Digital Commons Network^™

Interdisciplinary Team Teaching: Lessons For Engineering Instructors From A Capstone Course In Environmental Studies, David Braun, Emmit B. Evans, Randall Knight, Thomas Ruehr

Electrical Engineering

The capstone course teaches students to analyze global environmental issues, resources, and human activities with a systems approach based on scientific, economic, political, social and ethical perspectives. Such an intrinsically multifaceted subject demands interdisciplinary treatment. To deliver the interdisciplinary treatment, the course uses diverse faculty teams comprised of faculty from fields in the natural and social sciences, engineering, and business. This work describes the interdisciplinary team teaching strategies adopted for the course and how they evolved with subsequent offerings of the course. We present assessment data measuring how well students achieve course objectives. Finally, experience gleaned from this course for …

Temporal Changes In Nutrient Transport Following Land Application Of Manure, John E. Gilley, Eghball Bahman, D. B. Marx

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

Little information is currently available concerning temporal changes in nutrient transport following the addition of manure to cropland areas. This study was conducted to measure nutrient transport in runoff as affected by tillage and time following the application of beef cattle or swine manure to a site on which corn [Zea mays (L.)] was grown. Rainfall simulation tests were initiated 4, 32, 62, 123, and 354 days following land application. Three 30-min simulated rainfall events, separated by 24-hour intervals, were conducted at an intensity of approximately 70 mm hr-1. Dissolved phosphorus (DP), particulate phosphorus (PP), total phosphorus (TP), NO3-N, …

Runoff Nutrient Concentrations Following Manure Application As Affected By Crop Residue, John E. Gilley, Jeffrey Nicolaisen, Eghball Bahman, David B. Marx

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

Manure is applied to cropland areas managed under diverse conditions resulting in varying amounts of residue cover. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of crop residue on nutrient concentrations in runoff from areas where beef cattle or swine manure were recently applied but not incorporated. Plots 0.75 m wide by 2 m long were established at the study site. Existing residue materials were removed, and corn, soybean, or winter wheat residue was added at rates of 2, 4, or 8 Mg ha-1. Manure was applied at rates required to meet estimated annual nitrogen requirements for corn. …

Effect Of Overland Flow Rate On Nutrient Transport From Land Application Areas, John E. Gilley, William F. Sabatka, Bahman Eghball, David B. Marx

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

Little information is currently available concerning the effects of varying flow rate on nutrient transport by overland flow. The objective of this study was to measure the effects of overland flow rate on nutrient transport following the application of beef cattle or swine manure to plots containing 0, 2, 4, or 8 Mg ha^-1 of corn residue. After addition of residue materials to 0.75 m wide x 2.0 m long plots, beef cattle or swine manure was added and the plots were then either disked or maintained in a no-till condition. Three 30-min simulated rainfall events, separated by 24-hour …

Cellulose Synthase Promoter And Method For Modifiying Cellulose And Lignin Biosynthesis In Plants, Vincent Lee C. Chiang, Chandrashekhar P. Joshi, Luguang Wu, Daniel T. Carraway

Michigan Tech Patents

This invention relates to an isolated cellulose synthase promoter, methods for genetically altering cellulose and lignin biosynthesis, and to methods for improving strength properties of juvenile wood and fiber in trees. The invention further relates to methods for identifying regulatory elements in a cellulose synthase promoter and to methods for augmenting expression of polynucleotides operably linked to a cellulose synthase promoter.

Developement Of Serum-Free Media In Cho-Dg44 Cells Using A Central Composite Statistical Design, Ananth Parampalli, Kent M. Eskridge, Leonard Smith, Michael M. Meagher, M. C. Mowry, Anuradha Subramanian

Anuradha Subramanian Publications

A serum free medium was developed for the production of recombinant antibody against Botulinum A (BoNTA) using dihydrofolate reductase deficient Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO-DG44) in suspension culture. An initial control basal medium was prepared, which was similar in composition to HAM’s F12: IMDM (1:1) supplemented with insulin, transeferrin, selenium and a lipid mixture. The vitamin concentration of the basal medium was twice that of HAM’s F12: IMDM (1:1). CHO-DG44 cells expressing S25 antibody grew from 2 x 10⁵ cells to maximum cell density of 1.04 x 10⁶ cells/ml after 5 days in this control medium. A central …

Real-Time Gps-Alternative Navigation Using Commodity Hardware, Jordon L. Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

Modern navigation systems can use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to accurately determine position with precision in some cases bordering on millimeters. Unfortunately, GPS technology is susceptible to jamming, interception, and unavailability indoors or underground. There are several navigation techniques that can be used to navigate during times of GPS unavailability, but there are very few that result in GPS-level precision. One method of achieving high precision navigation without GPS is to fuse data obtained from multiple sensors. This thesis explores the fusion of imaging and inertial sensors and implements them in a real-time system that mimics human navigation. In …

A Hybrid First Year Science Course For Engineering Students – Integrating Biology With Chemistry, David Harding, Pauline Schwartz, Jean Nocito-Gobel, Agamemnon Koutsospyros

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Biology is playing an increasingly important role in many engineering fields. With the typical engineering program already having a high credit hour requirement, the question becomes, how to best integrate biology concepts into a packed engineering curriculum. A typical biology course is not likely to introduce the important concepts of biology to engineering students. The solution here is to develop a hybrid course that integrates chemistry and biology. In the course, Chemistry with Applications to Biosystems, the concept is to develop a course that integrally links important concepts of chemistry and biology. The course focuses on the areas of biology …

Evaluation Of Hf Rfid For Implanted Medical Applications, Eric Freudenthal, David Herrera, Frederick Kautz, Carlos Natividad, Alexandria Ogrey, Justin Sipla, Abimael Sosa, Carlos Betancourt, Leonardo Estevez

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Low cost HF RFID scanner subsystems that both deliver power and provide high bandwidth bidirectional communication channels have recently become available. These devices are anticipated to become ubiquitous in next-generation cell phones and enable a wide range of emerging e-commerce applications.

This paper considers the use of HF RFID to power and communicate with implantable medical devices. We successfully communicated with ten transponders that were implanted at three locations within a human cadaver. In this paper, we present measurements collected from four of these transponders that represent a wide range of transponder sizes. We also describe how RFID for medical …

Improve Safety Of Workers During Highway Construction And Maintenance, Donn E. Hancher, Kenneth Bussey, Robin Meagher, Jonathan Ross, Kristin Smith

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

There is an inherent risk of injury or fatality in all occupations. Even secretarial occupations face jobsite hazards such as carpal tunnel and back injury. The nature of the construction industry combined with the required physical demand and rigorous work processes, make it an industry with higher risk of injury or fatality. In an effort to decrease that inbuilt jobsite risk that construction workers face, this study will analyze the current best safety practices, examine new safety technologies, and collaborate with construction workers themselves to gain a better perspective of what jobsite hazards they face.

Specifically, this study will focus …

Swarm Intelligence For Transmission System Control, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Ronald G. Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many areas related to power system transmission require solving one or more nonlinear optimization problems. While analytical methods might suffer from slow convergence and the curse of dimensionality, heuristics based swarm intelligence can be an efficient alternative. This paper highlights the application of swam intelligence techniques for solving some of the transmission system control problems.

Development And Evaluation Of A Simulation System Based Upon Standard Pedestrian Thoroughfare Methodologies, Charles O. Pringle

All Master's Theses

This study was undertaken to determine whether existing simulation and modeling systems could be used to analyze and model pedestrian traffic flows. The study incorporates the Highway Capacity Manual 2000 (HCM) (Transportation Research Board, National Research Council [TRB], 2000a) methodologies into a ProModel simulation and then compares and contrasts the results of the HCM calculations with the ProModel simulation.

Recycling Practices For Environmental Materials, Sudhir Palle, Steve Higgins, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Two environmental materials, tree and brush debris and large animal roadkill carcasses were investigated. The disposal methods for these materials were reviewed as opportunities/methods for possible recycling. KYTC established several pilot composting operations in 2006. These were monitored during their preliminary stages of operation.

Co-Production Of Chemical And Energy Products From Distillers Grains Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction And Thermochemical Conversion Technologies, Lijun Wang, Ajay Kumar, Curtis L. Weller, David D. Jones, Milford A. Hanna

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

Dry-grind technology has become the dominant method for ethanol production. During drygrind ethanol production, roughly one-third of the dry grain mass resides in the dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as by-products (i.e., ∼0.8 kg/L ethanol). The energy content residing in the 0.8 kg DDGS is about 20 MJ, compared to the consumption of 1 MJ electricity and 10 MJ thermal energy for production of each liter of ethanol. A sequential supercritical fluid process with solvents including carbon dioxide, water and ethanol was used to recover high-value chemicals from DDGS. Thermochemical conversion methods were used to convert the DDGS residue …

Early Investment In Soil Conservation Research Continues To Provide Dividends, John E. Gilley, D. C. Flanagan

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Current soil conservation programs are built upon an established research legacy. Hugh H. Bennett, chief of the USDA Soil Conservation Service from 1935 to 1951, was instrumental in the establishment of a network of 35 soil conservation experiment stations (SCES). Research projects were initiated at the SCES in the 1930s to investigate the principal factors causing erosion and to identify the most effective and practical methods of controlling soil loss from agricultural areas. Information obtained from the SCES, and selected other locations, was assembled at the National Runoff and Soil Loss Data Center (NRSLDC) established on the campus of Purdue …

Assessment Of Labview And Multisim In The Delivery Of Electronics Laboratory Content, Julio Garcia, Patricia Backer

Faculty Publications

The goal of this study, funded by the National Science Foundation, was to adapt the work of other researchers to improve the delivery of electronics lecture and laboratory content in the Electronics & Computer Technology (ECT) area. From the extensive research on ethnic and gender differences in learning styles, the evidence suggests that ethnic minorities and women work best when the material is organized so that students work in teams and have a high level of hands-on experimentation and problem-solving. We developed our materials to maximize these aspects since in our institution the “minority” constitutes the majority of our student …

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

An Experimental Investigation Of Parallel Multimedia Streams Over Ieee 802.11e Wlan Networks Using Txop, Nicola Cranley, Tanmoy Debnath, Mark Davis

Conference papers

In this paper we perform an experimental investigation of the IEEE 802.11 TXOP facility to enhance the transmission of parallel multimedia streaming sessions through efficient bandwidth reservation and explicitly consider both the audio and video streams. The delay constraints associated with the audio and video streams that comprise a multimedia session pose the greatest challenge since real-time multimedia is particularly sensitive to delay as the packets require a strict bounded end-to-end delay. We show how the TXOPlimit parameter can be efficiently dimensioned to reduce the tranmission delay for the video frames. Due to tis frame-based nature, video applications are considered …

Effects Of Prior Aging On The Creep Response Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Pmr-15 Neat Resin At 288°C In An Air Environment, Christopher A. Back

Theses and Dissertations

The mechanical response of carbon fiber reinforced PMR-15 neat resin with a ± 45 fiber orientation was investigated at 288 °C. Mechanical testing was performed on unaged specimens and specimens that were aged up to 1000 hours in an air environment. Tensile tests were performed to determine Young's modulus of elasticity and Ultimate Tensile Strength. Creep tests were performed at creep stress levels of 30 and 60 MPa. Creep periods of at least 25 h in duration were followed by recovery at zero stress. Duration of the recovery period was at least twice the time of the creep period. Oxidation …

Development Of Cursor-On-Target Control For Semi-Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Joshua D. Crouse

Theses and Dissertations

The research presented in this thesis focuses on developing, demonstrating, and evaluating the concept of a Cursor-on-Target control system for semi-autonomous unmanned aircraft systems. The Department of Defense has mapped out a strategy in which unmanned aircraft systems will increasingly replace piloted aircraft. During most phases of flight autonomous unmanned aircraft control reduces operator workload, however, real-time information exchange often requires an operator to relay decision changes to the unmanned aircraft. The goal of this research is to develop a preliminary Cursor-on-Target control system to enable the operator to guide the unmanned aircraft with minimal workload during high task phases …

Cfd Investigation Of Effect Of Depth To Diameter Ratio On Dimple Flow // Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation Of Effect Of Depth To Diameter Ratio On Dimple Flow Dynamics, Robert B. Etter

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to further the understanding of laminar flow through a dimple with the goal of mitigating flow separation. Dimples of various depth to diameter ratios (0.05, 0.15) were examined for three different dimple diameters and chordwise locations, corresponding to diameter based (ReD) and chordwise location based (Rex) Reynolds number combinations of ReD 20500\Rex 5000, ReD 20500 Rex 77000, and ReD 9000 Rex 21000. For the last combination, a dimple of depth to diameter ratio of 0.25 was also examined. The dimples were placed in a flat plate located in a diverging channel causing an adverse pressure gradient encouraging …

In Vitro Studies Of Degradation And Bioactivity Of Aliphatic Polyesther Composites, Georgia Chouzouri

Dissertations

In spite of numerous publications on the potential use of combinations of aliphatic polyester composites containing bioactive fillers for bone regeneration, little information exists on the combined in vitro mechanisms involving simultaneously diffusion for polymer degradation and bioactivity through nucleation and growth of apatite in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. The objective of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the fundamentals in designing non-porous, solid materials for bone regeneration, from experimental data along with their engineering interpretation.

Bioactivity, in terms of apatite growth, was assessed through several experimental methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive …

In Vitro Feasibility Testing Of Floating Light-Activated Minroelectrical Stimulators, Ammar Riad Abdo

Theses

One of the major challenges of neural stimulation is the mechanical stress and resulting trauma induced on the implanted electrodes by the constant movement of the interconnects. A potential way of eliminating interconnects is to use floating micro-stimulators that can be activated through optical means. As a method of energy transfer to the micro-stimulator, we propose to use a laser beam at near infrared (NIR) wavelengths.

There are two main objectives in this project to test the feasibility of the main approach; investigate the charge injection capacity of titanium nitride (TiN) and iridium oxide (IrOx) as potential contact materials, and …

Adaptable Videogame Platform For Interactive Upper Extremity Rehabilitation, Sally M. Jensen

Theses

The primary objective of this work is to design a recreational rehabilitation videogame platform for customizing motivating games that interactively encourage purposeful upper extremity gross motor movements. Virtual reality (VR) technology is a popular application for rehabilitation therapies but there is a constant need for more accessible and affordable systems. We have developed a recreational VR game platform can be used as an independent therapy supplement without laboratory equipment and is inexpensive, motivating, and adaptable. The behaviors and interactive features can be easily modified and customized based on players' limitations or progress.

A real-time method of capturing hand movements using …

Pharmacokinetics Of Ultrasonically-Released, Micelle-Encapsulated Doxorubicin In The Rat Model And Its Effect On Tumor Growth, Bryant J. Staples

Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy is one of the most successful cancer treatments used today. Unfortunately, the amount of chemotherapy a patient can receive is limited by the associated negative side effects, such as cardiotoxicity, immune system suppression, and nephrotoxicity. Encapsulation of these drugs, Doxorubicin (DOX) in particular, in stabilized Pluronic micelles (Plurogel TM) shows success in limiting these harmful side effects. In previous studies, low-frequency ultrasound (US) has been shown, in vitro, to locally release DOX from these micelles. In this study, a novel drug delivery system involving the encapsulation of DOX in Plurogel and the release of the drug at the tumor …

Characteristics Of Manure Harvested From Beef Cattle Feedlots, William F. Kissinger, Richard K. Koelsch, Galen E. Erickson, Terry J. Klopfenstein

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Open lot cattle production systems present unique challenges for nutrient planning processes. Previous estimates of quantities and characteristics of harvested manure from this type of facility are based upon data from the early 1970s. In addition, harvested manure is impacted by weather, feeding program, season, and pen management decisions. The objectives of this study are to characterize under commercial conditions for open lot beef systems: 1) harvested manure quantities and characteristics; 2) impact of factors such as feeding program, season, and management on harvested manure; and 3) mass balance for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Data from six commercial feedlots …

Photocatalytic Degradation Of Toluene By Nano-Tio2 In A Fluidized Bed, Xiaoping Zhang, Cong Liao

The 12th International Conference on Fluidization - New Horizons in Fluidization Engineering

The mixed gas of toluene and air was used as treated gas, self-made fluidized bed and ultraviolet lamp and TiO2/silica gel prepared in laboratory used as photo reactor and light source and photo-catalyst respectively to degrade toluene in the treated gas. The effects of operating parameters including initial concentration, operating gas velocity, ultraviolet light intensity and bed layer height on degradation rate of toluene have been probed into in this research. The results showed that degradation rate of toluene was independent of initial concentration (20～55mg/m3) but decreased with higher initial concentration; the degradation rate of toluene increased with gas velocity …

Waste Edible Oil Fluid Catalytic Cracking In A Downer Reactor, Xiaoping Tang, Fei Wei

The 12th International Conference on Fluidization - New Horizons in Fluidization Engineering

The waste edible oil fluid catalytic cracking process (FCC), an environment friendly process to produce clean fuel (such as gasoline, diesel) and high-value chemical materials (such as propylene), was studied in an small hot model of downer reactor under the temperature 500 ℃, the pressure 1.1×105Pa , the resident time 1 second, the ratio of catalyst to oil 12 , and MA-83 as the catalyst. Compared with other processes, the waste edible oil FCC process can realize the waster utilizing and adjust the product distribution according to the market demand, while with a convenient pretreatment to the raw materials. The …

A Discrete Particle Simulation Study Of Solids Mixing In A Pressurized Fluidized Bed, Willem Godlieb, Niels G. Deen, J.A.M. Kuipers

The 12th International Conference on Fluidization - New Horizons in Fluidization Engineering

A fluidized bed containing polymeric particles is investigated using a state-of-the-art soft-sphere discrete particle model (DPM). The pressure dependency of particle mixing, flow patterns and bubble behaviour are analysed. It is found that with increasing pressure a less distinct bubble-emulsion structure and improved solids mixing can be observed.

The Differential Effects Of Two Critical Osteoclastogenesis Stimulating Factors On Bone Biomechanics, Yuyu Yuan

All Dissertations

Many skeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis and malignant bone metastases, are generally osteolytic and associated with increased bone resorption and decreased bone strength. Within a complex cytokine environment, the proteins RANKL and M-CSF are critical for osteoclast differentiation and activation, and thus fundamental effectors of osteolytic disorders. Previous studies showed that M-CSF stimulates the proliferation and early differentiation of osteoclast progenitors to osteoclast lineage, while RANKL targets the later stages of fusion and activation, and stimulates the formation of functional active osteoclasts. However, impacts of artificially elevated levels of these proteins on the skeleton system have not been fully characterized. …