Digital Commons Network^™

Sensitivity Of Wavelet-Based Optical Flow Velocimetry (Wofv) To Common Experimental Error Sources, Bryan E. Schmidt, Gauresh Raj Jassal

Faculty Scholarship

The influence of several potential error sources and non-ideal experimental effects on the accuracy of a wavelet-based optical flow velocimetry (wOFV) method when applied to tracer particle images is evaluated using data from a series of synthetic flows. Out-of-plane particle displacements, severe image noise, laser sheet thickness reduction, and image intensity non-uniformity are shown to decrease the accuracy of wOFV in a similar manner to correlation-based particle image velocimetry (PIV). For the error sources tested, wOFV displays a similar or slightly increased sensitivity compared to PIV, but the wOFV results are still more accurate than PIV when the magnitude of …

Biodegradable Polymeric Microspheres For Magnetically Guided Drug Delivery To Tumors, Tyler Payson Green

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the feasibility of utilizing biodegradable polymeric microspheres loaded with the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) to magnetically deliver the cancer therapeutic 5FU to a target tumor in the human body. The primary method of material loading consisted of a w/o/w double emulsion mechanism which 1) loads and protects 5FU in the inner water phase consisting of distilled water and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 2) dispersed SPIONs in the biodegradable polymeric organic phase consisting of methylene chloride (MeCl2) for eventual magnetic transport, and 3) suspended these w/o emulsion droplets in an outer aqueous phase …

Trisc: Low-Cost Design Of Trigonometric Functions With Quasi Stochastic Computing, Mehran Shoushtari Moghadam, M. Hassan Najafi

Faculty Scholarship

Low-cost and hardware-efficient design of trigonometric functions is challenging. Stochastic computing (SC), an emerging computing model processing random bit-streams, offers promising solutions for this problem. The existing implementations, however, often overlook the importance of the data converters necessary to generate the needed bit-streams. While recent advancements in SC bit-stream generators focus on basic arithmetic operations such as multiplication and addition, energy-efficient SC design of non-linear functions demands attention to both the computation circuit and the bit-stream generator. This work introduces TriSC, a novel approach for SC-based design of trigonometric functions enjoying state-of-the-art (SOTA) quasi-random bit-streams. Unlike SOTA SC designs of …

Boosting The Power Performance Of Microbial Fuel Cells By Using Dual Nanomaterial-Modified Carbon Felt Electrodes, Krishna Thapa, Wenyan Liu, Yuwei Zhang, David J. Westenberg, Yishu Zhou, Risheng Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Innovative design enhancements to microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are pivotal for improving their viability as renewable energy sources. This study introduces a dual approach to electrode modification, integrating polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on carbon felt (CF) anodes coupled with a unique cathode composed of DNA origami and chitosan. The synergistic effect of PANI and AuNPs significantly increases the hydrophilicity and conductivity of the anode, leading to a considerable surge in power density. Concurrently, the biocompatible DNA origami and chitosan-functionalized cathode facilitates efficient electron transfer without relying on conventional catalysts. Together, these modifications yield a 52.42% increase in the …

Deterministic Transport Of Coupled Energetic Light-Ions And Neutrons With Application To Inertial Confinement Fusion, Kyle Beling

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Numerical simulations of an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target during the implosion process require high fidelity models of the radiation transport process. This work is interested in the transport of high-energy light-ions and neutrons in a background ICF plasma. As these energetic particles slow down, they experience knock-on (recoil) and thermonuclear (TN) collisions with the light-ions in the background plasma. These recoil and TN collisions excite the background light-ions causing them to transport through the plasma further exciting background light-ions. Mathematically, this cascading effect is described as a system of linear Boltzmann transport equations coupled through recoil and TN collision …

Single-Molecule Profiling Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances By Cyclodextrin Mediated Host-Guest Interactions Within A Biological Nanopore, Xiaojun Wei, Aditya Choudhary, Leon Y. Wang, Lixing Yang, Mark J. Uline, Mario Tagliazucchi, Qian Wang, Dmitry Bedrov, Chang Liu

Faculty Publications

Biological nanopores are increasingly used in molecular sensing due to their single-molecule sensitivity. The detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) like perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid is critical due to their environmental prevalence and toxicity. Here, we investigate selective interactions between PFAS and four cyclodextrin (CD) variants (α-, β-, γ-, and 2-hydroxypropyl-γ-CD) within an α-hemolysin nanopore. We demonstrate that PFAS molecules can be electrochemically sensed by interacting with a γ-CD in a nanopore. Using HP-γ-CDs with increased steric resistance, we can identify homologs of the perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid and the perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid families and detect common PFAS …

A Study Of Fit And Friction Force As A Function Of The Printing Process For Fff 3d-Printed Piston–Cylinder Assembly, Philippe A. Passeraub, Quentin Allen, Elizabeth Clark, Michael Miles, Siddartha Berns, Maija Pearson, Sterling Allred, Jonah Brooks, Sylvain Hugon

ScholarsArchive Data

Dataset DOI: https://doi.org/10.26067/hjm6-3d45

The shared data comprises the experimental measurements performed presented in the figures 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and in the tables for the following article:

Passeraub, P.A.; Allen, Q.; Clark, E.; Miles, M.; Berns, S.; Pearson, M.; Allred, S.; Brooks, J.; Hugon, S. A Study of Fit and Friction Force as a Function of the Printing Process for FFF 3D-Printed Piston–Cylinder Assembly. J. Manuf. Mater. Process. 2024, 8, 249. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp8060249

Physical Layer Entropy Analysis For Physical Unclonable Functions, Jenilee Jao

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Process variations within Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) provide a rich source of entropy, making them well-suited for the implementation of Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs). This dissertation presents three studies on FPGA-based PUFs. First, we explore a ring-oscillator (RO) PUF that leverages localized entropy from individual look-up table (LUT) primitives, analyzing design bias. Next, we investigate delay variations that occur through the routing network and switch matrices of FPGAs using a feature of Xilinx called dynamic partial reconfiguration (DPR). Finally, we evaluate entropy across FPGAs from Xilinx, Altera, and Microsemi using the Shift-Register Reconvergent-Fanout (SiRF) PUF architecture to compare path …

A Distributed Secure System For Threads Detection In Crowded Environments Based On Biometric Facial Expression, Nourhan Zayed, Hassan I. Sayed, Ghada F. El-Kabbany

Mechanical Engineering

Ensuring security in crowded areas poses a significant problem due to the dense population and the intricate task of monitoring their behaviors. This research presents a real-time security system that utilizes facial expression analysis to identify potential threats. The technology utilizes sophisticated facial recognition and emotion detection techniques to accurately recognize emotions such as wrath, fear, and anxiety. These feelings can serve as indicators of suspicious activities or potential security risks. The system utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to classify facial expressions and recognize objects. In addition, it integrates an SVM classifier trained on features derived from the combined …

A Comparative Analysis Of Optimizing Classification Techniques On Fruits Images Dataset, Ghada F. Elkabbany, Youssef G. Fouad, Kerollos W. Youssef, Jannah A. Amir, Nourhan Zayed

Mechanical Engineering

Data mining; known as data dredging or data archeology; provides several techniques to extract new and interpretable information from existing datasets. This work presents a comparison of the performance of various classification techniques, specifically Support Vector Machine (SVM), Radial Basis Function (RBF), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and decision trees, using images of fruits. An open-source dataset called fruits360 is used focusing on three specific fruits: pineapple, cocos, and avocado. This selection allows testing the classification techniques in different ways, as pineapples and cocos are similar in color, while cocos and avocados resemble each other in shape due to their oval-like geometry. …

Ignis: A One-Dimensional Laminar Flame Code, Jansen P. Berryhill, Jacob K. Spinti, David O. Lignell

Faculty Publications

Laminar flame codes have an important role in combustion modeling. They can provide a fundamental understanding of flame dynamics and provide a basis for building subgrid scale models in turbulent flow simulations. This paper presents Ignis, an open-source laminar flame code with the capability to offload submodels, like soot formation and radiation, using external packages and libraries. Ignis is written in C++, is documented with Doxygen, and is available on GitHub. It contains three different flame formulations: diffusion flames, premixed flames, and laminar flamelets solved in the mixture fraction coordinate. An option to facilitate creation of a diffusion flame table …

Advancing Drug Discovery And Disease Understanding Through Knowledge Graphs And Machine Learning Techniques, Swastika Tenkila Purushotham

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This thesis investigates knowledge graphs with particular reference to the NIH-funded Common Fund Data Ecosystem Data Distillery project. By combining data from nine Common Fund projects and other sources, this project has created a large knowledge graph using Neo4j. To find new and undiscovered drug targets, UNM’s Illuminating the Druggable Genome (IDG) Data Coordinating Center has supplied data and use cases. Condensed Knowledge Graph, a condensed version that is based on the Data Distillery Knowledge Graph, improves usability for IDG applications. Condensed Knowledge Graph research endeavors to enhance data organization through the categorization of disease terms, examination of Cerebellar Stroke …

Impaired Speech Recognition Of Neurological Disorder Persons Using Machine Learning And Deep Learning Techniques, Vishnika Veni S

Theses and Dissertations

Speech Assistive Tools have emerged in recent years to support individuals with cognitive and neurological disorders in the field of assistive technology. People affected by neurological disorders such as autism, stroke, cerebral palsy, dysarthria, Parkinson’s disease, and brain injury often find it difficult to articulate desired sounds, resulting in impaired speech. As the population of impaired speakers continues to increase every year, there is a strong need to develop intelligent speech recognition systems for affected individuals. The primary objective of this research is to develop an Impaired Speech Recognition (ISR) system for the Tamil language. Word Recognition Accuracy (WRA) is …

You Want Me To Do What? But I Can’T Read That... Cataloging Soviet Russia Space Exploration Books, Katherine Loving, Phillip Fitzsimmons

Faculty Books & Book Chapters

The Al Harris Library received a donation of the archive of retired astronaut General Thomas P. Stafford. The continually growing collection includes over 200 boxes containing NASA reports, professional and personal pictures, videos, and more. Part of the collection is the approximately 700 books used for research by Stafford and his co-author Michael Cassutt to write the memoir We Have Capture: Tom Stafford and the Space Race (2002). Half of these books are a collection of Soviet-era Russia (USSR) space program books and periodicals written in Russian. Michael Cassutt has characterized the books as the most comprehensive collection about the …

2024 - The Fifth Annual Fall Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the Fall 2024 Symposium of Student Scholars, held in November 2024. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Effects Of Silver Nanoparticles In Pectin Polysaccharide Thin Film On Resistive Switching Characteristics, Jia Zheng Yeoh, Muhammad Awais, Feng Zhao, Kuan Yew Cheong

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigates the resistive switching characteristics of Ag nanoparticle (AgNP)-incorporated pectin (pectin-AgNP) as a memristive thin film, with varying concentrations of AgNP (0.0 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%, and 1.0 wt.%) and pectin (5.0 mg/L, 5.5 mg/L, 6.0 mg/L, 6.5 mg/L, and 7.0 mg/L), sandwiched between Au and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes on glass substrate. The structural, chemical, and electrical properties of these pectin-AgNP thin films were evaluated. With AgNP concentration of 0.5 wt.% in a pectin concentration of 5.5 mg/mL, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated the highest presence of C–O bonds. This suggests the incorporation of AgNP …

Machine Vision To Provide Quantitative Analysis Of Meltpool Stability For A Coaxial Wire Directed Energy Deposition Process, Braden Mclain, Remy Mathenia, Todd Sparks, Frank Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wire-based additive manufacturing (AM) is at the forefront of complex metal fabrication because of its scalability for large components, potential for high deposition rates, and ease of use. A common goal of wire directed energy deposition (DED) is preserving a stable process throughout deposition. If too little energy is put into the deposition, the wire will stub into the substrate and begin oscillating, creating turbulence within the melt pool. If too much energy exists, the wire will overheat, causing surface tension to take over and create liquid drips as opposed to a solid bead. This paper proposes a computer vision …

Multi-Step Ahead Water Level Forecasting Using Deep Neural Networks, Fahimeh Sharafkhani, Steven Corns, Robert Holmes

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Stream gauge height (water level) is a significant indicator for forecasting future floods. Flooding occurs when the water level exceeds the flood stage. Predicting imminent floods can save lives, protect infrastructure, and improve road traffic management and transportation. Deep neural networks have been increasingly used in this domain due to their predictive capabilities in capturing complex features and interdependencies. This study employs four distinct models—Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), transformer, and LSTNet—with MLP serving as the baseline model to forecast water levels. The models are trained using data from 20 distinct river gages across the state of Missouri …

Underrepresented Minority Faculty In The Usa Face A Double Standard In Promotion And Tenure Decisions, Theodore Masters-Waage, Christiane Spitzmueller, Ebenezer Edema-Sillo, Ally St. Aubin, Michelle Penn-Marshall, Erika Henderson, Peggy Lindner, Cynthia Werner, Tracey Rizzuto, Juan Madera

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underrepresented minority (URM) faculty face challenges in many domains of academia, from university admissions to grant applications. We examine whether this translates to promotion and tenure (P&T) decisions. Data from five US universities on 1,571 faculty members' P&T decisions show that URM faculty received 7% more negative votes and were 44% less likely to receive unanimous votes from P&T committees. A double standard in how scholarly productivity is rewarded is also observed, with below-average h-indexes being judged more harshly for URM faculty than for non-URM faculty. This relationship is amplified for faculty with intersectional backgrounds, especially URM women. The differential …

Process Development And Techno-Economic Analysis For Combined And Separated Co2 Capture-Electrochemical Utilization, Abdullah Al Moinee, Ali A. Rownaghi, Fateme Rezaei

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Combining CO₂ capture and utilization into a single unit operation offers a feasible solution for converting a sustainable feedstock into marketable commodity chemicals, while reducing energy requirements from separated processes. In this research, we developed a process model and performed a techno-economic analysis (TEA) for point-source CO₂ capture and electrochemical-based utilization in light olefins production under both separated and integrated scenarios. CO₂ containing flue gas from a 500 MW power plant was utilized as a feed while CO₂ utilization involved electrochemical reduction reactions to produce light olefins directly from CO₂. A meticulous analysis was …

Bridging Human And Machine Intelligence: Reverse-Engineering Radiologist Intentions For Clinical Trust And Adoption, Akash Awasthi, Ngan Le, Zhigang Deng, Rishi Agrawal, Carol C. Hu, Hien Van Nguyen

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the rapidly evolving landscape of medical imaging, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with clinical expertise offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance diagnostic precision and accuracy. Yet, the "black box" nature of AI models often limits their integration into clinical practice, where transparency and interpretability are important. This paper presents a novel system leveraging the Large Multimodal Model (LMM) to bridge the gap between AI predictions and the cognitive processes of radiologists. This system consists of two core modules, Temporally Grounded Intention Detection (TGID) and Region Extraction (RE). The TGID module predicts the radiologist's intentions by analyzing eye gaze fixation …

Stressfit: A Hybrid Wearable Physicochemical Sensor Suite For Simultaneously Measuring Electromyogram And Sweat Cortisol, Nafize Ishtiaque Hossain, Tanzila Noushin, Shawana Tabassum

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study introduces StressFit, a novel hybrid wearable sensor system designed to simultaneously monitor electromyogram (EMG) signals and sweat cortisol levels. Our approach involves the development of a noninvasive skin patch capable of monitoring skin temperature, sweat pH, cortisol levels, and corresponding EMG signals using a combination of physical and electrochemical sensors integrated with EMG electrodes. StressFit was optimized by enhancing sensor output and mechanical resilience for practical application on curved body surfaces, ensuring accurate acquisition of cortisol, pH, body temperature, and EMG data without sensor interference. In addition, we integrated an onboard data processing unit with Internet of Things …

Synthesis And Properties Of (Hf,Mo,Ti,W,Zr)B2–(Hf,Mo,Ti,W,Zr)C Dual Phase Ceramics, S. Filipović, S. M. Smith, G. Hilmas, W. Fahrenholtz, N. Obradović, S. Curtarolo

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dense, dual phase (Hf,Mo,Ti,W,Zr)B₂–(Hf,Mo,Ti,W,Zr)C ceramics were synthesized with varying contents of Mo and W. The final (Hf_0.317Mo_0.025Ti_0.317W_0.025Zr_0.317)C–(Hf_0.317Mo_0.025Ti_0.317W_0.025Zr_0.317)B₂ was a nominally pure, dual phase ceramic, while compositions with higher amounts of Mo and W contained multiple phases. The final microstructures had submicron grains due to pinning effects. Vickers hardness values were up to 48.6 ± 2.2 GPa for an applied load of 0.49 N for the ceramic with optimized composition and densification. The solubility limits for Mo and …

Atmosphere Effects In Laser Powder Bed Fusion: A Review, Ben Brown, Cody Lough, Davis Wilson, Joseph Newkirk, Frank Liou

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The use of components fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) requires the development of processing parameters that can produce high-quality material. Manipulating the most commonly identified critical build parameters (e.g., laser power, laser scan speed, and layer thickness) on LPBF equipment can generate acceptable parts for established materials and moderately intricate part geometries. The need to fabricate increasingly complex parts from unique materials drives the limited research into LPBF process control using underutilized parameters, such as atmosphere composition and pressure. As presented in this review, manipulating atmosphere composition and pressure in laser beam welding has been shown to expand …

Human-Centered Approach For Resilience Assessment Of Healthcare Networks Subjected To Sequential Earthquakes, Emad Hassan, Hussam Mahmoud

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Healthcare services are critical for community resilience and stability as their role after disastrous events is indispensable to reducing casualties and returning the community to normalcy. Sequential mainshock-aftershock events can damage hospital components, reduce utility availability, and cause multiple patient surges. No studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of mainshock-aftershock events on healthcare resilience. Accordingly, here we investigate the impact of multiple earthquakes on the healthcare network in Shelby County, Tennessee, and determine the optimal resources needed to enhance its functionality. The functionality is estimated by combining functionality quantity and quality terms. The quantity is calculated based on …

Circular Economy Integration In Leed: A Decade Of Materials And Resources Credit Achievement Patterns, Radwa Eissa, Islam H. El-Adaway

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Previous studies consistently label the Materials and Resources (MR) credit category of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as the least attainable, despite its critical role in transitioning to a circular economy (CE). To this end, a long-standing gap exists in understanding the MR credit achievement, especially in LEED v4, which has been in use for nearly over a decade. This paper evaluates the level of CE integration in LEED v4 across 971 US-based certified projects. The study comprehensively analyzed the projects achievement patterns of the five MR credits: Building Life Cycle Impact Reduction (C1), Environmental Product Declarations …

Anti-Corrosion Performance Of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement Coating On Steel Reinforcement: The Effect Of Boric Acid, Fan Zhang, Jihui Qin, Kangyi Cai, John J. Myers, Hongyan Ma

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It has recently been found that magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) paste coating applied on the surface of steel reinforcement can effectively retard the onset of corrosion and suppress corrosion reactions. However, the fast-setting nature of MKPC—which is a merit in repair—can be problematic in a practical engineering process of coating the steel reinforcement with MKPC paste. To address this problem, boric acid (H₃BO₃) was added as a retarder in an MKPC formulation to prolong the setting time. This work investigated the impact of boric acid (at 5% by weight of MgO) on the anti-corrosion performance …

Temperature Effect On The Properties And Response Of Composite Materials And Plates, Victor Birman

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The paper illustrates the effect of temperature on composite material properties and its influence on the response of composite plates. Two composites considered include laminae with uniaxially oriented and with in-plane randomly oriented fibers. Analytical solutions are presented for a uniformly heated large-aspect-ratio plate deforming into a cylindrical surface. The solutions are demonstrated for thermal buckling and natural frequencies for the cases of controlled loading and controlled displacements. Micromechanical residual and lifetime thermally induced stresses at the interface of fibers and matrix are assessed to predict a possible onset of local damage after the curing and during lifetime. The material …

The Effects Of Wildfires On The Mental And Physical Health Of School-Age Children In North America: A Scoping Review, Sarah Oerther, Sarah Manspeaker, Alison Wix, Daniel Oerther, Carmen Marsit

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: Wildfires are occurring more often and with greater intensity, leading to longer and harsher fire seasons. As a result, children are more frequently exposed to wildfire smoke, which increases their risk of mental and physical health effects. Purpose: The purpose of our scoping review is to explore the current literature on what is known about the direct and indirect impacts of wildfires on the mental and physical health of school-age children in North America (5 to 18-year-olds). Methods: A health sciences librarian-assisted literature search, with input from the research team, was performed. Results: A total of 16 studies were …

Mitigating Operational Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Ageing Residential Buildings Using An Urban Digital Twin Dashboard, Pradeep Alva, Martín Mosteiro-Romero, Clayton Miller, Rudi Stouffs

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

With the increasing stock of ageing infrastructure and resource constraints in Singapore, related risks and carbon emissions can be mitigated through long-term resilience planning, automated building inspection, and effective maintenance. Sustainable actions are needed to maintain Singapore's ageing infrastructure. Hence, a state-of-the-art control and management system is required in the form of smart city digital tools. We introduce an Urban Digital Twin (UDT)—GHG App for decision-makers in Singapore's operational building greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation and decarbonisation initiatives. Based on multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), a Potential for Intervention (PFI) map was created to rejuvenate the building system. Decision-makers can use …