Digital Commons Network^™

Simultaneous Robotic Manipulation And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Feasibility In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Nicole M.G. Salowitz, Bridget Dolan, Rheanna Remmel, Amy V. Van Hecke, Kristine M. Mosier, Lucia Simo, Robert A. Scheidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

An unanswered question concerning the neural basis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is how sensorimotor deficits in individuals with ASD are related to abnormalities of brain function. We previously described a robotic joystick and video game system that allows us to record functional magnetic resonance images (FMRI) while adult humans make goal-directed wrist motions. We anticipated several challenges in extending this approach to studying goal-directed behaviors in children with ASD and in typically developing (TYP) children. In particular we were concerned that children with autism may express increased levels of anxiety as compared to typically developing children due to the …

Simultaneous Robotic Manipulation And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Feasibility In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Nicole Marie Gregor Salowitz, Bridget K. Dolan, Rheanna Remmel, Amy V. Van Hecke, Kristine M. Mosier, Lucia S. Simo, Robert A. Scheidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

An unanswered question concerning the neural basis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is how sensorimotor deficits in individuals with ASD are related to abnormalities of brain function. We previously described a robotic joystick and video game system that allows us to record functional magnetic resonance images (FMRI) while adult humans make goal- directed wrist motions. We anticipated several challenges in extending this approach to studying goal-directed behaviors in children with ASD and in typically developing (TYP) children. In particular we were concerned that children with autism may express increased levels of anxiety as compared to typically developing children due to …

Design And Validation Of A Computational Model For Study Of Scapholunate Joint Kinematics, Edward J. Tremols

Theses and Dissertations

As computational power has increased, computational modeling has become a very promising tool to model the biomechanics of complex joint systems. Musculoskeletal computational models have become more complex when compared to original iterations which utilized a number of simplifications. This thesis utilized a three-dimensional computational model of the wrist joint structure to investigate scapholunate kinematics. The model accurately represented the bony anatomy of the wrist and hand and represented soft tissue structures such as ligaments, tendons, and other surrounding tissues. Creation of the model was done using commercially available computer-aided design and medical image processing software, and utilized the rigid …

African American And Hispanic Stem Students' Engagement At Predominantly White Institutions, Terrell Lamont Strayhorn, Fei Bie, Leroy L. Long Iii, Blossom A. Barrett

Publications

Although research has shown that involvement is a helpful predictor of students’ future success, underrepresented minorities (i.e., African Americans and Hispanics) face unique obstacles at predominantly White institutions, which limit their engagement in educationally purposeful activities. Survey data from a 2007 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) were analyzed to measure African American and Hispanic students’ engagement in educationally purposeful activities. Results from the present study found that student satisfaction in college is positively related to time spent preparing for class and frequency of interactions with faculty members about careers. Furthermore, African American and Hispanic science, technology, …

Standoff Methods For The Detection Of Threat Agents: A Review Of Several Promising Laser-Based Techniques, J. Bruce Johnson, Susan D. Allen, Jonathan Merten, Lewis Johnson, Daniel Pinkham, Scott W. Reeve

Publications

Detection of explosives, explosive precursors, or other threat agents presents a number of technological challenges for optical sensing methods. Certainly detecting trace levels of threat agents against a complex background is chief among these challenges; however, the related issues of multiple target distances (from standoff to proximity) and sampling time scales (from passive mines to rapid rate of march convoy protection) for different applications make it unlikely that a single technique will be ideal for all sensing situations. A number of methods for spanning the range of optical sensor technologies exist which, when integrated, could produce a fused sensor system …

Defect Mediated Electrochemical Hydrogenation Of Epitaxial Graphene: Towards Graphene Based Microbial Fuel Cells, Kevin Michael Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are seen as a promising complementary technology to alleviate the exponentially increasing worldwide energy demand. MFCs use bacteria to extract energy from biomass, where choice of electrode materials has a strong impact on energy extraction and efficiency. Graphene, a single monolayer of carbon with exceptional electrical conductivity and high surface area, is seen as a promising material with the potential of improving charge transfer and bacterial adhesion. To probe this reactivity, a novel means of hydrogenation of graphene by electrochemistry is demonstrated.

In this thesis, electrochemical hydrogenation of epitaxial graphene (EG), graphene grown on silicon carbide …

A Review Of The Hyporheic Zone, Stream Restoration, And Means To Enhance Denitrification, Leanne Merill, David J. Tonjes

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

The hyporheic zone is the subsurface area below and adjacent to a stream where groundwater mixes with stream water, through vertical, lateral, and longitudinal flows. The hyporheic zone connects the stream to uplands and other terrestrial environments. It is a zone of distinct faunal communities, high biological diversity and ecological complexity, and is the site of chemical processing and transformations of ground- and stream waters. The hyporheic zone is important to the overall ecosystem ecology of the stream, and it can influence stream water chemistry. Flows, reactions, and biota in the hyporheic zone are heterogeneous and patchy, making it difficult …

Degradable Plastics And Their Potential To Affect Solid Waste Systems, Krista L. Thyberg, David J. Tonjes

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

Plastic waste forms a substantial part of municipal solid waste and has caused environmental concerns, particularly due to chemical contamination of the environment and effects from persistent litter. Plastics also complicate waste management processes, such as by having poor recovery rates through recycling, and causing contamination in composting operations. One potential means to address some of these challenges is through degradable plastics which, unlike conventional plastics, are designed to decompose at an accelerated rate in specific environments. Degradable plastics aim to address the end-of-life of plastic products and are intended to reduce the environmental impacts associated with their use and …

Women In Science 2014, Clark Science Center's Summer Research Fellows Program

SURF Abstracts (Women in Science)

Women in Science 2014 summarizes research done by Smith College’s Summer Research Fellowship (SURF) Program participants. Ever since its 1967 start, SURF has been a cornerstone of Smith’s science education. In 2014, 150 students participated in SURF (141 hosted on campus and nearby eld sites), supervised by 61 faculty mentor-advisors drawn from the Clark Science Center and connected to its eighteen science, mathematics, and engineering departments and programs and associated centers and units. At summer’s end, SURF participants were asked to summarize their research experiences for this publication.

Photonic Crystal Fiber Half-Taper Probe Based Refractometer, Pengfei Wang, Ming Ding, Lin Bo, Chunying Guan, Yuliya Semenova, Weimin Sun, Libo Yuan, Gilberto Brambilla, Gerald Farrell

Articles

A compact singlemode - photonic crystal fibre - singlemode fibre tip (SPST) refractive index sensor is demonstrated in this paper. A CO₂ laser cleaving technique is utilsed to provide a clean-cut fibre tip which is then coated by a layer of gold to increase reflection. An average sensitivity of 39.1 nm/RIU and a resolvable index change of 2.56×10^-4 are obtained experimentally with a ~3.2 µm diameter SPST. The temperature dependence of this fiber optic sensor probe is presented. The proposed SPST refractometer is also significantly less sensitive to temperature and an experimental demonstration of this reduced sensitivity is …

Bioremediation Of Hydrocarbons Via Geobacillus, Amanda T. Lade

Honors Theses and Capstones

Hydrocarbon remediation is a vital aspect of environmental cleanup, especially in soil and groundwater to ensure the health and safety of the public’s drinking water. A possible solution to this contamination is bioremediation, the use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants. This research analyzes the effectiveness of Geobacillus as a hydrocarbon degrader for the use of bioremediation. Twelve strains were identified from oil-contaminated sources and grown in minimal media with crude oil as the carbon source. Growth was observed in the crude oil samples, demonstrating the possibility of bioremediation of hydrocarbons via Geobacillus.

Developing Genetic Tools For Geobacillus, Brittany Artale

Honors Theses and Capstones

Bacillus and Geobacillus are the primary bacterium used in biotechnology industries due to their ability to excrete extracellular materials such as proteins, enzymes and other byproducts. Bacillus subtilis, has a well-characterized competence machinery, giving way to characterized genetic tools. However, a significant problem associated with working with Bacillus is the regulation of endospore formation. An alternative to Bacillus is Geobacillus, a thermophilic bacterium. Thermophiles offer significant advantages over other bacteria as host organisms in biofuel, bioremediation, and biocatalyst processes. However, the genetic tools and competency associated with Geobacillus is still unknown. Through, genetic engineering the ability …

Suspended Sediment And Nutrient Behaviour On The River Bandon, Ireland, James Hickey

Theses

Suspended sediment is a key contributor to contaminant transfer within river systems. The relationship between the transport of suspended sediment and nutrients influences the status of water quality and sustainability of aquatic habitats. This thesis studies suspended sediment and nutrient transport on the River Bandon.

This thesis includes a literature review of suspended sediment and nutrient transport, appropriate legislation, river flow representation and flood frequency estimation.

As part of a structured field monitoring programme, manual samples have been collected periodically and tested for suspended sediment concentration (SSC), turbidity, five species of phosphorus and five species of nitrogen. Continuous in-situ turbidity …

A Novel Waveform For Emergency Services Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks : The Link Layer Perspective, Sebastian Helmle

Theses

Existing wireless communication systems of emergency services mainly enable ordinary unicast or broadcast voice communications. The increasing demand for data services such as messaging, file transfer, maps, etc requires those long-range communication systems to provide higher data rates while maintaining robustness against link failures. In this thesis, various aspects of a link layer design specifically for narrowband mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) that are targeted at emergency services are investigated.

The major aspect of this thesis is the optimisation of a time division multiple access (TDMA) design considering both efficient and reliable multicast resource reservation. An approach to mathematically describe a …

An Investigation And Evaluation Of The Proposed Harbour Development In Bantry Bay, Cork, Shane O'Flynn

Theses

RPS Group was appointed by Bantry Bay Harbour Commissioners to develop a master plan for a waterfront development in Bantry Bay Inner Harbour. It has been proposed that the inner harbour be dredged to a sufficient water depth to allow the entrance of marine craft. The purpose of the thesis is to evaluate and discuss the decisions regarding the environmental impacts that a harbour development would have on Bantry Bay. This research investigates the feasibility of alternative dredge treatment processes used in the Bantry Bay Inner Harbour Development. This research investigates the possibility of reusing the dredge material on site, …

Investigating The Effect Of Sio2-Tio2-Cao-Na 2o-Zno Bioactive Glass Doped Hydroxyapatite: Characterisation And Structural Evaluation, Chokchai Yatongchai, Anthony W. Wren, Declan J. Curran, Stuart Hampshire, Mark R. Towler

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effects of increasing bioactive glass additions,

SiO₂-TiO₂-CaO-Na₂O-ZnO up to 25 wt% in increments of 5 wt%, on the physical and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HA) sintered at 900, 1000, 1100 and 1200°C for 2 h was investigated. Increasing both the glass content and the temperature resulted in increased HA decomposition. This resulted in the formation of a number of bioactive phases. However the presence of the liquidus glass phase did not result in increased densification levels. At 1000 and 1100°C the additions of 5 wt% glass resulted in a decrease in density which …

Applying Spiking Neural Network Simulation To Neuromodulatory Autonomous Robot Control, Cameron Muhammad

Phi Kappa Phi Research Symposium (Archived)

In this paper, simulation of the brain based on an artificial spiking neuron model is used to create a self-learning algorithm. The spiking neuron simulation is used to demonstrate a neuromodulation program in which the reward seeking properties of dopamine, the risk-adverse effects of serotonin, and the attention-focusing effects of the cholinergic and noradrenergic systems are applied to a mobile robotic platform as it moves autonomously throughout an environment. External stimuli is recorded by the program as spiking “events” that result in corresponding amounts of dopamine and serotonin influenced spiking patterns. These spiking patterns affect how the robot adapts to …

Characterization Of A Human Powered Nebulizer Compressor For Resource Poor Settings, Christopher J. Hallberg, Mary Therese Lysaught, Christopher E. Zmudka, William K. Kopesky, Lars E. Olson

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Respiratory disease accounts for three of the ten leading causes of death worldwide. Many of these diseases can be treated and diagnosed using a nebulizer. Nebulizers can also be used to safely and efficiently deliver vaccines. Unfortunately, commercially available nebulizers are not designed for use in regions of the world where lung disease is most prevalent: they are electricity-dependent, cost-prohibitive, and not built to be reliable in harsh operating conditions or under frequent use.

To overcome these limitations, the Human Powered Nebulizer compressor (HPN) was developed. The HPN does not require electricity; instead airflow is generated manually through a …

Generic Instance-Specific Automated Parameter Tuning Framework, Linda Lindawati

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Meta-heuristic algorithms play an important role in solving combinatorial optimization problems (COP) in many practical applications. The caveat is that the performance of these meta-heuristic algorithms is highly dependent on their parameter configuration which controls the algorithm behaviour. Selecting the best parameter configuration is often a difficult, tedious and unsatisfying task. This thesis studies the problem of automating the selection of good parameter configurations. Existing approaches to address the challenges of parameter configuration can be classified into one-size-fits-all and instance-specific approaches. One-size-fits-all approaches focus on finding a single best parameter configuration for a set of problem instances, while instance-specific approaches …

Geotextile Tubes And Their Application To Dewatering, Kevin R. Morgan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Geotextile tubes are a proven cost-effective technology offering speed, efficiency, and minimal impact to the environment for dewatering of sediment or sludge from dredging operations. Common applications include: removal of solids from municipal water and waste water treatment, agricultural remediation, marine dredging operations, construction dewatering, and beach preservation and protection. Geotextile tubes are manufactured in a variety of configurations.

Geotextile tubes are used for a wide variety of environmental applications including dewatering and slurry containment. One of the most important design aspects of the tubes themselves is the ability to be flexible and expand and hold form under high pressure …

Neuromodulation Based Control Of Autonomous Robots On A Cloud Computing Platform, Cameron Muhammad

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In recent years, the advancement of neurobiologically plausible models and computer networking has resulted in new ways of implementing control systems on robotic platforms. The work presents a control approach based on vertebrate neuromodulation and its implementation on autonomous robots in the open-source, open-access environment of robot operating system (ROS). A spiking neural network (SNN) is used to model the neuromodulatory function for generating context based behavioral responses of the robots to sensory input signals. The neural network incorporates three types of neurons- cholinergic and noradrenergic (ACh/NE) neurons for attention focusing and action selection, dopaminergic (DA) neurons for rewards- and …

Water And Nutrient Reuse Within Closed Hydroponic Systems, Emerson Christie

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Currently, little research exists on the maintenance of individual nutrient balance within the nutrient solutions of closed hydroponic systems and how this maintenance may result in reductions in water and nutrient consumption. In this study, a nutrient solution management procedure was developed to maintain outputs while minimizing inputs. Lactuca sativa (lettuce) crops were grown in six closed hydroponic systems utilizing the nutrient film technique. Electrical conductivity was used as the primary indicator of nutrient solution quality and determined if the nutrient solution was discarded and replaced (control systems) or restored (test systems). Restorations in test systems were made individually to …

Feasibility Of Hydrogen Peroxide Production From Wastewater Treatment Using Bioelectrochemical Systems, Chenjie Wu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent developments of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) have shown promising advancements in applying these innovative technologies for municipal wastewater treatment. These systems promise several distinct energy and environmental benefits over the existing activated sludge processes including electricity conservation and production, less biological sludge production, significant reduction in greenhouse gas emission, and potential useful chemical production from wastewater treatment. The goal of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of using a two-chambered BES to generate an environmental friendly oxidizer, hydrogen peroxide, from wastewater treatment. Five research objectives were proposed to achieve the research goal by filling several identified knowledge gaps: 1) …

Experimental Investigation Of The Pebble Bed Structure By Using Gamma Ray Tomography, Fadha Shakir Ahmed

Masters Theses

"Pebble Bed Reactors offer a future for new nuclear energy plants. They are small, inherently safe, and can be competitive with fossil fuels. The fuel forms a randomly stacked pebble with non-uniform fuel densities. The thermal-mechanical behavior of pebble bed reactor core is depends strongly on the spatial variation of packing fraction in the bed and in particular on the number of contacts between pebbles, and between the pebbles and the blanket walls. To investigate these effects, experimental data to characterize bed structure are needed along with other numerical simulation and computational tools for validation.

In this study, a powerful …

Enhanced Pool-Boiling Heat Transfer And Critical Heat Flux Using Femtosecond Laser Surface Processing, Corey M. Kruse, Troy P. Anderson, Chris Wilson, Craig A. Zuhlke, Dennis R. Alexander, George Gogos, Sidy Ndao

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

In this paper, we present the experimental investigation of pool boiling heat transfer on multiscale (micro/nano) functionalized metallic surfaces. The multiscale structures were fabricated via a femtosecond laser surface process (FLSP) technique which forms mound-like microstructures covered by layers of nanoparticles. Using a pool boiling experimental setup with deionized water as the working fluid, both the heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux were investigated. The polished reference sample was found to have a critical heat flux of 91 W/cm² at 40 °C of superheat and a maximum heat transfer coefficient of 23,000 W/m²-K. The processed sample …

Modeling Molecular Communications At Nano-Scale With Applications In Medicine And Microbiology, Tadeusz A. Wysocki

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Whole Genome Sequence Of A Turkish Individual, Haluk Dogan, Handan Can, Hasan H. Otu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Although whole human genome sequencing can be done with readily available technical and financial resources, the need for detailed analyses of genomes of certain populations still exists. Here we present, for the first time, sequencing and analysis of a Turkish human genome. We have performed 35x coverage using paired-end sequencing, where over 95% of sequencing reads are mapped to the reference genome covering more than 99% of the bases. The assembly of unmapped reads rendered 11,654 contigs, 2,168 of which did not reveal any homology to known sequences, resulting in,1 Mbp of unmapped sequence. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery resulted …

Information In Biological Systems And The Fluctuation Theorem, Yaşar Demirel

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Some critical trends in information theory, its role in living systems and utilization in fluctuation theory are discussed. The mutual information of thermodynamic coupling is incorporated into the generalized fluctuation theorem by using information theory and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Thermodynamically coupled dissipative structures in living systems are capable of degrading more energy, and processing complex information through developmental and environmental constraints. The generalized fluctuation theorem can quantify the hysteresis observed in the amount of the irreversible work in nonequilibrium regimes in the presence of information and thermodynamic coupling.

Fate Of Antimicrobials And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes In Simulated Swine Manure Storage, Stacey R. Joy, Xu Li, Daniel D. Snow, John Gilley, Bryan L. Woodbury, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The behavior of three antibiotics (bacitracin, chlortetracycline, and tylosin) and two classes of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), tet and erm, were monitored in swine manure slurry under anaerobic conditions. First-order decay rates were determined for each antibiotic with half-lives ranging from1 day (chlortetracycline) to 10 days (tylosin). ARGs were monitored in the swine manure slurry, and losses of approximately 1 to 3 orders of magnitude in relative abundance were observed during the 40 day storage period. First-order degradation profiles were observed for chlortetracycline and its corresponding resistance genes, tet(X) and tet(Q). Tylosin was degraded to approximately 10% …

Biomechanical Strain As A Trigger For Pore Formation In Schlemm’S Canal Endothelial Cells, Sietse T. Braakman, Ryan M. Pedrigi, A. Thomas Read, James A. E. Smith, W. Daniel Stamer, C. Ross Ethier, Darryl R. Overby

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

The bulk of aqueous humor passing through the conventional outflow pathway must cross the inner wall endothelium of Schlemm’s canal (SC), likely through micron-sized transendothelial pores. SC pore density is reduced in glaucoma, possibly contributing to obstructed aqueous humor outflow and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Little is known about the mechanisms of pore formation; however, pores are often observed near dome-like cellular outpouchings known as giant vacuoles (GVs) where significant biomechanical strain acts on SC cells. We hypothesize that biomechanical strain triggers pore formation in SC cells. To test this hypothesis, primary human SC cells were isolated from three non-glaucomatous …