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Assessment Of The Performance Of Shape Memory Alloys As Implant Devices, Noura Ali Al-Khalifi

Theses

Shape memory alloys are one class of the family of smart materials. They are considered as biomaterials, since they are well accepted by the human body. One special feature of shape memory alloys (SMA) is their ability to revert to their previous shape. This material is deformed at low temperature and when it is heated, it returns (remember) to its original form. Although, the implant binary NiTi SMA is particularly successful as a biomaterial, our NiTi SMA consist of more that 50% (55.7%) of nickel. The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the biological response of the shape …

Labview-Controlled Stimulus Presentation On A Monitor For Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement Experiments, Florence Bautista Chua

Theses

Smooth pursuit is an example of how movements in the visual world guide involuntary oculomotor movements. A current system to study eye movements uses an oscilloscope screen. A computer screen offers many advantages: a greater visual field, the use of shapes, 32 bits of colors, and increased timing accuracy. To control stimulus display on a computer monitor, instrumentation was developed in LabVIEW. Initial studies supported a draw/redraw to erase method for stimulus presentation. An experiment compared the computer monitor to the oscilloscope. Indeed, the monitor display was an improvement over the oscilloscope for vision research.

Data Recording And Analysis Of American Sign Language, Robert Michael Demarco

Theses

American Sign Language (ASL) is a form of communication that is used by the Deaf. It consists of hand shapes and gestures to express words and phrases. Translators on the market today consist of interpreting a simple form of ASL known as finger spelling. In order to develop a more effective translator, instrumentation was developed utilizing a Flock of Birds and Cyberglove system to record in hand shapes and movements in a LabVIEW environment. Experimentation done included reading in data and subjectively analyzing the data recorded for accuracy. Initial results have show that the instrumentation worked and data was recorded …

Detecting Malfunction In Wireless Sensor Networks, Pablito C. Lake

Theses

The objective of this thesis is to detect malfunctioning sensors in wireless sensor networks. The ability to detect abnormality is critical to the security of any sensor network. However, the ability to detect a faulty wireless sensor is not trivial. Controlled repeatable experiments are difficult in wireless channels. A Redhat Linux. 7.0 Wireless Emulation Dynamic Switch software was used to solve this problem.

Six nodes were configured with a node acting as a base station. The nodes were all part of a cell. This means that every node could communicate with all other nodes. A client-server program simulated the background …

Intrusion Detection System For Ad Hoc Mobile Networks Using Neighborhood Watch Theory, Ramani Rajagopalan

Theses

This study describes several experiments to simulate and study temperature sensor networks. The ultimate goal of this study is to accurately predict a temperature sensor failure in a sensor network, using Network Neighborhood Watch theory. Simulated temperature measurements are used to compare the results of accuracy, and quickness in detecting a failure in a malfunctioning sensor node. This is done by changing the intervals between temperature sampling, by considering different rates of temperature raise, as well as varying the number of nodes in the network neighborhood (deployment density). The thesis studies the threshold for temperature sensor failure by computing a …

Design And Evaluation Of Processes For Fuel Fabrication: Quarterly Progress Report #7, Georg F. Mauer

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The seventh quarter of the project covered the following:

• Mr. Richard Silva continued the development of a simulation model with a Waelischmiller hot cell robot. Rich will continue to develop detailed 3-D process simulation models as his M.Sc. thesis project.

• Mr. Richard Silva presented a paper on hot cell robotics at the ANS student conference in Berkeley, CA.

• Concepts and Methods for Vision-Based Hot Cell Supervision and control, focusing on rule-based object recognition (Ph.D. Student Jae-Kyu Lee)

• Undergraduate student Jamil Renno, developed better control algorithms, and created simulations of pick and place actions for the hot …

Polar Sea Ice Mapping For Seawinds, Hyrum Spencer Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the scientific community has expressed interest in the ability to observe global climate indicators such as polar sea ice. Advances in microwave remote sensing technology have allowed a large-scale and detailed study of sea ice characteristics. This thesis provides the analysis and development of sea ice mapping algorithms for the SeaWinds scatterometer. First, an in-depth analysis of the Remund Long (RL) algorithm for SeaWinds is performed. From this study, several improvements are made to the RL algorithm which enhance its performance. In addition, a new method for automated polar sea ice mapping is developed for the SeaWinds …

Unlv Transmutation Research Program Proposal Year Iii: Design And Evaluation Of Processes For Fuel Fabrication, Georg F. Mauer

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

The objective of this project is the design and evaluation of manufacturing processes for transmuter fuel fabrication. The large-scale deployment of remote fabrication and refabrication processes will be required for all transmutation scenarios. Current program emphasis is on a five-year effort to determine the feasibility of transmutation as a technology to limit the need for repository storage of spent commercial fuel. The evaluation of the fabrication processes will create a decision support data base to document design, operations, and costs. Fabrication processes required for different fuel types differ in terms of equipment types, throughput, and cost. Differential cost Implications of …

Heat Exchanger Fouling In Phosphoric Acid Evaporators - Evaluation Of Field Data -, R. M. Behbahani, H. Müller-Steinhagen, M. Jamialahmadi

Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning: Fundamentals and Applications

Multistage evaporators are frequently used in phosphoric acid plants to increase the concentration of dilute phosphoric acid to 52-55 wt% P₂O₅. The concentrated phosphoric acid solution is supersaturated with respect to calcium sulfate. As a result, part of the calcium sulfate in the liquor deposits on the heat exchanger tube walls. Since the thermal conductivity of these scales is very low, thin deposits can create a significant resistance to heat transfer. Therefore, regular cleaning of heat exchangers is required, frequently at less than biweekly intervals. As the major costs in modern phosphoric acid plants are the …

Comparison Study Of Cooling Fins And Chills Effectiveness In Aluminum Sand Mold Casting, Vladimir E. Kouznetsov

Graduate Research Papers

Besides proper design of gating and risering systems, there are several methods used to control and modify solidification behavior of cast alloys. Within these methods, the most widely used are local cooling aids employing cooling fins (thin segments attached to problematic areas of casting) or external chills (metal inserts placed into mold walls to accelerate heat withdrawing from potential hot spot). The later helps to promote directional solidification when traditional methods are not possible to use due to limitations related to the casting design. Despite relatively wide application in aluminum foundries, there are no specific recommendations on cooling aids parameters …

Real-Time Image Analysis Of Living Cellular-Biology Measurements Of Intelligent Chemistry, J.C. Solinsky, Scott E. Budge, P.D. Majors, B. Rex

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper reports on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) DOE Initiative in Image Science and Technology (ISAT) research, which is developing algorithms and software tool sets for remote sensing and biological applications. In particular, the PNNL ISAT work is applying these research results to the automated analysis of real-time cellular biology imagery to assist the biologist in determining the correct data collection region for the current state of a conglomerate of living cells in three-dimensional motion. The real-time computation of the typical 120 MB/sec multi-spectral data sets is executed in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology, which has …

Using Satellite Imagery To Evaluate The Impact Of Urban Forest On Summertime Residential Electricity Consumption In Terre Haute, Indiana, Usa, James R. Boulton

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urban areas are horne to a large portion of the population of the United States and also a significant portion ofthe nation's forest resource. This urban forest contributes to the richness of the urban lifestyle in many ways, including aesthetic improvements, cleaning and protecting air, land, and water resources, and reducing the urban heat island effect. This thesis studies the degree to which energy reduction attributable to the urban forest can be determined using remotely sensed data. Results showed a slight inverse relationship between urban forest density and energy usage, meaning that as the density of trees increases there is …

Dam Design For Pastoral Stock Water Supplies, J S. Addison, R J. Law, G B. Eliot

Bulletins 4000 -

These notes provide information on many components of water harvesting storage systems designed for use in semi-arid areas. The notion of a water harvesting and storage system is deliberately emphasised. No single design component can be considered in isolation if the goal of a drought-proof water supply is to be achieved.

A drought-proof surface water supply is achieved by integrating the many design components of a water harvesting/storage system into a practical plan.

Assessment And Modeling Of Stream Mitigation Procedures [2003], Bernadette S. Dupont, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

As population increases, so does the need to improve and augment the road network. Construction of new roadways or modification of existing roads often requires diversion or modification of streams. If a stream is disturbed, government regulations require mitigation or compensatory replacement of the affected area in a similar environment. Stream mitigation is of particular importance in Kentucky, as Kentucky ranks second in the United States for having the most miles of waterways. Consequently, stream mitigation has become a significant factor in roadway construction costs. To date, no studies have been made to assess the execution of the mitigation plans …

Assessing The Benefits Of Misting–Cooling Systems For Growing/Finishing Swine As Affected By Environment And Pig Placement Date, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry W. Turner, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The NCPIG swine growth model was used to evaluate swine growth performance for Wilmington, North Carolina; Bardstown and Mayfield, Kentucky; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as influenced by the use of a misting–cooling system. Five pig placement dates (Julian days 106, 126, 146, 166, and 186) were evaluated for each location using 22 years of weather data (1978–1999). The use of a misting system, while quite variable, was found to be generally profitable, reducing the length of the time to reach market weight. As the placement date increased, the average return to misting ($/pig/year) decreased from $8.12 to $1.98 for Oklahoma …

Roadway Lighting And Driver Safety, Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this project were to: a) analyze the safety benefits associated with roadway lighting; b) determine the design of the lighting installation necessary to provide an adequate level of lighting; c) investigate how lighting affects the driver and the roadway’s surrounding environment; d) review the economic correlation between effective lighting and cost savings for the State; e) provide input for updating the current section on street and highway lighting in the Traffic Guidance Manual; and f) analyze crash data to identify nighttime high crash locations. The procedure involved a literature search, a survey of states, crash data analysis, …

Osteon Pullout In The Equine Third Metacarpal Bone: Effects Of Ex Vivo Fatigue, L. P. Hiller, S. M. Stover, V. A. Gibson, J. C. Gibeling, C. S. Prater, S. J. Hazelwood, O. C. Yeh, R. B. Martin

Biomedical Engineering

An important concept in bone mechanics is that osteons influence mechanical properties in several ways, including contributing to toughness and fatigue strength by debonding from the interstitial matrix so as to "bridge" developing cracks. Observations of "pulled out" osteons on fracture surfaces are thought to be indicative of such behavior. We tested the hypothesis that osteon pullout varies with mode of loading (fatigue vs. monotonic), cortical region, elastic modulus, and fatigue life. Mid-diaphseal beams from the dorsal, medial, and lateral regions of the equine third metacarpal bone were fractured in four point bending by monotonic loading to failure under deflection …

Co-Operation In Health And Safety: A Game Theory Analysis, Sylvie Nadeau

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] “Health and safety managers face complex challenges in today’s production environments. They are confronted with increasingly flexible, autonomous and polyvalent contexts. Asymmetry of information on the workplace is widespread because various intervening parties rely on information lacking conformity. Social partners generate and use information which supports or benefits their pursuit of differing goals. Ascertaining and controlling this information can prove both difficult and costly. When addressing health and safety issues, one intervening partner alters or changes behavior in response to changes introduced by the other side. Strategic behaviors result, based on post-contract opportunism (moral hazard) and alliances with partners …

Development Of An Atrophic Nonunion Model And Comparison To A Closed Healing Fracture In Rat Femur, Takeshi Kokubu, David J. Hak, Scott J. Hazelwood, A. Hari Reddi

Biomedical Engineering

Although most fractures heal, some fail to heal and become nonunions. Many animal models have been developed to study problems of fracture healing. The majority of nonunion models have involved segmental bone defects, but this may not adequately represent the biologic condition in which nonunions clinically develop. The objective of the present study is to develop a nonunion model that better simulates the clinical situation in which there is soft tissue damage including periosteal disruption and to compare this model to a standard closed fracture model utilizing identical fracture stabilization, providing a similar mechanical environment. A total of 96 three …

Rapid Prototyping Of Digital Controls For Power Electronics, Antonello Monti, Enrico Santi, Roger A. Dougal, Marco Riva

Faculty Publications

The process for designing digital controls for power electronics is typically quite convoluted and affords many opportunities for errors to occur. We present here a new and complete, method for rapid prototyping of digital controls that allows rapid realization of new designs. The approach uses a collection of tools that include both software (the virtual test bed (VTB) and Matlab/Simulink) and hardware (dSpace DSP). An example application of the methodology completes the discussion.

Reactive Oxygen Species Modulate Coronary Wall Shear Stress And Endothelial Function During Hyperglycemia, Eric R. Gross, John F. Ladisa, Dorothee Weihrauch, Lars E. Olson, Tobias T. Kress, Douglas Anthony Hettrick, Paul S. Pagel, David C. Warltier, Judy R. Kersten

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Hyperglycemia is associated with generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and this action may contribute to accelerated atherogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that hyperglycemia produces alterations in left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) wall shear stress concomitant with endothelial dysfunction and ROS production in dogs (n = 12) instrumented for measurement of LAD blood flow, velocity, and diameter. Dogs were randomly assigned to receive vehicle (0.9% saline) or the superoxide dismutase mimetic 4- hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (tempol) and were administered intravenous infusions of d-glucose to achieve target blood glucose concentrations of 350 and 600 mg/dl (moderate and severe hyperglycemia, respectively). Endothelial …

2003 - The Eighth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Eighth Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 18, 2003. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Solvent And Method For Extraction Of Triglyceride Rich Oil, Shubhender Kapila, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, V. J. Flanigan

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The present invention relates to a solvent for use in extracting oil from an oil bearing material, such as soybeans, with the solvent resulting in the selective extraction of a triglyceride rich oil, which contains 95% or greater triglycerides and non-polar constituents, with the solvent comprised of a hydrocarbon, preferably hexane, and a fluorocarbon, so that the solvent has a viscosity less than 2.6 centipoise and a polarity of less than 0.1. The present invention also relates to a method of using the solvent to extract the triglyceride rich oil, with the method including preferably extracting the oil at a …

Georgia Tech's Strategies For Global Engineers, Jack R. Lohmann

Enhancement of the Global Perspective for Engineering Students by Providing an International Experience

No abstract provided.

Mediterranean Engineering Schools' Network (Rmei), Zile Soilihi

Enhancement of the Global Perspective for Engineering Students by Providing an International Experience

No abstract provided.

The Airline Quality Rating 2003, Brent D. Bowen, Dean Headley, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 03-1

The Airline Quality Rating (AQR) was developed and first announced in early 1991 as an objective method of comparing airline quality on combined multiple performance criteria. This current report, the Airline Quality Rating 2003, reflects monthly Airline Quality Rating scores for 2002. AQR scores for the calendar year 2002 are based on 15 elements that focus on airline performance areas important to air travel consumers.

The Airline Quality Rating 2003 is a summary of month-by-month quality ratings for the 10 largest U.S. airlines operating during 2002. Using the Airline Quality Rating system of weighted averages and monthly …

Understanding Wavelet Analysis And Filters For Engineering Applications, Chethan Bangalore Parameswariah

Doctoral Dissertations

Wavelets are signal-processing tools that have been of interest due to their characteristics and properties. Clear understanding of wavelets and their properties are a key to successful applications. Many theoretical and application-oriented papers have been written. Yet the choice of a right wavelet for a given application is an ongoing quest that has not been satisfactorily answered. This research has successfully identified certain issues, and an effort has been made to provide an understanding of wavelets by studying the wavelet filters in terms of their pole-zero and magnitude-phase characteristics. The magnitude characteristics of these filters have flat responses in both …

User Interface Improvement For Mlpq System, Shasha Wu

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis describes the experience of migrating the MLPQ constraint database system, a complex standalone Multiple Document Interface (MDI) application, to a server-based remote accessible application. Centralized, standalone MDI application is a common style for personal software products in Windows. For a database management system, server-based, thin-client computing is a more popular infrastructure. Migrating an existing standalone constraint database application to be a web accessible constraint database server is the main goal of this thesis. This migration process provides a method for the constraint database system to collaborate with other specific applications. We rebuild the desktop MLPQ constraint database system …

Application Of Speech Recognition To African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) Vocalizations, Patrick J. Clemins, Michael T. Johnson

Dr. Dolittle Project: A Framework for Classification and Understanding of Animal Vocalizations

This paper presents a novel application of speech processing research, classification of African elephant vocalizations. Speaker identification and call classification experiments are performed on data collected from captive African elephants in a naturalistic environment. The features used for classification are 12 mel-frequency cepstral coefficients plus log energy computed using a shifted filter bank to emphasize the infrasound range of the frequency spectrum used by African elephants. Initial classification accuracies of 83.8% for call classification and 88.1% for speaker identification were obtained. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a universal analysis framework and robust feature set for animal …

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Jennifer Vaughan, Fred Bachhuber

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.