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Water Resources, Health, And The Sustainability Of Interventions To Achieve Water And Sanitation Targets Of The Millennium Development Goals In A Changing World, Lauren M. Fry

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

This dissertation addresses sustainability of rapid provision of safe water and sanitation required to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Review of health-related literature and global statistics demonstrates engineers' role in achieving the MDGs. This review is followed by analyses relating to social, environmental, and health aspects of meeting MDG targets.

Analysis of national indicators showed that inadequate investment, poor or nonexistent policies and governance are challenges to global sanitation coverage in addition to lack of financial resources and gender disparity. Although water availability was not found to be a challenge globally, geospatial analysis demonstrated that water availability is a potentially …

Use Of A 3d Perfusion Bioreactor With Osteoblasts And Osteoblast/Endothelial Cell Co-Cultures To Improve Tissue-Engineered Bone, Matthew J. Barron

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The delivery of oxygen, nutrients, and the removal of waste are essential for cellular survival. Culture systems for 3D bone tissue engineering have addressed this issue by utilizing perfusion flow bioreactors that stimulate osteogenic activity through the delivery of oxygen and nutrients by low-shear fluid flow. It is also well established that bone responds to mechanical stimulation, but may desensitize under continuous loading. While perfusion flow and mechanical stimulation are used to increase cellular survival in vitro, 3D tissue-engineered constructs face additional limitations upon in vivo implantation. As it requires significant amounts of time for vascular infiltration by the host, …

Influence Of Traumatic Impaction And Pathological Loading On Knee Menisci, Megan Leigh Killian

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Nearly half of the US population faces the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA). Both in vitro and in vivo studies can aid in a better understanding of the etiology, progression, and advancement of this debilitating disorder. The knee menisci are fibrocartilagenous structures that aid in the distribution of load, attenuation of shock, alignment and lubrication of the knee. Little is known about the biochemical and morphological changes associated with knee menisci following altered loading and traumatic impaction, and investigations are needed to further elucidate how degradation of this soft tissue advances over time. The biochemical response of porcine meniscal …

Mse News 2010, Department Of Materials Science And Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• MSE Welcomes New Professors
• Professor Emeritus Passes
• Alumni Achieves Milestone
• Hydrogen Storage Research
• Student Accomplishments
• Staff News
• Alumni News

2009-2010 Che Newsletter, Department Of Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Chemical Engineering Newsletters

Table of Contents

• Department
• Students
• Alumni and Friends
• Faculty and Staff
• Industrial Advisory Board

Production And Characterization Of Novel Air Filtration Media, Elizabeth Skomra

All Dissertations

HEPA and ULPA filtration systems have proven to be an advantageous instrument in removing common contaminants from the air. However, an increased pressure drop due to the build-up of particulates on the filters results in its inevitable decrease in performance. Improving current filtration systems would include increasing collection efficiency all the while either maintaining or reducing the differential pressure drop in order to extend the life of the filter. One method of improving collection efficiency would be viable by increasing the amount of surface area within the filter media by glass fibers because of their inherent quality of being smaller …

The Development Of A Mesenchymal Stem Cell Based Biphasic Osteochondral Tissue Engineered Construct, Scott Maxson

All Dissertations

The ability of human articular cartilage to respond to injury is poor. Once cartilage damage has occurred, an irreversible degenerative process can occur and will often lead to osteoarthritis (OA). An estimated 26.9 million of U.S. adults are affected by OA. Osteochondral grafting is currently used to treat OA and osteochondral defects; however, complications can develop at the donor site and defect area. Osteochondral tissue engineering provides a potential treatment option and alternative to osteochondral grafting. The long term goal of this work is to develop a tissue engineered mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) based osteochondral construct to repair cartilage damage. …

Prediction Of Brain Tumor Progression Using A Machine Learning Technique, Yuzhong Shen, Debrup Banerjee, Jiang Li, Adam Chandler, Yufei Shen, Frederic D. Mckenzie, Jihong Wang, Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.), Ronald M. Summers (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A machine learning technique is presented for assessing brain tumor progression by exploring six patients' complete MRI records scanned during their visits in the past two years. There are ten MRI series, including diffusion tensor image (DTI), for each visit. After registering all series to the corresponding DTI scan at the first visit, annotated normal and tumor regions were overlaid. Intensity value of each pixel inside the annotated regions were then extracted across all of the ten MRI series to compose a 10 dimensional vector. Each feature vector falls into one of three categories:normal, tumor, and normal but progressed to …

A Self-Organizing Hybrid Sensor System With Distributed Data Fusion For Intruder Tracking And Surveillance, Ravishankar Palaniappan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A wireless sensor network is a network of distributed nodes each equipped with its own sensors, computational resources and transceivers. These sensors are designed to be able to sense specific phenomenon over a large geographic area and communicate this information to the user. Most sensor networks are designed to be stand-alone systems that can operate without user intervention for long periods of time. While the use of wireless sensor networks have been demonstrated in various military and commercial applications, their full potential has not been realized primarily due to the lack of efficient methods to self organize and cover the …

Determination Of The Effects Of University Building Usage On Energy Efficiency And Recommendations For Improvement, Dana Aaron Lackey

All ETDs from UAB

Energy costs are increasing at an alarming rate, and electricity use can contribute to carbon emissions and, therefore, to global warming. With this in mind and under direction of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Facilities Management Department, researchers conducted building occupancy surveys of UAB buildings after working hours and on weekends to evaluate occupancy by day and time and by lighting condition of unoccupied rooms. The goals of this research consisted of identifying situations in which measures such as motion sensor installation or heating and/or air conditioning shutdown or setback could result in energy and cost savings and …

Spin Echo Ss-Parse: A Parse Mri Method To Estimate R2, R2' And Frequency In A Single Shot, Ningzhi Li

All ETDs from UAB

Rapid and accurate mapping of relaxation rates applies to a number of neuroimaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. Previously developed relaxation rate mapping methods are based mostly on non-linear fitting of intensity images. For the first time, this study developed an ultrafast and direct transverse relaxation rate mapping technique, Spin Echo Single-Shot Parameter Assessment by Retrieval from Single Encoding (SE-SS-PARSE). Four useful imaging parameters, local transverse magnetization magnitude (Mxy0), frequency (f), reversible and irreversible transverse re-laxation rate (R2' and R2), can be estimated using an iterative searching algorithm simul-taneously and quantitatively. In addition, the SE-SS-PARSE technique is free …

Increasing The Accuracy Of Dietary Assessments By The Use Of Photogrammetry, David John Brasher

All ETDs from UAB

Dietary assessments are plagued by a host of logistical and accuracy problems. The measurement of food consumed is either prohibitively expensive for logistical reasons, or the accuracy is left to the study subject's ability to measure or guess quantities consumed. This dissertation presents a method by which accuracy problems can be reduced with minimal logistical impact. Previous studies have used single photographs to assist in making food measurements during dietary assessments. These single photographs give a twodimensional representation of the food, with extrapolated three-dimensional data. This dissertation adds the third dimension to the volume calculation through the use of photogrammetry. …

Cardiovascular Endothelial Regeneration On An Electrospun Scaffold, Xing Zhang

All ETDs from UAB

A bi-layer electrospun nano-fibrous scaffold comprising synthetic polymers and natural proteins was constructed as the prototype of an arterial substitute for coronary ar-tery disease. This scaffold featured a highly porous microstructure analogous to native extracellular matrix. Uni-axial tensile test suggested that its excellent mechanical strength could restore normal blood flow immediately after implantation. Subsequent biocompati-bility study demonstrated that scaffolding materials, either traditional or degraded, were non-toxic to the regenerated human endothelium on the luminal layer. Moreover, this re-generated endothelium possessed critical functions, such as the formation of tight junc-tions, the secretion of prostacyclin, and the prevention of platelet adhesion. Thereafter, …

Pre-Disaster Planning For Transportation Infrastructure Recovery, Stephanie Victoria Watson

All ETDs from UAB

The US is dependent upon a functioning transportation network for many aspects of daily life, and those aspects that become largely important during times of disaster. For example, emergency medical response is a crucial activity that relies upon a functioning transportation network during regular daily operations as well as during times of emergency. The US has experienced several natural and manmade devastating events within the past decade including the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita, and record flooding in Tennessee. When disasters occur, the potential of disrupting various infrastructures either individually or simultaneously exists. During a …

Selective Solubilisation Of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Sourabhi Debnath

Doctoral

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTS) are proposed to be one of the most promising nanomaterials, with unique electronic and mechanical properties which lend themselves to a variety of applications. In all cases the quality of the SWCNT material is important, and for some applications it is paramount. Despite sustained efforts, all currently known SWCNT synthetic techniques generate significant quantities of impurities. They also grow in bundles or ropes and are largely insoluble in common organic solvents. SWCNTS can have a range of structures and their electronic properties (metallic or semiconducting) depend on their structure and as well on their diameters. Currently …

Characterization Of Explanted Endovascular Stents: A Study Of In-Vivo Corrosion And The Role Of Vascular Calcification In Stent Fracture, Dina Halwani

All ETDs from UAB

The electrochemical and mechanical stability of endovascular stents in-vivo is essential for their biocompatibility. Limited information is available regarding the condition of stents following interaction with vascular tissue, as a result, twenty seven stented vessels containing 45 stents (33 bare metal and 12 drug eluting) were retrieved during autopsy and vascular surgery. The stent/tissue components were carefully separated using a rigorous tissue dissolution protocol. Stent surfaces were characterized using 3D digital optical and scanning electron microscopy. Transferred metallic elements in dissolved tissue were measured using mass spectroscopy. Histopathologic assessment of stented tissue, when available, was also performed. Fifteen out of …

A Framework For Composite Service Development: Process-As-A-Concept, Varadraj Prabhu Gurupur

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation addresses the problem of bridging the gap that exists between user requirements and the implemented software solution. This gap between the user needs and the actual implementation is usually termed the semantic gap problem. In this dissertation, the software solution is viewed as a composite of available software services and seeking semantically motivated approaches for the composition of a final solution. Representing user needs by capturing the semantic components of these needs and using this representation to build a composite service solution are therefore critical in reducing the aforementioned semantic gap. Although scientists have presented solutions that contribute …

Component Replacement Analysis For Electricity Distribution Systems Using Evolutionary Algorithms, Vasukumar Chenna

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The main objective of the electric power grid is to supply economical and reliable electricity to industrial, commercial, household, transportation, and other end-users, including agricultural, educational institutions and hospitals. The power system is a very large and complex network consisting of generation, transmission, and distribution systems. The main focus of the present research is in the area of power distribution systems. Almost all the areas of the power grid uses simpler radial distribution systems to distribute electricity to the end consumer, it is the final and therefore vital link between the consumer and the rest of the power grid. Therefore …

Categorization Of Functional Impairments In Human Locomotion Using The Methods Of The Fusion Of Multiple Sensors And Computational Intelligence, Huiying Yu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The main aim of this dissertation work was to develop an intelligent system to monitor, quantify and differentiate variances in human gait with high reliability and efficiency using the fusion of multiple sensor data and the methods of fuzzy inferential logic.

Gait disorders are heterogeneous and produce disabilities that vary substantially from individual to individual. The recognition, quantification and analysis of gait dysfunction is complex and, requires the integration of large amounts of data across multiple domains (kinetic, kinematic and electromyographic). Current systems for gait analysis generally require space and complex imaging equipment, as well as prolonged processing time, rendering …

Multidisciplinary Collaborative Model For Complex, Angel Ernesto Delgado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nowadays, most devices with advanced technology require the development of embedded systems with mechanical and electrical components as well as software including more than one discipline. These are devices that are usually complex in terms of composition and functionality and that design must follow a methodology in order to successfully design and launch a device of this nature. Hence, the assembly of a multidisciplinary engineering group is required to carry out such complex devices and develop a fully functional product. The group may also need an expert on the field that can provide guidance and knowledge where needed. This is …

Low Impact Development (Lid) Structures For Groundwater Management And Watershed Protection In The Amrc10 Watershed, El Paso Texas, Ricardo Sabino Marmolejo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The AMRC10 watershed was modeled in HEC-HMS and in Green Values. Theoretical storm water conveyance and capture models were tested in these programs along with several Low environmental Impact Development features to determine their applicability and performance at this site. Lots should all be designed with all roof downspouts draining into raingardens, at least half of all lawns should be natural landscaping using local vegetation, porous pavement should be used for all driveways, sidewalks and non-street pavement and drainage to the stormwater conveyance structures should make use of drainage swales instead of storm water pipes. To manage runoff three detention …

Development Of A Land Use Regression Model To Predict Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations, Teresa Sosa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Air pollution is a major environmental concern in the El Paso-Juárez region. According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, SEMARNAT) the city of Juárez is one of the city's in México with the highest atmospheric levels of pollution because of its accelerated and unplanned urban growth. One air pollutant of concern is nitrogen dioxide (NO2) due to its detrimental health effects that have been associated with airway inflammation in healthy people and increased respiratory symptoms in people with asthma. Land use regression modeling is a GIS based approach that seeks to …

Evaluation Of Lumbosacral Orthosis In Flexion And Extension Movements Of Lumbar Spine., Norazian Abd Razak

Student Works (2010-2019)

Lumbosacral orthosis (LSO) is a type of spinal orthosis that has been recommended for abdominal support, pain management, and motion or positional control. By implemented radiographic technique, objectives of this study was to evaluate the changes of lumbar lordosis in flexion and extension of trunk movements with and without wearing the LSO measured by Cobb, Centroid, and Posterior Tangent techniques and to correlate the value of lordotic angles in particular posture. Ten healthy male subjects without any history of low back pain participated and a semi-rigid LSO was utilized. Antero-posterior and lateral radiographs of spine images during neutral, flexion, and …

Computer-Aided Detection Of Sleep Apnea And Sleep Stage Classification Using Hrv And Eeg Signals, Edson F. Estrada

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sleep is a circadian rhythm essential for human life. Many events occur in the body during this state. In the past, significant efforts have been made to provide clinicians with reliable and less intrusive tools to automatically classify the sleep stages and detect apnea events. A few systems are available in the market to accomplish this task. However, sleep specialists may not have full confidence and trust in such systems due to issues related to their accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. The main objective of this work is to explore possible relationships among sleep stages and apneic events and improve on …

Development Of A Micro-Catbed For Miniature Thrusters, Chance Paul Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this work is to develop a micro catalytic bed for miniature thrusters. A test bed was constructed for experimental testing to characterize several parts of the micro catalytic bed. The reactant fluid studied is 90% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) by weight. Three different cross sectional area designs were tested to determine decomposition efficiency, temperature reaction propensity, optimum flow rate, and temperature distribution across each bed. The products of decomposition were condensed to measure the oxygen released from decomposition. The results will be used to develop the basis for a micro catalytic bed design to implement into future miniature …

Renewable Energy Integration: An Approach For Micro-Grid Optimization., Nicolas Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis explores the Renewable Energy Integration Problem beginning with a literature review on the different sources of electrical energy classified as Non-Renewable and Renewable, stating that the integration of renewable sources within the pre-existing Power-Grids is a current worldwide problem that is being addressed with different approaches.

The impossibility to exactly model the different equations relating the electric output of the renewable energy sources as they relate with meteorological factors, makes the renewable sector a stochastic component of the overall mathematical model, where it can be concluded that most of the problem is in the area of the forecast. …

Compressive Sensing With Prior Information Applied To Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cristiano Jacques Miosso

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation introduces the theory of compressive sensing with prior information about a signal's sparse representation. We show, mathematically and in numerical simulations, that prior information improves signal reconstruction, in terms of number of required measurements, computation time and signal-to-noise ratios. Following, we present a set of methods for enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and tomography that can be combined with prior information, for enhanced image quality.

In developing the theory of compressive sensing with prior information, we provide a mathematical proof of the required condition (in terms of number of linear measurements) for reconstruction using the ideal approach of l0-minimization, …

Computational Study Of Fluid-Valve Interaction Involving Deep Vein Thrombosis, Upendra Parimi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The venous valves in veins carry on the important function of eliminating the retrograde (re-verse) flow of blood in veins and help the veins to carry on their work effectively. The abnormal functioning of venous valves can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is a phenomena caused by clotting in deep veins. The importance of the thesis work lies in understanding the role of blood flow dynamics in Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Elderly People and pregnant women are the ones who are most likely to develop DVT. It was determined from previous studies that women in their postpartum period are …

Resonant Mie Scattering (Rmies) Correction Of Infrared Spectra From Highly Scattering Biological Samples Analyst, Paul Bassan, Achim Kohler, Harald Martens, Joe Lee, Hugh Byrne, Paul Dumas, Ehsan Gazi, Michael Brown, Noel Clarke, Peter Gardner

Articles

Infrared spectra of single biological cells often exhibit the “dispersion artefact” observed as a sharp decrease in intensity on the high wavenumber side of absorption bands, in particular the Amide I band at ~1655 cm-1, causing a downward shift of the true peak position. The presence of this effect makes any biochemical interpretation of the spectra unreliable. Recent theory has shed light on the origins of the ‘dispersion artefact’ which has been attributed to resonant Mie scattering (RMieS). In this paper a preliminary algorithm for correcting RMieS is presented and evaluated using simulated data. Results show that the ‘dispersion artefact’ …

Technological Challenges Of 1-Dimensional Magnetic Photonic Crystals, Mikhail Vasiliev, Kamal Alameh, Dmitry E. Balabanov, Vladimir I. Burkov, V. V. Koledov, Viacheslav A. Kotov, V. G. Shavrov, Anotoly K. Zvezdin

Research outputs pre 2011

Visible-region magnetic photonic crystals (MPC) designed for higher-order bandgap operation have been proposed to overcome the technological restrictions originating from the strong thickness dependency of the individual magnetic layer properties observed in MPC structures.