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Remotely Sensed Hydroclimatic Variability For Water Security In An Agricultural Basin, Ashish Kondal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Indus Basin has supported agricultural practices since the Harappan civilization (3000-1500 BC). Abundance of water has always supported agriculture in the region and built the Indus Basin as one of the major agriculture based economies of the world. The obvious dependency of agriculture on weather and the vagaries of climate emphasizes the necessity of a comprehensive hydro-climate study of the region. The role of climate change in the Indus Basin has always been a contentious issue. Groundwater depletion is evident in the region, and its steady and alarmingly declining rate has brought concerns for the future of agriculture in …

Multiscale Modeling Of Hemodynamics In Human Vessel Network And Its Applications In Cerebral Aneurysms, Hongtao Yu

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Three-dimensional (3D) simulation of patient-specific morphological models has been widely used to provide the hemodynamic information of individual patients, such as wall shear stress (WSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and flow patterns, etc. Since patient-specific morphological segment was only restricted locally, boundary conditions (BCs) are required to implement the CFD simulation. Direct measurements of the flow and pressure waveforms were often required as input BCs for 3D CFD simulations of patient-specific models. However, as the morphology develops, the feedback from this topological deformation may lead to BCs being altered, and hence without this feedback, the flow characteristics of the morphology …

Using Natural Language Processing And Machine Learning For Analyzing Clinical Notes In Sickle Cell Disease Patients, Shufa Khizra

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a hereditary disorder in red blood cells that can lead to excruciating pain episodes. SCD causes the normal red blood cells to distort its shape and turn into sickle shape. The distorted shape makes the hemoglobin inflexible and stick to the walls of the vessels thereby obstructing the free flow of blood and eventually making the tissues suffer from lack of oxygen. The lack of oxygen causes serious problems including Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS), stroke, infection, organ damage, and over the lifetime an SCD can harm a persons spleen, brain, kidneys, eyes, bones. Sickling of …

Evaluation Of Critical Nitrogen And Phosphorus Models For Maize Under Full And Limited Irrigation Conditions, Koffi Djaman, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Proper nitrogen (N) fertiliser application rates and timing of application, coupled with optimum irrigation management can improve the sustainability of maize production and reduce the risk of environmental contamination by nutrients. The impact of full and limited irrigation and rainfed conditions on in-season maize (Zea mays L.) shoot biomass nutrient concentration and critical N and phosphorus (P) indices were evaluated using a combination of measured nutrients and critical N and P models in south central Nebraska in 2009 and 2010. Four irrigation treatments [fully-irrigated treatment (FIT), 75% FIT, 60% FIT and 50% FIT) and rainfed] were imposed. Irrigation regimes …

Impacts Of Cover Crops On Soil Physical Properties: Field Capacity, Permanent Wilting Point, Soil-Water Holding Capacity, Bulk Density, Hydraulic Conductivity, And Infiltration, Suat Irmak, Vivek Sharma, Ali T. Mohammed, Koffi Djaman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Field experiments were carried out to quantify the effects of cover cropping on soil physical properties. Field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), soil-water holding capacity (SWHC), bulk density (  b), saturated and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks and Kus, respectively), and infiltration rates were measured and compared for four land cover treatments [cover crop without seed maize (CC), seed maize followed by cover crop (SCCC), bare soil, and seed maize without cover crop (SC)] in three large-scale production fields (~64 ha each) with silt loam soil in the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 cover crop growing seasons. All production …

Sustainable Waste-To-Energy Technologies: Bioelectrochemical Systems, Rami Ziara, Bruce Dvorak, Jeyamkondan Subbiah

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The food industry produces a large amount of waste and wastewater, of which most of the constituents are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and organic fibers. Therefore food wastes are highly biodegradable and energy rich. Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) are systems that use microorganisms to biochemically catalyze complex substrates into useful energy products, in which the catalytic reactions take place on electrodes. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a type of bioelectrochemical systems that oxidize substrates and generate electric current. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are another type of bioelectrochemical systems that use an external power source to catalyze the substrate into by-products such as …

Multiple Factors Drive Variation Of Forest Root Biomass In Southwestern China, Hao Zhang, Kelin Wang, Zhaoxia Zeng, Zhigang Zou, Yanfang Xu, Fuping Zeng

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

The roots linking the above-ground organs and soil are key components for estimating net primary productivity and carbon sequestration of forests. The patterns and drivers of root biomass in forest have not been examined well at the regional scale, especially for the widely distributed forest ecosystems in southwestern China. We attempted to determine the spatial patterns of root biomass (RB, Mg/ha), annual increment root biomass (AIRB, Mg/ha/year), ratio of root and above-ground (RRA), and the relative contributions of abiotic and biotic factors that drive the variation of root biomass. Forest biomass and multiple factors (climate, soil, forest types, and stand …

Engineering Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles To Be Used As Nanofertilizers, Zeinah Elhaj Baddar

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Zinc deficient soils, or soils with low Zn bioavailability, are widespread, which exacerbates Zn deficiency in human as crops grown on these soils have low Zn content. Often crop yields are also compromised. Fertilizers based on soluble Zn salts often have limited efficacy in such soils. In this research, we evaluate the performance of polymer coated and bare ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in an attempt to overcome limitations of soluble Zn salts in alkaline soils. We first synthesized 20-30 nm bare ZnO NPs with different surface chemistries to impart colloidal stability to the particles. Bare ZnO were treated in phosphate solution …

Field-Based Scoring Of Soybean Iron Deficiency Chlorosis Using Rgb Imaging And Statistical Learning, Geng Bai, Shawn Jenkins, Wenan Yuan, George L. Graef, Yufeng Ge

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is an abiotic stress in soybean that can cause significant biomass and yield reduction. IDC is characterized by stunted growth and yellowing and interveinal chlorosis of early trifoliate leaves. Scoring IDC severity in the field is conventionally done by visual assessment. The goal of this study was to investigate the usefulness of Red Green Blue (RGB) images of soybean plots captured under the field condition for IDC scoring. A total of 64 soybean lines with four replicates were planted in 6 fields over 2 years. Visual scoring (referred to as Field Score, or FS) was conducted …

Design And Analysis Of Curcumin Conjugated Poly(Beta-Amino Ester) Networks For Controlled Release In Oxidative Stress Environments, Carolyn T. Jordan

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Oxidative stress, the imbalance of free radical generation with antioxidant defenses, leads to cellular inflammation, apoptosis and cell death. This compromised environment results in debilitating diseases, such as oral mucositis (OM), atherosclerosis, and ischemia/reperfusion injury. Antioxidant therapeutics has been a proposed strategy to ameliorate these imbalances and maintain homeostatic environments. However, the success of these approaches, specifically curcumin, has been limited due to characteristics such as hydrophobicity and high reactivity when released as bolus doses to contest to oxidative stress induced diseases. The development of a controlled release system to aid in protection of the antioxidant capacity of curcumin, as …

Effects Of Predation On The Biochemical Constituents Of The Bleached Soft Coral Sinularia Polydactyla, Carley Elizabeth Cole

Honors Theses

Climate change can indirectly affect the level of predation on soft corals. As sea temperatures rise, more and more bleaching events are occurring, which can affect the production of chemical defenses and the concentrations of the biochemical constituents that make up the soft corals. These changes may make the soft corals more attractive to predators. This phenomenon is suggested by the environmental stress theory (EST), which states that under stressful conditions, more of an organism's energy is allocated to survival rather than to other factors, such as reproduction or predator deterrence. To test the effect of predation on already bleached …

Novel Anti-Cancer Therapy Development Using Omics Guided Rational Cell Process Engineering, Ningning Xu

All ETDs from UAB

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality globally, and multiple anti-cancer therapies have been developed and applied over last few decades. Antibody-based cancer therapies have been on one of the most exciting and promising therapeutic strategies. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can control the progression of cancers via targeted binding to the specific antigen of tumors to trigger an immune response, target and block the signaling pathway involved in cancer progression, or deliver cytotoxic agents into tumors. Two chimeric/humanized monoclonal antibodies (anti-HER2 mAb and anti-CD 20 mAb) with higher efficacy were successfully expressed in engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells (CHO). …

Opioids Delay Healing Of Spinal Fusion: A Rabbit Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion Model, Nikhil Jain, Khaled Himed, Jeffrey M. Toth, Karen C. Briley, Frank M. Phillips, Safdar N. Khan

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background Context

Opioid use is prevalent in the management of pre- and postoperative pain in patients undergoing spinal fusion. There is evidence that opioids downregulate osteoblasts in vitro, and a previous study found that morphine delays the maturation and remodeling of callus in a rat femur fracture model. However, the effect of opioids on healing of spinal fusion has not been investigated before. Isolating the effect of opioid exposure in humans would be limited by the numerous confounding factors that affect fusion healing. Therefore, we have used a well-established rabbit model to study the process of spinal fusion healing that …

Effects Of Unweathered Or Soil Weathered Copper-Based Nanoparticles And Compounds On Soil Grown Bell Pepper (Capsicum Annuum) And Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea) Plants, Swati Rawat

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) find large scale industrial application because of their promising chemical, physical, electrical, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties. Copper-based ENP are used as gas sensors, in catalysts, electronics, semi-conductors, and in agriculture. They have been useful as agricultural amendments in the form of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers because of their antifungal and antibacterial properties. They also find application in electronics and sensors used in precision agriculture. Due to their massive production and use, ENPs are likely to be ubiquitous in the environment around us in the near future. Application of biosolids for fertilization and water from wastewater treatment …

Exploring The Effects Of Zinc Nanoparticle Concentration, Antioxidant, And Media On Cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum), And Radish (Raphanus Sativus) Plants Growth, Venkata Laxma Reddy Pullagurala

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have proven to be one of the emerging chemicals of concern in the contemporary times. Soil acts as one of the major sinks of these ENMs. Reports have shown that ENMs have varied effects on soil biota. Particularly, their effects on plants are inconsistent. Amongst these ENMs, ZnO nanoparticles (nZnO) are the fourth largest raw materials in the nanotechnology industry. Globally, it is estimated that around 34,000 tons of n ZnO are utilized per year. The nZnO exposure on terrestrial plants yielded both beneficial as well as detrimental effects. Recently, there is an emerging evidence about the …

An Integrated Study Towards Curing Neurodegenerative Disorders Using Materials Science And Stem Cell-Based Tissue Engineering Approaches, Nishat Tasnim

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases affect around one billion people globally that are characterized by irreversible degeneration of brain tissues. These diseases cause serious effects on patients degrading their brain functions and causing enormous physical and mental health issues. Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide which results from loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the mid-brain. Unfortunately, no medical treatment is effective to date for these significant brain disorders, except some symptomatic therapies only focusing on improving the quality of patient's life.

Two current approaches hold great promise in targeting PD as well …

Application Of The Positive Deviance Method Within The Field Of Product Design, Cesar Esteban Venegas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Positive Deviance (PD) is a method for social innovation that identifies and utilizes the knowledge found from statistical outliers within at-risk communities who succeed against all the odds, despite not having access to any additional resources. The PD method draws striking similarities to a product design methodology know as Human-Centered Design in which they share very similar principals. Similarities include the importance each method places on identifying the correct problem to address. Since it is not clear, from prior research, if the PD method is useful in the field of product development, this research seeks to explore this possibility. The …

Plants As Biofactories To Produce Mammalian Tumor Suppressor Micrornas, John Lachlan Macarthur

Theses and Dissertations

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding single stranded RNAs that are considered master regulators of gene expression. They are also an emerging class of therapeutic agents with significant potential for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer. Many different forms of cancer are associated with loss or reduced accumulation of one or more miRNAs that function as tumor suppressors. In animal models, restoration of missing tumor suppressor miRNAs prevents the initiation, progression and/or spread of the disease. However, the current absence of an efficient method for delivery of therapeutic miRNAs is a critical barrier to their use. The research …

Development Of Suture Pad From Silk-Reinforced Polydimethylsiloxane Composite, Radhitya Banuaji Prastowo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanical properties of polydimethylsiloxane reinforced with short silk fibers for suture pad application. The effect of aspect ratio and fibers content of the polydimethylsiloxane reinforced with silk fibers on the properties was evaluated. From the results, tensile modulus and tensile strength of polydimethylsiloxane reinforced with different aspect ratio were increased with increasing aspect ratio and fibers content. The composite with the addition of silk fiber produces higher tear resistance with suture thread compared with pure polydimethylsiloxane. Furthermore, the hardness of polydimethylsiloxane reinforced with short silk fibers was improved with the addition …

Quality Enhancement Of Shrimp Paste And Packaging Improvement For A Local Manufacturer, Pongsakorn Sornbunjong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The present research focuses on the quality of the shrimp paste manufacturing company by emphasizing product quality improvement as well as packaging improvement for the shrimp paste, which is the main product of the Case Study Company. Presently, the product uses paraffin to cover the shrimp paste for food preservation, which is prohibited by Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations ( FAO) / World Health Organisation (WHO) and Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The research procedure may be divided into 3 phases. The first phase consists of improvement to the physical and chemical properties of the shrimp …

Utilization Of Biochar Coupled With Coal Combustion Products For Degraded Soil Amendment, Thidphavanh Sengsingkham

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Low Salinity Waterflooding (LSWF) has been intensively studied worldwide as it is a low-cost technique. By injecting water with very low salinity compared to formation water in the reservoir, the method changes equilibrium between rock surface, oil and surrounding water, causing wettability alteration through Multi-component Ion Exchange (MIE) mechanism. In this study, ammonium ion is added into low salinity water to facilitate the MIE mechanism in shaly-sandstones reservoir. Experiments are performed with shaly-sandstone rock as it contains both calcium and magnesium ions as part of clays and ammonium ion can express its potential by triggering MIE mechanism. Stirring test, spontaneous …

การประยุกต์ใช้เทคนิคการเรียนรู้เชิงลึกในการฝังคำเพื่อสร้างแบบจำลองสำหรับทำนายผลการวินิจฉัยโรคจากบันทึกทางการแพทย์ของแผนกออร์โธปิดิกส์, ธนากร รัตนจริยา

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้จะนำเสนอวิธีการฝังคำในการเรียนรู้เชิงลึกเพื่อสร้างแบบจำลองสำหรับทำนายผลการวินิจฉัยโรค ซึ่งปัจจัยสำคัญที่ทำให้ผลการวินิจฉัยโรคของแพทย์ผิดพลาดคือประสบการณ์ของแพทย์ที่ไม่เพียงพอ โดยการวินิจฉัยโรคที่ผิดพลาดนั้น นอกจากจะนำไปสู่การรักษาที่ผิดพลาดแล้ว ยังทำให้ผู้ป่วยเสียทั้งเงินและเวลา ดังนั้นเพื่อแก้ไขปัญหาการวินิจฉัยที่ผิดพลาด งานวิจัยนี้จึงนำเสนอวิธีการประยุกต์ใช้การเรียนรู้เชิงลึกกับการฝังคำ เพื่อทำนายผลการวินิจฉัยโรคจากระบบเวชระเบียน โดยจะสร้างแบบจำลองจากการใช้ข้อมูลในบันทึกของแพทย์ ซึ่งข้อมูลจะถูกนำไปวิเคราะห์ผ่านแบบจำลอง เพื่อทำนายผลการวินิจฉัยโรคที่มีความน่าจะเป็นออกมา เรียงตามลำดับความเชื่อมั่น และสุดท้ายจะใช้อัตราผลบวกจริง อัตราผลบวกเท็จ และค่าความแม่นยำมาเป็นตัววัดประสิทธิภาพของแบบจำลองที่ได้ ซึ่งพบว่าค่าความแม่นยำของแบบจำลองในงานวิจัยนี้มีค่าเท่ากับ 99.95% และอัตราผลบวกจริงมีค่าเท่ากับ 86.64% ด้วยการทำนายผลลัพธ์อันดับแรกเพียงอันดับเดียว

นวัตกรรมกระบวนการเพื่อป้องกันความคลาดเคลื่อนการบริการอาหารผู้ป่วยในโรงพยาบาล, สืบสกุล โทนแจ้ง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การบริการอาหารผู้ป่วยในโรงพยาบาลนับว่าเป็นกระบวนการที่มีความสำคัญเพราะอาหารนับว่าเป็นส่วนหนึ่งของกระบวนการรักษาและถือเป็นยาชนิดหนึ่ง ในโรงพยาบาลที่ผ่านมาตรฐานคุณภาพระดับนานาชาติแห่งหนึ่ง พบว่าในปี 2017 มีจำนวนข้อร้องเรียนเรื่องได้รับอาหารไม่ตรงตามที่ระบุ 217 ราย คิดเป็น 37.4% ของข้อร้องเรียนที่เกิดขึ้นในงานโภชนาการซึ่งถือว่ามีความผิดพลาดสูง แต่ปัญหาดังกล่าวยังไม่เคยได้รับการศึกษาหรือแนวทางแก้ไข งานวิจัยนี้จึงต้องการศึกษาสาเหตุและกระบวนการเพื่อป้องกันไม่ให้เกิดความคลาดเคลื่อนในการบริการอาหารผู้ป่วยแล้วนำมาใช้เป็นข้อมูลสำหรับสร้างผลิตภัณฑ์นวัตกรรมเพื่อป้องกันการเกิดความคลาดเคลื่อนการให้บริการอาหารผู้ป่วยในโรงพยาบาล การศึกษาสาเหตุที่ทำให้เกิดความคลาดเคลื่อนการบริการอาหารผู้ป่วยในโรงพยาบาลโดยประยุกต์แนวทางมาจากความคลาดเคลื่อนในการให้ยาเนื่องจากกระบวนการมีลักษณะคล้ายกัน จากการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเชิงปริมาณได้แก่ เปอร์เซ็นข้อร้องเรียนที่เกิดขึ้นใน 1 ปี (แบบสอบถาม ก) และคะแนนเฉลี่ยความคิดเห็นถึงสาเหตุของความคลาดเคลื่อนจากบุคลากรที่เกี่ยวข้องในระบบริการอาหาร (แบบสอบถาม ข) โดยพบว่าความคลาดเคลื่อนมีสาเหตุจาก 1.) การคัดลอกคำสั่งให้อาหาร (ก=61.3%, ข=4.63) 2.) การให้บริการอาหาร (ก=25.8%, ข=2.45) 3.) การจ่ายอาหาร (ก=10.1%, ข=2.31) 4.) การสั่งให้อาหาร (ก=2.7%, ข=1.02). ตามลำดับ การวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลเชิงคุณภาพ โดยการสนทนากับบุคลากรที่เกี่ยวข้องในระบบการบริการอาหารจำนวน 4 กลุ่ม จึงสามารถสรุปได้ว่า ความคลาดเคลื่อนมีสาเหตุหลักมาจากการคัดลอกคำสั่งให้อาหาร เมื่อวิเคราะห์กระบวนการคัดลอกโดยใช้พิมพ์เขียวบริการ พบว่าความคลาดเคลื่อนเกิดขึ้นที่กระบวนการถ่ายโอนข้อมูลทางด้านโภชนาการของผู้ป่วยระหว่างแผนก จากนั้นหาวิธีการที่จะช่วยตอบสนองความต้องการกลุ่มผู้ใช้เป้าหมายและวิเคราะห์โดยใช้ผังต้นไม้แล้วนำมาใส่ในตารางเมตริกซ์แสดงเป็นรายการทางเลือกและเลือกแนวคิดที่น่าสนใจออกมา 5 แนวคิด แล้วให้บุคลากรในโรงพยาบาลที่เกี่ยวข้องให้คะแนนนำไปสู่การพัฒนาโปรแกรม ในรูปของ Mobile Application สำหรับระบบปฏิบัติการ Android ชื่อว่า "Gourmet Nutri" ทำหน้าที่เป็นศูนย์กลางข้อมูลด้านอาหารโดยโปรแกรมสามารถดึงข้อมูลทางโภชนาการของผู้ป่วยจากฐานข้อมูลโรงพยาบาลได้ทันทีและอัพเดทอัตโนมัติเมื่อมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงสถานะผู้ป่วย เมื่อได้ข้อมูลแล้วพนักงานสามารถนำโปรแกรมดังกล่าวไปรับรายการอาหารผู้ป่วยได้บน Tablet และส่งข้อมูลรายการอาหารไปยังครัวเพื่อจัดเตรียมอาหารได้ทันที โดยโปรแกรมดังกล่าวช่วยลดขั้นตอนการทำงานจาก 26 ขั้นตอนคิดเป็น 1,304 นาที เหลือ 17 ขั้นตอนคิดเป็น 985 นาที แสดงให้เห็นถึงเวลาการทำงานที่ลดลง 24.46% ผลการประเมินประสิทธิภาพของโปรแกรมโดยผู้ใช้งานจริงพบว่ามีความพึงพอใจเฉลี่ย 4.14 ถือว่าอยู่ในระดับดีมาก เมื่อประเมินประสิทธิภาพการลดความคลาดเคลื่อนการบริการอาหารโดยการทดสอบสมมติฐานค่าสัดส่วนกรณี 2 กลุ่มประชากร คือสัดส่วนความผิดพลาดก่อนใช้โปรแกรมมีค่า 6.22x10-4 ต่อถาด และสัดส่วนความผิดพลาดหลังปรับปรุง 2.26x10-4 ต่อถาด ซึ่งลดลงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญที่ช่วงความเชื่อมั่น 95%

Metabolic Engineering Of Serratia Marcescens, Qiang Yan

Theses and Dissertations

The potential value of the chitin biomass (e.g. food waste) is recently considered being ignored by landfill. Chitin can be a potential cheap carbon source for converting into value-added chemicals by microorganisms. Serratia marcescens is a chitinolytic bacterium that harbors endogenous chitinase systems. With goals of characterzing S. marcescens chitinolytic capabilities and applying S. marcescens to chemical production from chitin, my dissertation main content includes five chapters: 1) Chapter 1 highlights background information of chitin source, S. marcescens and potential metabolic engineering targets using chitin as a substrate; 2) Chapter 2 demonstrates that ChiR is a key regulator in regulating …

The Visual Ecology Of Speyeria Mormonia, Natalie Sanchez Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

Variations in environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and day length during larval development are known to affect morphological traits in butterflies related to their visual ecology, including eye size and wing color. These vision-related traits are important for the ability of diurnal butterfly species to detect mates, especially at long distances. Thus, changes in environmental conditions may result in phenotypic modifications to butterflies which may alter their visual ecology and subsequently, their reproductive fitness. To study the interaction of phenotypic plasticity and visual ecology in the Mormon Fritillary, Speyeria mormonia, I set up a natural-laboratory experiment at the Rocky …

Reduced Exhaust Emissions Through Blending N-Butanol With Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel And Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene In Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition Combustion, Remi Gaubert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Increasing restrictions on the emitted exhaust emissions in diesel engines are becoming a more challenging task than in previous years. An electronic common rail fuel injection system and a port fuel injection (PFI) system were developed for an experimental engine to research dual fuel combustion. The experimental research was conducted at 1500 rpm and 4, 5, and 6 bar indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP). n-Butanol was port fuel injected at a 60% by mass fraction coupled with direct injection (DI) of three fuels, including ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD RCCI), a 50-50 wt-% blend of ULSD and butanol (ULSD-Bu RCCI), and …

Robocatch: Design And Making Of A Hand-Held Spillage-Free Specimen Retrieval Robot For Laparoscopic Surgery, Farid Tavakkolmoghaddam

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Specimen retrieval is an important step in laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to diagnose and treat a myriad of medical pathologies in fields ranging from gynecology to oncology. Specimen retrieval bags (SRBs) are used to facilitate this task, while minimizing contamination of neighboring tissues and port-sites in the abdominal cavity. This manual surgical procedure requires usage of multiple ports, creating a traffic of simultaneous operations of multiple instruments in a limited shared workspace. The skill-demanding nature of this procedure makes it time-consuming, leading to surgeons’ fatigue and operational inefficiency. This thesis presents the design and making of RoboCatch, …

A Multi-Criteria And Dynamic Sustainability Assessment Of Crop Rotation Alternatives, Saturnina Fabian Nisperos

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

With the food security challenge faced by nations globally, agriculture sustainability has been a significant consideration for concerned agencies. Sustainability assessments are significant tools in providing support to stakeholders in their crop production planning. Agricultural sustainability assessment, however, is complex and it involves numerous criteria that can be conflicting. Limitations on crop rotation sustainability assessment methods include: non-dynamic assessment; lack of regard to cover crops and to the individual crop production preferences of farmers; and focused only on single-year and single-crop rotation. We sought to address these limitations by developing a multi-criteria and dynamic sustainability assessment model that considers the …

A Scientific Approach To Understanding The Head Trauma Endured By A Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, John William Michael Sorbello

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to gain some insight on the type of head trauma an athlete may encounter during mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. These athletes endure continuous blows to the head throughout their training and fighting career. The knowledge obtained from this research may assist MMA athletes and trainers in assessing the way they train, how they compete and, more importantly, how long they choose to compete in their amateur or professional MMA career.

The analysis is performed by first creating a three-dimensional solid model of the human head based on geometric coordinates originally obtained from a …

Characterization Of The Cylinderical Split Internal-Loop Photobioreactor With Scenedesmus Microalgae: Advanced Culturing, Modeling, And Hydrodynamics, Laith S. Sabri

Doctoral Dissertations

"Microalgae are fast growing photoynthetic microorganisms and it have very wide range of industrial applications such as biofuels and wastewater treatment. These cells can be grown in a wide variety of systems ranging from open culture systems (e.g., ponds) to closed culture systems of photobioreactor (e.g., airlift). The open culture systems exist in the external environment, and hence, are not intrinsically controllable. However, the microalgae production in enclosed photobioreactors faces prohibitively high production costs with special difficulty in reactor design and scale-up. The light availability and utilization efficiency in the photobioreactor in terms of design and scale-up consider as the …