Digital Commons Network^™

Distribution Tridimensionnelle De La Lumière Dans Une Strucutre De Tête D’Adulte Dérivée D’Un Acte Irm: Approche Par La Méthode De Monte Carlo, Chemseddine Mansouri, Jean-Pierre L'Huillier, Nasser H. Kashou

Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Robust Process For Biodiesel Production Using Supercritical Methanol, Travis Roberts

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The overarching purpose of Phase I was to test, at the bench scale, a continuous supercritical methanol reactor, and to determine the feasibility of implementing the technology at full scale. Specific objectives in reaching this purpose included:
Objective 1: Choose a viable feedstock
Objective 2: Perform experiments for oil extraction
Objective 3: Design, build and operate a continuous supercritical methanol reactor
Objective 4: Design and simulate full scale biodiesel facility
Objective 4a: Perform life-cycle and economic analysis on full scale design
Objective 5: Prepare a Phase II P3 project to demonstrate the entire biodiesel process
Project Scope: The students performed …

Adhesion Of Jurkat Cells In Defined Media And Substrates, Sarah De Leo

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

High-Rate Channel Catfish Fingerling Production In The Partitioned Aquaculture System, Tim Wells

All Theses

The objective of this 4-year research project was to evaluate the performance of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fingerling production in the Partitioned Aquaculture System (PAS). The goal was to demonstrate production of 80-gram minimum sized fingerlings in a single growing season, allowing for 100% market-size fish production after one additional season in the grow-out PAS.
A series of 2-inch airlift pumps fed by a single 3-hp low-head blower was found to be capable of supplying sufficient water flow-rate (in 2005, 2006, and 2007) of gpm per container to 9 cohorts. A series of 0.75-hp axial flow pumps (in 2005, 2006, …

Effect Of Molecular Weight Reduction By Gamma Irradiation On The Antimicrobial Activity Of Chitosan, Ebuel Sirmats

All Theses

The antimicrobial effectiveness of lower molecular weight (LMW) chitosan solutions was tested against Listeria innocua inoculated on TSA and MOX agar plates by the direct droplet method. The chitosan solutions were prepared by dissolving chitosan in 1% (v/v) acetic acid at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2.0% and irradiating with Co60 gamma rays ranging from 1 to 20 kGy. MW measurements of chitosan were determined by using HPSEC-MALLS-RI. The MW of chitosan varied from 114.8 kDa to 17.4 kDa and decreased with increasing irradiation dosages. Plate counts on TSA agar from shaker flask assays showed no significant differences among chitosan …

An Evaluation Of Function-Based Representations And Information Archival In Engineering Design, Benjamin Caldwell

All Theses

Recent research in function-based design includes the development of a vocabulary of functions, the Functional Basis, and a repository of products and their functions. Many design tools are being developed around this vocabulary and repository to support conceptual design. The usefulness of these tools, however, is dependent on the quality of the vocabulary and the information contained in the repository. In this research, both the vocabulary and the repository are empirically evaluated to understand their strengths and limitations. A statistical analysis is performed on function models in the repository to determine the frequency of usage of Functional Basis terms. It …

Theoretical Analysis Of Alendronate And Risedronate Effects On Canine Vertebral Remodeling And Microdamage, Xiang Wang, Antonia M. Erickson, Matthew R. Allen, David B. Burr, R. Bruce Martin, Scott J. Hazelwood

Biomedical Engineering

Bisphosphonates suppress bone remodeling activity, increase bone volume, and significantly reduce fracture risk in individuals with osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases. The objectives of the current study were to develop a mathematical model that simulates control and 1 year experimental results following bisphosphonate treatment (alendronate or risedronate) in the canine fourth lumbar vertebral body, validate the model by comparing simulation predictions to 3 year experimental results, and then use the model to predict potential long term effects of bisphosphonates on remodeling and microdamage accumulation. To investigate the effects of bisphosphonates on bone volume and microdamage, a mechanistic biological model …

Detection Of Escherichia Coli Using The Bacteriophage-Based Fluorescent Technique, Aung Khaing

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The detection of viable Escherichia coli (E. coli) by the bacteriophage-based fluorescent technique using the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was tested in this project. EGFP, a mutant of green fluorescent protein (GFP), was used due to its high fluorescent efficiency compared to wild-type GFP. First, E. coli bacteria were cultured to the mid-exponential phase in the 2× YT medium and then they were infected with the M13 bacteriophages containing the EGFP gene. Infected bacteria were incubated for different time intervals, and the expression of EGFP on the E. coli membrane was tested by the PerkinElmer LS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer, …

A Robust Process For Biodiesel Production Using Supercritical Methanol, Thomas Kasprowicz

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The overarching purpose of Phase I was to test, at the bench scale, a continuous supercritical methanol reactor, and to determine the feasibility of implementing the technology at full scale. Specific objectives in reaching this purpose included:
Objective 1: Choose a viable feedstock
Objective 2: Perform experiments for oil extraction
Objective 3: Design, build and operate a continuous supercritical methanol reactor
Objective 4: Design and simulate full scale biodiesel facility
Objective 4a: Perform life-cycle and economic analysis on full scale design
Objective 5: Prepare a Phase II P3 project to demonstrate the entire biodiesel process
Project Scope: The students performed …

Magnetic Sensors For Biodetection, Pranjali Vineet Sneha Deshpande

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of thesis is to design magnetic sensor for detection of nanoparticles. Recently integrating the standard laboratory techniques into integrated system on chip is growing attention. Recent development is to combine magnetic markers and magnetoresistive sensors together in magnetic chip. In this thesis two magnetoresistive sensors were studied and designed.

By applying magnetic fields, magnetic nanoparticles can be manipulated on-chip, which can be utilized to pull the molecules to specific binding sites or to test the binding strength and distinguish between specifically and non-specifically bound molecules

Magnetoresistive sensors are compatible with the semiconductor industry which provides electronic signal directly …

The Influence Of Carbon Source Types And Nitrate On The Performance Of The Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Systems, Shamim Ara Begum

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research focuses on two issues in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). The first issue encompasses the effect of the type of carbon sources (i.e. volatile fatty acids and non volatile fatty acids) on the microbiology of EBPR. The second issue deals with the influence of denitrification on EBPR. Few studies have been performed to investigate these two issues. The recent findings on these areas are summarized below to establish the knowledge gaps this dissertation attempted to address. Details on the specific findings can be found in the literature review portion of this proposal.

Investigation Of Feasibility And Potential Mechanisms For The Bioregeneration Of Perchlorate Laden Gel-Type Anion Exchange Resin, Arjun Krishna Venkatesan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The feasibility and potential mechanisms for the bioregeneration of perchlorate laden gel-type anion exchange resin were investigated in this study. Bioregeneration is a sustainable process when compared to one time use of resin and disposal by incineration. Batch and bench-scale bioregeneration experiments were performed to evaluate the feasibility of the process and to gain insight into potential mechanisms that control gel-type resin bioregeneration. The results of the bioregeneration tests suggested that the initial phase of the bioregeneration process is controlled by kinetics, while the later phase is controlled by diffusion. Higher perchlorate load in the resin had a positive effect …

Design Of A "Figure-8" Spherical Motion Flapping Wing For Miniature Uav's, Zohaib Parvaiz Rehmat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Hummingbirds and some insects exhibit a Figure-8 motion, which allows them to undergo variety of maneuvers including hovering. It is therefore desirable to have flapping wing miniature air vehicles (FWMAV) that can replicate this unique wing motion. In this research, a design of a flapping wing for FWMAV that can mimic Figure-8 motion using a spherical four bar mechanism is presented. To produce Figure-8 motion, the wing is attached to the coupler point of the spherical four bar mechanism and driven by a DC servo motor. For verification of the design, a prototype of the wing and mechanism is fabricated …

Development Of A Distributed Artificial Neural Network For Hydrologic Modeling, Rebecca Logsdon

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Development of a distributed artificial neural network for hydrologic modeling

Specificity Analysis Of Site-Directed Mutated Glucose Indicator Proteins, Tanushree Thote

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Specificity analysis of site-directed mutated glucose indicator proteins

Analysis Of Ecosystem Services At Mullins Creek On The University Of Arkansas Campus, Kathryn Mccoy

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The University of Arkansas has been a site of population and urban growth since its inception in 1871. This urban development has caused extreme changes in land use, and with this has also come a change in ecosystem services provided by the area. Ecosystem services are benefits acquired by humans that are provided by functions are an ecosystem (Constanza et al., 1997). Constanza developed a method for quantifying ecosystem services. In this method, Constanza valuated ecosystem services for biomes. These service values were based on the economic value of the service provided, and were given in dollar per hectare-year. A …

Analysis Of Phase Ii Metabolites Of Methamphetamine By Solid-Phase Extraction And Liquid Chromatography With Tandem Mass Spectrometric Detection, Jordan Carbary, Howard P. Hendrickson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Methamphetamine (METH) abuse is one of the most serious health problems in the United States and Europe due to its addictive properties and potential neurotoxic effects [1, 2, 3]. METH abuse appears to have stabilized or decreased slightly in the general populations, however abuse in certain populations is increasing [4, 5]. Treatments for drug abuse are often tested in animal behavioral pharmacology models. One of the first in vivo tests conducted in animals is to follow the concentration of the drug and its metabolites as a function of time. In this way, one can determine how long a potential medication …

Carbon Nanotube Cluster Based Micro-Fluidic System For Bacteria Capture, Concentration, And Separation, Christopher Nelson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Disease-causing pathogens continue presenting enormous global health problems, especially due to their easy transmittance to people via water supply systems. The detection, filtration, and purification of bacteria contaminated water samples are complex and subject to a great amount of error. Here we present a new and highly effective micro-fluidic system with carbon nanotube clusters for effective and efficient detection, filtration, and purification of bacteria contaminated medium. The developed system is based upon two unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs): high bacterial affinity and magnetic susceptibility. The CNTs' high affinity to bacteria cells makes them a key candidate for the bacteria …

A Tissue Engineering Approach To Anterior Cruciate Ligament, Kristofer Sinclair

All Dissertations

Ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are the most frequent of injuries to the knee due to its role in preventing anterior translation of the tibia. It is estimated that as many as 200,000 Americans per year will suffer from a ruptured ACL, resulting in management costs on the order of 5 billion dollars. Without treatment these patients are unable to return to normal activity, as a consequence of the joint instability found within the ACL deficient knee.
Over the last thirty years, a variety of non-degradable, synthetic fibers have been evaluated for their use in ACL reconstruction; however, …

Development Of Strategies For Enhanced In Situ Bioremediation Of High Concentrations Of Halogenated Methanes, Huifeng Shan

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
Bioremediation of high concentrations of halomethanes e.g., carbon tetrachloride (CT), trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) and chloroform (CF) has seldom been addressed before and remains highly challenging. A microcosm study was conducted to investigate bioremediation strategies for groundwater contaminated with CT (6 to 10 mg/L), CFC-11 (1 to 26 mg/L), CF (3-500 mg/L), and 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE; up to 9 mg/L) at a former industrial site in California. Biostimulation with corn syrup and catalytic amounts of vitamin B₁₂ was demonstrated as a feasible remedial strategy and bioaugmentation with B₁₂ represents the most promising bioremediation method of the ones studied. Halomethane transformation …

Preliminary Study Based On The Ddscat Software To Explore Increasing The Contrast Of Breast Tumors For Microwave Imaging, Rachel Megee

Electrical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Microwave technology is being researched for its capabilities to detect breast tumors less painfully and at earlier stages. It is necessary to have a large contrast between cancerous and healthy tissue when the microwaves are reflected off the breast tissue. To model the increasing contrast between cancerous breast tissue and healthy breast tissue, the DDSCAT code is investigated for its capabilities and analyzed for its accuracy in scattering calculations. The DDSCAT is used to model homogenous and inhomogeneous targets. Simulations of the scattering field by the homogeneous and inhomogeneous targets are conducted and compared to Mie theory calculations for accuracy. …

Biology-Inspired Adaptive And Nonlinear Robust Control Of Bauv Using Pectoral-Like Fins, Subramanian Ramasamy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Aquatic animals have splendid ability to move smoothly through water using variety of oscillating fins. Presently researchers are involved in developing biorobotic autonomous underwater vehicles (BAUVs) which have the ability to swim like marine animals. Multiple oscillating fins (dorsal, caudal, pectoral, pelvic, etc.) can be mounted on BAUVs to generate control forces for propulsion and maneuvering. In this research work, control of the BAUVs using pectoral fins alone is considered. The oscillating pectoral fins produce unsteady periodic forces. The control of motion of an BAUV in yaw and dive planes are considered.

The I-70 Greenfield Rest Area Wetland Projects, Shih-Chieh Kao, Ting Pong Chang, Rebeka Sultana, Thomas Konopka, Rao S. Govindaraju, Barry Partridge

JTRP Technical Reports

On-site treatment of wastewater at highway rest areas poses some unique and difficult challenges because of the rural locale, high variability in wastewater flow rate and strength, and lack of knowledgeable personnel on-site. As a potential alternative, a constructed subsurface wetland system was built at the I-70 rest stop nearby Greenfield, Indiana, in 2003. This wetland system, mainly composed of three wetland cells, also includes draw-and-fill and recirculation mechanisms to increase oxygen transfer to the wastewater and improve the overall treatment performance. Special considerations for highway rest areas have been emphasized. A dynamic hydraulic model was developed to help characterize …

Vertical Boil Propagation From A Submerged Estuarine Sill, C. Chris Chickadel, Alexander R. Horner-Devine, Stefan A. Talke, Andrew T. Jessup

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Surface disruptions by boils during strong tidal flows over a rocky sill were observed in thermal infrared imagery collected at the Snohomish River estuary in Washington State. Locations of boil disruptions and boil diameters at the surface were quantified and are used to test an idealized model of vertical boil propagation. The model is developed as a two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional vortex loop, and boil vorticity is derived from the flow shear over the sill. Predictions of boil disruption locations were determined from the modeled vertical velocity, the sill depth, and the over-sill velocity. Predictions by the vertical velocity …

Optimization Of Strongly Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Using A Modified Genetic Algorithm With Micro-Movement (Mgam), Xing Wei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The genetic algorithm (GA) is a popular random search and optimization method inspired by the concepts of crossover, random mutation, and natural selection from evolutionary biology. The real-valued genetic algorithm (RGA) is an improved version of the genetic algorithm designed for direct operation on real-valued variables. In this work, a modified version of a genetic algorithm is introduced, which is called a modified genetic algorithm with micro-movement (MGAM). It implements a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-inspired micro-movement phase that helps to improve the convergence rate, while employing the efficient GA mechanism for maintaining population diversity. In order to test the capability …

Site-Specific Deoxyribonucleic Acid Modifications For Use With Chemical Cages, John P. Casey Jr

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Hydrostatic Pressure On Bladder Smooth Muscle Cell Function, Margaret Drumm

All Theses

Previous research has demonstrated that bladder smooth muscle cells (BSMC) respond to various forms of mechanical stimuli, including stretch and hydrostatic pressure, by increases of cell proliferation, activation of intracellular signaling pathways, and alteration of contractile and synthetic marker protein expression. These cellular/molecular level changes are all indicative of a BSMC phenotypic shift that can negatively impact the bladder function at the tissue and organ level. The objective of the present study is to test a hypothesis that bladder SMCs shift their phenotype from contractile to synthetic in response to elevated hydrostatic pressure. Rat bladder SMC cultures were exposed to …

Growth And Modeling Of Freshwater Algae As A Function Of Media Inorganic Carbon Content, Mary Watson

All Theses

In response to global climate change, the Department of Energy (DOE) has specified advanced biological processes, such as cultivation of algal biomass in alkaline ponds, as part of a carbon management plan. The goal of this thesis was to investigate use of a mixed freshwater algal culture for biological carbon mitigation. Extensive review of carbonate dynamics, laboratory investigations to characterize algal growth, and development of a dynamic algal growth model were completed.
The presented literature review summarizes carbonate equilibria and kinetics needed for development of carbon mitigation technologies, especially in freshwaters. Reaction mechanisms, equilibrium relationships, kinetic rate constants, and kinetic …

Investigation Of Training Algorithms For Hidden Markov Models Applied To Automatic Speech Recognition, Eric Fang

All Theses

The work presented in this thesis focuses on simulating a speech recognizer which is trained by different people with different speaking styles and investigates how sensitive the training and recognition processes are to the variations in the training data. There are four main parts to this work. The first involves an experiment of weighting methods for training with multiple observation sequences. The second involves the testing of different initial parameters. The third part includes the first experiment involving training with multiple observation sequences. The model's sensitivity to variations in training data was evaluated by comparing the cases of different values …

A Pulsatile Bioreactor For Conditioning Tissue Engineered Heart Valves, Leslie Sierad

All Theses

Tissue engineered constructs with autologous adult stem cells capable of self-repair and growth are highly desired replacements for diseased heart valves. However, the current approaches have inadequate mechanical properties to withstand in vivo implantation. Therefore, our group hypothesized that an in vitro environment of physiological intra-cardiac pressures and flow will stimulate stem cells to differentiate and remodel valvular scaffold constructs before implantation.
The group developed a pneumatic-driven conditioning system (Aim I) consisting of a three-chambered heart valve bioreactor, a pressurized compliance tank, a reservoir tank, one-way valves, pressure-retaining valves, and pressure transducers. The system can be sterilized using conventional autoclaving …