Digital Commons Network^™

An Approach To Sequence Dna Without Tagging, Sanjun Niu, Ravi F. Saraf

Papers in Biotechnology

Microarray technology is playing an increasingly important role in biology and medicine and its application to genomics for gene expression analysis has already reached the market with a variety of commercially available instruments. In these combinatorial analysis methods, known probe single-strand DNA (ssDNA) ‘primers’ are attached in clusters of typically 100 μm × 100 μm pixels. Each pixel of the array has a slightly different sequence. On exposure to ‘unknown’ target ssDNA, the pixels with the right complementary probe ssDNA sequence convert to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) by a hybridization reaction. To transduct the conversion of the pixel to dsDNA, the …

Performance Analysis Of A Maximum-Likelihood Speckle Motion Estimator, Donald D. Duncan, Sean J. Kirkpatrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Presented herein is a performance analysis of a maximum likelihood estimator for calculating small speckle motions. Such estimators are important in a variety of speckle techniques used in non-destructive evaluation. The analysis characterizes the performance (bias and RMS deviation) of the estimator as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio. This SNR parameter is a convenient surrogate for decorrelation of sequential speckle patterns such as are seen in biological tissues. Although the particular estimator is predicated on speckle motions that are a small fraction of a pixel, accurate performance is demonstrated for instantaneous motions of up to ±0.8 pixel/record. Beyond this …

Introducing Molecular Biology To Environmental Engineers: Through Development Of A New Course, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The introduction of a course "Molecular Methods in Environmental Engineering" is discussed. The course is developed to address the growing national need for integrating geonomics and molecular biology into the engineering curriculum. Fifteen graduate students were successfully introduced to molecular biology through lectures and hands-on laboratory excercises following the "full-cycle 165 rRNA approach". The course helps in providing supportive and independent learning environment to the students.

Development Of A Finite-Element Stored Grain Ecosystem Model, Michael D. Montross, Dirk E. Maier, Kamyar Haghighi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

An axisymmetric finite–element model was developed that predicts the heat, mass, and momentum transfer that occurred in upright corrugated steel storage structures due to conduction, diffusion, and natural convection using realistic boundary conditions. Weather data that included hourly total solar radiation, wind speed, ambient temperature, and relative humidity were used to model the temperature, moisture content, dry matter loss, and maize weevil development during storage with no aeration, and with ambient and chilled aeration. Periods of aeration were simulated assuming a uniform airflow rate through the grain mass. Heat and mass balances were used to calculate the temperature and absolute …

Validation Of A Finite-Element Stored Grain Ecosystem Model, Michael D. Montross, Dirk E. Maier, Kamyar Haghighi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

An axisymmetric finite–element model was validated with respect to predicting the heat, mass, and momentum transfer that occurred in upright corrugated–steel storage bins due to conduction, diffusion, and natural convection using realistic boundary conditions. Hourly weather data that included hourly total solar radiation, wind speed, ambient temperature, and relative humidity were used to model the corn temperature and moisture content during storage with no aeration, and with ambient and chilled aeration. Periods of aeration were simulated assuming a uniform airflow rate through the grain mass. Sixteen bins with a capacity of 11.7 t each and instrumented with temperature cables were …

Microbial Cellulose Utilization: Fundamentals And Biotechnology, Lee R. Lynd, Paul J. Weimer, Willem H. Van Zyl, Isak S. Pretorius

Dartmouth Scholarship

Fundamental features of microbial cellulose utilization are examined at successively higher levels of aggregation encompassing the structure and composition of cellulosic biomass, taxonomic diversity, cellulase enzyme systems, molecular biology of cellulase enzymes, physiology of cellulolytic microorganisms, ecological aspects of cellulase-degrading communities, and rate-limiting factors in nature. The methodological basis for studying microbial cellulose utilization is considered relative to quantification of cells and enzymes in the presence of solid substrates as well as apparatus and analysis for cellulose-grown continuous cultures. Quantitative description of cellulose hydrolysis is addressed with respect to adsorption of cellulase enzymes, rates of enzymatic hydrolysis, bioenergetics of microbial …

In Situ Corrosion Studies On The Battleship Uss Arizona, John D. Makinson, James D. Carr, Matthew A. Russell, David L. Conlin, Larry E. Murphy

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

U.S. National Park Service Submerged Resources Center archaeologists and University of Nebraska-Lincoln metallurgists are assessing hull corrosion by drilling through accumulated concretions and measuring pH and corrosion potentials. Concretion samples are being analyzed to determine the role of microbes in the corrosion process, identify chemical species, and measure electrical and physical properties. The lowest values of pH and E corr occur at the metal/concretion interface. Analysis suggests a variable corrosion rate supported by hydrogen discharge and/or oxygen reduction inside the concretion.

Residual Effects Of Compost And Fertilizer Applications On Nutrients In Runoff, John E. Gilley, Bahman Eghball

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The application of compost or fertilizer at rates that exceed crop nutrient requirements can result in phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) accumulation in soil. This study was conducted to determine the influence of soil P and N contents on the concentrations and total amounts of P and N transported in runoff. Composted beef cattle feedlot manure or inorganic fertilizer were added from 1992 to 1995 to a Sharpsburg silty clay loam soil at rates sufficient to meet P or N requirements for corn and incorporated following application. After four years of corn production following the last compost application, P concentration, …

The Evolution Of The Long Term Performance Of Fiber Reinforced Composites Materials Based On Vinyl Easter Resin, Nasser Abdullah Ali-Al Ghailani

Theses

Fiber reinforced polymer (plastic) FRP composites are different from traditional

structural materials such as steel or aluminum since the an-isotropic nature of a Fiber _ reinforced composite material creates a unique opportunity of tailoring its properties according to the design requirements. With the accelerated change in the technological sphere, FRP composite materials

have taken a paramount importance in various structural applications, where they successfully replaced conventional materials such as steel. Such success is based on the advantages offered by composite materials such as a high strength to weight ratio. However one aspect that is still delaying full acceptance of these …

Synthesis And Enzymatic Resolution Of Amino Acid Esters In "Green" Solvents -- Ionic Liquids, Hua Zhao

Dissertations

Chiral separation has attracted tremendous attention in pharmaceutical and chemical fields, especially in the area of chiral drug development. Chiral amino acids are among the most important intermediates in the asymmetric synthesis of modem drugs. This research has developed an effective method for obtaining optically pure amino acids by enzymatic resolution using a "green" solvent, named an ionic liquid.

Ionic liquids, a new type of "green" solvents, have been used in many organic reactions and other chemical processes (such as liquid-liquid extraction) with improved performance. This is mainly due to their favorable properties for chemical applications, such as low vapor …

Atomic Force Microscopy Used To Determine The Young's Modulus Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Samuel C. Lieber

Theses

The Young's modulus of cultured mouse and rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) was measured with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The AFM can image the three-dimensional structure of biological cells in a physiological environment enabling real-time biochemical and physiological processes to be monitored at a resolution similar to that obtained for the electron microscope (EM). Cellular mechanical properties were determined by indenting the cell's body, and analyzing the indentation data with classical infinitesimal strain theory. This calculation was accomplished by modeling the AFM probe as a cone. as well as a blunted cone. The blunted cone geometry fits the …

Masseter Muscle Activity Resulting From Stimulation Of Hypothalamic Behavioral Sites : Wavelet Analysis, Anne Marie Petrock

Theses

Patterns of electromyographic (EMG) activity can give an insight into muscle activity associated with a given behavioral state. The masseter muscle is positioned closely to the temporomandibular joint and controls the position and movement of the jaw. The hypothalamus is the region of the brain associated with emotional behavior. In an effort to further understand the muscle activity underlying emotional display, the hypothalamus in two cats was stimulated to evoke a stereotyped emotional response, known as the "rage response." Unsheathing of the claws, retraction of the ears, significant pupillary dilation and vocalization (hissing) characterize this behavior. EMG data obtained at …

Dimensional Study Of Desaminotyrosyl Polyarylates, Kalsank Vaishali Pai

Theses

Synthetic polymers have found widespread usage and acceptance in various areas of the medical device industry. The recognition that no polymeric biornaterials are truly biocompatible has led to the search for bioerodible materials with desirable biological and physical properties for use as tissue engineering scaffolds and to enable in-vivo devices. Several methodologies have been tried and tested to invent the "ideal" biopolymer. The ideal polymeric biomaterial would be one that offers a favorable response at both the cellular and the systemic level with minimum alteration to its mechanical properties and chemistry. The systematic investigation of process-structure-property space to determine the …

Cortical Response To Facial Expressions Of Young Adult Males With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Controls Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Fmri), Jagriti Arora

Theses

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is defined by deficits in social and emotional impairments and this study aims to identify specific brain regions involved during facial processing. The simple task of focusing on the face during social interactions for the normal group is found difficult by the autistic group.

In this study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used as subjects performed two experimental tasks (EXPLICIT and IMPLICIT) in which a series of photographs of nine males and nine females displaying three affective states (6 fear, 6 happy and 6 neutral) and six scrambled- face control stimuli were presented …

Ua3/9/5 Complex For Engineering & Biological Sciences Groundbreaking, Wku President's Office

WKU Administration Documents

Remarks delivered by WKU president Gary Ransdell at the groundbreaking of the Complex for Engineering & Biological Sciences.

Ua1b1/7 Groundbreaking For Complex For Engineering & Biological Sciences, Wku Office Of Event Planning

WKU Administration Documents

Program for the Complex for Engineering & Biological Science groundbreaking ceremony.

Ua1b1/7 Groundbreaking Complex For Engineering & Biological Sciences, Western Kentucky University

WKU Administration Documents

Invitation to the Complex for Engineering & Biological Sciences groundbreaking.

International Exposure For Engineering Students Using Distance Learning Techniques, Russel C. Jones, Bethany S. Oberst, Thomas J. Siller, Gearold R. Johnson

e-Technologies in Engineering Education: Learning Outcomes Providing Future Possibilities

No abstract provided.

Using E-Mail Logbooks To Facilitate Scientific Publication, Nancy Lea Eik-Nes

e-Technologies in Engineering Education: Learning Outcomes Providing Future Possibilities

No abstract provided.

Flight Physician - August, 2002, Civil Aviation Medical Association

Browse all Civil Aviation Medical Association Newsletters

A sixteen page newsletter of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. The newsletter provided news about civil aviation medicine and information related to the organization.

Nebraska Initiative For Aerospace Research And Industrial Development (Niarid): Final Report, Brent D. Bowen, Uno Aviation Institute

Faculty Books and Monographs

UNOAI Report 02-1

The Nebraska Initiative for Aerospace Research and Industrial Development (NIARID) was designed to accelerate the state’s efforts to expand its capacity, national competitiveness, and infrastructure in aerospace research and industry. The systemic goal of the NIARID was to strengthen Nebraska’s long-term ability to develop new, and strengthen current, aerospace research activities that increase the state’s national research competitiveness, foster sustainable growth in aerospace-related industry and the state’s economic development; complement the mission and activities of the Nebraska Space Grant Consortium (NSGC); and advance the goals of NASA and its enterprises. Funding from NIARID accelerated the establishment of …

Modification Of All-Hexadedral Finite Element Meshes By Dual Sheet Insertion And Extraction, Michael J. Borden

Theses and Dissertations

The development of algorithms that effectively modify all-hexahedral finite element mesh is currently an active area of research. Mesh modification can be used to improve mesh quality reduce the time required to mesh a model, and improve the finite element analysis results. However, general modification of all-hexahedral meshes has proven difficult because of the global effects of local modifications. This thesis explains the global constraints on modifying all-hexahedral meshes and then presents three mesh modification techniques that make it possible to do local modifications while accounting for the global effects. These techniques are sheet insertion, sheet extraction, and mesh cutting. …

44th Rocky Mountain Conference On Analytical Chemistry

Rocky Mountain Conference on Magnetic Resonance

Final program, abstracts, and information about the 44th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, co-endorsed by the Colorado Section of the American Chemical Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. Held in Denver, Colorado, July 28 - August 1, 2002.

Survey Of Hydrogen Sulfide Concentrations In Vicinity Of Beef Cattle Feedlots, Richard K. Koelsch, Bryan L. Woodbury, David E. Stenberg, Daniel N. Miller, Dennis D. Schulte

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

A field survey of Total Reduced Sulfur (TRS) concentrations in the vicinity of beef cattle feedlots was conducted to compare field observations against current regulatory thresholds. In addition, environmental factors that may contribute to increased TRS emissions were evaluated. It was observed that TRS levels in the vicinity of beef cattle feedlots are not likely to exceed current regulatory thresholds used by mid-western states. It was further noted that concentration of TRS varies with air temperature and time of day. However, wet feedlot surface conditions and wind speed had almost no impact upon observed concentrations.

A Preliminary Study Of An Aluminum-Free Glass Polyalkenoate Cement, Mark R. Towler, C. M. Crowley, D. Murphy, A. M.C. O'Callaghan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Blueprint – Summer 2002

Nebraska Blueprint (Student Publication)

Table of Contents:

From the Editor

Engineers Help Improve Smiles – Multidisciplinary research project takes Biological Systems Engineering students to the Dental College.

Professor, Student, Take Team Approach – Last year, Katie Schmatz learned a lot about teamwork. The industrial and management systems engineering graduate (May, 2002) worked with Dr. Stephanie Adams, assistant professor, IMSE, to find out what exactly makes teams work.

Black Engineers' Contributions to the World – A look at history showcases Black engineers' many contributions to the world.

Student Profiles – "Student finds his place at UNL," "Ship to shore: Former sailor finds niche in EE," …

Nano-Devices Using Block-Copolymers, Ravi F. Saraf

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Patents

A structure including a substrate. A first electrode and a second electrode are arranged spaced apart from each other on the substrate. A polymer string is positioned on the substrate between the two electrodes, the polymer line has a width of less than about 50 nm.

Tristar Cubesat Project, Robert J. Twiggs

Robert "Bob" Twiggs STEM Education Collection

A PowerPoint Presentation created by Professor Bob Twiggs titled "Tristar Cubesat Project" from June 7, 2002.

Low Concentration Microenvironments Enhance The Migration Of Neonatal Cells Of Glial Lineage, Richard A. Able, Jr., Celestin Ngnabeuye, Cade Beck, Eric C. Holland, Maribel Vazquez

Publications and Research

Glial tumors have demonstrated abilities to sustain growth via recruitment of glial progenitor cells (GPCs), which is believed to be driven by chemotactic cues. Previous studies have illustrated that mouse GPCs of different genetic backgrounds are able to replicate the dispersion pattern seen in the human disease. How GPCs with genetic backgrounds transformed by tumor paracrine signaling respond to extracellular cues via migration is largely unexplored, and remains a limiting factor in utilizing GPCs as therapeutic targets. In this study, we utilized a microfluidic device to examine the chemotaxis of three genetically-altered mouse GPC populations towards tumor conditioned media, as …

Kolmogorov Complexity And Chaotic Phenomena, Vladik Kreinovich, Isaak A. Kunin

Departmental Technical Reports (CS)

Born about three decades ago, Kolmogorov Complexity Theory (KC) led to important discoveries that, in particular, give a new understanding of the fundamental problem: interrelations between classical continuum mathematics and reality (physics, biology, engineering sciences, ...).

Specifically, in addition to the equations, physicists use the following additional difficult-to-formalize property: that the initial conditions and the value of the parameters must not be abnormal. We will describe a natural formalization of this property, and show that this formalization in good accordance with theoretical physics. At present, this formalization has been mainly applied to the foundations of physics. However, potentially, more practical …