Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Role Of Knee Damping In Reducing Joint Forces During Walking And Its Implications For Osteoarthritis Patients, Samantha Briggs

Wayne State University Theses

Arthritis is a leading cause of activity limitation and chronic pain worldwide. Particularly in cases of knee osteoarthritis, mobility impairments are largely due to pain at the arthritic joint. During normal gait, forces across the knee joint peak during the weight acceptance and early midstance phases. Hence, providing damping at the knee joint during this period of the gait cycle may be effective in decreasing the joint forces and pain experienced by osteoarthritis patients while walking. To examine the role of knee damping in reducing joint forces, an eddy current braking device was automated to provide targeted resistance at the …

Lead Bioaccessibility And Commonly Measured Soil Characteristics (Detroit, Mi, Usa) Phase Ii, Conor T. Gowan, Sabrina R. Good, Allison R. Harris, Patrick Crouch, Shawn P. Mcelmurry

Open Data at Wayne State

Urban soil contaminated with anthropogenic sources of Pb is a major contributor to child Pb exposure. To assess the Pb risk in urban areas, composite samples were collected from 142 voluntary privately owned 142 residential parcels in Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park, Michigan. Samples were collected at two time periods, before and after treatment applied for those denoted as treatment sites. Samples were collected from areas covered with turf grass on the parcels from the front, middle and rear sections. Soils were collected with a bulb planter at approximately 10cm depth and were cleaned with a tap water-Liquinox detergent solution …

Smartphones On Wheels In Southeast Asia: A Crossroads For Data Governance, Attamongkol Tantratian, Gunn Jiravuttipong

Journal of Law and Mobility

While the transformation of automobiles into data-generating “smartphones on wheels” has revolutionized mobility, it has also raised critical concerns over data privacy and sovereignty. Equipped with sensors and connected technologies, smart vehicles collect vast amounts of data, including personal information, driving patterns, and biometric identifiers. While auto-exporting jurisdictions such as the United States, the European Union, and China have introduced regulatory measures to address these challenges, countries importing smart vehicles remain vulnerable due to their limited influence over the auto companies’ integrated technology and data policies.

This Article examines the regulatory and economic challenges faced by developing nations integrating foreign-designed …

Evaluation Of Physical And Chemical Stability In Liposomes Composed Of Mixed Phospholipids, Sharareh Rezaei, Kenny Mineart

Master’s Theses

Liposomes, spherical vesicles composed of lipid bilayers, are widely used in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to interact with biological membranes. Despite these advantages, liposomes remain moderately unstable systems, highly susceptible to environmental stressors such as pH fluctuations, ionic strength variations, temperature changes, and interactions with other components. Addressing both chemical and physical instability is essential for translating liposomal formulations from experimental formulation to viable pharmaceutical products.

This study investigates the physicochemical characteristics of a mixed-phospholipid system in which one lipid is saturated, and the other is unsaturated (DMPC and DOPC respectively). Liposomes are prepared using …

Development And Clinical Validation Of The Sensor-E Exoskeleton For Objective Hand Function Assessment In Stroke Rehabilitation, Madison Bates

Theses and Dissertations--Biomedical Engineering

Hand function is often impaired following neurological trauma or in conditions such as stroke, limiting independence and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Current clinical assessments rely heavily on subjective rating scales that lack the resolution to detect subtle changes in motor performance, which can limit access to rehabilitation. Recent advances in wearable technologies highlight the potential for hand-worn devices to provide objective, real-time measures of hand function. However, most systems focus solely on kinematics and rarely capture both movement and exerted force. Moreover, integration into rehabilitation frameworks and brain-computer interface (BCI) protocols remains limited. To address …

Future Of Bse Days 2025: Growing A Regenerative Bse, Derek M. Heeren, Santosh Pitla, Jennifer R. Keshwani, Mark Stone

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The Future of BSE Days 2025: Growing a Regenerative BSE brought together over 150 faculty, staff, students, and partners to envision the next quarter-century of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. The event emphasized regeneration—not only of resources and ecosystems, but also of ideas, learning models, and relationships. Across seven major sessions—three Spark Talks and four Pillar Workshops—participants explored how BSE can thrive amid technological disruption, demographic change, and societal transformation.

Key Outcomes

Redefining Impact: This session challenged participants to evolve from counting outputs to valuing relationships, collaboration, and community well-being.

Adaptive Learning Models: This discussion introduced design studios, micro-credentials, …

Image Processing And Machine Learning Using Lidar And 360 Camera In Underground Mines, Ana Fabiola Patricia Tejada Peralta

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Underground mining environments present several safety challenges due to low visibility, poor lighting, and the absence of GPS coverage. These factors hinder situational awareness and delay hazard detection, particularly during post-disaster conditions. This research introduces an integrated framework that combines image processing and machine learning techniques applied to 360-degree camera and LiDAR data to enable automated object detection and remote monitoring in underground mines.

The study was divided into two main stages: 2D object detection and 3D object detection. The 2D component employed images captured with a Ricoh Theta Z1 360° camera and utilized YOLO-based deep learning models for object …

Aviation Sustainability & Infrastructure, Eva Maleviti

Publications

MS Aviation & Aerospace Sustainability

What Makes The Embry-Riddle Program Unique?

► Industry-driven program
► Technology pathways
► 100% online asynchronous teaching through Canvas learning platform
► 10 courses/30 U.S. credits hours (60 ECTs) all on Aviation & Aerospace Sustainability topics
► Covers the latest trends in the industry
► Utilizes real case studies

Hydrogen Readiness In Aviation & Challenges- Technology Meets Regulation And Market Demand, Eva Maleviti

Publications

Where technology meets regulation and market demand.

A Comprehensive Review And Bibliometric Analysis On Collaborative Robotics For Industry: Safety Emerging As A Core Focus, Aida Haghighi, Morteza Cheraghi, Jérôme Pocachard, Valérie Botta-Genoulaz, Sabrina Jocelyn, Hamidreza Pourzarei

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

Research organizations and academics often seek to map the development of scientific fields, identify research gaps, and guide the direction of future research. In cobot-related research, the scientific literature consulted does not propose any comprehensive research agenda. Moreover, cobots, industrial robots inherently designed to collaborate with humans, bring with them emerging issues. To solve them, interdisciplinary research is often essential (e.g., combination of engineering, ergonomics and biomechanics expertise to handle safety challenges). This paper proposes an exhaustive study that employs a scoping review and bibliometric analysis to provide a structured macro perspective on the developments, key topics, and trends in …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2025, 145th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Thirty-Fifth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Biological and Medical Sciences

Biology

Chemistry

Earth Sciences

Science Education

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Physics and Engineering

Forensic Sciences

Ecology, Sustainability, and Environmental Science

Maiben Lecture: Mary Ann Vinton, "State of the Academy"

Friends of Science Awards: David Crouse and Daniel Sitzman

Immersive Modeling Of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge To Explore Strategies To Get More Water To Great Salt Lake, Hadia Akbar, David E. Rosenberg

Civil and Environmental Engineering Student Research

This study used immersive online collaborative modeling of water banking to explore strategies to get more water to the declining Great Salt Lake (GSL). In a model session, each collaborator immersed in a water user role. They articulated a strategy to consume and bank water. Then they adapted their strategy in response to their available water, others’ choices, and the real-time discussion of choices. Collaborators included 29 farmers, ranchers, practitioners, and experts. Collaborators who personified agricultural users had the most varied strategies. They balanced economic viability, long-term sustainability, and land preservation. Pricing water was challenging, with prices ranging from $15 …

Performance Evaluation Of Managed Switch Configurations For Secure And Efficient Plc-Based Industrial Automation Networks, Ahmed Salama

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis explores how managed switches can improve network performance and security in PLC-based industrial systems. Using simulations in GNS3 and Cisco Packet Tracer, and packet analysis via Wireshark, the study compares unmanaged and managed switch configurations. Redundancy protocols, particularly STP and RSTP, are evaluated under failure scenarios. Results show that RSTP offers faster recovery times, making it more suitable for time-sensitive environments. Additionally, managed switch features like VLANs, port security, and MAC filtering significantly reduce vulnerabilities and improve network segmentation. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating both cybersecurity and redundancy in industrial network design as systems move toward …

Aperture-Based Fss For Dielectric Thickness Sensing, Alexander Hook, Gage Donahue, Kristen M. Donnell

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are planar arrays of patch- or aperture-based elements that have a particular transmissive or reflective response. As FSS performance is affected by changes in the local (to the FSS) environment, FSSs may be used to detect changes in strain, temperature, or nearby material (substructure) thickness, amongst other parameters. To this end, an aperture-based FSS can be considered as a sensor for substructure thickness monitoring for surface mounted sensing scenarios. An aperture-based design was selected due to its ability to operate in reflection mode (and hence a one-sided measurement) without the need for a conductive backplane. In …

Honey-Reram Enabled Sustainable Edge Ai System For Iot Applications, Jinhui Wang, Feng Zhao, Mohammad Rafeeq Khan, Md Mehedi Hasan Tanim, Zoe Templin, Harshvardhan Uppaluru

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper is toward a promising solution to address the environmental sustainability challenge in computing by building brain-inspired and green non-Von Neumann systems with Resistive Random-Access Memory (ReRAM) made from natural organic materials, honey, for energy-efficient operation, renewable material resources, sustainable device manufacturing, and environmentally-friendly disposal. In this paper, honey-ReRAM and its arrays are firstly manufactured and tested. The resistance modulation mechanism of honey-ReRAM is analyzed and investigated. Then a Computing-in-Memory (CIM) architecture based on honey-ReRAM for edge AI and IoT applications is proposed and evaluated. The experimental results indicate that the proposed edge AI systems with the VGG8 and …

Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index: Regression Method Comparison And Its Association With Pulse Pressure And Circadian Patterns, José R. Ayala-Hernández, Cristina López-Sánchez, Orlando M. Ayala, Camilo E. Palencia-Tejedor

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI) is a calculation obtained through Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM), and is an indirect measure of the elastic properties of the arterial wall; but there is heterogeneity in its scope as a predictor of vascular wall health. A comparison is made between linear regression and exponential regression of the AASI, as well as an analysis of variance, according to circadian patterns and pulse pressure (PP) values. This work is an analytical observational study in 106 individuals, most of them women (63%) with a mean age of 53 ± 17.32 years. The coefficient of determination (r2) …

Benchmarking Batch-Effect Correction Methods Towards The Construction Of A Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Atlas, Peter Scheible, Amy H. Tang, Jing He, Jiangwen Sun

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) requires detailed cellular mapping given its aggressive nature, immense tumor heterogeneity and genetic diversity. We integrated 156,794 cells from six scRNA-seq datasets—including tumors, metastases, and cell lines—to build a TNBC scRNA cell atlas, focusing on batch effect mitigation while maintaining biological and molecular details. Preprocessing f ilters noise, normalizes data, and leverages PCA for integration readiness. We utilized scANVI, a semi-supervised tool, to align datasets, preserving TNBC’s complex tumor heterogeneity via marker annotations [1]. UMAPs demonstrate biological clustering in integrated data, contrasted with datasetdriven unintegrated patterns. Assessments verifying effective batch correction. This method aligns with NASA’s …

Nebraska Water Center Annual Report 2025

Nebraska Water Center: Administrative Materials

Training Nebraska's future water professionals, research publications, water sciences laboratory impact and know your well curriculums and community impact

Systematic Analysis Of Fatal Collisions Between Mobile Equipment And Pedestrian Workers To Inform The Use Of Proximity Detection Devices, Damien Burlet-Vienney, François Gauthier, Chantal Gauvin

Articles dans des actes de congrès

Context.

Collisions between mobile industrial equipment and pedestrian workers (PWs) are a major occupational health and safety concern, particularly on construction sites (e.g., during earth-moving operations). The use of driver aids, such as proximity warning devices designed to alert workers and drivers of potential collisions, is a growing and constantly developing avenue of prevention (e.g., AI-enhanced cameras; RFID tags). However, structured feedback to guide the implementation of these technologies on mobile equipment remains rare (e.g., technology choice, installation and settings).

Objective/Methodology.

 In this context, a systematic analysis of all fatal accident reports related to this issue for the province of …

Human Masters/Robot Servants: Highly Automated Vehicle Design, Intoxicated Drivers & Vicarious Liability, William H. Widen, Marilyn Wolf

Journal of Law and Mobility

A traditional engineering role is to design a safe product. Safety engineering is an exercise in harm avoidance ex ante. In contrast, liability attribution is an exercise to compensate for loss post hoc—traditionally viewed as a legal matter. We observe that, when a natural person incurs liability for a loss that exceeds insurance coverage, economic ruin can follow. Neither engineering nor law focus on the loss suffered by defendants considering law as a “safety risk.” The highly automated vehicle (HAV) design space, however, provides an opportunity to prevent this kind of economic harm from occurring ex ante just as attention …

How Inclusive Are Degree Programs In Operations Research And Analytics In The U.S.?, Michael P. Johnson Jr., Tayo Fabusuyi, Elham Hesari, Salina Chu

Public Policy and Public Affairs Faculty Publication Series

Academic programs in colleges and universities in the United States have increasingly embraced principles of equity and inclusion to support student success and diversity within professions. Innovations in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in university programs require baseline data on students, faculty and administrators, curricula, and programmatic support. A review of data shows that underrepresented groups in the US workforce have limited visibility in operations research and analytics. A review of DEI-related research reveals some relevant insights including a gap in studies specific to operations research and analytics.

To provide evidence in support of DEI initiatives in OR/analytics, we describe …

Cost-Effective Hierarchical Cobalt Nanostructured Laser-Induced Graphene For Enhanced Uric Acid Detection, Anju Joshi, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

This study presents an innovative, cost-effective strategy to develop a flexible, enzyme-free biosensor for the sensitive detection of uric acid (UA). Utilizing electrochemically modified cobalt nanostructured on laser-induced graphene electrodes (CoNCs/LIG), this approach surpasses traditional noble metal-based electrocatalysts in sensitivity and affordability. The one-step electrochemical modification method is efficient and straightforward, enabling the uniform deposition of hierarchical flower-like cobalt nanostructures. These structures synergistically enhance the performance of the LIG, resulting in a broad detection range of 5 to 700 µM with a sensitivity of 6.75 µA µM^-¹ cm^-² and a low detection limit of 3.66 µM for UA. …

Fetal Acidosis Prediction Using Attention Enhanced Convolutional Neural Networks, Anusha Adhikari

Masters Theses

This study explores the integration of spectral mixtures of fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contraction (UC) signals to enhance the prediction of fetal acidosis, utilizing the CTU-CHB dataset. Several classification models were trained using two distinct oversampling techniques and inputs, demonstrating that models incorporating spectral mixtures significantly outperform those using raw signals. These models, particularly when combined with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and attention mechanisms, achieved a notable F1-score of 0.98, with the highest model achieving an area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.95. The research employs a variety of techniques including short-time Fourier transform and …

Ground Testing Of Cryogenic Environments In Vacuum Conditions, Lucas A. Scott

Masters Theses

The environment in the vacuum of space is unforgiving and ever-changing. Not only facing the lack of a protective atmosphere, but powerful radiation and extreme temperature ranges as well. Equipment destined for space must be hardened to withstand them. Just launching satellites that are theoretically able to survive these conditions is unfeasibly costly in the event of failure. Because of this, spacecraft must be tested in a simulated environment that can match the harsh climate in space. Therefore, it is the goal of the Gas and Plasma Dynamics Lab's (GPDL) to test and prove specific methods of recreating these conditions. …

Overpressure Waveform Comparison Of High Explosive, Methane, And Coal Dust Explosions, Frank James Schott

Masters Theses

Methane and coal dust explosions remain a leading cause of catastrophic mining accidents, making it critical to understand their overpressure characteristics for better hazard modeling, mitigation, and regulation. Although high explosives (HE), flammable gases, and dusts have been studied separately, direct waveform comparisons in identical environments are rare. This study addresses that gap by comparing overpressure waveforms from HE, methane-air mixtures, and coal dust explosions to assess differences in peak pressure, impulse, rise time, and phase duration. Twenty-seven tests were conducted using standardized instrumentation and sensor arrays. Results showed that HE generated the highest peak pressures with short positive phases …

Frozen Commons: Food Security And Food Sovereignty In Rural Alaskan Communities And Tribes, Catey Selby, Weiwei Mo

Honors Theses and Capstones

This project explored the challenges, needs, and potential solutions related to food security and food sovereignty in rural Alaskan communities. These communities have long relied on traditional subsistence practices like fishing, hunting, and foraging, but those practices have been increasingly affected by climate change, regulatory restrictions, and commercial overfishing. Key issues identified included shorter hunting seasons, changes in animal migration, unsafe ice conditions, habitat loss, complex land ownership, and permitting barriers. Large-scale commercial fisheries also put additional pressure on subsistence resources, reducing access to traditional food sources.

The project focused on identifying key stakeholders—such as government agencies, tribal organizations, and …

Artificial Intelligence For Digital Deception: A Study On Detection, Generation, And Evaluation, Tasnim Akter Onisha

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has significantly influenced digital media, enabling both the detection and generation of synthetic content. This thesis, titled Artificial Intelligence for digital deception: A Study on Detection, Generation, and Evaluation, explores AI’s role in digital deception through three distinct studies focused on facial expression analysis for deepfake detection, machine learning-based spam classification on cloud platforms, and the evaluation of generative AI state-of-the-art text to video models. The first study investigates the effectiveness of facial expression analysis in distinguishing between deepfake and genuine videos. Using Noldus FaceReader 7, participant’s emotional responses were analyzed while viewing deep-fake …

A Finite Volume-Based Approach For Modeling Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Healing Chronic Wounds, Cade M. Layser

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The current number of people in America with diabetes is approximately 38.4 million, that population is expected to rise to 54.9 million by 2030. Chronic wounds, which are characterized by impaired or stalled healing, are commonly associated with diabetes. These wounds if not treated properly can cause significant complications such as sepsis, infection, and gangrene which can lead to limb amputation or death of the patient. Limb amputations can be a large financial burden and significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life. The timely and efficient treatment of chronic wounds is essential to prevent adverse patient outcomes. Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy …

Defect Detection In Extrusion-Based Bio-Printed Constructs Using Video-Based Vibration Analysis, Md Anisur Rahman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Bio-additive manufacturing has emerged as a transformative advancement in biomedical engineering, enabling the fabrication of complex biological structures. However, maintaining the precision and quality of printed constructs remains a significant challenge, particularly in applications such as bioprinted organ transplants. Among the key factors affecting structural integrity, dimensional inconsistencies and interlayer defects present major obstacles, potentially compromising mechanical stability and functionality. This study explores the detection of defects caused by variations in dimensional accuracy and layer-to-layer adhesion. To address these challenges, a video-based motion estimation technique is employed as a non-contact and non-destructive evaluation method. Traditional approaches, such as contact-based and …

Novel Nano-Formulations Based On Flash Nanoprecipitation For Ocular Drug Delivery, Lin Qi

Doctoral Dissertations

Effective ocular drug delivery has always been a challenge for clinical and research. Although many nanotechnology-based formulations have been developed and showed great potential in ocular drug delivery, this is far from enough to meet clinical requirements. These studies aimed at the design and synthesis of novel nanoparticles using multi-inlet vortex mixer (MIVM) to improve ocular drug delivery efficiency. The first project involves packaging two different anti-glaucoma drugs, brimonidine (BM) and betaxolol (BX), into solid drug nanoparticles (SDNs) by MIVM, which can achieve both functions, reducing aqueous humor production and promoting aqueous humor efflux. The studies demonstrate that the SDNs …