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A Single-Cell Atlas Of Bovine Skeletal Muscle Reveals Mechanisms Regulating Intramuscular Adipogenesis And Fibrogenesis, Leshan Wang, Peidong Gao, Chaoyang Li, Qianglin Liu, Zeyang Yao, Yuxia Li, Xujia Zhang, Jiangwen Sun, Constantine Simintiras, Matthew Welborn, Kenneth Mcmillin, Stephanie Oprescu, Shihuan Kuang, Xing Fu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background

Intramuscular fat (IMF) and intramuscular connective tissue (IMC) are often seen in human myopathies and are central to beef quality. The mechanisms regulating their accumulation remain poorly understood. Here, we explored the possibility of using beef cattle as a novel model for mechanistic studies of intramuscular adipogenesis and fibrogenesis.

Methods

Skeletal muscle single-cell RNAseq was performed on three cattle breeds, including Wagyu (high IMF), Brahman (abundant IMC but scarce IMF), and Wagyu/Brahman cross. Sophisticated bioinformatics analyses, including clustering analysis, gene set enrichment analyses, gene regulatory network construction, RNA velocity, pseudotime analysis, and cell-cell communication analysis, were performed to elucidate …

A Type-2 Fuzzy Rule-Based Model For Diagnosis Of Covid-19, İhsan Şahi̇n, Erhan Akdoğan, Mehmet Emi̇n Aktan

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In this study, a type-2 fuzzy logic-based decision support system comprising clinical examination and blood test results that health professionals can use in addition to existing methods in the diagnosis of COVID-19 has been developed. The developed system consists of three fuzzy units. The first fuzzy unit produces COVID-19 positivity as a percentage according to the respiratory rate, loss of smell, and body temperature values, and the second fuzzy unit according to the C-reactive protein, lymphocyte, and D-dimer values obtained as a result of the blood tests. In the third fuzzy unit, the COVID-19 positivity risks according to the clinical …

Basismap: Sequence-Based Similarity Search For Geomagnetic Positioning, Tevfi̇k Kadioğlu, Burcu Erkmen

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Indoor localization has become a popular topic with the development of location-based services (LBS) and indoor navigation systems. Beside these circumstances indoor positioning has been the focus of attention for researchers as the most important component of these applications. Many signals are used as distinguishable features for indoor positioning. RF-based Wi-Fi and BLE systems are the most popular ones and these have been preferred because of their high distinguishable feature. The use of geomagnetism, a natural signal found all over the world, has also been of interest to many researchers. Geomagnetic signals being distorted in the indoor area due to …

Lvq Treatment For Zero-Shot Learning, Firat İsmai̇loğlu

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In image classification, there are no labeled training instances for some classes, which are therefore called unseen classes or test classes. To classify these classes, zero-shot learning (ZSL) was developed, which typically attempts to learn a mapping from the (visual) feature space to the semantic space in which the classes are represented by a list of semantically meaningful attributes. However, the fact that this mapping is learned without using instances of the test classes affects the performance of ZSL, which is known as the domain shift problem. In this study, we propose to apply the learning vector quantization (LVQ) algorithm …

Rapid-Throughput Analysis Of 1,4-Dioxane In Plants By Centrifugal Sampling And Phytoforensic Analysis For Site Delineation And Assessing Enhanced Rhizodegradation, Anthony Eberechukwu Oha

Masters Theses

"Owing to its broad use and environmental persistence, 1,4-dioxane (dioxane) poses a notable threat to public health and is recalcitrant to traditional remedial systems. Dioxane moves readily in an aqueous environment and is an emerging contaminant in drinking water, surface water, groundwater, and wastewater. The extent of dioxane in the biosphere is also difficult to delineate, particularly in the subsurface. Phytoremediation has demonstrated the potential for dioxane groundwater remediation. Recent findings indicate that plant-microbial symbiosis may be more advantageous for limiting potential transport and transfer into plant tissues and the atmosphere. Bioaugmentation of the rhizosphere paired with soil amendments has …

Zinc Oxide Based Nanomaterials And Device Designs - For Bioenergy Harvesting, Sensing And Water Purification, Congran Jin

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Biomechanical energy harvested from the human body can power implantable electronics such as cardiac pacemakers, replacing conventional batteries and offering a lifelong energy solution. The electrical signals converted from biomechanical motions contain vital physiological information, making them suitable as a sensor to monitor one's health condition. Zinc Oxide (ZnO) is a versatile material with various intriguing properties, including piezoelectricity, photo-catalytic and piezo-catalytic properties. This thesis aims to exploit and enhance these properties of ZnO by rationally designing its nano- and micron-structures and employing them, along with other functional materials, in the development of novel biomechanical energy harvesting, water purification, and …

Biogeography Of Functional Traits And Fire Regimes In Oak Species (Quercus) Across The United States, Ashley Selee

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis is submitted in the form of two chapters. The first chapter encompasses background research, a literature review, important information, as well as motivation for our study. This first chapter provides insight into fire ecology, functional traits, and context about Quercus. The second chapter is written as a standalone paper for submission to the journal of Global Ecology and Biogeography, thus this second chapter can be read and understood independently of the first chapter. The study of biogeography is a discipline encompassing a species distribution across varying ecosystems in space and time. Biogeography allows for the synthesis of large-scale …

Multiple Uav-Lidar Placement Optimization Under Road Priority And Resolution Requirements, Zachary Osterwisch, Omar Rinchi, Ahmad Alsharoa, Hakim Ghazzai, Yehia Massoud

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) integrated with the remote sensing technology of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) can provide accurate and real-time road traffic information. In this paper, we propose to equip UAVs with LiDAR sensors for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) applications. The goal is to find the optimal 3D placement of multiple UAV-LiDAR (ULiDs) for a given road segmentation. We formulate an optimization problem to find the optimal placement such that the road coverage efficiency is maximized. The optimization problem is constrained by notable ULiD specifications such as field-of-view (FoV), point-cloud density, geographic information system (GIS) location, and road …

การพัฒนากรอบแนวคิดในการประยุกต์ใช้เทคโนโลยีความเป็นจริงแบบผสมร่วมกับปัญญาประดิษฐ์เพื่อตรวจสอบคุณภาพการติดตั้งอุปกรณ์งานระบบบนแบบจำลองกรณีศึกษาผนังคอนกรีตสำเร็จรูป, จริวัฒน์ เตียวัฒนานนท์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การก่อสร้างแผ่นผนังคอนกรีตสำเร็จรูปส่วนใหญ่จำเป็นต้องติดตั้งชุดงานระบบ (เครื่องกล, ไฟฟ้า, และสุขาภิบาล) ซึ่งถูกฝังภายในผนังคอนกรีตสำเร็จรูประหว่างกระบวนการผลิต ดังนั้นการติดตั้งงานระบบอย่างถูกต้องมีคุณภาพดีส่งผลให้ระบบสามารถทำงานได้อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ อย่างไรก็ตามการติดตั้งงานระบบด้วยคนงานยังคงก่อให้เกิดปัญหาจากความไม่ชำนาญหรือประสบการณ์ของคนงานในการเลือกอุปกรณ์และตำแหน่งของการวางชิ้นงาน งานวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อพัฒนากรอบแนวคิดในการตรวจสอบคุณภาพของการติดตั้งชิ้นส่วนงานระบบในแผ่นผนังคอนกรีตโดยประยุกต์ใช้เทคโนโลยีปัญญาประดิษฐ์ร่วมกับเทคโนโลยีโลกเสมือนจริง ระบบตรวจสอบจะแบ่งออกเป็น 2 ส่วนหลัก คือระบบตรวจสอบชนิดของวัสดุงานระบบและระบบตรวจสอบตำแหน่งและลำดับการติดตั้งวัสดุงานระบบ โดยงานวิจัยมีขั้นตอนการพัฒนาระบบดังนี้ การปรับแต่งโมเดลปัญญาประดิษฐ์ด้วย Mask R-CNN, การประมวลผลรูปภาพด้วย Instant Segmentation, การพัฒนาระบบสำหรับปฏิบัติการบนเครื่อง Microsoft HoloLens, การพัฒนาระบบโอนถ่ายข้อมูลด้วย Restful API และทดสอบระบบการติดตั้งชิ้นส่วนงานระบบบนโมเดลกรณีศึกษา ผลวิจัยแสดงให้เห็นว่าระบบสามารถตรวจสอบการติดตั้งระบบบนโมเดลกรณีศึกษาแผ่นผนังคอนกรีตสำเร็จรูปโดยใช้เทคโนโลยีความจริงเสมือนแบบผสมร่วมกับโมเดลปัญญาประดิษฐ์ Modified Mask R-CNN โดยการทดสอบกำหนดเกณฑ์ผ่านคือ ค่าความเชื่อมั่นที่มากกว่า 80% สำหรับการตรวจสอบชนิดวัสดุ และเกณฑ์ผ่านสำหรับการตรวจสอบตำแหน่งและลำดับการติดตั้งวัสดุคือ ค่าความคล้ายกันมากกว่า 80% โดยการตรวจสอบในแต่ละขั้นตอนใช้ระยะเวลาอยู่ที่ 15-25 วินาที และมีความคลาดเคลื่อนเฉลี่ยสำหรับแสดงผลโมเดลสามมิติน้อยกว่า 0.5 เซนติเมตร

Value-Added Natural Fiber As A Biocompatible Substrate For Chemical Sensor Applications, Wisarttra Phamonpon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This dissertation focuses on the improvement and value added of natural fiber extracted from the UHT milk carton waste, and raw silk cocoon to fabricate the biocompatible substrate for chemical sensors, principally in colorimetric and electrochemical sensors, which is allocated in 3 main parts. Initially, the background studying of the surface modification and the function of natural fiber based chemical sensor for food quality control and clinical diagnosis will be explained in a review article. Subsequently, the development of recycled cellulose from UHT milk carton waste as a novel substrate of dual lactate sensor for milk spoilage indication will be …

Heavy Metal Distribution Pattern And Potential Ecological Risk In Roadside Soils As A Function Of Highway Traffic, Wassamon Thongaiod

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Roadside soil contamination by heavy metals due to traffic pollution presents a significant environmental concern. Assessing concentration levels and evaluating ecological risks are crucial steps toward understanding and mitigating this issue. This study focuses on soil properties and the presence of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) along two high-traffic highways in Thailand. The empirical geological background was determined by sampling the parent materials. Out of 40 roadside soil surface samples collected, the average levels of Cu, Pb, and Zn surpass background concentrations. Significant differences in heavy metal concentrations between the two highways …

Modification Of Natural Fibrous Materials For Sar-Cov-2 Diagnostic And Ph-Simulated Theranostic Applications, Pornchanok Punnoy

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This dissertation investigates the development of colorimetric sensors utilizing natural fibrous materials modified by nanomaterials to enhance the performance of chemical sensors and theranostic devices for healthcare applications. The work is divided into two main sections. The first section, cellulose is utilized as a dual-function platform for qualitative screening of SAR-CoV-2 for COVID-19 diagnosis by colorimetric sensor and quantitative detection by mass spectrometry. The cellulose is modified with gold nanoparticles conjugated to monoclonal antibodies, enabling the specific detection of viral protein antigens through colorimetric changes resulting from nanoparticle aggregation. This platform demonstrates a detection range from 0.01 to 1 µg·mL−1 …

Image-Base Adaptive Proportional Topology Optimization Of Infill Structure Using Polygon Sbfe Approach, Sompong Rungsawang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The use of infill structures is widespread in additive manufacturing applications, offering porous domains that are well-suited for withstanding various physical loadings. This thesis introduces a novel approach, namely Proportional Topology Optimization (PTO), leveraging an automatic image-based quadtree Scaled Boundary Finite Element (SBFE) framework. The SBFE, where sub-domains are treated as polygonal elements in 2D, is employed to address the hanging node issue. The methodology is extended to design infill structures by minimizing compliance concerning force variations, subject to local volume fraction constraints rather than a global volume constraint for each element in the design domain. Material density for each …

Development Of Technetium-99m Labeled Psma For Spect Prostate Cancer Imaging, Kalapaphuk Tachatumvitoon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) is the most employed radionuclide in nuclear imaging diagnosis because of its ideal physiochemical properties and ready availability. It particularly suitable for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), leading to cost-effective compared to other radionuclides. This study consists of two aims to expand the utilization of Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical for prostate cancer which is one of the highest incidence rates and mortality cancer among men. Currently, Tc-99m radiopharmaceutical for SPECT diagnosis is not clinically available for prostate cancer. Firstly, the new formulation for Tc-99m complexation with PSMA-617, a current ligand for radionuclide therapy of prostate cancer with lutetium-177 (Lu-177), …

Marineepi: A Gui-Based Matlab Toolbox To Simulate Marine Pathogen Transmission, Gorka Bidegain, Tal Ben-Horin, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann

CCPO Publications

The Graphical User Interface (GUI) MarineEpi is presented as a Matlab toolbox for easily (i) constructing disease transmission models for different marine host-pathogen systems, (ii) running simulations by specifying initial conditions and model parameters, and (iii) interpreting the resulting time series of the host and pathogen population dynamics. MarineEpi users can generate models for systems in which pathogen transmission occurs through contact with infected individuals (SI), contact with dead infected individuals (SID), contact with environmental pathogens released by infected individuals (SIP), and contact with environmental pathogens released by dead infected individuals (SIPD). MarineEpi is a freely available GUI that provides …

Analysis Of Underwater Noise Due To Pile Driving In Florida Using Individual Hammer Blows, Consolatha Constantine Mushi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, the potential impact on marine organisms of sound waves generated by pile driving has become a growing concern. Previous research in this field has predominantly relied upon single-strike averages to analyze underwater sound data. However, it was unclear from these analyses if or how much attenuation may vary during typical pile drives. This study involved collecting sound data from multiple locations during a given pile driving operation at the same time and used these data to analyze sound decay from each hammer blow individually. In addition to this, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to better understand …

Corporate Governance And Risk-Taking: A Statistical Approach, Steven L. Schwarcz

Faculty Scholarship

Because prudent corporate governance often requires managers to take risks based on statistically expected outcomes, corporate failures that have a small but finite chance of occurring cannot always be prevented. This Article makes three related claims about risk-taking in corporate governance.

This Article’s first claim is that managers should not automatically be presumed to be at fault for corporate failures that result from risk-taking decisions based on statistical methodologies that reasonably justify the decisions ex ante. Conceptually, the business judgment rule should protect corporate managers for engaging in a reasonable decision-making process, including one that is statistically based. Jurisdictionally, however, …

Thermotrophy Exploratory Study, James Weifu Lee

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The question of whether environmental heat energy could be utilized as a source of energy for biological metabolism is the center of this exploratory research. In 1979, this author postulated a hypothesis for the existence of thermotrophs that could isothermally utilize environmental heat energy as a source of their energy on Earth. According to this hypothesis, the thermotrophs could be the first primitive forms of life in the early Earth environment. The chemotrophs and phototrophs that we currently are all well familiar with might have been evolved somehow from the primitive thermotrophs. Furthermore, all the organisms currently regarded as the …

Advancing Internet Viewpoint Diversity: A Novel Algorithm And A Corpus Creation Tool, Jeffrey Harwell

CGU Theses & Dissertations

A fundamental requirement for Western democracy is an informed and engaged electorate with access to a wide range of viewpoints. However, concerns have arisen regarding how information technology affects the diversity of viewpoints available. In response to an increasingly polarized society and worries surrounding filter bubbles and algorithmic bias, this research presents a novel tool for constructing internet-based topical corpora and an algorithm tailored for viewpoint detection and the curation of diverse search results.Following a comprehensive exploration of viewpoint diversity through the lenses of mass media, social psychology, and information retrieval, this dissertation presents an approach to operationalize viewpoint diversity …

On Neutro-La-Semihypergroups And Neutro-Hv-La-Semigroup, Saeid Mirvakili, Akbar Rezaei, Omaima Al-Shanqiti, Florentin Smarandache, Bijan Davvaz

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this paper, we extend the notion of LA-semihypergroups (resp. Hv-LA-semigroups) to neutro-LA-semihypergroups (respectively, neutro-Hv-LA-semigroups). Anti-LA-semihypergroups (respectively, anti-Hv-LA-semigroups) are studied and investigated some of their properties. We show that these new concepts are different from classical concepts by several examples. These are particular cases of the classical algebraic structures generalized to neutroalgebraic structures and antialgebraic structures (Smarandache, 2019).

A Framework To Define And Quantify Leadership Styles Within Navy Engineering Units, Megan Praschak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This study aimed to develop a framework for the U.S. Navy's leadership styles by assessing self-perceived leadership styles in a sample of reserve Engineering Duty Officers (EDOs) and the Senior Enlisted Leaders (SELs) in these technical units. Transformational and transactional leadership styles were examined using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Form (Avolio & Bass, 2004), while the servant leadership style was analyzed using the Servant Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SLSQ) (Sandling, 2021). The effect of rank and the triad leadership position on leadership style was explored in this study. The survey was made available to all EDOs and SELs (n = …

3-Dimensional Muscle Constructs: Using Hydrogels In Order To Model The Effects Of Exercise In Disease Conditions, Mark Mchargue

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Currently, there is no standard in vitro model for studying the effects of mechanical stimulation on muscle in type II diabetes. Existing models primarily utilize electrical stimulation, which does not fully recapitulate the effects of exercise. In this thesis, we create a standardized in vitro model of murine muscle that can recapitulate the benefits seen in exercise when mechanically stimulated. Moreover, we show that a type II diabetes environment has similar effects on the muscle in vitro as well as in vivo.

Multiscale And Multimodality Optical Imaging Of Brain Hemodynamics And Function, Mehrana Mohtasebi

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Frequent measurement of cerebral hemodynamics is crucial for continuous assessment of brain function and health. Low-frequency oscillations (LFOs; < 0.1 Hz) have shown promise as an indicator of altered neurologic activity in the abnormal brain. Moreover, quantification of temporal correlations in LFOs across distinct brain regions enables mapping of regional neurovascular disorders. Portable diffuse optical techniques such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) enable noninvasive and continuous measurements of cerebral oxygenation and cerebral blood flow (CBF), respectively. However, most NIRS/DCS systems use limited numbers of discrete light sources and detectors and thus lack combinations of high temporal/spatial resolution and large field-of-view (FOV) for brain imaging. Recent development of an innovative noncontact speckle contrast diffuse correlation tomography (scDCT) in our lab provides a low-cost and portable tool for high-density imaging of CBF distributions over large FOVs. The scDCT uses a galvo-mirror to remotely deliver coherent point near-infrared light to multiple source positions and a CMOS camera as a high-density 2-D detector array to quantify spatial fluctuations of diffuse laser speckles, resulting from movement of red blood cells. Boundary CBF data were input to a unique finite-element-method (FEM)-based reconstruction algorithm for 3-D imaging of CBF distributions. However, scDCT was hindered for extracting LFOs due to its low sampling rate. In this study, scDCT was optimized to achieve high sampling rates and fast image reconstructions by use of moving window algorithms with parallel computations (Project 1). Power spectral density (PSD) analysis was performed to investigate altered LFOs during transient cerebral ischemia in neonatal piglets. Transient cerebral ischemia caused reductions in both CBF and PSD, supporting inclusion of scDCT in the growing field of LFO analysis. One remaining limitation was the long computational time required for 3-D reconstruction, which prohibited real-time applications. To overcome this limitation, a depth-sensitive diffuse speckle contrast topography (DSCT) method was developed for analyzing scDCT data to achieve fast and high-density 2-D mapping of CBF distribution without the need of complex and time-consuming 3-D reconstructions (Project 2). New head-simulating phantoms with known optical/geometric properties were designed and fabricated to evaluate the spatial resolution and depth sensitivity of DSCT method. In-vivo experiments verified the capability of DSCT in tracking dynamic changes in CBF at different depths during CO₂ inhalation and transient cerebral ischemia in rats. In addition to preclinical studies, a low-cost, wearable, fluorescence eye loupe (FLoupe) device was invented for intraoperative visualization of brain tumor margin in the clinic (Project 3). Consistent results were observed against an expensive, large, standard fluorescence operative microscope for the guidance of tumor resection. Overall, through 3 projects this dissertation demonstrated a variety of noninvasive noncontact optical technologies (scDCT, DSCT, and FLoupe) that enabled multiscale (rodents, piglets, and humans) and …

A Wearable Fiber-Free Optical Sensor For Continuous Measurements Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Oxygenation, Xuhui Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Wearable technologies for continuous monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics in freely behaving subjects not only advance our understanding of cognitive processing and adaptive behavior, but also provide vital information for diagnosis and therapeutic assessment of cerebral diseases associated with hypoxia/ischemia. Wearable near-infrared diffuse optical techniques have been used at the bedside to probe deep cerebral hemodynamics, including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for cerebral oxygenation measurement and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) for cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement, respectively. However, most systems are relatively large and expensive, and use rigid fiber-optic probes that significantly constrain subject’s movement. A novel, wearable, fiber-free diffuse speckle contrast …

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (Qmra) For Urban Stormwater Reuse After Treatment Through A Bioretention System, Isaac Oluk

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Bioretention, also referred to as a stormwater biofilter, is an extensively used low-impact development technology for both stormwater management and water quality gains. However, little attention has been paid to the acceptability and uncertainty of human health risks associated with the treatment performance of bioretention filter media, and non-potable water reuse scenarios to guide decision-making and system design. This study uses bioretention mechanistic modeling paired with quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) under uncertainty to evaluate human health risks from two reference pathogens – Campylobacter jejuni and Cryptosporidium. Consumption of irrigated green salad, consumption of raw green salad washed with effluent, …

Prediction Of Chlorine And Disinfection Byproduct Concentration In Water Distribution Systems Using Kypipe And Tthm Regression Models: Application To Two Systems In Kentucky, Yogesh Gautam

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

The main objective of this research is to study if the hydraulic and water quality models can be used for water quality analysis of chlorine decay and TTHM formation at various locations across a water distribution system. This is particularly important because it is not always easy or economical to take multiple field samples and analyze them in the laboratory. In this study, models of two different water distribution systems (one more urban and efficiently managed system located in a relative flat topography, and other more rural and less efficiently managed system located in a mountainous topography) were developed in …

Assessment Of Air Overpressure From Blasting Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Cecilia Estefania Aramayo

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Air overpressure is a shock wave that occurs when explosives detonate and travel through the air. This can cause damage and annoyance in mining blasts, making it a significant concern for the surroundings of the operation. Currently, the cube root scale distance is used to predict air overpressure, but this method has limitations. To accurately determine air overpressure behavior, a new method is needed. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a reliable and advanced technique that can simulate and solve complex physical problems, including the behavior of air overpressure. In this thesis, two techniques, the bursting balloon, and total pressure boundary, …

Multiscale Modeling Of Cardiac Growth And Baroreflex Control, Hossein Sharifi

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

The heart functions within a complex system that adapts its function to any alteration in loading via several mechanisms. For example, the baroreflex is a short-term feedback loop that modulates the heart's function on a beat-to-beat basis to control arterial pressure. On the other hand, cardiac growth is a long-term adaptive response that occurs over weeks or months in response to changes in left ventricular loading. Understanding the mechanisms that drive ventricular growth and biological remodeling is critical to improving patient care. Multiscale models of the cardiovascular system have emerged as effective tools for investigating G&R, offering the ability to …

Nanopesticide Influence On Nitrogen Cycling In Soils, Jacob Richardson

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Nanotechnology has several applications in the agricultural industry, as the small size of nanoparticles and high reactivity enables targeted delivery of pesticides and fertilizers to the intended crop. Copper-based nanopesticides such as Kocide, are proposed as a more efficient method for targeted pest control. Despite the potential benefits of nanopesticides, little is known regarding the transport and implications of nanopesticides under long-term inundation conditions often found in downstream wetlands. Specifically, the impact of nanopesticides on microbial nitrogen processes in wetland environments remains unknown. Therefore, this thesis explores the impact of nanopesticides, specifically Kocide, on microbial nitrogen cycles in agricultural and …

Densification Of Hemp Floral Biomass Pre And Post-Extraction: Determination Of Pellet Physical Characteristics, Gary Lopez

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The production of cannabidiol (CBD) from the floral material of Cannabis sativa L.is of great interest to the hemp industry. The low bulk density oh hemp floral material presents challenges in terms of storage and handling. To improve handling and storage characteristics, both intact (pre-extraction) and supercritical CO₂ extracted hemp floral materials were pelletized. Intact floral material (BaOx) was passed through a hammer mill with a 5 mm screen; while, extracted floral material (Hawaiian Haze) was ball milled through a 60 mesh (250 microns) prior to extraction. Pelletization was conducted using a 3.7 kW pilot scale flat ring …