supply chain information with direct history from warranty claims, the research proposes hazard rate models to link upstream supply chain information as explanatory covariates for early detection of warranty issues. For any upstream supply chain information without direct warranty claims history, we introduce Bayesian hazard rate models to account for uncertainties of the explanatory …
Digital Holographic Imaging Of Aerosol Particles In Flight,
2011
US Army Research Laboratory
Digital Holographic Imaging Of Aerosol Particles In Flight, Matthew J. Berg, Gorden Videen
United States Army: Publications
This work describes the design and application of an apparatus to image aerosol
particles using digital holography in a flow-through, contact-free manner. Particles in an aerosol stream are illuminated by a triggered, pulsed laser and the pattern produced by the interference of this light with that scattered by the particles is recorded by a digital camera. The recorded pattern constitutes a digital hologram from which an image of the particles is computationally reconstructed using a fast Fourier transform. This imaging is validated using a cluster of ragweed pollen particles. Examples involving mineral-dust aerosols demonstrate the technique’s in situ imaging capability …
Application Of Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices To Detect Variations In High Leaf Area Index Temperate Shrub Thicket Canopies,
2011
Virginia Commonwealth University
Application Of Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices To Detect Variations In High Leaf Area Index Temperate Shrub Thicket Canopies, Steven T. Brantley, Julie C. Zinnert, Donald R. Young
United States Army: Publications
Accurate measurement of leaf area index (LAI), an important characteristic of plant canopies directly linked to primary production, is essential for monitoring changes in ecosystem C stocks and other ecosystem level fluxes. Direct measurement of LAI is labor intensive, impractical at large scales and does not capture seasonal or annual variations in canopy biomass. The need to monitor canopy related fluxes across landscapes makes remote sensing an attractive technique for estimating LAI. Many vegetation indices, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), tend to saturate at LAI levels >4 although tropical and temperate forested ecosystems often exceed that threshold. Using …
Purification Of A Recombinant Heavy Chain Fragment C Vaccine Candidate Against Botulinum Serotype C Neurotoxin [Rbontc(HC)] Expressed In Pichia Pastoris,
2011
Novartis Animal Health US Inc.
Purification Of A Recombinant Heavy Chain Fragment C Vaccine Candidate Against Botulinum Serotype C Neurotoxin [Rbontc(HC)] Expressed In Pichia Pastoris, Michael P. Dux, Jicai Huang, Rick Barent, Mehmet Inan, S. Todd Swanson, Jayanta Sinha, John T. Ross, Leonard A. Smith, Theresa J. Smith, Ian Henderson, Michael M. Meagher
United States Army: Publications
A purification process for the manufacture of a recombinant C-terminus heavy chain fragment from botulinum neurotoxin serotype C [rBoNTC(Hc)], a potential vaccine candidate, has been defined and successfully scaled-up. The rBoNTC(Hc) was produced intracellularly in Pichia pastoris X-33 using a three step fermentation process, i.e., glycerol batch phase, a glycerol fed-batch phase to achieve high cell densities, followed by a methanol induction phase. The rBoNTC(Hc) was captured from the soluble protein fraction of cell lysate using hydrophobic charge induction chromatography (HCIC; MEP HyperCel™), and then further purified using a CM 650M ion exchange chromatography …
The Role Of Conflict Management On Virtual Team Performance And Satisfaction,
2011
Old Dominion University
The Role Of Conflict Management On Virtual Team Performance And Satisfaction, Pilar Pazos, Anil Ustun, Rolando Delaguila
Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications
The role that input factors from project planning processes play on conflict emergence and conflict resolution in virtual teams is not well understood. Of particular interest for this paper is the role that factors during planning stages play in preventing interpersonal conflict, supporting conflict resolution and ultimately enhancing team outcomes in virtual team settings. This study examines the relationships among commitment to team goals, conflict management and team outcomes in virtual teams. First we provide an in depth review of relevant empirical findings. Next, we describe a study examining the relationships between three sets of variables: 1) goal commitment, 2) …
Adaptive Reconfiguration Of Complex System Architecture,
2011
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Adaptive Reconfiguration Of Complex System Architecture, Khaled Haris, Cihan H. Dagli
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
In this paper, an approach for adaptive reconfiguration of architecture of a complex system using computational intelligence techniques is proposed. This paper establishes that the simulated change in the relative importance of rules reflecting the significance of customer's key performance attributes could be used to affect architectural evolution. the proposed approach was demonstrated on a sample system. It was also extended to a general system. the evolving system architecture gave the system an adaptive feature in the sense that it accepted alternative components based on the simulated changes in the environment. Architecture alternatives were generated through genetic algorithms (GA), while …
Sysml Profiling For Handling Army Base Camp Planning,
2011
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Sysml Profiling For Handling Army Base Camp Planning, Dustin Nottage, Steven Corns
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
Army base camp planning is a complicated process involving many variables and optional facilities. the facilities can also vary in size and resource utilization depending on permanency of the base, local resources, and population on the base. Each level of facility is modeled and placed into a library database. All of these facilities must be distinguishable for planners to come in and export the correct facility based on the mission. the first method involves separating the different levels into packages so just the package could be exported. the issue is not all facilities will fit correctly. the second method is …
Approximate Policy Iteration For Semi-Markov Control Revisited,
2011
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Approximate Policy Iteration For Semi-Markov Control Revisited, Abhijit Gosavi
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
The semi-Markov decision process can be solved via reinforcement learning without generating its transition model. We briefly review the existing algorithms based on approximate policy iteration (API) for solving this problem for discounted and average reward under the infinite horizon. API techniques have attracted significant interest in the literature recently. We first present and analyze an extension of an existing API algorithm for discounted reward that can handle continuous reward rates. Then, we also consider its average reward counterpart, which requires an updating based on the stochastic shortest path (SSP). We study the convergence properties of the algorithm that does …
Cognition Evolutionary Computation For System-Of-Systems Architecture Development,
2011
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Cognition Evolutionary Computation For System-Of-Systems Architecture Development, Feng Yang, Cihan Dagli, Weiping Wang
Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works
The evolving nature of system-of-systems requirements and corresponding architecture, and the complex causal relationship between the architecture of system-of-systems and its emergent behavior make the problem of system-of-systems architecture development a great challenge. as a tentative effort in meeting this special challenge, a new evolutionary computation paradigm- named Cognition Evolutionary Computation(CEC) is proposed, which models the creative cognition process of divergent and convergent thinking, adaptation and innovation, that drives the co-evolution of problem space, knowledge space and solution space. the optimization algorithm for CEC uses causal probabilistic network as the knowledge representation mechanism. a theoretical framework for CEC based system-of-system …
Process Modeling System For Press Cure, Closed-Cavity Tooled Thick Composites,
2011
University of Texas at Arlington
Process Modeling System For Press Cure, Closed-Cavity Tooled Thick Composites, Arven H. Saunders
Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive
Thick structural composite parts often use press curing with closed-cavity tooling for achieving dimensional tolerances. A commonly encountered defect for these parts is fiber waviness, whick limits its structural strength. The yield for such parts often suffers due to trial and error methods used to develop successful cure processes. In addition, yield for these parts suffers due to material variation. The objectives of this research were to: develop and validate a simplified yet practical cure process model for press cured thick composite parts, utilize the model in order to seek time-efficient optimized cure processes, investigate the effects of material variation …
Design Of The Layout Of A Manufacturing Facility With A Closed Loop Conveyor With Shortcuts Using Queueing Theory And Genetic Algorithms,
2011
University of Central Florida
Design Of The Layout Of A Manufacturing Facility With A Closed Loop Conveyor With Shortcuts Using Queueing Theory And Genetic Algorithms, Vernet Michael Lasrado
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
With the ongoing technology battles and price wars in today's competitive economy, every company is looking for an advantage over its peers. A particular choice of facility layout can have a significant impact on the ability of a company to maintain lower operational expenses under uncertain economic conditions. It is known that systems with less congestion have lower operational costs. Traditionally, manufacturing facility layout problem methods aim at minimizing the total distance traveled, the material handling cost, or the time in the system (based on distance traveled at a specific speed). The proposed methodology solves the looped layout design problem …
A Model To Integrate Sustainability Into The User-Centered Design Process,
2011
University of Central Florida
A Model To Integrate Sustainability Into The User-Centered Design Process, Adrienne Shevonne Brown
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
With concerns for the environment becoming more prevalent in business and the government, it is increasingly important to re-evaluate and update processes to include sustainability considerations early in the design process. In response to this charge, this research effort was designed to integrate sustainability factors into the usercentered design process. The results of this research highlight the benefits of sustainability requirement planning, as well as those derived from integrating sustainability into the current user-centered design model
A Framework For Quantifying Sustainability Of Lean Implementation In Healthcare Organizations,
2011
University of Central Florida
A Framework For Quantifying Sustainability Of Lean Implementation In Healthcare Organizations, Haitham Ahmed Bahaitham
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Due to the remarkable positive effect of lean adoption in various firms in the manufacturing sector, it has been adopted by several organizations within the healthcare industry. Although the rate of adopting lean by hospitals in the developed countries is slower than it should be, it proved to be effective in helping healthcare organizations maintain or even improve their quality of care while containing their related costs. However, such adoption did not take place until the beginning of the new millennium. And with such adoption, it has been accompanied with major challenges related to proper lean implementation, sustainability of achieved …
