Digital Commons Network^™

Discovering Weak Community Structures In Large Biological Networks , Jianhua Ruan, Weixiong Zhang

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

Identifying intrinsic structures in large networks is a fundamental problem in many fields, such as biology, engineering and social sciences. Motivated by biology applications, in this paper we are concerned with identifying community structures, which are densely connected sub-graphs, in large biological networks. We address several critical issues for finding community structures. First, biological networks directly constructed from experimental data often contain spurious edges and may also miss genuine connections. As a result, community structures in biological networks are often weak. We introduce simple operations to capture local neighborhood structures for identifying weak communities. Second, we consider the issue of …

Preparative Synthesis Of Dtdp-L-Rhamnose Through Combined Enzymatic Pathways, Young Bok Abraham Kang, Yung-Hun Yang, Kwang-Won Lee, Sun-Gu Lee, Jae Kyung Sohng, Hei Chan Lee, Kwangkyoung Liou, Byung-Gee Kim

Faculty Publications - Biomedical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering

dTDP-L-rhamnose, an important precursor of O-antigen, was prepared on a large scale from dTMP by executing an one-pot reaction in which six enzymes are involved. Two enzymes, dTDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-glucose 3,5-epimerase and dTDP-4-keto-rhamnose reductase, responsible for the conversion of dTDP-4-keto-6-deoxy- D-glucose to dTDP-L-rhamnose, were isolated from their putative sequences in the genome of Mesorhizobium loti, functionally expressed in Escherichia coli, and their enzymatic activities were identified. The two enzymes were combined with an enzymatic process for dTDP-4- keto-6-deoxy-D-glucose involving TMP kinase, acetate kinase, dTDP-glucose synthase, and dTDP-glucose 4,6- dehydratase, which allowed us to achieve a preparative scale synthesis of dTDP-L-rhamnose using dTMP …

Dual-Stage Thermally Actuated Surface-Micromachined Nanopositioners, Neal B. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

Nanopositioners have been developed with electrostatic, piezoelectric, magnetic, thermal, and electrochemical actuators. They move with as many as six degrees of freedom; some are composed of multiple stages that stack together. Both macro-scale and micro-scale nanopositioners have been fabricated. A summary of recent research in micropositioning and nanopositioning is presented to set the background for this work. This research project demonstrates that a dual-stage nanopositioner can be created with microelectromechanical systems technology such that the two stages are integrated on a single silicon chip. A nanopositioner is presented that has two stages, one for coarse motion and one for fine …

Lethality Of Bacillus Anthracis Spores Due To Short Duration Heating Measured Using Infrared Spectroscopy, Kristina M. Goetz

Theses and Dissertations

There are a number of analytical and semi-empirical models that describe the behavior of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Many of these require modification for all types of weather, dry versus wet deposition, and overall effects can be quite non-linear. Rainfall (rate, drop size, etc.), snowfall (rate, flake size, etc.), humidity, pressure, temperature, and combination of these greatly affect particle settling and washout rates. To that end, a method for tracking released constituents using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) microphysics package is developed by modifying one of the hydrometeor categories (hail) in the microphysics package. The RAMS microphysics package …

Evaluation Of Toxic Agent Effects On Lung Cells By Fiber Evanescent Wave Spectroscopy, Pierre Lucas, David Lee Coq, Christophe Juncker, Jayne Collier, Dianne E. Boesewetter, Catherine Boussard-Pledel, Bruno Bureau, Mark R. Riley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Biochemical changes in living cells are detected using a fiber probe system composed of a single chalcogenide fiber acting as both the sensor and transmission line for infrared optical signals. The signal is collected via evanescent wave absorption along the tapered sensing zone of the fiber. We spectroscopically monitored the effects of the surfactant Triton X-lOO, which serves as a toxic agent simulant on a transformed human lung carcinoma type II epithelial cell line (A549). We observe spectral changes between 2800-3000 cm-1 in four absorptions bands, which are assigned to hydrocarbon vibrations of methylene and methyl groups in membrane lipids. …

A Novel Role For Gadd45Β As A Mediator Of Mmp-13 Gene Expression During Chondrocyte Terminal Differentiation, Kosei Ijiri, Luiz F. Zerbini, Haibing Peng, Ricardo G. Correa, Binfeng Lu, Nicole Walsh, Yani Zhao, Noboru Taniguchi, Xu-Ling Huang, Hasan H. Otu, Hong Wang, Jian Fei Wang, Setsuro Komiya, Patricia Ducy, Mahboob U. Rahman, Richard A. Flavell, Ellen M. Gravallese, Peter Oettgen, Towia A. Libermann, Mary B. Goldring

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

The growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible 45β (GADD45β) gene product has been implicated in the stress response, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Here we demonstrated the unexpected expression of GADD45β in the embryonic growth plate and uncovered its novel role as an essential mediator of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) expression during terminal chondrocyte differentiation. We identified GADD45β as a prominent early response gene induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) through a Smad1/Runx2-dependent pathway. Because this pathway is involved in skeletal development, we examined mouse embryonic growth plates, and we observed expression of Gadd45β mRNA coincident with Runx2 protein …

Two Case Histories Of Blast- & Traffic-Induced Vibrations On The Stability Of Burrows Of Endangered Sensitive Ground Dwelling Animals, John A. Barneich, Jay Arabshshi, Steven K. Duke

International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

Two case histories are presented where jurisdictional authorities expressed a concern regarding the impact of blast and construction traffic induced vibrations on the stability of the burrows of endangered ground dwelling species. The first case history involved the use of explosives proposed to be used for a seismic survey in the vicinity of desert tortoise burrows. The concern was that the use of explosives in the vicinity of a tortoise burrow could cause the collapse of an occupied burrow potentially trapping the tortoise within the burrow. Field tests were performed by constructing artificial tortoise burrows and inducing progressively higher vibration …

Measurement Of Mode Patterns In A High-Power Microwave Cavity, Sergey Kharkovsky, U. C. Hasar

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A wet thermal paper method for measuring of mode patterns and heat distributions in a high-power microwave multimode cavity is developed. The exposure time of the paper is evaluated. It is shown that this method allows measuring and recording mode patterns in the loaded and unloaded cavity, and the heat distribution inside the cavity with a load movement. The mode patterns and heat distributions along horizontal and vertical planes of the cavity are presented. Possible applications of the method in medicine and biology are discussed, and a calibration protocol of a microwave oven for microwave radiation exposure on cell cultures …

How Should Governments Address High Levels Of Natural Radiation And Radon--Lessons From The Chernobyl Nuclear Accident And Ramsar, Iran, S. M. Javad Mortazavi, M. Ghiassi-Nejad, Azam Niroomand-Rad, P. Andrew Karam, John R. Cameron

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The authors discuss the high levels of natural background radiation in Ramsar, Iran, and offer data indicating that this has had little effect on the health of Ramsar's inhabitants. The authors then examine the implications their research could have for public health policy.

Battery-Operated Atomic Force Microscope, Burford J. Furman, J. Christman, M. Kearny, F. Wojcik, M. Tortonese

Faculty Publications, Mechanical Engineering

The design of a battery-operated atomic force microscope (AFM) using a piezoresistive cantilever is described. The AFM is designed so that all power to drive the scanning tube and detection electronics comes from a self-contained battery. The prototype AFM uses a 6 V, Ni–Cd, camcorder battery, however, any battery that supplies between 6 and 12 V may be used. Scanner control and data acquisition are implemented using commercially available software running on an external computer. The prototype AFM achieves a scan area of 53 by 53 μm, consumes 1.8 W of power, and can scan continuously for about 7 h …

Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond Tips For Scanning Tunneling Microscopy, Sacharia Albin, Jianli Zheng, John B. Cooper, Weihai Fu, Arnel C. Lavarias

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Diamond microparticles were grown on etched tungsten wires using a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. The apexes on cubo-octahedral particles bound by {100} and {111} facets were effectively used as tunneling tips for scanning tunneling microscopy. The atomically resolved surface image of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite was acquired. Tunneling characteristics revealed a higher electron emission from the diamond tips than that from the platinum–iridium tips. The same diamond tips were used to produce surface indentation and its image. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.

Diamond For Fiber-Optic Raman Spectroscopy, Jianli Zheng

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for molecular structural studies and concentration measurement. Being a single beam technique, the Raman intensity depends on the optical power of the excitation source, optical alignment of the system, detector response as well as species concentration. To eliminate the unwanted variations in the system and get the concentration information of the species, intensity referencing is necessary. The existing referencing methods either use a constant Raman band of the sample, or add a chemically inert material with known concentration into the sample. Unfortunately, the former method is not always applicable and the latter is not …

Anaerobic Digestion And Acid Hydrolysis Of Nitrocellulose, Fong-Jung Tai

Dissertations

In this investigation, studies were conducted to evaluate the biodegradation of nitrocellulose in anaerobic batch reactors with and without the supplemental carbon inducers, such as cellulose, cellobiose, and lactose. Results from the anaerobic study show that degradation of nitrocellulose alone is difficult and that nitrocellulose degradative enzymes could be induced by the three inducers tested. As high as 48.91% conversion could be obtained at Cellulose/Nitrocellulose ratio of 1 to I. Studies also indicated that type 20 and 50 celluloses would be more effective and optimum pH was about 6.4 in biodegradation of nitrocellulose. Three testing systems, namely, single-stage, two-stage, and …

Spatio-Temporal Pattern Recognition Using Hidden Markov Models, Kenneth H. Fielding

Theses and Dissertations

A new spatio-temporal method for identifying 3D objects found in 2D image sequences is presented. The Hidden Markov Model technique is used as a spatio-temporal classification algorithm to identify 3D objects by the temporal changes in observed shape features. A new information theoretic argument is developed that proves identifying objects based on image sequences can lead to higher classification accuracies than single look methods. A new distance measure is proposed that analyzes the performance of Hidden Markov Models in a multi-class pattern recognition problem. A three class problem identifying moving light display objects provides experimental verification of the sequence processing …

Biomechanical Comparison Of Interosseous And Subperiosteal Flexor Tendon Reattachment, Alisa Beth Olin

Theses

This study was undertaken to biomechanically compare the interosseous and subperiosteal distal flexor tendon reattachment techniques. Twenty New Zealand white rabbits underwent division of the right second and third hind limb profundus flexor tendon distal to the insertion of the superficial flexor. All tendons were repaired using the Kleinnert-Bunnell configuration with a 5-0 nylon tied over a cotton pad on the dorsum of the digit. In half of the animals, the second profundus was reattached into a hole in the middle phalanx and the third profundus was reattached after periosteal stripping of the middle phalanx. The other animals underwent subperiosteal …

Disinfection Of Wastewater Using Ultraviolet Radiation, David L. Klemm

Theses

The disadvantages associated with the use of chlorine for disinfection, in conjunction with improvements in ultraviolet radiation disinfection technologies have led to the recent increased use of ultraviolet radiation to provide disinfection of effluents from wastewater treatment plants. The theory of ultraviolet radiation and the engineering design of the ultraviolet disinfection system are discussed in depth.

The operational history and records of two wastewater treatment plants that use ultraviolet radiation for disinfection were analyzed in an attempt to develop correlations on the factors that affect ultraviolet radiation disinfection efficiency and to investigate as to whether disinfection with ultraviolet radiation is …

Surface Modification Of Polymers To Permit Endothelial Cell Growth, C. James Kirkpatrick, Detlef Mueller-Schulte, Marc Roye, Guenter Hollweg, Claudia Gossen, Horst Richter, Christian Mittermayer

Cells and Materials

The interaction between endothelial cells (EC) and polymers has become relevant to medicine as a result of attempts to improve the biocompatibility of vascular prostheses. In man, endothelialization is minimal, so that vascular surgeons have attempted to pre-seed vascular grafts with autologous EC. The poor results of EC seeding of commonly used materials for vascular grafts, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or woven polyester (Dacron) has led to attempts to modify the surface of these and other polymers. Three principal modification techniques have been employed : 1. adsorption of bioactive molecules from applied solutions. Examples are fibronectin, collagen types I …

Counterpropagation Neural Network Detection Of Visual Primitives, Cynthia Lynn Johnson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Psychological testing has shown that there is an early preattentive stage in the human visual system. At this level, simple features and properties of objects known as visual primitives are detected spatially in parallel by groupings of cells in the visual cortex known as feature maps. In order to study this preattentive stage in a machine vision system, the biologically inspired, highly parallel architecture of the artificial neural network shows great promise. This paper describes how the unique architecture of the counterpropagation neural network was used to simulate the feature maps which detect visual primitives in the human visual system. …

The Effects Of Degraded Indoor Air Quality On Employees Working In High Rise Office Buildings, Richard Patrick Luongo

Theses

An examination of the effects of poor indoor air quality on workers in high rise office buildings was conducted. These effects are manifested physiologically, psychologically and economically and originate from sources inside and outside the building, as well as from the building's ventilation system. These sources include combustion products, microorganisms, volatile organic chemicals, cigarette smoke and miscellaneous chemicals. Lower productivity and higher absenteeism are the initial results of these effects. If the situation becomes chronic, an erosion of trust between employer and employee can occur which may eventually serve as the basis for litigation, such as worker's compensation claims and …

Assessment Of Squirrel-Caused Power Outages, J. Chris Hamilton, Ron J. Johnson, Ronald M. Case, Michael W. Riley

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Squirrel-caused power outages in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska, were evaluated by examining company power outage reports and by consulting with power company representatives. Reports showed that squirrel-caused outages at pole-mounted transformers were most prevalent during May, June, and October (48% of total) and between 1 and 4 h after sunrise (38%), patterns that coincide with squirrel dispersal or morning activity periods. In Lincoln, 1980 and 1981, squirrels caused 177 outages per year, which was 24% of all outages and 90% of animal-caused outages. Estimated minimum annual costs were $23 364 for repairs, public relations, and lost revenue while meters were …

Scatchard Analysis Of Methane Sulfinic Acid Production From Dimethyl Sulfoxide: A Method To Quantify Hydroxyl Radical Formation In Physiologic Systems, Charles F. Babbs, David W. Griffin

Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A major impediment to the confirmation of free radical mechanisms in pathogenesis is a lack of direct, chemical evidence that oxygen centered free radicals actually arise in living tissues in quantities sufficient to cause serious damage. This investigation was conducted to validate the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a quantitative molecular probe for the generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO*) under physiologic conditions. Reaction of HO* with DMSO produces methane sulfinic acid (MSA) as a primary product, which can be detected by a simple colorimetric assay. To develop a method for estimating total HO* production, we studied two model systems: …

A Chronicle Of The Kentucky Transportation Research Program, Robert C. Deen, Ronald D. Hughes

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The basis for the Kentucky Transportation Research Program (KTRP) was established more than 45 years ago and some of the current staff members have over 35 years experience in transportation research. Over the years, principal investigators have developed expertise in major areas of transportation and have made significant contributions in highway safety, pavement design and performance, embankment analyses, fatigue detection in bridges, noise abatement, traffic control and operations, voidless concrete, pavement texture and skid resistance, structural design and analyses of culverts, traffic forecasting, and numerous other areas.

The Transportation Research Building houses several fully equipped laboratories. Special effort was made …

The Dynamics Of The Columbia River Estuarine Ecosystem: Volume I And Volume Ii, Creddp, Charles A. Simenstad, David A. Jay, C. David Mcintire, Willa Nehlsen, Christopher R. Sherwood, Lawrence F. Small

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Integrates results from the CREDDP studies into a comprehensive synthesis. Includes physical setting and processes; relationships between physical and biological processes and among functional groups of organisms; species, biomass and productivity per habitat type per region. Approximately 360 pages per volume.

An Evaluation Of The Performance Of A Modified Overland Flow Wastewater Treatment System: Sloped Rock-Grass Filtration, Daria Wightman, Dennis B. George, John H. Zirschky, Daniel S. Filip, Judith Sims

Reports

The effectiveness of a sloped rock-grass filtration system in treating municipal wastewater was tested on a 24 m by 36 m (80 ft by 120 ft) slope on a 2.5 percent grade sown with a mixture of rye grass, fescue grass, and bluegrass. The field was divided into six plots, each approximately 3.5 m wide and 36 m long. Three of the plots (slope-rock) were constructed with 9 m of gravel, 7.6 cm deep, on the upper reaches of the slope. Raw (screened, degritted) municipal wastewater from Hyrum, Utah, was applied to the slope-rock sections at application rates of 13 …

Umr Journal: Alaska -- Its Mineral Potentials And Environmental Challenges, University Of Missouri--Rolla

UMR Journal -- V. H. McNutt Colloquium Series

No abstract provided.

Arctic Ecology: A Decade Of Experience, John F. Schindler

UMR Journal -- V. H. McNutt Colloquium Series

A quick glance at the title of this presentation and the reader braces himself for another antipollution or “save-the-sod” type of discourse that has become so popular these days. I do not wish to detract from the importance or the need for such efforts but I would like to address myself to the the broader meaning of the term.

Ecology--the word comes from the Greek root “oikos” which means house or household. What I’d like to do is to tell you about this “house” I’ve been living in for the past 10 years.

An Investigation Of Mining Effluent And Water Quality In The "New Lead Belt" Of Southeastern Missouri, Hong Wen Chen

Masters Theses

"A field and laboratory investigation was carried out to collect background data for stream water quality in the New Lead Belt of Southeastern Missouri. The parameters measured were temperature, hydrogen ion concentration, hardness, alkalinity, turbidity and fluorides. A prolific algal and microbial growth was found in Bee Fork Creek which receives the mining and milling wastewater effluent from the Fletcher Mine. The laboratory studies were conducted to examine the biological effects of the organic flotation reagents used in the mining operations. The studies included Gram staining of bacteria, antimicrobial effects of milling reagents, bacterial fermentation tests of sodium isopropyl xanthate …