Digital Commons Network^™

Synthesis Of Acetylene-Based Hetarene Derivatives In The Presence Of Catalysts, Abdulla T. Umrzokov, Abduvaxаb Ikramov, Khusnitdin M. Vapoev, Yusuf K. Zhumanov, Sardor M. Kodirov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study is to synthesize hetaren derivatives of acetylene amination reactions using local natural raw materials as catalyst carriers. Various grades of Oltintag and Angren kaolins, various grades of Navbakhor bentonite, as well as the opaque rock of the Karmaninsky deposit were used as catalyst carriers. Thermal, acidic and hydrothermal treatment was carried out on the appropriate sorbents, with the production of catalysts of various modifications from sorbents and active components. The processes of catalytic condensation of acetylene with ammonia were studied using modified catalysts. The effect of the reaction temperature, the active components of the catalyst, …

The Role Of Chitosan In Increasing The Mechanical And Antibacterial Properties Of Paper, Khurshid Khamidulla Ugli Khaydullaev, Jaloliddin Faxriddin Ugli Ungarov, Munavvar Umar Kizi Iskandarova, Yorqinjon Tulqin Ugli Ergashev, Guzal Yusupovna Akmalova, Elmurod Abduqodirovich Egamberdiev

Technical science and innovation

Chitosan is also widely used in the paper industry to improve paper production and paper properties. Indeed, the molecular structure of chitosan is similar to cellulose, which contributes to the formation of a strong compound. Due to the presence of chitin (-NHCOCH₃) functional groups in chitosan (-NH₂), these groups are insoluble in water, but soluble in a solution of chitosan acid with deacetylation levels above 60%. On the contrary, chitin does not dissolve. Chitin and chitosan are insoluble in alkaline and organic solutions under normal conditions. In general, a high percentage of the amine (NH_{2 …}

Painting Rich Six-Dimensional Pictures Using Polarized Fluorescence Microscopy, Matthew D. Lew

Electrical & Systems Engineering Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Sorption-Spectroscopic Method For Determining Mn Ions In Wastewater, Zulayho Asanalievna Smanova, Zukhra Ziyatovna Yakshieva, Nazira Kuchkarbayevna Madusmanova, Gulyorkhon Otkir Qizi Miradkhamova

Technical science and innovation

In this article, the processes of metal complex synthesis are studied in detail. Zinc OEDF+NTF complexation reactions were carried out in the presence of polyhydric alcohols, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and citric acid. For the first time, the synergistic efficiency of a mixture of zinc OEDF+NTF complexes with methyldiethanolamine, used as an inhibitor of mineral salt accumulation, was studied. It was found that when selecting the components in equivalent amounts, the inhibition efficiency of the composition is at least 90%. The high efficiency of inhibiting mineral salt accumulation in the composition is due to the presence of methyldiethanolamine, alkylimidazoline, and their …

The Influence Of Dispersed Fillers On The Mechanical Properties Of Sulfur Polymer Heterocomposites, Erkin Abdukhafizovich Rakhmatov, Durdiymurad Gurbanovich Gadamov, Umida Alijonovna Ziyamukhamedova, Jasurbek Himmat Ugli Nafasov, Elbek Tukhtanazar Ugli Turgunaliev, Shokhjakhon Uktam Ugli Abdurakhimov

Technical science and innovation

This article discusses improving the physical, mechanical, and operational properties of composite materials modified with sulfur-containing plasticizers used in the modern construction industry. Furthermore, based on an in-depth analysis of the literature, the types and sizes of fillers and the significance of their mixing technology in the formation of a structure with low porosity of a composite material with a sulfur binder have been studied. The article thoroughly describes a method for obtaining a composite material with a stable sulfur-containing binder, the processes of preparing a solid filler, impregnating the filler with an organic modifier, humidifying and heating the filler …

Reweighting Configurations Generated By Transferable, Machine Learned Models For Protein Sidechain Backmapping, Jacob Monroe

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multiscale modeling requires the linking of models at different levels of detail, with the goal of gaining accelerations from lower fidelity models while recovering fine details from higher resolution models. Communication across resolutions is particularly important in modeling soft matter, where tight couplings exist between molecular-level details and mesoscale structures. While multiscale modeling of biomolecules has become a critical component in exploring their structure and self-assembly, backmapping from coarse-grained to fine-grained, or atomistic, representations presents a challenge, despite recent advances through machine learning. A major hurdle, especially for strategies utilizing machine learning, is that backmappings can only approximately recover the …

Unveiling The Transformative Power Of Unsupervised Machine Learning Through Clustering, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Open Educational Resources

Clustering methods demonstrated their transformative potential across various industries through image segmentation, anomaly detection, bioinformatics, and customer segmentation. The presentation explores these techniques in unsupervised machine learning, focusing on foundational clustering algorithms such as K-means, Hierarchical Clustering, and DBSCAN. Through an in-depth analysis of their underlying principles and computational intricacies, the presentation highlights how these methods have evolved to address complex, high-dimensional data problems. The presentation provides insights into how K-means remains a versatile tool for partitioning data in linear spaces. It delves into Hierarchical Clustering's unique approach to building dendrograms and capturing multi-scale data relationships, and how DBSCAN's density-based …

Evaluation Of Gfap And Ptau Protein Expression In Male And Female Cci Mouse Models, Sara Wallace

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern that leads to the death or disability of thousands of individuals in the US annually. Progression of TBI involves primary damage from the initial, mechanical injury and secondary damage, from nonmechanical, pathological dysfunction. The secondary damage mechanisms can be better understood, diagnosed, and treated through the quantification of TBI biomarkers. The two biomarkers of interest in this study are pTau and GFAP. The male and female mouse models showed similar significant increase in GFAP following injury, as well as a general lack of increase in pTau expression following the injury. …

Evaluating Coal-Jatropha Curcas Composite Briquettes As Sustainable Fuel Alternatives, Amad Ullah Khan, Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Abas, Zakir Ullah, Khan Muhammad, Farida Anjum, Aamer Sharif, Melkamu Tadesse Getachew

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coal is a major fuel source but raises environmental concerns. This study investigated the feasibility of utilizing a composite briquette sustainable fuel produced from subbituminous coal and Jatropha curcas biomass. Briquettes were prepared with varying weight ratios of coal to J. curcas biomass (90:0–0:90) using corn starch as a binder. The influence of this ratio on the briquettes’ properties was comprehensively evaluated through proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The results revealed that increasing the J. curcas content in the briquettes gradually decreased the moisture content, ash content, and fixed carbon content while …

Volatile Organic Compound (Voc) Sensing Trend Among Novel 2d/3d Materials, Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) present significant health risks to both humans and animals. Long term exposure to certain VOCs belonging to certain chemical classes can cause both short- and long-term effects including nausea, damage to the central nervous system, and cancer. VOCs can be found in various everyday products like varnishes, paints, cooking items, cleaning products, nail polishes etc. Because of their ubiquitous nature, health concerns and risks regarding VOC exposure have become even more pressing. In this study, the VOC sensing capabilities and trends of novel 2D, and 3D materials (perovskite, and phthalocyanines) have been explored through electrochemical and …

Automated Data Analysis For Concussion Patient Records: A Flutter-Based Desktop Application, Fhaheem Tadamarry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Concussions are a prevalent and complex medical condition requiring careful clinical assessment and data-driven insights for effective management. This thesis presents the development of an automated data analysis system for concussion patient records, integrating Flutter-based desktop application development with SQL-driven data processing. The system provides a streamlined, interactive interface for clincians and researchers to upload, visualize, and analyze patient data efficiently.

The proposed solution automates data cleaning, preprocessing, and statistical analysis, ensuring robust and reliable insights into demographic, clinical, and recovery-related factors. Key analyses include sex-based differences injury mechanisms, prior head injury impact, mood disorder correlations, and time-to-treatment variations. The …

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Planning Using Hybrid D* Lite With Ppo And Td3: Experimental Design And Performance Analysis, Matthew J. Rice

Undergraduate Theses

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) face significant challenges in underwater navigation, including generating smooth paths, avoiding obstacles, and adapting to complex conditions. This paper introduces a hybrid path-planning algorithm, D-RL*, that integrates the D* Lite algorithm for efficient initial pathfinding with Deep Reinforcement Learning methods to refine paths for smoother trajectories. The proposed approach addresses D* Lite's inability to produce continuous, smooth paths and baseline Reinforcement Learnings’ failures in environments requiring significant detours. Experimental results in four progressively complex environments highlight D-RL*’s ability to plan smoother paths than D* Lite while training in a shorter amount of time and generating shorter …

Stable Heteroclinic Channels As A Decision-Making Model: Overcoming Low Signal-To-Noise Ratio With Mutual Inhibition, Natasha A. Rouse

Faculty Scholarship

Bio-inspired robot controllers are becoming more complex as we strive to make them more robust to, and flexible in, noisy, real-world environments. A stable heteroclinic network (SHN) is a dynamical system that produces cyclical state transitions using noisy input. SHN-based robot controllers enable sensory input to be integrated at the phase-space level of the controller, thus simplifying sensor-integrated, robot control methods. In this work, we investigate the mechanism that drives branching state trajectories in SHNs. We liken the branching state trajectories to decision-splits imposed into the system, which opens the door for more sophisticated controls-all driven by sensory input. This …

Exploring Corona Discharge In Electrostatic Printing For Electronics And In Other Application, Zijian Weng

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of printed electronics (PEs) is expanding rapidly, driven by increasing market demand. According to reports, the global market for PEs is expected to reach $23 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 18.3% from 2023 to 2028. This growth necessitates the development of innovative printing technologies that can meet these demands efficiently, delivering high-quality, high-resolution PEs suitable for applications in health, environmental monitoring, sports, aerospace, and more.

Currently, PEs manufacturing relies on two main groups of printing technologies. Contact printing methods offer high-speed production but struggle with precision, while non-contact methods provide high resolution but …

Recent Advances In Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensors For Theophylline Detection, Gustria Ernis, Yulia M T A Putri, Muhammad Iqbal Syauqi, Prastika Krisma Jiwanti, Yeni Wahyuni Hartati, Takeshi Kondo, Qonita Kurnia Anjani, Jarnuzi Gunlazuardi

Journal of Electrochemistry

Detection of target analytes at low concentrations is significant in various fields, including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and environmental protection. Theophylline (TP), a natural alkaloid used as a bronchodilator to treat respiratory disorders such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, has a narrow therapeutic window with a safe plasma concentration ranging from 55.5–111.0 μmol·L^–1 in adults. Accurate monitoring of TP levels is essential because too low or too high can cause serious side effects. In this regard, non-enzymatic electrochemical sensors offer a practical solution with rapidity, portability, and high sensitivity. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the recent developments …

Web Application For Simulation Of An Agent-Based Model In Netlogo3d, Chris Davis Perumal, Abraham Nofal, Benedict J. Kolber, Rachael Miller Neilan

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

Agent-based models (ABMs) are computer simulation models for studying systems of autonomous agents. Modelers often use specialized software like NetLogo to develop ABMs, but this software poses barriers to researchers in other disciplines with no prior programming experience. To address this issue, we developed a web application that allows users to simulate our ABM via a web browser, eliminating the need for the user to download and use specialized software. While presented in the context of a specific ABM, our approach can be applied to other ABMs to enhance accessibility. The ABM presented here was developed in NetLogo3D. The model …

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum Aquaticum): Biology And Management Options In Utah, Francielli S. De Oliveira

Spring Runoff Conference

Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

• Invasive weed from South America.
• Heterophilic perennial dioecious plant (female in the US).
• Forms dense mats, blocks waterways, and outcompetes native species
• Spreads via rhizomes, stolons, and stem fragments.

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (Pfas) Degradation In Water And Soil Using Cold Atmospheric Plasma (Cap): A Review, Victor Somtochukwu Mbanugo, Boluwatife Stephen Ojo, Ta Chun Lin, Yue-Wern Huang, Marek Locmelis, Daoru Han

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent organic chemicals found in numerous industrial applications and everyday products. The excessive amounts of PFASs in water and soil, together with their link to severe health issues, have prompted substantial public concerns, making their removal from the environment a necessity. Existing degradation techniques are frequently lacking due to their low efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and potential for secondary contamination. Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) technology has emerged as a promising alternative, utilizing energized reactive species to break down PFASs under ambient conditions. Therefore, this review examines the efficacy and effectiveness of CAP in degrading PFASs by …

Soil Health And Water Conservation, Tony Richards

Spring Runoff Conference

What are Healthy Soils? 

• Stable 
• Functional 
• Productive 
• Resilient 

Water Quality Assessment Of Irrigation Streams Within Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, Mahy Adel Elbialy, Ibrahim Mohamed Rashwan, Saleh Shalaby, Ahmed Shalby

Journal of Engineering Research

Water quality degradation is a major global concern and a significant threat to human health. In Egypt, extensive agricultural runoff enriched with fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides endangers the aquatic ecosystems. Accordingly, a reliable water quality monitoring and assessment program is crucial for formulating a management strategy aimed at water resource protection. Indeed, water quality assessment implies a challenge in identifying sampling locations, frequencies and monitored parameters. This paper aims to report on the water quality state of some irrigation streams in the Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. A systematic monitoring program was implemented through three field campaigns conducted in November 2023, February …

Great Salt Lake Model Depletion, Katherine Wright

Spring Runoff Conference

When does water leasing make sense? Using New Information to Make Better Leases.

Lease, but only if it makes sense.

• Farmers have a legal right to use water on their farms for agriculture.
• Leasing might be a good economic decision for you, but not your neighbor.
• Leasing is voluntary, the purpose of this presentation is to explain the benefits of leasing and give you the information you need to decide if it is right for you. 

An Edge Awareness-Enhanced Visual Slam Method For Underground Coal Mines, Mu Qi, Liang Xin, Guo Yuanjie, Wang Yuhao, Li Zhanli

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Underground coal mines commonly exhibit low illuminance, weak textures, and structuralization-induced feature degradation. These scenes lead to challenges of insufficient effective features and high mismatch rates to the visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system, severely compromising its localization accuracy and robustness. Methods This study proposed an edge awareness-enhanced visual SLAM method. First, an edge-awareness constrained low-illuminance image enhancement module was developed. Specifically, images with clear textures and uniform illumination were obtained using the Retinex algorithm optimized using an adaptive gradient-domain guided filter. This significantly improved feature extraction performance under low and uneven lighting conditions. Second, an edge awareness-enhanced …

Role Of Eye-Tracking Technology And Software Algorithms In Enhancing Adhd Detection And Diagnosis: A Systematic Literature Review, Lauren E. Perkins

Honors College Theses

This systematic literature review explores the role of eye-tracking technology and software algorithms in enhancing the detection and diagnosis of ADHD. ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting both children and adults, is traditionally diagnosed through behavioral assessments, which may lack objectivity. Recent studies suggest that eye-tracking, specifically focusing on saccades, fixations, and blink rates, offers the potential for more accurate and objective measures of ADHD. The review examines clinical trials, observational studies, and machine learning research to assess the correlation between ADHD and eye movement patterns. Results indicate that individuals with ADHD exhibit distinct eye movement patterns, which can be quantified …

Modeling The Pollution From Latrines In A Low- And Middle-Income Country Setting, Christopher Nenninger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latrines are an important sanitation infrastructure that are critical to the United Nations’ effort to end open defecation and achieve the target regarding safely managed sanitation outlined in Sustainable Development Goal #6. This global effort has led to 40,000,000 new users being introduced to improved latrines each year, and this number is expected to increase as the world’s population grows. One of the drawbacks related to these new latrine additions is the potential increase in pollution from hydraulically connected latrine pits to shallow groundwater. This is especially problematic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where communities are more likely to …

Deep Learning Applications For Predictive Modeling In Cancer Therapy And Enzyme Encoding, Mengmeng Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Predictive modeling has revolutionized computational biology and molecular bioinformatics, enabling significant advancements in cancer therapy and functional enzyme characterization. Despite considerable progress, significant challenges remain in accurately predicting combinational cancer therapies and systematically representing enzyme functions for computational applications. Traditional methods struggle with capturing the complex interactions between drugs and biological networks, as well as representing hierarchical relationships within enzyme classifications. This dissertation addresses these limitations by developing advanced deep learning models tailored to enhance predictive performance in both domains.

First, a data augmentation strategy is introduced to improve anticancer drug synergy prediction by generating pharmacologically relevant drug pairs based …

Developing Students' Sociotechnical Thinking In The Humanities-Engineering Classroom: A Treatment Versus Control Study Using A Scenario-Based Assessment, Lori Czerwionka, Siddhant S. Joshi, Gabriel O. Rios-Rojas, Kirsten A. Davis

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Background

Engineering problems are open-ended and complex, involving technical and social aspects, yet engineering education focuses on technical training and closed-ended problems. To prepare engineering students, curricula should foster sociotechnical thinking—the ability to consider the interplay of technical and social factors during problem solving. Although educational interventions in this area show promise, further insight into the benefits of interdisciplinary interventions is warranted, particularly with treatment and control group designs.

Purpose

We examine the effect of a Humanities-Informed Engineering Projects (HIEP) course on students' sociotechnical thinking development.

Method

We compared the sociotechnical thinking development of engineering students who took the HIEP …

How Engineering Students Learn And Are Impacted By Empathy Training: A Multi-Year Study Of An Empathy Program Focused On Disability And Technology, Eric Schearer

Faculty Scholarship

Measurable results of efforts to teach empathy to engineering students are sparse and somewhat mixed. This study’s objectives are (O1) to understand how empathy training affects students’ professional development relative to other educational experiences, (O2) to track empathy changes due to training over multiple years, and (O3) to understand how and what students learn in empathy training environments.

Development, Optimization, And Validation Of A High-Sensitivity Capillary Zone Electrophoresis System For Bioanalytical Applications, Aaron I. Mena

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is a powerful analytical technique widely used for biomolecular separation due to its high resolution, efficiency, and sensitivity. This report presents the development and validation of a novel CZE system designed to improve modularity, reproducibility, and operational efficiency. The system integrates a laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection method with a 488 nm laser, enhanced fluid control through a negative pressure system, and a user-friendly GUI for automated operation and data acquisition. Performance verification included pressure stability tests, fluorescence accuracy assessments, and electrophoretic reproducibility studies. Comparative analysis with a previous CZE iteration confirmed improved baseline stability, peak resolution, …

Determinants Of Knee Motion In Health, Disease, And Repair, Sean Edward Higinbotham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human knee joint is a complex and intricate structure, enabling a wide range of motions and facilitating various dynamic activities throughout a person's lifetime. The combination of the knee's complexity and its role as a primary load-bearing joint has made it susceptible to regular wear and tear, leading to pain and the development of Osteoarthritis (OA), to which, the only treatment currently is total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Despite TKA being a mature procedure, 20% of patients receiving a TKA are dissatisfied with their “new” knee. To reduce that 20% dissatisfaction and improve surgical outcomes, orthopedic companies are developing advanced …

Advancing Tka Biomechanics: From Joint Simulator To Boundary Condition Development, Yashar Ali Behnam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses four specific aims that collectively attempted to advance the experimental and computational analysis of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) components. The first study focused on the development of a novel whole knee joint simulator capable of simultaneous tibiofemoral and patellofemoral knee loading. This simulator employs custom fixturing to facilitate dynamic, unconstrained, muscle-driven PF articulation alongside controlled TF contact mechanics. Validation against experimental measurements showed strong agreement, demonstrating the simulator's potential as a valuable tool for future TKA design and surgical technique investigations.

The second study verified implant-specific physiological boundary conditions which accurately simulate activities of daily living using …