Digital Commons Network^™

Acoustic Activation Imaging With Intravenous Perfluoropropane Nanodroplets Results In Selective Bioactivation Of The Risk Area, S. Li, C. Chen, J. Lof, E. A. Stolze, J. Sklenar, X. Chen, J. J. Pacella, F. S. Villanueva, T. O. Matsunaga, E. Carr Everbach, S. J. Radio, S. N. Westphal, S. Shiva, F. Xie, X. Leng, T. R. Porter

Engineering Faculty Works

Background: Acoustically activatable perfluoropropane droplets (PD) can be formulated from commercially available microbubble preparations. Diagnostic transthoracic ultrasound frequencies have resulted in acoustic activation (AA) predominately within myocardial infarct zones (IZ). Objective: We hypothesized that the AA area following acute coronary ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) would selectively enhance the developing scar zone, and target bioeffects specifically to this region. Methods: We administered intravenous PD in 36 rats and 20 pigs at various stages of myocardial scar formation (30 minutes, 1 day, and 7 days post I/R) to determine what effect infarct age had on the AA within the IZ. This was correlated with …

Modeling The Effectiveness Of Bioremediation On Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether In Groundwater, Logan Bundy

Master's Theses

Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and its degraded form tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA) are both known carcinogens that have contaminated groundwater aquifers across the United States. MTBE is a synthesized compound, once widely used as an additive in gasoline to increase oxygenation. Because of its popularity, MTBE was released into the environment primarily through fuel combustion and leaking underground storage tanks. These two compounds are known to be recalcitrant to most conventional physico-chemical treatment methods. Previous studies have suggested that bioremediation is effective at degrading MTBE and TBA in contaminated groundwater. Bioremediation involves the injection of oxygen, nutrients, and pre-adapted bacterial cultures …

Determination Of Water Quality And Efficient Removal Of Arsenic And Iron From Groundwater Using Mahogany Fruit Husk And Banana Peduncle Charcoals, Molla Rahman Shaibur, Yasmin Khatun, Masum Howlader, Md. Mirajul Islam, Md. Wasikur Rahman, Abu Shamim Khan, Balram Ambade

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The groundwater (GW) of Bangladesh is predominantly contaminated with arsenic (As) and iron (Fe) which has a bad impact on human health. We tried to remove these elements with easily available mahogany-fruit (Swietenia mahagoni) husk charcoal (MHC) and banana (Musa acuminata) peduncle charcoal (BPC). The trial was implemented with 3 replications throughout the research. The sampled GW contained 0.06 mg As L−1 and 4.83 mg Fe L−1. Firstly, the pH was 3, 5, 7, and 9 with a 250 mg L−1 dose. The MHC removed almost 91.05 % of As at pH 5.0, and BPC removed almost 86.67 % of …

Waste Illuminates Worlds: Printed Modular Lamp Design Based On Brick And Clay Tile, Yechen Zhu

Masters Theses

The building industry in the New England area is often in a state of entropy, with abandoned brick buildings contributing to urban decay. The recycling rate of brick and clay tile wastes generated by construction and demolition is only 12.2%, meaning the majority is sent to landfills. The expansion of landfills can lead to significant environmental and community challenges, including increased traffic from waste transport, habitat destruction, ecosystem degradation, and contributions to climate change. Specifically, the Bethlehem landfill in New Hampshire, which is planned to undergo a 5.71-acre lateral expansion through 2026, has already encountered issues such as leachate spills …

The Effects Of Lead, Copper, And Iron Corrosion Products On Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria And Antibiotic Resistance Genes, Veronika Folvarska, San Marie Thomson, Zihao Lu, Maya Adelgren, Adam Schmidt, Ryan J. Newton, Yin Wang, Patrick J. Mcnamara

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Antibiotic resistance is a public health crisis. Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are present in drinking water distribution systems. Metals are known selective pressures for antibiotic resistance, and metallic corrosion products are found within drinking water distribution systems due to the corrosion of metal pipes. While corrosion products are a source of metals, the impact of specific corrosion products on antibiotic resistance has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of six corrosion products—CuO, Cu₂O, Pb₅(PO₄)₃OH, β-PbO₂, Fe₃O …

Case Study - A Comparative Analysis Of Two Different Wastewater Treatment Plants, James Duckett

Construction Management

This case study compares two different wastewater treatment plants and analyzes the different characteristics, including strengths and weaknesses of both. The first plant being addressed is the Stockton Regional Wastewater Controls Facility (RWCF), and the second plant studied is the Morro Bay Water Reclamation Facility. These facilities are both quite new at the time of this paper, though they are both very different in size and geographical location, as one is on top of a hill, and one is in the middle of a valley. The Stockton RWCF is currently under construction, nearing completion at the time of this paper, …

A Case Study: Impacts Of A Building Retrofit On Employee Efficiency And Productivity, Rigo Zepeda

Construction Management

This case study explores the effects of retrofitting building systems on operational efficiency and employee productivity in the contemporary office environment. As concerns over sustainability and the well-being of employees are now at the forefront of modern workplace design, the retrofitting of outmoded building systems has been seen as an option to enhance energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction. This research paper focuses on the recently retrofitted Performance Contracting office building in Benicia, California. As heating and ventilation systems, and lighting are two big contributors to energy consumption in buildings and comfort, analyzing these systems provided insight into its building performance. …

Fabrication Of A Low-Cost Drum Seeder For Paddy, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun, Md Rejaul Karim, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Janibul Alam Soeb, Md Imranul Alam

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Rice is a staple food crop. Bangladesh produces it extensively which raised the nation into the fourth-largest rice-grower in the world. Transplanting or direct seeding is a major task in rice cultivation where the manual transplanting method requires a huge labor cost which is beyond control in a peak season. Although mechanical rice transplanters become popularization land preparation and seedling rising as a pre transplanting task is costly and labor-intensive. On the other hand, manual broadcasting and machine seeding direct method still exist due to the above method’s problem. Considering spacing accuracies for intercultural operation, drum seeders are an easy …

2-Channel Eeg Neurofeedback System, Tim Erwin, Donna Nikjou, Sebastian Turkewitz

Electrical Engineering

This work describes the design of an EEG-based neurofeedback system which provides users with real-time feedback on their level of focus or relaxation. By analyzing the spectral content of the brain activity measured via scalp electrodes, focus and relaxation levels can be quantified. Based on these measurements, live feedback in the form of moving bar graphs is provided to users, allowing them to gain awareness of their mental-state and more efficiently learn how to consciously relax or focus. This project covers the design of the system, including amplification and filtering stages, digitization, and signal processing. The system interfaces with a …

Controlled Drug Delivery And Cellular Activities From Electrospun Fibers, Diala Bani Mustafa

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Electrospun drug-eluting fibers have demonstrated potential applications in topical drug delivery, where modulations of drug releases were achieved through polymer fiber compositions. In this study, blend fibers of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) at various compositions were electrospun from 10 wt% of polymer solutions to encapsulate a model drug of ibuprofen (IBP). Results showed that average polymer solution viscosities determined the electrospinning parameters and the resulting average fiber diameters. In vitro release of IBP suggested a transition from a gradual release to a fast release when increasing PEO contents in the PCL/PEO blend fibers up to 120 minutes. In …

Predicting Rheology Of Uv-Curable Nanoparticle Ink Components And Compositions For Inkjet Additive Manufacturing, Cameron D. Lutz

Master's Theses

Inkjet additive manufacturing is the next step toward ubiquitous manufacturing by enabling multi-material printing that can exhibit various mechanical, electronic, and thermal properties. These characteristics are realized in the careful formulation of the inks and their functional materials, but there are many constraints that need to be satisfied to allow optimal jetting performance and build quality when used in an inkjet 3-D printer. Previous research has addressed the desirable rheology characteristics to enable stable drop formation and how the metallic nanoparticles affect the viscosity of inks. The contending goals of increasing nanoparticle-loading to improve material deposition rates while trying to …

Smart Manufacturing For Cal Poly's Ime Curriculum, Grace L. Guarraia, Eric F. Ledesma

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) takes pride of supporting one of the nation’s strongest undergraduate Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering programs. However, as industry evolves to accommodate advancing computing power, improved manufacturing algorithms, and improved robotics, it is imperative that Cal Poly’s curriculum evolves in parallel. Smart manufacturing is the future of the manufacturing industry, and Cal Poly is searching for the ideal method to teach and integrate Smart Manufacturing into its classes. With its upcoming switch to the semester system, coupled with its “Learn by Doing” motto, the department is at an ideal period for the …

Storage Solutions Within Memory Capacitor Technologies, Sam Anderson

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

The need for efficient memory solutions is ever-increasing in the contemporary computing technology landscape, particularly in neuromorphic computing. This thesis introduces a novel approach to memory storage using memcapacitors, which store information via capacitance rather than voltage, offering a promising alternative to traditional memory systems. Through the development and simulation of memcapacitor technologies, this work explores their potential to enhance machine learning capabilities and reduce power consumption. Our research demonstrates that memcapacitors can be effectively implemented at the nano-scale, albeit with substantial manufacturing investment. We employed various optimization strategies, including circuit adjustments and behavioral modeling simulations, to maximize the efficiency …

Non-Linear Modeling Of Hysteresis In Piezoelectric Actuated Cantilever Beam Using The Bouc-Wen Model, Andrew Donald Maas

Master's Theses

Piezoelectric actuators frequently exhibit a time-dependent behavioral phenomenon known as hysteresis, resulting in a lag in the deformation of the actuator compared to linear models. The presence of hysteresis complicates control systems involving piezoelectric actuators. However, traditional modeling methods for piezoelectric actuated smart structures often treat the piezoelectric patches as linear actuators without considering hysteresis, leading to suboptimal controller performance.

This thesis aims to establish a comprehensive model by integrating the Euler-Bernoulli beam bending model with the hysteresis dynamics induced by two opposing piezoelectric patches attached to a beam. A model expansion method is employed to transform the partial differential …

Providing Cadence Feedback In Real-Time To Guide Cardiovascular Workouts, Levi O. Rash

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular workouts offer numerous health benefits, yet beginners often find it challenging to initiate them. Existing wearable technologies, although providing valuable feedback such as heart rate zones, often disrupt the workout flow and distract users due to the need for interaction with the wearable display. In response, we propose an alternative feedback mechanism: cadence, measured in steps per minute. This feedback mechanism uses multiplicative control to produce the correct cadence for the user’s target heart rate (HR). To model the HR and cadence relationship, a first-order system was used. The prototype implementation of this system was completed in Arduino, using …

Sequential Memory Generation For Cognitive Models, Eben Miles Sherwood

Master's Theses

Understanding the process of memory formation in neural systems is of great interest in the field of neuroscience. Valiant’s Neuroidal Model poses a plausible theory for how memories are created within a computational context. Previously, the algorithm JOIN has been used to show how the brain could perform conjunctive and disjunctive coding to store memories. A limitation of JOIN is that it does not consider the coding of temporal information in a meaningful manner. We propose SeqMem, a similar algorithmic primitive that is designed to encode a series of items within a random graph model. We investigate the feasibility of …

Naturify 2300, Yarina Yiwei Dai

Masters Theses

In my art practice, I explore the interplay between human desires to manipulate and anthropomorphize nature, as seen in the technological augmentation of plants and living entities. This investigation delves into how this intersection, alongside empathy towards these creations, contributes to fears of uncontrollability and the risks of addiction and excessive dependence on technology.

Bioengineering and genetic modification have cultivated unprecedented developments, allowing humans to manipulate the fundamental building blocks of life. My research speculates on this technology further, modifying the genetic code of organisms and creating bioengineered wearable entities with enhanced traits or entirely new functionalities. The primary objective …

Architecture As A Carbon-Based Practice, Qixin Yu

Masters Theses

Carbon serves as both a silent protagonist and a looming antagonist in the narrative of architecture, shaping not only the physical structures we inhabit but also the ecological legacy we leave behind.

Centuries of human exploitation of the environment have led to climate and material crises. Shifting this dynamic requires action at micro (matter), meso (material), and macro (materiality) levels. Biogenic materials offer significant potential for carbon sequestration and present opportunities for the building industry to collaborate with nature rather than merely extract from it.

This thesis establishes a research and manufacturing practice that prioritizes material innovation, carbon sequestration, environmental …

Photodegradation Of Microplastics Through Nanomaterials: Insights Into Photocatalysts Modification And Detailed Mechanisms, Yiting Xiao, Yang Tian, Wenbo Xu, Jun Zhu

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microplastics (MPs) pose a profound environmental challenge, impacting ecosystems and human health through mechanisms such as bioaccumulation and ecosystem contamination. While traditional water treatment methods can partially remove microplastics, their limitations highlight the need for innovative green approaches like photodegradation to ensure more effective and sustainable removal. This review explores the potential of nanomaterial-enhanced photocatalysts in addressing this issue. Utilizing their unique properties like large surface area and tunable bandgap, nanomaterials significantly improve degradation efficiency. Different strategies for photocatalyst modification to improve photocatalytic performance are thoroughly summarized, with a particular emphasis on element doping and heterojunction construction. Furthermore, this review …

Optimizing Recombinant Cas9 Expression: Insights From E. Coli Bl21(De3) Strains For Enhanced Protein Purification And Genome Editing, Shilpi Agrawal, Made Harumi Padmaswari, Abbey L. Stokes, Daniel Maxenberger, Morgan Reese, Adila Khalil, Christopher E. Nelson

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a revolutionary tool in genetic engineering, offering unprecedented precision and efficiency in genome editing. Cas9, an enzyme derived from bacteria, is guided by RNA to edit DNA sequences within cells precisely. However, while CRISPR-Cas9 presents notable benefits and encouraging outcomes as a molecular tool and a potential therapeutic agent, the process of producing and purifying recombinant Cas9 protein remains a formidable hurdle. In this study, we systematically investigated the expression of recombinant SpCas9-His in four distinct Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains (Rosetta2, BL21(DE3), BL21(DE3)-pLysS, and BL21(DE3)-Star). Through optimization of culture conditions, including temperature and …

Creating Advanced Processes Through Utilizing Renewable Eutectics For Gas Capture And Separation, Ahmad Mohammad Rasheed Al-Bodour

Dissertations

Global efforts to reduce emissions of environmentally harmful gases have intensified, with carbon dioxide (CO2) being identified as the most significant greenhouse gas and a key target for reduction strategies. Carbon dioxide (CO2) has the highest potential of threatening the environment. It is recognized as one of the greenhouse gases which has the potential of negative effects on the human being, atmosphere, and the environment. Even though CO2 gas has negative effects but at the same time it has high potential to be exploited in beneficial ways. For instance, CO2 is used in the energy field to produce the so-called …

Computational Microscopy For Biomedical Imaging With Deep Learning Assisted Image Analysis, Yuwei Liu

Dissertations

Microscopy plays a crucial role across various scientific fields by enabling structural and functional imaging with microscopic resolution. In biomedicine, microscopy contributes to basic research and clinical diagnosis. Conventionally, optical microscopy derives its contrast from the amplitude of the optical wave and provides visualization of the physical structure of the sample qualitatively. To understand the function at the cellular or tissue level, there is a need to characterize the sample quantitatively and explore contrast mechanisms other than light intensity. Image enhancement or reconstruction from microscopic imaging systems is known as computational microscopy, and it involves the application of computational techniques …

Microplastic Abundance And Removal In Stormwater Using Green Infrastructure, Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma

Dissertations

Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as a pervasive environmental contaminant, conveying other contaminants, accumulating in aquatic organisms, and posing ecological risks. The existing research has primarily focused on MPs in wastewater treatment plant effluents in surface waters. However, the role of stormwater systems in MP transport has been less explored. Given the rise in MPs from urban sources, stormwater runoff from urban areas may serve as a critical conduit for transporting land-based MPs into aquatic environments. Green infrastructures (GIs) have been recognized for mitigating flooding and improving water quality from minor storms by trapping stormwater pollutants. Yet, the capability of …

Development Of Super Hydrophobic Membranes And Their Applications, Sumona Paul

Dissertations

Effective liquid phase separation is vital across industries, especially in aviation, chemicals, fuels, and textiles. Membrane technology offers advantages over traditional methods like distillation, with low energy consumption and protection for heat-sensitive molecules. Membrane performance is assessed based on factors such as materials, surface modification, and interactions. This research targets superhydrophobic membranes for liquid-liquid filtration and antiwetting omniphobic membranes for membrane distillation, focusing on properties like contact angle and thermal resistance.

This study presents a highly hydrophobic membrane achieved by immobilizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto a PTFE microfiltration membrane. It's designed for dewatering organic-water mixtures with trace water content via …

Machine Learning Based Analysis Of Civil Infrastructure In The Presence Of Sparse Data, Megan Butcher

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The high computational cost of estimating engineering demand parameters (EDPs) via finite element (FE) models, which incorporate uncertainties in earthquake events and material properties, limits the application of the Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) framework. Previous efforts to replace FE models with surrogate models have typically focused only on building parameters, necessitating re-training for new, unseen earthquakes. This paper introduces a machine learning-based surrogate model framework that addresses both earthquake and material parameter uncertainties to predict responses for unseen seismic events. Earthquakes are characterized by their projections on an orthonormal basis, computed using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of a representative ground …

Strawberry Nectar Preservation Through Innovative Techniques And Energy Evaluation For High-Pressure Processing, Caterina Scaioli

Theses

Strawberries are universally adored by people of all ages, owing to their richness in vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants, offering myriad health benefits, including combating free radicals. However, despite their popularity, strawberry juices or nectars are not commonly found in markets due to their delicate structure, which makes them prone to rapid deterioration of their prized qualities and vibrant red color. In the food industry, preventing browning and nutrient deterioration are often the primary challenges faced when processing red juices. Traditional preservation methods, such as pasteurization, are inadequate in maintaining their freshness. The focus of this study is to explore alternative …

Targeted Drug Delivery: Investigating Protein Corona Behavior, Atharva Markale

Theses

Due to high specificity and less toxicity, nanoparticles have become promising for targeted drug delivery against cancer, although they face challenges when they enter the bloodstream, making their behavior unpredictable. The deposition of proteins on nanoparticles, the protein corona, changes their biosignature, affecting their circulation, drug release potency, targeting ability, and immunogenicity. The continuous exchange of protein layers on a nanoscale is complex to analyze.

Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) is a method to characterize nanoparticles in blood plasma by combining principles of light scattering microscopy and Brownian motion. In this work, time-dependent experiments with plasma were conducted to analyze the …

Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction To Ammonia On Cu Based Nanoparticles Using Quantum Mechanical Simulations, Kathan Bhavin Shukla

Theses

Nitrate reduction to ammonia (NRA) is critical for environmental remediation and energy conservation, as it can remove harmful nitrate (NO₃^-) from water sources while producing usable ammonia (NH₃). Cu represents one of the most promising non-noble-metal NRA electrocatalysts. However, the intrinsic catalytic activity of Cu facets and their influence under different pH conditions remain unclear, particularly in the presence of ions commonly found in wastewater such as Cl^-, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we evaluated the nitrate reduction to ammonia (NRA) pathways …

Modeling And Forecasting Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (Cyanohabs) In Lake Pontchartrain, Shekhar Mahat

LSU Master's Theses

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) frequently occur in coastal waters worldwide, adversely affecting economies, human health, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational activities. Lake Pontchartrain, an oligohaline estuary, experienced frequent HABs from 2018 to 2023. While NOAA’s NCCOS and USEPA’s CyAN currently monitor cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) in coastal, freshwater, and riverine systems, there is a notable lack of systems monitoring phycocyanin concentrations in the lake. This thesis utilizes satellite remote sensing environmental stressors to model and predict CyanoHABs in Lake Pontchartrain using machine learning techniques. A key focus of this study is assessing the forecasting capabilities of the random forest method …

A Simple Sandwich Electrochemical Immunosensor For Rapid Detection Of The Alzheimer’S Disease Biomarker Tau Protein, Mingzhu Yang, Yihong Chen, Hongyu Sun, Dujuan Li, Yanbin Li

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

As a typical biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease, rapid and specific detection of tau protein can help improve the early diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. In this study, a simple sandwich electrochemical immunosensor was developed for rapid detection of tau protein. Primary monoclonal antibodies (mAb1) against the middle domain of tau protein (amino acids 189–195) were immobilized on the gold electrode surface through a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3,3′-dithiobis (sulfosuccinimidyl propionate) (DTSSP). Then the tau protein was captured through the specific adsorption between the antigen and the antibody, resulting in a change in the impedance. Secondary monoclonal antibodies (mAb2) against …