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Ligament Reconstruction : A Biomechanical Cadaveric Test Of Autogenous Repairs And The In Vivo Evaluation Of Synthetic Scaffold Materials, Anne Marie Daly

Theses

The knee joint is the largest and one of the most complex joints in the human body. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the major intra-articular ligaments responsible for controlling and guiding the knee through most of its range of motion and its rupture alters normal joint mechanics.

One objective of this thesis was to determine if two autogenous tissue ACL reconstruction methods were biomechanically equivalent. The first method using the central one-third of the patellar tendon has been used clinically since the early 1960s. The second method utilizes portions of both the semitendinosus and the iliotibial band. …

Landmark-Based Partial Shape Recognition By A Two-Stage Bam Neural Network, Xianjun Liu

Theses

In this thesis, we develop a Bitfirectional Associative Memory (BAM) based neural network to achieve partial shape recognition. To recognize objects which are partially occluded, we represent each object by a set of landmarks. The landmarks of an object are points of interest relative to the object that have important shape attributes. To achieve recognition, feature values (landmark values) of each model object are trained and stored in the network. Each memory cell is trained to store landmark values of a model object for all possible positions. Given a scene which may consist of several objects, landmarks in the scene …

Characteristic Shape Recognition With Fuzzy Dustering, Kalpesh J. Patel

Theses

The problem of shape detection has been treated as one of clustering. A fuzzy-shell clustering(FSC) has been formulated as non linear least squares with fuzzy memberships as weights. An improved FSC algorithm has been proposed based on this formulation to partition the input feature vectors into hyper-spheres. To illustrate the usefulness of improved FSC we have provided numerous examples in 2-D space. The idea has been extended to fuzzy ellipsoidal-shell clustering (rESC). A FESC algorithm has been proposed to partition the input feature vectors into ellipsoidal patterns. To substantiate our claims regarding usefulness of this algorithm we have provided many …

Neural Net Classification Of States In Finite State Vector Quantization, Zhigang Zhang

Theses

In this thesis, a new image coding technique based on Neural Network Finite State Vector Quantization(NNFSVQ) is presented. The new design takes advantage of the high interblock spatial correlation of pixels in typical grey-level images, in addition to intrablock correlation already exploited by vector quantization (VQ). Although many FSVQ require large memory space for the storage of the numerous state codebooks, the memory space requirement of NNFSVQ can be reduced by a very large factor (about 10²-10³) to manageable size without impairing image quality. Simulation experiments have shown that by using NNFSVQ the bit rate can …

Perceived Risks Versus Actual Risks: Managing Hazards Through Negotiation, Kristin S. Shrader-Frechette

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The author describes what she calls the "Expert-Judgment Strategy", finding that, because it discounts lay perceptions of Risk, it interferes with the acceptance of important but Risky technologies.

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, September 1990, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

An eight page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

Puffing Biological Material, Frederick A. Payne

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

A method and apparatus for puffing biological material such as fruits and vegetables are provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) placing the material in a pressure chamber; (b) subjecting the material to a puffing gas such as carbon dioxide at an increased pressure between substantially 400 and 1200 psi; (c) quickly releasing the puffing gas pressure in less than 1 second to puff the material; and (d) drying the material after puffing to set it in the puffed state. The material is prepared for puffing by sizing so as to include at least one dimension of between substantially …

32nd Rocky Mountain Conference

Rocky Mountain Conference on Magnetic Resonance

Program and registration information for the 32nd annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference, co-sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy and the Rocky Mountain Chromatography Discussion Group. Held in Denver, Colorado, July 29 - August 3, 1990.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 32 Number 4, Summer 1990, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

10 - WHAT'S UP WITH COMIC BOOKS? Comic books aren't what they used to be but they continue to charm our children. By Mitch Finley '73

14 - STRESS, ILLNESS, AND PSYCHOTHERAPY The meaning of a stressful situation determines whether it is perceived as a challenge to be overcome or a demoralization. By Jerome D. Frank

18 - A BEELINE TO THE USA "Killer" bees have been winging their way from Brazil since scores of queens escaped a Sao Paolo lab in 1957. By Paul M. McCarthy '46

21 - PROMISE & OPPORTUNITY An economic forecast for the 1990s by …

Impulse, Kara Donohue

Impulse (Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering Publication)

Features:
[Page 2] Sander named engineering dean
[Page 3] Students create model of proposed laboratory
[Page 4] Kurtenbach named Distinguished Engineer
[Page 5] Governor creates Buckley award
[Page 5] Merit service award named for Buckley
[Page 5] Structural seminar draws many speakers

Special Section: Entrepreneurship:
[Page 6] Governor's proclamation
[Page 7-9] Entrepreneurs' Workshop offers training for successful business ventures
[Page 9] A letter from President Robert Wagner
[Page 10] Jerry Lohr to share his vision for entrepreneurial achievement
[Page 11] Engineering students excel in journalism
[Page 12] Entrepreneurs' Workshop schedule and registration form

Departments:
Alumni
[Page 13] Alumnus launches hydraulics …

An Artificial Neural Approach To The Decomposition Problem, Chandrashekar L. Masti

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to develop an artificial neural approach toward addressing the intractability involved with the decomposition problem. The search for the lattice of substitution property (s. p.) partitions essential to decompositions is cast into the framework of constraint satisfaction. An artificial neural network is developed to provide solutions by performing optimization of a mathematically derived objective function over the problem space. The issue of transitivity is verified to belong to a class of problems beyond the scope of solvability for conventional quadratic-order constraint satisfaction neural networks. A theorem is stated and proved establishing that third-order correlations …

Spray Drift Reduction With Shrouded Boom Sprayers, Ronald J. Fehringer, Richard Cavaletto

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Downwind drift was measured from a standard boom sprayer and a shrouded boom sprayer. Using 8002 flat fan nozzles, the hooded sprayer provided a 180 to 275% reduction in drift. The effectiveness of the shroud is dependent upon the spray droplet spectrum.

Effects Of Alternative Furrow Irrigation Parameters On Pesticide Movement In Cropped Areas In Utah, Antonio Maria Requena, Ahmad Yar Ranjha, Richard C. Peralta, Howard M. Deer, Majid Ehteshami, Robert W. Hill

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Production of adequate supplies of food and fiber currently requires that pesticides be used to limit crop losses caused by insects, pathogens, weeds and other pests. Although pesticides are necessary in today' s agriculture, they can be a serious problem if they reach and contaminate ground water, especially where drinking water needs are met by ground water. The relative reduction of potential ground-water contamination due to agricultural use of pesticides was analyzed for particular sites in Utah. The potential reduction of pesticides in ground water was considered by utilizing alternative irrigation systems, water management practices and pesticides. A one-dimensional simulation …

Using The Line-Transect Method To Estimate Percent Residue Cover, David P. Shelton, Elbert C. Dickey, Paul J. Jasa, Roger Kanable, Susan Smydra Krotz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Crop residue left on the soil surface is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods of reducing soil erosion. ~ Research in Nebraska and other Midwestern states shows ' that leaving as little as 20 percent of the soil surface covered with crop residue can reduce soil erosion by as much as one half of what it would be from residue-free conditions. Greater amounts of residue cover further limit soil erosion, Figure 1.

Residue reduces erosion in two ways. First, the residue dissipates raindrop impact energy, reducing the amount of soil that is detached. Residue also forms a …

Computer Modeling And Analysis Of Biological Rhythms, Shi Xiong Yang

Dissertations

Biological rhythms are an important phenomenon and feature of physiologic systems. Indirect means have to be employed for their description and exploration due to the unclear internal nature of the system. This study analyzed and developed several possible mathematical models using single or multidimensional nonlinear differential equations to approach the experimental circadian data. The numerical solutions of the models were obtained by computer simulation and the simulated and experimental acquired circadian data were analyzed in both the time and frequency domains. Phase plane plots, phase response curves and power spectrum analysis were employed to determine the nonlinearity of the system …

Mass Transfer Of Hazardous Organic Compounds In Soil Matrices Relevant To Thermal Desorption/Incineration, Jong-In Dong

Dissertations

Soils contaminated with hazardous organic compounds have been known to threaten human health both directly through various contact mechanisms and indirectly through leaching or transfer to the food chain. Thermal desorption of contaminated soil matrices with secondary treatment of the effluent gases (collection, incineration, etc) is one of most feasible and developing technologies for cleaning of contaminated soils. There is, however, little known about the mass transfer principles of organic contaminants through the heated soil matrices. The objectives of this study is, therefore, to learn and understand details of the mass transfer processes of organic compounds in these soil matrices. …

An Artificial Neural Network For Redundant Robot Inverse Kinematics Computation, Wibawa Utama

Theses

A redundant manipulator can be defined as a manipulator that has more degrees of freedom than necessary to determine the position and orientation of the end effector. Such a manipulator has dexterity, flexibility, and the ability to maneuver in presence of obstacles. One important and necessary step in utilizing a redundant robot is to relate the joint coordinates of the manipulator with the position and orientation of the end-effector. This specification is termed as the direct kinematics problem and can be written as x = f(q)
where x is a vector representing the position and orientation of the end-effector, q …

Mathematical Modeling And Simulation Of The Progression Of Aids, Anju H. Nagpal

Theses

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a pernicious disease acknowledged as a world health problem. One of the major issues in the study of AIDS is understanding the manifestation and the progression of the disease following the transmission of HIV. Unfortunately, the present state of biological knowledge does not yet give us a reliable means of evaluating these phenomena. A simulation approach is, therefore, extremely useful in predicting the various phases of the deteriorating physiological status of the patient. In the present study we have focused on the development of a mathematical model of the …

Three Dimensional Finite Element Analysis Of A Tibial Ankle Prosthesis, Harrison Philip Crowell Iii

Theses

In this study, three dimensional finite element analysis is used to evaluate and compare partially and fully porous coated tibial components, of an ankle prosthesis, implanted in the distal tibia. The geometry of the distal tibia is determined from measurements of cross sections of a human tibia. From the measurements, solid models of the cancellous and cortical bone are created. A solid model of the tibial component is created and positioned in the solid model of the bone. From the solid model, a finite element model is created for the partially coated case and for the fully coated case. Each …

Simulation Of Random Packing Of Hard Spheres Using Monte Carlo Method, Sung-Ho Park

Theses

A computer based method of generating a random packing of hard spheres is described. Using a Monte Carlo method as employed in the field of Computational Statistical Physics, packing of hard spheres are generated and analyzed.

The mean packing fractions for the present assemblies of 1000 spheres are 0.555±0.015 after pouring and 0.582±0.018 after 10 cycles of shaking. These values are approximately 5 to 6 per cent lower than the experimental results of G.D. Scott[30], but similar with the result of Visscher & Bolsterli [17].

The mean coordination numbers are 5.97 and 6.33 for the pouring and shaking case, respectively. …

Mathematical Modeling And Computer Simulations Of Biodenitrification In Batch And Sequencing Batch Reactors, Sugata Sanyal

Theses

Mathematical models have been derived for describing biodegradation of ni¬trate and nitrite in an anaerobic environment. Monod model for nitrate and Andrews model for nitrite were used as kinetic models. Experimental data from literature suggest that nitrate is not an inhibitory substance, while nitrite is not only inhibitory but it may also have a toxic effect on the biomass. The models were brought in dimensionless form in order to reduce the number of parame¬ters. Biodegradation was mathematically described for a batch, and a sequencing batch mode of operation. Computer programs were developed for numerically simulating the process. Some of the …

A Comparison Of Integrated And Differential Estimates Of Flourescent Intensity Profiles Using Digital Video Image Analysis, Langfang Wu

Theses

The dynamics of macromolecular transport across microvascular walls in the hamster cheek pouch have previously been studied by other investigators using fluorescence intravital microscopy. Fluorescein Isothiocyanate labeled Dextrans (FITC-Dx) of 20,000, and 70,000 molecular weight (FITC-Dx-20 and FITC- Dx-70) were used as macromolecular probes. Values of fluorescent intensity were previously recorded on videotape as a function of distance perpendicular to leaking vessels over a period of about 2.5 hr to allow for tracer equilibration in the interstitial space. In this study, these videotapes were played back frame-by-frame and 215x130-pixel windows around each leaking vessel were selected for further analysis of …

Biodegradation Of Phenol By Two Competing Microbial Species In A Sequencing Batch Reactor, Yoo-Suk Ko

Theses

Biodegradation of a single pollutant by two competing microbial species has been mathematically described for the case where a sequencing batch reactor is used. The model has been solved numerically to predict the behavior of the reactor under different operating conditions and for different kinetic expressions for biodegradation.

Experiments were performed to verify the predictions of the model. Serratia marcescens (ATCC 17991) and Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 31800) were the species used. Experiments were first performed in order to reveal the kinetics of biodegradation for each individual species. The biodegradable substance used was phenol, which was the sole carbon source in …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Biofeedback On Cardiovascular And Neuromuscular System, Andreas T. Gikas

Theses

Time series signal processing techniques (Fourier based) were applied to study the effects of biofeedback on the cardiovascular and neuromuscular system.

A medical instrumentattion system was developed to monitor ECG, EEG and EMG biopotential signals and temperature.

Data from two experiments were first analyzed. These data were from two normal male subjects who engaged in relaxation techniques (Transcendental Meditation & Imagery). If we assumed that for both subjects relaxation produced a decrease of the sympathetic activity then that resulted in a decrease of the heart rate (ECG) and an increase in skin temperature. Spectral analysis of the EEG signal showed …

Image Data Compression With Neural Networks, Jianjun Li

Theses

Three efficient image coding schemes, based orb neural networks, have been developed in this thesis: (1) Neural network vector quantization (NNVQ). The main advantage of this new technology is that it can accomplish the complex encoding process much faster than the previous algorithms. Its properties are studied and demonstrated by simulations. (2) A adaptive NNVQ for image sequence coding. Simulation experiments have been carried out with 4 x 4 blocks of pixels from an image sequence consisting of 40 frames. At 0.67 bits/pixel, this scheme achieves good image quality suitable for videoconferencing systems; (3) Neural network prediction. This new prediction …

A Study Of Methane Gas Production On Anaerobic Digestion System, Seng-Fung Su

Theses

The anaerobic sludge digestion process is not a recent development. At least 100 years ago in France,Louis H. Mouras designed and constructed fermenters to liquefy the sludge obtained from domestic wastes.

Since the turn of the century, the anaerobic fermentation process has been used extensively in the treatment of waste-water solids.

The necessity of preventing pollution of water resource, as a consequence of the rapid increase in human waste, demands adequate treatment of liquid wastes from domestic and industrial sources. For this purpose, the anaerobic digestion process can play an important role as a method for stabilizing and eliminating wastes …

Demulsification And Separation Of Oil In A Water/Particulate System, Fong-Jung Tai

Theses

The wastewater generated from installation factories contains high suspended solids ( SS ) and oil. Effective removal of oil and clay particles in washrack wastewater can be achieved by using organic polymer TFL-398 alone or in conjunction with alum. The dissolved/emulsified oil concentration and suspended solids are used to represent the degree of oil demulsification and clay particles destabilization, respectively.

To improve the efficiency of oil demulsification and reduce the chemical consumption, pretreatment of the influent wastewater is essentially necessary. pH adjustment to 11-12 generally reduces chemical requirement. Total oil concentration was reduced significantly at pH = 11.7 without any …

Study Of Essential Factors Affecting The Efficiency Of Sludge Digestion, I-Chang Tsao

Theses

The sludge produced by wastewater treatment plant has some major characteristics such as high COD ( 52093 mg/1 - 79683 mg/1) and VS ( 19247 mg/1 - 44178 mg/1). The present laboratory investigation has indicated that successful treatment and purification of the subject of sludge is possible using multiple-stage anaerobic digestion system.

The multiple-stage system is capable of degrading 40-55% of COD and 50 to 60% of VS. The conventional digestion system degrades 30-45% of COD and 40-50% of VS. After treated by conventional system and multiple-stage system, the concentration of COD and VS are still high (21200 mg/1 - …

Stress Cracking And Breakage Susceptibility As Affected By Moisture Content At Harvest For Four Yellow Dent Corn Hybrids, Curtis Weller, M. R. Paulsen, M. P. Steinberg

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Four hybrids of yellow dent com were harvested at three levels of moisture content. After drying, samples were analyzed for stress cracking and susceptibility to breakage in Wisconsin (WBT) and Stein (SBT) breakage testers. Significant differences in stress cracking and breakage susceptibility as determined with the WBT and the SBT were observed among the four hybrids. Breakage susceptibility as measured with the WBT and SBT significantly increased as the harvest moisture increased. Stress cracks increased significantly as harvest moisture increased within the drying air temperatures of 49, 71, and 93° C. WBT breakage susceptibility significantly increased as drying air temperature …

Pesticide And Water Management Alternatives To Mitigate Potential Ground-Water Contamination For Selected Counties In Utah, Majid Ehteshami, Antonio M. Requena, Richard C. Peralta, Howard M. Deer, Robert W. Hill, Ahmad Yar Ranjha

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Production of adequate supplies of food and fiber currently requires that pesticides be used to limit crop losses from insects, pathogens, weeds and other pests. Although pesticides are necessary in today's agriculture, they can be a serious problem if they reach and contaminate ground water, especially in places where drinking water needs are supplied from ground water. The relative reduction of potential ground-water contamination due to agricultural use of pesticides was analyzed for particular sites in Utah. The potential reduction of pesticides in ground water was considered by utilizing alternative irrigation systems, water management practices and pesticides. A one-dimensional simulation …