Digital Commons Network^™

Removal Of Pfoa/Pfos In Water Using Electrocoagulation And Associated Life Cycle Impacts And Financial Costs, Tianhong Mu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Electrocoagulation (EC) with a zinc anode demonstrated promising results to remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from an aqueous solution. However, the energy requirement for EC is usually very high due to water electrolysis or aeration. The second chapter of this dissertation aims to reduce energy consumption using an air-cathode in EC (ACEC) to supply oxygen electron acceptor without aeration for attenuating PFOA/PFOS in this new configuration. For the high PFOA concentration (0.25 mM), ACEC with 45 min of the reaction time exhibited an excellent PFOA removal (99.8 ± 0.3% removal) comparable to an EC with aeration (EC-aeration, …

Causal Neuro-Symbolic Ai: A Synergy Between Causality And Neuro-Symbolic Methods, Utkarshani Jaimini, Cory Henson, Amit Sheth

Publications

Causal Neuro-Symbolic AI combines the benefits of causality with Neuro-Symbolic Artificial Intelligence (NeSyAI). More specifically, it (1) enriches NeSyAI systems with explicit representations of causality, (2) integrates causal knowledge with domain knowledge, and (3) enables the use of NeSyAI techniques for causal AI tasks. The explicit causal representation yields insights that predictive models may fail to analyze from observational data. It can also assist people in decision-making scenarios where discerning the cause of an outcome is necessary to choose among various interventions.

Ontolog Summit 2024 Talk Report: Healthcare Assistance Challenges-Driven Neurosymbolic Ai, Kaushik Roy

Publications

Although Artificial Intelligence technology has proven effective in providing healthcare assistance by analyzing health data, it still falls short in supporting decision-making. This deficiency largely stems from the predominance of opaque neural networks, particularly in mental health care AI applications, which raise concerns about their unpredictable and unverifiable nature. This skepticism hinders the transition from information support to decision support. This presentation will explore neurosymbolic approaches that combine neural networks with symbolic control and verification mechanisms. These approaches aim to unlock AI’s full potential by enhancing information analysis and decision-making support for healthcare assistance1.

A Comprehensive Survey On Rare Event Prediction, Chathurangi Shyalika Jayakody Kankanamalage, Ruwan Wickramarachchi, Amit Sheth

Publications

Rare event prediction involves identifying and forecasting events with a low probability using machine learning (ML) and data analysis. Due to the imbalanced data distributions, where the frequency of common events vastly outweighs that of rare events, it requires using specialized methods within each step of the ML pipeline, i.e., from data processing to algorithms to evaluation protocols. Predicting the occurrences of rare events is important for real-world applications, such as Industry 4.0, and is an active research area in statistics and ML. This paper comprehensively reviews the current approaches for rare event prediction along four dimensions: rare event data, …

Effects Of Electron Beam Irradiation On Crmnv And Crmntiv High Entropy Alloys: Nano-Mechanical, Structural, And Thermodynamic Perspectives, N. A. Sultana, Y. S. Mohammed, S. J. Pendleton, J. Vennekate, G. Ciovati, X. Li, H. Baumgart, A. A. Elmustafa

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Beam exit windows are crucial components of any particle accelerator as they provide an interface between the beamline vacuum and target material at atmospheric media. For high beam power machines, special materials and designs are required to withstand high radiation and mechanical loads, while minimizing energy loss during transition and maximizing window lifetime. This research investigates the impact of electron beam exposure to bulk CrMnV and CrMnTiV high entropy alloys (HEAs) with the primary goal of identifying suitable candidate materials for the design of robust and durable exit window settings. The selection criteria include intrinsic characteristics, power dissipation, and mechanical …

Corrosion Behavior Of Ysz And Ysz/Nico Coatings On Inconel 625 Exposed Alkali Chlorides, Resetiana Dwi Desiati, Eni Sugiarti, Bambang Hermanto, Gerald Ensang Timuda, Hubby Izzuddin, Fraya Aulia Salsabilla, Anawati Anawati

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Alkali chloride attack on boiler pipe walls is considered the main problem of corrosion in the waste-to-energy (WTE) industry, even though uses superalloy. Electrophoretic deposited (EPD) yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coating is carried out to protect the Inconel 625 substrate. YSZ is deposited directly both on the Inconel 625 substrate and NiCo-Inconel 625. Corrosion resistance was conducted using the 3.5% NaCl electrochemical test and the hot salt corrosion test at 600°C in alkaline salt media such as NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2. The potentiodynamic polarization curve shows that the YSZ coating deposited on the substrate (single-layer) has a corrosion rate of 0.065 …

One-Pot Microwave-Assisted Approach Of Polydiacetylene/Zinc Oxide Nanocomposite For Reversible Thermochromic, Chanita Khanantong, Thanutpon Srinopkun, Thitirut Boonmak, Jintana Siriboon

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

This study introduces a new technique to fabricate the reversible poly(PCDA/ZnO) nanocomposites thermochromism. Our preparation process is the solution-mixing method, which is supported by microwave synthesis time instead of ultrasonic bath or stirrer. The presence of ethanol molecules in aqueous media in the solution-mixing method induces dipolar polarization. In addition, the presence of Zn2+ leaking out of the ZnO can produce ionic polarization. These factors affect the shape of poly(PCDA/ZnO) nanocomposites based on their thermochromic properties. The optical properties of poly(PCDA/ZnO) nanocomposite were determined through UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The morphology of this nanocomposite was examined by scanning electron microscopy, and …

Green Synthesis Of Carbon Dots From Mangosteen Peel For Fluorescent Cancer Cells, Supaluck Amloy, Tanachporn Lukprang, Monthon Lertworapreecha, Pakorn Preechaburana

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

Recently, carbon dots (CDs) have received significant attention owing to their outstanding optical properties, good solubility, and low toxicity. In this research, CDs were synthesized by a hydrothermal method based on an environmentally friendly and straightforward strategy, using only mangosteen peel and deionized water. The synthesized CDs had an average size of 3.09 ± 0.38 nm. The absorbance spectrum peak for the CDs was seen at 282 nm, and the central wavelength of fluorescence emission was observed at 433 nm under an excitation wavelength of 355 nm. An aqueous solution of CDs exhibited bright green fluorescence when observed with the …

Investigated The Ion Energy And The Microstructure Properties Of Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon Film Produced By Pulsed Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc Combined With Plasma Biasing Technique, Nopphon Saowiang, Phitsanu Poolcharuansin, Artit Chingsungnoen, Nitisak Pasaja

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate that operations using the plasma biasing technique in pulsed filtered cathodic vacuum arc (PFCVA) enable an energy-enhanced in deposition process for the high quality of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) thin films (high sp3 content, denser, and very low surface roughness). The effect of anode bias potential on the energy distribution function of C+ ions, including the topography, microstructure, chemical state, and density of ta-C films, was systematically investigated. It was found that the plasma biasing technique can increase the average energy of C+ ions, but nevertheless, the ion …

Photoluminescent Carbon Nanodots For Artificial Photosynthesis, Rajie A. Medina, Michael E. Franco, Lyn Marie De Juan-Corpuz, Ryan D. Corpuz

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The emerging field of carbon dots (CDs), a type of carbon nanostructure that has gained significant attention due to its unique properties and potential applications. CDs possess remarkable attributes, including photoluminescence, electrochemical potential, compatibility with living organisms, solubility in water, chemical stability, and versatile surface properties. The chemical structure, particle size, and surface functionalities of CDs all have an impact on their photoluminescent properties, which are the focus of this review. The photoluminescence mechanism in CDs is discussed, highlighting their amorphous structure, and comparing them to graphene quantum dots. The paper delves into the application of CDs in artificial photosynthesis, …

Atmospheric Hydrochloric And Nitric Acid Leaching Of A Limonite Ore From The Wolo Mine Area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sufriadin -, Malyanus Yepta, Irzal Nur, Purwanto -, Rizky Amalia, Ulva Ria Irfan, Djabal Nur Basir, Tsubasa Otake

Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals

The atmospheric acid leaching studies of a limonite ore sample from the Wolo mine area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, have been performed using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and nitric acid (HNO3). The objectives of these studies were to compare the leaching degree of metals (Ni, Co, Fe, and Al) and to analyze the dissolution behavior of minerals under different acid concentrations. Mineralogical characterization of the ore sample was conducted using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction, whereas chemical composition was determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), respectively. An atmospheric leaching test was done with …

Information Access For Infrastructurally-Challenged Environments And Beyond Through Mutually Aware Spectrum Sharing Technologies, Karyn Doke

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum is scarce and to make it available for new mobile wireless services, regulators are forced to re-allocate spectrum from existing services or develop mechanisms to share spectrum with new entries. Television White Space (TVWS) and Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) are two examples of recently commercialized spectrum sharing technologies. TVWS enables sharing among fixed wireless broadband technologies (secondary users) and terrestrial TV broadcast services (primary users). CBRS enables spectrum sharing among 5G/LTE (secondary users) and naval radar (primary users). With both technologies, a central database determines when it is safe for secondary users to operate …

A 3d Co-Culture Model Of Senescent Cell Burden And Salivary Gland Fibrosis, Stephen Rose

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Patients with head and neck cancer often suffer collateral radiation damage to the salivary glands, leading to fibrosis. Histological examinations indicate that radiation encourages fibrosis by promoting cellular changes leading to both senescent and myofibroblast phenotypes, coupled with a significant loss of regenerative and acinar cells. Chronic hypofunction remains a primary concern, even with modified radiation approaches to sparing salivary glands. Current treatments primarily offer symptomatic relief without rectifying irreversible glandular tissue damage. This limitation arises, in part, from a deficiency in predictive preclinical models to study this multifaceted problem.

We introduce a 3D in vitro microtissue model to address …

Sparse Representation Learning For Temporal Networks, Maxwell Mcneil

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Temporal networks arise in many domains including activity of social network users, sensor network readings over time, and time course gene expression within the interaction network of a model organism. Data of this type contains a wealth of prior information such as the connectivity among nodes (e.g., a friendship graph), and prior knowledge of expected temporal patterns (e.g., periodicity). Modeling these temporal and network patterns jointly is essential for state-of-the-art performance in temporal network data analysis and mining. Sparse dictionary encoding is one modeling approach for such underlying patterns. However, most classical approaches consider only one dimension of the data …

Personalized Bayesian Inference For Explainable Healthcare Management And Intervention, Utkarshani Jaimini, Krishnaprasad Thirunaravan, Maninder Kalra, Robin Dawson, Amit Sheth

Publications

Chronic healthcare conditions such as Asthma re- quires constant monitoring and managing of symptoms and their triggers for better quality of life. Each asthma patient reacts very differently to potential triggers. Hence, there is a need to develop a explainable personalized framework for each patient to capture susceptibility to asthma triggers. We developed a personalized knowledge-based probabilistic model to predict asthma exacerbation for different environmental factors utilizing patient generated health data from pediatric asthma patients. Further, the personalized model provides a metric, called Health Coefficient, to quantify the health of a patient for varying environmental factors. We demonstrate the predictive …

Applying The Normative Design Approach To Civil Engineering, Justin R. Vander Werff

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

In 1986, the book Responsible Technology [1] was published as an important compilation from a number of thoughtful Christians engaged in technology and engineering in that era. In many ways, this book and those involved with it laid the foundation for what has become the Christian Engineering Society. A particularly valuable aspect of this work was that it laid out a biblically normative framework for doing engineering based on Herman Dooyeweerd’s modal aspects [2], fleshing out how the higher aspects such as faith, ethics, and justice should play an integral role in engineering development, even though we often have a …

Automated Flood Depth Estimation On Roadways, Kwame Ampofo, Megan A. Witherow, Alex Glandon, Monibor Rahman, Ahmed Temtam, Mecit Cetin, Khan M. Iftekharuddin

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Recurrent nuisance flooding is common across many parts of the globe and causes extensive challenges for drivers on the roadways. The prevailing monitoring methods for roadway flooding are costly and not automated or effective. The ubiquity of visual data from cameras and advancements in computing such as deep learning may offer cost-effective methods for automated flood depth estimation on roadways based on reference objects such as cars. However, flood depth estimation faces challenges due to the limited amount of data annotated with water levels and diverse scenes showing reference objects at various scales and perspectives. This study proposes a novel …

Teaching Analytics Online: A Self-Study Of Professional Practice, Andrew J. Collins, Brandon Butler, James F. Leathrum Jr., Christopher J. Lynch

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

As the COVID-19 pandemic caused severe disruption to education enterprises throughout the world, the main response by educational institutions was to move to online learning environments. The purpose of this study was to understand better how instructors could improve online learning for a professional-level week-long short course in a highly technical area (data analytics), which had, pre-COVID, been a hands-on computer, laboratory-based learning experience. The authors used self-study of professional practice to elicit and understand the major issues and concerns of the transition to an online learning environment. Under the guidance of a colleague in teacher education, three course instructors …

Methods That Support The Validation Of Agent-Based Models: An Overview And Discussion, Andrew Collins, Matthew Koehler, Christopher Lynch

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Validation is the process of determining if a model adequately represents the system under study for the model’s intended purpose. Validation is a critical component in building the credibility of a simulation model with its end-users. Effectively conducting validation can be a daunting task for both novice and experienced simulation developers. Further compounding the difficult task of conducting validation is that there is no universally accepted approach for assessing a simulation. These challenges are particularly relevant to the paradigm of Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) because of the complexity found in these models’ mechanisms and in the real-world situations they …

Conflict Profiles And Team Outcomes In Cross-Disciplinary Teams: An Integrated Latent Profile Analysis And Natural Language Processing Approach, Francisco Cima, Pilar Pazos

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Team conflict is a naturally emerging phenomenon resulting from individuals' interactions during project execution. Cross-disciplinary teams can experience higher levels of conflict than single-discipline teams because of the increased diversity of knowledge and perspectives. Research has shown that team conflict can emerge from different types of disagreements (cognitive and interpersonal), which have different implications for team functioning. Past empirical research has focused on the impact of both conflict types independent from each other while overlooking their combined effects. This work examines the conflict profiles resulting from the combined levels of interpersonal and cognitive disagreements and their association with team outcomes. …

Improving Neuropathological Analysis With Aβgan: Addressing Morphology Imbalance For Efficient Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis, Sujatha Alla, Prasanthi Chidipudi, Nagesh Bheesetty, Vedvikash Reddy Velur, Joshit Mohanty, Puneeth Bheesetty, Marisha Jmukhadze, Narendra Lakshmana Gowda, Sai Gireesh Komaragiri

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Histopathologists are experiencing a digital revolution in their field thanks to the digitization of Whole Slide Images (WSIs), which are microscope slides of tissue that can measure gigapixels in size. With so much high resolution data at their disposal, computer vision techniques can now be used to automate laboratory processes, create visual standards, and increase analysis throughput, all of which reduce the workload of pathologists [1]. The "gold" standard in neuropathology, particularly for Alzheimer's Disease- is pathological diagnosis made by looking at White Matter Inclusions (WSIs) in brain tissue. Semi-quantitative scoring in accordance with the standards established by the Consortium …

The Sexually Dimorphic Role Of Connexin 43 In Bone Remodeling And Disuse-Induced Bone Loss, Gabriel A. Hoppock

Theses and Dissertations

Bone loss is frequently experienced by individuals undergoing long-term disuse, such as prolonged bedrest, immobilization due to paralysis or injury, and conditions such as spaceflight. Under normal physiological conditions, bone remodeling is balanced by bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts, and the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts is orchestrated by osteocytes. Osteocytes are the most abundant cell type found in bone and ample evidence suggests they are bone’s main mechanosensory cell type. Therefore, understanding osteocyte biology and responses to mechanical signals, or lack thereof during unloading, may lead to new therapeutic targets to combat bone loss during disuse. Previous data has …

Descriptive Statistical Analysis Of Experimental Data For Wettability Alteration With Smart Water Flooding In Carbonate Reservoirs, Muhammad Ali Buriro, Mingzhen Wei, Baojun Bai, Ya Yao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Smart water flooding is a promising eco-friendly method for enhancing oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs. the optimal salinity and ionic composition of the injected water play a critical role in the success of this method. This study advances the field by employing machine learning and data analytics to streamline the determination of these critical parameters, which are traditionally reliant on time-intensive laboratory work. the primary objectives are to utilize data analytics to examine how smart water flooding influences wettability modification, identify key parameter ranges that notably alter the contact angle, and formulate guidelines and screening criteria for successful lab design. …

Prediction Of Carbonation Capacity Of Scms Using Ensemble Learning Method, Kangyi Cai, Jian Liu, Edward Mwanza, Mahelet G. Fikru, Hongyan Ma, Donald C. Wunsch

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The utilization of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) subjected to carbonation processing represents a viable strategy to mitigate anthropogenic CO₂ emissions associated with concrete production, potentially contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality. However, existing studies have limitations in effectively predicting the varying carbonation capacities of different SCMs, a gap that this research aims to address. Recent research efforts focused on the carbonation of waste-material-sourced SCMs are reviewed, along with a comparative discussion on diverse carbonation methods. A detailed data set encapsulating the properties of SCMs, and carbonation configurations was compiled. At the same time, six ensemble learning models were …

Development Of Tio2/Nh2-Mil-125 Nanocomposite For The Removal Of Ciprofloxacin Under Induced Solar Irradiation, Bilkis Mojisola Ajiwokewu

Theses

This research focuses on the development and application of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)-based nanocomposites for the photocatalytic removal of pharmaceutical contaminants, with a specific emphasis on ciprofloxacin (CIP). The photocatalytic degradation of CIP was investigated using as-synthesized photocatalysts of TiO₂ nanowires (TiO₂NWs), bare MOF of NH₂-MIL-125, TiO₂NW/NH₂-MIL-125 composite, and Lanthanum (La)-doped composite. Intriguingly, the TiO₂NW/NH₂-MIL-125 composite exhibited the highest efficiency, achieving a photodegradation rate of 0.0111 min-1, surpassing the independent performances of bare MOF of NH₂-MIL-125 and TiO₂NW. The observed efficiency was attributed to …

Alien Mystery Scavenger Hunt: Enhancing Intergenerational Interaction With Physical Web Technologies Through Location-Based Games, Folashade Fatima Badmos

Conference papers

The Physical Web is a powerful, easy-to-implement and inexpensive way to bridge the gap between the digital and physical realms compared to other technologies used for web location-aware interaction. In this study, we propose a Physical Web for an inter-generational game through the Alien Mystery scavenger hunt. Through the design and implementation of a Physical Web for outdoor intergenerational games, we show the potential of Physical Web technologies in presenting different interactions between the web and the user’s physical environment. The game utilises the ubiquity of QR codes and NFC in modern mobile devices, enabling users to seamlessly interact with …

Emotional Intelligence Coaching For Higher Education Lecturers: Their Experience And Its Impact On Trait Emotional Intelligence, Stress, And Teaching Self-Efficacy, Eoghan Guiry

Doctoral

Previous research has established that emotional intelligence (EI) can be developed through targeted intervention; however, this was previously untested with lecturers. Guided by the job demands-resources model, this study explored the impact of an EI coaching intervention on lecturers’ trait EI, perceived stress, work-related stress, and teaching self-efficacy at Technological University Dublin. Additionally, the study explored the lecturers’ experiences of partaking in the intervention. Employing a pragmatic approach, mixed methods were used in a randomised controlled trial.

A Super-Hard High Entropy Boride Containing Hf, Mo, Ti, V, And W, Suzana Filipovic, Nina Obradovic, Greg E. Hilmas, William G. Fahrenholtz, Donald W. Brenner, Jon Paul Maria, Douglas E. Wolfe, Eva Zurek, Xiomara Campilongo, Stefano Curtarolo

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Super-Hard (Hf,Mo,Ti,V,W)B2 Was Synthesized by Boro-Carbothermal Reduction and Densified by Spark Plasma Sintering. This Composition Was Produced for the First Time as a Single-Phase Ceramic in the Present Research. the Optimized Ceramic Had a Single Hexagonal AlB2-Type Crystalline Phase with a Grain Size of 3.8 µm and Homogeneous Distribution of the Constituent Metals. the Vickers Hardness Exhibited the Indentation Size Effect, Increasing from 27 GPa at a Load of 9.8 N to as High as 66 GPa at a Load of 0.49 N. This is the Highest Hardness Reported to Date for High Entropy Boride Ceramics.

Evaluation Of Novel Preformed Particle Gel System For Conformance Control In Mature Oil Reservoirs, Abdulaziz Almakimi, Ahmed Ben Ali, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To address challenges associated with excessive water production in mature oil reservoirs, this study introduces a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based material as a novel preformed particle gel (PPG) designed to plug excessive water pathways and redistribute the subsequent injected water toward unswept zones. Through microwave-assisted grafting copolymerization of CMC with acrylamide (AM), we successfully generated multi-sized dry particles within the range of 250–800 µm. Comprehensive analyses, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), have confirmed the chemical composition and morphology of the resulting carboxymethyl cellulose-grafted crosslinked polyacrylamide (CMC/PAMBA). Swelling kinetics and rheology tests were conducted to confirm the …

Optimized Gadolinium-Do3a Loading In Raft-Polymerized Copolymers For Superior Mr Imaging Of Aging Blood-Brain Barrier, Hunter A. Miller, Aaron Priester, Evan T. Curtis, Krista Hilmas, Ashleigh Abbott, Forrest M. Kievit, Anthony J. Convertine

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) has been pivotal in advancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), offering enhanced soft tissue contrast without ionizing radiation exposure. Despite their widespread clinical use, the need for improved GBCAs has led to innovations in ligand chemistry and polymer science. We report a novel approach using methacrylate-functionalized DO3A ligands to synthesize a series of copolymers through direct reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This technique enables precise control over the gadolinium content within the polymers, circumventing the need for subsequent conjugation and purification steps, and facilitates the addition of other components such as targeting ligands. …