Digital Commons Network^™

A Computer Model Of Gluconeogenesis And Lipid Metabolism In The Perfused Liver, Elie Chalhoub, Richard W. Hanson, Joanne M. Belovich

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A mathematical model of the perfused rat liver was developed to predict intermediate metabolite concentrations and fluxes in response to changes in various substrate concentrations in the perfusion medium. The model simulates gluconeogenesis in the liver perfused separately with lactate and pyruvate and the combination of these substrates with fatty acids (oleate). The model consists of key reactions representing gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and ketogenesis. Michaelis-Menten-type kinetic expressions, with control by ATP/ADP, are used for many of the reactions. For key regulated reactions (fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate carboxylase, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, and pyruvate kinase), rate …

Tuning Tabu Search Strategies Via Visual Diagnosis, Steven Halim, Hoong Chuin Lau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

While designing working metaheuristics can be straightforward, tuning them to solve the underlying combinatorial optimization problem well can be tricky. Several tuning methods have been proposed but they do not address the new aspect of our proposed classification of the metaheuristic tuning problem: tuning search strategies. We propose a tuning methodology based on Visual Diagnosis and a generic tool called Visualizer for Metaheuristics Development Framework(V-MDF) to address specifically the problem of tuning search (particularly Tabu Search) strategies. Under V-MDF, we propose the use of a Distance Radar visualizer where the human and computer can collaborate to diagnose the occurrence of …

Load Shedding Algorithm Using Voltage And Frequency Data, Poonam Joshi

All Theses

Under frequency load shedding schemes have been widely used, to restore power system stability post major disturbances. However, the analysis of recent blackouts suggests that voltage collapse and voltage-related problems are also important concerns in maintaining system stability. For this reason, both frequency and voltage need to be taken into account in load shedding schemes. The research undertaken here considers both parameters in designing a load shedding scheme to determine the amount of load to be shed and its appropriate location. An introduction about the need for a load shedding scheme and the purpose of doing research on this particular …

Glycosaminoglycan Stabilization In Bovine Pericardium, Lauren Browne

All Theses

Glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine pericardium has been used for fabrication of bioprosthetic heart valves as well as cardiac patches for soft tissue repair. However, calcification and limited mechanical stability result in shortened life for the prostheses. Previous research has shown that glutaraldehyde crosslinking does not stabilize glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and that GAGs are lost from porcine bioprosthetic heart valves[1]. Bovine pericardial tissue is composed of an amorphous network of collagen and elastin fibers, proteoglycans, and GAGs. The GAGs of bovine pericardium include dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronan [2].
It is hypothesized that Glut does not stabilize GAGs in pericardium and loss …

Evaluation Of The Role Of Driver’S Knowledge Of Who Has The Right-Of-Way Contributes To Interstate On-Ramp Crashes, Deogratias Eustace, Vamsi Krishna Indupuru

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

The knowledge of drivers on who has the right-of-way between the one on mainline lanes of a freeway and the one entering the freeway through on-ramp junction lane was evaluated. In addition, drivers’ opinions on how to make the on-ramp junctions safer were collected. A survey instrument with 21 items requesting drivers’ information in regard with demographics, freeway driving experience, knowledge of right-of-way and merging practices was used for data collection. The results show that crashes are relatively rare events and for some reasons, most of them never happen but result into near misses, which can not be reported and …

Design Of An Active Orthotic Device For Joint Management., Steven Clayton Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Existing treatment programs and procedures are incapable of addressing the complications encountered with patients who experience spasticity and hypertonia related joint contractures. Current passive therapy procedures and devices are only capable of managing the extent of joint contractures on patients with chronic and acute onset severe neurological disorders. The project was conceived as a means to develop an active device that is capable of adapting to the state of the joint to mange the extent of contractures and to permit consideration for the prevalence of spastic activity episodes and hypertonia. The project focused on the design of the physical prototype …

An Examination Of The Variables Affecting Rfid Tag Readability In A Conveyer Belt Environment, Jay A. Singh, C. Deupser, Eric Olsen, S. P. Singh

Industrial Technology and Packaging

There is a growing list of companies implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) systems to help optimize their supply chain processes. These companies realize that a successful RFID system can potentially lead to lower supply chain inventory levels, reduced operating expenses, and greater visibility throughout the supply chain. However, since RFID technology is still relatively immature, a majority of the applications experience less than perfect read rates for tagged items moving through the supply chain. This paper reports the results for a variety of different arrangements of variables that may influence the readability of the RFID tags in a conveyer belt …

Conversion Of Biomass Resource To Useful Forms Of Energy And Other Products, Latosha Johnson

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States is facing increasing pressure to find renewable energy sources due to rising energy costs. With world energy demand at an all time high, renewable energy has been thrust into the forefront of research as a means to mitigate this looming crisis. Throughout the United States, there is a large quantity of agricultural biomass that could be used to generate energy and lessen the dependence on diminishing resources. Specifically, animal feeding operations (AFOs) such as dairies generate large amounts of cow manure, which, when improperly handled, causes both air and water pollution. Currently, most manure is temporarily stockpiled …

Vulnerability Of Shallow Aquifers Of The Conterminous United States To Nitrate: Assessment Of Methodologies, Karthik Kumarasamy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Groundwater is an important natural resource for numerous human activities, accounting for more than 50% of the total water used in the United States. Groundwater is vulnerable to contamination by several organic and inorganic pollutants such as nitrate, heavy metals, and pesticides. Assessment of groundwater vulnerability aids in the management and protection of limited groundwater resources.

The focus of this thesis is to (1) statistically compare two groundwater vulnerability assessment models; modified DRASTIC (Acronym for Depth to water, net Recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Impact of vadose zone, and hydraulic Conductivity of aquifer) and ordinal logistic regression for NO …

Prolonged Quadriceps Activity Following Imposed Hip Extension: A Neurophysiological Mechanism For Stiff-Knee Gait?, Michael D. Lewek, T. George Hornby, Yasin Y. Dhaher, Brian D. Schmit

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The biomechanical characteristics of stiff knee gait following neurological injury include decreased knee flexion velocity at toe-off, which may be due to exaggerated quadriceps activity. The neuromuscular mechanism underlying this abnormal activity is unclear, although hyperexcitable heteronymous reflexes may be a source of impaired coordination. The present study examines the contribution of reflex activity from hip flexors on knee extensors following stroke and its association with reduced swing-phase knee flexion during walking. Twelve individuals poststroke and six control subjects were positioned in supine on a Biodex dynamometer with the ankle and knee held in a static position. Isolated hip extension …

Wireless Devices For Medical Applications, Thermpon Ativanichayaphong

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The deployment of medical electronics in healthcare plays a significant role to overcome many problems in disease treatment and diagnosis. For advanced applications, wireless solutions are preferred. The wireless technologies offer a new dimension of therapy or diagnosis, when wires are often bulky, unsafe, uncomfortable or even impossible to be deployed in some circumstances. The wireless communication devices can be categorized into two groups, active and passive, depending on the power sources operating electronics. The active devices draw powers from a battery, while the others harvest powers from external or internal sources. In this work, two medical applications are studied …

Manure Testing: What To Request?, Charles A. Shapiro, Charles S. Wortmann

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Manure testing is necessary to make optimum use of manure while protecting water resources. This publication is a guide to providing information on a Manure Sample Sub­mission Form for reliable interpretation of results.

The tests most frequently needed to optimize nutrient management are total and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄-N), phosphorus (P₂O₅), potassium (K₂O), pH, soluble salts, sodium, and dry matter content.

Nitrogen. Manure contains both organic and inorganic forms of nitrogen. Ammonium-N is the primary inorganic form in manure and is readily available to crops. Nitrate-N concentration is usually too small to …

High Temperature Heat Exchanger Project: Quarterly Progress Report July 1, 2007 Through September 30, 2007, Anthony Hechanova

Publications (NSTD)

• Ceramatec Sulfuric Acid Decomposer. The numerical model of a SiC ceramic coupon with two layers of microchannels was developed. Calculations of the factor of safety and probability of failure for the case of a straight channel were performed. Results for a pressure of 7.5 MPa were performed. The thermal and mechanical stress analyses of the Ceramatec HTHX and decomposer were completed.

• Bayonet Heat Exchanger. The thermal and mechanical stress analyses of the bayonet type HTHX and decomposer (Sandia design) were completed. Temperature profiles obtained from thermocouples measured from the Sandia experiments have been applied to the whole packed …

Airway Strain During Mechanical Ventilation In An Intact Animal Model, Scott W. Sinclair, Robert C. Molthen, Steven Thomas Haworth, Christopher A. Dawson, Christopher M. Waters

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Rationale: Mechanical ventilation with large tidal volumes causes ventilator-induced lung injury in animal models. Little direct evidence exists regarding the deformation of airways in vivo during mechanical ventilation, or in the presence of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP).

Objectives: To measure airway strain and to estimate airway wall tension during mechanical ventilation in an intact animal model.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated with tidal volumes of 6, 12, and 25 cm³/kg with and without 10–cm H₂O PEEP. Real-time tantalum bronchograms were obtained for each condition, using microfocal X-ray imaging. Images were …

Long-Term Trends From Ecosystem Research At The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, John L. Campbell, Charles T. Driscoll, Christopher Eagar, Gene E. Likens, Thomas G. Siccama, Chris E. Johnson, Timothy J. Fahey, Steven P. Hamburg, Richard T. Holmes, Amey S. Bailey, Donald C. Buso

Civil and Environmental Engineering - All Scholarship

The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in 1955 as a major center for hydrologic research in the Northeast. The Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study originated 8 years later with the idea of using the small watershed approach to study element flux and cycling and the response of forest ecosystems to disturbance. Since that time, the research program at Hubbard Brook has expanded to include various physical, chemical and biological measurements collected by researchers from a number of cooperating institutions. Collaborative, long-term data are the keystone of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study and have provided invaluable …

Gene Synthesis, Cloning, Expression, Purification And Biophysical Characterization Of The C2 Domain Of Human Tensin, Kiran Sukumar Gajula

Doctoral Dissertations

Tensin is a large "docking" protein found in the adhesive junctions of animal cells and recruited early in the development of cell-substrate contacts. There it binds to the cytoplasmic domain of integrin β1 and caps the barbed ends of filamentous actin. This forms a rational basis for its implication in a direct role in the mechanics of membrane-cytoskeleton interactions. Tensin provides a physical link between the actin cytoskeleton, integrins, and other proteins at the cell-substrate contacts. Its overall biochemical properties are a function of its domain composition and architecture, i.e., the domains that are present and their relative positions in …

The Effects Of Contention Among Stations On Video Streaming Applications Over Wireless Local Area Networks: An Experimental Approach, Nicola Cranley, Tanmoy Debnath

Conference papers

Multimedia streaming applications have a large impact on the resource requirements of the WLAN. There are many variables involved in video streaming, such as the video content being streamed, how the video is encoded and how it is sent. This makes the role of radio resource management and the provision of QoS guarantees extremely difficult. For video streaming applications, packet loss and packets dropped due to excessive delay are the primary factors that affect the received video quality. In this paper, we experimentally analyse the effects of contention on the performance of video streaming applications with a given delay constraint …

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Bioluminescence Imaging For Assessment And Normalization In Transfected Cell Arrays, Angela K. Pannier, Eric A. Ariazi, Abigail D. Bellis, Zain Bengali, V. Craig Jordan, Lonnie D. Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Transfected cell arrays (TCAs) represent a high-throughput technique to correlate gene expression with functional cell responses. Despite advances in TCAs, improvements are needed for the widespread application of this technology. We have developed a TCA that combines a two-plasmid system and dual-bioluminescence imaging to quantitatively normalize for variability in transfection and increase sensitivity. The two-plasmids consist of: (i) normalization plasmid present within each spot, and (ii) functional plasmid that varies between spots, responsible for the functional endpoint of the array. Bioluminescence imaging of dual-luciferase reporters (renilla, firefly luciferase) provides sensitive and quantitative detection of cellular response, with minimal post-transfection processing. …

Integrating Game Technology And Discrete Event Simulation To Analyze Mass Casualty Scenarios, Jason Loveland

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In the last 10 years, video games have become complex simulation environments with high resolution 3D graphics enabled by powerhouse rendering engines, multi-player client server networks, user friendly displays and graphical user interface , while remaining relatively inexpensive. There is a critical need for systems engineering analysis and rapid trade studies due to changes in operations caused by current events such as terrorist attacks, asymmetric threats, natural disasters, etc. Modem games provide a unique way to visualize and interact with these complex environments, scenarios, missions, and operations. A discrete event simulator (DES) provides an environment to model system architecture behavior, …

Wireless, In Vivo Neural Recording Using A Custom Integrated Bioamplifier And The Pico System, David Cheney, Aik Goh, Jie Xu, Karl Gugel, John G. Harris, Justin C. Sanchez, Jose C. Principe

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper describes a wireless system for sampling multiple channels of neural activity based on a low-power, custom 80dB-gain integrated bio amplifier, Texas Instrument's MSP430 microprocessors, and Nordic Semiconductor's ultra-low power, high bandwidth RF transmitter/receivers. The system's features are presented as well as results of spike potentials from a live subject. © 2007 IEEE.

Integrated Modeling Of Nitrate Contamination Of Groundwater In Agriculture-Dominated Watersheds, M. Almasri, Jagath J. Kaluarachchi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents and implements a framework for modeling the impact of land use practices and protection alternatives on nitrate pollution of groundwater in agricultural watersheds. The framework utilizes the national land cover database (NLCD) of the United State Geological Survey (USGS) grid and a geographic information system (GIS) to account for the spatial distribution of on-ground nitrogen sources and corresponding loadings. The framework employs a soil nitrogen dynamic model to estimate nitrate leaching to groundwater. These estimates were used in developing a groundwater nitrate fate and transport model. The framework considers both point and non-point sources of nitrogen across …

A Computational Model Of Culture-Specific Conversational Behavior, Dusan Jan, David Herrera, Bilyana Martinovski, David G. Novick, David Traum

Departmental Papers (CS)

This paper presents a model for simulating cultural differences in the conversational behavior of virtual agents. The model provides parameters for differences in proxemics, gaze and overlap in turn taking. We present a review of literature on these factors and show results of a study where native speakers of North American English, Mexican Spanish and Arabic were asked to rate the realism of the simulations generated based on different cultural parameters with respect to their culture.

National Livestock And Poultry Environmental Learning Center, Richard K. Koelsch, Mark Risse, Joe Harrison, Jill Heemstra

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

This paper describes a new national learning center designed to improve the delivery of science-based information to non-research customers. The vision of the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center is to provide individuals involved in public policy issues, animal production, and delivery of technical services for confined animal systems with on-demand access to the nation’s best science-based resources that is responsive to priority and emerging environmental issues associated with animal agriculture. This project will test innovative approaches such as a web cast seminar series to connect national experts with those individuals and organizations that influence animal producer decisions on manure …

Association Of Odor Measures With Annoyance: An Odor-Monitoring Field Study, Richard R. Stowell, Christopher G. Henry, Richard K. Koelsch, Dennis D. Schulte

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Multiple assessments of ambient odor were made by trained individuals in the vicinity of a swine finishing operation in eastern Nebraska during the summers of 2005 and 2006. This paper addresses an analysis of assessor responses in Year 1 of this field study to determine what relationships existed between field odor measurements/ratings and ratings of annoyance potential, and to identify candidate measurement threshold values for odors that are likely to cause an annoyance. The first-year results showed that the likelihood of odor causing annoyance increased as ambient odors became more offensive, more intense, and more concentrated, with r² values …

Software Tool For Integrating Feed Management Into Nutrient Planning, Richard K. Koelsch, Ray Massey, Galen E. Erickson, Virgil R. Bremer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The introduction of ASABE Standard D384.2, Manure Production and Characteristics, has created the opportunity to integrate feed management decisions and animal performance measures into nutrient planning processes. This paper introduces a software tool that integrates estimates of nutrient excretion based on the new standard with estimates of land need, labor and equipment time allocation, and economic cost and benefit for manure application. This tool will be used to evaluate the economic implications for two scenarios using beef cattle examples as a means of illustrating tool application. The first scenario will look at the impact of feeding ethanol co-products on the …

Water Savings And Rainwater Harvesting – Pilot Project In Ireland, Sean O'Hogain, Anna Reid, Liam Mccarton, Jenny Pender, Niamh Mcntyre

Conference papers

A pilot project to harvest rainwater was set up in Ireland in 2005 to examine the potential of using rainwater harvesting systems to replace treated mains water, for non-potable uses. The Project has two strands to it. The agricultural application assessed the feasibility of incorporating rainwater supply to supplement/replace mains or other water supplies for farms. The second strand involves rural water supply to domestic dwellings. Here the project installed rainwater harvesting and water conservation devices as part of a pilot project to assess the reduction in domestic demand. This paper will examine the water use recorded on both sites. …

Method And Apparatus For Blood Flow Measurement Using Millimeter Wave Band, David Nelson

Michigan Tech Patents

A system and method that determines a blood flow rate in an area of a subject. The system includes a transmitter operable to transmit an electrical signal in the range of about 20 GHz to about 300 GHz to the area, a temperature sensor positioned adjacent the area, and a processor operable to determine the blood flow rate in the area based on the rate of change of temperature in the area as a result of the application of the electrical signal on the area and a power density value.

Nasa - Basics Of Space Flight, Nasa

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

NASA website titled "Basics of Space Flight" from September 9, 2007.

2007 Engr333/Biol354 Project Assignment, Matthew K. Heun

ENGR 333

The Fall 2007 semester ENGR333 project involved a collaboration with students in BIOL354, taught by my colleague Dave Warners. We asked our students “What would it take to make Calvin College carbon neutral?”

This project resulted in the first-ever carbon dioxide emissions and sequestration assessment of Calvin College, attached below.

The student presenters animated the pie charts, and an audible gasp filled the hall when the imbalance between carbon emissions and carbon sequestration became clear.

The students also studied potential routes to carbon neutrality, one of which was a green revolving fund.

This class project resulted in a co-authored publication …